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URBS IN HORTO:

HISTORY

OF

CHICAGO

I" ROM THE

Earliest Period to the Present Time.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOLUME L-ENDIN G WITH THE YEAR 1857.

BY A. T. ANDREAS.

CHICAGO:
A T . A N I) R E AS, PUB L I S H E R .

Copyright Secured, 1SS4,
A. T. ANDREAS.

\; ] ItlGIITS RESEK\ 1.1).

R. R. DONNEU.EY A; SONS
PRINTERS,

I HE LAKESIDE PRESS.

A. J. COX & CO.,

BINDERS,
I44 MONROE STREET.

BLOMGRKN BROS. &
ELECT KOI 'YFERS.

PREFACE.

IN presenting the first volume of the History of Chicago to the public, the Publisher desires to
define the plan upon which the work has been arranged.

Much care has been taken with the compilation of the opening division of the work, and the subjects
of original occupation and early exploration have received thoughtful attention. Wherever allusion to
the indefinite region of "Chicagou" has been made in the reports of those venturesome and self-
sacrificing men who formed the little bands of exploration, their words have been intelligently weighed,
the trustworthiness of their records considered, and the local value of their labors regarded. In concise
form, so much of the accepted history of their adventures as serves to give to the Chicago of
to-day a location and a name, has been preserved within this volume.

When the period of tradition and speculative possibilities is past, the reader will discover that
the primary quality of our plan is detail ; and the further, advanced the work becomes the more
apparent does this fact grow. One of the most serious obstacles encountered by the historian in
the pursuit of his vocation is scarcity of reliable data. Whenever the patient searcher for historic
truth is rewarded by the discovery of some forgotten script or volume, the world of letters hails the
treasure with delight ; and it needs no argument to convince the intelligent that had not men failed
to realize that the trifles of to-day become the vital elements of the historic works of the future, this
deficiency would not exist. It is the purpose of this History to combine the scattered items of fact
into convenient form, and, at the hazard of too great redundancy, preserve all that can be found
descriptive of the past of Chicago.

Much more material was obtained than could be placed between the covers of a single volume.
It therefore followed that the History must be made in several books. How this could be
accomplished was one of the most serious problems requiring solution ; for the history of a city
differs widely from that of a nation in its scheme of treatment. While that portion which may be
termed the narrative history was susceptible of epochal division, the succeeding years being taken up
after each closed volume without detriment to interest, those more detailed chapters, which we speak of
as topical history, could not be left unnoticed until the later volumes. The narrative of events must
of necessity be cursory. It would suffice to say that, from such a year to such a year, the commercial,
the religious, the educational, and the political affairs were thus and so ; but when the reader, whose
taste directed him toward one particular factor in the city's measure of prosperity, sought for the
detailed history of his favorite theme, he would look in vain for that explicit recital of events needed
for his enlightenment. A general history might tell of the condition of Chicago from year to year ; but
the elements which produced that condition demand a more exhaustive treatment. The contemporane-
ousness of events had also to be borne in mind. It was, therefore, determined to exercise arbitrary
powers, and select some period which marked an epoch in the general history at which to end the first
volume, bringing both narrative and topical subjects to an end there.

The year 1857 was made memorable in the calendar of the city's history by the most serious
financial crisis experienced since its founding, twenty years before. Not only were commercial circles
gravely involved ; the pecuniary stress exerted controlling force upon the social world as well, checking
growth in every direction. Municipal operations were impeded, religious undertakings stopped by the
failure of pledges, educational plans thwarted by the curtailment of necessary funds, and in all directions
was felt the enforced economy which pervaded the social fabric. No more appropriate period could
be found than this to bring the thread of history to a temporary end. With few exceptions — and

PREFACE.

those so minor as to be easily explained in the proper places — the topical sections of the work are
closed at 1S57, to be resumed in subsequent volumes.

The advantages of this plan are obvious. Each volume is made thereby complete in itself, as
a work of reference, while the only serious disadvantage is temporary in its character ; since the
incompleteness of the several topics will be amended by the issuance of the succeeding volumes.

This Historv is the product of many hands. The assertion is often made that none save
those who have participated in early events are capable of writing intelligibly or correctly of them, but
experience has convinced the Publisher that it is better to entrust the labor of compilation to men
who are wholly unbiased, and who have acquired practical methods in the work of arranging and stating
facts. It is a curious fact in psychology that the faculty of memory is as eccentric as it " is treacherous,
and historv based solely upon human recollection is scarcely worth the reading. When one individual,
who was a witness of scenes which afterward became historic, attempts to give his version of the events,
his statement is generally brought into dispute by another witness of the scenes, whose 'recollection is
materially different. Members of the legal profession will agree with us in saying that were it not
for this freak of the mind — involving men of equal honesty in questions of positive veracity — the
practice of the law would be much less remunerative than it is. To illustrate this point, we cite two
cases out of many similar ones that claimed the attention of our writers. One was the upsetting of
an old resident's statement as to the day of his arrival in Chicago — our investigation proving that he
had always erroneously given the date until we convinced him of his mistake ; and the other, that of
a prominent banker, who declared, that his early bank was organized a year subsequent to the actual
date of its establishment. In both instances these intelligent and reliable men, whose memories were
proverbially good, sought to convince us, by contemporaneous happenings, of our "error," and in both
instances we were able to demonstrate that, although the attendant circumstances were right in point of
sequence, the dates were wrong. This allusion is made for the sole purpose of showing that the best
of memories may be, and often are, at fault. Unless sustained by written confirmation, arbitrary assertion
is generally not worthy of credence in a historic sense.

To the end that as full a measure of accuracy as is attainable might be reached, every available
source of information has been sought out, and yet the result will doubtless prove inadequate to the
desire of the Publisher, for absolute correctness can never be achieved by human agencies. As one
evidence of the good intention of those engaged upon the work, it is stated that no less than eight
thousand newspapers issued in Chicago between 1833 and 1857 have been carefully examined by them.
Considering the fact that the fire of 187 1 destroyed nearly all the records, printed and documentary,
relating to the early days of Chicago, there remained no better authority for the establishment of dates
than these newspaper files ; and while the fragmentary character of the information therein is conceded, it
must be admitted that the journals of the past afford about the only available means of settling disputed
points during the period of their publication. In this connection it may with propriety be remarked that
the reader is indebted to Mrs. John C. Calhoun, Hon. John Wentworth, Hon. William Bross, Hon.
Andrew Shuman, Hon. E. M. Haines, of Waukegan, Dr. Lots Pennington, of Sterling, and to the
proprietors of the several newspapers of this city, as well as to the Chicago Historical Society, the
Chicago Public Library, and the Calumet Club, for the acts of courtesy which enabled our writers to gain
access to these valuable files. There are not known to be in existence now more than two or three
numbers of all the issues of the two or three journals published here between June, 1837, and April 9,
1839. The hiatus has been filled as well as it could be from the volumes of the Milwaukee Sentinel,
and from the numerous collections of letters possessed by the Chicago Historical Society. A complete
file of the leading journals between April, 1843, and August, 1844, has never been found. With these two
exceptions it is believed by us that the writers on this work have read the newspaper record of events
happening in Chicago from the issuance of John C. Calhoun's Democrat, November 26, 1833, to the
close of 1857; the period from March, 1837, to the close of 1857 representing a daily issue.

The amount of labor expended upon this volume is much greater than a casual reading would

PREFACE.

indicate. The almost total destruction of official records, of private diaries, of the innumerable
quantity of memoranda, which generally furnish the historian with easy and satisfactory means of accom-
plishing his work, in this instance proved a well-nigh insuperable barrier to progress. The few documents
and books that survived the great calamity of 1S71 were of so desultory a character as to afford little
practical aid. Because of the lack referred to, and which we have attempted to compensate for by
calling upon individual memory to serve instead thereof, errors have undoubtedly found lodgment here ;
deficiencies in all probability will be noted ; and personal opinions may be apparently treated with indifference.
But we assure the reader that prejudice has not biased even so much as one statement herein made, nor
have the writers willfully neglected to give what seemed due credit to every assertion that bore the die of
truth. As many a base metal may be stamped with the coinage of honesty and bear the similitude of
worth, so may many an ancient legend become, because of seeming probability, an accepted tenet in the
historic creed of men. The writer who detects the inaccuracy of such current fictions must expect to
encounter disapproval ; for of nothing is one so fondly tenacious as of the delusions of memory and the folk-
lore in which some thread of association with one's own life can be traced.

The task of searching for, arranging, weighing and preparing all that could be construed to have
interes't or value in an historic sense was begun in October, 1882, and after January following the corps
of writers numbered from ten to twelve, until the completion of the work in February, 1884 ; while,
were we to count the number of friendly and voluntary co-laborers who have given transient assistance,
the force would be increased to many hundreds. It is believed that the assignment of subjects was
made with a view to congeniality of topic on the part of the several writers, most of whom have had years
of experience in this line of work.

It has been found impracticable, under the plan, to follow the usual custom of enumerating topics
by chapter captions. This change, however, is one which violates no more serious a matter than
precedent.

Biographical sketches of those men who were identified with early Chicago are given as a neces-
sary part of history ; the interest attaching to their public work exciting a commendable desire to
know somewhat more fully their personal records. We maintain that the biographical sketches form one
of the most valuable features of the work, and in the forthcoming volumes will appear individual mention
of many who, although residents of Chicago prior to 1858, did not attain their greatest prominence until
a later date. Their sketches will be given in connection with the topics with which they were identified.

It is impossible to reconcile all traditions and legends that have, from that dignity which a venerable
age often imparts to non-deserving things, grown to be a part of the accepted history of Chicago. It is
safe to assert that fully as much money has been expended in the pursuit of lights which ultimately proved
to be ignes fatui, as in the establishment of those truths which are worthy of preservation.

The writers of this volume have adopted the rule of ignoring even favorite stories whenever their
origin was shown to be indeterminate, their importance minor, and their character apocryphal. We can see no
good excuse for perpetuating errors merely because they are clothed in the form of a neatly-told story ; or
because they have gone uncontradicted for years. In fact, few have escaped contradiction, in one form or
another ; for the argus-eyed early settler is always on the lookout for some alleged historic event to dispute,
and it is equally true that no version is permitted to go unchallenged by some one. We have endeavored
to state as fact only those points which are susceptible of substantiation.

The mechanical work upon the volume was performed in Chicago ; even the greater portion of the
illustrations were designed or executed here. It may be properly termed a Chicago product, and an evidence
of the advancement of the mechanic arts in the West. The types' from which the book is printed were
made and purchased expressly for it. The form of the volume was determined on with a view to the subse-
quent volumes, which will of necessity contain much more letter-press and many more illustrations than this.
In order to obviate the difficulty which attends the handling of a large volume, the page is made to contain
nearly three times as much reading-matter as is commonly given in historical works. The wisdom of this
decision will be recognized hereafter.

PREFACE

The succeeding volume will commence with a chapter containing a resume of what is herein

published, with such emendations as later information or further historic research may demand to render

the history complete.

Among the numerous authorities consulted during the preparation of the history of early French

explorations of the region were: Prof. C. W. Butterfield's monograph on Jean Nicolet ; the historical works

of Francis Parkman ; Shea's "Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley;" " Proces Verbal of

Taking Possession of Louisiana, by La Salle, 9th April, 1682," (French's Hist. Coll. La., Part I); Tonty's

Memoir, (French's Hist. Coll. La., Part I;) Shea's "Charlevoix;" Du Pratz's "History of Louisiana;"

Coxe's "Louisiana;" "Historical Magazine" (Shea); the Wisconsin Historical Society's Collections;

" Early Voyages Up and Down the Mississippi " (letters and reports of French Catholic Missionaries^

1699-1700, reprints by Munsell and Shea; "Account of the Proceedings of the Illinois and Ouabache

Land Companies," Philadelphia, 1796 ; etc.

Relating to Indian occupation of this section there were consulted, among the many volumes, the

books and papers of Isaac McCoy; the letters of Dr. Lykins, Rev. Robert L. Simmerwell, Rev. Jotham

Meeker, and numerous other men who spent their lives among the Pottawatomies, Miamis, and tribes

formerly identified with the history of the Chicago Region, and whose letters are now in the possession

of the Kansas Historical Society.

Important letters from Ramsey Crooks pertaining to the history of early Indian traders and United

States Factors at this point, were furnished by Mr. Gurdon S. Hubbard, and access to the posthumous

papers of Hon. Ninian Edwards, and many other valuable manuscripts, was obtained through the courtesy

of the Chicago Historical Society.

Invaluable aid on the latter portions of this volume has been received from the publications of

Mr. Henry H. Hurlbut ("Chicago Antiquities"), Rufus Blanchard ("Discovery and Conquests of the

Northwest, with the History of Chicago "), Robert Fergus, consisting of historic addresses, letters,

biographies, etc., furnished by leading citizens of unquestioned ability, and possessing personal knowledge

of the topics on which they have written ; a most valuable series of sketches published in the Chicago

Times in 1875-76, entitled " Bye - Gone Days;" the writings of Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie ; the historical

works of Hon. William Bross, Mr. Elias Colbert and Mr. James Sheehan. The Publisher is under

obligation to Mr. Albert D. Hager, Secretary of the Chicago Historical Society, for assistance rendered

during the prosecution of this work.

It is not claimed that, from this profusion of historic matters, a complete compilation has been

made ; but it has been the endeavor of those entrusted with the work to so set in order the material as

to give the reader a more comprehensive, connected and accurate account of events as they transpired,

than has been undertaken by any single writer of the many to whom the publishers are indebted, and

to whom they hereby make unqualified acknowledgments for the merit of their work, and the aid they

have rendered in this latest attempt to write Chicago's history.

The topical history has been carefully compiled from every special source accessible, which it was

believed could render the treatment of the subject elaborate and accurate ; and the copy of this department

of the History has been invariably submitted for criticism, correction and final approval, to citizens

who from their personal knowledge were recognized authority, and whose approval should be a guarantee

of the correctness of the work.

A. T. A.

GENERAL INDEX.

Original Proprietors of the Soil.

The Miamis 33-3-1

The Pottawatomies 34-37

Origin ok the Word Chicago 37-38

Early Explorations.

John Nicolet 3S-41

The Jesuits - _ 41-46

Jacques Marquette .. 42-46

Louis Joliet 42-43

Early Chicago and the Northwest.
(By Albert D. Hager.)
Marquette — Maps and Journals — 46-49
Joliet and Marquette's routes (Ex-
pedition of 1673) 49_5°

Marquette's route to the Illinois

Mission (1674-1675) 50-51

The Grand and Little Calumet 51-54

The Kaskaskia Mission . 55

La Salle — The Miamis 56

Louis Joliet _ 56

Early Explorations (Continued).
La Salle — Expeditions to the Illi-
nois River 61-63

La Salle — At the "Chicagou Port-
age" 63-64

Henri de Tonty — De la Durantaye
— Henri Joutel — St. Cosine — De
Courtemanche and others at "Chi-
cagou," (1680-1 700) _. 63-67

Iroquois and Foxes in Northern

Illinois 6S-69

William Murray's land purchase 69-70

Modern Chicago and its Settlement.

Baptiste Point De Saible 70-71

Indian Traders 72

John Kinzie 72-76

Pottawatomies in the War of 1812. 76-79

Fort Dearborn — The Massacre 79-83

Chicago after the Massacre.. 84

Jean Baptiste Beaubien 84-86

U. S. Indian Agents and Factors-. 86-91

Fur Trade and Traders 92-96

The Kinzie Family.. 96-99

Chicago from 1816 to 1830.
Chicago as seen by visitors in 1817,
1820, 1822, 1823, 1825, 1827,

1828

Taxpayers in 1S25 ._ 100-101

The Clybourne family 101-105

David McK.ee — The Mirandeau
and Porthier families — The La-
lime homicide — Stephen H.
Scott and family — Mark and
Madore B. Beaubien and Russel

E. Heacock 105-108

Three friendly Chiefs, Alexander
Robinson, Billy Caldwell and

Shawbonee _ 108-109

Gurdon S. Hubbard, the oldest

living resident of Chicago. no-in

Chicago in 1830-33.

Survey of the town (1830) — Its

residents and appearance - — m-114
Religious germs — First Post-office

— Canal lots 114-116

Becomes the County Seat — First
County roads — First public
land sale — Early amusements. . 116-117
Black Hawk War — The cholera.. 117-121
New permanent settlers — Harbor

improvements 121-122

Indian treaty of 1833 122-123

Chicago incorporated as a town,

(1833).. 128

Page

Government Appointees 147-148

United States Land Office 14S-149

Annals of Chicago 1S37 to

1857 150-159

Late Threads of Fort Dearborn

History 160-162

Roster of Officers Serving at the

Post 163

Lalime Homicide 164

The Illinois & Michigan Canal.

Idea of a canal connecting Lake
Michigan with the Illinois
River first suggested by Joliet
in 1673 165

First scientific exploration of route
by Major S. H. Long — Survey
of routes (1 823-1 824) 166-167

Incorporation of Illinois & Michi-
gan Canal Company — Land
grants — Inauguration of work
— Expense of construction to
1S42 — Suspension of work 167-169

Renewal of work (1843) — Formal
opening of canal, April, 1848.. 169-171

Difficulties of carrying on the
work — Expenditures and re-
ceipts of company from May,
1845, to November, 1848... . 171-172

The canal from 1S4S to 1857 .... 172-173
Corporate History.

Incorporation of the town of Chi-
cago — Elections — Improve-
ments— Population (1S33-1S37) 174-176

Town limits — Officials — Appear-
ance — Churches — Hotels —
Citizens, etc., in 1833 128-133

The great land craze 133-138

Minor annals of the town 138-139

Postal affairs 139-141

Wharfing privileges — Fire De-
partment— Cemeteries — Town
credit and growth 141- 143

Sketches of early residents 143-146

Creation of the City of Chicago.

Corporate Limits — First election
— The municipality— First cen-
sus (1837) — City and County
buildings — Finances — Real es-
tate— Panic of 1837. 176-1S3

Growth and standing of the city,
(1837-1857) — Roster of city of-
ficers (1837-1857) 183-185

Water-works — The river 1S5-192

Street improvements and nomen-
clature .1 194-197

Plank roads — Ferries and bridges 197-200

The flood of 1849 200-201

Police Department 202-204

Educational Department.

Early schools and teachers (1816-
1817) — Sale of School Section
16 — First school districts, school
buildings and school inspectors. 204-208

Re-organization of school system
under city charter — Report of
commissioner of school lands at
close of 1839, when school fund
was transferred to new manage-
ment 20S-210

First Board of Inspectors of Chi-
cago city schools — City organ-
ized into districts — Schools es-
tablished— School-houses erect-
ed— Teachers and salaries — Re-

ports of School Inspectors (1S40-
1850) — School and teachers'
conventions 210-213

Public schools from 185 1 to 1857
— Sangamon, Franklin and
Moseley schools — Office of Su-
perintendent of Public Schools
created (1853) — Schools, teach-
ers and salaries paid in 1854 —
John C. Dore. Flavel Moseley
and William Harvey Wells 213-216

Schools, teachers and salaries paid
at close of 1857 — Number of
pupils — School fund — Evening
schools — Industrial and reform
schools — Officers of Board of
Education (1840-1857) — De-
velopment of Chicago schools

by years (1S37-1857) 216-217

Chicago Volunteer Fire Department,
(1837-1855).

First fire ordinance — First fire
and fire company — Chicago
Fire Department organized 220-222

Sketches of Chicago fire com-
panies and rosters of early of-
ficers— Firemen's Benevolent

Association 222-232

Harbor and Marine.

Chicago harbor — Work of im-
provement 233-238

Wharfing privileges 23S-239

Local marine interests — Early
vessels at Chicago — The light-
house— Early steamers — Chi-
cago ship-yards — Custom house
and collectors — Wiliiam B.

Snowhook ... 239-244

The Railroad System.

Preparatory steps .. 244-245

Galena & Chicago Union Rail-
road- 245-251, 256-257

Illinois Central Railroad 251-256

Chicago & North-Western Rai-
lroad 257

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy

Railroad 258

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy

Railroad ... 258

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific

Railroad 258-259

Michigan Southern & Northern

Indiana Railroad 259-260

Michigan Central Railroad 260-261

Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chi-
cago Railroad . .... 261-262

Railroad system of Chicago in 1857 262-263

Telegraph and Express 263

Early Military History.

Fort Dearborn militia — Winne-
bago War . ... 264-267

Cook County militia — Black Hawk

War... 267-274

Independent military companies

prior to 1847 ... 275-276

Chicago in the Mexican War 276-284

Local military companies from

1S4S to 1S60 2S4-2S6

Religious History.

Pre-church period - 287-288

Pioneer Protestant ministers 28S-289

Catholicism.

St. Mary's Church — Sketch of

Bishop William Quarter 2S9-294

GENERAL INDEX.

St. Patrick's Church — St. Peter's

Church - 294

St. Joseph's Church — St. Michael's

Church - 295

St. Louis' Church 296

Church of St. Francis D' Assistant

— Church of the Holy Name.- 297

The University of St. Mary's of

the Lake... 1 --- 29S-299

Sisters of Mercy — Catholic Or-
phan Asylum - — 299

Pro rESTAN r Denominations.

First Presbyterian Church 302-305

Second Presbyterian Church 305-309

Westminster Presbyterian Church 309

North Presbyterian Church 310

. Presbyterian Church 310-312

Reformed Presbyterian Church.. 312-314

Olivet Presbyterian Church 314-315

First Baptist' Church 315-319

Tabernacle Baptist Church. 319-321

Edina Place Baptist Church 321-322

Union Park Baptist Church — Sa-
lem Baptist Church 322

Berean Baptist Church 323

Olivet Baptist Church 323-324

First Swedish Baptist Church 324-325

First Methodist Church 325-327

Canal-street Methodist Episcopal

Church 327-328

Indiana-street Methodist Epis-
copal Church 32S-329

State-street Methodist Episcopal

Church 329

Desplaines-street Methodist Epis-
copal Church 329-330

Owen-street Methodist Episcopal

Church 330

Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Epis-
copal Church 330-331

First Get man Methodist Epis-
copal Church 331

Van Buren-street Methodist Epis-
copal Church -. 331-332

Maxwell-street German Metho-
dist Episcopal Church 332

First Swedish Methodist Epis-
copal Church 332-333

Methodist Protestant Church _ 333

Quinn Chapel Methodist Epis-
copal Church ....__ 333-334

German Evangelical Association. 334

St. James Episcopal Church 334-336

Trinity Church 336-337

Church of the Atonement — Grace
Church — St. John's Church —
Church of the Holy Communion

— Church of the Ascension 337

St. Ansgarius Church ._ 33S-339

First Congregationalist Church . . 339-340
Plymouth Congregationalist Ch._ 340-341
South Congregationalist Church. 341-342
The New England Church 342

Page.

First Universalist Church 343

First Unitarian Church. 343-345

Swedenborgian C hurch 345-347

The Jews.. 34S

St. Paul's German Evangelical

Lutheran Church -. 348-349

First Norwegian Evangelical Lu-
theran Church 349

Our Savior's Norwegian Evangel-
ical Lutheran Church .. 350

Swedish Immanuel Evangelical

Lutheran Church ... . 350-351

St. Paul's Evangelical United

Church 351

Christian Church .. .. 351-353

Spiritualists - 353-354

Chicago Theological Seminary.. 354-356

Chicago Bible Society 356

History of the Press.

From 1833 to 1S57 360-412

Printers, Lithographers, Book-
binders, etc 412-418

The Bench and Bar.

The judiciary under the Constitu-
tion of 1S1S — Chicago's earliest

judiciary 419

Circuit Court — Early terms, law-
yers and trials — Sketches of
members of early Chicago Bar

(1833-1837) ... . ... 420-443

Chicago courts from 1837 to 1857
— First Law School — C 00k
County Court — Sketches of
prominent members of the Chi-
cago Bar from 1S37 to 1857 —

Lawyers practicing in 1857

Medical History.

Sketches of physicians connected

with Fort Dearborn —

Early medical practitioners (1832-

1S44).---- —

Early druggists —

Rush Medical College

Chicago Medical Society

Homeopathy — Hahnemann Col-
lege.

The Drama.
Early amusements — First profes-
sional public entertainment 472-474

The first theater (Isherwood &
McKenzie) — "The Rialto" —
" The Chicago Theater" estab-
lished— Seasons of 1838-1839 —
Sketches of leading members of
McKenzie & Jefferson's Com-
pany of 183S-1S39- 474-481

Miscellaneous amusements 4S1-4S4

Rice's Theater established — Sea-
sons (1847-4S-49I — Burning
and re-establishment — Seasons
from 1851 to 1857 — Miscellan-
eous amusements (1S47-1857)
— Museums— North's Theater. 4S4-496

443-456

457-459

459-463

464

464-466

466-467

467-471

Page.

! Music.

Local Societies — Traveling Con-
cert Companies at Chicago

(1835-1S50) _ 496-499

First opera — Philharmonic Society

— Local musical talent 499-500

Early* Literature.

Sketches of early Chicago authors. 500-504

Architecture 504-506

Art and Artists 506

Benevolent, Literary and
Social Societies.

Masonic 507-514

Odd Fellowship 514-517

Temperance 517-518

Mechanic's Institute 518-521

Young Men's (Library) Associa-
tion 521-522

Chicago Lyceum - 522

Miscellaneous- 522-523

Banks and Banking.

First banking law — Banks under

Territorial Government 524-5 26

State banks — First Chicago bank. 526-531
Illegal banking — Early banks and

bankers . 531-544

Banking under State law — The

Bank war .. 544"547

Sketches of early Chicago banks

and bankers .. 547-553

Trade. Commerce and Manufactures.

Primitive manufactures 554_559

Early manufactures of wood, iron,

etc 559-571

Comparative value of various
early manufactures — Miscella-
neous manufactures of Chicago
January 1, 1S57 — Review of
Chicago trade and commerce.. 571-576

Auxiliary Agencies - 576-581

The Chicago Board-of Trade.. 5S1-587
Scientific DESCRrPTioN of Lo-
cality.
Meteorological, — Topographical,
— Geological, — Paleontologi-
cal, — Zoological, — Ornitholo-
gical, — Entomological, — Ich-
t h yo 1 o g i c a 1, — Conchological

and Floral 587-593

Sanitary- History'.

Town and City Regulations 594

Cholera and Small-pox Epidemics 594-597

Hospitals — 597_598

Political History.

Admission of Illinois into the

Union 599

Daniel T. Cook, — Early Elections 600-603
Chicago and the " Black Code " 604-60S

Stephen A. Douglas 602, 60S-611

Chicago and Kansas - 611-614

Local Politics 614-62S

Wolf Point and Early Hotels 629-63

Chronological Record of Events.- 639

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Abbott, Charles H 329, 549

Abbott, Lucius 462

Abbott, Samuel S8

Abell, Sidney 140, 184, 1S5, 477

Abell, Ralph M. P... 140

Abert, J. J.. _ 337

Abrahamson, Erick 349

Ackerman, William K 246, 263

Adams, Charles _. 223

Adams, Henry T . 544

Adams, J 300

Adams, J. McGregor 309

Adams, J. Q. 220

Adams, William H , 132, 175, 269, 336, 476

Adams, William 206

Adams, R. E. W ._ ._ 467

Adams, Mrs. H 300

Adam, William.- _ 344

Adams's Flouring Mills 564

Addams, J. H 256

Adler, L _ 348

Adsit, J. M.__ 518

Ahert, William.. 101

Aiken, Samuel 339

Aiken, Mrs. Samuel 339

Aiken, Mrs. Sarah 306, 309

Allbright, Jacob 334

Alexander, J. K 263

Alexander, Samuel 166

Allen, D. W. C 477

Allen, James. 234, 477

Allen, James Adams 466

Allen, James H _ 282

Allen, J. W._ 252

Allen, Nathan 454, 477

Allen, Susan Randolph 87

Allert, C. F 332

Allison, Barbara : 312

Allopathy vs. Homeopathy (1857) 470

Allouez, Claude 33, 41, 49, 62, 65, 287

Alsop, Joseph W __ 253

Altai -boys' Sodality. . 297

Alter, John J 302

Alton & Sangamon Railroad 247,259

Alton & Springfield Railroad 247

Amberg, Adam 294

Ambrose, J. E 316

Anient, Anson 271

"America," Engine Company No. 9... 225

Sketch of . 231

American Car Company and Works,

341, 342, 568

American Express Company 263

American Fur. Company, 74, 75, 93,

no, in, 342, 554

" American Odd Fellows " 402

Amerman, G. K 470

Amundson, John 349

Anderson, Alfred. 332

Anderson, Andrew. 324

Anderson, A. J.. 332

Anderson, C. J 350

Anderson, Paul 349, 350

Anderson, John 338

Andrews, Edmund 463

Andrews, Mrs. Mary 339

Andrew, H. P 260

Annen, Peter 295

Anti-Masonic Society (State) 514

Apollo Commanderv, No. 1 513

Archer, William B.'._ 168

"Archer's" Road (Chicago to Lockport), 165

Architecture of Early Chicago 504, 506

Argard, John W 328

Armstrong, George 267

Page

Armstrong, Nicholas P 415

Arnet, Lewis 334

Arnold, Isaac N., 97, 169, 170, 173, 1S4,

210, 212, 217, 237, 248, 249, 276, 384,
422, 435, 436, 437, 451, 518, 612.

Art and Artists 506

Aspinwall, William H 253

"Ashlar" — (Masonic newspaper). 411

Ashley, L. W 253

Astor, John J 93

Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company 260

Athens Marble 570

Augenstein C 334

Aurora (Branch) Railroad- 25S

Austin, W. G 461

Averell, James 242

Averill, Bradford T -- 315

Averill, B. Y 216

Avery, Charles E 477

Avery, J. T 342

Avery, O. S 315

Avery, William 242

Ayers, George — 595

Ayers, Mahlon 476

Baak, B 297

Baar, Ernest 332

Babcock, Cyril 321

Babcock, Lydia F 321

Bacher, Louis 285

Backman, Peter 283

Badin, Stephen D 288

Bagley, Daniel 333

Bailey, Alexander 271

Bailey, C. S. 209

Bailey, Daniel 26S

Bailey, Frederick 477

Bailey, Jonathan N 112, 115

Bain, Alexander 311

Bain, Mrs. Elizabeth - 311

Baker, Daniel 84, 90

Baker, David J._ 85, 86

Baker, Edward D 280, 2S3

Baker, Edward L. 258

Baker, Elisha 306

Baker, Hiram 209

Baldwin. M. H 351

Baldwin, Mrs. M. H 351

Balestier, Joseph N 134, 431, 518

Ball, Silas R 341

Ball, Mrs. Amelia 34.1

Bailantyne, J. F 402, 407

Ballard, C. A. 132, 175

Ballard, J. 476

Ballentine, Mrs. Agnes M 342

Ballingall, Patrick--. 184, 185, 442, 448, 455

Balloon frame buildings 504

Balme, J. R 409

Baltis, P 298

Bandt, Henry 227

Banks, Charles 2S0

Banks, J. N 595

Banks, Early 525

Under Territorial Government. 525, 526

Under State law __ 537, 544

Bank war 544, 547

Bankruptcy in 1842 446

Bankers and brokers from 1S37 to

1852--- 534

Sketches of Chicago banks (1S37-

1857) 547, 5 5°

Bank of America 538, 543, 548

Bank of Commerce -538, 543. 548

Bank of Chicago 53S, 543

Bank of the City of Chicago 540

Baptist Union Theological Seminary 354

Page

Barber, William _ 271

" Baring Brothers & Co." _. _ 170

Barker, Charles \V 286

Barlow, William 336

Barnard, J. H 461

Barnard, Alice L -212, 213

Barnes, James H 260

Barnes, Seth- 283, 284

Barnum, Ezra H - 226

Barrows, Mary 206

Barry, William 37

Barth, Matthias \V 297

Barth, Nicholas 285

Barth, Philip 331

Bartle, William T 342

Bartlett, C. F -. 402

Bartlett, Samuel C 342, 356, 396

Barton, James L 236, 237

Bascom, FlaveL-301, 304, 305, 306,

308, 341

Bastian, N. S 352

Bates, Edward 237

Bates, Mrs. Ellen M 91

Bates, George C _ 91

Bates, Kinzie 91

Bates, John, Jr._i22, 132, 133, 134, 139, 176,
421, 476, 594.

Batsche, Charles 332

Baumbarten, Maurice 295

Baume, James 326

Baumgartner, Mr. and Mrs 331

Bauskey, Joseph 106,114

Baver, August 351

Baxley, J. M 132

Beach, James S 175, 3S9, 468

Beach, Elizabeth 206

Beach, Samuel S 48 1

Beardsley, H. H 463

Beardsley, Havilah 260

Beaubien, Jean Baptiste, 84, S5, 89, 94,95,

96, 100, 101, 104, 112, 117, 132, 175,

19S, 205, 266, 269, 270, 272, 274, 275,
284, 2S9, 290, 420, 496, 600, 602.

Beaubien, Alexander.- 85, 288

Beaubien, Charles H 205

Beaubien, George 290

Beaubien, Madore B., 112, 117, 128, 132,

175, 198, 602.

Beaubien, Mark, 106, 112, 114, 117, 128,
132, 197,' 240, 243, 2S9, 472.

Beaubien Claim, the 85, 86

Beauharnais, M. De 69

Beaumont, George A. O. 275, 413, 431, 477

Beck, Abraham 420

Becker, C. G - 332

Becker, Joseph N 285

Beckwith, J. D 490

Beckwith, H. W___ 265

Beebe, Gaylord D 468, 469

Beebe, Thomas H 311, 312

Beebe, Mrs. Catharine.. 311

Beebee, Mrs. C. M 353

Beef, first shipment of from Chicago — 554

Beers, Cyrenus 222, 336, 476, 582

Beer Riot, trial of participants 453, 454

Beggs, Stephen R.. 114, 115, 2S3, 2S9, 325

Beidler, Jacob 306

Beinder, H 390

Belden, James. - 285

Belden, Mrs. Elvira P 339

Belding, Lemuel C... 346

Bell, Digby V. 220

Bell, John - 319

Beloit & Madison Railroad 257, 262

Bell's Commercial College 220

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page
Bench and Bar of Chicago (difficulties of

1839) 444

Bender, George _ S4, 129, 234

Benedict, Amzi 220, 549

Benedict, L _ 341

Benedictive Fathers 295

Bennett. S. C 219, 212, 343

Bennett. William 246

Bentley, Robert 32S

Bentley, \Y. N 595

Benton, Thomas H 237, 374

" Beobachter von Michigan" 410

Berean Baptist Church 323

Berg. Anton 294

Berg. Joseph 294

Best, Martin 2S5

Bestor, George C 25S

Bethel. The __. 354,359,518

" Better Covenant, the " .. . 3S3, 3S4

Beyer. B. A- 35 1

Biedermann, A.. 331

Bigelow, Captain . . 401, 402

"Big Foot" (Indian chief), log, 117, nS,

265. 267.

Bills, E. D 278, 282

Bills. George R 346

Bineteau Julian 33, 66, 67, 2S7

Biographical Sketches of —

Anderson, Paul 349-350

Arnold, Isaac Newton 435~437

Balestier, Joseph N 431

Ballingall, Patrick 455

Bascom, Flavel 304

Bates, John — 145-146

Beach, James S _ 468

Beaubien, Jean Baptiste 84-85

Beaubien, Madore 107

Beaubien, Mark 106-107

Beaumont, George A. O 431

Beebe, Gaylord D 468-469

Beggs, Stephen R . .. 327

Borein, Peter Ruble 326

Blatchford, John 304-305

Boone, Levi D 622

Brainard, Daniel _ 462

Brown, Henry. _ _ 431-432

Brown, Lemuel 566

Brown, William H.._ 552-553

Burgess, Otis Asa 353

Bushnell, W. H 503

Butterfield, Justin 433-435

Butterfield, William. _. 466

Caldwell, Billy 108

Casey, Edward W._ 424-425

Carpenter, Philo 340

Caton, John Dean 437_439

Chappell, Eliza 206

I hase, Philander D 338-339

Clarkson, Robert H... 336

'lybourne Family, the 101-102

Collins, James H... 425-426

Cook, Daniel P _ 600-601

'rooks, Ramsey 93-94

iJe Saible, Baptiste Point.. 70-72

Uevore, John F 328

Oyer, Charles Volneyl.. 460-461

1 -Iyer, Thomas 622

l.gan, William B 459-460

Eldredge, John W 460

Evans, Enoch Webster 440-441

f ord, Thomas 449

Freer, Joseph Warren _ 463

Fullerton, Alexander N 425

Garrett, Augustus. 621

Gibbs, George Augtistin -. . 587

odhue, Josiah C . 460

odrich, Grant. 439-440

-..'.rant, James 425

Gurnee, W. S. 621

. Hallam, Isaac W - 335

Hamilton, Richard J 143-145

Harding, Fisher A 431

....Harmon, lilijah Dewey.. 458

Harrington. Joseph 344

Hcacock, Russel E 1.7 [08

Page
Biographical Sketches of —

llibbard, John Randolph 347

Hinton, Isaac T 318

Hogan, J. S. C 139

Hubbard, Gurdon S no

... Huntington, Alonzo 430-431

Irwin, Matthew 87-88

Jouett, Charles. _ 86-S7

Kercheval, Lewis C 450

Kinzie, John 72-76

Kinzie, Mrs. Eleanor (McKillip) 97

Kinzie, Elizabeth 96

Kinzie, James , _ 96

Kinzie, Ellen M 99

Kinzie, John H... 97-98

Kinzie, Mara I __ 99

Kinzie, Robert A 99

Leary, Albert Greene 441

Maxwell, Philip. 45S-459

Meeker, George W._ . 454-455

Mirandeau and Porthier families. 104-105

Moore, Henry 426

Morris, Buckner S 426-427

Newman, S. B. 333

Ogden, Mahlon D 441-442

Ogden, William B 616-619

Owen, Thomas J. V 91

Paine, Seth 540

Patterson, Robert 314

Peck, Ebenezer 428-429

Peyton, Francis 432

Phelps, Pallas.. 451

Porter, Jeremiah 302

Prentiss, Alexander S 453

Quarter, William 292

Raymond, B. W . 619

.Rice, Nathan L 310

Robinson, Alexander 108

Rounseville, William 503-504

Ryan, Edward G _ 442

Scammon, J. Young 550-552

Scott, Stephen H. and Family 108

Shaw-bo-nee (Indian chief) log

Sherman, A. S ... 621

Shippen, Rush R 345

Shumway, Edward S 452

Skinner, Mark 440

Smith, OB 321

Smith, David S -467-468

Smith, Samuel Lisle ^2-433

Snowhook, William B 244

Spring, Giles J2 j-424

Steel, George 587

Stewart, Alexander M 313

Stone, Luther 324

Stuart, William 428

Taylor, Augustine D 145

Taylor, Benjamin F ._ 503

Temple, John Taylor 468

Temple, Peter 460

Thomas, Jesse B 449

Walker, Charles 586-587

Wells, William 81

Wells, William Harvey 215-216

Wentworth, Elijah 637

Wentworth, Elijah, Tr . 637

Wentworth, George W 463

Wentworth, John 622-628

Whipple, T. Herbert 502-503

Whistler, John 80

Whitehead, Henry _ 327

Wolcott, (Dr.) Alexander 90-91

Wunder, Henry 349

Young, Richard M.^ 423

Bird, J. H. 466

Bishop, Hiram M 337

Bissell, William II ....253, 280, 612

Bjookholen, John 350

Bjorkman, T 338

Black, William A. 282

Black, W. F... 352

" Blackbird " (Indian chief).. 78-82

mm, Gideon 303

" Black Code," the 604, 608

Black Hawk -84,109,110, 117

Page

Black Hawk War 266-268

Black Partridge. . . . 74, 78, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84

Blacksmiths, Early 566

Blackstone, John 212

Blackstone, T. B 253

Blackwell, Robert S _ 452

Blackwell, Emily 465

Blair, C. B. 260

Blair, C. H. 477

Blair, William 519

Blake, Chelsey 241, 242, 606

Blake, Levi 222

Blanchard, Jonathan 339

Blanchard, Richard A. 328

Blanchard, Rufus.. 200

Blaney, James V. Z..230, 346, 384, 463, 465

Blaney, Mrs. J. V. Z. 310

Blank, George A _ 334

Blasey, B 294

Blatchford, John 301, 304, 305, 357

Blatchford, J. H... 209

Blenkairon, W. M. 220

Bletsch, Jacob 33 1

Blish, Sylvester 258

Bliss, George 260

Blodgett, Israel P. 269, 271

Blodgett, Tyler K 132, 566

Blonquist, Frederick 324

Blood, Caleb 320

Bloomington Convention (1856J 390

Blossom, Levi 257

Board of Education 179, 217, 218

Board of Trade 582, 586

Boardman, C 221

Boardman, Henry K. W., 461, 468, 470,
47i. 595-

Boaz, Jacob 334

Bogart, Abram 226

Bogartus, John L 101, 104, 420

Boggs, Charles T 321, 520

Boggs, Amelia 321

Boggs, Virginia A 321

Boisbriant, M. De 68

Bolden, Jesse 321

Bolles, Nathan, 176, 184, 209, 210, 211, 212,
343-

Bolles, Peter 176, 178, 181, 184

Bolles, Sins 328, 329

Bond, Benjamin 448

Bond, Ezra 269

Bond, Heman S 269

Bond, L. L 330

Bond, Shadrack 166, 167

Bond, William 269

Bonnell, J. D 136

Boone, Levi D., 185, 220, 319, 322, 402,
461, 466, 532, 538, 539, 544, 594, 595,
597, 614, 615.

Booth, Heman D 284, 285, 562

Booth, Oliver P 286

Booth, Junius Brutus 487

Boots and Shoes, early manufacturers

and dealers 570

Borein, Peter R:.__ 325

Boring, E. M 330

Botsford, John K 222, 223, 2S5

Botwell, Harvey 312

Botwell, Mrs. Mary 312

Boucha, Henry 269

Bourassa, Daniel 94

Bourassa, Leon 112,289

Bouton, NathanS 194, 315, 568

Bowen, Erastus 208

Bowes, James 220

Bowman, Ariel 414

Boyakin, Henderson.. 281, 282

Boyce, Leroy M 229, 521, 595

Boyd, Robert 321

Boyd, Mrs. Christina 321

Boyer, John K 175, 211

Boyer, Valentine A 244, 273, 459

Boyington, W. W 328

Brace, Mytle G 258

Brachtendorf, Peter 295

Brackett, William H 184, 336, 377

SPECIAL INDEX.

Bradley, A. F 1S6, 519

Bradley, Cyrus P., 201, 203, 225, 22S, 230,

285, 594. 615.

Bradley, David M 212, 372, 416

Bradley, Hezekiah.-. : 83,84,92

Bradley, J. C-- - 461

Bradley, H. S- 477

Bradley, S. S -- 477

Bradley, William H 453

Brady, George 152, 198

Brady, Hugh. 298

Brady, John 298

Brady, L. D 258

Bragg, Hannah 339

Brainard, Daniel, 366, 384, 449, 450, 461,

462, 464, 465, 466, 594, 595, 598.

Brand, Alexander 534

Brandes, Christian 332

Braumhold, Gustavus 414

Breck, James J — 244

Bredburg, J _ 332

Breen, John 294, 297, 29S

Breese, Sidney,.- 85, 86, 245, 251, 252, 427

Breese, J. S. 532

Breweries 564, 565

"Brewster, Hogan & Peck " 116

Brick, early manufacture of 570

First house of 566

Early brick-yards 566

Brick buildings in 1837 504

Bridewell, The .- - 204

Bridges, T. B 319

Bridges, Emily 319

Bridges, Early. 133, 143, 198, .199, 201, 202

Bridge and Ferry Difficulties. 198, 199

Brier, George 4S2

Briggs, Benjamin 319, 320

Briggs, Betsey Ann 319

Briggs House 637

Brink, Charles 329

Brinkerhoff, John 336, 461

Briscoe, Benjamin 300

Bristol, R. C 201, 582

Bristol, Harriet — 339

Bristol, Mary 500

Broad, Lewis. - 342

Brockett, E. C.-_ 223

Bronson, Arthur 129, 130,169, 289

Bronson, Harvey S - - 328

Bronson, Stephen 536, 53S, 544

Brooks, Asahel L. 306

Brooks, Edward E. _ 90

Brooks, John \V 258, 260, 261

Brooks, Henry 132

Brooks, John 416

Brooks, J. P 215

Brooks, Samuel 307

Brooks, Samuel M 132-506

Bross, William, 199, 213, 395, 396, 407, 520,

5S4, 610.

Brown, Alfred 25S

Brown, Andrew J 217, 219, 328, 53S, 562

Brown, Mrs. A. J 309

Brown, Arza 330

Brown, Asa B. 383

Brown, E. R 286

Brown, Erastus .166, 167, 476

Brown, E. S. 476

Brown, George 294

Brown, Henry 184, 199, 211. 212, 431,

432, 501, 5°2, 595-

Brown, Hiram 220

Brown, Isaac 230

Brown,. Jesse B 269

Brown, John -142, 208, 2S6

Brown, John J._ 447

Brown, Lemuel 132, 566

Brown, L. A 349

Brown, Lockwood 354

Brown, William (Fugitive slave) 326

Brown, William H...86, 209, 210, 212, 214,

217, 218, 247, 248, 249, 262, 305, 335,

357. 377. 42S, 471. 476, 527. 552, 553.

568.
Brown, Mrs. William H 305

Page
Brown, R. A. 310

Brown, Rufus 269, 2S9, 303

Brown, Mrs. Rufus 132

Brown, Mrs. Cynthia. 300

Brown School, the 213, 214, 216

Browne, L. D 212

Bruce, T. W. 220

Bryan, Thomas B 521

Bryne, T 298

Bryne, Michael 294

Buchanan, John S 321

Buchanan, Nelson 2S5

Buchanan, Mabel A 321

Buckingham, J. S. (Account of Catholic

Church troubles) - 292

Buckley, Timothy 226

Buckley, Thomas 4S8

Bucklin, James M 167

Builders' Materials, early manufacturers

of 569

Bugbee, L. H 328

Bull's Head Tavern, the 504, 563, 637

Bull, Ole 499,500

Bumgarden, Morris 132

Bunce, James 258

Burbank, A 315

Burch, Isaac H., 25S, 534, 536, 53S, 544, 5S2

Burgess, O. A 352, 353

Burgess, Jeannette — 319

Burgess, Margaret 319

Burgess, William T 452

Burke, Thomas 292

Burke, Charles 47S, 4S1

Burley, A. H 488, 582

Burling, Edward 519

Burnell, Levi.. 262

Burnett, D. S 352

Burnett, Anna 312

Burnett, William 72, 74, 83, 92

Burnham, Ambrose 203, 594

" Burns House," the 81,84

Burns, W. H 330

Burr, Daniel E 284

Burr, Jonathan 260

Burrall, W. P 257

Burroughs, John C 318, 402

Burton, Stiles 220, 476

Burton, L. S . 227

Burtis, Richard 300

Busby, Charles 329

Busch, August F._ 351

Bush, Charles P 342, 40S

Bush, Frank 294

Bush, John B 274, 294

Bushnell, William H -389, 407, 503

Butler, Charles, Letter of 129-130

Mention 262, 289

Butler, John H. 341

Butler, Mrs. J. H 341

Butler, Jesse 136

Butler, T D -.292, 299

Butterfield, Justin,. 169, 433, 434, 435, 444,
" 449. 451. 456. 4°5-

Butterfield, J. C. 416

Butterfield, Jonathan C 378

Butterfield, Lyman 271

Butterfield, William 465, 466

Buxton, F. S 491

Byford, William H 463

Cabery, Albert — 329

Cabery, Ruth 329

Cady, C. M 411

Cady, Cornelius S. 342

Cady, D. Spencer 274, 275, 278, 2S4

Caldwell, Archibald 96, 629

Caldwell, Billy 74, 91, 108, 109, 112, 117,

11S, 125, 205, 265, 266, 2S9, 600, 632.

Caldwell, James. 294

Caldwell, Louisa B 106

Calhoun, Alvin.201, 222, 223, 228, 274, 595
Calhoun, John 132, 222, 223, 254, 360,

366, 412, 477.

Calhoun, John C. SS

Calhoun, Mrs. Pamelia C 360

California Loan Office 536

Page

Calkins, W. W 593

Callis, Mrs. Susan M Bg

Callis, Mrs., extract from letter of - go

Calumet Lake (old canal) 52. 53, 54

Calumet Rivers (Grand and Little Calu-
met) --51. 52. 53, 54

Campbell, Alexander . 352

Campbell, James, trial of for counter-
feiting -.451-452

Campbell, J 389

Campbell, James - 410

Campbell, James B 137

Campbell, |. D 274

Campbell, James II .- 185

Campbell, James K _ 313

Canada, Thomas 294

Canal, Commissioners of 1829 112

Sale of lots (1S30) 115

Cholera 594

Scrip issued -- - 168

Foreign loan -. ■- 170

" Shallow Cut " plan 170

Pre-emption claims to lands 448

Canal-street M. E. Church ...327-328

Cander, Christian 332

Cannon, Thomas 330

Carey (Indian) Mission 107

Carlon, Philip — 294

Carlson, Erland 350-351. 410

Carney, James 152, 211, 212, 294

Carpenter, Mrs. Ann. 306, 339

Carpenter, Mrs. Abel E 207

Carpenter, Mrs Abagail H. — 342

Carpenter, Benjamin 341

Carpenter, Mrs 342

Carpenter, James H 274

Carpenter, Job 337

Carpenter, Nathaniel 315

Carpentei, Philo 122, 132, 175, 289, 300,

301, 306, 307, 308, 339, 340, 355, 356,
357, 396, 464, 60S.

Carpenter, S. L 132, 198

Carpenter, William 337

Carr, E. S ... 463

Carr, Miss R. R., earlv teacher 210

Carroll, Edward -- 294

Carson, George 2S3

Carter, S. B. _ 256

Carter, Thomas B --305, 306, 357, 497

Carter, Mrs. Thomas B 305

Carver, David 132, 175, 326, 554

Carvillo 341

Case, C. II 241

Casey, Edward \V.__176, 221, 420, 424, 425

Cass, Gov. Lewis 35, 88, 90, 237, 265

" Cataract " (Engine Company No. S) - . 229

Caton, John Dean.. 128, 175, 176, 17S, 184,

366, 420, 421, 437, 438, 439, 448, 450,
455. 461, 465, 632.
Catholic Orphan Asylum, established in
1849. New asylum incorporated in

1852 -. 299

Catholics (German) 294

Cavalier (Daily) ...396, 401

Cemeteries (Early) 141

Central Military Tract Railroad 25S

Central Presbyterian Church 310

Chadwick, J. \V 176

Chadwick, G. W 209

Chaffee, J. F 328

Chamberlain, E. W 260

Chamberlain, Mrs. Harriet 342

Chambers, A B 236, 237

Chambers, David 236

Champlain, Samuel 3S, 39

Chandler, Joseph 122, 234

Chandonnais. Jean Baptiste._74, 83, 94, 95

Chapin, John P 1S4, 212, 220, 280, 297,

343, 562, 5S2, 614, 621.

Chapman, Charles H. 128, 152

Chapman, George --I32, 175

Chapman, John B 260

Chapman, J. E. H 219

Chapman. Mrs. Nancv 180

Chapel, S. W. ... 389

SPECIAL INDEX.

Chappel, Eliza I Mrs. Jeremiah Porter)

206, 300, 301, 31 13

Charleston, Charles _. - 320

Charlevoix 33

Chase. Dudley ._ — 337

Chase. Charles L. _ 544

Chase. Philander 33q, 334. 336

Chase. Warren -- 353

Cheqoimegon (Ashland. Wis.) 41

Cherry, Stephen _ 329

Cherry, Maria . . 329

Chesbrough, E. S ..... 191

Chester, A. 256

Chevalier. Jean B ... 112

Chicago Agricultural Works(i855) 565

American 372, 376. 377, 371. 382,

413. 482.

\riel 401

"Bag and Eire Guard Company,"

(The "Forty Thieves") 223, 224, 229

r>ank, the. . 1 53S, 543, 54S

Branch of Illinois State Hank 527

Bible Society 323, 357, 359

— Brewery 564

Carriage and Wagon Factory 570

City Bank 538.543. 54§

City Hydraulic Company, organized

1S51--- 1S6, 107, 596

Commercial Advertiser (1S47-1S53)

--- 395, 396. 579

Courant(i853-iS54) 409

Daily Express and Commercial

Register (1S52) 407

Daily Journal (iSj4).377, 378, 391, 392

Daily Ledger 411

Daily News, the (1845-1846) 3S9

Daily Union (1S57) 411

Democrat (First issue, fac simile). . 360

370. (Daily). -372, 412, 535, 536, 538,
539. 544. 563-
Democratic Advocate and Commer-
cial Advertiser (1S44-1S46) 384

Dollar Magazine (1849) 402

Early meaning of the name. -37, 3S, 90

English and Classical Academy.2o6, 366

Express ( Daily and Weekly) 377

Examiner (1S57) 411

.. Evangelist ( Presbyterian newspaper) 407

. _ • ' Fire Guards " 224

..Female Seminary (Henderson). 220, 312

.-Furnace Hirst foundry) 566

..Gas Light & Coke Company 155

.. Harmonic Society (1S35) 496, 497

. .Herald (1S56-1S57) 410

..Homeopath (1S53-1S56) 409

. . Hibernian Benevolent Emigrant So-
ciety .. 293

Historical Society 523

. . Hydraulic Company. 176, 1S5, 451

Hide & Leather Company (1S43) 565

...Literary Budget, the (1852-1855)

... 402, 407

. .. Lyceum 180, 522

...Magazine (1857) 412

...Marine & Fire Insurance Com-
pany 531, 532, 536, 549

Medical Society (first organization,

1850-1S52) 466

Society (second organiza-
tion, 1858) 466, 467

hanics' Institute. 170, 171,51s, 521

(Flouring) Mills ... . 504

..Musical Review (1857) 412

-Oil Mill 566

...Pathfinder {1855)... .. 410

. . . Phrenological Society 523

...Portage, described by La Salle. 45, 64

By -' I "one - )-, 66

By Samuel A. Storrow ..... 1 00

By MajorS. II. Long 166, 167

Mention of ... 44. ;'.. 63, 64, :<,. :n
. . . Presbyter] (1851)

... .Savings Bank(i85i) 534

'I i- ■ 'ion 203

Protestant (1854) 410

Record 411

... . Republican 3S3

— Sacred Mine Society 497

.--Typographical Union (tj, 410

Site of ceded by Indians 70

Steam Engine Works 567

Steam Boiler Works 568

. — Temperance Battle Axe (1849) 402

Temperance House 636

Temperance Savings Association,

51S, 535

..'I heater 475, 477, 47S, 479, 4S8

Theological Seminary 35s, 356

Tribune, First edition July 10, 1S47.

Editors and publishers to 1857 401, 402

Type Foundry 415

Woodenware Manufactory (first) 570

. — Volksfreund 3S9

" Chicago " steamer 242

Chickering, J, W. 337, 338

Chichikatah (Indian chief) 33, 67

Childs, I^benezer 100

Childs, J. F 402

Chipman, Levi 329

Chipman, Mary. 329

Chipman, Sarah 329

Childs, Luther 2S9

Childs. Shuball D. __i86, 414, 415, 519, 520

Church of the Atonement 337

Church of the Ascension 337

Church of the Floly Communion 337

Church of the Holy Name 297, 2gS

Cholera, 119, 120, 121 270, 271, 594,

595, 596, 597

Choral Union Musical Society 219. 497

Christian Anti-Slavery Convention (1850)

Resolutions of Presbyterian Church 307

Christian Banker 408, 541, 542, 543

Christian Church. The Organization
(1S50) — Indiana-avenue Church —
Wabash-avenue Church — South Side
Church — The First Church — Otis

Asa Burgess. 351, 352, 353

Christian Era, (1S52) 407

Christian, Shoemaker, (1853) 408

Church, Leroy 402

Church, L. S. ... 549

Church, William L..184, 1S5, 274, 284, 521

Citizens' Fire Brigade 227

City Bank 543, 548

City Charter 176, 177

( ity Express Post 263

City Hospital. Flomeopathic board of

practitioners appointed 470

City Hotel -634, 636

City property, Sale of 182, 183

City Seal 179

Claflin, I 215

Clapp, William B 562, 563

Clapp, Mrs. Laura 342

Clark, Abraham 342

Clark, Amelia A 319

Clark, Cornelia A... 339

Clark, Dennis 271

Clark, Edwin 319

Clark, Elisha 300, 308, 339, 596

Clark, Elizabeth. 73

Clark, E. R. 226

Clark, George. 313

('lark, Henry A 503

Clark, Henry B 460,476, 527, 595

Clark, Henry H 185

Clark, Henry W 184

Clark, Hugh G 346

< lark, James C 263

Clark, Jane 342

• lark, Mrs. Jonas 310

Clark, John.. 313

'lark, John A 255, 256

Clark, John K 73, 101, 103, 132,600

Clark, John W 336,337

Clark, Mrs. Melicent 342

Clark, M. M. 333, 334

Clark, N. I! 488, 489

Clark, William A .- 280

Page

Clark, William H 52, 134, 222

Clark, Timothy B 117, 192, 28S

Clarke, Abram F 134, 464

Clarkson, J. J 411

Clarkson, Robert H 220, 335, 336, 598

Clary, John _ 285

Cleaver, Charles 220-223, 554, 632

" Cleaverville" 565, 566

Clendenin, D. R 220

Clermont, Jeremy. - 101

Cleveland, A 637

Cleveland, F. W 383

Cleveland, Fidelia. _ 206

Cleveland House 637

Cleveland Light Artillery 237

Cleveland, Miriam 206

Cleveland, Reuben 286

Cleveland, Mrs. Sarah G 220

Clifford, Lydia 339

Clift, Benjamin H.. 414

Climate and Temperature of Chicago. . 588

Clock, David.-. 132

Clock, David 633

Clowry, Thomas - .. - 298

Clowry, William 297, 298

Club, Barbara _ 312

Clybourne, Archibald, 96, 101, 102, 103, 104,

106, 112, 116, 117, 118, 122, 132, 197,

420, 560, 561, 563, 600.
Clybourne, Mrs. Archibald, Barney,

Charles A., Frank, John H., Henry

C, Mary V., Martha A., Margaret

E., Sarah A., and William H 104

Clybourne, Henley 101, 103

Clybourne, James A 104, 286

Clybourne, Jonas 101, 104

Coal M ine Bluff Railroad- 246

Cobb, S. B 133, 222, 223, 276

" Cobweb Castle" 90, 103, 112

Coe, M. Daniel _ 46S

Coffee, Patrick 284

Coffin, J. W. C 335

Coggswell, Miss F. A 215,220

Cohen, G. M 348

Coquillard, Alexis 95.9°

Colby House 636

Colby, O. V 636

Cole, George M __ i 278

Cole, Mrs. Julia 300

Cole Rachel 342

Cole, Samuel 348

Cole, W. C 300

Coles, Edward 167

Colbert, Elias 561

Colfax, Schuyler 260

Colgan, Edward D 29S

Collectors of Chicago 244

College building (1844) 465

Collins, George C 209

Collins, Ira J 324

Collins, J. A 285, 2S6

Collins, James H., S6, 151, 248, 250, 281,

422, 425, 426, 451, 465, 607.

Collins, John 333

Collins, S. B 570

Collyer, Robert. '..- 344

Colton, D. Alphonso 409, 468, 470

Colver, Nathaniel 321, 323

Commercial Bulletin and Northwestern

Reporter (1S56) 411

Commercial Express (1857) — 411

Commercial Exchange Company — 538, 543

Commercial Register (1S50) — 402

Commercial Advertiser 416

Commercial Bank 538

Commilli, J. E ..- 410

Company of the Hundred Associates--. 39

Comstock, A. G - . — 2S6

Conant & Mack, trading house of, 92, 93,

95. 9"-

Cone, George W. I 286

Conley, Matthew 231,284, 286

Conlv, Philip--- 244

Cornier, S. M 352

Connelly, Patrick- 298

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Connett, J. W 203

Cook County 1 16

Cook, Daniel P 167

Cook, George C 329

Cook, Mrs 329

Cook, Isaac 140,147.223, 27S

Cook County Hospital (1847) 597

Cook County Medical -Society (1836-58),

--- 466, 467

Cook, Thomas 306

Cooke, B. C 390

Cooke, N. F 468,470

Cooley, L 351

Cooney, M . ... 2S4

Cooper, David 96

Cooper, John 457

Cooper, Miss M._ 215

Coquillard, Alexis — 95

Corbitt, Mary Eliza 299

Corning, Alfred H. P 226

Corning, Erastus.. 258

Corrigan, William 294

Cotton, C. S. 258

Corwin, Thomas 237

Couch, D. W 330

Couch, Ira and James 193, 635

Couldock, C. W - -492, 49"

Coulson, H. G -330

Courtemanche, M. de, visit to Chicago,

December, 1700 67

Courts — Chicago Courts (1S37-1S44) 443,
446 — (1S44-1S57) 446, 455; Circuit
Courts(iS3i-iS34)420, 421 — (1835-
1836) 427, 42S; Seventh Circuit es-
tablished, 443 — (1 842-1843) 446 —
(1854) 452; Court of Common Pleas,
449, 451, 452; County Court (1845)
446, 448.
Court-House and Jail (county and city)

180, 1S1

Contra, Louis. . 101

Co-vva-bee-mai (Indian chief at Chicago

portage) 78, 79

Cowell, Benjamin 470

Cowles, Alfred 149,402, 522

Cox, D _ 223, 594

Cox & Duncan (clothing house, 1835)-- 137

Cox, James A . . 477

Cox, William L 204

Cracraft, J. W 337

Crafts, John-75, S4, 93, 95, 96, 100,101, 630

Craig, John. 470

Cram, T. J 235

Crane, Betsey 315

Crane, Ebenezer 315

Crary, Miss Adelaide 219

Crawford, John.. 241

Crawford, Mrs. Sophronia 339

Crego, David R 285

Creote, Mrs. Prudence 322

Crews, Rev. Hooper 326, 358

Crocker, Austin 420

Crocker, Hans 237 334, 42S

Crocker, Sarah 319

Croft, Robert 28*2

Croner, Mrs. E 337

Crooks, Ramsey 74, S8, 93, 94, 95, 98,

240, 302.

Crumbaugh, Frederick -...309, 315

Culver, Miss H 215

Culver, John . 330

Culver, Sarah A 216

Culver, S. B 274

Cummings, Alexander 84

Cummins, George D 336

Cunningham, Henry. 152, 276

Cunningham, N. P._ 326

Curran, Bernard 2S4

Currier, J. W 262

Curtis, Harvey H 220, 301, 308,315, 407

Curtis, Rev. O. T 325

Curtiss, James 176, 184, 185, 212, 306,

366, 372, 428, 444, 446, 447, 477, 594,
607, 614, 621.
Curtiss, D. S - 401

Gushing. Nathaniel S

Gushing, Mrs. Melissa

(Custom House 243, 244, 5 78

Dablon, Claudius 33, 165,287

Daguerreian artists

Dahly, B. O. -

Daily Democratic Press (1852-1857)

Daily Times and Citizen (Free-Soil—

1852-1853).

Dalsem, J. J.-

Dances, Early

Danenhower, J. W _

Danenhower, William W.2S5, 402, 407
410.

Daniels, William

Darling, Enoch -I32,

Darling, Lucius . .... 92,

Darris, William H.

Darwin, Francis

Dass, J . C

David, Mary

David, William.

Davidson, D._ 383,

Davidson, James N

Davidson, Mrs. Lucy

Davidson, Elizabeth..

Davidson, Gilbert E _

Davidson, Orlando.. 341,

Davidson, Mrs. Caroline

Davies, John.. ...

Davis, Andrew J

Davis, Charles _

Davis, Devvitt C

Davis, David

Davis, D. E

Davis, George 1S4, 19S, 207, 497,

Davis, Isabella.-

Davis, J. M. 341,

Davis, John 170,330, 339,594,

Davis, John L. .

Davis, John H

Davis, John W ._

Davis, Mrs. M. E

Davis, Nathan S 3S9, 402, 419, 463,

467, 468, 470, 591, 598.

Davis, Richard _

Davis, S. A _ 274,

Davis, Thomas O. 223, 330, 366,

412, 417.
Davis, William H.--274, 2S4, 285, 286,

Davis, William T.

Davisson, Alfred W (63,

Davlin, John 291,

Dean, Miss D. A

" Dean House," the 85,

Dean, John 85,

Dean, Julia 4S6, 4S7,

Dean, Philip 186, 198, 203,

" Dean Richmond" (schooner)..

Dearborn school building

Dearborn Seminary

Debaif, Samuel

De Baptiste, Richard 269,

Debon, M

DeCamp, Samuel G. S

De Courtemanche, M...

Defrees, John H

De La Source, M

Delinquent tax list of 1836

Democratic Argus

Democratic Bugle

Democratic Press. ._

Demon, Christoff

Denker, Richard P 274,

Dennison, Ephraim H

Dennison, Mrs. E. H.

Denin, Susan (91,

Denin, Kate 491, 494,

De Pontevieux, Father _

Der National Demokrat

Deutsche Amerikaner (1854) _.

De Saible, Baptiste Point De__70, 72, 92,

Des Champs, Antoine 92, 94,

Desplaines River, Flood of 1675.

Desplaines River, Flood of 1849

341
341
579
288
506

349
407

407
597
117
410

282
175
263
180
294
463
319
319
389
342
342
342
258
342
342
330
353
203
2S0
330
339
49S
341
395
639
112
96
227

339
466,

330

276
372.

477
334
538
294
215

89

95
491
594
1 58
211
220
269
324

80
458

33
260

66
135
402
411
5S0
2S6
285
315
315
494
495
292
410
410
605
no
44

Page
Desplaines-street Methodist Episcopal
Church, Sunday-school and mission
(1S50-1856) — Organization of church
and erection of building — Constitu-
ent members — pastors — removal to
Maxwell Street— St. Paul's Method-
ist Episcopal Church 329, 330

" Detroit " (Vessel). ... 241

Devore, John F 328

Devore, William 312

Devounan, Henry.- 351

De Wolf, Calvin. 605, 608

De Wolf, William F 105

D'Iberville, M 67

Dickey, Hugh T. . -.15S, 275, 442, 446, 447,
44S, 451, 521,597-

Dickey, John B. .226, 232

Dickey, Julia 351

Dickey, T. Lyle 276, 2S3

Dickerman, Ernst 215, 331

Dickenson, Miss A 341

Dickenson, E. F 315

Dickenson, Jesse R. .. 342

Dickenson, Julia 341

Dickson, Frances E 311

Dillon, Matthew _ 292

Dillon, Patrick 294

Directories (City, 1839-1857) 413

Distilleries, Early .. 565

Districts, Early School. . .208. 209, 210, 211,
212, 215

Diversy, John 286

Diversy, Michael, 212, 2S5, 286, 294, 29s, 410,
564.

Divine River, the 56

Dix, Joel H. ...284, 285

Dixon Air Line 257

Dixon, James 322

Dikman, Ernst 332

Doan, G. W. 180

Doane, John H 311

Dodemead, Eliza. 87

Dodge, John C 255, 582, 584

Dodge, William B 339, 341

Dodson, S 319

Doggett, J. S 471

Do'lan, B. S 285

Dole, George W 112, 115, 122, 12S, 130,

132, 140, 147, 175, 176, 1S4, 185,198,
236, 241, 269, 305, 377, 527 549, 554,
560, 561, 598, 612.

Dole, Lucius G 462

Dollar Weekly 401

Donalson, Israel B 281, 282, 283

Donnelly, James M... 203, 226, 228, 230,274
2S4.

Donohue, Michael --203, 294

Donohue, P 1 298

Dore, John C. 214, 215, 217, 21S

Dorman, O. M 310

Dorman, Mrs O. M 310

Doty's Hotel 637

Doty, Theodoris 627

Doughty, William M 329

Douglas, Stephen A 180, 251, 252, 258,371,
446, 471, 488. 507, 602, 608.

Douglass, Charles 243

Downey, Michael 294

Downs, A. S 262, 497

Downs, Mrs. L. E.. 309

Drainage System (1S47-1854) 190

Drake, Alexander 329

Drake, Mrs. Alexander 329

Drake, John 635

Drake, William 216

Draper, H. M 20S

Draper, J. F. & Co... 637

Drier, J. J 331

Drew, James A . 294

Drew, Louisa (Hunt).. . 491

Driffy, James 298

Druggists, Early ... 464

Drummond, Thomas, 246, 247, 24S, 249, 250,

449. 45 1-
Druns, R. VV 30S, 309

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Ducat, Arthur C .- --- 227

Duck, C. H 462, 595

Duffy, Miss A. M 215

Duggan, James-. - 292

Du Lhut," Sieur 65

Dunmore War, the. 73

Duncan. Miss A -- 215

Duncan, Jeremiah W 337

Duncan. Joseph 167, 602

Dunham, John II.. 220, 470, 471, 541), sS2,
612.

Dunham, \V. X . 219

Duntcin, Thomas J..- 477

Dunlap. John .. 2S5

Dunn. Charles 112

Dunn, James Anson — 462

Dunn, Patrick 25S

Dunne, Dennis 294

Du Page Precinct 116

Du Page road 117

Dupee. C. A - - - - 219

Du Pin. M S4, 92, 457

Dupuy. Charles M 256, 608

Durant, Martha 212

Durant, Louisa M 319

Durantaye, De La (Commandant at fort

at Chicago in 16S4I [6, 65, 66, 288

Dussman, William 295

Dutton, H. L -. .- 606

Dutch, Alfred 395

Dutch, J. F 286

" Dutch Settlement" 212

Dwight, Henry. — 259

Dwight, Timothy 341

Dyer, Abbey S — 339

Dyer, Charles Volney, 176, 220, 273, 460,
461, 462, 522, 594, 597, 606, 607.

Dyer, George R 275

Dyer. Palmer - 334

Dver, Thomas, 149, 156, 1S5, 248, 250, 277,
562, 563. 3S2. 622.

Dyhrenfurth, Julius 220, 498

Eagle Exchange (tavern) 106

Early explorations in the Northwest.. 38, 67
Eastman, Zebina, 212, 341, 383, 3S9, 401,
407, 412, 416, 519, 520, 604-607.

Eastman, Mrs. Zebina 341

Ebert, John 24S

Eberhart, A. G 323

Eclectic Journal of Education and Liter-
ary Review 402

Eckstrom, P. E 349

Eddy, Ansel D 309, 31 5

Eddy. Devotion C 543

Eddv, Ira B., 353, 354, 371, 408, 540, 541,
543. 544.

Eddv, Thomas M 328,408

Eddy, W. H 286

Edina Place Baptist Church (Third Bap-
tist)— Organization, building and
dedication of church edifice (1856) —
Original members of Church — Pas-
tors— Formation of Wabash Avenue

Baptist Church 321-322

Edwards, Arthur 408

Edwards, Anna E... 341

Edwards, John T 229, 230, 331

Edwards, S'inian.. 77, 78, 167,600

Edwards, Sarah ... 321

Educational Convention of 1834 207

Ells, Thomas S - _ 222

Egan, Charles H 351

Egan. William I:., [52, 168, 227, 236, 276
285, 290. 334, 335, 459, 460, 594, 612.
634.

Eggleston, Nathaniel II 341, 35;, 39')

Eicb, Jacob - 285

Eichenscher, Simon .- - 286

Eisenmcrger, Conrad 33 1

Kiterman. L. II 334

Eklund, II. W. 332

- , J. W. 594, 460

Elections, Early 112, 116, 272. 599, 603

Elevators, Early 555, 579, 580, 581

"Ellen Parker" (early vessel) 242

Page

Ellet, Edwin G 258

Ellickson, N. H 349

Elliott, George W 305

Ellis, Albert G S9

Ellis, R. L 333

Ellis, Samuel 269

Ellis, William 383, 384

Ellis, Z. R 333

EUinwood, M. R 32S

Ellithorpe, Timothy C 412

Ellithorpe, F. T 416

Ellsworth, Elmer E 227

Ellsworth, John 416

Ellsworth, Joseph ... . 329

Ellsworth, Mrs. Joseph. 329

Emerson, D. C 226

Emery's Journal of Agriculture. 411

Emmet, Daniel __ 495

Emmet, Peter 351

Emory, Stephen 2S3

English Classical and High.School 219

Engravers, Early _ 414

Enos, James L (01, 402

Ensworth, Julia A. 339

" Enterprise" (first Chicago locomotive) 368

Ely, Edward 315

Ely, Mrs. Edward 315

Errett, Isaac 352

" Estray Pen," the 175

" Erie," early vessel 240

Erwin, William 278, 280

Erickson, H. I 349

Esher, J. J _ 334

Esher, John G. _ 334

Esher, Jacob _ 334

Esher, Martin 334

Estes, Mrs. Zebiah (Wentworth).. 114, 631

" Ethiopian Opera House ".. 494

Eule, Michael. 294

Evald, Carl A. _.. 350

Evans, Enoch W. 331, 440, 441

Evans, I. H 330

Evans, John 219, 384, .463,466, 597, 59S

Evans, John H 330

Evans, Mary__ 330

Evans, Rees _ 330

Evarts, Sophia 309

Evarts, W. W 310

Evarts, Mrs. W W. _ 309

Evening Journal 237

Evening Schools.- 217

Evileth, William S... _ 240

Excel, P 295

Excelsior Iron Works 568

Excelsior Society. . 523

Exchange Bank 536, 538, 543, 548

Exchange Coffee House 106, 633

Factories — First match, paper-box. to-
bacco and white lead 570

Failer, George 285

Fairbanks, N. K 158

" Fairplay " (U. S. Revenue cutter) 240

Fargo, J. C 263

Farmers' Bank 538, 548

Farnsworth, A 476

Farnsworth, John F 452

Farnum, Henry 258, 263

Faxton. F 477

Fay, Charles 298

lay, E. W 330

Faymonville, William-. 295

Felt, Norman 563

Felt, William 562

Fenno, Grafton .. 227

Fergus, Robert, 236, 26S, 383, 384, 389,
407, 412, 413. 4M. 415-

Ferguson, I). C 215

Ferries, early 106, 116, 197. 198, 199, 200

Ferry-boat accident (1856)-. . 202

ferry, William 302

I'ichenscher, R _- 332

Field, George. 346

Field, John A. 319

"Field Piece" 378

Fifth-avenue Methodist Episcopal Church 333

Page
Fifth Illinois Volunteer Regiment in

Mexican War 281, 282, 283

Fifund, John _ 351

Filkins, Joseph 274

Fillmore, Millard .. 236

Finley, Clement A 106, 457, 458

Fire Department organized 222

Fires ._ 151. 158

Fires of October, 1837, March and Octo-
ber, 1857 151 221, 226, 227

Foremen's Benevolent Association 230

Firemen's Convention . 227

Firemen's Festival 229

F'ire Limits of 1850 225

Firemen's Journal 224, 225

Fire Ordinances, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225,
226

Fire Wardens (first) 221

Fire Companies —

" Washington Volunteers" — 221

...-"Fire Kings" Engine Company,

No. I.. 220, 222, 223, 224, 228

" Pioneer" Hook and Ladder Com-
pany, No. I 222, 223, 226, 228

" Neptune" Bucket Company, No.

I... .. 223,224,229

" Rough and Ready " Bucket Com-
pany, No. 1 225,230

" Philadelphia" Hose Company, No.

1 224, 229

" Tradesman's " Engine Company,

No. 2 223

"Metamora" Engine Company,

No. 2 223, 225, 229

"Hope" Hose Company, No. 2

220, 225/230

"Rescue" Hook and Ladder Com-
pany, No. 2 226,231

"Osceola" Engine Company, No.

3 223

"Niagara" Engine Company, No.

3 220,226,228, 229

"Lone Star" Hose Company, No.

3 225, 231

"Illinois" Hose Company, No. 3,

225, 231

"Empire" Hook and Ladder Com-
pany, No. 3 226,228,232

"Red Jackets" Engine Company,

No. 4 220, 223, 224, 226, 227, 230

" Lafayette" Hose Company, No. 4

220, 226, 231

" Excelsior" Engine Company, No.

5 225, 228, 230

"Lady Washington" Hose Com-
pany, No. 5 . . 226, 232

"Protector" Engine Company, No.

6.. _ 220,225, 227, 230

"Liberty" Hose Company, No. 6,

_ 226, 232

" Lawrence" Engine Company, No

7 220,221, 225, 231

" Eagle " Engine Company, No. 7,

225, 226

"Northern" Hose Company, No.

7 228, 231

" Wabansia " Engine Company,

No. 8 231

..." Phoenix " Engine Company, No.

8 -- 225, 231

"Cataract" Engine Company, No.

8 225, 231

"Union" Hose Company, No. 8 —

" New England " Engine Company,

No. 9 225, 231

..." America" Engine Company, No.

9-- - 225, 231

..."Washington" Engine Company,

No. 10 220, 225, 226, 227, 231

"Neptune" Engine Company, No.

II 226, 231

" Wide Awake" Engine Company,

No. 12 226, 231

"Torrent" Engine Company, No

13 226, 232

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

"Red Rover" Engine Company,

No. 14 - .227,228, 232

"Northern Liberty" Engine Com-
pany, No. 15 228

"Long John," the first steam fire

engine -.227,228

"Citizens' Fire Brigade " 227

First Baptist Church —

Organization, October, 1S33 — First
members — First pastor and church

building 315, 316

Subsequent pastors — Second, third

and fourth church buildings 317, 318

Rev. Isaac Taylor Hinton ....318, 319
First Congregational Church —

Ecclesiastical Council of 1851 — Or-
ganization of church, May, 1851 —
First members, deacons and pastor
— Church building of 1S52 and

1855- 339. 340

First German Methodist Episcopal Church —
Organization, 1847 — First lot and
church building — Early members
and class leaders — Clvbourne-avenue
church building (1857) — Pastors —

Centre-street mission ... 331

First Illinois Volunteer Infantry in Mexi-
can War __ 2S0

First Methodist Episcopal Church of
Chicago —
First quarterly meeting — Rev.
Henry Whitehead — Erection of
church building on North Side —
Removal to South Clark Street —
New church edifice (1S45) — Slavery

excitement — Early pastors 325, 327

First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran
Church —
Organization in 184S — First mem-
bers— Church buildings — Pastors —

340. 350

First Presbyterian Church —

Organization, June, 1833 — Original
members — First pastor, and first
communion — Church buildings —

Pastors --302, 303

First Swedish Baptist Church —

Early members and pastors 324

First Swedish Methodist Episcopal
Church —

Original members of " Scandinavian
Mission " (1S53) — Church organiza-
tion and building — Branches — Mem-
bership and pastors 332, 333

First Things —

Mention , of word " Chicagou ". .. . 37

Visits of explorers _ .43, 44, 46

Settler __ 70

Sale of real estate 72

Permanent resident and residence

72, 73

Birth and marriage. .... 76

Fort and garrison --79, So

Justice of the Peace 420

Constable 103

Town election 112

Blacksmith . .. _ 104

Hotel and ferry 106

Lawyer 420

Merchant 115

Post-office . 115

County election 116

County roads 117

Frame store _ 122

Militia 264, 266

Baptism _ . _ 22S

Church and church building 291

Religious class 28S

Newspaper and editor 360

Teacher 204

Physician 458

Fire Department _ 141

Temperance Society 517

Bank 527

Slaughter and packinghouses 560

..Protestant Church and church build-
ing 299, 300

_ _ Public entertainment - 472

..Circus 472, 473

..Theater 475

..Perry . . 116

.. Bridges. ._..._. 132

..F'ire ordinance 221

- Debating society 117

.Prayer meetings and Sunday-school 289

. School-house — 204

. Brick-yards and brick house 566

. Lumber yard 555

- Shipment - - - - - 554

-Cattle yard 503

. Tannery 565

. Saw-mills 566

. Fire- - 221

_ Fire company 222

-Steam fire engine .. 227

- Taverns - 116

-Cemeteries :_ 142

. Military company _. 269

-City election 177

. Flouring mills 564

. . Breweries 504

.-Foundry 566

-.Wagons and carriages ._ 567

.-Printers, books and booksellers. 412, 414

Terms of Court 420

Teachers in public schools 209

Permanent public school building-. 211

Board of School Inspectors 209

— Musical organization and public con-

cert _ . 496

— Music teacher 207

— Music teacher in public schools 211

Music printed in city 415

— Opera 499

.-Musical instruments 570

. - Furniture 567

.-Agricultural implements . 566

.-Locomotive (Enterprise) _ 568

..Boots and shoes 570

. . Steam elevator .. 580

. . Woodenware 570

_ _ Water works 186

..Observance of Thanksgiving Day.. 151

..Church bell 344

..Fire bell 291

..Movements toward railroad con-
struction 244

..Excursion trip from Chicago (to

the Desplaines, ten miles) 248

. . Load of grain by rail to Chicago 24S

-.Murder trial 121, 422

Divorce 42 1

Fugitive slave case 450

Type foundry 415

Telegram and telegraph office 263

Express 152

Life boat 243

Art Union. 414

First Unitarian Church —

Organization of Society (1S36) —
First services — First church building
(1840) — Sketches of prominent pas-
tors 343, 344

First Universalist Church —

Organization of Society (1S36) —
First members — First church build-
ing— St. Paul's Universalist Church

(1856) 343

Fischer, F 332

Fisher, Frederick 227, 331

Fisher, George W 220

Fisk, Franklin W 356

Fitch, A. H 216

Fitch, Graham W 463,465

F'lage, Andrew L 349

Flagg, A. C 263

Fleming, Isaac 313

Flint, Austin 465

Flint, Grace 319

Flint, II M 285

Page

Flint, Susan Eliza 319

F'lood of 1849. - 20°. 2°i

Flood of 1S57 202

Hood, Peter 241

Florence, W.J 493

Florence, Mrs. W. J 493

Flouring Mills, Early 564, 565

" Flower Queen" 411

Floyd, J. R 2S6

Floyd (John) & French (George II.) 637

Floyd, Thomas 313

l'lynn, John 319

Foley, John 267

Follansbe. Alanson 476

Follen, Charles 343

Folz, Conrad 295

Fonda, John G 284

Fonda, John H 100, 101

Foote, Krastus 315

Forbes, Elvira. 103,205

Forbes, Stephen ... 114, 205, 420, 602

Forbes, R. B 25S

Force, Bernard J 295, 299

Force, Bartholomew 294

Ford, Ebenezer 300

Ford, Theodore M 220

Ford, Thomas, 85, 170, 427, 428, 443, 448,

465.

Foreman, Ferris 2S0, 2S3

Forrest, Edwin 487

Forrest, Henry L 538

Forrest, Joseph K. C 211, 346, 372, 389

F'orrest, Thomas L 346, 538, 544

Forsythe, Annie S 311

Forsythe, John 311

Forsythe, William 176 1S5, 222, 2S1

Forsyth, Robert A.... 73, 90, 97, 204, 265

Forsyth, Thomas 34, 73, 74, 78, 83

Forsyth, William 72, 73

Fort Brady 299, 302

Cataragua .. 61

Chartres 68, 71

.. ..Crevecceur 37, 62, 63

Dearborn, Sketch of 79-§4

Mention, 75, 100, 103, 11S, 119, 129,

130, 160, 163, 233, 266, 26S, 270, 288,

299, 464, 457.

Dearborn Addition 151

Dearborn Reservation 85, 86

Frontinac 62,63

Mackinac 81

Miami. 62, 63,65

St. Louis 33, 67

Wayne 76. 81

Winnebago 90

F"oss, R. H _ 186

Foss, Robert . 519,520

Fossell , John 295

Foster, Caleb ... 271

Foster, George F 219, 223, 229, 242, 32S,

518, 519, 582.

Foster, George 608

Foster House 637

Foster, John H. 1S7, 216, 314, 462

Foster, Mary S 32S

Foster, R. S 329, 330

Foster school 215, 216

Foundries, early .._ 566, 567, 568

Fourth Illinois Volunteers in Mexican

War 280

F'ourth Presbyterian Church 310

Fowle, John 84, 299

Fowler, C. H 328

Fowler, Henry 401

Fox, MissC. C. 215

Fox, George 271

Fox, John 271

Foxes (Indians) 33, 67, 68, 69

Francis, E. A. 331

Franchere, Daniel 296

Frank, William. .. 351

Franklin school 213, 214

Freeman, Allen B. 132, 301, 315, 316

Freeman, Robert .. 600

Freeman, Sarah L 319

SPECIAL INDEX.

Freeman, Vincent H 319, 320

Freer, Joseph \V __ 463

" Free West " 410

French. David 194

Frink, John - --258, 377

Frihed's Banneret (Norwegian) 409

F^rique, Peter 114

Frisk. L.L.. - 324

Frost, Lott 329

Frv. Jacob 170, 244

Fry, Tames B 168, 284

Fugitive slaves in Chicago- 452

Fuller, A. B 344

Fuller. Henry 243, 4S3

Fullerton, Alexander N... 213, 425, 476, 594

Fullerton, Mrs. A. N 305

Fulton. Emeline C. 341

Fulton. 11. C 330

Fulton, Mrs. H. C 330

Fulton. H. I 170, 519

Funk, Absalom 562

Furman, Robert C. 220

Furniture, early manufacture of 567, 570

F'urst & Bradley's Manufacturing Com-
pany 569, 570

F"ur trade and traders 91, 92

Gaffrey, 1' 294

Gaffrey, Esther E.-- 339

Gage, David A. 635

Gage, George W. 521, 635

Gage, Jacob- 343

Gage, Tared 564

Gage, John 170, 209. 378, 212, 2S5, 518,

519. 555-

Gage, S. T. ... . _ 269, 2S6

Gage, Sarah . 305

Gale, John 90

Gale, Stephen F 132, 175, I9S, 223, 224,

225, 230. 237. 25S, 261, 263, 412, 419

Gale, Harriet M. 48S

Gale, W. S— - - -- 25S

Gallagher, Arthur I. 2S4

Galloway. James 102, 631

Galloway. Mary (Recollections of). . 102, 103

Gamble, David 53S

Gamble, William .- 244, 328

Gamble, Mrs William 32S

Gammon, E. 11 32S

Garden City House 634

Garden City Institute 220

Garden City steamer __ 242

" Garland of the West " 3S9

Gardiner, C. H 337

Gardner, G. W. 227

Garfield, James A... 352

" GarlickCreek" 38, 69

Garrett, Augustus --134, 1S4, 280, 477, 594,
614, 621.

Garrett Biblical Institute 354, 621

Garrett, T. L — - . 276

Garvin, Lucia A 212

Gassett, Silas B. . . .- 321

Gassett, Mrs. S. li. 321

( ,as Works ( first) 156

Gates, Caleb - 342

Mary E 342

I "harles. 342

Gates, Mabel K 342

Gates. Fhiletus W 274, 567, 568

Gauer, Augustine 295

Gault, William 271

Gavin, I. K. -. - 476

Gaylord, Marion 1 _ _ 219

Gebel, Peter 212, 295

Gee, Georgi - 309

Gee, Mr G ... 309

Geer, Nathan < 377

Geiselman & Bro. . 637

Gem of the Prairie 389, 489, 537

" General Fry" Hirst boat over canal 1 171
■

Georgian liny < anal scheme 584

George, John li — - 321

Thomas .... 327

Mrs. Thomas. . 327

" George W. Dole " (steamer) 242

Germain, I. V 5S2

German Kvangetical Association — Or-
ganization in the United States —
First members in Chicago — First

Church . _ 334

German Medical Society .. 467

German schools (early) .. 219

German Theater ( 1 856). 494

German, Greene C. 177, 479, 481

German, Mrs. Jane .478,479, 4S0

Gerstley, M. . 348

Getzler, A . . 294

German Evangelical Synod of N. A 351

Gherkin, Henry 295

Gibbs, Aaron 390 464

Gibbs, Anna M 311

Gibbs, George A 582,584, 587

Gibbs, Mrs. Mindwell W 310

Gibson, William 329

Gibson, Margaret 329

Giddings, Josiah II. 271

Gifford, Louisa . 208

Gilbert, Ashley 222, 225, 22S, 230

Gilbert, Tames. _ 175

Gilbert, S. H 211

Giles, Henry.. 344

Gillespie, N. H 295

Gillett, T. L. 257

Gilluffy, J. J. - 221

Gilman, M. D 343

Gilpin, Henry D 85

Gils, Flenry, Mr. and Mrs 332

Ginsday, James 269

Glasen, John 294

Gleeson, Michael 284, 294

Gleeson, M. B 219

Godman, William .. .. 219

Godfrey, James H 2S2

Goodell, R. E. 263, 2S3

Goodman, Edward 402

Goodman, Epaphras 339,342, 407

Gomo (Indian chief) 78, 79

Goodhue, Josiah C, 178, 1S4, 198, 207, 208,
210, 246, 294, 366, 420, 460, 462, 464,
465.

Goodrich, E. P 175,396

Goodrich, Grant, 211, 212, 219, 223, 237,
334, 356, 357, 377, 422, 439. 44°, 45',
465. 47°-

Goodrich, John 281, 285

Goodrich, William S 637

Good Templars 518,578

Gordon, Mrs. Nellie (Kinzie) 97

Goss, Daniel 329

Goss, Cynthia 329

Goss& Phillips Manufacturing Company, 569

Gottschalk, Fred 332

Gould, C 319

Government Land-Office 134

Grace (Episcopal) Church — Organization
(1851) — First officers — Rectors —

Membership to 1857 337

Grain warehouses (earl v) 580, 581

Graff, Peter... 520

Graham, J. D 23S

Grandpre, A .- 412

Grand Rapids of the Illinois 103

1 [ranger, Elihu 567, 611

Granger, Elihu vs. Canal Trustees. 449, 450

Granger, F._ _ 410

Granger, Gilbert L . 315

Grannis, Amos 285

Grannis, Aurisson. 329

Grannis, Samuel W 329

Grant, James 425

Grants, Marcus D ._ 226

Grant, U.S... 2S3

( iratton, Edward 416

Graves, Dexter 132, 290

< rraves, M'ehitable 306, 309

Graves, Miss A. I... 215

Graves, S. W 409, 470

Cray. Charles M., 185, 211, 225, 230, 518,
519, 569, 614, 621.

Page
Gray, F. D 314

Gray, John. 210, 211, 212

Gray, W. B. H 5y4

"Great Western" (steamer) 241

Greenebaum. Elias _. 216,217

Greenbaum, Henry 230, 53s

Greenebaum Brothers _ 348

Green, Charles N._ 479

Green, George \V 157,453

Green, H. K _ 321

Green, R. G _ 570

Green, Russell. 274,373

Greenville, Treaty of _ 79

Green, William B.. __ 207

Green-street Seminary 220

Green Tree Tavern 96. 132,633

Gregg, David L... 277, 294, 298

Gridley, A 256

Gridley, J -- 341

Griebel, Lawrence _. 226

Griffith, Owen 330

Griffith, Robert _. 330

Griffith, William.. 83

Griffin, Philander 354

" Griffin " (vessel) ... . ._ _ 239

Grignon, Augustin 71

Griggs, S. C 390

Grinnell, Henry _. 253

Griswold. C. E 230

Griswold, George 253

Griswold, David D 3S3, 522

Griswold, David G 383

Griswold, J. N. A 250

Gross, John 294, 351

Gross, Michael 351

Gross, Philip 351

Grouse, Peter 258

Guarie, French trader in Chicago gz

Guarie River 92, 630

Guerin, Byram . 20S, 299

Guilbert, E. A . 389

Gunderson, G. T 349

Gunzenhauzer, John 352

Gurley, Jason 519

Gurnee, Walter S., 1S4. 185, 220, 262, 521,
565, 582, 614, 621.

Guy, John 300

Guyon, S 330

Haaze, John.. 351

Hacker, John S 284

Hackley, James, Jr 90

Hackney, B .. 258

Hadduck, E. W 149,582

Hadley, Elijah W 284,285

Hadley, William H 344

Hager, Albert D _ so

Hagerman, F. C 286, 595, 597

Haggerman, August 28b

Hahn 20.4

Hahnemann College 471

Haight, J 170

Haines, John C 158, 549, 504

Hailborn, Fred -.- 2BO

Halacher, Joseph 334

Hale, Benjamin F 402

Hale, Thomas 582, 584, 507

Hall, AmosT 258, 202

Hall, Benjamin -133, 505

Hall, David 96, 103

Hall, Elbridge G 343, 538

Hall, Miss E 215

Hall, Philip A.. 202

Hall, Thomas P. 457

Hall, William M 230

Hall, Zadoc 32S

Hallam Isaac W 99,316,334,335, 330

Halsey, C. S. 470

Hamilton, A. C 222, 223

Hamilton, George A 298

Hamilton House — 637

Hamilton, Richard M 2S1, 2S2, 611

Hamilton, Richard J 115, 130,133, 149,

J58, 175, 186, 205, 206, 208, 209, 21*.
268, 281, 283, 477, 527.
Hamilton, Mrs. R. J 115, 2S9, 310

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Hamilton, William S. .- 167

Hamlin, E. H - - 318

Hamlin, John .-- - go

Hamlin, Rev. W. S 323

Hammond, Charles G. 262, 342

Hammond, Mrs. C. 15 342

Hammond, H. L.. 355, 342, 396

Hancock, John I. 562

Handy, Emily 206

Handy, Henry S... 122, 234

Haney, Freeborn 32S

Hanev, Richard 326

Hannah, W. C - 260

Hannah, J. M 319, 476

Hansen, George P -349. 520, 594

Hansen, Nicholas 295

Hanson, Ann Dorothy. . 319

Hanson, Bolletter — 319

Hanson, Joseph L. 222, 223, 476

Hapgood, Dexter J 132, 175

Harbor, the 122, 233, 234, 235, 238, 577

Hardin, John J 280, 612

Harding, Frederick _ - 285

" Hardscrabble " So, 8G, 95,96, 102,

103, 630.

Hare, James L 582

Harmon, Elijah D. 112, 114, 115, 12S,

147, 20S, 269, 28S, 420, 421.

Harmon, Mrs. Elijah D 288, 2S9

Harmon, Martin D _. --I33, 3J5

Harmon Samantha 315

" Harmony Hall " - 353, 541

Harpell, Charles — 225

Harper, Derastus. — 193, 202, 310

Harper, Joseph 342

Harper, Nathan... 415

Harries, David 331

Harrington, James. 112

Harrington, Joseph 1S0, 343, 344, 345

Harris, Benjamin 269

Harris, Thomas H -. 284

Harris, U. P. --1S5, 224, 226, 227, 230, 496

Harrison, Edmond -. 271

Harrison, L. D. 132

Harrison, William H 35, 76, 77, 78, 82,

83, 109.

Hartlaub, Peter 295

Hartley, John W 284

Hartley, Miss M. E 214

Hartman, Jacob 330

Hartmann, Joseph. 351

Harvey, Andrew 495

Harvey, R. J 462

Hass, Jacob 331

Hass, Louis 351

Hasselquist, T. N 350

Hatala, Alois. 295

Hatch, Miss Cora 353

Hatch, David 274, 275

Hathaway, Franklin.. . 220

Hattendorf, Hendrick _ 282

Hatteson, J. A 263

Haven, Carlos 341

Haven, Franklin 253

Haven, Joseph 356

Haven, Mrs. Julia 34*

Haven, Luther 37S

Haven School... 213

Haven, S. Z... 462

Hawes, Joel 301

Hawkins, Rev. H. H 323

Hawkins, Lucius 330

Hawley, Perez 271

Hayden, AmosS.. 352

Hayden, James R 285

Haynes, Mary J 342

Haynie, Ishaiii N 283

Hays, Benjamin F... 320

Hays, Mrs. Helen.. 322

Hays, Noble R 274

Hazelton, George H 549

Heacock, Reuben R 462

Heacock, Russel E., 112, 116, 117, 12S,

132, 170, 175, 192, 420, 421, 602.
Heald, Dwight S.. 220

Heald, Nathan 80, 81, S2, S3, 457

Heald, Mrs. Rebekah (Wells), So, 82, 83,

315, 457-

Healy, J. (1856-57) 506

Hearth, C. B._ 329

" Heartless" (schooner) 239, 240

Heath, Rev. N. P 329

Heathcote, Edwin 604

Hebrew Benevolent Society (1S54) .... 523

Hedstrom, O. G... 332

I leffrom, William 285

Heil, William 256

Heins, Peter 331

Heintz, F 331

Heintz, Mrs. F 331

Heldmann, George D 297

Helliker, Charles M 2S6

Helm, Lainai T 73, 74, 81, 82, 83

Helm, Mrs. Margaret, 73, 74, 32, 90, 97, 99,

264, 334. 462.

Helmuth, C. A 285,286, 3S9, 463

Hemenway, F. D... . .. 328

Hemlandet Det Gamla Och Det Nya. . 410

Hempstead, Charles S 248,250

Henderson, Elizabeth 312

Henderson. E. C 2S5

Henderson, D. P.. 352

Henderson, R 349

Hennepin, Louis... — 287

•Henry, Mrs. Mary E 311

Henry, R. W 311,312

"Hercules" (schooner) 95,239

Herndon, John F 269

Heron, James E — S9

llerrick, W. B., 230, 2S4, 285, 3S4, 3S9, 463,

465, 466, 598.

Herrindan, Joshua 280

Hertle, Daniel ^ 390

Hewett, O. B 216

Hewitt, George 2S1

Hibbard, G. S. . . 5S2

Hibbard, John Randolph 346. 347, 348

Hibbard, W. G -- ----- 227

Hibernian Benevolent Society ..... 523

Hickey, John '. 2S5

Hickey, "Michael 2S5

Hickory Creek precinct 116, 117

Hicks, Stephen G 2S4

High, John .- .226, 305

High, Mrs. John 305

High School 215, 21S, 219, 220

Higgins, Montgomery & Co 134

Higgins, Patrick 280

Hildreth, Joseph S. ... .. 470

Hill, Miss Betsy 322

Hill, Horatio.. ... 366

Hill, John. 212

Hill, Miss N. M 215

Hill, Robert 637

Hill, Thomas 344

Hillgaertner, George _ 389

Hilliard, L. P. 582, 5S4

Hines, George 321

Hinley, Michael 292

Ilinman, C. T 219

Hinners, P _ — 332

Hinton, Isaac Taylor 150, 209, 210, 301,

316, 318, 319, 357, 413, 465.

Hipwell, John W 283

Hitchcock, Arthur 329

Hitchcock. E 595

Hitchcock, Horatio 341

Hitchcock, Mrs. Louisa S 341

Hitchcock, Luke. 326

Hjortsberg, Max _ 338

Hoard, Louis D. 447

Hoard, Samuel -446, 543

Hoard, Mrs. Mary Clarkson 3S9"

Hobart, Rev. Chauncey 326

Hobart, L. Smith -_.. 342, 355

Hobson, Balev 269, 271

Hodgkiss, J. P 564

Hoeffgen, Robert Bernhardt 3S9

Hoefninger, J. — 2*15

Hoey, Lawrence - 292, 29S

Hoffert, Isaac 334

Hoffman, Francis A 612

Hoffman, George W 118, 119

Hoffman, Michael 295

Hogan, John S. C 112, 116, 147, 16S,

175," 178, 182, 184, 269, 276, 289, 420

Hogan, Joseph... .... 319

Hoge, A. H 567

Hoisington, J. A 414

Holbrook, Amos 339

Holbrook, Mrs. Ann Laura 342

Holbrook, D. B 252

Holbrook, Mrs. Ellen 339

Holbrook, John C 342, 355, 395

Holbrook, Leverett H 339

Holbrook, Mrs. Sophia 339

Holbrook, Mrs. Susan A 339

Holcomb. Charles M 416

Holden, Charles C. P 253, 255. 256, 279,

2S4.

Holden, C. N. _ --1S5, 320, 498, 499

Holden, Fanny 319

Holden, W. P 274

Holderman's Grove 269

Hollister, Edward 258

Holl, Christian F 332, 334

Holmes, John M .408, 543

Holmes, William G.. 312

Holt, Devillo R. _ 306

Holy Cross Society -298, 299

Homeopathic Convention 469, 470

Homeopathic Hospital 470, 471

Homeopathic Pharmacy 470

Honore, B. L 351

Honore, Mrs. B. L 351

Honore, H. H 351, 352

Honore, Mrs. H. II 351

Hood, David 312

Hood, Mrs. Maria 312

Hooke, Emma 216

Hooker, John W 305

Hooker, 'Mrs. John W 305

Hooper, Warren. 378,412, 604

Hopkins, A. S 209

Hopkins, N 637

Hopkins, Mrs. Luranda 322

Hopson, W. H 352

Hosmer, George W 343

Horen, Charles 285

Horen, David - 285

Horn, Louis 285

Horner's Chicago and Western Guide.. 407

Horvil, Andrew.. ... 220

Hotels, early.. — 629, 637

Hough, Oramel S. 562,563

Hough, R. M... 562, 563, 612

Houghteling, W. D 584

How, R. H 315

Howard, Cordelia — 493

Howard, Matthias 334

Howard, William 167,234

Howard, W. G - 31s

Howe, C. F 279, 2S5

Howe, F. A... 24S, 276

Howe, James L 203, 276

Howe, W. J -- 352

Hoyne, Thomas, 184, 209, 250, 275, 286,
352.443,448,451, 452, 453, 471, 477,
4SS, 521, 522.

Hubbard, Mrs. E. (Berry) in

Hubbard, E. K.. 182,246,527

Hubbard, Gurdon S., 52, 99, 100, no, in,
122, 130, 137, 158, 168, 175, 1S5, 229,
204, 265, 266, 271, 334, 337, 527, 549,
554, 561, 562, 563, 566, 630, 634.

Hubbard, H - 16S

Hubbard, Henrvti - 222

Hubbard, Mrs. M. A in

Hubbard, Thomas R... 209, 431, 476, 477

Huber, Henry S. 594, 595

Huck, Anthony 285

Hudson's Bay Company 93

Hugunin Brothers {Leonard, Peter and

Hiram) -- 241

Hugunin, Miss C — -- 500

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page
Hugunin, Hiram, 176, 210, 222, 241, 366,
594-

Hugunin, John C 604

Hugunin, lames R 251, 27S, 2S3, ^43

Huibert. E. B._ ._ 586

Hull, William 52,81,83

Hullman, Mrs. Nancy. 334

Humphreys, A. A '. 235, 477, 497

Humphrey, Edward. _ 301

Hungerford, G 477

Hunt. Charles H 207, 227

Hunt, George W 453

Hunt, JamesF. .. .._ 2S3

Hunt, "lames X 2S1, 2S2

Hunt, W. C 220

Hunter, David, S4, 99, 130. 1S5, 205, 273,
634.

Hunter, Mrs. David 90

Hunter, Edward E 175, 20S, 221. 343

Huntington, Alonzo, sketch _. 430, 431

Huntington, Josiah- 313

Huntington, William P . 344

Huntoon, Bemsley 209, 566

Hurd, Daniel 322

Hurd, Mrs. Rosetta 322

Hurlburt, Frederick J 2S4

Hurlbut, E. J. S. 402

Hurlbut, J. L 230

Hurley, Michael- 29S

Huron Mission of St. Joseph 41

Hussely, J. B ". 477

Husted', Sirs. E. C 341

Husted, H H 343

Hustwit, John 329

Hustwit, Mrs. John 329

Hyde, S. P 247

Hydraulic I Flouring) Mills 186, 564

Ialtonstall, Mrs. Sarah. 306

Iliff, Richard W 416

Illegal banking 531, 534, 545

Illinois, admission as a State 599

"Illinois" (schooner) 241

Illinois Gazetteer and Immigrants'

Guide- - -. 410

Illinois General Hospital of the Lake.- 597
Illinois Indians, 34, 41, 43, 49, 50, 67, 68, 69

Illinois Land Company 69

Illinois and Indiana Medical and Sur-
gical Journal 384

Illinois (Kaskaskia) Mission 287

Illinois Saving Institution .. 549

Illinois St. Andrew's Society 523

Illinois Staats Zeitung 3S9 390,395

"Illinois" (steamer) 241, 242, 61S

Illinois Stone & Lime Company 570

Illinois Theatrical Company. _ 478, 479, 4S0

Illinois and Wisconsin Express 263

Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 349
" Independence," first propeller built on

Lake .-. 242

Indian Councils 35.76,78

Indian Payment of 1831 _ 117

Indian Treaty of 1833.... 36, 122, 12S, 130

Indiana-street M. E. Church 328, 329

Industrial School 217

Ingersol. Chester 132, 472, 632

Ingersoll, Mrs ... .... 474,478,479

Ingham, Gyrus B 384

..Felix 291

Ingoldsby, J 298

Ingraham, Isaac .. 300

Insane Asylum 597

Insects and flora of Chicago and vicinity, 593
Internal Improvement Act of 1837, 168, 246

Iron manufactories 569

Iroquois Indians _ 33

Irvine, James R . 462

Irwin, Matthew 77,87,88,89

Irwin, William 88

Isham, Giles S 208

Isham, R. N 470

Isherwood, Harry 474,470,477

Isle, Jacob 331

Isle. Mrs 33T

Iverson, Knud._ 157

ackson, Abigail 319

ackson, Ann. 319

ackson, Barney M 258

ackson, Ezra 319

ackson, Daniel _. - 129

ackson Hall 371,372,410

ackson, John - 152, 176

ackson, Lucinda 315, 319

ackson, Samuel, 122, 176, 178, 234, 240,
319, 320, 594, 595.

ackson, S. T 315

ackson, William M 149

acobs, Jacob.. 349

acobson, Abraham 349

acobus, David L 322

acobus, Oscar J _ 322

'James Allen" (steamer) .. 241, 242

amieson, Louis T 132, 300, 357

' James Madison " (steamer) 241

ames, Mrs. Samuel 312

ames, T. C --.- _ 596

aques, Father Isaac- _ 41

ay, JamesF... _ 261, 451

efferson, Joseph, Sr 481, 4qS

efferson, Mrs. Joseph 4S1

efferson, Joseph, Jr 47S, 479, 480, 498

enkins, A. M 245

ervis, John B _ 259, 260

esuits and their explorations .. __ 41

esuit Mission (Chicago) .. 66

esuit priests at Chicago 66,67

ews of Chicago — Immigration in 1843
— Synagogues — Colonization So-
ciety— Cemetery 348

illson, JamesF 520

ohnson, Andrew _■ 338

ohnson, David 412

ohnson, Elizabeth 319,321

ohnson, H. A. 389, 463, 466

ohnson, John _ 77

ohnson, Miss J. M 220

ohnson, Jacob B __ 224, 229

ohnson, J. M. .- 230

ohnson, Moses (fugitive slave) 156

ohnson, Morris 450

ohnson, Peter 334

ohnson, Mrs .. 334

ohnson, Richard log

ohnson, Sanford - 229, 306

ohnson, Seth ._; 244, 273, 297, 306

ohnson, Mrs. Seth 206, 289, 305

ohnson, S. F 262

ohnson, William. 300,452

ohnson, Y. W 333

ohnston, Joseph... 340, 341, 355, 497, 608

ohnston, Shepherd .. 204

oliet, Louis, 37, 41, 42, 44, 49, 50, 5S, 165

ones, Benjamin _ 12S, 175, 192, 221

ones, C. F 253

ones, David 331

ones, John Price 330

ones, Darius E - 396

ones, K. K 272, 37S, 3S3, 389

ones, Nicholas 604

ones, Potter 330

ones, Re.uben D 306

ones School 211, 212

ones, Willard.. 133, 315

ones, William, 210, 211, 212, 217, 222, 330,
476, 566, 595.

ones, William E 186, 346

ones, W.J 330

ordan, F. C 328

ordan, Anna 328

ordan, Miller & Conners 242

oslyn, A. J 322

ouett, Charles Lalime, 77, 84, 86, 87, 89,
90, 420.

ouett, John 87

outel, Henri, descriptive of visit to Chi-
cago in 1687 65

ournal De L'lllinois. 412

oy, James F 257, 258

udd, Norman B...184, 212, 384, 390, 442,
471, 477, 521, 612.

Pap>

Judd, William E... 286

Judiciary — Under constitution of 1818-. 419

Early, of Chicag _ 420

Under constitution of 1848 447, 448

Judkins, David X. 310

J udson, Philo 326

Juengens, Henry • 332

Juergens, D. L 282

Jung, John 294, 295

lungers, Jean . 226

Junior Washington Temperance Society. 518
Justices of the Peace — Earliest in Chi-
cago 42

Made elective 420

Juul, O ._ 350

Kaiser, Eusebius 295

Kalvelege, Ferdinand 297, 29S

Kane, Elias K 167

Kansas, Chicago contributions for 614

Kaskaskia, Indian village and mission

on the Illinois River 43, 45. 50, 54,

55, 63, 67.
Kaskaskia, on the Mississippi, mission

founded at 67

Kear, James 298

Keating, William H 100

Kedzie, Adam S. 355, 356

Kedzie, J. H 453

Keegan, John 226

Keegan, William 328

Keen, J 156

Keenan, John I 462

Kegan, R 329

Kegan, Margaret 329

Kegan, Francis 329

Kegan, Edward 329

Keith, Henry M 216

Keith, Julia E. W 216

Keith, M.L 566

Kelley, James 389, 401, 416

Kelley, J. C 286

Kelley, Patrick -276, 284

Kelly, Edward 243, 298

Kelly, Michael 285

Kellner, August 332

Kellogg, Ezra B — _- 335

Kellog, Sarah (early teacher) __ 209

Kelsey, Parnicks. 136

" Kenilath Anshe Maarey" Jewish So-
ciety 34S

Kennedy, William — 313

Kenney, Thomas B 282

Cenney, Edward 294

venney, Rev I. E 321

vennicott, James — 464

ennicott, John A. ... 37S

ennicott, W. H __-iS6, 460, 519, 520

ennison, David --I56, 487

ent, Miss Augusta 306, 309

Kent, Miss E. A - 215

■vent, Lawrence 306, 309

vent, Mrs L 306, 309

ent (Rev.) 300

ent, Trumbull -- 339

venyon, Rev. A. 321, 322, 323

'enyon, William Asbury (Extracts from

poems) 4T4. 5°o, 501

iveokuk (Indian chief) 267

Kerber, John -- 2S6

[vercheval, G 115, 116, 117, 132, 271

ercheval, George 477, 482

ercheval, Gholson. gi, 112, 129, 175,

185, 268, 269, 594.

Kercheval, Lewis C 152, 154, 450,451,

507, 604, 607.

ermott, Rev. W.J 323

<ern, Daniel _ -- 334

esling, Jacob 283

essler, Charles -- 331

essler, Johanna _ 33 T

Ketchum, Morris -- 253

Ketter, John.. 295

Keyes, Stephen P 326, 328

Kichen, Solomon. — 3'3

Kilbourne, Byron 236

SPECIAL INDEX.

Kilroy, E. B.

Kimball, Dr I2g,

Kimball, Walter 168, 176, 451, 476,

Kimberly, E. G

Kimberly, Edmund Stoughton 122,

175, 198. 212, 217, 459, 464, 465,

Kimberly, George A 598,

Kimberly, Ira

Kimberly, John E 2S4,

King, Byron 176, 566,

Kin r, Henrv W 309,

King, Mrs. H. W

King, Otis

King, P. B

King, Sherman _ __

King, Tuthill. 220, 223, 357, 476,

King, William R .

King, William W..

Kingsbury, E. S

Kingsbury estate, (1833)

Kingsbury vs. Brainard

Kinkle, Gottfried .".

Kinsella, Jeremiah A 293, 294, 297,

Kinsella, John . .

Kinsella, Thomas J 244, 284,

Kinzie's addition, sale of portion of

Kinzie, Mrs. Eleanor ^McKillip)_73, 75,

Kinzie, Elizabeth--

Kinzie, Ellen Marion 73, 90,

Kinzie, James 73, 94, 96, 97, 103,

116, 117, 129, 130, 132, 175, 197,

269, 602, 629, 630, 631.
Kinzie, John 35, 72, 74, 75, 76, So.

82, 83, 84, go, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95,

97, IOO, IOI, 103, 104, IIO, 220,

266, 420, 457, 594, 600.

Kinzie, John, heirs of

Kinzie, John Harris 73, 86, 97, 130,

149, 153, 175, 176, 204, 20S, 212,

230, 234, 241, 265, 527, 549, 5S2,
Kinzie, Mrs. Juliette H 83, 98,

461, 496, 629, 630.

Kinzie, Maria Indiana

Kinzie, Margaret .

Kinzie, Robert Allen 73, 86, 99,

129, 130, 132, 136, 168, 175, 264,

269, 270, 452.

Kinzie, William _

Kirk, E. N._

Kirke, Henry M

Kitchel, H. D 341, 355,

Kittlestring, Joseph

Kittlestring, Mrs. Joseph

Kjos, Hans J..

Klein, Mayer

Kluckhohn, Frederick

Knapp, Augustus H

Knapp, B. E _ _ _ _

Knapp, Benjamin R.

Knapp, M. L. 212, 463,

Knauers, H

Knickerbocker, A. V. 122, 221, 234,

Knights, Darius 2or, 203, 285, 615,

Knights, John A 281, 282,

Knocke, William

Knott, Eliza

Knowlton, Dexter A 248,

Know-nothingism in Chicago

Knox, E. B

Knox, James 319,

Knox, S. H _

Koch, Ignatius .

Koeneke, W. F.__

Kohn Brothers

Kohn, M

Kopp, Anthony _

Kopp, Fred 331,

Kopp, Jacob. - --

Korber, John __

Korfliage, A

Kotz, Charles --

Kotz, Christian- _

Kramer, J. P

Kreissman, H

Kribler, John

2g8
294
131
97
73
99
112,
221,

81,

96

265,

85
132,
221,
634
334,

73

73

116,

266,

73
301
286
356
327
327
349
348
33i
598
476
203
465
298
477
616
2S3
351
322
256
152
285
595
319
410
332
348
595
295
332
334
2S6
331

Kriege, Herman 389

Kriezer, Motts 295

Krinbill, Andrew 331

Krinbill, George 331

Kroeger, Arnold 351

Kroemer, August 295

Krohn, J. J 350

Kroll, Christian 351

Kroll, Phillip 351

Kuhn, Christian 295

Kuhn, John 295

Knudson, W. 33S

Kunreuther, Ignatz. - _- 34S

Kuntz, Louis 331

Kurg, Charles.. 351

Kurth, Fred 285

Kurze, R. A __ 1S5

Kuter, Israel 334

Labaque, Francis 269

Ladan, Sarah - 294

Ladies of the Sacred Heart 299

Ladies' Western Magazine 402

Ladusier, Francis __ 114

Laflin, M 187

Laframboise, Alexis - 289

Laframboise, Claude 101,103, 269, 289

Laframboise, Francis 84

Laframboise, Francis, Jr. 103

Laframboise, Joseph 101, 103, 125, 140,

147, 269, 289.

Laframboise, Josette 84, 107

Lake, David 300

Lake, D. J. 306

"Lake House Ferryman," the ("Old

Bill"). 199, 200

Lake House ferry-boat accident 15S

Lake House (1S35) 136, 632, 634

Lake navigation in 1855 and 1856 243

Lake shore breakwater.- __ 255

Lake-street House 634

Lake View House 637

Lake View Methodist Episcopal Church. 333

Lalime, John, autograph letter of 77

, Mention 73, 74, 78, 105

Lamacher, P 298

Lamb, Thomas 242

Lamphere, George C. 258, 284

Lampman, Henry S 566

Landauer, Jacob 331

" Land Craze " 133, 134, 136

Land sale, (Early) 149, 152

Lane, De Witt. _. 249

Lane, Elisha B 327

Lane, Mrs. E. B __ 327

Lane, James H 611, 612, 613

Langden, Mrs. Artemisia 342

Langden, Mrs. Candall L 342

Langdon, Daniel 271

Langdon, James J 384, 411

Lange, John 332

Lange, Mrs. John ._ 332

Lansing, Deric .. 301

Lantry, Mrs. Michael __ 299

Larminie, Charles 321

Larned, Edward C 217, 220, 258

Larrabee, Charles H 184

Larrabee, C.R 598

Larrabee, William M. 223, 229, 262, 273, 276

Larson, Neil 349

La Salle. 33, 37, 56, 61, 62, 63, 64, 233, 2S7

Lasby, Samuel S 240

La Source - 2S8

Lass, Leopold _. 332

Lathrop, S. G _ 32S

Lathrop, Samuel S, 316

Latrobe, Charles Joseph-. 36

Laughton, Bernardus H. 103, 107, 112, 114,

116, 117, 192, 268, 269.

Laughtons, David 107, 114

"Laughton's Tavern'' 106, 272

Laugland. Knud 417

Laulewasikau, "The Prophet" 35, 76, 77,

78, 80.

Launder, Eliza.- 319

Launder, James 319

Lantry, Michael 294

Law School (first) ... 447

Law, John G 312

Lawler, Michael K 284

Lawrence, Abbott 170

Lawrence, Emma R. 321

Lawrence, John .. __ 321, 330

Lawrence, Jos. F .... 339

Lawrence, Susan 339

Lawrence, William 319

Lawson, Iver 349

Lawson, Knud 349

Leach, George . . _. 353

Le Bosquet, Miss L. A 215

Leavenworth, Jesse. 276, 335

Leavenworth, Ruth 206,207, 208

Leavitt, David 170, 171,172, 173

Lebeau. Narcisse 296

Lebel, Isadore A. 296

Lebrecht, L __ 348

Le Clerk, Peresh go, 114

Lee, Charles 80

Lee, Mrs. Charles 84

Lee, Davis S. 337. 521

Lee, George F 155, 156

Lee, Plenry H 220

Lee, Oliver H 309, 310

"Lee's Place" 80,84,93, 631

Leflenboys, Joseph 116

Lehuhardt, Charles 351

Leicester, H 477, 479, 480, 481

Le Mai, Mons g2, 97

Leonard, J. H 354, 359

Le Page, Mrs. Emily (lieaubien) 106

Leran, Elijah _ __ 285

Lester, Mrs. J 330

" Lelournean, " the Blackbird 78

Letz, Frederick 351, 568

Letz, Jacob ... 351

" Levee plan" of 1830 234

Levering, Samuel 78

Levi, L. -..- 348

Lewgow, Frederick 351

Lewis, A. B 358

Lewis, E. P.. 330

Lewis, George 330

Lewis, Isadore. 332

Lewis, William 285

Leyburn, William C 2S6

Liberty Tree (newspaper) 401

Licenses granted to early taverns. in

Liermann, Hermann 294, 295

Liette 70

Light-house 240, 243

Lignerie, M. De 6S

Lill, William 564

Lincoln, Abraham -. 390

Lincoln, O. S 371

Lincoln, S 222

Lind, Jenny 33S

Lind, Sylvester 229, 306

Lindgren, C. M 332

Lindgren, Mrs. C. M 332

Lindsay, Mrs. Harriet 411

Lindsay, R. R 411

Linnear College 219

Lintner, Christian 334

Lippert, Henry E 499, 500

Litchfield, Edwin C 260

Lithographers (early).. 415

"Little Turtle" 34, 35, S2

Livergreen, John 332

Livergreen, Mrs. John 332

Lobin, E ' 298

Lobingier, Henry Schell 352

Lockwood, Asahel. 322

Lockwood, Mrs. Mary 322

Lockwood, Samuel D 253, 263

Locomotive Manufactory (first) (1S54I-- 56S

Loeber, C. A - 332

Logan, Eliza 489

Logan, James 79

Logan, John A 283

Logan, Stephen T — 427

Lohme, Iver K 349

SPECIAL INDEX.

Long. Eugene

Long, James 149, 1S6, 217. 243,

Long, Stephen H 100, 104, 166,

Longley , H

Loomis, Horatio G 1S7. 19S. 222,

S82.

Lord. D. E

Lord. M. N

Lord, William

Lome, Samuel I —

Loring, H. H

Loss, Lewis H 306, 307,

Lovejoy, Owen 303,

Lovell, Vincent S

Lowe, Agnes --

Lowe, Boyd

Lowe, lames M 1 84,

Lowe, Mrs. James M _ -

Lowe, SI 203.211, 212,223, 229,

519. 605.

Lowery, Miss A. E

Lovd, A 176, 1S4, 211, 223 343,

' 620.

Ludlam, Reuben [oq. 46S, 470,

Ludlow, Thomas \V

Lull, O. R. W 1S5.

Lull. Mrs. Sarah.

Lull, Walter

Lumbard, Frank 212, 219, 496, 49S,

500.

Lumbard, J. G

Lunt, Orrington 220, 329, 333, 471,

5S3. 5S4.

Lurson, Andrew

Lusk, Mrs. Julia.

Lutzi, Henry

Lutz, John

Lyman, C. H. P

Lyman, Mrs. C. H. P __'

Lyman. D. H

Lyman, Fred

Lyman, J. H._ _ ...

Lyman, Timothy . .

Lynet, Mathew

Lyne & Powell Theatrical Company

Lynn, Isaac — -

Lyon, Lucius __ _ ■.

Lyons, Michael P

Maas, Hubert

Mack. Mrs. M

Mack, Stephen . _

Mack, \V. B

Mackenzie. George

Mackin, Thomas.

Mackinaw Barges.

Mackinaw Company -

Macy, John B. —

Madison-street bridge

Magan, Father 292,

Mager. John Baptiste

Magle, H. H

Magill, Arthur W 90,

Magill, Mrs. Francis A

Magniac, Jardine & Co

Maher, Hugh

Mail facilities 140. 141, 147,

Maine Law Alliance (1S541

" Main Poc," (Indian chief) 76, 77. 78,

89.

Major, L. S 351

Manierre, George, 184, 237, 442, 454,

521, 522. fxj-i.

Manierre, Ed. -. 185,

Manley, Richard . ...

Manley, Mrs. Thomas

Manley, William E -.343,

Mann, John. ...112,

Manning, John L. 271,

Mansion House 132, 472.634,

Manufactures 567,

Marble, A. X

Marble, Dan 478,482,484,485,

Marble, Miss Mary

' ' Marengo " (vessel)

Mareshall, A

217
564
312
637

477.

330
352
344
521
2S5
30S
339
346
312
32S
312
312
275.

215
614,

47i
253
549
339
339
499.

500

5S2,

33S
353
285
334
328
328
568
286
341
339
2S5
482
594
130
294
294

339
112

333
280
611
239

93
257
199
294
295
222

99
334
170
562
148
410
79.

352
455,

477
329
329
384
289
323
635
571
343
4"
493
"5
500

Page
Margry, Pierre 61

Marine Bank, (1S52) 537, 538, 539, 547,

54S.
Marine Hospital appropriation for erec-
tion of 242

Marine interest of Chicago 239, 240

"Mark II. Sibley " wrecked 243

Market House 151, 180

Markle's Exchange Coffee House 459

Markusen Butten 33S

Marquette 42, 45, 48, 62, 2S7

Marquis, D. S 310

Marsh, J. L 1S5

Marsh, Luther ..... 186

Marsh Matthias 226

Marsh, Sylvester 275, 561, 562, 563, 582

Marshall, Benjamin F 284

Marshall, Perry 496

Marshall, Samuel D 2S4

Martin, G. C 5S5

Martin, James S. 284

Martin, Joseph H._ 284

Martin, Laurent 114

Martin, Samuel S 550

Martineau, Harriet 343

"Mary" (brig) 242

Mascoutins — 33 37, 40, 48, 49. 63

1 ' Maria Hilliard " (schooner) 242

Mason, Caroline 339

Mason, Charles Kemble 480

Mason, Mrs. Desire E 305, 309

Mason, Mrs. Jane : 339

Mason, John 637

Mason, L. B 384

Mason, Mathias 566

Mason, Nelson 306, 309

Mason, Roswell B.. letter of. .253, 254, 255

Mason, Samuel B 343

Mason, W 477

Masonic —

Apollo Commandery, No. 1,

Knights Templar 513

Apollo Lodge, No. 32 508, 510

Chicago Council 513

Cleveland Lodge, No. 211 512

Far West Lodge, No. 29 507

Garden City Lodge, No. 141 512

Germania Lodge, No. 1S2 512

Grand Lodge, first meeting in Chi-
cago 511

LaFayette Chapter, No. 2 513

LaFayette Lodge, No. 18, 507, 510, 511

Mount Moriah Lodge, No. 33 507

Oriental Lodge, No. 33.. 508, 510, 511

Wabansia Lodge, No. 160 512

Washington Chapter, (R. A. M.)... 513

Western Star Lodge, No. 107 (Kas-

kaskia) 507

William B. Warren Lodge, No. 209 512

Massacre of Fort Dearborn 414, 495

Mathematical and Chemical 219

Mathews, L. M 280

Matthews, William W no

Matson, Matthew 324

Matteson, Fred 285, 2S6

Matteson House _ 637

Matteson, Joel A 173

Matteson, Joseph 371

Mauch, F 28;

Mau-non-gai, Indian chief at the " Little

Calumick " in 1812... 79

Mauser 34S

Maxwell, Celia 206

Maxwell. Philip. 122, 230, 334, 452, 45S,

459. 466. 488, 594-
Maxwell-street German Methodist Epis-
copal Church.. 330, 332

Maxwell, William 258

May, II. II 258

May, II. X 227

May, William I. 602

Mayer, Leopold 220

Mayo, A. D - 344

Maynard, Lorenzo D 283

Mayor's Court 443,448, 451

McAlpin, Patrick. 298

McAlpine, William J 187, 262

McArthur, Miss Caroline, 212, 213, 215, 309
McArthur, Eriel, 230, 306, 309, 463, 466.

595-

McArthur, Gilderoy 309

McArthur, Miss Harriet. 306, 309

McArthur, Henry (1 306, 339

McArthur, John 286

McArthur, Rhoda _ 309

McArthur, Sarah 309

McBride, Silas 226. 227

McCagg, E. B 536

McCali, Samuel. 321

McCalla, Thomas. 53S, 544

McCardel & Crane ._ 637

McCardel House 637

McCherney, H 213, 215

McClellan, George B 235, 263

McClellan, James 207, 3S3

McClintock, W 176

McClure, Miss E •_. 215

McCluer, Mrs 478, 479

McClure, X. A 477

McConnell, Murray 85

McCord, J . . 222, 223

McCorkel, John 313

McCormick, Charles J 283

McCormick, Cyrus H 310, 311,312, 569

McCormick, Mrs. Henrietta M... 311, 312
McCormick, Leander J., 310, 311, 312,

569

McCormick, Mary A. .. 310,311, 312

McCormick & Moon 136

McCormick, William S 311. 312, 569

McCoy, Isaac 107. 2S8, 315

McCunniff, John 294

McDale, Alexander 112

McDonald, Alexander. 265

McDonall, Charles 152,212,294

McDonald, J.. 637

McElhearne, P. T 292, 293, 294

Mclllwaine, Matthew 463

McElroy, Daniel 45T, 611

Mcintosh, Jane 319

McFarland, T. 286

McFarland, William 495, 496

McGirr, John E 21S, 298, 463, 520

McGirr, Mary Vincent 299

McGirr, Patrick 463

McGilvary, John .312, 313

McGilvary, Mrs. Isabella 312

McGorish, B 291, 298

McGoven, John. 294

McGovern, (Rev. Dr.). . 299

McGuire, Mary Gertrude 299

McGuire, Michael 291

McHale, John 152

McKaig, W. W. 32S

McKay, Mrs. Almede 322

McKay, John - 2S6

McKay, Samuel 274

McKee, David, 91, 101, 103, 106, 109, 112,

268, 269.
McKenzie. Mrs. Alexander 474, 475, 478,

479, 4S1.
McKenzie, Alexander, 474, 476, 477, 478,

4S1

McKenzie, Elizabeth 73. 101

McKenzie, Isaac 73

McKenzie, Margaret .. 73

McKichen, Solomon.-- 312

McKichen, Mrs. Margaret.- 312

McLaughlin, P.J 294

McLean, John 463, 465

McMahon, P. 291, 298

McMillan William 285

McMullen, James 294

McMnllen, John 2S4, 298, 299

McMurtry, 'William 258

McMurray, Francis 285

McXeil, Miss Flora 312

McXeil, Malcolm. 312

McRoberts, Jonah -. 172

McShellop, Daniel 284

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

McVickar, Brockholst, 463, 466, 470, 594,

595. 596-
McVicker, James H., 473, 47S, 4S6, 4SS, 490,

491. 495-

McVicker, Mrs. James II. 4S6

Meacham, Silas. ... 243

Mead, James 412

Mead, Edward 597

Mechanic's Hall... 343

Medical practitioners (early) 459, 463

Medill, Joseph 402

Meek, Edwin G 3S4, 463. 401.. 41.7

Meeker, George W. . .211, 212, 217, 377,
443, 44S, 45°, 454 455. 482.

Meeker, Joseph 132, 20S, 222, 223, 301

Meeks, Daniel 25S

Mehan, Patrick 280

Membre, Father 62, 63, 22S

Menard Rene, Father _. 41

Menard, Toussaint 296

Merchant's Dispatch 263

Merchant's Hotel ... 637

Merchant's & Mechanic's Bank 53S, 539,

543, 543.
Merchants' Savings, Loan & Trust Com-
pany 549

Meredith, R. R 331

Merriam, Mary S 319

Merrill, George W 223,262,305, 357,

476.

Merrill, Mrs ... 305

Merritt, Mary A. . 293

Merryfield, James M. 329

Methodist Church in Chicago — first

preaching — first class 28S

Methodist Protestant Church . 333

Metropolitan Bank _ 549

Metropolitan Hall 499

Metropolitan Hotel -_ 636

Mexican War — Extracts of Chicago pa-
pers of 1S46, 47, 276. 277 ; recruits
raised in Chicago and meeting of
February, 1847, 277, 278 ; noted

Illinois volunteers -283, 2S4

Meyers, Max ... 463

Miamis 33, 34, 36, 37, 49, 55, 62, 66,

68, 2S7.

Michigan City 129

" Michigan'' (steamer) 241, 242

Mifflin, Thomas S7

Mikkleson, A 349

Miles, Francis 319

Military —

Chicago Artillery Company 2S6

Battalion 2S5

Cavalry -- 275, 276

City Guards 275 276, 279

German Odd Battalion .. 2S5, 286

Grenadiers 286

Guard of Liberty 2S6

Highland Guards 2S6

Hussars and Light Artillery 285

Joegers - 285

Light Artillery .. 285

Light Guard.' .- - 285

Militia. 26S, 269, 270, 274, 275

Company F, Fifth Regiment (Mexi-
can War) — 2S2

Cook County Militia, 268, 271, 272, 273,

274. 275.

Emmet Guard 2S5

Garden City Guards 285

Dragoons 275, 286

Jackson Guards 2S5

"Montgomery Guards, 237, 275, 276, 277,

2S4, 285.

National Guards 2S5

National Guards Cadets 285

Ringgold Guards 2S5

Shields Cadets 27S

Shields Guards.. 2S5

.Washington Battalion 2S5

Washington Guards ... 275

Washington Grenadiers 2S6

Washington Jcegers 2S5

Page

Washington Independent Regiment

No. 1 285, 286

Washington Light Cavalry 286

Washington Light Guards 286

Washington Rifles 286

.. .William Tell Guards 286

M ilitary Tract 263

Millard, James M 201

Millard, Nelson 315

Miller, Mrs. Adeline 322

Miller, Mrs. Agnes. 312

Miller, De Laskie 463, 470

Miller House _ 103,629, 630

Miller, Jacob ...... 295

Miller, Mrs. Janet 312

Miller, John, III, 12S, 133, 175, 297, 565,
566, 594.

Miller, John C 1S5

Miller, Matthias ._ 295

Miller, Robert 312,313

Miller, Samuel, 96, 103, 104, 112, 116, 174,
197, 198, 269, 629, 630.

Miller's tannery 133

Miller, W. Y 30S

Milliken, Isaac L., 1S5, 518, 519, 520, 610.
614, 621, 622.

Mills, Benjamin 117

Mills, Caroline 339

Mills, H. B 339

Milner, Sarah 329

Miltimore, Ira, 170, 185, 186, 211, 218, 507,

51S, 608.
Milwarik, Milwaukee '1699) — Mention

of 66

Miner, F. T ... 212

" Minnesota " (brig) ... . 242

Mirandeau, Jean Baptiste, Sr. , 73, 105, 289,
566.

Mirandeau, Genevieve 105

Mirandeau, Jean Baptiste, Jr _ 105

Mirandeau, Madeline 101, 105

Mirandeau, Thomas _ 105, 106

Mirandeau, Victoire (Mrs. Porthier), 73, 105

Misener, Ellen S 320

Mitchell, Alexander 532. 533

Mitchell, James 32S

Mitchell, John T 316, 325, 356, 357

Mitchell, Maggie 493,494

Mitchell, W. W 584,585

Mizener, Charlotte 319

Modine, Peter 324

Moench, Dietrich __ 2S5

Mohn, A... 349

Monagle, John 312

Monagle, Mrs. Sarah 3T2

Montigny, M. De ... 66, 288

Montreal, trading post. 39

Moody, Mrs. l.vdia „ 322

Moody, T. M._ 186

Mooney, E... 486

Moore, Ann E 321

Moore, A. H 263

Moore, Charles E 2S5

Moore, C. H 256

Moore, Miss E 219

Moore, Edwin G 306

Moore, Henry 208, 426, 428, 465

Moore, John 253, 2S4

Moore, Peter 315

Moore, W. T 352

Moran, Mathew 2S0

Morehouse, Philo 260

Morey, Alvin V 281, 283

Morey, Edward 27S

Morgan, Achilles 265

Morgan, Caleb. 336, 337

Morgan, Charles 567

Morgan, James D. 2S3, 2S4, 330

Morgan, Richard P 247, 259

Mormon Discussion 152

Morning Bulletin, 1S57- _ 411

Morrill,' John 283

Morris, Buckner S., 184, 1S7, 199, 274, 377,

426, 427, 44S, 457, 477, 594, 614.
Morris, J. H 339

Page

Morris, Mrs. Mary E 339

Morrison, Elizabeth. 321

Morrison, Ezekicl 260

Morrison, fames 1 . l>.. 283

Morrison, John 312

Morrison, J. M 222

Morrison, Murdock 321

Morrison, O. 175, 176. 202, 203

Morrison, W. R. 284

Morse, Miss Diana 328

Morse, Jedediah 87, 89

Mosselle, Charles 269

Mosely, Flavel 15S, 198, 215, 216, 217,

305.

Moseley School 214, 215

Moses, Hiram P 567

Moses, M 348

M orey , Alvin V 282

Mossop, George 487

Mossop Mrs.(Hunt) 487

Mowtr, Lyman 277, 278, 279, 280

Mozart Society 498

Muchike, Friedrich 331

Muchlke, Henry 351

Mueller, Christian 331

Mueller, Michael ... 286

Mulford, E. H 132

Mulford, James 249

Mulfinger, G. F 331

Mulligan, James A 298

Munch, H. C. 220

Municipal Court. 203, 443. 444

Murders of Illinois settlers in 1S11-12

- 77. 78

Murder trial of Joseph f . Morris (Joseph

Thomassen) in 1835 428

Murdoch, James E. ... 486, 4SS

Murphy, Harriet .. 633

Murphy, John 212. 285. 29S, 474, 633

Murphy, Edward 208

Murray, George — 312

Murray, James E 300, 4S9

Murray, R. N --H5, 121, 271

Murray, William 3S, 69, 70

Museum (Buckley's). 488

Museum (Kennison's) 487

Music first taught 211

Musical Convention (1848) officers. 497, 498
Musical instruments, manufacture of

(1S54, 1857) 570

Mussey, D .. 355

Myers, Fred 208

Myers, S. G 2S6

Myers, William E 311

Naper, John — 269, 270, 271

N'aper, Joseph 117, 26S, 269

Naper Joseph, military company of 271

Naperville House 637

Napier, J. A. 158

"Napoleon" (schooner) 554

National 495

National Hotel 637

Native American, 1855-56 410

Neal, David A 253

Nebraska Bill, opposition to in Chicago 157,

390, 608, 611.

Needham, A. T 330

Nelson, Andrew — 349

Nelson, A. G ... 349

Nelson, John 349

Nelson, Mary A 219

Nelson, Ole 349

Nelson, Peter 349

Nelson, Mrs. Peter 470

Nerison, Kittel 349

" Nescotnomeg " (Indian chief) 100

Newberry, Oliver, 116, 121, 236, 242, 561,

618.
Newberry, Walter L., 176, 1S2, 212, 213,248,

250, 351. 377. 521, 549-

" New Buffalo School " 212

Newby, Edward W. B ...2S1, 2S2, 283

Newcomb, Miss E. P 344

New Covenant .. 384

Newell, Richard 330

SPECIAL INDEX.

New England Church (Congregational)
Organization 1853 — Original mem-
bers— Pastors — Membership to 1S5S

New England House

New England Society

Newkirk, Alanson B. 310,

Newkirk, Mrs. I.. N.

Newkirk, D. A. B

New Jerusalem or Swedenborgian Church
— Early church services — " Illinois
Association " formed — Original
members of Chicago Society of the
New Jerusalem — First officers — Pas-
tors— Church building 345,

Newman, S. K 332,

Newton, Mollis

New York House.

Niblo, A. R. 3S3,

Nichols, C. P...

Nichols. Luther 203, 223,

Nichols, W. A 339,

Nicolet, John 34,40,

Nichoff , Conrad L

Nightingale. Crawford

Nifes, John B

Ninson, William .- 132,

Noble, Calvin -

Noble, Jane.

Noble, John 113, 11S, 330, 560,

Noble, Lewis L

Noble, Mark 115, 118,289,

Noble, Silas -

Noble, W. H

Nockin, C --

Norelius, E __

Norheim, W. G --

Norris, J. W.--

Norson, Theron

Norton, Nathaniel . 306,

Norton, Nelson R., 132, 198, 223,
598

Norton, Sally Ann 306,

Norton, W. A

"North America" (early steamer)

North's Amphitheater __ 494,

North, Caleb .

North, Levi J 494,

North Presbyterian Church — First Serv-
ices, May, 1S48 — Organization —
First pastors and members — Church
buildings — " Central Presbyterian

Church "

Northwestern Bank Note and Counterfeit

Reporter

Northwestern Book Concern ..

Northwestern Educator

Northwest Fur Company

Northwestern Christian Advocate

Northwestern Home Journal

Northwestern Journal of Homeopathia.
Northwestern Medical and Surgical

Journal 384,

Northwest Territory

Northwestern University

Noyes, George F _

Noyes, H enry S

Nugent, Patrick

Nugent •

Oakley, Charles 170, 171,

O'Brien. James H

O'Brien. Martin, trial of for murder of

Stephen M ahan

O'Brien, Michael 152, 276, 2S4,

O'Brien. Mary Agatha

Ocho, Conrad--

O'Connor, C harles..

O'Connor, Michael

O'Connor, Patrick

Odd Fellowship; —

Encampments — "Chicago," No. 10

" Illinois," No. 3

Lodges — "Chicago," No. 55

" Duane," No. 11

" Excelsior," No. 22

" Fort Dearborn," No. 214 ._ 516

" Harmonia," No. 221 516

" Robert Blum," No. 5S (German)- 515

"Western Star," No. 1, at Alton,

first lodge in Illinois 514

" Union," No. 9 514

Odd Fellows Hall 516

O'Donnell, Thomas- 29S

Ogden, William B 129, 131, 142, 169,

176, 17S, 1S1, 1S4, 199. 212, 213, 220,
221, 236, 237, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251,
256, 257, 258, 260, 262, 351, 3S4, 444,
465, 504, 549, 564, 582, 614, 616, 619.

Ogden, Mahlon D. 441,442, 605

Ogden School -215, 216

Oglesby, Richard J 2S3

O'Hara, Daniel.- - 407, 610, 611

" Old Battery A " 2S5

" Old Battery B " 285

Old Settlers' Ball (1852) _ 156

Old Settlers' Society. 158

O'Leary, J. E. O. 595

Olive Branch of the West.. ...... 409

Oliver, Christian ._ 320

Oliver, Warren 327

Olivet Baptist Church — Organization of
•" Zoar Baptist " Church — " Mount
Zion Church " — Union of the two —
Erection and sale of church build-
ing 323, 324

Olivet Presbyterian Church — Mission
Church and City Missionary — Or-
ganization of Church (i856)-Paslors
and elders — Union with Second

Presbyterian Church 314, 315

Olmstead, Lucius D 342, 356

Olmstead, Mrs. Jane 342

Olmstead, T. L . . 330

Olsen, Peter 349

Olson, Elias... 349

Olson, Halvor 349

Olson, Nels __ 349

O'Mally, Patrick 2S4

O'Meara, Father 291, 292

O'Neil, Christian 329

O'Neil, Edward ... 294

O'Neil, John, trial for murder of Michael

Brady 450

Onoxa or F'ive Medals (Indian chief) . . 77

Opera (First) 489

O'Reilly, John . . 294

Orcott & Sutherland 636

Orcott, William F 636

O'Regan, Anthony. 292, 296, 297, 298

Ormsby, Arthur S 253

Orr, John R 279

Orr, Joseph.. 260

Osband, E. D - 286

Osborn, Andrew L 260, 412, 416

Osborne, James T 269

Osborne, L. H 337

Osborne, William 223,306, 476

Osborne, Mrs. William 306

Osborne, W. H 263

Osman, William- 372

Ostlangerberg, G. H 295, 297

O'Sullivan Eugene 284

Ott, Jacob 334

Ott, Lawrence.. 334

Ott, Philip _ 334

Ottawa Presbytery (1847) 300

Otis, Seth T 273, 477, 521

Ouilmette, Antoine 40, 72, S4, 92, 100,

101, 106, 289.

Ouillemette, Michael 269

Our Savior's Norwegian Evangelical
Lutheran Church (Organization

1858)--. - 350

Owen, G. M 33

Owens, John E 495

Owen, Robert 330

Owen, Thomas J. V 36,91, 115, 117,

119, 124, 128, 130, 175, 205, 207, 240,
268, 271, 289, 290, 365, 507.
Owens, W. D. 352

Page
Owen-street Methodist Episcopal Church

(Organized 1852) 330

Ozier, J oseph go

l'acking-housesand meat products (early), 560,

564-
Page, Peter, 155, 186, 283, 291, 520, 521, 612

Page, Benjamin G 309

Page, Mrs. Benjamin G.,- 309

Pagenhart, William 332

Payne, Adam ____ 269

Payne, Chris 208, 269

Paine, Uriah 271

Palmer, Alonzo B. __ -466, 594, 598

Palmer, A. II 275

Palmer, J. K. 594

Palmer, William 328, 329

Palmquist, Rev." G. 324

Palo Alto, Battle of 279

Palos, Cook County. 56

Panic of 1857 1S3

Paoli Gerhard.. __ 594

Paper towns of 1836 134

Parks, G. A 171

Parkes, Aaron. 333

Parodi, Teresa 500

Parsons, B. F. 339

Parsons, Miss E. 220

Parsons, Samuel M _ 280

Parsons, T. E 271

Parry, Samuel 291

Patchin, J._ 355

Patterson, Isaac 350

Patterson, J. W. 409

Patterson, Madison . - 333

Patterson, Robert W 220, 305, 306, 308,

313, 315, 395, 407.

Patti, Adelina 499, 500

Patton. W. W. 339, 396

Paul, Darius H 319

Paul, John _. 294

Paul, Rene 167

Paulson, Lewis 411

Payne, Seth 353, 408, 411, 538

Payton, Francis 209

Peace Society organized 279

Pearce, W. L 637

Pearson, George T __ 15S

Pearsons, Hiram, 132, 175,178,184,192, 377,
477-

Pearson, John 443, 444 •

Peck, Azel 211, 212, 519

Peck, Charles E 225, 274, 276

Peck, Ebenezer, 176, 230, 245, 366, 3S4, 465,

594-
Peck, Philip F. W., 115, 116. 132, 19S, 222,
223, 271, 2S9, 303, 561.

Peet, Stephen 355, 356

Pemeton, David 269

Pendleton, John 595

Pennington, Mary 329

Penny, A J 595

Penny, John 570

Penrose, James W 119

Penrose. Mrs. Mary A., letter of _ 110

Penton, Thomas B 274, 337

Perkins, G. W -- ... 339, 355, 396

Perkins, H. B -- 211

Perkins, I. N.- 263

Perkins, Miss L 215

Perkins, S. H 258

Perrot, Nicholas 46

Perry, Arthur 280

Peters, Abraham . . . . 280

Peterson, C. I. P 349

Peterson, Nels 332

Peterson, Peter 324

Petit, Claude 412, 415

Pettell, Mons 72, 92

Pettit, Charles M... 175

Pettit, William 334

Peyton, Francis 85,433,477

Peyton, John L 285, 286

Pevster, Arent S. De 70

Pfaffle. William 331

Pfeiffer, Casper _ 294

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Philadelphia House 637

Philbrick, John D - 214

Philharmonic Society 498,499, 500

I'hillimore, G. W. 4S4, 4S6

Phillips, Clifford S 477

Phillips, D. I. 256

Phillips, George S 318

Phillips, W. B -- 329

Phoenix Bank 54S

Phcenix Foundry 568

Piche, Peter 101

Pierce, A.. .. 176, 17S, 211, 566, 569

Pierce, C. H 377, 378

Pierce, E. A 309

Pike, H. B 286

Pioneer lake vessels _ 239

Pitkin, Louise R 309

Pilson, 'George 278

Pinet, Francis 33,66,67, 287

Pinkerton, Allen 261

Pinney, Miss Louise - - 86

" Pioneer" Locomotive.- 248

Pithey, Mrs. Henry 329

Pitkin, Mrs. Nancy. 309

Pitney, Aaron 467, 470

Pitney, Franklin V 341

Pitney, Mrs. Franklin V 341

Pitt.C. D . 48S

Pitts, H. A. 569

Plagge, Christopher 219, 499

Plank roads, early 192

Plant, H. B. __ _ 253

Planter's House 637

Plathe, G. H 294, 295

Plathe, Schaeffer 295

Platz, G G - 334

Porthier, Joseph 104

" Portage River " 630

Powell. Miss M. E 220

Powell, M. W. 227

Powell, Thomas 383

Prairie Herald, the 342

Prairie Leaf 41 1

Pratt, James (Rev. Dr.) 336

Pratt, Oscar __ 132

Pratt, Spencer _ _ _ 282

Prendergast, Thomas G 454

Prescott, Eli S 149

Prescott, T. O 346

Prendeville, Maurice _. 152

Prentiss, Benjamin M. 283

Presbyterian Theological Seminary of

the Northwest ._. 354

Prescott C. L 262

Preston, John B. _ 173

Preus, A. C. 350

Plows, first manufacture of in Chicago _ 566
Plymouth Congregational Church -340, 341

Plvmpton, Joseph 84

Podd. Rev. James 324

Police court created, 179; Constables and

precincts, 203, 204; Justices and

magistrates, 451, 454, 455.

Polkey, Mrs. Samuel

Pomeroy, C. B

Pomeroy, Mrs. E. L

Poncelot, Henroten 296,

Pontiac - 33,

Pool, Isaac A

Pool, J. W

Poole, Edgar

Poor, J. H

Pope, John.. 277,

Pope, Nathaniel 448, 449,

Pope, William

Portage de Chicagou

Porter, Augustus J

Porter, Henry Dwight 303,

Porter, Charlotte Eliz . .

Porter, Edwards W

Porter, George B 36,

Porter, J. L

Porter, James W _ 303,

Porter, Jeremiah 129, 132, 303,

334. 356, 357-

Page I

Porter, Mrs. Jeremiah 303, 304

Porter, Mary Ann .. 319

Porter, Mrs. Mary C. 4S2

Porter, Mary Harriet (missionary).. 303, 304

Porter, N. B 253

Porter, Robert Otto. 304

Porter, Peter B. 165

Porthier, Joseph --91, 103, 104

Porthier, Mrs. (Mirandeau) 73

Post, Justus 167

Post-office, first 139

Letters remaining in January 1, 1834 148

Postmasters 139.140, 147, 148

Post-roads 141

Pottawatomies 34, 36, 76, 77, 78, 79,

122, 166.

Powell, Edwin , 463

Price, Cornelius 611

Price, Mrs. Emma 322

Price, Jeremiah _ 223

Price, Sterling _ _ 2S3

Price, William .. 140, 147, 520, 611

Prickett, George W 284

Prickett, John A 283

Pride, John C. 464

Prindiville, John 298

Prindiville, Redmond 416

Printing — first job, pamphlets and law
book, 412, 413 ; Printer's Union
early printers and pressmen, 416,

417; first music 500

Pruyne, Peter 132, 136, 208, 223, 444,

464, 527.

Proctor, Leonard . 462

Provoost, B. B. -. __ 253

Pryor, Fred. .. 295

Putney, Mrs. Mary ..... 342

Quackenbos, (Dr.) __ 299

Quade, Andrew. .. 286

Quarter, Walter J . 293. 294, 298

Quarter, William 291, 292, 293, 294,

298.

Queal, William 343

Quebec, Founding of 39

Quequew, Father 292

"Quid Nunc" (First Chicago penny pa-
per) 383

Quinn Chapel, Methodist Episcopal
Church — Organization 1847 — Ex-
citement on slavery question —

Church buildings — Pastors 333, 334

Quin, John S 285

Quinn, John — .... . 294

Quinn, William P. 333, 334

( hiirk, James 285

Raffen, Alex W 286

Raffen, John T 286

Ragatz, J. H 334

Rahn, John C - 351

Railroads —

Chicago, Alton & St. Louis 259, 262,

263.

Chicago & Aurora 257

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 257,

258, 262, 263.

Chicago & Milwaukee 262

Chicago & Mississippi 259

Chicago & North-Western 257, 258

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 25S,

259, 262, 263.

Chicago, St. Charles & Mississippi

Air Line 257

Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac

256, 262.

Chicago & Vincennes .... 245

Detroit & St. Joseph .260, 261

Elgin & State Line 257

Erie& Kalamazoo 259

Fox River Valley 257, 262

Galena & Chicago Union 245, 251,

256, 257, 262.

Great Western ... 252

Hannibal & St. Joe 263

Illinois Central, 245,246, 251-257, 451,

575, 576.

Page

Illinois & Wisconsin 257

. — Joliet & Chicago _ 259

Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, 259

Michigan Central 260, 261

Michigan Southern & Northern In-
diana -. 259, 260

Mineral Point.. 257

Northern Cross, 246 247, 252, 258, 263

— Northern Indiana 260

Peoria & Bureau Valley 263

Peoria & Oquawka 25S, 263

Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago, 261

Rock Island & Alton.. 258

Rock Island & La Salle 247, 258

Rock Island & St. Louis 258

Rock River Valley 256

Wisconsin & Superior .. 257

System in 1S57 — Summary of trunk

lines and branches. 262, 263

Convention at Rockford in 1S46 247

Machine shops (early) 568, 569

Ralfstadt, Philip 332

Ramsey, G. M 313

Rand, Socrates 212

Randall, G. P 299

Randolph, John F 346

Randolph, Mrs. Hannah. 322

Randolph, Miss Marv 322

Ranker, Charles ._ _ 296

Rankin, G. H 230

Rankin, James 567

Rankin, William.. 567

Ransom, Amherst C __ 174

Ransom, T. B 246

Rantoul, R. W _ 253

Rantze, H. H. ... 351

Raskop, Jacob 295

Ranch, John H 463

Ravlin, N. F. 323

Ravlin, Pliny P 323

Rawalt, Jonas .. 346

Rawson, William 339

Rawson. Mrs. S. 339

Ray, Charles II 173, 402

Ray, J. E 396

Raymbault, Father Charles 41

Raymond, Benjamin W 152, 184, 187,

212, 220, 223, 227, 24S, 249, 250, 257,
262, 305, 476, 497, 549, 614, 619, 620.

Raymond, Mrs. Benjamin W 305

Raymond, George 273, 2S4

Raymond, John A 226

Raymond, Lewis .. 320, 321

Rhines, Henry .. 154,221, 604, 606

Read, F. A. . 329

Read, John Y 582

Read, W. L 286

Ready, Mrs. Elizabeth 339

Real Estate News Letter and Insurance

Monitor. _ 412

Real Estate Register 412

Rebekah , degree of 516

Rechabites, Independent Order of 518

Receivers of U. S. Land-Office at Chi-
cago (1S35-1858) 149

Recorder's Court (1853-1857). .451, 453, 454

Reddick, John. 284

Reddick, William 604

Reder, John 351

Reed, Charles M._ 241

Reed, James H 521

Reed, J. H 5S2

Reed, James W __ 175

Reed, Judson W 2S6

Reed, Miss I,. M. .. 215

Reformed Presbyterian Church — Organ-
ization, 1S45 — First pastor, mem-
bers and elders — Church buildings —
Biographies of prominent pastors.. 312,
314-

Reform School 179, 217

Registers of Chicago Land-Office -.148, 149

Rees, James H 176, 225, 230, 249, 450,

637-
Reichart, John A 285

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Reid, Alexander -- 5S

Reid. Sarah.. 319

Reilev. John __ - - 2S3

Reifsehneider, George 286

Reighley, Charles - 219, 336

Reis, Nicholas 294

Reis, Peter 294

Reisach, Cardinal 295

Reissig, Charles 56S

Remack, Edward 390

Renan, William -- 348

Reno, C. A 322

Reseca de la Palma, battle of 279

Resique, Samuel - -- 221

Reynolds, Eri 562, 563

Reynolds, Elihu G - 329

Reynolds, George W -- 329

Reynolds, Ira _ _ - 321

Reynolds, John - 267, 26S, 602

Reynolds, W. R. J 595

Rexford, Stephen _- 132

" Rialto," the .- -.475, 476

Ribourde, Father -62, 288

Rice, John B. 4S4-490

Rice. Mrs. J. B. 486-491

Rice. Ellisl.. _ 331

Rice, John 223

Rice, Nathan L. 310, 311, 312

Rice. Susannah .. 315

Rice, William H _ _ _. 320

Rice. W. H. 595, 596

Rice's First Theater (1S47-1S50), 4S4, 4SS,

4S9-
Rice's Second Theater (1852-1355), 491-494

Richards, George W. 34 1

Richards, Mrs. Laura _. 341

Richards, R K 134, 135

Richardson, R. H 310, 311

Richardson, William A _ 283

Richmond, Thomas 5S1, 582

Richmond House __ 637

Ricker. Henry _ _ 332

Ridding, George 333

Ridell, Archibald .. 341

Ridell, Mrs. Archibald 341

Rider, Isaiah 323

Rider, Eli A 132,175, 229

Ridley, James 330

Ridley, Mrs. James 330

Rile)-, James 90

Ring, Edward H. 220

Rincker, H. W 568

Rinder, Friedrich 331

Riordan. P. W 299

Ritchie, .'Henry 337

Ritchey, Samuel W 466

River and Harbor Convention of 1847, 236,

238.
River — Ordinances against polluting, 191,

192.

Roads 117, 153, 154, 192, 197, 577

Roath, W. T 286

Robb, George A 242

Robbins, Allen 352

Roberts, David L 330, 636

Roberts, Edmund 112

Roberts, George 330

Roberts, Henry 330

Roberts, John J 330

Roberts, R R 28S

Robertson, Thomas D.. 247, 248, 249, 250
Robinson, Alexander, 36, 92, 97, 101, 103,

ICj-, I 17, 125, 289.

Robinson, A. S._ _ 595

Robinson, James 327,329, 357

Robinson, Mrs. James _ 327

kobinson, J. B 274

Robinson, Henry 329

Robinson, R. J 323

Roche, Thomas 294

Rock of St. Louis 34, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68

Rock Island House 637

Rockwell, James 357

in, B 298

Roe, John 327

Page

Roe, Mrs. John. 1 327

Roecher, John W 331, 332

Rofinot, P. F • 296

Rogers, E. K 357.47°. 5S2

Rogers, John - 582

Rogers, William 277

Roles, John P 299

Roots, 13. G 256

Ronan, George 81, 82

Rosatti, Toseph 2S9

Rose, O. J 1S5, 2S6

Rosenberg, Jacob 348

Rosenfeld, I 34S

Ross, Lewis W 284

Ross, Hugh -- 414

Ross, J. P 470

Ross, R - -.-286

Ross, William H 2S5

Rote, James 2S3

Rothget, H 351

Rounds, Sterling P 411

Rounds' Printers' Cabinet — ...- 411

Rounseville, William 3S3, 396, 397, 402,

503. 5°4-

Roy, Joseph E ... _ 339, 341

Rucke'r, E A - 184

Rucker, Henry L --273, 453, 454, 476,

477. 6i5-

Rudd, Edward H --37S, 413, 414, 416

Rudolph, F 331

Ruggles, George F 315

Ruggles, Spooner 247

Rumsey, Argill Z. _. 211

Rumsey, George A 2S4

Rumsey, Julian S 229

Runyon, Clark __ _ 310

Runyon, Mrs. Clark 310

Rush Medical College 309, 310, 3S4,

464, 466.

Rush-street (first iron) bridge .._ 202

Russell, Aaron ._ 414

Russell, Fred C 244

Russell, Jacob 220, 244, 334, 377, 59S,

634, 635-
Russell, John B. F. 36, 109, 16S, 1S0

181, 247, 274, 275, 276, 279, 284, 303,

454. 479-

Russell, Mrs. John B 496

Russell, John J. 274, 2S5

Russell, William 298

Russell and Mather's Addition 137

Ryan, Dennis 298

Ryan, Edward G 378, 442, 444, 476

Ryan, Michael 169, 170

Ryan, William M. D. 327, 329

Ryder, William H 343

Ryer, Geordy 486

Ryerson, J. T 612

Sadler, W. H 319

Saeger, Anthony __ 295

Salem Baptist Church organization (1853)

Balmer, Rev. J. R. 322

Salem Evangelical United Church 351

Salisbury, Josiah 273

Salisbury, S. M 271

" Saloon " Building 147. 148, 151, 152,

180, 305, 312. 313, 336, 343, 346, 384,

521, 602, 607.

Sanborn, L. K 227

Sanborne, G. L._ _ 285

Sanford, John F. A. 253

Sanford, Miles , 318

Sanger, J. Y 274, 276

Sangamon School (Washington Family), 213,

214.

Sankey, T 477, 479, 481

Sankey, Mrs. Thomas 478, 479

Sargents, John K 315

Saturday Evening Chronotype (1857). .. 411

Saturday Evening MaiHj.8'54) 410

Saunders, John, Mr. and Mrs 351

Sauganash Hotel, 36, 106, 128, 132, 474, 632,

&33-

Sauksand Foxes 34

Saulir, Charles ... - 336

Page

Savage, George S. F.._ 355

Savage, Henry W 208

Sawyer, Alonzo J. 220

Saw Mills (early) 566

Scammon, Franklin. 346

Scammon, J. Young, 158, 180, 200, 210, 211,
212, 217, 237, 247, 24S, 249, 251, 260,
345. 346. 347, 377. 4*3. 431. 444, 445,
476, 536. 537. 539. 544. 549. 550, 551.
552,607.

Scammon, Mrs. M. A. 346

Scammon School 212

Scanlan, P. L 294

Scarritt, Isaac -103, 288

Schade, Louis 410, 411

Schaefer, Fred. _ 274, 285

Schaeffer, John L 331

Schaff er, Leander 291

Schaforth, Charles 295

Schairer, G.- - 351

Schnall, Andrew 294

Schaller, Andrew 294, 637

Schambeck, Fred 286

Schenck, Noah Hunt 336

Schimberg, Peter 295

Schilling, C 295

Schlaeger Edward _ 389

Schloetzer, George D. 167, 470

Schlatter, Charles L 244

Schmidt, E __ 467

Schmidt, Mary Eva 299

Schneider, John 285

Schneider, George 3S9, 390

Schnell, John . 331

Schnerdacher, G. --■ 348

Schnirch, Ignatz -- 297

Schnudz, Anthony 297

Schnuckel, Charles 297

Schools (inclusive) 133, 204-220

Schoolcraft, Henry R.-35, 90, 100, 302, 303

Schooners, early 168

Schreiner. William 332

Schubert, Benedict 348

Schuler, Rev. Frederick 332

Schumacher, Joseph 294

Schummer, John__ 295

Schnyder, B._ 295

Schuyler, Robert -- 253

Scotch Temperance Society (1851) 518

Scott, General Charles 34

Scott, David - 567

Scott, Deborah _ 106

Scott, J. H _ 210

Scott, James S -- 211

Scott, Joseph R 285

Scott, Permelia _-_io6, 107

Scott, Samuel - - — 280

Scott, Stephen H. 106

Scott, StephenJ.- 106, 112

Scott, Wealthy 104, 106

Scott, Williard 271

Scott, Winfield H 119, 120, 121, 122,

129, 618.

Scoville, Hiram H 567, 568

Scranton, Abner B. - 328

Scranton, N 199

Scripps, John L 248, 389, 407, 610

Seacor, Thomas - 283

Sears, A. H._- 344

Sears, John, Jr 346

Sebley, C. C. — Company in Mexican

War — Enlistments in Cook County. 282
Second Illinois Volunteers, Mexican War, 280
Second Presbyterian Church — Organiza-
tion (June, 1S42) — Original members
— First church building — Elders —
Rev. Robert W. Patterson — Second
church building (1851) — Pastors —

Members.. 305, 306

See, William, 96, 106, 112, 114, 116, 28S,
289, 420, 566.

Seeley, F. T - 341

Seeley, R. R 152

Sedgwick, Charles H 412

"Sclina" (schooner) 240

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Selle, Augustus- 34s. 35 r

"Seneca" (steam tug) explosion 243

Senn, Rev. Henry 332

Senser, John W 32S

Sereham, John 294

Serlin, D. S • - --- 332

Sewerage Commissioners 179-191

Sexton, Sylvester 285

Seymour, James - 246

Seymour, Mrs. James. 215

Seymour S 470

Sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry — List

of Chicago soldiers 281, 2S2

Sketch of losses 2S2

Shapley, Ann - -- 319

Shapley, Morgan L 122, 234

Shaw, Mrs. H. M 219

Shaw, James 395

Shaw, Knowles 352

Shaw, William 227

Shaw, Valentine C 2S3

Shawbonee, letter of, 36, 109, no, 118, 123,

265, 266.

Shay, J. B 227

Sheahan, James \V 409

Shedaker, Chris 269

Shedd, J. R - --- 3-H

Shedd, Mis. J. R 341

Sheffield, Joseph E 259

Sheldon, A. S 338

Sheldon School — Lot purchased - . 216

"Sheldon Thompson" (first steamer), 120,

240, 241.

Shelling, Rev. Charles - - . 328

Shepherd, Alexander 329

Shepherd, Mrs. Alexander 329

Shelton, Wallace. 323

Sheriffs, John 306, 339

Sheriffs, Mrs. Sarah 306

Sherman, Alson S., 132, 1S6, 187, 212, 219,

223, 224. 228, 229, 230, 275, 327, 614,

621.

Sherman, Ezra L._ 220, 275, 543

Sherman, Francis C. 103, 176, 178, 184, 212,

2S5, 395. 0IT. 614, 620, 635.

Sherman, F. T 223, 229, 230

Sherman House 636

Sherman, S. W. 175, 208, 335

Sherman, James ._ 274, 2S5

Sherman, John B 563

Sherman, 0.__ 228

Sherry, Patrick 292, 29S

Sherwood, S.J 223, 335, 336, 357

" Shields Cadets" first officers (1847)--- 278

Shields' Guards 2S5

Shields, James. - 252, 29S

Shinn, R. F 333

Ship building (early) 241-243

Ship chandlers (early) .. 242

Shipman, George E., 220, 402, 468, 470, 471

Shippen, RushR., sketch of life 344

Ship yards (1S45) 46, 242

Shirley, Thomas. 2S4, 285

Shogren, Eric 332

Sholes, Charles H 262

Short, John 286

Shrigley, John 203

Shumway, Edward S 452

Shumway, Horatio G 452, 521

Sibley, C. C... 278

Sibley, Solomon 35

Sickles, Daniel E. 412

Simons, George H 331

Sinclair, John .- 2S9

Sisters of the Holy Cross. 295

Sisters of Mercy, establishment, 291, 293,

299, 598.

Sixth Illinois Volunteers 281

Sixtieth Regiment 272, 275, 284

Skelly, D. C 285

Skelly, Dennis 294

Skelly, A. E 2S5

Skelton, W. D 330

Skinner, Mark 156, 184, 211, 212, 440,

451. 477. 521. 550, 597. 598, 612.

Page

Skinner, Samuel P. _. . . 343, 384

Slack, George D. 280

Slaughter, W. B 329

Slayton, John L 219, 319

Slayton, Mrs. Maria.. 319

" Sloan's Garden City " (1S53-1S55) 407

Sloan, Oscar B 407

Sloat. Cornelia 339

Sloat, George B, 339

Sloat, G. R 519, 520

Slocum, Eliz 319

Sloo, Thomas 166

Small, Alvan E 468, 470

Smallwood, William A. 336

Smallpox epidemics.. 151, 594, 595, 596, 597

Smith, Abiel 412, 416

Smith, Benjamin 497

Smith, B. H 352

Smith, Charles B 318, 319, 320

Smith, Dr. C. E 230

Smith, David Sheppard 409, 461, 467,

468, 470, 471, 596.

Smith, Elijah 309,518, 519

Smith, Mrs. Elijah 309

Smith, E. R 132

Smith, Miss E. S 220

Smith, E. W. 187

Smith, Miss F._ . 215

Smith, George 248, 250, 532, 534, 535,

537. 53S, 539. 544. 582.

Smith, Henry 211, 217, 306, 309, 608

Smith, Mrs. Henry 309

Smith, H. O 227

Smith, Jane A 321

Smith, James. 279, 285

Smith, J. A 223,321,402, 476

Smith, J. C .263, 274

Smith, Jere 269

Smith, John Mark .416, 462, 477

Smith, Joseph V 389

Smith, L. H 322

Smith, M. P 280

Smith, Mathias 132, 175, 289

Smith, Orson 203, 594

Smith, Phebe 309

Smith, R 274

Smith, Samuel L 184, 236, 377 432, 433

Smith, S. W. 278

Smith, Thomas W .166, 176,246, 445,

446, 465, 549.

Smith, William 269, 2S5

Smith, W. B 285

Snow, Chauncey 280

Snow, George W .-.122, 128, 132, 168,

175, 19S, 222, 504.

Snow, H. O 220

Snow, W. H - 222

Snowhook, William B --237, 244, 274,

276, 284, 294, 598.

Snyder, William H. 282, 284

Soap and candle manufacturers (early)

--- 565. 566

Society of Holy Childhood 297

Somers, George 329

Somers, Mrs. George - 329

Somers, Richard & Co. _. 636

Sonntag Zeitung 390

Sons of Temperance, Illinois Division

No. I — Subordinate Lodges 518

Sons of Penn (1850) 523

South Congregational Church — " Car-
ville " and the American Car Com-
pany"— Erection of church building
— Organization of Church — 1853,
first communicants — Pastors — 341, 342
South Presbyterian Church organiza-
tion— Original members — Elders
— Early members — First pastor.
Rev. R. W. Henry — First church

edifice 310, 311

Southerland, E. B. 274

Southwest Company 93

Southworth, Gus. W ..218, 306, 309

Southworth, Mrs. Gus. W. 306

Southworth, Mrs. Susan 309

Spaulding, E. G 236

Spaulding, Roxana 319

Spaulding, S. F — 223

Spear, Isaac. 518, 519, 520, 636, 637

Spears, II . S 285

Spears, Barton W. 407

Spencer, A. P -■ 383

Spencer, Thomas 463

Spencer, William H 309

Spink, Alfred 538

Spirit of Temperance Reform, the (1845) 389
Spiritualists — First medium in Chicago
(1849)— First convert, Ira B. Eddy
— Society formed (1852) — Lecturers
— Mediums — Andrew Jackson Davis
— " The Harmonial Philosophy".. 353,

354-

Spofford, George W 216

Spohr, Frank 295

Spring, Charles A 310, 311, 312

Spring, Mrs. Ellen M 311

Spring, George H - 311

Spring, Giles .184, 334, 377, 420, 421,

423, 424, 449, 476, 482.

Springer, William 309

Springer, Mrs. William 309

Sproot, Grenville Temple -132, 206

St. Ansgarius Church (Swedish and Nor-
wegian Episcopalians, 1849) — First
trustees — Church building — Gift
from Jenny Lind — Difficulty in

church - 338

St. Clair, Governor Arthur — 34

St. Cosme, Rev. John F. B 33, 37, 287

Description of visit to Chicago

(1699) 66

St. Cyr, John M. 1 132, 2S9, 290

St. Elizabeth's Association 297

St. Francis D'Assisium — First church
building — Priests — New building —

Societies connected with.. 297

St. Francis Society 297

St. Francis Xavier mission of Marquette

at Mission of Holy Ghost 42

St. George's Knights 297

St. George's Society (1847)..- 523

St. James' Episcopal Church — Organiza-
tion, 1834 — First members — First
vestrymen — First Episcopal services
in Chicago — " Tippecanoe Hall " —
First church building (1837) —
Church building (1857) — Pastors —
Sketch of Rev. Isaac W. Hallam —
Sketch of Rev. Robert H. Clark-
son... -99, 334. 335. 336

St. James' German Evangelical Lu-
theran - 349

St. John's Episcopal Church — Organiza-
tion, 1856 — First church building —
Parsonage — Sunday-school — Con-
tributions 337

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran 349

St. John's Society -- 397

St. Joseph (German Catholic) Original
members — First church building —

Priests — School 295

St. Joseph Orphan Asylum 299

St. Louis Church (French Catholic) —
Rev. Isidore A. Lebel — Establish-
ment of church — Financial difficul-
ties— Church building removed 296, 297

St. Mary's (Catholic) Church 132, 289

St. Mary's Church (1833) (First Catholic
church in Chicago) Quarter, Right
Rev. William — Biography .292, 293, 294

Petition for pastor — Signers 289

St. Cyr appointed priest — First mass —
First baptism — Building and dedica-
tion of church 290

New St. Mary's Church (1S43) — Bishops

and priests connected with church 291,292
St. Michael's (German) organization —
First church building — Original
members — Priests — - Redemptorest
Fathers 295, 296

SPECIAL INDEX.

St. Mary's Sodality - .... 297

St. Palais, Maurie de - 291, 293

St. Patrick's Church — Establishment —
Parochial school — Church buildings

— Priests 294

St. Paul's German Evangelical Lutheran
Church — First religious services —
Organization of church (1S40) —
First church building — Division of
church — New church building
(1849)— Third building (1S64)—
Fourth ( 1 S 7 2 ) — Past ors — Branches
— Rev. Henry YVunder — Sketch, 34S,
349-

St. Paul's Catholic Church: 297

St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church- 330
St. Paul's Evangelical United Church —
German Evangelical Synod of North
America — Organization of church
connected with (1S43) — Erection of
house of worship — Church council —
Early members — Pastors — 0 hlich's
Orphan Asylum — New church (1S64)
— Destruction by fire of 1871 — Re-
building— Present trustees 351

St. Peter's (German Catholic) — First
church building — Removal — Early

members — Priests 294, 295

St. Peter's Evangelical United Church.. 351

St. Peter's Society (1847).. 523

St. Rosa's Sodality 297

St. Stanislaus' Boys' Society 297

Stable of Humanity 544

Stacy, William (Culver, Page & Hoyne),

(1855) 414

Staff. James T. B 2S4

Stanger, Daniel ._ . 334

Stanger, Christopher 334

Standish, William H ._ 86

Stanfield, T. S 260

Stanton, C. T __ 477

Stanton, George E 549

Stanton, D. D 274

Stanislaus, Sister M 299

Staples, Stephen N __ __ 402

Star and Covenant 384

Star of Hope Lodge (Good Templar) 51S

Starkweather, Charles Robert 140, 147

Starkweather, Mrs. Charles Robert 305

Starkweather, Charles H. . .. 521

Starr, John F.. 220

Starr, Elisha 37S

Starved Rock (Fort St. Louis) 34, 64

Stalbrand, C.J 2S5

State Bank of Illinois. 151, 526, 527

State (School) Convention at Chicago

(1846) 2T2

State Medical Society 467

State -street Methodist Episcopal Church
— Orrington Lunt — Organization of
church — First pastor, Rev. N. P.
Heath — Constituent members — Wa-
bash-avenue Methodist Episcopal
church building, 1857 — New trus-
tees— First officers 329

"Steamboat Hotel," the 636

Steamboat Line established between Chi-
cago and Buffalo (1839), 241; be-
tween Chicago and Milwaukee 242

Steamers, early 168

Stebbins, Horatio 344

Stedman, Charles 383

Steel, George 562, 582, 584, 587

Steele, Ashbel 133, 594

Stein. Charles . 351

Steinhouse, August 280

Sten, Anton 286

Stenson. James 285

Stephens, John 311

Stephens, E. B -' 285

Stephens, Mrs. Sarah C 311

Stephenson, J. W 267

Stevens, Rev. Abel 219

Stevens, E. B 352

I lerrick 637

Page

Stevens, John.. . 271

Stevens, John, Jr .. .. 271

Stewart, Rev. A. M .219, 312, 313, 314

Stewart, George 2S5

Stewart, Hart L 147, 155, 249, (Hi

Stewart, Miss Jane 219

Stewart, James 91

Stewart John ....325, 554

Stewart, J. B 310

Stewart, Robert 98, 260

Stewart, Mrs. Robert 9S

Stewart, T. A 212, 401

Stewart, Royal... 427, 428

Stewart, William S 220

Stickney, Mrs. S.J 341

Stickney, William H 454

Stiles, David _ 20S

Stillman's Run _. 268

Stillman, Isaiah 267

Stock Company (1S52) 491

Stocking, Rev. S. H 326, 357

Stoeber, William T 286

Stoetzel, John 331

Stole, A 176

Stommell, Joseph . 295

Stone, John, first murderer in Cook

County 151, 273

Trial 445

Stone, David, letter of 95, 96

Stone, Elijah 330

Stone, H. O 477, 570

Stone, Rev. Luther 318, 324, 325, 402

Storm of April, 1854 __ 243

Storrow, Samuel A 100

Stose, C 222, 351, 566

" Stove-pipe (fire) ordinance " (1S33) 221

Stow, William H . 566, 633

Stow, Mrs. William H 306, 309

Stowell, Augustine 271

Stowell, Calvin M._ 271

Stowell, E. C... 341

Stowell, Walter 271

Strachan & Scott -532, 534

Strakosch, Maurice _ 500

Stratton, Newell .. 595

Stratzheim, George 351

Streets — Grading, paving and number-
ing 191, 192

Raising of grade .. 193

First Nicholson pavement . . 194

Nomenclature 194, 196

Alterations (1847) 23q

Strobbach, John E 351

Strode, J. M 148, 441, 477

Stroh, Daniel 334

Strong, MosesM 257

Strong, Orlo W 410

Strong, Robert 269

Strong, Rev. R. T. 333

Strong, T. F. 257

Strother, Bolton F 244

Stryker, John 260

Stryker, S. W. 285

Stuart, Alexander 377, 416

Stuart, H. L 212

Stuart, Dr. J. Jay 461, 477, 595

Stuart, John T 180

Stuart, 0 2S5

Stuart, Robert 171, 206, 302

Stuart, Thomas A. .. 389

Stuart, William, 93, 140, 147, 176, 181, 372,

377, 416, 428. 445, 508, 509.

Stubbins, Philander W.._, 311

Students and graduates (1843-1858) 466

Stupp, Henry .. 285

Sturges, J 253

Sturgis, William. 170

Sturtevant, Julien M 339

Sturtevant, Austin D 211, 212, 216, 497

Styles, Jeremiah. _ 282

Subscription list of Chicago Democrat

(1833) -- 3t>5

Sullivan, |. II.. 270, 274

Sullivan, J. J 285

Sullivan, Timothy 298

Pag?

"Sultan" (brig) 242

Supreme Court — Justices as Circuit
Judges — Judges of Seventh Circuit

(1841) 445, 446

Sulyle, Henry E 521

Sunday Herald (1857) .. 411

Sunday law of 1834 203

Sunday Leader (1S57) 411

Sunday Vacuna (1856) 411

Sutherland, Mrs. Henrietta 322

Sutton Female Seminary 219

Sutton, Robert H. 333

Svenska Republikanaren, 1855-1857

(Swedish) 411

Svensson, G 350

Swan, C. A .... 384

Swazey, Lewis S 358

Swearingen, Lieutenant James S. (auto-
graph) 72, 240

Swearingen, Captain Herbert H 78

Swedenborgian Society (first) 180

Swedish Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran
Church — Organization of Society
(1S53) — Rev. Erland Carlson— His
first sermon in Chicago (August,
1853) — First church officers — Or-
ganization of church (1S54) — Erec-
tion of church edifice (1869) — Re-
building of church after fire of 1871

— Membership and work 350, 351

Swedish Church, Second Methodist

Episcopal 333

Sweenie, John 285

Swenie, D. J ... 227,229, 231

Sweeney, Rev. John S 352

Sweet, Alanson 132, 175,269, 270,

271, 635.

Sweet, Charles 328

Sweet, Mrs. Charles. 114

Sweet, Mrs. Susan 328, 115

Sweet, Richard M 271

Sweetzer, J. O 462

Swift, Elijah 536

Swift, Colonel R. K. ... 1S1, 237, 278, 279,
285, 343. 536. 538, 544. 549. 59S. 6l6

Swift, W. H 170, 171, 172, 173

Swing, David 309

Swope, Cornelius E. 336, 337

Sykes, M. L _ 262

Sylvester, Willard 306

Tabernacle Baptist Church — Organiza-
tion August (1843) — First members,
officers and church buildings —

Pastors -3'9, 321

Talbot, M. F 220

Talcott, Edward B -170, 171, 173, 176

Tanners and tanneries — 565

Talcott, E. D. 396

Tar, John. 226

Tasker, William 329, 330

Taverns, Early in, 116, 12S, 132, 136,

13S.

Tax-payers in 1825 101

Taxes and assessments (1837-1857) 182

Taylor, Anson H. --107, 132, 133, 198,

289, 290.

Taylor, A. W 269

Taylor, Augustine D. 132, 145, 176, 290,

291, 294, 5ig, 520.

Taylor, Benjamin F 377, 37S, 3S7, 402,

415, 482, 503.

Taylor, Charles 133, 175, 19S, 289, 594,

631, 632.

Taylor, Mrs. Charles. 289

Taylor, E. D __.S6, 149, 168, 246, 260,

446, 465, 477, 527.

Taylor, Ezra 284, 2S5

Taylor, Francis H .- 17S

Taylor, John 294,

Taylor, Mary A 300, 632

Taylor, P. A 286

Taylor, William H 223,341, 476

Taylor, Mrs. William H 341

Taylor, W. W 594

Taylor, Zachary 121, 279

SPECIAL INDEX.

Teachers' Association 214

Teachers of Chicago (1810-1857) ---204-220

Teachers' Institute. 215

Tecumseh 35.7°. 7S, So

Teed, David -- 330

" Telegraph " (vessel) _ 115

Temple Baptist Church 323

" Temple building" t32, 315, 316, 421

Temple, Eleonore (Mrs. Thomas Hoyne) 206

Temple, Mrs. Cornelia M 341

Temple. Daniel II — 219

Temple, John T , 132, 175, 19S, 207, 315,
357. 459, 465, 466, 468. 594-

Temple, Peter 246, 460

Temple, Peter T 357

" Temple of Honor " 51S

Territorial Banks.' ---524, 525

Terry, Pafrick 294

Teschner, K. - .. 351

Testhel, O.N. 349

Tetenchoua (Miami chief) 46

Tew, George C _ 462

Thom, John H - 636

Tibbets, Miss S. E 215

Tierman, Father 292

Tiffany, Joel 353

Tilford, Augustus . 280

Tillinghast, William _ 219

Tinkham, Edward I. 220 535, 537, 612

Tippecanoe, battle of 35, 78, 80

Tippecanoe Hall 334

Titsworth, A. D 402

" Tivoli " lot, value in 1S32 137

Tomlinson, William 31^

Tondey, William B. 284

Tonty. Henri De 34,62, 63, 64

" Topenebe" (Indian chief) 36, 72, 74, 77, So

Topliff, W. B ,. 315

Toutsson, Gisel .. 350

Towne, E. W __ 359

Townsend, H 275

Tows, F. H. 263

Thayer, U 25S

Theis, August 332

Thespian Society 4S2

Thevenot, Melchisedech 14. 4^, 49

Third Presbyterian Church— Organiza-
tion, July, 1847 — Original members
— Pastors — Difficulties in regard to
relations of Church to General As-
sembly 3n7-3n9

Third Illinois Volunteers in Mexican

War. _ _ 280

Thomas, B. W _ _ 309

Thomas, Mrs. B . W 309

Thomas, Fred 357, 464

Thomas, George _ 56S

Thomas. James 330

Thomas, Jesse B 212, 246, 248, 249

Thomas, John B. 167, 213, 330

Thomas, R. W 331

Thompson, James 112, 167, 174, 343

Thompson, J. A 185

Thompson, J. L. 132

Thompson, Mrs. Lucretia 152

Thompson .O. H. 476

Thompson, Robert 269

Thompson, Samuel H _ 600

Thompson, William 227

Thorne, Charles R. -494, 495

Thornton, William F 168

Thurston, G. S 2S5

Tobey, Orville H 562

Tracy, Elisha 611

Tracy, E. W. 482

Tracy, J _ 29S

"Tracy" (U. S. schooner) 72,239, 240

Trade and commerce of Chicago. .. 152, 243,
555-559. 579-

Trask, LilaF . 389

"Traveller" .. 410

"Traveler's Home" 132,365,472, 632

Traveling in Illinois in 1852 254

Treaty of St. Louis 83

Tremont House 158,223,635, 636

Tremont House lot, its various values

Tremont Music Hall (90,

Tressy, John —

Tressy, Mrs. John

"Trestle Board "(Masonic) ...

Trinity (Episcopal) Church — Organiza-
tion, 1842 — First church officers —
Church buildings — Rectors — Mem-
bership 336,

Tripp, R.

Trowbridge, Charles C

Trowbridge, John S

Trowbridge, S. G. 176, 222, 22S,

Trowbridge. William S

Trowbridge's Eagle Hotel

Truax, Samuel

Tucker, Elisha

Tucker, Henry A 220, 262,

Tulev, Murray F 26S, 281, 2S2,

Tull, Jacob

Tulley, Alfred M... 291,

Tupper, Chester

Turbot, Peter

Turnbull, Julia. _.

Turner, Asa, Jr

Turner, George F.. 459,

Turner, H. 285,

Turner, John B. 187, 248, 249, 250,
257, 262.

Turner, J. W

Turrill. S. H _,....

" Tuscarora," wreck of the

Tusch, Andrew

Tuttle, A. H

Tuttle, Maria

Tuttle, Reuben

Typographical Union, early membersof.

Type Foundry ( first) . . 570,

Union Car Works

Union Express Company--

Union High School

Union Park Baptist Church

United States Courts 44S, 452,

United States Express Company

United States Factory, 85, 87, 88, g2:
233. 554-

United States Hotel 633,

United States Indian Agency

United States Land-Office 148,

United States Marine HospitaL

University of St. Mary of the Lake, 291,
299.

Unonius, Gustaf

Uberg, John

Ubrich, J

Uhlich's Orphan Asylum

" Uncle Tom's Cabin " — First presenta-
tion in Chicago

Underground railroad (First Chicago

passenger)

Underbill, D. H...

Union Agricultural Societv

Union Agriculturist and Western Prairie

Farmer, the

Union Bank 538, 543,

' ' Union " (brig)

Updike, P. L 155, 176, 222,

Upham, Edward

Ursey, W. H...

Ursula, Sister M

Uster, John J.

" Utica " (barque)

Vail, Walter

Valantine, John R 539,

Valiquette, J. B

Valley Watchman

Van Buren-street German Methodist
Episcopal Church Organization

(1852) 331,

Van Buren, Martin (Visit to Chicago). .

Van Buren mass meeting

Van de Velde, James __

Van de Velde, Oliver 291, 294, 295,

297, 298.
Van der Bogart Henry 207,

Page

Vandercook, C. R 56S, 633

Van I loren ( Rev. 1 >r. ) - _ . ... 313

Van Eaton, I Laid 112

Van I lorn, John (12

Van Nortwick, John 249, 258, 262

Van Osdel, John M 180, 273, 294, 305,

465, 490, 504, 505, 506.

Vantassell, Levi R -..281, 383

Van Vrankin, Benjamin 280

Van Voorhis, Isaac W .-82, 457

Van Wattenwytle, C. A. V 463

Varnum, Jacob B. .. 88,89, 9°

Vaughn, Daniel W - 421

Vaughn, John C 402, 612

"Velocipede Ferry". . 198

Velie, Jacob W 592

" Vermillion County Battalion " (1S27).. 265

Vermont House . 63;

Vessels built in Chicago (1847-1S71) 579

Vincent, T. B. 330

"Virginia," (vessel) --239, 240

Vogt, John S 295

Volker, Antonius 294

Von Schneider, P

Voss, Arno 185, 2S5 286, 3S9

Voters, list of at first city election.. 177, 178

Vrieland, Henry. 343

Wabash-avenue Baptist Church 322

Wabash-avenue Methodist Episcopal
Church — First board of trustees and

officers 329

Wade, Daniel 269

Wadsworth, Mrs. C. S. 310

Wadsworth, E. S .. 257,258,582

Wadsworth, F. W 227

Wadsworth, James 36

Wadsworth, Julius... . . 273. 477, 562, 563

Wadsworth, Philip . . 2S5

Wadsworth, Tertius 290

Wadsworth, T. W._ . __ 230

Wagner, William 467, 470

Wagons and carriages — Early manufact-
urers of 566, 569, 570

Waggoner, Angelina 320

Waggoner, Edwin 330

Waggoner, H 330

Waggoner, Mrs. H 330

Wahl, Frederick 334

Wait, J. F _. . _ 594

Waite, "C. B 612

Waite, George W 248

Waite, Horace F. . _ 309

Waite, Mrs. Horace F 309

Waite, Thomas J 401, 402

" Walk iD the Water " .239, 240

Walbann, August 351

Waldburger, J. J 389

Waldo, Mrs. Clara M 341

Waldron. A.J 262

Waldron, John 292, 297

Walker, Captain A. — Account of ravages

of cholera in Chicago (1S32).. 120, 121,
241.

Walker, Abby. 341

Walker, Miss A. W._ 219

Walker, B. F . 343

Walker, Charles, 171, 24S, 250, 452, 555,
5S2, 586, 5S7.

Walker, C. H 583, 584, 585, 587

Walker, Deliver 341

Walker, Mrs. Deliver 341

Walker, George E 137

Walker George H 269

Walker, Isaac ....... 158

Walker, James 116, 117, 142

Walker, Rev. Jesse 112, 114, 132, 205,

288, 289, 299, 325, 602.

Walker, Joel 247

Walker, John 205

Walker, Joseph ... -. 462

Walker, Rev. J. B 306, 395

Walker, L. 214

Walker, Lucy 637

Walker, Rev.W. F 335. 336. *oS

Walker, W.J 260

SPECIAL INDEX.

Wallace, William H 96 102,103,

Wallace, W. W

Wallace & Davis .

Wallace. Elisha B. . —

Wallace. William H. L

Waller, Mrs. Anton

Walsh, David. . _

Walters, J. C - - -

Walters. L

Walton, Charles

Wanlers. Agnes

Ware. A. D

Ware. 1. E 389,

Ward . Amos _

Ward, B •-

Ward, Daniel M - - —

Ward, E. B.

Ward, George L

Ward, J. IE...

Ward, Mary Frances 293

Ward, Mrs'. Ruth...

Ward. S. D. 314,

Ward. T. W

Warden, Peter

Warner. Mrs. M. A

Warner, Spencer

Warner. Mrs. Spencer

Warnock, John

Warrington, Mrs. Isabella

Warren, Hooper

Warren, John A

Warren, William 47S,

W"arren, Sarah

Washburne, Charles A

Washburn, C. C

Washburn, Elihu B

"Washington School District " I Sixth

Ward) — Appropriation for school

(1S50)

Washingtonian Home _

Washingtonian Society, organization

first

Washington Temperance Society

Watchman of the Prairies

Water Works 187, 189,

Watkins, Francis _

W'atkins, John 175, 205,207,

Watkins, Thomas 139,

Watson, J . _ _

Watties, William

Wattles, W. W

Watson, James V . - . 408,

Waubansee --74. 78;

W'ayman, Mrs. Mary

Wayne, General Anthony

W'eatherford, William. 36,

Weaver, Elisha --

Webber, George R

Webber, John E —

Webber, Nathaniel

Webber, Mrs. Nathaniel

Weber, C. P

Webster, Mrs. Ann E.

Webster, Daniel -..149, 235,

Webster, Fletcher

Webster, J. D 23S, 402,

Weed, Ira M -

Weekly Express (1852)

Weekly Tribune, the(i840-iS4i)

Wegland, William

Wehrli. Rudolph

Weikamp, Bernard _

Weikamp, John Bernard

Weiler, Theodore 285,

Weir, John B

Weite, Alex .

Welch, C. I!

Welch, Michael .92,

Welch, Patrick

Weiler, Henry.

Wellmaker, John

Wells, Captain Elisha. 277,

Wells, Elisha, his company for Mexican

War

Wells, Edwin E.

Page
Wells, E. S 570

Wells, 11. G ... 319, 320

Wells, J. B 172

Wells, Captain William, sketch of. ..Si. S2

Wells, William 70. So

Wells, W. H 204, 215. 21S

Wells. P. L 5S5

Wells, Rebekah 80

Wells, Captain Samuel 80

Wells, Solomon.. 185

Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Episcopal
Church (1S45) — First Sunday-school
— Ministers — Organisation of church
— Members and officers — New-
church building (1S67) — Present of-
ficers— Sketch of denomination- 330, 331

Wencker, Aug __ 297

Wentworth, B. S 217

Wentworth children 629,631, 637

Wentworth, D. S 215, 216

Wentworth, Elijah... 96, 103, 114, 116, 117,
192, 602, 629, 631, 637.

Wentworth, Elijah, Tr 147. 288

Wentworth, Mrs. Elijah, Jr 2S8

Wentworth, George \Y 372, 595

Sketch of 463

Wentworth, John 147, 171, 185, 235,

23.7, 252', 267, 268, 271, 277, 316. 366,
371, 372, 39°, 412. 446, 59s. 633. &37-

Sketch of 622-62S

Wentworth, Lucy (W'alker) _. .115, 629, 637

Wentworth, Rebecca. 637

Wentworth's Tavern 112, 629, 630

Wentworth, Mrs Zebiah (Estes) 114, 637

Wentz, Christian 331

West, Emanuel J. 166

West Side Baptist Mission — 322

Westcott, Seth 271

Westergreen, N. O 332

Westergreen, Olof. Mr. and Mrs 332

Westerfeld, J. H ". 331

Western Citizen, the '.., -. 383

Western Crusader 410

Western Enterprise _. 411

Western Garland 411

Western Hotel 633

Western Institute of Homeopathy, of-
ficers (1S51) 470

Western Journal of Music (1S56) 411

Western World Insurance & Trust Com-
pany - 549

Western Magazine, the (1S45-1S46) 389

Western Museum, the. 4S3

W'estern Tablet (Catholic, 1852-1855).. 407
Westminster Presbyterian Church (new
school), North Side — Rev. Ansel
D. Eddy — Organization, 1855 — First
elders — Organic members — First
meetings — First church building —
Second church building — Fourth

Presbyterian Church. 309, 310

Weston, Allyn .-.. 411

Weston, Nathan 453

Westover, Rev. J. T. — _ 323

" Westward Ho," first boat that entered

the river 241

Wharfing privileges (1833-1S37) 141

Wharfage property and docks 23S, 239

Wheat, first invoice of shipped from

Chicago S55

Wheat, John W 2S2

Wheeler, Alva 25S

Wheeler, Charles H 257

Wheeler, George M .. 262

Wheeler, Hiram 584, 587

Wheeler, John E 346, 389, 401, 416

\\ heeler, Talman 337

Wheeler, William - [87

Whipple, T. Herbert 402, 410, 411, 502,

5°3-

Whipple, Rev. Henry 330

Whipple, II. B.. 337

Whipple. Mrs. P. 465

Whistler, (leorge 72

Whistler, George W 80

Page

Whistler, Captain John 72, 73, 80

Whistler, Major John 92

Whistler, |ohn... . .97, 240

Whistler. General J. X. C... 80

Whistler, Washington.. 97

Whistler, William 72. 80, 84, 119, 268

Whistler, Lieutenant William _ 72

Whistler, Major William 84, 270

Whistler, Colonel William 119

Whitcomb, Lot 212

White Cloud (Winnebago Prophetl 267

White, Dudley C 226

"White Elk" __ 90

White, George. 604

White, Rev. H. H. 323, 324

White, Liberty 80

White, R.J ..'. 32S

White, R. N 294, 414

White. R. M.. _ 506

Whitehead. Henry 289

Whitehead, Rev. Henry 325

Whitehouse, Henry J... 336

Whitelaw, Maggy 321

Whitemarsh, Thomas C 341

W'hitemarsh Mrs. Joliette F: - 341

Whiting, A. B ..". 353

Whiting, Captain Henry S9, 91

Whiting, W. L. 581-582

Whitlock, James 86, 148

W'hitlock, Thomas 336

Whitman, Seth S 465

Whitney, George C. 342

Whitney, Sarah 342

Whittier, Mrs. A. E — 215

Wicker. J. G. - 276

Wickersham, Dudley. 284

Wicoffe, Peter ._ 271

Widening of the river, and condemned

land 239

Wier, J. B 274, 518, 519

Wikkingson, Iver. 349

Wight, Mrs. Caroline 315

Wight, Rev. J.Ambrose .212, 306, 314.

315. 378, 395, 39°-

Wilburn, John S - 1S2

Wilcox, A. S. 341

Wilcox, Colonel De Lafayette_-.S4, 85, 132,

300, 303.

Wilcox, Elijah 247

W'ilcox, Ed. P 309

Wilcox, J 306, 308, 354

Wilcox, John L 334

Wilcox, Mrs. Mary E 309

Wilcox, Mrs. S. G. 300

Wild Onion River 100

Wilder, A. G 215, 216

Wilder, U. P 220

Willard, Frances L 208, 301

Willard, Henrv 329

Willard, J. P.'. 637

Willard, Lucius A 321

Willard, Mrs. Mary A. F 321

Willard, Dr. Samuel 208

Willard, Silas 258

Willard, Simeon 462

Willard, Sylvester - 305

"William Penn " (steamer) 241

Williams, Archibald- - - . 448

Williams, Barney -4S8, 489

Williams, Rev. David 330

Williams, D. D 330

Williams, Mrs. D. D - . 330

Williams, Edward 330

Williams, Elizabeth — 319

Williams, Eli B., 149, 156, 176, 208, 334,

476, 477-

Williams, Erastus S 220, 549

Williams, Giles - 555

Williams, H 221

Williams, II. C 227

Williams, Miss T 215

Williams, JohnC 305

Williams, Mrs. John C 305

Williams, J. M 339

Williams, Mrs. Lucy Fitch 310

SPECIAL INDEX.

Page

Williams, Rev. Moses 330

Williams, Mrs. Samuel--- 330

Williams, S. B 315

Williams, Rev. Thomas. 32S, 410

Wills, Solomon.- 150

Wilmot, George IS . - - - 2S0

Wiley, A. C. . . - 25S

Wilsey, Ferdinand L 467

Wiley, Leroy 253

Wilson, Charles L 377, 378

Wilson, Henry T 271

Wilson, Rev. James E.__ 32S, 333

Wilson, James Grant 411

Wilson, John 256, 263, 312, 350

Wilson, John L 139, 147, 223

Wilson, Joseph G — 407

Wilson, J. M. _-_ 336, 471

Wilson, Riehard L. 140, 147, 212, 236-

278, 377. 378, 502.

Wilson, Robert 2S6, 396

Wilson, Roberts... 451

Wilson, Theodore O - 284

Wilson, William Duane 236, 401, 409

Wimmerset, F. M .. 324

Winnemeg 79, 109, 1 10

Winter, W 332

Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance

Company Bank 532, 533, 534, 535

Wisconsin City 134

Wisconson & Superior _ 257

Wisencraft, Charles 132,289, 325

Wiesencraft, William 203

Wisencraft, William.. — 327

Wisencraft, Mrs. William 327

VVitbeck, Mrs. Henry 309

Witting, Victor 332

Wunder, Henry 348, 351

Wunderlich, Rev. E 332

Wolcott's addition 131

Wolcott, Alexander, Sr 90

Wolcott, Dr. Alexander 35, 75, 90, 91,

97, IOO, 101, 103, 104, 1S2, 264, 288,
420, 457.

Wolcott family 90

Wolcott, Mrs. Ellen M ---90, 457

Wolcott, Henry go

Wolcott, Mary Ann 90

Wolcott, Samuel 396

Wolf, Augusta 22G

Wolfe, Peter 185

Wolf Point iu, 114, 174, 629, 630, 631,

632

Wolf Point 'I avern 96, 103, 106, 132, 637

Wood, John 2S6

Wood, Lewis N 476

Wood, P. P 230

Wood, S. R. 278

Wood, W. A 1 25S

Woodbridge, John . _ .. 310

Woodbury, Catharine. 319

Woodbury, Crecy '. 319

Woodville, N. D 412

Woodworth, E. D . 321

Woodworth, Jacob 321

Woodworth, James H 171, 1S5, 476, 614

Woodworth, John M 321

Woodworth, R. P 477

Woodworth, Z 199

Woolsey, Jedediah 182, 192,269

Worrell, B. F 339, 395

Worrell, Mrs. M . T 339

Worrell, William H _ 339

Worthington, William _.22I, 222

Wright, Annie (Mrs. J. C. Webster) 206

Wright, Edward 206

Wright, Francis _ 206

Wright, Frances S 305

Wright, G. S - 285

Wright, James -. 478

Wright, Mrs. John 20S, 305

Pa8c

Wright, John, 129, 130, 132, 206, 20S, 290,

299, 300, 301, 303, 357,396. 465-

Wright, John S., 122 132 130, 158, 207,

212, 251, 253, 2S9, 300, 305, 375, 396,

569.

Wright, John W 175

Wright, Madam — 470, 471

Wright, N. G 175

Wright, O. H 256

Wright, Thomas 207,209,357

Wright, Timothy 132, 220, 396, 402

Wright, T. G 171.

Wright, Walter. 132, 410, 477, 521

Wrose, Alfred 280

Wyatt, W.J... 284

Wygant, Alonzo 330

Wynkoop, H. A 147

Wyman, John B 285

Yager, Joseph 294

Yoe, P. L _ 230

Yorkshire House 637

" Young America " (hotel) (io, 637

Young, Hugh 152

Young, John _ 294

Young, J. T : 286

Young Men's Association 152, 521, 522

Young, Rich M. 117, 420, 423, 446

Youth's Gazette, the 383

Youth's Western Banner (1853) 408

Yunker, F. L 297

Zabriska, Elias B. _ 280

Zarley, J. W 269

Zeitgeist _ 411

Zempta, Eliza 332

Zimmerman, Ed 322

Zimmerman, Mrs. Harriet . 322

Zimmerman, H. W 185, 337

Zion's Evangelical German United

Church 351

Zoegel, Joseph _ - 295

ILLUSTRATIONS.

MAPS.

Page

Marquette's I1673) 43

Thevenot's (1673) - 47

Joliet's colored map, (inset).. .4S, 49

Carey's (iSoi) 51

Morse's (1795) 52

Hull's (1812) 53

La Hontan's (1703) 54

Hennepin's (16S3) 55

United States U7S3) 57

La Salle's (1679-1682). ._ .59, 60

Franquelin's (16S4) -. 64

Charlevoix (1774) -- 66

DeL'Isle's (1703) - 67

Sene.x's (1710) -- 67

DeL'Isle's (1703) 63

DeL'Isle's (171S) .- 63

Moll's (1720) 63

I CAnville's (1755).-- 69

Mitchell's (1755) 69

Carey's (1818).-. - 70

Popple's (1733) 7o

DuPratz (1757) --• 7*

Chicago in 1S12 81

Thompson's Plat 112

Fort Dearborn in 1830-32 113

Chicago in 1S30 (inset) 112, 113

Plat of Chicago Lake Shore Line, show-
ing changes from 1S21 to 1830 ... 5S9

VIEWS.

Chicago in 1779 ..: Frontispiece

Chicago's Historical Tree 30

Starved Rock 35

The Kinzie House in 1832 75

Fort Dearborn in 1 803 79

Fort Dearborn in 1816 - 100

The Clybourne House ..-- 104

The Last of Fort Dearborn 628

Chicago in 1S45 -- U9

Chicago in 1830 - 164

The Second Court-House. ■- 176

The First Court-House. 177

The Saloon Building- 180

Page
The Second Court-House, after third

story was added -- 1S1

Waterworks. -- 188

Flood of 1849 - 200

Chicago High School 218

An Early Fire Engine 225

The " Long John " Fire Engine 228

St. Mary's Catholic Church -- 291

First Catholic Cathedral 293

The Temple Building.. 316

First Baptist Church 316

Second edifice erected by the First Bap-
tist Society 3r7

Tabernacle Baptist Church 320

First Methodist Church 326

St. James' Episcopal Church 335

First Universalis! Church — 343

First Unitarian Church 344

Fac simile of —

Chicago Democrat. 361-364

Chicago Morning Democrat 367-370

Chicago American 373~37°

Chicago Daily American 379-382

Chicago Express. 385-388

Chicago Journal - 39I_394

Chicago Tribune 397-400

Holcomb's Tribune. 403-404

Chicago Commercial Advertiser-405-406

Jackson Hall -- 371

Rush Medical College 464

Fac-simile of early theater bill . 488

Fac-simile of first Masonic diploma is-
sued to a Chicago man. — 509

Masonic Temple 512

Fac-simile of note of Chicago Marine &

Fire Insurance Company — 531

Fac-simile of Seth Paine's money 541

Fac-simile of Michigan Wildcat money. 546
Fac-simile of Wisconsin Wildcat money. 550

Cattle Fair in 1856 560

View of Chicago in 1853 592

Wolf Point in 1830 630

Dearborn-street Drawbridge, 1834 631

Sauganash Hotel — 632

Green Tree Hotel - - 634

Page

Frink & Walker's Stage Office. 636

View of Clark Street in 1857 . . . . 638

PORTRAITS.

Hubbard, GurdonS... — 80

Kinzie, John IL. 97

Kinzie, Juliette A — 9S

Kinzie, R. A — 99

Clark, John K 101

Clybourne, Archibald ior

Clybourne, Mrs. Archibald 102

Hall, David 103

Porthier, Mrs. Victoire 105

Beaubien, Mark 106

Wentworth, Mrs. Zebiah Estes 114

Hogan, John S. C. 139

Hamilton, Richard J 143

Keenon, Mrs. Ellen Hamilton 144

Bates, John, Jr., 146

Forbes, Stephen 204

Forbes, Elvira — 205

Chappel, Eliza 206

Caton, Hon. J. D.. 240

Beaubien, John B 266

St. Cyr, Rev. J. M. I. 290

Porter, Rev. Jeremiah 300

Hinton, Rev. Isaac T 31S

Carpenter, Philo 320

Hallam, Rev. Isaac W 336

Calhoun, John C 360

Wentworth, Hon. John 384

Morris, Buckner S. 42°

Peck, Ebenezer 429

1 1 untington, Alonzo ... - 430

Smith, S. Lisle 432

Iiutterfield, Justin. - 434

Arnold, Hon. Isaac H 448

Egan, W. B 459

Brainard, Dr. D 465

Isherwood, Harry 475

Scammon, Hon. J. V 52S

Cook, Hon. D. P. 600

Ogden, Hon. W. B 617

Caldwell, Archibald 629

Wentworth, Elijah 637

Copyright by A. T. Andreas. 1884.

CHICAGO S HISTORIC TREE.

THE LOCATION OF THE MASSACRE OF 1812.

CHICAGO'S HISTORIC TREE.

There is now standing in Eighteenth Street, between
Prairie Avenue and the lake, a large cottonwood tree
which marks the site of the massacre of 1812, and
which, there is reason to believe, possesses even a
greater historic value ; as it is believed by many old
settlers to have been standing at the time of the disas-
ter. In order that the appearance of this landmark
might be preserved, and that the memories clustering
about it might not pass from mind, we have caused the
tree to be photographed and engraved, and have also
obtained documentary evidence that the Kinzie family
regarded both the site referred to and this particular
tree as historic.

On the morning of August 15, 181 2, the troops and
settlers left the fort, proceeded southward "about a
mile and a half," and were attacked by the Indians.
A fearful tragedy was there enacted, as is described in
the history of Fort Dearborn elsewhere in this volume.

Having ascertained that Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie
had, during her lifetime, informed her friend, Mrs.
Henry YV. King, of the belief concerning this tree, we
addressed Mrs. King a letter of inquiry and received
the following reply:

" 151 Rush Street, Chicago, )
" January 25, 1S84. \

"A. T. Andreas, Dear Sir: I am very happy to tell you what
I know about the tree in question, for I am anxious that its value
as a relic should be appreciated by Chicago people; especially since
the fire has obliterated nearly every other object connected with
our early history. Shortly before the death of my friend, Mrs.
John H. Kinzie, I called upon her and asked her to drive with me
through the city and point out the various locations and points of
interest that she knew were connected with the ' early day ' of
Chicago. She said there were very few objects remaining, but
localities she would be happy to show me. She appointed a day,
but was not well enough to keep her appointment; went East soon
afterward for her health, and died within a few weeks. However,
at the interview I mention, she said that to her the most interesting
object in our city was the old cottonwood tree that stands on
Eighteenth Street, between Prairie Avenue and the lake. She
remarked that it, with its fellow, were saplings at the time of the
Indian massacre, and that they marked the spot of that fearful
occurrence; though she was not sure but the smaller one had either
died or been cut down. I expressed surprise at the location, imag-
ining that the massacre occurred further south, among the small
sandhills which we early settlers remember, in the vicinity of Hyde
Park. I remember that her answer to this was:

" ' My child, you must understand that in 1S12 there was no
Chicago, and the distance between the old fort and Eighteenth
Street was enormous.' Said she: ' My husband and his family
always bore in mind the location of that massacre, and marked it
by the cottonwood trees, which, strange to say, have stood unharmed
in the middle of the street until this day.'

" The above facts I communicated to the Chicago Historical
Society, soon after Mrs. Kinzie's death, and believe, through them,
was the means of preventing the cutting down of the old tree, which
the citizens of the South Side had voted to be a nuisance. I sin-
cerely hope something may be done to fence in and preserve so
valuable a relic and reminder of one of the most sad and
interesting events in the life of Chicago. Trusting the above
information may be of some use to you, and that you may be able
to present the matter in a more entertaining form than I have done,
Helieve me, sir, Yours most respectfully,

•' Mrs. Henry W. King "

Hon. Isaac N. Arnold, whose residence in Chicago
since 1836 enabled him to enjoy the friendship of the
Kinzie family, was asked to state what he knew re-
garding the subject. His response reads thus:

" Chicago, January 25, 1884.

" Captain A. T. Andreas, Dear Sir: I have your note of this
morning asking me to state what I know relating to the massacre
at Chicago in 1S12. I came to Chicago in October, 1S36; the Fort
Dearborn Reservation then and for several years thereafter belonged
to the Government, and there were but a few scattering houses
from Fort Dearborn south to the University and between Michigan
Avenue and the beach of Lake Michigan. The sand hills near the
shore were still standing. The family of John II. Kinzie was then
the most prominent in Chicago, and the best acquainted with its
early history. From this family and other old settlers, and by
Mr. and Mrs. Kinzie, I was told where the attack upon the soldiers
by the Indians was made. There were then growing some cotton-
wood trees near wliich I was told the massacre occurred. One of
those trees is still standing in the street leading from Michigan
Avenue to the lake and not very far from the track of the Illinois
Central Railroad. This tree was pointed out to me by both Mr.
and Mrs. Kinzie, as near the place where the attack began. As the
fight continued the combatants moved south and west over consid-
erable space. Mrs. John H. Kinzie was a person of clear and
retentive memory and of great intelligence. She wrote a full and
graphic history of the massacre, obtaining her facts, in part, from
eye-witnesses, and I have no doubts of her accuracy.

" Very respectfully yours, Isaac N. Arnold."

A. J. Galloway, Esq , who has resided in the vicinity
for many years, says ;

Chicago, February S, 1884.

Captain A. T.Andreas — My Dear Sir: At your request I
will state my recollections concerning the cottonwood tree in the
east end of Eighteenth Street. When I removed from Eldridge
Court, to the present No. 1S08 Prairie Avenue, in 1858, the tree
was in apparent good condition, though showing all the marks of
advanced age. The large lower branches (since cut off,) after
mounting upward for a time, curved gracefully downward, so that
a man riding under them could have readily touched their extrem-
ities, with his whip, at a distance of twenty or twenty-five feet from
the body of the tree. From an intimate knowledge of the growth
of trees, I have no doubt but its sapling life long antedated the
time of the massacre of the Fort Dearborn garrison. I will venture
the opinion, that if it were cut down and the stump subjected to a
careful examination, it would be found that the last two inches of
its growth covers a period of fifty years, at least.
Yours truly,

A. J. Galloway.

Charles Harpell, an old citizen, now living on the
North Side, says that so far back as he can remember,
this locality was known as the "Indian battle-ground;"
that years ago, when a boy, he, with others, used to
play there (the place from its very associations having
the strongest attractions!, and hunt in the sand for
beads and other little trinkets, which they were wont to
find in abundance. Mr. Harpell relates also that he,
while playing there one day, found an old single-bar-
reled brass pistol, which he kept for many years before
it was finally lost.

Mrs. Mary Clark Williams, whose father, H. B.
Clark, purchased in 1833 the land on which the tree
now stands, says that nearly fifty years ago she played
under the old cottonwood, and that it was then a large
and thrifty tree. In 1840 an old Indian told her father
that the massacre occurred on that spot.

Although there is no way of positively determining
that the tree pictured on the opposite page is the iden-
tical one that stood, a mere sapling, on the spot during
the massacre, there is strong, almost conclusive, cause
for declaring it the same. At all events, the proof of
the site is satisfactory, and the view herewith presented
is an interesting one, as showing how the scene of bar-
baric treaihery appears after a lapse of nearly seventy
two vears.

191

ERRATA.

Page 47. In description of Thevenot's map it should be
stated that Kaskaskia village is represented, although with a differ-
ent spelling of the name.

Page 54, eighteenth line from bottom, right hand column.
" Northwestern shore of Lake Michigan" should read northeastern.
Page 73. seventy-third line from top, left hand column. John
J?, should read John A'. (Clark).

Page 76. The sketch of the Kinzie House ends with the
words, "numbered with the things that were." What follows
should have borne the caption, " Pottawatomies in the War
of 1812." The caption was in the original copy, but dropped out,
either in the type-writing or composition.

Pages Si, 82 and wherever name occurs, read Ensign Ronan,
for Ensign Ronau.

Page S2. Eor De Isaac Van Voorhis, read Dr. Isaac Van
Voorhis.

Page 84. For George Bendu, read George Bender.
Page go. For City Surveyor (Alexander Wolcott), read County
Surveyor.

Pages 105, no, and 137. The discrepancy in statement con-
cerning Mrs. Porthier and Mr. Gurdon S. Hubbard, as to each
being " oldest living settler," is explained by reference to the fact
that Mrs. Porthier was here prior to the massacre and removed
from Chicago in 1835: while Mr. Hubbard came later but still
resides here.

Page in. Sixteenth line from top, left hand column . For
" Watseca " read Iroquois. Same column : Alhira Hubbard should
read Ahira Hubbard.

Page 146. For " courier De Bois " read couriers tie bois.
Page 179. " Urbs in Horte" should be " Urbs in Horto."
Page 180. William H. Darris should be William H. Davis.
Page 217. Jonathan T. Scammon should read Jonathan Y.
Scammon.

The date of the arrival of the "Sheldon Thompson," with
General Scott and the cholera, was. according to the testimony of
Captain Augustus Walker (see his letter p. 121) July 10, 1S32. On
page 84 and page 270 the date is given as July 8. Depending on
the testimony of Captain Walker, and on contemporaneous letters
of General Scott, the date of his arrival is believed to be July io,
1832.

History of Early Chicago.

EXPLORATIONS AND SETTLEMENT.

ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS OF THE SOIL.

THE first definite and reliable information regarding
the original proprietors of the soil of Chicago, is
gained from the account given by LaSalle, of his expe-
dition from the mouth of the St. Joseph, in Michigan,
by land, to the Illinois River, in the winter of 1681-82.
He says he proceeded on his journey from St. Joseph,
toward the Illinois, by the southern shore of the lake,
and was in the country of the Miamis until he reached
what was then the Checaugau, but is now the Desplaines
River. The portage which he was obliged to cross in
order to reach that river, he calls the Checaugau Port-
age. The neighbors of the Miamis, on the west, were
the Mascoutins.

The Miamis, whose ianguge, manners and customs
were almost identical with those of the Illinois, are
supposed to be the parent race, or an important branch
of that nation. They originally lived beyond the Missis-
sippi, some writers claiming that their home was on the
shore of the Pacific. They had villages, one in common
with the Mascoutins — in Wisconsin, before 167 1, and
as late as 1697 ; but the greater portion of the tribe,
before this time, had found their way to the southern
shore of Lake Michigan, and east to the neighborhood
of the St. Joseph River, in the present State of Michigan.
They were of sufficient importance in Wisconsin, even as
late as 1690, to warrant the English in sending an ambas-
sador to their villages to purchase their friendship with
gifts. They were partial to the French, however, and
the overtures of the English met with little success.
In 1670 the village of United Miamis and Mascoutins
on Fox River of Green Bay, was visited by Father
Allouez, and the following year by Fathers Allouez and
Dablon in company. One object of the visit of the
fathers in 167 1 was to quiet a disturbance between the
Indians and some French fur traders who had offended
them.

"We found them." says Father Dablon, " in a pretty bad pos-
ture, and the minds of the savages much soured against the French,
who were there trading ; ill-treating them in deeds and words,
pillaging and carrying away their merchandise in spite of them,
and conducting themselves toward them with insupportable inso-
lence and indignities."

The Indians, although insolent to the traders, it
seems were desirous of pleasing the missionaries, and
Father Dablon, who had a keen sense of the ludicrous,
found it hard to preserve his gravity, when a band of
savage warriors, anxious to do them honor, marched to
their tent, and slowly paced back and forth before it,
aping the movements of the soldiers on guard before
the Governor's tent at Montreal. " We could hardly
3 33

keep from laughing," writes the good priest, " though
we were discoursing on very important subjects, namely:
the mysteries of our religion, and the things necessary
to escaping eternal fire."

The Miami confederacy, composed of the Miamis,
Illinois and Kickapoos, and which Bancroft says was the
most powerful in the West, exceeding even the Six
Nations, or Iroquois, included the Miamis proper, Weas
and Piankeshaws.

In 1683 a large number of the nation settled at
LaSalle's fort on the Illinois River. LaSalle wrote
that year from the " Portage de Chicagau," to LaBarre,
then Governor of Canada, " The Iroquois are again
invading the country. Last year the Miamis were so
alarmed by them, that they abandoned their town and
fled, but at my return they came back, and have been
induced to settle with the Illinois at my fort of St.
Louis. The Iroquois have lately murdered some fam-
ilies of their nation." The Miamis, at Fort St. Louis,
numbered 1,300, the Weas 500, and the Piankeshaws

i5°-

Charlevoix, writing in 172 1, says : " Fifty years ago
the Miamis were settled on the southern extremity of
Lake Michigan, in a place called Chicago, from the
name of a small river which runs into the lake, the
source of which is not far distant from that of the
river of the Illinois."

St. Cosme and his companions found Miamis at
Chicago, in 1699-1700, and a mission established among
them, in charge of two Jesuit Fathers — Pinet and Bine-
teau. It is said by an early writer, that in 17 18, "the
Weas had a village at Chicago, but being afraid of the
canoe people* left it, and passed around the head of
Lake Michigan, to be nearer their brethren farther to
the east. Prior to this time — in 1702 — DeCourtemanche,
an agent of France, had visited the Miamis, both at
St. Joseph River and Chicago, to induce them to cease
their wars with the Iroquois, which prevented communi-
cation between Canada and Louisiana by way of the
Illinois River. A council of the Algonquin tribes was
appointed at Montreal, which was attended by Chichika-
talo, then principal chief of the Miami nation, who made
a speech in which he affirmed his friendship for the
French, and desired to be guided by their wishes. The
Foxes, from the vicinity of Green Bay, succeeded the
Iroquois in their attacks upon the Illinois and Miamis,
and during the first quarter of the eighteenth centurv
had probably driven the latter from the vicinity of
Chicago. From that time until the termination of Pon-
tiac's War and the final defeat and extermination of the

and Chippewas, who

! from the north i

34

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Illinois at Starved Rock, when the Pottawatorriies
grained possession of the country, the region now
Chicago was inhabited, if inhabited at all, by roving
bands of northern Indians.

Major Thomas Forsyth, who lived a large portion
of his life among the Indians of Illinois and Iowa,
says* that in the first quarter of the eighteenth century,
all the different bands of the Illinois Indians spoke the
language of the Miamis, and the whole considered
themselves as one people ; but from their local situation
the language was broken up into different dialects.
" These Indians were attacked by a general confederacy
of other nations, such as the Sauks and Foxes, who
resided at Green Bay, and on the Ouisconsin ; the
Sioux, whose frontiers extended south to the River
Des Moines ; the Chippewas and Pottawatomies from
the lakes ; and also the Cherokees and Choctaws from
the south. The war continued many years, and until
that great nation, the Minneways (Miamis or Illinois)
was destroyed, except a few Miamis and Weas on
the Wabash, and a few who were scattered among
strangers."

That portion of the Miamis who were driven from
Chicago, found a home with the rest of the tribe, on
the St. Joseph, the Maumee and the Wabash. During
the war of the Revolution, the tribe was hostile to the
colonies, and even after the treaty of peace, consum-
mated in the year 1783, their depredations upon the
settlers on the Ohio and Maumee were continued until
the final surrender of the northwestern lake posts in
1796. In 1790, peace negotiations were opened with
the Miamis and other tribes, which proved unsuccessful,
and General Harmer was sent with an army by General
Washington to bring the tribes to submission. Battles
were fought near Chillicothe, Ohio, and near Fort Wayne,
Indiana, neither of which was very successful on the
part of the Americans.

In 1 79 1 two other expeditions were directed against
the hostile Miamis, Shawanoes and others on the Miami
and Wabash — one under command of General Charles
Scott, and the other under General Wilkinson. In 1791
Governor Arthur St. Clair, of the Northwest Territory,
marched with an army of fourteen hundred men to within
fifteen miles of the Miami villages on the Great Miami,
where on the 4th of November a sanguinary battle was
fought. The Indians, led by Little Turtle, fought
bravely, and finally defeated the Americans, who were
compelled to retreat, abandoning their camp and artillery.
In the precipitate flight the men threw down arms and
accoutrements, and never halted until they reached
Fort Jefferson, twenty-one miles distant. This success
encouraged the Indians, and their depredations were
only stopped by the decisive victory gained by General
Anthony Wayne over the Western Confederacy of
Indians, in August, 1794, which was followed by the
treaty of Greenville, August 3, 1795 — tne first treaty
with the United States, to which the Miamis were a
party. It was at this treaty that Little Turtle, the prin-
cipal chief of the nation, made his celebrated speech,
defining the limits of his country. He said to General
Wayne, " You have pointed out to us the boundary line
between the Indian and the United States. I now take
the liberty to inform you that the line cuts off from the
Indian a large portion of country which has been
enjoyed by my forefathers from time immemorial, with-
out question or dispute. The prints of my ancestors'
houses are everywhere to be seen in this region. It is
well known by all my brothers present, that my fore-
fathers kindled the first fire at Detroit; from thence

« Drake's ■ Life of Hlack Hawk, ' 1826.

extended their line to the head waters of the Scioto ;
from thence to its mouth ; thence to Chicago, on Lake
Michigan. These are the boundaries within which the
prints of my ancestors' houses are everywhere to be
seen."

In 1840 what iew Miamis remainea .n the East
were removed from the Wabash to a tract of land now
comprised in Miami County, Kansas. They had in-
creased in numbers during the preceding years of peace,
and numbered about eleven hundred when they went
to the Indian Territory. Homesickness soon reduced
their ranks, and after remaining in the West a year, a
large part of those surviving returned to Indiana. In
1854 the tribe ceded their land in Kansas to the United
States, excepting a reservation for their own use and
occupancy ; which, also, they ceded in 1867. Quite a
number became citizens of Kansas, and the remainder
were removed to the present Indian Territory, where
they became confederated with the Peorias. The last
of the Miamis in Kansas, numbering about one hun-
dred and thirty, removed to the Indian Territory in
1871.

The Pottawatomies. — The Pottawatomies, Otta-
was and Chippewas, whose language, manners and cus-
toms are similar, are supposed to be the original people
who lived at the " villages of the falls," at St. Mary's
Strait, and on the northern bank of Lake Huron.
These tribes belong to the great Algonquin family, and
speak one of its rudest dialects. They were hunters
and fishers, and by the Illinois Indians, who never made
voyages on the water, were called the " canoe people,"
and held in dread, as they were warlike, and frequently in
collision with neighboring tribes. The first mention of the
Pottawatomies by the French Jesuits, is in the Relation
of 1639, where it is said that John Nicolet had visited
them at their islands of Green Bay, where they had been
driven by the Iroquois. These islands were known as
the Pottawatomie Islands, and were the residence of the
tribe for many years. Before the expiration of the first
quarter of the eighteenth century a large portion of the
Pottawatomies had emigrated toward the south, one
band making a home on the St. Joseph River, of Mich-
igan, and another in the vicinity of Detroit. They were
always intimately associated with other tribes — usually
with the Ottawas or Chippewas, but sometimes with
Miamis, Foxes or Winnebagoes. They were faithful
allies of the French until after the death of Pontiac, and
took part with that chieftain in his attack on Fort St.
Joseph, in May, 1763, and the subsequent siege of
Detroit.

A treaty was concluded between the English and the
Western Confederacy in August, 1764, and of the nine-
teen hundred and thirty warriors assembled at Niagara,
as representatives of the various tribes, four hundred
and fifty were Pottawatomies. Pontiac, disappointed at
the result of his efforts to keep the hated English from
the region of Detroit, came, it is said, to Illinois, and
settled with a band of Ottawas, on the banks of the
Kankakee. In 1769 he was assassinated, and it was
believed by the united tribes (Ottawas and Pottawato-
mies) that the Illinois Indians were accessory to the
crime. In revenge for the death of their idolized leader,
war was waged by the Pottawatomies and other North-
western tribes against the Illinois, until the latter was
exterminated, and the victors had possession of all
northern Illinois. " Starved Rock," in LaSalle County
(the " Rock of St. Louis," of LaSalle and Tonty), was
the scene of the final disaster which completely anni-
hilated the once powerful nation which gave the State
of Illinois its name. Driven from one place of refuge

ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS OF THE SOI

35

to another, the last surviving remnant of the Illinois In-
dians gathered on the summit of Starved Rock, where
they were besieged by their enemies on every side ; and
when, at last, compelled by the pangs of hunger and
thirst, in desperation they attempted to force a path
through the ranks of the enemy, nearly every one was
slain. Scarcely enough escaped to tell the tale.

The Pottawatomies were now the dominant tribe in
upper Illinois, although in many cases their villages were
composed of United Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Chip-
pewas.* Through the Revolution they were hostile to
the Americans, but after the victory gained by General
Wayne over the Western Confederates in the summer
of 1794, at Presque Isle, on the Maumee River, the
Pottawatomies joined the other tribes in suing for
peace.

The nations, who with the Pottawatomies, formed
the confederated Indian
force led by Little Turtle
and Blue Jacket, Ottawa
and Shawnee chiefs,
against General Wayne at
this decisive battle, which
eventuated in the treaty
of Greenville, were the
Miamis, Shawanoes, Del-
awares, Chippewas and
Ottawas.

On the 3d of August,
1795, the treaty of Green-
ville was concluded at the
fortified camp of General
Wayne, called by that
name. By this treaty the
Indians ceded an im-
mense tract of country,
south of the lakes and
west of the Ohio, to-
gether with certain spe-
cific tracts, including the
sites of all the Northwest-
ern posts.

The Pottawa t o m i e s
were represented by the starve]

chiefs of the St. Joseph,

Wabash and Huron-river bands Pottawatomies of the
Woods) and by the leading chiefs of the " Pottawato-
mies of the Prairie " — the latter being those living in
Illinois. The stipulations of this treaty remained un-
broken until 1811, when the machinations of Tectim-
seh and the Prophet sent General Harrison to the
Wabash, and the battle of Tippecanoe followed.

By this treaty of Greenville the Indians ceded to
the United States, " one piece of land six miles square,
at the mouth of Chicago River, emptying into the south-
west end of Lake Michigan, where a fort formerly
stood." There was also a stipulation that the Indians
should allow a free passage to the people of the United
States 'from the mouth of the Chicago to the com-
mencement of the portage between that river and the
Illinois, and down the Illinois River to the Mississippi."

The Pottawatomies joined in the treaty negotiated
at Fort Wayne by General Harrison in 1803, and before
1809 had ceded considerable of their land to Govern-
ment. In the War of 1812 a portion of the tribe joined
the English, influenced by Tecumseh, and his brother
the Prophet, and under the leadership of Suna-we-
wo-nee, war-chief of the Prairie bands, made war upon
the Americans, and participated in the massacre of the

* See " Pottawatomies in the War of 1812," further on in this history.

Fort Dearborn garrison. A treaty of peace was made
with this band at Portage des Sioux in July, 1815, which
was signed by Suna-we-wo-nee, and it is said the band
never broke the pledge of friendship then made. In
the following September, a general treaty with the Pot-
tawatomies and other tribes was made at Detroit.

Portions of the country claimed by the " Pottawato-
mies of the Woods," Chippewas and Ottawas, in what
is now the State of Michigan, were ceded to the United
States prior to 1820, by treaties at Spring Wells, St.
Mary's and Saginaw. In 1821 it was proposed by
Government to extinguish the Indian title to that por-
tion of the country lying between the northern boun-
dary line of Indiana and the Grand River of Michi-
gan. It was believed that the Pottawatomies and kin-
dred tribes — the United Tribes — numbered at this time-
in Michigan about four thousand.

A council to effect this
object was appointed, to be
held at Chicago, in August,
1 82 1. Governor Lewis
Cass, of Michigan Terri-
tory, and Solomon Sibley,
were appointed United
States Commissioners, and
Henry R. Schoolcraft was
named as their Secretary.
Mr. Schoolcraft, in his
work entitled " Travels in
the Central Portions of the
Mississippi Valley," which
was published in 1825,
gives a full account of the
proceedings of this council,
and of the appearance of
the country at that time.
He says:

" On crossing the Des-
plaines, we found the opposite
shore thronged with Indians,
whose loud and obtrusive saluta-
tions caused us to make a few
minutes' halt. From this point
we were scarcely ever out of
sight of straggling parties, all
proceeding to the same place.
Most commonly they were mounted on horses, and apparelled
in their best manner, and decorated with medals, silver bands
and feathers. The gaudy and showy dresses of these troops of
Indians, with the jingling caused by the striking of their ornaments,
and their spirited manner of riding, created a scene as novel as
it was interesting. Proceeding from all parts of a very extensive
circle of countrv, like ravs converging to a focus, the nearer we
approached, the more compact and concentrated the body became,
and we found our cavalcade rapidly augmented, and. consequently,
the dust, confusion and noise increased at every by-path which
intersected our way. After crossing the south fork of the Chi-
cago, and emerging from the forest that skirts it, nearly the whole
number of those who had preceded us appeared on the extensive
and level plain that stretches along the shores of the lake, while
the refreshing and noble appearance of the lake itself, with ' vast
and sullen swell,' appeared beyond. We found, on reaching the
post, that between two and three thousand Indians were assembled
— chiefly Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Chippewas. Many arrived
on the two following days. Provisions were daily issued by the
Indian Department, during the treaty, to about three thousand."

The Council opened on the 17th and continued over
a week. It was held on the north bank of the Chicago
River, probably between the present North State and
Pine streets — the space included between the house of
John Kinzie and that of Dr. Wolcott, the Indian Agent.
In the course of the proceedings Governor Cass de-
fined the limits of the country then owned by the Pot-
tawatomies, as extending along both banks of the

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Illinois and all its tributaries. On the north it reached
along the western shore of Lake Michigan to the
Winnebagoes of Green Bay. On the east they claimed
all the country beyond the St. Joseph to the head waters
of the Maumee and Wabash, and on the west, to the
territory of the Sacs and Foxes on the Mississippi. The
principal speakers on the part of the Pottawatomies were
Topinebee.* chief the St. Joseph band, and Metea, of
the Wabash band. The Ottawas and Chippewas also
had their spokesman, and by each it was affirmed that
the Pottawatomies. Ottawas and Chippewas were
originally one nation, and still considered themselves as
one people.t

A treaty was concluded after a long delay on the
part of the Pottawatomies, and five million acres passed
to the possession of the United States Government, the
latter to pay to the Pottawatomies five thousand dollars
annually for twenty years, and to appropriate one thou-
sand annually for the support of a blacksmith and a
teacher among them. The Ottawas and Chippewas
received a smaller amount.

In 1827 the Pottawatomies refused to join the Win-
nebagoes in their hostile demonstrations against the
Americans, and again in 1832, although many of the
younger warriors were in favor of joining Black Hawk,
the councils of Shawbonee.J Robinson and the Sauga-
nash prevailed, and the Pottawatomie chiefs not only
prevented the tribe from taking part in the war, but did
their utmost to serve and protect the whites.

The last treaty between these Indians and the
United States, prior to their removal to the Indian Ter-
ritory, was made at Chicago — being concluded Septem-
ber 26, 1833. George B. Porter, Thomas F. V. Owen,
and William Weatherford were Commissioners on the
part of the Government. A preliminary council was
held with the principal chiefs more than a week before
the formal council, which was on the 21st of September.

Charles Joseph Latrobe, an English author, traveling
in the United States, was present at this treaty. Speak-
ing of the scene at the time of his visit, he says :

" When within live miles o[ Chicago, we came to the first In-
dian encampment. Five thousand Indians were said to be col-
lected around this little upstart village -for the prosecution of the
treaty, by which they were to cede their lands in Michigan and Illi-
nois. We found the village, on our arrival, crowded to excess;
we procured, with great difficulty, a small apartment, comfortless
and noisy from its close proximity to others, but quite as good as
we could have hoped for. The i'ottawatomies were encamped on
all sides on the wide, level prairie beyond the scattered village,
beneath the low woods which chequered them, on the sides of the
small river, or to the leaward of the sand hills near the beach of the
lake."

At the informal council the Indians had informed the
commissioners that they did not wish to sell their lands;
they wished, on the contrary, to keep them; but, as the
council was appointed, they were urged to take the mat-
ter into consideration, which they did. Nearly a week
elapsed before they could be again induced to meet the
commissioners, and in the meantime —

* The same chief who showed himself friendly to the inhabitants of Chi-
cago in 1812.

* Mr. Schoolcraft, in a note regarding the common origin of these tribes, says:
•• This testimony of a common origin derives additional weight from the general
resemblance of these tribes in person, manners, customs and dress, but above
all. by their having but one council, fire, and speaking one language. Still,
there arc obvious characteristics which will induce an observer, after a general
acquaintance, to pronounce the Pottawatomies tall, fierce, haughty ; the Ot-
tawas, short, thick-set, good natured, industrious; tin Chippewas, war-like
daring, etc. Hut the generic lineaments, or to borrow a phrase from natural
history, the suite features are identical."

J The spelling— Shaw-bo-ncc -is purely arbitrary, and is adopted, in the
absence of any generally accepted standard, as giving phonetically the sound
of the name as commonly pronounced. Hurlbut and Wentworth spell it
Shabotlee. In the treaty signed at Prairie du Chien in 1825. it is signed
Chaboner; in the treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1829. Shab-eh-nay ; and in the
Chicago treaty of 1S33, b twice spelled differently— Shab-eh-nah, and Sha-be-

" Companies of old warriors might be seen sitting smoking under
every bush, arguing, palavering, or powwowing with great earnest-
ness; but there seemed no possibility of bringing them to another
council in a hurry. * * * The little village of Chicago was in
an uproar from morning to night, and from night to morning; for
during the hours of darkness, when the housed portion of the in-
habitants of Chicago sought to obtain repose in the crowded plank
edifices of the village, the Indians howled, sang, wept, veiled and
whooped in their various encampments. * * * The large body
of Indians collected in the vicinity consisted not merely of chiefs
and warriors, but in fact the greater part of the whole tribe were
present; for where the warrior was invited to feast at the expense
of the Government, the squaw took care to accompany him; and
where the squaw went the children or papooses, the ponies, and the
innumerable dogs followed, and here they were living merrily at the
cost of the Government. Not far from the river lay many groups
of tents constructed of coarse canvas, blankets and mats, and sur-
mounted by poles supporting meat, moccasins and rags. Their
vicinity was always enlivened by various painted Indian figures,
dressed in the most gaudy attire. * * * Far and wide the
grassy prairie teemed with figures — warriors mounted or on foot,
squaws and horses. Here a race between three or four Indian
ponies, each carrying a double rider, who were whooping and yell-
ing like fiends; here a solitary horseman, with a long speer, turbaned
like an Arab, scouring along at full speed; groups of hobbled
horses; Indian dogs and children; or a grave conclave of grey
chiefs seated on the grass in consultation."

For the residences of the United States Commission-
ers, and other notables present at the treaty, a number
of plank huts or cabins were erected on the north bank
of the Chicago River. In the vicinity of these the
council fire of the United Tribes was lighted under a
spacious open shed standing on the green prairie, and
on the afternoon of the 21st of September some twenty
or thirty chiefs assembled around it to eommenee pro-
ceedings. The Indians were seated at the western end
of the council room and the commissioners were oppo-
site them. On the 26th the treaty was concluded; on
the 27th certain supplementary articles added; and, to
the shame of the whites be it said, the Indians sold their
lands, not because they did not love it and wish to re-
main upon it, but because they loved whisky better than
everything else besides, and were allowed to drink until
they cared for nothing else, but passively " put their
hands to the quijl " and signed away the land which
they had conquered, and had claimed for three quarters
of a century. The land ceded by this treaty contained
about five million acres, and was, with the exception of
some small reservations, all then claimed by the United
Tribes in Illinois and Michigan.

They were granted a reservation which was then a
part of the Indian Territory, but which by the " Platte
Purchase" of 1836 became the northwestern portion 01
Missouri. In the summer of 1835, the Pottawatomies
came for the last time to Chicago to receive their annu-
ities, and to start thence for their Western reservation.
The total number that assembled was about five thou-
sand. While in the town of Chicago, at that time, the
Indians performed their war-dance, as a sort of farewell
to their old home and their remaining friends among
the whites. They were removed by Government, under
charge of the late Captain J. B. V. Russell, to the reser-
vation assigned them, now in northwestern Missouri, and
about two years later again removed to the present site
of Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1837, the Pottawatomies
of Indiana were removed to a tract on the Osage
River, now in Miami Co., Kans. In 1848, the several
bands disposed of their lands in Iowa and on the Osage
for the sum of $850,000 and removed to another reser-
vation on the Kansas River, where they were joined in
1850 by the remnant still remaining in Michigan. In
their Western home, as here, they were divided iiito the
I'ottawatomies of the Woods, the Mission band (who
were generally Catholics, docile, and easily civilized^,

ORIGIN ol

HE WORD CHICAGO.

37

and the wild Prairie band. At the treaty made with the
tribe in Kansas, November 15, 1862, the latter could
not be induced to break up their tribal relations, and
were allotted a portion of the reservation which they
were to hold in common. The Hand of the Woods and
the Mission band elected to become citizens of the
United States, and now hold their land in Kansas in
severalty. The Prairie band numbered seven hundred
and eighty at the time of the treaty, and was allotted a
tract of about twelve miles square in what is now Jack-
sun Co., Kans., upon which they still live. There are
now (1883J on the reservation about four hundred and
fifty; two hundred and eighty are in Wisconsin, thirty
in Iowa and twenty-four in the Indian Territory. Dr.
H. C. Linn is the present agent of the Prairie Indians,
and their present chief is Sough-nes-see. On the reser-
vation the Indians have one hundred and five houses,
some of which are very comfortable, and as many well
cultivated fields, enclosed with good fences. The In-
dian boarding-school was opened in 1875, which with its
■school building, boarding house, laundry, barn, etc., cost
$12,000. A writer who visited them in 1882 says:*

"This prairie band of Indians are many of them resolutely
cultivating the arts of peace. They are just and honest with the
whites and themselves; they are developing the holy love of a per-
sonal, permanent home; they are comprehending subjects of busi-
ness presented to them; they are substituting, for the sixteen
English letters they have heretofore used in their Indian language,
all of the English alphabet found necessary to express vocal sounds;
they are learning to acquire property; in tine they are making grad-
ual progress, and their permanent location in Jackson County may
bring mutual compensation to themselves and the ' superior race.' "

ORIGIN OF THE WORD CHICAGO.

The first mention of the word Che-cau-gou, the
Chicago of modern times, is in Hennepin's account of
LaSalle's expedition to the Illinois River by way of the
St. Joseph and Kankakee, in 1680. The title of one of
his chapters has been translated, " An account of the
building of a new fort on the river of the Illinois, named
by the savages Che-cau-gou, and by us Fort Creveceur "
This is a very blind translation, and it is difficult to
determine from it, exactly what Hennepin meant ; but,
judging from other descriptions of the same expedition,
given by Membre and LaSalle, he probably intended
that the title of his chapter should read, " An account
of the building of a new fort, named by us Creveceur,
on the river of the Illinois, named by the savages Che-
cau-gou," which there is reason to believe was their
name for the Illinois River. Marquette speaks of the
river only as "the river of the Illinois," while Joliet calls
it the "river of St. Louis," and also " The Divine River,
or Outralaise."f

Franquelin has evidently mistaken the locality of
the St. Louis River of Joliet, as, on his large map of
1684, he has applied to the Ohio the name " River St.
Louis or Chucagoa." The name, however, shows that
the river called St. Louis was also called Checaugou or
Chucagoa. The name Chieagou is given to the Illinois
by Coxe, also, in his "Louisiana." There is a map in
the Historical Society Library at Madison, Wis., said to
have been designed by Samson, geographer to the
French King in 1673, before the results of the expedi-
tion of Joliet and Marquette were made known. On
this map is laid down a river, with its outlet in the Gulf
of Mexico, and which is intended to represent the Mis-
sissippi. It is called the " Chucagua River."

One of the meanings of the word " Chicaugou," or

*" History of Kansas," published in 1883.

tin compliment to Madame Outralaise ; a friend of the wife of the Count
l>cKrontenac,

Chicago, is said to be "great " or " strong," from ka-go,
something, and chi, from gitchi, great. It is not unrea-
sonable to believe that this was the generic term applied
by the Illinois Indians, not only to their own "great
river," but also to the Mississippi. Much information
regarding the latter river had been gained by the French
from the Illinois Indians, but it was always called by
them the "Great River," which its name also signifies in
the dialect of the Northwestern tribes — mecha or meche,
large or great ; and sepua, sept, river. The Illinois River
is called the " Divine River" ("Riviere LaDivine"j by
Joliet, who applies this name to the river, from the
source of the Desplaines branch to its mouth. LaSalle
calls the Illinois the Divine River, in 1680, and Membre
says, speaking of the expedition on which he accom-
panied LaSalle in 1681-82, that they "went toward the
Divine River, called by the Indians Checaugou," to
.make their way to the Mississippi ; Membre, however,
applying the name only to the northern branch of the
Illinois 1 Desplaines), which branch was called by that
name or Chicago, until as late as 1812. LaSalle, writing
of his expedition to the Illinois in the winter of
1681-82, says he arrived in January, 1682, at "the
division line called Checaugau, from the river of
the same name, which lies in the country of the Mas-
coutins." The Mascoutins, at that time, had villages
between the Fox and Desplaines, in common with the
Kickapoos, whose language, manners and customs were
identical. It is believed that they were bands of the
same tribe, known by the different names, and that the
Kickaphos are now the only survivors of the tribe.

St. Cosme, visiting this locality in 1699 and again
in 1700, spells the name variously ; as Chikagu, Chika-
gou, Chicagu, Chicago, and Chicaqu. The latter spell-
ing is equivalent to Chicaque, or Checaqua, which was
the name borne by a long line of Illinois chiefs — and as
applied to them, would mean the great, or powerful,
chiefs.

Dr. William Barry,* first secretary of the Chicago
Historical Society, who has given much attention to this
question, makes the following statement :

"Whatever may have been the etymological meaning of the
word Chicago, in its practical use it probably denotes strong or
great. The Indians applied this term to the .Mississippi River, to
thunder, or to the voice of the Great Manitou. Edwin Hubbard,
the genealogist, adopts a similar view, and says the word Chicago,
in its applications, signified strong, mighty, powerful."

It must be remembered that when LaSalle came with
his party of followers to this region in the winter of
1681-82, not only the river now the Desplaines, but the
portage leading to it, was " called by the savages " (the
Miamis and Illinois, whose dialect was the same) Che-
cagou. The name, "as the appellation of a chief or
brave," or whatever it might mean, could not have been
" transferred by the French to the river, and passed
from the river to the locality when the French settled
there," as Dr. J. Hammond Trumbull, of Hartford,
Conn., suggests, because both river and locality were
" called by the savages Checagou " when the French
first visited them. If the meaning of this word, in the
dialect of the Illinois and Miamis, was great, or power-
ful, and was the generic term by them applied to the
Mississippi, the Illinois, their great chiefs, etc., and as
the French gave other and specific names to their rivers
and localities, this was at last only given to the Des-
plaines, the portage, and later to the little stream lead-
ing from the portage to the lake, of course, the name so
applied lost all its significance.

A similar word or compound word which applies

* " Chicago Antiquities " — p. 121.

3S

HISTORY" OF EARLY CHICAGO.

locally to the present Chicago River is found in another
dialect Chippewa of the same Algonquin tongue — the
words, shegahg, meaning skunk, or she-gau-ga-winzhe,
skunk-weed or wild onion ; which it is believed was
given to the present Chicago River by the natives, from
the circumstance of its banks producing plentifully the
wild leek or onion. The early French writers — Membre,
and Tonty in his " Memoir" — speak of the abundance
of this bulbous plant throughout the country ; the latter
mentioning the fact of subsisting on the wild onions
which he and his companions grubbed from the ground,
on their journey from the Illinois to Green Bay in the
winter of 16S0-81.

E. M. Haines, of Waukegan, in Blanchard's " History
of Illinois," says, in regard to this meaning of the word,
so applied :

" The word Chicago is understood to be an Indian word ; at
least it is derived from that source. What its precise meaning is,
or whether it has any particular meaning at all in its present form
as now applied, is a matter of considerable dispute among those
who have given the subject attention. The word comes to us through
the early French explorers of the West as an Indian word from the
language of the Algonquin group. Whilst this group of the North
American tribes had one general or generic language by which they
were distinguished, each tribe had its dialect differing more or less
from that of the other tribes of the same group. The standard or
parent language, however, since this people became known to the
whites, was that spoken by the Ojibways (Chippeways, ) the most
powerful and numerous of the various tribes of this group. Those
who pretend to make any positive assertion as to the correct mean-
ing of this word, as an Indian word, seem to have confined their
investigations on the subject to the Indian language, as spoken by
the Ojibways, without reference to other dialects, seeming to ignore
the fact that it could come from any other source, whereupon they
reach the conclusion, and soassert.that it means onion, garlic, leek or
skunk. So far as appears at this day, there seems to have been no
special inquiry into the origin or meaning of this word until about
the time of the rebuilding of Fort Dearborn, in 1S16. The year
following that event, Colonel Samuel A. Starron visited this place,
and in a letter to General Jacob Brown of the L'nited States Army,
refers to the river here as ' the River Chicago (or in the English —
Wild Onion River).' * * * The definition of the onion by Rev.
Edward F. Welson, in his dictionary of the Ojibway language, is
keche-she-gaug-vh-wunzh. He defines skunk as zhe-gang. fohn
Tanner, for thirty years a captive among the Ojibways, and many
years United States Indian interpreter, in a ' Catalogue of Plants
and Animals, found in the country of the Ojibways, with English
names,' appended to the narrative of his captivity, defines skunk
as she-gang. He defines onion as she-gau-ga-winzhe (skunk-weed).
In a note thereto, by Dr. James, editor of Tanner's narrative, it is
added : ' From shih-gau-ga-winche, this word in the singular num-
ber, some derive the name Chicago.' * * * It is noticed that all
who contend that the word Chicago, as applied to the river and
city of that name, means skunk, onion or the like, derive their con-
victions on the subject from one or more of the authorities which
are before cited, or from some one familiar with the Ojibway lan-
guage, who forms his convictions to the same effect, from the mere
coincidence of sounds. History is so unsatisfactory and varied in
regard to this word, that we are left to this day to determine its
meaning solely upon the basis of similarity of sounds. For there
seems to be no fact or incident narrated or mentioned in history
that leads with any degree of certainty either to the original mean-
ing of this word as intended, or to the dialect from which it is
derived. And it is to be confessed that upon the theory aforesaid,
conceding that the word comes from the ( tjibway language or dia-
lect, no one is prepared to dispute the assertion so generally- made
that the word is derived from skunk. The word skunk being in
the Indian tongue simply she-kang, in order to make Chicago, the
theory adopted i- that ong, an Ojibway local termination is added
which makes Chi-cag-ong, meaning at the skunk, the sound rig
being dropped in common speech, leaving the word in the form
now used. Whilst this is not inconsistent in practice in dealing
with Indian names, there is another theory, il is suggested, which
may be adopted in this connection, that would seem to be equally
consistent. The word Chi-ca-go, without adding ng, would be a
fair Ojibway expression. The sound 0 added, would denote the
genitive, and might be rendered thus, 'him of the skunk,' in which
• ase it would probably be the name of an individual, and it is
stated that this won! is the name not only of some one Indian
chief, but the name also of a line of chiefs during several genera-
tions. * .-t that can be said of the word with any

degree of certainty is, that it is of Indian origin and comes from
some dialect of the Algonquin group, so called. It must be noted,
however, that in the Ojibway dialect this word, or that which is
essentially the same, is not confined in its meaning to that con-
tended for as before mentioned. The word may mean, also, in
that language, to forbear, or avoid, from kah-go, forbear, and che,
a prefix answering to our preposition to ; or, it may mean some-
thing great, from kago, something, and chi, from git-che, great.
Besides several other words or expressions which may be found in
this dialect, of the same sound, yet of different meanings, Che-ca-
gua was the name of a noted Sac chief, and means in that dialect,
' he that stands by the tree.' In the Pottawatomie dialect, the
word choc-ca-go, without addition or abridgment, means destitute."

There have been various other theories in regard to
the meaning of the word, but the weight of authority
seems to denote that when the French first mentioned
the river, "called by the savages Checagou," they
•referred to the Illinois, and its northern branch, and
that it was simply at that time the " great river " of the
Illinois. When these Indians and the kindred tribe, the
Miamis, were driven from the region, and the " canoe
people" — all branches of the original Ojibways — gained
possession of the country, the name was transferred to
the present Chicago River, although it was still applied
also to the Desplaines. The name, as applied by these
Indians to the little river had, doubtless, a local signifi-
cation, and from the time of their advent, Chicago
River, in all probability, meant skunk-weed, garlic, or
wild-onion river. It was certainly known as such as
early as 1773, when the Indians deeded to William
Murray a tract of land, extending " up the Illinois to
Chicagou or Garlick Creek," although it may never be
fully known whether the simple word she-kang, the
more complex she-gan-ga-winzhe, the Pottawatomie
choc-ca-go, or some other similar word had the honor
of giving a name to the present river and city of Chi-
cago.

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

John Nicolet. — A history of Canada, written in
Latin, by M. DuCreux, and entitled Historic, Canaden-
sis, was published in Paris in the year 1664. In this
work was the following passage:

" In the last months of 1642, New France mourned for two
men of no common character who were snatched away from her;
one of these (Raymbault), who died first, of disease, was a member
of the Society of the Jesuits, and the other, although a layman,
was distinguished by singularly meritorious acts toward the Indian
tribes of Canada."

This " layman," whose services in the interest of
France and humanity well merited the above notice, was
John Nicolet, the first civilized man who trod the soil
or floated upon the waters of the great Northwest — the
dauntless pioneer who penetrated to the hitherto un-
known " fresh water sea," beyond the " Lake of the
Hurons," and visited the Indian tribes dwelling upon
its western shore; not resting until he reached the vil-
lages of the Illinois Eriniouaz and, it is believed the
beautiful prairies of the State which now bears their name.
In the Historia Canadensis, and in the Jesuit Relations
of 1639-43 Vimont , is found thenarrative of the lifeand
achievements of the man who occupied so important a
place in the history of French explorations.

In 1603 Samuel Champlain first came to the banks of
the St. Lawrence to make a survey of the country pre-
liminary to founding a colony and permanently secur-
ing to France a monopoly of the fur trade with the sur-
rounding Indians. His visit was brief, but from the
natives lie learned enough to satisfy him that the fail-
ures of I)e La Roche, Pontgrave and Chauvin need not
be repeated on the St. Lawrence. He returned to
Fiance, to sail again in 1608, with men, arms and stores

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

39

for a colon)-, and in the summer of that year he com-
menced the settlement of Quebec. During his previous
visits he had heard from the savages of regions farther
to the west — of great lakes, cataracts and rivers — and
had become convinced that from the head of the St.
Lawrence, by means of these inland lakes and streams,
it would be possible to reach the so-called Western Sea
and China; as, by the ( )ttawa of the North, he believed he
could reach the Polar Sea. He came, therefore, to New
France the second time, more as an explorer than as a
merchant. The interests of the fur trade were placed in
the hands of another, and after the settlement at Quebec
acquired some degree of permanency, he commenced
his exploration of the country farther to the south and
west. Attaching to his interests the Algonquins of the
Ottawa, and the Hurons of Georgian Bay, who came
annually to the St. Lawrence to trade, and who, like the
French, were fearful of the encroachments of the
Iroquois, Champlain penetrated the country to the lake
which bears his name, drove the Iroquois from its waters,
and by his powers so attached the allied tribes to him-
self, that before they left him to return to their homes
the Hurons had invited him to visit them at their villages
and ally himself with them in their war with the Iroquois.

After revisiting France in 1609 and 1610, he again
returned in 161 1 to the St. Lawrence, and selected as a
trading-post the present site of Montreal. The con-
tinuous and cruel wars of the Iroquois had compelled
him to abandon his scheme of penetrating the western
country, and he now devoted all his energy to the ad-
vancement of the interests of his superiors in France, by
attempting to secure a monopoly of the fur trade of the
surrounding region. With the design of extending this
trade to more distant tribes, he commenced, about the
year 1615, to train young men for the especial purpose
of dealing with the Indians, by placing them in the
charge of some friendly tribe to learn its language, man-
ners and habits, and to become hardened and inured to
the deprivations and loneliness of a life spent in the
wilderness and among savages. While training others,
he did not fail to cultivate the friendship of the Indians,
and attach them to his interest by every means in his
power. In 1615 he consented to lead the Hurons and
Algonquins of the Ottawa against the Iroquois. With
two Frenchmen and ten Indians he left Montreal in July
of that year, traveled up the Ottawa to the Algonquin
villages, passed the Allumette lakes, and thence by Lake
Nipissing, French River and Georgian Bay, reached the
home of the Hurons, which lay in the little peninsula
formed by the head of the Georgian Bay, the River
Severn and Lake Simcoe. Here he joined the warriors
of the two nations who had gathered at the Huron
village. With them he moved south to the shore of
Lake Ontario, crossed the lake and attacked the Iroquois
in their fortified villages in the present State of New
York. The attack was not a success, and, with his
allies, Champlain returned to the Huron village, where
he passed the winter, and returned to Quebec in the
summer of 1616, arriving just one year from the time
of his departure. He had learned enough of the lake of
the Hurons and of the country farther west, with its
treasures of copper and peltry, , to be more than ever
anxious to secure it for France.

Quebec, at this time, consisted of a small fort, of
which Champlain was nominal commander, and a popu-
lation of some fifty fur-traders, adventurers and Recollet
friars. In 1618 there arrived at this post, from France,
a young man named John Nicolet. He was a native of
Cherbourg, in Normandy, and son of Thomas Nicolet, a
mail-carrier from Cherbourg to Paris. His mother was

Marguerita de la Mer. In accordance with the plan of
Champlain to educate young Frenchmen for explorers
and traders by actual trial of Indian life, Nicolet was
selected for that purpose, as giving extraordinary prom-
ise of future usefulness, and sent to an Algonquin tribe,
whose home was the Isle des Allumette, on the Ottawa
River, that he might prepare himself for the career
marked out for him.*

With the "Algonquins of the Island" he spent two
years, accompanying them in their wanderings and par-
taking of all their dangers and privations — sometimes
almost perishing with hunger, and subsisting for weeks
upon barks and lichens. During this time he never saw
the face of a white man, or heard a human voice, save
the guttural tones of the savages, which soon, however,
became intelligible ; his memory, according to the
record, being wonderfully good. At the end of two
years he had become familiar with the Algonquin lan-
guage, and was then sent, with four hundred natives, on
a peace mission to the Iroquois. It would appear from
the narrative, that Nicolet was authorized to negotiate
with the hostile tribe, as it is stated that " he performed
his mission successfully." At this time he must have
visited the Hurons, the allies of the Algonquin tribe,
who would be equally benefited by the renewal of
peace, and whose villages lay directly in his route.

After his return from this peace mission, Nicolet
took up his residence with the Indians who dwelt on the
shores of Lake Nipissing, further to the northwest than
the Isle des Allumette. Here he lived eight or nine
years, becoming practically one of the tribe. He had
his cabin and trading-house among them, entered into
their councils, and doubtless was looked upon as one of
the " head men " of the nation. About the year 1633,!
when Canada passed from the brief dominion of En-
gland back to its former owner, Nicolet was recalled to
Quebec by Government, and made Commissary and In-
dian Interpreter in that city for the " Company of the
Hundred Associates."

During the years of Nicolet's absence among the
Indians, New France had passed through various
changes. The Recollets had been superseded by the
Jesuits, who had commenced the work of establishing
missions among the Indian tribes in Canada. The com-
panies of French merchants who, for a time, enjoyed a
monopoly of the fur trade, had given place to the Com-
pany of New France, commonly called the " Company
of the Hundred Associates," which, with Cardinal
Richelieu as its brain and motive force, now held almost
sovereign sway over both the secular and religious in-
terests of the French colonists. Interrupted in its de-
signs for a brief period, by the successes of England in
Canada, its jurisdiction was restored after the treaty of
peace, and in May, 1633, Champlain, who had been
carried prisoner to England, was again restored to his
former office, and assumed command at Quebec, with
the understanding that the affairs of New France were
now to be conducted in the interests of the Hundred
Associates, and the Society of Loyola. The French
population on the St. Lawrence was even now only about
one hundred and fifty, and the only trading posts were
Quebec, Three Rivers, the Rapids of St. Louis, and
Tadoussac, at the mouth of the Saguenay.

It was at this time that Nicolet was recalled from
Nipissing, and entered the employ of the powerful com-
pany which ruled New France. The narrative says ,
" During this period while Nicolet was commissary and

of DuCreux calls the period spent he

"preliminary

4°

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

interpreter for the Company , at the command of the
same rulers, he had to make an excusiqn to certain
maritime tribes for the purpose of securing peace be-
tween them and the Hurons.' The Hurons had always
been friendly to the French ; they were the most dis-
tant tribe with whom any commercial intercourse was
maintained, and their country lay in the path to the far
West. Should this threatened war be declared against
their allies, explorers would hardly dare venture far
from the banks of the St. Lawrence, and the proselyting
designs of the Jesuits would also be effectually checked.
Champlain was eager, too, to gain knowledge of the
"maritime tribes," called "Men of the Sea "by the
Algonquins, who sometimes made the long journey of
five or six weeks to their country, and returned with
wonderful tales of the nation which had wandered
thither from the borders of a distant sea, and was still
visited by a "strange people without hair or beards, who
came from the west in large canoes, upon a great water,
to trade." With his preconceived idea of the probability
of reaching the sea which washed the shore of Asia, by
means of the western lakes and rivers, Champlain be-
lieved the " great water," of which the Indians spoke,
might be this distant Western Sea, over which the beard-
less Chinese had passed to trade with the people who
once lived on its borders. Therefore, to the rulers of
New France, it was an object to secure peace between
the Hurons and the " Men of the Sea," in order to ad-
vance the interests of both commerce and religion.
Knowing the superior ability of Xicolet, and having been
instrumental in placing him where he could acquire the
special training necessary to fit him for the task of
penetrating the wilderness to these strange and unknown
tribes, and also of dealing with them in a prudent and
successful manner, Champlain selected him for the mis-
sion. He was to visit " La Nation des Puants ;"* if
possible, " secure a peace," between them and the
Hurons, and their friendship for France ; and he was
also to explore the country of the Puants in search of
the passage to the Western Sea. In July, 1634, Fathers
Brebeuf and Daniel started from Quebec to found the
Huron mission. Xicolet accompanied them from Three
Rivers, where he had been assisting in the building of a
fort — as far as the Isle des Allumette, his old Indian
home. Father Brebeuf says he " endured every
hardship " during the journey, " with the courage of
the strongest savage." Here the fathers apparently left
him to go to their mission. From the time that Xicolet
left 'Three Rivers with the missionaries there is no
record of his being on the St. Lawrence until Decem-
ber, 1635 — nearly a year and a half — the time of his ab-
sence on his mission to the West, when he visited the
northern and western shore of Lake Michigan. 'This
visit, therefore, was between July, 1634, and December,
I<*35- He was not again absent from his post in Canada
long enough for such a journey during his after life.

Some time alter the fathers left him at the Isle des
Allumette, Xicolet followed them to the village of the
Hurons. and them e set out on his pacific expedition, ac-
companied by " seven ambassadors of the Huron na-
tion." and provided with gilts to conciliate any hostile
tribe in his path. Launching their canoes, the party
paddled up the Georgian Day: passed " the river"f which
flows from Lake Nipissing; then the " Nation of Beav-
ers," on the northern shore ,,1" Lake Huron; and still
north of Sault Sainte Marie and the " People of the
Falls," whose village was on the south side of the strait
at the foot of the rapids, in what is now the State of

•Winnebago, Win,

rFrench kivcr.

Michigan. Here lived the ancestors of the modern
Ojibwavs and Chippewas — Algonquins, whose language
was familiar to Xicolet, and here his party stopped for
a brief rest. It may be that words here dropped by Xic-
olet, in regard to the new mission among the Hurons,
were remembered. Not many years after, the inhabi-
tants of this village asked that a missionary might be sent
among them, and still later there was founded here the
successful mission of Dablon and Marquette.

Leaving the " Village of the Falls," Xicolet returned
down the strait of St. Mary, turned to the west, passed
Mackinac, and his little canoe floated upon the clear
waters of the "second great fresh water sea." 'The
pioneer white man had found his way to the great
Xorthwest. With that little boat came the beginning of
the end which is not yet, — the dawning of the wonder-
ful to-day of the West. Coasting along the northern
shore of Lake Michigan, he stopped occasionally upon
the shore of what is now the Upper Peninsula of Michi-
gan, reached Green Bay and the mouth of the Meuom-
onee River, which he entered, and visited the Indians
living in its valley. At the head of Green Bay, near
the point where it receives the waters of Fox River,
lived the Winnebagoes* to whom he had come with nis
message of peace. The narrativef continues thus:

" When he was two days distant (from the Winnebagoes), he
sent forward one of his own company to make known to the nation
to which they were going that a European ambassador was ap-
proaching with gifts, who, in behalf of the Hurons, desired to se-
cure their friendship The embassv was "received with applause,
and young men were immediately sent to meet him, who were to
carry the baggage and the equipment of the Manitourinion (won-
derful man), and escort him with honor. Nicolet was clad in a
Chinese robe of silk, skillfully ornamented with birds and flowers
of many colors; he carried in each hand a small pistol. When he
had discharged these, the more timid persons, boys and women,
betook themselves to flight, to escape as quickly as possible from a
man who, they said, carried the thunder in both his hands. But
the rumor of his coming having spread far and wide, the chiefs,
with their followers, assembled directly, to the number of four or
five thousand persons; and the matter having been discussed and
considered in a general council, a treaty was made in due form.
Afterward each of the chiefs gave a banquet after their fashion;
and at one of these, strange to say, a hundred and twenty beavers
were eaten."

After negotiating a treaty with the Winnebagoes,
Xicolet sailed up the Fox River, of Green Bay, a six
days' journey, as the first step toward the discovery of
the " great water " he desired to reach. Xear the " port-
age " between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, he found
a village of the Mascoutins.

Allouez found the Mascoutin village, which he visited
in 1670, at the western extremity of the portage on the
Wisconsin, and says it was six days' sail down the Wis-
consin to the " Messisipi," from the village. He also
speaks of the lake or marsh near the portage as being
the source of the Wisconsin River. J

Nicolet evidently thought the same. 'The narrative
reads:

"The Sieur Nicolet, who had penetrated farthest into those
distant countries, avers that had he sailed three days more 01. a
great river which flows from the lake he would have found the sea."

After sailing down the Wisconsin,!; and when with-
iivthree days' journey of this "sea," Nicolet seems to

*This tribe, railed OninipegOO in Vimoiu's Relation (1640), and Puants bv
the trench, was identified with the Winnebagoes of Green Hay bv I. G. Shea.

Ulu C'reux.

JKel. 1670-71. "To reach them, the Mascoutins, we traversed the lake
or marsh, at the head of the Wisconsin, which was a beautiful river running

(jit is the Opinion of fohn i;. Shea and Francis Parkman that Nicolet

reached and sailed down the Wisconsin, as stated above. Prof. C. W. liuttcr-
field, of Wisconsin, who has given much time and study to the subject of
Nicolet's explorations, is convinced— and gives good reasons for his belief— that
Xicolet terminated his journey toward the West at ihe portage, and that it
would have required a " three days' journey " on the Fox River to reach tl,e
\\ consin an affluent of the Mississippi, and the " sea" of N 1, o|l 1.

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

have found that it was still a long journey to the sea
which washed the shores of Asia, and turned his course
toward the south. He then visited the Illinois, whom
he called Eriniouay. Viraont, from information derived
from Nicolet, describes them as living south of the
Winnebagoes, and as numbering about sixty villages.
He also speaks of them as the Liniouek. After his visit
to the Illinois villages, Nicolet returned to the region
now Green Bay, visited the Pottawatomies, who lived on
the islands at the mouth of the bay, and on the penin-
sula forming its western shore. His mission ended, he
returned to the Huron village and thence to Three Riv-
ers, where he is mentioned, in the parish records, as
standing godfather to Marie, little daughter of Capitanel,
chief of the Montaegnais Indians , on the 27th of De-
cember, 1635. On his return to Canada, he was as-
signed to the post at Three Rivers, by Champlain, as
commissary and interpreter. On the 7th of October,
1637, he was married at Quebec to Marguerite Couillard,
a godchild of Champlain. Their only child was a daugh-
ter. His history, from the time of his return until his
death, is thus simply told by DuCreux:

'Nicolet returned to the Hurons, and presently, to Three
Rivers, and resumed both of his former functions, viz., as com-
missary and interpreter; being singularly beloved by both the
French and the natives; specially intent upon this, that uniting
his industry and the very great influence which he possessed over
the savages, with the efforts of the fathers of the society (Jesuits),
he might bring as many as he could to the Church; until, upon the
recall to France of Oliver.?' who was the chief commissary of Que-
bec. Nicolet, on account of his merits, was appointed in his place.
But he was not long allowed to enjoy the Christian comfort he had
so greatly desired, viz., that at Quebec he might frequently attend
upon the sacraments, as his pious soul desired, and that he might
enjoy the society of those with whom he could converse upon di-
vine things. On the last day of October (1642), having embarked
upon a pinnace at the seventh hour of the afternoon (as we French
reckon the hours), i. e., just as the shades of evening were falling,
hastening, as I have said, to Three Rivers, upon so pious an
errand, + scarcely had he arrived in sight of Sillerv.t when, the
north wind blowing more fiercely, and increasing the violence of
the storm which had commenced before Nicolet started, the pin-
nace was whirled around two or three times, filled with water from
all directions, and finally was swallowed up by the waves. Some of
those on board escaped, among them Savigny, the owner of the
pinnace; and Nicolet, in that hour of peril, addressing him calmly,
said: ' Savigny, since you know how to swim, by all means consult
your own safety; I, who have no such skill, am going to God; I
recommend my wife and daughter to your kindness.' In the midst
of this conversation, a wave separated them; Nicolet was drowned;
Savigny, who from horror and the darkness of the night, did not
know where he was, was torn by the violence of the waves from the
boat, to which he had clung for some time; then he struggled for
awhile in swimming, with the hostile force of the changing waves,
until at last, his strength failing, and his courage almost forsaking
him, he made a vow to God (but what, is not related). Then strik-
ing the bottom of the stream with his foot, he reached the sloping
land under the water, and forcing his way with difficulty through
the edge of the stream, already frozen, he crept, half dead, to the
humble abode of the fathers. The prisoner, for whose sake Nico-
let had exposed himself to this deadly peril, twelve days afterward
reached Sillerv, and soon after Quebec — having been rescued from
the cruelty of the Algonquins by Rupaeus, who was in command
at Three Rivers, in pursuance of letters from Montmagny, on pay-
ment, no doubt, of a ransom. This, moreover, was not the first
occasion on which Nicolet had encountered peril of his life for the
safety of savages. He had frequently done the very same thing be-
fore, says the French^ writer; and to those with whom he asso-
ciated he left proofs of his virtues by such deeds as could hardly
be expected of a man entangled in the bonds of marriage; they
were, indeed, eminent, and rose to the height of apostolic perfec-
tion; and, therefore, was the loss of so great a man the more
grievous. Certain it is that the savages, themselves, as soon as

*Champlain died on Christmas, 1636. He was succeeded by de Chastefort,
;ind he in turn, bv de Montmagnv. The General Commissary of the Hundred
1'artners, at Quebec, was XI. Olivier le Tardiff, who sailed for France in Oc-

+ His labors in behalf of the Indians were unceasing. At this time he was on
his way from Quebec to Three Rivers to release an Indian prisoner who was
being tortured by a hostile band.

JAn Algonquin mission four miles above Quebec,

gVimont.

they heard what had befallen him, surrounded the bank of the
great river in ciowds, i" sec whether they could render any aid.
When all hope of that was gone, they did what alone remained in
their power, by incredible manifestations of grief and lamentation
at the sad fate of the man who had deserved so well of them."

Thus perished John Nicolet, the brave yet gentle young

pioneer who first found the path to the Northwest, and tin
first white man who saw its magnificent Lkes, forests
and prairies. Along his path follow til, after many years,
a long procession of devoted priests, brave explorers anil
hardy voyageurs ; but among them all, not one whose
record is more noble than that of this unpretending
" layman," who carried peace to the nations which he
visited, and lived and died in unselfish devotion to the
call of the suffering and oppressed.

The Jesuits and their Explorations. — In the
sketch of John Nicolet, it was mentioned that he started
on his long western journey at the same time that
Fathers Brebeuf, Daniel and Davost set out to found
the Huron mission, accompanying them a part of the
way. After leaving Nicolet at the Isles des Allumette,
the fathers pursued their journey to the southern
extremity of the Georgian Bay, and on the eastern
shore of Lake Huron, at Ihonatiria, the principal Indian
village, established the mission of St. Joseph. The
country of the Hurons, although small in area, was rich
and populous, and the inhabitants were more gentle and
ready to listen to the missionaries than the other tribes
they had visited. By 1636 three more fathers had been
sent among them, and their work was wonderfully pros-
perous. In the autumn of 1641, the mission of St.
Joseph was visited by a deputation of Indians occupy-
ing " the country around a rapid in the midst of the
channel by which Lake Superior empties into Lake
Huron,"* inviting them to visit their tribe. The fathers
"were not displeased with the opportunity thus pre-
sented of knowing the countries lying beyond Lake
Huron, which no one of them had yet traversed ; " so
Isaac Joguesand Charles Raymbault,t two of the later
comers, were detached to accompany the Chippewas to
their home. After seventeen days from their departure
they reached the village at the "Sault," which Nicolet
had visited in 1634, where the savages had assembled
in great numbers to hear their words. They did not
found a mission ; their visit being merely a prelim-
inary one, to view the field. The following year the
Iroquois war broke out afresh, and missions and Huron
villages alike disappeared. Fathers Jogues and Raym-
bault attempted to return to the St. Lawrence. The
former was taken prisoner by the Iroquois and cruelly
scourged and mutilated ; the latter died soon after his
return. It was not until 1656 that the Jesuits dared
again attempt the extension of their missions. In that
year Father Garreau was ordered to Lake Superior,
which now seemed a more promising field, but he was
killed before leaving the St. Lawrence. DeGroselles
and another Frenchman wintered on the shore of Lake
Superior in 1658. They visited the Sioux, and from
the fugitive Hurons who had sought refuge among
them, heard of the Mississippi and the Illinois Indians,
whom they had found on its banks. In 1660, Rene
Menard, formerly a missionary among the Hurons,
founded an Ottawa mission on the southern shore of
Lake Superior, at Keweenaw May, but after a brief stay
among the Indians died in the woods, of famine, or
through violence. Five years later. Father Claude
Allouez was sent to Lake Superior to take up the work
of Menard. He arrived October 1, 1665. at "Chegoi-
megon," now Chequamegon, or Ashland Hay, in Wis-

* From the village visited by Nicolet in 1634.

t Whose death is mentioned with th.it .1 Nicole! i

'Historia Canadensis,"

4-

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

cousin, "at the bottom of which," wrote the missionary,

•' are situated the great villages of the savages, who
there plant their fields of Indian corn, and lead a station-
ary lite." Near by he erected a small chapel of bark
— the first structure erected by civilized man in Wiscon-
sin, and at LaPointe. a little north of the Indian vil-
lages, he established the mission of the " Holy Ghost,"
which in 1669, fell to the charge of Father Jacques
Marquette.

Jacques Marquette, whose name is now identified
with the early history of Chicago, was a native of Laon, in
Picardv — a devoted priest, and a learned and talented
man. He had been employed on the St. Lawrence, and
was preparing for a projected mission to the Montaeg-
nais Indians, at the mouth of the Saguenay, in Canada,
when he received orders to prepare for the Ottawa mis-
sion on Lake Superior, then in charge of Father Allouez.
He left Quebec on the 21st of April, 1668, and jour-
neyed with the Ottawa flotilla of that year, to Sault Ste.
Marie. When he reached Lake Superior, he found that
new missions were required on the lakes, as the Hurons
and other tribes driven west by the Iroquois were now
returning toward their old homes. Two places were se-
lected by the Jesuit superior, wherein to found these
missions — the Chippewa village at the "Sault," and
Green Bay. The former station was assigned to Mar-
quette. A year later Allouez left the Ottawa mission at
La Pointe, to found the mission at St. Francis Xavier,
at Green Bay, and Marquette was transferred from the
■• Sault " where, with the help of Father Dablon, his
superior, he had built a church and established the mis-
sion of St. Mary , to the western shore of Lake Superi-
or, the former station of Father Allouez. Marquette
arrived at La Pointe in the autumn of 1669, then the
extreme point to which the French had penetrated, and
lived a year and a half among the savage tribes who
had congregated there the Hurons, and Ottawas driven
from the east, the Christian Kiskadons, and the scoffing
Ontaonks , " busily employed from morning till night "
in instructing and admonishing them, both in chapel
and cabin. In the spring of 1670, he was appointed to
the Illinois mission, and earnestly hopes that it will
"please God to send some father to take his place," that
he may set out in the fall to commence the work among
the Illinois. Several of this nation had been at La
Pointe during the winter, and these "lost sheep" had
called upon him " so piteously," that he could not resist
their entreaties to visit them. The young Illinois hunt-
ers accordingly left La Pointe in the spring, with a
promise to send some of their " old men " to guide Mar-
quette to their prairies in the coming fall. Marquette
had learned much of these "hunters" during the win-
ter. They told him of the great river, " almost a league
wide," which they passed in coming to La Pointe, which
he says he desired to visit, to teach the natives along its
banks, and " in order to open the way to so many of the
fathers who have long awaited this happiness." As
a minor consideration, he desired " to gain a knowledge
of the southern or western sea." Of the Illinois he says:

" The Illinois are thirty clays' journey by land from I.a Pointe.
by a difficult road; they lie southwest* from it. On the way you
pass the nation of the Ketchigaminsr who lived in more tnan
twenty large cabins. They are inland and seek to have intercourse
with the French, from whom they hope to get axes, knives and
ironware. * * Vou pa*s then to the Miamiwek.f and by

great deserts reach the Illinois, who arc assembled chiefly in two
towns, containg more than eight or nine thousand souls. When
the Illinois come to l.a Pointe they pass a large river almost a

entlv alluding to that portion of the Illinois west <>t the Mississippi,
• This iribc i,l Mascoutina had a village in common with the Kickapoos.ou
tbc Wisconsin River, twelve miles lower than the Hascoutin village, near thr
portage.

league wide. It runs north and south, and so far that the Illinois,
who do not know what canoes are, have never yet heard of its
mouth. The Illinois are warriors, they make many slaves, whom
they sell to the Ottawas for guns, powder, kettles, axes and knives.
They were formerly at war with the Nadouessi, but having made
peace some years since, I confirmed it, to facilitate their coming to
I.a Pointe, where Ianvgoing to await them in order to accompany
them to their country."

Marquette did not found a mission among the Illi-
nois, as he desired, in the fall of 1670. The Sioux — the
Nadouessi, whose treaty with the Illinois he had con-
firmed, and whose country he believed he could safely
pass — declared war on the Ottawas and Hurons, and,
with what remained of his terrified flock, he passed an-
other winter at the mission of the Holy Ghost. In the
spring he left the dangerous neighborhood of the Sioux,
with the Hurons, his last remaining Indians; the Otta-
was, for whom the mission was established, having pre-
viously fled toward the east.

Marquette embarked with his Hurons on Lake Supe-
rior, and crossing to its eastern extremity in frail canoes,
passed down the strait of St. Mary, and thence to
Michilimackinac. Entering the latter strait, they re-
solved to land and make a home there, and on the north-
ern side of the trait now Point St. Ignace, of the Michi-
gan Peninsula , Marquette erected a rude chapel, and
founded among the Hurons the mission of St. Ignatius.
The Indians soon built near the chapel a palisade fort,
enclosing their cabins, and Marquette remained among
them, until the spring of 1673.

In 167 1 France took formal possession of the whole
country of the upper lakes, determined to extend her
power to the extreme limit, vague as it was, of Canada.
The Mississippi and some of its principal tributaries
were well known to exist, and the importance of its
exploration — it could hardly be termed discovery — was
well understood. The rulers of New France, however,
did not regard this great river merely as another avenue
to be opened whereby' the cross might be carried to
unknown tribes; and the ambitious Frontenac and
sagacious Talon, well knew that Marquette was not the
man to be entrusted with the purely secular interests of
the expedition which they had determined upon. There-
fore Louis Joliet, whom they rightly " deemed compe-
tent for so great a design," was selected as the leader,
and Marquette was " chosen to accompany him;" the
former to seek by the Mississippi the mythical kingdom
of Quivira, which with its gold and precious stones was
believed to lie in the path to the California sea; and
the latter " to seek new nations toward the South Sea,
to teach them of the great God whom they have hitherto
unknown."

Louis Joliet was born in Quebec, in 1645, and
was the son of a wheelwright in the employ of the Com-
pany of the One Hundred Associates. He was educated
at the college of Quebec, and, evincing a desire to enter
the priesthood, took the preliminary steps and entered
the theological seminary in the same city. As he grew
older, mathematical and geographical studies seemed to
have a greater charm for him than theological, and he
finally decided to embark in business life. He first came
to the West as a fur-trader, and was afterward — about
1667 — sent by Talon to explore the copper mines of
Lake Superior. On his return from this expedition, in
1669, he met LaSalle near the head of Lake Ontario,
and in 167 1, he is mentioned as being present at St. Lus-
son's grand convention of Indian tribes at Sault Ste.
Marie. Having received the necessary instructions,
Joliet left Quebec on the 8th of December, 1672; arrived
at Michilimackinac, and on the 17th of May, 1673, the
two explorers, with one other Frenchman, and four In-

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

r>

dians, started from the mission of St. Ignatius on their
memorable expedition. Before leaving, they made a
map of the new country they hoped to explore, from
information gained from the Indians, " marking down the
rivers," says Marquette, " on which we were to sail, the
names of the nations and places through which we were
to pass, the course of the great river, and what direction
we should take when we got to it." The history of their
expedition is well known. Entering Green Bay they

fl* MISSISSIPPI

BAStltJ DB LA fLOrUOE

MAKOUKI "1 E

passed to its head, and entered Fox River. This they
ascended, obtaining guides to lead them through the
maze of marshes and little lakes between it and the Wis-
consin, as they approached the portage between the two
rivers. Sailing down the Wisconsin, the}' entered the
Mississippi on the 17th of June, 1673. After a voyage
of more than a week, they for the first time beheld an
Indian trail, leading from the west bank of the river
back to a beautiful prairie. Leaving their men with the
canoes, Joliet and Marquette, with many misgivings as
to what would be their fate, silently followed the little
path until they came in sight of three Indian villages.

One was on the bank of a river, and tin- others on a hill,
a short distance beyond. With a prayer for protection,
they halted and gave a cry to announce their presence.
The astonished Indians poured from their cabins, to halt
in turn and gaze upon the strangers. At last four old
men came slowly and gravely toward them, with calu-
mets of peace. Silently they advanced, and having
reached them, paused to look upon them more closely.
Marquette, judgingnow that their intentions were friend-
ly, addressed them in Algon-
quin, asking who they were.
They replied, " We are Illi-
nois,"* and extended the pipe
of peace. These were the
Peorias and Moingwenas,
whose villages were west of the
Mississippi, and, as laid down
on Marquette's map, were on
the south bank of a river sup-
posed to be the Des Moines,
the upper part of that river
still bearing the name of Mo-
ingonan (the Monk). These
Illinois Indians treated their
visitors with great kindness,
and the next day a crowd of
six hundred natives escorted
them to their canoes, to see
them embark. The explorers
promised to pass back through
this town in four moons, but
were not enabled to keep their
promise. They sailed down
the clear current of the Missis-
sippi, passed the " Ruined
Castles," passed the monstrous
painting on the rock, passed
the Missouri and Ohio and
reached the Arkansas, when
they decided that they " had
gained all the information that
could be desired from the ex-
pedition," " that the Missis-
sippi had its mouth in Florida
or the Gulf of Mexico," and,
on the 17th of July, just one
month from the time they left
the Wisconsin, they turned
their canoes up the river. Find-
ing the ascent difficult, they
entered the Illinois River,
which Marquette says, "great-
ly shortened their path," and
which he describes as broad,
deep and gentle for sixty-five
leagues, with many little lakes
and rivers, while meadows and
prairies, teeming with game,
bordered it on either side. Sailing up the river to within
a few miles of the present site of Utica, they arrived at an
Illinois village, called Kaskaskia, where the travelers
were well received, and to which Marquette promised to
return at some future time to instruct the tribe. A chief,
with a band of young Kaskaskians, accompanied them
thence to Lake Michigan, which they reached with little
trouble, and paddling up its western shore, arrived at the
mission of St. Francis Xavier, at Green Bay, during the

FID RIDE

*The

rou

itry of the

Illinois

formerly b

ith

ides of the J

the west

side

extending

,outh ne

■ Hv

to the] Mis

River, and

domain t

tth

■ Si. -u.n,

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

latter pan of September. Here the two companions
remained together through tile winter As early as possi-
ble in the summer of 1074. Joliet hastened to Quebec to
report to the authorities, visiting I.aSalle at Fort Front-
enae. on his journey. In a letter to Frontenac, written
October 10. 1074. lie says:

" It is not long since I returned from my' South Sea voyagd
I was fortunate during all thai time, but on my way back, just as
I was about to land at Montreal, my canoe capsized and 1 lost two
men. with my chest, containing ail my papers and my journal,
with some curiosities from those remote countries. I greatly re-
gret a little slave ten years old who had been presented 10 me. He
was endowed with a good disposition, full of talent, diligent and
obedient ; he made himself understood in French, and began to
read and write. I was saved after being four hours in the water,
having lost sight and consciousness, by some fishermen, who never
went in that place, and would not have been there, had not the
lUessed Virgin obtained this grace for me from God, who arrested
the course of nature to rescue me from death. But for this acci-
dent, your lordship would have received quite a curious relation ;
but nothing is left me except my life."

He then briefly describes the result of his voyage.
On the 14th of the following- month Count DeFrontenac
announced to Colbert the successful issue of the expe-
dition.

Marquette was detained at Green Bay through the
whole summer of 1674 by sickness. As soon as he was
sufficiently recovered, he drew up and sent to his
superior Father Dablon copies of his journal of the
voyage down the Mississippi, and doubtless also the map
known as " Marquette's map," a copy of which is here
given *

With the return of the flotilla from Quebec, he re-
ceived orders to "set out for his Illinois mission. He
started from the mission at Green Bay on the 25th of
October. 1674, and with two Frenchman, Jacques and
Pierre, went north as far as Sturgeon Bay, where now
a canal connects its waters with Lake Michigan. At
the portage he joined a party of Pottawatomies and
Illinois, who also had started for the Kaskaskia village.
With them he crossed the difficult portage from the
head of Sturgeon Bay to Lake Michigan, on which they
embarked on the 31st of October. The little fleet pro-
ceeded up the western shore of the lake, and after many
detentions arrived at Portage River} early in December.
Marquette mentions the fact of passing " eight or ten
pretty fine rivers " on his journey up the lake from one
portage to the other. On the 19th of November he ar-
rived at " the bluffs," where he was detained two days
and a half. While thus detained, Pierre left him, and
passed through the woods to a prairie twenty leagues
from the portage. Starting from "the bluffs" about
noon on the 21st, Marquette says: "We had hard
enough work to reach a river." He entered the river,
however, and found there Mascoutins, " to the number
of eight or nine cabins." The Illinois Indians left him
here and "passed on the prairies."

If " the bluffs," where Marquette was detained by
the weather, were at the present site of Milwaukee,

* Marquette evidently - ol bis journal, ■ ..1 these was

transmitted to France but not officially published, the Fesuit Relations being

:d about that time by the French Government. In 1681, an imperfect

this, or th.- original journal somewhat mutilated, ftrll into the hands of

piler and publisher, and it appeared in a volume of

travels ait ..-.! thai year under the titlt ol " Ri ceuil di

having been prepared tor publication by Father

mat deposited, together with an unfinished letter "f Marquette,

5i ■ i n k •' d isit to the Illinois, in the archives ol thi

1 :. 1 athet
■.ivorof the Jesuits of that institution, when the college was
the paper,, including Marquette's journal ami map,
ented them to the nuns who had charge of tl,. iiot.i 1 m u a hospital

In 1-4; they passe f Rev. 1 u irl |. mi,

and were by him mblishcd them iii 185s

* Man 1 1 1 1 [■ ,,, , 1
in what he terms "Portal Rivi il,
Desplaini 1 Hubbard
state* (*ee Blanchard's History of Chicago , Branch ol
the present Chicago River was called M Pot H

where they were more abrupt and lofty, perhaps, than
at any other point, Pierre must have passed "through
the woods " to the present site of Racine, "twenty
leagues from the portage," and Marquette must have
reached the place by entering Root River. It was
the 27th of November before Marquette again em-
barked, being detained by the wind. Nine miles farther,
and he was again detained "by a wind from the shore,
immense waves that came from the lake, and the cold."
On the 4th of December they again " started " to reach
"Portage River." He does not say what day they
arrived there, but they remained at the mouth of the
river a few days, during which time his men killed con-
siderable game. On the 12th they began to draw their
luggage up the river, and on the 14th were settled in a
cabin some five miles from the mouth of the river, "near
the portage," and in the route to an Illinois village, six
leagues further on. Here Marquette was obliged to
remain all winter on account of a severe' illness. This
cabin, it would seem, belonged to two French traders,
Pierre Moreau (La Toupinei, and his companion who
was not only a trader but a surgeon as well, and who
were then at their winter hunting-ground, about fifty
miles from the portage, and not very far distant from a
village of Illinois Indians. These traders were expect-
ing a visit from Marquette and his companions at their
cabin at the hunting-ground, and had made due prepa-
ration to receive them by laying in an extra store of
provisions. Marquette says that " some 1 person in-
formed La Toupine and the surgeon that we were here
at the portage , and unable to leave their cabin,"
and that as soon as the two Frenchmen knew that ill-
ness prevented his " going to them," the surgeon visited
him, brought him provisions, and stopped with him for
a time ■' to attend to his duties." In fact, Marquette
says " they did and said everything that could be
expected of them." They "gave the Indians to under-
stand " that the cabin belonged to Marquette, and he
remained in it through the winter unmolested. When
the surgeon had finished his visit, Jacques accompanied
him to his wintering ground, and returned with more
provisions, sent by the Frenchmen to the sick priest.
Marquette, in turn, repaid their kindness by doing all
in his power to influence the Indians to deal fairly with
the traders, who, he says, "do not rob them (the Indians ,
in getting furs in the country, so great is the hardship
they experience in getting them." It is not probable
that these were the only traders in the country of the
Illinois at this time, or that they were the only ones who
had crossed the portage to the interior and returned,
bringing their furs to Lake Michigan in the spring,
when ready to embark for their trip to the St. Lawrence.
When Marquette went, in the spring, to the Kaskaskia
village, he met the "surgeon," on the way, coming up
the Desplaines with his furs, " but," he says, " the cold
being too severe for men who have to drag their canoe
through the water, he made a cache for his beaver,"
and turned back with Marouette toward the Kaskaskia
village.

Marquette continued sick in his cabin through the
winter of 1674-75. Toward spring, through the special
interposition of the lilessed Virgin, as he believed, his
sickness abated, anil before March he was able to leave
his cabin anil observe the peculiarities of the country.
In the latter part of March the Desplaines River broke
up and Hooded the prairie which formed the portage,
lie describes the situation thus :

" The north wind having prevented the thaw till the 25th ol
March, it began with a southerly wind. The next day game began
in appear ; we killed thirty wild pigeons, which I found better than

EARLY EXPI.f >RATI< >\S.

45

those below (Quebec), but smaller, both young and old. On the
2Sth the ice broke, and choked above us. On the 29th, the
water was so high that we had barely time to uncabin in haste,
put our things on trees, and try to find a place to sleep on
some hillock, the water gaining on us all night ; but having frozen
a little, and having fallen, as we were near our luggage, the dyke
burst, and ice went down ; and as the waters are again ascending
already, we are going to embark to continue our route."

The •' portage," where Marquette passed the winter
of 1674-75, and which he says, in his letter to Dablon,
is the same he crossed with Joliet, eighteen months be-
fore, "is described in a letter written by LaSalle to Fron-
tenac, which was published by Margry, in one of his
volumes, and republished in the Magazine of American
History. Joliet visited LaSalle at Fort Frontenac, on
his return to Canada from his Mississippi voyage, in the
spring of 1674, and at that time, it is presumed, told
LaSalle of the Checagou portage. LaSalle visited the
same place in January, 1682, and was detained there
several days by the snow. Joliet had affirmed, in a
communication to the authorities in Canada, that it
would be possible to go from Lake Erie to the Missis-
sippi " in boats," and, " by a very good navigation,"
saying that " there would be but one canal to make, by
cutting half a league of prairie to pass from the Lake of
the Illinois into St. Louis River,* which empties into
the Mississippi." LaSalle, on examining the place in
1682, did not believe the scheme practicable. He speaks
disdainfully of Joliet's "proposed ditch," and says he
" should not have made any mention of this communi-
cation " the canal spoken of , " if Joliet had not pro-
posed it without regard to its difficulties." He thus de-
scribes the portage mentioned by Joliet, which he calls
the " Portage of Checagou ":

" This is an isthmus of land at 41 degrees, 50 minutes north
latitude, at the west of the Islinois Lake, J which is reached by a
channel]: formed by the junction of several rivulets or meadow
ilitches. ft is navigable for about two leagues to the edge of the
prairie, a quarter of a mile westward. There is a little lake, di-
vided by a causeway, made by the beavers, about a league and a
half iong, from which runs a stream, which, after winding about
a half league through the rushes, empties into the river Checagou, §
and thence into that of the Illinois. This lake | is tilled by heavy
summer rains, or spring freshets, and discharges also into the
channel which leads to the lake of the Islinois, the level of which
is seven feet lower than the prairie on which the lake is. The
river of Checagou does the same thing in the spring when its
channel is full. It empties a part of its waters by this little lake
into that of the Islinois (Lake .Michigan), and at this season, Joliet
says, forms in the summer time a little channel for a quarter of a
league from this lake to the basin which leads to that of the Isli-
nois, by which vessels can enter the Checagou and descend to the
sea."

Marquette remained at the portage described above
until the 30th of March, when, as he relates, in the pas-
sage quoted from his journal, the south wind had caused
a thaw, the breaking up of the ice in the Desplaines, and
the flooding of the prairie portage. On the 30th, taking-
advantage of the high water, he had embarked probably
on Mud Lake) and had proceeded nine miles on his
journey by the 31st, and arrived at about the place
where he and Joliet were obliged to leave their canoes
and commence the portage in the fall of 1673, when the
water was low. St. Cosme, who passed to the Missis-
sippi by the portage of Checagou in October, 1699, gives
a similar account of the comparative length of the port-
age in spring and fall — nine miles in the fall and less
than a mile in the spring. He says-

* The Illinois, including the Desplaines.

t Lake Michigan.

X Our Chicago River. The Desplames or north branch of the Illinois, was
the Checagou River of the early writers, and is so laid down on their maps.
Later, both the Desplainesand Chicago were called the "Checagou."

§ Desplaines.

[Mud Lake. It is mentioned by nearly all the early writers who visited the
locality simply as the " little lake."

"We started from Chicago on the 29th, and put up f..r the
night about two leagues off, in the little river which is then lost
in the prairies. The next day we began the portage, which is
about three leagues long when the water is low, and only a quar-
ter of a league in tin- spring, lor you embark on a little lake that
empties into a branch* of the river of the Illinois ; but when the
waters are low you have to make a portage to that branch."

Marquette, as the waters were certainly high when
he started, must have embarked on this little lake " going
up" to the Desplaines, "without finding any portage,"
as the waters of that river through the lake spoken of,
were now rushing down to the Lake of Michigan. f The
distance of "half an arpent "J which they were obliged to
drag their canoes, might have been from the high ground
where they slept on the night of the 29th to the place
where they embarked on Mud Lake.

After having passed nine miles from the point
where he embarked, being then in the Desplaines, he
says : " Here we 1 Joliet and himself 1 began our portage
more than eighteen months ago." He was now in
what he justly called an " outlet " of the Illinois, for the
Desplaines was such in the spring until much later than
Marquette's time. He evidently knew also of the other
branch of the Illinois — the Teakikig of the Jesuits — by
which he could reach the St. Joseph and the lake — and
by which " outlet," as he calls it, he probably returned
to Mackinac.

Marquette was eleven days on his way to Kaskas-
kia village, arriving on the 8th of April. He was re-
ceived by the Indians " like an angel from heaven."
After preparing the minds of the chiefs for what he
wished to accomplish, he called a grand council of the
nation in the beautiful prairie near the town.|| Five
hundred chiefs and old men, and fifteen hundred youths
assembled, besides a great crowd of women and chil-
dren. He explained the object of his visit, preached to
them and said mass. Three days later, on Easter Sun-
day, the Indians again assembled on the prairie, when
Marquette again said mass before them, " took posses-
sion of that land in the name of Jesus Christ, and gave
this mission the name of the Immaculate Conception of
the Blessed Virgin."

His illness not permitting him to remain among the
Illinois, he soon left them to return to Michilimackinac,
promising to come again to the Illinois, or send another
to take his place. So much had he attached these sim-
ple Indians to himself, that a large number of the tribe
escorted him nearly a hundred miles on his return jour-
ney, or nearly to the point at which he wished to strike
Lake Michigan on his return to his mission, down the
eastern shore of the lake. Sick and weary when he
embarked, his strength rapidly failed as his journey was
continued, and on the 19th of May he felt that death
was near As he reached the mouth of a small river,
he requested his companions to land, and there in a hut
of bark, which they built for him, the good missionary
died that night. They dug a grave on the bank of the
river, and leaving him resting there, made their way to
the Mission of St. Ignace. In the winter of 1676, the
bones of Marquette were taken from the grave, by a
party of Kiskakin Indians, carefully placed in a box of
birch bark, and carried to St. Ignace, where they were
buried, with solemn ceremonies, beneath the floor of the
mission.

Doubtless the site of Chicago had been visited by

* The Desplaines.

+ In the spring flood of 1S40 the waters of the Desplaines were turned into
Mud Lake, and thence into the Chicago River, causing a terrific flood.

(A" woodland arpent," in France, contained an area of 6, 10S square yards—
alittle more than an English acre. The expression means that they dragged over
a small patch of ground, half an arpent ; equivalent to about an English half-
acre of ground.

« Kankakee.

II The town was near Utica, in laSalle County.

46

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Canadian voyageurs, and it may be that the more lawless
courier, De Bois, had also passed to the interior by this
route before Marquette and Joliet returned from their
expedition to the Mississippi, in the fall of 1673, and
for the first time gave to the world a written account of
the route from the Illinois River to Lake Michigan by
way of the Chicago portage.*

It has been related,! too. that Nicholas Perrot, in
the year 167 1. left Sauk Ste. Marie and visited " at Chi-
cago." "Tetenchoua." the principal chief of the Miamis,

* Prof. A. P. Hager, after long and car ful study, lias arrived at a con-
clusion in regard to the return route of Joliet and Marquette and the locality
where Marquette subsequently spent the "winter of 1674-75, essentially different
from that commonly received.' His views on the subject are given at length, in
succeeding pages of this work. The writers of this History have followed the
accepted theory of Shea. Parkman and other acknowledged authorities on early
Northwestern American history. They, however, acknowledge, by the inser-
tion of Mr. Hager' s article, both the merits of his argument, and their apprecia-
tion of the value of his new theory concerning the early settlement of the
Northwest

* Charlevoix.

wlm " never moved without a guard of forty warriors,
who kept watch, night and day, about his cabin." The
object of this visit of Perrot was to induce this power-
ful chief to enter into an alliance with the French.
Fathers Allouez and Dablon met this same " Teten-
choua," with three thousand braves, at a Mascoutin vil-
lage in Wisconsin, in 1674 — the Miamis and the Mas-
coutins having joined against their common enemy, the
Sioux.

On the death of Marquette, Father Claude Allouez
was appointed to the Illinois mission, to which he made
several visits ; the first in the spring of 1677, when he
was met by an Illinois chief and eighty Indians at the
mouth of the Chicago River, and conducted by them to
the Illinois village. The second was made in 1678,
when he remained until 1680. He again visited Chi-
cago in 1684, with Durantaye, and it was probably at this
time that the fort was built at Chicago bv the latter.

EARLY CHICAGO, AND THE NORTHWEST.

BY ALBERT I). HAGER,

In the interest of historical truth, the writer pre-
pared a paper which he read before the Chicago His-
torical Society, in June, 1880.

In that paper he attempted to show, among other
things, that Father Marquette was not the first white
man who visited the present site of Chicago, and that
the Miami Indians never made this site their home, as
has been usually asserted by those who have written
concerning early Chicago.

Additional testimony from the early explorers of
the Northwest, in connection with early maps, corrobor-
ated by official documents, will be here presented to
confirm the foregoing propositions and also to contro-
vert what the writer believes to be other erroneous state-
ments concerning Marquette and Joliet and the history
of the Northwest.

Nearly every writer, who alludes to early Chicago,
intimates that Marquette was the first white man who
navigated the Chicago River, and some assert that he
built a log cabin and was its " first civilized settler."

In none of Marquette's writings, nor on either of
his maps, does he use the word Chicago. Charlevoix, a
Jesuit priest, who visited the Northwest in i72i,wasthe
first writer to couple the names of Marquette and
Chicago. He says :* "On arriving at Chicagou, on Lake
Michigan, they separated. Father Marquette remained
among the Miamis, and Joliet went to Quebec. The
missionary was well received by the great chief of the
Miamis. He took up his abode in the chief town of these
Indians, and spent the last years of his life in announcing
Jesus Christ to them.

These statements were made from hearsay testi-
mony. He had not seen the manuscript journals of
Marquette. They were at that time in the Jesuit Col-
lege at Quebec. f The very modest and apparently
truthful records made in those journals by Marquette,
disprove every statement quoted from the writings of
Charlevoix, as will appear farther on. Joliet's journal
and map, made for the Government of France, were
lost, by the upsetting of his canoe in the rapids of the
St. Lawrence, just before reaching Montreal. Mar-
quette had died at the age of thirty-eight. His journal,

* Shea's Charlevoix, vol. ^, pp. 181-2.

♦ Dfgcovery aw\ Exploration -.f the Miasiflaippi Valley, p. 77.

01 a copy of it, and a map of the trip he made with
Joliet, were sent to France, but the Government took no
official action in relation to them. New explorations
were made not long after Marquette's death. Those
belonging to the order of Recollet missionaries were
" chosen almost always as chaplains to the troops and
forts, and were to be found at every French post. '*
They were " the fashionable confessors, and were sta-
tioned at trading points. In this way they became
involved in disputes, and, favored by and favoring Fron-
tenac, found themselves arrayed, in a manner, against the
rest of the clergy. A general charge, made about that
time, seems to have been, that the Jesuits had really
made no discoveries, and no progress in converting the
natives."! The Recollets were more " liberal " than the
Jesuits. A jealousy, and at times, it would seem, an
animosity, existed between them and the Jesuits. What
purported to be a published narrative of Marquette, by
M. Thevenot, in Paris, 1681, was " derided, called a
fable, or narrative of a pretended voyage," etc.J

In most, if not all the narratives made during the
forty years subsequent to Marquette's death, his name is
not mentioned except by Jesuits. Joliet is but occa-
sionally alluded to. Father Douay, a Recollet mission-
ary who accompanied LaSalle in 1687, says:

" It was at this place (Cape St. Anthony) only, and
not further, that the Sieur Joliet descended in 1673.
They were taken, with their whole party, in the Manso-
pela. These Indians having told them that they would
be killed if they went any farther, they turned back,
not having descended lower than thirty or forty leagues
below the mouth of the Illinois River. I had brought
with me the printed book of this pretended discovery,
and I remarked all along my route that there was not a
word of truth in it. "g

A copy of this " printed book " is in the library of
the Chicago Historical Society. It is entitled, " Receuil
de Voyages" in which there is a map of the Mississippi
Valley. The map is wonderfully accurate, considering
the circumstances under which it was made. It has
been suggested by some well informed historians, that
the map was not made by Marquette, but was the one
which Joliet drew from memory, and sent to the French
Government after he lost his originals. This seemed

* Discovery and Expl
t Ibid, p 80.
t Ibid, p. 76.
$ Ibid, pp. 222-3.

uppi Valley, p. 82

4*

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

quite plausible. It is quite unlike the map found with
Marquette's manuscript, a fac-simile of which was first
published by Mr. Shea, in 1852. The workmanship and
skill in drawing, exhibited in the former, is much super-
ior to that of the latter. The circumstances under
which they were drawn were probably very different.
Marquette was at the mission of St. Francis, near Green
Bay, thirteen months after making- the first trip before
he commenced the second. He had ample time to make
a finished map. The one copied by Mr. Shea, evidently
was, like his journal, unfinished, and made during his
journey.

The recent discovery of the original map of Joliet,
which Frontenac sent to the French Government, a fac-
simile of which may be seen in this book, settles the long-
vexed question, and reflects upon Marquette the honor
of being the author of the first published map of the
upper Mississippi Valley — the one here re-produced.
Mr. Jared Sparks regarded the map in Thevenot's book as
genuine. whether it were made by Joliet or Marquette, and
says : " It is valuable as confirming the genuineness of
the narrative. It was impossible to construct it without
having seen the principal objects delineated."*

It was not till about fifty years ago that the genuine-
ness of the narrative of Marquette, published by Theve-
not, was established, except as above suggested. In
the Hotel Dieu, at Quebec, thirty-seven pages of manu-
script were found, essentially the same as the published
narrative. By comparing these with the parish records
made by Marquette, at Boucherville, in 1668, their au-
thorship was established. With these manuscripts there
were twenty-three pages more of manuscript and a map
in the same hand-writing, that gave an unfinished account
of Marquette's last trip to the Illinois. Mr. Shea
published the latter in 1852. They will again be refer-
red to.

Father Marquette was a good, unselfish, truthful,
modest man. " He relates what occurs and describes
what he sees, without embellishment or display. He
writes as a scholar, and as a man of careful observation
and practical sense. There is no tendency to exaggerate
nor to magnify the difficulties he had to encounter, or
the importance of this discovery."! He had what might
seem a morbid desire to suffer privations and endure
hardships, and says he '' esteemed no happiness greater
than that of losing his life for the glory of Him who made
all."* He wished " to die m a wretched cabin amid the
-. destitute of all human aid."§ He was born in
France, and came to this country in 1668. The Most
Rev. Alexander Tache, the Archbishop of Manitoba,
and a great-grandson of Joliet, the discoverer, kindly
sent the writer a photographic copy of the first entrv
made by Marquette in this country, in the Boucherville,
Canada, Parish Records, May 20, 1668. It is now in
the library of tin- Chicago Historical Societv.

From Boucherville, or Quebec, Marquette was sent
> the mission on the south shore of Lake Superior. He
soon returned from thence to Sault Ste. Marie, where a
mission was established. This he soon left for La Pointe,
on Lake Superior, and from thence back u< Michilimacki-
In none of these missions did he seem contented,
nor were his labors attended with marked success. Dur-
ing his seven years' residence in this country, unfavor-
able cir - and ill health seemed to wither his
is good intention^. The last entry he
1:1 his journal after finishing his journey with
Joliet, is more despondent than assuring. He says :

-.V» life <<t Mar-

• rk«-«i Life of Marquette, p. . .

" Had all this voyage caused but the salvation of a
single soul, I should deem all my fatigue well repaid.
Anil ibis I have reason to think, for, when I was return-
ing, I passed by the Indians of Peoria ; 1 was three days
announcing the faith in all their cabins, after which, as
we were embarking, they brought me, on the water's
edge, a dying child, which I baptized a little before it
expired, by an admirable Providence for the salvation of
that innocent soul."*

The journals of Marquette have internal evidence of
being more truthful and reliable than the writings of
most of the other missionaries and explorers of the North-
west. The latter abound in self-praise, exaggeration and
evident misstatements. Some of the writers, as has been
well said, " seem to tell the truth by accident, and fic-
tion by inclination, "J

Marquette's journals and official documents, when
obtainable, will therefore be used to corroborate doubt-
ful statements or establish historical facts for this
paper.

It would be a difficult task, if not impossible, to de-
termine who was the first civilized explorer of the North-
west and the discoverer of the Mississippi Valley. In
1541, De Soto crossed the Mississippi above the mouth
of the Arkansas, and in 1543, his successor, Moscoso,
sailed down the great river to the opening gulf.J

In 1639, Sieur Nicolet, after having spent ten years
of his life with the Indians, visited the Winnebagoes, who
then resided on and near Winnebago Lake and Fox
River, Wisconsin, and " reached the waters of the Mis-
sissippi."g

On a map in Jeffery's " Natural and Civil History
of the French Dominions in North and South America,"
published in London, 1 761, it is said: " The Ohio coun-
try was known early to the English, and thoroughly dis-
covered beyond the Mississippi by Colonel Wood, from
1654 to 1664, as also by Captain Bott, in 1670." The
writer has found no contemporaneous evidence that cor-
roborates these statements.

In the vear 1670, Father Allouez visited the Winne-
bagoes and Mascoutins, and says the Mascoutins saw
upon the Mississippi River " men like the French, who
were splitting trees with long knives [whip saws ?': some
of whom had their house vessel?' on the water. |

The first official action towards discovery and the
establishment of the French Government over the North-
west, of which there is a record, known to the writer,
was in 1670. M. Talon, the Intendant of New France,
in his report to the King, dated at Quebec, September 10,
1670, says: " I have dispatched persons of reputation,
who promise to penetrate farther than ever has been
done : the one to the west and the northwest of Canada,
and the others to the southwest and south. These
adventurers are to keep journals, take possession, dis-
play the King's arms, and draw up proces verbaux to
serve as title, "^f

Under date of November 2, 1671, he reports to the
King as follows : " Sieur de la Salle has not returned
from his journey to the southward of this country. But
Sieur de Lusson is returned, after having advanced as
far as five hundred leagues** from here, and planted
the cross and set up the King's arms in presence of
seventeen Indian nations, assembled, on this occasion,
from all parts ; all of whom voluntarily submitted them-

* Disc. Miss. Valley, pp. 51-52.

f Ibid, p. 49.

; Hisi Col., vol. 2. p. 108.

§ I Mm. Mis.. Val. p. .•!-. K.I. 1639, p. 135.

Ihid, p. 27; Rel. 1670-71, p. 172.

• I n m h Doc., V N . Col., vol. 9, p. 44.

** France had. until the introduction of the metric system, the "legal
posting-league,'1 eaual t" two and forty-two hundredths English miles. (Cbam-
bei Encyi lopedia.

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A

Joliet's Map of Nf.w France (1674).— Gabriel Gravier, President de ta Societe Normande de Geogmp/ne, who f
earliest map, drawn by him at Montreal directly after his return from his Mississippi voyage. It was dedicated to Frontenac, ti-
the territory between the Wisconsin and Illinois rivers— all complimentary to Canadian authorities — indicate that it was the one
A map bearing similar names to the above is mentioned by Parkman Appendix to Discovery of the Great West, p. 410), as bei

* *

* *> a

& sok®

• \*1 * $ ^ v * * & * i 4

A*"ft ' c-<! H $ #

^ 0 ' )

(J? I *

published a /a: kW/« of the original map in the French Geographical Review of February, iSSo, believes this to be Joliet's
Governor of New France, and the names, Bnade, given to the Mississippi, Outrdaise, to the Illinois, and La Frontenacie, to

st presented to Frontenac. Joliet's later maps are dedicated to Colbert, and in them the Mississippi is named in his honor.

the work of Raudin, Count Frontenac's engineer.

EARLY CHICAGO AND THE NORTHWEST.

49

selves to the dominion of his Majesty, whom alone they
regard as their sovereign protector." *

The principal speaker at this convention, held June
4, 167 1, was Father Allouez, a Jesuit missionary, who
had a knowledge of the Algonquin language. He was
not exempt from exaggeration, as will be seen in his
speech, which, in part, was as follows :f

" It is a good work, my brothers, an important work, a great
work that brings us together in council to-day. Look up at the
cross which rises so high above our heads. It was there that Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, after making himself a man for the love of
men. was nailed, and died to satisfy his eternal Father for our sins.
He is the master of our lives; the ruler of heaven, earth and hell.
It is he of whom I am continually speaking to you, and whose name
and words I have borne through all your country. But look at this
post to which are fixed the arms of the great chief of France, whom
we call King — he lives across the sea. He is the chief of the great-
est chiefs; and has no equal on earth. All the chiefs whom you
have ever seen are but children beside him. He is like a great
tree, and they are but the little herbs that one walks over and tramples
under foot. You know Onontio, that famous chief (governor) at
Quebec. You know, and you have seen, that he is the terror of the
Iroquois, and that his very name makes them tremble since he has
laid their country waste and burned their towns with fire. Across
the sea there are ten thousand Onontios like him, who are but the
warriors of our great King, of whom I have told you. When he
says ' I am going to war,' everybody obeys his orders, and each of
these ten thousand chiefs raises a troop of a hundred warriors, some
on sea and some on land. Some embark in great ships, such as you
have seen at Quebec. Your canoes carry only four or five men, or,
at the most, ten or twelve; but our ships carry four or five hundred,
and sometimes a thousand. Others go to war by land and in such
numbers that if they stood in a double file they would reach from
here to Mississaquenk, which is more than twenty leagues off. When
our King attacks his enemies he is more terrible than the thunder;
the earth trembles; the air and the sea are all on fire with the blaze of
his cannon; he is seen in the midst of his warriors, covered over
with the blood of his enemies, whom he kills in such numbers that
he does not reckon them by the scalps, but by the streams of blood
which he causes to flow. He takes so many prisoners that he holds
them in no account, but lets them go where they will, to show that
he is not afraid of them. But now nobody dares make war on him.
All the nations beyond the sea have submitted to him, and begged
humbly for peace. Men come from every quarter of the earth to
listen to him and admire him. All that is done in the world is de-
cided by him alone."

In this same strain much more was said by the mis-
sionary, and no wonder the confiding and uncivilized
Indians " voluntarily submitted themselves " to such a
powerful sovereign who, they hoped, would protect them
from the Iroquois, whom they so much feared. Nicholas
Perrot was the person who invited the various tribes to
the convention. He was well known to the Indians.
He was a fur-trader, interpreter for the government, and
the discoverer of the lead mines at Galena.

Charlevoix, corroborated by others, says: "In 167 1,
after having visited all the northern nations" and "in-
vited them to meet in the following spring at Sault Ste.
Marie * * * he iTerrot"; turned south and went to
Chicago at the lower end of Lake Michigan where the
Miamis then were." The Miamis were invited to attend,
but the great age of their chief, Tetenchoua, and the
fear that a fatal accident might befall him, in case he
left his home, and who " never marched except with a
guard of forty soldiers," the invitation was declined.
The Pottawatomies, were, however, empowered to act
in behalf of the Miamis. Particular allusion is made to
this trip of Perrot " to Chicago at the lower end of Lake
Michigan where the Miamis are," in order to announce
the proposition that the, Chicago there spoken of and the
one subsequently alluded to by early writers, as the home
of the Miamis, did not embrace the present site of Chi-
cago. Chicago was a name applied to a tract of coun-
try at the south end of Lake Michigan. It nowhere has
been found by the writer located by the early writers

* N. Y. Col., vol. 9, p. 72.

t Parkman's Dis. Northwest, p, 44.

upon the west side. In these investigations it will be
shown that at least three streams bore the name of Chi-
cago in some of its varied spellings, viz: the St. Joseph,
the Grand Calumet and the Desplaines. Coxe, in his
History of Louisiana, calls the Illinois the river Checa-
gou.

The early writers often speak of the Miamis at
Chicago. Many old maps have been examined by the
writer, but not one indicates that the Miamis ever
resided where Chicago now is. On the contrary, the
Mascoutins are shown to have been there, and the
Miamis were invariably located on the Fox River, in
Wisconsin, or at the southeast of Lake Michigan, on the
St. Joseph, Wabash and Mattmee rivers. The latter
name, a synonym of Miami, was formerly called the
Miami River of Lake Erie, and the St. Joseph was fre-
quently called the river of the Miamis. Le Clercq says :
"The Miamis in 1680: are situated south by east of
the bottom of Lake Dauphin Michigan , on the borders
of a pretty fine river, about fifteen leagues inland, at
41° north latitude."

On an old French map, now in the archives at Paris,
and lately produced by M. Margry, bearing date of
1679-82* the Miamis are located southeast of Lac de
Illinois Michigan', on the R. des Miamis (St. Joseph .

And while referring to this map it will be seen that
a stream occupying the geographical position of the
Grand Calumet, and emptying into the extreme south
end of Lake Michigan, bears the name of R. Chekagoue.
This is probably the earliest map upon which a river is
named Chekagoue, and this stream was doubtless the
western boundary of the lands of the Miamis, J and was
the Chicago alluded to by Little Turtle in his speech of
July 22, 1 795. 1 It will be seen by further examination
of this map, made a short time after Marquette's death,
that seven streams enter the lake from the west, but
none have the north and south branches peculiar to the
Chicago River, and only one of them bears a name, the
Melico Milwaukee .

If further proof were necessary to show that the
Miamis were located at the south and southeast of the
lake, and not at the present site of Chicago, the follow-
ing maps might be cited : La Hontan, Paris, 1703 ; J.
B. Hofmann, Paris, 1702 ; G. Del Isle, Paris, 1700 and
1703-18-22; Senex, 1710; Nicholas de Fer, Paris,
1718-26; I. F. Bernard, Paris, 1726; Sir D'Anville,
Paris, 1746 ; Sieur Robert de Vaugondy, Paris, 1753 ;
Jeffery's from D'Anville, London, 1755 ; Bellin, Paris,
1755 ; Sieur LeRouge, Paris, 1755 • Sanson, 1764 ; Fad-
den's Atlas, London, 1767 ; Sayer cS: Bennet, London,
1790; Samuel Lewis, Philadelphia, 1776.

By referring to the Marquette map published by
Thevenot, it will be seen that dotted lines indicate the
route taken by Joliet and Marquette. It is thought by
some that these are not properly laid down, especially
the one leading from the villages of the Illinois to the
Mississippi. Some think the Illinois Indians were on
the Des Moines River near Des Moines, Iowa, and not
on the Illinois River in the south part of Bureau and
LaSalle counties, 111. It is said the latter points are too
far from the Mississippi River for men to go and return
again in five days. From Keokuk, the nearest point on
the Mississippi, to Des Moines is one hundred and
sixty-two miles. From Davenport to Des Moines, in a
nearly due west course it is one hundred and seventy-

* See map elsewhere in this volume, from Margry 's vol. 3.

t Sir William Johnson, in his reports to the Lords of Trade, under date of
November 13, 1763, in describing the western boundary of the Iroquois, including
the territory of the Miamis, says: "* * To the Ohio above the Rifts, thence
northerly to the south end of' Lake Michigan, then along the eastern shore of
said lake," etc. London documents N. Y. Col. vol. 71, 573.

X Am. State papers, vol. 5, p. 570.

5°

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

five miles. By railroad from Port Byron on the Mis-
sissippi River, to Bureau Junction on the Illinois, is
sixty-one miles, and to Utica it is eighty-one miles. In
Marquette's journal, on the 25th of June, he speaks of
leaving the Mississippi River and going to the villages
of " the Illinois." who at once recognized them, and ex-
claimed. " How beautiful is the sun, oh Frenchman.
when thou comest to visit us."*

Thev were invited to visit " the great Sachem of the
Illinois." He " went with a good retinue," the Indians
following •• without noise, and with marks of great res-
pect " entertained for the two men. They arrived at the
town, where they were cordially received, and sumptu-
ously treated. When night came he "slept in the
Sachem's cabin." and the next day took leave of him,
" promising to pass back through his town in four
moons.'T They were escorted back to the Mississippi
by the Sachem and " nearly six hundred persons," to
where they had left their canoes with the boatmen, with
strict instructions to keep careful watch of them until
their return. This return route is marked by a dotted
line, " Chonin du retour " from the " CachouachSia,
Illinois " to the river. Marquette says, " The short stay
I made them did not permit me to acquire all the infor-
mation I would have desired. \ They were divided into
several villages, some of which are quite distant from
that of which I speak, and which is called Peouare."§
This village is on the west of the Mississippi River, and
is " distant a hundred leagues from the Cascasquias."||-

From the foregoing, it would seem that Marquette
visited "the Illinois Indians " upon the river which re-
ceived its name from them. He did not make a false
promise to them to " return to their town again in four
moons," After having descended the Mississippi to the
mouth of the Arkansas, and " having gathered all the
information that could be desired from the expedition "
— that is, " to ascertain where the river emptied," they
started on their return, July 17, 1673. In pursuance of
the promise to the Illinois, they entered the river of the
Illinois, upon the banks of which they lived. They found
there the town of Kaskaskia,-' composed of seventy four
cabins. After Marquette had again promised to " re-
turn and instruct them," he says, " One of the chiefs of
this tribe, with his young men, escorted us to the Illi-
nois Lake, whence we at last returned in the close of
September to the bay of the Fetid Green Bay.

A dotted line from the Illinois town to the lake,
shows that they entered the latter between 400 and 410
north latitude, which would be at or near the south end
of the lake. The court house in Chicago, three blocks
south of Chicago River, is in latitude 410 26'. It will
be seen by referring to the map, that an inland bay or
lake is shown upon it just north of the route they took.
This is probably Calumet Lake. Reasons for this con-
clusion will be given further on.

Marquette returned to the Mission near Green Bay,
having in about four months and a haL* traveled, as esti-
mated two thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven
miles.** It was a hard journey. From his second jour-
nal it appears that ill health detained him at that mission

• Due M --. Riv., p. 22; Thevenot, p. 18.
t Ibid, p. 28

t They were abv-nt from the !>i '" the 30th inclusive.

(Ibid. p. . :.. ! 1 ; Thevenot, p. 21.)

§ In 'J'hevcnot's publication, >Iarquettc Bays, 'p. 29, Hist. Col. La. 288,)

he Illinois) are divided into several villages, some of which I ha.e not

ley live so remote from other nations that their language is entirely

different. They call themselves Perouarca. Their language is a dialect ol 1 1 1 ■

Algonquin/' On toe west of the Mississippi is the word Peianea. On his last

map. near the same place, it is written Pc8arca.

■ P 32.

• tten CachouachSia on his first map in Thevenot. and Kachkaskia on

dian town :s not the Kaskaskia of later date, situated
on the Mississippi River.

•» Sparks's Life of Marquette.

thirteen months. On the 25th of October, 1674, he
started with two boatmen to return to the Illinois Indians,
with the hope of establishing a mission there. His jour-
nal will be often referred to in order to determine the
route which he took. From the 25th to the 30th of
October, they were going from the mission to Lake
Michigan zwaSturgeon Bay. They overtook five canoes
of Pottawatomies and four of Illinois Indians, who were
on their way to Kaskaskia, the place to which Marquette
was going. They agreed to make the journey together.

Marquette had traveled the route but once. The In-
dians were probably well acquainted with it and knew
all the good stopping-places along the west shore of the
lake.

We will carefully review the route Marquette took
and, if possible, determine where his stopping-places
were. He had reached Lake Michigan at a point oppo-
site Sturgeon Bay — where there is now a ship canal.
He says, in his journal : " You meet eight or ten pretty
fine rivers." We will name those that enter the lake
from the west, commencing at the north, and give the
distances between each as fo'lows : From starting
point to Kewane River, twenty-four miles ; Twin River,
twenty-one ; Manitowoc, five ; Sheboygan, twenty- five ;
Black Creek, four ; Sauk Creek (Port Washington),
twenty ; Milwaukee, twenty-four ; Oak Creek, ten ;
Root River, (Racine), thirteen ; Pike River, ten ; Pike
Creek ,'Kenosha',, one, and a very small creek at Wau-
kegan fifteen miles. From Waukegan to Chicago, a dis-
tance of thirty-six miles, no river enters the lake. Lake
Bluff — probably " the bluffs " spoken of in Marquette's
journal — is thirty miles north of Chicago. The entire
distance between the points named is two hundred and
eight miles. From Marquette's journal, it appears that
he was traveling on the lake about nine days. This
would make an average of twenty-three and one-ninth
miles per day.

He started on the lake, October 31, 1674, and says :
" We started with pretty fair weather and stopped for
the night at a little river." We assume that little river
to be the Kewane, twenty-four miles south of where they
started.

November 1, he says : " We halted at night at a river
from which a fine road leads to the Pottawatomies."
Marquette locates the Pottawatomies southeast of the
head of Green Bay. The west branch of Twin River
rises in Brown County, Wisconsin, less than three miles
from the head of the bay, and hence it is assumed that
the river at the mouth of which he encamped was Twin
River, which is twenty-one miles from the mouth of
Kewane River. Thus in two days, they traveled forty-
five miles.

November 2, he says : " We traveled all day with
fair weather." He does not speak of encamping at a
river and probably, did not.

November 3, he says : " As I was on land walking,
coming to a river which I could not cross, our people
put in to take me on board, but we could not get out
again on account of the swell. All the other canoes
went on except the one that came with us."

We will assume that this was the Sheboygan River —
too deep to ford, and thirty miles from Twin River.
He was detained here till the 5th. On that day he
says : " We had hard work to get out of the river. At
noon we found the Indians in a river." We are not
sure what this river was ; whether Black Creek, a small
stream in Sheboygan County, or Sauk Creek, in Ozau-
kee County ; the latter being tweaty-four miles, and
Black Creek not to exceed five miles from the mouth of
the Sheboygan. If the Indians stopped at the first

EARLY CHICAGO AND THE NORTHWEST.

5i

stream they reached after Marquette's boat left them,
and waited for Marquette to overtake them, it would
have been Black Creek. This seems probable, as they
had agreed to go on together.

On the 6th, he says : " We made a good day's
travel," but probably did not encamp at the mouth of a
river. They found " foot-prints of men, which obliged
us to stop next day" — probably for two days, as no
entry is made on the 8th.

On the 9th, he says : " We landed at two o'clock,
on account of the fine cabinage. We were detained
here five days." This is assumed to be at Milwaukee,
which is twenty-four miles from the mouth of Sauk
Creek, and about forty-four miles from Black Creek —
reached in about one and a half days' travel.

On the 15th, he says : " After traveling sufficiently,
we cabined in a beautiful spot, where we were detained
three days." This may have been at Root River
;Racine\ twenty-three miles, or at Pike River, thirty-
three miles south of Milwaukee — probably the former
place.

On the 20th, he says : " We slept at the bluffs, cab-
ined poorly enough." It is assumed that
this was at what is now " Lake Bluff,"
thirty miles north of Chicago, thirty miles
from Racine, and twenty miles from the
mouth of Pike River. These are the only
noticeable bluffs on the west side of the
lake, except those above Milwaukee. He
says : " We are detained two days and a
half. Pierre going into the woods, finds
the prairie twenty leagues from the port-
age. He also passed by a beautiful canal,
vaulted, as it were, about as high as a
man. There was a foot of water in it." By
going west from the shore at Lake Bluff,
some five or six miles, the great prairie,
that extends south to Calumet River and
the Desplaines, is reached. No prairie is
found on the west of the bluffs above Mil-
waukee, or at any bluffs on the west shore
of the lake, except those mentioned. The
succeeding entry in Marquette's journal
suggests that the Milwaukee bluffs were
not alluded to, when he says : "Having
started about noon, we had hard enough
work to make a river." Had it been
those above Milwaukee, it would not have
been a hard task to reach Milwaukee River, within five
miles of them, or even Oak Creek, ten miles further
south. On the other hand, it would have been a hard
afternoon's work to row the canoe thirty miles. Not a
creek enters the lake, between the bluffs and Chicago.
Such a half day's journey deserved a notice in his
journal. On the 21st of November, 1674, he says:
"We are detained here [at the mouth of Chicago River,
probably,] three days. An Indian having discovered
some cabins, came to tell us. Jacques went with him
there the next day. Two hunters also came to see me.
They were Mascoutins, to the numbers of eight or nine
cabins." On many of the old maps, the Mascoutins
are located west of where Chicago now is. Marquette
says : " Having been detained by the wind, we remarked
that there were large sand-banks off the shore, on which
the waves broke continually." By reference to early
maps of Chicago, it will be seen that Chicago River
took a short turn just before reaching the lake, and its
mouth was about one-fourth mile further south, at, or
near, what is now the foot of Madison Street. No
entries are made between the 21st and 27th.

On the 27th, he says: "We had hard enough work
to get out of the river." It is well known that the river
had a wide mouth, and a sand-bar crossed it, so that it
was oftentimes difficult to "cross the bar."*

He continues by saying: " Having made about three
leagues" .seven and one-fourth miles, "we found the
Indians" (of their party, and also met "three Indians,
who had come from the village." They were detained
there by the wind the remainder of the month. He does
not speak of being at the mouth of a river. There is
none after leaving Chicago, for the distance of twelve
miles, when the Little Calumet River is reached.

On the 1st of December the only entry made is,
" We went ahead of the Indians so as to be able to say
mass." No entry is made on the 2d. On the 3d he
writes: " Having said mass and embarked, we were com-
pelled to make a point and land, on account of the fog."
He seems to be making very slow progress.

On the 4th, he says: " We started well to reach Port-
age [Little Calumet] River, which was frozen half a foot
thick." No entry is made in his journal from the 4th to
the 1 2th. On the latter dav he writes: "As thev be-

SECTION OF CAREY S MAP.

(1801.)

gan to draw [their boats on the ice] to get to the port-
age, the Illinois having left, the Pottawatomies arrived
[at the portage] with much difficulty." On the 4th,
he savs: " Being cabined near the portagef two leagues
up the river we resolved to winter there, on my ina-
bility to go further." This would take him up the Lit-
tle Calumet to " Indian Ridge " and near Calumet Lake.
" Being cabined near the portage " "two leagues up
Portage River " and subsequently, after making a port-
age and going up another river three leagues " without
finding any portage," suggests that there were two port-
ages, and therefore there must have been three distinct
streams or bodies of water on which he traveled. Now
it is assumed that these were the Little Calumet, the
Grand Calumet and the Desplaines rivers. From the
Little to the Grand Calumet there was a portage of
about one mile, and from the Grand Calumet, in those
days, the route was up the Grand Calumet to Stony

* Major S. H. Long, who visited Chicago in 1823, says: " The extent of the
sand-banks which are found on the eastern and southern shore by prevailing
north and northwesterly winds, will prevent any important works from being
undertaken to improve the post at Chicago." (Long's Exped. to St. Peters
River, vol 1, p. 165.)

t From the Little to the Crand Calumet, as will be shown presently.

5-

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO

Brook near Blue Island, then up Stony Brook to the
Desplaines River, and probably by way of the " Sag " —
an old river bed or slough that extends nearly the entire
distance front Stony Brook to the Desplaines, and
through which the " Feeder" now runs from the Calu-
met to supply water for the Illinois and Michigan Canal.
On the old maps prior to 1800 there were repre-
sented two distinct rivers, the Grand and Little Killi-
rnick. The Grand Calumet Killimick' took its rise
near La Porte, Indiana, and ran a westerly course to
near Blue Island, about forty-two miles, then turning
north and receiving from the west a tributary, Stony
Brook, it turned nearly east and running nearly paral-
lel with itself, in an opposite direction, and about three

, MORSE S MAP

miles distant see Morse's and Carey's maps' it entered
Lake Michigan at its extreme southern limit — near
what is now the northeastern corner of Lake County,
Indiana. At the mouth of this stream " Indiana City "
was " founded." To-day the mouth is closed by drift-
ing sands. The Grand Calumet has no outlet there ex-
cept in high water. "Indiana City" is a thing of the
past. There was also a Little Calumet. It was simply
an outlet of Calumet and 'Wolf lakes, only about six
miles in length. There is now but one Calumet river.
Among the old papers of General Hull, who was
stationed at Detroit from 1805 to 1812, his grandson, the
late William H. Clark, of this city, found a manuscript
map — a fac-simile of which is published here — on which
the Grand and Little Killamick are delineated with a
straight line uniting them, on which the word " Canal "
is written ; as though the two rivers were thus united.
The writer has visited the two streams and the " canal,"
and carefully examined them. The former are wide,
and as a rule, very shallow near the banks, and in them
is an abundance of aquatic vegetation, such as pond
lilies, lotuses, water-grass, moss, etc. On the banks of

what was the Grand Calumet there is a heavy growth of
wood and underbrush on each side from where the
" canal " leads from it. The " canal," which is about one
mile in length, and much narrower than either stream,
has abrupt banks, which appear to be washed wider each
year. The boatman who took the writer over these
streams was a hunter and fisherman, and had fished in
them for over twenty-five years. He said the "canal" was
much wider than when he first saw it. On the bottom
of it there is neither lily, lotus nor water-grass visible its
entire length. There are no trees or underbrush on its
banks. It has all the appearance of being a new stream.
All the water from the Grand Calumet now runs through
this new stream, or "canal," into the Little Calumet, reach-
ing the latter stream not
far from the outlet of Cal-
umet Lake. The slough,
or old river bed, of what
was once the Grand Cal-
umet, east of this "canal,"
in times of high water, has
a current from the east
that finds an outlet
through the " canal " and
the Little Calumet. It is
not definitely known who
made this " canal." It
may have been cut
through by .the water,
without the aid of man.
It is the nearest point
between these streams,
and may have been the
portage, over which loads
of furs and boats were
dragged. This travel
may have killed the
grass, and thus in high
water afforded it a chance
to cut a channel in this
road between the high
grass on either side. The
banks of what was the
Grand Calumet are sev-
eral feet higher than
those of the Little Cal-
umet where the "canal"
enters it. About the year
1800 many canals were projected in the United States,
and some were made. Possibly this was the one referred
to by Major Long in his report to the Secretary of War,
wherein he says : " The Chicago and Desplaines rivers
are connected by means of a kind of canal, which has
been made partly by the current of the water and partly
by the French and Indians, for the purpose of getting
their boats across in that direction in time of high
water." There does not appear to have been any such
canal made at the place named, and possibly it may re-
fer to the " canal " under consideration. The influx of
a body of water like the Grand Calumet into the Little
Calumet and at nearly right angles with the stream,
would be likely to produce changes in the latter stream.
It has done so. The northern bank has been encroached
upon, and the river-bed is moving north. Again, there
i> a much greater volume of water than before. The
outlet from Wolf Lake was formerly into the Little
Calumet. The bed is still visible. Gurdon S. Hubbard,
now living, subsequently to 1819 was having boats loaded
with furs and merchandise, drawn up by men along the
lake shore, when they were surprised to find that a " new

EARLY CHICAGO AND THE NORTHWES'

5.5

river "had been made to enter the lake, which was so
deep and the sides so steep that they could not cross it.
It was an outlet from Wolf Lake. Colonel Hubbard
speaks positively on this point, and says he knows there
was no river there before the spring of that year, as he
had previously passed over the ground. Major Long,
in speaking of his journey on the lake shore, from the
" BigCalamick "to the " Little Calamick," says: "There
are near to this place two streams, one of which, named
Pine River, was opened last year ^1822; ; the other was
formed a short time before."*

The excess of the water in the Little Calumet had

Schoolcraft's map a portage is marked from Chicago to
the Desplaines River, also from Milwaukee to Rock
River. But up to the time of the cutting through ol
the canal, portages marked on the old maps are at the
south or extreme southwest end of Lake Michigan.
For evidence of this see Le Hontan s, Du Pratz's and
other maps.

The last map of Marquette's suggests that the route
was from the southwest corner of the lake, and from
the fact that his line is continuous and nearly straight
from the lake to the Illinois, it suggests that the 'sag "
was then filled with water and there was a nearly con-

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OF THE COI'NTIT

,m LduMuU.™ to tl* I Urn™ Rive
I"r°m U. P«r«>, of Gen. W» Hull
GovC ol WMMiu. S".» AooS to Vb\t

evidently stopped the outflow, and raised the volume in
Wolf Lake. The " new rivers ' were the results. By
the abrupt turning of the Grand Calumet, about sixteen
miles from its mouth, so that its waters reached the lake
nearer than they would have done by following its
original channel, the country above the outlet would, in
a measure, become drained, and the mean height of the
water in the stream be less than it was before such diver-
sion was made. Stony Brook would be affected by the
change, and the part of the stream that once filled the
" sag '" would be drained off. The length of the port-
age would be increased. This was probably the case,
for since about the time of the opening of the " canal '
— probably about 1800 — the line of travel was changed,
and the Chicago River was the route usually taken after
that date. Major Long, Mr. Schoolcraft and others of
their time went by way of the South Branch of the
Chicago River ; and thence to the Desplaines. On

* Major Long's Second Expedition, vol. I. p. 159.

tinuous water communication after he had " dragged
half an arpent "and entered the Grand Calumet. He
represents several streams on the west side of the lake,
but not one of them has the peculiar north and south
"branches" of Chicago River. Nor does the one
from the southwest end of the lake have any branches.
Chicago River is peculiar in this respect. It does not
exceed a mile in length. The two branches extend for
miles north and south of the forks.

By referring to the first map of Marquette, it will be
seen that the 'portage" there marked is between two
streams, both of which rnn in a southerly direction — the
Desplaines and Stony Brook. In some old maps the
portage between the Desplaines and the forked Chicago
River is from the North Branch of the latter.* It would
seems from this that the portage was not from the Chi-
cago River of a later date, for that was made from the

?e Sir Robert D. Vagondy, Map of 1
e shown at the southwest part of
map of 1725.

where the " B. & P. de C
lake ; Mitchell's of I75S;

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

South Branch. It would seem more probable that the
forked river was the Calumet and Stony Brook. The
portage from the South Branch of the Chicago River to
the Desplaines, which some claim was the route of Mar-
quette, would be between that stream, which runs north-

SECTIOX OF LA HONTAN S MAP OF 1703.

erlv, and the Desplaines, which runs in an opposite
direction.

We will now return again to Marquette where we
left him in his little cabin on the Little Calumet, near
the portage. During his sojourn he saw many Indians
passing his cabin. On the 30th of December, 1674, he
savs : •' Jacques arrived from the Illinois village, which
is only six leagues from here, where they are starving."

The next entry is made January 16, 1675. It ap-
pears that about eighteen leagues distant some French-
men resided, and one of them was a surgeon, who vis-
ited Marquette. "An Indian came and brought whortle-
berries and bread, for the men to eat. Jacques return-
ed with the surgeon, and went on to the village of the
Illinois which was about five miles beyond that of the
French." On the 24th he says : " Jacques returned with
a bag of corn and other refreshments that the French
had given him for me. " 26th. Three Illinois brought
us from the head men [of the Illinois] two bags of corn,
some dried meat, squashes and twelve beavers. * * *
They had come twenty leagues." On the 20th of Feb-
ruary he writes : " We had time to observe the tide
which comes from the lake, rising and falling, although
there appears no shelter on the lake. We saw the ice
go against the wind." These phenomena must have
been witnessed by him from his cabin, as he looked to
the west upon the Calumet lake. It was not upon Lake
Michigan, for he was two leagues up the river and con-
fined by sickness. He had previously spoken of tides
in other inland bodies of water he had visited He was
of opinion that there were tides in the lakes.

" On the 28th [March] the ice broke and choked
above us. On the 29th the water was so high that we
had barely time to uncabin in haste, put our things on
trees and try to find a place to sleep on some hillock,
the water gaining on us all night; but having frozen a
little, and having fallen a little, * * * we are going
to embark to continue our route. '

"31. Having started yesterday we made three
leagues on the river, going up [on Granc' Calumet and
Stony Brook] without finding any portage. We dragged
for half an arpent " [from the Little to reach the Grand
Calumet]. ''Besides this outlet" [to Lake Michigan
the route they went] " the river has another [outlet] by
which we must descend." The Grand Calumet then
emptied into the extreme south end of Lake Michigan.
He probably did descend that stream, and finding him-
self so far east he chose to go back to Michilimackinac
by an unknown route along the east shore of the lake,
rather than turn and go up the west side over a portion
of the way he had previously traveled. Had this trip
been by way of what is now known as Chicago River,
it is not probable that he would have turned to the
south upon entering the lake and gone by an unknown
route, when his point of destination was to the north,
over a route, which he had previously traveled. And
that he and Joliet took the same route from the Des-
plaines by way of what is now called " the Sag " and
down Stony Brook to the Calumet, is evidenced by the
following entry in his journal : " Here [on the east side
of the Desplaines] we began our portage, more than
eighteen months ago." April 1, he is detained at the
same place " by a strong south wind." " We hope to-
morrow to reach the spot where the French are, fifteen
leagues from here." The strong south wind would im-
pede his progress down the Desplaines River.

" 6. The high winds and cold prevent us from pro-
ceeding. The two lakes [Michigan and Calumet] by
which we have passed are full of bustards, geese, ducks
cranes and other birds that we do not know. We have
just met the surgeon, with an Indian, going up with a
canoe load of furs ; but the cold being too severe for
men who have to drag their canoes through the water,
he has just made a cache of his beaver, and goes to
the village [the French village where the surgeon lived]
with us to-morrow." It was on this day, the 6th of
April, 1675, that Marquette made his last entry in his
journal. It is said by some writers, that he reached the
town of Kaskaskia on the 8th of April, and after having
several times assembled the chiefs of the nation, he
took possession of that land in the name of Jesus
Christ, and gave the name of the Immaculate Concep-
tion of the Blessed Yirgin, to a mission, which he estab-
lished there. Now this may all be true, but it looks as
though a fancy sketch had found its way into sober his-
tory. Marquette made no mention of any such event.
If he had been able to collect the different tribes and
found a mission, it is likely he would have made men-
tion of it. In just forty-two days after he made his last
entrv, he died, at the mouth of the Marquette River,
upon the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan. In
that time, he had traveled from the Desplaines River to
the Illinois town, and from thence, back to and down
to the mouth of the Grand Calumet, and thence up the
east side of the lake to the place of his death — where
Ludington now is — a journey of at least four hundred
and forty-five miles. Allouez went to " Kachkachkia "
in 1676, and again 1677. In his journal he says :*

"In spite of uur efforts to hasten on, it was the 27th of April
□Wore I reached Kachkachkia, a large Illinois town. I immedi-
ately entered the cabin where Father Marquette had lodged, and
the Sachems, with all the people, being assembled, I told them the
object of my coming among them, namely, to preach to them the
true, living and immortal God, and his Son Jesus Christ. They
listened very attentively to my whole discourse, and thanked me
for the trouble I took for their salvation. I found this village
much increased since last year. They lodged in three hundred
and fifty-one cabins."

* Disc. M»*s. Riv., p. 74,

EARLY CHICAGO AND THE NORTHWEST.

55

After giving a history of the people, their manner of
living, etc., he proceeds :

" As I had but little time to remain, having come only to ac-
quire the necessary information for the perfect establishment of a
mission, I immediately set to work to give all the instruction I
could to these eight different nations, to whom, by the help of God.
I made myself sufficiently understood. 1 would go to the cabin of
the chief of a particular tribe that I wished to instruct, and there,
preparing a little altar with my chapel ornaments, 1 exposed a cru-
cifix, before which I explained the mysteries of our faith. I laid
the foundation of this mission by the baptism of thirty-live children
and a sick adult, who soon after died, with one of the infants, to go
and take possession of heaven in the name of the whole nation.
And we, too, to take possession of these tribes in the name of
Jesus Christ, on the 3d of May, the Feast of the Holy Cross,
erected in the midst of the town, a cross twenty-five feet high,
chanting the Vexilia Regis in the presence of a great number of
Illinois of all tribes, of whom I can say in truth, that they aid not
take Jesus Christ crucified for a foliy nor for a scandal ; on the con-
trary, they witnessed the ceremony with great respect, and heard all
1 had to say on the mystery, with admiration. The children even
went to kiss the cross, through admiration, and the old earnestly
commended me to place it well so that it could not fall. The time
of my departure having come, I took leave of all these tribes, and
left them in a great desire of seeing me as soon as possible, which I
more willingly induced them to expect,"

In a letter from Father Marest, dated November 9,
1712, he says :

" This mission owes its establishment to the late Father Gra-
vier. Father. Marquette was, in truth, the first who discovered the
Mississippi, about thirty-nine years ago ; but not being acquainted
with the language of the country, he did not remain. Some time
afterward he made a second journey, with the intention of fixing
there his residence, and laboring for the conversion of these people ;
but death, which arrested him on the way, left to another the care
of accomplishing this enterprise. This was Father Allouez, who
charged himself with it. He was acquainted with the language of
the Oumiamis, which approaches very nearly to that of the Illinois,
He, however, made but a short sojourn, having the idea while there,
that he should be able to accomplish more in a different country,
where indeed, he ended his apostolic life. Thus Father Gravier
is the one who should properly be regarded as the founder of the
mission of the Illinois."*

Having now given the reason for believing that
Father Marquette did not
establish the mission of
Kaskaskia, and that he
did not preach to the
Miamis at the site of
Chicago, additional evi-
dence will now be ad-
vanced to show that the
Chicagou and the Chica-
gou River of the early
writers, did not refer to
the location of the Chica-
go and its river of the
present time. In the
early part of the eight-
eenth century, the Eng-
lish as well as the French,
were endeavoring to ac-
quire a knowledge of the
Northwest, and secure a
foot-hold there. English
commissioners were ap-
pointed to examine, and
report upon it. In their
report made to the King,
September 8, 1 7 2 i,f they
allude to the communica-
tion between Montreal

and the Mississippi River, and say : " From this lake
[Erie] to the Mississippi, they [the French] have

three different routes ; the shortest by water is up
the river Miamis, or Ouamis [Maumee] on the south-
west of Lake Erie,'' etc., by way of a portage on
the Wabash, and thence down to the Mississippi River.
" There are likewise two other passages much longer
than this, which are particularly pricked down in Hen-
nepin's map, and may be described in the following
manner." These routes were round by way of the
lakes. " From the Lake Huron they pass by the
Strait Michillimackinack four leagues, being two in
breadth and of a great depth, to the Lake Illinois [Mich-
igan] ; thence one hundred and fifty leagues on the
lake to Fort Miamis, situated on the mouth of the river
Chigagoe [St. Joseph]. From hence came those In-
dians of the same name, viz : Miamis, who are settled on
the forementioned river that runs into Lake Erie [Mau-
mee]. Up the river Chigagoe, they sail but three leagues
to a passage of one-fourth of a league ; then enter a
small lake of about a mile, and have another very small
portage, and again, another of two miles to the River
Illinois (Kankakee), thence down the stream one hun-
dred and thirty leagues to the Mississippi."* This evi-
dently means the St. Joseph River, and not the Chicago
of to-day. By referring to Hennepin's map, a reduced
copy of which is here given, it will be seen that the
portage [draag-plaats] was between the St. Joseph and
Kankakee rivers of the present time. The other route
alluded to by the commissioners, was by way of Green
Bay, Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and down the latter
stream to the Mississippi. By reference to Hennepin's
map, it will be seen that the portage (draag-plaats) is
marked between the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. Charle-
voix also alludes to Chicago in 1721, as follows :

"Fifty years ago the Miamis were settled at the south end of
Lake Michigan, in a place called Chicagou, from the name of a
small river which runs into the lake, and which has its source not
far from the river of the Illinois. They are divided into three vil-
lages, one on the River St. Joseph ; the second on another river

hennepin's map of 1683.

* Mr, A. Coquillard. the founder of South Bend, Ind., about the year 1837,
at an expense of about j (5,000, had a canal or mill race dug, from the head
waters of the Kankakee to the St. Joseph, a distance of about four miles,
through the little lake alluded to in this description of that portage. What
was then a series of ponds and swamps is now comparatively dry land, and
under cultivation.

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

which bears their name and runs into Lake Krie, and the third upon
the Ouabache (Wabash), which runs into the Mississippi."*

That this place was at the south end of the lake, and
not upon its west side, appears evident. The map of
1679-82, recently found in Paris and reproduced by
Margry, has the name of Chikagoue applied to the Grand
Calumet. That and the St. Joseph River were evidently
known as Chicagou River at times, prior to 1700. The
name was also frequently applied to the Desplaines
River, which was also called Divine River. It is named
Chicago on the maps of DeLisle, Paris, 1 7 1 9; Sieur D'
Anville in 1746; Jeffreys, London, 176 1 ; Franquelin,
Paris, 16S4: Sieur De Rouge, Paris, 1755.

The map of the L'nited States, published by W. Win-
terbotham, in London, 1795, to accompany his history
of the L'nited States, suggests that the Chicago of that
date was not on the river now known by that name.
" Little Fort " on that map marks the site of YVaukegan
— so named from "Little Fort." South of YVaukegan
to the Little Calumet, only one stream enters the lake —
the Chicago River. This is shown upon the map as a
stream with no name, while Chicago, upon no stream, is
still further south. The same is to be seen on Cary's
map of a later date. Both these maps show the outline
of the Grand Calumet very correctly.

Many references are made by early writers to Chica-
go, but except those of recent date it is spoken of as be-
ing the home of the Miamis, or at the south end of the
lake, or at a place where there is a fort. Neither of
these descriptions would apply to Chicago.

In a translation in Magazine of American History t
LaSalle, in one of his letters, says: "I sent M. de
Tonty in advance, with all my people, who, after march-
ing three days along the lake and reaching the division
line called Checagou," etc. * * * This was the 2d and
3d of January, 16S2. " I remained behind to direct the
making of some caches in the earth," etc. The Checa-
gou here spoken of is, by some, thought to refer to the
Chicago of to-day.

If that is so, LaSalle's people must have traveled in
those three days, in January, 1682, one hundred and
fifteen miles — the distance from St. Joseph to Chicago.
It seems more probable that they traveled sixty miles to
the mouth of the Grand Calumet, which as can be seen
upon the map reproduced by Margry, was, in 1679-82,
called the Chekagou. But farther on, in this letter, La-
Salle speaks of the Checagou River in a manner that
places beyond a doubt that he means the Desplaines.
In speaking of the Teatiki Kankakee , he says, "It is
found to receive on the left, in its descent, another river,
nearly as large, which is called the river of the Iroquois
and thence continuing * * * it receives on the right
bank that of Checagou. This river flows from the Bay
of Puans, and is a torrent rather than a river, although
it has a course of more than sixty leagues," etc.

So it appears that he referred to two Chicago rivers.
Of the one emptying into the lake he. in speaking of
opening the mouth of the river by the removal of the
sand bar, says : " I doubt, even if it be a complete suc-
cess, whether a vessel could resist the great freshets
caused by the currents in the Checagou in the spring,
which are much heavier than those of the Rhone. More-
over, it would only be serviceable for a short time, and
at most, for fifteen or twenty days each year, after which
there wotdd be no more waters," etc. J

This would hardly suffice for a description of the
sluggish stream, in which there is at all times a plenti-
ful supply of stagnant water, now called Chicago River.

* N.V. Col., v.,1. .,. p. ,7 -. I . , Hiatoriqui . Lettre IX.

* V"1. 2. p. 152 from vol. 2 "I Margry.

* Ibid, p. 153.

He speaks of a " Portage of Chicago," and says
" This is an isthmus of land at 41° and 50' north lati-
tude, at the west of Illinois Lake, which is reached by
a channel formed by the junction of several rivulets, or
meadow ditches." The latitude given would make the
portage and isthmus north of west of the court-house
in Chicago, which is in latitude 410 26' — too far north
for the South Branch portage. There may have been a
portage from the North Branch over an isthmus to the
Desplaines, but as far as is known to the writer, no one
has ever thought there was one. It may be that there
is a mistake in this latitude by typographical error or
otherwise.

LaSalle did not like the Chicagou route to the Illi-
nois. His first trip was by the St. Joseph and Kanka-
kee. He did not wish to experiment with a new route.
On the map, made in his day, and probably from data
furnished by him or his men, the Grand Calumet was
named Chekagoue. He would be obliged to go by boat
sixty miles from the mouth of the St. Joseph to Grand
Calumet, instead of going up the St. Joseph as he had
done on his first journey. In some other earlv maps the
name Checagou may have been applied to the forked
river on the west side of the lake — the Chicago River of
to-day. But no Miamis appear to have been there. The
map-makers in the old world were doubtless as much
perplexed to locate the Chicago of one hundred and fifty
years ago, as an American map-maker would be to accu-
rately locate some of the towns and rivers of unpro-
nounceable names in Central Africa reported by Stanley
and other explorers of that region. It seems very doubt-
ful whether the parties at the treaty of Greenville, in
1795, fully understood the location and history of Chi-
cago. They described the thirty-six miles of land that
were ceded at " the mouth of a river where a fort for-
merly stood." There is no record, nor even tradition,
that a fort ever stood at the mouth of Chicago River,
prior to 1803. Tradition says one was built by a French
trader named Garay, upon the North Branch, and that
the branch was called Garay Creek. It is probable that
forts, or more probably stockades, as places for the stor-
age of furs, were erected at the mouths of many rivers
and near portages. The earthworks around the remains
of one of these are said to exist on the north side of the
" sag," before alluded to, in the town of Palos, Cook
County, and its ruins are thus described by Dr. V. A.
Boyer, of Chicago :

"I have many times visited, when on hunting excursions, the
remains of an old fort, located in the town of Palos, Cook County,
11!., at the crossing of the old sag trail, which crossed the Ausa-
gaunashkee swamp, and was the only crossing east of the Des-
plaines River, prior to the building of the Archer bridge* in 1S36.
The remains of the fort, situated north of the sag and near the cross-
ing, were on theelevated timber land, commanding a view of the sur-
rounding country, and as a military post would well command and
guard the crossing. * * * I have never been able to find any ac-
count of the building of this fort in any historical works. I first
saw it in 1833, and since then have visited it often in company with
other persons, some of whom are still living. I feel sure that it was
not built during the Sac War, from its appearance. * * * It seems
probable that it was the work of French fur-traders or explorers, as
there were trees a century old growing in its environs. It was evi-
dently the work of an enlightened people, skilled in the science of
warfare. * * * As a strategetic point it most completely com-
manded the surrounding country and the crossing of the swamp
or sag."

The manuscript from which the above is taken, is
in the library of the Chicago Historical Society, and
with it is a map showing the location of the "fort " in
the western part of Section 15 of the town of Palos.
It is reported that near that place, and near the point
where the sag enters the Desplaines, many relics of

* Say bridge, ne;tr the Desplaines River,

EARLY CHICAGO AND THE NORTHWEST.

57

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

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HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Indians and those evidently made by a more civilized
people have been found. If the sag was the thorough-
fare of the early French explorers and traders, it is
reasonable to suppose that many relics of theirs will be
found when that part of the county is settled and the
land plowed.* It was a habit of the traders to cache
their furs and other articles which they wished to hide
from the view of strangers who might pass that way.

One other point and this paper will be brought to a
close. It is frequently asserted that Marquette was the
discoverer of the Mississippi River. Joliet's name in
connection with the discovery is often ignored. By-
referring to the report of Count Frontenac to M. Col-
bert, Minister at Paris, under date of November 2, 1672,
it will be seen that Louis Joliet was commissioned to go
■• to the country of the Mascoutins to discover the
South Sea and the great river they call the Mississippi,
which is supposed to discharge itself into the sea of
California. He is a man of great experience in these
sorts of discoveries; and has already been almost at that
Great River, the mouth of which he promises to see."

In another communication, dated November 14,
1674, the Count writes to Minister Colbert, as follows :

" Sieur Joliet * * * has returned three months ago, and dis-
covered some very tine countries, and a navigation so easy through
the beatiful rivers he has found, that a person can go from Lake
Ontario and Fort Frontenac in a bark to the Gulf of Mexico.
there being only one carrying-place, half a league in length, where
Lake Ontario communicates with Lake Erie. * * * He has been
within ten days' journey of the Gulf of Mexico. * * * I send
you by my secretary the map he has made of it f and the observa-
tions he has been able to recollect, as he has lost all his minutes
and journals in the shipwreck suffered within sight of Montreal,
where after having completed a vovage of twelve hundred leagues,
he was near being drowned, and lost all his papers and a little
Indian whom he brought from those countries. These accidents
have caused me great regret. He left with the Fathers of Sault
Ste. Marie in Lake Superior, copies of his journals ; these we can
not get before next year. You will glean from them additional
particulars of this discovery, in which he has verv well acquitted
himself."^

In consideration of the great services Joliet had ren-
dered the French Government he obtained a grant of

* Since the foregoing was written the writer has received a letter from
Alexander Reid, of Sat? Bridge P. O., who says that, about thirty-seven years
ago when plowing a piece of land on the south side of the sag, at the depth of
ten or twelve inches, he found, as he expresses it, " about a bushel-basket full
of arrow flints, and I think about sixty or seventy-five stone axes, of all sizes
* * * about three or four rods from the margin of the sag."

t See fac-simile of Joliet's map in this work.

i Paris Docs., N. V. Col., vol. 9, p. 121 ; also p. 793.

the island Anticosti, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, " as a
reward for having discovered the country of the Illinois,
whereof he has transmitted a map to my Lord Colbert,
and for a voyage he made to Hudson's Bay in the public
interests."* Thus it appears that Joliet was the person
employed and the one paid for having made the discov-
ery so often ascribed to Marquette. That the latter ac-
companied Joliet and saw what he saw, and that he re-
mained in the country and took a second trip to the
Illinois, is true. He evidently bore the same relation to
Joliet that the army chaplain does to his superior officers.
Many a chaplain, upon his return from the war, has
written an account of the campaign better than the
colonel, under whom he served, could have done. It
may have been that Marquette was a closer observer and
better writer than Joliet. But this has not been proved.
The original journals of Joliet were lost. The copies
which he left with the Fathers at Sault Ste. Marie, as
reported by Count Frontenac, have not been made pub-
lic. No data are at hand to enable one to determine
the character and merits of Joliet's journals. If they
still exist, it is to be hoped that some person, with the
enthusiasm and industry of a Margry, will search the
French archives and the depositories of the Jesuits ana
other missionaries, and do for the memory of Joliet what
has been so well done for LaSalle.

That Joliet was the head of the expedition is clearly
proven. Soon after his return to his native city, Quebec,
he married Miss Claire F. Bissot, of that city, Octobei
7, 1675. He led a very active life in attending to his
own private business, in addition to faithfully and effi-
ciently discharging governmental duties that were en-
trusted to him. He died at about fifty-six years of age.
leaving a wife and seven children, viz.: Louis, Marie
Charlotte, Francois, Jean Baptiste, Claire, Anne, and
Marie Geneveive.

In closing, it may be said that the expedition of
Joliet and Marquette was particularly disastrous. Joliet
lost his records and maps, and Marquette lost his life.
It was just two years and one day after Marquette
started from Mackinac that he died. He was sick at the
Mission of St. Francis, and in his cabin, " near the port-
age," nearly seventeen months — leaving him less than
eight months in which to do all his work of discover
and missionary labors in the Mississippi Valley.

* N. Y. Col., vol. 9, p. 668.

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

EARLY EXPLORATION'S Continued).

La Salle. — It is believed by many students of
northwestern history, that before Joliet and Marquette
had visited this region, another great explorer had passed
up the Chicago River to the Illinois, if not even to the
Mississippi. This was the famous Robert Cavelier,
Sieur de la Salle. LaSalle was the son of a wealthy and
aristocratic merchant of Rouen. He was born in 1643,
and received a thorough education in his native country.
Born a Catholic, he became early connected with the
Jesuits. This connection, although severed in his early
manhood, debarred him from any portion of the inherit-
ance of his father, and at the age of twenty-three he
sailed for Canada to seek his fortune. The little settle-
ment of Montreal, which he had selected as his desti-
nation, was then governed by the Seminary of St. Sul-
pice, a corporation of priests, who held it and the sur-
rounding country by seignorial rights. This post, being
the most advanced settlement on the St. Lawrence, was
in constant danger from the attacks of the neighboring
Iroquois, and its proprietors were willing and glad to
grant their lands, on easy terms, to any person brave
enough to venture still farther up the St. Lawrence, and
advance the line of settlement toward the enemy. La-
Salle was both fearless and ambitious, and accepted a
grant of land at the La Chine Rapids, equally danger-
ous as a place of residence, and convenient as a place of
trade. The divided waters of the St. Lawrence unite be-
low the island on which Montreal is built, and form the
Bay of St. Louis. On the southern shore of the bay
was the seigniory of LaSalle. He at once commenced
the improvement of his domain, which gave him an op-
portunity of frequent intercourse with the Seneca Iro-
quois. From them he heard of the Ohio, and also of
another great river in the west, which he conceived must
flow into the California Sea. After a residence of seven
or eight years in Canada he had become thoroughly fa-
miliar with several Indian dialects, and with the man-
ners and characteristics of the surrounding tribes. He
was restless and adventurous, and desired to penetrate
farther into the magnificent country he had adopted as
his home, and conceived the design of himself exploring
the Ohio, and perhaps the " sea " into which the Indians
said it flowed. Proceeding to Quebec, he gained the
consent of Courcilles and Talon to his proposed plan,
but no aid toward carrying it out. He accordingly sold
his grant to raise the necessary sum, and the proprietors
of Montreal desiring also to explore these regions, the
two contemplated expeditions were merged in one. The
combined party consisted of twenty-four men and seven
canoes, with two priests of St. Sulpice as the leaders of
the Montreal party. There were two additional canoes
for the Senecas, who acted as guides as far as their vil-
lage on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. These
Seneca guides here left the party, and with one Indian
whom they found at the head of the lake and induced
to act in that capacity, they proceeded on their journey.
On reaching the Indian village at Niagara they found
Joliet, who had reached that point on his return from
the copper mines of Lake Superior. He had made a
map of the region he had traversed ; and his description
of the country, of the spiritual needs of the Indians, and,
possibly, of the influence the Jesuits were gaining over
them, induced the two priests of St. Sulpice to change
the direction of their voyage to the north. The party
separated at Niagara, the priests to go to Lake Superior,
and LaSalle to continue his journey toward the south.
This was ir, the last of September, 1669. His move-
ments during the following year are not clearly traced.

From an unpublished memoir entitled " Histoire de
Monsieur de la Salle," which is said to be a narrative of
his explorations, as related by himself to the Abbe R.en-
audot, at the time of his visit to Paris in 167K to lay his
plans for proposed discovery before King Louis XIV.,
and Colbert, Prime Minister, it is inferred that he
reached the Ohio, and descended it to the falls below
Louisville, when his voyageurs deserted him, and he
was compelled to retrace his route alone, returning dur-
ing 1669. The narrative continues:

"Sometime thereafter he made a second expedition to the
same river, which he quitted below Lake Erie — made a portage of
six or seven leagues to embark on that lake, traversed it toward the
north, ascended the river out of which it flows, passed the Lake of
Dirty Water, entered the fresh water sea, doubled the point of land
that cuts this sea in two (Lakes Huron and Michigan), and de-
scended from north to south, leaving on the west the Kay of the
Puans (tJreen Hay), discovered a bay infinitely larger, at the bot-
tom of which, toward the west, he found a very beautiful harbor,
and at the bottom of this he found a river, which runs from the east
to the west, which he followed ; and having arrived at about the
2800* of longitude, and the 3yth of latitude, he came to another
river which uniting with the first, flowed from the northwest to the
southeast. This he followed as far as the 36th0 of latitude, where
he found it advisable to stop, contenting himself with the almost
certain hope of some day passing by way of this river even to the
Gulf of Mexico. Having but a handful of followers, he dared not
risk a further expedition in the course of which he was likely to
meet with obstacles too great for his strength."

From the passage quoted above, Pierre Margry, a
noted French savant, has formed the opinion that La-
Salle, in 1670, before the voyage of Joliet, entered the
Chicago, and passed thence to the Illinois and Missis-
sippi rivers, and that he therefore must be regarded as
the first white man who saw the prairie and stream
forming the site of the wonderful city of 1883. Whether
LaSalle passed what he calls " the division line called
Checagou," as early as 1670, is problematical, but his
later visits to the locality, during the years of his weary
journeys between the St. Joseph and the Illinois rivers,
and his detailed and accurate description of the old
" portage " as it was in 1682, have almost as thoroughly
identified his name with the history of " Checagou " as
with the " Rock of St. Louis " or " Crevecceur."

In 1673, Frontenac, the Governor of Canada, re-
solved to establish a frontier post at Quinte Bay, on
Lake Ontario, which should not only hold in check the
Iroquois, but also secure to its holders a monopoly of
the fur trade of the upper lakes, which the English and
Dutch of New York were making strong efforts to
secure. The career of LaSalle is clearly traced from
this period. Frontenac recognized in him the qualities
he desired in his agents — determination, unresting energy
and persistency. LaSalle found in Frontenac a man
who was equally ambitious with himself, and equally
daring in the accomplishment of his designs. The fort
on Lake Ontario would be not only a source of imme-
diate profit, but a step toward the Mississippi, the wealth
of Quivira and the lands of the Cibola of the Span-
iards. LaSalle was deputed by Frontenac to visit
Onondaga, the principal town of the Iroquois, and invite
the chiefs to meet the Governor at the Bay of Quinte,
where a council should be held in regard to the pro-
posed fort. LaSalle, believing the mouth of the Cat-'
aragua the present Kingston ) the better site, Fron-
tenac changed the place of the council to that locality.
Frontenac, escorted by one hundred and twenty canoes
and four hundred men, proceeded from Quebec to the
appointed place, arriving July 12, 1673. The council
was held, and resulted according to the desires and
plans of the Governor. A palisaded fort was con-
structed by his men, which was called Fort Cataragua ;

* 280° east of the Island of Ferro, which was reckoned 20" west of Paris,

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

and Frontenac, leaving there a sufficient garrison, re-
turned to Quebec.

In the autumn of 1674, LaSalle went to France
with letters of recommendation from Frontenac, both
to the King and his powerful minister, Colbert. La-
Salle petitioned the court of France for a patent of
nobility, in consideration of his services as an explorer,
and also for a grant of seigniory, of the fort on lake
Ontario, which was now called Fort Frontenac. Both
his petitions were granted, and he returned to Canada a
noble, and proprietor of one of the most valuable grants
in the colony. He took immediate possession of his
domain, replaced the hastily constructed fort of pali-
sades by a substantial stone building, well fortified and
garrisoned. Around this grew up quite a village, com-
posed of the cabins of the French laborers and Indian
employe's of the proprietor, who was only strengthening
and fortifying this post as a base for further operations,
the exploration of the Mississippi and the countries to
the west of it. being now the object of his desire.
Again he sailed to France for aid, and again returned
successful, reaching Canada early in the fall of 1678,
with permission from the Government to pursue his
proposed discoveries in new countries, to build forts and
take possession of such countries in the name of
France ; and he was also granted, for his private benefit,
a monopoly of the trade in buffalo skins. He brought
with him, from France, supplies, laborers and personal
followers ; chief among whom was Henri de Tonty, his
ever-after faithful friend and supporter. A fort at the
mouth of the Niagara River which would command the
upper lakes, and a vessel with which to navigate their
waters, were the next steps to be accomplished. After
many vexatious delays,and much and serious loss, the fort,
or a depot of supplies, was completed. The equipment
and stores for the vessel were carried from the foot of the
rapids in the Niagara River, around the falls to the
quiet water above — a portage of about twelve miles.
This work was accomplished by the 22nd of January,
and the carpenters set to work to build the first vessel
that entered the great lakes of the Northwest. It is
believed that the " Griffin " was built at the mouth of
Cayuga Creek, and for the immediate design of carry-
ing materials to the Illinois River, wherewith to con-
struct another vessel for the navigation of the Missis-
sippi to its mouth. The vessel was launched in the
spring of 1679, Tonty having the superintendence of
the work during the absence of LaSalle, who had been
obliged to return to Fort Frontenac for fresh supplies,
and who returned in August, bringing with him three
Flemish friars ; two of whom — Fathers Membre and
Ribourde — were, after Marquette and Allouez, the earli-
est missionaries in Illinois. By the 7th of August the
" Griffin " had been towed up the Niagara River to the
shore of Lake Erie, and on that day the voyage was
fairly commenced which brought LaSalle and Tonty to
Crevecceur and the Rock of St. Louis. The entire
party on board the vessel consisted of thirty-four,
including the sailors and laborers. The capacity of the
•• Griffin " was forty-five tons. Early in September
they arrived at one of the islands at the entrance of
Green Bay, where LaSalle disembarked his cargo, con-
sisting principally of materials wherewith to build an-
other vessel on the Illinois River ; and, reloading the
"Griffin" with furs, wherewith to pay his creditors in
Canada, sent her bark to the Niagara in charge of the
pilot, with orders to bring her to the head of Lake
Michigan, as soon as her cargo was discharged. La-
Salle, with fourteen men, among whom were the Fathers
Membre\ Ribourde and Hennepin, embarked in four

heavily laden canoes, and proceeded south along the
Wisconsin shore of Lake Michigan. They passed the
mouth of the Chicago River, and, coasting the south-
ern shore of the lake, reached the mouth of the St.
Joseph, which LaSalle calls "the river of the Miamis,"
on the 1st day of November, 1679. Here they expected
to meet Tonty, whom they had left at Michilimack-
inac to arrange some affairs of LaSalle's, and who was
to make his way to St. Joseph by the eastern shore of
the lake. LaSalle remained at the mouth of the river
twenty days before Tonty arrived, and during that time
his men nearly completed a fort, which was called the
"Fort of Miamis." After the arrival of Tonty, La-
Salle still lingered at the St. Joseph, hoping and wait-
ing for the appearance of the "Griffin." Finally, yield-
ing to the importunities of his men, he started for the
Illinois River, sending two of his followers back to
Michilimackinac to gain tidings of the vessel, and leav-
ing four in charge of the fort. On the 3d of Decem-
ber, 1679, the party (thirty-three in all) embarked on
the St. Joseph in eight canoes, and ascended the river to
where now is the village of South Bend, Indiana. After
a long search for the portage leading to the Kankakee,
then called Theakiki, and which was about four miles
in length, they finally reached the place. Shouldering
their canoes and luggage, they traversed this frozen
plain and embarked on the southern branch of the Illi-
nois. Descending the gradually widening river, they
passed the Indian village where Marquette and Allouez
had already preached to the inhabitants, but which was
now deserted, the savages having departed to their
hunting-grounds. On the 4th of January, 1680, they
reached the Indian camp, a short distance below Peoria
Lake, then called Pimitouai. This encampment of Illi-
nois consisted of about eighty wigwams. LaSalle first
terrified the Indians, and then succeeded in establish-
ing the most friendly relations with them. The French-
men were invited to partake of the usual feasts
and festivities. On explaining to them his purpose
to build a boat to descend the Mississippi to the sea
their jealousy awoke, and was fanned by the repre-
sentations of a Mascoutin chief who visited the camp.
The tales told by the Indians of the horrors and
perils to be encountered on the Mississippi, finally so
wrought on the fears of LaSalle's followers that six de-
serted him utterly, and dissatisfaction and even mutiny
were rife among those who remained. Tonty and a few
others continued faithful, but it was dangerous to remain
at the Indian camp, and LaSalle resolved to fortify him-
self in a position where he could resist successfully an
attack of hostile Indians, if such should be made.
About the middle of January he selected a spot for a
fort on the southern bank of the Illinois River, about a
mile and a half below the Indian encampment. The
fort was completed and christened Crevecceur.* It was
enclosed by a palisade twenty-five feet high, within which
were the huts of the men, and the cabins of LaSalle,
Tonty and the friars LaSalle had ere this almost given
up hope of the return of the "Griffin," which was to
bring to him, at the head of Lake Michigan, many articles
needed for the construction of another vessel on the Illi-
nois River. Determined not to fail in his design, La-
Salle concluded to return on foot to Fort Frontenac for
the needed supplies. The vessel was commenced at
Fort Crevecceur, and the work so hurried on by LaSalle
and Tonty that in the course of six weeks the hull was
nearly finished, and LaSalle started, on the 2d of March,
1680, with five attendants, for Fort Frontenac, leaving
Tonty in command of the fort, with a garrison of four-

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

63

teen or fifteen men. LaSalle and his men embarked in
two canoes, but made slow progress. They were obliged
to drag the canoes over the half-frozen ice and snow
through the woods and marshes — the river being frozen
sufficiently to stop their progress, but not strong enough
to bear their weight. They passed the deserted village
of Kaskaskia, now the site of Utica, and about a mile
and a half above the village LaSalle's attention was ar-
rested by the high cliff of yellow sandstone on the south
bank of the river, now called Starved Rock. Knowing
by this time the precarious tenure of his footing in the
country, and the remarkable advantages of the cliff as a
fortress, he sent word to Tonty to retreat to it if neces-
sary and there fortify himself. On the iSth of March
the party reached a point some miles below the site of
Joliet, and there secreting their canoes, struck across
the country for the fort at St. Joseph. Wading through
marshes, and staggering over the half-frozen, half- thawed
ground of the prairie, fording streams when they
could, and constructing rafts when they were forced to
do so, they at last reached Lake Michigan, and follow-
ing its shores arrived, on the night of the 24th, at the
fort, which had been built the autumn before at the mouth
of the St. Joseph. Here LaSalle found two of his men
whom he had sent to Michilimackinac to learn tidings of
the " Griffin," and who had returned without gaining the
slightest clue to her fate. Sending these two men to re-
enforce Tonty, he pushed on through the wilderness and
reached Fort Frontenac on the 6th of May, 16S0; en-
during the hardships and exposure of this journey of
sixty-five days, through an utterly wild and savage
country, with undaunted courage and resolution. He
wasted no time at Fort Frontenac, but hastened on to
Montreal to procure the needed supplies for his post on
the Illinois River. While LaSalle was thus braving and
daring ever)' danger for the accomplishment of his pur-
pose, and looking to his return to the Illinois as the
final step to be taken before he should be fairly em-
barked on his long delayed voyage, the hardest blow he
had yet received fell upon him. Fort Crevecceur was
destroyed. During a brief absence of Tonty, its faith-
ful commander, nearly all the garrison deserted ; having
first plundered and then destroyed the fort. The faith-
less men, not satisfied with their work of evil at Creve-
cceur, returned to Canada by way of the St. Joseph
River, and also destroyed Fort Miamis, whence they pro-
ceeded toward Fort Frontenac with the intention of
murdering LaSalle, but were captured by the latter be-
fore they reached their destination, and carried prisoners
to the fort. Anxious for the fate of Tonty and his few
remaining men, LaSalle hastened his preparations, and
on the 10th of August embarked at Fort Frontenac,
with a new command of twenty-five men, for the Illinois.
He reached Michilimackinac by way of Lake Simcoe
and the Georgian Bay, and leaving there La Forest, his
lieutenant, with a small command and instructions to
follow him speedily, hastened forward with twelve men
to the St. Joseph River, where he found, as he anticipated,
only the ruins of his fort. At St. Joseph he again divided
his force. Leaving five men to rebuild Fort Miamis, and
await the arrival of La Forest and the remainder of his
party, he set out with seven followers for the Illinois, ar-
riving at his destination by the same route he had trav-
ersed on his first visit to the river. As he approached
the site of the old Kaskaskia village, he looked with
hope to the high cliff on the south bank of the river,
which he had named the " Rock of St. Louis,"* half ex-
pecting that Tonty had taken refuge there, according to
the instructions he had sent him. No sign of fortifica-

* Starved Rock, in LaSalle County.

tion was visible, — no sign of human life. A little
farther, and the site of the Indian village of the Kaskas-
kias was reached. No village greeted the eyes of the
horrified voyagers ; but the torn and mangled corpses
which strewed the prairie, and the horrible skulls whi( h
grinned from the charred poles of the burned cabins,
bore silent evidence that the Iroquois had done their evil
work, and that the friendly tribe on which he relied for
protection and assistance was scattered, if not totally
destroyed. Finding nothing among the mutilated re-
mains that caused him to believe that Tonty or any white
man was among the slain, LaSalle resolved to push on
and rescue his faithful followers if they were still alive.
He left three of his men secreted on an island near the
site of the ruined village, and with the remaining four de-
scended the river to the Mississippi, finding no trace of
Tonty, but, all along, signs of the fearful havoc commit-
ted by the invaders. The disappointed and almost dis-
heartened commander rejoined his followers at the deso-
lated village, and the united party retraced their path to
the junction of the Kankakee with the Desplaines. He
entered the latter river, and had proceeded but a short
distance, when he found, in a bark cabin on its bank, a
bit of sawed wood, and from this slight token of the pres-
ence of civilized man, believed that Tonty must have
passed up the stream to safety. This was true. Tonty,
with the two friars Membre and Ribourde, the young
officer Boisrondet, and two men of the Crevecceur garri-
son, escaped the Iroquois massacre, and ascended the
Illinois to the junction of the two branches. Father
Ribourde, wandering from the rest of the party, was slain
by a band of Kickapoos. Tonty and his companions
continued their journey up the Desplaines until the canoe
could be used no longer, and then crossing the " Checa-
gou portage "to Lake Michigan, traversed its western
shore to Green Bay, where they arrived the last of No-
vember, and spent a part of the winter at the village of a
friendly Pottawatomie chief, and the remainder at the
mission of St. Francis Xavier.

In the meantime, LaSalle, after finding a trace of the
presence of Tonty on the Desplaines, struck across the
northern part of Illinois, and arrived at his fort on the St,
Joseph about midwinter, where he remained until spring,
and during that time learned of the safety of Tonty and
where he was, from a band of wandering Outagamies, or
Foxes. Before spring he had formed a plan, and taken
measures to carry it out, for uniting the western tribes in
a common league, and of colonizing them around a French
fort in the valley of the Illinois, which should be a center
of trade and a safe point from which to extend his ex-
plorations to the south and west. In May, 1 681, he went
to Mackinac, where he met Tonty and Father Membre,
who had already arrived there from Green Bay. Together
they proceeded to Fort Frontenac, and once more made
arrangements for the exploration of the Mississippi.
It was autumn when LaSalle again reached the mouth
of the St. Joseph, and not until the latter part of De-
cember was he ready to leave Fort Miamis. The party
which he gathered for this expedition consisted of twen-
ty-three Frenchmen and eighteen Mohegans and Abna-
kis. ten of whom took along their squaws, " to cook for
them, as their custom is.'' There were also three children.
Among the Frenchmen were Tonty, Membre, Dautrey,
and Prudhomme. LaSalle sent a portion of his party
from the St. Joseph, on the 21st of December, remaining
himself to attend to the supplies necessarily left behind
at the fort. Father Membre, of the advance party.
says :

" On the 21st of December (1681), I embarked with the Sieur
de Tonty and a part of our people on Lake Dauphin (Michigan),

64

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

to go toward the Divine River, called by the Indians, Checagou,*
in order to make necessary arrangements for our voyage. The
Sieur de la Salle joined ns there with the rest of his troops, on the
4;h of January, 16S2, and found that Tonty had had sleighs made
to put all on and carry it over the Checagou, which was frozen ;
for though the winter in these parts is only two months long, it is,
notwithstanding, very severe."

LaSalle tells the story of the journey by way of the
Checagou to the Illinois, but does not quite agree with
Membre on dates. He says, in a communication to
Frootenac :

"I sent M. de Tonty (from the St. Joseph) in advance with
all my people, who, after marching three days along the lake, and
reaching the division line called Checagou, were stopped, after a
day's march along the river of the same name, which falls into the
Illinois, by the ice, which entirely prevented further navigation.
This was the 2d and 3d of January, 16S2. I remained behind to
direct the making of some caches in the earth, of the things I left
behind. Having finished my caches, I left, the 2Sth of December,
and went on foot to join the Sieur de Tonty, which I did the 7th
of January, the snow having detained me some days at the portage
of Checagou."

LaSalle then gives a long description of the portage
from what he calls the " channel which leads to the lake
of the Illinois " this channel being our Chicago River),
to the Desplaines " Checagou "), and combats the state-
ment of Joliet, that "by cutting only one canal half a
league through the prairie, one may pass from the lake
of the Illinois into the St. Louis River,"f saying that
this " may very well happen in the spring " — when the
swollen waters of the " Checagou," through the "little
lake on the prairie," found their way even to Lake
Michigan — " but not in the summer," because at that
season, he says, even the Illinois River is navigable only
as far as Fort St. Louis. J There was another difficulty
in the way of successful navigation, which LaSalle be-
lieved Joliet 's "proposed ditch " would not remedy, and
that was the " sand bar at the mouth of the channel
which leads to the lake of the Illinois." Even the force
of the current of the Checagou, when in the great fresh-
ets of the spring it poured its waters into this channel,
was not powerful enough to remove that obstacle ; and
for these and various other reasons, LaSalle believed
" it would be easier to effect the transportation from
Fort St. Louis to the lakes by using horses, which it is
easy to have, there being numbers among the savages."
LaSalle states, in a paper written in 1682, that he
" joined M. de Tonty who had preceded him, with his
followers and all his equipage forty leagues into the
Miamis' country, at the River Chekagou § in the coun-
try of the Mascoutins, where the ice on the river had
arrested his progress ; and where, when the ice became
stronger, they used sledges to drag the baggage, the
canoes and a wounded Frenchman through the whole
length of this river and on the Illinois, a distance of
seventy leagues." It would seem from the above quota-
tions, that the name " Checagou," or " Chekagou," was
applied to a certain locality which, in 1681-82, formed
the division line between the Miamis and Mascoutins ;
the river of that name being within the limits of, or the
eastern boundary line of the Mascoutin country, which
extended west to the Fox River.

It is not within the province of this history to relate,
in detail, the adventures of LaSalle and his followers on |
their Mississippi voyage. It is sufficient to say that the
party descended the Illinois River, on the sledges made
at the Desplaines, to Peoria Lake, where open water
was reached. Embarkipg thence in the canoes, which

« Meaning the Desplaines. LaSalle speaks of crossing the portage ol
Checagou and joining I onty ..u the river of the same name " which falls into
the Illinois."

♦ Illinois.

J Starved fcx k.

> LaSalle hail . handed the spelling of the name of tin- river since he wrote

formed a part of their baggage, they reached the Mis-
sissippi on the 6th of February, 1682, and on the 9th of
April arrived at its mouth. Then, with solemn and
impressive ceremonies, LaSalle took possession of the
valley of the Mississippi in the name of France, called
the new acquisition Louisiana, in honor of the king,
and realized the great and all-absorbing desire of his
life. On his return toward the Illinois, he was seized
with a dangerous illness, and detained in consequence,
at the Chickasaw Bluffs, where a fort had been estab-

SECTION OF FRANQUELIN S LARGE MAP, I

Franquelln was a young engineer, who, at the time he made the map of
which the above is afac simile section, was hydrographer to the King, at Que-
bec. The original map is six feet Ion*;, four and a half wide, and very elabo-
rately executed. Upon it is exhibited all the region then claimed by France,
under the names of New Fiance and Louisiana. The map was reproduced by
Franquelin in i6S8, for presentation to the king, and in this the branch of the
Illinois, marked A'. Chekagou in the above section, was removed — no such
branch really existing. On Franquelin's large map, the Illinois is called the
"Riviere des Ilinois, on Macopins, ' the Mississippi, "Missisipi, on Riviere Col-
bert," and the name applied by Joliet to the Illinois, is transferred to the Ohio,
which appears the " St. Louis, on Chucagoa." La Salle's Fort St. Louis, with
the Indian villages around it are represented on the section given above, aisc
Fort Crevecceur, and, as will be seen, the limit of the Mascoutin country.

lished on the downward passage. Tonty was directed
to hasten forward to Mackinac, and dispatch the news
of the successful termination of the expedition to Can-
ada. He left the bluffs on the 6th of May, arrived
about the end of June at Chicago, and by the middle
of July at Mackinac, where he was joined in Septem-
ber by LaSalle. Returning to the Illinois the same
fall, LaSalle and Tonty, during the winter of 1682-83,
strengthened and fortified the cliff known as Starved
Rock, encircling its summit with a palisade, and build-
ing storehouses and dwellings within the enclosure.
The fort was called St. Louis, and about it, at the base
of the cliff, LaSalle gathered the surrounding Indians,
until their log and bark cabins formed a village, con-
taining some twenty thousand souls. At Fort St. Louis,
French colonists also settled, who were obliged to go to
Montreal for supplies, and that by way of the well-
known Chicago route. Frontenac, the friend and patron
of LaSalle, was no longer in power, and LaBarre, his
successor, was hostile to both LaSalle and his enter-
prise. LaSalle writes to LaBarre, from the "Chicagou
Portage," June 4, 1683, entreating him not to detain
his colonists at Montreal, as coureurs de bdis, when they
came there to make their necessary purchases, some of
which are indispensable to the safety of the fort where
he has now " but twenty men, and scarcely a hundred

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

65

pounds ot' powder." To such lengths did LaKarre
linally carry his enmity, that LaSalle's position at Fort
St. Louis became unbearable, and in the autumn of
1(18.5, leaving Tontv in possession, he repaired to Que-
bec, and thence sailed for France, to triumph over his
foes, and reinstate I'ontv in peaceful possession ol
the fort on the Illinois; hut never again to return to
fort Miamis, or the Rock of St. I.ouis, or visit with his
motley retinue of devoted priests, brave young French-
men and solemn savages, " Checagoti," the site of the
great city where now a crowded thoroughfare perpet-
uates his name, and where multitudes of people cherish
his memory, and '' delight to do him honor."

l.aSalle again sailed from France, August 1. 1684,
with vessels containing supplies for founding a colony
at the mouth of the Mississippi; entered the Gulf of
Mexico, and discovered land on the 28th of December.
This proved to he the coast of Texas, the captain hav-
ing ignorantly passed the mouth of the Mississippi.
They landed near Matagorda Bay, and erected there a
fort, where the colony remained together about a year.
Afterward, LaSalle made several excursions into the
surrounding country hoping to discover the Mississippi
and, linally, discouraged and desperate, resolved to
find his way to Canada. One attempt was made, in
[686, 'which resulted in defeat, and the party, after
wandering six months, found their way back to the fort
at Matagorda. On the 7th of January, 1687, LaSalle
again made an attempt to '"each the north, and get sup-
plies for his almost starving men, and, after two months'
wandering, was assassinated by some of his discon-
tented and faithless followers, on the 19th of March,
16S7. After the murder, the party separated, and.
linally. but live reached Fort St. Louis, on the Illinois,
River, where the faithful Tonty still commanded. One
ol these was Henri Joutel, who with his companions, •
was detained at the fort until spring. They made one
trip to Chicago, in the fall of 16.S7, and another in the
spring of 1688. Joutel describes their experiences thus
in his journal :

"On Sunday, the 14th of September, 16S7, about two in the
afternoon, we eame into the neighborhood of Fort St. Louis. At
length we entered the fort, where we found and surprised several
persons who did not expect us. All the French were under arms,
and made several discharges to welcome us. M. de la Belle Kon-
l.iine, lieutenant to M. Tonty, was at the head of them, and com-
plimented us. Sieur Boisrondet, clerk to the late M. de la Salle,
having told us he had a canoe, in which he desired to go down
to Canada, we prepared to make use of that opportunity. Care
was taken to gather provision for our voyage ; to get furs to barter
as we passed Micilimaquinay. M. Cavelier* wrote a letter for M.
I'ontv, which he left there to be delivered to him, and we repaired
to the lake [Michigan] to embark. It wouldlbe needless to relate
all the troubles and hardships we met with in that journey ; it was
painful and fruitless, for, having gone to the bank of the lake in
very foul weather, after waiting there five days for that foul weather
lo cease, and after we had embarked — notwithstanding the storm —
we were obiiged to put ashore again, to return to the place where
we had embarked, and there to dig a hole in the earth to burv
our baggage and provisions, to save the trouble of carrying them
back to Fort I.ouis, whither we .eturned, ami arrived there the 7th
of October, where they were surprised lo see us come back. Thus
we were obliged to continue in that fort all the rest of the autumn,
and part of the winter. On the 27th of October, of the same year.
M. 'I'ontv returned from the war with the Iroquois. We continued
after this manner till the month of December, when two men ar-
rived from Montreal. They came to give notice to M. Tonty, thai
three canoes, laden with merchandise — powder, ball and other
things — were arrived at Chicagou ; that there being too little water
in the river, and what there was being frozen, they could come no
lower ; so that, it being requisite to send men to fetch those things,
M. I'ontv desired the chief of the Chahouanous f to furnish him
with people. That chief accordingly furnished forty, men as well

* One of the party of five who reached the fort. Cavelier was a brotiier of
LaSalle, and a priest.

t The Shawanoes; who had their village just south of the fort.

as women, who set nut with some I'rcm hmeu. The nonesty of the
Chahouanous was the reason of preferring them before the Illinois,
who are, naturally, knaves. That ammunition ami merchandise
were soon brought, and verj seasonably, the fort being then in
want. At length we set out, the 2ist of March, from Fori I.ouis.
The Sieur Boisrondet, who was desirous to return to France, joined
lis. We embarked on the river, which was then become navigable,
and before we had advanced live leagues, met with a rapid stream,
which obliged lis to go ashore, and then again into the water. In
tlraw along our canoe. I had I'm- misfortune tohurt one of m\ feel
against a rock which lay under the water, which troubled me fen
much for a long lime. We arrived at Chicagou on the 29th ol
March, ami our first care was to seek what we hail eoncealed .11 oui
former voyage, having, is was there said, buried our luggage and
provisions. We found it hail been opened, and some furs and
linen taken away, almost all of which belonged to me. This had
been done by a Frenchman, whom M. Tonty had sent from the fori
during the winter season to know whether there were any canoesal
Chicagou, ami whom he hail directed to see whether anybody had
meddled with what he had concealed ; and he made use of that ad-
vice to rob us. The bad weather obliged us to stay in that place
until April. This time of rest was advantageous for the. healing of
my foot ; and there being bill very little game in thai place, we had
nothing but our meal, or Indian wheat, to feed on ; yel we discov-
ered a kind of manna, which was a great help to us. It was a sort
of tree, resembling our maple, in which we made incisions, whence
Mowed a sweet liquor, and in it we boiled our Indian wheat, which
made it delicious, sweet, and of a very agreeable relish. Then-
being no sugar canes in that country, those trees supplied that
liquor, which being boiled up and evaporated, turned into a kind
of sugar, somewhat brownish, but very good. In the woods we
found a sort of garlic, not so strong as ours, and small onions very-
like ours in taste, and some charvel of the same relish as that we
have, but different in leaf. The weather being somewhat mended,
we embarked again, and entered upon the lake on the 5th of April,
keeping to the north side, to shun the Iroquois."

Tonty evidently knew Chicagou well. In his jour-
neys to Canada, and, during the Iroquois war, to De-
troit and Mackinac, he must have often passed the port-
age, and descended the little river to embark on Lake
Michigan. Durantaye, DuLhut Dultith , ami Tonty
were conspicuous among the young Frenchmen engaged
in the long struggle between the French and the Iro-
quois, the latter being friendly to the English and ready
to assist them in extending their jurisdiction to the upper
lakes. During these years French forts were erected at
various important points on Lake Michigan, command-
ing the fur trade of the interior and rendering the French
more secure against the attacks of the Iroquois or their
western allies, the Foxes. Besides the fort of the Miamis
at St. Joseph, there was one at Mackinac, where De La
Durantaye, commanded, and one at Detroit, command-
ed by " Sieur DuLhut " Duluth .

In the spring of 1684, Tonty was informed that the
Iroquois were gathering to attack him at Fort St. I.ouis.
He sent to Mackinac for assistance, and M. tie la Du-
rantaye came with sixty Frenchmen to his relief. Father
Allouez also accompanied the party. The following
yeat Tonty went to Mackinac to obtain news, if pos-
sible, of LaSalle. Hearing that he was at the mouth of
the Mississippi he resolved to go in search of him, and
says:*

" I embarked, therefore, for the Illinois, on St. Andrew's Day
(30th of October, 16S5) ; but being slopped by the ice, I was
obliged to leave my canoe, and to proceed on by land. After go-
ing one hundred and twenty leagues, I arrived at the fort of Chi-
cagou, where M. de la Durantaye, commanded: and from thence 1
came to Fort St. I.ouis, where I arrived the middle of fanuary
(i686>."

This fort at "Chicagou," where I'ontv found Duran-
taye in the early winter of 1685, had probably been
erected by the latter since the spring of the preceding-
year, when he came to the relief of the beleaguered
Fort St. Louis. Tonty had repulsed the Iroquois before
help arrived, but Durantaye would not remain in a coun-
try constantly exposed to their attacks, without erecting

* " Memoir "I the Sieur de Tonty."

66

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO-

some kind of ;i fort for tfie protection of his little band
of sixty men, and to keep their return path to Mackinac
safe. Durantaye did not long remain at Chicago. A

vcar later he was lighting the savages, with Tonty and
LaForest, in the vicinity of Detroit, and at the end of

the campaign he returned to Mackinac, where he was
stationed for several years after.

In a reprint, by Munsell. of a book entitled " Early
Voyages up and down the Mississippi,'' it being letters
and reports of French Catholic missionaries, may be
found a letter from Rev. John Francis Buisson de St.
Cosme, addressed to the Bishop of Quebec, giving an ac-
count of the journey of himself and companions from
Mackinac to the Illinois, in 1699, which shows that there
was .it that time a flourishing Jesuit mission at Chicago,
and also a large village of the Miamis. The party left
Mackinac in •• light canoes," September 14, 1699. De
1'ontv, with the missionaries St. Cosme, DeMontigny,
1 >avion and De La Source, were on their way to the lower
Mississippi, by way of the Illinois, and DeVincennes,
a French officer, with several companions, was to visit
St. foseph and the country of the Miamis. It was the
original intention of St. Cosme and party to have gone
to the Mississippi by way of the Fox and Wisconsin
rivers, but hostile Indians prevented, and they were
obliged to take the " Chicagou road." On the 7th
day of October they arrived at " Melwarik " | Milwaukee 1,
where they found a village "which has been consider-
able," and where they remained two days on account of
the line " duck and teal shooting." On the 10th they
arrived at Kipikawi (Racine 1, intending to go up the
Kipikaui River and crossing the portage to the Fox,
descend that river to the Illinois ; but, " as there was
no water in it," they were " again obliged to take the
route to Chicagou." They left the river at Racine on
the 17th. but were so long delayed by the roughness of
the lake that on the 20th, they were still fifteen miles
distant. On the 21st, when within half a league of the
place, a sudden storm sprung up and they were com-
pelled to land, and walk the remaining distance. St.
Cosme says:

" We had considerable difficulty in getting ashore and saving
our canoes. We had to throw everything into the water. This is
a thing which you must take good care of along the lakes, and espe-
cially on Missigan (the shores of which are very flat), to land soon
when the water swells from the lake, for the breakers get so large
in a short time that the canoes are in risk of going to pieces and
losing all on board, several travelers having been wrecked there.
We went by land, M. DeMontigny, Davion and myself, to the
house of the Rev. Jesuit Fathers, our people staying with the bag-
gage. We found there Rev. Father l'inet and Rev. Father Rine-
leau,* who had recently come in from the Illinois, and were slightly
sick. I cannot explain to you, Monseigneur, with what cordiality
and marks of esteem these Rev. Jesuit F'athers received and
caressed us during the time that we had the consolation of staying
with them. The house is built on the banks of the small lake.f
having the lake on one side, and a fine large prairie on the other.
The Indian village is of over one hundred and fifty cabins, and one
league on the river there is another village almost as large. They
are both of the Miamis. Rev. Father l'inet makes it his ordinary
residence; except in winter, when the Indians all go hunting, and
which he goes and spends at the Illinois. We saw no Indians
there; they had already started for their hunt. * * * On the
24th of October, the wind having fallen, we made our canoes come
with all our baggage; and, perceiving that the waters were ex-
tremely low, we made a cache on the shore, and took only what
was necessary for our voyage, reserving till spring to send for the
rest; and we left in charge of it Brother Alexander, who consented
N. remain there with Father I'inet's man; and we started from Chi-

* I he Illinois Hiaion at starved Hock was in charge of father James I .ra-
. i'-r from i'"< until he was recalled to Michilimackinac, early in 1699. He left

Gabriel Marist i of the parent house and Fathers Bineteau and

Pinet in charge of the branches,

t Evidently on the east side o( Mud Lake, which Si. (Cine describes in his
..,.1. uni of the Chicagou portage; saying that by embarking on it In the spring
.,hen it "empties" into., branch ol the Illinois (the Desplaines), the length of
the portage is reduu ed from three leagues to a quarter of a league.

cagou on the 29th, and put up for the night about two leagues oil",
in the little river which is then lost in the prairies. The next day
we began the portage, which is about three leagues long when the
water is low, and only a quarter of a league in the spring, for you
(then) embark on a little lake which empties into a branch of the
river of the Illinois; but, when the waters are low, you have to
make a portage to that branch. We made half our portage that
day, and we should have made some progress further, when we
perceived that a little boy whom we had received from M. DeMuvs,
having started on alone — although he had been told 10 wait — had
got lost without any one paying attention to it. all hands being en-
gaged. We were obliged to stop and look for him. All sel out.
We fired several guns, but could not find him. It was a very un-
fortunate mishap; we were pressed by the season, and the waters
being very low, we saw well that being obliged to carry our effects
and our canoe, it would take us a great while to reach the Illinois.
This made us part company. M . DeMontigny. DeTontv and
Davion continued the portage next day; and I, with four other
men, returned to look for this little boy; and on my way back 1
met Fathers Pinet and Bineteau, whow'ere going with two French-
men and one Indian to the Illinois. We looked for him again all
that day without being able to find him. As the next day was the
feast of All Saints, this obliged me to go and pass the night at Chi-
cagou with our people, who having said mass and performed their
devotions early, we spent all that day, too, in looking for that little
boy, without being able to get the least trace. It was very difficult
to find him in the tall grass, for the whole country is prairies — you
meet only some clumps of woods. As the grass was high, we durst
not set fire to it for fear of burning him. M. DeMontigny had
told me not to stay over a day, because the cold was getting severe.
This obliged me to start, after giving Brother Alexander directions
to look for him and to take some of the French who were at Chica-
gou, I set out the 2d of November, in the afternoon; made the
portage, and slept at the river of the Illinois."

section of Charlevoix's map (1774).

Pierre Francois Charlevoix, the noted French historian and traveler, passed
down the east shore of Lake Michigan, and to the Mississippi, by way of the
Kankakee and Illinois rivers, in 1721. In 1744 he published his Histoirc tie la
Nouvellt France^ and with it his journal written while in America. The jour-
nal was translated into English soon after; the history remained untranslated
until an edition was published in English by J. (i. Shea at New Vork (1865-721.
A map from which the above section is taken accompanied Charlevoix's History
of New France.

From a letter of De La Source, one of the mission-
aries who accompanied St. Cosme to the Mississippi, it
is learned that the boy who was lost in the tall grass of
the prairie, after an absence of about two weeks, finally
"made his way back to Chicagou, where Brother Alex-
ander was." He was insane and utterly exhausted.
The party returned to Chicago from the lower Missis-
sippi early in 1700, and remained there until Faster, the
letter of De La Source being written at "Chicagou."
From the allusions made by St. Cosme to " our people "

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

6?

before whom he said mass on All Saints' Day, and with
whom he"passed the night at Chicagou," and also from
his direction to " Brother Alexander," who remained
behind in charge of the cache on the shore of Lake
Michigan, to "take some of the French who were at
Chicagou," to aid him in his search for the lost boy.it
must be inferred that the place had become of consid-
erable importance, as the point of disembarkation from
the lake, on the route from Canada to Louisiana; that
it had become the resilience of several French traders,
and, during a portion of the year, of the Jesuit fathers
connected with the Miami mission.

Soon after the opening of the eighteenth century,
this route to the Mississippi became so dangerous that
it was gradually abandoned, and finally almost forgot-
ten. The long war between the Illinois and the Iroquois
had made the Kaskaskias fearful and timid. They were
directly in the path of the enemy from the location of
their village, which, lying far up the river, was first
struck by their war parties on their raids into the coun-
try of the Illinois.

D'Iberville had landed, and a French settlement at
the mouth of the Mississippi was to be established. The
Kaskaskias were eager to leave the dangerous locality
in which they lived, and still be able to enjoy the friend-
ship and protection of their friends, the French. Father
Gravier, who for several years had been in charge of
the mission of the Immaculate Conception, at the Kas-
kaskia village on the Illinois, went to Michilimackinac
early in 1669, leaving the parent house in the care of
Father Marest, and its branches one of which was at
Chicago, among the Miamis) in charge of Fathers Bine-
teau and Pinet. He returned in the fall of 1700, leaving
( Ihicago for the Illinois on the 8th of September. When
he arrived at the old village of the Kaskaskias, near the
present site of (Jtica, in LaSalle County, he found that
all that tribe, accompanied by F'ather Marest, had de-
serted their village and the neighboring Peorias on the
Illinois, and departed for the lower Mississippi. Gravier
followed his flock, promising the Peorias to return to
them at their village at Peoria Lake. Marest was taken
violently ill on his arrival at the present site of Kaskas-
kia, and with his Indians halted there, where he was
joined by Gravier, and the new Kaskaskia mission was
founded and named also the mission of the Immaculate
Conception, in honor of Marquette and his old mission
on the Illinois River.

visit the various tribes in what is now Michigan and
Illinois, and invite them to send deputies from their
tribes to Montreal in order to arrange terms of peai e
with the Iroquois. DeCourtemanche reached the St.
Joseph River December 21, 1700, and found the Miamis
preparing to send war-parties against the Iroquois, as
were also all the Illinois tribes, except the Kaskaskias.
After visiting the latter tribe, he " returned to Chicago ;
there he found some W'eas Ouyatanous), a Miami tribe,
who had sung the war song against the Sioux and Iro-
quois." He induced them to lay down their arms and
send deputies to the council at Montreal, the deputies to

•ftition
des
Rewards

Sft.Ofs Haunt.*

deplvmy
Zr^ MasXout^

ouNatioTi An feu
la

Kicapou.

In 1700, DeCourtemanche and two Jesuit priests
were dispatched by the Governor-General of Canada, to

SECTION OF OF. I. ISt.F. S MAP OF I703.

meet him at Michilimackinac. The chief of the Miam's
at this time was Chickikatalo, " a noble looking and
good old man," who made a speech at Montreal, in
which he assured the French of his friendship for them,
and desire to promote their interests by every means in
his power. Before the council, the Kaskaskias had de-
parted for the Mississippi, and great dissatisfaction was
expressed by the other tribes at their taking this step.

Two years later, in 1702, Fort St. Louis was aban-
doned as a military post. Then followed long and
bloody wars between the French of Louisiana and their
Illinois allies, with various tribes of the Northwest,
commencing with the Foxes of Wisconsin. Charlevoix
says of the latter, during the early part of the eighteenth
century. "The Outagamies (Foxes) infested with their
robberies and murders, not only the neighborhood of
the bay Green Bay ), but almost all the routes com-
municating with the remote colonial posts, as well as
those leading from Canada to Louisiana." After the
Foxes, came the Pottawatomies, who finally almost ex-
terminated the old allies of the French, and the Chica-
gou route, formerly so often traversed by French mis-
sionaries and traders on their way to the Illinois and
Mississippi, was, as before stated, forsaken, if not for-
gotten.

Father Julian Bineteau, who preached to the Miamis
at Chicago, died not long after the visit of St. Cosme,
from sickness contracted while following the Indians on
their summer hunt over the parched and burning prairies.
Father Francis Pinet, his companion, went to the great
village of the Peorias, after the removal of the Kas-
kaskias, and there founded the Cahokia mission — where
he died soon after. Father Gravier, according to his
promise, returned to the village of the Peorias, where
he was dangerously wounded, and descending the Mis-

6S

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO

sissippi in search of medical treatment, died on the
voyage in 1706. The labors of the French mission-
aries, and the attempts at founding French colonies in
Louisiana were no longer extended to the region north
of the Illinois, and with the exception of a struggling

I..I-.1

in 1'

iri-

, Febru-

itrut

ted

the

currciil

id cc

adr

-t maps,
litted to

nted

tllto

f Ill

geogra-

SEC I loN OF DE i. 'isle's map of i 7 1 S.

fSuillaume tie I.' Isle was a noted Fremh lieoyrapher
arj' 28. 1675. died January 25. 1726. In 1700 he recti
European system of geography by the publication uf 1
comprising representations of all the known world. In 1
the Royal Academy of Sciences, and was afterward app<
phy to l.ouis XV., with title of " First Geographer to the King."
to have made 114 maps, many of which were of rare value. Thr&
maps are in the library of the Chicago Historical Society— those of 1

1-::. The maps <.f 1701 and 1 718. sections of which are yiveu hen-wii
titled " Carte Uu Canada on de la France," and " Carte de la l.oulsia
Coiirs till Mississipi." respectively.

village at Starved Rock, even the once powerful Illinois
had been driven by 1720, from all their villages above
Peoria Lake. In that year Fort Chartres was built on
the banks of the Mississippi, near the two French set-
tlements of Kaskaskia and Cahokia — a protection to
both. About the year 171S, the Miamis were driven
from the vicinity of Chicago, and in 1722, the Illinois vil-
lages at Starved Rock and at Peoria Lake were besieg-
ed by the Foxes. Boisbriant, the commander at Fort
( hartres. sent a force to their relief, which arrived after
the contest had ended, leaving the Illinois victorious.
So greatly had they suffered for years, however, from
these constant attacks, that they returned with the
French to the shelter of Fort Chartres, and with their
abandonment of the river, the only protection to the
route from Canada by way of the Illinois to the French
settlements was taken away. Charlevoix says of their
victory and subsequent removal to southern Illinois:

" This success 'li'i not, however, prevent the Illinois, although
they had only twenty men, with senile children, from leaving the
rock ami Pimitory (Peoria Lake) where they were kept in constant
alarm, ami proceeding to unite with iln.se <.f their brethren (the
Kaskaskias) who hail settled upon the Mississippi. This was a
stroke of ^raa- for most of them, the small number of mission-
aries preventing their supplying so many towns scattered si, far
apart: but, on the other side, as there was nothing to check- the
raids of the Foxes along the Illinois Kiver, communication be-
I ,ieen Louisiana and New France became much less practii abli "

In 1725 Uoisbriant, the commandant at Fort Char-
tres. was made acting governor of Louisiana, and M.
DeSiette, a captain in the royal army, took his place at
the fort. Difficulties with the Foxes ami their allies
had been continually growing worse since the removal
of the Illinois — the French being now more exposed to
their attacks. The colonists were murdered almost
under the guns of the fort, and the whole country of
the upper Illinois was a battle-ground. DeLignerie was
the French commandant at Green Bay, and labored
assiduously to bring about a peace between the northern
tribes ami the Illinois. On the 7th of June, 1726, he
assembled the Sauks, Winhebagoes and Foxes at his
post, and "told them from the king, that they must not
raise the war club against the Illinois, or they would
have reason to repent it." He was fairly well satisfied
with the answer of the chiefs, and hoped the peace would
be stable ; but DeSiette, at Fort Chartres, had less con-
fidence in the Foxes, or their word, and suggested to
DeLignerie that the best method would be to e.xtermin-
aie them at one. DeLignerie, while believing with De-
Siette that this would be the very best possible method,
if it could be carried out, feared the plan would not be
a success, and that the Foxes would " array all the upper
nations against us," and " the French of either colony
be unable to pass from post to post, but at the risk of
robbery and murder." This had been the case too
long, and the commandant at Oreen Ray advised the
impatient DeSeitte to " cause his people the Illinois!
if they have made any prisoners, to send them back to
the Foxes," as he has "told the latter to do with theirs,
if their young men bring in any from the country."
He continues :

"If all goes well here for a year, I think it will be necessary
to have an interview at " Chikagou," or at the Rock (Starved Rock)
with you and your Illinois, and the nations of the bay. We will
indicate to them the time of the meeting, where it will probably be
necessary to make a fort, and to fix the number of the French and
Indians who are to be at the spot. These are my thoughts. Mo
me the honor to give me yours. It my health will allow- I shall go
there with pleasure, and if it shall thus happen, it will give me great
joy to see you,"

K1KAP0US o

SECTION of MOLLS MAI' OF '7-

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

69

This interview at '^Chikagou" was not destined "to
thus happen," as things did n<>i "go well " between the
French and the Foxes during the coming year, and in
August, 17.17, M. DeBeauharnais, then commanding in
Canada, informed M. DeSiette by letter at Fort Chartres,
that he was determined to make war upon the Foxes the
coming spring, and that the information was given " in
order that lie Siette might make preparations, and give
assistance by disposing the Illinois and the French of
the Mississippi to join the Canadians," finishing his let-
ter by saving, " It is reasonable to suppose that the peo-
ple of Louisiana will come to this war with more ardor
than the Canadians, as they are much more exposed to

MASCOUTENS
ou Gens (hi Feu M

SECTION OF D ANVILLE S MAP OF 1755.

the incursions of the Foxes, who alarm anil even kill
them continually."

DeSiette joined the Canadian forces at Green Bay
the following spring, and a battle ensued at Butte des
Morts, Wis., in which the French and their allies, the
Illinois, were successful ; but hostilities did not cease,
and communication between Canada and the Mississippi
by way of the Illinois River was as dangerous as before.
For nearly half a century the name of Chicago is not
mentioned, and there is no record of any visit of a white
man to the locality. DuPratz, an old French writer, and
a resident of Louisiana from 1718 until 1734, says of the
" Chicagou " and Illinois route in 1757 : " Such as come
from Canada, ami have business only on the Illinois, pass
that way yet ; but such as want to go directly to the sea,
go down the river of the Wabache to the Ohio, and from
thence into the Mississippi." He predicts, a.lso, that
unless "some curious person shall go to the north of the
Illinois River in search of mines," where they arc said
to be in great numbers and verv rich, that region " will
not soon come to the knowledge of the French."

In June, 1775. William Murray, a subject of Great
Britain, residing in Easkaskia, held a council, in the
presence of the British officers and authorities stationed
at the place, with the chiefs of the several tribes of Illi-
nois Indians, in which he proposed to them, that for a
certain consideration, they should deed to him two tracts
of land east of the Mississippi : one of which was north
of the Illinois River, and extended beyond the present
site of Chicago. Mr. Murray states* that the negotia-

tion was concluded in July, 1773, "to the entire satis-
faction of the Indians," of whom the land was bought
"in consideration of the sum of live shillings to them 111
hand paid," and certain goods and merchandise. The
boundary, or rather the mention of certain points in this
northern tract, was as follows :

" Beginning at a place or point in a direct line opposite to the
mouth "I the Mississippi River; thence up the Mississippi by tin

several courses thereof in the mouth-o( the Illinois River, al 1 six

leagues, be the same mure or less ; and then up the Illinois River,
by the several courses thereof, to Chicagou or (iarlick (reek, about
ninety leagues or thereabouts, be the same more or less; then
nearly a northerly course, in a direct line to a certain place remark-
able, being the ground on which an engagement or bailie was
fought about forty or fifty years ago between ihe I'cwaria and
Renard Indians, about fifty leagues, be the same more or less;
thence by the same course in a direel line to two remarkable hills
close together in the middle of a large prairie or plain, about four
teen leagues, be the same more or less ; thence a north of easl
course, in a direct line to a remarkable spring known bylhe Indians
by the name of Foggy Spring, about fourteen leagues, be the same
more or less ; thence the same course, in a direct line to a great
mountain to the northward of the While liuffaloe plain, about Id-
teen leagues, be the same more or less ; thence nearly a southwest
course in a direel line to the place of beginning, about forty leagues,
be the same more or less.

Before the consummation of this purchase, Murray
had associated several other Englishmen with himself,
and formed the " Illinois Land Company," which was
re-organized as an American company, at Philadelphia,
on the 29th of April, 1780, when a constitution for the

l>ut.lish«l in Philadclphi

1 ,>f ili.- Proceedings of the Illinois and Ouabache Co

IaAJKJZ

^

QUAUOOHE &« f

So caU'd by y SitJ 'aliens ■

y ktlenl pfihen Territorie-i k

H,.unds oftheirVecd if Sale to

y t'lViruH'Britian JTOl ntniKed

ini720 lc/744-.

SECTION OF MITCHELLS MAP OF 1 755

regulation of its affairs was drawn up. and a plan of
settlement agreed upon. America was then at war with
England, and although Mr. Murray asserts* that at the
time settlers and purchasers were ready to contract with
the company "and a large settlement could have been
promoted, and possession taken of the lands, with tin
consent of the natives," still it was deemed advisable to
suspend all operations until the establishment of pea< <•.
and, in the meantime, submit their claims to the con-
sideration of Congress. For this purpose a meeting
was held at Philadelphia, February 1, 1781, at which a
memorial was agreed upon, and presented at the ses-
sion of that year, setting forth the claims of the com-

L-dingsol bin

and Ouabai ll< I and 1 1

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

pany, and concluding with a proposal to cede all the land

included in tlu- purchase oi the Indians to the United
States, on condition that one-fourth should be re-con-
veyed to the company. The report of the committee
of the House, of which Samuel Livermore was chair-
man, was favorable to the petitioners. The Senate
committee reported adversely : "In the opinion of the
committee, deeds obtained by private persons from the
Indians, without any antecedent authority, or subse-
quent information from the Government, could not rest
in the grantees mentioned in such deed a title to the
lands therein described." The report of the Senate
committee was finally adopted and the petition dis-
missed.

One of the objections of the Committee of 1781 to
granting the petition of the Illinois Land Company was
that "one of the deeds, beginning on the north side of
the Illinois River, contains only a number of lines,
without comprehending any land whatever." This
refers to the tract, extending up the Illinois to Chiea-
gou or Garlick Creek, thence some two hundred and
seventy-nine miles in a northeasterly course, and from
that point by a southwesterly course of one hundred
and twenty miles, reaching by some means a " point
opposite the mouth of the Missouri River " — the place
of beginning. Mr. Murray says :

" Some doubts have been entertained concerning the accuracy
of the courses of some of the lines mentioned in this parcel of
land, north of the Illinois River, yet there are so many ter-
minations of these lines, by well-known marks and stations, that
on every equitable construction the deed will be found to close
itself, and to comprehend a well-described tract of country. * * *
It has a well-known place of beginning, and remarkable well-
known corners described, proceeding round to the said beginning;
and the rectification of an error in a course or two as to the points
of the compass closes the survey, maintaining all the corners."

He explains further that the Indians are only bound
to regard " natural boundaries " and " natural corners,"
and do not regard points of the compass or estimates
of distances, etc.

The claims of the company were again brought
before Congress in 1792, and yet again in 1797, but
with no more favorable results than in 1781.

On the 3d of August, 1795, u>' tne terms of the

'^TOMlS

section ok carey's map of 1S18.

treaty of Greenville, a "piece "i land six miles square,
at the mouth of tin | hicago River, emptying into the

southwest end of Lake Michigan, where a fort formerly

stood," was ceded by the Indians to the United States,
in anticipation of its being made a military post.

MODERN CHICAGO AND LIS SETTLEMENT.

'• Baptiste Point DeSaible, a handsome negro, well
educated and settled at Eschikagou : but much in the
French interest."

This apparently unimportant fact, recorded July .4,
1779, by Colonel Arent Schuyler DePeyster, then Brit-

IARE

ILLINOIS

SECTION OF POPPLE S MAI', 1733.

a map from Henn

• Poppl.

:'s atlas.

"Ai

neri

ea Septentrinnahs,"

ri3- Mr

. C. C.

Baldwin,

a tr;

1 Am

iquit

ieS, p. 21

35) thes

e maps '

' we

re 1:

ndertaken «

ith tin

ie Lo

rdso

1 Trade,

using i

ill the m

aps.

cha

rls and ol.ser

and

especiall

x- the a

uthentic

,rds

and actual ;

iurveys

•erne

rs uf the

"Uritish

plantations.

*

» * The

engra-

but the progress i< /'tickwarcis."

ish commander at Michilimackinac, is the initial point
from which may be traced the growth of Chicago, from
a single rude cabin on the sand-point at the mouth of
the river, to the magnificent city which stands to-day.
the type of modern progressive civilization.

What was Eschikagou in 1779, and why did this
handsome and well educated pioneer settle here?

Colonel DePeyster says elsewhere in the volume of
Miscellanies, from which the above statement is quoted:
"Eschikagou is a river and fort at the head of Lake
Michigan."

Possibly the fort "where Durantaye commanded,"
was alluded to, or the French under Siette might have
built a fort at Chicago, as they desired to do, when on
their way to join the Canadian force at Green Bay, and
make war on the Eoxes of Fox River, in the spring of
1729. When DePeyster wrote of Chicago and its first
settler, the French lilies had been lowered from Fort
Chartres, and Louisiana was in the hands of the English.
It had been British soil fourteen years before there is any
record of a person "curious" enough to penetrate the
country north of the Illinois and make a home on the
shore of Lake Michigan. The biography of Jean Bap-
tiste Point DeSaible, the pioneer settler of Chit ago, is
very brief. Fie was a native of Santo Domingo, "well

MODERN CHICAGO AND ITS SETTLEMENT.

7<

educated and handsome." Before settling on the banks

of the Chicago River lie had lived among the Peorias,
with a friend named Glamorgan — also a Domingoan —

who was reputed to be possessor of large Spanish land
grants near St. Louis; and to the home of this friend he
returned to die, in 1796.

By the treaty of Ryswick, September, 20, 1607, the
western portion of the island of Hayti was ceded to
France, — the French colony thereafter taking the name
of the island, while the Spanish colony, founded in 1496,

tested English had possession of the home of the Peorias,
and the equally detested Spaniards ruled the country
across the Mississippi, the French colonists and all who
remained faithful .to them, would have few favors and
little inducement to remain. Of the two Domingoan
friends, settled at Peoria, Glamorgan was worldly wise,
and with many others who sought favor with the Span-
ish Government, received his reward in lands near St.
Louis. Baptiste Point DeSaible remained faithful to the
French, and finally left his home to make another

SECTION OF DU PRATZ S MAP OF LOUISIANA, 1757.

on the eastern shore, retained its old name of Santo
Domingo. From the time of this treaty the Spanish
colony made little progress for half a century, while the
Haytian colony rapidly grew rich and prosperous, soon
becoming one of the most valuable possessions of
France. Among its population were a large number of
free colored people, mostly mulattoes, many of whom
had received a liberal education in France and possessed
large estates, although they were excluded from political
privileges. Under this state of affairs it would be nat-
ural for an ambitious mulatto to leave the old Spanish
colony and seek a fortune among the French in Louisi-
ana. Many San Domingoans had been brought as slaves
to Fort Chart res by Renault, in 1722, and were employed
in the mines and otherwise, and the wonderful stories
told by French adventurers of the riches of the country,
constantly attracted others, equally adventurous, to its
shores. The French were beloved by the natives and by
all who settled among them and lived their easy, cheer-
ful life. It may easily be believed that when the de-

among the Pottawatomies of Chicago. He built his
cabin on the north bank of the Chicago River, where it
turned to the south, near its mouth, and at the head of
the point of sand which extended thence between the
river and the lake. Here he lived until 1796 — seven-
teen years. All that is known of his life during that
long period is gathered from the "Recollections" of
Augustin Grignon,* of Butte des Morts, near Oshkosh,
Wis., and published in the third volume of the Wiscon-
sin Historical Society's Collections. Mr. Crignon says:

" At a very early period there was a negro lived there (t hie i-
go) named Baptiste Point DeSaible. My brother, l'erish Grignon,
visited Chicago about 1794, and told me that Point DeSaible was
a large man ; that he had a commission for some office, but for
what particular office or from what Government, 1 cannot now
recollect. He was a trailer, pretty wealthy, and drank freely. I
know not what became of him."

About all that can be added to the few particulars

* Augustus < irj
old French and Indi;

non was a grandchild of Si. in I hai les Del inglade, the

.Mll.i ..I Wisconsin. Hi l.ancl.ol.- served through the
1 War, and became a resident of Wisconsin aboul 1-

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

related above is that in 1796 he sold his cabin to one
l.e.Mai. a French trader, and returned to Peoria, where
he died at the home of his old friend, Glamorgan. It

may be true, as is related, that he sought to place him-
self at the head of the Pottawatomies as their chief. If
true, his desire was ungratified, and Jean Baptiste
Point DeSaibie, handsome, rich and faithful
though he was, left his home washed by the
waters of lake Michigan and the Cheeagou
River, not only the first landed proprietor, but
also the first disappointed man of Chicago.

LeMai. the second dweller in the cabin on
the sandpoint, made some improvements, and
occupied it as his home and trading-house until 1804.

During the years of DeSaible's residence in Chicago
the place "had become well known to the Indian traders
of Mackinac and Detroit.

William Burnett.* a trader at St. Joseph, Michigan,
writes, under date of May 14, 1 786, to George Meldrum,
a merchant of Mackinac, that " if a vessel which is to
be sent from that port is to come to Chicago, he wished
that he may stop at the mouth of the St. Joseph River,
that he may ship his corn, as he has not canoe nor bat-
teau." In various letters covering the period from 1786
to 1803. he alludes to Chicago, f and mentions names
familiar to the early settlers of the place. May 6, 1790,
he writes : " 1 received a letter yesterday from Chicago,
wherein it is said that nothing is made in the Mississippi
this year." August 24, 179S. he writes from St. Joseph
to Messrs. Parker, Girard <.V Ogiloy, merchants of Mont-
real :

In the course of last winter I wrote you that it is expected
tnat there will be a garrison al Chicago this summer, and from later
accounts, I have reason to expect that they will be over there this
fall : and should it be the case, and as I have a house there al-
and a promise of assistance from headquarters, I will have
..< . asion for a good deal of liquors, and some other articles for that
|-..si. Wherefore, should there be a garrison at Chicago this fall,
1 wili write for an addition of articles to my order."

4** fo

zzzz^

voting son, George; also his eldest son, Lieutenant
William Whistler, with his young bride. This part) left
the schooner at St. Joseph River, and came thence to
Chicago in a row boat. Mrs. William Whistler, who
visited Chicago in the fall of 1875, states that on her
arrival, in 1803, there were here but four cabins, or

J*rr>r.

Mr. Burnett's connection with the Indian trade in
this region lasted many years. It is stated in " Watt-
bun " that at the time of the massacre of the Fort Dear-
born garrison in 1812. an angry savage came to the boat
in which were the family of John Kinzie, in search of
•• Mr. Burnett, a trader from St. Joseph, with whom he
had an account to settle," — probably the same William
Burnett.

In the summer of 1803, Captain John Whistler, U.
S. A., then stationed at Detroit, was ordered, with his
company, to Chicago,! to occupy the post and build a
fort. The soldiers were conducted by kind to their des-
tination by Lieutenant James S. Swearingen. In the U
S. Si liooner "Tracy," came from Detroit to the mouth
of the St. Joseph River, Captain Whistler, wife and

• William Burnett, whose letters show that he was a St. Joseph trader as

ltd M the wilderness of Michigan in 17c.11. Mr

ni.irri.-fl Kaw'ker-me, sist.r ..I Topenebe, principal chief "1 tin- St. Joseph's
hand of Pottawatomies, and tothe children of this marriage— John, [anus,
\braham, Rebecca and Nancy Burnett— certain sections of land on fhc si.

luacph kiw-r «.T. granted by the term* ..I I lie Ire. . Iv made al Chirac... In 1 8 ■ i .
John and Jam.-. Ih. cider sons of William Burnett, remained in Michigan ; 111.

falter dying near Niles in i8(i <.r .1. Ibraham. the v..iniK.-»t, u.-m with the

iribetoihe Wc.i.and l.e.am. ,hie'f ..I i of the hand-, lb- village was al

the fool of a high hill about four mile., west ..I I ..peka, on the south side ..I the
Kansas River. This hill which is the highest elevation in eastern Kansas, is
called " Burnett M rr of thi portly old chief, whose form was as

familiar to the early residenl ol I'opckaa wen those ot Caldwell and Shaw-
■.. ih. f.r.i wilier, of Chicago.

I hicago Intiquitii |ip .-71
Dearborn.

J, <)c^

SJ^s^LJ^e-ff^*-}

traders' huts. These were occupied by Canadian French,
with their Indian wives.* She mentions the names of
three : LeMai, Ouilmette and Pettell. Possibly the
other was the "house," mentioned by William Burnett.
In the spring of 1804, John Kinzie, then residing at Ber-
trand, or Pare aux Vaches, near Niles, Mich., purchased
the property of LeMai, and, with his wife and infant
son, John H. Kinzie, came to live at Chicago. On his
arrival, he immediately moved into the old cabin of Le
Mai. which he gradually enlarged and improved, until,
as years rolled by, it was transformed into a comfortable,
hospitable home — the only home of a white settler in
Chicago for many years. In this house, which stoodf
on the north side of the Chicago River, where it bent to
the south, so that from its piazza "the Indian canoes
could be seen going down and into the lake" at the
foot of what is now Madison Street, Mr. Kinzie lived
until late in 1827, except during the four years, from the
summer of 1812 to the summer or fall of 1816 — the time
intervening between the destruction and rebuilding of
Fort Dearborn.

John Kinzie, justly called the "Father of Chicago."
was born in Quebec, about the year 1763. His father
was John McKenzie, or McKinzie, a Scotchman, who
married Mrs. Haliburton, a widow with one daughter,
and died while John, their only child, was an infant.
Mrs. McKinzie subsequently married William Forsyth, a
merchant, of a Scotch Presbyterian family, who settled
in Blackwater, Ireland, emigrated from that place to
New York, in 1750, served under Wolfe, in 1759, and
afterward became a resident of Quebec. Soon after this
marriage, the Forsyth family, including the children of
Mrs. Forsyth by her former marriages, removed to New-
York City, where they resided many years, and removed
thence to Detroit. While residing in New York, John
Kinzie was placed in a school at Williamsburgh, Long-
Island, with two of his Forsyth half-brothers; a negro
servant being sent from New York to take the children
home each Saturday night. At the end of a certain
Saturday night, the servant went, as usual, for the boys,
but found no "Johnny Kinzie." Evidently, an adven-
turous life was attractive, even to the lad of " ten or
eleven years," for he had left books and studies, and
taken passage on a sloop bound for Albany, resolved to
find his way to his old home in Quebec, and there seek
something to do, by which he might earn his own living.
Fortunately, he found a friendly fellow passenger, by
whose assistance he arrived safely at his -destination.
Still more fortunately, in wandering around the streets
of Quebec, in search of work, he entered the shop of a
silversmith, and found an occupation that he fancied,
and a chance to become apprentice to a kind master.
He entered the service of the silversmith, and remained
with him three years, at the expiration of which time he
returned to his parents, who had removed in the mean-

MODERN CHICAGO AND ITS SETTLEMENT.

time t<> Detroit.* Young Kinzie early became an Indian
trader, and also acquired a reputation as silversmith in
Detroit. His early trade with the Indians was with the
Shawnees and Ottawas, his houses being established at
Sandusky, and on the Maumee. During these years he
formed a marriage relation with Margaret McKenzie, a
young girl of American parentage, who had been for
many years a captive among- the Indians in Ohio, and
who. doubtless, was ransomed by Kinzie, and taken to
"I telroit as his wife.

From the year 1775 until the surrender of Cornwal-
lis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781, open war prevailed
between the Virginia colonists and the British forces un-
der Lord Dunmore, the newly appointed Governor of
the Colony. The Virginia convention, which met at
Richmond, March 20, 1775, to appoint delegates to the
new Continental Congress, took measures for enrolling
companies of volunteers in each county. Lord Dun-
more proclaimed martial law November 7 of the same
year, took possession of Norfolk, and continued a pred-
atory warfare along the coast until the fall of 1776.
During the progress of this so-called " Dunmore War,"
when the western portion of Virginia was at the mercy
of any foe friendly to the British, Isaac McKenzie and
his family were living in Ciles County, Virginia, near
the Kenewha River. A band of Shawnees from Ohio,
m one of their hostile incursions, attacked his cabin,
which they destroyed, and murdered all his family, ex-
cept two daughters — Margaret, a little girl of ten years,
and Elizabeth, two years younger. Mr. McKenzie
escaped, but the girls were carried captive to the great
village of the tribe, at Chillicothe, where they were kept
in charge of the chief. After about ten years' captivity,
they were taken, or found their way, to Detroit. Mar-
garet became the wife of John Kinzie and the mother
of his three elder children — William, James anil Eliza-
beth. The younger sister became the wife of a Mr.
Clark, a Scotch trader, and the mother of his two chil-
dren— John R. and Elizabeth. After a separation of
many years, Mr. McKenzie, the father of the lost girls,
also came to Detroit, and there found his daughters.
He remained with them for a time; then returned to
Virginia, accompanied by both his daughters, with their
children, from whence Margaret never returned. What-
ever might have been the cause of the separation, it was
a final one. John Kinzie and his wife, Margaret, never
met again.

The count)' records at Detroit show, in May, 1795,
a conveyance of land on the Maumee to John Kinzie
and Thomas Forsyth of Detroit, by the Ottawa Indians;
also by the same Indians, November, 1 797, a convey-
ance of land by the same Indians to "John Kinzie. sil-
versmith, of Detroit." About the year 1800, Mr. Kinzie
removed to the St. Joseph River, Michigan, and during
that year was married to Mrs. Eleanor 1 Lytic McKillip,
whose former husband, a British officer, was accidentally
killed at Fort Defiance in 1794, leaving her a widow
with a young daughter, Margaret. The trading house
o'l Mr. Kinzie was on the St. Joseph River. His son,
John Harris Kinzie, was born at Sandwich, opposite De-

* William Forsyth kept a hotel in Detroit many years, and diud there in
i7uu. Robert, one of his sons, was in the service of the American ( Government
during the Warof 1S12. Thomas, who became Major Thomas Forsyth, U.S. V.
was born in Detroit, December;, 1771. Before the War of 1812, he was Indian
Vgentamong the Pottawatomies at Peoria Lake. He was taken prisoner with his
family, at the destruction of Peoria by Captain Craig, in the latter part of the
same year, and sent with the French inhabitants of the place to St. Louis, un-
der the supposition that the Flench had made an alliance with the Indians, and
that he was in the league. The cruel mistake caused much and terrible suffer-
ing, and excited the deepest indignation of Major Forsyth. After the War of
1812, he was sent as U.S. Indian Agent among the Sanks and Foxes, with whom
's, October 29, 1833,

troit, July 7, 1803. The young boy was soon taken to
the St. Joseph River, and there the family remained until
Mr. Kinzie bought the trading house of LeMai, anil
settled at Chicago in the Spring of 1804.

John Kinzie came to this new location in the prime
of his life — strong, active anil intelligent — his life
sobered by experience, but his heart kindly and gener-
ous. He was beloved by the Indians, and his influence
over them was very great. He acquired the reputation
of being, par excellence, "the Indians' friend," and
through the most fearful scenes of danger. Shaw-
nee-aw-kee, the Silverman, and his family, moved un-
scathed.

The eight years following his location at Chit ago.
passed quietly. He attended to the business "I his
trading-house, which rapidly increased. Before 1805
he had visited Milwaukee, established a trading-post,
and made many friends among the Indians there."*
He also had a branch of the parent house at Rock
River, others on the Illinois and Kankakee, anil one in
the region afterward Sangamon County. This extend-
ed Indian trade made the employment of a large num-
ber of men at headquarters a necessity, and the Cana-
dian voyageurs in the service of Mr. Kinzie were about
the only white men who had occasion to visit Chicago
during those early years. Mr. Kinzie was sutler for the
garrison at the fort in addition to his Indian trade, anil
also kept up his manufacture of the ornaments in which
the Indians delighted. During the first residence ol
Mr. and Mrs. John Kinzie in Chicago three children
were born to them — Ellen Marion, in December. 1805 ;
Maria Indiana,! in 1807 ; and Robert Allen, February
8, 1S10: Margaret McKillip, Mr. Kinzie's step-daughter.
who married Lieutenant I.inai Helm of Fort Dearborn,
and also Robert Forsyth, nephew of Mr. Kinzie, were
at times members of his family, the latter being the first
teacher of John H. Kinzie. From the county records
at Detroit,]; it appears that Mr. Kinzie and John Whist-
ler, Jr., were partners in business in September, 1810,
and that Thomas Forsyth was also connected in busi-
ness with Mr. Kinzie in Chicago, during the same year.

In the spring of 1812, Mr. Kinzie had an encoun-
ter with John Lalime. Indian interpreter at Fort Dear-
born, which proved fatal to the latter. The facts of
this unfortunate occurrence as related to the writer by
an eye-witnessg of the deed, were to the effect that an
animosity had long existed between Lalime and Mr.
Kinzie, but no acts of violence hail ever occurred.
That on the day in question, Mr. Kinzie left his house
unarmed and went across the river to the fort, on an
errand. Having completed his business, he started to
return and was followed by Lalime. Just as he passed
the enclosure, and the gate was being shut for the
night, Lieutenant Helm, who was officer of the day,
called out to him to beware of Lalime, who was then
close behind him. He turned, grappled with Lalime,
and wrested his pistol from him, which was discharged
in the struggle, but without harm. Lalime had a dirk-
also in his belt, and while the two men were on the
ground, this was thrust into his side, inflicting a fatal
wound. During the excitement Mr. Kinzie was also
wounded, and reached his home holding a bloody hand-
kerchiel to his side. He was concealed in the woods
until night and then taken to Milwaukee bv some of
the Indians, where he was kept in the house of Mr.
Mirandeau, the father of Mrs. l'orthier, until the facts

Robe

tors,

.,rc

early

ent of Chicago,

was 111, -,.,

1 of Mi

of William For

iylh, was lo,

it in the

I ho

74

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

of the case were known, and it was sale for him to

return. Mr. Lalime had warm friends at the fort, and
until it was known that the killing was accidental and

the struggle, on Mr. Kinzie's part, in self-defense, great
anger was excited, and many threats were made against
him. The verdict rendered by the officers at the fort,
on the examination of the circumstances, was "justifi-
able homicide." and Mr. Kinzie returned to Chicago as
soon as his wound was healed.

Save this affair, time passed peacefully away for
eight years. Then came the fright of April, 1812, when
the dwellers at " l.ee's Place" were murdered by the
Indians, followed, on August 15, by the massacre of
the garrison of Fort Dearborn.*

Mr. Kinzie removed his family to the fort for pro-
tection, at the time of the Indian outrage of April 7, and
they were yet living there when it was evacuated on the
15th of August. Having determined to accompany
the troops himself, believing he could afford them some
protection, he entrusted his family — now consisting of
wife and four children John H., nine years of age, and
Ellen, Maria and Robert, younger to the care of his
clerk. John Baptiste Chandonnait, and two friendly In-
dians upon whose fidelity he could rely, who were to
convey them in a boat to his former home at Bertram!
on the St. Joseph River, Mr. Kinzie left the fort with
the garrison. The boat, leaving a little later, had been
taken only to the mouth of the river, where now is the
foot of Madison Street, when a message was received
from Mr. Kinzie. ordering it to proceed no further. The
family accordingly remained at that point under the pro-
tection of the friendly Indians, until, after the loss of
about two-thirds the number of the garrison, the mas-
sacre was stayed by the surrender of the survivors, with
the stipulation that their lives should be spared, and they
should be delivered at some British post. It being then
considered safer for the Kinzie family to return, they
were taken to their home, where they remained three
days ; saved from the fury of the Indians who had come
from a distance to participate in the massacre, and to
whom the family were unknown, by the strong personal
friendship and tireless vigilance of the neighboring
chiefs. Black Partridge, Waubansee and Caldwell the
Sauganash, who proved in this emergency that an In-
dian can be a faithful friend. On the 1 8th of August,
the whole family, including Mrs. Helm.f the daughter-
in-law of Mr. Kinzie, were safely conducted by boat to
St. Joseph River, and remained at Bertrand until the
following November, under the protection of the Chief
Topenebe brother of the wife of William Burnett, the
Chicago trader). All except Mr. Kinzie who followed
in December were then taken to Detroit, and delivered
to Colonel McGee, the British Indian agent, as prisoners
of war. On Mr. Kinzie's arrival he was paroled by
General Proctor, and the family took possession of the
old family residence. After a short time the British
commander became suspicious that Mr. Kinzie was in
correspondence with General Harrison, and ordered his
arrest. After two fruitless attempts, both of which were
thwarted by the vigilance and energy of the Indian
friends of Shaw-nec-aw-kcc. General Proctor succeeded
in procuring his arrest, and sent him to Fort Maiden, at
the mouth of the Detroit River, where he was impris-
oned. He remained in confinement until the result of
the battle of I.ake Erie, September 10, 1813, showed
General Proctor that some safer place must be found for

* s.-«: history of Fort Dearborn, foUovrine this,

* Mm, Margaret (McKiUip) Helm wasthi daughter ••! Mrs. John Kinzie,
by her former marriage, sh. was married in Detroii in 180! 1 Lieutenant

• . ..t Fort Dearborn, ul the in.., ol il .. .

■acre, and Mrs. Helm was residing ..1 the tort. They were both wounded—
neither fatally.

American prisoners. Mr. Kinzie was then taken to
Quebec to be sent thence to England. The vessel upon
which he was placed, when a few days out, was chased
by an American frigate and driven to Halifax, and, on a
second attempt to make the passage, sprung a-leak. and
was obliged to return to port. Mr. Kinzie was once
more confined in Quebec, but soon released and allowed
to return to his family in Detroit, then the headquarters
of General Harrison.

While residing in Detroit, Mr. Kinzie was a witness
to the treaty made with the Indians at Spring Wells,
near that post, on September 8, 1815. He is on record,
October, 1815, as a partner of Thomas Forsyth. In
1816, John and Eleanor Kinzie conveyed several pieces
of land, one of which, described as " where I now live,
and have built and made improvements," is dated fune
24, 1 816. In the same vear — probably in the autumn —
Mr. Kinzie returned with his family to Chicago, and the
" Kinzie House "again became his home. He engaged
in trade with the Indians, and also resumed his occupa-
tion of silversmith. After the reorganization of the
American Pur Company, in 1817, although not appointed
agent of the company, he was on intimate and confi-
dential terms with the agents at Mackinac, and con-
tinued to do a large business as an independent trader.*
Writing to Mr. Kinzie, from Mackinac, June 22. 181 7,
one week after his arrival there, as agent of the Ameri-
can Fur Company, Ramsey Crooks says, " I am happy
to learn your success in the late campaign, and sincerely
hope it may continue. I look for a visit from you soon,
but should that be inconvenient yet, for some time, any
commands you may in the interim favor us with shall
be duly attended to." In a letter written to Governor
Cass, a day later, he speaks of the success of Mr. Kinzie
in his ventures during the past year. By letters pub-
lished elsewhere in this volume, it will be seen that Mr,
Kinzie was actively engaged in the fur trade, after his
return to Chicago, in 1816. In September. 1818. he
signed as a witness, with title of sub-agent, the treaty of
St. Mary's. Ohio. In the summer of 1818, he sent his
son John to Mackinac, to be indentured to the American
Fur Company. Mr. Crooks writes to Mr. Kinzie, August
15, 1818, that John reached the place "in good
health, which has continued ever since." It would
seem that he sent his son in company with Mr. Chan-
donnait, f his former clerk, as Mr. Crooks alludes to the
fact of buying skins brought by him — the price of which
does not meet his Kinzie's "expectations."

On the 5th of June, 1821, Mr. Kinzie was recom-
mended as Justice of the Peace for Pike County — ap-
parently the first for that district, but it does not appear
that he was commissioned

In all the letters written by Mr. Crooks to Mr.
Kinzie he speaks in terms of commendation of John,
and the following letter of Mr. Kinzie — the only one
from his pen now accessible, shows his appreciation of
the value of meriting the confidence of the agents of
the Company, and enables the reader to form a just
estimate of the man. The letter is to his son, at Mack-
inac, and is dated August 19, 1821:

xtDear Si'//: — I received yourletter by the schooner, Nothing
gives me more satisfaction than to hear from you and of you. It does
give I. "Ill myself and your mother a pleasure to hear how y. mi con-
duct is talked of by every one that hopes you even advantage.
Rather lei this stimulate you to continue the worthy man, for a
good name is Letter than wealth, and we cannot be too circumspect
in our line of conduct. Mr. Crooks speaks highly of you, and try
1.. continue the favorite of such worthy men as Mr. Crooks. Mr.
Stewarl and the other gentlemen of the concern. Your molherand

ed alike

modern Chicago and its settlement.

75

all of Ilit-- family are well, and send their love to you. James is
here, and I am pleased lhat his returns are such as to satisfy the
lirm.

" I have been reduced in wages, owing to the economy of the
(Jovernment, My interpreter's salary is no more, and I have but
$100 to subsist on. ft does work me hard sometimes to provide
for your sisters and brothers on this, and maintain my family in a
decent manner, f will have to take new measures. I hate to
change houses, but I have been requested to wait Conant's arrival.
We are all mighty busy, as the treaty commences to-morrow, and

The U. S. Indian Agency was established at Chi
cago in 1804, and re-established in 1816, when Mr. Kin-
zie was appointed sub-agent, under Charles Jouett. He
served in the same capacity under Dr. Alexander Wolcott,
and also as Indian interpreter for a short time. December
2, 1823, he was recommended as a Justice of the Peai i
for Fulton County, and July 28, 1825, was appointed
Justice of the Peace for Peoria County. After the death

THE OLD KINZIE MANSION AS IT APPEARED IN l8 5

we have hordes of Indians around us already. My best respects to
Mr. Crooks and Stewart, and all the gentlemen of your house.
"Adieu. I am your loving Father."

Mr. Kinzie's name appears as sub-agent and witness
to the treaty of Chicago, August 29, 1821, which was
signed in the immediate neighborhood of his residence
— probably between his house and the agency-house, a
little west. The accepted spelling is Kiiizie, not as above.

Mr. Kinzie, appealed to by Governor Cass, spoke to
the Indians, who were discontented with the annuities
granted them, in the following words : " You must
recollect that when I first spoke to you about the an-
nuity at St. Mary's, I told you I could offer only two
thousand dollars. You said it was too little. I took
this answer to your father, who said that the annuity
was small, because you had sold but a small tract of
country ; but he authorized me to give a little more,
and when I returned, I offered you five hundred dol-
lars more, which you agreed to, and upon this the treaty
was signed. Mr. Bertrand was also present, and can
speak to this point."

of John Crafts, in the latter part of 1825, Mr. Kinzie
was appointed agent of the American Fur Company,
and as early as the fall of 1827, with his family, he took
his final leave of the old house as a home. One of his
daughters, the wife of Dr. Wolcott, lived in a building
within the walls of Fort Dearborn, then without a garri-
son. The residence of Colonel Beaubien was close lie-
side the south wall of the fort, and there Mr. Kinzie
was living at the time of his death. On Monday, Jan-
uary 6, 1828, while visiting his daughter, Mrs. Wolcott,
he was suddenly stricken with apoplexy — his second
attack — and died after a very brief struggle. The
funeral services were conducted within the fort, and all
that was mortal of the pioneer of Chicago, was buried
on the shore of Lake Michigan near by. Subsequently
his remains were removed to the north side of the river,
and interred just west of the present site of the water
works. They were again removed to the cemetery, for-
merly on that portion of Lincoln Park near North A ve-
nue and Clark Street, and once more to a final resting
place at Graceland.

The esteem in which Mr. Kinzie was held by the
Indians, is shown by the treaty made with the Potta-
watomies, September 20, 1828, the year of his death, by
one provision of which they give " to Eleanor Kinzie
anil her four children by the late John Kinzie, $3,500.00,
in consideration of the attachment of the Indians to her

:•

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

deceased husband, who was long an Indian trailer, and

who lost a large sum in the trade, by the credits given
them, and also by the destitution of his property. The
money is in lien of a tract of land, which the Indians
gave the late John Kinzie long since, and upon which
he lived."

Thi K.in/11 House. — For several years of its early
existence. Chicago was simply Fort Dearborn, and the
trading establishment and house of John Kinzie. " ( >nly
this, and nothing more," save, perhaps, a few huts inhab-
ited by half-breeds, and the wigwams of the Pottawato-
mies.

The cabin of LeMai was gradually enlarged and
improved by Mr. Kinzie. until what was once a mere
habitation became a comfortable home lor his own
family, and a hospitable shelter for everv stranger that
found its doors. Theold home as remembered by John
H. Kinzie, and described by his wife in " Waubun," was
a "long, low building with a piazza extending along its
front, a range of four or live rooms. A broad green
space was enclosed between it and the river, and shaded
by a row of Lombardy poplars. Two immense cotton-
wood trees stood in the rear of the building. A fine,
well-cultivated garden extended to the north of the
dwelling, ami surrounding it were various buildings ap-
pertaining to the establishment — dairy, bake-house,
lodging-house for the Frenchmen, and stables."

A vast range of sand-hills, covered with stunted
cetlars. pines, anil dwarf- willow trees, intervened between
the house and the lake, which was, at this time, not more
than thirty rods distant. Between the house and Fort
Dearborn was kept up a foot ferry — a little boat swing-
ing in the river, for the use of any passenger. Directly
in front of its door the river bent to the south, around
the fort, and could be seen at the point where it emptied
into the lake. A beautiful picture of this early Chicago
home, as described by John H. Kinzie, long years
after it ceased to exist, is drawn in the old Chicago
Magazine of 1857. The editor* says, speaking of Mr.
Kinzie :

'■ Every feature- of the old home is distinct in his recollection.
The Lombardy poplars, which perished long ago, and the cotton-
woods which once were but saplings planted by his own hand, and
which have stood until the more recent days as mementoes of the
past; the rough-hewn logs which formed the wall of his home, the
garden and the shrubbery, the fence paling" that surrounded it, and
the green lawn at the front of the house, gently descending to the
water of the river; the tiny boat Moating idly at the foot of the
walk; and. as the crowning mark of the picture, standing upon
Ihe opposite shore, upon the highest part of the elevation, the old
(ort, the whitewashed walls of the block-houses, the barracks and
Ihe palisades, glistening in the bright sun, while a gentle slope of
green grass extended from the enclosure to the very water's edge.
It was a beautiful sight. ( her all this rose the few pulsations of hu-
man progress, as seen in an occasional stray Indian, with his canoe
or pony or pack of furs; a French Canadian loitering here and
iherc; a soldier pacing his rounds about Ihe fort, or idly strolling
over the prairies, or hunting in the woods."

in this house, the first white child of Chicago —
Kllen Marion Kinzie — was born in December, 1.S04.
The little maiden played around her home, until danger
1 ame too near, escaped it all. and returned with her par-
ents to Chicago and her birthplace, to live in the old
home, until on the 20th of July, 1823, she was married
under Us roof to Dr. Alexander Wolcott,f then Indian
Agent, became the first Chicago bride, and the Kinzie
house- the scene of the fust Chicago wedding. Maria
I. Kinzie, afterward the wife of General David Hunter,
was born here in 1807. and Robert Allen, youngest son
of John and Eleanor, on February 8, 1810.

* I hi lab /• bin* I oilman.

• Or. Wofcotl diedai I hicagoin 1 r.and in 1 ■ lii- widnn 1 Tied in De-
troit, Mich., Hon Cji ' Bati it Bali died 111 Detroit, August 1, i860.

The Kinzie house was no gloomy home. Up to the
very time of their enforced removal, the children
"danced to the sound of their father's -iolin," and the
long hours of frontier life were made merry with sport
anil play. Later, the primitive court of Justice Kinzie
must have been held in its "spare room," if spare room
there was. In 1829, after the old master who lived
there so long, hail gone to his rest, it was used for a
time as a store, by Anson H. Taylor, and later, in March,
1831, was the residence* and probably the office of
Mr. Bailey, the first Postmaster of Chicago. Its best
days were past when the family of Mr. Kinzie left it,
and after 1831 and 18^2, when Mark Noble occupied it
with his family, there is no record of its being inhabited.
Its decaying logs were used by the Indians and emi-
grants for fuel, and the drifting sand of Lake Michigan
was fast piled over its remains. No one knows when it
finally disappeared, but with the growth of the new
town, this relic of the early day of Chicago passed from
sight to be numbered among the things that were.

In 1808 Tecumseh and his brother Laulewasikau
(Open Door , who was related on the paternal side to
the Kickapoos, removed from the old home of the Shaw-
nees in Ohio to a tract of land on the Wabash River
given them by the Pottawatomies and Kickapoos.
Tecumseh had long objected to the grants of lands
made by the Indians to the whites, and, with his brother,
now engaged in a systematic effort to unite the North-
western tribes in a confederacy, by which each tribe
should be pledged to make treaties or cede lands only
with the consent of the league. During the year 1809,
Tecumseh and the Prophet were actively engaged in
this work, and they were exasperated almost to madness,
when by the treaty made at Fort Wayne in September
of that year, certain Western tribes, including the Pot-
tawatomies and Kickapoos, ceded to the United States,
through its commissioner. General Harrison, lands on
the Wabash and White rivers, which Tecumseh claimed
belonged to the Shawnees, of whom he was the princi-
pal chief. Tecumseh was no party to the treaty, and
maintained that the cession of land was illegal anil un-
just, and that he was in no wise bound by its terms. A
council was appointed and held at Vincennes, August
12, 1810, to settle the difficulty if possible. It ended
in a bitter and angry dispute between General Harrison
and Tecumseh. 'Ihe former maintained the legality of
the treaty of 1809, and his determination to hold and
defend the ceded lands ; the latter, in an impassioned
and fiery speech, denounced the whites and their aggres-
sions, and declared that by the terms of the great In-
dian league all lands were held in common — that all
the tribes constituted one nation, and that without the
consent of all no treaty of purchase and cession was
valid. He left the council more than ever determined
to unite the Indians against the American intruders; a
purpose more readily accomplished by reason of ill feel-
ing existing between Great Britain and the United
States, now steadily strengthening through the intrigues
of English agents and traders in the Northwest. Soon
after the council at Vincennes, Tecumseh and the Pro-
phet visited the various Pottawatomie bands on the Illi-
nois anil its waters, including those of Shawbonee,
Billy Caldwell, Senachwine, Gomo, Main Poc, Black
Partridge. Letotirneau or the Blackbird, and others, to
induce them to join the confederacy and pledge them-
selves to sell no more land to the Americans. He re-
ceived from the most of them little encouragement, but
the visit evidently had its effect, as attacks on the white
settlers of Illinois soon followed.
» Sec "Waubun."

MODERN CHICAGO AND ITS SETTLEMEN'

77

Tn [ulv, 1S10, the Pottawatomies of tlie Illinois
made a raid upon a settlement in Missouri, opposite
the month of the Gasconade, stealing property and
murdering several settlers, among whom was Captain
Cole. The Governor of Missouri General William
('lark made a requisition upon Governor Ninian Ed-
wards of Illinois, for the murderers. They had taken
refuge with Main Poc,* the war chief of the tribe, then
residing near Peoria Lake, but whose village was on the
Kankakee, just above the forks. They were never re-
covered. The following letter from General Harrison
in relation to this affair, which has been deposited, with
other papers belonging to Governor Edwards, with the
Chicago Historical Society, is of interest to Chicago, as
showing the dangerous proximity of hostile Indians, at
the time the inhabitants believed themselves secure in
the friendship of the neighboring Pottawatomies, at
least. The letter is addressed to "General William
(lark, Indian Agent, St. Louis:"

" Vincf.nxks, loth June, xSn.

"Dear Sir: — I have been exerting myself to rind out where the
Pottawatomies who murdered Captain Cole and his parly were to
he found and the best means of apprehending them, for some months
past. 1 will now give you the result of my inquiries on the sub-
ject. The ehiefs of the Pottawatomies all acknowledge that the
murderers belong lo their tribe. Several of the principal ones
were at Fort Wayne early this spring, and informed Captain Wells
that they had put themselves under the protection of Mam Poc,
the great war chief of the tribe, who resides npon the Illinois
River. One of these, however, spent the last winter witli the
Prophet. I sent Wellsf up to the town of the latter in April last,
to ascertain whether they were there and what would be the most
likely means of getting hold of them, and four others of the same
tribe, who had in the beginning of that month stolen fourteen
horses from this neighborhood. In his report Wells informed me
that the murderers were not there; that they lived on the Illinois
River and were only occasionally on the Wabash. I would imme-
diately have communicated this information to you, but as I still
had a man at the Prophet's village, I waited his return to know
whether he would bring any further intelligence. A few days ago
he arrived, and with him a young Indian, who formerly lived with
me, and who is the son-in-law of Onoxa or Five Medals, a princi-
pal Pottawatomie chief. Onoxa desired the young man to inform
me that there was no probability of the murderers being delivered
up. and that there was no way of getting them but by sending a
party of men and taking them wherever they would be found,
lirouilette, the young man above mentioned, says that a Pottawa-
tomie was at the Prophet's town when he left it, with one of the
horses taken from Cole, but he does not know whether he was one
of the party that took him. I have on the 23d April written to the
Secretary of War for particular instruction on the subject of them
fellows, but have not yet received an answer. I think, however,
that a formal demand had better be made of Main Poc by Gov-
ernor FMwards, as they are certainly within his jurisdiction, and 1
will cause the same thing to be done of the chiefs who attend at
Post Wayne to receive their annuity. There is not, however, the
smallest probability of their being surrendered. I have no doubt
of the good disposition of Tupennibe.J the principal chief of the
tribe, Onoxa and many others, but the tribe is so large and scattered
that they have no control over the distant parts, indeed very little
over the young men that are about them. I am therefore certain
that there is no other mode of bringing the culprits to justice but
by seizing them ourselves. All the information that I receive from
the Indian country confirms the rooted enmity of the Prophet to
the l'. S. and his determination to commence hostilities as soon
as he thinks himself sufficiently strong. From the uncommon
insolence which he and his party have lately manifested, I am
inclined to believe that a crisis is fast approaching. A Frenchman
descending the Wabash about ten days ago was robbed of his
pirogue and some small quantity of goods ; but the most daring
piece of insolence that they have yet ventured upon is that of seiz-
ing the salt destined for the tribes above them. The pirogue which
1 sent up with it returned last evening and the man who had charge

* This chief, who ^ave the whites a great deal of trouble, is mentioned by
the daughter of Charles Jouett, the first Indian Agent at Chicago, as visiting
the place after the fort was rebuilt in 1816. She says her father had an encoun-
ter with him, in which the savage brandished his scalping-knife with furious
menaces betokening bloody violence ; but, confronting him sternly, Mr. Jouett
ordered him to give up the knife, and he finally complied.

t Captain William Wells, massacred at Chicago, August, 181?.

JTopenebe, chief of the St. Joseph band, spoken of in " Watlbun," as
" Topeeneebee. He proved a faithful friend to the whites of Chicago. In all
the treaties spelled Topenece.

of her reports that he stopped at the Prophet's village and offered
him three barrels of salt intended for him, ami that In- was ordered
to stop until a council was held, and the whole was then taken
from him. If our government will submit I" this insolence, it will
be the means of making all the tribes treat us with contempt.

" I do not recollect anything of the claim of liri.im which yon
mention in your last. 1 may perhaps have received the papers
ami sent them 1.' Fort Wayne but 1 have forgotten it. 1 will thank
you to slate the particulars.

" 1 am yours sincerely,

"WM. 'll. HARRIS! IN."

Prior to the time the above letter was written,
Matthew Irwin, U. S. Factor at Chicago, had given
notice to the Secretary of War of the machinations of
the Prophet to incite the Indians on the Illinois to hos-
tilities against the whites. The following letter was
written by John Lalime*, Indian interpreterat Fort Dear-
born, to General William Clark, at St. Louis, giving in-
formation of the thefts to which General Harrison alludes
in his communication to General Clark.

"Chicago, 26th May, [811.
" Sir: — An Indian from the Peorias passed here yesterday, and
has given me information that the Indians about that place have
been about the settlements of Kaskaskia and Yincennes, and have
stolen from fifteen to twenty horses. Il appears by the informa-
tion given me that the principal actors are two brothers of the wife
of Main Poc. lie is residing at the l'eorias. or a little above it, at
a place they call Prairie du Corbeau. Hy the express going to Fori
Wayne, I will communicate this to the agent. I presume, Sir,
that you will communicate this to the Governor of Kaskaskia and
to General Harrison. 1 am, Sir, with respect,

Ilble. Sent,

///,/. Interpr

Lalime again wrote on the 7th of July, 1 S 1 1 , to
John Johnson, U. S. factor at Fort Wayne, giving
information of the murder of young Cox and the cap-
ture pf his sister. The letter reads:

" Sir: — Since my last to you we have news of other depredations
and murders committed about the settlement of Cahokia. The
first news we received was that the brothers in-law of Main Poc
went down and stole a number of horses. Second, another parlv
went down, stole some horses, killed a man, and took off a young
woman, but they being pursued, were obliged to leave her to save
themselves. Third, they have been there, and killed and destroyed
a whole family. The cause of it, or in part, is from the Little
Chief that came last fall to see Governor Harrison, under the
feigned name of Wapewa. He told the Indians that he had told
the Governor that the Americans were settling on their lands, and
asked him what should be done with them He told the Indians
that the Governor had told them they were bad people, that they
must drive them off, kill their cattle and steal their horses, etc.
Iieing the quarter ending with the 30th of June, I am busy with
the factory, and have a number of Indians here paying their visit
to Captain Heald. From those circumstances, I hope, Sir, you
will excuse my hurry. Please give my respects to Mrs. Johnson.
" I am with respect. Sir,

" Your obedient servant,

"J. LALIME."

The murders alluded to in the letter of Mr. Lalime.
had recently been committed. On the 2d of June, 181 1,
the Indians surrounded the house of Mr. Cox 00 Shoal
Creek, and finding only a young son and a daughter at
home, killed the former and carried off the daughter a
prisoner — and also stole horses and other property. On

* John Lalime was of English and Indian birth. He was called an Eng-
lishman. In an angry encounter with John Kinzie. he was accidentally killed
in the spring or early summer of 1812. (See Biography "I John Kinzie.)

r*

history of early Chicago.

the return of Mr. Cox, he assembled the settlers to the
number of some eight or ten, and gave pursuit. The

Indians were overtaken about fifty miles north of the
present city of Springfield, and the girl was recovered.
Mr. Price and Mr. Ellis, two settlers who lived where
now is the city of Alton, were murdered the same month
of the Cox outrage, while at work in their cornfields.
In ord.er to induce the Indians to give up these murder-
ers, and restore the stolen property, as well as in the
hope of preventing such depredations in the future, a
council was appointed by Governor Ninian Edwards, to
be held at Peoria on the 1 6th of August, 1S11. Captain
Samuel Levering, as representative of the Governor,
started from Cahokia for Peoria July 25, 181 1. He
was accompanied by Captain Herbert Henry Swearin-
ueu and eight boatmen, who were to act as soldiers in
case of emergency. On the 3d of August they arrived
at Peoria, where they met Thomas Forsyth, the Indian
Agent, who had long resided among the Indians, and
thoroughly understood their language. He acted as in-
terpreter. Gomo or Masseno, the principal chief of the
Pottawatomies at Peoria, sent out his runners to summon
the various chiefs on the river and in the surrounding
country to the council, which was held on the 16th of
August. Among the chiefs present were the Blackbird

known by the French as Letourneau, and by the sur-
rounding Indians as Mucketepennese I, Waubansee,
Little Chief or Main Poc, Black Partridge, Senachwine
and others. The message of Governor Edwards was
read to them, in which he made a formal and positive
demand that the murderers of the Illinois settlers should
be handed over to justice, and the stolen horses be re-
stored to their owners ; otherwise, ''Storms and hurri-
canes, and the thunder and lightning of heaven cannot
be more terrible, than would be the resentment of their
Creat Father."

The chiefs were divided as to the policy of giving
up the murderers, as they averred that they were under
the protection of the Prophet, or tribes hostile to the
Americans. Gomo, whose village was at the head of
Peoria Lake, near that of Black Partridge, thought it
was possible to recover and give them up ; but Main
Poc, the war chief of the tribe, who lived on the Kan-
kakee, and who was alluded to as " Little Chief," by
Mr. Lai i me, in his letter to the " Agent at Fort Wayne,"
declared " they were with the Shawanoe Prophet and he
might as well kill himself as try to get them." In his
speech, Main Poc said :

" You astonish me with your talk. Whenever you do wrong
there is nothing said or done, but when we do anything, you
immediately lake us and tie us by the neck with a rope. You see
our situation today, we the Pottawatomies, Chippewas and Otta-
wa-. The Shawanoe Prophet blames us to-day for not listening to
him : you do the same, and we are now on a balance which side
to take. If our young men behave amiss, blame the Shawanoe
Prophet for it. These young men upbraid us, for they sav, ' You
give the Americans your hand, and some day they will knock you
in the head.' This is the occasion of the late depredations among
the Pottawatomies. Observe what sou said yesterday: you said
that you would kill our wives and children for these murders.
Them men did not go from among us, but from the Shawanoe Pro-
phet. From here they went and done the mischief and returned
hack again. Perhaps you never heard of the Prophet before. So
II it to you ; since he has been on the Wabash he has told
the young men that they will see the day that they will be ill-
treated, and more than that, the Americans will be traitors to them.
If you wish to make war it is altogether of yourselves. You say,
what will become of our women and children in case of war ? on
the other hand, what will become of your women and children ? It
is better to avoid war. There is one horse in my village. There
were three — two died. I will take that horse to Chicago as it is
nearer my town. The greater part of the horses stolen, were taken
by the Indians who stole them, to Detroit, who intend never to
return. I -asl summer the Agent at Chicago told them not to pur-

chase any Stolen horses, but this summer the commanding officef
has demanded the horses, and I intend taking that one and deliv-
ering it to him at Chicago."

Gomo also made a speech which, though friendly,
showed the increasing dissatisfaction of the Indians
with the encroachments of the whites, and particularly
with their building forts, from which they inferred that
the Americans intended to make war upon them and
dispossess them of their country. At the final adjourn-
ment of the council two horses only were delivered up, —
the murderers were not found, and the council ended
with still more bitter feelings on both sides.

In the fall succeeding this council on the Illinois
River, Harrison took up his march for the Wabash.
He had previously sent an agent to the village of the
Prophet on the Tippecanoe River, to make one more
effort to conciliate Tecumseh, who was there, but the
interview ended in making the haughty warrior more de-
termined than before, and on its termination he imme-
diately set out for the South to secure the alliance of
the Chickasaws, Creeks and Choctaws in the coming
conflict which he anticipated.

During his absence. General Harrison marched with
a small army to the Wabash, ascended that river to
Tippecanoe, or Prophetstown, and encamped near. He
was attacked in November, by the Prophet and his fol-
lowers, who were completely routed, and their village
broken up and destroyed. When Tecumseh returned
from the South, he joined the British at Maiden, and
thenceforth used all his influence and power to secure
the alliance of the Illinois tribes for his new friends,
sending messengers with bribes to buy their friendship
if not their active co-operation.

The growing animosity of the Indians toward the
Americans, and their friendliness toward the British, in-
duced Governor F^dwards to call another council in the
spring of 181 2. This was held at Cahokia, and was at-
tended by all the prominent chiefs of the Pottawatomies,
Kickapoos, Chippewas and Ottawas on the Illinois.
The Indians were disappointed at the failure of the
Prophet to fulfill his promises, and his defeat at Tippe-
canoe had lessened their faith in his pretensions. Their
professions of loyalty to the American cause were pro-
fuse. Chiefs, who participated in the massacre at Chi-
cago, a few months later, by their spokesman, Gomo,
asserted, in the strongest terms, their determination never
to join the British. They told Captain Hebert, the
commissioner sent by the Governor, of the attempts of
the English to induce the warriors of Main Poc's band
to go to war against the Americans, and their resolu-
tion to remain in peace ; of their desire to have a U. S.
Factor at Peoria, only that " on account of the VVinne-
bagoes, who are now raging about, he might be killed,
and they should be blamed ; " and declared that " what-
ever the English may do," the Americans might "rest
assured that the four nations here, will never join them."
At the time of this council, a description of the Illinois
River, and the tribes residing on it and its branches,
was prepared for Governor Edwards, from which the
following extract, giving the tribes at and above Peoria
Lake, is taken :

" The Pottawatomies were divided at that time (May, 1S12),
into several bands on the Illinois River ; that of ('■oiilb, consisting
of about one hundred and fifty men, at the north end of Peoria
Lake; Pepper's band at Sand River (River an Sable), about two
leagues below the Quin-qui-quee (Kankakee), consisting of about
two hundred men, and of different nations, Pottawatomies, Chippe-
was and Ottawas. I.etourneau (the Blackbird),* and Mittitasse
are of this band. Main Poc's band lies seven leagues up the Quin-
qui-quee, consisting of about fifty men. The other Pottawatomies

M()t)KKN CHICAGO AND ITS SETTLEMENT.

V)

belong to the River St. Joseph, in which river there are three or lour
villages. In the Fox River, which empties itself into the Illinois
River at the Charboniere (or Coalpit) about thirty-five leagues
above Peoria, is another band of Pottawatomies, Chippewas and
( Htawas, mixed together. Wabeesause (Waubunsee) is their leader.
This is a small baud, about thirty. The Kee-kaa-poos are divided
in three bands : Pamawatam's band, consisting of about one hun-
dred men. exclusive of those at the Prophet's, lie has left the old
village, and is now making his village on Peoria Lake. The Little
I )eer has also abandoned their great village, and is now forming
his village opposite Gomo's (on Peoria Lake). His band may con-
sist of about seventy men, exclusive of those with the Prophet.
There is, at least, fifty of this band with the Prophet, and as many
of the Pottawatomies. At Little Makina (below Peoria Lake), the
south side of the Illinois, is a band headed by no particular chief,
but led generally by warriors. I.eP.ouw, or Sulky, is generally

Chicago situated, with regard to the surrounding In-
dians, when Captain Heald received, on the 7th ol
August, the order to evacuate Fort Dearborn.

FORT DEARBORN.

In the month of August, 1795, General Anthony

Wayne, called by the Indians "The Tempest," ter-
minated the. war that had raged in the Northwest for a
number of years, by a treaty of peace signed at (ireen-
ville, Ohio. By this treaty, the Indians ceded to the
United States a number of tracts of lands, and among
others "one piece of land, six miles square, at the

OLD FORT DEARBORN', ERECTED IN 1803.

looked upon as the main chief. At the camping place of Chicago,
liner leagues from the Lake Michigan, or Chicago fort, is a vil-
lage of Pottawatomies, Chippewas and Ottawas, of about thirtv
men. Co-wa-bee-mai is their chief. [On the rude map, accom-
panying this description, Co-wa-bee-mai's village is placed at the
point marked ' Portage, three leagues from the Chicago Fort.'
From the junction of the Kankakee and Desplaines, is written
' From here (the forks), to the lake twenty leagues, and is called
Chicago.'] Leaving Chicago to go to Makina, on the south side
of (Lake) Michigan, is a river called the ' Little Calumick.' about
live leagues from Chicago. Here is a village consisting of about
one hundred men. Old Campignan is their chief. He has a
burnt hand and nose broken, but it was reported this spring that
In- was killed in going to Niagara from Detroit. Mau-non-gai,*
who was his second, probably now will be their chief. At the
forks on the Ouin-qui-quee the Illinois River loses its name, and is
called from here Chicago River to the lake, a distance of about
twenty leagues. On the north (west) side of Lake Michigan,
leaving Chicago Fort, and thirty leagues from Chicago is River
Mill-waa-kee. There are, generally, several villages of Potta-
watomies here."

The village of Black Partridge Mtick-otev-pokee
was on the south side of the Illinois River, opposite the
head of Peoria Lake. Topenebe and Winnemeg were
on the St. Joseph River. Thus were the settlers at

mouth of the Chicago River, emptying into the south-
west end of Lake Michigan, where a fort formerly
stood." What this fort was or by whom erected, is
now chiefly matter of conjecture. In 1 7 iS, James
Logan, an agent of Governor Keith, of Pennsylvania,
was sent to explore some of the routes to the Missis-
sippi. Among others, he reports as to the route by
way of the River C'hicagou, as follows:

" From Lake Huron they pass by the Strait of Michilimakina
four leagues, being two in breadth, and of a great depth, to the
Lake Illinoise ; thence one hundred and fifty leagues to Fort
Miamis, situated at the mouth of the River Chicagou. This fort
is not regularly garrisoned."

About this time, or shortly after, the fort was proba-
bly entirely abandoned. At all events, at the time of
the treaty of Greenville, the oldest Indians then living
had no recollection of a fort ever having been at that
place.*

Rumors that a garrison would be stationed at Chi-
cago were in circulation as early as 1798, but it was not
until 1S03 that the fort was established. In July, 1803,

* American State Papers, vol. 5, p. 562.

So

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

a company of

mand of Cant.
Kivcr. ami dur
has since been
after General
of War.

Nearly all
Fort I (earborn
1804. bin in vi
there appears t

" A return >
designating
Decemt>

United States soldiers, tinder the com-
iht John Whistler, arrived at the Chicago
in;; that summer and autumn built what
known as the hist Fort Dearborn, named
Henry Dearborn, at that time Secretary

the histories which give any account of

say that it was established in the year
■Unite 1 j. p. 175. American State Papers,
he following return :

if the Army of the United State- [or the year
every post ana point of occupancy, Dated

Fort Dearborn Ind. Ter.

1 Captain.

I Second Lieutenant.

1 Knsign.

4 Sergeants.

-, Corporals.

4 Musicians.

54 Privates.

1 Surgeon's mate."

'This report conclusively shows that the fort was
named Dearborn from the beginning, and that it was
garrisoned in 1S03.

The tort stood on the south side of the Chicago
kivcr. at the bend where the river turned to enter the
lake. It had two block-houses, one on the southeast
corner, the other at the northwest. On the north side a
subterranean passage, leading from the parade ground
to the river, designed as a place of escape in an emer-
gency, or tor supplying the garrison with water in time
of a siege. The whole was enclosed by a strong pali-
sade of wooden pickets. At the west of the fort and
fronting north on the river was a two-story log building".
covered with split oak siding, which was the United
States agency-house. ( )n the shores of the river, be-
tween the fort and the agency, were the root-houses or
1 ellars of the garrison. The ground on the south side
was enclosed and cultivated as a garden. Three pieces
of light artillery comprised the armament of the tort.

Captain John Whistler, the builder and first com-
mandant of Fort Dearborn, was a native of Ireland.
He was a British soldier in Burgoyne's army, and was'
taken prisoner at the time of the surrender of that army
at Saratoga. After the war he married and settled in
Hagerstown, Md., where his son William was born. He
enlisted in the American Army and took part in the
North western Indian war. He served under St. Clair,
and afterwards under General Wayne. He was speedily
promoted, rising through the lower grades to a lieuten-
antcy in 1792, and became captain July 1, 1797. In
1814 he was a senior captain and brevet-major, having
command at Fort Wayne. He rebuilt the fort in 1815,
and removed to St. Charles, Mo., in 1S17. In 1818 he
was military storekeeper at St. Louis, and died in 1827
at Bellefontaine, Mo. He was a brave and efficient offi-
cer, and became the progenitor of a line of brave and
efficient soldiers. His son, William Whistler, will be
noticed later as one of the commandants of the fort.
V not her son, George W. Whistler, graduated at West
Point in 1814, and served in the army until (833, when
he resigned. He became a distinguished engineer, and
m 1842 was appointed by the Russian Government to
superintend the construction of railroads in Russia.
General J. N. < i. Whistler, a son of William Whistler,
is now serving in the army.

Life at the tort was dull enough during the early
years, and little occurred to disturb the monotony of
garrison life. An occasional band to carry away the
lurs accumulated by the traders ; hunting and fishing ;

the assembling of the Indians to receive their payments;
the trailing in peltries ; the occasional birth of a baby —
these were the events that interested the few people
gathered together on this far Western border. In 1810
Captain Nathan Healtl succeeded Captain Whistler as
commandant of the garrison. He was a native of New
Hampshire, where he was born in 1775. He entered the
armv when voting, and was lieutenant in 1799 and cap-
tain in 1X07. He married Rcbckah Wells, a daughter
of Captain Samuel Wells, a noted Indian lighter of ken-
tucky, and niece of William Wells, to be noticed here-
after.

The Pottawatomies were the Indians of the country.
Signs of discontent among tht Indians throughout the
Northwest became plainly visible. The great chiefs saw
with alarm the continual encroachments of the whites
and their demands for more lands, which could only be
satisfied by the cession of all the hunting-grounds of
the Indians. As^ early as 1806, Tecumseh and his
brother, the I'ropaiet, had sought, and with considerable
success, to unite all the Indians in one great confederacy
to withstand the whites. It is probably true that Tecum-
seh intended at the first to withstand the whites peace-
ably. Rut he was soon dragged into war.

The Pottawatomies did not join with him at first.
Many of their leading chiefs, through the influence of
John Kin/.ie and the officers at Fort Dearborn, were
friendly with the Americans and wished to remain so.
Among these were Black Partridge, Winnemeg, Tope-
nebe, and others. In May. 1810, the Pottawatomies,
Chippewas, and Ottawas held a council at St. Joseph,
to consult as to joining the confederacy, but through
the influence of Winnemeg, the Pottawatomies dill not
join. The younger warriors among them, however, did
not sympathize with the older heads, and felt the ap-
peals to their patriotism made by Tecumseh and the
Prophet. All the Indians, too. were largely under Brit-
ish influence, and went' every year to Maiden, Canada, to
receive British presents. While Tecumseh was in the
South in 181 1, seeking to arouse the Choctaws, Chero-
kees, Creeks, and other southern tribes to join with him,
the Prophet precipitated hostilities by attacking Gen-
eral Harrison's troops at Tippecanoe. The Indians
were defeated, and had it not been for British influence,
the confederacy would have been dissolved. Mean-
time, more or less alarm was felt among the settlers
around Fort Dearborn, and reports of murders of the
whites by hostile Indians became frequent.

A settler, named Charles Lee, had come to Fort
Dearborn shortly after it had been built, with his family7.
He took up a large farm on the South Branch of the
Chicago River, about four miles from its mouth, at a
point about where Bridgeport now stands. The farm-
house was on the west side of the river. 'The farm was
known as "Lee's place" and was afterwards called
" Hardscrabble." Lee did not reside at the farm, but
had a dwelling for himself and family on the lake shore,
very near the fort. 'The farm was occupied by a man
named Liberty White, who ' with three employes ( two
men and a boy managed the place. On the afternoon
of the 6th of April, 1812, a party of eleven Winneba-
goes came to the farm house and entering, seated them-
selves without ceremony. ( )ne of the employes, a Cana-
dian Frenchman, named Debou, became suspicious of
them and remarked to the others, " I do not like the
appearance of these Indians, they are none of our
folks. They are not Pottawatomies." One of the
others, a discharged soldier, said to the boy. who was a
son of Mr. Lee, " We had better get away if we can.
Say nothing, but do as you see me do." It was nearly

/>6c<l-<^

~ZA-

PORT DEARBORN.

Kf

sunset, and the soldier and the boy started towards the
canoes, telling the Indians they were going to feed
the cattle on the other side of the river, and that they
would then return for supper. Gaining the other side of
the river in safety, they made some show of collecting
the cattle, but continued to get into the woods close at
hand, and then started for the fort. On their way they
notified the family of Burns, whose home was on the
north side, a short distance above the fort, and then made
their way to the fort. They had scarcely got out of sight
of the farm-house ere the Indians shot and scalped the
two men who had remained behind. The family of
Burns was now considered to be in great danger, and a
party of soldiers under Ensign Ronau, was sent to bring
them to the fort. This was successfullv done, and that

I.. '1'. Helm and Ensign George Ronau. Twelve militia-
men were also under his orders. Of the regulars, a large
number were on the sick list. Altogether there were not
probably forty able-bodied fighting men. With them
were about a dozen women and twenty children. He
received his orders on the 9th. But he trusted to Un-
friendly reputation of the Pottawatomies, through whose
country he must pass, and waited for six days, until
four or five hundred warriors were assembled at the
fort, before he moved. He was then at their mercy.
The Pottawatomie chief who had brought General
Hull's order was Winnemeg, a friendly Indian, who
well knew the feelings of the Indians. He at first ad-
vised that the fort be held, until reinforcements should
arrive. To this Captain Heald would not agree. Win-

IEHKDA©© 2^ mi

night all the settlers around the fort were housed with-
in its walls. The Indians committed no further attacks
that time, but made off, satisfied with this exploit, with
the two scalps obtained. The agency-house was now
turned into a sort of a fortification for the settlers, and
every care was taken to protect the settlement and to
provide against surprise. Various attempts were made
by the Indians during the next two months, but so alert
were the whites that no damage was done, except
the loss of a few cattle and sheep. So the
summer passed. On the 18th of June, 1S12, the
United States declared war against England, and on
the 1 6th of July, Fort Mackinac surrendered to the
British. On the 9th of August following, an Indian
runner from General Hull, at Detroit, brought news of
the war and the fall of Mackinac, to Captain Heald, with
orders to evacuate Fort Dearborn and proceed with his
command to Detroit, by land, leaving it to the discretion
of the commandant to dispose of the public property as
he thought proper. Within the next three days neigh-
boring Indians came in from all quarters to receive the
goods which they understood were to be given them. It
might seem as if no other course was open to Captain
Heald but to obey the orders of General Hull. His force
was not as strong as that at Fort Mackinac. It con-
sisted of fifty-four privates, and two officers, Lieutenant

nemeg's next advice was instantaneous departure, so
that before the Indians could assemble or agree upon
definite action, and while they would be taking posses-
sion of the goods, the force might make its escape. Mr.
Kinzie, who had long known the Indians, approved of
the same course. The younger officers were in favor
of holding the fort — but Captain Heald resolved to pur-
sue his own way. This was to assemble the Indians,
divide the property among them, and get from them a
friendly escort to Fort Wayne. On the 12th a confer-
ence was held with the Indians by Captain Heald, and
they agreed to his proposals. They would take the
property, and furnish him a guard of safety. Whether
they really would have done so it is impossible to know,
but Black Hawk, who was not present at the massacre,
but knew the Indian version of it, subsequently said
that the attack took place because the whites did not
keep their agreement. There were two species of prop-
erty that the Indians chiefly wanted, whisky and ammu-
nition. There were large quantities of both at the fort,
and the Indians were aware of that fact. On the 13th,
Captain William Wells, Indian Agent at Fort Wayne,
arrived at Fort Dearborn with thirty friendly Miamis,
for the purpose of bringing Captain Heald on his way.
Captain Wells had lived among the Indians, and
was cognizant of their character. He was the uncle

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

of Mrs. Heald. Born in Kentucky, he belonged to a
Family of Indian fighters. When he was a lad of twelve,

he- was stolen by the Miamis and adopted by Little Tur-
tle, their great chief. He served with the Indians at
the outbreak o\ the war in 1790, and was present at the
battle where St. Clair was defeated. But he then be-
gan to realize that he was fighting against his own kin-
dred, and resolved to take leave of the Indians. He
asked Little Turtle to accompany him to a point on the
Mauniee. about two miles east of Fort Wayne, long-
known as the Big Kim, where he thus spoke : " Lather,
we have long been friends. J now leave you to go to
my own people. We will be friends until the sun reaches
the midday height. From that time we will be enemies;
and if you want to kill me then, you may. And if I
want to kill you, 1 may." He then set out for General
Wayne's army, and was made captain of a company of
scouts. He fought under General Wayne until the
treaty of Greenville, after which he removed to Fort
Wayne, where he was joined by his wife, who was a
daughter of Little Turtle. He settled upon a farm and
was made Indian Agent and Justice of the Peace. He
rendered effective service to General Harrison, the
( '.overnor.

When Captain Wells heard of the intended evacua-
tion of Fort Dearborn he volunteered to go there and
act as escort to the soldiers. He arrived at the fort on
the 13th of August, too late, however, to have any influ-
ence on the question of evacuation. Captain Heald
had up to this point resisted the advice of Winnemeg,
the friendly Indians, John Kinzie and his junior officers,
as to adopting any other course. But now after all his
firmness came a period of irresolution. The supply of
muskets, ammunition and liquor- was large. It was
madness to hand over to the Indians these supplies
with which first to excite and infuriate them, and then
to leave them with still more abundant means of
wreaking that fury on the garrison. This fact was
strongly urged by both Captain Wells and John Kinzie.
Captain Heald yielded, and on the night of the 13th
destroyed all the ammunition and muskets he could not
carry with him. The liquor was thrown into the lake.
No sooner was this done than the older chiefs professed
that they could no longer restrain their young men.
Black" Partridge, one of the most noted Pottawatomie
chiefs, and always friendly to the whites since the treaty
of Greenville, had received a medal from General
Wayne at the time of that treaty. On the evening of
the 14th he came to the fort and entered Captain
Heald's quarters. " Father," he said, " 1 come to
deliver up to you the medal I wear. It was given me
by the Americans and I have long worn it in token of
our mutual friendship. But our young men are resolved
to imbrue their hands in the blood of the whites. I can
not restrain them, and I will not wear a token of peace
while I am compelled to act as an enemy."

The Indians held a council and resolved on the
destruction of the garrison. And yet, with the most
heroic fortitude and constancy, the officers made their
final arrangements for the evacuation, sustaining and
encouraging the men by their words and by their exam-
ple. At nine o'clock on the morning of the 15th of
August, all being in readiness, the gates of the fort were
thrown open for the last time, and the march com-
menced. In accordance with Indian custom, and in
premonition of his fate. Captain Wells had blackened
With fifteen of his Miami braves, whom he
supposed to be trusty, he led the advance. The other
fifteen brought up the rear. The women and children
were in wagons or on horseback. Brave John Kinzie

determined to accompany the troops, hoping that his
presence would be the means of restraining the Indians.
Entrusting his family to the care of some friendly In-
dians, to be taken around the head of the lake in a boat
to a point near St. Joseph, he marched .out with the
troops. He was warned by several friendly chiefs not
10 accompany the soldiers, but he was determined to do
all in his power to bring some restraining influence to
bear, if possible, on the savages. The strains of music,
as the soldiers passed beyond the gates, were certainly
not enlivening. By some strange and wierd choice of
the band-master, who was among the killed, the " Head
March" was played as the soldiers filed out from the
protection of the fortifications, on to the open plain.
Scarcely had the troops departed, when the fort became
a scene of plundering.

Along the lake shore ran a beaten Indian trail, which
was the path pursued. Westward from this, at about
one hundred yards distance, commencing perhaps a
quarter of a mile from the fort, a sand-bank, or range
of sand-hills, separated the lake from the prairie. When
the troops started, an escort of five hundred Pottawa-
tomies accompanied them, but when the sand-hills were
reached ' the Indians struck out towards the prairie,
instead of keeping along the beach. Concealing their
movements behind the sand hills, they hurried forward
and placed an ambuscade in readiness for the troops.

The little band had marched about a mile and a
half when Captain Wells, who had led the advance,
came riding swiftly back saying that the Indians were
about to open an attack from behind the sand-
bank. The company charged up the bank, firing one
round, which the Indians returned. The savages, get-
ting in upon the rear, were soon in possession of the
horses, provisions and baggage, slaughtering many of
the women and children in the attempt. Against fear-
ful odds, and hand to hand, the officers and men, and
even the women, fought for their lives.

But it was soon over. Drawing his little remnant
of survivors off an elevation on the open prairie, out of
range, Captain Heald > himself wounded; proceeded to
examine the situation. The Indians did not follow,
but after some consultation of the chiefs, made signs for
Captain Heald to approach them. He advanced alone
and met Blackbird, who promised to spare their lives if
they would surrender. Upon these terms Captain
Heald complied with the demand.

Among the killed were Captain Wells, Ensign Ronau
and Surgeon De Isaac Van Voorhis. The wounded
were Captain and Mrs. Heald, Lieutenant Helm and
his wife. Every other wounded prisoner was put to
death. Of the whole number that had left the fort but
an hour before, there remained only twenty-five non-
commissioned officers and privates and eleven women
and children.

The number of Indians engaged was between four
and five hundred. Their loss was about fifteen.

The Miamis fled at the first attack, and took no
part whatever in the fight.

Captain Wells, after fighting desperately, was sur-
rounded and stabbed in the back. His body was hor-
ribly mangled, his head cut off, and his heart taken out
and eaten by the savages, who thought by so doing some
of the courage of the heroic scout would be conveyed to
them.

Mrs. Helm, the daughter of Mrs. Kinzie, had a nar-
row escape from death. Assaulted by a young Indian,
she avoided the blow of his tomahawk, and then seized
him around the neck, trying to get possession of his
scalping-knife. While struggling in this way for her

FORT DEARBORN.

«J

life, she was dragged from his grasp by another and
older Indian, who bore her struggling to the lake, where-
in he plunged her, but with her head above the water.
Seeing that it was not the Indian's object to drown her,
she looked at him earnestly and found it to be Black
Cartridge, who was thus trying to save her. After the
firing ceased, she was conducted to a place of safety.
When the attack was made, Mrs. Heald was riding on a
very beautiful and well-trained bay mare, which she had
brought with her from Kentucky, and which had long
been coveted by the Indians. During the firing Mrs.
Heald received six wounds, and was shortly captured.
both she ami her husband were taken by the half-breed
Chandonais to St. Joseph and permitted to reside with
Mr. Burnett until they recovered from their wounds.
Captain Heald then delivered himself to the British at
Mackinac and was paroled. But the survivors were
not yet safe from the hostile Indians. Lieutenant Helm
was carried by his captors to a village on the Kankakee,
where he remained two months before lie was discovered
by Black Partridge, who had saved the life of Mrs. Helm.
That chief at once informed Thomas Forsyth, half-
brother of Mr. Kinzie who was stationed at Peoria, and
efforts were made to secure the release of the prisoner.
Black Partridge was provided with a ransom and dis-
patched to the Indian village. The amount that he
carried with him not being sufficient to satisfy the In-
dians, he freely offered them his pony, his rifle and a
large gold ring which he wore in his nose. This was
accepted, Lieutenant Helm was released, and soon after-
wards joined his wife at Detroit, where she had gone
with her parents.

The day following the massacre the fort and agency
building were burned to the ground and the first Fort
Dearborn ceased to be. The prisoners were scattered
among the various tribes, and a large -number of war-
riors hastened away to attempt the destruction of Fort
Wayne.

Among the officers of the fort who escaped the mas-
sacre, was Quarter master Sergeant Griffith, who is men-
tioned by Mrs. Kinzie in " Waubun " as being absent
collecting the baggage horses of the surgeon when the
troops left the fort, but, hastening to join the force, was
made prisoner by the chief of the St. Joseph band, who
was friendly to the whites. He escaped in the boat with
the Kinzies two days later. This was William Griffith,
afterward a captain of General Harrison's spies. He
joined Harrison's army after his escape to Michigan, was
placed in command of the spies, and received two
wounds in the skirmish at the Moravian towns, a few
days before the battle of the Thames, but participated
also in the latter engagement. He was the son of Wil-
liam Griffith, Sr., a farmer of Welsh descent, whose
home was near the present site of Geneseo, N. V. His
sister, Mrs. Alexander Ewing, removed with her hus-
band to Michigan in 1802, and thence to Piqua, Ohio, in
1807, from which place William Griffith probably came
to Chicago. He died in 1824, leaving two sons and a
daughter, and was buried near old Fort Meigs, Ohio.

The same day that Fort Dearborn was burned, Gen-
eral Hull surrendered Detroit to the British.

The sources of information in regard to the massacre
are the official report of Heald, and the narrative of
Mrs. Juliette H. Kinzie, in "Waubun," based upon the
statements of John Kinzie and Mrs. Helm. A narra-
tive by Mrs. Heald was lost in the Rebellion. The
narrative of Mrs. Kinzie has been the accepted and
popular one, although there are some discrepancies
in it as to dates, its censure of Captain Heald is not
severe, and it has much of the "after the event " flavor

about it. That the fort could have been held fur an)
length of time against the Indians is altogether doubt-
ful. A thousand hostile warriors would have belea-
guered it within a very few days, as they did Fort Wayne
shortly after, and it would have been impossible for
General Harrison to have relieved both places. With
out such relief it must have fallen. Instantaneous
evacuation in conformity with the advice of Winnemeg
might have saved the garrison, but that partook too
much of the nature of flight to suit the mind of such a
man as Captain Heald. Since that was not thought
honorable, the only (nurse to pursue was to rigorously
adhere to the agreement with the Indians, and turn over
to them all the arms and liquor. Captain Heald was
dissuaded by those surrounding him from adopting that
dangerous expedient.

But the probabilities are that no course whatever
could have saved the ill-fated garrison. War was de-
clared, the Indians were aroused and allied with the Brit-
ish. Certain ones had friendships with the Americans,
and did what could be done to save individuals, but
they had no friendship for the United States. Tecum-
seh was using all the influence of his powerful name to
consolidate the Indian tribes in the British interest.
The fall of Miehilimackinac and the peril of Detroit
showed the Indians that England was the stronger
power. With all these forces at work, the fall of Fort
Dearborn and the destruction of the garrison was
apparently but a matter of time.

For four years the charred and blackened ruins of
the fort remained, and the bodies of the slain lay un-
buried where they fell.

The war raged along the Canadian border for a
time with varying success, until at last the British flag
was driven from the lakes. Then came peace, and in
1816 it was ordered that F'ort Dearborn should be re-
built. In July of that year, Captain Hezekiah Bradley,
with two companies of infantry, arrived at the Chicago
River. He built a fort on the site of the former one,
somewhat larger and on a different plan. The remains
of the victims of the massacre were then gathered and
buried.

The same year John Kinzie returned with his family
and again occupied his deserted home. Other settlers
came straggling along, the Indian Agency was resumed,
and soon the lake shore and the river showed signs of
activity and life. The familiar forms of the friendly
chiefs were seen around the homes and firesides of their
friends, and many were the hours that were passed in
recounting the tragical scenes through which they had
passed, since that fatal 15th of August four years be-
fore. All had suffered, for war possesses no discrimina-
ting hand. The village of Black Partridge had been
destroyed in a single day, and his people killed or scat-
tered. The subsequent life of the settlers was quiet
and unvaried. Cultivation of the soil furnished them
with the necessaries of life, and the abundance of game
added a variety that many an eastern table might have
envied. A thrifty bartering of the surplus of products
with the occasional vessels that came for furs, supplied
other wants, and thus days on the frontier passed away.
The year r8i6 was also the year of the treaty of St.
Louis, whereby the Ottawas and Chippewas ceded to
the United States the lands surrounding the head of
Lake Michigan, ten miles north and ten miles south of
the mouth of the Chicago Creek, and back to the Kan-
kakee, Illinois and Fox rivers. The fort, as rebuilt,
consisted of a square stockade inclosing barracks, quar-
ters for the officers, magazine and provision-store, and
was defended bv bastions at the northwest and south-

«4

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

east angles. The block-house was in the southwest cor-
ner. The officers' quarters were on the west side and
the soldiers' barracks on the east side. It had two gates,
one on the north and the other on the south side. A
garrison was stationed at the fort, under various com-
manders, until 1S23, when it was ordered to be evacu-
ated. The frontier line had moved westward to the Mis-
sissippi, and a garrison at Chicago was not considered
necessary. During these years the officers in command
were as follows : 1S16 to 1S17, Captain Hezekiah Brad-
ley : 1 S r 7 to 1820, Major Daniel Baker; 1820 to 1821,
Captain Hezekiah Bradley: 1S21, Major Alexander
Cummings ; 1S21 to 1823, Lieutenant-Colonel John
McNeil : 1823. Captain John Greene.

In October, 1828, a garrison was again stationed at
Chicago, under the command of Major John Fowle ;
First-Lieutenant David Hunter subsequently General1.
The troops remained until May, 1831, when they were
withdrawn. But the time came when the affrighted set-
tlers sought refuge in the fort. In 1832 Black Hawk
and his warriors commenced hostilities, which will be
found described in later pages of this work. In June
the fort was once more garrisoned, Major William
Whistler being assigned to the command. This officer
had helped his father in the building of the first Fort
Dearborn, and now after twenty-nine years of absence
returned to be the commander of the second fort.

On the 8th of July, 1832, General Scott, with troops,
arrived in a steamer off Fort Dearborn.*

In May, 1S33. Major Whistler was succeeded in
command by Major John Fowle, who, however, re-
mained but about one month, when he was succeeded
by Major DeLafayette Wilcox, who commanded until
December 18, 1833, and again from September 16, 1835,
to August 1, 1836. Major John Bendu, Major John
Greene and Captain and Brevet-Major Joseph Plymp-
ton were in command at various times, until December
29, 1836, when the troops were permanently withdrawn,
under the following order :

" The troops stationed at Fort Dearborn, Chicago, will imme-
diately proceed to Fort Howard, and join the garrison at that post,
Such public property as may be left at Fort Dearborn will remain
in charge of Brevet-Major Plympton, of the 5th Infantry, who will
continue in command of the post until otherwise instructed."

And so the last morning and evening salute was
fired; the last sentinel withdrawn, the last soldier
marched out, and Fort Dearborn as a military post
ceased to be.

AFTER THE MASSACRE.

In the year 1812, as before stated, there were five
houses at Chicago, besides the fort and building attached
to it. Of these, four were occupied by the families of
Rinzie, Ouilmette, Burns and Lee. The fifth was on the
Lee farm, on the South Branch. It has often been
stated that all the houses in Chicago, except Mr. Rin-
zie's, were destroyed in 1812, by the Indians, but proba-
bly no buildings were destroyed except the fort and
agency house.

The house of Ouilmette was occupied by himself and
family, who remained in Chicago. The ". Burns House "
was afterward occupied by Mr. Jouett, when he was In-
dian Agent at Chicago, in 1817. The cabin on the Lee
farm was fitted up and used as a trading-house by
John Crafts, and the house of Mr. Lee near the fort, on
the lake shore, was evidently sold by his widow to Jean
Baptiste Beaubien, who bought "of the rightful owner
thereof," a "house and piece of cultivated ground " in

1 in • ■ ■: 1 aptain Augustus Walker.

that exact locality in 1812. Mrs. Lee escaped the mas-
sacre, and with her infant child was carried captive to
the village of Black Partridge. She was subsequently
ransomed by M. DuPin, a French trader, became his
wife, and lived in the Rinzie house during the absence
of the family.

Jean Baptiste Beaubien, who may be considered
the second permanent settler of Chicago, first visited
the place in 1804, but did not purchase property till the
year 1S12, some time after the massacre. He then
bought " of the rightful owner thereof"* a house or
cabin south of the ruins of the fort and near the lake
shore, which had been standing there since 1804.!
Here he resided when in Chicago, and although fre-
quently absent at his trading-houses in Milwaukee and
(Ireen Bay, always considered the cabin in Chicago his
home, and the home of his family, until a better house
was bought five or six years later.

Jean Baptiste Beaubien was, at the time he settled
at Chicago, the third of that name in America. His
grandfather, Jean Baptiste Beaubien, emigrated from
France at an early day and settled on the St. Lawrence.
The home of the second generation of American Beau-
biens was Detroit, where lived Jean Baptiste, jr., Joseph,
Jean, Marie, Lambert, Antoine, Genevieve, Marion and
Susan. The names of two of these brothers i Jean Bap-
tiste and Lambert i appear in a list of the members of a
company of Detroit citizens, who, under the lead of
General Cass, made a raid in 1814 upon the hostile In-
dians in the vicinity. The names of three of the Mel-
drums, prominent traders of Detroit and Mackinaw, also
appear. Joseph Beaubien was the father of Jean Bap-
tiste Beaubien of Chicago, who was born in the year
1780, at Detroit. When a young man he pushed out
into the Michigan woods, and became a clerk for Wm.
Bailly, a fur-trader, on Grand River. Through Bailly's
instruction and help Mr. Beaubien acquired the rudi-
ments of an education, which, supplemented by native
shrewdness and vivacity, made him quite superior to
the ordinary French traders of the day. He married,
for his first bride, Mah-naw-bun-no-quah, an Ottawa
woman, who became the mother of his two sons, Charles
Henry and Madore. He was settled as a trader in Mil-
waukee as early as 1800, and until 1818 had a trading-
house there. As before stated, he came to Chicago and
bought the cabin and cultivated field south of the old fort
in 1812. During that year he married, for his second
wife, Josette LaFramboise, daughter of Francis LaFram-
boise,}; an influential French trader then living on the

* Affidavit of Madore Beaubien.

t Captain Thomas G. Anderson, who came to Mackinaw in the spring of
1800, and was for many vears engaged in trade with the Indians of the North-
west, states in his " Personal Narrative." published in Vol. IX, Wis. His. Coll.,
that his first winter (1800-1801) was spent on the Mississippi, near the present
site of Quincy, 111.; his second (1801-1802) among the Iowas on the DesMoines,
and his third (1802-1803) among the Winnebagoes "f Rock River. Toward the
close of 1803 he started a trading-house at " Millwackie," having LaFramboise
and LeClaire for neighbors. Here he remained until the spring of 1806. He
says: " During my second year at Min-na-wack, or Mill-wack ie 0804-1805)
Captain Whistler, with his company of American soldiers, came to take posses-
sion of Chicago. At this time there were no buildings there, except a few-
dilapidated log huts, covered with bark. Captain Whistler had selected one of
these as a temporary, though miserable, residence for his family, his officersand
men being under canvas. On being informed of his arrival, 1 felt it my duty to
pay my respects to the authority so much required in the country. On the
morrow I mounted Kee-ge-kaw, or Swift-Goer, and the next day I was invited
to dine with the captain. On going to the house, the outer door opening into
the dining-room, I found the table spread, the family and guests seated, con-
sisting of several ladies, as jolly as kittens."

* Probably a son of either Alexander or Francis LaFramboise, traders of
Mackinaw and Milwaukee. As earlyas 1795 Alexander LaFramboise, of Mack-
inaw, established a house at the mouth of the Milwaukee River. After it was
well established he returned to Mackinaw and sent his brother Francis to take
charge of the Milwaukee house. The latter had some trouble with one of the
neighboring chiefs, whose hostility, added to his own mismanagement, brought
the house, and with it his brother Alexander, to ruin. Francis LaFramboise
was afterwards murdered at a trading-house which he established among the
Winnebagoes, in what is now central Wisconsin, and his business fell into the
hands of his widow, Madeline LaFramboise, who, with headquarters at Macki-
naw, managed it with prudence and great success. The children of Francis,
who were well grown when he lived in Milwaukee, are mentioned in the early
history of that city, as Claude, Alexis and LaFortune. The Chicago LaFram-

AFTER THE MASSACRE.

85

south side of the river, not far from Beaubien's place.
In 1 815, a short time before the rebuilding of the fort.
an army contractor named Dean, built a house on the
lake shore, at the mouth of the Chicago River, near
where is now the foot of Randolph Street. In 1817,
Mr. Beaubien purchased this house, which was a low,
gloomy building of five rooms, for $1,000 — a large sum
for those days. After this purchase he lived in the Dean
house for several years, his son Alexander being born
there. He used the old cabin after this for a barn.*

In the fall of 1818. he was appointed Chicago agent
of the American Fur Company, and built a small trading-
house near his residence.

In 1823 the fort was evacuated, and remained for
several years without a garrison. The U. S. FaDtory-
house, just outside the south wall, was sold to the
American Fur Company, and again sold by the company
to Mr. Beaubien for $500. He moved into this build-
ing, and resided there until he left Chicago for his farm
on the Desplaines, in or about the year 1840. During
the winter of 1831-32, Mr. Beaubien was president of
the village Debating Society, the meetings being held
within the fort. It is said the presiding officer filled his
responsible position with "much efficiency and dignity."
During the Black Hawk troubles, he led a party of val-
iant Chicagoans to the scene of anticipated warfare, as
related in the history of that war in another chapter.
Two years later when the militia of Cook County was
organized, he was elected its first colonel, at the famous
meeting at " Laughton's Tavern," when "The Punch
Bowl of Ogden Avenue " sparkled with good cheer,
and the hearts of the lively crowd with fun and
jollity.

The Beaubien Claim. — Colonel Beaubien made
two pre-emption claims for the land upon which he had
resided since the rebuilding of the fort, which were re-
jected. Finally in May, 1835, he entered at the land
office in Chicago, of which Edmund I). Taylor was Re-
ceiver, and James Whitlock Register, a pre-emption
claim to the southwest fractional quarter of Section 10,
Township 39, Range 14 east, the quarter- section upon
which he resided. After consulting the United States
District Attorney for Illinois and Hon. Sidney Breese,
afterward Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, the
officials of the land-office allowed his claim, and Colonel
Beaubien became the purchaser of a fraction over
seventy-five acres of land in what was known as the
" Fort Dearborn Reservation," for the sum of $94.61.
Payment was made, entry recorded and certificates and
receipts delivered to Mr. Beaubien. The following
year 1836 , Murray McConnell, a lawyer of some
ability residing at Jacksonville, 111., to whom Mr. Beau-
bien had conveyed a portion of this land, brought an
action of ejectment against Colonel DeLafayette Wil-
cox, then in charge of United States property at Fort
Dearborn, which stood on a portion of the land in ques-
tion. This suit was entitled " John Jackson ex. dem.
Murray McConnell v. DeLayette Wilcox," and was
brought before Judge Thomas Ford of the Cook County

boise came to this place from Milwaukee, and was doubtless the son of one of
these brothers. The family moved to the place called " Hardscrabble," and
lived there many years ; Francis LaFramboise or his sons being tax-payers in
1825 and 1826. "

* The old cabin must have come to its end in the cholera summer of 1832.
Captain A. Walker, commander of the steamer " Sheldon Thompson," which
arrived at Chicago with a part of General Scott's troops on the 10th of July of
that year, says in a letter published in the Chicago Democrat in 1861 : " The
number of buildings at that time < 18321 where your populous city now stands,
was but five, three of which were log tenements — one of them, without a roof,
used as a stable. We remained four days after landing the troops, procuring
fuel for the homeward voyage, etc. The only means of obtaining anything for
fuel was to purchase the roofless log-building used as a stable. That, together
with the rail fence enclosing a field of some three acres near by, was sufficient
to enable us to reach Mackinaw. Being drawn to the beach and prepared for
use, it was boated on board by the crew, which operation occupied most of four
days to accomplish.

Circuit Court, at the October term of 1836. The sun
was popularly known as "the Beaubien claim."

The property involved, as before stated, was what
was then known as the " Fort Dearborn Reservation,"
now Fort Dearborn Addition, and was by Government
survey the southwest fractional quarter of Section 10,
Township 39, North Range 14, East of the Third princi-
pal meridian, in Illinois, containing 75.69 acres. Colonel
Wilcox was defended by David J. Baker, United States
District Attorney for Illinois. Waiving any right that
may have arisen from the purchase and occupation of a
certain claim of land at an earlier date by Colonel
Beaubien, his attorney based his case on the purchase
made by him from John Dean, an army contractor or
sutler, in 1817, of ahouse near the fort, and notfarfrom
his former residence, and for which, with its field and
garden, he claimed to have paid $1,000. The land in
question was not surveyed, and was therefore not open
to pre-emption until 1821. In 1822 the United States
Factory at Chicago was finally closed by Government,
and during 1823, the building was sold by order of the
Secretary of the Treasury to Wm. Whiting, who resold
it to the American Fur Company. Mr. Beaubien bought
it of this company for $500, and moved into it with his
family, thus becoming by right of purchase and occu-
pation the owner of all there was in the quarter-section
on which he lived, except the fort and its immediate en-
closure, still in possession of the Government. In 1824
the Commissioner of the General Land Office, at the re-
quest of the Secretary of War, "set apart " the whole
of Section 10 for military uses. In 1831 the heirs of
John Kinzie claimed pre-emption of the fractional quar-
ter of Section 10, north of the river, at the nearest land-
office, at Palestine, in Crawford County, which was al-
lowed. Mr. Beaubien made a similar claim for the
fractional-quarter-section south of the river, which was
refused. In 1834 he again entered claim at the land-
office at Danville, Vermillion County, which was again
rejected, and finally in 1835, as before related, he pre-
sented his claim at the Chicago land- office, which was
allowed, and he bought the Fort Dearborn Reservation,
at the regular rate of $1.25 per acre, and obtained his
certificate, which was dated May 28, and recorded June
26. When the suit was brought into the Circuit Court
at the fall term of 1836, Judge Ford decided that Beau-
bien's claim was valid, but could not be enforced
until he procured a patent from Washington ; or, in
technical terms, that "although Beaubien's claim
is legal in every respect, yet he cannot assert his
right against the United States in this form ; a
writ of mandamus against the proper officer for the
patent is the proper remedy." The judgment of the
Circuit Court was approved by the Supreme Court
of the State, and in 1839 an effort was made in the
House of Representatives at Washington, to establish
Beaubien's title in accordance with the decision of the
State courts. But the Solicitor of the Treasury, Henry
D. Gilpin, informed the committee of the House in
charge of the claim that the Government lawyers at
Chicago — Butterfield, Collins and Morris — had' drawn
up a bill charging the local land-office with collusion in
giving the original certificate to Beaubien in 1835.
This information killed the hopes of the claimant in the
House. Meanwhile the law suit had been carried into
the Supreme Court of the United States, and Francis
Peyton, attorney for Beaubien, on the last day of Feb-
ruary, 1839, applied to the Government for certain
maps which he deemed important, if not essential, to the
support of his client's claim. They were not furnished,
and in March, 1839, the judgment of the State Courts

86

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

was reversed.* The Secretary of War ordered the land
to be divided into blocks and lots, constituting the Fort
Dearborn Addition to the city of Chicago, and to be sold
to the highest bidder, except block one. and fourteen lots
in block two. and blocks four and live reserved to the
Government. The Government was censured by the
opposition journal in Chicago for its "indecent haste''
in advertising in April, almost before the decision of the
Court had placed on record the sale of the disputed land
on ]une 10, 1839. It was understood that Colonel
Keaubien desired to secure six lots in block five : and by
general consent the citizens declined to bid against him.
This kindness was. however, neutralized by James H.
Collins, one of the attorneys for the Government, who
secured five of the six, Beaubien obtaining only one lot
ti, block five , for §225 : an advance of fourteen dol-
lars on the highest price paid by Collins. This sale took
place June 20, 1839. On the morning of the 21st an
indignation meeting was held by the citizens, at which
Win. H. Brown was president, and John H. Kinzie and
lames Wadsworth were secretaries. Resolutions were
passed denouncing Collins and expressing the regret
that the Government should find it necessary to be so
ungenerous to an old and respected citizen, who had
been of great service to the early settlers of Chicago in
their relations with the Indians ; but all this could not
change court decisions. June 13, 1840, the United
States filed a bill in the Circuit Court for Illinois, to set
aside the receipt and certificate given to Beaubien in
1S35. The Court decreed that he should deliver them
up for cancellation, and they were duly surrendered by
Beaubien, accompanied with his receipt dated Decem-
ber 18, 1840, for the original purchase money then re-
funded. In 1878, Win. H. Standish, a lawyer of Chi-
cago, again, brought the case before Congress, "explain-
ing the Beaubien title to the Lake front lands, etc." He
went over the points above given, re-enforcing them by
affidavits of old residents, including one of E. D. Taylor,
the Receiver in 1835, in which he states that he and his
colleague. James Whitlock, Register, took the advice of
David Jewett Baker, at that time United States Attor-
ney for Illinois, who declared that "the law made it
their duty to let said Colonel Beaubien pre-empt this
land, whether it hurt or benefited the United States Gov-
ernment." and that they received the same advice from
the Hon. Sidney Breese, who " even at that day enjoyed'
the reputation of being an eminent lawyer." The strong
points of the claim were that from August 15, 1812, to
July, 1816, the land in question could scarcely be said
to be a post of any sort in the actual possession of the
United States, having neither Government buildings,
nor soldiers nor agents there ; that it had not been
formally reserved for military purposes until 1824, that
it was therefore subject to pre-emption by Beaubien
under the law of 1813, and that it should have been as
open for pre-emption to him on the south side as it was
to K. A. Kinzie on the north side of the river. To
which it was answered by Senator Bayard, from the
committee of Congress on private land claims. May 31,
1878; that there was a reservation and appropriation
for Government uses as shown by the actual occupation
from 1804 to 1 8 1 2 ; that the non-occupation from 1812
to 1816 "was caused by the compulsion of war,'' and
"a citizen could not take advantages of the misfortunes
(if his Government." This bounty of pre-emption, it
cannot be supposed was designed to be extended to
the sacrifice of public establishments or of great public
3tS 1; Peters, 498). "For these and other con-
siderations your committee," says the Senator, "report

• 13 Pctere, 498.

adversely upon the bill No. 773 and recommend that
it be indefinitely postponed." The apparent similarity
of the interest involved with that of the Kinzie family
could furnish no solid basis for a claim against the Gov-
ernment, as pre-emption has been decided by the courts
to be a matter of bounty on its part and could not be
turned into a right against it, on the part of a citizen.
Moreover, the Government had need, or use, for the
southern fraction which it was actually occupying when
suit was brought, while of the northern fraction it had
never made any use. Had the Beaubien claimants
awaited the abandonment of the land by the Govern-
ment it is not improbable that fhey would have succeed-
ed. Indeed, it was rumored that the patent had been
actually signed in favor of Beaubien when the news of
the suit aroused the indignation of President Jackson,
who in his impulsive wrath tore it into fragments. The
story is somewhat open to suspicion, being such as the
known character of the President would have given rise
to, without any foundation in fact. Eventually Con-
gress donated to Beaubien four or five lots in the Fort
Dearborn Addition as a compensation for his original
outlay: but the effort to prosecute the claim before
Congress in 1878, was, as has been shown, resisted with
so much firmness as to leave but little hope of its suc-
cessful revival at any future time.

The Fort Dearborn Addition was sold by the Gov-
ernment under Act of Congress of March 3, 1819.
There was also some abortive agitation about obtaining
the contested land for county purposes, in virtue of an
act of Congress of May 26, 1824, granting any unsold
public lands at $1.25 an acre for such purposes. But it
was too late, and the Beaubien Claim went into the real
estate market, as stated, under the auspices of the Gen-
eral Government.

The homestead of Colonel Beaubien was where now
is the southwest corner of South Water Street and Mich-
igan Avenue. This was bid in at the land sale in June,
1839, by James H. Collins, for $1,049, anc'- m tne words
of Madore, son of the old pioneer, the " very house his
father was inhabiting, in which his family had been born
and reared, and around which were the graves of his
departed children, was sold from him in his old age.
No wonder the citizens of Chicago held an indignation
meeting."

Colonel Beaubien owned a farm near the place, called
" Hardscrabble," to which he removed about the
year 1840, and where his wife died in September. 1845.
In 1850 he was commissioned Brigadier-General of
militia. He returned from his farm to Chicago where
he married, in 1855, Miss Louise Pinney. In 1858 he
removed to Naperville, where he died January 5, 1863.

UNITED STATES INDIAN AGENTS AND FAC-
TORS AT CHICAGO.

When old Fort Dearborn was built in 1803-4, an
agency-house, for the use of the United States Indian
Agents to be stationed at the post, was erected under
the protection of its guns. It was situated a short dis-
tance above the fort on the same side of the river, and
is described as an old-fashioned log building with a
hall in the center, and one large room on each side.
Porches extended the whole length of the building, front
and rear. The Chicago Agency included the Pottawat-
omies, Sacs, Foxes and Kickapoos. All negotiation-.
with them, all payments made to them by the United
States, all settlements of disputed questions, were
through the medium of the Indian Agent.

Charles Jouett, the first Indian Agent at Chi-

UNITED STATES INDIAN AGENTS AND FACTORS AT CHICAGO.

87

cago, arrived and entered upon the duties of his office
in 1805. He was a native of Virginia, the youngest of
nine children, and was born in 1772. His father shared
in Braddock's defeat in 1754, and two of his brothers

fought in the War of Independence. John Jouett and
liis four sons were all of remarkable size and strength.
Charles was six feet three inches in height and propor-
tionally muscular. He studied law in early manhood,
and practised for a short time at Charlottesville, Yu. In
1802, he was appointed by President Jefferson Indian
Agent at Detroit. January 22, 1803, Mr. Jouett mar-
ried Miss Eliza Dodemead, of Detroit, who died in 1805,
leaving a daughter, born in 1804. April 2, 1805, he was
appointed Commissioner "to hold a treaty" with the
Wyandotts, Ottawas and other Indians of northwestern
Ohio, and what is now southeastern Michigan. The
treaty was signed at Fort Industry, on "the Miami of
the Lake," now the Maumee, July 4, 1S05. The same
year he was appointed as Indian Agent at Chicago ; and
was officially notified, October 26, 1805, that the Sacs,
Foxes and Pottawatomies would be thenceforth in-
cluded in that agency. Early in 1809 he married Miss
Susan Randolph Allen, of Clark County, Ky., but born
near Williamsburg, Va., in 1786. liv her he had one
son, born in Chicago in 1809, and there deceased in
1810; and three daughters, born in Kentucky. In
1811* he removed to Mercer County, Ky., where he
became a judge in 1812. He was again appointed In-
dian Agent for Chicago, by President Madison, in 1815,
and moved there with his family that year. He is
charged with $1,000 salary as such agent in the nation-
al accounts of 18 16. The Indian agencies in Illinois
were turned over to the Territory of Illinois in 181 7,
with a proviso that all such accounts should not exceed
$25,000 a year. It may be owing to this change that
Mr. Jouett severed his connection with the Indian De-
partment a second time. He, however, signed the In-
dian treaty of St. Mary's, Ohio, September 17, 1818, as
witness, with the title of Indian Agent. This seems to
have been his last service in that line ; and he soon
afterwards returned to Kentucky. At the organization
of the Territory of Arkansas, in 1819, he was appoint-
ed its Judge ; but the climate proved unhealthful, and
after a stay of six months, during which he was engaged
in establishing the institutions of the new govern-
ment, he returned to Kentucky. He then settled in
Trigg County, of which he remained a resident until
his death. May 28, 1834. He enjoyed the friendship
and confidence of three Presidents ; and was noted for
his integrity and fidelity to the trust imposed in him.

Soon after the building of Fort Dearborn, the United
States established a Factory at the post, for the purpose
of controlling the Indian trade of the vicinity. The
Factory system was instituted by the Government from
motives of both philanthropy and expediency. It was
designed to benefit the Indians by giving them a fair
equivalent for their furs in such useful articles as their
needs required, and to withhold from them whisky,
which was rapidly rendering them not only useless, but
dangerous " wards " of Government. It was believed
that by dealing fairly and honestly with them, they

would soon learn to consider the United States Factors
their friends and benefactors, and gladly transfer their

Hade from those who first intoxicated anil then (heal

ed them, in those who came among them to better their
condition. With this motive was also the desire of
transferring the immense profits of the Indian trade
from private traders or corporations to the United
States Treasury. The svstem eventually proved a fail-
ure. 'The gentlemen sent to the frontier to deal with
the Indians, although men of intelligence and integrity,
were unacquainted with the nature of those they came to
serve, and unequal to the task of competing with old,
acute and experienced traders, whom the Indians had
learned to trust, and whose influence over them was
unbounded. Before the war of 1812, the factories were
a partial success, but after peace was declared, and they
were re-established in 1816, they proved a complete
failure. The American Fur Company, after its re-organ-
ization in 1817, swept away both private traders and
factories, anil enjoyed for a time almost a monopoly of
the Northwestern fur trade.

The name of the United States Factor at Chicago,
from the time the system was established until 1810,
has not been preserved, unless, as seems probable,
Charles Jouett was both Indian Agent ami Factor.

Matthew Irwin was Factor here from 1810 until the
destruction of Fort Dearborn, August 15, 1812, and
after the departure of Mr. Jouett, in 181 1, probably
acted also as Agent. He was the son of Matthew
Irwin, St\, a native of Ireland, who settled in Philadel-
phia when quite young, and becoming a wealthy mer-
chant assisted the United States Government during
the Revolution by loaning it money for carrying on its
plans. In September, 1777, he was appointed Quarter-
master-General of Pennsylvania, and served in General
Armstrong's division, then in the field. During 1778
and 1779 he was engaged in fitting out privateers and
ships against the enemy, being appointed a naval agent
for the State in the latter year, and commissioner for
procuring salt for the public. In 17X1 he was Port
Warden for Philadelphia; from 1785 served for several
years as Recorder of Deeds and Master of Rolls of
Philadelphia, and in 17X7 was appointed Justice of the
Court of Common Pleas. He became bankrupt in the
latter part of 1788, partly in consequence of surety
debts. 'The mother of Matthew Irwin, Jr., was a sister
of Thomas Mifflin, General in the Revolution and after-
ward Governor of Pennsylvania. His oldest brother.
Thomas, was United States District Judge of Western
Pennsylvania, and another brother was a merchant of
Philadelphia. Matthew Irwin, Jr., was born, reared
and educated at Philadelphia.

In a written communication, given to Dr. Jedidiah
Morse, in 1820, and published in " Morse's Report on
Indian Affairs," Major Irwin gives the following state-
ment of the amount of business done while he was
Factor at Chicago :

Amount of furs and peltries forwarded to the Superin-
tendent of Indian trade June 30, 1S10, and in-
voiced at S 2,972. ;n

Amount of drafts on the Secretary of war. in favor of

the Superintendent of Indian trade in that year.. 1,740.01

Total amount of business done in 1S10 % 4,712.57

Amount of furs and peltries forwarded to the Superin-

intendent of Indian trade Sept. 25, 1S11, 5,280.50

Amount of drafts on Secretary of War transmitted in

favor of the Superintendent of Indian trade, 775-39

Total amount of business done in 1S11, $ 6,055.89

88

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Amount of furs and peltries forwarded to the Superin-
tendent of Indian trade July II, 1812,.. § 5,781.91

Amount of drafts transmitted in favor of the Superin-
tendent of Indian trade, 500.67

Amount of articles sold for cash, S^.-t*

Amount of business done in 1S12

-S 6.7gS.o6

In May. 1811, Mr. Irwin gave notice to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury of the machinations of the Shawa-
noe Prophet to incite the Pottawatomies of the Illinois
River and surrounding country to hostility against the
Government. Mr. Touett's absence left Mr. Irwin to
discharge the duties of Agent and Factor. He again
writes on the 10th of March. 1S12: "The Chippewa
and Ottawa nations, hearing that the Winnebagoes and
Pottawatomies are hostilely inclined toward the whites,
sent speeches among them, desiring them to change
their sentiments and live in peace with the whites ; "
and again on April 16, 181 2: "On the 6th, a party of
ten or eleven Indians surrounded a small farm house on
Chicago River, and killed two men. The Indians are
of the Winnebago tribe.*' Mr. Irwin must have left
Chicago soon after forwarding goods July nth, or he
would hardly have escaped the massacre of the next
month. The goods in the factory were distributed
among the savages, and the subsequent war put an end,
for a time, to the factory system. Mr. Irwin was
appointed Assistant Commissary of Purchases in the
army May. 1813, and served until June, 1815, when
the army was disbanded. The following spring a mil-
itary post was established at Green Bay, and he was sent
there as United States Factor, remaining until the office
was discontinued in 1822. Major Irwin married, in
1816, at Uniontown, Penn., Miss Nancy Walker, and
his son William, born in 1817, was the first white child
of American parents born at Green Bay. On the
organization of Brown County, Wis., in 1818, he was
appointed by Governor Cass its first Chief Justice and
Judge of Probate, serving until September, 1820. Late
in 1822 he returned with his family to Philadelphia, and
finally settled at Uniontown, Pa., where he was em-
ployed as merchant and Postmaster, and where he died
about 1845, from the effects of paralysis, at the age of
nearly seventy- five years. Major Irwin is described as
of a little above medium height, well proportioned,
of pleasing deportment, and interesting and popular
address.

On the rebuilding of Fort Dearborn in 181 6, a fac-
tor}' was again established by Government. Jacob B
Yarnum, of Massachusetts, was appointed Factor, with
a salary of §1,300. The business was unsatisfactory.
In a letter to Major Irwin at Green Bay, dated Decem-
ber 5, 1818, a year and a half after the reorganization
of the American Fur Company, Mr. Yarnum says:

" The indiscriminate admission of British subjects to trade
with the Indians is a matter of pretty general complaint, through-
out this section of the country. There are five establishments now
within the limits of this agency, headed by British subjects. These,
with the large number of American traders, in every part of the
country, will effectually check the progress of this factory. I have
hardly done a sufficiency of business this season to clear the wages
of my interpreter."

The following year he writes to the superintendent
of Indian affairs at Washington, evidently believing that
a better day was dawning for the factories in conse-
quence of the recent decision of the Attorney-General as
to who should be considered American citizens, and
granted licenses to trade with the Indians. 'The deris-
ion was, that unless those residing within the jurisdic-
tion of the western ports, at the time they were given
up by the British, did absolutely go into court within

the twelve months following the event, and declare
themselves American citizens, they could not be con-
sidered as such without going through the process of
naturalization. 'The Secretary of War, John C. Cal-
houn, immediately directed Governor Cass of Michi-
gan 'Territory to revoke all licenses hitherto granted
to persons thus circumstanced, and he, in turn,
ordered the several Indian agents accordingly. 'This
order temporarily threw out of employment many traders
connected with the American Fur Company, which had
retained in its service Canadians formerly British sub-
jects, who had been licensed by the various Indian
agents to trade, they claiming the right of citizenship
under the provision of Jay's treaty. Following is the
letter of Mr. Yarnum :

" United States Factory, Chicago. June 20, 1819.

" The exclusion of foreigners from the Indian trade, will, it is
believed, justify the extension of the operation of this establish-
ment. This, together with the consideration of the large supply
of blankets and cloths now on hand, induces me to recommend a
distribution of the goods of this factory among the adjacent villa-
ges for trade, to such an extent as will ensure the sale of nearly all
by the expiration of the trading season. Such a measure, I am
well convinced, will be highly gratifying to the Indians, as a great
number bv this means will be enabled to supply themselves with
goods on more reasonable terms than could otherwise be done ; nor
do I apprehend any difficulty in effecting it to the advantage of the
Government, as gentlemen of unquestionable integrity have already
applied for such outfits. JACOB K. VARNl'M."

It may readily be seen that the American Fur Com-
pany would not quietly submit to such a diminution of
its prerogatives, and measures were immediately taken
to prevent the present unpleasant aspect of affairs be-
coming a permanent fact. Ramsey Crooks and Samuel
Abbott hastened to Washington to be present at the ses-
sion of 1819-20. That their efforts to obtain such
terms as they desired for the company in which they
were both interested were successful, is shown by the
following extracts from a letter written to John J. Astor
by Ramsey Crooks,* dated " New York, May, 1820."
Mr. Crooks says :

"The new-fangled obnoxious Indian system died a natural
death, as the House of Representatives, pleading a press of much
more important business, refused to act on the bill from the Senate,
and from the interest our friends took in the explanations given by
them by Mr. Samuel Abbott, who remained at Washington for the
purpose, I have not the smallest doubt, had the bill been brought
forward, but the monster would have been strangled. Now that
nothing can be effected until Congress meets again. I presume the
trade will be for this summer continued under the former regula-
tions ; but had Mr. Secretary Calhoun carried his point in getting
the proposed new law passed, it is no longer concealed that the first
step was to license so few traders that the factories were sure of
reviving ; another appeal to Congress for the increase of the public
trade fund would no doubt have followed ; and private trade con-
fined to a limited number of favorites, among whom I hazard but
little in saying the American Fur Company would not have been
found ; because we will not suffer ourselves to be trampled upon
with impunity either by the military or any other power, and be-
cause others, profiting by our example, have of late shown them
their teeth."

'The same month that the agent of the American Fur
Company wrote thus to his principal, the Factor at Chi-
cago, again discouraged, writes under date of " May 23,
1820 " :

" The Indians have been induced to come here this season by
the facility with which they were enabled to procure whisky. In
fact the commerce with them this season has been almost exclusively
confined to that article. I will venture to say that out of two hun-
dred barks (Indian boxes containing about forty pounds) of sugar
taken, not five have been purchased with any other commodity than
whisky. I have not been able to procure a pound of sugar from
the Indians, but can get a supply from the traders at ten cents a
pound."

'The factors, from first to last, attributed the ill suc-

vhich extracts are taken, are in the posses-

UNITKD STATES INDIAN AGENTS AND FACTORS AT CHICAGO.

89

cess of the system to the licensing of British traders,
brought up in the business, thoroughly conversant with
the nature and desires of the Indian, and determined in
their opposition to the factories. On the other hand,
the private traders and the fur companies affirmed that
the system was radically wrong, and that the Indians
were equally cheated, and equally well supplied with
whisky by the factories as by themselves. Major Irwin
says in letters to the Superintendent of Indian Trade,
during the years 1817-19 :

" There appears a palpable incongruity in the manner of con-
ducting the Indian trade, the factors are sent to supply the wants
of the Indians, and the Indian agents can adopt such measures as
to defeat all their plans to that end. It is very certain that the
authority vested in them to issue licenses is well calculated to de-
stroy all the benefits, that might be expected from the factories;
particularly too when they interfere with each other's districts.
The truth is, the factories required to be well supported before they
can be of any utility ; one of the first measures to which should be
the prohibition to grant licenses where the factory can supply the
necessities of the Indians."

On July 5, 182 1, Colonel McKenney writes from the
'• Indian Trade Office " to Major Irwin :

" Sir.' — I have the honor respectfully to represent, that for the
three years last past, the two factories on the lakes, one at Chicago,
the other at Green Bay, have been in a measure useless to the In-
dians, and, in a pecuniary point of view, to the Government also.
This state of things is owing entirely to the unsuitable provisions
which exist for the regulation of the trade. . . The contination of the
same inactivity which has hitherto characterized the business at
these two factories, promising to make inroads upon the fund allot-
ted for the trade, I do not feel myself authorized further to delay
a decision on the subject, and recommend it accordingly for the
Executive approval ; it is to break up and discontinue the two
factories located at Chicago and Green Bay."

In opposition to the views of the Government Fact-
ors at Chicago and Green Bay, may be given the views
of two gentlemen who visited them, the one in 1820 the
other in 1822. Dr. Jedidiah Morse in his report on In-
dian affairs, says :

' An intelligent gentleman, who had just visited Chicago, in-
formed me (July. 1S20), that there were goods belonging to Govern-
ment, at that place, to the value of $20,000, which cost more at
Georgetown than the traders ask for their goods at the post of de-
livery ; and that the goods are inferior in quality, and selected with
less judgment than those of the traders ; that only twenty-live dol-
lars' worth of furs was sold by the Factor at Chicago ; that the
Government makes no profit on its capital, and pays the superin-
tendents, factors, sub-factors, and their clerks out of their funds.
' The fact,' he added, ' that the Government sells goods at cost and
carriage, and pay their own agents ; and that yet the Indians pre-
fer dealing with the traders, is pretty conclusive evidence that the
traders have not been exorbitant in the prices of their goods, nor
have maltreated the Indians, who have had liberty to trade with
one or the other as they pleased. It is evident,' he said,' that by
some means, the Indians had not confidence in the Government, as
fair and upright in their trade.' Nothing was said or intimated on
this subject, by the gentleman above alluded to, which in the re-
motest degree impeached the character or conduct of any of the
factors. They appear as far as I have knowledge of them, to be
upright men, and faithfully and intelligently to have discharged
the duties of their office. This want of confidence in the Govern-
ment, on part of the Indians, I have witnessed with solicitude in
many other instances, and it has often been expressed by the In-
dians in my interviews with them. Whether this prejudice has
arisen from foreign influence, exerted to answer particular purposes,
or from that of the traders, as is alleged in the preceding commu
nications (from the factors at Chicago and Green Bay), or has been
occasioned by the manner in which their lands have been obtained
from them by the Government ; or by the inferiority in quality and
high prices of the goods whicn have been offered them in barter, at
the Government factories, or delivered to them in payment of their
annuities, as other confidently assert, it is not for me to decide. It
is my opinion, however, from all I could learn, that each of these
causes has had more or less influence in creating and fixing this un-
happy prejudice in their minds."

General Albert G. Ellis, who was the first editor of
the Green Bay Intelligencer,the pioneer newspaper of

H isconsin, describes, in his " Recollections,"* Green Bav
as it was on his arrival in 1822. Speaking of the United
States factories, he says :

" < hie had been placed at Green liav, and Major Matthew Irwin,
of Pennsylvania, appointed to the office. We found him at Fori
Howard in 1S22, the sole occupant of the post, in his stone build-
ing and living under the same roof with his family, the troops hav-
ing been removed two years before to ('amp Smith. Major Irwin
was a gentleman of intelligence culture and integrity, and as well
fitted for the trust as any other citizen totally unacquainted with the
Indian country, its trade and inhabitants, could be — that is, not
fitted at all: and, moreover, being furnished by the Government
with goods unsuited to the Indian trade, and coming in competing
contact with life-long, experienced, astute traders, of course tin
effort to gain confidence, trust and influence with the Indian-, was
a total failure. His sleazy woolen blankets, cheap calico, and,
worst of all, his poor, unserviceable guns, were all rejected by the
Indians, and during four years' trade he did not secure lift) dol-
lars' worth of peltries; but the natives, as well as French inhabit-
ants, made quantities of maple sugar — this was not current at New
York for payment of goods, as peltries were, and not so much cared
for by the old traders. The Indians resorted with it to the United
States Factor, Major Irwin, who bought large quantities of it, and
had many thousand pounds in store at the time of our arrival in
1822. . . That fall Major Irwin closed up most of the business,
shipped his sugar to Detroit, turned over the concern to a young
gentleman succeeding him by the name of Ringgold, and left the
country. Messrs. Heron and Whitney, sutlers to the troops,
bought Major Irwin's house, and the old factory was converted
into a hospital building for the sick of the garrison."

The services of Mr. Varnuin as Factor at Chicago
ended the same year. After the order for the discon-
tinuance of the factory was issued, A. B. Lindsey, of
Connecticut, was sent to Chicago to wind up its affairs.
While living in Chicago, Mr. Varnum boarded in the
old John Dean house, with J. B. Beaubien, then its
owner. He is spoken of by Major Irwin as a gentle-
man of well-known integrity. After the goods belong-
ing to the United States remaining in the factory had
been disposed of, the building, which was just south of
the fort, was bought by a Mr. Whiting, probably Cap
tain Henry Whiting, an ex-army officer, then sutler of
the fort. J It was sold by Mr. Whiting to the American
Fur Company, and by that company to Jean Baptiste
Beaubien, whose resilience it remained until 1839.

During the continuance of the factory, from the
rebuilding of the fort in 1S16, to its final abandonment
in i822-'23, there were two Indian Agents. Charles
Jouett was reappointed in 1815, came to Chicago in
1816, and remained two years or more. His residence,
and the Agency-house for that period, was a log build-
ing of two large rooms, about twenty steps from the
river bank, on the north side, according to the testi-
mony of his daughter, Mrs. Susan M. Callis, who came
to the place with her parents in i8i6Jand remained
here several years. She also says that this house, which
was west of John Kinzie's, was built before the massa-
cre of i8i2,g and that between it and the Kinzie house
was another, occupied in 18 16 by a Mr. Bridges. She
mentions also an encounter which her father had with
Main Poc, a furious Indian, the old war-chief of the
Pottawatomies.

In a letter written by this lady to Hon. John H'ent-

* Wis. Hist. Coll., vol. VII.

t James E. Heron and Henry Whiting wire suiters at fori Dearborn in
1821-' 22, and were both, in 1S23, at Fort Howard. Green Bay, with Captain
Win. Whistler. Heron had been Assistant Commissarv "f Purchases in the
army from September, 1813, until disbanded. lime 1, 1821; then sutler at Macki-
nac for a short time— at Chicago in 1822, at Fort Howard in 182), and subse-
quently at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Jesup until 1843.

Henrv Whiting, of New York, was commissioned Second lieutenant ol the
23d Infan'trv, May 1, 1812, First Lieutenant in lune, 1813; wounded in tin bat.
tie of Niagara, July 25. 1814; Captain in September, 1814: retained on re-
arrangement of tile armv on peace establishment, Mar. 1S1 s. as First Lieuten-
ant of 2d Infantry with brevet; disbanded June, 1821; sutler at Chicago in
1821-92, and subsequently at Green Bay.

t From the description supposed to be the old " Hums House," mentioned
in "Waubun."

§ " Chicago Antiquities." p. 105.

I,C

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

worth, .--he mentions otlier incidents and persons of early
Chicago. She says :

" My mother's oldest child was Charles Lalime Jouett, who was
born in Chicago. October 20, 1S09, and died there September S,
1S10. It has been said that he was the first white child born in
Chicago.* There was a Government Factor there named Jacob I!.
Yarnum. who had a child born there.f Possibly this child wis born
l»efore mv brother. My mother's nurse was a half-breed French
and Indian woman, who was bound to her until she was eighteen
years of age. Her name was Madaline Alscum or Olscum. She
married the day we left Chicago for the last time, Joseph ( )zier, a
soldier from the garrison. 1 remember James Riley, | who acted
as father's inlerorcter. My impression is that Dr. Alexander YVol-
COtl was fathers successor as Indian Agent. Father resigned the
agency at Chicago about l8lS-'ig and returned to Kentucky.
There was a l>r. McMahon stationed at Chicago. There was a
l>r. John Gale there from New Hampshire, who left before we did,
.ini\ who died at Fort Armstrong, July 27, 1S30. I remember the
Indian chief, 'White Hog,' who pretended he could not speak
English. But he got drunk one day, and we then found out that
he could speak it verv well. I also remember a tall anil powerful
Indian chief. ' White Elk,' who was pointed out to me as the man
who killed the children of Mrs. Susan Corbili at the massacre of
1 -1 -\ 5 1 remember a half-breed Indian who was in the employ of
John Kinzie, named Perish LeClerc, who used to boast of his Pot-
tawatomie descent. I also remember Major Daniel Baker, who had
command at F'ort Dearborn. I frequently saw an Indian called
' Blue Earth,' because he always painted his face with a sort of
blue clay, which gave him a ghastly appearance, fie kept princi-
pally by himself, and it was hinted he was a white man in disguise.
He was out of health; and I once saw the Indians dance what
was called the ' medicine dance,' around him, in hopes of effect-
ing a cure. There were two lieutenants in the garrison, whose
names do not appear in any of your Chicago publications. They
were married about the same time. They visited us frequently.
One was Lieutenant Brooks. J The other was Lieutenant James
Hackley, Jr., who married Rebekah Wells, of Fort Wayne, daugh-
ter of Captain William Wells, who was killed in the Chicago massa-
cre of 1S12, and for whom your street was named. 1] When ray
mother first went to Chicago it was in midwinter, and she went all
the way on horseback. This journey she often described as her
bridal tour. Father had as guides a half-breed Indian named Rob-
inson, and a negro named Joseph Battles. In traveling through
Illinois they found the snow very deep and drifted on the prairies.
They frequently heard the cries of panthers at night, who were de-
terred from them by their camp-fires. 'The Indians were always
very kind, and mother never felt any fear. But she became tired
of living so far from all society, and persuaded father to move back
to Kentucky. He lived on a farm near Harrodsburg, Ky. , where
all his children, except the one at Detroit and the one at Chicago,
were born. As he lived in Chicago when my brother died in (Sep-
tember) 1S10, and at Harrodsburg the 8th of February, 181 1, when
my sister Caroline was born, you can judge when he left Chicago
the first time. Mother often congratulated herself that she left
Chicago in time to escape the massacre. . . The Agency-house
where we lived was on the north side of the river, nearly opposite
the garrison, and John Kinzie, Sr.. lived near by on the same side.
Mother always said that the little river (as it then was) was lined
all along its banks with wild onions, and took its name Chicago
therefrom; Chicago meaning, in the original Indian tongue,
' onion.' "

Dr. Alexander Wolcott succeeded Mr. Jouett
as Indian Agent in 1S20, and held the position until
his death in 1830. He was the son of Alexander and
Lucy Waldo Wolcott, and was born at East Windsor,
Conn., February 14, 1790. His father, who graduated
at Yale in 1 7 7.S, and settled at Windsor as an attorney,
was a man of distinguished ability and standing. Alex-

» Two children had been horn to Lieutenant William Whistler, and two
to John Kinzie, in Chicago, prior to 1809

* Subsequent to 1816.

; James Riley, and his brothers Peter and John, were sons ol Judg
ectady, who was at one timea trader with the Indians'at S
The boys were half-breeds, the mother being "f the Indian race. ("C
Antiquities, " p. 106. »

Riley,

C'inaw.

hica«o

I See ** Waubun," p. i3i. "Chicago Antiquities,' p.

ol Mr. (.oils: ■■ Phi house in which my" father livet
built before the massacre of ,8u. I know this from the fact that ' White
an Indian chief, and the tallest I ever saw, was pointed out to me as the sa
that flashed out the brains of the I hildrcn of Suk'ey Corhin against the si
tills very house.'1

Lieutenant Edward E, Brooks, of Kentucky. He was made Captain

transferred to Detroit about 1819. Hi resit 1 I '8^7. His wife wa

daughter of Chief Justice May, of M„ higan, and one ,,f his daughters ma
ff \l . School, of Chicago. Mr. Broolcs died in Detroit.

* l-i'ii- Hai promoted to a captaincy and resigned l>cce

ander Wolcott, Jr., graduated at Yale in the class of
1809. He was the third of four children. His oldest
sister. Frances, married for her second husband, Arthur
\V. Magill of .Middletown, Conn., to which place the
Wolcott family had removed. Henry, the second child,
was appointed Collector of the Port of Middletown by
President Adams in [828. He removed to Chicago in
[836, and died there April 5, 1846. Henry was the
father of Alexander Wolcott, long the Chicago City Sur-
veyor. Alexander, and Mary Ann, a younger sister,
were the third atul fourth children. After Dr. Wolcott's
arrival here he finished and resided in a building com-
menced during Judge Jouett's incumbency. This was
the agency-house on the north side of the river, near
where now is the foot of North State Street, and which
was facetiously cailed "Cobweb Castle," during his
residence there as a bachelor, — probably from the no-
ticeable accumulation of those terrors to good house-
keepers during those vears. On the 20th of July, 1823,
he was married at the residence of John Kinzie, by John
Hamlin, J. P. of Fulton County, to Ellen Marion, eld-
est daughter of John and Eleanor Kinzie. In 1820 Dr.
Wolcott accompanied the expedition under (Governor
Cass from Detroit through the upper lakes to the
sources of the Mississippi. The party left Detroit on
the 1st of May, performed the journey, and returned to
Lake Michigan the latter part of August. At Green
Bay the party divided, some proceeding to Mackinac,
and a part — among whom were Governor Cass, Dr.
Wolcott, Major Robert Forsyth and Henry R. School-
craft,— coming down the western shore of the lake to
Chicago, where they arrived August 29, and remained
until the 31st ; when Governor Cass, accompanied by
his secretary, Major Forsyth, Lieutenant Mackay. John
Kinzie and others, took the old Indian trail to Detroit,
and Schoolcraft and Captain Douglas the route by the
eastern shore of the lake to Mackinac. Mr. Schoolcraft
speaks of Dr. Wolcott as a gentleman "commanding
respect by his manners, judgment and intelligence."
On the 29th of August, 1821, a treaty was concluded
with the Indians at Chicago, which was signed in the
presence of Alexander Wolcott, Jr., Indian Agent, Jacob
B. Yarnum, Factor, and John Kinzie, Sub-Agent. In
May, 1823, the garrison was withdrawn from Fort
Dearborn and the post and property left in charge of
Dr. Wolcott, who moved into one of the houses erected
for officers' quarters, and there resided until the fort
was again occupied by United States troops in August,
1828. He was appointed Justice of the Peace for
Peoria County December 26, 1827, and is recorded as
judge and voter at the special election for justice of
the peace and constable, held at the house of James
Kinzie in the Chicago Precinct, Jul)- 24, 1830. When
troops arrived to re-garrison F'ort Dearborn in 1828,
Dr. Wolcott and family returned to their old home in
the agency-house, 'where he died late in the fall of 1830.
By his will, dated October 18, 1830, he left all his
property to his wife Eleanor* M. Wolcott and his
daughter Mary Ann. The latter died in infancy, and
his widow became his sole surviving heir.

Mrs. Wolcott, with her mother and half-sister, Mrs.
Helm, remained at the agency-house until the spring
of 1831. The order having been given for the evacua-
tion of Fort Dearborn by the troops, the household
goods of Mrs. Wolcott were sold by auction, and she
accompanied Iter sister, Mis. Lieutenant David Hunter
now Mrs. General Hunter to Fort Howard, Green Bay.
Mrs. John Kinzie and Mrs. Helm went to Fort Winne-

» Spelled Eleanor, Loth in the will of fir. Wolcott, and in the record of her
marriage in the " Wulcoit Memorial." She signed her name Ellen M.

THE FU

TRADE AND TRADERS.

9'

bago at the same time, with John H. IsLinzie and wife,
who had been in Chicago on a visit. The following
extracts from a letter written in Chicago about 1821-22
by Dr. Wolcott to Governor Cass, in reply to certain
queries of the latter in regard to the language and con-
dition of the Pottawatomies, are given to show the
sprightly and agreeable manner in which this early
settler of Chicago expressed his ideas, and as revealing
the pleasant humor of the man :*

" Dear Governor: — Thank God, I can at last in part disbur-
den my conscience of a crime that has long laid heavy upon it,
the crime of neglecting t<> comply with your repeated requests re-
specting vour queries. Many a time and oft, when I cast a rueful
giance over that interminable string of 'Inquiries,' which could
not be properly answered by a philosopher, till after at least ten
years' study ' with all appliances and means to boot,' 1 have
wished them at the bottom of the Red Sea, along with so many
other wicked spirits, whose only object on earth was to disturb the
repose of quiet, lazy people like myself. Could the necessary
knowledge be acquired by the use of any kind of machinery, could
it be accomplished by the use of steam it would be a matter of no
difficulty. It is only to buy an engine, and the thing is done. But
to find a person well acquainted with the Indian tongue who knows
any thing about any other language on the face of the earth, or
who can be made to comprehend its most simple principles, is a
pretty impossible sort of an affair. Nevertheless, I have endeavored
to do a little something to quiet certain stirrings and twitchings
somewhere about the region of the pericardium, which have for a
long time troubled me exceedingly ; more especially whenever my
eyes happened to rest upon a little ugly-looking book, full of notes
of interrogation. That I have done so little, and that I have done
that little so imperfectly, is only to be excused from the considera-
tion that I have worked without tools. I have been in the situa-
tion, and met with the success, you will perhaps say, of a man who
should attempt to polish a diamond with a wood rasp, or fashion a
watch with a sledge hammer. That I have delayed it so long can-
not be excused at all, unless you will accept of the true plea, that
I was deterred by the hopelessness of the task, and you have lull
leave to laugh when I tell you that the confusion and want of ar-
rangement in the papers arise from want of time. But it is liter-
allv true. Since I commenced my inquiries, some weeks ago, re-
specting the construction of the language, 1 have kept myself at it
night and day ; but I found such amazing difficulty at every step
that my progress has been but slow, and it is now too late to make
any attempt at arrangement, as Captain Whitingf is ready to start.
All, but what relates to language, has been written for a long time,
and a meagre account it is. But the truth is, that of all the tribes
and nations that people this globe, the Pottawatomies have the
least that is peculiar in their manners and customs, or interesting
in their history. The only very prominent trait in their character
is their universal and insatiable love of ardent spirits, and that is
common to all tribes who are so lucky as to live in a state of fre-
quent intercourse with Christian men.}: I suppose by this time
you will have another book of ' queries ' under way, with which
you will favor your friends in due time. Should you be desirous
that I should make farther inquiries, please to signify it, and 1
promise a more prompt attention to your request than I have given
heretofore. And now I will not say another word on the subject
of Indian languages except that I am as glad to escape from it as
we were to escape from the unheard-of comforts of Sandy Lake.
Don't you feel a horror creeping over you every time the idea re-
curs to your memory? I never think of it, but, like the Pharisee,
I thank God that I am not as other men — Indian-traders and dwel-
lers on the borders of Sandy Lake."

The widow of Dr. Wolcott married, in [836, Hon.
George C. Bates of Detroit, and died in that city August
1, 1860, leaving a husband and one son, Kinzie Bates,
U. S. A.

Colonel Thomas J. V. Owen succeeded Dr. Wolcott,
and served as Indian agent during the years 1831-32-33.
Gholson Kerchevaland Tames Stuart served under him

the Ci

al Pi.rlii

* Letter published in Schoolcraft's " Tra
the Mississippi Vallev."

f Captain Henry Whiting, sutler at Fort Dearborn in 1821-22.

% A iong account of the construction of the Pottawatomie language follows
here.

as sub-agents ; Billy Caldwell Sauganash . as interpre-
ter ; David McKee as blacksmith, and Joseph Porthier
as striker. Colonel Owen was born in Kentucky, April
5, r8oi. He was appointed Indian agent in the winter
of 1830-31,1)111 did not arrive in Chicago until the spring
of [831, the sub-agent, Mr. Kercheval, attending to the
duties of the office until that time. When the Town ol
Chicago was incorporated in 1833, Colonel Owen was
chosen President of its first board of trustees. He died
at Chicago, October 15, 1835.

THE FUR TRADE AND TRADERS,

Before priest orexplorer found his way to the.Chicago
River, the fur-trader was dealing with the Indians on its
banks. Father Marquette found them — evidently not
strangers to the soil or its savage inhabitants — when In
the winter of 1674-75 he lay sick in his cabin on the
prairie of the portage. They were here before him,
were awaiting his coming, and had prepared to receive
him hospitably when he should arrive at their wintering-
ground below the great Indian village. When they
found that his ill health would compel him to pass the
winter in "their cabin " at the portage, they sent him
supplies from their own stores, and by their influence
with the Indians made his hard winter more safe and
comfortable.

Until the friendly Illinois were driven from their
river, French traders passed freely to and fro over the
" Chicagou route " from Canada to Louisiana, and colo-
nists came to build their cabins around the Fort St.
Louis. When the tribes of the Illinois were driven from
their country, and Fort St. Louis had been abandoned
and finally destroyed, this path became for a time too
dangerous for even the daring voyageurs, and this route
of the Canadians to the French settlements and to the
interior of the country was exchanged for one more safe.
From the first settlement of New France, the most
lucrative business of the colonists was the traffic in furs,
and the Canadian voyageurs were, after Nicolet, the first
explorers of the Northwest. The fur trade on the St.
Lawrence was licensed by the French Government, the
paper being drawn somewhat in the form of a colonial
commission, conferring on the holder the authority of a
military officer over the voyageurs in his employ. The
early French traders were sometimes by the terms of
their licenses made Colonial agents, with power to make
treaties with the Indians and arrange terms of commer-
cial intercourse. Their Canadian engages were a won-
derful class of men, maintaining by their hardihood a
traffic in furs with the savages of the Northwest, which
gave to the region its only great value in the eyes of the
French Government. The patience, tenacity of pur-
pose, courage and resolution displayed by these hardy,
cheerful servants are almost without parallel in the his-
tory of exploration of savage countries. With their
packs of merchandise, or " outfits," they left Quebec
or Montreal in their frail bark canoes, traversed lakes
and rivers to their destined post, penetrated to the win-
ter haunts of the savages, toiling up the streams in their
canoes, and at each portage taking both the canoe and
its load on their backs from one stream to another, until
a favorable spot for a " wintering-ground " was reached
Then, with their savage companions, they passed the
winter in the wilderness, to secure for their employers
the annual load of peltries. Sometimes they learned to
love their savage life so well that they ceased to return
to the St. Lawrence, but following the Indians in their
wanderings, engaged in an illicit trade on their own ac-
count, and became couriers tic boh. These fur-traders

92

HISTORY OK EARLY CHICAGO.

of the woods became so numerous by the last of the
seventeenth century that a royal declaration was issued
against them — their vocation interfering materially with
the profits of the licensed French traders. When French
domination ceased in the Northwest there was an essen-
tial change in the manner of carrying on the fur trade.
At a later day the voyageiirs of the American F'ur Com-
pany, and private traders were employed under written
contracts, executed in Canada for a term of from three
to five years — their wages from two hundred and fifty
livres fifty dollars . to seven hundred and fifty livres
per vear. To this was added their " outfit," consisting
usually of a Mackinaw blanket, two cotton shirts, a cap-
ote and a few other articles, with the necessary goods
for their Indian customers. In the fall they left Mack-
inac, or other headquarters of their employer, to spend
the months until spring at their " wintering-ground."
Their food, when with savages, consisted principally of
salt pork, corn and tallow. The furs collected by the
voyageurs employed by the American Fur Company
were taken to Mackinac in the spring, and there re-
packed for New York. The earlv population of Chicago
was, in a great measure, made up of fur-traders. Aside
from the military, almost every inhabitant was connected
with this traffic, in some form or other. The first trace
of white occupation of the site of Chicago after it be-
came the home of the Pottawatomies, is by a F'rench
trader named Guarie, who located on the west side of
the North Branch of the Chicago River, near the forks.
Gurdon S. Hubbard, whose personal knowledge of Chi-
cago dates back to 1818, says of this trader :*

" I'rior to 1S00, the North Branch of the Chicago River was
called by the Indian traders and voyageurs ' River Guarie,' and the
South Branch. ' Portage River.' On the west side of the North
Branch a man by the name of Guarie had a trading house, situated
on the bank of the river about where Fulton Street now is. This
house was enclosed by pickets. He located there prior to 1778.
This tradition I received from Messrs. Antoine Deschamps and An-
toine Besom, who from about 1778 had passed from Lake Michigan
to the Illinois River yearly ; they were old men when I first knew
them in 1S1S. This tradition was corroborated by other old voya
geurs. The evidences of this trading-house were pointed out to me
by Mr. Deschamps; the corn-hills adjoining were distinctly trace-
able, though grown over with grass."

Baptiste Pointe de Saible doubtless traded in furs
with the Indians, during his long residence on the Chi-
cago River, but whether white traders were settled here
during those years is unknown. Win. Burnett, a trader
at St. Joseph, whose wintering-ground in 1790-91, was
on the Kankakee, savs in a letter written at St. Joseph,
May 6, 1790 : J "I received a letter yesterday from
Chicago, wherein it is said that nothing is made in the
Mississippi this year." February 6, 1791,11c writes:
"The Pottawatomies at Chicago have killed a French-
man about twenty days ago. They say there is plenty
of Frenchmen." Whether these Frenchmen were trailers
with headquarters at Chicago, or merely passing voy-
ageurs, is not known ; neither is there any clew to the
name of Mr. Burnett's correspondent. He again writes,
in the summer of 1798, to Mr. Porthier, a merchant at
Mackinac : \

" In the course of last winter I wrote you that it is expected
(hat there will lie a garrison at Chicago this summer, and from
late accounts I have reason to expect that they will be over there
this fall, and should it be the case, and as I have a house there
already, and a promise of assistance from headquarters, I will
have occasion for a good deal of liquors, and some other articles
for that post. Therefore, should there be a garrison at Chicago
this fall. I will write for an addition of articles to mv order."

On the arrival of Major Whistler to build and gar-
rison Fort Dearborn, he found at Chicago, as the only

* Blancbard'f " History "i Chicago/1 p. 757.

* • 1 Ki. ago Intiquities," p. 57.

X Commonly spelled Mackinaw from about 1813.

residents in the summer of 1803, three French fur-
trailers; LeMai, who bought the cabin of De Saible
in 1796, and had probably been a resident since that
time; Antoine Ouilmette, who lived near him, and a
trailer by the name of Pettell, of whom nothing more
is known. A year latter Le Mai sold his cabin to John
Kinzie, and Antoine Ouilmette entered the service of
the latter, and long remained his employe. Ouilmette's
house was just north, and within a very short distance
of Mr. Kinzie's. At the time of the Fort Dearborn
massacre, it became the hiding place of Mrs. Helm,
where she was preserved from the furious savages who
sought her life by the courage and coolness of Mrs.
Bisson, a sister of Mrs. Ouilmette. It was in Ouilmette's
garden that William Griffith,* the Quartermaster at
the fort, hid himself behind the currant bushes, and
when discovered by the family was disguised as a Cana-
dian voyageur and helped to escape with the Kinzies.

After the departure of the boat containing his em-
ployer's family, Ouilmette was left the sole white inhab-
itant of Chicago. After the arrival of Alexander Rob-
inson, who probably came to Chicago to live in 18 14,
Ouilmette and he cultivated the field formerly used as
the garden of the fort, raising there good crops of corn.
The crop of 1816 was sold to Captain Bradley after his
arrival to rebuild the fort. At the treaty made at
Prairie Du Chien in 1829 with the tribe of which his
wife was a member, Ouilmette was granted, on her
account, a reservation at Gros Point, now Wilmette.
'There he made a farm and remained until the Potta-
watomies were removed to the West. He accompanied
them with his family, and both himself and wife died
at Council Bluffs, Iowa. His daughter FJlizabeth mar-
ried Michael Welch, of Chicago, and after his death.
Lucius R. Darling, of Silver Lake, Kansas. Another
daughter, Josette, mentioned in " Waubun " married
John Derosche, and with the other children of the fam-
ily— Michell, Lewis, Francis, Sophie and Joseph — set-
tled on the banks of the Kansas River, with the tribe.

Before the rebuilding of the fort, one other trader
settled in Chicago. 'This was M. Du Pin, who married
the widow of Mr. Lee (the former proprietor of the
cabin and garden on the lake shore near the fort , and
lived in the Kinzie house during the absence of the
family. After his removal to Chicago in 1804 John
Kinzie became a very successful trader. His trading-
house apparently absorbed all the rival establishments —
except the United States Factory. A description of
its grow and success is given in " Waubun " as fol-
lows :

" By degrees more remote trading-posts were established by
him, all contributing to the parent one at Chicago ; at Milwaukee
with the Menomonies ; at Rock River with the Winnebagoes and the
Pottawatomies ; on the Illinois River and Kankakee with the Pot-
towatomies of the Prairies, and with the Kickapoos in what was
called 'Le Large,' being the widely extended district afterward
erected into Sangamon County. Each trading-post had its super-
intendent, and its complement of engages — its train of pack-horses,
and its equipment of boats and canoes. From most of the stations
the furs and peltries were brought to Chicago on pack-horses, and
the goods necessary for the trade were transported in return by the
same method. The vessels which came in the spring and fall
(seldom more than two or three annually), to bring the supplies
and goods for the trade took the furs that were already collected to
Mackinac, the depot of the Southwest and the American Fur
Companies. At other seasons they were sent to that place in boats,
coasting around the lakes."

When the fort was rebuilt in 1816, Government re-
established the United States Factory connected with
it. Soon after this a trading-house was established by
Conant and Mack, wealthy merchants of Detroit, at the

Afterward Captain Willis

I " Spies

THtf FUR TRADE AND TRACERS.

93

point formerly known as " Lee's Place " four miles up
the South Branch from the fort. This was on govern-
ment land, being included in the " six-miles-square
tract," and these merchants having bought the old
cabin where Mr. White and his man were murdered in
the spring of i8i2,sent John Crafts with a large sup-
ply of Indian goods, to take possession of the place
and establish there a branch house. The location was
directly in the path of the Indians of the interior as
they brought their furs from the Illinois, Desplaines
and Kankakee, and crossed the portage to the factory
at Chicago. The establishment was a decided success.
The Indians had no great love for United States factor-
ies, and the house at the " portage " secured almost a
monopoly of the furs of the region, until the American
Fur Company decided to swallow both the factory and
the establishment owned by Mr. Crafts. This was ac-
complished by the close of 1822 — the factory had ceased
to exist, and Mack and Conant had transferred their
interests in the fur trade of the region about Chicago
to its prosperous rival.

The American Fur Company and its Traders
in Chicago. — When the military possession of the
Northwest passed from France to Great Britain in 1760,
the Hudson's Bay Company, which had been chartered
by Parliament as early as 1670, acquired almost an ex-
clusive monopoly of the fur trade. Its success excited
the envy of other capitalists, and in 1783, the North-
west Fur Company was organized at Quebec, and estab-
lished its posts at various points on the upper lakes and
throughout the interior. The new company, contrary
to the custom of the older one, employed voyageurs
for its extended trade, and soon diminished the profits of
the Hudson's Bay Company. Other organizations were
formed — among them an association of British mer-
chants called the Mackinaw Company, which became a
successful rival to the older companies.

In 1809, John Jacob Astor organized the American
Fur Company, which was chartered by the New York
Legislature — Mr. Astor being the Company. In con-
nection with the Northwest Company he bought out
the Mackinaw Company in 181 1, and formed the South-
west Company. The War of 181 2 temporarily inter-
rupted the existence of that organization, but it was re-
vived. In 1815 Congress prohibited foreigners from
dealing in furs in the United States and Territories.
The Southwest Company, composed mainly of British
merchants, sold out its interest to Mr. Astor soon after,
and the company was known as the 'American Fur
Company " after the spring of 1817.*

" Having entire charge of the management of the company
in the West were Ramsey Crooks and Robert Stuart. To William
Matthews was entrusted the engaging of voyageurs and clerks in
Canada, with his headquarters in Montreal. The voyageurs he
took from the habitant (farmers); young, active, athletic men
were sought for ; indeed, none but such were engaged, and they
passed under inspection of a surgeon. Mr. M. also purchased at
Montreal such goods as were suited for the trade to load his boats.
These boats were the Canadian batteaux, principally used in those
days in transferring goods to upper St. Lawrence River and its
tributaries, manned by four oarsmen and a steersman, capacity
about six tons. The voyageurs and clerks were under indentures
for a term of live years. Wages of voyageurs $100, clerks from
$120 to $500 per annum. These were all novices in the business.
The plan of the company was to arrange and secure the services of
old traders and their voyageurs, who at the ( new ) organization of
the company were in the Indian country, depending on their in-
fluence and knowledge of the trade with the Indians ; and as fast
as possible secure the vast trade of the West and Northwest within
the district of the United States, interspersing the novices brought
from Canada, so as to consolidate, extend and monopolize as far
as possible over the country, the Indian trade. The first two years
they had succeeded in bunging into their employ seven-eighths of
* Gurdon S. Hubbard, in " Chicago Antiquities."

the old Indian traders on the upper Mississippi, Wabash and Illi-
nois rivers. Lakes Superior ami Michigan, and their tributaries as
far north as the boundaries of the United States extended. The
other eighth thought that their interest was to remain independent ;
toward such, the company selected their best traders, and located
them in opposition, with instructions so to manage by underselling
as to bring them to terms. At Mackinaw, the trader's brigades
was organized, the company selecting the most capable trader to be
the manager of his particular brigade, which consisted of from live
to twenty batteatlA laden with goods. This chief or manager,
when reaching a country allotted to him made detachments, local
ing trading-houses with districts clearly defined, fur the operations
of that particular post, and so on, until his ground was fully occu-
pied by traders under him. over whom he had absolute authority."
The law excluding foreigners from trading in the
Indian country seemed designed to apply to companies
and not individuals. The American Fur Company,
controlled by an American, was considered an exclu-
sively American company, and was allowed for the suc-
cessful prosecution of its business, certain privileges
which did not conform to the letter of the law. The
various Indian agents at the western posts were directed
through the Governor of Michigan Territory, to grant
licenses to such traders as the agents of Mr. Astor
should designate. The British traders formerly con-
nected with the Southwest Company were familiar with
the fur trade, and were trusted by the Indians, over
whom their influence was unbounded. The Canadian
voyageurs were indispensable to the successful prose-
cution of the business, and it was not long before
licenses were in the hands of British traders, who sent
their engage's to every part of the Indian country, hold-
ing that they were American citizens under the provi-
sions of Jay's treaty, and that the form of naturaliza-
tion was unnecessary.

Ramsey Crooks, agent of the American Fur Company, was
born in the town of Greenock, Scotland, January 2, 1787. When
sixteen years of age he migrated to Canada, and was for awhile
employed as junior clerk in the mercantile house of Maitland,
Garden & Auldjo, in Montreal. In 1805, he engaged in the ser-
vice of a merchant named Gillespie, and went to the then frontier
village of St. Louis, where he remained two or three years, after-
ward trading with the Indians on the Missouri River on his own
account. Robert McClellan was one of his associates and friends
while in Missouri, and the two young traders fought manfully for
their rights against the arrogance and tyranny of the Missouri
Fur Company, which with Manual Lisa at its head, did not scru-
ple to instigate the Sioux to acts of violence against rival traders.
In 1S09, John Jacob Astor conceived the design of establising a
chain of trading-posts on the Missouri and La Platte rivers to the
Rocky Mountains, and thence to the Pacific. Mr. Crooks relin-
quished his business on the Missouri, and at the desire of Mr.
Astor joined the party of traders and trappers which, starting from
St. Louis, was to traverse the country to the Pacific, and at the
mouth of the Columbia River establish the principal station of the
company. After much suffering and many wanderings, the party
reached Astoria in May. 1S12. Mr. Crooks returned to St. Louis
in 1813, and the following year, through the capture of the station
by the British, and the failure of our government to give protec-
tion to the American fur-traders, Mr. Astor relinquished all opera-
tion on the Pacific coast. In 1S17, at the re-formation of the
American Fur Company, Mr. Crooks again joined Mr. Astor, and
was the agent of the company at Mackinaw for the ensuing five
years. Although his residence was in New York, he spent much
time at Mackinaw, and was well known, and personally esteemed
by the many traders connected with the company, at the stations
at Chicago, Green Hay, Milwaukee and elsewhere in the North-
west. The partnership with Mr. Astor was dissolved in 1830,
when Mr. Crooks resumed his former position as a salaried employe
of the company, but in 1S34, Mr. Astor, beginning to feel the
infirmities of age, sold out the stock of the company, and transferred
thecharter to Mr. Crooks and others, and this gentleman was there-
upon elected president of the company. However, the business
did not continue prosperous, and in 1S42, the American Fur Com-
pany made an assignment and passed out of existence. In 1845,
Mr. Crooks opened a commission house, for the sale of furs and
skins in New York. This business, which proved very successful,
he continued until his death, which occurred at his residence in
New York city on the 6th of June 1S59, in the seventy-third year
of his age. Mr. Crooks was noted for his extreme modesty and

•M

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

imobtnisiveness, his sterling integrity, and purity of life, and the
kindness, patience and humanity he exhibited to all those with
whom he had to deal — both white man and red.

Ramsey Crooks left New York to assume the duties
of agent of the American Fur Company at Mackinaw,
in March, 1817. Front that time he was intimately con-
nected witli many of the Chicago traders— furnishing
goods both to the traders connected with his company
and those who acted independently. In a collection of
his letters, now in the possession of Gurdon S. Hubbard,
there is much to be found relating to the early trade
and traders of Chicago and to the general operations of
the company. The following extracts tire from these
letters. On the 22d of June, 1817, Mr. Crooks writes
from " Michilimackinac " to John Kinzie of Chicago :

" Dear Sir: — Since my arrival seven days ago, no opportunity
of communicating with you has presented itself. By the arrival of
Mr. Lamorandiere 1 am happy to learn your success in the late
campaign, and sincerely hope it may continue. I look for a visit
from you soon, but should that be inconvenient yet for some time,
any communication you may, in the interim, favor us with shall be
duly attended to.

" Enclosed is a letter to Mr. Daniel Bourassa,* who appears
to have been shamefully imposed upon by Mr. Buisson and asso-
ciates; however being averse to forming an opinion injurious to any
one without proof, I have requested Mr. Bourassa to avail himself
of the tirst conveyance! to this place, in order that on the arrival of
these gentlemen}: a full investigation may take place, which, with-
out his presence must be imperfect and unsatisfactory. Bourassa
may perhaps dread the consequences of putting himself in my power,
but his general character hitherto does not permit my entertaining
any suspicions of his honesty, and he may come here without ap-
prehension. Should Mr. Buisson and his friends have acted as
basely as report says, they may possibly try to intimidate Bourassa
so as to prevent his coming here, but I trust you will assure him
my only wish for his presence is to state before them the circum-
stances attending this transaction in its different stages."

In a letter enclosed to Mr. Bourassa in the above,
and which is written in French, Mr. Crooks says:

" I am very sorry to learn the arrangements you have thought
proper to make with the gcods given you by Mr. Rocheblave for
the Southwest Company, but as I am persuaded that you have not
been well treated in this affair, it is for your advantage to take the
tirst opportunity to come here (Mackinaw) where, when Mr. Buis-
son arrives, the difficulty will be settled in the most equitable
manner."

On the 23d of June, 1817, in a letter to Mr. Astor,
Mr. Crooks says:

"In Lake Michigan the complexion of our adventures are
various — only one person we equipped (on his own account) has
vet come in. He has done pretty well. Kinzie at Chicago is said
to have been fortunate, but at other points report speaks a more
equivocal language. We hear that the people in the Illinois River
have made out tolerably." . . "Governor Cass, although

positively instructed to be guided by the orders of the War Depart-
ment of last year in regard to the granting of licensing to foreign-
ers, and having no directions from Acting Secretary Graham to be-
stow any specific indulgences on your agents, has written Major
Huthuff (Indian Agent at Green Bay, afterward dismissed) to attend
particularly to our wishes ; and should he act as the discretionary
nature of his orders will allow, he can serve our purpose almost as
effectually as if foreigners had been excluded generally and we
had obtained the number of licenses in blank which you at one
lime so confidently expected. With this knowledge of the disposi-
tion evinced by the Governor of Michigan Territory for our suc-
cess, you may well suppose no effort on our part to engage the In-
dian Agent here (Colonel Bowyer at Mackinaw) in our cause, hut
his not being bound to pursue any particular system will leave all
we obtain to be acquired by our own exertions. So conflicting will
be the claims on his indulgence, and so many stratagems will be
tried to thwart our views, that it would be the extreme of folly to
hazard an opinion of the result, but if he only remains true to the
line of conduct we may prevail on him to adopt, we flatter our-

selves with getting hold of a larger share of the trade than last
year."

From Michilimackinac, ,;ist July, 1817, to John
Kinzie at Chicago :

" Dear Sir: — Your favor of the 4th instant came duly to hand.
as also the seventy-three Packs by Captain Barney, the freight of
which I paid and had them safely stored where they still remain in
the shape you sent them, as Mr. Beaubien could not possibly get a
press, so busy have we been since his arrival here. However, I
shall do what you wished him to execute, though from the unheard-
of desertion of our men on the way from Montreal, we are left al-
most helpless, and men cannot be got here on anything like reason-
able terms. Would you believe that ordinary boatmen ask a thou-
sand livres, many get eight or nine hundred, and those who can
just talk enough Indian to tell their master's private business to
the savages, will not listen to anything short of eleven or twelve
hundred livres, with an equipment which could not be purchased
here for less than fifty dollars. If therefore you have any idea of
depending on this post for men, my advice would be to abandon
every thought of the kind, and secure those you have about you.
Mr. Beaubien sold me his skins after a residence of several days
had given him an opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted
with the highest value set on them by contending parties, and I am
very sure they were well sold. He has directed me to credit you
with $1,087-5 on his account, which has been done. Your account
against Pensonneau has been acknowledged and passed to your
credit. The best Indian Corn will not command above two dol-
lars per bushel, at this time, and indeed an immediate sale at that
price could not be effected, for cash. I cannot therefore, take
upon myself to sacrifice your property, and prefer keeping it till
better times. Accept my thanks for your goodness in forwarding
my request to Bourassa, but should he not come soon, his appear-
ance will only be an additional charge to no purpose, as Penson-
neau will be off in a few days. Should Bourassa not be already on
the way to this place when you receive this please say he need not
come on my account."

From Michilimackinac, August 15, 1818, to Mr.
Kinzie at Chicago :

" Dear Sir: — Being very busy at this moment, I have only
time to say your son reached me in good health, which he has con-
tinued ever since to enjoy with but little interruption. Mr. Dick-
son made but a short stay here, and although I mentioned your
desire of his arranging with me, on your part for John he was so
entirely absorbed in the pressure of his own affairs as not to have
an hour to bestow on the settlement contemplated . I am anxious
that a perfect understanding should be had as to your son, with as
little delay as the case will admit of, and beg you by the very first
conveyance to give me at length, vour ideas on this interesting
subject. I am inclined to think, from all I have seen of him that
he will realize all your hopes. 1 bought M. Chandonet's skins,
but the amount does not meet your expectations. Your several
favors have been duly received, and with some exceptions the sums
to be collected for you are at your credit. The accounts detailing
everything shall be forwarded by Mr. Deschamps. who goes off in
a few days. Messrs. Chandonet and James Kensie* are equipped
by us. I send you a Pork-eaterf for three years. His engagement
is enclosed, and his account with us is :

* Daniel Bourassa 1

the poll liit of 18:.'. and li i-

Soulh Branch, not f;,r from the forks.

lident and trader at Chicago. His
idence was on the cast side of tile
was married at Chicago, by John

t In the enclosed letter tr. Mr. Bourassa, Mr. Crooks tells him he shall
pect him " by the return of the ' Baltimore,' "

; Bniason and Pensonneau, traders for Ih d Southwest Company.

The amount, stated in American money, was $68.70.
From Michilimackinac, September 19, 1818, to Mr.
Jean Bte. Beaubien at " Milliwakie:"

" Dear Sir: — Per the schooner ' Hercules' I have shipped to
the care of Mr. John Kinzie at Chicago, according to your order,
S Barrels Flour and 6 Barrels Whiskey containing 199 1-2 gallons
marked J. B. B. which I hope will reach you in good order. 1 am
glad to learn by Mr. Pertian, just arrived from Detroit, that you
had left that place for your home without making a very long
stay "

On September 19, 1818, Mr. Crooks writes to Jean
Bte. Chandonnais, Chicago| :

* The different spellings of Kinzie and Mackinaw are unchanged by the
editors, who sacrifice uniformity to hteralness.

t Voyageur.

* Chandonnais was formerly clerk for John Kinzie, and on the day of the
Fort Dearborn massacre was instrumental in saving the life of Mrs. Captain
Heald, afterward conducting both herself and husband to a place of safety.
("Waubun," p. 183-191, speiled Chandonai.l In "Chicago Antiquities,'1 the
same person is probably alluded to on page 79, as being in the service of the
United States during the' War of 1812, although spelled " Chandonia." He is
also mentioned in "Fergus Series" No. 16, p. 19, (Hist. Fort Dearborn, by

THE FUR TRADE AND TKADKRS.

!>S

" Dinr Sir: — By Capt. Church in the ' Hercules ' you will re-
ceive four barrels whiskey containing 144 gallons, and 6 barrels
Flour, which I hope will reach you in good order. To Mr. Schiiul-
Icr 1 will deliver the barrel Flour, as you directed.. 1 cannot prom-
ise you any more liquor, for spirits of every kind are not only dear
but uncommonly scarce. Messrs. Mack .V. Conant have received
the draft 1 remitted them on your account — say $1,174, bill by the
enclosed accounts from these gentlemen it appears you are still in
their debt. The first account they furnished showed a balance of
$216,37 t-2 against you, but by another they made oui afterwards,
you are their debtor only $168.87 I_2- We enclose those ac-
counts, and your note to Sherbal Conant cc Co. cancelled, which
will give you all the information we possess on the subject of your
affairs with these gentlemen.

" 1'. S. The two barrels you left here are also in the ' Her-
cules.'"

Front Michilimacktnac September to,, t8i8, to |ohn
Kinzie, Chicago :

"Dear Sir: — Having just returned after an absence of fifteen
days, I am as yet unable to transmit by this opportunity your ac-
count current, but I will devote my lirst leisure moments to that
object. We remitted to Messrs. Conant and .Mack Si, 174, on
your account of Mr. Chandonnais, but by the papers enclosed by
this conveyance to that gentleman, it appears that he is still in
arrears with that house. Your letter covering remittances to them
has been forwarded. By Capt. Church, in the 'Hercules' you
will receive a keg of Madeira Wine, as per acc't subjoined, which
I hope you will find good. We have not a drop of Port, otherwise
your request relative to that article would have been attended to.
Enclosed is Bill Lading of J. 1!. li. 14 Barrels & J. 11. C. 12 barrels,
the former for Mr; Beaubien and the latter for Mr. Chandonnais,
which we were directed to consign to you. We will settle with the
Captain for the freight of these. John is in good health and writes
by the ' Hercules.' "

August 11, 1X19, Mr. Crooks again writes to John
Kinzie :

' Dear Sir : — Your several favors up to 19th ulto. have come
to hand and their different enclosures attended to. All has been
passed to your credit as they were severally collected, but where
any inaccuracy existed, we made the necessary alteration, which
you will discern in your account now enclosed ; by this the balance
now is $220.90, which, of course, stands at your debit. The in-
dentures of your son John, I had filled up with the intention of
sending you an exact copy signed by me, but Mr. Robert Dickson,
arriving here in the meantime, 1 consulted him as you originally
proposed, and at his instance put in $125 for each of the 2 last
years of John's apprenticeship. 1 hope this will meet your appro-
bation. The instrument duly executed is now enclosed, a copy of
which please execute and return me by first conveyance to this
place. Thus far your son has behaved in a becoming manner. Mr.
Abbott did, I believe, everything in his power last winter to im-
prove his general knowledge, as also his scholastic knowledge ; and
my friend Mr. Robert Stuart, in whose charge he will pass the ap-
proaching season, will not fail to do him justice. He is attached
to our retail store, but I now and then have him with me in the
wholesale department, and so soon as he is eligible, he will be so
much in the counting-house as to give him an opportunity of un-
derstanding our general business, but in concerns of some intricacy
and infinite detail to keep him there now would be a loss of pre-
cious time, both to him and. the Company. You may however
rest assured that every attention will be paid to making your son a
man of business. With surprise and astonishment I learn the very
questionable course Mr. Jean Bte. Chandonnait has thought
proper to pursue ; but relying with the utmost confidence on your
influence over him, I still flatter myself that at least a part of the
amount he owes us would have been remitted before this time,
more particularly as several gentlemen informed me he had in his
possession $1,000 arising from the sale of his peltries to Mr.
(rafts. At your recommendation I gave him credit, for without
that I never would have trusted him a dollar, and your being on
the spot where he resided, 1 certainly felt as safe as with the best
man we deal with. Strange and unaccountable it is, that we have
not received any kind of remittance, notwithstanding the extrava-
gant conduct of this person ; but, as you introduced him to us, I
am bound to hope, although you have not mentioned even his name
in any of your letters this summer, that you have done, and will
continue to do all in your power to insure the payment of our
claim, at no very distant day. He owes us upwards of $4,000. 1
shall impatiently wait your answer. We return you Brooks' re-

Hon. John Wentworth) in connection with the escape of Captain Heald and
wife after the massacre. Chandonnais was the son of Chippewague, a Potta-
watomie woman, and was related to Mrs. Judce Fisher of Green Hay, and
Madame Therese Schindler of Mackinaw.

ceipt for shipping Packs, etc., for Cabanne, which M. Rolette re
fuses to pay, as In- -.ivs Cabanne was to deliver them u> him on
board at Chicago.

A number of letters are written in regard to the
difficulty with Mr. Chandonnait, both to Mr. Kinzie and
Mr. Beaubien.

Mr. Crooks writes from "Mackinac," September 17,
1.S19, to John Dean, " U. S. Factor at Chicago : "

Sir: — Finding in the note of goods returned us b) Edward
Cphani something we had not furnished for our trade at the south
end of Lake Michigan in 1 s 1 s, a discovery was made of his having
bought goods of you at Chicago, on terms not now distinctly recol-
lected.

" L'pham was immediately ordered to designate and pin apart
every article connected with this transaction. Mr. John F. llozcl
accompanied him and took the account exhibited to you this morn-
ing, in conformity to which, 1 to day delivered you 5 common calico
shirts, ig Cotton Handkfs, 5 Snuff Boxes, 1 Skein Worsted Yarn,
30 Strings Wampum, 62 Hawk Pells, 7s 1-2 pairs Large Square
Ear Bobs, 117 small Double Crosses and 30 yds. Indian Calico,
being everything put into our hands by Edward L'pham. as apper-
taining in any manner to the purchase in question. In reply to
your letter dated Chicago, 3d June, iSig, I have only to remark
that the duty of Edward Upham, or any other person employed In
the American Fur Company, in their Indian Trade, was, and is,
solely and exclusively to exchange the goods entrusted to their
management, for the products of the country they are placed in ;
but neither him nor any other person ever possessed the power to
purchase anything whatever on the Company's account, unless
specially authorized to that effect in writing. The Cash price of
(lood Muskrat Skins at this place during the past summer was 25
cents per skin."

Mackinac, 29th October, 1819, to John Kinzie, Chi-
cago :

" Dear Sir: — Permit me to tender you my most sincere thanks
for the interest you took in securing that part which we received ol
our claim against Mr. Chandonnait, and you will still add to the
obligation by using your influence in getting anything more that
may be practicable from him during the winter and ensuing spring.
It is probable he will draw a good many of his credits ; and it is
much better for us to pay him even more than the market price for
his skins, than get nothing at all. You and Mr. Beaubien will
therefore use your own discretion in this respect, for we have all
confidence in your doing everything in your power for our benefit.
If the lands he received from the Indians (either last or this year's
treaty) are confirm'd tohim, can you not get a mortgage on them :
pray spur the fellow to exertion, for we wholly depend on the
vigilance of yourself and Mr. Beaubien for what may hereafter be
procured : I will thank you to send me a few pieces of good Hick-
ory, sufficient to make 3 or 4 dozen Axe Helves ; if you can send
them by return of the 'Jackson,' it will be preferable. John en-
joys good health, and will, I have no doubt, turn out a fine fellow.
I am much pleased with his conduct and will give him even ad-
vantage this place and his situation affords."

From the above letters it is evident that Joint Kinzie
was engaged largely in the fur trade after his return to
Chicago in 1816. and was not entirely confined to his
trade of silversmith, as has been believed. A letter
from David Stone, agent of the American Fur Company
at Detroit in 1825, shows that John Crafts was alive at
that time, and the agent of the company at Chicago.
[This letter is in the possession of the Chicago His-
torical Society.] It was written at Detroit, June 30,
1825, and was evidently to Ramsey Crooks. The ad-
dress is lost. The letter is as follows :

" Dear Sir: I understand from Coquillard,* that it is very
important for his trade that there should be some whiskey deposited
at Chicago subject to his order. He says Bertram! always sells
whiskey to the Indian trade, which gives him a great advantage.
He says the whiskey can be landed on one side of the St. Joseph
River where it will be on United States lands, that it may be trans-
ported all the way to his house on Government land. His house
is also on Government land, and this he thinks a protection, If I
understand Judge rolk's construction of the law regulating Indian

* Alexis Coquillard was afterward the clerk of the American Fur Compan)
at St. Joseph. In 1827 Mr. James Abbott wrote of him in .1 letter to Mr.
Robert Stuart. "In Relation to Mr. Coquillard, it may be proper to observe
that he is an excellent clerk but rather of a singular character, ami must have
carte blanche, otherwise nuthinv; can be done for him. 1 shall, nevertheless, bear
in mind your wishes regarding his outfit."

./.

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAOJO.

trade, this would be no protection to the property so long as the
country is occupied by Indians. To me this seems like a forced
construction to meet the case of Wallace & Davis's goods. (At
llardscrabble). 1 could not say anything definite to Coquillard
on this subject, as 1 did not know what would be done 1. how-
ever, told him the matter would be referred to Mr. Stuart, who
would let him know through Mr. Crafts what provision would be
made. Coquillard savs General Tipton gave him a license last
year, and permission to take a few barrels of whiskey. . . I believe
a voting man by the name of Bosie has gone to Chicago or its
vicinity for Schwartz. If Mr. Crafts has left Mackinaw, it would
lie well to advise him of this. Schwartz does not conduct his busi-
ness either with prudence or economy. I am told he makes great
calculations on Kosie this season. Should he be prevented from
doing much, 1 think he would be compelled to give tip the business
as soon as next season."

July 12, 1S26, Mr. Stone writes from Detroit to Mr.
Robert Stuart, agent of American Fur Company at
Mackinaw :

" 1 hive found a small account against the American Fur
Company, for a set of Cart Boxes and some Corn Baskets which
Mr. Crafts gave David Cooper an order to purchase for the Chi-
cago adventure. 1 have paid the same and charge the amount to
your department and forward you the account herewith."

John Crafts, mentioned in the above letter, remained
at the Lee place, as trader for Conant & Mack, until
about 1822. In the fail of 1818 Jean Baptiste Beau-
bien was transferred from Milwaukee to Chicago, by the
American Fur Company, as its agent. He erected a
small trading-house at the mouth of the Chicago River
then about the foot of what is now Madison Street )
anil commenced business. After a few years he suc-
ceeded in obtaining so large a share of the Indian trade
that Conant & Mack sold out their establishment to the
American Fur Company, and Mr. Crafts became the
Chicago agent with Mr. Beaubien under him. Mr.
Crafts remained in charge of the Chicago house until
his death in the latter part of 1825,* and John Kinzie
was appointed his successor, but lived only about two
years after his appointment.

William H. Wallace had a trading establishment at
Hardscrabble, after the post was vacated by Mr. Crafts.
This trading-house is mentioned in one of the letters
quoted in this chapter as " Wallace & Davis's." Mrs.
Kinzie, in " Waubun," speaks of the trading-house of
Ceorge Hunt and Mr. Wallace, but locates it at Wolf
Point. t Mrs. Archibald Clybourne, in her account of
the arrival of her father's family at Chicago in 1826,
also mentions Mr. Wallace. William H. Wallace was a
Scotchman, and had been connected with the American
Fur Company since Mr. Astor attempted to found the
Pacific station at Astoria. When the company was re-
organized in 1 Si 7 he became one of its clerks, and had
charge of the details of fitting out the flotillas at Mon-
treal, arranging the crews, and assigning the clerks to
their several boats. In 1818 he was assigned by Messrs.
Crooks and Stuart to the lower Wabash, with head-
quarters at Fort Harrison. In a letter to these gentle-
men dated at Fort Harrison, December, 1818, now de-
posited with the Chicago Historical Society, Mr. Wal-
lace gives some interesting particulars of his journey to
that place. He mentions his arrival at the mouth of
the St. Joseph on the 2 2d of September and at the
•• ''ow-pen " on the 26th, where he was detained, to his
great indignation, by " Mr. Reame," until two of the
party could goto Fort Wayne to show their licenses to
the agent there ; which took twelve days. After various
delays, and much difficulty, he arrived at Fort Harrison
on the 4th of December, and says: •'The country is
far beyond my expectations, and if the business is well
conducted where Reame is, we shall do well, for there

is plently of furs and Indians in the country." Mr.
Wallace was on the Lower Wabash as late as 1821-22,
ami at the same time John H. Davis was clerk for the
American Fur Company on the Upper \Yabash. It is
very possible that these two composed the firm of "Wal-
lace & Davis," as there was a John ( L. ? Davis resid-
ing here in 1830. Mr. Wallace was living in Hardseab-
ble in the winter of 1826-27, a,K' >s sa'd to have died
in Chicago. In 1822, after the abandonment of the
United States Factory at Chicago, by Government, the
factory building was bought by the American Fur Com-
pany, and soon after sold to John B. Beaubien, who made
it his dwelling house. After the death of John Crafts in
1825, John Kinzie was appointed agent of the Com-
pany. He moved, after the " Winnebago Scare," from
his old home on the North Side to the house of Mr.
Beaubien, and died soon after, having his residence there,
although absent on a visit to his daughter in the fort at
the time of his death.

The Indian trade had become comparatively unim-
portant in the region of Chicago before the death of
Mr. Kinzie. The treaty with the Pottawatomies and
neighboring tribes, and their consequent removal to the
West a few years later, terminated what importance
the place still retained as a trading station.

The Kinzie Family. — The biography of John Kin-
zie has already been given. In that is included the his-
tory of Margaret McKenzie, the mother of his three
eldest children — William, James and Elizabeth.

William, the oldest son, accompanied his mother to Virginia,
on her separation from Mr. Kinzie. He was there married, and
subsequentlv removed to Indiana, where he died.

James Kinzie, who was born at Detroit, April 21, 1793, re-
turned to the West soon after the close of the War of 1812. As
early as the summer of 181S he was a trader connected with the
American Fur Company, and in 1S21 is mentioned by the United
States Factor at Green Bay as having been " detected in selling
large quantities of whiskey to the Indians at and near Milwalky of
Lake Michigan ; in consequence of which the Indian agent at
Chicago directed him to close his concerns at Milwalky in sixty
days, and leave the place." He probably came to Chicago soon
after this, as Mark Beaubien bought a log house of him in 1S26.
In 1829, in company with Archibald Caldwell, he built a tavern at
Wolf I'oinr, on the West Side, at the "forks" of the river. Mr.
Caldwell sold out his interest to James Kinzie and the latter rented
the house to Elijah Wentworth, who arrived at Chicago in the fall
of 1S29 and opened the Wolf Tavern in 1830. Mr. Kinzie built,
in 1S33, the Green Tree Tavern on the northeast corner of North
Canal and WTest Lake streets, its name being from a solitary oak
which stood near. This hotel, afterward called the Chicago Hotel,
was situated, together with the dwelling of Mr. Kinzie, and the
store of Messrs. Kinzie & Hall, on Lot 7, Block 22, original Town
of Chicago. Mr. Kinzie's partner was his half brother, Mr. Hall,
who formerly resided in Virginia. Mr. Kinzie was one of the
trustees of the School Section in December, 1829 ; the first Sheriff
appointed by the Governor for Cook County ; the first town auction-
eer ; and one of the Town Trustees in 1825. He married his
first wife, Leah See, daughter of William See, a preacher and
blacksmith, who also lived at Wolf Point. Mr. Kinzie removed
to Kacine (then Root River), Wis, as early as 1835, where his
wife died June 22, 1835. On his removal to Racine he at first opened
a store for white and Indian trade, and afterward engaged in mill-
ing and farming. The second wife of Mr. Kinzie was Virginia
Hale, who survived him. He removed from Racine to the interior
of Wisconsin, and died in Clyde, Iowa Co., January 13, 1S66.

Elizabeth Kinzie, sister of William and James, came to
Chicago from Virginia, and was married by John Kinzie, her father,
to Samuel Miller, July 29, 1826. Mr. Miller was the owner of a
house on the North Side, at the forks, which was used as a tavern
and known as the Miller House. He received a license as tavern-
keeper in April, 1831, but the house had been used for that pur-
pose several years prior to that date. In the spring of 1832, the
Miller family, with many others, moved into Fort Dearborn, from
fear of the Indians, and soon after that time Mrs. Miller died, and
it is believed that Mr. Miller left Chicago the same year Mr.
Miller had been in partnership with Archibald Clybourne, selling
goods, in 1829, and thev were that year authorized to keep a ferry
across the Chicago River "at the lower forks." He was one of

THE FUR TRADE AND TRADERS.

97

the Commissioners of the County, and one of the tirst licensed inn-
keepers and merchants of the town. Me removed from Chicago to
Michigan City, where he died.

"About the year 1S00," John Kinzie married Mrs. ELEANOR
( Lytle) McKiLLll'. This lady had been a captive four years when
a child among the Seneca Indians, and upon her recovery, her
parents removed from the valley of the Alleghany, their home for

fl/l^lsi^?

/K^y^t

several years, to the safe neighborhood of Detroit, settling at Crosse
Pointe, eight miles from the former post. Eleanor here married
Colonel McKillip, a British officer, who was accidently killed near
Fort Defiance, in 1794, when in command at that post, leaving
one daughter, afterward Mrs. Margaret (McKillip) Helm. After
Mrs. McKillip's marriage to John Kinzie, about the year 1S00,
she went with her husband to live on the St. Joseph River, in
Michigan, where now is the town of Bertrand,and thence came to
Chicago in the summer of 1S04. The story of her escape with
her little children from the perils of the day of the Fort Dearborn
massacre, and their subsequent return to re-occupy the old home
with her family, and her hospitable kindly spirit, which made her
house a home for every stranger, has been often told. When the
children had left the old roof for homes of their own or to engage
in business, and Mr. Kinzie was appointed agent of the American
Fur Company, she went with him to the house of Mr. Beaubien,
and after his death moved into the agency-house belonging to her
son-in-law, Dr. Wolcott, on the North Side. In the spring of
1S31, with her daughter, Mrs. Helm, she accompanied her son,
John H. Kinzie, and his wife on their return to Fort Winnebago,
travelling on horseback a large portion of the way, mounting her
horse " in spite of her sixty years " and her incurable and terrible
disease, " with the activity of a girl of sixteen." In the fall of
the following year ( 1S32 ) Mrs. Kinzie was taken by her son John
H. to Prairie du C+iien for medical treatment, the journey being
made in an open boat from Fort Winnebago down the Wisconsin
River to the Mississippi. Her disease — a cancer in the face —
was incurable. After remaining some months in Prairie du Chien,
she returned to Fort Winnebago, and thence went to New York
City, where she died early in the year 1S34.

At a meeting of the Chicago Historical Society, July
11, 1877, Hon. I. N. Arnold, President of the Society,
read the following sketch of the late Colonel John H.
Kinzie, eldest son of John and Eleanor Kinzie, which
he received from Mrs. Nellie 1 Kinzie) Gordon, daughter
of John H. Kinzie, and which was written by the late
Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie, his wife :

John H. Kinzie was born at Sandwich, U. C, on the 7th of
July, 1803. It was not by design that his birthplace was in the
British Dominions, for his mother was patriotic beyond most of her
sex ; but having crossed the river from Detroit, the place of her
temporary sojourn, to pass the day with her sister, Mrs. William
Forsyth, it so happened that before evening her eldest son drew his
first breath on a foreign soil. While still an infant he was carried
in an Indian cradle, on the shoulders of a French engage', to their
home, at what is now the town of Bartrand on the St. Joseph River,
in Michigan. At one of their encampments, on the journey, he
made a narrow escape with his life, owing to the carelessness of
his bearer in placing him against a tree in the immediate proximity
of a blazing fire. A spark escaping, lodged in the neck of his
dress, causing a fearful burn, of which he carried the mark ever
after. His father having purchased the trading establishment of
Mons. LeMai, at the mouth of the Chicago River, removed with
his family to the place on the following year. Some companies of
infantry, under command of Major John Whistler, arrived at the
same time — 4th of July — and commenced the construction of Fort
Dearborn. At his home, on the banks of the river, nearly opposite
the fort, the childhood of Mr. Kinzie was passed, until the break-
ing out of the War of 1812. The frontier at that time afforded no
facilities for education. What children contrived to scramble into
must be acquired under the paternal roof. Mr. Kinzie loved to
describe his delight upon one occasion, when on the opening of a
chest of tea, among the stores brought by the annual schooner, a
spelling-book was drawn forth and presented to him. His cousin,
Robert Forsyth, at that time a member of his father's family, under-
took to teach him to read, and, although there seems to have been
but little patience and forbearance on the part of the young peda-
7

gogue to sweeten the task of learning, the exercises gave to the
pupil a pleasant association with the fragrance of green tea, which
always kept that spelling-book fresh in his mind. A discharged
soldier was upon oni occasion engaged to take charge of him, along
with the officer's children, but the teacher's habits of drunkenness
and irregularity caused the school to Ik- discontinued in less than
three months, llis best friend in these days was Washington
Whistler, a son of the commanding officer, in after years a distin-
guished civil engineer in his own country, and in the service of the
Emperor of Russia. At the time of the massacre in 1812, Kinzie
was nine years of age. He preserved a distinct recollection of all
the particulars that came under his own observation. The discip-
line of these thrilling events doubtless helped to form in him that
fearlessness as well as that self-control which characterized his
manly years. The circumstances of the massacre are familiaf to
all. When the troops left the garrison, some friendly chiefs, know-
ing what was in contemplation by their young men, who would not
be restrained, took possession of the boat in which was Mrs Kinzie
and her children, and guarded them safely till the fighting was over.

They were the next day escorted by the Chief " Robinson," and
other friends, in their boat, to the St. Joseph River, to the home of
Mme. Bertrand, a sister of the famous Chief To-pee-nee-bee-haw,
whence, after a short sojourn, they were carried to Detroit, and de-
livered as prisoners of war to the British commanding officer,
Colonel McKee. The family, after the father rejoined them in the
following winter, were established in the old family mansion, on
the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Wayne Street, Detroit. One
of the saddest features of the ensuing winter was the spectacle of
the suffering of the American prisoners, who were from time to
time brought into headquarters by their Indian captors. The ten-
derness of feeling, which was a distinguishing trait in the subject
of this sketch, made him ever foremost in his efforts to bargain with
the savages for the ransom of the sufferers, and many were thus
rescued, and nursed, and cared for — sometimes to the salvation of
their lives, though too often to merely a mitigation of the tortures
they had undergone. Mr. Kinzie, Sr.,had been paroled by Ceneral
Proctor, but upon a suspicion that he was in correspondence with
General Harrison, who was known to be meditating an attempt to
recover the city of Detroit, he was seized and sent a prisoner to
Canada, leaving his wife and young family to be cared for as they
might, until, after the lapse of some months, the capture of the
place by General Harrison secured them a fast friend in that noble

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

and excellent man. The father was at length released and restored
to his family, with one solitary shilling in his pocket. That little
coin has always been carefully preserved by his descendants, as a
memento of those troublous times. It so happened that in Detroit,

as upon more remote frontiers, the advantages of education were
extremely limited. The war had disarranged everything. During
the four years' sojourn of the family in this place the children had
occasional opportunities of beginning at a school which promised
well, but which, as a general rule, was discontinued at the end of
the first quarter. Amid such unpropitious circumstances were the
rising generation at that day obliged to acquire what degree of
learning they found it possible to attain.

In 1816, the Kinzie family returned to their desolated home in
Chicago. The bones of the murdered soldiers, who had fallen four
years before, were still lying unburied where they had fallen. The
troops whorebuilt the fort collectedand interred these remains. The
coffins which contained them were deposited near the bank of the
river, which then had its outlet about at the foot of Madison Street.
The cutting through the sand-bar for the harbor caused the lake to
encroach and wash away the earth, exposing the long range of coffins
and their contents, which were afterwards cared for and reinterred by
the* civil authorities. In the year 1818, when he was in his sixteenth
year. Colonel Kinzie was taken by his father to Mackinaw, to be
indentured to the American Fur Company, and placed under the
care of Ramsey Crooks, " to learn," as the articles express it, " the
art and mystery of merchandising in all its various parts and
branches." This engagement was for five years, during which time
he was never off the island, except upon one occasion, when he was
taken by Robert Stewart, who succeeded Mr. Crooks at the head of
the company, to visit the British officers at Drummond Island. He
was never during this period at an evening entertainment, never
saw " a show," except one representation by an indifferent com-
pany, who had strayed up the lakes, of some pantomimes and tricks
of sleight-of-hand. His days were passed from live o'clock in the
morning till tea-time, in the warehouse or in superintending the
numerous engages, making up outfits for the Indian trade, or re-
ceiving the part odities which arrived from time to time.
In the evening, he read aloud to his kind and excellent friend, Mrs.
Stewart, who was unwearied in her efforts to supply the deficiencies

which his unsettled and eventful life had made inevitable. To her
explanations and judicious criticisms upon the books he read, and
her patience in imparting knowledge from her own well-stored mind,
he was indebted for the ambition which surmounted early disad-
vantages, and made him the equal of many whose youthful years
have been trained in schools. Mr. Stewart was a severe disciplin-
arian. He believed that the surest way to make of a clerk a syste-
matic and methodical man of business was never to overlook the
slightest departure from the prescribed routine of duty. Upon one
occasion, young Kinzie, out of patience with the slow-dragging
movements of a party of his employe's, who were engaged in haul-
ing wood in sledges across the straits from Bois Blank Island, took
the reins from the hands of one, and drove across and returned
with his load, to show the men how much more they could have
accomplished if they had made the effort. Mr. Stewart's commen-
dation was, "Ah, you have changed your occupation for that of
hauling wood, have you ! Very well, you can continue it ; " and,
as the young man was too proud to ask to be relieved, he actually
drove the sledge and brought wood through the bitter winter till
the ice gave way in May. His chief recreations throughout this
period were trapping silver-gray foxes during any chance leisure
hour in the winter, and learning to play on the violin, his instruct-
ress being a half-breed woman. In 1824, being still in the employ
of the Fur Company, he was transferred from Mackinaw to Prairie
du Chien. He had made a visit to his parents on attaining his ma-
jority, and had returned to Mackinaw in a small boat, coasting the
western shore of Lake Michigan. He was the first white man who
set foot on shore at Wau-kee-gan — at least since the days of the
explorers. ' While at Prairie du Chien, Mr. Kinzie learned the
Winnebago language, and compiled a grammar, as far as such a
task was practicable. The Ottawa, Pottawatomie, and Chippewa
dialects he had been familiar with from his childhood. He also
learned the Sioux language, and partially that of the Sauks and
Foxes. About this time, Colonel Kinzie received an invitation
from General Cass, then Governor of the Territory of Michigan,
to become his private secretary, and in 1826, he escorted a depu-
tation of Winnebagoes to Washington to visit their Great Father,
the President. He was at the Treaty of " Butte des Morts " in the
summer of 1827, and accompanied the Commissioner, Colonel Mc-
Kenny, to the Portage of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, to be
present at the surrender of the " Red-Bird," a Winnebago chief,
who, with his comrades, had been concerned in the murder of the
Gaznier family at Prairie du Chien, Mr. Kinzie took a different
view of the actual complicity of Red-Bird from what has been given
to the public. His journal, kept at the time, is of great interest.
He was called from his station, beside the military officer appointed
to receive the prisoners, by Kau-ray-man-nee, the principal chief
of the nation, to stand beside him, and listen to what was said on
both sides at this interview, and tell him whether his speech to the
"Big Knives " and their reply to him were rightly interpreted.
During the time of his residence with General Cass, who was by
virtue of his appointment, also superintendent of the Northern
Division of the Indian Tribes, he was sent to the vicinity of San-
dusky, to learn the language of the Wyandots, or Hurons, their
manners and customs, legends, traditions, etc. Of this language
he also compiled a grammar. The large amount of Indian lore
which he collected in these various researches, was, of course,
placed in the hands of his chief, General Cass ; and it is greaf,y to
be regretted that as far as can be ascertained not a trace of it now
remains extant. Mr. Kinzie rceived the appointment of Agent for
the upper bands of the Winnebagoes in 1S29, and fixed hisresidence
at the portage, where Fort Winnebago was in that year constructed.
In 1S30 he married, and continued to reside among his red-chil-
dren— to whom he was, and is still proclaimed by the oppressed
few who remain, a kind, judicious, and watchful " father." In
1833 the Kinzie family, having established their pre-emption to the
quarter section upon which the family mansion had stood since I S04,
Colonel Kinzie (such was then his title as aid to the Commander-in-
Chief, Governor Cass,) came with his brother in-law, General Hun-
ter, to Chicago, and together they laid out that part of the town
since known as Kinzie's Addition. In 1834 he brought his family
to Chicago to reside. He was first President of the village, when
a prediction of the present opulence and prosperity of the city would
have seemed the wildest chimera. He was appointed Collector of
Tolls on the canal immediately on its completion. In 1841 he was
made Registrar of Public Lands by General Harrison, but was re-
moved by Tyler when he laid aside the mask under which he gained
the nomination for Vice-President. In 1849, General Taylor con-
ferred upon him the appointment of Receiver of Public Moneys and
Depositary. His office of Collector he held until commissioned by
President Lincoln as Paymaster in the Army, in 1861. The latter
appointment he held until the close of the War. His labors were
vast and wearying, for he had the supervision of Michigan, Wis-
consin, and Illinois ; yet he was too conscientious, in the state of
the public finances, to apply for more aid. During the four years

THE FUR TRADE AND TRADERS.

99

he discharged this large amount of duty with the assistance of but
a solitary clerk. It was too much for him ; his health gave way.
Wheira tardy leave of absence arrived, he set out with his family
upon a journey, in hopes that mountain air or sea-bathing would
recruit his exhausted forces. But he was destined to reach hardly
the first stage of his journey. While riding in the cars approaching
Pittsburgh, and conversing with his ordinary cheerfulness, he re-
marked a blind man approaching, and, perceiving that he was ask-
ing alms, he characteristically put his hand in his pocket. In the
act, his head drooped gently, and with a peaceful sigh, his spirit
departed to its rest.

Colonel Kinzie married, in Middletown, Conn., August g,
1830, Miss Juliette A. Magill, daughter of Arthur Magill of that
place. He was at that time Indian Agent at Fort Winnebago, and
the young couple, after a brief visit in New York, set out for their
home in the western wilderness. In the latter part of September
they arrived at Detroit, and took passage on the steamer " Henry
Clay," for Green Bay, via Mackinaw. Arriving there they passed
down the Fox River to the Portage and Fort Winnebago. Colonel
Kinzie visited Chicago in the fall of 1830, at the time of Dr. Wol-
cott's death, and again in the spring of 1831, the latter time ac-
companied by his wife. The family came to Chicago to reside in
1834. St. James' parish was organized the same year, and on the
12th of October Rev. Isaac W. Hallam arrived in the place to take
charge of it. Mr. and Mrs. John H. Kinzie were from the first
most influential and devoted members of St. James' Church, and
with Gurdon S. Hubbard and Mrs. Margaret Helm may be con-
sidered its founders. The first regular services of the Church were
held in a room in a wooden building standing on the corner of
Wolcott (now North State) and Kinzie streets, which was fitted up
by Mr. Kinzie, and the lots on the southeast corner of Cass and
Illinois streets, where a church edifice of brick was erected in
1836-37, were donated by him. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Kin-
zie was on the northeast corner of Cass and Michigan streets, and
the generous hospitality of both host and hostess was proverbial.
Mr. Kinzie left a widow, one son and two daughters. His eldest
son (born at Fort Winnebago) was killed in an engagement at
White River, in the summer of 1862, and he had also buried a
daughter. Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie died September 15, 1S70, at
Amagansett.L. S. Her death was caused by the fatal mistake of
a druggist, who sent her morphine, which she unfortunately swal-
lowed instead of quinine, which she had ordered.

Ellen Marion Kinzie, eldest daughter of John and Eleanor,
was born in the "Kinzie House," in December, 1804, and was
probably the first white child born in Chicago. During the resi-
dence of the family in Detroit she attended school at that place,
and afterward at Middletown, Ct. On July 20, 1823, she was
married to Dr. Alexander Wolcott, then Indian Agent at Chicago.
Her husband died at the agency-house in 1830, and the following
year with her sister, Mrs. Hunter, she accompanied the troops,
then vacating Fort Dearborn, to Fort Howard, Green Bay. In
1836 she married, at Detroit, Mich., Hon. George C. Bates of that
city. Mrs. Bates died at Detroit, August 1, 1S60, at the resi-
dence of Bishop McCoskey, leaving a husband and one son, Kin-
zie Bates.

Maria I. Kinzie was born in 1807, and married Lieuten-
ant David Hunter (now General), when he was stationed at
Fort Dearborn, accompanying him in 1S31 to Green Bay. The
following is an extract from a letter of General Hunter, dated May
24, 1879, and published in the Calumet Club Reception Pamphlet :

" More than half a century since, I first came to Chicago

on horseback from St. Louis, stopping on the way at the log cabins
of the early settlers, and passing the last house at the mouth of
the Fox River. I was married in Chicago, having to send a
soldier one hundred and sixty miles, on foot, to Peoria for a li-
cense. The northern counties in the State had not then been or-
ganized, and were all attached to Peoria County. My dear wife is
still alive, and in good health ; and I can certify, a hundred times
over, that Chicago is a first rate place from which to get a good
wife."

Robert Allen Kinzie was born in Chicago, February 8,
1810. Although but two and a half years of age at the time the
family escaped the Fort Dearborn massacre, its horrid scenes were
indelibly imprinted on his memory — even to minor details. He re-
turned with the family to Chicago in 1S16, and when about nine
years of age accompanied his father on a trip to St. Louis. He
was sent to Detroit to attend school, going by way of the lakes,
and returning on horseback. In 1825 he went to Prairie du Chien
and took a position there under his brother John H., who was chief
clerk for the American Fur Company, afterward taking his brother's
position when the latter was appointed agent of the company. In
1827 he returned to Chicago, and the following year went to De-
troit. In 1829 his brother John removed to Fort Winnebago as
Indian Agent, and Robert went to that place, where he was em-

ployed as sutler to the fort. Mrs. Kinzie mentions in, " Waubun,"
the fact of his being there when she arrived in the fall of 1830, and
he probably accompanied his brother to Chicago a few weeks later
on receiving intelligence of the alarming sickness of Dr. Wolcott,
his sister's husband. He remained in Chicago when the rest of
the family left in the spring of 1831, and early in 1832 erected a
frame store on the West Side — the first frame store in Chicago —
and probably the first frame building, aside from the one erected
by Government for Billy Caldwell in 1S2S, near the junction of
North State and Chicago Avenue. Mr. Kinzie married the daugh-
ter of Colonel Wm. Whistler, who came to Chicago as Lieutenant
in his father's command in 1803, and returned to the place as com-
mandant at Fort Dearborn in 1832. In 1835 Mr. Kinzie became
a member of the firm of Kinzie, Davis & Hyde, hardware dealers ;
in 1840 he moved on to a farm at Walnut Grove, Illinois, where he
remained three years. In 1845 he was at Des Moines, and thence
went beyond the Missouri River in Kansas to trade with the In-
dians. In May, 1861, he was appointed Paymaster in the army,
with the rank of Major, and remained in the service to the time of
his death. From 1861 to 1864, he was in Washington, D. C. ;

from 1S64 to 1868 in New Mexico and afterward in Chicago. In
person, Major Kinzie was a very powerful, as well as active man.
His death was from heart disease, and very sudden. He seemed
quite as well as usual in the morning, but later in the day suddenly
became ill, and died in a few moments, at his residence on Thirty-
fifth Street, Chicago, on Saturday afternoon, December 13. 1S73.
The funeral services were conducted by Father Riordan, at St.
James' Roman Catholic Church ; the interment was in Graceland
Cemetery. It has been written of Robert A. Kinzie : "He was
a man of sterling character and honesty. While his life presented
no brilliant succession of great deeds, he was a man who would be
remembered as 'Good Major Kinzie.'"*

* For many of the facts in relation to the youngest son of John and Eleanor
Kinzie credit is here given to Hurlbut's " Chicago Antiquities."

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to 1830.

From 1S16, when Fort Dearborn was rebuilt, to
1829-30 there was little change in the outward appear-
ance oi Chicago. Samuel A. Storrow, of Massachusetts,
Judge-Advocate I". S. A., in 1816-1S. made a three
months' tour through the West in 1S1 7. visiting Fort
Dearborn on his route. In a letter to Major-General
Brown which was published in the Wisconsin Historical
Society's Collections, he says :

"On the 2d of October after walking" for three or four hours,
I reached the River Chicago, and after crossing it entered Fort
Dearborn, where 1 was kindly entertained by Major Baker and the

for Fort Wayne, having provided less uncomfortable means of
traveling than for the ten previous days."

When Henry R. Schoolcraft visited Chicago, in 1820,
he found four or five families living here. He mentions
those of John Kinzie, Dr. Alexander Wolcott, John B.
Beaubien and John Crafts, the latter being then at
Hardscrabble.

Two years later (1822) Charles C. Trowbridge made
a trip from Michigan to Chicago on Government busi-
ness. He found only " the little Fort Dearborn, one
log house, occupied by Mr. John Kinzie, agent for Mr.
Astor,. another by Dr. Wolcott, United States Indian
Agent, and another by the late General Beaubien, then

FORT DEARBORN, AS REBUILT IN l8l6.

officers of the garrison, who received me as one arrived from the
moon. At Chicago I perceived I was in a better country. It had
become so by gradual amelioration. That which I had left was of
a character far above mediocrity, but labors under the permanent
defects of coldness of soil and want of moisture. * * * The
Kiver Chicago (or. in English, Wild Onion River) is deep, and
about forty yards in width. Before it enters the lake, its two
branches unite, the one proceeding from the north, the other one
proceeding from the west, where it takes its rise in the very fountain
of the Plain or Illinois, which flows in an opposite direction. The
source of these two rivers illustrates the geographical phenomenon
of a reservoir on the very summit of a dividing ridge. In the
autumn they are both without any apparent fountain, but are
formed within a mile and a half of each other, by some impercept-
ible undulations of the prairie, which drain it and lead to different
directions But in the spring the space between the two is a single
sheet of water, the common reservoir of both, in the center of which

there is no current toward either of the opposite streams.. ; The

site and relations of Fort Dearborn I have already explained. It
has no advantage of harbor, the river itself being always choaked
and frequently barred from tin hat] have imputed to

the other streams of this country. In the rear ol the fort is a
prairie of the most complete flatness, no signs of elevation being
within the range of the eye. The soil and climate are both excel-
lent. Traces yet rem astation and massacre com-
mitted by the s , 1 e of thi [hum ipal pi rpe-
trators (Nes-cbt-no-meg.)* On the 4th of October I lefl Chicago

p. 148) thai N 110- am oi the

• the lath. .1 BiUy Caldwell.

a trader." So it was year after year — Fort Dearborn,
and the houses of John Kinzie, Dr. Wolcott and Jean
Baptiste Beaubien. William H. Keating, who reached
Chicago, with the second expedition of Major 'Long,
June 5, 1823, describes the village as "consisting of a
few huts," and offering no inducements to the settler as
a place of business for " the whole amount of the trade
on the lake did not exceed the cargo of five or six
schooners, even at the time the garrison received its
supplies from Mackinaw." Ebenezer Childs, of La
Crosse, made a trip from Green Bay to Chicago in 1821,
and again visited the latter place in 1827. He says the
place had not improved any since his former visit.
John H. Fonda, of Prairie du Chien, came to Chicago in
1 1825. He says :

" At that time Chicago was merely an Indian Agency, it con-
tained about fourteen houses, and not more than seventy-five or
one hundred inhabitants at the most. An agent of the American
Fur Company, named Gurdori S. Hubbard, then occupied the fort.
The staple business seemed to be carried on by the Indians and
run-away soldiers, who hunted ducks and muskrats in the marshes.
There was a great deal of low land ; and mostly destitute of tim-
ber. The principal inhabitants were the [Government] Agent
1 1 >r. Wolcott], Mr. Hubbard, a Frenchman by the name of Ouil-
mette, and John B. Beaubien."

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to 1830.

Chicago, at the time of Mr. Fonda's visit, was a part
of Peoria County. He says there were some fourteen
cabins in the place, and the assessment roll of John L.
Bogardus, Assessor of Peoria County for the same year
(1825) shows just fourteen tax-payers, as follows :
Tax-Payers' Names. Valuation. Tax.

1 Beaubien, John B _$iooo $10.00

2 Clybourne, Jonas 625 6.25

3 Clark, John K 250 2.50

4 Crafts, John 5000 50.00

5 Clermont, Jeremy, -. 100 1.00

6- Coutra, Louis, 50 .50

7 Kinzie, John. _. 500 5.00

3 Laframboise, Claude, 100 1.00

g Laframboise, Joseph 50 .50

10 McKee, David 100 1.00

11 Piche, Peter.. 100 1.00

12 Robinson, Alexander, 200 2.00

13 Wolcott, Alexander, 572 5.72

14 Wilemet [Ouilmette], Antoine 400 4.00

Of these tax-payers, Jonas Clybourne and John K.
Clark, lived several miles up the North Branch, where
now are the North Chicago rolling-mills ; the Lafram-
boise brothers lived about an equal distance up the
South Branch, at Hardscrabble ; John Crafts, the agent
of the American Fur Company, had quarters with John
B. Beaubien ; David McK.ee lived on the North Side,
near the agency-house of Dr. Wolcott, and John Kin-
zie and Antoine Ouilmette lived nearly opposite the

JOHN K CLARK.

fort. Alexander Robinson had a cabin at Hardscrabble
but probably lived near the "forks" on the West Side,
in 1825. Jeremy Clermont and Peter Piche were In-
dian traders. In January, 182S, Mr. Fonda came
again to Chicago as bearer of dispatches from Fort
Howard to Fort Dearborn. He says there was no im-
provement in the place since his former visit, save that
the fort was strengthened and garrisoned. Since 1820,
however, several permanent settlers had arrived at Chi-

i ago, ami made homes in its immediate vicinity, promi-
nent among whom were : —

The Ci ybourne Family (1823-24). — Elizabeth Mc-
Kenzie, a young girl taken prisoner by the Indians in

"%

m&^~

<- «

i
ARCHIBALD CLYBOURNE.

Virginia, in the latter part of the eighteenth century,
was released after a long captivity, and with her sister
Margaret found her way, or was taken, to Detroit.
Elizabeth became the wife of a trader, Clark, and the
mother of John K. Clark, an Indian trader for many
years in Chicago, and of a daughter named Elizabeth,
who married William Ahert, and settled in Laporte, In-
diana. Mr. McKenzie, the father of Elizabeth and Mar-
garet, learning that his daughters were alive, visited De-
troit, and on his return to Virginia was accompanied by
both of them with their children.

Elizabeth subsequently married Jonas Clybourne of
Virginia, the fruit of this union being two sons, Archi-
bald and Henley.

Archibald Clybourne, the eldest son was born in Giles
County, Va., August 28, 1S02, His half-brother, John K. Clark,
came early to Chicago to seek his fortune, and Archibald followed
him as soon as he arrived at manhood He reached Chicago August
5, 1S23, and after remaining about one year returned to Virginia
with John K. Clark, to bring his father and mother to the place he
had determined to make his home. The Clybourne family, con-
sisting of father and mother, Jonas and Henley, arrived at Chicago
on the 23d of August, 1824. They were accompanied by John K.
Clark and Elizabeth Kinzie, a daughter of John Kinzie, who subse-
quently married Samuel Miller. John K. Clark had an Indian wile,
named Madaline Mirandeau, sister of Mrs. Joseph Porthier (Victoire
Mirandeau), who lived in Chicago both before and after the massa-
cre, although not here at the time. A daughter of John K. Clark
and Madaline Mirandeau, the wife through whom he received his
land in Chicago, is still living at Milwaukee, (lark married, July
21, 1829, Permelia Scott, daughter of Stephen J. Scott, who settled
at Gros Point, (Wilmette) in 1.826.

Jonas CLYBOURNE, with his wife and two sons, and their half-
brother Clark, settled on the North Branch of the Chicago River,
near where now are the North Chicago rolling mills — building there
two cabins. 1 hi the tothof June, 1829, Archibald Clybourne was

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

married at the " Grand Rapids" of the Illinois River, now the
town of Marseilles, to Mary Calloway, daughter of James Galloway,
who had been there settled some two years. This seems to have
been the earliest marriage of Americans recorded in La Salle
County.

In the summer of 1S24, James Calloway left his home in San-
dusky. Ohio, and came on horseback to Chicago, arriving in the
fall. He spent a year in the vicinity, trapping and examining the
country for a favorable site for a home. During the year he bought
the claim of a man named Weed on the Illinois River, at the point
then known as the " Grand Rapids of the Illinois." The following
year he returned to Ohio, and disposed of his property there, pre-
paratory to making his home in Illinois. After various hindrances
Mr. Galloway and his family, consisting of his wife, his daughter
Mary, aged about fourteen, Jane nine or ten, Susan about two, and
his son John, aged about six, started from Sandusky for Chicago in
October, 1S26. The vessel in which the family embarked was a
small schooner, which was to touch at Detroit and Mackinaw before
making Chicago. Mr. Galloway, in anticipation of an extensive
trade with the Indians, provided himself with a large assortment of
articles suited to the business, which with his household goods were
placed on board the schooner. The passage to Detroit and Mack-
inaw was slow and tedious, and at both those ports the passengers
were delaved while the captain had a "jolly time" on shore.
Leaving Mackinaw late in the fall, in the midst of a heavy storm,
and against the advice of all prudent people, the captain run his
vessel aground off the island of St. Helena, about fifteen miles
from Mackinaw, where his passengers were obliged to remain three
or four days, and until they were picked up by a vessel belonging
to the American Fur Company which left Mackinaw for Chicago, a
few days later. The stranded vessel was well filled with water, al-
though still whole, but much of its cargo was spoiled, including a
large part of the goods of Mr. Galloway. What could be saved
was taken on board the vessel of the American Fur Company,
although with serious misgivings on the part of the captain as to
the propriety of taking the goods of any trader who was not con-
nected with the company which employed him. Communication
was opened with the agent at Mackinaw, who would give consent
to have Mr. Galloway's goods carried to Chicago on the vessel only
on condition that all those appertaining to the Indian trade should
be placed in charge of the agent at Chicago, and kept by him until
spring, thus throwing Mr. Galloway out of a winter's work. He
would not consent to this, and some arrangement was made with
the captain whereby he was to be allowed to place his goods in
some safe place, before the Chicago agent should know that he was
authorized to claim them for the winter. The story of the experi-
ences of the family, after reaching Chicago in 1826, as narrated by
Mrs. Archibald Clybourne (the Mary Galloway of the story), and
published in the Chicago Sunday Times, gives a good picture of
the little settlement and how the people lived here at that early day.
The following extracts are from the article :

"There was a goodly company on board the American Fur
Company's schooner, and its capacity was taxed to the utmost.
Besides the two crews and the Galloway family, there were two
carpenters, who were coming on to do some repairing at the fort,
and a Mr. Arthur and wife from Detroit, who, like Mr. Galloway
and family, intended to embark in a farming enterprise, There
were still others, but Mrs. Clybourne at this late date ( 1877 ) fails
to call up their identity. All these folk were most kindly dis-
posed toward Mr. Galloway and swore to stand by him if the
agent in Chicago seemed disposed to make him any trouble.
When the vessel made a landing somewhere near the foot of Mad-
ison Street, at a point where J. Baptiste Beaubien, as agent of the
American Fur Company * had a rookery, which was known as a
" warehouse ; " the captain told him to look about him for a place
to store his goods. As soon as Mr. Galloway had gone, the cap-
tin most treacherously turned about and handed the letter of in-
troduction to Mr. Beaubien, and that functionary hastened to
secure help to have the goods conveyed to the warehouse. In the
meantime Mr. Galloway had been to the fort, standing almost un-
occupied on the bank of the river, but as the keeper of the stock-
ade went "snooks" with the Fur Company, he refused the new-
comer even a room for shelter for his family, to say nothing
for store-room for his goods. Finding himself balked at that
point, he scarcely knew where to turn, when he was apprised of
what was happening at the vessel, and he quickly retraced his
steps. Such an occurrence as the arrival of a schooner, with twenty
or thirty people on board was naturally an "event" of extraordin-
ary moment to the settlement and, as a matter of course, everybody
— Americans, French half-breeds and full blooded Indians for
miles around, were on the scene, and taking a deep interest in all
that was going on. It was well that Mr. Galloway was not an entire
stranger to the place. During his former visit he had made a num-
* John Kinzie wu agent of the American Fur Company a! this time; but
Nfr. Beaubien had bought of the Company Us right to trade with the Indians
of the vi':inity.

berof acquaintances, not to say friends, especially in the rival settle-
ment of Hardscrabble, and these people combined, with the two
ship-carpenters and Mr. Arthur, were disposed to make a stand
for him. When noses were counted it was found that Mr. Gallo-
way's friends were decidedly in the majority and Beaubien, swear-
ing a blue streak in execrably mixed French and English, was
forced to desist from carrying out the behests of the agent at

MRS. ARCHIBALD CLYBOURNE.

Mackinaw. Failing of finding quarters at the fort, and there
being no shelter " down town," Chief Alexander Robinson in-
formed Mr. Galloway that he had an old log cabin at Hardscrab-
ble, which he was welcome to occupy. The offer was thankfully
accepted, and as the flat-boat of Mr. Wallace* of Hardscrabble,
also a friend of the new-comers, was near, the goods were hur-
riedly piled into it and poled up the river to the shanty, which was
located near the west branch of the South Branch, about four
miles from the fort. The winter that followed was terribly severe,
and the little cabin of one room, crowded besides with barrels,
proved a most uncomfortable place for a family of six persons to
live in. At this period of Chicago's history, the Indian was still
monarch of all he surveyed. Red skins were the rule and white
ones the exception, and the cabin stood near the most frequented
trail that led to the Desplaines and Fox River country — it having
formerly been used as a trading-house. The cabin was the farth-
est in the direction of the Indians, and it w'as indeed, a terrible
ordeal for the family to be transformed, at one move, from comfort
and civilization into the very heart of savagery. The older inhab-
itants, most of them brought up in the midst of savages, cared no
more for an Indian than a white man — indeed they minded him
less — but the same indifference could not well be expected of new-
comers, the more as the women folk were left much of the time
alone, Mr. Galloway being about a considerable portion of his
time on his claim near the " Grand Rapids " of the Illinois. One
day during the absence of Mr. Gallowav, some idle rumor reached
the cabin that the Indians on the Auxplaines had taken the war-
path. Old settlers would have paid little attention to such a story,
but the new comers were terribly frightened. Mr. Galloway was
expected home in the evening, and when he did not come, the
family took it for granted that he had been brutally massacred. It
was a terrible night. The snow was drifting furiously ; a keen
northwest wind was raking the prairie as with grape shot, and
when about midnight the household was awakened by unearthly
yells, and loud beatings on the door and windows, they concluded
that their hour had come. The wife assumed that the husband —

See sketch of Indian Fur-Trade

: Chicago.

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to 1830.

103

who had been detained by the severity of the storm — had been
murdered, and that the fiends, still reeking with his blood, had
now come to dispatch the family. It was evident that there were
from a dozen to twenty Indians on the outside, yelling and rattling
the door and windows. The fact was that these Indians still sup-
posed the house to be a trading-post, and all they wanted was a
shelter from the searching blast. Returning from an extensive
hunting expedition nearly frozen, to be denied admission where
they expected a warm welcome — for the fur-laden Indian was
always a cheering sight to the trader — was a mystery to them
which they were determined to solve. They attempted to force
the door, but failed. Every night, before retiring, it was Mrs.
Galloway's custom to thoroughly barricade the door, and it was so
arranged that nothing short of utter demolition would move it
from its place. Mrs. Archibald Clybourne ( Mary Galloway ) was
then a girl fourteen years of age, and being the eldest, was the
only one her mother could depend upon for assistance. There
were two axes in the cabin. One of them the mother gave to the
daughter, and posted her at one window ; the other she grasped
herself, and took a position near the other window. Having made
tins disposition of affairs, she said, " They have killed father and
now they mean to kill us. But I am bound to kill one Indian at
least before they do it, and you must kill another. The moment
you see a head forcing its way by that window, strike." The two
women stood guard the whole night, during several hours of which
the Indians kept running round and round the cabin to keep warm,
now and then emitting unearthly yells. Finally they gave up the
effort to gain admittance and made their way to Lawton's ( Laugh-
ton's ) the nearest neighbor, a trader about half a mile away in a
southerly direction. Here they met with a ready welcome, and
with chattering teeth told how they had fared at the other place.
In a few words the situation was explained to them, and, as quickly
as possible, a Frenchman was dispatched to quiet the fears of the
women, who were still standing as guard, fearing at any moment
the return of the howling redskins. The Frenchman did his best,
talking through the keyhole to make them understand that no dan-
ger was to be apprehended ; but as the folks inside surmised he
was only an Indian imitating a Frenchman's broken English, and
that the other red-devils were close behind him in ambush, his well
intended mission utterly failed of its object, and the stout-hearted
women held their post until the dawn of the morning revealed
that the coast was clear."

Mrs. Clybourne described the appearance of Chicago in the
winter of 1826, as a black and dreary expanse of prairie, with
occasional patches of timber. At the mouth of the Chicago River,
which was then at the foot of Madison Street, stood the cabin of
Jean Baptiste Beaubien, and his shanty warehouse, somewhat
nearer the lake. Where the river turned to the south, at the point
where Rush-street bridge now crosses the stream, was old Fort
Dearborn. On the other side of the river, nearly opposite the fort
a double log house occupied jointly by John Kinzie and Alexander
Wolcott,* and near this the blacksmith shop of David McKee and
Joseph Porthick ( Porthier ). At the forks of the river, on the
South Side, a cabin used for a store, owned and occupied by James
Kinzie and David Hall of Virginia. f At Hardscrabble there were
five or six cabins, several of which were occupied by the Lafram-
boises, of whom there were four : Francis Sr., Francis Jr., Joseph
and Claude. Another was occupied by Mr. Wallace, another by
Barney Lawton. [Bernadus H. Laughton, who married, Novem-
ber 11, 1S30, Sophia Bates from Vermont, a sister of Mrs. Stephen
Forbes who taught school in Chicago in 1S30.] The Galloways
were in the cabin of Chief Robinson, and there was still another,
but Mrs. Clybourne had forgotten the occupant. The Clybournes
were on the North Branch — Jonas and wife, his sons Archibald
and Henley and John K. Clark their half-brother. In the spring
of 1827 Mr. Galloway moved his family to his claim at the "Grand
Rapids," and there Mary became acquainted with Archibald Cly-
bourne, whose business as drover and butcher took him often to
that region, and on the 10th of June, 1829, she became his wife,
the marriage taking place at the frontier cabin on the Illinois.
They were married by Rev. Isaac Scarritt. On the 12th of June
the young couple reached Chicago, and Mrs. Clybourne found that
several changes and improvements had been made since she left
the cabin at Hardscrabble as Mary Galloway. Both the "Miller
House," and " Wolf Tavern " had been erected during her absence.
The "Miller House," which was built as early as 1827, by Sam-
uel Miller, was occupied by Miller and his wife as a dwelling and
tavern, and also as the store of Miller and Archibald Clybourne
The Wolf Tavern, which was rented to Elijah Wentworth the fol-

* The agency-house, owned by Dr. Wolcott, was not occupied by him at
this time. He was living at the fort, of which he had charge during the
absence of the troops. Probably Mr. Kinzie lived at the agency-house, as his
own was fast going to ruin.

t This must have been the cabin bought by Mark Beaubien. James Kin-
zie and David Hall were keeping store on the West Side at Wolf Point as late
as 1834, and Dr. Enoch Chase, now of Milwaukee, was their clerk.

lowing year, was occupied in the summer of 1829 by James Kinzie
and wife, and his father-in-law, Rev. William See. Mr. and Mrs.
Clybourne remained at the MJller House two days, and on the
14th of June went to their home on the North Branch of the
river, at "Clybourne Place," near the North Chicago rolling-mills,
Archibald and his wife lived with his parents until 1835. In Sep-
tember of that year he built a small frame house on the " Elston
Road," now Elston Avenue, into which he moved with his family,
then consisting of wife and three children. In 1S36 he erecled
the main building of brick, a spacious building facing the south.
It was described in 1S77 as standing "a veritable patriarch among
its surroundings." " In its day it was the most pretentious resi-
dence in the city — though it is doubtful if the limits of the corpor-
ation extended to that point at the time — and it is now ( 1877 ) the
oldest brick building in the city, and with one exception, an old
rookery on the northeast corner of Lake and Canal streets, the old-
est structure of any sort. The Clybourne mansion — so called in
its days of glory — is a curious structure. It contains about twenty
rooms. Toward the west it presents the appearance of a plain
double two-story brick, with an ordinary entrance in the center.
That which is now the front of the building facing Elston Avenue,
was once its side, the real front of the old time facing south,
toivard Chicago, and this has a spacious columned porch. When
built there was neither street nor landmark to determine how the
structure should face, except the proprietor's personal preference,
and now ( 1877) by a freak of the surveyor, or other cause, the
building stands in the middle of the lot, the main front facing an
adjoining lot instead of the street. The brick for the structure
was made near its site, and the maker was he who subsequently
became very intimately associated with the history of Chicago,

Hi v

DAVID HALL.

under the name of Hon. Francis C. Sherman, founder of the
Sherman House, and many times elected to the honorable position
of Mayor."

Archibald Clybourne was the first Constable of Chicago, when
it was a precinct of Peoria County. The following orders were is-
sued by " Peoria County Court, September 6, 1S25."

" Ordered : That the first precinct contain all that part of the
County east of the mouth of the DuPage River, where it empties
its waters into the Auxplaines River, and that the elections be held
at the agency-house or Cobweb's Hall."*

* " Cobweb Castle," according to Mrs. Kinzie in " Waubun." It was situa-
ted at the southwest corner of the present North State and North Water streets.
Dr. Alexander Wolcott occupied the house from 1820 to 1823, and from 1828
until his death in 1830.

104

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

At the same time ordered : " That Archibald Clybourne be
appointed Constable in and for the County of Peoria, and that the
Clerk of this county take his official bond." In June, lS2g, the
month of his marriage, lie was authorized to keep a ferry in con-
junction with Samuel Miller " across the Chicago River, at the
lower forks, near Wolf Point, crossing I he river below the Northeast
branch, and to land on either side of both branches, to suit the
convenience of persons wishing to cross." It was ordered that
" said Clybourne and Miller pay a tax of two dollars and execute a
bond with security for one hundred dollars. The rates for ferriage
to be one half the sum that John L. Bogardus gets at his ferry at
Peoria." In the latter part of the same year, December S. 1S29,
he was appointed one of the first trustees of the school section,
Archibald Clybourne. Samuel Miller and John B. Beaubien com-
prising the board lie was made Justice of the Peace in 1S31.
fonas Clybourne and his son Archibald were the early butchers of
Chicago. They furnished the garrison at Fort Dearborn, and

the sect in Chicago, and, as a layman, ought ever to rank as one of
the fathers of that church ; a father to whom the many who now
hold to his faith in these latter days may point with pride, and
whose memory may well be cherished by them with enduring affec-
tion.

David McKee, a settler in Chicago in 1822 or '23, was born
in Loudoun County, Va., December 2, 1800. His parents were
Scotch, and emigrated from their native country to Virginia, sub-
sequently settling in Pennsylvania, and later in Ohio. At the age
of thirteen David was placed in a blacksmith shop in Cincinnati to
learn the trade, and was there employed until 1821, when he made
a short visit to New Orleans. By the terms of the Indian treaty
made at Chicago in 1S21, a blacksmith was to be kept by Govern-
ment at the Chicago agency, for the benefit of the Indians. Mr.
McKee, who was then in Cincinnati, was employed by Colonel
Benjamin Kerchival, Indian Agent at Detroit, to come to Chicago
in that capacity. According to his own recollection he arrived in

THE CLYBOURNE HOUSE.

sometimes extended their trade to Mackinaw. When the Black
Hawk War, in 1S32, brought crowds of frightened settlers from the
country to the shelter of the fort, the Clybournes and John Noble
and sons fed nearly the entire population until the pioneers could
return to their homes. The Clybourne family, with the rest of Chi-
cago, took refuge in the fort until the danger was past. Mr. Cly-
bourne lived on the old place until his death, August 23, 1872. He
left, at that time, his widow, still living in Chicago with her
daughter, Mrs. Parks, and ten living children : Sarah Ann (Mrs.
Vincent Barney) born March 24, 1830, still alive ; Margaret E.
1 Mrs. Richard Holden) born October 10, 1831, now living in Chi-
cago ; Martha Ann, born November 18, 1833, still living in Chi-
cago , James A., born October 14, 1835, now in the old business
of his father, at 441 North Chirk Street ; John H., born June 27,
1838, died September, 1875, (see his record in Military History —
Zouaves); William H.. born April 14, 1840, now a resident of
Chicago; Henry C, born May 2, 1842, lives at Desplaines ; Mary
V., now wife of J. C. Parks, general manager of the North Chi-
cago Rolling-mills, born November 16. 1844 ; Charles A., still
living in the old house, born October 2, 1847 ; Frank, now with
hrm of Gregory & Cooley, born April 5, 1857. They had two boys
and one girl who died in infancy,

Mr. Clybourne's record as an old pioneer is unclouded by any
of the prevalent vices of the time, lie lived the life of an unselfish
and guileless man, and went to his rest full of years and not lacking
the full measure of honors thai honesty and a broad charity for his
fellow-men could bring. In his religious faith lie was a member of
the then quite unpopular and unevangelical sect known as Univer-
salists. He was one of the earliest and stanchest supporters of

1822, but as he accompanied from Fort Wayne to Chicago the ex-
ploring expedition of Major Stephen H. Long, he must have left
Fort Wayne May 29, 1823, and reached Fort Dearborn June 5 of
the following month. Mr. McKee found but two houses on the
north side of the river on his arrival — those of John Kinzie and Dr.
Alexander Wolcott. The third house was built near the agency-
house, by Joseph Porthier, and the fourth by Mr. McKee himself.
All these houses were of logs — the agency-house being afterward
clapboarded part way up. In June, 1827, Mr. McKee was mar-
ried, by John Kinzie, J. P., at the residence of the latter, to
Wealthy, daughter of Stephen J. Scott, of Gros Point, now Wil-
mette. About the time of his marriage, or somewhat before, he
was appointed mail-carrier for the Government between Fort Dear-
born and Fort Wayne, and made monthly trips between those places
during 1827-28. His route from Chicago was via Niles, Mich.,
and Elkhart, Ind. The journeys were made on horseback, carry-
ing his mail-bag, camping equipments and lastly his rifle, upon
which he relied for his daily food. The time of his average trip
was fourteen days — the shortest was ten days. He resided in Chi-
cago until 1832, at which time he owned four lots near the present
site of the Northwestern Railroad depot. This land he sold for
$800. and with the money purchased a farm in DuPage County,
where he lived until 1874. Pie moved from this farm and settled
upon another near Aurora, Kane County, where he died April 9,
1881.

The Mirandeah and Porthier FAMILIES. — Among the few
houses built on the north side of the river prior to 1826, was one
which was built and occupied by Joseph Porthier, a blacksmith
and striker for Mr. McKee. The widow of Mr. Porthier is be-

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to 1830.

i°5

lieved to be the only person, now living, who saw and remembers
any circumstances which transpired in Chicago, prior to lite massa-
cre of 1812. She is the fifth child of Jean Baptiste Mirandeau,
the earliest permanent white settler in Milwaukee and a sojourner
in Chicago in rSi I . She is now living (September, 18S3 ) at Bay
View near Milwaukee, and retains a vivid and clear recollection of
very early times in Chicago, which are deemed of historic value,
as they were given at two different interviews, between which suffi-
cient time had elapsed to test the reliability of her recollection.
Without prompting on the part of the interviewer, she corrobor-
ated all statements made at the first. She is the 'good Victoire,"
mentioned by Mrs. Kinzie in " Waubun " (p. 369), and the fam-
ily servant of John Kinzie and Dr. Wolcott. Genevieve and
lean Baptiste, with the amusing " Tomah," who accompanied
John H. Kinzie and Lieutenant Hunter to Fort Winnebago in
1833, were her sister and brothers. The family record kept by
her father was destroyed after his death, and Mrs. Porthier can-
not give the exact date of her birth, but from collateral evidence
it is believed to have been in 1800 or 1801.* What follows is as
given by Mrs. Porthier herself in August and September, 1883 :

" My mother was an Ottawa woman; my father was a French-
man. He was a good scholar, a very handsome man, and had
many books. He taught us children to speak French, and we all
learned to speak Indian of the tribe and mother. We had no
schools nor education. I never learned to read or write. My
father had his house in Milwaukee, where he traded with the In-
dians and did some blacksmithing for them, and for other traders.
He fixed guns and traps for them. Before the fort was burned
( August, 1S12 ) my father was down to the fort — the year before
— and did blacksmith work there. The family went down while he
was there, and some of us lived in the Ouilmette house, across the
river from the fort. My sister Madaline ( afterward the wife of
John K. Clark ) and I saw the fight between old John Kinzie and
Lalime when he ( Lalime) was killed.

" The Lalime Homicide. — It was sunset when they used to
shut the gates of the fort Kinzie and Lalime came out together
and soon we heard Lieutenant Helm call out for Mr. Kinzie to
look out for Lalime, as he had a pistol. Quick we saw the men
come together; we heard the pistol go off, and saw the smoke.
Then they fell down together. I don't know as Lalime got up at
all but Kinzie got home pretty quick. Blood was running from
his shoulder where Lalime had shot him. In the night he packed
up some things, and my father took him to Milwaukee, where he
staid till his shoulder got well and he found he wouldn't be troubled
if he came back. You see Kinzie wasn't to blame at all. He
didn't have any pistol nor knife — nothing. After Lalime shot him
and Kinzie got his arms around him, he ( Lalime ) pulled out his
dirk and as they fell he was stabbed with his own knife. That is
what they all said. I didn't see the knife at all. I don't remem-
ber where Lalime was buried. I don't think his grave was very
near Mr. Kinzie's house. I don't remember that Mr. Kinzie ever
took care of the grave. That is all I know about it. I don't
know what the quarrel was about. It was an old one — business, I
guess.

" After Mr. Kinzie came back (1S16) he came up to Milwaukee
and visited my father and took me to live with him. ( We were
not there when the fort was burned — we had gone back to Mil-
waukee.) I lived with him until he died, then I married Joseph
Porthier. He was a Frenchman, and a kind of blacksmith. He
worked for McKee."

Victoire Mirandeau, who has partially told her own story,
above, was married at Fort Dearborn to Joseph Porthier, by Colo-
nel J. B. Beaubien, J. P., November 5, 1S2S. She lived in Chi-
cago until 1S35, when Mr. Porthier, wife and three children, re-
moved to Milwaukee, where he had bought a quarter section of
land. Mr. Porthier died in 1875, and was buried in Milwaukee.
His widow lives near Bay View, south of the city of Milwaukee,
in a small house built for her by the old settlers of that city. Her
large family of children, like her brothers and sisters, have all
died of consumption — the last daughter during the late summer of
18S3 — and the sorrowful old lady is indeed alone. When speak-
ing of her early friends in Chicago — the Kinzies, Wolcotts, Beau
biens and the many members of her tribe, her sad refrain is ever
"dead — all gone." Her little home, though plain to poverty, is
a model of neatness and order, and the garden, tended by her own
hands, is bright with flowers and vines. She speaks French, En-
glish, and several Indian dialects well. It is well said of her in
the " Milwaukee History : " " If she could have had the advan-
tages of an education, Mrs. Porthier would have been a remarka-
ble woman, as her memory is almost as accurate as a written re-
cord ; her powers of perception are wonderful, and her ideas of
right and wrong rigidly and justly correct. But her closing years

* The Milwaukee History, in a foot note referring to a statement of Dr.
Enoch Chase, that she was probably born in 1 !oS, savs: " She was born in the
winter of 1800-1801, according to her best recollection and the Kinzie family
memoranda."

are dreary enough — shorn as they are of relatives* and friends,
pinched by poverty and burdened by sorrow.' It is indeed sad
that this solitary woman, forming perhaps the only living [ink 1 mi
necting the present with the " by-gone days" of Chicago and Mil
waukee, should close her days in poverty and an ever present dread
of being the recipient of public charity.

Jean Baptiste Miuandf.au, the father of Mrs. Porthier, was
an educated French gentleman belonging to one of the first fam-
ilies of Quebec. He studied for the prieshood, but on the eve of
taking orders abandoned his intention, and about the close ol the
Revolutionary War left Quebec with John Vieux for the northwest.
He became an employe of the American Fur Company, and traded
some years in the Lake Superior region and afterward on the W'a
bash. He came to Milwaukee about the year 1795, bringing with
him his Indian wife whom he had recently married, and to whom

MRS. VICTOIRE MIRANDEAU PORTHIER.

he was faithful until his death, which occurred in 1820. He built a
house in Milwaukee and around it had a well cultivated garden. f
" He was a religious man, and had prayers in his house every
evening. His library was quite large, and he spent all his leisure
time in reading. He was a tall line looking man, with crisp curly
hair. He was a great favorite of his wild neighbors, who prom-
ised him all the land between the river and the lake as far as the
North Point, when they made the treaty for the sale of their lands,
but he died before that treaty, and Mr. ( Solomon ) Juneau suc-
ceeded him as the chief white man in Milwaukee. Mis widow
survived him until 1S3S, and was well known to many of the early
settlers of Milwaukee . . Mr. Mirandeau was the first white
man who ever moved here, spent his married life here, died and
was buried here ( Milwaukee)."

The children of Mr. Mirandeau were ten. Jean Baptiste 1st,
was poisoned when a child, at the mouth of Rock River. Madaline
1st, was accidentally drowned in the Milwaukee River. Madaline
2d came to Chicago, for a time lived in the family of Lalime, the
Indian Interpreter, and afterwards became the wife of John K.
Clark, and died leaving a daughter who still lives at Milwaukee.
The fourth child was Joseph ; the fifth, Victoire (Mrs. Joseph Por-
thier). Then came Louis, Jean Baptiste 2d, Rosanne, Genevieve
and Thomas. Jean Baptiste and Genevieve were servants in John
Kinzie's and Dr. Wolcott's families, and Thomas the youngest was

: The oldest resident of Chicago living. Take

fron

photograph

iof Dr. Enoch Chase before Old Settlers' Club of Milwau-
s he has known the history of the Mirandeau family thirty-

io6

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

the *' Tomah " of " Waubun." Nearly all of the younger children
died in Kansas. After the death of Mr. Mirandeau, his widow,
left with no relatives or friends except among the Indians, took up
her abode among them, and the papers and books of her husband
were lost or destroyed Mr. Mirandeau was an intimate friend of
John Kinzie. and probably placed his children in his family that
they might escape, as far as possible, the influence of the Indians.
Stephen H. Scott and family came to the West from Ben-
nington. N. Y., a small place about twenty-eight miles from Buf-
falo. Although the family did not settle, as a family, directly in
Chicago, one of the sons, Willis, lived here continuously from 1S26

to 1S32, and after removing to the neighboring town of Waukegan,
returned again to Chicago about 1S66-67. The daughters also mar-
ried and lived in Chicago. Stephen Scott started for the West in-
tending to settle at St. Joe, Mich., but on arriving at that place
concluded to cross to Chicago. The schooner, bringing his family
and effects, arrived at Chicago August 20, 1826. After looking
about the country in the vicinity a little, Mr. Scott decided to settle
at Gros Point, now Wilmette. and departed for that place with his
family, by schooner, sending word to one of his sons — Willard — who
had remained behind with a portion of the goods at St. Joe, to bring
them to that point The family landed at Gros Point on the 22d,
and as soon as possible a log cabin was erected, in which the family
lived until 1831. Willis, however, returned immediately to Chicago
where he worked around the fort for a time as hostler for the Post-
surgeon, Dr. Finlay. and also worked for the Clybournes. About
the year 1829 or 1S30, Archibald Clybourne made a journey to Vir-
ginia to get a girl strong and willing to come to Chicago and assist
his mother, who was growing old and unequal to the tasks of
pioneer life. He brought back with him a relative, Louisa B.
Caldwell, sister of Archibald Caldwell, who with James Kinzie
built the Wolf Point Tavern. Willis Scott became acquainted with
this girl at Mr. Clybourne's, and on the 1st of November, 1830,
she became his wife, the marriage ceremony being performed by
Kev. William See. The Scott family remaining at Gros Point con-
sisted of a son Willard and three daughters, all of whom were mar-
ried while residing there. Wealthy Scott, married, January 23,
1627. David McKee, and lived on the north side of the river near
the foot or what is now North State Street, where their son, Stephen
J. Scott McKee was born September 18, 1830.*

Permelia Scott was married, July 21, 1829, to John K. Clark
whom she survived ; Deborah, who was the widow of Munson
Watkins when she came to the West, was married again to Joseph
Bauskey, a Frenchman, May 5, 1828. Mr. Bauskey died of
cholera in Chicago in 1832. Willard married Caroline Hawley,
July 21, 1829, and was long a resident of Naperville, 111. After
the family had lived at Gros Point five years, it was discovered that
Mr. Scott's claim was on the reservation granted by Government to
Antoine Ouilmette ; and he removed to Desplaines, and took
charge of a tavern owned by the Laughton brothers, where now is
the site of Riverside. This tavern was quite pretentious for the
times, and a favorite resort of the Chicago people. Mrs. Kinzie, in
that wonderful picture of early Chicago and the vicinity, "Wau-
bun," mentions a call she made there in 1831, where she found
carpets, a warm stove, and other luxuries not common at that day.

Mark BEAUBIEN, a younger brother of General J. B. Beaubien,
was born in Detroit in the year 1S00. When very young, he mar-
ried in that city, Mademoiselle Monique Nadeau; the children of
this union being sixteen, five of whom — Josette, Mark Jr., Oliver,
Joseph and Emily were born in Detroit. In 1826, Mr. Beaubien
came to Chicago to visit his brother, and de-
cided to make the place his home. He tells
the story of his arrival thus:f "I arrived in
Chicago in the year of 1826, from Detroit;
came with my family by team ; no road only
Indian trail. I had to hire an Indian to show
me the road to Chicago. I camped out .lours
and bought a log house from Jim Kinzie.
There was no town laid out ; didn't expect
no town. When they laid out the town, my house laid out in the
street; when they laid the town I bought two lots where I built the old
Sauganash, the first { frame house in Chicago." The frame building
mentioned above, and called " the Sauganash " in honor of the Chief
Billy Caldwell, was at the southeast corner of the present Lake and
Market streets. The old log house which Mr. Beaubien bought of

"Jim Kinzie," formed a wing of the new building which is de-
scribed in "Waubun" as "a pretentious, white two-story building
with bright blue wooden shutters, the admiration of all the little
circle at Wolf Point." Mr. Beaubien commenced hotel keeping in
the log cabin which he bought of Mr. Kinzie, and continued the
business in the Sauganash, remaining in the latter, which became
a very famous house of entertainment, until 1S34. In the latter
year he completed another house on the northwest corner of Wells
and Lake streets, which was called the "Exchange Coffee House,"
and first kept by Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy. It seems probable
that the Sauganash was afterwards called the "Eagle Exchange,"
as one of Mr. Beaubien's daughters, Mrs. Emily (Beaubien) Le
Page, states that she once lived in the first frame building in Chi-
cago, "called the Eagle Exchange on Market street, near the corner
of Lake." Early in 1831, at a meeting of the Commissioners
Court of Cook County, Mr. Beaubien filed his bond with James
Kinzie as security, agreed to pay into the county treasury fifty
dollars, and was licensed to run a ferry across the South Branch of
the Chicago River — the first ferry in the town. All citizens of Cook
County were to be ferried free with their " traveling apratus,"
but outsiders were to pay specified rates. A scow was pur-
chased of Samuel Miller for sixty-five dollars, and Mark entered
upon his duties. During that year the Canal Commissioners held
a meeting at Chicago, and the extra ferriage on their account was
paid by Cook County. The ferryman charged for his services
$7.33. He was licensed as a merchant during 1831, and the com-
bined duties of landlord and storekeeper, with occasional hours of

* See Sketch ufluvirl McKc
An.

! house built for Hilly Caldwell.

d/U/^ffl^tiA^*^

recreation in the way of horse-racing, caused perhaps some want
of attention to the ferry, and the court accordingly ordered that the
ferry should be kept running "from daylight in the morning, until
dark, without stopping," for the accommodation of Cook County
passengers. In the same year he received a license to keep tavern,
and probably soon after opened the Sauganash. When Chicago
was incorporated as a town in 1833, the first election of trustees
was at the house of Mr. Beaubien, which was ever a favorite resort
both for purposes of business and of amusement; the merry good-

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to 1830.

107

souled landlord, and his wife, who is described as "a noble woman,
and devoted Christian mother," making the Sauganash a place to
be remembered by all early travelers. Mr. Beaubien married for
his second and last wife Elizabeth Matthews of Aurora, by whom
he had seven children. He lived in Chicago for many years, and
was the last light-house keeper in the place, being appointed by
President Buchanan, at a salary of $350. He was one of the lead-
ers in the organization of St. Mary's Church, the first Catholic
society in the city, toward the construction of which he paid liber-
ally. He was a kind friend to the Indians, who at their treaty with
Government in 1S34 conveyed "to their good friend, Mark Beau-
bien " a reservation of sixty-four acres of land at the mouth of the
Calumet, of which he received the patent signed by Martin Van
Buren, nearly forty years later — having been unconscious of the
gift during all those years. When Mark Beaubien came to Chicago
he brought with him from Detroit a fiddle, which in his hands dis-
coursed sweet music in the old days, and will always be remembered
in connection with the old Frenchman, who, till the last, loved his
instrument, and at his death bequeathed it to the Calumet Club of
Chicago, where it remains, a valued possession. Mr. Beaubien is
described as being in his prime "a tall athletic fine appearing man,
Frenchy and polite, frank, open-hearted, generous to a fault, and,
in his glory at a horse-race." His favorite dress on "great occa-
sions " was a swallow-tail coat with brass buttons, and, if in the
summer, light nankeen trousers. His quaint old song, in regard
to the surrender of General Hull at Detroit in 1812, of which he
was a witness, was sung with as much gusto, as Monie Musk and
Fisher's Hornpipe were played, and the young people of the new
generation listened to his music and stories with as much pleasure
as did his companions in early Chicago. His last visits to Chicago
were in 1879 and 18S0, at the time of the Calumet Club receptions
to old settlers, where his vivacity and enthusiasm gave no token of
the approaching end, then so near. The children of Mr. Beaubien,
as given in the Chicago Times, in an article entitled " By-gone
Days," March 26, 1876, were Josette, Mark, Oliver, Joseph and
Emily, (born in Detroit), Soliston, David, George, Napoleon, Ed-
ward, Helena, Elizabeth, Gwinny, Frances, Monique and an infant
who died unnamed — children of Mark and Monique Beaubien; and
Robert, Frank, Mary, Ida, Jimmy, Jesse and Slidel, children by
his second marriage. He died on the 16th of April, 1SS1, in
Kankakee, 111., at the house of George Mathews, who married his
daughter Mary.

Madore B. Beaubien, second child of General J. B. Beau-
bien and Mah-naw-bun-no-quah, an Ottawa woman, was born
July 15, 1S09, at Thompson's Creek, of Grand River, Mich. Be-
fore General Beaubien became agent for the American Fur Com-
pany and permanently settled at Chicago, in the fall of 1818, Ma-
dore had visited Chicago where his father had again married and
bought a house, and as early as 1813, he says, he recollects climb-
ing over the blackened ruins of old Fort Dearborn. The business
of General Beaubien as Indian trader required his presence at
Mackinaw, Milwaukee and Chicago during certain portions of each
year and in these trips he was usually accompanied by his family —
relatives of his wife (Josette La Framboise) living in all those
places. Madore had not been many years in Chicago, before his
father sent him to the Baptist school established by Rev. Isaac
McCoy, under the auspices of Government, at the place now Niles,
Mich., then called the Carey Mission. In 1831, Madore was li-
censed as a merchant, and soon after built a two roomed log house
which was the first building on lot No. I, now the southwest
corner of South Water and Dearborn streets. He brought a stock
of goods from Detroit and opened a store in one of the rooms,
while the other was occupied as a tailor's shop, by Mr. Anson H.
Taylor, who had arrived in Chicago in 1829, and first opened his
goods at the old Kinzie house on the north side of the river. In
1S32 Mr. Taylor, assisted by his brother Charles, then landlord at
the Wolf Tavern, built a wooden bridge over the South Branch of

the Chicago River, near the forks — a log foot-bridge having been
previously constructed over the North Branch. The following
year Madore B. Beaubien was appointed one of the committee to
contract for repairing these bridges. His store was not a success.
Looking at the courtly old gentleman of seventy-four — erect, hand-
some, suave and polished, it is easy to see that the young man of
twenty-one would hardly relish any confinement to the drudgery
of trading and bartering with Indians. So he failed in business,
but was ready for both the sports and dangers of frontier life, and
until the tidings of the Black Hawk War aroused him, the attrac-
tions of the wolf hunt, the race or the dance, kept him from a

more useful life. He was Second Lieutenant of the Naperville
militia company during the war, and showed himself brave and
fearless. He was later First Lieutenant in Captain Boardman's
Chicago company. Mr. Beaubien first married, in Chicago, Maria
Boyer, daughter of John K. Boyer, who arrived here in the spring
of 1833. This marriage was dissolved by divorce. His second
wife was Keez-ko-quah, an Indian woman, and on June 2, 1S54,
he married for his third and present wife his cousin Therese (La-
framboise) Harden, formerly Watkins, the divorced wife of
Thomas Watkins of Chicago, and widow of Mr. Harden. This
marriage took place at the Baptist Indian Mission, in what is now
Shawnee County, Kan. Mr. Beaubien left Chicago with the I'ot-
tawatomies in the fall of 1840 ; resided at Council Bluffs until
1S47, and then with the tribe went to Kansas. For many years he
was one of the interpreters of the Pottawatomies, and was one of
the six commissioners employed by the Nation to transact their
business with the United States. In November, 1S61, a treaty-
was made with the Pottawatomies, by which those who so elected
were given land in severalty, and those who desired to continue
tribal relations were removed to a diminished reservation. At the
time of this treaty Mr. Beaubien officiated as one of the " head
men " of the tribe, but with many others, elected to become a citi-
zen of the LInited States, and received an allotment of land on ac-
count of his wife and mother. He now resides on a farm in Silver
Lake Village, of which he and A. T. Thomas — afterward a resi-
dent of Topeka, and Clerk of the United States Circuit Court —
were the original proprietors. The first store in the village was
started by Mr. Beaubien in connection with C. S. Palmer. Mr.
Beaubien has three children by his third marriage — Philip IL,
John B., and George E.

The Lavghtons. — David and Bernardus Laughton were In-
dian traders who early had a store at Hardscrabble on the South
Branch, but about 1827-2S removed to the Desplaines, where
Riverside is now. The wife of Bernardus Laughton was Miss
Sophia Bates, of Vermont, a sister of the wife of Stephen Forbes,
who taught the first regular school in Chicago.

Russel E. Heacock was born at Litchfield, Conn., in the
year 1779. While yet quite young he lost his father. He after-
wards learned the trade of carpenter, and worked at it with but little
intermission until he was over thirty, and occasionally in after life,
in the intervals of a profession which never occupied his whole
time, and largely in the improvement of his own property. He
removed to St. Louis in 1806, where he earned liberal wages,
making sometimes as much as ten to fifteen dollars a day. His
health becoming somewhat impaired through the prevailing mala-
ria, his thoughts were turned to the legal profession through the
influence of a cousin, Russel Easton, a lawyer residing at St. Louis.
Mr. Easton offered him free use of his library and office, and he
entered on a desultory course of study, earning money at his trade

^//^^^^^

in the more busy seasons. He was admitted to the Bar in 1816.
Meanwhile he had become acquainted with his future wife, and was
married, in 1816, at Brownsville, Jackson Co., 111., to Rebecca,
second daughter of William Ozborn, a soldier of the Revolution,
who had emigrated from South Carolina to settle with his family in
a free state. Three sons were born to them in 1817, 1S1S, and
1820. On the 24th of January, 1821, Mr. Heacock was licensed
to practice by the Supreme Court of Illinois. In 1823 his fourth
son was born, William O., now (1SS3) of Delaware, Iowa, to whom
we are indebted for many of the facts here given. In that year, too,
moved by the representations of a brother, Reuben B. , of
Buffalo, N. Y., he left Jonesboro, Union Co., 111., for
Buffalo, where he resided over three years, and where a
daughter was born to him in 1S25. In 1S27 Mr. Hea-
cock again turned his face westward, intending to settle
at Fort Clark, now Peoria, 111., and arrived at Chicago,
July 4. Here he concluded to remain, and took up his
residence within the enclosure of Fort Dearborn, at that time
unoccupied by the military ; and here a second daughter was
born early in 1S2S. About May of that year he removed
to a log cabin and claim, which he had purchased of Peter
Lampsett. It was about the center of Section 32. Town-
ship 39, Range 14; "about three-quarters of a mile south-
east of the lock at Bridgeport, and one mile due south of
Hardscrabble." At one of the elections in 1S30, he was judge and
at another clerk ; and in 1S31, he was one of two commissioners
appointed to lay out a road from Shelbyville to Chicago. lie was
licensed to keep tavern, and was one of the seven justices appointed

ioS

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

for Cook County. September 10, 1S31. He seems to have been
one of the first justices to hold court : but :is lawyer or Justice his
business was not large in 1831. In 1S32 it was but little better.
Chicago's greatest interest of that year centering in the Black
Hawk War and the Asiatic cholera; and Heacock made a living
chiefly by his trade. About 1832 there appeared in a Buffalo paper
several letters from him to his brother, a merchant of that place,
describing Chicago and the territory immediately to the west, in
glowing terms — the beauty of the country and the fertility of its
soil. He referred to the land gTant by Congress for the construc-
tion ot the Illinois & Michigan Canal ; and, to show the entire
feasibility of the project, stated that in high water boats passed
from the South Branch of the Chicago River into the Desplaines,
and that by this means the American Fur Company transported
their annual supplies to their trading posts on the Illinois River and
its tributaries. At a meeting for incorporation of Chicago as a town,
August 10,1833, of the thirteen votes cast his was the only one against
the :ncorporation. which showed at least exceptional fidelity to con-
viction and independence of opinion, recognized as characteristic
of the man. At the Indian treaty of September 26, 1S33, he re-
ceived one hundred dollars. Meanwhile in the summer of 1833,
the Chicago school section was subdivided, and all but four of its
one hundred and forty-two blocks sold at auction for $3S,S65, on a
credit of one, two and three years on the petition of the inhabit-
ants.* Several of these lots came into possession of Mr. Heacock,
among others. Lot 7, Block 117, frontage south on Adams Street.
which he designed for a residence. He was among the original
subscribers to the first Chicago newspaper in November, 1833.
That his children might be nearer school, he removed, in 1S34,
into a house on the east bank of the South Branch, a little south
of Randolph Street. The lands around Chicago being thrown on
the market in 1834, Mr. Heacock became as extensive a purchaser
as his means would permit, being one of the most sanguine men
of his day as to the great development in store for the then insig-
nificant town. He pre-empted the quarter section upon which his
purchase from Lampsett was situated, going to Danville, Vermillion
County, the nearest land-office in 1S34, for his land certificate. In
the spring of 1S35, he built a house on what he supposed was his
lot. only to find that he was on Monroe Street, not Adams, whither
he proceeded to remove it on rollers. " This house," says his son,
'-'he occupied, off and on, until his death." Here his fifth son
and youngest child was born. Under date of August 5, 1835. we
find him advertised as attorney, which is perhaps an indication
that he did not seek re-election as a Justice ; and he appears as at-
torney in the Chicago directories until 184S. Besides his profession,
he cultivated some land at his place on the South Branch, called
Heacock's Point, where he had been licensed to keep a tavern
in April. 1831. His investments in real estate were large for the
period, in accord with his anticipations of Chicago's future, and
led to much distress of mind and financial embarrassment in the
years succeeding the panic of 1837, It was perhaps owing to the
pressure of this misfortune in his declining years that he was dis-
abled by a stroke of paralysis in 1S43, from which he never com-
pletely rallied. During the cholera epidemic of 1849. he fled with
his family to a farm he owned at Summit, where he himself, his wife,
and two sons were attacked, and died in quick succession between
the 2>th and 30th of June. In the protracted discussion of the
canal question, Mr. Heacock, with his strong individuality took an
independent and isolated attitude in favor of a less deep and there-
fore less expensive excavation, whence he got the mistaken nick-
name of " Shallow Cut." With the name he received such flippant
a:,d superficial censure from Press and platform as usually falls to
the lot of those who dare dissent from the public opinion of the hour.
His views prevailed, however, in the end. " As a public speaker,"
says Judge Goodrich, "he was pleasing, instructive and often elo-
quent ; his earnest and straightforward outspokenness, his fine con-
versational powers, his generosity and frankness of character, and
his inexhaustible fund of narrative and anecdote made him most
companionable." In politics he was a Jackson Democrat, but also
a Frec-soiler, and an earnest adversary of the dominant influence
of the Sonth in national affairs. " He was not regarded as a bril-
liant lawyer," continues Mr. Goodrich, "and though the first on
the ground he was -o.<n crowded out of practice by the younger
and more active members of the profession." It is however true
that there were always lawyers enough for all the law business that
offered : and Heacock in those first years, 1827 to 1835, made more
money as a carpenter than as a lawyer or justice. "He was," says
Judge Caton, "a very fair lawyer;" and adds: "When on one
D my youthful presumption got the better of me, the old
man gave me the l>est dossing down I ever gut."

THBEE FRIENDLY 'Hills AND Tilt OLDEST RESIDENT.

Alexander Robinson (Che-che-pin-qua), a chief of the

United Pottawatomies, Cbippewas and Ottawa-, was I">rn at Mack-

• It received ninety-five Ngnatan of the principal citizens.

inaw. 1762, according to popular belief, and his age as stated at the
time of his death, although the years of his life are somewhat
doubtful. His father was a Scotch trader who had been an officer
in the British army, and his mother was an Ottawa woman.* He
married at Mackinaw and moved with his wife to the St. Joseph in
Michigan, where he became an Indian trader, and, it is said, an
associate of Joseph Bailly, With other friendly Pottawatomies he
did all in his power to shield the Americans from the fury of the
hostile Indians, at the time of, and after, the Fort Dearborn mas-
sacre. He arrived on the scene too late to do anything to prevent
the massacre, of which he was a witness ; but, on his return to St.
Joseph, he received and sheltered the family of Mr. Kinzie, who
received from himself and wife "all possible kindness and hospi-
tality for several months."! ^>°t confining their good deeds to
the family of Mr. Kinzie, the generous host and hostess. Finding
that Captain and Mrs. Heald, who had been brought to St. Joseph
by Jean Baptiste Chandonnais, clerk of Mr. Kinzie, were in dan-
ger of being recaptured and taken back to the Kankakee, he carried
them safely in a bark canoe to Mackinaw, a distance of three hun-
dred miles, where they were surrendered to the British command-
ant. It is not known just when Robinson settled in Chicago, but
he had been here, at least two seasons, and with Antoine Ouilmette
had cultivated the field belonging to the fort, raising thereon corn,
when Captain Bradley arrived to rebuild Fort Dearborn in 1S16. In
1825 his personal property was assessed at S200, by the Peoria
County Assessor. He served in 1823 and 1826 as Indian interpre-
ter under Dr. Wolcott, at a salary of S365, during the latter year.
He is recorded as a voter in 1S25, 1S26 and 1830, and on June 8
of the latter year was licensed to keep tavern in Chicago. He had
owned prior to this time, a cabin or trading-post at Hardscrabble,
but vacated it before 1S26. On September 2S, 1826. he was mar-
ried by John Kinzie, J. P., to Catherine Chevalier, daughter of
Francois and Mary Ann Chevalier. Francois Chevalier was chief
of a united band of Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Chippewas ; with
his village at the Calumet. At his death, Robinson became chief
of the band. At the treaty of Prairie du Chien, July, 1S29, he
was granted two sections of land on the Desplaines ; by the treaty
of Camp Tippecanoe, October 20, 1S32, a life annuity of S200,
and by the Chicago treaty of September, 1S33, an additional an-
nuity of $300. His exertions, with those of Billy Caldwell, pre-
vented the tribe from joining the Sauks in the Winnebago War of
1827, and Black Hawk in 1832. During the latter part of his resi-
dence in Chicago, he lived at Wolf Point, where he had a store or
trading-house. After the Indians were removed beyond the Mis-
sissippi, he settled with his family on his reservation on the Des-
plaines, where he lived until his death, which occurred April 22,
1872. His wife died August 7, 1S60. They were both, with two
sons and a daughter-in-law, buried on the bank of the river near the
old home.

Billy CALDWELL (Sauganash), one of the most conspicuous,
as well as one of the most notable, characters identified with the
history of early Chicago, was an Indian half-breed. He was the
son of a Colonel Caldwell, an Irish officer in the British army
stationed at Detroit, and was born about the year 1780. His
mother was a Pottawatomie, and is said to have been remarkable
for her beauty and intelligence. Billy received a good education at
the Jesuit schools of Detroit and learned to speak and write the
French and English languages fluently. He also acquired the
knowledge of a number of Indian dialects. Little is known in

detail of the events of his life, but we know that he took an active
part against the Americans in the War of 1812. In person he was
large and commanding, of great strength and power of endurance.
At first his Indian name was " Straight Tree," on account of his
fine appearance, but he is better known by the name of Sauganash,
or the Englishman. He early fell under the influence of Tecum-
seh, became the secretary of that warrior, and was intimately asso-
ciated with him from 1S07 until Tecumseh's death. Very little is
known of Caldwell's career as a warrior, for upon the subject of
the war he was always remarkably reticent. He undoubtedly was
engaged in most of the battles or actions in which Tecumseh was
engaged, and he was often sent by his chief on important missions.
He and Shaw-bo-nee, do not appear to have been present at Fort
Dearborn before or at the time of the massacre, but we find them

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to 1830.

iog

both here the next day when they were instrumental in saving the
family of John Kinzie. It is altogether likely that they were the
runners sent by Tecumseh to the Pottawatomies to inform them in
regard to the fall of Fort .Mackinac and to bring them as far as
possible in league with him. The incident of his saving the Kin-
zie family is related in the sketch given elsewhere of the life of
John Kinzie. Caldwell participated in the battle of the Thames,
October 5, 1S13, where Tecumseh was killed, but what active ser-
vice he was engaged in after that is not known. The credential he
gave Shawbonee shows that he was a captain in the British Indian
Department as late as 1816. That document reads as follows :

" This is to certify that the bearer of this name, Chamblie,
was a faithful companion to me during the late war with the
United States. The bearer joined the late celebrated warrior
Tecumseh, of the Shawnee nation, in the year 1S07, on the
Wabash River, and remained with the above warrior from the
commencement of hostilities with the United States, until our
defeat at Moravian Town, on the Thames, October 5, 1S13. I
also have been witness to his intrepidity and courage as warrior on
many occasions, and he showed a great deal of humanity to those
unfortunate sons of Mars who fell into his hands.

"LI. Caldwell, Captain I. D.

"Amherstburg, August, 1S16."

At what time Caldwell took up his residence near Fort Dear-
born is not definitely known, but probably about the year 1820.
Chicago was still a trading post, but the fort had been rebuilt and
an Indian Agent resided here. It was a central point where the
Indians gathered to receive their annuities and do their trading.
In 1S26 we find Caldwell duly appointed Justice of the Peace for
Peoria County, but he probably was seldom called upon to act in
his official capacity. He was a voter, and his name appears on the
poll lists of 1826 and 1S30. He usually officiated as one of the
clerks of the election. By the treaty with the Pottawatomies held
at Prairie du Chien in 1S29, two and one-half sections of land on
the Chicago River were granted to him, and by the subsequent
treaties of 1S32 and 1S33 an annuity aggregating one thousand
dollars was bestowed by the Government. The land was located
on the North Branch, about six miles from the junction with the
main river. This land he sold at an early day. There was also
a house built for him by the Department for Indian Affairs on the
North Side near where is now the corner of State Street and Chi-
cago Avenue. He was always, after his removal to Fort Dearborn,
the unchangeable friend of the whites, and his influence with his tribe
was exerted to preserve peace. In 1S27 at the time of the threatened
outbreak by the Winnebagoes, and when the latter were doing all
in their power to engage the Pottawatomies in a war with the
whites, it was the influence of Caldwell and Shawbonee that pre-
vented it. And again in 1S32 he prevented his people from allying
themselves with Black Hawk in his desperate raid on the white
settlements. Caldwell was very desirous of teaching his people
the habits and customs of the whites. He wanted them to become
educated and civilized. When Mr. Watkins started a school in
1832, Caldwell offered to pay the tuition artd buy books and
clothes for all Indian children who would attend school, if they
would dress like the Americans, but it is stated none of them
accepted. Neither did he approve the Indian custom of polygamy,
and he never had but one wife. He found in her however a tem-
per sufficiently hot for several, and his cabin is said to have often
resounded with her animated tones, when rating her liege lord.
She is said to have been a sister of the chief " Yellow Head", and
a daughter of Nee-scot-ne-meg, one of the principal participators
in the massacre of 1S12. They had one son who died in youth.
James M. Bucklin, the chief engineer of the Illinois & Michigan
Canal in 1S30, says of Caldwell:

" From Billy Caldwell, a half-breed, with some education and
great intelligence, who had explored the country in every direction,
I often procured valuable information during my explorations. It
was he who first suggested making a feeder of the Calamic River."

When the time came for the removal of the Indians, under the
various treaties made with them, Caldwell's influence was exerted
to make the removal peaceful and successful. He determined to
leave his cherished white friends behind, and cast his fortunes with
his people, and share their privations and trials with them. In
1S36, under the leadership of Captain Russell the Government
Agent, and Billy Caldwell, the Indians to the number of nearly
twenty-five hundred assembled for the last time at Chicago, to
receive their payments and then take up their line of march for
their new home on the Missouri, at Council Bluffs. Through the
influence of Sauganash the removal was accomplished with ease
and success. He never returned again to the scenes of his youth
and manhood. Age was coming on him, and the bustling activity
of the ambitious young city had no charm for one whose life had
been passed amid the wildness of nature. He seems to have taken
some interest in public affairs and during the exciting presidential

campaign of 1S40, he with his friend Shawbonee, published the
following letter:

"Council Blui-fs, March 23, 1840.
" To General Harrison's Friends :

"The other day several newspapers were brought to us; and

peeping over them, to our astonishment we found thai tin I

the late war was called a coward. This would have surprised the
tall braves, Tecumseh of the Shawnees, and Round Head and
Walk-in-the-Water of the Wyandolts. If the departed could rise
again, they would say to the while man that General Harrison was
the terror of the late tomahawkers. The lirsl time we gol ac-
quainted with General Harrison, it was at the council-fire of the
late Old Tempest, General Wayne, on the headquarters of the
Wabash, at Greenville, 1796. loan that time until 1S11, we had
many friendly smokes with him; but from 1812 we changed our
tobacco smoke into powder smoke. Then we found General liar-
rison was a brave warrior and humane to his prisoners, as reported
to us by two of Tecumseh's young men who were taken in the flee!
with Captain Barclay on the loth of September, 1S13, and on the
Thames, where he routed both the red men and the British, and
where he showed his courage and his humanity to his prisoners,
both white and red. See report of Adam Brown and family, taken
on the morning of the battle, October 5, 1S13. We are the only
two surviving of that day in this country. We hope the good
white men will protect the name of General Harrison. We re-
main your friends forever.

" in imblee [Shawbonee], Aid to Tecumseh.

" B. Caldwell, [Sauganash], Captain."

Caldwell did not long survive the removal, but died in his
new home in Council Bluffs on the ^Sth of September, 1841,
at the age of sixty-two. His most striking characteristic was his
humanity. In this respect he resembled his great leader, Tecumseh.
He did all in his power to alleviate the horrors of the war, and in
time of peace did all he could to promote the feeling of friendship
between the Indians and whites. By the first residents and settlers
of Chicago he was highly respected, and some are still surviving
w:ho esteemed it no small privilege to accompany him on a hunting
excursion. ' The esteem in which he was generally held is well re-
flected in the action of Mark Beaubien, when he named his new
tavern. It was suggested to Mark that he should name his house
after some great man. He could think of no greater personage
than Billy Caldwell and so his tavern became celebrated as the
" Sauganash."

Shaw-BO-nee, whose name has been written in many ways,
. among others, as Chamblie, in Billy Caldwell's certificate hereto-
fore given, was the son of an Ottawa chief, and was born near the
Maumee River in Ohio about the year 1775. He married the
daughter of a Pottawatomie, and he seems thereafter to have been
more identified with the Pottawatomies than with the 1 Ittawas,
though these tribes were always more or less intimately associated.
His village was on the Illinois near where the present city of Ottawa
now stands, but he subsequently removed it to what is now known as
Shabbona Grove in De Kalb County. Shawbonee became associated
with Caldwell and Tecumseh about the year 1807, and was their
firm ally in all their enterprises, until the death of Tecumseh.
Shawbonee was present at the battle of the Thames, and was by the
side of Tecumseh when he was killed. He always maintained that
it was Colonel Richard Johnson who fired the fatal shot that killed
his chief. After the war was over he gave in his adherence to the
United States Government, and from that time forth until the end
of his life he was a strong and constant friend to the Americans,
and on more than one occasion risked his own life to save his white
friend. At the time of the so-called Winnebago war, in 1827,
there was no military force at Fort Dearborn, and it was greatly
feared by the settlers in the neighborhood that the Pottawatomies
would be led to join with the northern tribes in war against the whites.
After the annual pavment was made in September of that year,
rumors that Big Foot's band, which had their villages on Lake
Geneva, would certainly join with the Winnebagoes, fell thick and
fast upon the ears of the startled settlers. At this juncture Shaw-
bonee and Caldwell used their influence to restrain their own bands,
and also volunteered to find out what were the plans of the Winne-
bagoes, and whether Big Foot's band really intended to join with
them. With this purpose in view they visited Big F'oot's village,
and by their astuteness and clever management, succeeded in pre-
venting Big Foot's band from entering into the threatened alliance.
The last attempt made to engage the Pottawatomies in war with
the whites was that made by Black Hawk in 1S32. That cele-
brated warrior, emulating the example of Tecumseh a quarter of a
century before, sought to enlist all the Indian tribes in a general
war. A great council was held at Indiantown in February, 1832,
and there with great eloquence and force Black Hawk enlarged
upon the necessity of co-operation in order to save their hunting
grounds from the encroachments of the whites. "Let all our tribes

no

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

unite." said the lawny orator, "and we shall have an army of war-
riors equal in number to the trees of the forest." The appeal was
powerful and it tequired all the influence of Shawbonee, Caldwell
and Robinson tc overcome it. Put these men well knew the power
and military resources of the whites, and how hopeless a war with
them would be. Said Shawbonee in answer to Black Hawk's figure
of speech as to their numbers, "Your army would equal in
number the trees of the forest, and you would encounter an army
- - numerous as the leaves on those trees." The coun-
cil failed in uniting the Indians in a common cause and although
I iwk made one more effort to gain Shawbonee in his cause,
he utterlv failed. Not only did Shawbonee repel all the efforts of
Black Hawk, but when the 'war broke out, by his personal exer-
tions, and at the risk of his life, he succeeded in warning some of
the frontier settlers in time to save their lives. By the treaty of
Prairie du Chien two sections of land were granted to Shawbonee.
ted by him at the place where for many years his vil-
lage had been situated in De Kalb County. A survey and plat
•rdingly, and here Shawbonee resided until his band
was removed to the West in 1837. He accompanied them with his
family, but unfortunately their reservation was in the neighborhood
of that of the Sacs and Foxes. The feud which had arisen between
the tribes on account of Shawbonee's refusal to co-operate with
Black Hawk still existed, and culminated in the murder of Shaw-
bonee's eldest son and nephew by some of the revengeful Sacs and
Shawbonee himself narrowly escaped and he was induced
to return again with his family to his old home. He resided at his
favorite grove with his family, for a number of year;, until his
tribe was removed to their new reservation in Kansas. This in-
duced him to again join his red brethren, but he remained with them

r three years, when tje again returned to his Illinois home.
But a change had now recurred. The Land Department had or-
dered a new survey and ignored Shawbonee's claim, holding that he
. :ted it by removal from it. It was entered at the land-of-
fice at Dixon for sale, and when Shawbonee returned, he found his
favorite home in the possession of strangers. His eminent services
in behalf of the whites in the early days were all forgotten and he
was ruthlesslv driven from the spot he so much loved and about
which clustered so many of his dearest recollections. A few of his
earlv friends hearing of his circumstances, united in the purchase of
a small tract of twenty acres near Morris. Here he lived with the
remnants of his family until July, 1S59, when he died. His re-
mains lie buried in the cemetery of Morris. In personal appearance
■ ae of the finest specimens of the American Indian. Tall,
straight, and muscular, he was said to have been a model of physi-
cal manhood. Until late in life his habits were temperate, but the
misfortunes of his later years often led him to the intemperate use
of that liquor which has ever been the enemy of his race. He
owed much to the teachings and precepts of Tecumseh, and he in

igs endeavored to conform himself to the example of that
great warrior. He was humane as well as courageous, and always
exerted his influence to protect unfortunate captives from the vio-
lence of _ - A portrait of him adorns the walls of the
Historical Society rooms, and his name and memory are
preserved in the records of that association.

(it'RUoN S. Hubbard, the earliest resident of Chicago now

alive, was born in Windsor. Vt., August 22, 1S02. He was the

Elizur and Abigail (Sagel Hubbard. He received in his

vouth onlv the ordinarv education afforded bv the common schools.

/^y^^&-v^-'

At the age of ten years he left home and went to North Bridge-
water, Mass., where he was a pupil in the school of Rev. Daniel
Huntington for nearly three years. In the spring of 1815 he
returned to his parents at Windsor, and soon thereafter removed
with thc-m to Montreal, Canada. Soon after this removal the
youth began life on his own account. He evinced a wonderful
aptitude and taste for trade and traffic, even at this earlv age.
rst ventures were in the poultry trade between northern
Vermont and Canada, which as a mere boy without capital or
to bring him a living and something
In the fall of 1816, he gave up the traffic and entered the
hardware store of John Frothingham, of Montreal, as a clerk,
where he continued until 1818. In the spring of that year, being
then sixteen years of age, hi for five years,

sum of I j to William W. Matthews, then tin ,

the American Fur Company. Under this new engagement, he left
Montreal for the wilds of the great Northwest, May 13, 1S1S.

He was one of a party consisting of thirteen clerks, and one
hundred and twenty men besides, the latter being all Canadians.
The party traveled in thirteen batteaux. The destination was
Mackinac on the lakes. The route was long and the journey
dangerous. The parly without accident ascended the St. Lawrence
ami in due course of time reached Toronto, then called Vorktown.
So many of the Canadian voyageurs had deserted the expedition
tn route, that at this point Mr. Matthews the commander decided
to change his plans, and instead of continuing to coast Lake
Ontario, he hired teams to haul his boats and goods over the
Young-street road to Lake Simcoe, then embarking and taking on
board two yoke of oxen. He coasted Lake Simcoe to the point
nearest the S'ottawasaga River, and then with the aid of the oxen
made another portage to that river about six miles; then re-em-
barking they proceeded to the mouth of the river and continued
their voyage, coasting along the shores and around the islands of
Georgian Hay and Lake Huron to Mackinac Island, which they
reached July 4. IMS. Mr. Hubbard is the only surviving white man
who was an inhabitant of the vast region from Mackinac to far
south of Chicago at that early period. Young Hubbard remained
at Mackinac, working in the company's warehouse, until the
middle of September, when, joining the Illinois Brigade, con-
sisting of one hundred men, under the agent, Antoine Des
Champs ; he set out, via Lake Michigan, for the Illinois countrv.
The party had a full stock of supplies, such as would be required
in trade with the Indians, and the fleet consisted of twelve
batteaux. Passing through the straits, they crept along the east
shore of Lake Michigan, stopping only when compelled to do
so by heavy or head winds on their voyage. On the last day
of October or first of November, 1S1S, the party reached Fort
Dearborn, then all there was of Chicago. Mr. Hubbard re-
mained there three days, being the guest of John Kinzie, at his
house on the North Side. He then, with the partv, pushed into
the interior country. They went, via the South ISranch and
through Mud Lake (near Bridgeport), and laboriously carrying
their goods upon their backs, and dragging their batteaux across
the intervening land, came to the Desplaines River, which they
descended to the Kankakee, and thence down the Illinois River.
Mr. Hubbard was ordered to the trading-post at the mouth of
Bureau River, then in charge of a Frenchman named Bebeau, who
could neither read nor write. Young Hubbard was detailed to keep
the accounts and assist in the details of the business of this post, by
Mr. DesChamps. lie reached his appointed post early in Novem-
ber, but was allowed by the agent to proceed down the river to
St. Louis, where he met his father and brother, who were on their
way to Arkansas. On the trip he saw no white men, except
members of his own party, until he reached Portage de Sioux,
about eighteen miles above St Louis, then a town of =ome six
hundred inhabitants. About the middle of November he returned
to Bebeau's trading-post, where he remained performing his clerical
duties until spring. At that time, the trade with the Indians
being over, he returned bv the same weary route, in the same bat-
teaux, now laden with furs, and manned by many of his com-
panions and voyageurs of the downward trip, to Mackinac, the
headquarters of the American Fur Company. From that time till
1823, his duties during the summer months spent at Mackinac
were to assist Mr. Matthews, who had charge of that department,
in receiving, assorting and packing the furs and peltries of the
American Fur Company, and shipping them to New York. John
Jacob Astor of that city being the president of the company. He
made trips to the interior every winter, returning to Mackinac each
summer. During the winter of 1S10.-20, he was in charge of a trad-
-post at the mouth of Muskegon River. The following winter

\alamazoo,
Chicago on his way
to Crooked Creek, a tributary of the Illinois River, skirting the
northern boundary of what is now Brown County, and emptying
into the river a few miles below the present town of Beardstown.
He spent the succeeding three winters in charge of the business
of the company at Iroquois.

On his second visit to Chicago he found the same inhabitants
outside the fort as at his former visit, viz.: John Kinzie and
family, and Antoine Ouilmette, his Indian wife and half-breed
children. F'rom that time he became identified with the history
of Chicago, although he did not become a permanent resident
until many years after. For the four succeeding years he passed
through the region now known as Chicago, and then as a geo-
graphical point called Fort Dearborn, many times each year.
His supplies were all brought by water navigation to that point,
and nearly all his furs were shipped from there. Chicago
was the objective point of the Indian trade during those years,
ind voung Hubbard, then the most active and vigorous agent of
the company, became known to every man, woman and child at
the fort. Subsequent to 1822. no person lived about the mouth of

y ^ ing-post at the mouth of Muskegon River. The followi

s S/~rfr-/y j ^Y ne sPent i" charge of a post near the present site of K

^C^V is C^^l^-\^ M!ch_ ]n the ]ate fal, of lg2I he m visited Chicago c

CHICAGO FROM 1816 to i8*o.

Chicago River who did not know this young, brave, and vigorous
fur-trader.

Mr. Hubbard remained in the employ of the American Fur
Company two years beyond the term for which he was bound —
seven years in all — during which time he had accumulated some
wealth, and had acquired what was better, the entire confidence of
every man connected with the trade of the Northwest, both Ameri-
can and Indian. Mis wages, as has been stated, were, during the
five years of his indenture only nominal — $120 per year* — but, for
the succeeding two years, while he remained in the employ of the
company, he received $1,300 per year and was, during the last year
of his engagement a special partner. He severed his connection with
the American Fur Company in the spring of r827. During the last
year of his engagement, he, at his own solicitation, was allowed to
open up an inland trade, on the Iroquois, his station being at the
site of the present town of Watseca. While there he laid his plans,
afterwards carried out, for an immense trade all along the line of
what afterwards became famous as Hubbard's trail.

During the period of Mr. Hubbard's engagement with the
American Fur Company, he made twenty-six voyages to and from
his interior posts and via Chicago, to the headquarters at Macki-
nac. In 1S27, having purchased of the company its franchises
and good-will, he commenced business for himself. He no longer
confined his trade to the water-ways as had been formerly done,
but, scuttling his boats for safety within the South Branch of the
Chicago River, he fitted out what at that time might be termed a
most formidable caravan, consisting of nearly fifty heavily-laden
ponies, which h. had bought of the Pottawatomie chief Big Foot at
his village fifty miles away, at the head of what is now known as
Geneva Lake, Wisconsin. With this outfit he moved south toward
the Wabash River, and established trading-posts all along the line,
nearly to the mouth of the Wabash, at intervals of thirty to fifty
miles. The trail thus first marked out by Hubbard's caravan, and
for years after traveled between his trading posts, became famil-
iarly known as " Hubbard's trail," andwasfor fifteen years the only
well known and constantly traveled road between Chicago and the
Wabash country. Danville, now the shiretown of Vermillion County,
was the principal inland depot of supplies, and there Mr. Hubbard
made his home for several years, although his business kept him mostly
on the trail between his various posts. Thus it happened that, al-
though not at the time a resident of Chicago, he was present at the
partial burning of the fort in 1827; and, during the " Winnebago
scare " which succeeded, made his memorable ride from Chicago to
the Wabash country for help, the particulars of which are related
elsewhere.

As the settlements increased along the line of trading-posts
established, the Indian trade gradually languished, and, one after
another, Mr. Hubbard abandoned them on the south, until, after
the extinction of the Indian title in 1833, and the certainty that
his Indian customers would leave the country within two years, he
abandoned the trade altogether, and became a permanent resident
of Chicago, transferring his wonderful energy to his new home.
This occurred in 1834. The intimate connection of Mr. Hubbard
with the history of Chicago since that date is apparent on nearly
every page, and in nearly every topic. It is unnecessary to repeat.
He stands prominent as one of the foremost merchants for the
succeeding twenty years, during which period, besides carrying on
one of the largest shipping, commission, packing, and forwarding
trades in the city, he held nearly every office of trust and honor
that his fellow-citizens could thrust upon him. It may be said
here that he never violated any trust bestowed, and, in his old age,
he lives among the scenes of his active and useful life, with a
character above reproach and a reputation untarnished by the busi-
ness vicissitudes of half a century.

In the spring of 1831 Mr. Hubbard married Elenora Berry,
daughter of Judge Elisha Berry, of Urbana, Ohio. They had one
child, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Jr., who was born in Chicago, February
22, 1S3S, and is now (18S3), an honored citizen of the town where
he was born. Mrs. Hubbard died February 28, 1838.

In 1S43 Mr. Hubbard married Miss Mary Ann Hubbard,
daughter of Alhira Hubbard, Chicago, who, with her honored hus-
band still lives after forty years of married life, the worthy wife of
the oldest and one of the worthiest of Chicago's citizens.

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

Prior to 1830 there was no town of Chicago. The
region round-about, and the embryo settlement out-
side Fort Dearborn, had been known by that name,

*Mr. Hubbard's father died in 1819. Out of the very moderate pittance of
$120 per year, during the years of his indenture, he set apart for his widowed
mother one-half of his earnings. A letter from the ageift, January 26, 1821, to
his mother, then at Middleton, Conn., speaks in the highest terms of her faithful
son, and notes the inclosure to her of $75, which he had set apart for her before
leaving for his winter trip.

which had been applied since the time of the early
French explorations quite indiscriminately to the Des-
plaines River, to all the marshy district lying about its
source, and extending to and embracing the site of the
present city.*

The canal commissioners f appointed by the Legis-
lature of 1829 were empowered to " locate the canal,
to lay out towns, to sell lots, and to apply the proceeds
to the construction of the canal." The members of this
board were Dr. Jayne of Springfield, Edmund Roberts
of Raskaskia, and Charles Dunn. These commissioners
were the official fathers of the city. They employed James
Thompson to survey and plat the town of Chicago on
Section 9, Township 39, Range 14. The completion of
this survey, and the filing of the plat bearing date
August 4, 1830, marks the date of the geographical
location of the town, now the great city of Chicago.

The part of Section 9, platted as above, was bounded
as follows: Commencing at the corner of Madison and
State streets, on the south by Madison Street to its in-
tersection with Desplaines; on the west by Desplaines;
on the north by Rinzie; and on the east by State Street.
It embraced the little settlement at Wolf Point and the
lower village on the South Side, and comprised an area
of about three-eighths of a square mile.

The population of the new town and suburbs, out-
side the fort (where two companies of United States
infantry, under command of Major Fowle, were
stationed', numbered, including the white families, half-
breeds, and three or four French traders, not to exceed
a hundred. Colbert's Chicago pp. 5 and 6), gives the
following regarding the residents of Chicago in 1829
and 1830.

" In 1S29, the residents of the town besides the garrison were
the following: John Kinzie, \ residing on the North Branch; Dr.
Wolcott, Indian Agent, and son-in-law to Mr. Kinzie, residing
near the site of the present Galena freight depot, just east of Clark
Street (he died in the fall of 1830) ; John Miller, keeper of a log
tavern, near the forks of the river, at Wolf Point, North Side;
John B. Beaubien, residing near the lake shore, a little south of the
fort; three or four Indian traders whose names have not been pre-
served, residing in log cabins west of the river."

The more elaborate "directory," given by the same
author at the date of the finishing of Thompson's plat
of the town, shows considerable increase of the resident
population, or that the " census " of the previous year
was imperfectly taken. It reads as follows:

"At this time (August 4, 1830,) the commercial strength of
Chicago was composed and located as follows:

"Taverns — Elijah Wentworth, north side of the river, near the
fork; Samuel Miller, west side of the river, just north of the fork;
Mark Beaubien, east side of the river, just south of the fork.§

"Indian Traders — Robert A. Kinzie, near Wentworth's
tavern; Mr. Bourisso (Leon Bourassea), just south of Beaubien's

* The earlier maps do not designate the present Chicago River by that
name, although many of them mark the region about the mouth of the present
Chicago, as "Chicagou," while on the same map the river Desplaines was
designated as the Chicagou River. It was also recognized as a locality under
the name of Chicago in the official records of Fulton County, then embracing
the present county of Cook. Concerning this, Hon. John Wentworth in a his-
toric lecture published in Fergus's Historical Series, No. 7, says : "From St.
Clair County, what is now Cook County was set off in the new county of
Madison; thence in the county of Crawford; in 1819, in the new county of
Clark; and so little was then known of the northern country that the act creat-
ing Clark County extended it to the Canada line. In 1821 we were set off in
the new county of Pike; in 1823, in the new county of Fulton; and in 1825, in
the new county of Peoria. I have not only caused the county records of these
counties to be examined, but have also corresponded with their earliest settlers,
and I can find no official recognition of Chicago until we reach Fulton County.
The Clerk of that county writes me that the earliest mention of Chicago m the
records is the order of an election at the term of the Fulton County Commis-
sioners Court, September 2, 1823, to choose one major and company officers,
polls at Chicago to be opened at the house of John Kinzie. The returns of
this election cannot be found, if they were ever made." Chicago was also a
voting precinct of Peoria County, an election being held there as early as
August 7, 1826.

t For a full account of the development of the canal project, and the prog-

ess of the work to the time of its completit
vhich appears elsewhere in this volume.

t John Kinzie died Januarv 6, 1828.

§ Wentworth's tavern was on the West Side, and Mille

'Canal, '

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

tavern: Log Cabin, near foot of North Dearborn Street: J, B.
Beaubien. present site of Illinois Central depot.

"Butchers — Archibald Clybourne.* North Branch.

"Merchants — George W. Dole.-f

"lames Kin.-ie and family. William See and family, and Alex-
ander Robinson and family, resided near Wentworth's tavern. The
old Kin/ie house, on the north side of the river and opposite the fort,
was then unoccupied and in a dilapidated state. The Government
agency-house, known as 'Cobweb Castle,' was left unoccupied by
the death of Dr. Wolcott. In its vicinity were small log buildings
occupied by the blacksmith, Mr. McKee, and Billy Caldwell, an
Indian chief, who was also interpreter for the agency. At this
time, or soon after. G. Kereheval and Dr. E. Harmon and James
Harrington had arrived, and were making claims on the lake shore
in the succeeding spring."

List of voters at an election held at Chicago August 2,
1S30:*

1. Stephen J. Scott, Chicago.

2. John B. Beaubien, Chicago.

3. Leon Bourassea, Chicago.

4. B. H. Laughton, six miles southwest (now Riverside).

5. Jesse Walker, J Methodist minister, Plainfield, 111., Fox

River.

6. Medore B. Beaubien, Chicago; now (1883) lives at Silver

Lake, Kan.

7. Jean Baptiste Chevalier, Chicago.

S. James Kinzie, Chicago ; see sketch of Kinzie family,
g. Russel E. Heacock, Chicago ; see his biography.

10. James Brown, unknown.

11. Joseph Laframboise, Chicago; Indian chief by marriage.

NOSNOMe'a andWai

1 — 1

1

£ -

THOMPSON S PLAT.

The poll-book used at an election held at the
Chicago precinct of Peoria County, at the house of
James Kinzie. August 2, 1830, gives additional informa-
tion as to the inhabitants of Chicago and the surrounding
country, embraced within the precinct of that time. The
public are indebted to the Hon. John Wentworth for its
publication. It appears in his lecture published in
Fergus's Historical Series, Xo. 7, p. 16. The list em-
braces the names of thirty-two voters, some of whom
were not residents of Chicago, although living within
the limit of the precinct t and sufficiently near to at-
tend the election. The list is given below, with resi-
dence so far as can be ascertained.

• Clyhournr'« phu .- might h>- said to be a] hi outside the limits, it being

on the west tide of the North Brant b, near . Wolf Point, He

was, however, the botcher not only for the garrison but for the citizens, and
might thus be counted in. Besides the wife and children of Archibald, his

family included his father J. mas. an. I a half-brother, |..l,i, K. ( lark.

• The name of George W. Dole is erroneously inserted in the above list.

■ arrive until Ma; thor, p. 5.

: I • limits of the pri , ,.,.d all that part of

leDu Pa. I'i < f , .-. !i . H . mpl . - it ... ., I , , .,
into the Desplaint
although not extending to its present western

12. John L. Davis, Chicago ; Welch tailor, afterward went fa

Milwaukee ; lived there in 1882.

13. William See. Chicago ; minister and blacksmith. See

biography.

14. John Van Horn, unknown.

15. John Mann, unknown.

16. David Van Eaton, unknown.

17. Stephen Mack, Chicago ; clerk of American I'm Company.

18. Jonathan N. Bailey, Chicago (first Postmasterl ; lived in

part of old Kinzie house.

19. Alexander McDale, unknown.

20. John S. C. Hogan, Chicago.

21. David McKee, Chicago ; blacksmith Born in 1S00; moved

to Aurora, 111.

22. Billy Caldwell, Chicago.

23. Joseph Thibeant, Chicago.

* Two other poll lists have been published (see appendix to second historic
lecture of Hon. John Wentworth, Fergus's Historical Series, No. 7, pp. 54, 55)
One is of the voters at a special election for Justice of the Peace at the Chicago
precinct, of Peoria County, at the house of John Kinzie on Saturday, July 24.
1830, which contains fifty-six names; the other is for a special election at John
Kinzie's house for Justice of the Peace, for Peoria County, November 25, 1830.
on which twenty-six names appear. At the latter election Stephen Forbes was
elected, receiving eighteen voles, against eight votes cast for Rev. William See
The full particulars .,f th.se earlv elections are recorded in the article on politia
in this volume.

nissionary work from Peoria to Chicago (Hurlbut, p
1832 t Hurlbut, p. 502, note.)

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TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH

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TOWNSHIP 40 NORTt

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CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

U3

H4

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

24. Peter Frique. Chicago.
»5_ Mark Beaubien, Chicago.

26. Laurant Martin. Chicago.

27. Jean Baptiste Secor, unknown.
2?. Joseph Bauskey. unknown.

29. Michael Welch, Chicago.

30. Francis Ladusier, Chicago ; single, died at Archibald Cly-

bourne's.

31. Lewis Ganday, unknown.

3a. Peresh Leclerc, Chicago ; Indian interpreter.

The French names are mostly of Indian traders who
ever followed the Indian tribes with whom they had be-
come allied, first in the interest of their trade, and later
from family or tribal relations which had come from
intermarriage. Most of them had Indian wives.

A few not shown in the foregoing list were, at that
date, living in Chicago. Among them was Stephen
Forbes, who taught a private school in what was known
as the " Dean house " during the spring months of
1S30. He went to Ohio during the summer of that
year, returned with a wife in September, and they to-
gether re-opened his private school. The following
sketch of the Forbes family is taken from Hurlbut's
" Chicago Antiquities : "

"Stephen Forbes was born in Wilmington, Vt., 26th July,
1797 : his parents were John and Anna (Sawyer) Forbes. He
married in Xewburgh, Ohio, 25th March, 1830, Elvira (born in
Moncton, Vt., 30th November, 1S06), daughter of Noble and
Aurilla (Booth) Bates. Mr. Forbes first came to Chicago in the
summer of 1S29, and returned to Ohio the ensuing fall ; came
back to Chicago in the spring of 1830, and taught school three
months, and then went to Ohio again, and returned here with Mrs.
Forbes in the month of September, of that year. They lived in the
Dean house, so called, just by the outlet of the river. The boats,
which unloaded the vessels, turned in there just by this house. The
house was a block or timber-built one, being of logs hewed on two
sides, with two main rooms, with an addition of one room. The
school was kept in this house, Mrs. Forbes and her class occupy-
ing one room, and Mr. F. and the boys the other. Of the chil-
dren of this school, a boy and girl came from the garrison; the girl,
whose name was Julia Shuttleworth, was the daughter of an En-
glishman, a soldier in the fort. The other scholars were mostly
French or half-breeds. Late in 1S31, Mr. F. removed to where
Riverside is now, or near there, where the Laughtons lived, but
returned to Chicago in 1832, in consequence of the Indian troubles.
David and Bernardus H. Laughton were Indian traders, and a
few years before had a store at Hardscrabble, on the Chicago
South Branch. The wife of the last-named gentleman was a sister
of Mrs. Forbes. Mr. Forbes returned to live at Laughton's, and
when both those gentlemen died within a few weeks of each other;
he helped to bury them. Mr. F. was the first Sheriff of Cook
County elected by the people, 1832. These items, with others,
we received from Sir. F. at an interview on his eighty-first birth-
day, July 26, 1878. The above portraits were copied from photo-
graphs taken about 1S6S ; the autograph signature of Mr. F. is
the same as the one which accompanies his letter ; that of Mrs. F.
was written in her seventy-second year. Mr. F. had a paralytic
attack some years since, but continued to walk out frequently in
pleasant weather. He died suddenly of apoplexy, in Chicago, at
the house of his son-in-law, Nathan S. Peck, on Tuesday evening,
nth February, 1879."

Religious Germs. — As a whole, the Chicago of
1831 could not have been considered a pious town.*
There was no church edifice, and outside the fort, with
the exceptions of the ministrations of the Jesuit
priests among the Indians, and the visits of McCoy,
Scarrett, and Walker on the part of Protest-
ant missions, it does not appear that the
preaching of the gospel had been an el-
ement in the life of the town. Wil-
liam See, a Methodist exhorter, occa-
sionally essayed to preach. He was a
blacksmith, and worked for Mr. McKee. Mrs. Kin-
zie heard him preach in the spring of [831. He
preached in what she termed the "little school-house"
at Wolf Point. It does not appear, however, that his
ministrations were rewarded with a religious awakening

* See Religious History.

sufficient to result in an organization of the few devout
persons who heard him preach. He was a man of unblem-
ished character, and, as a faithful servant of his Master,
did what he could to prepare the way for the more effi-
cient, though not more meritorious, work done by his
immediate successors, with whom he continued to co-op-
erate in religious labor after their arrival. He is entitled
to the distinction of being the first ordained resident
preacher of the modern Chicago. " Chicago Mission "
was designated in 1831 as a point in the Sangamon
District of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the
Rev. Jesse Walker, then living at Plainfield, forty miles
distant, was appointed to the charge. He paid his first
visit after his appointment in- company with Rev.
Stephen R. Beggs. Mr. Beggs held his first meeting in
Dr. Harmon's room, in the fort, on the evening of June
15, 1831. On the following day he preached in the log
school-house at Wolf Point, where William See had
occasionally preached before. The meeting resulted in
the formation at that time of a Methodist class, and
the permanent establishment of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church in Chicago. The venerable pioneer of Meth-
odism, Mr. Beggs, in an address before the Calumet
Club in Chicago, May 27, 1879, forty-eight years after,
spoke of the formation of the class and its members
as follows :

" My next ( second ) service was in the log school-house north
of what is now Washington Street, on the first block west of the

Wl

y^u^^M»^^xr

river, upon or near what is now Canal Street, and near Wolf Point.
I invited all to come forward who wished to enroll themselves in
the Methodist Church. Ten responded. Among them were:
William See, who was made class-leader, who moved to Racine,
Wis., and died there ;* Elijah Wentworth, Jr., the first Coroner of
* Hurlbut— see "Antiquities." p 373— states that See died in Iowa County,

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

"5

Cook County, who died at Galesburg, 111., on the iSth of November,
1875 ; his mother, Lucy (Walker) Wentworth, who died at Chi-
cago, of cholera, July, 22, 1849, and his two sisters, Mrs. Charles
Sweet, now of St. Joseph, Mich., and Mrs. Elijah Estes, of
Milwaukee, Wis., whose daughter is now the wife of Rev.
Isaac Lineburger, at Dixon, in this State. This same log school-
house afterwards served as chapel and parsonage for the itinerant
clergyman. Here were his kitchen and parlor. At the Methodist
Conference held at Indianapolis the 4th of October, 1S31, I was ap-
pointed to Chicago, and held my first quarterly meeting in January,
1S32, being the first ever held here, and there was also the first Meth-
odist communion service. T. B. Clark, of Plainfield, carried pro-
visions on an ox-sled to sustain the people through the quarterly
meeting."

Mrs. Zebiah (Wentworth) Estes is still living (1883)
at Bay View, near Milwaukee, and is believed to be the
only surviving member of the class. Her sister, Mrs.
Susan (Wentworth J Sweet, died at St. Joseph, Mich.,
March 25, 1882.

No other efforts to establish stated religious services
in Chicago were made until the following year. As
auxiliary to the religious movement above mentioned,
weekly prayer meetings were begun in the fall, at the
house of Mark Noble, Sen. (the old Kinzie house). Mr.
Noble, his two daughters, and Mrs. R. J. Hamilton, all
Methodists, were the originators and zealous supporters
of this first Christian prayer meeting of Chicago.

The first Post-office was established at the town
of Chicago in the spring of 1831, and Jonathan N.
Bailey appointed Postmaster. He was, at that time,
living in the old Kinzie house, opposite the fort. It is
probable that the mails were first opened and distrib-
uted at his dwelling. The mail facilities at the time the
post-office was established were not of the best. There
were no post-roads. The mail was received once in
two weeks from Niles, that being the nearest distribut-
ing post-office.

The village did not grow rapidly during the first year
after the survey was made. A few men came in to swell
the permanent population, but not sufficient to give it any
decided certainty of being the leading city of the West.
The sale of lots by the land commissioners was made
largely to speculators or to the few residents who took
a local interest in the embryo town. The prices real-
ized were by no means extravagant when compared
with those of to-day. As showing the first market value
of city lots in Chicago, the following partial list of pur-
chasers of 1830, and the prices paid or promised to be
paid, is given :

PARTIAL LIST OF PURCHASES OF CANAL LOTS AND LAND SUR-
VEYED AND BROUGHT INTO .MARKET IN 1830.

■ Name.

Description.

Price, Etc

J. B. Beaubien -

Lots 1 and 2, block 17

$100

Mark Beaubien

Lots 3 and 4, block 31

102

William Belcher

Lots 5 and 6, block 29

109

Wilson A. Bell

Lots 4 and 5, block 34

48

Lvon Bourissa — —

Lots 1 and 2, block 44

114

Archibald Clybourne,

Lots 4 and 5, block 5

42

John Evans

.Lot 5, block 33

21

Clement A. Finley

Lots 5 and 6, block 31

101

50

Also 80 acres west half of

northeast quarter Section

1-55 per

(9?)-- ---- •-

acre

John S. C. Hogan. ..

Lots 1, 2, 5 and 6, block- .

116

Lot 7, block 8

Gurdon S. Hubbard..

Lots 1 and 2, block 19

75

William Jewell __

Lots 5 and 6, block 28

21

Benjamin Kercheval-.

So acres, west half of north-

1.25 per
acre

Edward Keyes

Lots 5 and 6, block 8

47

Name.

Description.

Price, Etc-

Paul Kingston

fames Kinzie.

John II. Kinzie .
William Lee (See ?) ..
Stephen Mack

Lot 7, block 20

Lots 5, 6, 7 and 8, block..

27

76 for 4 lots

37

64

130
100

Lots 3, 4 and 5, block 23 . .
Lots 7 and 8, block, 43 ..

Peter Menard, Jr

Lots 4, block 29

George M iller

Samuel Miller _.

Jonathan H. Pugh

Lots 5 and 6, block 36

Lots 3, 4, 5 and 6, block
M -

63
no

24

45
138
42

Alexander Robeson..
Thomas Ryan

Lots ; and 2, block 29

Lot 2, block 14

[ohn Wellmaker

John P. Wilburn ....
Alexander Wolcott

Jedediah Woolsey, Jr.

Lots 1 and 2, block 14

54
60

Eight lots in block 1, also
east half of northeast
quarter, Section 9, Town
39, Range 14, 80 acres. -

Lot 9, block 44

i.f>2'/i per
acre
50

The changes in the resident population during 1831'
mentioned by the early chroniclers, were as follows :

The troops in garrison were removed in June to
Green Bay, and the Government property left in charge
of Indian Agent Colonel T. J. V. Owen, assisted by his
brother-in-law, Gholson Kercheval.

Among those who became citizens of the town were :
Colonel R. J. Hamilton, who came April 9 ; George W.
Dole, May 4 ; P. F. W. Peck, who brought with him a
small stock of goods in the schooner " Telegraph,"
which arrived in July ; Rev. Stephen R. Beggs, June,
1 83 1 ; R. N. Murray, July, 1831 ; J. W. Pool, October,
1 83 1 ; Mark Noble and family, August, 1831 ; Dr.
Elijah D. Harmon, who came in 1 831, as appears in
Mrs. Kinzie's " Waubun," p. 205. He lived in the fort,
but is entitled to a place among the early settlers of
Chicago. Of him Mrs. Kinzie wrote :

" When we chose the path across the prairie toward the south,
we generally passed a newcomer, Dr. Harmon, superintending the
construction of a sod fence, at a spot he had chosen, near the shore
of the lake. In this inclosure, as the season advanced, he occu-
pied himself in planting fruit stones of all descriptions, to make
ready a garden and orchard for future enjoyment. We usually
stopped to have a little chat. The two favorite schemes of the
Doctor were horticulture and the certain future importance of
Chicago."

The accounts are quite unanimous in the statement
that many emigrants were temporary sojourners in the
fort, and the buildings surrounding, during the summer
and fall, but it does not appear that many of them
remained permanently. Most of them went beyond to
the Fox and Rock River countries and made settlements
there.

Colbert, p. 5, states : " The same vessel (the ' Tele-
graph ' brought a number of families who, however, did
not settle here. Emigration set in largely in the fall,
and by September the fort was filled with emigrant
families, the occupants numbering some four hundred
souls."

Governor Bross, " History of Chicago," p. 18, says:

" The ' Telegraph,' which arrived in July, and the 'Maren-
go,' were the only arrivals during the season, except the one that
transported the troops to Green Bay.* The principal part of the
population of Chicago during the winter of 1831-32 occupied the
quarters in the garrison, and were ministered to, in the way of
creature comforts, by our estimable citizen George W. Dole, who
was the only merchant then in Chicago, except Mr. R. A. Kinzie,
at Wolf Point."

* The " Napoleon," Captain Hinckley,

n6

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Mr. Colbert chronicles the arrival of P F. W. Peck
on the " Telegraph," " with a small stock of goods,"
and states that " he built a small log store near the fort,"
thus making an important addition to the trade of Chi-
cago. If the statement is correct. Mr. Peck doubtless
took his share of the trade with Messrs. Kinzie and
Dole.*

There is no mention of any building being done
during the year, except the store of Peck, before men-
tioned.

Chicago becomes a County Seat. — The act
creating Cook County was passed by the General As-
sembly of Illinois, and approved January 15, 1831. By
the same act the town of Chicago was made the county
seat. Section 1 of the act read as follows:

" He it enacted by the people of the Slate of Illinois, repre-
sented in the General Assembly, That all that tract of country, to
wit: commencing at the boundary line between the states of Indiana,
Illinois, at the dividing line between towns thirty-three and thirty-
four, north; thence west to the southwest corner of townthirtv-four
north, of range nine, east; then due north to the northern boundary
line of the State; thence east with said line to the northeast corner
of the State; thence southwardly with the line of the State to the
place of beginning, — shall constitute a county to be called Cook, f
and the county seat thereof is hereby declared to be permanently
established at the town of Chicago, as the same has been laid out
and defined by the land commissioners."

Section S directs that an election beheld "at Chi-
cago, in Cook County, on the first Monday in March
next, for one sheriff, one coroner, and three county com-
missioners. "

Section 10 locates the public buildings at Chicago
'• on the public square, as laid off by the Canal Com-
missioners, on the south side of the Chicago River," and
in the succeeding section the County Commissioners
were authorized " to sell the same whenever they may
think it best, and apply the proceeds thereof to the erec-
tion of a court-house and jail."

Section 13 established a ferry at the "seat of justice."
The County Commissioners were without delay to pro-
vide a suitable boat, or other water craft, and hire a ferry-
man at their discretion as to terms. The ferry was to
be free to the inhabitants of the county; others to be
ferried at such rates as should be reasonable and just.

In March, 183 1, Cook County was organized. It
then embraced, besides its present limits, all of what
are now the counties of Lake, McHenry, DuPage, and
Will. The only voting place in the county was Chi-
cago, at the first election. No general election was
held until the following year, before which time the
county had been divided into three precincts. The
tir^t 1 ommissioners were Samuel Miller, Gholson Kerche-
val, and James Walker, who, on March 8, held their
first court in Chicago, and took the oath of office be-
fore Justice of the Peace J. S. C. Hogan. William See
was appointed Clerk and Archibald Clybourne, Treas-
urer. With the exception of Walker, who lived on the
DuPage River, the governing power of Cook County
sted in residents of Chicago. During the first
■ >f the court, which lasted two days, the follow-
ing proceedings were made matter of record:

" An order was pa 1 thai the southwestern fraction of Sec-
tion 10. Township i). Range 14, east, be entered for county pur-
poses. The Treasurer was authorized to borrow one hundred
dollars with which to make the entry, at a rate of interest not to
( p<r cent. Jesse Walker was appointed as agent to enter
the land in behalf oi the county. \

• Robert A. Kinzie, Samuel Miller, Alexander Robinson, John B. P.eau-
bien, Mai and Mark Beaubien had all b.-.n lion.,, d to sell goods

at this time. Perhaps the five last mentioned traded exclusively with Indians.
honorol rion. Daniel H.F.Cook, who as a mem-
ber of Congress, had been chiefly instrumental in procuring the passage of the
canal bill and land grant of 1827.

t The project failed Mr. Walker at a subsequent meeting (June 6) re-
ported that be had been refused permission to make the entry, and returned the
money.

" Jedediah Wooley was nominated for appointment by the Gov-
ernor as County Surveyor.

" Three voting precincts were established and their boundaries
defined, designated as the Chicago precinct, the Hickory Creek
precinct and the DuPage precinct.

" Grand and petit jurors were selected, and other unimportant
business transacted after which, as was recorded, ' the court ad-
journed until court in course. '"

April 13. 1831, a special term of the Court of
County Commissioners was held in Chicago — present,
Samuel Miller and Gholson Kercheval, the two Chicago
members. At this session considerable business was
transacted relating especially to the history of Chicago.
It was ordered that a tax of one-half per cent be
levied on the following description of property, to wit:
" On town lots; on pleasure carriages; on distilleries;
on all horses, mules, and neat cattle above the age of
three years; on watches, with their appurtenances; and
on all clocks."

The first two tavern licenses were granted by Cook
County to Chicago landlords — Elijah Wentworth, for
$7, and Samuel Miller, for $5.

Following the granting of these licenses, the records
show that it was —

Ordered that the following rates* be allowed to tavern keep-
ers to wit:

Each half pint of wine, rum, or brandy $.25

Each pint do 37^

Each half pint of gin 185^

Each pint do 31X

Each gill of whisky <&%

Each half pint do 12^

Each pint do ^H

For each breakfast and supper 25

For each dinner 2/1%

For each horse fed 25

Keeping horse one night 50

Lodging for each man per night 12^

For cider or beer, one pint °6/^

For cider or beer, one quart 12^

During the same session, Russel E. Heacock was
licensed " to keep a tavern at his residence,"! and Rob-
ert A. Kinzie, Samuel Miller, and B. Laughton,J were
licensed to sell merchandise. James Kinzie was duly
licensed as an auctioneer.

Action was had for the establishment of a ferry
across the branches of the Chicago River at the forks.
The people of Cook County, " with their traveling ap-
ratus," were to be passed free ; all others were to be
charged for ferriage as per a schedule of rates then
adopted. Whoever should be appointed ferryman would
be required to file a bond in the sum of $200 for the
faithful performance of his duty, and to pay into the
county treasury the- sum of $50. A ferry scow was
purchased of Samuel Miller for $65. At the next term
of court [June 6, 1831) Mark Beaubien was duly ap-
pointed ferryman of Chicago, having filed the required
bond, with James Kinzie as surety, and entered into an
agreement to pay into the county treasury the required
sum of $50.

The Clerk, being empowered to do certain acts
necessary to keep the wheels of government in motion,
during the vacation of the court, granted permits to
sell goods to Alexander Robinson, John B. Beaubien,
and Madore B. Beaubien.

The second regular session of the Court was held
June 6.

* At that time dimes and half dimes were not in circulation, and the com-
putation of all small transactions, involving less than one dollar, was based on
the Spanish coin, valued at 13^ cents, known in New York as the "York shil-
ling,' and in New England as a " nine pence."

t Mr. Heacock, who had been licensed by Peoria County, June 3, 1830,
lived up the South Branch some five miles from the present court-house. His
place was known as Heacock's Point — his claim was on Section 32, Township
39, Range 14

\ Barney H. l.aughton kept his store at what is now Riverside, some miles
southwest of the village. One authority says " three miles up the South

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

117

At that session Mark Beaubien, O. Newberry,* and
Joseph Leflenboys were licensed to sell goods in
Cook County. Subsequent records show that, during
1 83 1, in addition to those before mentioned, merchants'
licenses were granted to Brewster, Hogan & Co., Peck,
Walker & Co., Joseph Naper, and Nicholas Boliveu.

First County Roads. — The initiatory steps were
taken during this session for the establishment of two
country roads. The first was to be located " from the
town of Chicago to the house of B. Lawton, from
thence to the house of James Walker, on the DuPage
River, and so on to the west line of the county." The
viewers appointed were Elijah Wentworth, R. E. Hea-
cock, and Timothy B. Clark. The second was to run
" from the town of Chicago, the nearest and best way to
the house of Widow Brown, on Hickory Creek." James
Kinzie, Archibald Clvbourne, and R. E. Heacock were
appointed viewers. These two highways were intended
to open communication with the southern and western
parts of the county, and between the voting places in
the three precincts established. The projected road to
Widow Brown's was laid out from the town of Chicago
on what is now State Street and Archer Avenue.
The DuPage road ran essentially on the line of Madi-
son Street to Ogden Avenue, thence on said avenue
to Lawton's, near what is now Riverside.

The first report of the viewers of the last-named
road does not appear to have been satisfactory to the
court as the record says : " the report is rejected and
the viewers shall have no pay for their services." The
court perhaps transcended its authority in thus cutting
off the pay of the derelict viewers, but, as there is no
record to the contrary, it is believed that the punish-
ment was meekly borne by the luckless trio, and that no
attempts were made on their part to obtain redress.
Thus early in history did the county fathers frown upon
undesirable practices in the civil service, whether cor-
rupt or otherwise. Slight lapses from the inflexible
integrity of the early court have since occurred, and
the practice of depriving officials of the emoluments of
office when under clouds of suspicion has long ago
fallen into disuse.

First Public Land Sale. — The Canal Commis-
sioners deeded Cook County a tract of ten acres
including what is now the court-house square.

It was decided by the commissioners to sell off by
public auction a part of the land. The sale occurred
July 1831, James Kinzie being the auctioneer. The
county records show that the rate of commissions al-
lowed him were two and one-half per cent for the first
$200, and one per cent for all over that sum. For his
services he received a county order for the sum of
$14.53-^. Computing from the amount of the auc-
tioneer's commissions, it would appear that the gross
amount of sales was $1,153.75.

An Indian Payment. — The last occurrence wor-
thy of note in the annals of Chicago for the year
1 83 1, was the gathering of nearly 4,000 Indians to
receive their annuities, which were disbursed by Colonel
Owen, assisted by Kinzie and Gholson Kercheval.
The payment occurred during the latter part of Sep-
tember, and was the occasion of no little anxiety on
the part of the whites, as it was known that there were
emissaries from the Sacs of Black Hawk's band, who
had but recently reluctantly moved to the western
banks of the Mississippi, attempting to incite the tribes
gathered to make common cause with them against the
whites, and to inaugurate a general war for the exter-
mination of the settlers and the repossession of their

* Oliver Newberrv was then a merchant of Detroit,

old hunting grounds. It was known that the counsels
of the Pottawatomies were far from unanimous for
peace. Black Foot, leader of a powerful band, having
his home at the head of Big Foot, now Geneva Lake,
was ready to put on his war paint, as were most of his
braves. His influence was, however, not sufficient,
against the strenuous opposition of Billy Caldwell
(Sauganash) who was the stanch friend of the whites,
to carry the tribe into the proposed warlike alliance; and
much to the relief of the whites the plot fell through,
and the payment ended in a bloodless orgie of drunk-
enness, after which the various tribes returned to their
villages, some evincing surly disappointment that blood
had been averted. The sentiment of the tribes as a
whole was not reassuring for a lasting peace. Although,
through the firmness of Colonel Owen and the influence
of the friendly chiefs, no hostile alliance had been
effected, it was quite generally believed that in case of
any attempt on the part of the Sacs to repossess their
lands about Rock Island, the Pottawatomies would at
best be only neutral as a tribe, while Big Foot's band
might prove secret allies so far as to give aid and com-
fort to the enemy.

Early Amusements. — During the winter of 1831-32
the settlement, almost shut out from the outside world,
found amusement, pastime and profit within the nar-
row range of its own resources. There were dances at
Mark Beaubien's. A " debating society " was organ-
ized at the fort, J. B. Beaubien being the president. A
chronicler states that he presided with " much efficiency
and dignity." Although not very conversant with
Jefferson's Manual, he had no occasion to use it, as
every member was disposed to be orderly and behave
himself, and each and all seemed bound to contribute
as much as possible to the general sum of knowledge
and usefulness. Here Chicago oratory was first
fledged, and the ever-recurring questions of debate on
such occasions were for the first time debated, if not
settled, on the western shore of Lake Michigan.

Mark Noble and family, Mrs. Hamilton, the Went-
worths, Mr. See and wife, Rev. Stephen R. Beggs and
family and other religious souls, if such they were, held
weekly prayer meetings, either at Mr. Noble's house or
at the fort. Thus, the grave, the gay and the intellect-
ual found sources of enjoyment in this far-off hamlet
of the West. The monotony of the short winter days
was broken by an occasional scrub-race on the ice be-
tween one of Mark Beaubien's horses (he had two) and
any other that could be found to score with him. An
occasional wolf hunt within the present city limits also
helped to while away the time until the warm spring
should bring the expected arrival of more emigrants,
and the consequent renewal of business, which had been
quite brisk with passing emigrants till cold weather
set in.

An Unexpected Set Back. — The spring came, and
with it came rumors which blighted all hopes of a re-
newal of the tide of emigration early in the season.
They were to the effect that Black Hawk,* with his band,
although unsuccessful in his attempts at an alliance with
the Pottawatomies the fall before, had recrossed the
Mississippi in violation of his treaty, and with the ap-
parent intent of re-occupying his old village and the ter-
ritory along the Rock River which he had so recently
left. The alarming rumor was confirmed on the arrival
of Hon. Richard M. Young, at Fort Dearborn. He
was at that time one of the circuit judges of the State.
He was accompanied by Benjamin Mills, Esq., a lead-

* For fuller account concerning the Black Hawk War, see article on Fort
Dearborn and the Military History.

nS

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

ing member of the Illinois Bar, and Colonel Strode.
They had come from Galena, by way of Dixon, and re-
ported that the Indians at the latter point showed evi-
dent signs of their hostile intentions. Later arrivals
confirmed their statements. The aggressive march of
the band up the Rock River, their meeting with Still-
man's force, their subsequent breaking up into small
bands to prey upon the defenseless settlers, the massa-
cre at Indian Creek, and the general panic which en-
sued, has all been told elsewhere. The tidings of the
campaign as it progressed came daily to Chicago, and
created, as may well be imagined, a consternation and
excitement which overshadowed all other interests for
the time. The nearest, and in fact the only place of
refuge for the settlers on the Desplaines and vicinity,
was Fort Dearborn. The settlers were warned by Shaw-
bonee, a friendly Pottawatomie chief, through scouts
sent by him to the various settlements to inform them
of the impending danger.* By the last week of May
Fort Dearborn was a crowded caravansary of frightened
fugitives numbering more than five hundred persons.
The quarters were crowded, a single room often being
occupied by two families. As the fort overflowed, the
later comers made temporary homes in rude huts and
shanties hastily and rudely put together for the emer-
gency, from such materials as the place afforded. Noth-
; n g was thought of or talked of except the war and the dan-
ger that menaced the whites. Although no great fear was
entertained for the safety of those within the garrison from
Black Hawk's band, a vague fear, an undefinable dread
lest other tribes might, at any time, without warning,
take sides with the hostile band and join them in their
murderous raid, gave the settlers a continued anxiety,
known only to those who have experienced it. The
anxiety was increased by information given to Colonel
Owen by Billy Caldwell that the hostile chiefs were
still tampering with the Ottawa, Pottawatomie and
Chippewa Indians who belonged to the Chicago agency,
and who had thus far refused to make common cause
with them ; that the young men and some of the older
chiefs had become exasperated at the conduct of Still-
man's men in needlessly beginning the war, and had
gained courage, which gave them hope of success from
the subsequent victory of Black Hawk's warriors over
the whites who first fired on them. To if possible avert
the danger, an informal council was called of the chiefs
of the various bands having lodges nearest the fort.f
At this council Colonel Owen addressed the Indians.
He pointed out the absolute folly of any alliance with the
hostile tribe ; he showed them the certainty of ultimate
defeat, and the disastrous results to them which would
follow should they needlessly take up arms in a cause
not their own — a loss of their annuities, probably fol-
lowed by the destruction of their tribes or their forcible
removal to beyond the Mississippi. Big Foot addressed
the council, detailed the common grievances of the In-
dians, told of the many instances of injustice and faith-
lessness on the part of the Government which his tribe
had suffered, and gave it as his conviction that the
present was a favorable time to make common cause in
seeking with knife and tomahawk redress for their cum-
ulated wrongs. His speech was favorably received by
many of the young men, but the stanch opposition to
the foolhardy stroke for vengeance proposed by Big
Foot was made by both Robinson and Caldwell. Their
influence in the tribe, backed by their eloquence, to-
gether with the decided and fearless talk of Colonel

• Shawbonee wan an Ottawa by birth, and became a chief of a Pottawato-
mie band See hi* biography.

t The exact date of this council is not known— it was probably about

Owen, who represented the Government, decided the
council in favor of peace, much to the chagrin of Big
Foot and his immediate followers. Subsequent to this
council many of the Pottawatomies did good and faith-
ful service as spies and scouts, in watching and report-
ing the whereabouts of the enemy, and in protecting
the growing crops which the fleeing settlers had left
behind.

The few residents of Chicago labored to their ut-
most to feed and shelter the fugitives. Shelter, such
as it was, was provided once for all, but the food had
to be replenished daily. Archibald Clybourne, the only
butcher, found it impossible to furnish the meat for a
community suddenly increased five-fold beyond that
usually looking to him for supplies. He did his best,
but short rations on meat would have been declared,
had not theNoble boys ( John and Mark ) have driven
in their stock which they had been raising in the San-
gamon district — some one hundred and fifty head. Their
timely arrival averted a meat famine. An early chron-
icler says :

" In this emergency, it was fortunate that the Nobles had con-
cluded to go into stock-raising. Archibald Clybourne was the
Government butcher for the Pottawatomies, and used to do a little
in the same line for settlement, but he had no adequate supply for
the population that he now found suddenly on his hands,* and, as
soon as the one hundred and fifty head arrived from the south, the
Nobles turned butchers and fed the population and the troops
until the last steer had bit the dust."

The following extracts from a letter, written by
George W. Hoffman, a member of the company of
Michigan volunteers, gives some light on the subject :

" Detroit, 5th April, 1879.

1 ' My Dear Sister: I received your letter three or four days ago
and was real glad to hear from you, as I always am, and I should
have answered sooner but I have been looking out for our Adjutant-
General to get from him some dates relating to the Black Hawk
War, and only met him yesterday and was surprised to find that he
has nothing in his office relating to the subject.

" My recollection is that in May, 1832, there was received at
Niles a letter from Major Owen (Indian Agent at Chicago whose
name I cannot call to mind), calling for help on account of the ap-
proach towards Chicago of Black Hawk and his warriors, who were
killing and plundering all in the way of their march through Illi-
nois and Michigan to Canada, their destination. As northern Indi-
ana and southwestern Michigan were then but sparsely settled, there
was great fear and a panic among the farmers and in the small
villages along the supposed route of the Indians.

" Colonel Haston, of the regiment (24th, I think), including
Bemin and Cass counties, immediately called them into service and
in the course of two or three days had three or four hundred men at
Niles, very poorly equipped for such an emergency. Indeed they
had only such rifles and shotguns as they happened to have for
hunting purposes, with but very little ammunition of any kind.
Some had powder-horns with a few bullets, and some had neither.

" Volunteers were called for to be hurried to Chicago, and after
a day or two some fifty or sixty men, some on foot and some on
horseback started, for Chicago, and got some five or six miles in the
woods north from the Door Prairie, in Indiana, and toward Baillezs
(Baze), who lived on the Calumet River on the route towards Lake
Michigan, and the shore of which was the only road to Chicago.
Early in the morning, when about to have a camp, a carrier from
Chicago arrived announcing that no danger was now apprehended
at Chicago. We at once started on a return to Niles, and on the
next day had arrived at Teneconpe Prairie, about twelve miles from
Niles, when we were again overtaken by a carrier, with more alarm-
ing reports than before, and the officers determined to turn and face
again toward the enemy ; but most of the men became mutinous,
and we proceeded toward Niles, and when within four or five miles
were met by an officer sent by General I. R. Williams, who had ar-
rived at Niles with a company of minute-men from Detroit, with
orders for us to turn back towards Chicago. Here again our men
were disposed to disobey, but as General Williams had quite a large
number of men at Niles, one or two other regiments from as far
east as Tecumseh and other towns having arrived, our boys con-

* During the early part of May, so soon as rumors of danger reached
Michigan, a company of volunteers was sent to Chicago to help defend the
place, the fort at that time being ungarrisoned by United States troops. They
were quartered in the fort with the fugitives, and did patrol duty while there.

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

119

eluded at least to halt and wait further developments. One officer
and myself rode on to Niles, and when we arrived at the river I St.
Joseph) were confronted by a sentinel, who said he had orders to
prevent any one from returning to the east side of the river. We
said all right, and turned back and rode down to the ford and
crossed over and reported to General Williams. The next day we
again started for the seat of war, General Williams and his minute-
men only going with us. The other militia were sent back to their
homes. When we arrived at the Door Prairie, four miles west of
the now city of LaPorte, we took possession of a stockade that the
farmers had thrown up, and remained there a week or ten days, but
I cannot remember why, unless that we were waiting for further
news from Chicago. The farmers about the region of the Door had
all left their homes and fled to the more southern settlements. From
the Door we went to Chicago, in June * (I think), and took posses-
sion of old Fort Dearborn. The few inhabitants of Chicago had,
before our arrival, felt their heads every morning to make sure that
their scalp-locks were still there ; but there were not many there
then, and the Indians would have obtained but few trophies of that
kind, had they taken them all. Besides the fort there were two
frame houses on the North Side, and the old Kinzie house, which
stood close by the river and almost directly opposite the fort. On
the South Side were two or three small farm houses ; and on the
West, the Kinzie store at the forks, as we then called the North and
South branches, and there was Mark ISeaubien's tavern on what is
now Michigan Avenue, about where the Exposition building now
stands. f There a few officers lived. I myself 'put up' with
Mark, and some of the refugees from the country who were in the
fort thought we were a reckless set of fellows who deserved to be
scalped, because while there was so much danger from the dreadful
Indians, Mark would play his fiddle and we boys would dance. One
day there came a report from Naper's settlement that the Indians
had been seen in that region, and the inhabitants were in great
alarm, and wanted troops sent from Chicago to escort them safely
from their homes to the fort. Volunteers were called for, and some
sixty or seventy of us, well mounted, left Chicago in the afternoon
and rode all night, arriving at Xaper's the next morning, and went
into camp, as our commander, Colonel Edward Brooks (formerly of
the army), had particular orders from General Williams not to look
after the Indians, as our force was so small ; but to offer escort to
all who were disposed to flee to Chicago. We remained in camp
that day and night, and as there was no one needing our attention
and the alarm of a day or two previous having passed away, we
started on our march back to Chicago. On the afternoon of the
day we left them, three men went out with a wagon and pair of
horses to a grove of timber to get long shingles to cover a block-
house, and as they entered the woods, Indians rose up and fired at
them, killing two of the men, and taking with them the horses.
One of the men escaped, and on his giving the alarm, the Indians
were followed, but not seen nor overtaken. In the early morning
before our arrival at Naper's, Robert Kinzie called the attention of
Dr. Winslow, H. Redfield and myself to objects near this same
grove, and said he believed they were Indians ; and if we stopped
and turned our horses toward them, if they were Indians they
would disappear, as they were no doubt watching us. We dropped
to the rear of the command, and were hardly separated from them
before they were gone out of sight; Kinzie reported to Colonel
Brooks, and we proposed to take ten or fifteen men and go to the
grove to see whether they were Indians or not, but the Colonel said
he had strict orders not to leave the road or divide his small force.
After hearing of the killing of the two men, we had no doubt the
Indians had seen us and watched our return toward Chicago. We
remained in the fort until the arrival of a part of the second divi-
sion, under Colonel William Whistler, when your good hus-
band found me at battalion drill, to which duty I had been as-
signed, being the only one (except Colonel Brooks) who knew any-
thing about such matters. You will very well remember the arrival
of General Scott, with troops, soon after (in July), on board of
steamer boats, when the startling news (much more alarming than
Indian depredations) came on shore, that the Asiatic cholera was
aboard, when you and other ladies and children ran to the open
prairie and at last found shelter under some boards in the fence
corners, to get rid of exposure to that terrible disease.

"When in Chicago, now I can hardly realize that my horse,
with fifty or a hundred others, found wild, uncultivated pasture
where now stands the court-house; in the midst of a great and
beautiful city, once destroyed, but now more grand and beautiful
than in its former greatness ; when there was not a house between
the fort and the woods, as we then said, a distance of three or four
miles, except Mark Beaubien's tavern, where now are such splendid
streets and magnificent buildings. So much for the Black Hawk
War. I have often wished I had kept a diary of events then, with
reference not only to the war but the Western country, as we then
called it."

Mrs. Mary A. Penrose, wife of the then Second
Lieutenant James W. Penrose, to whom the above letter
was written, was one of the women who came with
Whistler's command with her husband. Her reminis-
cences of those times were given to Rev. H. C. Ken-
ney, February 28, 1879, and are here published for the
first time:

" In the year 1832, probably in May, my husband, Lieutenant
James W. Penrose, who was then Lieutenant of the 2d Infantry
Regular Army, was ordered from Sackett's Harbor to Chicago,
with several other companies of the same regiment, under Colonel
Whistler. At what point we took the sailing vessel I do not
remember, but it was probably at Buffalo. On arriving at Chica-
go, the troops were first landed in little boats. Then the officers'
families were sent on shore. A storm having arisen, it was three
days before Colonel Whistler's family and the wife of Major Kings-
bury were able to land.

" There were in Chicago at that time about twelve houses. I
think that all of these were made of logs. Our quarters were in
the fort. The troops took possession of the fort, relieving a com-
pany of militia from Michigan. About six weeks after our arrival,
our little company was increased by the arrival, on a steamer, of
General Scott, with several other companies. These had been sent
to Chicago to proceed to Rock Island to fight the Indians there.

" The boat brought not only the troops but also the cholera.
At twelve o'clock A. M., Lieutenant Summer (afterwards General
Summer of the War of the Rebellion) came to the fort and ordered
all the families in the fort to leave before sunrise, stating that at
that time the troops down with the cholera would be moved into
the fortification.

" I had then a little babe who is now Brevet Brigadier-General
William H. Penrose of the 3d Infantry U. S. A.

" I remember the names of the members of the following
families : Colonel Whistler, Major Kingsbury, Captain Johnson,
Lieutenant Day, Lieutenant Long, and my own. In my own
family was, besides the before-mentioned babe, my husband's
mother and two sisters. Four of these families, finding the house
of Mark Beaubien vacant (its owner having left an hour before,
without taking anything with him), with joy went into that build-
ing. Mrs. Johnson and I, with my family were, however, not so
fortunate, for even the four-roomed house of Mr. Beaubien could
only hold four families. Going on about a mile we came to the
house of a butcher, containing but one room. Exhausted, I threw
myself on my mattress, which the soldiers had carried down from
the fort, and there I laid during the night.

" The next morning in vain did we seek for a house. A rail
fence was, however, in sight. Into one corner I moved. A few
boards made the floor. A carpet kept off the wind from our heads
and backs. Other boards formed a far from water-proof roof.
Here we remained three days and three nights, cooking on the
ground. My companions in misery were Mrs. Johnson and
family.

" After three days Captain Johnson and my husband secured
a lot of green lumber. In sight of our fence stood the frame of a
house. To this the green boards were soon nailed and a temporary
partition put in. Here our two families moved. Mr. Penrose's
mother and sister nightly crawled up a ladder to their beds.

" General Scott, who from the steamer had gone to the hotel at
the Point, after five days made his appearance. Every day he would
ride up to our house and, looking up to the open end of the frame,
would talk with the ladies, invariably dwelling upon the fact that
they were in more comfortable quarters than Mrs. General Scott,
who was then at West Point. Our cooking had to be done in the
open air. Generally we got more sand than salt in our food.

" After remaining in these quarters, the house of the Indian
Agent, Colonel Owen, having been vacated through fear of the
before-mentioned disease, we obtained permission to move into it,
on the condition of permitting the Colonel to remain with us.
This house stood on the North Side, and contained four or five
rooms on a floor. The family of the Colonel had left even their
dishes, and had gone to Springfield.

" I should have stated that on the same night that General
Scott arrived, the troops that were in the fort before the arrival of
the steamer were marched along the lake shore and were encamped
in tents about eight miles from the fort. There they had remained
from that time. Several of their number, as well as many of the
later arrived officers and soldiers, took the cholera and died. As
soon as the disease abated the rest of the soldiers, excepting a
small garrison, were ordered to Rock Island.

" I remained in the house of the Indian Agent, until Colonel
Owen's family returned. I then had to seek for other quarters.
My sister and myself got into a log canoe and, paddling across the
Chicago River, called on the officer in charge (Colonel Whistler)
and requested from him permission to again take up our abode in

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

the fort. After a little perseverance we succeeded in obtaining two
rooms. About six weeks afterward the troops that had been in
Rock Island returned to Chicago, and from thence were sent to the
posts from which they had been collected. In all I remained in
Chicago about eighteen months."

" I was born at New York, ray maiden name Mary A. Hoff-
man, mv father was Colonel William Hoffman, 6th Regiment,
C. S. A.

" I was married at Sackett's Harbor, to James \V. Penrose.
For nineteen years I lived in soldiers' garrisons.

" My husband died from disease contracted in the Mexican
War. Mrs. Mary A. Penrose.

" Joliet, February 27, 1S79."

Under the protection of the fort and the militia,
and with the encouraging rumors that Black Hawk's
bands were moving up the Rock River toward the
Winnebago country, and away from Chicago and the
outlying settlements, the panic abated somewhat, al-
though a wholesome fear still kept all non-combatants
within the crowded precincts of the fort, or within re-
treating distance of its protecting inclosure. The men
■organized scouting parties,* composed in part of friendly
Pottawatomies, and made frequent tours of observation
to the deserted settlements. No hostile Indians were
seen after the raid was over that had caused the first
alarm, although signs were not lacking of their presence
in the vicinity.

The inconvenience and suffering borne uncomplain-
ingly by the fugitives in camp were great. Food, not
at all times in good supply, cooking conveniences of the
crudest kind, crowded room, added to the entire lack
of anything like retirement, privacy, or quiet, rendered
what to the well was inconvenient to the sick almost
unbearable hardship. Under these unfavorable condi
tions the population was increased by the arrival of
fifteen who had not fled to Chicago through fear of the
Indians. Rev. Stephen R. Beggs, in his book, vouches
for the truth of the above. He says:

" The next morning (after a severe tempest, during which the
room in which he and his family were quartered was struck by
lightning) our first babe was born, and during our stay fifteen ten-
der infants were added to the number. One may imagine the con-
fusion of the scene — children crying and women were complaining
within doors, while without, the tramp of soldiers, the rolling of
drums, and the roar of cannon added to the din."

The Wolverine soldiers certainly conducted them-
selves in an unhandsome manner if, as the reverend
gentleman intimates, they made any unnecessary noise
during this protracted series of interesting events.

On June 17 Major Whistler arrived at Fort Dearborn
with his command, and, in accordance with his orders
proceeded to garrison the fort. He humanely allowed
the families to remain in the garrison until quarters
could be provided for them outside. The Michigan
volunteers were, however, obliged to evacuate, in order
to make room for the newcomers; which they did, not
without considerable murmuring, and went into camp
at ( irosse Point, near where Evanston now stands. Major
Whistler immediately set about preparing new quarters
for the soon-expected arrival of General Scott's forces,
and the anxiety of the sojourners as to their future was
increased, as it was well known that when they came
their quarters would have to be given up. On the even-
ing of July 10, f the steamer "Sheldon Thompson,"
Captain A. Walker, arrived from Buffalo, having on
board General Scott, his staff, and four companies of
troops. The news of their arrival was accompanied
with the intelligence that the dreaded scourge of Asiatic
cholera was on board, in such violent type as to have
already decimated the troops on the voyage. It required

• See Military History.

t Blanc-hard's History, p. 170, puts the Hat*; of Scott's arrival on the even-
ing of the 8th of July. Captain Walker states positively that it was on the
loth.

no direct orders from either General Scott or Major
Whistler to make room in the garrison for the newly
arrived troops. The sojourners who, a few weeks be-
fore, had fled from the Indians, now fled with more
precipitate haste and terror from the deadly pestilence
that had entered their place of refuge. The residents
also, with few exceptions, left with their families. Some
went to Laughton's, some to Grosse Point, some to
Wentworth's place; anywhere to get away from the
plague-stricken garrison. By the 12th the village was
virtually depopulated and given over to the sick, the
dying, the dead, and those whom duty compelled or
humanity urged to remain to minister to them. The
garrison became a hospital. There was no thought on
the part of General Scott to make any aggressive move
or to take any part in the campaign against Black Hawk
until the disease should cease its ravages. Eight days
later (July 18) the steamer "William Penn" arrived
with Government stores, and a further detachment of
cholera-stricken soldiers. The flight of the inhabitants
and sojourners confined the ravages of the pest to the
soldiers and the officers with their families. It is im-
possible in words to depict the horror of the time. A
few old letters and reminiscences have preserved all that
will ever be known of it.

A. Walker, captain of the "Sheldon Thompson," on
which General Scott was embarked at Buffalo and ar-
rived at Chicago, July 10, 1832, wrote a long account
of the voyage and the ravages of the cholera during the
passage. The letter appears in Fergus's Historical
Series, No. 16, Appendix (L), pp. 72-76. The letter is
addressed to Captain R. C. Bristol, and is dated Buffalo,
October 30, i860. Extracts relevant to the Chicago
history are given below:

" It will also be remembered, as stated in my former communica-
tion, that four steamers, the 'Henry Clay,' 'Superior,' 'Sheldon
Thompson,' and ' William Penn,' were chartered by the United
States Government for the purpose of transporting troops, equip-
ments, and provisions to Chicago, during the Black Hawk War,
but, owing to the fearful ravages, made by the breaking out of the
Asiatic cholera among the troops and crews on board, two of those
boats were compelled to abandon their voyage, proceeding no fur-
ther than Fort Gratiot. The disease became so violent and alarm-
ing on board the ' Henry Clay,' that nothing like discipline could
be observed, everything in the way of subordination ceased. As
soon as the steamer came to the dock, each man sprang on shore,
hoping to escape from a scene so terrifying and appalling. Some
fled to the fields, some to the woods, while others lay down in the
streets, and under the cover of the river bank, where most of them
died, unwept and alone. There were no cases of cholera causing
death on board my boat until we passed the Manitou Islands
(Lake Michigan). The first person attacked died about four o'clock
in the afternoon, some thirty hours before reaching Chicago. As
soon as it was ascertained by the surgeon that life was extinct,
the deceased was wrapped closely in his blanket, placing within
some weights secured by lashing of small cordage around the
ankles, knees, waist, and neck, and then committed with but little
ceremony, to the deep. This unpleasant though imperative duty
was performed by the Orderly Sergeant, with a few privates de-
tailed for that purpose. In like manner twelve others, including
this same noble Sergeant, who sickened and died in a few hours,
were also thrown overboard before the balance of the troops were
landed at Chicago. The sudden and untimely death of this
veteran Sergeant and his committal to a watery grave, caused a deep
sensation on board among the soldiers and crews, which I will not
here attempt to describe. The effect produced upon General Scott
and the other officers, in witnessing the scene, was too visible to be
misunderstood, for the dead soldier had been a very valuable man,
and evidently a favorite among the officers and soldiers of the regi-
ment.

" There was one singular fact — not one of the officers of the
army was attacked by the disease, while on board my boat, with
such violence as to result in death, or any of the officers belonging
to the boat, though nearly one-fourth of the crew fell a prey to the
disease on a subsequent trip, while on the passage from Detroit to
Buffalo.

" We arrived at Chicago (as stated in the former communica-

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

tion) on the evening of the 10th of July, 1S32. I sent the yawl-
boat on shore soon after with General Scott and a number of the
volunteer officers, who accompanied him on his expedition against
the hostile tribes, who, with Black Hawk, had committed many
depredations (though, perhaps, not without some provocation),
compelling the whites to abandon their homes in the country and
flee to Chicago, taking refuge in the fort for the time being. Be-
fore landing the troops next morning, we were under the painful
necessity of committing three more to the deep, who died during
the night, making, in all, sixteen who were thus consigned to a
watery grave. These three were anchored to the bottom in two-
and-a-half fathoms, the water being so clear that their forms could
be plainly seen from our decks. This unwelcome sight created
such excitement, working upon the superstitious fears of some of
■the crew, that prudence dictated that we weigh anchor and move a
distance sufficient to shut from sight a scene which seemed to haunt
the imagination, and influence the mind with thoughts of some por-
tentious evil.

" In the course of the day and night following, eighteen others
died and were interred not far from the spot where the American
Temperance House* has since been erected. The earth that was
removed to cover one made a grave to receive the next that died.
All were buried without coffins or shrouds, except their blankets,
which served for a winding sheet ; there left, as it were, without
remembrance or a stone to mark their resting-place. During the
four days we remained in Chicago, fifty-four more died, making
an aggregate of eighty-eight who paid the debt of nature.

"On approaching Chicago, I found quite a fleet of sail ves-
sels at anchor in the offing, where we also came to, near them.
As soon as it was ascertained that cholera was on board, no time
was lost in communicating from one vessel to the other the intelli-
gence, which induced them to weigh anchor at once, and stand out
to sea, hoping to escape the pestilence, which, at that time, was
considered contagious. In the morning some of them were nearly
lost in the distance, though in the course of the day they mostly
returned and re-anchored near by, in hailing distance. Among the
fleet were some vessels belonging to Oliver Newberry, Esq. , of
Detroit, that were employed in transporting provisions and stores
rfom the Government to that port.
, " It is proper in this connection to state that all the mattresses

and bedding belonging to my boat, except sufficient for the crew,
were taken by order of Gen. Scott for the use of the sick, giving
his draft for the purchase of new bedding, which was not only a
deed of mercy to those suffering ones, but a matter of favor to me,
in procuring a fresh outfit, so necessary after that disastrous voy-
age. There was no harbor accessible to any craft drawing more
than two feet of water, hardly sufficient to admit the batteau in
which the troops were landed. But little else was seen besides
the broad expanse of prairie, with its gentle undulated surface,
covered with grass and variegated flowers, stretching out far in the
distance, resembling a great carpet interwoven with green, purple,
and gold; in one direction bounded only by the blue horizon, with
no intervening woodland to obstruct the vision. The view, in
looking through the spy-glass from the upper deck of our steamer,
while lying in the offing, was a most picturesque one, presenting a
landscape interspersed with small groves of underwood, making a
picture complete; combining the grand and beautiful in nature, far
beyond anything I had before seen. The Chicago River, at that
time, was a mere creek, easily forded at its mouth, while it wended
its way along the beach, flowing into the lake a small distance
south of the present locality of Lake Street. The provisions and
stores brought by the sail-vessels were landed on the beach of the
lake, near the mouth of the river, where now are seen the extensive
railroad improvements.

" We remained four days after landing the troops, procuring
fuel for the homeward voyage, etc. The only means of obtaining
anything for fuel was to purchase the roofless log-building used as
a stable. That, together with the rail fence inclosing a field of
some three acres near by, was sufficient to enable us to reach
Mackinaw. Being drawn to the beach and prepared for use, it was
boated on board by the crew, which operation occupied the most of
four days to accomplish. After getting the fuel on board, I was
detained some six hours, waiting the arrival of a gentleman whose
name I think was Chamberlain. I had dispatched a messenger for
him, he residing some fifteen miles in the country. At length he
arrived, and engaged to accompany me as far as Detroit and act in
the capacity of physician, having some knowledge in preparing
medicine, being a druggist by profession. During this protracted
stay, in waiting for the doctor, the crew became quite uneasy to get
under way, and leave behind them a scene fraught with associations
of the dead and dying, which they had witnessed so frequently,
until they became almost mutinous. But as soon as orders were
given to get under way, the celerity with which the yawl was
hoisted to the stern was a scene of exciting interest, as the duty
* Northwest corner of Lake Street and Wabash Avenue.

was performed with a will and a spirit of cheerfulness, accompanied
with a hearty song of 'Yo-heave-ho'. As they hove at the wind-
lass, they seemed almost frantic with joy when the anchor came in
sight and her prow turned homeward. We had no cases of cholera
on our passage to Detroit. The physician returned across tin-
country, after receiving the stipulated sum for his services, which I
think was some two hundred dollars, besides the stage-fare, which
was one of the items in the stipulation."

During the ten days succeeding General Scott's
arrival a hundred dead soldiers were silently carried
without the gates of the garrison and hastily laid to
their final rest, in a common grave, without coffin, or
other shroud than the soldiers' blanket in which each
had gone to his last sleep.

About the 20th of July, General Scott moved his
soldiers, such as were able, out to the Desplaines River,
and encamped at the present site of Riverside, where
they remained ten days, their health rapidly improving
meantime. Thence by easy stages they commenced
their march toward the enemy's country. General
Scott, with twelve men and two baggage wagons, were
a few days in advance. The main body advanced
under the command of Colonel Cummings. The train
consisted of fifty baggage wagons, in which were carried
the supplies and such sick or convalescent soldiers as
were unable to march. Judge Robert N. Murray, then
a lad of seventeen, living with his parents, who had
recently settled at Naperville, served as one of the
teamsters. The route taken was through Gilbert's
Grove on the DuPage River ; thence crossing the Fox
River three miles below Elgin, and through the Pigeon
woods to the present site of Belvidere ; thence to an old
Indian village near the present site of Beloit, Wis.,
where, perhaps owing to the fatigue of the march, the
cholera again broke out with such virulence as to ren-
der it necessary to go into camp for rest. Here they
remained for a week, during which time several more
deaths occurred. While still in camp at this place news
was brought that the war was at an end. August 2, the
final battle had been fought between Black Hawk's
forces and the militia under General Dodge, assisted by
a detachment of United States troops under Colonel
Zachary Taylor, near the mouth of Bad Axe River in
what is now Vernon County, Wis. The commanding
officer was ordered to proceed with his force to Fort
Armstrong (R.ock Island), and, on renewing the march,
the train turned south over the prairies to the present
site of Rockford, and thence down the Rock River to
Fort Armstrong, where the march ended. The route
took the troops through the most beautiful and fertile
region of the then unknown Northwest, embracing the
northern counties of the present State of Illinois, a
part of southern Wisconsin, and the beautiful Rock
River Valley from Rockford to its mouth. The cam-
paign, although fruitless from a military point of view,
was fraught with events of great importance, not only to
Chicago, but to the whole region over which the soldiers
marched.

On their return to the East their glowing accounts
of the beauty and fertility of the hitherto unoccupied
country, so soon as it was believed that it was open to
pre-emption, created a perfect furor of emigration
from the East to the lands described. Their first point
of destination, prior to pushing beyond to the promised
land, was Chicago. So it happened, that the tide of
emigration which set in in the fall of 1832, and con-
tinued in increasing volume for the succeeding four
years, brought to Chicago a floating population from
which she constantly added to her permanent resident
population, such as saw in her future brighter prospects
than in the allurements of the country beyond.

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

The fall of 1S32 saw peace restored and Chicago a
busy mart of trade for immigrants that had begun to
arrive in vast numbers. They came in every form and
in all sorts of conveyance — in families and singly — on
foot, on horseback, in carriages — with money or sup-
plies— with neither. Many only stopped at Chicago
temporarily, and pushed out further west for a settle-
ment, while a few remained to swell the population of
the embryo city.

The picture of Chicago at the close of 1832 wouid
have shown little outward improvement. A score of
permanent residents had been added to the population,
and a dozen new buildings, mostly of a very primitive
kind, had been erected during the year. There was, how-
ever, a strong faith awakened that Chicago was, from
its geographical position and its natural advantages as
a harbor, destined to become the emporium of a yet
undeveloped and uncivilized country : and, inspired by
this, many of the new-comers remained to the close of
life.*

The fall witnessed quite an accession to the per-
manent settlers, among whom were John Bates, Dr.
Phillip Maxwell. G. W. Snow, Philo Carpenter, J. S.
Wright, Dr. E. S. Kimberly.

During the summer George W. Dole built what was
probably the first frame building used for business pur-
poses in Chicago. It stood at the southeast corner
of Water and Dearborn streets where it remained
until 1S55. Mr. Peck, during the fall commenced the
erection of a frame building at the southeast corner of
Water and LaSalle streets, which was completed and
occupied the following May. The two above named
were certainly the first frame business structures built
in Chicago. Of the first named, the Democratic Press
of April 23, 1855, said :

" The first frame building erected by George W. Dole for a
warehouse, in the summer of 1832, and occupied early in the fall
of that year, which had stood for nearly twenty-three years on the
southeast corner of Water and Dearborn streets, is being moved
southward."

It is stated on reliable authority f that George W.
Dole commenced the slaughtering of beeves and hogs
and the packing for market of beef and pork, and that he
slaughtered and packed during the fall of 1832, in the rear
of the building he had erected," close to the present site of
the Tremont House," two hundred cattle and three
hundred and fifty hogs." Clybourne, the Noble brothers,
and Gurdon S. Hubbard had driven in and slaughtered
large droves of hogs and cattle before that time, but it
is not believed that any provisions had been packed for
the mercantile trade of the lakes prior to the fall of 1832,
and the first so packed was by George W. Dole. J He
was the father of the provision, the shipping, the ware-
house, and the elevator business of Chicago.

The early spring brought a most tremendous tide of
emigration. The town doubled its population during
the spring and early summer months. The test of resi-
dence was not, however, severe. Any man who remained
in Chicago long enough to pay his board by the week
was considered a resident, and if, in addition, he had

• Of those living I August, 1883) in Chicago who came here prior to Jan-
uary, 1833, are : John Bates, Philo Carpenter, Gurdon S. Hubbard, A. D. Taylor.
■'. History, p. 7.
X Colbert, p. 45, alluding to Mr. Dole's inauguration of beef and pork pack-
ing in Chicago lays: ■' In October of that year 0831') he slaughtered and
?icked one hundred and fifty head of cattle for Oliver Newberry, of Detroit,
he cattle were purchased by Mr. Dole from Charles Reed, of Hickory Creek,
at *2-75 per one hundred pounds — the hides and tallow being thrown in for the
slaughtering." They were slaughtered by John and Marl: Noble on the prairie
near the lake, the beef packed in Mr. Dole's warehouse, and shipped to Detroit.
In December Mr. Dole killed, " in the back yard of his warehouse " three
hundred and thirty-eight hogs, bought of John Blackstone, who had driven
them in from ti.e Wabash Valley. This pork was shipped to Detroit and New
Vork the following spring.

bought a lot, or put out his sign as a lawyer, doctor or
a real estate dealer he was recognized as a permanent
inhabitant. There were built during the spring and
summer of 1833 nearly one hundred and fifty frame
buildings, mostly on the north and south sides of the
Chicago River below the forks.

The arrivals of emigrants who came to Chicago
during the season and made the place their home were
too numerous to be named in detail. Several events
transpired during the year, which combined went far
to increase the prosperity and brighten the future pros-
pects of Chicago.

Harbor Improvements Begun. — Up to 1833
Chicago could not be said to have had a harbor. The
bar across the mouth of the river, as it is now, made it
impracticable for any laden vessel to enter it, and, ex-
cept as a roadstead where ships might anchor off shore
and be lightened of their cargoes, it had no claims to be
called a harbor. The canal project, calculated to open
a water-carriage from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico,
by way of the projected Michigan & Illinois Canal
had been already inaugurated by favorable Legislative
grants, by the preliminary survey of some of the town
sites, and by the sale of lots and lands sufficient to es-
tablish the belief that the work would be speedily be-
gun and ultimately finished. Chicago, as the lake ter-
minus of the proposed canal, must necessarily have a har-
bor, and Congress having already shown favor to the canal
scheme, could do no less than to render it feasible by
improving the harbor. An appropriation of $25,000
was accordingly made March 2, 1833, and work com
menced on the improvement July 1. Major George
Bender was the superintendent. His subordinates were
Henry S. Handy, assistant superintendent ; Samuel
Jackson, foreman of construction ; A. Y. Knicker-
bocker, clerk. Joseph Chandler and Morgan L. Shap-
ley had executive charge of the work, Jones & Mc-
Gregory being contracters for the wood work. Under the
direction of these men, and with a large force of labor-
ers the building of the present magnificent harbor was
begun.* During the summer and fall some five hun-
dred feet of the south pier was finished, and in the sub-
sequent spring the north pier was extended a like dis-
tance, cutting off the old tortuous channel to the south,
and making a straight cut for the river across the bar into
the lake. Little dredging was done, but a heavy freshet
in the spring of 1834 cleared the new channel so that
vessels of large burden came up the river for the first
time during the summer of that year.f

The Great Indian Treaty of 1833. — The close
of the Black Hawk War had resulted in the final ex-
tinguishment of the title of the Sac and Fox Indians
to all their lands east of the Mississippi. September
15, 1832, a treaty was concluded at Fort Armstrong,
whereby the Winnebago nation ceded all their lands to
the United States " lying south and east of the Wiscon-
sin River and the Fox River of Green Bay." The
Chippewas, Ottawas, and Pottawatomies still held their
title to the land of northeastern Illinois and southern
Wisconsin, besides large tracts not very definitely de-
fined in Indiana and Michigan. It was necessary,
in order to open up to civilization the lands ceded by
the other tribes lying west and northwest, that the In-
dian title to this vast tract of land lying aiong the
western shore of Lake Michigan should be extinguished.
For Chicago, it was a vital necessity, as the town was
girt on all sides and for many miles north and west by

• See article entitled Harbor and Marine for full history.

+ On Saturday, July II, 1834, the schooner "Illinois," the first large vessel
that ever entered the river, sailed into the harbor amid great acclamations.
Colbert's History, p. 46.

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

123

the lands of the United Nation of Chippewa, Ottawa,
and Pottawatomie Indians.*

In September, 1833, a grand council of the chiefs
and head men was called to meet at Chicago to nego-
tiate a treaty whereby the lands might be peaceably
ceded, and the Indians removed therefrom, to make
way for the tide of white emigration which had begun
to set irresistibly and with ever increasing volume to
the coveted region. It wasa most important matter for
both the Indians and the Government; but to the
former most momentous, since it involved the extinction
of not only their title to the land which had been their
home during a period which only their traditions could
dimly measure, but the obliteration of all associations
dear to them in their tribal or family relations. Black
Hawk's ill-starred campaign, followed by the subsequent
treaty made by his tribe, showed them the inevitable
result which must follow resistance. They knew quite
well that they had no alternative. They must sell their
lands for such sum and on such terms as the Govern-
ment agents might deem it politic or just or generous
to grant. The result of the treaty was what might have
been expected. The Indians gave up their lands and
agreed for certain considerations, the most of which did
not redound to their profit, to cede all their lands to the
Government, and to leave forever their homes and the
graves of their fathers for a land far toward the setting
sun, which they had never seen and of which they knew
nothing.

Charles J. Latrobe, an English traveler, gave a very
graphic description of the gathering of the Indians to
the grand council, how the negotiations were conducted
to a conclusion, and a description of Chicago as it ap-
peared to him, crowded with adventurers who had been
drawn thither to prosecute their claims against the In-
dians, or to reap such harvest from them as duplicity
and knavery might gather from the drunken orgies that
were the inevitable concomitants of every gathering of
Indians where they met the whites, whether in trade or
council. The account reads as follows:

"When within five miles of Chicago, we came to the first
Indian encampment. Five thousand Indians were said to be col-
lected around this little upstart village for the prosecution of the
treaty, by which they were to cede their lands in Michigan and
Illinois.

" I have been in many odd assemblages of my species, but in
few, if any, of an equally singular character as with that in the
midst of which we spent a week at Chicago. This little mushroom
town is situated upon the verge of a perfectly level tract of
country, for the greater part consisting of open prairie lands, at a
point where a small river (whose sources interlock in the wet season
with those of the Illinois) enters Lake Michigan. It however
forms no harbor, and vessels must anchor in the open lake, which
spreads to the horizon to the north and east in a sheet of unbroken
extent. The river, after approaching nearly at right angles to
within a few hundred yards of the lake, makes a short turn, and
runs to the southward parallel to the beach. Fort Dearborn and
the light-house are placed at the angle thus formed. The former
is a small stockaded inclosure, with two block-houses, and is gar-
risoned by two companies of infantry. It had been nearly aban-
doned, till the late Indian war on the frontier made its occupation
necessary. The upstart village lies chiefly on the right bank of the
river, above the fort. When the proposed steamboat communica-
tion between Chicago and St. Joseph's River, which lies forty miles
distant across the lake, is put into execution, the journey to
Detroit may be effected in three days, whereas we had been up-
wards of six on the road. We found the village, on our arrival,
crowded to excess; and we procured, with great difficult)', a small
apartment, comfortless and noisy from its close proximity to oth-
ers, but quite as good as we could have hoped for. The Pottawa-
tomies were encamped on all sides — on the wide, level prairie
beyond he scattered village, beneath the shelter of the low woods
which chequered them, on the side of the small river, or to the
leeward of the sand hills near the beach of the lake. They con-

* These Indians, had, by treaty at Prairie du Chien, July 29, 1829, ceded
all their lands in the northwestern part of Illinois.

sisted of three principal tribes, with certain adjuncts from smaller
tribes. The main divisions are the Pottawatomies of the Prairie
and those of the Forest, and these are subdivided into district
villages under their several chiefs. The General Government of
the United States, in pursuance of the scheme of removing the
whole Indian population westward of the Mississippi, had empow-
ered certain gentlemen to frame a treaty with these tribes to settle
the terms upon which the cession of their reservations in these
states should be made. A preliminary council had been held with
the chiefs some days before our arrival. The principal commis-
sioner had opened it, as we learned, by stating that as their Great
Father in Washington had heard that they wished to sell their land,
he had sent commissioners to treat with them. The Indians
promptly answered, by their organ, ' that their Great Father in
Washington must have seen a bad bird which had told him a lie;
for, that far from wishing to sell their land, they wished to keep
it.' The commissioner, nothing daunted, replied, ' that neverthe-
less, as they had come together for a council thev must take the
matter into consideration.' He then explained to them promptly
the wishes and intentions of their Great Father, and asked their
opinion thereon. Thus pressed, they looked at the sky, saw a few
wandering clouds, and straightway adjourned sine die, as the
weather is not clear enough for so solemn a council. However, as
the treaty had been opened, provision was supplied to them by-
regular rations; and the same night they had great rejoicings —
danced the war dance, and kept the eyes and ears of all open by
running, howling about the village. Such was the state of affairs
on our arrival. Companies of old warriors might be seen sitting
smoking under every bush; arguing, palavering, or pow-wow-ing,
with great earnestness; but there seemed no possibility of bringing
them to another council in a hurry.

" Meanwhile, the village and its occupants 'presented a most
motley scene. The fort contained within its palisades by far the
most enlightened residents in the little knot of officers attached to
the slender garrison. The quarters here, consequently, were too
confined to afford place of residence for the Government Commis-
sioners for whom, and a crowd of dependents, a temporary set of
plank huts were erected on the north side of the river. To the
latter gentlemen, we, as the only idle lookers on, were indebted for
much friendly attention; and in the frank and hospitable treatment
we received from the inhabitants of Fort Dearborn, we had a fore-
taste of that which we subsequently met with everywhere under
like circumstances during our autumnal wanderings over the fron-
tier. The officers of the United States Army have, perhaps less
opportunities of becoming refined than those of the Navy. They
are often, from the moment of their receiving commissions after
the termination of their cadetship at West Point, and at an age
when good society is of the utmost consequence to the young and
ardent, exiled for long years to the posts on the Northern or
Western frontier, far removed from cultivated female society, and in
daily contact with the refuse of the human race. And this is their
misfortune, not their fault; but wherever we have met with them,
and been thrown as strangers upon their good offices, we have
found them the same good friends and good company. But I was
going to give you an inventory of the contents of Chicago, when
the recollection of the warm-hearted intercourse we had enjoyed
with many fine fellows, whom probably we shall neither see nor
hear of again, drew me aside. Next in rank to the officers and
commissioners may be noticed certain store-keepers and merchants,
residents here, looking either to the influx of new settlers establish-
ing themselves in the neighborhood, or those passing yet farther to
the westward, for custom and profit, not to forget the chance of
extraordinary occasions like the present. Add to these a doctor or
two, two or three lawyers, a land agent, and five or six hotel-keep-
ers. These may be considered as stationary, and proprietors of the
half hundred clapboard houses around you. Then for the birds
of passage, exclusive of the Pottawatomies, of whom more anon,
and emigrants and land speculators, as numerous as the sand,
you will find horse-dealers, and horse stealers, — rogues of
every description — white, black, brown, and red ; half-breeds,
quarter-breeds, and men of no breed at all; dealers in pigs, poultry,
and potatoes; men pursuing Indian claims, some for tracts of land,
others like our friend ' Snipe,'* for pigs which the wolves had eaten;
creditors of the tribes, or of particular Indians, who know that
they have no chance of getting their money if they do not get it
from the Goverment Agents; sharpers of every degree; pedlars,
grog-sellers; Indian Agents and Indian traders of every descrip-
tion, and contractors to supply the Pottawatomies with food. The
little village was in an uproar from morning to night, and from
night to morning; for during the hours of darkness, when the
housed portion of the population of Chicago strove to obtain repose
in the crowded plank edifices of the village, the Indians howled,

* A sobriquet applied to a late fellow, passenger, " on his way to Chicago,
to be present at the impending treaty, with a view to prefer certain claims to
the Government commissioner for the loss of hoys, which, doubtless, the wolves
had eaten; but which, no matter, the Indians might be made to pay for."

124

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

sang, wept, yelled, and whooped in their various encamp-
ments. With all this, the whiles seemed to me to be more
pagan than the red man. You will have understood that the
large body of Indians collected in the vicinity consisted not merely
of chiefs and warriors, but in fact the greater part of the whole
tribe were present; lor where the warrior was invited to feast at
the expense of the Government, the squaw took care to accompany
him: and where the squaw went, the children followed, or pa-
pooses, the ponies, and the innumerable dogs followed, and here
thev all were living merrily at the cost of the Government.

" All was bustle and tumult, especially at the houses set apart
for the distribution of the rations. Many were the scenes which
here presented themselves, portraying the habits of b.>th red men
and the demi-civilized beings around them. The interior of the
village was one chaos of mud, rubbish, and confusion. Frame and
clapboard houses were springing up daily under the active axes
and hammers of the speculators, and piles of lumber announced
the preparation for yet other edifices of an equally light character.
Races occurred frequently on a piece of level sward without the
village, on which temporary booths afforded the motley multitude
the means of 'stimulating,' and betting and gambling were the
order of the day. Within the vile two-storied barrack, which, dig-
nified as usual by the title of hotel, afforded us quarters, all was in
a state of most appalling confusion, tilth, and racket. The public
table was such a scene of confusion that we avoided it from neces-
sitv. The French landlord was a sporting character, and everything
was left to chance, who, in the shape of a fat housekeeper, fumed
and toiled round the premises from morning to night.

"Within there was neither peace nor comfort, and we spent
much of our time in the open air. A visit to the gentlemen at the
fort, or prairie, filled up the intervals in our perturbed attempts at
reading or writing indoors, while awaiting the progress of the
treaty.

"I loved to stroll out, towards sunset, across the river, and
gaze upon the level horizon, stretching to the northwest over the
surface of the prairie, dotted with innumerable objects far and near.
Not far from the river lav manv groups of tents constructed of
coarse canvas, blankets, and mats, and surmounted by poles sup-
porting various painted Indian figures dressed in the most gaudy
attire.

" Far and wide the grassy prairie teemed with figures; warriors
mounted or on foot, squaws, and horses. Here a race between
three or four Indian ponies, each carrying a double rider, whooping
and yelling like fiends. There a solitary horseman with a long
soear, turbaned like an Arab, scouring along at full speed; groups
of hobbled horses; Indian dogs and children; or a grave conclave
of grav chiefs seated on the grass in consultation. It was amusing
to wind silently from group to group, here noting the raised knife,
the sudden drunken brawl quashed by the good-natured and even
playful interference of the neighbors; there a party breaking up
their encampment, and falling, with their little train of loaded
ponies and wolfish dogs, into the deep, black, narrow trail running
to the north.

" It is a grievous thing that Government is not strong-handed
enough to put a stop to the shameful and scandalous sale of whis-
kv to these poor, miserable wretches. But here lie casks of it for
sale under the very eye of the commissioners, met together for pur-
poses which demand that sobriety should be maintained, were it
only that no one should be able to lay at their door an accusation
of unfair dealings, and of having taken the advantage of the help-
less Indian in a bargain whereby the people of the United States
were to be SO greatly the gainers. And such was the state of
things day by day. However anxious I and others might be to ex-
culpate the United States ( lovernment from the charge of cold and
selfish policy toward the remnant of the Indian tribes, and from
that of resorting to unworthy and diabolical means in attaining pos-
of their lands— as long as it can be said with truth that
drunkenness was no! guarded against, and that the means were fur-
nished at the very time of the treaty and under the very nose of the
commissioners — -how can it be expected but a stigma will attend
every transaction of this kind ?

"Bui how sped the treaty? you will ask. Day after day
It was in vain that the signal-gun from the fort gave no-
tice of an assemblage of chiefs at the council lire. Reasons were
always found for its delay. One day an influential chief was not
in the way; another, the sky looked cloudy, and the Indian never
performs any important business except the sky be clear. At length,
on the 2tst September, the Pottawatomies resolved to meet the
commissioners. We were politely invited to be present.

" The council-fire was lighted under a spacious open shed on
the green meadow on the opposite side of the river from that on
which the fort stood. From the difficulty of getting .ill together it
was late in the afternoon when they assembled. There might be
twenty or thirty chief: ited al the lower end of tin- in-

closurc, while the commissioners, interpreters, etc., were at the

upper. The palaver was opened by the principal commissioner.
He requested to know' why he and his colleagues were called to the
council. An old warrior arose, and in short sentences, generally of
five syllables, delivered with a monotonous intonation and rapid
utterance, gave answer. His gesticulation was appropriate, but
rather violent. Rice, the half-breed interpreter, explained the sig-
nification, from time to time, to the audience; and it was seen that
the old chief, who had got his lesson, answered one question by
proposing another, the sum and substance of his oration being
that the assembled chiefs wished to know what was the object of their
Great Father at Washington in calling his red children together at
Chicago! This was amusing enough, after the full explanation
given a week before at the opening session, and particularly when
it was recollected that they had feasted sumptuously during the in-
terval at the expense of their Great Father; it was not making very
encouraging progress. A young chief arose, and spoke vehemently
to the same purpose. Hereupon the commissioner made them a
forcible Jacksonion discourse, wherein a good deal which was akin
to threat was mingled with exhortations not to play with their
Great Father, but to come to an early determination whether they
would or would not sell and exchange their territory; and this
done, the council was dissolved. One or two tipsy old chiefs raised an
occasional disturbance, else matters were conducted with due grav-
ity. The relative positions of commissioner and the whites before
the council-fire, and that of the red children of the forest and
prairie, were to me strikingly impressive. The glorious light of
the setting sun, streaming in under the low roof of the council-
house, fell full on the countenances of the former as they faced the
west, while the pale light of the east hardly lightened up the dark
and painted lineaments of the poor Indians, whose souls evidently
clave to their birth-right in that quarter. Even though convinced
of the necessity of their removal, my heart bled for them in their deso-
lation and decline. Ignorant and degraded as they may have been
in their original state, their degradation is now ten-fold after years
of intercourse with the whites; and their speedy disappearance from
the earth appears as certain as though it were already sealed and
accomplished. Your own reflection will lead you to form the con-
clusion, and it will be a just one, that even if he had the will, the
power would be wanting for the Indian to keep his territory; and
that the business of arranging the terms of an Indian treaty, what-
ever it might have been two hundred years ago, while the Indian
tribes had not, as now, thrown aside the rude but vigorous intel-
lectual character which distinguished many among them, now lies
chiefly between the various traders, agents, creditors and half-
breeds of the tribes, on whom custom and necessity have made the
degraded chiefs dependent, and the Government Agents. When
the former have seen matters so far arranged that their self-
interest, and various schemes and claims, are likely to be fulfilled
and allowed to their hearts' content, the silent acquiescence of
the Indian follows, of course; and till this is the case, the treaty
can never be amicably effected. In fine, before we quitted Chi-
cago on the 25th, three or four days later, the treaty with the Pot-
tawatomies was concluded — the commissioners putting their hands,
and the assembled chiefs their paws, to the same."

The commissioners on the part of the Government
were: G. B. Porter, Thomas J. V. Owen, and William
Weatherford; on the part of the Indians all the chiefs
and the leading men of the United Nation that could
be gathered — a most motley crowd, of whom only one
out of seventy-seven signed his name to the treaty with-
out " his X mark," and probably not over half a dozen
understood the provisions of the treaty, except as ex-
plained to them imperfectly by interpreters, few of
whom were themselves passable English scholars.

The treaty consummated at this time was signed on
September 26, 1833, and ratified by the Senate, after
some unimportant changes, May 22, 1834. Its pro-
visions and terms were as follows:

Article 1 ceded to the United States all the lands
of the United Nation of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potta-
watomie Indians "along the western shore of Lake
Michigan, and between this lake and the land ceded to
the United States by the Winnebago nation, at the treaty
of Fort Armstrong, made on the 15th of September,
1832: bounded on the north by the country lately
ceded by the Menominees, and on the south by the
country ceded at the treaty of Prairie du Chien, made
on the 29th of July, 1829, supposed to contain five mil-
lions of acres." This cession completely extinguished

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

I25

all the title to lands owned or claimed by the United
Nation east of the Mississippi, and left the whole North-
west, with the exception of some minor and unimportant
reservations, open to the settlement of whites who, hence-
forth, could look to the United States to protect them
under its laws in any legal title they might acquire by
pre-emption or purchase.

The considerations for thus yielding up their whole
country were stated in Articles 2 and 3, and were :

1 A tract of land of like extent as that ceded, five
million acres, situated on the east bank of the Missouri
River, between the mouth of Boyer's River on the
north and the mouth of Nandoway River on the south ;
the eastern and northern boundary being the western
State line of Missouri and the western boundary of
the reservation of the Sacs and Foxes, north to a point
from which, if a straight line be drawn to the mouth of
Boyer's River, the whole tract inclosed by the said
boundaries should comprise five million acres.*

A deputation consisting of not more then fifty In-
dians, accompanied by five agents of the United States,
were to visit the lands granted previous to the removal
of the tribes, at the expense of the Government, and,
on the ratification of the treaty by the United States,
the tribes living within the boundaries of the State of
Illinois were to remove to the new reservation imme-
diately : those living further north, in the Territory of
Wisconsin, to remain, if they desired, three years
longer, unmolested and under the protection xif the
United States Government, and were to receive sub-
sistence on their journey, and for one year after their
arrival at their new homes.

2 Further payments in money and goods were to
be made as follows : $100,000 to satisfy sundry indi-
viduals in behalf of whom reservations were asked,
which the commissioners refused to grant ; and also to
indemnify the Chippewa tribe, who are parties to this
treaty for certain lands along the shore of I.ake Michi-
gan, to which they make claims, which have been ceded
to the United States by the Menominee Indians. The
manner in which the sum was paid is set forth in
schedule A, further on : $150,000, to satisfy claims
made against the said United Nation, " which they have
here admitted to be justly due, and directed to be paid."
Who got this money appears in schedule B, hereafter :
$100,000 to be paid in goods and provisions, a part to
be delivered on the signing of the treaty, and the resi-
due during the ensuing year ; $280,000, to be paid in
annuities of $14,000 per year for twenty years ;
$150,000 for the erection of mills, houses and shops for
agricultural improvements, the purchase of agricultural
implements, and the support of physicians, millers,
farmers, blacksmiths and such other mechanics as the
President of the United States may see fit to appoint ;

* These were the boundaries as defined in the treaty. An amendatory
treaty, made October 1, and signed by the United States Commissioners and a
minority of the chiefs and head men of the tribes numbering only seven, of
whom Caldwell was one, changed the boundaries for a consideration of $10,000,
for the benefit of the nation, and the further sum of $2,000 " to be paid to
Gholson Kercheval for services rendered the said United Nation of Indians
during the late war between the United States Government and the Sacs and
Foxes," and $1,000 to George E. Walker, " for services rendered the said
United Nations in bringing Indian prisoners from west of the Mississippi River
to Ottawa, I.aSalle Co., 111., for whose appearance at the Circuit Court of said
county said nation was bound."

The boundaries were, for the above consideration, changed as follows:
" Beginning at the mouth of Boyer's River ; thence down the Missouri River,
to a point thereon from which a due east line would strike the northwest corner
of the State of Missouri ; thence along said east line to the northwest corner of
said State ; thence along the northern boundary of said State of Missouri till
it strikes the line of the lands of Sacs and Fox Indians: thence northwardly
along the said line to a point from which a west line would strike the sources of
the Little Sioux River ; thence along said west line till it strikes the soi
said river; thence down said river to its month; thence down the IV
River to the place of b -ginning: Provided, the said boundary shall
five million acres, but should it contain more, then said boundaries are to be
reduced so as to contain the said five million acres.1'

$70,000 for educational purposes, to be applied at the
discretion of the President of the United States.

(3) Individual stipends were granted as follows: Billy Cald-
well, S400 per year for life ; Alexander Robinson, $300 per year
for life ; in addition to annuities before granted them ; $200 per

year, each, for life, to Joseph Laframboise and Shawl :e

§2,000 to Wah-pon-eh-see and his band ; and $1,500 to Awnkote
and his band for nineteen sections of land, granted them al the
treaty of Prairie de Chien, which were to be given up.

Article 4 provided for an equitable distribution of the annui-
ties to the various bands'.

Article 5 confirmed as grants in fee simple to all individuals
to whom reservations had been ceded by previous treaties, all such
lands, to their heirs and assigns forever.

The close of the important document and the signatures an-
nexed read as follows :

" In testimony whereof, the said George B. Porter, Thomas
J. V. Owen, and William Weatherford, and the undersigned chiefs
and head men of the said nation of Indians, have hereunto set
their hands at Chicago the said day and year (September 26, 1S33).
G. B. Porter
Th. J. V. Owen
William Weatherford
To-pen-e-bee, his x mark
Sau-ko-noek

Che-che-bin-quay, his x mark,
Joseph, his x mark
Wah-mix-i-co, his x mark
Ob-wa-qua-unk, his x mark
N-saw-way-quet, his x mark

Me-am-ese, his x mark
Shay-tee, his x mark
Chis-in-ke-bah, his x mark
Mix-e-maung, his x mark
Nah-bwait, his x mark
Sen-e-bau-um, his x mark
Puk-won, his x mark
Wa-be-no-say, his x mark
Mon-tou-ish, his x mark
No-nee, his x mark

Puk-quech-a-min-nee, his x mark Mas-quat, his x mark

Nah-che-wine, his x mark
Ke-wase, his x mark
Wah-bou-seh, his x mark
Mang-e-selt, his x mark
Caw-we-saut, his x mark
Ah-be-te-ke-zhic, his x mark
Pat-e-go-shuc, his x mark
E-to-wow-cote, his x mark
Shim-e-nah, his x mark
O-chee-pwaise, his x mark
Ce-nah-ge-win, his x mark

Sho-min, his x mark
Ah-take, his x mark
He-me-nah-wah, his x mark
Che-pec-co-quah, his x mark
Mis-quab-o-no-quah, his x mark
Wah-be-Kai, his x mark
Ma-ca-ta-ke-shic, his x mark
Sho-min, (2d) his x mark
She-mah-gah, his x mark
O'Ke-mah-wah-ba-see, his x mark
Na-mash, his x mark

Shaw-waw-nas-see, his x mark* Shab-y-a-tuk, his x mark

Mac-a-ta-o-shic, his x mark Quah-quah-tan, his x mark

Shab-eh-nay, his x mark Ah-cah-o-mah, his x mark

Squah-ke-zic, his x mark Ah-sag-a-mish-cum, his x mark

Mah-che-o-tah-way, his x mark Pa-mob-a-mee, his x mark

Cha-ke-te-ah, his x mark
Ce-tah-quah, his x mark
Ce-ku-tay, his x mark
Sauk-ee, his x mark
Kee-new, his x mark
Ne-bay-noc-scum, his x mark
Naw-bay-caw, his x mark
O'Kee-mase, his x mark
Saw-o-tup, his x mark
Me-tai-wav, his x mark

Nay-o-say, his x mark
Sho-bon-nier, his x mark
Me-nuk-quet, his x mark
Ah-quee-wee, his x mark
Ta-cau-ko, his x mark
Me-shim-e-nah, his x mark
Wah-sus-kuk, his x mark
Pe-nay-o-cat, his x mark
Pay-maw-suc, his x mark
Pe-she-ka, his x mark

Na-ma-ta-way-shuc, his x mark Shaw-we-mon-e-tay, his x mark
Shaw-waw-nuk-wuk, his x mark Ah-be-nab, his x mark
Nah-che-wah, his x mark Sau-sau-quas-see, his x mark

/« Pre
Wm. Lee D. Ewing, Secretary to

Commission
E. A. Brush
Luther Rice, Interpreter
James Conner, Interpreter
John T. Schermerhorn, Commis-
sioner, etc. , West.
A. C. Pepper, S. A. R. P.
Gho. Kercheval, Sub-agent
Geo. Bender, Major 5th Regt. Inf.

D. Wilcox, Capt. 5th Regt.
I. M. Baxley, Capt. 5th Inf.
R. A. Forsvth, U. S. A.

L. T. Jamison, Lieut. U. S. A.

E. K. Smith, Lieut. 5th Inf.

«*» of

Daniel Jackson, of New York
Jno. H. Kinzie
Robt. A. Kinzie
G. S. Hubbard

J. C. Schwarz, Adjt. Gen. M. M.
Jn. B. Beaubien
James Kinzie
Jacob Beeson
Saml. Humes Porter
Andw. Porter
Gabriel Godfroy
A. H. Arndt
Laurie Marsh
Joseph Chaunier
John Watkins

* The names of neither Alexander Robinson nor Billy Caldwell, both lead-
ing chiefs of the Pottawatomies, appear among the signers of the treaty. They
were both able to write their names. Robinson's Indian name was Che-chee-
bing-way or, as one historian spells it, " Che-che-pin-gua." The "Che-che-
bin-quay " signature attached to the treaty was probably Robinson's. " Shaw-
waw-nas-see " was pro',) ibly the signature of Hilly Caldwell iSaug.inashi. To
each of these signatures is attached the mark (x) of illiteracy. They could
both write, but their signatures do not appear except in the above forrq,

126

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

P. Maxwell, Asst. Surgeon B. B. Kercheval

T. Allen, Lieut. 5th Inf. Jas. W. Berry

I. F. Simouton, Lieut. I". S. A. Win. French
George F. Turner, Asst. Surgeon Thomas Forsyth

t". S. Army Pierre Menard, Fils

Richd. I. Hamilton Edrad. Roberts

Robert Stuart Geo. Hunt

lona. McCarthy Isaac Nash

•The fund of §100,000, provided for "sundry indi-
viduals " in behalf of whom reservations had been asked
and denied, was distributed as follows :

SCHELH'LE A.

(Referred to in the treaty containing the sums payable to in-
dividuals in lieu of reservations.)

Te«e Walker $15°°

Henry Cleavland 800

Rachel Hall 600

Sylvia Hali 600

Joseph Laframboise and children 1000

Victoire Porthier and her children 700

Jean Bt. Miranda, I ~| . . 300

Jane Miranda, J for each q{ whom Tohn I . . 200
Mrs. \ an Kosetta i H K- ■ ■ - >..

Miranda, • . 3°°

Thomas Miranda, [ J . . 400

Alexander Muller, Gholson Kercheval, trustee 800

Paschal Muller, " " " 800

Margaret Muller 200

Socra Muller 200

Angelique Chevallier 200

Josette Chevallier 200

Fanny Leclare, (Captain David Hunter, trustee)... 400

Daniel Bourassa's children 600

Nancy Contraman, \ f h f whom f B )

Sally Contraman. i c bell is trustee. \ 6°°

Betsey Contraman, f r ;

Alexis Laf rambois 1 800

Alexis Laframbois' children 200

Mrs. Mann's children 600

Mrs. Mann (daughter of Antoine Ouilmet) 400

Geo. Turkey's children (Fourtier), Th. J. V. Owen,

trustee 500

Jacques Chapeau's children, (Fourtier), Th. J. V.

Owen, trustee 600

Antonie Roscum's children 750

Francois Burbonnais' senior children 400

Francois Burbonnais' junior children 300

John Bt. Cloutier's children, (Robert A. Kinzie,

trustee) 600

Claude Laframboise's children 300

Antoine Ouilmet's children 300

Josette Ouilmet, (John H. Kinzie, trustee) 200

"Mrs. Welsh, (daughter of Antoine Ouilmet) 200

Alexander Robinson's children 400

Billy Caldwell's children 600

Mo-ah-way 200

Madore B. Beaubien 300

Charles H. Beaubien 300

John K. Clark's Indian children, (Richard J. Hamil-
ton, trustee) 400

Mrs. Sol. Josette Juno and her children 1000

Angelique Juno 300

Josette Beaubien's children 1000

Ma-go-que's child, (James Kinzie, trustee) 300

Esther, Rosene and Eleanor Bailly 500

Sophia, Ilortense and Therese Bailly 1000

Rosa and Mary, children of Hoo-mo-ni-gah, wife of

Stephen Slack 600

Jean Bt. Rabbu's children 400

Francis Chevallier's children 800

Mrs. Nancy Jamison and child 800

Co-pah, son of Archange 250

Martha Burnet, (Rt, Forsyth, trustee) 1000

[sadore Chabert's child, <G S. Hubbard, trustee).. 400

Chee-bee-quai, or Mrs. Allan 500

Luther Rice and children 2500

John Jones IOOO

Pierre ( orbonno's children 800

Pierre Chalipeaux's children IOOO

Phoebe Treat and children 1000

Robert Forsyth, of St. Louis, Mo 500

Alexander Robinson *ioooo

Billy Caldwell *ioooo

Joseph Laframboise 300

Nis-noan-see, (B. B. Kercheval, trustee) 200

Margaret Hall 1000

James, William, David and Sarah, children of Mar-
garet Hall 3200

Margaret Ellen Miller, Mont- ( For each of whom |

gomery Miller, and Filly) Richard J. Ham- I „
Miller, grand-children of ] ilton, of Chicago, j
Margaret Hall, [is trustee.

Jean Letendre's children 200

"Bernard Grignon 100

Josette Polier 100

Joseph Vieux, Jacques Vieux, Louis Vieux, Josette

Vieux, each 100

Angelique Hardwick's children 1800

Joseph Bourassa and Mark Bourassa 200

Jude Bourassa and Therese Bourassa 200

Stephen Bourassa and Gabriel Bourassa 200

Alexander Bourassa and James Bourassa 200

Elai Bourassa and Jerome Bourassa 200

M. D. Bourassa 100

Ann Rice and her son, William M. Rice and

nephew, John Leib 1000

Agate Biddle and her children goo

Magdaline Laframboise and her son 400

Therese Schandler 200

Joseph Dailly's son and daughter, Robert and Therese 500

"Therese Lawe and George Lawe 200

David Lawe and George Lawe 200

Rebecca Lawe and Maria Lawe 200

Polly Lawe and Jane Lawe 200

Appototone Lawe 100

Angelique Vieux and Amable Vieux 200

Andre Vieux and Nicholas Vieux 200

Pierre Vieux and Maria Vieux 200

Madaline Thibeault 100

Paul Vieux and Joseph Vieux 200

Susanne Vieux 100

Louis Grignon and his son Paul 200

Paul Grignon, Sr. and Amable Grignon 200

Perish and Robert Grignon 200

Catist Grignon and Elizabeth Grignon 200

Ursul Grignon and Charlotte Grignon 200

Louise Grignon and Rachel Grignon 200

Agate Porlier and George Grignon 200

Amable Grignon and Emily Grignon 200

Therese Grignon and Simon Grignon 200

William Burnett, (B. B. Kercheval, trustee) ... . . 1000

Shan-na-nees 400

Josette Beaubien 500

For the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Pottawatomie stu-
dents at the Choctaw Academy. The Hon. R.

M. Johnson to be the trustee 5000

James and Richard J. Conner 700

"Pierre Duverny and children 300

Joshua Boyd's children, (George Boyd, Esq., to be

trustee) 500

Joseph Baily 4000

R. A. Forsyth 3000

Gabriel Godfroy 2420

Thomas R. Covill 1300

George Hunt 750

James Kinzie 5000

Joseph Chaunier 550

"John and Mark Noble 180

Alexis Provansale 100

One hundred thousand dollars Si°°,°oo
Originally $150,000 was provided for the payment
of claims acknowledged as justly due, and by a supple-
mentary treaty $25,000 additional. Schedule B, follow-
ing, shows that $175,000 was apportioned to claimants
sufficiently numerous to constitute nearly a complete
census of the white male population of the Northwest.
It is not believed that these claims were audited on the
part of the Indians, although they acknowledged them
to be justly due by the formality of accepting the treaty
of which the schedule formed a part. It was an ap-
portionment of the ready money of the tribes among all
the whites who could bring a claim against an Indian.
The honest debtor and the unjust and dishonest claim-

* Cut down by the U. S. Senate to $5,000 each.

CHICAGO IN 1830-33.

127

ant absorbed the fund. How large a portion of it repre-
sented robbery, theft, and perjury will never be known
until the great book is opened at the last day. The list
of names and amounts apportioned is as follows :

SCHEDULE I).

( Referred to in the treaty containing the sums payable to indi-
viduals on claims admitted to be justly due, and directed to be
paid.)*

Brewster, Hogan & Co $343

John S. C. Hogan 50

Frederick H. Contraman.. 200
Brookfield & Bertrand.... 100

R. E. Heacock 100

Geo. W. McClure, U.S.A. 125

David McKee 180

Oliver Emmell 300

George Hollenbeck 100

Martha Gray 78

Charles Taylor 187

Joseph Naper 71

John Mann 200

James Walker 200

John Blackston 100

Harris & McCord 175

George \V. Dole 133

George Haverhill 60

Wm. Whistler, U.S. A.. 1000
Squire Thompson 100

C. C. Trowbridge 2000

Louis Druillard 350

Abraham Francis 25

D. R. Bearss & Co 250

Dr. E. Winslow 150

Nicholas Klinger 77

Joseph Porthier 200

Clark Hollenbeck 50

Henry Enslen 75

Robert A. Kinzie 1216

Joseph Ogie 200

Thomas Hartzell 400

Calvin Britin 46

Benjamin Fry 400

Pierre F. Navarre 100

C. H. Chapman 30

James Kinzie 300

G. S. Hubbard 125

Samuel Godfroy 1 20

John E. Schwartz 4800

Joseph Loranger 5008

H. B. and C. W. Hoffman 350

Phelps & Wendell 660

Henry Johns 270

Benjamin C. Hoyt 20

John H. Kinzie, intrust for

the heirs of Joseph Mir-
anda, deceased 250

Francis Burbonnais, Sr... 500
Francis Burbonnais, Jr. . . . 200
R. A. Forsyth, in trust for
Catherine McRenzie. . . .1000

James Laird 50

Montgomery Evans 250

Joseph Bertrand, Jr 300

George Hunt goo

Benjamin Sherman 150

W. and F. Brewster, assig-
nees of Joseph Bertrand,

Sr 700

John Forsyth, in trust for
the heirs of Charles Pel-
tier, deceased goo

William Hazard 30

James Shirby 125

Jacob Platter 25

John B. Bourie 2500

B. B. Kercheval 1500

Charles Lucier 75

Mark Beaubien 500

Catherine Stewart 82

Francis Mouton 200

Doctor William Brown . . 40

Jacque Jenveaux $150

John B. DuCharme 55

John Wright 15

James Galloway 200

William Marquis 150

Louis Chevalier, adm'r of
J. B. Chevalier, dec'd.. 112

Solomon McCullough 100

Joseph Curtis 50

Edward E. Hunter go

Rachel Legg 25

Peter Lamseet 100

Robert Beresford 200

G. W. and W. Laird 150

M. B. Beaubien 440

Jeduthan Smith 60

Edmund Weed 100

Philip Maxwell, U. S. A.. 35

Henry Gratiot 116

Tyler K. Blodgett 50

Nehemiah King - 125

S. P. Brady 188

James Harrington 68

Samuel Ellice 50

Peter Menard (Maumee). . 500

John W. Anderson 350

David Bailey 50

Wm. G. Knaggs 100

John Hively 150

John B. Bertrand, Sr. ... 50

Robert A. Forsyth 3000

Maria Kercheval 3000

Alice Hunt 3000

Jane C. Forsyth 3000

John H. Kinzie 5000

Ellen M. Wolcott 5000

Maria Hunter 5000

Robert A. Kinzie 5000

William Huff 81

Stephen Mack, in trust for
the heirs of Stephen

Mack, deceased . 500

Thomas Forsyth 1500

Felix Fontaine 200

Jacques Mette 200

Francis Boucher 250

Margaret Helm 2000

O. P. Lacy 1000

Henry and Richard G. Con-
ner 1500

James W. Craig 500

R. A. Forsyth, Maumee.. 1300
Antoine Peltier, Maumee.. 200
R. A. Forsyth, in trust for

Mau-se-on-o-quet 300

John E. Hunt 1450

Payne C. Parker 70

Isaac Hull 1000

Foreman Evans 32

Horatio N. Curtis 300

lea Rice 250

Thomas P. Quick 35

George B. Woodcox 60

John Woodcox 40

George B. Knaggs 1400

Ebenezer Read 100

George Pomeroy 150

Thomas K. Green 70

William Mieure, intrust for

Willis Fellows. . . 500

Z. Cicott 1800

John Johnson roo

Antoine Antilla 100

• The Senate in ratifying the treaty provided for a board of coi
to examine the claims, and if found fraudulent or unjust, to re-adju

R. A. Forsyth, in trust for

heirs of Charles Guion. 200

Joseph Bertrand, Sr 652

Moses Rice 800

James Conner 2250

John B. DuCharme 250

Coquillard & Comparat . . . 5000

Richard J. Hamilton 500

Adolphus Chapin 80

John Dixon 140

Antoine Ouilmet $800

John Bt. Chandonai, (one

thousand dollars of this

sum to be paid to Robert

Stuart, agent of the

American Fur Company,

by the particular request

of John B. Chandonai). .2500

Lawrin Marsh 32go

P. & J. Godfroy 2000

David Hull 500

Andrew Drouillard 500

Jacob Beeson & Co 220

Jacob Beeson goo

John Anderson 600

John Green ■ 100

James B. Campbell 600

Pierre Menard, jun., in

right of G. W. Campbell 250

George E. Walker 1000

Joseph Thebault 50

Gideon Lowe, U. S. A. . . 160

Pierre Menard, jr 2000

John Tharp 45

Pierre Menard, jr., in

trust for Marie Tremble, 500

Henry B. Stilman 300

John Hamblin 500

Francois Page 100

George Brooks 20

Franklin McMillan 100

Lorance Shellhouse 30

Martin G. Shellhouse 35

Peter Belair 150

Joseph Morass 200

John I. Wendell 2000

A. T. Hatch 300

Stephen Downing 100

Samuel Miller 100

Moses Hardwick 75

Margaret May 400

Frances Felix 1100

John B. Bourie 500

Harriet Ewing 500

David Bourie 500 $175,000

The above claims have been admitted and directed to be paid
only in case they be accepted in full of all claims and demands up
to the present date. G. B. Porter.

T. J. V. Owen.
William Weatherford.

Of the $100,000 to be paid in goods and provisions,
the following record and receipt for delivery appears:

Agreeably to the stipulations contained in the third article of
the treaty, there have been purchased and delivered at the request
of the Indians, goods, provisions and horses, to the amount of
sixty-live thousand dollars, (leaving the balance to be supplied in
the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, thirty-five
thousand dollars).

As evidence of the purchase and delivery as aforesaid, under
the direction of the said commissioners, and that the whole of the
same have been received by the said Indians, the said George B.
Porter, Thomas J. V. Owen, and William Weatherford, and the
undersigned chiefs and head men, on behalf of the said United
Nation of Indians, have hereunto set their hands, the twenty-sev-
enth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and thirty-three.

G. B. Porter, Tshee-Tshee-chin-be-quay,

Th. J. V. Owen, Joseph, his x mark, [his x mark,

William Weatherford, Shab-e-nai, his x mark,

Jo-pen-e-bee, his x mark, Ah-be-te-ke-zhic, his x mark,

We-saw, his x mark, E-to-won-cote, his x mark,

Ne-kaw-nosh-kee, his x mark, Shab-y-a-tuk, his x mark,
Wai-saw-o-ke-ne-aw, his x mark, Me-am-ese, his x mark,

John Baldwin 500

Isaac G. Baily 100

James Cowan 35

Joseph D. Lane 50

J. L. Phelps 250

Edmund Roberts 50

Augustus Bona 60

E. C. Winter & Co 1S50

Charles W. Ewing 200

Carolina Ferry 500

Bowrie & Minie $5°o

Charles Minie 600

Francis Minie 700

David Bourie 150

Henry Ossum Read 200

Francoise Bezoin 2500

Dominique Rosseau 500

Hanna & Taylor 1570

John P. Hedges 1000

Francois Chobare 1000

Isadore Chobare 600

Jacob Leephart 700

Amos Amsden 400

Nicholas Boilvin 350

Archibald Clybourne 200

William Connor (Michigan) 70

Tunis S. Wendall 500

Noel Vassuer 800

James Abbott, agent of the

American Fur Company, 2300
Robert Stewart, agent of
the American Fur Com-
pany 17000

Solomon Juneau 2100

John Bt. Beaubien 250

Stephen Mack, jr 350

John Lawe 3000

Alexis Larose 1000

Daniel Whitney 13SO

P. & A. Grignon 650

Louis Grignon 2000

Jacques Vieux 2000

Laframboise & Bourassa. .1300
Heirs of N. Boilvin, de-
ceased 1000

John K. Clark 400

William G.and G.W.Ewingsooo

Rufus Hitchcock 400

Reed & Coons 200

B. H. Laughton 1000

Rufus Downing 500

Charles Reed 200

Nancy Hedges 500

128

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Ne-see-waw-bee-tuck, his x mark, Wah-be-me-mee, his x mark,
Kai-kaw-tai-mon, his x mark, Shim-e-nah, his x mark,
Saw-ko-nosh, We-in-co, his x mark.

In presi

Wm. Lee D. Ewing. sect'y to Andw. Porter,

the commission. Joseph Bertfand, jr.

R. A. Forsyth. U. S. A , Jno. H. Kinzie.

Madn. F. Abb James Connor, interpreter,

Saml. Humes Porter, j. E. Schwarz, Adjt.-Gen. M. M.

It is not now essential to the object of the historian
or to the interest of the reader to know how the sixty-
five thousand dollars of goods was paid, or in what the
goods consisted, nor whether the chiefs who signed the
receipt knew anything of the value thereof, nor whether
they were drunk or sober when they signed.

The treaty was consummated — the Indian title to
lands in Illinois was extinguished. After two more
annual payments to the Pottawatomies who lingered in
Wisconsin, the tribes disappeared from the region, and
with them went many of the earlier settlers who had
intermarried and thus become identified with them.
The Bourassas, Laframboise, Madore B Beaubien, the
Bourbonnais the Mirandeaus all but Victoire — Mrs. Por-
thier , some of the Clark Indian children, a part of the
Juneau family — in fact nearly all the half-breed families
moved west with the Indians with whom they had become
allied, and their descendants are to-day leaders in the
tribe in the Indian Territory and Kansas, or, having
severed their tribal relations, have become leading citi-
zens of Kansas.*

Incorporation as a Town. — Anticipating the
results of this, which was quite sure to extinguish the
Indian title in the vicinity of Chicago, the citizens felt
that the time had come to take upon themselves cor-
porate powers and to assume the functions of self-
government as the statutes provided. Heretofore the
residents of the Chicago settlement had been, legally,
only citizens of Cook County, having no peculiar cor-
porate powers outside those vested in the "County
Board, or Court of Commissioners.

In accordance with the provisions of the statutes, a
preliminary meeting of the citizens of Chicago was
held, August 5, 1833, to decide by vote whether or not
they would assume the functions of an incorporated
town. There were cast at this meeting twelve votes
" for incorporation," and one "against incorporation."!
The single vote in opposition was cast by Russel E.
Heacock, he living at that time beyond the extreme
southern border of the proposed town, although having
his business and professional interests at the settlement.
He moved into the town the following year.

The first election of Town Trustees was held at the
house of Mark Beaubien, August 10. It is believed
that every legal voter of Chicago cast his vote on that
occasion. They numbered twenty-eight. The follow-
ing were elected Trustees: T. J. V. Owen, 26 votes;
(ieorge W. Hole, 26 votes; Madore B. Beaubien, 23
votes; John Miller, 20 votes; E. S. Kimberlv, 20
votes.

The first meeting of the new board was held
August 12, at which little was done except to organize.
Thomas J. Y. Owen was chosen president, and Isaac
Harmon was appointed clerk. It was agreed that
the meetings should hereafter lx- held at the house
of Mark Beaubien.

At the session of September 3, George W. Dole
was appointed Town Treasurer; and another free ferry

* For farther
history in this vol

♦for voter*' 1i
corporate history.

'ottawatomies, see the preceding Indi;
rtber details concerning the early town elections, s

established across the Chicago River at Dearborn
Street. Charles H. Chapman was appointed ferryman.

The limits of the new town were, on November 6,
extended so as to embrace not far from seven-eighths
of one square mile. The boundaries were : Jackson
Street, on the south; Jefferson and Cook streets, on
the west; Ohio Street, on the north; and north of the
river, by the lake, and south of the river, by State
Street, on the east.

November 7, Benjamin Jones was appointed Street
Commissioner, and Isaac Harmon, Collector, his fees
to be "ten per cent on all money put into the treasury."

December 4, the corps of town officials was com-
pleted by the appointment of George Snow as As-
sessor and Surveyor, and John Dean Caton as Corporate
Attorney.

Chicago from 1833 to 1837. — The close of the
year 1833 found Chicago a legally organized town. Its
population at the time has been variously estimated at
from one hundred and fifty to one thousand. No record
of any enumeration of the inhabitants is extant, and
all statements as to the actual population at that time
are estimates, based on the whims, impressions, or
rumors of the time. It required a population of 150
to form a corporate town organization, and it is not
probable that Chicago had more than the required
number. Based on the number of voters (twenty-eight)
at the first election, and allowing a population of five
to each voter, the resident population was 140 in
August, 1833, at the time the first election was held.
The influx drawn in during the Indian treaty, in
September, added largely to the permanent population
of the town, as many who came here at that time re-
mained. The population on January 1, 1834, was not
far from 250.

The new town of Chicago as organized in the fall of
1833, although as small in population as the law would
allow, had all the required elements of civilization within
itself.

The village was built along the south side of Water
Street and westerly toward the settlement at the forks.
There were scattered shanties over the prairie south,
and a few rough, unpainted buildings had been impro-
vised on the North Side between the old Kinzie house
and what is now Clark Street. All together it would, in
the light of 1883, have represented a most woe-begone
appearance, even as a frontier.town of the lowest class.
It did not show a single steeple nor a chimney four feet
above any roof. A flagstaff at the fort, some fifty feet
high, flaunted, in pleasant weather and on holidays — a
weather-beaten flag, as an emblem of civilization, patri-
otic pride, national domain, or anything else that might
stir hearts of the denizens of the town. The buildings
of the fort were low posted, and none of them exceed-
ing two low stories in height. Approaching the village
by land from the south, one would see on emerging
from the oak woods, near Twenty-third Street, a good
stretch of level grass, the lake on the right, woods along
the borders of the main river, and, lying on the back-
ground of the green woods, only a thin cloud of smoke
from the shanty chimneys, a line of almost indefinable
structures, and the flag over the fort, if perchance it was
flying. A brown path, where the grass had been trod-
den out, led to the fort, and another, better trodden and
wider, led across the prairie towards the forks where
the Sauganash Hotel then flourished. A letter from
Charles Butler, a brother-in-law of William B. Ogden,
written from New York December 17, 1881, is here
given as relevant to a description of the town at this
time. The letter somewhat anticipates the history as

CHTCAGO TN 1833-37.

129

regards its subsequent growth and development, and
brings Hon. William B. Ogden upon the stage before
his time, but is given entire, nevertheless. It reads as
follows :

" In the winter of 1832-33 I was spending some time with my
friend Arthur Bronson in New York as his guest. Among other
topics we discussed that of a visit to the Western country the fol-
lowing summer for information and pleasure. The recent occur-
rence of the Black Hawk War (which took place in 1832, the
previous summer) had directed attention to that region of country
west of Lake Michigan (where it had taken place) in the northern
part of Illinois and southern portion of the then Territory of Wis-
consin. . We decided on the plan of a journey to Chicago, the
ensuing summer. My residence was then at Geneva, in Ontario
County, in the western part of the State of New York, and it was
arranged that Mr. Bronson would leave New York in June follow-
ing and I would join him at Geneva. Having settled upon this
plan, we directed our attention to obtaining some information in
regard to that region of country and the methods of traveling.
General Scott, who had charge of the campaign against the Black
Hawk Indians,* and who had but recently returned from the West,
was a friend of Mr. Branson's and he applied to him for informa-
tion on the subject. General Scott had been very much impressed
by his visit, with the extent, beauty and attractions of that portion
of the United States, and he expressed the opinion to Mr. Bronson
that Chicago in the future settlement of the country, would be
likely to become an important town. In further prosecution of his
inquiries he was advised to apply to Mr. Daniel Jackson, then a
leading merchant of this city (New York), who was engaged in the
business of furnishing Indian supplies, and Mr. Bronson had re-
course to him. On going to the store and stating the object of his
visit to Mr. Jackson, the latter responded to his application with
interest, and said that he would then introduce him to a man from
Chicago, who at that moment happened to be in his store making
purchases of Indian goods. This was Robert A. Kinzie, and Mr.
Bronson was introduced to him. The result of this interview with
Mr. Kinzie (from whom Mr. Bronson obtained all the information
needed for the journey) was a voluntary offer on the part of Mr.
Kinzie to Mr. Bronson, that, if the latter and his friend had in view
the purchase of any property in the West, or if they should desire
to purchase any when there, he had an interest in some land in
Chicago which he would sell to us, and he gave Mr. Bronson a
description of the property, stating the quantity, terms, etc., with
the privilege of considering it and of deciding whether he would
take it or not, after we should have seen it. The land thus offered
was one-fotuth interest in the ncrth fractional half of Section ten! 10),
in common and undivided, on which Kinzie's addition to the town of
Chicago was afterwards laid out — Mr. Robert A. Kinzie as one of
the heirs at law of his father being entitled to one-fourth part
thereof.

" In the summer of 1833, in accordance with the arrangement
previously made in the winter, as above stated, Mr. Bronson and I
proceeded on our Western journey. We stopped at Niagara Falls,
to which place we were accompanied bv our respective families,
from whom we parted there, and went on to Buffalo, where we took
a steamer for Detroit. We duly arrived at Detroit, where we
remained some time. Arrangements were then made for the jour-
ney to Chicago. The country between Detroit and Chicago was
then a comparative wilderness, and the route to Chicago was by
what was known as the Indian Trail, which traversed the southern
portion of the Territory of Michigan in a southwesterly course
from Detroit through Ypsilanti to White Pigeon Prairie, where it
approached the northern boundary line of the State of Indiana, and
passing through South Bend and LaPorte Prairie (the Door prairie)
to Michigan City. Preparatory to the journey, we provided a
wagon and pair of horses and two saddle horses, and arranged
with a young man, named Gholson Kercheval, who was familiar
with the route, having been connected with the Indian agency at
Chicago, to accompany us all the way from Detroit to Chicago; we
laid in supplies, provisions and groceries, such as we thought
might be needed on the way. The journey occupied several days.
On arriving at White Pigeon Prairie, where there was a settlement,
we were so attracted by the beauty of the country that we stopped
several days there and made short excursions in the vicinity. At
LaPorte they were just then establishing the site of the county
town, now the city of LaPorte, and a Government agency for
the sale of lands. It was about this time that this portion of the
State of Indiana was brought into market by the Government for
sale.

" We arrived at Michigan City late in the evening. There

was but a single house there at which we could stop. It was kept

by General Orr. We there met with Major Elston, of Crawfords-

* It is well known that General Scott did not reach the ground until hos-

ville, who had become the purchaser of the section of land on
which Michigan City was laid out, and he had just then completed
a survey and map of the town, which he exhibited to us, and offered
to sell us lots. It was a great novelty to us, this map of Michigan
City, and in the morning, when daylight came, and we could look
out upon the land around us, the novelty was still more striking,
for a more desolate tract of sand and barren land could hardly be
conceived of. There was scarcely a tree or shrub to distinguish it,
much less any houses ; it was literally in a state of nature. Major
Elston had been attracted to it by the fact that it was the only
place on Lake Michigan, within the territory of the State of Indi-
ana, where it might be possible at some future time to establish a
commercial port in connection with the navigation of the lake; and
this distant vision of possibilities attracted his attention at this early
day, and the first step towards its realization had now been taken
by him in the survey and map just then completed of Michigan
City.

" From Michigan City to Chicago, a distance of about sixty
miles, the journey was performed by me on horseback. There
was but one stopping place on the way, and that was the house of a
F'renchman named Bayeux, who had married an Indian woman.
At Calumet River, which was crossed on a float, there was an en-
campment of Pottawatomie Indians. There were some trees on
the westerly bank of the river, and in some of these the Indians
had hammocks. In making the journey from Michigan City to
Chicago I followed the shore of the lake nearly the whole distance.

" I approached Chicago in the afternoon of a beautiful day,
the 2d of August, (1833) ; the sun setting in a cloudless sky. Or.
my left lay the prairie, bounded only by the distant horizon like a
vast expanse of ocean ; on my right, in the summer stillness, lay
Lake Michigan. I had never seen anything more beautiful or
captivating ill nature. There was an entire absence of animal
life, nothing visible in the way of human habitation or to indicate
the presence of man, and yet it was a scene full of life ; for there,
spread out before me in every direction, as far as the eye could
reach, were the germs of life in earth, air and water. I approached
Chicago in these closing hours of day, ' So calm, so clear, so
bright,' — and this was the realization of the objective point of my
journey.

" But what was the condition of this objective point, this Chi-
cago of which I was in pursuit, to which I had come ? A small
settlement, a few hundred people all told, who had come together
mostly within the last year or two. The houses, with one or two
exceptions, were of the cheapest and most primitive character for
human habitation, suggestive of the haste with which they had
been put up. A string of these buildings had been erected with-
out much regard to lines on the south side of the Chicago River
(South Water Street). On the west side of the South Branch, near
the junction, a tavern had been improvised for the entertainment
of travelers, erected by James Kinzie, but kept by a Mr. Crook (?) ;
and there we found lodgings. On the north side of the Chicago
River at that time, there was but a single building, known as the
Block House. I crossed the river in a dug-out canoe about oppo-
site to it. My recollection is that the house which had once been
occupied by Mr. Kinzie. the Indian Agent, on the North Side, near
the lake shore, had been previously destroyed by fire. The Gov-
ernment had just entered upon the harbor improvement of the Chi-
cago River ; the work was under the charge of Major Bender.
Fort Dearborn was a military establishment, and just at this time
there was a transfer of a company of United States troops from
Green Bay or Sault Ste. Marie to Fort Dearborn, under the com-
mand, I think, of Major Wilcox, accompanied by the Rev. Jere-
miah Porter, as chaplain, to whom I had a letter of introduction.
On the morning after my arrival, in walking out, I met a gentle-
man from whom I inquired where he could be found, and on ex-
hibiting my letter, he said he was the person and that he was then
on his way to attend the funeral of a child, and he asked me if I
would accompany him as it was near by, which I did. On going
to the house, which was one of the kind I have described, new and
cheap, we found the father and mother ; the dead child lay in a
rude coffin. There was no one else present except the parents,
Mr. John Wright, Dr. Kimball, Mr. Porter and myself, and it be-
came a question how the remains of the child should be conveyed
to the cemetery, which was on the west side of the North Branch
of the river. I recollect that while we were attending this simple
service, we were interrupted by the noise of a hammer of a work-
man outside, who was engaged in putting up a shanty for some
new-comers, and Mr. Porter went out and secured the assistance
of this workman. We acted as bearers in conveying the remains
of this poor child from the house to the grave and assisted in bury-
ing it.

" Emigrants were coming in almost every day in wagons of
various forms, and, in many instances, families were living in their
covered wagons while arrangements were made for putting up
shelter for them. It was no uncommon thing for a house, such as

*3°

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

would answer the purpose for the time being, to be put up in a few
days. Mr. Bronson himself made a contract for a house, to be
put up and finished in a week. There were, perhaps, from two to
three hundred people in Chicago at that time, mostly strangers to
each other. In the tavern at which we staid, the partitions were
chieflY upright studs, with sheets attached to them. The house
was crowded with people — emigrants and travelers. Many of them
could onlv find a sleeping-place on the floor, which was covered
with weary men at night.

" The east window of my bed-room looked out upon Lake
Michigan in the distance, Fort Dearborn lying near the margin of
the lake ; and, at this time, there was nothing, or very little, to
obstruct the view between the inn and the lake, the fort and the
buildings connected with it being the principal objects ; and those
buildings were very low structures ; and I could, from my window,
follow the course of the river, the water of which was as pure as
that of the lake, from the point of junction to its entrance into the
lake.

" A treaty was to be held in September, at Chicago, with cer-
tain tribes of Indians of the Northwest, by Governor Porter, of
Michigan, as commissioner on behalf of the Government, for the
extinguishment of the Indian title to that region of country now
forming that part of Illinois north of Chicago, and the adjacent
territory now included in the State of Wisconsin. Preparatory to
this, the Indians were gathered in large numbers at Chicago, and it
was a curious spectacle to see these natives in groups in their wig-
wams scattered about on the prairie, in and around the town,
chiefly near the junction of the branches of the river, some on the
west side and some on the east side of the North Branch. This
treaty was held in September, and by it the Indian title to all that
region of countrv was extinguished, and the lands were subject to
survev, and were afterwards (in May, 1835,) brought into market.
The line of Indian territory, to which their title had been previously
extinguished, extended about twelve miles north of Chicago. But
these lands, including Chicago, had not yet been brought into
market by the Government, and were not, therefore, subject to
purchase by emigrants. They could only acquire a pre-emptive
right by actual settlement, and it was in this way that the title to
what is now called Kinzie's addition, was acquired. At this time,
the patent for it had not been obtained, and the land lay in a wild
state.

" It was on this visit to Chicago with Mr. Bronson, that we
spent some time, and made the acquaintance of the principal men
of the place. Among these, as I now remember, were Mr. Richard
J. Hamilton, the Kinzies (John H. and his brother Robert A.) and
James Kinzie (the latter a half-brother to the former), Mr. John
Wright, Dr. Temple, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Colonel Owen, and
George W. Dole.

" The present condition and prospects of Chicago, and its
future, and that of the country around it, was, of course, the
subject of constant and exciting discussion. At this time, that
vast country lying between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi
River (which then seemed to be the natural boundary of the West,)
and the country lying northwest of it, which now includes Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, and Iowa, lay in one great unoccupied expanse of
beautiful land, covered with the most luxuriant vegetation — a vast
flower garden — beautiful to look at in its virgin state, and ready for
the plow of the farmer. One could not fail to be greatly impressed
with this scene, so new and extraordinary, and to see there the
germ of that future, when these vast plains would be occupied and
cultivated, yielding their abundant products of human food, and
sustaining millions of population. Lake Michigan lay there, four
hundred and twenty miles in length north and south, and it was
clear to my mind that the productions of that vast country lying
west and northwest of it on their way to the Eastern market — the
great Atlantic seaboard — would necessarily be tributary to Chicago,
in the site of which, even at this early day, the experienced ob-
server saw the germ of a city, destined from its peculiar position
near the head of the lake and its remarkable harbor formed by the
river, to become the largest inland commercial emporium in the
United States.

"Michigan was then a territory with a population of about
twenty thousand people, occupying the eastern portion of the
State. Its western half was a comparatively unoccupied wil-
derness.

" Northern Indiana was in the same condition, and northern
Illinois, including the country between Chicago and the Mississippi
River, contained only a sparse population, confined to small set-
tlements on the western water-courses.

" With this feeling of inspiration with regard to the future of
Chicago, which pervaded in common the leading spirits of the
place, we entered into plans to promote its future development,
and among these the most important which was at that time dis-
cussed was a project for the construction of a canal or railway to
connect Lake Michigan at Chicago with the Illinois River at

Ottawa or Peru, a distance of about eighty or one hundred miles. A
grant had been made by Congress to the Territory or State of
Illinois, at an early day, of each alternate section of land in aid of
the construction of a canal between Lake Michigan at Chicago
and the Illinois River, but no steps had been taken to avail of this
grant.

" New Orleans at this time was regarded as a market for the
valley of the Mississippi, as it could be reached by the Mississippi
River and its tributaries, so the construction of such a canal be-
tween Lake Michigan and the Illinois River would secure to
Chicago the benefit of this western outlet to market by a continu-
ous water communication, and this was regarded as an object of
great importance for the future development of the country. The
leading men of Chicago were anxious that we should interest our-
selves in the prosecution of this work; and so enthusiastic had we
become in our views of the future of this region of country and of
Chicago as its commercial center, that we entered into their views,
and it was agreed that an application should be made to the Legis-
lature to incorporate a company for the construction of a canal or
a railroad between Chicago and the Illinois River, to which com-
pany the State should convey its land grant, coupled with condi-
tions for the construction of either a canal or a railway within a
certain time, and upon such conditions as might be imposed bv the
Legislature; and that certain persons who were then present at
Chicago, of whom Lucius Lyon (afterwards the first Senator in
Congress from the State of Michigan), Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Kinzie,
and Dr. Temple, I think, as a committee, were to take charge of
this memorial and submit it at the next session of the Legislature
of the State of Illinois. A memorial to the Legislature and a
letter of instructions to the committee were carefully prepared by
Mr. Bronson and myself, embodying our views and suggesting
the terms and conditions upon which the company should be
incorporated.

" The committee were to proceed to Jacksonville with the
memorial at the next session of the Legislature. Whether this
proposition was ever formally submitted to that body or not I am
not able to state, but it is certain that the discussion caused by it
had the effect to stimulate the Legislature at the session of 1S34-35
to avail of the liberal and yet dormant grant made by Congress for
the purpose, and a bill was passed at that session authorizing a
loan for the construction of the canal as a State work; and the
work was soon after commenced and, though retarded by embar-
rassments which overtook the State and for a time prostrated its
credit, it was finally completed and remains to this day a monu-
ment not only of the enterprise of the State, but of its integrity in
the fulfillment of its pecuniary obligations to its creditors.

" It may not be amiss to say in this connection that, when the
State of Illinois, in common with several of the Western States,
failed to meet the obligations it had incurred in its efforts to carry
out prematurely, having respect to its population and ability, a
vast system of internal improvement — that the question, What can
be done to arrest the ruin and retrieve the credit of the State ? be-
came one of vital importance not only to its citizens but to all who
had any interest in the State. Of course Mr. Bronson and myself
were deeply interested, and gave to it a good deal of time and
thought — the result of which was the suggestion that the only
feasible plan would be for the State to ask of its bondholders, who
were chiefly in Europe, to make a further advance of money suffi-
cient for the completion of the canal, for the payment of which
the canal, its lands and revenues should be pledged, backed by the
faith and credit of the State; and upon this basis the arrangement
was finally made by the State which insured the completion of the
canal.

" I am happy to avail myself of this occasion to record this
brief tribute to the memory of my friend, Arthur Bronson, to re-
mind the citizens of Chicago of one who was a friend of their
State and city at that most eventful period in their history. No
one but he who then lived, and fully understood the situation, can
rightly appreciate the value of such aid and influence as Mr.
Bronson rendered, affecting the hpnor and prosperity of a State.

" While at Chicago our attention was directed to the property
which Robert A. Kinzie had offered us, viz.: his quarter interest as
one of the heirs-at-law of his father, in the north fractional half of
Section 10. This purchase was declined after a careful reconnois-
sance of the land by me in person, accompanied by a surveyor,
mainly because the remaining three-quarters, being owned by other
persons, their co-operation in the disposition of the property would
be essential to a satisfactory management. It was ascertained that
Major-General Hunter, then and now in the United States Army,
had become the owner of one-half interest in the same property and
that he also owned eighty acres in the adjoining Section No. 9,
that is to say, the east half of the northeast quarter of Section 9,
now known as Wolcott's addition; and as the result of our consid-
eration on the subject we concluded to open a negotiation with him
for the purchase of his entire interest in Chicago. This negotiation

CHICAGO IN '833-37.

'3»

was begun by correspondence with him. His engagement in the
service of the country at remote military stations rendered com-
munication with him difficult and slow, and the negotiation with
him, though commenced in the fall of 1S33, was not consummated
until late in the summer of 1S34, when a proposition was received
from him offering the property, viz.: the half of Kinzie's addition
and the whole of Wolcott's addition (and Block No. 1 in the
town of Chicago, lying on the north side of the river) for the price
of §20,000, at which sum it was purchased by my friend Mr.
Arthur Bronson and his associates in the fall of 1S34, and the
title to it was taken in the name of his brother, Mr. Frederic Bron-
son. For private reasons I took no interest in the purchase, al-
though the negotiations up to the final offer of Major Hunter had
been conducted in accordance with the original suggestion, for our
joint account and interest. In the month of May following
I purchased of Mr. Bronson the same property for the con-
sideration of $100,000. While the title was in Mr. Bronson,
arrangements had been made for an auction sale of the
property in the month of June, following simultaneously with
the Government sale of lands, which had been advertised to
take place at Chicago in May, 1S35 — the first of the kind
in that portion of the United States, the surveys for which had
been completed and the Indian title to which had been ex-
tinguished. It was expected that this would attract a very large con-
course of people to Chicago, as it did, for it brought into notice
and offered for sale lands in the most attractive and fertile portion
of the United States. The sale of the lots in the property, which
I had acquired by purchase from Mr. Bronson, was to follow after
the sale of public lands; all the preliminary steps to effect it
had been taken, and Frederic Bronson was then on his way to
Chicago to superintend the sale. Of course all these proceedings
were now subject to my control, and the disposition to be made by
me in regard to it was under consideration. In making the pur-
chase I had contemplated this condition, and had in view my brother-
in-law, William B. Ogden, as the best person to take charge of the
whole business. He was then a member of the Legislature of this
State, from the county of Delaware, during the memorable session
of 1S35. I wrote to him requesting that he would terminate his
labor there at the earliest possible moment, and go to Chicago to
take charge of this property. This he consented to do, and in
May, 1S35, he went to Chicago and there met Frederic Bronson,
who turned the property over to him as my agent. This was Mr.
Ogden's introduction to Chicago, and his first visit to the country
west of Niagara. He had been born at Walton on the Delaware
River, in "Delaware County, and had lived there up to this period
of his life. His father, who had been a successful business man
engaged in manufacturing industry and in the lumber trade, had
been stricken down by paralysis and disabled from active business,
when William, his eldest son, was about seventeen years of age;
and in consequence, the responsibilities of the family and the con-
duct of business had devolved mainly on him.

" It was in May, 1S35, that Mr. Ogden went to Chicago for
the purpose above stated. The spring had been one of unusual
wetness, and on his arrival at Chicago to take charge of the prop-
erty committed to his care, his first impressions were not at all
favorable. The property lay there on the north side of the river
an unbroken field, covered with a course growth of oak and under-
brush, wet and marshy, and muddy fromathe recent heavy rains.
Notning could be more unattractive, not to say repulsive in its sur-
face appearance. It had neither form nor comeliness, and he could not
at first sight in looking at the property, in its then primitive condi-
tion, see it as possessing any value or offering any advantages
to justify the extraordinary price for which it had been bought. He
could not but feel that I had been guilty of an act of great folly in
making the purchase, and it was a cause of sad disappointment and
of great depression. To him it was a new experience ; it was novel
and different from anything that he had ever been engaged in.
But Mr. Ogden had gone there for a purpose and to execute an
important trust. A great deal of work had to be done to prepare
this wilderness field for the coming auction. It had to be laid out
and opened up by streets and avenues into blocks and lots, the
boundaries of which must be carefully defined, maps and plans
must be made, surveys perfected and land marks established. Mr.
Ogden addressed himself to this work with energy and brought to
it his extraordinary ability in the handling of all material interests.
The work that he accomplished on this property in a short time,
under circumstances discouraging and depressing, was wonderfully
effective. He conceived what would be required in order to attract
the attention of purchasers, so that by the time the auction sale
approached he could exhibit it in business form. It will be remem-
bered that the tract covered 131 acres, exclusive of the half belong-
ing to the Kinzies, which lay in mass with it, say fifty-one acres,
which, added to my purchase represented by Mr. Ogden, made a
tract of 182 acres. The Government sale of lands had brought
together a large collection of people from all parts of the country,

particularly from the East and Southeast, and tins, wen then
when Mr. Ogden offered the property on the North Side. 1 he-
result of the auction was a surprise to him, for the sales amounted
to more than one hundred thousand dollars and included about
one-third of the property. This result, although it was astonish-
ing to him, seemed yet to fail of making the impression on his
mind of the future of the town which was to become the scene of
his after life, and in the development and growth of which he him-
self was to become an active and most important factor.

" As he expresssed himself to me in giving an account of the
transaction, he could not see where the value lay nor what it was
that justified the payment of such prices. He thought the people
were crazy and visionary. Having completed the sales, he left ' 1 i-
cago in the summer and did not return there until the summer follow-
ing ( 1836 ). But he was not long, after this experience, in grasp-
ing the idea of the future of that portion of the United Mates,
and of the natural advantages which Chicago offered as the site of
a commercial town, which in the future growth of the country
would become so important. As the result of this agency and the
care of this large property interest, regarding it as an occupation,
he gave his mind to the consideration of the whole subject, and it
determined him in the end to make his home in the West and iden-
tify himself with the fortunes of Chicago. It was a field suited
to his taste and to his habits, and for which his previous life and ex-
perience in his native country had trained him, although that life
and experience had up to this time been narrow as was the boundary
the Delaware River on which he had been teared. Now, his mind
and his energies were directed to the development of the vast and
boundless prairies of the West. He had been reared in a country
of dense forests, and surrounded on every side by mountain scenery,
and now he was in a field where there were no forests and no
mountains.

" It was not long before Mr. Ogden became imbued with an
enthusiastic appreciation of the capabilities and attractions of this
new country. His descriptions of it were poetic and inimitable.

"And from this time onward up to the close of his life he
gave to Chicago the full benefit of his rare talents and ability; and
he has left in the city of his adoption the distinctive marks of his
life work, as well as through the West and Northwest, where
the great railways which he projected and promoted to comple-
tion will remain ever as monuments of his genius and his enterprise.
No man exercised a more magical influence in stimulating all
around him to acts of usefulness and improvement in the interest
of intellectual, social and material progress, and the development
of the country ; and few men were capable of accomplishing so much
useful work in so short a time. He was comprehensive and broad
in his views as the country in which he lived. The later years of
his life were devoted largely to the extension of lines of railways to
the Pacific coast, and especially the Northern Pacific, which is now
approaching completion. Mr. Ogden had always regarded this
route as one of the most important, and the country which it trav-
ersed— and which by its completion would be opened to settlement
— as one of the most attractive and richest in its soil productions
of any of the projected lines connecting the Atlantic with the Pacific
coast.

" During all this period, from 1835 to 1S65, my house was
Mr. Ogden's home when in New York. As memory sweeps back
over these most active years of his life — associated as they are indis-
solubly with Chicago and the West — and reproduces the picture
mellowed by time, of what he was as a man, and of what he was
doing and what he did do ; the charm of his influence is'still felt,
fragrant with sympathy for his fellow-men in all conditions of life —
one on whose tombstone might be appropriately inscribed, ' Write
me as one who loves his fellow-men.'

" And the citizens of Chicago do but honor themselves by
placing in their Historical hall the portrait of him whose name
should ever be cherished as one of their foremost and most notable
citizens."

John Bates, a settler of 1832, in an interview October
15, 1883, said:

" In 1833 the settlement of the new town, so far as buildings
showed, was mostly on what is now Water Street. There was noth-
ing on Lake Street, except perhaps the Catholic church begun on
the northwest. corner of Lake and State. Up and down Water
Street, between what is now State and Wells streets, now Fifth
Avenue, all the business houses and stores were built. Also nearly
all the cabins for dwellings. You could, from every store and
dwelling, look north across the river, as there were no buildings on
what is now the north side of that street. At that time a slough
emptied into the river, at what is now the foot of State Street, and
was a sort of bayou of dead water through which scows could be
run up as far as Randolph Street, near the corner of Dearborn, and
there was a dry creek up as far as where the Sherman House now
stands. There was a foot-bridge of four logs run lengthwise across

«3^

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

the creek near the mouth of the creek. At that time there was no
bridge across the main river, and never had been. There was a
sort of bridge built the year before by Anson Taylor across the
South Branch near Randolph Street — a log-bridge, quite near the
water, over which teams could pass. Hall & Miller had, in 1833,
a large tannery on Wolf Point. There was no foot-bridge across
North Branch, that I remember, at that early day. At the Wolf
Point Hotel there was a sign-post up ; perhaps there was at one
time a sign of a wolf on it, but if so, it was a temporary charcoal or
chalk sign put up by the boys. I don't remember it."

The population numbered not far from two hundred
and fifty at the close of the year. It comprised six
lawyers — Russel E. Heacock, who had come in 1827 ;
Richard J. Hamilton, 1831 ; and Giles Spring, John
Dean Caton, Edward W. Casey and Alexander N. Ful-
lerton. who had put out their signs in 1833. There
were also eight physicians : Elijah D. Harmon came
May. 1830 : Valentine A. Boyer, May 12, 1832 ; Ed-
mund S. Kimberly, 1832 ; Phillip Maxwell, February,
1 83 3 : John T. Temple, spring of 1833 ; William Brad-
shaw Egan, fall of 1833 ; Henry B. Clark, 1833 ; and
George F. Turner, Assistant-Surgeon U. S. A., at the
garrison.

There were at that time four religious organizations
holding stated sendees at places, and with pastors as
follows :

St. Mary's Catholic Church, near the southwest cor-
ner of Lake and State streets, Rev. J. M. L. St. Cyr.

The Presbyterian, in the Temple Building, at the
southeast corner of Franklin and South Water streets ;
Rev. Jeremiah Porter, pastor.

Baptist, in the same building; Rev. Allen B. Freeman,
pastor.

Methodist, in the same building; Rev. Jesse W^alker,
pastor.

The Temple Building, where most of the Protestant
religious services of the town were held, was built
through the agency and efforts of Dr. John T. Temple,
who had arrived early in July, 1833, with his family,
consisting of a wife and four children. He was a pious
and earnest Baptist Christian, and came to Chicago
from Washington, D. C, armed with a contract to carry
the mails from Chicago to Fort Howard, Green Bay.
His contract gave him a surety of a living, so that his
surplus energy could well be used in the services of the
Lord, as he understood it. Through his efforts, he,
heading the subscription paper with $100, found funds
to build a two-story building at the corner of Franklin
and South Water streets, which was the earliest struct-
ure dedicated especially to religion and education
erected in Chicago. The lower story was a hall for
religious services, the upper floor was a school-room,
where Granville Temple Sproat kept one of the first
public schools. Miss Chappel 'Mrs. Jeremiah Porter),
Miss Sarah Warren Mrs. Abel E. Carpenter), and S. L.
Carpenter were at different times teachers in schools
held in this building.*

The Temple Building did not derive its name from
its dedication to sacred uses, but from the fact that Dr.
Temple built it and rented it to such societies, religious
or otherwise, as could pay the rent. The name of the
builder gave to the building itself a double sanctity that
its subsequent career could not sustain.

There were four hotels : The ol 1 Wolf Point Tavern,
formerly kept by Caldwell & Wentworth, then by
Chester Ingersoll, who had re-christened it "The Trav-
elers' Home ;" the Sauganash, on the south side of
what is now Lake Street, near the forks of the river,
still kept by the original proprietor, Mark Beaubien ;
the Green Tree Tavern, just built by James Kinzie,

and leased to David Clock, who was the landlord; the
Mansion House, where are now numbers 84 and 86
Lake Street. It was at that time an unpretentious log
tavern kept by Dexter Graves, and according to some
authorities had no name, being on the site of the build-
ing which was afterwards known by the above-mentioned
name. Besides this there were several boarding-houses
where transients were fed and lodged, if there was room,
which depended upon how particular the regular board-
ers might be as to the number or character of the said
transients who had to be stowed away in their rooms,
either as bed-fellows, or on the floor. Mrs. Rufus Brown
kept one of the first-class boarding houses.

In addition to the ministers, lawyers, doctors, land-
lords and others before named, a fair assortment of
druggists, merchants, butchers, carpenters, blacksmiths,
and other artisans were settled in the town. There was
also a score of adventurers, comprising moneyed specu-
lators and prospectors, as yet undecided whether to stay
at Chicago or go on.

The following is an imperfect list of the denizens of
the town in the fall of 1833, not before named : Philo
Carpenter, still living in Chicago, druggist, who came in
July, 1832 ; Peter Pruyne, druggist, early in 1833 ;
George W. Dole, merchant ; P. F. W. Peck, merchant ;
Madore W. Beaubien, merchant ; John Bates, Jr., still
living in Chicago, auctioneer, who came in 1832; Alan-
son Sweet, 1832 ; Augustin Taylor, builder, still living in
Chicago, arrived June, 1833 ; J. B. Beaubien, merchant ;
the Kinzies, John and Robert A., merchants ; T. J. Y.
Owen, who came in 1831 ; John Watkins, school-mas-
ter, came in 1832; James Gilbert, came in 1833 ; Charles
H. Taylor, came in 1832 ; John S. C. Hogan, Post-
master, came in 1832 ; William Ninson, came in fall of

1832 ; Hiram Pearson, came in spring of 1833 ; George
Chapman ; John Wright ; Mathias Smith, came in 1833;
David Carver, seaman and lumber merchant, came in

1833 ; Eli A. Rider, came in 1832 ; Dexter J. Hapgood,
came in 1832 ; George W. Snow, came in 1832 ; Ghol-
son Kercheval, Government Agent and clerk, came in
1831, died in California ; Stephen F. Gale, from New
Hampshire ; Captain DeLafayette Wilcox, in the garri-
son ; Lieutenant Louis T. Jamison, in the garrison ;
Enoch Darling, W. H. Adams, C. A. Ballard, Captain
J. M. Baxley, came June, 1833, and remained until April,
1836 ; Lieutenant J. L. Thompson, came June 20, 1833,
and remained until December, 1836 ; Jabez K. Bots-
ford, speculator and capitalist ; Morris Bumgarden,
came in 1832 ; Henry and Samuel L. Brooks ; Stephen
Rexford, came July 27, 1833 ; Charles Wisencraft, came
in 1833; John S. Wright, then a minor, afterward
editor of Prairie Farmer, and one of the most merito-
rious pioneers of Chicago, came in 1832 ; John Wright,
came in 1832, a merchant ; Timothy and Walter Wright,
came in 1833; Patrick Welch, in 1833; John Calhoun,
printer and editor of the first newspaper published in
Chicago, arrived in November, 1833, and issued the first
number of the Chicago Democrat November 26, 1833 ;
Tyler K. Blodgett, came in the spring of 1 833, and started
the first brickyard, between Dearborn and Clark streets,
on the North Side ; Oscar Pratt and Beckford, printers,
were in the employ of Mr. Calhoun at that time ; E. H.
Mulford, watch-maker, came in 1833 ; Lemuel Brown,
blacksmith, came in 1833 ; Joseph Meeker, carpenter
and builder, came in the summer of 1833 ; Major
Handy, bricklayer and mason ; E. K. Smith ; L. D.
Harrison ; Archibald Clybourne, butcher, came in 1823,
then living north of the town limits, and not a voter in
the new village ; John K. Clark, half-brother of A.
Clybourne, then living with him; Nelson R. Norton,

CHICAGO IN 1833-37.

li3

ship-carpenter, and builder of the first draw-bridge over
the main river, at Dearborn Street, in March, 1834, came
November 16, 1833 (he also built the first sloop, the
"Clarissa," launched May 12, 1836); Anson H. and his
brother, Charles Taylor, came in 1832 ; John Miller,
brother of Samuel, the landlord, came in 1831, and run
a tannery just north of Miller's tavern ; Benjamin Hall,
tanner, a partner of John Miller, who came in 1832 ;
Martin D. Harmon ; Willard Jones ; Ashbel Steele,
plastered Calhoun's printing office in November, 1833 ;
S. B. Cobb, a minor, came June 1, 1833.

Many of these names are not on the list of voters for
1833, for the reason that they had not been in Chicago
a sufficient time to gain the right under the law to vote.
They are, nevertheless, entitled to a place in the list of
actual residents of the new town of Chicago, as organized
in 1833.

As appears from the above list there were besides,
four churches, a newspaper, a private school, and a job
printing office ministering to the higher wants of the
community ; and besides the taverns enumerated, a half
dozen stores and a butcher, to minister to the physical
necessities of the citizens. There was not at that time
a single dram shop or what would in these later days be
denominated a saloon, where the sale of spirituous liquors
was the only ostensible business. That was carried on
in connection with the stores and hotels, the tavern-
keeper being by the terms of his license allowed to sell
liquors to his guests, and not forbidden to sell to others.

The bridges were quite primitive, and consisted of a
rude foot-bridge crossing the North Branch above the
Wolf Tavern; and a log bridge across the South Branch,
between Randolph and Lake streets, nearer Randolph.
The latter is stated- to have been build by Anson H.
Taylor and his brother Charles, in 1832. Its total cost,
as stated in Hurlbut's Antiquities, p. 556, was $486.20,
of which sum the Pottawatomie Indians contributed
$200. The bridge is frequently mentioned by the early
comers of 1833. It was, prior to 1834, the only
bridge across the river or its branches over which teams
could pass. At a meeting of the Town Trustees December
4, 1833, both these bridges were reported as "needing
repairs," as the historian says, " probably because, in
contravention of the law, their bulk had been lessened,
for the building of fires ; the said bridges being nothing
more nor less than piles of rough wood thrown into the
channel."

The only manufactory established at that early day
was the rude shed called a tannery, near the Miller
tavern, where John Miller and Benjamin Hall were tan-
ning a few hides into a rough but endurable leather. A
saw-mill was in operation on the North Branch, below
Clybourne's, at the mouth of a slough just south of Di-
vision Street.* At that time there was but one street
running to the lake, described by Jedediah Wooley, who
surveyed it April 25, 1832, as extending "from the east
end of Water Street (at the west line of the Reservation)
in the town of Chicago, to Lake Michigan. Direction
of said road is south 88^° east ; from the street to
the lake eighteen chains and fifty links." The street
was fifty feet wide, and was reported by the viewers as
"a road of public utility, and a convenient passage from
the town to the lake. It was only staked out and
marked by the travel from the town to the fort. There
was a rough bridge thrown across the slough at State
Street to make the highway available.

At this time, although the work of making a harbor
had been begun by building the first section of the south
pier, which shut off the current of the river through the

* John Bates says there was no mill there.

old mouth, there was no harbor, only a roadstead, where
craft might find fair anchorage and safe landing by
boats or lighters in any but the most tempestuous
weather.

The close of the year 1833 saw the town, above im-
perfectly described, fairly born and in its corporate
swaddling clothes. Its past history or present condition
did not warrant, at that time, the extravagant hopes that
its citizens had in its future development. Its subse-
quent history has transcended the wildest prophesies of
its early friends.

The Town, 1833 to 1837 — The history of the town of
Chicago covered a period of nearly four years — from Au-
gust io, 1833, to March 4, 1837. On the latter date the act
incorporating the city was passed, and the election of the
first city officers under the act was held on the first
Tuesday of the May following. The annals of the town
of Chicago, for the period of its existence show a niost
wonderful growth in population, commerce and trade.
During this era the tide of immigration set in vigorously
to the lands of the Pottawatomies just acquired. Its
principal route to the region, by land, lay through Chi-
cago, which became the portal to the coveted territory,
and through which, with increasing volume, it flowed
until suddenly checked by the general financial collapse
of 1837. This disaster for a time retarded all business,
checked immigration and brought the town itself to
such a sudden stop in its headlong career of prosperity
as to seriously dampen the ardor, and still more seriously
deplete the pockets, of its enterprising and over-sanguine
citizens. As the entrepot of this vast westward moving
and endless caravan, Chicago could but increase its
own population from the ever-changing throng of so-
journers. This was the era of the wildest speculations
in land ever known in the country, and Chicago became
the western center of the "craze which began in 1835,
developed in 1836, culminated in the early part of 1837,
and finally burst into thin air in the fall of the latter
year.

The sale, by public auction, of the school section
(16) occurred October 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, 1833, was
made under R. J. Hamilton, commissioner, and by John
Bates, auctioneer, and realized prices quite beyond ex-
pectations. The section embraced the square mile be-
tween State and Halsted streets on the east and west,
and Madison and Twelfth on the north and south. It
was divided into one hundred and forty-four blocks,
the area of each being not far from four acres, not in-
cluding the streets. All but four of the lots were sold,
and brought in the aggregate the sum of $38,865, or
an average of $6.72 per acre. The land was sold
mostly on credit of one, two and three years at ten per
cent interest. No such favorable chance for purchasers
of limited means to become possessed of land near the
village occurred again until after the financial revulsion
of 1837. These blocks, afterward cut up into lots, to-
gether with the canal lots in Section 9, were the original
lots on which the trading and speculation was begun,
which, as the mania increased, was supplemented by
various "additions " to the town, which were platted on
paper, and the lots thrown into market.*

The Great Land Craze. — Early in the spring of
1834 emigration from all parts of the East, even to the
hitherto extreme western settlements, set for the lands
just open to occupation by the treaty made at Chicago
the previous September. By the middle of April, the
van had arrived in Chicago, and by the middle of May
there was no room for the constant crowd of incomers,

* An advertisement by the Collector of lots to be sold for delinquent taxes
October t, 1836, mentions the original town (Section 9) Section 16, Wolcott's ad-
dition, North Branch addition, and Wabansia addition.

*34

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

except as buildings were hastily put up for their accom-
modation, or as sojourners, leaving the town, made
room for them. The hotels and boarding houses were
always full; and full meant three in a bed sometimes,
with the floor covered bes.des. Many of the emigrants
coming in their own covered wagons had only them or
a rude camp, hastily built, for home or shelter. All
about the outskirts of the settlement was a cordon of
prairie schooners, with tethered horses between, inter-
spersed with camp tires, at which the busy house-wives
were ever preparing meals for the voracious pioneers.

The price of real estate in Chicago was not long in
evincing signs of what in later times would have been
styled "a boom." Over one hundred and fifty houses,
stores and shanties were put up, mostly on the canal
section g during the spring and early summer.
Lots which had sold at $20 to S50 at the first sale of
canal lots, and for two years thereafter had been
bandied about by the luckless owners, and swapped and
bartered in regular horse-jockey style, suddenly assumed
the true dignity of real estate, and had a price and a
cash valuation. Many an old settler discovered that he
was, if not rich, the possessor of possible wealth in
what he had before deemed a possible incumbrance at
tax-paying time, and, to strangers from the East seek-
ing to invest, began to put on the airs of a landed
proprietor. It was not long before land-agents became
plenty in Chicago, and their offices the most crowded
business resorts in the city.

At first the purchases were what might be termed
legitimate : a lot for cash on which the purchaser would
erect a dwelling or store. The legitimate demand soon
absorbed the floating supply and prices began to
advance under the competition of anxious buyers. Lots
purchased one day for §50 were sold the next for $60,
and resold in a month for $100. It did not take long
under such circumstances to develop a strong specula-
tive fever, which infected every resident of the town and
was caught by every new-comer. At the close of the
year 1834, the disease had become fairly seated. What-
ever might be the business of a Chicagoan, or however
profitable, it was not considered a full success except it
showed an outside profit on lots bought and sold. The
next year was but a continuance of the trade, enlarged
by the constantly increasing number of speculators who
now bought, not so much for investment, and with less
regard to" actual value, as the increasing number of
purchasers made a quick turn at a large profit apparently
sure.

The excitement was greatly increased during the
summer and early fall of 1835 by the opening of the
Government Land-Office, which occurred May 28, where
the sales continued, with some intermissions, until Sep-
tember 30. The sale brought to the town, not only
thousands of the bona JiJc settlers who came to secure a
title to the lands they had already entered, but a crowd of
adventurers and speculators who saw visions of untold
wealth in the lands now for the first time offered for
sale. The order in which the sales were made, and the
sums realized, was stated in the American, October 10,

Lands entered under pre-emption laws, from May

•ne 30 '.. $ 33.066 90

* At public sale, from June 15 to 30, inclusive 354,278 57

By private entry, from August 3 to 31, inclusive 61,958 57

By private entry, from September 17 to 30, inclusive 10,65471

$459,958 75

• These sales by auction were made in a building on the west side of
Dearborn Street, near Water street. The building was erected by John Bates,
and afterwards occupied by him in his business as an auctioneer.

As the interior became settled the mania for land spec-
ulating spread throughout the newly settled country, and
Chicago became the mart where were sold and resold
monthly an incredible number of acres of land and
land-claims outside the city, purporting to be located in
all parts of the Northwest. It embraced farming lands,
timber lands, town sites, town lots, water lots, and every
variety of land -claim or land title ever known to
man. The location of the greater portion of property
thus sold was, as a rule, except so far as appeared in the
deed, unknown to the parties to the trade ; and, in
many cases, after the bubble had burst, the holders of
real estate, acquired during the excitement, on investi-
gation failed to find the land in existence as described.
Town lots were platted, often without any survey, all
over Wisconsin and Illinois, wherever it was hoped that
a town might eventually spring up, or wherever it was
believed that the lots could be floated into the great tide
of speculative trade.

The following are a few of the many paper towns
advertised in the Chicago papers during 1836 : Lots in
Warsaw; in Michigan City; in Koshkonong, Wis. ; in
Macomb, McDonough County ; in Winnebago, on Rock
River ; in Oporto, opposite Dixon's Ferry ; in New
Boston, Mercer County ; in Liverpool, Ind. ; in Oquaka ;
in Concord — fifty lots ; in Calumet , in Rockwell ; an
addition to the town of Stephenson ; lots in Sheboygan,
Wis. ; in Wisconsin City,* now Port Washington, Wis. ;
also Ottawa Canal lots, which the American, November
19, 1836, stated were sold at $21,358, being $3,266 in
excess of the valuation ; also canal Port lots in Vienna,
Will County.

The leading advertisers were: John Bates, Jr.;
Thompson & Wells ; Higgins, Montgomery & Co. ; R.
K. Richards, agent of Chicago and New York Land Com-
pany office, in July, 1836, over the drug store of W. H. &
A. F. Clarke, corner Lake and Clark streets ; A. Garrett,
auction room, on Dearborn Street. Mr. Garrett's room
was the most popular resort of the speculating crowd.
The American, October 31, 1835, stated that during the

* The following description of " Wisconsin City," and what became of it,
is given as the probable history of nearly all the paper towns and cities platted
and sold during those exciting times. " They [the proprietors] forthwith laid
out the town and named it ' Wisconsin City.' The original plat was on the
north side of Sauk Creek, along the lake shore, on the site of the present village
of Port Washington. 'I he streets were laid out north and south, and east and
west from the bluffs to the lake, all except Lake Street, which ran diagonally in
a northeasterly direction along the shore. The street nearest the creek, destined
for docks and wharves when the dredging was completed, was named Canal
Street. The parallel streets in order, going north, were Main, Washington
and Jackson, each having a width of sixty-six feet, except Main, which was
eighty feet in width ; Lake Street intersected Canal Street at its foot and ran
along the lake front, City Street starting at the intersection of Lake and Canal
streets ran due north and south, intersecting Main, Washington and Jackson
streets ; west and parallel came in order Franklin, Wisconsin. Milwaukee, Mont-
gomery and Clay streets, all of the regulation width of sixty-six feet except
Wisconsin, which was eighty feet wide. The public square was in the block
bounded by Washington on the south, Wisconsin on the east, Jackson on the
north and Milwaukee on the west. Alleys twenty feet in width running north
and south, intersected each block. The lots were 60x120 feet in size. The
names of the proprietors of this embryo city, as appears in the recorded plat,
were Solomon Juneau. Morgan L. Martin, G. S. Hosmer, Allen O. T. Breed.
Wooster Harrison. Calvin Harmon, G. S. Hosmer, Thomas A. Homes and
William Payne, all non-residents except General Harrison. The land seems to
have been ceded by the Government to Harrison and sold to his partners, whom
he let into the speculation on easy terms. Some sixteen acres of land were
cleared and several buildings erected ; a tavern, two stores, and several dwelling-
houses, among them that of the " father of the city," General Harrison, which
is still (1881) standing. A dam was built on the creek some distance from the
city and a saw-mill erected. The first transfer of property by deed appearing
on the records was a part of this tract. It bears date December 1, 18^5, and
conveys to Thomas A Homes an undivided half of about eleven acres, the con-
sideration being $too. In lanuarv, 1S36, Holmes sold about four acres of this
lot to Solomon Juneau for $500. In February, 1836, Levi Mason bought two

" Prices went up rapidly but culminated in the crash of 1837. The highest
point was reached in August of that year. On the 3d of that month Solomon
and one-half acres of a tract adjoining the town plat for $600 per acre,
luneau sold to one Jasper Bostwick one ' city lot' (Lot 12, Block rg) for
$300, equivalent to nearly $1,810 per acre.

" The decadence of Wisconsin City was as sudden as its growth had been
rapid. The crash, of 1837 brought it to a dead halt, and it was abandoned
entirely except by Harrison, who remained there when not in Milwaukee, to
look after the ruins of what had been the darling hope of his life. The present
village of Port Washington, after forty-five years, is built on the old plat, and
along the streets then laid out, and, in its beauty, is the counterpart of the Wis-
City that poor Harrison built on paper and in his fancy so many vears

ago. Not until 1

npt made to revive the deserted village.'

CHICAGO IN 1833-37.

135

ten months of the year he had sold $1,800,000 of prop-
erty, real and personal, and that he had fitted up a large
room, "equal to any in New York or Philadelphia." A
single advertisement of R. K. Richards, July 2, 1836,
offered for sale lots in Chicago, Joliet, Fenn, Dorchester,
Tremont, and Pekin ; also lots in Dearbornville, Con-
stantine, Mottville Mills, St. Joseph and Milwaukee.

The American, July 2, 1836, said, "The rapidity
with which towns are thrown into market is astonishing.
Houses are born in a night, cities in a day, and the
small towns in proportion."

The speculative mania was not confined to Chicago
or the West. A superabundance of paper money, issued
under divers State laws, had flooded the whole country,
in volume far in excess of the requirements of legiti-
mate trade, and was seeking outside investment in all
quarters. In the great money centers of the East, New
York, Boston, and Philadelphia, a furore of speculation
in all commodities and in real estate was at its height,
before the Western mania was fairly started. The rumor
of the fortunes made in a day at Chicago in the pur-
chase of Western lands soon reached New York, where,
among capitalists, the excitement became but little less
intense than at home. There a new speculative demand
grew up which proved an outlet for the avalanche of
new towns that were being thrown into market. But
for this, the craze might have spent itself sooner ; as it
was, Eastern capitalists, after once embarked in the
trade, became the most reckless and wildest speculators
and held the excitement at fever heat until the collapse,
which began at the East, forced them to take an obser-
vation, which resulted in a sudden and complete stop-
page of monetary supplies from that source. The trade
was thrown back upon its own resources, and fell into a
state of languishment at once, from which it went into
a rapid decline, ending before the close of the year in
absolute death. Although innumerable fortunes were
made, few survived the wreck, and no class suffered
more in the final crash than the non-resident speculators,
who, in fact, were about the only ones who ever put
much real capital into the business.

The first historic lecture ever delivered in Chicago
was by Joseph N. Balestier, before the Chicago Ly-
ceum, January 21, 1840. Speaking of the "Land
Craze," he said:

" The year 1835 found us just awakened to a sense of our own
importance. A short time before, the price of the best lots did not
exceed two or three hundred dollars; and the rise had been so
rapid, that property could not, from the nature of things, have
acquired an ascertained value. In our case, therefore, the induce-
ments to speculation were particularly strong; and as no fixed
value could be assigned to property, so no price could, bv any
established standard, be deemed extravagant. Moreover, nearly
all who came to the place expected to amass fortunes by speculat-
ing. The wonder then is, not that we speculated so much, but
rather that we did not rush more madly into the vortex of ruin.
Well indeed would it have been had our wild speculations been
confined to Chicago; here, at least, there was something received in
exchange for the money of the purchaser. But the few miles that
composed Chicago formed but a small item among the subjects of
speculation So utterly reckless had the community grown, that
they chased every bubble which floated in the speculative atmos
phere; madness increased in proportion to the foulness of its ali-
ment; the more absurd the project, the more remote the object, the
more madly were they pursued. The prairies of Illinois, the for-
ests of Wisconsin and the sand-hills of Michigan, presented a
chain almost unbroken of supposititious villages and cities. The
whole land seemed staked out and peopled on paper. If a man
were reputed to be fortunate, his touch, like that of Midas, was
supposed to turn everything into gold, and the crowd entered
blindly into every project he might originate. These worthies
would besiege the land offices and purchase town sites at a dollar
and a quarter per acre, which in a few days appeared on paper, laid
out in the most approved rectangular fashion, emblazoned in
glaring colors, and exhibiting the public spirit of the proprietor in

the multitude of their public squares, church lots, and school lot
reservations. Often was a fictitious streamlet seen to wind its ro-
mantic course through the heart of an ideal city, thus creating
water lots and water privileges. But where a real stream, however
diminutive, did find its way to the shore of the lake — no matter
what was the character of the surrounding country — some wary
operator would ride night and day until the place was secured at
the Government price. Then the miserable waste of sand and fens
which lay unconscious of its glory on the shore of the lake, was
suddenly elevated into a mighty city, with a projected harbor and
light-house, railroads and canals, and in a short time the circumja-
cent lands were sold in lots, fifty by one hundred feet, under the
name of ' additions.' Not the puniest brook on the shore of Lake
Michigan was suffered to remain without a city at its mouth, and
whoever will travel around that lake shall find many a mighty
mart staked out in spots suitable only for the habitations of wild
beasts.

" If a man were so fortunate as to have a disputed title, it
made no great difference where the land lay, or how slender was his
claim, his fortune was made; for the very insecurity of the purchase
made it desirable in the eyes of the venturous. A powerful auxil-
iary to the speculative spirit was the sale of lands by auction.
When bodies of men, actuated by a common motive, assemble
together for a common object, zeal is apt to run into enthusiasm;
when the common passion is artfully inflamed by a skilful orator,
enthusiasm becomes fanaticism, and fanaticism, madness. Men
who wish to be persuaded are already more than half won over,
and an excited imagination will produce almost any anticipated
result. Popular delusions have carried away millions at a time;
mental epidemics have raged at every period of the world's history,
and conviction has been ever potent to work miracles. Now the
speculating mania was an epidemic of the mind, and every chord
struck by the chief performers produced endless vibrations, until
the countless tones of the full diapason broke forth in maddening
strains of fascination. The auctioneers were the high-priests who
sacrificed in the Temple of Fortune; through them the speculators
spread abroad their specious representations. Like the Sibyls and
Flamens of old they delivered false oracles, and made a juggle of
omens and auguries.

" But the day of retribution was at hand; the reaction came —
and the professional speculator and his victims were swallowed up
in one common ruin. Trusting to the large sums due to him, the
land operator involved himself more and more deeply, until his fate
was more pitiable than that of his defrauded dupes.

"The year 1837 -will ever be remembered as the era of pro-
tested notes; it was the harvest to the notary and the lawyer — the
year of wrath to the mercantile, producing, and laboring interests.
Misery inscribed its name on many a face but lately radiant with
high hopes; despair was stamped on many a countenance which
was wont to be 'wreathed in smiles.' Broken fortunes, blasted
hopes, aye, and blighted characters', these were the legitimate off-
spring of those pestilent times. The land resounded with the
groans of ruined men, and the sobs of defrauded women, who had
entrusted their all to greedy speculators. Political events, which
had hitherto favored these wild chimeras, now conspired to hasten
and aggravate the impending downfall. It was a scene of woe and
desolation. Temporary relief came in the shape of Michigan
money — but like all empty expedients, it, in the end, aggravated
the disease it pretended to cure — it seemed a sovereign panacea,
but it proved a quack specific. Let us turn from this sickening
spectacle of disaster and ruin. Mad as her c tizens had been, Chi-
cago was Chicago still. Artificial enterprises had failed, but nature
was still the same. There stood Chicago ' in her pride of place ' —
unmoved and immovable. Though mourning and desolate, she
could still sustain an active population. Need I add that she has
done IT?"

The delinquent tax-list, published in the American,
October 1, 1836, showed a large number of lots owned
by non-residents. The taxes levied and remaining un-
paid were ridiculously small, in comparison with the
high market valuation then current. Doubtless many
of the visionary owners, who counted their wealth in
these lots by thousands had not the wherewith in ready
money to pay the taxes on their possessions, small as
they were. Of two hundred and twenty lots advertised
in Section 16, one hundred and fifty-five were taxed less
than one dollar each ; forty-two, from $1 to $5 ; ten,
from $5 to $10 ; twenty-two, from $10 to $25 ; and one
at $39. In Wolcott's addition, one lot was taxed $10.50;
three, from $7.50 to $10; and others at less than $7
each. In North Branch addition, no single lot adver-
tised was taxed as high as one dollar. In Waubansia

l36

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

addition, the three lots advertised were assessed, re-
spectively, $2.50, §3. 50 and $7.50. In the original
town, Section 9, the lots were assessed — one for $50. 50;
two for $30, one for $19, thirteen from $17 to $10, and
eighteen for less than $10. At that time it is apparent
that the most valuable property, in the practical eyes of
the assessors, was on the old town plat.

The following extracts, letters and personal reminis-
cences, more or less relevant, will give the reader a
more distinct idea of the occurrences, and the people,
while the excitement was at its height, than could be
obtained from an unbroken narrative.

The incipient stages of the disease, as it began to
show in old residents, is told in a short letter, dated
August 18, 1883, from Dr. Horace Chase, now a resi-
dent and a leading citizen of Milwaukee. He writes :

"Soon after the sale of lots in Chicago, in 1S33, I think,
Robert Kinzie. on his way to Detroit, stopped at Marsh's trading-
post, near Coldwater. There happened to be several of us pres-
ent, and Bob, finding an audience he took for green-horns, began
to boast about Chicago, and what a great city it would become.
' Why,' said he, ' I bought some of the best lots in Chicago for

twenty dollars apiece, and, by G , those lots are worth sixty

dollars apiece to-day. ' It seemed to us utterly absurd that a lot
should be worth sixty dollars, when two hundred dollars would buy
one hundred and sixty acres of land of the best quality, and in
1S33 there were tens of thousands of such chances in Michigan.
Not a single person in the crowd believed Bob's yarn."

John S. Wright,* in his most valuable book, "Chi-
cago : Past, Present, and Future," gives his own experi-
ence during the speculative era. He died in Philadel-
phia, September 26, 1874. His remains rest in Rose
Hill, Chicago. From his autobiographical sketch, pp.
2S9, 290, the following interesting extracts are taken :

" In 1832, at the age of seventeen, my father took me to Chi-
cago with a stock of merchandise. The town then contained some
one hundred and fifty people (exclusive of the garrison), two framed
stores and no dwellings, except those built of logs. After remain-
ing a few weeks, examining the country south and west, and satis-
fying myself that he had made the right location, he left me to shift
for myself. In 1834 he removed his family to Chicago and lived
until 1S40, having his first convictions strengthened year by year
that it was rapidly to become one of the largest cities of the country,
and of the world.

" Though a mere boy, I, too, became impressed with the ad-
vantages of the point which was the western extremity of the great
lake navigation, with a certainty of its connection by canal with
the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and which was the natural com-
mercial center of a country so fertile, and so easily tilled, and so vast
in ettent. In the winter of 1833 and 1834, I induced a wealthyuncle
to take some purchases which I had made, expecting to share in the
profits. He took them, and has made out of those and other opera-
tions, through me, several hundred thousand dollars, but all the
benefit to me, directly or indirectly, has been $100. He came to
Chicago in the spring of 1835, and the next day after his arrival
said, if I would sell his lot — one of those which I had bought fifteen
months previously for $3. 500 — for 815,000, he would give me one
hundred dollars ! I sold the lot that day for cash and the $100 was
reckoned into my credit in our final settlement in 1838. * * *
In 1 -'34 I began to operate in real estate on my own account, and
in February, 1 S35 , went to Xew York to buy merchandise, and
sold for $10,000 an eighty-acre tract which had cost $4,ooo, the
profits of which more than paid for all my other purchases. There-
after increasing my operations, I sold in the spring of 1836, to

• The extracts here given might, in the absence of other information, lead
to a misapprehension concerning the character of Mr. Wright. Although a
born trad-rand a br»ld speculator, he was a man of rare virtues, and during his
long residence in Chicago was id'-ntiti-.-d with nearly every enterprise and meas-
ure calculated to prom ,te its prosperity or elevate the educational, mental,
moral, or religious standards of the city. The benefactions of this wonderfully
energetic citizen permeated nearly every channel "I Chicago life, and showed
in every phase of her early growth. The building of the early railroads, the
development of manufactures; the first Presbyterian Church, Sabbath schools,
and the common school system of the State, in.- Press- to .ill these he devoted
his energies, and gave of his means in no stinted measure. Frequent mention
of htm appears cl-sewhTe in this volume—see church history, schools, railroads,
manufactures, the I'ress, etc. An old friend, Rev. J. Ambrose Wight, at the
close of a long letter, dated February 1, 1876. deservedly eulogistic of him,
thus sums up his business character: "Chicago — old Chicago— knew Mr.
Wright's peculiarities well enough. He saw further into a subject in the begin-
ning than most men. Bui once in it, he seemed to lose his ability to handle it,
and often his interest in it ; and the outcome sometimes threw undeserved oblo
quy on the whole undertaking. Had he been able to carry things through as he
began them, he had probably been a millionaire, and alive to-day."

various parties in New York, real estate for over $50,000, receiving
about two-thirds of the pay cash in hand, and giving my individual
obligations to make the conveyance when I came of age, the July
following. My father would have been my heir, in the event of my
death, and they knew he would fulfill my contracts. I had, then,
in 1S36, acquired a property of over $200,000, without any assist-
ance even from my father, never having used his money for my
operations, the store being his, and for conducting it only my ex-
penses had been paid. My uncle was the only relative who could
have aided me, and he never would, even temporarily. So far from
it, he was in my debt continuously from 1834 to our final settlement
in 183S. But 1S37 brought ruin to me, as it did to nearly all who
owed anything ; though it was not so much speculation in real
estate as engaging in mercantile business that involved me. At
that age it seemed desirable every way to have regular occupation
to promote good habits, and in accordance with my father's wishes,
I purchased in 1S36 a warehouse and dock-lots, to engage in the
shipping business, which cost $23,500. My whole indebtedness
was about $25,000. I had nearly $20,rco due to me, which was
supposed to be well secured, it being chiefly the final payments on
property of which over half the cost had been paid. To provide
ample means for business, I sold in the autumn of 1836 a tract ad-
joining the city for $50,000, quick pay. This trade was unfort-
unately broken up bv the merest accident, and thereafter I had no
opportunity to sell at what was deemed a fair price. I came in
possession of the warehouse May I, 1837 ; and though having
small cash resources, I thought best to commence business, hoping
there would soon be a favorable turn. But all went down, down,
and I was soon inextricably involved. The meney used to buy
those lots for business, not speculation, would have carried me
through. By 1840, my property had all gone ; cne piece that had
been worth $100,000, went for $6, coo; another that had been worth
$12,000 went for $900, and so on."

J. D. Bonnell, a young man of far more ardent hope
than his financial condition would warrant, came to
Chicago in 1837. He subsequently found a safe haven
in Lake City, Minn. From that place he wrote to the
Chicago Times a letter dated March 15, 1876, from
which the following is quoted :

"My first entry into the city of Chicago was forty years ago,
August 25, 1S35, approaching the city on foot from the south. On
emerging from the oak openings, I came upon the hotel of Hollis
Newton, and on entering the house I found the landlord at home,
and alone. Asking him how far it was to Chicago, he informed
me it was three miles, and in answer t© whether there was any
house on the way, he said yes — that Mr. Clarke's house was about
half way. On his asking where I came from and for what I came,
I answered that I had made a claim in Thorn Grove for my parents,
who were soon coming on, with ox teams, from Ohio, and that I
was going into the town to learn what I could find to do. He im-
mediately proposed to sell me his tavern stand with the forty-acre
lot upon which it stood, for $500, so that he could goon to a farm,
for he was ' d — d sick of keeping tavern on that sandy beach, where
his eyes were constantly full of sand.' But I declined to make any
bargain with him, and jogged along over the sand hills for Fort
Dearborn and Chicago, where I arrived in the evening, having
walked from Thorn Grove via Thornton, thirty-three miles, to Chi-
cago, that day ; which, if taken into consideration, away back in
those days, when there was scarcely a road at all, was a good day's
walk. And yet, by the Hoosiers on the Chicago & Cincinnati
road, there was much teaming in 'prairie schooners,' in bringing
corn-meal and bacon to the Chicago market, and loading back with
salt.

" On arriving at Chicago I stopped over night at the Mansion
House. In the morning I commenced looking over the town and
prospecting for a boarding-place, and to learn what I could find to
do. The hotels were all pretty full, and their prices ranging too
high for my finances, I walked across the street, where the first
thing that attracted my attention was the sound of a violin. On
entering a small wooden stucture, their stood behind a rudely con-
structed counter Mr. Dalton, a recent arrival from Columbus, Ohio,
a former tailor there, but who had now opened a liquor shop, and
played the fiddle to attract customers.

" Passing east, toward the mouth of the river, was the Lake
House in course of construction, east of which was the residence
of Dr. Kimball, who was a partner of Mr. Pruyne in a drug store
on South Water Street. Mr. Pruyne was State Senator. Opposite
Dr. Kimball's was Hunter & Hinsdale's warehouse. Adjoining
on the west was Newberry & Dole's warehouse, and on one part
of the latter building was the hat store of McCormick & Moon,
of Detroit, Mr. Moon being the partner of the Chicago store. In
the back part of the store was Jesse Butler's tailor shop. In turn-
ing the corner of Dr. Kimball's residence, away to the northeast,
among the sand-hills, close by the lake shore, stood a small yellow

CHICAGO IN 1833-37.

'37

house, occupied by Parnick Kelsey as a boarding-house, ostensibly
run by Eve, Parnick's wife, for Mr. Kelsey was a sub-contractor
in removing stumps and grubs, preparatory to the grading of the
street on the North Side, through the swamps and bogs, which at
that time rendered traveling almost impossible. But as Mrs. Kelsey
had all the boarders that she could accommodate, I was obliged to
seek other quarters.

" Dearborn Street at the time I write was the " lively " street,
for Garrett's auction-room was located there, on the west side of the
street, close to Cox & Duncan's clothing store, just opposite to
which were Mr. Greenleaf's auction-rooms. To the latter place 1 was
wont to go of evenings and bid off town and city lots, having the
next day in which to secure a purchaser, and in case I failed to
sell for an advance of my purchase I returned at night and paid
Mr. Greenleaf a dollar and the property was offered again for sale.

" The winter of 1835-36 was a gay one for Chicago. Mr.
Jackeax had a dancing-school at the New York House once a week,
which called out the elite of the city. Lincoln's coffee-house was
the popular drinking place, situated, I think, on the corner of St.
Clair and Wells streets. Mr. Lincoln had a favorite horse, an iron
grey, and quite fleet on foot, particularly so when in pursuit of a
prairie wolf. Many a time in the winter of 1835-36 I have seen
Mr. Lincoln mount his horse when a wolf was in sight on the
prairie toward Bridgeport, and within an hour's time come in with
the wolf, having run him down with his horse and taken his life
with a hatchet or other weapon.

" In 1833, Mr. Kingsbury, the original owner, offered all the
land, and a great deal more than is now included in the Kingsbury
estate to Captain Joseph Naper, for $900. Fortunately for the
heirs the doughty Captain couldn't see the bargain, and Mr. Kings-
bury was constrained, much against his will, to hold on to what he
had. The land thus offered for $900 included a good portion of the
four blocks that surrounded the court-house square, including the
Kingsbury and Ashland blocks.

" The most historic lot in Chicago undoubtedly is the one oc-
cupied by the Tremont House. It has been in the ' raffle-box,'
swapped for ponies, refused for a barrel of whisky, and when an
old settler wants to give you an idea of the city when he first stuck
his brogans in the mad, he will somehow associate the price of the
Tremont House lot with it ; and any old settler will tell the
year of your arrival by giving him the value of the lot at that
particular time. One old codger will tell you, ' When I came
here I could have bought the lot the Tremont House stands on for
a cord of wood.' That means 1831. Another puts the value,
with the preliminary remark, at a pair of boots. That means 1S32
A third fixes the price at a barrel of whisky. That means 1833.
The fourth adds a yoke of steers and a barrel of flour. That
means 1834. A fifth talks about $500. That means 1S35. A
year or two afterward it was worth $5,000, and now it is nearer
$500,000. In 1833 Captain Luther Nichols refused to give Bap-
tiste Beaubien forty cords of wood for it, and wood was then worth
$1.25 per cord.

"John Noble still has in his possession the original deed,
signed by the County Commissioners, conferring on him a title to
the lot occupied by the ' Tivoli,' on the southwest corner of Clark
and Washington streets, for the sum of $61 in lawful money. The
deed is dated June 14, 1832. Many regard this as the most valua-
ble lot in the city, and is worth in the neighborhood of $3,000 a
front foot."

The following description of the metes and bounds
is as appears in a deed of a piece of property situated on
Chicago Avenue, adjoining the river, conveyed by John
Noble to James B. Campbell and George E. Walker. It
reads as follows :

"The following described tract or parcel of land, situated,
lying and being in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, and
being the one equal and undivided half of a lot or parcel of land
transferred by Mark Noble, Sr., and wife, to James B. Campbell
and George E. Walker, by deed bearing date the 2Sth day of
August, 1S33, and the said lot or parcel of land is bounded by the
following metes and bounds, to-wit : Beginning at a hickory stake
on the east side of the road on the North Branch of the Chicago
River, on the dividing line between Section 4 and river, in Township
39 north, Range 14 east, thence east along said line two chains and
twenty links to a hickory stake cornered and running from a large
basswood with three hacks, south eighty-five, west twenty-two
links ; thence north eight chains eighty-one links ; thence west
crossing a sluice to a white oak standing on the river bank, blazed
on the south side, nine chains ninety-two links ; thence southeast
along the shore of said river to the place of beginning, containing
10.04 acres, more or less."

Gurdon S. Hubbard, the oldest living settler, still a

resilient of Chicago, was, in those days, a bold and suc-
cessful land speculator.

At the first sale of canal lots in 1829 in Section 9,
he bought two lots, one on the northwest corner of Lake
and LaSalle streets, and the other on the southwest
corner of LaSalle and South Water streets. They were
eighty by one hundred feet in size, and were bought for
$33.33 each. In 1836 the lots would have found ready
purchasers at $100, oco. Mr. Hubbard disposed of a
part of the property during the excitement, and the re-
maining portion after the crash, on a falling market ;
nevertheless, he realized in the aggregate, $80,000 on
his investment of $66.33.

A chronicler in the Sunday Times, October 24, 1875,
tells the following story concerning another large and
successful operation, which illustrates how the mania
raged in New York, and how that Eastern "bonanza"
was worked by local operators in Chicago:

"Early in the spring of 1835, about the month of March, Mr.
Hubbard purchased, with two others, Messrs. Russell and Mather,
what has since been known as Russell & Mather's addition to
Chicago. This tract comprised eighty acres, and was bounded on
the south by Kinzie Street, on the east by the river, on the north
by Chicago Avenue, and then ran west to Halsted Street and be-
yond. For these eighty acres they paid $5,000. At that time one
section of the prospective city was as desirable as another, but time
has developed that this particular eighty acres was one of the most
undesirable within the entire territory now embraced within the city
limits. A few months after the purchase Mr. Hubbard had occa-
sion to visit New York City, and to his surprise found the rage for
Chicago real estate at a point where it might be called 'wild.'
Having sought and received the consent of one of his partners,
who lived in Connecticut, he looked up an engraver, gave him
such a sketch of the lay of the land as he could call up from
memory, had a plat prepared, and from this plat, without any actual
subdivision of the land, sold half of it at public auction for the
sum of $80,000. This within three or four months after paying
$5,000. News of this transaction reached Chicago in the course of
stage-coach time, but it was generally discredited, until Mr. Hub-
bard returned with the positive confirmation : and the — well, then,
every man who owned a garden patch stood on his head, imagined
himself a millionaire, put up the corner lots to fabulous figures,
and, what is strange, never could ask enough, which made him
mad because he didn't ask more."

William S. Trowbridge, now a resident of Milwau-
kee, came West in 1835. He was a land surveyor and,
during the excitement, made Chicago his headquarters,
surveying lands in the region round about. Early in
1836 he was sent up to survey and plat the city of She-
boygan, which embraced a section. Having completed
his work he entered for himself an adjoining section in-
tending to settle there. On his return he found the ex-
citement at fever heat. So soon as it was known that
he had secured this claim on suburban property, di-
rectly adjoining the city which he had just built on
paper, anxious buyers appeared, and in less than one
week he had sold out his claim at a profit of $1,500. He
immediately returned to Sheboygan and entered another
section, adjoining the city on another side, with which
he returned to Chicago, and which he readily sold out
on better terms than the first. As he stated, he thus
continued the business until he had " Sheboygan cor-
nered." Out of this peddling of wild land he realized
what, to him, then a quiet young man of an unspecula-
tive turn of mind, seemed an independent fortune. L'n-
like most young men of the time he withdrew with his
modest gains, and settled in the town of Milwaukee,
where he has since lived the quiet life of moderate
affluence which comes to the few whose judgment is not
obscured or warped by sudden and unexpected fortune
thrust upon them.

A correspondent to the New York Evening Star
wrote from Chicago in January, 1837, as follows :

138

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

" I am now in a large hotel, in a large city ; for Chicago con-
tains a population of 6,000 souls, I have just returned from a
stroll to the lake shore, where two years ago I so gladly landed
after a Ion,; and perilous voyage. 1 can scarcely recognize it as
the same spot Where I then walked over the unbroken prairie,
the spacious avenue is now opened, crowded with carts and wagons,
and occasionally a showy family rolling and dashing in the hurry
of trade or the pomp of native 'sucker,' stumbling, as I do, over
bales and boxes on the sidewalks, or gaping at the big signs and
four-story brick houses. 1 am boarding at the United States
Hotel, where 1 pay only two dollars per day for self, and a dollar
and a half for horse. There is one noble ship (the ' Julia Palmer' )
and two others, four brigs, and I know not how many steamboats
>ners, regularly plying between this and Buffalo. A lot I
| ; at my first visit (1S34) has now upon it a
splendid forwarding and commission store, and sold this spring
(the naked lot) for $).ooo."

From the files of the same paper, May 27, 1837, the
following extracts from letters to the Star, written from
Chicago, in the fall of 1S30, are taken :

" Well, we have arrived at this place, or city that is to be —
this nest of emigrants, merchants and speculators — where nearly
all the Western towns are hatched, and from which their brood mi-
grates to every part of the Union, in the shape of town and village
lots. Men make fortunes here in less time than I could box the
compass — I say men, for there is a melancholy disproportion of
numbers between the sexes. Harry is now suffering under the ef
fects of his dinner parties. He there caught the disease of specu-
lation, which I fear will terminate in a collapse of his pocket before
he gets back. Strange indeed for one who entered this climate so
pure in thought and purpose ; but so it is. He thinks and talks of
nothing but emulating the virtues and enterprises of a certain
great modern D. D., by hunting up a town site equal to ' Marion
City ' ! ! or of the hundred and one great towns at the mouth of
Maumee River! ! and selling the lots out to his friends at the
East at a profit of $200,000. He seems determined, and wishes
me to say that if you will speak well of the place he will name a
street after you."

Two items from the Chicago American show the
price of real estate when the excitement was at its
height. August 15, 1835, it said: "Fractional Block
No. 7 sold last June for §1,300; August 1 it was sold
for Si, 950. Lot Xo. 1, Block No. 2, sold in June for
$5,000, and was resold in August for $10,000. Lot No.
8, in Block Xo. 16, sold in June for $420, and was re-
sold in August for $7°°-" October 17, 1835, the
American announced the sale of a lot fronting on Dear-
born Street, next the corner of Water, about fifty-five
feet deep, for $1 1,000.

In a letter from Charles Butler, published in the
American, September 3, 1836, it is stated that in the
year 1833 one-fourth of Kinzie's addition was offered
to him for 35,500, then 1836 worth $100,000; another
tract of land in Chicago of forty acres, worth in 1833
$400, was then worth $200,000; and that the Hunter
property (so-called was purchased in the spring of 1835
for $20,000, resold during that year for $100,000 and
was worth, at the time he wrote, $500,000.

The Milwaukee Advertiser, July 14, 1836, had the
following editorial squib, illustrative of the Chicago
craze: " I say," said one gentleman to another, in
Chicago, "what did you give for your portrait?"
•• Twenty-five dollars, and I have been offered fifty for
it."

The end of the excitement came unheralded. An
-ed by Congress, June 23, 1836, "regulating the
deposits of the public money, made it the duty of the
Secretary of the Treasury to discontinue the use, and
di- redit the issues of such banks as should at any time
refuse to redeem their notes in specie. This was a
death-blow to wild-cat banking, and resulted, in the
following May, in a general suspension of specie pay-
ment throughout the country and the total failure of
mo-,t of the Western banks which had run thus far, and
floated their bills entirely on credit.* All payments to

* See History of Hanking in this volume.

the Government, under the law, were to be made in
specie or bank notes redeemable in specie, on demand.
It followed that, with credit greatly extended and prices
already enhanced a hundred-fold above what could be
measured by the entire amount of specie in the country, in
the process of adjustment to the arbitrary conditions of
the law, a collapse in prices occurred sufficient to bring
the valuation of all property to aspeciestandard. Unfort-
unately, the debts of the sanguine speculators did not
shrink proportionately, with the sudden decrease in the
value of their securities. Prices of lots valued in
Chicago in 1836 at a thousand dollars suddenly fell to
the specie value of three years before — perhaps fifty
dollars; while the note that the last speculative buyer
had given for it remained $1,000, as before. Wide-
spread ruin was the consequence, and the bubble burst
May, 1837. When the town of Chicago became a city,
many of its inhabitants, who had reveled in suppositi-
tious wealth for past years, were in sackcloth and ashes,
mourning over city lots from which all value had de-
parted, or bewailing the existence of notes of appalling
magnitude, which were the only reminders of the glori-
ous times gone by, which the law had not rendered
valueless.

Minor Annals of the Town.

The following letter, written by Enoch Chase, from
Milwaukee, dated August 2, 1883, is of historic value,
showing, as it does, something of the geography of the
surrounding country and concerning the town itself
from 1834 to 1836.

" In July, 1831, I arrived in Detroit, Mich. From Detroit to
Tecumseh there were two lines of stages — the Pioneer and the Op-
position. From Tecumseh to Niles there was a tri-weeklv line of
mud-wagons. From Niles to Chicago the mail was carried on
horseback. During the winter of 1831-32 the line of mud-wagons
hauled off and the mail was carried weekly from Tecumseh to Chi-
cago on horseback. Early in the spring of 1S32 Mr. Savary of
White Pigeon put on a daily line of post coaches from Tecumseh
to Niles, and the travel was brisk from the opening of navigation
on Lake Erie till the Sac war broke out (about the middle of May)
which put a damper on emigration for that year.

" In May, 1832, the Michigan Militia was called out to prevent
the Indians from passing through Michigan to Detroit. But when
we rendezvoused at Niles, an express met us with the information
that the Indians were retreating to the north and that our services
were not needed. We were, therefore, disbanded and returned
home. The inhabitants of Branch and Hillsdale counties consti-
tuted a battalion of three companies under the command of Major
B. lones — less than eighty men in all; and not a half dozen able-
bodied men left at home in the two counties.

" In the month of October, 1834, I made my first visit to Chi-
cago. The country along the Chicago road from Coldwater to
Michigan City was tolerably well settled. The travel from the lat-
ter place to Chicago was along the beach of the lake, and after a
northeast storm, when the sand was packed by the waves, the drive
was just splendid; but when the sand was dry and loose, it was just
horrible. A good team would make the distance in six hours when
the way was all right, and it was a six days' good drive when the
way was all wrong.

" The first hotel west of Michigan City was some ten miles out;
the second was Bennett's, about ten miles farther; the third was
Denis Hard's; the fourth was the Widow Bangs's; the fifth, Maur's,
at the Calumet, and the sixth, Mr. Merrick's, about half way between
the Calumet and Chicago.

" The beach of the lake took the main travel in 1S35-36. There
was another route by the way of Bailey Town and Thornton, which
the undersigned drove over in February, 1S37.

" Chicago, in October, 1834, at the time of the Indian pay-
ment, was a lively place. There were two hotels. The Sauganash,
which was situated near the junction of Lake and South Water
streets, was kept by Mark Beaubien, who said he ' kept tavern like

h 1 ; ' and a log tavern on the north side of Lake Street. The

South Branch was crossed by a bridge, and if I recollect right the
bridge was covered with poles or puncheons [as split logs were
called] instead of planks. Besides the log cabin on the West Side,
kept by Mr, Stiles, there was a blacksmith shop. That was all.
On the North Side were John Kinzie's house and a few others.

CHICAGO IN 1833-37.

r39

A similar bridge crossed the river about half way between the forks
of the river and the lake. On the South Side there was one house
south of Lake Street, which was situated on the west side of Clark
Street just south of Lake. On Lake and South Water streets was
the main village. Lake Street boasted one brick block, which
belonged to either "Yankee" Hubbard, "Horse" Hubbard or
" Indian" Hubbard, I forget which. It was quite an imposing
structure. Clybourne's butcher shop was not far from it. Jim
Kinzie's store, P. F. W. Peck's store, Harmon's and Loomis's
were all on South Water Street.

"It seems to me that the Indians were paid on the north side
of the river nearly opposite Kort Dearborn. I had occasion to go
west as far the crossing of the Desplaines River. Between Stiles's
log tavern on the west side of the South Branch and the tavern at
the crossing of the Desplaines River, there was not a vestige of
civilization except the wagon tracks, and it seemed to me the
dreariest road I ever traveled. The prairie mud of the North
Branch was drier.

" Of all the men in the early days that I was acquainted with,
including Clybourne, John H., Robert and James Kinzie, Crouch,
Rossiton Darwin, Stiles and G. S. Hubbard, the latter alone sur-
vives.

" Chicago is a wonderful city, and has been lucky in having
far-seeing citizens who gave her a start on the road to prosperity.
While the early settlers of Milwaukee were wrangling about which
side of the river should be most prosperous, the citizens of Chicago
acted as a unit to promote the interest of the whole.* But while Chi-
cago is the most enterprising, Milwaukee is the most beautiful city
on the American continent ; and let those who doubt the truth of this
assertion come and see for themselves.

" In the spring of 1S35, the only houses between Chicago and
Milwaukee were those at Crosse Point, Sunderland's, west of Wau-
kegan, and Jack Vicaw's, at Skunk Grove. Myself and party, on
our way to Milwaukee, staid the first night at Ouilmette's, near
Grosse Point ; the second night at Sunderland's, and the third night
we camped in the Milwaukee woods. From Sunderland's to Mil-
waukee woods we followed an Indian trail. We found a bridge
over Root River and Oak Creek, but the Kinnekenick we forded.

" The above short sketch will give you a slight idea of the
country from 1831 to 1835. While Chicago was well known to the
people of the VJnited States in 1831, I never heard the word Mil-
waukee spoken till 1S34. When on my way from Milwaukee to
Coldwater, Mich., in May, 1S35, I heard the leading citizen of
Michigan City discussing the merits of Milwaukee and the Terri-
tory of Wisconsin. The conclusion they came to was that it was
a cold, bleak, inhospitable country which would never be inhabited
except by Indians and Indian traders. Little did they imagine
that in less than half a century the territory west of Lake Michigan
would contain white inhabitants enough to constitute an empire."

Postal Affairs. — The post-office in 1833, John S.
C. Hogan, Postmaster, was kept in a small log building
near the corner of Lake and South Water streets. At
that time there was but one Eastern mail per week, to
and from Niles, Mich., which was carried on horseback.
The building was twenty by forty-five feet in size, was
partitioned off so as to serve as a post-office on one
side, and as the store of Brewster, Hogan & Co., on
the other. John Bates, Jr., still living in Chicago, was
the Assistant Postmaster, and assorted the mails, deliv-
ered the letters, and was the executive factotum of the
place. John L. Wilson also became an assistant in the
summer of 1834. John Bates, Deputy Postmaster at
that time, in an interview October 31, 1883, said :

"The Eastern mail was carried once a week, on horseback,
by a little, short, stocky Frenchman, whom we called Louis. In
1S34 or 1S35 the pony mail express of Louis was abolished, and
John S. Trowbridge took the contract to haul the mail between
Niles and Michigan in a wagon. Trowbridge afterward ' went
West,' and -at one time was Mayor of Little Rock, Ark. The
receipts of the post-office in 1S33 were from $15 to $20 per quar-
ter. I never knew him by any other name. The mail came once
a week ; speculation set in, and the village began to grow Dur-
ing the last of it the mail used to weigh thirty to forty pounds, and
was so big that Louis had to walk, and the bags on the horse's back
spread out like wings, making the pony look like some kind of a
queer bird. Chicago was then the central office for a sweep of a
hundred miles around. People came thirty or forty miles to inquire
for a letter, and, if they did not get one, they looked sick. Men
from the ' Yankee settlement ' on Hickory Creek, Naperville, and
other outside places used to come up, with a list of all the names

* Chicago had her sectional wrangles, too. See " Bridges."

in their place, and take the mail in a lump. Letter postage was
then twenty-five cents on each letter, and sometimes we had to
trust for the postage." *

John STEPHEN Coats HOGAN was of Irish parentage, and
was born in New York City February 6, 1805. His father died
while he was quite young, leaving his mother with five small chil-
dren and little wherewith to support them. The subject of this
sketch was, at the age of seven years, adopted by Mrs. Ci a s, a
friend of his mother, he having been named after her onlv son,
who had died. He remained with his foster mother until old
enough to go into business for himself, and finally came to Chi-
cago as early as 1S30. Mr. Hogan here engaged in mercantile
pursuits, being at one time sutler of the Fort Dearborn store, and,

in 1S31, receiving the appointment of Postmaster. He also acted
as a Lieutenant of volunteers during the Black Hawk War. Mr.
Hogan's popularity and easy companionship served to elect him to
the office of Alderman, when the city was incorporated in 1837.
During this year, his wife, formerly Anna Maria, the eldest daugh-
ter of Jonathan N. Bailey (Postmaster), died in Chicago, leaving
one son, John C. Hogan, long afterward a resident of California.
Alderman Hogan's qualities, which made him successful as a local
politician, did not serve to add greatly to his material possessions,
and the hard times of 1837 found him with his means somewhat
extended, and left him in an embarrassed condition. In March,
184S, Mr. Hogan married Mary S., the widow of John Ainslie,
advocate, late of Edinburgh, Scotland. One child, Mary, subse-
quently the wife of Professor T. S. Noble, of Cincinnati, was born
to them. During the gold fever Mr. Hogan crossed the plains
and resided in Sacramento for over a year. Afterwards he lived in
St. Louis and Memphis, as business man, editor and politician, re-
turning to Boonville, Mo., in the summer of 186S. Here he died
on December 2, of that year. Mr. Hogan was a kind, cheerful,

* The first mention of mail communication with Chicago and the East,
after the destruction of the fort, was in 1817-18. but details are not given.
There appears in Keating's L* Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St.
Peter's River," published in London, 1825 — (copy in Chicago Historical Collec-
tion)— the next allusion. It isthere stated that in May, 1823, the exploring party
met the expressman sent from Chicago for letters, at Fort Wayne, and detained
him as a guide. His name was Bemis. A courier was at that time dispatched
from Fort Dearborn to Fort Wayne once a month, for letters.

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

well-informed gentleman, and one of Chicago's most popular, en-
terprising and respected early citizens.

In Tulv. 1834, the office was removed to the corner
of Franklin and South Water streets, where it remained
until after the expiration of Hogan's term of office.
While there, the Assistant Postmaster was Thomas
Watkins. who has been embalmed in history by John
Wentworth and other early chroniclers, as the hero of a
celebrated wedding, he being the groom, and the bride
being Therese Laframboise, daughter of Joseph La-
framboise, a chief of the Pottawatomies, well known as
an early resident of Chicago.*

No further changes in location of the office were
made until Mr. Hogan was superceded by Sydney Abell,
who was appointed Postmaster March 3, 1837. In the
following June the office was removed to the east side

Wilson, appointed by Taylor, April 23, 1849; George
W. Dole, appointed by Fillmore, March 22, 1853;

Isaac Cook, appointed by Fillmore, March 22, 1855;
William Price, appointed March 18, 1857. Isaac Cook was

re-appointed by Buchanan, March 9, 1858. During the
first administration of Isaac Cook the office was removed

of Clark Street, in Bigelow's building, between Lake and
South Water streets, north of the alley. The removal
was announced in the American, June 3, 1837: "The
post-office has been removed to Clark Street, directly
opposite this office. This change will be satisfactory to
a large number of our citizens." During Mr. Abell's
administration the post-office was again removed to the
Saloon Building. Under Mr. Abell the assistants were
Ralph M. P. Abell and Charles Robert Starkweather.
The latter remained in the Chicago postal service until
i860.

William Stuart, then the editor of the American,
succeeded Abell as Postmaster, July 10, 1841. He re-
moved the office to the west side of Clark Street, near
the Sherman House — No. 50. Subsequently it was re-
moved, in 1853-54, to the east side of Clark Street.
Hart L. Stewart succeeded to the Postmastership, being

^/-c^r

appointed by President Tyler, April 25, 1S45. The
succeeding Postmasters up to 1858 were: Richard L.

* John Wentworth. in his historic lecture, delivered before the Sunday Lec-
ture Society, May 7, 1876, gives the following account of Mr. Watkins: I re-
member attending the wedding of one of Laframboise's daughters. She was
married to a clerk in the post-office, and is now the wife of Madore B. Beaubien,
heretofore alluded to in this lecture. The c'.erk was the one who delivered let-
ters, and of course well known to our citizens, and was remarkably popular.
He went to the printing office and had fifty cards of invitation struck off. But
when people went for their letters they politely hinted that they expected a
card of invitation to the wedding. So he was compelled to go to the printing
office and have fifty more struck off. These did not last long and he had 100
: ben he said that tickets were of no use and everybody might come; and
about everybody did come. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Isaac W.
Hallam, pastor of the St. fanv;s* Kpiscopal Church of this city. Everything
was high-toned, well worthy of an Indian chief's daughter. The house was of
5 full and surmunded with people. This wedding
l my mind, as it was the first time I ever saw the
of the guests not only had their tomahawks and

nprcssion <

1 war-dance.

scalping knives, bows and

pretended they had taken

1 the

s, but a fe

rated with all the favorite pictures of th
white men and '.adits played the pari ol the End

lish thrm from the real
*ays: " Mr. Watkins was noted somewhat as
accomplished player on the guitar. He wan
and quite likely also with th'- Indian dialect
for he won the hand of the dautr
framboise, and she became Mrs. Watkins. ]
wa» not a happy one. for it cam'- I
Watkins we cannot tell; yet the lab

Of Mr

-rph, went to Kan
wife of Chief Madore B. Beaubien.'
the tribe removed. The trouble in 1
Chicago.

1 had real scalps which they

rs. Their faces were deco-

And some of our voung

.0 well that it was difficult

Watkins, (Hurlbut, p. 539,)

amateur musician, for he was an

liliar with the French language

mmon hereabout in those days,

ottawatomie 1 hief, Joseph l.a-

\i mi' I. rstOOd that the marriage

I, Whither and when went Mr.

fe of that gentleman and daughter of

oderttood, where she is living as third

Watkins went West with his wife when

s family relations-occurred after having

to the ground floor of Nos. 84 and 86 Dearborn
Street, where it remained until the completion of the

a

<j2^72^/vFZt exJ

Government building in 1855, when it was again re-
moved to that structure.

The mail facilities were rapidly increased after the
beginning of 1835. On September 19, 1835, Postmaster
Hogan's advertisement of arrival and departure of mails
was as follows:

" Eastern, via Detroit, every other day.

Southwestern, via Ottawa, arrives Mondays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays; departs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Western, via Dixon's Ferry, arrives Wednesdays and Thurs-
days; departs Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Southern, via Vincennes, arrives Wednesday, departs Thurs-
day.

Northern, via Green Bay, arrives Monday; departs Tuesday."

The notice was supplemented with the following:

' ' Postage must be paid for when taken. No more credit.
Written orders required for the delivery of letters to friends."

From the files of the American it appears that stage-
coaches were used on the principal mail routes in the
beginning of 1836 — probably not much earlier. At that
time appear for the first time advertisements of mail-
coaches as follows:

" Mail coaches between Detroit and Chicago will leave the
New York House, Chicago, for Detroit, every other day, com-
mencing Monday, January 11, at 5 a. m. Persons wishing seats
will apply F. Tuttle, agent, or to Mr. Johnson at the New York
House."

January 23, an opposition line was advertised —
" Winter arrangements from Chicago to Detroit in three
and one-half days." D. G. Jones, J. W. Brown, W. E.
Boardman, R. A. Forsyth. 0. Saltmarsh, and S. Spaf-
ford were the proprietors of the rival line.

August 20, F. F. Tuttle, stage agent, advertised that
he had removed to Dearborn Street, one door north of

CHICAGO IN 1833-3?

141

the Tremont, and that stages would leave for Detroit
daily, at 4 A. M.; and for Galena at 4 a. m., on Tues-
days, Fridays, and Sundays. He also advertised,
August 6, what appears to be a newly established line,
to Peoria, Ottawa and Juliet.*

The following new mail routes were advertised
October 29, 1836 :

"From Toliet to Chicago, thirty-six miles and back, once a
week : To leave Joliet every Monday at 5 A. M., and to arrive in Chi-
cago by 7 P. M. ; to leave Chicago every Sunday at 5 A. M. , and arrive
at joliet the same day at 7 P. M.

"From Chicago to Galena, via Meachanis Grove, Elgin, Squaw
Prairie, on the Kishwaka, and Midway on Rock River, 150 miles
and back, once a week. Leave Chicago Monday at 6 A. M., and
arrive at Galena every Friday by 6 p. M. Leave Galena Monday
at 6 a. m., and arrive at Chicago Friday at 6 p. M.

"From Chicago to George McClure's, on Fox River, and
back. To leave Chicago every Wednesday at 6 a. m., and arrive
McClure's Thursday by 6 p. M. Leave McClure's every Friday at
6 A. M., and arrive at Chicago Saturday at 6 P. M."

June 11, 1836, post-office business of Chicago was
advertised as follows :

"The post-office is open on week days from 7 A. M. to 8 P. M. ;
Sundays, from S to 9 A. M., 12 to 1, and 5 to 6 p. M. If mail
arrives on Sundays this office will be open one and one-half hours
after the mail has been distributed. Postage for letters must be
paid when taken; hereafter no credit will be given. Any person
calling for letters for friends must bring a written order.

" Mails arrive and depart as follows :

" Eastern, via Detroit, every other day.

" Southwestern, via Ottawa, arrives Mondays and Thursdays ;
departs Tuesdays and Saturdays.

" Western, via Dixon's Ferry, arrives Sundays and Thursdays,
at 6 P. M. ; departs Tuesdays and Saturdays, at 4 A. M.

" Southern, via Danville, arrives Thursdays ; departs Saturdays
at 4 P. M.

" Northern, via Green Bay, arrives Mondays at 8 P. M. ; departs
Tuesdays at 4 A. M."

Post- Roads had been established, although they
could hardly be said to be built, on ail the stage-routes
advertised. The northern, or Green Bay road, as it
was called,* was surveyed in 1833, stakes driven and
trees blazed along the line. It was somewhat improved
as far as Milwaukee in 1834, by laying rough puncheon
and log bridges over the unfordable creeks and streams,
and cutting out the trees to the width of two rods. No
grading was done for years afterward, and as late as 1836
it was only a blazed road through the forest between
Milwaukee and Green Bay. The western and southern
roads were less rough, as they ran out over more open
prairie. In dry weather they were fine well-beaten
tracks, but in the spring and fall they became long black
ditches of mud, through which the hapless travelers
floundered most wearily and laboriously to their places
of destination.

Wharfing Privileges. — December 4, 1833, the
wharfing privileges of the town were defined at a meet-
ing of the Trustees. Owners of lots fronting on the
river, where a street ran down to the river, might use
all but eighty feet of the street fWater Street then being
on the bank of the river: for wharfage purposes only,
on the payment of fifteen dollars per year. Stipulations
were made whereby the town corporation might subse-
quently purchase any wharfage improvements made on
lots leased from the town. Several owners of water-
lots and others paid the required fifteen dollars during
the succeeding month. Wharfing privileges were adver-
tised in the Chicago American of November 15, 1835,
to be sold, under a lease from the town, for 999 years,
by auction, to the highest bidder. Thus the water or
wharfage lots came to have a peculiar, if not fictitious
value, during the speculative period. These privileges

* Joliet was first Mount Joliet, later named Juliet by one of the early pro-
prietors, and still later changed to the old name of Joliet, in honor of the early
explorer.

were sold on time, and as the notes were many of them
never paid, the " privileges " went out by default in the
general crash of 1837. On March 24, 1837, the Town
Trustees voted to extend the time of payment on wharf-
ing lots, " until further notice."

Fire Department. — Up to September, 1835, there-
was nothing like an organized Fire Department, or a
fire engine in the town. Prior to that time buckets put
out any fire that occurred, or it burned itself out. Fire
Wardens were appointed September 25, 1834, under the
provisions of an ordinance passed by the Board of Town
Trustees, which also defined the limits of the fire wards
of the town.

The laws and ordinances were at that time quite
strict, although not always enforced to the letter. No
person was allowed " to endanger the public safety by
pushing a red-hot stove-pipe through the board wall,"
and they were forbidden to carry " open-coals of fire
through the streets except in a covered fire-proof ves-
sel." The latter provision, in the absence of matches,
was deemed a hardship not endurable and was repealed
soon after its passage. The duty of the Wardens was
defined in an ordinance adopted October, 1834. The
Warden in whose ward a fire occurred was to be, for the
time being, Chief Warden, and the other Wardens his
assistants. They had power to summons any one to aid
in the extinguishment of a fire, whether it be "to enter
the ranks or lines formed for passing water or buckets,
or to aid in promoting such other means as, to said ■
wardens, may seem . calculated to carry into effect the
object of this ordinance." Citizens or other bystanders
refusing to obey the summons of the Wardens when a
fire was raging were subject to a fine of five dollars. It
was incumbent on all citizens owning or occupying
stores or dwellings to keep a fire bucket within their
building, in a conspicuous place, and, on an alarm of
fire, to promptly repair to the scene of the conflagra-
tion, equipped for service with the said bucket. This
was the Fire Department and fire organization of 1834.

By the close of 1835 the town had grown to such
proportions, nearly all built of combustible material,
that more elaborate provisions were deemed necessary.
On November 4, 1835, the Fire Department was re-or-
ganized under a most formidable ordinance. Like a
most celebrated and historic confession of religious
faith, it contains thirty-nine articles. In October, 1835,
a hook and ladder company was formed, and the city
equipped it with four ladders, four axes, and four saws.
December 1, 1835, the first fire engine was purchased
of Hubbard & Co. for $894.38, and the fire company,
known as Engine Company No. 1, was organized.

Cemeteries. — No stated place for the burial of the
dead was located until 1835. In early times each inter-
ment was made on or near the residence of the friends
of the deceased. Later, the settlements about the forks
had a common acre on the west side of the North Branch,
where the dead were buried. The dead from the fort
were buried generally on the north side of the main
river east of Kinzie's old house, near the lake shore.
There John Kinzie was buried in 1828.* The soldiers
who died of cholera in 1832 were interred near the
northwest corner of Lake Street and Wabash Avenue.
Early interments were made all along the borders of the
two branches, wherever settlements had been made and
deaths had occurred. In later days the forgotten
graves were often opened in excavating, which has led
to much speculation as to whom the disinterred remains
belonged. As late as March 12, 1849, the Daily Derao-

* His remains were taken to the North Side Cemetery in 1835. and again,
in 1842, to Lincoln Park Cemetery, where they now rest.

14^

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

oral records the fact that during the spring freshet.
"two coffins were seen floating down the river, sup-
posed to have been from some small burying-ground on
the North Branch in the Wabansia addition." August
15. 1835, the town surveyor was ordered to lay out two
tracts suitable for cemetery purposes; sixteen acres on
the South Side and ten acres north of the river. These
two lots, the first established cemeteries in Chicago,
were located as early as August 26; on the North Side,
near Chicago Avenue, east of Clark Street; on the South
Side near the lake shore and what is now Twenty-third
Street. These lots were fenced in September, and
burials forbidden elsewhere within the town limits.

Town Credit. — The Town Trustees, in the adminis-
tration of affairs were as a rule economical, even to the
verge of parsimony. They did not repair either
bridges or streets unless the Collector and Treasurer
showed sufficient funds on hand. They voted to bor-
row sixty dollars — the first authorized loan on the faith
of Chicago — October 2, 1834. The records do not show
whether or not the money was borrowed. In 1836 there
were general complaints in the newspapers as to the
horrid condition of the streets, sidewalks, and bridges,
and a move, endorsed by large and strong petitions
from the citizens, was made for more bridges. One
was specially wanted across the South Branch on Ran-
dolph Street, and a reward of twenty-five dollars was
offered for the best plan for a draw-bridge at that point
— the length of the draw to be forty feet. To John
Brown, on Februarv 10, 1836, was awarded the prize.
February 13, "all the bridges were declared to be in an
unsafe condition, and no funds on hand." In fact
the town had outgrown its fiscal facilities. It had, dur-
ing the past year, besides ordinary expenses, incurred
some extraordinary liabilities. It had built an engine
house costing $200, paid $29.63 for an outfit for a hose
company, and agreed to pay in two yearly installments,
for a fire-engine, $894.38. It was evident that if further
improvements were to be made to keep pace with the
rapid strides of the town in population, that the day for
trying the credit of the corporation had arrived. July
28, 1836, the Trustees resolved "that it is necessary and
expedient for this board to effect a loan not exceeding
§50,^.00, to be expended in public improvements," and the
president was instructed to apply to the State bank
Chicago branch then the only bank in the town, for a
loan of $25,000 redeemable in two years. August 5,
notice was received from the bank refusing the applica-
tion. Whether the refusal showed most the poor credit
of the town or the weak condition of the bank is a ques-
tion. William B. Ogden was thereupon made fiscal
agent for the town, to negotiate the loan, which he suc-
ceeded in doing; and credit being established the im-
provements began. That the town began to spend the
money without any unnecessary delay appears from the
records one week later, August 13, at which time Mr.
Ogden was ordered to purchase two more fire-engines,
and a new street was projected, from the town to the
fort.

Growth of the Town. — The town, although in
its last days it came to grief from the collapse of the
speculative bubble, had a most marvelous growth, which
was not entirely attributable to speculation. Its popu-
lation increased in a ratio from year to year never
known before in any country. In 1833 there were,
perhaps, 200 bona fide inhabitants ; in the spring and
early summer of 1834 it had come to be a village of
800, and, during the fall its population was estimated at
from 1,600 to 2,000. In 1835 a school census showed a
population of 3,279 ; and in 1836 varied from 3,500 to

4,000. July 1, 1837, the first census was taken after its
organization under its city charter, and was as follows :

Wards.

years of
age.

Over s,

21 and

Persons

of
Color.

2

i

s

1

g

g

First

Third

57
76
11
15
32
53

59
77
16
15
37
65

109
120
33
31
26
72

135

148

19

27

20

IOI

444
630

7°

IOI

135
420

218
262
46
42
7°
207

IO

13

7
18

5

Fifth

Sixth

13

9

244

269
244

381

450
381

1S00

845
1800

41

36

41

Totals

513

831

2645

77

Males and females, 21 and over 2,645

Males and females over 5 and under 21 years S31

Males and females under 5 years of age 513

Total white 3.989

Total black 77

Total 4,066

Sailors belonging to vessels owned here 104

Grand total 4,170

There were within the city limits at that time ; 4 warehouses,
398 dwellings, 29 dry-goods stores, 5 hardware stores, 3 drug stores,
ig grocery and provision stores, 10 taverns, 26 groceries, 17 law-
yers ' officers, and 5 churches.

In material growth the town had made no less re-
markable progress. It is shown in the following ex-
cerpts from the American. On August 15, 1835, that
paper said :

"There are now upward of fifty business houses, four large
forwarding-houses, eight taverns, two printing offices, two book-
stores, one steam saw-mill, one brewery, one furnace (just going
up), and twenty-five mechanics' shops of all kinds."

Under the head of " Improvements in 1836," Decem-
ber 10, is the following :

" Most prominent are Steele's block of four-story brick stores
on Lake Street ; Harmon and Loomis' block of four-story brick
stores on Water Street ; the Episcopal Church of brick, which,
when finished, will vie with many of the best East ; some ten to
twenty two to four-story brick stores in various parts of the town;
about twenty large two to three-story wooden buildings ; a steam
flouring mill ; and from one hundred to one hundred and fifty
dwellings."

And on November 19, 1836:

"Chicago has 100 merchants, its many mechanics, its well
employed laborers, its 30 lawyers, its 20 physicians ; its stately
blocks constantly rising to view, and yet, a great scarcity of
money."

October 3, 1835, in reply to an inquiry as to the
time for getting goods from the Atlantic cities to Chi-
cago, the American replied, " from twenty to thirty
days."

As appears from the American December 31, 1836,
Chicago had become a distributing point for the whole
settled country. An advertisement of unclaimed pack-
ages at Hubbard & Co.'s express office, showed the fol-
lowing destinations: Joliet ; Elkhart, Ind.; Goshen;
Mishawaka; Independence, Iowa ; Terra Haute, Ind.;
Galena; Clinton, Iowa; Michigan City; Danville, Mil-
waukee, Constantine, Otsego, Portage, Warsaw, Three
Rivers, Schoolcraft, Wisconsin Territory ; Frankfort,
Iowa.

July 9, 1836, the American said :

" A store on Lake Street, which sold for $8,000, rents for
$1,000. Many goods are sold to interior merchants at wholesale
at good profit. The average cost of transportation from the East
is $1.50 per 100 pounds. The time on the way is generally about

CHICAGO IN r833-37.

'43

one month. But the brig ' Indiana' recently arrived, bringing goods
from New York in 17 '/i days. Store stands are generally in good
demand. Sales are generally made for cash."

On December 31, 1836:

" The merchandise sold last year in Chicago would amount to
$1,000,000, and the trade is constantly increasing. The goods are
bought principally in New York, and are shipped to this point via
Hudson River, Erie Canal, and the lakes."

The prices current November 19, 1836, were given
as follows :

" Flour, $12 per bbl.; pork, $25 to S28 per bbl. and scarce;
hogs, 10 to I2}<; butter, good eastern, 3S to 50, very scarce; beef,
fresh, sold by butchers, 8 cents per pound; corn meal, none in
market ; potatoes, 50 to 75 cents per bu."

The result of the first Presidential election, at which
the residents of modern Chicago voted, November, 1836,
showed 354 votes thrown for Harrison and Granger
(Whig , and 348 votes for Van Buren and Johnson
(Democrat ) — a total vote of 702. This, according to the
modern accepted ratio of voters to population — one to
five — would give a resident population at that time of

3,5i°-

The strait cut was made so far that vessels could
enter the river in 1834. The establishment of Chicago
as a port of importance dates from then. The Ameri-
can, December 10, 1836, said:

"The first arrival this season was on the 18th of April. From
then to December 1 the arrivals comprised 49 steamers, 10 ships,
26 brigs, 363 schooners, and 8 sloops. The 88 ships, steamers,
etc., will average 250 tons; the 363 schooners, 100 tons each. In
1835 there were 250 arrivals — tonnage, 22,500 ; in 1833, four arri-
vals— tonnage, 700."

The canal project, which had been a project only
for many years, was now an apparent certainty. Favor-
able legislation, both State and National, had placed
the enterprise on a footing which warranted its ultimate
success. The building of the canal had been actually
begun. July 4, 1836, had witnessed the first breaking
of ground at the Chicago terminus, and despite the
shadow of hard times, the work was going on. The
State was inaugurating a system of internal improve-
ments which it was hoped would avert any serious
calamity, and a strong faith was prevalent in the town
that all would be well.

The city of Chicago superseded the town organiza-
tion under a charter granted by the State Legislature,
March 4, 1837, under which the citizens organized, by
the election of city officials on the first Tuesday of the
following May, which was the birthday of the most
wonderful city that has ever appeared upon the earth.

The new city was built mostly along the south side
of the main river. Lake Street was well built up from
State Street to Franklin. The streets running north
and south from the river were well sprinkled with build-
ings. A court-house, a jail, and an engine-house
adorned the present square. There were seven hotels
and seven churches. No church had a steeple, and, as
one approached the city either from the lake, or south,
out of the oak woods, no structure rose above the height
of the chimneys of the town. The city lay low down on
the marshy ground, many feet below the present grade,
and was, altogether, to the sight of the new-comer, a
most unsightly place to live, or even die in. One good
bridge over the main river at Dearborn Street and a
dangerous and dilapidated log structure over the South
Branch, were the only means of escape to the open coun-
try on the north and west. The speculation which had
been rampant for the past three years was gone, but a
grim determination showed in the lineaments of each
true Chicagoan's face, which meant that although fort-
unes had fled Chicago was still left.

Richard Jones Hamilton, the first Circuit Court Clerk of
Cook County, was born near Danville, Mercer Co., Ky., August
21, 1799. His parents were James L. and Sarah Jones Hamilton.
James L. Hamilton was born in England, but his parents emigrated
when he was only a year old, and settled on the Savannah River,
on the South Carolina side. At the age of twenty he went north-
ward into Kentucky and, having married Miss Sarah Jones, settled
near Danville. In 1S03 he removed to Shelby County, where
Richard J. spent his childhood and youth and received his early
education, chiefly at the Shelbyville Academy, then in charge of in-
structors of some eminence, among others the Rev Mr. Gray, and
the Rev. Mr. Cameron. At the age of seventeen young Hamilton
was placed as clerk in a store at Shelbyville, and afterward in a
similar position at Jefferson, devoting some fifteen months to these
pursuits, which seem not to have possessed much attraction for him.
In 1S1S, he went to Louisville, where he studied law until 1820,
when he removed to Jonesboro, Union Co., III., in company
with his friend Abner Field. They owned a horse jointly, made the
journey in alternate stages of riding and walking, and sold the ani-
mal which constituted their sole property, on their arrival. Here
Hamilton taught school for some time, while continuing his law
studies at intervals under the guidance of Charles Dunn, who was
admitted to the Bar August 31, 1820, afterwards achieved distinc-
tion in the State, and still later became Chief Justice of Wisconsin
Territory. The Second General Assembly of Illinois, at its session
of 1S20-21. established the old State Bank. At the first nv.eting of
directors at Vandalia, a branch at Brownsville, Jackson County,
was autho ized, and Mr. Hamilton was appointed its cashier, in
1S22, he was married to Miss Diana W. liuckner, of Jefferson
County, Ky., but then residing near Jackson. Cape Girardeau
Co., Mo. She was a daughter of Colonel Nicholas Buckner, of
the historic Kentucky family of that name. Mr. Hamilton was
confirmed as Justice of the Peace for Jackson County by the Gen-
eral Assembly January 14, 1S26; and was admitted to the Bar
March 31. 1S27. In 1829 he is on record as one of the itinerant
lawyers who rode the circuit of the southern counties, deriving a
meager and precarious subsistence from the few and scattered
clients who fell to his share in those early days of Illinois, when the
cases were rare and fees were small. The Brownsville branch
bank closed its career about this time. Mr. Hamilton retaining to
the last, as far as known, his position as cashier, the duties of

M4

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

which, especially in those later years, were neither exhaustive nor
remunerative. He now turned his eyes toward northern Illinois,
and was elected bv the General Assembly as the first Probate Judge
of the new county of Cook, January 29, 1S31. His friend Judge
Young, of the Fifth Judicial District, appointed him Clerk of Cook
County Circuit Court, and Governor Reynolds, who was also speci-
ally interested in his welfare, commissioned him as notary public
and Recorder. He arrived in Chicago early in March, being present
at the organization of the county on the Sth ; and removed his
family from Brownsville in August. He had at this time two chil-
dren, Richard N. and Sarah A. He was appointed commissioner
of school lands in Cook County, in October ; and the school fund
remained in his charge until 1S40. As an illustration of the back-
ward condition of Chicago at the period of his arrival he used to
refer to the limited mail facilities, saying that special care was used
in reading the older papers first, that they might be properly ad-

MRS. ELLEN HAMILTON) KEENON.

vised of events in the great world in the order of their occurrence.
He resided with his family in Fort Dearborn for some time after
taeir arrival, and there his second daughter, Ellen,* was born, in
the spring of 1832. In that year he became Clerk of the County
Commissioners Court, which office he held until 1837. Besides
discharging the duties of his several offices, which, it is easy to see
were more numerous than remunerative, he took an active part in
temperance work, and in 1832 co-operated energetically with
Colonel Owen, the Indian Agent, and other influential men, in
keeping the Indians of thi* section from joining the hostile bands
in the disturbances of that year. He was the first of thirty-seven
volunteers who on Maya, 1832, "promised obedience to Captain
Gholson Kercheval and Lieutenants George W. Dole and John S.
Hogan, as commanders of the militia of Chicago, until all appre-
hension of danger from the Indians may have subsided." Later
in the month, with Captain Jesse 11. Brown and Joseph Xaper and
twenty-five mounted men, he scoured the Fox River country to
carry succor and encouragement to the scattered settlements. Un-
fortunately they did not arrive at Indian Creek until the 22d, the
day after the massacre, where they found thirteen dead bodies of
the families of Davis, Hall, and Pettigrew, terribly mangled. The
company escorted some of the flying refugees to Chicago, where a
much larger number had sought refuge as early as the 10th.

• 1 his daughter, DOW Mr-. E. H. Keenon, -.till a resident of the city, is
stated to be the first child of purely American parents horn in Chicago, si,, ,-
certainly the oldest person living, horn in the city.

Colonel * Hamilton was one of the commissaries to supply them
with food and shelter ; and was indefatigable in his efforts in their
behalf. -f He moved his family into the old agency, house about
this time, the fort becoming crowded with refugees, and being
occupied after July by the troops newly arrived for the Black Hawk
War. In the spring of 1833, in conjunction with Colonel Owen, he
employed John Watkins to teach a small school, near the old In-
dian agency-house, where he still resided, but which he soon aban-
doned for his own house, erected on what is now Michigan Street,
between Cass and Rush streets, where he lived for nineteen years.
He was one of the voters for the incorporation of Chicago August
5, and for its first board of trustees five days later. He was a sub-
scribing witness to the Indian treaty of September 26, and his
claim of $500 was allowed.}: In October as commissioner of
school lands, in compliance with a petition which had "received
ninety-five signatures, embracing most of the principal citizens of
the town," he authorized the sale of the Chicago school section. In
virtue of his office of Probate Judge he married John Bates, Jr., to
Miss Harriet E. Brown, of Springfield, Mass., November 13. He
was one of the original subscribers to the first Chicago newspaper,
which appeared November 26. In December he advertised $10,000
to loan, which was probably part of the net cash proceeds of the
sale of school lands, two months before. In 1S34 he was president
of the board of school trustees, and labored with his usual energy
in the interest of the early schools of Chicago. In conjunction
with Hiram Pearsons he laid out 420 acres at Canalport, adjoining
what is now Bridgeport, which, judging from the first prelimi-
nary survey, they supposed would be the actual terminus of the
Illinois & Michigan Canal, but which the final survey
passed by, and left comparatively worthless. In this year
too he lost his wife, soon after the birth of her fourth
child, who was named Diana B., in memory of her. Mrs. Hamil-
ton was highly esteemed as an intelligent and zealous Christian
lady, whose active interest was of recognized service to the Method-
ist Church of which she was a member, in its early struggles in
Chicago. At this period he became largely interested in outside
lands, also being probably the most extensive owner in the county
and the whole Northwest. These were often purchased on joint
account with non-residents, and perhaps at times with no larger
interest on his part than a commission, for the transaction of the
business, but usually made and recorded in his name for greater
convenience in transfer and negotiation. He was married, March
25. lS35, to Miss Harriette L. Hubbard, sister of Henry G. Hub-
bard, of Chicago. Soon after, he became a candidate for election
as Recorder, and published the following card in answer to certain
cavilings about his many offices: " In 1831 I received the appoint-
ment of Clerk of Circuit Court, Judge of Probate and notary
public. I then moved to Chicago, and found that no one wanted
these offices. Soon after the gentleman holding the position of
Clerk of the County Commissioners Court resigned, and I was ap-
pointed. The office of school commissioner was then held by
Colonel T. J. V. Owen, who resigned. Up to September, 1834,
that office has yielded me in all about $200 ; notary fees have not
exceeded $50 ; probate fees have not amounted to more than $50.
I have not realized from all offices, including that of Recorder,
during four years more than Si, 500. The whole number of instru-
ments recorded, including a large number of Receiver's certificates
for lands purchased at late sales, have been to July 1, 1835, about
1,300, at about seventy cents each." He was elected Recorder by
602 votes at the August election, and removed his office toward
the end of October to the new building recently erected by the
county on the public square. In December he became a director
in the Chicago branch of the new State bank. The offices he held
at this time were, Judge of Probate, Clerk of Circuit Court,
Clerk of Commissioners Court, Recorder of Deeds, notary public,
school commissioner, and bank commissioner. He continued
to discharge the various duties of these offices, with the help
of deputies and clerks in the more exacting ones, as the volume
of business in each required. As Clerk of the Circuit Court, his
first deputy was Henry Moore in 1834, succeeded by J. Young
Scammon in 1835. Solomon Will, who had married the sister of
his first wife, became his deputy in 1836, and was succeeded by
George Manierre in 1837, who gave way to Thomas Hoyne in
1839. All these were lawyers, and nearly all young men, who
served as his assistants until the professional business of each
successively required his entire attention. Mr. Hamilton was
elected a member of the new board of school inspectors for the
city of Chicago May 12, 1837, in recognition of his services and
interest in the early schools, and of his position as school commis-
sioner. Pinched by the financial pressure of 1837, he weathered
the storm without becoming bankrupt or failing to meet his pecuni-

* He had been identified with the mil
his title of Colonel seems to have been one

+ Beggs's " West and Northwest," p.

X The claims allowed against, and paid in behalf of,
gated $175,000.

s, and

CHICAGO IN 1833-37.

i45

ary obligations. He lost an infant daughter, named Pauline,
August 21, 1S39, having lost another of the same name about two
years before. Besides these, his only child by the second Mrs.
Hamilton was Henry E., who is now (1SS3) familiarly known as
Colonel Hamilton, as it were, by right of inheritance. In 1S40 he
was nominated Alderman of the Sixth Ward by the Democrats, and
elected; and was chosen delegate to the State Democratic conven-
tion at Springfield the same year. He appears frequently in the
contemporary notices of the Press as an active member in the pub-
lic meetings of the period, on all questions of social, political, edu-
cational and religious interest; and was frequently chosen on
committees of all sorts for the furtherance of public business, being
apparently one of that worthy class of men who suffer themselves
to be overburdened rather than shirk the responsibilities of active
citizenship. He was prominent in the meeting held in memory of
President Harrison in 1841, and was no less active in the reception
given the same year to Governor Carlin in Chicago. Meanwhile
the time had arrived for relinquishing some of his offices, the in-
creased duties of which had now made them too unwieldy even for
superintendence by one individual. In 1S35 he had ceased to be
Judge of Probate; in 1S37 Clerk of Commissioners Court, and in
1839 Recorder of Deeds. In 1840 William H. Brown was elected
School Agent, an office which entitled him to the care of the school
funds of Chicago, which therefore passed out of the charge of Mr.
Hamilton with the close of that year. He still retained his position
as commissioner of school lands for the county, for he is found
to have advertised Section 16, Township 41, for sale August 9,
1841, as such. On the re-organization of the judicial system in 1841
Cook fell within the circuit of Associate Justice Theophilus W.
Smith, who appointed his son-in-law, Henry G. Hubbard, to re-
place Hamilton, who resumed the practice of law, his clerkship
terminating March 12, 1S41. February 7, 1S42, he lost his second
wife, who left but one surviving child, Henry E., already men-
tioned; and in 1843 he married Mrs. Priscilla P. Tuley, of Louis-
ville, Ky. , the mother of the present Judge Tuley of Chicago. He
formed a law partnership with J. S. Chamberlaine, which was dis-
solved in 1845. In 1S46 his firm was Hamilton & Moore, Francis
C. Moore being the junior member. In 1847 Mr. Hamilton was
again alone and so remained until he retired from practice in 1S50.
In 1849 he was elected Alderman of the Ninth Ward, upon the re-
signation of Samuel McKay, and in 1S50 and 185 1 as his own suc-
cessor. He was Presidential Elector on the Democratic ticket in
1852, and removed the same year to a new residence he had erected
on the West Side, "on Madison, west of Bull's Head," afterward
the southwest corner of Hoyne. He devoted the remaining years
of his life largely to beautifying this place, which was then regarded
as a suburban home. In 1S56 he was candidate for Lieutenant-
Governor on the Democratic ticket, which was defeated by the new
Republican party. Towards the close of i860, he became a mem-
ber of the South Presbyterian Church, the denomination with which
he had most intercourse in early life, and to which his wife be-
longed. He died of paralysis, December 26, i860, in his sixty-
second year, leaving a widow and five children, all settled in life.
He was buried with Masonic honors on the 2Sth, having been long
connected with the order, and high in its counsels and honors. He
was an officer in the first grand lodge of Illinois. At a memorial
meeting of the Bar held on the 2Sth Judge Morris said: "There
is scarcely a lawyer here now but owes much in his early life to
Colonel Hamilton. He took every young practitioner who came
here by the hand, and helped him to business and practice." Judge
Wilson said: "Mr. Hamilton was a gentleman remarkable in many
particulars; of very high notions as a gentleman, and of unusual
sympathies." Judge Manierre reported a series of resolutions,
from which the following sentiments are extracted: " His death has
removed one of our most distinguished citizens and pioneers, and
the oldest member of the legal fraternity; we take pleasure in bear-
ing testimony to the high character of the deceased as a man and a
citizen. His life was a career of active usefulness. He was fore-
most in all public enterprises for the advancement and prosperity
of the community. We remember with pleasure the social and
genial qualities of our deceased brother, lie was a zealous friend;
his heart was warm and his hand ready. In losing him the com-
munity have lost one of its most valuable citizens, and this Bar one
of its most respected members." Twenty years after death he was
characterized by Hon. Thomas Hoyne as being "of a generous and
open nature, a good citizen, a kind man, and one of those men who
were then shaping the destinies of the State."

Augustine DeoDat Taylor was born April 2S, 1796, in
Hartford, Conn. His father's name was Solomon Taylor, and he
likewise was born in Connecticut. His mother's maiden name was
Mary Hartshorn. She was of Welsh decent, but was born in Con-
necticut. Solomon and Mrs. Taylor lived in Hartford until he
died in 1813, and Mrs. Taylor continued to live there until 1833,
when the subject of this sketch came to Chicago. Augustine D.
Taylor received his early education in the common schools and

grammar schools of Hartford and afterward he attended two private-
schools. He was then apprenticed to the trade of his father, that of
carpenter and builder. When the Presbyterian Church pulled
down their frame church building to replace it with a brick our,
Mr. Taylor bought the old one, and converted it into a new Cath-
olic church. This was his lirsi experience in church building. In
1S02, his father went to the West Indies, where he remained one
and a half years. During this time young Taylor, who was the
oldest of eight children, took charge of the family, which lived then
with his grandfather Hartshorn, at Columbia, Conn. In 1813, his
father was killed by falling from a building he was erecting, and
young Taylor once more became head of the family, which he-
remained until attaining his majority in April, 1S17. In August,
1814, he was drafted and served three months in the Hartford Ar-
tillery, under Captain Nathan Johnson, in New London and Say-
brook. On June 7, he was married to Miss MaryGillett, when the
support of the mother devolved upon the younger children. In the
fall of 1S1S, he went to North Carolina, and lived in Fayetteville
until the next July, during which time he built a Presbyterian

\S

cu: £cnT^~)

church. In the winter of 1819-20 he worked at his trade in Wil-
mington, N. O, when his health failed, and in the spring he re-
turned home, and for two years was under the care of a physician.
In 1S25, he contracted to build the chapel for Washington College,
an Episcopal institution, and he also built the bishop's house.
Continuing in the carpenter business, he bought the old Episcopal
church at Hartford, moved it on to another lot, put a basement
under it and fitted it up for a Catholic church. This was the first
Catholic church erected by him. Soon after this, in 1S33, he came
to Chicago, arriving here in June, and in a short time thereafter,
commenced work on St. Mary's Church building, completing it in
the fall of the same year. Under Rev. Maurice de St. Palias, he
commenced, and under Bishop Quarter he completed the carpenter
work on St. Mary's new brick church, the first cathedral in
Chicago, standing near the corner of Wabash Avenue and Madison
Street. He then in 1837 built St. James' (Episcopal) church, and
in 1S46 built St. Patrick s, St. Peter's and St. Joseph's churches,
the first on the West Side for the Irish Catholics, the others on the
South and North sides respectively, for the German Catholics. In
the fall of this year he built a Presbyterian church at Naperville,
111., which was the last church erected by him.

Since that time Mr. Taylor has occupied himself with his reg-
ular trade, accumulating property, and filling such municipal
offices as he has been called upon to fill. He was one of the origi-
nal trustees of the town of Chicago, was an Alderman two years,
and has been City Collector and County Assessor. In 1859 he built
the house 398 West Taylor Street, in which he has resided since
i860.

Upon arriving in Chicago he first lodged in a loft on South
Water Street, he then removed to Wolf Point, next to Lake Street,
then to Desplaines Street, and finally in 1S60 to West Taylor
Street.

Mr. Taylor belonged to the Presbyterian Church in Hartford,
Conn., over which presided Parson Strong, who was succeeded by
Rev. Joel Hawes. During the latter's pastorate Mr. Taylor be-
came acquainted with Bishop Cheverus, the first Catholic bishop
of Boston, Mass., and was by him converted to Catholicism, not-
withstanding the efforts and protests of Rev. Mr. Hawes, and the
good deacons of the Presbyterian Church, all of whom thought
him insane.

Mr. Taylor's first wife died in 1S44, and in March, 1S45, he
was married to Mary Grovan, who died July 16, 1879. By the
first marriage he had five children, two of whom died in Massa-
chusetts, and the other three he brought with him to Chicago. But
one of these, Lewis D. Taylor, is now living. By the second wife
he had ten children, three of whom are living — James A., who was
elected in the fall of 1SS2 to the Illinois Legislature; Harvey A.,
who is a clerk in the office of O. R. Keith & Co.; and Frank J.,
who is a student in Watertown College, Wisconsin.

John Bates was born in Fishkill, Duchess Co., N. Y., De-
cember 28, 1803. His father, John, was a farmer and was born
on the same farm. His mother, Catharine Mcllride, was a native of
Poughkeepsie County, N. V. He was bred a farmer, and received
such early educational advantages as the public schools of the
vicinity afforded. His tastes were averse to farming, and, at the
age of sixteen he went to New York City, where he entered a gro-
cery house on Hanover Square. He remained with this house un-
til 1S32. At that time the scourge of Asiatic cholera, which vis-
ited the city in its most virulent and fatal form, completely broke
up the business of the house where he had been so long employed.

146

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

He accordingly determined to emigrate to the Far West. He ar-
rived in Chicago, coming by the land route from Detroit. He
came in company with one William Winston, an English officer
some fifty years of age. who remained in Chicago some three years
thereafter speculating in land. Hates tirst stopped at Charles Tay-
lor's hotel on the West Side (the old Wolf Point tavern, formerly
kept bv Elijah Wentworth). He was at the time of his arrival
twentv-nine years of age, and unmarried. He was first employed

$£j(sl*tifh

by J. S. C. Hogan as Deputy Postmaster. He performed the
duties of this office for three years, during which time he was the
executive head so far as doing all the work — sorting mails, deliver-
ing letters, and answering the questions of anxious inquirers for
mail matter — could make him so. His reminiscences of these
early times appear elsewhere in this volume. He obtained a license
as an auctioneer soon after his arrival, and, in addition to his duties
as Deputy Postmaster, did a fair share of auction business during

the early years. He sold the school section, in lots and blocks in Oct.
1S33, Colonel Hamilton being the commissioner, and E. W. Casey,
secretary. After severing his connection with the post-office in
1835-36, he continued his business as auctioneer uninterruptedly
until 187 1, at which time he quit active business. During the
period of his active business life, in 1852, he took the census of
the city. He was, also, enrolling officer for the draft of 1863-64,
under Provost Marshal James. He built his first house in Chicago,
on what is now Canal Street, in the fall of 1833. The lumber for
the structure was purchased in Green Bay, at a cost of $900.

Hemarried, November 13, 1833, Miss Harriet E. Gould. Col-
onel R. J. Hamilton, Justice of the Peace, performed the marriage
ceremony. She was a native of Massachusetts, and was at the time
of her marriage a member of the family of Lemuel Brown, having
come West with them.

The young couple moved into the new house, which, owing to its
close vicinity to the cabin of Chief Jo. Laframboise, did not prove
a pleasant residence for the new and timid wife, owing to the fre-
quent and unceremonious visits of the chief's many Indian friends
at all times of the day and night. Mr. Bates accordingly sold out
to Jo. and his wife, at a round profit, and his house was the last
and most aristocratic home of Chief Jo. and his family, where they
lived until their emigration to the West in 1836.

The couple have had born to them four children, two of whom
survive:

Ellen, born July 24, 1S34, died in infancy ; Helen, born
August 7, 1836; John L., born August 12, 1839; and Charlotte,
born July 10, 1S44, died November 10, 1S44.

Mr. and Mrs. Bates are, as early settlers, the oldest couple in
Chicago. They are still, after having celebrated the fiftieth anni-
versary of their wedding, in good health, and with promise of many
earthly years of life. Preceding the celebration of their golden
wedding, the Chicago Times thus alluded to the aged and respected
couple :

"On Tuesday next, November 13, Mr. and Mrs. John Bates,
two of the oldest settlers of Chicago, and perhaps the oldest couple
now living who were married in what is now the city of Chicago,
but which was a mere hamlet at the time of their marriage, will
celebrate the golden anniversary of their wedding, and propose to
receive calls from their friends in honor of the event at the Douglas
House, corner of Cottage Grove Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street, be-
tween the hours of four and nine o'clock in the evening. Their mar-
riage was announced in the first number of the Chicago Democrat,
which was published November 26, 1S33, and of which the follow-
ing is a copy :

" ' Married — In this village, on Sunday, the 13th inst., by the Hon. R. J.
Hamilton, Mr. John Bates, Jr., of New York, and Miss Harriet E. Brown, of
Springfield, Mass.'

" Mr. Bates was born in Fishkill, N. Y., December 28, 1803,
and Mrs. Bates was born in Charlestown, Mass., February 12,
1810. Both are yet vigorous and in excellent health, and enjoy
life seemingly as well as they did when the nuptials were cele-
brated, fifty years ago. The maiden name of Mrs. Bates was
Harriet Gould, but at a very early age she was taken by Lemuel
Brown and wife to bring up, and was given their name. Mr. Brown
is still living in Chicago, and will be ninety-nine years old Decem-
ber 14. He came to Chicago in 1S33, and was a blacksmith at
the Government works at what was then known as the harbor of
Chicago, which was certainly a very crude affair in comparison
with the protection that is now afforded the shipping interests of
the great lakes at this port."

The occasion was graced by a large assemblage of old settlers
and newer friends, who testified by their presence and many sub-
stantial testimonials to the esteem and affection in which this aged
couple are held.

GOVERNMENT APPOINTEES

POST-OFFICE AND POSTMASTER.

The first Postmaster of Chicago was an Indian
trader named Jonathan N. Bailey, who was appointed
March 31, 1831, and opened the post-office in a log
house occupied as a store by John Stephen Coates
Hogan, near the present corner of Lake and South
Water streets. Mr. Hogan, subsequently the son-in-
law of Mr. Bailey, assisted the appointee in the per-
formance of the merely nominal duties of his office ;
gradually assuming its entire control, and was himself
appointed Postmaster, November 2, 1832, after Mr.
Bailey's departure, with his family, fc St. Louis. In

l&33, John Bates, Jr.. became Deputy Postmaster; he
having made an arrangement with Mr. Hogan, whereby
the store was partitioned off into two parts, one of
which was occupied by John Bates and the receiving,
mailing, registering and delivering department of the
Chicago post-office, and the other portion by Brewster,
Hogan & Co. Some idea may be formed of the limited
accommodations that were ample for the post-office of
those days, when it is stated that the store only occu-
pied an area of forty-five by twenty feet. In the sum-
mer of 1834, John L. Wilson became second assistant
Postmaster, and about July of this year, the post-office
was moved to near the corner of Franklin and South
Water streets, at which place Thomas Watkins was the
assistant, in which position he gave so much satisfac-
tion that he remained in office until some time after the
appointment of Mr. Abell. Thomas Watkins married
the daughter of the Indian chief Joseph Laframboise
during the winter of 1836-37.

March 3, 1837, Sidney Abell was appointed Post-
master, and in May of this year, to accommodate the
large increase in the business, the post-office was
removed to Bigelow's Building on Clark, between Lake
and South Water streets, where it remained for some
time and then removed to the noted Saloon Building.
During the tenure of office of Sidney Abell, Ralph M.
P. Abell was an assistant, but Charles Robert Stark-
weather was the principal assistant, and remained in
that office until i860. July 10, 1841, William Stuart —
erroneously spelt Stewart in official records — the editor
of the American, was appointed Postmaster, and by him
the post-office was removed to the west side of Clark
street, on the south side of the alley, next to the Sher-
man House, and is numbered 50 Clark Street in the
directories of this period, and specified as being at that
number in the several directories until 1852-53 ; when
it is designated as " upon Clark, between Randolph and
Lake," and in the directory of 1853-54, as on the east
side of Clark Street, between Lake and Randolph.
Hence the precise date of its removal from the west, to
the east, side of Clark Street is undeterminable. Prior
to such removal Hart L. Stewart* was nominated by

* H. L. Stewart was the first Presidential appointee, his precursors weie
appointed by the Postmaster-General.

President Tyler for the postmastership at Chicago on
April 25, 1845, and the nomination was confirmed Feb-
ruary 3, 1846. On April 23, 1849, Richard L. Wilson
was appointed by President Taylor, and on September
25, 1850, George W. Dole was appointed to the post-
mastership by President Fillmore. On March 22, 1853,
Isaac Cook — now of the Imperial Wine Company of St.
Louis — was made Postmaster, and Charles S. Dole was
his assistant, and in 1854 H. A. Wynkoop became the
Assistant Postmaster. During the administration of
Isaac Cook, the office was removed to the ground floor
of Nos. 84 and 86 Dearborn Street, opposite the
Masonic Temple. The next incumbent was William
Price, appointed March 18, 1857, who retained this
position until the re-appointment of Isaac Cook by Mr.
Buchanan, March 9, 1858. In the spring of 1855, the
Government building on Monroe Street was commenced,
and to the advocacy of John Wentworth, while a mem-
ber of Congress in 1853, the appropriation for its
erection is due ; until its occupancy, the post-office
occupied the ground floor of Nos. 84 to 92 Dearborn
Street.*

The earliest authentic account of mail communica-
tion with Chicago is in Keating's " Narrative of an
Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River," f etc.,
wherein it is stated that in May, 1823, at Fort Wayne,
the exploring party met "the express sent from the
latter place (Chicago) for letters, and detained him as
guide. His name was Bemis." A courier appears to
have been dispatched once a month from Fort, Dear-
born with, and for, mail matter, which service was
presumptively maintained until the establishment of
a regular mail with an office at Chicago, thus John
Wentworth states that in 1830 J; Elijah Wentworth,
Jr., carried the mails; and, in 1832, Doctor Harmon
amputated the feet of a half-breed Canadian, § which
were frozen while carrying mail from Green Bay to
Chicago. In 1832 a weekly mail was established, which
was carried on horseback, and in 1833 the means of
transportation were improved by the employment of
a one- and then a two-horse wagon. || In 1834 a four-
horse stage-line was established, that carried a semi-
weekly mail. In 1835 the service was increased to tri-
weekly, and in 1837 a daily Eastern mail was established.
In the Chicago American of 1839 the arrival and
departure of the mails at the post-office in Chicago are
thus advertised :

Eastern. Ottawa.

Daily, by 5 P. M. Via Juliet, daily (Sundays ex-
' Galena. cepted) by 10 P. M.

Via Belvidere and Apple River, Dixoiis Ferry.

Wednesdays and Fridays by Once a week, Wednesdays by 5
6 P. M. P. M.

Milwaukee. McClure's Grove.

Wednesday, Friday and Sunday Saturdays by 6 P. M.

by 9 P. M.

* A list of the Chicago Postmasters and their date of appoin
plied byC. M. Walker, Chief Clerk, Post-Office Department, Washington.

t London : Printed for George B. tt'hittaker, Ave-Maria Lane, 1S25, Chi-
cago Historical Society.

% Early Chicago, 2d paper, Fergus's Historical Series.

§ Vide chapter on Medical History.

II Dr. John Taylor Temple had the mad contract in 1833, from Chicago to
Green Bay.

i4S

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

DEPARTURE.

Eastern. Ottawa.

Daily at ; A. M. Via Juliet, daily (Sundays ex-

cepted) at 2 A. M.
Tuesday and Thursday at 6 Dixon's Fern-.

\, M. Thursdays at 6 A. M.

McCtitre's Grove.
Monday. Wednesday and Fri- Wednesdays at 6 A. M.

' day at 4 A. M.

An advertisement of August 24, 1S39, has the
additional information that the Milwaukee mail travels
via Southport and Racine; that there is a tri-weekly
mail to and from Buffalo Grove via Geneva and Oregon
City, and a weekly mail to and from Iroquois, via
Thornton Of the mail facilities of these days the
following item from the Cleveland Herald and Gazette,
published in the Daily American of May 31, 1S39, will
furnish an accurate idea:

"Distance in these days should be measured in hours not
miles. Newspapers are now received here from Xew York in three
and a half days — distance, six hundred and sixty miles. From
this to Chicago one may travel in a good steamboat in four days —
distance bv the route about eight hundred miles ; or to Green Bay
in three davs — distance, six hundred and thirty miles, Or the
traveler may go from this place to Detroit in eight or ten hours,
and thence by railroad, stages and steamboat to Chicago, and by
I ialeoa, going the whole distance in six days. New York
to Cleveland, distance S4 hours; Cleveland to Chicago, by lake,
96 hours; Cleveland to Green Bay, 72 hours; Cleveland to Detroit,
10 hours; Detroit to Galena, 144 hours."

With the vast augmentation of population the
postal service and facilities increased* until, in 1857,
there were fifty-four clerks employed; $103,000 per
quarter ree'eived for postage on letters received for
distribution; amount received for stamps, $13,060;
average, number of mails made up daily, two thou-
sand; and two hundred and fifty bags of news-
papers were daily received and distributed, con-
taining an average of seven hundred papers each. The
first advertised letter-list was published in the Chicago
Democrat of January 7, 1S34, and contained one letter
addressed to Erastus Bowen; the second, two letters.
for Philo Carpenter and P. Pruyne & Company, and
the first extended list is as follows, published in the
Democrat of January 7, 1834, showing letters remain-
ing in the post-office January 1, 1834:

Eliphalet Atkins,
J. W. Anderson,
Constant Abbott.
William G. Austin,
Almond Axtell,
Myron K. Bronson,
Timothy Burnett,
B. II. Bertrand,
Cynthia Burbee,
Joseph Baben,
Hiram Bennett,
Anthony Beers,
Thomas Bennett,
J. K. Blodgett,
Joseph Britton,
Mary Barrows,
A. I'. Benton,
Avice Blodgett,
U.S. Bennett,
Harriet Bradford,
Baldwin,
Hiram Bowen,
Erastus Bowen,
Charles Babcock,
Aaron Bemis,
Ad. T. Breed,
James Burk,
T. R. Covell.
William V. Cleaveland,
Thomas Conger,

•A city penny- po« wa
1855, the term* being one cent prepaid,

O. P. Catran,

D. P. Clevinger,

E. W. Center,
George H. Clark,
Alfred Clarke,

Lamira and Laura Carrier,
J. P. Converse,
Daniel B. Clevinger,
Henry B. Clarke,
Alfred Churchill,
James Childress,
William Crissy,
Gustavus Clark,
Benjamin Chapman,
Loring I lelano,
Samuel Devoe,
Noel Dagenet,
E. Dimmick,
I (avid I Hckson,
William Elliot,
<i. W. Ewing,
Samuel Eberiden,

iron,
A. W. Flint,
William H. Frazer,
11. K. Fay,
Aaron Friend,
David P. frame,
Jane Forrister,
I

Robert Fisher,
P. Field.
Alva Fowler,
Alburn Foster,
Jacob Fake,
Ebenezer Goodrich,
Orinda Garyl,
Dane Gray,
William Gooding,
Joseph A. Gooding,
David Groover,
Eben Griswold,
William B. Green,
O. Grant,
J. P. Gobb,
Pomeroy Goodrich,
Luther Hatch,
Nathan Hopkins,
Reuben Hart,
Nathan Huchins.
Warren Hanks,
Philip Howard,
Wooster Harrison,
Benjamin Harrison,
J. P. Harkness,
Isaac Hays,
Levi Hills,
H. B. Hoffman,
A. 11. Howard,
D. S. Haight,
Edward Hill,
George Johnson,'
Isaac Killigoss,
Ira O. Knapp,
J. H. Kinzie,
Lewis Kercheval,
Lewis Lafton,
Lewis Lake,
J. W. Lewis,
J. S. Lacey,
Jacob Lorse,
Miranda Miner,
A. McDaniel,
Charles Miller,
Mary Meriams,
James Mackel,
Joseph S. Meeker,
Tames Makie,
N. McCarty,
Chester Marshall,
John Monreou,
F. T. Miner.
F. B. Northrop,
J. V. Natta,
Lauretta Plympton,

T. E. Parsons,
Julius Perrin.
Joshua Pruvis,
S. F. Plumer,
Green Poel.

C. H. Pease,
Noah Phelps,
Robert Robinson,
Thomas H. Richey,
John Roult,
Salmon Rutherford,
James H. Rinhart,
S. W. Smith,
Isaac Scarritt,

S. Scott,
Axtel & Steel,

D. Sprague,
B. P. Stafford,
Chester Smith,
H. C. Smith.
H. S. Steele,
James Steward,
S. C. Stinson,
Palmer Stearns,
David Sprague,
S. I. Scott,
Ralph Stowell,
Samuel Stout,

J. F. Schermerhorn,
William Shier
John Sewell,
Stephen Sherwood,
H. C. Shearman,
Alden Tuller,
Elan Tuller,
A. H. Taylor,
John Thompson,
William Teal,
Piatt Thorn,
Peter Temple,
Lewis Temple,
W. Yanzandt,
John Vandine,
Adam Yanderwerker,
John Wilson,
William Winson,
Phillip Willsee,
Jesse B. Winn & Co.,
Daniel Warren,
Sally Weed,
Aaron Whitcomb,
Delaney Wells,
Thomas II. Wrickey,
Loiza Webb.
Samuel Wright.

UNITED STATES LAND-OFFICE.*

The location of the first United States Land- Office in
Chicago was on the east side of Lake Street, between
Clark and Dearborn streets; in 1839 the Register had
his office in the Saloon Building and the Receiver had
his office at 175 Lake Street, and in 1845 the Register
and Receiver had their offices at 100 and 92 Lake streets
respectively; while, in 1848, the Register occupied an
office at 107 Lake Street, and the Receiver, an office at
the old Bank Buildings ; the office of the Registers and
Receivers were usually at their private offices, but the
directories fail to give specific information on the
matter.

The Registers of Chicago are as follows : James
Whitlock, appointed March 4, 1835 ! James M. Strode,
commissioned July 7, 1S36, to date from August 10,
1836, to the end of the next session of the Senate, and
re-commissioned December 30, 1836, to date the 27th of
that month ; and again commissioned January 4, 1841,
to date the preceding 27th of December ; John H.

juhlished by William McMillan in February,
two cents if collected on delivery.

* lion. N. C McFarland, commissioner of the General Land-Offii
nished a Large portion of the data elaborated ill this topic, and James '
Broi kway. Recorder of county, also extended many courtesies to the
on the work.

GOVERNMENT APPOINTEES.

149

Kinzie, appointed September 27, 1841, re-appointed
January 1, 1842 ; Eli P. Williams, appointed November
14, 1844, until the end of the next session of the Senate ;
William M. Jackson, commissioned March 17, 1845, to
date to the 14th ; Alfred Cowles, commissioned March
16, to date the 14th, 1849 ; James Long, commissioned
March 25 to date the 21st, 1853 ; Richard J. Hamilton,
commissioned March 7 to date the 3d, 1855 ; the bond
of R. J. Hamilton was declined by the authorities
at Washington and thereupon Samuel Ashton was
temporarily appointed March 29, 1855, he continu-
ing in office until the discontinuance of the Land-
Office in Chicago, on June 9, 1855. The bond exacted
from each Register was ten thousand dollars. The
Receivers were E. D. Taylor, appointed March 4, 1835,
at which time the bond was thirty thousand dollars ;
but in May, 1836, in consequence of the augmenting of
the receipts of the office a new bond, in the penal sum
of one hundred thousand dollars, was required. Eli S.
Prescott, appointed March 4, 1839, gave bond in one
hundred thousand dollars, but the act of July 4, 1840,
augmented the amount of the bond to one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars. September 27, 1S41, Edward
H. Hadduck was appointed ; re-appointed January 13,
1842, to date January 11; George L. Ward was
appointed May 8, 1843, and the penalty being reduced
from one hundred and fifty thousand, to seventy-five
thousand dollars by the President, upon July 24, 1843,
a new bond was filed in the latter amount ; Mr.
Ward was re-appointed March 12, to date the 8th, 1844;
Thomas Dyer succeeding him on April 7, 1845, he,
under the act of August 6, 1846, being required to give
a treasury bond of one hundred and fifty thousand dol-

lars; John H. Kinzie, appointed temporarily April 12,
1849 ; to qualify for the office, Mr. Kinzie had to file
one bond for seventy-five thousand dollars and one
treasury bond for one hundred and fifty thousand dol-
lars, which he did, and upon September 2, 1850, was
re-appointed; the only bond at this time required,
appears to have been one of one hundred thousand dol-
lars to the commissioner of the General Land-Office.
March 28, 1853, Eli B. Williams was appointed, and
shortly after his appointment was designated disbursing
agent ; the bond for the faithful performance of his
duties was five thousand dollars. Eli B. Williams was
the last of the Receivers. May 29, 1835, when public
sales commenced there were of public lands subject to
entry at Chicago, 3,626,536 acres.

Acres.

School lands 104,520

Canal lands 228,580

Selected by commissioners for State purposes. . .. 93,782

Sold to individuals in

1835 370,043

1836 202,364

1837 15.697

1838 87,881

1839 160.635

1840 I37,382

1841 138,583

1S42 194,556

1843 229,460

1844. 235,258

1845 220,525

1S46 198,849

To November 1, 1847 98.569

2,780,640
Balance unsold in district November I, 1S47. . . 743,895

CHICAGO IN 1845, FROM THE WEST.

ANNALS OF CHICAGO.

MAY

18.1

TO JANUARY 1, 1858.

The history of Chicago since the time of its incor-
poration as a city (1837^ has, as appears in the subse-
quent pages of this volume, been more elaborately
treated under topical heads than before. It seems,
nevertheless, appropriate, in the face of some possible
repetitions, to continue, as supplemental to the contin-
uous history which precedes, a semi-historic account, up
to the close of the period treated in this volume, which
shall mention the leading events in chronological order,
as well as such minor occurrences, as, being, irrelevant
to the topics treated, might otherwise have escaped
history altogether. It is believed that the few repeti-
tions involved may be more than counterbalanced in
the mind of the reader by the aid it may render in
generalizing what follows.

1837. May 2, Chicago became a city, and held its
first municipal election.* Hard times was at the time
the general topic of conversation and the burden of the
newspaper editorials, and the city was obliged to start
on its infantile career by the discouraging step of run-
ning in debt. June 1 the Council ordered the issue of
§5.000 in city scrip, in denominations of $1, $2 and
S3. The city, thus early driven by necessity, did what
most governments have, under stress of circumstances,
done before and since — made its first issue of paper
money, which bore interest at the rate of one per cent
per month, and was receivable for taxes.

An account of a justifiable homicide in Chicago,
which it quoted from its exchange, the Chicago Demo-
crat, appeared in the Milwaukee Sentinel, August 1,
1S37. It read as follows :

''On the night of the 7th of June, considerable
damage was done to the working utensils and property
about the canal, in consequence of a reduction of
wages from §26 to §22. From appearances, about dark,
on the contract of Mr. Dodson, a repetition of injuries
of the night before was feared. Consequently, the over-
seers made preparation for the protection of the prop-
erty. About the time of Mr. Dodson's retiring for the
night, frequent whistling was heard. Soon after —
some say about 10 o'clock — a heavy pounding was
heard upon the pumps with a heavy sledge for the pur-
pose of destroying them, as it afterward appeared. A
young brother of Mr. Dodson's, with commendable
fortitude, went to the works and demanded of an Irish-
man, 'Why he was there?' His reply was, 'I will
let you know,' and sprang at young Dodson with the
sledge he was using. Instantly a whistle was given by
another who lay secreted near by, which was returned
by a vast number. Mr. Dodson immediately took his
one recourse, and with a musket ball shot dead the
assailant. The loss of this man has, we understand,
restored quiet along the whole line." "At the last term
of the Municipal Court, the grand jury refused to find
any indictment against Mr. Dodson. We have delayed
speaking of this event until after Mr. Dodson had his
trial."

June 29 or 30, Daniel Webster visited Chicago.
It was a season of great rejoicing and excitement

• Sec Corporal* I

among the Whigs. He was escorted through and about
the city by an immense cavalcade of citizens. Old set-
tlers still tell of his triumphant entry, and of his speech
of masterly eloquence and power, delivered from the
Waubansia stone, within the garrison yard, and of a
ball given in his honor at the Lake House. George T.
Curtis, in his life of Webster, Vol. 1, p. 564, gives July
1 as the date of Webster's leaving the town. Chicago
was the western terminus of his tour. From thence he
returned, via Michigan City, to Toledo.

September 10, Lake Michigan was nearly two feet
higher than its ordinary level at that period of the year.

December, very late in the month, the post-office
at Chicago was made a distributing office. The an-
nouncement appeared in the Milwaukee Sentinel, Janu-
ary 2, 1838.*

1838. The year opened gloomily enough, and there
was throughout but little to brighten the prospect
except in the eyes of the most sanguine and hopeful, of
which class Chicago happily had at that time, as she
has always had, more than her full quota. Hard times
still held its unrelenting grip upon the country, and
especially upon this far-off western town, where the
reaction of the speculative craze which had centered
there was as extreme as had been the prevailing excite-
ment of former times. Solomon Wills, in a manuscript

£^//j^&9^V0-*^->

^.

ds

letter now on file in the collections of the Chicago
Historical Society, wrote, under date of May 13, 1838 :
" The times here are rather growing worse instead of
better. There is little money in circulation, and that
which is good is scarce enough. Of course there is no
property selling, unless by the Sheriff, and then it goes
for little." Drought and a serious epidemic in the fall
added to the disheartening annals of the year.

During the summer months, from June to Septem-
ber, the work on the canal, the most considerable source
of revenue to the paralyzed town, was nearly suspended
for a time by a most mysterious disease which broke
out among the laborers. f It was in its symptoms suffi-
ciently like the Asiatic cholera to give to the community
an added dread of it. It seized its victims suddenly,
and carried them off, if it did not abate, in a few
hours. Many of the dead were brought from where
they died to the vicinity of Chicago, and dead bodies
lay along the road near Bridgeport, unburied, for days,
so fearful were the inhabitants that the infection might
be conveyed to the city.

A drought set in, in July, and from the 19th of that
month until November, no rain fell. The streams dried
up, the springs gave only brackish and impure water,
and from the low lands and partially dried up marshes
and bogs a fever-breeding miasma floated unseen to

* No copies of Chicago newspapers of this date are accessible. Few files
of that date, most of which were owned by private citizens, escaped the rav-
ages of the threat fire of 1871.

+ See Medical History.

ANNALS OF CHICAGO— 1837-1857.

1$l

pollute the air. A malarious fever broke out, which,
in its ravages, brought the great grief of death's
bereavement to many a sorrowing household in Chicago.

In seasons of irremediable and continuous suffering,
when hope grows weaker day by day, waiting for the
longed-for rest that does not come, the only great recu-
perative and antidotal remedy for besetting sorrows
vouchsafed to man, asserts itself in his innate and
irrepressible desire for recreation. So it has always
happened that the healthy mind or the healthy-minded
community, though traveling hand in hand with sorrow,
has longingly looked askance to discover some diver-
sion by the wayside. To all men, and in all times,
pious or sacrilegious, Christian or heathen, wise or
foolish, this desire has come as a specific for the ills
they were forced to bear — the pious to their mosques,
cathedrals, or silent altars of prayer ; the foolish to
their cups ; and the wise to whatever gives most harm-
lessly surcease from present sorrow.

So it happened that Chicago successfully established
her first permanent theater during this trying, sickly
and generally unprosperous year. Messrs. Isherwood
& McKenzie, who had had a successful opening season
in 1837, at a hall in the old Sauganash Hotel, deter-
mined to establish a permanent theater in the town.
Accordingly, during the spring months they fitted up
as a theater the upper story of the wooden building on
the west side of Dearborn Street, between Lake and
South Water streets, which had been built in 1834 by
John Bates, and during the intervening years occupied
by him and other auctioneers as a place of business.
As a resort (the most noted in Chicago), it was christened
" the Rialto," by Dr. Egan, and became a theater in May.
The first season, despite the gloomy times, was fairly
successful. October 18, the citizens gave to Mr. Alex-
ander McKenzie a most substantial benefit, which
showed not only the high appreciation in which he was
held as a citizen, but proved a financial success as
well. It was the most notable society event of the
year.*

During 1839 the business depression continued, and
was increased by the general collapse of the Michigan
banks, f which at that time had a large circulation in
the city. In March, all Michigan money became
uncurrent. The Chicago Democrat, as quoted in the
Milwaukee Sentinel, March 12, said :

" All Michigan money is uncurrent, and the rumor
that the Michigan State Bank has suspended payment
has been confirmed. The Detroit Post represents the
Michigan State Bank as perfectly solvent, but com-
pelled by a constant demand for specie to take ad van
tage of that clause in its charter which allows suspen-
sions for thirty days. For the good of this community,
which holds a large portion of its bills, we hope that
the Post is correct."

April n, it was announced in the Daily American
that the canal commissioners had decided to issue
from $150,000 to $200,000 in scrip ; on the 9th of
May, the same paper announced that the scrip (termed
in the article " canal money ") was in general circula-
tion.

The first daily issue of the American was published
April 9, it being the first daily paper issued in the
city.J

April 5, a religious revival, which continued to
increase in interest during the spring months, was first
noticed in the newspapers. At that date twenty-nine

* See History of Early Amusements in this volume.

+ See Hanking.

i See History of the Press.

persons, some of whom had not before been noted for
their piety, joined the Presbyterian Church. The fruits
of the revival brought large accessions to the other
Protestant churches of the city. Rev. Isaac Taylor
Hinton publicly baptized by immersion many converts.
The work of the revival was general.*

During the spring the conflict between the vessel
interests and the citizens, as to the obstructions to
navigation caused by the bridges culminated. f In the
Daily American of April 18, the editor sought to pour
oil on the troubled waters as follows :

" We hope that our captains and sailors who have
occasion to sail their vessels above the ferry crossing
will be as careful as circumstances will allow, to avoid
cutting or breaking the ropes. The rope of the State
Street ferry was cut the other day by an axe. Our
vessel owners demanded the taking down of the bridge,
and it has been done. The citizens have been com-
pelled to resort to a ferry for the absolute wants of the
city, and with as much reference as possible to the
accommodation of vessels. Let there be mutual for-
bearance on this vexed subject, and all will go smooth
enough and fast enough on this highway of the
country."

June 20, James H. Collins having, at the public
sale, bid off a part of the homestead of J. B. Beaubien,f
the friends of the Colonel held an indignation meeting
at the Saloon Building, at which resolutions were passed
denouncing Collins and requesting Judge Burchard,the
Government agent in charge of the sale, to cancel the
sale and again offer the lots, thereby giving Beaubien's
friends an opportunity to bid against Collins, in his
behalf. The request was not granted.

October 23, the State Bank of Illinois, with its
numerous branches, suspended specie payments. §

October 27, the most disastrous fire occurred that
had ever visited Chicago. It commenced on Lake
Street, near Dearborn. The Tremont House and
seventeen other buildings were burned, and one blown
up to arrest the progress of the conflagration. The
total loss was estimated at from $60,000 to $75,000.
Many of the leading merchants were burned out. The
statement of individual losses and insurance, which
appeared in the Daily American, throws some light on
the magnitude of the stocks carried by the " merchant
princes " of Chicago in those early days. It was as
follows :

" S. W. Goss, dry goods and groceries, carried an
insurance of $5,000 on his stock ; Eddy & Co., hard-
ware, no insurance, loss between $2,000 and $3,000 ;
Ayers & Iliff, dry goods and groceries, no insurance,
loss $6,000 ; David Hatch, hardware, stock valued at
$8,000 to $9,000, insured for $8,000 ; O. H. Thompson,
principally dry goods, insurance, $800. The Messrs.
Couch lost on the contents of the Tremont House
$3,000 to $4,000. The highest insurance on any build-
ing destroyed was $2,800 ; the lowest, $850."

November 28, Thansgiving Day was observed for the
first time in Chicago. So stated the Daily American of
the 29th.

November 30, occurred the first incipient duel. In
a recent issue of the Democrat had appeared the follow-
ing editorial : " It is an indisputable fact that everyone
of these persons who have been filching money unjustly
in the shape of Indian claims are opposed to the admin-
istration, and use such illgotten gains to injure it in
every possible manner. It is due to the people that all

* See Religious History.

t See Harbor and Marine.

t See Beaubien Claim in the preceding pages.

§ See History of Banking.

t;:

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Indian treaties for the last ten years should be over-
hauled in the most thorough manner, and the thousand
knaveries practiced by men thereby made nabobs, fully
exposed to the public gaze." Captain afterwards Gen-
eral David Hunter, believing that the above was
intended as a reflection upon him, came into the office of
the Democrat, and then and there demanded satisfaction
of John Wentworth, the editor, and laying two pistols
upon the table, offered him his choice of weapons. Mr.
Wentworth, as would any good and discreet citizen, per-
emptorily declined to fight a duel, but made the amende
honorable by the publication of a letter in a subsequent
issue, disclaiming any reference to Captain Hunter in
the article which had raised the chivalrous officer's ire.
The Captain soon after published a card in which he
stated that the pistols were not loaded, and the affair
thus ended without the spilling of gore. The pistols
afterward came into the possession of Mr. Wentworth,
who frequently, in his subsequent editorial career, alluded
to them, when indulging in early reminiscences.

During the latter part of December, and through
the following January, small-pox prevailed in a mild
form in the city. It placed a quite serious embargo on
country trade, as farmers feared to visit the town. The
Board of Health publicly requested the vaccination of
all persons hitherto unvaccinated, and ordered all physi-
cians, under penalty of a heavy fine, to make immediate
returns of all patients suffering from the disease.

1S40. — The people had become used to hard times,
and had adjusted themselves quite comfortably to their
conditions at the opening of the new year, which will be
remembered as a year of most hilarious political excite-
ment, pending the presidential campaign, which resulted
in the total defeat of the Democratic party, and the
election of General Harrison as President, by an over-
whelming popular vote. The Whigs of Chicago,
although in a minority, made the campaign most
enthusiastically noisy and lively.

January 10, the new Market House at the corner of
Lake and State streets was completed. The cost of the
building was stated to be $1,500. The stalls were
rented for three years at a gross aggregate rental of
$2,460.

February 10, the City Council changed the method
of voting, ordering that at the next election and there-
after the votes should be given on a written or printed
ballot, instead of, as heretofore viva voce. At the munic-
ipal election held in the following March the first bal-
lots were handed to the judges at a city election.

May 1, John Stone was indicted for the murder of
Mrs. I.ucretia Thompson.* He was tried, convicted,
and on Friday, July 10, hung until he was dead ; the
place of execution being some three miles south of the
court-house, near the lake shore, between what was
then the terminus of State Street, and the Cottage Grove
Cattle Yards. This was the first public execution in
Chicago. The following account of it appeared in the
American of July 17:

"The execution took place1 about a quarter after three. The
prisoner ascended the scaffold, dressed in a white loose gown, anil
with a white cap upon his head, as is usual in such cases. He
evinced much firmness upon the gallows, under the circumstances,
and in the presence of the spectators (among whom we regretted to
see women enjoying the sight) he persisted to the last in the asser-
tion of his innocence — which declaration was publicly made in his
behalf by the Sheriff, together with his acknowledgment, as
requested, of the satisfactory manner in which he was treated in
the jail. Fie stated that he was never in the house of Mrs.
Thompson, and did not see her on the day she was murdered. lie
also stated that he believed two individuals were engaged in the
murder, but on being asked if he knew them, he replied in sub-

i m,i1 l:.,r.

stance, that if he did he would swing before their blood should be
upon him. The Rev. Mr. llallam, Isaac R, Gavin, Sheriff, and
Messrs. Davis and Lowe, deputies, attended the prisoner on the
scaffold. The Sheriff seemed particularly affected, eren unto tears.
After the beautiful, solemn and impressive services of the Epis-
copal Church for such occasions had been performed by Mr.
Hallam, and the appropriate admonitions bestowed, the death
warrant was read by Mr. Lowe, the knot adjusted, the cap pulled
over the face of the prisoner, and he was swung into another world.
After he was hung until he was ' dead, dead,' a wagon containing
a coffin received his body, which was delivered to Drs. Boone and
Dyer, pursuant to the order of the court, for dissection. It is sup-
posed that he died from strangulation and that his neck was not
broken in the fall, which was about four feet. * * * His aged
parents, also brothers and sisters, resided at the East. He lived
with his parents until he was twenty-one. While a mail-carrier in
Canada he was convicted, under the name of John Standish, of
being an accomplice in the robbery and murder of a Government
officer. He was retained as State's evidence, ran away into the
State of New York, was convicted of stealing horses and wagon,
and was sent to the Auburn State Prison, under the name of John
Dan. He left Auburn about two years ago, and has been in this
part of the country about a year, obtaining a livelihood as a wood-
chopper. He was born in Ireland, had been twenty-one years in
this country, and called himself in his thirty-fourth year."

May 25, the Whig delegation from Cook County
to the Tippecanoe convention, to be held at Springfield,
left the city. It made a most formidable procession.
It was headed with a big schooner on wheels, drawn by
oxen. The history of the journey and return have
appeared in print so often as to have become trite.

July 17, the spirit of Know-nothingism was quite
prematurely evinced by the publication in the Daily
Democrat of a petition to the United States Senate,
and House of Representatives, praying Congress to
deprive all foreigners not already enfranchised of the
right of suffrage in the United States. It was signed
by two hundred and fifty residents of Cook County, a
majority of whom lived in Chicago. In politics the
petitioners were about equally divided, but, as a record,
it proved a stumbling block in the way of success to
many a political aspirant who' stood in need of the
foreign vote of Chicago, for years after, if his name
was to be found among the signers to the petition.

November 3 was the day of the presidential elec-
tion. Great excitement prevailed, and much disorder
at the polling places. Many arrests were made — some
being of prominent citizens — for creating disturbance
at the polls.

1 841. — In January a large meeting of citizens was
held at the Saloon Building, at which resolutions were
passed and a memorial to the Legislature signed,
requesting that body to raise sufficient money by direct
taxation to pay the interest of the State debt, and
thereby restore its impaired credit.

February 19, the first organized meeting of the
Young Men's Association was held. The organi-
zation was in answer to an appeal which appeared
in the newspapers a short time previous, in which this
statement was made: "There is no place of general
resort where a leisure hour can be passed in quiet and
rational amusement."

Through the month of April there was a great tem-
perance revival. Within three days one hundred and
forty signed a pledge of total abstinence.

May 14, day of national fasting and prayer, ap-
pointed by President Tyler in commemoration of the
decease of President Harrison. In the morning ap-
propriate religious services were held; in the afternoon
George A. O. Beaumont delivered an eulogy on the
deceased at the Presbyterian Church.

November 29, public dinner given to Governor
Thomas Carlin to express feelings of gratitude at his
interest in the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

ANNALS OF CHICAGO— 1837— 1857.

153

1842. — -The year was uneventful. Business had, how-
ever, begun to improve, and the city again showed an
increase in population. Building was again carried on
with something of the old time vigor. The Federal
bankrupt law went into operation in March, and a com-
missioner was appointed for Chicago during that month.
From the opening of the court to September 1 upward
of forty Chicago merchants availed themselves of the
law, thus wiping out all old scores preparatory to begin-
ning anew. The temperance excitement which had
begun the year before continued throughout the
year.

January 1, the first Washingtonian Society was
organized.

May 24, the works of the Chicago Hydraulic Com-
pany were in successful operation. The Daily American
in making the announcement said : " Pure water is
now flowing in abundance through our streets."

June 29, the progress and success of the Washing-
tonian Temperance movement was chronicled in the
Daily American in the publication of a report to the
Common Council, in which it was stated that " from the
present tone of feeling, the profit arising from the sale
of spirituous liquors is so much curtailed that those
engaged in the trade are hardly able to meet their cur-
rent expenses."

July 3, Martin Van Buren, the first ex-President who
had ever visited Chicago, was given a public reception.
The Mayor, B. W. Raymond, delivered the welcoming
speech, to which the distinguished guest replied at
length.

October 19, the first considerable movement in favor
of the mother country was made by the Irish citizens of
Chicago by the organization of an association for pro-
moting the repeal of the union between England and
Ireland. The officers were : President, William B.
Egan; Vice-President, L. C. Kerchival; Recording Sec-
retary, C. McDonall; Corresponding Secretary, H.
L. Rucker ; Treasurer, James Carney ; Repeal
Wardens, John McHale, Michael O'Brien, R. R. Seely,
Patrick Ballingall, George Brady, John Jackson, H.
Cunningham, C. H. Chapman, Maurice Prendeville and
Hugh Young.

1843. — The year, like the two preceding, was
uneventful. The spring was late, farmers not being
able to sow until April 21, and quite insignificant events
were sufficient to create excitement.

January 1, there was a public debate between John
C. Bennett and a Mormon preacher named Anderson
at "Chapman's Building." The question debated was:
" Are the Mormon revelations to be accepted as truth ?"
The building was crowded, and for weeks after the
question was one of excited discussion in the community
and through the columns of the newspapers.

February witnessed perhaps the lowest price in Chi-
cago for wheat and corn at which it ever sold in the
Chicago market freely: white winter wheat, thirty-eight
cents per bushel; corn, eighteen cents per bushel. A
reaction set in before the opening of navigation, at
which time prices had advanced to fifty-six cents per
bushel for wheat, and thirty-eight cents per bushel for
corn.

February 3, at the public land sale 600,000 acres
were offered, of which only 70,000 acres were sold,
bringing $86,215.36. The failure of the sale was at-
tributed to the scarcity of money, specie being then
demanded by the Government as payment.

March 17, occurred the first celebration of St. Pat-
rick's Day. Papers speak of the Chicago Band and the
Montgomery Guards turning out for the first time on

that occasion in full uniform; also of a mass in honor of
the Saint at the Catholic church, and of the orderly
conduct of those in the procession.

March 30, snow fell to a considerable depth. The
Democrat of the 31st said: "Judging from appear-
ances, we shall be fortunate if navigation opens by the
1st of May. Immense quantities of snow have fallen
throughout all portions of the West, and in most parts
of the East."

April 3, Miller cS: Co. started the first tri-weekly
express between Chicago and the East.

April 21, hogs were first prohibited from running at
large in the streets of Chicago by ordinance of the city.
Prior to that time the too numerous presence of this
animal had been frequently animadverted upon in the
columns of the Press, as having become an unmitigated
nuisance.

October n, a communication appeared in the
Weekly Democrat, from Buffalo, severely condemning
the practice of Chicago merchants of mixing the various
grades of wheat shipped.

November 22, 1843, the first session of Rush Medi-
cal College was commenced.*

1844. — During this year the era of good times was
again fairly established. The roads leading to the city
were improved. A great interest was awakened in
schools,f which resulted in the buildingof the Dearborn-
street school - house, and in the inauguration of the
present magnificent school system of the city. Over six
hundred new buildings were erected during the year,
and the population largely increased. The presidential
election, J which occurred November 5, passed off with
little excitement. The total vote was 2,426; estimating
the ratio of voters as one to five, the resident popula-
tion of the city at that time was 12,130.1 The weather
during the summer and fall was notably tempestuous.

August 9, a tornado accompanied with heavy wind
and rain and terrific lightning, passed over the city and
swept over the lake. The bank building and the resi-
dence of E. H. Hadduck were both struck by lightning
during the storm. The schooner " Daniel Whitney" was
also lost on Lake Michigan, all on board perished.
Another severe wind-storm is mentioned in the Demo-
cratic Journal of November 7, as having occurred on
November 4, which demolished one of the walls of the
First Baptist church, then being erected, the wall falling
upon and crushing a dwelling house near by.

September 10, a meeting was held at the Council
room for the purpose of electing delegates to attend a
meeting at Elgin in the interest of building a macadam-
ized or plank road from the Fox and Rock rivers to
Chicago. It was there resolved " that the commercial
prosperity of Chicago mainly depends upon the
improvement of the roads leading from it to the heart
of the rich agricultural regions by which it is surrounded."
It was also stated at this meeting and at the Elgin con-
vention that the roads leading from Chicago in all
directions — and especially towards Elgin — were in such
a condition as to be almost impassable in some parts of
the year. This was the first movement for the improve-
ment of roads or facilities of inland transportation.

The interest of the citizens of Chicago in education
and schools was evinced in choosing, September 16, a
large delegation to attend an educational convention to
be held at Peoria on the 9th of October. Among those
chosen, and who were the early friends of the Chicago

•See Medical History in this volume.

t See History of Schools.

$ See Political History.

§ Colbert's History, p. iS, gives the estimated population for 1844 at 8,000.

1 the year the estimate 1

vhat basis i> nut

154

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

schools, were: William H. Brown, William Jones,
Richard J. Hamilton and S. W. Wright, since deceased;
and Mark Skinner, Isaac N. Arnold, and J. V. Scam-
mon, still living".

1S45. — The citizens showed great interest in the
reviving of the State credit, with a view to the comple-
tion of the Illinois & Michigan canal.* They also
made efforts to further improve the harbor, and, late in
the vear, the subject of railroads began to seriously
agitate the public mind.

February 12, in pursuance to a call signed by five
hundred of the leading merchants and citizens, a large
meeting was held on the public square, at which resolu-
tions were passed urging the Legislature to enact such a
revenue law as would revive the credit of the State and
secure the completion of the Illinois & Michigan
Canal; also endorsing the recommendation of Governor
ForJ to the Legislature to restore the State tax to its
former rate of thirty cents on $100. Work was fully
recommenced on the canal the following September.

February 21, the Governor approved an act estab-
lishing a court for Cook County.

August 5, the Common Council passed an ordinance
authorizing a loan to construct a break-water on the
lake shore. +

November 26, the first issue appeared of the
" Chicago Volksfreund."| This was the first newspaper
published in Chicago in a foreign language.

December 5, an enthusiastic railroad meeting was
held at the court-house. Delegates were appointed to
attend the conventions to be held at Rockford, to be
held January 7, 1846, to devise means for prosecuting
to completion the Galena & Chicago Union Railroadg
Full statistics of the trade and business of Chicago were
presented to the convention by the delegates.

1846. — Recruiting for the Mexican War, which the
President declared as existing, May 13, added to the
excitement of a very busy year, which was nevertheless
quite barren of events of more than transient interest
or importance.

The most important commercial event was the crea-
tion by the Government of a new Collection District, of
which Chicago was declared the port of entry. Pend-
ing the passage of the act, fifteen of the leading ship-
pers and merchants of Chicago signed a memorial to
the United States Senate, requesting that body not to
pass the bill which had already passed the House of
Representatives, and expressing their fears that, should
the bill pass, British bottoms would on the upper lakes
be thereby admitted to all the benefits of the carrying
trade hitherto exclusively enjoyed by citizens of the
United States. Notwithstanding the memorial, Chicago
was made a port of entry July 1 3. ||

1846. — March 19, the German element first asserted
itself as a factor in municipal affairs in a card, signed
by thirty-four German citizens, which appeared in the
Daily Democrat, in which they denounced the action of
the Council in refusing to appoint Charles Bumgarten
Street Commissioner ; the place of his nativity being
alleged by them as the sole cause of his rejection.

.March 20, the Common Council first inaugurated
the system of levying special taxes for street improve-
ments, by the adoption of the report of Manierre, in
which he had advocated the plan and asserted the right
of the city to levy such special assessments for the
planking or other improvement of streets.

• See History of Canal.

• Set Harbor and Marine.

tStt IT..-M.

$ See History of Railroad*.
I See History of Commerce.

May 1, the Daily Democrat gave an account of the
suicide of Count Londogi, committed at the Lake
House.

May 27, there was great public rejoicing over the
news of General Taylor's victory on the Rio Grande.
During the succeeding two days fifty men enlisted.*

October 28, two runaway slaves were arrested
and taken before Justice Kercheval. While there the
room became filled with excited negroes, who hustled
the fugitives down the stairs and out of sight of Deputy
Sheriffs Rhines and Daily forever.

November 13, measures were taken' preparatory to
the great River and Harbor Convention,! held in Chi-
cago during the following year. At a large meeting of
citizens, three committees were appointed : one, to pre-
pare an address, and a call for the convention ; another,
to act as a committee of correspondence ; and the
third, consisting of one hundred members, to act as a
committee of arrangements.

1847. — Throughout the year there was great war
excitement, recruiting went on constantly, several full
companies leaving for the seat of war during the spring
and summer. \

April 3, a large concourse of citizens gathered to
celebrate the victory of Buena Vista. Richard L.
Wilson lost an arm by the premature discharge of a
cannon.

Famine prevailed in Ireland and Scotland.

February 25, the Scotch of Chicago published an
appeal " in behalf of 200,000 of their starving country-
men." March 4, a subscription was started for the re-
lief of the starving Irish. In four days $2,600 in money
was raised, besides considerable donations in corn, pork,
flour, and other articles of food.

June 23, the Daily Democrat announced that the
County Commissioners and Common Council, acting
conjointly, were improving the roads leading from the
city for a distance of ten miles out.

July 5, the great event of the year was inaugurated
by the opening of the great River and Harbor Conven-
tion. It was one of the most important events in the
early history of Chicago. Delegates from all parts of
the country were present, and the city was crowded as
never before.§

1848. — During the year occurred the first presiden-
tial campaign in which the Chicago Democrats had been
divided. It was most earnestly carried on by the two
opposing factions, which evinced more bitterness toward
each other than toward their common enemy, the
Whigs. The discussion of the free-soil question, on
which the party had divided, constituted the leading
excitement of the year. ||

April 1, a mass convention of the citizens was held,
"of all those favoring the ' Wilmot proviso.' " July 4,
the free-soil Van Buren Democrats held an immense
meeting, at which they commenced their campaign,
which was thereafter carried on without cessation until
the clay of election, and with a skill and ability seldom,
if ever, surpassed in the political annals of the city.

The election which occurred November 7, resulted
in a plurality vote for Van Buren, the free-soil Dem-
ocratic candidate. The vote stood : Cass, 1,016 ;
Van Buren, 1,543 ; Taylor, 1,283. Total, 3,842. The
total vote of 1844 in the city was 2,426. The increase
in the voting population as thus shown had been sixty
per cent in four years.

* See Military History,
t See Harbor and Marine.
± Sec Military History.

§ See Harbor and Marine.
5 Sec Political History.

ANNALS OF CHICAGO— 1837— 1857.

155

Several local historic events worthy of remembrance
transpired during the year.

January 15, the first message by electric telegraph
was received over the line then completed from Mil-
waukee to Chicago.

The existing State law limiting the rate of interest
to six per cent was in disfavor in Chicago. January
17, a meeting was held by the merchants of the city, at
which it was resolved : " It is contrary to honor,
reason, and the laws of trade to suppose that Illinois
can enjoy the use of sufficient capital to transact her
business and develop her resources at six per cent
interest, while New York, Indiana, Wisconsin, and a
number of other States offer, by their interest and col-
lection laws, from seven to twelve per cent."

Februry 2, the Democrat stated : " The lake is
lower at present than it has ever been in the memory of
the oldest inhabitant. Some of the vessels at the dock,
laid up for the winter, and consequently without load-
ing, are fast aground."

March 4, a specific election was held to vote on the
various clauses of the new State constitution, which
were to be submitted to the people. The vote on the
several propositions was as follows : For the adoption
of the constitution, 324 majority ; against the clause
"prohibiting negroes coming into the State, or masters
bringing them into Illinois for the purpose of freeing
them," there was a majority of SS6 ; for a two-mill
tax, to be used for the payment of the State debt, 328
majority.

April 10, the first boat locked through the
canal — the "General Frye " — was floating, at 7:30 p. 11.
in Lake Michigan.

June 27, the Democrat made the following announce-
ment : " Chicago is at length in direct communication
with the Atlantic Ocean. We noticed in the river
yesterday a large and powerful English propeller, the
' Ireland,' loaded direct from Montreal to this port.
This opens a new trade for this city, as goods can now
be shipped from Chicago to Liverpool without trans-
shipment."

October 25, " The locomotive, with the tender and
two cars, took its first start, and run out a distance of
about five miles upon the road — the Galena & Chicago
Union road. A number of gentlemen rode upon the
cars." This announcement appeared in the Democrat
of October 26.

December 4, the brig " McBride " arrived with the
first direct importation of salt from Turk's Island.

1849. — Early in the year the California fever broke
out with great violence in Chicago. The daily papers
stated that during the winter and early spring months
little else was talked of. Book stores advertised guide-
books ; wagon-makers doubled their force of workmen
and turned their efforts exclusively to the manufacture of
emigrant wagons'; the price of revolvers "went up fifty
per cent;" there was not in March a pair of new Mack-
inaw blankets for sale in the city, and all kinds of salt
provisions were reported as having become " lamentably
scarce." The first two parties were fitted out (one of
American, the other German 1 and started overland for
California March 29. The exodus thus begun continued
throughout the year, carrying off many of the early
citizens, whose names thereafter did not appear in the
annals of Chicago.

March 12, a most disastrous flood occurred.* The
Democrat said : " Never before has Chicago been
visited by so great a calamity as has been witnessed this
day. About 9 o'clock this morning a compact dam of

* See Harbor and Marine.

ice, raised two or three feet above the surface of water,
nearly opposite Gage & Haines' steam mill on the
South Branch, suddenly gave way, sweeping down in
the rapid current every vessel lying below that point.
The damage to shipping alone is over $80,000."

July 21, serious conflagrations occurred, burning
over in part the ground swept by the great fire of 1839.
Twenty buildings were destroyed including the
Tremont House, which had been burned ten years
before and rebuilt.

In the winter of 1849, the cholera, which had been
prevalent on the upper Mississippi the year before,
made its appearance in Chicago. May 21, the scourge
had become so general that daily reports of the deaths
from cholera were published in the papers. The high-
est number occurring in a single day was August 1,
when thirty deaths were reported.

1850. — During the year there was continued an
increasing anti-slavery excitement, mainly centered in
intense opposition to the fugitive slave law, which,
during its discussion in Congress prior to its passage,
was the absorbing theme. A convention was held by
those who opposed it as early as February 21, and from
then to the time of its passage, September 18, little else
was talked of.

October 11, a convention of colored citizens resolved
to remain and defend themselves rather that to flee.*

The most important local events to Chicago were
the completion and opening of the first section of the
Galena & Chicago Union Railroad to Elgin, and the
lighting of the city with gas. The opening of the
railroad to Elgin was celebrated February 1 by a grand
excursion over the line to that town.f

The early history of the gas company and the light-
ing of the city by that method is as follows : An act
was approved February 12, 1849, authorizing the forma-
tion of the Chicago Gas Light & Coke Company, with
H. L. Stewart, W. S. Bennett, F. C. Sherman, P. L.
Updike and P. Page as incorporators. Under their
charter, the company was given the exclusive right to
supply the city with gas for ten years. In October the
work was begun of laying the mains, erecting works
and getting the whole system into operation. The con-
tract for this was let to George F. Lee, of Philadelphia,
and the work was completed in August, 1850. The
city was lighted with gas for the first time Wednesday
afternoon, September 4. From the Gem of the Prairie,
bearing date the 7th of that month, the following
interesting account is taken:

" Wednesday marked an era in Chicago. At about
2 o'clock p. m. the gas pipes were filled, and the hum-
ming noise made by the escaping gas, at the tops of the
lamp-posts indicated that everything was all right.
Shortly afterward the fire was applied and brilliant
torches flamed on both sides of Lake Street as far as the
eye could see, and wherever the posts were set. The
lanterns not having been affixed to the posts, the bright,
gaseous flame eddied and flickered in the wind, some-
times apparently disappearing, but anon shooting up as
brightly as ever. The burners in Reed & Co.'s and in
Keen's were lighted about the same time, presenting a
steady golden flame. We believe these establishments
had the honor of first lighting up with gas; others will
not be much behind them. In the evening the lamps
were again lighted, and for the first time in the history
of Chicago; several of the streets were illuminated in
regular city style. Hereafter she will not " hide her
light under a bushel."

* See Political History.

+ See History of Railroads.

156

HISTORY OF CHICAGO

Of the initial illumination the Journal also said :
" Some of the stores on Lake Street, particularly those
devoted to California ware, made a brilliant appearance,
and the gas lent an additional glory to refined gold.
But the City Hall with its thirty-six burners, is the
brightest of all, night being transformed into mimic
day."

The first gas works were situated on the south side
of Monroe Street near Market. The officers of the
company were H. T. Dickey, president; Jerome Beech-
er. secretary: James K. Burtis, treasurer; and Thomas
Dyer, William Blair, J. Keen, George F. Lee, Mark
Skinner, George Smith and E. B. Williams, directors.
The cost of lighting the city was fixed, under the con-
tract, at $15 a post ; but on the 13th of September, at a
meeting of the Common Council, it was ordered that no
street lamps be lighted until the citizens should sub-
scribe one-half the cost, or $7.50 for each, lamp erected
on the streets. The business increased each year, and
by 1855 there were nearly seventy-eight miles of service
pipe laid ; nearly two thousand consumers, and a total
consumption of nearly forty-one million cubic feet of
gas.

1S51. — No outside questions disturbed the serenity
of the city. It was an "off year" in politics, business
was fairly prosperous, and the annals show nothing of
more than passing interest. Several new railroads,
intended to have their termini in the city, were negoti-
ating for right of way and depot grounds. There was
considerable conflict between the rival roads. The
Michigan Southern Railroad, by prior rights granted in
its charter, was claiming the exclusive use of a railway
route around the head of Lake Michigan, and that
through its franchises only could other roads gain an
eastern outlet from Chicago. The citizens of Chicago
took strong ground against the claim. January 24th, at
a mass meeting, they resolved unanimously "that they
would aid the city authorities in all efforts to grant
admission to the city to any and all railroads seeking to
obtain an entrance."

The question of making Chicago the distinct and
separate terminus of the various roads then being built,
instead of feeders to one grand trunk road entering the
city was deemed important, and was a topic of serious
discussion.

June 20th, the Michigan Central Railroad an-
nounced their decision to build a through road over an
independent route to Chicago, and to ignore the claims
of the Michigan Southern that all other Eastern lines
should avail themselves of their charter, making con-
nections at the Indiana State line, and running thence
to Chicago over their road. About this time Senator
Douglas published an opinion which, with the
opposition to the claims set up on the part of
the citizens of Chicago, ended all controversy. It
was that neither the Illinois Central nor the Rock
Island Railroad could, if they would, under the terms of
their charters, make a connection at the Indiana State
line as a terminus, but that both roads must have a
terminus in Chicago.

The supplying of the city with water was this year
undertaken by the city itself. February 15, the Chicago
City Hydraulic Company was incorporated, and during
the year much preliminary work was done on this newly
undertaken public work, which was not however com-
pleted until two years later.*

During May, 1851, the question of "high or low
license" for the sale of spirituous liquor first began to
agitate the Chicago mind, and became a disturbing ele-

• See History of Water Works

ment in the councils of the city fathers. The high
license Aldermen insisted strenuously on raising the
license tax to one hundred dollars per year ; those
favoring low license strove as vigorously to retain the
old rate of fifty dollars. The two sides were about
equally balanced numerically, and the rate decided upon
was established at one hundred dollars and re-established
at fifty dollars several times. It was finally settled on
the low license basis of fifty dollars per year.

June 3rd 4th and 5th, there was great excitement
throughout the city, occasioned by the arrest of Moses
Johnson, as a fugitive slave of Crawford E. Smith, of
Missouri. Johnson was finally discharged.

August 23, two large warehouses were destroyed by
fire. They were those of E. H. Hadduck and H.
Norton.

September 12, the corner-stone of the new court-
house and city hall was laid with appropriate cere-
monies.

The equinoctical storm of the year occurred Septem-
ber 22 and 23. The waves of the lake ran higher than
had ever before been known. Many feet of the break-
water were washed out and the waves bore fragments
of it into Michigan Avenue — so said the Gem of the
Prairie of September 27.

The question as to the route whereby the Illinois
Central Railroad should enter Chicago, and at where it
should connect with the Galena & Chicago LTnion,
was the exciting theme of discussion among citizens and
officials during the closing months of the year. The
papers abounded in long letters and editorials on the
subject. The route now in use, along the lake shore
was finally adopted in January, 1852.

1852. — The annals of the year show few events of
more than minor importance. The temperance ele-
ment for the first time attempted a show of strength at
the polls. A full temperance ticket was nominated
February 6, to be voted ai the coming municipal
election.

January 21, the "Old Settlers" had a big ball at
the Tremont House. It was under the following
management : Honorary Managers — E. H. Haddock,
George Smith, Thomas Dyer, C. Beers, Walter S. Gur-
nee, E. S. Wadsworth, Thomas Richmond, Thomas B.
Turner, H. T. Dickey, Eli B. Williams, George W.
Meeker, James H. Collins, Isaac Cook, Thomas Hoyne,
John Wentworth, John Frink, E. S. Kimberly, R. L.
Wilson, George Steel, J.Young Scammon, W. B. Ogden,
John P. Chapin, George W. Snow, John H. Kinzie,
Silas A. Cobb, F. C. Sherman, Mark Skinner, H. H.
Magee, I. N. Arnold, J. C. Walters, D. Brainard, James
Carney, B. S. Morris, John W. Eldridge, L. C. Kercheval,
S. F. Gale, George W. Dole. Floor Managers — Philip
Maxwell, J. P. White, P. Von Schneidam, E. I. Tink-
ham, T. W. Wadsworth, Charles T. Richmond James
R. Hugunin, U. P. Harris, E. L. Harris, E. L. Sher-
man, Charles L. Wilson, Edward Sherman.

February 20, the first through train from the east,
via the Michigan Southern Railroad, entered Chicago,
and was greeted with a salvo of artillery.

February 24, David Kennison, the last survivor of
the " Boston Tea Party," died in Chicago at the extraor-
dinary age of one hundred and sixteen years.

April 23, the first great loan of Chicago was effected
through Duncan, Sherman & Co. The amount was
$250,000, and was applied to the development of the
city system of water works.

May 21, the first construction train ran into Chicago
over the Michigan Central Railroad.

The presidential campaign of the year was a quiet

ANNALS OF CHICAGO— 1837— 1857.

157

one. At the election, which occurred November ,
the total number of votes polled was 5,014; Pierce,
2,835; Scott, 1,765; Hale, 424.*

Throughout the year a war raged among the banks,
and at the close of the year was at its height, f

1853. — The events of the year were mostly of local
significance only. The bank was continued, and cul-
minated in the disappearance of "illegal banking"
during the year. Seth Payne's spiritual bank went out
of sight; the other banks which had not before respect-
ed the statutes of Illinois were forced to legally
organize, go into liquidation, or otherwise close up
business.]; The minor annals of the city, as gleaned
from the newspapers, were as below stated:

February 7, the new court house was first occupied.
April 23, the Scandinavians of Chicago gave a
great ovation to their eminent and talented countryman,
Ole Bull.

April 25 occurred the first great railroad accident
near Chicago. A train on the Michigan Southern col-
lided with a train on the Michigan Central, at their
crossing (at Grand Junction). Eighteen persons were
killed outright, and forty of the wounded were brought
to Chicago. On the 27th resolutions were passed at a
meeting of the citizens, condemning the accident as
owing to carelessness, and demanding that thereafter
every train should come to a full stop before crossing
any other railroad. This was the first time that this
very essential safeguard, now universally adopted, was
ever suggested.

July 22, a meeting was held at which the feasibility
of connecting the North and South sides by a tunnel
under the river was for the first time proposed, dis-
cussed, and recommended.

In August the first strike of laborers occurred.
Their demand was for a reduction of two hours on the
day's labor on each Saturday without reduction of pay.
The strike lasted two weeks, during which time work
was greatly interfered with, and work generally sus-
pended. Their demands were not complied with.

August 9 Knud Iverson was drowned. His death
became historic, whether rightfully or not, as a martyr
in the cause of truth and honesty.§

August 25, subscriptions began to be received for
the relief of yellow fever sufferers at New Orleans.
Over $4,000 was collected in one week.

September 5, an attempt was made to assassinate
Allan Pinkerton, on Clark Street, near Monroe. He is
still (1884) a resident of Chicago.

December 20, an indignation meeting was held to
denounce the action of the citizens of Erie, Penn., who
had torn up the tracks in that town, as was alleged, to
prevent the establishment of a uniform gauge between
the Atlantic and Chicago.

1854. — This was a most turbulent year of excite-
ment. In politics the anti-Nebraska broil was at its
height. The financial troubles culminated in the sus-
pension or winding-up of several banks.

March 8 and 9, a marine convention was held at the
rooms of the Chicago Board of Trade. There were
present delegates from the Chambers of Commerce and
Boards of Trade of Oswego, Buffalo, Detroit and Mil-
waukee. At this meeting the date at which navigation
should be declared closed and marine should cease was
agreed to be November 30, in each year. A committee
was appointed at this meeting to memorialize Congress
in favor of the improvement of the St. Clair flats, and

* See Political History.

tSee History of Banking

tSee History of Eanking.

§ See Church History, First Norwegian Church.

for national legislation which should make contracts
binding between the captains or owners of vessels and
their crews.

April 7 occurred a tremendous gale, during which
seven vessels were wrecked in the offing of Chicago
harbor.

May 17, a "Sabbath Convention" was held in the
city, attended by delegates from nearly every Western
State. The work of the convention culminated in the
passage of resolutions asking additional legislation to
enforce the observance of the Christian Sabbath.

May 18, the corner stone of the first Masonic
Temple was laid, " on Dearborn Street, between Wash-
ington and Randolph streets." There was a very large
Masonic demonstration on the occasion. Addresses
were delivered by Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney and Dr. W. B.
Herrick.

June 5, the Rock Island Railroad was completed to
Chicago. The occasion was celebrated by an excursion
over the road. The train bore over one thousand
invited guests, including many distinguished men of the
country. This marks the first railroad connection
between the lakes and the Mississippi River.

From June 1 to September 1, the cholera raged so
malignantly as to seriously interfere with business
The deaths from the disease during the year were
reported at 1,424.*

September 1, Stephen A. Douglas attempted to
speak in defense of the recently enacted Kansas-
Nebraska bill. He was prevented by a howling mob,
but retired from the scene of disorder undismayed, after
vainly essaying to be heard for three hours, f

September 10, an ineffectual attempt was made to
arrest a fugitive slave, named Turner, by three persons
from Missouri. He escaped, but was fired at by his
pursuers. They were arrested, tried for assault with
deadly weapons before a Justice, and acquitted for want
of evidence.

September 19, George W. Green, a banker, was
arrested for the murder of his wife by poison. He was
arrested on the complaint of his brother-in-law, F. H.
Revell, tried December 19, and subsequently, having
been convicted, and awaiting the decisions of the
Supreme Court on appeal, committed suicide in jail by
poisoning himself, February 18, 1855.

1855. — The history of the year only records occur-
rences of purely local interest. January 25 a most vio-
lent snow-storm set in, which, lacking the modern
appliances of railroads, caused a complete embargo of
railroad traffic until the 7th of February. The great
fall of snow stopped the receiving of supplies from the
country, and wood, coal not being as yet in use, became
so scarce that the Common Council saw fit to take the
furnishing of fuel to suffering citizens in charge. On
February 15, the city offered wood for sale, "at cost,"
to families in quantity of not more than one cord at one
time to any single family.

The municipal election of March resulted in the total
rout of both the known political parties, and the elec-
tion of the Know-nothing ticket. The new admistra-
tion, as do all new administrations, started in for radical
reform. The enforcement of the Sunday law, which
had before been a dead letter, was attempted, and a
most strenuous crusade inaugurated against the saloons. J
Mayor Boone issued a proclamation ordering the saloons
closed on Sunday. March iS, they were generally closed
in compliance with the proclamation and the city ordi-

* See Sanitary History
t See Political History.
t See Political History.

158

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

nance. Such as violated the law, some twenty saloon-
keepers, were arrested on the following day.

March 26. the Common Council increased the license
for selling liquor to $300 per annum — no license, even
at that high rate, to run longer than to July 1.

April 4, an organization was effected of those
opposed to prohibition and high license.

April 21. the day appointed for the trial of those
arrested for violation of the Sabbatarian law and for
violation of other temperance ordinances, occurred a
serious riot, which resulted in the death of one or more
of the rioters, and the wounding of several policemen.
The rioters were subdued and peace restored under the
law.*

April 24, a meeting of citizens was held at which
resolutions were passed commending the civil authori-
ties for their successful efforts in the interests of law
and order during the " late disturbance."

May 30, the railroad to Burlington, Iowa, was opened,
and trains took excursionists from Chicago to that town.
June 13. a large party of excursionists from Burlington
visited Chicago, and were publicly welcomed by the
Mayor.

June 4, the vote on prohibition of the liquor traffic,
in Chicago was: For prohibition 2,784; against, 4,093.
In Cook County the vote was: For prohibition, 3,807;
against, 5.1S2.

September n, a committee was appointed in every
ward of the city to collect donations for the yellow-
fever sufferers of Portsmouth and Norfolk, Va. The
amount collected and forwarded was over $5,000.

September iS, in the equinoctial storm the brig
'•Tuscarora" was wrecked off the harbor. The crew were
rescued by two life-boats manned by volunteers and
commanded by Captain J. A. Napier.

October 9, the State Agricultural Fair was held, for
the first time, in Chicago. The grounds were near
Blue Island Avenue and Rucker Street, and were bor-
dered by the canal. The principal conveyance to the
grounds was by canal boats.

October 22, an Old Settlers' Society was organized.
On November 3, the by-laws of the society were pub-
lished. As finally adopted, persons were eligible to mem-
bership who resided in Chicago prior to January, 1837.
The male children of members, born in Chicago prior
to 1837, were also eligible on reaching the age of
twenty-one years. Semi.-annual meetings were to be
held on the third Tuesdays of each November and May,
and an annual festival held on the second Tuesday
of December. It was also obligatory on members to
attend the funerals of fellow-members, and a fund was
provided for such as were indigent or distressed. The
first officers, as announced in the Democratic Press of
November 21, were: President, John H. Kinzie; Vice-
President, Colonel R. J. Hamilton; Treasurer, J. Y.
Scammon; Secretary, George T. Pearson; committee
for annual festival, Gurdon S. Hubbard, John S.Wright,
John C. Haines.

;mber 13, efforts to drive out of circulation the
Georgia and Tennessee banks were noted in the papers. f
During December, the date not being known, Flavel
Mosely made a public bequest of $1,000, the interest of
which was to be devoted to the purchase of school-
books for indigent children attending the public
scho'.

1856. — The year was one of extreme business activi-
ty and political excitement.

January 7, a Kansas aid meeting was held at which

• See Political History.
t See Article on Banking.

liberal donations were made to aid the free State settlers.
May 31, was held on Court Square one of the most
memorable and important political meetings ever held
in the city.* At this meeting over §15,000 was subscribed
for Kansas. The political excitement culminated in the
presidential election which occurred November 4, when
the political complexion of the vote of the city was com-
pletely revolutionized, the Republicans carrying the
city by a good majority. The vote was: Fremont, 6,370;
Buchanan, 4,913; Fillmore, 332 — total, 11,615. The
vote cast was more than double than of four years
before.

At this time the fact had been clearly demonstrated •
that Chicago was destined to become an immense city
— the commercial emporium of the great Northwest.
The natural level of the grade of the streets was decided
to be too low for the permanence of the city or its
efficient drainage. Accordingly the level had been estab-
lished several feet above that of the old streets as at
first laid out. This virtually involved the necessity of
raising the structures of the entire city to the established
level, and the filling up of many streets to the estab-
lished grade. May 26, many land owners opposed to
the high grade established on Lake Street, applied to
Judge Caton for an injunction, which he refused to
grant. The right of the city to change or establish the
grade was thus established, and thenceforth the labor of
raising the whole builded city began. The work was
completed before 1858.!

The local annals of the city were as follows :

In May, steam -tugs first began to ply up and
down the river and to tow vessels into the harbor.

June 24 the Masonic Temple was dedicated.

August 13, a most destructive fire occurred by which
the freight depots of the Michigan Southern and Rock
Island railroads were destroyed, together with some
twenty freight cars, a large quantity of disembarked
freight, and several factories and dwellings adjacent.
The loss was estimated at $150,000.

August 25, the schooner " Dean Richmond," from
Chicago, left Quebec for a voyage across the Atlantic
Ocean with the first cargo of grain from that far western
point.

September 19, a most lamentable accident occurred,
The Lake House ferry boat, overloaded with passen-
gers, capsized, and twelve to fifteen laborers were
drowned. The verdict of the coroner's jury was that
the victims came to their death from the " imprudence
of the people, in rushing in too great numbers upon
an unseaworthy boat and taking it from the control of
the man in charge of the ferry." The crowd was made
up of laborers living on the North Side, hastening to
their work on the other side of the river.

October 18, Hough's packing-house, with its con-
tents, was destroyed by fire. The loss was over
$100,000.

November 21, a tornado passed over the city result-
ing in the death of two men and the destruction of prop-
erty valued at $50,000.

November 28, the first wooden pavement was laid
on Wells Street, between Lake and South Water
streets.

December 2, a severe-storm occurred. The schooner
"Charles Howard " was driven ashore off Lake View.
The crew was rescued by a volunteer company in the
yawl boat of the " Mohawk," manned by Captain
Graw, N. K. Fairbanks, Isaac Walker and Captain
Moore.

* See Political History,
t See Corporate History.

ANNALS OF CHICAGO— 1837— 1857.

rS9

1857. — This year witnessed a pause in the progress
of the city, the curtailment of business, and a general
breaking up in common with every other commercial
community in the country. Several banks suspended,
and a score of the leading merchants of the city failed.
The specific historic events as chronicled in the news-
papers of the day, were as follows :

February 8, there was a big freshet and there were
general apprehensions of another flood like that of 1849.
The river overflowed its banks, and many parts of the
city were submerged.

March 3, at the polls there was much disorder. At
the precinct on the corner of Sedgwick and Division
streets, Charles Seifurth was killed, and at another pre-
cinct George Armour was badly wounded.

April 1, a severe gale occurred in which six vessels
were wrecked in the vicinity of Chicago, and fifteen
seamen lost their lives.

At the April term of the Recorder's court, four
negroes who had been indicted for stealing poultry,
entered through their counsel, the apparently legal and
logical demurrer, that under the Dred Scott decision
they were not individuals, were merely chattels having
no rights which white men were bound to respect, and
that they were consequently not amenable to the law.
The demurrer was overruled and the colored chicken
stealers were obliged to submit to the penalty for their
derelictions prescribed for white men.

April 20, in a moral spasm a mob tore down nine
buildings, and burned six others, thereby breaking up,
what were termed in the papers the " Dens on the
Sands."

May 4, the " high grade " was finally established on
the South Side by a city ordinance.

June 17, city orders were protested for non-payment,
as is recorded in the Chicago Tribune of June 18.

June 19, William Jackson was executed on Reuben
Street (now Ashland Avenue) for the murder of Ronan
Morris, near Libertyville, Lake County.

July 3, the private banking house of E. R. Hinckly
& Co. closed.

August 3, there was a run on Hoffman's Bank.

September 29, the banking house of R. K. Swift,
Brother & Co. closed its doors.

November 7, the Cherokee Banking and Insurance
Company, having a large circulation in Chicago, sus-
pended.

November 16, Walker, Bronson & Co., one of the
heaviest produce firms in the city, suspended. The
announcement of their failure in the paper was accom-
panied with the statement that " for one hundred and
eighty days previous to their failure their sales had
averaged $100,000 per day."

In November, soon after the failure of Walker,
Bronson & Co., the business demoralization became
general, and the year closed with no business life and
only the unconquerable hope peculiar to Chicago left.
As the first year of Chicago's municipal life saw her
bowed down by the financial disasters of 1837, so the
close of 1857 saw her again bowing to a financial storm
which, sweeping the whole country, left not a shred of
speculative wealth behind.

In addition to the financial and business troubles, to
crown the disasters of the year there occurred a most
disastrous fire on October 19. It broke out on October
19 in the large brick store 109 and 11 1 South Water
Street. Property was destroyed on South Water and
Lake streets valued at $500,000. Thirteen persons lost
their lives in the conflagration.

The end of the first two decades of Chicago's city
life showed the most marvelous advance ever shown in
the development of a community or the aggregation of
a resident population ever known in the history of the
world. In twenty years the city grew in population
from an over estimate of 4,000 inhabitants to not less
than 90,000.

At the close of the year 1857 Chicago was the largest
city in the Northwest and the acknowledged metropolis
of an area of country larger than that of the whole
original thirteen States.

As closing the annals of Chicago to 1858, the follow-
ing table, showing the increase in population, is an
index of its growth in other departments:

population of Chicago (Colbert's table).
Those marked thus * are estimates.

1820 30*

1S31 60*

1S32 600

1S33 350*

1S34 1,800*

1S35 3.265

1S36 4,000*

1837 4.179

1838 4,000*

1839 4, 200*

1S40 4.470

1S41 5,500*

1S42 (1,590*

1S43 7.580

1S44 8,000*

1S45 I2,oSS

IS46 14,169

1S47 I6.S59

184S 20,023

1849 23,047

1S50 2S,26g

1S51 34,000*

is52 38.734

1S53 60,662

iS54 65.872

1S55 80.023

1S56 S6,ooo*

1S57 93,000*

There may be some discrepancies in the above table
discovered by captious critics, but, leaving out all esti-
mates of population, and considering only the state-
ments based on actual enumeration, it is quite certain
that Chicago increased in population from 4,000 in 1837
to nearly 90,000 in 1857. The Federal census of i860
gave the city a population of 109,263.

LATE THREADS OF FORT DEARBORN HISTORY.

Subsequent to the evacuation of Fort Dearborn as a
military post, in 1S36, the land contained in the military
reservation and the old buildings remained Government
propertv and was in charge of the Government officers
who were directing the improvement of Chicago harbor
under the acts which made appropriations for that pur-
pose. There was after the final evacuation as a military
post in 1836, litt.e moveable property left ; butthebuild-
ings of the old fort, and a most valuable tract of land
remained, lying along the lake front from the south side
of the new mouth of the river and harbor. The title to
this tract has long ago passed from the Government ;
how and when, is told by John Wentworth, LL. D., in
his oration delivered May 21, 1SS1, on the occasion of
unveiling of the tablet which marks the site of the old
block-house, gave a most valuable history of the whole
matter. He said : " On the 28th of May, 1835, Chicago
had a sensation and I am sorry that I was not here to
enjoy it. But many now living were here. I have
enjoyed almost every one since. Chicago has ever been
noted for its sensations, and that is one of the reasons
why I have never liked to leave it. You can not find
any other place that has so many of them. Why travel
about when there is so much of interest transpiring at
home ? On that da}-, General John B. Beaubien went to
the public land-office, and purchased, for ninety-four
dollars and sixty-one cents, the entire Fort Dearborn
Reservation. He derived his military title from an
election by the people, not from any conspicuous mili-
tary talents, but because he had the most friends of any
one in town, and he kept them to the day of his death.
The State, at that time, was divided into military dis-
tricts, and the people elected the Generals. He had
lived upon the reservation many years, and he had
found some law which satisfied our land-officers that he
was entitled to make the purchase, the same as many
others have found laws under which they could purchase
our lake front ever since. The news spread. Every-
body was a daily paper in those days. We had but two
newspapers then, and both were weeklies. The people
assembled in squads and discussed the situation. The
question was raised : Did General Beaubien buy the fort
with the land ? What were the officers to do ? There was
no telegraph in those days. General Beaubien was con-
gratulated. He had an entire fort of his own. A con-
flict between the United States troops and the State
militia might ensue. General Beaubien, himself was in
command of the militia. Would he use them to dis-
possess the United States forces? Fancy yourselves
here at that time, and remember that the men of that
day were the substratum of our present society, and you
can appreciate how great a day that of May 28, 1835,
was. The receiver of public moneys, at that time, was
Hun. Edmund D. Taylor, now residing at Mendota, in
this State, and for many years a resident of this city.

" Nothing serious happened, however, as a case was
agreed upon and submitted, in 1836, to Judge Thomas
Ford, of the Cook County Circuit Court, at the October
term, in the shape of an action of ejectment, and entitled
John Jackson ex dem. Murray McConnell v. De Lafay-
ette Wilcox.

" The first time I ever saw Thomas Ford, who after-

ward gained such a splendid reputation as our Canal-
Governor, and as historian of our State, was when, in
November, 1 836, he called at my office and left his written
opinion to be published in my Chicago Democrat. His
opinion was very elaborate, and just as favorable to the
plaintiff as it possibly could be, whilst he decided against
him. He thought General Beaubien's purchase was en-
tirely legal, but that his title could not be enforced
until he had procured his patent from Washington ;
which one thing needful he was never to procure. The
suit was appealed to the State Supreme Court, where
Justice Theophilus W. Smith, in behalf of a majority of
the court, gave a long and exhaustive opinion, very
valuable to this day as a historical document, reversing
the decision of the court below.* Justice Smith was a
resident of this City, father-in-law of ex-Mayor Levi D.
Boone. He was a warm, personal friend of General Beau-
bien, and his learned opinion was the work of both
heart and head. I have often met him at the General's
entertainments. The suit was then taken to the United
States Supreme Court, where another very elaborate
opinion, and one very valuable as a historical document
to this day, was given ; which effectually wiped out
every pretense to a claim that General Beaubien had. On
December 18, 1840, he was glad to call at the land-
office and receive his money back, without interest.f

"'Upon April 23, 1839, Hon. Joel R. Poinsett, Sec-
retary of War, appointed Hon. Matthew Burchard, then
Solicitor of the General Land-Office, the agent of the
department, to come to Chicago and sell the reserva-
tion. Judge Burchard caused the land to be surveyed
and platted as Fort Dearborn Addition to Chicago.
His survey made the reservation contain 53% acres;
being 3^4 acres less than the quantity marked upon the
original official plat, the quantity having been dimin-
ished, it was supposed, by abrasions caused by the
action of the water of the lake. All was sold except
what was needed for the occupants of the public build-
ings, and there was realized from the sale what was
considered at that time the great sum of $106,042. \

"At this time Chicago had another sensation. Gen-
eral Beaubien had subdivided the land and sold, or given
away his interest in a great many lots. The owners of
such rights undertook to shape a public sentiment so as
to prevent any one from bidding against them at the
time of the sale. The very numerous friends of General
Beaubien and his family sympathized with such a move-
ment. It would be difficult to mention any man of any
official prominence or aspirations, from the Judge of
our Supreme Court to the humblest citizen, who did
not favor non-intervention. Politics also were running
very high. The next year President Martin VanBuren
would seek a re-election, and many interested and sym-
pathizing were his political supporters, and they argued
that it would injure the party if the poor people of the
West were to be outbid by Eastern speculators. Threats
of personal violence were not unfrequently made. Out
of the party clamor grew the dedication of Dearborn
Park. It was thought a great thing to give so large a

• See Scammon's Reports, Vol. i.
+ See Petcrs's United States Reports, Vol. viii.

X A detailed account of this sale, with names of purchasers, may be found
in No. 2 of Fergus's Historical Series — Chicago Directory for 1839, page 47.

LATE THREADS OF FORT DEARBORN HISTORY.

161

tract for a public park. We had nothing of the kind
then. It was thought, by the Democratic party-leaders,
a measure that would greatly benefit the administration
in this region. Yet Judge Burchard dared not have an
open sale; and resolved to advertise for sealed bids for
a portion of the lots daily, with a determination to re-
ject bids which he thought too low, and stop the sale if
he found the people were influenced by intimidation.
Everything proceeded satisfactorily until the lots upon
which General Beaubien lived were to be offered. He
was expected to procure his homestead for a nominal
sum merely, and violent threats were made against any
man who dared bid against him. But there was one
man, James H. Collins, and I think the only man in
the city who dared do this ; who had denounced the
whole transaction from the beginning in every place he
had an opportunity. He had denounced the land-
officers and the Judges of the Courts. He was one of
the earliest abolitionists in our State, and would shelter
fugitive slaves, and would travel any distance to defend
one when captured, or defend a man who was arrested
for assisting one to his freedom. He was a man
of ability and integrity, and took great delight in defying
popular clamor. He took an average of the price at
previous sales and put in his sealed bid, thereby securing
all the land which General Beaubien desired, being the
land upon the east side of Michigan Avenue, in Block
5, between South Water Street and the lots reserved,
where the Marine Hospital afterward was, except the
corner lot, known as Lot 1 1, for which General Beaubien
paid $225. Mr. Collins bid $1,049 f°r tne next fiye 'ots,
10, 9 8, 7, and 6, where Beaubien's house, out-buildings,
and garden were. His life was threatened. He was
burnt in effigy. Many indignities were put upon him.
To all this he bid defiance, asserting that the friends of
General Beaubien might possibly take his life, but they
could never have his land. He was one of Chicago's
ablest lawyers, the candidate of the early abolitionists
for Congress, and far the ablest man in their organiza-
tion. Had he lived a few years longer, he, unquestion-
ably, would have been assigned to some one of the
highest positions in the country. Thus General Beaubien
lost his old homestead, except this one lot which he soon
sold as insufficient for him ; and not one who claimed
under him was successful in procuring a lot. If you
wish to find the traditional residence of General Jean
Baptiste Beaubien, after he moved from what was before
known as the John-Dean house, go east upon South
Water Street until you come to the northeast corner of
South Water Street and Michigan Avenue, and you will
find it. General Beaubien subsequently moved to near
what is now River Park, on the Desplaines River, in
this county, near the reservation of Alex. Robinson,
the Indian chief. The General died at Naperville,
DuPage County, January 5, 1863.

"At the session of Congress, in 1848, I succeeded
in procuring an amendment to the Naval appropriation
bill, appropriating $10,000 for the construction of a
Marine Hospital on such site as should be selected by
the Secretary of the Treasury on the lands owned by
the United States. It was one of my best arguments,
for the appropriation, that the Government already
owned the land for the site. This took up another por-
tion of the Reservation, it being upon the northern
portion of Block 5, fronting Michigan Avenue, and being
upon the east side thereof, and adjoining the north of the
lots Mr. Collins bought. It was not until September 17,
1850, that I was enabled to telegraph to you, from Con-
gress, that we had secured the Illlinois Central Railroad
grant. And it was not until the 14th day of October, 1852,

that Hon. Charles M. Conrad, Secretary of War, in
consideration of $45,000, made the deed of what was
unoccupied of the Reservation to that company, in
which was the following preamble: 'Whereas the
military site of Fort Dearborn, commonly known as the
Fort Dearborn Reservation, at Chicago, 111., has
become useless for military purposes, and the tract
thereof not being used or necessary for the site of a
fort or for any other authorized purposes, has been
sold,' etc., etc. The railroad company, complaining
that it paid this sum of $45,000 from necessity and
under protest in order to expedite their road into the
city and insisting that the land was included in the
grant made by Congress, which I, who took an active
part in framing and passing the law, could not indorse,
brought suit in the Court of Claims, at Washington, for
refunding the money. The court decided against the
claim.

" I have thus shown you how the entire Reservation
was disposed of, except what would make about eight
full lots, upon which the old light-house was located, or
near it. They were not needed for light house
purposes; and were Lots 1 to 6 in Block 4, fractional
Lots 8 and 9 in Block 2, and the north thirty-four feet
of Lot 1 in Block 5, all near the Rush-street bridge.
James F. Joy bought for the railroad company Mich-
igan Central or Illinois Central, or both jointly) the
land occupied by the Marine Hospital building, being
the south ten feet of Lot 1 and Lots 2, 3, 4 and 5 in
Block 5. The hospital was burned in the great fire of
1871.

" The Government had erected a new light-house at
the end of the North Pier. I was in Congress, and the
thought occurred to me that the best way to dispose of
the remaining land upon which the old light-house and
other necessary Government buildings had been located
was to present it to that kind-hearted and popular old
pioneer, General Jean Baptiste Beaubien. And it was
so done by an act approved August 1, 1854. And
there was not a citizen of Chicago who knew him who
ever questioned its propriety, to my knowledge."

In addition to the authenticated statements made
by Hon. John Wentworth, are the following letters pub-
lished in the Chicago Tribune of February 2, 1884,
sent from Washington to Mr. Wentworth :

Fort Dearborn, Chicago, Sept. 2, 1824. — The Hon. /•
C. Calhoun, Secretary of War — Sir : I have the honor to suggest
to your consideration the propriety of making a reservation of this
post and the fraction on which it is situated for the use of this
agency. It is very convenient for that purpose, as the quarters
afford sufficient accommodations for all the persons in the employ
of the agency, and the storehouses are safe and commodious places
for the provisions and other property that may be in charge of the
agent. The buildings and other property, by being in possession
of a public officer, will be preserved for public use, should it ever
be necessary to occupy them again with a military force.

As to the size of the fraction I am not certain, but I think it
contains about sixty acres. A considerably greater tract than that
is under fence, but that would be abundantly sufficient for the use
of the agency, and contains all the buildings attached to the fort —
such as a mill, barn, stable, etc. — which it would be desirable to
preserve. I have the honor to be

ALEXANDER WOLCOTT,

Indian Agent.

Department of War, Sept. 30, 1S24. — George Graham, Esq.,
Commissioner of the General Land Office, Treasury Department —
Sir : I inclose herewith a copy of a letter from Dr. Wolcott,
Indian Agent at Chicago, and request that you will direct a reser-
vation to be made for the use of the Indian Department at that
post agreeably to his suggestions. I have the honor to be, etc.,

J. C. CALHOUN.

General Land-Office, Oct. 21, 1S24. — The Hon. J. C.
Calhoun, Secretary of War — Sir : In compliance with your request,

162

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

I have directed that the Fractional Section 10, Township 3g North,
Range 14 East, containing 57.50" acres, and within which Fort
Dearborn is situated, should be reserved from sale for military
purposes. I am, etc., GEORGE GRAHAM.

Department of War, July 2S, 1S31. — The Commissioner of
the Land-Office — Sir: I transmit to you herewith a letter from
Thomas J. V. Owen. Indian Agent, stating that an attempt has
been made by an individual to obtain the right of pre-emption to
the fraction of land on which Fort Dearborn, near Chicago, is
erected. As this piece of ground is the public reservation, you are
requested to take such measures as will secure the interest of the
United States in reference thereto. R. B. T.

[Roger B. Taney.]

" Department of War — July 13, 1S32. — The Hon. William
R. King, United States Senate, — Sir: In answer to your letter of
thegth inst., which has just reached me, I beg leave to inform you
that until the Northwestern Indians shall permanently remove
beyond the Mississippi, or our settlements in the northern part of
Illinois shall be much increased, I consider the position of Fort
Dearborn an important one in a military point of view — so much
so that it is in contemplation to occupy it as soon as the spring
opens. Of course, I shall consider the. disposition of the reserva-
tion injurious to the public interest. Lewis Cass."

" Bureau of Topographical Engineers, Washington
City, July 10, 1S52. — Colonel J. J. Abert, Topographical Engineer.
— Colonel : In answer to your inquiry of the origin and history
of the reservation at Chicago I have the honor to state that I have
called upon the officers of the Quartermaster-General, the Com-
mi_sioners of the General Land-Office, and that of the Secretary of
War, but that I have failed to find in any of them any history of
the origin of this reservation. In looking over the reports of the
Supreme Court of the United States I find that this military site
has been the subject of litigation from which I get the following
facts : That it was first occupied as a military post in 1S04, and
continued in that use until the l6thof August, 1S12. The Govern-
ment held it by the cession of the Northwestern Territory, and it
was occupied for military purposes by the direction of the Presi-
dent under authority of these several acts of Congress: First, the
Act of May 3, 179S (United States Statutes at large, p. 555);
second, the act of April 21, lSo6(Vol.3, Laws of the United States),
authorizing trading-houses and posts at the discretion of the Presi-
dent, and by Act of June 14, 1S09, hecould continue possession as
being necessary for frontier defense.

The post was not occupied after the massacre of 1812 until
1S16, when troops again garrisoned it and continued in occupancy
until 1S23, when it was evacuated, but left in charge of Dr. Alex-
ander Wolcott, Indian Agent. In 1S2S it was again garrisoned
for military purposes and occupied until 1831, when the troops
were withdrawn and it was left in charge of another agent, Mr.
Oliver Newberry. In 1S32 Major Whistler, of the army, once
more took possession of it as a military station, and it has been
continued in the occupancy of troops or authorized agents for
military and other public purposes up to the present date. Up to
1-24 it appears to have been occupied by virtue of the authority in
the three acts of Congress above recited. In that year the Indian
Agent then in charge of it applied to the Secretary of War for a
special reservation for military purposes (see his letter with papers),
and, in conformity with his request, Mr. Calhoun, then Secretary
of War. applied to the Commissioner of the General Land-Office
for the reservation. That officer, in conformity with the request
of the Secretary of War, ordered the post to be reserved from sale
(see their letters herewith). The land reserved was fractional Sec-
tion 10, Township 39 north, Range 14 east, containing 57.50
acres. In April, 1839, tne Secretary of War, J. R. Poinsett, by
an act of authority March 3, 1819, appointed Matthew Birchard,
Esq., agent for the War Office under special instructions
to sell a portion of the military reservation at Fort Dearborn.
This agent, in conformity with instructions, surveyed the entire
fractional section, styling it Fort Dearborn Addition to Chicago,
laying it off into lots and streets, and filing the map in the proper
office in Cook County. He proceeded lo sell part only of these
lots, reserving from sale that portion now used for convenience of
light-house and marking it upon his map in dotted lines.

******

P.. s. Roberts, Colonel U. S. A.
The property platted and subdivided as Fort Dear-
horn addition to Chicago was east of State Street, north
of Madison Street, south of the main river of that time,

and west of the shore line of that period. The sub-
division was made June 6, 1839, as per surveyor's cer-
tificate ; was acknowledged by Matthew Birchard "of
the General Land-Office, and Agent of the War Depart-
ment of the United States," for J. R. Poinsett, Secretary
of War, and was recorded June 17, 1839, in Book H,
of Maps, page 1 20. The land was laid off into lots and
blocks, with streets, except the Dearborn Park, of
which the following remark is authentic : " On the
original record of Fort Dearborn addition, in Book H
page 322, no boundary line was fixed for what is called
hereon " Dearborn Park " (the plot now Dounded by
Dearborn Place, Michigan Avenue, Washington and
Randolph streets — the eastern boundary, in common
with the remainder of the Fort Dearborn addition, be-
ing the lake shore meander line). All the area east of
the east line of Block 12 ; south of the south line of
Blocks 10 and 11 ; north of the north line of Block 15,
and east to the water-line of Lake Michigan was marked
' Public Ground ; forever to remain vacant of buildings.'
The certificate of acknowledgement by the Secretary of
War sets forth the same thing." * This plot, to remain
in its integral emptiness, was from the west line of Dear-
born Place, south of the north line of Randolph Street ;
north of the south line of Washington Street and west
of the shore line of Lake Michigan. L/pon the original
plat Blocks 1 1 and 6 were not subdivided, their eastern
portions being submerged. As stated by Mr. Went-
worth, the land whereon the block-house stood, and
the northern half of Block 5, was not parted with at
that time, but the title was vested in the Treasury
Department, and the Marine Hospital was subsequently
erected on the part of Block 5 reserved. The eastern
portion of the lots, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, forming the north-
ern half of Block 5, were submerged at the time of
the subdivision ; on October 14, 1842, a deed was
recorded in Book 133, page 271, whereby these for-
merly submerged parts of lots were conveyed by the
Secretary of War to the Illinois Central Railroad. By
an act passed June 14, 1852, the right- of way for the
Illinois Central Railroad was granted, and the city of
Chicago likewise provided therefor by law,f also for the
maintenance of the park in its exempted condition.
By this right-of-way the eastern boundary of the
exempted property became, necessarily, located at four
hundred feet east of the west line of Michigan Av-
enue ; such line being the west line of the right-of-way ;
a line seven hundred feet east of the west line of Mich-
igan Avenue being the east line of the right-of-way.
The east line of Michigan Avenue became subsequently
fixed by legislative enactment. The land taken in
straightening the river channel of the Chicago River,
east of Michigan Avenue, was donated by the presi-
dent of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, the
Mayor of Chicago, Jean Baptiste Beaubien and the
United States, per J. D. Graham, in September, 1855,
the deed being recorded in Book 133, page 271 ; the
remainder of the land taken being purchased of the
owners. These various transactions, with those cited
in Mr. Wentworth's speech, passed the title from the
United States to numberless individuals, and the real
estate of Fort Dearborn became absorbed by the city
of Chicago — all but Dearborn Park, the legal disposi-
tion of which is at present in controversy.

Otto Peltzcr's Atlas of Chicsgo, 1872; compiled by him while in charye of
the Map Department of the H".-ml of Public Works.

t I'uie Municipal Laws, 185O, p. 352.

LATE THREADS OF FORT DEARBORN HISTORY.

163

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164

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

THE LALIME HOMICIDE.

One of the lamentable and exciting incidents con-
nected with the early history of the fort was the tragical
death of J. Lalime, who had been an agent and inter-
preter at the fort for many years prior to his death. He
was an educated man, of quite violent temper, and per-
haps more respected than beloved. In a rencounter
with John Kinzie, between whom and himself there had
previously been serious disagreements, he lost his life.
The narrative of Mrs. Victoire Porthier vsee page 105),
who claims to have witnessed the tragedy, fully exoner-
ates Mr. Kinzie of murderous intent. The following
letter, written by the old-time friend of the family,
although differing in minor details from the testimony
of Mrs. Porthier, goes to corroborate the most essential
points which establishes the innocence of John Kinzie
as to any murderous intent at the time of the unfort-
unate encounter. The letter reads as follows :

"Chicago, June 25, 1881.

" Hon. John YS'entworth, — Dear Sir : Your note of the
22d inst. I received yesterday. Thanks for the slip you inclosed.

" In reply to your inquiries, I have to say that I think Matthew
Irwin was not sub-agent at Fort Dearborn, but that he was United
States factor, acting also as Indian Agent. His duties were confined
principally to Indian affairs, under the direction of the command-
ing officer, when he was not specially instructed by the Depart-
ment at Washington.

"As regards the unfortunate killing of Mr. Lalime by Mr.
John Kinzie, I have heard the account of it related by Mrs.
Kinzie and her daughter, Mrs. Helm. Mr. Kinzie never, in my

hearing, alluded to or spoke of it. He deeply regretted the act.
Knowing his aversion to converse on the subject, I never spoke
to him about it.

" Mrs. Kinzie said that her husband and Lalime had been for
several years on unfriendly terms, and had had frequent alterca-
tions ; that at the time of the encounter, Mr. Kinzie had crossed
the river alone, in a canoe, going to the fort ; and that Lalime
met him outside of the garrison and shot him, the ball cutting the
side of his neck. She supposed Lalime saw her husband cross-
ing, and, taking his pistol, went through the gate purposely to
meet him Mr. Kinzie closing with Lalime, stabbed him, and
retreated to his house covered with blood. He told his wife what
he had done, that he feared he had killed Lalime, that probably a
squad would be sent for him, and that he must hide. She, in
haste, took bandages, and with him retreated to the woods, w-here,
as soon as possible, she dressed his wounds, returning just in time
to meet an officer with a squad, with orders to seize her husband.
He could not be found. For some days he was hid in the bush
and cared for by his wife.

" Lalime was, I understood, an educated man, and quite a
favorite with the officers, who were greatly excited. They decided
he should be buried near Mr. Kinzie's house, and he was buried
near the bank of the river, about the present terminus of Rush
Street, and within about two hundred yards of Mr. Kinzie's house,
in plain view from his front door and piazza. The grave was
inclosed by a picket fence, which Mr. Kinzie, in his life-time kept
in perfect order. My impression has ever been that Mr. Kinzie
acted, as he told his wife, in self-defense. This is borne out by
the fact that, after a full investigation by the officers, whose friend he
was, they acquitted Mr. Kinzie, who then returned to his family.

" In some of these details I may be in error, but the fact has ever
been firm in my mind that Lalime made the attack, provoking the
killing in self-defense. Most certainly Mr. Kinzie deeply regretted
the result, and avoided any reference to it.

" Yours, G. S. Hubbard."

CHICAGO IN 1830. FROM THE LAKE

THE ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL.

From the earliest period in the discovery and coloni-
zation of the Great West, it was the dream of French
explorers, and, later, of English traders, to connect the
waters of the Great Lakes with the waters of the Great
River ; thereby joining the fur-producing provinces of
the North with what were to become the exhaustless
grain and cotton fields of the West and South. The
mighty Father of Waters stretched two long arms toward
the northeast and the Lake of the Illinois, now called
Lake Michigan. More than one hundred and sixty
years before, the public sentiment of the new Northwest
was aroused to the necessity of establishing a grand
water-way. French voyageurs and priests had explored
the only two courses which were open to future enter-
prise. One was by way of Green Bay, the Fox River,
and the narrow portage which separated that river from
the Wisconsin and the Mississippi ; the other was from
the extremity of the Lake of the Illinois, at a point far
to the south of Green Bay, and thence over a few miles
of swamp to the Desplaines, a branch of the Illinois. It
seemed to be foreordained from the configuration of the
country, however, that the main artery of the water com-
munication between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of
Mexico could never be fixed at a point so far north of
the central territory of the land as by way of the Fox
and Wisconsin rivers.

Thus, although for many years the Fox and Wiscon-
sin rivers improvement commanded the attention of the
people throughout the great regions of the Northwest,
from the time of Joliet in 1673, to the period when the
State of Illinois actually commenced to construct a canal,
the Illinois and Michigan project was looked upon as an
enterprise having the elements of grandeur in it ; as
something to appeal to the daring and imagination of
those far-seeing French explorers — a short link by which
the magnificent territory of France, extending from
Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, was to be bound in a
continuous chain ; and, finally, it was viewed by the
United States as a work of national importance, to be
conducted in a spirit of national pride. To the mind of
Joliet the grand idea seemed to be converted into the
fact, through a very meagre array of difficulties. Only
a few miles of marshy land near the shores of Lake
Michigan to be cut through, and the waters of the At-
lantic from the north, by way of the Great Lakes, would
become united at the south, by way of the Mississippi
and the Gulf ! The great ocean, freshened along half its
course, would wash the shores of a grand continent,
bounded by the lakes, the river and the Gulf of St.
Lawrence on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the
east, the Gulf of Mexico on the south, and the Missis-
sippi River on the west. One hundred and sixty years
is a long time to wait for accomplishment, and, during
all this period, the idea which had been conceived by
Joliet was being nurtured into active life as much
through a realization of the character of the work and
its results as from motives of individual gain and public
utility. The mind of Joliet seems to have been charged
with both of these forces. But before the first spade
was struck into the earth at Bridgeport, Joliet's little

" ditch " had grown, in the minds of the new civilization,
to a grand artificial water-way, nearly one hundred miles
in length.

History records the fact* that M. Louis Joliet first
suggested the canal idea to Father Claudius Dablon,
superior of the missions of the Jesuits in Canada, in
the fall of 1673. Father Marquette had accompanied
Joliet in his voyage toward the mouth of the Mississippi,
by way of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. Having pro-
gressed south far enough to ascertain, from its general
direction, that it flowed into the Gulf of Mexico, and
not into the Pacific Ocean, after a month's absence from
the mouth of the Wisconsin River, they turned back
and, reaching the Illinois, ascended it, and, passing over
the portage, half a league in length, reached Lake
Michigan. The eager Joliet hastened at once to Mon-
treal with his maps and papers, to report the result of
his discoveries to the Count de Frontenac, Governor of
Canada, with whom the expedition originated ; but
while shooting the rapids above that city his canoe was
overturned, his companion drowned, and all his docu-
ments lost. Joliet was therefore obliged to content
himself, for the time, with making merely a verbal
report to his superior, but his views on the necessity of
a continuous water-way between Lake Michigan and
the Illinois River are ascertained from the report of his
conversation with Father Dablon, recorded by the reli-
able pen of that writer about a year afterward. He
says :

" The fourth remark concerns a very important advantage and
which some will, perhaps, find it hard to credit ; it is that we can
quite easily go to Florida in boats, and by a very good navigation.
There would be only one canal to make by cutting only half a
league of prairie, to pass from the lake of Illinois, (Lake Michi-
gan) into the St. Louis River, (the Desplaines and Illinois). The
route to be taken is this : the bark should be built on Lake Erie,
which is near Lake Ontario ; it would pass easily from Lake Erie
to Lake Huron, from which it would enter the lake of Illinois. At
the extremity of this would be the cut, or canal, of which I have
spoken, to have a passage to the St. Louis River, which empties
into the Mississippi. The bark having entered this river would
easily sail to the Gulf of Mexico. Fort Catarokoni, which the Count
de Frontenac has erected on Lake Ontario, would greatly favor this
enterprise, because it would facilitate the communication from Que-
bec and Lake Erie, from which this fort is not very far distant; and
but for a water-fall which separates Lake Erie from Lake Ontario,
a bark built at Catarokoni could go to Florida by the routes of
which I have spoken. The fifth remark regards the great advan-
tages there would be in founding new colonies to such beautiful
countries and such fertile soil."

Further Joliet says :

" The river to which we have given the name of St. Louis and
which has its source not far from the extremity of the lake of the
Illinois, seemed to me to offer on its banks very fine lands, well
suited to receive settlements. The place by which, after leaving
the river, you enter the lake, is a very convenient bay to hold ves-
sels and protect them from the wind."

For more than one hundred and thirty years after
Joliet, among other things, vainly called the attention
of the French Government to the importance of ob-
taining communication between the lake of Illinois
and the Mississippi River, the idea disappeared. But it
was not lost ; for when the country began to experience

* " Relations" of Father Dablon, Historical Magazine, p. 237.

165

i66

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

the force of advancing civilization, the idea took shape in
the halls of legislation, and was recorded, in various forms,
in the public prints. In 1S10, Peter B. Porter, member of
Congress from New York, and naturally interested in
canal schemes, drew the attention of the Government
to the question. There the matter rested for four years,
when President Madison, in his inaugural of 1814, ad-
verted to its importance. The Niles Register of August
6, 1S14, said :

" By the Illinois River it is probable that Buffalo, in New
York, may be united with New Orleans by inland navigation,
through Lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan, and down that river
to the Mississippi. What a route ! How stupendous the idea !
How dwindles the importance of the artificial canals of Europe
compared to this water communication. If it should ever take
place — and it is said the opening may be easily made — the Terri-
tory (of Illinois') will become the seat of an immense commerce,
and a market for the commodities of all regions."

Then the idea slumbered for two years longer.
With the exception of a few river towns and settle-
ments, the West and Southwest was still a wild, unde-
veloped country. But if there is anything which marks
the pioneer of the West, and particularly of the North-
west, as a peculiar people it is the prematureness of
their enterprise in all public works. Therefore it was that,
in 1816, the first step was taken toward the construction
of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. By the treaty held
at St. Louis, August 24, of that year, the Pottawatomies
relinquished their title to the strip of land from Ottawa
to Chicago, covering in a breadth of twenty miles, the
navigable route to the Illinois and Desplaines rivers
and the portage of the Chicago River.

Soon afterward Major S. H. Long, U. S. E., passed
over this route, "leading," as he says in his narrative,
'• through a savage and roadless wilderness, via Fort
Clark, and the valley of the Illinois River, to Lake
Michigan." In September, he and his party ascended
the Illinois to the head of Lake Peoria in a small keel
boat, and passed through extensive fields of wild rice
springing from the river-bed and rising several feet
above the water's surface. The current was so sluggish
as to weigh down the straw's, and the river continued in
a similar condition until, in later years, the frequent
passage of steamboats prevented the upward growth of
the rice.

Reaching Chicago it was found that the river by
tnat name "discharged itself into the lake over a bar of
sand and gravel, in a rippling stream, ten to fifteen
yards wide, and only a few inches deep." The little
Calumet, about fifteen miles south of Chicago, entered
the lake, but at that time it was effectually blocked up
by a high and dry sand bar. Major Long's may be
called the first scientific exploration of the future route
of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and among the
measures which took up the attention of Illinois, the
moment it became a State, was the proposal, from
Governor Bond, for a regular preliminary survey along
the route of the lands obtained from the Indians. Con-
gress by act of March 30, 1822, granted the State per-
mission to cut a canal through these public lands,
donating ninety feet on each side of it. It also appro-
priated $10,000 for the surveys. The proviso attaching
to these acts of liberality was merely that "the State
shall permit all articles belonging to the United States,
or to any person in their employ, to pass toll-free for-
ever." This action of the National Government was
rno-,t gratifying to Govenor Cole, the successor of
Governor Pond. He was an earnest advocate of a judi-
cious system of internal improvements, and proposed
various plans for the accumulation of funds to carry
on the work; such as a revenue from taxes on the mili-

tary bounty lands, fines and forfeitures, etc. He even
urged the importance of opening communication with
Lake Erie by the Wabash River, through Indiana, and
the Maumee, in Ohio; and the building of the Illinois
& Michigan Canal with all other proposed improve-
ments in the borders of his own State, found in him one
of their ablest supporters. Early in the legislative ses-
sion of 1822-23, resolutions were adopted in the House
authorizing the committee on internal improvements to
enquire into the practicability of a canal, empowering
the Governor to employ engineers to examine the port-
age between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, and
estimate the cost of making a communication between
its waters. From them originated a bill, embodying the
Governor's views, as well as those of many other cham-
pions of internal improvement, and approved February
14, 1823. It provided for the appointment of commis-
sioners to survey the canal route, estimate the cost of
the improvement and report to the next Legislature.
They were also to invite the attention of the Governors
of Indiana and Ohio, and through them the legislatures
of those States, to the Govenor's plan to obtain com-
munication with Lake Erie. The commissioners named
were Thomas Sloo, Jr., of Hamilton County, and
Theophilus W. Smith, Emanuel J. West, Erastus Brown,
and Samuel Alexander.

In June, 1823, Major Long, while his expedition
was on its way to explore the source of the St. Peter's
River, Minnesota, again visited various localities on the
route of the canal*

He thus describes his visit to the famous portage
between Chicago and Desplaines rivers:

" The south fork of the Chicago River takes its rise about six
miles from the fort, in a swamp which communicates also with the
Desplaines, one of the head branches of the Illinois. Having been
informed that this route was frequently traveled by traders, and
that it had been used by one of the officers of the garrison, who re-
turned with provisions from St. Louis a few days before our arrival
at the fort, we determined to ascend the Chicago River in order to
observe this interesting division of waters. We accordingly left
the fort on the 7th of June, in a boat which, after having ascend-
ed the river about four miles we exchanged for a narrow pirogue
that drew less water; the stream we were a scending was very nar-
row, rapid, and crooked, presenting a great fall; it continued so for
about three miles, when we reaced a sort of swamp, designated by
the Canadian voyagers under the name of le petit lac. Our course
through this swamp, which extended for three miles, was very much
impeded by the high grass, weeds, etc., through which our pirogue
passed with difficulty. Observing that our progress through the
fen was very slow, and the day being considerably advanced, we
landed on the north bank, and continued our course along the edge
of the swamp for about three miles, until we reached the place
where the old portage road meets the current, which was here very
distinct toward the south. We were deligted at beholding for the
first time, a feature so interesting in itself, but which afterward
we had an opportunity of observing frequently on the route; viz.:
the division of waters starting from the same source, and running
in two different directions, so as to become the feeders of streams
that discharge themselves into the ocean an immense distance apart.
Although at the time we visited it, there was scarcely water enough
to permit our pirogue to pass, we could not doubt that in the spring
of the year the route must be a very eligible one. Lieutenant Hop-
son, who accompanied us to the Desplaines, told us that he had
traveled it with ease, in a boat loaded with lead and flour. The
distance from the fort to the intersection of the portage road and
the Desplaines is supposed to be about twelve or thirteen miles;
the elevation of the feeding lake above Chicago River is estimated
at five or six feet; and it is probable that the descent to the Des-
plaines is less considerable. The portage road is about eleven
miles long; the usual distance traveled by land seldom, however,
exceeds from four to nine miles; in very dry seasons it has been
said to amount to thirty miles, as the portage then extends to
Mount Juliet, near the confluence of Kankakee. When we consid-
er the facts above stated, we are irresistibly led to the conclusion
that an elevation of the lakes of a few feet (not exceeding ten or
twelve,) above their present level would cause them to discharge
their waters, partly, at least, into the Gulf of Mexico; that such a
* Major Long's Expedition, p. 165 and 167.

THE ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL.

167

discharge has at one time existed, every one conversant with the
nature of the country must admit; and it is equally apparent that
an expenditure, trifling in comparison with the importance of the
object, would again render Lake Michigan a tributary to the Mexi-
can Gulf. Impressed with the importance of this object, the Legis-
lature of Illinois has already caused some observations to be made
upon the possibility of establishing this communication; the com-
missioners appointed to that effect visited Chicago after we left it,
and we know not what results they obtained, as their report has not
reached us; but we have been informed that they had consider-
ed the elevation of the petit lac above Chicago to be somewhat great-
er than we had estimated it. It is the opinion of those best ac-
quainted with the nature of the country, that the easiest commu-
nication would be between the little Calamick and some point of
the Desplaines, probably below the portage road; between these
two points, there is in wet seasons, we understand, a water com-
munication of ten or twelve miles. Of the practicability of the
work, and of the sufficiency of a supply of water no doubt can ex-
ist. The only difficulty will, we apprehend, be in keeping the
communication open after it is once made, as the soil is swampy, and
probably will require particular care to oppose the return of the
soft mud into the excavations."

In the autumn of 1823 Colonel Justus Post, of Mis-
souri, chief engineer, accompanied by several of the
commissioners, made a tour of exploration along the
route of the canal, but nothing definite was accomplished
until the next year. During the fall of 1824 Colonel
Rene Paul, of St. Louis, an able engineer, was also em-
ployed, with a necessary corps of men, and, accom-
panied by one commissioner, attempted to complete the
proposed survey. The party was divided into two com-
panies. Five different routes were surveyed, and an
estimate made on each. The plan of construction was
on the scale of the New York & Erie Canal, the high-
est estimate being $716,110, and the lowest $639,946.
In January, 1825, the commissioners made their report
to the Legislature, sending also a copy to President
Adams, that the subject might be kept before the coun-
try as a national measure of utility. A few days later,
on the 17th of January, the act was passed to incorpo-
rate the " Illinois & Michigan Canal Company." Ed-
ward Coles, Shadrack Bond, Justus Post, Erastus
Brown, William S. Hamilton, Joseph Duncan, John
Warnock, et al, were constituted its president and di-
rectors. The capital stock was placed at $1,000,000,
and the dimensions of the canal were to be such as
would admit of the passage of boats thirteen and a half
feet wide, drawing three feet of water. The toll was
placed at half a cent per mile per ton. But the canal
association did not succeed in organizing a working
company ; so that the Legislature of 1826 deemed it
proper to annul the act of the previous year. This ac-
tion, however, was not understood to be an abandon-
ment of the canal project, but merely a measure which
should cut away all " entangling alliances," and enable
any future management of the enterprise to build their
work upon a new basis. In January, 1826, a memorial
was reported to Congress for another grant of land. As
remarked by Governor Coles, in his address of Decem-
ber, 1826, in the then fluctuating condition of the money
market it was impossible to obtain a loan on long time.
A liberal land grant from Congress was what was re-
quired and expected. The Governor even suggested,
" considering the favorable manner in which our appli-
cation for a grant of land was received by Congress at
its last session," that the Legislature should " com-
mence this great work of improvement, predicated on a
liberal grant of land being made by Congress, previous
to the meeting of the next General Assembly." Through
the persistent efforts of Daniel P. Cook, Representative
in Congress, assisted, for several years, by United States
Senators J. B. Thomas, Ninian Edwards and Elias K.
Kane, an act was passed March 2, 1827, granting to the

State for canal purposes " a quantity of land equal to
one-half of five sections in width, on each side of the pro-
posed route, each alternate section being reserved to the
United States. This splendid gift of Congress* amounted
to about 284,000 acres, of which over 113,000 acres were
fertile prairie land. The obtaining of this magnificent
land grant made the building of the canal a certainty,
and in after time was the means of lifting the State
from the slough of financial despair. It made possible
and necessary the survey of Chicago Town, and flour-
ishing villages were eventually born along the route of
the proposed improvement. In 1828 another law was
passed providing for the sale of lots and lands, for the
appointment of a board of canal commissioners and for
the commencement of the work.f Nothing was done
under this law except the sale of some land and lots,
and a new survey of the route and estimate of cost, by
the new engineer, Mr. Bucklin. The granting of this
domain in 1827 may be said to have been the first
general recognition of the growing importance of the
Northwest. Owing to the evident lack of home capital,
however, the Legislature attempted nothing further to
aid in the construction of the canal for two years after
obtaining the congressional grant. In January, 1829,
an act was passed for the appointment, by the Governor,
of three commissioners who were to serve two years,
and were to be granted, in addition to their usual pow-
ers, the right to establish towns along the surveyed
route. The dimensions of this canal were also fixed.
The commissioners selected were Dr. Jayne, of Spring-
field, Edmund Roberts, of Kaskaskia, and Charles
Dunn. They proceeded at once to lay out towns at
each end of the route. They first platted the town of
Ottawa, at the junction of the Fox River with the Illi-
nois, and in the autumn of 1829, ordered James Thomp-
son, onej of their surveyors, to lay out the town of Chi-
cago, at the lake terminus of the canal. The commis-
sioners thus having stuck their first stakes, in providing
for towns at each end of their line, found it necessary
to revise their surveys. § Those of 1830-31, under Dr.
William Howard, chief engineer of the topographical
bureau, established the fact that the greatest elevation
of ground on the plane along the proposed canal route,
between the Chicago and Desplaines rivers, was only
fourteen feet above the surface of the lake, the average
height being ten feet; that at a distance of thirty-four
miles from the lake, the surface of the Desplaines is on
a level with Lake Michigan, and then begins to gradu-
ally fall, the descent between a point at the junction of
the Kankakee River and the Illinois to LaSalle being
at the rate of two feet per mile. From LaSalle to the
mouth of the Illinois the fall was ascertained to be
only one and a half inches per mile; hence it was argued
that a moderate supply of water from the lake in low
stages would render this portion of the river as naviga-
ble as the Mississippi. The country between the lake
and the river is a level prairie, the soil a stiff blue clay,
with a substratum of "hard pan." The plan was, by
means of a deep cut over thirty miles in length, to bring
the waters of Lake Michigan directly to that point in
the Desplaines where the levels coincide. This was
to constitute the summit level. At that locality, how-
ever, the rock appeared so near the surface, it became
evident that the cost would be great, and discourage-
ment was thrown upon the whole plan, although all the

* See report of Eo=ton Investigating Committee of 1844, pp. 26 and 68.

t Ford's Illinois.

X The only statement to the contrary is found in a letter of James M.
Bucklin, chief engineer, in 1830, who says that when he arrived at Chicago,
"Capt. Pope" had laid out the town.

§ Major Long's letter to Chicago Canal Convention of 1863.

i6S

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

investigations of engineers up to that time and in later
years went to establish the fact that, albeit an expensive
work, it would prove the most effective. But these
considerations of economy induced the Legislature in
February. 1831, to pass an act for appointment of other
commissioners who were to find out if the Calamic
Calumet would not do for a feeder, and to improve
the mouth of the Fox River at Ottawa. They were also
to report whether a railroad would not be preferable to a
canal between the Chicago and Desplaines rivers.
Upon second thought the State decided to build neither
railroad nor canal, at present, and in March, 1833,
repealed the acts of 1829 and 1S31. For the next two
years nothing was done towards building the canal.
The discouraging discovery had been made in 1833
that it would require §4,043,000* to construct the
canal ; consequently, as there was little money and less
credit in the State, all public improvements languished
for a time.f Finally, however, on February 10, 1835,
an act was approved authorizing the Governor to nego-
tiate a $500,000 loan for the construction of the canal ;
to cause certificates of stock to be used and to appoint
another board of commissioners. The dimensions of
the canal were to be forty-five feet wide at the surface,
thirty feet at the base, and deep enough to float boats
of at least four feet draft. The Governor was also author-
ized to negotiate bonds for the prosecution of the work,
pledging the canal lands as security for their redemp-
tion. But owing to the small value then attaching to
these lands the bonds were not easily negotiated. In

1835, therefore, Colonel Strode, of Galena, suggested an
amendatory act, pledging the faith of the State to the
redemption of the bonds. This pledge was given in

1836, under Governor Duncan's administration, another
canal bill being approved on the g'h of January. Gur-
don S. Hubbard, William F. Thornton and William B.
Archer, and subsequently J. B. Fry, were appointed com-
missioners. William Gooding became chief engineer.
Up >n the day of the passage of the bill the citizens of
Chicago assembled and resolved that twelve guns should
be fired for each man that voted for the measure, and
that the two weekly newspapers should publish their
names in " large capitals," while the names of the
opponents of the bill were to be printed only in " italics."
The work was to be constructed on the plan of the
" deep-cut," or direct supply of the canal from Lake
Michigan through the Chicago River and its South
Branch. Further and more minute surveys were insti-
tuted and estimates in detail were furnished of the
probable cost of the work upon an enlarged scale, viz.,
for a canal sixty feet wide at the surface, thirty-six feet
at the base, and six feet deep. The estimate of the
entire cost of such a canal was $8,654,000. To facili-
tate its construction, " Archer's Road " was at once laid
out from Chicago to Lockport, at a cost of $40,000,
that amount being raised from the sale of lands. The
justness of this expenditure was questioned, since
Colonel Archer had an extensive property in Lockport
which the road seemed designed to benefit. At length,
however, all was ready for the formal inauguration of
the work.

Thus after nearly twenty years from the time " the
right of way " was. obtained from the Pottawatomies, by
repeated assaults upon the Legislature and Congress,
upon the public treasury and private purse, the advo-
cates of the Illinois & Michigan Canal saw their labors
about to be commenced, and considered that result a
sufficient reward for all their trials. On July 4, 1836,

• Report of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, 1844.

+ Report ntggeftiog the bill prepared \>y George Forquer, Senator from
Sangamon County.

the commissioners ordered the work to be inaugurated
at Bridgeport. Upon the appointed day Chicago was
in a great state of excitement. The citizens and invited
guests assembled in the public square, at the signal
given by three cannons from the fort. Part were to go
by boat, and part were to form in procession and move,
by the Archer road, to the head of the proposed canal.
The officers of the day were : J. B. F. Russell, marshal ;
aides, E. D. Taylor, Robert Kinzie, G. W. Snow, J. S. C.
Hogan, H. Hubbard, and W. Kimball. At 11 o'clock
a. m., the steamer " Chicago " started from Dearborn
Street, her decks being crowded. The schooners " Sea
Serpent," "Llewellyn" and other craft, towed by horses,
followed in her wake. On foot, in carriages, or on horse-
back, the procession also moved to the appointed place, by
the land route. Early in the afternoon a large assembly
was present at the " new house," on Canal-Port. There
Judge Smith, a true friend of the enterprise, read the
Declaration of Independence, which was followed by an
eloquent address delivered by Dr. W. B. Egan. Gurdon
S. Hubbard also spoke, contrasting the condition of the
settlement with what it was eighteen years before, when
he first ascended the river in a canoe. After these ad-
dresses the people moved to the spot where excavation
was to be commenced. Colonel Archer, acting com-
missioner, made a brief address and broke the first
ground. Judges Smith and Brown, of the Supreme
Court, and Commissioner G. S. Hubbard delivered the
closing addresses. The crowd then dispersed ; and the
actual work of construction was soon to commence.

Following closely upon this auspicious event was
the famous " Internal Improvement " act of 1837. In
addition to the task of supplying a thinly-settled West-
ern State with a railroad system sufficient to meet the
requirements of a populous Eastern commonwealth, the
act authorized the granting of a $4,000,000 loan for the
further prosecution of the canal. Extravagant expecta-
tions were thus raised that could not have been realized
in the palmiest days of the State's financial health.
Though as a matter of convenience, the canal loans
were kept distinct from the internal improvement
funds, they all failed with the temporary loss of the
State's credit and the repeal of the act. In 1837 the
commissioners were authorized to sell lands, and the
Governor was authorized to negotiate a loan of $300,000 to
carry on the work for 1837 and 1838, provided " said loan
shall not be made until the whole of the means available
under existing laws shall have been exhausted." But
the "deep-cut " was going on, and by 1839 over one
and a quarter million of dollars had been expended.
Every available means were required to supply the en-
terprise with the alarming amount of funds demanded.
This proviso of 1837 being considered somewhat
"cramping" in its nature, was repealed in January,
1839, and a few days thereafter the fund commissioners
of Illinois (who disbursed the internal improvement
fund) turned over the $300,000 to the canal fund. And
still the hungry enterprise called for more money to
keep it alive ; so that April 11, 1839, the commissioners
of the canal concluded to issue a large amount of checks,
or scrip, payable in ninety days, out of the canal fund.
The lesser denominations of scrip, or the " at-sight "
checks, were used principally by the contractors to pay
off their workmen. Those of larger denominations, such
as $50 and $100, were used chiefly in the dealings be-
tween the commissioners and contractors. What were
termed " irregular " checks, in contradistinction to the
" regular " issues of May and August, 1839, were also
thrown upon the money market. If a contractor wished
the commissioners tt> pay him a specified amount, or

THE ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL.

169

amounts, he was favored with one or more of these ir-
regular " checks," on the spot. If it was found that
there was more coming to him, the balance was paid in
one or more " regular" checks. The regular checks of
the two issues were in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10,
$50 and $100, the August issue being confined to the
latter denomination. The total amount of the issue
dated May 1 was $266,237: of that dated August 1,
$128,317.* These checks were put in circulation, for a
temporary purpose, from the canal office at Lockport,
and were in part redeemed at the Branch of the State
Bank of Illinois, at Chicago, and a part were received
for dues. As these checks were only intended for tem-
porary use, it appears from the reports of the canal offi-
cers to the Legislature, in the year 1840, that they had
redeemed and taken up all of both issues, except $822.
From similar reports made in 1842-43, it appears that
only $323 was then in circulation, and, from various
subsequent reports, that this amount was reduced to
$315, which it was supposed was lost or destroyed.

Although it was supposed that this scrip had been
permanently retired, it would seem that the $50 and
$100 checks presented at the Illinois bank for redemp-
tion, although they were not again put in circulation,
were not cancelled. Certain it is (as will be hereafter
noticed I, that eighteen years subsequently, after this tem-
porary currency was supposed to have served its pur-
pose, it appeared again to vex the State.

A new Legislature was elected in 1840, and the Fund
Commissioners laid before that body the difficulties of
meeting the interest on the public debt due in January,
1 84 1. Work upon the railroads had been suspended a
year, but the canal enterprise was still progressing.
The canal scrip of 1839 having served its purpose, the
canal contractors had combined to raise a loan for the
further prosecution of the work. They had made their
contracts when the prices of material and labor were
high.f By their subsequent fall work could now be
prosecuted at such cheaper rates that the contractors
could well afford to take State bonds at par and sell
them at considerable of a discount. They therefore
had agreed to take a million of State bonds at par, in
payment for their estimates, and to meet the discount,
even to twenty-five per cent if necessary. General
Thornton had therefore been sent to Europe and nego-
tiated the loan. But it was now necessary that some-
thing further be done. The credit of the State was
endangered ; and upon the credit of the State rested
the existence of the canal. The canal debt was the
most important element of the State debt, and any
efforts put forth to meet the interest on the State debt
were so many steps taken to save the canal. At length,
after much excitement and discussion, which it is im-
possible to notice here, a bill was passed authorizing
the fund commissioner to hypothecate internal improve-
ment bonds, to the amount of $300,000, and apply the
proceeds to the interest " legally " due. The act also
provided for the issue of interest bonds ("which were to
be sold for what they would bring), and an additional
tax of ten cents on the hundred dollars. Upon the
$Soo,ooo interest bonds issued, the State eventually
realized only about thirty per cent, so low had its credit
fallen. But through these desperate measures the State
debt interest and the canal debt interest was paid up to,
and including 1841. But the estimate of expenditures
for 1842 could not be met, and in March, 1843, work
was entirely suspended, after an outlay of over $5,000,-

* See reports of Finance Committee ( Legislative) and of proceedings of the
Grand Jury of Sangamon County, on " The Great Canal Scrip Fraud,"' 1859-
I Ford's Illinois — pp. 208, 210.

000. The collapse of the State finances in February
and June, 1842, and the withdrawing of the State bank
from its former position of disburser of the canal funds,
destroyed the value of all the circulating paper which
had sustained the enterprise and left the canal not only
without a circulation but without a circulator. Nothing
but a complete suspension could result. Over one hun-
dred contractors along the line of the canal stopped
their work, and bills commenced to pour in against the
State. Up to the suspension of work over $4,600,000
had been expended upon its construction and large
amounts were yet due on account of superintendents'
and contractors' claims. In 1843 a law was passed to
settle the claims of the latter upon a basis not to ex-
ceed $250,000. They were finally compromised for
$230,000. The expenses had been as follows :

1836 $ 39,260 58

1837 350,64990

1838 911,90240

l839 ■ 1,479,907 58

1840 1,117,702 30

l84i 644,87594

l842 155.19333

Superintendents 210,000 00

Contractors' damages 230,000 00

Total $5,139,49203

This great enterprise, however, after six years of
activity, was not to be abandoned. Like other public
works, it was to be taken up by the wise men of the
East, who possessed that requisite to material develop-
ment which all new countries lack — an abundance of
capital. The old lesson containing as its moral the
hopelessness of premature enterprise was being taught
to the young State by that stern master experience.
But the projectors of the Illinois & Michigan Canal
were determined to try another "tack," in order to en-
ter the harbor of financial prosperity. This was
determined upon even before they had cleared away the
wrecks of 1842. As if by magic the right man seemed
to spring up at the right time; for it was in June of that
year that Arthur Bronson, of New York, and a large
owner of real estate in Chicago, came West to look after
his property. As early as 1833, when he purchased a
portion of Kinzie's and Wolcott's additions, he had
taken a deep interest in the enterprise. While Mr.
Bronson was being interviewed by leading citizens as to
the best means to procure funds for the completion of
the canal, various plans were being proposed. Such
men as William B. Ogden, Justin Butterfield, Michael
Ryan, Senator from the LaSalle District, and Hon.
Isaac N. Arnold,* favored a plan by which the bond-
holders should loan a sufficient sum for the completion
of the canal, its payment being secured by the revenues
of the canal, and the proceeds derived from the sale of
canal lands and lots. The works and this income were
to be placed in the hands of trustees, two of whom were
to be chosen by the aforesaid bond-holders, and the third
appointed by the State. Mr. Bronson approved of this
and when, in the fall of 1842, he returned to New York,
he drafted the outline of a contract which would be ac-
ceptable to the State and to the holders of bonds. Mr.
Ryan visited the East, to dissipate the idea which had
gained grounds in some quarters, that the State in-
tended to repudiate its bonds. Mr. Arnold and Mr.
Bronson also maintained a continued correspondence in
regard to this foreign loan. The former also laid the
matter directly before the people, in a forcible address
which he delivered in November, 1842, before the

* Rlanchard's " History of Illinois," p. 69. Ford's " Illinois," p. 295, 296
and 297.

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Mechanics' Institute of Chicago. Mr. Arnold's action
in the matter no doubt went far toward inducing- foreign
and Eastern capitalists to look favorably upon the pro-
ject and also to assist in the passage of the bill during
the legislative session of 184:1-43, which embodied fhe
ideas advanced by him and his co-laborers. Justin
Butteriield drafted the bill which was introduced into
the House, and it became a law February 21, 1843. Mr.
Arnold was at the time chairman of the committee on
finance, and rendered most efficient service in the pas-
sage of the bill. The Governor was authorized to
negotiate a loan of $1,600,000, for a term not exceed-
ing six years, and at a rate of not more than six per
cent. For its payment he pledged the revenues and
lands of the canal, which were to be placed in the hands
of three trustees, when the loan should be negotiated.
In case the bond-holders would not subscribe to the
loan, the Governor was empowered to enter into a con-
tract with them, njaking no further pledge of the faith
of the State than to agree that the canal and its rev-
enues should be placed in their hands, through their
chosen trustees. The act also agreed that nothing
should be done to interfere with the rights then
secured to the holders of canal bonds; provided that
$400,000 of the loan should be paid in the first year,
after the execution of the trust deeds; and authorized
the board of trustees to make " such changes and altera-
tions in the original plan of said canal as they may
deem advisable, having due regard to economy,
etc." In March Governor Ford appointed Michael Ryan
and Charles Oakley commissioners to negotiate the
loan. They proceeded at once to New York, where
they succeeded in obtaining a subscription to a portion
of the loan, at least. Subsequently they visited London,
and laid their plan before prominent European capital-
ists. They represented that the whole canal debt did
not exceed $5,000,000, that the work could be completed
for $1,600,000 in three years ; that its income, with the
proceeds derived from the sale of canal lands, would be
sufficient to pay off the loan, and that holders of canal
stock in this country had agreed to advance their pro-
portion of the loan on one million stock. Although
pleading her present inability to meet her debts, the
commissioners protested that the State of Illinois had
no intention of repudiating any portion of them by the
passage of the canal act. The bond-holders, however,
replied that the canal bonds were issued on the faith of
the State and that she was bound to provide for the pay-
ment of the interest. They were unwilling to subscribe
under the provisions of the legislative act, but that if
the statements made by the commissioners could be
verified to the satisfaction of Messrs. Baring Brothers &
Co., and Magniac, Jardine & Co., bankers, and if
Governor Ford would enter into the contract, author-
ized by the twenty-first section of the act, with several
minor conditions, they would subscribe to the loan —
provided they should be entitled to register canal bonds
held by them to the extent of eight times the amount of
such subscription. A committee of well-known Boston
men were therefore appointed, consisting of William
Sturgis, T. W. Ward, and Abbott Lawrence. In the
early part of November, 1843, Captain W. H. Swift, a
United States Engineer, and e\-(lovernor John Davis,
of Massachusetts, having been appointed agents of the
Boston committee, came to Illinois to make an examina-
tion of the canal and its finances. Captain Swift trav-
eled over the route of the canal from Chicago to La-
Salle, where Mr. Davis met him, having ascended the
Illinois River Together they ascended tin' valley of
• River, from Ottawa, and having, with the as-

sistance of Engineer Gooding, thoroughly examined the
condition of the canal work, instituted an examination
of the finances of the canal management. Mr. Ryan,
the commissioner, Governor Ford and General Fry, the
acting commissioner, gave them every possible assist-
ance. As a result Messrs. Swift and Davis in their re-
port to Messrs Baring Brothers, et al., fiscal agents of
the bond-holders, sustained the statements made by
Messrs. Ryan and Oakley, commissioners of the State.
They reported that the canal liabilities were $4,846,756,
and that the securities for the redemption of the $1,600,-
000 were satisfactory. Governor Ford then drafted
the contract with the bond-holders and trust deed to
them, containing the guarantees of the defective legisla-
tive act, and after many trials and tribulations the work
of obtaining subscriptions to the loan was finished. The
loan was negotiated by AY. H. Swift and David Leavitt,
trustees on the part of the bond-holders, and Jacob Fry,
State trustee ; and as the reader has been informed, the
$1,600,000 was to be expended in prosecuting the " shal-
low-cut," or cheap plan, the surface waters of the Des-
plaines and Calumet being relied upon as feeders for
the upper end of the canal. Undoubtedly the father of
the "shallow-cut" plan was Russel E. Heacock, a
pioneer lawyer and an able man. His early residence
was near the outlet of the proposed canal, and he had
interested himself deeply in the progress of the work ;
so that when there seemed a probability that, on account
of the expense of the undertaking, the State would
abandon the canal altogether, Mr. Heacock threw his
energies into the determination to have a canal, even if
a cheap one. He argued, he pleaded, he talked, he
wrote, and at last became known in person as " shallow
cut " No doubt, in view of his success in the matter,
he was perfectly willing to have the name attached to
him.

But although the Legislature had " authorized " the
finishing of the canal on the "shallow-cut" plan, it could
not decree that water should run up hill, and it was yet
an unsolved problem, notwithstanding all figures and
reports, whether a sufficient supply of water could be
obtained to operate the canal on this high level. Ex-
perience has shown that, without another " idea," this
scheme would have been a failure. During the dry
portion of the season the water from Mud Lake and
the Desplaines River is inadequate to the demands of
navigation at the lower level, where the other feeders
are obtained. The happy thought which finally devel-
oped into a plan to overcome this objection, came from
the practical men connected with the Chicago Mechan-
ics' Institute. In the fall of 1843 a committee from that
institution, consisting of John Gage, Ira Miltimore, and
H. L. Fulton, prepared a plan for raising water, by
steam pumps, from the Chicago River, and supplying it
to the canal on the summit level, above the Desplaines
and other feeders. Governor Ford gave them little
encouragement, but Governor Davis was so impressed
with the feasibility of the project that he presented it
to the consideration of his principals, and the plan was
finally adopted. The " idea " was conceived by Ira
Miltimore, who constructed Chicago's first water works,
and was one of her most talented engineers.

By July, 1845, Mr. Gooding, the canal engineer, had
perfected his department, with Edward B. Talcott as
principal assistant. The force, in addition, consisted of
two resident engineers, six assistants, rodmen, draughts-
men, etc. Operations on the canal were first begun in
September, 1843, but on account of the great preva-
lence of sickness in the valley of the Illinois, little prog-
ress was made until after Engineer Gooding had com-

THE ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL.

171

pleted his first estimate of the cost of the work, in
October, 1845. Up to November 30, 1845, the pay-
ments on the subscriptions to the $1,600,000 loan had
amounted to $308,000. In April of the next year the
European subscribers paid their first installment upon
a basis of thirty-two per cent. The American subscrib-
ers had paid on a basis of forty per cent. By a subse-
quent vote of the board the payments were equalized,
so that, according to the amount subscribed, each could
register the same percentage of indebtedness against
the canal. Previous to this equalization, the total
amount subscribed in Illinois was $160,852; from the
date of the organization of the canal board in June,
1845, to November 30, 1846, Illinois subscribers paid
in $94,810; New York, $273,841; French and English,
$721,000, of which the French contributed about one-
quarter. The total receipts from all sources during
that time amounted to $1,105,358. This was a very
important year in the history of the canal. There
never was more of a certainty that the enterprise would
be completed, in one shape or another. Several points
yet remained undecided. Among the most important
were those involved in the consideration of the plan
submitted by the Mechanics' Institute to pump a water
supply into the Desplaines through the Chicago River.
The commissioners had determined that it was neces-
sary to obtain a supply of about six thousand feet per
minute more than could be furnished by the Calumet
and Desplaines at low water. To accomplish this, two
plans had been suggested; one was to construct a
feeder, over thirty miles in length, from the Fox River;
the other was the plan proposed by the Mechanics'
Institute. The pumping plan was adopted, both as the
cheapest and most effective. It was during 1845-46,
also, that the Illinois & Michigan Canal was not only
coming clearly into light as the foundation of Chicago's
prosperity, but it was discovered that the firm estab-
lishment of the enterprise saved this city to the State
of Illinois. To explain the matter it is necessary to
remind the reader that the ordinance of 17S7 authorized
the organization of three states south of a line drawn
due east and west from the most southerly bend of
Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, and two States
north of such a line might be formed. It is clearly set
forth in John Wentworth's reminiscences that many
settlements north of this line were unanimously in favor
of being attached to Wisconsin. Within the limits of
the disputed tract resided the two Illinois Congressmen,
and upon them many citizens residing north of 42 ° 30'
lavished promise after promise, in case they would
support the annexation. Mr. Wentworth says:

" The disputed tract had two Congressmen, the Hon. Joseph
P. Hoge, of Galena, now an eminent lawyer in San Francisco,
and myself. And Wisconsin, offered to make us the first two Sen-
ators, and also offered to give the disputed tract the first Governor.
It was proposed to enact a law submitting the binding force of the
ordinance of 1787 to the Supreme Court of the United States. Our
Chicago people were much divided upon the question, and I really
believe serious consequences would have grown out of it but for the
embarrassments that would be caused by having the Illinois &* Michi-
gan Canal owned by two states. As an original question, all the
five states being out of the Union, there is no doubt but Congress
would have enforced the provisions of the ordinance, and Illinois
been cut off from the lakes, and her Legislature saved from the an-
noyance of Chicago lobbyists. But might made right. Wisconsin
being out of the Union, she could only come into it with boundaries
prescribed by a majority of the states in it, and I lost the honor of
being a Wisconsin United States Senator."

One of the first acts of the board of 1847 was to
take the unfinished work on the summit-level of the canal
into its own hands, so as to complete the main line by
the spring of 1848. During the year the third European

and the fourth American installments on the loan were
called in, the receipts, inclusive of November, amount-
ing to $1,577,000, or nearly $400,000 more than the ex-
penditures. Of course there were drawbacks to the
progress of the work, and during 1847 and 1848 a feel-
ing of dissatisfaction found expression through Colonel
Oakley, the State trustee. He brought grave charges
of mismanagement and favoritism against Mr. Gooding,
the engineer. Testimony was taken on the charges,
which were denied in a very conclusive letter written by
that gentleman. Certain it was that the charges were
not proven. Neither were those brought against Messrs.
Swift and Leavitt, the bond-holders' trustees, to the
effect that they were delaying the completion of the
canal, in order that they might retain profitable offices.
Notwithstanding an investigation, they retained their
offices, and went on vigorously prosecuting the work.
The severe sickness experienced in the valley of the
Illinois in 1846, the strike of the canal laborers on the
summit-level in 1847, and the disagreements between
the State trustee, the bondholders' trustees, the engineer,
the Governor and the public, no doubt did delay the
progress of the work.

By April, 1848, all was ready for the passage of the
first boat. On the 10th of that month the " General
Fry " arrived from Lockport, and passed over the sum-
mit-level to Chicago, being towed by the Propeller " A.
Rossiter."

As the boat passed through the city it was greeted
with cheering, which was renewed at the different
bridges. Upon its entrance into the river, Mayor Wood-
worth welcomed the delegation from Lockport, and an
eloquent speech was delivered by Charles Walker. The
formal opening of the canal, on April 16, was the occa-
sion of a fete, even more enthusiastic than that of July
4, 1836. Boats started from LaSalle and Chicago at
the same moment. That from Chicago, bearing canal
officials and prominent citizens, arrived at Lockport, at
noon of the fete day. Mayor Woodworth delivered the
address of welcome and G. A. Parks the oration. Upon
the 24th of the month the "General Thornton " arrived
at Chicago, from LaSalle, laden with sugar and other
goods, from New Orleans and en route to Buffalo. The
freight was transferred to the steamer " Louisiana," and
arrived at Buffalo, April 30, two weeks before the first
boat by the Erie Canal had reached that port. The
canal was at length completed.

Having thus been able to witness the completion of
a work upon which he had been actively engaged for
twelve years, Mr. Gooding, soon after the passage of
the first boats through the canal, was removed by the
Governor, and Edward B. Talcott, his former assistant,

was appointed in his place. In October, however, upon
the death of Robert Stuart, the secretary of the board,
Mr. Gooding, was appointed to that position. During
the fall a large sale of lots took place at Chicago, and
a dividend of six per cent was authorized on the princi-
pal of the $1,600,000 loan. The amount of canal property
was now vested in the board of trustees was 224,965
acres of land and 5,927 town lots, appraised at $2,126,-
355. The main canal from Bridgeport to LaSalle, not
including the four miles of river from Bridgeport to
Chicago harbor, was ninety-six miles in length, sixty
feet wide at the surface, thirty-six feet at the bottom,

172

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

and six feet deep. At this time, in fair weather, the
waters of the lake were about eight feet below the sum-
mit-level of the canal. The pumping engines therefore
proved to be most necessary auxiliaries for the success-
ful working of the canal. They were two in number, of
about 160-horse power each, and pumped seven thou-
sand cubic feet of water per minute. The cost of the
extensive engine-house and the machinery was $54,000.
The engines were first put in motion on February 10,
1S4S. Along the line of the canal were seventeen
locks, four aqueducts, culverts, bridges, dams, canal
basins, lock-houses, waste wiers, the inevitable tow
paths, and all the usual accompaniments of such an in-
stitution. The rates of toll ranged from three and a
half cents on common freight boats per mile to six
cents on passenger boats ; and for each passenger over
eight years old four mills per mile, sixty pounds of bag-
gage being transported free. The toll on articles of
commerce varied from three to twenty-five cents per
thousand pounds.

When the work was completed, the sturdy men, the
dav laborers, became homesteaders, squatters, or purchas-
ers of town lots. Almost all became settlers along
the line between Chicago and LaSalle ; the remainder
were nomadic and are perhaps following the directors
of internal improvements up to these times. They, and
the more pretentious workers upon the canal, were no
doubt gratified at the life which even the first season of
navigation presented. The waters of the canal were
covered with craft of every kind, and the locks were in
constant motion. The canal was closed by ice on the
night of November 29, 184S, but during the two hun-
dred and twenty-four days of navigation that season
the tolls collected at Chicago amounted to $52,000, and
S35.000 at LaSalle. The sale of canal lots in Chicago
for the season amounted to $400,000. Money circu-
lated freely. Business of all kinds was encouraged to
a remarkable activity. A new era of financial prosper-
ity was not only inaugurated by the completion of the
canal, but by the rapid advance in value of lands ; and,
by virtue of the provision of the new constitution, levy-
ing a special tax of two mills for the purpose, the
burdensome debt of $1,600,000, .which clung to the
enterprise, was, in a few years, completely extinguished.
Thus, it would seem, after many years, that the bread
which had been cast upon the troubled financial waters,
was returning to bless the people of the State.

The expenditures on this great public work from the
organization of the board of trustees, in May, 1845, to
November 30, 1848, or the date of closing of the first
season of navigation, was $1,719,859.32; receipts,
si. 949, 042. 09. This balance was charged with the sum
of .si 28,300 prior to the opening of navigation in 1849,
including interest and principal of loan, construction of
Calumet feeders, repairs and incidental expenses.

But as difficulties precede the accomplishment of
any ^reat undertaking, so they seem to have a faculty
of following ever in its wake. Navigation through the
canal was seriously impeded during the early part of the
season by the pain ity of the water supply. The Calumet
feeder, seventeen miles in length, was not completed
until the fall of 1849; consequently the supply for the
upper end of the canal was obtained from the lake, by
means of the pumping works at Bridgeport, from the
Desplaines and DuPage rivers. The eleven miles of
canal from Joliet to the DuPage proved leaky, also,
Owing to tin; porous nature of the soil, and upon this
division, in spite of the utmost exertions on the part of
the engines, the level could only be raised at the rate of
one inch in twenty-four hours. Then, during the winter

of 1848 and spring following came the disastrous fresh-
ets and ice jams, which injured the works quite seriously.
Many claims for pre-emptions under the act of 1843
were also being pressed against the board of trustees
for settlement. Among them were several for lands
and town lots in Chicago and neighborhood, for quite
extensive amounts. The trustees were the judges or
commissioners on these claims, and according to their
interpretation of the law, they awarded to each claimant
in the proportion of two blocks for each 160 acres.
"Many of the claimants were dissatisfied and sought re-
lief through the courts, but the action of the trustees
was sustained in 1851. The trustees had scarcely un-
burdened the canal of these vexatious suits before the
Illinois River took it upon itself to fall so low as to re-
fuse the passage of first-class boats to LaSalle. Second
and third class craft only could navigate its waters. In
August, 1852, Congress applied $30,000 toward the
work of dredging its channel. The next year the pas-
senger traffic of the canal showed so marked a falling
off, because of the building of the Rock Island Railroad,
and the running of a daily line of boats, in connection
with it, between St. Louis and LaSalle, that, during the
early part of 1854 the canal management were obliged
to reduce their tolls. Another season of remarkably
low water in the Illinois River, during 1856, suspended
navigation for some time, and reduced the canal revenue
nearly $60,000. The feeders failed to supply sufficient
water and the pumps of Bridgeport were worked vigor-
ously for nearly four months. It was becoming evident
that, even with their aid, the "shallow-cut" plan had,
unfortunately, been forced upon the State by considera-
tions of economy.

These checks, however, seemed but slight draw-
backs when compared with the really grand results
which had followed the completion of the canal. The
semi-annual sale of lands had been prodigious,
bringing large sums of money into circulation, and lift-
ing the whole State into financial prosperity. Of the
seven millions of dollars which the trustees had received
during the decade following the opening of the canal,
about half of that amount was derived from the sale of
lands. Chicago, especially, profited by this new order
of things. Annual land sales were held in that city,
and immigration poured into her borders. Thousands
of dollars were put into circulation, outside of what was
thrown into the channels of trade from the sale and
transfer of real estate. The canal tolls at this point
alone, aggregated over a million dollars in ten years.
More than five and a half million bushels of wheat,
twenty-six million bushels of corn, twenty-seven million
pounds of pork, five hundred and sixty-three million
feet of lumber and fifty thousand tons of coal were sent
through the Canal during the same period. This was
certainly a good record for an enterprise of ten years'
standing.

During this decade there had been several changes
in the management. Charles Oakley, the State trustee,
died January 1, 1849. His successor was J. B. Wells.
W. H. Swift and David Leavitt were again chosen trus-
tees for the bond-holders, in May, 1849. In February,
1852, Josiah McRoberts was appointed State trustee by
the Governor, and the election by the bond-holders in
May resulted in retaining Messrs. Swift and Leavitt in
office for another term. The loan of $1,600,000, with
interest, was paid in 1853. As stated, Captain Swift
and 1 )avid Leavitt were appointed trustees by the bond-
holders under the provisions of the act of 1842-43, and
held their office from that time until the canal was com-
pleted and the entire debt paid off in 1853.- They then

THE ILLINOIS & MICHIGAN CANAL.

173

surrendered the works and the unsold lands to the State
of Illinois. Soon after they went into office Isaac N.
Arnold was appointed the attorney of the board of trus-
tees, and acted in that capacity until the trust was exe-
cuted.

From 1848 to 1S53 the subscribers to the $1,600,000
loan had received no less than $2,1 1 1,794.78. In April,
[854, E. B. Talcott, general superintendent of the canal,
resigned his position, after a connection with the enter-
prise of eighteen years. William Gooding, engineer
(and later secretary1, for the same length of time
was chosen for that position. John B. Preston was ap-
pointed general superintendent in April, 1855. In 1857
Charles H. Ray, of Chicago, was appointed State trus-
tee, and Messrs. Swift and Leavitt were continued in
office.

During February and March of 1857, under the
provisions of the act of 1847, a large amount of canal
indebtedness or scrip was funded. It will be remem-
bered that all except a few hundred dollars of these
canal checks had been paid and retired from circula-
tion. But large numbers of them appeared again,
sometimes being presented to the secretary of the fund
commission under different names, but all apparently
by the same hand — that of Governor Joel A. Matteson,
whilom contractor of the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
Mr. Matteson was the principal stockholder in the Illi-
nois State Bank, and it was alleged that, having con-
verted these checks into bonds, he presented them to
the Auditor of State, as security for his bank circula-
tion. During the next session of the Legislature it
came to the knowledge of General Thornton, General
Fry and Mr. Manning the two first named having
acted as State trustees, and the latter as secretary of the
board of canal commissioners , that $50 and $100 checks,
which had been paid by the bank in 1839 but not can-
celed, were again afloat, and were being funded by
Governor Matteson. An investigation was at once
commenced, and in February, 1859, a ^aw was passed
to "indemnify the State against loss by reason of un-
lawful funding of canal indebtedness." Under its pro-
visions Governor Matteson executed a mortgage and

an indemnifying bond to the State, to cover specified
bonds into which the scrip had been funded by him.
The legislative finance committee charged that the
State Treasurer had paid him an amount of money
equal to $223,182.66, on account of these canal checks.
The indemnifying act passed, upon the recommenda-
tion of the finance committee, authorized him to give
security for the repayment of this sum within five years
from the date of its approval, which resulted in the exe-
cution of the mortgage and the bond. The testimony
deduced by the finance committee seemed to conclu-
sively prove that the uncanceled checks of the $50 and
$100 denominations passed from the hands of the State
trustee to Governor Matteson. The Grand Jury of
Sangamon County, however, which sat in May, 1859,
failed to bring in a true bill for larceny, although their
first vote favored such a finding.

In the foregoing narrative it has been shown what
twenty-one years of persistent endeavor was able to
accomplish. From the commencement of work in 1836
to its suspension in 1843, its final completion in 1848,
and to the gathering of the financial harvest of 1848-57,
the canal enterprise presented many new phases to the
public. Intermixed with much honest endeavor must, of
necessity, have been found some dishonesty and attempt
at self-aggrandizement and purely selfish gain. Yet the
men who carried forward the great work to a success-
ful completion, and then conducted it with such re-
markable profit to themselves, the bond-holders and the
State, were not certainly the intellectual superiors of the
men of 1835-39, who failed so signally in their efforts to
give the new West a great water-way. The successful ones
had the revival spirit of the times to help them on, the use
of money which that spirit drew forth from its resting
places at home and abroad to aid them, and the require-
ments of the immigration epoch to support their enter-
prise. It shared the fortunes of Chicago — or rather
Chicago shared its fortunes — and they both became
great and prosperous. The canal even retained its
prestige during the season of depression in 1857. Ref-
erence to subsequent volumes of this History is here
made for the work done since 1857.

CORPORATE HISTORY.

CREATION OF THE TOWN.

The few families who reposed within the shadows
of Fort Dearborn first realized that civic authority ex-
tended to their cabin doors in 1823. It was then that
the officials of Fulton County, to which this unorganized
region was attached, levied a tax of five mills to the
dollar upon all personal property in the settlement, ex-
empting only household furniture, as provided by law.
Amherst C. Ransom, Justice of the Peace, served as
Collector, and enriched the treasury by the sum of
Si 1.42, thereby demonstrating that the total valuation
of embryo Chicago was but $2,284. When Peoria
County was created in 1825, Chicago came within its
jurisdiction. Even at this time Chicago had but a
mythical existence, the name applying sometimes to the
river and again to a cluster of cabins on its marshy
shores or sandy banks. But the Illinois & Michigan
Canal having at length obtained its coveted and magnifi-
cent land grant, the commissioners were authorized to
lay 1 iiit towns upon the sections which fell to them.
Chicago was accordingly surveyed, and a plat of it pub-
lished by James Thompson, a canal surveyor, on Au-
gust 4, 1830. This date marks the birthday of Chicago
as a town, and the " Fort Dearborn settlement " disap-
peared. The section falling to the canal interest, upon
which Chicago was platted, was No. 9, situated immedi-
ately north of School Section No. 16. The line be-
tween the two sections was Madison, and their eastern
boundary State Street.

East of State Street, extending from Madison Street
north one mile, was the tract included in the Fort Dear-
born Reservation and the Kinzie pre-emption, which
afterward became additions to the town. The portion
north of the river had been pre-empted by Robert Kin-
zie, for the family, and the portion south comprised the
Reservation. Section 15 was a canal section and was
not sun-eyed for some years afterward. Section 9,
'•the original town," and to which all other surveys are
additions, fortunately covered the ground along the
main channel of the river and at the junction of its two
branches. The original limits of Chicago were Madi-
son, Desplaines, Kinzie and State streets, embracing an
area of about three-eighths of a square mile. The pub-
lic thoroughfares running east and west were, as re-
< orded on Thompson's map, " Kenzie," Carroll, Fulton,
on the West Side . South Water, Lake, Randolph and
Washington streets, naming them in their order from
the north; while those lying north and south were Jef-
ferson, Clinton, Canal, West and East Water, Market,
Franklin, Wells, " La Selles," Clark and Dearborn
streets, naming them in their order from the west. In-
cluded within these brief limits were the hitherto inde-
pendent settlements of Wolf Point, west of the river's
fork, and the " lower village," on the South Side. Thus
Chicago was no longer a " settlement " merely, and during
the year succeeding its survey the young town received
increased distinction by being designated as the seat of
justice of the newly organized county of Cook. In
June, 1 83 1, the State granted to the county twenty- four

canal lots, which were not in one body, however, but
the proceeds of which were to be used in the erection
of public buildings. Sixteen lots were sold to pay cur-
rent expenses. The eight remaining constituted the
public square. The result of this generosity on the part
of the State was seen in March, 1832, when, through
the architectural skill of Samuel Miller, contractor,

(2J et^rrmsi^^ y>7*>t>Usu-

there arose upon the southwest corner of the square, the
so-called "estray-pen." Although sometimes desig-
nated and dignified as "the first public building ever
erected in Chicago," the " pen " was a small wooden
enclosure and quite roofless. Mr. Miller's bid for the
work was $20, but he accepted $12 from the commis-
sioners; thereby admitting, as charged by the county
authorities, that he did not do his work according to
contract. During this year and the next, 1833, general
attention was called to Chicago by the valiant efforts
which her citizens were making to obtain a harbor ap-
propriation; and in addition to this mode of advertising
the "canal enthusiasm" was spreading from Chicago
all over the country. Many accessions were, therefore,
made to her population, and some of the new arrivals
were of that permanent character so valuable to a
young community. The summer of 1833 saw Chicago
with a population of about three hundred and fifty, and
her citizens prepared to organize, under the general
legislative act, for the incorporation of towns, passed
February 12, 1831. By its provisions citizens of any
town containing over one hundred and fifty inhabitants
were authorized to hold a meeting, and decide whether
they wished to become incorporated. If the aforesaid
citizens favored the assumption of corporate dignity, then
the clerk of the convention or meeting, was to give at
least five days' notice that an election would be held to
choose five Town Trustees, who were to hold office for
one year. The Board of Trustees were endowed with
the usual powers — to abate nuisances, gambling, dis-
orderly conduct; to prevent fast driving and enforce
police regulations; to license shows, control markets,
take charge of the streets and sidewalks, and to provide
the means for protecting the town against fire. The
limits of the town were not to exceed one square mile,
within which limits the Trustees were to have
jurisdiction. They could call out any citizen to work
on the public roads for three days in every year. The
tax-levy was fixed at fifty cents on every hundred dol-
lars of assessed valuation. The Trustees were denied
the right to impose a fine of more than $5 for breach
of any of their ordinances, and two-thirds of the quali-
fied voters of the town, at any annual election, could
dissolve the corporation.

Late in July, 1833,* a public meeting was held to
decide whether incorporation should or should not be

* liross's " History of Chicago,'' p. 28. Colbert gives the date August 5,
which is the date of the election notice now on file with the City Clerk.

CREATION OF THE TOWN.

175

effected. The record of that meeting stands as fol-
lows:

" At a meeting of the citizens of Chicago, convened pursuant
to public notice given according to the statute for incorporating
towns, T. J. V. Owen was chosen President, and E. S. Kimberly
was chosen Clerk. The oaths were then administered by Russel E.
Heacock, a Justice of the Peace for Cook County, when the fol-
lowing vote was taken on the propriety of incorporating the Town
of Chicago, County of Cook, State of Illinois :

"For incorporation — John S. C. Hogan, C. A. Ballard, I',. W.
Snow, R. J. Hamilton, J. T. Temple, John W, Wright, G. W.
Dole, Hiram Pearsons, Alanson Sweet, E. S. Kimberly, T. J. V.
Owen, Mark Beaubien — 12.

"Against incorporation — Russel E. Heacock.

" We certify the above poll to be cprrect.

" Signed, T. J. V. Owen, President.

" En. S. Kimberly, Clerk."

In pursuance with the requirements of law, Dr.
Kimberly, acting in his official capacity of Clerk, issued
an election notice, which read thus :

" Publick notice is hereby given that an election will be holden
at the house of Mark Beaubien, on Saturday, the 10th day of
August, at II o'clock in the forenoon of that day, for the purpose
of choosing five trustees of the Town of Chicago.

" Chicago, August 5, 1833.

" E. S. Kimberly, Town Clerk.

" N. B. — The poll will close at one o'clock."

An election was held at the time and place desig-
nated. Twenty-eight electors were legally entitled to
exercise their privilege as freemen, and of that number

no less than thirteen consented to assume the role of
candidates for office. The enrollment recorded the
names of E. S. Kimberly, J. B. Beaubien, Mark Beau-
bien, T. J. V. Owen, William Ninson, Hiram Pearsons,
Philo Carpenter, George Chapman, John W. Wright,
John T. Temple, Mathias Smith, David Carver, James
Kinzie, Charles Taylor, John S. C. Hogan, Eli A. Rider,

<5W~^^M

Dexter J. Hapgood, George W. Snow, Madore B
Beaubien, Gholson Kercheval, George W. Dole, R. J
Hamilton, Stephen F. Gale, Enoch Darling, W. H
Adams, C. A. Ballard, John Watkins and James Gilbert
There were twenty-eight ballots cast. John Miller
being a candidate himself, refrained from voting.

The list of the candidates included the names of
T. J. V. Owen, George W. Dole, Madore B. Beaubien,
John Miller, E. S. Kimberly, R. J. Hamilton, James
Kinzie, J. T. Temple, J. B. Beaubien, Philo Carpenter,
John W. Wright, Robert A. Kinzie, and John S. C.
Hogan.

The successful candidates were :

T. J. V. Owen _. 26

George W. Dole 26

Madore B. Beaubien __ _ 13

John Miller _ __ 20

E. S. Kimberly __ 20

The scattering vote was distributed as follows :
Philo Carpenter, 1 ; John Wright, 2 ; R. J. Hamilton,
4 ; James Kinzie, 5 ; John T. Temple, 5 ; J. B. Beau-
bien, 6 ; Robert A. Kinzie, 9 ; John S. C. Hogan, 3.

The first meeting of the Board was held two days
subsequent to the election, and no record-book having
been provided, the original proceedings were transcrib-

ed upon a large sheet of paper, by Mr. Hamilton, the
Clerk pro tan. All the members were present, and re-
ceived the oath of office from Mr. Hamilton, a notary
public, and an organization was effected by the election
of Thomas J. V. Owen President and Isaac Harmon
Clerk. It was ordered by the Board that meetings
should be held at the house of Mark Beaubien, on the
first Wednesday in each month, at seven o'clock v. M.,
beginning with Wednesday, September 4, 1833.

At the first regular business meeting held by the
Board, on that date, a free ferry was established across
the river at Dearborn Street. George W. Dole was
chosen Town Treasurer for one year.

At the time of the organization of the town its lim-
its were defined as follows : Beginning at the intersec-
tion Of Jackson and Jefferson streets; thence north to
Cook Street, and through that street to its eastern ex-
tremity in Wabansia; thence on a direct line to Ohio
Street in Kinzie's addition; thence eastwardly to the
lake shore; thence south with the line of beach to the
northern United States pier; thence northwardly along
said pier to its termination; thence to the channel of the
Chicago River; thence along said channel until it inter-
sects the eastern boundary line of the town of Chicago,
as laid out by the canal commissioners; thence south-
wardly with said line until it meets Jackson Street;
thence westwardly along Jackson Street until it reaches
the place of beginning.

During the fall of 1833, the citizens felt that some-
thing more metropolitan was required than the "estray
pen." The log jail was therefore built on the northwest
corner of the square. One set of contractors failed to
build the jail, but the structure was finally completed,
and Officer Beach, father of Dr. J. S. Beach, possessed
the keys of authority. ' As offenders against the laws in-
creased, an addition, in the form of an oaken cell, or
jail, was built, separate from the first structure. Dr.
Beach, then a boy, states that he had known this small
building to contain as many as twenty-eight prisoners
at one time. It was during these days that Benjamin
Jones was appointed Street Commissioner, but on ac-
count of ill-health resigned before his term expired, and
was succeeded by O. Morrison and Silas W. Sherman.
Isaac Harmon was chosen Collector. On December 4,
George W. Snow became Assessor and Surveyor, and
John Dean Caton, Corporation Counsel.

A code of local laws was adopted in November,
1833, regulating the ordinary affairs of the town. The
Democrat, which made its first appearance November
26, was designated the official newspaper of the town.

During this month also the limits of the town were
extended to embrace the tract bounded by the lake on the
east and State Street on the west, Ohio Street on the
north and Jackson Street on the south.

The corporate limits were again extended, by virtue
of an act adopted February 11, 1834, so as to include
all land lying east of State Street to the lake shore, from
Chicago Avenue and Twelfth Street, except the milita-
ry reservation, which lay from the river south to Madi-
son Street.

The second election was held August n, 1834, at
which time J. H. Kinzie, G. S. Hubbard, E. Goodrich,
J. K. Boyer, and John S. C. Hogan were chosen
Trustees. The official roster for that year is: J. H.
Kinzie, President; Isaac Harmon, Clerk and Collector;
J. S. C. Hogan, Treasurer, resigned in June and suc-
ceeded by Charles M. Pettit; James W. Reed, Super-
visor of Roads and Bridges, resigned in November, and
succeeded by E. E. Hunter, who in turn was succeeded
by J. K. Boyer; N. G. Wright, Fire Warden; Edwards

1 76

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

W. Casey, Corporation Counsel, and, from November,
Clerk and Collector.

The first financial obligation incurred by the town
was for $00. borrowed in October, 1834, to drain State
Street and redeem a large slough.

Several important measures were instituted during
1835. Among them were the establishment, in June,
oi a permanent Board of Health; the creation, in
November, of a Fire Department; the borrowing, in
June, of S-.ooo. with which to improve the sanitary
condition of the place, as a preventive against the
threatened invasion of cholera; and the adoption, in
August, of a lengthy and comprehensive code of local
laws. November 21, a seal was adopted by the Board,
but neither the instrument itself, nor any impression
made thereby remains; the few documents which sur-
vived the fire of 187 1 being without a copy from which
a reproduction can be made for use here.

The increase of population and extension of corpo-
rate limits suggested the enlargement of the Board of
Trustees, and a vote was passed by the Legislature, fix-
ing the number of members at nine.

The third election was held in July, 1835, and re-
sulted as follows: H. Hugunin, President; YV. Kimball,

^l^t

S^U^tf C^tZ^Ux^

/

B. King, S. Jackson, E. B. Williams, F. C. Sherman, A.
Loyd and George W. Dole, Trustees; A. N. Fullerton,
Clerk, who was succeeded by Ebenezer Peck, who also
acted as Counsel; George W. Dole, Treasurer; John
K. Boyer, Street Commissioner; O. Morrison, Collector
and Constable; E. B. Talcott, Surveyor; A. Stole,
Assessor; J. Bates and J. Haight, Measurers of Wood
and Lumber. Minor changes occurred during the year
in these offices.

During the fall of the year (1835,! a one-story and
basement brick court-house was erected on the north-
east corner of the square, on Clark and Randolph
streets. The county offices were in the lower story ;
the court-room, which was above, being one oblong
apartment, capable of seating two hundred persons.

The fourth and last election under the town system
was held at the Tremont House June 6, 1836. E. B.

<^& /^%^C^i^^

Williams was chosen to preside over the deliberations of
the Board, the members of which were S. G. Trowbridge,
Peter Bolles, L. P. Updike, A. D. Taylor, William B.
Ogden, A. Pierce, T. G. Wright and J. Jackson. C. V.
Dver was elected Clerk, but resigned at once, Ebenezer
Peck assuming the duties of office, but he in turn was
succeeded in September by James Curtiss. The official
list comprised W. McClintock, Street Commissioner ; O.
Morrison, Constable ; X. H. Bolles, Assessor and Col-
in tor ; George W. Dole, Treasurer, and James H.
Rees, Surveyor.

The era of internal improvement upon which this
region had entered accelerated immigration, and in^
spired with hopes of prosperity those who had made

Chicago their abiding-place. The canal was advancing
along the line of completion ; a system of water-works
was already inaugurated under the title of the Hydraulic
Company, and, above all else, the hearts of the commu-
nity beat high with firm faith in the ultimate fulfillment
of a lofty destiny for Chicago. Actuated by a spirit of
unequaled courage, the leading citizens of the town
determined upon its incorporation as a city. On the
iSth of November, 1836, the Trustees ordered that " the
President, E. B. Williams, invite the citizens of the three
districts of the town to meet in their respective districts
and select three suitable persons to meet with the Board
of Trustees on Thursday next November 24,) and con-
sult on the expediency of applying to the Legislature of
the State for a city charter, and adopt a draft to accom-
pany such application."

The meeting was held and a delegation selected as
follows: District No. 1 — Ebenezer Peck, William Stuart,
E. W. Casey ; District No. 2 — J. Dean Caton, J. W.
Chadwick, William Forsythe ; District No. 3 — J. H. Kin-
zie, W. L. Newberry, T. W. Smith. The result of the
union conference was the appointment of a committee,
consisting of two members of the Board and one citizen
from each of the divisions of the city, to draft a charter.
That committee comprised Messrs. Peck, Caton, and
Smith, for the people, and Messrs. Peter Bolles and

T>

William B. Ogden for the Board. A charter was pre-
pared and submitted to the people for approval, at a
meeting held in the Saloon Building. A large majority
of those in attendance voted for adoption of the docu-
ment without amendment ; but that vote was speedily
reconsidered, and an animated discussion of the sixty-
second section ensued, relative to the assumption of in-
debtedness by the proposed city authorities. Some of
the more sanguine residents were so imbued with the
progressive tendencies of the times that they favored
the unlimited extension of power in that direction. A
more prudent counsel prevailed, however, and the
capacity of the corporation to incur debt was limited to
$100,000 per year. With this alteration in the original
draft, the people endorsed the proposition to change the
corporate character of Chicago. Mr. Stuart, secretary
of the public meeting, observes that " in the opinion of
the chairman, nearly four-fifths of the citizens assembled
favored the charter."

CREATION OF THE CITY.

On the 4th of March, 1837, the charter was passed
and approved by the Legislature, and Chicago became
a city. The corporate limits were defined in Section 1
as follows :

" That the district of country in the county of Cook, in the State
aforesaid, known as the east half of the southeast quarter of sec-
tion thirty-three in township forty, and fractional section thirty-four
in the same township, the east fourth part of sections six, seven,
eighteen and nineteen in the same township; also fractional section
three, section four, section five, section eight, section nine and
fractional section ten, except the southwest fractional quarter of
section ten, occupied as a military post until the same shall be
private property; fractional section fifteen, section sixteen, section
seventeen, section twenty, section twenty-one and fractional section

? s

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a

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CREATION OF THE CITY.

177

twenty-two, in township thirty-nine north, range number fourteen
east of the third principal meridian in the State aforesaid.

" SECTION 3. The said city shall be divided into six wards, as
follows : All that part of the city which lies south of the Chicago
River and east of the center of Clark Street, following the center of
Clark Street to the south line of section sixteen, thence following
the said south line of section sixteen to the center of State Street, and
a line parallel with the center of said street to the southern boundary
of said city, shall be denominated the First Ward of said city ; all
that part of the said city which lies south of said Chicago River, west
of the First Ward and east of the South Branch of said Chicago
River, shall be denominated the Second Ward of said city ; all that
part of the said city lying west of the aforesaid South Branch of the
Chicago River, south of the center of Randolph Street, and by a
line parallel with the center of said Randolph Street, to the western
boundary of said city, shall be denominated the Third Ward ; all
that part of said city which lies north of the said Third Ward, and
west of the said Chicago River, and to the North and South
branches thereof, shall be denominated the Fourth Ward of said

Conner, A. Jackson Cox, J. G. Dawley, Charles V. Dyer, Thomas
Ely, Charles M. Gray, Joseph II. I .ray. David 1'. Foot, Jared
Fordham, C. C. Franklin, John llackett, Fri B, llulbert, Henry
King, John Knight, David Lake, George Lamb, sworn, Albert G.
Leary, W. McClintock, Alexander McDommcrly, John Mclray,
Fphriam Morrison, Orsemus Morrison, Luther Nicols, Peter
Pruyne, John Robson, John Summons, J. Shadeller, James Sin-
clair, Barney Smith, John Smith, S. F. Spaulding, Augustin D.
Taylor. Edmund D. Taylor, Peter L. Updike, H. C. Walker,
Anson Weed, Slater West, Fli 11. Williams, William Worthington,
William Jones, W. West, II. L. Patterson, S. Ward, Fdward L.
Thrall, H. J. Walker, Ambrose Burnham, F. dale, J. K. Palmer,
II. Burk, L. Morse, William Montgomery, Alexander N. Fuller-
ton, J. Scott, James M. Strode, David S. Smith, Alanson Follans-
bee, W. Winters, B. H. Kent, Chester Tupper, M. Shonts, Daniel
Miller, James H. Collins, John Kelly, Joseph Adams, Daniel Mc-
Kinzie, Ebene/.er Peck, J. Wentworth, sworn, E. II. Mulford,
Daniel Brainard, W. Andrews, Enoch Plummer, J. C. Goodhue.
H. Herrington, Robinson Tripp, Ira Couch, John Wright, C. W,

Copyright secured by A. T, Andreas

THE FIRST COURT-HOUSE.

city ; all that part of said city which lies north of the Chicago
River and east of the North Branch thereof, and west of the center
of Clark Street, to the center of Chicago Avenue, and lying south
of the center of Chicago Avenue, to the center of Franklin Street,
and lying west of Franklin Street, and a line parallel with the center
thereof to the northern boundary of said city, shall be denominated
the Fifth Ward ; and all that part of said city lying north of the
Chicago River, and east of the Fifth Ward, shall be denominated
the Sixth Ward."

First City Election. — At a meeting held by the
Board on March 31 it was resolved to hold an election
for city officers on the first Tuesday of May, the polling
places being designated as follows : First Ward, Eagle
Hotel ; Second Ward, Lincoln's Coffee House ; Third
Ward, house of Charles Taylor ; Fourth Ward, Chicago
Hotel Cox's 1 ; Fifth Ward" Canal Office ; Sixth Ward,
Franklin House. The Board also appointed three in-
spectors for each polling place. Accordingly the elec-
tion took place upon the day named May 2 , and the
following gentlemen cast their ballots :*

First Ward. — For William B. Ogden : Sidney Abell, Isaac
N. Arnold, Bennett Bailey, H. Bailey, sworn, Patrick Ballingall,
Madore B. Beaubien, Samuel C. Bennett, Nathan H. Bolles, John
Calhoun, Henry B. Clarke, J. II. Coffin, Peter Cohen, F. t'.
Directory of 1839. Corrected from polling-list of

Spafford, Francis C. Sherman, John Bovd, Hiram B. Smith, M.
O'Connor, J. F. Brown, A. J. Luce, David Carver, J. M. Smith,
L. F. Lewis, John R. Livingston, B. F. Monroe, John Patterson,
Colon Ware.

For John H. Kinzie: L. C. P. Freer, T. O. Davis, Alvin
Calhoun, Hiram Mallory, J. Young Scammon, Joseph L. Hanson.
John F. Spalding, Oliver H. Thompson, Levi D. Boone, C. B.
Ware, Joseph Meeker, J. B. Wetherell, George W. Snow, James
H. Rees, II. Markoe, William Bond, Robert Truman, James
Spence, Heman Bond, P. Balcom, J. Sharp, W. Finney, Thomas
A. Clark, Royal A. Stewart, Isaac D. Harmon, Jabez K. Botsford,
Parker M. Cole, Tyler K. Blodgett, Curtis Havens, Elijah K.
Hubbard, Ezekiel Morrison, David Gelland, James A. Smith,
Lorin Graves, David Llatch, Cyrenus Beers, Simeon Loveland,
Seth Paine, Samuel C. Dennis, Erastus Bowen, W. K. Marchal,
John L. Wilson, Thomas Wright, M. Ayres, F. A. Harding,
Thomas T. Durant, Edward Casey, George W. Merrill, John W.
Hooker, Charles C. Smith, Giles Spring, L. B. Goodsell, William
Stuart, H. Terrill, Charles Adams, J. Gardner, Alva V. Frasier,
Edward H. Haddock, Frederick A. Howe, A. Nobles, E. S. Hop-
kins, Charles McClure, S. Willis Grannis, Dexter Graves, Edward
Colvin.

Second Ward. — For William B. Ogden : Solomon Lincoln.
Henry Rhines, Samuel ]. Lowe, Thomas Marr, Russell Wheeler,
Peter Bolles, C. McWhorter, S. S. Bradley, Daniel B. Heartt,
Charles P. Hogan, P. Higgins, J. C. Hibson, W. Devere, J.
Spencer, Michael Glen, Silas W. Sherman. Richard Murphy, F. C.
Bold, John Larry, J. Outhet. J. O'Rouke, T. Watkins, J. McCor-
mick. J. J. Kinnon, McKelley, John Sarlney, John Campton,

i;S

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Michael Fitzsinimons, M. Castigen. Samuel Carpenter, P. Groover,
John Perian. Godford Stevens, H. McCarley, M. Fisher, B. Mig-
log, Hiram Hugunin, Samuel Wavman, Benjamin Briggs, Joseph
Peacock, P. McConnel, F. C, Tupper, J. N'orris, James A. Merrie,
H. Mitchell, A. Coop, George E. Horehart, M. Croushong, E.
Lelley, J. Lane, T. C. Sampson, William Alamart, D. Denney, H.
Brown. A. H. Beard. A. Gnisgutt, James O'Brien, Daniel Levin-
ney. H. Duffey, J. Beach, Eli S. "Prescott, J. Walker, John C.
Rue, Charles H. Chapman, Moses Dutton, Valentine A. Boyer, P.
J. Kimball, J. Sweeney, D. Conley, D. Crawley. R. Halney, John
Lang, Alexander Loyd, E. E. Hunter, Michael Frarey, James
Carney, Thomas Farlin, Augustus H. Burley, A. Brigg, S. J.
Graves, McDalald, John Sennet, John Dunlap, Louis Malzacher,
Stephen N. Edgel, William Wiggins, John Mitchell, Dennis S.
Dewey. A. Tholser, T. Bailey, Edmund Gill, Martin Stidel,
Samuel J. Grannis. V. Mclntire, W. M. Hartley, C. Longwood,
J. Dailey, O. Brian, Peter Casey, A. Berg, John Ashman, B. Peck,
T. Lacey, George Bryan, P. Whitmore, Robert Garner, Joseph
Shields, R. Jones, Clement Stose, J. Funk, A. Panakaske, Ed-
ward Manierre, William Hague, John H. Butler, J. M. Ham-
mond, M. Nigle, Alonzo Huntington, Edward Dimmock, William
Jinkins, Isaac R. Gavin, A. Bailey, P. J. Duncan, T. Fox, J.
McCord, J. Sullivan, A. Duckman, J. Gluwater, O. Sheppheard,
F. Goodman, D. Harsem, C. Culshaw, John W. Eldredge, William
B. French, Simon Cooley, John Ryan, Michael Buck, T. O. Maley,
Francis G. Blanchard, John K. Boyer, John Knight, J. Dickson,
James Lenon, John Archdale, M. Sandusky, Robert Hart, John
Dillon, J. P. Johnston, P. Donahue, John Rice, Peter Shaddle, L.
F. Monroe, Jacob Gramos, J. J. Jones, Peter Dolsey, John Wood-
house, Jacob Milemin, C. Benedick, Joseph Winship, John Shrig-

ley. . 0. Mahan, Thomas Wolfinger, S. B. Dane, E. F. Brown,

X. Winslow, John Gormonly, George Dolton, J. Minney, Michael
Lantry, S. Hurley, John Murphey, P. Kelley, John Black, Will-
iam B. Noble, Thomas Ghan, C. De Wier, H. Bird, J. C. Gauck,
P. Rogers.

For John H. Kinzie : John M. Turner, Star Foot, L. T.
Howard, Abraham Gale, L. Butler, George Patterson, Silas B.
Cobb, S. C. George, Joseph N. Balestier, William Truman, J. F.
T. Libb, John Jay Stuart, Smith J. Sherwood, W. Haskins, Philo
Carpenter, H. L. Roberts, Arthur G. Burley, H. Zalle, P. S.
Smith, John Pomeroy, F. D. Marshall, Thomas Hamilton, L.
Johnston, C. Walter, O. Sprague, Tuthill King, J. McLabban,
George W. Dole, R. Price, James Rockwell, John P. Cook, John
Dolesey, Francis Walker, Jeremiah Price, M. Smith, J. Briggs, E.
S. Hobbie, C. Murphy, John Casey, P. F. W. Peck, George Law,
A. S. Bates, T. Jenkins, R. Drummond, E. Simmons, James
O. Humphrev, Abram F. Clarke, H. H. Magie, A. Hatch, P. J,
Monroe, W. H. Clarke, T. C. Tucker, T. S. Hide, John P. Cha-
pin, James White, John Deim, M. Dunning, A. D. Higgins,
Thomas Brock, Benjamin W. Raymond.

Third Ward. — For William B. Ogden : Samuel Southerden,
Oliver Lozier, Hamilton Barnes, Thomas James, George U. Gun,
Henry Walton, John B. Weir, John Bates, Jr., William H. Bar-
ber, Charles Taylor, Morris O. Jones, George Varden, S. E.
Downer, William Mitchell, John Welch, George Davis, George
Brown, Patrick Welch, John Mahan, Solomon Taylor, Lewis P.
Deckart, L. C. Hugunin, Mitchell Ferryark, George Chacksfield,
John B. Miller, John Rudiman, Joseph Wilderman, Joseph Calef,
Peter Sawnett.

For John H. Kinzie: J. S. P. Lord, Ashbel Steele, Thomas
Cook, Thomas Bishop, David Bradley, Charles A. Lawber, John
Gage, James Crawford, Henry Burke.

FOURTH Ward. — For William B. Ogden: A. M. Talley,
J. W. Chadwick, Patrick Lane, E. F. Wellington, George Frost,
John B. Brodain, Seth P. Warner, George White, Homer Stratton,
A. Chapron, John Welmaher, Christian Astah, Thomas Oak,
Stephen Harrel, James Jenkins, William Carneyhaw, Robert Mar-
shall, Charles Cleaver, George M. Davis, Isaac Haight, Samuel M.
Brooks, William Ford, Samuel Akin, James Wakeman, Edward
Perkins, J. W. Titus, James Mathews, A. S. Sherman, John C.
Hugunin, P. E. Cassady, Alexander Logan, James M. Whitney,
Henry Taylor, Francis H. Taylor, Asahel Pierce, Francis Peyton,
Joel D. Howe, William Saltonstall, Amos Allen, Seth Johnson,
Philip Will, Alford Allen, Lucien Peyton, N. Christian, George
Hays, Frederick A. Howe, James Laframbois, R. W. Hyde,
■ Atterbury.

For John If. Kinzie : Edward Perkins, William Forsythe,
Francis Chapron, Marshall Cornair, Antoine Loupean, John
Ludby, Daniel Elston, Edward Parsons, James Kinzie, David
Cox.

Fifth Ward. — ForWilliam B. Ogden : John FJunchen, John
Coats, John Wilson, foseph Kent, I'.ryan Curley, John Hart, John
Lenay, J. W. Donnell, A. ( lartley, B. Cain, J. Eddy, J. McCue, J.
Mal.aughlin, B. Adouy, I'. Grodavent, I'. Scott, M. Spelman, T.
Midery, William Fowls, I'. Conlen, P. Finney, P. Morphy, II.

Galloughent, T. Weed, T. McHale, B. Ward, T. Gormoniley,

A. Sullivan, M. Burk, P. Ackles, T. Farrell, E. Gibbins, T. Mc-
Namare, P. Monaghen, T. Riden, M. O. Midloy, T. Brown,
Henry Cunningham, E. B. Talcott, M. Baumgarten, G. Peyton,
S. Dougan, J. Sevmour, J. Mallady, T. Hughes, T. Carrall, W.
Bell, D. Moore, H. Frye, J. Breadman, J. D. Oddman, H. Har-
mer, J. Connolley, J. King, L. Frey, N. Thomason, P. Bartlett,
T. M'cGee.

For John H. Kinzie: T. Wilson, Bemsley Huntoon.

Sixth Ward. For William B. Ogden: James West, Will-
iam Lill, P. Campbell, John Censure, E. Flosser, J. Zoliski, L.
Barber, E. T. Ward, J. Kennedy, Robert Shepherd, J. M. Baxley,
J. S. Wheeler, J. Godlin, J. Tracey, J. Mills, A. Hall, W. Burns,
Thomas Cody, J. Miller, Pattieson Nickalls, E. N. Churchill, B.

F. Hall, J. N. Hayes, Morgan Shapley, S. Gifford, William V.
Smith, D. Drummond, V. B. Keith, D. Bucknell, A. Hoofmin,
H. A. Pardee, V: Carroll, John Turner, G. Pardee, F. Freman,
J. Tornee, C. Conner, William B. Egan, William Harmon, N. J.
Brown, P. Hadley, E. S. Kimberly, Gholson Kercheval, S. D.
Pierce, E. Cammock, E. Suil, S. Jackson, L. Hunt, W. Sabine,
Hiram Pearsons, John Allen, J. L. Campbell, W. Boyden, D.
Ryan, J. S. Olin, S. Sexton, W. Koas, J. Whorton, W. Arms-
strong, J. Vanderbogert, P. Kelsey, J. Ferisu, Ralph Peck, J.
Mannerlin, H. 0. Stone, Thomas Carroll, P. Baumgarten, C. S.
Tibbies, M. Vanderbogert, Francis Kesler, J. T. Betts, T. Sulli-
van, D. Calliun.

For John H. Kinzie: Luke Wood, Tohn N. Bronson, Charles
Pettit, J. T. Callis. L. G. Osborne, James L. Howe, F. Haugh-
ton, J. Stofer, Abijah S. Sperry, Isaac Legg, L. L. Cheeney, J.
Grant, M. Clinton, B. D. Wheeler, Alonzo C. Wood, W. B.
Plumb, Robert A. Kinzie, B. Emerson, Christopher H. Berkin-
bile, Grant Goodrich, Walter L. Newberry, J. T. Hinsdale, Lewis
C. Kercheval, Josiah E. McClure, John B. F. Russell, T. Green-
wood, Gurdon S. Hubbard, J. Crawford, M. Miller, S. Northrup,
P. Cable, Buckner S. Morris, A. Overhart, J. Forcht, A. Spoor,
George Legg, T. Barnum, N. R. Norton, S. Akers, W. Sterns,
S. Smith, T. Shepherd, W. A. Thompson, Charles Harding,
Thomas Wilson, A. Cole, H. Warren, S. M. Greenwood, Henry

G. Hubbard, J. Nesbit, C. Ford, A. Hubbard, D. Creden, E. C.
Brackett, J. Schrider, J. Magger, G. Wills, J. L. Chandler, A. C.
Hamilton, J. Soother, W. Anderson, J. Brown, J. Lampman, G.
Frost, P. Butler, W. Halpin, C. F. How, W. Carrivan, E. Fair,
F. German.

Total Votes in Chicago in 1837 by Wards:

First Ward > ......170

Second Ward 238

Third Ward 13S

Fourth Ward 59

Fifth Ward 60

Sixth Ward 144

Total ... 709

Total Votes in Chicago in 1837 by Divisions :

South Side 408

West Side 97

North Side 204

Total 709

The ticket elected was as follows : Mayor — William

B. Ogden; Aldermen — J. C. Goodhue, Francis C. Sher-
man, First Ward; John S. C. Hogan, Peter Bolles,
Second Ward; J. D. Caton, Third Ward; A. Pierce,
Francis H. Taylor, Fourth Ward; B. Ward, Fifth Ward;
S. Jackson, Hiram Pearsons, Sixth Ward.

The Municipality. — By the charter of March 4,
1837, under which Chicago was first organized as a city,
the elective officers were a mayor, board of aldermen,
one clerk, one treasurer and six assessors. The annual
election was fixed for the first Tuesday in March. The
royalty of power was fixed in a common council, who
were authorized to appoint constables, street commis-
sioners, the city surveyor, organized fire companies, a
board of health and an educational department. In
fact all the departments were but tools in their hands
and were expected to obey their orders. The Municipal
Court, established by the charter of 1837, was abolished
by the act of February 15, 1839, and the actions then
pending transferred to the Circuit Court of Cook
County. Among other amendments to the charter, ap-

CREATION OF THE CITY.

179

proved February 27, 1841, was that which created the
office of city marshal and made it elective. By the
act approved February 16, 1847, the city was divided
into nine wards and the aldermen therefrom into two
classes, so that one alderman should be elected annually
from each ward, and hold his office two yea-.'s. The of-
fices of attorney, treasurer, collector, and surveyor were
made elective. One street commissioner and one as-
sesssor from the First, Second, Third, and Fourth wards,
and a commissioner and an assessor from the Fifth and
Sixth, and two other like officers from the remaining
wards were provided for.

The Legislature passed an act on February 14, 1851,
reducing the charter into smaller compass and creating
a board of health. It also authorized the Council to es-
tablish a house of refuge and correction for juvenile of-
fenders. The Chicago City Hydraulic Company was
incorporated, and a board of water commissioners cre-
ated by an act of February 15, 185 1. An annual elec-
tion was appointed for the first Tuesday of April, 1854.
An act amendatory of the act of February 14, 185 1, was
approved February 28, 1854, which provided that a city
marshal should be elected biennially, and also author-
ized the Council to elect a superintendent of special as-
sessments. The office of superintendent of schools was
created by ordinance of June 23, 1854. In June,
1854, the city adopted a new seal — two circles, under
which were the words " City of Chicago, incorporated
March 4, 1837." Within the inner circle is a shield em-
blazoned with a sheaf of grain. Over the shield an in-
fant reposes on a sea shell ; at the left is an Indian, with
a bow and arrow; on the right a ship in full sail; beneath
a scroll inscribed, " Urbs in Horte."

The Board of Sewerage Commissioners was incor-
porated by legislative enactment February 14, 1855.
By an act of February 14, 1857, rules were laid down
for the government of the Reform School, and taxation
authorized for its maintenance. The revision of the
charter was approved February 18, 1857. By its pro-
visions the appointive power was taken from the Coun-
cil and conferred upon the Mayor. The change was
made necessary as there was a general dissatisfaction
over the appointments made by the Council, and it was
thought, also, that by this plan, responsibility would be
fixed. A treasury department, which had heretofore
been merged in the Council, was established, with the
City Comptroller at its head. A police court was created,
consisting of the justices of the peace already provided
for. The Board of Education was made to consist of
fifteen School Inspectors, divided into three classes, in-
stead of seven members appointed annually by the Coun-
cil.

In the foregoing the more important changes in the
municipal government have been noticed. For those in
detail the reader is referred to the histories of the sev-
eral departments which follow.

Changes in Corporate Limits. — By the charter of
March 4, 1837, Chicago was divided into six wards, and
its limits fixed as follows : " That district of country
in the county of Cook, known as the east half of Section
^^, in Township 40, and fractional Section 34, in the
same township, the east quarter of Sections 6, 7, 8, 9,
and fractional Section 10, excepting the southwest frac-
tional quarter of Section 10, occupied as a military post,
until the same shall have become private property, frac-
tional Section 15, Sections 16, 17, 20, 21, and fractional
Section 22, in Township 39 north, Range 14 east, of the
third principal meridian." These limits include the
territory bounded on the south by Twenty-second Street,
on the west by Wood Street, north by North Avenue,

and east by the lake, except a fraction of Section 10, as
noted above ; also the ground on the lake shore lying
east of Clark Street, extending one-half mile north of
North Avenue, since occupied as the old City Cemetery.
The city covered about ten square miles of territory.
By the act of March 3, 1843, the southeast quarter and
the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter, southwest
quarter and northwest quarter of the coutheast quarter
of Section 5, Township 39, Range 14 east, and the west
half of the northeast quarter of Section 8, Township 39,
Range 14 east, of the third principal meridian, were
stricken out of the corporate limits of the city.

February 16, 1847, the city was divided into nine
wards and the corporate limits established as follows :
" All that part of Township 39 north, Range 14 east of
the third principal meridian, which lies north of the
north line of Sections 27, 28, 29, and 30 of said town-
ship, and the east half of Section ^^, in Township 40
north, Range 14, and fractional Section 34, in said Town-
ship 40." By this act the limits were extended to West-
ern Avenue, taking in all east of Sedgwick Street, be-
tween North Avenue and Fullerton Avenue. About
three and a half miles were added to the area. The
First, Second, Third and Fourth wards were made to
extend from the river to the limits of the city, and the
Seventh, Eighth and Ninth from the river north to the
extent of the city. February 12, 1853, the city limits
were extended north to Fullerton Avenue, south to
Thirty-first Street, and from the lake to Halsted Street.
This excepted the tract lying west of the North Branch
and north of North Avenue (Holstein!, and the tract
lying west of Halsted and south of the South Branch
(Bridgeport). By the above act the city was divided
into three divisions, called North, South and West. The
territory annexed was added to the First, Second, Third,
Fourth, Fifth and Seventh wards. The corporate limits
of Chicago were extended to Lake Michigan, and one
mile from shore by the act of February 28, 1854.
February 15, 1857, the city was divided into ten wards,
the additional one being taken from the West Division.

The First Census of the city, taken after its in-
corporation, was that of July 1, 1837. It is as follows ;

Wards.

Under 5

Years of

Age.

Over 5,
under 21
Years.

2t and over.

Persons

of
Color.

s

i

1

1

s

£

218
262
46
42

7°
207

845

i.Soo
2.645

s

10
13

i

First.

57
76
11
15
32
53

59
77
16
15
37
65

log
I20

33
31
26

72

135

14S
19
27
20

IOI

444

630

70

IOI

135

420

7

IS

Fifth

5

2

Sixth

13
41

244

269
244

381

450

381

i.Soo

36
41

831

Males and females, 21 and over 2,645

Males and females over 5 and under 21 years S31

Males and females under 5 years of age . . . 513

Total white 3.989

Total black 77

Total 4,066

Sailors belonging to vessels owned here 104

Grand Total 4,17°

Town census of 1835 3,265

The census shows that there were : Four warehouses ; 398

i So

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

dwellings ; 29 drv goods stores ; 5 hardware stores ; 3 drug stores ;
19 grocerv and provision stores ; 10 taverns ; 26 groceries ; 17 law-
yers' offices ; ; churches.

The Saloon Building Hall. — Before referring
to those early corporate homes, styled by courtesy
'• City halls " in former days, a description of a noted
edifice is given, because it was used as the first city
hall. The structure stood on the southeast corner of
Lake and Clark streets, and was erected in 1836 by
Captain J. B. F. Russell and G. W. Doan. At that
time it was not only the finest hall in Chicago, but was
not eclipsed by anything of the kind in the West. In
this hall on Monday evening, January 23, 1837, the
meeting of a few of the leading citizens of the town was
held, for the purpose of preliminary action in procuring
a city charter. It was also devoted to public entertain-
ments of various kinds, political and religious meetings,
concerts, traveling shows,etc. The name of this hall would,

THE SALOON BUILDING.

to the casual reader, appear to connect it with a house
of no very good repute; but such an impression would
he erroneous. The word " saloon " as applied to this
edifice had a very different meaning from what it now
has. Its use was synonymous with the French salon,
which means literally a grand and spacious hall. Hon.
John Wentworth says, in his reminiscences, that when
first completed it was the largest and most beautiful
hall west of Buffalo. " Here it was," says Mr. Went-
worth, "that Stephen A. Douglas made his first speech
in Chicago. It was in this hall that the first joint polit-
ical discussion was ever had in northern Illinois, in
1838, between Mr. Douglas and his competitor for Con-
gress, John T. Stuart." It was at this meeting that one
of the citizens, in a speech, became so enthusiastic
over the future which, with prophetic vision, he saw in
store for the young and growing city, that he made the
startling prediction that the child was already born who
would live to see Chicago with a population of fifty
thousand souls. At once the speaker was greeted with
sarcastic, yet good-natured, calls of "Town Lots;" an
implication that the orator was interested in Chicago
real estate. The first Swedenborgian society organized in
Chicago, by J. Y. Scammon, held its meetings in this
hall, and in 1839 the congregation of the First Unita-
rian Church, worshiped there, with the Rev. Joseph
Harrington as pastor.* The Chicago Lyceum q. v. ,
the first literary and debating society of the city,
also met there for a number of years. It was also used,
in addition to all these purposes, as a court-room, Judge
Drummond holding court in it for a number of years.

• S«c Religious History.

J. V. Scammon obtained control of the building in
1842, at which time it was rebuilt or remodeled, and from
that period on, underwent frequent changes. A hand-
some block, modern in style, now stands on its former
site. The building was, in 1857, a square three- story
frame, the first floor occupied as stores, the second as
offices, and the third as the " hall," so rich in historic
lore. But with the rapid growth of the city in size and
population came the advent of theatres, halls, churches
and court-rooms ; and the " old Saloon Hall," having
served its day and generation, was forced from its long-
held prominence before the eyes of Chicago's citizens,
and soon existed only in the memories of those to
whom a simple mention of its name awakens a flood-
tide of recollections.

City Hall. — In May, 1837, the Common Council
leased a room in the Saloon Building, for their
own use and for the accommodation of the Municipal
Court. At the expiration of their five years' lease the
city fathers moved to Mrs. Nancy Chapman's build-
ing, opposite the jail, corner of LaSalle and Ran-
dolph streets. The public square at this time,
1842, was fenceless, and presented such a dilapidated
and barren appearance that citizens were urged to
improve the park by individual exertion. In April a
number of citizens did turn out with shovels, mattocks,
etc., and planted a few trees and built a fence. Henry
Brown directed the work. But the public ardor seems
to have cooled, although hot for a time, the Democrat,
in May, noticing that "the fence around the public
square, on Clark Street, stands like a good many politi-
cians we wot of — but half whitewashed." J. Young
Scammon and William H. Harris did much, about this
time, to improve the appearance of the square.

In January, 1848, the Market Building on State
Street was erected by the city, and was the first munic-
ipal structure, the Common Council having heretofore
rented their accommodations. The building was sit-
uated in the center of State Street, fronting forty feet
on Randolph and running north toward Lake Street
one hundred and eighty feet. It was built of brick and
stone, two stories in height. The first floor was laid
out into thirty-two stalls. The second story was di-
vided into four rooms, the one in the north end twenty
by forty feet, ) arranged for a library, and the south room
for the City Clerk's office. The center rooms, divided
by a partition, with folding doors, one forty by seventy-
two feet, the other forty by sixty-eight feet, were used
by the Common Council and for other public purposes.
The entire cost was $11,070. J. M. Van Osdel was the
architect and superintendent. The Common Council
occupied their new rooms for the first time November
13, 1848.

In 1850 the county and the city commenced to agi-
tate the project of erecting a court-house, to be occu-
pied jointly by them. In December of that year a reso-
lution was adopted that the county pay three-quarters
and the city one-quarter of the expense to be incurred
in the purchase of grounds and the erection of a court
house and jail. There was some disagreement as to
where the buildings should be erected. In June, 1851,
it was decided that one structure was to be erected, a
combined court-house and jail, in the center of the
square, the latter to be in the basement of the building.
The Common Council agreed to unite with them in its
construction. On September 12, 1851, occurred the
impressive ceremonies of laying the corner-stone of the
structure. The military and fire companies, Free
Masons, Odd Fellows and members of the Mechanics'
Institute assembled at Dearborn Park, under command

CREATION OF THE CITY.

of Colonel J B. F. Russell, Chief Marshal. The pro-
cession was half a mile in length. The ceremonies of
laying the corner-stone were conducted by Prof. J. V.
Z. Blaney, Acting Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of

THE SECOND COURT-HOUSE.

Illinois Freemasons. After they had been concluded,
a salute was fired by Captain Swift's artillery company.
The splendid edifice was completed during the year
1853. The fin, 000 expended upon it was borrowed
upon the bonds of the county, having from seven to
eighteen years to run, at ten per cent interest, payable
semi-annually. Of this sum $60,000 was taken by R.
K. Swift, of Chicago, the balance being furnished by
Eastern capitalists. The walls of the structure were
faced with gray marble, taken from the Lockport quar-
ries, at a cost of $32,000. The building was three
stories in height, with two domes and a cupola, the
main part being one hundred feet square. There were
projections from the north and south fronts, fifty by
sixty feet each; also on the east and west fronts thirty-
two by sixty feet each. As these projections were car-
ried up the entire height of the building, its dimensions
were one hundred and thirty feet north and south, and
one hundred and sixty-four feet east and west. The
stone steps at the north and south ends also added to the
imposing appearance of the court-house, which covered
an area of 17,000 square feet. In the basement of the
building was the jail, and the jailor's dwelling rooms,
the Sheriff's office, and the city watch-house. In the
second story of the north and west corridors, were most
of the city offices; the armory being in the east wing.
The Common Council room was in the third story, op-
posite the court-room. Its dimensions were fifty-six by
sixty feet. The city arms surmounted the Mayor's
chair. The Court of Common Pleas first occupied the
edifice in February. John M. Van Osdel was the
architect and superintendent. This structure served
the city until it was swept away by the great fire of
1871.

Financial Affairs. — Before Chicago had become
a city, when anv proposition was made to borrow
monev, the utmost consternation seems to have been

created. Several town officials had even resi
rather than sanction such recklessness. John S. ('.
Hogan voluntarily ceased to act as Treasurer in June.
[835, because the corporation was determined, as a
sanitary measure, to borrow $2,000 in order to have
the streets cleared up and the town otherwise made
presentable and inhabitable. After the town people
had fairly entered into the spirit of becoming a • ity,
however, their old apprehensions gradually wore oil be-
cause of the constant repetition of those finani ial propo
sitions from the authorities. After a time such meas-
ures were urged with general enthusiasm. The Chi-
cago of that day commenced to draw confidently upon
the Chicago of the future — and that confidence was her
largest bank account in 1837. In January of that year
W. Stuart, the Town Clerk, was ordered to draft a me-
morial to the General Assembly for the passage of an
act authorizing the Trustees to borrow the sum of $50,-
000. to be used in permanent improvements. This,
however, came to naught, and in March Chicago was
incorporated as a city. As a city, just previous to the
depressing times of 1837, Chicago commenced active
operations with $1,993 in the treasury.

The City Treasurer received from the town,
$2,814.29.

With many permanent improvements to be accom-
plished, this was not a remarkably brilliant outlook for
the young city of four thousand inhabitants. Among
other things it was absolutely necessary that more
effective provision should be made to guard the city
against fire. Two more engines were needed. The
streets required improvement, and their drainage de-
manded attention. Mayor Ogden was chosen agent of
the corporation, and the Common Council appointed a
finance committee, of which Peter Bolles was chairman.
It was resolved to borrow $25,000, but to resolve is not
always to accomplish. The city promised to redeem its
pledge to the Branch Bank of the State of Illinois in five
years. The proposition was not accepted, as witness
the following note of " regret : "

" Statf. Bank of Illinois, Sfringfield, May 31, 1837.
Peter Bolles, Esq.,

"Dear Sir : Your letter of the 18th, addressed to the president
of this bank and proposing on behalf of the city of Chicago a loan
from this bank of the sum of $25,000, has been laid before the di-
rectors of the bank, and, I regret to have to state, declined.
" I am very respectfully, your ob't serv't,

"A. H. Ridgely, Cashier."

It was evident that the State Bank of Illinois con-
sidered the burden of carrying the " internal improve-
ments " of the State of Illinois, already heavy enough,
without taking it upon herself to foster the internal im-
provements of the city of Chicago. Nevertheless, as
this verv respectful letter did not ease the municipal
treasury by so much as a feather's weight, in June,
1837, city scrip was issued, of $1, $2 and $3 denomina-
tions, bearing one per cent interest, which was to be
received for taxes not exceeding $5,000. At this time
the Treasurer's office was kept in the warehouse of Ex-
Town Treasurer Dole.

The city authorities were not acting in harmony
with the County Commissioners. The city was paying
about $5,000 annually for sustaining the Municipal Court,
whose benefits were shared by the county, and until
this arrangement was changed it was claimed that the
Commissioners ought to take care of the city paupers.
Chicago was receiving only about $1,000 from tavern
and grocery licenses, supporting a $5,000 court, and
now the county refused to take care of her paupers !
This was one of the obstacles which had to lie sur-
mounted during the hard times of 1837. City and

1 82

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

county, however, soon came to an amicable settlement
of their difficulties, so that each bore a just proportion
of the legal and eleemosynary burdens.

The finances of the city by the first charter were
entirely in the hands of the Common Council, the
Treasurer and Collectors being merely its clerks. The
six Assessors were elected, but the Treasurer and Col-
lector were appointed by the Common Council. The
supplementary act of February 16, 1847, made the
Treasurer and Collector elective officers. These pro-
visions remained in force until February 18, 1857, when
the treasury department was created, embracing, in
addition to the above officers, the City Comptroller
appointed annually by the Mayor), and the head of the
new department.

Fiscal Powers. — By the first city charter the Com-
mon Council had authority to raise a sufficient sum by
tax on real and personal property, not exceeding one-
' half of one per cent upon the assessed value thereof,
to defray the expenses of " lighting the city streets, sup-
porting a night watch, making and repairing streets and
bridges, and paying the operating expenses " of the
city. The Common Council were given the usual
powers with regard to making and assessing of streets
and condemning property ; and could not remove a
building exceeding $1,500 in value without the owner's
consent. When property was to be condemned five
commissioners were appointed to assess it and determine
the damages and benefits. All taxes and assessments
were to be considered a lien upon real estate, and in
case of. non-payment the premises could be sold at any-
time within the year from the time of filing the assess-
ment roll with the Clerk. If the Common Council
should direct the laying of sidewalks in front of any
property, and the owner neglected to make them or
keep them in repair, the city had authority to construct
or repair them and assess the expenses against the
lots. By the act approved February 14, 1851, reduc-
ing the law incorporating the city, the Common
Council was vested with the power to collect taxes not
exceeding three and one-half mills on the dollar to
defray the contingent and other municipal expenses ;
one-half mill to meet the interest on the bonded debt ;
to levy and collect taxes, when required, to erect a city
hall, markets, hospital and bridewell ; to lay out public
parks or any other public improvements, and to defray
three-quarters of the expenses of erecting street lamps
and lighting the city. Improvements on canal and
school lots and the wharfing privileges were to be sub-
ject to taxation, the same as other real estate. In the
processes of condemning private property for the open-
ing of streets and alleys, and of improving the thorough-
fares of the city, the Common Council were to appoint
three commissioners to assess benefits and damages.
In case of the non-payment of taxes or assessments
the premises could be sold at any time within two years
from the confirmation of the assessment by the Common
Council, the right of redemption depending upon the
payment in specie of double the amount for which the
property was sold and all taxes accruing subsequent to
the sale, with interest. In February, 1851, the Chicago
City Hydraulic Company was incorporated, and to meet
the exigencies of the occasion in February, 1854, an
act was passed to enable the city to borrow $100,000
for the use of the water works and appointing a super-
intendent of special assessments. It authorized the
levying of a tax equal to one mill on the dollar of real
and personal estate to meet the interest on the bonded
debt.

By the act amendatory of that of February 14, 1851,

passed February 18, 1857, the office of City Collector
was created, who was to be one of the officials con-
stituting a treasury department. All orders for the col-
lection of annual taxes and warrants for the collection
of special assessments were to pass through his hands,
and there were to be no more special collectors ap-
pointed by the Common Council. The City Collector
was to be elected by the people and appoint his own
assistants.

Real Estate. — The two'years preceding the panic
of 1837 were noted for the wide-spread fever, which
attacked the coolest blood, to speculate in real estate.
The rise in values was tremendous. Fortunes were
made almost in a day, and when the reaction came they
were lost even more suddenly. It would be impossible
to give anything like a clear picture of this portion of
the city's history, since all was confusion and excite-
ment. The most that can be done is to jot down items
as they have been gathered from the files of the Ameri-
can, and other sources, showing the business transacted
at the land-office, and, in some cases, the comparison
of prices of lots before the excitement, when the fever
was at its height, and after the reaction had set in. The
general reader can easily draw his conclusions from the
details here presented.

In 1830 Jedediah Woolsey, Jr., bought of the canal
commissioners Lot 9, Block 44, for $50. Alexander
Wolcott purchased eight lots in Block 1, during the
same year, paying $692; also the east one-half, north-
east quarter Section 9, Township 39, Range 14, (eighty
acres), at $1.1 21/? per acre. John S. Wilburn bought
Lot 1, Block 1, in 1830 for $60. John S. C. Hogan
paid for Lots 1, 2, 5, and 6, $116, and in 1836 bought
Lot 7, paying $12,000 for it with the greatest of alacrity.
The above are specimens of some of the earliest
purchases. In May, 1835, the land-office was opened.
To the close of the sale the receipts amounted
to $386,500, of which about $353,500 were for lands
sold at auction and the balance under the pre-emption
law. During the next month E. K. Hubbard and W.
L. Newberry advertised sales of valuable lots, the
former having three hundred and fifty to dispose of.
In October, A. Garrett announces in the American that
from January 4 to the 27th of that month he has sold
$1,800,000 worth of real and personal property. He
had fitted up a large room on Dearborn Street and had
an " auction room equal to any in New York or Phila-
delphia."

In November the rate of assessment for the coming
year was fixed by the town at one-half of one per cent.
A lot fronting eighty feet on the water by one hun-
dred and fifty feet on Dearborn, purchased for $9,000
in the spring of 1835, brought $25,000 in the succeed-
ing winter. Says the American in April, 1836 : "There
is a piece of land in Chicago, costing $62 in 1830,
which has risen in value one hundred per cent per day.
It sold last week for $96,700 — one-quarter down and
the remainder in six, twelve and eighteen months, at
ten per cent." Charles Butler, of New York states, in
a later issue, that "in 1833 one-quarter of Kinzie's ad-
dition was offered for $5,500 — worth then $100,000.
In 1833 forty acres of land worth $400 could not be
purchased in 1836 for less than $200,000. In 1834
the ' Hunter property ' was purchased for $20,000.
In the spring of 1835 it was resold for $100,000. It
is now (September, 1836) worth $500,000."

Notwithstanding which tremendous rise in values of
real estate, in pursuance of a notice issued by N. H.
Bolles, Town Collector, that all property would be sold
upon which the corporation tax of 1835 remained un-

CREATION OF THE CITY.

183

paid, September 10, 1836, a great number of lots were
advertised. Of those which appear in the American
of October 1, one hundred and fifty-five were taxed
less than $1 ; forty-two from $1 to $5 ; ten from $5 to

/h^^^r^^

$10 ; twenty-two between $10 and $25, and one at $39.
In Wolcott's addition one was taxed $10.50 ; three be-
ing $7.50 and $10 ; the remainder less than $7. In the
North Branch addition no tax reached $ 1. In Waban-
sia addition three lots which were advertised were as-
sessed $2.50, $3.50, $7.50 ; in the " original town " one
for $50.50 ; two for $30 each ; one for $19, seventeen
for $10, and eighteen less than $10.

The reaction from the inflation of 1835-36 was set-
ting in. In January, 1837, the town passed an ordi-
nance relating to the sale of lots for taxes. It provided
that the assessment on all taxable lots should be made
annually, and the roll returned to the Board previous to
October 1. The Town Collector was to notify the pub-
lic by the 15th of that month that he would advertise
all lots for sale upon which the tax remained unpaid on
February 1. If not redeemed, the purchaser at the tax
sale was entitled to the deed. In March, 1837, another
lot of ;i delinquents " appeared to have forgotten the
value of Chicago real estate. In the " old town " most
of the lots advertised for sale were taxed at $2.50
apiece — the highest $45. The highest tax upon a water
lot in Kinzie's addition was $20 ; a dry lot $47.50.
The majority of lots in Wolcott's addition were assessed
at $2.50, the highest one at $10 ; in Wabansia ad-
dition, the highest $5, the majority at $1.25 ; in School
Section 21 the highest $21, the majority at $1.
In North Branch addition out of three hundred and
eight lots advertised for sale the tax of only twenty-
four reached $1.25, most of them being assessed at
thirty-seven cents per lot. The taxes collected during
the year ending May 1, 1837, amounted to $11,659.54,
of which $2,661.26 was the balance assessed during
1835, an<3 $8,998.27 the corporation taxes on real
estate for 1836.

The panic of 1837 brought great distress to this
community, and delayed the growth of Chicago as a
city. Its reaction here was principally felt in real estate
circles, it being almost impossible to dispose of land, at
any price, during 1838. The canal improvement was
really about all that sustained and encouraged Chicago
for nearly ten years. Many people left the city in 1840.
Although the hard times of 1837 and 1838 affected the
sales at the land-office, as a " business institution," it
was as persistently prosperous as any that can be named,
from May 28, 1835, when it opened, to May 1, 1846,
when it closed. Witness the figures :

1S35 370,043.38 acres.

1836 202,315.96

1837 15.697.S7 "

1838 87,891.43 "

1839 160,635.70

1840 142.15S.00 "

1841 138,583.16

1842. ..; 194,556.11

1843 229,459.70 '

1844 230,769.63 '

1S45 220,525.08 '

to May 1, 1846 61,956.14 '

Total 2,054,592.16

The growth of Chicago from 1842 to 1850 was slow.

In April, 1852, the city negotiated its first great
loan — $250,000, payable in twenty years, through Hun-
can, Sherman & Co., of New York City. This was on
account of the inauguration of the new system of water
works.

The growth of the city from 1850 to 1855 was mar-
velous, and the confession is said to have been made by
certain real estate men that though they "did their
best" at representing the rise in land, the facts out-
stripped their stories. It was during this period that
Chicago inaugurated her grand system of water-works
and drainage. Then, unfortunately, she experienced
her great set-back, the panic of 1857. The city was so
embarrassed that in September the Council ordered tin-
issuing of $100,000 bonds. It was done and Comp-
troller Hayes went to New York to negotiate them.
After using his powers of persuasion for a week he
returned, entirely unsuccessful in his mission.

By the winter of 1857a large number of laboring men
were out of employment, and the city authorities were
called upon, in the midst of the most depressing times,
to inaugurate public improvements and thus assist them
financially. Special committees of the Common Coun-
cil were appointed, who found it impossible to appro-
priate money from the city treasury for charitable
objects, without express permission from the Legisla-
ture, and especially when the whole available means of
the city were required to pay her current expenses and
honorably meet her maturing indebtedness. Further-
more, the city could not, as suggested, make advances
through her credit to carry on public improvements then
pending, for which assessments had not been collected,
because all taxes had been collected to their full extent
and were paid in so slowly that the Comptroller found
it difficult to provide for the most necessary expenses.
In the then state of the money market it was impossi-
ble to raise money by a loan. The filling of Washing-
ton Park, however, had been contracted for and would
provide employment for a great number. Most of the
improvements which could be ordered at that time would
have to be made upon remote streets, and the assess-
ments upon adjoining property would fall upon the
poorer people. All that could be done, therefore, was
for the city to hasten the construction of works for
which orders had been passed and warrants issued.

The following table exhibits, in condensed form, the
standing of the city, financially and otherwise, from
1837 to 1857, inclusive:

VALUATION.

DEBT.

COLLECTED.

1837

1838

$ *236,842
*235,93&

% 5,905 15
8,849 86

4,170
4,000

Citv

% 9.996 54

Estimate

I83Q

*94,8o3

7,182 25

4,664 55

4 200

Estimate

1840

*94.437

6,559 63

4.721 85

4.479

U. S.

1841

*i66,744

12,387 67

10,004 67

5,500

Estimate

1842

*I5I,342

16,372 01

9,181 27

6,590

Estimate

1843

1,441.314

12,655 40

8,647 89

7,58o

Citj

1S44

2,763,281

9.795 35

17,166 24

8,000

Estimate

1S4S

3,065,022

10,691 27

11,077 58

12,088

State

1846

4,521,656

16,045 41

15,825 80

14,169

City

1847

5.849.170

13.179 89

iS,i5g 01

i6,S59

< l!\

1S48

6,300,440

20,338 38

22,051 54

20,023

City

1849

6,676,684

36,333 20

30,045 09

23,047

City

1850

7,220,249

+93.395 60

25,270 S7

28,269

City

1851

8,526,717

{140,590 84

63,385 s7

34,000

Estimate

1S52

10,461,714

+126,035 00

76,948 96

3S.734

City

IS53

16,841,831

+189,670 00

135,662 6S

60,662

City-

1854

24,392,239

+248,666 00

199,0s 1 64

65.S72

City

1855

26,992,893

1 ! 2 S , 1 11

206,209 °3

So, 023

State

1S56

36,335,281

+435,000 OO

572,046 00

84.«3

City

1*57

35,991,732

+ 535,000 OO

430,190 00

93,000

Estimate

♦Exclusive of personal property.

1 84

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Governor Bross, in his" History of Chicago." makes
the following comparison of the prices of land in 1830
and 1S32 and compared with the same in 1S53, only
about twenty years thereafter. The figures are sugges-
tive of the immense strides made by Chicago in every-
thing material during this period :

FIRS1 PURCHASER.

DESCRIPTION
• OF LOTS,

Nos.

123

.\ -.'. -'-. rSjo.

B. B. Kercheval

Mark Beaubien

Thos. Hartzell

do

do.

Edmund Roberts and

Peter Menard

Edmund Roberts

William Jewett

lames Kinzie

do

do

J. B. Beaubien

do

do

do

do

John Kinzie

do

do

do

Alexander Wolcott

Thomas Ryan

Sept. 2Q, 1830.

Stephen Mack

April 3, 1832.
Thomas J. V. Owen . . .

Oliver Newberry

do.

Jesse B. Browne

James Kinzie

P. F. VY. Peck

April ,-, 1832.
T. J. V. Owen and R. J

Hamilton

fohn Noble

do

do

Hugh Walker

Sept. 3, 1832.

0. Goss, \\ ashington Co.
Vermont

Dee. 4, 1832.
Calvin Rawley

Sept. 12, 1830.
Thos. Hartzell, W. hf. N. E.

qr. Sec. 9, T. 39 X., Range

14 E

Edmund Roberts and Benj. B.

Kercheval, W. hf. X. W. qr.

Sec. 9, T. 39 N., R. 14 E.

Sept. 28, 1830.
James Kinzie. E. hf. X. W.

qr. Sec. 9, T. 39 X., R. 14.

Sept. 2Q, 1830.
J. B. Beaubien, X. hf. X. E.

qr. Sec. 9, T. 9 X., R. 14

K

1. I',. Beaubien, X. \V. frac.
X. YV. qr. Sec. 9, T. 39 N.,
R. 14 E

Total

5 and 6
3 and 4

5 and 6
7 and S
5,7 & 8
S and 5
7

7 and S
1
6

3 and 4
8

5 and 6
2

7 and S
45678

7 and 8

5

4
4
3
8

4

NO. ACRES.

. 84.98-IOO
. IO7.66-IOO

53 00

39 00
78 00
100 00
50 00
34 00
78 00

-70 00

60 00
80 00

61 00

70 00
53 00

140 00

424 90

638 30

84,490 20

128,000
30,000

57,000

40,000
39,000
46,000
28,000
18,000
42,500

83,300

18,000

100,000

35,000

18,000
50,000

800,000
400,000
600.000

85,000
132,000

$3,765,800

Roster <* City Officers, — Following is a roster of the

principal city officers up to and including 1857. For the officers
of the different city departments, see their history, given else-
where:

1837 — Mayor, William P. Ogden, elected May 2; City Clerk,
I. N. Arnold ; Geo tppointed in October; City Attorney,

X. B. Judd ; City Treasurer. Hiram Pearsons; Aldermen — (l)J.
C. Goodhue. Francis C. Sherman ; (2) J. S. C. Ilogan, Peter Holies;
(3) John D. Caton (entitled to only one Alderman until 1839) ; (4)

Asahel Pierce, Francis H. Taylor ; (5) Bernard Ward (entitled to
only one until 1839) ; (6) Samuel Jackson, Hiram Pearsons.

1S38 — Mayor, Buckner S. Morris, elected March 6 ; Clerk,
George Davis ; Attorney, X. P. Judd ; Treasurer, Hiram Pearsons ;
Aldermen— (i)Lli P.. Williams, E. H. Haddock ; (2) John S. C. Ho-
gon, James Curtiss ; (3) John D. Caton ; (4) Francis H. Taylor,
Asahel Pierce ; (5) Henry L. Rucker ; (6) George W. Dole, Grant
Goodrich.

1839 — Mayor, Benjamin W. Raymond, elected March 5 ;
Clerk, William H. Brackett ; Attorney, Samuel L. Smith ; Treas-
urer. George W. Dole ; Aldermen — (1) James A. Smith, Oliver II.
Thompson ; (2) Eli S. Prescott, Clement C. Stose ; (3) William H.
Stow, Ira Miltimore ; (4) A. Pierce, John Murphy, Jr.; (5) H. L.
Rucker, John C. Wilson ; (6) John H. Kinzie, Buckner S. Morris. •

1S40 — Mayor, Alexander Loyd, elected March 3 ; Clerk,
Thomas Hoyne ; Attorney, Mark Skinner ; Treasurer, Walter S.
Gurnee ; X. H. Bolles appointed to fill the office in April ; Alder-
men— (1) Julius Wadsworth, Orsemus Morrison; (2) Augustus
Garrett, James Carney ; (3) John Gage, Ira Miltimore ; (4) Seth
Johnson, William O. Snell ; (5) H. L. Rucker, William Allen ; (6)
William B. Ogden, R. J. Hamilton.

1S41 — Mayor, Francis C. Sherman, elected March 5 ; Clerk,
Thomas Hoyne ; Attorney, George Manierre ; Treasurer, N. H.
Bolles ; Aldermen — (1) Charles Follansbee, John Davlin ; (2) Peter
Page, Jason McCord ; (3) Ira Miltimore, William H. Stow ; (4)
William O. Snell, G. W. Rogers ; (5) H. L. Rucker, Samuel
Greer ; (6) George F. Foster, James L. Howe.

1842 — Mayor, Benjamin W. Raymond, elected March 7 ;
Clerk, J. Curtiss ; Attorney, Henry Brown ; Treasurer, F. C.
Sherman ; Aldermen — (1) Xorman B. Judd, John Calhoun ; (2)
Caleb Morgan, Charles McDonald ; (3) Hamilton Barnes, Alson S.
Sherman ; (4) Daniel Elston ; Eben C. Chaloner ; (5) George Brady,
Edward Carroll ; (6) George O. Bryan, George W. Dole.

1843 — Mayor, Augustus Garrett, elected March 7 ; Clerk,
James M. Lowe ; Attorney, George Manierre — Henry Brown ap-
pointed to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Manierre's resignation, in
July ; Treasurer, W. S. Gurnee ; Aldermen — (1) Hugh T. Dickey,
Cyrenus Beers ; (2) Charles Sauter, Jason McCord ; (3) Azel Peck,
Charles Taylor; (4) John Murphy, Jr., William S. Warner;
(5) John Cruver, Samuel Greer; (6) Joseph Marbach, George W.
Dole.

1844 — * Mayor, Augustus Garrett, elected March 7 ; Alson S.
Sherman chosen at the new election in April ; Clerk, E. A. Rucker;
Attorney, Henry W. Clarke ; Treasurer, W. S. Gurnee ; Aldermen
— (1) John P. Chapin, Asher Rossiter ; (2) Samuel W. Tallmadge,
William Wheeler ; (3) George Davis, Ira Miltimore, Hamilton
Barnes ; (4) John Murphy, Jr., James Poussard, Asahel Pierce ;
(5) Thomas Brown, Elihu Granger, Patrick Kain ; (6) B. S. Mor-
ris, Michael Diversey, f J. H. Rees.

1845 — Mayor, Augustus Garrett ; elected March 5 ; Clerk,
Edward A. Rucker — Wm. S. Brown appointed to fill vacancy
caused by Mr. Rucker's resignation ; Attorney, Henry W. Clarke ;
Treasurer, William L. Church ; Aldermen — (1) J. Young Scammon,
Thomas Church; (2) Robert P. Hamilton, James H. Woodworth ;

(3) Francis Edwards, F'rancis H.Taylor; (4) Asahel Pierce, Thom-
as McDonough ; (5) Elihu Granger, Samuel Greer; (6) Mahlon D.
Ogden, Richard C. Ross.

1846 — Mayor, John P. Chapin, elected March 3 ; Clerk, Henry
B. Clarke; Attorney, Charles H. Larrabee ; Treasurer, William L.
Church; Aldermen — (1) Geo. Manierre, Levi D. Boone; (2) X. H.
Bolles, Andrew Smith; (3) Michael Kehoe, James Curtiss; (4)
Henry H. Magie, Joseph Wilson; (5) Samuel Greer, Elihu Gran-
ger; (6) Richard C. Ross, William M. Larrabee.

1847 — Mayor, James Curtiss, elected March 2 ; Clerk, Henry
B. Clarke ; Attorney, Patrick Ballingall ; Treasurer. Andrew Getz-
ler; Aldermen — (1) James H. Woodworth, Peter L. Updike; (2)
Levi D. Boone, Isaac Speer ; (3) B. W. Raymond, J. Brinkerhoff ;

(4) Robert H. Foss, Charles McDonnell ; (5) Thomas James, John
Sheriff ; (6) A. Pierce, A. Smith ; (7) Elihu Granger, Charles Sloan;
(8) William B. Snowhook, James Lane; (9) William B. Ogden,
Michael McDonald.

(The act of 1847 created three more wards, and provided that
two aldermen should be elected from each, who were divided into
two classes by lot. The second class held over, and thereafter one
alderman was annually elected from each ward and held his office
for two years.)

184S — Mayor, James II. Woodworth, elected March 7 ; Clerk,
Sidney Abell ; Attorney, Giles Spring ; Treasurer, William L.
Church ; Aldermen— (1) Edward Manierre, Peter L. Updike ; (2)
I lenry L. Rucker, Isaac Speer ; (3) William Jones, J. Brinckerhoff ;

* Election of Mayor and aldermen of Third, Fourth and Fifth wards de-
clared illegal. At the new election, held April 2, A. S. Sherman was chosen
Mayor vice Aug. Garrett ;(3) Ira Miltimore and Hamilton Barnes, vice George
Davis and I. Miltimore ; (4) John Murphy. Jr., and Asahel Pierce, vice John
Murphy, Jr., and James Poussard, and (5) Thomas P
vice Thomas Urown and Elihu Granger.

t Elected to nil vacancy caused hy resignation of P.. S. Mo

nd Patrick Kain,

CREATION OF THE CITY.

185

(4) Robert H. Foss, Charles McDonnell ; (5) John C. Haines,
Thomas James ; (6) Asahel Pierce, Henry Smith ; (7) Peter Turbet,
Charles Sloan; (8) William B. Herrick, James Lane; (9) Samuel
McKay, Michael McDonald.

1849 — Mayor, James H. Woodworth, elected March 6; Clerk,
Sidney Abell ; Attorney, O. R. \Y. Lull; Treasurer, William L.
Church; Aldermen— (1) Peter Page, R. C.Bristol — (James Carney
elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Mr. Bristol) ; (2)
Ceorge W. Snow, II. L. Rucker ; (3) William II. Adams, William
Jones ; (4) A. G. Throop, R. H. Foss ; (5) E. H. Chapin, John C.
Haines — (A. S. Sherman elected to fill vacancy caused by resigna-
tion of Mr. Chapin); (6) Daniel Richards, Ashael Pierce — (C. W.
Wentvvorth elected to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Pierce's resigna-
tion); (7) George Brady, Peter Turbot — (Elihu Granger elected to
fill vacancy caused by resignation of Mr. Turbot) ; (8) H. R. Pay-
son, William B. Herrick; (9) F. C. Hagemann, Samuel McKay —
(R. J. Hamilton elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of
Mr. McKay).

1850 — Mayor, James Curtiss, elected March 6 ; Clerk, Sid-
ney Abell ; Attorney, Henry H. Clark ; Treasurer, Edward Man-
ierre ; Aldermen — (1) Peter Page, James Carney — (E. B. Williams
elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of Mr. Carney) ; (2) I.
L. Milliken, G. W. Snow (A. Loyd elected to fill vacancy caused
by Mr. Snow's resignation) ; (3) S. J. Sherwood, W. H. Adams ;
(4) R. H. Foss, A. G. Throop; (5) John C. Haines, A. S. Sherman ;
(6)G. W. Wentworth, Daniel Richards — (E. G. Meek elected to fill
vacancy caused by the death of G. VV. Wentworth) ; (7) Elihu
Granger, George Brady ; (8) John C. Dodge, George F. Foster ; (9)
R. J. Hamilton, F. C. Hagemann.

1851 — Mayor, Walter S. Gurnee, elected March 4 ; Clerk,
Henry W. Zimmerman ; Attorney, Henry H. Clark ; Treasurer,
Edward Manierre ; Aldermen — (1) John Sears, Jr., Peter Page; (2)
Hugh Maher, I. L. Milliken ; (3) \\ illiam Wheeler, S. J. Sherwood ;
(4) A. G Throop, R. H. Foss ; (5) J. L. James, John C. Haines ;(6)
Daniel Elston — (James M. Hannah elected to fill vacancy caused
by ineligibility of Daniel Elston ; James M. Hannah resigned,
and Henry Smith was elected to fill vacancy), Read A. Williams ;
(7) Charles E. Moore, Elihu Granger ; (S) Robert Malcolm, John

C. Dodge ; (9) F. C. Hagemann, W. L. Newberry.

1852 — Mayor, Walter S. Gurnee, elected March 2 ; Clerk, H.
W. Zimmerman ; Attorney, Arno Voss ; Treasurer, Edward
Manierre; Aldermen — (1) Eli B. Williams, John Sears, Jr. ; (2) I.
L. Milliken, Hugh Maher ; 1 3) O. J. Rose, William Wheeler ; (4)
Charles McDonnell, A. G. Throop ; (5) John C. Haines, J. L.
James ; (6) A. C. Ellithorpe — (Mr. Ellithorpe's election contested
and T. B. Dwyer elected), Henry Smith ; (7) Ezra Taylor, Charles
E. Moore; (8) Andrew J. Brown, Robert Malcolm ; (9) John H.
Kinzie, W. L. Newberry — (Henry A. Mitchell elected to fill vacancy
caused by resignation of Mr. Newberry).

1853 — Mayor, Charles M. Gray, elected March 14; Clerk, H.
W. Zimmerman; Attorney, Arno Voss; Treasurer, Edward
Manierre; Aldermen — (1) A. D. Taylor, Eli B. Williams; (2) John
Evans, I. L. Milliken; (3) J. H. Gray, O. J. Rose; (4) William
Kennedy, Charles McDonnell; (5) William H. Scoville, John C.
Haines; (6) William Carpenter, Thomas B. Dwyer; (7) Michael
O'Neil, Ezra Taylor, (Maurice Evans elected to fill vacancy caused
by Mr. Taylor's resignation); (8) Francis A. Hoffman, Andrew J.
Brown; (9) Henry A. Mitchell, John H. Kinzie.

1854— Mayor, Ira L. Milliken, elected March 13; Clerk, H.
W. Zimmerman; Attorney, Patrick Ballingall; Treasurer, Uriah,
P. Harris; Aldermen— (1)' Eli B. Williams, A. D. Taylor; (2) L.

D. Boone, John Evans; (3) William L. Church, J. H. Gray; (4) J.
C. Outhet, William Kennedy — (Robert H. Foss elected to fill va-
cancy caused by death of Mr. Kennedy); (5) J. D. Ward, William
H. Scoville; (6) William Wayman, William Carpenter; (7) Elihu
Granger, Michael O'Neil; (8) W*. H. Stickney, Francis A. Hoffman
— (B. W. Thomas elected to fill vacancy caused by resignation of
Mr. Hoffman); (g) Morgan L. Keith, Henry A. Mitchell.

1855— Mayor, Levi D. Boone, elected March 8; Clerk, H. W.
Zimmerman; Attorney, J. A. Thompson; Treasurer, William F. De
Wolf; Aldermen — (1) Sylvester Sexton, Eli B. Williams — (James
Long, elected to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Williams's resigna-
tion); (2) R. M. Hough, Thomas Allen; (3) Lorenzo Fletcher,
William L. Church; (4) William Colby, J. C. Outhet; (5) C. N.
Holden, J. D. Ward; (6) A. C. Ellithorpe, William Wayman; (7)
James L. Howe, Elihu Granger; (S) Samuel Ashton, William 11.
Stickney — (Stephen D. LaRue elected to fill vacancy caused by Mr.
Stickney's resignation); (9) Samuel McKay, Morgan L. Keith.

1856 — Mayor, Thomas Dyer, elected March 10; Clerk, II. W.
Zimmerman; Attorney, J. L. Marsh; Treasurer, O. J. Rose; Al-
dermen— (1) James Long, Sylvester Sexton; (2) Lucius A. Willard,
Thomas Allen — (Owen Kendall, elected to fill vacancy caused by Mr.
Allen's resignation); (3) Calvin DeWolf, Lorenzo Fletcher; (4)
Samuel Myers, William Colby; (5) Russell Green, C. N. Holden;
(6) Henry Greenebaum, A. C. Ellithorpe; (7) John Dempsey,

James L. Howe; (8) S. D. LaRue, Samue. Ashton — (Conrad I..
Niehoff elected to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Ashton's resignation 1;
(9) Michael Diversey, Samuel McKay.

1S57 — Mayor, John Wentworth', elected March 3; Clerk, H.
Kreismann; Attorney, John C. Miller; Comptroller, Samuel D.
Ward, appointed March 19; Treasurer, C. N. Holden; Aldermen —
(1) William Bross, James Long; (2) O. Kendall. L. A. Willard —
(Jacob Harris elected to fill vacancy caused by Mr. Willard's re-
signation); (3) Hiram Joy, Calvin DeWolf; (4) J- M. Kennedy,
Samuel Myers; (5) Artemus Carter, Russell Green; (6) George Silts,
Henry Greenebaum; (7) John Dunlap, John Demsey; (8) Christian
Wahl, S. D. LaRue; (9) Philip Conley, Michael Diversey; (101
Dennis Coughlin, J. Schmidt.

Water Works. — The first public effort made by
Chicago to assist her inhabitants to a supply of fresh
water, dates from November 10, 1834, when the Board
of Trustees paid $95.50 for the digging of a well in
Kinzie's addition. But the settlers early cast longing
eyes towards the lake, realizing that that source of
water supply was the true one and not to be compared
to the sluggish and unprepossessing river. For some
years private enterprise reaped a comfortable little
financial harvest in the operation of water carts, which
ran to and from the lake. These carts were two wheeled
vehicles, upon which hogsheads were mounted. Having
driven into the lake, generally at the foot of Randolph
Street, the watermen loaded up their reservoirs by
means of pails, and then commenced their journeys
" around town." Backing their carts up to the doors of
their customers' houses, with a short leathern hose they
filled the barrels or other receptacles placed there for
the purpose. The price per barrel varied, according to
competition, from five to ten cents. But there came a
time when water-carts, tin cans, wooden pails and bar-
rels were deemed too crude as " water works," and
when even such persuasive and enterprising carriers as
Peter Wolfe were thought to be behind the times.
January 18, 1836, the State Legislature passed a law
incorporating the Chicago Hydraulic Company. On
March 19, an organization was effected as follows:
George W. Dole, president; Gurdon S. Hubbard, David
Hunter, Gholson Kercheval, William Forsythe, direc-
tors; and Edward W. Casey, secretary. The other in-
corporators were James H. Campbell, R. A. Kinzie and
Solomon Wells. The capital stock was limited to $250,-
000. The charter was to continue in force seventy
years. The company was allowed four years from the
passage of the act in which to commence the construc-
tion of the necessary works. Although incorporated,
the panic of 1837 so disarranged the affairs of the new
company that it did not get fairly to work until 1840,
when the four years had nearly expired. Ira Miltimore
was then appointed machinist and superintendent of the
works, and commenced at once to build a reservoir at
the corner of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, on the
ground afterward occupied by the Adams House. Not
until the spring of 1842 was this first water works sys-
tem completed. The American of May 24 speaks in
glowing terms of the purity of the supply. The same
paper of June 10 gives the following interesting facts
in regard to the completion of the great undertaking:

" The whole outlay of the company has been about $24,000.
A large two-story brick building has been erected with a pier run-
ning into the lake. The steam engine is of 25-horse power. The
working-barrel of the pump is fourteen inches in diameter and
forty-four inches stroke — double action. The suction pipe by
which the water is drawn from the lake, is also fourteen inches in
diameter, and three hundred and twenty feet in length. The pump
raises upward of twenty-live barrels of water per minute, thirty-
five feet above the level of the lake. There are two reservoir--, each
of the capacity of one thousand two hundred and fifty barrels, one
only of which is complete. A space of about fifty minutes is re-
quired to fill each of the reservoirs, equivalent, of course, to raising
one thousand two hundred and fifty barrels in fifty minutes. The

iS6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

reservoir is of sufficient elevation to throw the water into the second
story of any building in the city. About two miles in length of
pipe are now laid down. The machinist under whose direction
these works have been put into such complete and successful opera-
tion is Mr. Ira Miltimore. We allude to this gentleman with the
more pleasure that it was for a long time confidently predicted that
his undertaking would prove an entire failure. We know that
though he had perfect confidence in his ability to accomplish his
task, these predictions were to him a source of constant and harass-
ing anxietv. It can scarcelv be imagined how keenly intent were
his feelings when the works were upon the point of being put into
operation. The triumph, or it might be the disgrace, of the ma-
chinist was at hand. His feelings at that moment were assuredly
not to be envied. They were to be envied when the regular evolu-
tion, the easy play, the harmonious action of every part of the ma-
chinery, announced the complete triumph of skill."*

Elsewhere, and officially, the old hydraulic works
have been described as consisting of an 1 8-inch inlet
nearly seven hundred feet long, extending from a crib
in the lake to a well fifteen feet deep, the inlet bending
down nearly to the bottom ; of pumping works on the
lake shore at the foot of Lake Street ; and of wooden
supply pipes, of which latter, before the abandonment
of the works, there were several miles, none of which
exceeded six inches in diameter. The wooden pipes
were frequently dug up, in excavating for the laying of
sewers and iron water pipes, and appeared to be per-
fectly sound, twenty-five years after they were laid.

The Common Council in December, 1841, contracted
with the Hydraulic Company to supply the city with
water for the extinguishment of fires. The schedule of
rates for domestic and manufacturing supply was pub-
lished in April, 1842, and ranged from $10 per annum
for a family of five persons, to $500 for large services in
manufactories. The pipes from the mains to buildings
were furnished at private expense.

In 1S4-' James Long entered into arrangements
with the Hydraulic Company to do their pumping for
supplying the city with water for ten years, without cost
to the company, in return for the free use of the surplus
power of their engine. Subsequently Mr. Long referred
to the difficulties of his post in the following words :
" In winter the pipes would be disarranged by the heav-
ing of the frost, and I had frequently to spend hours at
a time to caulk up the joints by throwing on water and
thus freezing up the cracks before we could make the
pumps available. When the end of this pipe from the
pier was first put down it was three or four feet below
the surface of the lake, but in 1842-43 the lake had re-
ceded so far as frequently to leave the end out of water,
particularly when the wind blew from the south." In
addition to the work which he accomplished for the
city, Mr. Long erected the "Hydraulic Mills," corner
of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, which he operated
with the " surplus power of the twenty-five horse engine."
The building cost about $12,000, was of three run of
stone, and the mill did good business until the second
water works were constructed, in 1853, when the enter-
prise was abandoned.

The great expectations entertained regarding the
blessing which was to be brought to the homes of the
people of Chicago were not realized, even within the
next decade. During the fall of 1847, especially, the
water supply was of a quality which called for purifica-
tion. In August, ex-Street Commissioner Phillip Dean
cleaned the works and repaired them. He was then
acting as agent. But citizens were already putting the
pertinent inquiry, ''What good can Mr. Dean do, unless
the pipe is extended out into pure water?"

The matter was so serious that everyone took part
in the discussion. In the spring of 1848, at the season

•Captain Miltimore, \t> whose judgment and engineering skill early Chicago
is greatly indebted, died in Janesville, Wis., June 9, 1879.

when little fishes were generally pumped into the reser-
voirs and thus distributed over the city, to the horror of
the clean and fastidious housewife, the public prints
were full of " water works," and many shafts of ridicule
were leveled against the primitive system of supply un-
der which the city was suffering. A committee was ap-
pointed by the Chicago Mechanics' Institute, consisting
of S. D. Childs, A. F. Bradley and W. H. Kennicott, to
suggest a plan for getting water from the lake. They
reported in May with a diagram, and proposed to lay
down a pipe three feet below low-water mark; to extend
it out into the lake at a point opposite First. Street to a
sufficient distance to pass the muddy water, and then to
continue the pipe down the center of said street, cross-
ing the Chicago River near Mr. Gage's steam mill, and
continuing it to the western boundary of the city. At
the crossing of each alternate street lateral branches
might be taken ; the pipes to be of wood and to cost
about $2,000 per mile. By carrying the pipes into twenty
feet of water and attaching an elbow to that end, at least
ten feet from the bottom, the water so drawn would be
equally free from the floating impurities and the disturb-
ances of the bottom ; the water thus drawn to be intro-
duced into two reservoirs, to be erected at the margin
of the lake, each capable of holding twenty thousand
cubic feet of water. Into the one nearest the lake the
water should be first introduced, drawn off from
the top and carried by an elbow to the bottom
of the second reservoir, from which it should be
drawn off again near the top, to be carried through
the city by wooden pipes running down First Street.
The works then in operation f so it was computed | were
throwing into the reservoirs a column of water equal to
twenty-eight thousand cubic feet every twelve hours.
This was drawn from the bottom of the lake, poured in-
to the top of the reservoir and taken out at the bottom
where the sediment must, of necessity, have been thrown.
Another influence, besides the quality of the water-
supply, was at work to bring the life of the old Hy-
draulic Company to an end. A portion of the South
Side, and a very small part of the West Side, were well
supplied with water, while the whole of the North Side,
and large districts of the other territory, were obliged
to depend upon wells and the watermen, a number of
whom were still kept busy bringing water from the lake.
Many poor people, who were not able to take advan-
tage even of these necessities to health, drew- their sup-
ply from the filthy river. During 1850 the company
laid one mile of pipe, making in all nine and a quarter
miles in use. Of one thousand hydrants, eight hundred
were used by families, the remainder by stores, public
houses, livery stables, etc. It was estimated that not
over one-fifth of the city was being supplied by the
company. For a large and rapidly growing city
this state of affairs was alarming, especially as the
general health was perceptibly suffering. In April,
1850, a meeting of citizens was held at the city hall for
the purpose of devising means of supplying the city
with pure and wholesome water. The following gentle-
men, with the chairman of the meeting, Peter Page, were
appointed to obtain facts and suggest remedies : South
Division, R. H. Foss and T. M. Moody ; West Division,
A. S. Sherman and Luther Marsh ; North Division, R.
J. Hamilton and William E. Jones. It was through the
efforts of these gentlemen, sustained by the general
public sentiment, that a company was incorporated by
the city during the succeeding session of the Legis-
lature. The act approved February 15, 185 1, to incor-
porate the Chicago City Hydraulic Company, provided
for the organization of a board of water commissioners,

CREATION OF THE- CITY.

187

comprising John B. Turner, Horatio G. Loomis and
Alson S. Sherman. This board entered on their duties
of office June 16, 185 1, and ten days later William
McAlpine was appointed chief engineer. Under his
directions the second water-works of Chicago were con-
structed. To point out distinctly the reason which the
city assigned for the construction of such expensive
works, an enumeration of buildings, etc., in which
water-pipe were proposed to be first laid, was made
in July, 185 1. The total amount estimated to accrue
from water-rates for the year succeeding the completion
of the water-works was $37,366.

" The commissioners stated that the water will be taken from
the lake north of the pier, at or near the termination of Chicago
Avenue. There will ultimately be required in the carrying out of
this plan three reservoirs, one of which will be located in each divi-
sion of the city. The water will be taken from the lake at a dis-
tance of about six hundred feet from the shore, and conducted by
an inlet pipe to a well, which will be within the engine-house, on
or near the beach. From this well the water will be forced into the
reservoirs, to a height of eighty-five feet above the surface of the lake
and about seventy-five feet above the surface of the general level of
the city, by a non-condensing engine of about 170-horse power. The
pipes used will be of iron. Iron tanks will be used for the reser-
voirs. The estimated cost of constructing the work upon
this plan, including the cost of about forty-eight lineal miles
of distribution pipe, which it is supposed will be adequate to
supply the inhabitants of the city, when its population will be one
hundred thousand souls, is S57o,ooo. "

Engineer McAlpine made his report September 26)
185 1. His assistant, E. W. Smith, had remained in Chi-
cago for over a month, to take soundings in the lake at
the several places suggested by the board of commission-
ers, and also to examine the branches of the river where
the water pipes were proposed to be carried. Mr. McAl-
pine submitted four plans, with estimates for the cost
of carrying them out. The plan substantially adopted
was the fourth. An estimate was made that the total
cost of constructing the works would be $335,439-59
and that the annual expenses would amount to $18,000.
The whole plan was submitted, as applying to a city
which should number one hundred and sixty-two thou-
sand souls in 1875! The system was considered as
amply sufficient to cover any possible growth of the
future, and the estimate was considered by many to be
quite extravagant.

It would not be in human nature for the old Hy-
draulic Company to allow the new corporation to prose-
cute their enterprise without bitterly opposing it. The
former claimed exclusive rights, and held that before
the commissioners could proceed a step they must first
purchase the old company's property and franchise, or
its franchise alone. The Hydraulic Company claimed,
without the income which was then being derived from
water rents, that the tables of the new commissioners
would be $15,000 less yearly than they calculated. As
to the paucity of the water supply they stated,* that a
" charter was obtained for supplying the North Division
of the city with water, but excepting such preliminary
steps as were thought necessary to secure their charter,
we believe they have advanced no farther. In 1850-51,
the charter was extended, and calculating to supply the
whole city, the company finding the limit of $250,000
in their charter too small, they are seeking power to
borrow at once $350,000." After showing the advan-
tages which the city would gain by purchasing their
works, and that it was impossible for them to levy taxes
upon the territory now occupied by them, the directors
of the company intimated that unless the matters were
settled, an injunction would be brought to prevent the
buildine of the new works. The directors of the old

* See report of February, 185
filed in City Clerk's office.

ade by Hydraulic Company directors,

Hydraulic Company, at this time were B. S. Morris,
William Wheeler, B. W. Raymond, J. H. Foster and
M. Laflin.

On March 2, at the regular municipal election, only
five hundred and thirteen votes were cast against the
adoption of the system proposed by the Chicago City
Hydraulic Company. Of the four thousand four hun-
dred and forty-five persons voting at that time, one
thousand two hundred and forty-four did not signify
whether they cared for the works or not.

In compliance with a request from the old Hydrau-
lic Company a special committee of the Common Coun-
cil suggested that the water commissioners purchase
their entire interests for $30,000, or their franchises for
$15,000, the Hydraulic Company to retain their prop-
erty and income of works until July 4, 1853. The paper,
however, was laid on the table and could not therefore
be considered as having received a municipal indorse-
ment. The water commissioners then went on to nego-
tiate their $400,000 bonds with Duncan, Sherman & Co.,
of New York City. The first loan was made in April
— $250,000, payable in twenty years. In June the
New York Tribune reports : " Under the active de-
mands for the Chicago City Six's, which was fast ex-
hausting the supply, Messrs. Duncan, Sherman & Co.
have advanced the rate to ninety-seven and one-half
and accrued interest. They are selling faster than the
city officers execute and forward them."

The Hydraulic Company got out an injunction, but
the two rivals compromised their difficulties under the
19th section of the act of incorporation of the new
water company, which reads as follows

"Said commissioners may purchase the corporate rights and
real and personal properly, fixtures and stock of every name and
description of the Chicago Hydraulic Company, and when such
purchase shall be made, the said commissioners shall succeed to
and become invested with all the powers, rights, privileges and im-
munities exercised and enjoyed by the Chicago Hydraulic Com-
pany, under their charter, and shall continue to supply water to the
citizens of Chicago, under the same, and collect the money and
rents therefor, in all respects as fully and effectually as the Chicago
Hydraulic Company can or may do, until the said commissioners,
acting under the provisions of this act, shall have completed their
arrangements, machinery, engines, pipes, buildings and other
things provided for in this act for the purpose of providing the said
city with pure and wholesome water ; after which time the said
Chicago Hydraulic Company, and their said charter, shall become
extinct and null : Provided, always, that if the said commissioners
cannot agree with the said Cnicago Hvdraulic Company as to what
sum shall be paid the said Chicago Hydraulic Company for their
property, rights and privileges, then the said company shall nave
the right to establish, by satisfactory proof, the actual cost of their
said property, before the Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook
Countv, upon petition to him in term time or vacation, and no
greater sum shall be paid for the same than the Judge shall decide
the actual cost to have been."

In April and August two loans were effected with
the above-named banking-house. The net amount
realized from the sale of the $400,000 bonds — six per
cent, twenty-five years — was $361,280. The difficulties
between the two companies having been amicably
adjusted, the water commissioners pushed their work
along with commendable energv.*

The works were commenced in the summer of 1852,
and were situated near the lake, at the foot of Chicago
Avenue. The pump-well was built, and a portion of
the thirty-inch inlet pipe was laid towards the lake, and
the foundations of the building and tower were put in,
which closed the work for the season. During the
spring and summer of 1853 the buildings and tower
were finished, and several attempts made to put in place
the thirty-inch wooden inlet pipe, which was designed to

*-For many of the facts in regard to the Chicago City Hydraulic Works, see
official reports of De Witt C. Cregier. present superintendent of the Depart-
ment of Public Works.

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

extend six hundred feet into the lake, and terminate in
a crib of timber. The efforts to complete this were
unsuccessful. The boisterous condition of the lake
rendered it difficult to secure the crib in place, so the
work was abandoned and the water received in a pipe,
close to the shore. During the fall of 1853 the stand-
pipe was put up, and the condensing and non-condens-
ing engines were erected. The former was started
December 16, 1853, and the supply of water for the
city commenced in February, 1S54. The original

Iron Works, New York, as were also the engines erected in
1857 and in 1867. The non-condensing engine, erected
in 1853, was horizontal. It was located on the south
side of the main building, having a steam cylinder of
eighteen inches, and six feet stroke, with one double-
acting pump of the same dimensions. This engine was
built by H. Moses, of Chicago. It was removed in the
latter part of 1856 and a larger one substituted.

During the first four months water was supplied but
nine hours per day, and none on Sunday except in case

•si fci

WATER WORKS.

pump-well was rectangular, twenty by thirty feet, and
twenty-five feet deep from floor of engine-house to
bottom. The walls were of stone, six to seven feet
thick. Upon those walls the engines were located ; the
buildings were of brick, forty by fifty feet in the clear,
and two wings for boiler-rooms, each thirty and one-half
by forty and one-half feet in the clear. The water
tower was square, composed of brick fourteen feet at
the base, eleven feet at the top and one hundred and
thirty-six feet high. The interior was divided by a
wall, one part designed for a smoke chimney, the other
for the iron stand-pipe. The foundation rested upon
a bed of sand, some six feet below the surface, and
at one time the tower leaned fourteen inches from a
vertical line. It was, however, by an ingenious method
made plumb, and remained so until its demolition.
The original pumping-machine consisted of a vertical
beam engine, located on the north side of the building,
naving a steam cylinder of forty-four inches diameter
and a stroke of nine feet, with two single-action pumps
of thirty-four inches in diameter and five and one-half
feet stroke. This engine was in use sixteen years, and
continued through 1869. It was built at the Morgan

of fire ; after that the supply was continued regularly
throughout the twenty-four hours. At this time there
were but few water-takers, and having no reservoir, the
water was allowed to run to waste through the fire-hy-
drants, in order to keep the small engine running. In
the early part of 1854 the twelve-inch river pipe at State
Street was broken by an anchor dragging from a vessel.
This accident required the supply for the West Division
to be forced through an eight-inch pipe across the river
at Kinzie ; and thence by a twelve-inch pipe across the
river at Adams Street for the South Division. As a
temporary resort a large rubber pipe, manufactured at
Boston, was procured. On its arrival its strength was
found inadequate to the pressure. A new wrought iron
pipe, thirty inches in diameter was subsequently put
down at State Street and was in use in 1869. This new
main was manufactured by Charles Ressig, of Chicago,
at a cost of $3,561, and was laid by S. S. Durfee, at an
additional cost of $2,000. The connecting main was
completed October 1,1854. Thirty and one-half miles
of pipe were laid up to December 31, 1854. The total
cost of the works at that date was $393,045.32. During
the first year much trouble was experienced from sand

CREATION OF THE CITY.

■ 89

being driven from the inlet pipe into the pump-well.
The mouth of the pipe being only a few inches under
water, near the shore, was exposed to the heavy waves of
the lake. On one occasion the water was entirely stopped
by a vast number of insects accumulating on the strainer.
To protect the inlet-pipe from those obstacles, a break-
water or basin was constructed in 1855. This being
dredged to a considerable depth fully answered its pur-
pose, and was in use until the completion of the first
lake tunnel. In June, 1852, the water commissioners
purchased from P. F. W. Peck a piece of land upon
which to erect the South Side reservoir. The lots had a
frontage of 2171^ feet upon Adams Street, and cost the
city $8,750. The reservoir was completed in November,
1854. It was filled within ten feet of the top, or twenty-
eight feet deep, on November 22, and the next morning
it was found that the immense weight of water had
caused the masonry to settle so that fissures were dis-
cernible on every side of the building. The water was
immediately drawn off, and the various methods of
patching up the job, which had already cost $60,000, were
canvassed. Various plans were laid before the Council
and a committee was appointed to examine them. This
committee could not agree upon one thing, viz.:
that it was necessary to construct substantially a new
building. The water commissioners, therefore, strength-
ened the cracked walls as best they could with rods and
braces, so that the tank could be partially filled with
water and thus do some service during the winter.
Pending the repairs of this reservoir the engines were
run day and night. A portion of the thirty-inch inlet-
pipe from the lake to the well was found to be defective,
and a new one, three by four feet square, made of oak
plank, was put in at a greater depth. Considerable diffi-
culty was experienced in laying this pipe, involving the
removal of the east wall of the engine house. Upon
completion of the lake tunnel this arrangement was also
abandoned and served subsequently as a waste-pipe for
the water from the air pumps of the several engines.

In June, 1855, the reservoir was strengthened after
the accident of the preceding fall, until it would hold
eighteen feet of water, which, with other charges for re-
pairs and general expenses, brought up the construction
account to $380,070.73. A large fracture was found in
the main pipe near the standing column of the works,
on December 22, 1855. Notice was immediately given
that the water would be cut off at Monday noon. Care
was taken to have the reservoir full, and a man was kept
stationed there with orders to turn on the water instantly
in case of fire. The pipe was repaired within a few
days, and but little inconvenience was felt by the people.

Up to December 31, 1855, there had been expended
upon the construction and extension of the water-works
system $496,849.64. The whole amount of bonds
issued by the water commissioners had been $650,000.
Over forty-one miles of pipe had been laid, and 4,251
buildings were supplied with water.

During the early part of 1856 the quantity of water
used was nearly equal to the maximum capacity of the
high pressure engine. Therefore it was necessary to
replace it with a much larger one. A contract was
made with the Morgan Iron Works for the construction
of the south engine, which was set up and put in oper-
ation July, 1857. This engine was similar in construc-
tion to the condensing engine previously refered to,
with a steam cylinder of sixty-inch diameter, stroke of
ten feet, two single acting pumps, each forty-inch diam-
eter, six and one-fourth feet stroke. Much difficulty
was experienced in preparing a foundation for this en-
gine, as a portion of the only pump-well then built,

from which the city supply was pumped, as well as the
site of the old high-pressure engine, was to be occupied.
However, the high-pressure engine was moved to a tem-
porary site, where it might be used until the new works
were ready. The labor of setting the stone was carried
on during the night only. While constructing the Inun-
dation, no water could be admitted to the well, which
seriously retarded progress. The daily supply of water
was uninterrupted, and the reservoir in the South Divis-
ion kept full, so that in case of fire the water therefrom
might be admitted to the mains. In the summer of
1857 a twenty-four inch main was laid from the pump-
ing works to the West Division, crossing the river at
Chicago Avenue, by means of a wrought-iron pipe.
Soon after it was completed, the river portion was ren-
dered useless by a pile twelve inches in diameter being
accidently driven through it, permitting the water to
flow into the river. From this accident the engine
narrowly escaped injury by the sudden reduction of
load. The damaged pipe was taken up, repaired and
placed in its original position.

Up to 1857 two engines had been built by the North
Side pumping-works. The first one, that of 1853, was
put in operation December 16. It had a capacity of
seven and one-half million gallons every twenty-four
hours ; steam cylinder, forty-four inches in diameter,
nine feet stroke ; length of working beam, thirty feet ;
weight, nine tons ; diameter of fly-wheel, twenty-four
feet ; cost of engine and boiler, $24,500. The engine
of 1857 was put in operation in July ; capacity, thirteen
million gallons every twenty-four hours; steam cylinder,
sixty inches in diameter ; ten feet stroke ; working-
beam, thirty feet ; weight, sixteen tons ; diameter of fly-
wheel, twenty-four feet ; cost of engine and two boil-
ers, $59,000. Some parts of the engine were made to
conform to the conditions of the building. Owing to
the position of the tower, the valve-gear or customary
front of the engine was placed on the side, as it was
deemed imprudent to cut the corner of the tower to ad-
mit locating the front in the usual place. In Decem-
ber, 1853, water was first pumped into the pipes to test
them, and the first hydrant was opened on North Clark
Street, near the bridge. The first permits to take water
from the distribution pipes were granted February 12,
1854, to residents of the North and West divisions.
Pipes were tapped February 15, and water introduced
into the buildings of the city for the first time.

Following is a table exhibiting the " finances " of
the water- works from 1854-57:

1854 $393.04532 $38,12851 $26.80850

1855 496,84964 59,051 27 54,739 19

1856 641,50993 73,08723 76,80636

1857 738,43ft 51 85,17061 97,00855

On May 1, 1857, the works were supplying seven
thousand and fifty-three buildings with water, for $85,-
012 per annum. May 6, 1861, the Board of Public
Works was instituted. Following is the roster of com-
missioners up to the time of the establishment of the
new board :

1S51 — John B. Turner, Alson S. Sherman, Horatio G.
Loomis; 1853 — J. H. Woodworth, George W. Dole, John C.
Haines; 1S55 — Orrington Lunt, George \V Dole, John C. Haines;
1857 — George W. Dole, John C. Haines, Orrington Lunt ; 1S60-61
— Orrington Lunt, Noah Sturtevant, Edward Hamilton, Benjamin
Carpenter. The officers during the terms of the several, boards of
water commissioners were as follows, in the order stated, viz.:
Secretaries — Henry Tinckerl?), P. R. Forrest, A. W. Tinkham,
Thomas Forrest ; Superintendent — B. F. Walker ; Clerks — W. R.
Larrabee, J. H. Bross ; Engineer— Dewitt C. Cregier ; Assistants
— William Moses, H. M. Fuller, and F. Trautmann.

190

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Early Efforts at Drainage. — Those who have
made a study of the subject, in opposition to the popu-
lar error, testify that the substratum of the soil upon
which the city of Chicago is built, far from being
swampy and miry, is remarkably solid.* Too nearly on
a level for the rain to run off. it must evaporate or soak
into the soil. Almost uniformly, except near the lake,
a rich, black loam of one or two feet or more is grad-
ually mixed with clay until it becomes pure, or hard-
pan intervenes. Occasionally a bed of quicksand oc-
curs, rendering piling requisite for a sure foundation,
but probably no other city ever arose where the ground
was so perfectly adapted, by nature, to solid build-
ing. While groping after a good drainage system, in
early days, the authorities made two mistakes. At first
they attempted to dig down the streets, and construct
crude sluices to earn- off the surface water ; next an
effort was made to lay pavements and sewers upon the
natural surface, or rather to let the drainage and sew-
age run along the gutters of the streets. Going more
into detail, it is found that on February 16, 1847, the
Legislature in an act supplementary to the charter gave
the Common Council power to make and repair all
sewers in the city. When, in 1849, the city virtually
discarded stone pavements and commenced to plank
the principal streets, the Common Council adopted a
series of grades by which it was hoped to drain the
surface as well as pave it. It was thought to be prac-
ticable in determining the grades to effectually drain
the lots contiguous to the streets by digging down the
latter some eighteen inches beneath the common sur-
face. Most of the planking of 1849 was upon that
plan. Randolph, Lake and South Water streets were
excavated, the grade ascending from the South Branch
eastward to State Street, which was to form the summit-
level from north to south. Madison Street was deter-
mined upon as the summit-level for all grades running
toward the main river and in the opposite direction.
Randolph, Lake and South Water streets were there-
fore cut down to conform to these grades. The object
was to drain the South Division from State Street into
the lake on one side and into the South Branch on the
other, and from Madison Street into the main river on
the north, and to some yet unestablished east and west
line on the south. Fortunately the Council confined
their experiments for the first year to the three streets
named. Before one month had passed by after their
completion, the plan was regarded as a failure, and the
attempt to make streets answer the purpose of sewers
was abandoned. In 1850 State, Clark, LaSalle and
Wells streets were planked, mostly upon the natural
surface, with only such grading as was found necessary
to carry off the water that might fall upon it. The
main sewers were constructed in Clark, LaSalle and
Wells streets, running through their centers from the
river to Randolph Street. They were built of heavy
oak plank, triangular in shape. Their length was one
thousand feet each ; the side sewers being nine hundred
and sixty-seven feet. The sum of $2,871.90 was thus ex-
pended, and the property was specially assessed to the full
amount of the cost. But although these improvements
were in the march of progress, there was a determina-
tion among the far-seeing to look upon them as merely
expedients. Tfje formation and perfection of a system
was demanded. The following extract from the Gem
of the Prairie, of August, 1850, illustrates the advanced
ideas :

"To any intelligent person going about our city, who under-
stands the physical conditions of health, and the causes which, with
* See among others J. S. Wright's " Chicago : Past, Present and Future."

mathematical certainty generate disease, the wonder is not that we
have had cholera in our midst for two seasons in succession,
and that the common diseases of the country are fatally prevalent
during the summer months, but that a worse plague does not take
up a permanent residence with us. Many of the populous locali-
ties are noisome quagmires, the gutters running with filth at which
the very swine turn up their noses in supreme disgust. Even some
portions of the planked streets, say, for instance, Lake between
Clark and LaSalle, are scarcely in better sanitary condition than
those which are not planked. The gutters at the crossings are
clogged up, leaving standing pools of an indescribable liquid, there
to salute the noses of passers by. There being no chance to drain
them properly, the water accumulates underneath the planking, into
which flows all manner of filth, and during the hot weather of the
last few weeks, the whole reeking mass of abominations has
steamed up through every opening, and the miasma thus elaborated
has been wafted into the neighboring shops and dwellings, to
poison their inmates. Such being the state of facts, the people
naturally expect the corporation will do something to abate the
universal nuisance, or at least make the attempt to do so. But
what has been done ? Lime has been distributed to some extent,
but in insignificant quantities, and some of the worst localities have
been entirelv neglected. * * * Here is a long bill of com-
plaints to prefer in the ears of the city fathers, which, for the
future welfare and honor of the place, we hope they will take into
serious consideration. The evil, though great and increasing, is
yet susceptible of a remedy. The only condition of health and
decency, is a regular, thorough system of drainage. Such a sys-
tem is feasible, and must be adopted if the ' Garden City ' is to be
habitable. It may and probably will cost $30,000 or $40,000 to
begin with, on an extensive scale, and eventually $100,000 or more;
but what is such a sum in comparison with salubrity of atmosphere
and health? "

The last attempt of any magnitude which citizens
made to drain a large extent of territory without work-
ing under a clearly defined system, was under the direc-
tion of Henry Smith, George W. Snow, James H.
Rees, George Steele, H. L. Stewart, Isaac Cook and
Charles V. Dyer, who were appointed commissioners
under an act of the Legislature dated June 23, 1852.
They and their successors in office were empowered to
locate, construct and maintain ditches, embankments,
culverts, bridges and roads, on any lands lying in
Townships 37, 38, 39 and 40, in Ranges 12, T3 and 14,
Cook County; and to take land and materials necessary
for these purposes, and to assess the cost of such im-
provements upon the lands they might deem to be
benefitted thereby. Their examination showed the
commissioners that a vast body of land (more than one
hundred and fifty thousand acres), within the limits of
the commission which had before been deemed worth-
less, lay, in fact, from four to twelve feet above the lake,
and needed only proper drainage to make it available
for purposes of agriculture and occupation. When the
commission, was first created, objection was made that
its powers were too great, and a fear was expressed that
the proposed reform would develop into a stupendous
speculation — even into a gigantic peculation. But
subsequent events showed that such fears and suspicions
were groundless. Within two years the commissioners
expended $100,000 in authorized improvements, with
the most praiseworthy results. Large tracts of land
were redeemed from the swamps and made valuable,
and people were able to live comfortably, in dry houses,
in localities which previously were thought to be unin-
habitable. The lands drained extended four miles north,
five miles west and ten miles south of the city. The
ditches were mostly laid upon section lines, and parallel,
draining into the Chicago and Calumet rivers. The
Democratic Press in its annual review of 1854 has the
following:

" There are within the city four and a half miles of sewers put
down at a depth of from five to eight feet below the surface. These
extend along our principal streets, in the business portion of the
city, and so far as the removal of surface water is concerned,
answer, so far as they go, a complete purpose. This may be infer-
red from the facts already stated in regard to cellars, since a cellar

CREATION OF THE CITY.

191

without a drain is only a pool or an eel pit. Before these sewers
were put down, no cellar could be dug either upon Lake or Water
streets except in the dryest of seasons. There was never, perhaps, a
city with features better fitted for drainage than this. The peculiar
shape of its river, with its two branches, gives easy and short
access to it from every section of the town ; while there is, from
every square rod of its surface, a gradual and sufficient inclination
to the adjacent bank. The sewers only need to be extended as
they have been begun to render the town as dry as is desirable. As
they are, however, of a temporary and experimental make, if they
are also to be made channels of the filth of the town, they will
require to be laid in a more permanent manner."

By the act approved February 14, 1855, a board of
sewerage commissioners was incorporated, consisting of
one member for each of the three divisions of the city,
to be elected for two, three and four years. It was
their duty to consider all matters relative to the thorough
and systematic drainage of the city ; to advertise for
plans and receive written objections, for thirty days ; to
report a plan to the Common Council with estimate of
the necessary amount to complete it ; to issue bonds,
purchase lots and erect buildings, and appoint a secre-
tary and treasurer. E. S. Chesbrough was appointed
chief engineer, and insisted, from the first, upon the
advantage of a high grade for the purpose of proper
drainage and dry streets. The grade at last fixed upon
was lower than he urged, but still sufficiently high to
alarm the Common Council, who ordered a general
extension of grades. By the system then in vogue
about one-half the drainage from the South Division,
all from the North Division except from establishments
immediately along the lake, and all from the West
Division, ran into the river. The dividing ridge in the
South Division was along State Street, the water to the
east of that line running into the lake. It will thus be
seen that the river was the receptacle of all the drainage
from packing-houses, distilleries, and most of the hotels,
business blocks and dwellings of the city, so that con-
stant streams of filth were pouring into it. On De-
cember 31, 1855, Mr. Chesbrough made a report to the
Common Council, stating that the commissioners had
already decided that the plan of sewerage to be devised
should " cover at present, the territory included within
Division Street on the north, Reuben Street on the west,
North Street on the south, and Lake Michigan on the east.
The plan of draining the sewerage into the river and
branches directly, and thence into the lake, had been de-
cided upon as being less expensive than draining di-
rectly into the lake. In order to keep improper sub-
stances out of the sewers, it was proposed to introduce
a slight but constant current into the mains, and to re-
sort to flushing or cleansing by hand. The sewers in the
South Division were to have their principal dividing or
summit-line on State and Washington streets. Starting
from these dividing lines, they were to discharge west-
wardly into the South Branch, between North and
Washington streets, northwardly from Washington
Street into the main river, between Market Street and
the lake, and eastwardly into large mains on Michigan
Avenue, one of which was to empty into the river, and
the other have its outlet in the lake, on Twelfth Street.
Small branch sewers were to run through the streets,
which lie parallel with the summit-lines, so that every
lot, might be reached. In the North Division, three
main lines extended from Division Street to the main
river, and had their outlets on Rush, Clark and Frank-
lin streets respectively. He also proposed a main hav-
ing an outlet into the North Branch, on Chicago Av-
enue. All the intermediate streets between the mains,
and those running east and west, it was proposed to
drain by branches of different sizes, so that every lot
might be reached the same as in the South Division.

It will be observed that no sewer had its outlet into the
lake in the North Division. In the West Division
mains from Reuben Street to the South anil North
branches were proposed. For the present it was rec-
ommended that they be constructed only in Prairie,
Randolph, Monroe and Van Buren streets, and in these
only as far as existing improvements might require them.
The streets and parts of streets intermediate between the
mains, were to be drained by branches as in the south
and north districts. With regard to the outlets of the
sewers it was recommended that they be so placed that
the bottom of the interior surface of the mains would
be six inches above the low-water level of 1847 ; and to
place the bottoms of the two-feet sewers, six inches
higher, or about the level of the present surface of the
lake. The estimates made did not cover the sewerage
for all the territory embraced in the plan, but merely so
much as was considered necessary for present pur-
poses : South district, $157,893 ; north district, $156,-
522; west district, $188,831. In the winter of 1856-57
Mr. Chesbrough, upon the order of the board, visited
some of the principal cities of Europe for the purpose
of examining the various methods of sewerage adopted
there, with a view of perfecting the system of Chicago.
He recommended the system of intercepting sewers as
the most feasible, the discharge to be into the lake, at
some point in the southern part of the city. With the
idea of inaugurating the system the first sewers were
constructed in 1856 — a total of six and two one-hun-
dredths miles. During the next year four and eighty-six
one-hundredths miles were built, making a total of about
ten and four-fifths miles included in the sewerage sys-
tem in 1857.

The River. — Very early in the history of Chicago
the attention of citizens was called to the sluggish
nature of the river, and ordinances were enacted by
the town and municipal authorities against polluting its
waters. The first measure was passed November 7,
1833. The ordinance of August 5, 1834, under the
impetus of the cholera scare, was more stringent.
Although the town and city authorities intended to be
severe in times of epidemics, or when scourges were
feared, very many offensive substances did find their
way into the river at all seasons of the year, and by
1845 the stream became terribly offensive, in conse-
quence of blood and other refuse from slaughter
houses being thrown into it. When that nuisance was
abated, however, the odors of the " melancholy and
slow " stream became comparatively bearable for some
years. When the board of sewerage commissioners
adopted Mr. Chesbrough's plan of draining directly
into the river and its branches in December, 1855, the
public became alarmed lest this should endanger the
city's health, and also fill up the river so as to obstruct
navigation. Mr. Chesbrough discusses these objections,
and explains his plan as follows:

"It is proposed to remove the first [objection] by pouring
into the river from the lake a sufficient body of pure water to pre-
vent offensive or injurious exhalations, by means which will here-
after be described. The latter objection is believed to be ground-
less, because the substances to be conveved through the sewers to
the river could in no case be heavier than the soil of this vicinity,
but would generally be much lighter. While these substances
might, to some extent, be deposited there when there is little or no
current, they would, during the seasons of rain and flood, be
swept on by the same force that has hitherto preserved the depth
of the river."

In speaking of the steamboat canal project, he says:

" If it should ever be made for commercial purposes, the plan

would be about as well adapted to such a state of things as it is to

the present, making it necessary to abandon only the proposed

method of supplying the South Branch with fresh water from the

192

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

lake, and to pump up from the canal, or draw from the Pesplaines
directly, flushing water for the West District instead of obtaining
it from the present canal at Bridgeport, as herein recommended.
For the purpose of keeping the water in the South Branch fresh,
it is proposed to construct a canal, twenty feet wide and six feet
deep at low water, between the lake and the South Branch, through
North Street (Sixteenth), and for the purpose of purifying as
much of the North Branch as possible, it is believed that the nec-
essary canal should be located as far north as Center Street."

By reference to the history of the sewerage system,
it will be seen that the first sewers were constructed in
1856. During the next spring occurred the freshet
which increased the depth of the river two feet, sweet-
ened its waters, and destroyed, for a time, the appre-
hensions of sensitive people.

Street Improvements. — Previous to 1855 the
efforts made to grade and otherwise improve the streets
of the city were unsystematized and spasmodic. The
first " road " was located in 183 1 from the public square
to the western county line. But the report of the view-
ers was rejected by the County Commissioners, because
it was believed they had selfish ends in view in locating
it as they did. The Commissioners therefore voted
that the viewers "have no pay for their services." In
April, 1832, several streets and roads were authorized ;
among others the first street leading to Lake Michigan
was laid out. It then commenced at the east end of
Water Street, and is thus described by Jedediah Wooley,
Surveyor : " Direction of said road is south eighty-
eight and one-half degrees east from the street (Water)
to the lake, eighteen chains, fifty links." The street
was laid out fifty feet wide. The viewers on this occa-
sion believed that "the said road is of public utility
and a convenient passage from the town to the lake."
In June, 1S32, the County Commissioners ordered that
a road be viewed "from the town of Chicago to the
house of B. Laughton, from thence to the house of
James Walker on the Du Page River, and so on to the
west line of the county, and that Elijah Wentworth, R.
E. Heacock and Timothy B. Clark should be the view-
ers." These men were appointed to the same office to
do similar work for a prospective road " from the town
of Chicago, the nearest and best way to the house of
the Widow Brown on ' Hycory Creek.' "

By March, 1833, the State road leading from Chi-
cago to the left bank of the Wabash River, opposite
Yincennes, was completed, and during the spring and
summer of that year, various minor roads were laid out.
Thus, even at this early period, Chicago was becoming
a road center. When, later, plank roads commenced
to be built, Chicago also took the lead and drew in the
trade of all the country around. In August the town
of Chicago was incorporated, and one of the first official
orders of the Trustees was given to the Surveyor to
" pitch " South Water Street from the United States
Reservation to Randolph Street, on or before April,
1834. In these days Benjamin Jones was Street Com-
missioner, and he and his successors were autocrats in
their way. The law empowered them to call out any-
body between the ages of twenty-one and sixty years, to
work upon the streets and bridges for three days per
annum. The territory within which this law operated
covered the country one mile from the center of the
town limits. During July, 1834, the Surveyor was re-
quired to graduate South Water Street, so that "water
should flow from each cross street into the river." South
Water and Lake streets were the two principal thorough-
fares of the village, and therefore were early turnpiked
and graded. Plank sluices were also built across
Clark Street, to carry the drainage to the South Branch,
and that street was somewhat improved in 1836. In

the fall of that year Canal Street was turnpiked and
bridged as far north as Kinzie ; Lake Street similarly
improved as far west as Desplaines, and Randolph
Street from the river to the west side of Section 9. As
late as July 9, 1836, the American calls attention to a
pond of water on Lake Street, corner of La Salle, in-
habited by frogs. " It smells strong now, and in a few
days will send out a horrible stench." By the winter of
1836 the leading thoroughfares were turnpiked. The
next spring Hiram Pearsons commenced to improve his
north addition to Chicago, advertising for proposals for
" clearing, grubbing and grading " Market, Franklin,
Chicago Avenue, La Salle, Clark and Dearborn streets ;
also Union, Desplaines, Peyton, Canal, Webster, Spring,
Harmon, Hamilton, George, Maria, Elizabeth, Cathar-
ine streets, and one-half of Division Street, in the same
addition, making in all, fourteen and one-half miles of
streets. Most of this work was accomplished before
Mr. Pearsons went into bankruptcy in July, 1842.

For several years the work of grading, grubbing and
crudely improving the streets went on, but it was not
until 1849 that the authorities commenced to generally
plank them. As a rule this work amounted to less than
nothing, for when the heavy teams broke up the planks,
and wet weather came, the pavement was a dangerous
and active weapon, flying up into horses' faces and dash-
ing foot-passengers with mud. As late as 1868 relics of
t e broken plank could be seen on Blue Island Avenue,
and as late as 1859 West Madison and State streets
were laid with this planking. Descriptive of the " pave-
ments" of these early days is the following paragraph
taken from Brass's History:

" I said we had no pavements in 1848. The streets were sim-
ply thrown up as country roads. In the spring for weeks, portions
of them would be impassable. I have at different times seen empty
wagons and drays stuck on Lake and Water streets on even" block
between Wabash Avenue and the river. Of course there was little or
no business doing, for the people of the city could not get about
much, and the people of the country could not get in to do it.
As the clerks had nothing to do, they would exercise their wits by
putting boards from dry goods boxes in the holes where the last
dray was dug out, with significant signs, as ' No Bottom Here,'
' The Shortest Road to China.' Sometimes one board would be
nailed across another, and an old hat and coat fixed on it. with the
notice ' On His Way to the Lower Regions.' In fact, there was no
end to the fun; and jokes of the boys of that day — some were of
larger growth — were without number. Our first effort at paving,
or one of the first, was to dig down Lake Street to nearly or quite
on a level with the lake, and then plank it. It was supposed that
the sewage would settle in the gutters and be carried off, but the
experiment was a disastrous failure, for the stench at once became
intolerable. The street was then filled up, and the Common Coun-
cil established a grade from two to six or eight feet above the
natural level of the soil."

The planking of Lake Street, referred to above, was
ordered by the Common Council January 22, 1849, ar>d
was from the west side of State to the river, through the
center of the street, forty-eight feet wide. Prior to
1849 the attention of the citizens had been called to the
fruitlessness of using stone pavements upon the streets
of Chicago. It did not seem a profitable investment for
the city to lay down a pavement which would sink out
of sight in one or two years. The experiment of laying
plank roads had proved a success in Canada and New
York, and accordingly in 1849 the Common Council de-
termined to plank the principal streets of this city. In
1849-50 Market, State, South and North Clark, LaSalle,
Wells, East and West Madison and West Randolph were
treated to a coating of this material — (nearly three miles
of pavements) at a cost of $31,000.

Soon after this was commenced a general numbering
of the streets In the spring of 1848, Clark Street was
numbered from South Water to Randolph. In July,

CREATION OF THE CITY.

'93

1850, the Common Council ordered that North Water,
Kinzie and Michigan streets be numbered from their
eastern termini to Franklin Street ; and that Wolcott,
Dearborn, Clark, LaSalle and Wells be numbered from
North Water to Ontario ; also that the names of these
streets be posted up in large letters on each of their
corners.

In the summer of 1854, D. Harper, superintendent
of public works, made the following measurements of
levels above the lake surface :

South Division : — Market Street, at Madison, 5.140 ; at Wash-
ington,6.740 ; at Randolph, 6.890; at Lake, 6.945.

Water Street, at Lake, 6.945 ; Clark, 7.000; State, 6.715.

Clark Street, at Water, 7.000 ; Randolph, 7.665 ; Madison,
9.080; Twelfth, S.995.

State Street, at Water, 6.715 ; Randolph, 8.620; Madison,
9.950; Monroe, 10.070; Van Buren, II. 135 ; Polk, 12.464;
Twelfth, 12.030.

Madison Street, at Market, 5.140; Franklin, 6.560 ; Wells,
9.050 ; LaSalle, 8.090 ; Clark, 9.080 ; State, 9.95.

North Division: — Kinzie Street, at Wolcott, 7. 580 ; Clark,
8.075 I North Market, 8.485.

Chicago Avenue, at North Market, 7.705; Franklin, 8.84;
Wells, 873; LaSalle, 10.335 '< Clark, io.goo ; Wolcott, 12.871.

North Market Street, at Kinzie, 8.485 ; Michigan, 7.435 ; In-
diana, 6.760; Ohio, 8. 025 ; Huron, 8.450; Chicago Avenue, 7.705.

North Clark Street, at the dock, 7.405 ; Kinzie Street, 8.075 !
Indiana, 8.925 ; Ontario, 9.085 ; Superior, 10.000 ; Chicago
Avenue, 10.900.

Wolcott Street, at Kinzie, 7.580 ; Indiana, 9.610; Ontario,
11. 761 ; Superior, ti.810; Chicago Avenue, 12.871.

West Division: — Canal Street, at Twelfth, 10.065 ; Harrison,
9.285 ; Madison, 8.760.

Halsted Street, at Second, 9.95 ; Third, 9.47 ; Fourth, 9.015 ;
Milwaukee Avenue, 9.895 ; Prairie, 9.905 ; Fulton, 10.5 ; Lake,
10.28; Randolph, 11.365 ; Washington, 12.045 ; Madison, 11.460;
Monroe, 10.865; Jackson, 14.170; Polk, 13.995; Twelfth, 12.-
990.

Buckner Street, at Chicago Avenue, 11.450; Third, 13.30;
Prairie, 13.295; Fulton, 15.555; Lake, 15.4; Washington, 16.-
130; Madison, 16.7; Monroe, 16.405; Adams, 15.960; Jackson,
15.635; Van Buren, 15.135; Harrison, 13.510; Taylor, 11.350.

Reuben Street, at Chicago Avenue, 17.020; Owen, 16.925;
Fulton, 17.625; Lake, 17.885; Randolph, 17.640; Harrison,
11.785 ; Polk, 11.305 ; Warren, 17.290 ; Madison, 16.440; Adams,
15.265 ; Van Buren, 13. 065 ; Tyler, 12,015 I Tavlor, 10.755 ;
Twelfth, 10.84.

Twelfth Street, at Canal, 10.065 ; Clinton, 12.975 '< Jefferson,
13.125 ; Union, 13.205 ; Halsted, 12.305 ; Hoosier Avenue, 11.-
380 ; May, 10.570 ; Reuben, 10.84.

Harrison Street, at Canal, 9.205 ; Desplaines, 13.695 ; Green,
15.260; Borden, 14.185; Rucker, 13.475; Loomis, 12.900; Reu-
ben, 11.525.

Madison Street, at Canal, 8.760; Jefferson, 9.445; Union,
10.155; Halsted, 11.460; Sangamon, 12.930; Morgan, 15.380;
Curtis, 15.775 ; May, 16.260 ; Ann, 16.405 ; Elizabeth, 16.705 ;
Loomis, 16.970; Laflin, 17.15.

Chicago Avenue, at Liberty, 6.490; Union, 8.140; Carpen-
ter, 10.165; Milwaukee Avenue, 10.915; Noble, 13.980; Reuben,
17.020.

In 1855 surveys were made for the purpose of lay-
ing ground-work for the new sewerage system.

"It was found," says Assistant Engineer Clarke, "that the
surface of the ground along the North and South branches of the
river was only three or four feet above the average surface of the
lake, but rising irregularly eastward until, at Michigan Avenue and
Rush Street, it was from ten to tweive feet above the same level,
and also rising westward to about the same level at Ashland
Avenue. This, of course, involved the necessity of raising the
grade of the streets, in order to cover the sewers, in those parts of
the area of the city which required it. After a good deal of dis-
cussion it was decided to fill to a level of ten feet above ordinary
water on the streets adjacent to the river, raising them with an in-
clination sufficient to protect the sewers and to give cellars of seven
and one-half to eight feet in height. A greater height of surface
was strongly recommended, but it was supposed that great difficulty
would be experienced in obtaining the requisite earth for the above
minimum filling. It has, however, been found that the surplus
earth of the South Division has been sufficient not to only raise
the grade of the streets, but to fill up the whole of the lake basin
between the railroad and Michigan Avenue."

In August and September of 1856, Mr. De Golyer,
13

inventor of the pavement which bears his name, did
some work on Lake and South Water streets, which
gave general dissatisfaction. They were paved with
cobble stones, quite carelessly laid, or as one critic
learnedly remarked, the stones were not laid secundum
artem. Among those interested in good streets the dis-
cussion for the next few months waxed warm between
the advocates of planking, macadamizing and cobble-
stoning. It was during the spring of 1857 that the ex-
citement was intense in regard to the raising of the
grade over that established in 1855. Lake-street
property owners especially were aroused, as the pro-
posed fourteen-foot grade would bring up their level
some three or four feet. The Tribune of April 9, 1857,
brings out the difficulties of the situation in very strong
light. They did seem insurmountable, and that they were
overcome is but another evidence of the energy of Chi-
cago in the line of public improvements:

" What effect is this new grade going to have on buildings al-
ready erected in this city? The streets and sidewalks must be raised
some seven feet above the natural surface level. In other words,
every house now built must be raised about the height of the Mayor
above its present foundation, or be entered through doors cut in
its second story. The proposed grade would damage immensely
all our citizens who have built those magnificent brick and stone
blocks within the past three years. These buildings have been
erected to correspond with the present grade. The "new grade"
wou'd throw their floors some four feet below the sidewalks, while
their second floors would be five or six feet above the street surface,
and their cellars would become dark pits or dens underground.
The older buildings erected on a level with the natural surface
would fare much better than any of the great blocks constructed to
suit the present grade. Frame houses could be set up on blocks,
while brick ones, such as the Tremont House, might be entered
from the street through the second story windows, by building two
or three short steps upon the proposed sidewalks. We should say
that $2,000,000 would be a low estimate of the damage that would
be done to present structures! Who must pay it — or would the
owners have to lose it ? But that is not all. It will be a costly job
to raise all the streets and sidewalks of Chicago six to eight feet
within the space to be drained by sewers — a space of more than
1,200 acres. Where are the millions of cubic yards of earth to
come from to fill them up to the second stories of the present
buildings? And how many millions of dollars is it going to cost
the tax payers ? What sort of ' up and down ' sidewalk will the es-
tablishment of this 'new thirteen or fourteen feet grade' create
during the next twenty years ? Because it is all bosh to say that a
uniform system of level sidewalks, corresponding with the proposed
grade can be established short of many years. * * * Those
opposed to the new grade had better be stirring themselves before
it is too late. Now is the time to speak or forever hold your
peace. "

Apropos of these times it is remarked by an old
citizen and a close observer:

" A good joke was told about the first brick Tremont House
that was put up. Of course it was at first built to the grade of that
period; but, as the grade was every now and then established higher
and still higher, it at last left the hotel three or four feet below the
surface of the road in front of it, and steps were built around it
both on Lake and Dearborn streets for the convenience of persons
going there or passing along the sidewalk. A wag of a fellow,
from New Orleans, while visiting here, wrote back to his paper that
they need not talk any more about the low land of New Orleans,
for Chicago had got a brick hotel five stories high that was so
heavy that it had sunk into the soft soil several feet, and had
forced the ground up. into the street around it. I must say it had
that appearance. The building was afterward raised eight feet,
bringing it up to the grade, and making cellars and basements
underneath. It was the first brick building ever raised in Chicago,
and the raising was done at a cost to the proprietors, Ira and James
Couch, of some $45. 000. The contractor, I think, came from
Boston, and many were the prophecies that the building would fall
down during the process. But it was raised without the breaking
of a pane of glass, although it was i6oxlSo feet. After the success
attending the raising of the Tremont, many others were raised to
grade, and at last one-half of a block of heavy buildings on Lake
Street were successfully raised. It took 5,000 screws and 500 men
to accomplish it."

The handsomest and most substantial piece of

194

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

paving in the city was completed in July, 1S57. being
the section on State Street, between South Water and
Lake. It was a cobble stone pavement. The work was
done bv David French, of Detroit, who also had the
contract for paving Randolph Street, from the bridge
to Clark. Later during this same month was finished
the first piece of Nicholson pavement, not only in
Chicago, but in the West. The work was done on
Wells Street, between South Water and Lake. This
kind of pavement had already been tested and stamped
with the approval of " The Hub," and the people of
Chicago took kindly to it from the start, rightly conjec-
turing that the " era of cobble-stone pavement " was
drawing to a close. The cost of the Nicholson was
$2.50 per square yard. During this year the south half
of Wells Street was laid- with wooden pavement ; also
Washington Street, from LaSalle to Clark. In the fall
of 1S57 the " Plankers " lost the day, in their conflict
with the Macadamizers. The former received their
coup de grace front N. S. Bouton, the city superin-
tendent, who, in August, presented a report to the
Common Council, showing conclusively that the first
cost of laying the macadam was less than that of plank-
ing streets with three-inch oak lumber. Thus the era
of plank and cobble-stone pavement may be said to
have ended in 1857.

Street Nomenclature. — The study of street
nomenclature is always an interesting one, not alone for
the mementoes it presents of citizens, many of whom
have ceased to be remembered, but who were intimately
indentified with its progress ; but also for the indexes
it affords to the idiosyncrasies of the civic potentates, to
wit : the omission of Adams from the roll of Presidents-
in naming Chicago streets, and the expurgation of Tyler
Street. Arbitrary names of streets become identified
with cities also, as L'nter den Linden with Berlin, the
Prater with Vienna, Boulevard des Italiens with Paris,
the Strand with London, Broadway with New York, and
Wabash Avenue with Chicago, although in the case of
Chicago the boulevards are fast replacing and nullifying
any other noted streets or avenues in the city. This fact
would appear to be an argument in favor of giving the
streets some distinctive name that has some relevance
to the city's history, and not designating thoroughfares
by names that convey no meaning, annotate no history,
neither recall any individual.

The two first roads that received official recognition
in Chicago village were those which led to Barney
Laughton's, and to the Widow Brown's on Hickory
Creek.* The first survey made and platted in 1830,
by James Thompson, exhibits the streets that bound
the village to be Washington on the south, Jefferson
on the west, Kinzie on the north, and Dearborn on
the east. From this arrangement which disarranged
the presidential succession j, the presumption is reason-
able that the Chicagoans named the boundary streets
after the three most prominent men, according to their
ideas, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John
Kinzie. Dearborn Street, of course, derived its name
from Fort Dearborn — so called in honor of Gen. Henry
Dearborn. East of Washington was Randolph, named
in honor of John Randolph, of Roanoke ; then Lake —
afier Lake Michigan; next Fulton — after Robert Fulton;
then Carroll — after Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and
then Kinzie. From Jefferson eastward, came Clinton —
after DeWitt Clinton ; then Canal — after the Illinois &
Michigan Canal; then West Water. East of the river
was Market— because the market was located on that
then Franklin — after Benjamin Franklin ; then

* V lei -ipon Early History.

Wells — after Captain William Wells, massacred at Fort
Dearborn, subsequently changed to Fifth Avenue ; next
LaSalle — after Chevalier LaSalle ; then Clarke — after
Gen. George Rogers Clark, the conqueror of Kaskaskia,
and then Dearborn. Clark Street for a long time was
spelt with a terminal e, until it was found that General
Clark's name was properly spelled without, when the
terminal vowel was dropped from the name of that
street.

On a map of 1835, the town of Chicago is delin-
eated as having grown one street to the south — Madison,
named after James Madison. Westward the streets
were increased by Desplaines — the road to the town of
that name, and by LTnion, which then terminated at
Kinzie on the south. North of Kinzie on the West Side
were Hubbard Street, named after Henry George Hub-
bard, the brother of Gurdon S. Hubbard ; then Owen
(now West Indiana , named after T. J. V. Owen ; then
Fourth, Third, Second and First. On the North Side
was Wolcott (now North State), named after Alexander
Wolcott ; east of Wolcott was Cass — named after Gen-
eral Lewis Cass ; then Rush — named after Benjamin
Rush ; then Pine — so-called because there were some
scattered pine trees along its site ; then Sand (now St.
Clair) so-called because of the nature of the soil. The
subsequent name of this street was given in honor of
General Arthur St. Clair. North of the river running
east and west, were Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio, named after the four States ; then Ontario, Erie,
Huron and Superior, christened in honor of the four
lakes. Upon the juncture of these streets with First,
Second, Third and Fourth the latter took the names of
the streets of which they were a western continuation.
Kane (or Cane) Street, Dunn and Water streets, in an
angle bounded by the river, Jefferson and Kinzie, have
ceased to exist as streets ; Kane was named after James
Kane, an early inhabitant. The North Side Water Street
ran at right angles to the present Water Street — then also
named Water— and appears to have derived its name,
as many other streets did, because of its proximity to
the river. Two nomenclative last resorts were used by
the street sponsors of old ; the numbers one, two, three
and four and the designation Water ; and these five ap-
pellations were indiscriminately dispersed around the
town and city. From Chicago Avenue to the river and
west of Halsted, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth streets
flourished in 1854, and there was a First Street west of
the South Western Plank Road, a continuation of Tvler
Street. In Section 30 a number of streets were laid
out that are now extinct, the lumber yards and
slips having usurped their localities, namely, Russell
Street, after J. B. F. Russell ; Johnson ^subsequently
HoosieC, after Colonel Johnson who slew Tecum-
seh ; Kinzie (subsequently Sharp , after John Kin-
zie ; Hogan, after John S. C. Hogan ; Hubbard
(subsequently KedzieJ, after Gurdon S. Hubbard and
John Hume Kedzie ; Cornelia ^subsequently Amelia) ;
Archer, after W. B. Archer; Clybourne subsequently
Kearney ), after Archibald Clybourne and General Philip
Kearney ; Owen, after T. J. V. Owen ; Hamilton, after
Richard Jones Hamilton ; Canal (subsequently Rich-
ard I, also after Hamilton, and now Canalport Avenue ;
Clinton 'subsequently Dexter , after De Witt Clinton ;
Pearsons, after Hiram Pearsons ; Ewing, Cohen, Ker-
cheval — after Gholson Kercheval ; Dole, after George
W. Dole ; Campbell, Garrett, after Augustus Garrett ;
Bond 'subsequently Fir) ; Wilson (subsequently Sand ;
Edwards 'subsequently Warden) ; Cook (subsequently
Rock; ; Slade ; Robinson, after Alexander Robinson ;
Kane ; May subsequently May Flower; ; Reynolds,

CREATION OF THE CITY

'95

after Eri Reynolds ; Casey, after E. W. Casey ; Henry
(subsequently Cicero! ; and Thornton streets. Union
Park absorbed three short streets : Wright Place, after
John Wright ; Webster Place, after Daniel Webster ;
and Larned Place, after Edwin C. Larned. Shields
Avenue, after General Shields, was formerly Garibaldi
Street, and prior to that Kossuth Street ; named in
honor of the Italian and Hungarian heroes. The pres-
ent Kossuth Street is also named in honor of Louis
Kossuth. The following streets that bear the same
names now that they did anterior to 1857, have arbitrary
names that require no explanation. Aberdeen, Ash,
Berlin, Blucher, Bremen, Bloomingdale Road, Calumet
Avenue, Canalport Avenue, Cedar, Cherry, Chestnut,
Chicago Avenue, Central Avenue, near I. C. R. R.
depot, Cypress, Coblentz, Courtland, Center, Commer-
cial, Desplaines, Eleventh, Elm, Eagle, Front, Frank-
fort, Fifth, Grove, Goethe, Gold, Hope, Hawthorn,
Hickory, Lexington, Linden, Locust, Lumber, Lubeck,
Lafayette and Washington places, on the North Side ;
Maple, Meridian, Michigan, Indiana, Milwaukee and
Wabash avenues ; Mohawk, Main, Napoleon Place,
North Branch, Water, North Avenue, Oak, Olive.
Orchard, Park Avenue, Peoria, Pleasant, Prairie Avenue,
Quarry, River, Sangamon, Schiller, School, Silver,
Southport Avenue, State, Twelfth, Union, Vine, Walnut,
Wisconsin and Willow. When the streets upon the
South and West sides were designated by numbers in
lieu of names, the following lost any historic, or specific,
nomenclature : Fenimore (after Cooper1!, now East
Thirteenth ; Dobyns and Sampson (after William H.
Sampson1, now West Thirteenth ; Liberty, now East
Fourteenth ; Mitchell (after ' the Presiding Elder of
the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1S34) ; and
Davidson (after Dr. Alfred W. Davidson), now West
Fourteenth ; Springer (after George A. Springer),
now East Fifteenth ; Catherine and Halleck, now
West Fifteenth ; North, now Sixteenth ; New, now
Seventeenth ; Old, now East Eighteenth ; and Evans
(after Dr. John Evans!, now West Eighteenth ;
Cross, now Nineteenth ; and Harbine (after Thomas
Harbine), now West Nineteenth ; Bridge, now Twen-
tieth ; Commerce, now East, and Clayton, now
West, Twenty-first; South and Ringgold* Place, now
Twenty-second; Palo Alto Place, now Twenty-third;
Monterey Place, now Twenty-fourth; Buena Vista
Place, now Twenty-fifth; Rio Grande Place, now
Twenty-sixth; Sycamore Street, Douglas Place, and
Northern Avenue, now Twenty-seventh; Southern
Avenue, now Twenty-eighth; Hardin Place after
Colonel Hardin), now Twenty-ninth; Yates, now Thir-
tieth; Ridgley Place (after N. H. Ridgley), now
Thirty-first; Smith Place (after George Smith), now
Thirty-second; Douglas Place (then Douglas Avenue,
after Stephen A. Douglas, as are all the Douglas
Places), now Thirty-fifth Street, or Douglas Avenue;
Wah-pan-sehf Avenue, now Thirty-seventh, and Egan
Avenue (after William Bradshaw EganJ, now Thirty-
ninth Street and Egan Avenue; the names Douglas and
Egan cling to the renamed streets. The streets named
after the Presidents are: Washington, Madison — Adams
was ignored, and Jefferson was the boundary on the
West Side in 1830 — Monroe ; then the Chicagoans,
swallowing their anti-federalism, named Adams Street
after John Adams, but could not forgive the election
of John Quincy Adams by the House of Representatives,
so named the little street that abuts upon the Govern-
ment Building after him; Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison,

*Ringgold, Palo Alto, Monterey, Bu
memorative of General Taylor.

+Wah pan-seh is the same as Wauba

Vista, and Rio Grande

*Tyler, now West Congress Street, Polk, Taylor fFil-
more is ignored), and Pierce Place, now Elgin Street.
It must be remembered by the reader of this chapter
that no streets are mentioned herein that did not have
an existence prior to, or in, the year 1857 ; and the fol-
lowing list completes the catalogue of such thorough-
fares : Alexander, after Alexander Wolcott ; Ann,
after the wife of Philo Carpenter ; Augusta, after his
daughter, now Mrs. Cheney ; Armour, after G. Armour ;
Armitage Avenue, after A. Armitage ; Astor, after John
Jacob Astor ; Arnold, after Isaac Newton Arnold ;
Archer Road, formerly called State, or Archer, Road,
after W. B. Archer, canal commissioner; Asylum
Place, so called because of the Orphan Asylum there,
now called Webster Avenue, east of the Elston road ;
Ada ; Beach, after John Beach ; Bickerdike, after
George Bickerdike ; Bissell, after William H. Bissell ;
Black Hawk, after the Indian chieftain ; Blackwell,
after Robert S. Blackwell ; Blanche, Blue Island Avenue,
the road to that place ; Bond, after Shadrach Bond,
now Homer, after the poet of multifarious birth-places ;
Bradley, after Asa F. Bradley ; Bremer, after Fredrika
Bremer, now Milton Avenue, after the blind poet ;
Brigham ; Broadway Avenue, now Iglehart Place, after
Nicholas P. Iglehart ; Brown, after William H. Brown ;
Buddan, now Portland Avenue ; Bunker, after Bunker
Hill ; Burling, after Edward Burling ; Bushnell, after
O. Bushnell ; Butler, after Lorin G. Butler ; Butter-
field, after Justin Butterfield ; Buffalo, after the city, or
the animal, now Fourth Avenue ; Baker Avenue, after
E. D. Baker ; Beers, after Cyrenius Beers ; Barry Point
road, now Colorado Avenue, for the Widow Barryf ;
Bishop, now Division Street from State to the lake,
after either the Catholic or Episcopal office ; Boone,
after Levi D. Boone, extended from Canal to Stephen-
son streets, now extinct ; Campbell, now Hoyne Avenue,
after Colonel. James B. Campbell, the latter designation
after the lamented Thomas Hoyne ; Carpenter, after
Philo Carpenter ; Center, now Waldo Place ; Chapin,
after John P. Chapin ; Chittenden, now Crittenden —
the first name after old man Chittenden who kept shoot-
ing headquarters on Lake Calumet, the latter after John
J Crittenden ; Church, now merged in Schiller, after
William L. Church ; Clarinda, formerly called Clark ina ;
Cleaver, after Charles Cleaver ; Clybourne Avenue,
after Archibald Clybourne ; Cochrane, now Robey, after
James Cochrane ; Cook, after Daniel P. Cook, first
representative in Congress ; Coolidge, now Thirteenth
Place ; Cornelia, now Robey ; Cornell, after Paul Cor-
nel1 ; Cottage Grove Avenue, after a cottage that once
stood there ; Crosby, after Uriah H. Crosby ; Currier;
Curtis, after James Curtis, Mayor ; Dayton, after
William L. Dayton ; Dean, after Philip Dean ;
DeKoven, after John F. DeKoven ; DePeyster ;
Dinet, after J. Dinet (this street is extinct); Division,
the section line ; Dyer Avenue, now Halsted, after
Charles Volney Dyer and Halsted, a Philadelphian
whose money was invested in Chicago by William B.
Ogden ; North Division, now Banks Street ; Dodge,
after A. R. Dodge ; Eastman, after Zebina Eastman ;
Edina Place, now Third Avenue ; Eldridge Court, after
John W. Eldridge; Elizabeth, after Elizabeth May Cur-
tiss ; Ellen ; Ellsworth, after Joseph Ellsworth; Elston
Road, now Elston Avenue, after Daniel Elston ; Emily,
after Emily (Carpenter Bridges ; Eugenia; Ewing, after
William L. D. Ewing ; Edwards, after Ninian, or Cyrus

♦East Congress was formerly Tyler Street, and was changed to Congress
when Tyler left the Whig party; then the street south of Van Buren, on the
West Side, was named Tyler, and this was changed to Congress likewise, in late

+ See Chapter on Early History.

ig6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Edwards now extinct"; Elk Grove Avenue, after Elk
Grove ; Ferdinand ; Finnel : Fisk ; Fleetwood, after
Stanley H. Fleetwood ; Flournoy, after Lafayette M.
Flournoy ; Forquer, after George Forquer; Foster, after
John H. Foster, now Law Avenue, after Robert Law ;
Fremont, after General John C. Fremont ; Fullerton,
after Alexander N. Fullerton ; Fond du Lac Road, now
North Robey from Milwaukee Avenue); George,
named by John Xoble in honor of one of the gentle-
men who disgraced the British Throne ; Hanover, now
Rhine, and Sovereign streets were also named by John
Xoble ; Grace : Grand Haven Slip, merged in Goethe ;
Granger ; Greene, after W. Greene ; Green Bay was a
continuation of Rush north of Chicago Avenue, merged
in Rush Street ; Green Bay Road is now North
Clark from North Avenue ; Griswold, after Charles E.
Griswold ; Gurnee, after Walter S. Gurnee ; Gurley, after
Jason Gurley ; Hamilton Avenue, now Harrison Street,
after Richard Jones Hamilton; Harmon Court, after Eli-
jah Dewey Harmon ; Hastings, after Hiram Hastings ;
Henry ; High, after John High, Jr.; Hills, after D. Ho-
bart Hills ; Hinsdale, now Chestnut, after John Hins-
dale ; Holt, after Thomas J. Holt ; Hoyne Avenue, af-
ter Thomas Hoyne ; Hubbard Street, now Hudson Av-
enue, and Hubbard Court, after Gurdon S. Hubbard ;
Hurlbut, after Horatio N. Hurlbut ; Hoosier Avenue,
now Blue Island Avenue, as a compliment to the Hoo-
siers ; Harbour Street used to be at the southern ex-
tremity of Rush Street bridge but is now extinct; Hobbie
now extinct , after Albert G. Hobbie ; Hamburgh, now
West Fullerton Avenue; Hervey, after Robert Hervey;
Iglehan Avenue, now Oakley, after Nicholas P. Iglehart;
Ingrah.im ; Jane ; Johnson, now Rumsey, after Captain
Seth Johnson, formerly of the garrison ; Johnson Ave-
nue, after W. F. Johnson ; Johnston, now Johnson, West
Division, after W. S. Johnson ; Judd, after Norman B.
Judd ; Julian, after Julian S. Rumsey ; Kansas, named
in honor of Bleeding Kansas, is now West Eleventh ;
Kedzie, now Lincoln, was named after John H. Kedzie;
Kernon, now Keenon ; Kankakee Avenue was rechrist-
ened Douglas Avenue, is now South Park and Grand
Boulevard ; Laflin, after Matthew Laflin ; Larrabee, af-
ter William M. Larrabee ; Leavitt, after David Leavitt,
canal commissioner ; Lee, now Morgan, after David S.
Lee ; Little Fort Road, now Lincoln Avenue, northwest
from North Wells, so called because it was the road to
Little Fort, now Waukegan ; Loomis, after H. G. Loo-
mis ; Lydia ; Long John, after John Wentworth ; Lock,
because of its contiguity to the Bridgeport lock ; Legg,
near Kill's Brewery, after Isaac Legg ; Lake View, now
Lake Avenue ; Mau-te-ne, after an Indian chief, now
Langley, after Esther Langley ; Margaret ; Marie, or
Mary, now Wood ; Mather, after Thomas Mather ; May,
after Elizabeth May Curtiss ; Maxwell, after Dr. Philip
Maxwell ; Meagher, after Thomas Francis Meagher ;
Miller, after Samuel Miller ; Morgan, after Caleb Mor-
gan ; Myrick Avenue, now Vernon Avenue, after W. F.
Myrick ; Moo-nah-way, then Moonaway Place, -after
an Indian chief, now Stanton Avenue ; Mills,
now extinct, after Benjamin Mills ; McGlashan, af-
ter John McGlashan ; McGregor, after Alexander Mc-
Gregor ; Mac Henry, in honor of the adjoining county ;*
McLean, after Judge John L. McLean, now ex-
tinct; Mi Reynolds, after A. T. Mc Reynolds ; Nebraska
Avenue, now extinct; Northwestern Plank Road now Mil-
waukee Avenue; Newberry, after Walter L. Newberry;
Nevins, now extinct; Noble, after the Noble family;
Norton, now extinct, after Theron A. Norton; North
Division, now Banks; North Park, now Ems; Oakley,
after Charles Oakley, canal commissioner; O'Brien, after

George O'Brien; Otis, after L. B. Otis; Oakwook, after-
ward Oak, now Bellevue Place; Page, after Peter Page;
Park Place, now Dearborn Place; Park Row, by Dear-
born Park, now extinct; Paulina, after Paulina Edy Taylor,
deceased wife of Reuben Taylor; Peyton, now Kings-
bury, after Francis Peyton, partner of James Grant;
Peck Court, after Ebenezer Peck; Prairie, now Carroll
Avenue, from North Halsted to North Reuben; Price
Place, now Boston Avenue, after Jeremiah Price; Pur-
ple, after the jurist Norman H. Purple; Pearce, now
Frank, after Asahel Pierce, as was Pierce, now Wilmot
Avenue; Pine, now Kendall Avenue; Pearson, after
Hiram Pearson; Pennsylvania Avenue, now West Lake
from Ashland Avenue to west city limits; Peterson;
Racine Road, now Racine Avenue; Rebecca; Rees,
after James H. Rees; Reuben, now Ashland Avenue, after
Reuben Tayler; Ridgeville Road, now Paulina, so named
because it ran along the top of a sand ridge; Roberts,
now North Jefferson, after Edmund Roberts; Robey.
after James Robey; Rucker, now Centre Avenue, after
Henry L. Rucker; Rural Lane is now extinct, but used
to be between Johnson Avenue and Iglehart Place;
Rolker, now Throop; Robbins' Road is now part of
Western Avenue; So-mo-nauk, after an Indian chief,
now Ellis Avenue, after Samuel Ellis; Stephenson, after
Robert Stephenson; Shurtleff Avenue, now Fifth
Avenue, south of Twenty-sixth, after B. Shurtleff;
Samuel; Sanger, after J. Y. Sanger; South Park, now
Hamburg; Scott, now York, after General Winfield
Scott; Sebor; Sedgwick, after Robert Sedgwick;
Selah, now extinct, from the Hebrew word; Sharp, now
Leavitt, after J. W. Sharp; Sheffield Avenue, after
Joseph E. Sheffield; Sherman, after Alanson S. Sherman,
Mayor; Spring, after Charles Spring; Sheldon, occa-
sionally erroneously spelt Shelton, after Edwin H.
Sheldon; Sholto; Sloan, after W. B. Sloan, manufacturer
of horse liniment, etc.; Smith, now Ogden Place, after
S. F. Smith; Smith, now De Kalb, and Smith Avenue,
after George Smith; Snider, misspelt, and should be
Schneider, after George Schneider, of the National
Bank of Illinois; Southwestern Plank Road, now Ogden
Avenue, after William B. Ogden; Stetson, now extinct,
after Sandford H. Stetson; Stewart Avenue, after Hart
L. Stewart; Stinson, now Paulina, after T. Stinson;
Saint Michael, now Hudson Avenue, named by Michael
Tuomey, in honor of the archangel; Swift, after R. K.
Swift; Thorn is now merged in Elm; Throop, after A.
G. Throop; Townsend; Tuomey, now Twomey, after
Michael Tuomey; Telegraph, now Wood, presumably
the street whereon the telegraph line was first introduced
into Chicago; Van Horn, after John Van Horn; Ved-
der, after Volkhart Vedder; Chicago and Vincennes
Road, or Min-ne-mang Avenue, after an Indian chief, is
now Vincennes Avenue; Wallace, after John S. Wallace;
Waller, after Charles S. Waller; Warren, after Daniel
Warren; Washington Avenue, now Walnut Street and
Place, after George Washington; Wayman, after G. B.
Wayman; Wendell, after John Wendell; Wentworth
Avenue, after John Wentworth; Wesson; Western
Avenue, south of Twenty-second Street, used to be
called Blue Island Avenue Plank Road; Wheeler, now
extinct, after William Wheeler; White, now Locust,
after Julius White; Whitehouse Place, after Bishop
Whitehouse; Whiting, after William L. Whiting; Whit-
ney, now Delaware Place, after William Whitney;
William, now North Paulina, after William Sampson;
Williams, afterward Mitchell, then West Fourteenth,
after Eli B. Williams; Wilson, after John L. Wilson;
Wisconsin Avenue, now North Wells; Wolcott, now
North State, after Alexander Wolcott; Wood, after

CREATION OF THE CITY.

'97

Alonzo Church Wood; Woodstock Avenue, now Ash-
land Avenue, north of Chicago Avenue, the latter after
the home of Henry Clay, Wright, after John S.
Wright; Waubansia Avenue, after the Indian chieftain,
and Wheeling Avenue, now North Wood, after Wheel-
ing, W. Va. There are several streets herein named,
whose eponyms are entirely forgotten, and others whose
nomenclature, if known, would convey nothing of his-
toric interest.

Plank Roads. — Very early in the history of plank
roads, Chicago became quite a "center." The first road
of this kind constructed in the State was commenced in
May, 1848, and was called the Southwestern Plank
Road. In 1850 it was completed from Chicago to Brush
Hill, sixteen miles. An extension of this road was built
soon afterward, known as the Naperville & Oswego.
The Northwestern was constructed in 1849-50 from
Chicago to Wheeling, a branch running west to Des-
plaines River, and the main line extending to Dutchman's
Point — a total of eighteen miles. The Western was
organized in the winter of 1850-51, connecting with the
Uesplaines River branch, at Robinson's, and extending
west to the west line of DuPage County, through Bloom-
ingdale, seventeen miles. The company operated a saw
mill. The Elgin & Genoa, organized in the spring of
1850, connected with the Western Plank Road Company
and passed through Elgin to Genoa, in DeKalb County,
twenty-eight miles. Two saw mills were erected by the
company. Thus from Chicago west there was a con-
tinuous line of plank road of over fifty miles. In Feb-
ruary, 1850, the Southern was organized with the inten-
tion of building to the southern county line, but in
conformity with the general desire of citizens, it was
only constructed to Kile's Tavern, ten miles. By the
latter part of 1850 fifty miles of plank road had been
built out of Chicago, at a total cost of $150,000.

As the railroads centering in Chicago came into
general use, the plank roads, as beaten ways of travel,
were abandoned. The city was furnished with a new
and more perfect system of commercial arteries. It is
merely intended in presenting the few facts above given,
to bring forth another proof of Chicago's enterprise in
the way of public improvements and commercial growth.

As a specimen of the unbounded confidence with
which the plank roads were looked upon as a means of
developing a country, the following communication is
given, taken from the Democrat, of February 16, 1848.
It is an earnest and honest argument in favor of plank
roads and against the building of railroads, at that
time :

"Will you be so kind as to allow me to say a few words
through your paper, showing the very many advantages our country
will derive by the introduction of plank roads over that of railroad
communication ? The former can be brought into every street and
alley, to every warehouse and manufactory in our city — in the
country all sections are alike benefitted by them. They do not
enhance one man's property and depress that of another. The
farmer can take his produce to market when his time is of little or
no value. When a sudden advance in the staples of the country
takes place, there is no railroad directory to reap the benefits of it,
by refusing to carry only that which they may be interested in.
Such has been the operations in a neighboring State. * * * Do
railroads give the same facilities for traveling that plank roads do,
even to those living by the side of them ? Their stations are gener-
ally ten and twelve miles apart. They will only take in and put
out passengers at these places. Our plank road passengers travel
at the rate of ten miles an hour, which is as fast as tley are con-
veyed (and with ten times the safety) on the Michigan Central Rail-
road. The charges made by the railroad for the transportation of
produce are more than it would cost the farmer by plank roads and
very little less than common roads. On the Michigan Central Rail-
road they charge sixty-two and one half cents per barrel for flour,
and fifty cents per hundred pounds for merchandise between Kala-
mazoo and Detroit, 140 miles. On a plank road, a two-horse team

will haul three and one-half tons two and one-half miles an hour
for ten hours out of fourteen ; which experience has proven to be
the most economical rate of speed teams with heavy burdens ought
to travel. From an examination of the statistics it would appear
that the whole number of teams arriving in our city during the past
year was not far from seventy thousand. Now, in place of the
railroad now agitated, construct three hundred miles of plank road,
divided to the best advantage, say northwest and southwest. This
will not cost more than $500,000, about what it will cost to build a
good railroad to the Fox River, for which the annual receipts for
the next ten years could not be less than $200,000, supposing the
average number of teams arriving per annum to be 130,000 (a cal-
culation not large, as the population of Northern Illinois doubles
in about six years), which at $1.50 per team would give that sum —
sufficient to keep the roads in repair, divide thirty per cent divi-
dends, and when the road is worn out (ten years hence) we would
have a city containing seventy thousand inhabitants. Then we
might talk of a railroad. One of the reasons most argued with those
in favor of the proposed railroad to Fox River is that if we don't
build one, Milwaukee will. The people of that city are not able
to build a railroad of any length ; if they were, they are not so
simple."

By 1854 Chicago had completed the Northwestern
Plank Road to the town of Maine, seventeen miles.
Seven miles from the city the Western road branched
off and was finished seventeen miles from Chi-
cago. The Southern Plank Road left the city at
Bull's Head, on Madison Street, and passed through
Lyonsville to Brush Hill, sixteen miles. From Brush
Hill the Oswego Plank Road extended fourteen miles
to Naperville. The Southern Plank Road was corn-
commenced on State Street, at the south line of the city,
and was finished to Comorn, ten miles south of the city.
The Blue Island Avenue road extended from the village
of Blue Island north to the heart of the city, on the
west side of the river, about thirteen miles. The Lake-
shore Plank Road, under contract, was an extension of
North Clark Street, and was to run parallel with the
lake shore for five miles.

Ferries and Bridges. — In June, 1829, the Com-
missioners of Peoria County established a ferry
"across the Chicago River, at the lower forks, near
Wolf Point, crossing the river below the Northeast
Branch." The precise locality is where West Lake
Street crosses the river. The keepers, Archibald Cly-
bourne and Samuel Miller, were to pay a tax of $2, and
execute a bond in the sum of $200 for the faithful per-
formance of their duties. Rates for ferriage were fixed
as follows : Foot passenger, six and one-fourth cents ;
man and horse, twelve and one-half cents ; Dearborn
sulky chair, with springs, fifty cents ; one-horse wagon,
twenty-five cents ; four-wheeled carriage, drawn by two
oxen or horses, thirty-seven and one-half cents ; cart
with two oxen, thirty-seven and a half cents ; head
of neat cattle or mules, ten cents ; hog, sheep or goat,
three cents ; hundred weight of goods, wares and mer-
chandise, each bushel of grain or other article sold by
the bushel, six and one-fourth cents ; " and all other
articles in equal and just proportion." The rates estab-
lished were one-half the sum that " John L. Bogardus
gets at his ferry in Peoria." The main landing was on
the South Side, from which passengers could be ferried
over to either the North or West Side. By the spring
of 1 83 1 the business of ferrying was confined to the
individual exertions of travelers who found themselves
obliged to navigate the torpid waters of the Chicago
River and its branches. This lack of enterprise, how-
ever, was partially overcome by the energy of Mark
Beaubien, who, in April of that year, purchased a scow
from Mr. Miller for $65. His bond of $200 was
secured by James Kinzie, and in consideration for the
privilege of running this ferry, Mr. Beaubien was to
transport the people of Cook County free, the emolu-
ments of his office coming from strangers. Some of

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

his friends go so far as to say that for a time Mark con-
sidered the office a sort of sinecure. However that
mav be. it is possible that he was brought to a realizing
sense of his importance as a public functionary by the
order of the Commissioners that he should ferry citizens
of Cook County over. " from daylight in the morning
until dark, without stopping." This effectually put an
embargo upon any more " fast running " of Mr. Beau-
bien's horses with ambitious redskins, which is the
rumored cause of Mark's dereliction of duty.

After Mark Beaubien had been running his ferry for
less than a vear the citizens of the young town decided
that they had left such a primitive affair behind them,
and feeling, furthermore, that it wonld be well to utilize
the United States troops then stationed at Fort Dear-
born, they conceived the idea of throwing a bridge
over the South Branch, just north of the present Ran-
dolph Street crossing. This feat was accomplished by
Anson H. and Charles Taylor, assisted by the militia.
To effect its construction the citizens contributed

$286.20 and the Pottawatomies $200, making a build-
ing fund of S486.20. The bridge was a floating concern,
built roughly of logs, and three years' travel upon it
created alarming ■ havoc. Early in January, 1836, a
petition to the Trustees was extensively signed, asking
for the removal of the bridge and the building of a
good " draw," at Lake Street. The " undersigned "
found that the bridge was " much decayed and in a
ruinous condition," and that lives were endangered so
long as it was not repaired; also that it could not be re-
paired because there were defects in the original plan
of construction, viz., that it was too narrow and had
no draw to admit vessels to pass; that it should not be
repaired because its present site was not upon a traveled
thoroughfare. The bridge was a dangerous " public
nuisance," they said, and a good substantial draw-
bridge should cross the South Branch, at Lake Street
so as " to unite and continue said street through the
town." The prayer of the petitioners was not granted,
although offered up by such men as J. B. and Mark
Beaubien, G. W. Snow, H. G. Loomis, F. Moseley,
Josiah C. Goodhue, George Davis, Stephen F. Gale,
Philip Dean and John T. Temple. In March, 1836,
the Town Trustees issued an order for the building of
drawbridges at Kinzie and Randolph streets, but in
May they deemed such works inexpedient. The South
Branch bridge was repaired, however, at considerable
expense several times, before its removal in 1840.

In the summer of 1832 Samuel Miller, the original
possessor of the old ferry scow, built the first bridge
over the North ({ranch. It was located near the south-
east corner of Kinzie and Canal streets, in the vicinity
of the present bridge of the Chicago & Northwestern
Railroad Company. It was formed of stringers and
only fitted for foot passengers. Even up to the sum-
mer of 1833 the structure was useless for teams.

The first drawbridge thrown across the river was at
Dearborn Street, and was built in 1834 by a shipwright
named Nelson R Norton, who in a letter, says :

" I came to Chicago November 16, 1833. Soon after I arrived,
I commenced cutting the lumber for a drawbridge, on the land ad-
joining Michigan Avenue, afterward owned by Hiram Pearsons. In

March, 1S34, I commenced building it, and I think it was completed
by the ist of June. The first steamboat that passed through it
was the old ' Michigan,' with a double engine, commanded by
Captain C, Klake, and owned by Oliver Newberry, of Detroit."

Mr. Norton is evidently in error as to the time of
the completion of the bridge, since the Democrat states
that it was formally accepted by the Trustees in August,
the first proposals having been received in February.
At the time the Dearborn Street bridge was completed,
the bridges across the North and South branches also
belonged to the corporation, and a committee had been
appointed during the previous December, consisting of
G. W. Dole, Madore B. Beaubien and Edmund S. Kim-
berly, to see that they were properly repaired. In
September the corporation paid $166.67 on account of
repairing. The Dearborn-street structure was a primi-
tive affair and received the blows of passing vessels and
the curses of pedestrians and drivers. From various
sources it is learned that it was about three hundred
feet long, and the opening for the passage of craft about
sixty feet. It was of the "gallows pattern," and for five
years, the frames, one at either end, stood like instru-
ments of death to frighten the timid stranger at night.
Upon one occasion when hoisted it "would not down "
at anyone's bidding, and for forty-eight hours the gal-
lows frames held the draw suspended in mid-air. The
bridge was repaired in 1835 and 1837, and the Common
Council ordered its removal in July, 183Q. Many citi-
zens were so afraid that the Council would rescind this
action, that a large crowd gathered upon the river be-
fore daylight, the next morning, and going to work with
a will, in a very short time chopped the bridge to pieces.
This step was only one in the progress of the bridge
war which had been raging for several years. During
the spring of that year two ferries were running, one at
Clark and the other at State Street. The latter was
supported by private subscriptions. The feeling finally
reached such a pass that in April some envious supporter
of the Clark Street ferry cut the rope of the State Street
institution with an ax. This ferry was the famous
"Velocipede," the approach to which is thus noticed by
the American the day previous to the cutting : " The
access has been made solid and clean by the laying of a
nice board or platform, on which the Chinese foot of
the most delicate of nature's handiwork may step with
perfect impunity from the vulgar mud and Brobding-
nagian gravel." This ferry, with its wretched approach,
was used at State Street until August 29, when it was
transferred to Dearborn Street. It consisted of a scow,
large enough to accommodate two double teams, oper-
ated by a rope which was fastened to a windlass, on each
side of the river. The boat was propelled by one man
with the aid of such of the passengers as chose to assist.
George Brady and Samuel Carpenter were ferrymen.

The bridge and ferry troubles commenced when
Chicago became a city, continued through many vari-
ations of heat and cold (mostly heat'1, for a period of
five years, and culminated in 1840. The cause of this
sectional warfare between the North and South sides is
thus detailed by a writer in the Chicago Times :

"Every night there came up out of the south a great fleet of
prairie schooners that anchored on the Reservation. It often num-
bered five hundred, and came laden with wheat and corn and all
sorts of produce. All the warehouses were in that day built on the
north bank of the river. The South Side opposed the Clark-street
bridge, in order that their prairie schooners might not reach those
warsehouses, and thus be compelled to trade on the south bank.
The old Dearborn bridge, the first drawbridge ever built in the
city, had been demolished in 1839, and a scow ferry substituted.
At Clark Street, there was another ferry; these were not of the most
approved pattern. They were simply scows hauled to and fro by
ropes. The North Side warehouses were in sore distress. They

CREATION OF THE CITY.

199

needed a connection with the other two towns. The Council was
evenly divided. At the time when the question was at its height,
Messrs. Newberry and Ogden presented to the Catholic ecclesiasti-
cal authorities the two blocks now occupied by the cathedral. It
was said at the time that the present was to influence votes on the
bridge question. It undoubtedly was. The North Side won her
bridge. Mayor Raymond cast the deciding vote."

Subsequently the subscription to the fund of $3,000
was completed by residents of the North Side, and on
April 1 8, 1840, the work of driving piles for the Clark-
street bridge was commenced. Mayor Raymond, in his
inaugural address, March 7, 1842, refers to the bridge
question thus :

" I will take the liberty of referring to a subject which agitated
the Council through the whole municipal year of 1839. This was
the bridge question. As the contract for the construction of the
present Clark-street bridge was the last official act I was called upon
to ratify during my connection with the Council of that year, it
is quite natural that I should have a ready ear to any commenda-
tion of, or complaint against, either the plan or location of the
bridge ; and I am gratified to find so large a portion of those who
were previously hostile to any bridge, now satisfied with this one ;
although many now, as well as then (myself among the numberl,
would prefer it on Dearborn Street, and think if this had been
erected there and had caused as little hindrance to the passage
of boats as the present one has thus far been, the community gen-
erally would have been as well satisfied as with the present loca-
tion; But I should deprecate the idea of a change in location, so
long as this bridge answers so good a purpose, and in the present
state of our finances should consider it an unwarrantable expendi-
ture to make any change."

The building of Clark-street bridge may be said to
have terminated the bridge war. It was found that the
weight of public opinion was adverse to the existence of a
bridge as low down as Dearborn Street, and that ferries
were both inconvenient and expensive. The $3,000 re-
quired to build the bridge was raised by those principally
interested — citizens of the North Side — by subscribing
to seven per cent stock at par. " If thrown upon the
market," says the American, "the stock would not have
sold for more than fifty cents on the dollar." This was
the first floating swing bridge ever constructed in the
West, and, as it was mainly the work of William B. Og-
den, it is perhaps unnecessary to add that it was well
done. Nine years after its building, the ice jam of
1849 swept it away.

In 1840 a low flood-bridge was built at Clark Street,
a sort of pontoon arrangement. To open it, one of the
floats was pulled around by means of a chain and wind-
lass.

During the next year the float bridge at Wells Street
was constructed. The greater share of the funds con-
tributed to build it came from Walter L. Newberry.

This bridge with those structures at Randolph, Kinzie
and Clark streets were swept away by the flood of 1849.
The public demanded with the building of the Clark-
street bridge, that the ferries should be free. In May,
1842, the Common Council passed an ordinance oblig-
ing all persons who ran ferries on the Chicago River to
obtain licenses. One of its provisions was : " The
ferryman may receive all such sums of money from
private subscription for the support of said ferry as he
can obtain." N. Scranton had been operating a ferry
since August, 1844, and according to his own statement,
had been conducting his business at a loss. In June,
1842, he was tried for violating the ordinance, noticed
above. Henry Brown appeared for the city, and Justin

Butterfield and B. S. Morris for Mr. Scranton. Through
his attorneys, he claimed that he was running his ferry-
boat "because the ordinance of 1787 for the govern-
ment of the Northwest Territory declares that tin- ni\
igable waters of the Mississippi and St. Lawrence and
the carrying places between the same, shall be common
highways and forever free," and that he had the same
right to run his boat across the river as owners of ves-
sels had to run theirs up and down it. The jury ren-
dered a verdict for the defendant. He offered to pay a
license of $100, provided he be allowed to charge one
cent for each person ladies excepted , and such sums
as the Common Council should prescribe for families
paying by the month or year ; or to run a free ferry for
strangers, on receipt of such a sum as could be obtained
by private subscription and $30 per month from the
city. The city would not accede to these propositions,
and in July Mr. Scranton discontinued his ferry. But
he was not a man who could remain long idle. Accord-
ingly he constructed a pleasure boat, " Commodore
Blake," its figure head a Roman gladiator, with helmet,
shield and sword. In company with Z. Woodworth, he
also commenced to operate the "Chicago and Michigan
City lines," composed of sloops " C. Blake " and " Sea
Gull," which crafts left everyday from the foot of Rush
Street.

The Common Council ordered the construction of a
bridge at Wells Street in November, 1846. It was at
once commenced, the structure being completed in
July, 1847. The bridge consisted of a floating draw
of boiler iron, one hundred feet long from the pivot to
the opening point, making a clean passage-way between
the fenders of eighty-one feet. The total length of the
bridge was two hundred and two feet, costing $3,200.
There were two tracks for teams, and a sidewalk, on
either side, for foot passengers. In the spring and sum-
mer of 1847 there were constructed, besides the Wells-
street bridge, that at Madison Street, and a second
across the South Branch at Randolph Street. The
latter was a semi-floating draw, with a self-regulating
apron. It had two tracks in the center for teams and a
sidewalk on either side for passengers. It cost about
$5,000. The Madison-street bridge, built upon a simi-
lar plan, was one hundred and ninety-five feet in length
and twenty-six feet wide, with a draw eighty feet wide
in the clear, and resting on boiler-iron floats. This
bridge cost about $3,200.

Thus in 1848 there were float-bridges at Clark,
WTells, Randolph and Kinzie streets. They were all
swept away by the flood of 1849. William Bross. in his
" History of Chicago," says: " When it was necessary
to open the bridge for the passage of vessels, a chain,
fastened on or near the shore on the side of the pier at
some distance from it, was wound up by a capstan on
the float-end of the bridge, thus opening it. It was
closed in the same manner by a chain on the opposite
side of it." It is quite evident, however, that some of
the bridges at first were not even operated with a chain.
In March, 1848, the rope attached to Madison-street
bridge was carried away by a schooner, and this sort of
accident was of no infrequent occurrence. It was as
obvious to the Common Council as to other common
people that a rope did not fully answer the purpose, as
it would not sink rapidly enough. Thev therefore re-
solved that "the Street Commissioner of the West Divi-
sion be authorized to procure a chain for the bridge."
Of old "Bill," the Lake House ferryman, the Democrat,
of December 12, 1848, has a word to say:

" He works his ferry with as much ease and assurance as the
captain of one of the largest crafts upon the lake his Coating

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

palace; and we can assure our readers the task is not without its
difficulties, and withal not unaccompanied with danger, if not to
life and limb, at least to the reputation of the ferryman. Sometimes
the wind blowing strong up the creek, a brig comes bowling along
with fore-sail, top-gallant and jib set. An impatient citizen is on
the South Side with visions of roast beef and dessert to match in his
minds eve and hunger knocking at the walls of his stomach. Bill

sees the brig. The captain halloos: ' Let go your d d rope.'

The citizen cries: ' Come over; you have time enough,' but Bill
thinks ' it's better to be sure of trie line; if that breaks, the gentle-
man loses his dinner, and I may lose my place.' So he very prop-
erlv ' lets go all; ' and the impatient citizen has to wait just two
minutes and a half, at which he grumbles some, when Bill runs the
old boat's nose ashore and gives him a chance to step aboard. But
Bill takes it coolly. He works at his rope, and with the conscious-
ness of having done his duty, he lets the landsman have his ' pipe
out,' as he can afford to be generous as well as just. Old Bill is a

before. The following account of the flood, from the
pen of Rufus Blanchard, is taken verbatim :

" The last thing one might expect in Chicago, situated as it is
on almost a dead level, is a flood, in one of the branches of its
river. But this actually took place one fine morning in March,
1S49. After two or three days' heavy rain, which had been pre-
ceded by hard snow storms during the latter part of the winter, the
citizens were aroused from their slumbers by reports that the ice in
the Desplaines River had broken up ; that its channel had become
gorged with it ; that this had so dammed up its waters as to turn
them into Mud Lake ; that, in turn, they were flowing thence into
the natural estuary, which then connected the sources of the South
Branch of the Chicago River with the Desplaines. These reports
proved to be correct. Further, it was also rumored that the pressure
of the waters was now breaking up the ice in the South Branch and
branches ; that the Branch was becoming gorged in the main

m

THE FLOOD OF it

man-of-war's man. He has been thirty-six years in the service of
Uncle Sam, although he drew his first breath under the shadow of
the British lion. -His hair has grown gray while he has been
fighting the battles of his adopted country; but his eye is not yet
dimmed. He can tell a vessel's rig, although she lies away in the
offing, or read her name upon the stern or head when a lubberly
landsman couldn't see a letter. You can see this in the tidy way
in which the boat is kept. The painters are coiled men-of-war
fashion. The deck is neatly swabbed every morning, and once or
twice in the day. besides, this wet weather. Old Bill is one of the
steadiest men we have ever known, and we hope he will continue
to wear his blushing honors thick upon him and remain, many
years to come, the best ferryman in Chicago."

Thl Flood 01 1849. — The flood which occurred
March 12, 1.S49. was an event of most calamitous na-
ture. For two or three days previous to that date the
citizens of Chicago had been reading accounts of the re-
markable rise of rivers in the interior of the State. The
heavy snows of the winter had been followed by fre-
quent and hard rains. Rock, Illinois and Fox rivers
were threatening to burst their bounds and devastate
the country. Their waters were higher than in 1838,
and, in some localities, even than in 1833. The bridges
on Rock River were nearly all swept away, and the Illi-
nois had partially destroyed the village of Peru. The
Desplaines River was also higher than it hatl ever been

channel at various points, and that if something were not done, the
shipping which had been tied up for the winter along the wharves
would be seriously damaged. Of course each owner or person in
charge at once sought the safety of his vessel, added additional
moorings to those already in use, while all waited with anxiety and
trepidation the result of the totally unexpected catastrophe. It was
not long in coming. The river soon began to swell, the waters
lifting the ice to within two or three feet of the surface of the
wharves ; between nine and ten A. M. loud reports as of distant
artillery were heard towards the southern extremity of the town,
indicating that the ice was breaking up. Soon, to these were added
the sounds proceeding from crashing timbers, from hawsers tear-
ing away the piles around which they were vainly fastened, or
snapping like so much pack-thread, on account of the strain upon
them. To these in turn were succeeded the cries of people calling
to the parties in charge of the vessels and canal boats to escape ere
it would be too late ; while nearly all the males, and hundreds of
the female population, hurried from their homes to the banks of the
river to witness what was by this time considered to be inevitable,
namely, a catastrophe such as the city never before sustained. It
was not long before every vessel and canal-boat in the South
Branch, except a few which had been secured in one or two little
creeks, which then connected with the main channel, was swept
with resistless force toward the lakes. As fast as the channel at
one spot became crowded with ice and vessels intermingled, the
whole mass would dam up the water, which, rising in the rear of
the obstruction, would propel vessels and ice forward with the force
of an enormous catapult. Every lightly constructed vessel would
at once be crushed as if it were an egg-shell ; canal-boats disap-
peared from sight under the gorge of ships and ice, and came into

CREATION OF THE CITY.

view below it in small pieces, strewing the surface of the boiling
water.

"At length a number of vessels were violently precipitated
against Randolph -street bridge, then a comparatively frail struct-
ure, and which was torn from its place in a few seconds, forcing
its way into the main channel of the river. The gorge of natural
and artificial materials — of ice and wood and iron — kept on its
resistless way to the principal and last remaining bridge in the city,
on Clark Street. This structure had been constructed on piles,
and it was supposed would prevent the vessels already caught up
by the ice from being swept out into the lake. But the momentum
already attained by the great mass of ice, which had even lifted
some of the vessels bodily out of the water, was too great for any
ordinary structure of wood, or even stone or iron to resist, and the
moment this accumulated material struck the bridge, it was swept
to utter destruction, and with a crash, the noise of which could be
heard all over the then city, while the ice below it broke up with
reports as if from a whole park of artillery. The scene just below
the bridge after the material composing the gorge had swept by the
place just occupied by the structure, was something that bordered
on the terrific. The cries and shouts of the people, the crash of
timbers, the toppling over of tall masts, which were in many cases
broken short off on a level with the decks of the vessels, and the
appearance of the crowds fleeing terror-stricken from the scene
through Clark and Dearborn streets, were sounds and sights never
to be forgotten .by those who witnessed them. At State Street,
where the river bends, the mass of materia] was again brought to a
stand, the ice below resisting the accumulated pressure, and the
large number of vessels in the ruck, most of which were of the
best class, the poorer ones having previously been utterly destroyed,
helping to hold the whole together. In the meantime several canal
boats, and in one instance a schooner with rigging all standing,
were swept under this instantaneously constructed bridge, coming
out on the eastern side thereof in shapeless masses of wreck, in the
instance of the schooner, and of matchwood in the instance of the
canal boats. Presently the ice below this last gorge began to give
way, clear water appearing, while a view out into the lake showed
that there was no ice to be seen. It was then that some bold fel-
lows, armed with axes, sprang upon the vessels thus jammed to-
gether, and in danger of destruction.

" Among the foremost and most fearless were: R. C. Bristol,
of the forwarding house of Bristol & Porter; Alvin Calhoun, a
builder, brother to John Calhoun, founder of the Chicago Demo-
crat newspaper, and father of Mrs. Joseph K. C. Forrest; Cyrus
P. Bradley, subsequently Sheriff and Chief of Police, and Darius
Knights, still an employe of the city. These gentlemen, at the
risk of their lives, succeeded in detaching the vessels at the east-
ern end of the gorge, one by one, from the wreck, until finally
some ten or twelve large ships, relieved from their dangerous posi-
tions, floated out into the lake, their preservers proudly standing
on their decks and returning, with salutes, the cheers of the crowd
en shore. Once in the lake, the vessels were secured, in some
cases by dropping the anchors, and in others by being brought up
at the piers by the aid of hawsers."

" ' Yesterday morning,' says the Democrat, ' the- scenes in the
river between Haddock's warehouse and Fort Dearborn, were most
melancholy. Piled indiscriminately, in some places, lay vessels,
most of them as fine craft as float upon the lake, a mass of entan-
gled wreck. Between them lay pieces of canal boats; a bow
sticking out here and a stern there, and a mass of wreck in other
places, ground up into pieces small enough for kindling wood.
Tall spars here and there lay across the decks, and ropes, chains,
etc., in inextricable entanglement, lay knotted and twisted in all
directions. Some forty crafts of various kinds were wrecked or
injured, and formed one of the most costly bridges ever constructed
in the West, and the only one 'that Chicago now boasts of.
Crowds of people were at the wrecks yesterday, and crowded the
decks of the various vessels. Many ladies were not afraid to ven-
ture over this novel causeway, beneath which the water roared, fall-
ing in cascades from one obstruction to another, the whole forming
the most exciting scene perhaps ever witnessed. We understand
several daguerreotype views of the vessels in their present position
were taken.' "

The following additional particulars are gathered
from the files of the Journal:

At about ten o'clock the mass of ice in the South Branch
gave way, carrying with it the bridges at Madison, Randolph, and
Wells streets — in fact, sweeping off every bridge over the Chicago
River, and also many of the wharves. There were, in port, four
steamers, six propellers, twenty-four brigs, two sloops, and fifty-
seven canal boats, many of which have been either totally destroyed
or damaged seriously. The moving mass of ice, canal boats, pro-
pellers, and vessels was stopped at the foot of Clark Street, but
withstood the pressure only a moment, crashing vessels and falling

spars soon giving note of the ruin which was to follow. A short
distance below the river was again choked, opposite Kin/.ie's ware-
house; vessels, propellers, and steamers were piled together in
most indescribable confusion. A number of vessels are total
wrecks, and were canied out into the lake a mass of debris. A
boy was crushed to death at the Randolph-street bridge, a little-
girl was killed by the falling of a topmast, and a number of men
are reported lost upon canal boats which have been sunk, and
upon the ice and bridges as the jam broke up. The bridge over
the lock at Bridgeport is gone. The wharves all along the river
have sustained serious injury. A son of Mr. Coombs was lost at
Madison-street bridge, and James L. Millard had his leg badly
fractured while on board his vessel. One poor fellow on a canal
boat waved his handkerchief as a signal of distress, about ten
miles out, during the afternoon; but there was no boat which could
be sent to his assistance. The vessels were without their riggings,
and the engines of the steamers were out of order. The loss by
the flood is thus estimated:

Damage to the city -. . . . $15,000

To vessels 58,000

To canal boats ' 30,000

Wharves 5>ooo

Total $108,000

The figures given are rather below than above the
actual loss. The city went to work with a will to repair
the great damage. In the meantime the river was
crossed by a number of ferries. Besides the boat at
Randolph Street, a canal boat lay across the river, upon
which passengers were allowed to cross on payment of
one cent each. The ferry at the Lake House, the safest
and the pleasantest on the river, was free. A schooner
was used at Clark Street; fare, one cent. Mr. Scran-
ton's old ferry was running at State Street ; fare the
same as the others. Other temporary appliances were
brought into use to bridge over the inconveniences of
the next few months. These ferries were generally over-
crowded with passengers who, in their eagerness to cross,
sometimes rushed aboard, recklessly, and it is a wonder
that fatal results did not sometimes follow.

In June, 1849, the Madison-street bridge was opened
to travel, and about two weeks thereafter July 3d,)
teams passed over the Clark-street structure for the first
time. Wells-street and Kinzie-street bridges were com-
pleted in September. VanBuren and Randolph streets
were also accommodated about the same time. Thus
before the year 1850 fairly set in the destruction occa-
sioned by the flood of 1849 was mostly repaired. Piles
were driven for the Lake-street bridge in January.
W'hile its construction was progressing, in March, an ap-
plication for an injunction was applied for, and the
motion tried before Judge Drummond, of the United
States District Court. The injunction was refused, the
Court deciding that " the right of free navigation is not
inconsistent with the right of the State to provide means
of crossing the river by bridges or otherwise, when the
wants of the public require them." The bridge, as
completed in the spring, was similar to the Clark-street
structure and suggested the style of the latter. It had
a passage-way of seventy-six feet, on each side, and was
twelve feet above the water.

Previous to the flood of 1849 the city did little to
regulate bridges or bridge-tenders. In April, 1847, an
ordinance was passed prohibiting teams from stopping
on a bridge or within forty feet of one. There were
continual complaints against the slowness and indiffer-
ence of bridge tenders. In October, 1848, the Harbor
and Bridge Committee were instructed to inquire into
the " competency of bridge-tenders." And yet, though
E. MacArthur charged a specific bridge-tender (the
Madison-street individual ) with keeping his bridge open
for "an hour longer than was necessary," and, although
the majority of citizens sustained Mr. MacArthur in his
warfare, the erring bridgeman retained his place. Bridge-

HISTORY OF CHIC VGO.

tenders were not even required to give bonds for "the
faithful performance of their duties" until 1852.

In 1853. as is shown, there were safe thoroughfares
over the" river at Madison. Clark, Wells, Kinzie, Van
Buren. Randolph and Lake streets and Chicago Avenue,
besides the railroad viaduct over North Water Street.
Bridge-tenders were appointed for these structures, and,
because of the ordinance of March. 1 85 2. they were each
under §500 bonds to do their duty. The bridges men-
tioned above were constructed largely by the subscrip-
tions of those owning property in the vicinity, but there
were manv delinquents, as those who did pay learned to
their cost.

Januarv 13, 1S54. bridge-tenders were made special
policemen and their bonds were increased from $500 to
$2,000. Under this ordinance they were required merely
to open and close their bridges as quickly as possible.
But so far as is known they were never punished for not
doing it, and they seemed to have been the supreme
judges of the meaning of that expression, "as quickly
as possible." In 1854 the pivot-bridge across the river
at Clark Street was built, under the superintendence of
D. Harper, at a cost of $12,000. It contained a double
carriage way and sidewalks. During the summer and
fall of 1855 both of the arches gave way. Heavy iron
plates were bolted to them, and the structure was made
quite substantial. During this and the succeeding year
the repairs amounted to $2,145.55.

The ordinance of June 18, 1855, regulated the order
m which vehicles should crossthe bridges. The vehicles
running direct with the bridges were to have prece-
dence in. crossing, while vehicles from side streets on
the right were to follow, and lastly were to come those
which entered from the left. The Common Council de-
cided, in October, 1855, to build a bridge across the
main branch at Fort Dearborn ferry ; but the decision
was with a proviso that $35,000 be first subscribed,
which wrecked the project completely. During that
year Twelfth-street bridge was built anew, at a cost of
$2,877.16. Repairs were also made upon the bridges at
Wells, Van Buren, Kinzie, and Clybourne streets, and
Chicago Avenue.

In 1847 the Common Council ordered a ferry across
the river at the foot of Rush and Harbor streets. Later,
ferries were established near the Lake House and
Twelfth Street. By 1856 these institutions of by-gone
clays were in operation at Randolph and Wells streets
and Chicago Avenue. They were merely of a tempo-
rary character. Up to 1856 the bridges were built
mostly at the expense of the citizens whose property-
would be enhanced in value by such improvements. The
plans for Madison-street bridge were agreed to in that
year. As it was proposed to construct it at municipal ex-
pense, a vigorous protest was entered against such a pro-
ceeding. During the year the old bridge at Randolph
Street was removed, and a new one substituted, at a cost

- .Si i . It was ready for foot travel by July of
1856. Wells-street bridge was also completed during
the summer, at a total cost of about $20,000. It was built
by 1 1. Harper, and, at the time, was the longest draw-
bridge in the West, being one hundred and ninety feet
in length and eighteen feet above the water.

In June, 1856, the city contracted with Harper &
Tweedale, civil engineers, to build an iron bridge across
the river at Rush Street, to cost $48,000 — $18,000 to be
paid by the city and $30,000 by the Galena & Chicago
Union and Illinois Central Railroad companies. It was
the first iron bridge in the West.

A shocking calamity occurred September 19, 1856.
About seven o'clock in the morning, the boat at the Lake

House ferry capsized while crossing from the North to
the South Side. It was crowded with passengers, all men,
and most of them laborers going to their daily work.
Many succeeded in swimming ashore, others were picked
up by boats. It was supposed that a very large number
were drowned, but as only ten bodies were subsequent-
ly found, it was concluded that the fatality was not so
great as was at first believed. The boat was not the
regular ferry boat in use at that point ; that had been
taken away for repairs, and the substitute was the old
flat scow ferry that had been used at Wells Street. It
really was not fit for use. Those who crowded upon the
boat in such numbers did not know its unseaworthy
character. They were so impatient to cross that
they took the boat out of the charge of the ferry-man
and left him on the shore. When the boat was a few
feet from the shore, the ferry-man slacked the line, as a
vessel was approaching. The coroner's verdict declared
this act imprudent, but it could not of itself have caused
the accident. The boat immediately careened with its
overweight, and all the passengers went down.

The Polk-street draw-bridge, the float-bridge at
Indiana Street, and a like concern at Erie Street, were
built during 1856-57, costing about $5,000 each. Dur-
ing the winter of 1856-57 the discussion continued over
the question of building the Madison-street bridge at
the city's expense, but notwithstanding the protests it
was done in the latter year. Its total cost was about
$30,000. This was the first bridge built entirely at the
city's expense.

The public and the marine were still at enmity with
each other. Each had rights which neither seemed in-
clined to respect. In July, 1857, a motion was made in
the Common Council to have the City Attorney pre-
pare an ordinance requiring vessels to pass the bridges
within a certain time. The Committee on Bridges re-
ported that " the laws regulating bridge-tenders " cov-
ered all that ground, and that vesselmen were already
sufficiently attentive to the landmen's conveniences.

That the bridges of 1857 were far superior to the
earlier efforts is evident from the fact that they withstood
the flood of February 9, 1857. Its ravages were general
along Rock River, and railways were much obstructed.
There was an ice gorge in the North Branch of the
Chicago River, an immense mass being formed at
Chicago-avenue bridge. Subsequent 'warm rains caused
the gorge to break up, and the ice passed out into the
lake without causing disaster. Even in this matter of
bridges, Chicago evinced a desire to lead the West in
the introduction of novelties which should prove of last-
ing value. So a swift advance was made from stringers
to pile bridges, and from the original pivot to the swing
bridge of 1857.

POLICE DEPARTMENT.

There is but little to be said or written concerning
the early police affairs of Chicago. Indeed, the officers
to whom was entrusted the duty of enforcing the then
few criminal laws, were not known as policemen.
Though doing what might be termed police service,
they were simply constables; their real functions being
to discharge the executive duties of a justice court.
The town of Chicago was incorporated Augusts, 1833,
and the first town election was held August 10; but no
mention is made of the election of a Constable until at
the third election of town officers, which occurred Au-
gust 5, 1835. At that time O. Morrison was chosen
" Police Constable," and in addition to the requirements
of this office, was also delegated to act as Town Collec-

POLICE DEPARTMENT.

203

tor. Mr. Morrison was undoubtedly the first Constable
the town of Chicago ever had — the records previous to
this time disclosing that "half the fine went to the in-
former," as a sort of reward for his zeal in bringing offend-
ers against the law to punishment. As early as May 9,
1834, a notice was posted about the streets, which im-
posed a fine of five dollars to any one riding or driving
over a bridge faster than a walk. Here, too, as the
town had no officers to see to the enforcement of this
law, half the fine was given the informer. September
1, 1834, the first Sunday law was passed, which prohib-
ited any "tippling shop" or "grocery" from keeping
open on Sunday. The penalty was a fine of five dol-
lars and costs for each offense, one-half the fine to be
given to the complainant. June 6, 1836, the fourth
town election was held, and O. Morrison was re-elected
Constable; but by this time, it appears, the duties of his
office had increased to such an extent that he was not
asked to act as Collector; that work being assigned to
the Town Assessor. It should also be noted that in Au-
gust, 1835, the new Board of Town Trustees had
passed a code of municipal laws, the chief features of
which were: prohibition of gaming houses, definition of
what were street nuisances, proscription of the sale of
liquors on Sunday, and the firing of guns and pistols in
the streets.

In 1837 the city charter was granted and the town
of Chicago, as a corporation, ceased to exist. This
"harter, among other provisions, created the Municipal
Court, which had concurrent jurisdiction with the County
Court over all matters occurring within the city limits.
There was also created at the same time, and as an offi-
cer of this court, the office of High Constable, who with
his deputies, chosen from among the city Constables,
constituted the police force. The charter also gave the
Council the power to appoint " as many police constables
as they shall think proper," not exceeding one from each
of the six wards which then comprised the city. At the
first city election John Shrigley was elected High Con-
stable. The Council, however, did not think one from
each ward necessary, and until 1840 (certainly not be-
fore that time), two Constables, Lowe and Huntoon, did
the police duty for Chicago. It appears that the Press
of those days did not regard two men as being a force
by any means large enough to properly look after the
city's police interests, and frequently did the editor of
the Daily American urge upon the Council the necessity
of increasing the number.

Under date of May 20, 1839, the American says:
"The Grand Jury after a session of four days has ad-
journed, after finding six indictments, four for larceny
and two for perjury." Here the editor takes occasion
to refer to the condition of the morals in the city. He
says : " When we consider the number of indictments
found at previous times, the public must be satisfied
that crime is fast diminishing."

Previous to this time a murder had been committed
in the county, but as it did not occur in the city its de-
tails are not given in this chapter.

The police force of Chicago did not, until the year
1855, reach anything like systematic organization. Prior
to that time the force was composed of Police Constables,
chosen one from each ward, which, until 1842, was with-
out a head officer, unless the High Constable, who had
the power to select his deputies from the town Con-
stables, could be regarded as the chief of the police
constabulary of the city. The first City Marshal was
Orson Smith, elected in 1842, who served two terms,
being succeeded in 1844 by Philip Dean. The latter
served until 1847, when by act of the Legislature, the

number of wards in the city was increased from six to
nine. At the following election, in the spring of i 848,
Ambrose Burnham was chosen .Marshal, and, together
with the Police Constables, nine in number, comprised
the force. Burnham remained in office from 1848 until
the spring of 1852, when James L. Howe was elected as
his successor and held the position three years. In 1854
Darius Knight was elected and served two years, until
1856, when he was succeeded by James M. Donnelly.
In April and June, 1855, ordinances were passed creat-
ing the Police Department, whereupon Cyrus IS. Bradley
was appointed captain, or Chief of Police. The roster
of officers for 1856 is as follows : Chief, Cyrus P. Brad-
ley ; captain, J. W. Connett; West Division, first
lieutenant, M. Finion ; second lieutenant, F, Gund-;
North Division, first lieutenant, John Gorman ; second
lieutenant, Charles Denehey ; South Division, first
lieutenant, Charles Chilson ; second lieutenant, H.
Schockley ; Clerk of the Police Court, Benjamin R.
Knapp.

Three precincts were designated, as will be shown.
These divisions contained each a station-house and a
force of men. The first precinct station was located in
the old market, on State Street, between Lake and Ran-
dolph. In 1856 there were twenty-three patrolmen
appointed ; three more being added in 1857. They
were officered by Luther Nichols, first lieutenant, and
E. S. Hanson, second lieutenant. The latter resigned
and was succeeded by D. E. Ambrose. In 1858 the
station was moved to the corner of Franklin and Adams
streets.

The second precinct station in 1855 was located in
the old West Market Hall. The force there consisted
of fourteen patrolmen, with Michael Grants, first lieu-
tenant, William Tenbroeck, second lieutenant, and
Charles Warner, sergeant. The next year the force
was increased to twenty patrolmen, officered by John
Gorman, first lieutenant, Charles Denchy, second lieu-
tenant, and Francis Humelshine, sergeant. In 1857,
under the administration of Hon. John Wentworth,
John M. Kennedy was appointed first lieutenant at this
station, Charles M. Taylor, second lieutenant, and D.
E. Ambrose, sergeant.

The third precinct was established June 16, 1855,
with S. P. Putnam, first lieutenant, John Noyes, second
lieutenant, and George Leander, sergeant. The force
was composed of twenty-one patrolmen. In 1S56
Michael Einnigan was first lieutenant, and Fred Gund,
second lieutenant. The next year, under Mayor Went-
worth, Jacob Rehan was for a time first lieutenant and
was succeeded by H. A. Kauffman ; John Noyes was
second lieutenant and Phillip Petrie, sergeant. That
year the force was increased to thirty-three men. The
total strength of the police force of the city at the close
of 1857, including the officers, numbered something
over one hundred men.

The chief officers from 1835 to 1857 (the period
embraced in this volume) were : Constable, O. Morrison,
'elected August 5, 1835, served two years ; High Con-
stable, John Shrigley, May 3, 1837, two years ; High
Constable, S. J. Lowe, May, 1839 three years ; Marshal
Orson Smith, May, 1842, two years ; Police Constable,
William Wiesencraft, May, 1842, three years ; and
Marshals Philip Dean, 1845 ! Ambrose Burnham, 1847;
James L. Howe, 1852 ; Darius Knight, 1854 ; M. Don-
nelly, 1856.

The Police Constables, from the year 1848 (at which
time the law compelled the election of one from each
ward), to 1855, when the police system formally began,
are here given in order by wards : 1848 — A. Burnham,

-°4

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

D. C. Warren. \Y. Wiesencraft, Nicholas Bordie, Henry
Meisner, D. C. Davis, Bartley Ford, John Pahlman,
Martin Rose. 1S49-50 — Carding Jackson, J. H. Pahl-
man, A. J. Chappel, D. T. Wood, Henry Meisner, J. E.
Willick. Bartley Ford, E. Pattiolett, William Boomer.
1851— C. S. Bogue, W. H. Wells, Michael O'Brien, A.
S. Facy, Henry Meisner, I. X. Norton, B. Ford, M.
Maguire, John McHale. 1852— A. B. Wheeler, S. H.
McDearman, John A. Norton, J. G. Cutler, Richard
Carthew, R. V. Wightman, James Daly, Michael Grant,
William Cameron. 1853 — A. B. Wheeler, S. H. Mc-
Dearman, D, T. Wood, J. G. Cutler, Richard Carthew,
Thomas Hennessey, Charles O. Malley, Thomas Mel-
vin, James Quinn. 1854 — C. S. Bogue, A. B. Wheeler
John Beach. Michael Hickey, Richard Carthew, Thomas
Hennessey, Tames Keefe, Michael Grant, William Duf-
fey.

The Bridewell — So-called " from a hospital built
in 1853 near St. Bride's, or Bridget's, well in London,
subsequently turned into a workhouse," and now com-
monly applied to city houses of correction — was opened
in December, 1851. Prior to that date offenders against
the law were confined in a jail on the public square. In
1S50-51 the Legislature authorized the city to found
the Bridewell, and accordingly a building was prepared
for such use on Block 87 of the school section, corner
of Polk and Wells streets. The prison was built of
three-inch oak planks, set upright, and roofed with the
same material. It was one hundred feet in length by
twenty-four feet in width, one story high. Cells were
furnished for about two hundred persons. David Walsh
was the first keeper, and held the position until 1857.
Mr. Walsh states that an average of one hundred pris-
oners were in his charge during that time. At first the
culprits were given employment in piling and handling
the large quantity of lumber used by the city in paving
its streets. Subsequently, when planking was abolished
as a roadway, a stone yard was opened near the jail,
wherein the prisoners were forced to labor.

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

The germ from which evolved the grand educa-
tional system of Chicago was implanted in this fertile
soil nearly three-quarters of a century ago. The effort
to trace so feeble an act as this necessarily was to its
generation must partake mainly of the traditional, and
many years of the time which has elapsed can be spoken
of but vaguely. Fortunately, there is extant an offi-
cial basis for the present history to rest upon, in the
form of a brief sketch prepared by W. H. Wells, who
for many years was honorably and actively identified
with the labor of founding the public schools of this
city. The account referred to was prepared in 1851,
and has endured the scrutiny of interested parties these
many years. It has not only borne that investigation
without material challenge, but has also been officially
endorsed by the Board of Education, in a most inter-"
esting and comprehensive pamphlet, prepared by Shep-
herd John-iton, clerk of the Board, and issued in 1880.
In the light of subsequent research, Mr. Johnston was
able to revise Mr. Wells's brief history so satisfactorily
that all future historians must accept the " Historical
Sketches of the Public School System " as indisputable
authority. Acknowledging, therefore, our indebtedness
to Mr. Wells and Mr. Johnston for the record of facts,
copious extracts are made from their compilations, with
such additions, in later years, as the nature of this
present history renders possible, through independent

examination of original documents, newspaper files and
individual interviews.

According to Mr. Wells, the first regular tuition
given in Chicago was in the winter of 1810-11, by
Robert A. Forsyth, who subsequently became Paymas-
ter in the United States Army. The pupil was John
H. Kinzie, then a lad of six years, and the master him-
self was but thirteen years old at that time. The
question of what course of study was best to be pur-
sued was easily solved, for the sole educational volume
then available was a spelling-book, which by some
chance or other was brought to the embryo metropolis
safely packed in a chest of tea. Thus it transpired that
before the white sands on the lake shore were crimsoned
with the blood of the little colony, the seeds of the
most potent of civilizing forces were sown, and the
name of one who was destined to be forever identified
with the history of Chicago became the first enrolled as
a pupil in a city which to-day stands unrivalled in its
educational facilities.

It was not until 18 16 that a school was regularly
taught here, however. In the fall of that year, William

J.,. Cox, a discharged soldier, received John H. Kinzie,
his two sisters, his brother, and three or four children
from the fort, in a small log building which stood in
the back part of Mr. Kinzie's garden, near the present
crossing of Pine and Michigan streets. The house was
formerly used as a bakery. In that humble manner the
systematic instruction of vouth began. How long this
school was continued cannot now be stated ; nor is
there any record of another venture of the kind until

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

205

1820, when, it is s;iid, a school was taught in the fort,
by a Sergeant.

An hiatus of nine years occurs before further au-
thentic data is obtained. In 1829 the families of J. B.
Beaubien, agent of the American Fur Company, and of
Mark Beaubien received instructions from Charles H.
Beaubien, son of the former, who obtained a room " near
the garrison." These undertakings, it will be seen,
were partial and private in their character.

Stephen Forbes was employed as a private instructor
of J. B. Beaubien's children, and also by Lieutenant
Hunter, then stationed at the fort, in a similar capacity.

The first school to assume general proportions was
taught by Stephen Forbes, in June, 1830, in a building
near what is now the crossing of Randolph Street and
Michigan Avenue. The •school-house stood on the
west bank of the river, which at that time followed its
natural course, and emptied into the lake south of the
existing Madison Street line. Mr. Wells says : " Mr.
Forbes's school numbered about twenty-five pupils, of
ages from four to twenty, and embraced the children of
those belonging to the fort, and of Mr. J. B. Beaubien
and a few others. It was taught in a large, low. gloomy
log building, which had five rooms. The walls of the
school-room were afterwards enlivened by a tapestry of
white cotton sheeting. The house belonged to Mr.
Beaubien, and had been previously occupied by the
sutler of the fort. Mr. Forbes resided in the same
building, and was assisted in school by Mrs. Forbes.
After continuing the school about one year, he was suc-
ceeded by Mr. Foot." Mr. Forbes was afterwards
Sheriff of Cook Count)', and subsequently removed to
Newburg, Ohio.

In October, 1831, Richard J. Hamilton was appointed
commissioner of school lands for Cook County. By a
wise provision of the general laws, Section 16 in
each newly platted congressional township, as shown by
the United States surveys, is set apart for the benefit of
public instruction. It so chanced that this section, or
one square mile, within the township on which Chicago
is located, lay in what is now the business center of the
city ; being bounded on the north by Madison Street, on
the west by State Street, on the south by Twelfth Street,
and on the west by Halsted Street. As will hereafter
be shown, this vast property was not judiciously dis-
posed of, for had it been retained until the present time,
the rentals therefrom would afford a revenue which
would make the school system of Chicago the wealthiest
municipal institution of its kind in the world.

In the fall of 1832, Colonel Hamilton and Colonel
Owen employed John Watkins to teach a small school
in the North Division, near the old Indian agency-
house in which Colonel Hamilton then resided. It is
stated in Mr. Wells's report that these gentlemen,
afterwards built a house on the north bank of the river,
just east of Clark Street, in which Mr. Watkins con-
tinued his school, and that it was the first house built for
a school in Chicago. But this does not recur to Mr.
Watkins's recollection. Mr. Watkins wrote a letter to
the Calumet Club, bearing date Joliet, 111., June 22,
1879, from which the following extracts are made :

" I arrived in Chicago in May, 1832, and have always had the
reputation of being its first school teacher. 1 never heard my
claim disputed. I commenced teaching in the fall after the Black
Hawk War, 1832. My first school was situated on the North
Side, about half way between the lake and the forks of the
river, then known as Wolf Point. The building belonged to
Colonel Hamilton, was erected for a horse stable and had been
used as such. It was twelve feet square. My benches and desks
were made of old store-boxes. The school was started by private
subscription. Thirty scholars were subscribed for, but many sub-

scribed who had no children. So it was a sort of free school, there
not being thirty children in town. During my first quarter I had
but twelve scholars, only four of them were white ; the others were
quarter, half, and three-quarters Indians. After the first quarter I
moved my school into a double log-house on the West Side. It
was owned by Rev. Jesse Walker, a Methodist minister, and was
located near the bank of the river, where the North and South
branches meet. He resided in one end of the building and I
taught in the other. On Sundays, Father Walker preached in the
room where I taught. In the winter of 1832-33, Billy Caldwell, a
half-breed chief of the Pottawatomie Indians, better known as
' Sauganash,' offered to pay the tuition and buy the books for all
Indian children who would attend school, if they would dress like
the Americans, and he would also pay for their clothes. Hut not a
single one would accept the proposition, conditioned upon the
change of apparel."

Mr. Watkins taught as late as 1835, but the exact
date of his retirement is not known. Among the pupils
who attended the first of these schools were the three

tyfoa LSKrh&tJ

Owen boys, Thomas, William and George ; the three
Beaubiens, Alexander, Philip and Henry ; Richard
Hamilton, and Isaac N. Harmon.

The mania for speculation which prevailed in 1833
induced the authorities to sell the school lands of the
State, wherever it was possible to do so. A public sale
was carried on in Chicago from October 20, for five days,
at which one hundred and forty city blocks were dis-
posed of, being all but four blocks of the school section.
The sum realized was $38,619.47, which was placed at
ten per cent interest. The four blocks reserved from
the sale were, Block 1, bounded by Madison, Halsted
and Monroe streets, and by South Union extended, on
which were subsequently located the High and Scam-
mon school buildings ; Blocks 87 and 88, lying between
Fifth Avenue and the river, and between Harrison and

2o6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Polk streets; and Block 142, bounded by Madison,
State, Monroe and Dearborn streets.

Bv the school law of 1833 the school commissioner
was required to apportion the interest derived from each
township school fund among the several teachers in
the town, according to the number of their scholars re-
siding in the township, and the number of days each
scholar was instructed ; on condition, however, that the
trustees of the several schools should first present a cer-
tificate that the teacher had given gratuitous instruction
to all such orphans and children of indigent parents re-
siding in the vicinity, as had been presented for that
purpose.

In the light of present knowledge, which demon-
strates the unwise policy pursued concerning the sale
of the Chicago school lands, and the conversion of what
might now be an unparalleled fund, had the title of this
section remained vested in the School Board, into a
fixed cash sum, it is but just to the memory of a faithful
and honorable public servant. Colonel Hamilton, school
commissioner in 1833, to state that the sale was not his
own work. A petition, signed by ninety-five residents
of Chicago, the leading citizens of the place, urged him
to that course ; and it was in compliance with that
■formal demand that the sale was ordered. Those men
deemed it advisable to convert unproductive property
into a stated sum, drawing ten per cent semi-annual in-
terest payable in advance. Acting upon the will of the
overwhelming majority. Colonel Hamilton caused the
propertv to be disposed of, as has already been stated,
and thereby obtained a productive fund of nearly $39,-
coo. This was the basis of revenue which will here-
after be alluded to as the school fund.

Miss Eliza Chappel is entitled to especial distinction in this
work. Born of parents who united Huguenot and Pilgrim blood
(her father being a descendant of La Chappelle and her mother of
Elder Brewster, of " Mayflower " fame.) she possessed strong quali-
ties of mind and heart, which fitted her for the life she led. She
was born at Geneseo, N. Y., November 5, 1807. Illness interfered
with her educational aspirations, but not to such an extent as to
debar her from acquiring a liberal store of general knowledge and
especially that which fitted her to teach the young. After ascer-
taining the method of kindergarten instruction, Miss Chappel was
induced by Robert Stuart, agent of the American Fur Company at
Mackinaw, to leave New York and establish a school of that sort on
the island, about 1830. She also founded a similar school at St.
Ignace, soon afterward.

Miss Chappel came to Chicago, from Mackinaw, with Mrs.
Seth Johnson, in June, 1833, with the intention of establishing
a school, and upon arriving here beeame a member of Major
Wilcox's family. Her school was opened with about twenty pupils
in September, of that year, in a little log house just outside the
military reservation, used up to that time by John Wright as a store.
While Miss Chappel was waiting for Mr. Wright to vacate the log
store, he was erecting a frame store, the fourth one built in the
village, into which to move his goods. This removal being ac-
complished, Miss Chappel took possession of the log building,
with her "infant" scholars, dividing the house into two apart-
ments, one for a school-room, the other for a lodging-room for her-
self. Many of the scholars furnished seats for themselves, but
those who were unable to do so, had primitive seats supplied them.
None of the seats had backs, and there were no desks, but there was
a table on which the elder pupils did their writing. In one end of
the room was a small raised platform, upon which stood a table for
the teacher. The apparatus used in teaching consisted of a numeral
frame, maps of the United States and of the world, a globe, script-
ural texts and hymns, and illustrations of geometry and astronomy.
Mis-. Chappel continued to teach in this log school-house until in
January, 1*34, when she moved into the First Presbyterian church
building, in which soon afterward her infant school gave an exhi-
bition which was highly satisfactory to her and to the patrons of
the school. Among the twenty pupils who attendeil in the log
school-house were two children of Colonel K. J. Hamilton, Charles
Iiavis, Celia Maxwell, two or three children of Mr. Baxley, Willie
Adams and his sister, a child of a Mr. Evarts, Emily Handy, and
Elizabeth, Mary. Margaret and Henry lirooks. The Brooks chil-
dren " paddled their own canoe" across the Chicago River to and
from school. An appropriation was made by ihe Commissioners

from the public school fund, for the partial maintenance of this
school ; by which official act Miss Chappel was recognized on the
rolls as the first teacher employed, and to her must be accredited
the honor of having taught the first public school in Chicago. Miss
Chappel soon conceived the idea of educating the girls who lived on

the prairie. Her proposition to the parents of these girls was to
the effect that if the parents would send in their daughters with
provisions upon which to subsist, she would give them a home in a
one-and-a-half story frame house, owned by a Sergeant in the fort,
which stood on La Salle Street, nearly west of the jail. In re-
sponse to this proffer of Miss Chappel, twelve girls were sent to
her school, and made their home with her in the Sergeant's house.
The school continued in the church until Miss Chappel gave it
up in the fall of 1834. After getting in an older class of pupils, it
was determined to fit them for teachers, and thus Miss Chappel's
school became the first normal institution in Chicago. Among the
pupils in this school were Misses Miriam and Fidelia Cleveland,
Miss Goodrich, who afterward married Elder William Osborn ;
Frances, Edward and Annie Wright, the latter the widow of Gen-
eral J. C. Webster, of the United States Army, and Dr. Temple's
children, among the latter Eleanore, who afterwards became Mrs.
Thomas Hoyne. During the latter part of 1834, two assistant teach-
ers were employed, Mary Barrows and Elizabeth Beach. In the
winter of 1834-35, Miss Chappel resigned her school into the charge
of Miss Ruth Leavenworth. Miss Chappel married Rev. Jere-
miah Porter, on June 15, 1835. Miss Leavenworth married Joseph
Hanson.

Grenville T. Sproat, of Boston, opened his " English
and Classical School for Boys," December 17, 1833, in
a small house of worship belonging to the First Baptist
Church Society, on South Water Street, near Franklin.
The school was conducted on the subscription, or private,
plan ; each patron contributing individually his share
toward the necessary sum for its sustenance. When a
public fund was secured by the sale of land, Mr. Sproat
applied for a portion of the money, and by the accept-
ance of such aid transformed his school into a public
institution. Under the law, if a teacher kept a record

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

207

according to the statute, and had it properly certified
by certain school officers, he was entitled to his propor-
tion of the public fund. Although the school laws
were changed from time to time, as the development of
a new State demanded, the general plan obtained that
interested parties could form a school by subscription,
and apply pro rata, upon the subscriptions, whatever
money could be secured through official recognition.
This was done in order that the union of forces might
inure to the advantage of regions requiring a higher
grade of educational facilities than could be readily
afforded upon either system singly. In 1834, official
aid was obtained, and Mr. Sproat's school thereby
became the second on the list of public schools ; but

at this date no formal organization into districts had
been effected. During this year (1834'' Dr. Henry Van
der Bogart was engaged in the school, and he in turn
was succeeded by Thomas Wright. Miss Warren acted
as assistant in this school from March, 1834, to June,
1836, and afterward married Abel E. Carpenter. From
a letter written by this lady the following extract is
taken :

" I boarded at Elder Freeman's. His house must have been
situated some four or five blocks southeast of the school, near Mr.
Snow's, with scarce a house between. What few buildings there
were then were mostly on Water Street. I used to go across with-
out regard to streets. It was not uncommon in going to or from
school, to see prairie wolves, and we could hear them howl any time
in the day. We were frequently annoyed by Indians ; but the
great difficulty we had to encounter was mud. No person now can
have a just idea of what Chicago mud used to be. Rubbers were
of no account. I purchased a pair of gentleman's brogans, and
fastened them tight about the ankle, but would still go over them
in mud and water, and was obliged to have a pair of men's boots
made."

Owing to the loss of the one record kept from 1833
to 1837, the early period can be alluded to but vaguely,
and the distinction between public and private work in
these primary institutions can be traced with difficulty.

In July, 1834, Miss Bayne kept a boarding and day
school for young ladies in a building on Randolph
Street, nearly in rear of Presbyterian church, between
Randolph and Clark streets.

Miss Wythe announced a school, July 9, 1834,
wherein young ladies were instructed in general tuition
and music.

The citizens of Chicago took a deep interest in
educational affairs from the first. A meeting was held
at the Presbyterian church, November 24, 1834, to
choose delegates to attend the Educational Convention,
which assembled at Vandalia December 25. The
meeting designated J. C. Goodhue chairman, and
Thomas Wright secretary. The delegation was com-
posed of Colonel Hamilton, Colonel Owen and J. T.
Temple.

During the winter of 1834-35, George Davis opened a

$&J.*0/k?7jr,

school on Lake Street, over a store, between Dearborn
and Clark streets. Later, in 1835, Mr. Davis taught in
the Presbyterian church.

John Watkins was then teaching what had become

a public school on the North Side, on the river bank
just east of Clark Street, in the building erected by
Colonels Hamilton and Owen, as has already been
stated, in 1833.

In February, 1835, the Legislature passed an act
establishing a special school system for Township 39
north, Range 14 east of the third principal meridian, or
in other words for Chicago. The incorporation of the
city two years later rendered this act void, but it never-
theless belongs to the history of the schools here. The
substance of the laws was:

Sections 1,2, and 3 prescribed that the legal voters
should elect annually, on the first Monday in J une, either
five or seven School Inspectors, who were to examine
teachers, designate text books, visit schools and perform
a general supervision of the educational interests of the
town. They were to recommend to the County Com-
missioners the division of the town into districts, in ac-
cordance with the Inspectors' decision. Section 4
stipulated that three trustees of common schools should
be annually elected in each district, whose duty it was
to employ qualified teachers ; to see that the schools
were free, and that all white children had an opportun-
ity to attend them, under regulations imposed by in-
spectors ; to manage the financial and property affairs
of their respective districts ; and levy taxes for running
the schools, except for paying teachers' salaries, provid-
ed the additional tax should never exceed one-half of
one per cent per annum on all taxable property in the
district.

By this law the Inspectors had no power to elect
teachers or fix their compensation ; nor could they levy
tax to pay salaries. A meeting of the electors of the
district was required to do that ; and, in fact, the prac-
tical operation of the schools rested directly with the
people.

In 1835 the school founded by Mr. Sproat was com-
mitted to the care of James McClellan, with Miss Warren
as assistant.

In 1835 the first building erected specifically for
school purposes was built by John S. Wright, at his own
expense, on Clark Street, just south of Lake. Miss Ruth
Leavenworth was engaged as teacher, the successor of
Miss Chappel in the original school. Mr. Wright says,
in his work, "Chicago: Past, Present and Future 1867:"
" The honor is due to my sainted mother. Having then

plenty of money it was spent very much as she desired.
Interested in an infant school, she wanted the building,
and it was built." This simple but noble tribute to Mrs.
Wright links her name, no less than that of her son,
indissolubly with the noblest of Chicago's public insti-
tutions. The honor of having erected the first public
school building, by private means, is one of which the
family may justly boast.

The tuition charged at the infant school during 1835
was $2 per quarter, unless the parents were unable to
pay that sum, in which event no charge was made.

In August, 1835, Charles Hunt proposed the estab-
lishment of a high school for young ladies, upon a per-
manent basis ; but no record is preserved of the result.

September 19, 1835, the following call was issued,
for the purpose of organizing the town into school
districts :

208

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

The undersigned residents of Congressional Township 39
north. Range 14 east, respectfully request a meeting of the qual-
ified voters of said township, at the Presbyterian church, in Chi-
cago, on Tuesday, the 29th inst., at 6 p. M. for the purpose of
taking into consideration the propriety of organizing said township
for school purposes, under the late act of the General Assembly of
Illinois.

"John H. Kinzie, Henry W. Savage,

R. J. Hamilton, E. B. Williams,

Byram Guerin, Joseph Meeker,

Giles S. Isham, John Wright,

Frederick Myers, Erastus Bowen,
Henry Moore, S. W. Sherman,

H. M. Draper, Isaac Harman.

David Stiles, E. E. Hunter,

Peter Pruynk, John Watkins.

J. C. Goodhue."

The result of this meeting was the division of the
town into four districts. No. 1 embraced the North
Side; No. 2 was bounded as follows: Commencing on
Chicago River on a line with south side of the river,
running south to Madison Street, west to Wells Street,
south along Wells to Block 85, Section 16, thence west
along South Branch to the junction of the branches,
thence east to the place of beginning. No. 3 was
bounded: Commencing on Lake Michigan at the boun-
dary line of Section 15 to the southeast boundary of the
township, west along township line to South Branch,
thence down the river to the boundary line of District
No. 2, thence east with said line to the place of begin-
ning. No. 4 began at LaSalle Street, on the river, ran
south to Madison, west to Wells, along Wells to Block
194. thence to the South Branch, thence south along the
river to the south line of Section 16, thence east along
the section line to the lake, thence north along the lake
shore to the Reservation line, thence west to the south-
east corner of Block 58, thence north to the river, thence
west to the place of beginning.

There were at this time three public and four pri-
vate schools taught in town.

In the spring of 1836, Miss Leavenworth's school
was discontinued ; and in the same building Miss
Frances Langdon Willard opened a school for the
instruction of young ladies in the higher branches of
education. She was a very energetic and laborious
teacher. Her private record of her pupils is now in
the possession of her nephew, Dr. Samuel Willard, of
the Chicago high school, and enrolls the name of many
who became matrons of the city. Miss Louisa Gifford
afterward Mrs. Dr. Dyer , was her assistant ; and after
a primary department was added and it became a public
school, in 1837, it passed into Miss Gifford's hands.
Miss Willard opened another school on her original
plan, which she did not continue longer than about a
year. She subsequently married Rev. John Ingersoll.

The following extracts taken from letters written by
Miss Willard to friends in the East, are not without
interest:

May 2f, 1836. I like Chicago much ; the society is first-
rate ; that is, a large proportion of it. I did not open the Sem-
inary until May 9, as the room was not quite ready. Began with
seventeen pupils, increased to twenty-five ; others have applied ;
eight came on the $10 terms, five on the $8 terms and the remainder
on the $5. The trustees prefer that, for the present, in the unset-
tled state of society, I take the responsibility and the perquisites.
Mrs. Wright is a superior woman, with a great deal of zeal and
energy, pro publico bono. She gave the $650 which has erected the
Seminary, just to make a beginning for Chicago.

June 8. The school has increased to thirty. I believe all but
two have entered for a year. Mr. Brown told me that five more
had spoken for admittance. I cannot take another one without
assistance. I have ten music pupils, but we must wait until the
trustees send to New York for a piano.

June 28. I am refusing young ladies every day, for my thirty
are ten more than I ought to instruct without an assistant. It is

impossible to enlarge the school until I obtain one ; and of six
who have offered not one is qualified.

July 8. I have this day engaged a lady direct from the Clin-
ton Seminary, New York ; an assistant there, two years ; and had
previously assisted two years in the Geneseo Seminary under the
celebrated Mrs. R. Corde. Her name is Miss Clifford.

August 25. Miss Clifford proves an excellent assistant to me.
There are thirty-eight pupils, and more are expected next week. I
like everything here but the low state of religion.

October 30. The number of pupils has increased to fifty-
seven. On Friday, October 28, the public examination was held in
the Presbyterian church. About four hundred spectators were
present.

December 20. I have my forty daughters around me this cold
season. There is no public boarding house for my pupils, as I ex-
pected ; so I was obliged to accept the offer of boarding with a
Mr. Prescott and lady, from Sackett's Harbor.

December 25. The great expenses of living here, and the
difficulty of getting board for young ladies, have almost discour-
aged me. Both my assistants are now engaged in marriage. They
have been excellent in their places.

October 9, 1837. I am gradually turning the Seminary into a
boarding school ; for it is impossible to get along here without
having my pupils from abroad directly within the sphere of my
control. Chicago exceeds every place for dissipating girls' minds
that I ever knew. An instructress needs the eves of an Argus, to
see all the dangers which surround her charge. I expect to find
it difficult to manage all my girls to advantage and have any single
gentleman to flatter them. I wish every man on earth married.
Is that a wrong wish ?

January 17, 1838. The hard times deeply affect all the schools.
The great school fund of $36,000, for which Chicago has been so
celebrated, is all loaned out and cannot now command sufficient
interest to support even one district school. All have been stopped
by order of the trustees, I am informed. I intend to continue
teaching; but the fine promises of public buildings made to me,
before I left Alton, have never been fulfilled.

March 31. There are three ladies' schools now in town, be-
sides mine; they were commenced last fall during the sickness in
my family about ten or fifteen pupils, of all ages and both sexes in
each. So much for the negligence of the citizens in not building a
public female seminary.

In 1836, and until March, 1837, John Brown taught
a private school in the North Division, near the corner
of Dearborn and Walcott streets. Mr. Brown ceased to
teach in consequence of being severely beaten by some
of his pupils, and sold out his leases in March, 1837, to
Edward Murphy, who took decided means to secure

success. On opening his school with thirty-six pupils, he
addressed them, setting forth the necessity of observ-
ing the rules of the school and promising chastisement
to those who should infringe them.

" The day after," says Mr. Murphy, " I placed an oak sapling,
an inch in diameter, on my desk. That afternoon a Mr. S. who
owned the building, came into the school-room, and seeing the
walls decorated with caricatures, and likenesses of almost every
animal from a rabbit to an elephant, he got in a raging passion,
and used rather abusive language. I complained, he became more
violent. I walked to my desk, took the sapling and shouted ' clear
out,' which he obeyed by a rapid movement. This trifling incident
effectually calmed the ringleaders, some of whom now occupy hon-
orable and respectable positions in society."

Mr. Murphy's vigorous administration secured the
admiration of the school officers, who rented the building
and made him a public school teacher from August,
1837, to November, 1838, at a salary of $800 per
annum.

Mr. McClellan, who took charge of the school in the

EDUCATIONAL DEPAR TMENT.

209

Baptist church, on Water Street, in 1835, continued to
teach a public school until 1838.

The incorporation of the city of Chicago, March 4,
1837, marks an epoch in the history of the schools, for
the management thereof, excepting the control of the
funds, was, by the provisions of the charter, vested in
the Common Council of the city.

The first Board of Inspectors elected by the Council
was chosen May 12, 1837, and consisted of Thomas
Wright, N. H. Bolles, John Gage, T. R.Hubbard, I. T.
Hinton, Francis Payton. G. W. Chad wick, B. Huntoon,
R. J. Hamilton and W. H. Brown. The first standing
committee on schools in the council consisted of Alder-
man Goodhue, Bolles and Caton. The only records to
be found covering the years from 1837 to 1840 are such
irregular mention as is made in the official municipal
documents of that period, and they are exceedingly un-
satisfactory. There appears to have been no uniform
system of action in the management of the schools. Each
district partook of the nature of a district school division,
and conducted its own affairs in its own way. There
were seven districts organized, but there is no evidence
extant to prove the boundaries of the several districts.
From the records of the election of trustees, and from the
scattering reports submitted by teachers about this time,
it is inferred that District No. i, No. 2 and possibly No.
3, were in the South Division ; Nos. 4 and 5 in the West
Division ; and Nos. 6 and 7 in the North Division.

If school was held in Districts No. 4 and 6, no in-
dication of that fact is now attainable. In truth, the
teachers' reports were irregularly made, and schools
may have been taught in those districts without formal
acknowledgement being made to the Council.

In August 1837, the Council passed an ordinance
governing the length of school terms :

" The quarters shall begin on the first Mondays in February,
May, August and November, and continue five and a half days in
each week, which time shall be understood to constitute one-quarter
of one year's schooling, and for teaching, to the satisfaction of all
concerned, such time the teacher shall be entitled to one-quarter of
a year's salary."

The clause compelling the teacher to perform his
duties " to the satisfaction of all concerned," must have
been a barrier to many would-be applicants; for it is
seldom that one is willing to venture the payment of
salary upon the probability of pleasing everybody.

The school-house in District No. 5 was located on
the west side of Canal Street, north of Lake Street,
opposite the Green Tree Hotel. During the winter
of 1837-38 the school was taught by C. S. Bailey, who
was succeeded in the spring by Calvin DeWolf, and
he in turn by Thomas Hoyne.

In July, 1837, the following petition was presented
for the establishment of a school in District No. 4,
signed by sixteen persons representing twenty-five
scholars, of whom one of the signers, John Gage, repre-
sented seven :

" The undersigned inhabitants of the Fourth School District,
in said city, considering they have a sufficient number of scholars
to form a school, and that being attached to the Fifth District, the
distance is so great as to make the school of little use to them,
would request that they be immediately set off in a district by them-
selves, in season to elect three Trustees on the fourth Monday of
this month."

September, 1837, J. H. Blatchford, "one of the In-
spectors of the Fifth Ward," addressed a communica-
tion to the Common Council stating that the school in
the Fifth School District, situated in the Fourth Ward
of the city " has been closed for the space of more than
two months, that a gentleman is ready to undertake the
management and instruction of the school in that dis-

trict, but that no trustees have yet been elected by the
voters in said district." He further states that notices
have been issued by the Council several times for the
legal voters to elect trustees, but that the inhabitants
have neglected to meet in conformity with such notices,
and asks that the Council fill the vacancies, as he under-
stands that said body has the power of filling vacancies
in offices of election as well as in offices of appointment.
The following is a certificate of the Trustees of
School District No. 1, accompanying the report of the
teacher for a period of eight weeks, from August 15,
1837, to October n, 1837 :

' ' To the School Inspectors of the City of Chicago :

" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, trustees of School
District No. i, in the city of Chicago, report that the foregoing
schedule, made, subscribed and sworn to by Sarah Kellogg, exhib-
its correctly the number of scholars taught by her in said District
No. 1, and the number of days each scholar attended, and that she
taught the length of time certified to by her, and that she was em-
ployed by us to teach a common school of female pupils in said
District No. 1, for a quarter of a year, at the rate of $10 per week,
and that the reason she did not teach the whole quarter is, that
neither a suitable room, stove nor furnace could be obtained by any
means within our power so as to make her and her pupils comfort-
able.

" All of which is respectfully submitted.

"J. M. Strode,
" Solomon Wills,
"A. D. Taylor,
1 ' Trustees of School District No. I.
"Chicago, October 20, 1837."

The school for advanced scholars, in District No. 1
was taught by George C. Collins, who was employed at
a salary of $800 per annum.

The reports for the quarter ending November 1,
1837, show the attendance in the various schools then in
session :

District. Teacher. Pupils enrolled.

One George C. Collins 113

Two James McClellan 107

Three Hiram Baker 52

Five Otis King 44

Seven Edward Murphy - 84

Total enrolled 400

Miss Sarah Kellogg, Samuel C. Bennett and A. Steel
Hopkins were employed in the South Division schools
during 1837.

In 1838 the public schools were taught by Messrs.
McClellen, Murphy, Bennett, Collins, Bailey, DeWolf
and Hoyne, all of whom have received mention.

In 1839 the school fund was unproductive, and the
schools were in a depressed condition.

Up to this date the school fund had remained under
the control of the County Commissioner. Legislative
aid was invoked to transfer the financial management to
the Common Council, and March 1, 1839, such an
amendment to the charter was granted.

In lune, 1839, the School Inspector recommended
the Council to lease Blocks 1, 87, and 88 of the school
section, being the blocks on which the high school
stands, extending to Halsted Street, and the blocks ex-
tending from Harrison to Polk streets, between Fifth
Avenue and the river, for agricultural purposes; also
that Block 142, being the site of the Tribune Building
and McVicker's Theatre, be subdivided into sixteen
lots, for which not less than $30 per lot per annum be
asked as rental. The size of the lots was forty-nine
and one-half by one hundred and fifty feet. The rec-
ommendation stipulated the reservation from lease of
" Lot 2, on which the old district school-house is situ-
ated." This indefinite allusion is partially explained by
the following petition, addressed to the Council:

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

"Your petitioners respectfully beg leave to represent that in
the fall of 1S36 the inhabitants of School District No. 4, located
in that portion of the town which now comprises the First Ward
of the city, at a school meeting, duly notified, voted a tax of
$5,000 to build a school-house in said district. At that time,
building' materials and labor were extremely scarce and high, and
the inhabitants of the district being very anxious to have a school
commenced immediately, it was thought by the Trustees that it
would be much cheaper to put up a temporary building for that
purpose than to attempt to build permanently, when there would be
not onlv great expense in procuring material, but much delay would
be unavoidable in collecting the tax for that purpose. Under
these circumstances, that there might be as little delay as possible
in commencing a school, the Trustees availed themselves of a
provision in the school law which authorized them to borrow $200
from the school fund to build a school-house. For this sum a note
was given by the Trustees, which, owing to the precarious and
unsettled condition of the school fund laws, still remains unpaid.
But as soon as a school tax can be levied, the inhabitants of that
district will doubtless most cheerfully pay the amount necessary to
refund the said sum which they have enjoyed the benefit of, in pos-
sessing for several years the only public school-house in this city.
As the said note lias been placed in the hands of an attorney for
collection, by the agent of the school fund, the object of this peti-
tion is to request that your honorable body will direct that legal
proceedings in this case may be suspended for the present
"Chicago, March 30, 1S40. X. H. Bolles,

" One of the Trustees who signed t lie Arote."

There is no other record of this transaction until it
is alluded to in the following terms, in a report made
by the School Inspectors, March 30, 1845, after the
opening of the Dearborn School building: " As it is
known by the Council, the only school-house or school-
room belonging to the city was in the First Ward, and
this was so old, small and dilapidated, that it was sold
recently by the Trustees for the sum of $40, and the
purchaser has no occasion to congratulate himself on
account of his bargain."

Thus began and ended the first school-house owned
by the city.

Among the select day schools of 1839, well remem-
bered and much patronized was that established by
Rev. I. T. Hinton, on April 21. The institution was
managed for the benefit of young ladies, the course of
study embracing the English, Latin and French lan-
guages, ancient and modern history, and the most im-
portant branches of physical and moral science. The
school was located in the Baptist church.

Miss Dodge also conducted a private school that
year.

Miss R. R. Carr, formerly of Lima, N. Y., managed
an advanced school for young ladies, in a room on Clark
Street, adjoining the Presbyterian church; and Miss
Prayton taught a similar school in the fort, in the sum-
mer and fall of 1840.

Re-organization of the school system, under the new
charter was not effected until 1840. February 27, 1840,
William H. Brown accepted the office of School Agent,
and assumed charge of the public fund. It may be
here observed that Mr. Brown discharged the responsi-
ble duties of that office for thirteen years faithfully;
and during the long term of services did not make a
loan, by which the school fund suffered loss.

The appended report of the commissioner of school
lands, at the close of the year 1839, when the fund was
transferred, shows the condition of finances at that date:

Loaned on personal security, not in suit $1 1,564 22

Loaned on mortgage, not in suit 12,437 74

Amount in suit 6, 545 00

Amount in judgment 7.306 36

Included in note given for interest 64 00

Total securities §37,977 32

Cash on hand 648 15

Total .$38,625 47

The law was prepared by Hon. J. Young Scammon.

On this subject, and referring with characteristic
modesty to his own connection in framing and drafting
these laws, Mr. Scammon in a speech delivered at the re-
ception tendered by the Calumet Club to the old set-
tlers, in May, 1879, said :

"There is one other man, now departed to his long home,
who deserves a great deal of credit, in relation to the schools of the
city, and I beg permission to say a few words in his commenda-
tion. That man was Dr. Josiah C. Goodhue, and if I recollect
right, he was one of the first aldermen of the city. He was one of
the committee who designed the seal of the city, which I recollect
was called ' Dr. Goodhue's little baby.' He it was to whom we
are indebted very much for our present school system. The public
schools had been tried in Chicago, and proved to be a failure.
While he was a member of the first Council — I think every mem-
ber of the Council was Democratic — one evening he came into my
office (which was very near where it is now, on the south side of
Lake Street, near Clark), and lamented over the condition of things
in Chicago. It was after the panic of 1837, which was vastly
worse than the panic of 1S73, and everything was very depressed.
' Nothing,' he said, ' could be done here in the West. The people
of Chicago had voted down the free school system.' I said, play-
fully, to Dr. Goodhue ' We can have free schools, and if you will
put the matter into my hands, I will establish a free school system
that will be satisfactory to the city of Chicago.' He said he would
do it ; I said, ' You cannot do it ; you and every member of the
Council are Democrats, and I am a Whig.' He said, ' That makes
no difference. If you will take hold of it, you shall have unlimited
power to do what you choose, and the Council will sustain you.' I
said, if he would do that, I would give as much time as was neces-
sary to it, but, I said, he could not get the Council to agree to it.
He said, ' I think you are mistaken ; I think you can have your
own way about everything. I will consult the Council, and let you
know next week.' About a week afterward he came to my office,
and told me that the Council were all agreed, and if I would take
hold of the matter, I might write my own ordinances and laws, and
they would give me supreme power within all reasonable bounds. I
did so. I wish to say this, not for the purpose of recounting any-
thing I have done, but to give to the Common Council of Chicago,
which differed from me in politics, and of which you, Mr. Chair-
man (Judge Caton) was a member, and to Dr. Goodhue, the credit
of the first act which culminated in the permanent establishment of
the public schools of Chicago. We are indebted now for our ex-
cellent school system to the stone that was first laid by Dr. Good-
hue."

The first Board of School Inspectors under this pro-
vision were : William Jones, J. Young Scammon, Isaac
N. Arnold, Nathan H." Bolles, John Gray, J. H. Scott
and Hiram Hugunin. The first meeting was held No-
vember, 1840, at which Mr. Jones was elected chairman
and Isaac N. Arnold secretary. At this date the writ-
ten records begin. Meetings were thereafter held week-
ly, until April, 1843, when they were held monthly.

In October, 1840, the Inspectors recommended the
organization of the city into four school districts : Dis-
trict No. 1 to comprise the First Ward, being at .that
time that portion of the South Division of the city lying
east of Clark Street ; District No. 2 to comprise the Sec-
ond Ward, being that part of the South Division lying
between Clark Street and the South Branch of the river;
District No. 3 to comprise the Third and Fourth wards,
being the entire West Division of the city ; and District
No. 4, to comprise the Fifth and Sixth wards, being the
entire North Division of the city. The school building
in District No. 1, the only one owned by the city, was
located where the Tribune building now stands, corner
Madison and Dearborn streets ; the building in District
* No. 2 was on the north side of Randolph Street, about
midway between Fifth Avenue and Franklin Street ; the
building in District No. 4 was on the corner of Cass and
Kinzie streets.

In November, 1840, the Inspectors recommended
that, " in view of the necessities of the children, the
trustees of each district be directed to procure immedi-
ately rooms in which to hold schools, and take all neces-
sary steps to put the schools in operation, also that a tax

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

of one mill be levied for the support of schools." In a
communication from the Inspectors to the Common
Council, dated November 30, 1840, they report that :

" The Trustees of District No. 4 have secured a room at $6
per month, for six months or more and have submitted estimates
for furnishing with seats, stoves, necessary utensils, and fuel,
amounting to $132. The Inspectors approve of all but $50 for
benches, apparatus, etc., believing that in the present condition of
the school fund, no apparatus such as is indispensable should be
purchased. The Inspectors recommend however, that the School
Agent be instructed to pay upon the order of the Trustees of the
district such amount as they may need, not to exceed $132. The
Trustees have selected Mr. Uunbar as a teacher at $400 per an-
num."

The Inspectors, in a report dated December;, 1S40,
informed the Common Council that :

" The Trustees of District No. 3 have employed A. D.
Sturtevant as teacher at $400 per annum : have hired a convenient

>-A~<m?r^) i/{^

room at $6 per month, and have fitted it up at an expense of $Si.2g
of which §12.97 is to be deducted from the rent. This sum in-
cludes seats, which can be used in other buildings. That the
Trustees of District No. 1 had employed Mr. Argill Z. Rumsey as
teacher, at §400 per annum ; had taken possession of the district
school-house, and are repairing and fitting it up at a cost of
$86.24. Also, that H. B. Perkins had been employed as teacher of
District No. 2, at $400 per annum."

The first attempt to secure uniformity of text books
was made December 9, 1840, at which time the Inspec-
tors adopted Worcester's Primer, Parley's first, second,
and third books of history and an elementary spelling
book.

The report of attendance at each school for each
month extending to February, 1850, giving the name
of each pupil, and the number of days' attendance, are
now on file in the office of the City Clerk.

In June, 1841, the Inspectors report that for the
four months ending in March, there had been expended
$563.32 for teachers, and $520.94 for fuel, rent of
school-houses, repairs, etc. ; that upon the present plan
it would require $1,800 to pay the teachers for one
year ; that it would be necessary to levy a tax of one-
tenth of one per cent upon all the taxable property of
the city.

Vocal music was first introduced into the public
schools in January, 1842, and the subject provoked
much comment. Strenuous opposition to this branch
of instruction was encountered. The first music teacher
employed was N. Gilbert, whose contract extended for
about one year.

March 10, 1842, the Inspectors voted that a school
be established in the " Dutch Settlement," in the North
Division, provided a house be furnished by the inhabi-
tants ; but on the 16th of that month this order was
modified to the extent of allowing the materials for the
house to be furnished from the general funds, if the
people of the district would erect the building them-
selves. The cost of such materials was $21 1.02. This
was agreed to by those locally interested, and the school
was established on the Green Bay road, between Chi-
cago and North avenues. The school was called School
No. 3, Fourth District, and was continued until a per-
manent building was erected in 1846, on the corner of
Ohio and LaSalle streets, as will be shown later on.

The Trustees appointed by the Common Council
March n, 1842, were : District No. 1 — S. J. Lowe, N.
H. Bolles, C. N. Gray ; District No. 2 — A. Loyd, James
Carney, John K. Boyer ; District No. 3 — Azel Peck,
William Mitchell, Osahel Pierce ; District No. 4 —

Henry Brown, S. H. Gilbert, Henry Smith. These
gentlemen constituted what may be termed the business
managers of school affairs.

The Inspectors for that year were : William Jones,
J. Y. Scammon, John Gray, James S. Scott, George W.
Meeker, Mark Skinner and Grant Goodrich. Their
duties related more especially to educational methods.

In May, 1842, the Inspectors resolved to authorize
the Trustees of District No. 3, the Third Ward of the
West Division, to employ a female teacher at $200 per
annum, payable in Illinois State Bank currency, or in
current funds after the collection of the regular tax ;
and to hire a house, provided the people of the district
furnish the means for the payment of the rent, and
also for fitting up the school-room. Like authority was
conferred in reference to the Second Ward, or District
No. 2, in the South Division.

Joseph K. C. Forrest taught a private school in the
West Division in 1842-43. A select school was opened
in Thompson's Block, May 11, 1842, by Miss Dodge.

In January, 1843, the Council ordered that the In-
spectors "dispense with the services of a music teacher,
as soon as it can be done consistently with the present
contracts ;" and music was stricken from the list of
studies early that year.

Block 142, being that bounded by Madison, State,
Monroe and Dearborn streets, was subdivided, by au-
thority of the Council, and offered for lease to the high-
est bidders for a term of ten years from the 8th day of
May, 1843. This explains why school-land leases date
from the 8th, instead of the 1st of May. It was caused by
the convenience of the issuance of the first papers.

From the report of the Inspectors for the year end-
ing December 31, 1843, it would appear that there were
eight schools in operation: Two schools in the First and
Second districts comprising the First and Second wards;
one in the Third District, comprising the Third and
Fourth wards, and three in the Fourth District com-
prising the Fifth and Sixth wards. The total number of
scholars was 588 — 131 in District No. 1; 135 in No. 2;
65 in No. 3; and 257 in No. 4.

Early in the year 1844, the Inspectors called the at-
tention of the Council to the needs of the residents of
the southern part of the township. May 1, 1844, the
Trustees of District No. 1 were authorized to expend
$10, if so much is necessary, in filling up the school lot.
In June, 1844, proposals were received for erecting a
building in District No. 1. It was completed in the
springof 1845 at a cost of $7,500 and was situated on
Madison Street, opposite McVicker's Theatre. Early
in the year 1858 it received the name of the Dearborn
school. This was the first permanent public school
building erected, and as Ira Miltimore was instrumental
in having the structure erected, it was pointed at as
"Miltimore's Folly." Mayor Garrett also looked upon
the building as far beyond the needs of Chicago, and
recommended, in his inaugural address for 1845, that it
be either sold, or converted into an insane asylum.
Upon the opening of the building, Districts No. 1 and
2 were consolidated and were accommodated in this
building. From this time until the opening of the
building on Block 113, School Section addition, after-
ward known as Jones school, the reports are headed
Districts 1 and 2." One year after the opening of the
building on Madison Street there were enrolled five
hundred and forty -three pupils; at the end of the second
year six hundred and sixty; at the end of the third year
eight hundred and sixty-four. The first teachers in the
school were Austin D. Sturtevant, principal, who had
been in the employ of the city in Districts No. 3 and

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

2, since October, 1840; Lucia A. Garvin, and Martha
Durant.

During 1844 school conventions were held through-
out the State. On the 8th of October such an assembly
met in Chicago, to choose delegates to attend a general
convention at Springfield. At the Springfield meeting
the plan of teachers" institutes was formed.

A State meeting was also held at Peoria October 9,
at which Chicago was represented by W. H. Brown,
William Jones. R. J. Hamilton, John H. Kinzie, S. C.
Bennett, John B. Weir, A. D. Sturtevant, Dr. Noble,
Mark Skinner, N. B. Judd, Isaac N. Arnold, H. L.
Stuart, F. C. Sherman, G. W. Meeker, J. Y. Scammon,
Socrates Rand, F. T. Miner, John Blackstone, Lot
Whitcomb, L. D. Browne, lohn Hill and John S.
Wright.

January 9, 1S45, a convention was held at Spring-
field, for the purpose of organizing a State educational
society. Cook County was represented by John S,
Wright. In an autograph letter of Rev. J. Ambrose
Wight appears the following tribute to Mr. Wright :

" In the educational department he performed a service for the
State of Illinois, for which he has perhaps received little credit.
He drafted a common-school law, and got it enacted by the Legis-
lature, at the time when the center and south of the State were
averse to such a thing. But his acquaintance with leading men
all over the State gave him the influence to secure its passage.
That law, altered and amended, is, I believe, the basis of the pres-
ent school law of Illinois."

The rapid growth of the city during 1845 compelled
the Council to take action concerning the accommoda-
tion of pupils in the several districts ; chief among
which was the acceptance of William B. Ogden's pro-
posal to sell Lots 1, 2 and 3, Block 20, Wolcott's addi-
tion to the city, for a school site, at $950, provided the
Legislature .confirmed the title in Mr. Ogden. The site
was on the corner of Ohio and LaSalle streets. This
was in District No. 4. The school-rooms in this dis-
trict were declared to be wholly inadequate and unfit
for the uses to which they were put, with the exception
of that in the " Dutch settlement."

In May, 1845, the salaries of the male teachers were
raised from $400 to §500 per annum, and that of female
teachers, in September, from $200 to $250.

The erection of the house, corner of Ohio and La-
Salle streets, a building forty-five by seventy feet, two
stories in height, caused the discontinuance of the little
school in " New Buffalo," or the "Dutch settlement."
In January, 1846, a petition, signed by residents of
this neighborhood, was submitted to the Council, stal-
ing that the school had been discontinued since the
opening of the new building, and asking the privilege
of opening a German school in the old building, to be
kept at their own expense, and offering to purchase the
building, stating that at the time of its erection the city
had advanced about $150 and that the balance had been
supplied by themselves. In answer to this petition the
following order was adopted by the Council, January
30, 1846 :

"Ordered, That the Mayor and Clerk issue a deed, under the
seal of the city, of the school-house in the Dutch settlement, to
Michael Diversy and Peter Gabel, to be used for a German school
in that settlement, upon said Diversy and Gabel executing a note
to the school fund for $110, payable in twelve months."

The new school buildings erected in 1844-45 (tne
one on Dearborn Street at a cost of $7,523.42 and one
on the corner of Ohio and LaSalle streets at a cost of
about $4,000 were ready for occupancy this year.

The legislative abridgement of the power of taxa-
tion for school purpose prevented the erection of build-
ings in 1846, as the 3< hool-tax fund was then indebted

to the general fund in the sum of $3,694.06. The most
important act of the year was the adoption, September
4, 1846, of an amendatory ordinance regulating the
powers and duties of Trustees and Inspectors. The
Trustees were entrusted with the care of the school
property, and held for its proper preservation ; they
were authorized to recommend needed repairs and pur-
chases of apparatus, fuel, etc., but not permitted either
to contract for and pay for the same, or incur any ex-
penses, except for fuel and water ; all bills being audited
by the Council, and paid from the school-tax fund. The
Inspectors were not empowered to fix the compensation
of teachers, nor to cause any expenditures out of the
fund, except for wages of teachers already fixed ; all
bills being referred to the Council. They were per-
mitted to make recommendations for alterations and
additions to school property. The ordinance also or-
dered the publication, in such papers as would do the
service gratis, of the full proceedings of the Council
and Board regarding schools.

October 8, 1846, a State common school convention
was held in Chicago, during which the following
named residents manifested especial interest in its pro-
ceedings, as well as their regard for the cause of educa-
tion generally: John S. Wright, Henry Brown, J.
Young Scammon, Dr. M. L. Knapp, Samuel J. Lowe,
D. M. Bradley, R. J. Hamilton, John P. Chapin, B. W.
Raymond, William B. Ogden, Mark Skinner, James
Carney, Grant Goodrich, Richard L. Wilson, Walter L.
Newberry, John Gray, Dr. E. S. Kimberly, Charles
McDonnell, Dr. McArthur, N. H. Bolles, A. S. Sher-
man, Azel Peck, Z. Eastman, John Murphy, James Cur-
tis, T. A. Stewart, F. C. Sherman, John Gage, N. B.
Judd, Jesse B. Thomas.

November 13, 1846, an order was passed by the
Council authorizing the employment of a teacher in the
southern part of the First and Second wards, upon re-
ceiving notification from the Mayor and school com-
mittee that a suitable school-room had been
prepared in a proper place; provided said teacher
be employed from month to month, instead of by the
year. This was the beginning of what is now known as
the Jones School, which was taught by Alice L. Bar-
nard, afterwards principal of the Jones school, and locat-
ed at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Twelfth
Street.

An act was passed by the Legislature, February 16,
1847, providing for the sale or lease of Lot 5, Block 4,
Lot 9, Block 50, and Lot 6, Block 55, in the original
town of Chicago.

In March, 1847, a motion was made by a member of
the Council, " that the committee on schools inquire
into the expediency of making vocal music one of the
permanent branches taught in the schools," but another
member moved to amend by adding dancing. This
satirical amendment received but three votes, and the
original motion prevailed. The subject was taken under
advisement by the appropriate committee.

In April, 1847, the School Agent was authorized to
purchase eight lots in Block 113, school section, for a
school site, at a cost of not more than $450 per lot. A
building was completed in May, 1847, on West Madison
Street, near Halsted. This was subsequently called the
Scammon school. The cost was $6,795. ^n October
$100 was appropriated for repairs on a building used as
a school-house, in the southern part of Districts No. 1
and 2.

In pursuance of an order passed by the Inspectors,
November 12, 1847, Frank Lombard was appointed
teacher of vocal music in the public schools, for one

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

213

year from January 1, 184S, at a salary of $250. The
"Primary School Song Book," by Lowell Mason and
George James Webb was officially adopted for the use
of the pupils.

June 23, 1848, the Council authorized the purchase
from Walter L. Newberry, of eighty-five feet adjoining
the school lot in District No. 4 the original lot being
but one hundred and eleven feet front on Ohio Street i,
for the sum of $1,050. In July. 1S48. a school was
opened at Bridgeport, and the teacher was paid for two
months, when the Inspectors found there was no au-
thority for a continuance of the school, and it was
closed. September n, 1848, the committee on schools
reported that they had purchased at the sale of canal
lands, Lot 13, Block 22, fractional Section 15, as a site
for a school-house, for $630. This lot is located on the
northwest corner of Wabash Avenue and Twelfth
Street, and is the one on which the building stood in
which the school in the southern part of Districts No.
1 and 2 was located. It was occupied for school pur-
poses till about the time the Haven school was built
(1862). Alice L. Barnard was the teacher.

The Inspectors, in their annual report, dated Feb-
ruary 5, 1849, speak of the progress of the schools
since their re-organization in 1840, as follows:

" Since the organization of our public schools in the autumn
of 1840, there has been a change unparalleled in the history of any
western city. Then, a few miserably clad children, unwashed and
uncombed, were huddled into small, unclean and unventilated
apartments, seated upon uncomfortable benches and taught by list-
less and inefficient tutors, who began their daily vocations with
dread, and completed what they considered their unpleasant duties
with pleasure. Now the school reports of the township show the
names of nearly two thousand pupils, two-thirds of whom are in
daily attendance in spacious, ventilated, well regulated school
rooms, where they are taught by those whose duty is their pleasure.
The scholars are neat in person and orderly in behavior, and by the
excellent course of moral and mental training which they receive,
are being prepared to become good citizens, an honor to the City
and State."

Appropriations were asked for to purchase school
apparatus, and in reference to school accommodations
they report as follows:

"The increase in the number of children and the crowded
rooms in the First and Second districts, embracing the four wards
lying between the South Branch and the lake, render the erection
of another school-house absolutely necessary in the southern part
of the city. The school-house on the west side of the river has
been found to be admirably adapted to the wants of the schools, and
it is recommended that an order be passed to build on Block 113
a house similar in size and arrangements to the one in District
No. 3."

The State Educational Convention was held at
Springfield, January 23, 1849, presided over by J. B.
Thomas. William Bross acted as secretary. Resolu-
tions were adopted defining a liberal policy concerning
the support of public schools.

The Council voted that $100 should be expended
for library purposes. It was also ordered, February 12,
1849, that a brick school-house be erected on Lot 113,
as soon as practicable. The power to appoint teachers
was vested solely in the Inspectors, by action of the
Council, February 12, 1849. The lot whereon the
Franklin school was erected was purchased of William
B. Ogden, July 25, 1849. November 26, 1849, Districts
No. 1 and 2, which were united for convenience, were
divided and the boundary line was drawn through the
center of blocks lying between Monroe and Adams
streets. The southern section of the South Division
was then called the Second District. The building on
Block 113, in District No. 2, was completed December
17, 1849, at a cost °f $6,795.

The new school in District No. 2 was opened in

January, 1850, with H. McChesney and C. McArthur in
charge.

The Council purchased an addition to the school
lot on Dearborn Street, fifty by one hundred and eighty
feet being the west fifty feet of Lot 7, Block 58, original
town, for $2,500; paying Alexander N. Fullerton in one
and two years, at ten per cent per annum interest.

The residents of the Sixth Ward, being the southern
portion of District No. 3, the region afterward known
as the Washington-school district, in May, 1850, peti-.
tioned for a schooi, claiming that the number of clildren
in their proposed district exceeded five hundred. An
appropriation of $400 was made in July, 1850, for the
employment of an instructor in the elementary principles
of music. Frank Lombard and Mr. Warner were en-
gaged as music teachers.

During the month of December, 1850, a petition
was presented to the Council, signed by residents of the
district west of the Southwest Plank Road, (the Brown-
school district,) representing that they were one and a
half mile distant from the nearest school; that they had
a school room furnished, which had been built by the
inhabitants, and asking that a teacher be assigned to
teach in said school. During the same month the
Council passed an order authorizing the Trustees of
District No. 3, in connection with the Inspectors, to em-
ploy a competent teacher to take charge of the school.
The school was continued during the winter, but in
May, 185 1, the Council ordered its discontinuance.

The number and pay of teachers was :

, Teachers. Pay.

District No. 1 6 $1,627.75

District No. 2 4 1,386.43

District No. 3. 5 1, 513.59

District No. 4 5 1,462.13

Total 20 $5,989.90

The music teachers are not included in the above.

A teachers' association was organized in this city
in the winter of 1850-51, with a membership of twen-
ty-four, which included four private instructors. This
was done in compliance with an order of the Council,
passed December, 1850, compelling the public teachers
to meet weekly for consultation, under the direction of
the Inspectors.

In February, 1 851, the Council authorized the com-
mittee on schools to advertise for proposals for a school
site in the Sixth Ward, north of Kinzie Street, and
about the same distance west of the river as School No.
3 ; and also to procure plans for a building, and at the
meeting of the Council, April 28, 1851, a proposition
of Henry Smith, Agent, to sell Lots 12 to 16 (both in-
clusive ) in Block 14, Ogden's addition, for the sum of
$1,250 was accepted, and the Mayor and Clerk were au-
thorized to issue a city bond for this amount, payable in
one year, bearing ten per cent interest. This is the site
now occupied by the Sangamon school, formerly known
as the Washington, corner of Indiana and Sangamon
streets.

By an act approved in February, 1851, the School
Agent was given the custody of the school fund, subject
to the direction of the Council. In September of the
same year an ordinance was passed establishing at least
one common school in each district ; and giving the
Council authority to appoint seven Inspectors for the
city and three trustees for each school district. It was
made the duties of the inspectors to superintend the
schools, examine and employ teachers, divide the schools
into grades, etc., and of the Trustees to take charge of
the property and recommend improvements in buildings
or appliances.

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

May 30, 1S51. the Council passed an order author-
izing the committee on schools and the Mayor to nego-
tiate a loan of §8,000 to be expended in erecting school-
houses in the Xorth and West divisions of the city, pay-
able in two years from the first day of June, 1851 ; and
also an order authorizing the committee, together with
the Inspectors, to adopt plans for such buildings, to ad-
vertise for proposals for their erection and let the same
to the lowest bidder, providing the cost of the buildings
did not exceed §4,000 each. The order authorizing the
loaning of S3. 000 was repealed at a subsequent meeting
of the Council, September 19, 1851. An order was
adopted instead authorizing the issue of city bonds,
payable in two years from June 1, 1851. July 2, 1851,
the committee on schools report proposals received for
the erection of these buildings, one to be located corner
of Division and Sedgwick streets ( Franklin school ) and
the other corner of Indiana and Sangamon streets (now
known as Sangamon-street school, formerly known as
the Washington and an order was passed authorizing
the award of contracts at a slight advance on the
amount fixed, $4,000 each. An ordinance was passed
by the Council, September 8, 1851, defining the powers
of the Trustees and Inspectors. It was essentially the
same as that of 1849. One change was the provision
fixing the salary of assistant principals at $250, instead
$400 per annum.

February, 1852, the people of the extreme western
portion of the city the Brown District) secured a $75
appropriation for a teacher. Miss Case was appointed,
who received $54 for her services. In December
Miss M. E. Hartley was assigned to this school, in
a building temporarily obtained. An appropriation of
$171 was made and added to the unexpended balance,
§21 of the former sum set apart for this purpose.

The Washington (Sangamon) school was completed
in December, 185 1. It was located on the corner of
Indiana and Sangamon streets, in the West Division,
and was opened in January, 1852. The Franklin school,
on the corner of Division and Sedgwick streets, was
completed and opened simultaneously with the Wash-
ington building. The cost of these houses was about
$4,000 each.

In February, 1853, W. H. Brown, who for thirteen
years had held the position of School Agent, resigned
his office to the great regret of the Council and citizens
of Chicago. The condition of the school fund, at this
time, was as follows : Loans secured by real estate
$28,527.18 ; loans on personal security, $7,437.59 ;
balance, cash on hand, $5,158.43: total, $41,123.20.
James Long succeeded Mr. Brown in office.

May 30, 1853, the residents of the southern part of
the city, in the vicinity of the works of the American
Car Company, petitioned the Council to take immediate
steps for the purchase of a site, and the erection of a
building somewhere in Section 27, in the vicinity of said
works ; and the Council, June 27, 1853, directed the
committee on schools to procure propositions to sell
suitable grounds in this vicinity, and report at its ear-
liest convenience.

In November, 1853, the Teachers' Association
reached a commendable degree of efficiency, and was
thoronghly organized. The Council then permitted
semi-monthly meetings. L. Walker acted as secretary
of the body.

A period is now reached where a more detailed re-
view of educational work can be begun. The close of
the school year in 1853 saw an enrollment of over three
thousand pupil, and the public schools were maintained
at a cost of $j 2, 1 29.

The rapid increase of population and the enhanced
importance of the educational interests of the city de-
manded a more systematic management of details than
was permissable under the then existing regulations. It
was deemed no longer desirable to rely solely upon the
Inspectors, who were men of active pursuits, and could
therefore give but partial attention to the duties of
their office. Governed by that lofty spirit which
has always characterized the conduct of school affairs
in this city, the Council determined to place some one
at the head of the educational department, and on the
28th of November, 1853, the office of Superintendent
of Schools was created, with a salary of $1,000 attached.

June 23, 1854, the ordinance was so amended that
instead of fixing the salary at $1,000 per annum, it was
provided that the salary should be fixed from time to
time^ by the Inspectors with the proviso that the salary
must not exceed $1,500 per annum.

In October, 1853, a school was established near the
works of the American Car Company, that corporation
furnishing the room. This was called District No. 7,
afterward known as the Moseley-school district. In
December of that year a site was purchased on Warren
Avenue, between Page and Wood streets, subsequently
occupied by the Brown school. The price paid was
$2,800. January 3, 1854, an appropriation of $150 was
made to support the school.

The Inspectors invited John D. Philbrick, principal
of the State Normal School at New Britain, Conn., to
fill the Superintendent's office, but the invitation was de-
clined. On the 6th of March, 1854, John C. Dore,
principal of the Boylston grammar school, Boston, was
elected at a salary of $1,500. Mr. Dore assumed the
duties of the position in May. Under his management
the work of classifying and grading the schools was ef-
fected.

From Mr. Dore's first report, which consisted simply
of a review of his labors during 1854, is gathered an in-
teresting statement of the condition of the schools at
that time. There were in all the schools thirty-five
teachers regularly employed, but each school was inde-
pendently governed. Some of the schools, however,
were totally deficient in system, many of the pupils at-
tending one department in the morning and another in
the afternoon of the same day. No registers were kept,
and it was impossible to tell what pupils did or did not
belong to specified schools, except as they were seen in
actual attendance. Mr. Dore said : " As much time
was consumed in going to and from recitations as was
devoted to recitation." The principals did little more
than govern the filing in and out of classes. A rigid ex-
amination was instituted, in which fair results were
shown, except in English grammar. This was "virtu-
ally a sealed book in several of the schools.'' In the
lower departments little attention was paid to oral arith-
metic or even to the multiplication table. Neither ex-
amination nor age governed the promotion of pupils
from one class to another. Mr. Dore continued : " The
pupils in the schools have been classified, and the several
classes apportioned among the several teachers, so as to
secure a proper division of labor and individual respon-
sibility. A system of promotion has been adopted, de-
pending upon the qualifications of the pupils, determined
by examination." Class books were adopted, and a
general system devised. The Teachers' Institute, which
was then somewhat neglected, was revived.

Among the most important recommendations made
by Mr. Dore was the establishment of a high school.
The inspectors manifested the warmest spirit of co-op-
eration with the new Superintendent, and endeavored to

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

2'5

secure the best teachers. The report contained an able
argument for the advancement of interest in the public
schools, which were declared to be needed from a phil-
anthropic standpoint, no less than a political one. The
high school would serve as a stimulus to the pupils of
the lower grades, and create a feeling of commendable
rivalry among the students. Mr. Dore evinced a broad
and comprehensive conception of his duties, and of the
duties of the parents and the public generally.

In April, 1854, an ordinance was passed increasing
teachers' salaries as follows : Principal male of higher
departments, $1,000; assistants, $300; principal of
primary departments, $350 ; assistants, $250. There
were, at that time, seven public schools owned or leased
by the city, but the seating was inadequate by at least
one thousand. In addition to that number, there were
many more who should attend. The schools were
designated by number.

Number 1 — J. P. Brooks, principal, salary, Si ,000; assistants,
Mrs. A. E. Whittier, Misses S. A. LeBosquet, M. Cooper, A. L.
Graves and E. McClure.

Number 2 — I. Claflin, principal, $1,000 ; assistants, Misses C.
McArthur, F. A. Cogswell, A. E. Lowery, E. A. Kent and L.
Perkins.

Number 3 — D. S. Wentworth, principal, $1,000 ; assistants,
Misses L. M. Reed, H. Culver, S. E. Tibbetts, N. M. Hill, Mrs.
R. M. Wight.

Number 4 — A. G. Wilder, principal, $1,000; assistants, Misses
A. M. Duffy, D. A. Dean, E. Hall, J. Richards, F. Brown.

Number 5 — D. C. Ferguson, principal, $900; assistants,
Misses L. Everden, Mr. Shields, and E. Dickerman.

Number 6 — H. McChesney, principal, $1,000; assistants.

Misses J. Williams, F. Smith, A. Duncan, Hunter, and Mrs.

J. E. Seymour.

Number 7 — Miss C. C. Fox.

The site of the Foster school was purchased, in-
cluding two lots, for $5,800, in May, 1854.

With the exception of the portion occupied by the
Scammon school, Block 1 was occupied by squatters,
up to March, 1855, when the Council passed an order
for their removal and the subdivision of the land into
lots, to be leased for the benefit of the school fund.

The committee on schools in their report on the an-
nual report of the Agent for the year ending February
1, 1855, speaks in the following manner on the matter
of the sale of school lands :

"But the real estate belonging to the school fund, though
heretofore yielding less revenue, is by far the most important, as
in it are the elements of growth in value, commensurate with the
growth of the city and surrounding country. If the real estate yet
belonging to the school fund, though but a fraction of what it
once was, shall be judiciously managed and kept, and it cost noth-
ing to keep it, the next generation may be in possession of a rev-
enue adequate for the support of the grandest system of public
schools of any city in the world. A comparison of the small cash
school fund now on hand (about $40,000), with the value of lots,
nearly all of the school section addition to Chicago, that were sold
but a few years ago, now worth at low estimate six million dollars,
and almost certain to quadruple in the next twenty years, will
show in the strongest possible light the folly of selling school lots
of lands in a growing city or country to obtain a revenue for school
purposes ; and yet the whole country is dotted over with marks of
similar, though generally less disastrous, strokes of policy."

In August, 1855, the purchase of what is now known
as the Ogden-school lot was organized, but the business
was not carried out at that time.

In 1855 the Council decided in favor of the estab-
lishment of a high school, and an ordinance to that effect
was passed by that body. The site still occupied on
West Monroe Street was then chosen. It was proposed
to embrace in this institution an English high, a normal
and a classical department. For convenience of refer-
ence,-we omit the chronological action concerning the
high school at this time, and give all matters relating to

it at the conclusion of this paper, that a complete record
may be preserved on that topic.

Recurring to the general school work done in 1855,
it is found that the Teachers' Institute was well attended,
monthly meetings being then held. The exercises con-
sisted of instruction in the branches taught in the
schools, discussions, and exhibitions of model classes,
taken alternately from the primary and grammar de-
partments, which proved beneficial as a stimulus to the
pupils.

The lower grades were in a prosperous condition,
great improvements being shown in scholarship, order
and discipline. The Press spoke encouragingly of the
change in the tone of the schools, and both Council and
the Inspectors joined heartily and liberally in the effort
to advance the cause of public education.

During the year 1855 two minor schools were added
to the list, increasing the number to nine. Forty-two
teachers were employed and the enrollment was 6,826.

Flavel Moseley, an active supporter of the schools,
and a member of the Board from '850 to 1864, donated
$1,000, December 29, 1855,10 establish the "Moseley
public school fund," the interest of which was to be

expended in the purchase of school books for pupils
whose parents were unable to furnish the necessary
books. Upon his death, in 1867, Mr. Moseley increased
this fund by the bequest of $10,000, making the sum of
this noble charity $11,000.

Superintendent Dore resigned his office March 15,
1856, and was succeeded by William H. Wells, principal
of the Normal School at Westfield, Mass.

WILLIAM HARVEY WELLS was born in Tolland, Conn.,
February 27, 1S12. His father was a farmer in moderate circum-
stances, and the son received no eduational advantages, beyond 1
few weeks each year at a district school, until he was seventeen
years of age. After spending one winter at an academy at Vernon,
Conn., and one at a similar institution in his native town, he then
began teaching district school. Shortly afterward he was an assist-
ant teacher in a school in East Hartford, under the principalshipof
Theophilus L. Wright. Here he began preparing himself for col-
lege ; he taught in the daytime and pursued his studies evenings.
His labors were, however, too much for his physical strength, and
he was soon compelled to abandon his hopes of taking a thorough
collegiate course. Turning his ambition now to teaching, a pro-

fession for which he then exhibited marked capabilities, he, in
1834, entered the Teachers' Seminary at Andover, Mass. He
remained here eight months, when he returned to East Hartford,
where he staved until the fall of 1836, when he again returned to
Andover as a teacher in the seminary already mentioned. He now
began an extensive course of study in grammar, English liturature
and composition, and, in 1846, published his " School Grammar,"
of which, since its issue, half a million copies have been sold. In
1845 the trustees of Dartmouth College conferred upon him the
degree of Master of Arts, and two years later he was elected prin-
cipal of the Putnam Free School at Xewburyport, Mass. This
school was founded by the munificence of Oliver Putnam, and
opened in April, 1848. It was as principal of this institution that
Mr. Wells fully developed his abilities as a thoroughly progressive
educator. He remained here six years, during which time he was
an active member of the Essex County Teachers' Association, two
vears its president, and was also for two years president of the
Massachusetts State Teachers' Association. In 1854 he was
elected principal of the Westfield State Normal School, and in two
years, under his excellent management, the Trustees were compelled
to enlarge the buildings to accommodate the fast-increasing number

2l6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

of pupils. In 1856, he was appointed Miperintendent of the Public
Schools of Chicago, since which time he has been closely identified
with the educational interests of not only the city, but the State as
well. It was while principal of the Chicago schools that he fully
developed his system of graded courses, a system which is now
adopted bv leading educators all over the country. He delivered
many lectures on this system, which have since been published in
book form under the title of " The Graded School," and has become
a standard volume in almost every teacher's library. In 1863 he
was president of the Illinois State Teachers' Association. In the
following vear he resigned his position as Superintendent of the
Schools to engage in business. This move, however, did not
wholly sever his connection with educational matters, as he for
vears afterward was a member of the School Board, and always an
energetic, earnest worker in behalf of the city schools, whose
interests he has ever had prominently in view. He, during the
interval since his resignation, has published several text books of
such excellence that they at once were recognized as standard
authorities on the subjects treated. Mr. Wells has done a noble
work for the schools of Chicago. His reward is in the apprecia-
tion in which he is held to-day by all who know him.

The first report submitted by Mr. Wells for the year
1856, opened with the statement:

" We find abundant evidence of the deep and abiding interest
of our citizens in the cause of education. No reasonable expense
has been spared to provide for the moral and intellectual training
of the children and youth of the city. Not a single request has
been made for the support and improvement of schools, that has
not been cheerfully and promptly granted. The high school build-
ing has been completed, and the school itself organized, and wel-
comed to the hearts of our citizens. Two large and commodious
grammar and primary school buildings have also been erected ;
and no investment has been made more freely. But so rapid has
been the growth of the city that, notwithstanding the large provis-
ion which has been made for increasing our school accommodations
during the past year, there has never been a period when the de-
mand was greater for additional houses to meet the wants of the
4,394 children, between five and fifteen, that have not been found a
single day in any school of the city, either public or private."

Mr. Wells made a careful examination of the statis-
tics of the city, and concluded that there were fully
" three thousand children in our city who were utterly
destitute of school instruction or any equivalent for it."
In other words, liberal as had been the conduct of the
Council, the average daily attendance of children in the
public schools was equaled by the number who did not
avail themselves of the educational advantages offered.

February 7, 1856, the Mayor was authorized to pur-
chase two hundred by one hundred and fifty feet on the
southwest corner of Wolcott and Elm streets ( Sheldon
school at a price not to exceed §9,000.

The grammar and primary schools completed this
year were the Ogden, in the North Division, and the
Moseley, in the South Division, in accordance with the
public demand. It was in March, 1856, that contracts
were awarded for the erection of these buildings, and in
April of the same year a petition of residents of the
North Division was presented asking that the Ogden
building be erected on the lot on Chestnut Street, east
of Clark; and the site which was ordered purchased in
August, 1855, at S' '1041.25, was purchased at this time
at a cost of Si 1,790.79; the advance in price being al-
lowed for interest during the period elapsing since the
original order to purchase was passed.

In April, 1856, Elias Greenebaum was elected School
Agent.

The Hoard of Inspectors had, since its organization,
fonsisted of seven members. In February, 1857, the
Legislature passed a bill amending the charter, and in-
creasing the number to fifteen. The bill also abolished
the Board of Trusters.

During the month of February, 1857, Dr. Jctin H.
Foster, a member of the- Board of Education, donated
to the city $1,000, the interest on which wastobeusedby
the Hoard of Education and the Superintendent of

Schools in the purchase of gold, silver or bronze medals,
or diplomas, to be awarded to the most deserving scholars
in the different departments of the public grammar
schools of the city.

March 23, 1857, authority was granted by the Coun-
cil to procure plans for permanent buildings in Districts
No. 8 and 9 Brown and Foster schools', and in July of
the same year authority was granted to heat the school
building in District No. 8 with steam. This was the first
school building heated by that method. These build-
ings were opened about the commencement of the vear
1858.

The two-story frame buildings which had been used
by the Brown school since 1855, was removed shortly
after the completion of the new building, to the Wells-
school lot, corner of Ashland Avenue and Cornelia Street,
a little over one mile north, and after the erection of the
permanent building on the Wells-school lot, in 1866. it
was again removed to the Burr-school lot, corner of Ash-
land and Waubansia avenues, about a mile distant, re-
maining in this location till the permanent building was
erected on this lot, in 1873, when it was again removed
to Wicker-Park lot, on Evergreen Avenue, near Robey
Street, a little over a mile, where it is still in use, an ad-
dition having been made to the building while on the
Burr-school lot.

The plan of this History, which is so comprehensive
in character as to necessitate its division into several vol-
umes, arbitrarily terminates the present chapter at the
close of the year 1857 — an epoch in the commercial
world, owing to the financial depression of that period.
The narrative of school progress is, therefore, brought
to a summary halt, with a review of the condition of the
schools at that date* The selection of this year as a
dividing line seems appropriate for the reason that, with
the beginning of 1858, the designation of schools was
by name, instead of number, as was observed from the
foundation of the graded system.

At the close of 1857 there were ten public schools
with two minor branches of schools of the grammar and
primary grades. They were located and governed as
follows:

School No. I — On Madison, between State and Dearborn; O.
B. Hewett, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid,
$2,900.

School No. 2 — Corner of Clark and Harrison; Willard Wood-
ard, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid, $2,925.

School No. 3 — On Madison, between Halsted and Union ;
Daniel S. Wentworth, principal, aided by six lady assistants. Sal-
aries paid, $3,600.

Branch of No. 3 — In the Jefferson-street church, between
Washington and Madison ; Sarah A. Culver and one assistant.
Salaries paid, S650.

School No. 4 — Corner of Ohio and La Salle; Alden G. Wilder,
principal, aided by five assistant teachers. Salaries paid, $3,100.

School No. 5 — Corner of Division and Sedgwick ; William
Drake, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid,
$2,850.

Branch of No. 5 — On Larabee; Emma Hooke. Salary, $325.

School No. 6 — Corner of Owen and Sangamon ; A. D. Stur-
devant, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid, $3.-
IOO.

School No. 7 — Corner of Michigan Avenue and Monterey ; B.
V. Averill, principal, aided bv two lady assistants. Salaries paid,
$1,750.

School No S — Corner of Warren and Wood; Henry M.
Keith, principal, aided by Julia E. W. Keith. Salaries paid, $1,-
425.

School No. 9 — On Union, near Twelfth; George W. Spofford,
principal, aided by two lady assistants. Salaries paid, $1,500.

School No. 10 — Corner of Chestnut and Wolcott ; A. II.
Fitch, principal, aided by five lady assistants. Salaries paid $2,-
600.

William Tillinghast, teacher of music. Salary, $1,000. .

Notwithstanding the fact that two large buildings

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT

217

were erected in 1857, to accommodate about one thous-
and five hundred pupils, the demand for seats was far
in excess of the supply Recommendations were made
for two new houses, one in the North and one in the
South Division; for an addition to the Scammon school;
and for the removal of the frame buildings from the
Brown and Foster lots to more convenient localities.

The conditions of the schools, so far as training and
discipline were concerned, received the commendation
of the public.

The whole number of pupils enrolled in 1857 was
10,636 ; the average belonging, 4,380 ; the average
daily attending, 3,318. A rule was adopted by the Board
making it the duty of teachers to report monthly to
parents and guardians the attendance, scholarship and
deportment of pupils.

William Jones in 1857 donated $1,000, the interest
of which was to be devoted to the purchase of text books
for poor children attending School No. 2, subsequently
called the Jones.

The school fund, in 1857, was reported as follows :

Amount of real estate then belonging to the
school fund, within the city limits, estimated
at $900,000

Amount of real estate ouiside the city limits, es-
timated at 25,000

Money loaned, principal 52,000

Total fund $977,000

A considerable portion of the real estate was not
then available, and much was leased at low rates.
Block 87 was leased to the city for $800 per an-
num until 1862 ; Block 88 was leased to private par-
ties for $8,500 per annum. The high, the Scammon
and the Jones schools, were situated on lots belonging
to the school fund. The interest, State dividend, and
rentals for the year ending February 1, 1858, were :

Interest on $52,000 $ 6,240 00

Rents 11,64850

State dividend iS,255 60

Amount of revenue $36, 144 10

Amount paid by this fund for salaries, includ-
ing Superintendent and School Agent. . . . $36,079 18

Balance $64 92

In March, 1857, Eugene C. Long was appointed
School Agent.

The total expense of running the schools during
1857 was :

Salaries, paid from school fund $36,079

Incidentals, fuel, repairs, office expenses, etc.... 9,622
Rents, including interest on buildings and lots be-
longing to the city, estimated 17,000

Total amount $62,701

This was an average of $5.81 per pupil, or lower
than any large city in the Union.

The experiment of evening schools was begun in
the winter of 1856-57. The charge of the school was
voluntarily assumed by B. S. Wentworth, principal of
No. 3, assisted by Misses Kennicott, Reed, Bickford,
Wadsworth and Culver, and Messrs. Moore, Delano
and Woodard, all teachers in the public schools; and
by Messrs. Pearson, Culver and Sheilling, from other
institutions. The use of West Market Hall was gratu-
itously furnished by the city. Sixty scholars assembled,
and an average of that number attended, with an en-
rollment of two hundred and eight. The pupils were,
many of them, adults and all were from the classes em-
ployed in mechanical and domestic services during the
day. The experiment was regarded as highly satisfac-
tory.

Ax Industrial School was maintained in each of
the three divisions of the city, during 1857, an out-
growth of a charitable movement commenced in 1854,
by benevolently inclined ladies. These schools wen-
supported by private bounty.

The Reform School, located five miles south of
the city, was then under the supervision of Mr. Nichols,
and was referred to by Superintendent Wells as an
institution worthy of the aid and support of the city
educators.

Mr. Wells, in his report of 1858, paid the following
tribute to certain prominent educators:

" When in the far distant future the philosophic historian shall
write the history of our city; when the character and acts of suc-
cessive generations shall be weighed in the scales of impartial
judgment; when material wealth shall be regarded in its true .light,
as the means to an end; when social enjoyment and intellectual
cultivation and moral worth shall be rightly estimated as essential
elements of prosperity in every community — then will the wisdom
of those who have laid the foundation of our public school system
be held in grateful remembrance; then will the names of Scammon
and Brown, and Jones, and Miltimore, and Moseley, and Foster,
and their coadjutors, be honored as among the truest and most
worthy benefactors of Chicago."

The subjoined table will give an idea of the com-
parative development of the schools, up to the close of
1857:

FOR YEAR
ENDING

0 ^

a. q

6 2

<

1

1 u .
< == 8

H

1S37

1840

1S4I

1S42

1843

1844

1845

1846

1S47

1848

1849

1850

1851

1852

1S53

Dec. 31, 1S54

Dec 31, 1S55

Dec. 31, iSs6

Feb. 1, 1858

4 170
4.479

7,5So

2,109
2,694

317

410

531
808
915

1,051
1,107

1,317
1,517

1,794
i,9!9
2.2S7
2,404
3,086
3,500
6.S26
8,577
10,786

1,224
1,409
1,521
1,795

3,688
4.464

5
7
7
8

9

13
18
iS
18
21
25
29
34
35
42
61
81

$I,8S9 82
2,2Sg 88
2,379 38
2,363 32
2,277 53

5,195 50

6,921 17
9,107 64
10,829 58
13,316 7g
15,626 73
23,365 00
36,079 00

S2,676 75
3,225 99

3,099 97
3,106 22

3,413 45
5,635 87
4,248 76
5,790 82

6,037 97
7,39S 97
10,704 04
12,129 59
14,254 72
16,546 13
29,720 00
45,701 00

12,088
14,169
16,859
20,023
23,047
29,963

59,130

80,000
S4.H3

7,603

12,021
17,404
31,235

Officers of the Board. — The written record of
the Board of Education does not extend back of 1840.
In November of that year a meeting was held at the
office of William Jones, upon which occasion that gentle-
man was elected president and Isaac N. Arnold, secre-
tary. Until April, 1843, the meetings were' held weekly,
thereafter monthly. From 1840 to 1857, inclusive, the
officers of the Board have been as follows : President,
William Jones, 1840-43; Jonathan T. Scammon, 1843-
45 ; William Jones, 1845-48 ; Dr. E. S. Kimberly,
1848-50 .?: Record of 1849 lost) ; Henry Smith, 1850-
51 ; William Jones, 1851-52 ; Flavel Moseley 1852-53 ;
William H. Brown, 1853-54 ; Flavel Moseley, 1854-58.

Secretaries — Isaac N. Arnold, 1840-41 ; Jonathan
T. Scammon, 1841-43 ; George W. Meeker, 1843-49;
11850 lost ; Andrew J. Brown, 1850-52 ; Edward C.
Earned, 1S52-54 ; John C. Dore, 1854-56 ; William H.
Wells, 1856-64.

School Agents — William H. Brown, 1840-53 ; James
Long, 1853-56 ; Elias Greenebaum, 1856-57 ; Eugene
Long, elected in March, 1857.

:S

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Superintendents — John C. Dore, 1854-56 ; William
H. Wells, 1S56-64.

The High School. — Although the high school was
not formally inaugurated until 1856, the inception of the
plan dates from the period of 1S40. The attention of
the Inspectors was directed to the subject as early as
that year, when the scattered schools began to assume
a more advanced character. The time was not yet ripe,
however, and no definite action was taken. The In-

In December, 1846, the Inspectors, in their quarterly
report to the Council, again call attention to the need
of "at least one school where the ordinary academic
studies may be taught."

February 7, 1847, the committee in their report on
the quarterly report of the Inspectors, after commend-
ing the general condition of the schools, further report :

" In reference to a high school they are of the opinion that
there are insuperable objections to the establishment of such a

CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL

spectors first allude to the topic in their report of 1843,
as follows:

" Had we the means, the establishment of a high school, with
two good teachers, into which might be placed a hundred of the
best instructed scholars from the different schools, would remedy
this increasing evil."

In .May, 1844, in a report of the committee on
schools, Ira Miltimore, chairman, to the Council on the
subject of the erection of a permanent school building
in the First Ward, the question of providing for the more
advanced scholars is spoken of as follows :

" The lower story to be divided into two rooms, one for small
boys and the other for small girls, the upper room to be so divided
as to give necessary recitation rooms for a high school, so that one
principal teacher and two or three assistants shall be able to conduct
the several schools, and thus give us a high school in which may
be placed the more advanced scholars, and in a good degree
remedy a very serious difficulty that has heretofore been the general
complaint of teachers and Inspectors, namely, that our schools are
too much crowded and that the smaller scholars must necessarily be
neglected, or justice cannot be done to those who are more ad-
vanced."

school, independent of the inability of the city at the present time
to build one."

The subject seems to have been dropped until No-
vember, 1852, when the Inspectors appointed W. H.
Brown, J. E. McGirr and G. W. Southworth a commit-
tee to enquire into the expediency of presenting a plan
for such a school. Report was made December 27, fav-
oring the establishment of a high school, to be located
in " the central part of the city." This report was at-
tended with no immediate good results.

In September, 1854, the Board renewed the ques-
tion, and the Council ordered the preparation of an
ordinance for the establishment of the school. This
was done, and the local law passed the Council January
23> :^55- February 19, an order was issued by the
Council for the drafting of plans for the building, and
on March 5 the final steps were taken to secure legal
permission to proceed. The edifice was begun in 1855
and completed the following year.

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.

219

The school was organized October 8, 1X56, under
the charge of C. A. Dupee, as principal.

It was designed to open the building with appro-
priate inauguration ceremonies, but unexpected delays
prevented this. The first examination for admission to
the school was held July 15, 1856, and was largely at-
tended by applicants and their friends. The per cent
of correct answers required was fifty ; and a special ex-
amination was held October 1, for the benefit of those
who, through embarrassment, failed during the original
trial, as well as for those who were unable to attend at
that time. The number first applying was one hundred
and fifty-eight, of whom one hundred and fourteen
were admitted. Of those who failed, thirty-five made
a second attempt, and eleven were successful. A third
examination was made, for the winter term, December
19. Out of two hundred and four applicants, but fifty-
one were able to sustain the requisite scholarship. It
is worthy of record that the average per cent of admis-
sions from the public schools was forty-eight, while from
private schools it was fifty ; proving the efficiency of
the public schools almost equal to that where pupils
were enabled to avail themselves of special preparation,
in classes numbering considerably less in the per cent
of pupils to teachers.

Vocal Music. — The question of adding vocal mu-
sic to the list of regular studies received attention offi-
cially in December, 1841, at which time a committee,
consisting of N. H. Bolles, William Jones, John Oray
and H. S. Rucker, reported favorably thereon. The
first instructor was N. Gilbert, who was appointed in
December of that year at a salary of $16 per month.
In September, 1842, Mr. Gilbert was re-engaged for
six months, at the rate of $400 per annum. The oppo-
sition encountered, however, induced the discontinuance
of the study after the first quarter of 1843. In July,
1845, an unsuccessful attempt was made to revive the
classes. In 1846 the Council refused to supply funds,
and the Inspectors granted permission to a " competent
teacher of nr.isic to teach music in the schools for a
small remuneration afforded him by the scholars, or as
many of them as can or will pay ; that the scholars are
very fond of this new exercise, and it is believed to ex-
ert a most beneficial influence upon their tastes and*
feelings."

And in their next quarterly report, submitted in De-
cember, 1846, they say :

" From what we have seen of the influence and ef-
fect of introducing music into our schools as a part of
the education of all, we would strongly recommend that
a teacher be permanenly employed to devote his whole
attention to the several schools of our city. Mr. Whit-
man has for some months past been giving lessons in
music to a large number of scholars in the several dis-
tricts, and the effect has been of the most salutary
character."

The Choral Union Musical Society, in June, 1846,
were allowed to occupy the recitation room in the
building in District No. 1, for singing, on agreement
that they give one concert a year for the benefit of the
common school library.

In November, 1847, the sum of $250 was appropri-
ated for the employment of a vocal music teacher.
Frank Lombard received appointment January 1, 1848.
The sentiment of the Inspectors was favorable to a
continuance of this work, but financial restrictions com-
pelled a relinquishment of the office. It was not until
July, 1850, that another appropriation was made, being
$400. On the 28th of December, 1850, Mr. Lom-
bard was re-elected. April 19, 1852, the salary was in-
creased to $s°°-

Mr. Lombard continued in charge of instruction in
vocal music till December, 1853, and was succeeded by
Christopher I'lagge. Mr. Plagge resigned March, 1854,
and was succeeded by J. L. Slayton, who served till
July, 1856. In September, 1856, William Tillinghast
was elected at a salary of; £1,000 per annum, and re-
mained till the middle of October i860.

Private Schools. — In 1848, the Chicago Academy,
under the management of J. E. H. Chapman and two
assistants, was located in the basement of Clark-street
Methodist church. This school had sixty pupils.

The Sutton Female Seminary, with forty pupils, was
located at the corner of Madison and State streets ;
principal, Mrs. Marion L. Gaylord; assistant, Miss Ade-
laide M. Crary.

Miss Mary A. Nelson also taught a select school of
about thirty pupils at 94 Michigan Avenue. Schools of
the same character were taught by Miss Morse, on
Michigan Street, between Clark and LaSalle streets; by
the Misses Bennett and Chandler on the same street be-
tween Cass and Wolcott streets; by Miss A. W. Walker
on Canal Street, between West Randolph and West
Washington streets; by Miss E. Moore, 152 Washing-
ton Street; by Miss Pearce at 52 Randolph Street; and
by Mrs. M. A. Warner at 167 Clark Street. This school
had fifty pupils. Mrs. H. M. Shaw also taught a select
school on Wabash Avenue, between Monroe and Adams
streets. With exception of the one just above men-
tioned, the number of pupils in the select schools ranged
from twenty to thirty in daily attendance. The Chicago
Normal School, Professor M. B. Gleeson, principal;
Miss Jane Stewart, assistant, had at that time forty
pupils, and was situated on Jefferson Street.

A German school with sixty pupils, was taught by
A. Unterhrer at 134 Wells Street.

Linnear College was conducted by Rev. A. M.
Stewart, in 1846, at 73 Lake Street.

In 1850 an English classical and high school, the
number of pupils limited to forty, was taught by Daniel
H. Temple in the basement of the First Presbyterian
church. In this year the Chicago Academy was taught
by W. N. Dunham and Mrs. E. Cornwell; and a select
school for both sexes was taught by Rev. Charles
Reighley, A. B.

In 1853 the Northwestern University, now at
Evanston, was located in this city. This institution
was under the management of the Iowa, Wisconsin,
Michigan and Rock River conferences, of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. Each conference selected four of the
trustees to constitute the general board and this board
appointed twelve others to act with them. At this time
the faculty of the University had not been appointed,
but the officers of the Board of Trustees were Dr. John
Evans, president; A. S. Sherman, vice-president; and
A. I. Brown, secretary. Grant Goodrich, George F.
Foster, Dr. N. S. Davis, with the president and vice-
president, ex officio, constituted the executive committee.
The then proposed site for the university buildings was
on a lot situated between Quincy and Jackson streets,
west of Clark Street. In 1854, however, the University
was removed to Evanston, where it now is. That year a
part only of the faculty had been chosen, as follows: Rev.
C. T. Hinman, D. D., president and professor of moral
philosophy and logic; Rev. Abel Stevens, professor of
rhetoric and English literature; Rev. William Godman,
professor of Greek; and Rev. Henry S. Noyes, profes-
sor of chemistry.*

In 1853 a mathematical and classical school, con-
ducted by W. G. Hatheway, principal, assisted by J. R.

ill be treated of fully

subsequent

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Livingston, was opened at 56 Lake Street ; and the En-
glish and classical high school, already mentioned,
situated in the basement of the First Presbyterian
church, was taught by Alonzo J. Sawyer. In that year
Bell's Commercial College, situated at the southwest
corner of State and Randolph streets, was incorporated,
although the college had been instituted three years
before. This was the largest institution of its kind
in the city, and was a most excellent school. Its fac-
ulty was as follows : Digby V. Bell, president, and
professor of double-entry book-keeping and commercial
calculation and lecturer on the general laws of trade
Hon. Andrew Horvil. A. M., professor of commercia.
law; John F. Starr, professor of penmanship; James
Bowes, William Scott Stewart and Dwight S. Heald
were also assistant teachers in the book-keeping depart-
ment. The trustees were Digby V. Bell, William B.
Ogden. Walter S. Gurnee, Henry A. Tucker, John P.
Chapin. John H. Dunham, B. W. Raymond, C. V.
Dyer, John H. Kinzie and Edward I. Tinkham. The
following gentlemen composed the board of examiners :
Hiram Brown, Franklin Hatheway, H. C. Munch, J. Q.
Adams, M. F. Talbot, J. Dyhenfurth and Edward H.
Ring. The officers of the college, in 1857, were Theo-
dore M. Ford, president ; Elisha B. Wallace, vice-presi-
dent ; Robert C. Furman, secretary and treasurer.

The Garden City Institute was established in 1853.
Henry H. Lee was principal, and teacher of mental and
moral science and literature. This institution of learn-
ing was situated at Nos. 69 to 71 Adams Street, and
was in the nature of a preparatory school, fitting its stu-
dents to enter college. It had an excellent and efficient
corps of teachers, as follows : W. M. Blenkairon, M.
A., teacher of ancient languages and mathematics ; W.
C. Hunt, M.D., lecturer and demonstrator of chemistry,
physiology and anatomy ; Leopold Mayer, teacher of
German and Hebrew ; Miss M. E. Powell, principal of
female department and teacher of French and ornament-
al branches ; Miss Juline M. Johnson, teacher of
mathematics and English ; Miss E. S. Smith, principal
of primary department ; Miss F. A. Cogswell, assistant ;
and Miss E. Parsons, teacher of vocal and instrumental
music. The officers of the institute were Jacob Russel,
president ; E. L. Sherman, secretary ; and W. S. Gur-
nee, Dr. Charles V. Dyer and Dr. L. D. Boone, trustees.
Two years later, H. O. Snow became the principal, and
was at the head of the institute in 1857.

Dearborn Seminary was organized in January, 1854,
and in 1857 had erected a building on Wabash Avenue,
which cost S2°,000- This sum was raised entirely by
the sale of scholarships. Its trustees, eighteen in
number, were J. H. Dunham, president of the board ;
Amzi Benedict, secretary ; Orrington Lunt, Rev. R.'W.
Patterson, Rev. R. H. Clarkson, Tuthill King, E. S. Will-
iams, E. C. Earned, William B. Ogden, George E.
Shipman, Stiles Burton, Timothy Wright, Rev. H. Cur-
tis, Charles Cleaver and N. P. Wilder.

There were in 1859 the following private schools:
a boys' < lassical school, T. W. Bruce, A.M., principal,
situated in basement of the First Presbyterian church,
fifty pupils ; the Chicago Female Seminary, A. J. Saw-
yer, principal, with assistants, located at 168 and 170
Clark Street, eighty pupils ; Miss Fisher's select school
on Lake Street, thirty pupils ; the Green-street Semin-
ary, D R. Ciendenin, principal, eighty pupils ; the
Misses Stevens' select school for young ladies, at 158
Washington Street, sixty pupils; Miss Hodley's high
school, corner State and Harrison streets, sixty pupils;
Union hi^h school, located in the vestry of the Jeffer-
son-street Methodist Episcopal church, Mrs. Sarah G.

Cleveland, principal, with three assistant teachers ; a Ger-
man school on the alley between Indiana and Ohio
streets, George H. Fisher, teacher, seventy-five scholars;
also a German school, corner of LaSalle and Ohio
streets, C. P. Weber, teacher, one hundred and twenty
scholars. With this it will be seen that, in addition to
the efficient system of public schools, there was at no
time between 1848 and 1859 a dearth of private institu-
tions affording splendid educational advantages.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

The memories clustering around the old volunteer
companies of any city can never be effaced by the
achievements of a paid department, however grand. In
the days when the property owners of Chicago- — her
men of brains as well as brawn — were her firemen and
"run the machines for all they were worth," there was
an affection felt for the very apparatus, as if it were
alive. There were favorite companies and favorite fire-
men, upon which men, women and children gazed as on
heroes of old. A reflection made upon the capacity of
an engine or a company was enough to bring the indig-
nant flush to many cheeks, and often was esteemed an
insult which could only be wiped out by blood. There
were friendly and there were bitter contests of skill,
speed and endurance between engine and hose com-
panies, as to which should get first to a fire, which should
throw the farthest stream, which should " wash " or be
"washed." In their determination to acquit them-
selves with credit, to even cover themselves with glory
at a fire, the "boys" strove with awful determination for
commanding and daring positions ; sometimes, it would
appear, entirely forgetting that the prime object of their
existence was to quench the flames. But at fire or fes-
tival the spirit of rivalry was never at rest. And when,
upon a particularly grand occasion some company would
indisputably triumph in a decisive test, how the breasts
of her boys would swell with pride ! For instance, few
of the old volunteers will forget the review of the de-
partment in 1848, when the River and Harbor Conven-
tion was being held, and how " Red Jacket " triumphed
over all rivals by throwing a stream over the flagstaff in
the center of the public square. Sometimes it was
" Niagara " (" the kid-glove " company of the North
Side) and sometimes the " Fire Kings " ('No. 1) who
would carry off the laurels; or perhaps "Protector"
(No. 6) would make a spurt for fame. To give variety
to the contests of the department it might be that the
fleet boys of " Hope " (Hose No. 2) or " Lafayette " (No.
4), would have a brush, and one of the other of the com-
panies arrive at the scene of conflagration far ahead of
its competitor, but minus the hind wheels of the cart.
Perhaps some of the boys will call to mind the con-
test which took place in presence of the Racine com-
panies (October, 18561, at which these incidents oc-
curred : No. 3 played into the tank two minutes, when
the watch of the judge stopped, and the company re-
fused to proceed ; No. 4 broke twice ; No. 7 tried once
and broke ; No. 10, after playing about one minute,
" heard something crack," stopped, went on again, and
finally, after trying to get a good stream, took the ma-
chine to pieces and found three sticks of wood inside.
No. 3 was induced to make another attempt, and put
the most gallons of water in the tank — 1,323. And per-
haps the older members will recall the contest in Oc-
tober, 1857. Then it was that No. 4 bursted her hose
four times, and No. 3 five times, when, the twenty min-
utes being wasted, she did not have time to play. No.
10 came and had just commenced to gain on the engine

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

"when her packing flew out." No. 7 gained the day.
And so the sport went on. Then there were the pro-
cessions, upon public occasions, when the boys would
put on their best clothes, polish their engines to a blind-
ing brightness, deck them with flowers, and look their
sweetest and best generally. And again the festivals
when firemen from other cities would come to show
themselves and their darlings. These were the young,
by-gone days, when the blood of the city was warm ;
days which many veterans still remember as their jolliest
and best ; when the old Unitarian church bell, in 1844,
and, later, the Baptist church bell and the court-house
bell (1855), were to them as bugle calls to war-horses,
who " snuff the battle afar off."

But before the boys had any engines, or fire bells,
or processions, or contests, or jealousies, or fights, or
sociables, or anything of enjoyment whatever, they had
laws which authorized them to inaugurate this pro-
gramme, composed of triumphs and humiliations, pleas-
ure and pain.

In January, 1831, an act was passed by the Legisla-
ture authorizing the trustees of any incorporated town
or village in the State to organize fire companies, not
exceeding thirty members, and exempting them from
jury service, or military service except in time of war.
The "Washington Volunteers" organized in 1832, but
merely had an existence on paper. They had no ap-
paratus. They had no need of any, for there were not
more than half a dozen frame buildings in Chicago.
Chicago was not yet a town, and so the company was
not formed under the general State law. The " Wash-
ington Volunteers," in fact, had so " immaterial " an ex-
istence that they are looked upon as the veriest ghost
of a company by the oldest firemen now living, who re-
member nothing about it. All that is left of it is the
following notice :

"A. V. Knickerbocker, Sir: — You are hereby notified that C.
Boardman has applied to become a member of Washington Volun-
teer Fire Company in the place of H. Williams, and a meeting is
called by order of the captain for that purpose, on Thursday, at
four o'clock P. M., January 8, 1833.

"J. J. GlLLUFFY, Secretary."

Chicago became a town August 10, 1833, and on
November 6 an ordinance was passed forbidding, after
December 10, "the passing of any stove-pipe through
the roof, partition or side of any building, unless
guarded by tin or sheet iron, six inches from wood, un-
der penalty of $5 ; the cause of complaint to be removed
within forty-eight hours, or fine to be repeated. This
was the town's first fire ordinance, and under it Benja-
min Jones was appointed Fire Warden. September 25,
1834, the town was divided into four wards, and the
stove pipe ordinance of November 6, 1833, was re-
enacted with a few slight changes. The following War-
dens were appointed for each district : First Ward,
W. Worth ington ; Second, E. E. Hunter ; Third,
Samuel Resique ; Fourth, James Kinzie. These War-
dens were charged with the duty of enforcing the ordi-
nance previously passed, and of directing the move-
ments of citizens who responded to the alarm of fire.
By sections 4, 5 and 6 it was made the duty of the War-
dens on the first Monday of each month to make a tour
of inspection to see that the stove pipe ordinance was
properly enforced. They were paid according to the
time thus employed.

An account of the first fire which ever occurred in
the town of Chicago appears in the Democrat of Octo-
ber 12, 1834 :

"On Saturday last, about 10 o'clock A. M., a building on the
corner of Lake and I.aSalle streets, and the one attached, were dis-

covered to be in flames. Our citizens repaired to the scene of con-
flagration with a promptitude worthy of commendation and suc-
ceeded in arresting its progress, after destroying two other buildings
adjoining. The wind being high at the time, threatened the
destruction of a number c .f the surrounding houses, but, by the ex-
ertions of our citizens, were saved from the devastation. The loss
of the sufferers will In- severely felt, as some of them lost their .ill.
A building on the corner, occupied as a dwelling, loss $300. There
was in the house $220 in money, $125. being in Jackson money, was
found in the ruins. The remainder, the rag currency, was destroyed.
A building owned and occupied as a cabinet shop, and another
building as a grocery by II. Rhines, together with dwelling, furni-
ture and tools, loss 81,200. A building owned and occupied as a
dwelling by James Spence, loss $500. The fire commenced by a
coal from a shovel in carrying from one building to the other. The
want of suitable officers to take charge and oversee in cases of fire
is much felt, and we understand the Trustees have suitable regula-
tions in respect to it."

Two days after the fire the Board of Trustees held a
meeting at the Tremont House and adopted their third
fire ordinance, by which Wardens were empowered to
summon by-standers to assist in suppressing fires,
making the Warden of the ward in which the fire occur-
red the " chief," for the time being, and obliging fire
wardens to wear badges of office. A short time after-
ward Mrs. Hopkins was fined -for violating the " stove
pipe ordinance," in the district ruled by FireAVarden No.
2. The October fire appears to have stirred up the town
authorities to unusual activity, for on November 3, the
Board of Trustees had another meeting at the " Ex-
change" and adopted the following " ordinance for pre-
caution against fires:"

"Whereas, It has been represented by sundry citizens, house-
holders and owners of property in the town of Chicago, that great
danger of destruction to their property and to that of the com-
munity at large exists, by means of a practice too generally indulged
in, viz.: that of carrying fire from one house to another without
care or caution, and, Whereas, The President and Trustees of the
town of Chicago have been called upon by their fellow-citizens to
adopt measures for the prevention of the said practice in the future;
therefore

"Be it, and it is hereby ordained by the President and Trustees
of the town of Chicago, that hereafter it shall not be lawful for
any person or persons to convey fire brands or coals of fire from one
house or building to another within the limits of the corporation,
unless the same be carried or conveyed in a covered earthen or fire-
proof vessel. Any person offending against the provisions of this
ordinance shall be liable to a fine of §5 for each and every offense,
to be recovered before any Justice of the Peace in like manner as
other fines are by law recoverable. This ordinance to take effect
and be in force from and after the 12th dav of November, A. D.
1S34.

"JNO. II. KINZIE, President Board of Trustees.
(Attest:)

"E. W. CASEY, Clerk Pro. Ten,."

On February 12, 1835, the Legislature passed an act
authorizing any number of persons not exceeding forty
to form themselves into a fire company. It also ex-
empted them from military duty during the time of their
service; and all persons who should serve twenty years
were forever exempt. Yet laws and ordinances did not
make a fire department, and even so late as May, 1835,
the Chicago Democrat complains that "there is not
even a fire bucket " in the city. The first practical step
taken toward the organization of other than a " paper "
fire department, was when, on September 19, 1835, the
Board of Trustees resolved that " the President order
two engines for the use of the corporation, of such
description as he shall deem necessary, and also one
thousand feet of hose, on the credit of the corporation."
Whereupon William 11. Ogden, as agent of the corpora-
tion, was vested with authority to make such purchase.
( )n ( ktober 7 the Board of Trustees, at a meeting held
at Trowbridge's Eagle Hotel, ordered the purchase of
two fire-hooks, with chains and ropes, two ladders six-
teen feet long, four axes and four hand saws, at a total

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

cost of $29. 03. On the same date P. F. W. Peck, Joseph
L. Hanson, Silas P. Cobb, James A. Smith, J, K. Bots-
ford. Joseph Meeker, and J. McCord signed their names
as the first members of the " Pioneer " hook and ladder
company. Soon afterward John L. Wilson, E. C.
Bracket*, John Holbrook, T. Jenkins, T. F. Spalding,
Isaac Cook. J. J. Garland, George Smith, J. K. Palmer,
Thomas S. Ells. John R. Livingston, Henry G. Hub-
bard, George \Y. Snow, Thomas J. King, N. F. L. Mon-
roe, George W. Merrill, Samuel S. Lathropand 'Thomas
S. Hyde joined the company. 'These feeble steps were

preliminary to the passage of the ordinance of Novem-
ber 4, 1835, by which the first regular fire department
of Chicago was organized. By its provisions the De-
partment was made to consist of a chief engineer, two
assistants, four fire wardens, in addition to the 'Town
Trustees who were ex officio. Wardens. The Board

of Trustees had the power to appoint the members of
the department.

Section 35 of the ordinance made it incumbent upon
every dwelling-house or other building, containing one
fire-place or stove to have one good painted leathern
fire bucket, with the initials of the owner's name painted
thereon; every building with two or more such places,
two buckets. The penalty for breaking this order was
a fine of "§2 for each deficient bucket, and the further

sum of $1 for each month he shall neglect to provide
himself with such bucket or buckets after he shall have
been notified by a fire warden so to do." Everyable-
bodied male inhabitant possessing a bucket, who did
not repair to the place of fire and work under the direc-
tion of the fire wardens or other officers of the depart-
ment was liable to pay a penalty of $2. These provis-
ions contained in sections 35 and 36 of the ordinance,
comprised the authority for the formation of the first
bucket company, which was not disbanded until 1840.
The only one of these old leather buckets known to be
in existence hangs in the Historical rooms. Although
in appearance a modest enough instrument for the ex-
tinguishment of a serious conflagration, even in its old
age it looks tough and serviceable. Its general shape
is that of a clown's long hat, with the picked end some-
what flattened. 'The handle consists of a plain leather
strap, f to each side of the mouth by a simple

iron buckle. Appearing in a scroll on the side is the

name "C. Stose," and underneath, "Relic of the Vol-
unteer Fire Department of Chicago, used by C. Stose
until the disbandment of the bucket company in 1840."

It may be that attention was called to the great
necessity of some such embryonic organization as could
be effected under this ordinance, by the fact that, during
October, the prairie fires had been raging in alarming
proximity to the limits of the town.

In September the authorities had ordered the purchase
of a fire engine. It was bought of Hubbard & Co.,
December 10, for $894.38, payable in two annual install-
ments. Two days thereafter, under the fire ordinance,
the " Fire Kings" (No. 1) organized. The first mem-
bers whose names appeared on the roll were H. G.

Loomis, H. H. Magie, J. M. Morrison, W. H. Clarke,
John Calhoun, Alvin Calhoun, W. H. Stow, C. Beers,
Peter L. Updike, A. Gilbert and J. C. Walters. But
the machines ordered by the corporation through Mr.
Ogden were slow in arriving, and the hook and ladder
company was slow in organizing. 'The American of
December 12, accordingly, has this paragraph :

" The engine ordered by the corporation cannot arrive until
next year, and no efforts are made, as we understand, to fit and man
the one already in town for use on a sudden emergency. Why is
not the tire company in preparation and training for service ? What
has become of the hook and ladder company?"

Before December 17, when the hook and ladder
company effected an organization under the ordinance,
the "boys" had been without officers. Upon that date,
Hiram Hugunin, President of the Board, became chief
engineer ; William Jones, first assistant, and Peter L.
Updike, second assistant. On the 23d, the Fire King
Company reported to the Board, in addition to the same
general officers of the " department," recommended by
the hook and ladder company, the following names :
S. G. Trowbridge, foreman of Engine Company No. 1 ;
H. G. Loomis, treasurer ; A. C. Hamilton, clerk ; Ira
Kimberly, steward ; William Worthington, S. Lincoln,
William Forsythe and W. A. Norton, fire wardens.
The motto of the company was, " Pro bono publico."

'The committee appointed to select a site for an
engine house reported that that the County Commis-
sioners would give them " leave to erect an engine
house on the public square, on LaSalle Street, to occupy
the same for and during the term of five years, without
paying rent therefor." 'The clerk called for proposals
for the erection of an engine house twelve by eighteen
feet. 'The company, however, not wishing to be so
closely confined, induced the Board to expand the
limits to twenty-four by twelve feet, and to agree that
it should also have a cistern " to hold two hogsheads of
water, to be made of good pine lumber." On the 30th
of December, 1835, Levi Blake contracted to build the
engine house for $220. Before it was fairly completed,
however, and before the department was formed, Mr.
Hugunin thought best to resign his position as chief
engineer (February 17, 1836), and George W. Snow, of
the " Pioneer," was appointed to the vacancy. The
feeling had become general among the members of the
department that they should be allowed to elect their
own chief. Mr. Hugunin's action was occasioned more
particularly by the following communication, addressed
to the Board, through him :

" Mr. President, — I am directed by the chairman of the joint
committee of the Engine and Hook and Ladder Company No. 1
lo ask of the Honorable Corporation of the town of Chicago to

•VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

223

grant the said companies the privilege of electing their engineer
and other officers, in which the committee ask the concurrence of
the Honorable President and Trustees of the Town of Chicago.
" P. Pruyne, Secretary."

In March, 1836, Company No. 1 adopted by-laws
making its officers to consist of a foreman, assistant
foreman, clerk, treasurer and steward, to be elected an-
nually. The treasurer was to keep the apparatus in
good order, or be lined $2 for each neglect; to see that
all the men did their duty, enforce all the laws, and
audit all bills against the company, or pay a fine of $1
for each neglect. The fines were to be voted by the
company, and any member fined by the foreman could
appeal to the popular will of his fellows. The duty of
the assistant foreman was, particularly, to attend to the
pipe and leaders, when the engine was at fires. To the
clerk and treasurer appertained the usual duties of such
offices. The steward was " to provide suitable refresh-
ments, so far as the officer in command may think rea-
sonable." Fines were provided for members of the
company who did not respond promptly to the alarm of
fire. At the alarm of fire the member first arriving at
the engine was entitled to the pipe of hose and in case
of the absence of the foreman and assistant foreman, the
member arriving second took command of the company.
No other fire organizations were effected for over a
year.

On February 9, 1837, before the city charter was in
force, the department elected candidates for chief en-
gineer and assistants. A special committee consisting

of A. Calhoun, T. O. Davis and J. K. Botsford, on
March 3, reported to the Board the following names:
Chief engineer, John M. Turner; first assistant, Jere-
miah Price; second assistant, P. F. W, Peck. The
Board approved the department's choice of chief en-
gineer, made February 9, but sent back the names of
the assistants, with a request that they report other
names, to be taken from each of the other districts of
the town. The report of Hook and Ladder Company
No. 1, from their secretary, George W. Merrill, was
presented and accepted. It announced the following
individuals as officers and members of the company:
John M.Turner, foreman; J. K. Botsford, assistant;

didOo/iV dL, lAriZotn^,

S. B. Cobb, secretary; S. F. Spaulding, steward; John
L. Wilson, J. Meeker, W. H. Taylor, W. Osborne, E. C.
Brockett, Joseph L. Hanson, Grant Goodrich, Charles
Adams, Charles Cleaver, P. F. W. Peck, James A. Smith,
J. McCord, S. J. Sherwood, Isaac Cook and Tuthill
King.

John Calhoun, clerk of Engine Company No. 1, re-
ported that at the annual election, held on the first
Monday of December, 1836, the following officers were
chosen: Alvin Calhoun, foreman; Thomas O. Davis,
first assistant; John Calhoun, clerk; A. C. Hamilton,
treasurer; John Rice, steward. In April, however, N.

R. Norton and David Cox were confirmed, as first and
second assistant engineers of Engine and Hunk and
Ladder companies No. 1, in other words of the Fire De-
partment.

Under the provisions of the charter, passed March
4, 1837, the Council were given power to organize lire
companies, and were named as Fire Wardens, with
power to appoint others. The Chief Engineer and two
assistants were to be chosen annually thereafter. In
May an ordinance was passed making more stringent
regulations in regard to the prevention of fires, and de-
fining more in detail the duties of the members of the
department. The four Wardens were required, under

the direction of the Council, to see that the new regula-
tions were enforced. In the fall a Rochester engine
was purchased for $775, and the Hook and Ladder
Company was fitted up anew. A second company, the
"Tradesmen's,'' vas organized December 4, 1837. Its
name was afterward changed to the " Metamora," and
its headquarters was on 'Lake Street, east of the river.
In December, Alexander Loyd was chosen Chief Engi-
neer ; S. J. Lowe, first assistant. They continued in
office until 1839, when Alvin Calhoun became Chief
Engineer and Isaac Cook assistant. The next year
Luther Nichols was elected Chief, but there was no fur-
ther increase of the organizations until in September,

O^ OS - tZjCcrus-z^s

1 841, when the Chicago Bag and Fire Guard Companv
^afterward better known as the ' Forty Thieves " was
formed. With canvas bag, cord and wrench they
fought fires, rescued and guarded property, and gave
delightful " socials " for five years.

October 27, 1839, the department fought one large
fire that broke out on Lake Street, extending west to
B. W. Raymond's brick store, and east to the corner of
Lake and Dearborn, consuming the Tremont House.
Eighteen buildings were laid in ruins. The loss was
about $60,000.

A. S. Sherman acted as Chief from 1841 to 1844.
On September 7 of the former year, Bucket Company No.
1, " Neptune," was organized. Its original members
were twenty-five in number, its headquarters on the
river at the foot of La Salle Street, and there were one
hundred and sixty buckets. " Neptune " was provided
with a carriage, was neatly uniformed, and admitted
into the department in October. F. T. Sherman was
its first foreman. In November, 1846, " Neptune "
gave up the ghost, and her members breathed the breath
of life into the " Red Jackets," a company famous in
the annals of the volunteer department for twelve years
thereafter. " Neptune's " uniform was a red jacket,
white belt and cap.

Engine Company No. 3, "Osceolo," afterward
called " Niagara," was organized November 21, 1844.
It was at first stationed at the foot of North Dearborn
Street, and subsequently removed to the corner of Kin-
zie and North Wells. G. F. Foster was chosen fore-
man and W. M. Larrabee, assistant. No 3 was known

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

as the " kid-glove company," because its members were
drawn from the very best material which the North Side
afforded. No company was braver, more intelligent
or more respected. The " Red Jackets " No. 4^ had
not yet made their appearance to contest the field with
No. 1, the " Fire Kings." But when No. 3 had organ-
ized and procured their engine, at the first lire which
they attended, they had the supreme joy of being sta-
tioned next to the river, and pumped with such vigor
into the hose of No. 1 that the latter's machine was in-
undated— " washed " clean.

From 1S44 to 1847 Stephen F. Gale acted as Chief.

Philadelphia Hose Company No. 1 was organized
in January, 1845, its headquarters being on the North
Side, near Clark-street bridge. Jacob B. Johnson was
foreman.

In March, 1846, the Council was requested to dis-
band the Chicago Fire Guards bucket company), as it
was thought they were no longer necessary. This was
done, and they were assigned to other companies.

As previously noticed, on November 13, 1846, the
members of "Neptune" Bucket Company No. 1 combined
to form Engine Company No. 4, the " Red Jackets."
From the start they worked to win success, and won it.
They had worthy rivals to contend with in Nos. 1 and
3. and were especially anxious to triumph in some de-
cisive way, over the former. The headquarters of No.
4 were at the foot of Clark Street, near the bridge ; and
they were furnished with an old goose-neck engine
which had been used by the " Fire Kings." They were
afterward transferred to new quarters on the southeast
corner of Washington and LaSalle. In May, 1852, the
" Red Jackets" were made happy by a fine "piano" engine,
10-inch cylinder, 1 2-inch stroke 1 built by L. Button & Co.
Therefter the contests with No. 1 were carried on under
more favorable auspices. The following extract from
the Fireman's Journal of July 3, 1880, gives a few in-
cidents illustrating the rivalry between No. 1 and No.
4 ; also of the latter's great triumph in New York :

Once when it was nip and tuck between the "Fire Kings"
and " Red Jackets" for the supremacy, a bet was made by the
respective foreman. They bet an oyster supper for the two com-
panies, each that his own engine would be first to reach the spot
wherever the next fire was. The time soon came, and it caught
No. 1 napping. A " still " was given the Red Jackets, and away
they went for the locality designated. With muffled bells they
hurried along the sidewalks, and as they ran, nowhere could they
discern their rivals. Unfortunately they were compelled to pass
Bradley's house, and just when they were in front of the place the
sidewalk gave way, and the engine broke through. The sudden
wrench loosened a muffler, one of the bells sounded its unwelcome
warning. Bradley heard the sound, and in another moment, half
dressed, and hardly awake, was on his way for No. i's house. But
No. 4 beat them for all that, and after the fire had been put out the
two companies went down to the St. Charles and ate oysters till
they couldn't eat any more.

Subsequently No. I gave No. 4 a beating. There was a fire
in the neighborhood of Fifteenth Street, on the South Side. They
started about even from Washington Street, with the "Fire Kings"
having much the best of it all the way up town. Coming home,
No. 4 took the sidewalk on State, and No. 1 the walk on Clark
Street. It was a lively run. As one company crossed each inter-
secting street a glance to the right or left revealed their rivals on
equal terms with them. F.ach company was endeavoring to reach
first the corner of Washington Street. When No. 4 dashed across
Madison they could see nothing of No. 1. They had crossed
Monroe together, and No. 4 could not understand how it was the

others had so soon disappeared. But when they reached Washing-
ton Street corner, to their grief and astonishment, they were
greeted with a terrible shout from No. i's boys, who had already
reached the goal. Soon afterward it was discovered, however, that
only a portion of No. 1 Engine had reached Washington Street.
Just after the "Fire King" had crossed Monroe, the king-pin
broke, and the heavier part of the machine dropped upon the walk.
Determined not to be defeated, the boys kept on with the front
wheels, and easily reached the corner in advance cf their competi-
tors. Only a short time previous to the big fire of 1871, in front
of the Little Giant ( steamer ) engine-house on Dearborn Street,
while some of the boys were relating certain things which hap-
pened in the past, spoke one of the crowd : " Well, there is one
thing I wish had never happened. I wish we had never had that
row at the Rock Island depot. It was all well enough at the time,
and I ain't going to say No. 1 boys didn't get their dues." The
fight was one of the most desperate in the history of the Chicago
department. The old feeling toward "Fire King" No. 1 had
broken out badly among No. 4's boys, and when all came together
at the big fire above Twelfth Street, there were a few old heads
who scented a coming battle. Only a few minutes later and the
rival companies were at each other with all theit fierceness. Span-
ners were freely used, and many a fellow's head was swelled that
night. The battle was with the strong, and they were the " Red
Jackets." They not only whipped the " Fire Kings," but they cap-
tured the engine and they " just turned her over " in the ditch.

Sometime in 1852 " Red Jacket" went East. There was to be
a grand tournament in Providence, R. I., and they were desirous
to win first prize. On their arrival in New York City the " Red
Jackets " learned that the tournament was postponed. In no hurry
to return they remained in New York one week, the guest of the
" Live Oaks." U. P. Harris, who was Chief at the time, was of
the party. The result was they received an invitation from the
New York chief to show their skill in competing with some of the
crack engines of that city. The afternoon of their debut before a
New York audience arrived, and the " Red Jackets" were in fine
spirits, thousands of persons had assembled in and around the
city hall park to witness the skill of the Western company. Only a
very few of the spectators had ever heard of such an engine, and it
was considered absurd to attempt to beat New York's crack organ-
izations. In the park there was a pole, it is forgotten how many
feet in height. At the summit was a figure of Justice with her
scales in hand. There was never an engine company in New York
that could force a stream as high as those scales. Presently it
came to the turn of the Chicago company. Three of the New
York engines had tried and failed to throw a stream to the feet of
Justice. Eighty "Red Jackets" were on the brakes, whose de-
termination, individually and collectively, was to win a victory.
When everything was in readiness " U. P." made them a speech,
in substance saying that if they failed never again would he recog-
nize them as Chicagoans. Charley Moore, with trumpet in hand,
stood midway of the pipe and the engine. The crowd was quiet,
almost painfully still. "Play away !" The brakes came up, then
down, faster and faster, not a misstroke or a hit. Soon the lead of
hose is stretched, then the stream is seen to leave the nozzle. L'p-
ward and upward it climbs toward the gilded figure The people
begin to shout, and Eastern firemen were fast realizing that the
Western men were mighty. "Down on her, 'Red Jackets,'"
shouted Charley Moore, and the strokes grew faster and more furi-
ous. Then Chieftain Harris seized the trumpet and with one of
his well-remembered shouts, he yelled : " Work for your lives, you
Red Jacketed sons of Chicago," and with that there was renewed
vigor imparted to the men. Already the stream had reached the
feet of Justice. A few more strokes and water would be where it
had never been before. Jack Mcl.ain and Robert Brown, of Utica,
held the pipe, the nozzle pointing at the apex of the staff. Then
there was a grand shout from many mouths. It grew louder until it
was heard from all parts of the park. The New York laddies took it
up, and helped to swell the volume of sound. F'or the stream had
not only reached the scales, but it had ascended even higher. A
few moments later the " Red Jackets " were receiving numerous
congratulations, nor were they permitted to drag home their en-
gine. That was done by New Yorkers who had witnessed the
triumph of a comparatively unknown engine company.

Excelsior Engine Company No. 5 was organized in
November, 1846 ; headquarters on Clinton Street, be-
tween Randolph and Washington ; A. S. Sherman, fore-
man.

In 1855 the first steam fire engine was brought from
Cincinnati and given a trial. A special committee had
been sent to that city to examine into the excellencies
of "the machines." The Chicago firemen were hos-
pitably entertained, and an engine, the " Joe Ross,"

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

was fired up, but the engineer was so careless that the
boiler burst and he was instantly killed A second trial
was entirely successful. Subsequently a trial was ar-
ranged between the steamer sent to Chicago and the
hand engines of the department. The result was that

AN EARLY STEAMER.

No. 2, No. 8 and No. 10 beat the interloper. No. io's
horizontal stream was greater than either of her com-
petitors, while her perpendicular attempt was equal to
that of the "Fire King." The steamer did not give
satisfaction and was subsequently sold to the city of St.
Louis.

" Rough-and-Ready " Bucket Company No. i was
formed in January, 1847 ; Charles Harpell, foreman.

Because of the numerous incendiary fires which oc-
curred in October, 1847, especially in the vicinity of the
lumber and ship yards, a special committee of the
Council was directed to take into consideration the ex-
pediency of passing an ordinance to prevent the estab-
lishment of planing factories, lumber yards and other
dangerous mercantile business in thickly settled por-
tions of the city. Two years thereafter (October, 1849)
an ordinance was passed to " prevent the erection of
wooden buildings within the following limits : South
of the center of the Chicago River, and east of the cen-
ter of the South Branch thereof, and north of Randolph
and west of Wabash." Buildings used for warehouse
purposes upon the so-called "wharfing privileges " were
not subject to the provisions of this ordinance.

In October, 1847, was formed the Firemen's Benevo-
lent Association ; S. F. Gale, president.

In March, 1848, the friends of Mr. Gale, to whose
efficiency and zeal much of the good standing of the
department was due, urged him to allow his name to be
used as a candidate for the position of Chief. This was
done, but, on account of ill health, he was obliged to
withdraw, and the following ticket was elected: Charles
E. Peck, Chief; Charles M. Gray, first assistant ; James
H. Rees, second assistant. Mr. Peck served from 1847
to 1849. During his administration — in March, 1848 —
" Hope" Hose Company No. 2 commenced its brilliant
career. Says the Fireman's Journal :

" Hope" was always the brag company, not only of Chicago,
but of the West. In St. Louis, " Tiger " No. 4 ; in Alton, "Dol-
phin " No. 4; in Springfield, " Young America" Xo. 1, and in
Keokuk, "Liberty," were the crack hose companies of these cities.
But they could never be induced to meet " Hope " boys. Not on-
ly was the Chicago company the swiftest of foot, the fastest in
making a coupling, the speediest in affixing the pipe, and the
handiest in working at fires, but they were thoroughly imbued with
the idea that only by strict discipline could they maintain their su-
premacy. The strictest rules were laid down, and he who neglect-

15

ed these was unceremoniously expelled. The members were in
sympathy with each other only so far as they strove to perpetuate the
good name of their society. I laving tired of the old cart purchas-
ed for them by the city, they raised a large sum of money and se-
cured in Philadelphia probably the finest hose carriage ever man-
ufactured. She was a beauty — enriched with pure silver mount-
ings ; her woodwork polished to perfection ; her reel was the admi-
ration of every beholder. She was the pride of every member's
heart, and the outsider who was permitted to look upon her charms
was considered a favored being. So highly was she prized, that it
was but seldom the laddies trolled her to fires. She was used of-
tenest on State occasions — such as parades and annual reviews.
Previous to her making an appearance the boys arranged her for
inspection. You could see your face in the woodwork, while the
silver shone almost as brightly as the noonday sun. The flaxen
rope was so clean that white kid gloves were not soiled while grasp-
ing it ; and the sweet-sounding bells with which she was adorned,
how they struck chords in the souls of the hose-men ; neither piano
nor violin were so musical as were those bells, which rang so blithe-
ly with every move of the pride of No. 2. Occasionally there was
something the matter with their every-day cart, and then " Hope "
boys were obliged to run out their darling. It is something singu-
lar, but nevertheless a fact, that almost every time the boys went
anvwhere with their silver carriage she got upset. If it were mud-
dy, then her appearance was anything but pleasing ; and, until she
had been cleaned and brightened up. not one of the company was
happy. The company remained in service until the fall of i860,
when the cart was sold to a company in Michigan. The greatest
achievement of "Hope" Hose was when she ran five hundred
yards and made connection with three hundred feet of hose in one
minute and seven seconds, or the second best time on record. For
a long time " Hope" boys occupied a house at the corner of Krank-
lin and Washington streets ; but they afterwards gave up the place-
to " Illinois" No. 3, and made their own quarters in No. 4 engine
house on La Salle Street, in the rear of the Baptist church.

The Legislature of Illinois passed an act February
10, 1849, exempting the firemen of Chicago from work-
ing out any street or road tax, or from paying any
money in lieu thereof. " Protector " Engine Company
No. 6 was organized in August, 1849, while Ashley
Cilbert was Chief. Mr. Gilbert was succeeded the
next year by Cyrus P. Bradley, who remained in office
for two terms.

At a meeting of the Council held August 1, 1850,
the fire limits of the city were extended "so as to in-
clude the district east of the South Branch of the Chi-
cago River and west of State Street, north of the alley
running between Randolph and Washington streets."

The Firemen's festival of October, 1850, was a
grand affair for the boys who " run the machines " here.
There were twenty-three companies in line, represen-
tatives being present from Buffalo, Detroit, Milwaukee,
Racine and Kenosha. The hospitalities of the city
were tendered by Alderman Page, who had been an
honored member of the " fraternity " for ten years.
The dinner was at the Tremont. Among the organiza-
tions which received a great share of the admiration
were " Lafayette " Engine Company No. 4 of Detroit,
" Ocean " Fire Company and Supply Hose Company,
" Milwaukee," of the Cream City. The attempt to suc-
cessfully engineer a torch-light procession in the even-
ing, however, was a failure on account of the windy
condition of the atmosphere. " Lawrence " Engine
Company No. 7 was organized in September, 1850, and
re-organized as the " Eagle," in 1852. In December,
185 1, a third hose company was formed, called the
" Lone Star," afterward, the " Illinois."

" Phoenix " Engine Company No. 8, organized De-
cember 22, 1851, was changed to "Cataract" in Octo-
ber, 1853. The company was composed principally of
sailors, and consequently could not be depended upon
during the season of navigation. " Illinois " Hose No.
3 was" formed the next day. No further organizations
were effected until February, 1854, when the "New
England," subsequently known as the "America" No.
9, sprang into being. From 1852 until 1854 two terms

226

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

I*. P. Harris was Chief, being succeeded by J. M. Don-
nelly, who served but one term in 1854. In January,
1 S55. was formed " Washington " Engine Company No.
10. An ordinance was passed by the Council July 23,
1 S 5 5 . dividing the city into six fire districts: No. 1,
South Division, north of Madison Street ; Xo. 2, South
Division, south of Madison ; Xo. 3, West Division,
south of Randolph : Xo. 4, West Division, north of
Randolph : Xo. 5. North Division, west of Clark : No.

0. North Division, east of Clark. Eight strokes of the
bell constituted the alarm, the additional strokes indi-
cating the number of the district. At this time the
alarms of fire were sounded from the First Baptist
church, which had a powerful bell. In Februarv,
[855, the large bell was hung in the tower of the
new court-house, and the honor of possessing the town
fire alarm was transferred to that structure soon after-
wards. A watchman was also continually on duty there
to fling out' his flags by day or his lanterns by night, in
order to direct the firemen to the locality in which he
had discovered the flames.

Silas McBride was Chief for three terms, 1855, 1856
and 1857. He was a great favorite with the depart-
ment, and during his incumbency many new organiza-
tions were formed. In September, 1855, "Lafayette"
Hose Xo. 4, " Hope's " worthy rival, was organized and
stationed at the corner of Clinton and Washington
streets ; in Xovember came " Rescue " Hook and Lad-
der Xo. 2: "Neptune" Xo. 11, ''Wide Awake " No.
12, and "Torrent" Xo. 13, in January and February,
1856 ; " Lady Washington " Hose Xo. 5 and " Liberty "
Hose Xo. 6. in January, 1857, and in March of the
same year, " Empire " Hook and Ladder Xo. 3. On
March 2, 1857, occurred one of the most destructive
fires heretofore experienced. It originated in the five-
story brick block corner of South Water and State
streets, occupied by Hale's Chair Factory, and Dix &
Harris, wholesale grocers. This was destroyed with the
adjoining store west, occupied by Tuttle, Hibbard &
Co., wholesale hardware dealers, and Jewett, Root
& Co., a stove warehouse firm. The east wall of the
first-named structure fell and crushed Mrs. James
Carney's dwelling-house, the family narrowly escaping
with their lives. O'Xeill's Brewery, in the rear, was also
somewhat damaged. The loss by this fire is covered
by the first annual report of the department from March

1. 1856, to May 1, 1857. The entire loss by fire for
that period was $553,000 ; insurance, $385,100. Ten
engines were reported in good condition ; three in ordi-
nary repairs, and two in process of building ; also six
good hose carriages, connected with engines, and six
more supply hose-carts. There were ten thousand feet
of hose in use. The last contest of a purely volunteer
department took place at the county fair October 12,
1857. The Cook County Agricultural Society had
offered a §2oo-silver trumpet to the engine which
should throw a horizontal steam of water, through five
hundred feet of hose, the longest distance. The contest
was exciting, and Xo. 7 J. M. Reis, foreman, triumphed,
the engine throwing the stream to a distance of over
two hundred feet. Nos. 3 and 4 burst their hose, and
Nos. (> and 10 their air-chambers. As the reader will
soon see, the effects of this contest were seriously felt by
the city.

A Greai Conflagration. — Up to the year 1858,
the most destructive fire which Chicago Had suffered
occurred October \<>, 1857. It entailed upon the city
not only a great loss of property, but a distressing loss
of life. The fire originated in a large brick store, Xos.
109 and i 1 1 South Water Street. Though reports anil

rumors as to the origin of the conflagration are con-
flicting, the weight of testimony goes to show that in a
room in the second story of the building four aban-
doned men and women were indulging in a drunken
carousal, and one of their number overturned a lamp.
The flames spread rapidly in all directions, and in a
very short time the occupants of the building, among
whom were other men and women of ill fame, were
pouring out of their disgraceful haunts. Some escaped
to the street, others leaped from the windows to adja-
cent buildings, and thence reached the ground. So far
as is known, no lives were lost in this locality. The
scarcity of the water supply, and the inability of the
Fire Department, made the progress of the flames a
complete triumphal march, and it was not long before
some of the finest and most costly business edifices in
the city were heaps of ruins. Xearly half a million
dollars' worth of property was destroyed, and twenty-
three lives were lost. Early in the morning, John B.
Dickey, foreman of " Liberty" Hose Company Xo. 6,
was in the act of getting a new lead of hose to bear
upon Edward Hempstead's wholesale grocery building,
on South Water Street, when the rear and side walls of
the structure fell, instantly killing the unfortunate fire-
man. Shortly after this accident, a terrible casualty
occurred on Lake Street, by which several lives were
lost, and which caused the greatest consternation. A
large number of persons were engaged in removing dry
goods from the four-story brick store occupied by Mr.
Barnum, when suddenly the roof and upper floors came
down with a terrible crash, burying some twenty men
beneath the ruins; and, a moment after, a portion of
the side walls also fell in, adding still more to the horror
of the scene. Instantly the most intense excitement
prevailed, and the people rushed wildly around the
burning building, in the vain effort to save, if possible,
the lives of those beneath the ruins. The fire was so
intensely hot that no one could enter the building. As
soon as practicable, streams were brought to bear, and
after a short time a crowd of men rushed in and began
to search for the bodies among the hot bricks and
burning rubbish. This was a work of great danger, as
the walls on either side were tottering and liable to fall
any moment; and indeed, when they did come down,
many persons had a narrow escape from being buried
with those for whom they were searching. The dan-
gerous portions of the walls left standing by the fire
were thrown down by means of ropes passed across
them, and the work of rescuing the bodies was system-
atically commenced. Before dark the bodies of the
following had been recovered: Timothy Buckley, mem-
ber of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1; Auguste
Wolf, Hook and Ladder Company No. 3; E. R. Clark,
of the firm of Clark &: Metz, stove. and tinware dealers;
Dudley C. White, employed in Joseph Fisk & Co.'s
hardware store; John Tar, gas-fitter, with Gerould &
Co., Jean Jungers; H. S. Bradley, jeweler. The bod-
ies, as fast as recovered from the ruins, were carried to
the grand-jury room in the court-house. Coroner
Hansen at once summoned a jury of inquest, and the
following additional bodies were identified: Marcus D.
Grants, of Lady Washington Hose Company No. 5;
Matthias Marsh, clerk with Beckwith & Co.; John A.
Raymond; D. C. Emerson, a painter; Ezra H. Barnum,
of the firm Barnum Bros.; John High, retired mer-
chant; Lawrence Griebel, sailor; John Keegan; Alfred
H. P. Corning, clerk with Merchants' Loan and Trust
Co., cousin of Erastus Corning, of Albany, X. Y.;
Abram Bogart, foreman for Campbell & Co., silver
platers. On the evening of the 20th, the various offi-

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

227

cers of the Fire Department met at the Comptroller's
office, to make arrangements for the burial of their dead
comrades. The obsequies were fittingly observed on
the 21st.

The testimony adduced at the Coroner's inquest
proved the utter helplessness of the Fire Department,
as then organized, to cope with a wide-spread conflagra-
tion. It brought out the fact that the two engines Nos.
6 and 10, were out of order and did not work. While
competing at the fair for the $2oo-silver trumpet they
were broken. Besides having burst considerable hose
at the fair ground, which had not been replaced, about
five hundred feet of it had been taken away and left.
On the morning of the fire the Chief sent an express
wagon for it, but it came too late to be of any essential
service. The immense amount of property lost by the
unorganized exertions of those who even were attempt-
ing to save goods, as well as the impossibility of pro-
tecting valuables from thieves, induced the business
men and insurance companies to form at once a " fire
brigade." The movement was inaugurated by E. E.
Ellsworth, who suggested that the brigade consist of
one hundred picked men, invested with police powers,
and divided into companies and squads, commanded by
captain, lieutenants and sergeants. The brigade
was to be provided with a carriage for carrying one fire
escape apparatus, six ladders, one hundred fire axes,
etc. The officers were to have general supervision of
the men at work in removing property from buildings,
and were required to set a good example of coolness
and presence of mind. They were to prevent to the
greatest possible extent all hurry and confusion, to select
the most valuable goods for removal first, and, in the lan-
guage of Mr. Ellsworth, " see that the men work in con-
cert, and do not occupy themselves in removing coal,
old iron, stone flooring, etc., when anything more valu-
able is to be found; and take especial pains to prevent
the destruction of furniture, as it is not considered
good policy to throw mirrors from the fourth story
windows, or like Doesticks 's hero, knock pianos to
pieces in order to save the castors." An organization
was accordingly effected and gentlemen were appointed
to canvass each of the six fire districts in the city for
subscriptions. November 19, a constitution was adopted,
christening the association as the " Citizens' Fire
Brigade of Chicago, 111." The officers selected were
as follows: President and captain, Arthur C. Ducat;
L. K. Sanborn, S. B. Raymond and Henry Bandt, vice-
presidents and lieutenants; secretary, Grafton Fenno;
treasurer, \V. G. Hibbard; finance committee, Charles
H. Hunt, Frederick Fisher, H. G. Williams, F. W.
Wadsworth and J. B. Shay. Among the original mem-
bers of the brigade were, H. O. Smith, L. S. Burton, Shaw
Williams, J. W. Davis, H. N. May, G. W. Gardner, S.
B. Raymond and William Thompson. The brigade
was not long lived.

"Red Jacket" No. 4 and "Red Rover" No. 14 at
this time, came in for a large share of public cen-
sure, the former being generally suspected of having
burned down their engine house in the fall of 1857.
According to the report made by the committee on fire
and water, in November of that year, No. 14 is repre-
sented "as being composed of a very inferior class of
beings, all more or less being given to intoxication and
guilty of rowdyism generally." The question of dis-
banding these companies, which was demanded by many
citizens, was left with the Mayor. And there was a
serious cause of complaint against the system which
was made by citizens as a body, whether they were
firemen or not. The Department had become to some

extent a harbor of refuge for idlers from distant cities
— a sort of hospital for the encouragement of laziness.
In the words of the committee, " there appears to be too
many outsiders, as they are termed ; men and boys
coming from other cities to this, who either cannot or
do not seek for employment. Consequently the first
step they take is to run with the machine. The pres-
ent arrangement in our city provides for them at least
a sleeping place for the night, if nothing more." It
was suggested that the Chief Engineer and his assistants
make a thorough examination, throughout all compan-
ies, and whenever they found anybody " so infringing
upon the rights of our firemen " to arrest him, have
him brought before a proper tribunal and justly pun-
ished. Another difficulty to be overcome, if possible,
was the excessive use of free whisky in times of fire.

Previous to 1858 it had been customary for the fire-
men to meet in convention and nominate candidates to
be supported by the people. The Chief called the
meeting. Accordingly, on January 26, the usual call
appeared for a convention to be held on the 28th. As
the firemen considered that longer notice should be
given, they requested the Chief to postpone the conven-
tion for a week or ten days. This Mr. McBride re-
fused to do, and the firemen accordingly assembled, on
the day named, at the South Side Market Hall. There

were three candidates in the field, D. J. Swenie, Peter
Casey, the then assistant, and John Egan, foreman of
No. 4. Some of Mr. Swenie's friends charged that
Companies Nos. 4 and 14 fEgan's warmest supporters)
had brought a large number of non-members to vote
their favorites into office. A resolution which was in-
troduced to prevent anyone from voting who could not
show a badge, created a great uproar and resulted in
many of the companies leaving the hall. The " bolters "
adjourned to Dearborn Park, and resolved to meet at
North Market Hall the next day. In the meantime
those who had remained had chosen Egan as their
standard-bearer, but the Chief declared the election in-
formal. Mr. Egan attempted to effect a compromise
with the Swenie for paid department) element, by offering
to resign in favor of U. P. Harris. Mr. Swenie refused
to do so, as he said he had already solicited Mr. Harris
to become a candidate, without success. The next
day therefore, at North Market Hall, Mr. Swenie's
friends met and nominated him, with L. Walters for
first assistant and M. W. Powell second assistant. Feb-
ruary 11, John Egan was formally nominated to head a
second ticket ; John Shank, first assistant ; Jacob Held,
second assistant. The Swenie ticket was elected.

The first steam fire-engine which was retained
by the city was the " Long John." It was tested at the
foot of South LaSalle Street on February 5, 1858, and
approved by experts and the city generally. The boys
of the volunteer department saw in its every puff a death
blow to their own system. None of them will deny even
at this late day that they felt, and acted, "ugly." After
Mr. Swenie had been chosen engineer in March, the
feeling reached such a height that it seemed, for a time,
as though it would culminate in a riot. On the 6th of
that month Engine Companies No. 4, 10 and 14, Hose

22&

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Companies No. 3 and 5 and Hook and Ladder No. 3
met on Clark Street. After forming in line they marched
down that thoroughfare, headed by the Great Western
Band, and traversing the principal streets of the city,
marched into the court-house square. A large crowd
had collected there, and were becoming more and more

■ - "

THE " LONG JOHN " FIRE ENGINE.

excited. Fearing a disturbance, the Mayor dispatched an
extra force of two hundred policemen. He ordered the
arrest of the firemen for disorderly conduct, and they
fled, abandoning their machines to the citv. No. 14
only partially owned its engine, and when the proceed-
ings of the volunteer department were thus informally
broken into by the representatives of the law, her boys
ran off with their machine to the Central depot, intend-
ing to ship it East to the maker, "to whom they are in-
debted for it," spitefully says the Tribune. Some dozen
arrests were made, but the prisoners were afterwards
released by order of the Mayor. The police took the
engines to the Armory and locked them up, arrange-
ments being made with special policemen to man them
in case of fire. Four horses were provided for the use
of the new steam fire engine. A police force was placed
in the different engine and hose houses to protect them,
should any demonstration be made against the new
regime. No further trouble occurred however. The
organizations which took part in the procession were dis-
banded by the Council, March 22, 1858, which action
may be called the beginning of the death of the old vol-
unteer department.

On August 2, 1858, the Council passed the ordinance
organizing the paid department. December 4, 1858,
"Northern Liberty" Engine Company No. 15 was cre-
ated, and was the last of the volunteer engine compa-
nies. The headquarters were on the corner of Larrabee
Street and North Avenue. The first foreman was Con-
rad Folz.

The last two hose companies to organize in the vol-
unteer department, in fact the last organizations to be
effected, were, "Northern," No. 7 and "LTnion," No. 8.
They were both formed in February, 1859, and disband-
ed in 1862.

Fire Company Sketches. — The original mem-
bers of "Pioneer" Hook and Ladder No. 1 signed
their names to the roll, October 7, 1835. They have

already been given ; also those who joined the company
up to the time it was regularly organized, under the or-
dinance of November, 1835. During the fifteen suc-
ceeding years more than seventy citizens entered its
ranks. The following names and those of other com-
panies are taken from the several old records, as the
lists which have heretofore appeared in print are unreli-
able : Grant Goodrich, William Osborne, W. H. Tay-
lor, Charles Cleaver, S. J. Sherwood, Starr Foot, J. Price,
J. W. Hooker, A. Peck, Benjamin W. Raymond, T.
Whitlock, T. Church, B. Briggs, S. P. Warner, A. C.
Wood, O. Sherman, H. O. Stone, J. Campbell, T. B.
Carter, Alexander Loyd, J. Wadsworth, L. B. Goodsell,
S. Sawyer, W. King, N. Sherman, Jr., J. M. Underwood,
Darius Knights, George Collins, C. M. Gray, T. King,

#j4L*>.

VU*J

J. Keen, J. S. Root, J. H. Rochester, P. C. Sheldon, C.
N. Holden, S. M. Davis, A. D. Sturtevant, A. Bent, J.

D. Davis, H. Witbeck, R. P. Hamilton, L. M. Bovce,
J. M. Adsit, S. B. Collins, A. G. Downs, A. E. Fuller,

E. W. Herrick, E. Bestwick, S. W. Peck, J. B. Jackson,
T. W. Goodrich, J. S. Vanduser, W. H. Cheeseman, I.
L. Milliken, S. J. Surdam, W. Lock, George Smith,
G. M. Rogers, C." Adams, J. H. Reed, J. H. Kinzie, R.
Freeman, G. G. Randolph and J. Brooks. Hook and
Ladder No. 1 did good service until the disbandment
of the volunteer department. John M. Turner, J. W.

Hooker, C. M. Gray, George Collins, Darius Knights,
Charles Burley, B. W. Seaton, and Charles E. Provost
were foremen. When disbanded, in 1859, the companv
was using a truck built in 1856, and consisted of about
thirty-five men. The house was located on La Salle
Street, between Madison and Washington.

Engine Company No. 1, the first, and in many re-
spects the best, of the volunteer companies, was organ-
ized December 12, 1835. Its first foreman was S. G.
Trowbridge. A. Gilbert, Cyrus P. Bradley and J. M.
Donnelly, foremen of this company at different times,
were afterwards Chiefs of the Department. Alvin Cal-
houn, on the other -hand, who served as Chief in 1839,
six years later held the position of foreman of No. 1
with almost as much pride. Asher Rossiter, James }.
Langdon and F. A. Bragg also held the position of fore-
men. As its motto indicated, No. 1 worked for the
"public good" for many years. The company was not
disbanded until February, i860. Its engine house was
then on Dearborn Street, between Washington and Ran-
dolph, and the organization went out of the department
about eighty strong. Among the earliest members of
No. 1, in addition to those given in the general sketch
of the Department, were : S. G. Trowbridge, E. Mor-
rison, Joel Wicks, H. B. Clarke, John S. C. Hogan, W '.

A. Neff, T. 0. Davis, Peter Pruyne, Ira Kimberly, M.

B. Beaubien, A. V. Knickerbocker, Seth W. Paine,
Ebenezer Peck, H. C. Pearsons, George Davis, J. C.
Hamilton, Luther Nichols. E. B. Hurlbut, A. G. Burley.
A. Rossiter, C. E. Peck, Isaac Cook, C. P. Bradley and
N. Sturtevant. There were also in the ranks, at a later
period, their service in some cases stretching over many
years, H. H. Yates, I. Beecher, Peter Page, G. Ran-
dolph, C. P. Albee, C. Skinner, G. R. Bills, J. W. Steele,

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

229

A. Loomis, N C. Walton, J. Harmon, P. P. Chapin, E.
Bowen, D. D. Stanton, D. M. Wooster, T. D. Grey, G.
W. Fish, S. James, C. G. Carpenter, Thomas Smith,
Prentiss Law, William R. Green, E. P. Groom, G. A.
Robb, E. W. Newhall, W. Butz, J. L. Howe, J. Volf, W.
W. Keith, A. Spencer, J. Martindale, A. Ferguson. M.
Hubbard, B. Benton, R. P. Hamilton, W. L. White, O
C. Moodv, H. Pike, W. M. Butler, H. Warner, George
Stephens', G. C. Wicker, P. Mver, P. Canfield, S. S.
Durfee, W. W. Jackson, J. Tiffany, H. Rodcap, J.
Rosenberg, S. H. Jennings, J. E. Weber, G. F. White,
Charles Wood, R. Bell, A. Stow, J. G. Patterson, A.
Crawford, William Carson, V. A. Boyer, M. Shaplev,
H. McGraw, A. F. Bradley, P. Casey, S. J. Noble, H.
H. Lubbeker, F. Lubbeker, C. Chovin, C. Baldwin,
Martin Hale, C. Dole and J. McDonald.

" Metamora " Engine Company No. 2 was organized
December 4, 1837. Among its original members were
Nat King, A. S. Bates, P. Graff, A. G. Hobbie, T. E.
Tucker, C. Sauter, J. Cruver, A. D. Sturtevant, S. B.
Collins, S. Johnson, J. Sauter, F. E. Seybold, F. Rose,
Ira Coleman, E. H. Sammons, C. Buhl, A. S. Sherman,
E. A. Rider, B. W. Raymond and George L. Campbell.
Mr. Rider was its first foreman. The " Metamora" re-
tained its organization until 1859, the last diplomas be-
ing issued in April of that year: Sanford Johnson, A.
S. Sherman and John T. Edwards will be remembered
as among its best foremen. J. L. Gerber and J. I..
Wagonberger served for several years previous to the
disbanding of the company. Among other early mem-
bers were: S. Lind, J. Martindale, George Collins, Thomas
Melvin, A. Batz, A. Pierce, G. R. Bills, John Waite, S.
S. Hovey, C. Mann, Loomis Andrews, J. E. Keisling,
Henry Gekler, William Crawford, A. Scongale, A. G.
Downs, J. W. Kraff, J. W. Steele, Chris. Hoffman, S. S.

„^7 lS&£*%^

*t

Barry, S. Burton, Joseph Berg, S. S. Robinson, J. C.
Brantigan, A. Burnham, P. L. Yoe, B. Blazey, O. F.
Geer, J. Letz, John Hettinger, J. A. M. Hoisington,
Charles Hoag, Fred Letz, J. F. Jewett, I. Shaw, S. N.
Stebbins, Z. Martin, J. Hogan, H. R. Davis, C. V.
Ware, J. W. Poulton, Joseph Purdy, E. J. Van Alstien, C.
Charleston, J. T. Edwards, L. Jackson, J. H. Martin,
B. G. Johnson, B. W. Brunker, H. Webber, W. H.
Adams, William Blank, William Wetsell, George Peter-
man, George R. Roberts, M. Schram, G. M. Vandercook,
J. H. Toogood, C. Arnold, W. Dunn, P. Groll, G. Van-
dercook, Lewis Haas, Fred Sween, Casper Lauer, A.
Kroeger, P. Apfel, M. Schaub, J. Thomme, Fritz Muhl-
hausen, J. R. Thomas, M. Moran, D. Leonard, J. M.
Hannahs, A. Woods and J. Schank.

The Chicago Bag and Fire Guard was organized in
September, 1841, and was disbanded in July, 1846.
Among its foremen were G. A. Robb and L. M. Boyce.
Mr. Boyce was the last to hold the position and was
among the original members of the so-called " Forty
Thieves." The duties of the company were similar to
those of the Citizen's Fire Brigade, formed after the
disastrous fire of 1857. The names of the famous
"forty" were as follows: L. M. Bovce, D. S. Lee, W.
H. Adams, J. C. Haines, L. P. Hilla'rd, L Goss, J. B.
Mitchell, W. Dunlop, W. M. Larrabee, Ira Couch, J. B.
Wier,F. A. Howe, J. W. Strail, J. H. Rees, George Ray-
mond, A. Follansbee, C. N. Holden, E. I. Tinkham, A.
H. Burley, Sol. Taylor, A. McClure, T. P. Robb, H. M.
Stow, S. J. Surdam, H. W. Bigelow, R. P. Hamilton,

Thomas George, A. E. Fuller, P. C. Sheldon, I S Hart-
ley, E. K. Rogers, C. R. Vandercook, E. ('.. Hall, J. C,

uCLk* J7;

Hodge, W. S. Newberry, J. H. Bun h, J. E. Davis, J.
H. Dunham, E. Emerson and Luther Nichols.

" Neptune " Bucket Company No. 1 was organized
September 7, 1841, with F. T. Sherman, foreman; W.
J. Hamilton, assistant; S. J. Lowe, William H. Jones
and S. Woodworth were also foremen. Among its
leading members were: F. T. Sherman, Charles Whit-
lock, Charles Hodgson, B. Sammons, W. H. lones, J.
K. Murphy, D. N. Chappell, G. H. Laflin, Ed. Sher-
man, F. W. Getzler, W. J. Hamilton, C. D. Grannis,
James Woodbury, H. B. Payne, W. H. Wachter, W. H.
Green, O. F. Lowe, G. W. Beecher, W. J. Thompson,
C. C. P. Holden, Jerome Butler, J. J. Clarkson, Joel A.
Kinney, B. F. Wells, C. H. Getz'ler, Philip Fry, J. F.
Gunter, Sam Lowe, James Doyle, H. Woodbury, W. 1*.
Hughes, John Patterson, W. Ewen, Sam Beach, W. Wal-
ton, H. C. Tiffany, F. W. Taylor, G. AW Pike.

Engine Company No. 3 was organized November
21, 1844, and was not disbanded until February 13,
i860. The company had for its motto: "Semper
Promptus," and when the boys were not prompt it was
only because there was a " Niagara " of difficulties in
the way. George F. Foster, its first foreman, was fol-
lowed by such men as William M. Larrabee, Julian S.
Rumsey, A. H. Burley, J. M. Johnson, and E. P. Wood.

Mr. Foster also served a second term in 1850-51. No.
3 was one of the last volunteer companies to go out of
the Department, and maintained its reputation to the
end. It occupied a house on the corner of North Wells
and Kinzie streets, and used a piano-style two-crane-
neck engine, built in 1854. Among its earliest members
were John H. Kinzie, G. F. Foster, A. H. Burley,
George F. Rumsev, J. S. Rumsey, G. S. Hubbard, Alex
Wolcott, J. M. Van Osdel. U. P. Harris, S. A. Lowe,
M. Scranton, Tr., J. E. Bishop, John Turner, I. B. Pres-
ton, J. B. Doggett, E. I. Tinkham, J. O. Shaw, W. H.
Macy, C. R. Vandercook, T- S. Farwell, Benjamin Bour-
land^ L. Turner, P. Kelsey^ T. P. Robb, W. M. Larrabee,
J. Magill and Denis J. Swenie. Mr. Swenie became a
member December 3, 1S49.

" Philadelphia " Hose Company No. 1 was organ-
ized January 30, 1845; with headquarters on the North
Side, near Clark-street bridge. J. B. Johnson was fore-
man. After 1849 it occupied part of Engine House No.
3, corner of Kinzie and Wells. In 1.S55 it was removed to
the Kinzie school lot, corner of Ohio and LaSalle streets.
" We strive to save " was the talisman by which the com-
pany accomplished many brave deeds. Following Mr.
Johnson as foreman may be mentioned T. J. Holt,
James V. Boyer, John F. Fitzpatrick and E. Baggott.

23°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Its original members were William Smith, Jacob B.
Johnson, Al. L. Scranton, Francis Jordan, Hugh K.
Henrv, Julian Dunham, John Stockton, George Crane,
William O. Snell, Samuel Warner, Thomas Cann, John
Nicholson. In the spring and summer of the same year
James K. Webster, Thomas Holt, Charles Williamson,
William Alverson. C. Anderson. C. Hodgson, H. Butter-
held. R. Alverson, and R. N. Garrett joined the com-
pany.

•• Red Jacket " Engine Company No. 4 was formed
November 13, 1S46, the organization being composed
mostly of members of the disbanded " Neptune " Bucket
Company. F. T. Sherman was the first foreman, and
Hiram Jones, J. L. Marsh, Edwin Sherman, D. N.
Chappel. C. E. Moore, John Eagan and William H.
Wachter, subsequently held the office. The plucky
ones under them made No. 4 what it was from the time
of its organization until its disbandment by the Council,
March 22, 1858. The "Red Jackets " were disbanded
September 5, 1854, but re-organized in May, 1855, as the
"Humane Company," with William Wachter, foreman.
There was so much feeling, however, against those who
had abandoned the old name that when the " Humanes "
first appeared at a fire, it was with difficulty that a lot of
•• Red Jacket " supporters were prevented from mob-

bing them. The boys soon re-christened themselves
the " Red Jackets" and again became public favorites,
retaining their former warm place in the city's heart
until the paid department came in. In 1858 the com-
pany worked a piano-style engine, built in 1848. Their
house was at the armory, on South Franklin Street. In
addition to names already mentioned, No. 4 enrolled
Charles Whitlock, C. B. Sammons, W. H. Jones, J. K.
Murphy, G. H. Laflin, E. Sherman, F. W. Getzler, W.
J. Hamilton, C. N. Holden, J. A. M. Hoisington, K. K.
Jones, J. N. Harmon, J. J. Wilkie, H. B. Paine, W. H.
Green, C. D. Grannis, O. F. Lowe, G. W. Beecher, W.
J. Thompson, J. Butler, I. J. Clarkson, T. A. Kinney,
B. F. Wells, C. H. Getzler, P. Fry, J. F. Gunter, J. C.
Church and S. C. Bliss.

" Excelsior " Engine Company No. 5 was organized
November 23, 1846, with headquarters at Clinton
Street, between Randolph and Washington ; A. S.
Sherman, foreman. The company was afterward lo-
cated on Jackson Street, between Jefferson and Clinton.
Succeeding Mr. Sherman in office wTere Charles Morton,
R. Green, Silas McBride, Lewis Dodge, William H.
Ostin and James Kehoe. No. 5 was disbanded June
10, 1859. Among its early and well-known members
may be mentioned A. D. Sturtevant, A. Pierce, M.
Keith, E. L. Clarke, C. D. Robinson, C. Morrison, R.
11 Barnes, George Reynolds, John P. Fish, J. M. Ed-
wards, E. Edwards, " Captain " Cringle, George Walrad,
Thomas George, E. J. Chapin, E. Sullivan, G. R. Sloat,
A. G. I hroop, A. A. Dexter, Charles Marston, E.
M. Gregory, H. Witbeck, N. Sturtevant and J. H. Rees.

" Rough and Ready " Bucket Company No. 1 was
formed in January, 1847, ar>d during the succeeding
April was received into the Department. Charles
Harpell was the first foreman. Its headquarters were
at the toot of I, a Salle Street. In 1.S49 it went out
of service. Charles S. Perry, Henry Gybe, and Sanders
Woodworth also were foremen. This company was the
immediate successor of " Neptune." Among the more
prominent members were S. O. Gibbs, F. Townsend,

H. Blaney, S. S. Williams, Charles Harpell, Matt Con-
ley, H. C. Kelly, W. S. West, E. Grubb, J. Battery,
Dennis Morris, John McGraw, James Barry, Hiram
Scoville, Edward Flood, J. E. McGinnis, S. George,
Patrick Barry and Samuel Scott. No. 1 was put into
service by the Common Council, and its membership
was limited, as were also its duties. It was disbanded
for non-attendance at fires.

The Firemen's Benevolent Association was
formed in October, 1847 ; S. F. Gale, president ; J. H.
Kinzie, vice-president ; C. E. Griswold, secretary ; A.
Gilbert, treasurer. The members (and the association
included nearly the entire Department) were assessed
at first an initiation fee of $1, with annual dues of fifty
cents. In 1850 the initiation fee was abolished, and the
fees reduced to twenty-five cents. The association was
incorporated by the Legislature June 21, 1852, and a
new constitution and by-laws were adopted. These con-
fined the benefits of the association to the volunteer de-
partment, and refused to recognize the "Citizen's Bri-
gade as firemen of the city of Chicago." A life
membership was acquired by paying three dollars into
the treasury. After the great fire of October, 1857,
the association undertook the erection of a monument
in Rosehill Cemetery, in memory of the brave men who
lost their lives in that casualty. It was not completed
until seven years after the idea was conceived, but even
then it was the first monument of the kind ever erected
in the United States. In July, 1853, two physicians for
each division of the city were appointed by the associa-
tion to attend to firemen who should suffer injuries in
the discharge of their duties — Dr. W. B. Herrick and
Dr. J. V. Z. Blaney, North Division ; Dr. Philip Max-
well and Dr. C. G. Smith, South Division ; Dr. V. L.
Hurlbut and Dr. E. McArthur, West Division. The
officers of the association up to 1857 were, Presidents —
S. F. Gale, 1847-1850 ; C. E. Peck, 1851-1854 ; U. P.
Harris, 1855 ; John T. Edwards, 1856-1863. Vice-
Presidents, C. E. Peck, 1847-1850; U. P. Harris,
(resigned before term expired,) 1851 ; P. L. Yoe, 1851-
1852 ; U. P. Harris, 1S53-1S54; J. M. Donnelly, 1855 ;
J. M. Johnston, 1856; J. M. Donnelly, 1857. Second
Vice-Presidents, J. H. Kinzie, 1847 ; C. M. Gray, (re-
signed before term expired), 1848 ; James H. Rees,
1 848-1 849. (Office abolished in 1850.) Secretaries,
C. E. Griswold, 1847-51 (resigned before the latter term
expired); J. H. Rees, 1851-52 ; G. H. Rankin, 1852 ;
T. W. Wadsworth, 1853-54; C. P. Bradley, 1855;
Isaac Brown, 1856 ; P. P. Wood, 1857. Treasurers,

A. Gilbert, 1847-55; H. Greenbaum, 1856; J. M.
Johnston, 1857.

" Hope " Hose Company No 2 was organized March
24, 1848, by George R. Sloat, Hugh Dunlop, P. O.
Donahue, Daniel Day, William Lull, Eben Lewis, James
Thomas, D. E. Kelly, James S. Gibson, William Mix,
Joshua White, J. R. Hamlin, A. P. Penny, George Pen-
ny; Noah Sturtevant and W. H. Sadler. In January,
1849, the company resigned, but was re-organized again
in October, 1850, with Samuel O. Eames as foreman.
The members of the company again resigned but re-or-
ganized in November, 1854, and were finally disbanded
in 1859. "Hope" was considered the most perfect or-
ganization of the kind in the West. S. A. Lowe, George
Sloat, Noah Sturtevant and William James, Jr., were
among some of the best remembered foremen. At its
re-organization, November 27, 1854, the original mem-
bers were R. S. Johnson, N. G. Tucker, W. W. Billy,
H. Meyer, B. F. White, J. E. Martin, D. W. Jenkinson,

B. E. Dye, A. Seligman," J. D. Davis ami W. Stebbins.
August i, 1849, "Protector" Engine Company No.

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

231

6 was formed; with Charles Morton, foreman; W. H.
Hannahs, assistant; T. P. Plantz, secretary; Henry
Nettleton, treasurer. Mr. Morton was succeeded in
1S50 by W. H. Hannahs. Afterward came E. A. Web-
ber, G. P. Groff, R. A, Williams (Chief in 1868 , W. J.
McMillan and Edward Mendson. Among the members
who joined the first year were E. A. Webber, H. M.
Nettleton, J. Mitchell, F. J. Hannahs, D. H. Neff, A.
H. Dufer, J. Crawford, J. McGinn, L. W. Fish, H.
Cook, J. McCafferty, M. P. Coughran, C. Haysen, S.
Baker, M. Lynch, B. Rum, J. Braily, H. Renney, E.
Waggoner, E. Low, J. Curtiss, E. O'Rourke, D. W.
Coney, J. M. Hannahs, H. B. Bacon, T. Santes, G. B.
Stole, P. Willard, F. M. Justice, G. W. Neff, O. Neff,
Erwin Fowler, G. Kenderick, C. Hamlin. A. Warner,
and B. Kurn. The company was disbanded June 10,
1859. Its house was then located on West Lake Street,
between Clinton and Jefferson.

" Lawrence " Engine Company No. 7 was formed
September 2, 1850. On January 6, 1852, it was re-organ-
ized as the "Eagle." Matthew Conley was its first
foreman, and C. E. Peck, Nicholas Gross and John M.
Reis also had charge of the company. For a time its
headquarters were on LaSalle Street, but afterward a
house was built on State, near Harrison. As an efficient
organization this company never took the lead, but
among its members were several active men. As they
were most decidedly " on the muscle," they were often
prominently before the public. Once, to the surprise
of everyone themselves most of all), it is related that
No. 7 captured the prize at the State fair. This puffed
them up with pride and they demanded a new machine.
The demand was refused. A few weeks later their en-
gine house was burned to the ground, and the " old
machine" was found chained to the floor. The point
has never been definitely settled whether these circum-
stances had any relation to each other, or whether they
formed a mere coincidence. The " Eagles " disbanded
July 9, 1859, numbering then about forty men.

"Wabansia" afterward "Phoenix" No. 8 was or-
ganized December 22, 1851, among its original mem-
bers being J. B. Sanford, E. B. McCagg, S. S. Durfee,
C. Charleston, J. R. Hugunin, W. M. Larrabee, S. H.
Kerfoot, H. A. Mitchell, F. Hathaway, W. E. and J. B.
Doggett, F. A. Benson, W. Whitney,' J. Magill, G. P.
Rumsey, G. L. Hubbard and A. V. G. De Wolf. In
June, 1853, the "Phoenix" disbanded and October 17,
of the same year, " Cataract " was organized from its
remains. Among the foremen of the two companies may
be mentioned S. S. Durfee, Silas McBride and O. Dur-
fee. " Cataract " went to pieces October 4, 1858.

Hose Company No. 3 was organized as the " Lone
Star," December 23, 1851, moving into the house of
No. 2 on Franklin Street. Among its original members
were: H. Thiele, William Nemeyer, H. Wellmann, F.
Busch, D. Tung, W. Sorgenfree, C. Flentze. C. Batz, A.
Beck, F. Iselind and E. Kiesling. A. Meyers, A. Bal-
som, J. Tyler and William Warlich were foreman. In
1859 the company numbered about fifteen members.

" Illinois " was one of the companies which opposed
Mr. Swenie and the paid system, and was among those
which turned over their apparatus to the city, and was
disbanded by the Common Council on March 22, 1858.

"New England" Engine Company No. 9 was or-
ganized February 6, 1854, and disbanded March 5,
1855. Among its original members were N. Tryon, T.
W. Boutwell, R. W. Sperrv, C. Whitcomb, S. Parker.
C. D. French, L. M. Emerson, A. P. Grover, N. Mc-
Pherson, J. M. Caldwell, B. F. Davis, S. M. Marble, J.

P. Garland, H. P. Norton, H. L. Sweat and George
Upson.

"America" No. 9 was organized August 24, 1857,
and was disbanded in 1863. W. F. Beecher, W. D.
Smith, D. S. Hadlev, F. B. Clapp, G. W. Fuller, R. B.
Hill. John Lawless, Ed Sanders, W. H. Eddy, W. 1!.
Bateham, D. H. Curtiss, B. M. Green and J. T. Morris
were some of its earliest members. The " America's "
headquarters were at " Carville," a settlement composed
principally of employes of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company. The company was organized by Mr.
Bateham.

"Washington" Engine Company No. 10 was or-
ganized January 8, 1855, John Schank, foreman. Sev-
eral members of " No. 2 " were taken into the ranks,
but it was composed mostly of Germans. " Washing-
ton's" house was located on Wells Street, near Polk, in
the locality of the old Bridewell. The early members
of the company, those who joined January 8, were :
John Schank, John McCue, John Hainlain, S. J. Noble,
Henry Riners, R. Van Riper, Anton Berg, J. Murrita,
Jacob Buck, Peter Moulter, John Cook, P. J. Bishop,
J. Bear, F. Lubeky, Jacob Pool, F. Schoch, F. Lein-
kenheld, G. Hartmann, A. Hackfelt, M. Hickey, John
Collins, F. Hagemann, F. Shilthorn, W. Voltmer, R.
Pannell, N. Kramer, G. Murray, C. Nickle, D. Baker, J.
Brunst, G. Colkbrewer, N. J Kreigh, A. Kramer, J.
Wayant, C. Leodding, H. Brinckman, W. Blanke, R.
Slagle, A. Matress, W. Koch, C. Koch, F. Jacob-
son, S. Caswell, S. Young, Frederick Jahn, Justice
Jahn, T. Kiley, and P. Kehre. John Schank was fore-
man of No. 10, which was one of the strongest com-
panies in the Department. Tom Buckley was one
of its best-known members, being its secretary for
many years. L. J. North, the circus man, was also one
of the company, and an honorary member of the hose
company attached to it. No. 10 was disbanded by the
Council March 22, 1858.

Next, September 10, 1855, came "Lafayette" Hose
Company No. 4, a rival of " Hope ; " M. Powell was
foreman. George Irvine held that office at a latter
date. The company was stationed on the corner of
Clinton and Washington streets. Its original members
were: M. Powell, J. Connell, I. G. Carter, George
Haden, J. Powell, H. B. Carter, R. Hackett, J. Stevens,
A. McFarlin, H. Taylor, H. Cole, W. D. Francis, T.
Maddy and William Curlet. " Lafayette " was one of
the last companies to go out of the service.

" Rescue " Hook and Ladder Company No. 2, was
admitted to service November 20, 1855. Following is
a list of the original members : H. Warlick, P. Lean-
narde, C. Stroot, W. Fletcher, B. Weigselbaum, N.
Schank, W. Tillman, R. Weiland, A. Hegnar, S. Davis,
D. Tung, A. Dube, C. Neugart, H. Tias and O. Shel-
meir. Mr. Warlick was the first foreman, and F. Lun-
natz subsequently held the place. This company
formed a portion of the paid Department.

"Neptune " Engine Company No. 11 was organized
February 8, 1856, and was not disbanded until i860.
Original members : T. Scheiner, T. Bahr, F. Rabach,
F. Gerbing, J. Rehm, W. Busch, B. Nitchman, J. Sebas-
tian, P. Weber, F. Gebel, J. Kuhn and T. Schreiner. N.
Siemon and H. Bebee were early foremen. The house
was on Dearborn Avenue.

" Wide Awake " Engine Company No 1 2 was or-
ganized January 31, 1856, with headquarters on Liberty
Street, at Third Avenue ; John Wagner, foreman. . Orig-
inal members : George Walter, J. Doetsch, J. Pollak,
F. Ross, N. Claris, P. Stevens, F. Miller, J. O'Brien, L.

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Allan, O. Swartz, H. Sudorf. 1. Frantz, S. Harper, Charles
Rose, H. M. Peters, A. Driz, P. Sullivan, J. Ryan, T
Lyons, E. Hays. M. Doharty, and John McMurty
George Ross, Charles Rose and Nicholas Claris also act-
ed as foremen. It was disbanded August 15, 1S59.

"Torrent" Engine Company No. 13 dated from
January 31, 1S56 ; headquarters on Third Street, near
Milwaukee Avenue. It disbanded in April, 1859, but it
was again organized. J. M. Lambien, F. Marcus, P.
Lambien, H. Nash, M. Waller, George Hettinger, P.
Eveling, H. Johnson, H. Nettleton, Peter Miller and
E. H. Wagoner, were among its earliest members. J. M.
Lambien was its first foreman No. 13 survived most of
the volunteer organizations.

" Lady Washington " Hose Company No. 5 was or-
ganized January 5, 1857 ; John R. Clark, foreman. Its
house was located on the corner of Pacific Avenue and
Harrison Street. Original members : J. R. Clark, ].
P. Bishop. J. H. Clapp, G. D. Enis, D. Young, O. P.
Hull, T- C. Pilot, W. E. Livingston, George Simmons,
P. Ludwig. J. D. W. Howard, M. Grant, J. Comfort, J
Hart, M. A.Seymour, N. H. Wadem, C. R. Cummings,
A. Watt. W. H. Sears, S. Walker and W. Nowland. It
was disbanded March 22, 3858.

Although organized previous to the " Lady Wash-
ington," December 5, 1856, " Liberty " Hose No. 6
was not recognized until a few days afterward ; hence
its number. The company had its house near the Un-
ion depot, at the foot of Lake Street. Being so near the
lake, the location was not conductive to distinctly catch-
ing sounds of the fire alarms. Sometimes the boys

missed the bells altogether ; but when " the scouts " were
out, and " Liberty " was duly notified of the alarm of
the bells, they " made the dirt fly," and created a com-
motion in the breasts of "Hope" and "Lafayette."
The company remained intact until November, 1858. Its
gallant foreman, John B. Dickey, lost his life in the fire
of October, 1857. Original members : J. B. Dickev,
W. R. Goodnough, M. B. Mills, H. C. Hatch, H. C.
Doty, P. Somers, T. O. Wilson, Robert Gardner, C. P.
Bower, E. A. Tillibine, A. Greer and J. Thomas. M.
W. Shay, assistant marshal in the paid Department, join-
ed the company in January, 1857.

" Red Rover " Engine Company No. 14 entered the
service January 24, 1857 ; Thomas E. Courtney, fore-
man. The headquarters were corner of Blue Island
Avenue and Polk Street. The company was dis-
banded March 22, 1858, by the Council. In that
year James Ready was foreman. The engine was third
class, goose-neck, Wright's style ; the number of men
forty-seven. Among its early members may be mention-
ed T. E. Courtney, M. P. Ryan, J. H. McCarty, William
Foley, J. Magee, George Powell, M. Scanlon, William
Day, D. Hays, J. Laughlin, M. Hanley, M. Hays, J.
Ready, J. Hogan, P. Walsh, E. Murphy and E. Casey.

" Empire " Hook and Ladder Company No. 3 was
added to the Department March 9, 1857 : A Reary, fore-
man. Its headquarters were on Clinton Street, corner
of West Washington. The company went out of the
Department, with other dissatisfied organizations, in
March, 1858. No. 3 was the last organization to be ef-
fected in the Department during 1857.

HARBOR AND MARINE.

CHICAGO HARBOR.

Like other works of public utility the improvements
and protection of Chicago harbor were accomplished
only after many years of experiment and at great ex-
pense. The canal and the harbor were twin enterprises.
The former would be almost worthless if there were no
clear way of exit into Lake Michigan ; and without a
good harbor to shelter vessels from the storms which
raged over the lake, it was early seen that Chicago
could never become a port of entry. Previous to the
voyages of Joliet and LaSalle, the accretions which had
fallen to the lake bottom as they rested upon the ice
piled up in the river's mouth, added to the natural for-
mations caused by the lake currents, had formed a large
sandbar, and, at times, blocked navigation.* LaSalle,
from his observations in 1682, fails to see how a shallow
cut canal could supply navigable water for the Illinois
River during the dry season, or if that should be ac-
complished, how commerce would be benefited, since
even in a rainy reason the surplus water which flowed
over the portage from the Desplaines (the "Chicago,"
he calls it), would not cover the sandbar at the mouth of
the channel. f It is reasonable to suppose that all the
early travelers noticed and commented upon this im-
pediment to navigation, but until Fort Dearborn became
one of the most famous of the Government trading-posts
no decisive movement was made for the improvement
of the river's mouth: In 1805 the agent at the United
States Indian Factory, which was established that year,
suggested to the Government the necessity of clearing
away the obstruction, in a limited way, from the mouth
of Chicago River. But his idea of a harbor was just as
limited as his dreams of what the location was destined
to be. All that was necessary to insure a safe entrance
to the river was a narrow ditch, which might permit the
easy passage of a Mackinaw boat up to the very door of
the trading house ; and, this effected, his conception of
improvement was fulfilled. In a few years, however,
keen observers traveling over the Western country saw
the geographical advantages which this muddy point
possessed, and realized and prophesied its future impor-
tance. The canal enterprise was therefore not only
pressed to public notice, but the ideas of the new gen-
eration in regard to a harbor expanded prodigiously.
In 1816 came Colonel Long, and he had something to
say about the canal and the harbor. During the next
year Samuel A. Storrow, Judge Advocate, traveled
through the West, and like many another enterprising
man since then, visited "Chicago" and talked about it.
He admired the wonderful portage which separated the
waters of the Great Lakes from the waters of the Great
River, and said that the canal should be a matter of na-
tional concern. The Judge also described the site of
Fort Dearborn, and as all observers were beginning to
do with unanimity bewailed the fact that " it had no ad-
vantage of harbor, the river itself being always choaked,
and frequently barred." Then, in 1818, William Darby,

* Pierre Margry, in Magazine of American History.

a New York author, took a trip through the West, and
by him there was further expatiating on the wonderful
portage and the importance of the canal. The United
States commissioners, with their surveyor, Mr. Sullivan,
were then running their lines to mark the lands which
had been ceded by the Indians in 18 16.* A map was
therefore made of Chicago and vicinity. The main
river flowed northeast and east, for about three-fifths of
a mile, to a point nine hundred feet west of the parade
ground. From that point it commenced to make a
complete bend around Fort Dearborn, and entering
upon its direct course south, flowed between the great
sand-bank on the east and the marsh on the west,
entering the lake fwhen it could1, about eight hundred
yards south of a line drawn east from the present south-
west corner of River Street and Michigan Avenue. Some
two hundred and fifty yards from the confluence of the
river and the North Branch a small creek entered the
main channel from the north, while from the south, at a
point north of the present Wabash Avenue, another
stream entered the river. Opposite Fort Dearborn a
small bayou stretched back from the river to the north-
west. The entire length of the main river in 1818 was
about one and a half miles. No suggestion was made,
however, to improve the harbor. It was reserved for
H. R. Schoolcraft, secretary of the Indian commission
which visited Chicago in 1821, to first call attention to
the matter as a measure of general utility and humanity.
It is observed that he expressed some doubt as to
whether a harbor could ever be formed, but his plan was
definite and bordered upon the prophetic :

" We allude," he says, " to the formation of a harbor on Lake
Michigan where vessels may He in safety while they are discharging
the commodities destined for Illinois, or encountering the delays
which commerce frequently imposes. It is well known that after
passing the Manitou Islands there is no harbor or shelter for vessels
in the southern part of Lake Michigan, and that every vessel which
passes into that lake after the month of September, runs an immi-
nent hazard of shipwreck. Vessels bound to Chicago come to an-
chor upon a gravelly bottom in the lake, and, discharging with all
possible speed, hasten on their return. The sand which is driven
up into the mouth of Chicago Creek will admit boats only to pass
over the bar, though the water is deep enough to allow vessels to
lie above. Among the expedients which have been proposed for
keeping the mouth of the river clear of sand, one of the most in-
genious, and perhaps practicable, is that of turning the Konomic
(Calumet), by a canal of sixteen miles, into the Chicago, above the
fort, and by the increased body and pressure of water, drive out the
accumulated sands. It is yet somewhat problematical whether a
safe and permanent harbor can be constructed by any effort of hu-
man ingenuity, upon the bleak and naked shores of these lakes, ex-
posed, as thev are. to the most furious tempests. And we are in-
clined to think it would be feasible to construct an artificial island
off the mouth of the Chicago Creek, which might be connected
by a bridge with the main land, with more permanent benefit to
the country at large, if not with less expense, than to keep the Chi-
cago clear of sand. Stone for such a work is abundant near the
entrance into Green Bay, and, if built on a scale sufficiently liberal,
it would afford convenient sites for all storehouses required."

The Government breakwater, with the sandbars
which it has been the means of forming, may lie likened
to Schoolcraft's bridge connecting the artificial island

* The map of 181S was presented in the case of Gi ' ' Illinois

Central Railroad Company, before the United Slated Circuit Court, Northern

District of Illinois, in October, 1859.

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

with the main land, and his storehouses to the huge ele-
vators which now cover those convenient sites. But
when Schoolcraft wrote, there was little to be seen but
an old stockade fort and John Kinzie's block-house ;
and although his general idea of protecting the river's
mouth seems to have been the correct one, he did not
see the necessity of funning an artificial channel, so that
the river's course could be made more direct to the
lake, and its current thereby strengthened. This idea,
however, was left to be clearly brought out by the en-
gineers who made the surveys for the canal route in
1830. In February of that year William Howard, U.
S. C. E.. proposed a plan for "improving the mouth of
Chicago River." His idea was to close the original
outlet, and cut a channel through the conformation of
sand and gravel which prevented the river from flowing
eastward ly, in nearly a direct course, north and south
piers were to extend out into the lake, in a direction
south of east ; the artificial channel being somewhat
over one thousand feet north of the natural outlet of
the river. The map, and a well-conceived correspon-
dence between residents of the settlement and influen-
tial members of Congress, caused general attention to
be called to the improvement of the harbor, in connec-
tion with the building of the canal. When in August of
this year 1830 the town of Chicago was surveyed, pro-
vision was made for a public levee on the general plan
adopted by Western river villages, and extending along
South Water Street. But the system applicable to the
light-draught river boats was not applicable to the large
lake craft. So the levee plan was abandoned, and the
location became a part of the wharfing property, which,
in later years, gave the corporation so much trouble.
The continued efforts made to improve Chicago's har-
bor bore fruit in 1833. For the purpose of obtaining
an appropriation, a map was sent to Congress, designed
to show what a growing town Chicago was. It indi-
cated the course of the river, the platted sections of the
town, and the contemplated subdivisions. This map,
undoubtedly, assisted in securing the appropriation of
$25,000, which was obtained from Congress, March 2,
1833. The works were immediately put in charge of
Major George Bender, his assistant superintendent be-
ing Henry S. Handy. Samuel Jackson was foreman of
construction, and held the position for some time. A.
V. Knickerbocker was appointed clerk, and continued
so to act for a number of years-.* Mr. Jackson arrived
from Buffalo June 27, 1833, in company with Joseph
Chandler and Morgan L. Shapley, and work was at
once commenced on the south side of the river, in front
of the fort. The first stone was procured about three
miles up the South Branch. The ties and timber were
cut upon the Calumet, and were rafted down the river
into the lake and thence along its shore to the harbor,
under the direction of Jones & McGregory, the con-
tractors for the wood work. Major Bender resigned
October 31, 1833 ; but under his direction between four
hundred and five hundred feet of the south pier were

finished. f Lieutenant James Allen took charge of the
works in January, 1834, serving until September, 1838.
During this season the appropriation of $32,801 was ap-

* M-jryan L. Shapley'f letter to John Wentworth, May to, 1879.
t Subsequently he was commissioned Captain of the First Dragoons, and
died at Fort Leavenworth August 23, 1846.

plied chiefly upon the work of extending the north
pier ; and, as a rule, for several years that structure was
kept from two hundred to three hundred feet ahead of
the south pier. The most of the stone was taken from
the quarry opened up on the South Branch. Subse-
quently ties and timber were procured in Wisconsin and
Michigan, with the exception of a small lot taken from
the North Branch in 1834-35. The appropriation of
1835 amounted to $32,800, and under Lieutenant Allen's
energetic management the work progressed most favor-
ably.* By the close of the season the north, or weather,
pier had been extended one thousand two hundred and
sixty feet into the lake, where a depth of twelve feet of
water was found, and most of the structure had been
completed to its full height of seven feet. The pier-
head was not constructed, for the reason that a new bar
commenced to form in the spring, at a point on the lake
shore about half a mile from the pier, and was now run-
ning obliquely, in a direction which threatened to form
an obstruction across the harbor entrance, a short dis-
tance from the end of the work. Already the depth of
the water on the line of the pier had been reduced from
ten and twelve feet to eight.. It was therefore resolved
to wait until winter was over, when it could be deter-
mined whether it would be necessary to extend the pier
across the new sandbar and shut out the threatened for-
mation from the harbor entrance. It is to be remarked,
however, that at the end of the north pier constructed
in 1834, and for sixty feet beyond, nine feet of sand
had been washed away, leaving a clear clay bottom, at a
depth of eighteen feet from the surface. Many vessels
had already found shelter there while discharging their
cargoes. The south pier, in 1835, was extended five
hundred feet, making its total length into the lake seven
hundred feet. It will be remembered that during the
season of 1833 a portion of it had been constructed
across the river and bar. The two piers now enclosed
a channel of two hundred feet in breadth, containing
from three to seven feet of water, and all was ready for
the dredging machines. Up to that time the current of
the river had made no great impression upon the sand
in the channel. Lieutenant Allen noticed that when the
season's work was completed $6,900 of the $32,000
would remain to be applied in 1836, and that $6,000
had been reserved for dredging purposes. Since the
opening of navigation until September, two hundred and
twelve vessels had arrived and discharged their cargoes
at the harbor. Concerning the effects of the " land
craze" upon his workmen he said :

" The great and continued emigration to the town and coun-
try has kept all kinds of grain and provisions scarce and dear, and
often difficult to procure at any price. The very great demand
for laborers and mechanics on the buildings and improvements of
the town has maintained a very high rate of wages for workmen.
The influx of this class of emigrants has been great, too; but the
apparent facilities offered them of securing valuable portions of
public land by settling on it — and which were confirmed to settlers
and claimants at the recent land sales here — have encouraged me-
chanics and laborers on arriving, or soon after, to abandon their
appropriate trades or occupations for a bright hope of soon making
their fortunes under the pre-emption laws. Some of my best
workmen, and who had been on the works since their commence-
ment, have, since the sales at this place, refused to continue at a
rate of wages from $1.50 to $2 per day. They have gone to
Milwaukee and elsewhere to make locations on public lands. The
constant changes of workmen thus made has been embarrassing
and expensive to the work."

Captain Allen's map, drawn in October, 1837, indi-
cates that, at this time, the south pier had been finished
from a point opposite Fort Dearborn, across the old
channel of the river, and so on out into the lake, a total

See report of Lieutenant Allen to Brigadier-Ge
r, dated September 30, 1835,

al C. Gratiot, chief c

CHICAGO HARBOR.

235

distance of one thousand eight hundred and fifty feet.
Some five hundred feet of the lake end with the bulk-
head was unfinished or only projected. The shore end
of the north pier for seven hundred feet had not been
finished, but it had been pushed out into the lake for
twelve hundred feet, with four hundred feet of pier and
bulkhead projected, in order to shut out the outer sand-
bar, which now extended beyond the end of this, the
weather pier. Of the old sandbar, between the river
and the lake, only a small tongue remained, about one
hundred and seventy-five by one hundred and twelve
feet. Although the eastern bank of the original chan-
nel was mostly washed away, its western boundary
(the swamp east of the fort) was visible then. In 1838
$30,000 was appropriated, but it became now evident
that the improvement was progressing under a wrong
plan. The prevailing currents of the lake had been
rapidly depositing sediment in the shape of sandbars,
which were backing up against the north pier, their
general trend being a little more to the north than the
old sandbar. Within the outer sandbar, which in 1837
extended beyond the finished portion of the north pier,
had been formed two bars. By the continued process
of deposit these were lifted further and further into
view, and the intervening space filled with sand, until
the second bar of 1837 virtually became the shore line
of 1838. Since the commencement of improvements
in 1833, the shore line had extended seven hun-
dred feet out into the lake along the north pier,
and was rapidly pushing farther in that direction. It
was only a question of short time before the third sand-
bar, which had already been formed beyond the pier,
would become a new shore line ; and it would seem, un-
less the direction of the work was changed, that the task
of protecting the harbor entrance would be an indefinite
contest between the governmental purse and the natural
forces of wind, wave and current. As the sandbars and
the shore line extended out into the lake, the pier, in
order to be of any benefit, would have to keep pace with
its progress. It was therefore decided to change the
direction of the pier 251^° more to the north* but the
appropriation of 1838 having been expended in extend-
ing the under-work four hundred and five feet in the
new direction and dredging the baralreadyformed.it
was found that this plan was no better than the old.
The bar continued to form not only because of the cur-
rents of the lake, but the wind blowing from the north
across the pier carried the sand from the beach into the
harbor itself. Vessels now made the entrance with great
difficulty in fair weather, and were entirely excluded
from shelter during storms. At the commencement of
operations in 1839 it was found that the bar had ex-
tended across the entrance to the channel, and four hun-
dred and fifty yards beyond. In the latter part of
March, 1839, Lieutenant (now General A. A. Hum-
phreys, who had succeeded Captain Allen, was relieved,
at his own request, by Captain T. J. Cram. Under him
Captain J. H. Leavenworth acted as agent in charge of
the harbor works, the only thing attempted up to 1842
being to preserve the protections already built. Under
him the superstructure of the pier was extended in the
new direction, and then further appropriations were cut
off. In April the board of engineers decided that all
expenditures upon the harbor would be for only such
work as might be necessary to protect what had been
completed up to that date. A few days later, lake cap-
tains were notified of the formation of the bar across
the harbor's entrance. Under date of September 1,
1839, when work was entirely suspended, Captain Cram

• Memorial to Congress of 1841.

reported as still unfinished several hundred feet on the
west end and four hundred and five feet on the east end
of the north pier ; also two hundred and fifty feet on
the west, and three hundred and eighty feet on the easl
end of the south pier. Repeated but unsuccessful ef-
forts were made by Chicago citizens to obtain appropria-
tions in 1839 and 1840; the apathy of Congress and the
evident attempt of that body to ignore the claims of
Chicago creating much dissatisfaction, and suggesting
the memorial of 1841. This document was signed by
Mayor Sherman, the Board of Aldermen ami City Clerk
Hoyne. It exhibited the commercial importance of
Chicago, showing that her average import trade for the
past six years had reached $1,500,000, her export trade
$348,362. The progress of work upon the harbor was
reviewed and the deplorable condition of affairs at that
time noticed. Piles and timbers from the upper end of
the north pier were being carried away, and the dredg-
ing machines and sand scows were going to pieces. Not
less than $4,000 would repair the damage already done.
The appropriation had run out and a permanent sand-
bar was rapidly forming. If assistance should not be
granted soon, " commerce would be without shelter and
human life and property endangered to a lamentable
extent." The memorialists not only prayed for " im-
mediate temporary," but for " immediate permanent"
relief. Chicago's claims continued to be pressed upon
Congress, and the result was that in 1843 an " 'tem " °f
$25,000 was obtained, to be expended upon the harbor.
With this sum a series of repairs and some new work
was effected, under the superintendence of Captain
George B. McClellan. Another appropriation $30,000)
was obtained in 1844, and during that year and the next
the height of the north pier was increased from one to
two feet. The appropriation was soon exhausted and
Congress was again begged for assistance. Citizens of
Chicago poured in upon that body facts and figures,
showing her importance as a lake port and the suprem-
acy of the commerce of the Great Lakes in which this
city led the way.

Including the appropriation of 1844 over $247,000
had been expended upon the harbor, with what results
the reader is informed. Two years followed, during
which the engineers made estimates, and the citizens
presented memorials. Even Congressman Went worth's
speech in favor of the. rivex and harbor bill, in Febru-
ary, 1846, did not break the monotony of the " No-
appropriation " period. President Jackson, the friend
of internal improvement, was dead, and President Polk
was his antipode. The estimate of 1846 to provide
for the completion of the north pier and for necessary
repairs was $24,297. It is well known that in August
of that year the river and harbor bill received the pres-
idential veto, which included $12,000 to be expended
on Chicago harbor and $15,000 for a steam dredge
boat to be used on Lake Michigan. The bill had,
through the endeavors of Mr. Wentworth. received the
powerful support of Daniel Webster, who addressed an
able letter to the convention which met in 1847. This
statesman had visited Chicago in 1837, had a fair
knowledge of the lake region, and was thoroughly able
to lay before the Senate his reasons for supporting the
appropriation. He pictured a terrific storm on Lake
Michigan, the despair of the crew, the wreck of the
vessel and remarked : "What but a merciful Providence
saved me from such a catastrophe when 1 passed over
Lake Michigan in 1837?" Notwithstanding the able
support which the bill received, and the decisive major-
ity which it obtained, President Polk vetoed it and the
whole Northwest arose against him. The summary

-\,6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

action of the Chief Executive attracted the attention of
the people, and, within a year, the great River and Har-
bor Convention was an accomplished fact.* William M.
Hall, agent of the Lake Steamboat Association, with
headquarters in St. Louis, is the acknowledged father
of this gathering, wherein was assembled much of the
political and commercial ability of the country, protest-
ing against the narrow views and action of the Presi-
dent of the United States.

At the close of the season of 1S46 Mr. Hall gave an
editorial dinner in the city of St. Louis, at which the
proceedings of the River and Harbor Convention, lately
held in Memphis, came up for informal discussion. The
conference concluded by Colonel A. B. Chambers, of the
Missouri Republican, turning to Mr. Hall, and suggesting
that the latter was the man of all others best fitted to
move in the matter of calling a river and harbor conven-
tion, irrespective of party, to urge upon Congress the
necessity of improving the water-ways of the West.
Mr. Hall thereupon visited Chicago, where he met R.
L. Wilson, Dr. W. B. Egan, S. Lisle Smith, and others,
who approved of the plan, and pledged themselves to
support the enterprise. Captain E. B. Ward and Oliver
Xewberry, of Detroit, Millard Fillmore and E.G. Spauld-
ing of Buffalo — in fact most of the influential commer-
cial and broad-minded men of the lake cities, of
Springfield, of Boston and of New York, were as a
unit in recognizing the grandeur and the beneficial
effects of the movement. Finally, at New York, Mr.
Hall met William Duane Wilson, Robert Fergus and a
few other Western gentlemen, and made arrangements
to hold a meeting, in furtherance of his project, at
Rathbun's Hotel. The meeting was quite largely at-
tended, and the committee recommended that a con-
vention be held in Chicago, June 17. The time was
subsequently changed to July 5. The committees on
arrangements appointed were as follows : Chicago,
William B. Ogden, S. Lisle Smith, George W. Dole ;
Milwaukee, Byron Kilbourne, W. D. Wilson ; Detroit,
Augustus J. Porter ; Cleveland, J. W. Allen ; Buffalo,
James L. Barton ; St. Louis, David Chambers. The
Chicago committee called a meeting in this city on No-
vember 13. It was largely attended, and resulted in
the preparation of an address, which so fairly presents
the prevailing sentiment and the aims of the July con-
vention that it is given entire :

" The high prices of freight, taken in connection with the loss
of life and property upon the Western waters last season, caused sev-
eral public meetings to be held in various sections of the country,
for the purpose of devising the best means of remedying those and
other evils of which the great mass of the people interested in com-
merce were complaining. At all these meetings the propriety of
holding a convention at some convenient point was discussed and
universally concurred in. In consequence of Chicago having been
generally named as the proper point, its citizens called a meeting,
named the 5th of July as the appropriate time, and chose the under-
signed a committee to draft an address, setting forth the objects of
the convention. The movers in this matter have been, from the
first, like the undersigned, of entirely different politics, and, so far
from there being, even in the remotest degree, any political design in
the contemplated convention, one of the chief objects of it is to call
together for a common object the men of all parties, and to con-
vince the people everywhere that the improvements desired are not
now, never have been, and never should be, connected with
'parly politics,' in the ordinary use of that term. Such a connection
would, in the minds of all interested, have a very deleterious tenden-
cy. It can not be denied that there is a predisposition among all
politicians to support the measure of a chief magistrate of their own
party, and hence we have seen Western representatives, originally
supporting harbor rind river improvements, and elected upon ex-
press pledges to do so, finally vote to support a veto of bills provid-
ing for that purpose, and assigning as a reason therefor that it was
their duty to sustain an executive of their own selection, e.ven

• ror fullj reliable and interesting account oi kiv,-r ;ind Harbor Convention
of 1847, see Fergus'* Historical ^•■t'v*.

though it be in express opposition to the wishes and interests of their
constituents. Repeated instances of this kind must eventually
give this question somewhat of apolitical cast, which the under
signed and all who cooperate with them would seriously regret.

The construction of harbors upon our northern lakes, as well
as upon the Atlantic, with the improvement of our great rivers,
where commerce is of a national character, necessarily involves no
questions of party difference. They are matters that must interest
all parties, as they do all classes, alike, and harbor and river bills
have been supported by the ablest men of both the great political
parties which divide this country. This subject has never entered
into any presidential canvass, since each party has always taken it
for granted that the candidate of the other was above suspicion
upon a matter of such preeminent importance. The first congress
that ever assembled under the present constitution, many of whose
members helped to frame it, passed a law defraying all expenses
which should accrue after the 15th of August, 17S9. in the necessary
support, maintenance, and repairs of all light-houses, beacons,
buoys, and public piers, erected, placed, or sunk, before the pass-
age of this act, at the entrance of, or within any bay, inlet, harbor,
or ports of the United States, for rendering the navigation thereof
easy ami safe. General Washington signed this bill, and bills for
the continuance of such work were also successively signed by
presidents the elder Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. The first
lake harbor bill was signed by Mr. Monroe. He never raised the
constitutional question, nor do the congressional debates of those
days show that any members of either branch of Congress made
any distinction between salt and fresh water improvements, or be-
tween foreign and domestic commerce. All at that time were
acknowledged alike deserving the fostering care of the General
Government, as they also were during the administrations of the
younger Adams, General Jackson and Mr. Van Buren. Though
remarkably scrupulous as to the extent of which the power to con-
struct works of internal improvements should be exercised, General
Jackson and Mr. Van Buren signed bills for the improvement of
rivers and construction of harbors to the amount of $7,Soo,ooo,
and the two bills signed by General Jackson in 1S36 contained no
less than eighty-nine items, and the bill of 1S37 no less than fifty-
nine. After the General Government has expended upward of
seventeen millions of dollars for works of internal improvement,
and mostly in the old States, by the consent and support of the very
framersof the constitution and their cotemporaries, and by men, too,
of all political parties, there can now be but little consideration due
the cry that ' it is unconstitutional,' or the plan of a single political
party to extend the advantages of such works to the new States, and
to such portions of the old States as have thus far been neglected.

"Thus disposing of the constitutional and political question, the
friends of harbor and river improvements arrive at the only one
which can rightfully be raised, and that is merely the question of
necessity. Is IT necessarv to protect our domestic as well as our
foreign commerce? Shall we protect the lesser and neglect the
greater ? For the past thee years, petitions have been presented to
Congress in vain: Senators and Representatives in Congress have
spoken in vain. The present Secretary of War, in his official reports,
has recommended in vain; and the whole topographical corps has
•estimated in vain; our bills have invariablv been vetoed, and we
have been unable to secure two-thirds of the popular branch. Con-
fident that there is wanting a knowledge of the necessity of these
improvements among the people or their representatives, since all
efforts at success have failed, it has been thought that a general con-
vention, and consultation, with personal observation, might do
much for us. There is not a State in the confederacv but that
touches the lakes, the ocean, or the great rivers of the West. The
lakes line almost our entire northern frontier, and separate us from
a foreign country; and the rivers, like arteries run through the
whole country, constituting an extent of navigation sufficient to
reach round the globe.

"These great waters, for whose safe navigation this Convention
is called, are soon to be united by the completion of the Illinois
& Michigan Canal. The commerce of Boston, of Philadelphia,
of Baltimore, of New York, of New Orleans, Cincinnati, St.
Louis, and, indeed, of the whole country, thence becomes in a great
measure connected. It has a common interest, and no injury
could, and the greatest advantages might rise from a common con-
sultation. It is a notorious fact that statements, during the pen-
dency of harbor and river bills before Congress, are made on the
highest personal authority, which never would be made if the au-
thors had any personal observation of the great inland waters of
this country, or could realize the necessity of the millions whose
lives and property are jeopardized by them. Delegates in attendance
will not only have the advantages of their own observation to take
back with them, but they can profit others meeting them here by a
consultation as to the best means of redressing existing wrongs
Having done this, they can impart the proper feelings to their
neighbors, and thus aid in arousing the people to take this matter
into their own hands, and see that their chief interests are no longer

CHICAGO HARBOR.

237

neglected. It is confidently hoped that a more intimate acquaint-
ance with the claims of these great waters, formed by men con-
gregated for this special purpose from all parts of the Union, will
result in sufficiently convicting and awakening the public mind to
secure the constitutional majority, should a harbor bill ever again
be vetoed. This Convention is designed to be one of free discus-
sion, and it is hoped that the opponents as well as the friends of
lake and river improvements will attend, and more especially since
it is-generally believed that they have only to see for themselves in
order to be convinced that these demands, coming from all our
great waters, are founded in justice.

"Although the construction of harbors and the improvement of
rivers will be the prominent subject before the Convention, yet,
whatever matters appertain to the prosperity of the West, and to
the development of its resources, will come properly before it, and
all plans and suggestions will be freely entertained. The commit-
tee invite a general attendance from all sections of the Union, and
tender, in behalf of their fellow-citizens, the hospitalities of the
city of Chicago to such, as impelled by a common interest, see fit
to honor them by their presence on this occasion.

" John Wentworth,
"George Manif.rre,
" J. Young Scammon,
" Isaac N. Arnold,
"Grant Goodrich."

As the date for holding the convention approached,
it was obvious that the aim of its originators
to avoid making it of any political significance had
been realized. Previous to its opening, letters were re-

ceived from Daniel Webster and Thomas H. Benton,
one the leading statesmen of the East, and the other
a leading statesman of the West, warmly endorsing the
objects of the convention and recognizing its national
character.

The first day of the convention was marked by the re-
ception of delegates by Mayor Curtiss. The procession
took up the line of march, through the principal streets
of the city, to the court-house square. Its order was as
follows: Marshal Maxwell; band; Cleveland Light Ar-

cj^ c^ta^^^^-^

tillery; Montgomerv Guards, under Captain W. B.
Snowhook; cavalry' under R. K. Swift; Ship-Conven-
tion; Engineers' Department, under Stephen F. Gale;
Fire Department; band; Committee of Reception; Illi-
nois delegation, six hundred strong; other delegations;

societies and orders of Chicago, etc. In the words of
the editor of the Evening Journal, July 6, 1847:

" Never was the birthday of our National Independence more
befittingly celebrated than on this day — to give freedom and tone
to the pulse of commerce — to cheer the mariner on his airy
shrouds — to brighten the homes and the hopes of thousands. Is
there, can there, be a nobler cause under which freemen can rally
in behalf of the State? That vessel with sails all set, and signals
Hying to the breeze, drawn by eight horses and manned through-
out by sailors, bore a banner eloquent of the object of this Con-
vention. It was a sea roughened by storms that lifted the waves
to the very heaven in a distance, but hard by was a Harbor where
' the winds and the waves lay together asleep,' and a light-house
lifting its star of jov and hope upon the rocky cliffs. Over all was
inscribed the significant words, 'What we want.' Ah! that ship

' Convention ' had a speech and an argument that appealed to the
eye and reached even to the heart; anil we are sure that it will not
be the fault of the body of delegates now assembled, if many a
gallant craft does not plough these inland seas and nobly breast the
storm, in the good hope of a light to guide it, and a safe harbor at
last."

When the delegates had taken their places in the
pavilion, William 11. ( >gden, of the Committee of Nine,

.Xj.

appointed at New York, September 28, moved that
James L. Barton, of Buffalo, be temporary chairman ;
Colonel A. B. Chambers, of St. Louis, and Hans
Crocker, of Milwaukee, secretaries. This motion was
carried, rules were adopted for governing the proceed-
ings of the convention, and the committee on permanent
officers presented a ticket to the convention, headed by
Edward Bates, of Missouri. A motion made to substi
tute Thomas Corwin, of Ohio, in place of Mr. Bates,
was thwarted by Mr. Corwin himself, who peremptorily
declined serving, under the circumstances. Mr. Bates,
although he had withdrawn from public life many years
previously, had been a resident of the West since early
manhood and having resided in St. Louis, was especially
interested in all matters connected with the improve-
ment and protection of navigation. While acting as the
sole congressional representative of Missouri, in the
days of the elder Adams, Mr. Bates had felt it his duty
to cast the vote of his State for that gentleman. To use
a phrase much in vogue among the politicians, Mr.
Bates was therefore " retired " from public life, and
had since resided in St. Louis, a respected and dis-
tinguished member of the Bar. When called to the
chair few members of the convention were aware of his
eminent fitness to guide the deliberations of so distin-
guished an assemblage. It is not within the province
of this article to go into details with regard to the pro-
ceedings of this convention. Suffice it to say, that
never before had there been a grander gathering of
men, so free from political aims ; nor has there been
one since where the statesman so predominated over
the party politician. The convention was held in an
immense tent pitched in the public square. It is esti-
mated that the attendance was fully twenty thousand,
of whom one-half were members of the convention.
Represented in that assemblage were leading men from
Massachusetts, New York, Kentucky, Indiana, Mis-
souri, Rhode Island, Iowa, Ohio, Connecticut, Pennsyl-
vania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Maine,
Illinois, New Jersey and New Hampshire. It was a
direct and national protest against the attitude of Presi-
dent Polk toward the improvements of the rivers and
harbors of the West, and indicated how weakly he was
supported. The sensations of the convention, how-
ever, were the wonderfully eloquent speech delivered
by Hon. Edward Bates, chairman of the meeting, and
the short, not to say curt, letter of regret, received
from Hon. Lewis Cass, of Michigan. Covernor Cass
evidently forgot the resources of the times, failing to re-
member that an internal improvement convention of 1847
was not to be conducted upon the basis of 1837, when
the wild fever swept over the State of Michigan as well
as Illinois. The session lasted three days, and an ex-
cutive committee, consisting of two members of the
convention from each of the eighteen States represented,

*3«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

was appointed to make known to Congress the principles
and views of this national gathering. As far as the
Chicago harbor is concerned, the convention apparent-
ly did not effect it until 1852. In October, 1849, Col-
onel J. J. Abert made an estimate for necessary im-
provements up to June 30, 1851; but the matter rested
with the estimate and no further appropriation was ob-
tained until 1 85 j. This amounted to $20,000 and was
expended in improving the inner harbor. Another
estimate was made for the year ending June, 1853, but
the subject passed unheeded by Congress and was not
reconsidered for the fourteen years intervening between
[85a and 1S66. During this period slight improvements
continued to be made on the inner harbor, under the act
of July 21, 1852. The works of the harbor from 1848
to 1S54 were under the superintendence of Lieutenant
J. D. Webster, of the Topographical Engineer Corps.
Lieutenant-Colonel J. D. Graham was in active charge
of the harbor improvements from April, 1854, to 1S55,
and from December 11, 1856, to April 20, 1864. Dur-
ing his term of service the deepening of the river at the
cost of the city was effected. He came two years after
the appropriation of 1852 was made, and ceased con-
nection with the work two years before the appropri-
ation of 1866 was granted.* The improvements effected
during the season of 1854 consisted of the dredging of
a ship canal through the bar which obstructed the direct
entrance of vessels to the inner harbor of over seven feet
draught, repairing harbor machinery, and preparing for
the defense of the piers beyond the line of accretion on
the North Side. Work was commenced in May, and the
channel was completed in July. Before the canal was
cut vessels from the north, drawing over nine feet of
water, were compelled to run down one-fifth of a mile
south of the north pier-head, and then double on a north-
wardly course to enable them to enter the harbor.
Vessels drawing twelve feet of water were compelled to
make the double of the bar a half mile south of the
north pier head. This oftentimes occasioned serious
delays, as die north wind which brought them south op-
posed an attempt en sail northwest to the entrance of
the harbor and. in fact, compelled them to anchor off
the bar until the wind changed or a steamboat was hired
to tow them into the inner harbor. In October, 1854,
the Common Council ordered the excavation of the
bank to be begun, under the grant made by Congress
for the purpose of widening the river. The city super-
intendent began the work immediately, but the officer in
charge of Fort Dearborn — Colonel Graham being then
absent — informed him that further action by Congress,
or the War Department, was necessary before any work
could be done, and forbade him to proceed. A few
weeks' work was accomplished on the excavation, later,
but it was not regularly begun until the following year.
The line for the excavation at Fort Dearborn, for widen-
ing the river, was not located until August 29, 1855.
The line, as laid, gave the river an additional width of
one hundred and fifty feet, below the Lake House ferry.
It gave also a new shore on the south to a portion of the
river, and rendered the turns easy for shipping. The
whole of River Street was thus secured. In 1856 the
improvement of the harbor at Fort 1 )earborn was ac-
complished at a cost of $40,000, while the improvements
in the vicinity of Blocks No. 6, 7 and 14, original town,

£43,000. The estimate furnished to Congress of
funds required for repairing piers and otherwise improv-
ing the harbor, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1857,

£138,516.68.
At the time of the survey of April, 1857, the north

•Colonel ). L). Graham'* Report to the chief engineer, December 31, 1855.

pier had been extended about two thousand eight hun-
dred feet into the lake. In the map drawn during that
year is shown the tide gauge at the shore end of the
pier. Some five hundred feet of the shore end of the
south pier remained uncompleted, while over one thous-
and five hundred feet had been constructed, provision
having been made for two openings. The map of April,
1857, also shows the pier of the Illinois Central Rail-
road Company, co.mmencing four hundred feet from
the shore end of the south pier, extending one thousand
three hundred feet south, seven hundred feet west,
about one hundred and fifty feet southwest and then
some one thousand two hundred feet south again. The
water basin beyond the pier was in progress of being
filled with earth.

By the foregoing it will be seen that the work of im-
proving Chicago harbor was one continued series of ex-
periments. From various surveys made from 1821 to
1857, it is shown that the difficulties were of no slight
nature. The following figures indicate the progress of
accretion, or the rate of motion of the shore line east-
ward :*

1821-33 380 feet.

IS33-37 320 "

1837-39 400 "

1839-45 350 "

1845-57 340 "

Wharfixg Privileges. — Closely connected with
the subject of the river and harbor improvement of
Chicago is the building of docks and the litigation in
regard to wharfage property. For many years the land
fronting on the river was such an object of controversy
between the city and the alleged owners that no uniform
dockage improvements were made. In 1833 the town
first defined the wharfing privileges so that owners of
lots fronting on the river, when the street run down to
it, might use all but eighty feet of the thoroughfare for
wharfing purposes, on payment of $15 per year. Stipu-
lations were also made for the purchase, by the corpora-
tion, of any improvements on lots leased from the
town. In 1835 the canal trustees, under an act of the
Legislature, caused a strip of land, lying south of the
river (one hundred feet to two hundred feet wide": to be
laid out into lots and leased for nine hundred and
ninety-nine years. The lessees were to pay quite a
consideration and an annual rental of one barley corn ;
and were also bound to build in two years a dock five
feet wide, fronting on the river, which was to be kept
open as a tow path. The trustees were required to
dredge the river, ten feet in front of the docks, within
four years from the sale, the lessees to erect good docks,
five feet wide and three feet above the water, within two
years from the time of the lease. The sale took place
November 26, 1835, at the store of Messrs. Jones, King
& Co. Soon afterward the trustees resolved that they
would not dredge the river in making leases on North
Water Street, and therefore they lowered the price of
the lots. To aid in paying for leases, secured notes
were taken for from three to six months, for the first
quarter of the payment, and three years were allowed
in which to pay off the balance. The sale was three
times postponed, and when it did take place only six lots
remained in market. In November, 1836, the time
for payment was extended four months, and when
the four months had expired the time was extended
indefinitely. Under these and other arrangements a
large amount of wharfing property changed hands, and,
within a decade, most of it was in dispute either between
private parties and the city of Chicago, or between the

* See topographical description of the locality, and the shore-line map in
preceding portion of *.hts work, j

MARINE INTERESTS.

239

city and the trustees of the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
The authorities rightly decided that something must be
done, and done quickly, to settle the validity of titles,
as on account of the bitter disputes, some of the prop-
erty had been abandoned completely, and the benefits
were being derived to a great extent by non-owners.
The act approved February 27, 1847, was designed to
adjust these titles and settle these disputes. It narrates
how those portions of land on South, North, East and
West Water streets, in the original town of Chicago,
bordering on the river, called wharfing privileges, were
a fruitful source of discord, dissatisfaction and illegal
violence, and that the owners were not getting the benefits
of the property. Power was therefore given the Common
Council to vacate these streets, provided that nothing
should be done to deprive any one or any corporation
(particularly the trustees of the Illinois & Michigan
Canal) of any property, without his or their consent.
Persons or corporations having claims against the wharf-
ing property were to file them in court, and to abide by
its decision, unless an appeal should be taken within
ninety days from the entering of the final decree. The
principal reason why it was necessary that the title
should be settled to this property, as soon as possible,
was that the city desired to widen the river in several
places, and, it is obvious, that, in order to condemn land
for that purpose, it was necessary to fix the ownership
of the water lots. Power having been granted to the
Common Council to vacate the water streets in October,
1847, that body proceeded, by ordinance, to describe
the land, in detail, which it was proposed to condemn
for the purpose of widening the river and of forming
several artificial basins. The lots on South Water Street
were to be fifty-five feet ; East Water and Market streets
were to be united and called Market Street, whose
width was to be one hundred and forty feet ; and lots
between Randolph and Madison streets were to be sold
to owners who were required to excavate to within
five feet of the channel of the river. To facilitate the
construction of a commodious basin, by the canal trus-
tees, on the North Side, and to deepen and widen the
channel of the main river, the city assented to the fol-
lowing street alterations : all of North Water Street
west of Wolcott ; all of Carroll Street east of the North
Branch and east of Water Street from North Water to
Kinzie to be vacated, the contemplated basin to be com-
menced at the channel of the North Branch of the Chi-
cago River, opposite the center of Carroll Street, east ±0
the east point of Block 15, south along the channel of
the main river, thence west and north along that chan-
nel and North Branch to the place of beginning. The
line of the lots in Blocks 1 to 7, of the old town, and
Lot 2, Block 1, of Kinzie's addition, be shifted forty feet
south of the present line, and the owners of the lots east
of the east line of the contemplated canal basin to exca-
vate the ground in front of the new line to the channel
of the river, within five years from January 1, 1S48. A
new street, to be called North Water, was to be laid out
and opened from Wolcott Street west to within one hun-
dred feet of the North Branch. In October, 1848,
workmen commenced widening the river to the center of
North Water Street.

As to the wharfing privileges of the West Side, in
January, 1849, the Common Council ordered the dredg-
ing of the west bank of the South Branch, from Madi-
son Street to Randolph, thence to Lake and Fulton.
The city was to lay out a new street extending from
Madison Street to Fulton, and discontinue that part of
West Water Street lying between the east line of the
new street and the river. As these improvements were

made and the dockage of the city somewhat extended,
ordinances were passed imposing fines upon any one
who should occupy or obstruct this property without
authority from the Common Council. Although these
energetic measures had the effect of inducing the im-
provement of water property, up to 1857 there was only
about six miles of dockage built along the Chicago River
and its branches, including the improvements in the
artificial basins.

MARINE INTERESTS.

The pioneer of everything in this country of the
Northwest is traced to some one of the French explor-
ers. Thus in 1679 LaSalle built the first sailing vessel
of the F/pper Lakes, and, launching it from Cayuga
Creek, a tributary of the Niagara River, departed from
"Buffalo harbor" for Green Bay. The figure-head of
this crude sailing-craft — a "griffin" — indicated its
name. The " Griffin " was therefore the father of the
numerous progeny which now cover the Great Lakes,
and stretch their wings toward Chicago. The next
navigating craft which should be dignified by the name
of the " marine of the lakes " were suggested by the
requirements of the fur trade, which called for a heavier
vessel than the light bark canoe of the early explorers
and missionaries. The Mackinaw barge therefore ap-
peared upon the lakes and with it the voyageurs.

"A wild-looking set were these rangers of the woods and
waters," says a well-known writer. " Their wierdness was often
enhanced by the dash of Indian blood. Picturesque, too, they
were in their red flannel or leather shirts, and cloth caps of some
gay color, finished to a point, which hung over on one side with a
depending tassel. They had a genuine love for this occupation,
and muscles that seemed never to tire at the paddle and oar. From
dawn to sunset, with only a short interval, and sometimes no mid-
da)' rest, they would ply these implements, causing the canoe or
barge to fly through the water like a thing of life ; but often con-
tending against head-winds and gaining but little progress in a
day's rowing. But how sweet was the rest, when a favoring breeze
sprung up enabling the little craft to carry sail. Then in came the
oars, down lopped each, and in a few minutes all were in the en-
joyment of a sound snooze. The morning and evening meal con-
sisted, almost universally, and from choice, of bouillon, a soup
made from beans, peas or hulled corn, with a piece of pork boiled
in it, and hard bread, or sea-biscuit. To the Northern voyageurs
rations were generally served out of one quart of hulled corn and
half a pint of bear's grease or oil, this being the daily and only
food. The traveler, Henry, says (1776): 'A bushel of hulled
corn, with two pounds of fat, is reckoned to be a month's subsist-
ence No other allowance is made, of anv kind, not even salt, and
bread is never thought of. After supper, pipes were lighted, and,
seated on logs, or squatted around the camp-fire, they chatted
until bed-time. This came early and required little preparation.
To wrap a blanket around the person, placing coat or shoe-pacs
beneath the head, and a little greasy pillow — the only bed that was
carried — constituted the whole ceremony ; and speedy and sound
was the sleep, beneath the watchful stars. The labor of the oar
was relieved by songs, to which each stroke kept time, with added
vigor. The poet Moore has well caught the spirit of the vov-
ageurs' melodious chant in his" Boat-song upon the St. Lawrence."
But to appreciate its wild sweetness one should listen to the melody,
as it wings its way over the waters softened by distance, yet every
measured cadence falling distinct upon the air. These songs,
usually half ballad or ditty, and love, of course, the main theme,
express the natural feelings of a people little governed by the re-
straints of civilization.' "

These barges and sailors were known at Chicago for
many years, but about the year 1 S30 both boats and
voyageurs ceased to visit the settlement, as the sloops
and schooners then introduced monopolized the lake
trade. As regards local marine interests, they, of course,
commenced with the arrival of the first vessel at the
mouth of Chicago River, after the Government had de-
termined to establish a post and a fort here. In 1795,
by treaty with the Indians, the Government came into

:4o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

possession of a tract of land six miles square at the
mouth of thai river. To this locality, in the summer of
i So;. Captain John Whistler's company was ordered
from Detroit to build a fort. While the troops under
Lieutenant Swearingen went overland to this point, the
schooner " Tracy," under its master, Dorr, was dis-
patched with supplies, having also on board the family
of Whistlers. At St. Joseph River they left the vessel
and took a row boat to Fort Dearborn.* On arriving at
Chicago the " Tracy " anchored about half a mile from
the shore, and sent her cargo ashore in boats. A sand-
bar shut up the mouth of the river, but there is no recol-
lection of a sandy island at the mouth, sometimes
spoken of. The schooner remained here four or five
days, the stores she brought, which were sufficient to last
the garrison a twelvemonth, being placed in tents. The
soldiers soon made a stockade, to protect the supplies
from the Indians. While the vessel was there, some two
thousand Indians visited the locality, being attracted by
so unusual an occurrence as the appearance in these
waters of " a big canoe with wings." Lieutenant
Swearingen returned with the "Tracy" to Detroit.
Being the first vessel of any size which visited Chicago,
it is not out of place to say that this schooner and a brig
were owned by the Government and were the only craft
under national control on the lakes. On its return voy-
age, the "Tracy" stopped at Mackinaw. A boister-
ous storm nearly destroyed the little schooner, of only
about ninety tons burden, but she finally reached De-
troit in safety. In 1809 Ramsey Crooks arrived at the
fort on board the " Selina." In 1814 the first merchant
brig " Union" was placed on the lakes, but being con-
sidered too large 96 tons she was laid up until the
growth of trade called her again into service. Late in
November, 1816, the schooner "Hercules" was
wrecked in the lake between the two Calumet rivers,
and all on board perished. f The first intelligence of the
fatal catastrophe was communicated by finding the
wreck of the vessel, and the bodies of the passengers
strewed along the shore. Several days, however, had
elapsed before this discovery was made, and the bodies
were so beaten and bruised by the spars of the wreck,
that the deceased could not be recognized by their feat-
ures. Among these was Lieutenant William S. Evileth,
an intelligent and promising young officer of engineers,
whose death was much lamented. He had been em-
ployed in the rebuilding of the fort, and had embarked
the day previous to the shipwreck, at Chicago, to return
to his friends, after a summer spent in arduous and use-
ful service. When the unfortunate young man was
found, his face had been so gnawed by wolves that he
could not have been identified, had it not been for the
military buttons of his clothes.

The " marine interests " of Chicago during these
early years were centered in the Mackinaw trading-
boats, which belonged to the American Fur Company,
and an occasional craft which stopped at the fort on
Government business. During a few years succeeding
the rebuilding of the fort, quite a number of vessels
were built for lake service, but they mostly plied
below Niagara Falls. In 1817, very soon after Fort
Dearborn had been reconstructed, the schooner "Heart-
less " arrived off the lake >h<>rc. Attempting to run up
the river she was beached in the sand. Efforts to float
her proved unavailing, and there she remained, a com-
plete wreck, and the first one which occurred within
sight of Fort Dearborn. A great event in the history

• Chicago " Antiquities," interview with Mrs. William Whistler. Also
Colonel Jam'-* S. Swearinjren's statements t<< Rev. !>r Barry.

Schoolcraft's Narrative J'.urn.i! i t94 B) other

authorities the wreck is vaid to have occurred early in October, 1818.

of the marine of the upper lakes was the trip made
by the first steamboat in the fall of 1818. The " Walk-
in-the-water," built at Black Rock, arrived at Detroit
on August 27, her general appearance being that of a
schooner with an engine and two side-wheels. Her
engine was not powerful enough to take her from the
wharf at Black Rock up the rapids to the lake; so a
dozen yokes or so of oxen were employed to assist.
The " Walk-in-the-water " was wrecked in Buffalo Bay.
November 1, 1821. That boat left Detroit July 31, of
this year, and arrived at Green Bay August 5.* Her
tonnage was three hundred and forty-two, and her en-
gines were what are known as " low pressure." Some
time previous to 1819, a few months before Jean Bap-
tiste Beaubien was transferred from the American Fur
Company's post at Milwaukee to Chicago, the L'nited
States revenue cutter "Fairplay" arrived outside the bar,
and then proceeded to enter the river. This task was
successfully accomplished, and for the first time a sail-
ing vessel, other than a yawl or Mackinaw boat, was
anchored in the river just north of Fort Dearborn. A
few years after the " Walk-in-the-water " had been
wrecked, various schooners, such as the " Chicago
Packet " and the " Virginia," plied in these waters. In
1829, an Ohio distiller, who had touched at Mackinaw,
Detroit and Milwaukee, in a vain attempt to dispose of
a load of whisky, reached Chicago in his boat. After
ridding himself of all but ten barrels, he proceeded on
his way to Grand River. But it was not this brisk
trade of 1829 which gave an impetus to lake interests;
the opening of communication between Lakes Ontario
and Erie was what accomplished it. Communication
was first established in 1831, via Port Robinson and
Chippewa, thence via Niagara River to Lake Erie. The
first vessels which passed through were the " Erie " and
the " Ontario," two American schooners, followed bv
the Canadian craft, " Anne and Jane."

During March, 1831, after the United States engi-
neers had suggested a plan for the improvement of
the harbor, an appropriation of $5,000 was ob-
tained for the erection of a light-house. Before
it was fairly completed, however, on October 30, of
that year, the structure fell. A few hours before it
toppled over, so confident were man}' there was no dan-
ger of its falling, that several went upon the top of it,
some of the visitors being women. The walls were
three feet thick, and the tower had been raised to a
height of fifty feet. Samuel Jackson was the contractor.
He claimed that the light-house was built on quick
■sand, which caused the building to settle and fall ;
others held that the cause was the defective manner in
which it was built. Another tower, forty feet high, was
begun and completed by Mr. Jackson in 1832. It boasted
of a fourteen-inch reflector. Samuel S. Lasby was the
first, and Mark Beaubien the last, keeper of the old
light-house. During the year 1831 three vessels ar-
rived in Chicago. The first, which came May 20, took
away the troops to Green Bay, leaving the garrison in
charge of Colonel T. J. V. Owen, the Indian Agent.
The year 1832, however, may be considered the com-
mencement of the importance of the lake marine. Not
only had communication been fairly established between
the Upper and the Lower lakes, but the excitement of
the Black Hawk War had caused considerable travel,
soldiers coming from the East to the scene of the
troubles, and fugitives scattering from the western
country towards the East. This Black Hawk campaign
was the occasion of the arrival of Chicago's first steamer,
the "Sheldon Thompson," in command of Captain A.
•Letter "f A. 11. Edwards, page .,. •. John Wentworth's "Fort Dearborn."

^b^c^T^cs'

MARINE INTERESTS.

241

Walker. He brought a boat load of General Scott's
soldiers, July 10, 1832 ; also the Asiatic cholera, whose
ravages are sufficiently detailed in the article on sani-
tary affairs. At that time there was a fleet of vessels at
anchor in the offing. Some eight days after the arrival
of the " Sheldon Thompson " the " William Penn" ap-
peared in Chicago harbor, with troops and supplies.
From the year 1832 different steamboats made occa-
sional trips to Chicago, the " Daniel Webster," " Mon-
roe," "Columbus," "Anthony Wayne," "Bunker Hill,"
and others. In the year 1833, three brothers, Leonard
C, Peter D., and Hiram Hugunin, sailed a yacht, named
the "Westward Ho," from Oswego to Chicago. After
a voyage of nearly three months, they in August arrived
outside the sandbar, went ashore, hired eight yoke of
oxen, and hauled their vessel over the barricade into
the river. The " Westward Ho " may therefore be con-
sidered the first lake boat, belonging to private parties,
to fairly enter the river. The next year, when immigra-
tion to Chicago was active, the vessel interests received
added impetus. Early in April a schooner arrived from
St. Joseph, Mich., and two vessels cleared for that port.
Between the 20th and the 30th of that month no less
than one hundred immigrants arrived by boat at Chi-
cago. The most noted of early steamers was the
old " Michigan," built by Oliver Newberry, of De-
troit, who, for many years, was largely en-
gaged in the commerce of the lakes. This was
the first steamboat which entered the river below Dear-
born Street, arriving in June, 1834. The appearance
of the first schooner, as it sailed up the river to Wolf
Point was greeted with even more enthusiasm than
hailed this craft. The date was July 12, 1834, and
about nine o'clock in the morning the hearts of Chi-
cago's citizens, in th.e language of the Democrat, were
gladdened by the appearance of the splendid schooner
" Illinois," as she came gliding up the river into the
heart of the town, under full sail. She was a vessel of
nearly one hundred tons, launched during the spring,
at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., and commanded by Captain
Pickering. Her topmast was covered with streamers,
and her canvas was spread to invite the gentle breeze,
the banks of the river were crowded with a delighted
crowd, and as she reached the wharf of Newberry &
Dole, where she stopped, she was greeted with loud and
repeated cheers. Her decks were immediately crowded
by the citizens, all anxious to greet her commander
with a warm and hearty welcome. The draw-bridge
was soon raised, and she passed on to the upper end of
the town, came to Ingersoll's wharf in front of the
Western Stage Company. On her passage up the river
more than two hundred visitors were on board. Two
days after the arrival of the " Illinois," came the " Phil-
lip." In the fall of 1834 the "Illinois" made her re-
turn trip from Cleveland, bringing provisions to the set-
tlers at Chicago and Milwaukee. The old steamer
" Michigan," made one or more pleasure trips around
Lake Michigan, and she, with her veteran commander,
Captain Blake, were great favorites with the traveling
public. In 1834 three steamboats landed at Chicago
and two at Green Bay. Such was the advent of steamers
and schooners into Chicago River, and the heart of the
growing town was at last connected with the navigable
heart of the great Northwest. Soon afterward a large
class of steamers commenced making regular trips from
Buffalo, touching most of the intermediate ports.
Among the number was the "James Madison," owned
by Charles M. Reed, of Erie, and built with particular
reference to the upper-lake trade. Her capacity for
freight and passengers was the largest upon the lake at
16

that time. Still later in 1837 came the steamer " Illi-
nois," owned and built by Oliver Newberry and de-
signed for the Chicago trade. She combined strength,
speed and beauty, and, under Captain Blake was a fav-
orite for many years. Says Captain Walker (formerly
of the "Sheldon Thompson "j in regard to the develop-
ment of steamboat navigation :

" From year to year emigration to Illinois and Wisconsin con-
tinued to increase, until a daily line of boats was established
between Buffalo and Chicago, while at the same time the public
demands were such as to require a still further advance, and a dif-
ferent class and style of boat with better accommodations and in-
creased facilities, suited to the condition and circumstances of a
large class of the more refined and wealthy, who were then emi-
grating and settling throughout your and the adjoining states. And
hence the necessity of introducing the upper-cabin boat. When
the ' Great Western ' first made her appearance upon the lakes,
and during the two years in which she was being built, many,
who claimed to be judges, expressed doubts of the practicability
and seaworthiness of that class of boats. But in a few trips she
became a favorite with the public, and, notwithstanding the opin-
ions and prejudices of a few, was the means of bringing about an
entire revolution in the constrution of our steam marine upon the
lakes, causing all the boats in commission and contemporary with
her, to convert their lower-cabins in steerages and freight-holds,
and substitute the upper-cabin. * * * It is proper here to say
that the ' Great Western ' was built expressly for the upper-lake
trade, and continued to make regular trips for ten successive years.
Of the estimation placed upon her during those years, it is not my
province here to speak, more than to say that she was designed,
modeled by, and under my command during that period. At that
time(iS3S) the principal forwarding houses in the city were Kinzie
& Hun'.er, Newberry & Dole, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Esq., Bristol &
Porter, the latter of whom were then agents and consignees for the
above-named boats, Mr. Hubbard being the agent for the " Great
Western." Subsequently she ran to the docks of Messrs. Walker,
Smith and others as her agents and consignees."

A regular line of steamboats was established between
Chicago and Buffalo in July, 1839, a boat leaving and
arriving at Chicago every alternate day during the sea-
son of navigation. On the 6th of that month Ceneral
Winfield Scott arrived at Chicago on the steamer " Illi-
nois." The "Thomas Jefferson," "James Madison,"
"Buffalo" and "Illinois" were put upon the route.

Ship building, according to Captain Peter F. Flood,
who arrived from Oswego in June, 1835, commenced in
Chicago during that year. The "Clarissa" was begun
in the spring of 1835, °Y Nelson R. Norton, but was
not completed, or launched, until May 18, 1836. The
" Detroit", Captain John Crawford, was built at Milwau-
kee in 1836-37 for the Chicago trade, at a cost of $50,-
000. This vessel was lost off Kenosha in November,
1837, after only six months' service. About this time
(1836) an association of the then young, energetic and
enterprising citizens was formed, and they commenced
the building of the steamer "James Allen." It was
completed in 1838, Captain C. H. Case having charge
of its construction. The boat was built for a company
comprising George W. Dole and J. H. Kinzie. Captain
Pickering was master of the steamer. The ship-yard
was on "Goose Island." The "Allen " was built to be
fast, and to run across Lake Michigan from St. Joseph
to Chicago, in connection with the stage and mail line.
Her hull was narrow and sharp in form, arid light in
material. Two powerful, low pressure, horizontal
engines were put on the guards, on the main deck. The
boilers were small, and, on trial, proved to be insuffi-
cient. When the "Jim Allen" had steam up and
started on her trial trip for St. Joseph, she went out of
Chicago at a speed that pleased, as well as astonished,
her owner and designer. The first fourteen miles were
run inside of an hour. Then the engines began to
" slow up " and the voyage took about ten hours. Every
effort was made to keep up the supply of steam to the
two large engines, but the result was the same as expe-

242

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

rienced during the outward trip. To use the expression
of her commander, she would run the first thirty min-
utes "like a skeered dog," then her speed would gradally
slacken to about seven miles an hour, and nothing could
coax her to do any better. For two seasons, notwith-
standing the utmost exertions taken, there was no im-
provement in the " Allen's " average rate of speed, and
s'.ie was then sold and taken to the lower lakes.

The " George W. Dole " was also built by Captain
Case, soon after the completion of the "James Allen,"
and the two run together over the St. Joseph and
Michigan City route. The former was sunk at Buffalo,
in 1856, having previously been changed into a sailing
vessel. These were the first and only steamers built in
Chicago previous to 1842. Captain Case afterward went
to St. Louis.

Among the early ship chandlers were Hugunin &
Pierce, Foster & Robb and Dodge & Tucker. George
F. Foster came to Chicago in July, 1837, and with his
nephew, George A. Robb, opened a sail loft in the attic
of a two and-a-half-story building on North Water
Street. In the spring of 1839 they bought out the old
firm of Hugunin & Pierce, ship chandlers and grocers,
and established the first sail-making house in the West.
His sons still continue in the same business.

William Avery, who built the steamboat "Chicago"
arrrived at Chicago, February 25, 1837. He was a
prominent steamboat builder from 1837 up to the time
of his death in 1840.

In 1S42 Captain James Averell established a ship-
yard, on the North Side, just below Rush-street bridge,*
and very soon after Thomas Lamb commenced business
near the same place. In July of that year the "Inde-
pendence," the first propeller built on Lake Michigan,
and the third one ever run on the lake, was launched
from this ship-yard. She was a large vessel for those
days, being of two hundred and sixty-two tons burden.
Abaft the cabin in the " after-run " was placed an en-
gine with which to run a propeller wheel, in case of
head winds. The " Independence " was for years a
successful sailing vessel, and it is claimed that she was
the first steam barge of the lakes. She was wrecked on
Lake Superior in 1853. In 1845-46 Captain Averill
built the brigantine " S. F. Gale " for George F. Foster.
He also constructed many other vessels, and of large
size for those days. Among them were the schooner
" Maria Hilliard," the brigs " Sultan," " Minnesota,"
and " Mary," the barque " Utica " and the scow " Ark,"
one of the first, if not the pioneer craft of that character
ever constructed to navigate Lake Michigan.

Until 1841 the steam marine held sway over the
lakes, and steamboats were the favorites. The old
" North America," " Commodore Perry," " Illinois "
and " Michigan," are well remembered. The great
line between Buffalo and Chicago, with such masters as
Captains Blake and Appleby, served to sustain the rep-
utation of that kind of craft for speed and safety. " It
was sometimes positively thrilling," says Levi Bishop,
"to see old Captain Blake on the upper deck in a
storm, as he maintained his perfect self-possession and
directed the ship beneath him. * * The owner of
the ' Illinois ' was a well known citizen. He was pop-
ularly known as the 'Commodore of the Lakes.' He
was a Whig of the Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and
John J. Crittenden school. He was a patriotic citizen,
and, as expressing his sentiments and the true spirit
of the State and National government, he placed at the
masthead of the ' Illinois,' a steamer nearly or quite
forty feet long, with the words ' State Sovereignty and

• Colbert'* " Chicago."

National Union ' inscribed upon it in large and con-
spicuous letters. That old steamboat and the national
sentiment were the pride of Oliver Newberry, as well as
the pride and boast of all beholders."

The fall of 1841 was marked by a series of obstacles
and disasters in communicating with the lower lake
ports, and public opinion commenced, especially to be
set against steamboat navigation. Many of the boats
had already served their day, and their large and
ungainly sidewheels were evidently too good marks for
the heavy waves of the lakes to miss. The old steam-
ers "United States" and "Chesapeake" and other
ancient craft, on their way from Lake Erie to Chicago,
were disabled more or less, and in August occurred the
burning of the " Erie."

Commencing with 1843, the steamboat had a serious
competitor to contend with — the propeller. The " Van-
dalia," of Oswego, a sloop-rigged craft of one hundred
and fifty tons was the first propeller to appear on Lake
Erie, and the " Independence," built in Chicago, was
launched soon afterward. Within the next two years
over twenty new propellers were placed upon the lakes;
one, the "A. Rosseter," coming from Chicago. This
boat was wrecked on Lake Michigan in 1855.

The ship-yards of Chicago were now beginning to
present unusual signs of activity. In 1845 there were
constructed the schooners " Maria Hilliard," " J. Young
Scammon," and " Ark ; " in 1846 the barque " Utica,"
brig " Ellen Parker " and schooner " N. C. Walton."*
In 1847 eight schooners had been, or were being built,
in Chicago, one brig and one propeller — the "A. Ros-
seter " — a total tonnage of 4,833. Nineteen schooners,
one propeller and one brig owned by Chicago people.
The leading ship-builders at this time were Messrs.
Jordan, Miller & Conners. The latter afterward
formed a partnership with Riordan & Dunn, on the
South Side, near Van Buren-street bridge.

The Congressional act for the erection of light-
houses was passed March 1, 1847, when $3,500 was
appropriated for Chicago.

The year previous Chicago had been changed from a
port of delivery, to a»port of entry. In 1850 the dis-
trict was divided so that Milwaukee also became a port
of entry.

Chicago's importance as a marine port was further
recognized by Congress in an appropriation of $10,000
for the erection of a hospital, the act being passed in
1848. The Marine Hospital was built on the east side
of Michigan Averue, in the north part of Block 5, Lots
2, 3, 4, and 5, and the south ten feet of Lot 1. These
grounds were sold to the Michigan Central Railroad
Company, and the building was destroyed during the fire
of 1871.

From 1850 the building of vessels at Chicago, and
for the Chicago trade, and their ar/ivals and departures
formed so large an element of her commerce that it is
impossible to trace each craft from the stocks to the
bottom of the lake, or to record each arrival and depart-
ure, as a noteworthy event. It is not only impossible
but unnecessary, and only the most important steps in
the growth of the lake marine will hereafter be noticed.
In March, 1853, daily communication was established
with Milwaukee by a line of boats, and in July two ves-
sels of Ward's line were put on. The opposition line start-
ed the steamer " Garden City," August 1, and a few
days later direct weekly communications were opened
between Chicago and Sault Ste. Marie. The " Garden
City " was wrecked on a sunken reef off St. Mary River,

• Statistics prepared by Je
Harbor Convention of 1847.

B. Thomas, by authority o( the Riv

MARINE INTERESTS.

243

May 19, 1854. Fortunately, all the passengers were saved.
At this time Chicago had no life-boat, but was obliged
to depend, in time of storm, when vessels were ground-
ed on the bar and the lives of the crews in peril, upon
such boats as steamers or propellers then in the harbor
might have to send out. After the terrible storm of
April 27, 1854, however, by which seven vessels were
wrecked and seven lives lost, almost within sight of
Chicago, it was urgently suggested by the Press of the
city that the Government furnish a life-boat to the port.
The harbor master, Captain Edward Kelly, immediate-
ly undertook the circulation of a petition for a boat.
In October two life-boats were supplied. Two months
previous to the time when they were obtained, Colonel
Graham, in charge of the harbor improvements, had per-
fected his plan for the construction of a light-house. It
was proposed to extend from the north pier head, crib
work north and then west, in order to protect the light
from the influence of storms and from contact with
spars of vessels. Within this projection he proposed to
build the light-house upon nine iron screw piles, eight
of them forming an octagon thirty-three feet in diame-
ter, with one in the center. The light-house was to be
in the shape of a right prism, five feet above the water
level. Above this it was to assume the form of a trun-
cated pyramid, to the height of fifty-seven feet. Upon
this a framework was to be erected supporting the
watch-house and lantern, and giving seventy-three feet
above the surface of the lake for the focal flame.

The increase of tonnage in the district including
Chicago, Waukegan and Michigan City, in 1S54, was
very great. From the 1st of January to the 15th of
May there were enrolled at the customhouse forty-six
vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 9,496. With a
few exceptions these were all owned in Chicago. The
total tonnage of the district was 44,602.
Collins

The season of navigation for 1855 was disastrous,
the storms raging with unusual fierceness during Sep-
tember and November. Among the casualties of local
concern were the wrecking of the brig " Tuscarora" and
the explosion of the steam tug " Seneca." The "Tus-
carora" went to pieces in the storm of September 18,
just outside the harbor, but all the crew were saved.
The " Seneca" blew up while passing Randolph-street
bridge, October 16, 1855. The explosion tore theupper
works of the boat to pieces, and killed the captain and
engineer. The '• Seneca" was an old boat, having been
in use sine? 18 7. The cause of the explosion was not
known, owi.i^ tj the death of the engineer; but from the
fact that the boiler was subsequently taken out of the
river, and found to be intact, it is supposed that the ex-
plosion was due to a defective steam pipe. During
October the schooner "Mark H. Sibley" and the barque
" Pathfinder'-' were sunk in the outer harbor. The sea-
son of 1856 was even more fruitful of disasters than the
previous year. In May the propeller " Bay State," in
approaching the harbor, struck a sunken anchor about
forty rods from the pier, and went down in five minutes.
The steamer " Northern Indiana" took fire near Toledo,
in July, and burned to the water's edge. Some Chicago
citizens were on board. The brigs "A. R. Cobb" and
"Happy Go Lucky" went to pieces on the pier, October
13. During the storm of October 24, several vessels
were wrecked outside Chicago harbor. The scow
"Yankee," the schooner "General Taylor" and the
barque " Quebec" were all more or less disabled. Sev-
eral vessels were also scuttled and sunk while attempt-
ing to enter the harbor during the storm of November
6. The schooners " N. C. Walton" and " Charles How-

ard" were wrecked on the pier of the outer harbor,
December 2, and a few days afterward navigation
closed.

It was during this year July, 1856 that the first di-
rect clearance was made from Lake Michigan for
Europe by the steamer " Dean Richmond." The con-
signor was C. J. Kershaw, of Montreal, who hoped to
ship a full cargo of wheat from Chicago ; but here he
could only obtain 5, ceo bushels and was forced to s< ek
the balance — 9,320 bushels — at Milwaukee. She left
Chicago about July 14, had her full cargo on the i8th,
and sailed for Europe on the 19th. The " Dean Rich-
mond " was a new vessel. She arrived in Liverpool on
the 29th of September ; the trip from her docks at
Cleveland to Chicago being her first, and her European
voyage her second. The trade between Chicago and
Canada was now gathering considerable volume. In
1857 it amounted to over $222,000. The vessels regu-
larly engaged in the trade between Chicago and the
other lake ports during this year were those of the
American Transportation, \\ estern Transportation,
Northern Transportation, the Clement Steamboat,
and the Lake Navigation companies ; and those of the
People's Buffalo and Chicago, Old Oswego, Chicago
and Lake Superior lines. Quite a noted foreign arrival
was that of the "Madeira Pet," which left Liverpool
April 24 and arrived off Chicago harbor July 14, 1857,
entering the river in the afternoon and anchoring at the
north pier. About this time the Democratic Press de-
scribes the measures taken to protect the lake marine as:

"First the light-house, well enough when it was built twenty
years ago, hut now surrounded and shut from the view of the mari-
ner by a number of higher buildings between it and the lake—
perfectly useless — but lighted up punctually and carefully every
night. Then came sundry old houses and any quantity of fcows
and old dredging machines and piles of timber, rotten and falling
to pieces. One cannot help thinking how much good Ihey might
have done, if worn out in actual service, or calculating how many
dollars were ' sunk ' in their construction and accumulation. 1 hen
come the piers— gone to decay, under the power of the elements,
until it is scarcely possible for sailors to walk along them to carry
their lines, and hardly a Snubbing post ' where they can ' take a
turn' or 'make fast.' Outside lies the bar. It cannot be seen, it
is true, but there it is, and has been these many years, periling
property and life, while for more than a year $i8,oco unexpended
appropriation for this harbor has lain in the treasury, and not even
a buoy has been placed to mark out the dangers to the tempest-
tossed seeking for safety."

The Press drew attention to the effective work which
was being accomplished by the Illinois Central Rail-
road, in the way of piers, breakwater, etc., and sug-
gested that the company and the city take hold of the
harbor improvements and " snap their fingers in the face
of niggardly Uncle Sam." '1 his crushing course of
procedure, however, was not taken, and eventually
Uncle Sam came to his senses.

Light-House Keepers. — The first light-house
keeper was Samuel C. Lasby, then William M. Stevens
was keeper, then John C. Gibson ; then William M.
Stevens again held the office. The directories of Chi-
cago give the following as light-house keepers, during
the periods specified, and John Wentworth* gives the
names of the Presidents appointing them, as prefixed
to their names : Harrison — Silas Meacham, 1844 ; Polk
— James Long, 1845 to 1849 ; Taylor — Charles Doug-
lass, 1850 to 1852; Pierce — Henry Fuller, 185310 1855;
Buchanan — Mark Beaubien, February 19, 1855, to Oc-
tober 7, 1859, at which latter date he resigned.

Custom House and Collectors.! — Before the
establishment of Chicago as a port of entry, the town

*" Fort Dearborn," by John Wentworth, LL. D., Fercus's Histrical Series.
+ Hon. Charles T. Folger, Secretary of the Treasury, courteously furnished
valuable information on this subject.

-44

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

was a tributary to the Detroit District, and the revenue
was collected by Seth Johnson, formerly an officer of
the garrison, with the office at 38 Clark street. Upon
April 1, 1S46, William B. Snowhook was appointed
special surveyor of the port of Chicago, and after the
making of Chicago as a port of entry by the act of July

£% &&/>-.

?^Z^^^U>

16, 1S46, on August 10, 1846, he was appointed Collector
of the Port ; some time during his administration remov-
ing the custom-house to No. 3 Clark Street.

William B. Snowhook was born in Raheen, Queen's
County, Ireland, on March 25, 1S04, and left the land of his birth
when only eight or nine years old, for New York. At the printing
office of Thomas McElrath, he learned the trade, under the tuition
of William F. Porter; William B. Snowhook and Horace Greeley
working together in this office for some time. About the age of
sixteen, Mr. Snowhook paid a visit to Ireland, where he remained
for two years, and then went to New Orleans and engaged in build-
ing levees by contract, afterward returning to New York and con-
tracting for the building of a portion of the Morris & Essex Canal.
The performance of this work gained him a reputation, and he
received a contract for building a portion of the Maumee Canal;
upon the completion of which he came to Chicago, in the earlv
part of i$36, and, with William B. Ogden, George W. Snow and
others, he took a contract on the construction of the Illinois &
Michigan Canal. In the directory for 1844 he is designated as a
grocer, with his store on Clark Street, near South Water; about
1S4S the firm becoming Lonergan & Snowhook, remaining under
this style until about 1S51, when Thomas Lonergan retired, and
Mr. Snowhook gave his attention to the produce commission busi-
ness, in which branch of business he was a pioneer. Mr. Snow-
hook raised and equipped the Montgomery Guards, of which
company he was Fourth Sergeant, warranted April 8, 1842; First
Lieutenant, commissioned May 2, 1S42, and Captain, commissioned
April 3, 1S47, and in 1S46, during the Mormon disturbances at
Nauvoo, Governor Ford commissioned him Colonel on his staff,
which military title clung to him until his death. In 1847 he was
Alderman of the Eighth Ward. In 1S55 he gave up active busi-
ness to follow the study of the law, and in 1S57 was admitted to
the Bar, varying his legal studies by running against John L.
Wilson for Sheriff, in 1856, by whom he was defeated. He also
took a course of lectures in the law department of the Chicago
University, graduating from that institution with honor in 1858.
In i36o he associated himself with Samuel A. Irvin. In 1861, at
the outbreak of the Civil War, Colonel Snowhook was authorized
to recruit men for the volunteer service, and was largely instru-
mental in raising men for the famed Irish Brigade. For his work
in this behalf he received the thanks of the Governor. In 1865
the firm of Irvin & Snowhook was dissolved, and Colonel Snow-
hook took George W. Gray as a law partner, the firm subsequently
becoming Snowhook, Johnston & Gray, and so remaining until the
day of his death, on May 5, 1882. Colonel Snowhook was twice
married, his second wife dying in 1S70. He left two children,
Patrick W. Snowhook, a member of the law firtn, and Mrs. Mary
Tuttle.

On May 3, 1849, Jacob Russell was appointed Col-
lector, and Valentine A. Boyer was Deputy Collector,

which latter position was occupied by James Breck, Jr.,
in 1850. In 1852 the custom-house was located at 129
South Water Street. Upon March 18, 1853, William B.
Snowhook was re-appointed Collector, Philip Conly suc-
ceeding him on July 10, 1855 ; and in the year 1856
the custom-house was removed to 13 LaSalle Street.
In 1856, Philip Conly is designated as sub-treasurer of
the United States, and in this year Thomas J. Kinsella
was Deputy Collector. March 31, 1857, Jacob Fry was

appointed Collector, retaining that position until June
15, 1858, when Bolton F. Strother was appointed, at
which time Frederick C. Russell was Deputy Collector.
In 1836, the exports were $1,000.64, and the imports
$325,203.90 ; while in 1857 the imports from Canada
were $326,325, and the duties on imports at Chicago
were $143,009.23 ; while the value of exports, in 1857,
was $1,585,096.

In 1843, there was a Government agent resident at
Fort Dearborn named Charles L. Schlatter, who was
succeeded by William Gamble, in 1845, whose province
was to oversee the improvements made in the harbor ;
William Gamble remained in charge until the work was
taken charge of by the topographical engineers.

RAILROAD vs. CANAL.

It took many years for the people of Illinois to
decide the proper highway over which the wealth of the
Northwest was to pass, should be a combination of lake
and railroad, rather than of lake, canal and river. The
river towns had, since the first settlement, enjoyed a
monopoly of the public favor, and even for some time
after a few railroads had been chartered, these proposed
highways seemed to push towards the river and to
promise most of their benefits to the river sections. St.
Louis, especially, which had for many years enjoyed a
large river trade, was looking for still greater com-
mercial supremacy, whether the rich State to the east
should decide to throw its energies into the improve-
ment of the Illinois & Michigan Canal or into the
development of a grand railway system. The handi-
work of this wealthy Missouri town is early seen in the
legislative proceedings of Illinois. The first movement
in this State looking toward the construction of a rail-
way was an act passed in January, 1831, authorizing a
survey from the bluffs of St. Clair County, along the
American bottom, to the Mississippi River, near St.
Louis. Commissioners were appointed for this pur-
pose. At the same session the commissioners of the
Illinois & Michigan Canal were to ascertain whether a
railroad or a canal would be preferable between the
Chicago and Desplaines rivers. A canal was deemed
most desirable. Even the plank roads through Illinois
seemed to be naturally tending toward the great river
town. Already a State road had been built from Vin-
cennes, Ind., to St. Louis, and was much traveled! In
1832 the Springfield & Alton Turnpike road was incor-
porated, its river terminus to be in St. Clair County,
opposite St. Louis. Chicago was, however, early alive
to the necessity of constructing a system of railways
which should cut the many ties then binding her own
legitimate territory to her old rival. There was yet,
another candiate for commercial supremacy in the field,
and the State was, for some time, undetermined as to
whether the harbor and the canal of Chicago would
tend to develop this city into a greater business center
than the lead mines would the village of Calena. As
previously remarked, the friends of Chicago saw the
necessity of doing something to bring her naturally
tributary territory into close communication with her-
self, and, also, by some system which should not pour a
flood of advantages into the rich city which sat by the
river, waiting to be made wealthier. The agitation of
a great central railroad through the State therefore
commenced, which was to be operated in connection
with the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and to strike the
southern border of Illinois, at or near the junction of
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, there to connect with
the railway system of the South. The Illinois Central

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

245

Railroad may be called the first great " St. Louis cut-
off," and as such placed Chicago firmly upon her throne
as the magnificent Queen of the West. The preface to
this triumphant undertaking was the introduction of a
bill in the State Senate, in 1832, by Lieutenant-Governor
A. M. Jenkins, for the survey of a central railroad from
Cairo to Peru. But public opinion had not yet been
molded to see its necessity, and there the project rested.
In 1834 the Chicago and Vincennes Railroad was incor-
porated, but the work was not commenced for many
years thereafter. Interest in the Central road was
revived by an enthusiastic letter, which appeared in the
public prints, written by Sidney Breese, Circuit Judge,
afterward Judge of the State Supreme Court, and United
States Senator. It is as follows :

" Vandalia, October 16, 1835.
"John t. Sawyer, Esq.,

"Dear Sir: — Having some leisure from the labors of my circuit,
I am induced to devote a portion of it in giving to the public a plan,
the outline of which was suggested to me by an intelligent friend in
Bond County a few days since (Mr. YVaite of Greenville), by which
the North may get their long-wished-for canal, and the southern
and interior counties a channel of communication quite as
essential to their prosperity. In doing so, I have not stopped
to inquire if my motives may not be assailed, and myself
subjected to unkind remarks, believing, as I do, that the subject is
of so much importance as to throw all personal considerations into
the shade. The plan then is this : At the junction of the canal
with the Illinois River let a railroad be constructed, to extend to the
confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi, following, as near as may
be,- the third principal meridian, and let the credit of the State be
pledged for the funds necessary to complete both works. This
would be doing equal and impartial justice to three of the most
prominent portions of our State, and would create a unity of effort
and concert of action that would overcome every obstacle. The
General Government also would grant some of the unappropriated
land on the contemplated road throughout its whole extent in aid of
the undertaking, and that it can be accomplished with the means
we can raise there can be no manner of doubt. When made its
benefits will be incalculable. It will make the southern and in-
terior counties, cause them to settle, raise the value of their lands
(which are intrinsically as good as any), and furnish the means of
transportation for their products either to a Northern or Southern
market, of which they are now destitute. It is a stupendous pro-
ject, but one so easy of accomplishment, so just, so equal, and so
well calculated to revive the drooping energies of the South and of
the interior, that no doubt can be entertained, if our effort is made
at the approaching session of the Legislature, but that the canal
and the road will be under contract in less than six months after the
loan is authorized

" No sectional objections can operate successfully against the
project, nor will the people complain of a loan the benefits of which
are to be so general and so important. Posterity will have no cause
of complaint if we do leave them a debt to pay, when at the same
time we leave them the most ample means for discharging it. These
things have not been regarded in the proper light. No objection
should ever be made to incurring such debts when the fund is left
out of which to pay them. As well might the heir object to taking
his estate of half a million because encumbered by a mortgage of
$200,000. By a united, zealous effort at the next session, an artifi-
cial artery through the heart of our State, the fairest and richest in
the Union, can be made, which will not be surpassed by the stu-
pendous achievements of a similar kind in the other and older
btates. To avoid jealousies and heart-burnings, let the expenditures
on both works commence at the same time and be prosecuted with
equal energy, and when this main artery is finished it will not be
long before smaller ones branching off to the Wabash and Upper
Mississippi will be constructed. Then Illinois will rival any other
State of our vast confederacy, not excepting even that which is so
proudly, yet so justly styled the ' Empire State.'

" To ascertain the interests that can be brought to bear in its
favor take a map of the State and trace upon it the proposed route,
and notice the many important and flourishing counties and towns
it will pass through and which it will benefit.

"Assuming Utica or Ottawa as the point at which the canal
will terminate, the mouth of the Ohio bears from it some few miles
west. To reach it, the road would pass through LaSalle, McLean,
Macon, a part of Shelby, Fayette, a part of Bond, Clinton, Wash-
ington, Perry, Jackson, Union, and terminate as above in Alexan-
der County. Pursuing nearly a direct line, it would pass through
Bloomington, Decatur, and Vandalia, where it would intersect the
National Road. Carlyle, New Nashville, Pickneyville, Brownsville,

Jonesboro, all seats of justice of the counties in which they are
situate. Along the whole route, especially on the southern portion
of it, abundant materials of the best kind can be had to construct
the work. The distance from one extreme to the other, on a
straight line, is only three hundred miles, and the necessary devi-
ations from that course will not make it more than three hundred
and fifty miles. Three-fourths of it, that is to say, from Utica or
Ottawa to Pinckneyville, in Perry County, the surface of the country,
so far as you can determine by the eye, is level or undulating ; the
remainder is hilly, but by no means mountainous. Taking the
estimated cost of the Alton & Springfield road as data (which is
on an average a fraction over $7, 000 per mile), the cost of this will
not exceed $2,500,000, a sum insignificant indeed, when we con-
sider the immense benefits to ourselves and to posterity that must
flow from its expenditure for such an object. Allowing fifteen
miles an hour as the maximum of speed upon it, a locomotive with
its train of cars can kindle its fire at Ottawa in the morning and on
the next rekindle it at the junction of the Ohio. From this point
an uninterrupted communication exists at all seasons with every
part of the world, and when the canal and the lakes of the North
are locked up by ice the markets of the South can be reached with
certainty and speed by the railway and the Mississippi. Let then
the South, the interior, and the North unite — let the project be sub-
mitted at the coming session, let the loan be authorized, and let us
all enter upon it with that determined spirit which should character-
ize all great undertakings, and success is certain. They who shall
be instrumental in its commencement and completion will have
erected for themselves a monument more durable than marble, and
throughout all future time will receive, as they well deserve, the
grateful thanks of a generous people. I hope some gentlemen
may feel sufficient interest in this matter to consider it maturely
and give the result of their deliberations lo the public through the
newspapers. It is a great, magnificent, and feasible project. It
can, it will, be accomplished.

" I am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant,

" Sidney Breese."

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

This able letter renewed the waning interest in rail-
road matters.- Meetings were held throughout the State,
conventions pronounced in favor of railroad and canal
building, and as a result the files of the Legislature
were literally weighed down with bills and notices of
bills to provide for railroad and canal construction.
Many opposed the enterprise in the central part of the
State, because it was seen that such a north-and-south
line would divert much of the traffic which that section
might derive from a road crossing Illinois from east to
west. Some localities were pledged to the support of
the Wabash & Mississippi. The line of road as traced
in Judge Breese's letter did not touch Springfield, and
therefore was not looked upon with great favor by the
citizens of that place. Those also who were most
ardent in their support of the Illinois & Michigan
Canal feared that its construction would be delayed by
the prosecution of this " stupendous project." But
Judge Breese never tired in his efforts to acquaint the
people living along the proposed route of the road with
the advantages of this central artery. He was the prime
agent in obtaining the support of Senator Douglas.
Chicago also was stretching her arms out toward the
South and the West. " Internal improvement "was the
cry of every one. With the meeting of the Legislature
at Vandalia, in 1836, came also the convention which
proposed wilder schemes (for those times than the
" internal improvement " act, which became a law the
next year. And the people and the Press were with
the convention, for under the plans proposed there was
not a "cross-road" in the State which would not in
some way be benefited.

The first railroad chartered out of Chicago, upon
which work was immediately commenced, and which
afterward became an important section of her great
transportation system, was the Galena & Chicago Union
Railroad, which was chartered January 16, 1836. The
document was prepared by Ebenezer Peck and T. W.

246

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Smith, with the object of increasing the value of real
estate at both points ; but Galena being then the leading
village of the West, obtained precedence in the naming
of the road. The capital stock was placed at $100,000,
but could be increased to $1,000,000, and the incor-
porators were given the choice of operating the road by
animal or steam power. They were allowed three years
from Januarv 16, 1836, in which to begin work. E. D.
Taylor, Jesse B. Thomas, Jr., J. C. Goodhue, Peter
Temple, William Bennett, Thomas Drummond and J.

y&^J^ry^

W. Turner were named as commissioners to receive
subscriptions. The survey of the road was begun in
February. 1837, by Engineer James Seymour, with his
assistants, from the foot of North Dearborn Street, and
run due west to the Desplaines River. In June, 1837,
surveyors and laborers were discharged. In 1838 work
was resumed, piles being driven along the line of Mad-
ison Street and stringers placed upon them. These
operations were continued, under the direction of E. K.
Hubbard, until the collapse of the enterprise during the
same year. The ambition of Chicago was evidently a
little ahead of her means, and the Galena & Chicago
Union had to wait ten years before it was fairly placed
upon a successful basis.

On January 18, 1836 two days after the incorpora-
tion of the Galena & Chicago Union), the Illinois Cen-
tral was incorporated. The incorporators numbered
fifty-eight and they were empowered to construct a
railroad from a point on the Ohio to a point on the
Illinois, near LaSalle, with the object of forming a con-
nection between the canal, then projected, and the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers, and thence to the Gulf of Mex-
ico. But the charter and the fifty-eight incorporators
failed to accomplish anything in the way of railroad
building and the "stupendous project" collapsed, re-
maining in that lamentable condition until revived by its
immense land grant, in September, 1850.

Up to the latter part of 1837 the only road in the
State which had been made a success was the " Coal
Mine Bluff Railroad," built by ex-Governor Reynolds
and friends, and extending from his coal-fields six miles
from the Mississippi River, to East St. Louis. Among
other difficulties overcome by the energetic young men
was the bridging; of a lake over two thousand feet
across. The road was worked without iron, and with
horse-power ; was regulary chartered in 1841, and long
afterward became known as the "Illinois & St. Louis
Railroad." Governor Reynolds' railroad is claimed to
be the first one actually constructed in the Mississippi
Valley, and within the circumstances, he appropriately
asserts "that it was the greatest work or enterprise ever
performed in Illinois. But," he adds, "it well nigh broke
us all." And the experience of these pioneers with that
little six-mile section of road was the experience of hund-
reds of other would-be railroad builders, who made
more ambitions attempts within the next dozen of years.

But the enthusiasm and the sentiment most prevalent
during 1836-37 are all incorporated in the "Internal
Improvement Act" of February 27, 1837. The canal
was progressing ; thirteen hundred and forty miles of
railroad were to be built ; rivers and creeks were to be
rendered navigable, and no less than $200,000 were to
be distributed throughout the townships of the State,

which were doomed to exist far away from the line of
canals, railroads or navigable streams. To prove the
magnificence of this legislative dream, the railroads were
to be begun at both ends at the same moment ; so that
the Illinoisians from east and west and from north to
south could experience the greatest happiness in their
consciousness of the impartiality and wisdom of their
Legislature.

The act appropriated $250,000 to the Great Western
Railroad from Vincennes to St. Louis; $3,500,000 for a
road from Cairo to the southern terminus of the canal
and to Galena; $1,600,000 for a " southern cross rail-
road" from Alton to Mount Carmel and to Shawnee-
town; $1,850,060 for a "northern cross railroad" from
Quincy to Springfield and thence to the Indiana line, in
the direction of LaFayette; $650,000 for a branch of the
Central road, in the direction of Terre Haute; $700,000
for a railroad from Peoria to Warsaw, on the Mississippi;
$600,000 from Lower Alton to the Central; $150,000 for
a railroad from Belleville to intersect the Alton & Mount
Carmel line; $350,000 for a railroad from Bloomington
to Mackinaw, and a branch through Tremont to Pekin.
The total amount appropriated for railroad building was
$9,650,000. William K. Ackerman, in a paper read be-
fore the Chicago Historical Society, February 20, 1883,
gives the following extract 'from the report of Murray
McConnel, commissioner, to the fund commissioners,
which is dated August n, 1837:

" ' The kind of iron wanted is of the width and thickness that
requires twenty-two tons to the mile, including plafes, bolts, etc.
* * * If you should believe that iron will decline in price
so that the same may be bought next year for less than at present,
you may contract for the delivery of thirty miles, say six hundred
and sixty tons or thereabouts, as we may not want to use more than
that quantity in this district through the next season. * * *
You will also contract for the building of one locomotive of the
most improved plan, and a suitable number of passenger and bur-
then cars to be shipped via New Orleans to the house of .McConnel,
Ormsbee & Co., Naples, 111.'

"The commissioners' report to Governor Carlin of December
26, 1S3S, gives the estimated cost of this four hundred and fifty-
seven miles of road (which covers only a portion of the present line
of the Illinois Central) to be $3,809, 145, an average cost per mile of
$S,326. The commissioners, in their report to the Governor, sav:
' In making these estimates the board has included all the expend-
itures for superintendence, engineering, and all other incidental ex-
penses. Easy grades have in general been adopted, and in all cases
calculations have been made for the most useful and durable struct-
ures; and the board has no doubt but that the works may be con-
structed upon the most approved plans at the cost estimated upon
each work. It is believed that in every instance the lines may be
improved, locations changed, and improvements made in the con-
struction that may lessen the cost far below these prices.' The
same piece of road has cost properly built and equipped as it stands
to-day 823,950,456, or an average of 852,408 per mile. * * *
If slight defects have been found in the law organizing the system,
or if errors shall have been committed in carrying it into execution,
it is what might reasonably have been expected in a system so ex-
tended. In locating 1,300 miles of road and performing other
duties equally difficult, it could not well be otherwise than that
errors of judgment should occur, and that we should be brought
into contact with private interests and become the unwilling (though
necessary and unavoidable) cause of disappointment to some, and
the prostration of splendid but visionary schemes of speculation in
others."

Engineer T. B. Ransom, in his report of December 3.
1838, after noticing the progress of work upon the only
section of the great system ever completed by the
State ( a portion of the Northern Cross Railroad .con-
cludes as follows:

" Believing, conscientiously, that the future prosperity and
happiness of the people will be greatly promoted by carrying out
the system to its full and entire completion, I am bound to advo-
cate it to the extent of my abilities. So far from its being too
large and extended, I believe that it might be enlarged with great
propriety and decided advantage to the general welfare of the whole

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

247

State ( if suitable appropriations were made in addition to those
already granted by the Legislature), not only to improve the naviga-
tion of our rivers, but in connection with the same to drain the
ponds and lakes, which can be accomplished with an inconsiderable
expense in comparison to the general utility, health and pecuniary
prosperity of the whole State. * * * And it appears to me that even
at a period when steamboats are in full operation, the time and risk
of life which could be saved by traveling on our roads would en-
able them effectually to compete with the river communication."

The Northern Cross road from Meredosia, on the
Illinois River, to Springfield, was completed in Febru-
ary, 1842, the survey having been commenced in May,
1837. The road cost the State for actual construction
$1,000,000, was operated for five years at a loss, and in
1847 realized $21,100 in State indebtedness. The at-
tempt to allay local jealousies by starting the different
roads simultaneously from each terminus, was one cause
of the collapse of the stupendous scheme; as, to do this,
immediate and large appropriations were required. The
result was that in two years from the passage of the act,
the State was checkered with patches of road and
had virtually nothing to show for the $6,000,000 of
indebtedness, except a solitary locomotive running over
a few miles of the Northern Cross road from Meredosia
eastward. The act which had caused all this mischief
was repealed in 1839. Far from lifting every commu-
nity into an unexampled condition of prosperity, the
operations of the law laid the basis of the present debt
of the State, and the formal abandonment of the im-
provements undoubtedly retarded its growth.

Upon the suspension of operations on the Galena &
Chicago Union Railroad, the people of the Rock River
country made several attempts to avail themselves of
Chicago's increasing commercial importance. First a
plank road was urged to be built from Chicago to the
Rock River, at a cost of over $300,000. Next, in 1843,
a survey was made between Joliet and Aurora for a
canal to connect the Fox River with the Illinois & Michi-
gan Canal ; and the suggestion was favorably received
that it would be a plausible undertaking to extend the
improvements to Rockford. But these schemes were
abandoned, and in 1846, the Chicago & Galena Union
was revived by the convention held at Rockford, in
January of that year. Delegates, to the number of
three hundred and nineteen, attended from all the
counties on the proposed line between Galena and Chi-
cago. The officers selected were : President, Thomas
Drummond, of Jo Daviess ; vice-presidents, William
H. Brown, of Cook, Joel Walker, of Boone, Spooner
Ruggles, of Ogle, and Elijah Wilcox, of Kane ; secre-
taries, T. D. Robertson, of Winnebago, J. B. F. Russell,

j^yt/rfSt-tO

of Cook, and S. P. Hyde, of McHenry. A resolution
was adopted that the members of the convention ob-
tain subscriptions to the stock of the company, if satis-
factory arrangements could be made with its holders ;
and resolutions were also passed, presented by J. Young
Scammon, showing the necessity of a general subscrip-
tion to the stock by the farmers along the proposed
route. Galena and Chicago vied with each other in
the renewed enthusiasm with which the enterprise was
taken up. But about this time Messrs. Townsend and
Mather offered the improvements, land and charter of
the road to Chicago citizens for $20,000. The offer
was accepted under the following conditions : The pay-
ment of the entire sum in full-paid stock of the com-
pany— $10,000 immediately after the organization of

the board of directors, and $10,000 on the completion
of the road to Rock River, or as soon as a dividend of
six per cent would be earned. On December 15, 1846,
the persons named above subscribed toward the ex-
penses of a survey, and had one made during the suc-
ceeding year, by Richard P. Morgan.*

The Alton & Springfield road had been commenced
the previous year, and on February 27, 1847, a charter
was granted to the Alton & Sangamon Company, now
a portion of the Chicago & Alton system. On the same
day the Rock Island and LaSalle line was chartered,
the nucleus of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
Railroad Company. The " Pacific " termination of the
name was early foreshadowed, by the hopeful, public-
spirited and, as it seemed to the more conservative, the
" crazy " sentiment of the times. During the legisla-
tive session of 1847 the following joint resolution was
adopted :

" Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Illi-
nois, the Senate concurring herein, That we have seen and read with
pleasure the very interesting report of our worthy and intelligent
Senator Ureese, upon the proposition of Mr. Whitney, of New
York, on the subject of a railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pa-
cific Ocean, and heartily concur in the sentiments and ideas therein
set forth.

" Resolved, Further, That our Senators and Representatives in
Congress, be, and they are hereby, requested and instructed to use
their influence in sustaining the propositions of Mr. Whitney,
which have been submitted to the Congress of the United States
for a railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean.

"Resolved, That a copy of the above resolutions be trans-
mitted by the Governor of this State to each of our Senators and
Representatives in Congress."

Subscription books were opened at settlements along
the proposed line of the Galena & Chicago Union.
August 10, 1847, William B. Ogden and J. Young
Scammon solicited subscriptions in the city, but could
only obtain promises for $20,000 from all the real estate
men or others particularly interested. Some mer-
chants opposed the scheme, fearing it would take the
sale of goods from Chicago to points on the line of the
road. Up to April 1, 1848, twelve hundred and six
subscribers guaranteed $351,800, on which sum pay-
ments amounting to $20,817.68 were made up to that
date. Outside the city there was scarcely any money,
and the payment for subscriptions beyond the first in-
stallment of two and one-half per cent had to depend
upon future crops. The people subscribed as liberally
as their limited means would permit, and succeeded in
raising a fair amount. Railroad meetings were not fre-
quent in those days, the settlers residing so far apart
that they could not assemble on short notice, and those
interested in placing the stock were obliged to travel
the county to secure its taking. In many settlements
the residents were found willing to co-operate, the
ladies vieing with the men in their readiness to render
assistance. They appreciated how necessary it was to
have the road built, and were prepared to make any
personal sacrifice to further the undertaking. Many of
them helped to pay for the stock subscribed for at their
solicitation from the profits derived from the sale of
butter, cheese and other household productions, even
depriving themselves of the means required to educate
their children, that a railroad might be built for the
good of that and future generations.

In the first annual report of the Galena & Chicago
Union Railroad Company, dated April 5, 1848, William
B. Ogden, the president, said :

" The Michigan Central Railroad Company decided to ter-

* Richard P. Morgan, who died about two years ago, was one of the oldest
civil engineers in the United States, and assisted inlaying out many of the
principal railroads in the Union. He made the experimental survey of the Ga
lena Air Line road, the first railway emanating from Chicago. At the time of
his death he was over ninety-two years of age.

24S

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

minate their road at New Buffalo in July last, and steps were
taken preparing the way for an extension of their road to Chicago
about the same time. Upon this your directors proceeded at once
to announce their intention of opening books of subscription to
stock ; for the extension of this continuous line of railroad from
Chicago westward to Galena. Books were accordingly opened at
Chicago and Galena, and at the towns intermediate, on the 10th
dav of August last and about $250,000 of stock were then sub-
scribed. The first expectation of the board was to obtain a gen-
eral subscription from the citizens of northern Illinois and south-
ern Wisconsin residing along the line of the contemplated road,
and in its vicinity, as indicative of their faith in the profitable
character of the roads when constructed, and of the general inter-
est of fie people in its construction; and with the aid of this sub-
scription, to open negotiations with and solicit other subscriptions
or loans from Eastern capitalists, sufficient in amount to justify
the commencement of the work. The amount subscribed, how-
ever, on the opening of the books, was so liberal, and the feeling
manifested along the line, so ardent and so universal, that it was
quite apparent the country and the people immediately interested
in the construction of the road, were able to, and would increase
their subscriptions to an amount sufficient, in connection with the
credits on iron and engines then offered us, to build the road from
Chicago to Elgin at once, and own it ourselves. Experienced par-
ties at the East largely interested in railroad stock, and decidedly
friendly to the success of the Galena & Chicago road, were con-
sulted, and made acquainted with the particulars of our position at
this juncture, and with the proposed plan of obtaining the addi-
tional means at the East necessary to secure the completion of the
road to Fox River. They were clearly and decidedly of the opin-
ion that the wisest and surest way to accomplish the speedy exten-
sion and completion of the entire route to Galena was for the
inhabitants along the line of the road to raise means themselves for
its commencement and completion to the Fox River and Elgin,
forty-one miles, when there was everything to assure us that the
comparatively small cost of construction and extreme productive-
ness of the country tributary to the road would secure such large
returns as would enable us to command capital from any quarter, or
loans or increased subscriptions to stock for the extension of the
road to Rock Island, and to Galena, without delay. This course
was adopted, the object explained and approved by subscribers,
and further subscriptions solicited and obtained on this basis of
operation, to an extent exceeding altogether the sum of $350,000
(about $10,000 of stock subscriptions have since been added) and
the work was commenced in earnest. A corps of engineers was
then (September last) immediately employed to survey and locate
the line from Chicago to the Fox River, and prepare it for letting.
The time occupied in doing so, has somewhat exceeded what was
at first supposed to be necessary, and the road, except the first
seven miles, was not prepared for letting until the first of March
last, when the grading and bridging of the first thirty-two miles
(inclusive of the seven miles let last fall) was put under contract,
and on very favorable terms, as will appear by reference to the
report of the Chief Engineer."

Under the provisions of the amended charter of
February, 1847, the owners of stock met April 5, 1848,
and elected the following-named directors : William B.
Ogden, president ; Walter L. Newberry, Charles Wal-
ker, James H. Collins, J. Young Scammon, William H.
Brown, John B. Turner, Thomas Dyer, Benjamin W.
Raymond. George Smith, all of Chicago ; Charles S.
Hempstead and Thomas Drummond, of Galena ; Allen
Robbins, of New York. Francis Howe was chosen sec-
retary and treasurer. Thomas D. Robertson, of Rock-
ford was elected director vice Allen Robbins, resigned,
in April, 1849 ; Dexter A. Knowlton, of Freeport, vice
J. Young Scammon, resigned in 1850.

The early canvassing along the proposed line of the
Galena &: Chicago Union Railroad for subscriptions
toward building the road was made by Messrs. Ogden
and Scammon, who traveled the whole distance from
Chicago to Galena for this purpose, holding meetings
and obtaining subscriptions at all considerable places on
the route. Subsequently Charles Walker, Isaac N. Ar-
nold, John Locke Scripps, John B. Turner and others
canvassed at points on the line of the road. B. W. Ray-
mond and John B. Turner visited the Fast in 1848, with
the object of securing subscriptions to the stock. Their
efforts resulted in the sale of $15,000 of stock, and a

loan of $7,000. This money completed the road across
the marsh to the foot of Cottage Hill. Again they pur-
chased two locomotives from the Baldwin Works. In
the meantime, Mr. Ogden, then a member of the Com-
mon Council, had introduced an ordinance into that
body, which was voted down, proposing to grant the
right of way to the road from the west into the city on
a line with Kinzie Street, with the necessary privileges
for constructing tracks, drawbridges and depots. Not-
withstanding which, the contract for the first thirty-two
miles of road from Chicago was let March 1, 1848, the
first sixteen miles to be finished by August 1, and the
balance by October 1, 1848. John Van Nortwick had

^£XT^^

been appointed engineer. George YV. Waite, assistant
engineer, drove the first grade-peg, near the corner of
Kinzie and Halsted streets, in June, 1848, then a point
outside the city limits. The Council had refused the
entrance of the road into the city ; but granted leave to
build a temporary track east to the river so that one of
the two engines could be brought to the head of the
road.

In September the management purchased a locomo-
tive of the Tonawanda (N. Y.) Company, and also one
of the Auburn & Syracuse Company. These were fitted
up with new gearing and boilers, and the first one was
placed on the section between Chicago and the Des-
plaines River, in November. The " Pioneer " arrived
on the brig " Buffalo," October 10, 1848. The engine
was taken off the boat on Sunday by Redmond Prindi-
ville, Wells Lake, George W. Waite, George C. Morgan
and John Ebert, the engineer. This engine was sold
by the Baldwin Company on commission for the Roch-
ester & Tonawanda Railroad Company. It served its
purpose well and is in existence to-day, as if waiting
some signal act of public approbation.

When the Desplaines River division was in working
order, the rolling stock consisted of six old freight cars
and the "Pioneer." By November 21 the engine was
running daily on the ten miles of completed road, west
of Chicago, conveying materials and laborers to carry on
the work. The day previous Chicago received the first
wheat ever transported by rail. Upon the invitation of
the board of directors, a number of stockholders and
editors of the city, took a " flying trip" over Chicago's
system of railways, then extending ten miles west to the
Desplaines River! A couple of baggage wagons had
been provided with seats, and at about four o'clock p.
m., the train bearing away about one hundred persons,
moved from the foot of North Dearborn Street, where
a crowd had collected to witness the novel spectacle.
On the return trip a load of wheat was transferred
from a farmer's wagon to one of the cars, and this
was the first grain transported by rail to Chicago. This
fact soon became known to the farmers living west
of the city, and the company made arrangements to
accommodate the expected increase of their business.
They at once placed covered cars upon the track, and
about a week after the line was open to travel, the
business men of Chicago were electrified by the an-
nouncement that over thirty loads of wheat were at the
Desplaines River waiting to be transported to the city.
The expected receipts of the road would amount to

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM

249

$15 per day for the winter, and wheat -buyers were in-
formed (partly with a view of increasing the passenger
traffic) that they must now take their stations at the
Desplaines River instead of at Randolph-street bridge.
Facts and statistics were pouring in from Galena also,
showing the benefits that would accrue when the line
should reach that flourishing city. For instance, in
January, 1849, the public were informed that the arrivals
in Galena from March 17 to December 6, 1848, were:
Keel-boats, 158; flat-boats, 107; that the revenue was
$1,950, and the value of the exports for 1848 was
$1,602,050.40. Furthermore that "a large portion of
these will seek an Eastern market by railroad." The
citizens of Galena were shoulder to shoulder with Chi-
cago in the building of this road, but rumors were soon
afloat that there was a disposition in certain quarters to
cut off that thriving town from the benefits of the road
which she was doing so much to build. To allay these
suspicions, at the annual meeting held April 5, 1849,
the stockholders resolved that Galena was the true
terminus of the road and that "any diversion would be
a violation of good faith, a fraud on the stockholders
and an illegal perversion of the charter." Of the
$150,000 loan, authorized in May, 1848, to be nego-
tiated, $71,700 had then been expended.

Henry W. Clarke, DeWitt Lane, now of Lane's
Island, and Major James Mulford, were the commis-
sioners appointed to procure the right-of-way for the
Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, and to assess dam-
ages within Cook County. This work was undertaken
in March, 1849. The commissioners were accompanied
by William B. Ogden, John B. Turner, John Van Nort-
wick, engineer, James H. Rees, " Ogden's own sur-
veyor," and a few others. When the party reached
Harlem, then called Oak Ridge, the commissioners
agreed that the assessment of damages for right-of-way
should be merely nominal, and from this agreement re-
sulted the offer of six cents to each land-owner along
the route. This offer was accepted without dissent,
quit-claim deeds were made to the company, and the
roadway was secured.

The total earnings of the road from the commence-
ment of business in January, 1849, t0 December 1, 1849,
were $23,763.74; from December 1, 1849, to December
1, 1850, $104,359.62. By January, 1850,* the main line
had been extended to Elgin, forty miles west of Chi-
cago, and Galena was still cut off from railroad com-
munication; her ambition, finally, was not to be realized
through the instrumentality of the road which she was
helping to build. Another rival for popular favor was
reaching out its giant arms to embrace, at least, the
territory of a great State.

The superstructure of the road was completed to
Elgin, January 22, 1850, the length of the main track
from the North Branch of the Chicago River to the
western terminus being 42.44 miles, which, with side
track 1.88 miles, gave a roadway of 44.32 miles. The
amount expended on this superstructure was $164, 13 1.87.
The stock of locomotives and cars May 1, 1850, was as
follows : One ten-ton locomotive (second hand), six-
wheeled, two drivers ; three fifteen-ton locomotives (new
Norris's) eight-wheeled, four drivers; thirteen double
covered freight cars ; sixteen double platform freight
cars ; three single covered freight cars ; six single plat-
form freight cars ; eleven gravel repairing cars ; four
hand cars ; two passenger cars (new), one of fifty-six and
one of sixty seats ; two passenger cars (old) forty seats
each ; two baggage and accommodation cars of eight
wheels each.

The progress of the road from June, 1848, to April
31, 1850, is shown in the following table :

1849. Mile

June 10

July 15

August IS

September 20

October 22

November 28

December 33

1850.

January 37

February 4%'i

March 42^

April 42^

Total Re-
ceipts.
•-$ 913 35
1,602 52
• 2,74313
. . 4,267 43
. . 7,10403
. . 5.89948
. . 4,S87 79

5.195 48
5,029 47
4.893 75
5.794 63

Total 3io<4 $4S,33i 96

Expenses of operating iS,5ig 82

Net earnings $29,812 14

The number of passengers carried over the road
from June i, 1840, to April 30, 1850, was 37,524.

The inner history of the Galena & Chicago Union
Railroad is most valuable, for the reason that it goes
into such details as are not generally given in annual
reports. Such facts, as a reminiscence could only con-
tain, have been fortunately noted down by one who was
himself a most important pillar of Chicago enterprise.
In L Young Scammon's biography of William B. Ogden
this history appears to be well and impartially treated ;
and, therefore, in justice to the men named, is here
given so much of that sketch as relates to this road and
its builders.*

" In the winter of 1846 a convention was held at Rockford,
the half-way house between Chicago and Galena, to favor the
work. There was a large meeting, attended by persons from Ga-
lena to Chicago. Thomas Drummond, then residing at Galena,
presided over the assembly. The late William H. Brown, always
a director and subsequently a president of the Galena Company
and of the Chicago Historical Society ; with Benjamin W. Ray-
mond, our ever public-spirited citizen, and more than once Mayor
of the city, and a director of the road till it merged in the North-
western, and who still remains among us to witness and rejoice
with others over the success of his faithful public efforts, was
among the active men there. Isaac N. Arnold, so long and favor-
ably known in the politics of Illinois, and as a Representative in the
late' War Congress of the United States, and long a leader at the
Chicago Bar, now President of the Chicago Historical Society,
and devoting the calm of mature years to literary work, with Gen
eral Hart L. Stewart, one of Chicago's oldest citizens, whose whole
life has been spent in building public works west of Lake Erie,
in Michigan, upon the Illinois & Michigan Canal and elsewere — and
in the public councils of the State or official positions under the
Government — rode in the same carriage with the writer, and were
active participants in the work of the convention, as was Thomas
D. Robertson, of Rockford, for many years a director of the road.
We were two days on our journey each way, spending the night at
Elgin, then a little hamlet. The landlord there told us that he
was against railroads They were bad things for farmers and ho-
tel-keepers, but good for ' big fellows at the ends of the road.' He
' intended to make money while the road was building and then sell
out and go beyond them.'' He declared that Elgin would cease to
be a place of business as soon as the railroad went beyond it.

" The meeting was harmonious and quite unanimous in its ac-
tion ; the only exception being a tavern-keeper at Marengo, who,
fearing that his business would be injured by the road, appeared
with his friends in the convention and denounced railroads as 'un-
democratic aristocratic institutions that would ride rough-
shod over the people and grind them to powder. The only
roads,' said he, ' that the people want are good common or plank
roads, upon which everybody can travel.'

" In the fall of 1847, Mr. Ogden and the writer traveled the
entire distance from Chicago to Galena together, stopping at all
the principal intermediate places, making speeches for the road,
and going into the highways to compel men to come in and help
the enterprise, even if they could not take more than a single
share of stock. Many farmers and other persons, be it said to
their credit, did come forward and subscribe, though they had to
borrow the first installment of two dollars and fifty cents on a share
* Fergus's Series, Biography of William B. Ogden.

*5°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

and get trusted ' till after harvest,' for the same. Mr. Ogden was
in his element in such enterprises. His go-a-headativeness here
gave full play to his imagination, and tilled not only himself, but
his hearers with high hopes and generous courage. When it is re-
membered that it cost five bushels of wheat, and often from four
days* to a week's journey to Chicago w ith a load of grain to get the
first installment of a single or few shares of stock, none can doubt
the public interest in the enterprise.

" At Galena, business men and bankers were fearful of the effect
of the railroad upon their town. Among its chief advocates there were
Judge Drummond, C. M. Hempstead, Elihu B. Washburne. and
Thomas Hope. Galena had long been a verv prosperous town at the
head of navigation on Fever River, and the great lead-mining center
and mercantile distributer for northwest Illinois and southwest Wis-
consid, and the country north in the mines. The great obstacles
we met there were two ; one the local effect upon the town, and
the other the fear that before the road should be completed the en-
terprise would break down, the small stockholders sacrificed, and
the road pass into the hands of the large capitalists. We had to meet
these objections by the promise to respect and protect the local in-
terests of Galena, to whose capital we were much indebted in start-
ing the work, and a pledge that until the stock rose to par, and was
saleable at that price, we woidd never allow the work to proceed faster
than its ready means would justif y without endangering the capital in-
vested. This promise was faithfully kept so long as these two persons
remained in the directory. It has been said in justification of the
abandoning of the west end of the line to the Illinois Central Rail-
road, that Galena was doomed, and a different course could not
have saved it. The writer dissents from this proposition, and be-
lieves that if the pledges Mr. Ogden and he made at Galena had
been faithfully, energetically, and courageously carried out, Galena
would have been greatlv benefited, and its importance and business
permanently advanced. But whether this opinion be correct or
not. Galena was a pioneer in the work, and the company had no
right to sell her birthright to the Illinois Central Company. It
would not have been done had the two most active directors, who
were among the largest subscribers to the stock, when the company
was re-organized in the writer's office, on the southeast corner of
Lake and Clark streets, in the old Saloon Building, in the city of
Chicago, in 1847, remained in their positions in its management.
" In a paper read before the Chicago Historical Society, by
Mr. Arnold, December 20, 1881, on the occasion of the presenta-
tion, by Mrs. Ogden, of a portrait of her late husband, it is said
' the officers of the road, after he [Mr. Ogden] had been compelled
to retire, had received a public dinner (I think at Elgin) in which
they drank toasts to each other and everybody except Mr. Ogden.
The omission of his name, the man who everyone knew had built
the road, only made nim the more prominent.' If such an occasion
took place, the occasion must have been more marked by the
absence of the original and most efficient projectors of the road
than their presence. There were officers of the road that were en-
gaged in speculating along its line, as was confessed some years
later, when one of them was made a scapegoat. Public allusion
having been thus made to these personal troubles in the board of
directors, it becomes proper to explain the same somewhat, as in
doing so a trait in Mr. Ogden's character and conduct presents him
in very bold and advantageous relief, when compared with that of
some of his associates. Chicago at that time was a comparatively
small and very ambitious city. It had three divisions, occasioned by
the river and its Xorth and South branches, which run almost at
right angles with the main river, leaving east of them the North
and South divisions, and west of them the West Division, extend-
ing the whole length of the city. Such divisions always create
local jealousies, and the selfish interests excited are often difficult
to mana^ir or control. Mr. Ogden resided on the north side of the
river, as did three other directors, Walter L. Newberry, Thomas
Dyer, and John B. Turner. Two, Thomas Drummond and Charles
M. Hempstead, lived in Galena, and one, Thomas D. Robertson,
in Rockford, while the five others, Benjamin W. Raymond, George
Smith, Charles Walker, James H. Collins, and J. Young Scammon,
lived in the South Division, which was then, as now, the principal bus-
iness and commercial portion of the town. Mr. Ogden being especial-
ly identified with the North Side could not exercise as much influence
in obtaining subscription- to stock in the business portion of the town
as some of the South side directors, as he was accused, by those
who never suppose other than solely selfish motives can influence
action, of ' wanting to build a railroad that would never pav, to
help him sell his lots.' The gentlemen on the Xorth Side naturally
desired the road to cross the North Branch, and locate its depots or
stations in the North Division; while the West Siders could see no
necessity of expending money to cross the river, because the West
Side was the largest division of the city and the nearest to the
country. In the railroad work, either because Ogden and Scammon
had more time to devote to it, or for some other reason, they became
the specially active representatives of the road on their respective

sides of the river. The out-of-town directors could rarely attend its
meetings, or only when very important questions demanded their
presence. These two men gave very much ot their time to the en-
prise; Mr. Ogden receiving a small salary in stock, and the writer
no compensation, except for legal services when required by the
board. Ogden and Scammon traveled over the country together;
visited Albany and Boston in the interests of the road in company
with the late Erastus Corning, then president of the New York
Central Railroad and the controlling spirit in the Michigan Central,
the only road then in operation west of Lake Erie. '1 hey hoped
to interest the Boston gentlemen who were stockholders in and en-
gaged in extending the Michigan Central to aid in building the
Galena. They called upon the Michigan Central directors, and es-
pecially upon William E. Weld, an iron merchant in Boston, who
had then the reputation of being ' the Railroad King.' They were
very kindly received and entertained by John M. Forbes, then a
director of the Michigan Central, and. a wealthy East India mer-
chant, and since long identified with the Chicago Burlington &
Quincy road, and one of its principal stockholders. Mr. Weld
said to us : ' Gentlemen, I do not remember any enterprise of this
kind we Boston people have taken hold of upon statistics. You
must go home, raise what money you can, expend it upon your
road, and when it breaks down, as it surely, or in all probability
will; come and give it to us, and we will take hold of it and com-
plete it, as we are completing the Michigan Central. A resolution
was then formed though not publicly expressed, that the Galena
should not break down. We came home, sought and obtained sub-
scriptions to the stock of the road upon the pledge that the stock
should never be endangered until it rose to par, and the holders had
an opportunity of selling their shares at that price. This pledge
was kept.

"An opportunity occurred, as we were commencing the work,
of buying the old strap rail which was being removed from the
Rochester & Canandaigua road, to be replaced with T iron, to-
gether with two little second-hand passenger cars and two like
engines, for $150,000, on a credit of live years, if the writer recol-
lects correctly, provided two of the directors would endorse the
bonds. This would require each of the thirteen directors to make
himself responsible for a little over one-sixth part of that sum as
guarantee of the Galena company. There was one director who
said ' he never endorsed other people's paper,' and declined to do
so, though he was subsequently made president and claimed credit
for building the road, with what propriety and how justly, in com-
parison with the endorsers, let others judge. All the others made
the requisite endorsement, with the understanding that we were to
stick together and re-elect the old board until these bonds should be
paid. We went ahead with the road and had got out west nine or
ten miles, across the wet prairie, to the sand ridge, where the
teams from the country met us, and transferred their loads to the
cars, making the road pay as soon as the first section was com-
pleted. We were so encouraged that we thought there ought to
be no doubt about raising money to push the work. Mr. Ogden,
as president, had boldly made some contracts with McCagg, Reed
& Co., and others, for ties and lumber, based upon expectations of
raising money in New Y'ork or at the East. A committee, consist-
ing perhaps of Messrs. Ogden and Raymond, went to the East
for that purpose. They returned unsuccesful. A meeting of the
directors was called. It looked blue. To go ahead would endan-
ger the stock. To stop entirely would be a fulfilment of the Rail-
road King's prophecy. Mr. Ogden was embarrassed. He knew
that many of the public had no faith in the railroad, and believed
it to be, on his part, an undertaking to aid him in selling his town
lots, they saying that he could well afford to lose his stock if it
would help him to sell his land. Most of the other directors were
fearful. Mr. Raymond was hopeful, and Walker, Collins and
Scammon, courageous. The latter said he believed arrangements
could be made to defer or extend the contracts, and to bridge over
the time till the installments on the stock that would be paid after
the harvest should be realized, when the work on the road could
proceed slowly, yet successfully. Mr. Dyer, who then owned the
Lake House in the North Division, and was very anxious that the
work should go on and the road be extended to the lake, so as to
benefit his property, lost faith. The writer called him 'a doubting
Thomas.' He replied, ' If Mr. Scammon has so much faith in the
road, I move that a committee of five be appointed, with full
power to do anything which they deem expedient, in regard to the
road, and that Mr. Scammon be chairman of that committee, and
be authorized to appoint his associates.' This was agreed to, and
a committee, consisting of Mr. Scammon, James H. Collins,
Charles Walker, Thomas Dyer, and Mr. Raymond, appointed to
have charge of the subject. This committee gave the writer
carte-blanche. I le immediately applied to George Smith, the only ban-
ker in the place who could make such a loan, $20,000 for six months,
to enable him to go on with the road. Mr. Smith declined, though
director of the road, and desirous of seeing it completed. He was

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

*5>

asked why; if he had not the money. He replied, ' Yes, but I do
not wish to lose it. I have no confidence in the road.' Mr. S.
rejoined, ' Don't you think I can build the road to Elgin with the
$363,000 stock subscriptions we have of farmers, which are good
and sure to be paid?' He answered, ' Yes, but you are not the
president of the road.' Mr. Scammon rejoined, ' Don't you think
Mr. Ogden can?' Mr. Smith said, ' He can, but he won't,' add-
ing, ' Mr. Scammon, I will lend you the money.' The writer
replied, 'Make out your note, and let me have it.' He did so, and
the money was taken and placed in the treasury of the company, no
other person in the road, except those connected with the loan,
knowing from whence it came, except the treasurer the late Frank-
Howe. This, with arrangements that were made for extending
contracts, enabled the road to meet its engagements, and prevented
any suspension of work thereon. The road was pushed and com-
pleted to Elgin. It did not cost much money in those days to
build a fiat railroad on mostly level land. Yet to obtain the small
amount necessary, required, at that time, more courage and per-
severance than is now requisite to build a road across the continent.
The careful economy exercised in the building of this forty miles
was nevertheless very conspicuous. We had money enough only
to build the track with very few accessories It was a single
straight line — hardly mere. Station-houses, sidings, turn-outs and
turn-tables had to be, for the most part, deferred to the future.

" An incident occurs to the writer which may be worth recall-
ing. Upon the completion of the road to Elgin, a general invita-
tion was given for an excursion over the forty miles between Chi-
cago and that place. Among the party was an Irish engineer, who
had published, in Dublin, a work on railroad engineering, which
he had with him in bright red binding. On alighting from the
cars in Chicago, on our return, the writer asked him what he
thought of our road. He replied : ' If it is the engineering you're
asking about, I don't think anything of it. We would spend more
in the old country, upon the engineering of a single mile, than you
have spent upon your entire road.

" In the meantime rivalries between the west and north sides
of the river had sprung up, and some of the North-Side directors
became suspicious that Mr. Ogden did not want to extend the road
across the North Branch into the North Division, because his
greater interest was on the West Side. The temporary depot was
then there. Some of the directors proposed to the writer to accept
the presidency of the road. Upon this being declined, it was pro-
posed to make him treasurer and financial agent. This was also
declined, for the reason that it would too much interfere with pro-
fessional work, which the writer was unwilling to give up. Mean-
while, certain officers of the road had been busy misrepresenting
Mr. Ogden's actions and intentions to Mr. Scammon and Mr.
Scammon's to Mr. Ogden, until the latter was led to believe that
there was a conspiracy to turn him out of the presidency and elect
the writer in his stead. A counter movement was therefore under-
taken by Mr. Ogden and the few who were in his confidence. This
movement was not discovered until a few days before the election.
Nine of the directors were very much surprised to learn it, and all
of these nine sided with the writer. What combinations had been
made, and how manv proxies were held bv the parties in this move-
ment, were unknown. We started for Elgin, where the meeting
was to be held. Mr. Ogden's party, with Mr. Arnold as their
attorney, went in one car, the other Chicago directors in another.
On the way out, the writer said to the directors who were in the car
with him, that he had been thinking over the matter, and had come
to the conclusion that inasmuch as we did not know how strong
the other party were, and what they intended ultimately to do, the
better way would be to propose to them that the writer would
decline a re-election upon condition that all the other directors
should be re-elected without opposition ; and he said he would
name, as his successor, Mr. Knowlton, of Freeport. That the
other party would be obliged to accept this, or lose Mr. Knowlton's
and the other F"reeport votes, which would certainly defeat them.
That we could not afford to have an open quarrel, which might
hurt our credit and embarrass the progress of the road. The
directors with the writer replied, if Mr. Scammon is willing to make
this proposition they thought it would succeed, but no one could
ask it of him. He replied, that he was more interested in the
completion and success of the road than in any personal question;
that he had worked solely in the interest of the road as a public
improvement demanded by the country, and had no selfish axes to
grind, and he would make that proposition, and trust to time for
his justification. It was made, much to the surprise of the other
party, and after some hesitation or consideration, as it ' broke their
slate,' it was accepted. Mr. Ogden was re-elected president ; but
no sooner was Mr. Scammon out of the directory than all the bat-
teries of the conspirators were turned against Mr. Ogden, and his
place was made so uncomfortable that at the end of the year he left
the road. Immediately after the election, the nine directors called
the conspirators to account ; and there was a confession that the

writer had been grossly misrepresented and improperly treated, and
a promise made that a proper explanation should be made. It was
never done. But William B. Ogden acted otherwise. When he
learned the facts, and that we had both been made the victims of
ambitious and designing men, who wished to get rid of the writer,
because he had nipped in the bud their first attempt at speculation
in the location of the road, and prevented its repetition, and be-
cause they knew that they were watched, and so long as he was in
the board such movements were likely to be detected and defeated,
Mr. ( )u;den came directly to the writer, and, on learning what state-
ments these parties had made to the latter, relative to Mr. Ogden,
at once frankly acknowledged that in his action he had been misled
and imposed upon by those he trusted, and that the writer's con-
duct, to which he had taken so grave exception that he felt justi-
fied in self-defense to enter into combination to defeat his re 1 lei
tion, was entirely in the path of right and duty, if the writer
believed the representations made to him, as he was bound to do
within the circumstances."

The Illinois Central Railroad Company. —
Judge Breese's stupendous project, which had been ly-
ing dormant, but not dead, since the bursting of the
internal improvement bubble in 1839, was taken up with
renewed energy in 1848. John S. Wright, who had
early taken a deep interest in public enterprises, and
was a man of great foresight, energy and enthusiasm,
was actively employed in circulating petitions and docu-
ments in favor of a land grant from the General Govern-
ment to assist in the construction of the road, while the
father of the enterprise, Judge Breese, was giving his
time and energies to it in the Senate of the United
States. Mr. Wright flooded the country with documents
laying the matter before every class of people. He is
said to have distributed at his own expense six thousand
copies of petitions to Congress for a grant of land in
aid of a railroad from the Upper and Lower Mississippi
to Chicago. Three different ones were prepared — for
the South, Illinois and the East. Judge Douglas said
they came to Washington by the hundreds, numerously
signed and had much influence, being the earliest move-
ment for this object outside of Congress, except by the
Cairo company. Arrangements were then (January,
1848), being made to continue the Michigan Central
Railroad from New Buffalo to Chicago, sixty miles,
which, with the road then building across Canada, would
connect the city with the East. The Galena & Chicago
Union Railroad had been surveyed. The proposed
Buffalo & Mississippi road via Chicago to the mouth of
Rock River was to be extended, in time, to Council
Bluffs. An ardent admirer of this project and a warm
practical supporter, and a hard worker to make the en-
terprise a success was Hon. Stephen A. Douglas. The
Illinois Central from Cairo at the mouth of the Missis-
sippi to the canal was designed to be a most important
link in the great system of communication between the
lakes and the Mississippi, as that river as far south as
Cairo was open to the gulf at all seasons of the year.

The original bills, introduced by Judge Breese, as
he himself says in a letter to Senator Douglas, published
in January, 1851, did not contemplate a connection with
Chicago. They confined the roads to the routes from
Cairo, by Vandalia, Shelbyville, Decatur, Bloomington,
Peru and Dixon, to Galena. In 1847 Senator Douglas
made Chicago his home, and he, in connection with
other large property owners, determined to establish a
line binding the Northwest with the lakes. Thus many
friends were secured for the measure in the northeastern
and middle States, who did not favor a proposition hav-
ing for its natural tendency the diversion of trade from
the Upper Mississippi toward New Orleans alone.*

The bill was reported by Judge Breese, chairman

* See letter from Senator Douglas to Judge Breese, published in Weekly
Democrat, March 1, 1851.

252

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

of the committee on public lands, the same year, but
did not meet with further consideration.

On the nth of December. 1848, in the United States
Senate, Mr. Douglas gave notice that he would intro-
duce a bill granting the right of way and making a
grant of land to the States of Illinois, Mississippi and
Alabama in aid of the construction of a railroad from
Chicago to Mobile. 'I he bill was introduced on the
iSth of the same month, read twice, and referred to the
committee on public land, of which Judge Breese was

<5^>*^

LZ3>7

chairman. On the 19th of December Judge Breese re-
ported back the bill without amendment and it was or-
dered to be printed. On the 30th of January, 1849,
Judge Breese moved that the prior orders be postponed
for the purpose of taking up the bill. The Senate was
in committee of the whole proceeded to its considera-
tion. Mr. Breese submitted sundry amendments, but
moved that the printing of them be dispensed with.
Mr. Dodge, of Iowa, suggested a further amendment so
as to provide for terminating the road at Dubuque, on
the Mississippi River. Mr. Breese then amended by
inserting after the word "Galena" the words "to the
Mississippi River opposite Dubuque." No further
amendments being submitted the bill was reported to
the Senate, when the several amendments were con-
curred in. The bill was then ordered to be engrossed
and read a third time, and was subsequently by unani-
mous consent taken up and passed in the Senate. In
the House at this session it failed, but the matter hav-
ing been so fully and fairly presented, ripened it for its
subsequent passage in 1850.

General James Shields was sent to Congress as the
the successor of Judge Breese. In December, 1849,
Congressman Shields and Senator Douglas, supported
by the other Illinois members, prepared the bill, which
was introduced into the Senate by Mr. Douglas in Janu-
ary, 1850. It passed thejfcenate May 2, and the House
of Representatives September 20, 1850. Its triumph in
that body was largely due to the energy and ability of
Hon. John Wentworth, the Representative of this dis-
trict, and the late Governor Bissell, then a member of
the House. At the same time a strip of land between
LaSalle and Cairo, two hundred feet wide, was granted
to the State for the uses of road-bed, side-tracks, and
stations of the Central Railroad. The main grant of
which this was supplementary, was 2,595,000 acres in the
heart of the State, or alternate sections designated by
even numbers for six sections deep on each side of the
main line and its branches, and for lands sold or pre-
empted within those sections, an equal quantity within
fifteen miles on each side of the line, on condition that
the grant would be controlled by Illinois, and when the
road should be built would be free to the General Gov-

^^^ &~i

ernment. The minimum price was fixed at $2.50 per
acre, but in 1852 $5.00 per acre was realized.

This was the precedent of railroad grants, refused
to the roads then completed, viz.: Chicago & Galena

from Chicago to Elgin ; a section of the Northern Cross
Railroad, from Naples and Meredosia to Springfield,
and six miles of Governor Reynolds's track from a point
opposite St. Louis to the Bluff coal mines. What new
hopes the great land grant built up may be learned
from the repeal of the act canceling the Great Western
Railroad Company's charter, and the regranting of the
charter to the Cairo City & Canal Company, with addi-
tional privileges. This transaction, known as the " Hol-
brook Charter," became notorious ; so much so that
Douglas prevailed upon D. B. Holbrook, president of
the Cairo company, to yield up to the State the charter,
which surrender was made December 24, 1849.

During the previous month, November 5, 1849, the
act to provide for "a general system of railroad incor-
porations " went into effect. It provided that not less
than twenty-five persons might form a railroad corpora-
tion, and elect directors when $1,000 of stock per mile
should be subscribed, and ten per cent paid in. Thir-
teen directors were to be chosen, at least seven of whom
must reside in the counties through which the road was
to run. Rules were laid down for the conduct of the
directors, making the stockholders individually liable to
the creditors of the company to the amount of stock
held by them. Every company before proceeding to
construct their road through any county was to make a
map of its route and file it in the County Clerk's office.
The corporation was not to interfere with navigable
streams, or obstruct roads and highways. The com-
pensation for any passenger and his ordinary baggage
was not to exceed " three cents per mile, unless by
special act of the Legislature." Rules were also laid
down for obtaining the right of way Each employe
was to be appropriately " labeled " with his company's
badge. Annual reports were required to be made to
the Secretary of State, and the railroad property listed
by the proper officer, the State having a lien upon ap-
purtenances and stock, for penalties, dues and taxes.
The act admitted the right of the Legislature to alter
rates, if the profits were not reduced less than fifteen per
cent per annum on the paid up capital. Three com-
missioners, appointed by the Governor, were to fix the
rates of transportation for the Linked States mail, in
case the railroad could not agree with the General Gov-
ernment. Should a passenger not pay his fare the con-
ductor was authorized to " put him off." LTnder no
circumstances were freight cars to be placed behind pas-
senger coaches, and at least a thirty-two-pound bell or a
steam whistle was to be placed on the locomotive, and
worked at least eighty rods from a railroad crossing.
Penalties were provided for a violation of these sections.
" Warning boards " were to be erected, on which were
to be painted, in capital letters of at least the size of
nine inches — " Railroad Crossing — Lookout for the cars
while the bell rings, or the whistle sounds." This was
not to apply to city streets.

■ By act of the General Assembly, approved February
17, 1851, an act entitled "An act to incorporate the
Great Western Railway Company," approved March 6,
1843; "An act to amend an act entitled an
act to incorporate the Great Western Railway
Company," approved February 10, 1849, and
" An act to incorporate the Illinois Central
Railroad Company," approved January 16,
1836, were repealed. By section 3 of the
same act the grant of Congress approved Sep-
tember 20, 1850, was accepted.

Prior to the passage of this wholesale repealing act,
a memorial was presented to the General Assembly. It is
dated December 28, 1850, and signed by Robert Schuy-

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

253

/er, George Griswold, Gouverneur Morris, of Morrisania,
Franklin Haven, David A. Neal, R. Rantoul, Jr., J.
Sturges, Thomas W. Ludlow and John F. A. Sanford.
The memorialists offer to build a road from Cairo to
Galena, with a branch to Chicago, on or before July 4,
1854, "as well and thoroughly built as the railroad running
from Boston to Albany," agreeing furthermore, in con-
sideration of the charter and the land grant to "pay

annually per cent of the gross earnings of the said

road." The general reader may be glad to learn that
this blank was filled with a "seven" and that this agree-
ment became one of the corner-stones of the financial
stability of the State of Illinois.* On February 10,
1851, the Legislature, declaring that in its judgment the
object of incorporating the Central Railroad Company
could not be attained under general laws, passed an act
incorporating the Illinois Central Railroad Company.
The event was celebrated in Chicago by a popular dem-
onstration of favor. The corporators were the memor-
ialists mentioned above, and Henry Grinnell, William
H. Aspinwall, Leroy Wiley and Joseph W. Alsop.
These gentlemen, with the Governor of the State for the
time being, were constituted the first board of directors.
To this company the congressional grant of right
of way and public lands, together with "the right of
way which the State of Illinois has heretofore obtained;"
the lot of land obtained by the State within the city of
Cairo for a depot; "all the grading, embankments, exca-
vations, surveys, work, materials, personal property,
profiles, plats and papers constructed, procured, fur-
nished and done by or in behalf of the State of Illinois,
for or an account of said road and branches, and the
right of way over and through lands owned by the
State," were " ceded and granted," and the company
were required to execute a deed of trust of all this prop-
erty, together with " the railroad which may be built,"
to Morris Ketchum, John Moore and Samuel D. Lock-
wood, trustees, to secure to the State the first lien on
the property so conveyed, the construction of the road,
and the indemnification of the State against the claims
of the United States, in case the road should not be
completed within ten years as required by the act of
Congress of September 20, 1850. Thus the magnificent
grant to the State was relinquished to a private corpora-
tion, not without strong opposition, however, for there
was a deep feeling against the measure. The magni-
tude of the grant was so overpowering to the minds of
many good citizens, that they argued earnestly that
by proper management the State might not only
build the seven hundred miles of railroad, but from the
proceeds of the lands pay off a burdensome State debt
of many millions of dollars besides. Doubtless this
might have been possible, but the opportunities for
"steals" might not have been easily resisted. John S.
Wright published a pamphlet in which he insisted that
the State would be "everlastingly dishonored if the
Legislature did not devise laws to build the road, and
disenthral the State of its enormous debt besides, out of
the avails of this grant." The company negotiated a
loan of $400,000, but the money could not be realized
until there should be a conveyance of the lands from
the General Government. In this there was some delay.
Justin Butterfield, the commissioner of the general land
office, at Washington, who was from Chicago, construed
the grant as entitling the company to lands for the
Chicago branch, on a straight line to Chicago, which
would avoid the junction with the Michigan Central.
After some vexatious delay this construction of the act
was overruled by the President and Secretary of the

* The amount thus paid over to the State has been over $9,000,000.

Interior, and in March, 1852, the necessary patents were
issued, contracts were awarded, work commenced and
the road pushed forward to completion with little
interruption.

In March, 185 1, the board of directors had chosen
Roswell B. Mason,* of Bridgeport, Conn., engineer in
chief. It is entirely fitting that he should himself give
an account of the survey and building of the line, as he
was at the head of the work from its commencement to
its conclusion. The following letter to a personal friend
explains itself:

"Chicago, October 12, 1883.
" C. C. P. Holden,

"Dear Sir: In compliance with your request, I give you very
briefly a few facts and incidents connected with the early operation
of the engineer department of the Illinois Central Railroad.

" I received my appointment as chief engineer of the Illinois
Central Railroad on the 22d of March, 1851, and entered at once
upon the duty of selecting my assistants and making preparations
for the journey to what was then considered this far off Western
country. Leaving New York on the 14th of May with a party of
ten or twelve young gentlemen, we traveled by steamer to Albany,
by rail to Buffalo, by steamer to Detroit, by rail to New Buffalo,
on the east side of Lake Michigan, and thence by steamer to Chi-
cago, arriving on the 19th of May. My assistant engineers were
appointed over the work as follows:

"N. B. Porter, from Chicago to Rantoul, headquarters Chicago;
L. W. Ashley, Rantoul to Mattoon, headquarters Urbana; C. Floyd
Jones, Mattoon to main line Junction, and main line from Ramsay
to Richview, headquarters Vandalia: Arthur S. Ormsby, Richview
to Cairo, headquarters J onesboro; H. B. Plant, Ramsay to Bloom-
ington, headquarters Decatur; T. B. Blackstone, Bloomington to
Eldena, headquarters LaSalle; B. B. Provoost, Eldena to Dunleith,
headquarters Freeport. Henry Bacon, after a few months, took
the place of N. B. Porter at Chicago, and L. W. Ashley took the
place of Arthur S. Ormsby at Jonesboro. The solicitors of the
company were \V. H. Bissel and" Mason Brayman of Springfield;
the trustees, John Moore, S. D. Lockwood and Morris Ketchum.

" After seeing my assistants on their way to their several loca-
tions, I went by packet-boat on the Illinois & Michigan Canal
from Chicago to LaSalle, and then took a private conveyance to
Cairo and back to Chicago. We traveled very nearly on the line
of the road as now located south of LaSalle through Bloomington
and Clinton to Decatur. From Decatur I went to Springfield to
have a consultation with the solicitors, Messrs. Bissel & Brayman,
and on my return to Decatur I was joined by W. H. Bissel, Esq.,
who went wilh me to Cairo and a part of the way back south of De-
catur we traveled substantially on the present line of the road
through Vandalia and near Richview and Jonesboro. But owing
to high water we could not drive to Cairo and went to Mound City
on the Ohio River, and thence by steamer to Cairo. Owing to
cholera, which then prevailed there, and what appeared to me a very
fair prospect of being drowned, I made a short visit, returning by
steamer to Mound City; then followed back substantially on our
route to near Decatur, thence to Urbana. The expectation at that
time being to have the Chicago branch leave the main line at some
point between Decatur and Vandalia.

" Going north from Urbana, we traveled over an unbroken
prairie, almost the entire distance to Chicago, with no settlement in
view on the whole one hundred and twenty-eight miles except at
Spring Creek and baurbonia until you came near Chicago, where
we arrived in about one month from the time I left there, traveling
by private conveyance between seven hundred and eight hundred
miles. During the journey I met all my assistants except B. B.
Provoost, and found them well equipped and entering very heartily
into a vigorous prosecution of their work.

"After spending a few days at Chicago, I went again by packet-
boat to LaSalle and thence by private conveyance to Dubuque,
through Dixon, Freeport and Galena, meeting Mr. Provoost at
Freeport, who had his work well in hand; returning to Chicago
after about ten days, where I spent several weeks. But during the
summer and fall I visited different portions of the line several times
and was able to complete the location substantially and get my
profiles and maps ready to take with me to New York late in the
fall.

" On the 2d of February, 1S52, I went to Washington to de-
posit the map of our location with the Commissioner of the Land
Department as required by law, and to get his approval of the se-
lection and quantity of the land. This was not accomplished until

*Hon. Roswell B. Mason, the builder of the road and who located in Chi-
cago during the construction of the same, was called by the people of this city
to the Mayor's chair in the fall of 1S69, where he served the city for two years
with the same fidelity that characterized all his acts in the construction of the
Illinois Central Railroad in the years 1851-56.

254

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the 14th of March. While in Washington in the early part of
March, I directed the work to be put under contract from Chicago
to Calumet, in order to enable the Michigan Central Railroad to
reach the city. Spending a few days with my family in Con-
necticut after leaving Washington. 1 started for Chicago again on
the 17th of March via Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and after a
tedious journey of seven or eight days reached Chicago. Every
effort was made to complete the work from Chicago to Calumet
as soon as possible, and on the 21st of May, 1S52, the first pas-
senger train from Detroit entered Chicago, using the Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad track from Calumet to about Twenty-second Street.
and from thence by a temporary track over the prairie almost in a
direct line to the east side of Michigan Avenue, immediately south
of Thirteenth Stieet. where a temporary passenger depot was pro-
vided and occupied for something more than a year, until the road
was completed to the present depot at the foot of Lake Street.

" The onlv towns of importance on the main line were Galena,
Freeport. Dixon, l.a Salle, Bloomington, Clinton, Decatur, Van-
daiia, Richview, Jonesboro and Cairo. Richview and Jonesboro
were not immediately on the line, but within about one mile. We
did not go through a single settlement on the branch, but passed
near I'rbana and Bourbonnais. With the exception of more or
less timber in the immediate vicinity of the towns mentioned above,
we passed over prairies from Galena to Big Muddy River within
about sixty miles of Cairo. This sixty miles was quite heavily
timbered almost the entire distance. In going north on the Chi-
cago Branch from the main line we passed over patches of timber
and prairie to a point a little south of Mattoon, and-from there to
Chicago it was entirely prairie, except for a short distance at
Spring Creek and Kankakee. In going south from La Salle we
soon came on to a prairie and traveled forty miles without seeing a
house of any kind, and generally there was scarcely any settlement
between the towns mentioned above, which are from twenty-five to
fifty or sixtv miles apart. On the branch I think there was no
settlement immediately on the line of the road from where it leaves
the main lina until you come within about twenty miles of Chicago.
There were quite a number of places from twenty to forty miles
without a settlement. The only railroads in Illinois in the spring
of 1S51 were the Chicago & Galena, extending from Chicago to
Elgin, about forty miles, laid with strap-rail ; and a road from
Jacksonville to the Illinois River, also laid with strap-rail, and
prettv much abandoned, I think, at that time.

" The land offices in 1851 were Chicago, Dixon, Danville,
Vandalia and Kaskaskia.

" Chicago was estimated to contain about 40,000 inhabitants
in 1851.

" In June, 1S52, the contract was let for grading the road
from La Salle to Bloomington. But owing to the high elevation in
crossing the Illinois River and the expensive grading on each side
of the river for several miles, a temporary track was laid from
the main line a few miles south of La Salle to the top of the
bluff immediately opposite to La Salle, and an inclined plane
was constructed from the top of the bluff down to the Illinois
River, so that iron and other material for the construction of the
road could be loaded on cars at the foot of the plane and drawn
up by stationary power at the head of the plane and then distrib-
uted with an engine and cars that had previously been taken up
the plane. This road was completed to Bloomington in the early
part of 1853, and on the completion of the Rock Island road to
LaSalle a temporary bridge was constructed over the Illinois River
and a track laid from the foot of the plane to connect with the
Rock Island Railroad, making a continuous railroad track from Chi-
cago to Bloomington.

" During 1352 the entire line was put under contract and was
completed on the 27th of September, 1856, but owing to the few
settlements it was very difficult to get men and teams and supplies
for them. Agents were sent to New York and New Orleans to
get men, and in some cases their fare was paid, with the promise of
refunding it out of their work. But these promises were frequent-
ly entirely disregarded. Some men would not even go on to the
work a few milc^ only from the steamboat landing ; others would
come on perhaps at evening and get their supper, lodging and
breakfast and ^tart off the next morning for other quarters, but
notwithstanding these drawbacks many men were procured in this
way. In the earl) construction of the road, large supplies fur men
and teams Came from St. Louis for the main line south of Decatur,
and from India <■ Branch. In many cases flour

and other suppl d nearly or quite one hundred miles.

The iron for the road from LaSalle to Bloomington was sent from
New York by Hudson River, Erie ('anal ami the lakes to Chi-
; by Illinois &: Michigan ('anal to LaSalle. On the 5th of
March, 1-.53, 1 was advised that from twelve to fifteen thousand
tons of railroad iron would soon arrive in New Orleans, subject to
my order. This iron was distributed to all points where the line
of the road could be reached by water, for instance to Cairo; to

the mouth of the Cash River, a few miles north of Cairo ; to the
mouth of the Big Muddy River, from whence it was taken by flat
boats up to the line of the road, to Galena and Dunlieth, and
track laying was commenced at all of these points as soon as the
grading was completed, and on the completion of the Ohio & Mis-
sissippi Railroad from St. Louis to the main line, rails were sent
to St. Louis and over that road, and track laying was commenced
both north and south from that point; and when in 1S53 the Great
Western Railroad was completed from Springfield to Decatur, and
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy from Chicago to Mendota, and
the Galena Railroad from Chicago to Freeport, iron was sent over
those roads to each one of those connecting points, enabling us to
lay track each way from each point. Track laying was continued
south from Bloomington with iron sent from LaSalle, and south of
Chicago as fast as the grading was ready. On the completion of
the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy to Mendota the track was laid
on the Illinois Central south to the top of the bluff north of La-
Salle, and thence a temporary track into LaSalle making a continu-
ous railroad track from Chicago to LaSalle, which was operated by
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad for a year or more.

"Several engines were sent from the East to Buffalo, thence
by the Lake to Detroit and by Michigan Central Railroad to Chi-
cago. And for the southern portion of the line an engine was
sent to Cincinnati and taken down the Ohio River on a flat-boat
to the mouth of Cash River, and thence up that to the line of the
road. Some cars were sent from the East, but the greater part were
built here in Illinois. The road was completed in detached pieces,
that part of it from Freeport to Dunlieth being operated for some
time by the Galena Railroad.

" To give you some idea of the pleasure of traveling in Illi-
nois at that early day, I will describe a trip made with David A.
Neal, Jr., vice-president of the Illinois Central Railroad Company,
in the fall of 1852. Leaving Chicago November 10, 1S52. we
went by packet-boat on the Illinois & Michigan Canal to LaSalle,
thence by steamer on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to Cairo,
arriving at St. Louis on the 14th and Cairo on the 17th of Novem-
ber, a very comfortable journey. But our plan was to return by
private conveyance near the line of the railroad to Chicago. Leav-
ing Cairo on the iSth, we reached Vandalia on the 23d, and Decatur
the 25th with our team nearly exhausted, and unable to go any
further. The roads were so bad it was thought nearly impossible
to get through and it was determined to go to Springfield and then
by railroad, which had just been completed to Alton, and then by
the Illinois River and Illinois & Michigan Canal to Chicago. We
found it difficult to get a team to take us to Springfield, but an
offer of $15 induced a livery-man to agree to take us through to
Springfield, about forty miles, in a day. Leaving Decatur 1-riday
morning, November 26, we toiled through the mud, water and ice
to a small town within twelve miles of Springfield, arriving there
about dark with our team tired out and entirely unable to go any
further. The train left Springfield Saturday morning at eight
o'clock and an offer of $15 more induced a man who had a good
team to agree to take us there in time for the train, or else forfeit the
$15. We agreeing to go at once or let him fix the time of starting; he
named two o'clock in the morning as the time to start. So getting
a little rest we were under way at two o'clock. It was then very
cold, and ice of considerable thickness formed on the water cutting
the horses legs quite badly to go through it. And in some cases
the driver would go through on foot and break the ice before driv-
ing through it. We arrived at Springfield about twenty minutes
before the train left. He earned his $15 and we had a comfortable
journey from there to St. Louis, where we staid over Sunday and
took a steamer Monday morning for LaSalle, thence by packet-
boad to Chicago, where we arrived December 4, 1852.

"It was some considerable time after the work was commenced
before, a local treasurer was appointed to be stationed at Chicago.
And in the mean time all the funds for the payment of the engin-
eers and contractors passed through my hands, so that I carried
large amounts of money to all parts of the road in my carpet-bag.
In going into the extreme southern part of the State I went to St.
Louis with my funds or sometimes procured them there by drafts
on New York and then secured a reliable police officer to go with me
until I had disbursed them. But after a time I was very much re-
lieved by having John B. Calhoun sent out to Chicago as local
treasurer. He was a competent, faithful, reliable man, and I am
not aware that one dollar was ever lost or misappropriated during
the construction of the road.

" There were important reasons for completing the main line of
the road by January I, 1856, and some months previous to that I
was authorized to use every possible effort to complete it by that
time, regardless of expense. On consultation with the grading
contractors a time was fixed for the completion of their work, re-
serving only time enough to lay the track, and a bonus was offered
them for every day it was completed before the time. The work
was completed within the time, hut the contractors did not secure a

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

»55

very large bonus. Extra track layers were engaged and teams
employed to cart iron a few miles in advance of the regular party.
When the extra party would commence and when the regular party
reached that point they would go on a few miles in advance of the
extra party and commence again. So by this and various other
methods the track was completed on the 2Sth of December, 1S55,
and a telegram was sent to New York announcing the completion
of the mam line of the Illinois Central Railroad on that day.

Engine No. 42, with four cars, was the first to run over the
high bridge at LaSalle on the 21st of August, 1854, at 5:30 P. M.

Engine No. 5 was the first to run into Cairo on the 26th of
August, 1854. Yours Truly,

The successive steps by which the Illinois Central
has obtained a property foothold in Chicago commenced
with the payment of $45,000 to the General Govern-
ment, in October, 1850, in consideration for which the
company obtained possession of the unoccupied portion
of the Fort Dearborn reservation. The railroad com-
pany paid the sum under protest, claiming that this
tract was included in the Congressional grant. Suit
was brought in the Court of Claims for the recovery of
the money, but the decision went against the company.
In 1852 the Legislature empowered the company to
build a branch from the terminus at Twelfth Street to
the south pier of the inner harbor, and the City Council
supplemented the action of the Legislature in June of
the same year by an ordinance admitting the company
to lay tracks parallel with the lake shore, the condition
being that the road should enter the city at or near the
intersection of the southern limits and the lake, and
pursue a course along the shore to the southern limit of
Lake Park, in front of Canal Section No. 15, and con-
tinue due north to the proposed site within the Fort
Dearborn addition to Chicago, between the line of Ran-
dolph Street and the main river. This actually handed
over to the company the right to use a strip of -shore
three hundred feet wide, east of a line drawn parallel
with Michigan Avenue, four hundred distant from the
west line of that thoroughfare.

In September, 1852, the Illinois Central commenced
work on the lake-shore protection, or breakwater, which
was completed in two years, under the superintendency
of Colonel R. B. Mason, chief engineer. Mr. Bross, in
speaking of the great work, says :

" This great work commences at the south pier, four hundred
feet inside of its extreme east end and extends south one thousand
two hundred and fifty-seven feet into the lake ; thence west six
hundred and seventy-five feet on the north line of Randolph Street ;
thence southwest one hundred and fifty feet ; thence to a point
opposite the American Car Factory, making fourteen thousand
three hundred and seventy-seven — in all sixteen thousand four
hundred and fifty-nine feet. From the pier to the engine-house
the breakwater is twelve feet wide ; thence down to the car com-
pany's works half that width. The upper portion of the crib work
is built of square timber twelve by twelve, locked together every
ten feet, and the intermediate space filled by stone, piles being
driven on the outside to keep it in place. The first piece of crib
work sunk, in building the breakwater, has a very stout plank
bottom. The water line of the crib work, south of Randolph
Street, is six hundred feet east of the east side of Michigan Avenue,
and the outer line of the crib work, between Randolph Street and
the river, is one thousand three hundred and seventy-five feet. The
area thus inciosed, and rescued from the dominion of the lake
is about thirty-three acres."

In 1855 the Common Council gave the company per-
mission to use a triangular piece of land, which lay
north of Randolph and a short distance west of the land
granted in 1852. In 1856 the city granted a right to
use the space between the breakwater, from a point
seven hundred feet south of the north line of Randolph

Street, branching out and running thence to the south-
east corner of the company's breakwater as then estab-
lished, and thence to the river. In February of this
year, passenger trains over the Illinois Central, the Mich-
igan Central and the Chicago & St. Louis roads, com-
menced to run into the new depot of the first named com-
pany. After that year the company continued to improve
and possess submerged and other lands east of the east
line of the two hundred feet granted in the original or-
dinance.

This company was the first to take action in the
matter of suburban trains. A time table was issued
June 1, 1856, and three trains placed on the line between
the city and Hyde Park.

The gross earnings of the Illinois Central Railroad
from March 24 to October 31, 1855, were $595,633.86 ;
the amount of State tax paid into the State treasury,
$29,751.59, the rate levied being five per cent. For the
six months ending April 30, 1856, the gross earnings
were $630,580.02 and the tax $31,529. The earnings
for the half year ending October 31, 1S56, aggregated
$922,053.30 and the taxes paid $46,102.66. For the six
months ending April 30, 1857, the total earnings were
$935,386.69 ; the rate of tax varied from five to seven
per cent, yielding to the State a revenue of $59,196.82.
During the half year ending October 31, 1857, the gross
earnings amounted to $1,234,986, and the tax, levied at
the rate of seven per cent, to $86,449.02.

Land Sales. — C. C. P. Holden furnishes the follow-
ing interesting facts in regard to the early sales of
Illinois Central Railroad lands, and their marked effect
upon the prosperity of the State :

"The foundation upon which rested the cornerstone of the
Illinois Central Railroad was the grant of lands from the General
Government to the State of Illinois — under the act of Congress of
September 20, 1S50, and from the State of Illinois to the company,
by act approved February 10, 1851. This grant consisted of
2,595,000 acres of land selected from the public domain and lying
on each side of their road, within fifteen miles thereof. The grant
of this large body of land gave the company a credit which other-
wise it might not have been able to obtain. With these lands as a
foundation upon which to guarantee the payment of their bonds at
maturity and the interest on the same as it became due, their credit
took immediate shape and they readily placed their bonds, of which
there were ten thousand of $1, 000 each, and fourteen thousand of
S500, each, in all for §17,000,000. The payment of these bonds
was secured by a mortgage pledging 2,000,000 acres of the com-
pany's lands therefor. - The residue of 595,000 acres of said lands
were at the disposal of John Moore, S. D. Lockwood, and Morris
Ketchum, trustees named in the bill, the proceeds to be used in pay-
ing the interest on the above bonds, and to ' meet such demands as
the exigencies of the company may demand.' With this advantage
secured, the company took immediate shape and went forward to
carry out the object of the grant, under the act of Congress and of
our own State Legislature.

"The writer hereof having been for a long period of years
connected with the sale and management of these lands, it may not
be amiss to briefly review some of the results accruing to the rail-
road company, to the State of Illinois, and finally to the great
Northwest through the sale and settlement of the lands of this
corporation. The State of Illinois at the time the grant was made
had a popu'ation of 851,470 ; and the counties through which the
road was located — to-wit, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Ogle, Lee, La-
Salle, Marshall, Woodford, McLean, Dewitt, Macon, Christian,
Shelby, Fayette, Marion, Washington. Perry, Jackson, Union,
Alexander, Pulaski, Clay, Effingham, Cumberland, Coles, Cham-
paign, Vermillion, Iroquois, Will and Cook — had a population of
255,284. The State debt at that time was $15, 000, 000. In the
early spring of 1851, the company fully organized, when its officers
and board of directors took immediate steps for the construction
of the road and the branches thereof, a task that would have ap-
palled the most of men ; but the directors were fully equal to the
occasion, and one of their first acts was to select Colonel Roswell
B. Mason, to locate and build the road.

" In 1852, 1S53 and 1854 the company's lands were selected
and platted, under the supervision of John C. Dodge, of Chicago,
with local agencies at Freeport, Dixon, LaSalle, Bloomington,
Clinton, Richview, Jonesboro, Urbana and Kankakee. Those

scfi

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

who were living upon the lands prior to September 20, 1850, had
the right to prove up their claim, pay $2.50 per acre and take
deeds therefor. The agents at the above points were John A.
Clark. Freeport ; Silas Noble. Dixon ; S. B. Carter, LaSalle ; A.
Gridley, Bloomington ; C. H. Moore, Clinton ; B. G. Roots,
Richview ; D. L. Phillips, Jonesboro ; John Campbell, Urbana,
and A. Chester, Kankakee. They also made sales of other lands
belonging to the company in their respective districts. '

" Early in 1^55. under the administration of J. N, A. Gris-
wold, president of the road, the Land Department was thoroughly
organized under the immediate supervision of Charles M. Dupuy.
The lands of the entire grant were divided into districts where
engineering parties examined each and every tract, reporting the
result of their labors to the Chicago office. These examinations
were made for the purpose of ascertaining the quality of the soil,
whether timber or prairie, its nearness to anv settlement, proximity
to water, with any other information bearing upon the value of the
same. When these examinations had been completed and copied
in books furnished for that purpose at the Chicago office, prices
were attached to each tract, and then the land was thrown into
market. Mr. Dupuy thoroughly systematized the work, and by a
judicious system of advertising both at home and abroad, the de-
mands for the lands of this company soon commenced to increase.
People came from all parts of the country — from the North and
from the South, from the East and from Europe — seeking homes
for themselves and their families along the line of the Illinois
Central.

" Bv the first of May. 1S55, emigration began to pour into the
State, especially seeking the lands of this company. It was about
the 5th of that month that the writer hereof was detailed to locate
for Adam Smith thirty-two tracts of three hundred and twenty acres
each, between Ashkum Station, on the north, and Rantoul on the
south. The lands were to be located in the following manner:
Each tract to be three miles from the railroad, three miles from
timber, and three miles from any improvement whatever; that is,
we have a distance of forty miles north and south in which to make
the selections. We started out and succeeded in making nearly all
of the locations. There were a few tracts, however, which had to
come inside the three-mile limits, and we had the order so changed
as to allow this to be done. When the land grant was made, from
a few miles south of Chicago to the south line of Coles County, be-
low Mattoon, the country was one bleak wilderness, save small set-
tlements along the timber belts, which were off from the line of
railroad; from the Boubornais settlement to the timber southwest
of Paxton, inside the fifteen-mile limits on the west side of the
railroad, there were but two families living at the time. The same
condition of things existed on the main line, especially so between
LaSalle and Pana. Along the timber belts and water-ways there
were meagre settlements, while, in the great open prairie, settle-
ments had not begun. This was the condition of the country
along the line of the Illinois Central in the beginning of 1855. It
was a common occurrence in those days for the writer to have a
train stop in the great open prairie to allow himself and a party of
land hunters to get off. and start out over the prairie from section
to section, making sales if it was possible to do so. Then striking
the road at some other point, with a red handkerchief as a flag, the
first train that came along would be stopped, and the party
taken aboard. In nearly every instance of this kind, sales of the
company's lands were effected before returning to Chicago,
when the purchasers received their contracts or deeds. When
Colonel Mason located the line of road not a single railroad crossed
the right-of-way of this company from Chicago to Cairo, and from
Centralia to Dunleith; but the face of the country was bound to
change. The settlers were continually pouring into the State and
seeking the lands of this company. Many bought large tracts, be-
ing encouraged so to do by the low rate of interest charged, which
was only two per cent per annum. Two years, interest paid at the
time of purchase was all that was required down, but the great ma-
jority bought from eighty to one hundred and sixty acres each. Dur-
ing the years 1855-56 the number of seekers for these lands was very
great, and as many as twenty and thirty frequently took the train from
Chicago, generally in charge of a land salesman to select homes
for themselves and their families. By the close of 1856 more than
1,000.000 acres had been sold. Early in 1856, W. II. Osborn had
succeeded J. N. A. Griswold as president of the road, and the
Hop.. John Wilson from the General Land Office at Washington
had succeeded Charles M. Dupuy as commissioner in charge of
the land department of the company. Mr. Wilson, like his prede-
cessor, put forth every effort known in the way of advertising, to
attract the attention of the general Eastern, Southern and European
public to the lands of the Illinois Central Railroad. The very
large sums of money expended in this way had their effect ten-fold,
not only in attracting the people of the country to the lands
of this company but to the great undeveloped Northwest
where not a railroad then existed. Many of the travelers and ex-

plorers, after looking over the country tributary to the Illinois Cen-
tra! followed the water-courses to the far West and Northwest, and
saw the endless plains and the beautiful countries now embraced
within the boundaries of Minnesota, Nebraska, Dakota, and even
the far-off country beyond."

Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company. —
The year 1850 is the commencement of an era in the
railroad history of Chicago and Illinois. Then the ob-
taining of the land grant by the Illinois Central made
the building of that road an assurance, and the con-
struction of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad to
Elgin, forty miles west, placed that line on a paying
basis from the start. The hearts of the stockholders
were gladdened, even in 1850, by their pocket-books re-
ceiving a dividend of ten per centum. It already was
assuming so independent an air that when, in Decem-
ber, 1850, the Michigan Southern made a proposition
to build a road to the Indiana State-line, using the
grant of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad in its
construction, that corporation flatly refused the offer,
saying that it could build the road itself.

During the year ending June 3, 185 1, the company
purchased Block 1, original town of Chicago, one-half
mile east of the then depot. A drawbridge over the
North Branch was constructed in 185 1, and the tracks
laid through new North Water Street. On that day
William B. Ogden resigned the presidency of the road,
and John B. Turner, among its earliest and most faith-
ful friends, was elected to the position. In November
a fine passenger depot, fifty by two hundred and thirty
feet in size, was constructed on North Water Street,
west of Clark.

The road was finally completed to Belvidere, when the
management was called upon to encounter greater vexa-
tions than any it had been able to dispose of up to that
time. At this point an effort was made to divert the
road from its original route to Savannah, which would
leave Stephenson County without the benefits her peo-
ple had so industriously labored for and liberally con-
tributed to obtaining. Those who had urged the taking
of stock were discouraged at the apparent failure of the
scheme, while those who had subscribed were bitter in
their expressions of disappointment. Finally, a com-
mittee of gentlemen from Freeport, composed of J. H.
Addams, D. A. Knowlton, O. H. Wright and John A.
Clark, visited Rockford to endeavor to procure the exe-
cution of the original contract, and secured the indorse-
ment of the people that so far as they could influence a
decision it should be done. The trip was continued to
Chicago, and after labors that were effectual as were
the laborers deserving of the public thanks, the project
of diverting the road was abandoned. Labor was con-
tinued on the route, and in August, 1853, the iron horse
entered Freeport amid the rejoicings that such an occa-
sion would bring forth.

In 1848 a charter was procured by the officers of the
Galena & Chicago Union Railroad to extend their road
between Beloit and Madison — subsequently known as
the Rock River Valley Railroad. In 1851 the Illinois
& Wisconsin Railroad Company was incorporated,
and, with the Rock River Valley, was consolidated with
the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac, in 1855. This
system was in turn consolidated with the Wisconsin &
Superior.

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

257

A contract was made between the Galena & Chicago
Union and Chicago & Aurora railroads, December 13,
1851, for carrying on a joint business. This contract
was signed by E. S. Wadsworth, president, of the
Aurora Branch road, and John B. Turner, president of
the Galena & Chicago Union. On June 28, 1856, the
company entered into an arrangement with the Chicago,
Burlington &: Quincy Railroad Company through James
F. Joy, amending the contract made with this company
or its predecessor in 185 1. Moses M. Strong, president
of the Mineral Point Railroad ; W. P. Burrall, president
of the Illinois Central, and John B. Turner, president
of the Galena & Chicago Union, entered into a contract
October 10, 1853, regulating the business of the Min-
eral Point road so far as it related to the two principal
roads named.

The contract with the Beloit & Madison Railroad
Company providing for the building of that road, was
made January 2, 1854, J. B. Turner, president of both
roads, signing on behalf of each.

The contract with the Fox River Valley Railroad
Company was entered into March 15, 1854, and signed
by J. B. Turner on the part of the Galena & Chicago
Union, and B. W. Raymond on that of the Fox River
Valley. This contract provided for the construction of
the road by the latter and its equipment by the former
company, and also laid down rules for the division of
revenues and special privileges.

The Dixon Air Line, a branch of the Galena &
Chicago Union, was built in 1S54. It was subsequently
purchased by the Chicago & North Western.

The Chicago, St. Charles & Mississippi Air Line
Railroad was before the people in 1854 ; but the only
work done on the road was its grading from Chicago to
St. Charles, after which it was sold to the Galena &
Chicago Union, and in 1864 was purchased by the Chi-
cago & North-Western.

The progress of the road from 1849 to 1857 is shown
in the following table :

Year.

Gross Earnings.

Expenditures.

1849-50

$ 48,331 96

127,685 78

211. 310 55

473,548 21

799,013 88

1,506,710 11

2,315, 7S6 96

2,416,343 85

1,640,806 94

$ 18,519 S2
4S,qo4 24
87,361 67

IS7.396 39
359,199 04
686,516 86
1,063,744 85
1,295.493 (>9
921,251 S2

1854-55

The rewards which waited on the projectors were fully
earned. A railroad conceived, equipped, and suc-
cessfully managed during those early years, without aid
from the State or General Government, pointed out its
projectors to be men at once self-reliant, energetic, en-
terprising and intelligent. Michigan, Illinois, and in
fact all States and private companies, that entered on
such enterprises, were driven to the verge of ruin, the Ga-
lena & Chicago Union Railroad Company alone making
their enterprise successful from the moment work was
begun. The history of the road up to 1864, when it
was consolidated with the North-Western Railroad, is
considered in the history of that immense railroad sys-
tem.

Chicago & North-Western Railroad, 1854-57. —
The Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad, now
the Chicago & North-Western, was originated in 1854.
The Elgin & State Line Company's road, B. W. Ray-
mond, president, was begun in 1854. It appears that
the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company de-

signed to build an air line from Elgin to Chicago, and
the object of the Elgin & State Line road was to con-
nect the air line with the Wisconsin Central Railroad,
then being constructed from the Illinois boundary to
Stevens Point, Wis. The Galena & Chicago Union
Railroad Company, however, refused to build the air
line ; when its place was supplied by the Chicago, St.
Paul & Fond du Lac. W. B. Ogden was president of
this company, which must be considered identical with
the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad Company, chartered
under the concurrent acts of Illinois and Wisconsin.
On the 13th of March, i85i,the Legislature of Wiscon-
sin granted a charter to Levi Blossom, Charles H.
Wheeler and others, as a corporation called the Green
Bay, Milwaukee & Chicago Railroad Company. At
about the same time the Illinois Legislature granted a
charter to the Chicago & Milwaukee Railroad Com-
pany, with authority to build a line from Chicago to the
State line between Wisconsin and Illinois, where it
would meet the line built by the Green Bay, Milwaukee
& Chicago Railroad Company. Both corporations be-
gan the work of construction at once, and before the
close of 1855 the two lines were completed and met at
the State line. They operated the road together until
1863, when the two companies consolidated. It was in
operation to Barrington January 1, 1855, and on March
1 to Cary — thirty-eight miles. In June and July, 1855,
the gauge was changed, the line extended to Wood-
stock, fifty-two miles from Chicago, and opened July

11, i855-

The Beloit & Madison Railroad, subsequently the
Rock River Valley Railroad, was built under the char-
ter of 1848. The principals of the enterprise were
John B. Macy, T. L. Gillett and A. Hyatt Smith, the
two first of Fond du Lac and the latter of Janesville,
Wis. Books were opened December 19, 1850, and on
July 10, 185 1, ground was broken at Fond du Lac by
Timothy F. Strong, Sr., for a six-foot gauge railroad.
The road was first laid with wooden and strap-iron
rails, over which the old "Winnebago" drew the first
train. The little engine weighed fifteen tons. On her
arrival at Sheboygan from Buffalo in 185 1, fourteen
yoke of oxen were attached to the wagon on which she
was placed, and after six weeks of laborious effort over
the forty-two miles of road her arrival was reported at
Fond du Lac. This road was consolidated vvith the
Illinois & Wisconsin in 1855, and both with the Chi-
cago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac, September 6, 1855. In
1857 the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac absorbed
the Wisconsin & Superior Railroad.

After the consolidation of the Illinois & Wisconsin
and the Rock River Valley Railroad in 1855, under the
name of the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad
Company, the progress of the road became remarkable.
In 1856 the divisions from the State line to Janesville
and from Fond du Lac to Minnesota Junction were
completed ; the grade was changed from six feet to four
feet eight and a half inches, and through-passenger
trains run from Chicago to Mississippi, via Milton Junc-
tion and Janesville, over the track of the Milwaukee &
Mississippi, or Prairie du Chien Railroad. At this time
the contest for the possession of the seven hundred
thousand acres of railroad lands in Wisconsin took
place. The influence of Milwaukee opposed the pre-
tentious claims of the Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac
road ; and to meet their opposition a policy was adopt-
ed which was attended with success. The Wisconsin &
Superior Railroad Company was incorporated, seven
hundred thousand acres of land secured, and in 1857 the
charter and lands were placed in possession of the am-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

bilious Chicago line. In addition to this the Marquette
State line and the Ontonagon & State line roads were con-
solidated. This policy of absorption was carried on un-
remittingly, until at length the road became known
throughout the world as the Chicago & North- Western.

Chicago, Burlington &,Quincy Railroad, 1849-
57. — This great system, which, in these times embraces
4.126 miles of road, and brings the commerce of great
portions of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Colo-
rado into the heart of this city, may be said to have
formed a nucleus in 1849. The Aurora Branch Rail-
road was incorporated February 1 2,1849, ar>d empowered
to build a road from Aurora to the Galena & Chicago
Union Railroad in Du Page County. The first direct-
ors were : S. F. Gale, I. H. Burch, Allen Robbins, E.
S. Wadsworth, John F'rink, E. C. Larned, John Van Nort-
wick. B. Hackney, L. D. Brady, J. W. Brooks, and Gilbert
C. Davidson. On November 1, 1S50, this branch was
completed and cars from Aurora passed into Chicago
over the Galena & Chicago Union Company's track.

December 13, 1851, the Aurora Branch Railroad
Company and the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad
Company entered into an agreement, to be in force for
thirty years from January 1, 1852, containing those
stipulations referred to in the history of the last-named
road for the transaction of a joint business.

A contract made October 3, 1854, between George
C. Bestor, president of the Peoria & Oquawka Railroad ;
James F. Joy, president of the Chicago & Aurora Rail-
road, and J. W. Brooks, by J. F. Joy, president of the
Central Military Tract, provided for the joint business
of these roads. On January 1, 1856, the Northern Cross-
roads, the Central Military Tract and the Chicago &
Aurora, entered into further contracts for the regulation
of joint business and for the disposal of the bonds then
authorized.

The gross earnings of the Chicago & Aurora Rail-
road from January to December, 1854, were $300,042.62,
of which sum §152,105.98 were disbursed on account of
general expenditures.

The Peoria & Oquawka Railroad, (chartered in 1849,)
from Peoria through Galesburg to Burlington, was
graded and several miles of track laid by January 31,

1854, to Galesburg, in December, 1854, and in 1856 was
consolidated with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy.
This road was taken into the Chicago, Burlington &:
Quincy system in 1863, thus opening a through route
from East Burlington to Peoria.

The act to incorporate the Central Military Tract
Railroad was approved February 13, 1851, with William
McMurtry, C. S. Colton, James Bunce, W. S. Gale, H.
H. May. 0. C. Lamphere, W. A. Wood, Alfred Brown,
Alva Wheeler, Peter Grouse, Amos Ward, Patrick Dunn,
Daniel Meeks, Silas Willard and A. C. Wiley incorpora-
tors. In an amendment to this act, approved June 19,
1852, the names of Sylvester Blish, Barney M. Jackson,
Myrtle G. lirace, Edward Holister, Edwin G. Ellet and
William Maxwell were added to the list of incorporators.
The road was built by Colton & Brooks and opened in

1855. The consolidation of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy with the Central Military Tract line was ef-

I iily 9, 1856; but for convenience in rendering
the accounts for receipts and disbursements, the actual
consolidation dates from July 1, 1856. The earnings
of the Central Military Tract Railroad for eight months,
ending December 31, 1855, amounted to $314,529.56,
of which $134,293.11 formed the aggregate expendi-
tures.

Railroad connection between Chicago and Burling-
ton, Iowa, was established the first week in March,

1855. During the same year the Northern Cross road
from Galesburg to Quincy was completed. During the
session of the Legislature of 1855, a law had been
passed consolidating the Aurora & Chicago, the Cen-
tral Military Tract, the western end of the • Peoria &
Oquawka, and the Northern Cross Railroad companies
into a single corporation under the name of the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. The Chicago
<X: Aurora Railroad extended from Chicago to Mendota,
the Central Military Tract from Mendota to Galesburg,
the west end of the Peoria & Oquawka from Galesburg
to Burlington, and the Northern Cross Railroad from
Galesburg to Quincy. This consolidation gave Chicago
five points of connection with the Mississippi Valley,
and a road two hundred and ten miles in length. In
1856 arrangements were fully completed and trains run-
ning into Chicago, from Geneva Junction, over the
tracks of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad. The
tracks of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, via Six-
teenth Street, were laid into the city in 1863.

The Rock Island & Alton Railroad Company, to
whom aid was granted along its proposed line in 1856
(but in many instances the bonds representing this aid
were returned to the people), was completed over a dif-
ferent route from that selected in the first instance,
under the name of Rock Island &: St. Louis Railroad.
The line was carried on under varied fortunes until in
1876 the Rock Island & St. Louis Company adopted the
title St. Louis, Rock Island & Chicago Railroad Com-
pany, and the same year the line was purchased by the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company.

The income of the Chicago, Burlington &: Quincy
Railroad for 1855, including balance of $82,473.35 car-
ried forward from December 31, 1855, was $806,611.95,
of which $592,630.29 were expended in dividends, in-
terest on bonds, sinking fund, taxes and operating ex-
penses in 1854-55, leaving a balance of $213,981.66 to
be credited to the company's account on January 1,

1856. The expenditures of the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy (consolidated ) from July 1,1856,10 April 30,

1857. were $716,288.61, while the earnings reached
$1,389,292.99.

The rolling stock in 1857 comprised eleven coal-
burning locomotives, forty-three wood-burning loco-
motives, twenty- six first-class passenger coaches, five
second-class passenger cars, eight baggage cars, five
hundred and ninety-four freight-house cars, one hun-
dred and sixteen platform cars, and fifty coal cars.

The directors of the road in 1857 were Erastus
Corning, New York; Edward L. Baker, U. Thayer, R.
B. Forbes, S. H. Perkins, J. M. Forbes, J. W. Brooks,
Massachusetts; James F. Joy, Detroit; Isaac H. Burch,
Chicago; John Van Nortwick, Batavia, 111., and C. S.
Colton, Galesburg, 111. The officers were John Van
Nortwick, president; C. G. Hammond, superintendent;
and Amos T. Hall, treasurer and secretary.

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, 1S47-
1857. — This road had its origin in the Rock Island &
LaSalle Railroad Company, chartered February 27,
1847. Although nothing was done toward the construc-
tion of the road under this charter, attention was drawn
to the project, and enthusiastic meetings and conven-
tions were held during the year in Chicago, in favor of
a railroad to the Pacific, Hon. Stephen A. Douglas occa-
sionally lending his presence to them. In 1850, during
the marked revival in railroad matters occasioned by
the Illinois Central land grant, Henry Farnum came
to Chicago from New Haven, upon William B. Ogden's
invitation, to assist in the construction of the Galena &
Chicago Union road. While here he examined the

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

259

Rock Island route, and was so impressed with its ad-
vantages that he wrote to his friend, Joseph E. Sheffield,
a rich capitalist of New Haven, to come to Chicago and
also look over the proposed route. This resulted in
obtaining a charter and building the road.

On February 7, 185 1, at the suggestion of Eastern
capitalists and from motives prompted by general com-
mercial foresight, the charter of the Rock Island &: La
Salle Company was amended so that the road could be
continued from Peru, LaSalle County, byway of Ottawa
and Joliet, to Chicago. The name was also changed to
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company,
additional subscriptions of $300,000 being required. By
the 13th of the month the requisite amount of new stock
had been taken. Surveys of the road under Richard P.
Morgan, chief engineer, from Rock Island to Peru, had
been going on since December, 1850, and were now
in April nearly completed. Upon the re-organization
of the company in April, 185 1, J. B. Jervis was chosen
president and William Jervis chief engineer. On account
of high water the survey was not entirely completed
until June 26. In August all surveys and estimates for
the line to Chicago had been made, and on the 25th of
that month the executive committee met Messrs. Far-
num and Sheffield in New York city, and concluded a
contract with them for the construction and equipment
of the road. This contract was approved by the board
of directors, meeting at Rock Island, on September 17.
In January, 1852, the company contracted for the build-
ing of the Rock-river bridge. Contracts were also
made for iron for the whole road, ten thousand tons to
be delivered in 1852 sufficient to furnish the road to
Peru) and the remainder in 1853. A large enough force
was to be put on the road to have it completed to Joliet
by August 1, and to Ottawa by October 1. Work was
finally begun, April 10, 1852, underthe supeiintendency
of Mr. Farnum. Although it did not progress quite as
rapidly as was anticipated, the progress made was en-
couraging. On October 18, the road was open from
Chicago to Joliet, a distance of forty miles; January 5,
1853, to Morris, sixty-two miles; February 14, to Otta-
wa, eighty-four miles; March 21, to LaSalle, ninety-
eight miles; March 21, to Peru, one hundred miles;
September 12, to Tiskilwa, one hundred and twenty-two
miles; October 12, to Sheffield, one hundred and thirty-
seven miles; December 19, to Geneseo, one hundred
and fifty-nine miles; and to Rock Island, one hundred
and eighty-one miles, February 22, 1854.

The completion of the road to LaSalle and Peru
afforded a full opportunity to calculate the advantages
which its construction to the Mississippi would confer
upon Chicago, as well as the extent to which the interest
of the company would be served. Indeed, from that
day in October, 1852, when the first passenger train
passed down to Joliet, the success which waited upon
the enterprise was manifest. In February, 1854, the
road was opened to the Mississippi, and the nucleus of
the magnificent system, known as the Chicago, Rock
Island & Pacific Railroad was firmly founded. From
1854 to 1857, nothing occurred to mar the harmony of
progress, beyond the shocking accident, near Joliet,
November 1, 1854. This catastrophe cost eight pass-
engers their lives, and the company a large sum of
money. In the fall of 1S53 the company in union with
the Michigan Southern Railroad Company, built their
depot between Clark and Sherman streets, on VanBuren
Street. This building incurred an expenditure of about
$60,000 and gave the young city another substantial
token of her enterprise and prospects.

Chicago & Alton Railroad, 1846-57. — The

Alton & Springfield road was commenced in 1846 upon
promises of money and paid-up stock by local subscrib-
ers. During the progress of the road examples of
perseverance and self-sacrifice were given, which par-
take of the nature of romance rather than of actual his-
tory. Captain Godfrey mortgaged all his property,
lived in a construction car, and labored as a hired work-
man from the beginning of work, in 1846, to the com-
pletion of the road in 1852. The charter was granted
to the Alton & Sangamon Railroad February 27, 1847.

The Chicago & Mississippi Railroad Company was
chartered June 19, 1852. Henry Dwight was the lead-
ing spirit in the extension of the Alton road from
Springfield to Bloomington and Joliet. Having suc-
ceeded in the organization of a board of directors, in
1856, bonds were issued, amounting to $3,500,000, and
with the moneys obtained on such bonds, the road was
finished to Joliet, as the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis,
the new company leasing the entire line. The Alton &
Sangamon road, from Alton to Springfield, was com-
pleted in 1853, and the Chicago <S: Mississippi, from
Springfield to Bloomington, in 1854, and from Bloom-
ington to Joliet in 1856.

The Joliet & Chicago Railroad Company was char-
tered by the Legislature of 1854-55 and empowered to
construct a road from Joliet via Lockport, to Chicago, on
the condition that a perpetual lease of it should be grant-
ed to the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company. This con-
necting was subsequently completed, the city granting a
right-of-way into Chicago in April, 1857.

In December, 1857, Governor Mattison and one or
two others, purchased the road at auction, for $5,000,
or less than one-ninth of the cost of building one mile,
the total sum expended upon the line being $9,535,000.
The St. Louis, Alton & Chicago Railroad Company,
however, which was then organized, survived but a few
years; the company being re-organized in 1862, as the
Chicago & Alton.

The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana
Railroad, 1833-57. — The Michigan Southern was com-
pleted to Chicago February 20, 1852, and was the first
Eastern trunk line introduced here. The depot was
built on the prairie near Gurnee's tannery, opposite the
Rock Island Railroad depot, the same year. The his-
tory of this road, which is the early history of the pres-
ent corporation known as the Lake Shore & Michigan
Southern Railroad Company, embraces the record of
the Erie & Kalamazoo, 1833 to 1849; Michigan South-
ern, 1837 to 1855 ; Atlantic & Pacific, or Buffalo &
Mississippi, or Northern Indiana, 1835-1855 ; and the
Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana, 1855-57.

The Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad Company was
incorporated in April, 1833, by the Michigan Legis-
lative Council, with power to build a road thirty-three
miles long, from Port Lawrence, now Toledo, to Adrian,
Mich. The road was opened as a one-horse railroad in
the summer of 1837 ; but in August of that year the
engine, "Adrian Baldwin No. 1," was placed on the
road. This enterprise, added to the one undertaken by
the company, known as the Palmyra & Jacksonburg
Railroad Company, was pregnant with troubles to the
company. In 1842 W. J. Daniels was appointed re-
ceiver, and the latter road was sold to the State of
Michigan for $22,000, the amount due to the State. In
1848 financial troubles brought ruin to the company,
and the road was sold to Washington Lunt, of New York,
and George Bliss, of Massachusetts. The Michigan
Southern Railroad Company leased the road August 1,
1849, anc' has continued in possession of it, paying a rental
of $30,000 annually. This Michigan Southern was one

;6o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

of the old lines, which, like the Michigan Central, passed
from the State into the hands of a corporation. In
1S37 the track of the Michigan Southern Railroad was
laid with strap-rail. In 1S39 it was completed to Peters-
burg; in 1840 to Adrian; and in 1843 to Hillsdale.
Sixty-six miles were in operation in 1S43 from Monroe
to Hillsdale, owned and operated by the State of Michi-
gan. It was the original plan to build the road from
Monroe to New Buffalo ; but, owing to the crisis which
the extravagant dreams of 1837 created, the State was
forced to cease work on the road in 1843. In 1844 the
State took possession of the Palmyra & Jacksonburg
Railroad, in lieu of the loan and interest thereon, made
by the State to the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad Com-
pany, who projected and built the Palmyra & Jackson-
burg Railroad. This last-named road was opened to
Tecumseh August 9, 1838, and the branch to Jackson
in 1S56. In 1846 the road was purchased by Edwin
C. Litchfield & Co., of New York, the State agreeing to
receive the sum of $500,000 payable in ten installments
of $50,000 each, within ten years. In 1850 the new
companv had added only four miles of track, but within
the two succeeding years the Michigan Southern was
built from Toledo to Chicago, a distance of two hun-
dred and forty-three miles.

A bill for the incorporation of the Atlantic & Pacific
Railroad Company, was introduced in 1835 by John B.
Chapman to the legislators of Indiana. The Legis-
lature would not consider the bill under that heading,
but subsequently granted certain privileges to the Buf-
falo & Mississippi Railroad Company.

On May 25, 1835, a number of incorporators met at
Elkhart, Ind., to consider the subject of building a rail-
road from Maumee Bay to the Mississippi. From this
meeting sprung the organization of a company in Feb-
ruary, 1S37, with Robert Stewart as president. The
road was located and contracts let June 14, 1837.
About one mile of the proposed road west of LaPorte
was graded. In 1838 work was suspended ; but a line
from Goshen to the eastern boundary of the State was
located. In 1847 a new companv was organized with
William B. Ogden, J. Y. Scammon, J. W. Brooks, C. B.
Blair, E. D. Taylor, John B. Niles, and A. L. Osborn,
directors. Up to 1849 nothing was done on the road,
so the company re-organized under the title Northern
Indiana Railroad Company. During this year the Rail-
road Charter & Insolvent Railroad Purchasing Com-
pany, known as Edwin C. Litchfield & Co., of New York,
turned their attention from fallen public railroad works
in Michigan to fallen private railroads in Ohio and In-
diana, and soon had control of the Northern Indiana
Railroad Company, the more humble title substituted
for the Buffalo & Mississippi.

In October, 1849, the Northern Indiana Railroad
Company was organized by Judge Niles, and a charter
obtained from the Ohio Legislature, March 3, 1851. At
the same time the Northern Indiana & Chicago Railroad
Company was organized in Illinois and consolidated
with the former under the title of Northern Indiana
Railroad Company. Work was begun in earnest and
on May 22, 1852, a passenger train, drawn by the en-
gine " Adrian," passed over the line from Toledo to
Chicago. Within two years following, the company re-
constructed fifty miles of the old road and built one
hundred and sixty miles of new road. The consolida-
tion of the Northern Indiana with the Michigan South-
ern was effected April 25, 1855. Between the years
1 -153 and 1856 the road was extended to Jackson, and
to Three Rivers, Mich.

According to the Herald of October 21, 1855, the

depot of the two roads then known as the Michigan
Southern and the Rock Island Railroad, was projected
with frontage on Van Buren Street. The Herald's de-
scription of the building was substantially as follows :
" It will be three hundred and fifty-five feet in length
exclusive of offices at the end of the building. The
span of the roof from the side walls is one hundred and
sixteen feet. It will have but a single support in the
entire building, as it will be constructed on the principle
of Howe's patent truss. The ventilators will be in the
roof. The height of the walls will be twenty-two feet,
while from the floor to the center of the arch will be
forty-two feet. The roof alone will cost $23,000. This
building was used as the depot for the two lines of rail-
road named above, until October, 1871.

The collision of April 25, 1853, at the Michigan
Southern and Central Crossing, gave rise to much argu-
ment concerning the right of the railroads here. About
the first of June, the Michigan Southern Railroad
Company applied to Judge Morris for an injunction to
restrain the Illinois Central Railroad from running
their cars across the track of the Southern road. This
case was decided in June, 1853. The presidents of the
road from the date of its incorporation to 1855, were :
Robert Stewart, 1837 ; Joseph Orr, 1837-41 ; Jonathan
Burr, 1 841 ; (eight years unorganized) ; W. B. Ogden,
1847 ; (two years unorganized) ; E. W. Chamberlain,
1850; James H. Barnes, 1851 ; John Stryker, 1851 ;
George Bliss, 1852 ; John B. Jervis, 1852-55 ; John B.
Niles, H. P. Andrew, Jr., Ezekiel Morrison, W. J.
Walker, W. C. Hannah, Havilah Beardsley, John H.
Defrees and T. S. Stanfield. Schuyler Colfax was a di-
rector in 1858-59 and Philo Morehouse, 1860-69.

The Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana Com-
pany did not rest satisfied with this progress. The Air
Line, the Detroit, Monroe & Toledo Railroad, and the
building of the great lake vessels — "Western Metrop-
olis " and " City of Buffalo " — marked the progress of
the corporation. The panic of 1857 came to destroy all
this enterprise. No less than one hundred and fifty-
five heavy claims were pressed against the company by
creditors, the board of directors resigned, the road
went to protest and the affairs of the Michigan South-
ern & Northern Indiana Railroad seemed dark indeed.
A new directory was elected ; but so poor in worldly
goods was the company that when the directors assem-
bled to hold their first meeting, October 1, 1857, a few
chairs were borrowed from offices convenient, to replace
those carried off by the Sheriff.

The Erie & Northeastern was opened January 19,
1852, and operated as a six-foot gauge road until De-
cember 7, 1853, when the Erie war took place. The
company was, however, successful, and the standard
gauge completed February 1, 1854, between Buffalo and
Erie. The other railroads forming the Michigan South-
ern & Northern Indiana Railroad in 1857 named above
were all consolidated or leased by the company previous
to that year.

The Michigan Central Railroad, 1831-57. —
The Michigan Central road may be said to have its ori-
gin in the Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad, chartered
in 1831, with a nominal capital stock of $1,500,000.
The good intentions of this corporation were borne
testimony to, by the fact that, previous to 1837, a sum
approximating to $117,000 was expended on the roads.
The Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad Company, bowed
down under the reverses of 1837, sold their interest in
the road to the State of Michigan. The State expended
$400,000 on permanent-way and rolling-stock during
1837-38, and completed and opened the road to God-

THE RAILROAD SYSTEM.

261

frey's ("now Ypsilanti), February 5, 1838. The receipts
for the first four months, ending June 5, 1838, reached
$23,963.56. During the months of June, July and
August, no less than ten thousand passengers were car-
ried over the road. The extension of Ann Arbor was
completed in October, 1839, and work on the extension
to Jackson was in progress. The track at this time was
carried forward on a wooden stringer of sawn timber.
This rail stringer was fitted into sawed ties held to the
tie in a trapezoidal groove by wooden wedges. On the
top of this continuous stringer was spiked the old iron
strap-rail when the directors had it, and when they did
not have the iron, a one and a half by three inch oak
ribbon nailed to the tie, did duty in its place. The pas-
senger car of that day resembled an omnibus, placed at
right angles to the track, moving sidewise on four
wheels. The conductor walked a platform in front and
along the end of the omnibus, and collected his fares,
hanging by his arm to the window.

During the first nine months of the year 1844, the
road was in operation to Jackson, a distance of seventy-
seven miles, and during the last three months was in
operation to Marshall, a distance of one hundred and
nine miles. The receipts from freight and passenger
business of the Michigan Central Railroad in 1844 were
$206,867.48, exclusive of payments made by the United
States Postal Department.

An act of the Michigan Legislature, approved April
30, 1839, provided for the appointment of a committee
or commission to consider the expediency of discon-
tinuing certain public works. A policy of retrench-
ment followed. One improvement after another was
cast off, until the Central and Southern railroads alone re-
mained persistent beggars for aid and from an exhausted
treasury. The board of internal improvements in their
last report to the Legislature, December 7, 1846, say
that from December 1, 1845, to September 4, 1846, the
gross receipts of the Central Railroad were $239,663.-
75. During the eight months preceding the sale of
this road to the Michigan Central Railroad Company
the State was compelled to expend upon it no less a
sum than $143,314.59. A very intelligent committee of
the Senate reported in January, 1846, that the sum to-
tal of the expenditures upon the different works of
internal improvements was about $4,500,000, and three
hundred and five thousand of the five hundred thousand
acres of land granted by Congress to the State in 1S41.
When the Legislature began to agitate the question of
the sale of the public works, parties were numerous
who desired to lease the Central and Southern rail-
roads ; but it was decided that the whole system of in-
ternal improvements by the State for the purpose of
revenue, was, at any rate, a fallacy, and that the sale of
the two railroads was dictated by sound political econ-
omy and the exigencies of the State. Finally the
Michigan Central Railroad Company bought the line
for $2,000,000, and not long after the Michigan South-
ern Railroad Company bought the Southern road for
$500,000. After this transaction Eastern capitalists
looked to what they termed the insolvent West as the
reservation for their investments. Stephen F. Gale,
during a visit to Boston, was asked by President Wil-
kins, of a Boston bank, regarding Western investments.
The former advised him to invest in Michigan bonds
at seventy cents per dollar, and gain control of the
Michigan roads. This was effected, and gave rise to
the boast of the Boston capitalists that "when the
Western States and their people fail to complete a rail-
road, Boston steps in with her capital and assumes con-
trol." The road was completed to Chicago, and opened

May 2i, 1852. At that time a temporary depot was
erected on the lake shore, south of Twelfth Street,
which was used until the ordinance was passed admitting
the Illinois Central Company to construct their road to
the Chicago River. In April, 1856, the Illinois Central
depot, at the foot of Lake Street, was completed, when,
under an arrangement with that company, the Michigan
Central trains ran north to that point. This track
along the lake front, in the building of which the Mich-
igan Central Company participated indirectly, was two
and a half miles long, one and a half miles running par-
allel with Michigan Avenue. The track running parallel
with Michigan Avenue was double, while the remainder
was single. The northern or double track rested on
four lines of piles, driven into the sand, immediately in-
side of the breakwater, securely fastened together.
The single track was built on two lines of piles con-
tinued along the southern portion of the breakwater.

A charter for the New Albany & Salem Railroad
was granted by the Indiana Legislature for a road thirty-
five miles in length from the Ohio River. This was
extended to Michigan City, and thence, under a charter
from Illinois, to the Union Railroad Company. The
total length of the road operated by the Michigan Cen-
tral Railroad Company in 1857 was two hundred and
eighty-eight miles.

The conspiracy cases growing out of the disaffec-
tion of the farmers of Leoni Township, Jackson Co.,
Mich., whose property bordered on the unfenced road,
formed the sensational history of the company during
this period. Several farmers were ruined in their efforts
to defend themselves from charges which the most
subtle lawyers, connected with the road, arranged and
placed before the Judges of the Wayne County Circuit.

The history of the road up to 1857 is one which
shows what indomitable energy and perseverance may
accomplish. Its principal projector, James F. Joy, is a
resident of Detroit. John W. Brooks, who died a few
years ago at Boston, was also an active spirit in building
up the interests of the road.

The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago
Railroad, 1852-57. — The organization of the Fort
Wayne & Chicago Railroad Company was effected
October 14, 1852, the engineers completing their survey
in November. In 1853 contracts were granted for one
hundred and forty-five miles of track. In 1855 twenty
miles were built, and in 1856 three hundred and sixty-
three miles were added, owing to the consolidation with
the Pittsburgh division on November 10, bringing the
total mileage up to three hundred and eighty-three in
1857. During the year 1856 the road was infested by
a pack of ruffians, who made it a practice to plunder
express and baggage cars. Their mode of operating
was less sensational than that of modern train-robbers.
They would enter the train at way stations, hurl pack-
ages out of the baggage or express cars, at points
where their accomplices were stationed, and ultimately
hurl themselves out. Trainmen were never able to
succeed in capturing one of them ; but on February 26,
1857, Allen Pinkerton succeeded in arresting eighteen
of the criminals. The disclosures made before the
court implicated many persons holding good positions,
and the whole proceedings were so entertaining as to
engage the attention of all residents along the road, if
not the stockholders themselves. So far was this car-
ried that the company awoke from a dream of train-
robbers to learn that a great financial crisis had swept
over the country, and to realize that their road escaped
the evils of the period of depression only to bear them
subsequently.

262

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Chicago's Railroad System in 1857. — In 1857
Chicago had nearly four thousand miles of railroad
tributary to herself, and the joint earnings of the com-
panies amounted to over eighteen and a half millions of
dollars ! When the railroad spirit of the State, which
had been crushed by the failure of the "internal im-
provement " act of 1837, revived in the Rockford Con-
vention of 1S47. Chicago had not a mile of road. In
1S4S she operated ten miles of railroad to the Desplaines
River. In 1850 the ten had been increased to nearly
forty-five. Then the Illinois Central entered the field,
and trunk lines from all parts of the State and the
country commenced to stretch their giant arms toward
Chicago : and with a readiness which astonished the
world, floods of capital from the East poured into the
Garden City and enabled her to meet all advances more
than half-way : so that by 1855 the forty-five miles of iron
road had been extended to almost three thousand, while,
within a period of two years more, another thousand
was added to the three. The world never before saw
such a stride made toward commercial supremacy. At
that time the resources of the West were limited, and
the fact that Eastern capital, with the exception, perhaps,
of the Galena & Chicago Union road, covered the
State with this net-work of arteries, making Chicago
their great heart, only sustained her citizens in their
unbounded confidence, and in what had sometimes
seemed the wildest visions of a glorious future.
Twenty years had converted into substantial facts the
'•impossibilities" of 1837. Then they were impossi-
bilities, but two decades had demonstrated to the world
that the members of the Vandalia Convention and the
originators of the act of 1837 were prophets instead of
madmen.

The conditions of the case, in 1857, were these:
The first grand trunk line into the city, the Chicago &
Milwaukee Railroad, was in fine running order — W. S.
Gurnee, president ; M. L. Sykes, superintendent ; A. S.
Downs, secretary ; H. A. Tucker, secretary. There
were two roads connecting with each other at the Wis-
consin State-line, mainly under the same management.
For the first ten months of the year the total receipts of
the Illinois end of the line 1 forty-five miles) amounted
to $282,731. 92. The total number of through passen-
gers over the line for November, 1856, to November,
1857, was about one hundred and eighty thousand.
The first branch of this road from the west was the Ken-
osha & Rockford Railroad — Josiah Bond, president ;
Levi Burnell, secretary ; Charles H. Sholes, treasurer ;
C. L. Prescott, superintendent; W. H. Noble, chief
engineer, all of Kenosha. This road was to connect at
Rockford with a projected line to Rock Island. Eleven
miles of the proposed eighty miles of road were com-
pleted and in operation.

The second trunk leaving the city was the Chicago,
St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad, Hon. William B.
Ogden, president ; S. F. Johnson, superintendent and
chief engineer ; J. W. Currier, secretary ; Charles But-
ler, treasurer. The southern division of the road was
operated from Chicago to Janesville, ninety-one miles.
The northern division from the junction of the LaCrosse
& Milwaukee road to Fond du Lac, thirty miles, made
one hundred and twenty-one miles in operation by the
latter part of 1857. The road was then completed to Van
Dyne, ten miles north of Fond du Lac, giving a total of
one hundred and thirty-one miles. Thirty-six miles of
additional grading was ready for the iron, when opera-
tions should again be commenced in the spring. As
yet the directors had received no benefit from their mu-
nificent land grant of two million acres. According to

the provisions of the act the directors were not to com6
into possession of the land until the road should be
completed to Oshkosh. For the year the receipts of
this line amounted to $429,305.39. Nearly 170,000 pas-
sengers were carried without the least accident to any
one.

The Milwaukee & Mississippi and the Milwaukee &
LaCrosse roads formed, with the F'ond du Lac, a direct
line to Chicago. There was a daily train running
between Chicago and Prairie du Chien over the former
road. A branch of the Milwaukee & LaCrosse road
(Hudson & Superior Railroad was already projected
from Hudson, on Lake St. Croix, where it was to con-
nect with the LaCrosse road to Superior, at the head of
the lake of that name. The company had obtained a
grant of lands to aid in its construction.

Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, the origin of
Chicago's magnificent system, extended from Chicago
to Freeport, forming with the Illinois Central a direct
route between Chicago and Dubuque. The officers of
this road were : John B. Turner, president ; William
H. Brown, vice-president ; William J. Mc Alpine, assist-
ant president and chief engineer ; Philip A. Hall, super-
intendent ; William M. Larrabee, secretary ; Henry
Tucker, treasurer ; George M. Wheeler, auditor. The
receipts for the year amounted to $2,117,904.97. Over
this line two hundred and fifty-five thousand passengers
went westward and two hundred and sixteen thousand
eastward. In 1856 the number of persons taken west
on this road exceeded those returning by sixty thousand,
thus proving that the tide westward had fairly set in.

The first branch road west of the city and north of
the main "line was the Fox River Valley Railroad, run-
ning from Elgin up that beautifnl valley to Richmond,
and from thence the Wisconsin was completed to Gen-
eva, in that State. Its officers were : B. W. Raymond,
Chicago, president ; G. H. Merrill, Elgin, superintend-
ent ; A. J. Waldron, Elgin, secretary and treasurer.
At Geneva, Wis., it connected with the projected Wis-
consin Central. The Beloit Branch of the Galena Rail-
road connected at Belvidere seventy-eight miles west of
Chicago, with the Beloit & Wisconsin ; officers the same
as those of the Galena road.

The Beloit & Madison road was in operation to
Footville, seventeen miles, and was designed to connect
with the Milwaukee & Mississippi road running to Prairie
du Chien. The Mineral Point Railroad connected
with the Galena & Freeport, running to Mineral Point,
Wis. An important extension of the Galena road was
the Dubuque & Pacific line, opened for business to Not-
tingham, thirty-seven miles from Dubuque, on January
1, 1858. The entire length of the projected line from
Dubuque to Sioux City, on the Missouri, was one hun-
dred and thirty-one miles. The company had been
aided with a land grant of over one and a quarter mil-
lion acres. The Galena (Fulton) Air Line was the direct
route from Chicago to Fulton, on the Mississippi, one
hundred and thirty-six miles. In May, 1857, the Chi-
cago, Iowa & Nebraska line was completed from Clinton
to DeWitt, twenty miles. It was supposed that the road
could be completed to Cedar Rapids and equipped for
$20,000 per mile. From thence it was expected to bend
north, up the valley of the Cedar, and form, with a north-
and-south road in Minnesota, a direct line to St. Paul.
The Sterling & Rock Island road was a proposed line
running down the Valley of the Rock River.

The fifth grand trunk line in 1857 was the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railroad. Its officers were: John
Van Nortwick, Batavia, Illinois, president and chief en-
gineer ; Charles G. Hammond, superintendent ; Amos

TELEGRAPH AND EXPRESS.

263

T. Hall, secretary and treasurer. No finer portion of
the Mississippi Valley can he found than the " Military
Tract," through the center of which this road passed.
During the year 1857, the receipts amounted to $1,899,-
586.49, and four hundred and twelve thousand passengers
were transported. As an extension across Iowa, the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy was to connect with the
Burlington & Missouri. The Quincy & Chicago line
connected with the Burlington road at Galesburg, one
hundred and sixty-eight miles, and extended thence to
Quincy. This was formerly the "Northern Cross."
The Hannibal & St. Joe road had been built sixty-five
miles west, by November, 1857.

The sixth grand trunk from Chicago was the Chicago
& Rock Island. Its officers were : Henry Farnum,
Chicago, president ; John F. Tracy, Chicago, superin-
tendent ; F. H. Tows, New York, secretary ; A. C.
Flagg, New York, treasurer. The earnings for the year
amounted to $1,681,101.57. Over three hundred and
ninety thousand passengers were carried on its lines.
The road stretched down the Valley of the Illinois to
Peru, where it swept across the " Military Tract," and
at Rock Island, one hundred and eighty-one miles from
Chicago, crossed the Mississippi by a splendid bridge,
the only railway structure that had, as yet, been thrown
across the " Father of Waters," and the only one of any
kind below St. Anthony. The Peoria & Bureau Valley
Railroad was leased to the Rock Island Company at an
annual rental of $125,000. The Peoria & Oquawka line
ran nearly east and west and connected with all the
north and south lines leading into the city. A branch
of the Bureau Valley road, the Illinois River line, was
being pushed forward from Jacksonville to LaSalle,
about ninety miles.

The Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad, the sev-
enth grand trunk line connecting Chicago with the
country in 1857, was officered as follows: Hon J. A.
Matteson, Springfield, president ; A. H. Moore, Bloom-
ington, superintendent ; J. K. Alexander, Bloomington,
secretary ; R. E. Goodell, Joliet, treasurer ; J. C. Smith,
Bloomington, auditor ; L. Darling, Chicago, general
agent. The total receipts for the year amounted to
$998,309.47.

The eighth grand western trunk line was the Illinois
Central. Its officers were : W. H. Osborn, New York,

zn^\

president ; G. B. McClellan, vice-president and chief
engineer ; James C. Clark, master of transportation ;
W. K. Ackerman, New York, secretary : I. N. Perkins,
New York, treasurer ; John Wilson, land commissioner.
At this time (1857) the Illinois Central was the longest
road owned by one company in America. Its total
receipts for the year were $2,293,964.57, and nearly
seven hundred and fifteen thousand passengers
were transported over its lines. Up to January 1,
1858, nearly one-half of the two and a half million acres
comprising its land grant had been sold for $15,311,-
440.40. The sales for the year amounted to $4,598,-
211.99. Of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago road
all except eighty-two miles was completed by the latter
part of 1857. It had been operated during the year by
using the line of the Michigan Southern road as far

east as LaPorte and thence connected by the Cincin-
nati & Peru road. The Michigan Southern and North-
cm Indiana connecting with the roads south of Lake

Erie ; The Michigan Central, connecting with the Can-
ada, Great Western, New York Central and the Erie
railroads, and with the Grand Trunk to Montreal,
Quebec and Portland were the most important trunk
lines to the East.

TELEGRAPH AND EXPRESS.

The first telegram received in Chicago was upon
January 15, 1848, from Milwaukee; the succeeding day
complimentary anil flamboyant telegrams passed be-
tween the bachelors and ladies of the two cities. The
first through telegram from the East was received April
6, 1848.* The Chicago office was Colonel J. J. Speed's
telegraph office at the Saloon Building, corner of Lake
and Clark.

On April 3, 1843, Miller & Company started a tri-
weekly express between Chicago and the East; in 1845
the service was augmented to daily and A. H. Burley,
of S. F. Gale & Co., 106 Lake, was the agent.

The following are the first greetings which passed
between the cities of Detroit and Chicago:

" To Milwaukee, Racine, Southport and Chicago. — We hail
you by lightning; as fair sisters — as bright stars of West. Time
has been annihilated. Let no element of discord divide us. May
your prosperity as heretofore be onward. What Morse has devised
and Speed joined let no man put asunder."

To which the following was sent in reply:

" We return the greetings of our sister of the Straits, and trust
that lightning may never prove an element of discord between us.
As sisters, may we be joined by bonds as holy as those which unite
maidens to the object of their love, but unlike that love may our
course always run smoothly."

The charge appears to have been: Twenty-five cents
for ten words; two cents for every additional word; and
two for the delivery at the residence of the person to
whom the message was sent.

On January 1, 1 851, the American Express Company,
S. D. Lockwood agent, advertises as follows: Messen-
gers will leave the office Tremont Buildings, Dearborn
Street, for New York and intermediate places, via
Michigan Central Railroad, Tuesday and Friday morn-
ings at 8 o'clock.

For Milwaukee, Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 o'clock
p. M.

For St. Louis, Wednesday mornings at 8 o'clock.

Packages for the East should be left at the office on
Monday and Thursday evenings. This appears to be
the first introduction of the American Express Company.

The companies increased, however, and in 1857 were
represented as follows: American Express Company,
J. C. Fargo, agent, 20 Dearborn Street; City Express
Post, (postage two cents per letter, an avant-courier
of the city delivery, I Bronson and Forbes, Masonic
Temple; Illinois & Wisconsin Express, (J. H. Durfee,
proprietor,) daily between Woodstock, McHenry Co.,
and Chicago, office 18 Dearborn Street; Merchant's
Despatch, Hall &: Co., agents, 96 and 98 South Water
Street; Union Express Company, T. F. Craig, agent,
14 South Water Street; United States Express Company,
H. D. Colvin, agent, 14 Dearborn Street.

*See Journal article, History of the Press.

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

It is the purpose in what follows to put in order
and preserve in history all that can be gathered from
records, early publications and the memories of men
still living, concerning the citizen-soldiery of Chicago
and Cook County; to make therefrom as complete a
record as is possible of the various military organiza-
tions ; to note their exploits and parades, in times of
peace ; and to record their arduous and patriotic serv-
ice in times of war, when, putting off the war-like
appearance they became invested with the full armor of
the warrior, and. soldiers in deed as well as in name,
won the imperishable renown accorded in the war an-
nals of the centuries to those only who have fallen un-
conquered or returned victorious.

A garrison of soldiers, trained in the arts of war,
and subject to strict military discipline and drill even
in times of peace, constituted the first civilized white
community of Chicago. A fort had been built and
occupied, destroyed and rebuilt years before the vil-
lage of Chicago boasted more than half a dozen huts
and shanties outside the garrison. The influence of
such a garrison has ever most depressing effect on the
innate military ardor of the private citizen. Seldom
does the civilian so far acquire the spirit of self-abase-
ment as to put on his sword, and sash, and pompons,
and epaulets under the critical and supercilious gaze of
the regular, except under the urgent stress of danger to
be met or duty to be performed, demanding other serv-
ice than those involved in a dress parade. So it hap-
pened that for many years the fighting qualities of the
Chicago militiaman were unostentatiously held in abey-
ance, and the waiting heroes, hidden in citizen's garb,
quietly threaded the paths of life even to the end, un-
heralded and unsung. But, remote from the protection
of the garrison, the militia has ever been found, hilar-
iously noisy, gaudy, and ostentatious in its preparatory
demonstrations, but in emergency, the fearless and un-
flinching defender of the fireside, home, and country.

Even 'as far back as 1812, the militia, with its char-
acteristic reliability in time of extremity, makes its first
appearance in the annals of Chicago. The massacre
attending the evacuation of Fort Dearborn, August 15,
181 2, numbered among its victims " twelve militiamen."
Captain Nathan Heald, the commandant of Fort Dear-
born at the time of its evacuation, in a letter written
from Pittsburgh, November 7, 1812, details the losses as
follows:

" Our strength was about fifty-four regulars and twelve militia,
out of which twenty-six regulars and all the militia were killed in
the action, with two women and twelve children. Ensign George
Ronau and Dr. Isaac Van Voorhis, of my company, with Cap-
tain Wells, of Fort Wayne, to my great sorrow, are numbered
among the dead."

It is not believed that of the twelve militia heroes
who thus early baptized the soil of Chicago with their
life-blood, the name of a single one has been rescued
from oblivion. Whether their homes had been in Chi-
cago or its vicinity, or whether, at the call of danger,
they came from a distance to the scene of peril may
never be known.

There was not at that time, nor for many years after,
any enrollment of the militia of Chicago, or of the
men subject to military duty in the territory now em-
braced in Cook County. In 1827 quite a panic occurred
at Chicago on account of the hostilities with the Win-
nebagoes, who were on the war-path during the summer
of that year. Fort Dearborn was not at that time occu-
pied as a military post, but was under the charge of Dr.
Alexander Wolcott, the Indian Government Agent.
The few traders and the families who then made up the
settlement were defenseless in case of an attack. There
was no militia organization at that time. Gurdon S.
Hubbard, still a resident of the city, tells the story of
the reception of the news and the efforts to meet the
expected or probable attack as follows:*

" At the breaking out of the Winnebago war, early in July, 1827,
Fort Dearborn was without military occupation. Dr. Alexander
Wolcott, Indian Agent, had charge of the fort living in the brick
building, just within the north stockade previously occupied by the
commanding officers. The old officers' quarters built of logs on
the west, and within the pickets, were occupied by Russel E. Hea-
cock, and one other American family, while a number of voyageurs
with their families were living in the soldiers' quarters, on the east
side of the inclosure. The store-house and guard-house were on
either side of the southern gate ; the sutler's store was east of the
north gate, and north of the soldiers' barracks ; the block-house
was located at the southwest and the bastion at the northwest cor-
ners of the fort, and the magazine, of brick, was situated about
half way between the west end of the guard and block-houses. The
annual payment of the Pottawatomie Indians occurred in Septem-
ber of the year 1827. A large body of them had assembled, ac-
cording to custom, to receive their annuity. These left after the
payment for their respective villages, except a portion of Big Foot's
band. The night following the payment, there was a dance in the
soldiers' barracks, during the progress of which a violent storm of
wind and rain arose ; and about midnight, these quarters were
struck by lightning and totally consumed, together with the store-
house and a portion of the guard-house. The sleeping inmates of
Mr. Kinzie's house, on the opposite bank of the river, were aroused
by the cry of "fire" from Mrs. Helm, one of their number, who,
from her window, had seen the flames. On hearing the alarm I,
with Robert Kinzie, late Paymaster of United States' Army, hastiiy
arose, and only partially dressed, ran to the river. To our dismay
we found the canoe, which was used for crossing the river, filled
with water ; it had been partially drawn up on the beach and be-
came filled by the dashing of the waves. Not being able to turn it
over, and having nothing with which to bail it out, we lost no time,
but swam the stream. Entering by the north gate we saw at a
glance the situation. The barracks and store-house being wrapped
in flames, we directed our energies to the saving of the guard-house,
the east end of which was on lire. Mr. Kinzie, rolling himself in
a wet blanket, got upon the roof. The men and women, about 40
in number formed a line to the river, and with buckets, tubs, and
every available utensil, passed the water to him ; this was kept up
till daylight before the flames were subdued, Mr. Kinzie main-
taining his dangerous position with great fortitude, though his
hands, face and portions of his body were severely burned. His
father, mother, and sister, Mrs. Helm, had meanwhile freed the
canoe from water, and crossing in it, fell into line with those carrying
water. Some of the Iiig Foot band of Indians were present at the
fire ; but merely as spectators, and could not be prevailed upon to
assist. They all left next day for their homes. The strangeness of
their behavior was the subject of discussion among us. Six or eight
days after this event, while at breakfast in Mr. Kinzie's house, we
heard singing, faintly at first, but gradually growing louder as the
singers approached. Mr. Kinzie recognized the leading voice as
that of Hob Forsyth, and left the table for the piazza of the house,
where we all followed. About where Wells Street now crosses the
* See Fergus's Historical Series, No. 10, pp. 41-46.

264

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

*6S

river, in plain sight from where we stood, was a light birch bark
canoe, manned by thirteen men, rapidly approaching, the men
keeping time with their paddles to one of the Canadian
boat songs ; it proved to be Governor Cass and his
secretary, Robert Forsyth, and they landed and soon joined us.
From them we first learned of the breaking out of the Winnebago
war, and the massacre on the Upper Mississippi. Governor Cass
was at Green Bay by appointment, to hold a treaty with the Win-
nebagoes and Menomonee tribes, who, however, did not appear to
meet him in council. News of hostilities reaching the Governor
there, he immediately procured a light birch bark canoe, purposely
made for speed, manned it with twelve men at the paddles and a
steersman, and started up the river, making a portage into the
Wisconsin, then down it and the Mississippi to Jefferson Barracks,
below St. Louis. Here he persuaded the commanding officer to
charter a steamer, and embarking troops on it, ascended the Mis-
sissippi in search of the hostile Indians, and to give aid to the
troops at Fort Snelling On reaching the mouth of the Illinois
River, the Governor (with his men and canoe, having been brought
so far on the steamer,) here left it, and ascending that stream and
the Desplaines, passed through Mud Lake into the South Branch of
the Chicago River, reached Chicago. This trip from Green Bay
round was performed in about thirteen days, the Governor's party
sleeping only five to seven hours, and averaging sixty to seventy
miles travel each day. On the Wisconsin River they passed Win-
nebago encampments without molestation. They did not stop to
parley, passing rapidly by, singing their boat-songs; the Indians
were so taken by surprise that, before they recovered from their
astonishment, the canoe was out of danger. Governor Cass re-
mained at Chicago but a few hours, coasting Lake Michigan back
to Green Bay. As soon as he left, the inhabitants of Chicago as-
sembled for consultation. Big Foot was suspected of acting in
concert with the Winnebagoes, as he was known to be friendly to
them, and many of his band had intermarried with that tribe.
Shawbonee was not here at the payment, his money having been
drawn for him by his friend, Biliy Caldwell. The evening before
Governor Cass's visit, however, he was in Chicago, and then the
guest of Caldwell. At my suggestion, he and Caldwell were en-
gaged to visit Big Foot's village (Geneva Lake), and get what in-
formation they could of the plans of the Winnebagoes ; and also
learn what action Big Foot's band intended taking. They left im-
mediately, and on nearing Geneva Lake arranged that Shawbonee
should enter the village alone, Caldwell remaining hidden. Upon
entering the village, Shawbonee was made a prisoner, and accused
of being a friend of the Americans and a spy. He affected great
indignation at these charges and said to Big Foot : ' I was not
at the payment, but was told by my braves that you desired us to
join the Winnebagoes and make war on the Americans. I think
the Winnebagoes have been foolish ; alone they cannot succeed.
So I have come to council with you, hear what you have to say,
when I will return to my people and report all you tell me ; if they
shall then say, we will join you, I will consent.' Alter talking
nearly all night they agreed to let him go, provided he was accom-
panied by one of their own number ; to this proposal Shawbonee
readily consented, though it placed him in a dangerous position.
His friend Caldwell was waiting for him in the outskirts of the vil-
lage, and his presence must not be known, as it would endanger
both of their lives. Shawbonee was equal to the emergency. After
leaving, in company with one of Big Foot's braves, as the
place of Caldwell's concealment was neared, he commenced
complaining in a loud voice of being suspected and made
a prisoner, and when quite near said : ' We must have no
one with us in going to Chicago. Should we meet any one of
your band or any one else, we must tell them to go away ; we must
go by ourselves, and get to Chicago by noon to-morrow. Kinzie
will give us something to eat, and we can go on next day.' Cald-
well heard and understood the meaning of this, and started alone
by another route. Strategy was still to be used, as Shawbonee
desired to report ; so on nearing Chicago, he said to his companion,
' If Kinzie sees you, he will ask why your band did not assist
in putting out the fire ? Maybe he has heard news of the war and
is angry with Big Foot ; let us camp here, for our horses are very
tired.' This they did, and after a little, the Big Foot brave sug-
gested that Shawbonee should go to the fort for food and informa-
tion. This was what he wanted to do, and he lost no time in
reporting the result of his expedition, and procuring food returned
to his camp. Starting the next morning with his companion for
his own village ; on reaching it he called a council of his Indians,
who were addressed by Big Foot's emissary ; but they declined
to take part with the Winnebagoes, advising Big Foot to remain
neutral.

"On receiving Shawbonee's report, the inhabitants of Chicago
were greatly excited ; fearing an attack, we assembled for consulta-
tion, when I suggested sending to the Wabash for assistance, and
tendered my services as messenger. This was at first objected

to, on the ground that a majority of the men at the fort were in my
employ, and in case of an attack, no one could manage them or
enforce their aid but myself. It was, however, decided that I
should go as I knew the route and all the settlers. An attack would
probably not be made until Big Foot's embassador had returned
with his report ; this would give at least two weeks' security, and
in that time I could, if successful, make the trip and return. I
started between four and five P. M., reaching my trading house
on the Iroquois Uiver by midnight, where I changed my horse and
went on ; it was a dark, rainy night. On reaching Sugar Creek,
I found the stream swollen out of its banks, and my horse refusing
to cross, I was obliged to wait till daylight, when I discovered
that a large tree had fallen across the trail, making the ford impas-
sable. I swam the stream and went on, reaching my friend Mr.
Spencer's house at noon, tired out. Mr. Spencer started imme-
diately to give the alarm, asking for volunteers to mett ai Danville
the next evening, with five days' rations. By the day following at
the hour appointed, one hundred men were organized into a com-
pany, and appointing a Mr. Morgan, an old frontier fighter, as
their captain, we immediately started for Chicago, camping that
night on the north fork of the Vermillion River. It rained con-
tinually, the trail was very muddy, and we were obliged to swim
most of the streams and many of the large sloughs, but we still
pushed on, reaching Fort Dearborn the seventh day after my
departure, to the great joy of the waiting people. We re-organ-
ized, and had a force of about cne hundred and fifty men, Morgan
commanding. At the end of thirty days, news came of the defeat
of the Winnebagoes, and of their treaty with the commanding offi-
cer, who went from Jefferson Barracks, as before stated. Upon
hearing this, Morgan disbanded his company, who returned to
their homes, leaving Fort Dearborn in charge of the Indian Agent
as before."

The following extracts from the supplementary nar-
rative of Hezekiah Cunningham was furnished by H.
W. Beckwith:*

" In the nighttime, about the 15th or 20th of July.f 1827, I was
awakened by my brother-in-law, Alexander McDonald, telling me
that Mr. Hubbard had just come in from Chicago with the word
that the Indians were about to massacre the people there, and that
men were wanted for their protection at once. The inhabitants of
the country capable of bearing arms had been enrolled under the
militia laws of the State, and organized as ' The Vermillion County
Battalion,' in which I held a commission as Captain. I dressed
myself and started forthwith to notify all the men belonging to my
company to meet at Butler's Point (six miles southwest of Danville),
the place where the county business was then conducted and where
the militia met to muster. The Captains of the other companies
were notified the same as myself, and they warned out their respect-
ive companies the same as myself, and they rode the remainder of
the night at this work, up and down the Little Vermillion.

"At noon the next day, the battalion was at Butler's Point ;
most of the men lived on the Little Vermillion River, and had to
ride or walk from six to twelve miles to the place of rendezvous.
Volunteers were called for, and in a little while fifty men, the re-
quired number, were raised. Those who agreed to go then held
an election of their officers for the campaign, choosing Achilles Mor-
gan, Captain; Major Bayles, First Lieutenant; and Colonel Isaac R.
Moores, as Second. The names of the private men, as far as I
now remember them, are as follows : George M. Beckwith, John
Beasley, myself (Hezekiah Cunningham', Julian Ellis, Seaman
Cox, James Dixon, Asa Elliott, Francis Foley, William Foley, a
Mr. Hammers, Jacob Heater, a Mr. Davis, Evin Morgan, Isaac
Goen, Jonathan Phelps, Joshua Parish, William Reed, John Myers
('Little Vermillion John'l, John Saulsbury, a Mr. Kirkman, An-
thony Swisher, George Swisher, Joseph Price, George Weir, lohn
Vaughn, Newton Wright and Abel Williams. Many of the men
were without horses, and the neighbors who had horses and did not
go, loaned their animals to those who did ; still there were five
men who started afoot, as there were no horses to be had for them.
We disbanded, after we were mustered in, and went home to cook
five days' rations, and were ordered to be at Danville the next
day. The men all had a pint of whisky, believing it essential to
mix a little of it with the slough water we were to drink on our
route. Abel Williams, however, was smart enough to take some
ground coffee, and a tin cup along, using no stimulants whatever ;
he had warm drinks on the way up to Chicago, and coming back all
of us had the same.

" We arrived at the Vermillion River about noon on Sunday,
the day after assembling at Butler's Point. The river was up, run-
ning, bank full, about a hundred yards wide, with a strong current.
Our men and saddles were taken over in a canoe. We undertook

•Fergus's Historical Series, No. 10.

t The month must have been September or October. (See Narrative of G. S.
Hubbard.)

i66

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

to swim our horses, and as they were driven into the water the cur-
rent would strike them and they would swim in a circle and return
to the shore a few rods below. Mr. Hubbard, provoked at this de-
lay, threw off his coat and said, 'Give me old Charley,* meaning
a large, steady-going horse, owned by James Butler and loaned to
Jacob Heater. Mr. Hubbard, mounting this horse, boldly dashed
into the stream, and the other horses were quickly crowded after
him. The water was so swift that ' old Charley ' became un-
manageable, when Mr. Hubbard dismounted on the upper side and
seized the horse, by the mane, near the animal's head, and swimming
with his left arm, guided the horse in the direction of the opposite
shore. We were afraid he would be washed under the horse or
struck Dy his feet and be drowned ; but he got over without dam-
age, except the wetting of his broadcloth pants and moccasins.
These he had to dry on his person, as we pursued our journey.

" I will here say that a better man than Mr. Hubbard could
not have been sent to our people. He was well known to all the
settlers. His generosity, his quiet and determined courage, and his
integrity, were so well known and appreciated that he had the con-
fidence and good will of everybody, and was a well-recognized
leader among us pioneers.

" At this time there were no persons living on the north bank
of the Vermillion River near Danville, except Robert Trickle and
George Weir, up near the present woolen factory, and William
Reed and Dan Beckwith ; the latter had a little log cabin on the
bluff of the Vermillion near the present highway bridge, or rather
on the edge of the hill east of the highway some rods. Here he
kept store, in addition to his official duties as Constable and County
Surveyor. The store contained a small assortment of such articles
as were suitable for barter with the Indians who were the principal
customers. We called it " The Saddle-Bags Store," because the
supplies were brought up from Terre Haute in saddle-bags, that
indispensable accompaniment of every rider in those days before
highways were provided for the use of vehicles.

" Mr. Reed had been elected Sheriff the previous March, re-
ceiving fifty-seven out of the eighty votes that were cast at the
election, and which represented about the entire voting population
of the county at that time. Both Reed and Dan wanted to go with
us, and after quite a warm controversy between them, as it was
impossible for them both to leave, it was agreed that Reed should
go and that Beckwith should look after the affairs of both until
Reed's return. Amos Williams was building his house at Danville
at this time, the sale of lots having taken place the previous April.

" Crossing the North Fork at Denmark, three miles north of
Danville, we passed the cabin of Seymour Treat. He was build-
ing a mill at that place ; and his house was the last one in which a
family was living until we reached Hubbard's Trading- Post on the
north bank of the Iroquois River, near what has since been known
as the town of Buncombe ; and from this trading-house there was
no other habitation, Indian wigwams excepted, on the line of our
march until we reached Fort Dearborn. * * *

" We reached Chicago about four o'clock on the evening of
the fourth day, in the midst of one of the most severe rainstorms I
ever experienced, accompanied by thunder and vicious lightning.
The rain we did not mind, we were without tents and were used
to wetting. The water we took within us hurt us more than that
which fell upon us, as drinking it made many of us sick. The peo-
ple of Chicago were very glad to see us. They were expecting an
attack every hour since Colonel Hubbard had left them, and as we
approached they did not know whether we were enemies or friends,
and when they learned that we were friends they gave us a shout
of welcome.* They had organized a company of thirty or fifty
men, composed mostly of Canadian half-breeds, interspersed with
a few Americans, all under the command of Captain Beaubien.
The Americans seeing that we were a better looking crowd, wanted
to leave their associates and join our company. This feeling caused
quite a row, but the officers finally restored harmony and the dis-
contented men went back to their old command. The town of Chi-
cago was composed at this time of six or seven American families,
a number of half-breeds, and a lot of idle, vagabond Indians loiter-
ing about. I made the acquaintance of Robert and James Kin-
zie, and their father, John Kinzie. We kept guard day and night
for some eight or ten days, when a runner came in — I think from
Green Bay — bringing word that General Cass had concluded a
treaty with the Winnebagos, and that we might now disband and
go home. The citizens were overjoyed at the news ; and in their
gladness they turned out one barrel of gin, one barrel of brandy, one
barrel of whisky, knocking the heads of the barrels in. Everybody
was invited to take a free drink; and. to tell the plain truth, every-
body aWdrink. The ladies at Fort Dearborn treated us especially
well. I say this without disparaging the good and cordial conduct
of the men toward us. The ladies gave us all manner of good
things to eat. They loaded us with provisions and gave us all those
delicate attentions that the kindness of woman's heart would sug-
* l bediscaoce traveled by Colonel Hubbard on this expedition was not less
than two hundred and fifty miles.

gest. Some of them — three ladies whom I understood were
recently from New Vork, distributed tracts and other reading mat-
ter among our company, and interested themselves zealously in our
spiritual as well as temporal welfare."

The company mentioned in the foregoing as organ-
ized while Hubbard had gone for relief, was the first

fa&

C^s^t^Cr-C^ms'

militia company ever organized in Chicago of which any
tradition or record is preserved. The commander of
this company was Jean Baptiste Beaubien.

The first, truest and bravest volunteer militiamen of
Cook County were Shawbonee and his friend " Billy
Caldwell." Their names appear on no muster rolls, but
their services as protectors of the whites against their
savage foes have enrolled them in the hearts of their
descendants forever. But for them the first families of
Chicago would have had no descendants to perpetuate
their lives or tell the story of their preservation. Mer-
ited mention of these friends of early Chicago, ever true
and brave, appears elsewhere.

In October, 1828, Fort Dearborn was again garri-
soned and so remained with the exception of May and a
part of June, 1832, until its final evacuation, May 10,
1S37. When the Black Hawk War broke out, in the
early spring of 1832, threatening the entire devastation
of all the white settlements in the country west and
northwest of the great lakes, the regular army was found
inadequate to repel the threatened danger, and the mil-
itia were again called into requisition. Under the call
for troops the State of Illinois furnished one hundred
and seventy-four companies of volunteers, which appear
on the muster rolls of the United States, and served in
some capacity during the war. In addition, many com-
panies of State Militia were under arms, who performed

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

267

meritorious services, but were not mustered into the serv-
ice by any United States officer. No rolls of these
companies are preserved in the archives of the Govern-
ment. Fortunately, through the industrious historic re-
search of Hon. John Wentworth and others, the roster
of one of these companies, made up of early residents of
Chicago, has been rescued from oblivion, as will appear
in its proper connection. The participation of residents
of Chicago in the war is detailed in the following
sketch :

Chicago During the Black Hawk War. — Black
Ha\vk,*a leading chief of the Sacs, had refused, in 1831,
to comply with the terms of the treaty with his tribe,
which he himself never signed for his band, which re-
quired him to remove west of the Mississippi and relin-
quish forever all title to lands heretofore owned by him
or his band in Illinois. He claimed, with reasons that
might have substantiated his claims in any court of law,
had he been white, that neither he nor his band ever
sold or intended to sell their town, near Rock Island,
nor the adjacent farms. On returning from a hunt, in
the summer of 1831, he found his village ami the ad-
jacent fields occupied by white settlers, who, under the
treaty as proclaimed, had come in and taken possession
of the cabins and the growing crops he and his band
had planted. He determined, at all hazards, to reinstate
his band in possession of their ancient homes. The
Governor of Illinois, under the terms of the treaty, took
a different view of the case, proclaimed the invasion of
the State, and called on the United States to help expel
the invaders. The result was the burning of the village,
the defeat of Black Hawk, his retreat to the west bank
of the Mississippi, and a treaty ; Black Hawk agreeing
by its terms to remain on the west banks of the great
river and to relinquish all claims to any part of the do-
main of Illinois ever after.

The treaty was confirmed by the giving and receiv-
ing of presents, and it was believed that the trouble was
at an end.

The following spring, Black Hawk's band having
had a poor hunt, and having lost the crops they had
planted the previous season, found themselves poorer
even than poor Indians usually were. They were
poverty-stricken. They could not pay their debts to the
Indian traders, and had run short of provisions and
ammunition. In their destitute condition, it is not
strange that they looked lovingly toward their old
homes, and held somewhat lightly the forced treaty they
had made the fall before. It is stated, on what is
deemed good authority, that George Armstrong, who
had a trading-post at that time at Fort Armstrong, was
a heavy creditor of the tribe, and was not averse to
their return, as, out of the scare which might occur and
the probable treaty which would ensue, he might,
through his influence with the chiefs of the tribe, secure
his debt from such subsidies as should come to them.
Whether Armstrong infiuenoed them to return is not
known. It is certain, however, that he had early knowl-
edge of their intention, and informed General Atkinson
as early as April 12, 1832, when he wxote him :

" I have been informed that the British band of Sacs and
Foxes (Black Hawk's) are determined to make war on the frontier

* Black Hawk, although a chief of a band, was not at this time the leading
chief of the Sacs. He was, according to Indian polity, subservient to Keokuk,
he leading chief of the nation. Chiefs gained their supremacy in

three ways; by inheritance, by marriage with a chief's daughter, or by bravery
in war. Black Hawk was not a hereditary chief; he had gained his position by
bravery in war, and had drawn around him the best families of the tribe, — the
heads of which had fought with him on many a bloody field. Keokuk took no
part in his raid, but, although his superior in rank, was powerless to control the
band which acknowledged allegiance to him.

So, among the Pottawatomies, Big Foot, chief of a band, seemed not to be
under the control of any other chiefs of that nation. Although Keokuk, the
head chief, desired peace, Elack Hawk did not heed his advice or orders.

settlements. * * * From every information that I have received I am
of the opinion that the intention of the British band of Sac Indians
is to commit depredations on the inhabitants of the frontier."

It is quite likely that Black Hawk, who was a warm
friend of Armstrong, was in collusion with him to get up
a scare and a new treaty. The Galenian, a paper pub-
lished in Galena, under date of May 2, 1832, says that
" Black Hawk was invited by the prophet,* and had
taken possession of a tract of forty miles upon Rock
River, but did not remain long before commencing his
march up the river. Captain William B. Green, after-
ward a citizen of Chicane 1, who served in Stephenson's
company of mounted rangers, said that " Black Hawk
and his band crossed the river with no hostile intent, but
to accept an invitation from Pittawak, a friendly chief,
to come over and spend the summer with his people on
the head- waters of the Illinois." Whatever may have
been the causes or influences which determined Black
Hawk, he decided to so far violate the terms of the
treaty as to return. April 6, 1832, he crossed the Mis-
sissippi with his whole band, including old men, women,
children, warriors, ponies and household goods, as was
common to the tribe on making a peaceful migration.
The warriors numbered 386; the camp followers, prob-
ably three times that number. It is well to remember
that Black Hawk's soldiers at the maximum numbered
less than half a thousand. Some stopped at the village
of the Prophet; many dispersed among the neighboring
villages, while Black Hawk, with the remnant of his
party, numbering more non-combatants than warriors,
made his way up the Rock River toward the Winnebago
country. His return, in violation of the treaty, and the
warning of Davenport, resulted in the hasty muster of
the militia by Governor Reynolds to repel the threat-
ened invasion. On Saturday, May 9, the militia had
rendezvoused, to the number of eighteen hundred men,
at Dixon's Ferry, awaiting the arrival of General Atkin-
son's forces from Fort Armstrong. Prior to this, J. W.

Stephenson, John Foley and Atchison had returned

from a reconnoitering expedition, and reported that the
Indians "had dispersed among the neighboring tribes."
The Galenian, in commenting on the report of these
scouts said: " It is already proved that they will not at-
tempt to fight it out with us, as many have supposed.
Will the temporary dispersion of Black Hawk's band
among their neighbors cause our troops to be disband-
ed ?" It seems to have been decided by the troops, if
not by the Governor, that they would not disband until
they had exterminated the trespassers. On May 10,
Major Isaiah Stillman, with a force of about four hun-
dred well-mounted volunteers, was permitted by the Gov-
ernor to make a reconnoissance on the trail of the half-
starved remnant of the migratory tribe; the Galenian
says, "With a fixed determination to wage a war of
extermination wherever he might find any part of the
hostile band." On the evening of May 12, Stillman's
force encamped at White Rock Grove, in what is now
Ogle County, about thirty-five miles from Dixon. They
had with them a full commissary supply, including a
barrel of whisky, and authorities are quite unanimous in
saying that many of them were inspired by the maudlin
courage they had imbibed. Black Hawk, with his war
chief, Ne-o-pope, about a hundred and fifty warriors,
and twice that number of women, children, and old men,
was encamped but a short distance away. His proxim-

* The Prophet " White Cloud" was a Winnebago chief, then having his
village at what is now Prophetstown, 111. He was in full sympathy with Black
Hawk, and although the Winnebagoes would not join him in open war against
the whites, his invitation to Black Hawk to come over and plant corn in his ter-
ritory did not reassure the whites. It had the appearance of duplicity on the
part of White Cloud, and aroused the suspicion that a general alliance of the
Winnebagoes, Pottawatomies and Poxes against the whites would be the prob-
able sequence of Black Hawk's visit.

268

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ity was unknown to the whites, but hearing of their
arrival he determined to communicate with them. He
accordingly sent a small party of his braves with a flag
of truce toward Stillman's camp. On appearing in sight,
some of Stillmen's men, without orders hastily mounted
and rode furiously toward them, firing as they ad-
vanced, killing two of the Indians and capturing
two others. The rest of the party fled to Black
Hawk's camp, pursued by the whites, and bear-
ing tidings of the death of their comrades and the vio-
lation of the flag of truce. The war-whoop was the re-
ply to the outrage, and an immediate sally in force was
made to avenge it. The drunken squad which had done
the mischief and opened the war, murdered their two
prisoners, and retreated to the camp. Here a general
panic ensued, and the whole battalion fled for safety.
Eleven of Stillman's men were killed before the escape
was effected, among whom were Captain Adams and
Major Perkins. The place of slaughter, where the
mutilated remains of the victims were afterward found
and buried, is still known as "Stillman's Run." The
panic-stricken soldiers fled to Dixon and other places of
safety, spreading consternation among the settlers.
General Whiteside, then in command at Dixon, marched
immediately to the scene of the late disaster, but the
hostile band had disappeared. He had only the melan-
choly satisfaction of burying the mutilated remains of
the victims of this ill-starred and rash encounter. Black
Hawk and his braves were on the war-path. They had
broken up into small parties, and, in the style of savage
war-fare, were devastating the white settlements, rob-
bing, destroying, and murdering in sweet revenge for
the outrages of Stillman's men. The volunteers who
thus precipitated the rupture were soon after mustered
out of the service, and for a few weeks thereafter the
settlers were left to defend themselves against the
aroused and merciless foe. The news of the breaking out
of the war soon reached the settiers of Cook County,
then comprising the present counties of McHenry, Du-
Page, Will and Lake. The settlers of DuPage County,
being nearest the scene of danger, made a unanimous
stampede for the stockades at Fort Dearborn as a place
of refuge and safety. The news of the outbreak reached
Naper's settlement, a few days after the discomfiture of
Stillman's forces, and caused not a little anxiety. It
being planting-time, the settlers, taking extra precautions
against surprise, still remained to finish the work of get-
ting in seed. On the morning of the 18th, Shata, a son
of Shawbonee, a messenger sent by his father from the
Pottawatomies, who remained friendly to the whites,
reached the settlement with the intelligence that a party
of Sacs were on the Fox River committing depredations.
He stated that they had burned the dwellings and de-
stroyed the property of Hollenbeck and Cunningham,
then living at Hollenbeck's Grove (now Millbrook, Ken-
dall County , continued their march up the river, and
were then not more than ten miles from the settlement.
No time was lost in hastily gathering together what few
effects could be carried, and in the afternoon the
families, with the exception of Christopher Payne's,
started with an escort for Chicago, some of the
men remaining to guard the hamlet and crops from de-
struction, if possible. The following day Laughton, an
Indian-trader living on the Desplaines River, came to
the settlement with three Pottawatomie Indians and a
half-breed named Burrasaw. They came in search of
news regarding the threatened invasion. It was de-
cided to visit the camp of the friendly Pottawatomies,
and Laughton's party, joined by Captain Joseph Naper
and a few other settlers, went to their camp in the Big

Woods, some ten miles away. They found the whole
tribe engaged in a big feast, but managed to gather
from them the unwelcome information that a band of
Sacs, three hundred in number, were encamped in the
Blackberry timber only four miles distant; that they
were bent on mischief; that they would try to prevail
on them to spare the settlement, etc. An old squaw,
more sober than her lord, said to Naper " Puc-a-che,"
which Naper understood as the most forcible and im-
perative expression in the dialect to indicate that only
flight could avoid imminent peril. Translated into
English it meant "be off," "go quick," or "run for
your life." Laughton, who, from his intimate relations
with the Pottawatomies as a trader, had no fear for him-
self, remained. Naper and his companions returned at
once to the settlement. There they waited further
developments, meantime preparing for fight if it should
prove necessary. They loaded on their remaining
wagons what they would carry, and hid in a well what
it was necessary to leave behind. While engaged in
these preparations for flight, Laughton returned, ac-
companied by some fifty Pottawatomies, to warn them
to hasten their departure, as a band of Sacs had already
crossed the Fox River, all efforts to dissuade them from
hostile intent have proved unavailing. No further de-
lay was made. The settlers hastily warned all within
reach of the imminent danger, and with the family of
Payne left behind the day before, followed their families
in their flight to Chicago, which place was reached on
the evening of the 20th. At that time the panic had
become wide-spread and the fugitives were pouring in
from all quarters. The arrival of the Naperville set-
tlers brought the first reliable news of the near approach
of the Indians. Fort Dearborn was at this time tem-
porarily unoccupied as a military post. The troops of
the garrison had been sent to Green Bay (Fort Howard)
and Major Whistler, who had been ordered to re-garri-
son the fort from Fort Niagara, had not yet arrived.
So the refugees took possession of the fort, several hun-
dred finding crowded but welcome accomodations in
the deserted barracks and such improvised shelter as
they could erect. Some Michigan Militia also came
over and garrisoned the fort in an irregular way, crowd-
ing its capacity to the utmost. The fort at this time
was in charge of Colonel T. J. V. Owen, Goverment Agent
of the Ottawa, Pottawatomie and Chippewa Indians.
The means of defense at this time were certainly inade-
quate to the scare, to say nothing of the actual danger.
The Cook County and Chicago Militia again came to
the front. Already the Chicago Militia was enrolled, as
appears by the following quotation from the Fergus's
Historical Series, No. 16, pp. 64-65:

"Chicago's Early Defenders. — In my pursuit of
the names of the early settlers of Chicago, a friend has
presented me with the following, which he assures me
was copied, some years ago, from the original. The of-
ficers are all dead. Captain Kercheval, once a promi-
nent man in this city, and who represented it in the Leg-
islature in 1838, died within a year or two in California,
leaving a son who is a printer in this city. His widow
resides at East St. Louis, 111., with her sister, the widow
of Colonel Thomas J. V. Owen, once Indian Agent here.
The two Lieutenants having been Postmasters in this
city, are well remembered. Of the soldiers, I know of
but one living, David McKee, of Aurora, 111. If there
is another living, he is wanted at the Chicago Historical
Society's rooms, corner of Dearborn Avenue and On-
tario Street.

" After this organization, Governor John Reynolds
sent Major Daniel Bailey to Chicago, and he raised a bat-

EART.V MILITARY HISTORY.

269

talion of four companies from the citizens of northern
Illinois. The pay-rolls of these four companies of vol-
unteers, I am told, is still preserved at Washington, D.
C, where it was sent for the purpose of procuring land-
warrants. It is hoped that a copy of it will soon be in
the Chicago Historical Society's library. I doubt not
but the names of many persons now living are upon it.
" I am inclined to think the paper was drawn up by
Colonel Richard J. Hamilton, the stepfather of our
present Judge Murry F. Tuley. Thirty-seven is the
number capable and willing to bear arms at that date.
There was no clergyman here to be their chaplain, if
they wanted one.* John Wentworth.

"Chicago, October 17, 1S79."

MUSTER ROLL.

May 2, 1832. — We, the undersigned, agree to sub-
mit ourselves, for the time being, to Gholson Kercheval,
Captain, and George W. Dole and John S. C. Hogan,
First and Second Lieutenants, as commanders of the
Militia of the town of Chicago, until all apprehension of
danger from the Indians may have subsided :
Richard J. Hamilton, Jeddiah Woolley,

Jesse B. Brown, George H. Walker,

Isaac Harmon, A. W. Taylor.

Samuel Miller, James Kinzie, .

John F. Herndon, Davied Pemeton,

Benjamin Harris, James Ginsday,

S. T. Gage, Samuel Debaif,

Rufus Brown, John VVellmaker

Jeremiah Smith, William H. Adams

Heman S. Bond, James T. Osborne,

William Smith, E. D. Harmon,

Isaac D. Harmon, Charles Moselle,

Joseph Lafromboise, Francis Labaque,

Henry Boucha, Michael Ouilmette,

Claude Lafromboise, Christopher Shedaker,

J. W. Zarley, David McKee,

David Wade, Ezra Bond,

William Bond, Robert Thompson,

Samuel Ellis.
This company never entered the service under the
command of Captain Kercheval or Lieutenants Dole and
Hogan, but the members were pledged to duty when-

ever and wherever required for defense. So, when the
fugitives arrived from the Naper settlement, and the
heads of the families indicated their intention to return
immediately to look after their property, they found no
difficulty in raising a company from the ranks of Ker-

<=>Q

cheval's volunteers to return with them. The company
consisted of about thirty men, under the command of
Jesse B. Brown and Richard J. Hamilton, and was made

* There were several clergymen accessible. Rev. William See, and Rev.
Stephen R. Beggs were at Chicago at the time.

up from the roster of high privates before given, to-
gether with a dozen Naperville settlers, among whom
were John and Joseph Naper, Christopher Payne, Baley
Hobson, Alanson Sweet, Israel Blodgett, and Robert
Strong.

On Saturday, May 21, this Chicago Militia company,
known as Captain Brown's, left Fort Dearborn for the
s-eat of war. They stopped at night at Laughton's and
on the next day reached Naper's settlement, where they
found everything had remained undisturbed since the
fugitives had left .he place. Thence they proceeded to
Plainfield, where the settlers had erected a rough lag
fort and were apparently secure against attack. From
there they marched to Holderman's Grove, where they
spent the night and a part of the following day. While
there an express from Ottawa came to them, bringing
the intelligence that a party of Sacs had fallen upon the
settlement at Indian Creek, and murdered all the set-
tlers. The company immediately proceeded to Ottawa,
and from thence to the scene of the tragedy, where they
found, amidst a scene of complete destruction and deso-
lation, the mangled and lifeless remains of fifteen of the
settlers. The victims had all been scalped, and their
bodies mutilated according to the extreme standard of
savage warfare, the children being hacked in pieces, the
bodies of the women nailed, suspended by their feet, to
the walls of the houses, and those of the men mutilated
in a manner so shocking as to be indescribable. They
buried the dead and returned to Ottawa. From thence,
with a reinforcement of twelve volunteers, under Major
Bailey, they started on their return march. At Holder-
man's Grove they found everything laid waste, and pro-
ceeded to Plainfield, where they found the settlers with-
in the fort in a state of great alarm, occasioned by the
news they had just received of the Indian Creek mas-
sacre. The following morning the Plainfield fort was
abandoned, and the settlers, under the escort of the
soldiers, set out for Fort Dearborn — all but Rev. Adam
Payne, a peripatetic preacher, who refused to join the
company. He started in the opposite direction for Ot-
tawa, and was never again seen alive. His body was
found some days after. His scalp and his long flowing
beard had been torn off by the merciless band at whose
hands he met his death. The company reached Chi-
cago, with the new accession of fugitives and terror, on
the evening of the 26th, after an arduous and heart-sick-
ening, if not dangerous, campaign of five days.

With no regular garrison at the fort, it was deemed
necessary to keep a volunteer patrol force constantly on
the watch, to guard against the near approach or sud-
den surprise of the dreaded and wily foe. The Michi-
gan Militia in the garrison did good picket duty, but it
devolved on the Chicago men and such allies as might
be drawn from the men who had their families in the
fort to make more extended reconnoissance. Soon after
the return of Captain Brown's company two new com-
panies were organized to reconnoiter the country toward
the Fox River. Very meager accounts of these com-
panies appear, as they were never mustered into the
regular service, and no rosters of the companies have
been preserved. In one of the series of articles entitled
" By-Gone Days," published in the Chicago Times, in
1875, the remembrance of these two companies is re-
vived as follows : " Meanwhile the Chicago heroes had
left no opportunity unimproved to cover themselves
with laurels. Robert Kinzie had a company of fifty
Pottawatomies under his command, who acted as scouts
and runners, while Captain Jean Baptiste Beaubien,
with a company of twenty or more whites, scoured the
country about Naperville, Plainfield and Ottawa, in a

270

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

stvle that was exceedingly lively." HurTbut's "Chi-
cago Antiquities," p. 30S, says : " During the Indian
excitement of 1832, Mr. Beaubien had command of
some twenty-five men, who, as scouts, did duty for a
short time." The only extended campaign of these two
companies of which any account is preserved occurred
in June, 1832.

Beaubien and Kinzie's'Campaign. — On the return
of Captain Brown's company, a new company was raised
to revisit the deserted settlements near Fox River, to
ascertain whether the enemy had visited them, and look
after the property left behind and the growing crops, if
they had not been destroyed. Robert Kinzie was already
on dutv with a company of fifty Pottawatomie scouts,
Captain Beaubien's company numbered some twenty-
five mounted men, among whom were several of Brown's
men who had re-enlisted. The two Napers and Alan-
son Sweet were members. The command set out from
Chicago on the morning of June 1. At noon they
reached the Desplaines River, where they found Captain
Kinzie already encamped with his band of Pottawato-
mies. It was agreed that Kinzie with his scouts should
proceed directly to the Naper settlement, while Captain
Beaubien should make a detour to Captain Boardman's
to look after the property there, it being expected that
the latter, being better mounted, would reach the place
of rendezvous first. Beaubien's company rode quite
rapidly, found Boardman's property safe, and before
sunset reached Ellsworth's Grove. A skirt of timber
hid the settlement from view, but smoke was seen rising
from the point where Naper's house was located;
whether it was from its smouldering ruins or not was a
question, to solve which John Naper volunteered to
leave the company and go alone to the settlement. He
was to fire one shot in case he found friends. He was
watched by the little party until he disappeared in the
woods. Soon after two shots were heard in quick suc-
cession, and, as Naper did not reappear, the natural
conclusion was that the Sacs had killed him. Two of
the Chicago company, one mounted on a pack mule and
the other on a diminutive pony which he had borrowed
from the American Fur Company, manifested great
trepidation, and without orders turned the heads of
their slow and unreliable steeds toward the East
Branch timber. Captain Beaubien was not slow
to discover the depletion in his ranks, and rose
to the exigencies of the occasion. He rode rap-
idly after the fugitives, vociferating, " Halt ! Halt ! ! "
Disregarding the orders of their commander, they con-
tinued their flight, now hotly pursued by Captain Beau-
bien. He soon ran them down, drew his pistol, and
brought them to a halt and return to the ranks by the
following statement of the case : "You run? By Gar,
you run, I shoot you." Soon after the return of the
deserters Naper made his appearance bringing the re-
lieving intelligence that friends only awaited them at
the settlement. Kinzie and his Indian scouts had out-
marched them, and were already encamped there. They
rode with haste to the village, with light hearts and
empty stomachs. A fat steer, somewhat wild, was run
down by the I'ottawatomies with a din of yells, dispatched
and brought in with great exultation over the success
of the hunt, and the commissary still further supplied
by breaking into the log store which had escaped the
depredations of the Sacs, and bringing forth ample sup-
plies of rum and tobacco for the Indians. In the even-
ing the Pottawatomie scouts were prevailed upon to
perform the " war dance " with all the variations that
free rum and tobacco could suggest, after which enter-
tainment the tired soldiers slept the sound sleep which

only fatigue can bring. The following morning Beau-
bien's company rose refreshed. They had slept off the
fatigue of the day before, and with renewed strength
came renewed ardor for a conflict with the Sacs of whom
they had failed to find traces thus far. Fearing that in
the heat of some possible conflict, they might slay some
of their allies, the Pottawatomies, they took from the
stores a web of sheeting, tore it in strips, and as a pre-
cautionary insignia, tied them about the head and waist
of each friendly Indian. Thus having secured the safe-
ty of Kinzie's Indian scouts, Captain Beaubien and his
company left them, and started for the Big Woods in
search of the enemy. All day they scoured the plains,
without meeting a trace of the foe, returning quite
jaded and disheartened to the Naper settlement late in
the evening. On the following morning they set out on
their return to Chicago, leaving Kinzie and his Indian
scouts to keep watch for the Sacs, who never afterward
appeared in force in that region. They had already
gone up the Rock River, beyond the present boundaries
of Illinois. Nothing exciting occurred during the re-
turn journey except a slight emeute in the ranks. One
of the soldiers who had hastily enlisted without any
preliminary drill in the manual of arms, placed the
whole command in jeopardy by allowing his gun to fire
itself off at unseasonable and unexpected times. As the
guns were all strapped to the horse's sides, each had the
full range of such members of the company as happened
to go before. It is not strange that three unexpected
discharges from the young man's gun before reaching
Brush Hill, a distance of ten miles, should spread dis-
content in the front ranks. They had steeled their
hearts to all the terrors of Indian warfare, the deadly
ambush, the savage assaults, the tomahawk and the
scalping knife ; but this new element of annihilation
which belched from an unmanageable gun at such un-
certain seasons, and with such uncertain aim had a most
demoralizing effect on the entire force. When, on
reaching Brush Hill, and dismounting, the young man's
gun fired itself off for the fourth time, Captain Beau-
bien asserted his authority and ordered him to give up
the dangerous weapon, which, in a mutinous and defiant
manner, he refused to do, whereupon he was collared
by the Captain, and after an exhibition of ground and
lofty tumbling, such as the prairies had never smiled on
before, disarmed. Equanimity, discipline, and safety
being thus restored, the company resumed their march,
reaching Chicago the same evening. The fugitives
were re-assured by their return that there was no imme-
diate danger. Occasional excursions were made during
the succeeding weeks to the deserted settlements,
each party returning with the welcome news that they
had discovered no traces of Indians and that the crops
were growing undisturbed. It was, nevertheless, not
deemed prudent for the settlers to return to their
homes, while the hostile Sacs were known to be still
unconquered only one hundred and fifty miles away.
They might return and repeat on some defenseless
hamlet the horrors of Indian Creek. So all through
the summer days of June the fugitives remained quar-
tered in and about Fort Dearborn. Major Whistler
arrived July 2, with a small detachment of soldiers
from Niagara, to re-occupy the fort as a military post
and prepare quarters for General Scott and his com-
mand, whose arrival was daily expected. He arrived
July 8, and on the following morning the dread news
was known that with him had come an enemy more
terrible than that from which they had fled. It was the
scourge of cholera in its most fatal form. The soldiers
died off like distempered sheep. The corpses were too

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY,

27!

numerous for formal or Christian burial, and were hud-
dled hastily into common graves. The terror of this new
enemy, which was the only one before which the hero Scott
everquailed,drovetherefugeesfromthe fort. They chose
to face the possible danger of the tomahawk and scalping
knife, rather than the ghostly pestilence that " walked at
noon-day," striking the silent death-blow with unseen
hand. The settlers accordingly returned precipitately to
their deserted homes, and, by the 10th, Chicago was aban-
doned to the pest-stricken garrison and the few stout-
hearted residents who, in the interests of humanity,
chose to remain, to assist in caring for the sick and
burying the dead. August 3, Black Hawk's fugitives
were surrounded and utterly routed at the mouth of
Bad Axe River, and the war was at an end. It is not
the purpose here to give a full sketch even of the Black
Hawk War, except so far as may be necessary to show
the participation in it of Chicago soldiers. From the
story as told, it is shown that every able-bodied citizen
volunteered,* and nearly all in some capacity did service
until the danger had passed away. Gholson Kercheval,
Colonel Owen, and many others were kept busy in pro-
viding for the wants of the homeless fugitives as they
came in.

Gurdon S. Hubbard, still surviving, and residing in
Chicago, did service in Colonel Moore's regiment of
Illinois volunteers. He was at time living at Danville,
although his business brought him frequently to Chi-
cago. He was Second Lieutenant in Captain Alexan-
der Bailey's company, and, according to the records,
was mustered into the service May 23, 1832, and was
mustered out June 23. The record would be incomplete
without the roster of Captain Joseph Naper's company.
It was raised during July, too late to take active part in
the war. The members were all residents of Cook
County, and many of them afterward residents of
Chicago. The roster appears in the " Record of the
Services of Illinois Soldiers in the Black Hawk War
(1831-32) and in the Mexican War (1846-48)," by Isaac
Elliott, Adjutant-General of the State of Illinois, pp.
149-50. In March, 1880, it was published in the
Chicago Evening Journal, with the following letter :

To the Editor of the Chicago Evening Journal:

1 send you a list of the soldiers who volunteered from this
county to go with General Scott in pursuit of Black Hawk. The
most 01 these gentlemen are dead, but they have left descendents
who constitute some of our most valuable citizens. There are
many citizens of Chicago now living who had a personal acquaint-
ance with nearly all of them. I have given the residence of those
whom I know are now living. Probably others are living whose
residence I do not know. This list has been sent to Washington
and compared with the original. Many of them resided in that
part of Cook County which is now DuPage County.

The Fourth Corporal is now the County Judge of DuPage
County, and would be a good man for gentlemen of historical
tastes to interview. John Wentworth.

Chicago, March 2, 1880.
MUSTER Roll of a Company of Mounted Volunteers in the Serv-
ice of the United States, in defense of the Northern frontier
of the State of Illinois, against the Sae and Fox Indians,
from the County of Cook, in said State, in the year fSjs,
under the command of Captain Joseph Naper :
Joseph Naper, Captain, afterward member of Legislature.
Alanson Sweet, First-Lieutenant, now living at Evanston, 111.
Sherman King, Second-Lieutenant, lived at Brush Hill, 111.
S. M. Salisbury, First-Sergeant, afterward Cook County Commis-
sioner, at Wheeling, 111.
John Manning, Second-Sergeant.
Walter Stowell, Third-Sergeant, afterward Postmaster, at Newark,

111.
John Naper, Fourth-Sergeant, lived at Naperville, brother of Jo-
seph.
T. E. Parsons, First-Corporal.
Lyman Butterfield, Second-Corporal.
(*) Sec roster of Kercheval's company.

I. P. Blodgett, Third-Corporal, father of Judge II. \\ . Blodgett.
Robert Nelson Murray (Naperville), Fourth-Corporal, now County
Judge.

PRIVATES.
P. F. W. Peck, died at Chicago, Uriah Paine (Naperville),
William Barber, John Stevens,

Richard M. Sweet, Seth Westcott,

John Stevens, Jr., Henry T. Wilson (Wheaton),

Calvin M. Stowell, Christopher Paine,

John Fox, Basley Hobsori,

Denis Clark, Josiah H. biddings

Caleb Foster, Anson Anient,

Augustine Stowell, Calvin Anient,

George Fox, Edmund Harrison,

T. Parsons, Williard Scott (Naperville),

Daniel Langdon, Perez Hawlcy,

William Gault, Peter Wicoffe.

Organization of the Cook. County Militia. —
In 1829 the Legislature of the State of Illinois en-
acted the following law regulating the militia of the
State:

Section i. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly, That there shall be one regi-
mental and one company muster, and one regimental muster of
officers in each year; the company muster shall be held on the first
Saturday in September, unless changed to some other day by order
of the commandants of regiments or odd battalions, in which case
sixty days notice of each change shall be given to the commandants
of each company. Regimental drill musters shall be held on the
Friday and Saturday next preceding the regimental musters.
Hereafter, no brigade inspector shall be required to attend regi-
mental or drill musters.

Section 2. For the purpose of review or drill inspection, the
brigadier-general may change the time fixed by law for regimental
musters, by giving to the several commandants of regiments, or odd
battalions, under their command, a notice to that effect, on or be-
fore the first day of March in each year.

Section 3. Commandants of companies may receive any lawful
excuse of non-commissioned officers or privates under their com-
mand, for a failure to attend muster, or for not being properly
equipped.

Section 4. No non-commissioned officer or private shall be
fined more than one dollar for failing to attend any regimental muster
nor more than fifty cents for failing to atttend any company muster.

Section 5. No person conscientiously opposed to doing military
duty by reason of religious opinions, shall be compelled so to do in
times of peace; Provided such person shall work two days in each
year, on the public roads, in the district in which such person or
persons may reside, in addition to the road labor now required of
them, under the regulations prescribed in the second section of "An
act for the relief of persons having conscientious scruples against
bearing arms," or pay into the county treasury seventy-five cents.
The first section of the act, entitled "An act for the relief of per-
sons having conscientious scruples against bearing arms," approved
February 6, 1827, is hereby repealed.

Section 6. So much of the act, to which this is an amendment,
as required battalion musters to be held; so much of said act as
fixes the time for holding regimental drill musters; so much thereof
as allows compensation to division and brigade inspectors; so
much thereof as requires two company musters to be held in each
year, and prescribing the holding of the same; be and the same
are hereby repealed. This act to be in force from and after its
passage.

( Approved, January 9, 1S29.)

The above law was certainly not calculated to bring
the militia of the State to any great degree of efficiency,
as it provided cheap ways and means whereby every
soldier enrolled could be exempt from service. Under
this general law a special act was passed by the Illinois
Legislature in 1833, organizing the militia in Cook
County. The act was as follows:

Section i. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly, that all the citizens of Cook
County liable to perform militia duty, shall organize themselves
into a regiment, two battalions, and not less than four nor more
than eight companies. After the election of colonel, which shall be
held on the 20th day of March next, at the house of David Lorton,
on the Desplaines River, in said county, and before the people
separate, the colonel elect, and the people present, may divide the
county off into two battalion districts, and not less than four nor
more than eight company districts, and the militia present, when
the bounds of the said battalions and companies are described in

272

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

writing, shall proceed forthwith to elect two majors, and not less
than four nor more than eight captains, and a first and second
lieutenant to each company : Provided always, that none shall be
eligible to the several offices herein provided for, unless he shall at
the time of said election be a resident citizen in such battalion dis-
trict, if a major, or in said company district if a captain or lieu-
tenant ; nor shall any militiaman, not residing in the battalion
or company district, be allowed to vote for any officer, so to be
elected, but in all cases the militamen shall elect their ov.n officers
in their own districts.

Sec. 2. After the organization of the militia so to be made
at the house of David Lorton, on the said 20th day of March next,
the colonel elect shall give to each major, captain, and lieu-
tenant, a certificate of election ; and if they cannot elect all their
officers in one day. they may continue said election from day to
day, not exceeding three days. After said elections shall be closed,
and the results ascertained, the colonel shall cause each captain to
furnish him within three days a company roll : Provided, that in no
case shall any company be recognized as such, unless there be
thirty-two privates in the same.

Sec. 3. The said colonel, when so elected, shall be allowed to
receive, for the use of the militiamen of his regiment, two hundred
stand of the State arms, to wit : one hundred rifles and one hun-
dred muskets with their accouterments.

Sec. 4. The Ciovernor is hereby authorized, whenever in his
discretion he shall deem it necessary, to deliver to the colonel
of Cook County the complement of arms mentioned in the preced-
ing section of this act ; but the colonel, before he shall receive said
arms, shall execute to the Governor a bond, in the penal sum
of S3, 200, conditioned that the said arms shall be at all times here-
after forthcoming to the order of the Governor ; after which, each
captain shall execute a bond in the penal sum of $16 for each gun, to
the colonel, conditioned that said gun shall be at all times hereafter
forthcoming to the order of the colonel ; and each private, before he
shall receive from his captain any of the said arms, shall give him a
receipt for the gun, describing it, conditioned that if he fails or
refuses to return it to the order of his captain, he will pay, or cause
to be paid to his said captain, the sum of §16 as a penalty for such
failure or refusal : Provided always, that the said arms, or any
of them, be lost in battle, or by any unavoidable accident, the
said bonds, or receipts, to that extent, shall be null and void : Pro-
vided also, that the said colonel shall be allowed to execute the
bond herein required of him in the Clerk's office of the county com-
missioner's court, with sureties to be approved by the Clerk thereof,
payable to the Governor of this State for the use of the people ;
which bond shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State
within sixty days, after which certificate of said colonel's bond,
by the said Clerk, the quota of arms herein allowed to said county
of Cook shall be delivered to the order of said colonel, who shall
make equal distribution of them among the captains, who shall dis-
tribute them to those who have no arms in the several companies,
as shall be equal and just : Provided, that the cost of transportation
of said arms shall be paid by the county requiring them.

Sec. 5. The provisions of this act, so far as it confers the
power on the Governor to deliver State arms to the militia of this
State, as provided in this act, shall be general. All bonds to be
taken under the provisions of this act, shall be conditioned for the
return of the arms in good order.

(Approved February 22, 1833.)

The organization under the provisions of the fore-
going law was not completed until more than a year
after its passage. In the spring of 1834, by order of
the Military Commandant of the State an election was
held at the house of David Lorton, (Laughtonj on June
7, 1834. The law was by no means popular. A large
part of the community were adverse to training on gen-
eral principles, and did not care to be bothered with the
responsibility of enrolled soldiery which involved the
custody of arms and the payment of fines in case of fail-
ure to perform the required drill duty at the time speci-
fied. The non-military party were in a large majority,
and, as they could not ignore a quasi election under the
law, determined to elect if possible a colonel after their
own heart. The day appointed for their election
brought such a crowd of citizens as had never
been assembled in Cook County before. Laughton's
tavern,* the place appointed, was situated some twelve
miles from Fort Dearborn, near the present suburb of
Riverside, on what was known for many years as the

• The house was owned by Bernardus H. Laughton, and kept by Stephen
J. Scott— },. _,;.

Southwestern Plank Road — now Ogden Avenue. All the
able-bodied citizensof Chicago attended; and they went
prepared for a short, sharp and decisive campaign. In
addition to ordinary commissary stores of crackers,
cheese, dried beef, etc., a large supply of strong bever-
ages was taken along to strengthen the soldiery in case
of a prolonged contest. A part of the outfit was, ac-
cording to an aged chronicler, "one keg of brandy, four
packages of loaf sugar, and sixteen dozen lemons."
The election was entirely a one-sided affair, and was
quickly over. The anti-militia party were triumphant.
The successful candidate for the Colonel was the chiv-
alrous, good-natured, Jean Baptiste Beaubien, then the
most popular man in Cook County and one who it was
believed could be depended upon for lax dicipline and
light fines in time of peace. The election was celebrat-
ed with all the hilarity that the occasion demanded.
A barrel set in a spring which gushed from the bluff
near Laughton's house was utilized as a punch bowl.
Into it the brandy and lemons and sugar were poured,
and from it the crowd drank to the Colonel elect, until
the spring water again asserted its supremacy. The
story is apocryphal ; but it is here repeated, neverthe-
less, as one version of an o'er true tale. It is certain
that on the occasion a larger majority of the citizens of
Chicago got gloriously tipsy than at any other epoch in
her history, before or since. The regiment at that time
organized was, for a quarter of a century thereafter,
known as the Sixtieth Regiment of Illinois Militia.

Its childhood, under the lax discipline of its over in-
dulgent and big-hearted Colonel, showed a somewhat
spontaneous growth, untrammeled and unpestered with
the rigors of military discipline, except at intervals so
rare as to render them novel episodes in the otherwise
free and easy existence. ' There is mention of but one
regimental muster of the Sixtieth in its early days in the
military annals of the time, and the date, or even the
year when it transpired, is undetermined. The rather
unmilitary but hospitable speech of the good-natured
Colonel on dismissing his command is well remembered
by old settlers and often quoted. The recollections of K.
K. Jones concerning it were given in a letter which
appeared in the Chicago Tribune sometime in 1876 or
1877. The letter is as follows :

" In the year '41 or '42 an attempt was made to organize the
militia, and those liable to military were warned out. Ex-Sheriff
Sam Lowe had been commissioned as one of the Captains, and
was full of military zeal, but the people were determined to ' bust '
the whole arrangement somehow. Captain Lowe's company met
inside Fort Dearborn, which was then but recently abandoned by
the regular troops. The men liable to do military duty did not de-
sire to train, but we boys did, and we fell into the ranks promptly.
Presently along comes the Captain, taking down the names, age,
occupation, and hearing excuses, if any. When the Captain came
to me, he said, with great emphasis: 'Are you eighteen?'
' N-n-n-0-0 Sir.' ' Stand aside.' And thus he served all the
boys who were willing, and had only those in the ranks who looked
upon the whole thing as a nuisance, and were decidedly unruly.
The Captain threatened to put some of them under arrest, and was
fast losing his temper, when five recruits marched on to the parade
ground, took the left of the line and saluted without a wink or a smile.
As Falstaff says, 'such a lot.' Every one was uniformed on his
own hook, and regardless of any regulations, ancient or modern.
It is impossible for me to describe the scene that followed. The
militia broke ranks and gathered around that army and shouted
and laughed and clapped their hands. The Captain was mad,
and at last succeeded in getting his company in line, made a speech
as to their and his duty. All this time the five scouts, all well-
known young men, stood like statues and looked gravely at the
Captain; who, white with passion, ordered a corporal (C. R. Vander-
cook) to take charge of that squad, and drill them hard and fast.
Van is still living, and you just ask him who did the drilling; the
Corporal, or that fantastical squad. He will promptly answer.
' That squad came out ahead every time.' Four of the squad are
now dead, and the other is still an honored citizen of Chicago.

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

273

This burlesque put the town in great good humor, and, as was in-
tended, ' knocked the spots off ' of any more militia training's in
Chicago. The next day was battalion drill, and anew company
of fantastics numbering about one hundred, took the place of that
squad, ami, as no questions were asked, we boys joined, and were

at Colonel Beaubien's first and last regimental parade

At the close of that regimental parade Colonel Beaubien made the
boys a speech about as follow : ' Boys, you have been good soldiers
to-day, so we will all go down to my friend Ceorge Chackfield's
and take some whisky. (ieorge, he got some good. I try it this
morning.' "

At the time of the organization of the Militia of
Cook County, in 1834, the county embraced what is now
Will, DuPage, McHenry, and Lake counties, and for
many years, until Chicago had grown to be quite a vil-
lage, the Chicago quota of militia attached to the regi-
ment consisted of but a single company. For the four
years succeeding the election of Colonel Beaubien it does
not appear that there was any effort made to formally
complete the organization by the election of subor-
dinate field officers, or the organization of companies.
Until 1838 the Colonel enjoyed his title and held auto-
cratic and undivided command over his unenrolled and
uncounted cohorts. The records of the State Adjutant
General show the first full regimental staff, and the offi-
cers of the first Chicago company which formed a part
of the regiment, with dates of commissions and rank, to
have been as follows :

Regimental and Staff Officers.

John li. Beaubien.

Seth [ohnson

Seth T. Otis

( jeorge Raymond . .

Josiah Salisbury. . .

Charles Dyer

Valentine A. Boyer
Julius Wadsworth. .
Chicago Compan v.
David Hunter
W. M. Larrabee . .,
John M. VanOsdell
Henry L. Rucker. .

Colonel

Lt. -Colonel . . .

Major

Adjutant

Quartermaster .
Surgeon
Asst. Surgeon.
Paymaster . . .

Captain

1st Lieutenant. .
2d Lieutenant. .
2d Lieutenant. .

DATE

OF RANK.

IS34

June 7
May 1
May 1
June 1
June 1
June 1
June I, 1838
June 1, 1S38

1S3S
1S3S
1S38

April 28, 1S38
April 28, 1838
April 28, 1838
April 28, 1S38

DATE OF
COMMISSI! IN.

May 13, 1835

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1S40

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1S40

Feb. ig, 1S40

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1840

Feb. 19, 1S40

It would appear from the above that a second regi-
mental election was held May 1, 1838, and a company
election held in Chicago April 28, 1838, the date of rank
being recorded on the date of election. It does not
appear that the commissions, except that of Colonel
Beaubien, were issued until nearly two years after the
elections; a sad reflection on the laxity of martial spirit
and military pride in Chicagoans at that time. The re-
ceiving of the commissions and the partial organization
of the regiment in February, 1840, came opportunely.
Soon after, a detachment of the regiment was ordered
by the Governor to perform guard duty at the execu-
tion of John Stone, the first murderer convicted and
executed in Cook County. He had been convicted of
the crimes of rape and the subsequent murder of his
victim, a Mrs. Thompson; the crimes having been
committed in the present town of Jefferson, Cook
County. He was tried at the May term of court, con-
victed, and sentenced to be hung May 29. An appeal
was made to the Supreme Court, with motion for a new
trial. The motion was refused, but, pending the deci-
sion, a reprieve was granted, postponing the time of
execution to July 10, at which time the culprit was
hung. The command of the regiment on this occasion
was, by public notice from Colonel Beaubien, given to
Lieutenant-Colonel Seth Johnson. The notice transfer-
ring the command appeared in the Chicago American
of July 8, 1840, and read as follows:

Military Militia Order No. r.
Headquarters,

Chic igo, July 6, 1S40.

Until further orders, the command of the 60th Regiment of
Illinois Militia is transferred to Lieutenant-Colonel Seth Johnson,
of the same regiment, lie will be obeyed and respected accord-
ingly. By order,

J. 1!. BEAUBIEN, Colonel Commanding.
George Raymond, Adjutant.

( In the same paper appeared the following:
Military Order No. 2.
Headquarters,

1 IHICAGO, July 7, 1840'.

In compliance with Regimental Order No. 1, issued July 6,
1840, Lieutenant-Colonel Seth Johnson assumes command of the
both Regiment Illinois Militia, and directs that an election be held
at the Mansion House, Chicago, for the purpose of electing four
captains, four first lieutenants, and two second lieutenants in
the above regiment. By order,

SETH JOHNSON, U.-Colonel Commanding.
George Raymond, Adjutant.

In an account of the execution which appeared in
the Chicago American of July 17, 1840, the services of
the militia were noticed as follows: " The prisoner was
hung Friday afternoon ("July 101, three miles from the
city, near the lake shore. At the request of the Sheriff,
nearly two hundred citizens assembled on horseback,
with sixty armed militiamen, under command of Col-
onels Johnson and Beaubien, and Captain Hunter.
Colonel Johnson appeared in full uniform and much
credit is due to him and Captain Hunter for their active
and successful services in maintaining quiet and order
upon this occasion." How long after the execution of
Stone Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson held command is
not a matter of record. It appears from a regimental
order published in the Daily American of August 10,
1842, that Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson at that date still
held command. The order was as follows:
Headquarters 6oth Regiment.

Chicago, May 28, 1842.
Regimental Orders No. 2.

For the further organization of the 60th Regiment of Illinois
Militia in Cook County, the commandant of said regiment hereby
orders an election to be held at the several places herein specified,
on the 15th of June, 1S42, for the purpose of electing one captain,
one second lieutenant, for each company district laid off as fol-
lows:

Athens precinct will form Company F district. The election
will be at McKay's.

York and Thornton precincts will form Company O district.
The election will be held at N. Rexford's.

Lyons and Monroe precincts will form Company H district.
The election will be at Spencer's.

Hanover and Barrington precincts will form Company I dis-
trict. The election will be held at Christopher Branham's.

Grosse Point and Lake precincts will form Company K district.
Tbe election will be held at Shrigley's North Branch Hotel.

Desplaines and Salt Creek precincts will form Company L dis-
trict. The election will be held at Wilcox's.

The polls will open in each company district at the above
named places at 9 o'clock A. M., on the 15th of June, 1842, and
will continue open to receive votes until sunset, and all electors
must vote viva voce. Three judges of election and one clerk must
be chosen and sworn in for each poll, as in ordinary elections. No
person shall be eligible to a command in the militia in this State
who is not a citizen of the United States, and has not resided in
the proper bounds at least ten davs. By order of

SETH JOHNSON, Lieutenant-Colonel,

60th Regiment Codk County Militia.
George Raymond, Adjutant.

Not long after, Colonel Beaubien re-assumed com-
mand and determined to have a muster. Whether it was
the same before mentioned, or not, is not certain. The
order appeared in the Chicago Democrat and was as
follows:

Chicago, August, 1S42.
Regimental Order No. 5.
The commander of the 60th Regiment of the Illinois Militia
of Cook County orders and directs that the officers appointed on

274

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the 16th of June and also on the 23d day of July, 1S42, in the above
regiment, and who have been sworn into office, proceed without de-
lay to enrol their companies within their respective company dis-
tricts, and be in readiness to attend the regimental drill and muster
on the 7th day of September, 1S42; and on the 14th of the same
month a court martial will be held to assess tines on all delinquent
officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates belonging to the
60th Regiment. By order of

J. B. BEAUB1KX,
Colonel Commanding both Regiment Militia.

Order No, 6, which appeared in the same paper, was
as follows:

Headquarters 6oth Illinois Militia,

Chicago, August 6, 1S42.
The commander of the 60th Regiment of Illinois Militia hereby
orders and directs that an election for one captain and one first and
second lieutenant be held at Doty's tavern, Lyons and Summit pre-
cinct, to form Company F district, on Saturday the 20th inst., at
10 A. M., when and where all those subject to serve in the militia
residing within the bounds of said district are required to attend,
and select three judges and one clerk to keep the poll on oath, and
the poll so taken and certified to be returned to the commander of
the regiment so soon as the law requires. The polls to be kept
open until 6 P. M. Bv order of

J. B. BEAUBIEN,
Colonel Commanding both Regiment of Illinois Militia.

Later in the year, September 28, 1842, the following
appeared in the Chicago Democrat:

Headquarters 6oth Regiment Illinois Militia.
Rkoimi-.ntal Orders No. 12.

Chicago, September 26, 1S42.
The commander of said regiment orders and directs that an
election be held in Company C, at the United States Hotel, in Chi-

v^v-^^AAy

cago, on the 12th of October next, at 10 A. M. for captain of said
companv, in the place of A. S. Sherman, resigned.

Also, that an election be held in Company D, at the time afore-
said, at the Lake House in Chicago for a second lieutenant of said
company, in the place of D. Hatch, removed from the State.

Also that an election be held in Company B, at the Illinois Ex-
change in Chicago, at the time aforesaid, for first lieutenant of said
company, in place of E. L. Sherman, resigned.

All persons subject to militia duty within bounds of the
respective companies aforesaid are required to meet at the places of
their respective companies aforesaid, select their judges and clerks,
who, being sworn according to law, will open the polls, receive the
votes of all qualified electors within their respective companies,
keep the polls open until 6 P. M., certify and return the same to the
commander of said regiment. By order of

J. B. BEAUBIEN,
1 Attest), Colonel 60th Regiment Illinois Militia.

B. S. Morris, Adjutant.

The location of nine of the earliest companies of the
Sixtieth regiment is shown in the foregoing orders, viz.:

Company B: Chicago, South Side, place of election, Illinois
Exchange, Lake Street, corner of Wells.

Company C: Chicago, West Side, place of election, Lake
House, corner of West Randolph and West Water streets.

Company I); Chicago, North Side, place of election, United
Mate- Hotel, corner of Rush and North Water streets.

Company F; in Athens (now I.emont).

Company G; the present towns of Thornton, Bremen, Bloom,
the south part of Hyde I'ark, etc., being the southeast corner of
< <K.k County.

Company II: the present towns of Lyons, Lake, north part of
Hyde I'ark, and other territory adjoining.

I ompanyj; Harrington, Palatine, Hanover, Shaumburgh and
adjacent territory, Iteing the northwestern part of Cook County.

1 ompany K; Lake View, Jefferson, Maine, Evanston (then
I'oint ) and adjacent territory in the northeastern part of the

county.

Company L ; Proviso, Cicero, Ley den, Norwood, and other
territory directly west of Chicago.

Nine companies were named, of which number three,

companies P., C and D, were Chicago companies. In
alphabetical order the companies A and E do not ap-
pear, and there is a discrepancy in the orders as to com-
panies F and H ; Beaubien ordered an election to be
held at Doty's tavern, Lyons and Summit, to elect offi-
cers for Company F. Johnson ordered the election to be
held for Company F at McKay's, at Athens, and for Com-
pany H, at Lyons and Monroe.

Colonel Beaubien's muster, in compliance with order
No. 5, given before, probably came off. There were de-
linquents sufficiently numerous to bring out a notice in
the Chicago Democrat of October 10, 1842, from A. H.
Tappan, Constable and Collector, wherein he states that
a list of fines assessed by the "Court of Enquiry and As-
sessment for the 60th Regiment of Militia and the Inde-
pendent Companies attached " had been placed in his
hands for collection. The advertisement closes with
the following : " It is hoped that every person within
the bounds of the regiment subject to military duty will
hold himself in readiness promptly to meet his fines."

The following officers of Chicago Militia companies,
appear in the State records as elected and commission-
ed, prior to 1847 and subsequent to 1842 :

The names of militia officers of Chicago, outside
of those of independent companies attached, which
appear elsewhere, are copied from the State records,
and are as follows:

Militia Officers from Chicago, Commissioned for tiif.
60111 Regiment of Illinois Militia, from 1S42 to 1S47.

J. B. E. Russell

I). Spencer Cady

William L. Church

Richard P. Denker

William H. Davis

James Donnelly

James Donnelly

James H. O'Brien

Joseph Filkins

J. B. Robinson

S. B. Culver

J. R. Bush

Buckner G. Morris

E. G. Kimberly

fames Caldwell

J. D. Campbell

J. C. Smith

Samuel McKay

Russell Green

W. P. Holden

David Hatch

P. W. Gates

John Demsey

I. H. Sullivan

Alvan Calhoun

S. A. Davis.

D. D. Stanton

C. E. Peck

James II. Carpenter. . .

Thomas B. Penton

William H. Davis

John J. Russell. ......

James H. Carpenter....

Thomas B. Benton

Noble R. Hays

James Sherman

R. Smith

E. B. Southerland

J. B. Wier

William B. Snowhook..

Frederick Schafer

Richard P. Denker

Charles Kotz

J. Y. Sanger

Colonel .
Lt.-Col .
Major . .
Major . .
Colonel .
Major . .
Colonel -
Captain .
Captain .
Captain .
1st Lieut
2d Lieut
Adjutant
Surgeon
Captain .
1st Lieut
2d Lieut
2d Lieut
Captain .
2d Lieut
(/master
2d Lieut
1st Lieut
Captain
Captain
1st Lieut
1st Lieut
2d Lieut
1st Lieut
2d Lieut
Captain .
1st Lieut
1st Lieut
2d Lieut
Captain .
2d Lieut
3d Lieut
1st Lieut
Captain .
Captain .
Captain .
1st Lieut
2d Lieut
Captain .

DATE
OF RANK.

date

OF COM-
MISSION.

June 2,
June 11,
tune 11,
Jan. 19,
Apr. 14,
Apr. 14,
Dec. 2,
June 15,
June 15,
June 1 5 ,
June 15,
June 15,
Apr. 14,
Sep. 15,
Aug. 1,
Aug. 1,
Aug. 1,
Sep. 12,
Oct. 12,
Oct. 12,
Dec. 12,
Aug. 5,
Aug. 5,

Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.

43
43
43
43

43

43

Aug. 10/43

June
Jan.
Jan.
Feb.
Mav
May
Jan.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug
Aug.
Aug.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Jan.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.

Aug

Aug. S,
June 24,
June 24,
June 8,
June S,
July 4.
July 4,

July 4,
July 4,

Mar. 14,
Apr. 3,
Sep. 20,
Sep. 20,
Sep. 20,
Aug. 10,

•46....
'46....

'46 Aug.

14, 47
31. '47
31. 47

4. '50
7. '53
7. '53
3. '55
22, '42
22, '42
22, '42
22, '42
22/42

15. 42
15. '42
I5,'42
15. 42
15. '42

9. 42
9. 42
9. '42
25. '43
25, '43
25, '43
25. 43
25, '43
25. '43
25- '43
25. '43

Aug

Aug,
Aug.
Aug
Aug.
Aug.
Aug
Apr.
Apr.
( let.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.

28/46
2S/46
28/46
2S/46
2S/46
2S/46
2S/46
28/46
M. 47
«4. '47
8, '47
8, '47
8, '47
25, '43

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY

275

The following- officers of Chicago Militia companies
appear on the State records as elected and commissioned
prior to 1842, and subsequent to 1840:

S. J, Lowe

A. S. Sherman.. .
W. II. Davis .. ..
I). Spencer Cady. .
Krancis Wat kins. . .
!■',. A. Beaumont. . .
Hugh T. Dickey..
Kzra L. Sherman . .
Thomas Hoyne . .
George R. Dyer. . .
Sylvester Marsh. . .
David Hatch.

Captain

Captain (Co. C).

Captain

Captain

1st Lieut

1st Lieut

1st Lieut

1st Lieut. (Co.B)
2d Lieut . . .
2d Lieut. . . .
2d Lieut. . . .
2d Lieut. (Co. D)

DATE
OF RANK.

July
July

July
July
July
"uly
July
"uly
uly

f»ly
Tulv

"uly

1840
1840
1840

IS, 1840

DATE OF
COMMISSION.

Dec. 18, 1841
Dec. 18, 1841
Dec. 18, 1841
Dec. 18, 1S41
Dec. 18, 1841

18, i84o|Dec. iS, 1S41

8,

1840

I >ec.

18,

1841

8,

1840

1 tec.

18,

1841

8,

1840

Dec.

IS,

1841

8,

1S40

Dec.

18,

1841

8,

1840

Dec.

18,

1841

s.

1S40

Dec.

IS,

1S41

The Sixtieth, as the reader already knows, was the
first militia regiment organized in Cook County. It
continued its existence as a militia State organization
until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion in
1 86 1. Its first Colonel, J. B Beaubien, held command,
except at such times as he chose temporarily to abdicate,
until 1847, at which time he became Brigadier-General
of Second Brigade, Sixth Division, Illinois Militia,* and
J. B. F. Russell was commissioned Colonel.

Following are the names of early officers of the Six-
tieth Regiment not identified as residents of Chicago:

P. B. Spaulding .

Joseph Adams. . . .
Ebenezer Moore . .
G. S. Browning. .
Benjamin Hall. . . .
Herman Crandall.

R. F. Cluff

Milton Flaskett . .

P. N. Culver

Seth W. Adams. . .

[ ohn Sevinry

G. G. Smith

John B. Cowi . . .
Joel S. Shinian. . .

Captain

Captain

1st Lieutenant .
1st Lieutenant.
1st Lieutenant.
1st Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant .
2d Lieutenant.

Captain

1st Lieutenant.
2d Lieutenant.
3d Lieutenant.

DATE DATE OF

OF RANK. COMMISSION.

June 15,
June 15,
June 15,
June 15,
June 15,
June 15
June 15,
June 15,
June 15,
June 15,
July 23,
July 23,

111116 24,

1842
I842
1842
1842
1842
I842
1842
1842
I842
1842
I842
1842
1846
1846

Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Aug.
Feb.
Feb.
Aug.
Aug.

22, 1842
22, 1842
22, 1842
22, 1S42
22, 1842
22, 1842
22, 1842
22, 1S42
22, 1842
22, 1842
4, 1843
4, 1843
28, 1846
28, 1846

Further lists of officers connected with the regiment
during its existence appear in sketches of the inde-
pendent companies which were attached to it, and in
later years made up the organization.

Independent Companies up to 1847. — During the
summer and fall of 1842, when the foregoing orders
were issued, and the muster of the Cook County Militia
occurred, there was a revival of the military spirit which
resulted in the organization of the first independent
militia companies of Chicago. There had been, prior
to this date, one or two ephemeral organizations of
which only the names are preserved. In 1837, the Chi-
cago American asked : " What has become of the
Dragoon Company? " The question suggests the prior
existence of such a company, although no record ap-
pears elsewhere concerning it. The same paper, August
12, 1839, asks: " What has become of the Chicago City
Guards ? " The answer is, as in the former case; nobody
knows what has become of them, and nobody would
have known that they had ever existed had not the Ameri-
can missed them and attempted a futile hunt for their
remains. December 8, 1841, a correspondent in the
American wrote:

" I am a little surprised that a city as populous and as pub-
lic spirited in all other respects as Chicago is, should so long
remain destitute of one or more independent military companies.

* General Beaubien's staff was announced in the Chicago Democrat of May
18, 1847, as follows: George Davis, Brigade Inspector; J. H. Kinzie, Quarter-
master; Peter Page, Aid-de-Camp. with rank of Major respectively.

That a city, numbering at least six thousand inhabitants, has not
even one uniformed company is lamentable. In Ottawa there are
two companies, and in Joliet one."

The same correspondent further discoursed on the
military situation in the American of December 13,
1 84 1. He said:

" The formation of a dragoon company would be much too ex-
pensive, for each member would be required to furnish himself with
a good horse. An artillery company would not meet our wants;
it being an arm of the service that moves with the heaviness of its
own eighteen or twenty-four pounders. I would therefore recommend
a light infantry company. As to the uniform; it is a matter of
fancy or taste. A neat gray uniform need not cost each member
over $20; a felt hat or cap, with plate scales, and tassels with
plumes, $10. This is the full amount that would be required, ex-
cept the officers, who would have to furnish themselves with epau-
lets, swords and sashes. The arsenal accouterments are furnished
by the State upon requisition."

The following editorial appeared in the American of
April 12, 1842.

Illinois Militia — This title we daresay, sounds somewhat
oddly. It is rather a new thing for this portion of the State, at all
events. The idea of an Illinois training has not probably been con-
templated by many of our citizens. Besides, the militia system gener-
ally has been so burlesqued; there have been so many invincibles in
the field that not a few have looked upon the matter as long ex-
ploded. Such views may, perhaps, be properly entertained when
there is no danger of war, but they surely cannot be when a few
months, nay, perhaps weeks, may possibly present us with scenes
and sounds very different from those to which nearly all of us have
been accustomed. The sword is already more than half-drawn from
its scabbard. This matter has been suggested to us by the fact that
militia officers are engaged in enrolling our citizens, and that the
twenty-seventh of the present month is training day."

December 12, in the Daily American appeared the
following:

"Attention, Company!

" The gentlemen of this city desirous of forming themselves into
an Independent Volunteer Company of Light Infantry will meet at
the City Hotel on Friday evening next, at seven o'clock.

" Many Citizens."

This meeting resulted in an attempt to organize a
company. March 14, 1842, there appeared in the Daily
American the following notice:

"Attention, Company ! — The members of the Washington
Guards will meet at the court-room on Randolph Street next Tues-
day evening, the 15th, at seven, and it is hoped that others who
feel interested in the good cause will come and assist, and also
those who wish to join. By order of the Committee."

April 2, 1842, notice appeared in the American as
follows :

" The Washington Guards will meet at the court-room, corner
of Wells and Randolph streets, on Saturday, April 2, for company
drill. A general attendance of members and those wishing to join
is requested. H. Townsend, Secretary.

"A. H. Palmer, Instructor."

It does not appear that the Washington Guards be-
came sufficiently organized at that time to be recognized
on the State records as an independent company. From
such mention as can be found, it appears that there had
been in Chicago, prior to the summer of 1842, three in-
dependent military companies, viz.: a dragoon com-
pany, prior to 1837 ; the Chicago City Guards, prior to
August 12, 1839, and the Washington Guards, in exist-
ence April 2, 1842. Quite soon after that date two in-
dependent companies were formed ; one of infantry, the
Montgomery Guards, and a cavalry company, first re-
corded on the books of the State Adjutant-General as
the Chicago Cavalry. The Montgomery Guards may
have succeeded the Washington Guards ; at any rate it
was the first independent infantry company that had
sufficient vitality to become historical. It survived the
Mexican War, and the long period of peace succeeding,
even to the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, at
which time it was ready as ever since its organization

276

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

in 1842 to tight the battles of its country. It has the
longest record of any company in the city, was the first
to organize, and never ceased its organization until it
went out in the glory of actual warfare during the Re-
bellion. It was an Irish company, as the names of the
first officers would show. They were, as appears from
the official roster at Springfield, as follows : Captain,
Patrick Kelley: First Lieutenant, W. B. Snowhook; Sec-
ond Lieutenant, Henry Cunningham ; Third Lieutenant,
Michael O'Brien.

The Chicago Cavalry was also organized in the early
spring of 1S42. Its first officers commissioned were :
Captain, Jesse Leavenworth ; First Lieutenant, Isaac N.
Arnold ; Second Lieutenant. James V. Sanger ; Third
Lieutenant, S. 1!. Cobb: Cornet, S. N. Davis.

These two earliest independent companies of Chi-
cago were attached to the Sixtieth Regiment of Illinois
Militia. Both companies appeared in their new uni-
forms on July 4, 1842. The Chicago Cavalry headed
the procession, and the Montgomery Guards were pre-
sented a flag on that occasion. The Chicago American,
July 5, gives an account of the presentation ceremonies,
as follow- :

"On presenting the standard to the company Dr. Egan thus
addressed the company: 'Gentlemen of the Montgomery Guards, —
you have honored me in receiving at my hands the banner — accept
it. It is the first that has been presented in our new city, may it
be the last to suffer in defeat. Behold ! it unfurls to the breeze the
name of the illustrious Montgomery; it wakes up glorious associa-
tions of the chivalrous dead. It points as a beacon light 'to the
shadowy future. Remember ! humble as you are now, the dis-
jointed times may call upon some spirit from amongst your ranks to
shed his blood for a nation's rights and to leave behind him a name
like that which now floats upon the breeze above you. He was but
one of the many sons of Erin's Isle that planted the seed of liberty
in a foreign land, and watered it with his blood. History points
equally to the torrid regions of the fiery South; the snow-clad hills
of Canada; the sunny valleys of France; and the orange groves of
Spain — and each bears testimony in our favor. Let the spirit that
actuated such, inspire you, and hover over this banner as an heir-
loom from father-land — a talisman to lead you on to glory. Re-
member your country has claims on you yet — she bids you be
united and firm in support of your own rights, and yield an equality
to all. She bids you spurn the oppressor, by whatsoever name he
may be called, and to walk upright, for the eye of the stranger is
upon you. Farewell and remember your God, your country, and
your rights.

"Capt. Kelley replied as follows :

" 'We receive this banner gratefully at our hands. We pledge
ourselves to keep its ample folds floating in the breeze until we
shall have the honor to say that we, the Montgomery Guards, have
added fresh laurels to our adopted country. We shall ever be ready
to meet the enemy first in action and last out. The British flag, it
is true, has dotted the globe, but it has marked it with cruelty and
oppression ; but the star-spangled banner is hailed everywhere as
the harbinger of freedom, the hope of the oppressed and the terror
of tyrants. The sympathies of the whole world are following its
course as it ploughs the ocean in search of distant climes, and un-
born millions will yet bless the hour when it was unfurled to wage
unceasing war upon the oppressors of mankind.' "

In Norris's directory 1844 three independent com-
panies are named as then existing in Chicago.

The Chicago Guards: J. 15. F. Russell, Captain; W. M.
Larrabee. first Lieutenant; F. A. Howe, Jr., Second
Lieutenant.

The Chicago Cavalry; J. Y. Sanger, Captain; S. N.
Davis, First Lieutenant; C. E. Peck, Second Lieutenant;
J. G. Wicker, Third Lieutenant; J. L. Howe, Cornet;
< L. I'. Hogan, Orderly Sergeant.

The Montgomery Guards: P. Kelley, Captain; W. 15.
Snowhook, first Lieutenant; II. Cunningham, Second
Lieutenant; M. O'Brien, Third Lieutenant.

At this epoch the military spirit sensibly waned.

The city directory of 1K45 names no military organiza-

May 2i, 1845, the Chicago Democrat inquires:

••Where are the Chicago Cavalry, City Guards, and

Montgomery Guards ? We should have to look to them
for defense in case of the invasion of our city, and we
should like to know their condition." The breaking
out of the Mexican War the next year, revived the mili-
tary spirit, and brought these companies again into
prominence. Neither of them failed to furnish many
Mexican soldiers, although the companies remained in
Chicago.

Chicago in the Mexican War. — Neither the offi-
cial records nor the newspapers of the day ; the mem-
ories of the old soldiers of the Mexican War still sur-
viving, nor all that can be gathered from those sources
of information, give the full history of Chicago and
Cook County during the years of the Mexican War.
The newspapers caught such local news as was, at the
time, interesting; the Adjutant-General's office at
Springfield took, apparently, as much cognizance of that
war as the law demanded and little more. From its
records it would be impossible to tell how many men
Illinois furnished, how many went from Cook County,
or how many from Chicago. Neither could the number
of companies raised in Chicago be ascertained, nor the
names of the men who enlisted, nor the companies to
which they were assigned, nor any other historic fact of
local or individual importance. This is written after a
careful examination of all the published reports, and a
cursory examination of the records at Springfield.

Nevertheless, from the only three reliable sources
for historic information known — the State records, the
newspapers, and the memory of the soldiers — it is be-
lieved that most concerning the period that pertains to
the history of Chicago and Cook County has been res-
cued from oblivion.

From the newspapers of Chicago the following ex-
tracts are given ; showing in a quite disjointed way the
war atmosphere which pervaded the city during 1846 :

January 6 — A. Garrett, Mayor, invited the citizens
of Chicago to attend "a meeting at the court-house on
Friday, January 8, to take into consideration the best
method of defending our city in case of war."

January 13 — Hon. John Wentworth, wrote from
Washington under date of December 23, the following
paragraph : " One of the military committee complains
greatly that our State has made no returns of its militia.
Whose business is this? If our Legislature has an ex-
tra session, it ought to re-organize our militia as the first
thing. There ought to be a company with officers of
its own choice in every precinct, with power to have
two where the precinct is very large. The same of the
wards of our city. Then there ought to be a separate
body of inspection officers chosen by the precinct offi-
cers for each county. In case of a war, there must be
a strong military post at Chicago. In the capacity of
our Government to hold the fort at Mackinac, or in the
capacity of that fort to command the straits we should
not place too much dependence."

Democrat, January 13 — "The war meeting called
for the 8th was postponed, in the absence of a large
delegation of leading citizens then at Rockford, attend-
ing a railroad meeting in the interest of the Galena &
Chicago road."

Democrat, May 26 — " Congressional act passed May
13 authorized the President to accept volunteers to the
maximum number of 50,000. Approved May 22, 1846."

Democrat, May 30 — "Corporal Sullivan, son of J.
H. Sullivan, of this city, in the midst of the late battle
(Monterey ?j after firing at a company of the enemy,
rushed in upon them, seized a lieutenant by the collar,
disarmed him and delivered him a prisoner to Lieuten-
ant Graham. He also captured a cannon from the

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

277

enemy, rolled it out in the road and turned it over to an
officer of the 5th Infantry. Napoleon would have pro-
moted him on the field."

Democrat, June 3 — " T. L. Dickey commanded a
company from LaSalle County in the Mexican War."

Democrat, June 30 — A. Garrett writes a letter of half
a column. He states that he was appointed chairman
of the citizen's committee to aid and assist in raising and
equipping volunteers under the requisition of the Govern-
ment. That it required no small exertion and consider-
able means to raise and uniform the first two companies,
anil that in order to do this it became necessary for a
individuals, of whom he was one, to subscribe an 1111-
unlimited amount for uniforming, as the Government
had made no immediate effort for this object. After
this had been accomplished, a latter was received from
Governor Ford stating his desire that there should be
another company raiseit in Chicago. " Knowing the
great difficulty experienced in raising, uniforming and
transporting the first two companies to the State rendez-
vous, I offered to advance the funds myself for a third
company, provided it could be raised — not otherwise."
He then speaks of his first success in raising thirty-five
recruits, but found that C. H Larrabee had authority to
raise a company for Santa Fe. Larrabee finally decided
not to go, but the effort to raise two companies at the
same time prevented Mr. Garrettfrom raisingthe quota
required, within the ten days allowed him by the Gov-
ernor. He succeeded in recruiting fifty-eight men. A
full company was required : sixty-four privates, eight
non-commissioned, three commissioned officers and two
musicians.

Captain Mower's company Chicago is mentioned
by a correspondent from Alton, as one of twenty com-
panies quartered there in June, 1846.

The State Register as quoted by the Democrat of
June 30, said: "Governor Ford returned from St.
Louis on Saturday last 1 June 20, probably) having ef-
fected arrangements with Major Lee, the commissary
of subsistence, and Major Macky, the quartermaster at
that place, for furnishing supplies for three regiments of
volunteers who are to rendezvous at Alton. Colonel
Shields has been authorized by the Governor to inspect
and muster into the' service the volunteers who rendez-
vous at Alton. The following list of companies have been
reported to Colonel Shields as being those he is to re-
ceive, they being from the thirty companies first re-
ported : (1) Captain J. L. D. Morrison, St. Clair
County ; 2 Captain Peter Goff, Madison County ; 3
Captain Ferris Foreman, Lafayette County ; 4 Captain
Lyman Mower, Cook County; 5) Captain Elisha Wells,
Cook County.

Democrat, July 13 — "The Montgomery Guards,
under Captain Snowhook, did themselves great honor
on the 4th. We heard the company complimented very
highly by several strangers present here. It is a strong
argument against native Americanism when we see that
the Sons of Erin were the only military company that
turned out to celebrate the Declaration of Independence. '

Democrat, September 29 — " Two Illinois regiments
are with General Taylor ; two with General Wool."

Democrat, November 24 — Captain Mower, from
New Orleans, writes of his troubles with Colonel Har-
din on transports, Mower claiming that Dr. White drew
by lot for him a steamer, in his absence, and that Har-
din put on a small brig. Mower refused and was put
under arrest for insubordination.

Democrat, December 15 — General J. E.Wood sends
dispatches, Coahulia, Mexico, October 14, 1846, stating
that Colonel Hardin, with eight companies of the 1st

Illinois, came up on evening of the 12th. "Yester-
day he crossed the river, and will join us in an hour."

The following extracts are taken from the files of
1847:

Democrat, February 16 — "Captain William Rogers
has opened a rendezvous at Captain Russell's office on
Clark Street, where the young men of the city or country
desirous of attaching themselves to this company can
enroll themselves."

Democrat, February 1 6 — "In pursuance of a rail
from the Mayor, Hon. John P. Chapin, a large and re-
spectable assemblage of citizens convened at the court-
house, on Friday, the [2th of February, to take into con-
sideration of the call of Government for troops to serve
in the war with Mexico. Thomas Dyer was called to
the chair and Captain Russell was appointed secretary.
Mr. Gregg was called on, and in a spirited and very
animated manner addressed the meeting in a way cal-
culated to arouse the noble and patriotic feelings of
every American. Mr. Rodgers, who contemplates the
raising of a regiment of ten additional companies,
expressed his strong desire to lead a company of troops
to serve in Mexico. The meeting was also addressed b)
Dr. Brainard, Colonel Hamilton, Captain Russell, John
H. Kinzie and others, when the following resolutions,
presented by Mr. David L. Gregg, were adopted:

" 'Resolved, That we commend the spirit and patriotism of our
fellow citizens who are ready to enroll themselves for service during
the Mexican War, and that we will yield them our countenance and
support in their efforts to uphold the national honor.

" 'Resolved, Thata full company of troops ought to be raised
in the city of Chicago for said service, and that we pledge ourselves
individually and collectively to do everything in our power to pro-
mote that object.

" 'Resolved, That the present war with Mexico should he vig-
orously prosecuted until an honorable place is secured and a full
measure of redress for repeated wrongs and outrages extorted from
the enemy.'

" The meeting adjourned after several candidates
had been enrolled."

Democrat, F'ebruary 16 — " Hon. John Wentworth,
writing from Washington concerning the presentation
of a sword to Lieutenant John Pope for gallantry at
Monterey, said: 'Whilst Illinois thus remembers and re-
wards the valor of those born within her limits, is she
going to be unmindful of the service of her sons by
adoption — a poor Irish boy? He enlisted as a common
soldier in the United States Army, and drew only $7 a
month. He was made a corporal of his company, which
office he held at the battles of the 8th and 9th, where
he performed such feats of valor as caused a notice of
him by his Captain Morris in his official reports and
for which the citizens of New Orleans presented him a
gold medal. President Polk has promised him the first
vacant Lieutenant's commission in the regular army; ami
in anticipation of this, I hope our Legislature will pre-
sent him with a sword.' "

Democrat, February 16 — "The Mayor calls a meet-
ing to be held at the court-house, February 14, to raise
a company for the Mexican War. We understand that
Mr. Rogers, a son of the brave old commodore, who rid-
dled the man-of-war ' Little Belt,' in the last war, with
other young men of talent, are interested in the further
upholding of the flag."

Democrat, February 16 — "Mr. Rogers is slowly fill-
ing his company."

On February 23 — " Mr. Rogers is on his way to the
country to take the names of those who wish to join his
company." On March 2 — "Recruiting is very slow;
Rogers is still in the country." Two companies are
spoken of as having been previously raised in Chicago.

27«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Democrat. April 6 — War meeting to exult over vic-
tory Buena Vista, Saturday, April 3, Two recently en-
listed companies are spoken of.

Democrat, April 13 — "Captain E. B. Bill's company
is to rendezvous at Cairo attached to 1 6th Infantry."
They left on April 20, in high spirits.

Democrat, April 13 — "Captain C. C. Sibley, recruit-
ing officer, informs us that he has already enlisted one
hundred men. His company is composed of men for
the most part of good size. We perceive that Sergeant
Kelley is an adept in military discipline. The company
will, on the opening of lake navigation, take the first
boat to Cleveland, thence to Newport, Ky. They are
destined to fill up old regiments."

Democrat, April — Captain Bill* has about fifty men
here, and his Lieutenants are in the country enlisting.
His company is probably full, and will leave in a few
days for Cairo.

Democrat, April 27 — " We notice that in the accounts
of the memorable battle of Buena Vista, Captain Smith's
name is mentioned in terms of warm commendation for
his bold and daring conduct throughout the conflict. It
will be remembered that he was slightly wounded in the
battle.*'

Democrat. April 6 — " Richard L. Wilson, \ one of the
editors of the Chicago Journal was severely wounded
by the accidental discharge of a cannon on Saturday
last April 3 . The two companies of volunteers re-
cently enlisted in the city, together with a large con-
course of citizens, had assembled on the public square
to celebrate the recent victory of our army in Mexico,
and Mr. Wilson was assisting to load and discharge the
cannon, when by an accidental discharge both his
thumbs and his left arm were blown off. One word
about that old cannon. Six men have been wounded
by it to our knowledge, and we think it should now be
given to our founders, and let them use it up as old
metal. This cannon was raised in 1837 from the Chi-
cago River, and is supposed to have lain there ever
since the massacre at this place in 1812. The inside
of it more resembles honey-comb than anything else,
and thus it is impossible to properly swab it." The can-
non disappeared soon after the accident.

Democrat, May 1 1 — " We understand that James
Hugunin is raising a company of infantry to meet the late
requisition of Governor French. His rendezvous for
the present is on South Water Street, between Clark and
LaSalle."

Democrat, May 11 — "We are requested by Isaac
Cook, Esq., Sheriff of this county, to state that he has
not called upon the people for volunteers, because
( 'olonel I). S. ( ady is now absent, whose duty more prop-
erly it is. Hut should Colonel Cady not return by
Wednesday, he will then take the proper steps to organ-
ize one company or more for the county."

Democrat, June 22 — "Day before yesterday we
published a letter from Judge Young, stating that the
President woidd accept of a company of cavalry from
Chicago. The previous company had gone to Santa
Fe as infantry. So our boys had to begin again. But
the company is now ready, making the ninthj company
Chicago has sent to the war "

Democrat, June 22 — " The ' Shields Cadet ' is the

• Capiain Hill «a. a resideni of Naperville. H.: was a native of Catskill,

\. v.. and was, before coming West, a Major-General of New Vork

Slate Militia, and had held the office of Inspci l.,r-( i.-ncral of the New Vork

Stat* Militia. He died October <i. 1847, of yellow fever, on board the ship
11 Tahmaroo," <•« routr from Brazosto New Orleans.

• Brother of John L. and ( harles I. Wilson.

t Nine companies mw include the one above mentioned, and the coin-
panic* raised hy Sibley and Bill f"r tin: regular army, as well as Hugunin's, and
perhaps others. The editor has been unable to identify more than seven « om-

name of the fourth* volunteer company raised in Chi
cago. Captain, George M. Cole; First Lieutenant, S.
R. Wood; Second Lieutenants, S. W. Smith, and Ed
ward Morey. There is room for a few more privates it
application is made soon. . Captain Cole wants to leave
by Monday next. Captain Hugunin wishing to go to
Santa Fe after his company was rejected, enlisted as a
private in Captain Kinney's company. '

Democrat, July 23 — "Lieutenant William Erwin, of
the first company of Chicago, has returned from the
war and is now in this city as Orderly Sergeant. At
Alton he was elected Second Lieutenant, and after the
resignation of Lieutenant Elliott, First Lieutenant. At
Presidio, he was appointed Quartermaster by Colonel
Hardin, and devoted considerable time while in Mexico
in that capacity. At Buena Vista he took the command
of, and most gallantly led his company in that terrible
fight. We understand Lieutenant Erwin intends locat-
ing permanently in DeKalb."

Democrat, July 20 — "We learn by a gentleman
from New Orleans that Captain Mower from this city
has been arrested in that place for murder. The story
is that he killed a man in Natchez some four years ago,
and that a reward of $500 was offered for his arrest at
that time."

Democrat, July 6 — Captain Kinney's company re-
ceived a banner from the ladies of Alton."

Democrat, July 15 — " Among the volunteers from
this city, year ago, for the Mexican War, was George
Pilson, a Norwegian. Charmed with the institutions of
America, when the war broke out with Mexico, he was
among the first to enroll his name; and though he had
plenty of work at good wages he was at work at Alder-
man Granger's foundry nothing could deter him from
contest. In the battle of Buena Vista he distinguished
himself for his bravery, and fell in the thickest of the
fight. It was during the terrible charge upon the 1st
Illinois Regiment made by Mexican lancers, that Pilson
fell. He had slain one lancer by the discharge of his
rifle, and had killed a horse and rider with the butt of
his piece when three iancers pressed upon him and ran
him through with their lances."

Democrat, September 20 — " The war flag presented
by Alderman Granger to Captain Mower was returned
by him to the donor, and by him displayed in the Dem-
ocrat office."

Democrat, November 13 — "Captain C. C. Sibley left
this city on Thursday, the 12th. He has been recruit-
ing here, and has been successful in raising a large body
of excellent soldiers. He leaves an interesting family
in this city. Captain Sibley is attached to the 5th Regi-
ment of United States Infantry."

Democrat, November 23 — "Up to date following
members of Captain Kinney's company F 5th Regi-
ment have died : F. McDaniels, en route to Sante Fe,
David T. Blackmail and James Carr, at Santa Fe."

Democrat, November 2^ — "Captain Swift's cavalry
company, accompanied by a piece of artillery and a
band of music, paraded the streets yesterday. They
made a fine appearance and created an unusual stir in
the city. After parading the streets .the company re-
tired without the city limits and continued firing some
time. We should judge from the time between each
report that the gun was well handled."

Democrat, November 23 — "The cavalry and flying
artillery meet to-day at the old garrison ground. We
hope all who take an interest in military affairs will be
in attendance. The artillery will be escorted by a band

* Probably meaning the fourth volunteer company, and excluding the rcg-

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

279

of music outside the city limits, where there will be
some practice in gunnery."

Democrat, November 13 — "At meeting of citizens
at the office of R. R. Swift, for the purpose of organiz-
ing a company of cavalry and flying artillery, Mr. Ran-
kins was chairman, and C. F. Howe, secretary. Com-
mittee on Constitution : Captain J. 1!. F. Russell, R.
K. Swift, John R. Orr, James Smith and C. F. Howe;
Committee on Uniform, R. R.Swift and Dr. Board-
man."

Democrat, November 23 — '"City Guards.' — A num-
ber of the young men of the city are forming themselves
into a military company under the above title. W. W.
Danenhower, 88 LaSalle Street, is the secretary of the
company, who will give any information respecting the
organization."
"Regimental Headquarters, Chicago, December 211, 1S47.

"Order No. — . An election will be held at ihe office of
Captain William B. Snowhook, of the Montgomery Guards, in the
city of Chicago, at 3 o'clock l\ M., on the 1st day of January next,
for the purpose of filling vacancies of office.

"I. IS. F. RUSSELL, Colonel both Regiment."

Chicago Hussars, Attention!

"Order No. 2: — The members of the company are hereby
notified to attend drill after this date at the Rio Grande House, on
LaSalle Street, on every Wednesday evening. Any person who
may wish to join the company will please make his application at
the drill room or to some member of the company.

"By order of Captain Swift.

"William Gamble, Orderly Sergeant.

Democrat, December 30 — "The Peace meeting on
Tuesday evening December 28 , wasa failure. No enthu-
siasm, no crowd. A Dutch ' chief cook and bottle wash-
er.' "

Journal. July 12 — " W. N. Chambers, a young gen-
tleman of this city, attached to Colonel Doniphan's com-
mand, returned home last evening. Mr. Chambers
marched via Santa Fe and Chihuahua to Monterey,
where he joined General Taylor's army after a fatiguing
march of eleven months."

Journal, December 22 — "A Peace Meeting was held
at the Tabernacle last evening. We noticed a large
number of our most worthy and respectable citizens in
attendance. The Rev. Mr. Adams was chosen chair-
man, and an address in opposition to the continuance
of the war read and adopted. A Peace Society was
organized, and resolutions and a memorial to Congress
presented. The meeting then adjourned till next Tues-
day evening, when the memorial and resolutions will
come up for discussion."

Journal, July 9 — "Mexican soldiers from the war
can have their papers forwarded to Washington and land
warrants immediately procured, by applying at J. B. F.
Russell's land agency."

MR. HOLDEN'S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE
MEXICAN WAR.

The following, from the pen of Charles C. P. Holden,
himself a soldier of the Mexican War, is, without doubt,
the best sketch of the part Chicago and Cook County
took in that war that has thus far been written :

In May, 1845, on the annexation of Texas, General
Taylor was ordered to place his troops in such a posi-
tion as to defend that State against a threatened Mexi-
can invasion. In August of that year he concentrated
his troops at Corpus Christi, where he remained until
March 1 1, 1846, when he broke up his encampment and
moved the army of occupation westward ; this was com-
posed of only about four thousand regulars. On the
20th of March he reached and passed without resistance

the Arrova Colorado, and arrived at the Rio Grande,

to which point he had been ordered by the authorities
at Washington, after considerable suffering, on the 29th
of that month. Here he took every means to assure
the Mexicans that his purpose was neither war nor vio-
lence in any shape, but solely the occupation of the
Texas territory to the Rio Grande, until the boundary
should be definitely settled by the two republics.

Encamping opposite Metamoras, General Taylor
prepared for Mexican aggression by erecting fortifica-
tions and planting batteries. Provisions became short,
the American Army possessed but little ammunition
and were in many other ways discouraged, but the
battle of Palo Alto was commenced, and gloriously was
it won on May 8, 1846. On the following day the two
opposing armies again met at Resaca de la Palma,
within three miles of Fort Brown ; the battle com-
menced with great fury ; the artillery on both sides
did terrible execution, and extraordinary skill was dis-
played by the opposing Generals ; but again conquest
declared for the United States Army. These victories
filled our country with exultation; Government acknowl-
edged the distinguished services of General Taylor by
making him Major-General by brevet. Congress passed
resolutions of high approval ; Louisiana presented him
with a sword, and the Press everywhere teemed with his
praise.

War had now been actually declared between the
two Governments in real combat, and on May 11,
1846, Congress passed an act declaring that " By the
act of the Republic of Mexico a state of war exists be-
tween that Government and the United States." Simul-
taneously that body appropriated $10,000,000 to carry
on the war and empowered the President to accept fifty
thousand volunteers.

It was about May 20 before the official news reached
the capital of our State and also the city of Chicago. It
spread like wild-fire. Governor Ford issued his proc-
lamation calling for thirty full companies of volunteers
to serve, for twelve months, with the privilege of elect-
ing their own company and regimental officers. Within
ten days thirty-five full companies had organized and
reported to the Governor, and by the time the place of
rendezvous had been selected Alton , there had been
seventy-five companies raised and each anxious to be
the first in the field, of which the Governor Ford '1 had
to select thirty companies, the full quota of the State.
Two of these companies were accorded to our city, one
of which was headed by Captain Lyman Mower and
the other by Captain Elisha Wells. When the news first
reached Chicago, Captain Mower, then a thoroughgoing
young merchant, seizing the opportunity unfurled his
flag and established his headquarters for a company for
the Mexican War. There wasa great rush and Captain
Mower was the lion of the day. Well does the writer
remember the company of young men headed by their
young and zealous commander as they marched through
our streets to the stirring music of fife and drum. In
that day and time those who opposed the war said
that to enlist at that period for service in that distant
country to fight a well-drilled and thoroughly-organized
army composed of Spaniards, Mexicans and Indians,
among the chaparral of Mexico was sure death. Never-
theless the rush of young men to uphold the stars and
stripes in that conflict seemed to know no end. Chicago
was then but in its infancy, having a population of over
fourteen thousand, but her people were resolute and
patriotic to the very core — only a few years had passed
since the same barbaric scenes which were then of daily
occurrence on the frontier of Texas had been perpetrated

zSo

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

at their own homes in and about where Chicago then

stood.

The second company under the leadership of Cap-
tain Elisha Wells was soon raised and ready for the
field. Many citizens of Chicago with their money and
means aided these two companies in organizing and pre-
paring for the front, and among those who were fore-
most in this laudable work was the late Augustus Gar-
rett, who was then just retiring from a three years
service three terms as Mayor of the then young city.
He was full of the enthusiasm that prevailed at that
time and wanted to see his young and growing city take
a front rank in the conflict then pending with Mexico.
The late Hon. John P. Chapin succeeded Mr. Garrett
as Mayor of the city in the spring of 1846, and he too was
enthusiastic for pushing on the war but just begun. It
was his desire that the prairie city should be heard from
in no uncertain terms in that conflict. Captain Sibley
of the regular army opened a recruiting office for enlist-
ing men for the regular army and many having failed to
get into the volunteer companies, enlisted in that service
being determined to aid in the subjugation of Mexico
even though it were at the peril of their lives.

The following is the list of those who enlisted in
Captain Mower's company and it is believed to be en-
tirely correct. Every man in this company enlisted in
Chicago. In a letter from Captain Lyman Mower, who
is now living in Milwaukee, he informs the writer that
they were all enlisted here and belonged in Cook County
at the time. Their names were: Captain, Lyman Mower;
First Lieutenant, William Erwin; Second Lieutenants,
Samuel M. Parsons and Mathew Moran; Sergeants,
Joshua Herrindan, Frederick Hailborn, Augustus Til-
ford and Dewitt C. Davis; Corporals, Samuel Scott,
Charles Banks, Benjamin Van Yrankin, and George D.
Slack; musicians, John Helms, and Augustus Stemple;
privates, Simon Atley, Phillip Asant, David Baker,
Henry Bruner, Michael C. Brennan, George C. Bunker,
Lewis Battleman, W. Cline, James Carle, James Carlin,
Edward Devoe, David Dolson, John H. Durling, Isaac
English, Harmon Ellering, Stephen Elain, Abraham
Franks, Tina P. Fuller, Charles Fowk, Eliacune Gard-
ner, John Gardner, Lyman Guinnip, Jonathan Groves,
Luther Groves, Michael Hyde, Austin Handy, Nelson
Johnson, Cyrus Lathrop, Charles Myers, John Miller,
Jacob Miller, Michael McCarty, W. P. Olmstead, Chris-
tian Osmand, George Phettiplace, Henry Porter, Will-
iam Phinisy, Edward F. Rowe, Frederick Roth, Fred-
erick Rickow, W. H. H. Robinson, Frederick Shrader.
Augustus Steinhouse, Harmon Secomb, John H. Tem-
ple, John Warian, Frederick Wenter, Samuel Waters,
John Wells, James Walker, John Wise, Francis Bur-
roughs, Adam Black, George Upperman, Freeman Wil-
lett. Frederick Weaver and Franklin Carney.

The soldiers raised by Captain Wells were all en-
listed in Chicago, and Augustus Steinhouse, now in the
United States Custom Service in this city, informs the
writer that all the members of this company were en-
listed and rightfully belonged to this city, where they
were credited on the muster-roll of the company at
that time. Their names were : Elisha Wells, Captain,
who was subsequently transferred when M. I'. Smith
ected to the captaincy; First Lieutenant, Patrick
Higgii tenants, William A.Clark, Elias

I!. Zabriska; Sergeants, Arthur Perry, Abraham Peters,
Chauncey H. Snow. Alfred Wrose; Corporals, Patrick
Mehan, I.. M. Mathews, George Mackenzie, George P.
VVilmot; Musicians, I). M. Burdick, Levi Bixby; Pri-
iV. O. Anderson, Patrick Burke, James A. Blan-
chard, John Burkholder, Thomas J. Purr. John Bisbee,

John D. Poneby, Peter Conover, Patrick Clemens,
Henry Crane, Bradley Chandler, Junius Dilley, Peter
Dolan, James T. Eason, Simeon L. Ells, I.eroy I). Fitch,
Michael Finton, Thomas Gavin, Edward 1). Garregus,
Hiram Gun, Demis Griffin, Thomas Gorman, James
Gitty, John Howland, W. Hodge, Edward Huzev.
Michael Half, George W. Krebbs, Solomon Kirkman,
Patrick Murray, John Malone, Phillip Mains, Thomas
'P. Moore, James O'Rourke, Francis Quinn, Joseph H.
Pratt, Thomas Riley, B. A. Richards, John L. Smith,
Jeremiah Sullivan, Barney Seary, O. C. Taylor, George
W. Lnderhill, Edward Wright, Thomas P. White, S. T.
Woolworth, Thomas Dilley.

These two companies were at once furnished trans-
portation to Alton, by stage to LaSalle and thence to
Alton by steamer, where they arrived about June 10,
and were mustered into the United States service June
1 8, 1846. When the thirty full companies arrived at
Alton, they were formed into three regiments, known
and commanded as follows: First Regiment, Colonel
John J. Hardin; Second Regiment, Colonel William H.
Bissell; Third Regiment, Colonel Ferris Foreman.

In the meantime the Fourth Regiment had been
formed and fully organized with Colonel Edward D.
Baker as their commander. The two Chicago com-
panies were attached to the famous First Regiment —
as companies B and K. Company B was commanded
by Elisha Wells, and Company K by Lyman Mower.

These four regiments were immediately pushed to
the front, where they were in good time heard from
in the very heart of Mexico, at Buena Vista and Cerro
Gordo, where many of them fell a sacrifice to that war.
Among the number may be mentioned Colonel John J.
Hardin, of the First Illinois, together with one Captain,
one subaltern and twenty-six enlisted men, making a
total of twenty-nine killed, while two subalterns and six-
teen enlisted men were wounded and three missing.

The Second Regiment, which was headed by the late
Governor Bissell, lost two Captains, one subaltern, and
twenty-nine enlisted men ; total, thirty-two killed ; had
wounded two Captains, six subalterns, and sixty-three
enlisted men, and four missing. The aggregate loss
for this regiment was one hundred and twenty-six. The
term of service having expired, the First and Second
regiments, which were at Buena Vista, were discharged
at Camargo, Mexico, June 17, 1847.

The Third and Fourth regiments, which were in the
battle of Cerro Gordo, were discharged in New Orleans,
La., May 25, 1847.

The Secretary of War, April 19, 1847, made a requi-
sition for six thousand more volunteers to "serve
during the war " to take the place of those whose term
of enlistment was to expire. Of this call but one regi-
ment was assigned to the State of Illinois. Governor
French issued his call for another regiment in conformity
to the requisition of the Secretary of War early in
May, and young men throughout the State, as well as
many older ones, offered themselves by thousands. In
Chicago they sprang up as by magic. On May 11, the
Chicago Democrat said : "The Chicago cavalry cm-
braces the very flower of our city ; young men com-
manding the highest confidence, both for their talents
and integrity. We hope these young men who did
their business on ten hours' notice will be accepted."

In its issue of May 18 appeared the following:
"Colonel Hamilton has just arrived from Springfield,
and we learn that he has had the Chicago Horse Com-
pany accepted as a company of infantry, and that there
is no probability of having our second company accepted
unless the express arrived early on Monday morning,

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY,

as there was a great rush to get a chance to volunteer
from all parts of the State."

At that time there were no telegraphs, and hence
the long delay in communicating with the capital of our
State, to say nothing about the delays in reaching
Washington, from whence all war orders came. The
writer was a member of " the Chicago Horse Company,"
and It was only by hard work and a little stategy that
the late Colonel Richard J. Hamilton succeeded in
having it accepted as one of the infantry companies for
the new regiment. It was raised quickly, and upon
receipt of the glorious news that it was accepted, an
election was held for company officers, with the follow-
ing results : For Captain, Thomas B. Kenney ; First
Lieutenant, Murray F. Tuley ; Second Lieutenants,
Richard X. Hamilton and James N. Hunt, with the fol-
lowing rank and file : Sergeants, Alvin V. Morey, John
A. Knights, William Forsyth and John B. Goodrich ;
Corporals, Charles C. P. Holden, George Brinsmaid,
George Hewitt and Levi R. Vantassell ; fifer, Charles
Styles; drummer, George Carson; privates, James H.
Allen, William H. Black, Robert Croft, James H. God-
frey, Edgar Pool, Jeremiah Styles, Spencer Pratt, Will-
iam Daniels, Hendrick Hattendorf, Ashley Anderson,
Brebson W. Brunker, John M. Bour, John Burns,
Nelson Barnum, Richmond S. Danforth, George W.
Case, James Foster, Alfred T. Woodford, James Rote,
Asa H. Cochman, George B. Bull, William P. Gregg,
John I'. Girard, Amos N. Griffith, Joseph Gardner,
Lyman Herrick, Harvey Hall, Seth P. Huntington,
Daniel Huntley, Alanson Halleck, Iver Johnson, Fred-
erick Kratzer, Henry Lahr, William Mathews, William
Mudge, Morris H. Morrison, Theophilus Michael,
James Y. Ramsden, Nicholas Rodholtz, Gotrich Stroh,
Augustus H. Seider, Freeman Thornton, Henry Snight,
Alexander H. Tappan, Christopher F. Utho, Adam
Wiley, James C. Young, Erastus D. Brown, Peter Back-
man, August Eberhard, Stephen Emory, James R.
Hugunin, John W. Hipwell, Jacob Kensling, Lorenzo
D. Poring, James D. Morgan, Lorenzo I). Maynard,
Charles J. McCormick, Phineas Page, Valentine Rhein-
hard, Julius C. Shepherd, John T. Rolph, Julius C.
Shaw, Thomas Scacor, John W. Strebel, Levi R. Van-
tassell, James Wilson, Seymour Whitbeck, Luther G.
Hagar, Alexander Freeman, Daniel Martin.

When thus organized it was at once ordered to re-
port at Alton, 111., the general rendezvous for all
Illinois volunteers for the Mexican War. The company
proceeded thither via stage, to LaSalle, where a steamer
was in readiness which took it down the Illinois River
to Alton, where it arrived about May 30, 1847, and im-
mediately went into camp. And here soldier-life com-
menced in real earnest. The city was flooded with the
new companies and many others. Indeed, there were
several fragmentary companies, partly filled, which had
reported at Alton with the hope of being accepted and
subsequently filling their companies to the maximum
number. These companies were doomed to disappoint-
ment, as only the ten companies which had reported to
the Governor in the first instance could be accepted at
this time. James R. Hugunin, of this city, had the
nucleus of a fine company which he tendered to the
State for service in Mexico. There were many other
companies also tendered, all of which were refused,
when they immediately broke up their company organ-
izations, and the individual members applied to be ad-
mitted to the ranks of such companies as had been
accepted by the State and General Government, and it
is believed, a large majority of them were thus accepted,
as the Chicago company had more than one hundred

upon its rolls, eighty-live of whom belonged in Chicago
and the towns immediately surrounding the city, and
were credited to Chicago.

The regiment was now ready to complete its organ-
ization, and Captain Edward W. B. Newby, of the Brown
County company, was elected Colonel of the same.
Henderson IS. Boyakin, a private in Captain Turner's
Marion County company, was elected Lieutenant Colonel,
anil Captain Israel B. Donaldson, of the Pike County
company, was elected Major. Colonel Richard J.
Hamilton, of Chicago, who hail been father of the Chi-
cago company, was a candidate for the colonelcy, but
was defeated in the ballot by E. W. B. Newby.

The regiment having completed its organization,
was ready to march at an hour's notice. The Chicago
company was presented with a beautiful banner by the
ladies of Alton, and the members were all in high spirits
and anxious to move to the front, expecting to be or-
dered to Scott's line of the army, then en route from
Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. But judge of the
surprise of the regiment when the order did come, and
they were marched to the steamers for transportation
down the river, and when well under way, and just op-
posite the mouth of the Missouri River, the transports
turned suddenly into and up that stream, when for the
first time their destination was known. It was Santa
Fe, where they arrived after a tedious and hard jour-
ney across the plains September 16, 1847. The steamer
brought them to Fort Leavenworth, where they re-
mained, making all necessary preparations for the march
across the country, which was entered upon about July
6. Fort Leavenworth at that time was on the eastern
border of the Indian Territory, and upon starting out
from that post the command took a southerly direction
until it had crossed the Kaw River, which crossing was
at a point below where the city of Lawrence, Ran.,
now stands. Soon after crossing the river they took
the Santa Fe trail. Thus far they had traveled through
the country occupied by the civilized Indians, but soon
after entered that of the hostiles. On passing Council
Grove, and from that point to Los Vegas, the country
through which they passed was occupied by the worst
tribes of Indians that ever infested the plains. There
were traveling under the protection of this command
a large number of traders en route to Santa Fe. They
had elegant trains, consisting of six mule teams, heavily
loaded with goods for New Mexico and the lower coun-
try. They sought the company of this detachment of
soldiers to protect them from the savages, of whom
they always had mortal fear, but during the entire dis-
tance through this hostile country the writer has no
recollection of having seen or even heard of an Indian.
They gave the army a wide berth, fearing, no doubt,
the old flint-lock muskets with which it was armed.

About the time the Fifth Regiment left Alton another
was forming — the Sixth Regiment — composed in a large
part of those companies and men that had failed to be
accepted in the Fifth. This regiment was commanded
by Colonel James Collins, who had brought a company
from Galena, 111., as Captain of the same. He was
elected Colonel August 3, 1S47. There were many
Chicagoans in that regiment. Among the number were:
In Company A, Martin Clark, Lewis Johnson, Damon
C. Kennedy, Aaron Messechar, Thomas Mullen, Martin
McRorgh, James McDonald, Job A. Orton, William A.
Thornton; in Company E, Thomas C. Jones, Lock-
wood Kellogg, Frank Smith, John Worrell, Charles
Brown, George Robinson; in Company I'", Andrew
Hauder, James R. Ross, Vernon J. Hopkins, William
A. Hedges, James M. Johnson, Henry McGuire, An-

2S2

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

drew Mackay, lames A. Nelson, John Reynold--: in
Company I. Joseph R. Anderson, Artemus L. Ben-
jamin, Henry Blowney, Lafayette Lock, Thomas Pol-
lard. Hugh Riley : in Company K, Edward Connuff,
John Reed. Clark \V. Roberts. Timothy Ryan, Hiram
Shook. This regiment was ordered to Scott's line, and
suffered terribly by sickness and disease, and some were
killed in the battle at San Juan, Mexico. When they
went into the Meld the regiment numbered 1,046, of-
ficers and men. Of those, four Captains, nine Lieuten-
ants, and two hundred and eighty non-commissioned
officers and privates died of disease and were killed be-
tween the City of Mexico and Vera Cruz. The wreck
of this regiment returned to Alton, 111., where it was
mustered out of the service July 24, 184S.

Cnder the act of Congress, approved May 13, 1846,
the following companies of mounted volunteers were
raised at various points in the State, to-wit: Captain A.
Dunlap, company numbering 138 officers and men;
Captain M. K. l.awler's. 121 officers and men; Captain
Josiah I.ittelTs. ioj; officers anil men; Captain Wyatt B.
Stapps's, 97 officers and men; and Lieutenant G. C.
Lamphere's, 31 officers and men; a total of 490.

During the spring of 1846 Captain C. C. Sibley came
to Chicago and opened a recruiting office. He enlisted a
large number of men. and in the winter and spring of
1847 he continued enlistments in Chicago. Captain E
B. Hills, of Xaperville, Ills., under the act of Congress
known as the "'ten regiment bill" enlisted a full com-
pany in Cook County for service in Mexico.

All the record that the writer is able to find of these
enlistments is to be found on pages 314. 315 and 316 of
the Adjutant-General's report, State of Illinois, which is
very imperfect. Three pages are devoted to these en-
listments and the list contains 343 names. Further than
that the record is silent. Not a date is given, nor where
the recruits were from, nor what became of them. They
appear to have been about equally credited to three
companies, to-wit: Company G, 16th Infantry, were
allowed 118; Company A, 16th Infantry, 124, and Com-
pany E, 14th Infantry, 101 — giving a total of 343. No
record is to be found of the company raised by Captain
E. B. Bills, though his full company was raised in Cook
and adjoining counties, in the spring of 1847, and the
zealous Captain led his company to Mexico. And this
is all the writer is able to say of Captain Bills and his
company, or of the 343 men enlisted by Captain C. C.
Sibley. General Isaac H. Elliott, Adjutant-General of
the State, on page 314 of his report, says, concerning
these men: "'The Adjutant-General of the army when
applied to for data as to the killed, wounded, discharg-
ed, etc., stated 'I have the honor to inform you by
direction of the Secretary of War that the request can-
not be complied with; it being contrary to the well
established practice of the office and not consistent with
the interest of the public service.' " 'This is simply a
disgraceful blot on the fair fame and honor of Illinois,
whose sons went forth at the call of the President to
light and die, if need be, for their country's aggrandize-
ment, and this is the only State record left to their heirs
and country. There were many other enlistments in
Chicago and Cook County, but the above number are
all that can be traced by any printed record.

'There were two small companies of regulars, consist-
ing of 11; men, enlisted here in the winter of 1847, by
Captain ('. c. Sibley. of which.no record is to befound.
They were assigned to companies I!. 16th Infantry, and
1), 3d Infantry. Mr. I). I.. Juergens, then and now a
it of this city, was one of the last-named 1 ompany,
and is authority for the statement that they were pushed

to the front with all possible dispatch, being in all the
battles from San Antonio and Contreras to the City of
Mexico, which they helped to take September 14, 1847.
He says that two-thirds of the number were killed and
died of disease and from wounds received in battle. He
names the following, which he remembers as from Chi-

cago: Bernard Althower, Theodore Bohnenkemp,

Fond, William Heldman, Hacks, Greenhard,

Marahan Jansen, I). L. Juergens, John McKinney, John
Moriarty, G. W. Savory, Fred Schmidt, Phillip Schweit-
zer, Theodore Tehts, William Wolf. 'There is no record
of either of these companies in General Elliott's report,
and they were all Illinoisans. 'The following is the
number of officers and enlisted men that went to Mexico
to serve in the war with that country from Illinois, to
wit:

First Illinois Regiment 763

Second Illinois Regiment 727

Third Illinois Regiment 924

Fourth Illinois Regiment _ S47

Fifth Illinois Regiment 1,060

Sixth Illinois Regiment 1,046

Mounted Volunteers 490

Regulars, etc 458

Grand total of all troops from Illinois 6,315

The record of the War Department shows total num-
ber of volunteers from Illinois 6, 123, which number is
226 in excess of those reported by the Adjutant-General
of our State. 'The records of the War Department as to
our own volunteers are undoubtedly correct. It is safe
to assume that one-eighth of the enlistments, including
those for the regular army and also those who enlisted
under the ten regiment act, were from Chicago and
Cook County, or 790, officers and men.

'This county did its full share in furnishing men for the
Mexican War. Of the 790 young men that went into
that struggle from this county not more than 500 re-
turned to the homes they had left in 1846 and 1847
and of these 500 not more than 62 are survivors at this
time.

Company F, the Chicago company in the Fifth Regi-
ment, lost by death many of its best men, and among
the number were William A. Black, who died at Santa
Fe October 9, 1847 ; James H. Allen, who died in
Socoro, on the Rio Grande, December to, 1847 ; James
H. Godfrey, who died in Santa Fe January 29, 1848;
Robert Croft, May 31, 1847: William Daniels, August
19, 1847; Hendrick Hattendorf, June 11, 1847: Spencer
Pratt, September 19, 1847 ; Edgar Poole, September 30,
1847: Jeremiah Styles, November 3, 1847 ; John W.
Wheat, September 29, 1847. 'Thus was ten percent of
the company wiped out, while on foreign soil, by disease
and death.

'The havoc by death since that time would seem
almost incredible, nevertheless the following statement
is thought to be strictly true. Of the staff officers.
Colonel Newby, Colonel Boyakin and Major Donaldson
are dead. 'The Hon. William H. Snyder, now of St.
Clair County, this State, who was the Adjutant, only sur-
vives. Of Company F, Captain T. B. Kenney and
Lieutenants R. N. Hamilton, Alvin V. Morey, James X.
Hunt, and John A. Knights are death Hon. Murray
F. Tuley, First Lieutenant Company F, still survives,
and is one of our honored Judges at the present time.
No doubt the same ratio of disease and death has pre-
vailed among the officers of the other companies of the
Fifth Regiment of which the writer has no definite
knowledge.

Three of Company F deserted, to wit : Luther C.
1 lager, Alexander Freeman, and Daniel Martin. During

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

283

the last days of October or early in November, 1847,
seven companies of the Fifth Regiment Illinois Volun-
teers, Kaston's Battalion of Missouri Volunteers and a
battery of artillery of six pieces with supply trains were
ordered to move out of Santa Fe and to march souther-
ly down the Rio Grande. This news when known by
the various companies that were to go was hailed
with delight, as it was thought that they were to take
the route of Colonel Doniphan, who with his regiment
had preceded them but a short time, and whose cam-
paign in Mexico, as subsequent events proved, stood
second to none in that service.

A paymaster was ordered to accompany the expedi-
tion which boded a long journey for the command. All
being in readiness, they started off with banners flying
and all in the highest spirits. They hoped that they
were en route for Chihuahua and further on toward
Saltillo, where they expected to join the army of Gen-
eral Zachary Taylor. Major Donaldson was in com-
mand of the expedition, Colonel E. W. B. Newby re-
maining in Santa Fe, where he was in temporary com-
mand of the Post and the Department of New Mexico.
In seven weeks they made but one hundred and seven-
ty-live miles, or a trifle more than four miles per day,
arriving at Yalverde, below Limitaa, near the entrance
of the desert which had to be crossed before reaching
El l'aso, about the middle of December. This long
time had not been consumed in marching, as the time
was principally spent in the various camps, watching the
decimation of their ranks by disease and death, caused
by the prevailing fevers of the country. During Janu-
ary, 1848, General Sterling Price arrived in Santa Fe
and took command of the Post and Department, at once
relieving Colonel Newby. The Fifth still remained in
camp near Limitaa. They were ordered back to Santa
Fe during the winter much to their disgust. Easton's
Battalion and the artillery company went forward, and
the writer thinks that they reached Chihuahua, where it
was reported they had a fight. It was the last battle
of the Mexican War, and, of course, they came out vic-
torious. No part or parcel of the United States Army
was ever whipped during that war. It was a series of
victories from beginning to end.

The Fifth remained in Santa Fe until late in the
spring of 1848 when a detachment, about three hundred
strong, was ordered mounted and were sent something-
like three hundred miles west of Santa Fe to conquer a
peace with the Navajo Indians, who were killing the
Spaniards in the valleys, carrying off into bondage their
women and children, plundering, and running off their
stock. The detail took in a large portion of Company
F the Chicago company;. It was an interesting cam-
paign. The marauding Indians were found in their
strongholds, three hundred miles west of Santa Fe,
thoroughly whipped and subjugated and brought back
to Santa Fe together with the captured women and chil-
dren. A treaty of peace was negotiated with the tribe
and a guard detailed to escort them back to their coun-
try. The writer was one of the guard, Judge Tuley, of
Chicago, being in command of the same. The guard
accompanied the tribe seventy-five miles into the Jamaz
Valley, where it bid them adieu, when they took to the
mountains and the escort returned to Santa Fe. News
of the peace reached the regiment early in August,
when preparations were begun for the return of the reg-
iment to the United States. Trains for the transporta-
tion of the commissary and company supplies had to be
got in readiness before it could leave for the recrossing
of the plains. In the meantime many of the officers
and men of the regiment applied for their discharges,

.11 oraer that they might proceed westerly to California,
or elsewhere as they might determine. Many of the
Chicago company were among the number, to wit :
First Lieutenant, Murray F. Tuley; Second Lieutenant,
James N. Hunt; Sergeant, John D.Goodrich; Corporal,
Levi R. Vantassell; musician, George Carson; privates,
Peter Backman, Stephen Emory, James R. Hugunin,
John W. Hipwell, Jacob Kesling, James I >. Morgan,
Lorenzo I). Maynard, Charles J. McCormick, 1'hineas
Page, Valentine ('. Shaw, Thomas Seacor. Sergeant
Alvin V. Morey was elected First Lieutenant ; John A.
Knights, Second Lieutenant. Charles C P. Holder]
was appointed Sergeant and James Rote was appointed
Corporal, before the return march commenced.

Everything being in readiness orders were given for
the regiment to report at Fort Leavenworth and Alton,
III., for final discharge from the service of the
Lhiited States Government, and on or about August 20,
the command, in three detatchments, left for home, and
re-crossed the plains to Fort Leavenworth, where trans-
ports were in waiting. The regiment in detachments,
reached Alton, III, where they were mustered out
of the United States service October iS, 1848. Many
of the best men in the regiment, ami in the Chicago
company, had died in the service of their country and
lay buried in their graves in the valley of the Rio Grande,
in the mountains and on the plains. Such was life in
the army in Mexico in 1846-47 and 1848.

The Chicago Evening Journal in its issue of October
28, 1848, said :

"The Fifth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, under Colonel Newby,
were mustered out of the service at Alton, Monday last, October
iS. General Churchill remarked : 'ft is with much reluctance that
I award to any soldiers more credit for good, orderly and soldier-
like conduct than I have heretofore ascribed to the regiments com-
manded by the lamented Colonel Hardin and the gallant Colonel
Bissell ; but I feel constrained by a sense of justice to say, that I
have never in my life mustered a regiment superior in sobriety and
good order and conduct to thai I have just been engaged in mus-
tering out of the service. IJoth officers and men can equal the
finest discipline found amongst old regulars.' "

Under same date the Journal also said:

" Captain Kenney's company of volunteers recently mustered
out at Alton, have returned to their homes and we recognize many
an old face, etc." "Steele, of the Exchange, tendered them a ban-
quet on their return."

Colonel Richard J. Hamilton, who had clone so
much in raising this company, gave a magnificent din-
ner to a large number of the company.

There were many soldiers in the Mexican War from
Illinois who subsequently became noted for their fame
as officers in the late war or as statesmen, or both, and
a few may be mentioned as among the many from this
State, to wit :

General U. S. Grant, 2d I.ieut. 4th Infantry.

Major-General John Tope, 2d Lieut. Regulars.

William H. Bissell, late Governor of Illinois, Colonel 2d Illi-
nois.

General Edward I). Baker, Colonel 4th Illinois.

Ferris Foreman, Colonel 3d Illinois.

William A. Richardson, Major 1st Illinois.

General Isham N. Haynie, late Adjutant-General State of Illi-
nois, 1st Lieut. Company C, 5th Illinois.

General Richard J. Oglesby, late Governor of Illinois, [Si
Lieut. Company C, 4th Illinois,

General W. H. L. Wallace, Adjutant 1st Illinois.

General Benjamin M. Prentiss, Captain Company I, isl Ill-
inois.

Murray F. Tuley, 1st Lieut. Company F, 5th Illinois.

General John Morrill, private, Company I, 1st Illinois.

James L. D. Morrison, Lieutenant-Colonel, 2d Illinois.

R. E. Goodell, private, Company I, 1st Illinois.

T. Lyle Dickey, Captain, 1st Illinois.

General John A. Logan, 2d Lieut. Company II, 5th Illinois.

John A. IVickett, Lieutenant Company E, 4th Illinois.

284

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Lewis W. Ross. Captain Company K, 4U1 Illinois.

General lames 1>. Morgan, Captain Company A. 1st Illinois.

fames T. B. Staff. Adjutant 3d Illinois.

Major-General Michael K. Lawler, Captain Company G, 3d
Illinois 1846, and Captain Lawler's Cavalry 1847.

George C. Lamphere, Lieutenant Captain W. 1!. Stall 's Cav-
alry.

John S. Hacker. Captain Company V. 2d Illinois.

John G. Fonda. 2d Lieut. Staff 's Cavalry Company.

Arthur I. Gallagher, private. Company G, 2d Illinois.

Colonel Daniel G. Burr, Sergeant Company 11, 4th Illinois.

Captain W. H. Ursey, private, Company C, 4th Illinois.

W. 1. Wvatt. Captain Company C, 1st Illinois.

lohn W. Hartley, Drummer. Company A, 6th Illinois.

General James B. Fry, late Provost Marshal-General, Lieuten-
ant in Regulars.

George W. Prickett, 1st Lieut. Company D, 2d Illinois.

Benjamin F. Marshall. 2d Lieut. Company C, jth Illinois

W. R. Morrison, private. Company II, 2d Illinois.

lohn Reddick, Lieutenant 1st Illinois.

lames S. Martin. Sergeant Company C. 5th Illinois.

William H. Snyder. Adjutant 5th Illinois.

Thomas I.. Harris, Major 4th Illinois.

lohn Moore. Lieutenant-Colonel 4th Illinois.

William 1'.. Kondey, Adjutant 4th Illinois.

Captain George R. Webber, private. Company A, 4th Illinois.

Dudlev Wickersham, Corporal Company A, 4th Illinois.

General Stephen G. Hicks. Lieutenant-Colonel 2d Illinois.

Major Samuel P. Marshall, 3d Illinois.

The conquest of Mexico in 1846-48 by the army of
the United States, composed as it was of regular and
volunteer soldiers, is a matter of threat pride to all the
survivors of that army at the present day, and- to none
nvrc than to those who went into that service from
Illinois. Chicago and Cook County too, may well look
hack with pride to the part taken by their sons in that
conflict — a conflict out of which came so much to their
common country. First, Through that war the bound-
ary line between Mexico and Texas was definitely
settled and established, and a long contest of deadly
strife on the western boundary of Texas decided. Sec-
ond. There was acquired by the treaty 937,000 square
miles of territory, consisting of mineral, agricultural,
timber and stock lands, the richest and best in the
known world, all of which was so much added to the
public domain of this country. Third, 'The acquirement
of this vast domain made possible the construction of
railroads and thereby the connection of the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans by bands of steel never to be severed,
which, without the acquisition of this territory, never
could have been done. Fourth, There has been taken
from the mines of the States and Territories acquired
through that acquisition more than $2,000,000,000 in
jiold and silver. Fifth, There has been paid into the
Treasury of the United States over and above all ex-
penses for collecting the same, for custom dues and in-
ternal revenue, from the Pacific States and Territories
which were acquired through the Mexican War $220,-
505,217.19, which fabulous sum is a clear gain to the
revenues of this nation, for without that vast domain
there would have been nothing to have taxed. Sixth,
Improvements have sprung up in all parts of the ac-
quired territory that surpasses all belief, including some
of the foremost cities of the nation, anil also the con-
struction and operation of more than 9,000 miles of
railways, running to many parts of that vast domain.
All this was acquired through the Mexican War.

'The army that went to Mexico consisted of a trifle
more than 100,000 regulars and volunteers. 'To have
belonged to that great army in those perilous times and
on the distant soil of a foreign and treacherous foe, to
have accomplished so much lor our common country,
should he cheriSiied a- honor enough for any American
who participated in that national conflict.

LOCAL MILITARY COMPANIES.

Register of Regiments. — After the close of the
Mexican War a long season of peace ensued. Not
again, until the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861,
was the militia called into requisition for any work more
serious than to quell some local disturbance, or to add
to the impressiveness of some holiday parade. For two
years after the close of the war there was hardly suffi-
cient military enthusiasm to keep alive any military
organization in the city. In 1850, sufficient interest was
evolved in military matters to result in the organization
of a few new companies. The old Sixtieth Regiment
still held its position on the records of the State Ad-
jutant-General, and in 1854 was supplemented by the
Washington Independent Regiment. Some of the
companies attached to these regiments did not survive
long enough to be tried by the stern test of actual war :
others — indeed nearly all — were practically extinct by
the close of i860, but all those retaining even a nomi-
nal organization, aroused by the peril that threatened the
country, and drawing fresh vitality from the great flood
of patriotism that swept over the country, answered to
its call, and, with solid ranks, marched with more en-
thusiasm to the battle field, than ever in the listless days
of peace to the holiday parade or drill.

Following are the rosters of these regiments, and
all military companies which had a recognized existence
in Chicago, from 1848 to the close of i860, so far as
these records are to be obtained :

Six 111:111 REGIMENT — Second Brigade, I. S. M.. General J.
15. Beaubien.

US4S-40.)
Colonel, J. B. F. Russell ; Major, William L. ( hurch ; Adju-
tant, George Raymond ; Quartermaster, George A. Rumsey ; Sur-
geon, W. B. Herrick.

(1850-51.)
Colonel, J. B. V. Russell ; Lieutenant-Colonel, D. S. Cady ;
Major, William L. Church.

(1852.)
Colonel, William H. Davis; Major, James M. Donnelly.

(I853-)
Colonel, James M. Donnelly ; Major, Matthew Conley ; Adju-
tant, Rudolph Wehrli ; (Quartermaster, William S. Davis ; Pay-
master, Thomas Shirley.

(1S54.I
Colonel, James M. Donnelly: Major, Matthew Conley ; Adju-
tant, Thomas Shirley ; Paymaster, Theodore O. Wilson.
(1855-58.)
Colonel, James M. Donnelly; Lieutenant-Colonel, Matthew
Conley ; Major, John K. Kimberly ; Adjutant, Joel H. Di.x ; com-
missary, Joseph H. Martin.

(1859-61.)
Colonel, Ezra Taylor; Lieutenant-Colonel, Herman D. Booth;
Senior Major, Frederick J. Hurlburt ; Junior Major, Elijah W.
Hadley ; Adjutant, Joel II. Dix ; commissary, Joseph H. Mar-
tin.

Companies of Sixtieth Regiment.
Montgomery Guards (Organized in spring of 1S42, by Captain
Patrick Kelly).

(184S.)
Captain. W. P.. Snowhook ; 1st Lieut., Michael O'Brien ; 2d
Lieut., fohn O'Neill; 3d Lieut., Eugene O'Sullivan.

(1849.)
Captain, T. I. Kinsella ; 1st Lieut., Michael ( dec-son ; 2d
Lieut., Eugene O'Sullivan ; 3d Lieut., M. Cooney; ensign, Pat-
rick O'Mally.

(1850-52.)
Captain, Michael Gleeson ; 1st Lieut.. Bernard Curran ; 2d
Lieut., Patrick Coffey; 3d Lieut., Michael Cooney.

(1853-)
Captain, Michael Gleeson ; 1st Lieut., Patrick Coffee; 2d
Lieut., Daniel McShellop ; 3d Lieut., James McMullen.
(Norecord is?4-?t,. Officers in 1857.)
Captain, Michael Gleeson ; 1st Lieut., Patrick Coffee; 2d

KARI.V MILITARY HISTORY.

>*S

Lieut., Michael Mickey; Ensign, Matthew Lynch; Sergeant, Will-
iam Lewis.

(1858.)

Captain, Michael Gleeson ; 1st Lieut., Michael Mickey ; 2d
Lieut., James Stenson ; 3d Lieut., Patrick Nugent.

(No farther record until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when
the company was reorganized and entered the United States service
as Company 1!, 23d Illinois Infantry.)

Chicago LIussars and Light Artillery,
(Organized November, 1847.)
Captain, R. K. Swift; 1st Lieut., James Smith; 2d Lieut.,
Nelson Buchanan; 3d Lieut., C. F. Howe; cornet. John A. Rei-
chart.

(1849-51.)
Captain, R. K. Swift ; 1st Lieut., Nelson Buchanan ; 2d
Lieut., C. B. Welsh; 3d Lieut., fohn A. Reichart ; cornet, Ru-
dolph Wehrli.

(1852-1853.)
Captain, R. K. Swift ; 1st Lieut., Nelson Buchanan ; 2d
Lieut., C. B, Welsh.

Chicago Light Artillery.

(Organized May 5, 1S54.)
Captain, James Smith ; 1st Lieut., Ezra Taylor ; 2d Lieut.,
E. \V. Hadley ; commissary, H. S. Spears.
( 1856-1S57.)
Captain, James Smith; 1st Lieut., Ezra Taylor; 2d Lieut.,
Amos Grannis ; 3d Lieut., Darius Knights ; Sergeant, C. T. Brad-
ley ; 2d Sergeant, Alex. Davidson; secretary, T. A. Iloyne;
treasurer, John R. Botsford ; commissary, David Moren.
(1858-1S60.)
Captain, James Smith ; 1st Lieut., Amos Grannis ; 2d Lieut.,
Darius Knights; 3d Lieut., C. T. Bradley; Orderly Sergeant, C.
J. Stalbrand ; secretary, Charles Horen ; treasurer, John R. lints-
ford ; commissary, David Horen.

(The "Chicago Light Artillery " was re-organized by Ezra
Taylor in the spring of 1S61, and was afterward known as " Old
Battery A " and " Old Battery 1! ".)

Washington J/Egers, German.
(Organized in 1S47.)
Captain, Frederick Schaefer ; 1st Lieut., R. I'. Denker; 2d
Lieut., Christian Kotz ; 3d Lieut., Jacob Eich ; Surgeon, F. C.
I lageman.

Chicago Legers.
(Organized September 7, 1S47.)
Captain, Michael Diversey ; 1st Lieut., Jacob Eich ; 2d Lieut.,
Anthony Muck ; 3d Lieut., F. Manch ; 4th Lieut., M. Best.

In November, 1849, these German companies or-
ganized in two battalions, each made up of "Grena-
diers" and "Jaegers," and known as the Chicago Bat-
talion and the Washington Battalion — the two form-
ing the "Chicago German Odd Battalion" ,20th,
which remained attached to the Sixtieth Regiment
until 1854, when it was transferred to the newly formed
"Washington Independent Regiment No. i."j
Chicago German Odd Battalion.
(1850.)
Major, Michael Diversey; Adjutant, Arno Voss; Surgeon,
C. A. Melmuth; Quartermaster, Jacob Eich; Paymaster, P. Schut-
tler.

Chicago Battalion.
(1850.)
Captain of Grenadiers, Frederick Schaefer; 1st Lieut., Joseph
N. Becker; 2d Lieut., Henry Lutzi; 3d Lieut., Nicholas Barth.
Captain of Jaegers, Jacob Eich; 1st Lieut., Anthony I luck; 2d
Lieut., Dietrich Moench; 3d Lieut., Martin Best.
Washington Battalion.
(1850.)
Captain of Grenadiers, Theodore Weiler; 1st Lieut., John L.
Webber; 2d Lieut., Louis Bacher. Captain of Jaegers, Christian
Kotz; 1st Lieut., George Feiler; 2d Lieut., Louis Horn.
Chicago Battalion.
(1852.)
Captain of Grenadiers, Anthony Huck; 1st Lieut., John Di-
versey; 2d Lieut., Henry Lutzi; 3d Lieut., Nicholas Barth. Cap-
tain of Jcegers, F. Manch; 1st Lieut., Fred Kurth ; 2d Lieut.,
Henry Stupp; 3d Lieut., J. Barbien.

Washington Battalion.
(1S52.)
Captain of Grenadiers, Theodore Weiler; 1st Lieut., John
Schneider; 2d Lieut., Jacob Tull. Captain of Jiegers, George
Feiler; 1st Lieut., Louis Horn; 2d Lieut., Fred Mattern.

Ringgold GUARDS.
( ( Irganized in 1847.)
Captain, William II. Davis; 1st Lieut., J. J. Russell; 2d
Lieut., J. Sherman ; 4th Lieut., George Davis.

(This company was short-lived.)

( lARDIi X I'll V ('.CARDS.

( i Organized August, 1853.)
Captain, Thomas Shitieev ; 1st Lieut, David R. Crego ; 2d
Lieut., Elijah Leran ; 3d Lieut., M. II. Baker.

(James Beldin was I he second Captain of the Company. No
further record.)

Jackson < .1 irds. ( Irish.)
I ( Irganized March 7, 1853.)
Captain. Francis McMurray ; 1st Lieut., John Dunlap ; 2d
Lieut.. William Heffron ; 3d Lieut., George Stewart.

( No farther record of this company until the breaking out >■!
the War of the Rebellion. It was then re-organized and entered
the service under Captain McMurray, as Company C, 23d Illinois
Volunteer Infantry. )

Chic igo Light Guard.

(Organized February 22, 1S54.)

Captain, John P.. W'viuan ; 1st Lieut., Frederick Harding ;

2d Lieut., II." II. Loring ; 3d Lieut., II. I). Booth; 4th Lieut.,

William II. Rass ; Orderly Sergeant, |. E. Kimberly ; Surgeon,

W. B. Merrick.

(1856-1857.)
Captain, John B. Wyman ; 1st Lieut., Herman I). Booth ;
2d Lieut., George W. Gage ; 3d Lieut., F. Sherman.
(1858.)
Captain, Herman D. Booth; 1st Lieut., George W. Gage;
2d Lieut., F. Sherman ; 3d Lieut., Philip Wadsworth ; 4th Lieut.,
f . II. Dix ; secretarv, II. M. Flint; treasurer, G. S. Thurston;
Surgeon, William B. Egan ; commissary, William R. King.
( 1S60)
1st Lieut., George W. Gage ; Commanding Orderly Sergeant,
Frederick Harding.

Emmet Guards.
(Organized May 15, 1S54. )
Captain, Patrick O'Connor; 1st Lieut., John Murphy; 2d
Lieut., Daniel M. Ward; 3d Lieut., Thomas Dolen.

(i855d
Captain, James A. Collins ; 1st Lieut., Michael Kelly.

(1856.)
Captain, D. C. Skelly ; 1st Lieut., Michael Kelly; 2d Lieut.,
John Clary ; 3d Lieut., Patrick McGuinness.
(1858.)
Captain, D. C. Skelly; 1st Lieut., O. Stuart; 2d Lieut.,
Patrick McGuinness; 3d Lieut., A. E. Skelly; ensign, P. Cor-
coran ; Orderly Sergeant, P. J. Holohan.

(No farther record of the company. )

National Guards.

(Organized April 25, 1S54.)

John Lewis Pevton, Major ; E. B. Stevens, Sergeant-Major ;

W. W. Danenhower, Sergeant ; J. C. Morfit, M. D., Surgeon ; E.

C. Henderson, color-bearer; E. R. Smith, Adjutant; W. D.

Wilson, Quartermaster ; J. A. Thompson, Paymaster ; C. W.

Hunt, M. D., Surgeon's-mate.

Company A. Thomas Shirley, Capt.: G. S. Wright, 1st
Lieut.; J. T. Baker, 2d Lieut.; M.'P. Roberts, 3d Lieut.; \V. W.
Kennedy, 4th Lieut.

Company B. Sylvester Sexton, Capt.; William McMillan,
1st Lieut. ; George Glasner, 2d Lieut. ; W. D. Lawyer, 3d Lieut.
(No farther record.)

Shields Guards.
(Organized November 25, 1854.)
Captain, Charles E. Moore; 1st Lieut.; James A. Mulligan;
2d Lieut., James Quirk ; 3d Lieut., B. S. Dolan.

(1858.)

Captain, Charles E. Moore ; 1st Lieut., James A. Mulligan ;
2d Lieut., John Reiley ; 3d Lieut., John S. Quin ; ensign, Daniel
Harrington; Quartermaster, William H. Savage; Surgeon, Martin
J. Bray; commissary, James Barry; paymastet. Charles O'Connor.

Civil Officers— President, J. J. Sullivan ; vice-president, John
Sweenie ; recording secretary, John Hickey ; corresponding secre-
tary, James A. Mulligan.

(Organized in two companies in 1861 — I and K 23d Illinois
Volunteer Infantry.)

National Guards Cadets.
(Organized March 19, 1856.)

Captain, S. W. Stryker ; 1st Lieut., W. B. Smith; 2d Lieut.,
G. L. San borne ; 3d Lieut., II. Turner; Color Sergeant, B. Bots-
ford ; Orderly Sergeant; J. R. Scott; 2d Sergeant, J. R. May-

286

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

den ; 3d Sergeant. E. B. Knox ; 4th Sergeant. I. A. Clybourne ;
Corporal, B. Forseth; zd Corporal, A. G. Comstocfc. Staff Officers,
Quartermaster, A. 1>. Wass; paymaster. \V. T. Roath ; Surgeon.
Dr. J. A. Collins; commissary, S. G. Myers. Civil Officers —

President. R. Ross; vice-president, J, R.Floyd; secretary, E.
B. Knox ; treasurer. II. Turner. Drill every Tuesday and Fri-
day evenings, at their armory. 16 and 18 South Dearborn Street.
1 Merged in the Zouave Cadets — a sketch of which organization
appears in the following volume.)

Chicago Dragoons.

(Organized April. 1S56.)
Captain. C. W. Barker.

(1S60.)
Captain. C. W. Barker; 1st Lieut., S. II. Turrill ; 2d Lieut.,
E. D. Osband ; Orderly Sergeant, 1. C. Kellev ; surgeon. 11. 11.
Pike: president. W. II. Eddy; vice-president, A. T. Gage; sec-
retary. J. F. Dutch; treasurer, S. 11. Turrill. (Entered United
- service in 1861. The above were all attached to the 60th
Regiment. 1

Washington Independent Regiment, No. i.

(Organized September 29, 1S54.I

Colonel. William H. Davis; Lieutenant-Colonel. Michael
Diversy: Major, John L. Peyton; Adjutant, Arno Voss; Quarter-
master, WilliamS. Davis; Paymaster, 0 J, Rose; Surgeon, C. A.
Ilelmuth.

Composed of the following companies:

Wiluam Tell Guards (Bohemian).

(Organized February I, 1S55.)
Captain, Anton Sten; 1st Lieut., John Korber; 2d Lieut.,
Christoff Demon; 3d Lieut., Simon Eichenscher.
Chicago Guards of Liberty.

(Organized May 3, 1S55.)
Captain. George W. I. Cone; 1st Lieut., Tohn Short; 2d
Lieut.. W. II. Read.

Chicago Highland Guards.
(Organized August 10, 1S55.)
Captain. John McKay; 1st Lieut., A. B. McLean; 2d Lieut.,
William Lochart; 3d Lieut., lohn McArthur; ensign, Alexander
Raffen.

(1856-1S57.)
Captain. John McKay; 1st Lieut., John McArthur; 2d Lieut.,
Alexander W. Raffen; 3d Lieut., John Wood.

(1858.)

Captain, John McArthur; 1st Lieut., Alexander W. Raffen;
2d Lieut., John Wood; 3d Lieut., John T. Raffen.

(1S59-1860.)
Captain. John McArthur; 1st Lieut. Alexander W. Raffen; 2d
Lieut., J. T. Young; 3d Lieut., Andrew Quade; 4th Lieut., Robert
Wilson; Secretary, T. McFarland; Treasurer, |ohn Wood.

(Mustered into the service of Government in 1861, as Com-
pany E, 19th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.)

Twentieth Onn Battalion.
(Transferred to W. I. Regiment February, 1856.)
Major. George W. I. Cone; Adjutant, John Short; Quarter-
master, P. A. Taylor; paymaster, Oliver P. Booth.
The Companies of Battalion were:

" Guard of Liberty."
(Organized May, 1855.)
Captain, George W. I. Cone.

US56.)
Company A (Rifles) — Captain, William C. Leyburn; 1st
Lieut., Judson W. Reed; 2d Lieut., Frederick Lyman.'

Company 11 (Rifles) — Captain, Henrv M. Kirke; 1st Lieut.,
Charles M. flellikcr.

Company C (Dragoons) — Captain, Reuben Cleveland; 1st
Lieut., James T. lloyt; 2d Lieut., William E. Judd; 3d Lieut.,
E. R. Brown.

No farther record.

Washington Grenadiers.

(1856.)
Captain, Theodore Weiler; 1st Lieut., George Reifschneider;
2d Lieut., Henry Willin; 3d Lieut., John Schmidt.

Washington Rifles.

(1S56.)
Captain, Antony Sten; 1st Lieut., Frederick Mattern; 2d
Lieut., Martin Zieland.

Chicago Grenadiers.
Captain, Augustus Haggerman; 1st Lieut., John Diversy; 2d
Lieut., Peter Rink.

Washington Light Guards.
(Organized November 30, 1855.)
Captain, John Kerber; 1st Lieut., William Heil; 2d Lieut.,
)ohn Brown.

(1857-)
Captain, William Heil; 1st Lieut., Ernad Adams; 2d Lieut.,
John Bolman; 3d Lieut., George Rosenbergen.

Chicago Artillery Company (German).
(Organized December, 1S56.)
Captain, Michael Mueller; 1st Lieut., August Freuer; 2d
Lieut., Franz Ehlbrucht; 3d Lieut., Iaios Link.

Washington Light Cavalry (German).
(Organized July 19, 1858.)
Captain, Frederick Schambeck; 1st Lieut., William T. Stoeber;
2d Lieut., Alexander Weite.

(The Washington Independent Regiment was offered entire
to Governor Yates at the breaking out of the Rebellion, and ac-
cepted— many of the German companies doing service at Cairo.)

RELIGIOUS HISTORY

PRE-CHURCH PERIOD.

The religious zeal of the Jesuits carried their mis-
sionaries first to many of the heathen races. They were
first to visit the Indians of the great Northwest; but on
account of the meagerness of data, it is difficult to de-
cide positively with reference to the first missionary or
priest who set foot on the soil of the then future city of
Chicago. It seems certain, however, that the author of
" Pioneers of Illinois " repeats an error in the sentence:
" It is said Father Nicolet, a French Jesuit priest,
preached to the Indians at the mouth of the Chicago
River in 1640, and in all probability he was the first
white man that ever rowed a canoe on the waters of
Fake Michigan, or trod the soil of Illinois." The re-
searches of Benjamin Suite, of Ottawa Canada, prove
the inaccuracy of the above quotation, with reference to
the time of John Nicolet's visit to the mouth of the
Chicago River. Mr. Suite says:

" Nicolet is at Three Rivers (Canada) again on the 26th of
January, 1640. He died two years after that date; and during all
that time we trace him month by month in the parish register at
Three Rivers. In brief, Nicolet must have traveled 10 the Mi>-
sissippi in the year 1634-35, from July to July, because that period is
the only one during which we cannot find him on the shore of the
St. Lawrence."

Hut if in 1634-35, Nicolet visited the mouth of the
Chicago River, he did not then, nor at any other time
or place, preach to the Indians. The following quota-
tions from the same author is conclusive on this point:

"At Quebec, 7th of October, 1637, Nicolet marries Margue-
rite Couillard. The marriage contract is dated in that city, 22d of

October, 1637 From that moment his wife is present at

church every month in Three Rivers up to 1642, the date of Nico-
let's death, as the register shows. "

The fact of Nicolet's marriage proves that he was
not a priest, and Mr. Suite says he was not a Jesuit,
'['he name "Father Nicolet," is therefore a misnomer.
Hence it is necessary to look to later times for the first
Chicago priest, or missionary. His visit to the Indian
tribes of the Northwest was made in the cause of com-
merce, not religion.*

The gentle, earnest and courageous Father Jacques
Marquette was the first priest appointed to the Illinois
mission. It is probable, however, that he never cele-
brated mass, preached or gave religious instruction to
the Indians on any portion of the territory now com-
prised within the limits of Chicago; but one of his biog-
raphers says of him: " Upon returning from his last ex-
pedition! he took up his residence and pursued the
vocation of a missionary among the Miamis in the
neighborhood of Chicago." Supposing this to be
authentic, the missionary services of this zealous and
pious Jesuit father must have been rendered to the
Miami Indians in the fall of 1673, as he started on his
return up the Mississippi July 17 of that year. As has
been said of him: " It was the lofty aim of Marquette
to be of enduring service to his fellow-men; it was his
integrity, his unselfishness, his untiring zeal, his gentel

iippi River in 1673.

and uncomplaining disposition, and his earlv self-sacri-
fice near akin to martyrdom, that command our sympa-
thies, ami these are what made him truly great." Mar-
quette died May iS, 1675, and Father Claude Allouez
succeeded to the Illinois mission. After journeying, in
the months of March and April, 1676, seventy-six leagues
on Lake Michigan, Allouez, with his Indian companions
and guides, entered the Chicago River, probably about
the 10th of April. Upon landing he was met and hand-
somely received by about eighty Indians. The chief of
this band advanced to meet him with a fire-brand in
one hand and a feathered calumet in the other. He
led the reverend father to his cabin and thus addressed
him :

' ' Father ! take pity on me; let me return with thee, to accompa-
ny thee and lead thee to my village; my meeting with thee to-dav
will be fatal to me unless I profit by it. Thou bearest to us the
gospel and the prayer; if I lose the occasion of hearing thee, I shall
be punished by the loss of my nephews, whom thou seest so num-
erous, but who will assuredly be defeated by the enemy. Krnbark
then with us that I may profit by thy coming into our land."

Father Allouez, unfortunately, fails to mention who
it was that thus addressed him; and thus the name of
the orator who delivered this, the first reception speech
in this locality, and the first to allude to "the gospel
and prayer " within the limits of Chicago, is lost forever.
The father and the chief at once embarked and soon
reached the village of the latter.

Father Claudius Dablon, who was Superior-General
of the Missions of the Society of Jesus, who founded
Sault Ste. Marie and visited Green Bay, came as far as
the Wisconsin with Allouez, but does not appear to have
reached Chicago. Of Father Fouis Hennepin it may
also be said that he probably never visited Chicago, al-
though in 1679, in company with LaSalle, he perhaps
sailed along the western shore of the lake on the way
to St. Joseph, Mich. It is not easy to determine who
was the next after Allouez to visit Chicago, but it seems
credible that it was one or both of the Rev. Fathers
Pinet and Bineteau. This appears from the journal of
Rev. John Francis Buisson de St. Cosme, who was a
member of the party which, in 1699, under the leader-
ship of M. de Montigny, visited Chicago on their way
to the Mississippi. This party disembarked half a
league from Chicago, and a few of them, M. de Montigny,
St. Cosme and Davion, went by land to the house of
the Jesuit fathers. St. Cosme says :

"We found the Rev. Father Pinet and Rev. Father Bineteau,
who had recently come in from Illinois, and were slightly sick. 1
cannot explain to you, Monseigneur, with what cordiality and
marks of esteem these reverend Jesuit fathers received and caressed
us during the time that we had the consolation of staying with
them. Their house is built on the banks of the small lake, having
the lake on one side and a fine large prairie on the other. The In-
dian village is of over one hundred and fifty cabins, and one league
on the river there is another village almost as large. They are both
of the Miamis. Rev. Father Pinet makes it his ordinary residence,
except in the winter, when the Indians all go hunting, and which
he goes and spends at the Illinois."

From this extract it would appear that Father Pinet,
at least, had been in this part of the country some years,
as it had become his custom "to make his ordinary resi-

287

y*S™23%2$£^**

i&

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

dence" with the Miamis, and " to spend his winters with

the Illinois." And. as in 1085, at the time when it is
alleged De la Durantayc erected a fort at the mouth of
the Chicago River, which became a kind of depot.
Father Allouez revisited the place, there can have been
no long time when the Indians were without the pres-
ence of some zealous Jesuit among them during the lat-
ter part of the seventeenth century. Besides those al-
ready mentioned as accompanying M. de Montigny on
his journey to the Mississippi, there were the Rev.
Fathers de la Ribourde. Membre, Gravier and LaSource,
all of whom may have ministered to the spiritual necessi-
ties of the Indians, though what was the nature of their
religious exercises and duties, or how long they were
continued, is not known.

There now occurs an hiatus in the religious history
of this vicinity of nearly one hundred years. The next
name to be found is that of Rev. Stephen 1). Badin,
who first visited Chicago in 1796. He was ordained in
1793. at Baltimore, and was the first Catholic priest or-
dained in the United States. He does not appear to
have become a resident priest. But in 1822 he again
visited Chicago, and during his visit baptized Alexander
lieaubien, in Fort Dearborn, which was the first baptism
in Chicago of which there is any definite knowledge.
The above mentioned missionaries were all Catholics.

The next to arrive, and the first Protestant to preach
a sermon in Chicago, was the Rev. Isaac McCoy, a
Baptist clergyman, who had established and was con-
ducting the mission school at Carey, near Xiles, Mich.
With reference to this first sermon his own language is
as follows :

•• In the fore part of October I attended, at Chicago, the pay-
ment of an annuity by Dr. Wolcott, United States Indian Agent,
and. through his politeness, addressed the Indians on the subject
of our mission. 1 In the 9th of October, 1S25, I preached in En-
glish, which, as I am informed, was the first sermon ever delivered
at or near that place."

So far as is known this was the only sermon preached
by Mr. McCoy in Chicago.

Rev. Jesse Walker, who was at the time superintend-
ent of the Fox River Methodist mission, came up on his
boat from Peoria to Chicago, in the spring of 1S26, for

the purpose of preaching. It is not known that he
preached, but, as he remained some time, it is probable
that he did. On the way up from Peoria, according to
the Rev. Stephen R. Beggs, " He had all the hands on
board (ease work till they could attend prayers, anil all
joined in singing, and then a fervent prayer was offered
up in their behalf, asking the merciful protection of a
divine Providence throughout the day."

In 1828 Rev. Jesse Walker was succeeded as super-
intendent by the Rev. Isaac- Scarritt. About midsum-
mer of that year Mr. Scarritt, as he says in a letterto Mr.
Beggs :

"Planned a trip to 1 hicago, distant some seventy or eighty
miles. The next evening we entered 1 hicago, which, in addition
to the buildings constituting Fori Dearborn, contained the old
Kinzie house, a new house of Colonel Hamilton's, with perhaps
one or two othe-s in thai quarter, and those of J, Kinzie and J.
Miller up at the Point. The latter two gentlemen seemed to be
upon a strife with each other, which should excel in honor of popu-
larity, whereby to promote their individual interests. I towk up

my residence at Miller's, who, with laudable generosity, undertook
to administer to my comfort and further my views. The next day
was the Sabbath, and I sent word to the Lieutenant that if it were
his wisli the superintendent of the Indian mission would preach to
the soldiers and others, at such place and hour as he might appoint.
Answer was returned that he should not forbid the preaching, but
lh.it lie should neither authorize nor make any arrangements for it.
N'ot to be outdone by the honorable Lieutenant on the point of in-
dependence, 1 declined going to the garrison under such circum-
stances, and made an appointment for preaching at Miller's at
night. Most of the citizens and some of the soldiers were present,
and gave respectful attention ; but in the matter of congregation
we received rather more than we bargained for. During religious
services a gang of boatmen, with their vociferous ' yo-hes,' com-
menced landing and rolling up barrels, etc., near the door. This
was a trick of Kinzie's, so Miller said, out of spite to him for hav-
ing the honor of entertaining the missionary, and for the agency he
took in promoting the religion of the place."

In 1830 the Illinois Conference had a 'Chicago
Mission District." In the fall of this vear the Rev.

I esse Walker was appointed to this mission as its super-
intendent; and in June, 1S31, accompanied by Rev.
Stephen R. Beggs, set out on horse-back from Plain-
field to Chicago, forty miles distant. With reference to
this visit Mr. Beggs writes:

" When we arrived, Brother Walker gave out an appointment
for me to preach in the garrison, in old Dr. Harmon's room.
After the sermon was over, he gave it out that I was to preach
again next morning at nine o'clock; and this was the beginning of
a happy time here. I opened the door for the reception, and I
think ten joined the church."

These two sermons were preached, the one on the
evening of the 15th, the other on the morning of the
16th of June, 1831. Among the number of those who
joined this, the first, church society or class organized
in Chicago, were: Rev. William See and wife, Elijah
Wentworth, Jr., his mother and two sisters, and Mrs.
Dr. Elijah D. Harmon. Rev. William See, a regularly
ordained clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
in the absence of other clergymen, preached as occa-
sion offered or required. He was by trade a black-
smith and poor in purse, but of good moral character
and highly esteemed. Rev. Jesse Walker, being super-
intendent of the mission work from Peoria to Chicago,
could preach in the latter place only a few times a
year, and so, at his request, Bishop R. R. Roberts, in
the fall of 1 83 1, appointed Rev. Stephen R. Beggs to
the mission at Chicago. Probably in October, Mr.
Beggs came to this field, and found awaiting him the
small class he had formed the preceding June. No
house of worship having been as yet erected, religious
services were generally conducted in the fort. In Jan-
uary, 1832, the first quarterly meeting was held; and an
ox-team was employed, and driven by T. B. Clark, to
draw provisions from Plainfield to assist in sustaining
the people during the continuance of the meeting. Mr.
Beggs says:

" The meeting commenced with power, and increased in in-
terest till Sunday morning. My first sermon was preached on
Sabbath morning, at ten o'clock, after which Brother Walker in-
vited the people around the sacramental board. It was a season
long to be remembered. Every one seemed to be baptised and
consecrated anew to the great work to be accomplished in the vil-
lage that was destined to become a mighty city."

Mr. ISeggs brought Mrs. Beggs to Chicago in May.
1832, and made the village his home, nearly or quite a
vear. A -number of additions was made to the mem-
bership of his class or society; six in the early winter of

Catholicism.

1831-32. A portion of the time meetings were held in
the log school-house. In the year 1832, Rev. Jesse
Walker was appointed to the Chicago mission to suc-
ceed Mr. Beggs. As soon as practicable he moved to
Chicago, and entered upon his labors. His first quar-
terly meeting was held in a log building, subsequently
known as "Father Walker's " log cabin. It stood on
the West Side, near the bank of the river where the
North and South branches meet, near what is now the
southwest corner of Kinzie and Canal streets. This
building was used by Mr. Walker as a parsonage, par-
lor, kitchen and church. At his first quarterly meeting,
held in the fall of 1833, there were present, besides him-
self. Rev. John Sinclair, presiding elder, Rev. William
See, local elder, Henry Whitehead, who was licensed to
preach at that meeting, Charles Wisencraft, Mrs. R. J.
Hamilton, and Mrs. Harmon. Mr. Whitehead was
the first minister licensed in Chicago to preach. Mr.
Walker became superannuated in i834anddied in 1835.

Aside from the religious services outlined above,
and in connection with a debating society, a religious
meeting was held generally once a week at the house of
Mark Noble, Sr., who had arrived in Chicago in Au-
gust, 1831, and moved into the old cabin of the Kin-
zies'. These meetings were held to provide for those
who had no taste for literary matters and dancing then
indulged in at Fort Dearborn, and were the first prayer
meetings in Chicago. In conducting them Mr. Noble
was assisted by his wife and two daughters, and Mrs. R.
J. Hamilton, all of them being members of the Method-
ist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Hamilton contributed very
largely to the interest and success of the meetings, be-
ing a lady of great intelligence, comprehensive views
and devoted piety. She was for many years among the
first in all religious and benevolent enterprises, and
furnished the first pulpit in Chicago with necessary
articles. Mr. Noble also, was very zealous in his piety,
and was the principal speaker at these meetings. He
was a man of large experience, and of great practical
common sense. Thus it will be seen that the Method-
ists, when continued effort is considered, were the
pioneers in Christian work, though they did not have
the first completely organized society, nor erect the first
church edifice.

In addition to the efforts made to improve the re-
ligious characters of adults, the moral and religious
training of the children was not neglected. A Sunday
school, the first in Chicago, was organized on the 19th
of August, 1832, by Luther Childs, Mrs. Seth Johnson,
Mrs. Charles Taylor, the Misses Noble and Philo Car-
penter. The school first assembled in a small frame
building then lately erected on the Reservation, near
Mr. Noble's house, by Mark Beaubien. At this time
the building was not completed; it had a floor, was sided
up, and had on some of the roof-boards, but it was not
shingled and had neither windows nor doors. The
school afterward met in the fort, at the house of Rufus
Brown, at Rev. Jesse Walker's cabin, and in the upper

story of P. F,W. Peck's store, as occasion offered. Since
that 19th of August, 1832, few Sundays have passed
without witnessing the assembling of children for re-
ligious and moral instruction. The library of this first
Sunday school contained about twenty small volumes.

but as there were only thirteen children in the school,
each scholar and teacher could have a book. John S.
Wright acted as secretary and librarian, and was ac-
customed to carry the library to and from the temporary
place of meeting in his pocket handkerchief. The pov-
erty of the library in volumes was observed by two
gentlemen from New York, Charles Butler and Arthur
Bronson, visiting in Chicago, who upon their return
home sent two hundred volumes as a donation.

Having thus traced the religious movements of Chi-
cago from the time of the noble and self-sacrificing
Jacques Marquette, in 1673, down to that of the equally
zealous and laborious " Pathfinder," Rev. Jesse Walker,
in 1833, it will now be our province to trace, with such
accuracy as we may, and with such minuteness as is
compatible with the design of this work, the particular
history of each individual church organization that has
been or is now within the limits of Chicago. They are
given as nearly as practicable in the chronological order
of their organization.

CATHOLICISM.

In 1833, the first year in which regular church or-
ganizations existed in Chicago, three churches were
formed — a Catholic, a Presbyterian and a Baptist, in the
order named; the first in May, the second in June,
and the third in October.

St. Mary's Church. — This was the first Catholic
society organized in Chicago. Its first priest was Father
John Mary Irenaeus St. Cyr, who was born at Lyons,
France, November 2, 1803, and educated in that coun-
try. He left France in June, 1831, reached St. Louis
August 1, of the same year, and was there made a sub-
deacon. He was ordained at St. Mary's the Barrens
by Bishop Rosatti in 1832, and on April 6, 1833, was
by the same Bishop ordained priest. The period be-
tween these two dates was spent by St. Cyr in studying
the English language. In the meantime Catholics were
increasing in numbers in Chicago, and were becoming
desirous of receiving the ministrations of a resident
Catholic priest. To accomplish their desires they pre-
pared and forwarded to St. Louis the following petition:
" To the Right Rev. Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Mis-
souri, of St. Louis, etc., etc.

" We, the Catholics of Chicago, Cook Co., 111., lay before
you the necessity there exists to have a pastor in this new and
flourishing city. There are here several families of French de-
scent, born and brought up in the Roman Catholic faith, and others
quite willing to aid us in supporting a pastor, who ought to be sent
here before other sects obtain the upper hand, which very likely
they will try to do. We have heard several persons say were there
a priest here they would join our religion in preference to any other.
We count about one hundred Catholics in this town. We will not
cease to pray until you have taken our important request in
consideration."

This petition was signed by the following persons
for themselves and their families, the number of mem-
bers in each individual's family being appended to his
name: Thomas J. V. Owen, 9; J. Bt. Beaubien, 14; Jo-
seph Laframboise, 7; Jean Pothier, 5; Alexander Rob-
inson, 8; Pierre LeClerc, 3; Alexis Laframboise, 4;
Claude Laframboise, 4; Jacques Chassut, 5; An-
toine Ouilmet; Leon Bourassa, 3; Charles Taylor,
2; J. Bt. Miranda and sisters, 3; Louis Chevalier,
3 ; Patrick Walsh, 2 ; John Mann, 4 ; B. Cald-
well, 1; Bill Saver, 1; Mark Beaubien, 12; Dill
Vaughn, 1 ; James Vaughn, 1 ; ]. Bt. Rab-
bie, 1; J. Bt. Roulx ; J. Bt. fabeaux, 1; J. Bt. Du-
vocher, 1; J. Bt. Brodeur, 1; Mathias Smith, 1; Antoine
St. Ours, 1; Bazille Deplat, 1; Charles Monselle, 1; John
Hondorf, 1 ; Dexter Assgood, 1 ; Nelson Peter Perry,
1; John S. C. Hogan, 1; Anson H. Taylor, 1; and Louis

20O

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Francheres, i; a total of 122. The original petition
written in French bears on its back the memoranda,
"Received April 16, 1833." "Answered April 17, 1833."

In response to this petition, Bishop Rosatti appointed
St. Cyr priest of Chicago, in the following language :

JOSEPH Rosatti, of the Congregation of Missions, by the grace
of God and of the Apostolic See, Bishop of St. Louis, to the Rev.
Mr. John Irenaeus St. Cyr, priest of our diocese ; health in the
Lord :

Rev. Sir: — Whereas, not a few Catholic men inhabiting the
town commonly called Chicago, and its vicinage, in the State of
Illinois, have laid before me that they, deprived of all spiritual
consolation, vehemently desire that I should send thither a priest,
who, by the exercise of his pastoral gifts, should supply to them
the means of performing the offices of the Christian religion and
providing for their eternal salvation. Wishing, as far as in me
lies, to satisfy such a desire at once pious and praiseworthy, by
virtue of the powers of Vicar-General to me granted by the most
illustrious and most reverend Bishop of Hardstown (Ky.), I depute
you to the mission of Chicago and the adjoining regions within the
State of Illinois, all of which have hitherto been under the spiritual
administration of the said most illustrious and most reverend
Bishop of Bardstown, grant you, until revoked, all the powers as
described in tne next page, with this condition, however, that as
soon soever as it shall become known to you that a new Episcopal
See shall have been erected and established by the holy Apostolic
See from the territory of other Sees now existing, to that Bishop
within the limits of whose diocese the aforesaid Chicago mission is
included, you shall render an account of all those things which shall
have been transacted by you, and surrender the place to such priest
as shall be by him deputed to the same mission, and you, with

God's favor, shall return to our diocese from which we declare you
to be by no means separated by this present mission.

Given at St. Louis, from the Episcopal buildings, the 17th
day of April, 1833.

Joseph,

Bishop of St. Louis.
Jos. A. Lutz, Secretary.

From the date of this appointment, Catholics con-
sider that the organization, or establishment, of their
church in Chicago should be reckoned, although St.
Cyr did not reach the city until Wednesday, May 1,
accomplishing the journey part of the way on horseback
and part of the way on foot. Having made the neces-
sary arrangements, St. Cyr collected together the Cath-
olics and celebrated his first mass, in a little log cabin,
twelve feet square, belonging to Mark Beaubien, on Sun-
day, May 5, 1833. On the 22A of May occurred his
first baptism, the subject being George Beaubien, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Beaubien. Father St. Cyr immedi-
ately commenced preparations for building a church.
The first site selected was on Lake Street, near Market,
upon which stood the log cabin above referred to. This
lot was promised St. Cyr by Colonel J. B. Beaubien for
the nominal sum of $200, but being unable to raise that
amount among the one hundred Catholics who peti-
tioned for his appointment, and others, he was obliged
to look for another location. About a year afterward
the same lot was sold by Colonel Beaubien for $300, to
Dr. William B. Egan, who, in 1836, sold it to Tertius
Wadsworth, of Hartford, Connecticut, for $60,000.
According to the advice of Colonel Beaubien and Thom-
as J. V. Owen, St. Cyr selected a canal lot near the
southwest corner of Lake and State streets, near the
military reservation, where now 1 1883) stands the print-
ing establishment of Cameron, Amberg & Co. The
privilege was accorded St. Cyr of buying this lot at the
canal commissioners' valuation ; but when that price
was announced it was still farther beyond the reach of
the Catholics than was that first selected, and it was
purchased by Dexter Graves for $10,000. In the mean-
time, not anticipating the high price at which the lot
would be appraised, they erected thereon a church
building, twenty-five by thirty-five feet in size. The
lumber for this building was brought in a scow across
the lake from St. Joseph, Mich., where it cost $12
per thousand. The lumber having arrived, Anson Tay-
lor, a brother of Augustine Deodat Taylor, with his own
team, hauled it from the schooner to the site of the pros-
pective church. Augustine D. Taylor was the architect
and builder. The total cost of the edifice was about
$400, but though small and inexpensive it was not
completed sufficiently for occupancy and dedication
until in October. Catholic Indians assisted at the first
mass celebrated therein. Indian women had cleaned
and prepared the modest building for the celebration of
the sacred rite, and Deacon John Wright, a strong sup-
porter of Rev. Jeremiah Porter, pastor of the First Pres-
byterian Church, had, in August, assisted in raising the
frame of the building. At this dedication-service there
were present about one hundred persons. The church
itself was not plastered, it had only rough benches for pews
and the simplest of tables for altar and pulpit. The
outside of the building was not painted and it had
neither steeple nor tower. Some time afterwards, it
was surmounted by a low, open tower, in which a small
bell was hung, being the first bell used in Chicago to
call the pious together for religious worship. It was
about the size of an ordinary locomotive bell of the
present, and could be heard only for a short distance.
It was of no use for sounding an alarm in case of fire,
and nearly ten years elapsed before the first one which

CATHOLICISM.

291

could be used for that purpose was hung in the steeple
of the Unitarian church. The church building stood
on this lot until sometime during the priesthood of
Father O'Meara, when it was removed by him to a lot at
the southwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Madison
Street. Here it was enlarged and soon afterward, was
moved to the southwest corner of Wabash Avenue and

ST. MARY S CHURCH.

Madison Street. When the new St. Mary's, a brick
building, was erected the frame church was again
moved, this time to the westward in the same block.
The removal from the corner of Lake and State streets
to Michigan Avenue and Madison Street, by Father
O'Meara, together with the circumstances of the re-
moval, caused great dissatisfaction to a portion of the
Catholics. The dissatisfied ones refused to accompany
the church to its new location, and engaged a room of
Charles Chapman, in the second story of a building
standing at the corner of Randolph and Wells streets, in
which mass was celebrated during the summer by Rev.
Maurice de St. Palais. Among those who thus sepa-
rated themselves from the church under Father O'Meara
were Augustine D. Taylor, A. M. Talley, Samuel Parry
and John Uavlin. After the trouble caused by Father
O'Meara's course had been overcome, the two portions
of the church were re-united, under Rev. de St. Palais.

St. Xavier Academy, at 131 Wabash Avenue, stood
on the adjoining lot south of the church. St. Palais,
in 1843, commenced the erection of St. Mary's brick
church, corner of Madison Street and Wabash Avenue.
This edifice had a substantial stone foundation, and was
fifty-five feet wide by one hundred and twelve feet long,
including a portico twelve feet wide, supported by four
Ionic columns, and cost $4,000. The brick work was
done by Peter Page, and the wood work by Augustine
D. Taylor. This church was opened for divine service
December 25, 1843. It was consecrated by Bishop
Quarter, December 5, 1845. In September, 1845, Felix
Inglesby, a wealthy merchant of New York City, donated
a bell to this church worth $185.

St. Cyr remained in Chicago until 1837, when he

went to St. Louis. From the latter part of October,
1836, he was assisted by Rev. Leander Schaffer, who
attended the German Catholics. He was himself suc-
ceeded for the English-speaking Catholics by Rev.
Father O'Meara, who was succeeded, in 1840, by Rev.
Maurice de St. Palais. St. Palais was succeeded,
May 5, 184.4, by Rt. Rev. William Quarter, Chicago's
first Catholic Bishop, who died April 10, 1848. Accord-
ing to his desire his remains were deposited in the
cathedral he had consecrated, which ceremony had
occurred October 5, 1845. Bishop Quarter was emi-
nently successful in the management of the affairs of his
diocese. Under him its growth was remarkable. When
he arrived at Chicago there were less than twenty
priests in the State of Illinois, and only two priests
in Chicago — Rev. Maurice de St. Palais and Rev. Mr.
Fischer, and only two seminarians — Patrick McMahon
and B. McGorish. These two students were immedi-
ately ordained and raised to the priesthood May 16, 1844.
Two years later there were present at the first diocesan
synod thirty-two priests, and nine others from sickness
and other causes, were unable to attend. In 1844 there
was but one Catholic church in Chicago ; in 1846 three
new Catholic churches were erected — St. Patrick's, St.
Peter's and St. Joseph's, the last two for the Germans.
In 1848, when the bishop died, thirty new churches had
been erected in the diocese, ten of them being either
brick or stone, making a total number of sixty-eight.
These were presided over by fifty-three priests.

To Bishop Quarter is also due the credit of estab-
lishing the University of St. Mary's of the Lake, the
germ of which, the college, was established within
thirty days from the time of his arrival in Chicago, and
for which a charter was granted in December of the
same year. The university building, with seminary at-
tachment, was completed in June, 1845, and was opened
with appropriate ceremonies July 4, following. This
was the first institution for higher learning in the city.

Bishop Quarter also instituted the first community
of nuns. This community was established with six
Sisters of Mercy, whose names will be elsewhere found,
who came from Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1848 from the first
house of the Sisters of Mercy opened in the United
States.

To Bishop Quarter is due the credit of having se-
cured the passage of the law under which the Catholic
Bishop of Chicago was incorporated as a " Corporation
Sole," with power to "hold real and other property in
trust for religious purposes."

Bishop Quarter was succeeded in 1848, by the Rt. Rev.
James Oliver Van de Velde, who was formally installed
as Bishop of the See, in the Cathedral of St. Mary's, in
1849. Bishop Van de Velde was a member of the So-
ciety of Jesus, in which he held many important posi-
tions. He was a man of great learning and zeal, but
the active duties of the bishopric were not congenial to
his tastes and he constantly yearned after the quiet and
seclusion of a religious life. His adminstration, more-
over, of the affairs of the diocese was troubled with dis-
sensions and difficulties, which were in part the reason
of his resignation and of his assignment to another field
— the See of Natchez, where his labors were less ardu-
ous, and where he could devote himself entirely to study
and preaching. He left Chicago for his new field of
labor November 4, 1853, and died in 1855.

Bishop Van de Velde was succeeded in Chicago by
the Rt. Rev. Anthony O'Regan, who was consecrated
Bishop of Chicago July 25, 1854. Bishop O'Regan, like
his immediate predecessor, found the administration of
the affairs of the diocese an arduous task. His labors

292

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

constantly increased. Besides the care of the diocese of
Chicago, he was charged with the administration of the
new See of Quincy. erected in 1852, but which con-
tinued to be administered by the Ordinary of Chicago,
until the erection of the See of Alton, in 1857. His
administration of the affairs of the diocese of Chicago
was soon marred by difficulties with some of the lead-
ing Catholic priests of the city, in consequence of which
Rev. Fathers Kinsella, Clowry and Breen left the dio-
cese. But the troubles continuing, Bishop O'Regan
sought peace by following the example of his predeces-
sor. He resigned, and was assigned to a See, i. p. /., in
Ireland with which he had been connected in his early
davs, and where he spent the remainder of his life, dy-
ing in London, England, in 1865. He was succeeded
by Rev. Matthew Dillon, an amiable and popular clergy-
man, who filled the post of administrator until suc-
ceeded by the Rt. Rev. Clement J. Smythe, Bishop of Du-
buque, who remained until 1859, when he gave place to
the Rt. Rev. James Duggan, an account of whose labors
will be found in the succeeding volume of this History.

Besides the bishops and priests already mentioned as
being connected with the parish of St. Mary's, were the
following, each of whom officiated for a time : Fathers
DePontevieux, Quequew and Lawrence Hoey in 1844;
Father P. T. McElhearne, with the occasional assistance
of Father Fitzgerald, from 1852 to July 9, 1854. In 1854
Rev. Matthew Dillon was assisted by Fathers Michael
Hurley, Fitzgibbon and Carrol; in 1855 Fathers Patrick
Sherry, Magan, and McGuire officiated, in 1856 Fathers
John Waldron, Tierman, and Bolger, and in 1857 Fath-
ers T. D. Butler and Thomas Burke.

The Catholic Church in its earlier days had a more
serious difficulty to contend with than any of those in-
cidentally referred to in connection with the names of
some of its bishops. Cupidity appears to have taken
possession of one of its early priests, Rev. Father
O'Meara. Rev. Father St. Cyr refers to Father
O'Meara, in a letter to Henry H. Hurlbut, under date
of February 8, 1875, in the following not very compli-
mentary terms : "I was succeeded for the English speak-
ing congregation by Father O'Meara, who proved to be
a notorious scoundrel. May God preserve Chicago
from such a priest."

The following extract from the pen of Hon. J. S.
Buckingham, Member of the English Parliament, who
was in Chicago at the time 18401 gives an account of
the troubles with their result :

" Considerable excitement was occasioned during our stay here
by an unexpected riot among the Irish Catholics, on behalf of a
priest," (Father O'Meara), " who was a great favorite with th?m.
It appears that this reverend father had in some manner caused
the church of which he was pastor, and certain lands, house and
furniture attached to it, to be made, by legal instrument, his own
individual and exclusive property; and deeming himself thus in
secure and immovable possession, he defied all his exclesiastical
superiors. He had been for some time habitually intemperate, and
it was alleged that he had also committed extensive frauds. This
is certain, the Catholic Bishop of the diocese, and the Vicar-General
from St. Louis, had come on to Chicago, from the south, for the
purpose of forcing the priest to surrender the property which he un-
lawfully held, and then publicly excommunicating him. The ex-
pectation of this ceremony drew crowds of Protestants on the Sun-
day morning it was appointed to take place; and the sympathy felt
by the Irish laborers on the canal, here pretty numerous" (for the
priest), "who freely drank whisky with them, was such that they
had declared they would clear the church if any attempt were made
to excommunicate their favorite. The Bishop and Vicar-General
hearing this, went among these men, and addressed them upon the
subject, reminding them of their allegiance to the Church, and of
the duty of their obedience to its decrees; told them they knew no
distinction of nation or habit among Catholics, but that the only
distinction which must be maintained, was between the worthy and
unworthy, the faithful and unfaithful sons of the Church: and con-

cluding by warning them that if they offered the slightest resistance
to any public ceremony enjoined by the Church, they would them-
selves incur the guilt of sacrilege, and be accordingly subjected to
the very pains and penalties of excommunication which they wished
to avert from another. This had the effect of calming them into
submission, and the priest, learning this, consented to assign over
to his superiors the property of the Church which he had unlawfully
withheld from it, and to leave the town on the following day, so
that all proceedings were stayed against him."

RIGHT Rev. William Quarter, D.D., the first Bishop of
Chicago, was born at Killurine, Kings County, Ireland, January
21, 1806. His father's name was Michael Quarter, and his mother's
maiden name Ann Bennett, who were the parents of four sons;
John, the eldest of the four ; Walter Joseph, Vicar-General of the
diocese of Chicago, and administrator of the diocese after the
death of his brother William; William, the subject of this memoir,
and James. The Quarter family was a most respectable one, the
maternal branch of it especially having given many priests and
bishops to the Church. Mrs. Quarter devoted herself to the early
training of her children in the path in which she desired them to
walk; and besides the principles and precepts she continuously in-
stilled into their minds, her life itself was a continual precept, and her
virtuous example, pious life and tender love made a deep and inefface-
able impression upon the hearts of her children. Bishop Quarter
was frequently heard to say, " I owe all to my mother; I should never
have been a priest, never have been a bishop, but for her." Mrs.
Quarter, having received an excellent education in the schools of a
religious community, assumed the task of instructing young Will-
iam, believing that the common schools were to the moral like a
Siberian desert to the tender plant, transplanted thither from a
sunny clime. He was as assiduous in his studies as she was earnest
and industrious in her teaching, and he overcame the difficulties he
found in his way with an ease that indicated the possession of a high
order of mind. At the age of eight years he was prepared to enter
a boarding school at Tullamore. Before leaving home to enter this
school he partook of his first communion, and at the same time
expressed his determination to live henceforth for God alone, and
to enter the holy order of the priesthood. He immediately left home
for Tullamore, and there entered the academy of Rev. Mr. Deran, a
retired Presbyterian clergyman, one of the best classical scholars in
Ireland. Here he commenced his mathematical and classical studies,
and after spending about two years with Mr. Deran, he entered the
academy of John and Thomas Fitzgerald in the same town. With
the Messrs. Fitzgerald he completed his course of study prepara-
tory to entering the college of Maynooth, and in his sixteenth year
satisfactorily passed his examination with this purpose in view.
During his preparatory course his demeanor had been so remark-
able that his companions styled him the " little bishop." During
the vacation between his examination preparatory to entering May-
nooth College and his proposed entry therein, the Rev. Mr. Mc-
Auley, brother of County McAuley, of Frankford, Kings County,
Ireland, returned to Ireland from the United States. This gentle-
man spent much time at Michael Quarter's house, and there young
William heard given a full description of the condition of the
Catholic missions in America, of the thousands of Catholic chil-
dren growing up in a land where Mammon was the deity most
generally worshiped — of the wandering away from the sheepfold
of so many that had been sealed to the one holy church at the bap-
tismal font in their native land — of the extent of the harvest and
the paucity of the gleaners, and he at once determined to forego
his contemplated course of study at Maynooth College, to forsake
his mother, and all in his native country he so dearly loved, and to
devote his life in America to the salvation of souls from eternal
perdition. He therefore embarked for North America, April 10.
1822. The vessel landed him at Quebec. To the Bishop of
Quebec he immediately applied for reception as an ecclesiastical
student, but was rejected on account of his youth. The same fate
awaited him at Montreal; but at Emmetsburg, Md., the reason
that caused his rejection in Canada proved his first and best recom-
mendation. The Rev. Mr. Dubois, President of St. Mary's Col-
lege at Emmetsburg, himself an exile, received young Quarter as
a father would receive a son. Mr. Dubois at once placed him in the
seminary, which he entered September 8, 1822. So thorough
was found his scholarship that he was given charge of the
classes in Greek, Latin and algebra, and the second year of his
residence there he was appointed professor of the Greek and Latin
languages. On the 2gth of October, 1826, the Rt. Rev. Dr.
Dubois was consecrated Bishop of New Vork, and in 1820 on the
completion by young Quarter of his theological studies, Dr. Du-
bois called him to New Vork as his assistant priest. On the 14th
of September he left the retirement of his mountain home and
started to New York, reaching there on Wednesday evening the
loth of the same month. On Thursday morning the 17th, he re-
ceived at the hands of Bishop Dubois the Clerical Tonsure, Minor
Orders and Sub-Deaconship, and on Saturday morning he was

CATHOLICISM.

»93

raised to the dignity of the priesthood. The next morning Bishop
Dubois started for Europe, leaving his diocese in charge of the
Very Rev. Ur. Power, pastor of St. Peter's, of which parish Rev.
William Quarter was appointed assistant pastor. During the rav-
ages of the cholera which visited New York with great severity in
1832, Rev. Mr. Quarter devoted himself, almost day and night,
to relieving as much as was practicable the sufferings of its victims,
and he gathered together the children of the dead members of his
Church, placing them under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, and
contributing all of his own means to their support. St. Mary's
new church building was dedicated June 9, 1833, by the Rt. Rev.
Dr. Dubois, and at the close of the service the Bishop announced
the appointment of Rev. William Quarter as pastor of the Church.
He remained pastor of this Church until his consecration to the
new See of Chicago. St. Mary's Church in New York is indebted
to him for the introduction among them of the daughters of St.
Vincent and St. Peter's in New York for the establishment there of
the first colony of the Sisters of Charity. One of the most remark-
able results of his labors in that city was the conversion from
the Lutheran Church to Catholicism of the Rev. James Maximilian
Oertel. The Provincial Council which met at Baltimore, in May
1843, found it necessary, on account of the great spread of Cathol-
icism, to increase the number of bishops, and passed a degree
recommending the formation of the Sees of Chicago, Little Rock,
Hartford and Milwaukee, and the Apostolic Vicarate of Oregon
Territory. The Court of Rome immediately acted upon the recom-
mendation of the council. Apostolic letters for the consecration of
three new bishops arrived in New York early in 1S44, and on the
10th of March, three new bishops were consecrated in St. Patrick's
Cathedral, by the Rt. Rev. John Hughes, Bishop of New York.
The three newly consecrated bishops were Rt. Rev. William Quar-
ter for the Diocese of Chicago ; Rt. Rev. Andrew Byrne, for the
Diocese of Little Rock, and Rt. Rev. John McCloskey, Coadjutor
Bishop of New York. Bishop Quarter, not however without many
a regret, left his parish, St. Mary's in New York, for his new field
of labor, the Diocese of Chicago, in which St. Mary's was the
principal church, and the only one within the city limits. On the
iSth of April, accompanied by his brother, Very Rev. Walter J.
Quarter, he left New York for Chicago, arriving there on Sunday,
May 5, 1844. On the day of his arrival he said mass in the old
church and preached in the new one, then unfinished and afterward
the cathedral. Not only was the church building unfinished, but
worse than all, the congregation was burdened with a debt, on
their church of $3,000, on an adjoining lot, where afterward stood
the Convent of Mercy, of $1,000, and on the graveyard of $400,
thus making an aggregate indebtedness of nearly $5,000, upon
some of which from ten to twelve per cent interest was being paid.
Then the congregation was very poor, and it seemed impossible for
them to pay off this indebtedness and to finish the church. There-
fore Bishop Quarter and his brother, the Very Rev. Walter J.
Quarter, united their funds and paid all the debt with their private
means. The Bishop's noble example was not without its effect
upon his congregation, for so harmoniously and successfully did
they labor that within a year they had the satisfaction of kneeling
before their new altar in their finished church, whose glittering
spire and golden cross reflected the first rays of the morning sun as
it rose from the bosom of Lake Michigan, and which was the first
and then the only steeple in Chicago. After the departure of the
two priests, Rev. Maurice de St. Palais and Rev. Mr. Fischer, at
the peremptory command of the Bishop of Vincennes, Bishop
Quarter was without a priest to watch over the district. However,
before the end of June he ordained three, Rev. Jeremiah A. Ein-
sella being one of them. By the close of the year 1844, the
cathedral was finished, and the college and seminary were com-
menced. Upon the completion of the latter, he next set about
furnishing facilities for the education of the female portion of his
flock. He was deeply impressed with the necessity of a proper
training of young women, knowing that upon them, as wives and
mothers, depends in great measure the character of the people. In
order to supply this want, Bishop Quarter applied to Bishop
O'Connor, of Pittsburgh, for the establishment in Chicago of a
branch of the order of the Sisters of Mercy. In response to this
appeal, five members of the order, accompanied by their superior-
ess, Sister Mary Francis Ward, and Very Rev. Walter J. Quarter,
arrived in Chicago on the 23d of September, 1846. On the
day of their arrival the bishop conducted them to his own resi-
dence, a low, one-story, frame house, which, with many fears as to
their satisfaction with it, he resigned to them as their convent,
retiring himself to an abode, compared with which, the one aban-
doned by him was a palace. On the nth of November he estab-
lished the Theological conferences, the first in America. In order
to enhance the spiritual welfare of his flock, he directed the Sisters
of Mercy to establish a sodality of the Blessed Virgin, by means
of which the female children might the more thoroughly be in-
structed in their religous duties. He also directed the instructors

in the Academy of St. Joseph to form among the male children a
St. Joseph's Society, that the members of it might be taught to
emulate the exalted virtues of St. Joseph. He originated the Chi-
cago Hibernian Benevolent Emigrant Society, the object of the asso-
ciation being to welcome the Irish immigrant to his new home, to
furnish him, if need be, with timely assistance, to advise and
direct him, and guard him against imposition by sharpers who
were ever ready to plunder him the moment he set foot upon our
shores. In this way was the life of Bishop Quarter spent, in estab-
lishing and furthering works of charity, benevolence, improvement
and progress even up to the day before his death, which occurred
April 10, 1S48. During Lent he was engaged in delivering a
series of lectures on the " Marks of the True Church," and on
Passion Sunday he lectured at last mass at the cathedral on the
Apostolicity of the True Church. This was his last lecture. On
leaving the pulpit he was much fatigued, and at vespers his voice

FIRST CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL.

wanted its usual fullness of tone. About two o'clock next morn-
ing, Mr. McElhearne, who resided in the house with him, was
awakened by his moans, and hurrying to his apartment, found him
sitting on the edge of his bed, and complaining of a severe pain
in his head. Although medical aid was immediately summoned,
his strength rapidly failed, and having received the consolations of
religion, he sank into what seemed to those around him a deep
sleep, uttering as his last words. "Lord have mercy on my poor soul."
From this sleep he did not awaken, but died of cerebral congestion
about three o'clock in the morning of the 10th. For two days his
remains, dressed in full pontificals, lay exposed at his residence,
where they were visited and viewed by Catholic and Protestant alike.
At two o'clock on the 12th, they were removed to the Cathedral and
placed immediately without the sanctuary in front of the altar. At
three o'clock on Friday, the Feast of the Seven Dolors, the funeral
ceremonies commenced and concluded about five o'clock, the fun-
eral oration being delivered be Rev. Mr. Feely, of Peoria. The
body was deposited at the rear of the church in a tomb prepared for
it, beneath -.he sanctuary and in front of the altar he himse'.f had
reared. The body of the Bishop was embalmed by Prof. John E.
McGirr of the University of St. Mary's of the Lake, and inclosed
in three coffins. The inner one was black walnut with a silver
cross upon it, bearing the following inscription : " Rt. Rev. Will-
iam Quarter, D. D.. First Bishop of Chicago, Consecrated March
10, 1S44. Died April 10, 184S. Requiescat in Pace." Over the
vault, which was of brick and lined with waterproof cement, was a
beautiful white marble cross about six feet high, with engravings
in bas-relief of the Bible, Missal, Crosier, and Miter on the top ;
on the horizontal part the same inscription as was on the coffin,
except the "Requiescat in Pace" which was on the lower part. On
the riser of the marble step leading to the altar was a scroll bear-
ing the inscription : " Pretiosa in Conspcctu Domini, mors Sanctor-
um ejus" Within the cathedral was erected to his memory a
beautiful cenotaph, to defray the expense of which Protestants
contributed liberally, as did the Catholics. A young Protestant
poetess of rare talents, Miss Mary A. Merritt, gave a volume of
Iter poems, the proceeds from the sale of which was added to the

»94

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

contributions. On Sunday, April 30. 1S4S, an address was deliv-
ered by the Very Rev. Jeremiah A. Kinsella, on the necessity of
transmitting to posterity the memory and virtues of this distin-
guished man. whose life had been so beneficial to society. Rev.
Kinsella requested the gentlemen to meet in the afternoon in the
basement of the cathedral to deliberate on the matter. In obe-
dience to this request a large number of citizens assembled. D. I..
Gregg was appointed chairman, T. J. Kinsella secretary, and a
committee of rive was designated to procure subscriptions. This
committee suggested that a committee be appointed in each block of
each ward of St". Mary's parish. The suggestion was acted upon, and
John Breen was made treasurer. A central or executive committee
was appointed to co-operate with and direct the different committees,
and also to communicate with all who might be willing to assist.
This executive committee consisted of the following gentlemen :
The Very Rev. Jeremiah A. Kinsella, Rev. Mr. McElhearne, Rev.
Mr. Scanlan, D. L. Gregg, and Thomas J. Kinsella. The follow-
ing were appointed to act as committees in the several blocks for
the procuring of subscriptions : Michael Byrne, William Flemming,
John Davlin. John McGoven, Philip Carlon, James Carney, James
Fit -Simmons. John Serehan, Captain Parker, James McMullen,
William Corrigan, John Young, John Quinn, C. McDonell,
Michael Gleeson, John Taylor, Michael Lantry, Bartholomew Ford,
John Bush, Michael Diversy, Dennis Skelly, Peter Turbot, Mich-
ael O'Brien, Michael McGuire, William B. Snowhook, George
Brown, Thomas Roche, A. Getzler and B. Blasey. The monu-
ment was designed by Mr. Van Osdel, and constructed at the mar-
ble manufactory of A. S. Sherman, and a bust was taken after his
decease, at considerable pains and expense, by R. N. White.

St. Patrick's Church. — This Church was estab-
lished early in 1846, by the Very Rev. Walter J. Quar-
ter. V. G. A church building was erected by Augus-
tine D. Taylor the same year, on Desplaines Street,
between Randolph and Washington streets, which was
opened for religious services on Easter Sunday, April
12. The parish at that time embraced the whole of the
West Side of the city. In 1848 the lots upon which it
stood were purchased of the canal commissioners for
83,000. The first church building, which originally
cost $750, was enlarged by Rev. P. J. McLaughlin, who
became pastor in August, 1846. In 1850, at the sug-
gestion of the assistant pastor of the parish, the pro-
perty at the corner of Desplaines and Adams streets
was purchased, and also at his suggestion a house was
purchased of Mr. Gleeson by Bishop Van de Velde in
1850, in which the parochial school was established.
The school was opened in October of that year by Pat-
rick Dillon, afterward the well known and popular presi-
dent, for many years of Notre Dame University, Indi-
ana. In 1854 Rev. P. J. McLaughlin commenced the
erection of the present brick and stone edifice on the
new lots, at the corner of Desplaines and Adams streets.
This building was completed by the Very Rev. Dennis
Dunne, V. G., sufficiently to be used for religious pur-
poses in the summer of 1856. He continued to im-
prove it until he made it one of the finest church edi-
fices in the city at the time. Its style of architecture
was the Romanesque. Stained glass windows were used,
and the interior was, fur the time at which the church
was erected, elegantly frescoed. It is a two-story build-
ing, basement of stone, and upper story containing the
main auditorium, of brick. The auditorium, including
the large gallery facing the pulpit, has a seating ca-
pacity of about 1,200. Originally it was the design to orna-
ment the building with a high spire on each front cor-
ner, but this has nut yet been accomplished. The
old church building was moved on to the lots at the
corner of Desplaines and Adams streets and employed
for the purposes of the parochial school. The first bap-
tism in St. Patrick's parish was that of Edward Carroll,
son of Owen and Elizabeth Carroll, March 12, 1846;
and the first marriage that of John McCunniff to Sarah
Ladan, February r i, 1846. The successor of
Very Rev. Walter J. Quarter was Father McLaughlin,
who remained with the Church until he was himself suc-

ceeded by the Very Rev. Dennis Dunne, in September,
1S54. Mr. McLaughlin's assistants were as follows :
Revs. P. L. Scanlan and John O'Reilly, in 1848 ; Revs.
Thomas Canada, James A. Drew and Francis Darwin in
1849; Rev. Patrick Terry from September, 1850, until
June, 1852, and Rev. Michael Donohue from this time
until the close of his term of service. The Very Rev.
Dennis Dunne, V. G., became pastor September n,
1854. His assistants were as follows; Rev. Michael
Donohue until 1855 ; Rev. Edward O'Neil from 1855
to 1857; Rev. Michael Downey and Edward Kenney
from the beginning of 1856 to the latter part of 1857 ;
Revs. P. Gaffney, Michael P. Lvons and John Magan in

1S57.

St. Peter's Church. — German Catholics began
coming to Chicago, though not in large numbers, be-
fore the Revolution of 1848, but in 1846 they were suf-
ficiently numerous to sustain two churches of their own
nationality, and hence the organization of two German
Catholic churches — St. Peter's on the South Side, and
St. Joseph's on the North Side — in the latter year. Pre-
viously all the Catholics had assembled in St. Mary's
church. Father John Jung was given permission by
Bishop Quarter to build a church. Bishop Quarter gave
a lot for the purpose on Washington Street, between
Wells and Franklin, and here in the spring of 1846, a
few industrious German Catholics began to erect an
edifice for St. Peter's Society. Among them were John
Gross, Joseph Yager, John Glasen, Andrew Schall, An-
drew Schaller, Nicholas and Peter Reis, Joseph and
Anton Berg, Hubert Maas, Michael Gleinhans, Joseph
Schumacher, John Paul, Adam Amberg, John B. and
Frank Bush, Casper Pfeifer, Michael Eule, and Mr.
Hahn. The dimensions of the lot received by the so-
ciety were eighty feet on Washington Street by one hun-
dred and eighty on Wells. Father Jung was the first
priest in charge, and through his energetic management
the society succeeded in erecting not only their church,
but also a rectory and school-house — all frame struct-
ures. The church was a one-story building, forty by
sixty feet, capable of seating about seven hundred peo-
ple ; was surmounted by a small steeple containing a
bell, and cost about $900. The rectory stood on the
southeast corner of the lot, back of the church, and the
school-house on the southwest corner. In 1850, as
speculation increased and railroads commenced to be
built into the city, a large portion of the members were
compelled to move south toward Twelfth Street, and
also into the southern part of the city. The removal of
the inhabitants rendered necessary the removal of the
church property. Permission was given to Father
Plathe, then priest in charge, to remove to a lot on the
southwest corner of Clark and Polk streets, where the
church now stands, and to this lot, in the latter part of
1853, the society removed its buildings. Here the first
services were held on Christmas Day, 1853. At that
time the surroundings of the church were uninviting,
being swamps and wilderness, but during succeeding
years improvements were made, and in 1863 the society
had so increased in numbers by immigration that Father
Maeger, priest in charge, erected the brick church which
still stands upon the lot. The first priest in St. Peter's
was Father John Jung, who officiated temporarily for
both this anil St. Joseph's, saying high mass on alter-
nate Sundays in each church, and celebrating low mass
when not celebrating high mass. This arrangement
lasted but a few months, when Rev. Hermann Liermann
became priest and remained about two years. Father
Liermann was succeeded in 1849 by Rev. Antonius
Volker, who remained until 1852, when Rev. James

CATHOLICISM.

295

Bernard Weikamp became priest. Father Weikamp
remained until 1854, when Rev. G. H. Plathe succeeded
him, and remained until September 23, 1855, when he
was succeeded by Rev. C. Schilling. Rev. Father Schill-
ing remained until the 5th of the following October,
when Rev. G. H. Osllangerberg became priest, and was
himself succeeded by Rev. Hermann Liermann, who re-
turned to the church on the 6th of January, 1857, and
remained three years. The membership of this Church,
which at first consisted of about thirty families, in-
creased until when most prosperous, previous to the
removal, it comprised about one hundred and fifty
families. Besides a Sunday school there was a day
school connected with St. Peter's Church, which was
first taught by John Kribler, who continued with the
school six or seven years, when it was taken charge of
by Frederick Pryor, who remained about the same
length of time.

St. Joseph's Church German was established
early in 1846. Among the original members of the
society were Peter Gebel, Michael Diversy, Augustine
Gauer, Jacob Miller, Maurice Baumgarten, John S.
Vogt, Frank Spohr, Motts Kriezer, Mathias Miller,
Michael Hoffman, Peter Annen, Mr. Lauks, Jacob Ras-
kop, and Henry Gherkin. The society purchased a lot
at the northeast corner of Chicago Avenue and Cass
Street, upon which they erected a frame building thirty-
six by sixty-five feet in size, capable of accommodating
about six hundred people, at a cost of nearly $900.
Upon this edifice was erected a small steeple, in which
a bell was hung. The church building served the pur-
poses of the congregation until after the Benedictine
Fathers took charge of the organization in 1861. The
first pastor was Father John Jung, who remained be-
tween one and two years, when he left the city and was
succeeded by Schaeffer Platte and Father Kopp, who
remained about seven years. During the most of
Father Jung's pastorate he was without assistants. The
records of this Church made previous to 1856 having
been lost or destroyed, it is difficult to give a complete
history of it previous to that time; but in September of
this year Rev. John Baptiste Mager became its priest.
His assistant was Rev. E. B. Kilroy, a member of the
Order of the Holy Cross. In May, 1857, Father Mager
was superseded by Rev. Andrew Tusch, who was re-
placed by Rev. Bernard J. Force, who remained until
August, 1858, and who during a portion of his pastor-
ate was assisted by Rev. J. Hoefflinger. Rev. B.
Schnyder became pastor in August, 1858; Rev. N. H.
Gillespie in January, 1859; and in September, 1859,
Rev. John Baptiste Mager returned to the pastorate.
He was assisted by Rev. P. Exel, a member of the
Order of the Holy Cross, from February, i860, to June
following, when he was succeeded by Rev. Peter Hart-
laub, who remained until October of that year. Father
Hartlaub was succeeded in October, i860, by Father
Storr, who remained until May, 1861, when Rev.
Charles Schafooth became pastor and remained until
June 15, when the Church passed underthe care of the
Benedictine Fathers, who still remain in charge. Dur-
ing the pastorate of Father Kopp the Church grew un-
til its membership, in 1850, was about sixty families, or
nearly three hundred and sixty individuals. Under
his successors, on account of the frequent change of
pastors, the Church, while it did not decline, remained
about at a standstill. In addition to the Sunday school
which was started immediately on the organization of
the Church, a day school was established, in a small
building, about twenty by thirty feet in size, erected for
the purpose, contiguous to the church building. The

first teacher in this school was Joseph Stommell, who
was succeeded in regular order by Mr. Weinmann, Mr.
Schmidt, Conrad L. Niehoff, who taught from May,
1850, to May, 1852, and by John Ketter, who taught
until the school passed into the hands of the Sisters of
the Holy Cross", in 1861, at the time the Church passed
into the charge of the Benedictine Fathers.

St. Michael's Church. — Early in the year 1852, a
number of members of St. Joseph's Church desired the
formation of a new society. This was on account of
the crowded condition of their own congregation. '1 he
fulfillment of their desires was facilitated by Michael
Diversy, who, at the suggestion of Henry Gherkin, do-
nated to the proposed new Church, a lot, eighty-seven
and one-half by one hundred and thirty feet in size, on
the northwest corner of North Avenue and Church
Street ; he having in that vicinity fourteen acres of
land. Thus encouraged, those who favored the enter-
prise held their first regular meeting June 20, 1852, at
the invitation of Rev. Anthony Kopp, then priest of St.
Joseph's Church, acting as Vicar-General for the German
Catholics. At this meeting a committee of collectors
was appointed, who collected $750 for the purpose of
erecting a church building on the lot donated. With
the approbation of Bishop Van de Velde, a frame build-
ing forty by sixty feet in size was erected at a cost of
$730. On the 17th of October, 1852, this church was
dedicated by Rev. Father Kopp. Upon the church was
erected a tower in which a small bell was hung, and in
about six years from the time of its erection, it was en-
larged by an addition at the north end. As thus en-
larged it served the purposes of the congregation until
the erection of the new brick church at the corner of
Hurlbut and Eugenie streets, when it was used as a
school-house until destroyed by the fire of 1871.
Among the original members of this Church were Will-
iam Dussmann, William Faymoville, Michael Diversy,
John Kuhn, John Fossel, Christian Kuhn, Nicholas
Hansen, John Schummer, Mathias Miller, Conrad Folz,
Peter Brachtendorf, Peter Schimbergand Mr. Franzen.
At the time of the dedication of the church the number
of parishioners had increased to eight hundred. Rev.
Anthony Kopp first celebrated mass in this church, and
served temporarily as pastor until in November, 1852,
when Rev. August Kroemer was appointed its pastor.
He remained but a short time. On the 15th of May,
1853, Rev. Eusebius Kaiser, took charge of the congre-
gation and remained until September 29, 1854, when he
was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Zoegel, from Alsace.
According to a German historian of this Church, his
management was marred, and there were literally " sor-
rowful appearances against him and the Church direct-
ors, in consequence of which he was dismissed in No-
vember, 1858." The successor of Father Zoegel was
Rev. Anthony Saeger, who come about the 1st of De-
cember, 1858, and with the permission of the Bishop
left in the beginning of April, 1859. His successor was
Rev. Alois Hatala, an Hungarian, who on account of
difficulties remained but nine months. The society was
then for a long time without a pastor, until in February,
i860, the Redemptorist Fathers took charge of the
church. Soon after the building of the church, the lot
on the corner of North Avenue and the alley was bought
of Michael Diversy for $250. Of this amount $115
was collected among the parishioners, and at the solici-
tation of the pastor, Cardinal Reisach, of Munich,
Bavaria, donated $240. Upon this lot the priest's house
was erected. During the pastorate of Rev. Eusebius
Kaiser, another lot was purchased, to the north of those
already in possession of the congregation. On this a

296

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

school-house was built. The first teacher was a Ger-
man from Milwaukee, named Gartner, who could not
speak English. He remained until 1854. and was suc-
ceeded bv Charles Ranker, who taught the school until
1858, commencing with forty scholars and closing with
one hundred and eighty. Mr. Ranker was succeeded
by a Mr. Homes, under whom the number of scholars
increased to two hundred and fifty. Mr. Homes's suc-
cessor remained until the school passed into the hands
of the Redemptorist Fathers in i860.

St. Louis' Church was established as an inde-
pendent organization in 1850. For about two years pre-
vious to the building of their own church, quite a num-
ber of French Catholics had worshiped in St. Mary's
old church building, which then stood in the rear of St.
Mary's Cathedral, recently completed by Bishop Quarter,
and was used as a convent by the Sisters of Mercy. Rev.
Isidore A. Lebel, came to Chicago in 1848; under author-
ity from Bishop Van de Velde, he commenced the erec-
tion of a church for his congregation, on a lot leased for
the purpose, of Captain Bigelow. This lot was on the
east side of Clark Street, between Adams and Jackson.
The church was a one-story frame, twenty-five feet wide
by seventy-five feet in depth, and cost about $3,000, of
which sum P. F. Rofinot contributed $2,000. Fora'bout
two years it remained in an unfinished condition, but in
1852' the congregation became able to complete it, and
made it a very neat and comfortable house of worship.
The Democratic Press of December 1, 1852, said: "This
little edifice on Clark Street, under Rev. Isidore A.
Lebel, has lately been refitted and completely altered
and renovated. It has been decorated interiorly in the
neatest and most appropriate manner, and with the taste
and artistic effect which are natural to the French."
The bodv of the church, sanctuary and galleries were
neatly painted and papered, and on the whole it was
considered one of prettiest churches in the city. A fine
organ was built in the church by Mr. Helinkamp and
for the building and completion of the church, for the
erection of the organ and of the priest's house, great
credit was accorded to Mr. Lebel. In the latter part of
1856, Father Lebel was dismissed by Bishop O'Regan.
He went to the Bishop of Michigan at Detroit, and was
immediatelv given one of the best churches in that dio-
cese at Kalamazoo, where he remained until his death
in 1878. He was succeeded in the St. Louis Church
by Father Le Meister, in October, 1857, who declined to
have anything to do with the management of the finan-
cial affairs of the Church, and to relieve himself there-
from appointed a committee to act as collectors and
disbursers of the funds of the Church. This committee
consisted of Daniel Franchere, Toussaint Menard, Nar-
cisse Lebeau, J. B. Valiquette and P. F. Rofinot; the
latter of whom was elected chairman of the committee.
In May. 1857, the pews were sold for six months, and
on the first Sunday of November, Father Le Meister
announced from the pulpit that immediately after mass
they would be again sold for the ensuing six months,
Mr. Rofinot attended to the sale, and collected the
money, as the priest would have nothing to do with the
finance*. Money enough was realized from the sale of
the pews to pay off the church debt, and to pay the rent
upon the lot, so liberal was the response, and besides
this, Mr. Rofinot paid the agent for putting up the or-
gan, and took his receipts for the money expended and
the balance of money on hand to Bishop O'Regan, who
complimented him very highly for the ability manifested
in the management of the business. In May, 1858, the
pews were -old again, but this time the money received
did not exceed the expenses, and the Bishoptold Father

Le Meister that the church would have to be moved
from the lot on which it then stood, because he did not
want it to stand on a leased lot. Learning that the
church was to be moved, Mr. Donahue and others who
had property near the corner of Polk and Sherman
streets, persuaded the Bishop to purchase two of their
lots on Sherman Street, north of those fronting on Polk
Street, for which the Bishop paid the money. He then
wanted the church moved to the lots bought by him.
One Sunday some of the communicants remained after
church to consult with the priest. As a result of the
consultation, the priest went to the Bishop with the
advice that a committee be appointed to act as collect-
ors, and to buy one or more lots upon which to move
the church. The committee appointed was composed
of the priest, Le Meister; Mr. Poncelet, the Belgian
Consul; Dr. Henroten, Dr. Roger and P. F. Rofinot.
This committee went to work on that very day (Sun-
day , and received seven or eight dollars in cash and
$100 in subscriptions toward the purchase of a lot.
In order to obtain subscriptions from the French, it was
necessary to promise them that the Church should
remain a French Catholic Church, and should have a
French priest, or the money should be refunded. On
Monday afternoon Dr. Henroten and Poncelet had
selected and agreed to buy three lots for the use of the
church at the corner of Franklin and Quincy streets,
payments to be one-fourth cash, balance in three equal
annual installments, and they had also secured the priv-
ilege of buying two other lots on the same terms, with-
in two years. .On the same afternoon Bishop O'Regan
had the church placed on rollers preparatory to its
removal to the lots purchased by himself. He also the
same afternoon notified Father LeMeister that he was
silenced. That evening LeMeister went to see Mr.
Rofinot, told him he was going away, handed to him
his subscription-book and the money he had collected,
and the next morning left Chicago. He was next heard
from in New Orleans. On Monday evening the com-
mittee met, and learned from Dr. Henroten and Mr.
Poncelet of their agreement with reference to the three
lots at the corner of Franklin and Quincy streets, and
approved of the proposed purchase. On their way to
the Bishop's to report the progress of their plans they
discovered the church on rollers. Having made their
report to the Bishop, that official responded : " Well,
gentlemen, I shall not allow you to move the church,
until you bring me the deed of the lots in my own
name." To this Mr. Rofinot replied, "Bishop, you are
asking an impossibility. We can not get the deed until
we have paid for the lots, and we can not now do more
than make the first payment." To this the Bishop
excitedly, and with a plentitude of energetic gesticula-
tion, replied: " I want you to understand, Mr. Rofinot,
that I can sell all the churches in my diocese, put the
money in my pocket, and spend it wherever I please."
Mr. Rofinot, to this sally of the Bishop, said: "Yes,
Bishop, that is the law in our State, because the Catho-
lics are too trustful of their bishops. But when you
came into the diocese did you not take an oath that
you would leave all the property to your successors in
office forever?" To this the Bishop responded, " I want
no insults from you, Mr. Rofinot," and made a hurried
movement to leave the room, but was prevented from
so doing by the three members of the committee pres-
ent. At length the interview terminated, the Bishop
firm in his determination to move the church on to lots
purchased by himself, unless the lots bargained for by
the committee were deeded to him before it was moved
to them, the committee equally determined that the

CATHOLICISM.

297

church should not be moved to the Bishop's lots. In
order to prevent the Bishop from carrying out his
designs, Mr. Rofinot consulted his attorney and stated
his case, reciting the manner in which the church was
built originally, who contributed the money that paid
for its erection, etc. But his attorney could give him
no encouragement. He cited to Mr. Rofinot a parallel
case in Quincy, which on an appeal to the Supreme
Court by the Bishop of St. Louis had been decided in
his favor. The committee therefore abandoned their
opposition to the Bishop's desires, and he soon had the
church moved to his lots at the corner of Polk and
Sherman streets. In order to make sure that the
French should not occupy the pews for which they had
paid on the first Sunday in May, the Bishop had the
church raised some four feet from the ground. In this
condition it remained unoccupied until the following
November, when Rev. John Waldron was made priest
for the purpose of occupying the church. Then com-
menced the contest between Mr. Rofinot and Bishop
O'Regan, in which so much interest was taken by the
French Catholics, and which lasted until the Bishop left
Chicago, the results of which will be detailed in the
succeeding volume of this History.

St. Francis d'Assisium.— This church was estab-
lished in the year 1853, and was located at the corner
of Clinton and Mather streets. The first church built
by the organization was a small frame structure, having
a seating capacity of about four hundred, and cost
about $2,000. At the time of the organization there
were about fifty families connected with the society.
The first priest was Rev. John Bernard Weikamp, then
late priest of St. Peter's Church. Reverend Father
Weikamp remained until 1857, when he was succeeded
by Rev. G. H. Ostlangerberg, who also had charge of
St. Peter's just before being assigned to St. Francis'
Church. Reverend Father Ostlangerberg was suc-
ceeded in 1858 by Rev. Ignatz Schnirch, who remained
until 1859, and was succeeded, July 19 of this year, by
Rev. Ferdinand Kalvelage, who has been ever since,
and is still (1883) in charge of the congregation. At
the time Mr. Kalvelage took charge, the society con-
sisted of about one hundred families, since which time
it has increased to eight hundred families, or four
thousand members. In 1867, the first church building
becoming too small, and the location unsatisfactory, a
new and much more substantial church edifice was
erected at the southeast corner of West Twelfth Street
and Newberry Avenue. The old church building was
sold to St. Paul's Catholic Church, and used by that
society until swept out of existence by the fire of 187 1.
The new church building, which is still used by the
Church of St. Francis, is of brick, sixty-six by one hund-
red and sixty feet in size, with walls forty-five feet high,
and fifty-eight and a half in the clear inside. The
steeple, which was erected in 1875, is one hundred and
ninety feet high, and contains a chime of three bells.
The cost of the church was $65,000. An organ was
built in the church at a cost of $5,000. The assistants
of Rev. Ferdinand Kalvelage have been the following,
appointed in the vears appended to their names: Revs.
F. L. Yunker, 1867; John Miller, in July, 1868; B.
Baak, January, 1870; Charles Schnuckel, September,
1872; Anthony Schmidz, June, 1874; Augustine Wenck-
er, September, 1874; Franciscus X. Sixt, July, 1876;
Mathias W. Barth, July, 1878; George D. Heldmann,
July, 1 88 1. The societies connected with this church
are, St. Francis', organized in 1856, and St. John's,
organized in 1865, both for purposes of benevolence;
St. Stanislaus' Young Men's Society, St. Stanislaus'

Boys' Society, St. George's Knights, St. Mary's So-
dality for married women, St. Elizabeth's Association
for helping the poor, St. Rosa's and St. Agnes's Sodal-
ities for young women, the Altar Boys' Sodality, and
the Society of Holy Childhood for school children.
The corner-stone of a new brick school-building was
laid in 1881, at the southwest corner of West Twelfth
Street and Newberry Avenue. The house is seventy
by one hundred and thirty feet in size, three stories
high, and contains sixteen rooms, besides a large hall.
The total cost of this building was $50,000. It was
inclosed in the fall of 1883, and ready for occupancy
in the spring of 1884.

Church of the Holy Name. — In 1846 the North
Side was made a parish and placed under the charge of
the priests of the College of St. Mary's of the Lake. A
small room was fitted up in the old college building,
which easily contained the congregation that assisted at
mass on Sundays. This was the origin of the Church
of the Holy Name of Jesus. In 1848 a church building
was commenced by Rev. Jeremiah A. Kinsella, who was
at the same time rector of the college, and with whom
there were associated the Rev. Fathers William Clowry
and John Breen. This building was erected on the
southwest corner of St. Mary's College grounds, at the
corner of Rush and Superior streets. It was completed
in 1849, and was used for divine service for the first
time on Sunday, November 18, of that year. The
growth of Catholicism did not make itself especially
manifest on the North Side until 185 1, five years after
the establishment of St. Joseph's, and two years after
the building of the Church of the Holy Name. By this
time the number of Catholics had become considerable,
and in this latter year Father Kinsella built a small
church at the corner of State and Superior streets. This
movement gave an impetus to the settlement of Catholics
on the North Side, for it is a well known and note-
worthy fact that the Catholics prefer to locate near
a church, often making many sacrifices in order to
do so. In 1852 an addition was made to the little
church, but the Catholics increased so rapidly that the
necessity of a large and permanent edifice was soon
felt. Consequently in the year 1853 the Rt. Rev.
Bishop Van de Velde assented to the erection of a large
brick church at the corner of State and Superior streets,
which should be used as the cathedral of the diocese.
The ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the edifice
took place August 3, 1853, at 4:30 o'clock p. m. The
sermon was preached by the Rt. Rev. Michael O'Con-
nor, Bishop of Pittsburgh. Bishop Van de Velde sol-
emnly blessed the foundation stone. At the ceremonies
there were present, in addition to Bishops O'Connor
and Van de Velde, the Rev. Fathers McElhearne, Kin-
sella, Quarter, McLaughlin, Lebel, Tucker, Dunne,
Fitzgerald, Clowry, Hoey, Feely, Brady, Kopp, and
Donohue. The dimensions of the church were eighty-
four by one hundred and ninety feet, and the steeple
was two hundred and forty-five feet in height. The
material of which the church was built was Milwaukee
brick, the style of architecture was Gothic, with windows
of stained glass, representing scenes in Biblical history.
The building was completed in the fall of 1854, at a
cost of $100,000. Catholics then living in Chicago con-
tributed toward this enterprise with extreme liberality.
The Catholics of the parish were gratified to enjoy the
opportunity of celebrating mass for the first time in this
church on Christmas Day, 1854. The Very Rev. Jere-
miah A. Kinsella remained priest until January, 1855,
when he, in connection with Rev. William Clowry and
Rev. John Breen. was requested by Bishop O'Regan to

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

resign. The removal of the clergy was not satisfactory
to many of the parishioners, and on Wednesday evening,
January 17. a meeting was held in North Market Hall
for the purpose of expressing adverse sentiments. A
series of four resolutions was passed, the substance of
which was as follows :

1. Expressing confidence in the priests that had been removed.

2. Pledging themselves to assist in completing the new church,
if the priests were permitted to remain.

3. Bowing with most profound respect and reverence to the
Church and Bishop, but at the same time appealing to the Holy
See.

4. Appointing a committee to draw up a statement of their
grievences and forward them to the Pope at Rome.

The committee appointed under the fourth resolu-
tion consisted of Charles O'Connor, Patrick Connelly,
John Murphy. Edward D. Colgan, Edward Kelly, James
briffy. Patrick McAlpin and John Prindiville. Late in
the year 1855 Charles O'Connor brought suit against
the Rt. Rev. Anthony O'Regan, Bishop of Chicago, to
recover under a contract which the plaintiff had made
with a Catholic clergyman, formerly of the city, to build
the Church of the Holy Name. The defendant denied
all knowledge of such contract, as well as having au-
thorized any party to make such contract for him, but
at the same time admitted having offered to pay the
plaintiff a fair and reasonable price for the labor ex-
pended on the building. On the 6th of November,
1855, a verdict was rendered the plaintiff of $6,263.96.
It was decided to take an appeal to the Supreme Court,
but no decision on the subject can be found.

The Universitv of St. Mary's of the Lake. —
This institution of learning was established June 3,
1844, by Rt. Rev. William Quarter, the newly appointed
and arrived Bishop of Chicago. At the opening, how-
ever, only the college existed, the germ of the Uni-
versity. The college commenced with two professors
and six students, in a portion of the building formerly
occupied as the old St. Mary's Church at the corner of
Michigan Avenue and Madison Street. The two pro-
fessors were Rev. J. A. Kinsella and B. McGorisk.
The six students Patrick McMahon, B. McGorisk,
Timothy Sullivan, and three others whose names can-
not be ascertained. On the 19th of December, 1844,
the Legislature passed a bill incorporating the " Uni-
versity of St. Mary's of the Lake." Having a charter
for the University, Bishop Quarter wished next to estab-
lish an ecclesiastical seminary, in which young men
might be educated to supply the great dearth of clergy-
men in the holy ministry. In order to remove the one
great obstacle in the way — lack of funds — the Bishop
left Chicago for New York early in April, 1845. In
about four months he returned, having collected a large
sum of money, which enabled him to commence the
erection of the building. The foundation of the college
and seminary were begun on the 17th of October, and
so rapidly did the work progress that they were under
roof on the 22d of November. But in order to com-
plete the buildings more money was required, and to
raise the necessary funds the Bishop directed his pas-
toral of [846 to his clergymen, urging them to assist
him in his undertaking. By the 4th of July the last
touch of the painter's brush had been made to the new
University, and on that day it was opened with appro-
priate ceremonies for the reception of pupils. Among
the early pupils in this institution were Rev. Dr. John
McMullen, late Bishop of Davenport, and General
James A. Mulligan. In 1846 among the advantages
named as being possessed by this institution were the
following: It is situated in the city of Chicago near

the borders of Lake Michigan. The location is pleas-
ant, healthy, and sufficiently removed from the business
portion of the city to make it favorable to the pursuit of
study. The ample grounds and extensive meadows in
the vicinity afford the student an opportunity to enjoy
healthful exercise and abundant recreation. The Uni-
versity was situated on the northeast quarter of the
block bounded by Chicago Avenue, Rush Street,
Superior Street and State Street. It cost $12,000. The
course of instruction in the University embraced the
Hebrew, Greek and Latin, English and French, poetry,
history, mythology and geography; book- keeping, arith-
metic, algebra and other branches of mathematics; in-
tellectual and moral philosophy; natural philosophy
and chemistry. German, Italian, Spanish, music and
drawing were also taught, but for these there was an
extra charge. Board and tuition were $150 per year.
In 1846 the officers and professors of the institution
were as follows: Rev. J. A. Kinsella, president; Profes-
sors, James Kear, A. B., Latin and Greek; Rev. J.
Ubrich, German, Spanish and Italian; Lawrence Hoey,
A. B., French and philosophy; John Brady, mathe-
matics; Hugh Brady, English and declamation. The
faculty was George A. Hamilton, Lawrence Hoey,
William Quarter, Walter J. Quarter, B. McGorisk, J. A.
Kinsella, P. McMahon, J. Ingoldsby, and Thomas
O'Donnell. According to the catalogue of 1846, there
were forty students in the Humanities and fifteen in the
Theology. In 1849 the officers and professors were as
follows: Trustees — President, Rt. Rev. James O. Van
de Velde; vice-president, Rt. Rev. J. A. Kinsella;
Chancellor, Walter J. Quarter; treasurer, Lawrence
Hoey; secretary, William Clowry; B. McGorisk, John
Ingoldsby, Patrick McMahon, Thomas O'Donnell and
Dennis Ryan. Faculty — Rev. J. A. Kinsella, president,
and professor of dogmatic theology and sacred Script-
ure; William Clowry, vice-president and professor of
moral theology and ecclesiastical history; Lawrence
Hoey, A. M., mathematics and moral philosophy; P.
Byrne, A. B., modern languages and literature; Hon.
David L. Gregg, A. M., rhetoric and belles lettres; B.
Rodaham, A. B., ancient languages and literature; P.
Baltes, now Bishop of Alton, German language and
literature; J. Tracy, English; John E. McGirr, anatomy
and physiology, hygiene, chemistry and botany; John
Kinsella and James Shields, professors of vocal and
instrumental music; tutors, P. McMahan, P. Donohue,
P. Lamacher and P. Sherry. In 185 1 the faculty con-
sisted of eight members, the president and vice-presi-
dent remaining the same as in 1849; Rev. John Breen
was professor of rhetoric and belles lettres; Rev. Law-
rence Hoey, professor of natural philosophy and
French; John E. McGirr, as in 1849; Michael Hurley,
professor of Latin and Greek; Ferdinand Kalvelage,
professor of German, and Mr. Peter, professor of music.
There were four tutors: Thomas Clowry, Charles Fay,
Patrick Sherry and William Russell. In 1852 John E.
McGirr and Ferdinand Kalvelage ceased to be mem-
bers of the faculty, and H. Knauers became professor
of music. Otherwise the faculty and the tutors were
the same. In 1853 and 1854 the faculty and tutors
were the same as in 1852. About this time difficulties
broke out between Bishop O'Regan and some of his
priests, in consequence of which Rev. J A. Kinsella,
Rev. William Clowry and Rev. Lawrence Hoey resigned
their professorships and left the city. The University
property was soon after rented to members of the Holy
Cross, at an annual rental of $5,000. Rev. E. Sobin, at
present principal of the Notre Dame University, In-
diana, was the first principal of St. Mary's University of

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

299

the Lake. In 1858 the University was still under the
direction of the members of the Holy Cross, Rev. J. B.
Force being the principal. After a few years it became
evident that it was impossible to pay the rent, and the
members of the Holy Cross retired from the manage-
ment. In the fall of 1861 secular Catholics again as-
sumed control of the institution, with a faculty organized
as follows : Rev. John McMullen, late Catholic Bishop
of Davenport, president : Rev. John P. Roles, vice-
president, professor of ecclesiastical history and spirit-
ual director ; Rev. Dr. McGovern, principal of the
ecclesiastical department and professor of dogmatic
theology ; Dr. T. G. Butler, professor of moral the-
ology. Subsequently the Rev. P. W. Riordan, present
Coadjutor Archbishop of the See of San Francisco, was
added to the staff. Dr. Quackenbos was professor of
Greek, Dr. Beleke professor of German and philology,
and Dr. Guerin, professor of English literature. In
1862 the authorities of the University commenced the
erection of a building on a large scale, G. P. Randall
being the architect. One wing only of this proposed
building was erected, at a cost of $35,000. After the
erection of this wing, it was used for students in the lay
department, while the old buildings were used for the
ecclesiastical department, professors' rooms, and dormi-
tories. In these buildings the work of the University
was carried on until 1867, at which time there were
twenty-three ecclesiastical students and eighty lay stu-
dents. For various reasons the number of students
soon became so small that it was deemed advisable to
abandon the University project, which was finally done
in 1868, and the buildings were thenceforward occupied
by the St. Joseph Orphan Asylum. From this time the
history of this property with that of the Ladies of the
Sacred Heart will be found in the third volume of this
History.

The Sisters of Mercy. — The Catholics of Chicago
are indebted to the Rt. Rev. William Quarter for the
establishment of this order in the city, in 1846. The
Sisters arrived on the 23d of September, 1846, in com-
pany with Sister Mary Frances Ward. Their names
were Mary Agatha O'Brien, Mary Vincent McGirr,
Mary Gertrude McGuire, Mary Eliza Corbitt and Mary
Eva Schmidt. This small group began at once the work
of dispensing the rich stores of their earthly acquisitions,
opening schools which were well attended from the first.
Their convent soon became too small, and Bishop Quar-
ter in the last year of his life, completed the building
they occupied in 1849, as convent and academy. It
stood on a lot adjoining the cathedral on Wabash Avenue
and cost $6,000. In 1847 the convent was incorporat-
ed by the Legislature with a most ample charter and by
1849, such had been the growth of the academy, that ten
Sisters were constantly engaged in teaching the two
hundred children in attendance at the schools, and there
were about fifteen in the community of Sisters. In
1865 a new building was erected on Wabash Avenue,
adjoining the old one, which cost $32,000. The num-
ber of pupils in this convent in 1855 was three hun-
dred; in i860, four hundred and fifty; and in 1865, six
hundred and fifty.

The Catholic Orphan* Asylum was established
August 16, 1849. It was under the control of the Sis-
ters of Mercy from its institution until October, 1863.
Originally a building known as the Cumberland House,
which stood at the southwest corner of Wabash Avenue
and Van Buren Street, was purchased for the use of
the orphans, large numbers of whom lost their parents
by the cholera which ravaged the city that year. On
the 13th of February,- 1852, another building was opened

to the public, and on the 21st of June the Asylum was
incorporated by the Legislature. Some time previous
to this a benevolent association had been organized, of
which Mrs. Michael Lantry was president, and Rev.
John Breen secretary, to procure funds for the Asylum.
In 1853 was commenced the erection of a new building
which was designed to be more commodious than the
old one ; the cost of which when completed was $8,000.
The number of orphans in the Asylum in 1849 was one
hundred and twenty-five ; in 1854, one hundred and
forty ; in 1859, one hundred and eighty, and in 1863,
two hundred. The numbers of Sisters in charge at the
same time were: In 1849, five; in 1854, ten, and in 1863,
sixteen. The names of the superiors were Sisters M.
Stanislaus and M. Ursula.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized
June 26, 1833, by Rev. Jeremiah Porter. This gentle-
man had been appointed Chaplain of the garrison at
Fort Brady in the fall of 1S31. In the spring of 1833,
the troops at Fort Brady were transferred to Fort
Dearborn. As there was a Baptist mission at the
Sault Ste Marie, sufficient to meet the wants of the
people at that place, Mr. Porter accepted the invitation
of the soldiers to accompany them to Chicago, — the
more readily, as quite a number of them were members
of his church at Fort Brady, and as the Home Mission
Society at Boston had requested him to explore the
shores of Lake Michigan to see if there were any set-
tlements where the gospel might be preached. Mr.
Porter, therefore, in company with the troops under
command of Major John Fowle, arrived off Fort Dear-
born Sunday, May 12, 1833, but on account of the
roughness of the lake did not land until next day.
Major Fowle had come to relieve Captain Seth Johnson;
and the little body of Christians in the fort were much
cast down over the departure of the Captain, who was
a devout Christian and a warm-hearted man. They
knew what they were to lose, but did not know what
they were to gain; hence it was natural that they should
feel impatience and anxiety as to the religious charac-
ter of those on board the schooner. On Monday, the
waters of the lake being sufficiently smooth, the troops
and others on the vessel landed. The surprise of those
in the village of Chicago was very great and agreeable
to find that the schooner brought not only a minister
but also the nucleus of a church organization ; and a
very warm welcome was extended to the strangers.
John Wright, one of the praying men in the village,
taking the hand of Rev. Jeremiah Porter, said :

" Well, I do rejoice, for yesterday was the darkest day I ever
saw. Captain Johnson, who had aided in our meetings, was to
leave us, and I was almost alone. I have been talking about and
writing for a minister for months in vain, and yesterdav as we
prayed with the Christians about to leave us, I was almost ready to
despair, as I feared the troops coming in would all be utterly care-
less about religion. The fact that you and a little church were, at
the hour of our meeting, riding at anchor within gunshot of the
fort, is like the bursting out of the sun from behind the darkest
clouds."

Temporary arrangements were made for preaching
in the fort; the carpenter-shop being emptied, cleaned
and seated, and on the next Sunday morning, May 19,
1833, Rev. Jeremiah Porter preached his first sermon
in Chicago, from the text, John xv, 8, " Herein is My
Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be
My disciples."

In the afternoon, by invitation of " Father Walker,"
Mr. Porter preached in the log school-house on the

; 'o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

west side of the river, at the Point, half a mile from the
fort. Of this meeting Mr. Porter, in his journal, says :

File school-house was crowded to overflowing and many
we.it away for want of room to stand within the doors. I think I
have not preached to such an audience before, only at Mackinac,
since I left Detroit. There seemed profound attention. Mr.
Wright said his eyes rilled with tears several times to see the happy
influence of the Major and his fellow-officers on this community."

With reference to other religious services on this, his
first Sunday in Chicago, Mr. Porter also says:

"At six o'clock I had a prayer meeting in the fort. After
candle lighting I went to Father Walker's place, where he had given
notice that a Methodist minister from New York would preach.
Though it was eight when I went in, I found no one but Mr.
Walker, and he was grieving that he was disappointed in regard to
his preacher, who having an opportunity to go on to New York
that afternoon, had embraced it and left Mr. Walker to till the ap-
pointment. If he had so little regard for the Sabbath, I think it
is well he did not stay and preach. At length fifteen persons came
in and Mr. Walker addressed them."

Early in the morning of the same day Mr. Porter
witnessed a desecration of the Sabbath which greatly
shocked him. Quoting still further from his journal:

" The first dreadful spectacle that met my eyes on going to
church was a group of Indians sitting on the ground before a mis-
erable French dram house, playing cards, and as many trifling
white men standing around to witness the game."

Thus passed Mr. Porter's first Sunday in Chicago.
On the next Sunday, May 26, Rev. Mr. Kent, of Galena,
paid a visit to Mr. Porter, and preached for him an ex-
cellent sermon from Hebrews, xi, 24-26. On June 1
arrangements were made for public worship outside the
fort. This was because many of the citizens objected
to going into the fort. Father Walker consented to rent
to Mr. Porter his house at the Point for one-half of each
Sunday, and for some time, commencing with Sunday,
June 2, he preached in the fort to the garrison at 10 a.
m., and to the citizens at 2 p. m., in Father Walker's log
house: held prayer meeting at 6 p. m. in the fort, and
preached alternately with the Methodists on Sunday
evenings at the Point. This arrangement was still un-
satisfactory, and, as there was no prospect of having
better accommodations, except as they should be pro-
vided by those who desired the advantages of them, Mr.
Porter advised that the sums subscribed for his support
should be appropriated to paying for the erection of a
frame and covering it as soon as possible. The citizens
interested met in the evening of June 11, and appointed
a committee to carry this plan into effect, which made it
necessary for Mr. Porter to look to the Home Mission
Society for support for the year to come.

On Wednesday, June 26, 1833, Mr. Porter organized
the First Presbyterian Church with twenty-six members,
seventeen of them, including Major DeLafayette Wil-
cox, having been members of this church at Fort Brady,
the remaining nine being citizens of the village. The
names of these nine citizens were John Wright, Philo Car-
penter, Rufus Brown, John S. Wright, J. H. Poor, Mrs.
Elizabeth Brown, Mary Taylor, E. Clark, and Mrs. Cyn-
thia Brown. The names of the seventeen members of
the garrison were. Major DeLafayette Wilcox, Mrs. S.
G. Wilcox, Miss Eliza Chappel, Lieutenant L. T. Jame-
SOO, Sergeant J. Adams, Mrs. H. Adams, Sergeant W.
C. Cole, Mrs. Julia Cole, Mrs. Ruth Ward, Richard Bur-
tis, Benjamin Briscoe, Ebenezer Ford, John Guy, Isaac
Ingraham. William Johnson, David Lake, and James
Murray. All of these first members were Congregation-
alists, except Philo Carpenter, who was a Presbyterian.
John Wright, Philo Carpenter and Major Wilcox were
chosen and ordained elders of the church. For some
time the society continued to worship in Father Walker's
log school-house at the Point. On Sunday, June 30,

Mr. Porter attempted to re-organize the Sunday-school
founded the year before by Philo Carpenter, but was
prevented doing so by heavy showers of rain. The first
communion held in Chicago was on Sunday, July 7,
1833. The service was supplied by Major Wilcox from
his table silver. Twenty-seven sat at this first com-
munion. Mr. Porter's journal reads: " Many witnessed
the solemn scene, but a majority were females, as two
vessels were unloading in the harbor, causing a wanton
abuse of the holy day by many who sin against clear

^t^e^i^r^s J%^^

light, and abuse divine compassion and love." The
subject of the erection of a church building hav-
ing agitated the minds of the members for some time,
Lot No. 1, Block 34, Original Town, southwest corner
of Lake and Clark streets, was chosen and measures
taken to build upon the lot, which has been described
as being at that time a " lonely spot, almost inaccessible
on account of surrounding sloughs and bogs." While
preparations were being made for the erection of their
temple of worship, they and other citizens of the vil-
lage were surprised one morning to see the frame of a
small building on the Lake-street front of their lot,
which had been raised during the previous night.
Work upon this little building was industriously con-
tinued during the day. But alas for the hopes of the
prospective store-keepers ! Their squatter right of
occupancy was not to be recognized, and during the
succeeding night, in obedience probably to the sugges-
tion of a member of the society, a number of yokes of
oxen were noiselessly marshalled in front of the tres-
passing store, heavy chains securely fastened to the sills
of the building and to the oxen's yokes, and in the morn-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

301

ing away down Lake Street the intruding building was
seen standing, to indicate thwarted hopes and to teach
the lesson that the rights of property could not with
impunity be invaded. Meantime their own prepara-
tions proceeded. " The timbers were at length hewed
and squared and set up on the prairie. . . . Each
one, according as he was able, gave his mite to aid in
the construction; one worked at the turner's lathe to
prepare the columns that adorned the pulpit; some
worked in the mortar-bed, and all labored who could,
for a common desire actuated the members, which was
not only to have a house exclusively set apart for wor-
ship, but, when done, to be free from that crushing
incubus — debt." The church, when built, stood upon
the southeast corner of the lot, fronting east; it was
built by Joseph Meeker; its size, though not now defi-
nitely ascertainable, was about thirty by forty feet, and
the cost was $600. It was completed during the late
fall or early winter months of 1833, and dedicated Jan-
uary 4, 1834. Notwithstanding the extreme severity of
the weather, the mercury being twenty-four degrees
below zero, a respectable audience assembled to par-
ticipate in or witness the dedicatory services. The
prayer of consecration was offered by Rev. A. B. Free-
man, of the Baptist church, then recently organized,
and the sermon was delivered by the pastor, Rev. Jere-
miah Porter, from the text Psalm lxxxiv, 3;: "Yea, the
sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for
herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars,
O Lord of hosts, my King and my God."

During the following year, fifty-two persons were
added to the membership, and by December, 1834, the
church had become self-supporting. The following
resolution was passed in that month:

" Feeling under great obligations to the American Home
Missionary Society, for its aid in sustaining the Rev. Jeremiah
Porter as pastor of the church, in our infancy, we now gladly as-
sume his support from the 1st of June of last year."

In the spring of 1835, Mr. Porter was chosen by the
Presbytery of Ottawa its first delegate to the General
Assembly which met that spring in Pittsburgh. After
the adjournment of the Assembly, Mr. Porter was mar-
ried, at Rochester, N. Y., to Miss Eliza Chappel, then
late of Chicago, and with his wife visited his parents
who were living in Massachusetts. In the autumn of
that year, he accepted a call to the Main-street Church,
in Peoria, thus leaving the church without a pastor ; but
after deciding to leave, made efforts in various direc-
tions to supply the approaching vacancy, feeling " as if
Chicago should have the best minister in the land."
There were at that time one hundred and nine mem-
bers.

The church had considerable difficulty in finding a
successor to Mr. Porter. They corresponded with Ed-
ward Humphrey, of Amherst, Rev. Dr. J. W. Adams, of
Syracuse, Dr. E. N. Kirk, and Dr. Hall, of Auburn
Theological Seminary, and Dr. Joel Hawes, of Hart-
ford, Conn., all to no avail. The latter gentleman took
his letter which had been written by Deacon John
Wright, to Judge Williams of his own Church, with the
remark, "I've got a letter from some place out west
called Chickago, asking me to come there and preach.
Can you tell me where it is?" Upon being informed that
it was in a great swamp west of Lake Michigan, he de-
cided to remain in Connecticut. Dr. Deric Lansing, of
Auburn, once preached here, but could not be induced
to remain. For some time during the year and a half
that the church was without a regular pastor, Rev.
Isaac T. Hinton was virtually pastor of the Presby-
terian, as well as of his own, the Baptist Church. Be-

sides these mentioned Rev. Mr. McLain preached a few'
times. Of this gentleman, Miss Frances L. Willard,
who was one of the early teachers, wrote as follows in a
letter dated May 25, 1836 :

" Mr. McLain arrived in good health — receives much attention
— gives good satisfaction thus far — preaches with eloquence and
studied argumentative style. I have met him often, and from con-
versations with him suspect that even Chicago will not meet his
ambition. It is plain to me that his heart is set on New Orleans."

An extract from the same authority, on the state of
religion in Chicago, is as follows :

" Religion here — ah ! Look at Alton, and see sister churches
suffering from the same cause — worldly cares. Yet Alton is ap-
parently more spiritual than we are. Your friend Brown (William
H ) seems to take the lead among the church. But all are asleep.
Mr. McLain says that in all his travels he never was in a place
where money was talked of as here. Ten thousand dollars is con-
sidered nothing ! Fifty thousand or one hundred thousand only are
named."

Again under date of August 25, 1836, Miss Willard
wrote :

"I like everything here but the low state of religion. Rev.
Mr. McLain has returned to Ohio, and we are without preaching in
the Presbyterian society. It was a year last June since the sacra-
ment of the Lord's Supper was administered here, and it is still
neglected."

On December 25, 1836, she wrote :

"We have prospects of a minister at last. Rev. Mr. Blatch-
ford from some town near New York City has received a call, has
not accepted it but will preach here this winter. Thirty thousand
dollars are subscribed for the erection of a meeting house, which is
to be built of marble. It is not calculated by the committee, that

it will be finished in less than two years The building of

four meeting houses (Episcopal almost finished) will abundantly oc-
cupy the public mind for two years to come."

Again under date of October 9, 1837 :

" I intend to continue teaching but the fine promises of public
buildings, etc., made to me before I left Alton, have never been
fulfilled, nor is there now any prospect even of a meeting house
within two years. Chicago is blest with four spiritual ministers,
but the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the inhabitants."

At length, in 1837, the Rev. John Blatchford, who
was traveling from New York and unexpectedly
detained here, was called and installed pastor in
July. Mr. Blatchford remained with the church
until August, 1839. During his pastorate the build-
ing was removed south of Washington Street. Mr.
Blatchford was succeeded by Rev. Flavel Bascom,
who commenced his labors in December, 1839, and was
installed as pastor in November, 1840. Mr. Bascom
had preached once in Fort Dearborn, in 1833, at the
request of Philo Carpenter, and when shown by Mr.
Carpenter the place selected, on Clark Street, near
Lake, he said it would bring the church too far out on
the prairie. The building, when moved to its second
site, was doubled in length, and, in the summer of 1840,
was doubled in width. In 1848 the brick church, which
stood at the corner of Clark and Washington streets,
was so far completed that in the fall religious services
were held in the basement, and in September, 1849, it
was completed and dedicated. Mr. Bascom preached
the dedicatory sermon from the text, Haggai, xi, 9 :
" The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of
the former, saith the Lord of hosts." At his own
request he was dismissed in December, 1S49, and was
succeeded by Henry Harvey Curtis, who began his
ministry August 25, and was installed pastor on the
13th of October, 1850. After a successful pastorate of
eight years, he retired for the purpose of assuming the
presidency of Knox College, Galesburg, 111., departing
from the church June S, 1858. His death occurred
September 18, 1862.

The church building dedicated as above recited in

302

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

October, 1849, cost S2S.000. In its erection a debt was
incurred which, for some years, greatly embarrassed the
society. As the city prospered, business houses SO
encroached upon the residences that surrounded the
church, that the people sought more retired localities
for homes. The church itself also became inadequate
to accommodate the rapidly increasing congregation,
and as a result of all these causes it was resolved, in the
autumn of 1855, to sell the lot and the building, pay the
outstanding indebtedness, and divide the net proceeds
in such manner as to secure the erection of three new
church buildings, in the three divisions of the city.
This plan was adopted on the supposition that those
members iiving on the West Side would identify them-
selves with the Third Presbyterian Church, organized
July 1. 1S47 ; and that those living on the North Side
would affiliate with a new society then in contemplation
there, and which was consummated in the organization
of the Westminster Presbyterian afterward Fourth!
Church. The property was sold in November, 1855,
and a lot on Wabash Avenue, between Van Buren and
Congress streets, was immediately purchased by the
First Presbyterian Church for its own use. A new
edifice was erected, of Athens marble, and of the Nor-
man style of architecture, the front highly ornamented
with richly-carved work in stone. The main audience
room was sixty-three by ninety-seven feet, and fifty feet
to the highest point in the vaulted ceiling. This church
was dedicated October 15, 1857. The lot cost $16,000
and the building $1 15,000.

By way of review of the history of the First Presby-
terian Church a brief statement as to its work and
growth and relations to other Presbyterian churches in
Chicago is appropriate. In the early part of 1841, a
series of revival meetings was held, which were very suc-
cessful in its results. The meetings were conducted by
Rev. Flavel Bascom, pastor of the church, assisted by
Rev. Mr. Gallaher, an itinerant revivalist. As a result
of this revival one hundred new members were added.
The years 1843 and 1845 were likewise distinguished
by extensive revivals. In April, 1846, there were re-
ported to the Presbytery four hundred and fifty-six
members. During the next five years the membership
declined to two hundred and fifty-four. This was in
part owing to the organization of the Third Presby-
terian Church ; but only in part, as during this time the
population of the city increased from 10,000 to 25,000,
and the First Church should on this account have re-
ceived considerable accessions to its membership.
There was want of harmony within the Church itself.
In the winter and spring of 1852, peace having re-
turned, "a gentle but precious season of spiritual re-
freshing" took place, the Church recovered a portion of
what it had lost, and made steady but sure progress un-
til the winter and spring of 1857 and 1858, when in con-
sequence of a powerful revival "about seventy-five were
added on profession, and an impulse was imparted to
the spiritual activities of the Church," which was es-
pecially perceived in the establishment of mission
schools.

The first baptism in the First Presbyterian Church
occurred Sunday. November 24, 1833, the subject being
the infant daughter of Major Wilcox. The ceremony
took place in the Major's house in Fort Dearborn, Mrs.
Wilcox not bring able to goto church. The little child
was four months old. With reference to this baptism,
Kev. Jeremiah Porter says in his journal: "The child
seemed to smile with joy, after prayer and the applica-
tion of the water, as though it were conscious of the
act, and I hoped as an evidence that the prayer had

been answered, and that the child's heart had been bap-
tized by the. Holy Spirit."

Rev. Jeremiah Porter was born in Hadley, Mass., in 1804,
where his ancestors had lived for nearly two centuries. Samuel
Porter went to Hadley in 1639, and the house built by him is still
owned by his descendants. The grandfather of Rev. Jeremiah
Porter, whose name was also Samuel, married Susanna Edwards,
a daughter of President Jonathan Edwards. His father, William
Porter, was a physician and served during the war of 1812, as sur-
geon in the Army of the United States, and died in Hadley. Mass.,
at the age of eighty-four years. His mother, Charlotte (Williams)
Porter, was a daughter of Hon. William Williams, of Hatfield, Mass,
William and Mrs. Porter were the parents of twelve children, sev-
eral of whom died in infancy. Of the six who lived to arrive at
man's estate, most of whom lived beyond the threescore years and
ten, the eldest of whom died at eighty-three, Jeremiah was the
youngest. He was educated at Hopkins Academy, under Rev. Dr.
Dan Huntington, father of Bishop F. D. Huntington, of the dio-
cese of central New York, and in Lee, Mass., in the family of
Alvan Hyde, D. D. At the age of seventeen he entered Williams
College, at the beginning of the presidency of Dr. Edward Dorr
Griffin. He graduated at the age of twenty-one. and in the autumn
of that year, 1825, entered the Theological Seminary at Andover,
Mass. At this time he had not decided upon the choice of a pro-
fession, but had not a taste for the law or medicine. After two
years' study in this seminary, he passed the winter at his father's
home. In the spring of 1828, he was induced by Dr. Griffin to
accept the position of principal of the Monitorial High School, in
Troy, N. Y., and after spending two pleasant years in that school,
he was induced by the late Henry A. Boardman, D. D., of Phila-
delphia, to accompany him to Princeton Theological Seminarv,
N. J. Here for a year Mr. Porter enjoyed the teaching of Drs.
Alexander, Miller and Hodge, and graduated from this institution
in 1831. In the spring of that year he was licensed by the Hamp-
shire Congregational Association to preach the Gospel, and preached
in several towns in that county. But previous to his graduating at
Princeton, Rev. Dr. Absalom Peters, of New York, Secretary of the
A. H. M. Society, visited the seminary in search of ministers for
the West. Dr. Peters told Rev. Mr. Porter of a wish sent from
Fort Brady, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., for a minister at that place,
and asked him if he would listen to that call. To this Rev. Mr.
Porter replied, that if Dr. Peters failed with the gentleman at And-
over, to whom he had applied, and considered him a proper man
for the place he would go. Dr. Peters soon wrote to Rev. Mr.
Porter from New York, to proceed at once to his Massachusetts
home to be ordained by the same association that had licensed him
to preach, and go at once to the " Soo," as the Sault Ste. Marie was
then usually called. After being ordained he left by stage toward
the West, for a country of which he had heard much, but of
which he knew little, leaving all his family and kindred be-
hind, except one brother who lived at Auburn, N. Y., with
whom he spent the first Sabbath of his journey, having
reached there from Albany by the newly constructed New
York & Erie Canal. By the same means he proceeded
to Buffalo, then a city of three thousand inhabitants, and
into which new life had been infused by the completed canal. He
then proceeded by steamer to Cleveland, a city then containing
fifteen hundred inhabitants; thence to Detroit where he waited
several days for a schooner, the last one up that fall, upon which
he embarked for Mackinac. Upon arriving at Mackinac he was
received into and kindly entertained by the charming Christian
family of Robert Stuart, of the Astor Fur Company, the company
being composed of John Jacob Astor, Robert Stuart and Ramsey
Crookes. In the family of Robert Stuart, Rev. Mr. Porter
awaited an opportunity of going over to the Sault, and while wait-
ing preached at an evening service at Rev. William M. Ferry's
church. On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, a small bark canoe,
sent from the Sault by Mr. Schoolcraft for him arrived, with orders
"not to return without Mr. Porter." A larger canoe, manned by
Indians, had started previously, but overtaken by a snow-storm,
and delaved until the provisions were eaten up, had returned to re-
port to Mr. Schoolcraft. Hence the sending of this small canoe
in charge of three French voyageurs with the above orders. Feel-
ing that he could not wait to participate in public Thanksgiving
services at Mackinac, he determined to reach the Sault as early as
practicable, and so, with the three Frenchmen, and a negro on his
way to an army officer at Fort Brady, and with a mess basket pro-
vided by his newly-found friend, Mrs. Robert Stuart, he set out in
the morning for his destination. Something over three days and
nights were occupied in the voyage, forty-five miles coasting on
Lake Huron, and forty-five miles ascending St. Mary's River, rest-
ing each night by camp fires on shore, and pitching their tent one
of the nights in snow. At the foot of the falls they found the vil-
lage and fort, but landed below both, at the United States Indian
Agent's beautiful home. Breaking the ice to land, Rev. Mr. Por-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

3°3

ter went directly to Mr. Schoolcraft's house, where he met with a
most cordial welcome. Snow then covered the ground and did not
disappear until April, 1832. The boat that carried Mr. Porter also
carried up the last mail of the season, and mail was received but
three times during the ensuing five months. At the Sault, Rev.
Mr. Porter found a Baptist mission to the Indians in charge of
Rev. Abel Bingham. Rev. Mr. Bingham with his family lived in
the mission house and had a school-room for a place of worship for
the Indians, and such Americans as chose to attend. Invited by
Mr. Bingham, Mr. Porter preached in this school-room the
first Sunday after reaching the Sault, to Indians, officers and
soldiers. This was Sunday, December 4, 1831. Mr. School-
craft soon had a store vacated, and fitted up with seats and a
pulpit, and this building so transformed was used as a church. A
Presbvterian Church was at once organized, composed of three men
who had been members of Mr. Ferry's church at Mackinac, Pres-
byterians; Mrs. Schoolcraft, an Episcopalian, two of her sisters
received on confession, and one Methodist woman. Mr. Porter and
Mr. Bingham co-operated with each other in religious and moral
work, and encouraged by the officers at Fort Brady, enjoyed a re-
vival. Dancing which had been indulged in winters previous was
given up. The Post Commandment with Mr. Schoolcraft took the
lead in furthering temperance, and all the officers and their wives
took the temperance pledge, except one family, and before spring
all expressed conversion to Christ except this one Lieutenant and his
wife. One officer and his wife united with Mr. Bingham's church.
Most of the others united with the Presbvterian Church. In the
spring of 1S32, this church numbered thirty-three, and the Baptist
Church about the same number. On account of the breaking out
of the Black Hawk War in 1832, one of the companies of soldiers
under Captain J. B. F. Russell, was ordered to join General Win-
field Scott's army at Mackinac, on its way to Chicago. The Post
Commandant, Major De LaFayette Wilcox, was succeeded by
Major John Fowle, who in the spring of 1833 was transferred to
Fort Dearborn, Chicago, and Mr. Schoolcraft was transferred to the
Indian Agency at Mackinac. Thus Mr. Porter's Fort Brady church
was broken up, by the removal of its members to other fields of
duty, and Mr. Porter considered it his duty to accept the invitation
of Major and Mrs. Fowle to accompany them to Chicago, leaving
the few remaining members to unite with Mr. Bingham's Baptist
Church. On the 4th of May, 1833, Major Fowle with his company
and Rev. Jeremiah Porter, left Fort Brady, and spending one day
at Mackinac, proceeded up the west shore of Lake Michigan to
Chicago, perceiving on the voyage no human habitation between
the two points except at Milwaukee, where lived Solomon Juneau,
the trader of the American Fur Company, with his Indian wife.
On Saturday, May 11, the schooner dropped anchor opposite the
mouth of the Chicago River. On Sunday the lake was so rough
and Mr. Porter so sea-sick, that he remained on board over that
day, and until about noon on Monday the 13th, when he was rowed
in the ship's long-boat to the mouth of the river, about a mile south
of Fort Dearborn, up the stream, and around Fort Dearborn to the
junction of the North and South branches of the river, and to Wat-
tle's small tavern on the West Side. Here Mr. Porter met many of
the business men of the village, who had come there to dine, as it
was their boarding house, and among them John Wright, an ac-
count of his meeting with whom may be found in the history
of the First Presbyterian Church. At this time there were
about three hundred people in Chicago, many of whom had
fled from the country during the war of 1832, to secure pro-
tection in and around Fort Dearborn. Among these was
P. F. W. Peck, who invited Mr. Porter to make his temporary
lodging place and study in the unfinished loft of his two-story
store, standing on the southwest corner of South Water and La-
Salle streets. The first building in the rear of this store was the
log house of Rufus Brown, where Mr. Porter found table board.
From this time forward until Mr. Porter left Chicago, in Septem-
ber, 1835, his history is substantially that of the First Presbyterian
Church for the same period (q. v.). In that month, having accepted
a call to a small new church in Peoria, he immediately commenced
his labors there. In the fall of 1837, Mr. Porter attended the Synod
of Illinois at Springfield, and there preached the opening sermon, an
anti-slavery one ; the Rev. Dr. Gideon Blackburn, a venerable
father in the church, acting as a shield to the young preacher
against a pro-slavery mob. When the Synod adjourned many of
its members went to Alton on horseback, where they held an anti-
slavery convention for the purpose of sustaining Lovejoy in war-
fare against slavery and for the freedom of the Press. After pass-
ing strong resolutions in favor of the objects for which Lovejoy
was fighting, the ministers, including Mr. Porter, returned to their
homes. This was but a few days before the murder of Lovejoy by
a pro-slavery mob. On the first Sunday subsequent to this murder,
and doubtless sustained by the excitement consequent upon it, Mr.
Porter preached twice to his congregation under a burning typhoid
fever. For weeks afterward he was prostrated, and for some time

his recovery was doubtful. About the first of January, 1S38, he
removed to Farmington, 111., where he remained two years, wit-
nessing here as at Peoria a revival and numerous accessions to his
church. During these years he labored in revival work with Revs.
John Spalding, Flavel Bascom, and Lucien Farnham, at Peoria ;
J. J. Miter, at Knoxville, and George W. Gale and Horatio Foot,
at Galesburg. Upon retiring from the church at Peoria, Mr.
Porter preached the sermon at the installation of his successor.
Rev. John Spalding. In 1840 he accepted a call to Green Bay,
Wis., where four years before some of his earlv friends from Mack-
inac had been organized into a church. He arrived at Green Bay
in the summer by way of Chicago and Mackinac. In the succeed-
ing winter he was installed and remained pastor of the Presbvterian
Church eighteen years. In 1S40 the " Presbyterian and Congre-
gational Convention of Wisconsin " was formed, composed of the
churches of the two denominations. In 1S58, after a happy pastor-
ate of eighteen years in Green Bay, Mr. Porter asked this convention
to dissolve his connection with his church, which request was granted
against the wishes of the majority of his church. Attending the Gen-
eral Assembly at Chicago that year he was invited to become pastor
of the Edwards Congregational Church. Here he labored until the
breaking out of the war in 1861, observing the results of the city's
progress during its first twenty-five years, as depicted in his histor-
ical lecture delivered before the Chicago Historical Society in 1859.
Four of Mr. Porter's family, a son and three nephews, entered the
Union army, and Mrs. Porter said that if she had a hundred sons,
and they prepared to die, she would give them all for the cause of
their country and freedom. In March following, Mr. Porter was
appointed by Governor Richard Yates, Chaplain of United States Vol-
unteers, in Colonel J. D. Webster's regiment, Chicago First Light
Artillery, in which his son, James W. Porter, and one of his
nephews had enlisted. Mrs. Porter thinking she could be more
useful near the soldiers, left her place in the Chicago Sanitary
rooms to Mrs. Doge and Mrs. Livermore and went, in 1862, with
Mr. Porter to Cairo. Here she ministered to the sick from Forts
Donelson and Henry after Grant's first decided victories, and then
aided in caring for the wounded from the battlefields of Pittsburgh
Landing and Shiloh ; among the latter one of her nephews. From
Cairo Mr. and Mrs. Porter followed the Union army to Paducah,
Ky., to Pittsburgh Landing, Tenn., to Corinth and to Memphis,
where they spent the winter of 1862-63 and spring of 1863. A
" convalescent camp" was established south of and in sight of the
city, on the river bluff. Dr. Edmund Andrews, surgeon of Colonel
Webster's light artillery, was one of the surgeons in charge. With
his approbation Mr. and Mrs. Porter opened the first school for
freedmen on the borders of the Mississippi River. Fort Pickering
was, during that winter, a scene of much religious interest, Mr.
Porter preaching regularly at the convalescent camp and occasion-
ally at the batteries. As the army proceeded southward Mr. Por-
ter accompanied it to Vicksburg, and after its capture was immedi-
ately installed chaplain in the city hospital, and being granted by
General Logan the use of the Presbyterian church, preached there-
in until the spring of 1S64, alternating with Chaplain (oseph War-
ren, D. D., who had been a missionary in India. He then, by
order of General Webster, followed General Sherman in his marches
toward Atlanta, Mrs. Porter being already with that army with
sanitary stores and supplies. Mr. Porter joined her at Big Shantv.
F'rom Kenesaw Mountain Mr. and Mrs. Porter went with the
wounded to Marietta, Ga., and remained there in the hospital until
the fall of Atlanta. On the Sunday following Mr. Porter preached
to the soldiers in hospital at Marietta from the words of
David, asking so anxiously after his son Absalom, " Is the young
man safe?" his own son having participated in the battle be-
fore Atlanta, and no word from him having been received. He
afterward heard of his safety and of the bravery exhibited by him
in that battle. Chaplain and Mrs. Porter, instead of following
Sherman to the sea, returned to Chicago,' and in the following
winter went to Washington to aid in urging President Lincoln to
use all his official influence to have the sick and wounded Union
soldiers in Southern hospitals sent north to recover or to die and be
buried by their friends. While in Washington Mrs. Porter showed
to Miss Dix, the earliest mover in the magnificent Sanitary Com-
mission, two letters — one signed by five Confederate officers, the
other by twenty Confederate soldiers — testifying to the uniform
kindness with which they had been treated by Mrs. Porter, while
sick in hospital at Marietta, Ga. Mr. and Mrs. Porter then set
sail from New York for Savannah, reaching there ten days after
that city had surrendered to General Sherman. Here they re-
mained until Sherman started for Richmond, when they proceeded
by water with General Webster to Wilmington, X. C, and thence
to Goldsboro by rail, overtaking General Sherman at that point.
They then went to a hospital on the coast at Xewbern, remaining
there in attendance upon the sick until the surrender of General
Lee. Their work at the South being now accomplished, they took
a small steamer through the canal to Xorfolk, \'a. , thence to Alex-

504

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

andria and Washington. Logan's corps was then ordered to Lou-
isville. Ky. Chaplain and Mrs. Porter, with others of the Sani-
tary Commission, reported for duty at that place, and after short
and pleasant service once more in Kentucky, Mr. Porter was hon-
orablv mustered out at Springfield, 111., July 31, 1S65. After
visiting among friends a few months, Mr. and Mrs. Porter were
requested by the Sanitary and Christian Commission to proceed
with sanitary stores, then at Chicago, to three regiments retained
on the borders of Mexico to protect the border from any encroach-
ments of France under its Mexican emperor, Maximilian. Arriv-
ing off the coast of Texas, ten miles from the mouth of the Rio
Grande, they landed at Brazos St. Iago, and waited for a small
steamer from Brownsville to take them to the Rio Grande and up
the river to that city. In the night a " norther" struck this small
steamer, and as a measure of safety it was driven ashore on the
beach of Mexico. There was so little water on the beach that the
yawl could not reach the shore, and the ladies on board had to be
carried to the shore on the backs of the sailors. Such was Mrs.
Porter's entrance into Mexico. This was at Bagdad. Crossing
the river to meet the steamer which had succeeded in entering the
river's mouth, Mr. Porter found assembled at Clarksville some
United States colored troops, whom he addressed. From that first
religious service on the Rio Grande he proceeded on the steamer
up the very crooked river one hundred miles to his destination,
Brownsville, Texas. Mr. and Mrs. Porter and Miss Lizzie Garey,
who had accompanied them from Chicago, went into camp at the
Soldiers' Hospital, Mr. Porter preaching, and Mrs. Porter and
Miss Garey teaching the colored soldiers in addition to their sani-
tary work. Mrs. Porter soon opened a school under the name of
the " Rio Grande Seminary " for boys and girls, which had been
started by Miss Matilda Rankin, as the Rio Grande Female Insti-
:ute, some years before the war.

In the spring of iSf>6 President Juarez, having taken and shot
Maximilian, United States troops were no longer needed on the
border, the Christian and Sanitary commissions recalled their agents,
and Mr. and Mrs. Porter returned to Chicago, where a reception
was given them at the Sherman House. That summer while visit-
ing his old parishioners at Green Bay, Mr. Porter received a call to
a vacant church at Prairie De Chien. This he desired to make his
permanent home, but after different members of his family had
located in business in different parts of the country, and his daugh-
ter had in 1S6S gone to Pekin, China, as a missionary, he him-
self at the earnest solicitation of friends from Brownsville, Texas,
returned thither, accompanied by Mrs. Porter to rebuild the church
that had been demolished by a tornado, and to preach in place of
Rev. Hiram Chamberlain, who had died in 1867; taking with them
generous donations from Chicago to aid in that and other enter-
prises. In February 1869, the new brick church was dedicated.
Mr. and Mrs. Porter remained in Brownsville except during the
summer of 1869, he to preach and she to teach, until 1870, when he
was appointed Post Chaplain, at Brownsville, U. S. A., and assigned
by General Augur to Fort Brown. In addition to his duties as
Post Chaplain Mr. Porter preached in the afternoon to a church of
colored people organized by himself from among the colored peo-
ple of Brownsville and Matamoras, Mexico, and whose church edi-
fice was built by the Freedmen's Bureau at a cost of $4,000. Mrs.
Porter remained actively engaged in the work of teaching until the
school funds of Texas became available, when the schools in
Brownsville became public schools, and she severed her connection
therewith. In the winter of 1873 Mr. Porter was assigned to the
Chaplaincy of Fort Sill in the Indian Territory. Here he remained
until the winter of 1874, when Mrs Porter, who had here, as else-
where, engaged in teaching, was suffering from an attack of mala-
rial fever, and in order to regain her health, she, accompanied by
Mr. Porter, returned to Chicago, and again visited friends in Green
Bay. Mr. Porter then returned to Fort Sill, leaving Mrs. Porter in
Chicago, and in the winter of 1876 was ordered to report to General
J.J. Reynolds for service at Fort I). A. Russell, Wyoming Terri-
tory. There in improved health Mrs. Porter joined him from
Chicago. For four years Mr. Porter remained in active service at
Fort Russell, maintaining regular services on Sunday, a Sunday
and a day school for children, and part of the time an evening
school for soldiers. In November, 1876, Mr. Porter's daugh-
ter, Mary II. Porter, arrived at Fort Russell, from China, after
an absence of nearly nine years. She remained at F'ort
Russell until the following March, when she proceeded to
Chicago, her return to the United States being in quest
of health. Mr. Porter obtaining leave of absence from
his post, overtook his missionary daughter at Chicago, made visits
is prominent educators and private persons in the East,
where Miss Porter by her report to the A. B.C. F. M., which ten years
before had sent her to China, and by her representations of the con-
dition and needs of the heathen in China, awakened renewed inter-
est in missionary labor both in the East ami the West. A reunion
of Mr. Porta-'' fami!y occurred in Beloit. Wis, In the spring of

1S79, the first in twelve years. At this reunion were — Miss Mary
H. Porter, whose health was sufficiently recovered for her to return to
her missionary work in China, and Rev. Henry D. Porter, M. D.,
a son of Rev. Jeremiah Porter, who had also been a missionary to
China for six years, and who had returned to America and was at
this time married to FMizabeth, the eldest daughter of Dr. A. L.
Chapin, president of Beloit College. After this reunion Mr. and
Mrs. Porter returned to Fort Russell and soon after went to San
Francisco on leave of absence to see Dr. Henry D. Porter and his
wife depart therefrom to their missionary labor in China, their
daughter having returned thither three months before. They re-
mained in California fourteen months and in the autumn of 1880
returned to Chicago. Mr. Porter was on a leave of absence from
the army until he was retired on the 30th of June, 1882, when all
officers over sixty-four years of age were retired. Since then he
has been seeking health, making his home with his son in Detroit.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Porter were present at the semi-centennial cele-
bration of the organization of the First Presbyterian Church in Chi-
cago, in quite vigorous health. Rev. Mr. Porter was married June
15, 1S35, at Rochester, N. Y., to Miss Eliza Chappel. They have
had nine children, three of whom died in infancy — one in Peoria,
111., in 1837; two at Green Bay, Wis., one in 1843 and. one in
1849. Two others died in Chicago — Robert Otto, September 25,
1S59, and Charlotte Elizabeth, October 31, 1859. The four living
are as follows : James W., Edwards \V., Henry Dwight and Mary
Hatriet. Rev. Flenry Dwight Porter, M. D., has been a mission-
ary in China since 1S72, and Mary Harriet since 1868.

Rev. Flavel Bascom, D. D., was born June 8, 1804, at Leb-
anon, Conn. His parents were Abiel and Sybil (Roberts) Bascom.
His childhood and youth, until he was seventeen years of age, were
spent upon a farm with such advantages for education as were af-
foided by a rural public school. His preparation for college was
under private instruction. He entered Vale College in 1S24, and
graduated with honor in 1828. F'or the next year he was principal
of an academy in New Canaan. Conn., and then pursued his theo-
logical studies in New Haven, where, in 1831, he was licensed to
preach. F'rom 1831 to 1833 he was tutor in Yale College, and in
the latter year cast in his lot with the "Yale Band," who had de-
voted themselves to Christian education and home evangelization in
Illinois. In the summer of 1S33 he arrived in Illinois under com-
mission by the American Home Missionary Society, and spent five
years in pioneer missionary work, mainly in Tazewell County. He
then labored two seasons in northern Illinois, as Home Missionary
Agent, exploring new settlements, organizing churches and intro-
ducing missionaries to new fields of labor. In December, 1S39, he
became pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, was in-
stalled November 10, 1840, and remained pastor until December,
1849. He then accepted a call to the First Presbyterian Church at
Galesburg, 111., remaining there until 1856. After spending a year
as agent of the American Missionary Association he became pastor
of the Congregational Church at Dover. After serving that church
seven years, he accepted an invitation to the pastorate of the Con-
gregational Church at Princeton, where he remained until 1869.
Thence he removed to Hinsdale, where for several years he was in
charge of the Congregational Church. Since relinquishing this
charge he has been almost constantly engaged in filling vacancies
and aiding destitute and feeble churches. He has been one of the
executive committee of the Illinois Home Missionary Society since
it became an independent auxilliary to the A. H. M. S. in 1S78 ;
was one of the founders of the Chicago Theological Seminary, and
is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee ;
has been for twenty-five years a trustee of Knox College, and was
one of the founders and one of the charter trustees of Beloit Col-
lege, which institution in 1869 conferred upon him the degree of
Doctor of Divinity. Mr. Bascom has been married three times.
His first wife was Ellen P. Cleaveland, daughter of William P.
Cleaveland, of New London, Conn. They were married April 30,
1833, and Mrs. Bascom died at Pekin, 111., December 10, 1837.
Mr. Bascom's second wife was Elizabeth B. Sparhawk, daughter of
Dr. Jonathan Sparhawk, of Hartford, Conn., to whom he was
married August 16, 1841. She died March 27, 1851, at Galesburg,
111. He was again married on the 21st of June, 1852, to Ruth S.
Pomeroy, daughter of Samuel Pomeroy, of Southampton, Mass.,
and sister of Hon. S. C. Pomeroy, of Kansas. His surviving chil-
dren are three sons, two of whom, the children of his second wife,
are graduates of Beloit College, and one, the son of his present
wife, is a physician at Ottawa, 111. Rev. Mr. Bascom, though in his
eightieth year, is still able to meet the frequent calls made upon
him to supply temporarily vacant pulpits in his vicinity.

Rev. John Blatchford, D. D., was born May 24, 1796, at
Newlield (now Bridgeport), Conn. His father was the Rev. Sam-
uel Blatchford, a clergyman of note in his day, resident pastor in
Bridgeport, then pastor of the associated churches of Lansing-
burgh, Waterford and Troy. When John Blatchford was eight
years old his father moved to Lansingburgh, where he spent his

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

3°5

childhood. Great interest in his future was manifested by the Rev.
J. Romeyn, D. D., and through the liberality of William, who sup-
plied hini with $200 per year, his expenses at Cambridge Academy,
Washington Co., N. Y., were paid. He entered Union Col-
lege, at Schenectady, in 1817, and graduated therefrom in 1820.
In the fall of the latter year he entered Princeton College, and after
three years' study was licensed to preach by the Troy Presbytery.
Immediately after being licensed he accepted a call to the Pittstown

^_

Presbyterian Church, in Rensselaer County, N. Y., where he re-
mained until the spring of 1825. On the 20th of April of this
year he accepted a unanimous call to the church at Stillwater, Sar-
atoga Co., N. Y., where he remained until 1829, when he re-
ceived a call from the Congregational Church at Bridgeport, Conn.,
to which place he removed in 1S30. In this church he labored
successfully for six years, and at the close of this period on account
of the illness of his wife, he resigned his charge with a view to for-
eign travel. Instead of carrying out this plan, however, he turned
his steps westward, and spent the winter of 1S36-37 at Jackson-
ville, 111. In 1837 he received a call to the First Presbyterian
Church at Chicago, where he labored with great success, and satis-
faction to the church until 1S40, but his habitually intense applica-
tion to the duties of his ministry produced brain fever, from the
effects of which he never fully recovered. After retiring from the
pastorate of this Church, he returned to the East, with the view to
permanent residence there, and spent the winter of 1S40— 41, in
Wheeling, Va., where he was warmly solicited to remain. From
1841 to 1844 he was connected with Marion College, first as Pro-
fessor of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, and afterward as Pres-
ident of the institution. After the purchase of the college by the
Freemasons, he was requested to remain, but preferred to remove
to West Ely, where in impaired health he remained until 1847,
when he removed to Quincy. In his later years he was engaged in
the enterprise of establishing a Presbyterian theological seminarv
for the Northwest, and at the time of his death was President of
the organization for this purpose. His last discourse was preached
in St. Louis, about three months previous to his death, and about
two months before he was attacked by his last painful illness. He
died Sunday, April 8, 1S55.

The Second Presbyterian Church. — The pre-
liminary steps to the organization of this church were
taken May 5, 1842, on which date a meeting was held
to decide upon the question of organizing it, with Rev.
Robert W. Patterson as pastor. The organization was
effected on Wednesday, June 1, 1842, with twenty-six
members, and Mr. Patterson preached his first sermon
to the new Church June 5, 1842, in the third story of
the " City Saloon," which stood on the southeast corner
of Clark and Lake streets. Services were held part of
the time in the " Saloon," and part in the Unitarian
church until in September, on the 13th of which month
the society's new church building was dedicated, Mr.
Patterson preaching the dedicatory sermon. On the
next day Mr. Patterson was ordained. This church
stood on Randolph Street, near Dearborn. It was a
plain frame edifice and cost the society about $1,600,
the lot having cost from $600 to $800. The original
society consisted of twenty-six members as follows:
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
B. Carter, George W. Dole, Mrs. A. N. Fullerton, Mrs.
Sarah Gage, Mr. and Mrs. John High, Mr. and Mrs.
John W. Hooker, Captain and Mrs. Seth Johnson,
George \V. Merrill, Flavel Moseley, Mr. and Mrs. Ben-
jamin W. Raymond, Mr. and Mrs. Charles R. Stark-
weather, Mrs. Ann E. Webster, Sylvester Willard, M. D.,
Mr. and Mrs. John C. Williams, Mrs. John Wright,
John S. Wright, and Miss Frances S. Wright. The
Church was organized by a committee of the Presbytery
of Ottawa, consisting of Rev. Flavel Bascom and Rev.

George W. Elliott. On the same day Benjamin W.
Raymond, William H. Brown and Sylvester Willard
were chosen elders and Rev. Robert W. Patterson was
called to the pastorate. He remained with the Church
until 1873. The following extract from the pen of
Hon. William Bross is instructive and interesting,
showing the condition of the Church, and giving a de-
scription of Mr. Patterson in 1846:

" It was just after having taken his breakfast in Chicago,
when a tall young man, made apparently taller by a cloth cloak,
in which his gaunt figure seemed in danger of losing itself, and
whose reserved, modest manners, were the very reverse of what we
had had expected to find at the West, called on the clergy of our
party and invited one of them to preach and the rest of us to
attend services in the Second Presbyterian Church. That cloak
would now be well filled by its owner, the Rev. Dr. Patterson,
who has grown physically as well as .intellectually and morally,
with the growth of the city, to whose moral welfare, he has so
largely contributed. Of course we all went to what by courtesy,
as we thought, was called a church. It was a one-story, balloon,
shanty-like structure, that had been patched out at one end to meet
the wants of the increasing congregation. It stood on Randolph
Street, south side, a little east of Clark. It certainly gave no
promise of the antique but splendid church that before the fire
stood on the corner of Washington Street and Wabash Avenue, or
that still more elaborate and costly building, the Rev. Dr. Gibson's
church, at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Twentieth Street."

The "antique but splendid church that before the
fire stood on the corner of Washington Street and Wa-
bash Avenue," was dedicated January 24, 185 1. The
corner-stone was laid with imposing ceremonies in
1849. At this time some enthusiastic persons predicted
that the church would stand one thousand years, to
which it was replied by some one equally enthusiastic
as to the growth of the city of Chicago, that it would
be displaced by business within fifty years. In a trifle
over twenty years it was destroyed by the great fire.
At the time of its completion this church was the most
imposing and inviting church edifice in the city, but it
was thought to be too far out of town. It was soon
provided with a superior bell and a fine organ, and
when the whole enterprise was accomplished, the con-
gregation was left without any considerable debt. The
architectural designs were by John M. Van Osdel. The
building was seventy-three feet wide by one hundred
and thirty feet long. There were two entrances ; the
main entrance on Wabash, the other fronting the pub-
lic square on Michigan Avenue, at the east end of the
building. The first floor contained a session-room and
the second story a semi-circular lecture-room. The
south side of the building faced Washington Street. The
interior was lofty, the walls being fifty feet high. There
were galleries along the sides and a gallery for the choir
and organ facing the pulpit. A clock was erected in
the church. The cost of lots, edifice, bell, organ and
clock, was about $50,000, and of the edifice alone about
$40,000. The body of the church would accommodate
eighteen hundred persons, and was lighted by stained
glass windows. Immediately after the organization of
the society, a weekly prayer meeting was established,
which was for a long time attended by a number equal
to the entire membership of the church, and was evi-
dently largely tributary to its success. Communion
services were regularly held once in two months, and at
each communion, with only two exceptions, during the
first twenty-five years of the Church, accessions were
made to the membership. Generally these were the re-
sult of quiet influences, but there were several seasons
of special religious revival, when there were exception-
ally large additions to the roll. These revival seasons
were in the springs of 1847-50-52-55-58 and in 1864.
That of 1858 was of especial interest, there having been
large numbers, of converts both among the adults and

?o6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

children of the congregation. During the first twenty-
five years there were added to the Church nine hundred
and nine members, three hundred and thirty-nine of
whom were by profession of faith, and five hundred and
seventy by letter. Previous to 1858 the additions by
letter were considerably mure numerous than those by
profession. During the year 1842, in addition to the
twenty-six original members, seventeen others joined,
making a total membership for the first year of forty-
three. Up to 1S57, inclusive, there were only three
years in which this number was exceeded, viz.: 1843,
1850 and 1852, when there were added fifty-seven, forty-
six, and sixty-four respectively. In 1844, forty-three
joined the society. The smallest number added in any
one year was nineteen, in 1857. The total number
added from 1842 to 1857 inclusive was five hundred
and eighty-seven, and the average number added annu-
ally for the sixteen years was nearly thirty-seven. In
1S43. Dr. Willard removed from the city and on April
5 John C. Williams and Captain Seth Johnson were
elected elders. On the removal of Captain Johnson
from Chicago, Thomas B. Carter was chosen ; April,
1848. J. Ambrose Wight was elected, and in April,
1856, when Mr. Wight was ordained a minister of the
gospel, three additional elders were elected, Reuben D.
Jones, Elihu Baker and Devillo R. Holt, after which
there were no further changes in the session until 1862.
The Third Presbyterian Church. — This Church
was organized July 1, 1S47, with thirty-five members.
The first action was taken in February preceding,
when a meeting was held at the house of Lawrens Kent.
At this meeting Thomas Cook, a member of the First
Presbyterian Church, offered to the new organization a
lot on Desplaines Street, the proceeds of which when
sold should be devoted to this purpose, provided the
new church should be Presbyterian in polity. It was
suggested by Rev. J. B. Walker, as an additional reason
for the new Church being Presbyterian rather than Con-
gregational in character, that as the former it would be
more likely to receive assistance and sympathy from
other Presbyterian churches here. At a subsequent
meeting at which were present officers and leading
members of the First and Second Presbyterian churches,
a subscription paper was prepared of which the follow-
ing is a copy :

" The subscribers hereto agree to pay the sums affixed to their
respective names, for the purpose of building a Presbyterian church
on the West Side of the Chicago River, to be under the pastoral
charge of the Rev. J. B. Walker."

By the circulation of this paper and by donation,
$1,530 was raised, $896 of which was subscribed and
paid by members of other Presbyterian churches, $196
by those who afterward joined the First Congregational
Church; $124.50 by those who continued to be mem-
bers of the Third Presbyterian Church, and $313.35 by
members of other denominations and by persons not
members of any Church. Formal organization was
effected by a committee of the Ottawa Presbytery, con-
sisting of Rev. R. \V. Patterson, Rev. Flavel Bascom,
Rev. J. B. Walker, Rev. J. Wilcox, and Rev. Mr. Hen-
derson. There were thirty-five original members, among
whom were Philo Carpenter, Henry Smith, Lawrens
Kent, Gustavus W. Southworth, Henry McArthur, Mrs.
Ann Carpenter, Miss Augusta Kent, Mrs. Lawrens
Kent, Mrs. (,. W. Southworth, Dr. Eriel McArthur,
Mrs. Harriet McArthur, Mrs. Mehitable Graves, Mrs.
William Stow, Mrs. Sarah Saltonstall, Mrs. Sarah Aiken,
John Sheriffs, Mrs. Sarah Sheriffs, Mrs. James Curtiss,
Nathaniel Norton, Mrs. Sally Ann Norton, Nelson
Mason, Mrs. Desire E. Mason, and others. Philo Car-

penter, Henry Smith, Lawrens Kent, and Gustavus
W. Southworth were chosen Elders. A small frame
building standing on Union Street, between Washing-
ton and Randolph, together with the lot upon
which it stood, was purchased for the sum of
$1,322 47, and the house of worship dedicated on Sun-
day, July 4, 1847, Rev. J B. Walker preaching the dedi-
catory sermon. From this time until November, 1849,
Mr. Walker remained the regular supply of the Church,
but was never installed. In this month a call was ex-
tended to Rev. Lewis H. Loss, of Rockford, to become
the pastor of the Church. Mr. Loss preached his first
sermon on the second Sunday of November, 1849, and
was regularly installed by a committee of the Presby-
tery of Chicago, May 12, 1850. It was during his pas-
torate that the difficulties hereafter detailed with refer-
ence to the relations of the Church to the General As-
sembly arose and culminated, resulting in a division of
the Church, and in the dissolution by the Presbytery of
the pastoral relations between him and the Church
June 10, 185 1. Mr. Loss was succeeded by Rev. Ed-
win G. Moore, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Franklin,
Ohio, in the following October. Being regularly called
to settle as pastor on November 5, 1852, he was installed
on the 14th of the same month. On account of the
troubles arising out of former differences not having
subsided, Mr. Moore's pastorate was short. He re-
signed in the autumn of 1854, and in the spring of 1855
was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Ferris, of the Dutch Re-
formed Church, son of Chancellor Ferris, of New York,
who supplied the pulpit until the call of Rev. Asahel L.
Brooks to the pastorate. Mr. Brooks was installed
June 12, 1856, and remained until November 17,
1859, when his ministry was closed at his own re-
quest. Mr. Brooks was an active, earnest man, and
while the Church was under his charge, its member-
ship rapidly increased. A summary of the results of
his labors will be found in the second volume of this
History.

The first church building, already mentioned as
having^ been dedicated July 4, 1847, during its early
history stood in a cornfield. It served its purposes until
1858, when a new building was completed at the north-
west corner of Washington and Carpenter streets.
During the progress of the work on this edifice occurred
the panic of 1857, which well-nigh prevented its com-
pletion. Business failures were numerous. Many of
the principal members of the church found it impossible
to redeem their pecuniary pledges, and a meeting of
the trustees decided to discontinue the work ; but
through the efforts of Elder William Osborne this decis-
ion was reversed, and the building was completed in
1858. In order to carry the enterprise through, great
individual sacrifices were made. Sanford Johnson, not
then but afterward a member of the Church, mortgaged
his house for $2,000 to supply necessary means. Of
the church members five stood firm through all the
troubles, and bore the principal part of the financial
burden — William Osborne, Sylvester Lind, D. J. Lake,
Jacob Beidler and Nathaniel Norton. The church cost
$50,000. It was built of Athens stone. The walls
were rock-faced and the towers and trimmings of
dressed stone. The main tower, steeple and spire were
models of taste and symmetry. The audience-room
was spacious, admirably arranged and neatly and com-
fortably furnished. A fine organ was put into the
church and it had a superior choir.

Early in the year 1850, during the pastorate of Rev.
Lewis H. Loss, a division of sentiment manifested
itself among the members with reference to fellowship-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

3°7

ping with slaveholders, which finally led to a schism,
and to the organization of the First Congregational
Church. This movement, so far as it relates to the
ecclesiastical history of Chicago, was so peculiar to itself,
so entirely unique and important, that a detailed account
of it is required in order to set forth its true character.
For many years the New School Presbyterians, or at
least the Congregationalists scattered through the New
School Presbyterian churches of the North, had felt
dissatisfaction with the attitude of the Presbyterian
Church toward American slavery. They were desirous
that the Church should take strong ground against the
institution, and they were urgent for the General
Assembly, which met at Detroit in 1850, to give them
relief by emphatic denunciation of the system, and by
such action as should disfellowship all slaveholders and
slave-dealers. When the General Assembly met, how-
ever, its utterance on the subject was so equivocal as to
cause wide-spread disappointment. The majority of
the members of the Third Presbyterian Church of
Chicago keenly felt the inconsistency of the position of
that Church, arising out of its connection with the
General Assembly, and were anxious that it should
assume an attitude consistent with their convictions of
duty and truth. During the year 1850 this question
was uppermost in their minds. Numerous meetings
were held to discuss it. At one of these meetings, held
at the First Presbyterian Church for the purpose of
appointing delegates to a " Christian Anti-slavery Con-
vention," to be held in April, in Cincinnati, Philo Car-
penter was appointed delegate to the Cincinnati Con-
vention, and a series of five resolutions was passed, the
principal ones, for the purpose of this History, together
with the preamble, being as follows :

" Whereas, Having seen with deep solicitude and regret, a
disposition in some of the judicatories and boards of our churches,
to recede instead of advance, from the position taken by them in
years past; and that in order to carry forward the benevolent re-
forms in which God has called His people of this age to engage,
against the open and covert opposition which all efforts to expel
sin from the world and the Church, will meet vigilant, concerted
and prayerful effort is necessary — therefore,

4. "Resolved, That while we rejoice in the progress of free
principles in connection with civil institutions of our country, and
among the masses of the people, yet there is reason to fear that
slavery, driven from favor in the State, may find apology and peace
for its abominations in ecclesiastical judicatories and in the churches
of Christ ; and that in view of such indication every Christian
should maintain firmly the ground assumed in the past progress of
the anti-slavery reform, and continue to advance, trusting in Christ,
to the point where the demon of slavery shall be expelled from
confidence and communion in our churches.

5. "Resolved, That when the judicatories and boards of our
churches refuse to apply the laws of Christ's house to those who
hold their fellow-beings in bondage ; when their action recognizes
those as in good standing who voluntarily hold and treat men as
property ; when such organizations tend rather to prolong, than to
destroy the existence of slavery ; in such circumstances it is the
duty of those who support these organizations immediately to re-
form them, and if efforts to reform have proved hopeless, duty to
Christ, the Divine Reformer, requires that Christians should cease
to co-operate with those whose measures tend to sustain rather
than remove a system, the principles and practices of which are in
direct hostility to that Gospel which we are required to love and
propagate in the world."

The series of which these two resolutions formed a
part was moved by Samuel Brooks, and seconded by
Rev. Lewis H. Loss, pastor of the Church. At the
Cincinnati Convention, held in due time and attended
by Philo Carpenter as delegate from the Third Presby-
terian Church, the following resolution was passed :

" That the friends of pure Christianity ought to separate them-
selves from all slave-holding churches, and from all churches,
ecclesiastical bodies, and missionary organizations, that are not
fully devorced from the sin of slave-holding; and we who may still

be in connection with such bodies, pledge ourselves that we will,
by the aid of Divine grace, conform our action in accordance with
this resolution, and come out from among them, unless such bodies
shall speedily separate themselves from all support of, or fellowship
with slave-holding."

This resolution had considerable influence on the
members of the Church, whose sentiments were in
accord therewith. Throughout the remainder of the
year the question of the propriety of dissolving all
connection with the General Assembly was industriously
discussed. In July a meeting of the Session was called,
but a quorum not being present, no action was taken.
On August 12, a full meeting of the Session was held,
and the subject fully discussed, when it was found that
the pastor and three of the five elders regarded the
proposed action as unscriptural and unwise. This re-
sult caused great dissatisfaction to the remaining two
elders, and also to a majority of the Church members.
In November a call was signed by many of the min-
isters, among them Rev. L. H. Loss, and members of
the Presbyterian and Congregational churches, for a
convention to be held at Peoria, November 21, with the
view of uniting the New School Presbyterians and Or-
thodox Congregationalists into an organization for the
State of Illinois. The fourth article of this call was as
follows :

" 4. But above all it will deliver those of us who are Presby-
terians from our ecclesiastical connection with slave-holders, through
the General Assembly and enable us to withdraw Christian fellow-
ship from them without incurring the charge of violating eccle-
siastical constitution by so doing."

But nothing was done beyond the expression of
sentiment until about the 1st of December, when a
meeting called at his request was held at the pastor's
house. At this meeting the subject of the relations of
the Church to the General Assembly, and through that
to slave-holders, was introduced and the views requested
thereon of each member present. A large majority was
in favor of severing all connection with the General As-
sembly and of uniting with some ecclesiastical bodies
having no sympathy with slavery. To this bold and
extreme measure the pastor and a portion of the mem-
bers could not yield their assent. While not averse to
a united movement in northern Illinois for the estab-
lishment of an ecclesiastical convention distinct from the
General Assembly, provided such a convention could
be formed without producing discord and division, thev
could not conscienciously participate in a movement of
secession from the General Assembly, such movement
embracing only their own individual Church. This the
pastor characterized as an attempt to " rend the body
of Christ," and not a scriptural remedy for the evils
which all acknowledged to exist. Thus the two por-
tions of the Church were brought into open conflict.
This was the beginning of the schism, and the subject
was thus fairly introduced into the Church. A series of
meetings resulted for the further discussion of the ec-
clesiastical relations of the Church. A majority of the
members favoring and a minority opposing with-
drawal. At a meeting held February 3, 185 1, the fol-
lowing resolutions were passed:

1. "Resolved, That this Church holds, in the language of Script-
ure that, ' God hath made of one blood all the nations of the
earth.'

2. "Resolved, That chattel slavery is blasphemous toward God,
inhuman and cruel to our fellow-men, and that Christians are espe-
cially called on to discountenance it, and have no fellowship with
those who participate in its abominations.

3. "Resolved, That this Church are dissatisfied with the present
condition of our General Assembly on the subject of disciplining
those guilty of holding their fellow-men in bondage: That their last
acts at Detroit have been construed to represent black or white, as
suited the different sections of the Church.

3o8

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

4. "Resolved. That this Church, so long as this vacillating
policy is pursued, hereby declare their determination to stand aloof
from all meetings of Presbytery, Synod and Assembly, and thus as
they beliexe free and relieye themselves of all responsibility."

At the time these resolutions were adopted there
was a resident membership of sixty-eight. Seventeen,
about two-thirds of those present at the meeting, voted
for the resolutions, and afterward twenty-five other
members approved of them by subscribing their names
thereto. The minority of the Church now thought it
time to apply a constitutional remedy, if such existed.
Accordingly the day following a complaint to the Chi-
cago Presbyterv was circulated by the pastor and others,
among those members of the Church who had not been
present at the meeting of February 3d. The nature of
this complaint seems not to have been sufficiently ex-
plained, and so was signed by a considerable number
under a misapprehension of the end to be attained.
And although it was explained by the pastor when fur-
nishing a list of the names signed to the complaint, by
his saving; " I suppose the signers gave their names as
petitioners to Presbyterv only, and therefore we have no
right to use them in any other way," still the complaint
was used as such, and the Presbyterv met to consider
the difficulties therein set forth. The Presbytery was
composed as follows: R. W. Patterson, pastor of the
Second Presbyterian Church, moderator; H. L. Curtis,
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church; L. H. Loss,
pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church, J. Wilcox, W.
Y. Miller, Ira M. \\'eed, R. W. Downs, E. Clark, dele-
gate from First Presbyterian Church; B. W. Raymond,
delegate from Second Presbyterian Church; Philo Car-
penter, delegate from Third Presbyterian Church, and
Mr. Marsh, delegate from the Joliet Presbyterian
Church. After discussion and deliberation, the follow-
ing report was adopted:

" The Presbytery regard the action of the Church in introduc-
ing and acting upon matters not embraced in the call, as irregular,
inasmuch as such action conflicts with the established usages of all
organized bodies.

2. " Presbytery regards the fourth resolution of the series
complained of, as although not intended by all, at least, who voted
for it, to be an actual and absolute secession from the Presbyterian
Church, nevertheless necessarily involving such secession in its
actual working, and therefore subverting the constitutional rights of
those in the Church who dissented from said resolution and wished
to continue in their former connection, inasmuch as it prevents
their being represented in Presbytery or Synod, and withdraws
them from the supervision, advice and counsel, and, if need be,
judgment of said bodies, in case of difficulty or wrong done them
by their brethren. For these reasons the Presbytery are of the
opinion that said fourth resolution should be rescinded, and to this
end direct the Session to call a public meeting of the Church for
that purpose at their earliest convenience."

In obedience to this order of the Presbytery the
Church held a meeting on the 10th of March, to con-
sider the question of rescinding the resolution. A
motion to rescind was set aside by the adoption of a
resolution, offered by Philo Carpenter, " that the whole
subject be deferred until after the next meeting of the
General Assembly." This resolution was sustained by all
who voted for it on the ground that the General Assembly
would meet in a few weeks, and that, if at its next meet-
ing it should take action on this subject satisfactory to
them, they would then rescind the resolution, otherwise
they would let it stand and abide the consequences.
The minority regarded this action of the majority as
a direct refusal on their part to be governed by the con-
stitution of the Church and the requirements of the
Presbytery, whose injunction they were solemnly bound
as Presbyterians to obey. "SO long as it involved nothing
contrary to the word of God." But this was the very
point upon which the majority and minority differed,

the former firmly believing that to fellowship with slave-
holders and thus, even indirectly, to countenance the
great crime of slavery was " contrary to the word of
God," and they preferred to obey the word of God
rather than the Presbytery and the constitution of the
Presbyterian Church, when in their judgment there was
a plain conflict between the two.

A joint meeting of the Session and trustees was
then held, which appointed a committee to consult with
R. W. Patterson, Moderator of the Presbyter}', as to
the propriety of convening that body to consider the
pastoral relations of Rev. L. H. Loss to the Church,
and the difficulties arising therefrom. The request not
being properly signed, the meeing was not called. A
few days thereafter a meeting of the Presbytery was
called, to be held in the Third Presbyterian church,
"to investigate the difficulties in said Church, and to
take such order thereon as the interests of the Church
may seem to require ; also to consider the expediency
of dissolving the pastoral relations." At this meeting
the report of a committee, consisting of H. Curtis, W.
R. Downs and W. Y. Miller, appointed for the purpose
of drafting it, was adopted. After reciting the causes
which led to the difficulties, the report concluded as
follows :

" And whereas, at a meeting of the Church called in pursuance
of the above direction, a majority of those present did refuse to re-
verse their previous action, but, on the contrary, expressed their
determination to abide by such action unless certain definite and
prescribed action be adopted by the General Assembly. And
whereas, it is manifest that this Church cannot remain together
with edification to its members, or with advantage to the cause of
Christ ; therefore, in order to prevent further strife and reproach to
religion, it is desirable that an amicable division of the Church and
its property be effected. The committee would therefore recom-
mend the appointment of a committee to confer with members of
the church in order to effect such a division."

I. M. Weed, H. Curtis and B. W. Raymond were ap-
pointed the committee, and as such conferred with the
members of the Church. The question asked each was,
" Are you, under existing circumstances, in favor of a
division of this Church at this time ?" The majority of
the members were opposed to a division. The commit-
tee reported to the Presbytery, expressing therein their
opinion that there was no hope of effecting an amicable
division. The Presbytery thereupon feeling constrained
to afford relief to that portion of the Church which ad-
hered to them and to the constitution of the Church,
adopted the following resolutions:

"Whereas, Several members of this Church have passed a
resolution involving secession from the constitutional Presbyterian
Church of the United States; And whereas, such members have
neglected at the direction of the Presbytery to rescind said resolu-
tions', and whereas, all efforts to secure an amicable settlement of
the difficulties existing in said Church by a division mutually agreed
upon have failed, therefore

1. "Resolved, That those members of this Church who voted
for said resolution, did, thereby, and by subsequently neglecting to
rescind said resolution, disqualify themselves to act as members of
the Presbyterian Church, and can no longer be recognized as such,
while retaining their present position.

2. "Resolved, That the Session, consisting of the pastor and
those elders who did not vote for the resolution referred to, im-
mediately inform those who have thus separated themselves from
the Church, that if any of them still wish to walk in fellowship with
this Church under the constitution of the Presbyterian Church, that
wish shall be granted.

3. "Resolved, That all who do not express such wish within
two weeks, be regarded as adhering to their previous action, and
the Session be directed to strike their names from the roll of the
Church."

By reference to the first of these three resolutions it
may be seen that it was only those who voted for the
obnoxious fourth resolution of February 3 whose names
were to be stricken from the Church roll, so that onlv a

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

3°9

minority of the members were thus summarily excom-
municated. Those who subscribed to it were given
certificates of "good and regular standing," and letters
of dismissal to enable them to join any Church of their
choice. The reason for making this distinction was that
the Presbytery, when directing the names of the voters
for the resolution to be stricken from the rolls, had be-
fore them in the Church records full official evidence of
what they had done, but not of the act of those who
privately signed the resolutions.

In this connection it is proper to introduce the fol-
lowing paragraph from a history of the difficulties pub-
lished in 1852, by the Third Presbyterian Church:

" The Presbytery were fully aware that this mode of dropping
the names of secedersis not provided for in the constitution. Con-
stitutions never provide for revolutions. But they followed a mul-
titude of precedents which have been furnished in similar cases
elsewhere. And the Session of the Church, in dropping the names
of those who voted for the resolution in favor of secession only
completed the unpleasant work which had been forced upon the
Presbytery and upon them by the disorderly and disorganizing pro-
cedure of their brethren."

Thus was the schism consummated, and the Third
Presbyterian Church left in an enfeebled condition and
with a clouded prospect for the future. The names of
the members remaining faithful to the constitution and
discipline of their Church were the following: Gustavus
W. Southworth, Mrs. Susan Southworth, Mrs. Mehitable
Graves, Lawrens Kent, Mrs. Lawrens Kent, Miss Au-
gusta Kent, Dr. Eriel McArthur, Mrs. Harriet McArthur,
Miss Caroline McArthur, Miss Rhoda McArthur, Na-
thaniel Norton, Mrs. Sally Ann Norton, Nelson Mason,
Mrs. Desire E. Mason, R. W. Downs, Mrs. Lydia E.
Downs, Mrs. Henry Witbeck, Mrs. William Stow, Mrs.
Sarah Aiken, Gilderoy McArthur, Miss Sarah McArthur.
There were five others, whose names cannot now be
ascertained.

The Westminster Presbyterian Church. —
Some time during the year 1853, certain members of
the First, and Second Presbyterian churches thought
that the necessities of Chicago required the organiza-
tion of a New-School Presbyterian Church on the North
Side, and in view of such proposed organization a few
of the parties interested united and purchased a lot on
Ohio Street, between Dearborn and State, fronting
south, and eighty feet in width. Overtures were made
looking toward the securing of the services of a min-
ister to inaugurate the enterprise, but nothing took def-
inite shape until in 1855, when the Rev. Ansel D. Eddy,
D. D., of Newark, N. J., being in Chicago on a visit to
a daughter, looked over the field, conversed with mem-
bers of other churches, and with the pastors, and it
was decided to organize. Accordingly a meeting was
held at the house of B. W. Thomas, 206 Illinois Street,
in July of that year, and there the necessary steps were
taken. The two first elders elected were Colonel
Henry Smith, from the Second Presbyterian Church,
and W. W. Evarts, who had recently come to the city.
Subsequently, but during the same year, Horace F.
Waite was chosen Elder. The original members were
Colonel Henry Smith, Mrs. Henry Smith, Miss Phebe
Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Evarts, Miss Sophia Evarts,
afterward Mrs. Rev. S. E. Wishard, Mr. and Mrs. B. W.
Thomas, Mrs. Mary E. Wilcox, Edward P. Wilcox, Mr.
and Mrs. George Gee, Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Smith, Mrs.
Nancy Pitkin, Miss Louisa R. Pitkin, Mrs. Andrew J.
Brown, and a few others. Among the first who joined the
church after its organization were Mr. and Mrs. Horace
F. Waite. The Session of the Church was constituted of
the three elders already named, to which were subse-
quently added Henry W. King, J. McGregor Adams,

Dr. F. Crumbaugh and Oliver H. Lee. Under the
ministry of Mr. Eddy the Church made gratifying pro-
gress as regards additions to its membership, both by
letter and by profession, and there united with the
church some who are now well known as Presbyterians
in the city : Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. King, Mr. and
Mrs. Benjamin G. Page, Mr. and Mrs. William Sprin-
ger, all from the Second Presbyterian Church. At first
meetings were held in the lecture-room of Rush Med-
ical College, which arrangement continued until about
1858. Some time during 1856, the lot that had been
purchased on Ohio Street was exchanged for what is
now known as the old Westminster lot, having one
hundred and ten feet front on Dearborn Street,
and one hundred and twenty-five feet depth on On-
tario. A contract was entered into for the erection
of a very large and expensive house of worship, the
foundations of which were laid ; but the panic of 1857
intervened, the subscriptions that had been procured,
and which were only partially sufficient to carry the en-
terprise forward to completion, were found to be una-
vailable, and it was deemed inexpedient to attempt to
proceeed with the erection of so expensive an edifice.
The foundations already up some feet were sold, and a
small frame building was erected on the south side of
the lot, capable of accommodating about two hundred
and fifty persons. Rev. Mr. Eddy continued the pastor
about three years, when he resigned, and the Church
was without a pastor for a considerable time. But
religious services were generally held on Sunday and
always on Wednesday evening. The Sunday school
was continued during the vacancy in the pulpit, which
was, however, occasionally occupied by strangers vis-
iting the city until October 14, 1858. At that time Rev.
William H. Spencer came to this Church from the Pres-
bytery of Rock Island, and continued to supply the
pulpit until his death, February 17, 1861. During the
period of his services as pastor the Church was converted
into a parsonage, and a frame building erected on the cor-
ner of the lot on Dearborn and Ontario streets, under the
mechanical direction of Asher Carter. Although this
was an inexpensive building, it was a model for conve-
nience and comfort. After the death of Mr. Spencer,
the Church was again without a pastor until December
13, 1861, when Rev. E. A. Pierce, having a short time
previously come to Chicago as a licentiate from the
seminary, was ordained and installed. Mr. Pierce
remained until December 22, 1865, when he received a
call from Calvary Church, Chicago, and resigned his
pastorate over Westminster. Under his charge the
Church was blessed spiritually and materially. The
Church was now for the third time without a pastor
until in the spring of 1866, when Rev. David Swing was
called. The call was accepted, and Mr. Swing was in-
stalled pastor September 27, 1867, continuing as such
until February 6, 1871, when the relation was dissolved
as one of the steps preparatory to a union of the North
Presbyterian Church with this Church, the union
being effected on the date last above mentioned, and
the new Church named the Fourth Presbyterian Church
of Chicago. During Rev. David Swing's ministry the
Westminster edifice was again enlarged. Upon the
union of the two churches, the united Church was called
the Fourth, taking the number four which Westminster
would have taken had it been numbered when organ-
ized instead of being called Westminster. Upon the
union of the two churches, the united Church moved to
the North Presbyterian building, corner of Cass and
Indiana streets, in which it continued to worship until
the building was destroyed by the great fire. Westmin-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ster stood until that time unoccupied, when it was also
destroyed. A Sunday school was organized soon after
the founding of the Church, but it is difficult to ascertain
who performed the duties of superintendent previous to
[858 Probably it was W W. Evans. Henry W.King
was elected superintendent in 1858, and under his direc-
tion, which terminated in 1S62, upon his removal to
Pennsylvania, the school was very successful. He was
succeeded by Oliver H. Lee. who remained until the
organization of the Fourth Presbyterian Church.

The North Presbyterian Church. O. S. — In
the month of May. 184S, the initiatory steps were taken
toward the organization of this society. The first serv-
ices were held Sunday, May 28, in the hall of Rush
Medical College, in accordance with the following
notice published in the newspapers of Saturday, May 27 :

"Divine service according to the usage of the Presbyterian
Church may be expected to-morrow and every Lord's Day until
further notice at to1, o'clock A. M., and 2 ', o'clock P. M., in the
hall of the Medical College, Dearborn Street. Preaching by the
Rev. R. H. Richardson."

Religious services were continued in the college
building until in the fall of the same year, when their
first house of worship was erected. The Church was
organized Sunday, August 6, 1848, with twenty-six
members, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. O. M. Dor-
man. Mr. and Mrs. Clark Runyon, Mrs. Lucy Fitch
Williams, Miss Lucy Maria Williams, Mrs. C. S. Wads-
worth. Mrs. Jonas Clark, Mrs. Mindwell W. Gibbs, Miss
Doggett, Mrs. Dr. Blaney, Derastus Harper, Mrs. R. J.
Hamilton, Cyrus H. McCormick and others. During
the fall of 1848, a neat edifice, in the Gothic style of
architecture, was erected at the corner of North Clark
and Michigan streets, at a cost of $2,000. It was a
small frame structure, with a "pepper-box" steeple, and
was sold in 1852, when there was erected a similar but
somewhat larger building, at the southwest corner of
Illinois and Wolcott (State streets, fronting north.
This edifice cost originally about $3,000; was after-
ward enlarged, and finally sold at the time of the com-
pletion of the large new brick church at the corner of
Indiana and Cass streets, which was dedicated about
February 21, 1861. The main tower of the latter build-
ing was twenty-four feet square at the base, one hun-
dred and four feet high, and was surmounted by an
octagonal spire ninety feet high. The turret on the
opposite corner was sixteen feet square and one hun-
dred feet high. The building was seventy-one feet wide
by ninety feet long, fifty-two feet high in the center and
thirty-eight feet at the sides. The main audience-room
would seat one thousand and one hundred persons.
The lecture-room in the basement was forty-two by
sixty feet, and there were in the basement in addition
class-rooms, pastor's study, ladies' parlor, etc. The
style of architecture of this church was the Romanesque,
and it was furnished with an excellent organ.

Rev. R. H. Richardson was ordained and installed
pastor of this Church November 19,1848, by the Pres-
bytery of Peoria. He remained until April 11, 1856,

&fi£L<

and was succeeded by Rev. K. A. Brown, who was
ordained and installed December 14, 1856. Mr. Brown
resigned July 2t, 1857, after which there was no regular
pastor until the installation of Rev. Nathan 1.. Rice, I).
D., October 20, 185s.

NATHAN I,. Rice, D.L).,\vas born near Bardstown, Ky.. and
won a national reputation in his famous debate upon " Baptism,"
at Lexington, Ky. , with Rev. Alexander Campbell. Dr. Rice was
soon afterward called to the Central Presbyterian Church, Cincin-
nati, Ohio, where he remained several years, when he succeeded
the eminent Dr. Potts at the First Presbyterian Church, St. Louis,
Mo. In 1S5S, on account of his great ability, and at the advice of
Cyrus H. McCormick, he was induced to come to Chicago and
accept the pastorate of the Xorth Presbyterian Church, to the majori-
ty of the members of which he was acceptable. The Rev. Dr.
Rice remained with this Church until 1S61, in April of which year
he resigned in consequence of a call to the pastorate of a Presbyte-
rian Church in New York City, left vacant by the death of Dr.
Alexander.

The Rev. Dr. Gurley, of Washington, I). C, was
then called, but did not respond, and the Church was
without pastoral direction until November, 1862, when
Rev. J. B. Stewart was called and immediately entered
upon his labors. He remained pastor-elect for nearly
two years but was never installed. He was succeeded
in November, 1864, by Rev. David X. Junkin, D. D.,
who was installed on the 13th of the month. The pas-
toral relations between Rev. Mr. Junkin and the
Church were dissolved May 1, 1866. Rev. D. S. Mar-
quis was then called, July 18, 1866, and shortly after-
ward installed. Mr. Marquis remained with the Church
until November 22, 1870, when he resigned, being the
last pastor of the North Presbyterian Church. In Feb-
ruary, 187 1, in accordance with wishes of members of
this Church and the Westminster Church, the Presby-
tery of Chicago consented to a union, and named the
united Church the successor of these two churches, the
Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago.

During the progress of the Civil War, differences of
opinion developed among the members as to the atti-
tude the North Church should maintain with reference
to slavery, and various other questions relating to the
conduct of the war. Harmony having departed, it was
thought advisable by a large portion of the members to
withdraw and to organize a new Church in which there
would be greater unanimity of opinion with regard to
the political issues of the times. These differences cul-
minated in the early winter of 1864-65, and led to the
organization of the Central Presbyterian Church, the
members of which were more radically in sympathy
with the United States Government in the early sup-
pression of the rebellion against its authority, leaving
in the North Presbyterian Church those members who
were more conservative in their views. The Sunday
school in connection with the North Presbyterian
Church was usually very largely attended. One of its
first superintendents was Charles A. Spring, a brother
of Rev. Gardner Spring, D.D., of New York. He was
succeeded, in 1854, by John Woodbridge, who was su-
perintendent continuously for ten years, and during this
time the average attendance of scholars was one hun-
dred and fifty. The library connected with this school
was exclusively religious.

The South Presbyterian Church. — Movements
preliminary to the organization of this Church were
made by certain members of the North Presbyterian
Church and others in November, 1854. On the 12th of
that month a petition, signed by A. 15. Newkirk, Mrs. L.
M. Newkirk, Cyrus H. McCormick, L. J. McCormick,
Mary A. McCormick and others, was presented to the
Session of the Xorth Presbyterian Church, setting forth
that in view of the position which Chicago held to the
Presbyterian Church of the whole country ami especially
of the West ; in view of the condition of the various
quarters of the city and especially of the southern sec-
tion, and of various other facts, it was deemed advisa-
ble by the petitioners that an Old School Presbyterian

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

Church be organized on the South Side, and asking that
they be permitted and assisted to organize such a
Church. After considering this petition the moderator
and Elder Howe were appointed a committee to draft a
minute expressive of the view of the Session, and re-
port at the next meeting. The report submitted
November 24 contained a series of three resolutions
favoring the measure, which were adopted, the third
resolution being as follows :

" That as a Session and as individuals, it will afford us much
pleasure to give to the new enterprise our best influence and effort,
as far as may be practicable and expedient."

The Presbytery of Chicago, pursuant to a call of the
moderator, Rev. R. H. Richardson, met December 19,
1854, and upon receiving the request of certain persons
to be organized into a Church, with their letters of dis-
mission from the North Presbyterian Church, resolved
that the request be granted, and that said Church be
called the " South Presbyterian Church of Chicago, 111."
This request was signed by the following persons, who
thus became the original members: Cyrus H. McCor-
mick, Leander J. McCormick, Adamson B. Newkirk,
Charles A. Spring, Sr., John Forsythe, John Stephens,
Thomas H. Beebe, Mrs. Catherine Beebe, Mrs. Mary A.
McCormick, Mrs. L. N. Newkirk, Mrs. Anna M. Gibbs,
Mrs. Ellen M. Spring, Mrs. Sarah C. Stephens, Mrs.
Frances E. Dickson. Charles A. Spring and Thomas
H. Beebe, who had been members of the Session of the
North Presbyterian Church, were elected elders of the
new Church. Soon after its organization, the Church
made its Session, with Cyrus H. McCormick a committee
of correspondence and supply, with a view to procuring
a pastor. After long and patient effort, the committee
was directed to Rev. R. W. Henry, of the Associate Re-
formed Church, at Belle Brook, Ohio, who having
expressed his willingness to become pastor, was regularly
installed October 16, 1855.

On March 11, 1856, the following persons were
received into the Church: William S. McCormick, from
the North Presbyterian Church; Mrs. Henrietta M.
McCormick, from the Methodist Episcopal Church,
Lexington, Va.; Mrs. Annie T. Forsythe, from the First
Presbyterian Church, Springfield, 111.; William E. Myers,
from First Presbyterian Church, Georgetown, D. C;
Mrs. Mary Emma Henry, from the A. R. Presbyterian
Church, Sugar Creek, Ohio; Alexander and Mrs.
Isabella Bain, from the Free Church of Scotland, Ros-
lin, Scotland; Philander W. Stubbins, from the Bowling-
green Presbyterian Church, Ky.; and on profession of
faith, George H. Spring. At this time, Thomas H.
Beebe presented a form of confession of faith and
covenant, for use in reception of members, which was
afterwards adopted at a meeting held Saturday, March
17,1856. Previous to the completion of the church edifice
on the lot at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Con-
gress Street, religious services were held in Metropolitan
Hall. The Rev. R. W. Henry remained pastor until
April 2, i860, when he resigned to accept a call from
the Scotch Dr. McElroy's Presbyterian Church of New
York City. During his pastorate, the Church increased
rapidly in membership, especially during the earlier
and later portions. Among those who became mem-
bers in March, 1856, was John H. Doane, superintend-
ent of the Illinois Central Railroad. He was
elected elder May 14, 1856, and was killed by the cars
within the year. The numbers of those who joined un-
der Mr. Henry's pastorate were as follows : In 1854,
the original members, fourteen; in 1856, fifty-one; in
1857. thirty-three ; in 1858, twenty-nine; in 1859, six-
teen, and in 1S60, previous to the resignation of Mr.

Henry, twenty-five. The limited number which joined
in 1858 and 1859 is in part to be accounted for by an
unfortunate misunderstanding of certain of the mem-
bers and of the pastor, with reference to the attitude of
Cyrus H. McCormick toward the Church, regarding
the property, ownership of which was divided between
him and the Church. At the time of the organization
of the Church Mr. McCormick purchased a lot at the
southwest corner of Wabash Avenue and Congress
Street, eighty feet on W abash Avenue and one hun-
dred and seventy-five feet on Congress, the purchase-
price being $18,000, and the payments to be made one-
fourth cash down, the balance in three equal annual in-
stallments. Mr. McCormick made the first payment,
and agreed to pay the first installment at maturity, with
the understanding that the society should pay the third
and fourth installments ; and, having done so, to have
from Mr. McCormick, who at the time of purchase be-
came responsible for the whole amount unpaid, a deed
to the lot. A similar understanding was had also be-
tween Mr. McCormick and the society with reference
to the building to be erected on this lot. The under-
standing with respect to the building was substantially
carried out, the society erecting it, paying nearly one-
half the cost of construction, and thus becoming owner
of it. The edifice as first constructed was a one-story
frame fronting on Wabash Avenue, and capable of seat-
ing about four hundred people. Connected with it to-
ward the west was a small one-story frame, occupied by
the pastor as a study. Still further to the west was the
parsonage. The congregation continued to assemble
here until March, 1859, when the building was removed
to the southwest corner of Jackson Street and Edina
Place, now Third Avenue. This removal, seen in the
light of subsequent facts, was not wise, but it was made
in consequence of a misunderstanding. Rev. Nathan
L. Rice, one of the oldest and ablest Old School Pres-
byterian divines in the West, was called to the North
Presbyterian Church early in 1858, and was installed
pastor October 20, of that year. Dr. Rice was a pro-
slavery man, in so far as denying that the relation be-
tween master and slave is necessarily sinful, constituted
him such. Rev. R. W. Henry was an abolitionist,
which fact was well known to the South Church
when they called him to the pastorate. But neither
Dr. Rice nor Mr. Henry preached politics in the
pulpit. So that the question as to what were the senti-
ments of these gentlemen with reference to the slavery
question, should not have been permitted to modify the
conclusions of church members regarding the relations
of the two churches or of the two ministers. But when
certain members of the South Church suggested that
Dr. Rice and Mr. Henry should alternate in occupying
the pulpits of the respective churches, with the view of
building up Old School Presbyterianism in Chicago,
feeling as they did that the New School Presbyterians
were exercising an undue influence in the city, and when
Dr. Rice signified his readiness to exchange pulpits with
Mr. Henry on the plan suggested, certain other mem-
bers of Mr. Henry's Church thought they discovered in
this willingness of Dr. Rice, a design on the part of the
former to "set a trap for the latter and thus on account
of his anti-slavery sentiments, accomplish his discharge
by and from his Church." This view of the case looked
very plausible to him, for which reason he declined the
courtesy of the exchange, and it was not made. The
North and South Presbyterian churches were thus made
to assume toward each other an attitude of quasi an-
tagonism, which was unjust to both. It was much easier
to introduce trouble into the Church than to expel it,

312

HISTORY OF CHICAGO

when once in, and it was also easy for difficulty to drive
out members and to prevent new members from joining
the Church. Depleted in its membership, it was impos-
sible for the society to make the third and fourth pay-
ments on the lot on which their edifice was standing ;
and as the making of these two payments was the con-
dition upon which Mr. McCormick had agreed to give a
deed to the lot, the society was not entitled to and did
not receive the deed. Mr. McCormick made the pay-
ments, retained and still retains the ownership of the
lot. Many of the members losing sight of, or never
having learned of, the existence of this condition,
accused Mr. McCormick of violating his agreement
with respect to the deed, and excited themselves to such
a degree that they refused longer to worship on Mr.
McCormick's property. This feeling was entertained
by a majority of the members, and in consequence they
purchased a lot at the southwest corner of Jackson
Street and Edina Place, to which, in August or Septem-
ber, they moved their building, converted it into a two-
storv edifice by erecting under it a basement story, and
which, when completed ready for occupancy in March,
1S59, was worth, with the lot on which it stood, from
§12,000 to §14,000. This new edifice was dedicated
March 13, the sermon being preached in the morning
by Rev. R. W. Henrv. and in the afternoon bv Rev. Dr.
L. H. Long.

At the beginning of the difficulties in the Church
over the slavery question, and partly on account of these
difficulties, Cyrus H. McCormick, Leander J. McCor-
mick, William S. McCormick, Mrs. M. A. McCormick,
Mrs. H. M. McCormick, and others whose resi-
dences were near the North Presbyterian Church,
to which Rev. X. L. Rice had lately been called,
were dismissed by letter to unite therewith. This
was on November 5, 1857, and partly on account
of the calling of Dr. Rice. The retirement of Cyrus H.
McCormick, its wealthiest member, was a misfortune to
the society, as he had up to that time paid §3,000 a year
towards its support. The withdrawal of this generous
aid was a great discouragement also, both to the re-
maining members and to those who might desire to be-
come members. As a result of these difficulties the
church never became able to pay its half of the purchase
price for the Congress-street lot. In 1858 considerable
numbers left the South Church, some to unite with the
North Presbyterian Church, some to join the Second,
and still others to go to other churches. Among those
to unite with the North Church were the two elders of
the South Church, Charles A. Spring, Sr., and Thomas
H. Beebe. At a meeting held February 11, 1858,
John Wilson and William G. Holmes were elected to
fill the vacancies, and were ordained on Sunday, -the
14th. On the 6th of October, 1858, Elder Wilson was
granted a certificate of dismissal, and on June 13, 1859,
John G. Law was elected to his place. The society was
now finally at peace, and worshiping in a building of its
own. standing on a lot for which had been given new
obligations. During the balance of the year its pro-
gress though steady, was not rapid. In the beginning
of i860 a more lively interest was worked up, twenty-
five members joining during the first three months. The
total number of communicants in April, i860, was one
hundred and nineteen. Rev. R. \Y. Henrv having re-
ceived a call from the Scotch Presbyterian Church of
New York City, resigned his pastorate April 2 to accept
the call, and was dismissed with gratitude for his self-
denying labors while here, and with the best wishes of
the congregation to his new and more arduous field of

duty. At this time there were one hundred children in
the Sunday school and Bible class.

The Reformed Presbyterian Church was organ-
ized on Tuesday, September 23, 1845, with nine mem-
bers, as follows: Solomon McKichen, Mrs. Margaret
McKichen, Malcolm McNeil, James Lowe, Miss Agnes
Lowe, Robert Miller, George Murray, William Devore,
and Samuel James. This was the result of efforts which
originated during the preceding spring, when Rev. John
Morrison, who was located in the vicinity of Chicago,
preached a number of sermons in this city, at which
time there was neither Church nor members. The fol-
lowing extract from a brief manuscript history of this
Church, by the Rev. A. M. Stewart, its first pastor, de-
tails its early history, as likewise some of his personal
experience:

" At a meeting of General Synod, in Philadelphia, Penn., May,
1S45, the place (Chicago) was represented as a very important one,
and worthy, if possible, of being at once occupied. In accordance
with this, the Synod appointed myself — then a licentiate — to come
and spend a number of months in Chicago and vicinity, to see
what were the prospects, and what with proper effort, might be
reasonablv effected. In fulfillment of this appointment, I arrived
by way of the lakes in Chicago, Saturday, July 12, 1845, an entire
stranger, knew no one and had an introduction to no one. Preached
in the afternoon of next day, in Mr. Henderson's Seminary, to an
audience of seven persons. Since which time, with occasional in-
terruption, have been here till the present (September, 1847)."

The organization took place at the house of Solo-
mon McKichen, at which time Mr. McKichen and
Robert Miller were elected and ordained elders. On
Sunday, November 30, 1845, the first communion was
dispensed, Rev. John Morrison officiating, at which
time twelve persons united, as follows: Robert Malcolm,
Harvey Botwell, Mrs. Mary Botwell, Elizabeth Hender-
son, David Hood, Mrs. Maria Hood, Mrs. James Lowe,
Mrs. Flora McNeil, Mrs. Agnes Miller, Mrs. Samuel
James, Mrs. Janet Miller, and Miss Barbara Allison.
About the beginning of 1846, as the expiration of Rev.
A. M. Stewart's appointment drew near, the infant con-
gregation, fearing that they would be left entirely with-
out a pastor, or would at best have to depend on occa-
sional supplies, and as a consequence soon be dispersed,
extended a unanimous call to Rev. A. M. Stewart, to
become their settled pastor, and promised him an annual
salary of three hundred dollars; expressing the hope,
however, that the salary might soon be increased. Ow-
ing to the inability of Mr. Stewart to be present at the
spring meeting of the Western Presbytery, which had
been requested by the Church to moderate the call, the
proposition lay for a time in the hands of the Presby-
tery. On the 6th of June; the third communion was
held, Mr. Morrison again officiating, at which time
John McGilvary, Mrs. Isabella McGilvary, John
McMonagle, Mrs. Sarah McMonagle, Jane Noble,
Barbara Club and Anna Burnett joined the Church.
During the early period of its existence the society
occupied a hall at the northwest corner of Clark and
Randolph streets, but as the congregation increased in
size, it became necessary to find a more capacious room.
Accordingly arrangements were made with Mr. Hender-
son, whereby the Church worshiped in his Female
Seminary Building at the corner of Clark and Madison
streets. Here they remained until the fall of 1846,
when they removed to the third story of the " City
Saloon," at the corner of Clark and Lake streets. In
the fall of 1847 they re-rented the Seminary building,
occupying it until December 23, 1849, when they dedi-
cated their new church edifice, just completed, at the
corner of Clinton and Fulton streets. This house was
a very neat and beautiful Gothic frame building, sixty-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

3i3

two by thirty-six feet in size, and quite elegantly finished.
The cost of the building was about $1,600, on which
there was a debt of but $200. A portion of the money
expended in the erection of this church had been raised
by Rev. A. M. Stewart in the summer and early fall of
1846, during a tour made for that purpose through the
Eastern and Middle States, with the result of collecting
about $800. He returned by way of Xenia, Ohio, for
the purpose of attending a meeting of the Synod, and
while at Xenia the Western Presbytery held a meeting
and presented to him the call of his Chicago Church,
which he then accepted. But he was not ordained until
May 13, 1847, the ordination taking place in the
" Saloon Building." The first communion under the
new relation of pastor and people was dispensed August
15, 1847, Rev. Josiah Huntington, of Pennsylvania,
assisting. On this occasion twenty persons united with
the congregation. The next communion was held May
21, 1848, when Mr. Stewart was assisted by Rev. James
K. Campbell, missionary from Northern India. At
this communion twelve new names were added to the
Church-roll. In 1849, thirteen persons were received
into membership; in 1850, forty-four; in 1 851, forty-
two ; in 1852, sixteen; in 1853, forty-four; in 1854,
twenty-seven ; and in 1855, the last year of Rev. A. M.
Stewart's ministry, twenty, making a total number added
to the Church during that time of two hundred and
sixty-six. The first building erected by this Church
was burned down in the year 1859, in common with a
large amount of lumber, and quite a number of other
buildings, at the time of the National Fair, the fire
originating from a spark from the pipe or cigar of a
visitor to the city, and causing a loss of about $500,000.
The Society immediately inaugurated the enterprise
of erecting a brick church on the site of the one
destroyed, which in six months was so far advanced
toward completion as to be occupied for religious
services, and which, when completed, cost about
$15,000. This was a two-story building, with a room
in the basement for Sunday school, and a number of
ante-rooms, and in the upper story an audience-room
capable of comfortably seating six hundred people. It
was surmounted with a tower containing a bell. In 1869,
on account of the encroachments of railroads and
various kinds of business, this church was sold for $13,-
000, the furniture being reserved, and a new frame edi-
fice erected at the corner of Fulton and May streets, at
a cost of about $12,000, including land. This building
was occupied by the Church until the time of its disor-
ganization in 1875, when it was leased ; but on account
of a mortgage on the property in favor of Moses Shirra
it now is a part of his estate. The Rev. A. M. Stewart
retired from the pastorate of this Church in September,
1855, and for two years there was no regular pastor.
During this interval Dr. Guthrie supplied the pulpit
three months, when a call was accepted and almost im-
mediately afterward his acceptance was withdrawn. Dr.
Black then supplied the pulpit some months, and in
July, 1857, a call was extended to Robert Patterson, D.
D., of Cincinnati, Ohio, which was accepted, and he
began his labors in August of the same year. In
March, 1864, he received a call from George H. Stew-
art, of Philadelphia, to labor in the U. S. Christian
Commission, and moved to Philadelphia to engage in
that work. His resignation tendered to his Church
was not accepted, leave of absence for one year only be-
ing granted, and he returned in May, 1865. During
his absence the pulpit had been supplied six months by
Rev. John McCorkel, who had just resigned his charge
in Elgin, and by Dr. Van Doren. Dr. Patterson then

continued in the pastorate until the latter part of De-
cember, 1866, when with a large majority of his congre-
gation, he left the Reformed Church, and early in Jan-
uary, 1867, united with the Old-School Presbyterian de-
nomination. The secession left the Reformed Church
comparatively weak in numbers and in money, but free
from debt. For some months afterward the Church
enjoyed the ministerial services of Dr. Van Doren, and
while erecting their new church at the corner of May
and Fulton streets extended a call to the Rev. G. M.
Ramsey, who accepted the call January 27, 1869, and
remained until 1873, when he resigned. No subsequent
attempt was made to fill the pulpit, and the congrega-
tion gradually distributed themselves among other
churches, until at length the Reformed Presbyterian
Church ceased to exist. The first elders were Solomon
McKichen and Robert Miller. On August 14, 1847,
William Kennedy, who had arrived with his family from
Alabama, was installed in that office. On the 17th of
February, 1848, Isaac Fleming was elected elder, and
ordained March 6. Mr. Fleming died of the cholera
August 28, 1850. On the 9th of December, 1849,
John Clark, a ruling elder from the United Secession
Church of Scotland, was installed elder here. In the
spring of 1S50, the Session was enlarged by the addi-
tion of George Clark and Thomas Floyd. A Sunday
school was organized October 5, 1845, Rev. A. M.
Stewart taking the superintendency until some other
person could be procured. John McGilvary afterward
became superintendent, and upon his removal from the
city in about a year, Robert Miller became superin-
tendent. Mr. Miller was succeeded by William Ken-
nedy, who was superintendent in 1849.

Rev. Alexander Morrison Stewart, D.D., was born
January 22, 1814, in Beaver (now Lawrence) County, Pa., at the
homestead which his grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary
War, had founded in 1796, in the then new country of western
Pennsylvania, going thence from Carlisle, Pa. His father, James
Stewart, was a Captain in the war of 1812, and his mother was
Miss Nancy Morrison, of Carlisle, Pa. At the age of eight years
his school life began under the care of Master Elliott, and contin-
ued later under that of Master Sterett, well known instructors in
that region, and all of his boyhood was spent on his father's farm,
surrounded by the loving influence of a Christian home. When
at the age of eighteen he felt himself converted and joined the
Old-School Presbyterian Church at Slippery Rock, Pa., then under
the pastorate of Rev. Robert Semple. During the following year
he decided to prepare himself for the ministry, and in the fall of

1S33 commenced ms studies at Schellsburg Academy, Bradford Co. ,
Pa., where his older brother, Rev. Ethan Allan Stewart, had charge
of the Academy. From there he entered Franklin College at New
Athens, Ohio, and after graduating, studied theology under the
Pittsburgh Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and
was licensed to preach in December, 1841. In the spring and
summer of 1S42 he preached throughout the various precincts of
the Pittsburgh Presbytery, and in the fall received a call to settle as
pastor in Centerville, Shenango Co., Pa., which he declined. In
the spring of 1S43 he preached in Cincinnati, and afterward tilled
appointments under the Philadelphia and Northern Presbytery, in
Philadelphia, New York and Vermont, and in the fall declined a
call from Milton, Pa. He was sent out in November, 1843, by the
Presbytery, and preached in various stations throughout Ohio,
Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama, also in New Orleans, St. Louis
and Chicago. Returning to Philadelphia, he attended divinity lec-
tures under Rev. S. B. Wyle in the winter of 1S44-45, and also med-
ical lectures at Jefferson College. In April, 1S45 he want to Cale-
donia County, Vt., and thence to western Pennsylvania, where he
preached until the fall when he came to Chicago and organized the

3 M

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

congregation of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church in the
Serainan- building on Clark Street, south of Madison, where he
also taught a school in the languages during the winter of 1S45-46.
He remained in Chicago until 1 S5 5, when his health was so broken
as to compel him to seek a different climate, and after a two years,
rest in Sewickley. Pa., he accepted a call to the Second Reformed
Presbvterian Church of Pittsburgh, Pa., of which he was pastor
at the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion. Many young
men of Pittsburgh, including a considerable proportion of his own
congregation, promptly volunteered to defend their country, and
Rev. A. M. Stewart as promptly proposed, in a letter to Brigadier-
General I. S. Negley. dated April 19, 1861, to accompany the
volunteers to the field, " to comfort the sick and wounded, and to
console the dying," and if necessary to handle the rifle or sword.
In a week he was with the Thirteenth Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers in York, Pa., enlisted for a three months' campaign.
Rev. Mr. Stewart remained with his regiment, which when re-or-
ganized became the One Hundred and Second, until near the close
of the war. In July, 1S64, he was assigned to duty as local chap-
lain at Gilsboro, D. C, and afterward became district secretary of
the American Tract Society at Washington, D. C. In March,
1866, he accepted the pastorate of the united congregations of
East Whiteland and Reesville (N. S.), Chester Co., Pa., where
he remained until the spring of 1S6S, when he was solicited by the
Board of Home Missions to become its secretary for the Pacific
slope. Here he organized new churches and preached in
Nevada and California during 1S68. In 1S69 he returned
to resign his pastorate, and then resumed his secretaryship
on the Pacific slope, the duties of which he performed until the
re-union of the Old and New School Presbyterian assemblies.
Preferring pastoral duties to those of the secretaryship, he accepted
a call to the Gilroy Presbyterian Church, Santa Clara Valley, Cal.,
with which he remained until 1S74, when he resigned with the in-
tention of making a tour around the world, but upon receiving
urgent calls to work in new fields at home, his sense of duty being
strong and sensitive, he interpreted such as the call of his Master
to put aside the pleasure of travel for a time and work yet longer
in His vineyard. Thinking so, he accepted the call of the First
Presbyterian Church at Chico, Butte Co., Cal., in June, 1S74,
of which he was pastor at the time of his death, February 24, 1875.
I >r. Stewart was married in October, 1847, to Miss N. E. Hadley,
daughter of Moses Hadley, by whom he had two children, George
Hadley Stewart, of San Francisco, Cal., and Mary E. Stewart,
now the wife of George B. Wilson, of Delano, Cal. Mrs. N. E.
Stewart died December 9, i860. Dr. Stewart was married the sec-
ond time, February 25, 1S64, to Miss Josephine A. Malcom,
daughter of Robert Malcom, a prominent citizen of Chicago, who
died during the night of the great fire. In person Dr. Stewart was
tall and of distinguished presence, and his character one of mild-
ness and tenderness, associated with great firmness and strength.
He never entered into disputations, and won his hearers as much
by his charm of manner as by the exercise of his superior abilities.
Rev. Robert Patterson, D.D., was born in the north of
Ireland, and was of Scotch-Irish parentage. He came to the
United States while comparatively young, settled in Philadelphia,
and engaged in mercantile pursuits. Soon, however, he abandoned
business for the ministry. After due study and preparation he was
licensed to preach by the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and be-
gan his labors by becoming a missionary in the then Western
States. Soon he accepted a call to the pastorate of a Reformed
Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained sev-
eral years, until he removed to Chicago in 1857, and assumed
charge of the First Reformed Presbyterian Church on Fulton Street
in that city. The Church had been without a pastor two years, and
was struggling with adverse circumstances. But Mr. Patterson was
in the vigor of his young manhood, and entered upon the work of
building up the ( hurch with all the ardor and earnestness of an ag-
gressive and bold nature. His efforts were rewarded by his
Church becoming crowded with an earnest and united congrega-
tion. In 1859 the church edifice was destroyed by fire, but soon,
through his active efforts, a larger and more commodious building-
was erected. At the outbreak of the slaveholder's rebellion many
of the members of Mr. Patterson's Church enlisted in the Union army
and in 1863 and 1864, during the country's darkest days, 1 Ir.
on called a meeting of his Church, explained to its members
the neci ifferings of the soldiers in the field, and ten-

dered his resignation, that he might himself go to the front. The
Church promptly voted him leave of absence lor our year, or during
the war, and under the direction of the Christian Commission he
visited many a camp hospital and battlefield. 'This commission, rec-
ognizing his wonderful earnestness and power as a public speaker,
detailed him on special duty in California and Oregon, especially
in the mining region- of the Pacific coast, to raise funds to carry
on the work of ministering to the physical and spiritual necessities
of the sick ai. oldiers, Going by way of tin- Isth-

mus he contracted malaria, which, together with the excitement
and overwork attendant on his mission, impaired his health and for
a time prostrated him. After the close of the war he returned to
Chicago, and was heartily welcomed by his congregation; but soon
both Church and pastor, feeling the influences of the war in the
disintegration of religious as well as of political creeds, and ming-
ling with other Christian denominations, became dissatisfied with
the restraints of the rules of the Reformed Presbyterian Church,
especially in the matter of hymn singing and close communion;
and as liberty in these particulars could not be secured in the Re-
formed Church, Dr. Patterson and a large majority of his congre-
gation decided to unite with the Old School Presbyterian denomina-
tion. In order to do so honorably they renounced all legal claim
to the church property, which was entirely unincumbered, and
permitted it to be retained by a small minority of the Church, who
were content to remain under the rules of the Reformed Church.
This withdrawal was the origin of the Jefferson Park Church. Dr.
Patterson is a man of fine physical appearance, and has few supe-
riors on the platform and in the pulpit, and in his magnetic power
over an audience. His preaching is entirely extemporaneous, and
is evidently under the inspiration of the thought that he has been
divinely commissioned to proclaim the gospel to dying men. He-
is accredited by his admirers with a Pauline fervency in his denun-
ciations of sins, shams and hypocrisy, and yet with the possession
of the tenderness of the Apostle John. During the fall and win-
ter after the great fire, he was one of the leading spirits in the
prosecution of the gigantic work of providing for the thousands
thrown upon the charity of the world by that dire calamity, and
his devotedness to the work and the exposure consequent thereon,
made rapid inroads upon his health, and in the succeeding spring
he was obliged to seek abroad a restoration of health. A short
vacation was not, however, sufficient, and fearing to risk the rigors
of another Northern winter, he felt compelled to sever his connec-
tion with Chicago and with the Church, between which and whom
there existed such sincere regard, and to adopt California as his
future home. In San Francisco he is now the pastor of a large
and flourishing congregation.

Olivet Presbyterian Church. — At a meeting of
the Young Men's Christian Association, connected with
the Second Presbyterian Church, held February 11,
1856, Rev. J. Ambrose Wight was elected by them ta
serve as city missionary under their auspices. Mr.
Wight was also to have in view the formation and es
tablishment of a Presbyterian Church in some destitute
portion of the city. He at once entered upon his mis-
sionary labors, and in addition thereto preached ot
Sunday mornings in the building known as the Taylot
Street Sunday-school house, standing on Taylor street,
between Edina Place and Buffalo Street. The first serv-
ice was held Sunday, February 16, 1856, twenty per-
sons being present, nineteen of whom belonged to th(_
Second Presbyterian Church. From this time until the?
organization of the Church was effected, about six mem-
bers of the Second Presbyterian Church were regularly
in attendance each Sunday morning, the rest of the
congregation varying considerably in numbers and be-
longing to the floating population of the city. The
purchase of a lot was considered by Mr. Wight a neces-
sary preliminary to the organization of a society, and to
accomplish this end he spent considerable time in can-
vassing for subscriptions ; but the project met with sc
little encouragement that it was abandoned. It was
then thought best to build upon a rented lot. Mr. Wight
had several estimates made of the cost of the erection
of such a home ; but before anything had been done in
this direction, the church hitherto occupitd by the
Universalists, and standing on Washington Street, was
offered for sale, and after examining trie structure it
was thought proper to purchase this house. According-
ly, in September of the same year u was bought foi
$2,750, including the church furniture and a small reed
organ, and moved to a lot on the west side of Wabash
Avenue, about one hundred feet north of Twelfth Street,
owned by and rented of Dr. Jonn H. Foster, for five
years, at an annual rental of $160. Trustees were now
elected in the persons of S. I). Ward, F. D.Gray and S. B,

PROTESTANT DENOMINATION'S.

3'5

Williams. Sunday, November 23, Mr. Wight preached
his first sermon in the renovated house, which had then
cost $3,800, all of which sum was paid except $400.
This gratifying result was due to the persistence and
energy of Mr. Wight.

Pursuant to notice given some time previously, a
meeting was held on November 27, by those interested
in the movement and designing to unite with the pros-
pective Church, to consider the feasibility of forming
the proposed organization then or in the near future.
An adjourned meeting was held on the 7th of Decem-
ber, 1856, on which day the Church was organized by
Rev. R. W. Patterson, with the following exercises :
Scriptural readings and sermon by Rev. Mr. Wight,
from Isaiah, xxxii, 9 ; dedicatory prayer, by Rev. E. F.
Dickinson ; organization of the Church, by Rev. R. W.
Patterson, and address to the Church, by Rev. Harvey
Curtis. The original members were Mr. and Mrs.
Stephen B. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim H.
Dennison, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ely, Mr. and Mrs. E.
L. Pomeroy, Mrs. Caroline E. Wight, R. H. How, E.
A. Burbank, and Bradford T. Averill. These were all
from the Second Presbyterian Church. The first reg-
ular prayer-meeting was held Wednesday, December 10,
after which a business meeting was held, at which S. B.
Williams was elected elder and Edward Ely deacon,
both of whom were ordained on the 29th. On the 12th
of the month a call was extended to Rev. J. Ambrose
Wight to become pastor, at a salary of $1,300 per year.
Mr. Wight remained with this Church until July 31,
1863, when he insisted upon the acceptance of his res-
ignation, which had been tendered six months previ-
ously. On the 7th of August a meeting of the Church
was held, and the resignation reluctantly accepted.
Rev. A. Eddy was called September 30, 1863, at a sal-
ary of $2,000 per annum, payable quarterly in advance.
The call was accepted, and Mr. Eddy preached his first
sermon in December. He remained until September
2, 1866, when he resigned. He was succeeded by Rev.
Nelson Millard, of Mont Clair, who was unanimously
invited to supply the pulpit for six months from Janu-
ary 28, 1867, at a salary of $4,000 per annum, payable
quarterly. On September 9, he was invited to become
settled pastor, at the same salary, payable in the same
manner. Mr. Millard resigned in December, 1868. In
October, 1869, he was succeeded by Rev. G. P. Nichols,
who remained until November, 1870, and was the last
pastor of the Church.

On the 2d of December, 1857, two ruling elders
and one deacon were elected, the former being E. L.
Pomeroy and S. B. Williams, the latter Edward Ely.
Mr. Pomeroy was ordained January 13, 1858. On the
2d of November, 1859, the Session was enlarged again
by the election of N. S. Bouton as ruling elder, and at
the same time Ephriam H. Dennison was elected deacon.
Mr. Bouton was ordained November 13; Bradford T.
Averill was elected elder November 16, 1859, and or-
dained December 18. George F. Ruggles and W. B.
Topliff were elected elders April 29, 1864, and ordained
May 1. January 5, 1866, Dr. Frederick Crumbaugh
and O. S. Avery were elected elders, and George F.
Ruggles, permanent elder. On the 18th of November,
1869, three ruling elders were elected — Erastus Foote,
Ephraim H. Dennison and Edward Ely. Stephen B.
Williams was elected clerk of Session at the time of the
organization of the Church, and served until 1864. N.
S. Bouton was elected clerk, January 22, 1864, and
served until the union of this Church with '>e Second
Presbyterian. During the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Eddy,
a lot seventy-five by one hundred and eighty feet at the

corner of Wabash Avenue and Fourteenth Street was
purchased at $100 per foot. Upon this lot was erected
a two-story brick church, without galleries, at a cost of
about $85,000. An organ was added at a cost of about
$5,000. The church building which had been bought
of the Universalists was sold for business purposes, was
moved to Wabash Avenue and Sixteenth Street, and is
now used as a store and market house. At the time of
the union with the Second Presbyterian, the new brick
church was sold to the Wabash Avenue M. E. Church.
The Sunday school was organized in January, 1857, with
eighteen pupils. The membership and attendance
increased with the prosperity of the Church. The
school at one time had about four hundred scholars.
The superintendents of the school were: S. B. Williams,
from 1857 to i860; William Tomlinson from 1 860 to 1 861;
and N. S. Bouton, from 1861 to the time of the union of
the two churches, except during 1864, when Gilbert L.
Granger served a portion of the year.

The First Baptist Church was organized Oc-
tober 19, 1833, with nineteen members, by Rev. Allen
B. Freeman. With the exception of Mrs. Rebecca
Heald, wife of Captain Nathan Heald, and Rev. Isaac
McCoy, Dr. John T. Temple was the first Baptist to
arrive in Chicago. Dr. Temple, with his wife and four
children, reached Chicago about the 4th of July, 1833.
For some time after his arrival, he and his family at-
tended the Presbyterian services in Fort Dearborn, but
having, through correspondence with the American Bap-
tist Home Mission Society, secured the appointment of a
missionary for Chicago, and thinking best that the two
denominations should at the first begin with separate
churches, started a subscription for a building, heading
it with one hundred dollars. In a few weeks the build-
ing was erected near the corner of Franklin and South

u/^^J{^.

'/2^1^~

Water streets. It was a two-story frame structure, the
upper story for school, the lower for religious purposes,
and cost about nine hundred dollars. With the excep-
tion of Rev. Jesse Walker's log house at the Point, this
was the first house built for religious worship in Chicago.
It was designated as the "Temple Building," and was
used by the Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists alike
until the Presbyterian church was read}- for occupancy.
When Rev. Allen B. Freeman, with his wife, arrived on
the 16th of August, he found the church building ready
for use. On the first Sunday after his arrival he preached
to the Rev. Jeremiah Porter's congregation, in that
minister's absence, at Blackstone's Grove, twenty-eight
miles south of Chicago, and from this time until Mr.
Freeman's death these two ministers preached once each
month to congregations in some distant village ; on such
occasions the two congregations uniting to hear the one
remaining at home, until the Presbyterian church was
dedicated January 4, 1834. At the time of the organ-
ization of the Baptist Church, October 19, 1833, there
were about twenty-five Baptists in Chicago, fourteen of
whom were present at the church and gave intheirnames
as follows : Rev. Allen B. Freeman and Hannah C,
his wife ; S. T. Jackson, Martin D. Harmon, Peter
Moore, Nathaniel Carpenter, John K. Sargents, Peter
Warden, Willard Jones, Ebenezer and Betsey Crane,
Susannah Rice, Samantha Harmon and Lucinda fack-

3l6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

son. One of the other five members was Samuel S.
Lathrop.

Rev. Mr. Freeman was a graduate of Hamilton
Theological Seminary. During his brief pastorate he
was an earnest and efficient laborer, organizing besides
the Church in Chicago, four others in as many neighbor-
ing districts. It was in returning from one of these

<

TEMPLE BUILDING.

services at Long Grove, fifty miles south of Chicago,
early in December, 1834, where he had preached and
administered the rite of baptism, that his horse was
taken sick eighteen miles from home. For two nights
and one day Mr. Freeman watched with the suffering
animal, when it diedj and he made the rest of the way
home on foot. Overcome by exposure and exertion, he
was himself taken sick of typhoid fever and in ten days
thereafter, on December 15, 1834, died. Rev. Jeremiah
Porter preached the funeral sermon in the Presbyterian
church, and was assisted in the services by Rev. Isaac
W. Hallam, of the Episcopal Church; Rev. John Mitch-
ell, of the Methodist, and Rev. J. E. Ambrose, of one of
the country Baptist churches organized by Mr. Free-
man. The Chicago Tribune of a not very remote date,
contained a communication mentioning — " a little burial
ground near the North Branch on the West Side. * * *
That little burial ground, as I remember, was about
where Indiana Street crosses the river. The little in-
closure was a prominent object, on the otherwise unoc-
cupied and open prairie, up to 1840 or later. An
inscription on one head-stone, or rather head-board, as
I well remember it, was that of the Rev. A. B. Freeman,
who was the first Baptist minister of Chicago." A picket
fence was built around this grave by Samuel S. Lathrop.

At the time of his death the membership of the
Church had increased to forty; but by a year from that
time, by death and by removals toother churches.it was
reduced to twenty.

During the year 1855, Rev. Isaac T. Hinton became
the successor of Rev. A. B. Freeman. Mr. Hinton was
by birth an Englishman, but came to Chicago from
Richmond, Va. He was a very able and highly
erteemed preacher, and a very warm-hearted and genial
man. Under his ministrations the membership of the
Church and the attendance upon religious services con-
siderably increased, so much so that they began to need

a larger building. Rev. Mr. Hinton was sent East to
solicit aid for the erection of a suitable house of wor-
ship, and returned with the small sum of $846.48. This
disappointment nerved the members to active effort for
themselves, and soon the foundations of a new house
were laid, and much of the woodwork prepared; but on
account of the financial crisis of 1837, the building was
never completed. Instead, a frame building, which was
being used as a temporary workshop, was converted into
a church, and with occasional enlargements, served the
purposes of the congregation until 1844, during which
year a larger edifice was erected. It was a brick build-
ing and stood at the southeast corner of Washington

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.

and LaSalle streets, where the Chamber of Commerce
afterward stood. It was fifty-five by eighty feet in size;
there was a basement eight feet high, divided into two
rooms, for lecture and school purposes; it had an Ionic
portico of six columns; the apex of the spire was one
hundred and twelve feet from the ground; in the spire
were a bell and clock, the clock having five dials, one on
each side of the spire, and one inside the church; the
total cost of this church edifice was $4,500.

Rev. Isaac T. Hinton remained with the Church until
1842. He was a remarkable man in many ways; ex-
ceedingly happy in disposition, of a genial temper, an
excellent pastor, and an able preacher. Large congre-
gations attended his services. His great forte was
preaching on prophecy. In the year 1836, he delivered
a series of Sunday-evening sermons in the Presbyterian
church, on this great subject. The church although
the largest in Chicago, was usually filled to its utmost
capacity; everybody was desirous of hearing "Hinton
on Prophecy." He taught that the then present order
of things would come to an end in 1873, but did not live
to see the non-fulfillment of his interpretation of the
prophecies. The following extract is from a lecture de-
livered by Hon. John Wentworth, May 7, 1876:

" At the close of service one day, Parson Hinton said lie
thought Chicago people ought to know more about the Devil than

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

5*7

SECOND EDIFICE ERECTED BY THE FIRST BAPTIST SOCIETY.
(From the City Hall Tower, looking Southwest.)

3i*

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

they did. Therefore he would take up his history in four lectures;
tirst, he would give the origin of the Devil; second, state what the
Devil had done ; third, state what the Devil is now doing ; and
fourth, prescribe how to destroy the Devil. These lectures were
the sensation for the next four weeks. The house could not con-
tain the mass that flocked to hear him; and it is a wonder to me
that those four lectures have not been preserved. Chicago news-
paper enterprise had not then reached here. The third evening
was one never to be forgotten in this city; if one of our most emi-
nent clergymen, with the effective manner of preaching that Mr.
Hinton had. should undertake to tell us what the Devil is doing in
our city to-day. The drift of his discourse was to prove that
everybody had a Devil; that the Devil was in every store, and in
every bank, and he did not even except the Church. He had the
Devil down outside and up the middle of every dance; in the
ladies' curls and the gentlemen's whiskers. In fact, before he fin-
ished he proved conclusively that there were just as many devils in
every pew as there were persons in it; and if it were in this our
day. there would not have been swine enough in the stock yards to
cast them into. When the people came out of church they would
ask each other. 'What is your devil? And they would stop
one another in the streets during the week, and ask, ' What
does Parson Hinton say your Devil is?' The fourth lecture con-
tained his prescription for destroying the Devil. I remember his
closing : ' Pray en, brethren and friends ; pray ever. Fight as
well as pray. Pray and fight until the Devil is dead !

" The world, the flesh, the devil,
Will prove a fatal snare.
Unless we do resist him.
By faith and humble prayer.' "

And quoting from another portion of the same lec-
ture:

" He was a man who never seemed so happy as when immersing
converted sinners in our frozen river or lake. It was said of his
converts that no one of them was ever known to be a backslider.
* * * Immersions were no uncommon thing in those days. * * *
But recently our Baptist friends have made up their minds that our
lake has enough to do to carry all the sewerage of the city, without
washing off the sins of the people. It is also claimed for Mr.
Hinton that no couple he married was ever divorced. He was just
as careful in marrying as he was in baptizing ; he wanted nobody
to fall from grace."

But notwithstanding Rev. Mr. Hinton's ability and
the high estimation placed upon his services, his Church
was unable to pay him a salary sufficient to support his
large family, not even when he aided them by his own
efforts in teaching. So he accepted a call to St. Louis,
and preached his farewell sermon in Chicago Septem-
ber 26, 1841. The successive pastors of the Church
subsequent to Rev. Isaac T. Hinton, have been the fol-
lowing : Revs. C. B. Smith, 1842-43; E. H. Hamlin,
1843-45- Miles Sanford, 1845-47- Luther Stone, 1847-
48; Elisha Tucker, D. I), 1848-51; John C. Bur-
roughs, D. I)., January, 1853-56; W. (1. Howard, D. D.,
1856-59. During the vacancy in the pulpit caused by
the resignation of Rev. C. B. Smith, thirty-two of the
members withdrew and formed the Second, or Taber-
nacle, Baptist Church. This was in 1843. Of the Rev.
Elisha Tucker who was pastor from 1848 to 185 1,
George S. Phillips, in his book, " Chicago and her
Churches," published in 1868, by E. B. Myers and
Chandler, said ;

"The next pastor was a man of great mental and moral
endowments, who, as Byron said of Henry Kirke White, adorned
even the sacred functions he was called upon to assume.* * A man
of great energy and ceaseless devotion to the work of the ministry,
he won many souls to Christ and the love of all good hearts to him-
self. He was a handsome, well-formed man, with a large and
lofty forehead, an eye full of sunshine and his whole face beaming
with heavenly radiations. The Baptists had never before asso-
ciated with their Church a man of such strong personal attractions,
eminent talents, and unobstrusive learning and piety. His eloquence
in the pulpit was the theme of every tongue, while his social bear-
ing and conduct were in the highest degree refined and conciliatory.
He wa> not destined, however, to a long course of usefulness in this
new and wide field of labor. He worked faithfully and success-
fully for two and a half years, when In- was seized with paralysis,
and cut off in the prime of his iife, and the glory of his days. 1 lur-
ing his connection with the Church as many had been added to the
membership as in the eighteen years of her previous history."

On October 20, 1852, the church building caught
fire from sparks falling from the tobacco-pipe of a work-
man, who with others was engaged in re-shingling it, and
it was totally destroyed. The next day a meeting was
held, and a committee appointed to build a new church.
The corner-stone was laid July 4, 1853, and the build-
ing was dedicated November 12, of the same year. The
cost of this building was $30,000. It was also during
Rev. Mr. Burroughs's pastorate that the Wabash Avenue
Baptist Church was organized, mainly by members of
this Church. Dr. W. G. Howard, formerly of the
Second Baptist Church of Rochester, was chosen pastor
in May, 1856. In the following September Union Park
Baptist Church was organized, and in November the
North Baptist Church, mainly from members of the
First Baptist Church. Dr. Howard resigned his pas-
torate in 1859, and removed to New Orleans, having
added two hundred and twenty new members to the
Church.

Rev. Isaac Taylor Hinton was born at Oxford, England,
July 4, 1799. His father was the Rev. James Hinton, of Oxford,
a Baptist minister. Isaac T. Hinton was apprenticed to the print-
ing business and served at this trade the regular term of seven

years, paying for the privilege one hundred pounds. He then
started a publishing house at Warwick Square, London, where he
also resided. While in this business he wrote, in conjunction with
his brother, Rev. John Howard Hinton, of London, a history of
the United States, which was published by a Boston firm. He
failed in 1831 and came to America in 1832, landing in Philadel-
phia in June. During his residence in England he preached
occasionally but was not pastor there of any Church, nor in the
United States until after moving from Philadelphia to Richmond,
Va. , which event occurred in September, 1S33. At Richmond he
was pastor of the First Baptist Church, having a membership of
fourteen hundred. He remained in Richmond something over
two years when he removed to Chicago, where he became pastor
of the First Baptist Church, as the successor of the Rev. Allen B.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

319

Freeman. During his pastorate, which is quite fully treated of in
the history of that Church, he was appointed by the General Con-
vention of the Baptists of the United States to write a history of
Baptism, which he wrote and took to Philadelphia to be published.
This was the first book written in Chicago. From Chicago he
moved to St. Louis in 1S43, where he had charge of the Baptist
Church between three and four years. From St. Louis he removed
to New Orleans, in which city he had charge of the only Baptist
Church in the city until his death which occurred August 28, 1847,
of yellow fever. He was urged by his friends to leave the city,
but preferred to share the danger with his Church. No other
member of the family died. Mr. Hinton was married in 1822, to
Sarah Mursell, of Leamington, England. They had a large fam-
ily of children, those now living being the following : Sarah, who
at the age of sixty and a widow, recently married a Mr. Condon of
San Francisco, where she now resides; Isaac T. Hinton, of New
Orleans, who furnished these items for this History; Victoria,
married and living near Liberty, Mississippi; William Mursell
Hinton, a printer, in San Francisco; Fanny, a widow, and Albert,
both of whom are living in New Orleans.

The Tabernacle Baptist Church was organized
August 14, 1843, by members dismissed for that pur-
pose from the First Baptist Church. The causes which
culminated in this organization were somewhat remote.
As early as 1839, while the Rev. Isaac T. Hinton was
pastor of the First Baptist Church, a union prayer meet-
ing was established, composed of Baptists, Presbyterians
and Methodists. Meetings were held in various places,
and among those prayed for were the slaves in the
Southern States. Some of the pro-slavery members
considered these prayer meetings abolition meetings in
disguise, and opposed all recognition of them in the
Church. On one occasion, besides the regular Sunday
notices, Rev. Mr. Hinton read one that a prayer meet-
iug for the oppressed would be held at a certain place.
It was afterward discovered that the notice, as written
and handed to Mr. Hinton, read, " A prayer meeting
for the slaves" etc. A resolution was adopted by the
Church at a subsequent meeting that " Notices of politi-
cal meetings should not be read from the pulpit, under
any name or guise whatever." The adoption of this

resolution created a great sensation in the Church, and
caused a sharp division of its members into a pro-slav-
ery and anti-slavery party. The latter had a majority
of the members, the former the most of this world's
goods. At the next business meeting the question of
the reconsideration of this resolution came up, but be-
fore final action was taken, a protest previously pre-
pared was presented by the pro-slavery party in opposi-
tion to the reconsideration, and letters of dismissal were
demanded for the purpose of forming a new Church.
The motion to reconsider was thereupon withdrawn,
and a compromise effected, Mr. Hinton agreeing not
again to present the slavery question in the pulpit.
This compromise was not long satisfactory to the aboli-
tion members of the Church. Their consciences could
not be silenced, nor their sympathies for the slave sup-
pressed. Neither were they pleased with the delivery
by Dr. L. D. Boone of a series of lectures to prove that
slavery was in accordance with the Scriptures, nor were
the pro-slavery members satisfied with the anti-slavery
utterances of the Rev. C. B. Smith, who succeeded Mr.
Hinton in this pulpit in September, 1842. Mr. Smith
was never installed pastor. Finding that a strong mi-
nority of the members were opposed to him, he gave
notice that he could not accept the call extended to him,
but that at the end of his official year, during which he

had agreed to supply the pulpit, he should leave the
city. A Church meeting was called to make choice of a
pastor, at which Mr Smith received a majority of the
votes cast and was declared elected. When officially
informed of this action, he promptly declined the call
and advised union and consolidation. Another meeting
was held the next week for the same purpose, and he
was again elected by a still larger majority. Being
present, Mr. Smith again declined, and stated positively
that under no circumstances would he accept the pas-
torate of the Church. A portion of those present at the
meeting left the church, but when less than a block
away they received word that those remaining had re-
organized and were voting for a pastor. All within
hearing returned and voted with those who had re-
mained. The result was that Mr. Hamlin received
forty-two votes and Mr. Smith forty. Mr. Hamlin
was declared duly elected. It was therefore determined
by the friends of Mr. Smith to withdraw and form a new
Church. The Tabernacle Baptist Church was organized
with thirty-four members who, at a regular meeting of
the First Baptist Church, held August 8, 1843, and who
were, at their own request, dismissed from the said
Church for the purpose, organized the second Baptist
Church in the city. These members were John L.
Slayton, James Knox, S. H. Knox, S. Dodson, Joseph
Hogan, W. H. Sadler, John Flynn, Reuben Tuttle,
Vincent H. Freeman, James Launder, William David,
William Lawrence, Benjamin Briggs, Edwin Clark, J.
M. Hannah, T. B. Bridges, John A. Field, Maria
Slayton, Elizabeth Williams, Frances Miles, Roxana
Spaulding, Maria Tuttle, Mary David, C. Gould,
Catherine Woodbury, Eliza Launder, Betsey Ann
Briggs, Sarah L. Freeman, Jane Mcintosh, Amelia A.
Clark and Charlotte Mizener. The dismission of these
members was approved August 10, and on the 13th
letters were granted to the following persons for the
same purpose: Samuel T. Jackson, Ezra Jackson,
Darius H. Paul, John Bell, Lucinda Jackson, Abigail
Jackson, Ann Jackson, Grace Flint, Hepsy Ann Flint,
Susan Eliza Flint, Mary Merriam, Sarah Reid, Mary S.
Merriam, Mrs. Stoughton, Louisa M. Durant, Boletta
Hanson, Ann Dorothy Hanson, Crecy Woodbury,
Fanny Holden, Sarah Crocker, Elizabeth Johnson,
Mary Ann Porter, Jeannette Burgess, Margaret Bur-
gess, Ann Shapley, Emily Bridges and Elizabeth Slo-
cum. On Monday, the 14th of August, at a meeting
held in the First Baptist Church, the following resolu-
tion was adopted:

" That in view of the state of this community, and the grow-
ing importance of this location and the rapid increase of its popu-
lation, we fully believe that the time has come when a second
Baptist Church should be organized."

The Church was thereupon organized on that day
by adopting articles of faith and covenant. Immedi-
ately afterward rules and regulations were also adopted.
The following officers were also chosen on the same
day: Trustees, Samuel Jackson, Vincent H. Freeman,
B. Briggs, H. G. Wells, and William David; clerk, pro

tern., Charles B. Smith. A building committee was
chosen, consisting of Samuel Jackson, Vincent H.
Freeman and Benjamin Briggs, with Charles B. Smith
as general agent. A special meeting was held on Wednes-

;-o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

day the 16th. at Samuel Jackson'* house, at which
the name. " Tabernacle Baptist Church." was adopted.
On the 20th of August. 1843, there were received by
letter: Charles Charleston, Christian R. Oliver, Ange-
lina Waggoner and Ellen S. Mizener. H. G. Wells
was received by baptism, and on the 24th of August
Mr. Wells was chosen clerk of the Church. On the
;ist of August the following persons were elected dea-
- Vincent H. Freeman. Benjamin Briggs, Samuel

TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Jackson and Benjamin F. Hays, and at the same meet-
ing Rev. Charles B. Smith was unanimously elected
pastor of the Church. Measures were taken by the
building committee, immediately after its appointment,
looking to the erection of a house of worship. A lot
- - .ected on the west side of LaSalle Street, between
Randolph and Washington, where now 1883 stands
the Merchants" National Bank, upon which was built
a plain frame edifice, forty by seventy-two feet in size,
at a cost of $2,200.

( >n Tuesday, October 3, 1843, a council of ministers
and delegates from the churches of the Northern Illi-
nois Association, convened in this place in response to
an invitation of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, for the
purpose of recognizing and fellowshiping it as a regu-
larly constituted branch of the Baptist denomination.
The services were held in the evening, and consisted of
an admirable discourse upon the " Union of the
Church," by Rev. Thomas Powell ; the extension of the
hand of fellowship by Elder Blake, and an address to
the Church by Rev. A. J. Joslyn. The building was
dedicated October 13, within eight weeks of the com-
mencement of work upon it, Rev. Charles B. Smith
preaching the dedicatory sermon. On the 18th of

r, C. X. Holden was received to membership; on
the 26th he was appointed treasurer, and on the same
day was chosen clerk, to succeed H. G. Wells, resigned.
I I!. Smith, having given notice in March, 1.S44,
of his intention to do so. resigned his pastorate on the
6th of April. During the interim between Mr. Smith's

.'ion and the procuring of a second regular pas-
tor in August following, the pulpit was occupied the
greater portion of the time by Rev. Mr. Ambrose. It

ling this interim, on the 17th of May, 1844, that
this Church made application to the Northern Illinois

.'.ion to be- admitted asa sister Church. In order
that the Association might understand their sentiments
in full upon the great question then agitating the Church,
the following resolution was made apart of their applica-
tion:

• ' Kf solved, That slavery is a great sin in the sight of God, and
while we view it as such, we will not invite to our communion or
pulpit those who advocate or justify from civil policy or the Bible
the principles or practice of slavery."

They also submitted the following paragraph as a
summary of the history of their Church up to that time:

" The Tabernacle Baptist Church was organized August 14,
1843, with sixty-two members, under the pastoral charge of the
Rev. C B. Smith. We have since received forty-two members by
letter and fourteen by baptism. Eight have taken letters to other
sister churches, one has been taken from us by death and one has
been excommunicated, leaving our number one hundred and eight."

In the early days of this Church, it was as much op-
posed to secret societies as it was to slavery. On the
30th of May, 1844, a committee appointed to investigate
the subject of Odd-Fellowship reported as follows:

" Your committee having carefully and prayerfully examined
into the principles and practices of secret societies as far as they
have been able to do so, have come to the following conclusions :

1. "That secret societies are calculated to retard the best inter-
ests of humanity, and do conflict wiih the civil and moral laws.

2. " That their rites and ceremonies are solemn mockeries.

3. "We believe they are hindrances to growth in grace to such
Christians as may be united with them."

The report of the committee was accepted and
adopted, and on the 29th of August one of the mem-
bers was excluded from Church membership for hold-
ing connection to the society of Odd-Fellows in prefer-
ence to the Church.

On the 26th of August, Rev. Caleb Blood was unan-
imously called to the pastorate, and during the same
month assumed its charge. On March 24, 1845, he
tendered his resignation, which was accepted. On the
3d of April, Rev. C. B. Smith, then at Medina, N. Y.,
was called to the pastorate, and proffered a salary of
$500, and expenses to Chicago. This call was accepted
conditionally, and the conditions accepted by the
Church. Mr. Smith began his second pastorate in July,
1845, and in the succeeding October it was terminated
On the 23d of November, 1845, Rev. William H. Rice
was unanimously invited to become pastor, and began
his labors in July, 1846. In the meantime the pulpit
was tilled by Elder Edson. In April, 1846, the hand of
fellowship was withdrawn from Mr. Gushing and his
wife for having adopted and adhering to doctrines of
the New Jerusalem as taught by Emanuel Swedenborg.
On the 6th of May, 1849, Rev. W. H. Rice tendered
his resignation, which on Tuesday the 15th was accepted.
On the 2d of August of the same year he died of cholera,
which also carried away several prominent and valuable
members of the Church. On Sunday, July 1, 1849,
Rev. Lewis Raymond, of Milwaukee, was unanimously
elected pastor to succeed Mr. Rice. Mr. Raymond ac-
cepted the call and commenced his labors September 1.
In February, March, and April, 1850, during a special
revival, large numbers were added to the Church. Re-
vivals were also experienced the two following seasons
and many were brought within the fold. On the 1st of
October, 1850, this Church, being unanimously of the
opinion that the dictates of wisdom and duty pointed to
the western division of the city as their future field of
labor, appointed a committee of three to make inquiry as
to the location and price of a lot and as to the terms upon
which it could be purchased. The church building was
destroyed by fire, June 26, 185 1, and on the same day
an extra meeting was held at which it was resolved to
build a suitable house of worship on Desplaines Street,
between Washington and Madison. In the meantime,
by invitation of the First Baptist Church, received
through Dr. L. D. Boone, this Church worshiped with
the First Church. They also worshiped by invitation
in the Third Presbyterian, and also in the Canal-street

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

321

Methodist Church. The new church building fronted
the west, was forty-four by seventy-two feet in
size, of the Gothic style of architecture, two stories high
surmounted by a short square steeple, and cost, with
the lots, $5,840. The corner-stone was laid August 14,
1 85 1. On the 1 6th of November the Church commenced
worshiping in the basement, and the church building
was dedicated February 3, 1853. Rev. Lewis Raymond
resigned his pastorate July 6, 1852, at which time the
membership of the Church had increased to three hun-
dred and thirty-nine. He was succeeded, November 1,
of the same year, by Rev. A. Kenyon, of Kirtland, Ohio,
who preached the dedicatory sermon of the new church
building. Rev. Mr. Kenyon remained until August 5,
1856, when he resigned. His resignation was accepted.
Rev. H. Harvey declined an invitation to become pas-
tor, and Rev. I. E. Kenney, on February 24, 1857, was
unanimously invited to become pastor, with a salary of
$1,500 per year. On the 20th of April he began his
labors, and remained until December 7, 1858,
when he resigned. The resignation was accepted,
and on January 30, 1859, Rev. H. K. Green,
of Danbury, Conn., was invited to become pastor, and
pledged a salary of $1,800 per year. Rev. Mr. Green
was installed as pastor on Friday, March 25, 1859. On
the 5th of June, 1859, this Church wrote, in their letter
to the Baptist association, which met at Bloomingdale :
" Our congregations are large and increasing. Unity
and harmony mark our efforts. We sustain, besides the
Sabbath-school connected with the Church, a mission
school in a destitute part of the city. Both are enjoy-
ing a high degree of prosperity, and around them our
fondest hopes center." On November 1, 1859, there
were found to be one hundred and seventy-five mem-
bers in good standing. Rev. H. K. Green resigned his
pastorate April 30, 1861, on account of ill health, and
was succeeded September 1, of the same year, by Rev.
Nathaniel Colver, D.D., who remained until December
1, 1864, when he resigned. It was during this year, 1864,
that the Tabernacle Baptist Church united with about
fifty members of the First Baptist Church to form the
Second Baptist Church, which accepted from the First
society, as a free gift, its church edifice standing at the
corner of Washington and LaSalle streets, and moved it
and re-erected it at the southwest corner of Monroe and
Morgan streets, in which they still worship. During
the existence of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, as such,
there were received into its membership a total of nine
hundred and eighty persons.

Rev. C. B. Smith, D.D., the first pastor of the Tabernacle
Baptist Church, was born October 29, 1S14. lie graduated at
Yale College in the class of 1S37, a class distinguished as contain-
ing such men as William M. Evarts, Edwards Pierrepont, Samuel
J. Tilden, and Chief Justice Morrison R. Waite. Me was baptised
in August, 1842, and removed to Chicago and took charge of the
First Baptist Church the following month. He returned to the
East in 1845. During the years 1S46 to 1849 he published works
entitled "The Philosophy of Reform," " A Lie in Earnest," and
"Scenes in Luther's Life." Subsequently he was settled in New
Haven, Conn., in Maiden, Mass., in New York City, and in Du-
buque. He has been in Grand Rapids for twenty years, and pur-
poses to make that city his home during the remainder of his life.
He was pastor of the Baptist churches for a number of years, but
is now (1883) without a charge. He preaches nearly every Sun-
day, without compensation, to destitute churches, and to churches
of every denomination as he is requested. He received the degree
of Doctor of Divinity in 1S5Q from Wabash College, Indiana.

The Edina Place Baptist Church. — On the 8th
of April, 1856, the first meeting of Baptists looking
to the organization of this Church, was held at the house
of J. S. Buchanan. The moderator of the meeting was
Rev. J. A. Smith, and the clerk J. Woodworth. Rev.

Robert Boyd opened the meeting with prayer. A pre-
amble and a series of three resolutions were adopted,
the first and third resolutions being as follows:

" 1. That we agree to work together as a Church of our Lord
Jesus, under the designation of the Third Baptist Church ..I ( lii-
cago, and that the articles of faith and church covenant found in
page tgi, of the ' Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge,' be
adopted.

"3. That we give the Rev. Robert Boyd a call to become our
pastor, and that we give him one thousand ($1,000) dollars, and
furnish him a parsonage as compensation in part for services, each
year."

At a meeting held April 15, at the same place, the
following resolution was unanimously adopted:

" That a committee of five be appointed to take a deed of trust
of the lot now purchased, situated on the corner of Harrison Street
and Edina Place, and hold the same for the Third Baptist Church,
and that brethern Edwards, Buchanan, Gassett, Babcock and Wood-
worth be said committee."

At this meeting L. A. Willard and J. Woodworth
were elected treasurer and clerk of the Church, res-
pectively. At the next meeting, held April 22, 1856, at
the house of J. T. Edwards, resolutions were passed
to build a church edifice on the lot at the corner of
Harrison Street and Edina Place, to change the name
of the Church from the Third Baptist Church, to the
Edina Place Baptist Church, and to appoint a building
committee consisting of " brethern Buchanan, Boggs,
Babcock and Gassett." A committee on religious wor-
ship was also appointed, consisting of " brethern Bu-
chanan, Willard and Woodworth," and a committee on
singing consisting of " brethren Edwards, McCall and
Raymond." From this time until the completion of the
new church edifice in October, meetings were held in
the lecture-room of Plymouth Church. The new church
was dedicated on Sunday, October 5, Rev. Robert Boyd
preaching in the morning, Rev. Dr. Howard in the after-
noon, and Rev. A. J. Joslyn in the evening. A council
called for the purpose of publicly recognizing this
Church, convened October 30. This council on mo-
tion of Rev. J. Young, recognized the Edina Place
Church as a Baptist Church in Gospel order. The
members at the time of its formal organization and rec-
ognition, by the Council, October 30, 1856, were: Rev.
Robert and Mrs. Christina Boyd, Justin A. Smith, Mrs.
Jane A. Smith, John S. Buchanan, Mabel A. Buchanan,
Lucius A. "Willard, Mary Ann F. Willard, John T. Ed-
wards, Sarah Edwards, John B. George, Elizabeth
Johnston, Cyril Babcock, Lydia F. Babcock, Silas B.
Gassett, Susannah Gassett, Charles T. Boggs, Virginia
A. Boggs, Charles Larminie, Jacob Woodworth, John
M. Woodworth, E. D. Woodworth, Amelia Boggs, Ann
E. Moore, Maggy Whitelaw, Murdock Morrison, Eliza-
beth Morrison, Samuel McCall, George Hines, Ira Rey-
nolds, John S. Lawrence, Emma R. Lawrence and
Agnes Wan less.

At a meeting of the Church, held December 5, 1856,
J. T. Edwards, J. S. Buchanan, L. A. Willard and J.
Woodworth, were elected deacons, and on the 31st of
December, upon the resignation of J. Woodworth as
clerk of the Church, J. S. Lawrence was chosen to fill
the vacancy. The 8th of April, 1857, was observed as
the anniversary of the organization of the Church. Jus-
tin A. Smith recounted its early history, its weakness,
trials and discouragements. The society had passed
through a season of almost unparalleled financial embar-
rassment, but in every emergency had been successful,
and had not only erected and finished but had paid for
its church edifice, which, according to its report to the
Fox River Association, in June, 1S57, cost $15,500.
On January 28, 1858, a protracted meeting of three

3 ' -

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

week*' duration closed. The pastor conducted the
meetings almost entirely without assistance, and as
a result twenty persons were added to the Church. In
March. 1850. another series of revival meetings was
held, which added about twenty members to the Church.
Early in the year 1S60 the question of the removal of
the Church became a subject of discussion. On the
nth of April it was decided : " That it is expedient for
this Church to remove from its present location to the
vicinity of Wabash Avenue and Old Street, when a
suitable lot can be obtained." This resolution was
re-adopted on the 10th of October, i860, and a com-
mittee was appointed to secure a lot. But little was
done until in March, 1S62. At a meeting, held on the
2 1 st of that month, the pastor urged as reasons for
change of location, that on Sundays there were not
regularlv over twenty unconverted persons in the con-
gregation, and that during the year last past, they had
been losing some of the most active and influential
members of the Church by removal. It was also stated
at this meeting that a way for the completion of this
long-cherished object seemed to have been opened in a
providential manner, as they could then exchange their
present lots for one on the northwest corner of Wabash
Avenue and Old Street. A committee of three was
therefore appointed to effect the exchange of property
with Dr. L. D. Boone, the owner of the Wabash Avenue
lot ; and a building committee of four was appointed to
let contracts and to make arrangements necessary to
effect the removal. May n, 1862, was the last Sunday
spent in the old location. Resolutions appropriate to
the occasion were passed, one of them expressing thank-
fulness for the continued success of the Church for
so many years ; for the uninterrupted peace, harmony
and union which had continuously prevailed, and for
the constant affection that had existed between Church
and pastor. Preparations for a change were com-
menced on the 19th of May. The house was removed,
and re-opened for worship on the 31st of August, 1862,
the members in the meantime worshiping in the Ply-
mouth Congregational Church. On the 2 2d of August
a meeting was held at the pastor's house, at which
by resolution the name of the church was changed from
the Edina Place Baptist Church to the Wabash Avenue
Baptist Church. The cost of the removal, including an
enlargement of fourteen feet in length, a new front and
other necessary repairs, was $2,200. At the re-dedica-
tion of this church the pastor preached in the morning
from the first verse of the twelfth Psalm, and Rev. Dr.
Everts preached in the evening. The Sunday school
wa> re-opened on the same day. Up to January 1,
1862, there had been received into the Church three
hundred and eleven members : by baptism one hun-
dred and twenty, by letter one hundred and eighty-three,
and by experience eight. The dismissions amounted
to eighty-eight, leaving the net membership at this time
two hundred and twenty-three.

Union Park Baptist Church. — Early in the year
1855, a mission chapel was established on the West Side,
the location being Wot Lake Street, between Sheldon
Street and Bryan Place. This chapel was erected with
funds contributed by citizens living in the vicinity, and
by Baptists of the city at large. The leaders in the en-
terprise were mainly those who afterward became con-
stituent members of the Union Park Baptist Church.
The exercises at the chapel were continued until the
Church was organized, November 12, 1856. The origi-
nal members of this Church, who wire dismissed for
the purpose of organizing it from various other churches
in this city and elsewhere, were asfollows: From the First

Baptist Church, Chicago, David L. Jacobus, Mrs. Eliza
Jacobus. Oscar J. Jacobus, Mrs. Lydia Moody, Mrs.
Sophia Bretschneider, Edward Zimmerman, Mrs. Har-
riet Zimmerman and Mrs. Mary Wayman; from the
Tabernacle Baptist Church, Chicago, Mrs. Prudence
Creote, Mrs. Helen Hays, Mrs. Luranda Hopkins, Miss
Eliza Knott, Mrs. Almeda McKay, Miss Adeline Miller,
Miss Emma Price and Mrs. Henrietta Sutherland; from
the First Baptist Church, Aurora, 111., Asahel Lock-
wood and Mrs. Mary Lockwood; from the First Baptist
Church, Lowell, Mass., Daniel Hurd, Mrs. Rosetta
Hurd and Miss Betsy Hill; from the First Baptist
Church, Piscataqua, N. J., Mrs. Hannah Randolph and
Miss Mary Randolph. The first trustees of the Church
were David L. Jacobus, Daniel Hurd, C. A. Reno, and L.
H. Smith. The first deacons were, David L. Jacobus and
Daniel Hurd. The first treasurer was James P. Jacob-
us, and the first clerk Edwin Zimmerman. The first
pastor was the Rev. A. J. Joslyn, who commenced his
labors one week after the organization of the Church.
During his pastorate the chapel was enlarged by the ad-
dition of two wings, one on each side, by reason of
which its seating capacity was increased to about three
hundred. The total cost of the building up to this time
was about $2,000. During the first few years of its ex-
istence the Church encountered numerous difficulties, and
was too feeble to well withstand them; but it courage-
ously and patiently labored for success, and at length
triumphed and received large accessions to its member-
ship. There were revivals in the fall of 1857 and in
the winters of 1858-59, during which especially consid-
erable numbers were added to the rolls. Rev. Mr.
Joslyn remained pastor of the Church until November
1, i860, when he resigned, leaving it in a comparatively
strong and healthy condition. During his pastorate
there had been received in the aggregate two hundred
and five members; one hundred and fifteen by letter,
eighty by baptism and ten by experience. Rev. Mr.
Joslyn was succeeded by Rev. James Dixon, who com-
menced his ministry January 1, 1861, and soon after-
ward the chapel was removed to the northeast corner
of Lake and Sheldon streets, and again enlarged. It
has been moved from time to time, and now stands at
the corner of Noble and Superior streets. The subse-
quent history of this Church, which possesses far more
than a common interest, will be detailed in the subse-
quent volumes of this History.

The Salem Baptist Church had its origin in the
winter of 1852-53. Its projector was the Rev. J. R.
Balme, who had recently come from England. On the
27th of February, 1853, Mr. Balme preached at the open-
ing of the Church at 170 South Clark Street, and notice
was given that religious services would be regularly held
at the same place thereafter by him. This Church was
organized Monday, April 25, 1853, in Mrs. Balme's
school-room, on South Clark Street, at which time the
Rev. A. Kenyon delivered an excellent and impress-
ive address. On May 1, Elder Balme administered the
ordinance of the Lord's Supper, in the district school-
house which stood at the corner of Clark and Harrison
streets. A lot was leased in the early part of the month,
on Clark Street, between Jackson and VanBuren, and
it was the design to erect upon this lot, as soon as the
subscription could be completed, a new church edifice.
The subscription, however, was never completed, the
church building never erected, and as a sufficient num-
ber of members did not rally to the standard of Mr.
Balme, he surrendered the project and left the city.
The few members that had joined distributed themselves
among other churches.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

323

The Berean Baptist Church was started in 1855,
by members of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, who
sympathized with the Rev. A. Kenyon, on account of
what they felt to be unjust treatment of him by that
Church. Temporarily they worshiped in a school-
house at 109 South Jefferson Street. The organization
was effected December 14, 1856, and the Berean Bap-
tist Church was recognized by a council of the Baptist
churches of the city February 8, 1857. During this
year they erected a frame church building on Jackson
Street, between Desplaines and Halsted, which cost
$ 1,700. In 1859, under the pastorate of the Rev. Isaiah
Rider, who was ordained November 7, 1858, this church
building was removed to DeKoven Street, between Des-
plaines and Halsted. Here the society remained and
prospered until 1867, under the pastoral ministrations of
Mr. Rider and Dr. Nathaniel Colver, when, becoming
ambitious and looking upon their modest edifice as quite
too small for so large and prosperous a city as Chicago;
and feeling, as a certain minister expressed it, that " the
day of small churches in Chicago had passed," they de-
termined to erect a large and magnificent building in
order to satisfy their personal and religious pride,
and to provide an elegant religious home for a large,
wealthy and prosperous organization. In 1867 the Church
called the Rev. N. F. Ravlin to the pulpit. He re-
mained until 1870, and succeeded in erecting and in-
closing, on the corner of Harrison and Sangamon streets,
where five twenty-five-foot lots had been purchased,
a fine brick building, the main body of which was sixty-
five by one hundred and twenty-five feet in size, the ex-
treme width, including the towers, one on each front
corner, being seventy-five feet. When the basement of
this building was completed the Church sold to a busi-
ness firm their property on DeKoven Street, and moved
into the basement of the building, which they hoped
would soon be completed and be their permanent home,
and changed the name of their society from the " Be-
rean Baptist Church " to the "Fifth Baptist Church."
Had the church been finished according to the original
design it would have cost $100,000. Including $20,-
000 borrowed of the Union Mutual Life Insurance
Company, the society expended on the structure about
$45,000. In 1868 the property was estimated to be
worth $55,000; the congregation was three hundred,
and the scholars in the Sunday school four hundred.
It became evident about this time that it would be diffi-
cult, if not impossible, to complete the audience room
of the church and towers, which would cost an addi-
tional $25,000 or $30,000. Members were tired of giv-
ing and were opposed to an increase of the debt. The
Second Baptist Church was near, was large and wealthy
and with but a small debt, and as the Fifth Church was
mainly composed of people in moderate circumstances,
men of means preferred to unite themselves with a Church
in which the drain upon their purses would not be so
constant nor so large. Still, although the members of
this Church had much to discourage them, they labored
on as best they could. When Mr. Ravlin retired from
the pulpit in 1870, he was succeeded by Rev. J. T.
Westover, who remained only six months. He was suc-
ceeded by Rev. W. J. Kermott, who came in 1870, and re-
mained until 1872. He was succeeded in 1872 by Rev.
N. F. Ravlin. During 1873, Mr. Ravlin, thinking it
possible that the Church would be more prosperous
under another name, proposed to the members that the
title "Temple Baptist Church" be adopted in place of
the " Fifth Baptist Church." The change was effected
August 11, 1873. A Church paper, under the name
"The Temple Call," was issued monthly, by John L.

Manning, and Pliny 1'. Ravlin, a son of the pastor, the
first number of which appeared in January, 1874. This
name was retained as long as the Church existed. Dur-
ing his second pastorate Mr. Ravlin had as associate
pastor, Rev. A. (i. Eberhart, who received the whole of
Mr. Ravlin's salary. In 1875 the Church was dis-
banded, in part on account of the debt, an:! in part be-
cause of the desire of most of the members to re-organ-
ize upon a different basis. On the 25th of April, 1875,
a series of preambles and resolutions were presented for
consideration, and on the 7th of June, adopted. The
principal preamble was as follows:

"WHEREAS, It is desirable thatjan opportunity should be given
all true followers of Jesus who may so desire, to unite with us in
an effort to have the Gospel unshackeled by stated creeds, sectarian
prejudice, or denominational bands, preached and sustained, but
who are now prevented from so doing by reason of the present
Church organization ; therefore,

"Resolved, That the present organization, known as the Temple
Baptist Church, be and the same is hereby disbanded and disor-
ganized immediately upon the passage of the necessary resolutions
following herein."

The necessary resolutions were passed, the trustees
instructed to convey any property belonging to the
Temple Baptist Church to any new organization that
may be formed according to the statutes of the State
of Illinois. A few of the members who did not approve
of the disorganization of the Church, adhered to each
other, and under the pastorate of the Rev. W. S. Ham-
lin, continued religious services for a few months in the
brick building. About twenty-five of those who had
favored disbandment, formed an independent organiza-
tion or mission, and under Mr. Ravlin's ministrations
worshiped for six months at the northeast corner of
Clinton and Twelfth streets. At the expiration of this
period Mr. Ravlin accepted a call to the First Free-Will
Baptist Church, located at the corner of Jackson and
Loomis streets, where he remained nearly three years.
He then started an effort in the West End Opera House,
which was carried on about six months, when he re-
moved to the Swedenborgian Temple, at the corner of
Washington Street and Ogden Avenue, and finally to
431 Ogden Avenue, where he remained several months.
He then accepted a call to a Baptist Church in San Jose,
California, where he now resides, pastor of a large and
flourishing congregation. The Temple Baptist Church
building, after falling into the hands of the insurance
company, was taken down and dwelling houses erected
in its place.

The Olivet Baptist Church had its origin, in
1853, in the "Zoar Baptist Church," which was
organized that year by Rev. R. J. Robinson, who came
from Alton for that purpose, remaining with the Church
about a month. He was succeeded by Rev. H. H.
Hawkins, who was the first permanent pastor. The
church building originally stood at the corner of Buffalo
and Taylor streets. In 1856 the Zoar Church had one
hundred and twenty members, and for a year or two the
membership was considerably increased by the influx
of numerous refugees from the Southern States, and
with increased numbers came trouble in reference to
the government of the Church. In consequence of this
difficulty about fifty or sixty of the members in 1858
seceded' from the Zoar Church and formed the Mount
Zion Church, bein<r organized by Rev. Wallace Shelton.
during the pastorate of Rev. D. (i. Lett, who had been
pastor of Zoar Church about three years. The Mount
Zion Church leased, and worshiped during their sepa-
rate existence, in a frame store building standing on
Clark Street, near Harrison. Rev. H. H. White, who
was the first pastor of the Zion Church, was succeeded

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

hv Rev. Tesse Bolden. The Zoar Church, after the se-
cession, had for it* pastor Rev. Mr. Tansbury, who,
after remaining a short time, went back to Canada.
After this, through the influence of Rev. Jesse Bolden,
the two separate" bodies were re-united, but as neither
Church would unite under the name of the other, both
names. Zoar and Zion, were discarded and the name
- Olivet Baptist Church" adopted by mutual consent in
its stead. This re-union occurred in December, 1862,
in the Edina Place Baptist Church. The Olivet Society
went into a building at the corner of Harrison and
Griswold streets, formerly owned by the Zoar Church,
at that time having about one hundred and twenty
members. Rev. Jesse Bolden remained after the re-
union about three months, when he was succeeded by Rev.
Richard de Baptiste, in June, 1S63, who remained pas-
tor of the Church nineteen years, retiring from the pul-
pit February 1. 1882. He was succeeded by Rev.
Tames Podd. who remained until January 10, 1883, and
- - icceeded by Rev. H. H. White. The church
building mentioned above as standing at the corner of
Harrison and Griswold streets, continued to be occupied
until 1S65, when this society, having purchased a lot
on the east side of Fourth Avenue, between Taylor and
Polk streets, erected a church thereon costing $ 18,000,
worshiping for a few months in Witkoskey Hall, on the
northwest corner of Monroe and Clark streets. This
building escaped destruction by the fire of 1871, but
was destroyed by that of 1S74, at which time the society
was in debt only §2.500. After this fire the city passed
an ordinance opening Dearborn Street to Fourteenth
Street, which cut off twenty-seven feet from their fifty-
foot lot, and rendered it necessary for them to purchase
an adjoining lot in order to have room to re- erect their
church building. This lot cost $4,500 ; and the new
church building, which was completed in 1875, cost
§20,000. It is a three-story brick building, with two
fronts — one of stone on Dearborn Street, the other on
Fourth Avenue, and was erected without any assistance
from insurance on the building destroyed in 1874, only
$2,500 having been received from that source, all of
which w.ts used in payment of debts. This building
was occupied until October, 1 883, the property having
been sold so ne time previous to the Western Indiana
Railroad Company, for $32,500. With this money the
debts were paid, anJ the balance used in purchasing a
lot on Harmoi Court, between State Street and Wabash
Avenue, for which $13,500 was paid. At the time of

their property to the Western Indiana Railroad
Company, there were about five hundred members in
the Church. It is their design to erect a new church
edifice in the spring of 1884, a description of which will
be inserted in the third volume of this History. At
the time of the Rev. Mr. l'odd's resignation, forty-six
members were regularly dismissed from this Church to
form the Bethesda Baptist Church under his pastorate,

h of which will be found in its proper place in
this H

First Swedish Baptist Church, was organized
in 1853, in part by Swedes, who had up to that time
been members of the first American Baptist Church.
This Church purchased for their Swedish offspring a

•house standing at the corner of LaSalle and Erie
streets. An d in organizing this

Church were Ira J. Collings, Peter Peterson, Peter
Modine, Andrew Anderson, !•'. M. Wimmerset, John
Uberg, Matthew Matson, Frederick Blonquist, William
Wtgland, Mr. Mullen, and their wives. Rev. L. L.
Frisk was the first pastor. For about a year after thus
organizing themselves into a I iety they wor-

shiped at the house of their pastor, and at the houses
of various members of the Church. In 1854 they took
possession of the school-house purchased for and pre-
sented to them. This they moved to Bremer Street, in
1858, and continued to occupy it until i860 or 1861,
when it was destroyed by fire. They then rented a school-
house, which they occupied for some years. Mr. Frisk
remained pastor of the Church until 1857, when he was
succeeded by the Rev. G. Palmquist, who remained about
six months. After him there was no regular pastor in
this Church before its disorganization, which occurred
in 1864, but the members themselves conducted religous
services as well as they could with an occasional sermon
from a missionary. But at length a portion of the
members becoming scattered, the rest became discour-
aged and abandoned the organization of the Church.

Rev. Luther Stone was born in the northeast corner of the
town of Oxford, Worcester Co., Mass., September 26, 1815. He
and his brother Lewis, who is still living on the old homestead, are
twins, and the youngest of a family of six children. Mr. Stone is
a descendant in the sixth generation of Gregory Stone, who came
from Cousinston, Somersetshire, England, in the ship " Increase,"
to Boston, in 1634, and made his homestead in Cambridge, on what
is now Mt. Auburn Cemetery. He brought with him his son
John, then sixteen years old, and settled him in that part of Sud-
bury, which is now Farmingham, on land purchased of the Indians.
Here was born Hezekiah Stone, the great-grandfather of Rev.
Luther Stone, who in company with seven others purchased the
town of Oxford, fourteen miles long by about five miles wide, of
the Huguenots, to whom it had been given by Massachusetts after

their expulsion from France. John Stone, the son of Gregory,
had two sons, Daniel and Nathaniel. Lois, a grand-daughter of
Nathaniel, married LIriah Stone, Jr., a great-grandson of Daniel.
Luther, a son of Uriah, Jr., and Lois, was the father of the subject
of this sketch. He married Miss Abigail Bemis. who was born in
Spencer, Mass., lost her parents when very young, and was reared
and educated by her uncle, Captain Jesse Smith, of Charlton, Mass.
Luther had the advantages of a common-school education, and was
prepared for college at Leicester Academy, which he entered in
1833, where he was under the tutorship of Rev. Luther Wright,
formerly tutor in Yale College. He entered Brown University in
1835, graduating in 1839. He then went to Newton Theological
Institution, from which he graduated in 1S42. He now spent his
time for a year in preaching, and was ordained at Oxford, October
3, 1843, as an evangelist, designing to make the Mississippi Valley
his field of labor. In the winter of 1S43-44, he preached tempo-
rarily at Ellsworth, Me., and in the spring of 1S44 returned to
Boston and made preparations to go West, leaving Oxford on
Wednesday the 8th of May. He traveled by railroad to Schenec-
tady, N. Y., thence by canal packet to Buffalo, by steamer to Cleve-
land, by canal packet to Portsmouth, Ohio, spending a week between
these two points at Granville College with Rev. Dr. Jonathan
Going, its president. Reaching Portsmouth on Saturday, he
preached on Sunday, taking a steamer on Monday down the Ohio
for Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis, in which latter place he
visited the Rev. Isaac T. Hinton, who had been one of Chicago's
early ministers. From St. Louis he went up the Mississippi River
to Rock Island and Davenport, reaching the latter place on Thurs-
day, the 6th of June. On the following Sunday he preached for
the First Baptist Church in Davenport, which extended to him a
call to become its pastor. Declining the call, he made Rock Island
his home until March, 1845, spending the eight months in preach-
ing in numerous towns and pioneer settlements in the Mississippi
Valley, and traveling in the meantime thirty-four hundred miles.
During this time the Rock Island Baptist Association was formed,
Mr. Si one being present and one of its original members. About
the first of March he went to Burlington, Iowa, and preached there
on Sunday, the 9th, the first Baptist sermon in the place. He
preached there four months, having as large a congregation as there
was in the town. He then went back from the river about eight
miles to a town named Pisgah, where there was a Baptist Church,
and preached there several Sundays. He then came up Rock River
to Sharon, four miles from Geneseo, in Henry County, 111., and
there bought two hundred and fourteen acres of land, upon which
he erected what he designed as a part of a larger building, the

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

325

whole to be used for an academy; but after remaining there several
months, having chills and fever every day for four and a half
weeks, he concluded the climate was not a healthy one, so bought
a two-year old horse and saddle and rode to Rockford, preaching
at different places on the way and reaching there in March, 1846.
The Baptist Church at Rockford gave him a unanimous invitation
to become its pastor, which he accepted and remained there until
July, 1S47. He then, on account of the differences of opinion and
sentiment in the Baptist denomination at large respecting the subject
of slavery, came to Chicago to establish the " Watchman of the
Prairies," the first number of which he issued on the 10th of August
of the same year. The majority of the Baptists were averse to the
attitude of the general organizations of the denomination on this
subject, and the Watchman was established in their defense. Mr.
Stone continued the publication of the paper, as sole proprietor and
editor, until June 18, 1853, when he sold it to John C. Burroughs,
Levi D. Boone and A. D. Titsworth. From July, 1S47, to Sep-
tember, 1S48, Mr. Stone discharged the duties as pastor of the
First Baptist Church of Chicago. After disposing of his paper,
Mr. Stone continued to preach in Chicago in the various institu-
tions of the city, and to supply vacant pulpits until 1S61, from
which time to the close of the war he preached at the Soldier's Rest,
at Camp Douglas, at the Marine Hospital and other places, con-
tinuing throughout this period his work at the jail and at mission
schools. In 1863 he was made secretary, being one of the original
fifteen trustees, of the Baptist Theological Union, which founded
the Baptist Theological Seminary, now (1883) located at Morgan
Park. This office he held until 1866. In September, 1864, he re-
ceived an invitation to become the president of Central University,
located at Pella, Iowa, but declined the honor. In November of
the same year, at the request of friends of education in Iowa, he
purchased college premises in the city of DesMoines, consisting of
five acres of ground, beautifully situated, upon which was a brick
building. In order to do this he sold twenty acres of land
south of and near to the city of Chicago, running from State Street
to the present Grand Boulevard between Forty-eight and Fiftieth
streets. Mr. Stone paid $3, 000 for the college premises at Des
Moines. The twenty acres above mentioned he sold for $6, 000,
and in i86S,only four years afterward, it had a market value of $200,-
000. In May, 1866, he went to Europe, accompanied by his wife
and daughter, and spent over two years in travel. He visited
Scotland, England, and all the principal countries and cities in con-
tinental Europe, crossed the Mediterranean and entered Egypt at
Alexandria, and ascended the Nile eight hundred miles to Nubia,
and, returning, visited Jerusalem, the Jordan, the Dead Sea, Beth-
lehem, Hebron, Damascus, Beyrout, Smyrna, Constantinople, and
also through the countries and principal cities of southern Europe
to Hamburg, whence he embarked for home, reaching there July 3,
1868. Since this time Mr. Stone has lived the life of a retired
minister, spending his days in that pleasantest of ways, perusing
and studying the writings of the master minds of the past. He has
read all the works of all the great Greek philosophers and historians —
Aristotle, Plato, Herodotus, Thucydides, Demosthenes and .Eschylus,
the principal Roman writers from the earliest to the latest, and has
made a special study of American history and politics, so that there
are probably few American statesmen better read in the politics and
history of their country than he. Mr. Stone was married January
26, 1854, to Mrs. Anna M. Jacobus, a widow lady who had two
children by her former marriage. Her maiden name was Speer.
Her mother was of Holland descent and one of the descendants of
Anneke Jans, who for many years has been contesting the title to
the Trinity Church property, New York, which, previous to the
conquest of the Hollanders by the English, was her homestead.
He has raised and educated, and assisted in raising and educating,
several children not his own.

The First Methodist Church. — Reference to the
" Pre-Church" history of Chicago will show that the
Methodists were the first in this city to form the nucleus
of a Church society, and might without impropriety have
been placed first in the list of organized churches, but
as their regular and permanent organization was not
effected until 1834, the sketches of the churches organ-
ized in 1833 precede.

At Rev. Jesse Walker's first quarterly meeting in
1833, held in the Watkins school-house, which was locat-
ed on North Water Street, between Clark and LaSalle,
Rev. Henry Whitehead received his license to preach,
and occasionally preached in the Temple Building. In
the spring of 1834 Charles Wisencraft was appointed
class-leader. For a time services were held in various
places — in Billy Caldwell's log council-house, in Ches-
ter Ingersoll's tavern, or in Watkins's school-house; but

as the membership of the Church increased, the neces-
sity for a building became more pressing and measures
for its erection were soon taken. It was built at the

.<&

e*^r*(4

tau<z/r-

corner of North Water and Clark streets, by Henry
Whitehead and John Stewart. According to the origi-
nal contract it was to be a " frame building twenty-six
by thirty-eight feet; twelve-foot posts; sheeted and
shingled roof; a neat pulpit; a platform for table and
chairs; the whole to be done in a workmanlike manner,"
for $580. The contract was signed June 30, 1834. The
building was finished, and religious services held therein
until 1836. Rev. Jesse Walker preached regularly every
Sunday most of the remainder of the year 1834, but
about the beginning of the winter of 1834-35, he became
superannuated and was succeeded by Rev. J. T. Mitchell.
On October 4, 1835, Rev. Jesse Walker died at the age
of sixty-nine years.

During the winter of 1834-35 a number of conver-
sions and accessions to the membership was made. Chi-
cago Methodism is largely indebted to the zeal and
efficiency of Rev. John T. Mitchell. He gave to the
Church a thorough organization and laid the founda-
tions of its future stability. He was succeeded in 1836
by Rev. O. T. Curtis. The Church that year was struck
off the list of missions, and erected into an independ-
ent society. Mr. Curtis was a pious, amiable and quiet
man, but not very energetic. In part for this reason
the financial crisis that began to be felt that year had a
peculiar effect upon the religious zeal of many of the
members. At the loss of their wealth, they lost faith
in God, and turned their backs on the Church. In ad-
dition to this some members lost their integrity, and
the fall of others was especially ignominous and sad.
Blow after blow fell with quick succession and crushing
effect upon the Church and, added to the financial em-
barrassments, threatened to overwhelm it with confu-
sion and shame. The faithful few were deeply humil-
iated. They " gathered around their almost forsaken
altars, and humbling themselves before God with tears
and agonizing prayers, besought the World's Redeemer
for mercy and help." In answer to their prayers, as
they believed, the Conference of 1837 sent Rev. Peter
R. Borein to them " for a Joshua to lead them out of
the wilderness." * * "He came in the fullness of the Gos-
pel, burdened with the love of Christ to dying men. He
gathered his feeble flock around him and breathed into
them something of his own mighty faith, and with them,
at the feet of the Redeemer, cried for help. Salvation
was poured as in a mighty torrent upon the people."
This effect was not produced, however, at once upon
the arrival of Mr. Borein. It was a year afterward that
the great revival occurred. So great was the interest
awakened at this revival, still vividly remembered by
many now living at Chicago, that about three hundred
united with the Church ; the young city containing at
the time a population of about three thousand. This
revival commenced in December, 1838, and lasted till
April, 1839. Mr. Borein died soon after its close.
Those who heard it will never forget his last sermon.
His subject was the vision of the dying Stephen, and
during the delivery of the sermon he pictured for the
congregation his own conception of heaven. In the
language of Rev. S. R. Beggs, " he believed that in

526

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the next, as in this world, there were degrees in
Christian attainments, and that in the land of glory
some would occupy higher positions than others ; that
sometimes his imagination had pictured heaven as a vast
amphitheatre, whose seats rose tier above tier, up to the
verv throne itself : and when, from the lower seats, the
white-robed struck the exultant song of redemption, it
was caught up from rank to rank, growing louder and
sweeter as it rose, while in unison the angel choir struck
their Ivres, and from every golden harpstring of saint.
angel, cherubim and seraphim, was poured the raptur-
ous, jubilant, adoring song and heaven was filled with
an atmosphere of melody."

During the summer of i8?S, the church was moved

FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

across the river, on scows, from its position on the
North Side, to a lot at the corner of Clark and Wash-
ington streets, purchased in 1836 by Dr. R. Tripp, for
$3,250. The society purchased a portion of this lot,
which was eighty by one hundred and eighty feet in
size, but never paid for it, as before the payments were
completed, eighty by one hundred and thirty feet of it
was secured as a donation from the canal company.
Subsequently a lot at the corner of Adams Street and
■'. Avenue was donate. 1 fur a parsonage, In- David
Carver. The churi h building after removal was en-
larged from time to time to meel the necessities of a
continually increasing congregation; and in 1845,
through the influence of Rev. \V. M. I). Ryan, a brick
building, sixty-six by ninety-five feet, was erected at a
cost of Si 2.000. The corner-stone was laid on the 8th of
May, and the dedication occurred in November. This

church stood at the corner of Clark and Washington
streets. It had a stone basement eight feet high, and
walls thirty feet high. The apex of the spire was one
hundred and forty-eight feet from the ground. The
auditorium seated one thousand persons.

After the death of Rev. Mr. Borein in 1839, R-ev-
S. H. Stocking was appointed to the charge. He was
succeeded by Rev Hooper Crews, who remained during
the years 1840-41. In 1842 Rev. N. P. Cunningham
was appointed, and in 1843 Rev. Luke Hitchcock. He
was succeeded by Rev. W. M. D. Ryan, in 1844 ;
Rev. Chauncey Hobart, in 1846; Rev. Philo Judson,
in 1847; Rev. Richard Haney, in 1848; Rev. Stephen
P. Keyes, in 1850; Rev. J. W. Clark, in 1852; Rev.
Hooper Crews, in 1854, and Rev. James Baume, in
1856.

An incident in connection with early Methodism
may be appropriately introduced. It was in 1836 or
1837. There was considerable excitement in the
country over the slavery question, and as there were
some strongly pro-slavery Kentuckians in the Church,
anti-slavery agitation was avoided. If any member
in his prayers ventured to " remember those that
are in bonds, as bound with them," he was at once
branded as an abolitionist, and made very uncom-
fortable generally. At the time there was present in
Chicago a fugitive from slavery, whose name was
William Brown. Having escaped in a box, he was
known as William Box Brown. At one of their meet-
ings, by prearrangement, William Box Brown delivered
an anti-slavery address, much to the surprise, conster-
nation and disgust of those not in the plot. Leading
Methodists arose to their feet, and made frantic efforts
to dismiss the meeting. "They buzzed around like en-
raged bumble bees, and finally put out the lights." But
Mr. Brown was not to be disturbed. He remained self-
possessed and calm, and with telling power put in his
words. At length he ceased and peace returned. It is
not necessarily to be inferred from this incident that
those who tried to keep out anti-slavery discussion were
in favor of the continuance of the institution of slavery.
Their main desire was to build up Methodism in Chi-
cago, and to accomplish this most effectually they
thought it necessary to exclude dissensions and pro-
mote harmony.

This Church was incorporated November 20,1835,
as the " Methodist Episcopal Church of Chicago. '
Being located later on Clark Street, it was popularly
known as the "Clark-street M. E. Church." On the
14th of February, 1857, an act of the Legislature was
approved, changing the name to the " First Methodist
Episcopal Church of Chicago."

Rev. Peter Ruble Borein was born on Sinking Creek,
Washington Co., East Tennessee, November 17, 1809. His father,
Greenberry Borein, was of English, and his mother, Mary (Ruble)
Borein, of German descent. During his childhood and youth he
was distinguished for an amiable and affectionate disposition, and
for filial obedience. Mis early education was from necessity very
limited. In August, 1828, he attended a camp-meeting, became
converted and resolved henceforth to devote his life to the gospel
ministry. He at once entered heartily into the social and religious
exercises of the neighborhood, and conducted services in the upper
story of his father's house. Previous to his conversion he had
given no evidence of the possession of uncommon intellectual pow-
ers, but from that time forward, an extraordinary development of
mind was noticeable, and he became a very vigorous thinker. In
the early part of the year 1S30, he emigrated to Illinois and com-
menced laboring in a brick yard, devoting to study every moment
of leisure he could command. While thus engaged, the attention of
Rev, Mr. Kirliy, a Congregational minister, was attracted to him,
and he was advised by this reverend gentleman to enter Jackson-
ville College. Mr. Borein acted upon this suggestion, and con-
tinued in connection with this college for some time, pursuing his
studies with great diligence and success, but through the importu-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

327

nity of his friends, who were impatient to see him engaged in the
active duties of the ministry, he was dissuaded from completing his
course of study, which it is said was afterward to him a matter of
regret. Immediately after leaving college he was licensed to preach,
received on trial in the Illinois Annual Conference, and in the fall
of 1833 appointed to travel the Canton Circuit. In 1834 he was
appointed to the Rushville Circuit, and in 1835 to the Henderson
River Mission. In the fall of 1835 he was appointed to the Quincy
missionary station, where he labored for two years with great zeal
and success and until near the close of his pastorate enjoyed almost
universal popularity. But when he somewhat prominently identi-
fied himself with the anti-slavery movement, he alienated many of
his friends and rendered himself obnoxious to a considerable portion
of the community. The Conference of 1S37 appointed Mr. Herein to
the Chicago station. Here he commanded great attention as an able
and eloquent preacher, and wielded an influence over the religious
thought of the infant city which was not only new, but was deep reach-
ing and widespread. The revival which was thus awakened spread
throughout all the evangelical denominations of the town continued
for many months and gathered many into the Church. About three
months after the close of this remarkable revival he was taken sick,
and after a seventeen days' illness died August 15, 1S3S, at his home.
His funeral sermon was preached by the Rev. Isaac T. Hinton,
and subsequently a commemorative discourse was delivered by Rev.
John Blatchford. Mr. Borein was married in December, 1836, to
Miss Lucinda Burns. Mr. and Mrs. Borein had two children.
After Mr. Borein's death Mrs. Borein married Thomas Pope, and
is now living in Alton, 111. The family name is Boring, but the
orthography of it was changed by the subject of this sketch. The
above facts were obtained from a sketch of the Rev. Mr. Borein in
Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit. The following with
reference to his physical appearance is from the pen of the Hon.
Grant Goodrich: " He was one of the handsomest men I ever saw.
Great intellectual power was blended with a singular beauty of
feature and expression. His eyes were blue, large and lustrous,
and, when he was animated, they seemed the medium through
which his soul was not only beaming, but actually blazing forth.
His voice was like the music of running waters — when he sought
to persuade, there was a deep plaintive earnestness in its tone,
which was well-nigh resistless; and when he uttered the language
of warning or denunciation it seemed by an indescribable power, to
pierce to the inmost soul. Men of more intellectual polish and of
profounder thought I have often heard, but never one so effectively
eloquent — one who possessed such perfect control of the will and
heart as Mr. Borein."

Rev. Stephen R. Beggs was born in Rockingham County,
Va., March 30, 1801. His great-great-grandfather, James Beggs,
was born in Ireland. His great-grandfather, Thomas Beggs. was
born in New Jersey, where he married Sarah Barnes, and whence
he emigrated to Virginia. Thomas Beggs had four sons and one
daughter. One of these sons, John, had one son, James, and eight
daughters. James married Miss Mary Custer and had four sons,
one of whom was Stephen R., the subject of this sketch. In the
year 1805 his father moved his family to Kentucky, where on ac-
count of his opposition to slavery he remained only two years,
when he settled in Clark County, Ind., on the Ohio River, about
seventeen miles above the falls at Louisville. Stephen's oppor-
tunities for obtaining an education were limited to the common
schools of his time. Acting upon the advice of Rev. James Arm-
strong, he was educated in and graduated from the " Brush Col-
lege," as was the case with most of the pioneer Methodist ministers
of the West. In 1S22 he was appointed to the Mt. Sterling Circuit
on the Ohio River. In 1S23 he traveled the Lemofn Circuit, in
what was called the Boone's Lick country; in 1824 the Fishing
River; in 1825 the Rushville; in 1826 the Vincennes; in 1828 the
Wayne; in 1S29 the Crawfordsville, and in 1830 was sent to the
Logansport mission, embracing Logansport, Lafayette and
Delphin. In 1S31 he was appointed to Chicago, a partial account
of his labors in which place is inserted in the introduction to the
Church history, and an account of Mr. Beggs's troubles in connec-
tion with the Black Hawk massacre, which drove him to Plainfield,
is inserted in the early history of the city. At Plainfield he bought
a home. In 1S32 he was appointed to the Desplaines mission, of
which Jesse Walker was superintendent, and to which Mr. Beggs
was re-appointed in 1834. In 1835 he was sent to the Bureau
mission, and re-appointed to it in 1S36. At the Conference held
at Rushville in 1837, Mr. Borein delivered an effective speech in
favor of the missionary cause. Mr. Beggs was located at Joliet
that year, where he preached the first Methodist sermon in the
place, and commenced the first church building. In 1837 he
traveled the Forked Creek Circuit; In 1838 the Joliet; in 1S39 the
Peoria; and after traveling various other circuits, he became in
1868, on account of his wife's illness, a superannuated, but not in-
digent, minister. Since then he has lived a retired life, occupying
his time in part in authorship, writing and publishing an interest-

ing volume, entitled " Pages from the Early History of the Wesl
and Northwest." Mr. lieggs was married September I, 1831, to
Miss Elizabeth Heath, who was burn in M uskingum County, Ohio.
December 27, 1813, and died at Plainfield, III., August 7, 1866,
He was married the second time to Mrs. Sarah Rheuhama Frost,
who still lives. Mr. Beggs's lirsl child was born in Fort Dearborn.
and died when but thirteen months old. Three sons, James,
George and Charles, are still living.

Rev. Henry Whitehead was born June 17, 1810, in Chat-
ham, England. Both his parents were members of the Wesleyan
Methodist Church, and by them young Henry was instructed in
the truths of the Bible. I In the 3d of April, 1823, to use his own
language, he "obtained a conscious sense of the pardoning favor
of God." It then became his strongest desire "to win souls to
Christ." When twenty-one years of age he began as a local
preacher. He sailed from London for the United States April 24,
1832, reaching New York City June 5, in which city and in Troy
he lived until June, 1S33, when he left the latter place for the Sault
Ste. Marie mission. From the Sault he came to Chicago, reaching
here September 17, 1833. On the first Sunday after his arrival he
preached in the log school-house, and received his license to preach
at the first quarterly meeting of that conference year. In 1834, in
partnership with a Mr. Stewart, he built the First Methodist church
on the North Side. In the fall of 1835 he removed to Joliet,
thence, in 1837, to Little Fort, now Waukegan, and thence, in 1839,
to Racine. In 1840 he joined the Rock River Conference; in
1842 was ordained deacon, and appointed to the Troy circuit in
Wisconsin. In 1S44 he was ordained elder and appointed to the
Sylvania circuit, and in 1845 to that of Buffalo Grove. In July,
1S46, he removed to Chicago, and at the next annual conference
was superannuated on account of ill health. In 1851 he com-
menced keeping, in his store at the corner of State and Madison
streets, religious books, which upon the opening of the Methodist
Book Concern, in 1852, he turned over to that concern, becoming
connected with it, where he remained until the fire of 1S71. After
the fire he became manager in Chicago for Bigelow & Main, pub-
lishers of Sunday-school and church-music books, a position which
he still holds. Mr. Whitehead was married, in Chicago, to Miss
Elizabeth Jenkins, July n, 1834, by Rev. Allen B. Freeman.
Mrs. Whitehead is still living. They have had five children, one
of whom, Sarah Ann, the eldest, is dead. The four living are:
William H., Edward J., Eliza Jane, and Caroline N., all of whom
are married except the latter.

Canal-street Methodist Episcopal Church
was organized in 1843 by a colony from the Clark-street
Church, during the pastorate of Rev. Luke Hitchcock.
The original members were nineteen, as follows : Mr.
and Mrs. William Wisencraft, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Kittlestring, Mr. and Mrs. James Robinson, Mr. and
Mrs. Nathaniel Webber, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas George,
Samuel Small, Mr. and Mrs. John Tressy, Mr. and Mrs.
John Roe, Mr. and Mrs. Elisha B. Lane, and Mr. and
Mrs. A. S. Sherman. The first church building erected
by this society was situated on a lot on the west side of
Canal Street, south of Randolph, purchased by A. S.
Sherman for the purpose. This was the first lot pur-
chased for a church on the West Side. The building
was a low frame structure, thirty by sixty feet in size,
capable of accommodating about three hundred people.
The original cost was $1,400. It was afterward moved
back on the alley, and turned round so as to front north
instead of east. The First Congregational Church
was organized in this building. In 1852 the member-
ship had increased to such an extent that it was neces-
sary to have greater facilities, and business had so en-
croached upon the location that it was necessary to re-
move ; hence a new and much larger edifice was erected
in 1852 on Jefferson Street, between Washington and
Madison, on a lot which had been purchased in 1851,
preparatory to the removal. The Canal-street church
was sold, and converted by the purchaser into a furni-
ture factory. The change was made February 11, 1853,
from which time until the removal to West Monroe Street
the Church was known as the Jefferson-street Meth-
odist Episcopal Church. The first pastor of the Canal-
street Church was Rev. Warren Oliver, appointed in
1843, who in 1844 alternated with Rev. William M. D.

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Ryan, then pastor of the Clark-street Methodist Epis-
copal Church. In 1845 Rev. Sins Bolles was appointed
pastor, and was succeeded in 1S47 by Rev. Harvey S.
Branson, who was succeeded in 1S4S by Rev. Richard
A. Blanchard, who remained two years and was suc-
ceeded in 1S50 by Rev. William Palmer, whose pastor-
ate was terminated by death from small-pox in Decem-
ber. 1851. In 1852 Rev. James E. Wilson became
pastor, "being assisted by Rev. William Keegan. Dur-
ing Mr. Wilson's pastorate the Church removed to Jef-
ferson Street. While it remained in this location the
pastors were : Rev. E. H. Gamnon, appointed in 1853 ;
Rev. Sins Bolles. in 1SS4; Rev. J. F. Chaffee, 1855;
Rev. S. P. Keves. 1S57 ; Rev. R. T- White, 1S58 ; Rev.
W. W. McKaig, iS^9 : Rev. T. M. Eddy, D. D., and
Rev. F. D. Hemenway, i860; Rev. C. H. Fowler,
1861 ; Rev. Robert Be'ntley, 1863; Rev. Charles Shell-
ing, 1864. During the year 1865 the pulpit was un-
supplied, and on September 6, 1865, the property on
Jefferson Street was sold for $16,000. On the 21st of
November, 1865, subscription was started for the build-
ing of the Monroe -street church, and at the same time
a resolution was adopted by the members present that
the name of the Jefferson-street Methodist Episcopal
Church be changed to that of the Second Methodist
Episcopal Church. This resolution, although carried un-
animouslv, was never consummated. On March 10, 1866,
the plans of W. W. Boyington, architect, for the new
West Monroe-street church, were accepted, and E. H.
Gammon and G. F. Foster appointed the building com-
mittee. Toward the erection of this church building
the First Methodist Episcopal Church appropriated
$8,000. During the year 1866 the new building was
completed and dedicated, and the name of the church
changed to the Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church,
that title being chosen from the fact that that year was
the centenary of American Methodism. A description
of this edifice and a history of the Centenary Church
will be inserted in the third volume of this History.

Indiana-street Methodist Episcopal Church.
— At the time this Church was organized, there were
but two Methodist churches in the city, the Clark-street
and the Canal-street churches. This was in 1847. A
number of members of the Clark-street Church, living
on the north side of the river, became desirous of or-
ganizing a Methodist Church in the North Division, and
determined so to do. With the view of carrying out
this design, a meeting was held at the residence of Hon.
George F. Foster, which then stood at the corner of
Clark and Kinzie streets. At this meeting an organiza-
tion was effected by the election of the following
trustees: Hon. George F. Foster, A. J. Brown, Jeremy
Hixon, John W. Senser, Charles Sweet and C. H. P.
Lyman. The original members of this Church were
in part the following: Oeorge F. Foster, Mary S. Fos-
ter, Jeremy Hixon, Mrs. Hixon, Andrew J. Brown,
Charles H. P. Lyman, Mrs. Lyman, John W. Senser,
Charles Sweet, Susan Sweet, .Miner R. Scranton, M. F.
Ellinwood, Miss Diana Morse, F. C. Jordan, Anna Jor-
dan, William Gamble, Mrs. Gamble. The name
adopted by this mji iety was the Methodist Episcopal
ty of Indiana-street Chapel, and immediately two
lots were leased on the south side of Indiana Street,
between Clark and Dearborn, upon which to erect a
church. This building was completed in November,
1847, and was a small, neat frame structure, about
thirty-five by forty-five feet in size, which cost §1.300.
At the dedication of this house of worship, which oc-
curred November 14, 1^47, Rev. James Mitchell
preached the dedicatory sermon. At the Conference

of 1847 Rev. Freeborn Haney was appointed pastor.
Soon after the dedication, the Church, having been
assisted by friends to meet the financial obligations
incurred in the enterprise, and being therefore full of
zeal and faith, commenced a series of revival meetings,
which resulted in the accession to their membership of
considerable numbers. The following extract from a
historical sketch of this Church written by Abner B.
Scranton for John G. Collins's " Annual Compendium
of Methodism," is concise and yet sufficiently full,
and is therefore introduced in this place:

" In 184S Rev. John F. Devore was appointed pastor, and in
1849 the Rev. Zadoc Hall followed him. During Rev. Mr. Hall's
pastorate, payments were made upon the lots which had been
bought, and a small brick parsonage was built. In 1850 the Rev.
Bovd Lowe was sent to succeed Mr. Hall, and at a meeting held
in the church our brother Dunham was converted, and has since
remained continuously a member. The Rev. John \V. Argard
was appointed pastor in 1851, and remained one year. Each of
the preachers, it will be observed, down to this date, served the
Church but one year. At the annual conference of 1852, the Rev.
Sius Bolles was appointed pastor, and served faithfully for two full
years. During this pastorate the capacity of the church building
was nearly doubled by an addition to the rear, extending back to
the alley, making the building about thirty-six by eighty feet; this
added nothing to its beauty or symmetry. In the year 1854 the
Rev. Thcmas Williams followed Brother Bolles and remained
three years, the presiding bishop suspending or ignoring the two-
years rule then limiting the pastorate term, for the reason that some
of the members had informed him that the society was about to
erect a new church, and that the return of Mr. Williams was nec-
essary for the accomplishment of that purpose. A vague hope
had been entertained by the more ambitious members that a new
and imposing church building would be erected; that, in fact, such
a building was essential. The old building, cheaply built of wood,
was exceedingly uncomfortable, it being impossible to heat ii prop-
erly in winter, and the sun lying on the low roof made it intolerably
hot in summer. The society, however, had no resources adequate
to the realization of their ideal, and ought not to have moved in
the matter of enlargement until their means had been greatly in-
creased. The agitation for new accommodations increasing, inten-
sified greatly by the allegation that the preacher had been sent for
this specific work, the trustees, fully realizing that the site on Indi-
ana Street was unsuitable for a permanent church home, contracted
for the purchase, in the spring of 1857, of a lot on the southeast
corner of Erie and Wolcott (now State) streets. This movement
was disastrous to the society, but it undoubtedly prevented what
would have been a great deal worse, namely, the premature com-
mencement of a new building on the old lot, plans and specifica-
tions for which had been prepared, and a pressure put upon the
trustees by a number of class leaders, stewards and others, tempo-
rarily resident, to begin a work which they had not ability to
accomplish, and in a manifestly improper place. In the summer
of 1S57 Rev. S. G. Lathrop was appointed pastor, and entered
upon his work with great energy. Scarcely had he begun, however,
when the great financial panic seized the people. Nearly all the mem-
bers of the Church were prostrated financially. Quite a number of
the members, prior to this time, had moved to Evanston, arranging,
however, to pay their portion of the cost of the new lot. These all
went down in the storm, and the ability of the society to pay, largely-
decreased. The trustees soon began to fear that they would not
be able to meet the engagements they had entered into — and this
apprehension was by no means groundless ; for when, upon the
maturity of an installment due on the lot recently contracted for,
payment was demanded, there were no funds, current expenses,
though reduced by the strictest, absorbing all resources. The
trustees were now obliged to mortgage the Indiana-street lot, as an
additional security for the sums due upon the new one, and as was
clearly foreseen, the result of this was that both lots were sacrificed to
satisfy these claims, leaving nothing but the equity of redemption,
should there be any. The society determined to pay their debts,
as long as they had anything to pay with, and pledged their whole
property for this purpose. The final outcome was, that the lots
were sold by the mortgagees, the full claims against the society were
met, with interest and costs, and $1,087.85 was paid into the
Church treasury. Brother Lathrop served the Church faithfully
for two years, and several who joined it under his ministry remain
as active members to the present time (187S). A change in the
pastorate again occurred in iSsg, the end of Brother Lathrop's
time having been reached, and in the year 1861 the Church re-
ceived thankfully the appointment of Rev. Dr. L.H. Bugbee, as pas-
tor. The society having been a tenant at the will of the mortgagee
for a long time, realized the necessity of making provision for the

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

329

future, at the same time realizing their inability to accomplish so
great a work as the providing a church and lot. Having lost all
but honor, they were determined to retain that. Recovery from
the effects of the panic was slow, and the wrecks were numerous
that had strewn its course. All these considerations combined to
make men cautious. After much deliberation, a plan, and the only
one that seemed feasible, was suggested by the pastor, for raising
money to purchase a lot, and was heartily adopted. It was, in
brief, for the members of the congregation to subscribe as much as
they would, payable monthly to such ladies of the Church as would
engage in the work, and in addition, solicit from friends and the
public donations and subscriptions. In furtherance of this object,
a society was organized under the name of the ' Ladies' Church
Aid Society.' About twenty ladies accepted subscription-books,
and engaged in the work with great assiduity, many of them for
three or four years. Funds immediately began to accumulate, and
soon, at the request of the society, the lots on the northwestern
corner of Chicago Avenue and LaSalle Street were purchased. The
total cost of these lots was $9,339.39. Of this amount the sum
saved from the equity in the Indiana-street lot, $1,087.85, was
paid by the Church, and the entire balance, SS.251.54, was collected
by the ladies of this society, so regularly and promptly, that the
payments due upon the purchase money were made at maturity.
It is not too much to say, that these ladies by their unswerving de-
votion to Christ's cause, laid the foundation for whatever of suc-
cess our Church has since achieved."

To this excellent sketch by Mr. Scranton, but little
need be added in this volume. Having secured these
new lots, the Church was re-organized on the 8th of
June, 1863, and adopted the name of the " Grace Meth-
odist Episcopal Church," and soon afterward erected a
chapel, and still later a larger church edifice. A des-
cription of both, and a history of Grace Church as the
successor of the Indiana-street Church will be included
in the succeeding volume of this History.

The State - street Methodist Episcopal
Church originated with Orrington Lunt. In 1848 Mr.
Lunt bought the lot upon which its first house of wor-
ship was located, immediately reporting its purchase to
the official board of the Clark-street Methodist Episcopal
Church, and offering it to them for what he paid for it,
$1,600 ; and also proposing to pay $100 toward the
purchase. In the spring of 1851 the Society took pos-
session of the lot. About the same time the Clark-
street Church instructed a few of its members to furnish
a place for preaching and Sunday school. As a result
of these instructions a portion of the frame building of
the Second Presbyterian Church was purchased and
moved to the lot, which was at the northwest corner of
State and Harrison streets. The building when moved
and ready for occupancy cost $1,600, and was paid for
at its dedication. During the summer of this year reg-
ular religious services and Sunday school were contin-
ued in this building, and on Sunday, August 24, 185 1,
the Church was organized by Rev. N. P. Heath, its
first pastor. All the constituent members, twenty-eight
in number, were from the Clark-street Church. Fol-
lowing are their names : George C. Cook, Mrs. George
C. Cook, S. W. Grannis, Aurisson Grannis, George W.
Reynolds, E. G. Reynolds, Christopher O'Neil, Sarah
Milner, Daniel Goss, Cynthia Goss, Mary Pennington,
Charles Brink, James M. Merryfield, William and Mar-
garet Gibson, Stephen and Maria Cherry, Albert Cabery,
Ruth Cabery, Levi Chipman, Mary Chipman, Sarah Chip-
man, R. Kegan, Margaret Kegan, Francis Kegan,
Edward Kegan, Charles Busby and Arthur Hitchcock.
The first trustees were Daniel Goss, C. H. Abbott, Sam-
uel W. Grannis, George C. Cook and Elihu G. Rey-
nolds. The first pastor was Rev. N. P. Heath, who
was appointed in 1851, and remained two years, when
he was succeeded by Rev. F. A. Read. Rev. Mr. Read
remained two years, and was succeeded in 1S55 by Rev.
W. B. Slaughter. Rev. Mr. Slaughter remained until the
spring of 1857, when he was succeeded by Rev. William

M. D. Ryan, a very able and popular clergyman, who
was appointed to the State-street Church for the special
purpose of procuring the erection of a new building on
Wabash Avenue. The first subscription for the build-
ing of the Wabash-avenue Church was dated March 26,
1857, and amounted to $32,555. The names of sixty-
nine persons were appended to the subscription list.
The transfer and change of name from "State-street
Methodist Episcopal Church" to " Wabash-avenue
Methodist Episcopal Church" was made April 1, 1857,
and on that day new trustees were elected as follows :
Daniel Goss, C. B. Hearth, C. H. Abbott, Lott Frost,
George C. Cook, H.W. Clark.William M. Doughty, E. (;.
Reynoldsand W. B. Phillips. On the 20th of April the
trustees were organized by the election of the following
officers: President, E. G. Reynolds; secretary, Lott Frost;
treasurer, George C. Cook. On the nth of May the
salary of the pastor, Rev. W. M. I). Ryan, who had
been sent to fill out the unexpired term of Rev. W. B.
Slaughter, was fixed at $600 and use of parsonage from
March 4, 1857, to the meeting of the conference in the
fall. The corner-stone of the new building, which stood
on^the northwest corner of Wabash Avenue and Harri-
son Street, was laid July 13, 1857, and the edifice was
completed and dedicated July 15, 1858, the dedicatory
sermon being delivered by Rev. R. S. Foster, president
of the Northwestern LJniversity in Evanston. At the
close of the discourse, a collection was taken up and
subscriptions to the amount of $5,000 received toward
the cost of the pews, the galleries being made free. A
description of this building, as properly belonging with
the history of the Wabash-avenue Methodist Episcopal
Church, will be inserted in the succeeding volume of
this History, where will also be found a biographical
sketch of Rev. William M. D. Ryan.

The Desplaines-street Methodist Episcopal
Church. —In the year 1850 a Sunday school was started
in a cooper-shop at the corner of Harrison and Clinton
streets, the leaders in the movement being Henry
Willard, James Robinson, and Mrs. Huntoon. The
Sunday school was continued here until the spring of
185 1, when it was removed to a school-house built for
its special use at the corner of Polk and Clinton streets.
Rev. William Palmer, at the time pastor of the Canal-
street Church, assisting to build the school-house.
James Robinson was superintendent of the Sunday
school. In 1854 the Sunday school and mission, as it
now became, were removed to the southeast corner of
Harrison and Foster streets, and here, in 1S55, Rev.
Sins Bolles commenced his labors as missionary, contin-
uing until October, 1856, when Rev. William Tasker was
appointed for the purpose of organizing a Church. Mr.
Tasker remained until September, 1857, and succeeded
in organizing a Church, and erecting a church building.
This being effected, the two lots and building owned
by the primitive organization, or mission, at the corner of
Harrison and Foster streets, were sold to Thomas Thomp-
son for $3,500, who sold the building to Josiah Green-
wood for $150. The original members of the Des-
plaines-street Church were as follows : Richard .Man-
ley, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Manley, Mr. and Mrs. John
Hustivit, Henry Robinson, Joseph Ellsworth. Mrs. Mar)'
Ellsworth, Henry Willard, Mr. and Mrs. George
Somers, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Pithey, Mr. and Mrs.
Liversidge, Mr. and Mrs. Hogan, Mr. and Mrs. Need-
ham, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Drake and Mr. and Mrs.
Alexander Shepherd and some others. The building
was located at Nos. 241 and 243 South Desplaines
Street, between YanBuren and Harrison, and was dedi-
cated July 26, 1S57, the morning sermon being delivered

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

by Bishop Ames, and that in the afternoon by Rev. R.
S. Foster, president of the Northwestern University.
The original cost of the church was $5,200, the steeple
being very large and expensive. Mr. Tasker was suc-
ceeded in the pastorate in September. 1S57, by Rev.
Henrv Whipple, whore-organized the society and re-
mained with it until 1859, when he was succeeded by
Rev. David Teed, who remained until 1S60. Mr. Teed
was succeeded by Rev. Elijah Stone, who was pastor
two vears. and was succeeded in 1S62 by Rev. Lucius
Hawkins, who remained one year. Rev. F. M. Boring,
now of Wheaton, III, became pastor in 1863, and
remained one year. In 1S64 Rev. T. L. Olm-
sted was appointed pastor and remained eight
months, the balance of his year being filled out by Rev.
Elijah Stone, who during this time discovered that the
board of trustees had never been legally organized, and
succeeded in having a legal organization effected. In
1865, Rev. S. Guyer, was appointed and remained one
vear. During his pastorate the church was removed to
Maxwell Street, when the society became popularly
known as the Maxwell-street Methodist Episcopal
Church, though the re-organized society was incorpor-
ated under the name of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal
Church. At the time of the removal to the new loca-
tion a division occurred among the members, somewhat
more than one-third uniting themselves with the Cen-
tenary Church. The Desplaines-street building, which
was a frame structure, forty-five by seventy feet in size,
was sold to the Evangelical Lutheran organization,
which occupied it for a number of years as a church.
From the time of its sale, the society worshiped in
Foster mission, on Polk and Jefferson streets, until 1866,
when they removed to their present location on Max-
well Street, near Xewberry Avenue. The pastors after
the removal to Maxwell Street were Rev. A. T. Need-
ham, appointed in 1866 ; Rev. E. W. Fay, appointed in
1868 ; Rev. W. H. Burns, in 1869.

The Owen-street Methodist Episcopal Church.
— The origin of this Church was in a Sunday school
started in 1851, in a school-room on North Green Street.
Of this Sunday school, Samuel Polkey was superintend-
ent. In 1852 a Church was organized, consisting of the
following members: Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Polkey, D.
E. Lord, E. P. Lewis, Thomas Cannon, Mr. and Mrs.
lames Ridlev, Mr. and Mrs. H. Waggoner, Mr. and
"Mrs. H. C. Fulton, Mr. and Mrs. D. D. Williams, John
Noble. Mrs. J. Lester, Mrs. Commons and Mrs. Toops.
The society purchased two lots on the northeast corner
of Sangamon and Owen streets, and a building was
erected fronting on Owen Street, from which fact the
Church received its name. The edifice was a small
frame one, twenty-five by thirty-five feet in size, and
$800. It had a seating capacity of three hundred.
The first pastor. Rev. S. Guyon, was appointed in the
fall of 1853, and remained two years, when he was suc-
ceeded, in 1855, by Rev. C. French. Rev. William Tasker
was appointed to the pastorate in 1856, and in 1857
Rev. Arza Brown was appointed by the Conference. Mr.
Brown remained until the year i860. In this year the
name of the street was ( hanged from Owen to Indiana,
and consequently the name of the church was changed
to the Indiana-street Methodist Episcopal Church.
I hi- name it retained until its removal to Ada Street, in
-or of Rev. Ar/a Broun in 1860 was
Rev. Jacob Hartman, who remained one year and was
ded by Rev. I>. W. Couch. In 1863 Rev. W. I).
Skelton was appointed pastor, and remained three vears.
During his pastorate the church first erected was taken
down and replaced by a much more 1 ommodious edifii 1 .

a description of which, being built during the period
covered by our second volume, will find its proper place
therein. The Sunday school still continues its exist-
ence. Its first superintendent was Samuel Polkey, who
has been succeeded by the following gentlemen: H.
Waggoner, Mr. Wilsey, L. L. Bond, Edwin Waggoner,
John Culver, Alonzo Wygant, B. T. Vincent, Mr. Goodno
and H. G. Coulson.

The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Episcopal
Church. — On the first Sunday in 1845, about twenty-
four people of Welsh origin assembled in the house of
the late John Davis, at 208 West Lake Street, to hold a
Sunday school, Robert Griffith, of Caernarvonshire,
being instrumental in gathering them together. From
this time forward a prayer meeting was held once each
week, from house to house. The ministers that visited
them that year were Rev. Richard Davis, of Racine,
Wis., Rev. George Lewis, of Fox River, Wis., Rev.
William J. Jones and Rev. John H. Evans, of Dodge-
ville, Wis. The names of some of those who held meet-
ings were as follows: John Davies, John J. Roberts,
John B. Thomas, Evan Lewis, Robert Owen, Henry
Roberts, David L. Roberts, and Mrs. Mary Evans, all
members of Pmglish churches. There is an account of
preaching in the fall of 1847, by Rev. W. J. Jones, and
Rev. I. H. Evans, preaching in the house of Rev.
Moses Williams on Wells Street, near Washington, and
about the same time there was preaching by Rev. George
Roberts, in the house of Evan Lewis, and by Rev. John
Price Jones, in the house of James Thomas, on Prairie
Street. In 1850 Rev. David Davis, of Prairieville, Wis.,
preached in the lecture-room of the Third Presbyterian
church, on the corner of Union and Washington streets.
In the spring of this year, the people of this inchoate
church organization, rented a room at the corner of Ran-
dolph and Canal streets, in which to hold regular relig-
ious services. In July, 1850, Rev. Rees Evans, of
Racine, came to Chicago and organized the Church, with
thirteen members. The names of a few only of these
original members are ascertainable, as follows: Rev.
Moses Williams and wife, John B. Thomas and wife, Mrs.
James Thomas, Mrs. Samuel Williams, Richard Newell
and James Morgan. The first officers were John B.
Thomas and James Morgan. Rev. Moses Williams
preached for them every Sunday evening. In the summer
of 1852, the Church bought a lot on Desplaines Street,
between Randolph and Lake, on which they built a small
frame church, thirty by forty feet, which was dedicated
on the 26th of July in that year. The ministers present
on this occasion were Revs. Edward Evans, of Racine,
David Lewis, of Utica, N. Y., John Perry, of Racine,
William R. Jones, of Milwaukee, and William Williams,
of Big Creek. The building cost $781.33, which, with
the exception of $51.50, was paid at the time of the
dedication. The officer:; of the Church at the time were
John Lawrence, Edward Williams and Potter Jones, and
the trustees, Edward Williams, John B. Thomas, James
Thomas, Owen Griffiths and Potter Jones. On October
l3< 1 H53, Moses Williams was ordained a regular minis-
ter, and at the same time Rev. Rees Evans accepted a
call to the pastorate at a salary of $500. Mr. Evans
remained until July, 1857, when he accepted a call to Cam-
bria,Wis. On the 5th and 6th of November, 1853, the first
Welsh Presbytery in Chicago was held. From 1857 until
1864 the pulpit was supplied by various ministers from
Wisconsin and other places. In October, 1864, a call
was extended to the Rev. I). Williams, of Milwaukee, at
a salary of $700 and a donation. Under his ministry the
Church prospered, and the building soon became too
small. In March. 1867, the society purchased the prop-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

331

erty owned by them at the present time, of the Ameri-
can Reformed Church, paying therefor $9,500. It is
located at the northeast corner of Sangamon and Mon-
roe streets. The lot is seventy-five by ninety-five feet.
The old church was sold for $3,400. The new building
was occupied bv this congregation for the first time, on
the first Sunday in 1867, the opening sermon being de-
livered by Rev. Howell Parnell, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
Rev. D. Williams was pastor until December, 1869. He
died in Chicago in 1874. From 1869 to April, 1875, the
Church was without a regular pastor and relied upon
supplies. In the latter month a unanimous call was ex-
tended to Rev. David Harries, the present pastor, at a
salary of $1,200 and a donation. He commenced his
labors with this Church on the second Sunday of August,
1875. The society at that time owed $3,000, and the
membership was one hundred and sixty. At the present
time the membership is three hundred and fifty, the debt
has been liquidated and the Church is in excellent finan-
cial and social condition. The officers of the Church at
the present time are: Deacons, E. W. Evans, David
Jones, John Jones, and R. R. Meredith; trustees, G.
M. Owen, D.~ Jones, R. R. Meredith, R. W. Thomas,
and E. A. Francis; treasurer, David Jones; secretary,
Ellis Rice.

A brief history of the denomination is not inappropri-
ate here. At Oxford, England, in November, 1729,
a great revival prevailed, in which John and Charles
Wesley and George Whitfield, with others, took active
part. The name " Methodists " was given them as reviv-
alists. In 1741 the Methodists became divided into
two sects, the one Calvinistic, the other, including the
Wesleys, Arminian. The revival reached Wales in
1735, Rev. Howell Harris and Rev. Daniel Rowland
united with Whitfield. Harris was a thunderer, but
Rowland was more like Whitfield. In 1739 there were
nearly three hundred churches in South Wales. After
a conversation with Harris, at Cardiff, Whitfield came
to America. Rev. Daniel Rowland, of Slangeiths, Car-
diganshire, Rev. William Williams, of Panty-Elza,
Caermarthenshire, and Rev. Howell Davies, of Pem-
brokeshire, were the main instruments in kindling this
great revival which awakened all Wales, and now this
Calvinistic Methodist, or as it is called in this country,
Welsh Presbyterian Church, has in America Presby-
teries, General Assemblies and funds — about one thou-
sand five hundred churches, one hundred and thirty
thousand communicants, eleven hundred ministers, and
church property valued at $6,000,000. The denomina-
tion is strong in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Wisconsin, but has only one Church in Chicago.*

The First German Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized August 15, 1847, with about
twenty-five members, a portion of whom were A. Bied-
ermann, Johanna Kessler, Mr. and Mrs. Anton Waller,
Mrs. Baumgartner, Christian Mueller, George Krinbill,
F. Rudolph, Mr. and Mrs. Bink, John Stoetzel, Andrew
Krinbill, Mr. and Mrs. F. Heinz, Charles Kessler, Fried-
rich Muchike and Ernst Dickermatin. During the
first year of their history they had preaching by mis-
sionaries, but in 1848 they purchased a lot and a build-
ing on Indiana Street, for $500, and had appointed a
resident minister, Rev. Philip Barth. The first quar-
terly conference in Chicago was held November 20, 1848,
Rev. Conrad Eisenmerger being presiding elder, and
Rev. A. Korfiiage, preacher in charge of this Church,
which was connected at the time with the Rock River

» For the facts contained in the above brief sketch of the denomination, as
well as the history of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Episcopal Church,
this history is indebted to Rev. David Harries.

Conference. The class-leaders were Peter Heins,
George Krinbill and John Stoetzel. At the conference
held October 31, 1856, a resolution was passed author-
izing the Church to sell their Indiana-street property
anil purchase other in a more desirable location. I'n-
der this resolution Revs. (.. F. Mulfinger and Frederii k
Kopp were appointed a committee to carry its provis-
ions into effect. In 1857 a parsonage was erected and
in the same year the new building on Clybourne Avenue
was erected. It was of wood, thirty by fifty feet in
dimensions, and cost about $2,000. This church was
used by the congregation until 1863, when during the
pastorate of Rev. William Pfaffle, it was moved to the
back part of the lot, and a new brick church erected in
its stead. This was a two-story building, forty by sev-
enty feet in size, and cost about $10,000. The lire of
October, 187 1, swept away all the property of the
Church, including a very comfortable two-story frame
parsonage, which cost about $2,500. After Mr. Barth,
the pastors have been, Revs. A. Korfiiage, appointed in
1849 ; J. J. Dreier, in 1850 ; Louis Kuntz, 185 1 ; Philip
Barth, 1852-53; Christian Wentz, 1854; J. H. Wes-
terfeld, 1855 ; Christian Wentz, 1856 ; John L. Schaef-
fer, 1858; Jacob Hass, 1859; Frederick Kluckhohn,
i860 ; William Pfaffle, 1862, who remained three years
for the purpose of completing the new brick church ;
Jacob Bletsch, 1865 ; G. F. Mulfinger, 1868, and Fried-
rich Rinder, 1870, who became pastor one year before
the fire, by which he lost $1,000. At this time the
Church consisted of one hundred and ninety members,
but the great calamity was very disastrous in its effects
upon this society. Its members became scattered
throughout the city, and many of them were obliged to
leave Chicago to obtain the means of subsistance.
However, those who adhered to the society soon recov-
ered their courage and enterprise, and erected a tem-
porary building promptly, which was dedicated on Sat-
urday, November 1 1, 187 1. In this building the society
worshiped about eighteen months, by which time their
present building was erected. It is a frame two-story
structure above the basement, forty-four by ninety feet
in size, and cost about $17,000. The basement and
first story are rented for business purposes and the up-
per story used for regular religious services and Sunday
school. The temporary church edifice was converted
into a parsonage, and cost altogether about $2,500.
Mr. Rinder was succeeded in 1874 by Rev. John W.
Rcecker, who remained until 1876, and was succeeded
by Rev. John Schnell. In 1879, Rev. George H.
Simons became pastor and remained until 1882, when
he was succeeded by Rev. Friedrich Rinder, who was
pastor from 1870 to 1874, and is the present pastor.
There are now two hundred and nine members.

Center-street Mission, located on Dayton Street,
was started by members of this Church, and a few
from the VanBuren-street Church, in 1876, during the
pastorate, in the First German Church, of Rev. John
Schnell.

The Van Buren-street German Methodist
Episcopal Church was organized in October, 1852,
by about twenty members, among whom were Mr.
and Mrs. Jacob Isele, Jacob Landauer, Mr. Baum-
gartner and Frederick Fisher. Soon after the or-
ganization they purchased two lots at the corner
of Griswold and Van Buren streets, paving there-
for $1,400. They also erected a small house of
worship, which afterward became the parsonage. In
the spring of 1854 they began the erection of a church
building, with stone basement and frame superstructure.
with steeple and bell, which was carried forward suffi-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ciently to be ready for plastering, when the Chicago &
Rock Island Railroad Company made an offer of §15,000
for the lots. This offer was accepted. Two lots at the
corner of Van Buren Street and Fourth Avenue, upon
which stood a residence, were then purchased, and to
which the church and parsonage were moved. The
church building was then finished, and the whole
propertv became very valuable. The first minister in
this church was Rev. August Kellner, who was appointed
soon after the organization in 1852. He remained until
hen he was succeeded by Rev. Frederick Schu-
ler. Rev. \V. F. Koeneke was appointed in 1855, and
was followed in 1S56 by Rev. Christian F. Holl, who
remained two years. In 185S Rev. Leopold Lass be-
came pastor, and was succeeded in 1861 by Rev. Fred-
erick Kopp. Mr. Kopp was succeeded in 1864 by Rev.
Isidore Lewis, who remained one. year, being succeeded
in 1S65 by Rev. C. A. Loeber, who remained until 1867.
Rev. E. Wunderlich then became pastor and remained
two vears, being succeeded by Rev. Mr. Fichencher,
who in 1872 was succeeded by Rev. C. A. Loeber, who
remained four years as pastor and one year as agent for
the society's property. Rev. J. YV. Roecker was ap-
pointed pastor in 1S77, and was succeeded in 1878 by
Rev. C. F. Allert, the last pastor of the Church. The
property of the society, as completed in the year 1854,
consisting of the two lots, church building, parsonage and
rented residence, were used until the fire of October, r87i,
destroyed them. The society at that time was in a
flourishing condition, and consisted of nearly two hun-
dred members. Like many other societies, they were
to some extent scattered and weakened by the great
calamity; but those wTho remained attached to its fort-
unes were by no means deprived of confidence in its
future prosperity, as was shown by their refusal to
accept an offer for the lots of $70,000, although advised
to do so by some of the older and more experienced
members. The plan adopted by the majority of the
Church, which was composed of young and enthusiastic
business men, was to erect a business block, following
the successful example of the First Methodist Episco-
pal Church, with the expectation that the income from
rents would furnish the society with a handsome reve-
nue. The lots were each fifty feet wide. Sixty feet in
width was mortgaged for §40,000, at ten per cent an-
nual interest, and a brick block erected thereon. This
block is sixty by seventy-five feet in size, and four
stories high. It was completed in 1873. The panic of
this year prevented the realization of the hopes of the
society, and the location did not prove as favorable for
business as it was expected that it would. The annual
interest on the debt, §4,000, added to the ordinary
expen- 501 iety, proved too excessive a burden

to be borne. The members became discouraged, and
gradually fell away from the Church. In March, 1879,
when the debt amounted to §48,000, and the member-
ship was reduced to sixty, the mortgage was foreclosed.
Ihe-e -ixty members distributed themselves among
other German Methodist churches, uniting mainly with
the Maxwell-street and Portland-avenue churches. In
1X74 the Dayton-street Mission, which in 1879 became
the Center-avenue Church, was started principally by
members from the Van Buren -street Church. Among
those active in the matter were Henry Kicker, Christian
Cander and Charles Batsche. A sketch of this mission
will be introduced in the third volume <>f tins History.

CWELL-STREE1 GERMAN METHODIST EPISCO-
PAL CHURCH. — Certain members of the First German
Methodist Episcopal Church on Indiana Street, and of
the VanBuren-street Methodist Episcopal Church, in

the year 1852, united in the formation of this society.
In this movement about forty German Methodists were
engaged. Among the more active ones were: Mr. and
Mrs. Christian Brandes, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gils,
August Theis, Henry Juengens, Mr. and Mrs. John
Lange, Eliza Zempta, Conrad Ocho, William Pagen-
hart, William Schreiner, Philip Ralfstadt, and Eruct
Dikman. This society purchased a small building at
the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets, where-
in they worshiped about a year, with Rev. A. Kellner
as their minister, when they moved their building to the
corner of Harrison and Aberdeen streets, at a cost of
§200. Here they remained until 1864, when under the
supervision of Rev. P. Hinners, then in charge of the
congregation, the church edifice at present owned and
occupied was erected. From the sale of the old build-
ing to the completion of the new one the congregation
worshiped in a school-house at the corner of Halsted
and Twelfth streets. The church on Maxwell Street is
a brick basement with frame superstructure, surmounted
by a low tower. It is forty-five by sixty-five feet in size
and cost about §7,000. The first minister, after the
removal to Harrison and Aberdeen streets, was Rev.
Ernest Baar, who was succeeded by Rev. R. Ficken-
scher, who in turn was succeeded in 1855 by Rev.
Henry Senn. Since that date the pastors have been as
follows: Revs. R. Fickenscher, 1856; YV. Winter, 1858;
Isidore Lewis, i860; L. Lass, 1861; P. Hinners, 1863;
F. Fischer, 1866; R. Fickenscher, 1868; C. G. Becker,
1870; J. W. Roccher, 1872 ; G. L. Mulfinger, 1874; C.
A. Loeber, 1876; Frederick Gottschalk, 1879; and J.J.
Keller in 1882. Three churches have thus far sprung
from this society — the Emanuel, at the corner of Laflin
and Nineteenth streets, the Portland-avenue, at the cor-
ner of Portland Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street, and
the church at the corner of Ullman and Thirty-first
streets, dedicated September 2, 1883. A Sunday school
has been connected with the German Society, or Max-
well-street Church, since its organization. There are
now from three hundred to four hundred children in
attendance.

The First Swedish Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized as the Scandinavian Mission
early in 1853, by the Rev. S. B. Newman. There were
originally twenty-five members, among them Mr. and
Mrs. C. M. Lindgren, Mr. and Mrs. Olof Westergreen, and
Mr. and Mrs. John Livergreen. As early as practicable
after organization Mr. Newman erected a building on
Illinois Street, near Market. This was during the sum-
mer of 1854, and the dedication occurred September
24, the sermon being preached by Rev. O. G. Hedstrom
from the Bethel Ship, New York City. This church
was occupied by the society until burned down by the
fire of 1871. Mr. Newman remained pastor until the
fall of 1855, when he was followed by the Rev. Eric
Shogren, who remained until 1859. Rev. J. Bredburg
was then pastor from 1859 to 1861, and was succeeded
by Rev. A. J. Anderson, who remained until 1864.
Rev. Eric Shogren was then returned and remained un-
til 1865. He was followed by Rev. N. O. Westergreen,
from 1865 to 1868; by Rev. Nels Peterson, from 1868
to 1870, and by Rev. A. J. Anderson from 1870 to 1873.
He was then again returned and remained from 1873 to
1876, having as assistant from 1873 to 1874 Rev. Alfred
Anderson, and from 1874 to 1876, Rev. N. O. Wester-
green, who was also editor of the Swedish Church paper,
"Sandebudet." Rev. Victor Witting was then pastor
from 1876 to 1877 ; Rev. A. J. Anderson from 1S77 to
1879, and Rev. I). S. Serlin from 1879 to 1882, when
the present pastor, Rev. H. W. Eklund, was appointed.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

333

After the destruction of their church on Illinois Street
by the fire, the society immediately erected a temporary
building at the corner of Market and Oak streets, which
was used until 1876, when it was replaced by the present
brick structure, which is seventy by seventy-two feet in
size, has a seating capacity of 800, and cost $30,000. A
fine organ was put up in 1881. Adjoining the church
is a two-story brick parsonage, costing about $2,500.
The property of the society is free from incumbrance.
The branches from this Church are the Second Swedish
Methodist Episcopal Church on May Street organized
in 1876 ; the Fifth Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church,
organized in 1876, and the Lake View Swedish Method-
ist Episcopal Church, organized in 1883, sketches of
which will appear in the third volume of this History.
The membership of this Church in 1858 was sixty; in
1872 three hundred and twenty-five ; and in 1883 four
hundred and thirty-six.

Rev. S. B. Newman was born in Sweden September 15,
1802. He came to America in 1S42, and joined the Alabama Con-
ference in 1S45. He went to New York in 1851, and came to Chi-

cago in 1852. Since leaving Chicago, in 1855, he has filled various
pulpits in Methodist churches, as appointed to them by the con-
ference, and was elder of the Illinois District from 1870 to 1875.
At present he is pastor of the Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church
at Moline, 111., preaching also at Rock Island.

The Methodist Protestant Church was organ-
ized in 1849. They at first worshiped in the semi-
nary at the corner of Clark and Madison streets. Rev.
Daniel Bagley was the first minister, preaching regularly
in the seminary until the erection of the church building,
situated at the northwest corner of Washington and
Desplaines streets. Rev. Mr. Bagley, was succeeded,
in 1850, by Rev. R. T. Strong; Rev. R. L. Ellis was
appointed in 185 1, Rev. Z. R. Ellis was appoint-
ed in 1852 and Rev. R. F. Shinn was pastor in
1853 and 1854. Mr. Shinn was succeeded by Rev.
George Ridding, who remained about two years, and
was succeeded by Dr. Rogers, from Canada, a man of
fine appearance and address and of considerable talent.
But his connection with the Church was unfortunate, as
certain difficulties, taken in connection with the indebt-
edness of the society hastened the disbandment of the
Church. During the pastorate of Mr. Shinn, the society
purchased a lot upon which to erect a new church;
deeding the lot in trust to him. This lot he re-
deeded to the trustees some time after leaving the
Church, and it was lost, together with the rest of their
property on account of debts. In March, 1857, they
were worshiping in a church at the corner of Peoria and
Fulton streets, under the pastoral charge of Rev. Rob-
ert H. Sutton. On the 26th of April, Rev. W. B. Mack
preached to this congregation. In August, 1858, Rev.
P. J Strong preached to them, and in September Rev.
W. B. Mack was appointed by the Illinois Conference
of the Methodist Protestant Church, Superintendent of
the Chicago Mission, and commenced his labors in the
church building of this denomination on the 26th of
the month.

Quinn Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church
was organized Thursday and Friday, July 22 and 23,
1847, by the Rev. J. H. Ward, a traveling deacon ap-

pointed by Bishop William P. Quinn. The organiza-
tion was effected at the house of Madison Patterson, on
State Street, near Madison, who succeeded Mr. Ward as
pastor. Rev. Mr. Patterson was succeeded by Rev.
Aaron Parker, who was born a slave in Kentucky, sold
to a St. Louis slave-holder, of whom he bought his free-
dom, and came to Chicago. Quinn Chapel was his first
charge. The society was then occupying a building on
Wells Street. Mr. Parker bought of Orrington Lunt a
lot on the corner of Jackson and Buffalo streets, on
which he made the first payment, $70. Mr. Parker
labored diligently to build up the Church. In 1849 he
was succeeded by Rev. John Collins, of Terre Haute,
Ind., who the next year was succeeded by the Rev. Y.
W. Johnson, of Pennsylvania. A local historian of this
chapel describes Mr. Johnson as a man having a good
memory and very strong lungs, and as being well versed
in the Prophecies and in Revelations, but as having
a weak heart and doing nothing for the Church. The
passage and approval (September 18, 1850,) of the Fugi-
tive Slave Bill, caused considerable consternation
among the colored citizens of Chicago. Enthusiastic
meetings were held, one September 30 and one October
2, at the latter of which resolutions were passed intensely
antagonistic to the bill. In one of these resolutions the
expressions were employed, " We who have tasted
freedom are ready to exclaim with Patrick Henry,
' Give us liberty or give us death ;' and ' Resistance to
tyrants is obedience to God.' We will stand by our
liberty at the expense of our lives, and will not consent
to be taken into slavery nor permit our brethren to
be taken." A vigilance committee was appointed. The
same local historian states further, with respect to Mr.
Johnson, that, after the passage of the Fugitive Slave
Bill, he went from house to house among the colored
people persuading them all to flee to Canada, to pre-
vent the provisions of the bill being enforced upon
them. The Journal of November 18, 1S50, stated that
Mr. Johnson had been reduced to indigent circum-
stances in consequence of many of his congregation
having left for fear of arrest under the law. In April,
185 1, Mr. Johnson followed those of his congregation
who had fled to Canada, where he organized a Church,
and returned to Chicago to collect money for the pur-
pose of building it up ; " but he would sign no papers
nor do anything toward the second payment on the
Quinn Chapel lot." A committee thereupon waited
upon Mr. Lunt with reference to future payments on
the lot. Mr. Lunt replied : " Give yourselves no un-
easiness, you shall not lose the property." Before the
debt of $500 was paid, Mr. Lunt had donated $300 of
the amount. In September, 1852, Rev. John A. War-
ren was appointed to this Church, and commenced the
erection of a building on the lot purchased of Mr.
Lunt. The corner-stone was laid April 27, 1S53, on
which occasion the address was delivered by Rev.
James E. Wilson, of the Jefferson-street Methodist
Episcopal Church. Rev. Mr. Warren did not prove to
be a very satisfactory minister. During his first year
he preached but fifteen sermons, and during his second
year only twenty, but demanded his full salary, one-
third of all he collected for the expense of erecting the
church building, and when he delivered anti-slavery
lectures "all belonged to John." Money, therefore,
flowed but slowly into the coffers of the Church. In
August, after expending $1,500, work temporarily
ceased, and at the next Conference Mr. Warren was
sent to another field of labor. He was succeeded by
Rev. M. M. Clark, under whom the church was com-
pleted, at a cost of $5,000, and dedicated Sunday,

554

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

November 20, 1S53. by the presiding elder. Rev. Will-
iam P. Quinn. after whom the chapel was named. Rev.
William T. Davis was the next pastor of the Church,
and was succeeded in 1855 by Rev. Elisha Weaver,
who labored faithfully two years, paid off the debts,
bought and paid for a parsonage and moved it on to the
church lot Mr. Weaver, with a few of the trustees,
introduced an organ into the church, which " created

infusion in the church until the people got used
To it." In 1856 the society had seventy members, and
at the time this sketch closes 1S57 , Rev. Mr. Clark
was its pastor.

The German Evangelical Association. — The

initiatorv steps toward the organization in the United

- of this Association were taken in 1790, by Rev.

Vlbright. a Methodist clergyman. Mr. Albright
was impelled to special effort among the German resi-
dents of eastern Pennsylvania, by observing their gen-
eral decline of religious life, and their corruption of
morals. Without having in view such a design, his
labors resulted, ten years later, in the organization of
the " Evangelical Association," which name, although
unsatisfactory to most of the members, and notwith-
standing numerous attempts to change it have been
made, is still retained. Its first Conference was held in
1S07. and its first General Conference in 1816. In doc-
trine and theology the Association is Arminian ; with
reference to sanctification, Wesleyan, and in its modes
of worship it conforms very nearly to the Methodist
Episcopal Church. A few of the differences between
them are as follows : In the Evangelical Association the
bishops are elected for four years, instead of for life ;
the ministers are assigned to their charges by the pre-
siding elders instead of by the bishops, the latter how-
ever having a revisory power, and the elders are elected
by the Church members, instead of being appointed by
the minister. The first members of this Association
to come to Chicago were Daniel and Christopher
Stanger, in 1855. The former wrote back to Jacob
Esher, the father of John G. and J. J. Esher, the latter
of whom is the present Bishop of Chicago, describing to
him the exceeding fertility of the soil of Illinois, and
urging him to emigrate from the mountainous country
and rocky soil of eastern Pennsylvania, and come to
this fair and fertile region of the West. Mr. Esher, ac-
companied by a number of other Germans, came to the
vicinity of Chicago in 1856. Among them were his
brother Martin, Lewis Arnet and a Mr. Suther. In
1837 Jacob Ott and his sons Lawrence, Jacob and
Philip came. During this year quite a number had set-
tled in Chicago, and in August, Jacob Boaz, after rid-
ing on horseback three hundred miles, arrived in the
city, having come as the first minister of the Association
to preach to the members already here. The first place
of preaching was the City Hall. After Mr. Boaz came
Rev. Mr. Einsel, who in a few months went back, in ill
health, to Ohio, and sent out Rev. John Lutz. In June,
1838, Rev. Mathias Howard commenced to preach in a
wagon-shop on North Kinzie Street, between Dearborn
and (lark. Rev. Isaac Hoffert succeeded Mr. Howard
and was himself succeeded by the Revs. Daniel Kern
and Daniel Stroh. The colleague of the latter was
Christian Lintner. In 1843 Germans enough belonging
to this Association had collected in Chicago to form a
Church ; an organization was effected and a lot secured
from Hon. Oram Goodrich by donation, at the corner
of Wabash Avenue and Monroe Street. This was under
Rev. Frederick Wahl, who was sent out as missionary
that year, and who was tin- first regular pastor of the
Church. Rev. Mr. Wahl had as colleague Rev. George

A. Blank. A small frame building was erected on their
lot, thirty by forty feet in size, at a cost of $5°°- The
society worshiped in this building until 1852, when it
divided into two churches — the First moving their
building to Clark Street, near Van Buren, and the
Second Church erecting, in 1856, a building at the
southeast corner of Wells Street and Chicago Avenue.
While the First Church remained on Wabash Avenue
its ministers were as follows : Rev. Frederick Wahl in
1843; Rev. C. Augenstein in 1844; Rev. Jacob Kopp
in 1845 i Rev- C. Augenstein in 1846 ; Rev. G. A. Blank
in 1847 ; Rev. G. G. Platz in 1848 ; Rev. Christian Holl
until 1850 ; Rev. Joseph Halacher in 1851, and Rev. J.
P. Kramer in 1852, under whom the division occurred.
While the Church was located on Clark Street, the min-
isters were as follows: Rev. Israel Kuter in 1853, and
Rev. J. H. Ragatz in 1854. In 1855 this Society
erected a church at the corner of Polk Street and Edina
Place, in which it worshiped until the fire of 1871. At
the time of its removal the pastor was the Rev. L. H.
Eiterman, and its history from this point will be con-
tinued in the succeeding volumes of this History.

St. James' Episcopal Church was organized in
1834. The gentlemen taking part in the organization
were: William B. Egan, Dr. Phillip Maxwell, Giles
Spring, John H. Kinzie, Dr. Clarke, Gurdon S. Hub-
bard. John L. Wilcox, William Pettit, Eli B. Williams,
Jacob Russell and Hans Crocker. The first eight were
elected vestrymen. The first communicants were Peter
Johnson, Mrs. Peter Johnson, Mrs. Juliette A. Kinzie,
Mrs. Francis W. Magill, Mrs. Nancy Hullman and Mrs.
Margaret Helm. Rev. Palmer Dyer arrived in Chicago
on the 10th of October, 1834, and on or about the 12th,
by invitation of Rev. Jeremiah Porter, preached both
morning and afternoon in the Presbyterian church.
These were the first Episcopal services held in Chicago.
In the morning the text was Matthew, xviii, 3: "Except
ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall
not enter into the kingdom of heaven." In the after-
noon the text was Isaiah, xl, 8: "The grass withereth,
the flowers fadeth, but the word of our God shall stand
forever." After the afternoon service Mr. Dyer ad-
ministered the sacrament to four Episcopalians — three
lady members of Mr. Kinzie 's family and one gentle-
man— and about twenty-five Presbyterians. Mr. Dyer
did not remain in Chicago, but afterward went to
Peoria, and thence to Fort Snelling as army Chaplain.
On the next Sunday, October 19, Rev. Isaac W. Hallam
preached his first sermon in Chicago, in the Baptist
church. For some time religious services were held in
a building named afterward "Tippecanoe Hall," fitted
up for the purpose by John H. Kinzie, on the southeast
corner of Kinzie and State streets. In 1836 Mr. Kinzie
donated to the Church two lots at the corner of Cass
and Illinois streets, and in 1837 the first church build-
ing of this society was erected thereon. On the 25th of
June of that year the new church was dedicated by
Bishop Philander Chase. The style of the building was
Gothic, forty-four by sixty-four feet in size, and, though
really a very modest structure, was thought to be very
imposing for a frontier town. It was the first brick
church built in Chicago. The tower contained a bell
bearing the name and date of the erection of the church.
"There was one feature about the old church which was
the especial pride of the congregation ; it was a large
mahogany pulpit, some eighteen feet wide, six feet
deep, and fifteen feet high. Before this pulpit was the
reading desk, and still in front of the reading desk the
communion table, a plain, honest table and nothing
else. All this costly arrangement suited the eye better

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

335

than it did the officiating clergyman, and so in the early
times of Mr. Clarkson it had to give way to more mod-
ern styles and usages." In connection with the reference
to this pulpit an anecdote of Dr. William B. Egan is
worthy of preservation. The church had been built, as
elsewhere mentioned, on lots donated to the St. James'
Society by John H. Kinzie, and Mr. Kinzie and his
family were otherwise so closely identified with it that
it was sometimes called the " Kinzie Church." Above

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

this remarkable pulpit was painted on the wall the
initials I. H. S., which seen in the dim religious light
which filled the church looked not very much unlike
the initials of Mr. Kinzie's name, J. H. K. Soon after
the church was completed Mrs. Kinzie invited the genial,
witty and somewhat irreverent Dr. Egan to attend her
church, and after the conclusion of the services to ac-
company her home to dinner. On the way to dinner
she said, " Well, Doctor, how do you like our church ?"
"Very much, indeed," he replied ; "but is it not a little
egotistical, and won't the people think it a little vain in
John to put his initials so conspicuously over the pul-
pit ?" The entire cost of the building, furnished with
organ, bell, carpet and lamps, was $15,500. By the sale
of the slips and pews there was realized the sum of $13,-
860, and by means of fairs something over $5,600
more, so that after paying for the church there
was a surplus of $4,000, which was used in 1838
for the erection of a parsonage. At the Diocesan
Convention of 1838, held at Rushville, 111.,
the name of J. W. C. Coffin appears as the first lay rep-
resentative from this place. On the 3d and 4th of June,
1839, the fifth Diocesan Convention was held in the St.
James Church, Chicago. The only lay delegates pres-
ent were from that Church — Silas W. Sherman, John H.
Kinzie and S. J. Sherwood. In 1842 a marble font on
a mahogany base was placed in the church by the Sew-
ing Society. The next church building erected by this
congregation was a large and handsome stone structure,
which was completed in 1857, and first opened for re-
ligious services in December of that year. It stood on
a lot at the southeast corner of Cass and Huron streets,
purchased by the society in 1855. The cost of the

church was $60,000, exclusive of ground and tower.
Rev. Isaac W. Hallam remained pastor until 1843, in
August of which year he was succeeded by Rev. W. F.
Walker. Mr. Walker remained but a short time, on ac-
count of certain practices of his of which the society did
not approve. His habits led to certain charges being
brought against him and a trial. The trial was con-
ducted in a very able and spirited manner against him
by the venerable Bishop Chase; in his defense by the
equally noted, if not equally venerable attorney, Justin
Butterfield. One of the charges was that of breaking
the Sabbath, it being Mr. Walker's habit, when visiting
outlying parishes on Sunday, to take his gun with him
and to return with his buggy well laden with game. His
duties terminated here on Easter Sunday, 1844, and on
the first Sunday of May following he was succeeded by
Rev. Ezra B. Kellogg, who established Trinity Church
that year. Mr. Kellogg remained until 1848 and was
succeeded by Rev. Robert H. Clarkson in 1849. Mr.
Clarkson remained pastor until 1S65, and under his
ministrations the parish became one of the strongest
Episcopal parishes in the northwest. Under the long
rectorship of Rev. Isaac W. Hallam there were baptised
one hundred and eighty-eight children and adults; fiftv-
nine persons were presented for confirmation, and sev-
enty-two marriage ceremonies were solemnized by him.
Mr. Hallam had also officiated at forty-eight funerals.
The membership of the Church steadily increased dur-
ing the period which this volume covers. In 1852 it had
become one hundred and sixty-seven; in 1853, it was
one hundred and seventy-six; in 1854, one hundred and
eighty; in 1855, two hundred and twenty-four; in 1856,
two hundred and forty-eight, and in 1857, two hundred
and sixty. The very large increase in 1855 rendered
the church at Cass and Illinois streets too small for the
congregation, and a new building was commenced, which
was opened for religious services in December, 1857, as
stated above. During this latter year the total contri-
butions of this society for home, missionary and other
purposes, amounted to $26,925.70.

Rev. Isaac W. Hallam was born in Stonington, Conn.,
November 20, 1809. In 1S30 he graduated from the Washington
(now Trinity) College, Hartford, and was ordained deacon, in
Alexandria, D. C, by the Rt. Rev. Richard E. Moore, May 20,
1832. His first charge was St. James' Parish. New London,
Conn., where he was ordained priest December 2S, 1833, by Rt.
Rev. Thomas C. Bunnell. On the2Sth of August, 1S34, he was ap-
pointed missionary to Chicago, by the Domestic Board of Missions.
He arrived in Chicago with his wife and child early in October fol-
lowing. St. James' Parish was soon organized and a Sunday
school commenced. He attended the General Convention of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia as the first clerical
deputy from the Diocese of Illinois. In the winter of 1S41-42,
Trinity Parish was organized, both parishes to be under one rector,
with an assistant when means should be provided for his support
Satisfied that this double duty would be beyond his strength, the
Rev. Mr. Hallam resigned his charge and returned to his native
town October, 1843, where he commenced the first public services
of the Episcopal Church, which resulted in the appointment of a
missionary, the organization of a parish and the building of a
church. He was subsequently rector of St. Stephen's Church,
Lynn, Mass., St. Peter's Church, Clarkboro, N. J., St. John's
Church, Windham, Conn., with a mission at Willimantic and St.
Mark's, New Canaan, Conn. After nearly fifty years of continu-
ous parochial work, he was obliged, on account of ill health, in re-
tire from the regular ministry and be content with such occasional
services as his strength would permit. On the 31st of May, 1SS3,
he was present at the consecration of St. James' Church, Chicago,
the third church building erected by that parish. With reference
to the Rev. Mr. Hallam's ministry, the Rt. Rev. John Williams,
D. D., present (1SS3) Bishop of Connecticut, writes, "Mis ministry
has always been faithful and successful." Mr. Hallam now resides
in Stonington, Conn., his native town. He was married February
iS, 1833, to Miss Nancy Hallam, of Richmond, Va. They have
had ten children: Lucy Williams, who died in Chicago, November
27, 1839; John Kinzie, Isaac Williams, Giles Russel; Lucy Will-

S3«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

^fcM^

^i^t^i^

iams, born in Chicago December 21, i3.ii; Sarah Miles, Harriet
Elizabeth, Annie Courtney, Robert, and Alexander Vinton. Be-
sides Lucv Williams, John Kinzie, Isaac Williams and Alexander
Vinton have died. The rest are living.

Rt. Rev. Robert Harper Clarkson, at present Bishop of
Nebraska and Dakota, was born at Gettysburg, Penn., November
IK- graduated at Pennsylvania College, in that place,
in 1S44, and in theology at St. James' College, Maryland, in 1848.
Shortly after graduating he was ordained by Bishop Whittingham,
of Maryland. In 1S49, he became rector of St. James' Church,
Chicago, remaining until 1865. On the 15th of November of this
year he was consecrated Bishop of Nebraska and Dakota, since
which time he has resided in Omaha, Neb. Bishop Clarkson was
for some years a trustee of Racine College, Wisconsin, and is now
a trustee of Nashotah Theological College, Wisconsin, to which
position he was appointed in 1857. In 1866 he established Nebraska
ollegc, at Nebraska City, and in 1S68, Brownell Hall, in

Omaha. In Nebraska and Dakota he has established a large num-
ber of churches. In 1856 Racine College conferred upon him the
degree of Doctor of Divinity, and in 1872 Nebraska University
conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. Bishop Clark-
son wa-, married at Hagerstown, Md., May 8, 1849, to Miss Mel-
of I rederic, Md. They have two children — Mary,
ife of the Rev. F. R. Millsfaugh, and Nellie, wife of F. II.

Trinity Church. — Toward the close of the year
at a meeting of St. James' Church, it was voted
that an Episcopal ' hurch was necessary on the South
Side. - ths later, in 1X42, a parish was estab-

lished, including the whole of the South Division of the
city, and named Trinity Church. At the first election,
held March 5, 1X42, the following officers were chosen :
Senior warden. J. Brinkerhoff ; junior warden, S. J.-
Sherwood ; vrestryrrien, Cyrenus Beers, Charles Sauter,

Caleb Morgan, Thomas Whitlock and W. H. Bracken.
Trinity Church was finally organized about August 1,

1843, by Rev. W. F. Walker, at the time rector of St.
James' Church. From this time to Easter fApril 7),

1844, Mr. Walker officiated for both St. James' Church,
and for Trinity Parish in the evening. The services for
Trinity were held from Advent to Easter in a public
" Saloon " within the parish. At Easter, having re-
signed the pastorate of St. James' Church, Mr. Walker
became pastor only of Trinity Church. Religious serv-
ices continued to be conducted in the '■ Saloon " until
August, 1844, when the Church moved into their new
house of worship just completed. The building stood
on Madison Street, between Clark and LaSalle. The
corner-stone had been laid June 5, by Bishop Philander
Chase, D.D., and when ready for occupancy the edifice
was a neat, tasteful and commodious building. Serv-
ices were held in this building for the first time August
25, 1844. The original membership is not given, but
in 1845 it was eighty-nine. During Mr. Walker's rec-
torship, which lasted until the fall of 1847, the number
was reduced to sixty-one on account of difficulties and
dissensions among the members. At the beginning of
the winter of 1847-48, Rev. William Barlow succeeded
to the rectorship, and remained with the Church until
1850. The period of his ministry was made memorable
by the healing of divisions in the Church and the return
of peace. In February, 1850, Mr. Barlow died, and was
succeeded by Rev. Cornelius E. Swope, from St. James'
College, Maryland, who remained with the Church
until May, 185 1, leaving Trinity, then, with that
portion of his congregation who had organized
Grace Church. , In the diocese which convened this
year Trinity Church was represented by J. M.
W7ilson, Dr. Rutler and W. H. Adams. Rev. Charles
Reighley succeeded Rev. C. E. Swope in 1851,
and under his ministrations, which terminated in 1853,
as also under those of his successor, Rev. William
Augustine Smallwood, who remained until 1857, the
Church made steady progress and the membership
steadily increased, until the panic of the latter year,
which had a depressing influence upon religious as well
as upon business affairs. In 1852, the membership of
the Church was sixty; in 1853, seventy-two; in 1854,
one hundred and sixteen; in 1855, one hundred and
fifty-two; in 1856, one hundred and eighty-six; but in
1857, under the depressing influence of the financial
revulsion of that year, the membership was reduced to
one hundred and twenty-one. The convention of the
Diocese of Illinois was held in Trinity church in Octo-
ber, 1S54, the unpaid balance of the debt upon the
property was nearly extinguished, and the salary of the
rector, Mr. Smallwood, was increased. Nearly fifty
members were added to the Church rolls. By 1856, the
debt was entirely extinguished, and the need of a new
and larger edifice was sorely felt. In May, 1857, Mr.
Smallwood was succeeded by Rev. Noah Hunt Schenck
of Gambier, Ohio, who remained until January 1, i860,
when he became rector of Emanuel's Church, Balti-
more. Rev. James Pratt, rector of the Church of the
Covenant, Philadelphia, was elected successor of Dr.
Schenck, and entered upon his duties March 15, i860.
During the pastorate of Mr. Pratt, the proposed new
building was completed. A lot on Jackson Street, be-
tween Wabash and Michigan avenues, was purchased
of Cyrenus Beers, for $11,000. The corner-stone was
laid September 4, i860, by Rev. Dr. Pratt, and on the
16th of June, 1861, the society assembled in their new
church for the first time. The front of the building
was toward the north; the dimensions were seventy-one

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

337

feet front by one hundred and fifty feet in depth. The
front and lower sections of the towers were of Athens
stone, and the side and rear walls of brick. Between
the towers was a spacious arched arcade; the vestibule
was sixteen feet deep, and the auditorium sixty-five
feet wide by one hundred and twenty-five in depth.
On the main floor were one thousand seats, and in the
galleries four hundred. The auditorium was lighted
from the roof, there being no side windows. The
effect, though solemn, was pleasing, but felt only during
the day. The interior was handsomely frescoed and
furnished. On the 9th of March, 1863, Dr. Pratt re-
signed his rectorship, op account of ill health, to take
effect June 1. In May, Rev. George D. Cummins was
rector. He entered upon his duties Sunday, October 4,
1863, and was instituted April 17, 1864, by Rev. Henry
J. Whitehouse, Bishop of the Diocese. On the 1st of
October, 1864, the debt of the society was $17,500 In
April, 1868, this entire sum was canceled, and on the
24th of the month, the edifice was consecrated by the
Right Rev. Henry J. Whitehouse, assisted by several
other clergymen, of this and other cities, among them,
Rev. G. D. Cummins, Rev. Noah H. Schenck, Rev. E.
M. Van Deusen, of Pittsburgh, Rev. Henry Safford, of
Oberlin, and the Rev. Messrs. Cheney, Freeman, Stout
and Smith of Chicago. Having briefly traced the his-
tory of this Church to the consecration of its elegant
temple of worship, its subsequent history is reserved for
the third volume of this History

The Church of the Atonement was organized
March 18, 1850, with nineteen members. The first
meetings were held in Temperance Hall, at the corner
of Randolph and Canal streets. Rev. Dudley Chase
was the first rector and remained until 1852. For a
portion of the year 1853, Rev. C. H. Gardiner served as
supply, commencing April 17. The membership did
not increase very rapidly for the first few years. Start-
ing in 1850 with nineteen, in 1852 and 1853 there were
forty-six; in 1854, fifty-one ; in 1855, seventy; in 1856,
eighty-four ; and in 1857, eighty-six. The first build-
ing occupied as a house of worship was a rented one.
It was fitted up by the parish in good taste, was cen-
trally located, and capable of holding two hundred
people. In 185 1 the society secured a lot at a cost of
$800, the money for the first payment of which was
■ raised by the ladies. Upon this lot a tasteful house of
worship was erected in 1854. About $800 were sub-
scribed during this year by members of the Church and
others toward the liquidation of the debt,, and a fence
was built around the church lot at a cost of $200. In
1856 the Church contributed to various purposes
$580.08 ; and in 1857, including the rector's salary of
§1,000, $1,977.50.

Grace Church. — At a meeting of a number of
members of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Chi-
cago, held May 20, 185 1, Grace Church was organized
by the election of Henry Ritchie and Jeremiah W.
Duncan, wardens, and Talman Wheeler, David S. Lee,
J. W. Chickering, Caleb Morgan, H. W. Zimmerman,
T. B. Peuton and L. H. Osborne, vestrymen. Rev.
Cornelius E. Swope was chosen rector. Services were
at first held in Warner's Hall, on Randolph Street. Mr.
Swope remained until the spring of 1854, when he was
succeeded by Rev. Lewis L. Noble, who commenced his
rectorship June 25, 1854, and closed it September 9, 1855.
Rev. John W. Clark commenced his rectorship June 8,
1856. Up to 1855 the membership remained at seventy-
three. In 1856 it was one hundred ; and in 1857 it in-
creased to one hundred and forty. During this year a
lot was secured upon which to build. A description of

this edifice is introduced into the second volume of this
History, as it was not completed until after the year
1857. During the year with which this volume closes,
the total contributions of this Church amounted to
$7,762.71.

St. John's Church was nominally organized Feb-
ruary 22, 1856, and was fully organized about Easter
time. Rev. Hiram N. Bishop was the first minister,
preaching his first sermon on the second Sunday "l
May. The number of members at the time of organi-
zation is not ascertainable. Three thousand dollars
were subscribed for the erection of a church — one-third
of which came from persons not members of any Church.
A plain frame building was put up, thirty by sixty-five feet
in size, capable of seating three hundred people, without
incurring any debt. On the first of September, 1856,
the pews were offered for rent and in a short time fifteen
were taken, the rental amounting to $1,529. In 1857
at the time of making the parochial report to the dio-
cese, there were fifty-two members. During the year
the church building had been enlarged, and the im-
provement paid for. Fifty-two new pews were added
and the Church was thus made capable of accommodat-
ing five hundred persons. A parsonage was erected at
a cost of $r,9oo, on a lot given to the Church by William
Carpenter, and a lot seventy-five by one hundred feet in
size, contiguous to the church building was donated and
deeded to the Church by Job Carpenter. A Sunday
school was organized with one hundred and twenty
scholars, about eighty of whom were in attendance each
Sunday. The total contributions of this Church for the
year 1857 amounted to $9,901.11.

Church of the Holy Communion was organized
in April, 1857, with eighty members, as a free Church.
This was the distinguished feature of the organization.
The founders believed that churches should be so con-
ducted as to present no obstacle of any kind to any one
who might desire to attend church, by selling or leasing
pews, or in any other way ; that nothing should be done
to keep the poor man from church. Rev. H. B. Whip-
ple was called to the rectorship, and services were held
in a hall rented for the purpose, no church building
being erected that year. Like many others, this Church
had to encounter and overcome numerous obstacles at
the beginning, the chief of which was the want of a suit-
able house of worship, but this was in after years sup-
plied.

Church of the Ascension. — Upon an invitation
extended to him in April, 1857, Rev. J. W. Cracraft came
to Chicago, in May, for the purpose of organizing a par-
ish on the North Side. He preached his initiatory ser-
mon on the first Sunday in May. As the new edifice
of St. James' Church' was approaching completion,
that Church made an advantageous offer of their old
church building, standing on Cass Street, near Illinois,
to the Church of the Ascension. This society there-
fore decided that no funds should be expended in
erecting a temporary church, but that all their financial
strength should be reserved for the purpose of remov-
ing the Old St. James' Church, when that should be
vacated in the fall. Gurdon S. Hubbard gave the new
organization three lots, two to be used as a church site,
the other to be used toward the erection of a suitable
edifice. Subsequently, the proffer of St. James' Church,
with reference to their old building was withdrawn,
which, on account of the lateness of the season at the
time of the withdrawal of the offer, coupled with the
adverse influence of the financial revolution which that
year depressed all business enterprises, made it imprac-
ticable for the new Church to erect a permanent house

33«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

of worship that year, and its only recourse was to seek
some temporary accommodations for the then present
emergency, by renting some building- or erecting a cheap
one on their own account. In September a parish or-
ganization was effected, taking the name of "The
Church of the Ascension," but on account of the ab-
sence of the warden and secretary the proper certificate
could not be obtained at the time of the meeting of the
convention of the Diocese, so the Church could not be
represented therein. About forty families had joined
the Church by the fall of this year, and through the
liberality of the trustees of 'Westminster Chapel, they
were accommodated with a convenient and comfortable
building for their incipient services.

St. Ansgarius' Church was organized March 5,
1849. The first trustees were P. Von Schneider, W.
Knudsen, Butten Markusen, Andrew Johnson, Andrew
Lurson. J. Bjorkman. A S. Sheldon and John Anderson.
The members of the Church were emigrants from Nor-
way and Sweden, about two-thirds from Norway. They
were collected into a society by the Rev. Gustaf Unon-
ius. The membership at the time of organization is
not ascertainable, but in 1850 there were one hundred
and sixty-three members, including men, women and
children. During this year a building was erected at
the corner of Franklin and Indiana streets. It was a
frame structure, thirty-five by fifty feet in size, and
cost 82,500. In 1856 a fine organ was added at a cost
of §700. In 185 1 this Church was represented in the
Diocese of Illinois by John \V. Chickering and P. Von
Schneider. The membership reached one hundred and
ninety-five in 1S54, decreased to one hundred and sev-
enteen in 1855, and in 1857 had increased to one hun-
dred and forty-two. Mr. Unonius remained pastor
until 1866, when he resigned and returned to Sweden,
where he now resides. In the year 1851, when the
society was weak financially and struggling to complete
its house of worship erected the year before, Jenny
Lind, at the solicitation of the pastor, presented to
them §1,000 in money and a silver communion set.
Toward the close of the year 185 1, the question arose
as to who should own the communion set, in case of a
separation of the Church into two portions, the one of
Swedes the other of Norwegians. The Norwegian
members claimed an equal ownership in the set with the
Swedes and that, in case of a division, they should have
paid to them half the value of the set. Mr. Unonius
claimed that the set was presented to the Church of St.
Ansgarius on the condition that in case of a separation
it should belong exclusively to the Swedish portion, and
in this position he was sustained by the Swedish mem-
bers. In order to sustain this position, Mr. Unonius
presented the following letter written by Jenny Lind:
> Unonius,

"Dear Sir: Whereas my attention has been called to the ninth
section of the article of the congregations in Chicago constitution,
I do hereby declare that the cup and paten which I last year do-
nated to the Swedish and Norwegian Church congregation in Chi-
cago, in the event of a dissolution of the said congregation, shall
never be included in the value of said congregation's common
property, but shall in such case belong exclusively to the Swedish
portion of the congregation.

"Northampton, Mass., the 28th day of March, 1852."

e^u^v -% **<v*&*^<d&

Mr. Unonius made affidavit to the fact as follows:

" State of Illinois. )
Cook County, f
" Gustaf Unonius being duly sworn according to law says, that
Mrs. Jenny Lind Goldschmidt, in presenting a silver communion
set to the Church of St. Ansgarius in Chicago did so with the ex-
plicit stipulation that it should become the exclusive property of a
Swedish congregation.
" April 22, 1858."

Max Hjortsberg, the private secretary of Madam
Goldschmidt, also made affidavit to the same effect.
The result of the controversy was that the Swedish por-
tion of the congregation retained the set. In after
years the Church was divided on the line of nationality,
as was anticipated. An account of the division, and a
sketch of each separate portion of the Church will fol-
low in the next volume.

Bishop Philander Chase, D.D. — The Diocese of Illinois
was organized at Peoria, March q, 1835, at the primary conven-
tion held there for the purpose. This convention was composed
of three clergymen and six lay delegates. The clericals were Rev.
John Batchelder, rector of Trinity Church, Jacksonville; Rev.
Palmer Dyer, rector of St. Tude's Church, Peoria, and Rev. James
C. Richmond, rector of Christ Church, Rushville, and Grace
Church, Beardstown. The lay delegates were Rudolphus Rouse,
Augustus O. Garrett, Edward Worthington, Milton W. Graves,
James Fayerweather and Charles Derrickson. Rev. Isaac W.
Hallam, rector of St. James' Church, Chicago, was not present at
this convention. Rev. John Batchelder was elected president, and
Rev. Palmer Dyer, secretary. Committees were appointed to
frame a constitution, canons and rules of order. A standing com-
mittee was elected, and also delegates to the next general conven-
tion of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States,
which met in Philadelphia, August 19, 1S35. At the time of the
organization of the Diocese of Illinois, there were but six organ-
ized Episcopal parishes in the State, only three of which were at
the convention, the parishes at Galena and Chicago not being rep-
resented. In the evening of that day the following resolution was
adopted: "Resolved, unanimously, that this convention do hereby
appoint the Right Reverend Philander Chase, D.D., a bishop of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America,
to the Episcopate of Illinois, and that he be, and hereby is, invited
to remove into this diocese, and to assume Episcopal jurisdiction
in the same " Bishop Chase accepted the appointment April 3,
1835, but was not present at the second annual convention, which
met at Jacksonville, Monday. May 16, 1S36, being absent in Great
Britain at the time, soliciting assistance toward the establishment
of a theological school in his new diocese. Rev. Isaac W. Hallam
who had been appointed to preach to the convention, was also ab-
sent, but he arrived after the adjournment of the convention. At
the third annual convention, Bishop Chase was present, presided,
and delivered his first address, at Springfield. The Bishop made
his first Episcopal visitation to Chicago in 1835, and his second in
1S36, during the erection of St. James' Episcopal Church, preached
twice, confirmed eleven persons, baptized one child and adminis-
tered the sacrament of the Lord's supper to thirty persons. On the
iSth of July he met with an accident which interfered with his
duties as bishop for some time. This was the breaking of two
ribs by the overturning of his carriage when on his way from
Rockingham, III., to his home in Peoria County. He made his
first appearance after this accident at Rushville, October 3, 1S37.
The fourth annual convention was held at Rushville, June 4, 1838,
Bishop Chase presiding. He also presided at the fifth annual con-
vention, which was held in Chicago, June 3 and 4, 1S39. No con-
vention was held in 1840. The sixth annual convention was held
in the chapel of Jubilee College, June 7 and S, 1841, Bishop Chase
presiding. The next annual convention held in Chicago was in
1850, on the 17th and 18th of June. Bishop Chase presided here.
as at all those not specifically mentioned above. At this time there
were four Episcopal churches in Chicago. The Church Of the
Atonement was a newly-formed congregation, the first on the West
Side. Bishop Chase preached to this congregation on Sunday,

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

339

lune g, in the morning, and in the afternoon at Trinity Church.
On the same day he met the congregation of St. Ansgarius, in
St. James' Church, Rev. Gustaf Unonius pastor, whose church
edifice was not then completed. On the 14th of June the Bishop
confirmed twenty-four persons in St. James' Church. At the regu-
lar annual convention held at Pekin, September 8, of that year,
Bishop Chase presided. This was the last convention at which he
presided. At the annual convention held at Pekin, June 21, 1S52,
in the absence of Bishop Chase, the Right Reverend Henry J.
Whitehouse, assistant bishop of the diocese, presided. Bishop
Chase died on Monday, September 20, 1852, at his residence at
Jubilee College, in Peoria County, an institution which he had
founded. He was succeeded as bishop by Rev. Henry J. White-
house, an account of whose Episcopate and residence in Chicago
will be appropriately found in the second volume of this History.
Bishop Chase filled the Episcopate of Illinois for seventeen years.
The summary of his acts is as follows: He ordained to the priest-
hood, seven; to the deaconate, twelve; to both, three; total, thir-
teen persons. He consecrated sixteen churches, baptized two
hundred and ninety infants and sixteen adults, and confirmed nine
hundred and fifteen individuals. In 1835, when he was elected
bishop of the diocese, it consisted of five organized parishes; in
1852, when he died, it contained fifty-two parishes, forty-three of
which contained sixteen hundred and two communicants. Five of
these parishes were in Chicago.

First Congregational Church was organized
May 22, 185 1. Its first church building was on Wash-
ington Street, between Halsted and Union, Philo Car-
penter, who had always taken leading positions in re-
ligious movements, having in 1832 organized the first
Sunday school in Chicago, and having assisted in organ-
izing the First and Third Presbyterian churches, was
one of the principal movers in this measure, which was
the result of a schism in the Third Presbyterian Church,
the particulars of which are fully developed in the
sketch of that Church's history. By reference thereto
the successive steps may be traced which led to the ex-
cinding by the Presbytery of the names of those who
persisted in their " disorderly and disorganizing action."
Technically there were but seventeen excinded, fifteen
of whom joined the First Congregational Church when
that was organized. Twenty-five others who subscribed
to the obnoxious fourth resolution of February 3, 185 1,
were regularly dismissed, their action in signing the
resolution not having been done openly in Church meet-
ing, and for this reason did not come before the Presby-
tery in an official manner. For about one year after
their exclusion from the Church, these forty-two ex-
members held regular religious services in the lecture-
room of the church lean-to, which had been erected
principally at the private expense of Philo Carpenter,
and which, according to agreement made at the time of
its erection, not having been paid for at the time of the
culmination of the schism, remained his private property
and subject to his control. At a meeting held about
the middle of April, it was decided to proceed to the
organization of a Church to be called the " First Con-
gregational Church of Chicago," and a committee was
appointed to draft a constitution and articles of faith.
On the 5th of May, steps were taken toward the pur-
chase of a lot at the corner of Washington and Jeffer-
son streets, and May 22 was fixed upon as the date for
the organization of the new society. An Ecclesiastical
Council, pursuant to a call, convened for the purpose in
the Canal-street Methodist Episcopal church, on that
day. This Council was composed of the following
representatives from the several Congregational churches
named below :

Churches. Pastors. Delegates.

Milburn Rev. William B. Dodge. .

Waukegan Rev. B. F. Parsons L. Fundy.

Elgin Rev. N. E. Clark H. Brooks.

Downer's Grove Rev. Alanson Alvord .... I.. H. Hatch.

Newark Rev. Lucian Farnham

Aurora Rev. Daniel H. Miller. . . W. J. Strong.

St. Charles Rev. George S. F. Savage. Alonzo Harvey

Rev. William B. Dodge was chosen moderator, Rev.
B. F. Parsons, scribe, and Rev. Timothy Lyman, from
the Denmark Association, Iowa, was invited to a seat
as member of the Council. The articles of faith and
covenant, the credentials of those having letters, and
the Christian character of those who had not, all proving
satisfactory to the Council, it proceeded to the exercise
of organizing the Church. Forty-eight assented to the
articles of faith, and entered into covenant, thus con-
stituting the First Congregational Church. Public re-
ligious services were held in the evening, at which a
hymn was sung, composed for the occasion by B. F.
Worrell. Of this hymn the first quatrain of the second
stanza was as follows :

' Though by men we are rejected —
Set beyond the church on earth,
Should we mourn or be rejected
If we be of heavenly birth ? "

Of the forty-eight first members the following fifteen
were received without letter: Philo Carpenter, William
H. Worrell, Mrs. Mary E. Morris, Mrs. Ann T. Carpen-
ter, John Davis, Miss Lydia Clifford, Trumbull Kent,

D. E. Davis, H. B. Mills, John Sheriffs, Mrs. M. E. Davis,
Walter Lull, Benjamin F. Worrell, J. H. Morris, Henry
G. McArthur. The following thirty-three were re-
ceived by letter: George B. Sloat, Amos Holbrook,
Mrs. Isabella Warrington, Mrs. M. Mack, Elisha Clark,
Mrs. Cornelia A. Clark, Hannah Bragg, Mrs. Harriet
Bristol, Samuel Aiken, Mrs. S. Aiken, Cornelia G. Sloat,
Mrs. Sophronia Crawford. Mrs. Jane Mason, Mrs. Ellen
Holbrook, Leverett H. Holbrook, Mrs. Susan A. Hol-
brook, Mrs. Sophia Holbrook, Mrs. Elizabeth Ready,
Mrs. Emeline Kent, Mrs. Elvira P. Belden, Mrs. Esther

E. Gaffrey, Mrs. Mary Andrews, William Rawson, Mrs.
S. Rawson, Mrs. M'. T. Worrell, Mrs. E. Croner, Mrs.
Julia A. Ensworth, Mrs. Sarah Lull, Abbey S. Dyer,
Caroline Mason, Joseph F. Lawrence, Mrs. Susan Law-
rence, Caroline Mills. During the month of July, 185 1,
eleven additional members were received, in November
six, and in December six, so that on January 1, 1852,
the Church had a membership of seventy-one. The
first deacons were Philo Carpenter and Elisha Clark,
elected June 4, 185 1. For one year from this time the
Church had no settled pastor, but depended upon oc-
casional supplies. Among these appear the names of
Revs. Jonathan Blanchard, Julian M. Sturtevant, J. E.
Roy, Epaphras Goodman, Owen Lovejoy and J. M.
Davis. To the latter gentleman the Church extended
a call October 13, 1851, naming $800 as the salary. In
December the call was declined, when a unanimous
but ineffectual call was extended to Rev. Owen Love-
joy. On Tune 1, 1852, an invitation was extended to
Rev. J. M. Williams to become pastor for six months.
The invitation was accepted and he remained until
December 1, 1853, when he resigned. On the 2d of
January, 1854, Rev. W. A. Nichols was invited to sup- .
ply the pulpit for six months. At the close of this
period Rev. G. W. Perkins was invited to become pastor
at a salary of $1,500. He preached his first sermon
on the third Sunday of September, and was regularly
installed January 4, 1853. Mr. Perkins died suddenly
November 13, 1856, and was succeeded by Rev. W. W.
Patton, who was installed January 8, 1S57. Dr. Patton
remained with the Church eleven years. An account
of his ministry may be found in the second volume of
this Historv. ' While negotiations were pending for the
lot on the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets, a
plain and inexpensive building was erected on Washing-
ton Street, near Union, in 1852. Within a year from
the time of its completion it was destroyed by fire, in

34°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Tune. 1853. The proffer of the use of two houses of
worship was promptly made to the afflicted Church —
that of the Third Presbyterian and of the Tabernacle
Baptist Church. The latter was chosen. Steps were
taken toward the erection of a stone edifice at the south-
west corner of West Washington and South Green
streets, on a lot one hundred feet square, which Philo
Carpenter granted to the Church in exchange for the
lot at the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets,
on which they originally intended to build. Meanwhile
a temporary frame structure was erected on Green
Street, just south of the location for the new edifice,
and services were held therein until the stone church
was ready for occupancy, which was completed and
dedicated some time in October, 1855. Compared with
the previous church edifices it was an elegant building.
The total cost was §40.000. It was buiit of Illinois
marble. The entrance led to a vestibule, from which
two flights of stairs ascended to the main audience-
room. The portion under the auditorium was admir-
ably arranged for the various spiritual and temporal
offices of the Church. It contained the Sunday school
rooms, lecture room, church parlor, pastor's study, and
offices. A very fine organ was erected in the church,
and the Church had an excellent and accomplished
choir. From a membership of seventy, on January 1,
1852, the increase was quite slow for three years. In
1852 there were nineteen additions; in 1853, forty-four;
and in 1854, fourteen; while for the next three years
the growth of the Church was much greater and more
satisfactory. In 1855 there were thirty-six additions;
in 1856, eighty-four, and in 1857, eighty-six.

Philo Carpenter was born February 27, 1805, in Savoy,
Mass. He is a direct descendant of William Carpenter, who, in
1635, came from Southampton, England, and settled in Weymouth,
Mass. Both of Mr. Carpenter's grandfathers served in the Revo-
lutionary War. His paternal grandfather, Nathaniel Carpenter,
was a Captain under George III,, but at the beginning of the strug-
gle he resigned his commission, raised a company for the Colonial
army and fought in many a battle during the war, and at its close
was in command at West Point. Abel Carpenter, the son of Na-
thaniel, was the father of the subject of this sketch. Young Philo's
education was for the most part obtained at the common schools, but
improved at the Academy of South Adams, Mass. In 1828 Mr.
Carpenter went to Troy, S*. V.. where he became a clerk in the
drug store of Dr. Amatus Robbins, and also became a partner with
Dr. Robbins and a medical student. Through the representations
of a friend he decided to emigrate to the West. Packing his drugs,
he started for Buffalo, embarking there for Detroit. From Detroit
he came to Chicago, by way of Niles, Mich., down the St. Joseph
River to its mouth, and thence to Chicago in a canoe towed round
the head of the lake by two Indians hired for that purpose, ac-
companied by a friend from Niles. They landed in July near the
present site of the Douglas monument, and were conveyed to Fort
Dearborn by Joel Ellis, whom they found living in a log cabin near
the place of their landing. While waiting for his goods to arrive in
Chicago, Mr. Carpenter secured a log building sixteen by twenty
feet in size, on I.akc Street near the river, in which he opened the
first drug store in Chicago. In the early winter he moved into a
larger building which had just been vacated by George W. Dole.
In the summer of 1S33 he purchased a lot on South Water Street,
between LaSalle and Wells streets, upon which he erected a small
store. To his stock of drugs he now added general merchandise
and hardware. In this store he remained until 1S42, when he re-
moved to Lake Street, where he remained about two years, when
he disposed of his mercantile business to Drs. Brinkerhoof and
I'cnton. Mr. Carpenter previous to this lime invested his ^>.ire
funds in real estate, and was very judicious in 1 1 1 i -. line of invest-
ment. II not to purchase beyond his ability to pay.
0 lots of forty I South Water Slreet cost him
£75.00, and the lot on l.aSalle Street, twenty-live feet by one hun-
dred and eighty feet, bought of Mark Beaubien, cosl him $25.00.
Hilly Caldwell, the half-breed, owned two and a half sections "I
timber land up the North Branch of the river, about nine mihs from
the city. Mr. Carpenter, Colonel R. J. Hamilton, Captain Seth
Johnson and Lieutenant Kingsbury each bought a quarter-section
of this land for $1.25 per acre. He from the. ' iovern-
ment, at the same price, the one hundred and sixty acres of land

since known as " Carpenter's Addition to Chicago," for which he
was laughed at at the time as having located a farm so far away
from the city, and one which seemingly never could be plowed ex-
cept with an anchor. This addition is bounded by Madison, Hal-
sted and Kinzie streets, and by a line running from Kinzie to Madi-
son Street, midway between Ann and Elizabeth. Contrary to
Mr. Carpenter's expectations at the time of its purchase, he
has lived to see it covered with buildings and to pay in
taxes annually on one lot more than twice as much as the
whole quarter section cost. But if always sagacious in real
estate investments, he made a mistake in endorsing for
some friends. These friends failed to pay their creditors
at the maturity of the debt, and Mr. Carpenter borrowed money
with which to pay some of them. When the crisis of 1S37 came this
debt became due, and as it was not possible to sell real estate or
borrow money, Mr. Carpenter in response to the demands of his
creditors spread before a committee selected for the purpose, con-
sisting of William H. Brown, and B. W. Raymond, his entire list
of property from which they were to select sufficient to satisfy the
debt, $8,600. The committee selected nine hundred and sixty
acres of land in Fayette County, four and a half blocks in Carpen-
ter's Addition to Chicago, a house and lot on LaSalle Street, near
Washington, his homestead, and a half block in the school sec-
tion. It was then generally conceded that the property chosen was
worth more than twice the debt. As illustrating the soundness of
Mr. Carpenter's judgment with reference to the future value of
Chicago real estate, his opposition to the proposed sale in 1832 of
the entire school section, bounded by State, Madison, Halsted
and Twelfth streets, may be mentioned. One hundred and thirty-
eight blocks were sold for $38,065. The four blocks that were not
sold, bounded by Madison, State, Monroe and Dtarborn streets,
are now (18S3) worth over S2, 000,000. Mr. Carpenter retired from
the Board of Education in 1S65, and as a recognition of his services,
one of Chicago's elegant school-houses was named the "Carpenter
School." He has always been an advocate of education, temperance,
religion and universal liberty. In 1S32, he wrote and circulated the
first total abstinence pledge in Chicago and so far is known delivered
in the log building of the Rev. Jesse Walker, the first temperance
address in the city, and on the 19th of August of the same year as-
sisted at the organization of the first Sunday school in the city. He
was one of the first members of the First Presbyterian Church of
Chicago, and also one of its first elders. His work as a member of
the Third Presbyterian Church and as one of the organizers of the
First Congregational Church, is detailed in connection with each.
What he did for the Chicago Theological Seminary is referred to
in its history. He was one of the organizers and since has been
one of the most liberal supporters of the National Christian Asso-
ciation, organized in opposition to secret societies, a sketch of
which is inserted elsewhere in this History. Mr. Carpenter was
married first to Sarah F. Bridges, of Berkshire County, Mass.,
May 10, 1830, who died in the following November. He was
married to Miss Ann Thompson, of Saratoga County, N. Y.,
April 23, 1834. She died in 1S66. They had seven children,
three of whom died in infancy. His youngest son died suddenly
of heart disease September 8, 1S69. Two daughters are now liv-
ing, Mrs. W. W. Cheney, and Mrs. Rev. Edward Hildreth. His
third daughter, Mrs. Millie C. Strong died December 31, 18S0.

Plymouth Congregational Church. — During
the year 1852, informal consultations were held by
members of the First Presbyterian Church with refer-
ence to separating from that Church and forming a new
one on the Congregational plan. In the early days of
Chicago, Congregationalists arriving in the city, finding
no Church of that denomination here, very generally
united with Presbyterian churches, but as they increased
in numbers they naturally became more desirous of
founding churches similar to those of which they had
been members in their former homes. The first regu-
lar meeting for the purpose of consultation upon the
propriety of organizing Plymouth Church was held
October 7, 1852, at the house of Joseph Johnston. At
this meeting a committee was appointed whose duty it
became to secure a site upon which to erect a house of
worship. At a meeting held October 27, also at the
house of Mr. Johnston, a committee was appointed to
solicit and collect funds and to superintend the erection
of the church building upon the site selected by the
former committee; and another committee was appoint-
ed to prepare a plan of organization. At subsequent
meetings the articles of faith, rules of the Church, etc.,

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

34i

presented by the proper committee were adopted, and an
Ecclesiastical Council convened December 1. 1852, for
the purpose of creating the Church, which was organ-
ized on that day and called the " Plymouth Congrega-
tional Church of Chicago." The Ecclesiastical Council
was composed of representatives from twenty-five
churches. It was organized by the election of Rev. J.
Gridley, moderator, and Revs. H. D. Kitchel and L.
Benedict, scribes. A statement of reasons was made
to the Council for the proposed organization of the
Church, the main reasons being:

First. The conviction that the growth of the city warranted
the establishment of another Church, professing the same funda-
mental doctrines of faith and practice with that from which the sep-
aration was made.

Second. A desire to be united under a Church Polity which
would secure to the majority the right to carry their own acts of
discipline and benevolence, and that would bj free from all eccles-
iastical connection with the sin of slavery.

These reasons were declared satisfactory by a unan-
imous vote of the Council, the articles of faith, cove-
nant and rules and declarations of the Church were
all approved, and the Council proceeded to the organi-
zation of the Church. The following order of exercises
was observed :

Reading of the Scriptures, by Rev. G. S. F. Savage;
introductory prayer, by Rev. L. Farnham; sermon, by
Rev. Flavel Bascom; reading minutes of council, by the
scribe; reading articles of faith, etc., by moderator;
consecrating prayer, by Rev. W. B. Dodge; fellowship
of the churches, by Rev. L. S. Hobart; benediction, by
the acting pastor, Rev. J. M. Davis. The original
members were as follows, forty-eight in number: Frank-
lin V. Pitnev, Mrs. Franklin V. Pitnev, Joseph Johnston,
J. R. Shedd, Mrs. J. R. Shedd, Mrs. Clara M. Waldo,
Orlando Davidson, Mrs. Orlando Davidson, William H.
Taylor, F. T. Seeley, Silas R. Ball, Mrs. Silas R. Ball,
Miss Amelia Ball, Zebina Eastman, Mrs. Zebina East-
man, Archibald Ridell, Mrs. Lucy Ridell, John H. But-
ler, Mrs. John H. Butler, Thomas C. Whitemarsh, Mrs.
William H. Taylor, Horatio Hitchcock, Mrs. Louisa S.
Hitchcock, Mrs. Emeline C. Fulton, Mrs. Anna E. Ed-
wards, Mrs. E. C. Husted, E. C. Stowell, Benjamin
Carpenter, Mrs. Benjamin Carpenter, William P. Caton,
Mrs. William P. Caton, Deliver Walker, Mrs. Deliver
Walker, Miss Abby Walker, Mrs. Juliette F. White-
marsh, Mrs. S. J. Stickney, Spencer Warner, Mrs. Spen-
cer Warner, Nathaniel S. Gushing, Mrs. Melissa W.
Cushing, Mrs. Haven, Carlos Haven, Mrs. Julia Ha-
ven, Mrs. Cornelia M. Temple, George W. Richards, Mrs.
Laura Richards, Mrs. Isabella Davis, A. S. Wilcox. The
first forty-one of these were from the First Presbyterian
Church of Chicago; the next three from the Galesburg
Presbyterian Church; the next two fron the Congrega-
tional Church at Harmar; Mrs. Isabella Davis from the
Congregational Church, at Woonsocket, R. I., and A.
S. Wilcox, from the Methodist Church, at Chicago.
Religious services were held for a few weeks in War-
ner's Hall, on Randolph Street, until the completion of
the church building in January. This stood on the
southwest corner of Madison and Dearborn streets, and
was dedicated on the last Sunday in January, 1853. It
was a frame structure, thirty by fifty feet in size, and
cost $2,500. In the fall of 1855, it was moved to the
corner of Third Avenue and Van Buren Street, and in
it there the Church continued to worship until the fall
of 1864, when it was sold. Rev. J. M. Davis remained
pastor until July, 1853, and was succeeded by Rev.
Nathaniel H. Eggleston, who was called November 9,
1853, installed March 12, 1854, and resigned July 25,
1855. Rev. Joseph E. Roy, formerly pastor of the Con-

gregational Church at Brimfield, Illinois, was called
August 15, 1855, commenced his ministerial labors on
the first Sunday in November, was installed July i,
1856, and resigned July 1, i860. Mr. Roy's resigna-
tion was occasioned by his having received on June 18,
i860, the appointment of District Secretary for the
Northwest of the American Missionary Association,
which appointment he desired to accept. The mem-
bership of this Church increased somewhat irregularly
for the first few years. In 1853, there were added forty
members; in 1854, ten; in 1855, twenty-one; in 1856,
sixty-one; and in 1857, thirty-seven.

South Congregational Church. — During the
years 1853 and 1S54, a corporation known asthe "Ameri-
can Car Company," carried on an extensive manufactory
of railroad cars in Chicago. Their establishment was
located on the lake shore at the foot of Rio Grande
Street, now Twenty-sixth. The section of the city in
the vicinity of their works, soon after they went into
operation, became quite thickly settled by families con-
nected therewith; the settlement became quite a village
and received the name of Carville. A few New En-
gland men connected with the company, assisted by the
residents of Carville, applied themselves to the work of
forming a new Church, and the erection of a church
edifice. Prominent among the movers in this enterprise
were the president of the American Car Company, Tim-
othy Dwight, and the superintendent, J. H. Lyman.
Deacon Joseph Johnston, of the Plymouth Congrega-
tional Church, donated $300 toward the enterprise, and
several other leading Chicago Congregational ists ably
seconded the movement. The proprietors of the Car
Company donated a lot on the northeast cornet of Cal-
umet Avenue and Rio Grande Street, and during the
summer of i853,ahouse of worship was erected thereon.
While this was being erected, religious services were reg-
ularly held in a school-house standing near the inter-
section of Calumet and Cottage Grove avenues, under
the ministration of Rev. E. F. Dickinson, whose labors
with his people commenced early in March, 1853, and
were continued until the fall of 1854. During his pas-
torate the new house of worship was completed and
dedicated and the Church organization fully effected.
The dedication occurred August 21, 1853. The follow-
ing extract relating thereto is copied from the Chicago
Daily Tribune, of August 24:

" The new house of worship erected near the American Car
Company's works in this city, for the use of a Congregational
Church and society, was dedicated to the service of God on Sunday
afternoon at 3 o'clock. Rev. E. F. Dickinson conducted the in-
troductory exercises. The sermon was preached by Rev. J. C.
Holbrook. from the 100th Psalm. Subject: 'The Benefit to Soci-
ety of Public Worship.' Dedicatory prayer by Rev. J. M. Will-
iams. This is a very neat edifice, built upon the general model of
the Plymouth church in this city; the dimensions are thirty-six by
sixty feet and it contains sixty slips besides those for the use of the
choir. The whole expense including furnishing will be about
$2,500, besides the donation of the lot; Mr. Lyman, the superin-
tendent of the works, also generously donated a melodeon. The
seats are to be free. There is also adjoining on the same lot, a
small building designed for a school-house and conference room.
Rev. E. F. Dickinson will preach there regularly at 10 o'clock
every Sabbath morning for the present. A good audience was in
attendance on the occasion of the dedication. This is the third
Congregational church edifice that has been opened in this city
within the last six months, and there is another on the North Side,
which will be completed next month. The First Congregational
Church on the West Side are also preparing to build a fine house,
at an expense of about $15,000."

The next event of importance was the organization
of the Church. This was effected November 20, 1853,
in the evening of which day 1 Sunday), a Council con-
vened at the church and proceeded to formally recognize
the Church, which at that time consisted of fourteen

•---'

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

members, and which increased to nineteen members at
the first communion, as follows : Rev. Edmund F.
Dickinson. Mrs. Harriet N. Dickinson, H. E. Dickin-
son.^Irs. Julia A. Dickinson. Jesse R. Langdon, Mrs.
Artemisia Langdon, Mrs. Candace L. Langdon, Caleb F.
Gates. Mrs. Marv E. Gates, Mrs. Mabel K. Gates, Charles
Gates. Mrs. Laura Clapp, Joseph Harper, Mrs. Jane
Harper, Mrs. Mary Putney, Samuel Truax, Mrs. Agnes
M. Ballentine. Mrs. Harriet Chamberlain. Miss Mary
lane Haynes. After the retirement of Mr. Dickinson,
a call was extended in October to Rev. Edwin E. Wells,
of Blooming-dale. 111., to occupy the field as a stated sup-
plv. and during the same month he commenced his
ministry. He proved to be a zealous and acceptable
pastor, and during the brief period of his pastorate, a
new interest was. awakened in spiritual matters, and the
congregation was largely increased. But his strength
was not equal to the task, his health was impaired, and
he died July iS. 1S55. Days of affliction and adversity
now came upon the Church. In addition to a death of
a faithful and beioved pastor, the society suffered from
financial embarrassment. The American Car Company
failed, and in consequence was unable to redeem its
generous promises and pledges of support to the
Church. This unexpected calamity occurring while
their debts remained uncanceled, threatened the de-
struction of the society. But although discouraged,
they did not despair, nor cease their efforts to cancel
their obligations, and thus relieve themselves of their
burdens. In October, 1855, Rev. Cornelius S. Cady was
called to the pastorate. He accepted the invitation and
remained with the Church until October, 1856, when he
resigned. During the period of his engagement, a series
of special religious meetings was held by Rev. J. T.
Avery, of Cleveland, Ohio, an evangelist, and a number
of hopeful conversions was made. For some months
after the retirement of Mr. Cady, occasional preaching
was had in the church by Rev. H. L. Hammond and
Kev. E. Goodman, of Chicago. At length an invitation
was extended to Rev. William T. Bartle, of Kewanee,
111., to occupy the pulpit, and he commenced his minis-
try June 21, 1857. Mr. Bartle resigned his pastorate
April 24, 1859, having thus been with the Church nearly
two years. These were also years of sore trial to the
Church, especially on account of the financial crisis of
1857; but as the period covered by them, and its results
to this devoted band of Christians is mostly within the
space of time embraced in the second volume of this
History, a detailed account thereof is deferred to that
volume. At the close of the year 1854 the membership
of the Church was twenty-one; in 1855, there were six
additions, in 1856, nine, and in 1857, ten.

The New Em, land Church. — The New England
Congregational Church was organized June 15, 1853,
by a council of churches called for that purpose. Its
membership at the time of the organization was twenty-
one. The origin of the movement which resulted in
the organization of this Church was as follows : The
Prairie Herald, a religious newspaper published in Chi-
.as offered for sale in 1852. The dedication 01
Plymouth Congregational Church was to occur in Jan-
uary, 1853, and among others there wire present in Chi-
■ 1 assist in the dedication, kev. 1.. S. Hobert, of
Michigan and Rev. John C. Holbrook, of I (ubuque, Iowa,
.rred to these gentlemen to open negotiations for
the purchase of the paper, hoping to make it the Con-
gregational organ for the Northwest. At a meeting
held to consider tie rchasing tin-

paper, it was thai if tie.: p re made

an editor must be secured at once. Rev. Mr. Holbrook
consented to accept the editorship, provided a place
could be found where he could at the same time prose-
cute his ministry. A preliminary enterprise was there-
fore started on the North Side, with a view to an ulti-
mate Church organization, the enterprise being at first
supported mainly by the members of the Plymouth
Church. Services was held each Sunday afternoon at
the North Market Hall, and prayer-meetings were held
during the week at private houses. In the winter of
1852-53 it was deemed advisable to take steps toward
the erection of a suitable house of worship. A piece of
land was purchased in the name of Benjamin Carpenter
at the corner of Indiana and Wolcott now State streets,
and the necessary amount of money subscribed to make
the first payment thereon and for the erection of a
church building. About May 1, 1853, a committee was
appointed to draft articles of faith, covenant, and
rules for the government of the Church, and also a
committee to call a council for the purpose of organizing
a Church. The former committee consisted of Rev-
John C. Holbrook, Charles G. Hammond, George C.
Whitney and Lewis Broad. The second committee was
composed of Rev. J. C. Holbrook, George C. Whitney
and L. D. Olmsted. On the 15th of June the Council
called by the second committee convened and or-
ganized the Church, with the following twenty-one
members : Rev. John C. Holbrook, Mrs. Ann Louisa
Holbrook, Benjamin Carpenter, Mrs. Abigail H. Car-
penter, Abraham Clark, Mrs. Melicent Clark, Miss Jane
Clark, James N. Davidson, Mrs. Lucy Davidson, Miss
Elizabeth Davidson, Orlando Davidson, Mrs. Caroline
Davidson, George C. Whitney, Miss Sarah Whitney,
Miss Rachel Cole, Lucius D. Olmsted, Mrs. Jesse Olm-
sted, Charles G. Hammond and Mrs. C. B. Hammond.
On July 6, Charles G. Hammond and George C. Whit-
ney were elected deacons, and Orlando Davidson was
elected clerk. On the 9th of October, the name," The
New England Church," was adopted. Rev. John C.
Holbrook remained with the Church as stated supply
until January 1, 1856. He declined a call to settle as
pastor, and soon afterward left the city. For a con-
siderable time thereafter the pulpit was occupied by
different clergymen, Rev. Charles P. Bush, a Presby-
terian, remaining nine months. At length Rev. Samuel
C. Bartlett, of Manchester, N. H., after having declined
the first call, accepted the second and was installed as
pastor April 15, 1857. Rev. Mr. Bartlett remained two
years when he resigned in order to devote himself to
the duties of the Professorship of Biblical Literature in
the Chicago Theological Seminary, to which office he
had recently been appointed. The first church building
erected at the corner of Indiana and State streets, was
a frame structure forty by fifty-five feet in size, capable
of seating five hundred people, and cost $2,000. The
next building was erected in 1865, a description of
which will be found in the second volume of this History.
The membership of this Church at the time of organiza-
tion, June 15, 1853, was twenty-one; November 6, eleven
were added, three on profession, eight by letter; on
December 20, three were added, one on profession, two
by letter. In 1854 the additions to the membership were
five, in 1855, fourteen, 1856, fourteen; and in 1857
twenty-one. The total number received previous to
January 1, 1858, was eighty-nine; the membership had
been diminished in number twenty-three, seven by
death, fifteen by dismission, mostly to join other
churches, and one by excommunication, leaving the
membership at the close of the first period of this His-
tory, sixty-six.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

343

The First Universalis!- Church. — The first at-
tempt to organize a Universalist Church in Chicago was
made in 1836. In that year Rev. William Queal
preached to a small congregation, and on the nth of
June organized the society which consisted of N. H.
Bolles, E. E. Hunter, A. N. Marble, Chester Tupper,
S. G. Trowbridge and S. C. Bennett, who worshiped
for a number of years in Mechanic's Hall, in the old
Saloon Building. Other places were occasionally oc-
cupied, as Bennett's school-house, and the court-room.
For a number of years the congregations were quite
small, but among them were several persons who after-
ward became prominent and leading citizens. Previous

FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.

to 1843 the Church had no regular minister, but de-
pended upon missionaries as supplies. The first church
building erected by this society was located on Wash-
ington Street, near the Clark-street Methodist Episcopal
church. It was a frame building, thirty by forty-five
feet in size, and cost $2,000. It was dedicated October
23, 1844, by Rev. William E. Manley, D. D., who had
accepted a call to the Church in the preceeding January.
Mr. Manley had preached for the Church in 1S42. He
remained pastor until 1845, when he was succeeded by
Rev. Samuel P. Skinner, who was succeeded in October,
1855, by Rev. Samuel B. Mason. During Mr. Mason's
pastorate the congregation had grown so large that a
new church edifice became a necessity. Movements
were therefore instituted looking to the erection of a
building which should be a monument of architectural
grandeur and beauty, and furnish the Church, which
had become the leading Universalist Society of the
Northwest, with a permanent religious home. A build-
ing committee was appointed consisting of R. K. Swift,
Henry Vreeland, B. F. Walker, Jacob Gage, S. P.
Skinner, H. H. Husted, P. B. King, and M. D. Gilman.
The first board of trustees consisted of M. D. Gilman,
H. H. Husted and E. G. Hall. During the pastorate
of Rev. Mr. Mason the new church building, which was
a remarkably attractive edifice, was completed. W. W.
Boyington was the architect. The location of this
building was at the southwest corner of Wabash Avenue
a:\d Van Buren Street. The dimensions of the building
were seventy feet fronting on Wabash Avenue, and one
hundred and eight feet deep on Van Buren Street, in-
cluding the projection of the towers and turrets. The

style of architecture was Gothic, with lancet-head win-
dows and doors. The front of the building was very
graceful, the tower and spire in the center, the spire
reaching to a height of one hundred and seventy-five
feet. There was a turret on each front corner, and
three entrances in the front, opening into a spacious
vestibule. The exterior walls were of stone, rock faced,
the spire and pinnacles being of wood. The main
auditorium was on the second floor ; was fifty-eight by
seventy-five feet in size, with galleries, and afforded
comfortable seating for eight hundred people. The
height of the walls was twenty-eight feet, and the ceil-
ing was forty-three feet high in the center. The pulpit
was erected in an octagonal recess. There was a very
fine organ, erected by Mr. Erben. The basement was
ten feet feet high in the clear and was elegantly fitted
up for its purposes. The cost of this building was
$60,000. The dedication occurred May 7, 1857, Rev.
E. H. Chapin, of New York City, preaching the sermon.
The first church building of this society was sold to the
Olivet Presbyterian Church. The successor in the pul-
pit of Rev. Samuel B. Mason, was Rev. William W.
King, who commenced his pastorate in August, 1857,
and was succeeded by Rev. William H. Ryder, on Sun-
day, January 1, i860. The legal title of the parish is
the First Universalist Society of Chicago, but it is gen-
erally known as St. Paul's Universalist Church.

The First Unitarian Church was organized June
29, 1836, under the laws of Illinois, and with the title of
" The First Unitarian Society of Chicago," $800 were
at once subscribed for the purchase of a lot. The first
Unitarian preaching in Chicago was a few days or
weeks previous, but in the same month of June. The
services were held in the Lake House, which stood at
the corner of Rush and Michigan streets. Dr. Charles
Follen preached the sermon. Miss Martineau, who
was on a tour through the West at the time, refers to
that occasion in the following language: "We were
unexpectedly detained over the Sunday in Chicago, and
Dr. F. was requested to preach. Though only two
hours' notice was given, a respectable congregation was
assembled in the large room of the Lake House, a new
hotel then builaing. Our seats were a few chairs, and
benches, and planks laid on trestles. The preacher
stood behind a rough pine table, on which a large Bible
was placed. I was never present at a more interesting
service, and I know that there were others who felt with
me." For some time after the organization was per-
fected the society had no regular pastor. Rev. Mr.
Huntoon preached for some months in the summer of
1837, and in June, 1838, Rev. James Thompson, of
Salem, Mass., preached a number of sermons. In 1839
Rev. Crawford Nightingale preached for some months,
the society being accommodated in the Mechanics' In-
stitute. On the 2 2d of June, this year, Rev. George
W. Hosmer, of Buffalo, preached in the "City Saloon,"
on Unitarianism, and he also preached on the three
succeeding Sundays. Some time afterward Rev. Mr.
Barrett preached two Sundays. In October, Rev. Jo-
seph Harrington arrived in Chicago and commenced
his labor here as the pastor of the society. His first
sermon was preached in the " City Saloon," to a con-
gregation of ten persons. Religious services continued
to be held in the same place until the spring of 1840,
when Rev. Mr. Harrington decided to go East and
solicit assistance to build a church. Upon his return a
lot was purchased on Washington Street, between Clark
and Dearborn, eighty by one hundred and eighty feet
in size, for $500. A contract was made with Alexander
Llovd for the erection of a building. It was erected

344

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

in the fall of 1S40. and dedicated May 3, 1S41, by Rev.

Joseph Harrington. The cost of the church was

(3,758 45; cost of the lot, $500; making a total cost of

45. Of this amount there was collected at the

FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH.

East, chiefly through the efforts of Mr. Harrington,
§2,888.46, the balance being collected in Chicago.
The church was forty-two by sixty feet, and of
the Doric order with the exception of the entabla-
ture, which was devoid of a triglyph. The steeple,
which was built in 1845, cost $461, making the
total cost of the church property $4,719.45. There
was also a large bell and an organ. This bell, with the
exception of the small bell on St. Mary's church, was
the first church bell hung in Chicago. The tower of
this church was erected in the latter part of 1844, and
the bell was hung in it on the 31st of December, 1844,
and was" thereafter ready for ringing on all suitable
occasions. It was the first bell in Chicago that could
be heard to any considerable distance and was depend-
ed upon by other churches to denote the time of Sunday
services. It was also used as a fire alarm bell until

• hen the First Baptist Chureh was erected at the
corner of Clark and Washington streets, and the bell be-
longing to it, being a larger and more powerful one,
superseded the " little bell " on the Unitarian Church
in case of the necessity of sounding a lire alarm. This
Baptist bell continued to be used for this purpose until

when the court-house was completed, in the
tower of whirl, was hung in that year a heavy bell which
from that time gave the alarm of fire. Rev Mr. Har-
rington closed hi> pastorate in the fall of (844, and was
succeeded in 1845 by Rev. William Lord, who remained
only a short time, and the pulpit was supplied tem-
porarily by Revs. Henry Giles, William P. Huntin
Mr. Ripley and Mr. Conant, and on November .'.>, 1846,

Rev. William Adam, who had been for twenty years a
missionary in India, preached his first sermon for the
Church. Rev. Mr. Adam remained about two years,
when he was succeeded by Rev. R. R. Shippen, who
commenced to preach for this Church in the fall of 1849,
Rev. Mr. Shippen remained until July 1, 1857. Dur-
ing his pastorate such was the growth of the society
that it was necessary to enlarge the church building at
two separate times. Rev. George F. Noyes became
pastor of this Church in September, 1857, and continued
until the spring of 1859, when he resigned. Under
his auspices the " ministry at large " was organized
and Rev. William H. Hadley placed at its head. Mr.
Hadley was followed by Rev. Robert Collyer as minister
at large. When Mr. Collyer was called to the ministry
of Unity Church, Miss E. P. Newcomb was called to
conduct the business of the ministry at large. This
charity was the means of relieving much destitution in
Chicago. After the resignation of Mr. Noyes, the First
Unitarian Society remained without a pastor until the
summer of 1861, but the pulpit was supplied most of the
time by various clergymen, among them Revs. A. B.
Fuller, E. H. Sears, Horatio Stebbins, Thomas Hill, A.
D. Mayo, and Robert Collyer. The history of this
church may appropriately close in this volume with a
brief sketch of the life of Rev. Joseph Harrington, its
first pastor.

Rev. Joseph Harrington was born February 21, 1S13, in
Roxbury, Mass. His father was for many years a successful law-
yer in Norfolk and Suffolk counties, and occasionally served as
Justice of the Peace. At a very early age certain elements of young
Joseph's character were remarkably developed. One of these was
resoluteness and determination. On one occasion, when his
teacher was about to compel obedience by inflicting corporal pun-
ishment, he seized the ferrule from her hand and threw it in frag-
ments on the floor. The next day in obedience to his parents he
came to her with a very humble apology. This was in his sixth
year. In after years he was an ardent devotee of the "manly art
of self-defense," feared no man, and was equally possessed of
moral as of physical courage. From early childhood he possessed
a genuine enthusiastic love and reverence for his mother, to whom,
after being once, at the age of seven years, conquered by her by the
infliction of corporal punishment, he uniformly yielded implicit
obedience. "Among the instructors whose influence upon him
seems to have been most permanent was Edward Bliss Emerson, a
man of great purity and simplicity of character, uniting exquisite
delicacy and sensitiveness with an earnest, religious purpose, ster-
ling common sense, and a wide and generous sympathy for all."
. . . "Mr. Harrington often in after years mentioned with rever-
ence and gratitude, the name of this faithful instructor, who so
early passed away, the first stricken from that brilliant constellation
of genius bearing his name.'* The first fourteen years of his life

&^l

were passed in one of the most joyous and attractive of homes,
and in the excellent public schools of his native town. In Septem-
ber, 1827, he entered Phillips' Academy at Exeter, N. H.,
at the time under the charge of Drs. Benjamin Abbott and Gideon
Soule. He entered Harvard University in the summer of 1S29,
having attained sufficient knowledge to pass a critical examination
for admission to the Freshman class. His vigorous constitution,
love of atheletic exercise, vivacity of temperament, and other pecul-
iarities while they prevented him from being a recluse or book-
worm, did not prevent him from being an excellent student. While
he was not, at that lime, especially inclined to the study of abstract
science, and while metaphysics and the more recondite branches of
mathematics, were pursued chiefly as a means of mental discipline,
yet he was delighted with philology, and with Chaucer, Spenser,
M ilton and Shakespeare, and other classic poets of England. He was
more interested in the study of modern than of ancient languages.
The Italian was especially attractive to him because it was the lan-
guage of music. He never abandoned the learning or the literature

of Rev. Joseph Harrington by William Whiting.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS

345

of Germany, r.or did he ever deny himself the pleasures of the
studies of music and of elocution. He graduated from Harvard
University, receiving the usual degree of Bachelor of Art, in the
summer of 1S33. Henceforth he was to depend upon his own ex-
ertions for a livelihood, as he had in part during his college years.
After residing a little more than six months at East Greenwood, he
took charge of the 1 1 awes School at South Boston, January 14,
1S34. This was reputed to be the most difficult of Boston schools
to manage. Some of its pupils were turbulent, refractory and
profane, but after conducting it for five years, such had been the
spirit with which he undertook his work and the powers he brought
to bear upon his pupils, that he left it one of the best schools in
the city. While engaged as teacher in the Hawes School Mr. Har-
rington turned his attention toward the ministry, and he relin-
quished charge of the school for the purpose of pursuing his theo-
logical studies. His resolution to become a public teacher of
morals and religion was formed in November, 1S36. Having made
his choice, he at once entered upon the study of theology under the
direction of Rev. George Putnam, of Roxbury. In the autumn of
1839, he was sent as missionary to Chicago by the American Uni-
tarian Association. Here he remained until April, 1S40, when he
returned to New England to solicit funds for the purpose of
building a church. He raised about $2,500, which when added
to the $2,000 contributed bv the citizens of Chicago made suffi-
cient to carry the enterprise forward to a successful issue.
In September he was ordained as an evangelist at Federal-street
Church, Boston, and in October he returned to Chicago as pastor
of the First Unitarian Society. He reached Chicago October 31,
and preached his first sermon as settled pastor on Sunday, Novem-
ber I. In the summer of 1841, he was the first to preach the
doctrines of Unitarianism at Milwaukee, Wis. In 1842 he received
a call to become the colleague of the Rev. Mr. Eliott, of St. Louis.
In 1843 he planted the Unitarian Church at Rockford, Illinois. In
the spring of 1S44, accompanied by Mrs. Harrington, he left Chi-
cago to visit friends in the East and South, preaching several
Sundays at the Unitarian Church in Baltimore, Md. During this
year Mr. Harrington decided to retire from the pastorate of the
Chicago Unitarian Church, because of the precarious condition of
his mother's health, and because of the uncertainty of his connection
with the Church. But when he left the Church it was entirely free
from debt. After a brief period of repose, he was invited to take
measures toward the. establishment of a new Unitarian Society at
the "South End," Boston. While thus engaged he was invited to
supply the pulpit of the Suffolk-street Chapel, which he engaged to
do for one year. During this year it was found impracticable to
carry forward to a successful issue the " South End " Society pro-
ject. During the winter of 1S44-45 he was invited to become pas-
tor of a Unitarian Society at Hartford, organized less than a year
previous, but feeling pledged to stand by the " South End" enter-
prise until its fate was decided he declined the invitation. A year
later the call was repeated and accepted. On Sunday, January 4,
1846, he preached his first sermon to this congregation as his own
people. Here he remained six years, laboring under peculiar difficul-
ties in connection with his ministry, Unitarianism being then-quite
unpopular in Hartford, and his society being small and heavily in
debt. In March, 1S52, he received a call from a Unitarian Society
in San Francisco, but declined to consider the question until he
had finished the work of liquidating the debt of his Hartford Church.
This he accomplished in the following May, and on the 20th of
July, with his wife and daughter, took passage from New York for
Aspinwall. He reached San Francisco on the 27th of August, and
on the 30th he preached his first sermon there in the United
States District court-room, to a large congregation. The next
Sunday the court-room was too small to accommodate the crowd
that sought admittance, and a large hall was afterward engaged,
which, contrary to expectation, proved too small. Mr. Harring-
ton's experience in San Francisco was from the first verv different
from what it had been in New England. "The cordial hand of
brotherhood was extended to him by ministers of different theolog-
ical opinions, giving him for the first time since his entrance into
the ministry the happiness of unrestrained association with the cler-
gy." While laboring in Hartford to free the Church from indebt-
edness, he contracted the disease which, complicated with Panama
fever and paralysis, resulted in his death, Tuesday, November 2,
1852. His remains were interred at San Francisco, November 4,
1852, and at Forest Hills Cemetery, Roxbury, Mass., December
'3. 1S53. Mr. Harrington was married April 6, 1841, to Miss
Helen E. Griswold. They had three children : Helen Josephine,
born in February, 1842, and two sons, both of whom died in in-
fancy.

Rev. Rush Rhees Shippen was born at Meadville, Penn.,
January 18, 1823. His paternal ancestors were of English descent,
and his mother was of Welsh extraction. The subject of this
sketch received his early education at Allegheny College, Mead-
ville, but his course was interrupted in his senior year by the sus-

pension of the institution, but afterward in recognition of his attain-
ments, it conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. Before
he was sixteen years old he taught a district school and " boarded
round." In the fall of 1S44 the Meadville Theological School was
started under the auspices of the Unitarian denomination, Rush R.
Shippen being the first student enrolled in the institution. After
three years of study in this institution, desiring to extend his
observation and experience, he accepted for a year the position as
private teacher in the family of a wealthy planter residing near
Nashville, Tenn. He then returned to Meadville to complete his
theological course, and graduated in June, 1S49. After a brief
tour through the Eastern States he came to Chicago, and took
charge as pastor of the First Unitarian Church, entering upon his
duties November 13, 1849. His pastorate here continued eight
years. With reference to his characteristics one of his Chicago
parishioners writes of him as follows: "He was of tall and
powerful frame, commanding presence, with an expression of great
gentleness and benignity. His voice was powerful, but of a
peculiarly agreeable quality. His musical gifts as a flutist and as
a bass singer, his general intelligence and genial manners made
him welcome in all companies. He was a clear thinker and vigor-
ous writer, and gave to all his utterances the force of personal con-
viction. Not greatly eloquent nor strikingly original, vet he rarely
failed in the pulpit to interest his audiences, because his words were
always well chosen and from the heart." Rev. Mr. Shippen was an
able and popular speaker and a constant contributor to denomina-
tional and secular papers, and at one time assisted in the editorial
charge of the New Covenant, a Universalist paper published in
Chicago. He manifested a deep interest in the charitable and
educational institutions of this city. In May, 1S52, with other
Unitarian clergy of the West, he joined in organizing the Western
Unitarian Conference. While encouraged and gratified by the
steady growth and prosperity of the society, which required two
successive enlargements of the church, seven years of such labor
proved a severe tax upon his strength and resources. Oppressed
with fatigue and thinking that with a rest and change his life work
as a Christian minister would be extended and enhanced, he resigned
his charge in Chicago July 1, 1S57. In the fall of this year he accepted
a call to the Church of the Unity, Worcester, Mass., as the successor
of Edward Everett Hale, D.D. He was also for many years an
active member of the School Board and Chaplain at the Worcester
County jail. In the spring of 1S69, on account of impaired health,
he was granted six months' leave of absence to travel in Europe, at
the expiration of which period he returned to his duties with the
vigor and zest of youth. In 1S70, resigning his Worcester charge,
he accepted the secretaryship of the American Unitarian Associa-
tion at Boston. To the discharge of the duties of this new posi-
tion he brought his experience of more than twenty years of an ac-
tive ministry, and a wide personal observation of both the East and
West. His broad and comprehensive views served to solve wisely
the many practical questions arising for decision At all the annual
meetings and general conferences the reports of the secretary were
cordially received ; and largely through his leadership the denomi-
national enterprises were planned and executed. Although Mr.
Shippen has never devoted himself to authorship or distinctively
literary work, he compiled and edited while in the secretaryship the
Service, Hymn and Tune Book published by the Association, which
has supplanted most other books, and is growing into general adop-
tion by the Unitarian societies. He also compiled a book for do-
mestic devotional worship entitled, "Praise and Prayer;" and
among other tracts of which he is the author are " Judgment Days,"
and " The True Liberal." He wrote for McClintock and Strong's
Encyclopedia the article entitled "Unitarianism," wherein the his-
torical development and present status as a religious rbody are
clearly defined. Mr. Shippen married, in 1855, Zoriah Rodman at
Oriskany F'alls, N. V., and their surviving children are Sarah, now
wife of Arthur Lord, of Plymouth, Mass., and Eugene R., who is
a student at Harvard College. After eleven years spent as secre-
tary of this Association, Mr. Shippen accepted a call in 1881 to the
pastorate of All Souls Church in Washington. In this Church
Rev. Mr. Shippen is now (1883) engaged.

The New Jerusalem, or Swedenborgian,
Church. — Previous to 1835 there were probably no
Swedenborgians in Chicago, or in northern Illinois. In
September of that year J. Young Scammon arrived in
the city, and for some time was alone in his belief in the
doctrines of the Church of the New Jerusalem. Ac-
cording to Swedenborg, the Divine Love and Wisdom
constitute the essential Church, and any individual
who is receptive of the Divine Love and Wisdom, con-
stitutes an external Church in its smallest entity. Upon
this principle Mr. Scammon commenced to hold New

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Church worship on Sundays in his office, almost imme-
diately upon his arriving in Chicago. In 1836 he be-
came acquainted with Vincent S. Lovell, a young mer-
chant in Chicago, and converted him to the doctrines
of the Xew Church. Afterward the two united in Sun-
day worship. In 1837 Mr. Scammon was married to
Miss .Mary Ann H. Dearborn, of Bath. Maine, a re-
ceiver of the doctrines of Emanuel Swedenborg. Upon
bringing his wife to Chicago, he took up his residence
in the City Hotel, and here, in his private parlor, Mr.
ion, his wife and Mr. Lovell held Sunday morn-
ing worship, in company with those invited who chose
to attend. In 1S38 religious worship was held in Mr.
Scammon 's house on Clark Street, and until he moved
into his residence at the corner of Michigan Avenue and
Randolph Street. Services were next held in his office
in the Saloon Building, southeast corner of Lake and
Clark streets : then in the Common Council room ad-
joining; afterward in a large room in the next story,
and at last, as members increased, in the Saloon Hall
itself. Up to this time however, the attendance was
never very large. The general body of the Church in
Illinois is known as the Illinois Association. It was
formed July 6, 1839, at Canton, Fulton County, under
the following call issued June 3, 1S39 :

To the Receivers of the Heavenly doctrines of the New Jeru-
salem in the State of Illinois

Dear Brethren : — Believing that the time has come for the Re-
ceivers of the Heavenly Doctrines in this State to take more
decided measures to co-operate with the Divine Providence in dis-
seminating the doctrines of the Xew Dispensation, we respectfully
invite you to assemble at Canton, Fulton County, on Saturday and
Sunday, the 6th and 7th days of July next, at 10 o'clock, A. M.

The object of the meeting is to bring our scattered energies
together by forming acquaintance with each other, and thereby ex-
tending the social sphere of the Church, and to take such steps as
may be deemed essential, in our isolated condition, to enable us to
come more fully into order.

It is earnestly desired that every receiver who can conveniently
attend will not fail to be present, and such as cannot be present
will communicate to the meeting by letter, on the following sub-
iects :

The residence of the receiver; the number of New Church
books in possession; the number of receivers and readers in the vi-
cinity; the names of persons to whom communications may be ad-
dressed; the disposition to contribute toward obtaining a New
Church minister to visit and preach at the various places where there
are receivers in this State, and such other information as may be
deemed of interest to the Church.

J. Young Scammon,
' Jonas Rawalt,
John F. Randolph.

Pursuant to this invitation a meeting of receivers
was held in Canton, Saturday, July 6, of which John F.
Randolph, of Fulton County, was elected president, and
J. Young Scammon secretary. On Sunday morning
the meeting was organized by the election of the fol-
lowing officers: John F. Randolph, president; Caleb
North, of Peoria County, secretary, and Jonas Rawalt,
treasurer. After divine service, and the reading of the
irticles of faith, an address was delivered by Mr.
Scammon, setting forth what is meant by the New Jeru-
salem Church. No minister could be obtained in
no meeting of the Association was held.
In 1841 Rev. Lemuel C. Belding, of Pennsylvania, who
was sent by the Central Convention to Illinois as a mis-
sionary, visited Canton, and formed there a small so-
ciety. In 1842 the Rev. T. 0. Prescott, afterward
known a> O. Prescott Miller, visited Illinois and preached
at the meeting of the Association. In 1843 the Rev.
John Randolph Hibbard being invited by the Associa-
tion came to Illinois as its general minister and was
subsequently made superintendent of the Association,
and remained a-- such until 1879. The New Church in

this State was organized and grew up chiefly under his
superintendence. While connected with the Associa-
tion, he was successively minister at Canton, Peoria and
Chicago. During this same year, 1843, " The Chicago
Society of the New Jerusalem" was organized, and
formed into a legal religious body. Originally the So-
ciety consisted of J. Young Scammon, Mrs. Mary Ann
H. Scammon, and Vincent S. Lovell. The Society was
organized at that particular juncture for the purpose of
securing the benefits of a law of the State, providing
that each religious society, in any town located on the
line of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, on canal lands,
might receive as a donation a lot upon which to erect a
church building. But the provisions of the act could
not be enforced after the end of that year. The Church
was incorporated September 7, 1843. Through the ef-
forts of Mr. Scammon a lot at the corner of Wabash
Avenue and Adams Street, seventy-six by one hundred
and seventy-one feet in size, was secured for the use of
the Church. On the day of the organization, the So-
ciety adopted for its platform, or articles of faith, the
three essentials of the Church, as contained in number
259 of Swedenborg's treatise on the Divine Providence,
as follows : 1. The acknowledgment of the Divine of
the Lord ; 2. The acknowledgment of the Sanctity of
the Word ; 3. The life which is called Charity. These
articles were signed by J. Young Scammon, Mrs. Mary
Ann H. Scammon and Vincent H. Lovell. From the
time of the organization until March, 1847, no annual
meetings were held, but social and religious meetings
were had in the Saloon Building, the numbers in atten-
dance gradually increasing. At the first annual meeting
held March 25, 1847, the following persons became ad-
ditional members of the Society by subscribing to the
articles of faith : William E. Jones, Joseph K. C. For-
rest, John E. Wheeler, John Sears, Jr., Franklin Scam-
mon, Thomas L. Forrest, George R. Bills, and Prof.
James V. Z. Blaney, of Rush Medical College. The
first trustees of the Society were J. Young Scammon
and Vincent S. Lovell. On the 25th of February, 1849,
the board of trustees was enlarged to include the fol-
lowing members : J. Young Scammon, William E.
Jones, George R. Bills, James V. Z. Blaney, John Sears,
Jr., John E. Wheeler, and Hugh G. Clark, the first
three of whom were made an executive committee.
Thomas L. Forrest was appointed secretary, and
Franklin Scammon treasurer. Joseph K. C. Forrest
was appointed leader. Mr. Forrest conducted religious
services in the Saloon Building for several months, and
public lectures were given by Rev. George Field. In
February, 1849, the Society numbered twenty-one mem-
bers, but it had not yet been consecrated as a Church.
Desiring to be thus consecrated, they invited the Rev.
J. R. Hibbard to visit Chicago for that purpose. The
consecration occurred on the 25th of February, 1849, at
the residence of J. Young Scammon, at the corner of
Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue. At this
meeting the executive committee was authorized
to invite the Rev. J. R. Hibbard to become
pastor of the Society, and to make the neces-
sary provision for his support. In accordance with
the authority thus conferred, an invitation was extended
to the Rev. Mr. Hibbard to assume the pastorate at an
annual salary of $500. Mr. Hibbard accepted the in-
vitation, and himself and wife united with the Society
January 1, 1850. At this time the Society numbered
twenty-six members, and its expenses had been met by
voluntary contributions. At the meeting of February
25, 1849, trle trustees were authorized to lease the lot
donated from the canal lands, for a period not exceed-

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

347

ing five years. Under this authority the trustees
leased the lot to various individuals, who erected build-
ings upon it. The Society continued to worship in the
Saloon Building until 1851, at which time church rooms
were procured in a building at the northeast corner of
Dearborn and Randolph streets, erected by Harrison
Newhall. In this new and more commodious place of
worship a large congregation collected on Sunday
mornings, and it soon became evident that the Rev.
Mr. Hibbard's efforts were eminently satisfactory and
efficient in disseminating the doctrines of the New Jeru-
salem, and in awakening an interest therein in the
minds of the public. In January, 1852, the treasurer
reported that the Society was out of debt and had a
small balance in the treasury. The Society continued
to worship in Newhall's Hall until 1855, when it re-
moved to a school-house which it had purchased on the
north side of Adams Street, between Wabash Avenue
and State Street (No. 69 Adams Street), where it re-
mained until the building was destroyed by fire in the
winter of 1857-58. After the burning of the school-
house the Society purchased an old church building
which had been erected by the Second Presbyterian
Church, which the Society removed to Harrison Street,
between Wabash Avenue and State Street. This church
it occupied until in 1861-62, when it built its new and
commodious stone temple on the lot at the corner of
Wabash Avenue and Adams Street. This was a very
convenient building, containing, besides the audience
room, a basement for social meetings, pastor's study,
library room and janitor's residence. It was fifty by
seventy feet in size, Norman Gothic, Hebrew in-
scription on the front, and cost $18,000. The
tower extended to a height of 175 feet. The church
stood and was occupied by this Society until the
great fire of October, 1871, when it was destroyed, to-
gether with a mission church building, which the Society
had purchased of the Presbyterians and removed to a
lot at the junction of Clark and LaSalle streets, oppo-
site Lincoln Park. The total loss to the Society was
$15,000. Rev. Mr. Hibbard remained continuously
with the Society as pastor until 1S71, when, on
account of failing health, leave of absence was given
him, and he went to Europe for a season of rest and
recreation. For some time previous to the beginning of
this vacation the Rev. Calvin Day Noble had been his
assistant, and now in his absence took charge of the
spiritual affairs of the Society. Upon Mr. Hibbard's
return a division took place in the Society, and those
membees who preferred Mr. Noble to Mr. Hibbard
formed themselves into another society, under the pas-
toral care of Rev. Mr. Noble. Mr. Noble remained with
them as pastor only a few years, when he left, and
his Society was soon after dissolved.

John Randolph Hibbard, D.D., was born in Jefferson
County, N. V., July 23, 1815. He was a preacher by hereditary
descent, both his father and grandfather, besides one maternal and
two paternal uncles, having been clergymen. He was born and edu-
cated a Presbyterian, but while a minor he became a minister of the
United Brethren Church. While traveling as a minister of this
denomination he became familiar with the writings of Swedenborg,
received the doctrines in 1839, became a member of the New
Church, and in June of that year was ordained a minister at the
Western Convention, in Cincinnati, Ohio. For some time after
this he taught school in Rutland, Meigs Co., Ohio, preaching as
opportunity offered. In 1841 he removed to northern Ohio,
and on May 30, 1842, was ordained pastor and missionary. Soon
afterward the members of the New Chureh in Illinois invited him
to visit this State with the view of his remaining permanently as
their minister. In response to this invitation he made a missionary
visit to Illinois in 1843, a"d in 1844 moved to this State, making
his home mainly in Canton and Peoria. In June, 1847, he was
made an ordinary minister, and in 1849 he became pastor ol the

Chicago Society of the New Jerusalem, and moved to this city per-
manently to reside. Under his ministry this Societ) be une one of
the most prosperous of the New Church societies in the world. Winn
Mr. Hibbard came to Illinois it was as minister lor the whole New
Church in the Stale, and was recognized as the superintending
minister of the New Church within the Illinois Association, but his
duties were extended by invitation to neighboring States. From a
brief sketch of the Rev. Mr. Hibbard, written by the Hon. |.
V'oung Scammon, published by Wilson & St. Clair, from which
some of the above facts were obtained, the following quotation is
made : " The liturgy has been much improved through his efforts,
and to the exertions of no one is the establishment of the New Church

newspaper, the New Jerusalem Messenger, and the New Church
publishing house, in New York, more indebted than to him. * *
He enters with all his heart into the performance of his duties, is
faithful and painstaking as a pastor, and as a missionary he seems
to continually hear the command : ' Go ye into all the world and
preach the Gospel.' The Gospel to him is found in the doctrines
of the New Church. They come down into his mind as a revela-
tion from Heaven, explained through the rational mind of Emanuel
Swedenborg. He regards Swedenborg as authority, and has
no patience with those who would amend the latter's writings.
While teaching that nothing can do a man any good except what he
receives freely and understands rationally, yet he insists at all times
that the Word of God and the writings of Swedenborg are the only
sources of authority in religion in the New Church ; and he seems
to find in the inscription on the cross ' Jesus, King of the Jews,' in
Hebrew, Greek and Latin, an intimation that the truths revealed for
the New Church are crystallized in these dead languages, the Old
Testament having been written in Hebrew, the New Testament in
Greek, and Swedenborg's writings in Latin, the spiritual sense of
the Word being revealed through the doctrine of correspondences
contained in Swedenborg's writings." The Rev. Mr. Hibbard's
pastorate in the Chicago Society of the New Jerusalem con-
tinued with but brief interruption, from 1849, to December I,
1877, during which time he was promoted from the vice-presi-
dency of the General Convention, to the presidency of the
the American Conference of the New Church ministers. During
this period of nearly thirty years, Mr. Hibbard's position and la-
bors were peculiar. He performed the duties of missionary, priest,
and bishop, and was the vigilant superintendent of the interests of
the Swedenborgian Church. The difficulties of his position are
better understood when it is considered that, while the evangelical
churches make proselytes by means of an army of priests and teach-
ers, operating directly upon the emotions of men, the Church of the
New Jerusalem depends more for the propagation of its subtler
doctrines upon a deliberate and careful analysis, and a clear per-
ception of their symmetrical proportions. The mystical superstruct-
ure entitled the New Church reared upon the writings of Sweden-
borg, while it may be in a broad and practical sense, a religion of
the heart, yet its teachers never resort to the excitation of the sym-
pathies as a means of conviction, but reach the heart and enchain
the emotions if at all, through the colder medium of the intellect.
Viewed in this light the work acccomplished by the Rev. Dr. Hib-
bard, during his pastorate of the Chicago Society, is a remarkable
one, but he was endowed with the qualifications necessary to its ac-
complishment. Though but of medium stature, he has a squarely
built thick-set frame, surmounted by a head that would render him a
noticeable man in any gathering of his fellow-men. His forehead
is broad and high, and his head is covered with full flowing, dark-
brown hair. His eyes are dark and eager, and deep set beneath
brows sufficiently prominent to give the perceptive faculties a pal-
pable distinctness. His nose is slightly Roman, lips firm, and
features generally prominent and clearly cut. On the 4th of July,
1S77, Dr. Hibbard tendered his resignation to the New Jerusalem
Society of Chicago, the resignation to take effect December 1, of
that year. This step was occasioned by the action of the General
Convention, which had been a short time previously held in Cin-
cinnati, Ohio. The Convention was unanimous in desiring Dr.
Hibbard to devote all his time for a year to come at least, as Gen-
eral Superintendent of the work of Church extension. The resig-
nation was reluctantly accepted, with many expressions of esteem
and affection on the part of the Society and stating that they could
but regard him as the spiritual father of the New Church in Illi-
nois, and also recognizing the labors and devotion of Mrs. Hibbard.

J4«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Since his departure from Chicago, Dr. Hibbard has resided in Phil-
adelphia.

The Jews. — Previous to 1S45 there was no religious
organization among the Jews in Chicago, nor were there
many Jews in Chicago or even Illinois before 1S40.
The persecution of the people of this race in Germany,
through exclusive and oppressive laws, drove large num-
bers of them to America, from 1S30 to 1840, where they
could enjoy civil and religious liberty equally with those
of other faiths. Large numbers of them remained in
the principal cities of the Eastern and Middle States —
New York. Philadelphia and Baltimore — but gradually
they emigrated in considerable numbers to the Ohio
and the prairies of the Western States. The first
considerable number of Israelites came to Cook County
in 1S43. This immigration was under the auspices of
the Jewish Colonization Society, organized through the
efforts of William Renan, of New York City, a young
and enthusiastic gentleman of the Hebrew faith. The
Society sent a Mr. Meyer west to select lands upon
which the colony might settle. After examining differ-
ent parts of the Western country, he selected and pur-
chased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Shaum-
burg. Cook Count}-. Mr. Meyer reported to the Society,
and on the receipt of his report a majority of its mem-
bers came to Chicago, meeting Mr. Meyer there, and
learning from him more fully the nature of his plans.
After numerous consultations it was discovered that
many of the Jews were averse to the plans Mr. Meyers
had pre-arranged and consequently did not settle in a
body, but scattered in various directions. In one re-
spect, however, the original plan was carried out, namely,
with reference to agriculture. Some purchased farms
partly improved, others settled upon Government lands,
and still others settled in villages, and connected agri-
culture with commercial pursuits. Few- Jews came to
Chicago previous to the completion of the Illinois &
Michigan Canal, and of the Galena & Chicago Railroad
to Elgin, in 1849, at which time Chicago, becoming a
center of trade, attracted Jewish families in large num-
bers. Previous to this influx of the Jewish people, there
had been residing in Chicago but two Jewish families,
one of them being that of Benedict Schubert.

Among the earliest arrivals of those who now began
to flock into Chicago were L. Rosenfeld, Jacob Rosen-
berg, the Kohn brothers, Samuel Cole, Mayer Klein, M.
M. Gerstley, the Rubel brothers, the Greenebaum
brothers, and Messrs. Brunneman, Clayburgh, Weine-
man, Weigselbaum, Zeiglerand some others. The Jews
by this time had become numerous enough to organize
a religious society. This was in 1845. The first im-
portant action taken by them was the purchase from
the city of cemetery grounds. This old Jewish ceme-
tery was within the present limits of Lincoln Park. In
1856 the city limits having been extended so as to in-
clude it, it was abandoned as a cemetery. Soon afterac-
quiring it the association was organized into a regular
congregation, and in 1848 it was chartered under the
name "Kehilath Anshe Maarev " Congregation of the
Men of the West). The congregation at first held re-
ligious services in the upper story of a frame building
on the southwest corner of Lake and Wells streets. In
1849 they erected a synagogue on (lark Street between
Quincy and Adams streets, on a lot they had leased. At
the expiration of their lease they bought a lot on the
northeast corner of Adams and Wells streets, upon
which they erected a second synagogue. This was in
1855. Here they remained until 1865, when the house
becoming too small they sold the property and
bought a church on the corner of Wabash Avenue

and Peck Court. In this church they worshiped until it
was destroyed by the great fire of 187 1. The first min-
ister of this congregation was Rev. Ignatz Kunreuther,
who became pastor in 1849. In 1855 he was succeeded
by Rev. G. Schnerdacher, and he was succeeded in 1856
by Rev. G. M. Cohen. The following gentlemen then
successively officiated as ministers of this congregation:
Revs. L. Lebrecht, L. Levi, M. Mauser, M. Moses and
L. Adler. The pastorates of all except the last were
quite short. Mr. Adler was called in 1861 and remained
until 1880.

St. Paul's German Evangelical Lutheran
Church was organized in 1846 by the Rev. Augustus
Selle, with about forty families as members. For some
three years previous to the organization, religious serv-
vices had been conducted by those who afterward,
under Rev. Augustus Selle, became members of this
Church, depending, during this time, on supplies. But
during this time a small church building was erected at
the corner of Ohio and LaSalle streets, where now
stands Rev. Joseph Hartmann's church. This building
was used, after the organization of the Church, by Mr.
Selle until 1848. At this time the majority of the
Church desired to change the confession from the
Evangelical Lutheran to the United Evangelical, which
being done, the minority, with Mr. Selle at their head,
retired and formed a new congregation upon the orig-
inal basis of faith. Having now no church building,
they procured the use of the court-house, in which they
worshiped until in June, 1849, by which time their
new building was ready for occupancy. It stood on
Indiana Street, between Wells and Franklin. It was a
frame structure, twenty-five by fifty-five feet in size, and
had a steeple fifty feet high. Mr. Selle remained pastor
of this Church until August, 1851. He was succeeded
by Rev.. Henry Wunder, who was installed pastor on
the 21st of the following month, having arrived in
Chicago three days previously. The building on Indi-
ana Street became too small in 1854, when its capacity
was increased by the erection of galleries, to the extent
of four hundred sittings. At the same time an organ
was erected in the church at a cost of $400. Thus
enlarged the church was occupied by the congregation
until 1864, when a new brick edifice was built at the
corner of Superior and Franklin streets, on four lots
which cost the Society $5,400. The church building
was fifty-two by one hundred and one feet in size, was
furnished with galleries, and had a steeple one hundred
and sixty-one feet high, the basement being occupied
by the school belonging to the Church. The total cost
of the building was $30,000. This commodious and
costly structure was occupied until October, 1S71, when
it was destroyed by the great fire, together with the
property of all the members of the Church except three.
On the Sunday following the fire, the members of the
Society met in a German church on the West Side, and
resolved to maintain their organization and to erect
new church and school buildings as soon as practicable.
The school-house was built at 333 Larrabee Street. It
was a two-story building, into the upper story of which
Mr. Wunder moved his family, the lower story being
used for school purposes through the week, and for
religious purposes on Sunday. It was first used for
these purposes in December, 1S71. Early in the spring
of 1872 work was commenced on a new brick church-
building, upon the same site upon which stood the one
burned down. On the 9th of October, 1872, the first
anniversary of the fire, this new building was dedicated.
It was a reproduction of the one destroyed, as to size,
cost and appearance. An organ was erected in this

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

new church, larger than the one destroyed, costing
$1,200. On the 9th of October, 1873, a chime of three
bells was erected in the steeple, costing $1,800. At the
present time the congregation of St. Paul's consists of
only about three hundred families, many of the Ger-
mans having moved away from the immediate vicinity
of the church to more congenial localities From this
congregation three Church Societies have sprung: (1)
The Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran, in 1854, located
originally on Twelfth Street, where now stands the
church of the Holy Family; 2 St. John's Evangelical
Lutheran, in 1S67, located at the corner of West Supe-
rior and Bickerdike streets; (3) St. James' Evangelical
Lutheran, in 1870, situated at the corner of Fremont
and Sophia streets. From the first of these three there
have sprung primarily and secondarily four separate
churches, and from the second, two; making nine
churches that have come directly or remotely from St.
Paul's. Under the administration of Rev. Augustus
Selle, the day-school was established, in which, in addi-
tion to secular instruction, religious instruction is also
given, according to the ancient custom in Germany,
thns rendering the existence of the Sunday school un-
necessary, and it is thought by the German people that
better results are so obtained. There have been, since
the fire, two of these day schools sustained, one at ^^^
Larrabee Street, where are engaged three teachers, and
the other in the basement of the church, where, under
Mr. Wunder, who is still pastor of the Church, there
are engaged two teachers. One of Mr. Selle's teachers,
Mr. Fischer, was constantly engaged from before the
close of Mr. Selle's pastorate to the time of his death,
in February, 1882.

Rev. Henry Wunder, who has been continuously pastor of
St. Paul's Church since September 21, 1851, was born in Woehrd,
Province of Oberfranken, Bavaria, March 12, J.S30, son of Conrad
and Barbara (Mueller) Wunder. At the age of eleven years,
Henry went to the residence of his brother-in-law to receive in-
struction, having the ministry in view even at this early age. He
was prepared for his profession, and in 1846 arrived in Fort
Wayne, Ind., and entered an institution of learning newly estab-
lished especially for German students. In 1S48 he was sent to an
institution in Altenburg. Mo., whence he was transferred to St.
Louis. In 1849 ne received a call to a Church in Millstadt, St.
Clair Co., 111., where he preached until 1S51, when he received a call
to the St. Paul's German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chicago,
in the pastorate of which he was installed September 21, 1851. On
the 21st of September, 1SS3, this pastorate had lasted thirty-two
years. Mr. Wunder is now president of the Illinois District of the
Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other States.

The First Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran
Church was organized February 14, 1848, by Rev.
Paul Andersen, who arrived in Chicago January 6, of
that year. At the time of its organization the Church
had thirty members, as follows: Andrew Nelson, P. E.
Eckstrom, George P. Hanson, L. A. Brown, Iver Law-
son, B. O. Dahly, John Amundson, Iver Wikkingson,
N. H. Ellickson, Knud Lawson, Ole Nelson, W. G.
Norheim, O. N. Testhal, A. G. Nelson, Elias Olson,
Erick Abrahamson, Hans J. Kjos, R. Henderson, Iver
K. Lohme, Neil Larson, Peter Olsen, Andrew L. Flage,
John Nelson, Kittel Nerison, Halvor Olson, H.. I. Erick-
son, G. T. Gunderson, Nels Olson, Jacob Jacobs, and
Peter Nelson. Religious services were at first held in the
Bethel Chapel on Kinzie Street, between Kingsbury and
Franklin streets, where they were continued until August,
when the first church building was purchased of a con-
gregation which had commenced its erection, but had
the misfortune to have it blown down by a storm. It
cost the Norwegian Church originally $800, and the re-
building of it cost $1,000. It stood on Superior Street,
between Wells and LaSalle, on two lots each twenty

feet front, one of which was bought of Walter L. New-
berry, and the other of William B Ogden. It was a
frame structure, fifty by sixty feet in size. In March
1856, this property was sold to Rev. Mr. Carlson, of the
Swedish Lutheran Church, for $2,000, and a new brick
edifice erected at the corner of Franklin and Erie
streets. The total cost of this building was $18,000.
It was occupied by the congregation until October,
1 87 1, when it was for the most part destroyed by the
great fire. LJtilizing the foundations and such portions
of the walls as were sufficiently strong, the congrega-
tion rebuilt their church as soon as practicable, at a cost
this time of $15,000. This church is still standing and
in use. It is of the same size and general style as the
one destroyed. The pastors of this Church since its
organization have been as follows: Rev. Paul Andersen,
commencing in 1848 and continuing until i860, when
he was succeeded by Rev. Abraham Jacobson, who
remained pastor until the fall of 1861, when he was
succeeded by Rev. C. I. P. Peterson. Mr. Peterson
remained until July, 1873, when he was succeeded by
Rev. A. Mohn, who who in turn was succeeded in 1874 by
Rev. A. Mikkleson, the present pastor. During the
pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Peterson, the congregation
became divided in sentiment with respect to certain
ceremonies in the Church. At the time of the organi-
zation these were made to conform very nearly to the
customs obtaining in American churches. Mr. Peter-
son, having recently come from Norway, desired to re-
return to the rites of the State of Norway Church.
Winning a majority over to his wishes, the minority be-
came dissatisfied, and a formal separation took place.
This was in 1866. Suit was brought by the minority
against the majority for the possession of the Church
property, which after a five years' contest in the courts
was, in 1871, decided by Judge McAllister in favor of
the majority. About a month afterward the church
was destroyed by the great fire of 187 1. After the
decision of the case against them, the greater portion
of the minority united with the Church of the Holy
Trinity on LaSalle Avenue, and the rest for the most
part remain unconnected-with any Church.

Rev. Paul Andersen was born in Norway August 24, 1S21;
came to America in 1843, and arrived in Chicago, August 16. of
that year. In Norway his education was obtained from private
tutors, and having learned the English language, he acted as inter-
preter for the emigrant company during the voyage to the United
States. After his arrival in this country he pursued his classical
and literary studies at Beloit College for a number of years, and
afterward studied theology with a private tutor. Mr. Andersen
speaks fluently the English, Norwegian and German languages.
The object he constantly had in view in pursuing his studies was to
prepare himself for the Gospel ministry, and in his own words " he
can not remember the day when he did not love the Savior." On
January 6, 1848, he came to Chicago for the purpose of organizing

a Lutheran Church, and as the result of his efforts, the First Nor-
wegian Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed February 14,
1S48. In June of that year he was ordained at Schoharie, X. V.,
there being no English Lutheran Synod in Chicago at that time.
He remained pastor of the Church until 1S60 In 1S53, having
collected into his Norwegian Church a large number of Swedes.
he organized them into a separate Church, which was thenceforward
known as the Swedish Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church.
In i860, on account of bronchial troubles, he retired from the pas-
torate of the Church he had organized in 184S, and spent several
years in travel in Europe with the hope of obtaining relief. In 1S64,
on his return to this country, being still unable to re-enter the minis-
try, he became connected with the internal revenue service in which he
remained until April I, 1876, when he accepted a call to the Nor-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

vregian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wis., upon
iirion, however, that the Norwegian and English languages
should be placed upon the same tooting in the services in the
Church. From that time to the present, the custom of preaching
in Norwegian in the morning and in English in the evening has pre-
vailed. Rev. Mr. Andersen remained pastor of this Church until
[8S3, when he retired permanently from the ministry. He
now lives in Lake View, on North Clark Street, near North Fifty-
ninth. Cpon his arrival in America, by advice of friends he
dropped the last portion of his name, which he has sincerely re-
us. His full name is Paul Andersen Norland. Mr.
■ a was tirst married in September, 1848, to Miss Anna
:' Beloit, who died sixteen days afterward. He was mar-
ried the second time in the latter part of 1849, to Miss Martha Lar-
son, who is still living. They have four children : Martin Luther
Andersen, late a teacher in" Lake View High School ; Andrew-
Emanuel, with Marshall Field & Co., and two girls respectively
named Emma and Lena. Mr. Andersen enjoys the distinction of
having introduced into American Scandinavian Churches the prac-
tice of conducting services in the English language.

Our Savior's Norwegian Evangelican Luth-
eran Church, was organized by Rev. Gustav F. Diet-
richson, January 18, 1858. Kitty-two persons signed
the constitution and thus became members of the Church.
Twenty-five years afterward, at a quarter-centennial
festival held January iS, 1883, only six of these orig-
inal fifty-two were living. In the same year it was or-
ganized this congregation commenced to build a church
— a frame building — on the corner of West Erie and
May streets. Shortly afterward this Church organized
a parochial school, where the children were instructed
in the common English branches, in the Norwegian
language, and the Lutheran religion. This school has
been continued and is still in existence. The Church
has prospered remarkably, and is now one of the strong-

€^ -T^a^U^o

est in Chicago and indeed of the whole country. In 1871
it sold the old church and commenced the erection of the
present grand struct are, one of the largest and most
costly Norwegian Lutheran church-buildings in America.
It will seat twelve hundred people, and cost $40,000.
There is a very fine organ in the church that cost
$1,200. Together with the four lots on which the church
stands this church property is worth $50,000. The
congregation consists of about fourteen hundred souls,
of whom nine hundred are confirmed. Rev. Gustav F.
Dietrichson remained with the Church but a short time.
When he left he returned to his native land. He was
succeeded by Rev. A. C. Preus, who officiated as pastor
until 1863. The Rev. Mr. Preus was a remarkable man,
and very successful in his labors. He was for ten years
president of the Synod for the Norwegian Evangelical
Lutheran Church of America. Desiring to pass the
decline of life in his native land, and in his mother
Church, he returned to Norway in 1872, and in 1878 at
the age of sixty-four hi died. His death was sincerely
mourned by many people on both sides of the Atlantic.
His successor in Our Savior's Church was the Rev. J.
J. Rrohn, wl I hurch faithfully for thirteen

years, and it was under his administration of affairs of
the Church, that in 1S71 the new church building,
already described and still occupied by the congrega-
tion, was erected and completed. In 1876, Mr. Krohn
.ill to a Church in Minnesota, with the
hope of receiving benefit to his health which had been
much impared during his labors in Chicago. Since
the Rev. O. Juul lias been pastor of this Church.
The Swedish Immani i iem< al Lutheran

Church. — The nucleus of tins now large- congrega-

tion consisted of emigrants from Sweden, who arrived
at Chicago in the summer of 1852. Rev. Paul Ander-
sen, of Chicago, and Rev. T. N. Hasselquist, of Gales-
burg, 111., voluntarily ministered to the spiritual
necessities of these newly arrived emigrants. In
January, 1853, a congregation was organized consisting
of about eighty persons, a portion of the members of
this new Church having previously been members of
Rev. Paul Andersen's Norwegian Lutheran Church.
A call was extended to the Rev. Erland Carleson, the
pastor of Weis Parish, Sweden, who accepted the call
and arrived in Chicago August 22, of the same year.
His first sermon in Chicago was delivered on the 28th
of that month, to a small congregation of attentive listen-
ers, principally Swedes. His text was Luke xvii, 11-19
inclusive. Only thirty-six persons were present at this
first sermon of the young minister, the remainder of the
original eighty who united in the organization having
dispersed previous to his arrival. As a consequence the
auspices for a successful career in his adopted country
did not appear very bright ; but notwithstanding this
unfavorable condition of affairs, Mr. Carleson was not
dismayed. The following extract from the first page of
the Church records, indicates the spirit with which he
entered upon the duties of his pastorate : " Relying upon
divine assistance, I am determined to declare the truth
openly and faithfully, whatever difficulties may be
thrown in my way." The first business meeting of the
congregation was held January 27, 1854. A concise
constitution drawn up by the pastor was adopted at this
meeting. Church officers were also elected as follows :
Deacons — C. J. Anderson, John Nilson and Isaac Pat-
terson ; and for trustees — John Bjookholon, G. Svens-
son and Gisel Toutsson. Record of the election of the
trustees was made in accordance with the law of the
State, and thus was the Church legally organized. The
Lutheran rite of confirmation has been maintained in
this Church, and the first class that was confirmed con-
sisted of seven young people, two boys and five girls.
The first building occupied by this congregation as a
place of worship was that of an American Lutheran
Church on Superior Street, which they continued to
occupy until 1856, when they bought the church build-
ing belonging to the First Norwegian Lutheran Church,
for $1,500. This church they used as it was when pur-
chased until 1865, at which time it was enlarged, and
within a year from this time it became again too small.
In 1869 a new edifice was erected at the corner of Sedg-
wick and Hobbie streets, at a cost of $34,400. The
dimensions of this church were fifty-five by one hundred
and. seventeen feet, and it was two stories high. This
building was used until the great fire of 187 1, when it
was destroyed. Almost immediately afterward work
was commenced on the new church, which was com-
pleted sufficiently to be used for religious services in
December, 1872. This was also a brick church and was
dedicated April 4, 1875. The cost of this church was
$31,850, and it was built on the same site as the one
burned down. It still stands and is occupied by the
Church. .

The Rev. Erland Carleson, who has been mentioned
as the first pastor of this Church, remained with it in
that capacity twenty-two years, from 1853 to 1875. In
the latter year he removed to Andover, Henry Co.,
111., where he became the pastor of a congregation of
one thousand members. He is also president of the
Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod. At
the time of the dedication of the new church building
in 1875, the present pastor, Rev. Carl A. Evald, was
installed. From the organization of this congregation

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

351

in 1853 to January 1, 1883, 3,046 infants had been bap-
tized ; 1,019 confirmed, 3,965 communicants received,
2,292 removed; 623 children died; 252 adults died;
1075 members excommunicated, and 1,061 marriages
solemnized. The membership of the Church at the
same time was 1,365. The parochial school connected
with this Church occupies the basement of the building,
and is attended by the children of such parents as
prefer to give them select instruction, which is of a
religious as well as secular character. In the Sunday
school, which has always been in a flourishing condition,
the children are instructed in the Bible history of Dr.
Barth and the catechism of Martin Luther, as well as
in the usual Sunday school lessons. There are two
sewing societies connected with the Church.

St. Paul's Evangelical United Church. — The
four Evangelical United churches in Chicago, viz., the
St. Paul's, the Zion's, the Salem and St. Peter's, belong
to the German Evangelical Synod of North America.
This Synod was organized at Quincy, 111., in 1872, and
from it have been formed the Synod of the West, North-
west and East. The entire Synod is divided into seven
districts. Each district assembles annually in a confer-
ence, and a general conference is held triennially to
which these districts send their delegates. In the sum-
mer of 1843, a meeting of citizens was held for the pur-
pose of forming a Church. The citizens were G.
Schairer, K. Teschner, John Ffund, Charles Stein, B. A.
Beyer, H. H. Rantze, Arnold Kroeger, William Frank,
and Jacob Letz. They immediately organized them-
selves into a council, or board of trustees. The last
five were appointed a committee to obtain a church site.
This committee secured as a donation from William B.
Ogden and Walter L. Newberry a piece of land on the
southwest corner of LaSalle and Ohio streets, where the
church now stands. In 1843 the erection of a frame
church building thirty by forty-eight feet in size was
commenced. During 1844 the Society was increased by
the addition of several new members, and the Church
council was made to consist of G. Schairer, Charles
Stein, John Reder, John Gross, Jacob Letz and Fred-
erick Letz. Until 1846 the Society was served by itin-
erant preachers. On April n, 1846, Rev. Augustus
Selle was called from Columbiana County, Ohio. He
was the first settled pastor of the Church. At this time
there were seventy-six voting families in the Society,
and many of the members are now living and known as
prominent citizens of Chicago — as Louis Hass, Fred-
erick Letz, George Atzel, Henry Weber, Philip Gross
and Michael Gross. Others have left Chicago — as
Henry Devermann, Clement Stose, who went to his .son
in California and was burned to death, and August F.
Busch. In 1847 the necessity of enlarging the church
became evident, and H. Rothget and John E. Strob-
bach took the contract. In April, 1848, a contest arose
in the Church with reference to the form of confession,
and in consequence Mr. Selle, with a portion of the
members, withdrew and formed St. Paul's Evangelical
Lutheran Church whose pastor now is the Rev. Henry
Wunder. The United Evangelical Society, in August,
1848. called as its pastor Rev. Dr. Fischer from Hamil-
ton, Ohio. He remained with the Society three years
constantly combating the principles of the constitution.
At length he agreed to submit the questions in dispute
to the Societies of the Synod, and in August, 185 1, he
was dismissed. He now lives in Joliet full of years, a
vigorous and beloved old man. The next pastor called
was the Rev. Joseph Hartmann, a theologian of a Ger-
man University, who had formerly labored in Louis
County, N. Y., and who at the time was twenty-seven

years of age. Under his pastorate the membership of

the Society increased so rapidly that it soon bee;

necessary to enlarge the church building, and Mr.
Hartmann found his plan to erect a large brick building
warmly approved. The funds were raised with great
readiness and the building of the church commenced
in 1854. The plans were drawn by Architect August
Baver. The builder was August Wallbann. The
church was consecrated on the 4th of February, 1855.
The Society at this time consisted of one hundred and
sixty families, and the pews were let in fourteen days.
The beautiful church building, the style of which was
simple yet grave, and whose interior was noted for the
excellence of its workmanship, was completed in 1864,
and was not spared by the great conflagation of 1871,
the foundations only remaining firm Soon after being
destroyed it was reconstructed upon the same founda-
tion and upon nearly the original plan. As this rebuilt
church stands to-day it is almost exactly the old one re-
produced. It was consecrated February 16, 1873. The
present St. Paul's Society is very strong, one of the
natural results of the great growth of the city Many
of the old German families with their descendants be-
long to it. The school occupies the basement of the
church, and is taught by John C. Rahn. The present
board of trustees of the Church are as follows : William
Knocke, chairman ; Peter Emmel, treasurer ; Charles
Kurg, secretary; William Bohrmann, Frederick Lew-
gow and Christian Kroll. The elders are Phillip- Kroll,
George Haaze, John Haage, Charles Lehuhardt, George
Stratzheim and Kurtz. Rev. Joseph Hartmann has
been the pastor continuously since Novembei, 1851.

Uhlich's Orphan Asylum is under the auspices of
St. Paul's Church It takes its name from Mr. Uhlich,
deceased, who presented the Church with a piece of
ground upon which to establish an orphan asylum. The
donation made to the Church for this purpose was thirty-
two feet in length on LaSalle and. sixteen feet on Arnold
Street. The means for building the institution came
from the Relief Fund. Henry Aluehlke was an old and
trusted friend of Mr. Uhlich. He had saved Mr.
Uhlich's fortune, and had been remembered in his will
to the extent of $100,000. He enjoyed great favor
among the Americans, and so brought the project of a
German Orphan Asylum before the management of the
Relief Fund that $20,000 was granted for that purpose.
Last year sixty-eight children were inmates. The ex-
penses of the Asylum for 1882 were $4,774.55.

The Christian Church was organized in 1850, by
the following seven persons: M. H. Baldwin and wife,
Dr. L. S. Major, John Saunders and wife, and the
present Mrs. Dickey and her daughter Julia. The first
regular preacher for this Church was Rev. L. Cooley.
In 1852, under his ministry, the Society worshiped in the
third story of J. H. Reed's drug store, at No. 148 Lake
Street. After remaining in this room about a year, they
removed to Gleason's school-house, standing on Jeffer-
son Street near Monroe Street, where they conducted
religious worship until they removed to the United
States Court-room, in the Saloon Building. Here they
remained until the completion of their new church edi-
fice on Monroe Street between Aberdeen and Rucker
streets, the latter being now called Center Avenue. After
Elder Baldwin closed his services, Charles B. Egan, a
brother of the noted Dr William B. Egan, succeeded to
the pulpit. On account of certain difficulties between
him and some members of the Society, it was broken up
and the Rev. Mr. Egan retired. Only a few of the mem-
bers remained true to the organization, among whom
were H. H. Honore and wife, B. L. Honore and wife,

35 *

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

and Dr. L. S. Major. This was in 1857. While affairs
were in this chaotic condition, the Rev. M. N. Lord was
induced by H. H. Honore to take charge of the congre-

: commencing his labors in December. 1857, and
remaining until June. 1861. During this period. Allen
5, oi Ohio, visited Chicago, and was largely in-
strumental in raisin- a subscription sufficient to erect
the church edifice on Monroe Street already mentioned.
It stood about one hundred feet east of Rucker Street,
was a frame one-story building, thirty-six by fifty-eight
feet in size, with a small tower but no bell. It was com-
menced May j~\ 1858, and was dedicated July 4, 1858.
The dedicatory sermon was delivered by Rev. D. P.
Henderson. The money employed in the construction
of this edifice was contributed mainly by Dr. L. S.
Major and H. H. Honore. Previous to the pastorate
of F.lder Lord, the following elders had preached oc-
casionally for this Society: John O'Kane, Love H.
Jamison, S. K. Hoshouer, J. D. Benedict, Curtis J.
Smith and Alexander Campbell. During his pastorate,
the following occasionallv preached: Elders D. P. Hen-
derson. W. T. Moore, D. S. Burnett, Dr. W. H. Hopson,
Amos Sutton Hayden and James A. Garfield. After the
dedication of the new church building, the Society con-
tinued to worship in it until 1866, enjoying the minister-
ial services of the following pastors: N. S. Bastian,
from July, 1S61, to June, 1862; W. F. Black from 1862
to 1865; John S. Sweeney from 1865 to 1866, and B. H.
Smith, who came in 1866. Under the Rev. Mr. Smith,
the Society moved to the North Side, into the old St.
James' church building, which was bought for them by
H. H. Honore and Dr. L. S. Major. The church build-
ing on Monroe Street was sold to the Episcopalians,
who moved it east of Canal Street, between Harrison
and Twelfth, and named it St. Stephen's Church. After
moving to St. James' Church, B. H. Smith was suc-
ceeded in 1867 by the Rev. D. P. Henderson. In 1868,
the members became dissatisfied with the North Side,
most of them living on the South Side. In order to
satisfy the desire to move to another location, Dr. L. S.
Major and H. H. Honore bought for the use of the
Society the church edifice of St. Luke's Episcopal
Mission, at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Sixteenth
Street. This building had been erected by the Univer-
salists, and sold by them to the Olivet Presbyterian
Church. By them it was sold to Mr. Cole, who with
the assistance of some others, started this mission. This
church building was dedicated by the Christian Church
the first Sunday of its occupancy by them, Rev. D. P.
Henderson preaching in the morning and in the evening.
In the afternoon, at the request of some of the members,
the Rev. John S. Sweeney preached, which was so much
against the wishes of Klder Henderson, that he resigned.
His resignation was accepted, and John S. Sweeney
called in his stead. .

The Kev Mr. Henderson then organized a Church
at the northwest corner of Indiana Avenue and Twenty-
fifth Street, a lot being purchased there by E. B. Ste-
vens, who also furnished most of the money for the
erection thereon of a chun h building. This was called
the Indiana-avenue Christian Church. While the new
building was being erected they used for religious pur-
poses the Protestant Orphan Asylum. In the fall the
new chur-.h was completed and dedicated. Here they
had as pastor-,. D. I'. Henderson until 1870, and ( >. A.

-until the reunion of the two portions of the
Church in Ocl iei 1 71, ["hosi remaining on Wabash

e and Sixteenth Street were known from the time
of the division in 1868, as the Wabash-avenue christian
Church. They had as pastors, John S. Sweeney until

November, 1869, and then Isaac Errett, then and now
editor of the Christian Standard, published at Cincin-
nati, Ohio, who remained until the reunion in October,
1871. The Great Fire of October 9, 1871 served to
soften the hearts of the members of the two Churches
toward each other. They were made to feel the
need of united action. Hence each Church ap-
pointed a committee to draft a plan of union. The
ommittees met October 12, at the house of E. B. Ste-
vens, and on the next evening again met and adopted
the plan presented on the 1 2th. The Church thus
formed was called the First Christian Church. Isaac
Errett, though requested by a portion of the members
to do so, positively declined to remain as pastor, and
the Rev. O. A. Burgess, who had been pastor of the In-
diana-avenue Church nearly two years, remained as
pastor of the re-united organization until 1873, when he
was succeeded by the Rev. W. J. Howe, who remained
one year, and was himself succeeded in 1874, by Isaac
Errett. Isaac Errett remained one year and was fol-
lowed by Rev. Knowles Shaw. The Rev. S. M. Conner
succeeded in 1876, and one year thereafter was succeeded
by Rev. George W. Sweeney, who remained until 1880.
But after the re-union difficulties again developed, this
time in consequence of a debt incurred in the erection of
the church at the corner of Indiana Avenue and Twenty-
fifth Street. As one result in 1878 another division
occurred, and something over fifty members seceded
and formed the South Side Christian Church, locating
at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Thirtieth Street.
The first pastor of the South Side Church was W. D.
Owens, an able and excellent man, who remained until
his failing health compelled him to resign in 1879. He
was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Parsons, who remained
but a few months, and he by J. W. Allen, who did good
work in building up the Church. In the latter part of
1882 the South Side Church and the First Church re-
united, and called the Rev. Henry Schell Lobingier, the
present pastor, adopting the name of the Central Church.
The First Church, during the time of this separation,
had a pastor, George W. Sweeney, from 1876 to 1880, and
O. A. Burgess from 1881 to the time of his death in 1882.
It is now necessary to recur to the debt, as its existence
had considerable influence on the history of the Church.
It was incurred in the erection of the present Central
Church edifice, which was erected in 1868, at a cost of
$20,000. The debt, which was bearing ten per cent
interest, matured in 1874, the society was unable to
liquidate it, and was also unable to pay the arrearages
of interest, amounting to $4,000. E. B. Stevens, who
had for the two previous years paid most of the interest
that had been paid, made arrangements with the mort-
gagee to renew the mortgage at seven per cent interest,
and paid the arrearages of interest. He then proposed
to the First Church that as they had possession of the
church they should relieve him from the burden of the
debt, and pay him the $4,000 interest which he has just
paid, or otherwise vacate in favor of the South Side
Church, of which he was a member. The Society chose
to retain possession, agreeing to pay the interest advanced
by Mr. Stevens, which, however, they failed to pay.
After allowing ample time for it to be paid and not
receiving it, Mr. Stevens brought suit for the $4^000
and obtained judgment for the amount. The judgment
was permitted to remain as a lien upon the property,
until the formation of the Central Church, when Mr.
Stevens agreed to cancel the judgment upon the condi-
tion that the Church thus formed abandon forever the
Indiana Avenue and Twenty-fifth Street property, and
remove to Prairie Avenue and Thirtieth Street. The

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS

353

condition was accepted and the removal to Thirtieth
Street made about January i, 1883. A portion of the
members becoming dissatisfied with the location, a
meeting was held in May, 1883, and the question of
returning to Twenty-fifth Street was voted on and car-
ried by a vote of forty-one to five, the membership
being about two hundred and fifty. The majority,
though opposed to returning, singularly enough refrained
from voting. Since 1879, the time of the transfer of
the Church property by Air. Stevens John Gunzenhauser,
by assuming the indebtedness and paying the interest
annually, has enabled the Church to retain possession
of its property.

Oris Asa Burgess, one of the ablest pastors in the Christian
Church in Chicago, was born August 26, 1S29, in Thompson,
Windham Co. , Conn. Thomas Burgess, one of his paternal an-
cestors, joined the Pilgrim Colony in 1637, and his maternal an-
cestors were of the same stock. When eight years old, young
Otis's father removed to Norwich, Shenango County, N. Y.
Krom this time until he was seventeen years old Otis worked eight
months of each year on the farm, and attended school the other
four months. His mother's death when he was fourteen years of
age made a deep impression on his mind. He had been educated
to the strictest doctrines of Calvinism, but now he set aside the
" doctrine of decrees," and attempted to get religion in the popular
method; at the mourner's bench, but did not succeed. On. account
of this failure he was almost led to reject all revealed religion. At
the age of seventeen he went to Norwich Academy, remaining there
but a few weeks, then teaching school the balance of the year. In
the spring of 1S47 he returned to the Academy, and in fourteen
weeks finished the entire course except the classics. In the fall he
removed to Metamora and taught school until the summer of 185 1. At
Melamora he first heard of the Disciples, commonly called " Camp-
bellites." The Campbellites were generally spoken of with disre-
spect by other denominations, and as Mr. Burgess was already a
scoffer at religion it was an easy matter for him to join in the
general outcry against them. He maintained his attitude
toward them until he happened to hear " Old Father Palmer"
I Henry Palmer of Illinois) preach the primitive Gospel. This
was the turning point of his career. While listening to this
sermon, having heard that the Disciples had a Bible of their
own, he firmly believed that the text as quoted was not in his
copy of the Bible; but upon examining it, found the text to be
as quoted, and became convinced that the doctrines of the Dis-
ciples were true. He was immersed July 21, 1S50, and in the
fall of 185 1 went to Bethany College, arriving there with only
$4.50 in his pocket. His determination carried him through Col-
lege, and he graduated in 1854, when he returned to Illinois. He
took charge of the Church of Christ in Washington, Tazewell
County, where he remained one year, when he became professor in
Eureka College, remaining there also one vear. He then divided
his time between the Churches at Washington and Metamora until
1862, when he took charge of the Church of Christ in Indianapolis.
Here he remained until 1870, when he came to Chicago as pastor
of the First Christian Church, in which position he remained until
1873, when he was elected President of the Northwestern Christian
University at Indianapolis. He was president of this University until
1S80, when he was recalled to the pastorate of the First Christian
Church. On account of his arduous duties as president of the
University, his health had begun to fail, but notwithstanding this
he entered into the Presidential campaign of 1880. with all the
energy he could command, and delivered over one hundred speeches
in favor of the election of James A. Garfield to the Presidency of
the United States. This labor was too severe for his enfeebled
constitution to bear. A sojourn of some months in the Southern
States did not restore him to health, and he died in Chicag

The Spiritualists. — The first spiritualistic me-
dium to arrive in Chicago was Mrs. Julia Lusk, of Mil-
waukee, in 1849, who was a "rapping medium." The
raps made in the presence of this medium were very
loud and distinct, resembling the fall to and roll across
the floor of a heavy croquet ball. Ira B. Eddy was her
first convert in Chicago. Having been educated to be-
lieve in orthodoxy, but,being unsatisfied with certain of
the doctrines, he felt greatly relieved in receiving by
means of the raps negative answers to the two following-
questions : " Is there a personal Devil," and " Is there
such a place as hell." He then obtained a communica-
tion from a departed friend, and thus became satisfied
23

at once that the dead still live and can communicate
with the living. He at once became a full spiritual be-
liever. Converts to Spiritualism were made slowly in
Chicago in those days, but in November, 1852, when
Mr. Eddy rented one of his buildings, No. 48 Clark
Street, to Seth Payne for banking purposes, there were
Spiritualists enough in the city to form a society, and to
rent the hall in the third story of this same building for
the purpose of holding meetings and hearing lectures.
This hall was named by Mr. Eddy, who was the first
president of the society, "Harmony Hall." Mr. Eddy
remained president of the society one year, and was
succeeded by Russell Green, who was assisted by A. |.
and H. M. Higgins. In about two years Mr. Green be-
came tired of the expense of the meetings and resigned.
In 1852, about the time of renting Harmony Hall, a Mr.
and Mrs. Herrick came to Chicago. Mrs. Herrick was
the second medium to arrive. Among the lecturers on
Spiritualism were Seth Payne, who though a good
speaker was extremely radical; the Hon. Warren Chase;
Mr. Hammond, of Rochester, N. Y.; and Mrs. Cora
Hatch. Mr. Hammond was the author of two books,
one of them entitled "Thomas Paine in the Spirit
World." Spiritualism caused considerable excitement
in those years, especially in connection with Seth
Payne's bank. In September, 1853, Ira B. Eddy was
adjudged insane, and removed to an insane asylum in
Hartford, Conn. He was accompanied by Drs. John
A. Kennicott, J. P. Lyman and J. W. Freer, afterward
president of Rush Medical College. One of the local
papers in commenting upon this event, said : " This step
has been deemed necessary in order to remove him
from the influence of the Spiritualists of Chicago, by
whom he has been surrounded for several months past."
Seth Payne was also tried for insanity, but being
notified, as Mr. Eddy was not, he obtained coun-
sel, and in each of his trials the jury dis-
agreed. In December, 1854, Professor Spencer deliv-
ered a series of lectures at Metropolitan Hall, "on the
exciting subject of Spiritualism, demonstrating the fal-
lacies of the Spiritual religion by performing the tricks
by which the mediums deceive the credulous." His
lectures drew immense crowds, and awakened a great
deal of interest. Early in 1856 Andrew Jackson Davis
came to Chicago to lecture under the auspices of Rus-
sell Green. That portion of the Spiritualists who
favored Mr. Davis's peculiar doctrines were named by
him " Harmonialists," and the announcement was made
in the Democratic Press of May 10, 1856, that "the
Harmonialists will hereafter hold their meetings in Har-
mony Hall, 48 Clark street." During this same year
Hon. Warren Chase also lectured on the Harmonial
Philosophy. At this time there were fifteen mediums
in Chicago. The audiences usually averaged about three
hundred, but as many attended merely from motives of
curiosity, and as there was no list of membership kept
as in the churches, it was not known what proportion
were believers in the doctrines. From this time for-
ward for two or three years but little of moment in con-
nection with Spiritualism occurred, but about i860 a
revival of interest took place, and the history of the
subject from this time to 1870 is replete with incidents.
Besides the lectures mentioned above there were a few
others during the period covered by this volume. On
the 14th of January, 1857, George Leach lectured in
South Market Hall on the claims of Swedenborg and
Andrew Jackson Davis, and upon spirit manifestations.
Mrs. Streeter lectured in her spiritual capacity January
31 in a school-house near the American Car Works;
Henry Weller lectured February 1 in Harmony Ha'l on

.o4

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the Philosophy of Intercourse between the Natural and
Spiritual Worlds: Mrs. Seymour, a trance medium, lec-
tured February 22 in Metropolitan Hall. She was said
to be the only medium in the West through whom the
manifestation of writing upon the arm could be produced.
On the 15th of March J. White lectured in Harmony
Hall on the Unity of Inspiration, Revelation anil
Science. On April iS A. B. Whiting, a speaking me-
dium, lectured on Spiritualism. He was a popular
speaker and an able exponent of the Harmonial Phi-
losophy. Miss C. M. Beebe, of Boston, lectured in
Light Guard Hall April 26 and 30. Joel Tiffany, of
New York, lectured in the same place May 10, and Dr.
Brookie. of St. Louis, on the 17th. From this time
until 1S60 there was comparatively little done in Chi-
cago to disseminate the doctrines of Spiritualism.

The Bethel. — As early as 1S42 religious work
commenced among the seamen, and a building for this
special feature of missionary labor was erected. In
1S44 a society was organized, with twenty members,
and a new building was erected at the corner of Kinzie
and North Franklin streets. At this time Rev. Mr. Row-
latt was the missionary in charge. In 1846 he was suc-
ceeded by Rev. J. Wilcox, and in 1848 Rev. Mr. Row-
latt returned. In 1851 Rev. Philander Griffin had
charge of the Bethel, and in June of this year the
church building was moved to the corner of Wells and
North Water streets. The first services were held at
this location on June 15. In 1853 the Rev, Mr. Rowley
was in charge, and in 1854 the Rev. J. H. Leonard was
sent out by the Seamen's Friend Society, whose head-
quarters were at Cleveland, Ohio. He had services in
the Bethel Chapel, which stood on Wells Street, near
the Galena iS: Chicago Railroad depot, where also was
maintained a very interesting Sunday school. Mr.
Leonard was very much encouraged with the result of
his labors among the seamen, and visited the vessels
with a great deal of energy and persistency, as also the
boarding houses and dwellings where boatmen and
sailors were to be found. On the 3d of February a re-
vival commenced at the Bethel. There was preaching
every evening, and in a short time twelve hopeful con-
verts were reported. In the winter of 1854-55 another
protracted meeting was held, the chaplain of the Bethel
preaching every night for some weeks. There was a
good attendance, and considerable good resulted from
the special effort then made. On the 20th of May Rev.
I'. Stone, chaplain of the port of Boston, preached at
the Bethel. Another protracted meeting was held in
January. 1856. lasting one week. In 1857 and 1858
similar special efforts to convert the sailors were made.
In April. 185X, one of the local papers refers to an in-
teresting work of grace that had been in progress for a
long time during the past winter. The indefatigable
pastor, Rev. J. II. Leonard, had preached every night
for a long time. Fifty converts had been made. The
Bethel in Chicago was then one of the few in the linked
States that maintained a Church organization. The
membership, which for some time had been about fifty,
was greatly im reased by this revival. The Bethel Sun-
day school • tboul two hundred scholars, ana
onducted mainly by members of the Second Pres-
byterian Church. Lockwood Brown was then the su-

ndent. The Bethel Church was Congregational in
its polity, and had, besides a regular Church organi-
zation, a constitution, articles of faith and covenant.
I' .oil annually, and its pastor was in

connection with the Methodist Episcopal Church. In
the history of the Chicago Bible So< iety quite full ref-

has been made to the work of the Bethel in the

distribution of Bibles and Testaments among the sea-
men. A continuance of its history may be found in the
succeeding volumes of this History.

CHICAGO THFOLOGICAL SEMINARY.

The history of this Seminary is naturally divided
into three periods: the first lasting from the incipient
discussions of the propriety of the project of establish-
ing a theological seminary in Chicago, to the opening
of the Seminary, October 6, 1858 — four years of pre-
paratory struggle. The second embraces the thirteen
years between the opening of the Seminary and the
great fire of October 9, 187 1, and the third the thirteen
years subsequent to the fire, to 1884. - It is proper that
the history of this Seminary should be preceded by a
brief outline of the various steps taken previous to the
inception of the design of founding a distinctive theo-
logical seminary in Chicago, with the view of adding
theological departments to various colleges already es-
tablished in different parts of the Northwest. The first
attempt of this kind was made in connection with
Beloit College, at Beloit, Wis., in 1852. In that
year the pastor of the First Congregational Church of
Beloit was elected professor of theology in the college.
The expectation was that this would be the beginning
of a theological department in the College, of the advan-
tages of which both Congregationalists and Presbyte-
rians could avail themselves, and where theological
students would experience the advantages of the influ-
ence and instruction of a pastor. But the pastor de-
clined the call, and no further attempt was made to
establish a theological department in Beloit College.
On account of a violent prejudice existing in the West
against the clergy and the Church, the Legislature of
Illinois at first refused a charter to Illinois College,
and when two years later the charter was granted, it pro-
hibited theological education in the College. Subse-
quently this prohibition was repealed, and a legacy was
received by the College for the founding of a theolog-
ical professorship, but no steps were ever taken by the
trustees in that direction. It was the original design to
establish a theological department in Knox College,
located at Galesburg, and a fund was provided for the
purpose, but the plan was abandoned. It was also under
consideration to have a theological seminary located on
the campus of the Michigan State University, but the
design never matured. Iowa College was without a
theological department, as were also Carlton, Olivet,
Ripon, Wheaton, and other colleges afterward estab-
lished. All of them, however, educated young men for
the ministry through a thorough course of college in-
struction. All plans failing for the establishment of
distinctive theological departments in colleges, move-
ments were made by several evangelical denominations
in the Northwest toward the establishment of theolog-
ical seminaries of their own. As a result of these move-
ments the " Garrett Biblical Institute " was established
by the Methodists at Evanston, and opened in September,
1856; the "Chicago Theological Seminary," by the Con-
gregationalists, at Chicago; the "Presbyterian Theologic-
al Seminary of the Northwest," transferred from New
Albany, Ind., to Chicago, in October, 1859; and the
" Baptist Union Theological Seminary," at Chicago, in
October, 1867. Originally the design was entertained
by certain individuals of enlarged views and liberal
spirit, of founding a union theological seminary for
both Congregationalists and Presbyterians, but this plan
met with opposition from others more intensly denomi-
national in their opinions. Hence the Chicago Theolog-

CHICAGO THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

355

ical Seminary, when founded, was entirely under the
auspices of the Congregational Church, but open to
students of all denominations. In 1853, in order to
meet the demand for a larger supply of ministers for
the smaller churches in Michigan, Rev. L. Smith Hobart
pastor at Ann Arbor, drew up a plan, and submitted it
to the General Association of Michigan in May of that
year. This plan embraced the following particulars:

1. The establishment of a theological seminary in connection
with Michigan University.

2. The course of study to be divided into two terms for each
year — a six-months lecture term under the instruction of the fac-
ulty, and a six-months reading term with the pastor of some
Church.

3. The degree of Bachelor of Divinity to be conferred on
those completing the full course.

4. Each State interested in the seminary to endow a profes-
sorship.

5 The control of the seminary to be vested in a board of trus-
tees elected by the general associations of such States.

6. The library to be supported by annual contributions by the
churches.

This plan was reported upon favorably by a com-
mittee of the Association appointed for its consideration,
consisting of H. D. Kitchel, A. S. Kedzie and D. Mus-
sey, and then referred to another committee consisting
of Revs. L. Smith Hobart, E. N. Bartlett and J.
Patchin, for report at the next annual meeting of the
Association.

The plan was published in the Congregational
Herald June 18, 1853, and its publication awakened
considerable interest among ministers of the Northwest,
many of whom began to feel that the time had come to
found a theological seminary in that section of the
country. The next meeting of the General Association
was held in May, 1854, at Detroit, at which the com-
mittee having the plan in charge reported thereon, and
called special attention to its design of combining the
advantages of two methods of theological instruction —
theoretical in the Seminary, and practical with pastors.
The General Association highly approved the plan,
adopted the report of the committee, and authorized its
secretary to confer with other ecclesiastical bodies in
the Northwest with the view of securing their approval
and co-operation. In March, 1854, Rev. Stephen
Peet, of Batavia, 111., and Rev. George S. F. Savage, of
St. Charles, 111, after conferring with others, had sent
letters to several brethren in Illinois and Wisconsin,
calling a meeting to consider the question of founding
a theological seminary for the Northwest. This meet-
ing was held in March, 1854, in the rooms of the Con-
gregational Herald, Philo Carpenter being chosen
moderator, and Rev. G. S. F. Savage scribe. An
adjourned meeting was held in April, in which Iowa
was represented, and the Michigan movement reported.
In June, Rev. H. L. Hammond laid before the General
Association of Iowa, which convened at Davenport in
that month, a copy of the report of the committee to
the General Association of Michigan which had con-
vened at Detroit in May. Other general associations
having the same information before them in reference
to the movements in Michigan and Chicago, and as
a result of the deliberations of similar associations and
of the adjourned meeting which met at Chicago, a
large meeting was called which met in Chicago June
12, 1854. At this meeting most of the Northwestern
States were represented. Rev. Asa Turner, Jr., of
Iowa, was chosen moderator, and Rev. G. S. F. Savage
scribe. At this meeting a committee of twenty-one
was elected to mature the plan of the Seminary ; to
invite proposals for a site; to make other preliminary
arrangements ; and to submit the result of their labors

to a general convention of Congregationalists in the
Northwest — tins convention to meet upon the commit-
tee's call. This committee was composed of repre-
sentatives from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota. It met at Chicago
July 12, 1854, and decided to call a convention of those
interested in the founding of a theological semi-
nary at Chicago the following September. Meanwhile
the project had been kepi before tile readers of the
Congregational Herald, by Rev. J. C. Holbrook, its
editor, and in anticipation of the success of the enter-
prise its friends had secured the services of Rev.
Stephen Peet as financial agent, pledging to him a sal-
ary of $1,200 a year and expenses. It now became
evident that there was to be a theological seminary
somewhere in the Northwest, and the convention called
by the committee of twenty-one, fulfilled this expei t mi
hope. This convention met at Chicago September 26,
1854,111 Plymouth church. It was composed of dele-
gates from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa
and Missouri. A board of directors was elected, dis-
tributed among the States as follows: Michigan — Revs.
L. Smith Hobart, Harvey D. Kitchel, Adam S. Kedzie,
Judge Soloman L. Withey, and Joseph E. Beebe; Indi-
ana— Rev. M. Augustus Jewett; Illinois — Revs. Stephen
Peet, William Carter, Flavel Bascom, George W. Per-
kins, John C. Holbrook, Nathaniel H. Eggleston,
George S. F. Savage, Philo Carpenter, and Joseph
Johnston; Wisconsin — Revs. Charles W. Camp, Hiram
Foote, John S. Miter, and Horace Hobart ; Iowa —
Revs. Alden B. Robins and Jesse Gurnsey, and John
G. Foote ; Minnesota — Rev. Richard Hall ; Missouri —
Rev. Truman Post.

The first board of visitors was composed as follows :
Rev. Asa Truman, Jr., of Iowa ; Rev. N. C. Clark, Rev.
R. M. Pearson, and A. Comstock, of Illinois ; Rev. H.
M. Brinsmade and Rev. S. M. Eaton, of Wisconsin,
and Rev. D. M. Bardwell, of Indiana. On the 27th of
September the board of directors was organized by
the election pf the following officers: President, Rev.
Stephen Peet; Scribe, Rev. N. H. Eggleston; Treasurer.
Philo Carpenter ; Executive Committee, Revs. Stephen
Peet, J. C. Holbrook and G. W. Perkins, Philo Carpen-
ter and Joseph Johnston. The work of procuring a
charter devolved upon the executive committee. A
committee was elected to draft a constitution, consisting
of Revs. L. Smith Hobart, A. S. Kedzie, and Harvey
D. Kitchel. The question of how the board of control
should be elected engaged the attention of the conven-
tion, and likewise of the board of directors at their
earlier meetings. Two plans were proposed — first, that
of having the board elected by the General Associa-
tions; second, of having its members elected by the
churches interested in the Seminary. The latter plan
was adopted, on the ground that the associations were
of human institution, and might not continue; while
the churches were of divine institution and must con-
tinue, and that the Seminary would be best cared for
and most effectually guarded against error, under the
observance and control of the churches. Another ques-
tion considered by the convention was that of modify-
ing the course of study under the "Reading Term."
The original design contemplated simply a course of
reading under the instruction of some pastor. But
later it was thought that a more important end would
be attained by initiating the student into the practical
work of his calling under the guidance of an experi-
enced pastor, or by his taking charge of some vacant
church or vacant missionary field as opportunity offered.
Still other questions were discussed and acted upon — as

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the adoption of a special coarse of study by which men
too old or for other reasons unable to go through col-
lege, might nevertheless be educated for the ministry.

The adoption of such a course was authorized by the
convention. No action was taken upon the subject of
the enlargement of the curriculum of theological study,
and although this convention considered the question
of co-operation with the New-School Presbyterians in
founding a Theological Seminary and instructed the
board of directors to favorably entertain any proposi-
tion looking toward such a result, nothing in that direc-
tion was accomplished. The board of directors met in
Chicago, March 27, 1855. just after the sudden death
of their president and financial agent, Rev. Stephen
Peet. For financial agent. Rev. Adam S. Ked/ie, of
Michigan, was chosen to succeed him. Entering upon
his work almst immediately, he continued it until July.
- 2 Philo Carpenter, on account of the pressure of Ins
own business, declined to serve longer as treasurer, and
was succeeded by Lucius D. Olmsted, who held the of-
fice until his death in March, 1862. The Legislature of
Illinois granted the Seminary a favorable special charter,
which is dated February 15, 1855. L'nderits provisions,
by decision of the Supreme Court of the United States,
all the property of the Seminary is exempt from taxa-
tion. The second section of the charter is as follows ;

" That the Seminary be located in or near the city of Chicago.
The object shall be to furnish instruction and means of education
ng men preparing for the Gospel ministry, and the institu-
tion shall be equallv open to all denominations of Christions for
this purpose."

[n the year 1855 began the persistent work of se-
curing funds, and the plan followed of creating a gen-
eral fund out of which all the expenses of the Seminary
should be met until such time as special endowments
should be secured. The increase of assets went on
with gratifying success during 1855 and 1856, and had it
not been for the commercial crisis of 1857, the Seminary
would have speedily attained prosperity. Not fore-
seeing the crisis, the executive committee in March,
sent Revs. H. I). Kitchel and A. S. Kedzie East
for the purpose of securing able professors for the
various chairs. After the return of this special com-
mittee the board of directors in April, 1856, elected
live regular professors anil six lecturers, in expectation
that the Seminary would be opened in the fall. But
this expectation was doomed to disappointment.
Yarious causes rendered so early an opening impracti-
cable. Difficulties about the location of the Seminary.
lack of funds in the treasury, and above all the declining
of the professors elected to accept the positions ten-
dered them, exi ept one who held his appointment under
advisement, were among these causes.

The difficulties about the location of the Seminary
were not finally overcome until the year 1865. The
first agreement made with reference to location was be-
tween Rev. Stephen Peet and Rush Medical college,
Mr. Peet verbally agreeing to purchase their building
for the use of the Seminary at the cost of $10,000, but
the agreement failed. After considering various pro-
••ie board of directors finally, in 1856, purchased
a lot at the southwest corner of West Lake Street and
Ashland Avenue, relying upon local interest to as-
sist in making payments. But as this reliance failed,
and as business was 1 rowding in that direction, ex-
change wa> made in 1858 of this lot for the entire front
of the next block south, fa' ing Union Park. The diffi
CUlty now arose, of making payments on this block, and
the Seminary was brought into peril by the inability of
the board of directors to make overdue collections.

From this peril the Seminary was rescued by Philo
Carpenter, C. O. Hammond. F. W. Blatchford, J. M.

Williams, T M. Avery, S. M. Moore ami other gener-
ous friends; but their action saved the Seminary only
the south seventy-five feet of its location, upon which a
temporary building had been erected, but the portion
saved, though inadequate, being unincumbered, was
highly prized.

Having traced the struggles of the Seminary with
reference to its ownership of an unincumbered site, an
account of other struggles and transfers which led to
permanency of location and property are deferred to
the next volume of this History.

In January. 1857, another election of professors was
held for the two most important chairs but these two pro-
fessors declined, and the financial panic of that year
made it again impracticable to open the Seminary as
was hoped might be done that fall. While the opening
was reluctantly postponed for another year, yet it was
definitely fixed for the autumn of 1858. With this in
view, the board of directors, at their meeting in April,
1858, elected to the chair of systematic theology, Rev.
Joseph Haven, L) D., and to the chair of Biblical litera-
ture, Rev. Samuel C. Bartlett, 1). 1). In April, 1856,
Prof. Franklin W. Fisk, I). D., had been elected to the
chair of Sacred Rhetoric. Desiring to give Beloit Col-
lege one year's notice before vacating his chair in that
institution, in 1858, the board of directors of Chicago
Theological Seminary, requested such notice to be
given, so that he might be prepared to occupy his chair
as early as the opening of the second year. These
three professors accepted their appointments, and the
prospect of opening the Seminary was brighter than at
any previous period. The history of the first period of
the existence of the Seminary may fittingly close with
brief reference to the attempt made by the board of
directors to effect a union with the theological depart-
ment of Oberlin College. The following quotation is
from the Quarter-Centennial Historical Sketch pub-
lished by the board of directors in 1879:

" In November, 1S57, the agent, without any formal action
of the board, but in accordance with their wishes, went to Oberlin
and informally consulted with some of the trustees of that college,
with professors in the theological department, and with others, on
removing that department with its professors to Chicago, and mak-
ing it the nucleus of the theological seminary then about to be
opened there. Refusals of professors elect to accept chairs in
the seminary, led the board to be less sanguine than at the first, in
their hopes of securing men fitted for the work of instruction, and
for giving the seminary a commanding position in the esteem of
the churches. In consequence, they were disposed to take men
who had already proved themselves competent for these purposes.
Hence the above proposal for union. And though no action was
taken by either party, the attempt, though for other reasons, was
afterwards renewed in a more formal way."

CHICAGO BIBLE SOCIETY.

This Society was organized August 18, 1835. Pur-
suant to notice the ministry and a number of the mem-
bers of the various religious denominations met in the
Methodist Chapel in Chicago on that date to consult upon
and adopt some measures for the distribution of the Bible
among the people. On motion of Rev. Jeremiah Por-
ter, Rev. J. T. Mitchell w^s made chairman of the
meeting, and Grant Goodrich, Esq., secretary. The
object of the meeting was explained by Mr. Mitchell,
prayer was offered by Mr. Porter, and the following
resolutions were unanimously adopted :

"Resolved, That it is the imperative duty of every Christian to
extend the circulation of the Holy Scriptures to the utmost of his
ability, and that this obligation will not cease till every individual
who can read I hem is put in possession of a copy.

CHICAGO BIBLE SOCIETY.

35 7

"Resolved, That for the accomplishment of this object il is ex-
pedient that we form ourselves Into a Bible Society, auxiliary to the
American Bible Society."

A suitable constitution for the auxiliary Bible So-
ciety was then adopted, and fifty-one persons gave in
their names as members, subscribing in the aggregate
the sum of $85.25. The Society then proceeded to the
election of officers for the current year, unanimously
selecting the following individuals: President. Rev.
Isaac T. Hinton ; vice-presidents, Messrs. John Wright
and ('.rant Goodrich; recording secretary, Rev. J. T.
Mitchell ; corresponding secretary. Rev. Jeremiah Por-
ter; treasurer. Dr. John T. Temple; executive com-
mittee, Philo Carpenter, Dr. Peter T. Temple anil James
Rockwell. The first annual meeting was held in the
Presbyterian Church, November 25, 1835. The meet-
ing was called to order by its President, Rev. Isaac T.
Hinton, and prayer offered by Mr. Warner. The min-
utes of the previous meeting and the report of the
treasurer were read and approved, as was also the re-
port of the executive committee. The following reso-
lution, moved by Rev. John T. Mitchell and seconded
by Philo Carpenter, was adopted :

" Resolved, That, as the Author of the Bible is also the < lov-
ernor of the world, and from whom we receive every temporal as
well as spiritual blessing;, the first fruits of our prosperity are justly
His due, and should be devoted to the establishment of the King-
dom of God bv the distribution of the Word of Life."

Rev. Isaac T. Hinton then offered and Thomas
Wright seconded the following resolution :

"Resolved, that this Society regards the continued ami pro-
gressive opening of Papal and Pagan countries to the distribution
of the sacred Scriptures, both as a decisive testimony of Divine
favor on the past and present exertions of Bible societies, and as
an indispensable and urgent appeal for persevering- labor and in-
creased liberality."

Those subscribers who had not paid then handed in
their subscriptions, and several new subscribers were
added to the list. The following officers were then
elected for the ensuing year : President, Rev. John 'P.
Mitchell; vice-presidents, William H. Brown and Lieu-
tenant Louis T. Jamieson; recording secretary, Thomas
Wright; corresponding secretary, Rev. Isaac T. Hinton;
treasurer, Dr. John T. Temple ; executive committee,
F. Thomas, Grant Goodrich and James Rockwell. Phis
first organization does not appear to have been recog-
nized as an auxiliary by the American Bible Society,
presumably because the officers neglected to report to
the parent society the fact of its organization ; neither
does it appear to have accomplished very much in the
way of distributing the Bible among the destitute. But
the necessity for labor in this direction continuing to
be recognized and felt by Christian people, another or-
ganization was effected in November, 1837. Thisorgan-
ization was named the "Chicago and Vicinity Bible
Society." The officers of this Society were as follows :
President, John Wright, Sr.; secretary, Rev. John
Blatchford ; treasurer, William H. Brown, and it was
recognized as an auxiliary by the American Bible Society.
Immediately upon its organization this Society gave great
promise of efficiency and usefulness, and the foundations
were laid for permanency. An invoice of Bibles was
ordered from the parent society in New York, which when
received were permitted to lie in the warehouse some
months before any efforts were made to distribute them.
A. 1!. Lewis, an agent of the American Bible Society, came
to Chicago in 1839, t0 look after the interests of that So-
ciety, and it was mainly through his influence that " The
Chicago Bible Society" was organized as auxiliary to
the American Bible Society, on the 7th of April, 1840.
This organization was effected in the Presbyterian

church, then located on Clark Street, when a constitu-
tion was adopted and the following officers wen 1 lected

President, William 11. Brown ; vice-presidents, Rev. S.
H. Stocking; John Wright, Sr., S. J. Sherwood, Grant
Goodrich and E. K. Rogers; secretary, T. B.Carter;
treasurer, George VV. Merrill; executive committee,
Philo Carpenter, James Robinson and Tuthill Ring.

LONSTITI Hon.

Article I.— This Societ) shall be called "The Chicago Bible
Society," auxiliary to the American Bible Society.

ART. II. — The object of the Society shall be to encourage tin-
wider circulation of the Holy Scriptures, without note or com-
ment.

Art. III. — All persons contributing any sum annually to the
funds of the Society, shall be members of the same.

Art. IV. — All funds not wanted l"r circulating the Scriptures
within the Society's own limits, shall- be paid over, at least once a
year, to the Treasurer of the American Bible Society, to aid in fur-
nishing the Scriptures to the destitute in other places.

ART. V. — The Society shall elect, annually, a president, three
vice-presidents, a secretary and treasurer, whose duties shall be
such as their several tides import; who, together with the past Or
or officiating minister of each Church co-operating with the So-
ciety, shall constitute a board of managers, seven of whom shall
form a (Riorum. The Society shall also elect, annually, a treasurer
from each Church co-operating with it, who, with the pastor, "i
officiating minister of said Church, shall attend to all subscriptions
and collections in their several Churches, and pay over the same to
the treasurer of the Society. In case of a failure of an annual elec-
tion, the officers then chosen shall hold their offices until a new
election is made.

ART. VI. — The Board of Managers shall elect, annually, five
of their number, who, with the president, secretary and treasurer
shall constitute an executive committee; shall also elect an auditing
committee of three, to examine and audit the accounts of the treas-
urer and depositary; and such other committees as may benecessan
to give efficiency to the operations of the Society; and till any va-
cancy that may occur in any of the offices of the Society.

Am. VII. — The Executive Committee, four of whom shall
forma quorum, shall appoint its own chairman; meet frequently on
adjournment, or on call of its chairman; superintend the work of
Bible distribution in the city and county; make arrangements for
the annual and anniversary meetings; appoint a depositary; keep a
good supply of books on hand; appoint colporteurs and local dis-
tributors; see that collections in some way are made annually in
everv congregation, and that all funds are forwarded early to the
Parent Society, with a statement as to the portion designed for the
payment of books, and that as a free donation; and report their do-
ings to the board of managers before the annual meeting.

ART. VIII. — The anniversary meetings of the Society shall be
held on the second Sabbath of December, or such other day in I >e-
cember as the board may determine; when the annual report shall
be presented, addresses made, or such other exercises introduced as
shall tend to advance the interests of the Bible cause within the
limits of the Society.

The annual meeting of the Society for the election of officers
shall be held on the Tuesday evening immediately succeeding the
anniversary meeting; at which time all business connected with the
Society shall be transacted.

Art. IX. — Any Branch Society or Bible Committee formed
within the bounds of this auxiliary, by paving over its funds annu-
ally, shall receive Bibles and Testaments at cost prices.

ART. X. — Xo alteration shall be made in this Constitution ex-
cept at an annual meeting, and by the consent of two-thirds of the
members present.

In 1858 the following was added to article third;
"The payment of fifteen dollars at one time shall con-
stitute a member for life, and entitle the life member to
two Bibles or their value in Testaments annually for
distribution."

In 1871, Article VIII as above was stricken out and
the following adopted in its place : " Any two members
of the executive committee or of the board of mana-
gers shall have power to call a meeting of the commit-
tee, or the board, or of the Society, when business "i
importance requires such meeting to be held. Mo
business to be transacted shall be stated in the call foi
the meeting."

At the annual business meeting held March 18,1873,
Article IX was amended so that the annual meetings

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

should thereafter be held in March instead of in De-
cember, and that the officers may be elected at the an-
niversary meeting.

This organization, like its two predecessors, remained
inactive for nearly a year, and some time afterward a
committee which liad been appointed to inquire into the
reasons for the quiescence of these Bible societies re-
ported as follows :

" From causes not within the knowledge of the present com-
mittee this organization (of i S 3 7 ) soon began to languish ; the offi-

g . \ appointed, and the books which had been
procured, were left undistributed, ami the destitute misapplied.
This inefficiency continued until the organization of the Chicago
Bible Society in 1840, when the present constitution (since amended)
pted, officers chosen, and new life apparently given to the
ause in this city. Hut with this change of organization the
.- not entirely removed. Little was done toward carrying-
out the designs of the institution until about twelve months after-
ward, when at the urgent solicitation of the agent of the Parent So-
ciety (Mr. A. B. Lewis) this Society began to work."

With reference to the failure to accomplish anything
of the •• Chicago and Vicinity Bible Society," organized
in 1S37. it would seem to be a comparatively easy mat-
ter to assign reasons. The financial crisis of 1837 oc-
curred about the time of the organization of the Society,
and the depression to all kinds of business resulting
therefrom continued for some years thereafter. In
Chicago it was felt with especial severity, and the ef-
forts of the Bible Society no less than of everything else
were for a time necessarily paralyzed Even the freight
on the book- ordered by this Society remained unpaid,
and they were held for some years by the forwarder
until an efficient organization could put them in circu-
latii in.

The first order of the Chicago Bible Society after its
organization April 7, 1840, amounted to $99.73. In
October. 1S40. Lewis S. Swazey was employed as agent
to visit every family in the city and county, to sell Bibles
to those who were able to buy and to give to those un-
able or unwilling to buy. The agent was greatly sur-
pri>ed to find so many families destitute of the Bible,
and it was not generally supposed that many families
were destitute. An incident will illustrate the fact of
this destitution and of the mistaken supposition with
reference thereto. The agent met a non-professor of
religion who declined to assist him in distributing the
Bible among those who were without it, alleging that
there were none of that class in his neighborhood. But
finally upon the agent's persistency, the non-professor
proffered to himself supply all in his neighborhood who
might be found destitute. The agent soon found six
families in tin- immediate neighborhood without the
Bible. Thework once begun, a thorough canvass of
:niy was soon accomplished, and the committee
was enabled to report that every family in the county
had been visited, and all who were willing to receive
the Bible supplied with it. Mr. Swazey reported : "The
general results are as follows : Cash received for Bibles
cash received in donations to the Society
- 1, making a total ol ,-'i (8.62 received in cash.
Bibles given to the destitute, value $27.44, and siib-
sr riptions due the S01 iety $9

'I In- first annual ' the Societ) was held in

the First Presbyterian church, December 9, [841.
From a report then made it appears thai $9.84 of the
above §9. 88 had been paid in. \nd at this first annual
meeting thirty dollars was raised to constitute Rev.
Hooper ( !rews a life member of the American Bible So-
ciety; the first contribution of the Chicago Bible S01 i-
ety to the American Bible Society. The report con-
- in the following language :

" While the general aspect of the Biblecause in this part of the
State is very favorable, and should call forth the thanksgiving of all
who seek its advancement, there are still, as there ever have been,
opposing obstacles to encounter. Those who reject the divine
authority of the Bible, and yet see from history the mighty influ-
ence which this Book in all ages exerts, aim, of course, to impede
its circulation. Those connected with the Papal Church, while they
receive the liible, and more than the true Bible as divine, are still
with few exceptions unwilling to trust this Book to the common
reader, unless guarded by comments which its Holy Author never
sanctioned, and which the enlightened Christian rejects as a cun-
ning dci ice for the preservation of power. But there is much to
encourage the Christian and the friends of the Bible in the prosecu-
tion of this work, that so many are willing and ready to engage in
it, sustaining the committee in their operations by their purses and
influence, and we but hope the interest will increase, and not die
away as soon as the novelty of the enterprise is worn off."

The first exploration of the county, having for its
object the supplying of the Bible to those destitute of
it, and which was commenced in 1841, was completed
in 1842. Somewhat more than seven hundred families
were visited, ninety-two of which were found destitute
of the Bible. In 1845 the second canvass of the county
was made for the same purpose ; six hundred and six-
ty-six families were visited, and seventy-four found des-
titute. In 1846 the first visitation and supply of the
city was made ; fourteen hundred and ten families and
one hundred and eighty-five offices and stores were vis-
ited. Sixty-six families were found destitute, and
eighty-two other families and persons so reported.
These were supplied with Bibles and Testaments, like-
wise with Testaments two companies of volunteers for
the Mexican War. In 1849 the city was again supplied,
this time by Mr. Balch. Twenty-six hundred and six-
ty-eight families were visited, of which two hundred and
ninety-five were found destitute. Ninety-six other fam-
ilies were found destitute and supplied by tract distrib-
utors and other persons. The next visitation of the
city was made in 1851, in accordance with the following
resolution :

" Resolved, That a more thorough and complete supply be fur-
nished than has been hitherto ; that in addition to the supply of
destitute families, the agent be instructed to search out and supply
all unmarried persons over sixteen years of age, especially clerks,
mechanics, journeyman, apprentices, sailors, boatmen, and domes-
tic servants, with a Bible, and that all children under sixteen years
of age who can read be supplied with a copy of the New Testa-
ment."

Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Thome were appointed
agents to carry this resolution into effect. As agents
they visited four thousand three hundred and eighty-
two families, eight hundred and twenty of which were
found destitute. Eleven hundred and ten adults were
supplied with Bibles and six hundred and sixty-five
children with Testaments. Of those found destitute
and supplied nine hundred and fifteen families were
Roman Catholics. Considerable opposition was mani-
fested to the distribution of the Bible among the Catho-
lics and some Bibles were reported as having been
burned by them. The city was again visited in 1853,
this time by Messrs. Oleson, Barth, McDevitt, anil
Hamilton. These gentlemen visited four thousand
and twenty-one families — two thousand four hundred
and forty-live Protestant and one thousand live hun-
dred and seventy-six Catholic. There were found
destitute one thousand one hundred and thirty-nine
families, two hundred and forty-one of which refused to
receive the Bible either by sale or gift. This canvass
was continued into and completed in 1S54. The total
results of the canvass for the two years, were six thou-
sand four hundred and thirty-nine families visited —
three thousand four hundred and twenty-two Protestant
and two thousand two hundred and seventy-six Catho-
lic. Seventeen hundred and eighty-eight families were

CHICAGO BIBLE SOCIETY.

359

found destitute. This unusually large number of des-
titute families is probably accounted for by the excep-
tionally large influx of emigrants during these years.
During the year 1856 the city was visited for the fifth
time, Mr. Adams and Mr. Hamilton being the colpor-
teurs. They visited eight thousand four hundred and
thirty families, finding one thousand tour hundred and
eighty-five destitute of the Bible. Of these one hun-
dred and eighty-two refused to accept the Bible, even
as a gift.

In the year 1843, the Society appears to have begun
to supply with Bibles the hotels, jail, poor-house, ves-
sels, etc., supplying during the year, besides the poor-
house and jail, eleven hotels and thirty-one vessels ;
two hundred and fourteen Bibles and eighty Testa-
ments, valued at $117.30, being supplied to them and to
twenty-one destitute families and individuals besides. In
1844, fifty-one vessels, nine Sunday schools, one hotel
and forty-one destitute families and individuals were
supplied. In 1845, I(iur hotels, forty-one vessels and
eleven Sunday schools were supplied, and in 1846 nine
hotels, fifty-two vessels and ten Sunday schools. In
1847 an effort was made by this Society to procure the
co-operation of similar societies in other lake cities and
towns in effecting a general supply of all the vessels on
the lakes with Bibles and Testaments. With this end
in view, the following resolutions were passed, and a
copy of them sent by the secretary to each of the Bible
societies at Milwaukee, Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky,
Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo and Oswego, together with the
request that they would co-operate with the Chicago
Bible Society in carrying them into effect :

"Resolved, That in the opinion of the committee, it is exceed-
ingly desirable that all steamboats and vessels on our lakes should
be constantly and liberally supplied with copies of the Word of
God, so that those who travel, and all who do business on these
waters, may have free and easy access to it.

' Resolved, That this committee will do their part for the accom-
plishment of this object, and that we hereby respectfully suggest to
the Bible societies above named to supply the shipping belonging
to their respective ports."

Only the societies at Milwaukee and Toledo re-
sponded to this request. Still the Chicago Bible Society
continued its labors in this direction. In 1848 numer-
ous vessels and canal boats and six Sunday schools,
besides seventy-four destitute families and individuals
were supplied. In 1849 three hundred and eighty Bibles
were supplied to vessels, sailors and boatmen, in addi-
tion to those furnished to eight Sunday schools, the
public school, jail and other institutions, and the secre-
tary, by the direction of the executive committee, again
corresponded with the Bible societies of the various
lake cities and towns, with the same object as in 1847,
receiving from several of them favorable responses. And
the good work of distributing the Bible to all classes of
those destitute of it, including public schools, Sunday
schools, families, individuals, the poor-house, jail, hos-
pital, hotels and vessels, with about the same average
energy until 1857, the year of the panic, which is re-
ferred to below, and even then but a temporary and very
slight check to the work was felt. In 1855 the railroad
stations within the city limits were for the first time
supplied, but not until 1874 were systematic efforts made
to supply the trains on the various railroad lines center-
ing in Chicago, and the stations outside the city limits.
In 1857, correspondence was again opened with the
other lake city Bible societies with reference to supply-
ing all vessels and sailors engaged in lake commerce.
This Society appointed Rev. J. H. Leonard, chaplain at
the Bethel, to visit the sailors and supply Bibles.

Branc 11 Societies. — The first branch societies were

organized in 1847, when several of these as auxiliary to
the Chicago Bible Society were organized, viz: Athens.
Barrington, Blue Island. Hanover, Monroe, Salt Creek,
Thornton anil York. Cash subscriptions were paid into
the treasury of this Society this year by these new soci-
eties to the amount of $338. In 1849, an auxiliary
society was organized in Lyons precinct, and during
this year there was received from the precinct societies
$208.45. I'1 1S51, the amount received from these
sources was $259.06; in 1852, $287.04; in 1853, $281.06;
in 1854, $272.18; in 1855, $349.18; in .1856, $636.85.
At this time there were seventeen of these auxiliary
societies organized. The following table shows the
aggregate number of Bibles and Testaments distributed,
with their value, together with the approximate total
cash receipts of the society from 1841 to 1857 inclu-
sive:

1841.
1842.
1843
1S44.
1845.
1S46.
1847.
1S4S.
1S49.
1850.
1S51.
1S52.
1853-
1854.
1855.
1856
1857.

Bibles and Tcs-

Approximate

tributKl.

Rn eipts.

$114 17

134 >5

434

2S2 80

S492 9°

2,6O0

559 72

798 63

2,119

579 66

878 94

2,528

680 22

972 47

2,M5

439 42

841 08

2,251

608 33

1.505 84

3.569

900 48

1.548 75

1,960

456 61

927 52

4.133

977 94

1,774 98

1,670

47t> 71

1.544 85

4.179

1,288 61

2,566 95

4,006

808 44

3.366 34

3,686

1,129 56

3.537 91

7.5S2

2,447 77

6,447 74

8,003

2,095 68

6,190 4S

This table shows a gradual increase in the number
of Bibles and Testaments distributed and in the amount
of money received. The receipts for 1857 were slightly
less than in 1856. This diminution was caused by the
panic of that year. The year was one of change and dis-
aster in the commercial world, which caused great ap-
prehension that the benefactions of the Society would be
greatly diminished, and that it would be thus far less able
to circulate the Bible. But the diminution in its receipts
was not so great as feared, and the Society's work went
on with its accustomed energy. Still there was one
feature of the Bible cause which appears to have been
especially noticeable at this time, and which caused
considerable alarm to Mr. E. W. Towne, the Society's
agent for the county. Mr. Towne closed his report thus:

" The most alarming fact was the apparent neglect
of the Bible, and this even in families who call them-
selves Christians. The newspapers, the monthly, the
flood of light literature poured upon us, is literally
pushing the Bible out of sight. Almost without an
exception I see unmistakeable evidence of a disrelish for
Bible reading, while I see periodicals and books at hand
showing signs of being well read."

The Society's report then adds:

" May not this be a true picture of many families in
the city as well as in the country? The possession of
the Bible will not save the soul, or guide the inquirer.
The Bible must be read and studied to obtain the full
benefit which its possession implies." The report con-
cludes: "If the Bible is the revelation of God's will
to man, and the only revelation we shall have, how
urgent then the duty to secure its widest circulation at
home and abroad."

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

A narrative of the history of the Press of Chicago is
necessarily attended with the elaboration of a vast
quantity of oral tradition and personal reminiscence,
for which there is no documentary evidence ; the great
fire of 1S7 1 having destroyed most of the printed records,
and specific dates being impossible to obtain from the
the memory of individuals, where they are clouded by
the events that have transpired during forty or fifty
vears. Insurmountable obstacles have been encount-
ered, in the death of so many of those who filled the
editorial chairs of the early periodicals, and, in numer-
ous instances, after following a clue persistently and
carefully, all attempt to obtain information has been
rendered nugatory by the tombstone of the editor — a
silent negative of all inquiry, a monument of the bound-
ary beyond which the interrogatories of the interviewer
can not extend. So much of the information obtained
has been from contemporaneous notices in extant news-
papers, either of publications projected or made, that
specific dates are noticeable by their absence ; and in
the case of a publication to be made, it has occasionally
been found impracticable to decide whether the issuance
of the paper assumed form and substance, or remained
inchoate in the mind of the projector. Other informa-
tion having been taken from directories, it has been im-
possible to decide the longevity of the paper, or maga-
zine, or its precise date of publication : and even
where isolated numbers have been exhumed from the
ashes of the great fire, the date of the suspension of the
periodical could not be definitely ascertained.

The first utilization of the inventions of Cadmus and
Faust in the city of Chicago was by John Calhoun, who
issued the Chicago Democrat, from a building at the
corner of Clark and South Water streets, on the 26th
day of November, 1833. Through the courtesy of Mrs.
Pamelia C. Calhoun, widow of the original publisher,
we are permitted access to an antobiographical
sketch of the founder of Chicago journalism ; a docu-
ment never before made public. As many of the state-
ments therein contained relate more directly to the con-
dition of the village in early times than to the topic
whereof we write, liberty has been taken to classify the
information ; embodying the general matters in that
portion of this work which treats of the settlement of
the region, and retaining in this chapter only so much
as pertains to Mr. Calhoun's work as a newspaper man,
prefacing the record of his actions here with a biograph-
ical account.

John Calhoun was born at Watertown, N. V., April
14. 1808. His parents were natives of Connecticut,
but were among the earliest settlers of Jefferson County,
N. Y. The father of Mr Calhoun was a carpenter,
and the son. in boyhood, became an adept in that busi-
ireferring mei hanical to intellectual pursuits. At
the age of sixteen, however, John entered the printing-
office of W. Woodward, who had just commenced the
publication of the Watertown Freeman, and therein
I the printer's trad'- When twenty-one vears
old, Mr. Calhoun went to Albany, V Y., and was en-
gaged in Starr .V Little's type foundry for a few weeks;
then, the nomadic spirit being strong upon him, he went

to Troy, where he worked for a short tim>; on the city
directory. From that city he returned to Watertown,
and resumed his former position in the o*ifice of the
Freeman. He also worked in the office of Richard
Oliphant, in Oswego, for a brief period. In the summer
of 1831 Mr. Calhoun purchased the materials for a job
printing office, and entered into partnership with W.
Woodward. The Freeman was an organ of Democratic
principles, and soon after the association of Woodward
and Calhoun dissensions occurred in party lines which
necessitated the sale of the paper to other parties. As

e^_ @&M>

Mr. Calhoun's interest did not extend to a controlling
degree, the transfer left him unprovided for. Acting
upon the advice of Hon. l'erley G. Keyes, Mr. Calhoun
purchased additional materials and established the
Watertown F^agle. This venture was not fortified with
sufficient financial .strength to insure success, and the
paper was sold to Alvin Hunt, in whose hands it en-
joyed a long and prosperous existence. In 1833 Har-
low Kimball, brother of Walter Kimball, formerly
Clerk of the County Court of Common Pleas, visited
Chicago, and on his return to the East, gave such glow-
ing accounts of the Western country, particularly of

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

361

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1'AL-SIMILE OF FIRST NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN CHlCAGi

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

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'lorte'r" '■*' :'.' 'titrvur

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

363

For Date,-'

|4» Kfrtn HLASTISil PflftT

For Sale,

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FAC-SI.MILE OF FIRS! NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN CHICAGO.

364

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

urf BUnd ill U«i. 6m). gmpieg fucntll

1 A'. -.-.1 Ml I.I, HI llksl I'AIM'.K I'KINTKD IN CHICAGO.

HISTORY ()K THE PRESS.

3*5

Chicago, that Mr. Calhoun decided upon removing to
this place. On the 21st of September, 1 S 53, he pro-
ceeded-by the most expeditious route to Chicago, which
then was by steamboat from buffalo to Detroit, and
thence by stage. The steamer upon which he took
passage encountered a terrific gale on Lake Krie,
and was, after being twice driven back, at last headed
for Black River harbor, where she stuck upon a bar
which had formed at its mouth. Her floatage being
a matter of uncertainty, Mr Calhoun, in company
with other passengers, debarked and went on foot
to Huron, a distance of about twenty miles. Af-
ter remaining there two days, a schooner was char-
tered to convey the party to Detroit. From that
place the journey was continued by stage, across Mich-
igan and Indiana, by the slow conveyances of the period.
The printing materials were safely bestowed on New-
berry & Dole's log dock, when Mr. Calhoun arrived;
the freight having come by way of the lakes, on a sail-
ing vessel. Three weeks' time was consumed- in the
voyage from Sackett's Harbor, and the same period
was required to reach this place by land. Two appren-
tices, whose names are not now remembered, had evi-
dently accompanied the materials from the East ; for
Mr. Calhoun, in the autobiography, writes of finding
them at the "Travellers' Home," then kept by C. In-
gersoll, on Wolf Point. An office was secured in a
building on the southwest corner of South Water and
Clark streets, which was unfinished at the time. Mr.
Calhoun assisted in the work of lathing the room, and.
during the evenings, held a light by which Ashbel
Steele could see to lay on the rough plaster.

Mr. Calhoun was an ardent admirer of Andrew
Jackson, and a pronounced Democrat of the school
which claimed that sturdy soldier as their pattern. The
proposed paper was, therefore, named the Chicago
Democrat. On the 26th day of November, 1833, the
first issue appeared. It was a six-column folio, measur-
ing twenty by fifty inches in size. Its motto was.
"Where Liberty dwells, there is my country."

Mr. Calhoun was not possessed of great wealth, and
feelingly writes of his financial embarrassments during
those days of struggle. He expresses himself under
obligation to T. J. V. Owen for substantial encourage-
ment. As an evidence of the meager support then ob-
tainable, the appended list of subscribers to the Demo-
crat, taken from the original book, tells a story which
newspaper men of the present day will appreciate ; as
well as furnishing a valuable register of citizens in

1833:

A. Loyd, ( r. Kerchivall,
C. & I. Harmon, James Kinzie,
Chester Ingersoll, E. A. Rider,
Dr. W. Clark, H. B. Clark,
John Miller, Robert A. Kinzie,
Samuel Brown. P. ]. Lewis,
Newberry & Dole, P. F. W. Peck,
James H. Mulford, George N. Powell,
John Wright, Jonathan Hix,
Alanson Sweet, Joseph A. Barnes,
R. M. Sweet, Mancel Talcott,

P. Carpenter, Alson Filer,

G. Spring, Douglas Slone Sloan,

John K. Boyer, A. Woodruff,

David Carver, Daniel Elton Elston ,

Star Foot, Luther Hatch,

M. B. Beaubien, George W. Snow,

T. J. V. Owen, P.- J. Cpdyke,

William H. Brown, John L. Sergents,

B. Jones, John Watkins,

I. Allen,
|. K. Botsford,
J. B. Tuttle,
Charles Wesincraft,
E. I.. Thrall,
1. 1 lean Caton,
Eli B. Williams,
Samuel Wayman,

Mat hi as Mason,

John Wellmaker,
I. Solmon, M illwalkie,
Niram F. Hurd,
James M itchell Peailleur,
( 'harles Viaux,
Solomon Juneau, Millwalkie,
,t. L. T. [amison,

Archibald Cliburn Clybourn
Augustus Pugsley, Librarian, Ft. Dearborn.

Silas B. Cobb, R. Wentworth, Millwalkie,

Art breed, George Walker,

E. W. Haddock, Stephen E. Downer,

Irad Hill, fohn B. Beaubien,

Doct. Maxwell, Parker M. Cole,

Hiram Hugunin, J. R. Barney,

A. Merrill, Solomon Lincoln,

James Herrington, T. Forbes,

Rufus Brown, Alexander \". Fullerton,

Jeremiah Porter, M. K. Brownson,

T. C. Sproat, Silas VV. Sherman,

Peter Warden, John IS. Beaub ien ,

Philip Scott, Nelson R. Norton, '

E. W. Casey, Benjamin Hall,

J. L. Thompson, Nathaniel Carpenter,

H. T. Handy, Hiram I.umbard,

Chicago Harbor, Samuel Harmon,

K. S. Kimbeiiv, J. \\ . Reed,

P. Pryne, Walter Kimball,

Peter Cohen, William Taylor,

Brewster, Hogan & Co., Hambleton Barnes,

C. H. Chapman, E. Morgan,

Piatt Thorn, Ahisa Hubbard,

S. P. Brady, R. E. Herrick,

Jacob G. Patterson, Thomas Hoyt,

George Heslington, John Noble,

Edward E. Hunter, Oliver I. osier,

Ford Freeman, John Marshall,

Hiram Pearsons, C. B. Dodson,

S. Ellis, S. Rand,

Isaac Harmon, Henry Hopkins,

Richard Steele, A. W. Taylor,

Elijah Clark, John H. Kinzie,

Mark Beaubien, Paul Burdick,

C. H. Chapman, Augustus Penoyer,

George Bickerdike, John Davis,

Robert Wiliiston, Byron Gurin,

H. C. West, William Cooley,

John T. Temple, Orsemus Morrison,

Rathburn Sanford, Gilbert Carpenter,

James Walker, M. Yanderberg,

Benjamin Briggs, Samuel Brown,

Benjamin F. Barker, H. I. Cleveland,

Billy Caldwell, S. T. Gage.*

In the inaugurate number Mr. Calhoun demonstrated
the platform the paper would occupy under his manage
ment in a clear manner, announcing his faith in the
principles of the Democratic party, unbiased by preju-
dice. The importance of the contemplated canal or
railroad between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi
River was appreciated, and the paper was pledged to
favor the enterprise. As a local index, a list ol tin-
advertisers during the first three issues of the Democrat
is here given : In the first number of the paper are
advertisements of the Traveller's Home, kept by C.
Ingersoll ; powder and belts for sale by John Bates, Jr.,
at the post-office ; hardware, crockery, boots and shoes,
stationery, tinware, etc., for sale, and a house to let by

•This subscription list is copied verbatim from the original account books
in the possession of tile Chicago Historical Society.

•66

HISTORY ()K CHICAGO.

John Wright : an ox wagon for sale by C, H. Chapman :
drugs and medicines by Philo Carpenter; dry goods,
crockery, hardware, etc., by W. Kimball ; forwarding

and commission by Newberry ex Hole ; winter clothing,
provisions, groceries and liquors by P. Cohen : groceries
and liquors by S. Foot ; grocery and provision store and
forwarding and commission store by B. Jones : sale at
auction oi oxen anil wagons by the United States au-
thorities at Fort Dearborn; saddle and harness making
by Goss cY Cobb: blacksmithing by Marinas Mason;
drv goods, crockery, leather, etc., for sale by C. & I.
Harmon: soap and candle manufactory, by Daniel
Elston & Co. : S-5 reward for a stray horse, by P.
Maxwell ; stray pair of oxen, information wanted at the
stray notices by R. J. Hamilton, Clerk
of the County Court of Cook County, also the village
ordinances passed November 7. defining the limits of
the corporation and giving the names to Madison,
Monroe. Adams and Jackson streets, signed by T. J.
V. Owen, president, and Isaac Harmon, secretary.

In the second number appear the advertisements of
Brewster, Hogan & Co., forwarding and commission
merchants and dealers in dry goods, groceries and
hardware: Sour for sale by Daniel Carver; dry goods,
hardware, groceries, etc.. by P. F. W. Peck; groceries,
hardware, crockery, drugs and medicines by P. Prutne
& Co.: horses wanted by John T. Temple; corn for
sale by Richard M. Sweet : butchering by A. Clybourne :
Chicago English and Classical Academy, by G. '1'.
Sproat, preceptor; and a caution against cutting timber
on Government lands, by H. T. Handy, asssistant
superintendent Chicago harbor.

The third number contained the following addi-
tional advertisements: J. D. Caton, attorney and coun-
sel >r at law; $10,000 to loan by R. J. Hamilton,
commissioner of school lands for Cook County : J. H.
Rinzie, forwarding and commission merchant ; auction
sale, by James Rinzie. auctioneer; pocketbook found,
by J. Mann : new blacksmith shop, by Pierce & Abbott;
a bakery, by John Wellmaker cY Co. ; Giles Spring,
attorney and counselor at law ; boot and shoe making,
by L. W. Montgomery: administrator's notice, by |.
I;. Beaubien, public administrator; a public house at
1 reek, by E. Wentwotth ; and J. B. Beaubien
cautions all persons against trespassing upon frac-
tional Section 29, Town 39, Range 14, commonly
called •■ Hardscrabble," as such offenders would be
severally prosecuted "without any regard." During
ber, 1833, a Mr. Lincoln, tailor by trade, erected
a shop on the south side of Lake Street, near I.aSalle,
which spot was then considered out on the prairie;
hence he received the sobriquet of "the Prairie Tailor."

Illustrative of the n< a- fai ilities of the period, it is
mentioned that the annual message of President jack-
son was not received for publication until December 31,
r nearly one month afti r its delivery.

Mr. Calhoun was married at Watertown, May 31,
Miss Pamelia C. Hathaway. Mrs. Calhoun did
company her husband to Chicago, but in tin-
spring of 1834, after the measurable comforts of a home
in the new village had been provided, she joined him
1 I was intimately identified with the early his-
tory of the Democrat, by assisting in proof-reading and
the business of the office.* When jobs were printed on
the hand-press she would smooth out tin- deep " impres-
sion" with a hot sad-iron.

Democrat was designated the official paper of

■ hildren Mrs. | K. (
■plain W. A. Calhoun and Franoa C.S.Calhoun arc Mill iivingf.1883).

the town of Chicago and the first order made for the
publication of a corporation notice May 9, 1834. The
advertisement was an announcement that a fine of SS-oo
would be imposed upon any one who should ride or
drive over a bridge faster than a walk ; and there being
no policemen in those days, one-half of the fine was to
be given to the informer.

In November, 1834, the printing office was removed
to above the hardware store of Jones & Ring, a few
doors below its former location. The mail service had
so far improved during the year that the presidential
message was published December 23. But misfortune
overtook the Democrat. The needed supply of paper
failed to arrive before the close of navigation, and the
issuance of the journal was compulsorily suspended
from January 1, 1835, until May 20 of that year, with
exception of one issue January 21 and another on March
25. It was impossible for a pioneer editor to endure the
expense attending the shipment of stock by land routes,
even when carriers were found willing to transport the
load.

The monopoly enjoyed by Mr. Calhoun, as the sole
occupant of the journalistic field was broken in the
summer of 1835 by T. O. Davis, who established a
Whig paper, called The American. The census of that
year showed a town population of 3,279, and a county
population of 9,773. Mr. Calhoun met his rival with a
re-enforced power, by employing James Curtis, subse-
quently Mayor of the city, as editor of the Democrat.
Dr. Daniel Brainard was also editorially associated with
the paper at an early date. On the 17th of August,
1836, the Democrat was enlarged to a seven-column
folio.

As early as May, 1836, Mr. Calhoun, from personal
motives, determined upon disposing of his paper, and
retiring from the profession. Several leading Demo-
crats, among whom were J. D. Caton, E. Peck, H. Hu-
gunin, and J. C. Goodhue, in order to secure a controll-
ing interest, proposed to make the purchase, and fur-
nished the credit which enabled the enlargement of the
paper, as before stated, but the sale was not consum-
mated.*

An arrangement was then made with Horatio Hill,
brother of Hon. Isaac Hill, whereby he, on the 16th of
November, 1836, took possession of the Democrat, and
after placing Hon. John Wentworth in charge of the
same until his return, left for the East, but never re-
turned to Chicago. This is Mr. Calhoun's statement.
.Mr. Hill returned to Chicago subsequent to 1857.

It was only upon the return of the draft protested
from New York, that Mr. Calhoun found that he had
not sold his printing office. Mr. Wentworth, then in
charge of the office, being anxious to purchase, and
consenting to assume all payments that Mr. Hill had
agreed to make, became the purchaser, and in the
course of the next four years liquidated the debts ow-
ing to Mr. Calhoun. f

Digressing from the main theme, we here insert the
remainder of Mr. Calhoun's biography, before continu-
ing the history of the Democrat under its new manage-
ment. In the spring of 1S37, the County Commission-

*Thc issues of November 2 and 9, 1836, were reduced to six columns per
pagi . I" 1 ins. nf .1 failure of the paper supply.

t Mr. Calhoun's statement does not convey the exact conditions of the case.
Mr. Hill actually had no proprietary control of the paper, as that interest was

!'• In transferred when the first payment was made. He had but the refusal of

tlji paper; ami upon his failure to fulfill the provisions of the agreement whereby

ilu paper was to have the proprietorship vested in htm, ll^n. John Wentworth
(then twenty-one years of as''), was solicited to take the paper by a number of
the leading citizens ol I hicago, which he did ; thus the editorial succession "t
tpei "i 1 hicago passed foam John Calhoun to " Long " John Went-
worth, without any lapse or hiatus. Mr. Wentworth having " sat at the receipt
hi custom,'1 during the time that Mr. Mill was lining nothing to signify his ac-
ceptance "I Mr. Calhoun's proposal to sell the Democrat to him. This fad
" in Mr. Calhoun's valedictory.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

367

i$mn;wjii

i iiri! -11 vi.iioitMv

tfflicacio jitartiing Democrat.

107 LAKE STREET,

.-:it,L ;wr, &n,-r J,', ,V. J Woodirorlh't Sli

%-llfortteya &. Counselors at l.atr

THOMAS ll.i-,\r,

ATTORNEY & COUNSELOR AT LAW

Exchange Building!, '.ako it reel,

■" 13 * Chicago, 111.

MAN I UK KB & MEEKER,

ATTORNEYS & COUNSELORS AT LAW

Ollicc I 18 Lake-Bt. ovcrT E Carter i Cu's atom

Chicago, Jamiray, 1641V 4-By

Lme

TAX SALE.

Is I = I = E

jAtfnaWn.tttfT

And Solicitor In Chancery,
n Dr. Brainard'i officii, Deatbarn street,
Ckica*», April 5:1.1^7."

■^ct, cpposiie ibe Eaele,

I.A.W PAKTH
IESTIS BUTTERFIELD & JAMES H.COLLINt
lltorneijs ann Counselors at La\o. nnd
&olicUaȣ Comuelonin Chancory,

W-v, Chicago, Illinois.

KANT. CO.. II. I .I.MIN.

IniheTthandOihCin'uii"1
J. W. IIti.MB, .1 A. P.. Dodge.

»J Counselor at Law, hnvini
himeclf with Messrs. SPPISU 4- COOO-
AYC7/ of Chicago, will. -mend lo all jiracike
of their profeswior in ihe coanlj-of La Salln

Ottawa. Jar). 2, 1828.

Solicitor in Chancorr, Office in i
offi™, canal alrcL-l, Ottawa, 111.

Pjtticular attention lo the B^w, Ears, and

SCHOOL SLCTION ADD. TO CHICAGO.

h =5 S

B B

i: ;;! :^ ? :;;;

1 ism :« cj

WAHAXsIA ADDITION TO fHK'A(;n

ri'ssfij,. m\tiii:r a roui:uts adde
tion tox'hic.w*.

wigut-s addition to Chicago

/l ifS »,

«rjf Goods, Groceries, Brat.

InWaier-sl, 5 doors above Dearbom-lt, 3-37

T

Insurance mtitinsl Mire.

- ~gcrib.mrciie.iil9 .C'tm »■<■
IcsUHflcc C." ol'll.c -ity nf N.V
AUNOLDi OOULN,

PE

Ti

[^ 10 Alnianao.

„!. .md c'i-uom-?ri, and ill w|Ki u~.ll f:.v,

Or^vSJ

', "'

10Ta8rtf!!HaiS™:,wS

%©0 Kg" ^iSTflfiggS

50 lASingsrj^ "- -

3-17 0. H. THOMPSON.

Cfacesc.

•~£ TONS J.~i7,t,,o cnnnry CIIIX.-T

x

obi. ui:i.Lic;:i:r..

No. 20 L.,l:. SL.'Ctl.

FAC-SIMILE OK CHICAGO MORNING DEMOCRAT.

-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

*

.tleinmier I.oyil

< : EagttKcr,

LUTHER NICHOLS

CO.1 FOSTFJi

I - !'Jtna*w,

[Yanl.

> IUKHEIT. I J I *™xn

W'ilTO. IAS 5HF.lt

. Ward.
II lin.VNIN. I NATin. GOl

II I Kl CKER. 1VM. JUR

Sun WuO.
v..<! II OGDF-N i 11 J HAMILTON

|« Wart \ D TAYLOR,
•;j • JAMES MtCOKH
-1 II CIUM>

;., I011N CRAY,

III. l"3 C UUtoJ.l.
> I FOSTF.R.

,l„h <nui Funcij Worl

authorized to slate that ''
lit l.rgeit ii«s ale »«» »"J" to"'"11 "J
„:llk- commenced as aoou .. Il.esrooi"!
,,tlle>. Oat ol Iben, i» » bo mclti by
— 1 Thomas Church, Eso^ when his store,
m s:inj^ c.,nneclin" the Saloon and (he
Cxchang.. Buildings. lh
line bfltree sloiy
mil)- Ihe wMe ".ten! nf 'he block lion
!2 oo Lake .Heel.

-I Mcchamc— Well, Hop«in>, JOilseneJ
FOREIGNER." j „,„ jua, , ,ght ; .id .^ lb. ,,u.h. We're

. I going lo luo a mechanic lor Mayor here.tb,*

SECOrV'U RAJ.LY |elecu», Ins name ,s Lord and a leal .u-

OF THE DEMOCRACY OF CH1CACO I ; l»| £""£,■• ""'

107 I.nfci— ft.,

i"..',,1;'-."™

CLANKS

-

■ ifacaMil.

MiETLN* VAN BUREH

- :. inttiDglbo event
n i-i-r.cx.rirvtafonaldcciionapoli lhe zrowl
a. Opao'.r »ai .pul'.ic (jcr.i« bawocnilu >«"
emid«a, w m\ct up flieir :
,n:o power ufon ibe papular"! «(Ccn. Jlarrun

•mio>b uJ tdcDtiiy ilJt.Ul itwl potty. Cti
.he npi «y •■" At l>iUewtI&re." "»M I"
■ Irrrtial t*n»,** «W "the-Uiiitvn of ihe wings

I oiM,'1 i. e. tfxirwwfir.lhc
pti-tfuu.-pmii, tic/ eipeet«. got into power.—
Wlrjf will to'ife *»ili T Wayonhcyhs
* uf ilicupol .

natvn toJbJ^-Kl.OiapOln-yofrl.e
LU.rAilv.ti. Al i !•*.«■ i m*0
i.-i*-' 'cat th'T Vi»rs »ir*vy (tow a in* c;

L»a^S*»cn««rIyl»lfiho TOBEIOSEM

,,. Jto i, alien .ad h-J-»Btor<rrt«ita

rilfc i mink ' The fcJ.rali.u, Sin-Ir. ill. I

■■■■■■ wuTluw butk

• pir, dcU.-cd iKii the- iiwm.on of
I'-Mi VM itBt. rr Ml 31 reti by (he pn
-..;.U filbMU •

Iiiii.iiiiH|iii

■

■

■

iV.wJ.j4Uy'

•n* trtcT.i •

■

■

Mehimc— Truly 5111!, fiiend HopklH,

he lea'luig ohjrtl ol [lie wKi«» n' lo n.ake a
f n7- 1 lool ol UaiTKOO « ho » a «ry nld mjin an^
^^ ] lo get Congress and .Hanisoii U

, MmT ,hc ^ Pet L'n,leJ SlaIes i3,"k~

snii grand ipeculalmg metiia lo pay o-I

jr debls — to increase our importiboiM

"h" ' (rem E.^bcd ten 'eld— lo cr. Jle Urge Stale
lildebls, a;.J gel Ihese ildt» in the hjnil* *. £
-, Mew-York Broker, and Philadelphia Bank-
era ; ot, in other words, to Ibe hands of it*
1 Bank ol England. Now, alter keeping up.
,a buhble ,jro3perity of this kind for a jear
L,,,«r> »vliv itiey will endeavor to iliplbeil
isoot ot Hie halteC-aud su^en-f

£.'^:!i^1:hB!e^o,'.,'^^f:d°n

5, ihis mmiil bo limed

F„„n„ — "How do loo do, IrienJ Tomr- j ol \Vh.g rule. I say thai «e had hcllct

I in jour city- 1 pot up »ilh Main's rule ihin b»e lh».

wav, hewouldilonell

I jnllemitn and

|lul Eeclioo, ne»l u,i >• »■ '■-: "■" "'" ' ' ~. .. ,' , ,,,i',s

t| ,,|,1 on a new acben.e, winch II 10 ,.e- 1 ilie l.-llie, s ul H,e n.arc .
and compound >n«r,.td.„ ,!„■ I, L ,a],at. i„r ilm f , t ,],K clly urlcm"'— ihe imprudent cmlit ^>Mem

t,.„ ■,-, ,,na lo,„:;n,.l|H-ea,la He n. iwnnc.ii ,.%UH-,,™I and cue nut;

" ' """■"" ■','. . \l\ . ' . , Id '.< ». ,ili»

tlWoFince, | ^.^u io cn ihc n,ajority ol the bt.le. «hai l, ^ I or the giurj oral utrai

., , ■ , , ,, ■■ I ,.,, it,, 1'. i, ,,.- , ,j j|r i(. v0„ 0f it a. rtrtaal 04.1 H I "".u. ».',

I' I ..I ,1 -

ol il» '): - _] „a„ii0i

r^:h.»«1.k...M.Wk!Wk,jom.ki.

I ■ ''" |n jj-.l l.kc tlierr. / 1 hey never stick

iDcn i' . r i" -■> r;..>li/i:-.N.., . r ri ,,,„ t.ul. as the *at!or »ayi. ihf

I

■ ■ '

,; ; ; ; '/^^^."^U^S^^^ i'1"*'111 bti"-

FAC-SIM1M "I i hum:" MORNING DEMOCRAT.

HfSTORV OK THK PRESS.

3^y

Icpl. lltf Wjlix jwnj-, in iliflj.* larje
cities «ct °" ,hc'r Juntos lu .11 the

gum,

I .Im.'t like Ikil e.innei in; flank.
.nil Gnvernlnent (either. I suppose, il
HarriaM. WM President ami Congress
•...n .i^reeJ, we ohuuld have a great Fede-
ral U.nk again in .lose allianie wilh tile

iliden

N..» thii

in irresponsible Hank

ler the mfluei.re of the Umk of En;-
,1 I te.llj hope. Mend Tumktns,

V/rin"r/t„ .« "you .lo'po'rTt^'n
■ place. I tell you it would annoy
irot the pistol gentry who live on the
er aide «. the River. Mechanics are
mi ol ike fashion now that really they
11I think the good old limes of '76
come again, when Putroan left his
ugh, when Franklin left Ins printing
SB, and Roger SheTOHD hi* peg and
Is. What are your prospects, mv

leili We have a large majority,
d, forgetting iheir princi-

-oiild I
ong ; it

(Hi

II.
Mr. Carney hi an' Iriahi
■Wt like fch* But he is an honest,
industrious autl intelligent naturalized
LitlUR, and irtiaj more duwe want? As
many of his constituents are Irish and
* lien* ami foreigners, it itt.qnlr right to
give them a share in the cou'icUa of the
city occasionally. The Whigs can't
hear thi» at all. They, ynu know, are
all for monopolies. True Democracy &
equality is only a name wirji them.' If
ihev had their wav. it select i tique would
■ ulj for-.-ver. Then a£ain. su.ne don't
like Mr. Garrett, because he was once a
Whiff, they say. Well, suppose he was,
it is never Ion Inte to repent. A man
must be runvinceil before lie can join us.
Mr. Gaireit is an enterprising eij^en
and, as our friends have confidence in
him, let us all *«pport him, I sav.

To err is human and to forgive divine.
The bitterest foe is often Mir best ftienJ

rten appe

belie

I know both Hi
ST will do us
the WM»

selling «p .hi- .

Hickory and put down aril locracy
I828j and union must be our watchwoi

Hoping yuo. success in the good csus
.1 must go. " C. D.

L\ SALLE COUNTY AWAKE.

:. lha lOlh ol

. S id en «■

Wm Cliui

. A. R. Dadge. A, Hyatt,

lVhffen, (be broad and immuUbie principle
jf popular freedom »nd ,-iiial right,, gt inn lit
u uMbf tin- constitution t>f the United Stale.

jet;oj>v and united Visilaate of the people-, ar.d

icably proclaim

Kinciplei

;;«... wrf, That Var.in Vai Burta >* tniitle,
<o ihe evarlaatloK g'auiodc . ■■( the -friends o
uae Daatoenej Git nu tvgh-minded Integnti

«_iifi curieucy, aoi luraj«hiiaie iszmiiisii}

»t ibe People1
Mtatawi iboi
■litnibrd by in

iriibjagly boa»t o

imour'lbe'fiOaD*

i U -i liingion are only iu n
ji.J ilui by Ihtw in.tnui

twi other loiiilutiuna of I
for the aafo keepmsr ct ll

I and fought fur,
wont of"*?."" to
ding, and thereby

y to our'priuciplcs. a

rmii nruiiijil.- \. R. bodge. t>j tarn id-
-ribing liidicTOi.il,- DM nunjbel of than re*

ofG.S Hubl
fc.

uo.tfCity.rri
wonhuul, Pol

■t'lhli-li.
idiodrncil.
M. Cm*

(■Chicago llt'lHOfTul. Jul., -i

State Rreutei n Whereupon the
Wm. BTADDEN Cfaa

VANrr. UF.PUUT

EXPEND ITU RES

by present hoard, balance, S54U W

.mount paij I,. Mi'.-r'L'ml.kr
AMcClure. to coneel leas.,
for mumcpal court room A
Clerk', ollW, 9Jd

for balnncp reniai
by late found,

prc^.il lloir.1,

' '^".Ac'hM.r*

140 70

ed and

'Jh MiiniHiuV rc«
J irutu thrn,. „m

11460 OTJ

hi I ■ of Geo MHuoioou

mrjif ef Eipmdintra t
, Ward, " 310*8

28 IT,
32 60

litenpO tf cock

Ible fulhe

Tax roll for year 1
Duo fill ttraet fax.

/isWi-'J, Ttiat we admire

^'.Vul,,.,,',,, „1]"'|., ,.,.'.[ ,'ir,
'tur.'.^ih-' ui.^iu of tlmdis

°On u,ouon°<>i:"M I '[Ml

The foUowou n .
y DocL J G. Ar[ii-ir.>u2-
liaolrui. Thai, lor the .nor.

'cnlril l*iirffpt.|iilin_' l.'<-mi
iointed by tlie Chan. u!i.>-,(

/, That poliUcally we hold no community
whatever with ine opposition.

: tbUowmg ,.. r-tint were chosen the I
frame ihe"ai.Ur^i. i«;Mw J V
;n. Jo,. Tunicy, and .Michael Ryan
M E HoUtalt-r. Esq. then offered i

Ru&xd, That cv-ry Democrat in it
d district be earnestly charted to
ion of ■'

Col. Sit

md "The Old Hickor.

i» unpaid 1&JI 7

from the fbre-

- - ■■_■— stVr-*

$5(i paid former clerk, (Geo. Da\ i>)

JXO. If. KINZir, ),.
H L. RUCKER, ( '""'
Chicago, leb. -21). IS-tO.

lor, N. H. Boiles)

Cilg Pour.

City Plnftiri'aas.
it paid for atleodinj city

The Ho>.

md be /i

itbytf

Ttwr

1-1">. Tin

I h.a.T.

place oa Thursday

pursuant to adj'o'oram'eni! The formerchairmai
heio- absent, SI. E. tfoUistcr "is called to th(

n, Tho Independent Trea.snn- bit

I'l-1 Slro.t- .

[ fcytl

Ilii

Miuuapal Court.

■ Iju- r,,„n,J.ani?BJIowcJ.
, prt-.fut [Injr.J— being foe
oustable and Jory fees, A-e.

'I paid to him .-ui salary, Ac. ^

Rrfundrd Tar.
ount refunded otiux tale for JKF7

Fur 'J quarlerB of satary.

For latapi,- loirip pnsui! o.l, Ac

.i-l'iniiJr.,, .ilvI:^. -I
pal coort roon, an,] eleik's
ficc, and allowed by the pre

MASONSiWANTEDI

FIFTEEN JOURNEYMEN MASONS

Board,)

On hand this

•easurer's Iteport show
RECEIPTS.

Cart and Drav t.icrii".^ — amuv

r, 416 43

IJfeuw*— forliceHietAc »i24

DISULHSEMEXT3.

STRAYED OR STOLEN, from iho 'ub.cn
ber on the niehi of the 1 ?th tost, two COWS

One was .. three year old hciftr, had a calf about

ne other «»aboQi^v«nyeaiic4d.%loacd*witi'

brindled ppots, liorru turned inward at ibe topi,

can be found, ■•linll Lie reasonably compeu«ateei.
2d2p JAMES II CASSADY;

Phrenolosy,

GEO. C TEW, Ptojt'ior' of
*fPht*,U>cv, attheurgci

Cash for Wheal,

THE sulwcriber will p»y ra»h for.'.nno hujl

mi n lu store un Sooih Water Streew,

O. H.TUuMPsON

X?£\ BBLS. of a luperior qoality joi
•jjjflr reived ind ^reby

Ory Goods Jobber**

HAVE just rercivcl Ihe 1
. Em;l„lv Fre... a a. 1
Quodri ever bafjifa ItrOOfM !■

VVlieAl and i!«iic

t Movie ft
lie... Orjr

nioilecBj

.....jMioitwm

24

FAC-SIMILE OF CHICAGU MORNING JiE.MOCRAX.

J7J

HISTORY OK CHICAGO

I STREET. CHICAGO,

I0O (Ws, baif rb*-U A.

'Ohjf«Itk>CcSw

■ ■ , >
lOSMeawrsM

BlMI
kids St Crwj «ci M»vsn*i £•!»'

-'••A i ■

- . - i : . n- ■
I I ;.>: ftaaaea

. s, „

.. - - Mini ■:; c".- ; .
d>buetSwrm Candle*

.'-• to P.r-»

U> M S?»uk ui ABcr^ir 5e--i
1J0 reams »r»p?cr Pv«
Po.Jer. Sao:. P<]

Wc.-._.VK-^

Qin-.ei. Ha

< ;i \*- kii.i v>»n: i..

FORMERLY af (be fifra of C. S.-A. F.
/«■**«. h*> ia»l rehired per bnss 0
.NUud ft.-ekj Mooouin. the Mooed da
MorU a/ ike Traeaonl Houaa, Dearborn »:*<:<
ias GROCERIES, alerted by hi'

:<■'!-.= _

^ hdaditftrer.i IM) of brown Saflll

S. .1 j Malabo. 9 1
35 t-ji#sCa»rodiik

and Rio G>&c
40 cbouaad l-S rfcaab Dl

S bdi Cad Fiab, 10 bla. M.
TJ rearaaWrwpoio; Paper.
1* mm Hi pn>.«l Coffiae Brwndy

bad Gto. sK> "" "

Wine

M«U*« 9 hdi St Ci

«?..«■■ l.'L- ■ -'-: T,.^ ■
,-.'.- ad U . ..

if Trj »<.or-<v|
la
ippiDf Paper,

Croia Ri

Odd Part Wine,

Safe

of Cro

E •

ch*.

, uinameniil

■ - ■ I

■

*rt,uj„"(?

LOO da

, b-v.coarx
Call Skin

Harneas and B.iddle Uj

Liaiaa ami Biodiag SUbbb, sw -ran

P*r. Awl«. Boot True-, Laala »f all de»t

GROCERIES ANP HARDWARE,

Sunrs.Tcv-.C-ricr. MoU-nr-. Kii-.ii..-.
Sojo, 1'itiJ ,•, L*inj. O.I TiOlior'«»'.i
Tibaceo, CodlW., &C, &c.
1000 lb* LosChi.n,. 50kes»Naii»

5 iWo c\>::.i • v.

DOMFST1CS

rt ^Baoasud Mil ' ". '■'■

i;c'.p?nuLC»erCr,i
ramhiu Ma. '
Double Wajgo
Nock Yokes, d
Pork, Flour and Salt
sLom

ttty of HIDES.

Ru^k Mi:'

, r-n e

v< Eood bargalo.1 10 »!1 »ho ma*

'■„'■. will U u.uii.1 allk.ndsol °

Von How

NaUs "ay Fork'

Spike, Grain Cra

fafe Mtll Saw.

Vices Files

Shovels SloVM .in

Spade* Sieve-pip*

ply of Mais, »tf Gi«- Whfflon

i'une'5. 1KB.

IH harin? demands against the late firm oi

■

Further not

ply of goods It

F, KNAPP A CO.

'.ill.ES WILLIAM?

T"

Tlill Furnishing

. , fee Ac .
.

;:t«i from October to April. Order
Tree-, acd pUnl«, n-t*o ordered. i

I fid

AH letter*

I ir'",- r--
ft B. Trr*

:. l>«r.

asM-nmenlul r..)we He

D^chAnfcerBoMin-Clol
Rull.n? «■.«•■.. W.r,'. He,

u'-.t ..i [i.c^Wcriberwl.ao
lire hi«M "1 Mill Film.;
.\. V fur fifteen

rniiliin^ :n Euiliki,
, Run Itlock*

F., HAYWAP.D & CO

MporiMiuanS Arniory.

1 Ion.) Sicphemon, Rock l*Und. 1
r.T>. K«oe er-nriiy. "1 reea *R1
»-J Atlirtt** iocflodordtr. Tl.<

iftJy f«»" IM our>«rr, inrfexd c

■M& 1 R Crtl.EMAS ft Co,

Pe-fi». Fab -. ;-; 12 So

.Valaab.'c Properly forSnlc,

TMEMI««riiiepiA|MmffiiittieiIoaiboKin
I . ,11 1^ .oU vrn

J. or. awl tl-e wl.ole mnnl of vale will u-
hkea In sited -

t»i •**!»., ui^...wr,i ..bii-ed iu reraim
.1 be.KI..

1 GHxMrli.it

1 BowMill

1 Daoole C<rdin{ Midline and Pic

*- •) Aere» <f r«jd Tin

T. OTIS i CO

1.i.j:i!m I".

THE MdMerlkvrhH mid- irnani
oceveuninrp1' "f LUV.RE

..•^*Tl5'.KlTn Al*». ■ :

- '/brr pU'f>->-«, ■nd 'ill

■

. rwir.1.. 8hin|

■ ■

-r.^h*,!i be-vM

BOSTON. * CO, H.

■ Kn.ib Pi-k,I,
Ban L ■>■■..■, It. i
mould*; Pu-

Flaj

, Lea. I. Perc-

W.: ',

" a.l. 1

I ..Md Cut-

trliclouudinihod
icbwpur, flaking
il.ati al any oihor
of BufTrtu.

ielcuMdinlLebuv

liJSEPH rKACur'K.
li AMI) TlUlrULR

SF1

ETII T. OTIi

> hiTiRCcleed aj "t i mv * lotll»ti£ More.

heavr Hardware • |rEHDALl v AIL A CO., km M

■k«h iheT offer -t fd^ „d ,„„„ theBre)ll, lbe'Ck, H

AMI CLOAKS.

i.'-ti.\ wn.i ■

A. FOLLAiVSREE,

AT Hie old fiand of C. &. A F0LLAK5
BEE. Dearborn »lrcel, Cbicafo. i.ppi*

ll.r raMOflOKB

COAT
Pilot," Reavft. Flushing
Oenilem«i'»di
Udiei.'JtMr*
Pitol. BlanKtlaBdMMte^k.nllnnl.
Sopvr broadrf.-th.and beaver Fiocl
Super broadrloih Drea-
Hrond- loth. MrtleskwJfc Ken Jear
Kr^.kk.Ui MoWkm&Keir Jeui
rio^hiaf, Monkey- and S«i.«r.t

VESTS
Plain and floored Silk Velvet Von
Do da do wovlcnVrlveid
Do <•■« d.. fflerino d

Do do do Saiir d

PANTALOONS.

15 cherts and half
MOO lb« Loaf aod Lui

jpply ofGROCtRIE

PonoRic
and half

2 Hv^.-.'Tfq

: lids Codfish; 15b

i I'al.i

iSh.r

M,i

BorH MrttsAGlovi
ru.-h, Silk and Wool HATS

i loan tod Selene CAPS
uffnloana Woolen Moceamn*

All of wbieh will be soldcbeap, v.r; the.

HT J, l-t received ptrselr. Ocean, a freMi

\j Ticking), Burlap*. Osnaburs^, Nam ai
Twilled Bagsiof. Cauvaa... PaddiaK. T<
Clolh, Ru.'»ic gheetlogs and Diap-r. Pi

Cloih. [a sopL-ri- r n,imln\,j Whii-, R<d. a

Yellow Flsr
maYati

W.K.llr,

ISAAC V HAIlMnN-

railhfullyexccutcd.
e paid for Fur*.

Chacag:o Sash Factory

THEcobscribcr, ho»iii2 purebaired tin
capo 9a.h Factory, E'>'« »*"

of WlndavBaab.Doon.BllBdi

Unrlfurd Fire Insuranc e BRJX?Sd.J'irii?clJc'it.i°J l- chicgo.Der.eo.
Company. | brary ,|1C foii«win~ n»w pubhemonf

AGENCY 1\ CHICAGO.— Application MomooMlope: or i lie vJfi-'it.
f'.rin.nran-.--,,, rrn.-vol .,|- poltute* m») vincinl. The Dam-el of Ddr.en.

my -.1 ■. vl
ROBERT SCOTT

WtW Slorr.

■

SMkWMMUd Writ.

i i •• k* [-*>'«,

1'iaitaita iketdy All hii

' •irLiBf* lor

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FAC-S1MIL1 01 I MM AGO MORNING DEMOCRAT.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

.57'

ers, having the appointing power, made application to
Mr. Calhoun to accept the appointment of County Treas-
urer, which he did, and made the assessment for 1837
and 1838 ; DuPage then being a part of Cook County.
That winter, the Legislature having revised the revenue
laws and created the office of County Collector, whose
appointment was vested in the County Commissioners,
Mr. Calhoun was appointed for each of the years, 1839,
1840, and 1841. In the years 1841 and 1842, he was
solicited and elected an Alderman of the Second Ward
and rendered the city efficient service in reviving its
credit, which was very low, and in securing to the city
its cemetery grounds. In 1845 Mr. Calhoun went into
the hardware store of Ira B. Eddy, and the next year
was to have been a partner, but in 1846 Mr. Eddy de-
cided to close his business, and finally sold the balance
of his stock to Joseph Matteson, with whom Mr. Cal-
houn entered into co-partnership in August, 1847, con-
tinuing in the business until 1849. His health not
being good, and he requiring an active, out-door exist-
ence, Mr. Calhoun applied for and obtained employment
in the purchase of the right-of-way of the Illinois
Central Railroad, continuing therein 'from the fall of
1 85 1 until the spring of 1854. In the summer of 1854
Mr. Calhoun accompanied the Hon. C. C. Washburn to
Georgia, hunting out the "wild-cat" banks in that State.
From the autobiography is quoted the following para-
graph, which reveals much to those who would study
the character of this man:

" During the past season [1856] Mr. Calhoun's
health has been such that it would not warrant him in
engaging in any business. Being what may be called
an old fogy, so far as real estate is concerned, though
seeing in the past what Chicago was, in the present
what she is, and from both what she is to be in the fu-
ture, he nevertheless thinks that it is not impossible that
we may yet see another revulsion like that of 1836.
Mr. Calhoun has never had any great ambition to be
rich, and thus far all his aspirations in this respect have
been realized. Although not having accumulated
much property, he feels that he is far richer than many
who could, at the present time, buy and sell him a dozen
times. Of late years he has felt the want of riches
more for the good he could do with it than for any
benefit to be derived to himself in its possession."

Mr. Calhoun died February 20, 1859.

The gentleman upon whom the editorial toga de-
scended, and whom the inhabitants of Chicago are so
accustomed to associate with the history of the city —
Hon. John Wentworth — graduated at Dartmouth Col-
lege, N. H., in August, "1836, and reached Chicago on
the 25th of October of that year. Mr. Wentworth
states that the Democrat was owned in shares by a great
many people, and that he was induced by them to take
the paper and buy out their shares. This he achieved
in about three years from the time of his taking charge,
at a cost of about $2,800. The first number of the
Weekly Chicago Democrat issued under his administra-
tion was on November 23, 1836, being Volume I,
Xumber 1, of the New Series, and Volume III, Num-
ber 31, of the Old Series. Mr. Wentworth, who was
twenty-one years and eight months old at this epoch of
his life, was a law student in the office of Henry Moore.
O. S. Lincoln, now residing at Waukegan, was Mr.
Wentworth's roller boy, and the first newspaper carrier
in the city. The earliest number of this issue known
to exist is in Mr. Wentworth's possession and bears date
August 16, 1837, Vol. IV, No. 15, Old Series, Vol. I,
No. 37, New Series.

The Democrat was chosen, May 8, 1837, corporation

newspaper, by the Council, on the establishment of the
city government.

Incidentally it is remarked that, in 1838, while Hun
Stephen A. Douglas was in the city, he desired some
hand-bills printed, to announce that he was in the field.
Application was made to Mr. Wentworth for the print-

JACKSON HALL.
(Fac-simile of Cut in Early Issues of the Democrat.)

ing, but the facilities of the office were limited. In order
to expedite the issuance of the notices, Mr. Wentworth
worked the hand press and the " Little Giant " per-
formed the menial office of roller-boy, inking the
types.

Mr. Wentworth determined to establish a daily paper
in time to precede the municipal election in the spring
of 1840. That being the year of the presidential
election, it was deemed of the highest importance by
both parties to influence public opinion and secure votes

M?

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

for the municipal candidates of their respective parties,
that a victory in the presidential election of the ensuing
November might thereby he presaged. For this reason
Mr. Wentworth started the Chicago Morning Democrat.
During that time the other city papers had changed
their names, but the Democrat retained its cognomen
from the time of its birth, in 1833, until its discontinu-
ance in 1 861; and from the period of its inauguration
until the close, was what was known as a " Hard Money
Paper" of the Jackson and Benton stamp. That finan-
cial question was presented to the people at every elec-
tion. The daily issue was eleven and one-fourth by
seventeen and one-fourth inches in size, and was issued
on February 24. 1840, from the third story of 107 Lake
Street.

Daniel M. Bradley became associated with the Demo-
crat October 9. 1S40. He was a practical printer and
of value in his position because of his mechanical
knowledge. Mr. Bradley died in 1857.

The growth and development of the Democrat was
coeval with that of the city, and in all questions of
municipal. State or federal polity, the voice of the paper
was an important factor in moulding public opinion, and
its enunciations were never characterized by diffidence
or instability.

In 1S44, George W. Wentworth acted as assistant
editor. In 1846, the issue was changed from morning
to evening. September 24, 1847, the office was removed
to Jackson Hall, on I.aSalle Street. As an evidence of
the enterprise of those days, the fact is stated that the
President's message was hurried through from Mottville,
Mich., a distance of one hundred and thirty miles, in
nine hours; thirty-six hours ahead of the mails; and the
Democrat was enabled to anticipate its publication in
other journals, December 15, 1847. The first special
newspaper telegram to the Democrat was received Sun-
day, April 9, 1848, and published the next day.* Joseph
K.C. Forrest became assistant editor in 1847, and William
Osman, now of the Ottawa Free Trader, in 1853, filled
that position.

During the remainder of the period treated of in
this volume the Democrat pursued the even tenor of its
way, gaining in circulation and potentiality, and proving
itself an extremely profitable investment to its pro-
prietor.

The Chicago American. — The second newspaper
established in this city was the Chicago American,
which was first issued as a weekly newspaper on Mon-
day. June X, 1835, by T. O. Davis. The size of its
pages was fifteen and one-half by twenty-one and one-
half inches, containing six columns. The issue was
announced as to be made Saturday morning, the second
and subsequent numbers being issued on that day. The
date under the caption of the first issue is given as May
•S, 1X35. but in the editorial column is a statement that
by an error of the printer May was inserted instead of
June. The place where the office was situated is not
given, but in an advertisement of Frederick Thomas,
he states that he is on Water Street, near the draw-
bridge, two doors from tin- American office. Like the
Democrat, the American pledged itself to the work
of internal improvement, but differed in political creed
from its contemporary, and was hostile to the dominant
party. It declared that "office-holders are not of
right, and should not be tin masters, instead of the
servants, of the people." The advertising patrons were :
..•art. A. V Fullerton, Grant Goodrich, attorneys;
J. H. Barnard, physician ; J. < '. Bradley, dentist ; Will-

iam Sabine, commission merchant ; John Davis, Steam-
boat Hotel ; W. L. Newberry, real estate ; E. Brown,
painter; S. B. Cobb, saddler; Harmon, Loomis & Co.,
merchants ; J. H. Kinzie, merchant ; Newberry &
Dole, steamboat agents; Tuthill King, clothier: Rus-
sell Clift, bookseller ; Frederick Thomas, druggist ; K.
K. Hubbard, real estate ; Philo Carpenter, merchant ;
J. &. W. Crawford, brewers; and John Holbrook,
clothier.

The American had its outside dated December 26,
1835, in the issue purporting to be of that date. It
was, however, issued December 25, as is stated on the
inside pages, in order that the public might receive the
President's message printed in that number, as soon as
possible. This number is an instance of a common
custom in those early days, which was to print the out-
side sometime previous to the date of issue, and leave
the inside to be struck off when it was required. In
the number just proceeding the close of the first volume,
it is announced that a semi-weekly issue will also be
made with the commencement of the new volume. On
October 15, 1836, the American displayed an eagle,
between the words " Chicago " and " American," on its
heading, with a scroll in its beak and the motto hyphen-
ated on the scroll, " E Pluri-Bus Un-um." June 3, 1837,
T. O. Davis states that he is desirous of selling one-half
the American i"the whole would be sold if wanted;"
and another notice in the same paper (Vol. 2, No. 52 ,
remarks that "the stock of paper laid in last fall is
exhausted, in consequence of the subscription list hav-
ing augmented more rapidly than was anticipated," and
he will be compelled to suspend the paper for one or
two weeks. A hiatus here occurs in the files. The
next number and the only one known to be extant
between Vol. 2, No. 52, and the number next hereafter
adverted to), is under the publishing and editorial
management of William Stuart & Co., dated Saturday
morning, October 14, 1837, and is No. 13 of Vol. 3.
If the issue was uninterrupted from the resumption,
when paper was received and re-publication made, the
first number of the third volume should have been
on July 22, 1837. But a salutatory in this number
says :

" In reviving the Chicago American, which our
friends must, by this time, be generally aware has been
suspended for a short time for want of paper, we deem
it our duty, as well as our interest, to present a few
remarks as to the circumstances and prospects under
which we again commence our labors. The Chicago
American is now issued under a new proprietorship and
under such circumstances as we trust will assure its
permanent usefulness and prosperity."

Hence the most rational inference is that with this
number William Stuart & Co. inaugurated their pro-
prietorship of the paper ; and an additional reason is
found for this assumption, in the notice of the dissolu-
tion of the law-partnership existing between William

• Telegraphic i
topic cbewhrrr.

mriicalion* with Detroit began April 6,

Stuart and James Curtiss, dated October 14, 1837, and
the continuance of the law business by the former, at
his new office, in the rear of the Chicago American
office, corner of Clark and Water streets. The next

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

373

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FAC-SIMILE OF CHICAGO WEEKLY AMERICAN.

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO

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HISTORY OF THE PRESS

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KAC-S1M1LE or CHICAGO WEEKLY AMERICAN.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

377

attainable number is that of Friday, July 17, 1840, Vol.
VI., No. 1, William Stuart, editor, with office at the
same place, and the paper is designated The Chicago
American, prior to which date the daily issue had been
established. On July 24, 1840, a notice is published
and continued through several numbers, wherein it is
stated that to give every inducement for the payment of
accounts and more extensive circulation of the Amer-
ican, butter, eggs, flour, wood, and produce generally
will be received at the office, at market prices, if de-
livered soon. But as the history of the Weekly has now
become merged in the history of the Daily American,
no future reference will he made to the former issue of
the paper.

The Chicago Daily American was issued from the
office of the Weekly Chicago American, by William
Stuart, on the ninth day of April, 1839, in the third
story of Harmon & Loomis's building, at the corner of
Clark and South Water streets, and was the first daily
newspaper issued in Chicago, and in Illinois. The size
of the page was eleven by sixteen and three-fourths
inches. On December 20, the American was issued as
an evening paper.* May 11, 1840, the editor was fined
$100 by Judge John Pearson, of the Circuit Court, for
contempt. July 28, 1841, William Stuart was appointed
Postmaster, and relinquished his editorial work here.
October 9, of that year, Alexander Stuart became pro-
prietor, with W. W. Brackett editor. July 20, 1842,
Buckner S. Morris bought the office. Mr. Brackett re-
tired, and on October 18, 1842, the Daily American
ceased.

The Chicago Express was first published by William
W. Brackett, from 92 Lake Street, on October 24, 1842,
and was a daily afternoon paper, with a weekly edition
published Tuesdays. It was a continuation of the old
Daily American, and mounted the legend " For Presi-
dent, Henry Clay," at the head of its editorial column ;
and this fact will explain Mr. Brackett's retirement from

Qrrf <^rf^tj^ext

the American. The Express was a five-column folio,
thirteen by nineteen and a half inches in size. It was
maintained until April 20, 1844, when it was sold to a
company of gentlemen for $1,500, among whom were
George W. Meekerjohn Frink, Buckner S. Morris, Jona-
than Young Scammon, S. Lisle Smith, Jacob Russell,
Walter R. Newberry, Giles Spring, Grant Goodrich,
and George W. Dole. The office was then situated,
it is stated, in the third story of A. Rossetter's block,
82 Lake Street, opposite the Tremont House. The
weekly edition, together with the daily, was discon-
tinued.

The Chicago Daily Journal was first issued on
April 22, 1844, by an editorial committee composed of
William H. Brown, George W. Meeker, Jonathan Young
Scammon, S. Lisle Smith and Grant Goodrich; said com-
mittee having been appointed by the association that
purchased the Daily and Weekly Express. The edi-
torial management was entrusted to Richard L. Wilson
and J. W. Norris, who were also its publishers, and
these gentleman advocated those Whig principles that
became as much a part of the Journal as its subscription
list. The paper was published from the old office of

* On June 6, 1840, William Stuart issued from the office of the Daily Amer-
ican, a weekly campaign paper called the Hard Cider Press. It was a strenu-
ous supporter of Harrison and Tyler, uniform in size with the Daily American,

the Express for a few months, when it was removed to
the Saloon Buildings, on the southeast corner of Lake
and Clark streets. After the defeat of Henry Clay by
James K. Polk, Mr. Norris withdrew from the paper
and Richard 1.. Wilson, the pungent paragrapher, con-
tinued it alone. In the volume for 1845, the number
lor October 30th is numbered 254 that for October 31SI
is 155, the serial numbers being continued from tin-
latter number. On December 29, 1845, Nathan ( '.
Geer who had previously been in charge of the press-
room , was associated with Mr. Wilson, as editor and
publisher, and on January 6, 1846, the caption that had
been printed in Old English disappeared and plain
English letters took its place. September 27, 1847, the co-
partnership between Messrs. Wilson & Geer was dis-
solved. Richard L. Wilson continued the paper alone
until he was appointed Postmaster by President Zachary
Taylor in 1849. In December, 1847 Benjamin F.Tay-
lor, who is alleged to have been'the first dramatic critic-
employed upon a Chicago newspaper, retired from the
Journal force, with which he had been a long time con-
nected, but subsequently renewed editorial labors on
that paper. The Journal of April 5, 1848, announced
that "the telegraph wires are at last all up to Detroit,
but no communication has as yet been received beyond
the South Bend," and the issue of the 6th thus com-
ments upon a statement in the Democrat of the same
date, to the effect that "the first flash from Detroit
traveled along the line yesterday." "The Democrat
forgot to add that the 'flash' came 'along the wires' by
stage from Kalamazoo. No communication passed on
the wire yesterday from Detroit, Niles being the farthest
point reached." In this issue the 6th of April . how-
ever, the Journal says : "The first flash came through
from Detroit this morning at 9 a. m. By the dispatches
it will be seen we have dates from New York of yester-
day at 2:30 o'clock.'

Richard L. Wilson, whose health was seriously im-
paired by the premature discharge of a cannon, which
he was helping to lire, on the 3d of April, 1847, in
honor to the victory of Buena Vista, retired from the
Journal on the iothof February, 1849, and was succeeded
by Charles L. Wilson. < )n the 8th of March, that year,
George E. Brown became one of the publishers, and in
July the offices were removed to the Journal building,
107 Lake Street. In September Mr. Brown retired.
January 2, 1851, the editors were Richard L. Wilson
and Charles L. Wilson, the former gentleman having

been removed from his position in the post-office de-
partment by President Millard Fillmore. January 26,
1853, the paper was published by R. L. and C. L. Wil-
son and R. H. Morris, and was called the Daily Chi-
cago Journal. December 1, 1853, the publishing office
was removed to 50 Dearborn Street, opposite the Tre-
mont. On December 2, 1854, Mr. Morris retired from
the editorial and publishing department of the paper,
leaving R. L. and C. L. Wilson as editors, and C. H.
Peirce associated with them in charge of the business
department. January 4, 1855, the paper was denomi-
nated the Daily Chicago Journal, while on February 10,
the title was transposed again to the Chicago Daily
Journal, from a font of shaded Old English text ; and
in 1856 the name of the paper was The Chicago Daily

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Journal. In December. 1856, Richard L. Wilson died,
and the firm became C. L Wilson and C. H. Peirce.
At this time Andrew Shuman was associate editor, Ben-
jamin F.Taylor literary editor, and George P, Upton
city and commercial reporter. In 1857 the Journal had
a severe struggle tor existence, but it was evidently the
ebb-tide of its prosperity, which was successfully " taken
at the flood " that has since " led on to fortune."

The Field-Piece, a campaign paper, was issued
from the office of the Journal about June 10, 1848. as
an advocate of Whig principles and the claims of Gen-
eral Zach Taylor and Millard Fillmore to the Presidency
and Vice-Presidency. It was continued weekly during
the campaign.

Hooper Warren, the indefatigable and earnest aboli-
tionist, issued the first number of the Chicago Com-
merciai Advertiser, on October 11, 1836, as a weekly
paper, of which Edward H. Rudd was the printer ; the
office being located on Dearborn Street, near South

Water. The paper was a " liberty " paper, and lived
about a year. Mr. Warren subsequently moved to
Lowell. LaSalle County, and with Zebina Eastman
published the Genius of Liberty, also an anti-slavery
paper, in January, 1841.

On April 4. 1S40. appeared The Weekly Tribune,
published by Charles X. Holcomb & Co.. in the third
story of the Saloon Buildings, corner of Lake and Clark
streets. The pages of the paper were eighteen by
twentv-four and three-fourths inches in size. Of this

newspaper, the first to be called the Tribune in the
United States, Edward G. Ryan, subsequently Chief
Justice of Wisconsin, was editor; and it is said of this
gentleman that he was one of the very ablest writers
ever in Illinois. The Tribune was of an excellent typo-
graphical appearance, and was a decided credit to its
management during those early days of journalism. In
the early part of 1S41 the forms were sold to Colonel
Klisha Starr, of Milwaukee, and the Milwaukee Journal
arose from the debris of the Tribune. Jonathan Carver
Butterfield, one of the oldest printers in the city at the
time of his death. July 7, 1854. worked on this paper
and K. K. Jones was roller boy and carrier.

The Union Acrii ulti risi and Western Prai-
R1E Farmer was inaugurated in January, 1841, by the
Union Agricultural Society, incorporated February 19,
ind to which act of incorporation an amendment
was made, opproved January 31, 1S40. The first trus-
ety were Abraham Holdtrman, Levi
Hills, Joshua Collins, Salmon Rutherford, S. S. Bullock,
David Shaver. B H Mooies, S. Delano, Benjamin B.
Reynolds and Henry Green, of LaSalle County; Holder
>isvm. Calvin Rowley, J. A. Gooding, William Smith.
William B. Peck, Renl.cn Beach, John Blackstone,
Charles Reed, '..melius G Van Morn and fohn Dean
Caton, of Will County; William B Ogden, foseph
Naper, Socrates Rand, K. Peck, Lewi-. Ellsworth, Seth
Johnson. William P Caton. K A. Kin/.ie, Russell Whip-
ple and J. S. Wright, of Cook County; Isaai Hicox,

Matthias Mason, Arthur Patterson, Mr. Bartlett. J. G.
Rogan, William Jackson, Seth Washburn, Joseph Wick-
ham, Ziba S. Beardsley and Willard Jones, of McHenry'
County; General McClure, James T. Gifford, Colton
Knox, Rice Fay, Ira Minard. Isaac Wilson, John R.
Livingston, R. G. Horr, Mr. Risk and Joel McKee, of
Kane County. L'nder the auspices of this society The
Union Agriculturist was issued, with John S. Wright,
the corresponding secretary, as editor. The officers of
the society, who were the official publishers of the
Union Agriculturist, were: John Dean Caton, of Will
County, president; Levi Hills, of LaSalle County, Hol-
der Sisson, of Will County, Lewis Ellsworth, of DuPage
County, lames T. Gifford, Kane County, Seth Wash-
burn, McHenry County, vice-presidents; William B.
Ogden, Cook County, treasurer; John S. Wright, Cook
County, secretary. The motto displayed at the head of
the editorial column was, "In LTnion is Strength."
There were two numbers issued, as a species of pros-
pectus; prior to the issuance of the volumes hereafter
described, and this led to the designation of the con-
tinuous issuance as the new series. These two numbers
were evidently but a tentative issue, and, the journal meet-
ing with a favorable reception, the management state
that, "it was with fear and trembling that the enter-
prise was entered upon, but it is continued with the
most perfect assurance of success." It size was fifteen
and one-half by ten and three-fourth inches, eight page,
of four columns. The journal was, as its name implies,
devoted to agricultural, arboricultural, horticultural and
pastoral interests, with the customary corner for the in-
struction of the Priscillas of the household. The ar-
ticles in this number are ably edited and exhibit care
.and skill in their preparation. The typography is
very creditable to Holcomb & Co., printers, Saloon
Building. It is generally conceded that John S. Wright
was the ablest agricultural editor of the age, but he was
many times termed visionary for the utterances he made
predicting the future of the city ; yet these predictions
have been dwarfed by its actual advance in trade,
wealth and population. In October, 1841, the officers
were changed, the new regime being : James T. Gifford
of Kane County, president; Lewis Ellsworth of Du
Page, Theron D. Brewster, LaSalle, William Smith, Will,
Seth Washburn. Lake, .vice-presidents; E. W. Brewster.
Kendall, treasurer; John S. Wright, Cook County,
secretary. In January, 1842, the size of the paper was
increased to twelve pages and miscellaneous advertise-
ments were inserted. Volume III, Xo. 1, January.
1S43, was issued by J. S. Wright, editor and publisher.
at 112 Lake Street, and John Gage, editor of the mechan-
ical department. The name of the publication is, in
this issue, simply Prairie Farmer, and it is made in
magazine form of seven and one-half by ten and one-

SvT^^ fjf 7?> ^yzyi^

s7

half inches, containing twenty-four pages, two columns
to the page. In July, 1843, J. Ambrose Wight was as-
sociated with Mr. Wright in the editorial work. In
October, 1844, the office was removed to Xo. 65 Lake
Street. During the years succeeding prior to 1858, the
editorship and proprietorship of the paper were sub-
stantially vested in J. S. Wright, J. A. Wight and Luther
Haven, with several transpositions of authority. The
horticultural department being conducted by John A.
Kennicott.

HISTORY OF THK I'RKSS.

379

TOX..T

3LUJESDAT, ArUIL 9, 1839.

DAILY CHICAGO A MEXICAN,
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BUSINESS DIRECTORY.

1839.

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J-CTISL11I)U1H'J.JIEIB1 MgHTr.

,„,.. ,vVSf,~n, Ja-il n: 3'if.

i-lMv-f'ti^T il'il ;^J0Tr-. A'lli 1 icrcC,

fcli :i."iVsc»'-, " ><•■'■< >'■ Rut|.:r„

i ■■., .,h:. .-...:., S„',i ■ iv

u ,,n. i.y /■■'' i ':,.:■';
IfflMiliiBSr

Sfeffm limit .Irrtniqtmtnti.

I.ATLS Si'MOJiGAX,

Dca1emoiaHinuraciurcr^(CB!>;n«i Furniture
- cere c, Like.jt; Uo.dgui j&gl Rockwcll-tf
^.Irlomrd.Cl.ic^a

A AMMON ..v JUUD,

AUnnttV' AC^in-dlTSat /.tit. f.',,'r^r
Urncr-l" j«Eich',r.Sc ISmiUui.--, 1...U'

nr

A-.ort.tyT.rdCiun^^W^Y^vL.U S.,«t

S. B. COB.I.I.TIS & to,

1839.

8ga . gB|

"s.i'm'iVi .T7T.-jWrVf,";' <M^^b
«l»in;CilhVliiift(jM'W^.rfWi61
Th -m"i? Cr.rl.j I' 2 (>

•Ti„1m,.'C.'.I;lBiiT. It 5 II
Johi Criy'.
J „,.. Dil.t
T«oiI!%a....

y\ivh OaliiFiiT.fAi'/
■5T"'. C.i^i.ifieldj) 4 *
lirltt.T. iv.iniorW \JB"t

Vmlw. l!r=cirrti,-f r }C;.r:.

t,-,^j^,i^u2u«iis^sa^^jisiiicarai\lSSSISl.

IJT'^Alallia-tjiac/,..

■r,T-|C'r

Sni- .'.'•— .?, | r,~.b

if*;;'; £wCTS£3$t$&i

FAC-SIMILli Oil K1RST I'AIM NEWSPAPER IN ILLINOIS.

s8o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

DAJIA AMERICAN".

mL^Womw

.
% j!et" ud lelae:::**-. We have already stated
U ..; the p*?*V

uMiiitii wrtm'ww inieitatti I
«0! .tOHk *»t*r wpoesiNe.in tUTCQ ^eom-
- I ami lc^il im<-!lip-n«, the ili-
. 'it.; .vmmun.ty. IV

,.-■..■ nd htoMc bhilitj ,
. tow rapport end ratigbuoM

ii'VD'i-r of lb* cow >■ •- "J"'

r.>7 ■< We ncwdl assured ih»t tliel'iisinrss in-

t it M iht ir poKry, "«d «*«

i** mo. eborrfully »a.l liberally to sustain the
l\.-v ,:■::■: nutrihued to the sup-
Twt.M»p»prf. whoee rdiooina oWf* reflect ihc
bMMff, dancer, grow tit and imVonanee ol the
r:JCT- in which it is hwod, is a profibbM invwt-

PUWitMy or other mifct in the puce ofhiami-
*tK'. If *e ewejprise bu ncwedmtMsBsJiii

..

in firm tarpon. Ii is common**

•rubiNl.- wd h.r

- ■ iim; with il

• of in

ns.inri — u • e prefer milic

th its prospwm-. than <:.■„-

•«t witter

nib m

onir, [i nun »-„h il

a Jn;

the new horcs uf wring

• her

; ■ ■

«

To those m

,h*„*r.ntw

i

wichn f« iip em

ihe map of the ( n
T< grw tome J

SM ibout
450 "

ud 241 of o

bwlrficu, ewry yeer, thereby swclit

,- ■ lure be»n fintlly made,

li -

1,000 tiktnat die M I

•>n (he pirt of <"■■ '■

■llwhwnUkrn. J'» sd.[

a doqfct, owing to the al,!<

^t ia our Legnbl m i at J lad i -

f*'*Ot Ca-tt^ !,

Il

t kM Wei, rhoqld be Njid i

,f Bny, d j<i the

■

■» by no roan

iVrroi

■

'.":::;::

jjijSmI:., J ^M^i.rSr'nJilr.^jii.reS'S^j;^"',--'' - ;:'c'^lo':V'°'

FAC-SIM1LE Dl FIRST J)A1I."> NEWSPAPER PRINTED IN ILLINOIS.

HISTORV OF THE PRESS.

3S'

1 1

The lNc»' Y»
on the Ulinoi

si.iplo nrotlue
11 r' 'J'-!,!"

■ , 38

iona'i and half nl
■pimoV5rilieroili

r.nsof Illinois musl

licv' u-illliiot bcaj
,on roads from iho

f.ako&T.'U'.if, ..i|, I .. , . ' , ' ' ■■•;■■
G.A.(Uurv„sT,

M Apply io J N i ■u; tii.i;.

j\r-ri: 'J. 1^39.-1

E -■'■.- --i» £■!« ■"
Fium7A^M.ta'jr.M'

nrritrtnciB

'rtJ<t7,ki,Aii

«:■» - . «,
XOALili

Bmnm

MOTaar ,V«wei«I»

"Tic

Poi- Sate.

!\ T'lIlr.R Sl.MV Ir.imo GwU n- ^ l.nV.---t.

".i , k ,.,'!■ '

'j, N. DiiiniraTlikoTU
Chicago. March 1, 16J3— :«

,A. M.

I ,. . ■. i B A M

n.l foi

fl SPAN Isrrjo toy lion.es, 1 octt double bar-

_E_ mjaPlldaKaodl-mi^rWaKoaa fur Gala.

by -A. P. iiitiUiAS.Ialtojff

r,7»i,o\v. yn THK trumtut. "in.ow ;-

U3 l^tnilJAgiiC.Joglt.oUl.for-yuL.t.Mu.

J.. ■ r'. ■ ,vcJnlrt»IiliJiJ']tIjrolD'ott.Jfl!.ni-.-i -

- ' /ij.UojvcviAjojii.eciiriUlIall, 1> - ■

;;;;v"

:z;\if;:

''"'^Sc'f

GAPS.

■

S-Sks ■ rsq

,. bti>hmtnl in Kow.Yrai

iiOOlfjMlOf «i li,i';illli'f, i\i:.

<* ^rTApAMsr+corhrnvV^ccEDrai

i,l,uJi,:.

i „r cool i

1st of h

1-t-IG, ^

43.00

1, no 11 i

Si, 0,0*0

n ll,c

iJufiCl lie

y.tlie

".'.,' ' .' , ,

ml in

- i:> n one

vr ll

o lunLinJ

L, ,s

irioc.

scd cue nn

for Llic ii

will bo

S110,

610,1:1!

oc ;!,.

rioposedjworyr
Woiild,tn?rtbcy^

.■ufiLo.G'ixoJ
m mini nr--

, ■ jnitni.;!, ...1.1
,!-:-.,<
ooJnS.O.'O Ci ..rKi.'.'Oll.O;! i ■. . ,

TRiiniriprn: nod: Mptfr@ro2irt(nSiT3
fePlllM Hn^afirafliSffirauaEiBW'A

TTiq jrnno tt C filcazra u.r<r, an^l
tfff mmniCIJS mm Ilia unoonSiml «m
IjpaJ airfUjJlDO iqd* 3.HB WBtflA-nniDlu

Plgiy^njii7^'r;.i.'cV''-1,:.r.Vi,,,,ui
LiritJ.^a]U7iii->n',>,»i:. Umc< 1 will t>e rt
■\VlJ.UUI>Ui.WiTi

oji ■ <uj«oijai 6am" "~

jS5! 10.1 . <T" "l''"!-kn.li..,-™r!

near Waicr, at I'tcsi ,i »,. upicdby iba-flubset

re tacy futthai

fl _J6iitalE;i^:i"»cca.

ieomcron,:,|lC'A,Clark-Bl<:

ico«l

C5SS33I

ond.Vestirfl

Apple llactcr-

FORmTo by J. L ttZBEJau

A ,fEW bushclfl'or 111=1 r.iia Clover SecdTtSI

il "" ^FAINE St NORrdW/

a"-' i iTi.lt Mvii'lll'.-, t < > r t-lc by Ton.
J^N0iiM..Ja.i.g. 181S~"

^ALFSraNS^ctaoiMlotorCrfftkiMW

fl2/4 sale low by . I ^ainofltNorton;

CM MM

15.. For ,

' l'ainc & Norlon.

Fas-:E:.--JO.iHiO«u|iciiorSpamsh
•i :,i sale ntNevr.York price*.

RT fflTk llo7. Wool Socks ^id SiockingB.* »no
@ O 2U0 r,m9 Wnolcn Y-m, far M|. by
Paine j- Ngrtonj

^-a, UININE— 50 oi. (-ulpliaic Quiriiao, juBB
rhicagQan'riJ-'l333- a

BUCKNERa

r.CplLSBi

ihe Common" Cooox-

by the Com men Councll.'6f UiB
or occup'anii of any loi or .pari'oi

i lr.,3i

FAC-SIMILE OF FIRST DAIT.V NEWSPAPER IN ILLINOIS.

&8a

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Jl;ivlIoidr.": liY.aiiiUwWOSK

■ II

•«BiT.r«'«.

T» Painters Untlucrs Ac.

1 ^ -TrJ Leid;'
54 ifrmirfe Yrl!»«-;

J -0-- IV.y it I Cjt.F-

Ere :.',C:.lPi|i'!, I,«i.
cekcr Biu»tic i. li i - 1 1 1 -i; T<

JSO B-'ie» WINDOW GLAS?.

: iiimjcrs. &c.^

Tin' proprietor ol III.: NcW'Vorh
C I- O.TJl IXjG^JlOJt K

-»v rOl MEf~»i ii'Jjc":icarpio;tcmir.d th*
1 V efctew if CipffiSSj hii old ftiendo

i :■■ <- ■ ::c'.

ir in i'.cW'i

J- snip,!

• ■». onJe f(OiD

.- iioKtMUM

i.CinM.aoi-i.ii.i. <.'<•> A

■ill cnuciciaie » lew article

>»W

Honun£ coil*, of all t.

Monkey jacket*, of al

Ecpfffiue l.ii.jc iLih ji

ken:' *V

£aiioeii jiikeii.jnell

lined, tfcr|-

fiouto. is,*'« jperf"*

buuun.ltc

fcyiWL drawer., tocl Vend hy.ifry ofall
iad di«ripi"On«; siocki. nun, bombann,

Io4i.fubt>«[ pillows and ponmir,ieau>.o»c i

tui^.i* from 9.' (j 3(1.'

pS CJ^njl C«riif.Mor» can be tnpplied on

•vt'v.

■d" IV:. I..'..-..,',-.. i:„. i,.!, .,„] .-,

.., 1, ...-. : i|- 111.:

IS7.-,..,.-rl-S«c.'...l.nsI..O. «,,!

" e.r.J'.irlron.aasoricdlron.:i.iri

SJoln"jlu.ii !»«. uindibiirs I

It. T.-.'-Cki n nl-al. riiiicr.lcimai
S.ca.i and .,....«: Sic.-I\
5 1 ,-■**., i in • Sj.4c lloOi,
SWo.JlV.ict Irct.T
4 *€io.\foil and 111 CLalnCv

AniclicitiiEipqiinonailft __

a/--. ^Bjju^^jB £> ■■■■■■!■' ■■■:>■. jZ

SA1CT.OAD LIXE3

t,:i..,vlJ)als.. .llaV, :,);,. .r.n,. din cnnnccli-.a
liili'il.c iioil.%'/. K^::il.!]UUSON 17.AII,
llO.'.H .'A. V«-.-s-i:.,ro»Bl>:*con

3 Cant. M

i:.ii .'
l ■-'.•■ .'

■eCuiBud Tci

Bar*,"'
Ami;

Bin. llr.llr..

l"nj K.^CulTiVil^CMiiniv] ire-ni^.l lo'dOl
£H K. gsC.it Sj'il.o. ir.nii.1. i..: ir.!:.a-
ill tij Urn'! Na.M.-nii Cll^lllj:

"' tJic'i.:.'. i.^.V'i ,:.. i.,..:!-. ;;. iV. . ii.vi*

-.M.-O-t

i-j'iT!';'i,1''i°,'."m!o,'I i -° ^"'.."'i""""

till fart.pr S1.H.J,' lul Wood Blld CaL

ill.. li..,s..™.C "
lin Plan SavciJ
,S0O.«ni^r" _

- 'IVT.il.rr «-,], F.nal rh n-.il liurviSiaie rape
T.-. Naie. Tin. Ccp,., r and Sfcre. In.i Waico

— AL^w'
IS TicrcfaLan.ii n.J Linactdbil.'1

raiiii;'.i,ii,..vi,i:...ji.i r.,c„.,'irnO

:cl,i\.Jyo,«.

ir;!::'A>ro omo,

DcVa'.'Scl.ou'.Vad,';
-.-■ll.'K....>.OQaav.
WEoliinon,' V. J".'

SASSJfflBCiTIOa

c'^dTMcririircni
-aji.ndKnvo.CNil..

>ZIVna...Ugiii;_go2.

EcclnVt'Oii -Fir<j,iiiiy« '.ViirJiia

lusi:r;incc'Coiniiauy..

s.onnsmsv.v'E', ciciiugiou, kt)

jiii:lctoi:s.

^01!XI>-O!tT»\,

Tri^V A. O..NI-:\VT0X,lS«nSaVj

ro^ili: ^::> 1. ie ..ss.,c.-,nd il.t..,iclvc.

Jl i..- il,.tn..l.,i:.rl.r,Uul-

niMii mi irov;.

Ken Jim

if. Arsv

111 . a....... inbi,.Xi-.vy.,.liUOfdcr;ir..i»j

mil la fai.l.iully in :i.'.J.t'i,n.- (..-in.. |.n.-i|

iii.- | ...rili ,srd il --I..-I l-.-^f Ilia and p.0:'Crll--aft-TTrrr/rr7.n.

.ri-.ic.i,|,cd lj-r.,1. I II.VV1U lit.

icIiili.y.l.jic'a.d.-Ja Cliicato. 1S35.

17 qiM.S'.C.iaroa.iJ rur.iai.if TOMATO,
j l.i'»-.»a.i.n,.nirotiC.,l.,mcl.~Tl.n nropi..
. [■ ,ra of iU.san.clcrar:ir J,.,^, 'aburious. and crJ
I |:: *:vc ri.iatc:.. have succeeded in CUfaclii.g

j,a-..,,.,ce !,„,„, ,l,oT;.„.aI,i-),J,,-|,o.,,„.

33 K S| ~Ci'Q~_0 DlS,

T.St

JJ T/lt Ac/i.'.VV..

«.»»/. «a-l ,;«rf».,

1

^

jJeiSw^M^-A^r.'ci-*^cl;J"''ilii;

■ .lr<« nr,
l.arly id,|

• era..

Utkd Oi *J UNI «DI"M I .11 Md«M lur

'. Dt.fburn .i.rone
adtnr ftonh of the Tttm-mt home. Ctnejjo* "

■:-. :.;-.■. ..,;... a;, i-3-r

o

iuo.y .i.r« iixrau

_Va ad

-Al»- •

J)..,,,,

L.W
>.

1

II GOiMM.

(JtaBi |

"I

. u,i,V.--|

Hw'^SSfffl.

lliin.,1... a lull -apply of

S,Tiir-i&,B; BOOPS,

^a..ii..lne in pari nf i1ib.Io1Ioii-.iii; articles :'

: .:;"cl

Tiii'liinljr

Xdle..' ..

bO imkci molo do.. ,

3l"JL.n.c,ddo."

|1U.-F.I.W 1

'$*&>■■<»*■.

Cl..ca = n;-Noa.l,|P38— 2V?

it! =;§ Is tSlt Ajin t iiccaryj

i ::

itsaTunJ Caiilc-Mtd:
i.nc^PyeStulTs.Mt:
c t .TJo nd j t spcciful If

l,_i- u' , II. .. Jlyjl,-..

.^,U,d,

ol^iiOaPl.vi^iiiiylQ-piiroiMy^

C SORttEBbl XKUOLPilS

aSt^Chicjzo:

□dtOUSI&.KiStV

J,^;a

'. li 1 ; ■•: ^l-TTT- : - . . ; .- 1 T I [ kf.Ku.T l iMCfl

to fl ui [(lin c sS LikoTSt7-C h i cis o; '•.'.' v. 7? w.^T^kiA'^l

FAC-SIMILE 01 FIRST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ILLINOIS.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

S*3

The Quid Nunc was a four page paper, size twenty-
two by thirty-two inches, four columns to a page. It
was the first penny paper published west of the
Alleghany mountains. The initial number appeared
July 5, 1842, David S. Griswold editor, David D. Gris-
wold proprietor; Ellis, Fergus & Co., publishers. Its
design was set forth in the prospectus, which enunciated
the following plan : The Quid Nunc will seek to "ad-
vance the cause of Literature, the Fine Arts, Science,
Commerce, Agriculture, and the Mechanical Arts ; com-
bined with such other topics, of local and general in-
terest as circumstances may from time to time give rise
to. Its columns will be open to such communications
and discussions, as may be approved, on all subjects,
excepting Religion and Politics ; neither of these will
in any shape, be admitted within them. It will contain
short original essays, mainly on practical subjects,
designated to do away pernicious prejudices, without
reference to their origin, long standing or general ac-
ceptance. It will give no currency, nor encouragement
to personalities, in any shape whatever ; nevertheless as
a vehicle, or instrument of general reform, it will be its
pride and cue to lash folly, and expose oppression, in
whatever guise appearing or by whomsoever practiced."
This declaration was signed by William Ellis, Robert
Fergus and David G. Griswold. The paper was discon-
tinued August 16, 1842, after thirty-seven numbers had
been issued. The similarity in names — David D. and
David G. Griswold — naturally suggests an error ; but
none exists in this statement. The cause of the paper's
suspension, as set forth by Robert Fergus, was that
David I). Griswold collected and retained all the money
realized from the publication of the paper, and Messrs.
Ellis & Fergus, owning the type, paper, etc., and doing
all the printing without receiving any cash for the same,
refused to further continue its publication. The remain-
ing parties observed their faith with the public, it is un-
necessary to state, in the closing of the business.

The Northwestern Baptist was a semi-weekly
paper, the pages of which were fourteen by ten and one-
half inches that was published by "a committee," with
Thomas Powell as editor, at the office of the Western
Citizen, 124 Lake Street. This paper was the first
religious publication in the city of Chicago and was, as
its name indicates, devoted to the interest and advance
of the Baptist denomination. It had for its motto :
" Earnestly contend for the faith which was once de-
livered unto the saints." The initial number was is-
sued September 15, 1842, and the last September 15,
1844, subsequent to which date it was removed from
this city.

The Chicago Republican was issued on December
14, 1842, as a weekly newspaper, by A. R. Niblo, from
Harmon and Loomis's buildings, corner of Clark and
South Water streets, late the American office. Its size
was sixteen by twenty-two inches per page, four pages
of six columns each. This newspaper was established
to create a public sentiment that should tend to re-elect
President Tyler to office, and likewise it was contem-
plated that the paper should act as " a power behind the
throne " in the disposition of the offices in the gift of
the Executive. The paper is stated to have been sold
in June, 1843, to Messrs. Cleveland and Gregory, the
latter gentleman retiring from its management subse-
quently, leaving F. W. Cleveland its sole manager. The
paper is supposed to have lived about a year. Mr. Niblo
removed to Oswego, Kendall County, and commenced
the publication of the Kendall County Free Press. After
holding several county offices, Mr. Niblo was killed on
the Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne Railroad at Washington,

Ohio, June 22, 1858, being Postmaster at Newark, Ken-
dall Co., III., al the time of his death.

The Western Citizen was first issued in 1842,
from [43 Lake Street, every Thursday, by Zebina East-

maii M\t\ Asa I!, brown, with Zebina Eastman as editor.
As might be inferred from the fact that the war-horse

of abolitionism occupied the sanctum, the Western Citi-
zen was an anti-slavery paper. In 1841 Mr. Eastman,
with Hooper Warren, had published the "Genius of
Liberty " at Lowell, LaSalle County, and upon the sus-
pension of that paper Mr. Eastman came to Chicago
and was a compositor in the American office until a
short time before the publication of the Western Citi-
zen. In 1845 the office was moved to 63 Lake Street,
and Eastman and (D.J Davidson were associated in its
publication. In 1849 the firm became Eastman &
J. McClellan, and so remained until 1852, when Mr.
Eastman was sole publisher and proprietor. In 1853
the Western Citizen died, it having been maintained by
Mr. Eastman more for principle than profit, and to sow
those seeds of emancipation and personal liberty that
arrived at their rich fruition in the Emancipation Pro-
clamation of our martyred President in 1863. The
struggle of Mr. Eastman, the sacrifices of time and
money he made in the cause of liberty, the unremune-
rated and arduous exertions lie displayed, well qualified
him for the office of

" A nerve o'er which might sweep

" The else nnfelt oppressions of this earth."

The business office was destroyed by fire May, 1850.

The Youths' Gazette, a juvenile paper, was started
by K. K. Jones May 18, 1843, and ceased to exist on
the 26th of July following.

The Better Covenant was first published simul-
taneously at Rockford, and St. Charles, 111., by Rev.
Seth Barnes and William Rounseville, on January 0,
1842, in the interest of the Universalist denomination.

and was issued weekly. On February 2, 1843, the Rev.
Mr. Barnes became sole editor and proprietor. The
printing of the paper was at first done exclusively in
Rockford, but a printing press, etc., being purchased of
Zebina Eastman, the establishment was moved to St.
Charles, where it remained for a short time, and on
April 6, 1843, was removed to Chicago, the number of
the paper being Volume II, Number 14, Mr. Barnes be-
ing still editor and proprietor, and Charles Stedman
the printer. This initial number, issued in Chicago,
contains the following announcement : " This paper is
now located in Chicago, and here we intend to remain
so long as we are interested in the publication of this
paper. Our office at present is on the corner of Water
and Wells streets, entrance from Water Street." On the
18th of May, 1843, the office was on Randolph Street,
west of Chapman's building ; and on the 24th of Au-
gust, 1843, A. P. Spencer is announced as the printer.
On March 7, 1844, the Rev. William Rounseville ap-

;m

HISTORY OK CHICAGO:

peared as assistant editor, and this gentleman assumed
the editorship and proprietorship of the paper on Sep-
tember 5, 1844. the Rev. Seth Barnes retiring from his
connection with the Better Covenant, on account of
chronic inflammation of the eyes. On November 21,
1S44. it was announced that Cyrus B. Ingham had be-
come co-proprietor with Mr. Rounseville, and on June
;. 1S4;. the former gentleman assumed the sole proprie-

torship of the paper, with the office at 99 Lake Street.
Mr. Ingham thus narrates his experience with the
Better Covenant : " I continued the paper until the
fall of i S47. when I sold the list to John A. Gurley, of
the Star in the West, of Cincinnati, Ohio. During a
portion of the time several clergymen of the denomina-
tion were engaged as assistant editors. At one time
the names of W. E. Manley, George W. Lawrence, F.
J. Briggs and L>. P. Bailey appeared as editors. The
last year of its publication S. P. Skinner, at the
time pastor of the Society at Chicago, had editorial
charge. * * * I-t may be remarked that all these
years Illinois and Chicago was without a railroad, and
that during this time the .Mexican War was passed
through, and financially the Red Dog and other ficti-
tious currency became worthless. Some of these vears
the people of the country were all sick; not enough
well ones to care for the sick. At some times a load of
wheat or pork could not be sold in Chicago for money.
N On the whole the old Better Covenant was a
losing affair. I went into it with about $1,800 means,
and went out of it over $1,000 in debt, with no as-
sets but a worthless subscription account ; five years of
labor and life were spent, and it took me ten years
more before I was able to clear off theold score." Thus
terminated the first chapter of the existence of the
I letter Covenant ; but it will be perceived that it be-
came resuscitated in the Star and Covenant by the sub-
scription list of the Star in the West the paper to which
the subscription list of this paper was transferred by Mr.
Ingham being incorporated with that paper in the New
Covenant, and the union of these two papers being
designated the Star and Covenant, a narration of which
will be found in the proper chronological period per-
taining to that event.

The New Covenant was first issued in January,
1S4S. by Rev W. K. Manley and Rev. J. M. Day, as a
weekly newspaper and an advocate of the Universalist
denomination. Mr. Manley thus briefly recounts the
existent e of the paper : " Knowing, as I thought I did,
that the Better Covenant had failed through mismanage-
ment. I. and a brother-in-law, Rev. J. M. Day, started
the New Covenant in the spring of [848. As Mr. Day

had a wife and family and I had none at least no wife,
as she died the previous September , I did the traveling
and he remained in the city. After about a year he
withdrew, and I sold out to Rev. S I'. Skinner. He

published the paper, with indifferent success pecuniarily,
but was himself a most excellent editor. He sold to I..
B. Mason" in 1855 . Mr. Mason conducted the paper
beyond the period of which this volume treats.

The Chicago Democratic Advocate and Com-
mercial Advertiser was started February 3, 1844, by
Messrs. Ellis & Fergus, publishers and proprietors, in
the Saloon Building. It was a weekly paper, issued on
Saturday during the earlier part of its
existence, and on Tuesday during its latter
issuance. Its size, Mr. Robert Fergus
states, was twenty -four by thirty -four
inches and contained six wide columns
to the page. The last number was issued
in January, 1846. It was nominally with-
out an editor, but such able men as Norman
B. Judd, William B. Ogden, Ebenezer Peck, Isaac N.
Arnold, and others, furnished editorials. It was the cor-
poration newspaper in 1844 and 1845, and the discon-
tinuance of the corporation patronage may have pre-
cipitated the discontinuance of the paper.

Tin: Illinois Medical and Surgical Journal,
the first medical journal issued in Chicago, was com-
menced in April, 1844, in the interests of the faculty of
Rush Medical College, with Dr. J. V. Z. B'.aney as the
editor, the issue comprising sixteen pages and printed
by Ellis & Fergus, book and job printers, at the Saloon
Building. The two first volumes were issued monthly,
but in April, 1846, a new series was commenced and the
Journal was christened The Illinois and Indiana Med-
ical and Surgical Journal, with an editorial staff com-
prising Doctors James Y. Z. Blaney, Daniel Brainard,
William B. Herrick, and John Evans, and published in
Chicago by Ellis & Fergus, and in Indianapolis by C.
B. Davis. The issue was made bi-monthly. To re-
count the struggles against adverse fortune that this
Journal underwent is impossible; the dubitations of the
printer, whose bills were frequently more prominent
in his mind by their continuity than their liquidation;
the faith of the editors — when did an editor ever lose
faith in his publication? — and the numerous corps of
the early medical practitioners and students of our city,
who aided the Journal to obtain recognized value among
the medical fraternity by their contributions, all are re-
corded in the memories of the associates of this period-
ical, but to attempt their recital would be futile. In
1848 the cognomen of the publication again underwent
a transformation, appearing for the two months of
April and May as Yolume 1, Number 1, of The North-
western Medical and Surgical Journal, but with the
same editorial management as the preceding numbers,
and published by William Ellis, at Chicago, and John
D. Defrees, at Indianapolis. In 1849 the names of W.
B. Herrick, M. D., and John Evans, M. 1)., appeared
as the editors, and J. W. Duzan, Chicago and Indian-
apolis, as the printer and publisher, and the subsequent
year John Evans, M. D., and Edwin G. Meek, M. D.,
comprised the editorial staff, and C. A. Swan, Chicago
and Indianapolis, was the accredited printer. The same
editors appeared in 1851, but with James J. Langdon,
Chicago and Indianapolis, as printer. In 1852 Dr.
John Evans was sole editor and Langdon & Rounds,
Chicago and Indianapolis, were the printers. That
year Dr. Evans subsequently Governor of Colorado,
sold his interest in the Journal for five acres of land on
the West Side, and with the increase of value in Chicago
real estate, this plot of land afterward became of the
value of $5,000,000; but Dr. Evans had parted with it
long before its accession of valuation. In May, 1852,
another new series was commenced, the issue being

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monthly and numerically designated as Volume 1, Num-
ber 1 ; Volume 11 ending with Number 8 in December,
1853, with W. B. Herrick, M. I)., as editor, assisted by
H. A. Johnson, A. M., M. I)., and with l'.allantyne &
Co. as printers and publishers, in the new post-office
building, corner of Clark and Randolph streets, oppo-
site the Sherman House. Dr. N. S. Davis succeeded
Dr. Herrick as chief editor in May, 1854, Dr. H. A.
Johnson continuing as assistant editor; the publication
being in the hands of A. B. Case, book anil job printer,
Chicago, who in 1856 was succeeded by Robert Fergus
as printer and publisher. In 1S57 N. S. Davis, M. D.,
had sole editorial charge of the Journal and the pub-
lishing was done at the "Chronotype" book and job
office, Barnet & Clarke, printers. The December num-
ber, 1857, terminated this issue of the magazine underthe
name of The Northwestern Medical and Surgical Jour-
nal. Relative to the gentleman who had the sole charge
of the Journal at that time, an extract from the North-
western Christian Advocate of June 1, 1853, will give
the estimation in which he was held by his fellow-citi-
zens : " Speaking of Prof. Davis, we may not here sup-
press an expression of that admiration of his character,
which, in common with many others, we have so often
felt. His learning and professional skill are not, as is
so often the case, employed for mere purposes of
money-getting; but amidst the pressing engagements of
the duties of a professorship and a private practice he
finds time — takes time — to labor with all the efficiency
of his superior qualifications in the great reforms of the
day. In the columns of our City Press, and our popular
lecture-rooms he is to be found, for example, advancing
the cause of temperance, and exploring the long and
dark train of evils that have their rise in the fontal
curse of our race."

The Gem ok the Prairie was begun May 20, 1844,
by K. K. Jones and James S. Beach, from their office
in the Commercial Building, 63 Lake Street, and pur-
ported to furnish literary miscellany and general in-
telligence, on four pages, of sixteen and one-fourth
by twenty-one and one-half inches, for $1.50 per
annum, the issue being weekly. William H. Bush-
nell, now of Washington, D. C, was general contributor.
After about a year's management Messrs. Jones &
Beach sold the paper to J. Campbell and T. A. Stewart,
who continued business at the " old stand," and after a
short editorial and proprietary career by this company,
Mr. Campbell retired. Thomas A. Stewart, subsequently
of the Tribune, continued it under his individual man-
agement until the latter part of 1846, when he asso-
ciated with him James Kelley. In May, 1850, the edi-
tors were John E. Wheeler. John L. Scripps, afterward
of the Democratic Press, and T. A. Stewart ; Stewart &
Co. were the publishers. In July, 1850, John E.
Wheeler retired, leaving Messrs. Scripps & Stewart as
editors, and Stewart, Waite & Co., publishers. In
1847, the Gem had been purchased by the management
of the Tribune, and was issued until 1852 from that
office, when it became wholly merged in the Tribune.
Among the contributors to this paper were: Joseph K.
C. Forrest, Mrs. Mary Clarkson Hoard, E. A. Guilbert,
I.ila F. Trask, Joseph Vial Smith, the Misses Collins
daughters of J. H. Collins , B. F. Taylor, and W. H.
Bushnell.

The Garland of the West was projected by
Robert N. Garrett and Nelson W. Fuller. But one
copy was issued, July 30, 1845.

The Spirit of Temperance Reform was started
in 1845 by J. E. Ware, but soon died.

The Western Magazine, the first literary maga-

zine published in Chicago, was issued in October, 1845,
by Rounseville & Co. In September, 1846, John Jaj
Moon purchased the concern, and published two num-
bers, when the periodical ended its brief life.

The Chicago Daim News, a Liberty paper, had
a short existence, from the latter part of 1845 to Janu-
ary 6, 1846, under the management of Eastman & Da-
vidson. This was the first daily issued without a weekly
edition. S. W. Chapel was assistant editor.

The Chicago Volksfreund, the pioneer German
paper in this city, was begun in December, 1845, by
Robert B. Hoeffgen, as a weekly. It was continued
until the spring of 1848. J. J. Waldburger was an edi-
torial writer thereon.

The Illinois Staats Zeitung was established in
April, 1848, by Robert Bernhard Hoeffgen, as a weekly
newspaper, the amount of capital invested in the enter-
prise being about two hundred dollars; but in those
primitive days the energy, mental and muscular, of the
editor and publisher, atoned for lack of funds, and the
one-man power that comprised the editorial staff was
frequently the same individual momentum that wielded
the lever upon the " man-killer " press. Mr. Hoeffgen's
staff consisted of a boy, who received the emolument of
seventy-five cents a day; and the editor, after writing
his articles, locking up his forms and going to press,
took the edition under his arm and distributed it to his
subscribers. Shortly after its establishment, Dr. Hell-
muth took the editorial chair, and under the manage-
ment of this gentleman the Staats Zeitung commenced
to manifest its political potentiality, and to champion
and elaborate those principles that were afterward the
tenets of the Republican party. In December, 1848,
Arno Voss became the editor, and he, in 1849, was suc-
ceeded by Herman Kriege, whose name has become
widely known by his work, " The Fathers of the Re-
public," and who, years afterward, became insane,
and died December 31, 1850, in New York City. Un-
der the direction of Mr. Kriege the issue was made
semi-weekly, and then tri-weekly ; and the circulation
was accredited, in round numbers, at one thousand.
At that time George Schneider was at St. Louis, en-
gaged in the publication of a daily newspaper entitled
the Neue Zeit, a paper with anti-slavery tendencies.
His office being burned down about the time that Mr.
Hoeffgen solicited Mr. Schneider to take the editorial
management of the Staats Zeitung, the latter gentle-

man accepted the proffer, and on August 25, 185 1, took
possession of the sanctum and increased the issue of the
paper to a daily imprint. Toward the end of 1852 the
paper was enlarged and George Hillgaertner became one
of the editors. This gentleman was one of the refugees
of 1849, and came with Dr. Gottfried Kinkle to Chicago,
where a large meeting was convoked to welcome them ;
Mr. Hillgaertner married a sister of Arno Voss and
settled permanently in Chicago. During that year Mr.
Schneider purchased a half-interest in the paper and
became co-publisher and proprietor with Mr. Hoeffgen.
In 1854. the publication of the Sunday Zeitung was
commenced, the first Sunday edition of a daily news-
paper issued in Chicago; and in this year Edward Schlae-
ger was also made a member of the editoral staff. This
gentleman had commenced the publication of the
Deutsche Amerikaner, a daily, in 1854, antagonistic to

59°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the Nebraska bill, but the Culminations of the Staats
Zeitung against that bill were so tense, forcible and per-
tinent that there was no public need for another paper
enunciating the same principles as the Zeitung. The
Amerikaner was discontinued. On the 29th of January,
1854, George Schneider convoked the first meeting to
oppose the Nebraska bill and the extension of slavery.
The meeting was held at Warner's Hall, on Randolph
street, near Clark, and was probably the first meeting
publicly held for this purpose in the United States. At
that meeting resolutions were passed embodying the
sense of the participants in that demonstration. A copy
of these resolutions was sent to Hon. John Wentworth,
then member of Congress, and he, recognizing the voice
oi the people and their wishes in the matter, voted ad-
verselv to the Nebraska bill. His was the first Demo-
cratic vote cast in the House against that celebrated
measure. With how much reason the Staats Zeitung
claims the inaugural movement that resulted in the for-
mation of the Republican party, its historical adherance
to the Buffalo platform and its hostility to the Nebraska
bill and slavery will demonstrate without comment.
During that year also an attack was made upon the
Staats Zeitung by a mob the establishment being then
at No. 1 2 Wells Street i and numbers of citizens prof-
fered assistance to resist the attack; but Mr. Schneider
said that while he controlled the paper he would defend
it. and the determined front presented by that gentle-
man and his assistants, who were all armed, cowed the
mob and they retired without perpetrating any violence.
To revert to an item that concerned the newspaper
per se in this year, it is a matter of fact that Dr. Aaron
Gibbs, who was a fierce anti-slavery man, collected such
a multiplicity of advertisements that an extra had to
to be issued in order to provide space for their insertion.
Subsequently H. Beinder became incorporated with the
editorial staff ; as did Daniel Hertle, a refugee of 1849,
who was one of the most accomplished writers ever
upon the paper. Edward Remack then was appointed
editor of the Sonntag Zeitung, then designated Die
Westen, and his caustic and witty articles will long be
remembered by the readers of the paper. He was also
noted as a musical and dramatic critic, in which
role he had hardly a superior. He left Chicago
and settled in New York City, where he died.
In 1855, another ineffective demonstration in mob force
was made against the paper, growing out of political
feeling; but as in the former instance, no damage resulted
to the Staats Zeitung ; the armed neutrality of the pa-
per forming a bulwark, whereon the turbid waves of

tent dashed into a mere spray of threats. The
Staats Zeitung lent its voice in calling the first Editorial
Convention, held at Decatur in February, 1856, which
was attended by that noble son of the great State of
Illinois, Abraham Lincoln. At that convention the
native American party were strongly represented by
adherents of the party as delegates; yet that organiza-
tion framed resolutions inimical to slavery, and favora-
ble to foreign-born < itizens, despite the native Ameri-
can disciples. How much, or how little, of this result

■ liable to the influence of the newspaper is, of
course, an open question, but the bases of those resolu-
tions were tenaciously and unwaveringly championed by
the paper; therefore, it is only just to accredit the
Staats Zeitung with having wielded some power that
i in this consummation; the more especially as
Mr. Schneider, the editor of the paper, was present and
argued untiringly for the resolutions he had introduced.
Govenor Palmer, Abraham Lincoln, Norman 1!. fudd,
I: ' I ooke, and others, favored those resolutions ami

they were passed amid a tumult of excitement, under
the special advocacy of Abraham Lincoln, who stated
to his old Whig friends (the majority of whom at that
time were in the Native American party, that " the
resolutions of Mr. Schneider contained nothing which
had not been said in the Declaration of Independence."
The State Convention at Decatur called the Blooming-
ton Convention of 1856, and there resolutions of similar
liberal character were passed. There Mr. Schneider
was elected Delegate-at-Large, to the Philadelphia Con-
vention, where John C. Fremont was nominated as a
candidate for the presidency. It is known to history
that the party called the North American fa euphemism
for Native American) party, had their National Con-
vention in session at the same time and anticipated and
desired a co-operation with the new party, whose
nucleus was formed by the adherents of the resolutions
adverse to slavery and in favor of the foreign-born
American citizen. To prevent any such amalgamation,
the Illinois delegates, Palmer, Schneider, Judd, and
others, at once rallied their forces and compromised on
the election of Henry Lane, of Indiana, for president of
the convention, who pledged himself to support the
Illinois resolutions; and the committee on platform was
organized with that view, which committee incorporated
those resolutions in the platform of the new party.
When the report came before the convention the ut-
most turbulence prevailed, and after the section favor-
ing the Illinois resolutions was read, even such a man
as Thaddeus Stevens arose and denounced them as an
insult to the great American party of Pennsylvania, and
moved their rejection by special amendment. The Illi-
nois delegates had friends in most of the Western dele-
gations, and, pending any decision upon Mr. Stevens'
resolution, it was determined that, should such amend-
ments be passed, a demonstration should be made
of leaving the convention en masse ; but the president,
(Mr. Lane of Indiana), on the vote of the convention,
declared the resolutions adopted amid the greatest up-
roar from the dismayed North ('or Native) Americans.*
The German-American party claim that this epoch was
the birth of the National Republican party, and was a
decisive check to the Democratic party in the North-
western States, because the door was opened to affilia-
tion in the new party by foreign-born citizens in those
States. In consequence the Old Line pro-slavery)
Whigs joined the Democratic party, and the liberal por-
tion cast their lot in with the Republicans. It is now
generally conceded that without this division the ques-
tion of slavery would not have had the decision of the
people as soon as it had, and the new party in its con-
flict for ascendancy in the State and the final issue upon
the battle-field, would have been without the co-operation
of the liberal portion of the Democratic party. As an-
other result, two-thirds of the German papers all over
the Northern States joined the new liberalized party,
and shortly thereafter the effects were demonstrated at
the popular elections in the Northern States. The
Staats Zeitung by its indomitable zeal and unwavering
championship, converted most of the Germans to the
new faith. Its editors were prominent among the most
influential speakers at the various meetings where the
politics of the day were discussed, during the memor-
able Fremont campaign.

March 31, 1856, the Common Council empowered

* It may be contended that this recital is rather recounting the history of
American politics than the life of a newspaper. Hut it must be remembered
that Mr. Schneider during this period was the chief editor of the paper, and by
his action the exponent of its principles. The utterances of Mr. Schneider asa
delegate were the writings of that gentleman in the Staats Zeitung, their aims
and intetesta in civil polity were identical, and to view one disassociated front
the other would he injustice to both.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

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HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

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HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

395

the Staats Zeitung to do the public printing in the Ger-
man language. (See Democratic Press of that date.

Explanatory of the lack of minutiae in the history of
this paper, it is necessary to state that no earlier number
than one of 1861 is known to be extant ; hence a de-
scription of the size, appearance, etc., of the early edi-
tion of the paper is impossible.

The Chicago Commercial Advertiser was com-
menced by Alfred Dutch as a weekly, February 3, 1847.
In an autobiographical sketch v furnished by the cour-
tesy of T.Herbert Whipple, Mr. Dutch says: "He

Alfred Dutch) started out with the position that our
political, financial, fiducial and business matters were
all wrong and corrupt ; that an entire change in our
public men and public measures only, would save us
from irretrievable ruin, and that men having character
and an interest at stake must enter upon this business,
like business men, in a business manner. * * * To
his able and indefatigable labors for the system of cor-
porations may be ascribed our admirable and magnifi-
cent lines of railroads which constitute the pride, the
boast and the riches of Illinois, and the means by which
a wise and sensible people could undertake the most
grand, stupendous and magnificent enterprises, and
carry them through to the credit, honor and glory of the
State, and to the happiness and comfort of our people.
There is one great service which Mr. Dutch rendered
the State during his editorial and public labors which
has never been duly appreciated and acknowledged.
This is, his instrumentality in obtaining from Congress
the magnificent grant of lands for the Illinois Central
Railroad, and in saving those lands afterward from the
grasp of the vandals." * * * The Maine Law had
been passed in quite a number of the States. A tem-
perance epidemic raged over the face of the land. It
was fashionable among churchmen, politicians, temper-
ate men and inebriates. The Maine Law had been car-
ried everywhere else, and thousands of dollars were of-
fered to be bet that k would be carried by forty thou-
sand majority in this State. " Mr. Dutch said if this
question were fairly presented to the people the bill
would be voted down. He entered the lists alone, with
nearly or quite all the clergymen, presses and dema-
gogues against him. He argued the question with
dignity, candor and power. The paper was circulated
and read in almost every family in the State during the
campaign of six weeks. His opponents heaped upon
him mountains of personal invective, which he never
heeded, but discussed the whole subject with the great-
est of calmness, appealing to the reason and common
sense, and not to the passions of his readers, and the
returns exhibited fifteen thousand majority against the
law." About 1849 the issuance was made daily, tri-
weekly and weekly. Financial difficulties, however,
constantly supervening, the issue was anything but
regular, and frequent hiatuses occurred during the
course of its publication. One of these occurred in
March, 1853, when Frank Sherman and other creditors
seized the type, etc., and ejected it into the street and
an adjacent stable. In the latter part of April it was
re-established, but only to linger a little longer, expiring
that year.

The Western Herald was first issued on April 1,
1846, by Rev. J. li. Walker and B. F. Worrall, as an anti-
slavery, anti-masonic, temperance paper and an advo-
cate of all the principles of the Society of Friends that
decry wrong or injury to individuals or things. The

issue was made upon a monetary basis created by a sub-
scription raised by Rev. R. W. Patterson, pastor of the
Second Presbyterian Church, the donations to which
were principally from that Church; and upon a theolog-
ical basis of enunciating the doctrines of the New-
School Presbyterians and the Congregationalists, whose
interests and dogmas were at that time almost identical.
The "staff" of the paper was the Rev. Mr. Walker,
editor, Mr. Worrall, printer, and at their office on Wells
Street was also printed three sides of the Watchman of
the Prairie 1 the first recorded "patent" paper the mat-
ter upon these three pages being common to both pa-
pers. Upon the blank pages of their three-sided
"patent" the Baptists subsequently expounded their de-
nominational views, and upon the blank page resulting
to them, from their division of the typographical labors,
the New-School Presbyterians and Congregationalists
elaborated their theology ; both papers being issued
weekly.

In 1847, the name of the paper was changed to
Herald of the Prairies.

In 1848, James Shaw was assistant editor In Au-
gust, 1849, the paper was sold to I. Ambrose Wight and
William Bross; the former gentleman now being a min-
ister of the Presbyterian denomination and a I). D., and
the latter an ex-Lieutenant-Governor of this State ; and
by them the name was changed to the Prairie Herald,

the co-operative arrangement with the Watchman of the
Prairie being continued. Rev. G. S. F. Savage, of St.
Charles, 111., and the Rev. A. L. Chapin, of Beloit, Wis.,
were appointed corresponding editors. In November,
1 85 1, Mr. Bross sold his interest to Mr. Wight, who
continued the paper until March, 1853, when he dis-
posed of the subscription list to Rev. John C. Holbrook
for $1,000, the sum received being $200 more than the
paper had been offered for sale for a few weeks pre-
viously. That gentleman changed its name to the Con-
gregational Herald, and issued the first number ex-
clusively in the Congregationalist interest on April 7,
1853. Rev. J. M. Davis was made associate editor,
which position he held until August 2, 1853, when he
vacated the sanctum to accept the pastorate of the Con-
gregational Church in Rutland, Mass. The correspond-
ing editors were J. J. Miter, John Lewis, (). Emerson.
Jr., W. Salter, H. D. Kitchell, .L. Smith Hobart, S.
Peet, G. S. F. Savage, F. Bascom, J. B. Walker, and M.
A. Jewett. In 1854 the editors were Rev. J. C. Hol-
brook subsequently superintendent of Home Missions

396

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

for the State of New York . and Rev. N. H. Eggleston.
Mr. Holbrook was, on July 3, 1850, installed as pastor
of the Congregational Church, Dubuque. Iowa, but his
name remained as editor of the Herald until 1856. Sub-
sequently connected with the paper as editors were Rev.
O. W. Perkins who died while editor of this paper and
pastor oi the First Congregational Church, November
1 ;, 1856 . W. A. Nichols. W. W. 1'atton. J. F. Rov, S.
C. Hartlett. Samuel Wolcott and Darius F. Jones, until
in 18^7. when Rev. H. F. Hammond assumed exclusive
charge. After the dissolution of the combination plan
of denominational publication, pursued anterior to
the issue of the Congregational Herald, the Herald
firmly championed the cause of the Congregationalists,
and persistently maintained its antagonism to slavery or
any complicity therewith in any shape or manner, and
strenuously advocated the establishment of the Theolog-
ical Seminary, as a necessity to the Congregational
churches in the Northwest. In April, 1854, after sev-
eral preliminary efforts, a meeting was held in the
rooms of the Herald, with Philo Carpenter as chair-
man, and thereat, consequent upon the logical reason-
ing and strenuous advocacy of Rev. O. W. Per-
kins, the Seminary was decided upon. At this, and
other meetings it assumed determinate shape. Under
the auspices of the editors of this paper, the triennial
convention of 1854 was called, and they were prime
movers in the organization of the board of directors
for the Theological Seminary in March, 1855, with Philo
Carpenter and G. YV. Perkins among the members. Of
the death of Mr. Perkins, Rev. F. P. Goodwin, D. I).,
in his sermon before the First Congregational Church,
on May 21, 1S76, thus speaks: "I cannot take the
time here to set forth in fitting terms the character and
the work of this man of Coil. And there is the less
need of this since the Church with touching and grate-
ful appreciation has spread upon its records a most lov-
ing testimonial of his rare ability and worth. Indeed
I have yet to see that eulogium upon any man's char-
acter, or life, or work, that for affectionateness of spirit,
range of qualities admired, and glowing emphasis of
encomium, is to be named with this tribute to the first
pastor of this Church. If Mr. Perkins was the half of
what is there set forth, either as a man or a minister, he
must have been a marvel, a kind of Boanerges and
Barnabas combined — such as the Church and the world
seldom see. If you can only say of my Brother Pat-
ton and myself, when our work is done, that we were
not unworthy to be his successors, it will be eulogy
enough." It should be added, that a marble tablet suit-
ably inscribed was provided by vote of the Church, and
placed in the vestibule of the house of worship.

In 1856, a Herald fund was established, to be made
up of contributions to the amount of $10,000, for the
continuation of the paper, and the profits were promised
to be given to the Chicago Theological Seminary. Be-
tween $7, 000 and S'^.°°° wire subscribed, which re-in-
vigorated the paper, then suffering from financial maras-
mus, and enabled it to exist longer than the period
treated of in this volume.

As a matter of adventitious, as well as relevant, his-
tory, the following, from the pen of the Rev. J. Am-
Wight, will be found of interest; " I arrived in
Chicago in September. 1836, by Stage from Bennington,
Vt.. to Albany, N. Y., by railroad to I'tica, the cars
being in compartments, with two opposite seats in a
compartment; by canal tl to Buffalo; by steam-
Detroit, and by stage, so-called, by
way of euphemism, to Chicago; '-;,( h mode from Utica
being the worst. 'The journey consumed fourteen days,

including a Sunday at Rochester and another at Niles
I stopped at the Tremont, a two-story wood building,
corner of Take and Clark streets; the steps to its stairs
were high and the chamber floor uncarpeted. While
looking for employ, it was suggested by a Democrat,
that 1 take the Chicago Democrat off the hands of Mr.
Calhoun, and run it. I replied that I was a Whig; the
answer was that ' editing was a profession ;' a remark
which 1 have not fathomed to this day.

" 1 spent three weeks in November with a surveying
party, on the Illinois & Michigan Canal, under leader-
ship of F. D. Talcott, and was offered a place as assist-
ant engineer; but had already engaged in a mercantile
enterprise with John Wright, the partnership including
his son, 'Timothy, with whom 1 started, the 7th of
I )ecember, on foot, carrying an axe on shoulder, for Rock
River. We settled at Rockton, and our trade at that
point lasted until the death of the elder partner, in 1839.
I then went to Rockford, where, in 1842-43,1 made my
first editorial venture, with the Winnebago Forum, the
first ancestor of the Rockford Register. It was not a
paying institution, and 1 listened to a proposition of
John S. Wright, son of my mercantile partner, to enter
upon the editorship of the Prairie Farmer. This I did
in May, 1843, and so continued with one brief interval,
until January, 1856. Soon after my connection with the
paper, Mr. Wright left for New York and Washington
for threeweeks. The three weeks became eleven months;
the effect of which was to throw the whole management
of the paper upon me, both as publisher and editor. So
it continued until the year 185 1, Mr. Wright's name re-
mained as editor and publisher, but his editorial work
was confined to the educational department, for which
he occasionally wrote. He did not claim any considera-
ble acquaintance with agriculture, having, I think, never
worked a day upon a farm in his life. But he was a man
quick to see a need or an opportunity, and had com-
menced the Farmer in 1841, and had been its sole editor
until my connection with it. * * * * In the sum-
mer of 1849, Hon. William Bross, who had been joined
with S. C. Griggs in the book business, but had become
separated from the firm, persuaded me to purchase with
him the Herald of the Prairie, of Rev. J. B. Walker,
and enter upon its publication; he to manage the busi-
ness and I to do the chief editing. We entered upon
the work in August, 1849, and continued together
until November, 185 1, when Mr. Bross sold his interest
to me. I carried it on until March, 1853, when I sold
the list of subscribers to Rev. J. C. Holbrook, and dis-
continued the paper. * * * After the sale of the
list to Mr. Holbrook, a new paper in the interest of the
Congregationalists was started and continued for some
nine years, called the Congregational Herald, which cost
something each year above its receipts. But under none
of its publishers, or names, was it a success. About the
time, or before our purchase of it, the two denominations
began to pull apart. Various causes were concerned in
this. 'The great anti-slavery contest was on hand, and
Chicago was a sort of Western headquarters of that
agitation. That agitation divided society, both secular
and religious, and take what ground you would, you dis-
pleased somebody. Nor was the displeasure slight. It
was characterized by a bitterness hardly conceivable
now. After my connection with the Herald with Mr.
Bross in 1S49, I did the chief editing of both papers,
the Herald and the Farmer, for a time, say for that and
the next year, till 1851."

In 1846 Robert Wilson published the Daily Cava-
lier, a penny paper. After it had been in existence a
short time Rev. William Rounseville made a contract to

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

397

CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE.

HOE NING EDIT ION

'CITY or CHICAGO, DEOEM BEfcffl,' 1850.

MORNING TRIBUNE jSp

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

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tit; LU-iiLWcUW ai.djl <;.' 1 bm F^i

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FAC-SIMII.K Dl CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

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FAC-S1MILF. OF CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE.

400

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

.DAILY .TRIBUE.

MOR.N lMi . 1 '■ PIT tOg-- j C^gjj-

i; K'M.O VrA^I: ' POINTING. 'PA PER;.

Bjtfa» ti' — U4 i

FAC-SIMILE OF CHICAGO DAILY TKIRUNE.

HISTORY OF THE 1'RKSS.

401

run it six weeks, commencing September 7, 1846, with
the privilege of purchasing it at the expiration of that
period. During this probationary period Messrs. Ellis
and Fergus printed the paper. It had also a tri-weekly
and weekly issue, twenty-five by eighteen and one-half
inches in size, of four pages. Mr. Rounseville states :
" At the end of six weeks I was ready to take it, but
owing to a misunderstanding in the terms of sale, Wil-
son refused to give it up, broke into the office and took
possession, and issued it for a short time, when it closed
up." As appears by a notice in the Weekly Democrat
of April 27, 1847, its death occurred shortly anterior to
that date, and the Cavalier rested with Charles 1.

Rev. William Rounseville, after his unsuccessful
attempt with the Daily Cavalier, in 1846, issued the
Morning Mail, but that proved unprofitable and was
shortly thereafter given up. From a contemporaneous
notice it appears to have subsided into a dead letter
about April 27, 1847.

The Chicago Ariel was published weekly for a
short time, in 1846, by C. H. Boner ; with Edward
Augustus as editor.

The Dollar Weekly, by William Duane Wilson,
was issued three or four months, in 1846.

The Valley Watchman, J. McChesney, publisher,
lived but a brief peri id in 1846 or early in 1847.

The Northwestern Educator, a monthly, by
James L. Enos and D. S. Curtiss, was begun in Septem-
ber, 1847, and lasted two years.

The Liberty Tree, an abolition monthly, was issued
by Eastman & Davison, in 1846, with Zebina Eastman
as editor. It was published two years.

The Chicago Tribune commenced its issue on
Thursday, July 10, 1847, in the third story of a building
on the corner of Lake and LaSalle streets, one room
being adequate for all the requirements of its limited
circulation. The gentlemen who officiated at the bap-
tismal font were Joseph K. C. Forrest, James J. Kelly,
and John E. Wheeler. The nan'e Tribune was sug-
gested by Mr. Forrest, and, after some little opposition
by his co-adjutors, was adopted. 1 he. ideas that actu-
ated that gentleman in the bestowal of the cognomen
are thus enunciated by him: " The origin and estab-
lishment of the Chicago Tribune were the initiation of
an entirely new departure in not only journalism, but
politics, in Chicago and the Northwest. The creation
of the Republican party is as much due to the estab-
lishment of the Chicago Tribune, as to any other one
cause. In 1846, the two great parties that divided the
country were in a peculiar and anomalous condition.
The Whig party had been thoroughly defeated in the
election of 1844, mainly through the disposition of its
candidate, Henry Clay, to look in opposite directions or
to compromise on the great issue between freedom and
slavery, then gradually looming into importance, and
which was finally precipitated upon the country by the
results of the Mexican War. The question of the an-
nexation of Texas, which, it was contended, would erect
a ' Gibraltar for Slavery in the South,' was also agitat-
ing the public mind ; and it certainly appeared that,
from the chaos of defeated politicians and unsettled
views, a party could be created embodying those prin-
ciples and tenets that were the platform of the Repub-
lican party ; and as a nucleus around which such a
party could be formed, the name Tribune was given ;
and although Mr. Forrest retired from the paper on
September 27, 1847, the impetus imparted by the name
has aggregated, until it is the mighty enunciator of
those doctrines prophetically conceived by its sponsor
in 1847. It has been carried along on what may be
26

called ' that stream of Providence ' which so often
compels men and parties to be governed by events,
which once having received an impetus in a given direc-
tion, are for ever after forced to the adoption of such
ends as were originally proposed and provided for
them." The first edition of the Tribune was but four
hundred copies, worked off by one of the editors, as
pressman, upon a Washington hand-press ; but every
stroke of the lever was annealing the substructure upon
which was erected the power and influence that has not
alone decided the fate of this city, but of the Nation.
From the Tribune, that had such an humble origin,
have been uttered dicta that have controlled the des-
tinies of parties and individuals of prominence in the
country, and infused the people with that patriotism
which bore such glorious results in the internecine con-
test. In July, 1847, Mr. Kelly, owing to failing health,
retired, selling his interest to Thomas A. Stewart, and
was several years subsequently a successful leather mer-
chant. Mr. Forrest dissolved his connection with the
paper in September ; this gentleman not alone being
an editor at the time, but an unordained clergyman of
the Swedenborgian denomination. Mr. Stewart, the
new editor, speedily realized some of the unpleasant-
ness attendant upon an editorial career, by receiving a
challenge from Captain Bigelow, commandant of the
United States vessel then stationed at this port. Mr.
Stewart had editorially stated that Captain Bigelow ought
to tow merchant vessels into the harbor, and the Captain,
deeming such an assertion insulting to the naval dig-
nity, sent a challenge to " Tom " Stewart, which he pub-
lished in the paper as an item of pleasing intelligence.
" The pen was mightier than the sword," for the latter
was never imbued in Mr. Stewart's gore, and the belli-
cose Captain subsequently towed belated merchant ves-
sels into Chicago harbor.

In 1847, The Gem of the Prairie was purchased
by the inaugurators of the Tribune, and these editor-
ial lapidaries used the type, etc., on the new paper,
continuing the Gem as the weekly edition of the Tri-
bune. There is a weekly Tribune dated February 1,

1849, in the possession of the Chicago Historical So-
ciety ; hence the issue of the Gem as the weekly edition
of the Tribune ceased prior to that date. It was, how-
ever, issued as a literary journal until 1852, when it be-
came wholly absorbed by the Tribune. August 23,
1848, John L. Scripps purchased a one-third interest,
the firm becoming Wheeler, Stewart & Scripps. On
May 22, 1849, the office was entirely destroyed by fire,
but the paper was issued two days subsequently. De-
cember 6th of that year an arangement was made
whereby regular telegraphic dispatches were received by
the Tribune, a pioneer movement in Chicago journalism.
February 20, 1849, the first number of the weekly edi-
tion was issued. In May, 1850, the Tribune was pub-
lished at the office of the Prairie Herald. The first
number known to be extant is that of December 28,

1850, published by John E. Wheeler, John L. Scripps,
and Thomas A. Stewart, at 1 7 >4 Lake Street. The
paper was a folio, thirteen and three-quarters by
nineteen and a half inches per page. Mr. Wheeler
sold his interest June 30, 185 1, to Thomas J.
Waite, who assumed the duties of business manager.
On June 12, 1852, a syndicate of leading Whig politic-
ians purchased the share of Mr. Scripps, and William
Duane Wilson became editor. Morning and evening
editions were published, the latter being soon discon-
tinued. August 26, 1852, Mr. Waite died, and his in-
terest was purchased by Henry Fowler. March 23,
1853, General Wilson's interest was purchased by Henry

4°-

HISTORV OF CHICAGO.

Fowler, Timothy Wright and General J. D. Webster.
On Tune iS. 1853, Joseph Medill came from Cleve-
land and purchased a share in the paper, whereupon
the issuance was made under the auspices of Wright,
Medill & Company, and Stephen N. Staples is specified
in the director)- tor 1853-54 as assistant editor. On
July 21, 1855, Thomas A. Stewart retired from the

partnership, and September 23, Dr. C. H. Ray and J. C.
Vaughan were the occupants of the chair editorial. At
the same time Alfred Cowles became a member of
the firm, which was thus composed of Toseph Medill,
Dr. C. H. Ray, Timothy Wright, J. D." Webster, John
C. Vaughan and Alfred Cowles. March 26,1857, Mr.
Vaughan withdrew and the partnership name became
Ray. Medill & Company.

The first number of the Watchman of the
Prairies was issued on the 10th of August, 1847, by
Rev. Luther Stone in the interest of the Baptist denomi-
nation, and was the first weekly Baptist newspaper pub-
lished in Chicago. Messrs. Walker and Worrel were its
first printers, at No. 171 Lake Street, second story. The
size of the paper was twenty-three and a half by eighteen
inches, containing seven columns. Until about 1849 the
paper was printed by this firm, when Wright & Bross
became its publishers. Mr. Stone, having perceived
the schisms and dissension that the great question of
slaven- was producing among the Baptists, raised the
standard of the " Watchman of the Prairies" around
which the anti-slavery members of the denomination
could rally, and at the same time endeavor to prove the
illegality and anti-Christianity of slavery. As custom-
ary with all pioneer editors, the work attendant upon
the establishment and maintenance of the paper was
most arduous and unremittent. Mr. Stone labored in-
defatigable and with undaunted perseverance, despite
the many obstacles he encountered. The success which
attended his efforts is a matter of historic record. The
first issue announces the transfer of the accounts of the
Western Star to its books. Three weeks elapsed be-
tween the issue of the initiatory number and the second
number, when the paper was continued without any
hiatus until February 22, 1853. Then the editor de-
termined upon taking a respite from his protracted and
severe work. Immediately subsequent to this date Mr.
Stone took a trip to the East, contemplating the pur-
chase of new material, etc., but receiving a proposition
from Dr. J. C. Burroughs, Levi D. Boone and A. D.
I itsworth to purchase the paper, he transferred the sub-
scription lists to those gentlemen. On August 31, 1853,
a committee of the lux River Association, consisting of
Rev. J. C. Burroughs, chairman, and ( >. Wilson, Rollin
Anderson, A. D. Titsworth and Dr. Levi D. Boone,
members issued the first number of the Christian
Times, of which paper Rev. J. C Burroughs was tnl
chief, and H. J. Weston and A, J. Joslyn assistant edi-
tors. On November 24 of this year the paper was sold
to the Revs. Leroy Church and J. A. Smith, I). D., the
latter gentleman becoming editor-in-chief, which posi-
tion he still retains. The office of tin- paper was located
at No. 7 Clark Street. On No [854, Rev. |.

A. Smith sold his interest to the Rev. J. F. Childs, and
the proprietary firm became Church & Childs. On
November 15 the office was removed to No. 16 I.aSalle

Street. On August 29, 1855, Rev. Mr. Childs sold his
interest to Mr. Church, who was sole proprietor until,
after various changes a little later on, Edward Good-
man became half proprietor this gentleman having been
connected with the paper since its first issue as the
Christian Times , and the firm name of the publishers
became Church & Goodman. Of the influence ex-
erted by this paper, of its large circulation and
its eminent adaptability to the requirements of
the needs of the denomination whose interests
it so ably conserves, no eulogium is required ;
the fact that as the Baptist denomination has
augmented the circulation of the paper has
increased is one proof, and that none are found
who carp at the tenets expounded, or the homilectics
set forth, is another and more conclusive evidence of
the paper fully answering the needs of the class of which
it is a typographical representative.

The Porcupine, by Charles Bowen and Thomas
Bradbury, was a short-lived paper which dates in the
winter of 1847-48.

The American Odd Fellow, the first organ of
secret societies published in Chicago, existed in 1848,
with J. L. Enos and Rev. William Rounseville as its
editors.

The Northwestern Journal of Homeop-
athia was a monthly journal of a partly scientific
and partly popular character, and was the first pub-
lished in Chicago advocating the science of Homeop-
athy. The first number was issued in October, 1848,
by George E. Shipman, editor and proprietor, and was
printed by Whitmarsh & Fulton, at 131 Lake Street.
The last number was issued in September, 1852, and
was not discontinued for lack of funds, as a number of
the proprietor's friends proffered him the means to con-
tinue its publication ; but he thought that if those for
whose benefit it was published did not think the journal
of sufficient value to contribute subscriptions adequate
to its maintenance, they could do without it. Its issue
was consequently suspended.

The Lady's Western Magazine, Charles L. Wil-
son, publisher ; B. F. Taylor and Rev. J. S. Hurlbut,
editors ; was issued for a few .months from December,
1848.

The Chicago Dollar Newspaper, a literary week-
ly, edited by J. R. Bull, was begun March 17, 1849, but
was discontinued the same year.

The Chicago Temperance Battle-Axe, a weekly,
by C. J. Sellon and D. D. Driscoll, was published in
1849, for a short time.

The Democratic Argus, daily and weekly, was
started in August, 1850, by B. W. Seaton and W. W.
Peck. Nothing of importance is remembered concerning
this paper.

The Eclectic Journal of Education and Lit-
erary Review : C. F. Bartlett, editor ; was first issued
as a monthly in June, 1850. In April, 185 1, Dr. N. S.
Davis became its editor, but the magazine lived only a
short time.

The Commercial Register, a weekly, by J. F.
Ballantyne, was one of the issues during a part of 1850.

In January, 1852, a monthly called The Chicago
Literary Budget was issued by W. W. Danenhower,
editor and proprietor, in the interest of his book and
news depot. January, 1853, it was changed into a sub-
scription weekly, devoted to literature and general
miscellany, whereof B. F. Taylor was editor. April 1,
1854, T. Herbert Whipple was designated as associate
editor, but really performed the editorial duties of the
paper, and also wrote quite a successful novelette, enti-

HISTORY OF THE PRESS

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HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

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HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

407

tied Ethzelda, or Sunbeams and Shadows, that was
afterward published by Rufus Blanchard, being proba-
bly the first of that species of literary production written,
printed and published in Chicago. It is likewise author-
itatively stated that the first music printed from movable
music type was set in the Literary Budget composing

t^tffc

room by Joseph Cockroft, the words to the music being
by Francis Clarke. S. P. Rounds for a long time
printed the title page for this paper, which, in 1855, was
merged in the Weekly Native Citizen, published also by
Mr. Danenhower.

The Christian Era, Rev. Epaphras Coodman, edi-
tor, was given a place in the list of unsuccessful efforts
for 1852.

The Western Tablet was published by Daniel

^L/^%

2^<^

O'Hara, Februa>/ 7, 1852, as a Catholic literary period-
ical, and lasted for three years.

The Chicago Daily Express and Commercial
Register, an independent daily penny paper, was
begun June 11, 1852, by J. Q. A. Wood and W. J. Pat-
terson.

The Weekly Express, J. F. Ballantyne & Co., lasted
one year, from some time in 1852.

The Daily Times and Citizen, a Free-Soil paper,
by Zebina Eastman, ran from some date in 1852 to Tulv,

1853-

Frihed's Banneret, the first Norwegian paper in
Chicago, was established in 1852, by Mouritzon &:
Kjoss, and printed from materials formerly used on the
Nordlyset, published in 1847, at Norway, Racine Co.,
Wis. Despite the utmost economy and energy on the
part of the publishers, the new paper lived but eleven
months, and the office was sold to the Staats Zeitung.
Several other Norwegian papers were attempted here
prior to 1857, but their names, even, cannot be recalled
at present.

The Daily Democratic Press was first issued on
September 16, 1852, by John L. Scripps and William
Bross. The paper was started exclusively upon its own
merits, and without the usual prerequisite to newspaper
publication — a subscription list. As Governor Bross
remarks: " It was established in the interest of the city,
the State and the great Northwest, and without any
view of making politics the standard of the paper, and
the advancement of individual politicians the aim of its
existence." As its title indicates, the Press acknowl-
edged allegiance to the then dominant political party,
but was fair and unprejudiced in its conduct toward
all. One of the especial features of the paper was its
commercial department, although in all its work ability
was evinced. A few days after the first issue of the
paper, the office was moved to No. 45 Clark Street, over
R. K. Swift's Bank, and from this place the first num-
ber of the weekly edition was issued. Here occurred
that episode that is a matter of oral tradition among
the older journalists. The religious views of Governor

Bross are well known, and the work requisite for the
issuing of a daily paper that was of necessity performed
upon Sunday, was a constant source of animadversion
by that gentleman. Mr. Scripps was working hard one
Sunday upon editorials, etc., and Mr. Bross, entering
the sanctum, remonstrated with him for breaking the
Sabbath. Mr. Scripps said, " Now, good Deacon, I
have worked from five this morning, and shall probably
continue until nine this evening, consequently I have
made no break in the Sabbath — it is a whole day." On
March 16, 1853, the paper was enlarged, and September
16, 1854, Barton W. Spears, then recently of the Ohio
Statesman, and for many years one of the editors of the
Monroe (Michigan : Commercial, who was a practical
printer, became associated with the firm, the title be-
coming Scripps, Bross & Spears. May 8, 1857, the
heading was changed in form and arrangement ; the
words Chicago and Press being upon either side of an oval
around a vignette of a printing press, and upon the
upper part of the oval was the word Daily, and upon
the lower part, Democratic. June 13, 1857, the vignette
was again altered, having a press in the center, a loco-
motive and cars upon the right, and a steamboat upon
the left of the press ; above the press upon a ribbon
was Daily in large letters, and below the press, on an-
other ribbon, the word Democratic in small type. This,
presumptively, marked the decadence of democratic
principles in the newspaper, and the acquirement of
those Republican tenets it steadfastly expounded.

Sloan's Garden City was first issued in 1853, by
Oscar B. Sloan, as a weekly newspaper, in the interest
of his patent medicines principally, and as an oracle
upon literary matter secondarily. The paper lasted two
or three years and was ably edited, having in its columns
many meritorious stories and miscellaneous contribu-
tions. William H. Bushnell wrote a serial for this
paper, entitled The Prairie Fire, that was extremely
read and admired. Robert Fergus states that the size
of this paper was twenty-two by thirty-two inches, eight
pages, and was printed by him during its early exist-
ence; but that afterward Charles Scott & Co., per-
formed the requisite typographical work.

Horner's Chicago and Western Guide, a
monthly published in 1853 by W. B. Horner, purported
to contain all information for traveling by railroad,
steamboat and stage, from Chicago to every town in
the Northwest and to any important city in the United
States.

The Chicago Evangelist* was published in the
earlier part of April, 1853, by an association of clergy-
men of the Presbyterian denomination, the resident
editors being Revs. H. Curtis and R. W. Patterson, and
the associate editors, G. W. Gale, S. G. Speers, W. H.
Spencer, A. Eddy and S. D. Pitkin. The tenets of this
weekly organ were those of the New School of the Pres-
byterians. April 19, 1854, Rev.JosephGastonWilsontook
editorial charge of the paper, it being stated in a notice
of this change, that Messrs. Curtis and Patterson had only
occupied the editorial chair until other arrangements
could be perfected. The Northwestern Christian Advo-
cate thus commends upon its discontinuance: "This
able contemporary, the organ of the Presbyterian Church
in the Northwest, we see by its last issue June 27,
1855), is to be merged into the New York Evangelist,
which hereafter will have a Northwestern editor in this
city. The Chicago Evangelist had reached the twelfth
number of its third volume, was an able and spirited
journal, and is discontinued for want of means to make

* It is probable that the first ,
The Christian Witness, but no issii

4oS

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

it in size, editorial strength, etc., what a Church paper
should be, and its management deem absorption by a
magnificent sheet more honorable than struggling along,
making no well-defined mark." Rev. Charles P. Bush
was Western editor for the New York Evangelist, ap-
pointed in the spring of 1850. The directory for 1853-
54 designates John T. Wentworth as publisher of the
Chicago Evangelist.

The Youth's Western Banner, a juvenile month-
ly, devoted to temperance, morality and religion, pub-
lished by Isaac C. Smith and Oliver C. Fordham, was
issued in August, 1853. with Smith & Co. as editors.
It was continued for only a short time.

The Christian Banker, a folio of twelve by nine
and a half inches to the page, was issued January 5,
1853, by Seth Paine and John M. Holmes. But eight
numbers of this novelty in literature were printed, and
these appeared irregularly. Seth Paine issued this
paper from the back room of his bank on Clark Street,
and the paper was intended as an elaboration of the
Bank of Utopia he was going to conduct, and as an
advertisement of the actual bank he managed. Asso-
ciated with Mr. Paine in the Bank were John M.
Holmes and Ira B. Eddy. These gentlemen also had
some interest in the paper. The bank, Mr. Paine
asserted, was named the Bank of Chicago, but as its in-
fluence became felt and its power became augmented, it
would be called the Bank of the People, and as it still far-
ther advanced in cosmopolitan finance and depositary ac-
cretion it would be called the Bank of God. Mr. Eddy
states that July 9, 1853, it broke as the Bank of Chicago,
and the paper shortly afterward subsided. Mr. Paine
was some time thereafter sent to a lunatic asylum; how
far he was qualified for a residence in that institution
during his editorship of this paper is unknown. He
subsequently went to Lake Zurich, established the
" Stables of Humanity " there and issued the Lake
Zurich Banker from that place. There are many who
contend that Mr. Paine was not qualified naturally for
his inhabitancy of the asylum for the short time that he
was there; that he was merely hyper-reformatory and
perhaps illogical in the nature of his schemes for the
amelioration of the human race. Others again, notably
those who lost money by his bank, refused to accredit
him with the possession of any virtues and stagmatize
him by all descriptions of uncomplimentary, and prob-
ably unjust epithets. Mr. Paine was associated with
Theron Xorson, in 1839, in the dry- goods business in
this city. Ira B. Eddy was also one of Chicago's early
settlers, he having been engaged in the hardware business
during the primitive epoch of the Garden City.

The Christian Shoemaker was issued by F. V.
Pitney in 1853 as a travesty upon. The Christian
Banker, and was published for a short time only.

I in. Northwestern Christian Advocate was
first issued on January 5. 1853, from the office No. 63
Randolph Street, as a weekly newspaper, with James V.
Watson, editor, and William M. Doughty, agent. It
was published by Swormstedt & Poe, for the North-
western Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and printed by Charles Philbrick. Prior to the regular
publication of the paper, a prospectus had been issued in
September, 1852, containing substantially the same mat-
ter as that which appeared in the first number. The
editor. Rev. J. V. Watson, who resided in Adrain, Mich.,
before he assumed charge of the paper, was one of the
ablest and wittiest of editors, and was a martyr to asthma;
constantly apprehending that this disease Would cause
his demise. The paper which he edited was a six-col-
umn folio, eighteen by twenty-five inches to the page;

was rigidly anti-slavery; tenaciously anti-spiritualism,
and an unflinching and fearless advocate of Method-
ism in the Northwest ; true to its name. The paper
maintained its equable and successful career without
change until October 17, 1856, when the Rev. J. Y.
Watson died of pulmonary consumption. The Press
were unanimous in their tributes to his editorial ability,
the nobility of his manhood and the exalted nature of
his Christian manhood. November 5, 1856, a new ed-
itor was announced, the Rev. Thomas M. Eddy, of the
Southeastern Indiana Conference, he having been called
from the Indianapolis District where he was traveling,
as Presiding Elder, when elected to this important po-
sition by the Conference. November 4, 1857, when
Mr. Eddy had just celebrated one year's occupancy of
the editorial tripod, the office of the newspaper was
moved to 66 Washington Street.

In addition to the exposition of creeds and the elab-
oration of dogmas, the religious press, as well as the
secular, find it necessary to obtain subscribers in suffi-
cient numbers, who demand the mental food furnished
by the paper, to pay for the expenses of its publication;
although the system pursued by the Methodist Episco-
pal Church of promulgating the interests of the several
advocates of their ecclesiastical polity, removes from
those papers a number of the obstacles that impede the
financial progress of a secular paper. It is, however, a
matter of record that the Northwestern Christian Ad-
vocate has been unusually successful in its career as a
newspaper and as a champion of the Church whose
tenets it propounds, elaborates and defends, and Bishop
Ames, in alluding to the vast numbers of Methodists in
the Northwestern States, ascribed their zeal and numer-
ical strength to the influence exerted by this paper.

The reason for the establishment and maintenance
of the organs of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
ascribed by Dr. Arthur Edwards,* is so pertinent and
trite that it is given as advanced by that gentleman:

" Methodism, prints. There is no doubt of that fact.
Why she prints is explained very naturally. John Wes-
ley was a seer. When he was not praying or preaching,
he was staring into the face of a printed page. Amid
his prodigious labors for the Church, he did an immense
amount of reading. Few men in literature have been
such judges of books as was our founder. He knew
the good by instinct, and repelled the bad book as an
alert conscience rebukes advancing sin. The invented
printing-press with its rude appliances came — but not
by chance — in the very nick of time to make Luther's
work possible. When Clod sent that greatest ecclesi-
astical event since the advent of Christ-Methodism
into the world, the improved printing-press and cheaper
book made John Wesley's work practicable. There-
fore, just as great railway magnates outfit their own
' special cars,' so W'esley fitted up his own private car-
riage that he might read comfortably while he flew over
the Kingdom. Presently, dissatisfied with books as
the)' were, he began to write and re-write and edit
books for his people. Next in order, he began to own
presses, which he employed to carry help, suggestion,
warning and zeal to his rapidly multiplying societies.
Some active minds then, as also in modern times, won-
dered why Methodism did not content itself with what
other people printed. When our Book Concern was in
full operation nearly fifty years ago, it was proposed to
abolish our Church presses and confine our reading to
that which others would contract to print for us. Even
now it is occasionally said that our Church might as
well operate railroads and conduct banks as to own

* METHODISM *np Literature; by F. A. Archibald, 1882.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

409

and superintend printing offices. The suggestion
would be valid if the financial results of railroading and
banking and printing were the central thought and
motive. We do print, on the same philosophy that
occasionally moves a Church or Sunday school to charter
a train for a specific excursion and for definite results.
When a Methodist party makes its plans for a day, and
wishes to control the hours of starting and return, and
particularly desires to determine who shall be passen-
gers and favored guests, it goes into the railway busi-
ness, induced by the same motives that sanction the
permanent existence of distinctive Methodist printing.
We get a suggestive hint in the fact that two literary
institutions in this country possess a catalogue of over
seven hundred separate volumes of books written in
opposition to Methodism. We happen to know that
this large list does not contain all extant anti-Wesleyan
literature. These volumes were written under the
stimulus of men who did not love our Church, and the
physical fact of the printing proves that the kingdom
of printing-ink must needs be taken by Methodist vio-
lence. Methodism was young, and the Methodists were
too poor to buy dear books written in their defense. A
hundred considerations led Wesley to supply books
from his English presses for our people, and equally
led our early workers to organize printing facilities for
American Methodists long before they began to build
and dedicate houses of worship. We cannot forget
that the Frenchy flavor that tainted English society and
literature after the restoration of Charles compelled
Wesley to provide cleaner things for his people. The
entire tide was against evangelical Christianity. If
society and the press have pure features in this country,
the credit must be shared with the influence of the
Wesleyan printing presses which came to evangelize the
New World."

The following is taken from the earliest issue of the
Advocate, as an evidence of the talent of the editor,
and an exposition of a part of the principles upon
which he contemplated conducting the paper:

" We can never suffer the doctrines of our Church to be chal-
lenged in our columns, or our discipline to be assailed. But to any
contribution that evolves, teaches and enforces the former, or even
proposes improvements in the latter, we shall never feel at liberty to
close our columns. We fear nothing, but hope everything, from
the freedom of speech. We shall speak, ourselves, freely, and
shall never be found fettering the lips of others. We shall never
be found a stickler for things morally indifferent, magnifying the
' mint and the anise,' canting, and pandering to a fossilizing con-
servatism, sneaking into the coverts of non-commitalism, or
mounted upon a hobby of ultra progressionism. We shall never
be found so visionary as to hope to escape censure, so accustomed
to it that it will not grieve us, or so reckless as intentionally to
deserve it. Of the persons who have a right to be heard in our
pages, of the appropriateness of the language in which their com-
munications are clothed, of the suitableness of their cogitations to
promote truth and righteousness, we are to be the judge. Delicate
responsibility! We assume it."

In the issue of February 23, 1853, there is an article
upon a social gathering, held at the residence of D. M.
Bradley, of the Chicago Democrat office, wherein Mr.
Bradley is designated the oldest resident " knight of the
quill " in the city. The editor, in recounting the inci-
dents of the evening, states that " all felt, and many
said, amen, to the prayer of the esteemed pastor pres-
ent, which in spirit resembled one we once heard from
a good brother in Michigan on a similar occasion: ' We
thank Thee, O Lord, that one thing is not good; it is
not good for man to be alone.' Brother Bradley de-
serves well of the Church for the interest he has taken,
and aid he has rendered, personally and with his pen,
in the establishment of the Northwestern Book Con-
cern." Volume III, Number 1, of the date January 3,

1855, came out in a new dress of typography, and with
a new heading, Northwestern Christian Advocate.

Recurring to the death of Rev. J. V. Watson, as
one of the most marked events in the history of the
Advocate prior to 1858, the incomplete editorial hereto
appended, with the editorial comments of his surviving
co-laborer, evinces the pertinaceous adherence to his
duty of him, who, while in the very clutch of the "grim
reaper," thought so earnestly of an appeal for the serv-
ice of his Master; the last effort of Mr. Watson's life
being an entreaty for the united assistance from Chris-
tians to further the enlightenment of their benighted
fellow-creatures.

OUR MISSIONARY TREASURY.

" Brethren, we tremble every time we mention these words.
Not indeed that we are upon the verge of bankruptcy. We believe
our Zion, as yet, has taken hold of no burden that it cannot lift ;
but we now and then hear curtailment talked of. Well, whom
shall we call home ? Where shall we commence this curtailment?
How much will it promote the honor of the Church and the glory
of God? Help, brethren, help! This will never do. We must ap-
ply the discipline in raising funds for this holy purpose, to the very
letter, and the work will be done, aye, more than done. Mean's
should be resorted to extraordinary where the ordinary cannot meet
the emergency immediately. Gold and silver, brethren! It belong-
eth to the Lord and for the sake of millions ready to perish, let it be
put into the treasury of the Lord. The cause of missions is the
cause of causes. It is the Church's noble right arm. O let not its
strength be enfeebled ! Where is the one who has not a dollar for
the treasury of the Lord in this emergency ? We long to hear from
the communications of our able secretary a more liberal tone of
spirit on this subject. We have said we trembled when we men-
tioned the words which head this article. Well, we have. We
have trembled for the blessing of God upon the Church. We have
trembled for his blessing upon our baskets and store. We must
bring all the tithes of the Lord into the Lord's house. ' 'To him
that hath shall be given ; to him that hath not shall be taken awav
eveu that which he hath.'

["The above are among the dying words of the late beloved
editor of this paper. On the evening before his death he dictated
to the writer of these lines about half a column of matter for this
issue, of which the above is a part. Though in great and increas-
ing bodily weakness for months, it was a relief to him to feel that
he was still serving the Church, and he continued to labor until the
last, dictating from three to five columns per week for his sheet. In
our last were five columns from him. This week his labors were
commenced by the preparation of the short article headed 'Want of
Sectional Independence.' But his tongue faltered and for the first
(time) his paper is 'short of editorial.' When writing for him the
above, we were conscious of his near dissolution, and those earnest
words, so slowly and faintly spoken, sounded to us like the falter-
ing notes of the dying swan, rather, as they were, like soul-breath-
ings from the spirit world ; like pleadings from the upper Canaan
for the work of grace below. 'Help, brethren, help !' still sounds
in our ears. Before this plea was in type, the soul of the pleader
was before the Throne." — Northwestern Christian Advocate, Octo-
ber 22, 1S56.]

The Olive Branch ok The West was published
for a short time in 1853 by Rev. J. R. Balme, pastor of
the Salem Baptist Church.

The Chicago Homeopath, a monthly popular
journal of homeopathy, was started in January, 1853,
by Drs. D. S. Smith, S. W. Graves and R. Ludlam, and
was continued until December, 1856, being discontinued
upon the completion of the third volume. The editors
in January, 1854, were Drs. R. Ludlam and D. Alphonso
Colton.

The Chicago Courant, an independent daily,
was issued November 16, 1853, with William Duane
Wilson as editor. On the 12th of April, 1854, the
paper was enlarged, and a notice is extant of its exist-
ence upon May 31, 1854. About that time it passed
into the hands of Messrs. Cook, Cameron & Patterson,
and these gentlemen stopped the running of the Cour-
ant, and, in lieu of it, about July 4, 1854, issued Young
America, a daily and weekly Democratic paper, with J.
W. Patterson as editor. James W. Sheahan was at this

4io

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

time in the East, and at the solicitation of the
publishers of this paper came to Chicago. After some
negotiations with these gentlemen, they sacrificed
Young America to the manes of Americus Vespucci,
and Mr. Sheahan. on August jo. 1854, issued the first
number of the Chicago Times, a Democratic daily
paper, from the office on LaSalle Street, next door
to Jackson Hall, the old headquarters of " Long"
John Wentworth. In the spring of 1856 the publishing
was conducted by Cook. Cameron & Sheahan, with Mr.
Sheahan in the editorial chair. In the autumn of the
same Year James W. Sheahan and Daniel Cameron were
the editors and proprietors, and early in 1S57 the office
was removed to 112 Dearborn Street, when Andre
Matteson became city editor. The files of the Times
that were in the office of the paper were sent to the
house of D. B Cooke & Co. to be bound, in 1857, and
were destroyed in the fire that consumed that place of
business October 19, 1S5 7.

The Traveller, by James M. Chatfield, John
Chatfield. Jr., William B. Doolittle and Lee Lars, is
mentioned in the Directory of 1853.

The Hemlaxdet, det gamla och det nva,
was first published at Galesburg, 111., in 1853, and re-
moved to Chicago in 1854, with Rev. E. Norelius ed-
itor. It was a weekly newspaper, and the first pub-
lished in the Swedish language in this city. It was
the organ and advocate of the Swedish Lutheran Church,
and was subsequently published by the Lutheran Pub-
lishing Society, with Rev. Erland Carleson as editor.

The Maine-Law Alliance, a temperance weekly,
was published in the spring of 1854, by Hiram W. Jew-
ell, with Rev B. E. Hale, Rev. F. Yates and Dr.
Charles Jewett, editors. Rev. D. Crouch took Mr.
Hale's place in August, 1S54.

The Free West, by Goodman, Warren & East-
man, was published in 1854, and sold to the Tribune
in 1856.

The Saturday Evening Mail, a temperance pa-
per, George R. Graham, editor, was started in January,
1854, but soon died.

The Chicago Protestant was begun January 25,
1854, as a monthly; Hays & Thompson, publishers. It
had a short career.

Deutsche Amerikaxer, by George Schtaeger,
lived, for a short period in 1854. Mr. Schtaeger then
went on the staff of the Staats Zeitung.

The Atlantis, by Christian Essellen, a monthly,
saw the light dimly in 1854.

The Associated Press dispatches were furnished
the Chicago dailies in November, 1854.

The Chicago Pathfinder, began its work April
ji.i 555, as a weekly record of railroad and real estate
tran>actions, under the editorship of W. B. Horner;
Horner iv. Crone, publishers.

The Chicago Bank-Note List entered the field
as a claimant for public patronage, July 17, 1855. Its
columns were devoted to the reporting of matters finan-
cial, with an especial reference to the means of detect-
interfeits, and containing a report of the banks
that were in embarrassed condition or had ceased to be
solvent. It was published and edited by F. Granger
Adams, banker, at No. 44 Clark Street. Information as
to the duration of this paper is lacking, but it is a mat-
ter of r>-< ord. from contemporaneous publications, that
its semi-monthly issuance continued beyond the epoch
treated of in this volume of History, as in the Directory
for 1858, published January 1st, in that year, it is desig-
nated among the publications then extant; and a notice
of the paper in June 3, 1857, being now in exis

wdierein it is stated that it is issued on the 10th and
25th of every month, also monthly; the price of the for-
mer, being $1.50 per annum, and of the latter, $1.00 per
annum.

The Illinois Gazetteer and Immigrants' West-
ern Guide, was published by Henry Greenbaum and
T. W. Sampson, M. D., and edited by William Bross,
A. M. This sheet was of similar size and make-up to
the Democratic Press, and contained carefully collated
statistics of manufactures, trades, commerce, etc., upon
the first three pages and a map of Illinois and adjacent
States upon the fourth. This was apparently but a spo-
radic and single publication, and appeared in August,

1855-

Beobachter von Michigan, a Douglas paper, was
published weekly, in 1855, by Messrs. Committi and
Becker. It lived about a year.

The Native American", a daily, was started by
William Weaver Danenhower, on September 7, 1855, in
the interest of the Native American party, whereof
Washington Wright was editor. A weekly edition was
also published, and both were maintained until the first
Wednesday in November, 1856, when they were discon-
tinued. Mr. Danenhower is the father of Lieutenant J.
W. Danenhower, the Arctic explorer, and Chicago, in
addition to her many other causes for distinction, has the
honor of being the birth-place of Lieuteneant Danen-
hower.

In 1855, R. P. Hamilton issued a paper designated
The Courier.

Der Natioxal Demokrat, a daily and weekly
German newspaper, was first issued on October 15,
1855, by J. E. Committi publisher, with Dr. Ignatius
Koch as editor in chief, and J. E. Committi as local
editor. The office of the paper was at 55 LaSalle
Street, near Randolph, and it was what, in those days,
was called a " Douglas paper." In 1856, its publica-
tion was transferred to Michael Diversey ; Dr. I. Koch
and Louis Schade, editors. In this year Mr. Schade
published a tri-weekly edition of the paper in English,
but this arrangement lasted only two or three months.
In 1857, Fritz Becker was the publisher, and the editors
were Dr._ I. Koch and Victor Froehlich. Beyond these
meager details nothing is known of this paper, and for
these the public is indebted principally to J. E. Committi.
The office in 1857 was removed to 240 Randolph Street.

The Age and Land we Live Ix, was projected
in 1855 by E. H. Hall & Co., but the magazine never
appeared, and remained inchoate in the brains of its
projectors.

The Western Crusader, a temperance weekly, was
started in October, 1855 ; the title being changed to
Northwestern Home Journal in June, 1856. Its chief
editors were Rev. Thomas Williams and Orlo W. Strong.
In 1857 James B. Merwin was editor. F. H. Benson &
Co., publishers.

The Chicago Herald was issued from 93 Dear-
born Street, in September, 1856, by T. R. Dawlev, as
a penny daily, with weekly edition. It ceased in 1857.

The Pen and Pencil, bv T, R. Dawlev, was a

JK/Z&

weekly art and story paper, contributed to by T. Her-
bert Whipple and others. It lived and died in 1856.

HISTORY OF THE PRESS.

411

The Sunday Vacuna, the first excessively Sunday-
paper in Chicago, was another of Mr. Dawley's unsuc-
cessful efforts in 1856.

The Western Garland, a literary monthly, issued
simultaneously in Chicago, Louisville and St. Louis,
founded by Mrs. Harriet C. Lindsey & Son, with R. R.
Lindsey, editor, in this city, reached the third or fourth
number here in 1856. Its history elsewhere is not ob-
tainable.

The Commercial Bulletin and Northwestern
Reporter, by C. H. Scriven and John J. Gallagher,
was published in 1856.

Rounds' Printers' Cabinet. — The typographical
supply business out of which grew the Rounds' Printers'
Cabinet, was founded by James J. Langdon, who was
the foreman of the Journal office in 1848. Sterling P.
Rounds was a sophomore of the job printing office of
the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, and while located in
Racine, Wis., filling the "Old Oaken Bucket" with tem-
perance stories and prohibitive arguments, received an
invitation from Mr. Langdon to come to Chicago and
go into business with him. Some time subsequently —
after sinking his finances in a newspaper in Milwaukee
— Mr. Rounds reached Chicago upon a borrowed capi-
tal of $5.00 and went into business with Mr. Langdon,
who, shortly thereafter, went to Prairie du Chien, Wis.,
and embarked in the horse-business ; but finding that
his horses were so many Pegasuses which lent wings to
his circulating medium, Mr. Langdon returned to Chi-
cago and again went into partnership with Mr. Rounds
— who had carried on the business alone ad interim —
the firm name being Rounds & Langdon. In Decem-
ber, 1856, the first number of Rounds' Monthly Printers'
Cabinet was issued, the size of its pages being twelve by
seventeen and one-half inches, containing four pages and
having four columns to the page. The irregularity in
the issue of this paper made number four appear in May,
1857. The first number was prepared under the auspices
of S. P. Rounds alone, but in October, 1857, the names
of Rounds & Langdon appear as sponsors for its ex-
istence. In December, 1856, there was but one other
journal in the United States that was devoted exclu-
sively to the interests of the "art preservative" — the
Typographic Advertiser ; Rounds' Cabinet being the
first of that character in the Northwest, the second in
the L^nited States in its date of issue, and the first
monthly typographical journal in the Union.

The Prairie Leaf, a monthly, by D. B. Cooke &
Co., 1856, was a literary and advertising periodical.

The Western Journal of Music ; William H.
Currie, editor ; R. G. Greene, publisher ; lived in 1856.

The Flower Queen was published in 1856.

The Democratic Bugle, by Charles Lieb, was a
weekly which was in existence in 1856.

The Western Enterprise, an agricultural weekly,
by Porter Little, was brief lived and became merged in
the Prairie Farmer in 1856.

In 1857, a paper designated the Chicago Daily
Union was issued by the Chicago Union Printing Com-
pany. Louis Schade was the ostensible editor; B. H.
Mayers, the city editor, and T. Herbert Whipple, the
news editor and proof-reader.

On February 21, 1857, an evening journal called
the Chicago Daily Ledger, was published by Barnes,
Stewart & Paine, with Seth Paine as editor. This eccen-
tric sheet was printed at the machine shop of P. W.
Gates.

The Chicago Record was issued by James Grant
Wilson, editor and proprietor, as a monthly magazine
devoted to religion, literature and the fine arts, on April

1, 1857. This journal was the first recognized advocate
of the Episcopal Church in Chicago.

The Saturday Evening Chronotype was estab-
lished, June 27, 1S57, by Charles A. Washburne, editor
and proprietor, as a literary paper of high order ; but
the panic prevented its success, and on September 26,
1857, it died.

In August, 1857, H. D. Emery sent out a specimen
number of Emery's Journal 01 Agriculture, the first
number of the regular issue of which paper was an-
nounced to appear January 1, 1858.

In 1857, Charles Hess published the Zeitgeist, a
German weekly, of which Ernest Goeders was the
editor. Its life is alleged to have been brief and er-
ratic, and it was the exponent of ultra radical ideas.

The Northwestern Bank Note and Counter-
feit Reporter is reported as having been published
by Isaac A. Pool, in 1857. There is a possibility that
this paper may have existed in 1853, as in the directory
for that year appears a mention of a Bank Note Re-
portor, but neither editors nor publishers are named.

In March, 1857, James Grant Wilson, editor Carney
& Wilson, publishers1, began the publication of a
monthly magazine designated the Chicago Examiner,
devoted to literature, general and Church matters.

In 1857, Messrs. P. L. and J. H. Wells published a
weekly paper called the Commercial Express, and also
a commercial journal, daily, called the Morning Bul-
letin ; both publications being issued in the mercantile
and commercial interests of the city.

The Svenska Republikanaren wascommenced in
Galva, 111., in 1855, and was moved to Chicago in 1857,
with S. Cronsioe as editor. It was a secular, or liberal
paper, founded as especially antagonistic to the Hem-
landet, by the Bishop Hill colony of Swedes.

In the spring of 1857, S. P. Rounds published the
Sunday Leader, the first exclusively Sunday newspa-
per issued in Chicago of any permanence. One of its
distinguishing features was its chess column, edited by
Lewis Paulson. Among other contributors, Andrew
Shuman furnished a column (sometimes two, every week;
H. M. Hugunin supplied a column, and Rev. A. C.
Barry gave " Whittlings from the Chimney Corner." Ed-
ward Bliss was the managing editor, and William H.
Bushnell, one of the pioneer editors of Chicago, was
sub-managing editor.

In 1857, subsequent to the establishment of the Sun-
day Leader, the Sunday Herald was started in oppo-
sition thereto; it ran about a year.

The Trestle Board was started by J. J. Clarkson
about March, 1857, as editor and publisher, at No. 50
Clark Street, devoted to the interests of the Masonic
fraternity.

7'he Ashlar, a Masonic monthly magazine, owned
and edited by Allyn Weston, was removed from Detroit
to Chicago, in September, 1857; the first number printed
in Chicago, by Charles Scott & Co., being the first
first number of the third volume. It was, as its name
implies, devoted to the interests of the Masonic frater-
nity, and was conducted with marked ability and careful
conservation of the " lights, rites and benefits " pertain-
ing to this powerful organization. The magazine was
one of the oldest in the Northwest — the first number
having been issued in September, 1855.

In" 1857, Gallagher & Cilbert published the Real

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Estate New? Letter and Insurance Monitor,
monthly, and but for a very few months.

C>. W. Yerby ..V Co., real estate dealers, in 1857,
edited and published a few numbers of a monthly
called the Real Estate Register.

Higgins Brothers, in 1857, published the Chicago
Musical Review, from 54 Randolph Street, of which
C. M. Cady was the editor, and Pool & Spaulding the
printers. The Review lasted but a short time.

The Chicago Magazine, published by John Gager
& Co., and edited by Zebina Eastman, was devoted to
literature, biography, historical reminiscence, etc., pro-
fuselv illustrated with engravings relevant to the text.
The first number was issued March, 1S5 7, and therein
it was specified that the projectors and publishers con-
templated an exemplary longevity therefor, but after
the issue of the March, April, May and June numbers,
the July number was omitted, and with No. 5 in August,
1857, the Chicago Magazine suspended, greatly to the
loss of the literary interests of the city, as it was ably
conducted, and its historical sketches, biographies, etc.,
were exceedingly valuable and accurate.

Le Journal de l'Illinois was first issued in Kan-
kakee, as a weekly paper, on January 2, 1857, by A.

Grandpre and Claude Petit, this being the first French
newspaper published in the State. In September of
that vear it was removed to Chicago, under the same
management, the first number being issued in this city
September 18, 1857; the first French newspaper pub-
lished here. It then became a semi-weekly journal, and
was so continued until December 18, 1857, when it was
changed to a weekly, published on Friday. Upon July

t6cx^s^£-(J&~

16, 1858, the publication was discontinued, the editors
subsequently removing to Kankakee and publishing Le
Courrier de l'Illinois.

It is not improbable that, owing to the scarcity of
records, some newspapers have been omitted from the
foregoing list. It will readily be understood how im-
prac ticable it is to trace out, from beneath the ruins of
the fire of 1871, information concerning temporary is-
sues. Should it be found that essential omissions have
been made, the subsequent volumes of this work will
afford .1 me-ans of rectifying errors. The plan of this
History necessitates the arbitrary closing of all sketches
at the year 1857; and reference is here made to the fu-
ture volumes for the completion of the chapter on the

PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS, BOOKBINDERS
AND STATIONERS.

In the following pages are given outlines of the
founding of the printers and kindred mechanical arts in
this < ity:

I lie first job printing done in the (ity was by fohn
Calhoun, in [833. The earliest carriers' address was
issued by Mr. Calhoun January 1, 1836. Caricature
cuts were inserted in the Democrat as early as 1840, and

humorously illustrated advertisements date from about
that period.

The earliest printers in Chicago were undoubtedly
the two apprentices whom John Calhoun describes in
his autobiography as having been sent here in charge of
his press and printing material. Their names are un-
known; but in Mr. Calhoun's account book, in the pos-
session of the Chicago Historical Society, appear the
names of David Johnson, August 22, 1834; Ballard,
October 6, 1834; Stevens, no date specified; Charles H.
Sedgwick, September 6, 1835, and A. L. Osborn and
James Mead, 1836; the dates given being those where-
on settlement was made, and the price paid for type-
setting being twenty-five cents per thousand ems; these
— with John Calhoun himself — being therefore among the
earliest printers in Chicago. After Mr. Calhoun had
commenced the issue of his paper early settlers recall one
Timothy C. Ellithorpe, as a compositor upon that paper
who Mr. Eastman* states, was a refugee from Canada,
during the Rebellion, in which country he had command-
ed a company of the revolutionists. Another very
early printer was Hooper Warren who edited his articles
at the case. As his ideas took form in his brain they
became words and sentences in the "stick," his lucu-
brations being put into type as Robert Fergus con-
structed his directory, without the customary interme-
diate use of copy. N. D. Woodville was another of the
primitive compositors, and was a son-in-law of John
Baptiste Beaubien. He was subsequently employed as
copyist by L. P. Hilliard in the County Clerk's office,
and is reputed to have died poor — as so many of the
typographers have done and are doing. Thomas O.
Davis, the editor of the first Chicago American, in 1836,
was another early printer, and John YVentworth states
that Abiel Smith worked as pressman on the first num-
ber of that paper issued, and subsequently worked at
Mr. Wentworth's hand press, until the arrival of the
power press. Daniel E. Sickles, whose name has been
prominently associated with Washington and military
annals, was an apprentice at Smith's office.

The oldest pamphlet extant, and the earliest of
which there is any record, is one of thirty-six pages, and
is " An Act to incorporate the City of Chicago, passed
March 4, 1837. Chicago Printed at the office of the
Chicago Democrat. 1837."! It is undetermined whether
the second pamphlet was " An oration delivered on 4th
July, 1839, at Peru, La Salle County, Illinois, by George
W. Holley ; printed at Chicago American Office, corner
Clark and South Water streets, 1839 ; " \ or the " Laws
and Ordinances,"§ ordered printed by the Common
Council in 1839 \ an account of which appears under
the portion of this article devoted to Directories. The
printing of the oration appears to have been performed
some time in July or August ; as the manuscript was
handed overto the printer July 10, 1839. The printing
of the laws and ordinances was performed by Ellis &
Fergus ; Robert Fergus being the oldest Chicago printer
now living.

The first law book published in Chicago was "The
Public and General Statute Laws of the State of Illin-
ois," by Stephen F. Gale, in 1839 ; the introduction by
the compiler — a Mr. Gates — being dated April, 1839.
The book was printed and bound by O. C. B. Carter &-
Co., Roxbury, Mass., and a copy is in the Chicago Law-
Library.

*u Early Printers of Chicago" by Zebina Eastman in Rounds1 Printe
Cabinet, October, t88o. Other authoYities state that F. T. Ellithorpe

the

devant Republican from Canad
i In possession (it Chicago Historical Society.
t Ibid.

§ Copy in possession of Mrs. J. Murphy ; widow of the proprietor of th'
Sauganash Hotel.

PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS, BOOKBINDERS AND STATIONERS.

4i3

The next pamphlet appears to have been " A Eulogy
upon the life and character of President William H.
Harrison," delivered by G. A. O. Beaumont, May 14,
1841, reported in full in the Daily and Weekly American
of that period, and which pamphlet was printed in that
newspaper office. As described in the Bibliography of
Ohio, by Peter G. Thomson, Cincinnati, 1880, it was a
duodecimo of twelve pages. The first book written in
this city was the History of Baptism by Rev. Isaac Tay-
lor Hinton, an advertisement of which appears in the
Daily American of May 1, 1840, and in the same paper
under date September 28, 1840, it is stated as for sale.
The first work compiled and printed in Chicago, was
Jonathan Young Scammon's reports, that were in the
hands of the binder, at Holcomb & Co.'s establishment,
when it was destroyed by fire in December, 1840.* The
first lampoon discoverable, is one published in
1843, entitled :

THE CHARIVARI f

what took place and what didn't take place on the evening of
January 19th, 1843, in the city of

Japan, Kamschatka Co., Ills.,

what was done and what wasn't done by the

Sheet Iron Band

a full report of the apprehension of the rioters, and their examina-
tion, including what was said and what wasn't said on
that occasion

By Rocky Mountain, Esq.

The whole embellished with an engraving to match.

The first book compiled, printed, bound and issued
in Chicago, was the Directory for 1844, which was
placed upon the market in the year 1843. The follow-
ing list of directories, published anterior to 1858, is
given for the information of Chicago bibliophiles :

*Norris' Chicago Directory for 1844, compiled by J. Welling-
ton Norris, printed by Ellis & Fergus, Saloon Building.

*Norris' Chicago Directory for 1S45-46, compiled by J. W.
Norris, printed by t J. Campbell & Co., Commercial Building, 65
Lake Street.

* Norris' Business Directory, for 1846; Eastman & Davison,
printers, 63 Lake Street. [This directory was "set up" from all
the fonts in the printing office.]

* Norris' Chicago Directory for 1S46-47; Geer & Wilson, print-
ers, Daily Journal Establishment, Saloon Building.

* Illinois State Register and Western Business Directory for
1847; Norris & Gardner, editors and proprietors; Geer & Wilson,
printers, as above.

f Norris' Chicago Directory^ for 1848-9, published by J. W.
Norris and L. S. Taylor. Eastman & McClellan, printers, (Power
Press, office of the Western Citizen) 63 Lake Street.

♦Chicago City Directory and Annual Advertiser for 1849-50,
by O. P. Hatheway and J. H. Taylor: James J. Langdon, book
and job printer, 161 Lake Street.

f Chicago City Directory for 1S51, by W. W. Danenhower,
printed by James j. Langdon, 161 Lake Street.

f Chicago Directory for 1852-53, by Udall & Hopkins, printed
by Langdon & Rounds, 161 Lake Street.

f Chicago Directory for 1853-54 by Hall & Smith, printed by-
Robert Fergus, book and job printer, 55 Clark Street.

f Chicago Directory for 1854-55, by Edward H. Hall & Co.,
printed by Robert Fergus, book and job printer, 55 Clark Street,
third floor.

* The second edition was printed by Thomas G. Wells, Cambridge, 1841 ;
a copy of this edition is in the Chicago Law Library.
+ In possession of R. T. Martin.

{The firm of Campbell & Co. came to a premature dissolution; Mr.
Campbell, becoming incensed at Mr. Norris (the Co.), forcibly ejected him
from the office, and threatened to kick him if he looked back. Some gentle-
men, discussing the matter with Mr. Norris, asked him if he emulated the ex-
ample of Lot's wife; Mr. Norris replied : " No ; I didn't look back ! " This in-
cident severed the copartnership. The published notice — April 15, 1845 — soeci-
fies that J. Wellington Norris and James Campbell have this day dissolved their
partnership. Mr. Norris is authorized to dispose of the Chicago Directory from
and after this date, and to collect all moneys due upon the same. All demands
against the late firm of J. Campbell & Co, will be settled by James Campbell, to
whom all money due said firm must be paid. Daily Journal. April 16. 1845.

§ This directory being designated the seventh of the Norris series, would
suggest the probability of a Business Directory having been issued in 1847-48,
but a copy of such a publication has not rewarded the search of the compiler.

fChicago Directory for 1855-56; E. II. Hall, compiler, Rob-
ert Fergus, Dook and job printer, 1S9 Lake Street.

f The Northern Counties Cazeteer and Directory for 1855-56,
brought down to November, is55; E. H.llall, compiler; printed
by Robert Fergus, book and job printer, 189 Lake Street.

Iff Case & Co. 's Chicago Directory for 1856-57; John Gager
& Co., publishers, .S4 Dearborn Street. John Gager, compiler; A.
B, Case anil Charles Scott, printers; Culver, Page & lloyne,
binders.

■ f Business Directory of Chicago for October 1, 1856, pub-
lished by John Gager & Co , to precede their City Directory. Sol. is,
Zellis, Dow & Co., book and job printers, 14s Lake Street, over
Keen & Lee's Book-store.

J Gager's Chicago City Directory for the year ending June I,
1857; compiled by John Gager; John Dow, printer, 148 Lake
Street; published by John Gager cV ( .... City Directory office.

The following account is taken from the introduction
to Robert Fergus's Directory for 1839, re-published in
1876; " In September, 1839, the Common Council
ordered the revision and printing, in pamphlet form, of
the laws and ordinances of the city. The work was
tendered to lMessrs. Rudd & Childs, printers, but
they, not being able to find sufficient funds, offered to
transfer the contract to the subscriber, who accepted
and fulfilled it. There were six blank pages at the end,
and Mr. Childs suggested the filling of them up with
the names of the business men of the city, which was
immediately done; no canvass was necessary, and the
names were never written — each name, as thought of,

was forthwith set up by the subscriber, until the six
pages were completed. It never was supposed that the
names of all the business men of the city were included
in this list, but the necessary pages were filled up, and
the title given those names the Chicago Business Direc-
tory. There were no numbers on any street except Lake
Street!, at that time — the numbers now given are those
of the present day [1876]." On the completion of the
laws and ordinances, fifty copies were delivered to the
city, and the sum of $25 was ordered paid, January 27,
1840. See Common Council Proceedings, published in
the Daily Chicago American, January 2 and 29, and
February 22, 1840V** About fifty copies w-ere sold to
the citizens at fifty cents per copy; the balance of the
five hundred were never used in public. This old busi-
ness directory was reprinted, with all its imperfections, in
the Chicago Republican and in Hurlbut's "Antiquities."
In this latter work there were a few additional errors
made in its reproduction. Mr. Fergus states that for
years the old business directory lay upon the imposing
stone, and that as memory would recall some inhabitant
of Chicago in 1839, his name would be set up and
added to the nucleus upon the stone, until a proof was
subsequently taken therefrom. As the directory was
afterward presented to the public, it received the highest
eulogium from old settlers for accuracy and lack of
omissions, and is now one of the standard works of ref-
erence for early Chicago settlement.

In 1844, the third and fourth volumes of Scammon's
Reports were printed by Ellis & Fergus; the first work
of this kind that was completed and presented to the
public.

The directories marked with * are in the possession of R. T. Martin ; those
marked t are at the rooms of the Chicago Historical Society.

^ These two directories are for the same year ; Case's having been published
prior to that designated, Gager's as shown by names that appear in Cas
ceived'*too 'ate for classification,'' being in Gager's, alphabetically classified
in the body of the work.

** See City Treasurer's Quarterly Report for January, February and March,
1840. See also, Common Council Proceedings (in City Clerk's officel, dated
February 20, 1840.

4M

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

The first historical work is also the result of Ellis &
Fergus's typographical skill; the pamphlet being of
thirty-four pages, and entitled "The Massacre at
Chicago. August 15. 1S12. and of Some Preceding
Events." It was printed in 1844. A copy is preserved
in the Historical Library. Madison, Wis.

The narrative was transcribed in a small blank-book
and was set from that manuscript ; the narrative itself
afterward being incorporated in Mrs. Kinzie's work,
•• Wau-bun," wherein also appeared a statement that the
story of the massacre was first printed in 1836. This
assertion Mr. Fergus pronounces erroneous, there hav-
ing been no office capable of its production in that
year in Chicago, and no book-binder here to bind it.
Mr. Fergus emphatically states that the narrative of the
massacre was not published until the year 1844. John
Wentworth makes the same statement in his able and
exhaustive papers upon Fort Dearborn (Third paper,
Fergus' Historical Series , and with two such author-
ities* the matter would appear to be definitely decided.

The first volume of poems published in Chicago was
"Miscellaneous poems, to which are added writings in
prose," by William Asbury Kenyon.f Printed by
lames Campbell & Co., 1845, sold by Brantigan &
Keen. S. F. Gale & Co., W. W. Barlow & Co., and
Comstock & Ackley. The Daily Journal of January
23. 1S45. has' an advertisement that Kenyon's poems
are just published and for sale at 146 Lake Street, by
Brantigan & Keen.

The bibliopegic labor upon some of these books
was performed by Ariel Bowman and Hugh Ross, the
earliest of Chicago's book-binders. The typographical
suc:ession of this firm is : Ariel Bowman, who came to
this city in 1840 ; Hugh Ross, who is specified in the
director}- for 1839 as a book-binder and paper-ruler;
these gentlemen entered into a copartnership with their
place of business at 35 Clark Street, Saloon Building,
which was dissolved September 14, 1843, the firm being
succeeded by J. A. Hoisington, with the place of busi-
ness at Saloon Building, 45 Clark Street, opposite the
City Hotel, who associated with him, about 1847, Will-
iam Stacy, and the establishment was at 61 Clark Street,
the business house being removed in 1850 to 79 Lake
Street, Tremont Block. In 1852, Mr. Hoisington, who
was a protege of Mr. Bowman's, and his son J. A. M.
Hoisington withdrew, and William Stacy continued the
business at the corner of Lake and Clark streets. In
1854, Culver & Page bought out Mr. Stacy. The
following year Mr. Hoyne became a member of the
firm, and the house of Culver, Page & Hoyne became
identified with Chicago's commercial interests. This
concern in 1855 was the first in the United States that
printed county record forms for the use of county
officers, that since their introduction have been adopted
in nearly every State in the Union. Gustavus Braun-
hold was the first book-binder who operated upon Ger-
man books alone. He established the business in 1848,
ting with him Charles Sonne, in 1850.

The first engraver in ( Ihii ago was Shuball D. Childs,
who was engaged with Edward H. Rudd, at the Saloon
Building, in engraving, book and job printing, in 1839,'
and some subsequent years; and with R. X. White, in
engraving, from 1845 to 1853. Joseph E. Ware came
to this city in 1840; the names of the following engrav-
ers are collated from the directories for the various

• I o Hon. John Wentworth, the oldest Chicago editor, and Robert Fergus,

ipter !- under the greatest

for their painstaking assistance, their cleat descriptions,

their retentive and accurate memories, which have been exerted to funish miss-
ing data and " make the rough places plain " in the historv of the Iv
t Two copies are in the library of the CI..

years whose dates supplement their names : Miss H.
Case, Herman Bosse, 1849; Frank E. Thomas, S. D.
Childs, junior, both employed with S. D. Childs, senior,

ZfzcAleh

1850: A. W. Morgan, 185 1 ; E. H. Brown, G. W.
Humphrey, Henry R. Kretschmann, A. Kretschmann,
William James White, John Waller, D. Morse and
Rudolph Zollinger, 1852 ; Reuben Carpenter, Goss and
Abbott, Edward Entwistle and Adam Fox, 1853.

The earliest "Chicago Book and Stationery Store"
was that of Aaron Russell, formerly of Boston, and
Benjamin H. Clift, from Philadelphia, who advertised
in the Democrat of August 26, 1834, that they intend
opening a store of that description adjoining P. Car-
penter's drug establishment, on Water Street. The
partnership was dissolved October 22, 1835, and Mr.

Clift announced that he would continue the business.
In the American of June 18, 1836, B. H. Clift advertised
law, theological, medical and miscellaneous books,
stationery and paper-hanging. T. O. Davis, the pub-
lisher of the American, also had books for sale June 8,
1835. Another early Chicago bookseller was Stephen
F. Gale, who advertised a map of Cook County as for
sale at his store, in the American of January 9, 1836.
Augustus H. and Charles Burley were clerks at Stephen
F. Gale's store in 1844, and the following year A. H.
Burley became a partner of Gale's; in 1846 A. H. and
C. Burley succeeded S. F. Gale at his old place of busi-
ness, 106 Lake Street, moving to 122 Lake Street about
1848. This firm inaugurated the art-union system in
Chicago, with some twenty paintings purchased "during
the recent revolution in Paris" Journal, September 10,
18501, and which they disposed of by the sale of two
hundred and fifty tickets at three dollars each, and a
subsequent drawing on November 15, 1850. Joseph C.
Brantigan and Joseph Keen had the Franklin Book
Store in 1845, the firm also being designated Brantigan
& Keen, the latter partner appearing to have succeeded
to the business. He in turn was succeeded by Joseph
Keen, junior, and William B. Keen, under the title of
Keen & Brother, and they were succeeded by the firm
of Keen & Lee. K. K. Jones had a periodical depot in
1844.

T. B. Carter, who had a book and stationery store
in 1845, was also the earliest depositary of the Chicago
Bible Society. W. \V '. Barlow & Co., booksellers, ap-
pear as the first in that business who make a specialty
of school books, at 121 Lake Street, in the same year,
and this firm was succeeded by William Bross* & Co.,
at the same location, in 1847; the firm, in 1S48, becom-
ing Griggs, Bross & Co., and, in 1849, S. C. Griggs &
Co. The first school book published in Chicago, was
"Wells's English Grammar, No. 1, by W, H. Wells, A.
M., published by Griggs, Bross & Co., 121 Lake Street,"
February 12, 1849. N. W. Jones had a periodical
vending establishment, in 1845. J. W. Hooker, in

* The Hon. William Bross published the first extended Commercial Review
of Chicago, in 1852.

PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS, BOOKBINDERS AND STATIONERS.

4i5

1845, was bookseller and stationer at 152 Lake Street,
and had the primal depository for Sunday school books.
The first Catholic bookseller was Charles McDonnell,
whose store was on Market Street, in 1845. J. S. Com-
stock and B. F. Ackley, were proprietors of a book-
sellers' and stationers' business in 1845, as was J. John-
son, at 59 Lake Street. The first printers' ware-room
was established by Robert Fergus, in 1848. The first
establishment for the exclusive sale of printing paper,
etc., was that of Henry Butler and Joseph Hunt, in
1850. The first recorded book agent in this city, was
Frederick Blecker, in 1853. The earliest Chicago dis-
ciples of Alois Senefelder, who invented lithography,
in 1793, was Edward Mendel, who established his litho-
graphic house at 170 Lake Street, 1853, by whom
Charles Vermeire was employed the same year; and
Henry Acheson and William H. Rodway, who were en-
gaged in book and job printing in 1852, and announced
themselves as lithographic printers in 1853.

A description of progress in the limner's art would
be replete with arbitrary terms and phrases, and would
convey but indefinite information to the general reader,
without fac-similes of some of the products of the skill
of the workmen. An inspection of the phototypes of
early cuts of edifices reproduced in this volume, and of
the later illustrations that appear herein, will, however,
give some idea of the progress made by printers and
engravers.

The lithographic art progressed with the other arts
and sciences in this city, and in the directory of 1857,
John Gemmell, 132 Lake Street, exhibited a specimen
of his skill. Even with the assistance which these
efforts render to the art student, it is difficult to com-
prehend the progress of engraving in Chicago, simply
from the fact that the majority of these engravings
were made to order, and the skill of the artist was not
displayed for the love of the art, but to render just so
much work with the graver as would be adequate to the
recompense he was to receive from his employer. A
comparison of the efforts herein exhibited, with those
of the present day, is sufficient to manifest the advance
made, although the intermediate steps are incapable of
demonstration or comprehension.

In 1842 S. D. Childs invented a printing press, which
was not generally adopted, however.

The oldest Swedish printer in Chicago, probably in
the United States, is Nicholaus P. Armstrong, who came
to this city in the autumn of 1854, and the next to Mr.
Armstrong in point of residence in the city is Charles
Johnson. The name of the first printer of the German
language is lost to history; the first French printer was
Claude Petit, who edited the Journal de 1' Illinois, in 1857.

The first typographers' celebration of the birthday
of Benjamin Franklin is narrated in the Democrat of
January 19, 1848, whereat David M. Bradley, was chair-
man ; Rev. Mr. Walker, chaplain ; Benjamin Franklin
Worrell, orator, and J. M. Moon, poet. Songs were
sung by McConnell and Lombard ; and speeches and
toasts given by Alfred Dutch, George Davis, D. L.
Gregg, Jonathan Young Scammon, William H. Bush-
nell, Richard L. Wilson, Calvin Butterfield, Robert Fer-
gus, J. T. Bennett, J. S. Beach, Mortimer C. Misener,
Joseph K. C. Forrest, T. A. Stewart, C. S. Abbott,
James Campbell, H. K. Davis, W. T. West, J. E.
Wheeler, A. M. Palley, K. K. Jones, Chauncey T. (las-
ton, and W. H. Austin.

The first music printed in Chicago was by Joseph
Cockroft* in 1854; the music composed by J. Dyhren-

* Joseph Cockroft was awarded a silver medal for the first stereotyping
done in Chicago, at the Fourth Annual Fair of the Chicago Mechanics' Insti-
tute, held in 1851. He did the stereotyping of the Journal office that year.

furth, and the song, composed by Benjamin F. Taylor,
for which the music was originated, was entitled, " It
will all be Right in the Morning."

The Chicago Type Foundry, located at No. 43
Franklin Street, in 1855, was the first type foundry in
the city, and the first type-casting there was done in
1856, by Nathan Harper, the foundry being then under
the charge of C. G. Sheffield. The first "outfit "sup-
plied by the foundry was in January, 1857, and con-
sisted of a new "dress," of brevier and nonpariel,
for the Springfield Journal, then published by Bail-
hache & Baker. In January, 1857, the place of busi-
ness was moved to 90 Washington Street. In 1863,
Scofield, Marder & Co. succeeded to the Chicago Type
Foundry, and subsequently changed the proprietorship
to Marder, Luse & Co. The first electrotyping per-
formed in Chicago was also done at the Chicago Type
Foundry.

The Printers' Union was organized October 26,
1850, with the following officers: Carver Butterfield,
president; Benjamin Franklin Worrell, vice-president ;
Mortimer C. Misener, secretary, and William H. Aus-
tin, treasurer; and the first meeting of the Union was
held on November 30, 1850, at the hall of the Rhein
Saloon. This confraternity was maintained until June,
1852, when a charter was obtained from the National
LTnion for the Chicago Typographical Union, which
succeeded the Printers' Union. The charter members
were William H. Austin, Samuel S. Beach, A. W. Beard,
Francis A. Belfoy, J- T. Bennett, A. P. Blakeslee,
Charles F. Bliss, Charles Booth, J. I. C. Botsford, E. S.
Bradley, Charles H. Brennan, F. W. Brooks, George E.
Brown, Carver Butterfield, James Campbell, O. F. Car-
ver, A. B. Case, W. H. Chappel, Dyer L. Cowdery, E.
S. Davis, J. W. Deiggs, E. J. Farnum, C. W. Gardner,
Fred Garside, F. G. Haight, Julius A. Hayes, Henry S.
Hickok, Oscar M. Holcomb, A. S. Hopkins, D. B. Hop-
kins, G. H. Kennedy, Joel A. Kinney, William F. Knott,
I). Lalande, C. B. Langley, James Macdonald, John F.
Madison, Warren Milfer, Mortimer C. Misener, T. R.
Moroney, W. W. McCurdv, A. McCutcheon, William
McEvoy, W. H. McWharter, George McWilliams, C. H.
Philbrick, F. M. Porter, F. A. Ryan, Amos Smith,
Thomas Smith, Alfred M. Talley, J. S. Thompson, B.
W. Van Horn, James C. Weaver, J. E. Webb, W. 1'.
Whiffen, Hiram Woodbury, J. P. Woodbury; and the
primal officials of the Typographical Union were: Car-
ver Butterfield, president; C. B. Langley, vice-presi-
dent; J. P. Woodbury, recording secretary; Joel A. Kin-
ney, treasurer. The wages received by the craft, di-
rectly subsequent to the formation of the Typographic
Union, were twenty-five cents per thousand ems; job
printers, eight dollars per week; foremen, ten dollars
per week; this scale being about the rate that ruled
at and after the institution of the Printers' Union in
1850. The question of combinative labor ameliorat-
ing the condition of the individual has engaged
the attention of profound thinkers for many years;
however well, or illy, trades-unions may have suc-
ceeded in other fields of labor, the fact remains that
printers have been materially and permanently benefited
by the Typographical Union; not alone in the mainte-
nance of a higher scale of wages for the craft generally,
but in the conservation and promotion of a higher
morale of the operatives themselves. Printers of a few
years since were notorious for the " transportation of
the standard; " now the best workmen are distinguished
for their sobriety and good citizenship, and inebriety
and capability are no longer synonymous terms.

The Typographical Union has grown from a

♦It

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

score of printers in 1S50 to one thousand members in
[883, among whom are a number of competent females.
who receive the same compensation as the men for
their labors. Its business is such that the Union is
obliged to establish its secretary in a permanent office,
containing library and reading room, which was estab-
lished in iSSj. This office is also an employment
bureau, to which the proprietors send for help, and
where the unemployed wait such calls, and profitably
spend the time in poring over the treasures the library
affords. The present Union possesses one lot in Cal-
vary, and another in Rose Hill Cemetery, the latter
valued at about five thousand dollars; and the action
of the Union, in its efforts for an increase in the scale
of prices, has not been taken solely for the mere ad-
vance of cents per thousand ems, but has also had
consideration for the interest of employers, and the
providing good and skilled labor for those offices which
are supplied by Union men. In the conflict between
labor and capital, the results that would accrue from
indiscreet efforts by those who are deficient in fore-
sight, have been abrogated, and the intermediation of
the Union between printers and newspapers and job
offices, in times of dissension, has often been exerted
with the most felicitous consequences; at the same time
that the Union interposed its regis of sodality to pre-
clude undue advantage being taken of any concession
by the printers.

Any statistical statement of the various amounts
paid at specific times, per thousand ems, would convey
no information, as the methods of measurement and the
rules of allowance have been subject to many muta-
tions. At the present time, a printer cannot make as
much money setting a given number of ems at thirty
cents per thousand, as he could a few years since at
twenty-five cents, and the Chicago Typographical
Union No. 16 is endeavoring to level such inequalities,
and yet not over-ride the interests and ability of em-
ployers— stable benefit, not suicidal consequences, act-
uating its procedure.*

The Printers' Progress. — In addition to the ar-
ray of newspapers and magazines that assumed form
and substance from the inventive literary brains of resi-
dents of, and wayfarers in, this city under the deft
fingers of the disciples of the typographical art, there
were numbers of books published and printed in this
city. The limits of this work will not permit even an
epitomized notice of them ; therefore none but the
primary efforts in various specific branches of literature
and printing have been particularly noticed, unless some
especial peculiarity was observable, and then the work
has been alluded to solely because of such idiosyncrasy
of mental effort or typography.

A history of the rise and progress of any art would
be but a barren outline without some mention of the
various persons who took part in the incidents; and un-
usual care has been exercised to gather the names of
those who performed any of the many functions requi-
site to make a book, without the slightest effort to
enumerate only the officers and let the rank and file rest
in oblivion. Possibly many of the "romps" whose
names appear in this chapter were more distinguished
for "carrying the banner" than their proficiency in
temperance, but the sentence or the paragraph they set
may have elected a constable, demolished a candidate,
or made a family happy by some newspaper household
recipe; it is impossible to tell. They were, however,

rlUch information in this sketch the compiler is indebted to the cour-
tesy of Samuel kastall, the present secretary and treasurer of the Union (1883).

connected with the history of the Press, and hence
publicity is given their names.

To return to a recapitulation of the early Chicago
disciples of Faust, Gutenberg, Caxton and Franklin.
As has been stated, the first printers here were the
acolytes who arrived with Calhoun's press, " when the
breaking waves dashed high on the stern " and mossy
edge of Newberry and Dole's primitive wharf in 1833.
Redmond Prindiville states that the early employes in
the American office were; John Ellsworth, pressman
and compositor ; Abiel and Orson Smith, compositors ;
Edward H. Rudd, job printer and compositor ; John
Brooks, who married Sarah, daughter of Rev. Isaac
Taylor Hinton, and subsequently became a Baptist
minister ; Redmond Prindiville, apprentice. The same
authority states that William Stuart was editor, and
Alexander Stuart assistant editor.

In an old number of the Commercial Advertiser
! Hooper Warren's paper, printed by Edward H. Rudd ,
appears a prospectus signed by Alfred M. Talley, Ed-
ward Grattan, Andrew L. Osborn and Richard W. Iliff,
stating that they would start a newspaper to be called
the Chicago Daily Argus, and in this prospectus the
signers designate themselves as "practical printers."
The prospectus decides the date of their habitation of
Chicago as being in 1836. Talley and Osborn were em-
ployed in the Democrat office. E. Grattan, in the
Weekly American of May 27, 1837, signs a caution to
printers not to come to Chicago, in response to an ad-
vertisement that appeared in the Democrat, offering
positions to journeymen printers, as there are plenty in
the city to perform all the work dependent upon the ex-
ercise of the art; but this prospectus is the sole authority
for there ever having been a printer here named Iliff,
and he, probably disappointed at the failure of the
Argus to appear, also disappeared. David M. Bradley
first entered the composing room of the Democrat in
1837, and was connected with that paper until his death.
James Campbell, Zebina Eastman, F. T. Ellithorp,
James Kelly, Charles N. Holcomb, John E. Wheeler,
Jonathan Carver Butterfield and A. R. Niblo were also
pioneers of the art preservative, and many of their
names are to be found among the prominent editors of
the early papers of the city.

The names of the printers and pressmen that follow
are compiled from the several directories for the years
indicated at the head of each paragraph. This classifi-
cation has been followed until the year 1854, when
nomadic printers began to swarm into the city ; and, as
it is tacitly conceded that a Chicagoan is not an " early
settler " unless his residence antedates that year,
deference for this ukase, and the limits of this chapter,
have abrogated any individual mention of typographers
subsequent to the close of 1853.

1839. Eric Anderson, pressman; James S. Beach,
with E. H. Rudd ; David M. Bradley, foreman Demo-
crat; J. Carver Butterfield, compositor American ;
James Campbell, compositor American ; Timpthy C.
Ellithorp, compositor Democrat ; Robert Fergus ;
Charles N. Holcomb, foreman American; William
Holmes, compositor Democrat ; James Kellv, com-
positor American ; Abiel Smith, pressman Democrat ;
Orson Smith, compositor Democrat ; Alexander Stuart,
pressman American ; Alfred M. Talley, compositor
Democrat ; William Taylor, compositor American ; N.
D. Woodville, compositor American.

The next directory that was issued is the one for
1844, but some names are necessary to be recorded be-
tween 1839 and that year; those of Kiler K. Jones, ap-

PRINTERS, LITHOGRAPHERS, BOOKBINDERS AND STATIONERS.

4i7

prentice, pressman and general utility boy in the office
of the American; Mark B. Clancy, who worked upon
Morris's Chicago Directory for 1845 ; William Ellis,
subsequently partner of Robert Fergus, who arrived
here August, 1840, and worked on the Tribune; also the
following signers of a caution printed in the Weekly
American of July 31, 1840, dated July 29, 1840, warn-
ing printers not to come to Chicago as there are suffi-
cient workmen in the city to perform all the work re-
quired, viz.: A. M. Talley, Edward H. Rudd, Orson
Smith, Abial Smith, Robert Fergus, Joe D. Brown, J.
Carver Butterfield, James Campbell, A. R. Nibloand Z.
Eastman. Hon. Knud Langland was probably the
earliest printer of Norwegian typography in Chicago,

M: oc^«-*a -f&**. </

he having been here in 1843. This gentleman was not
a regular printer, but worked at the case occasionally,
his celebrity consisting in the able and forcible editorial
articles he furnished to Norwegian publications. In that
work he is accredited with having wielded more in-
fluence than any other writer in the Norwegian language.

In the following compilations when no specific char-
acter is given to the employment pursued by each per-
son they were classed as printers; when the name of the
paper or office they worked in was originally stated, it
has been reproduced here, and though many of the
printers, etc., were probably here before 1843 (when the
1844 directory was compiled) no authentic record is ex-
tant concerning them.

1844:* David M. Bradley; J. Carver Butterfield,
Prairie Farmer; George E. Brown, Express; Norman
Buell, Democrat; Ellis & Fergus, book and job printers,
Saloon Building (the first job office in the city);
William F. Gregory; Robert M. Hobson, Express;
James Kelly, Western Citizen; A. R. Niblo; Abiel
Smith, Democrat; A. P. Spencer, Better Covenant; H.
J. Thomas, Western Citizen; Alfred M. Talley, Demo-
crat; Jacob Whitmore, Western Citizen; N. D. Wood-
ville, American.

1845 : David M. Bradley; Norman Buell, Demo-
crat; J. Carver Butterfield; Samuel S. Beach, Gem of
the Prairie; J. T. Bennett, Citizen; C. H. Bowen,
Democrat; Mark B. Clancy, Gem of the Prairie; J. S.
Davis, Gem of the Prairie; Samuel Dempsey, Better
Covenant; William F. Gregory, Journal; H. W Grogan,
Gem of the Prairie; James C. Herrington, Democrat;
F. I. Hays, Gem of the Prairie; James Kelly, Western
Citizen; William C. Ladow, Better Covenant; William
S. Lyman, at Ellis & Fergus's; C. Martling, Gem of the
Prairie; Mortimer C. Mizener; Abiel Smith, Democrat;
Lorenzo D. Swan, Gem of the Prairie; Alfred M.
Talley, Democrat; H. J. Thomas, Western Citizen; E.

B. Thomas, Advocate; N. D. Woodville, Journal;
Thomas Whitmarsh; Russell Whitmore, Citizen.

A warning to printers against seeking work in Chi-
cago was signed November 3, 1847, by H. K. Davis,
William H. Austin, J. Sarrell, H. J. Thomas, Thomas

C. Whitmarsh, James Campbell, J. A. Smythe, John P.
Breese, Joel Rathburn, F. W. Brookes, A. P. Spencer,
Franklin Fulton, F. I. Hays, James J. Langdon, N. W.
Fuller, R. N. Garrett, Samuel S. Beach, A. Adams, Jr.,
W. F. Gregory, C. C. Moore, G. E. Brown, Charles S.

The names of several printers omitted in this directory list will be found
the portion of this chapter devoted to newspapers.

3 publishe:

27

Abbott, N. C. Guernsey, H. A. Hough, David P.
Daniels, William H. Worrell.

1848: A. Adams, Jr., John Amundson, pressman,
David M Bradley, sub-editor, franklin Fulton, Chaun-
cey T. Gaston, Austin Sadler, Alfred M. Talley, W. T,
West, lver Wichington, pressman, Democrat ; M. S.
Barnes, James J. Clarkson, John Serelle, James P.
Woodbury, New Covenant ; Frederick Brooks, W. H.
Austin, J. T. Bennett, J. E. Wheeler, Tribune; Charles
S. Abbott, George E. Brown, C. H. Bowen, < harles F.
Bliss, Oscar M. Holcomb, Mortimer C. Mizener, J. Mad-
ison Patten, Benjamin Sanford, Hiram Woodbury.
Journal ; Samuel S. Beach, Gem of the Prairie ; Enos
S. Bradley, Wilson Franks, N. W. Fuller, Francis T.
Seely, pressman, Citizen ; J. G. Glass, H. A. Hough,
foreman, J. A. Smith, Ezra Wilkins, Commercial Adver-
tiser; N. E. Guernsey, Prairie Farmer ; Thomas Kim-
ball, William Kirkengoll, W. H. Worrell, Campbell
Wait, Herald of the Prairie ; Anton Portman, Peoples'
Friend ; D. P. Daniel, J. W. Duzan, E. S. Davis, James
Campbell, William Ellis, William lver, pressman, K. K.
Jones, Madeira, James Purcell, T. C. Whitmarsh ;
John Portman, printer and grocer, office undesignated.

The following lists comprise names that have not
heretofore been given :

1849: A.W. Adams, F.D.Austin, J. B. DowJ. A. Hays,
Rufus Tebbetts, William G. Travis, undesignated ; Fran-
cis Belfoy, William McEvoy, Thomas Morony, Tribune ;
T. M. Crombie, Norman H. Eastman, S. J. Noble, Her-
ald of the Prairie ; Thomas Herndon, Battle-Axe ;
Thomas E. Clarkson, James E. Fielding, Joel A. Kinney,
G. Martin, Journal ; Robert Lees, New Covenant ; N.
C. Geer (of Cringle & Greer, land agents, in 1848), W.
P. Gregg, G. F. Palmer, J. Tyson Smith, C. A. Swan,
Commercial Advertiser ; Daniel S. Merritt, Prairie
Farmer ; B. W. Van Home, Democrat ; David Martin,
Citizen ; P. K. Webster, Dollar.

1850 : George Clark, Hans Kjos, Henry H. Kim-
ball, Robert McCullock, William T. Nott, Amos Smith,

A. B. Whiting, undesignated ; Thomas R. Raymond,
Herald of the Prairie; Chester L. Root, New Covenant;
Jeremiah S. Thompson, Prairie Farmer ; Charles Phil-
brick, Democrat ; John Barker, Warren Johnson, S. B.
Raymond, foreman, Citizen ; Benjamin W. Seaton,
foreman, Spofford D. McDonald, William T. Knott,
Argus.

1 85 1 : John Emerson, William E. Foote, Henry
Gibbs, C. F. Hardy, Warren Miller, undesignated ;
James Goodwille, Herald of the Prairies ; C. D. Dick-
erson, foreman Journal ; Philip J. Collins, New Cove-
nant ; Ole Gulliver, Ruth, Democrat ; Charles

Dyer, Citizen ; Frederick J. Garside, Commercial Ad-
vertiser.

1S52 : Albert Beard, Charles H. Brennan, D. L.
Cowdery, James H. Davlin, Joseph Dusold, John M.
Farquhar, Charles Foot, J. T. Fordham, William H.
Foster, Abraham Frankhouser, Hans Johes 1 probably
Kjoss , Henry Kleinofer, William F. Knott, James Mc-
Donald, W. H. McQuarter, James Millar, Edward
Ryan, Mark Seymour, Thomas Smith, Isaac B. Smith,
Charles Volchmann, John Walsh, Hooper Warren, L.

B. Waterman, William E. Wilber, undesignated ; Ed-
ward D. Barker, John F. Brown, Herald of the Prairies;
Oscar F. Carver, Daniel B. Hopkins, George H. Ken-
nedy, Edward W. L'Honnedieu, John F. Maddison,
Heiirv M. Rogers, Tribune ; Robert R. Davis, Thomas
R. Hudd, Thomas Leicester, George W. McWilliams,
Hiram Vanderbelt, pressman, John Woods, Citizen ;
Jacob Blum, Frederick Barnard, Charles E. Beach, Ira
F. Bird, William H. Chappell, Edward Irwin, Cyrus B.

4iS

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

l.anglev. Journal : James Martin, Benjamin F. Monroe,
New Covenant : George W. Blair, pressman, Frederick
W. Brooks. T. Wickerson, pressman, Democrat ; John
Anderson. William H. Harkin. Alexander White, Argus;
Frederick H. Bleeker. John Wilson. Commercial Adver-
tiser : F. A. Ryan, Democratic Press ; Rudolph Julius,
John Simon Frederick W. Storch, Staats Zeitung.

IS;;: Tames Austin, James Barnet, John Ballan-
tvne. Edwin G. Barrows. Joseph T. Bennett, Charles
H. Bingham, Robert Brunton, Patrick Conway, Claren-
don Davison. O. C. Fordham, Clark Gieb, William
Goodwin, Henry S. Hickok. J. M. Hoyt, K. C Hunt,
lames King, Charles Kreckman, John Marshall, Will-
iam McCartv, W. W. McCurdy, Duncan McDonald, A.
I. Madden. 'William O'Brien,' J. C. Parker, pressman,
"Joseph Parker, George Philbrick, S. G. Pitkin, Louis

Schell, John Shanks, Robert V. Shurley, L. G. Sinclair,
Charles Slocum, Henry J. L. Stanwood, James E.
Webb, undesignated ; F. S. Emrick, George Harris
Fergus, Garden City ; James M. Chatfield, John Chat-
field, Jr., William B. Doolittle, Lee Lars, Traveler ;
Y. Hanf, foreman, Staats Zeitung ; Hezekiah Chapin,
Frank G. Haight, Lewis Knudson, pressman, Oliver H.
Perry, G. Taylor, W. C. Wright, Democrat ; F. F.
Brown, William F. Brown, A. B. Case, foreman, Newell
Case, Andrew Dunn, Charles O. Pratt, pressman, Dem-
ocratic Press ; Albert Auer, pressman, D. L. Logan,
Tribune ; Myron Amick, W. F. Beach, G. E. Brown,
Jehiel Hart, pressman, H. W. Havens, J. Lyman, F. M.
Porter, O. M. Pugh, Oleander Stone, George A. Trey-
ser, Journal.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

The prosperity of a people depends as much upon
a wise interpretation as on a judicious framing of its
laws. The advocate is as necessary as the lawgiver;
the Bench and Bar as indispensable as the Governor and
Legislature. Nowhere else has the legal profession ex-
ercised a more powerful influence in framing the laws
and molding the destinies of the people than in the
United States. Here they form the leading political
class, being the most thoroughly educated in all that
appertains to the civil life of the nation.

In the State of Illinois their influence has been para-
mount from the first. Nearly all the great names con-
nected with its early history are also to be found on the
roll of lawyers. They have been leaders of the people,
not alone, as was to be expected, in the domain of law,
but in every intellectual, moral, educational, charitable
and even commercial enterprise. And the firm stand
taken by the profession against repudiation, in the dark
period of 1837 to 1842, was creditable to their judg-
ment and worthy of the leadership they had tacitly
assumed.

It is now half a century since Chicago began to have
a Bench and Bar of her own, in 1833, and in every im-
portant crisis of her history since then, in each succes-
sive step of the petty hamlet toward metropolitan great-
ness, lawyers have been among her most active leaders
and most influential counselors. They soon attained
among the members of the profession throughout the
State the prestige that always attaches to commercial
centers, which the rapid growth and concentration of large
interests here have exceptionally enhanced. The
wealth of clients, corporate and individual, has stimulat-
ed the powers of the profession, until to stand among
one's brethren of the Chicago Bar, well toward the front
with name untarnished, is perhaps the most enviable
position that can be reached by a citizen.

The Judiciary under the Constitution of
1818. — The fourth article of the constitution of 1818
instituted a judiciary for the new State by the following
provisions:

1. The judicial power of this State shall be vested in one
supreme court, and such inferior courts as the general assembly
shall, from time to time ordain and establish.

2. The Supreme Court shall be holden at the seat of govern-
ment, and shall have an appellate jurisdiction only, except in cases
relating to the revenue, in cases of mandamus, and in such cases of
impeachment as may be required to be tried before it.

3. The Supreme Court shall consist in a chief justice and three
associates, any two of whom shall form a quorum. The number
of justices may, however, be increased by the General Assembly
after the year 1824.

4. The justices of the Supreme Court and the judges of the
inferior courts shall be appointed by joint ballot of both branches
of the general assembly, and commissioned by the governor and
shall hold their offices during good behavior until the end of the
first session of the general assembly, which shall be begun and
held after the 1st dav of January, in the year of our Lord 1824, at
which time their commissions shall expire; and until the expiration
of which time the said justices respectively, shall hold circuit courts
in the several counties, in such manner and at such times, and shall
have and exercise such jurisdiction as the General Assembly shall
by law prescribe. But ever after the aforesaid period the justices
of the Supreme Court shall be commissioned during good behavior
and the justices thereof shall not hold circuit courts, unless re-
quired bylaw,

5. The judges of the inferior courts shall hold their offices
during good behavior, but for any reasonable cause, which shall 1 1 ■ .t
be sufficient ground for impeachment, both the judges of the
supreme and inferior courts, shall be removed from office on the ad-
dress of two-thirds of each branch of the General Assembly: Pro-
vided always, that no member of either house of the General
Assembly nor any person connected with a member by consanguin-
ity or affinity, shall be appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by
such removal. The said justices of the Supreme Court, during
their temporary appointment, shall receive an annual salary of one
thousand dollars, payable quarter-yearly out of the public treasury.
The judges of the inferior courts, and the justices of the Supreme
Court who may be appointed after the end of the first session of the
General Assembly which shall be begun and held after the first day
of January, in the year of our Lord 1824, shall have adequate and
competent salaries, which shall not be diminished during their con-
tinuance in office.

6. The Supreme Court, or a majority of the justices thereof,
the circuit courts or the justices thereof shall respectively appoint
their own clerks.

7. All process, writs, and other proceedings shall run in the
name of " The people of the State of Illinois." All prosecutions
shall be carried on " In the name and by the authority of the peo-
ple of the State of Illinois," and conclude "Against the peace and
dignity of the same."

8. A competent number of justices of the peace shall be ap-
pointed in each county, in such manner as the General Assembly
may direct, whose time of service, power, and duties shall be regu-
lated and defined by law. And justices of the peace, when so ap-
pointed, shall be commissioned by the governor.

Accordingly the State was divided into four judicial
circuits, in which the chief justice and his three asso-
ciates performed circuit, duties until 1824. By an act of
December 29, 1824, the State was divided into five
judicial districts, and five circuit judges ordered to be
elected by the General Assembly. These were to per-
form all circuit duties, relieving the Supreme Court of
that labor, and were to continue in office during good
behavior, as provided in the constitution.

But this was soon regarded as a piece of legislative
extravagance. Four judges of the Supreme Court at
$800 each, and five of the Circuit Court at $600 each,
or in all, $6,200 annually. It was therefore repealed,
January 12, 1827, and the State was again divided into
four Circuit Court districts, to each of which was as-
signed one of the justices of the Supreme Court. Two
years later, January 8, 1829, it was found necessary to
create a fifth circuit, to include the whole region north
of the Illinois River, and for it a judge was chosen by
the General Assembly, the justices of the Supreme
Court doing duty in the four circuits south of that
river.

Chicago's Earliest Judiciary. — Before treating
of the Bench and Bar of Chicago in the stricter sense
of judges and lawyers, assembling amid customary sur-
roundings, made respectable by the inherent majesty of
law, if not by outward pomp and court forms, it is
thought proper to refer to the earliest representatives
and processes of law in the future city.

As in the traditional history of ancient nations, the
warlike conqueror and founder of empire is always fol-
lowed by the pacific lawgiver and civil organizer, even
so by curious coincidence did it happen in the predes-
tined metropolis of the Great West. Scarcely had the
military outpost of Fort Dearborn been established, be-
fore a lawyer came here to reside; and as if yet further

420

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

to justify the parallelism, he came in the interests of
and justice. Reference is made to Charles Jouett,
a lawyer of Virginia, and afterward judge in Kentucky
and Arkansas, who came here in 1805, as the first Indian
Agent.

The earliest mention in the legal records of the State
of a Chicago Justice of the Peace, is the following:
" Tune ;. 1S21, at the second term of the Commission-
ers Court of Tike County, upon motion of Abnaham
Beck, Judge of Probate. John Kinzie was recommended
suitable person for justice of the Peace." Chicago
was then in Pike.

At a term of the Commissioners Court of Fulton
County, held December 2. 1S23, John Kinzie was again
recommended for Justice of the Peace. Chicago was
then in Fulton.

Peoria County, including the region of Chicago, was
set apart from Fulton County, January 13, 1825, and on

the same day Austin Crocker and Kinsey were

confirmed by the State Senate as Justices of the Peace
for the new county. There is no reason to doubt that

■• Kinsev " was intended for John Kinzie, who,

however, was not commissioned until July 28, 1S25. He
was. therefore, not only the first resident Justice in
Chicago, but one of the first two confirmed for Peoria
Countv. It seems probable, in the absence of any men-
tion of his having performed the duties of the office,
that the previous indorsements "had not been followed by
a formal appointment or commission.

Alexander Wolcott and Jean Baptiste Beaubien were
made Justices September 10, 1825; and they and Kinzie
were judges of election in Chicago precinct December
7, 1S25. John L. Bogardus, of Peoria, Assessor of
Chicago in 1825, was appointed Justice January 15,
1S26.

Justices made Elective. — By a law of December
30. 1826, Justices were made elective, and their term of
office extended to four years. A supplemental act of
February 9, 1827, continued in office those previously
appointed until the election of successors. In Chicago,
Wolcott and Beaubien were re-commissioned December
26, 1827, having been elected by the voters of the pre-
cinct, or perhaps continuing in virtue of the law referred
to. There are on record at least five marriages by
Beaubien, two in 1828, and three in 1830, but none by
Wolcott; and no trials by either. John S. C. Hoganwas
elected July 24, and commissioned October 9, 1830; and
Stephen Forbes was elected November 25, 1830.
Chicago was still in Peoria County.

Of the four Justices of Cook County, commissioned
May 2, 1831, only one, William See, was a resident of
Chicago. Another, Archibald Clybourne, did not reside
in the Chicago of that day, although what was then his
farm is now within the city limits. Russel E. Heacock
became a Justice September 10, 1831 ; and was probably
the first Justice before whom trials were held. Isaac
Harmon was elected June 4, 1832 ; perhaps to succeed
See. Justices Heacock and Harmon seemed to have
served until August. 1835. They are both mentioned
as Justices in the Chicago American of July n, 1835 !
and Harmon was re-elected, August 9, 1835. Mean-
while John Dean Caton was elected justice July 12,
1834, by one hundred and eighty-two votes out of a
total of two hundred and twenty-nine, the remaining
forty-seven being given to his competitor, Dr. Josiah
ili.e. II'- continued in office probably until
-'., 1835, and is said to have then given but little
promise of the success which afterward marked his
career as Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois. E.

W. Casey was elected Justice of the Peace, August 9,
1835, DLlt did not serve long.

The Circuit Court. — By an act of February 16,
183 1, .it was provided that "The counties of Cook, La-
Salle, Putnam, Peoria, Fulton, Schuyler, Adams, Han-
cock, McDonough, Knox, Warren, Jo Daviess, Mercer,
Rock Island and Henry shall constitute the Fifth Judi-
cial Circuit * * Richard M. Young shall perform cir-
cuit duties in the Fifth Judicial Circuit. * * There
shall be two terms of the Circuit Court held annually in
each of the counties. * * In the county of Cook
on the fourth Mondays in April and second Mondays in
September.

It will be noticed that this circuit embraced such dis-
tant points as Galena, Quincy, Peoria and Chicago, and
the fifteen above-named counties, now increased by
sub-division into thirty-nine.

The Constitution of 1818 only ordained that the
Circuit Courts should have and exercise such jurisdic-
tion as the General Assembly should by law provide ;
and by that body they had been endowed with juris-
diction in criminal and civil cases, and in the latter, both
at common law and in chancery.

Early Terms, 1831-34. — There is no little uncer-
tainty about the first terms of the Circuit Court in Chi-
cago. As stated, the county of Cook was organized in
the spring of 1831, and by the foregoing statute it was
entitled to a September term. If reliance can be placed
on a historical pamphlet on Chicago by Governor Bross,
issued in 1858, such a term was held or provided for
" at Fort Dearborn, in the brick house, and in the lower
room of said house." At the funeral of Colonel Hamil-
ton in i860, Judge Manierre also stated that the first
term was held in September, 1831. And again in 1832,
in the same work of Mr. Bross, the Court of County
Commissioners is on record as ordering that the Sheriff
shall secure one or more rooms for the Circuit Court at
the house of James Kinzie, " provided it can be done at
a cost of not more than ten dollars." In confirmation
of the view that such court was held, the same work
states that Judge Young, accompanied from Galena by
Lawyers Mills and Strode, brought tidings to Chicago
of the disturbed state of the Indians, which culminated
later in the Black Hawk War.

" In May, 1833," says Charles Ballance in his history
of Peoria, " Judge Young made his appearance in the
village of Peoria, and announced that he was on his
way to Chicago to hold court. * * On this occasion
I attended court at Chicago, partly to seek practice as
a lawyer, and partly to see the country."

" The first term of the Circuit Court held in Cook
County," says Hon. Thomas Hoyne, " was in Septem-
ber, 1833, by Hon. Richard M. Young. In 1834, he
also held the term in May."* This last, in the opinion
of Hon. J. D. Caton, was the first term held here, or at
least the first at which any law business was done. Ex-
cept an appeal from some Justice Court, which was No.
1 on the docket of the Circuit Court of Cook County, a
case tried by him, was the first ever tried in Chicago in
any court of record ; and this he is confident was at
the May term in 1834. If this view is correct, although
Judge Young may have come to Chicago on any or all
of the years from 1831 to 1833, no regular court was
held until the spring term of 1834, which in view of all
the facts maybe accepted as the verdict of history.

The First Law Office. — The first lawyer in Chi-
cago to make a living by his profession alone was Giles
Spring ; and separated from him by a few days was

* " The Lawyer as a Pioneer."

THE BENCH AND BAR.

421

John Dean Caton, who arrived June 19, 1833. There
was but little law business in Chicago then, but not-
withstanding untoward appearances, both rose to emi-
nence and acquired wealth. Early in July, while they

kept office as was facetiously said, " On the head of
a barrel at the corner of Lake and Wells," Caton ob-
tained his first case, which also proved to be Spring's,
on the other side. It is here subjoined as " the first
larceny case in Chicago ; " that is, the reader need
scarcely be told, the first to receive legal cognizance,
for not a little stealing had been done from " Lo " and
others, before that time.

In December, 1833, Mr. Caton rented of Dr. Tem-
ple the back room and attic of his " building " on Lake
Street, converting the attic into a bedroom, and extend-
ing to Spring the courtesy of desk-room in the room
below, which thus became the first law-office in Chi-
cago.

The First Larceny Case. — The first larceny case
heard before a Justice of the Peace occurred in July,
1833. Mr. Hatch had been robbed of thirty-four dol-
lars in Eastern currency, at the tavern, and hired
Lawyer Caton to recover it. Suspicion rested on a
fellow-boarder who was arrested by Constable Reed
and taken before Squire Heacock for examination, fol-
lowed by a large part of the population. The search
had proved fruitless, and the prisoner was about to be
released amid many jeers at the legal fledgling who
had prosecuted the investigation. Just then Caton
detected a suspicious lump, which distended the cul-
prit's stocking, and making a hurried grab, brought
forth the tell-tale roll of stolen bills. The constable
took charge of the prisoner, who was duly arraigned
the ensuing morning, with Spring and Hamilton as his
lawyers, who obtained a change of venue to Squire
Harmon, on the North Side. Afterward to satisfy the
public interest in this first case, Harmon adjourned to
the tavern on the West Side, where the public could
hear the young lawyers to the best advantage. " The
court-rooms in those clays," says Arnold, "were always
crowded. To go to court and listen to the witnesses
and lawyers was among the chief amusements of the
frontier settlements."

Fifty years later Judge Caton confessed that he had
never been more interested in a case. The criminal
was convicted, but escaped punishment by the device of
straw-bail, which seems to have been introduced into
Chicago at the same time as its earliest jurisprudence.
Caton obtained his fee of ten dollars out of the recov-
ered money, but Spring and Hamilton were cheated out
of theirs by the runaway thief.

Adventures of a Lawyer in Search of Prac-
tice.— In the golden leisure of mature age Judge
Caton has often found pleasure in relating the following
stories :

" Clients were few, fees small and money running
low, with board bills fast maturing. It was in that first
July, and the proceeds of the first larceny case were
gone or going fast, when we both hired out to carry the
chain for a surveyor, who had just got a job on the
North Side. Returning at noon, we learned from R. J.
Hamilton that a party had been inquiring for a lawyer,

and, to avoid all partiality, it was agreed that he should
follow us to our work in the afternoon. As he ap-
proached, blindly groping through the thick and high
alders, which concealed us as we sat, while the choppers
were clearing a lane for our operations, I saw that he
was making straight for where Spring stood, when 1
dropped on each other the surveying pins I held in un-
hand, and, repeating the performance, succeeded in
attracting his attention and directing his steps to where
I sat. He secured my services, paying me in advance.
Spring felt that he had been tricked and was a little
sore, but actually got the best side of the case, being
hired by John Bates, whom he enabled by interpleading
to retain the property unattached, against which my
client had hoped to obtain judgment. Spring got the
larger fee and won the more substantial victory, though
I had no difficulty in securing for my client a worthless
judgment against an insolvent debtor, who was proved
to have lost the ownership of the contested property.

"In August, 1833, there resided in Chicago six or
seven free colored men, all of whom had come from
free States. The law-givers of Illinois, however, had
not contemplated such a contingency, the earlier popu-
lation having come mostly from slave States. The laws
had provided that if a negro was found in the State
without free papers, he should be prosecuted and fined,
and, if necessary, sold to pay the fine. Some enemy of
the black man, or pro-slavery admirer of the black code,
or believer in the blessings of the peculiar institution
for the heaven-marked subject race, or possibly some
aspirant for political preferment at the hands of the
dominant party, which was largely under the control of
the slave-holding aristocracy of the South, felt it to be
his duty or his interest to prosecute these early repre-
sentatives here of the proscribed race. J. D. Caton
undertook their defense, and pleaded their case before
the Court of County Commissioners. This was putting
a very literal interpretation of judicial powers on the
rather euphemistic term court as applied to the board of
County Commissioners. But court was then the legal
designation of that body, and the young lawyer overcame
their natural modesty, or their unwillingness to assume
a function hitherto unheard of. They ended by acced-
ing to the learned jurist's exposition of the law, and as
the highest accessible representatives of the judiciary
of the sovereign State of Illinois, they granted to his
grateful clients the required certificates of freedom,
which were never questioned and passed for excellent
free papers. Mr. Caton's fee was a dollar from each of
the beneficiaries."

First Chicago Divorce. — That term in May, 1834,
"when," says Judge Caton, "we all first met together
in the unfinished loft of the old Mansion House, just
north of where the Tremont now stands," is memorable
for witnessing the initial steps in the first of a long and
unfinished line of divorce suits in Chicago. The par-
ties to the suit were Angeline Vaughan, petitioner, and
Daniel \V. Vaughan, respondent. The petition was
dated April 12, and made returnable May 14, 1834, but
the outcome has not been learned. They had been
married July 9, 1831, the maiden name of the bride
being Hebert.

First Murder Trial. — In the fall of 1834, in an
unfinished store, about twenty feet by forty, on Dear-
born Street, between Lake and Water, another term of
the Circuit Court was held by Judge Young. It was
his last term here as Circuit Judge, and the last in Chi-
cago, while Cook County remained within the Fifth
Judicial Circuit. It is memorable for trying the first
murder case in Chicago, and yet more for the resulting

422

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

acquittal. An Irishman was arraigned for killing his
wife: and his lawyer, James H. Collins, succeeded in
getting fudge Young to instruct the jury that if they
could not rind him guilty of murder, as indicted, it was
their duty to acquit, which they did. They were in-
clined to bring a verdict of manslaughter, as there were
circumstances which put the crime out of the grade of
murder, but were misled by the instructions of the
court and the wiles of the lawyer.

The Circuit-Riders ok the Law. — From 1831 to
1834, and indeed for several years afterward, a consid-
erable part of the pleading and other law business of
Cook County was done by the circuit-riders of the pro-
fession, of whom a few habitually accompanied the
Judge from one county-seat to another, over the then
sparsely-settled section of northern Illinois. They
were residents of Galena, Peoria, Quincy, or other dis-
tant points. The riding was on horseback, or by stage,
buggv or wagon, over unimproved roads, running at
intervals through miry swamps that were rendered pass-
able only by the " corduroy " logs and saplings, loosely
laid in the uncertain, yielding roadway, and across
swollen streams unprovided with bridges.

" The practice of riding the circuit in those early
davs," savs Judge Goodrich, " while it may be regarded
as the knight-errantry of the profession, was an admi-
rable training school' to make ready and skillful prac-

titioners. The want of books compelled reliance upon
reason and leading principles. I doubt if a class of
lawyers can be found anywhere, as ready and skillful
special pleaders as the early practitioners upon the
country circuits."

What could not conveniently be determined by au-
thority had to be decided by the processes of individual
reason. The elementary books and the comprehensive
principles of general law formed a solid foundation;
and the superstructure was largely their own reflections
and deductions, all the more available and serviceable
as the tools of their craft, because fashioned by each
one for himself. The result was a body of lawyers,
with powers of discrimination well developed, always
ready to give an account of the knowledge that was in
them, not in their books.

A few years later the traveling members of the Chi-
cago Bar had similar experiences in their semi-annual
journeyings to the United States courts at Springfield,
or to such county courts in the interior as business
called them to attend.

" I have known the trip to Springfield," says Mr.
Arnold, "to take five days and nights, dragging dreari-

ly through the mud and sleet; and there was an
amoui ■ fort, vexation and annoyance about

it, sutf. mst the patience of the most amia-

■ journey was as agreeable as the
December trip was repulsive. A four-in-hand, with

splendid horses, the best of Troy coaches, good com-
pany, the exhilaration of great speed over an elastic
road, much of it a turf of grass, often crushing under
our wheels the most beautiful wild flowers; every grove
fragrant with blossoms, framed in the richest green; our
roads not fenced in by narrow lanes, but with freedom
to choose our route; here and there a picturesque log
cabin, covered with vines; boys and girls on their way
to the log schools, and the lusty farmer digging his
fortune out of the rich earth. Everything fresh and
new, full of young life and enthusiasm, these June trips
to Springfield would, I think, compare favorably even
with those we make to-day in a luxurious Pullman car.*
But there were exceptions to these enjoyments. Some-
times torrents of rain would, in a few hours, so swell
the stream that the log bridges and banks would be
entirely submerged, and a stream, which a few hours
before was nearly dry, became a foaming torrent. Ford-
ing at such times was never agreeable, and was some-
times a little dangerous."

" The judge," says Mr. Arnold,* " usually sat upon
a raised platform, with a pine or white wood board on
which to write his notes. A small table on one side
for the clerk, and around which were grouped the law-
yers, too often, I must admit, with their feet on top of
it. * * * There was, in those days, great freedom
in social intercourse; manners were at times rude, but
genial, kind, and friendly. Each was ready to assist
his fellow; and as none were rich, there was little envy
or jealousy. The relations between the Bench and Bar
were free and easy; and flashes of wit and humor and per-
sonal repartee were constantly passing from one to an-
other. The court-rooms in those days were always
crowded. At court were rehearsed and enacted the
drama, the tragedy, and comedy of real life. The
court-room answered for the theater, concert-hall, and
opera of the older settlements. The judges and law-
yers were the stars; and wit and humor, pathos and
eloquence always had appreciative audiences. The
leading advocates had their partisans, personal and
political, and the merits of each were canvassed in .
every cabin, school-house, and at every horse race, bee,
and raising."

The Early Bar. — At the close of 1834, while Chi-
cago was still in the Fifth Circuit, the resident lawyers,
though not yet formally associated as a Bar, had begun
to assume respectable proportions. While the population
was estimated all the way from four hundred to twelve
hundred, the lawyers already numbered eleven — Hea-
cock, Hamilton, Spring, Caton, Casey, Fullerton, Collins,
James Grant, Grant Goodrich, Moore, and Morris. It
is remarkable that so many of these should have risen
to distinction, five having reached the Bench, and all
having attained a respectable standing in the profes-
sion, and as public-spirited citizens in civil life, noted
for intelligence, integrity, and varied substantial service
to the young and struggling community. To none of
them has there attached any taint of professional mis-
conduct or neglect of duty, no venality as judge, or
betrayal of client's interest as lawyer. The first two
have already been noticed among the early settlers; and
this is a fitting place to introduce such of the others as
have passed away from earth, or removed from Chicago.
Two members of the Bar of 1834, Judges Caton and
Goodrich, still survive as honored citizens, and their
lives will be sketched in a later volume. The only
representative of the Bench of Chicago at this period
was Judge Young.

* " Reminiscences of the Illinois Bar, Forty Years Ago.''

t " Recollections of the Early Illinois and Chicago Bar," by Hon. I. N.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

423

Richard M. Young, the first Circuit Judge who
held court in Chicago, was born in Kentucky toward
the close of the last century. He emigrated early into
southern Illinois, residing at Jonesboro, Union County,
before as well as after the organization of that county
in 1818. He was admitted to the Bar September 28,
181 7 ; and he represented Union County in the Second
General Assembly, 1820-22. By an act approved De-
cember 29, 1824, the State was divided into five judicial
circuits, and he was commissioned Judge of the Third,
January 19, 1825. This act was repealed January 12,
1827, and all judicial functions again devolved on the
Chief Justice and the three Associate Justices of the

tlUU4

"t?

Supreme Court, which abrogated Judge Young's office.
Accordingly we find that " An act for the relief
of Richard M. Young " — the payment probably of
salary balance — was introduced in the Legislature Jan-
uary 11, 1827, and approved the 22d, by which $58.40
were appropriated for that purpose. And it was en-
acted February 17, 1827, that he be paid " four State
paper dollars a day " for sixteen days' service as clerk
to an important committee of the House. In 1828 he
was presidential elector on the Democratic ticket. By
the judiciary act of January 8, 1829, a Fifth Circuit was
created to include all that portion of the State lying
north of the Illinois River ; and Mr. Young was chosen
its judge on the 12th, and commissioned on the 23d.
About that time he removed to Quincy, within his judi-
cial district. His duties were arduous, not so much for
the volume of business to be done in any particular county,
as for the number of counties he had to serve, the dis-
tance apart of the several county seats, and the absence
of modern conveniences for traveling. He was in
active correspondence with Governor Reynolds in April,
1832, in reference to the disturbed condition of north-
ern Illinois, and urged the necessity of speedy and
effective protection of the northern frontier against the
Indians in the Black Hawk War. In the impeachment
trial of Judge Theophilus W. Smith before the State
Senate in the session of 1832-33, Judge Young was as-
sociated with the future Judges Breese and Ford, for
the defense. He held the earliest terms of the Circuit
Court in Chicago. By an act approved January 7,
1835, a Sixth Circuit was established which included
Cook County, and Judge Young had no further occa-
sion to ride his blooded Kentucky horse to distant Chi-
cago, though there still remained ample exercise for
his equestrian skill within the Fifth Circuit. At the ses-
sion of the General Assembly in 1836-37, Judge Young
was put in nomination for United States Senator, and
elected over five competitors, December 14, 1836,
for the full term, 1837-43. He resigned the judicial
office January 2, and took his seat as Senator Septem-
ber 4, 1837. During his senatorial term he seldom
made speeches, but was always ready to enforce a point
or defend a principle in the interest of his constituents,
such as the establishment of new post routes, the advo-
cacy of pre-emption laws and the support of internal
improvement measures. He was quite active and watch-
ful on all questions likely to affect the State of Illinois;
and his counsels were not without influence at home in
directing the policy of the State toward the payment

of its debt. February 1, 1841, in his place in the Sen-
ate, he said : "The march of Illinois is forward ; and
if her legislative guardians at home shall promptly dis-
charge their duty in the preservation of her credit at
home and abroad, who cannot foretell that her destiny
is no less than that of an empire State ?" And, on the
question of internal improvements he thus defined
his position on the 26th of the same month: "I am
willing to promote the interests of the West and South,
the East and North, but I wish them to go hand in
hand. Let them all go together ! " With ex-Gov-
ernor Reynolds, he had been appointed State agent by
Governor Carlan in 1839 to negotiate the sale of State
bonds, with a view to push forward the internal im-
provements so ardently desired by the people of Illinois.
He made a journey to Europe for that purpose, but he
failed in his financial mission and returned to the dis-
charge of his duties as Senator. Failing of re-election
to the Senate, he was chosen an Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court, January 14, 1843, ar>d commissioned
February 4th. He held the office until January 25,
1847, when he resigned. During this period he fre-
quently held court in Chicago, and was favorably re-
garded by the Bar as well as by the Press and people. In
1847, he was appointed commissioner of the general
land office, succeeding General Shields, and being suc-
ceeded by Justin Butterfield, June 21, 1849. In 1850-51,
he was clerk of the House of Representatives at Wash-
ington. " For a number of years before his death,"
says Ballance,* he was a claim agent in Washington
City. But for some time before his death he was con-
fined in an asylum for maniacs. * * * * If the
story is true, he passed away many a day and night in a
dungeon, under the torturing hands of fiends in
human shape, in the great capital of the Nation ; and
yet for a long time so secretly, that a brother living in
that city had no suspicion of it." Physically Judge
Young was a tall, fine-looking man, large of stature
and of dignified and attractive bearing. His intel-
lectual ability was equal to filling any office respecta-
bly, although not with eclat, and coupled with his in-
dustrious and methodical habits made his legal and po-
litical attainments above the average of his day and his
opportunities. His manners were gentle, courteous and
entertaining; his feelings generous and sympathetic;
his disposition amiable and unaggressive; and altogether
he was eminently fitted to win and retain popular favor.
His more able associates were often distanced when
they became his competitors; although he never reached
the highest position as a lawyer, judge or senator, he
always commanded the respect and confidence of his
constituents and the public. Of excellent personal
habits and refined tastes, whatever he may have lacked
in brilliancy was amply compensated for by his steady
attention to duty, and his earnest purpose to promote
the prosperity of the State. He had two daughters, of
whom the elder, Matilda, was married at Washington, to
R. A. Matthews, of Georgia, July 29, 1852.

Giles Spring was born about 1807, in Massachu-
setts, whence he emigrated when a young man to the
"Western Reserve" in Ohio. Having studied law at
Ashtabula under the firm of Giddings & Wade — the
historic Benjamin F. Wade and Joshua P. Giddings — he
removed to Chicago in June, 1833. Here he practiced
his profession until raised to the Bench, sixteen years
later. Judge Caton thus refers to those early days :
"Clients were scarce, but as there were but two of us to
do the business the only rivalry between us was as to
who could most zealously serve his client, with the

* History of Peoria, p. 64.

4-M

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

greatest courtesy and kindness to each other.'' The
Justices of the Supreme Court did circuit duty in those
days, and exclusively in the portion of the State south
and east of the Illinois River. When, therefore, a
young lawver desired a license, it became necessary to
make a pilgrimage to one or two southern county-seats
and be examined by two Justices, and thus get authority
to practice. It was not until January 24, 1835,* that
Mr. Spring was entered on the records of the Supreme
Court as licensed, though he advertised location as a
lawyer in the fourth number of the Chicago Democrat,
December 17, 1833. He had, however, been admitted
to the Bar in Ohio, and only required to have his papers
sent forward for record. He early obtained a good
share of the Circuit Court as well as Justice Court prac-
tice; and was generally on one side or the other of all
the more important early cases. In February, 1836, he
formed a partnership with Grant Goodrich, which con-
tinued until his election to the Bench. By a rather
singular coincidence the partners wedded life-partners
on the same day, Sunday, July 24, 1836, at Westfield,
Chautauqua Co., X. Y., Miss Levantia Budlong be-
coming Mrs. Spring. In the winter of 1836-37, Mr.
Spring was in Yandalia, prosecuting the case of Har-
rington ,-j- Hubbard before the Supreme Court. This
was the first important land case in this county, involv-
ing the title to the south forty-seven acres in what was
called the Harrington tract in Section 32. It was
specially important to Mr. Spring, because being paid
with about a dozen acres of that land, it laid the foun-
dation of his modest fortune. Mr. Spring was a prom-
inent Whig, and for years at every convention received
the nomination to the best of offices, and being person-
ally popular always ran ahead of his ticket. In the
spring of 1843 he was the Whig candidate for represent-
ative in Congress of the Chicago district, against the
Democratic nominee, John Wentworth, whom he beat in
the city by fifty-one votes, only to be overwhelmed in
the district by a majority of one thousand six hundred
and twenty-one for his opponent. Had his party not
been in a condition of chronic minority, he would
doubtless have attained to high political preferment; but
it would probably have added nothing to his fame; for
he was essentially a better lawyer than politician. In
1 848 he was chosen City Attorney, and was a delegate to
the Free-Soil convention of that year in Buffalo. In
1849 he was elected Judge of Cook County Court of
common pleas, and held the office until his premature
death, May 15, 185 1. Several of his contemporaries
have borne witness to his merits as a lawyer, Judge and
citizen, all agreeing, with varied phraseology, in the fol-
lowing tribute by his former partner, Judge Goodrich,
delivered thirty-two years afterward before the Chicago
Historical Society :

" Spring was a phenomenon, a natural born lawyer.
ication was quite limited, and he paid little re-
spect to the rules of grammar ; yet he could present a
point of law to the court, and argue the facts of a case
to the jury with a 1 learness and force seldom equaled.
lied sometimes to have an intuitive knowledge
of the law, and mastery of its profoundest and most
subtle principles. His brain worked with the rapidity
of lightning, and with the force of an engine. In argu-
ment ! • of analysis, a force of
compa< t. crushing logic which bore down all opposition.
His language though sometimes homely was always
and Strongly expressive of his thought. He
was firm in attack but not often offensive. But his most

• There i» often an interval of months, and som- ti between

the dale of actual license to practice and that of record on the rolls of the Su-
preme Court.

astonishing powers were exhibited when some new
question arose in the progress of a trial. However sud-
denly it might be sprung, and however grave or ab-
struse in character, he would instantly and seemingly by
a flash of intuition, grasp it with a skill and mastery of
legal learning which seemed possible only to the most
skilled preparation. His resources appeared exhaust-
less. * * It would be misleading to assume that these
rare powers were the mere flashes of genius or intui-
tion, for few men studied their cases, or the law involved
in them, with more careful assiduity. His memory was
marvelous ; his discrimination searching and accurate.
His method of studying a case made him complete
master of all the law applicable and kindred to it, the
reasons upon which it was based, and all the distinctions
to be observed. He first consulted the elementary
books, and made up his mind what the law ought to be,
and then studied the cases in which the principles had
been applied. Though he was not an orator, yet before
a jury he rarely failed to carry them with him, in a case
of anything like even chances. It was, however, in the
argument of legal questions before the court, where his
comprehensive knowledge of the principles of law, his
clear sledge hammer logic, and his wonderful mental
endowments shone most conspicuous. * * * * He
was devoted to his clients and honorable in his practice,
respected and admired by his professional brethren. As
a Judge he was scrupulously impartial, upright and able.
In some of his decisions, his genius and legal learning
burst out in opinions so luminous and profound as to
extort the admiration of the Bar. * * * His faults
were of that character which excited commiseration,
while they did not destroy admiration for his virtues.
He died I believe without an enemy. Colonel Linder,
in his 'Reminiscences' says of him, and surviving con-
temporaries confirm the testimony — ' He was a man of
childlike simplicity of manners, as tender-hearted as a
woman, and would have stepped aside to keep from
treading on a worm.' He was, unfortunately, a victim
to the free use of intoxicating liquors, which exercised
upon him a peculiarly baleful influence, besides some-
times interfering with his official duties.* He regarded
himself as inextricably involved in the toils of his evil
habit, and bewailed his misfortune, apparently uncon-
scious of his power to remove it. He died at the age
of forty-four, many years being lost of a life otherwise
useful — another instance of the disastrous results of
stimulating a brain and nervous system that were much
better when left to more natural invigorants."

Edward W. Casey, a native of New Hampshire,
was in the order of arrival the fifth member of the Chi-
cago Bar,and was deputy to R. J. Hamilton in 1833.
He acted as secretary to him in his capacity of school
commissioner at the sale of school lots, October 20 to
25, 1833. Early in the next year his literary, legal and
clerical powers were brought into requisition by his
townsmen in drafting a petition to the Postmaster-
General, asking better mail facilities for the uneasy
little town on the Chicago River, which even then was
unwilling to be ignored, and eager "to push things. '
Mr. Casey was appointed corporation attorney August
18, and its clerk and collector December 19, 1834. His
name appears on the Supreme Court register of lawyers
licensed to practice, under date of January 7, 1835. It
was while acting as attorney for the town that he prose-
cuted Richard Harper for vagrancy. The personal
habits of the lawyer furnished occasion to the accused
to make the demurrer, whether one vagrant could law-

* "Court is adjourned from day to day" says the Chicago Democrat of
February q, 1850, " by a spree of Judge Spring."

THE BENCH AND BAR.

425

fully prosecute another. Mr. Casey formed a partner-
ship with Buckner S. Morris August 7, 1835, and was
elected Justice of the Peace two days latter, but does
not appear to have served long in that capacity. That
Morris & Casey did a fair share of the law business
of the period may be inferred from the frequency with
which their names recur in the scant records of those
early years. Mr. Casey took an active part in the meet-
ings and deliberations of November, 1836, which led to
the petition for a city charter. The firm was dissolved
on or before December 1, 1836,- and Mr. Casey con-
tinued to practice here alone until some time in 1838,
when his friends induced him to return East. In those
early days the excessive use of liquor was almost uni-
versal. Here and there a professional man stood aloof
from the mad whirl of excitement, but a large propor-
tion of the young and brainy fell victims to the spirit of
the times in their personal habits. Among them was
Mr. Casey, whose life, however, happily teaches an im-
portant lesson in this regard. For no sooner had he
broken with the associations of the frontier, and with-
drawn to the purer atmosphere of a New England farm,
than he corrected those mistakes of immature life and
became a respectable and self controlled citizen. In
the 2 Scam, he is said to have been residing at Con-
cord, New Hampshire, in 1841, and in the Times of
October 3, 1875, at Newburyport, Mass. "He was,"
says Judge Goodrich, "a thorough lawyer, a fine scholar
a most amiable man, and a polished gentleman. Though
he had acquired a good practice and had before him the
highest promise of professional success, he abandoned
his profession, returned to his Eastern home, and en-
gaged in farming."

James Grant, born in North Carolina, December
12, 1812, was the sixth member of the Chicago Bar, was
admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Illinois,
March 26, 1834, and arrived here "on the 23d of April"
of that year. He was appointed State's Attorney, Jan-

uary 1, 1835. As early as January 30, 1836, he repre-
sented large real estate interests here, advertising for
sale at that date 7,000 acres at the terminus of the Illi-
nois & Michigan Canal, which belonged to Arthur
Bronson of New York. About March 30, 1836, he
formed a law partnership with Francis Peyton, and the
firm, Grant & Peyton, continued until 1838. Mr. Grant
removed to Iowa in 1839, where he rose to the position
of Judge, and where he still survives, at Davenport, an
honor to the Bar and Bench of two great States. Of
late years he makes an annual pilgrimage to Chicago,
to the reception of old settlers by the Calumet Club ;
but the fuller history of his life belongs to the State of
his later adoption.

Alexander N. Fullerton was a native of Ver-
mont, and there admitted to the Bar, arrived here be-
tween July and November, 1833, but nothing is known
of his pursuits until 1835. Early in June of that year
he was in partnership with Grant Goodrich ; on the 19th
he became a member of the first board of health, and
three weeks later was appointed clerk of the board of
Town Trustees. The firm of Fullerton & Goodrich was
dissolved February 22, 1836, and after a year or two of
little more than nominal connection with the profession,
he finally drifted into commercial business, and was as

early .is 1839 generally recognized as a lumber merchant.
"Though a wellbred lawyer," says Judge Goodrich,

" he was never actively engaged in practice, but devoted
himself to the accumulation of wealth, and died pos-

sessed of a large fortune," September 29, 1880, aged
seventy-six. He belonged therefore to the commercial
rather than to the professional class of early settlers.

James H. Collins first became known to the citi-
zens of early Chicago in February, 1834, when he
formed a partnership with J. D. Caton, who had studied
law under him, at Vernon, N. Y., two years before. He
pulled up stakes in the fall of 1833, having been de-
feated on the Anti-Masonic ticket in his native State,
set out for the West, and passing through Chicago in
September, settled on "a claim " at Holderman's Grove,
in what is now the southwestern corner of Kendall
County, where a settlement had been begun some three
years earlier. But the sufferings of the first winter con-
vinced him that he was not cut out for a farmer. Indeed

he was found at Levi Hill's tavern by Caton, January 3,
1834, with his feet badly frozen; and it was then ar-
ranged that on his recovery he would join Caton
in Chicago. A year later, among the expenses of the
town of Chicago, is an item of five dollars paid him for
legal advice. The firm of Collins & Caton was dis-
solved in 1835. Afterward Mr. Collins formed
a partnership with Justin Butterfield, the first record of
which is found under date of July 16, 1836, and which
lasted until about 1845. In those early years of the
Chicago Bar, the firm of Butterfield & Collins was the
most conspicuous, being usually found engaged in every
important lawsuit, on one side or the other. They were
of the counsel for the General Government in the cele-
brated Beaubien land claim, and Collins bought several
of the lots which many of the citizens had intended the
old Colonel should bid in without opposition. Mr. Col-
lins feeling satisfied that such an arrangement would
accrue to the benefit of others rather than of Beaubien,
bid on the lots, drawing upon himself much adverse criti-
cism from Press and people. He was very obstinate in
his opinions and was once committed for contempt by
Judge Ford for refusing to submit to the court a docu-
ment entrusted to him by a client, John Shrigley, High
Constable, which he claimed was privileged. He was
associated with Owen Lovejoy in the defense of the
latter in 1842, in his celebrated trial for harboring a
runaway slave, and did much toward securing his ac-
quittal. After dissolving partnership with Butterfield
he practiced his profession alone for seven or eight
years, but in 1853 he formed a new partnership with E.
S. Williams, who had studied law with Butterfield and
himself several years before. He was " an early and
most violent and extreme abolitionist, and in 1850 was
the candidate of that party for Congress, receiving one
thousand six hundred and seventy-three votes." He
died in 1854 of cholera. " He was a good lawyer,"
says Arnold, " a man of perseverance, pluck and reso-
lution, and as combative as an English bull-dog. * * *

4-6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

He was indefatigable, dogmatic, never giving up, and if
the court decided one point against him, he was ready
with another, and if that was overruled, still others."
•• He seems to me." says Goodrich, " never to have had
one particle of genius, but was the hardest worker I
ever saw. He bestowed upon the preparation of his
cases the most thorough research and critical exam-
ination. Though often brought in professional conflict
with him I always regarded him as my friend ; and
have the melancholy satisfaction of having attended him
almost alone during the whole night of his fearful strug-
gle with the cholera, until death relieved him of his
sufferings." He had at least two daughters — Cornelia
M.. who was married to J. V. Smith, and who died at
her father's house May 31, 1851, at the age of twenty ;
and Kate F., who was married May 15, 1855, to John
M. Sharp.

Henry Moore, a native of Concord, Mass., arrived
in Chicago some time in 1834, being admitted to the
Bar in Illinois December 8 of that year. He was the
second of quite a line of deputies to Colonel Hamilton,
Circuit Court clerk, a position he held until the fall of
1S35. when his law practice required his attention.
Early in 1S36, he formed a partnership with F. A.
Harding, which was dissolved May 19, 1837; and the
firm of Moore & Harding turns up frequently in law
business of the time. Mr. Moore was at the Circuit
Court of Iroquois County on business May 16, 1836,

<tLy^

Vtrirz^

when Judge Ford appointed him for the defense of the
murderer " Morris." He " astonished " the prosecuting
attorney, James Grant, by "the ability he manifested."
" He relied," says Grant, " upon the insufficiency of
circumstantial evidence; made the usual argument in
such cases, but with much more than the usual ability."
In the fall of 1836 Mr. Moore was one of the prominent
speakers at the Whig meeting in Chicago; and in De-
cember one of the representatives of Cook County at
the Internal Improvement Convention held at Vandalia.
In March, 1837, his name is on record as a trustee of
Rush Medical College, and June 1 of same year he be-
came law partner of E. G. Ryan. He obtained about
that time from the Legislature the first charter for a gas
company in Chicago; and was an active and prominent
member of the Bar. He, however, found this moist
and breezy climate rather unfavorable for his weak
lungs, and on the approach of the winter of 1838-39,
he sought alleviation in the genial climate of Havana,
Cuba. He did not return to Chicago, but it is learned
from " 2 Scam." that he was a resident of Concord,
1 1841, where he died before many years.
I; kner Si 1 1 11 Morris was horn August 19, 1800,
at Augusta, Ky., a village founded by his maternal
grandfather, Philip Buckner, who had beenaCaptain in
the War of Independence. The parents were Dickin-
son Morris, a native of Delaware, but at this time sur-
veyor of lira' ken County, Ky., and Frances liuckner, by
birth a Virginian. Schools were few in Kentucky, and
young Morn-, re. ■ early education at home

from his parents. He arrived at man's estate, and had
worked some on farms before he conceived the idea of
studying for the liar. From 1824 to 1827 he devoted

to acquiring a knowledge of the profession, and was
admitted to the Bar in the latter year. In 1830 he was
elected to the Legislature, and was re-elected in 1832,
being a Whig in politics, but never a blind partisan. In
1S32 he married Miss Evilina Barker, of Mason County,
Ky. At the close of his second term, in 1834, he came
to Chicago, by way of the Wabash to Vincennes, and
on horseback from that point. Returning for his
family, he made a second trip in August, when he per-
manently settled here. He found less than forty houses
on his arrival, and soon opened a law office. He is
found advertised as a Chicago lawyer as early as luly
9, 1835 ; and formed a partnership with E. W. Casey
August 7, though his name does not appear on the rec-
ords of the Supreme Court of Illinois as a licensed law-
yer until December 7, 1835. Morris & Casey dis-
solved in the fall of 1836, and Morris & Scammon
was formed December 5, 1836. This firm was also
short-lived, as Mr. Morris was elected Mayor in the
spring of 183S, and Alderman of the Sixth Ward in 1839.
In 1840 he resumed more fully the practice of his pro-
fession, and formed a partnership, August 13, with Will-
iam W. Brackett, which lasted about three years. With

Lincoln, in 1840, he was nominated presidential elector
at large on the Whig ticket. In 1844 he was elected
Alderman, but resigned before the close of the year, and
was also president of the Hydraulic Company. In 1845
he formed a new firm with William M. Greenwood as
partner, who was exchanged as early as March 16, 1846,
for John J. Brown. His wife died in 1847, leaving two
daughters ; and in 1848 he became a Mason, eventually
reaching the highest degree attainable in America. In
1850 he married Miss Eliza A. Stephenson, who died
suddenly of heart disease in 1855, leaving one son, who,

THE BENCH AND BAR.

427

however, lived to be only seven. The firm of Morris
& Brown continued until the death of Brown in Au-
gust, 1850, after which Grant Goodrich became partner
for a short time. In 1852 he formed a new partnership,
the firm being Morris, Hervey & Clarkson ; and was
the unsuccessful Whig candidate of that year for Sec-
retary of State for Illinois. In 1853, Judge Hugh T.
Dickey having resigned, Mr. Morris was elected to
complete his term as Circuit Judge, and was commis-
sioned May 24. The Green trial for wife murder was
prosecuted before Judge Morris, and is said to have
been the first case in this State in which scientific ex-
perts were accepted on the witness stand, Green's con-
viction being largely due to ^he testimony of Drs.
Blaney and Bird to the presence of strychnine in the
stomach of the deceased. His decisions in relation to
that class of evidence have been often quoted, and have
been incorporated in the medical jurisprudence of the
State. He was tendered a nomination for re-election
at the close of his term in 1855, which he declined and
returned to his practice. He soon formed a new part-
nership, the firm being Morris & Blackburn in 1856,
and Morris, Thomasson & Blackburn in 1857. In 1856
he married Mrs. M. E. Parrish, of Frankfort, Ky., a
daughter of Edward Blackburn, and sister of Morris's
two partners, Breckenridge F. and James Blackburn,
and of the recent Governor of Kentucky, Dr. Luke
Blackburn. In i860 he was a candidate for Governor of
Illinois on the Bell and Everett ticket, of which he was
an early advocate, as a solution or postponement of the
impending crisis. He claimed that a vote for Lin-
coln on the one hand or for Breckenridge on
the other was a vote for civil war, as sectional
feeling had reached a point where no other is-
sue could reasonably be anticipated. The election of
Bell and Everett alone could save the country. One of
his regrets and a constant censure of Andrew Jackson
was the breaking up of the United States Bank. He
held that the cohesive power of a common financial sys-
tem in holding the North and South together had not
been duly weighed. His Southern origin and relation-
ship with the Kentucky Blackburns, who were all vio-
lent Secessionists, as well as his acknowledged connec-
tion with " Sons of Liberty," but above all the heated
state of the public mind which could brook nothing less
than the most out-spoken Unionism, brought him into
suspicion of disloyalty in 1864, in connection with the
alleged Camp Douglas conspiracy. Mr. and Mrs.
Morris were arrested with the other " conspirators,"
taken to Cincinnati, tried by court martial and acquitted.
Judge Drummond thus testified to his loyalty ; " I have
been acquainted with Judge Morris for twenty-five
years, and I think his reputation to be, as far as I know
it, that of a loyal man. He was a strict advocate of
what was the Crittenden compromise, and desired ex-
ceedingly that the difficulties between the two sections
of the country should be settled amicably. * * * I do
not know what developments this trial may have pro-
duced, not having followed the evidence, but up to the
time of his arrest I- certainly should as soon have dis-
trusted my own loyalty as that of Judge Morris." Dur-
ing his detention, which lasted several months, Mrs.
Morris and himself received much kind attention at
the hands of one of the female religious orders of the
Roman Catholic Church, which eventually led both to
give their adhesion to that communion. After their re-
lease in the spring of 1865, Judge Morris ceased to be
an active member of the Bar, confining himself chiefly
to his real estate interests and occasional law business
for his friends. He died December 16, 1879, having

well entered on his eightieth year, and was buried from
St. Mary's Catholic church. " Both these gentlemen,"
says the Hon. Thomas Hoyne, speaking of Judges
Spring and Morris, "ruse to high positions from the
native force of their characters, and the possession of
vigorous intellects. And what seemed singular in their
case is, that in the absence of regular culture in the art
of advocacy or oratory, they were among the most suc-
cessful speakers of the day. In many respects they ob-
tained in jury trials a pre-eminence in advocacy over
their more highly favored brethren who had been sed-
ulously prepared in universities and schools, both in
New York and New England."

To this Judge Goodrich adds : " Having been a
partner for a short time of Buckner S. Morris, I am jus-
tified in saying — and I think all who were acquainted
with his professional capacity will agree with me — that
he was no ordinary man. It is evident his general ed-
ucation, his professional reading and training had not
been systematic or thorough, but he possessed good
vigor of mind and strong common sense and sincerity
of manner, which joined with a popular homeliness of
expression, apt and striking comparisons, fervent zeal
and apparent honesty of belief in the justice of his
cause, made him a formidable opponent before a jury.
In a desperate case he was remarkable, and the more
desperate it was, the more conspicuous his powers be-
came. He often carried his case by main strength
against the law and the facts ; and it became a common
remark that in a bad case he had no equal. He was
elected Judge of the circuit, but was better fitted for
practice and served but a brief term on the Bench. In
character he was simple as a child, tenderly sympathetic
and kind, heartily good-natured, and genial in his man-
ners. I doubt if the remembrance of any deceased
member of the Chicago Bar is cherished with more un-
mixed sentiments of kindness than that of Judge Mor-
ris." " For native strength, I never saw his superior,"
says Mr. Beach; "his natural powers of oratory were
truly great."

Circuit Court, 1835-36. — Thomas Ford, who had
been Prosecuting, or State's Attorney, in the Fifth
Judicial Circuit, was elected by the General Assembly
as Judge of the newly created Sixth Circuit ; but, by
exchange, the first term in Chicago in 1835 was held
by Judge Sidney Breese. It extended from May 25
to June 9, showing a marked increase in the busi-
ness of the court. Before 1835, three or four days
were sufficient to clear the meager docket, but thence-
forward there never was any lack of business in Chi-
cago courts. The judicial requirements of the place
have always kept ahead of the legislative provision for
its wants. No sooner have apparently ample facilities
been secured than the city has leaped forward to
double or treble the population contemplated, com-
pelling a fresh enlargement of the judicial force. This
term was the first in Chicago after it became part of
the Sixth Circuit, and the first held anywhere by the
recently elected Judge Breese, then in his thirty-fifth
year.

Chief- Justice Marshall died July 6, 1835, and the
first formal meeting of the Chicago Bar was held in
respect to his memory. The members present were
Fullerton, Casey, Goodrich, Morris and Moore of those
already mentioned, and Royal Stewart, a later accession.

The second term of the Circuit Court, in 1835, was
held by Judge Stephen T. Logan, also in exchange with
Judge Ford. It was opened the first Monday in Octo-
ber and closed on the nth. By this time there were
one hundred and three civil suits on the docket, and

428

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

seventy of these were determined at that term. Of the
thirty-seven people's cases twenty-five were closed —
nineteen were merely for non-attendance as jurors, of
whom two were lined five dollars each ; and twelve
cases were continued. The case of most interest at
this term was the —

Second Murder Trial. — The criminal under in-
dictment gave the name of Joseph F. Morris, but it was
afterwards stated that his real name was Joseph
Thomasson. His victim's name was Felix Legre, and
the murder was committed about twenty miles from
ig ) on the road to Ottawa. The Grand Jury of
Cook County found a true bill against Morris at the
fall term of 1S35, but by change of venue the case was
carried to Iroquois County, where it was tried the en-
suing term. Notwithstanding the most strenuous
efforts, and an able defense on general principles, by
Henry Moore, who had been assigned to him as coun-
sel by ludge Ford. Morris was convicted on rather
slender evidence, wholly circumstantial. He was the
person last seen in company with the murdered man,
and a knife was found in his possession which the re-
cent employer of Legre fully identified as belonging
to that unfortunate individual. He denied the killing,
but acknowledged that he knew the guilty party, whose
name, however, he steadily refused to divulge — a self-
deceiving evasion founded probably on the false name
under which he was indicted. The implied chivalry
and devotion to alleged principles was too fine-spun for
a jury of pioneer settlers of Iroquois County, and they
found him guilty of murder, though not without
some hesitation. On May 19, Judge Ford sentenced
him to be hanged June 10, 1836 ; and the sentence was
faithfully carried into effect, though in the absence of a
jail it required persistent watchfulness on the part of
Sheriff Dunn of Iroquois County and his deputy,
George Courtright. The substantial justice of the ver-
dict has never been seriously questioned, but conviction
on the evidence would be to-day improbable, if not
hopeless.

Both these terms of the Circuit Court of Cook
Count)- in 1835, were held in the First Presbyterian
church, then situated north of what is now the Sher-
man House, and fronting on Clark Street. The spring
term of 1836 was held by Judge Ford in the same
building, and extended from May 23 to June 4. There
were two hundred and thirty civil cases, twenty-one
criminal and thirteen chancery. Most of the people's
c ases were for constructive contempt through non-at-
tendance as jurors. The two most important of them
were for assault with intent to kill and both culprits
were sent to the penitentiary, the first of a long and
ever-widening band of convicts on that charge from
Chicago, The most important civil suit was, perhaps,
that of Harrington vs. Hubbard, the first land case in
Cook County which was decided in favor of the de-
fendant but on appeal to the Supreme Court that decis-
ion wis reversed the ensuing winter at Vandalia.

I he fall term of 1836 was held by the same Judge,
and in the same building. In addressing the Grand
Jury, James Grant, prosecuting attorney, dwelt specific-
ally on the duty they owed tin- public in relation to
tonthi ca al lands. 'I he court re-enforced
his remarks by reminding them that it was to these
lands the public must look for the completion of the
canal ; and every tree stolen detra< ted from its value.
Both speeches help to show how paramount in interest
at that time to the people of Chicago was the longed-
nal and all its belongings. Several rogues were
sent to the penitentiary at Alton as a result of this term

of court; and a score or more were indicted for tres-
passing on the canal lands; but a large part of the court
business remained unfinished, and the need of additional
judicial facilities, through new courts or more terms
of the Circuit Court, became apparent.

Among the most important of the civil cases tried at
the fall term in 1836, was what is popularly known as
the Beaubien land claim, which Judge Ford decided fa-
vorably to claimant. This decision was sustained by
the Supreme Court of the State, but was reversed in
1839 by the Supreme Court of the United States. See
Beaubien claim.

The Chicago Bar at the Organization of
the City. — As at the close of 1834 Cook County was
about to be transferred from the Fifth to the Sixth Cir-
cuit, so now before the spring term of 1837, it became
a part of the Seventh Circuit, to which amid frequent
changes and numerous additions to the circuits in the
State, it ever afterward belonged, until by the Constitu-
tion of 1870, the County of Cook was made one judicial
circuit. A month after the establishment of the Seventh
Judicial Circuit, Chicago was granted its charter of in-
corporation as a city, which is therefore appropriately
made an era in the history of its Bench and Bar.
Meanwhile the membership of the Chicago Bar had
more than doubled, and biographical sketches of the
accessions since the close of 1834, now deceased or de-
parted from Chicago, are here subjoined.

Royal Stewart is on record as admitted to the
Bar in Illinois January 8, 1835 ;" and is found adver-
tised as an attorney at Chicago on June 8, of the same
year. How much longer he remained a resident is not
clear, but his name disappears from the local records.

In 1 841, however, he v/as residing at Syracuse, N. Y.,
as may be learned from 2 Scam.

William H. Brown, a lawyer and distinguished
citizen, is treated elsewhere, as after his arrival in Chi-
cago he became more distinguished as a banker.

James Curtiss, more of a politician than a lawyer,
and twice Mayor, will be found mentioned in the politi-
cal chapter.

Hans Crocker arrived in Chicago in 1834, and
studied law for a time in the office of Collins & Caton.
In 1836, he removed to Milwaukee, where he has since
attained some prominence as a lawyer,* but he was not
admitted to practice while here, and does not properly
belong to the Bar of Chicago.

William Stuart, though not admitted to the Bar in
Illinois until July 11, 1837, advertised as attorney and
land agent as early as December 5, 1835. He never
practiced much at the Bar, being at first a real estate
man, and then a journalist. In August, 1836, he became
partner of James Curtiss, and was appointed Town At-
torney for a short time during the absence of James H.
Collins. Curtiss & Stuart dissolved in October, 1837,
and Mr. Stuart was publisher and editor of the Chicago
American in 1839. He was appointed Postmaster by
Harrison in 1841, and held that office until the close of
the presidential term in March, 1845. In May of that
year he formed a partnership with Charles H. Larrabee,
but in 1846 he left Chicago for Binghamton, N. Y.,
where he also edited a newspaper and became twice
Postmaster, and died a few years since.

Ebenezer Peck, was born in Portland, Me., May 22,
1805, but received his earliest education at Peacham, Vt.
While yet a lad, his parents removed to Canada, and
some years later young Peck began the study of hw in
Montreal, where also he first practiced the profession.
About 1826 he was married to Miss Caroline I. Walker,

* A. T. Andreas's History of Milwaukee, 1881, page 1585.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

429

at Peacham, Vt. In 1833 he rose to the dignity of King's
Counsel for a district in Canada East, and was elected
to the provincial Parliament on the Reform ticket. His
party began to drift toward rebellion, and Counselor
Peck removed to Chicago, where he arrived in the sum-
mer of 1835. About the middle of October, he is found
associated with J. I). Caton, in the case of Geddis vs.
Kercheval. " He made his mark at once," says Caton.
" He showed that his study of the law had been syste-
matic, while he evinced all the resources of tact, and
sagacity and quickness of apprehension, so important in
the successful trial of a cause before a jury. His ad-

EBENEZER PECK.

dress to the jury was forcible, and at times eloquent."
From the first he took an active interest in politics, and
was induced by Mr. Caton to join the Democratic party.
October 28 he was appointed Town Clerk, and the en-
suing month was chosen delegate to the first State Con-
vention, which was held at Vandalia December 7, and
at which the future Senator Douglas first began to at-
tract public attention. Before leaving the capital, he
was admitted to the Bar of Illinois, December 14. In
the summer of 1836, he resigned the clerkship of the
town, and a few months later became prominent in the
movement for a city charter. At the meeting of Novem-
ber 25, he was appointed chairman of the committee to
draft it, and December 9 reported the instrument, which
with slight modifications was finally adopted by the
Board of Town Trustees, and passed by the Legislature,
March 4, 1837, as the charter of the future metropolis
of the Northwest. Of this he and Caton have always
been regarded the principal authors. In 1837, on the
dissolution of the house of Jones, Clark & Co., Mr.
Peck became a member of the succeeding firms of
Jones, King & Co., and W. H. Stow & Co., iron found-
ers. He was chosen one of the board of commission-

ers under the State internal improvement act of 1837.
In 1838 he was elected from this Senatorial District to
fill the unexpired term of Peter Pruyne, deceased, but
resigned before the close of the term and became clerk
of the internal improvement board in 1839. In the
suspension of public improvements, which soon
supervened, his position was neither exhaustive nor
remunerative, and he was again elected to the
Legislature in 1840, this time as representative. On
the re-organization of the State judiciary by the General
Assembly February 15, 1841, he was chosen clerk by
the Supreme Court some time before May 19. In
1846 he formed a partnership with James A. Mc-
Dougall, of Chicago, previously of Jacksonville, and
later Attorney-General of the State, which continued
as McDougall & Peck until the former went to Califor-
nia in 1849, when Peck became associated with Charles
B. Hosmer. Meanwhile he had gone out of office as
clerk of the Supreme Court when it was legislated out
of existence by the adoption of the new constitution
March 6, 1848. Charles Oilman, reporter of the Su-
preme Court, died July 24, 1849, and Mr. Peck was
chosen to that office by the new court, and from that
time the volumes were called Illinois Reports. His
first appeared in 1850, and he numbered it XI, thus
leaving room for the preceding ten — Breese's one, Scam-
mon's four and Oilman's five. His own series closed
with Volume XXX, in 1863. About 1850 he became
interested in the new Democratic journal known as the
Argus, the business connection being in the name of
his eldest son, W. W. In 1853 his law firm became
Peck, Hosmer & Wright, by the accession of Edward
Wright, son-in-law of the senior member. In the mem-
orable new departure of the Democratic party for the
enlargement of the slave area, in 1853, by the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, established by their more
prudent fathers a generation before, Mr. Peck aban-
doned his old party associations. In 1856 he became
one of the ex-Democratic founders in .Illinois of the
party which has since become historic under the name
of Republican. In the famous political debate between
Lincoln and Douglas in 1858 Mr. Peck was deeply in-
terested, and was elected on the new ticket as one of
the four representatives of Cook County in the twenty-
first General Assembly, where he helped, by his expe-
rience and management, to establish the Republican
party on a solid foundation in the State. In i860 he
labored for its success in the wider field of national
politics. In April, 1863, he resigned as reporter to the
Supreme Court of Illinois, and was appointed one of
the judges of the Court of Claims at Washington by
President Lincoln, whose friendship and intimacy he
enjoyed and labored to repay by faithful advice and de-
voted service. In the heavy burdens of head and
heart which fell to the President's lot he is known to
have sought and valued the counsels of Judge Peck,
whose experience as a politician specially commended
his views. For many years there were but few men in
Illinois who wielded a more extensive or powerful in-
fluence in political circles, and few were more active
or adroit partisans. He held the judgeship under the
successive administrations of Johnson and Grant, re-
tiring in 1875 on full pay, at the age of seventy, when
he returned to Chicago in broken health. His oldest
son \V. W., born in 1831, died at Washington, a Captain
in the regular army, in 1862. Two years after the re-
turn to Chicago, the mother died, in 1877. The Judge
survived his wife some four years. He died May 25,
1881, and was buried two days later from Unity church.
Three children survived him — Charles F., bred a lawver,

43°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

and admitted to the Bar of Illinois January 7, 1857,
who removed to Washington about 1S64, and became a
member of the law firm of Hughes, Denver & Peck ;
Mrs. Edward Wright, and Mrs. Perry Trumbull, an
adopted daughter. At the memorial meeting of the
Bar. convened May 26, and adjourned to the 30th,
when they again assembled, speeches were made by
several of the fudge's late associates, from which are
excerpted the following estimates of his character and
powers :

" It could be truthfully said of Judge Peck," re-
marked Judge Drummond, "that he was an honest,
self-reliant man. whose judgment and counsel went
rarely astray." "A man," said B. C. Cook, chairman
of committee on resolutions, " of earnest convictions
and had the courage of his convictions, * * * a
judge whose decisions will stand as clear, profound,
and faithful expositions of the law. * * * He has
left the impress of his character upon the eventful time in
which he lived. His influence has been marked and bene-
ficial in the history of the city, the State and the Nation."

* * * "It was fortunate," says Judge Caton, "that
he was rarely wrong. Whenever his mind was fully
made up on any subject, I never knew him to change
it. and this whether it were on a question of law or
ethics, the use of a word or the structure of a sentence.

* * * It was not obstinacy, for he was anxious to
be convinced and to agree with us. It was simply con-
viction, from which he would not be moved to oblige
anybody." "Judge Peck," says Mr. Ashton, "was no
ordinary man. As a lawyer and judge he had few
superiors; as an adviser and counselor I doubt if he
had his superior. He was not a ' case lawyer,' although
when inclined, he was a fine advocate. He was a
lawyer in the fullest sense of the term. * * * He
always reached his conclusions by analysis and from
principle. * * * He disliked the drudgery and
routine of the office, but when necessary he could ac-
complish as much labor in a short time as any man I
ever knew." " He was," said Judge Trumbull, "out-
spoken in his opinions, and never pretended what he
was not. With hypocrisy, shams and deceit he had no
patience. He was a man of great kindness of heart,
full of sympathy and hospitality. * * * His family
circle was one of the happiest and brightest in which it
was ever my privilege to mingle. Even in later life,
when pain and sorrow came, and his physical system
was broken by disease, his hope and cheerfulness did not
forsake him. * * * He lived a pure life, was kind,
true and faithful in all its relations, and died an honest
man."

Aaonzo Huntington was born in Shaftsbury, Vt.,
September 1, 1805. He was a grandson of Amos Hunt-
ington, a Captain in the Revolutionary War, and on his
mother's side a grand-nephew of Governor Galusha, of
Vermont. After receiving his early education in the
schools of his native State, he removed, in early man-
hood, to western New York, where he worked some
years at his trade of mason, and afterward studied law
under the Hon. I. T. Hatch, of Buffalo. In 1833, he
returned to Vermont, where he married Patience Lorain
Dyer, a native of Clarendon, Rutland County, and a
sister of the well-known Dr. Charles V, Dyer, of Chi-
cago. For two years after his marriage he resided in
Wayne County, N. V.. of which Lyons is the county-
seat, when he removed to Chicago in the fall of 1835.
Attorney for thi 3i enth I in mi
in 1837, his competitor, Albert G. Leary, a member of
the Bar, being rejected by a majority of the General
Assembly, because he was himself a member of that

body. In 1S39, Mr. Huntington was again chosen
State's Attorney. Admitted to the Bar in New York, he
is not found enrolled on the list of the Supreme Court
of Illinois until January 14, 1840. The most remarka-
ble criminal case prosecuted by him was the People vs.
John Stone, for the murder of Mrs. Lucretia Thomp-
son, at the spring term in 1840, and excited some rhe-

<^7^

torical but undeserved animadversion as a prosecutor of
the Press, for performing under the orders of the court
the perfunctory duty of entering suit against the editor
of the American for contempt. At the expiration of
his second term in 1841, he resumed the practice of the
profession as a member of the Chicago Bar. As prose-
cutor and advocate he was recognized as of great in-
dustry rather than great talents, of conscientious fidelity
to the interests of his clients rather than oratorical abil-
ity, and of unquestioned integrity rather than showy
pretension or display of legal lore. In his official posi-
tion he was fairly successful, especially during his second
term. To his neighbors and acquaintances he was cor-
dial; to his family, kind, generous and self-sacrificing.
To- stand by his own was the cardinal principle of his
life, and in the varied relations of son, brother, husband
and father he has seldom been surpassed. He died at
his home in Chicago, November 17, 1881, aged seventy-
six years. His wife had preceded him twenty years,
having died October 23, 1861, aged sixty. They had
six children, of whom only two, a son and a daughter,
survive. Henry Alonzo Huntington, the son, was born
in Chicago, March 23, 1840, served as an officer in the
Fourth United States Artillery in the Rebellion, and is

THE BENCH AND BAR.

431

now better known as Major Huntington, of the editorial
staff of the Chicago Tribune. The daughter, Frances,
born in Chicago October 23, 1844, is the wife of Ben-
jamin M. Wilson, of the law firm of Wilson & Collier,
of this city.

Jonathan Young Scammon, also a member of the
early Bar of Chicago, being admitted December 7, 1835,
is sketched in the field of perhaps his greater fame as
an early banker.

Joseph N. Balestier was born in 1815 at Brattle-
boro, Vt., whence he emigrated to Chicago some time in

1835. He soon formed a partnership with Thomas R.
Hubbard, and the firm is found advertising " money to
loan" in the Chicago American of December 5, of that
year. Both were recognized as lawyers though neither
seems to have taken the trouble to obtain a license to
practice in Illinois. In 1836, Mr. Balestier " realized
$500 per day," says Harriett Martineau, "by merely
making out titles to land."* Hubbard & Balestier ad-
vertised as a firm as late as August 16, 1837, and both
appear in the reprinted " directory of 1839." January
21, 1840, Mr. Balestier delivered before the Lyceum his
now celebrated lecture " The Annals of Chicago." re-
printed in 1876, with an introduction by himself, as No.
1 of the Fergus Historical Series. On or before Sep-
tember 25, 1840, he formed a new partnership with E.
Webster Evans, a young lawyer, just arrived from the
East. But within a year, September 23, 1841, we find
Mr. Balestier advertised as a lawyer at No. 58 Wall
Street, New York ; and his Introduction to the Annals,
already referred to, is dated Brattleboro, Vt., January 1,
1876, where he now resides.

Thomas R. Hubbard went to New York about 1839,
and became secretary to a banker.

George Anson Oliver Beaumont was born in
Columbia, Tolland Co., Conn., about 181 1. Reach-
ing early manhood, he studied law at the New Haven
law school, where he received a diploma, equivalent to
a license to practice in the courts of the State. In

1836, accompanied by his mother, widowed in his in-
fancy, he removed to Chicago. He formed a partner-
ship with Mark Skinner August 6, 1836, and the firm
held a respectable rank in the profession. Mr. Beau-
mont was not enrolled on the Supreme Court list as a
licensed lawyer until December n, 1839, though prob-
ably admitted to the Bar here as early as 1836. In 1842
he was appointed Commissioner in Bankruptcy for
Cook County. On February 3, 1842, before the Young
Men's Association, he delivered a lecture on " American
Literature." In the spring of 1844 his health became
impaired, and Mr. Skinner being appointed United
States District Attorney, the firm was dissolved that
summer. In the ensuing spring Mr. Beaumont was
taken by his mother to the home of his youth, but the
change did not avail, and he died of softening of the
brain, December 18, 1845. He was a tall, slim man, of
delicate organization, unfortunately subject from his
youth to nervous disorders, which despite a fair intel-
lect, an excellent education and industrious habits, re-
tarded his professional progress ; and although Mr.
Beaumont attained respectable rank in the early Bar of
Chicago, he made no permanent impression on the pub-
lic mind, and his existence is almost forgotten.

Fisher Ames Harding, a native of Rhode Island,
where he was born about 1812, and a graduate of Brown
University made a brief sojourn in Chicago as a lawyer,
though not on record as admitted to the Bar in Illinois.
He is first mentioned here as disputant before the Ly-
ceum, February 20, 1836, and next, as partner of Henry

* Mrs- Martineau was very deaf and mistook S50 for $500.

Moore, March 12, of the same year. Moore & Hard-
ing dissolved May 19, 1837, and Mr. Harding became
associated with Fletcher Webster. The firm of Webster
& Harding soon removed to Detroit, Mich., where after
a few years Mr. Harding became editor of the Detroit
Daily Advertiser. He found in journalism a more con-
genial sphere, and filled the position of editor with dis-
tinguished credit until his early death in 1856.

Fletcher Webster, a son of Daniel Webster, born
in 1812, and a graduate of Dartmouth, was as above
stated the head of the law firm of Webster & Harding
of Chicago for a brief interval in 1837, while residing at
Peru ; but as he was never enrolled among the licensed
lawyers of Illinois, and as the firm soon removed to
Detroit, his connection with the early Chicago Bar is
sufficiently noticed by this brief mention.

Henry Brown was born in Hebron, Tolland
Co., Conn., May 13, 1789. The father, Daniel, was
a commissary in General Greene' s division, in the
Revolutionary War, and was granted a pension for his
services. He provided a liberal academic and collegiate
education for at least two of his sons. Henry graduat-
ed at Yale, and when of age removed to New York,
where he studied law, first at Albany under Abram
VanVechten, afterward at Canadaigua under John
Gregg, and finally under his own elder brother, Daniel,
at Batavia. Admitted to the Bar about 1813, he settled
at Cooperstown; and in 1816 was appointed Judge of
Herkimer County. After quitting the Bench, about
1824, Judge Brown continued the practice of law in
Cooperstown until he removed to Chicago in 1836. Mr.
Brown was elected Justice of the Peace May 20, 1837,
vice E. E. Hunter resigned. His son Andrew Jesse,
born in Springfield, N. Y., in 1820, arrived in Chicago
in 1837, and Mrs. Brown and four daughters followed,

<s4

pl/ISUf

f}j7<fVL4«J

in 1838. In 1839, his term as Justice expired, and he
returned to his profession, to which, and some literary
work, he devoted the remainder of his life. He was
chosen City Attorney in 1842, and appointed, in 1843,
upon the resignation of George Manierre. In March of
the later year he announced that he was preparing to
publish a history of Illinois, which was issued in New
York City in 1844, and on which he had spent a year.
His name does not appear on the Illinois list of licen-
sed lawyers until February 27, 1845. Later in thatyear
he took into partnership his son, who had studied law
with him but had removed to Sycamore, DeKalb County,
where he was admitted to the Bar December 27, 1842,
and who had returned to Chicago in 1845.

January 20, 1846, Judge Brown as president of the
Lyceum, delivered an inaugural on "Chicago, Present
and Future,"* which has become historic, and which
evinces deep thoughtfulness, great breadth of view
and a quite marked foresight of Chicago's destiny. He
died in 1849, three days after his sixty-first birthday, of
cholera, being the first case in that year, and not sus-
pected until after the disease had become epidemic.
He was buried with Masonic honors, having stood
high for many years in the confidence and respect of
that fraternity. One of his earliest literary efforts was
a defense of the order against the attacks of the anti-
Masonic party, based on the alleged abduction of Mor-

•Published as part of No. 6 of Fergus's Historical Series,

43^

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

gan and other prejudices. It was published in Batavia
while Mr. Brown resided there, forming a duodecimo of
two hundred and forty pages. Judge Brown was one
of the kindliest of men, very cordial in his intercourse
with his fellows, and utterly devoid of pretension or
vanity. All affectation of dignity and assumption of un-
necessary gravity by others excited his ridicule, as he
conceived such airs to be but an ingenious contrivance to
conceal deficiency or impairment of brain power. Such
was his habitual industry that during the greater por-
tion of his life he labored at his duties or his studies
sixteen hours out of the twenty-four. He was a man
of the most extensive and varied reading, and had
learned to cull flowers of fancy and gems of thought
from all the literatures of mankind. He was of frank
truthfulness and childlike candor, aud was universally
respected for his many excellent qualities of head and
heart. He was large and imposing of stature, weighing
over two hundred pounds, and of dignified appearance.
In politics Judge Brow^n was a Democrat, and enter-
tained Mr. Van Buren during his visit to Chicago, July
4. 1842, and with him became a Free-Soiler in 1848, but
he was too transparent to be a successful politician, and
too broad to be a blind partisan. Besides the son al-
ready mentioned, his wife and four daughters survived
him. The eldest child, Cornelia A., born in Springfield,
N. V., August 12, 1818, married William H. Stickney, of
Chicago, February 19, 1852. The second daughter,
Julia, borne in Danube, Herkimer Co., N. Y., in
1S22, married George W. Dole, of Chicago, March 30,
1853, and died October 16, 1865. Sarah, born June 13,
1824, married Dr. William Butterfield, October 23,
1844. Caroline, born August 1, 1826, married Thomas
L. Forrest, July 10, 1848.

Francis Peyton, was a member of the early Bar
of Chicago, though never formally enrolled as a lawyer
in Illinois. He was a partner of James Grant in the
spring of 1836. In the notable meeting of January,
1837, to promote internal improvements he was chair-
man of committee on resolutions. In May of the same
year he was chosen member of the first board of school
inspectors of the new city. In the winter of 1838-39,
he was attorney for Colonel Beaubien in the final effort
to secure his claim to the Fort Dearborn Reservation.
He conducted some law business before the Circuit
Court in the spring term of 1839, and was one of the
speakers on the occasion of a notable excursion on the
steamboat " Great Western," August 13, of that year.
He afterward came here in 1840 to assist State's Attor-
ney Huntington in the Stone murder trial.

Samuel Lisle Smith was born in Philadelphia in
1817, of wealthy parents. His early advantages, edu-
cational and social, were exceptionally good. Preco-
ciously talented, he had studied law at Yale and passed
the examination entitling him to a diploma or license to
practice before he was of sufficient age to receive it.
In 1836 he came to Illinois to look after the interests of
his father, who owned some choice tracts of land near
Peru. With abundant resources drawn from the parental
treasury, young Smith associated with the many gay
pleasure-seeking young men who then thronged this
Western center of speculation, and naturally fell into
habits of life which somewhat marred his career. Re-
turning East, he shook off this premature pursuit of
pleasure, sought and obtained his diploma as a lawyer,
and was married to a Miss Potts <>( Philadelphia. In
1838 he again set out for tin; West and settled in Chi-
cago. !('• made his headquarters in the office of But-
terfield & Collins, where he familiarized himself with
the laws of Illinois. He gradually slipped into his

former convivial habits, and in 1839 was chosen City At-
torney, a position which funished abundant occasion
for the exercise of his genial and generous hospitality.
Coupled with the continuous stream of his eloquence,
wit and mimicry, his convivial spirit enhanced his popu-
larity, while it did not seriously impair a fortune derived
mainly from his father. He was at this time at the
very height of his reputation as an orator. The Hon.
I. N. Arnold, one of his hearers, at the Whig State Con-
vention at Springfield, in 1840, thus refers to his powers:
" I heard for the first time stump-speeches from Lin-
coln, Harden, Baker, and others, but the palm of elo-
quence was conceded to a young Chicago lawyer, S.
Lisle Smith There was a charm, a fascination in his

SAMUEL LISLE SMITH.

speaking, a beauty of language and expression, a poetry
of sentiment and of imagery, which in its way sup-
pressed anything I had ever heard. His voice was
music and his action studied and graceful. I have
heard Webster, and Choate, and Crittenden, and Bates
of Missouri ; they were all greatly his superiors in
power and vigor, and in their various departments of
excellence, but for an after-dinner speech, a short eulogy
or commemorative address, or upon any occasion when
the speech was a part of the pageant, I never heard the
equal of Lisle Smith." In 1844, he took an active in-
terest in the presidential campaign, the third attempt of
the Whigs to elect Henry Clay, of whom he was a great
admirer and supporter. In 1847, at the River and Har-
bor Convention, at Chicago, he signally distinguished
himself among some of the best speakers of the nation.
Horace Greeley said he was "the star of the vast as-
sembly, and stood without a rival ; " and Henry
Clay did not hesitate to write that Mr. Smith "was
the greatest orator he had ever heard." His mag-
netic power over an audience, as testified by sev-
eral surviving witnesses, was something wonderful,

THE liENCH AND BAR.

433

his voice was sweet and clear, his fancy glowed with
sublime and matchless imagery, and he was equally
at home in pathos or invective. His language was not
only choice but phenomenally exact, his memory abso-
lutely marvelous, and his power of mimicry no less so.
His imitations of Calhoun, Clay, Preston and Webster
are said to have been so curiously life-like as to mislead
those most familiar with the peculiarities of these great
speakers. His keen sense of the ludicrous and gro-
tesque, joined to a vast fund of humor and innate as well
as acquired wit, filled the measure of his phenomenal
adaptability to become a great orator. He lacked but
two elements of the highest possible success in that
line, a more portly physique and a less ardent pursuit of
pleasure. He was handsome and graceful but small of
stature, rather below the middle size, with a florid com-
plexion and light hair. A third drawback has been
found in his inherited wealth, but had he remained mas-
ter of himself, this would not have proved an obstacle,
but a valuable auxiliary. Besides the speeches men-
tioned, his addresses on the following occasions are
singled out as specially noteworthy : At the organiza-
tion of the Excelsior Association, or Sons of New York,
the Society of the Sons of Penn, the Reception of Web-
ster, the Irish Relief Meeting, the Obsequies of John
Quincy Adams, and of Henry Clay. Short-hand facil-
ities were not extensive in the Chicago of his day, and
it is said, "he never wrote a single word even at his
greatest efforts," in enduring form, though we are
assured his ordinary preparation embraced not only a
rough sketch but a critical weighing of words, phrases
and quotations. What is probably correct is that not a
single speech was ever written out in full ; nor was he
so identified with any great law case as to have had
either argument or speech preserved in any court record.
Altogether his career was rather brilliant than powerful,
and has had no influence on the jurisprudence of the
State, though it deeply affected the memory, imagina-
tion and feeling of his contempotaries. He was genial,
generous and hospitable ; a kind neighbor, a good citi-
zen and a thorough friend ; a perfect gentleman, a ripe
scholar and an eloquent advocate of whatever social,
legal or political question he espoused ; a well-read
lawyer and popular among his brethren, and at
home a devoted husband and father. Had his self-
control been equal to his talents he might have
risen to eminence ; as it was, a feeling of regret, if
not pity, mingles with enthusiasm of his admirers. He
died of the prevailing epidemic, cholera, July 30,
1854, before he had reached the age of forty. His
wife and two sons survived him. Mrs. Smith was a
daughter of the Rev. Dr. Potts of Philadelphia, and a
sister of the perhaps better known Rev. Dr. Potts of
New York. She died in August, 187 1. " The memory
of the eloquence of the gifted orator," said the Daily
Press, in notice of his death, "will not soon fade from
the public mind, which he could at any time sway with
the wand of a magician. * * * For those who mourn
the sudden rupture of the most tender ties, there is no
language to express their grief." In the Recorder's
Court, a week later, the following resolutions were in-
troduced by D. Mcllroy and seconded by E. W. Tracy :
"That in the death of S. Lisle Smith the profession
have lost an eminent brother, distinguished for his
superior education, his fine and practical intellect, and
his elevated moral character; and the entire community,
especially the poor, have lost an affectionate and sin-
cere friend." "He was," says Judge Goodrich, "of me-
dium height, a ruddy countenance, a large and finely
formed head, a face that gave expression to the feeling
28

without words. His eyes were dark and shone out
from under 'a square, projecting brow' luminous with
the fires of intelligence, and when kindled by passion or
the inspiration of his theme, they glowed with tin 1 mo
tions that stirred his soul. His motions were full of
grace, his gestures eloquent in expression. Inhisvoice
there was a magic and charm beyond description. It
was rich and sonorous, as flexible in tone and modula-
tion as the melodies of a musical instrument, descend-
ing to the lowest tones and rising to the highest pitch
without a break, as clear and ringing as an Alpine horn.
He could startle with the tones of an angry god, or
soothe with the softest cadence of rippling waters. His
eloquence was faultless, his style chaste and classical,
his language rich and copious, his illustrations apt and
brilliant; and when he gave the reins to his imagina-
tion, he conjured up such marvelous forms of beauty,
such enchanting creations of fancy, and clothed his
thoughts and images in such elegance of expression,
that his hearers were entranced with wonder and ad-
miration. His speeches were not the mere affluence of
sounding words which like the jingling of bells delight
the ear, but do not move the heart. They were often
full of profoundest thought, and rich in sentiment, and
sometimes severely logical. He was admired by the
great men of his day." A surviving admirer of Mr.
Smith fully indorses this beautiful tribute of Judge
Goodrich, and assures the writer that it is an entirely
truthful characterization of the greatest orator Chicago
has ever known.

Justin Butterfield was born at Keene, N. H., in
1790. Educated in his earlier years at the common
school, and prepared for college by the local minister,
he entered Wiliams College in 1807, and about 1810 be-
gan the study of law under the future Judge Egbert
Ten Eyck, at Watertown, N. Y. During these years of
advanced education he eked out his scanty resources
by teaching school in winter; and was admitted to the
Bar in 181 2. He began the practice of his profession
in Adams, Jefferson Co., N. Y., where he soon ex-
hibited that professional aggressiveness and courage so
characteristic of his later career. In July, 1813, during
the second British war, he sought to obtain the release
by habeas corpus of his client, Samuel Stacey, Jr., a
native of Madrid, in the adjoining county of St. Law-
rence. Stacey was held several weeks by the military
without trial on suspicion of disloyal intercourse with
the enemy across the border. Mr. Butterfield served
the writ on the commanding General, who evaded compli-
ance, with the result to the young lawyer that his purely
professional effort for a client reacted on his own repu-
tation, his position being regarded as unpatriotic in the
heated condition of thepublic mind.* Itwasthe remem-
brance of this blind prejudice which led him to exclaim,
a generation later, when asked if he was opposed to the
Mexican War: " No, sir ! I oppose no war ; I opposed
one and it ruined me. Henceforth I'm for war, pesti-
lence and famine ! " He practiced some years in
Sackett's Harbor, where he married about 1814. He
then removed to New Orleans, where he quickly ob-
tained a lucrative practice and high rank in his profes-
sion. In 1826 he returned to Jefferson County, N. Y., set-
tling this time in Watertown, where he remained several
years. In 1834 he came here to reconnoiter, soon re-
turned to Watertown to wind up his business, and set-
tled here permanently in 1835, forming a law partner-
ship with James H. Collins as early as July 16 of that
year. Mr. Butterfield soon became a recognized leader
not only at the Bar, but in the broader relations of civil

' Johns

iNew York Reports, Vol, X., 327-33.

434

HF STORY OF CHFCAGO.

life. He was one of the trustees of Rush Medical Col-
lege at its incorporation, March 25, 1837. The firm
immediately attained a front rank in the profession. Col-
lins was already well known, and it soon became evident
that the new accession was fully his equal. Both were
line lawyers, in the maturity of their powers, the breadth
of their experience and the depth and variety of their
legal attainments. Nearly all the other members of the
early Chicago Bar were young men, awaiting opportu-
nity to flesh their maiden swords, and win reputation
and power. Butterfield >S: Collins came to be recog-
nized as at the head of the Bar, not alone in Chicago
but in the State. Against the movement for the sus-

JUSTIN BUTTERFIELD.

pension of the Municipal Court in 1837, Mr. Butter-
field, in common with nearly all the lawyers in the city,
threw the weight of his influence. And in the conflict
between the Bench and Bar of Chicago, which signal-
ized the incumbency of Judge Pearson, 1837 to 1840,
-. an active and characteristic part. It was he
that in open court, November 11, 1839, held out to the
indignant Judge the alternative papers, a bill of excep-

ions against his own rulings, to sign, or the mandamus
of the Supreme Court of Illinois to obey. He was fined
$20.00 for contempt ; but he was not to be cowed

>r browbeaten, and, with his associates of the Bar, the
ncd before the State Senate, where the
political bias, if not the greater calmness of that quasi-
judicial body, saved the Judge from the sentence and
penalt • liment and the wrath of his enemies.

In 1841 Mr. Butterfield was made Prosecuting Attorney
for the United States Judicial histrici of Illinois, which
he held until the election of President Polk. In 1842
he drew up the < anal bill, the main provisions of which
had been previously settled in conference by Arthur
I'.ronson, William li. Ogden, I. N. Arnold and himself,

and in virtue of which the holders of canal bonds were
induced to advance $1,600,000 wherewith to complete
the canal. In 1843, through a misunderstanding about
the division of income from his official position, the
partnership between him and Mr. Collins was dissolved;
and after the close of his official relations with the ad-
ministration he took into partnership his son, Justin, Jr.
In 1847 Krastus S. Williams, a law student of the old
firm, and of late years better known as Judge Williams
of the Circuit Court of Cook County, was added to the
new firm. June 21. 1849, after the re-accession of the
Whigs to power, he was appointed Commissioner of the
General Land Office by President Taylor. A com-
petitor for the position at that time was
Abraham Lincoln, who was beaten, it is said,
bv the superior dispatch of Butterfield in reach-
ing Washington by the northern route, but more cor-
rectly by the paramount influence of his friend Daniel
Webster. In fact, Lincoln was then, or had recently
been, in Washington as member of the Thirtieth Con-
gress, and had the indorsement of the Illinois delega-
tion, but the pressure of Mr. Webster was irresistible.
While in this office he co-operated zealously with
Senator Douglas toward securing for Illinois the land
grant which became the subsidy of the Illinois Central
Railroad, and indirectly through the seven per cent of its
gross earnings made payable by its charter to the State,
an efficient aid in restoring the credit of the common
wealth and finally extinguishing its indebtedness. He
held the position of Land Commissioner until disabled
by paralysis in 1S52. On his retirement he received
from President Fillmore the highest praise for efficiency
and ability in that office. He had introduced system
and industry in the transaction of its business. He
lingered some three years in an enfeebled condition,
when he died at his home in Chicago, October 23, 1855,
in his sixty-sixth year. His wife — before marriage Eliz-
abeth Pierce, of Scoharie, N. Y. — and four children
survived him. ■ Two sons, Justin and Lewis, who had
been bred to his own profession, had gone before.
Lewis, born in 1817, and admitted to the Bar December
16, 1840, died in Chicago October 27, 1845. Justin,
born in 1819, and admitted to the Bar June 10, 1840,
died of consumption in Washington, March 5, 1852.
His oldest son, George, an officer in the navy, died
about 1850. The survivors were William, the first
graduate of Rush Medical College; and three daugh-
ters, Mrs. Sidney Sawyer, Mrs. Frances Gelatly, and
Mrs. William S. Johnston, Jr. Mrs. Johnston died
January 7, 1875. Mr. Butterfield had always been ex-
ceptionally happy in his domestic relations, and was
deeply mourned by his family and friends. At the
memorial Bar-meeting held two days after his death, his
associates thus expressed themselves: " Possessed of
great clearness and sagacity of judgment, cautious and
steady energy, a well-balanced independence, a just re-
spect for authority, and at the same time an unflinching
adherence to his own deliberate opinion of the law, he
secured great respect as a lawyer. * * * And the
services of the deceased * * * entitle him to the
gratitude of his adopted State." "Justin Butterfield,"
says Arnold, " was one of the ablest, if not the
very ablest lawyer we have ever had at the Chi-
cago Bar. He was strong, logical, full of vigor and
resources. In his style of argument, and in his per-
sonal appearance he was not unlike Daniel Webster, of
whom he was a great admirer, anil who was his model.
He wielded the weapons of sarcasm and irony with
crushing power, and was especially effective in invec-
tive. Great as he was before the Supreme Court, and

THE BEtfCH AND BAR.

435

even-where on questions of taw, he lacked the tact and
skill to be equally successful before a jury." "Mr.
Butterfield's success in the profession," says Judge

John M. Wilson, "resulted from what may be called
the power of adaptation, always seizing upon the most
effective mode of subserving the interest of his client.
* * * }-re possessed an intuitive appreciation of the
strength and resources of his adversary, and was the
last man to attempt to laugh a case out of court, unless
the prosecution was feeble or the plaintiff and his case
were open to the assaults of ridicule and sarcasm. * * *
He rarely indulged in flights of fancy, though he never
failed to lighten up his addresses to court or jury with
a caustic humor which was always effective, his manner
giving a point and force to the words. The high posi-
tion he attained was owing, as intimated, to his intuitive
apprehension of the questions upon which cases must
be decided, and by adapting his mode of attack or de-
fense to the peculiar circumstances of each case." Mr.
Butterfield possessed readiness in reply and aptness
in retaliation, which with his professional skill and
knowledge made him a formidable adversary and
a desirable advocate. Many stories are told of his wit
and humor, which need not be here repeated, as they
only illustrate traits of character and manner already
described.

Isaac Newton Arnold was born in Hartwick,
Otsego Co., N. Y., November 30, 1813. His parents
were Dr George Washington, and Sophia Mason Ar-
nold, who had removed thither from Rhode Island some
fifteen years before. Besides the subject of this sketch
they had two sons and four daughters, all of whom
grew to maturity, except one boy who died in infancy.
I. N. Arnold got his early education at the district
school and the local academy. While procuring his
later education after the age of fifteen, when he was
thrown upon his own resources, and during his studies
for the Bar, he made a frugal living by copying in the
office of the surrogate, teaching a neighboring school,
by office services for his law teachers, and finally by an
occasional trial before a Justice of the Peace. He
first studied law under Richard Cooper, of Coopers-
town, and then under Judge E. B. Morehouse. He
was admitted to the Bar in 1835, at the age of twenty-
one, and became the partner of his late teacher, Judge
Morehouse. He soon found opportunity for his first
triumph in a role in which his success afterward became
quite marked, that of advocate for persons charged
with capital offenses. A negro named Dacit was under
indictment in Otsego County for fratricide, an unjust
presumption of guilt seizing the public mind because
the two brothers were believed to be rivals in love. Mr.
Arnold became satisfied of the innocence of his client
and secured his acquittal. As he approached his ma-
jority he concluded to go West, and in pursuit of this
purpose he arrived in Chicago in October, 1836. He
published his card as a lawyer as early as November
19, of that year. His chief source of income at first
was his skill as a writer of real estate contracts, trans-
fers and abstracts, in the office of Augustus Garrett,
auctioneer and dealer in lots and lands, and afterward
Mayor of the city. In those early days of almost
frenzied activity in that line of speculation, Mr. Arnold
often earned ten dollars a day in that capacity. He

soon obtained a share of the limited law business ol
the period, and in tin- American of February i.s, 1837,
Ik- advertised that certain notes and accounts were in
his hands for collection. In March he was chosen the
first Clerk of the new city, a position which he soon
found more onerous than remunerative; and which he
resigned before October, to give his attention to his
growing professional business. He had, meanwhile,
formed a law partnership with Mahlon D. Ogden, of
which the first mention made is dated August 16, 1837,
though known to have been established some months
earlier in the spring. With a colleague at headquarters,
Mr. Arnold was now free to broaden the relations and
spread the reputation of the firm by riding the circuit
of the adjoining counties and attending the State and
United States courts at the capital as elsewhere sketched
in this work, chiefly from his writings. Arnold &
Ogden soon came into public recognition, and were en-
gaged on one side or the other in a very considerable
proportion of the more important cases in this section.
In those dark days of Illinois history, from 1836 to
1846, when men were sometimes elected to the Legisla-
ture on a more or less outspoken platform of repudiation,
Mr. Arnold's position and views on the opposite side
came to be recognized. He was known as an earnest
pleader for saving the credit of the State by accepting
in good faith the whole burden which had been so un-
wisely laid upon them by their representatives. Thence-
forth he was universally regarded as a champion of
public honor, a principled opponent of repudiation and
of whatever else tended to weaken the purpose of the
people to manfully pay the penalty of the internal im-
provement mania, which had been the cause of the mis-
chief. In January. 1840, Mr. Arnold purchased for
$400, a lot in Fort Dearborn addition, which is
perhaps worthy of mention in illustration of the great
growth in value of Chicago real estate. With the
not very expensive building erected thereon since the
fire it now brings a rental of $2,500. In the same year he
was elected a member of the first board of inspectors under
the school act of 1839, a position which his increasing
public responsibilities soon forced him to relinquish.
■January 18, 1841, a public meeting was held in Chicago
to promote direct taxation for the payment of interest
on the State debt. Mr. Arnold was one of the signers
to the call, as well as a prominent speaker at the meet-
ing and chairman of the committee on resolutions.
Notwithstanding these and similar evidences of an
earnest solicitude, on the part of some of the best people
of the State to maintain or repair the public credit, the
Legislature, in February, passed a law which gave a
right of redemption in all cases of land sold under mort-
gages and deeds of trust, whether in virtues of decrees
at law or in equity, and provided that before any such
sale the property should be appraised and should not
be sold at less than two-thirds of such appraisal. As
this legislation practically suspended the collection of
debts, Mr. Arnold at once took the ground that it was
unconstitutional, and carried two test cases to the
Supreme Court of the United States where his views
were confirmed and the obnoxious laws declared void.
In April, 1841, he was appointed Master in Chancery by
Judge T. W. Smith, a position he held until his election
to the Legislature. Four months later, August 4, he
was married at Batavia, N. Y.. to Harriet Augusta,
daughter of Dr. Trumbull Darrance. of I'ittsfield. Mass.
He was formally admitted to the liar of Illinois, De-
cember 5, 1841, at one of his many professional visits
to the capital, though he had been licensed some time
before, and his New York license had secured him full

«fi

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

recognition from the" first as a member of the earlier
Chicago Bar. At the Democratic State Convention in
1S4J. he introduced a resolution committing that body
to an explicit declaration against repudiation. It was
seconded by Mr. Swan, of the Rock River district, but
failed to receive the indorsement of the majority. Mr.
Arnold received the nomination for representative of
his district in the General Assembly and was elected.
He resigned the office of Master in Chancery August 6.
He had about this time received a letter from Arthur
- ;i. of Xew York, a creditor of this State to a con-
>iderable amount, and informally representing the views
of other creditors, which outlined the method of paying
the canal debt by borrowing enough to complete it and
pledging its future revenue to the payment of interest
and principal of the old and new debt. At a confer-
ence some weeks later in Chicago between Mr. Bron-
son, William H. Ogden, I. X. Arnold and Justin Butter-
field this design assumed more definite shape and was
drafted by Mr. Butterfield as the famous canal bill,
which contributed so effectually to restore the State
credit and enhance the prosperity of Chicago. The
principles involved and the sustaining arguments were
represented fully and forcibly by Mr. Arnold before the
Mechanics' Institute, November 16, in a lecture on
•• The Legal and Moral Obligations of the State to pay
its Debts, the Resources of Illinois, and the Means by
which the Credit of the State may be Restored." In
the session of 1842-43 he was chairman of the com-
mittee on finance, and introduced the canal bill already
mentioned. By persistent efforts he was enabled to
carry it through, but by only a very small majority.
In 1844 he was again nominated and elected to the
Legislature, and was presidential elector on the Demo-
cratic ticket. Toward the close of the year, upon the
resignation of Justin Butterfield, his friends petitioned
the administration for his appointment to the vacant
place of District Attorney for Illinois, while another
section of the party favored Mark Skinner. To promote
harmony the appointment was given to D. L. Gregg, of
Joliet. Meanwhile the loan of $1,600, 000 provided by the
canal bill of the year before was delayed through the
cautious hesitancy of the money lenders, who required
additional and clearly specified guarantees from the
Legislature, in all of which subsidiary work Mr. Arnold
took an active part, having at length the satisfaction to
see the whole matter amicably adjusted in 1845. At
the close of his second term in the Legislature by its ad-
journment, March 3, 1845, he resumed the practice of
his profession with new interest and increased success.
In 1847 he dissolved partnership with Mr. Ogden, and
after some months became associated with George W.
Lay, Jr., in 184S. In that year, too, he threw his polit-
ical fortunes and talents into the new Free-Soil party,
and was a delegate to its national convention at Buffalo,
and its State convention at ( Ittawa. He took an earnest
and active part in the anti-slavery campaign, being one
ot the chief orators of the party of Illinois. In all the
succeeding biennial 1 ampaigns his voice and influence
were consistently opposed t<> the aggressions of the pro-
slavery party, and in 1856 he was elected to the Legislat-
ure on that ticket. In that year, too. the firm of
Arnold iV Lay became Arnold, Lamed iV Lay by the
sion of Edwin C. Lamed. In the single session of
the Twentieth General Assembly, January 5 to February
i';. 1857, Mr. Arnold was chiefly distinguished for his
elaborate and successful defense of Governor Bissell on
the charge of ineligibility. In 1858 Mr. Arnold failed
eive the nomination for < ongress al the Republi-
can convention of this district, but labored earnestly for

the election of his successful competitor, John F. Farns-
worth. In i860, he defeated Mr. Farnsworth in the
convention, and was elected to the Thirty-seventh, or

War Congress, by fourteen thousand six hundred and
sixty-three votes, or seventy-six votes over the presi-
dential ticket. He was among the first representatives
to arrive in Washington to participate in the inaugura-
tion of Lincoln March 4, 1861. F"rom that time until
the close in 1865 of his second Congressional term to
which he was elected in 1862, he devoted all his time
and energies to the cause of the LTnion and the support
of the administration. His first speech in Congress was
an eulogy of the deceased Douglas, with whom he had
politically associated in Illinois in the earlier years of
the public life of both. At the regular session in Decem-
ber Mr. Arnold was chairman of the committee on
defense of the great lakes and rivers. In an able
report to the House, in February, 1862, he strongly
recommended that the Illinois & Michigan Canal be
converted into a ship canal. He introduced a bill
embodying this project, and in June urged its passage
with much force in a strong speech. But despite his
most strenuous efforts it was defeated when it came to
a vote at the next session, though he made a second
powerful speech in its behalf in January, 1863. In the
next Congress, to which Mr. Arnold was elected in 1862,
he was chairman of committee on roads and canals, and
introduced a bill providing an appropriation of §6,000,-
000 with which to enlarge the Illinois .S; Michigan Ca-
nal. It passed the House February 2, 1865, but failed
in the Senate. It was not, however, matters of mere
local interest, however great, which chiefly occupied
Mr. Arnold's attention during the momentous period
of his Congressional career. Even the great question of
internal improvements which for fifty years had en-
listed the best efforts of the statesmen of Illinois and of
Mr. Arnold since his arrival in the State twenty-five
years before, was dwarfed into insignificance by the
great national questions which now taxed to the utmost
the best powers and ripest wisdom of the two War
Congresses of which he was a member. It is a matter
of national record that Mr. Arnold was among the earliest
and most radicals upporters of the administration, and had
the honor of being the first memberof Congress to advo-
cate the most sweeping of the war measures which many
declared revolutionary and unconstitutional. Though
a lawyer he saw at once that even the highest laws of
peace should not give way to the stern arbitrament of
war. The sword had been appealed to, and society's
provisions for the opposite conditions of peace and war
could not be simultaneously invoked. The unmasked
assassin in vain cries out, "Thou shalt do no murder."
Mr. Arnold advocated the abolition of slavery in the
District of Columbia, the first link in the chain of
measures which finally secured " Liberty throughout
the land to all the inhabitants thereof." By this first act,
about three thousand slaves obtained their freedom.
March 24, 1862, he introduced the bill which prohibited
slavery in every place directly subject to national juris-
diction, and which with some amendments became a
law June 19, 1862. His first great speech in Congress
May 22, urged as a legitimate war measure the libera-
tion of the slaves of rebels, and the confiscation of all
their other property. In the discussions which followed
the President's emancipation proclamation, Mr. Arnold
took an active part. The first debate began May 31,
1863, and the question was brought to a vote June 15,
when it was found that ninety-three favored while
sixty-five opposed grafting abolition on the statute
bonk. On the assembling of Congress in December,

THE BENCH AND BAR.

437

1863, it was felt by the friends of the administration
that to give permanence to the results of the great
proclamation it was necessary to pass supporting meas-
ures. January 6, 1864, Mr. Arnold made a speech in
the House, on " The Power, Duty and Necessity of
destroying Slavery in the Rebel States." February 15,

1864, Mr. Arnold, in the House, introduced the resolu-
tion, " That the Constitution should be so amended as
to abolish slavery in the United States wherever it now
exists, and to prohibit its existence in every part thereof
forever" f'See Cong. Globe, Vol. L, p. 659 I, which was
adopted by a decided majority but fell short of the nec-
essary two-thirds vote. In the further progress of the
discussion until the resolution embodying the now his-
toric thirteenth amendment was passed in the House,
January 31, 1865, by one hundred and nineteen to fifty-
six votes, Mr. Arnold took a conspicuous part. July
14, 1864, on his return to Chicago during adjournment
of Congress, he was honored with a public reception
by his constituents, to whom his career in Congress had
proved very satisfactory, and a resolution of thanks for
his able and faithful services was passed unanimously.
He, however, declined a renomination ; but strongly
urged the renomination of President Lincoln, and labored
indefatigably for his re-election, addressing a great num-
ber of meetings during the campaign, in Illinois, Wis-
consin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York,
in earnest support of the man and his policy. His own
Congressional career closed March 3, 1865. In i860,
his income from his profession was $22,000 ; his ex-
penses for four years as a member of Congress, though
perhaps exceptionally frugal, and certainly not extrava-
gant were about $20,000 in excess of his salary. It
seemed therefore the wiser course to withdraw, and
save his modest fortune from speedy extinction. With
a special predilection for literary composition, and a
decided talent for historic research, besides a lawyer's
power to weigh evidence and discern motive, supple-
mented by a very sincere admiration for his subject,
he had set himself the task of writing the life of Lin-
coln and the story of the final overthow of slavery in
the United States. To facilitate his labors the Presi-
dent proposed to appoint him United States Attorney
for the District of Columbia, and auditor of the treas-
ury for the post-office department, neither office requir-
ing the incumbent's exclusive time.

Upon the assassination of Lincoln, the writing
of the work became more urgent, and President John-
son appointed him to the auditorship only. He had,
however, got so much farther away from Democracy
than Mr. Johnson, that he soon ceased to be in sym-
pathy with the new administration, and felt compelled
to withdraw. In his letter of resignation he undertook
to show Mr. Johnson how he was drifting from the prin-
ciples of his " illustrious predecessor," and of the great
party which had subdued the great Rebellion. Return-
ing to Chicago in 1867, Mr, Arnold completed the His-
tory of Abraham Lincoln, which has a specific histori-
cal value because of the author's personal knowledge
of, and sympathetic admiration for the President, besides
his own individual participation, and often conspicu-
ous share in the great movement for the final overthow
of slavery. He then turned his attention to collecting
and compiling the speeches and State papers of Mr.
Lincoln, when the great fire by sweeping away some
$200,000 worth of his productive property drove him
again into professional life. He formed a partnership
with Messrs. Higgins and Swett in 1872, and worked
hard for two or three years, when his health gave way,

and he again retired to private life and his favorite lit-
erary pursuits, which will be referred to hereafter.

John Dean Caton was born in the town of Mon-
roe, Orange Co., X. Y., March 19. [812. His lather.
Robert, had married his third wile, Hannah I Iran. Iiv
whom he had four children, of whom the subject of this
sketch was the third, and the first of two sons. He had
had eleven children by his first wife, of whom ten were
sons; and by his second, only one son and no daughter;
so that John .Dean was the twelfth son anil fifteenth
child of a progeny of sixteen. The father was born
March 22, 1761, on the Potomac, in Virginia, where his
father, also Robert, owned a plantation. This older
Robert was an Irishman by birth, and had been in the
English service, but had settled in Maryland some time
before the Revolutionary War. The younger Robert,
though only in his sixteenth year at the Declaration of
Independence, took part in the struggle and settled on
the Hudson at the close of the war. Here he became
a preacher of the Society of Friends, and his third wife-
was the daughter of another preacher of that Society.
He died in 1815, at a comparatively early age for the
head of so numerous a family. When young Caton was
four years old his mother, widowed a year before, moved
to Oneida County, where a brother resided, with whom
she and the children staid some months, and then rented
from him a small place in Paris Township. Here the
future Judge obtained the first rudiments of his educa-
tion, attending the district school until he was nine years
old. In 1S21 one Solomon Ross, a Friend, took him to
reside on his mountain farm near Smyrna, Chenango
County, where the labor proved excessive for a child oi
his years, and whence after a nine weeks' detention, he
was humanely conveyed thirty miles to his home by an-
other Friend who sympathized in his desolation. Soon
after he brought home the first fruits of his labors as .1
farm boy, at $2.50 a month, being a quarter of beef
thus earned from Captain Hubbard. At eleven, he-
worked for Mr. Sexton at $3 a month, and was dis-
charged for harrowing an unbroken sward, through a
misapprehension of orders. With occasional and poorly
paid work from different farmers, and attendance at
school in the winter months, young Caton slowly
climbed up to the age of fifteen. Pursuant to his father's
wishes he was then put to a trade, that of harness-maker
being selected. He soon grew weary of the business,
and his eyes becoming accidentally inflamed, he easily
procured his welcome dismissal from the " horse-tailor,"
Job Collins. Meanwhile his mother had removed to
Utica, aided in part by such slender help as he had been
able to give her, where he now rejoined her, in 1829.
Here he spent nine monthsat the Academy, and made such
proficiency as to be able to earn money at surveying and
teaching before he was eighteen. He taught a district
school near Ovid in the winter of 1829-30, and hired out
to a neighboring farmer in the spring, but receiving .1
severe cut in the foot, he bade good-bye to farm, until
he got one of his own some years later in Illinois. He
now obtained his first knowledge of the classics at the
school of Mr. Grosvenor, at Rome. He again taught a
district school in the winter of 1830-31, and returned to
Grosvenor's school in the spring. Meanwhile his am-
bition had been aroused, and he sought to become a
lawyer, having already begun to pettifog in the local
justice courts. In December, 1831, lie entered the law
office of Beardsley & Matteson, at Utica, as a student;
afterward that of Wheeler Barnes at Rome, and later
that of James H. Collins at Vernon. In 1833 he turned
his face to the West, and while at White Pigeon, Mich..

43«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

was invited by lrad Hill to take passage on his raft to
St. Joseph, whence he came to Chicago on the Ariadne,
under command oi Captain Pickering, arriving in the
outer harbor June 19. 1833. Here he soon began to
pick up such petty cases as offered, some of which
are referred to elsewhere. In his law business
of that vear should be mentioned his effort in
behalf of some six free negroes, at a fee of
perhaps of one dollar each. The law of Illinois re-
quired that free negroes should show their manumission
papers, to entitle them to free circulation among the
whites. The Chicago blacks of the period claimed to
be born in the free States, but having no papers were
subjected to annoyance under the letter of the law from
the hostility of such as were enemies of their race.
Caton brought their case before the Court of County
Commissioners, pleading with success that some court
representing the sovereignty of the State must have the
right of granting freedom papers to these unfortunates ;
and that their honorable body was such court. Though
they may not have been able to find any constitutional
or legislative grant of such powers their hearts yielded
to the enthusiasm of the young lawyer, and they author-
ized the issuing of the required papers. In the fall of

1833, Mr. Caton went to Pekin, Tazewell County, to be
examined for admission to the Bar by Judge Lockwood,
who thus addressed him at the close : "Young man, I
shall give you a license, but you have a great deal to
learn to make you a good lawyer. If you work hard,
you will attain it ; if you do not, you will be a failure."
He then proceeded to Creenville, Bond County, and
had his license indorsed by Judge Smith.* January
1 . 1 834, he set out as guide to Dr. Temple, mail-con-
tractor, on the first stage coach which left Chicago for
Ottawa. In February, he formed a partnership with his
former law-teacher, Collins. In May he attended the
Circuit Court, and brought the first jury case, being the
identical one in which he cheated his friend Spring out
of a client but into a better fee, as elsewhere stated. f
Mr. Caton was elected Justice of the Peace, July 12,

1834, receiving one hundred and eighty-two votes out
of a total of two hundred and twenty-nine, in a very
active campaign, which left but a few if any votes un-
polled. In the fall of 1834, he was ill for forty-seven
days in the country at Colonel Warren's, and remembers
of the court business of that term only the memorable
1 ase •>( uxoricide by an Irishman, whose acquittal was
unexpectedly secured by the plea of Collins, on which
the court instructed the jury, that if they could not find
him guilty of murder in the first degree, as indicted, it
was their duty not to bring in a verdict of manslaughter
in any degree, but to acquit. On the 28th of July, 1835,
Mr. Caton married Laura Adelaide, daughter' of Ja-
cob Sherrill, of New Hartford, Oneida Co., N. Y.,
whose affections he had won some few years before. In
a ' ontest with Isaa< Harmon for the office of Probate
Judge to succeed Richard J. Hamilton, Caton was de-
feated. In 18.56, with N. li. Judd, he formed the firm
of Caton & Judd ; and in that year built the first dwell-
ing within tli Hon, on the West Side, at the
southeast corner of Harrison and Clinton streets. He
took an active part in the movement for a city charter
in November. 1836, representing the second district of
the town in the meeting lor consultation with trustees.
The financial troubles of 1.S57 did not leave him un-
scathed ; he lost not only most of his real estate but his

101 tppi ,

• On thi Court ii»t hi* na

I

■.'.ld» thai thi» wa .,< th, ( 11 mi (

Chicago in which any law bi li [udei *.

he may ha« organized a grand jury, .,r only pa ■! through.

health also : and in 1838 he took refuge on a farm near
Plainfield, which he had entered some years before, and
of which he plowed a portion that year, and to which
he moved his family in 1839. He kept up his law
practice in three or four neighboring counties, being
the first lawyer to bring suit in the Circuit Courts
of Kane and Will counties, as he had previously been
in Cook County. In 1840, again in conflict with
Harmon. Having recovered his health he accepted
the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court made vacant by the election of Judge-
Ford as Governor, his commission bearing date
August 20, 1842. In the October term of that year,
in Bureau County, the historic case of the People
vs. I.ovejoy for that "he did harbor, feed, secrete and
clothe a certain slave girl, knowing her to be such,"
etc., was tried before the new Judge, who distinctly laid
down the principle, new in that day, that "if a man
voluntarily brings his slave into a free State the slave
becomes free," which had much influence on the jury
in acquitting I.ovejoy. At the close of the legislative-
session in March, 1843, John M. Robinson, who had
been United States Senator, 1835 to 1841, was elected
to the vacant judgeship, but dying in April, Caton,
after an intermission of only a month, was selected by
Governor Ford, and at the next session of the General
Assembly was elected by them, and served until the
re-organization of the judiciary under the Constitution
of 184S. He was then elected one of the three Justices of
the Supreme Court December 4, 1848, who were to serve
three, six and nine years, by which provision the election
of one Justice every three years was secured. The six-
years term fell to Caton, and towards its close, on the
resignation of Chief Justice Treat, in April, 1855, he
succeeded the place of pre-eminence for the few
remaining months. Being re-elected in June, 1855, for
nine years, he again became head of the Bench on the
resignation of Chief Justice Scates in 1857, and so con-
tinued until his own resignation, January 9, 1864, five
months before the expiration of his term. To accom-
pany an ailing daughter to Europe he laid aside the er-
mine which he had worn for over twenty-one years with
honor to himself, credit to the Bench and satisfaction to
the Bar and the people. Meanwhile he had become in-
terested, in 1849, in what was then known as O'Reilly's
telegraph, but which was organized as the Illinois &
Mississippi Telegraph Company, of which he was
chosen a director. In 1852 the company was on the verge
of bankruptcy and was saved only by Judge Caton's
business tact and fertility of resource. He proposed
that the company should obtain from the General As-
sembly of Illinois an amendment to their charter author-
izing an assessment,' and the sale of the defaulting stock.
The board concurred and elected him president and
general superintendent with absolute power. He se-
cured the necessary legislation, and obtained enough
from an assessment of $2.50 on each share, and the sales
of defaulting shares, to meet the most pressing obliga-
tions; and devoted his spare time, without however the
slightest infringement on his judicial functions. He
studied the art of telegraphy, making himself an expert
of that day; traveling in the Northern wilds to obtain a
supply of cedar posts, negotiating with railroad com-
panies in Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota for transporta-
tion, and placing his lines along their roads. The
Weekly Democrat of November 3, 1853, thus refers to
his activity at this period: "Judge Caton will soon be
the telegraph king of the West. From all parts of Illi-
nois we have reports of the system and energy with
which the telegraph lines are managed, and of new vil-

THE BENCH AND BAR.

439

lages being put in communication with the rest of man-
kind by means of the lightning wires." After some
years the stock of the company began to pay dividends;
and in 1867 its lines were leased to the Western Union
Telegraph Company, Judge Caton retiring from the
management. His pursuits since then have been a com-
bination of literary and business enterprises, intermingled
with the superintendence of his large farm, and the
adornment of his city home on Calumet Avenue, and
numerous journeys at home and abroad. His judicial
decisions are scattered through twenty-seven volumes of
Illinois Reports from Scammon III to Illinois XXX.
In these he has stamped the impress of his mind indel-
ibly on the jurisprudence of the State. They exhibit
a man of industry in research, a writer of vigor
and method, a thinker who is argumentative and
discriminating, and occasionally original. A few of his
decisions especially after experience had taught him to
lop off redundencv, would do credit to a Judge of any
Bench, State or National. While not overladen with
citations they are marked by deliberation and sound
sense, and have stood the test of time. His early habits
of self reliance impart a vigorous individuality, and his
power of seizing essential points gives a clearness to
his decisions that make them both readable and valua-
ble. The best traits of his judicial style are reproduced
in his other writings which cover antiquarian and scien-
tific as well as purely literary and historical researches.
He generally expresses his thought with clearness and
precision, and as much condensation as is consistent
with an easy, full and unaffected style. As an advocate
he was not remarkable for readiness, requiring careful
studv to insure success. But his long experience as a
Judge and man of affairs, enhanced by his later indus-
try in the fields of literature, has developed a fair read-
iness for extemporaneous speaking, and some of his
latest public addresses have been marked by the easy
self-possession of a man long accustomed to the exer-
cise of recognized and respected authority. His mind
is rather active than brilliant ; and he is properly re-
garded by himself and others as a man of patient indus-
try, endowed with a good working mental apparatus
rather than genius or phenomenal power. Of large and
rugged frame, his brain is of similar type — brawn and
brain being closely related. At this writing, he is in his
seventy-second year, still hale and active, alternating
between town and country, between literary investiga-
tions and business undertakings, between scientific in-
quiries and the pursuits of a country gentleman, sur-
rounded by his flocks and herds, with no serious physi-
cal impairment except a dimness of vision produced by
cataract which he hopes to have successfully removed
in a few months. Mr. and .Mrs. Caton are the parents
of seven children, of whom three died in infancy, one at
the age of five, and three survive. Of these one is a son,
Arthur J., who is a lawyer, and two are daughters, Mrs.
Norman Williams and Mrs. Charles E. Towne, whose
husbands are lawyers. All these reside in their respect-
ive homes within the same inclosure as their parents,
which seems the crowning glory of a life largely devot-
ed to the welfare of the family.

Gkaxt Goodrich, born in Milton Township, Sara-
toga Co., N. Y., August 11, 1 81 2, is the eighth son
and ninth child of Gideon and Eunice Warren Good-
rich, and a direct descendant in the seventh generation
from William Goodrich, who arrived in New England
in 1630. In 181 7 Gideon Goodrich removed with his
family to Chautauqua County, N. Y., and here the sub-
ject of our sketch received his early education in his
father's house, from a teacher whose pupils consisted

mainly of the Goodrich children. Some live years later
young Goodrich went to live with a married sister at
Westfield, in the same county, where lu- had an oppor-
tunity to get an inkling of the higher English brani hes
and of the Greek and Latin classics under the guidance
of a resilient lawyer. About 1825 being it was thought
predisposed to consumption, he took to lake navigation
in the vessels of his brother, a shipowner of Portland
Harbor on Lake Erie, whither his lather had also re-
moved. In 1827 with a physical system strengthened
beyond expectation by the air and exercise of two years
of seafaring life, young Goodrich, now in his sixteenth
year, returned to Westfield to prosecute his studies
at the Academy of that place. In 1 S30, he there
entered the law office of Dixon & Smith ; and
in his twenty-second year set out for the West,
arriving in Chicago, "early in May, 1834." Two
months later he made a journey to Jacksonville,
where he was examined and licensed by fudge
Lockwood of the Supreme Court. As early as June,
1835, he formed a law partnership with A. N. Fullerton,
which was chiefly devoted to the sale and renting of
real estate, and was dissolved February 22, 183C. With-
in a few days Mr. Goodrich became the law partner of
Cities Spring, and so continued until the election of the
latter to the Bench in 1849. Both partners found wives
at Westfield, where Goodrich had been long and favor-
ably known, and where he had joined the Methodist
Church in 1832. He married Miss Juliet Atwater, |ttlv
24, 1836. In common with almost every other enter-
prising citizen of the Chicago of 1837 the panic of that
year found him involved on his own and others' account
to the extent of $60,000, which it took many years to
clear off, but which he eventually paid without abate-
ment. He not only advocated payment in full of all
obligations by the State, city and individuals, but en-
forced the exhortation by example. In 1838, he was
elected Alderman of the Sixth Ward, and was president of
the Lyceum in 1839. The firm of Spring & Goodrii li
did a very respectable part of the law business of
Chicago during the thirteen years of its continuance,
the excellent personal habits of Mr. Goodrich being a
valuable counterpoise to the unfortunate infirmity of
Spring, while the legal ability of both commanded the con-
fidence of clients. A short-lived partnership with Buck-
ner S. Morris followed in 1850, and was dissolved in
1857, Mr. Goodrich practicing for a time alone. About
this time he co-operated zealously with others for the
establishment of the Northwestern University at Evans-
ton. In [S52 he was partner of George Scoviile, and
in 1855 \Y. W. Farwell, now better known as Judge
Farwell, joined them, the firm becoming Goodrich, Far-
well & Scoviile. In 1856 Sidney Smith took the place
of Scoviile, and the prestige of the firm was enhanced
rather than diminished by the change, Goodrich, Far-
well & Smith being universally recognized as a strong
combination. In 1857, Mr. Goodrich's health gave wa\
and under the advice of his physician he made a pro-
tracted tour of Europe, not returning home until the
spring of 1859, when he was elected Associate Justice
of the newly constituted Superior Court of Chicago, a
position he retained until 1863, when he resumed his
place in the law firm as constituted before his departure
for Europe six years before.

In 1871, he lost considerable property by the tire.
and it took about five years to recover from its results.
In 1874 he withdrew from general practice, and has
since devoted himself chiefly to the care of his property,
and the encouragement of the various social, religious
and benevolent interests of Chicago in which he has

44°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

borne a share for more than halt a century. ( triginally a
Whig, and later a free-soiler and abolitionist he drifted,
easily into the Republican party, and was an earnest
supporter of Lincoln's administration and the war for
the Union. A temperance man on principle, he pre-
fers high license to prohibition as a means of reducing
the appalling volume of crime and poverty which spring
from the liquor traffic. As a Judge he ranked among
the most absolutely impartial and thoroughly informed
on the Bench of this city: and no taint or suspicion of
unfaithfulness or venality has ever attached to his
career as Judge, lawyer or citizen. His wide business
experience and excellent personal habits, as well as his
extended knowledge of the principles of law and ready
familiarity with the statutes of Illinois, together with his
firmness of character and soundness of judgment, have
made him not only a successful advocate but a very
valuable counselor. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich are the
parents of four sons and one daughter. One son died
at the age of twenty-six, a studious, well educated
and promising lawyer. Another son is now a member
■ of the Chicago Bar. A third son is a manufacturer in
Boston, and the fourth is a real estate dealer here. The
daughter settled in St. Louis, on her marriage, but on
the death of her husband returned to her father's house.
Now 1SS3 in his seventy-second year, and in the enjoy-
ment of exceptional health and vigor, Mr. Goodrich can
look back on a more successful and better rounded life
than most men.

Mark Skinnf.r was born September 13, 1813, at
Manchester. Bennington Co., Vt„ where his father,
Richard, a native of Connecticut, had settled as a law-
yer in 1800. His mother was of the historic Pierpont
family. The elder Skinner became professionally and
politically prominent in the State of his adoption. He
was Prosecuting Attorney and Probate Judge, Member
of the Legislatuie and Governor, Representative in
Congress, and Chief Justice of the State. Young Skin-
ner had all the advantages of a good early education,
followed by a careful preparation for college and com-

pleted by a course of study in Middlebury College, Ver-
mont, which he entered in 1830, and from which he
graduated in 1833, before he was quite twenty. His
father died the same year, and he began his law studies
under Judge Ezek Cowen at Saratoga Springs, and
Nicholas Hill, afterward of Albany. He also spent a
year at the New Haven Law School of Yale. He now
determined to make Chicago his home and arrived here
in July. 1836

He at once obtained admission to the Bar, and with-
in a month formed a law partnership with Mr. Beau-
mont. In 1837 he was chosen one of the board of
School Inspectors, and for many years he was a leading-
spirit in all that concerned the well-being and advance-
ment of the school interests f Chicago. He was chosen
City Attorney March 10, 1840, and on the resignation
by Justin Butterfield of th< offic< o) U.S. District At-
torney for Illinois, in 1844, Mr. Skinner was appointed
to fill the vat ancy, and an effort was made by liis friends
re him a more permanent occupancy of the posi-
tion, but the friends of I. N. Arnold also bestirred them-
selves in the same direction. In the interests of har-
mony [Mr. Skmner peremptorily dei lined being a candi-
date in March, 1845,] the appointment was given

to D. I,. Gregg, of Joliet. In 1846 Mr. Skinner was
elected to the Legislature, and was appointed chairman
of the committee on finance. He introduced a bill for
refunding the State debt which was of great value, by
definitely determining the extent of the debt, by intro-
ducing system and responsibility in its management,
and by reducing six or eight different styles of bonds
into one uniform and only authorized issue. In the ap-
portionment of delegates to the State Convention of
1847, he labored with success to secure as the basis
thereof the State census of 1845 rather than the United
States census of 1840. By reason of the more rapid
growth of Chicago and northern Illinois, a just repre-
sentation and proper weight of influence in the com-
ing convention could thus only have been secured.
He was also instrumental at this time in securing the
passage of an act to resume payment of interest on the
State debt, which had been in default nearly ten vears.
Soon after the close of his legislative labors, March 1,
1847, he resumed the practice of his profession, forming
a partnership with Thomas Hoyne, April 24. On the
death of Judge Spring in May, 1851, Mr. Skinner be-
came a candidate for the Bench of the Cook County
Court of Common Pleas, and was elected over his com-
petitor, John M. Wilson, for the remainder of Spring's
term to June, 1853, when he declined a renomination,
because of ill-health contracted through the excessive
labors of that court. At his entrance on the duties of
Judge, finding the calendar overladen, he sat continu-
ously for seven months, cleared it up and kept ahead.
With his retirement from the Bench, his previous with-
drawal from political contention, and the interruption
to professional practice incident to both episodes as
well as the threatened physical infirmity, he turned
his attention to the management of large financial oper-
ations, in which his success has been very marked. No
one in Chicago, perhaps, has so largely represented non-
resident capitalists or handled larger amounts of the
borrowed money so extensively used in building the
city. In 1858 he became a member of the Second Pres-
byterian Church. In the Rebellion period his services
were conspicuous and valuable as first president of the
Chicago Sanitary Commission, afterward named the
Northwestern, from 1861 to 1864. He was also a mem-
ber of the more general United States Sanitary Com-
mission during the whole period of its existence. Be-
sides his valuable services in that field he also gave to
his country, in 1862, his eldest son Richard, who had
just graduated at Yale, at the age of twenty, and who
then entered the regular army as Second Lieutenant in
the Tenth Infantry, and was killed before Petersburg,
Ya., June 22. 1864. Judge Skinner has been actively
identified with nearly all the benevolent and reforma-
tory enterprises of Chicago, and more especially with
the Reform School, of which he was one of the original
founders, and president of the first board of directors.
With his usual energy and ability he made a business-
like investigation of all such institutions as were accessi-
ble for personal inspection and a diligent study from
printed reports of the more famous reformatory institu-
tions of England, France and Germany. His connec-
tion with the earlier railroads of Chicago as a director
of the Galena & Chicago, and of the Chicago, Burling-
ton & Quincy, was of no slight value to those enter-
prises by reason of his marked financial ability and the
wisdom of his counsels as a lawyer and a man of busi-
ness.

Enoch Webster Evans was born at Fryburg, Ox-
ford Co., Me., in 1817, of William and Anne Webster
Evans. Getting his earlier education at the common

THE BENCH AND BAR.

441

school and academy of Fryburg, lie spent two years at
Waterville College, and two at Dartmouth, where he
graduated in the class of 1838. He studied law under
Judge Chase, of Hopkinton, N. H., until the summer of
1S40, when he set out for Chicago. Here he spent a
few months in the office of Spring & Goodrich, and
secured admission to the Bar, as is supposed, although
his name does not appear on the Supreme Court list
until March 14, 1842. He was partner with Joseph X.
Balestier for a short time, Balestier & Evans being
found advertised in the Daily American of September
25. 1840. He attracted s'ome attention about the same
time as a speaker at the Tippecanoe Club. He soon re-
moved to Dixon, 111., where for a time he was the part-
ner of the late Judge Heaton, and from there to Ken-
osha, Wis., where he was married September 16, 1846, to
Miss Caroline Hyde, daughter of a Mr. Hyde, of Da-
rien, Genesee Co., N. Y. In 1858 he returned to Chi-
cago, and was for a short time the law partner of James
T. Hoyt, and still later, of Mr. Tousely. He was, how-
ever, better fitted for independent professional business
than for partnership. There have been but few lawyers
so devoted to the profession as Mr. Evans. He was a
lawyer and nothing else, except a good citizen, a worthy
man, and an excellent husband and father. In 187 1
he was urged by many of the most influential lawyers
to become a candidate for Judge of the Circuit Court
of Cook County, but declined. His ' more notable
cases were Wilkinson vs. Chicago Tribune, and the
Zeigenmeyer murder case. He was very extensively
identified with suits for damages against corporations,
especially the railroads and the city, in cases of personal
injury, and his success in these was quite remarkable.
He was naturally, or by force of habit, earnest, urgent
and convincing as a speaker, and was usually able to
marshal all his resources of pleading and argument, as
well as persuasion and eloquence, as far as necessary
for the success of his case, before a jury. But his
power before the Supreme Court, or in chambers, was
still more creditable to his ability as a thorough lawyer.
He died September 2, 1879, leaving a wife, two sons
and two daughters. The elder of the sons is William
W., a lawyer, and the younger is Lewis H.. a civil en-
gineer. Of the daughters one is married and the other
single. He was a regular attendant at St. John's Epis-
copal Church, especially while in charge of his friend,
Dr. H. N. Powers, but was not a member of any Church.
At the Bar meeting in commemoration of his death
Calvin De Wolf, who had known him since 1840, said:
" He was eminently worthy of admiration and esteem;"
and the committee on resolutions declared : " That in
the death of Mr. Evans the community had lost a most
worthy and excellent citizen, a man of the highest in-
tegrity and honor, the Bar one of its brightest orna-
ments, the record of whose professional career during
its entire length has never suffered blot or stain, and
his widow and family a husband and father endeared to
them by that devotedly affectionate attachment which
renders home so worthy." " He was not," said Judge
Moore, ''an ordinary man, but one who ran over with
earnestness for whatever he undertook. He was a
lawyer of more than usual learning and intelligence.
* * * He was a man of majestic sentiment, who
drew others to him."

James M. Strode, faintly connected with Chicago
in those earlier years, first as a circuit-riding attorney.
then as State Senator, 1832 to 1836, with residence
still at Galena, and then more closely from 1836 to 1S40
as Register of the land-office here, and afterward as
member of the Chicago Bar and Prosecuting Attorney

until 1848, belongs as such to a somewhat later period
than 1837, when he was properly a Government official
and not a practicing lawyer. Professionally he belonged
about equally to the liars of Jo Daviess, Cook, and Mi
Henry counties, successively.

Albert Greene Leary, who is thought to have
been a native of Maryland, is first heard of in this sec-
tion through the Chicago American of August 15, 1835.
as a lawyer at Ottawa, implying that he must have been
admitted to the liar in some other State, as he is not
enrolled in Illinois until March 2, 1837. He must have
soon removed to Chicago or Cook County, as he was
elected to represent the latter in the State Legislature on
the repudiation ticket in 1836. On the 19th of Novem-
ber he notified his law customers to call on J. Y. Scam
mon during his own absence in the East, whence he re-
turned in time for the first session of the Tenth General
Assembly, at Vandalia, December 5, 1836, at which he
or his friends in his behalf tried to procure his election
as State's Attorney, but he was rejected in March, (837,
as ineligible, being a member of the General Assembly.
At the close of the short extra session in July, he re-
turned to practice in Chicago and advertised location
August 16, 1837, but does not seem to have exen ised
much influence or made any impression on the public
mind as a member of the Bar. In 1839, ne '"st his
books and papers by lire. In 1840 he was again elected
to the Legislature. The second session of the Twelfth
General Assembly of Illinois closed March 1, 1841, and
Mr. Leary again turned his attention to law, advertising
as commissioner for Maryland April 9. He is again
advertised as a lawyer in February, 1842. May 21,
1845, the death of his infant child at St. Louis is notii ed
in the Chicago Democrat; and his own of yellow fever
at New Orleans, over eight years later, in the Chicago
Weekly Democrat of August 27, 1853. He had mar-
ried a niece of President Tyler, and their associations
are judged to have been mainly Southern.

Mahi.os Dickerson Ogden was born June 14,
181 1, at Walton on the Delaware, in Delaware County,
N. Y., where his father had settled about 1792. He was
named for Mahlon Dickerson, United States Senator
and Governor of New Jersey, with whom the father had
been associated in early life. Young Ogden was edu-
cated in the district school, and later at Trinity College,
Geneva, N. Y., where he graduated about 1832. Soon
afterward he removed to Columbia, Ohio, where he
studied law under the future Justice Swayne until 1836,
when he was admitted to the Bar. Meanwhile his elder
brother, William B., had formed in Chicago the nucleus
of a large business in real estate, as the representative
of the American Land Company, of Frederick and
Arthur Bronson and other Eastern investors in Chicago
lots and Illinois lands. Hither Mahlon 1). proceeded on
a visit, and deciding to make it his future home, re
turned to Columbus, where he was married to Miss
Kasson, and went back to Chicago in the spring of
1837, to settle. In accordance with an agreement
formed at his previous visit he now entered into part-
nership with I. N. Arnold; and was admitted to tin-
Bar of Illinois December 11, 1837. Mr. Ogden never
had much to do with the court business of Arnold .V
Ogden, his taste running more in the line of office work,
and especially to real estate, and disputed titles. For ten
years the firm had charge of the law relations and legal
papers of the business managed by William B. Ogden
and later by Ogden & Jones. He resided in the old
officers' quarters in Fort Dearborn for a few years after
his arrival here, houses being still scarce ; but removed
about 1839 to the corner of Dearborn Avenue and On-

14a

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

tario Street, where he had built the home he occupied
for twenty years. In 1S41 lie was elected Probate Judge
or. as then styled. Justice of the Probate Court, and held
the office for four years, acceptably to the general public.
In 1S45 he was elected Alderman of the Sixth Ward. In
1847 the partnership with Mr. Arnold was dissolved.
Mr. Ogden became directly and exclusively identified
with the business of his brother, ami in 1849 obtained a
partnership interest in the firm of Ogden, Jones & Co.
In 18; 1 Mrs. Ogden died, leaving two children, Charles
O. now a resident of Little Rock, Ark., and Mrs. Will-
iam E. Strong, of this city. In 1856 the firm of Ogden,
Jones ..V Co. became Ogden, Fleetwood & Co., involv-
ing no other change than the replacing of Jones by
Fleetwood. In 1856 Mr. Ogden married Miss Frances
Sheldon, a daughter of General Sheldon, a former resi-
lient of Delaware County. X. V., but at this time of Janes-
ville. Wis. In 1859 he erected on the block north of Wash-
ington Square, the residence which afterward became
historic as the only building that escaped destruction on
the North Side within the range of the great fire. In
[868, the firm was changed to Ogden, Sheldon & Co , in
which he ami Edwin H. Sheldon were general partners,
and William IS. Ogden was a special partner until his
tleath. In 1871, in common with nearly all large owners
of real estate in Chicago, he sustained heavy loss in the
-reat fire. In 1872 he was elected Alderman in what
was called "the strong" Common Council, he and other
members of which had been induced to become candi-
dates in opposition to a corrupt ring then in control of
the city. The two years' public service thus rendered
was the only deviation from private business he allowed
himself since 1S46. In his original profession he made
very little money, but as soon as he went into business
he grew rapidly rich. The shrinkage in real estate
value which succeeded the panic of 1873, some outside
ventures in Ohio manufactures, and the too free use of
his credit to certain financial institutions of the city
forced him, in 1878, to put his estate into liquidation.
I he city mansion, already referred to, passed out of his
hands, and what had been for some years his summer
residence at Elmhurst became the comfortable but much
less pretentious home of himself and family. Here he
died, February 13, 1880, of pneumonia, after a short
illness, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. Mrs. Ogden
and her three children, a daughter and two sons, be-
side- the two children by his first wife, survive him.
Mr. Ogden was a man of fine personal appearance, but
of a delicate constitution, which his excellent habits so
fostered that he reached almost the rounded term of
three score years and ten. Of a firmness that was akin
to obstinacy, of perfect integrity and truthfulness, and
»sed of a most delicate sense of honesty, his char-
a< ter was above reproach. In religion, he was a faithful
attendant at the services of the Episcopal Church of St.
James for forty \ears before 1877, when he became a
regular member. His fame is of the business, rather
than the professional or public order. With the few
exceptions mentioned, he took no part in public affairs
<>r great public enterprises. His life was of the quiet,
useful and industrious type Possessed of a
pleasing address, good conversational pow-
ers and a genial temperament, he made
hosts of frieud>. The enham ed value of
Chicago realty since Ins estate was put in
liquidation has resulted in giving his heirs
a goodly inheritance, reinforced as it has
been by their share of the larger estate
of their uncle.

Edward G. Ryan, born in Ireland in 1810, and an
immigrant to this country before he was of age, arrived
in Chicago in 1836, and advertised as a lawyer as early
as December 10, of that year, though his name does
not appear on the list of the Supreme Court until the
31st of that month, when he was present at its session
in Vandalia on some Chicago law-suits. He formed a
partnership with Henry Moore June 1, 1837, but the
firm of Moore & Ryan was short-lived, the senior mem-
ber leaving Chicago in 1838 for his health. Among
other activities in 1837, Mr. Ryan took a decided stand
against a movement of embarrassed debtors for the
suspension of the Municipal Court of Chicago. One
of the most earnest advocates of suspension, James
Curtiss, having stated at a public meeting that he had

given up his law practice because unwilling to harass
the impoverished people, Mr. Ryan exclaimed, " It is
very apocryphal whether Mr. Curtiss has abandoned his
practice, or his practice has abandoned him." After
the separation from Henry Moore, Mr. Ryan became
associated with Hugh T. Dickey, under the .style of
Ryan & Dickey, which was dissolved January 27, 1840.
Mr. Ryan now turned his attention to journalism, be-
coming editor of the Tribune, the first number of
which appeared April 4, 1840, and which he freely used
in the conflict of the Chicago Bar with Judge Pearson.
Being of an irascible disposition, Mr. Ryan made many
enemies, which he seemed to regard as proof of intel-
lectual prowess. Being also of a combative turn of
mind, and withal full of an overweening self-esteem, he
seemed to delight in persistent efforts to impress others
with an equal appreciation of his assumed superiority.
In 1842 he removed' to Racine, and thenceforth his
history belongs to Wisconsin, where he rose to eminence,
becoming Chief Justice in 1874, because of his ac-
knowledged probity and ability, notwithstanding the
extreme unpopularity of his political views ten years
before. He died October 19, 1880, reaching within
twenty-five days of threescore years and ten.

Patrick Ballingall, often assigned to this pe-
riod, was then a student with Spring & Goodrich, and
became a member of the Chicago Bar only after his
return from DuPage County in 1843.

Hugh T. Dickey is also similarly mentioned, al-
though not a resident until 1838.

Norman B. Judd, an arrival of 1836, and partner
with Caton as early as August, 1837, will be sketched
elsewhere, about the period of the Civil War, when he
achieved a national reputation.

George Manierre, an arrival of 1835, and Deputy
Clerk of the Circuit Court and law student in 1836,
was not admitted to the Bar until July 15, 1839, and
belongs therefore to a somewhat later period.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

443

George W. Meeker, a partner of Manierre, was
like him a student in 1837, and admitted to the Bar
half a year after him, December 16, 1839.

Thomas Hoyxk, also an arrival of 1837, and often
spoken of as a member of the Bar of that year, was
not admitted to practice until December 16, 1839, and
will be more appropriately sketched at a later period.

Courts of Chicago, 1837 to 1844. — By the act
of February 4, 1837, a new circuit was established. It
included Cook County, and was numbered the Seventh.
For its Judge, John Pearson, of Danville, an obscure
lawyer, admitted to the Bar December 5, 1833, was
chosen by the Legislature. The selection proved very
distasteful to the lawyers of Chicago. Hon. Thomas
Hoyne, despite his judicial candor, writing of this event,
more than a generation later, reflects a feeling of disap-
pointment that at the time must have been intense.
Judge Pearson, he says, " was known to be incompetent
for the position, and to be sadly wanting in the qualities
which make a good judge. His appointment had con-
sequently been unpopular with the Chicago Bar from
the beginning. The Democratic party was in power in
the State, and John Pearson was a Democrat — he was a
poor lawyer and an industrious office-seeker."

The spring term in 1837 was opened May 22, by
Judge Pearson, with seven hundred cases on the docket.
Before his arrival he had promulgated an elaborate,
burdensome and perhaps somewhat arbitrary system of
rules for the guidance of lawyers transacting business
in his court, which did not tend to smooth the way to a
favorable reception of himself, his methods, or his deci-
sions by the Chicago Bar. But the urgency of impa-
tient clients and the heavy docket rendered the dispatch
of business a paramount object, and the indulgence of
resentful feelings by either party to the impending con-
flict would have given an undesirable advantage to the
opposite side. Thus both terms of the year 1837 passed
without an outburst. In 1838, this sustained forbear-
ance and self-restraint on both sides promised to estab-
lish a reconciliation, or at least a modus vivendi, which
if not cordial would be mutually respectful, and the
organ of the Whigs rather pointedly and encouragingly
noted these indications.

But the sectional jealousy and political antagonism
that had unhappily been set in motion by the appoint-
ment of Judge Pearson, even more than his alleged
incompetency, would not suffer the accomplishment of
so desirable a result, and the suppressed quarrel found
vent in 1839. The spring term had been held, and the
docket had again become so burdened by reason of the
discontinuance of the Municipal Court that he an-
nounced an extra term of the Circuit Court for the second
Monday in May. It was at that special term, as related
farther on, that the issue between the Bench and the
Bar of Chicago took shape. Meanwhile two new courts
had been created for Chicago by its charter of March

4, i»37-

The First Mayor's Court. — Section 68 of the
city charter provided, "That the Mayor * * * shall have
the same jurisdiction within the limits of said city * * *
as the Justices of the Peace, upon his conforming to
the requirements * * * regulating the office of the Jus-
tice of the Peace."

The Municipal Court. — It was by the establish-
ment of this court more especially that relief was sought
to be given to the administration of justice in Chicago.
The accumulation of untried cases on the docket of the
Circuit Court of Cook County, and the delay in civil suits,
which amounted almost to a denial of justice, owing to
the urgency and legal preference of criminal cases, had

rendered imperative some additional provision. The
Constitution of [818, in its Bill of Rights, Article \ III.
Section 12, had provided against such a state of things
in words which admirably summarized the fundamental
purpose of laws and courts : " Every person within
this State ought to find a certain rented)- in the laws for
all injuries or wrongs which he may receive in his pei-
son, property or character, he ought to obtain right and
justice freely, and without being obliged to purchase
it, completely and without denial, promptly and without
delay, conformably to the laws."

Sections 69 to 82 of the charter are concerned
with this court, the chief provisions being that it sin mid
have jurisdiction concurrent with the Circuit Court, in
all matters, civil or criminal, arising within the city
where either party is a resident. It should be held by
one Judge, to be appointed by the General Assembly,
commissioned by the Governor, to hold office during
good behavior, and to be paid by the Common Council.
His salary and the other expenses of his court were to
be paid out of the docket fees, which were to be col-
lected by the clerk and turned over to the City Treasurer.
The clerk was to be appointed by the Judge; the jurors
to be chosen by the Common Council, and summoned
by the High Constable. His functions as an officer of
this court within the city were the same as those of
Sheriffs in their respective counties, and he was to be
elected by the people, like other city officers, at the
annual election. It was a court of record, with a seal,
and its process was directed to the High Constable ex-
cept where a defendant resided outside the city limits,
when it was directed to the Sheriff. Its judgments had
the same liens on real and personal estate as those of
the Circuit Court, and all appeals from the Mayor or
any other Justice of the Peace were to be taken to next
Circuit or Municipal Court whose term came first. All
rules not specially laid down were to conform to those
of the Circuit Court, and all appeals to the Supreme
Court were to be carried up in the same way as from
the Circuit Court.

By a short supplementary act of July 21, 1837, it
was further provided that "its Judge shall possess all
and singular the powers, and he is hereby required to
perform all judicial duties appertaining to the office of
the Circuit Courts of this State, and to issue all such
writs and process as is, or may hereafter, by statutory
provisions, be made issuable from the Circuit Courts of
this State."

For this Court, Hon. Thomas Ford, who had re-
signed as Judge of the Sixth Circuit in February, was
selected by the Legislature. He had been Prosecuting
Attorney in the Fifth Circuit, and Judge of the Sixth,
when each successively included Cook County, and was
favorably regarded by the Chicago Bar. He had ac-
quired the reputation of being an excellent lawyer ; and
as a judge was a terror to evil-doers, while as a man
he was a warm and devoted friend, or an equally bitter
enemy. As a citizen and politician he belonged to the
dominant Democratic party, but was too broad to be a
partisan, and when Governor, 1842 to 1S46, did not
hesitate to break loose from the unwisdom of repudia-
tion and stay laws, or to espouse, support and urge with
all the influence of his position every measure calculated
to build up the shattered credit of the State.

The terms of the Municipal Court began with every
alternate month, and it was virtually in perpetual ses-
sion. An attempt was made by the politicians to pre-
vent the opening of this court, the circumstances of
which are thus narrated by the late Hon. Thomas
Hoyne :

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

•• It was a court of superior or general jurisdiction
within the city. It was to be held that winter 1837-38
for the first time. It was a time of great pecuniary
distress, and all obligations created during the specula-
tive times were just maturing and unpaid, and
there was no money to pay them. The dockets
were crowded in both the Circuit and Municipal
Courts, and something must be done. Some of
the debtors resolved that no court should be held ; a
public meeting was called to prevent it. It was held at
the New York House, a frame building on the north
side "f Lake Street, near Wells. It was held at even-
ing in a long, low dining room lighted only by tallow-
candles. The chair was occupied by a State Senator,
Peter Pruyne; lames Curtiss, nominally a lawyer, but
more of a' Democratic politician, who had, practically,
abandoned his profession, was active. But the princi-
pal advocate of suspension of the courts was a Judge of
the Supreme Court of the State. Theophilus \V. Smith.
Upon the other side were Collins, Butterfield, Ryan,
Scammon, Spring. Goodrich, M. D. Ogden, Arnold and
others: and among them the Hon. William B. Ogden,
the Mayor of the city, who was subsequently admitted
to the Bar of this State February 6, 1841 . We will
count him in for he did manly service at that meeting in
sustaining the law and its regular administration, and
in repudiating and denouncing any interference with
the courts. He was a noble, generous man, whose hand
was seen in all public works. The battle was bitterly
fought. It was shown by the opponents of courts that
it meant ruin if they should be held, and judgments
rendered against the debtors; that $2,000,000 were then
in suit against citizens which was equivalent to a sum
of S500 against everv man. woman and child in Chi-
1 ago. What was to be done ? 'No one was to be bene-
fited.' Curtiss said, 'but lawyers,' and he left that pro-
fession some time before. Then Ryan, a man of mus-
cular frame, eyes large, wide open, as great lights in his
luminous intellect, great as he ever was in debate, but
then active, and in his wrath, like Mirabeau, 'fierce as
ten furies and terrible as hell,' when he rose to the full
height of his great argument, pointing to Curtiss, asked
that body of debtors if that was the kind of a lawyer
they expected to save them. If so, it had long been a
question whether he had left the profession of law, or
the law had left him ; but of one thing they could be
sure — that if he succeeded in his present unlawful at-
tempt, he Ryan would guarantee them justice, and the
sooner the law discharged that obligation the better it
would be for the community. Butterfield, tall in stat-
ure, stern of countenance, denounced the Judge of the
Supreme Court who could descend from that lofty seat
1 if a sovereign people majestic as the law, to take a seat
with an assassin and murderer of the law like Judge
Lynch. Others followed; but the good sense of the
meeting laid the resolutions on the table, and the courts
were held, as they have been ever since."

Hut the end was pot yet; and the contest was trans-
ferred to the Legislature. The court was too dispatch-
ful, and debtors found that scarcely had their obliga-
tions matured before a judgment and execution were
ed in the ever-sitting Municipal Court of Chicago.
\fter only fifteen months of active usefulness, it was
■ >.f existence, February 15, 1839, and all
its business turned over to the Circuit Court which it
had. as intended, so effectually relieved until a supposed
political necessity demanded its repeal at the hands of
the dominant party. Ten days later Judge Ford was
commissioned as Judge of the Ninth Circuit.

Attempt to [mpeach Judge Pearson. — The in-
creased burden thrown on his shoulders by the dises-
tablishment of the Municipal Court had led Judge Pear-
son to hold the extra term in May, previously mentioned.
It was at this special term that the dissidence between
the Bench and Bar of Chicago became irreconcilable,
by the refusal of the Judge to sign a bill of exceptions
made by J. V. Scammon, defendant's lawyer, in Phillips
vs. Bristol. The Court unfortunately regarded the ex-
ceptions as inspired by a desire to embarrass and antag-
onize him, rather than an honest defense. In this he
was doubtless deceived by his prejudices. The case
was appealed by Mr. Scammon, and in virtue of a mo-
tion made by him before the Supreme Court, some
weeks later, an alternative mandamus was granted com-
manding Judge Pearson to sign the bill of exceptions
referred to, or show cause at next term of Supreme
Court why he did not.

November 11, 1839, as the protracted fall term of
the Circuit Court was drawing to an end, Justin Butter-
field, whose co-operation had been secured by Mr. Scam-
mon, arose in his place, holding two papers, and, as the
affidavit of the clerk, dated November 23, declared:
"With marked politeness of manner handed one paper
to the Judge, saying that it was a bill of exceptions in
the case of Phillips vs. Bristol, tried at a former term.
The Judge said, ' I did not sign that bill of exceptions,'
to which Mr. Butterfield graciously replied, ' I am aware
of that, sir, but here' presenting the other paper , ' is a
writ of mandamus from the Supreme Court of this
State commanding you to sign it.' The Judge held the
paper toward Mr. Butterfield, saying, 'Take it away,
sir; ' to which he replied, ' It is directed to you, sir, and
I will leave it with you; I have discharged my duty in
serving it, and I will leave it with you.' It was at this
point," continued Mr. Hoyne,* " that the Court turned
to me, as clerk, and said, ' Mr. Clerk, enter a fine of
twenty dollars against Mr. Butterfield,' and then he
threw the papers — the bill of exceptions and writ of
mandamus — on the floor in front of the desk. He con-
tinued, looking at Butterfield, ' What do you mean, sir ? '
It was now that Butterfield, raising his voice, hitherto
restrained, fired the first gun of what was to be a cam-
paign. ' I mean, sir, to proceed against you by attach-
ment, if you do not obey that writ.' The Judge, reply-
ing, cried out, ' Sit down, sir ! Sit down, sir ! ' and to me,
saying, ' Proceed with the record.'

" The record was read, the fine of twenty dollars
entered up against Butterfield, and the court adjourned.
The Judge was descending the Bench, and proceeding
to pass through the Bar, when all the lawyers jumped
to their feet; while Butterfield promptly marched up to
Pearson, saving, ' Sir, you now have disgraced that
Bench long enough. Sit down, sir, and let me beg you
to immediately attend a meeting of this Bar, to be held
instanter, in which we are about to try your case, and
rid ourselves and the people, once for all, of your in-
competency and ignorance ! ' The Judge left, but the
Bar prepared an impeachment and that winter a long
trial followed the presentation of articles before the
House of Representatives at Springfield, where all the
eloquence of the Bar was invoked, with that of others,
to impeach Judge Pearson; but the House, which was
largely composed of his political friends, refused to give
the impeachers a hearing.

" He, however, never recovered from the effects of
this attack and prosecution. The party paraded him as
a martyr, and it was said that he had achieved a triumph

* " The Lawyer as Pioneer," by Hun. Thomas Hoync.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

445

over Butterfield, Scammon, Collins, Spring, Skinner, and
Goodrich, as they were old Federals and Whigs, and
only wanted to be rid of an incorruptible judge, a Demo-
crat who was not to be terrified by such enemies of the
Constitution, the Democracy and the Union. But
Ryan, a life-long Democrat, established a newspaper
called the Tribune, to drive Pearson from the Bench.
Its leading articles were such as Junius might have
written, animated by a spirit of determination to drag
from the Bench a Jeffreys or a Scroggs. Pearson was
finally disposed of by the party taking him up as a State-
Senator and electing him from the counties of Cook and
Will, in 1840. And from thence, hitherto, the Bench
has heeded the lesson, for there has arisen no other oc-
casion for the violent and irrepressible conflict of a liar
and Bench so divided by ignorance and incompetency
on one side, and great independence and intelligence
upon the other."

Besides the effort at impeachment, rendered abor-
tive mainly by political influence, the Judge's case was
also before the Supreme Court, where he neglected to
appear in person, contenting himself with a written de-
fense which he requested a friendly lawyer to file in his
behalf. Among the points made therein was the plea,
that were this procedure of the Chicago Bar to be sus-
tained, any Judge could, ''by a malicious, trifling set of
lawyers, if such should be found in a circuit, leaguing
against him, be compelled every term to appear in the
Supreme Court, and take issue with them on countless
bills of exceptions. * * * In this way a combination
of designing men might exhaust the means of any
Judge in the State, or make him truckle to their will, or
compel a resignation for want of funds."

Mr. Scammon made a second motion, before the
Supreme Court, January 14, 1840, asking that an at-
tachment might issue against Judge Pearson for neglect-
ing to return the writ of alternative mandamus, or sign
the bill of exceptions. The Supreme Court, through
Judge Theophilus W. Smith, issued a peremptory man-
damus that he should appear before it in person. In
the spring term of the Circuit Court at Chicago, he
again allowed his feelings to override his judgment,
fining Mr. Stuart, editor of the American, $100, for
constructive contempt of court, based on certain ad-
verse editorial criticism during the Stone murder-trial.
On appeal, his decision against Stuart was reversed
when reached by the Supreme Court in 1842.

June 9, 1S40, the motion for attachment was re-
newed, and the Court took until the next day to con-
sider; but when the writ was placed in the hands of the
Sheriff, it was found that the Judge had availed him-
self of the postponement and left Springfield. He was
pursued and overtaken at Maysville, Clay County, while
apparently making the best of his way to cross the bor-
der into Indiana. He was taken back to the capital
and fined $100 for contempt, which was refunded with
interest by the Fifteenth General Assembly, in the ses-
sion of 1846.

It was now thought best by his political friends to
withdraw him from a conflict in which his adversaries
had won all the points, and he was therefore put in nom-
ination as State Senator for the district embracing Cook,
Will, DuPage, Lake and McHenry counties, all within
the Seventh Circuit, over which he presided as Judge.
In July he made an unsuccessful attempt at Chicago to
hold a meeting to indorse his candidature; but at the
election in August it was found that the Democracy of
the district had come up handsomely to the support of
their " martyr," Cook County alone giving him 1,404
votes, and sent him triumphantly vindicated to the

rwelfth General Assembly of Illinois, for four years.
lie resigned the judgeship November jo, 1840.

At this distance of time there is little room to doubl
that Judge Pearson through self-willed and obstinate
was a well-meaning man and an upright Judge. lb
was by nature or education, either a warm friend or an
uncompromising enemy. In Chicago he was thrown
into official relations with a liar, the leaders of which
were politically opposed to him, at a time when part)
spirit, always too high for justice and candor, was es
pecially intense. Added to this was a sort of intellect-
ual resentment that a Judge from the Wabash country
should have been selected to preside over a liar whose
brightest lights were emigrants from the Eastern State-.
Exhibiting but scant respect and no friendship, they
aroused the indignant and unguarded antagonism of a
man, among whose faults cunning and hypocrisy 1 ould
not be counted, nor patience and magnanimity among
his virtues. He died at Danville, May 30, 1875, leaving
a handsome estate to his family.

The Stone Murder-Trial. — The most notable
criminal trial during the incumbency of fudge Pearson
was thus designated. The story of the crime ami the
execution of Stone is fully related elsewhere in this
work. A point of some legal interest is the apparent
weakness of the chain of circumstantial evidence upon
which he was convicted of the murder of Mrs. I.ucretia
Thompson, as there set forth. A bit of flannel torn
from a shirt which was proved to have belonged to the
accused and which was found near the body of tin-
victim, the burning by him of the clothes worn in the
earlier part of the day of her disappearance, the club
used as the instrument of killing to which still adhered,
when found, a bunch of her hair, and a remembered
threat by him against her virtue, sworn to by a single
witness, in the absence of any circumstances pointing
toward any other neighbor, were deemed sufficient to
warrant a verdict of murder in the first degree. Nor
has there ever been any doubt of its justice, although
John Stone stolidly asserted his innocence to the last.

Attempts to Supply Needed Court Facilities. —
Within a year of the disestablishment of the Municipal
Court of Chicago, it was recognized by the Legislature
that something should be done to relieve the overloaded
docket of Cook County. Toward the close of the
second session of the Eleventh General Assembly on
February 3, 1S40, it was enacted that there should be in
the county of Cook a term of the Circuit Court on the
first Monday in August for the trial of criminal and
chancery cases only. And it was specially provided
that if the Judge of the Seventh Circuit should be un-
able to hold the March term in Chicago in 1841, he
should there hold a term immediately after the spring
term in Lake County, the last to be reached in the cir-
cuit. This law, however, by reason of failure to be re-
turned in time by the council of revision did not go into
effect until legally promulgated by the Secretary of
State, at the close of the first session of the Twelfth
General Assembly, December 5, 1842. It is of interest
chiefly as showing the pressure of the problem how to
give courts enough to Chicago.

Supreme Court Justices as Circuit Judges. —
The Twelfth General Assembly, at its second session,
for reasons which here need only to be characterized
as political, by an act dated February 10, 1841, legis-
lated out of office the Judges of the nine circuits into
which the State had by that time become divided. In
their stead were created five additional Justices of the
Supreme Court, and upon the nine members of that
court as thus re-organized were devolved all the Circuit

446

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Court duties of the State, besides their associate duties
as the Supreme Court, at the capital, twice a year. This
arrangement remained undisturbed until the adoption
of the Constitution of 1848. To the Seventh Circuit, in-
cluding- Cook County, was assigned Judge T. W, Smith,
who opened the spring term at Chicago toward the close
of April. 1841. On the docket were found one thou-
sand and sixty cases. Of these, sixty-nine civil and six
chancerv were cases remaining over from the disestab-
lished Municipal Court, while sixty-two criminal, fifty-one
chancery, and eight hundred and seventy-two civil rep-
resent the unfinished business of the Circuit Court. The
fall term in 1841 was also held by Judge Smith, but
when the period of the spring term in 1842 came round
he was too ill to hold a court, and as late as June 8 it
was doubted whether he would ever be able to discharge
his official duties. To keep Chicago court business
within reach of judicial despatch, a special term was
held by Stephen A. Douglas, July 18. 1842, the only
time he served Chicago as Judge. There was a heavy
docket of seven hundred and fifty cases, and but little
civil business could be disposed of, because of the pressure
on the court of the people's preferred criminal cases.
All these terms since Pearson's in 1840 were held in
the Chapman Building, corner of Randolph Street and
what is now Fifth Avenue, but was then Wells Street.
The fall term of 1842 was held by Judge Smith, who
had meanwhile recovered. At this term an important
decision was that lands in this State sold by the United
States are not taxable until five years from date of pat-
ent, not date of sale, as has been contended. At this
term. too. the Grand Jury found indictments for libel
against Walters and Weber, editors of the State Regis-
ter, at Springfield, and John Wentworth, of the Chicago
Democrat, because of an editorial article which ap-
peared in August in the State Register and was copied
in the Democrat, containing libelous and scurrilous
matter against Judge Smith. It was in the shape of
charges and assertions of what was declared to be an
art of corruption in an opinion given by him in the Su-
preme Court in January, 1842, and concurred in by a
majority of Judges, in favor of purchases of canal lots
in Chicago and Ottawa in 1836. By that decision a
peremptory mandamus was awarded against the Canal
Commissioners to compel them to admit those purchas-
er-, to the benefit of an act of the General Assembly of
this State, passed in 1841 in their behalf. He was also
charged with removing certain clerks of court in his cir-
c 11 it to gratify personal malignity. With bodily powers
weakened by disease and feelings somewhat soured by
these attacks it soon came to be understood that he
c ontemplated an early retirement from the Bench. A
meeting of the Chicago liar was held November 25, at
which, among others, the following resolution was
passed : " That in the estimation of this Bar Hon. T.
W . Smith possesses a high order of talent and legal at-
tainments ; that as a jurist and lawyer he is able and
profound ; that his conduct toward the members of
this liar, while on the Bench, has been courteous,
gentlemanly, dignified and honorable." He resigned
I >••• ember 26, 1842.

In 1842, about fifty residents of Chicago availed
themselves of the bankrupt law in the L'nited States
District Court, as Springfield. Unconscious of what
the future held in store lor the bankrupts of a later
generation, tin-re ■,.,-.-,, mu< h grumbling because it cost
§100 to get a dia harge in bankrupt* y, even where the
aa not contested. I he lawyers charged fifty dol-
lars and the other expenses were fifty more. This year
marks the point of greatest financial depression in Chi-

cago, which in a superficial view has been declared to
have constituted " the harvest of the notary and law-
yer." but it need scarcely be remarked that a period of
general distress is fraught with counteracting draw-
backs to even lawyers and notaries. June 19, 1843, the
same United States Court issued a peremptory order,
" That all applicants for benefit of bankrupt law per-
fect their application before the 20th of December next.
Upon their failure to do so, the petition will be dis-
missed."

Meanwhile on February 14, 1843, three terms of the
Circuit Court were provided for Cook County, on the
fourth Monday in March, the third Monday in August,
and the first Monday in November, of each year. Anil
at the same session, it was enacted that the Supreme
Court should hold only one term, to begin at the capi-
tal on the second Monday in December of each year.

Richa-rd M. Young, of whom a biographical sketch
is elsewhere given, was commissioned a Justice of the
Supreme Court January 14, 1843, and assigned to the
Seventh Circuit. He held several terms of the Circuit
Court in Cook County until his second resignation in
1847. Although never rated very high as a jurist, he
was always much esteemed here, and decidedly pre-
ferred to some of his colleagues by Bar and people.
His clerk of court was Samuel Hoard.

In February, 1844, Representative Wentworth pre-
sented to Congress a petition of the Chicago Bar, asking
that two terms of the United States courts be held in
Chicago each year. At home his constituents were
growing impatient of the law's delays, arising from the
State's inadequate provision for the city's judicial wants
by only three terms of the Circuit Court. A communi-
cation from " many citizens," written by a lawyer, who,
however, rightly represented the public, appeared in
the Weekly Democrat of October 16, asking that the
next Legislature should establish a special court for
Chicago. This request, supported by the public opinion
of which it was the expression, was reinforced Decem-
ber 3, by Governor Ford's message to the General
Assembly, in which he urged that increased judicial
facilities should be extended to the growing commercial
metropolis of the State. The Court of County Commis-
sioners at this time took measures to enlarge and adapt
the clerk and recorder's office to the additional purposes
of a court-house.

By an act of February 21, 1845, the Fourteenth
General Assembly ordained, " That there shall be, anil
is hereby created and established a Cook County Court.
* * of record, with a seal and clerk, to be held by a
judge to be chosen in the manner, and to hold office for
the term of judges of courts of record in the State. * *
Said court shall have jurisdiction concurrent with the
Circuit Courts, * * and shall have exclusive jurisdiction
in all appealed cases * * and in all cases of misdemeanor
which are prosecuted by indictment. * * The Judge of
said court shall hold four terms of said court in each
year, in a building to be provided by the County Com-
missioners Court of said county, in the city of Chicago,
commencing on the first Mondays in May, August,
November and February, and shall continue each term
until all the business before the court is disposed of. * *
The clerk of said court shall be appointed by the Judge
thereof. * * The grand and petit jurors shall be elected,
and the Sheriff shall perform same duties as in the Cir-
cuit Court " Of this court, Hugh T. Dickey was chosen
by the Legislature, the first Judge, and James Curtiss
was by him appointed the first clerk. Judge Dickey
opened the first term of the new court May 5, 1845,
and at its close was thus favorably noticed by the Journal,

THE BENCH AND BAR.

447

edited and owned by lawyers, but of the opposite school
in politics: " Judge Dickey has during the session of
the court shown himself a good lawyer, a sound reas-
oner, and a dignified, impartial Judge. The rules of
the court were submitted to the Bar on the last day of
the term, and meeting with their entire approbation
were ordered printed." About ten days later, the Weekly
Democrat of May 28, said: " He has made his court
very popular, and the Bar would not consent to dis-
pense with it or him, upon any terms whatever." The
new court clearly met the wishes of the public at the
outset, but as will be seen, its docket soon became
clogged by the swift-swelling tide of law business in
Chicago.

The most notable criminal case of the year 1845, in
either court was the Fahey manslaughter, sufficiently
detailed elsewhere in this work.

At the close of the first year and fourth term of the
Cook County Court, the Weekly Democrat of February
24,1846, thus eulogized its presiding officer: "Judge
Dickey grows in popularity every succeeding court he
holds. His dignity, urbanity, and well-balanced legal
mind commend him to all who have anything to do with
the court." At their August term an agreed case in
relation to assessment for protecting the lake shore was
argued before him, and decided against the city. His
court as well as the Circuit Court were kept busy with
ever increasing judicial business of Chicago. Judge
Caton supplied the place of Judge Young at one term
of the Circuit Court in 1846, but as soon as the latter
got well enough to hold court he presided at a special
term, beginning June 15, and yet the docket was al-
ways full.

Judge Young resigned January 25, 1847, to take
office in Washington, and his successor, Jesse B.
Thomas, Jr., was commissioned two days later. He
held the office until December 4, 1848, when the new
judicial system provided by the constitution of that
vear went into force. By an act of the Legislature in
the spring of 1847, with a view to harmonize the terms
of the two courts in Chicago, the two terms of the
County Court in August and November were replaced
by one term in October. James Curtiss having been
elected Mayor, his place as clerk of this court was filled
by Louis D. Hoard, appointed thereto by Judge Dickey.
The May term opened with three hundred and seventy-
eight cases on the docket; of these two hundred and
sixtv-eight were common law, fifty-seven chancery, and
fifty-three people's cases, but none of any class possess-
ed historic interest.

First Law School in Chicago. — On the first
Monday in December, 1847, tne first 'aw institute, or
school, was opened under the auspices and with the en-
dorsement of the Bench and Bar of Chicago, by John
f. Brown, a member of the Bar having a reputation for
general scholarship as well as professional learning, and
special proficiency as a jury advocate and orator. The
announcement which appeared in the Daily Democrat
of November 30, was rather grandiloquent and preten-
tious, but the comprehensive scope outlined perhaps
not above his powers, when supplemented, as proposed,
by lectures from members of the profession of acknowl-
edged ability in special lines. Mr. Brown was a native
of Yirginia, settling at Danville, 111., in 1839, had
acquired some reputation in that section. He was the
unsuccessful opponent of William Fithian for the State
Senate in 1840, but was elected Representative to the
same General Assembly. About 1846, he removed to
Chicago, and after a year or more of practice here, pro-
jected his law school, as above. The impression made

on the Bar of Chicago, and of the other sections of the
Seventh Circuit where he became known, was quite
favorable. He was regarded as an able advocate,
scathing in sarcasm and merciless in vituperation. On
the hustings as well as at the liar he could give and
take with the best. It was remarked, however, that his
scope was really narrow, he adroitly using one or two
lines of thought and anecdote, with almost endless var-
iation. " He had his faults," says hinder, "as we all
have, over which it is our duty to draw the veil of chari-
ty; but no foul blot or stain was ever fixed upon his
character as a lawyer or as a man.* * He was an honor
and an ornament to the Bar of Illinois." "He was nat-
urally a retiring and misanthropic man." says Eastman.
"the lenses through which he looked at life seemed to
be ever clouded — the glimpses of sunshine rare. * *
Had his natural temperament been different, had Ins
health been better, had life been more roseate, he
would, as the years rolled on, have made for himself a
high and honored name. * * He was undoubtedly the
great master of withering and remorseless irony when
aroused, of satirical and scornful gibe, then at the
Chicago Bar of sarcasm, that when given full rein had
something almost sardonic in it. To this end, his vehe-
ment gestures, his eyes, his tall flexible person, and his
leonine hair, all added emphasis, and woe to those upon
whom the razor-like edge of his tongue fell when
unbridled."

The Judiciary by the Constitution of 1848. —
The organizing clauses were as follows :

1. " The judicial power in this State shall be, and is hereby
vested in one supreme court, in circuit courts, in county courts,
and in justices of the peace, Provided, that inferior local courts,
of civil and criminal jurisdiction, may be established by the Gen-
eral Assembly in the cities of this State, but such courts shall have
a uniform organization and jurisdition in such cities.

2. " The Supreme Court shall consist of three Judges, two
of whom shall form a quorum ; and the concurrence of two of said
Judges shall in all cases be necessary to a decision.

3. " The State shall be divided into three grand divisions, as
nearly equal as may be, and the qualified electors of each division
shall elect one of the said Judges for the term of nine years."

7. " The State shali be divided into nine judicial circuits,
in each of which one circuit judge shall be elected by the qualified
electors thereof, who shall hold his office for the term of six years,
and until his successor shall be commissioned and qualified : Pro-
vided, That the General Assembly may increase the number of cir-
cuits to meet the future exigencies of the State." They were in-
creased accordingly to thirty before the Constitution of 184S was
replaced by that of 1870."

8. "There shall be two or more terms of the Circuit Court
held annually in each county of this Stale, at such times as shall
be provided by law; and said courts shall have jurisdiction in all
cases at law and equity; and in all cases of appeals from inferior
courts."

16 to 19. " There shall be in each county a court to be called
a county court. One county judge shall be elected by the qualified
voters of each county, who shall hold his office for four years, and
until his successor is elected and qualified. The jurisdiction of said
court shall extend to all probate and such other jurisdiction as the
General Assembly may confer in civil cases, and such criminal 1 ,im-
as may be prescribed by law, where the punishment is by fine only,
not exceeding one hundred dollars. The County Judge, with such
Justices of tiie Peace in each county as may be designated by law.
shall hold terms for the transaction of county business," replacing
the Countv Commissioners Court and Judge of Probate of the first
Constitution, as well as the Probate Justices of later legislative in-
stitution.

Some supplementary provisos were added in " the schedule,"
or appendix to this constitution ; among others, these : " The
Judges of the Supreme Court shall have and exercise the powers
and jurisdiction conferred upon the present Judges of that court :
and the said Judges of the Circuit Courts shall have and exercise
the powers and jurisdiction conferred upon the Judges of those
courts, subject to the provisions of this constitution. . . . The
Cook and Jo Daviess County Courts shall continue to exist, and
the Tudge and other officers of the same remain in office until Other-
wise provided by law."

44*

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

The Pre-emption Claims to Canal Land. — In
January, 1S4S. the trustees of the Illinois & Michigan
Canal brought suit against one Mr. Miller, before H.
I.. Rucker. Justice of the Peace. Sixteen other suits,
differing only in the names of the defendants, depended
on the result ; some two hundred persons were directly
interested. The claim was for one hundred and sixty
acres to each original pre-emptor, or his later representa-
tive, on the canal lands, within what became the city limits,
as elsewhere, by the general pre-emption acts of Con-
gress. The canal trustees awarded two blocks to each, as
a full equivalent for one hundred and sixty acres of com-
mon Government lands. This was not satisfactory to the
claimants, and the question was taken into the courts. In
this case against Miller, the canal trustees claimed rent for
his land since January. 1 S47, at which time a two years'
^case from them had expired. Miller's lawyers, Thomas
Hovne and Patrick Ballingall, undertook to show that
he held his pre-emption right by virtue of settlement and
improvements made in, and subsequent to 1836, that
ignorant of his rights he signed a lease which the trus-
tees presented to him in 1842, which lease was never
legally executed ; that the estoppel by taking a lease
only applied during the existence of that instilment,
and did not prevent the pre-emptor from setting up his
title under the laws of the State. The opinion of Judge
Caton and other members of the Supreme Court were
cited and presented to the jury by Mr. Hoyne. Two
juries disagreed, and when the third was summoned
the excitement ran very high, but when they returned
a verdict for the defendant, popular enthusiasm knew
no bounds. The question came up again, in another
form, under Judge Spring, in 1851, and was again de-
cided against the canal trustees, but the higher courts
as will be seen eventually reversed these popular decis-
ions of the lower courts.

The First United States Court at Chicago was
opened in July, 1848, in the absence of Justice John
.\b Lean, of the Circuit Court, by Judge Nathaniel
Pope of the District Court, with his son, William, as
clerk. Some lawyers were licensed to practice before
it. and other preliminary business done, but no case of
importance is known to have occupied the attention of
the court at that term.

The Constitution of 1848, as has been seen, re-
stored the circuit judiciary abolished for partisan pur-
po-.L-- in 1S41, and transferred theelection of all Judges
from the General Assembly to the people. Judge
Hugh T. Dickey, of the Cook County Court, was nom-
inated for the Seventh Circuit by the Democrats, and
was elected without opposition from the Whigs. He
resigned his previous judgeship, and was commissioned
a- (in uit Judge December 4, 1848.

February 2, 1849, a ih-> i^i( m was rendered in Wash-
ington by Justice Woodbury, of the Supreme Court,
against the city of Chicago, in the case taken up by
bill of injunction, and referring to the pretended right
of the corporation to open and keep open the streets
and alleys in the Fort Dearborn addition. The deci-
sion was in effect that the powers of the corporation
did not extend over that region, and that the fee-simple
to its streets and alleys was still vested in the Cnited
States.

The Mayor's Court. — In his second inaugural
message to the Common Council in March, 1849, Mayor
Woodworth thus sketched the need of such a court :
•'Situated as we an- on the main channel of communi-
cation between Western lakes and Southern rivers, there
is found here a < lass of individuals, who, regarding the
rights of none, are almost daily in the commission of

crime as a means of converting to their use the sub-
stance of their fellow-men. This state of things calls
loudly for the organization of a well regulated police.
It has been suggested by some that the Mayor should
hold a court for the trial of persons charged with a vi-
olation of the city ordinances. If the Common Council
desire the establishment of such a court, they will receive
from me a willing co-operation."

In pursuance of that idea a Mayor's court was in-
stituted as authorized by the city charter, and on
April 26 it was ordered, and notice given to all police
constables, that violators of any city ordinance be
brought before the Mayor, daily, at 9 o'clock, in his of-
fice in the north room of the market.

Cook County Court. — Giles Spring was elected
to the judgeship made vacant by the resignation of Mr.
Dickey, and was commissioned April 14, 1849. At the
May term he found about four hundred civil, one hun-
dred chancery and a proportionate number of criminal
cases.

In June a term of the Circuit Court was held by
Judge Dickey, but both courts, however efficiently pre-
sided over, were unequal to the complete dispatch of
the accumulating judicial business of Chicago. A num-
ber of cases were determined at each successive term,
but the rapid influx of trade and population outran the
best speed of the courts, never remarkable for quick-
ness of procedure.

Early in July Judge Pope, of the United States
Court, held the annual term provided to Chicago in the
law-rooms of Buckner S. Morris, with William Pope as
clerk ; Archibald Williams, District Attorney ; Benja-
min Bond, Marshal, and George W. Meeker, Commis-
sioner. The court adjourned August 11, having lasted
some five weeks and disposed of over twenty-five im-
portant cases. Among others a marine case, which ex-
cited much interest at the time, was determined. In No-
vember, 1848, the propeller "Ontario" collided with
the barque " Utica," on Lake Huron. The owners of
the latter brought suit, and the court decreed to them
for damages $790.91 and costs.

At the October term of the Cook County Court,
Judge Spring had the largest criminal docket since the
establishment of the court in 1845. There were at the
opening of court sixty-one cases, and the Grand Jury re-
turned eight or ten additional indictments. By act of
November 5,1849, the General Assembly ordered that to
the title of Cook County Court should be added the
words of common pleas. This was designed to dis-
tinguish Judge Spring's court from the County Courts of
administration and probate established by the new con-
stitution, to replace the courts of county commissioners.
The original County Courts, instituted by the act of
1845 were only two in number, for Cook and Jo Daviess
counties, occasioned by the growth of Galena and Chi-
cago, and were served by one judge. It was now pro-
vided by the new act that the Cook County Court of
Common Plea's and the Circuit Court of Cook County
should have equal and concurrent jurisdiction; that the
terms of the former should begin on the first Mondays
in February and September, and of the latter on the cor-
responding days in May and November, and that all ap-
peals from justices should be taken to which ever term
of either court came next after the date of such appeal.

The year 1850 was marked by the decease of several
members of the judiciary, more or less connected with
Chicago. Nathaniel Pope of the United States District
Court, in January; Jesse B. Thomas, Jr., ex-Justice of
the Supreme Court of Illinois, in February, and Thomas
Ford, ex-Circuit Judge and ex-Governor, in November.

4>^Z^e sj^ffil**4</

THE BENCH AND BAR.

449

Nathaniel Pope. — Few if any of the men identi-
fied with the early history of Illinois, have exercised so
potent an influence upon the destiny of Chicago as
Judge Pope. The delegate of Illinois Territory in Con-
gress in 1S1S, he conceived and executed that farsighted
measure of statesmanship, demanded as he urged by
National as well as State interests, of removing the
northern boundary of Illinois from the "east and west
line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of
Lake Michigan," to 42 ° 30", north latitude. It had
hitherto been understood that if Congress decided to
establish five rather than three States out of the " ter-
ritory northwest of the Ohio," an alternative provided
by the ordinance itself, the line referred to was the pre-
determined boundary between Illinois and the future
State to the North. Mr. Pope set himself to work to
secure a wider interpretation, and to enlist influential
members in the support of his view, and succeeding in
persuading Congress that the Ordiance of 1787 had
itself empowered them to make the departure which he
advocated. Among the results of the change intro-
duced by him and ingrafted on the enabling act of April
18, 1818, authorizing the people of Illinois to form a
State constitution, was the retention of Chicago within
Illinois, instead of relegating it to the then Michigan
Territory, and the later State of Wisconsin. An imper-
ial city demands an imperial State as well as a local
commercial location. But the story of Nathaniel Pope's
life in its completeness belongs to the State of which he
was one of the most notable founders, rather than to
any single point within its borders. Indeed his most
effective argument for the change he advocated was
based on the broad ground of national interest, and the
permanency of the Union, in which he claimed for
Illinois a sort of keystone position, touching the South-
ern and Western States, through the Ohio and Missis-
sippi, and the Northern and Eastern through the Great
Lakes. Situated on the main channel of communica-
tion between Northern lakes and Western rivers, Illinois
would hold together the wide-extending borders of the
States.

Jesse B. Thomas, Jr., whose life covered the period
from 1806 to 1850, was associated with the Bench and
Bar of Chicago only during the last few years of his
active work, while as a State officer he was more or less
conspicuous since 1830. He was commissioned as
Judge of the First Circuit March 20, 1S37, and resigned
in 1839. He was appointed Associate Justice of the
Supreme Court August 16, 1843, to fill the place left
vacant by the election of Stephen A. Douglas to the
Twenty-eighth Congress. This he resigned two years
later, and formed a law partnership with Patrick Ball-
ingall ; but was again appointed to the same office, to
replace Judge Young, as stated. He had also filled the
offices of State Senator, Attorney-general of the State,
and Representative in the General Assembly. He died
of erysipelas February 20, 1850, with a reputation — as
official, lawyer, Judge and citizen — for integrity, worth
and honor that have made his name respected through-
out the State, which he had served faithfully and credit-
ably, if not always brilliantly, in every field of labor to
which he was summoned.

Thomas Ford, although twice connected with the
judiciary of Chicago, and still earlier associated with its
Bench and Bar as Prosecuting Attorney of the Fifth
Circuit, by reason of his later elevation to the Govern-
orship of Illinois, belongs to the history of the State
rather than the history of Chicago. The February term
of the Court of Common Pleas was somewhat delayed
by an illness of Judge Spring, but he soon made up
29

for lost time, being a man of great energy, bright intel-
lect and quick perceptions. Successful in the di ipati b
of business, a number of his decisions were reversed,
but perhaps no larger percentage than most of tlie
lower courts. February 19, 1850, President Tayloi
commissioned Thomas Drummond, of Galena, to suc-
ceed Nathaniel Pope, deceased, as United Stales Dis-
trict Judge for Illinois. Mr. Drummond had been .1
member of the Legislature, 1X40-42, was a Whig of
pronounced convictions, and indorsed by two of the
most prominent members of the party and of the Bar
of Illinois — Edward 1). Barker, of Galena, member oi
Congress, and Justin Butterfield, of Chicago, Commis-
sioner of the General Land-office. The selection has
ever since been regarded as an excellent one, and Judge
Drummond entered at once on the .lis. harge of his
duties. He held a term of his court in Chicago in
1850; has continued to hold them of increasing length
and in larger number for a generation, and happily the
end is not yet. Though now entering upon his sevent)
fifth year, he holds his own among the jurists of the
day, commanding universal respect for firmness, inde-
pendence, courage and conscientiousness, as well as
professional ability, judicial impartiality, and unbroken
vigor of mind.

At the May term of the Circuit Court in 1850, among
the many cases of no special interest was one of a class
that perhaps deserves mention as a reminder to the
reader of a particular phase of Chicago's growth. A
verdict of $575 was given the owners of the schooner
"Jane" against the steamer "Sam Ward," for dam-
age to the former in being run into by the latter
vessel.

Police and Mayor's Courts. — In the compre-
hensive act of the Legislature, approved February 14,
185 1, which was designed as supplementary to as well
as amendatory of the city charter of March 4, 1837, in
chapter twelve, sections eight and nine, are found these
provisions relating to this subject: "The Common
Council shall have power to designate two or more Jus-
tices of the Peace in any actions for the recovery of
any fine or any ordinance, by-law, or police regulation
of the City Council, anything in the laws of this State
to the contrary notwithstanding. Such Justices shall
have power to fine or imprison, or both, in their discre-
tion, where discretion may be vested in them by the
ordinance or regulation, or by this act. The Mayor
may hold a police court.

" Execution may be issued immediately on the ren-
dition of judgment. If the defendant in any such
action have no goods or chattels, lands or tenements,
whereof the judgment can be collected, the execution
shall require the defendant to be imprisoned in close
custody in the jail of Cook County, or bridewell, or
house of correction, for a term not exceeding six
months, in the discretion of the magistrate or court
rendering judgment ; and all persons who may be 1 om-
mitted under this section shall be confined one day for
each fifty cents of such judgment and costs. All ex-
penses incurred in prosecuting for the recovery of any
penalty or forfeiture, when collected, shall be paid to
the Treasurer for the use of the city."

At the February term of this court in 1851, the last
at which he presided, Judge Spring delighted the hearts
of the pre-emption claimants, by deciding for the
plaintiffs in the cases of Daniel Brainard vs. Board of
Trustees of Illinois & Michigan Canal, and of Thomas
Dyer et al. vs. the same. At the May term of the Cir-
cuit Court another of these cases. Elihu Granger vs.
Canal Trustees, was similarly decided by Judge Dickey.

45°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

But at the Tune term of the Supreme Court at Ottawa,
to which the two first-named cases were appealed, these
decisions were reversed. Justices Treat and Trumbull
concurring, with Justice Caton dissenting.

The question at issue was whether the privilege of
pre-emption was to be regarded as covering one hun-
dred and sixtv acres in a legally platted division of a
town or city, as in the broader domain of unsettled
Government lands. The lower court had decided sub-
stantially in the affirmative. The Supreme Court now
reversed that decision, holding that the proper pre-
emption privilege of persons whose claims were situated
as described was that such lots or blocks, as the case
might be, as were covered by their actual improvements,
should be open to them as preferred purchasers at the
appraised valuation. This was substantially the award
made by the trustees themselves before the cases were
taken into court ; and when thus sustained by the
highest court in the State, came to be accepted as
eminently equitable. The public recognized that the
decision was rather liberal than otherwise. The impet-
uous first pronouncement in favor of the claimants was
amended by the sober second thought developed and
fostered by the arguments before the courts.

The canal lands, through the munificence of Con-
gress, had been withdrawn for a great natural object
from the domain of the general pre-emption laws, and
were at this time entirely amenable to State laws. A
great public benefit was not to be marred by a strained
sentimental interpretation of pre-emption privileges in
favor of a few and against the broad commercial in-
terests of the State, if not of the whole nation. Those
who bought by pre-emption or at public sale, within a
legally platted town or city, could only buy in such lots
or blocks as the law there recognized.

First Fugitive Slave Case. — On the 7th of June,
1 85 1, before George W. Meeker, United States Com-
missioner, was arraigned one Morris Johnson, alleged
to be a runaway slave. Crawford E. Smith, of
Lafayette County, Mo., by power of attorney to Samuel
S. Martin, of Chicago, had him arrested as his slave,
William, who had escaped from his premises July 4,
1S50. After a trial which occupied three days besides
postponements, the prisoner was discharged on the
13th, ostensibly because of a discrepancy between
the writ and the record. The former called for
a copper-colored negro, five feet five inches in
height, while the latter showed a dark enough negro
to be called black, while he measured — possibly
by a trick of the measure — five feet eight inches. His
acquittal was largely due to the unpopularity of the law,
and the unwillingness of the Bench, Bar and people of
go to act as negro-hunters for Southern slave-
holders. Among other obstacles thrown in the way of
the owner's representatives in this case, was the demand
that they should prove by any other hearsay testimony
that Missouri was a slave State ! Had the decision
been different, it is probable Crawford E. Smith would
have been no nearer to getting possession of his chattel,
as "the underground railroad" was at that time in
active operation here.

At the September term of the Cook County Court of
Common Pleas to the Bench of which he had been
. upon the death of Giles Spring, Judge Mark
Skinner found an overloaded doi ket. The most im-
portant criminal case was "The People vs. Martin
the murder of Stephen Mahan. The trial
lasted three days, arid no other defense was made than
that the prisoner acted in the hi ion, and to re-

dress an injury offered to one of his relatives by the de-

ceased. He was convicted of manslaughter, and sen-
tenced to eight years in the penitentiary with ten days of
each year in solitary confinement.

Judge Skinner sat almost continuously for seven
months, including the regular term in February, 1852,
cleared the docket of his court, and kept its business
under control for the remainder of his term.

The city had been for several months preparing to
throw a bridge across the river on Lake Street, at con-
siderable expense for those times, when in February,
1852, an injunction was asked of the United States
District Court, which Judge Drummond refused. Navi-
gation had its interests, and so had the city. The prin-
ciple was understood to be that the right to navigate
the river and the right to cross it by bridges are co-
existent, and neither could be permitted to essentially
impair, much less destroy the other. They were to be
so harmonized as to afford the least possible obstruction
or interruption to each other.

In September another murder case was tried before
Judge Skinner, "The People ts, John O'Neil, for the
murder of Michael Brady." On Saturday, May 29,
1852, at 12 o'clock at night, Michael Brady, a black-
smith, residing on Indiana Street, corner of LaSalle,
was killed by his neighbor, John O'Neil, a tinner. For
some time there had been a standing quarrel between
them. On the day of the murder, Brady called a little
girl of O'Neil an opprobrious epithet. Swearing to be
revenged, O'Neil waited at the door of Brady's house,
and when the latter appeared, struck him over the head
with a heavy club, fracturing his skull, and he expired
in a few minutes. O'Neil fled, but was captured the
next night, in a house ten miles out of town in the North
Branch woods, by Owen Dougherty, Constable, accom-
panied by Daniel T. Wood, Deputy Sheriff. When he
saw the officers he attempted to escape, but was seized
by Dougherty, brought into town and lodged in jail. On
trial, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced
to five years in the penitentiary.

In virtue of the law of 185 1, establishing a police
court, Henry L. Rucker and Frederick A. Howe had
been chosen by the Common Council as Police Justices,
mainly for the trial of violations of city ordinances and
the lower grade of criminal offenses. Besides these
there were six other Justices of the Peace, two for each
division of the city.

Lewis C. Kercheval. — One of the most singular
characters of the early Bench and Bar of Chicago was
the well-known and eccentric Justice of the Peace, L.
C. Kercheval, who died, rather unexpectedly, December
8, 1852. Mr. Kercheval was for many years a member
of the judicial fourth estate, hanging on the outer circle
of the judiciary. Few Judges were more quick to note
and resent a contempt or more ready to vindicate the
honor of the court. In 1839 he was Inspector of Cus-
toms for the port of Chicago, in which office he was
succeeded by George W. Dole, in June, 1841. Some
time afterwards he was elected and commissioned a
Justice of the Peace; and was for many years a con-
spicuous representative of his class. " He rises before
me to-day," says Eastman, "as distinct as when I used
to meet him in the streets, straight as a pine, unbending
as an oak, defiant and tough as hickory ; with his tall,
muscular form, his grizzled hair, blue brass buttoned
coat, and his soldier-like bearing, proud as Julius Cssar,
and imperious as the Czar, always neatly dressed, with
cleanly shaved face, and — a vara avis in those muddy
times — well polished boots."

He was a person of good natural intelligence and
ability and took pride in his official station ; but became

THE BENCH AND BAR.

4Si

badly demoralized by the high-living habits of the
period. He slept in his office, kept no records, but
tried to discharge his other duties as a Justice with
fidelity and in accord with the dictates of natural
honor.

Pallas Phelps was another quaint character of the
period, and with mock dignity nicknamed by some wag
of the Bar as "Chancellor" Phelps. He is said to
have been here several years before 1840, and he is
known to have been admitted to the Bar in 1843. He
liked to try his cases in the newspapers, and dispensed
with the luxury of an office. With even the best law-
yers, cases were not numerous in those days, and Mr.
Phelps was able to carry all the papers relating to his
current business in his hat. Justin Butterfield, the
acknowledged wit of the Chicago Bar, never missed an
opportunity of playing on the eccentricities of Phelps.
He made frequent references to his commodious office,
"as big as all out doors," and would vary the joke by
inquiring if he had any room to let. On rainy days
when Chicago crossings were marvels of muddy con-
sistency, the wit of the profession was wont to rally its
butt, amid the plaudits of admiring listeners, about the
beastly condition of his "office." When the first sprink-
ling cart was brought into requisition here, Butterfield
on meeting Phelps saluted him with affected courtesy,
which his dupe, proud of the attention, cordially recip-
rocated, saying, " A fine morning, your honor ! A very
fine morning! " " Yes, indeed," replied Butterfield,
"and I am glad to find you improving the opportunity,
Mr. Phelps, to have your office sprinkled." Whenever
Phelps had a case, Mr. Butterfield would inquire, with
mock gravity, which of the papers he was to try the
case in, or before which of them he should file his brief.
Mr. Phelps survived this period many years, and finally
disappeared from public notice in the whirl and pre-
occupation of the great city.

Chicago Courts 1853 to 1857. — Early in Janu-
ary, 1853, the Chicago Hydraulic Company applied to
the Circuit Court for an injunction against the Board of
Water Commissioners to stop the further progress of
the new water-works, in the South and West divisions,
claiming the exclusive right under their charter to sup-
ply those sections. The same company had asked for
a second injunction to prevent the city from collecting
the water-tax. Judge Dickey rejected both petitions.
The first could not be granted because exclusive privi-
leges cannot be inferred, and their charter did not ex-
pressly confer them. A government, municipal or
other, does not debar itself by implication from grant-
ing a like power to other corporations. Ii: only debars
itself from hindering the first in the exercise of the
privileges granted. And although a section of the act
establishing the Water Commissioners imposed the obli-
gation of buying the property of the Chicago Hydraulic
Company it was not to be understood that such purchase
was a condition precedent to the beginning of opera-
tions. The remedy of the complainants was by manda-
mus or other process, not by injunction. The right of
the city to collect the water-tax, for similar reasons
could not be denied.

February 7, the first term for 1853 of the Cook
County Court of Common Pleas, was held in the new
court-house which had been begun eighteen months be-
fore, and Judge Skinner congratulating the Bar on the
privilege of occupying their new room, where there was
no fear of the walls or benches breaking down.

The Recorder's Court. — By an act, approved
February 12, 1853, "an inferior court of civil and crimi-
nal jurisdiction, which shall be a court of record," was

established under the above name, having " concurrent
jurisdiction within said city with the Circuit Court in
all criminal cases, except treason and murder, and of
civil cases where the amount in controversy shall not
exceed one hundred dollars. * * * Said Judge and
Clerk shall be elected by the qualified voters of said
city, and shall hold their offices five years. * * * All
recognizances, taken before any Judge, Justice or
Magistrate in said city, in criminal cases, shall be made
returnable to said Recorder's Court. * * * All ap-
peals from decisions of Justices of the Peace within
said city shall be taken to said Recorder's Court. * * *
Appeals may be taken from said court to the Circuit
Court of Cook County in all cases. * * * The regu-
lar terms of said court shall be held on the first Mon-
day of each month."

The first term of the Recorder's Court began April
4, 1853, with Robert S. Wilson as Judge and Philip A.
Hoyne as clerk, both having been duly chosen by the
votes of the people, at the regular city election of the
previous month, as provided by act of February 12, es-
tablishing the court.

March 28, 1853, before Judge Skinner of the Cook
County Court of Common Pleas, was argued the request
of James H. Collins for an injunction against the Illi-
nois Central Railroad. The petitioner argued in his
own behalf, aided by I. N. Arnold and J. M. Wilson, while
James F. Joy, of Detroit, was instructed with the advo-
cacy of the railroad's interest. That corporation had
purchased from the General Government the made land
south of the Goverment pier. To get to it they had to
lay the railroad track through the edge of the lake,
back of Mr. Collins's dwelling. He claimed the owner-
ship to the middle of the lake and contested the right-
of-way. The final result was that the railroad corpo-
ration paid off his claim, as well as the similar one of
Charles Walker tried the following year. Several years
later, by its " influence " with the General Assembly, it
attempted to secure, as against the city as well as the
General Government, the whole " lake front " and
almost as broad an expanse of the lake itself as was
claimed by Mr. Collins, originating a quadrilateral con-
tention which has not yet been definitely determined.

By the expiration of Judge Skinner's term of office
there arose a vacancy in the Cook County Court of
Common Pleas, to which John M. Wilson was elected
April 4, with Walter Kimball as clerk, and Daniel Mc
Ilroy as Prosecuting Attorney. A special term of the
court was held by the new Judge, beginning May 16, at
which was found a large docket, notwithstanding his
predecessor's great efforts to keep abreast of the busi-
ness of his court. The truth is, Chicago's civil and
criminal law business has always outstripped its great-
est court facilities.

The Mayor's Court. — About the middle of April
Mayor Gray began to hold his court regularly in the
basement room on the southeast corner of the court-
house, which had been fitted up for the purpose, light-
ening the work of the Police Justices Ruckerand Howe.

About May 1, before Judge Drummond of the
United States Court was procured the first conviction
of a counterfeiter since the establishment of the court
here in 1848. Thomas Hoyne, who had been con-
firmed as District Attorney, March 22, was assisted by
Grant Goodrich in prosecuting this case to a successful
issue. The offender was James Campbell, and his
crime, the counterfeiting of United States gold coin.
Judge Dickey of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, whose
limits had meanwhile been restricted to the counties of
Cook and Lake, resigned his office because of the press-

HIS TORY OF CHICAGO.

ure of private and judicial business, to take effect April
4. 1853. Buckner S. Morris was chosen to fill the va-
cancy for the remainder of the term until 1855.

Before the United States Court in October was tried
the celebrated accretion case known as William S. John-
ston vs. William Jonesrf .//. It was the fourth trial of
the case, which had been decided, once for plaintiff,
once for defendants, and once the jury had disagreed.
It involved the title to about five acres of land, lying
immediately north of the Government pier, in Kinzie's
addition, it is all land thrown up by the action of the
waters of Lake Michigan, created mainly by the exten-
sion of the pier into the lake. The right of the plaintiff
to recover depends upon the claim that a portion of his
lot. Number 34, in Kinzie's addition, when originally
laid out touched the water on the old line of the lake
shore. The defendants had been in possession of the
property in dispute for some time, and William Jones
purchased Lot 35 September 10, 1S34, while the John-
ston lot was purchased October 22, 1835. Both deeds
were from Robert A. Kinzie. The case occupied the
attention of the court for two or three weeks, and after
four days' arguments from the learned counsel on both
sides, the jurv returned a verdict for the plaintiff. The
case came up again seven years later.

Edward S. Shumway, a member of the Chicago
Bar, died at Essex. New York, September 24, 1853, aged
thirty-five years. He was a brother of Horatio G., who
had been in practice here some years, and whom he fol-
lowed to Chicago. In 1852 they became partners, and
Edward S. was admitted to the Bar in Illinois, June
24. 1S53. His health failing, he sought rest and restora-
tion in the home of his youth, with the above result.

A contention had arisen between the canal trustees
and the city of Chicago as to which corporation should
excavate the basin at the confluence of the North and
South branches of the Chicago River. After having
been in dispute some time the Supreme Court decided
in January. 1854, through Judge Treat, that the canal
trustees were not under any obligation to perform the
work.

Alleged Ineligibility of a Judge. — The neces-
sary papers to commence proceedings before the Cook
County Court of Common Pleas against Robert S. Wil-
son. Judge of the Recorder's Court, were served on
him January 7, 1854. A month later, February 9, the
application for leave to file a quo warranto against
Judge Wilson was argued before Judge John M. Wil-
son in chambers. William T. Burgess, relator, and
John F. Farrisworth argued for the application, with
Thomas Hoyne and Robert S. Blackwell against it.
Robert S. Wilson for many years a resident of Ann Ar-
bor. Mich., had come to Chicago in 1850, and was of
the law firm of Wilson & Frink for two or three years,
when, as has been seen, he was elected Judge of the
newly created Recorder's Court in March, 1853. He
had meanwhile administered justice with an energetic
and impartial hand, and the prison and jail of Chicago
had many inmates duly sentenced by him. But the
question arose as to his eligibility to the office, not hav-
ing been a resident here for five years before his elec-
tion. The main points in the defense were that he was
not a Judge under the constitution, and that were it
otherwise the relator was not legally entitled to make
application for the remedy.

In the case of the People, on relation of William T.

Robert S. Wilson, Judge of the Recorder's

Court, for unlawfully intruding into and usurping the

if Recorder, Judge John M. Wilson decided

against the motion for a quo warranto. The relator

proposed a stipulation to take the case to the Supreme
Court, to which the Recorder signified his assent, pro-
vided that he could have assurance that a responsible
person would appear to prosecute the case, and give
security for costs. Two days later Mr. Burgess an-
nounced that the case would go up by appeal, under
good and responsible bail to prosecute it with all due
diligence. In November the Supreme Court affirmed
the decision of the lower court, and Judge Wilson con-
tinued to discharge the duties of his office with almost
universal acceptance. He was generally regarded as
specially adapted by his energy and boldness for the
judgeship of the Recorder's Court, in which he was a
terror to evil doers.

It was provided by the Legislature, February 28,
1854, that Chicago should "pay all fines, expenses and
charges for dieting, committing," etc., of all persons
convicted by the Recorder's Court. And on February
15, 1855, an act was approved, by which it was ordered
that its " rules of practice should conform as near as
may be to the rules of practice in the Circuit Court.
* * * That in all cases where any suit, either at law
or in chancery, shall be commenced in the Recorder's
Court of the city of Chicago, and the amount in con-
troversy shall exceed one hundred dollars," such suit
might be " transferred to either the Circuit Court of
Cook County or to the Cook County Court of Common
Pleas," and "all further proceedings in said Recorder's
Court shall thereupon cease."

April iS, 1854, Judge Drummond opened a term of
the United State courts at his chambers in the Saloon
Building; and at the same place a second term was
opened by the same, October 3. Neither was a pro-
tracted session, and no case of historic interest marred
the uniformity of court routine.

Before the Circuit Court, in May, Judge Morris pre-
siding, in the case of Charles Walker vs. the Illinois
Central Railroad, a jury was empaneled on the 9th.
The suit was similar to that of James H. Collins in the
previous year against the same corporation. The rail-
road track was laid across Walker's water-lot on the
shore, to reach the river. Eight days were occupied in
taking testimony, and two in the closing arguments of
counsel, when on the 20th, the jury returned a verdict
of $20,712 in favor of plaintiff for damages sustained
by loss of land taken by the company for their track.
A second claim for damages because of nearness of
their depot, was denied, the jury being of opinion that
the value of Walker's property was as likely to be en-
hanced as depreciated by that circumstance. The
award by the commissioner, from which both parties
had appealed, was $47,Soo.

Three alleged fugitive slaves, thrown into jail in
Chicago on a charge of assault, were taken to Spring-
field, on a writ of habeas corpus issued by Judge Treat
of the Supreme Court, and discharged by him Septem-
ber 22, 1854. Their names were George and John
Buchanan, and William M. Graub. Some ten weeks
later Colonel Henry Wilton, United States Marshal, ar-
rived in Chicago from Springfield, armed with four
writs for the arrest of as many runaway slaves. He
ordered out the Light Guards in anticipation of resist-
ance and directed that Company A of the National
Guard should be in readiness. The officer in command
of the Light Guards took legal advice from ex-Judge
Dickey, who assured him that Henry Wilton had no
legal authority to issue such an order, whereupon the
military withdrew and the Marshal returned to Spring-
field without the fugitives.

In the Court of Common Pleas an important land

THE BENCH AND BAR

453

case known as the ejectment suit of D. A. B. Newkirk
vs. Rosella Chapron, and involving eighty acres of land
in the region west of Ashland and south of North
avenues, together with two hundred and forty acres
outside the limits, of the estimated value of half a mil-
lion dollars, was decided for the plaintiff by Judge John
M. Wilson, October 6, 1S54 ; and a copy of the opinion
requested by the Bar for publication. But ten months
later the Supreme Court, in session at Ottawa, reversed
that decision.

The Bar lost three of its members by cholera in
1854. Two of these, J. H. Collins and S. L. Smith,
have already been sketched. The third was Alexander
S. Prentiss.

Alexander S. Prentiss was born in Cooperstown,
N. Y., in March, 1829. He was a son of Colonel John
H. Prentiss, who died in 1861. He graduated at
Hamilton College before he was twenty-one, studied
law under Judge Deino, of Utica, and was admitted to
the Bar in New York. In 185 1 he came to Chicago,
entered the law office of Collins & Williams to famil-
iarize himself with the peculiarities of Illinois law, and
was admitted to the Bar in this State, May 3, 185 1.
Some six months later he formed a partnership with
Henry G. Miller, which was dissolved in February,
1853, after which he practised alone until his death,
October 13, 1854. The occasion of his early death was
due to the marked benevolence and self sacrifice in the
presence of public calamity. "When," says Mr. Ar-
nold, " Collins was struck down at the Bar of the Su-
preme Court, and so many were seeking safety in flight,
he remained because he thought he could be of assist-
ance to Mrs. Collins; and again, when Smith was taken,
young Prentiss was found ministering to the suffering
and afflicted."

The rulings of Judge Morris in the case of George
W. Green, for the alleged murder of his wife, covered
some new points in the jurisprudence of Illinois, as it
was the first case tried here, in which the testimony of
experts as to the presence of poison, ascertained by
chemical tests after death, was admitted in evidence.

The February term of the United States courts in
Chicago, in 1855, was postponed from the 12th to the
19th, awaiting the act of Congress of the 13th, which
divided Illinois into two districts. The criminal docket
at that first term of what was thenceforth known as the
Northern District of Illinois, embraced twenty-five en-
tries, of which two were burglaries, one counterfeiting,
one forgery, and the remainder, various minor offenses.

William H. Bradley, of Galena, arrived in Chicago
March 21, 1855, to fill the position of clerk of the United
States courts by appointment of Judge Drummond,and
has served in that capacity with general acceptance
to the present time.

The April term of the Recorder's Court began April
2, with one hundred and fifteen civil and sixty-three
criminal cases on the docket. Since its establishment
two years before, seven hundred and fifty three indict-
ments had been disposed of, and one hundred and forty
criminals sentenced. Of all the decisions from which
appeals had been taken only one was reversed. For
some months there had been more cases, civil and
criminal, tried in the Recorder's Court of Chicago than
in any court in the United States, except a few of the
police courts of the larger cities. " We did," says Philip
A. Hoyne, the then clerk, "a land-office business from
1854 to 1857."

Beer Rioters' Trial.- — Before the Recorder's
Court, June 15, 1855, the indictment found against four-
teen of the participants in the "Beer Riot " of April 21,

was taken up, and the motion for separate trials over-
ruled. There was some difficulty in getting a jurv, and
it was not completed until the 1 sth. Soon aftei thi
municipal election in March an issue was joined with
the foreigners on the liquor question. March, Mayor
Boone issued a proclamation notifying saloon-keepers
that the ordinance requiring their places to he kept
closed on the Sabbath would be strictly enforced. That
was on Saturday ; and on Sunday, the 18th, owing to
the insufficiency of the notice, there were naturally many
violations, and many arrests, but the next Sunday the
saloons were very generally closed. At the trial of
several of these saloon cases on Monday, March 26,
before Justice H. L. Rucker, of the Police Court, the
defendants raised the question of jurisdiction. They
claimed that as these were criminal offenses, they could
be prosecuted only by indictment ; and that criminal
cases cognizable by Police Court justices meant such
cases only as that entire body of the judiciary, known
to the Constitution as Justices of the Peace, might try
and determine. A few days later, Justice Rucker de-
cided that the Justices had a right to try saloon cases.
Meanwhile, at a meetingof the Common Council, March
27, the license to sell liquor was fixed at $300 from that
date to July 1, 1856, when the prohibitory liquor law
was to go into effect if sanctioned by the votes of the
people at the preceding June election. Some dealers
paid the fee and others gave up the business, but most
preferred to test the question in the courts and before
the people. Frequent meetings were held in North
Market Hall by saloon-keepers and brewers, mostly
Germans, urged on and encouraged by wholesale liquor
dealers and the allied interests generally. They issued
for gratuitous distribution a campaign paper known as
the Anti-Prohibitionist. Meanwhile Rucker's decisions
continued to be given in favor of the city with aggravat-
ing uniformity. Early in the contest it was announced
in behalf of the defendants that whenever an adverse
decision should be rendered, the case would be taken
by successive appeals to the Supreme Court. A large
number of these cases were to be tried on Friday,
April 20, before Justice Rucker. During the week
active preparations were made by the malcontents
for a demonstration in force, either in the hope of
overawing the court, or with a view perhaps to serve a
sort of mob-law notice on the municipal administration
just elected on the Know-Nothing ticket, that they
should not expect to force their puritanical notions
down the foreign throats, where beer and liquor had
been wont to flow unburdened by so heavy a tax. ( >n
that day, about one hundred men, headed by a drum-
mer, marched through some of the streets and took up
a position on Randolph Street, opposite court-house
square, where they remained until it was learned that
the cases would not then be heard, as Mr. Rucker was
out of town. On Saturday, April 21, the demonstration
was repeated, when the crowd came into collision with
the police, who had been ordered to disperse them. As
the mob rounded the corner of Clark and Randolph
streets about eleven o'clock, they were met by the offi-
cers of the law when about a dozen shots were fired by
the more hasty spirits in the crowd. I'eter Martin an
alleged rioter, was killed; J. H. Reese and J. H. Kcd-
zie, two unoffending citizens, were wounded: George W.
Hunt, a policeman, was so severely injured in the arm
that amputation became necessary, and Nathan Weston,
another officer, was also dangerously wounded. Some
seventy or eighty " rioters " were arrested and jailed,
but only fourteen were held, indicted and brought to
trial. The Light Guard, Hying Artillery, and a num-

454

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ber of special policemen sworn in for the occasion,
patrolled the streets for three or four days and nights
until their own excitement, the alarm of the authorities
and the apprehensions of non-combatants had subsided.
The liquor-dealers published a card May 2, denying the
allegation that the money contributed by them was de-
signed to be used in resisting the laws; their purpose
was to test the legality of the new license law, which
was personally oppressive, and from a business point of
view too restrictive of trade. The Anti-Prohibitionist,
they also said, was published for a similarly broad and
statesmenlike reason, to oppose an innovation unheard
of in all history. The trial begun June 15, and closed
June 30, with the acquittal of all except two, who had
been more clearly identified with the alleged violence
to the police, or had been more feebly defended. These
were Farrell and Halleman, both Irishmen, who were
sentenced to one year in the penitentiary, but were
granted a new trial by Recorder Wilson, July 11, on the
ground of interference with the jury by the constable
in charge. They were not again brought to trial, it
seeming little less than a travesty of justice that in a
sedition notoriously German the only victims should be
two Irishmen, accidentally caught in the crowd, without
any evidence of previous affiliation with the malcontents.

A Contested Judicial Election. — By an act of
the Eighteenth General Assembly in 1854 a system of
Police Magistrates was established for the whole State.
At the municipal election in Chicago in 1855 Police
Justices were voted for without reference to the new
institution. It was supposed that Messrs. Ward, Akin
and King were elected by a handsome majority, having
each received about three thousand votes, and beating
their competitors, Stickney, Magee and Howe. A few
votes were cast for police magistrates, of which Calvin
I >e Wolf received thirty, W. H. Stickney, twelve, and
Nathan Allen, twelve. These received the commission
of the Governor, as having been elected in conformity
with the law of 1854. Mr. Stickney, having been one of
the three unsuccessful candidates on the Police-Justice
ticket, resigned March 17, not wishing to profit by a
mere technicality. Mr. De Wolf was a Justice of the
Peace at the time, and continued to act, the second
commission being mere surplusage. Mr. Allen served
under the commission for the West Side. Thomas
( i. Prendergast was substituted for Mr. Stickney as
Police Magistrate for the North Side. Mr. De Wolf
discharged the same functions on the South Side. The
case was afterward taken by agreement to the Su-
preme Court, which decided that either title for the
office was legal, as the difference in words could lead to
no misunderstanding of the official station to which the
people aimed to elect. Accordingly it ordered that com-
missions should be issued to the three gentlemen who
had received a majority of the popular vote, without
prejudice to the three already commissioned. A double
supply of Police Magistrates for the remainder of the
term was thus instituted.

At the State judicial election in June George Ma-
nierre, an industrious and well-read member of the
Chicago Bar, was chosen for the Bench of the Seventh
Circuit, embracing then only the counties of Cook and
Lake. He was commissioned as its Judge June 25,
1855, for six years. Cook County then had four terms of
the Circuit Court annually. Two wire regular or" trial "
terms on the first Monday in May and the third Monday in
November. Two were special or "vacation " terms on
the first Mondays in March and October. With this
extra provision the docket continued heavy, and Judge
Manierre's extreme carefulness in weighing evidence,

while it guaranteed all possible safeguards against in-
justice, did not tend to decrease the rapidly increasing
business of the Chicago courts.

At an adjourned term of the United States courts,
extending from October 15 to December 8, 1855, it
was found that they too, in less than eight years from
their introduction here, were involved in the same des-
tiny as the other Chicago courts, an overloaded docket.
After disposing of one hundred and fifty-three cases,
there remained four hundred and one in the Circuit,
and ninety-eight in the District Court. Not only did
the more able members of the Chicago Bar find frequent
occasion to plead before these courts, but several em-
inent counsel from other cities were often in attendance.
Among the most distinguished of these were Abraham
Lincoln, O. H. Browning, Archibald Williams, Joel
Manning, B. L. Edwards, Charles Ballance, E. N.
Powell, H. M. Weed, A. L. Merriam, J. K. Cooper, N.
H. Purple, W. F. Brian, J. W. Drury and James Grant.

At the January term of the Recorder's Court, in
1856, thirty-four convicts were sent to the penitentiary,
and court adjourned to March, when there was a short
term and a similar adjournment to May 5, when the
Judge charged the Grand Jury especially against lottery
tickets and gambling. Toward the close of the year it
is again noted that this court kept its docket well cleared,
there being but a few cases civil or criminal undisposed
of at the early close of the November term.

At the February term of the United States courts in
1856, two weeks were consumed in the famous case of
Kingsbury vs. Brainard. The lot on the northeast cor-
ner of Clark and Randolph streets, where, now stands
the Ashland Block, had been leased to the defendant
for twenty years by J. B. F. Russell, agent for the plain-
tiff, at an annual rental of $2,000, of which half was to
be actually paid and the other half retained as purchase
money for the buildings, which at the end of the lease
were to revert to the owner of the lot. The plaintiff
brought suit, on the ground that the agent had no right
to grant so unusual a lease. The jury, however, found
a verdict against him, becoming satisfied that some
others had declined to accept the same offer, and that
the lease had virtually been ratified before the rapid in-
crease in values had shown its alleged injustice.

March 21, 1856, by a rule of court, Judge Drum-
mond ordered three "adjourned " terms of the United
States courts in Chicago, on the first Mondays of March,
May and October, in each year, in addition to the two
regular terms, on the first Monday in July and the third
Monday in December, previously provided by act of
Congress. At the October term in 1856, it was again
noted that notwithstanding these apparently abundant
provisions, there was a large docket in admiralty, chan-
cery and common law, as well as patent cases.

George W. Meeker was born in Elizabethtown,
N. J., about 1817. In infancy one of his lower limbs
was paralyzed, rendering necessary the use of crutches
for the rest of his life ; he was otherwise much above
the average in manly beauty. Due attention was
paid to the cultivation of his intellectual powers, and
he became not only a well read lawyer, but a very thor-
ough scholar, familiar with the English and French, as
well as the Latin and Greek classics. He came to Chi-
cago about 1837, and studied law with Spring &
Goodrich until admitted to the Bar, December 16, 1839.
As early as February 22, 1840, he is found in partner-
ship with Ceorge Manierre, the firm having been formed
about January 1. In the broader aspects of law, as
well as in general information and the oversight of office
work, Mr. Meeker was an efficient partner of the hide-

THE BENCH AND BAR.

455

fatigable Mr. Manierre, but by reason of his physical
infirmity he never ventured to address a jury, although
naturally persuasive, and winning. About 1845 he was
appointed United States Commissioner, from which he
derived a considerable increase to his income for about
ten years. He was appointed deputy by William Pope,
clerk of the United States courts, in 1850, whereupon
the partnership with Manierre was dissolved. He was
an active member of the Law-Library Association, and
became its secretary in 1854. Early in 1855 he sur-
rendered his official position in these words: " Being un-
willing to aid in enforcing the provisions of the fugitive-
slave law, I hereby resign the office of United States
Commissioner for a long time held by me." April 2,
1856, he was found dead in his room, having retired ap-
parently in his usual health the previous evening. The
coroner's jury returned the verdict, " Died of cerebral
and pulmonary conjestion." He was a favorite in gen-
eral society, as well as with the profession ; and a meet-
ing of the Bar, on the day after his death, paid a gen-
erous and well deserved tribute to his memory.

In May, 1856, Judge Caton of the Supreme Court
refused to grant an injunction to prevent the city of
Chicago from raising the grade on Lake Street.

At a vacation term of the Circuit Court in October,
Judge Manierre found on the docket of Cook County
no less than one thousand three hundred and sixty-eight
common-law, and two hundred and sixty-eight chancery
cases.

Police Court. — By an act of February 16, 1857,
amendatory of the act of February 14, 185 1, by which
such courts first received State institution, among other
changes, and emendations in various lines of municipal
government police court legislation was more fully and
carefully elaborated, the chief new features being as
follows: "After the next municipal election, the Com-
mon Council of said city shall designate the two or
more Justices of the Peace, now provided for under the
act to which this is an amendment, * * for one year; * *
one of them shall hold a session of said Police Court
daily (Sundays excepted), at the city hall. * * The said
justices may be compensated by a salary, to be fixed by
the Common Council, to do the business of said Police
Court, in lieu of all other compensation or fees what-
ever. * * There shall be elected by the people at the
next municipal election, and biennially thereafter one
police court clerk. * * He shall have a xfied salary, * *
may appoint deputies. * * The Common Council, if it
think proper, may by ordinance provide for the appoint-
ment of a prosecuting attorney for said Police Court. * *
Appeals and change of venue may be taken from the
Police Justices in all cases, the same as before other
Justices of the Peace; but all such appeals shall here-
after be taken to the Recorder's Court of the City of
Chicago."

Patrick Balling all, by birth a Scotchman, came
to America while a young man, about the year 1833,
and made his appearance in Chicago in that year, as in
1848 he incidentally claimed a residence of fifteen years.
He, however, attracted no attention that is now traceable
until February 13, 1835, when he is found on record as
a disputant before the Athenaeum of that day. Of
limited education, and no influence, notwithstanding his
lofty aspirations, he first filled the modest position of
bar-keeper. In 1836 he entered the law office of Spring
& Goodrich as a student, remaining about two years,
when he removed to DuPage County, where he islound
filling several offices in 1839. He was chosen clerk of
the Commissioners' Court, and appointed clerk of the
Circuit Court by Judge Smith. He was elected secre-

tary of the Settlers' Society for Mutual Protection, Octo-
ber 28, 1839, which lu- resigned the ensuing spring. As
a lawyer his name does nol appear on the list of th<
Supreme Court until March 30, 1841, and In- doi 5 not
appear to have actively engaged in the practice of law
until after the resignation of Judge Smith. Deci
26, 1842, when both established a law linn in Chicago.
In [845 Siniih & Ballingall became Thomas & Ballin-
gall, Judge Jesse 1!. Thomas taking the place of his
deceased father-in-law, Judge Theophilus W. Smith,
In that year too Mr. Ballingall became Prosecuting
Attorney, and as such served with distinguished 1 n dil
for many years, eliciting a very flattering published in-
dorsement from Judge Dickey, March 4, [848. In 1847
he was. one of the Cook County delegates to the State
Constitutional Convention at Springfield. About 1848
he formed a partnership with Daniel Mcllroy, but from
1850 to his death in 1858 he practised alone He u.i^
chosen City Attorney in 1854, but was beaten in 1855
by his "Know-Nothing" competitor. His wife survived
him, and there were no children. His early opportu-
nities were not good, but he was naturally smart and
quick, and grew to be a fairly effective lawyer within a
rather narrow range, which was mainly that of a sui
cessful public prosecutor. Like several of his con-
temporaries he was too convivial in his habits, but un-
like some he generally remained master of himself.

An alphabetical list of lawyers who practiced in
Chicago at the close of 1857 is here given:
Abbott, Abial R. Burnham, Dyer X.

Adams, Francis Cadman, William S.

Akin, Andrew Cameron, Charles S.

Allen, Nathan Cameron. William K.

Anderson, Jonathan R. Carpenter, Richard B.

Andrick, Louis M. Cassin, William D.

Anthony, Elliott Caul field, Bernard G.

Arnold, Isaac N. Chester, Augustin

Arrington, /Ufred W. Chickering, John W.

Asay, Edward G. Clarlin, Isaac

Ash'ton, Samuel Clapp, James

Ayer, Benjamin F. Clark, Henry A.

Bacon, Edward Clarke. George R.

Bacon, William V. Clarke, Henry W.

Bailey, George F. Clarkson, Joseph I'.

Baker, Samuel L. Clements, John F.

Baldwin, George W. Clowry, Thomas

Ballingall, Patrick Coborn, Edwin

Barker, Joseph X. Conde, II. Clay

Barnard, Daniel E. Cone, George W. I.

Barron, William T. Cone, John E.

Bass, Perkins Conklin, Oliver M.

Beattie, David C. Coolidge, Charles M.

Beck, Romeyn T. Cornell, Paul

Beckwith, Corydon Coventry, Alex C.

Bell, Jo. W. Crocker, George F.

Bentley, Cyrus Cuthbertson, John S. P..

Beveridge. John E. Daniel, Elias

Bingham, LaFayette Dannenhower, William W.

Bishop, Henry W. Davenport, Gideon W.

Blackburn, Br'eckenridge F. Davis, Hasbrouek D.

Blackwell, Robert S. Davis, Lewis H.

Blodgett, Henry W. Davis, William II.

Bond, Lester L. Dent. Thomas

Brackett, William DePfuhl, Francis

Bradley, Benjamin F. Dewey, Edward M.

Bradlev, William H. DeWolf, Calvin

Bradwell, James P.. DeWolf. William F

Brayman, "Mason Dexter, Wirt

Brizee, George W. Dickey, Hugh T.

Bross, John A. Dickey, T. I. vie

Brown, Andrew I. Dietze, Maurice

Brown, ]. Douglass Doggett. Theophilus M.

Brown, Moses *D. Doolittle, Louis A.

Brown, Thomas B. Douglass, John M.

Brown, William II. Dow, Samuel K.

Bryan, Thomas B. Drummond, Thomas

Buell, Ira W. Drummond, William W

Burgess, William T. Dunning, Seth M.

Butnham, B. F. Eastman, David L.

45 6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Eddy. Tames \V.
Eldridge. Hamilton X.
Ely. George
Ennis. James
Enos. Alanson \V.
Everett. John S.
Farnsworth, John F.
Farwell. William W.
Felker. Samuel M.
Felker. William S.
Ferguson, Daniel C.
Fitch, Henry S.

rancis
Forsythe, lohn
Freer. Lemuel C. P.
Foster. William N.
Fuller. Melville \V.
Fuller. Samuel W.
Fullerton. Alexander X.
Gallup, Benjamin E.
Garrison. Andrew
Gary, Joseph E.
Gibbons. John T.
Gilbert. Samuel M.
Gilbert. Turney S.
Goodrich, Grant
Goodwin, George P.
Grant, Lewis E.
Griffith, Robert E.
Groves. James P.
Groves, William A.
Guthrie. Samuel
Hall. Charles J.
Hall, William H.
Hall, Winchester
Hallett. Moses
Hamilton, Richard J.
Hamilton, Theodore B.
Handley. Daniel R.
Harrison, Carter H.
Harrison, Xathan B.
Harvey. Andrew
Haven, Carlos
Hawkins, Olney
Hawley, Cyrus M.
Hawley, Uriah R.
Hayes, Samuel S.
Helm, Henry T.
Hennessy, Michael D.
Herbert, George
Herrisse, Henry
Hervey, Robert
Herrington, Augustus M.
Higgins, VanHollis
Hill, James M.
Hitchcock, Charles
Hoffman, Francis A.
Hogan, Michael W.
Hoge, Thomas
Hooke, Enoch G.
Hooper, Ezekiel R.
Hopkins, William
Ilosmer, Charles B.
Howe, Francis S.
Howe, Frederick A.

Howell, Xathaniel W.
Home, Thomas
Hoyne, Philip A.
Horst, James T.
Hudson, 1 [enry S.
Hughes, George R. H.
Huh, Charles J,
Huntington, Alonzo
Huntington, lohn M.
Hurd, Harvey B.
Hyatt, Levinus H.
Ingalls, George A.
Irvin, Samuel A.
James, Benjamin F.
Jameson, John A.
Jenks, Chancellor L.
Jenks, William M.
Jewett, John X.
Johnson, Enos, Jr.
Johnson, George A.
Jones, Cyrus R.
Jones, Lavant L.
Judd, Norman 15.
Kales, Francis H.
Kerney, Robert M.
Kedzie, John H.
Keener, J. 1'.
Kelly, Henry C.
Kerr, John S.
King, John Lyle
King, William H.
Kinsella, Thomas J.
Knott, Elam L.
Kreisman, Herman
Lane, James
Larned, Edwin C.
Lathrop, Frederick M.
Lay, George W.
Lee, David S.
LeMoyne, John V.
Lewis, Hiram L.
Lloyd, James
Lull, Oliver R. W.
McAlister, William K.
McCagg, Ezra B.
McC.ibbon, David
McGilvra, John J.
Mcllroy, Daniel
McKindley, William
McMurray, Francis
Madge, Frederick
Magill. John W.
Manchester, Peter B.
Manchester, D. W.
Manchester, M. S.
Manierre, George
Marsh, Joshua L.
Marshall, Thomas F.
Martin, Edward
Mason, John
Mather, Hiram F.
Mattocks, Willliam
May, Allen
Meech, George A.
Menager, Edward S.

Merrick, Richard T.
Miller, Henry G.
Miller, John C.
Monroe, Henry S.
Morgan, James
Morris, Buckner S.
Moulton, T. Tilden
Mueller, Adolph F. C.
Mulvey, Junius
Mulligan, James A.
Nelson, Frederick J.
Newcomb, George W.
Nicholes, Daniel C.
Nicholes, Ira J.
Nisseu, Lawrence J. J.
Noyes, George D.
O'Meara, Daniel W.
O'Sullivan. James J.
Ogden, Mahlon D.
Ogden, William B.
Olinger, John P.
Owen, Franklin D.
Paddock, Hobart G.
Page, Henry F".
Page, Joel S.
Parker, Jonathan Mason
Parsons, Myron C.
Payson, George
Peabody, Francis B.
Pearson, George T.
Peck, Charles F.
Peck, Ebenezer
Peck, John H.
Perry, Sanford B.
Phelps, Pallas
Porter, William A.
Rae, Robert
Rice, RufusA
Rich, Arthur D.
Roberts, James H.
Root, James P.
Rorke, Michael A.
Rucker, Henry L.
Runyon, Eben F.
Scammon, Jonathan Young
Scates, Walter B.
Scott, Ira
Scoville, George
Seaton, Sidney A.
Sedgwick, George
Seelye, Henry E.
Sheldon, Edwin H.
Sherman, Benjamin F.
Sherman, Penoyer L.
Shirley, Thomas
Shumway, Horatio G.
Skinner, Mark
Smith, Charles F.
Smith, Edward W.
Smith, Ezekiel S.
Smith, Sidney
Smith, William R.
Snowhook, William B.
Snyder, Henry N.
Spafford, Horatio G.

Spencer, Champlin H.
Spencer, William H.
Stanford, George W.
Stebbins, Horace R.
Steele, Henry T.
Stevens, Hezekiah li.
Stewart, William Wallace
Stickney, William H.
Stiles, Baxter B.
Strother, Bolton F.
Summerfield, John
Taft, Levi B.
Taylor, T. Benton
Thacher, Salvin O.
Thomas, Benjamin M.
Thomas, Charles L.
Thomas, Jesse B.
Thomas, Joshua
Thompson, George W.
Thompson, John A.
Thompson, J. Howland
Towne, Edward P.
Trabue, William C.
Tracy, Elisha W.
Tree, Lambert
Tucker, W'illiam H.
Tuley, Murray F.
Turner, Voluntin C.
Van Buren, Augustus
Van Buren, Evert
Van Buren, James
Van Buren, Thomas G.
Vaughan, James B.
Vernon, Samuel B.
Von Soden, Charles
Voorhees, Abraham
Voss, Arno
Walker, Edwin R.
Walker, James M.
Walker, Lysander
Wall, Septimus T.
Wallace, Martin R. M.
Waller, Henry
Ward, Ephraim
Ward, Jasper D.
Ware, Joseph A.
Waughop, John W.
Webster, Franklin
Weihe, Augustus
Westcott, Josiah W.
Wheeler, TrumanH.
White, Hugh A.
Wilcox, Horatio N.
Wilder, David P.
Wilkinson, Lorenzo D.
Williams, Erastus S.
Wiffits, Elias
Wills, John A.
Willson, Solomon M.
Wilson, Robert S.
Windett, Arthur W.
Winslow, Robert F.
Winston, Frederick H.
Wolcott, Allen E.
Woodbridge, John, Jr.
Wright, Edward.

MEDICAL HISTORY.

In the following account of the medical practitioners
of early Chicago, no attempt has been made to discrimi-
nate between those who were duly qualified physicians
and those whose claim to the title was empirical. The
fact that an individual represented himself, by announce-
ment or advertisement, as prepared to heal diseases,
has been accepted as prima facie evidence of his hav-
ing some claim to enrollment among the followers of
Galen or .-Esculapius.

The earliest authentic account of the existence of a
disciple of the medical profession is found in a muster
roll of Capt. Nathan Heald's company of the First
Infantry,* for the two months from November 30, 1810,
to December 31, 1810, wherein appears the name of

//is^ DcrJ/i^-

John Cooper, surgeon's mate, appointed June 13, 1808;
on duty at Fort Dearborn, December 31, 18 10; the mus-
ter roll being certified to by Phillip O'Strander, Lieuten-
ant commanding the company, and John Cooper.

Dr. Cooper was succeeded by Dr. Isaac Van Voor-
his, one of the slain in the massacre of 181 2, of whom
the following account is given in the various works
referred to :

Dr. Isaac Van Voorhis, born February 22, 1790 ; killed at the
massacre at Fort Dearborn, August 15, 1S12; unmarried. \

The following extract is from the " Field-Book of
the War of 1812,'' by Benson J. Lossing : "In the
spring of 181 2 the garrison at Fort Dearborn was com-
manded by Captain Nathan Heald, assisted by Lieuten-
ant Linai T. Helm and Ensign George Ronan. The
surgeon was Dr. Van Voorhis. The garrison consisted
of fifty-four men. The massacre of Fort Dearborn, or
Chicago, took place August 15, 1812. In this terrible
tragedy in the wilderness, fifty-five years ago, twelve
children, all the masculine citizens except Mr. Kenzie
and his sons, Captain Wells, Ensign Ronan, Surgeon
Van Voorhis, and twenty-six private soldiers, were
murdered. Dr. Cooper, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was
the immediate predecessor of Dr. Van Voorhis at Fort
Dearborn. They were natives of the same town, Fish-
kill, Duchess County, and were class-mates. Van Voor-
his was a young man of great powers. Dr. Cooper
left the fort in 181 1, tendered his resignation and left
the army."

In an obituary notice published in the Political
Index, November 17, 181 2, at Newburg, Orange Co.,
N. Y., is the following: * * * "Among the slain
was Dr. Isaac Van Voorhis, of Fishkill, surgeon in the
army. He was a young man of great merit, and received
his early education at the academy in this village. He
possessed an enterprising and cultivated mind, and was
ardent in the support of the interest and honor of his
country."

After the life of Dr. Van Voorhis had been sacri-
ficed for his country, the services of a surgeon were
needed to extract a ball from the arm of Mrs. Nathan
Heald, and Mr. Kinzie requested an Indian chief, who

*Fort Dearborn, Third Paper, by Hon. John Wentworth, Fergus Histor-
ical series : compiled from records in the War Department, Washington, D. C.

T From " Notes on the ancestry of Major William Roe Van Voorhis," in
possession of the Chicago Historical Society.

was reputed to be a medicine man, to perform the opi 1
tion ; but he declined, stating that qualms in the cardiac
region precluded the exercise of his surgical skill. Mr.
Kinzie then performed the operation, using his pen-knife
for the purpose ; thus identifying the Kinzie family with
the surgical profession, in addition to the various other
occurrences whereby this family are so intimate!) con-
nected with the events that transpired in the history ol
Chicago, and placing John Kinzie on record as the
operator in the first surgical operation in Chicago.
Another amateur is stated to have been Monsieur du
Pin, a trader, whose pharmaceutical and pathological
knowledge was exercised to ameliorate the sickness of
the captives in the hands of the Indians.

The next gentleman who was a member of the med-
ical profession in Chicago was Dr. Alexander Wolcott,
who was born February 14, 1790, at Windsor, Conn.,
being the son of the second Alexander and Frames
Burbank Wolcott, and graduated at Yale College, in
1809.* He was appointed surgeon's mate March 25,
i8i2,f and is designated in Schoolcraft's " American
Lakes" (pp. 77 and 389) as having accompanied General
Cass and Henry Schoolcraft in their voyages from May
26 to August 31, 1820; the services rendered by Dr.
Wolcott being the subject of unstinted eulogium. Dr.
Wolcott was the Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn in 1820,
he having advanced in that year, in his official capacity,
$4,258.59^; and in the year 1S21 $722. 14S and "between
the first of January and the 31st of August, 1822, there
was employed by the superintendent of Indian trade,
at Chicago, Alexander Wolcott, at $108.33 per month. "||
Dr. Wolcott married Ellen Marion Kinzie, the daughter
of John Kinzie, as appears by the record in Lewiston,
Fulton Co., 111., "by John Hamlin, J. P., July 20, 1823,
Alexander Wolcott and Ellen Marion Kinzie." The
lady was born in 1805, being the first white child born
in Chicago, the place of her birth being the home of
John and Eleanor Kinzie on the North Side. Dr. Wol-
cott retained the position of Indian Agent until his
death, in 1830, receiving, in 1S26, the salary of $1,300
per annum, as appears by the official register of the
United States for that year. After his death his widow
married Hon. George C. Bates, of Salt Lake City.

During the residence of Dr. Wolcott, there was
another medical practitioner at Fort Dearborn; Assistant
Surgeon Thomas P. Hall, who is designated in the
Army Register for 1823 as on duty at Chicago, and in
the Register for the ensuing year as at New York Har-
bor.

From records in the War Department, a syllabus of
which appears in Hon. John Wentworth's "Fort Dear-
born," C. A. Finley is stated to have been assistant
surgeon at the fort from October 3, 1828, until Decem-
ber 14, 1830 ; and the authority for his presence in that
capacity appears to have been the following order :

Order No. 44. A. G. O., Washington, 19 Aug., 1S2S.

(Extract.)
In conformity with the directions of the Secretary of War, the
following movements of the troops will be made without delay :

•Wolcott Genealogy; Chicago Historical :-

tAmerican State Papers; Military affairs, Chii ago Historical Society.
{American State Papers, Indian 'affairs. Vol. II., 312. Chicago Historical
Society.

§ ibid, p. 314.
Ibid, p. 403.

45?

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

I. Two companies of the 5th Regiment of Infantry to re-occupy
Fort Dearborn, at the head of Lake Michigan.

4. * * * The Surgeon-General to provide medical officers
and suitable hospital supplies for the posts to be established and
re-occupied. Bv order of

Major-General Macomb.
(Signed)

R. Jones, Adjutant General.

Companies A and I, of the 5th Infantry, being des-
ignated as having arrived on October 3, 1828, the reason-
able presumption is that Dr. Finley was the medical
officer designated by the Surgeon-General to accompany
the troops to Fort Dearborn. Prior to the date that Dr.
Finley is reported to have been relieved from duty at
the fort. Dr. Harmon arrived in Chicago.*

Dr. Elijah Dewey Harmon was born August 20,
i;Sj. in Bennington, Vt., and pursued his medical
studies at Manchester, under the auspices of a celebrity
in the profession named Benjamin Swift ; commencing
to practice in the fall of 1806, at Burlington, Vt. On
October $0. 1S0S, Dr. Harmon married Miss Welthyan
Loomis. During the war of 1812, he was a volunteer
surgeon on board the "Saratoga," Commodore Mc-
Donough's flag-ship, and was with that officer in the
celebrated naval engagement of Plattsburg, September
11. 1814; returning to Burlington at the close of the
war and resuming his practice. On January 22, 1816,
I >r. Harmon was appointed Postmaster at Burlington,
but how long he held the position is unknown. In 1829
the Doctor suffered some pecuniary reverses and re-
solved to attempt recuperation in the Great West.
He arrived at Chicago in May, 1830 ; his family follow-
ing him the succeeding year. He took the place of Dr.
Finley, who was absent, and was installed at the fort as
post surgeon, performing the duties of that office in
addition to such private practice as was attainable in
those days. On the night of the 10th of July, 1832,
tieneral Scott arrived with troops, on the steamer
"Sheldon Thompson," among whom the cholera had
manifested itself — six cases developing on the morn-
ing of July 9, subsequent to which the disease
quickly attacked the whole command In consequence
of this the two companies in the fort antecedent to the
arrival of General Scott were isolated and placed under
the charge of Dr. Harmon, who ascribed his success in
the treatment of the cholera cases that broke out in the
sequestered troops to abstinence from the use of calomel
by him. During this period historians relate that a mis-
understanding occurred between Dr. Harmon and the
"old martinet," relative to the practice of the Doctor;
General Scott requiring him to devote his medical skill
exclusively to the military assigned to his charge, which
the Doctor refused to do. In the winter of 1832, Dr.
Harmon performed an amputation upon a half-breed
Canadian, who had frozen his feet while transporting
t le mail upon horseback from Green Bay to Chicago ;
this being the first surgical operation of any importance
Tned. One foot and a portion of the other were
-till removed. A case of rusty instruments, a
library of about one hundred volumes and a stock of
medicines brought from the Green Mountains, con-
stituted the stock in trade of the Father of Medicine in
go. His residence was a < abin of hewn logs; his
larder, a repository of flour, bacon and coffee. Hut the
epigastric regions of pioneers do not long for pate de
i> nor Chambertin or Tokay, and the doctor's
practice increased and multiplied as rapidly as Jacob's
C ittle. Dr. Harmon pre-empted one hundred and forty
ai res of land, the northern boundary of which was in

■•>• ot Mrs. A. G. Burley,

the vicinity of Sixteenth Street, and upon a portion 01
which plot the home of the Burley family — 1620 Indiana
Avenue — is now situated. In 1834, Dr. Harmon mi-
grated to Texas, and until the time of his death — Jan-
uary 3, 1869 — divided his sojourns between that State
and Chicago. Dr. Harmon had nine children, four of
whom died in infancy. The remaining five are Charles
Loomis Harmon, Isaac Dewey Harmon, Harriet Har-
mon, Lucretia Harmon, and Welthyan Loomis Harmon.
In honor of the Doctor, Harmon Court received its
name.

In Order No. 17, dated Adjutant-General's Office,
Washington, February 23, 1832, Assistant Surgeon De-
Camp, on duty at Madison Barracks, was assigned to
duty at Fort Dearborn, and ordered to accompany the
troops sent to that post. He appears upon the roster
of the fort as having arrived thereat (with companies
" G " and " I " of the Second Infantry, under command
of Major William Whistler:, on June 17, 1832; remain-
ing until November 23, following. Dr. Samuel G. I.
DeCamp was appointed Assistant Surgeon, October 10,
1823; promoted Surgeon December 1, 1833; retired
from the army in 1862, and died at Saratoga, N. Y.,
Septembers, 187 1. From a report made by Dr. De-
Camp during the prevalence of the cholera at Fort
Dearborn in 1832, if would aopear that he was engaged
in the performance of his official duties at the time, and
he states that one-fifth of the entire force of one thou-
sand soldiers were admitted into the hospital within a
week, afflicted with this frightful scourge. In the ros-
ter to which allusion has been heretofore made, it is re-
marked that " Fort Dearborn having become a general
hospital, on the nth July last (1832] no returns were
rendered until its re-occupation."

On February 3, 1833, Assistant Surgeon Philip Max-
well is reported as having assumed his official duties
at the fort. He was a witness to the Indian treaty on
September 26 of that year.

Philip Maxwell was born at Guilford, Windham
Co., Vt., April 3, 1799, and subsequent to his gradua-
tion, commenced the practice of medicine at Sackett's
Harbor, N. Y. He temporarily relinquished practice
upon being elected a member of the State Legislature.
After his appointment and arrival in Chicago, as Assist-
ant Surgeon, he remained in that military position un-
til the abandonment of the fort on December 29, 1836.
Dr. Maxwell was promoted to Surgeon, Jul}- 7, 1838,
and subsequently served with General Zachary Taylor.
After his resignation from the army, Dr. Maxwell prac-
ticed medicine in Chicago, being mentioned in Fergus's
Directory for 1839 as at the garrison, and in the direc-
tories from 1844 to 1847, as a physician, with his office
at the corner of Lake and Clark streets. In the direc-
tory for 1848, he is specified as being in partnership
with Dr. Brock McVickar, subsequent directories not
mentioning his association with any one in the practice
of his profession. Dr. Maxwell is described as having
been of stature approximating to the Anakim and to
have been Falstaffian in his abdominal rotundity. In
his jocundity, his geniality and the simulation of stern
demeanor, beneath which he carried the kindest of
hearts, he has been likened to " Lawrence Boythorn " —
Charles Dickens's prototype of Walter Savage Landor.
The Chicago Republican of September 13, 1868, thus
justly speaks of Dr. Maxwell: " It- is not easy to es-
cape his name and influence in turning over the pages
of twenty years of the growth of Chicago. He was one
of nature's noblemen. He was of that choice material
that God makes to follow the first rough work of the
pioneers in laying the foundations of new society. By

MEDICAL HISTORY.

459

education and training, learned, urbane and intelligent,
with an acute brain, a large heart, a warm hand, with
a geniality that made sunshine wherever he went; quick
to conceive, skillful to execute, Dr. Maxwell's name is
upon the most solid pillar of our growth. From Chi-
cago he went under Covernment orders to the Florida
war, and thence returned only to civilian duties in which
he here passed the rest of his life. His home was here
for several years. Though often on our streets, and
never relinquished as a citizen, he later removed to a
beautiful country place, looking out on Geneva Lake,
Wisconsin, where, since his death, a few years ago, his
family still reside. Dr. Maxwell was a leading spirit
here in the old garrison times. He mingled largely and
controllingly in the growing social element." Dr. Max-
well died on the 5th of November, 1859, at the age of
sixty years.

Dr. Valentine A. Boyer next entered the ranks of
the medical pioneers, on May 12, 1832; and achieved
military honors May 15, 1840, being then commissioned
assistant surgeon of the City Guards, 60th Regiment,
on that date.

In 1832, Dr. Edmund Stoughton Kimberly arrived
here. He was clerk of the town meeting to decide
whether Chicago should be incorporated, and voted in
favor of that measure. He was also elected Trustee of
the town August 10, 1833. Dr. Kimberly died in Lake
County, 111., October 25, 1874, aged seventy-two years.

Dr. John Taylor Temple was an early practitioner
in Chicago. He was a voter at the election held August
10, 1833. He graduated at the Middlebury College,
Castleton, Vt., December 29, 1830. The first autopsy
made in this city was performed by him. Dr. Temple,
however, is more intimately identified with these early
days by reason of his stage line than of his medical
practice ; he having secured the contract for carrying
the mail between this city and Ottawa, and making the
first trip January 1, 1834, on which occasion the Hon.
John Dean Caton was a passenger. The bills for his
stage line were printed at the Democrat office. An ad-
vertisement that appeared in the American on August
6, 1836, specifies that " John T. Temple & Co., are pro-
prietors of a stage line from Chicago to Peoria ; " that
" the through trip is made in two days — to Ottawa the
first day ; " that " the stage leaves Chicago at four in
the morning and arrives at Juliet* in two," and that
" seats can be taken at Markle's Exchange Coffee
House." The same paper states, April 1, 1837, that
Dr. Temple " has sold his stage line," and in another
issue the Doctor advertises, November 17, 1840, that he
"has resumed the practice of medicine at 214 Lake
Street." Dr. Temple afterward became a homeopathic
practitioner and founded the St. Louis school of homeo-
pathic practice, dying in that city, February 24, 1877,
at the ripe age of seventy-three years.

George F. Turner, assistant surgeon United States
Army, was one of the witnesses to the Indian treaty at
Chicago, on September 26, 1833. This officer was ap-
pointed to that rank on July 23, 1833 ; promoted to
surgeon United States Army, January 1, 1S40, and
died at Corpus Christi, Texas, October 17, 1854.

In the fall of 1833 Dr. William Bradshaw Egan
came to the city and " commenced acting well his part ; "
to use the phraseology of his favorite author. In the
Doctor's unfailing confidence in the future of Chicago ;
in the unhesitating manner with which he embarked his
means upon the then ebb-tide of the city's prosperity,
he was a typical pioneer. Dr. Egan was born near

* In early days the name of Joliet was Juliet, and one of the early changes
of " post-offices " states that the name of Juliet is to be changed to Romeo; the
change appears to have never been made.

Lake Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, September 28,
1808. At the age of fifteen he went to Lancashire,
England, and commenced the study of surgerj .mil
medicine under the tuition of Dr. Maguire, also visiting
the English metropolis in pursuit of medical knowledge.
Returning to Dublin a few years afterward, he attended
a course of medical Lectures there and " walked " the
Dublin Lying-in Hospital, and then embarked for

Canada. Shortly after his arrival in Quebec, he ob-
tained a situation as teacher in one of the schools in
that city, and afterward was a preceptor in Montreal and
New York, and in the grammer school of the Universi-
ty of Virginia, at which latter academic institution he
also attended medical lectures for two terms. In the
spring of 1830 he was licensed by the medical bo. ud of
New Jersey, and inaugurated his professional career in
Newark and New York. On January 21, [832, he was
married to Miss Fmeline Mabbatt, who accompanied
the Doctor in his pilgrimage to this city. < >n the 22tl of
August, 1834, Dr. Egan was appointed on the health
committee for the South Division, and on the 4th of
July, 1836, when the ground was broken for the con-
struction of the Illinois & Michigan (anal, lie was se-
lected to deliver the oration. While he was performing
this office he observed that at a spring near by were .1
large number of people. The spring had been natural-

460

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ized by the addition of lemons, sugar and whisky.
Turning to them, he said: -•Drink deep, or taste not
the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate
the brain, and drinking deeply sobers it again.'" It is
understood that his advice was followed, with results
other than those ascribed to the Pierian fount. Dr.
Egan, during the primary years of his residence here,
purchased the Tremont House block of General Beau-
bien, and thereon erected five houses, which were desig-
nated as Egan's Row. In his real estate transactions,
the Doctor was conspicuous, and by connection with him
in his operations many families laid the foundation for
subsequent wealth and prosperity. In the adjustment
of the canal claims by the Legislature of the session of
1S41-42. the Doctor did excellent service. He was a
delegate to the first Democratic convention held at
Joliet. May iS, 1S43: was Recorder of the city and
countv in 1844. and was a Representative to the State
Legislature during the sessions of 1S53-54. In his
jocose temperament, his classical education, his kindly
generosity and his trenchant sarcasm, he was an Orestes
to the Pylades of Dr. Maxwell. Dr. Egan died in this
city October 27, i860.

Dr. Henry B. Clarke migrated to Chicago in 1833,
and advertised in the American of February 18, 1837,
that his office was at Collins &: Butterfield's on Dear-
born Street. His residence is stated to have been a
large white house near the lake, about where Four-
teenth Street is now situated.

Dr. Henry Van Der Bogart graduated at the medi-
cal college in Fairfield, N. Y., in the winter of 1833;
came to Chicago in the spring of 1834, and died at
Naperville on April 8, 1S35, aged twenty-five years.

Dr. W. Clarke appears to have been a resident here
early in 1S34, as a letter is advertised for him in the
letter-list published in the Democrat in January of that
year, and in the account books of Hibbard Porter * this
gentleman is debited with purchases made from June
to December, 1834, comprising a coffee-mill, cord and
cloth.

I )r. Peter Temple was an early practitioner in Chi-
1 ago, and advertised in the Democrat of July 7, 1834,
that he was located at Franklin Street, near Lake, ad-
jacent to the dwelling of Dr. J. T. Temple, and was
there to practice dentistry. In August, 1834, he be-
came associated with Dr. John T. Temple in the
practice of medicine, Dr. Peter Temple attending to
such cases as were exclusively dental. A Dr. Temple
1 by Colbert to have been appointed on the first
permanent Board of Health in Chicago June 19, 1835. f
I )r. P. T. Temple is stated in the American to have
been one of the executive committee of the Chicago
Bible Society August 22, 1835, and Dr. Peter Temple
was one of the secretaries of the canal meeting No-
vember 7, 1835. The latter left Chicago in 1837,
and after practicing medicine according to the regular
school for twenty years, was led to practice homeopathy
through the influence of his brother. This gentleman
is now 1883 a resident of Lexington, Mo.

Dr. William H. Kennicott was engaged in the dental
art in 1834, an advertisement that appeared in the
I I rat determining his presence here on May 25 of

that year at the Eagle Tavern. He pursued the prac-
tice of dentistry for many years in this city. Of an
old horse that belonged to him in early years the fol-
lowing anecdote is told : After a long career of use-
the equine, becoming unfit for service, was"
turned loose to shift for himself, and, finding some

choice picking in the court-house square, he made that
a resort. The citizens recognized the old animal and,
compassionating his condition of marasmus, assembled
and determined upon giving the veteran a donation
party. At the appointed time they flocked to the
square with provender and building material. A shed
was constructed by the embryonic humane society, and
the food stored therein. Then a procession was formed,
with the equine beneficiary at its head, and after parad-
ing the streets to the martial music of a fife and drum,
the steed was installed in his stable, where he existed
until spring, when Death mounted the pale white
horse, and rode him to the happy hunting grounds.
Peace to his mane[s].

Dr. John W. Eldredge came to Chicago in the
spring of 1834, a graduate of the medical college of
Fairfield, N. Y. He was born in Hamilton, Washing-
ton Co., N. Y., October 2, 1808 ; commenced the prac-
tice of his profession in Pittsfield, Penn., continuing
therein upon his arrival in Chicago, and has since his
arrival been intimately identified with the measures
relative to the prosperity, social, medical and political, of

^^^^Lc^^^.

• In pom mum il So< iety.

t Thi. .J. Or. J..hn T. I ■

the city. Dr. Eldredge was married in Chicago in the
year 1840 to Miss Sophia Holton, and has one daugh-
ter, Hette, the wife of George C. Clarke. The objec-
tion that Dr. Eldredge had to the least appearance of
publicity or notoriety has been regarded by the com-
piler ; but the life of the Doctor is too well known by
the citizens of past and present Chicago to require com-
ment. His works speak for themselves ; and now that
he has passed from our midst they remain the most dur-
able monument to his memory. Dr. Eldredge relin-
quished the practice of his profession in 1868, after
which he lived in the retirement of private life until the
date of his death, January 1, 1884.

Dr. Josiah C. Goodhue came from Canada about
this period ; and on September 1, 1835, was engaged
with Dr. J. H. Barnard in the practice of the medical
and surgical profession, with their office on Lake Street,
three doors west of the Tremont House ; and on Febru-
ary 15, 1836, Dr. Goodhue formed a copartnership
with Dr. S. Z. Haven. Some time subsequently he re-
moved to Rockford, 111., where he died from the effects
of an accident.

Charles Volney Dyer, son of Daniel and Susan Olin
Dyer, was born in Clarendon, Vt., on June 12, 1808,
and was the youngest but one of ten children. When
he entered college he pursued medical studies to the ex-
clusion of the classical course, and graduated, Decem-
ber 29, 1830, with high honors at Middlebury College.
In February, 1831, he commenced practice in Newark,
Wayne Co., N. J. Leaving there he migrated to Chi-
cago, where he arrived in August, 1835. In 1837, he
married Louisa M. Clifford, of Elgin, from which union
six children were born, three of whom still survive ;
Stella Louisa, born November 22, 1841, now Mrs. Lor-
ing; Charles Gifford, born December 29, 1845, and
Louis, born September 30, 185 1. In 1863, Abraham
Lincoln, as a personal compliment to Dr. Dyer, gave
him the appointment of Judge of the Mixed Court for
the suppression of the African slave trade ; Dr. Dyer
having been, for years previously, one of the prominent

MEDICAL HISTORY.

461

officers of the celebrated " Underground Railroad " of
Chicago, and had helped in rescuing from slavery and the
fangs of human blood-hounds who sought to overtake
them, thousands of fugitives. To a resident of the State
that gave birth to Abraham Lincoln, it would seem suffi-

cient eulogy to say that a man was prominently connected
with the underground railroad ; no more grateful reflec-
tion can be entertained by Dr. Dyer's descendants, than
that many former slaves can point to his grave and say
"there lies the man who helped me to life and liberty."
Judge Dyer died April 24, 1878, at the residence of his
adopted daughter at Lake View, Lake Co., 111.

In the American of May 28, 1836, Dr. D. S. Smith*
offered his services, in an advertisement dated May 25,
1836, at an office with S. Abell, on Lake Street, one
door west of New York House; on August 16, 1837,

the Doctor occupied an office adjoining Clarke's drug
store on Clark Street, near Lake, first door north of
Collins & Butterfield's office.

It has been found impracticable to chronometrically
designate the physicians whose names appear as identi-
fied with the germinating metropolis at this period of
its history; a fixed date, 1839, has therefore been se-
lected ; and those who were here at that time, or prior
thereto, are mentioned in this paragraph with such data
as is extant to determine the priority of their coming.

Mrs. Robertson, the first female obstetrician, was
here in 1839, and for many years subsequently, and
may justly be termed the feminine Hippocrates of Chi-
cago. Dr. J. Jay Stuart, with J. D. Caton, second door
east of Breese & Sheppard's, Lake Street, advertised in
the American of June n, 1836. Dr. Stuart, in 184S,
was in partnership with H. K. \V. Boardman, and died
August 8, 1850. Dr. H. Spring died November 10, 1835,
aged thirty-two; Dr. W. Spring advertised his office with
G. Spring in the American of September 12, 1835; Dr.
Levi D. Boone, a distant relative of the celebrated
Daniel Boone, was here in June, 1836; was in partner-
ship with Charles V. Dyer in 1839, and practiced for a
long time in Chicago, subsequently entering the real
estate business. Dr. W. G. Austin, on August, 7, 1835,
in American, notified the citizens that he had com-
menced the practice of medicine, and opened an office
on Lake Street, near the post-office; and that he prac-
ticed the botanic healing art, " which is not connected
by ties of consanguinity to the Thompsonian system" —
a nice distinction. On December 5, 1835, Dr. Austin
announced that he had vegetable medicines for dis-
pensation on Lake Street, three doors east of Cooke's
coffee-house, and on October 10, 1836, entered into
partnership with Dr. W. B. Dodge, with their office on

* For fuller particulars concerning Dr. Smith see the account of Homeop-
athy in Chicagu in this chapter,

Lake Street, opposite Rice's coffee-house. This co-
partnership was dissolved April 3, 1837. Dr. John
Brinkerhoff, subsequently of the firm of Brinkerhoff &
Penton, druggists, cautioned persons against purchas-
ing a note given by him in favor of Samuel Ressigne,
in the American of December 3, 1836. Dr. J. II. Bar-
nard advertised in the American of June 8, 1835, under
date of June 3. Dr. J. ('. Bradley, surgeon dentist,
proffered his odontological ability in the same paper,
under date of June 13, 1835, and was subsequently in
business with Mr. Kennicott. In the Democrat of
August 24, 1836, is an advertisement of Dr. I), mid
Brainard, who proffered his services to citizens of Chi-
cago and vicinity at his office, with John Dean Caton,
on Dearborn Street, opposite the Tremont House. In
the language of the Hon. John Dean Caton, is the fol-
lowing reminiscence of Dr. Brainard given: "About
the first of September, 1835, ^r- Brainard rode up to
my office, wearing pretty seedy clothes and mounted on
a little Indian pony. He reported that he was nearly
out of funds, and asked my advice as to the propriety
of commencing practice here. We had been profes-
sional students together in Rome, N. V., when he was
there in the office of Dr. Pope. I knew him to have
been an ambitious and studious young man, of great
firmness and ability, and did not doubt that the three
years since I had seen him had been profitably spent in
acquiring a knowledge of his profession. I advised
him to go to the Indian camp, wheie the Pottawatomies
were gathered, preparatory to starting for their new lo-
cation west of the Mississippi River, sell his pony, take
a desk or rather a little table in my office, and put his
shingle by the side of the door, promising to aid him,
as best I could, in building up a business. During the
first year the Doctor's practice did not enter those cir-
cles of which he was most ambitious. Indeed it was
mostly confined to the poorest of the population,
and he anxiously looked for a door which should give
him admission to a better class of patients. While
he answered every call, whether there was a prospect
of remuneration or not, he felt that he was qualified
to attend those who were able to pay him liberally for
his services. At length the door was opened. A schooner
was wrecked south of the town, on which were a man and
his wife, who escaped with barely their clothes on their
backs. They were rather simple people, and belonged
to the lowest walks in life. They started for the country
on foot, begging their way, and, when distant some
twelve miles, encountered a party of men with a drove
of horses, one of whom pretended that he was a Sheriff,
and arrested them for improper purposes. When they
were set at liberty, they returned to the town, and
came to me for legal advice, the woman being about
five months advanced in pregnancy. I commenced a
suit for the redress of their grievances, and the Doctor
took an active interest in their welfare. He procured
for them a small house on the North Side, and made per-
sonal appeals to all the ladies in the neighborhood, for pro-
vision for their needs. Mrs. John H. Kinzie became par-
ticularly interested in their case, and paid frequent visits
to the cabin with other ladies. The nervous system of
the woman had been greatly shattered, and a miscar-
riage was constantly apprehended. The Doctor was
unremitting in his attentions, and finally carried her
through her confinement with marked success, exhibit-
ing to the ladies who had taken so much interest in the
patient a fine living child. This was the long desired
opportunity, and it did not fail to produce its results.
Dr. Brainard immediately became famous. His disin-
terested sympathy, his goodness of heart, his skillful

462

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

treatment and his marked success, were now the subject
of comment in all circles. At my request Dr. Good-
hue also visited the woman — as I desired to secure his
additional testimony in the case — and he too became
very favorably impressed with the talents and acquire-
ments of the young practitioner, and extended to him
a helping and efficient hand. During the winter of
1837—38, Dr. Brainard first communicated to me his
project looking to the foundation of Rush College.
In 1838,3 laborer on the canal near Lockport, fractured
his thigh, and before union had been completely effected,
he came to Chicago on foot, where he found himself
unable to walk further and quite destitute. He was
taken to the poor-house, where he rapidly grew worse,
the limb becoming excessive cedematous. A council of
physicians was summoned, consisting of Drs. Brainard,
Maxwell, Goodhue, Egan, and perhaps one or two
others. All were agreed as to the necessity of amputa-
tion, but, while Brainard insisted that the operation
should be performed at the hip-joint, the others urged
that removal below the trochanters would answer equally
well. The patient was about twenty-three years of age,
had an excellent physique, and was, so far as known,
of good habits. The operation was assigned to Brain-
ard, and Goodhue was entrusted with the control of the
femoral artery, as it emerges from the pelvis. This he
was to accomplish with his thumbs ; and he had as
good thumbs as any man I ever knew. The moment
the amputation was effected, Brainard passed one finger
into the medullary cavity, and brought out upon it a
portion of the medulla which, in the process of disor-
ganization, had become black. As he exhibited it he
looked at Goodhue, who simply nodded his head. Not
a word was spoken by any one but the patient, and
what he said no one knew. Brainard instantly took up
the knife and again amputated, this time at the joint,
after which the wound was dressed. The double oper-
ation occupied but a very short time. In about one
month the wound had very nearly healed, only a gran-
ulating surface of about three-fourths of an inch in
length at the upper corner discharged a healthy pus. I
was present the last time the wound was dressed, and
expected to see the patient speedily discharged as cured.
But that night secondary haemorrhage occurred, a large
portion of the wound was opened afresh, and the patient
died almost immediately. At the post-mortem section,
an enormous mass of osseous tubercles was removed
from the lungs, liver, and heart, and a large, bony neo-
plasm was found attached to the pelvic bones, and sur-
rounding the femoral artery, so that the mouth of the
latter remained patulous. A similar deposit, three
inches in diameter, had been found about the fractured
femur, and when this was sawn through, the line of de-
markation between the neoplasm and the true bone was
distinctly discernable.* The operation was regarded
nid it completely established Dr. Brain-
ard's reputation as a surgeon."

Daniel Brainard was born May 15, 1S12, in Western-
ville, Oneida Co., N'. Y. and graduated at Jefferson Col-
lege Philadelphia in the year 1834; commencing the prac-
ticeof medicine at Whitesboro, X. Y. Subsequent to his
arrival at Chicago lie visited Paris in 1839, and pursued
his medical studies there; revisiting that city in 1852,
when he was made an honorary member of the Society de
Chirurgie de Paris, ami of the Medical Society of the
Canton of Geneva. At this time Dr. Brainard secured
the valuable osteological collection which lie placed in
the museum of Rush Med'n of which institution

• In Karly M lal In: waa informed by Dr.

JoKph W. Freer that this case waa one of enchondroma of the femur.

he was the founder and indefatigable promoter. In
1854 he received the prize offered by the Medical Asso-
ciation of St. Louis for an excursus upon the treatment
of ununited fractures — the mode elaborated in his treatise
having since been adopted by the entire profession.
Dr. Brainard's surgical reputation is not alone civic but
continental; his scientific attainments were catholic, his
literary ability eminent. His best monument is Rush
Medical College, in whose interest he labored so inde-
fatigably; his noblest eulogy the precedents he estab-
lished by his skill. Dr. Brainard died of cholera, on
October 10, 1866, at the Sherman House, aged fifty-
five.

C. Carli announced himself as an M. D., in the Dem-
ocrat of August 16, 1837; Lucius G. Dole is specified as
an "eye-doctor," in the 1839 directory, and ten years
subsequently appears as a botanical physician. Dr.
Charles V. Dyer came to Chicago on the 23d of August,

1835, and was a candidate for State Representative the
subsequent year, but was ineligible on account of the
period of his residence not having embraced one year;
he was elected Judge of Proba:e in 1837, and was com-
missioned surgeon, City Guards, Sixtieth Regiment, on
May 15, 1840. Dr. Dyer died in this city, April 24,
1878. Dr. Charles H. Duck is registered in Fergus's
director)7 for 1829, and was for sometime afterward a
practitioner here. Dr. James Anson Dunn opened an
office in Sherman's brick block, nearly opposite the
Tremont House on November 25, 1835; after his arriv-
al here from Buffalo, N. V. Dr. John Herbert Foster
is specified in the 1839 directory; having come to this
city after participation in the Black Hawk War; remain-
ing here until his death on May 18, 1874, at the age of
seventy-nine. Dr. N. Gunn received mention in the
newspapers of March, 1836. Dr. S. Z. Haven was one
of the disputants before the Chicago Lyceum, February
27, 1836, and was in partnership with Dr. J. C. Good-
hue, February, 15, 1836. Under date of August 24,

1836, Dr. R. J. Harvey advertised the inauguration of
his practice in Chicago. Reuben B. Heacock is desig-
nated as a medical student with Dr. C. V. Dyer and
Benjamin F. Hale, as a botanic physician in Fergus's
directory for 1839. Dr. James R. Irvine, from Phila-
delphia, specifies that he has opened an office, first door
south of the corner of Lake and Wells, in the American
of December 3, 1836. The primary hydropathic prac-
titioner, as a proprietor of vapor baths, is given in 1839
directory, being John J. Keenan. Dr. Richard Murphy
appears in the 1839 directory and pursued literary labors
in this city for some time, but nothing is obtainable
that identifies him with the medical profession here.
The same work cites Dr. (Leonard) Proctor. This
latter gentleman was married to Miss Frances Burbank,
daughter of Henry Wolcott, and sister of Alexander
Wolcott, county surveyor, by Rev.J. Harrington, January
7, 1841. Dr. John Mark Smith, brother of Hon. S. Lisle
Smith, came to Chicago in the spring of 1837 and remained
here until 1842. J. Oldham Sweetser, dentist, is ac-
credited with a residence here in 1839; he advertised in
the daily American during the year following. Prof.
George C. Tew is designated as a phrenologist in the
Fergus's directory; and appears to have been successful
in his presentations of this science, as he was also here
in 1844-45. Place is only given this follower of Gall
and Spurzheim on account of his precedence in that
branch of physiological science. Dr. Simeon Willard
appears in the 1839 directory and advertised, July 13,
1840, in the Daily American. December 17, 1836, Dr.
Joseph Walker, late physician of Philadelphia Hospital,
advertised in the American; and on May 20, 1837,

MEDICAL HISTORY.

463

Waiker and Brainard advertised that they would always
keep fresh vaccine matter. The following are desig-
nated as physicians in Fergus's directory for 1839; Dr |.
T. Betts, Dr. S. B. Gay, Dr. Merrick, Dr. Moore, Dr. L.
Post, Dr. William Russell and Dr. Wood.

How much, or how little, many of these pioneer
practitioners were identified with the material progress of
Chicago, or in what manner their individual talent accel-
erated the growth of sciences is impossible to state. In
cases where they became identified with any of the in-
stitutions that were evidences of scientific advancement,
their names as such integers appear. Dr. Lucius Ab-
bott is stated to have married Mrs. Margaret Helm, at
Chicago, in 1836. No account appears of his having
practiced in this city until 1845, and in that year he is
stated to have returned to Connecticut, and have died
there.

A question arose in the course of the compilation of
this history, whether it was just to those who were bona
fide, qualified practitioners, to have mentioned with them
those who may have been the veriest quacks ; but how
is the citizen of Chicago of 1883 to decide?

In the pioneer days of medical practice, when the
possible patients were few, the duties devolvent upon
physicians were onerous and detractive from proficiency
in their profession. Unless possessed of a competency,
it was requisite for them to win bread for the sustenance
of themselves and families, to eke out the slender hon-
oraria obtainable from the sparsely settled country by
agriculture, speculation, or trade ; therefore, in some
instances, it is not surprising that a physician's repute is
greater because of achievement without the pale of
medical science, than for his scientific diagnosis and
practice consequent thereupon. It is certainly a moot
question whether the enterprise of an individual in com-
merce, or the display of scientific attainment in a pro-
fession, most accelerates material progress in a city ; in
the early medical inhabitants of Chicago, however, they
were usually, perforce, united.

As the population increased and the ills to which
man is heir augmented in proportion, there was a larger
scope for the exclusive exercise of medical skill and
consequent ability to exist upon the fees received for
such practice ; thus, the practice which makes perfect
was not alone attainable by t'he physician, but his mind
being easier upon the subject of his means of subsistence
he was enabled to devote more time to study ; he was
not compelled to abandon the scalpel for the spade to
fill the epigastric regions of his family.

The names of some of those who achieved distinc-
tion are given, who were in Chicago anterior to 1845 I
the establishment of Rush Medical College, in 1844,
forming a medical center from which the rays of achieve-
ment were diffused. These ante- 1844 physicians are
James Van Zandt Blaney, H. H. Beardsley, Alfred W.
Davisson, M. L. Knapp, John McLean, Matthew Mcll-
waine, C. A. F. Van Wattenwylle. Some other celebri-
ties of the medical profession who have dwelt in Chi-
cago during the epoch treated of in this volume are
Nathan S. Davis, William B. Herrick, John Evans (sub-
sequently Governor of Colorado), Graham N. Fitch, J.
C. Dass (son of the celebrated Peter Dass, the Norwegian
poet), H. A. Johnson, Brockholst McVickar, Joseph W.
Freer, C. A. Helmuth, Erial McArthur, Edwin G. Meek,
John E. and Patrick McGirr, Max Meyers, DeLaskie
Miller, George Wallingford Wentworth, E. S. Carr, Will-
iam H. Byford, John H. Rauch, Edwin Powell, Thomas
Spencer, Edmund Andrews and others whose names
occur in the recitals of various sub-topics in this chapter.

Joseph Warren Freer was born at Fort Ann, Wash-

ington Co., N. Y., July 10, 1816; removing to Chicago
June 14, 1836, but shortly thereafter leaving the cit) to

join his parents at Forked Creek, near Wilmington, 111.
About 1846 he returned to Chicago, and commenced
the pursuit of medical knowledge under the anspii es ol
Dr. Brainard; graduating in the class of 1848-49 ol
Rush Medical College, in which institution In- subse-
quently held several offices. Perhaps he did not
originate much in surgery, but he suggested and prac-
tised several things of value. He is entitled to priority
in suggestion of the use of collodion in erysipelas,
burns, etc. So, also, the first publication of the use of
adhesive plaster in fractures of the clavicle, a form of
treatment, the advantages of which are not even yet
fully appreciated by the profession, is due to him.
Dr. Freer died April 12, 1877.

George Wallingford Wentworth was the son of
Hon. Paul and Lydia (Cogswell) Wentworth, and was
born on the 2d of November, 1820, at Sandwich, N. H.,
being the brother of Hon. John Wentworth, of this
city. He was a matriculate of Dartmouth College in
the years 1841 and 1842, but wascompelled to relinquish
his intention, in both instances, of proceeding with a
collegiate course, and legal studies, on account of deli-
cate health. In 1843 he came to Chicago and remained
a year, during which time he performed some literary
work for the Democrat; but his health remaining poor,
he returned to the East and determined upon pursuing
the study of medicine; and took courses of study at
Concord, N. H., New York City and Philadelphia, be-
coming an alumnus of the latter city in 1847. Upon
taking his degree, he returned to Chicago, and com-
menced practice at an office upon the west bank of the
river, near the western end of the present Randolph-
street bridge. While the cholera prevailed in this city
in 1849, the Alderman of the Sixth Ward resigned; and
Dr. Wentworth's labors among the poor, and his faith-
ful performance of the medical duties among those who
required his professional services, so endeared him to
the inhabitants of that ward that they unanimously re-
quested him to fill the unexpired term of the resigned
Alderman; and upon his consenting, he was elected
therefor. At the ensuing election he was re-elected for
the term of two years. In 1850 the cholera was again
a visitant of this city, and during his efforts to amelior-
ate the condition of the afflicted and to perform his
aldermanic duties, he was himself taken with the dis-
ease, and died at his office on August 14, 1850, after a
sickness of only about ten hours. John Murphy, the
landlord of the United States Hotel at which Dr. Went-
worth boarded, called to see the Doctor about 7 a. m. and
though himself in perfect health, was seized and died
before Dr. Wentworth demised. Dr. Wentworth is al-
leged to have been the first physician in Chicago who
commenced the practice of his profession upon the west
side of the river. The Chicago Medical Society held a
meeting, whereat they passed a deserved eulogium up-
on the character and services of Dr. Wentworth;
especially testifying their esteem for his persistent and
self-abnegating efforts to alleviate the sick and dis-
tressed, particularly during the epidemic to which he
had fallen a victim, and that such effort had rendered 11 .1
matter of justice that his memory should be gratefully
cherished by the citizens of Chicago. The Mayor
called a special meeting of the Common Council, which
likewise passed resolutions of respect and condolence.
The Medical Society, and the Common Council, attend-
ed the funeral of Dr. Wentworth in a body, subsequent
to which his remains were taken to the family burial
place at Concord, N. H., for interment.

464

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Mrs. Lydia H. Sigoumey, of Hartford, Conn., com-
posed the following poem upon his death:

Science doth mourn for thee.

Who thus at opening day.

Didst shroud thy manly head, and pass

From her fair halls away.

But poverty and pain
Lament with deeper woe
Their benefactor laid in dust,
Where turf and wild flowers grow;

Lament his faithful care
Their gushing tears that dried.
And sought them in these dark abodes
That few explored beside.

Vet better thus beloved,
Ere faded prime, to fall,
Affections pearl-drops on thy brow,
And o'er thy sable pall.

The medical colleges and hygienic institutions of
Chicago bear mute, though substantial, testimony to
the medical prowess of her doctors, as her many hos-
pitals, infirmaries and charitable institutions do to their
benevolence and love for their species. These are as
much evidences of their exerted endeavor, as the indi-
vidual honor and fame that attaches to their names.

The early medical history may be accurately divided
into three epochs: one, anterior to 1834, when individ-
ual, isolated effort characterized the medical fraternity;
the second, from 1835 to 1844, when the various indi-
viduals commingled, established societies and medical
sodalities ; and the third epoch, subsequent to the es-
tablishment of Rush Medical College in 1844, when
Chicago became a recognized center of medical instruc-
tion, and the alumni of this institution dispersed through-
out the country, carrying the impress of their alma
mater with them.

But two additional items remain to be mentioned in
this chapter : one the names of three dentists, two
representative Chicago men, Dr. Aaron Gibbs, who
came here about 1845; Dr. James Kennicott, who com-
menced dental practice about 1848, and John C. Pride,
a phenomenal dentist, who not alone extracted the of-
fending molar or incisor, but gave instruction in vocal
and piano music, thorough-bass, etc., in the year 1852.
Also the name of John Webster deserves mention as
the first hydropathic physician announcing himself as
such in 1852 ; and W. Atkinson, in 1853, is the primal
"confidential " physician.

Early Druggists. — The second item concerns
those who provided the means, whereby the physicians
were enabled to combat disease. The earliest pharma-
ceutist of Chicago was Philo Carpenter, who arrived
here in July, 1832, shortly thereafter opening a variety
and drug store on what is now known as Lake Street,
near the eastern bank of the river; and subsequently
removing to South Water Street. Early in 1833, Peter
Pruyne * and Edmund Stoughton Kimberly opened the
second of Chicago's drug-stores. William Hull Clarke
arrived in Chicago May 23, 1835, and opened a drug
store with Abram F. Clarke. Under date of November
(5, this linn advertised that they have opened a
new drug store at the store formerly occupied by Kim-
ball >V Porter, corner of Water and (lark streets. This
linn subsequently removed to 102 Lake Street; dissolv-
ing partnership Man h t, 1841 ; W. H. entering into
copartnership with Samuel C. Clarke, Ins in-other, and
remaining with him until about 1850. About 1855, W.
M. ' larke became assistant engineer of the Chicago
Hoard of Public Works, which position he retained until

nly daughter

his death in August, 1878. Frederick Thomas, in the
American of June 8, 1835, advertised the proprietorship
of the Chicago New Drug, Medical and Faint Store, on
Water Street, two doors from the American office, near
the drawbridge; and also advertised that he performed
"bleeding, leeching and tooth-drawing; " thus estab-
lishing himself as Chicago's first barber-surgeon. In
the American of January 16, 1836, under date of Janu-
ary n, Mr. Thomas announced a copartnership with
Thomas Jenkins, at a new store on Lake Street, one
door west of Clark ; for the sale of dry goods, grocer-
ies, paints, drugs and medicines ; but the advertisement
does not specify that the phlebotomical practice was
maintained. On April 2, 1836, the partnership was dis-
solved, Mr. Thomas retiring. The names of the other
early druggists are given in Fergus's directory of 1839:
Edward R. Allen and Leroy M. Boyce; Leroy M. Boyce
continuing the business alone at 121 Lake Street, July
10, 1840, and subsequently at 113 Lake Street ; being
succeeded, in 1851, by J. Sears, Jr., and E. R. Bay.
Dr. E. Dewey, who advertised on July 1, 1840, as being
at Apothecaries' Hall, Dearborn Street ; Nelson Bu-
chanan, and Sidney Sawyer, who were in business for a
number of years subsequent to 1839.

RUSH MEDICAL COLLEGE.

The act of incorporation for this institution was
drawn by Drs. Daniel Brainard and Josiah C. Good-
hue ; was passed by the Legislature ; and approved by
the Governor on March 2, 1837. The Chicago Amer-

FIRST RUSH MEDICAL COLLEGE.

ican of March 25, 1837, commenting thereupon, states
that "this act may be regarded as not the least of the
favors which Chicago has received at the hands of the
State. Being the first institution of the kind in Illinois,
or indeed west of Cincinnati and Lexington, it must
soon possess advantages of location which but few
medical schools enjoy. With such a situation, if it re-
ceive the fostering care of the public, cannot fail to be-
come an ornament and an honor to our infant city.
The benefits resulting from the establishment of literary
and scientific institutions in a community are very
great.

MEDICAL HISTORY.

465

The name selected, "Rush Medical College," seems
particularly appropriate. It is intended as an honor to
the memory of Benjamin Rush, that eminent physician
and illustrious patriot, whose name is so dear to every
American.

The following are the names of the trustees : Hon.
Theopholus W. Smith, Dr. J. C. Goodhue, Rev. Isaac
T. Hinton, Dr. John T. Temple, James H. Collins, Dr.
Edmund S. Kimberly, Justin Butterfield, Ebenezer
Peck, John H. Kinzie, John Wright, Henry Moore,

JL ^>U^£i-uX

William B. Ogden, John D. Caton, Grant Goodrich, E.
D. Taylor, all of Chicago ; Rev. Seth S. Whitman, of
Belvidere ; Hon Thomas Ford, of Oregon City ; and
the Governor, and the presiding officers of the Senate
and the House of Representatives, ex-offlcio members.
In October, 1843, an organization was effected, and on
the 24th of that month an announcement made that the
first annual course of lectures would commence Decem-
ber 4, 1843. and continue sixteen weeks. The faculty
were : Daniel Brainard, M. D., professor of anatomy
and surgery ; James V. Z. Blaney, M. D., professor of
chemistry and materia medica ; John McLean, M. D.,
professor of theory and practice of medicine ; M. L.
Knapp, M. D., professor of obstetrics. The ticket fees
are announced as sixty dollars ; dissecting ticket, five
dollars ; graduation fee, twenty dollars. The lectures
were delivered in two small rooms situated on Clark
Street. William Butterfield was the only graduate that
year ; an honorary degree being conferred upon Thomas
P. Whipple and upon John McLean.

In 1844 the college building was erected by John
M. Van Osdel, architect, at the southwest corner of
Dearborn and Indiana streets. It was constructed of
brick with stone facings and contained two large lecture

rooms, beside rooms for chemical, anatomical and other
demonstrations. Its cost was about $3,500.

The first lecture was delivered on December n,
1844, in the new edifice, and the formal opening oc-
curred on Friday, December 13, 1844; when, before a
large and cultivated audience, the Rev. R. \V. Patterson
offered a prayer appropriate to the occasion, and I >aniel
Brainard, president of the faculty, delivered an able
address. The Weekly Democrat of December 25, [844,
reviewing the opening exercises states : "Dr. Brainard,
indeed, may almost be said to be the founder of this in-
stitution, and he and our citizens generally may well be
proud of the intelligence and enterprise, which in so
short a time have erected a beautiful and costly edifice
dedicated to science, in which are already gathered
about forty students from our own and neighboring
States." The faculty in 1845 were Daniel Brainard, M.
D., professor of surgery ; Austin Flint, M. D., professor
of institutes and practice of medicine; G. N. Fitch, M.
D., professor of obstetrics and the diseases of women
and children ; James V. Z. Blaney, M. D., professor of
chemistry and pharmacy ; John McLean, M. D., pro-
fessor of materia medica and therapeutics ; W. B. Her-
rick, M. D., professor of anatomy. The directory for
1844 gives, in addition to the names of the four gentle-
men wjio were the first faculty of the incipient college,
A. W. Davisson, prosecutor to the professor of anatomy.

In 1846, the cabinets of morbid and general anatomy,
materia medica, mineralogy, etc., were enlarged and a
library of about six hundred volumes, for the conven-
ience of students, formed. On December 24, 1846, a
free dispensary was opened at the College, where advice
and medicine were gratuitously dispensed and surgical
cases treated and requisite operations performed with-
out charge.

On Wednesday evening, January 5, 1847, protoxide
of nitrogen (laughing gasi was first administered in the
presence of an audience, by Professor Blaney ; and
upon January 21, 1848, chloroform was first used as an
anaesthetic in surgery, the hypnotic agent being admin-
istered and the operation subsequently performed by
Dr. Brainard, assisted by Drs. Herrick and Blaney.

From October 28, 1847, to February 2, 1848, forty-
nine operations were performed by Dr. Brainard ; who
also performed the first recorded case of emasculation
during the session of 184Q-50,

In October, 1850, Dr. Thomas Spencer, resigned the
chair of the principles and practice of medicine, on ac-
count of ill-health, and the trustees of the College ten-
dered him the honorary appointment of emeritus pro-
fessor thereof in acknowledgment of their appreciation
of his valuable services.

The Gem of the Prairie, of November 10, 1850,
states that Mrs. Brockway, of Jonesville, Mich., arrived
in this city to attend lectures in Rush Medical College;
but no record is extant of this lady having become a
matriculate. In 1852, the name Emily Blackwell, of
Ohio, appears as a student of the session of 1852-53;
but in consequence of the misogyny of the State Medi-
cal Society, the liberality of the college faculty was un-
able to grant a second course of lectures to Miss Black-
well, and she subsequently graduated at a medical col-
lege in Cleveland, Ohio.

In the interregnum of the collegiate terms of
1854 and 1855, the College was rebuilt and its interior
remodeled and additional rooms were furnished for the
museum * and for post mortem examinations, the cost
of such alterations being about $15,000. This expense

* Prof. Daniel Brainard made:
deposited in the r

extensive collection in Europe, which he

466

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

and all others relevant to the institution, maintenance
and alteration of the college were sustained by the vari-
ous faculties of the institution: the faculty being, as Dr.
I. Adams Allen remarked. " privileged to pay all ex-
penses, after the manner of Mr. Pickwick and Messieurs
Snodgrass, Tupnian and Winkle ; and, like them, have
been subject to acrimony and animadversion as a re-
ward for their expenditure." The only donation that had
been made to Rush Medical College toward its estab-
lishment or support, was the lot originally given where-
upon the first college was erected. This fact is but an
additional evidence of the worthiness of the College to
be honored by Chicago citizens, for the faculty have,
from pure, disinterested love of their profession, devoted
their money, time, energy and intellect to enhancing the
profiency, and ability of the students of the college,
with the most flattering results to themselves as profes-
sors, and to the college as a medical alma mater.

The following table * exhibits the number of matric-
ulates and graduates during the several collegiate

years :

Years.

i?4.W4 22

1^44-45 46

[845H46 5^>

1846-47 70

1S47-4S 140

[848-49 100

1S49-50 104

85 51 125

[851-52 105

[852-53 108

1-53-4 122

[854-55 116

[855-56 150

1S56-57 116

|-l857-58 100

No. of Students.

William Butterfield was the son of the Hon. Justin
Butterfield, who is distinguished in the forensic annals of
early Chicago. After Mr. Butterfield graduated he
practiced his profession until February, 1847 ; on the 3d
of March of that year, being commissioned Second Lieu-
tenant of the United States Marine Corps, in which
capacity he performed service during the Mexican War.
During his stay in Mexico he became a confirmed in-
valid, from the climatic rigors. He resigned his com-
mission on May 1, 1858. On August 5, 1861, he was
commissioned Captain and Commissary of subsistence,
and was stationed at Hannibal, Mo., from the autumn
of i86[ until December, 1863 ; and at Rock Island, 111.,
during the year 1864, resigning his commission on
December 3, 1864. Subsequent to this period Dr.
Butterfield led the simple life of a private citizen,
dying on the 13th of January, 1878, aged fifty-seven
years.

The Chicago Medical Society has become com-
mingled, in the recollection of many of the early physi-
cians of this city, with that of Cook County Medical
St.i iety. Medical societies arose, endured for a brief
issed away, in the early years of Chicago's
existence, with such frequency that their nomenclature
even is lost to recollection : but the first society that
attained any prominence appears to have been the Cook
County Medical Society — of which Dr. Levi I). Boone
. -whose first meeting was held at the office
of the Chicago Insurance Company October 3, 1836.
Subsequent to this Society, and anterior to 1857, the only
one that achieved any protracted vitality was the Chi-

* .f Rush Medical College, for 1858-

ciety.
■ Twenty-fourth Annual Catalogue had graduate* differing in number
from chose apecified above, at follow* : 1846-47, 19; 1847-48. 30; 1848-49,18;
«849-5». 43 ; "«y>-5r, y ; '851-51, 37 ; ■855-5';, 4' ; '857-58, 37-

cago Medical Society,* that was inaugurated some time
during the first quarter of 1850 ; the first meeting
having been held in a room on Randolph Street, near
the corner of Clark, and was attended by a large num
ber the prominent practitioners of the city, among whom
were Drs. Daniel Brainard, Levi D. Boone, Brockholst
McVickar, W. B. Herrick, John Evans, Edwin G. Meek,
J. Herman Bird,* J. V. Z. Blaney, Samuel W. Ritchey,f
Philip Maxwell and Nathan S. Davis. At this meeting
a committee was designated to prepare a constitution
and by-laws, which was adopted at a subsequent
meeting of the Society, held April 5, 1850 ; whereat
officers were elected and the name of Chicago Medical
Society adopted. Dr. Levi D. Boone was the first
president of the Society, and Dr. John Evans was elected
delegate to the American Medical Association ; Dr.
Evans attending the annual meeting of this Associa-
tion in Cincinnati, in May, 1850, as representa-
tive of the Chicago Society. Dr. Davis states that
" Previous to the formation of this Society, the profes-
sion of the city had been so divided into rival factions
that many thought it would be impossible to secure suffi-
cient harmony of action to maintain a social organiza-
tion among the members. To show that there was
some reason for this opinion, I may mention that Dr.
Brainard and several others who participated in the pre-
liminary meetings, never attended a meeting after the
first election of officers. And before the first six months
had elapsed charges were preferred against a number for
unprofessional conduct : who, instead of submitting to
a trial in conformity to the by-laws, simply treated both
the charges and the Society with contempt, which caused
some others to abandon the meetings of the Society ;
and so lessened the number of the members who con-
tinued to attend, that after the second election of offi-
cers in April, 1851, no constitutional quorum could be
obtained."

Drs. Bird, Blaney, Boone, Davis, Evans, Herrick,
Meek, and two or three other physicians, continued to
hold meetings at stated dates each month ; although
the meetings partook rather of the character of patho-
logical sociables, than of autocrats of the medical pro-
fession, because of there being an insufficient number
in attendance to poll votes requiring the presence of a
quorum. The Society, though moribund, continued to
exist, consequent upon the fidelity and persistence of
these few gentlemen until the period for the annual elec-
tion of officers in April, 1852. Prior to this meeting
the secretary made strenuous efforts to convoke an ade-
quate number of physicians for a quorum for the elec-
tion of officers ; and to amend the by-laws so that a
smaller number than was therein designated would
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Despite the energies of the secretary and the convoca-
tion of the quasi-members, but an insufficient number
for the intent of the meeting were present ; and these
simply adjourned the Chicago Medical Society, and
immediately constituted themselves the Cook County
Medical Society ; elected a physician — who was pres-
ent, but who resided outside of Chicago — a member to
give it a semblance of a Cook County organization ;
elected Dr. Erial McArthur, president, and Dr. H. A.
Johnson, secretary ; adopted a few simple rules for the
government of the Society, and appointed Dr. Alonzo
B. Palmer, delegate to the National Medical Associa-
tion to convene at Richmond, Va., in the ensuing May. J

» " History of Chicago Medical Society," by Nathan S. Davis, M. D„ in
— "i of Society ; a scrutiny of said minutes having been afforded by Dr. Lis-

5-46.

that this meeting was held

HOMEOPATHS ,

467

The transfusion of the Chicago, into the Cook County
Medical Society, at this meeting, occasioned the an-
achronisms observable in the recitals of physicians as
to the date of inception of the Society. The meta-
morphosed Society held its stated monthly meetings,
whereat a gradual accession of attendance and interest
was observable ; and was annually represented by its
accredited delegates, at the meetings of the American
Medical Association and the Illinois State Medical So-
ciety, until September or October, 1858, when its mem-
bership included a large proportion of the active practi-
tioners of the city — especially those in their medical
youth. Being thus possessed of a civic clientele, that
presaged well for the influence, growth, and stability of
the Society, and the solitary member from the rural
district having died : it was deemed advisable to re-
change the name of the Society, to the Chicago Medi-
cal Society, as more expressive of the membership con-
stituting it, and also to identify it with the original or-
ganization of which the Cook County Society had been
a continuation. This was done by the unanimous voice
of the members at the regular meeting of the Society
held — presumably — in October, 1858.

Since that epoch the Chicago Medical Society has
maintained its entity with a mutative membership and a
corresponding degree of changeful success and prosper-
ity. But the regular meetings have been held and at-
tended to the manifest improvement of its members and
the advancement of their professional knowledge and
interests. The fire of 1871 made but a brief hiatus in
the sessions, as Dr. Nathan S. Davis — the sole sur-
viving, continuous member of the original body — invited
the Society to meet at his residence on Wabash Avenue;
after which the Society met in a court-room, that re-
mained tenantable, in the partially incinerated court-
house ; until more suitable and commodious quarters
could be procured, during which period the growth of
the Society, the professional skill and talent of its mem-
bers and the beneficent influence exerted have made a
notable mark in the medical annals of the city.

In September, 1857, the German Medical Society of
Chicago was organized ; with William Wagner, M. D.,
president ; E. Schmidt, M. D., vice-president, and
George D. Schloetzer, M. D., secretary.

The State Medical Society was first organized at
Springfield, June 4, 1850, and Chicago received its meed
of recognition by William B. Herrick, M. D., then pro-
fessor of anatomy and physiology in Rush Medical Col-
lege, being elected president, and Edwin G. Meek, M.
D., being appointed one of the secretaries.

HOMEOPATHY.

The discovery of homeopathy, as a distinctive spe-
cialty of medical practice, is conceded to Samuel Hahne-
mann, who became a systematic pathological heresiarch
about 1810. But however ancient the phrase or system,
its disciples have increased from the days of Ferdinand
L. Wilsey — the first convert to homeopathy in the
United States, in 1826 — until now they are numbered
by thousands.

The history of homeopathy in Chicago may be sum-
marized in two words — effort and success. In any de-
parture from an accepted dictum, the schismatic en-
counters intense opposition ; this, the homeopathists
have encountered, and their status at the present day is
a stronger, more unerring and satisfactory testimonial
than any eulogium that could be penned ; and this suc-
cess has been achieved notwithstanding the fact that in
the ranks of the adherents of any novel tenet or dogma,

charlatans Hock to the newly raised standard and

the disciples with disc red it because "i thi ir disreputable
practices; which are as possible in a new body of med-
ical practitioners, as of troops — merely from defi
organization.

David Sheppard Smith, to whom belongs the honor-
able title of " Father of Western Homeopathy," arrived
in Chicago in .May, 1836; a graduate from thi Ji
Medical College in Philadelphia, ol the class of [836;
and thus enjoys the honor of being the oldest medical
practitioner now living 1883 in this city. Dr. Smith
became convinced of the verity of the homeopathic
practice in 1837, and pursued a further course of med-
ical investigation. After unsuccessfully treating liis
oldest child according to the regular school, and achiev-
ing its cure by homeopathic treatment, early in 1843,
he became a firm enunciator of the " similia similibus
curantur" creed. In 1842, Dr. R. E. W. Adams came
to Chicago, and became associated in the mi
practice with Dr. Smith ; and, after the latter gentleman
embraced homeopathy, l>r. Adams also became a con
vert. In August, 1843, Dr. Aaron Pitney arrived in
Chicago, and this triumvirate were the earliest homeop-
athists of this city.

Dr. David Sheppard Smith was born in Camden.
N. J., on the 28th of April, 1816, and is the son of
Isaac Smith, of Salem County, in that State. The
immediate ancestors of Dr. Smith's mother were Welsh,
and manifested in a high degree, the tenacity of pur-
pose, determination of character and healthful physique
that are characteristic of that nation. To these inher-
ited qualities Dr. Smith united laborious and painstak-
ing industry, and early exhibited intense desire for the
best moral and intellectual culture; the first he received
from his mother ; the latter he obtained by persevering
application. At the age of seventeen he entered the
office of Dr. Isaac S. Mulford, as a medical student, and
attended three courses of lectures at the Jefferson Medi-
cal College in Philadelphia; graduating from that justly
celebrated school in 1836. In 1837, he returned to
Camden, N. J., to visit his parents; and, at that time,
became a catechumen of the Hahnemann school, and
the investigations he pursued resulted in his embracing
the tenets of this branch of medical science in 1843;
Dr. Smith having returned to Illinois in 183S. The
success that has attended his practice has been equaled
by the advancement he has made in the scientific and
social circles of Chicago. A man of great natural en-
dowments, of sterling integrity, of comprehensive benev-
olence and undiscriminating humanity; the poor of the
city learned the name of David Sheppard Smith as one
whose heart was open to their appeals, and whose medi-
cal skill was always exercised to the healing of their
diseases; — and this, too, at a time when the influential
and wealthy made constant demands upon his services
as a physician. His unremittent professional labors
have twice necessitated the temporary relinquishment of
his practice; the first time in 1856, when he removed to
Waukegan ; and the second in 1866, when he visited
Europe. Dr. Smith married Miss Rebecca Ann Dennis,
of Salem, New Jersey, in 1836. Four children resulted
from this marriage, two of whom survive; one, Mrs.
Whitehead, wife of Major F. F. Whitehead, V . S. A. ;
and the other Mrs. J. L. Fly, of New York City. Dr.
Smith was president of the board of trustees of the
Hahnemann Medical College from its inception: and
had conferred upon him, by the Homeopathic Medical
College of Cleveland, an honorary degree in [856. In
1857 he was elected general secretarj of the American
Institute of Homeopathy; and. in [858, was selei ted as

468

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

president, and in 1865, as treasurer, of this national in-
stitution of physicians: and the conferring of these hon-
ors on this typical Chicago physician are but a fitting
tribute to him.

Dr. John Taylor Temple, to whom reference is
made elsewhere in this chapter, became a convert to
homeopathy about 1S42. under the tutelage of Dr. D.
S. Smith, and commenced practicing at Galena, that
year. Dr. Temple was born in Virginia in 1804, and
married the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Staughton (who
delivered the address of welcome to General LaFayette
at Castle Garden, in iSj2\ when he was about twenty-
two years old. His eldest daughter, Leonora M. Tem-
ple, is the widow of the Hon. Thomas Hoyne. Three

other daughters — Elizabeth, Marcella and Josephine —
are living, as is one son, John Howard Temple. About
1S45. Dr. Temple made the overland trip to California,
a difficult journey in those days, and deemed almost
as venturesome as a voyage to find the survivors of an
Arctic exploration would be now. In the very early
days of Chicago's history the Doctor, during his pere-
grinations, discovered copper in the Lake Superior re-
gion; excavated three sections of earthwork of the Illi-
nois & Michigan Canal ; and, with John M. VanOs-
del, applied new machinery for pumping water in the
wi >rks of the canal. Dr. Temple was a proficient geol-
ogist, botanist and chemist, and had one of those com-
prehensive and discriminative minds that instinctively
descry the salient points of any topic or project. He
was a restless, earnest, indefatigable worker, and what-
ever he did, he did with all his might; whether it was
an anatomical demonstration, or duck-hunting; the lat-
ter amusement being a favorite one with the Doctor, he
being an ardent devotee of the rod and gun. His life
was an example to the men of his time; his death a loss
to the scientific professions, and the society wherein he
lived.

James Sterling Beach, who was a printer during
the early days of Chicago, determined on abandoning the
stick for the scalpel; and, in 1843, commenced reading
medicine with Dr. Aaron Pitney. In July, 1846, Dr.
Beach commenced practicing, somewhat before his
course of study had qualified him to do so — according
to the Doctor's statement — but in any case of undecided
diagnosis he submitted the point in question to his pre-
ceptor, and acted according to his decision. It is per-
tinent to remark here, that Dr. Beach's strong point in
his medical career has been the unfailing accuracy in
diagnosing the diseases of his patients. One other fact

^^s^^c

remains to be stated, in connection with his early entry
into the ranks of practicing physicians, that he was
compelled to fill a hiatus in the corps of physicians
occasioned by so many of them being sick with typhoid
fever, when that disease was epidemic in 1846. Dr.
Beach was born in Detroit, Midi., February 24, 1826,
and came to Chicago in July, 1838; was married to

Miss Helen M. Stone in September, 1847; practiced with
Dr. William Pierce, at 53 Randolph Street, in 1849;
and was elected Coroner in 1854; completed the term
of James Andrews, as Sheriff, in 1856 ; and graduated
from the Cleveland Homeopathic College the class of
1856-57. After Dr. Beach commenced the practice of
medicine he abandoned all literary pursuits, either in
the manufacture of " copy " or its transmutation to the
"galley" ere it sailed before the public as printed mat-
ter. The Doctor has an extensive practice ; and his
cheery, jocund manner enlivens a sick-room fully as
potentially as his skill alleviates the suffering of his
patient.

The other homeopathic practitioners of early Chi-
cago, who achieved reputation in their profession and
remained in the city, are: George E. Shipman, Henry
Kirke White Boardman, D. Alphonso Colton, Gay-
lord D. Beebe, Nicholas Francis Cooke, Reuben Ludlam
and Alvan Edmund Small. There were, of course,
many other practitioners, but they only coruscated for
a brief period in the homeopathic orbit.

Henry Kirke White Boardman came to Chicago in
the fall of 1846, and practiced medicine according to
the old school until 1851 ; when he became a homeop-
athist. He was a graduate of the Jefferson Medical
College of Philadelphia, and was a student of the cele-
brated Dr. Mutter. The distinguishing feature of Dr.
Boardman's practice was his surgery ; in this branch he
had few compeers. He was married ; and died about
1874.

Gaylord D. Beebe was born May 28, 1835, at Pal-
myra, Wayne Co., N. Y. His father was a farmer in
rather indigent circumstances ; and being unable to pro-
vide the means to furnish his son with a liberal educa-
tion, the latter determined upon leaving home and en-
deavoring to gratify his thirst for knowledge. In this
project he was opposed by his father, and sustained by

^^^Qt-t^L^^

his mother — a noble Christian woman — and acting upon
her advice and following his own intense desire, Dr.
Beebe, at the age of seventeen, attended the Genesee
Wesleyan Seminary ; studied hard and worked harder
in laboring for farmers and teaching school during va-
cations, and, by economy, not alone paid for his tuition
but saved enough money to support himself while study-
ing medicine. He pursued his medical studies for one
year in Rochester, N. Y., and then entered Albany
Medical College. During his occupancy of this institu-
tion he read medicine with Dr. Pratt, a leading homeo-
pathic physician. He pursued a full course of study at
the Albany College and graduated with great credit.
He then went through his complete curriculum at the
Homeopathic School of Medicine at Philadelphia; grad-
uating therefrom in 1857 ; subsequent to which he
settled in Chicago, and very shortly afterward was as-
sociated in homeopathic practice with Dr. A. E. Small ;
a conclusive evidence of his medical proficiency. At
the outbreak of the Civil War, President Lincoln com-
missioned him as brigade surgeon, but when he pre-
sented himself before the State Medical Board for ex-
amination for this military position, they declined cate-
chising him, simply because he was a homeopathist.
Dr. Beebe then went to Washington, carrying with hjm

HOMEOPATHY

469

a numerously-signed petition, asking for the appoint-
ment of a homeopathic surgeon, and the action of the
officials there rendered his application a species of test
case. Dr. Beebe procured an order from President
Lincoln, decreeing that he should be examined, and
presented himself before a board imbued with preju-
dice, not alone against homeopathy, but against Dr.
Beebe individually. His examination was consequently
unusually rigorous, but his scientific knowledge was
equal to the occasion. He triumphantly underwent the
ordeal, and received his appointment as brigade surgeon.
He was assigned to the command of General Hunter in
Kansas, and while on duty there was once arrested by
some Federal troops who mistook him for the celebrated
Quantrell. He occupied several important positions
upon the medical staff, until — when medical director of
the Fourteenth Army Corps — he was compelled to resign
on account of ill-health, in April, 1863, superinduced
by unremittent labor and over exertion. Dr. Beebe
then returned to Chicago and resumed his civic practice,
continuing therein until 1868, when his chronic cardiac
affection recurred, and compelled the relinquishment of
his practice, until 1874, when he resumed his office
practice only, which he continued until the hypertrophy
and dilatation of the heart, with which he had been so
long afflicted, prostrated him in his last sickness in
April, 1877; from which disease he died on the nth day
of that month. Dr. Beebe was married in 1863, to Miss
Mary Brewster, of Erie, Penn. Dr. Beebe was a close,
earnest and aggressive student in applying medical ex-
pedients that commended themselves to his reasoning
faculties. He was the first to use sulpho-carbolate of
sodium as a preventive in scarlet fever; and although
he made no claim to the discovery of this agent- as a
prophylactic, yet the world is indebted to him for its
primary appliances, and the initial step to demonstrate
the efficacy of this substance. Dr. Beebe was also the
first to introduce the method of torsion in ovarian dis-
eases, in place of the old clamps and ligatures. As a
surgeon he was probably unexcelled in the profession,
and the success that attended his intestinal operations
is a matter, of surgical emulation to the present day; one
distinctive feature of such surgery being his fortuitous
use of disinfectants to preclude gangrene. He made
a special study of this class of drugs, and contended to
the day of his death that carbolic acid was a sovereign
remedy for cancer, but that the danger attendant upon
its use was such as to prevent its general adoption.
The successful utilization of phenic acid, however, has
demonstrated that the jeopardy was principally attribu-
table to the chemical impurity of carbolic acid, and has
revived and strengthened the claim Dr. Beebe originally
made. His most successful operation was one per-
formed upon a Mrs. Childs, of Lee Centre, 111., and was
one wherein strangulated hernia had produced mortifi-
cation of the abdominal viscera. In the operation a
large quantity of the viscera was excised ; and in com-
menting upon this phenomenal case, that medical au-
thority of the world, the London Lancet, said, " that
since this operation life was never to be despaired of
under any circumstances." An affectionate and just
tribute is paid to him by Dr. N. F. Cooke, in the dedi-
cation of his work, " Antiseptic Medication : " " To the
memory of Gaylord D. Beebe, the great surgeon whose
genius foretold all that is herein demonstrated ; this
book is dedicated, by his life-long friend and co-labor-
er, the author."

The names of the gentlemen that have been cited
are not to be considered as embracing all of Hahne-
mann's followers who have flourished in Chicago, but

only as those who have become fused into the history
lit homeopathy in this city. They formed tin- medii al
Macedonian phalanx that penetrated opposition, that
received the brunt of the affray; and the survivors "f
which little coterie now enjoy the merited fruits of their
perseverance and earnestness of purpose. They are
a hardy, working assemblage of pugnacious patholog-
ical pioneers, and, like the pilgrim fathers of Mrs. lb-
mans, "have left unstained what there they " formed :
freedom to practice medicine according to the convic-
tions of the individual.

One obstacle encountered by the new school can be
discerned by reading the following open letters thai ap-
peared in the Northwestern Journal of Homeopathy
for October, 1850 :

Dr. Shipman: During the session of 1849 and 1S50 I at-
tended a course 01 lectures at the Rush Medical College in Chi-
cago, and was desirous of attending the ensuing course, and receiv-
ing the honors of the College, as I should have been entitled lo do
had none but the ordinary tests of qualification been applied In me.
But wishing to have the matter fully undestood previous to sei 111 ing
tickets for another course, I addressed the following to the Secre-
tary of the faculty, and received the accompanying reply :

St. Charles, 111., September 12, 1850.
Dr. N.S.Davis — Sir: I am a homeopathist from a conviction
of the truth of the principles and the efficacy of the practice of
homeopathia. With these views, will you graduate me if I com-
ply with the ordinary requisitions of the faculy?
Yours, etc.,

M. DANIEL COE.

Chicago, September 16, 1850.
Mr. Daniel Coe — Dear Sir: I am directed to inform you
that the faculty of Rush Medical College will not recommend
you to the trustees for a degree so long as they have any reason to
suppose that you entertain the doctrines, and intend to trifle with
human life on the principles you avow in your letter. To do other-
wise would involve both parties in the grossest inconsistency,
Very respectfully yours,

N. S. DAVIS,
Secretary of the Faculty of Rush Medical College.

There is no need of recounting the various arguments
used pro and con relative to this correspondence ; it
demonstrated, however, that homeopathists could not
graduate from Rush Medical College ; and the fact
must have been apparent to them of the necessity for
a college of their own, where the adherents of the
homeopathic school could pursue the requisite course
of study and graduate as doctors of medicine. To dis-
cuss the necessities of the new school of medicine, a
homeopathic convention was convened, and the Gem of
the Prairie thus commented upon the science whose ad-
herents were about to assemble : " That although old-
school practitioners at first regarded the 'infinitesimal
philosophy ' as a delusion, and that it was still regarded
by the great body of them as a system of quackery, it
had gained a strong position, and was growing daily,
both in this country and in England. In fact, it recog-
nized homeopathy as something which could not be
ignored or sneered out of existence."

A preliminary meeting was held at the office of
Messrs Skinner and Hoyne,* at the corner of Lake and
Dearborn streets, on June 3d, 1851. Prof. L. Dodge, of
Cleveland, was called to the chair, and Dr. T. G. Ci lin-
stock, of St. Louis, appointed secretary. The special de-
sign of the meeting was announced to be the formation of
a Western homeopathic association. A committee on
credentials was appointed, consisting of 1>. S. Smith,
M. D., Chicago; L. M. Tracy, M. D., Milwaukee, and
George E. Shipman, M. D., Chicago, who presented the
following resolution as a basis of the action of the con-
vention:

•Hon. Jonathan Young Scammon, Hon. William B. Ogden and Hon.
Thomas Hoyne were among the earliest of the homeopathic I

47°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

["hat those present shall be considered members of
this convention who have conformed to the' existing medical insti-
tutions of the country, or who have been engaged in the practice of
medicine live years, (being avowed believers in, and practitioners
of. homeopathy. I or who shall have passed an examination before
the committee

This resolution was passed, and. under its provisions,
the following gentlemen were reported by the commit-
tee as qualified to seats in the convention: Lewis
Dodge. M. D., Cleveland; T. G. Comstock, M. D .. St.
Louis: H. C. Foote, M. D., Galesburg; A. Giles, M. D.,
Southport. Wis.: Or. M. D. Coe, St. Charles; Dr. A. P.
Holt. Lyndon: Dr. William Vallette, Elgin; Dr. W. C.
Barker. Waukegan: D. S. Smith, M. D., Chicago; L. M.
Tracy. M. D.. Milwaukee: George E. Shipman, M. D.,
Chicago.

The convention met at Warner*s Hall on the follow-
ing day. and Dr. I. S. P. Lord, Batavia; John Granger,
M. D.. St. Louis: Thomas J. Vastine, M. D., St. Louis;
Prof. Charles D. Williams, M. D., Cleveland; John
Wheeler. M. D.. Cleveland; M. S. Carr, M. D., Peoria;
Dr. X. Clark Burnham, Peoria; E. H. Kennedy, M. D.,
Galena: D. T. Brown, M. D., Waukesha; G. W. Critten-
den. M. D.. Janesville; E. H. Clapp, M. D., Farmington,
were reported to the convention and elected members
thereof. By-laws and constitution were drafted and
adopted and the " Western Institute of Homeopathy "
thereby created. The following officers of the Institute
were then unanimously elected: L. M. Tracy, M. D.,
Milwaukee, president; D. S. Smith, M. D., Chicago; T.
G. Comstock, M. D., St. Louis; Lewis Dodge, M. D.,
Cleveland, and A. Giles, M. D., Southport, vice-presi-
dents; George E. Shipman, M. D. Chicago, secretary.
On the evening of June 5, Prof. Lewis Dodge delivered
an address before the Institute and a public audience.

The antagonism between the two medical schools
remained quiescent, until the friends of homeopathy
considered that official recognition was due the practi-
tioners thereof, and on March 14, i857,apetitionnumer-
ously signed by prominent citizens of Chicago, was
presented to the Common Council, requesting that
some portion of the new City Hospital might be allotted
to the homeopathic physicians, for the treatment of
patients according to their school of practice. The pe-
tition was referred to the Board of Health, and this
body, upon July 9, 1857, appointed two medical and
surgical boards for the City Hospital, constituted as
follows:

Allopathic Board: — Consulting physicians: Drs. N.
S. Davis and G. K. Amerman; physicians and surgeons,
Drs. R. N. Isham, John Craig, DeLaskie Miller, W.
Wagner, J. P. Ross, George D. Schloetzer.

Homeopathic Board: — Consulting physicians: Drs.
A. E. Small and A. Pitney; physicians and surgeons, Drs.
H. K. W. Boardman, Reuben Ludlam, D. Alphonso
Colton, S. Seymour, X. F. Cooke, George E. Shipman.

To the first board, three-fourths of the hospital were
allotted ; to the latter board, one-fourth. But the des-
ignation " Allopathic Board " caused a perfect Pan-
dora's box of discussion and objection. The regular
physicians objected to being (.died a board of " other
disease-" alios, other; pathos, disease); and also to
practice with those whom they classified as irregular
practitioners. Correspondence abounded ; pamphlets
were proline; the Cook County Medical Society de-
nounced the homeopathists, perhaps a little " ex cath-
edra ; " and the homeopathists erected bulwarks of sta-
tistical facts against which the darts of the regulars
hurtled harmlessly ; one pamphleteer getting rather
! because of a Hellenic typographical error. In
fact, the Montagues and Capulets of the medical pro-

fession had a decided tourney, and the Board of Health,
unable to discern any way of bridging the pathological
abyss and of acceding to the petition referred to them,
took refuge in inaction; and the hospital remained, not
alone unprovided with physicians, but without furniture.
The Common Council also evaded the issue by declar-
ing the city too poor to make the expenditures requisite
for the establishment of the hospital, and then, in 1858,
leased the building to some " regular " physicians, who
established therein a public hospital, cared for the
county poor and gave clinical demonstrations, princi-
pally to the students of Rush Medical College. In
1863 the General Government confiscated the building
and transformed it into a general hospital, with Surgeon
Brockholst McVickar in charge, and with George K.
Amerman and J. P. Ross, as acting assistant surgeons.
The hospital was shortly afterward changed in its scope
of treatment, and soldiers afflicted with ophthalmic or
auricular diseases were alone received there; Dr. Joseph
S. Hildreth being in charge; the hospital remaining
under his administration until the close of the civil war,
when it became the DeMarr Eye and Ear Hospital;
subsequent to which it became the County Hospital.

Homeopathic Pharmacy. — The first homeopathic
pharmacy was established by Dr. David Sheppard
Smith, at his office, in 1844. The rapid growth of
homeopathic practice necessitated the establishment of
a depot in Chicago, and Dr. Smith procured a supply
of the medicines of this school, which he furnished to
his brother physicians as required. The pharmacy was
an unpretentious affair, but was fully adequate to the
purpose for which it was designed; enabling the homeop-
athic practitioners to prescribe "secundum artem," for
their. patients. About 1854, Dr. Reuben Ludlam be-
came associated with Dr. Smith, and the business
amounted to several thousands of dollars annually. In
1856, Dr. George E. Shipman started a pharmacy at 94
La Salle Street, but the management was, shortly after
its inception, transferred to C. S. Halsey, who removed
the pharmacy to 108 Wells Street, and associated with
him Benjamin Cowell, Jr. No homeopathic dispensary
appears to have been regularly established before the
year 1858.

The first Homeopathic Hospital was established in
1854, by Dr. George E. Shipman, at 20 Kinzie Street, a
little east of State; the funds being supplied by private
subscription. The impetus to the founding of the hos-
pital was given by Madame Wright, who promised Dr.
Shipman $1,000 a year toward the maintenance of the
hospital, if it was established. Dr. S. W. Graves, a
homeopathic physician, was among the first of those
who died in the hospital; he being seized with the
cholera while in attendance upon his patients and, hav-
ing neither intimate friends nor relatives in the city,
went to the hospital. Of this physician it is authori-
tatively stated, that, in the unremitting exercise of his
duties among those afflicted with the cholera, he went
almost without sleep for fourteen nights and partook of
the merest snatches of food, taken irregularly; and thus
from the enfeebled condition of his constitution, fell an
easy prey to the disease; a martyr to his profession. In
January, 1855, Mrs. Peter Nelson, assumed the position
of matron of the institution, which she retained until its
close. In the commencement of May, 1855, a species
of " ex post facto " organization of the hospital was
made by a meeting of homeopathic physicians, held at
the office of Dr. 1). S. Smith, on LaSalle Street, near
Madison; the site of which office is now occupied by
the Mercantile Building. At this meeting J. H. Dan-
ham was president, Dr. 1). S. Smith, vice-president, and

HOMEOPATHY.

47 1

Dr. George E. Shipman, secretary. The following gen-
tlemen were elected to attend the patients at Dr. Ship-
man's hospital: Physicians: George E. Shipman, 1). S.
Smith and Reuben Ludlam.

Surgeons: H. K. W. Boardman and L. A. Douglass.

The following gentlemen were also appointed a
Board of Directors; J. H. Dunham, Hon. J. M. Wilson,
Hon. Norman B. Judd, Orrington Lunt, J. S. Doggett,
Dr. D. S. Smith, Dr. George E. Shipman, George A.
Gibbs, William H. Brown and Thomas Hoyne.

In addition to the physicians thus appointed, and
who took monthly tours of service in the performance
of their duties, a large proportion of the other homeop-
athic physicians, then in the city, attended the patients,
and so successful was this exercise of their skill, that of
three hundred and twenty-one patients treated in the
twenty-eight months prior to the closing of the hospital,
but nine died; and of twenty-seven small-pox cases,
clinically treated, but one terminated fatally, and this
case was the first admitted to the hospital.

Upon the death of Mrs. Wright, her trustees could
not recognize the verbal arrangement made with Dr.
Shipman, and the homeopathists of those days being
but a small fraction of the population of the city, the
treasury became depleted. A vain effort was made by
the attending physicians to tide over the financial
dearth by contributing $500 of their own sparse funds,
the rent of the hospital also having augmented from
nothing to $1,000 per annum. Dr. Shipman therefore

determined upon its suspension, and on May i, 1857,
the hospital was permanently closed.

Hahnemann College. — As recounted in the history

of homeopathy, the urgent need for a homcop.itlu.
college was early experienced by the practitioners "i
that science, and David Sheppard Smith determined
on supplying the want. Accordingly, in 1853, a
draft for a charter was sent to a member of the Legisla-
ture of this State, in whose hands it failed of fruition.
Dr. Smith then went to Springfield and endeavored to
find the missing charter, contemplating making a per-
sonal effort to secure its legalization, but the charter
was nowhere to be found. Meeting Hon. Thomas
Hoyne, Dr. Smith explained the predicament, and Mr.
Hoyne took the Doctor to the law-office of Abraham
Lincoln, where Dr. Smith drafted a new charter, and
exerted himself to achieve its passage; which was ac-
complished in January, 1855. The trustees under the
act of incorporation were: D. S. Smith, M. D., Hon.
Thomas Hoyne,* Orrinton Lunt, George A. Gibbs,
Joseph B. Doggett, George E. Shipman, M. I)., Hon.
John M. Wilson, William H. Brown, Hon. Norman B.
Judd, and J. H. Dunham. The trustees upon organi-
zation installed J. H. Dunham, as president; I > S.
Smith, M. D., as vice-president, and George E. Ship-
man, M. D., as secretary and treasurer.

* Dr. Smith and Mr. Hoyne were de facto the Hahnemann College for

many years, but the infusion of new material into the board, gave it an

sion of modern vitality, and imparted the vigorous growth it now enjoys.

THE DRAMA, MUSIC, LITERATURE AND ART.

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

To mock reality with puny show ; to counterfeit
emotion, and enact such scenes as thrill the human
heart, are means of recreation from the constant theme
of how to gain subsistence, as old as history. The
monarch and the serf, the savage, the savant, — all
grades which go to make the total sum of social life,
find entertainment in dramatic art.

It is gratifying to record that the first systematic
venture in the way of diversion, by the residents of
Chicago, was of an intellectual character. During the
winter of i S3 1-32 a debating society was formed by
the few white men then in this section, most of whom
were located at the fort. Col. J. B. Beaubien was
chosen president of the society. There is no record of
the transactions of this body preserved, and mention
can be here made only on traditionary statement.

The little band of pioneers who braved the hard-
ships of life in a new country, depended upon their own
resources for entertainment. Charles Cleaver, who
came to Chicago in 1833, remarks:

" Some of the young folks would like to know what
amusements there were, and how we spent our evenings.
The storekeepers played checkers, while waiting for
customers, and, after closing, played cards. Those
religiously inclined went to prayer-meeting at least once
a week. Then when boarders and travelers were satis-
fied as to the inner" man in the old Sauganash hotel,
Mark Beaubien would bring out his fiddle and play, for
those who wished to trip the light fantastic toe. To be
sure, there were no theatres, no concert-halls, or read-
ing-rooms. * * * The fact is, in the winter of 1833-34,
amusements of any kind were few and far between,
although we made the most of what there were."

In 1834 instructive and entertaining meetings were
held by the Chicago Lyceum, although those assemblies
partook but slightly of the nature of amusements.

The first public entertainment given by a profes-
sional performer in Chicago, and to which an admission
fee was charged, took place February 24, 1834. Read-
ers will observe that this statement conflicts with several
historical sketches already published, but our proof is
indisputable. The information is gained from the Chi-
cago Democrat, which was established November 26,
1833. In its issue of February 18, 1834, appeared the
following advertisement:

EXHIBITION.

" Joy hath its limits. We but borrow one hour of mirth from
months of sorrow."

The ladies anil gentlemen of Chicago are most respectfully
informed that Mr. Dowers, Prof esseur tit Tours Amusant, hasarrived
in town and will give an exhibition at the house of Mr. D. Graves
on Monday evening next [February 24].

I'ART FIRST.

Mr. Bowers will fully personate Monsieur Chaubert, the cele-
brated Fire King, who so much astonished the people of Europe,
and go through his wonderful Chemical I'erformance. Hi- will
draw a red hot iron across his tongue, hands, etc., and will partake
of a comfortable warm supper by eating fire-balls, burning sealing-
wax, live coals of fin: and melted lead. lie will dip his fingers in

melted lead, and make use of a red hot iron to convey the same to
his mouth.

PART SECOND.

Mr. Bowers will introduce many very amusing feats of Ventril-
oquism and Legerdemain, many of which are original and too
numerous to mention. Admittance 50 cents, children half price.
Performance to commence at early candle light. Seats will be re-
served for ladies, and every attention paid to the comfort and con-
venience of the spectators. Tickets to be had at the bar.

The scene of this entertainment was the hostelry of
Dexter Graves, known as the Mansion House, and
located at Nos. 84 and 86 Lake Street.

The next performances of which any record is pre-
served were given at the Travelers' Home, a hotel kept
by Chester Ingersoll, on Wolf Point, during June, 1834.
A traveling showman named Kenworthy announced,
through the Democrat of June 10, the conclusion of his
Chicago engagement in these words :

Mr. Kenworthy (the ventriloquist) respectfully requests t!ie
honor of a parting interview with his Chicago friends on Wednes-
day evening, June 11, at " Bromback Hall," better known as the
Travelers' Home. He will be at home at 7 o'clock r. M., and will
offer for the amusement of his visitors his whims, stories, adven-
tures, etc., of a ventriloquist, as embodied in his entertaining mon-
ologue of the Bromback Family.

During the next two years it is probable that profes-
sional showmen visited Chicago, as Bowers and Ken-
worthy did, but we have been able to find no direct
proof of the presence of such men.

On Wednesday, September 14, 1836, the town was
thrown into a fever of excitement by the arrival of the
first circus, which was under the management of Oscar
Stone, who was somewhat famous as an equestrian. An
eye-witness of that notable event relates :

" They pitched their tent on Lake Street. * * Just
west, and adjoining, stood the old New York House
* * a two-story building, with eaves to the street, in
the style of country taverns of those days. * * In the
rear stood its large barn, which was a necessary attach-
ment to a hotel in Chicago at that time. As the circus
tent stood a little way back from the street, it was near
the barn, which was made use of as a convenience for
passing the horses to and from the tent. The circus —
I think it was called ' The Grand Equestrian Arena ' —
was not so extensive as Barnum's, nor did it have
separate tents for horses or anything else. But the per-
formance was wonderful. One rider, by the name of
Stone, was put forward by the management as the
greatest living equestrian ; and so he was, for aught the
boys knew. In fact, we believed it implicitly. Mr.
Stone, in closing the performance, would appear in In-
dian character. This was very thrilling ; at least the
advertisements said so. But the redeeming feature of
the show — that upon which we dwelt with ever-
recurring pleasure and satisfaction — was the singing of
' Billy Barlow,' in costume."

The Chicago American of September 17, 1836, said :
"A traveling circus has been some days in town, and is
doing a fair business. It commenced Wednesday (Sep-
tember 14) and has been crowded to suffocation every
afternoon and evening since. The length of time the
company will spend with us depends upon patronage."

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

473

An admission fee of twenty-five cents was charged,
and the youth of Chicago exercised the customary
shrewdness in compassing the all-important end of se-
curing the necessary sum daily. The exhibition was
continued for several weeks.

The American of November 5, 1836, remarked :
"The Boston Arena Company have been exhibiting
since last Tuesday (November 11, to crowded houses. It
is the best establishment we have ever seen traveling
the country." On referring this item to old residents,
it is ascertained, with as great a degree of certainty as
is possible to attain when memory alone is relied upon,
that this circus was the same as that previously men-
tioned, though under another name, and perhaps with
increased attractions. One who attended the perform-
ances recalls the fact that two anaconda serpents were
exhibited, being the first animals placed before the
public in Chicago by professional showmen.

The fire of 187 1 swept from existence nearly all of the
the records, public and private, which had been gradually
accumulating from the date of the founding of the city.
Encountering such a grave calamity at the very outset
of our work, it is not possible to proceed with the
measure of detail, or the preciseness of statement,
which usually characterizes historical methods. Among
the irreparable losses was the destruction of a private
diary kept by J. H. McVicker from the commencement
of his dramatic career, and which, were it now avail-
able, would be invaluable in this connection. Relying,
therefore, upon newspaper files and scanty official rec-
ords, and, where these fail, upon that most treacherous
of all aids, human recollection, the task of preparing an
historical sketch of the drama in Chicago is under-
taken.

As fortune would have it, among the papers stored
in the original vault of the City Hall, prior to the con-
flagration, were a few of the applications for licenses
desired by theatrical managers and showmen, covering
a period of nine years from 1837. The despised vault
proved to be the only compartment worthy of the name.
The tempest of flame assailed its walls in vain, and
from the ruins there were dragged forth a few faded
papers, which now possess a double historic value.
They are not only originals of early official documents;
they are the few originals that passed the ordeal of
October, 1871, and still exist.

By virtue of the restrictions contained in the char-
ter of 1837, those persons who wished to give public
entertainments were obliged to obtain a license, and pay
for the privileges appertaining to the franchise a sum
determined upon by the Common Council.

The first application presented to the Council for
permission to entertain a Chicago audience with dra-
matic performances is here quoted from the original
document:

" Chicago, May 29, 1837.

' ' To His Honor, the Mayor, and Members of the City Council:
— We, the undersigned (Messrs. Dean & McKinney), managers of
the Eagle-street Theater, Buffalo, N. Y., humbly petitition [sic] that
you will grant a license (or permite) [sic] to open a theater in some
suitable building within said city, for the term of one or more
months, as the business may answer — the sum affixed for license to
be per week or for the season — to commence from the time of the
opening of the theater. Yours respectfully,

"DEAN & McKINNEY,

"per E. R. Trowrridgf., Agent.

" The object of this early application is to form an estimate of
the Natural Expense of Bringing a company to this place.

" D. ,\: McK.,

"E. R. T."

A memorandum upon this document reads: "Granted.
$100 per year." It will thus be observed that the

Council ignored the request in ->i.ii»- the sum demanded
"per week or for tin- season." It was manifestly the
purpose of Messrs Dean & McKinne) to remain in
Chicago but a short time, as an expedient to till a sum-
mer date, and tin- amount demanded for a license was
so great that, coupled possibly with the heavy expense
of bringing a company from Buffalo, the managers
determined not to undertake the hazardous experiment.
Messrs. Dean & McKinney never brought a company
to Chicago, and on the authority of an old resident, we
state that Mr. McKinney managed a theater in Detroit.
Mich., during the year 1S37. It is not probable that he
then visited Chicago in any capacity. Mr. Dean was
here several years later, as will be shown, though not
as a manager of a local theater. No money was paid
into the city treasury by the firm referred to, and the
first license authorized was never issued.

Second upon the list of applications stands the fol-
lowing-

" To the honorable More and Common Counsel of the City of
Chicago : The petition of the undersigned subscriber "f the city of
Chicago respectfully represents — that your honorable body t"
grant him a licens to arect a Show of flying Horses for amuse-
ment and excise to all who may wish to patronise the same and
your petitioner further says that it will be conducted in quiet and
decent manner and therefore prays that your honorable body will
grant the same.

"City of Chicago, June 6, A. D. 1837.

" Clark S. Brown.
Indorsed: " License granted 1 yr. $50."

It is but just to the memory of Mr. Brown to state
that it must have been an unconscious association of
ideas, and not an intentional disrespect to a high func
tionary, which caused the lapse from the established
rules of orthography, in the style and method of his
address. There is no positive proof that the stand of
flying horses was erected, although the prospective
profits of such a venture were sufficient to induce a
competitive application for a license by George Sigsby,
whose promise that "no immorality shall be permitted,"
was not potent enough to command even passing com-
ment by the Council. Mr. Sigsby's petition bears no
memorandum of official action.

The fourth petition varied the nature of the amuse-
ment by introducing living equines; but, on the strength
of memory alone, it is asserted that the extremely high
license demanded prohibited the grand entrance of this
circus into Chicago. The application reads thus:

" To the Hon. the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Chicago: —
The petition of J. N. Eldred showeth that it is the intention of
your petitioner to open for exhibition in the city of Chicago a circus
and menagerie, whereof he is proprietor, and therefore prays yout
honorable body to grant a license therefore. Your petitioner would
call the attention of your honorable body to the circumstances of
your petitioner being unable from the peculiar nature of his estab-
lishment to remain long in any city, and therefore prays the license
may be granted to him weekly. And your petitioner will ever
pray, etc. "J. X. El.DRED,

"Agent, H. Eldred.

" 26th June, 1837."
Indorsed: " Granted by paying $20 per week."

Not daunted by the misfortunes of their fellows, an-
other firm made overtures at the shrine of authority.
The next petition reads :

"We the proprietors of the New York Arena do ask of the
Mayr of the city of Chicaugo his honor for a permishion '
our Exhibition consisting of Natural & Artificial Curiosities to-
gether with acts of Horsemanship in the City of Chicaugo.

"August 15, 1837.

" Messrs. Hoadley & Latham.
Indorsed: " Granted at $100 per month.

" Granted August 27, 1S37."

This fee could not be paid by the manager, in the
then existing financial condition of the Arena, and it

474

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

wended its way hence without enlivening the youthful
element of Chicago.

The First Theater. — A period is reached when
the transient glories of the primitive arena, and even the
giddy pleasures of the thing horse, pale before the
dawning lights of the dramatic art. Chicago, then a
city seven months old, was deficient in that essential
feature of metropolitanism — an established place of
amusement. The auction-room on Dearborn Street,
where not only merchants but politicians and citizens
generally most did congregate, no longer supplied a
satisfactory degree of entertainment: and when, October
i 7. 1837, two venturesome men, Isherwood & McKenzie,
announced their intention to open a theater, the propo-
sition was hailed with approving demonstrations. A

an entry certifying to the payment of the sum, and
demonstrating the sanguineness of the managers.

rhe only available building in Chicago at that time
was the historic Sauganash Hotel, that famous edifice
wherein so many weary pilgrims found rest and refresh-
ment. The building stood on the southeast corner of
Lake and Market streets, a locality convenient alike to
transient sojourner and permanent resident.

In September, 1837, the proprietor of the hotel, John
Murphy, moved into his new house, on the west side of
the river, leaving the Sauganash tenantless. The spa-
cious dining-room, wherein so many noted men had
feasted upon the bounties of Mrs. Murphy's well-spread
board, stood silently inviting. The managers were
quick to take advantage of the opportunity to secure

^ \,

Copyright secured by A. T. And

THE SAUGANASH HOTEL.
Where the first Dramatic Performance in Chicago was held.

literal copy of the petition presented to the Council,
praying for a license to conduct a theater, is here given:

" The subscribers respectfully petition the Hon. the Mayor
and Council of the city of Chicago for a license to perform plays in
the city of Chicago. They respectfully represent that this estab-
lishment is intended to afford instruction as well as amusement;
that they are encouraged and patronized by the leading portion of
the inhabitants of the city, who art: interested in their success; that
they prop lain here during the winter, and that, conse-

quently, they make no calculation to receive more money in the city
than what they shall expend during their stay, and they trust that,
in affixing a rate for license, these facts may be taken into con-
I in vw ood & McKenzie.

" Chicago Theater, October 17, 1-17.

" The petitioners request this license for six months, if agree-
able to the Board."

nrring in this request, the Council fixed the
rate of license at Si 25 yer year. This exceeded the
amount deemed just and reasonable by the applicants,
who protested, though without avail, against so burden-
some a tax. 'I he treasurer's report, however, contains

this house, and soon transformed the banquet-hall
into a temple of dramatic art. Crude and uncomforta-
ble as the appointments were, the entertainments given
there possessed a charm which even modern tastes could
not easily find reason to disparage ; for where acces-
sories fell short, the merits of the actors supplied a
compensation for deficiencies. Those were the days
when action alone, and not display by carpenter or
scenic artist, held the public firm in its approval of the
drama. Men judged of genius by the actor's power to
portray human interest by force of intellectual strength.
The room was not a model of theatric beauty. At
one end yawned a chimney, through whose open mouth
the fire roared a .welcome to the coming guest, and
cheered the hearts of tired travelers, as, with quickened
pace, they sought the genial warmth within. The house
was built for entertainment of another sort, it is true,
but ingenuity transformed the hall into a cosy play-
room. Rough seats and chairs, upon the level floor,

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

175

where all men met in a spirit of equality ; rude scenery,
and smoking lamps — these were the most conspicuous
characteristics of the furnishings. The censorious critic
of to-day, who frowns disdainfully upon anachronisms
and rails at the paucity of realistic effect, had no coun-
terpart here in 1837. A play was a play, and so that
the comedy was broad and the drama well enacted, what
cared the audience if the same interior served for kitchen,
parlor, palace-hall, the. same wood scene did duty as a
lovers' rendezvous and gloomy den whereto the villain
lured his unsuspecting victim ? When the lights burned
low, it was because an agile boy blew out the tallow-
dips, or deftly dropped the row of lamps beneath the
stage. What if the atmosphere was rank with smoke ?
It was but a foretaste of the city's air to-day. Here the
drama had its birth, and here, obscured by the dust of
half a century, lie facts which cannot be exhumed.

The exact date of the opening night is not remem-
bered, but as the petition was written October 17, which
in 1837 fell on Tuesday, the inference is reasonable that
the house was inaugurated prior to the close of the
month. The first play produced is also a matter of

HARRY 1SHERWOOD.

doubt, but "The Idiot Witness," "The Stranger" and
"The Carpenter of Rouen " were given early in the sea-
son. The bill was changed nightly.

It is stated that the capacity of the room was about
three hundred, and the admission fee charged was
seventy-five cents. The principal members of the com-
pany were H. Leicester, leading man ; T. Sankey, old
man; J. S. Wright, walking gentleman ; Mr. Isherwood,
scenic artist, and Mr. McKenzie, utility ; Mrs. Ingersoll,
leading lady, and one of the best actresses ever belong-
ing to a Chicago stock company ; Mrs. McKenzie, wife
of the proprietor of the theater, and a lady of rare abil-
ities ; Madame Analine, danseuse and actress ; and

Master Burk, juvenile parts and fancy dancer. There

were, perhaps, others in tin- company, whos

forgotten. An evening's performance con

of a drama and a farce, and sometimes as many a
pieces were given. The curtain was lilted usuall) al
half-past seven, and was rarelj dropped until the ap-
proach of midnight. Play-bills were printed on sheets
of coarse paper, about six b) twelve inches in size, and
distributed throughout the town 1>\ carriers. Not one
of these is extant.

It cannot be stated how long this season continued ;
but it is known that the theater was not k. pi open
longer than six weeks. The company then proceeded
on a tour through the. South, possibly turning eastward
as the winter advanced.

The old Sauganash Hotel, wherein the drama had
its birth, was destroyed by fire March 3, [851. The
house was occupied at that time by I'.. F. Foster.

Harry Isherwood is still living 1XX4, and until
within five years or so was employed as principal scenii
artist at Wallack's New York theater. In a letter ad-
dressed to J. H. McVicker the veteran says :

New York City, December 10, 1883.
Mr. J. H. McVicker,

Dear Sir: — Your letter directed to Wallack's, dated November
30, did not come to hand until five days ago. I am no longer
under the employ of Mr. Wallack, having quitted him five years
ago. It would be very gratifying to me to aid your wishes in
giving you an account of our doings during our stay in Chicago.
Many years have rolled away, and unfortunately I possess a scant
knowledge of what occurred at that time. In 1S37 I arrived in
Chicago, at night, and was driven to a hotel in the pelting rain.
The next morning it was still raining. Went out to take a view of
the place. A plank road, about three feet wide, was in front of the
building. I saw to my astonishment a flock of quail on the
plank. I returned to the hotel, disappointed at what 1 saw of the
town, and made up my mind that this was no place for a show. I
told my landlord of my intention to return, but he advised me not
to do so, and gave such a glowing account of what our success
would be that he induced me to remain. We wandered, next day,
all over to find a place that would answer my purpose. None was
to be found. At length some one hit upon a place that would do. It
was a queer-looking place. It had been a rough tavern, with an
extension of about fifty feet in length added to it. It stood at
some distance out on the prairie, solitary and alone. I arranged
with the owner, and painted several pretty scenes. I then wrote to
Mr. McKenzie, and he came. We opened either in November or
December.* I have no recollection of that opening. The company
consisted of Messrs. Sankey, Childs, Wright and others. A young
Irishman, who made one of the party, became very unruly, and I
was obliged to tell him to go. He replied: "Where can I go,
with Lake Michigan roaring on one side and the bloody prairie
wolves on the other?" The ladies of -the company were Mrs.
Ingersoll and Mrs. McKenzie. Of the plays, I can remember but
one — "The Stranger." When the season was concluded, we took
to the prairie, visiting most of the towns in the interior ; returned
to Chicago in the spring, and fitted up a new place. It was in the
street leading to a bridge. Joseph Jefferson and his wife, with
young Joe, joined us here. All else is mere oblivion. 1 must con-
clude this rambling epistle by saying, with King I.ear, " You do
me wrong to take me from the grave." I am eighty year- o) age.

///fWv*> j^W^"?

The Rialto. — The next authentic record carries
this narrative onward to the spring of 1N3X, at which
period the drama in Chicago assumed a more distinctive
form. The experimental season proved a satisfactory

* Mr. Isherwood's memory must be at fault. T: granted in

476

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

one to the managers, and they concluded to return to
this place, with the intention of establishing' a perma-
nent theater. In April Isherwood & McKenzie petitioned
the Council as follows:

" Chicago, April 2S, 1838.
Srt; Intending to resume our theatrical amusements
in your citv, we would respectfully solicit the action of your honor-
able body in reference to a license, granting us the privilege to
and fret our [year] upon the stage,' for one year from and
after the 1 2th day of May, A. D. 1S3S. Intending (subject to your
decision on this point) to make ourselves the permanent residents
of your city, we have, at much expense and trouble, commenced
the adapting and fitting up of the upper portion of the ' Rialto '
(.1 room thirty by eighty) as a theater ; and intend to fit it up in
such a manner as to reflect credit upon our infant city. We trust,
under all the circumstances of the case, the license will be made as
moderate as is consistent with justice. We should like, if possible,
the exclusive privilege, but do not urge it. The early action of
your body on this subject is respectfully requested.
" We remain, gentlemen,

" Your obedient servants.

" Isherwood & McKenzie."

The building- referred to was a wooden structure,
erected in 1833 or 1834, by John Bates, for an auction-
room. Prior to 1838 this place was used by various
parties as an auction-room. According to J. M. Han-
nahs, " It was at the very center of business and resort ;
the only bridge on the main river being at that time at
Dearborn Street, and one of the principal hotels, the
Tremont House, being on the same block. The only
eating-house, the City Refectory, as it was called, was
on the east side of the street, nearly opposite the
theater ; and the auction-rooms, which, as before stated,
were, previous to the establishment of this theater, the
only place of amusement in the town, were in the im-
mediate neighborhood. Above all, there was adjoining
the theater the famous ' Eagle,' kept by Isaac Cook,
which was the resort of politicians ; and as every man
was. in those days, a politician, it will be readily under-
stood that the theater was at the center of gravity."
Dr. Egan, the wit of the company, named the place
the " Rialto," for obvious reasons. Thus, it will be seen,
that although the Sauganash was the birthplace of
dramatic art in Chicago, the Rialto was the nursery of
the muse, and from within the walls of that historic pile
issued the infant's feeble wails as it struggled for exist-
ence. The building stood on the west side of Dear-
born, Xos. 8 and 10, between Lake and South Water
streets, and was "a den of a place, looking more like a
dismantled grist-mill than a temple of a/iybody. The
gloomy entrance could have furnished the scenery for a
nightmare, and the lights within were sepulchral enough
to show up the coffin scene in ' Lucretia Borgia.' But
for all this, those dingy old walls used to ring some-
times with renderings fine enough to grace grander
Thespian temples ; though there was a farce now and
then somewhat broader than it was long." So wrote
that genial critic, Benjamin F. Taylor, when subse-
quently commenting on those early days.

Manifestly the public quite agreed with Mr. Taylor
on the subject of the Rialto as a theater site, for no
sooner had the action of Mrssr-.. Isherwood & Mc-
Kenzie been made known than the following remon-
strance was sent to the Council :

"To the Honorable the Common Council of the City of Chicago :
Your petitioners would represent to your honorable body that they
have understood that a petition is pending before your honorable
body for the license of a theater, to be held and maintained in the
room of the Rialto, which is a wooden building, and surrounded
by wooden and combustible buildings. Your petitioners would
further represent that theaters are Bubject to take lire, and [are]
believed to be dangerous on that account to property in their
vicinity, and that insurance cannot be obtained on property in their

vicinity, except at greatly advanced premiums. And your peti-
tioners do solemnly protest against the granting of such license to
keep a theater in such building, and thereby endangering the prop-
erty and lives of your petitioners.
"Chicago. May 1, 1S38.

J. Young Scammon, William Osborn,

E. G. Ryan, Joseph L. Hanson,

Henry Brown, O. H. Thompson.

Thomas R. Hubbard, Curtis Haven,

I. R. Gavin, William Jones,

Erastus Brown, Mahlon Ayers,

C. Beers, William H. Adams,

H. B. Clarke,
Walter Kimball,
Alanson Follansbe,
King, Walker & Co.,

A. X. Fullerton,

B. F. Knapp,

E. S. Kingsbury,
S. Burton,
Lewis N. Wood,
A. Farnsworth,
E. S. Brown,

J. Ballard,
William H. Taylor,
E. K. Rogers,
Tuthill King,
Nelson Tuttle,
G. W. Merrill,
T. H. Woodworth,
J. A. Smith,
B. W. Raymond,
Giles Spring."

The matter was referred, by the Council, to a spe-
cial committee, consisting of Messrs. H. L. Rucker, Eli
B. Williams and Grant Goodrich, who were empowered
to decide upon the propriety of issuing a license.

Grant Goodrich submitted a minority report, in
which he forcibly expressed his opposition to the new
theater. The basis of this antagonism was. primarily,
the unsuitableness of the Rialto as a public hall, located
as it was " in one of the most compact blocks in the
city, composed chiefly of wooden buildings." Life was
endangered on every occasion when an audience assem-
bled within the fragile walls, and the enhanced liability
to fire by the production of theatrical spectacles caused
added apprehension of peril. But the objection which
Mr. Goodrich urged more strongly, if possible, than
the material danger, was the menace to the moral wel-
fare of society by the permanent establishment of a
theater in the city. He believed "that the ten-
dencies of the performances of modern theaters were
grossly demoralizing, destructive of principle," and
that they " were the nurseries of crime." He regarded
the project as an alarming assault on the stronghold of
youthful rectitude ; and while expressing favorable ap-
preciation of the benefits to be derived from the pres-
entation of Shaksperean plays, and the classical drama
generally, he considered the likelihood to baser plays
sufficiently potent in the controlling mind to justify the
withholding of a license. The city treasury was, he
admitted, in a condition to call for increased revenue,
but no necessity was stern enough to offer a compen-
sating excuse for this process of raising funds.

A majority of the committee, however, viewed the
subject in a different light, as is shown by the appended
report :

" To the Mayor, etc : The committee to whom was referred
the petition of Messrs. Isherwood & MacKenzie, relative to the
establishment of a theater in the city of Chicago, have examined
into the subject, and a majority beg leave to report : that it is in-
expedient, in examining into the subject referred to, to enter into
an inquiry of the morality of the drama in general, or of its moral
tendencies in this community. The moral world has long been
divided on the first proposition; and your committee have no doubt
but that such performances are approved by a large majority of the
citizens of Chicago. It is true that the committee are advised that
some opposition is made to the prayer of the petitioners, in conse-
quence of the proposed locality of the theater; and should the sub-
ject be brought before the Council in a proper manner, your com-
mittee would feel bound to examine the subject, and give it such de-
cision as the same demands ; but in the subject referred to them,
the committee see nothing to warrant an examination into the
questions not involved in the matter before the Council. Your
committee, therefore, would recommend that the prayer of the peti-
tioners be granted and that they be licensed, under such restrictions

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

477

as the nature of the case may require; and that th,T license be fixed
at the sum of one hundred and twenty-five dollars [per year].

"II. L RuCKER.

" Eli B. Williams.

"Committee. "

Acting upon the judgment of the majority report,
the Council granted the license prayed for, dating it
from May 20,1838 ; but the tax imposed on the managers
was fixed at $100, instead of the sum recommended by
the majority of the committee.

Fortified by this official indorsement, Messrs. Isher-
wood & McKenzie fitted up an auditorium in the Rialto,
with boxes, gallery and pit, supplying seatings for about
four hundred persons. The stage furnishings were im-
provements on those of the Sauganash Theater, but
they were scarcely worthy of commendation. Dropping
the title Rialto, the place was renamed "The Chicago
Theater," and a stock company of actors was employed,
several of whom have since attained distinction in the
profession.

The oldest copy of a play-bill we have been able to
discover (a reproduction, not an original) is that which
was issued on the occasion of a benefit tendered Mr.
McKenzie by the citizens of the place. It is interesting
particularly because of the names appended to the
letter, showing who were then lovers of the drama and
friends of the pioneer in dramatic art, as well as be-
cause of the company roster, which probably includes
the entire list.

Alexander McKenzie was an educated gentleman,
as his letter of acceptance proves. He was devoted to
the profession of his choice, and regarded his mission
here as one far above the mere acquisition of wealth.
The tone of the correspondence evinces a profound re-
spect for him on the part of the public, and his reply
conveys to us an impression of his real merit as a man,
and of his conscientiousness as a manager.

"To Alexander McKenzie, Esq., — Sir: The undersigned
citizens of Chicago, entertaining a high estimate of your private
worth and of your efforts to establish a theater in this city, which
should recommend itself to public regard by the combination of
amusement and instruction which it presents ; and believing that in
no theater in the Western country can a company be found more re-
spectable in private life or more excellent as actors, than in the one
under your charge, and feeling that, in this respect, as well as in
the judicious selection of plays, you have contributed essentially to
the pleasure and amusement of the public, desire that before you
leave this city you will afford them an opportunity to testity their
regard for you by appointing an evening for a benefit for yourself.

H. L. Rucker, I. B. F. Russell,

J. M. Strode, F. Peyton,

B. S. Morris, Thomas Hoyne,
S. Abell, J. Allen,

J, Curtiss, George Kercheval,

R. J. Hamilton, A. A. Humphrey,

E. "D. Taylor, N. B. Judd,

Nathan Allen, Charles E. Avery,

Mark Skinner, H. G. Loomis,

Julius Wadsworth, Thomas J. Dunkin,

H. Loomis, Tames A. Cox,

T. R. Hubbard, Clifford S. Phillips,

N. A. McClure, R. P. Woodworth,

S. T. Otis, F. Faxton,

J. M. Smith, W. H. Davis,

A. Garrett, E. S. Kimberly,

J. B. Hussely, P. Nichols,

G. A. Beaumont, E. Manierre,

C. H. Blair, W. Wright,

G. Hungerford, Thomas Davis,

Charles Walton, S. S. Bradley,

W. Mason, Frederick Baily,

A. V. Knickerbocker, R. Gloss,

J. Jay Stuart, D. W. C. Allen,

Hiram Pearsons, H. O. Stone,

John Calhoun, C. T. Stanton.
"Chicago, October 3, 1838."

"To Messrs. Rucker, Sii; t, MORRIS, etc.:— Gentle-
men: I have the pleasure Co acknowledge the receipt of a highly
complimentary letter addressed t" me by my fellow-citizens of Chi-
cago, in which I am requested to name an evening 1
on which my friends may have an opportunitj ol proving their re-
gard for what thej are pleased to term the histrionic ability and
correct deportment of myself and company.

" I will not deny, gentlemen, that in assuming the highly
responsible situation that I now occupy, I have strained
nerve so tocomport myself that my conduct should appear void ol
offense before my fellow-men. I have endeavored, so far as lay in
my power, to present such plays as have a virtuous and moral ten-
dency, inculcating sentiments thai are calculated to rouse the love
of what is noble, and the contempt of what , basi ind mean.
Looking upon the stage as the standard of our literary taste, the
model of our public oratory, and the pride of our national amuse-
ment. I have allowed no pecuniary consideration to deter me from
securing a company of comedians whose public reputation would
be the surest guarantee that their conduct in private would nevei
give the lie to the sentiments they nightly utter. I consider a good
actora very useful member of society; ii" he succeeds in uniting in
the bosoms of hundreds a sympathetic admiration of virtue, abhor-
rence of vice, or derision of folly, his task is no mean one, when
performed with ability. To do this he must have an eve to look
upon nature with the poet and the painter; a mind that will enable
him to discover the lights and shades of character in mankind; his
knowledge of the world must be that of experience, his manners
those of a gentleman, his acquirements above mediocrity.

" If in my endeavors to establish the drama in the State of
Illinois, I have gratified my patrons in this city, I am amply re-
paid; and let me assure them that their kindness has fallen upon a
heart that is like the wave to receive and the marble to retain the
impression.

" In conclusion, allow me to name Thursday evening the iSth
inst., for my benefit, if that night will coincide with the views of
those friends who have so kindly interested themselves on the occa-
sion. I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant,

"Alex. McKenzie.

" Chicago Theater, October n, 1838."

With characteristic generosity, the company no
sooner learned of the public desire to compliment Mr.
McKenzie than they united in tendering their services
on that occasion. In behalf of the company the follow-
ing note was transmitted to the beneficiary:

"Chicago Theater, October 10, 1838.
" Mr. McKenzie — Sir: Having been informed that the citi-
zens of this place propose testifying their respect for the ability
with which you have conducted the interests of the theater, by a
complimentary benefit, the members of your company avail them-
selves of this opportunity to express their sense of your gentle-
manly conduct as a manager, and the kindness they have received
at your hands, by respectfully tendering their gratuitous services on
the above occasion. Allow us to congratulate you on the able
manner in which you have surmounted your many difficulties. In
conclusion we sincerely hope that prosperity may ever attend the
establisher of the drama in the ' Far West.'

" Yours truly, H. Leicester,

" (i. C. Germon,
" T. Sanki.v,

" For the Company."

On the evening of the benefit performance. Mr.
McKenzie issued the following play-bill:

CHICAGO THEATER.
Mr. McKenzie's Benefit.

MR. McKENZIE
Respectfully announces that, in compliance with a wish very gene-
rally expressed by his fellow-citizens of Chicago, he is induced to
announce his Benefit, which will take place on

Thursday Evening,

October 1 8, 1838,

When will be presented Sir E. L. Bulwer's play, in ; acts, entitled

THE LADY

OF

LYONS!

( >r, Love„and Pride.

Claude Melnotte Mr. Leicester.

Beausant Mr. Warren.

Glavis Mr. < Sermon.

478

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Col. Damas Mr. Sankey.

Deschappelles Mr. Wright.

Caspar Mr. Burk.

Officer Mr. Watts.

Pauline Mrs. Ingersoll.

Madame Deschappelles Mrs. Jefferson.

Widow Melnotte. Mrs. Ak-Kenzie.

After the play. Master J. Jefferson will sing the comic
song of

"Lord Lovel and Lady Nancy."

Mr. Germon will sing for the first time

" The Hunters of Kentucky."

The evening's Entertainment to conclude with, first time here,
THE TWO FRIENDS.

Ambrose Mr. Sankey.

Herbert Mr. Leicester.

Valentine Air. Warren.

Elinor Mrs. Ingersoll.

Rose Mrs. McKenzie.

The curtain will rise at 7 precisely.

The box plan is in charge of Mr. W. H. Davis (at the store of
Mr. Hatch on Lake Street), who has consented to act as treasurer
on this occasion, where seats and tickets may be procured.

The name of Mrs. Germon does not appear in the
foregoing bill, but that lady, then a bride and only sev-
enteen years of age, was here in 1838.

The Jeffersons were the parents of Joseph Jeffer-
son, famous now for his impersonation of " Rip Van
Winkle," and characters in standard comedy. The
elder Jefferson and his wife were, it is needless to ob-
serve, among the foremost actors of the time.

In a letter addressed to Manager J. H. McVicker,
bearing date Christmas, 1882, written from St. Louis,
Joseph Jefferson, Jr., gave these facts:

•• My father and his family arrived in Chicago, by
way of the lakes, in a steamer, somewhere about May,
in the year 1838. He came to join Alexander Mc-
Kenzie my uncle; in the management of his new the-
ater. * * * The new theater was quite the pride of the
city, and the idol of the manager ; for it had one tier
of boxes, and a gallery at the back. I don't think the
seats of the dress-circle were stuffed, but I am almost
sure that they were planed. The company consisted of
H. Leicester, William Warren, James Wright, Charles
Burk, Joseph Jefferson, Thomas Sankey, William
Childs, Harry Isherwood, artist, Joseph Jefferson, Jr.,
Mrs. McKenzie, Mrs. Jefferson (my mother), Mrs. In-
gersoll and Mrs. Jane Germon. I was the comic singer
of this party, and ' small first villager ; ' now and then
doing duty as a Roman senator, at the back, wrapped
in a clean hotel sheet, with my head just peering over
the profile banquet tables. I was just nine years old.
I was found useful as Albert, Duke of York. In those
days the audience used to throw money on the stage,
either for comic songs or dances. And, oh ! (with that
thoughtful prudence which has characterized my after
life how I used to lengthen out the verses. The stars
during the season were: Mrs. McCluer, Dan Marble,
and A. A. Adams. Some of the plays acted were:
■ Lady of Lyons,' • The Stranger,' ' Rob Roy,' ' Damon
and Pythias,' 'Wives as they Were,' and 'Sam Patch.'
£ The city then had from three thousand to four
thousand inhabitants; and I can remember following
my father along the shore, when he went hunting on
what is now Michigan Avenue." * * *

It is probable that the season began on or about May
20, but as Chicago was then unable to support a theater
during the quiet months of winter, when transient cus-
tom was light, the company ceased its labors soon after
Mr. Kenzie's benefit. The company was taken to other
towns, an itinerant season being indulged in. William
Warren states that they visited Galena, Alton, and sev-
eral places, traveling in open wagons. The weather
was severe, and the rides were far from comfortable.
During the winter of 1838-39 no theater was main-
tained here. In those days " stars " traveled without
companies, depending on stock support.

A circus performance was licensed by the Council
October 3, 1838, on the application of John Miller &
Co. A tax of $5.00 per night was imposed.

There is no mention of further dramatic entertain-
ments by the local papers until the spring of 1839. The
Daily American of April 17 editorially observed:

" Alexander McKenzie, Esq., the former worthy and
enterprising manager of .the theatrical company which
have heretofore exhibited in this city, with so much
credit and. general satisfaction, has obtained a license
from the Common Council to start his theater again, on
payment of $75, provided no fireworks are allowed in
his theatrical exhibitions. We think that the special
committee who reported in favor of the license have
shown good sense and a practical philosophical view of
such matters. We are aware that theaters are obnoxious
to a respectable and intelligent part of every community,
but they are permitted, and must be permitted, on the
ground of general expediency, if for no other reason."

The sentiment against theatrical performances was a
pronounced bar to financial success at that time, for the
fickle goddess of fashion did not ordain the propriety
of general attendance. It was not deemed wholly
proper for ladies to attend, and patronage came largely
from the transient element of society, which was at-
tracted here during the summer months by the induce-
ments for speculation.

In the issue of May 13, 1839, the American pub-
lished an announcement that Messrs. McKenzie & Jef-
ferson, who had succeeded to the business of Messrs.
Isherwood & McKenzie, were then on their way to Chica-
go, with a " popular " company, to spend the summer
months, if sufficient encouragement was extended them.
Mr. Jefferson, the elder, was then the stage manager,
and to his skill and admirable judgment is attributed
the prosperity, or at least the artistic excellence, of the
season of 1839. Quoting from the American of May 13,
it is ascertained that the firm possessed " a substantial
and pleasant theater in this place, and one is erecting in
Galena, to be completed in the fall. When theaters are
conducted so as 'to shoot folly as it flies,' if they are
not always successful in their design ' to raise the genius
and to mend the heart,' they still perform a valuable
service in a very pleasant manner; and people will, in
spite of cynics and moralizers to the contrary, lend them
the light of their countenance."

On the 19th of August, 1839, the American stated
that " Mr. Jefferson, the worthy actor, is now in Chi-
cago, preparing entirely new scenery, and otherwise fit-
ting up and improving the theater building for the ar-
rival of the [Illinois Theatrical] Company. * * It is
expected here in a short time, to remain during the fall,
for the entertainment of the theater-going public."

The American of August 30 said: "The Illinois
Theatrical Company re-open their theater in this city
next Saturday night [August 31], with new scenery and
decorations. The stock company we consider unsur-
passed either in the East or West. The entertainment

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

479

begins with Coiman's operatic piece, ' The Review, or
the Wag of Windsor,' and closes with the farce of ' The
Illustrious Stranger, or Buried Alive! ' "

The season opened auspiciously, and merited com-
mendatory notice in the American of September 3:

" The Chicago Theater, under the polishing skill of
Mr. Jefferson, appears in a new and beautiful dress — ■
newly and neatly painted and provided with a complete
change of fresh and tasteful scenery. The appropriate
motto, ' For useful mirth and salutary woe,' which looks
down over the drop-curtain upon the auditory, conveys
an idea of the useful tendencies of the legitimate drama.
The company have now come here from the South,
somewhat debilitated and depressed by sickness, but for
the two nights of their performance in the city have sus-
tained themselves, under the circumstances of the case,
with remarkable spirit and general satisfaction. The
interesting melodrama of ' The Warlock of the Glen,'
and the farce of ' The Midnight Hour,' went off last
night with admirable effect, to a respectable audience.
Mr. A. Sullivan, a new actor on our boards, acquitted
himself in a very creditable manner, as the noble War-
lock, and bids fair to be a popular actor and a valuable
accession to the company. Mr. C. L. Green, also a
new actor on our boards, performed the character of
Scotch Andrew, the fisherman, in the place of Mr. Will-
iam Warren, who was prevented from appearing
through indisposition. Mr. Green, being called upon
unexpectedly to sustain this new part, acquitted himself
in an admirable manner. As a comic actor and singer
he is also a valuable addition to the company. * *
Mr. McKenzie, the manager, deserves much credit for
his liberal and ambitious efforts to increase the attrac-
tions of his theater."

The foregoing editorial comment is interesting in a
double sense, as it preserves in authentic manner the
names of several gentlemen afterward more or less
famous in the profession, and as it is the first newspaper
critique of a dramatic performance in this city. Crude
and stilted though it be, it is the precursor of a dis-
tinctive department of newspaper work which to-day
commands attention and respect throughout the
country.

Charles L. Green, the gentleman referred to, was an
actor of sterling merit, and a man of noble traits. He
subsequently became a popular comedian, and was an
active member of J. B. Rice's company. During the
cholera epidemic of 1849 he was seized with that ter-
rible disease, and died in this city.

It is evident that the American not only appreciated
dramatic art, but also entertained advanced opinions
concerning the mission of the stage. September 5 its
editorial page contained, in all the dignity which dwelt
in large type, an enunciation of its views, and a com-
parative statement of facts, which is indicative of pub-
lic sentiment at that time. It said :

" This evening is to be performed the highly inter-
esting drama ' Isabelle, or Woman's Life,' to conclude
with ' The Spectre Bridegroom, or A Ghost in Spite of
Himself.' Between the performances Mr. Greene C.
Germon will sing 'Rory O'More,' a very good song and
very well sung — in fact, we think it a better song than
even the celebrated 'Lass O'Gowry.' Why do not the
fair ladies of our city lend the theater, occasionally, the
light of their countenance ? The play of ' Isabelle, or
Woman's Life ' this evening will give them a fair and
appropriate opportunity. There is a police in attend-
ance, whose duty it is to preserve strict order and deco-
rum in the theater. If the ladies are waiting for fash-
ionable precedents, we will inform them that at Spring-

field, in this State, the theater was attended generally
by the beauty and fashion of the fair sex, and b) th<
gentlemen of the place of .ill official dignities, from
Judges of the Supreme Court down. 'I his has bi
case, we believe, also in other places of the State, at St.
Louis and in the East. The theater at Springfield pre-
sented not a tithe of the inducements for attendance
of the Chicago Theater. There the seats were of
rough boards, without backs to them, and there were no
divisions into boxes, etc., but still the theater was al-
most nightly crowded. Here is an example set by the
capital of the State. It we believed that the tendency
of the legitimate drama, as being exhibited in this 1 ity,
was demoralizing, corrupting or injurious, we would be
among the last to recommend it to the favor of the pub-
lic. But we believe the exhibitions to exert no injuri-
ous influence, but on the contrary they afford an inno-
cent and instructive recreation. We are in favor of
having everything suppressed in a play which is calcu-
lated to suffuse a blush over the cheek of genuine and
unaffected modesty, or to call forth the coarse laugh
and disgusting applause of those wl ose vulgar tastes
are best pleased with obscenities. For this reason we
are opposed also to the habit of throwing out, extem-
poraneously, obscene witticisms which, while they catch
the laugh of some, are very offensive to ladies and gen-
tlemen in their attendance, and which, by keeping away
the ladies and the more respectable portion of the gen-
tlemen who would attend, deter more from than they at-
tract to the theater. We like always to see wit, whether
legitimately in the play or happily introduced on the spur
of the occasion, but we want it to be chaste, and salty
enough to preserve its purity. These remarks are all
dictated for the best interests of the theater, and we
trust will have that effect."

These indirect allusions to a weakness, too prevalent
in the early days of the drama, indicate that even the
excellent comedians of the Illinois Theatrical Company
sometimes forgot the more delicate obligations of their
calling; but the most noteworthy clause in the article is
that which proves that Chicago did not then regard the
theater as a fashionable place of amusement. But the
advice of the local journal was not without effect, as
will be seen in the following extract, of September 7 :

"The first night of Mr. Dempster's engagement —
the celebrated vocalist from the Nobility Concerts,
London, New York and Philadelphia — went off last
evening to a large and highly delighted audience.
' Dear Land of my Birth.' 'John Anderson, my Jo,'
etc., were exquisite songs, exquisitely sung, to piano
forte accompaniment. * * The performances of the
evening were generally capital. The laughable comedy,
' Simpson & Co.' was played with admirable spirit and
success. We doubt whether Madame La Trappe has a
better representative on any American board than Mrs.
Jefferson. * * Master Jefferson sang a comic song in
which he won silver, if not golden, opinions." * *

It was customary in those days to manifest approval
by throwing money on the stage. The compan) was
composed of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jefferson, Master
[oe Jefferson, Mrs. Ingersoll, Mrs. Mi K.en \ Sulli-

van, C. L. (.Teen, William Warren, T. Sankey, Mr. and
Mrs. G. C. Germon, H. Leicester, Mr. Mason, Mrs, Mc-
Kenzie and Mrs. McCluer.

September 14 witnessed the first presentation ol
" Oliver Twist," with Mrs. Germon as Oliver; Mr. War-
ren as Bill Dawkins as the part was then (ailed. Mi
Sankey as Fagan and Mrs. McKenzie a- Nam y. The
American spoke w. irmly of the performance, and re-
marked that the "front seats and boxes were lighted up

4S0

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

with the beauty and smiles of the fair sex." Thus, it
will be seen, the potent influence of the press, when
directed as a medium to demonstrate the fashonable-
ness of the theater, worked marvels in one short week.
No longer were the actors dependent upon the flaring
footlights for illumining encouragement. The smiles
and beauty of the fair sex brightened the scene and
cheered the susceptible hearts of the unmarried disci-
ples of Thalia and Melpomene.

Public sentiment demanded a frequent change of
bill. The number of regular attendants was small, and
pecuniary interest compelled a constant variation of the
attractions. Such enjoyable dramas and comedies as
"The Golden Farmer, or Veil, vot of it?" "The
Sleeping Draught." "The Magpie and the Maid," were
given during the first weeks of this season. Between
the plavs Master Jefferson convulsed the audience with
vocal selections, in character dress. Among these are
remembered the touching ditties of " Titum-ti " and
" The Steam Leg."

But with the appearance of the ladies and that bet-
ter element among the sterner portions of society, as
encouragers of the drama, came a demand for more
finished effort. September 19 beheld Goldsmith's com-
edy " She Stoops to Conquer," with Mr. Leicester as
leading man; September 20, "Jane Shore" was given;
September 21, "The Lady of Lyons," and from that
time on, until the engagement terminated, the bills were
of a standard character.

The first spectacular play ever given in Chicago was
enacted September 23, 1839. The American observed:

" The interesting drama of ' Cherry and Fairstar, or
the Children of Cyprus,' was received by a full and ap-
plauding house. The new scenery and decorations
were rich, tasteful and beautiful, and reflect much credit
on the skill and ingenuity of Mr. Jefferson, the artist.
The dresses were new, beautiful and appropriate. The
plot and incidents of the drama are very interesting,
and increase, to the last, the curiosity and applauses
sic of the spectators. The original music and chorus-
sus sic added much to the variety and animation of
the performance. The blossoming of the Aloe was a
beautiful and ingenious scenic representation. So were
the moving, or dancing, waters, and especially the
splendid Grecian Galley, at the conclusion of the second
act, with Cherry, Fairstar, Topac, Sanguinbeck and
Hassanbad on board, entirely filling up the stage. We
think the play as rich and interesting a one as the com-
pany have yet got up. We were glad to see so many
spectator- to witness the triumph of the Western drama."
Already was the leaven working which was destined to
transform the sodden lump of public disapproval into a
light and wholesome nourishment for the general mind.
Cheered by the presence of the higher social element,
the management provided a direct and special entrance
to the theater, for the accommodation of those ladies who
dreaded to encounter the bustling crowd. This deli-
cate attention was appreciated, for in its issue of Sep-
tember 26, the American gallantly remarked: "The
beautiful play of 'Cherry and Fairstar' went off last
night to a very fair house — the fairest, considering the
number of ladies present, of the season."

The patronage bestowed upon the Chicago Theater
aroused a commendable desire to inaugurate a season
of the higher drama, and to not only win, but to retain,
the friendly interest of the public. Heretofore the
chief aim appears to have been the securing of an audi-
ence irrespective of it>, intellectual caliber; or, at most,
to break down the barrier of distrust which autocratic
Fashion arbitrarily erected at the portal. This accom-

plished, and Fashion having waved its wand above the
footlights, the company determined to convince the
world of prejudice that evil held no rightful dominion
in the realm of the sock and buskin.

September 26, that beautiful poem " Damon and
Pythias " appealed for the first time to a Chicago audi-
ence. Mr. H. Leicester impersonated the noble states-
man; Mrs. G. C. Germon drew the tear of pity as fair
Calanthe.

From grave to gay, within the actor's province as in
life, is but one step. Next upon the stage which echoed
to the words of masterful devotion at friendship's shrine,
comes William Warren, the fun and laughter-provoking
child of Thalia, who in the comedy " Is it a Lie? " gave
four distinct impersonations.

Turn down the lights, and let them dimly glow on
gloomy "Fazio," which held the boards October 4, with
Mrs. McCluer as the passionate Bianca. Turn up the
lights again, for here comes Charles Kemble Mason, fierce
of look, to tame the shrew, and show Chicago how Petru-
chio can crack the whip about the heels of luckless serv-
itors.

Four days have passed, and now we see the trucu-
lent Petruchio transformed into the love-bedazzled
Romeo ; for Mason could put an antic disposition on
as readily as Bianca could smooth her jealous frowns to
sigh as Juliet. And be it known on good authority that
these emotions touched the public heart and filled the
house with sympathizing auditors.

October 10 a benefit was given Mr. Mason, on which
occasion he assumed the Scottish kilt, and murdered
Duncan, at the instance of the wife whose fierce ambi-
tion dried up nature's founts and changed the patient
Juliet into a fiend. But that same night the mimic
whirligig of time brought swift revenge ; for from the
bloody battlements of Dunsinane the mind takes rapid
flight, on swift imagination's tireless wings, and gazes
smilingly upon the balmy skies of Italy. The warlike
thane has donned the grotesque garb of humorous
Petruchio ; the startled eyes of Mrs. McCluer, which
but a moment since looked glassily as consience racked
her soul, now flash defiance on her hated lord. But the
comments of the local critic afford an opportunity for
quiet smiles to-day, for with no word of praise for either
leading part, he says " the witch scene and the music
went off admirably," in " Macbeth ; " and, possibly with
a view to cultivating realistic effects, during the " waits "
between the plays, he approved of Mr. Mason's recital
of "Tom O'Shanter." In those days an audience de-
manded quantity, it seems, regardless of what modern
minds conceive as proper.

"Hamlet" pursued his melancholy way October 15,
for the first time in this city ; and two nights later, " The
Merchant of Venice" was given. It proves, at least,
the versatility of both Mr. Mason and Mrs. McCluer, who
sustained, "remarkably well," this wide range of char-
acter within so brief a period. " Pizarro," with Mr.
Sullivan as Rollo and Mrs. Germon as Cora, was given
October 21.

The Illinois Theatrical Company terminated their
season November 2. A benefit was given Mr. Warren,
Mrs. Ingersoll and Mr. Jefferson respectively, during the
last week of the engagement, and " large houses of
beauty and fashion attended." Mrs. Ingersoll remained
in the city, to give lessons in dancing, but the company
moved East. This season must be regarded as the
most brilliant of any prior to the opening of Rice's
theater in 1847. It presented for the first time standard
dramas, in the lines of tragedy and comedy, introduced
five Shaksperean plays, brought out the first spectacular

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

481

effect, and distributed the roles among a company com-
posed of ladies and gentlemen, many of whom after-
ward became prominent members of the profession.
Locally, the influence of the work performed was wide-
reaching, for not only was prejudice overcome to a
considerable degree, but an improved taste created
among the avowed patrons of the art which was -never
afterward eradicated. The season of 1839 will rank in
the history of the drama in Chicago as the natal period
of a higher standard in judgment.

Among the frequent visitors to this theater was
Samuel S. Beach, from whom we have received the fol-
lowing recollections:

"The company introduced to the citizens of Chi-
cago, in the year 1839, by Messrs. McKenzie & Jeffer-
son, was one of remarkable ability and unprecedented
strength in all the departments of the drama. The sub-
sequent eminence of every prominent member of that
famous company sustains this opinion. The pioneers
of theatrical representations in Chicago reflected dis-
tinguished honor upon their profession as artists of pro-
nounced merit, and challenged the admiration of the
best citizens of the young city by their cultured manners
and high sense of personal honor. The ladies and gen-
tlemen composing this grand old company deserve a
conspicuous place in the history of early amusements in
this marvelous city.

"It must be remembered that the theater of 1839
was handicapped by all the prejudices that had existed
against the stage from time immemorial. It had not re-
ceived that recognition as a powerful and indispensable
public instructor conceded to it at this day. The true
mission of the drama, as the highest possible form of
public amusement, was little understood and less appre-
ciated by the great majority of fifty years ago; and the
grand future of the theater was far beyond the reaches
of their comprehension. It required a company similar
in construction to our favorites, possessing great indi-
vidual strength, to overcome those long-existing an-.
tipathies to dramatic exhibitions, and prepare the way
for that cultured judgment that characterizes the Chi-
cago audiences of the present time. Every play pre-
sented by this company was rendered in a most accept-
able and conscientious manner. Without the aid of the
gilded surroundings, rich wardrobes, magnificent scen-
ery and elaborate appointments that are common ad-
juncts of the modern stage, our pioneers were forced to
rely solely upon the sterling merits of each actor, if they
would 'hold the mirror up to nature.' The standard
comedies and musical dramas displayed the company to
its greatest advantage. The delicate shades and lights
of life were touched by master hands. The ensemble
was nearly perfect, and is rarely equaled by modern
companies.

"I shall briefly refer to the chief characteristics of
the leading members of that noteworthy organization.
The proprietors, Messrs. McKenzie & Jefferson, were
managers in the most enlarged sense of that term, and
not theatrical adventurers iike many of the present time.
To executive abilities of high order were united a sin-
cere devotion to their profession and an experience of
rare value, attained in the best schools of classic acting,
which gave the widest scope to their intelligent appre-
ciation of what was needed to elevate the stage. The
purpose was to place the theater among the honored in-
stitutions of our enlarging civilization. After leaving
Chicago, at the close of the season, in 1839; they visited
Galena, in this State, and Nashville, Tenn., with a ma-
jority of their Chicago company. Mr. McKenzie, I be-

lieve, died in Nashville, a few years later. Neither of
them ever returned to this city as man..

"I have no information to impart concerning Mr
Leicester, after he left I hicago, During Ins stay here
he held the position of leading tragedian in the com-
pany, anil was a most admirable actor.

"Greene < '. Germon was an actor of light comedy
parts, and one of the finest vocalists of the time. He
died in this city in either [852 or 1X53. Mr. Gi rmon
became the most famous impersonator of 1 ncle I <> 1
in Uncle Tom's Cabin, and used to sing the pathetic
melodies with a depth of feeling and beauty of expres-
sion never surpassed. He was to have made his re-
appearance in that character on the night of Ins death.

"Mr. Sankey, the delineator of old man parts, was
the peer of any actor ; a gentleman of consummate abil-
ity, possessing the requisites of greatness, and would
have undoubtedly attained high rank in his line of
work had he not met with death by drowning, near
.New Orleans, in 1840. His sudden death was a great
loss to the early stage. His mind was of superior qual-
ity, his methods were cultured, and his facial expres-
sions were as varied as his conception of art was true.

" Charles Burke, a son of Mrs. Jefferson by a former
husband, died of consumption in New York, sometime
in the fifties. Mr. Burke was the superior of William
E. Burton in his best days.

" Mrs. Ingersoll, the leading lady, was gifted with a
fine presence and abilities of high order. The charac-
ters assumed by her were acceptably interpreted.
During the season of 1839 Mrs. Ingersoll was much out
of health, and did not often appear. Upon such occa-
sions the leading roles were assumed by Mrs. McKen-
zie, who was a most painstaking artist. Mrs. Inger-
soll subsequently married J. S. Wright, both of whom
are still living.

" Mrs. Joseph Jefferson, the comedienne of the com-
pany, was one of the most charming ladies that ever
adorned the stage. Slight of form, graceful of
action, earnest in manner, a sweet singer, she capti-
vated her audiences upon every appearance. With the
citizens of long ago she was an especial favorite, and is
remembered by every one who knew her then with the
most profound respect and admiration, not only for the
marked abilities displayed in her professional work, but
also for the beautiful simplicity and quiet dignity of her
private life. The subsequent eminence of her two sons
amply testify to the faithful manner in which she dis-
charged her motherly duties.

"For more than a generation Mr. Warren has been
a member of the Boston Museum Company, and one of
the greatest favorites on the American stage."

The time was not ripe, however, for the continuance
of a superior theatrical company in Chicago. With a
population of but 4,800, it was not possible to maintain
a regular place of amusement, and upon the departure
of McKenzie & Jefferson's company came a period of
reaction, which may properly be termed the subsidence
of the art here. From such meager sources as broken
files of newspapers and stray correspondence — the only
available indices of the times — little satisfaction can be
gained. Those men who have attempted to write
sketches of the drama in Chicago have but cursorily al-
luded to the seven years following, from 1S40 to r S47,
as "completely obscured," or as " worthy only of brief-
est mention." This convenient method of covering a
doubtful period was less laborious than the one em-
ployed by us, although it must be admitted that the re-
sult's attained by more patient research are not wholly

4»s

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

satisfactory. It may be summarized that with the de-
parture of McKenzie & Jefferson's company a reaction
set in. and many years elapsed before the drama was
properly revived.

Howe & Sands's Circus obtained a license in 1839,
but the document bears no date.

Some time in March, 1842, Mrs. Mary C. Porter
played an engagement here, without obtaining the
formal permission of the city authorities. April 4 she
petitioned the Council to grant a license, and also urged
the abandonment of a suit brought against her by the
city for violating the ordinance. No record of action
is preserved ; but from the fact that April 9, on the oc-
casion of a benefit performance, such significant plays
as '• The Stranger," " A Manager in Distress," and a
•• Day in Paris," were given, we are left to infer that
chance alone did not dictate the selection of her bill.

On the 23d of the same month H. B. Nelson's com-
pany opened a season which lasted until May 7 follow-
ing.

August 4, 1S42, a license was granted Messrs. Lyne
& Powell for a season of one month's duration at the
Rialto.

In their application they referred to the hardness
of the times and the lack of patronage. Governed,
perhaps, by motives of generosity, or, possibly, by
visions of agreeable diversion at nominal cost, the city
fathers voted to issue a license for the paltry sum of
$15. The theatrical company consisted of Messrs.
Powell. Lyne, Hastings, Graham, Sharp and Jackson ;
Mesdames Powell, Hastings and Ramsey. Among the
dramas produced were "George Barnwell," "The Apos-
tate," and " The Fratricide," but the engagement was
an unprofitable one.

Dan Marble played an engagement in Chicago Au-
gust 30, 1842, with Mrs. Sillisbe as the leading lady, in
" Black-Eyed Susan " and " Forest Rose." In spite of
the effectiveness of Mr. Marble's acting patronage was
discouragingly light. The American remarked: "We
are aware that a considerable portion of our community
will not countenance a theater, no matter how talented
its members."

Benjamin F. Taylor writes thus concerning those
early days, and the appearance of Mr. Marble:

" It was in that dusty old trap [the Rialto], I think,
that I saw Dan Marble, for the first and only time. The
play was ' Black-Eyed Susan,' and Marble's admirable
William melted the house as if it had been something in
a crucible. It was, in its way, the perfection and sim-
plicity of nature. The audience was a little mixed.
There were the fellows that in New York would have
'Killed for Reiser' — the ' wake-me-up-when-Kirby-
dies' stripe. There were a small handful of half-breeds,
a sprinkling of lieutenants from the army, one or two
worn-out paymasters. The pit was full of sailors, with
occasionally a wharf-rat ; but for fresh-water tars there
was a wonderful effusion of salt water. Even the al-
ms dress-circle flickered with any number
of white cambric mops; and when the play took the
right turn at last, the ' gods' applauded until the spiders
swung in their webs and the mice in the walls were
whist. Even the chaps that spent their time in the in-
terludes in bawling ' boots ' and 'supe,' and eating pea-
nuts, mopped out the corners of their eyes with their
dirty knuckles; and had the theatrical management fur-
nished soap as well as sorrow, some of them might have
put a better face on the matter. 1 can see the central
figures in that dress circle to-day. Hands that I think
of have shriveled out of the white kills they wore that
night. The blue dress coats and buff vests have been

laid aside for other and stranger wear. Yonder, crowned
with iron-gray Jacksonian hair, is the stately form of
Colonel Kercheval. The man near him, with large,
luminous eyes, is Hon. Giles Spring, owner of one of
the finest judicial minds that ever graced the State. Be-
yond him is Dr. Maxwell, with a step as light as that of
a wisp of a girl, for all of his two hundred and odd
pounds of solid flesh. Close by are E. W. Tracy and
George W. Meeker, and Dr. Stuart, and — but why keep
on calling the dead man's roll ? Some of the beauty as
well as the manhood of the young city was there, and
brightened up the dull old place like moonlight — but
what matters it ? The foot-lights are out, the players
departed, and the air is full of dust withal. Down with
the curtain."

The American, commenting on Mr. Marble's work
in " Luke, the Laborer," September 3, said: " He proved
that humor and pathos were not inseparable, but may
be to a remarkable extent united in the same person."

But even this astonishing discovery failed to move
the more confirmed opponents of the theater, and Mr.
Marble's venture in Chicago is now recalled as much
more of an artistic than a financial triumph.

A benefit was extended Mrs. Powell, September 14,
which is historically noteworthy from the fact that it
was also the occasion of the debut of " a gentleman of
this city," the first to appeal to the public for local ap-
proval. The gentleman so mysteriously referred to by
the American, and whose name was carefully excluded
from the bills, was George Brier, noted in private life
for the excellence of the ice cream he dispensed to the
citizens. The play selected was Othello, and the per-
formance was by no means a bad one, notwithstanding
the silence of the Press upon that subject. But the
American did not fail to preserve a glimpse of the state
of dramatic education at that period ; for in its prelim-
inary announcement of this initial performance of the
tragedy here, that faithful chronicler of the time sug-
gestively said : " The audience would be much gratified
by Mrs. Powell singing ' Strike the Light Guitar,' which
she sings so admirably." Imagine Desdemona spring-
ing from beneath the fatal pillow, flushed with the vio-
lence of dodging an amateur Othello's vigorous efforts
to appear realistic in the death scene, and skipping gaily
to the footlights as she caught the key of " Strike the
Light Guitar ! "

In the fall of 1842 a theater was opened in Chap-
man's Building, which was located on the southwest
corner of Wells (Fifth Avenue) and Randolph streets,
under the management of Mr. Hastings, and was de-
clared by the American to be in a " flourishing condi-
tion," because of "the indefatigable exertions of the
manager." It was stocked with "new and splendid
scenery."

A local theatrical society, known as the " Thespian,"
was formed in 1842, and in November addressed the fol-
lowing petition to the Council:

' ' To the Honorable Mayor, etc. : The Thespian Society respect-
fully represent that they are desirous of giving public exhibitions of
a theatrical character occasionally — say once in two weeks. This
Society is made up of young men belonging in the city, and they re-
spectfully ask the privilege of giving such exhibitions without being
required to pay for a license.

" Ch. T. Thormer."

It is said that the Society enjoyed a brilliant exist-
ance for a time, until, in a moment of unguarded gener-
osity, the properties belonging thereto were loaned to a
traveling company, who carried them into " the prov-
inces " and forgot to restore them to the rightful own-
ers.

S. H. Nichols & Co. 's circus performed here for four

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

days beginning August 4, 1843. A license of $50 was
demanded.

John S. Potter, " formerly manager of the Louisville
and Cincinnati theaters," as his announcement informed
the public, petitioned the Council for permission to
open the Chicago Theater August 9, 1843. He assured
the honorable body that he had arrived in the city with
a "talented and respectable company;" that he de-
signed coming to Chicago every year, and that he would
conduct his theater " respectably." In consideration
of these promises he was permitted to proceed at an
expense of $25 per month, " in advance."

It has been remarked by some wise observer of
natural phenomena that coming events cast their shad-
ows before. No one will be surprised, therefore, to
learn that, on February 14, 1844, the city of Chicago
marveled at the intellectual wonders of a phenomenal
pig, which had been advanced in learning under the
tutelage of T. E. Osburn. It is not recorded that this
porcine paragon predicted the proud eminence destined
to be attained here by his race, but is it unreasonable
to fancy its doing so ? Mr. Osburn demonstrated his
own distinctness from the nature of his pet by consent-
ing to devote the proceeds of one entertainment to the
assistance of the Ladies' Benevolent Society.

November 7, 1844, David Lewis craved official per-
mission to play in the theater building.

A Museum was sought to be established in Novem-
ber, 1844, on the petition of S. Sercomb, E. Price, E.
W. Hadley and A. B. Lewis, who desired the right to
found a " permanent " institution, wherein the " won-
ders of nature, the beauties of art, and the relics of
antiquity " might be exhibited to the public. The pro-
jectors requested a free license, or one demanding no
further compensation than " the necessary perquisites
to the proper officer issuing the same." Inasmuch as
the request was granted November 21, it is a safe infer-
ence that the potential effects of the pass system were
felt as long ago as 1844, and the foundations of the
pioneer museum were duly laid.

A theatrical company, under the management of
Herr Hatch and A. Clare, played a brief engagement
in November, 1844, but they reported the houses to be
"generally so thin " that a reduction of license to one
dollar per night was urgently desired. The Council
promptly tabled the petition, and allowed the former
rule to stand. The profits of this engagement may be
comprehended when it is learned that, on the assurance
of the managers, " it took all the proceeds to pay the
license."

June 15, 1845, Howe & Mabie's circus performed
here, and remained four days, paying $10 per day li-
cense.

Prior to August, 1845, the sum charged by the
Council for a show license was wholly discretionary
with that body, but on the 29th of that month an ordi-
nance was passed fixing the minimum at $5 a perform-
ance and the maximum at $50. The Mayor was em-
powered to act in the absence of the Council. This
step was evidently taken to forestall impecunious
managers in their insidious assaults upon the weak side
of councilmen, through the medium of passes.

The Western Museum. — In 1845 a museum was
established in the Commercial buildings, No. 73 Lake
Street, a few doors east of the Tremont House. An
advertisement of the institution, published in the local
papers of that date, assured the public that there were
to be found the "best collection of specimens in natural
history in the West, including an extensive variety in geol-
ogy, mineralogy, chronology and ornithology. In addi-

tion are several groups of wax figures and a supei 1
lection of cosmoramic views." The special attractions
of the place consisted of concerts, lectures ami explana-
tory descriptions of the objects on exhibition. Auto-
matic figures, "designed to entertain and instruct,"
performed their harmless and monotonous duties, and
nothing was introduced within the walls of the m
which was not "in strict accordance with propriety,
morality and religion." Instrumental music enlivened
the scene of peaceful divertisement. The Fe< •
for admission was but twenty-five cents, and, owing
probably to the highly instructive purposes of the
director, who sought apparently to tin good toothers,
children were allowed to gaze unmolested at the
rarities for the sum of one shilling. On the 15th of
November, 1845, Henry Fuller, manager of the
museum, petitioned the Council to remove the
license tax from his house, urging in support of his
plea that the museum was strictly "a place of instruc-
tion," and therefore should not be compelled to pay a
license fee. This petition was coldly received by the
Council, and promptly denied. In spite of this refusal,
the musuem continued its precarious life, and February
13, 1846, again appealed for more liberal treatment at
the hands of the Council. So grave a matter naturally
involved much painful deliberation, and it was not until
the 26th of that month that the board voted to remove
the license tax, conditioned upon the managers agree-
ing to admit no transient entertainments to their hall.
Theatrical performances were also prohibited therein
without additional contributions to the general funds.
The museum was then under the management of Henry
Fuller and S. Sercomb, who exhibited their collection
in a building on the corner of Dearborn and Randolph
streets, in Hodgson's building, which was subsequently
converted into a hotel.

The partial concession made by the Council did not
conform with the wishes or ideas of those gentlemen,
and a second application was made at a date not far
removed from the first referred to, in which it was
asserted that they " would be under the necessity of
closing the museum unless theatrical performances
could be given free of license." The petition was
referred to a special committee of the Council, who
reported :

" We feel that the efforts of Messrs. Fuller & Ser-
comb to establish a museum have not been properly
appreciated by the citizens, and that they have nut
afforded that encouragement and patronage which the
merits of the museum demand. Your committee find
that the museum already embraces a very interesting
collection of animals, insects, birds and minerals,
together with a variety of artificial curiosities well
worthy the attention of the citizens and the patronage
of the city, and constituting a nucleus upon which, if
adequately encouraged, a museum will grow up credit
able to the city and profitable to the proprietors."

The committee, to confirm the sentiment expressed
by them, proposed the following, which was received •

"Resolved, That, in the opinion of the Common Council, the
Museum of Messrs. Fuller & Sercomb is worthy of the supporl am
patronage of the citizens of Chicago and the country generally ; and
that all persons having natural or artificial curiosities be respect-
fully invited to make contributions of the same to the Museum."

An order was passed granting the Museum a license
for six months at the nominal fee of five dollars for the
entire period. This action by the Council is, we be-
lieve, the first official indorsemenl of a place of public
amusement in this city, ami demonstrates that, howi ver
loth the city fathers may have been t<> granl free li< ens,

4S4

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

to theatrical companies, they were not impervious to
the effect of an educational argument, even when the
instructive medium was dressed in the garb of play-
actor. Various entertainments of a theatrical, or semi-
theatrical, nature were given in this Museum, from time
to time. The Democrat of October 12, 1846, remarked
that "Winchell, the drollerist, is in town, and performs
at the Museum, this evening. When here six years ago
the people would have it that there was nobody in the
city but him." Miss Porter and Mr. Gilbert also played
here, but the announcement is all that can be recorded
now. The presence of J. C. Hough's company is vague-
lv recalled, and possibly other organizations visited
Chicago during the years 1840-46.

Rice's First Theater. — The year 1847 marks an
epoch in the dramatic history of Chicago, for then it
was that John B. Rice decided to return to theatrical
management, and adopted Chicago as his future home.
While to Isherwood, McKenzie and Jefferson belongs
the honor of introducing the drama in its peripatetic
form, yet to John B. Rice is due the credit and dis-
tinction of giving to this noble art a local habitation and
a name. The former men were the precursors of the
great results, which now are one of the chief badges
of Chicago's metropolitanism, but the latter is the man
to whom must be accorded the title of founder of the
drama as a distinctive feature of the city's greatness.

Mr. Rice had about determined to retire from the
stage, with which he had been identified in the East,
when his attention was directed to this place, by a
sanguine friend. He concluded to investigate the field,
and with that purpose in mind, came to Chicago in the
spring of 1S47. While here he gave a public entertain-
ment in the dining-room of the hotel where he was
stopping. So favorably was he impressed with the
prospect, and so firmly convinced of Chicago's future
development, that he at once arranged for the construc-
tion of a theater building. The Democrat of May n,
1847, said :

"Mr. Rice, of Buffalo, has contracted with one of
our oldest and most substantial mechanics, Alderman
Updike, to erect a frame building, forty by eighty, on
the corner of Dearborn and Randolph streets. Mr.
Rice comes here with an excellent reputation as a
theater manager. There is no doubt now but Chicago
will have a theater."

The site chosen was not upon the corner of Dear-
born and Randolph streets, however, but on the south
side of Randolph, one or two lots east of the southeast
corner of those streets.

Pending the slow processes of erection in those
days, let us digress from the theme long enough to ob-
serve the presence here of the Grand Olympic Arena
and United States Circus, an institution whose polysyl-
labical title was invented by E. F. Mabie & Co. It was
proudly asserted that no less than one hundred and fifty
men and horses composed this stupendous organization.
A new brass band was named as one of the many de-
lightful features, somewhat contrary to modern concep-
1" attractiveness, when the more surfeited taste
regards newness as a questionable quality in bands.
Among the performers were : M. Buckley, W. Water-
man, the " beautiful female equestrian," Laura Buckley,
and "the astonishing bare-back rider," young Henry
Buckley, with various other notables of greater or lesser
degree. The circus cast the city into a state of intense
excitement for three days, beginning May 22.

A moving diorama, representing the burning of
Warsaw, was placed on exhibition, in the public hall of
the Saloon Building, May 26, 1847.

Returning to the subject of Rice's theater, from our
casual diversions at the circus and diorama, we discover
that six weeks have sped by, since the announcement
was first made. The little theater has assumed the
form and dimensions of an imposing edifice to our retro-
spective eyes. We saunter into a neighboring hotel,
and, picking up the Democrat of June 22, read: "The
new theater building on Randolph Street, which is now
nearly finished, is worthy a visit. The economy of the
interior arrangement is excellent, the stage is roomy
and well designed for its purpose, the pit will be a very
comfortable and convenient place, while the boxes
would tempt any one to spend an evening there."
Piqued with curiosity, we are about to visit the inviting
place, when other duties interpose. The days fly
by. Again the Democrat appears. We learn with
pleasure that, " Mr. Rice will open his theater on the
28th day of June. The internal arrangements of the
new theater, now nearly completed, are admirable. A
full view of the stage can be obtained from every part
of the house, and the plan of the old Coliseum has
been followed. The boxes are elegantly furnished and
fitted up with carpets and settees, rather resembling a
boudoir, or private sitting-room in a gentleman's house,
than an apartment in a place of public resort. The
building has been completed in six weeks. A new era
is unquestionably dawning in the theatrical world in this
city, and under the efficient management of Mr. Rice,
assisted by his talented corps, we shall always have, in
the language of Dan Marble, ' Something new, some-
thing rich and something rare.' The scenic accompani-
ments are said to be beautiful, being the joint produc-
tion of two distinguished artists."

The company engaged by Mr. Rice consisted of
Edwin Harris, leading man ; Mrs. Hunt now Mrs.
John Drew), leading lady ; James Carroll, G. W. Philli-
more, George Mossop, Mr. Meeker, Jerry Merrifield,
Mrs. John B. Rice, and Miss Homer, the latter being
proficient as a dancer ; for at that time, and for many-
years later, the public demanded a divertisement of this
sort between plays. The scarcity of actors and the
limited revenue of the little theater caused strange and
amusing doubling up of parts, at this early period of
the drama, and it was no uncommon thing for one actor
to assume several characters in the same play. The
Common Council imposed a license fee of $25 per
month upon this theater.

On the evening of June 28, 1847, the opening per-
formances at Rice's Theater took place. The play given
was the ever popular one called the "The Four Sisters," in
which Mrs. Hunt impersonated the quadruple role. Dan
Marble was engaged as the " star " attraction, and car-
ried the leading male part. Of this eventful night the
Journal said, in its issue of June 29 :

" The new theater last evening was crowded with a
large and delighted audience. Mrs. Hunt never played
better. Dan Marble never gave greater satisfaction.
The performance, and the good order preserved, was
just what could be expected under the efficient manage-
ment of Rice. The numbers that could not gain ad-
mittance last evening will be pleased to see by the
announcement that Mrs. Hunt and Mr. Marble ap-
pear again this evening ; and if they be not both
complained of to-day, for the injuries occasioned by
throwing last night's audience into convulsions, we ap-
prehend the friends of the parties will be there to know
the reason."

The inaugural exercises consisted of the delivery of
an address, from the pen of G. W. Phillimore, by Mr.
Harris, which is quoted :

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

485

In early Greece, where Paeans, sweetly sung,

Told a young world Art's lyre was newly strung;

And Reason, starting from chaotic dreams,

Threw o'er the classic land her sunny beams.

Commercial enterprise next caught tiie ray

And showed to Industry the golden way.

Fleets rode the wave, while fabrics Idled the loom,

And sculpture decked the temple and the tomb.

The muse is heard, Helicon radiant flows,

And from the silvery fount the Drama rose.

Handmaid to Science in the march of mind,

Thalia moves free, lively, unconfined,

Nor pauses she to bless a favored clime,

But sheds on all an influence sublime.

Sometimes she rears a wild, fantastic throne

To soothe the savage of the torrid zone —

Hushes the death-wail, breaks the blood-stained lance,

Persuades to peace and leads the mazy dance.

Amid the rigor of the Polar storm

At times is seen her mirth-inspiring form.

Lighting a northern winter's gloomy hours,

And decking icebergs with her gayest flowers.

Where the domed city rises o'er the plain

There holds the Drama a distinguished reign.

Where waved the prairie, now behold the town,

See Art and Industry adventure crown.

Hither she comes, and in her gayest mood —

A buskined Hamadryad of the wood.

Of mental wealth the goddess ownes a mine,

And unalloyed her golden numbers shine.

Be it our task, as we dispense her treasures,

To see instruction mingle with your pleasures.

( To the audience:)

Americans rejoice ! the time foretold has come,

And you may glory in your fruitful home.

Genius of History, inscribe thy page

With the bright deeds that mark the passing age.

Tell how a valiant few, a Spartan band,

Scattered the myriads of a hostile land.

How with one hand America scourged a foe,

The other open at the cry of woe.

Southard her war ships thundered o'er the main,

Northward they navigate with golden grain.

See how gaunt Europe, famished and opprest,

Sued to the growing giant of the West;

Nor sued in vain for freely was it given,

Overplus bounty of benignant Heaven,

Charity,* first of virtues, mild-eyed maid,

Thy acts munificent are all self paid.

And if some fell by battles' sweeping breath,

Record the numbers snatched from wasting death.

( To the boxes:)

And now to you, to whom each rolling sun
Brings the results of enterprise begun;
Who see the fruits that bounteous heaven decrees
Traverse the bosom of your inland seas,
View growing ports adorn the flashing strand,
Where takes the Tar the toil-brown Farmer's hand,
Commerce and Agriculture, side by side,
United stand, bur country's glorious pride.
Nature's true noblemen such union brings —
Direct their patent from the King of Kings.
Appreciate these gifts dispensed by you,
And render thanks where all our praise is due.

{To the pit:)

From keel to truck, "a-taunto" for the trip,

Our anchor's stowed, all clear for working ship.

A skillful pilot in dramatic water,

Our anxious skipper takes the weather quarter.

On board of any craft beneath his care

Safe is the passage, bountiful the fare.

His crew, picked hands, all eager for the cause,

Your smiles their bounty, wages your applause.

Then say "good time," and bid propitious gales

Press in our wake and fill our spreading sails.

The Democrat of June 29 said:

" Last night our theater opened with a rush. Those
who were late needed a pilot to get through the crowd.
If Mr. Rice intends keeping his present company, the
large new building so honorably and so enterprisingly

" Note. — Referring to the $10,000 given that year by Chicago to the starving
people in Scotland and Ireland.

erected, will have to be enlarged. Our city is
great obligation to Mr. Rice for his enterprise. I hi
dress circle was the most brilliant ever brought oul l>\
any entertainment in ourcity. Dan Marbli
everybody knows him. Mrs. Hunt made herself known
last night, and will never be forgotten. Rice proved
himself a splendid actor, as well as theater builder, [n
fine, Chicago can boast of being ahead of any citj ol
twice its size in the theatrical line."

A nightly change of bill was made. < m the evening
succeeding the opening, Mr. Harris impersonated The
Stranger, and Mrs. Hunt gave her line rendering of
Mrs. Haller. Mr. Marble, who had won much favor in
the character of Sam Patch, presented that peculiar in-
dividual as he was supposed to have appeared while in
France. The local press assured its readers that both
Mrs. Hunt and Mr. Marble " threw the audience in
tears," though from very different reasons.

Mr. Marble's engagement lasted until July 10, dur-
ing which he delighted the public with such plays as
" The Backwoodsman," " Forest Rose," " Stage-struck
Yankee," "Black-Eyed Susan," etc. On the ioth, a
benefit was given him. Commenting upon this event,
the Democrat said:

" No person has been so solicitous of the welfare of
the stage and has done more to build up the drama in
Chicago than Dan Marble. Nearly ten years ago, en-
tirely unsupported by other actors, and with every dis-
advantage, he came here and played, and ever since
has made his periodical visits, when other actors of his
rank could not be induced to come here. He was the
pioneer in giving character to the theater in the \\ est,
and deserves liberally of Western people. He is the
first actor in the comic line, and was received with great
eclat in the old country."

While Mr. Marble was deserving of commendation
both as an actor of merit and a man of liberal instincts,
we cannot but feel, that the award of highest distinction,
as regards the founding of the drama in Chicago, should
be bestowed upon McKenzie & Jefferson, rather than
on Mr. Marble, whose work was that of a transient
'■ star," not a local manager.

Rice's stock company proved a very satisfactory one,
and speedily overcame, to a degree, the prejudice against
the theater as a means of diversion. The Journal of
July 1, 1847, observed : "We notice a large number
of ladies — the beauty and fashion of the city — in nightly
attendance." Again, on the ioth of July, it said: " We
are aware that many, and conscientiously we doubt not,
utterly proscribe the theater; but we have to learn that
this proscription may not be carried to an extreme. For
we believe that many a sin has been unjustly charged to
the stage, the result of association, which in itself proves
nothing, save that a reform in society generally, is de-
manded. In the case of the new theater, but few of
these evils are attendant, and while we discountenance
anything of an immoral tendency that may attach to
the drama, we take pleasure in commending what is
commendable."

T. D. Rice, the famous negro character imperson-
ator, who gained notoriety in Europe and Ameri
"Jim Crow," appeared July i2,asthe special attrai tion
at Rice's Theater. It should be remembered that this
actor was not related to Manager J. II. Rice. The en-
gagement of "Daddy" Rice, as he was popularly called,
continued until July 17. The plays in which he ap-
peared were "The Mummy." "Jumbojum," andabur-
li squ'e called " Otello."

The company received several valued additions
during July. On the 12th of that month Mr. anil Mrs. Jerry

4S6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Merrifield. comedian and vocalist, first appeared ; and
on the 22d Mrs. J. B. Rice's name was placed upon the
bills. The opening piece, in those days was usually of
an emotional character, and the evening's performance
concluded with a farce or two. Among the many plays
were " The Wife," " The Youthful Queen," "Perfection,"
and similar standards, in which Mrs. Hunt sustained
the leading roles. Christy's Minstrels were here July
22. and remained one week, as an after performance.
Among the dramas in which Mrs. Hunt achieved suc-
cess, was •• Clari, the Maid of Milan." The Journal,
which rarely noticed the theater editorially, said : " The
domestic drama of ' Clari ' was enthusiastically ap-
plauded. Mrs. Hunt played with her usual grace and
spirit. It seems to us, however, that in all the charac-
ters she has delineated, from the indignant Queen
[Christine of Sweden] to the wronged and suffering
maiden, there is a trace of something that belongs to no
one of them, stamping them with a certain degree of
similarity. This, doubtless, results from the variety of
characters in which she appears. Mr. Phillemore's ac-
tion and expression were well conceived and executed.
Mr. Harris, as the Duke, evinced study." It would tax
the mental and physical ability of any actress, we imag-
ine, to present a new play every night.

On the 2Sth of July Mrs. Hunt played Claude
Melnotte to Mrs. Rice's Pauline. One of the most
popular of Mrs. Rice's characters was Nancy Scraggs,
in the play of " Uncle Sam," and proved her versatility
by supporting Mrs. Hunt in such dramas as " Jane
Shore" and " The Hunchback," and then assuming the
leading comedy lines in an eccentric farce. The Journal
gave a flattering notice of Mrs. Hunt's Julia, which was
said to be the finest work she had done.

James E. Murdoch first appeared in Chicago, at
Rice's Theater, August 2, 1847, 'n "Hamlet," with Mrs.
Hunt as Ophelia, Mrs. Rice as Queen, Mr. Harris as
the Ghost, and Mr. Mossop as Laertes. The Journal
said : " Murdoch's Hamlet was a grand and vivid con-
ception, most powerfully embodied and realized in ac-
tion, expression, tone. There was more than the
resemblance of a soul in Murdoch's acting — the heart
and soul itself. The performance of Mrs. Hunt, as
Ophelia, was touchingly beautiful." The repertory in-
cluded " Romeo and Juliet," " Macbeth," " Pizarro,"
and possibly other plays, though there is no mention of
others. The Democrat of August 5, 2847, said : "The
play of 'Macbeth ' went off last evening, all parts being
executed in the most splendid manner. The audience
were well pleased, and they all speak of the play and
players as excellent. * * Mr. Murdoch and Mrs.
Hunt executed their parts in the perfection of the art."
The approval of "Macbeth," as "an excellent play,"
indicates an advancement in public taste ; and the exe-
cution of the part> sustained by the leading actors was
doubtless designed to have no concealed insinuation
that the roles were "murdered."

I. S. Conner was the next addition to the company,
in August. He played " Richelieu," with Mrs. Hunt as
Julia de Mortimer, and Mrs. Rice as Francois.

rge Ryer, the fashionable tailor at that time, left
the bench for the stage in the summer of 1847, appear-
ing in " Hamlet." A benefit was tendered him Sep-
tember 1, on which occasion he re-appeared in that
character. September 20, Mr. Ryer plaved lago to Mr.
Harris's Otl 1

Mrs. Rice assumed the part of Rachael, in "The
Jewess," which was put on the stage, according to the
Journal, with more elaborateness than was ordinarily be-
stowed on plays here.

" Full of pageant — the imposing rites of oriental
worship, the banner-bearing trains, the rich and george-
ous costumes, the solemn chants, and withal the fearful
punishment of that elder time — there is yet much of
strongly marked character in the play. The rude
nature of the Jew was brought out with startling
distinctness and softly relieved by the truthful, proud,
yet forgiving spirit of Rachael, which Mrs. Rice imper-
sonates with grace, feeling and effect."

The Democrat was stricken with amazement at the
presentation of " Mazeppa," September 22, and ex-
claimed:

" No one but our enterprising Mr. Rice would ever
have thought of playing ' Mazeppa ' on the stage of Chi-
cago. And then he does it so well as to attract the encomi-
ums and wonder of all. To take a living horse, and one
of our own ' sucker' horses, too, and make him run over
a stage in the second story, is doing wonders for a new
country."

Mrs. Hunt was absent from the company during a
part of the summer. Her place as leading lady being
filled by Mrs. Rice. She returned October 5.

Miss Julia Dean made her first appearance in Chi-
cago, October 5, but the repertory cannot be given,
owing to a hiatus in the newspaper files. This excellent
actress was one of the most popular ladies on the stage,
in standard emotional roles.

The season of 1847 terminated November 27. The
several members of the company, in accordance with
custom, received complimentary benefits during the last
week or two; and on the final night, Mr. Rice was re-
membered by his friends. The programme included
Jerrold's drama, " The Rent Day," the farce " Used
Up," and musical selections by Mossop, Merrifield and
the entire company in the Star Spangled Banner.
Throughout the season Miss Homer continued to re-
ceive applause for her artistic dancing.

The first season at Rice's was, viewed in a modern
light, moderately remunerative, and encouraged the
manager to persevere in his efforts.

The incidental amusements of the year 1847 were
concerts at the Saloon Building, during July, by the
Antonio family; June & Turner's circus, September 23,
and Rockwell & Co.'s circus during that month. Lit-
tlewood & Robinson occupied the theater in the Rialto
as a dancing hall, at this period.

A museum and theater was conducted by Dr. E.
Mooney, at 71 Lake Street, during the winter of 1847-
48. Farces and light plays were given. The first
amusement furnished in 1848 was by Winchell, who
gave an entertainment at the court house April 3.

Prior to the close of the season Mr. Rice visited
Milwaukee, and arranged to take his company there for
this winter. The venture proved a profitable one.

Mr. Rice re-opened his Chicago theater May 1,
1848. The company included Mrs. Rice, Mrs. Price,
Miss Willis, Edwin Harris, Mr. and Mrs. Merrifield,
James Carroll, Mr. Clifford, George Mossop, D. Sand-
ford, William Taylor, C. H. Wilson, and J. W. Burgess.
The orchestra was under the direction of C. Brookton;
the scenery was painted by J. D. Beckwith, and M.
Conklin was treasurer. Mr. Rice enlarged and im-
proved his house during the winter. Dan Marble
opened the season of 1848, on May 1, in "Sam Patch in
France" and "The Wool Dealer." The farce of
" Hunting a Turtle" was also given.

The evening of May 2, 1848, witnessed the first ap-
pearance in Chicago of James H. McVicker, who im-
personated Mr. Smith, in the farce of " My Neighbor's
Wife;" and of Mrs. McVicker as Louisa, in the Yankee

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

487

corned}' of " Hue and Cry," with Dan Marble as Lot
Sap Sago. J. Greene also made his bow on this occa-
sion. Mr. Marble concluded the bill with "All the
World's a Stage." The next evening Mrs. J. Greene
made her debut. Mr. Marble remained until May 13,
appearing each evening in a different character.

Julia Dean began an engagement May 15, in "The
Hunchback," and while here gave " Evadne," " Fazio,"
"The Wife," " Love's Sacrifice " and her round of im-
personations. One of the strongest characters assumed
by this lady was that of Lucretia Borgia.

Mrs. Hunt resumed her place as leading lady May 31.

Edwin Forrest made his first appearance in Chicago
Thursday, June 8, 1848, in "Othello," supported by
Augustus W. Fenno, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Rice, Mr. Mc-
Vicker and the stock company. This engagement was
announced as his farewell to the Chicago stage, he hav-
ing determined to retire permanently to private life.
On Friday evening Mr. Forrest played " Hamlet," and
on Saturday evening "Macbeth." The week beginning
June 12 saw the great tragedian in " Richelieu," " Vir-
ginius," " Lady of Lyons," "Jack Cade," "Damon and
Pythias," with "Jack Cade " again on Saturday, the 17th.
The latter play was one in which he was never equaled
by any actor. The final week of this eventful period
was devoted to " Metamora," "The Gladiator" and
" King Lear," the engagement closing Friday night,
June 23. The occasion was made memorable by the
delivery of what afterward became known, among the
enemies of this great man, as his "loop-hole speech."
When called before the curtain, at the conclusion of the
play, Mr. Forrest spoke nearly as follows:

" I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for this mark
of your approbation, and I cannot withhold the expres-
sion of my gratification, that the Drama finds especial
favor among you — long may it continue to do so.
Wherever civilization has spread its humanizing influ-
ence, the Drama has been upheld by the wise, and the
good, and although from time to time, it has been bit-
terly assailed by intolerance, bigotry and fanaticism — for
it is much easier to condemn than to appreciate — and so
scowling bigots still denounce the theater, as they once
denounced the inspired teaching of Galileo; yet it has
triumphantly withstood their attacks, and will continue
so to do, so long as there is taste and refinement in the
world to appreciate the genius of Shakspere, or, so-
long as man is composed of those elements, which the
great bard of ' all time' has so truthfully depicted. The
Drama then has an indestructible existence — for it is
the offspring of immortal mind. It is more impressive
in its teachings than any other medium of instruction —
for it speaks at once to the ear, the eye, the heart and
to the understanding, with most persuasive and convinc-
ing art. To say that the theater is liable to abuses, is
to say nothing more than what is equally applicable to
any other institution in the world, civil or religious. It
is for you, therefore, to guard against such abuses, by
indignantly frowning down any attempt to pervert the
stage from its legitimate mission, the object of which is
to show how peaceful and pleasant is the practice of
virtue, how unhappy and hideous the practice of vice.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, though I shall never
again have the pleasure to appear before you in the dif-
ficult art which I have so diligently pursued, yet my
interest in the progress and success of the Drama will
cease only with my life — and while from the loop-hole
of my retirement I hope hereafter to survey the still in-
creasing growth and prosperity of your lake-born, beau-
tiful city, I shall look also to find that the Drama is held
in corresponding estimation among you."

Mr. Forrest's intentions were honest. He expected
at that time to leave the dramatic field forever, but cir-
cumstances forced him to again return, afti
of eighteen years. The final appearances of this mas-
ter of tragic art will be found recorded in 1I1. subse-
quent pages of this work, under the period of [866 ami
186S.

Mrs. Hunt was married to Mr. George Mossop June
25, 1848, and appeared in "Fortunio" anil "The
Happy Man " June 26.

The current of events flowed smoothly on, with no
espei ially noteworthy incidents, until the summer was
wellnigh gone.

Junius Brutus Booth for the first time graced the
Chicago stage September 18, 1848. He remained here
two weeks, playing meanwhile to audiences surpassing
any before assembled in Rice's Theater, and portraying
as he alone could do the marvelous subtleties of " Rich-
ard III," " Shylock," and other Shaksperean charac-
ters. Mr. Booth's complimentary benefit was given
September 30, when he appeared as Shylock, and as
John Dumps in a farce called " The Ways of Windsor."

Barney Williams began an engagement October 3,
which was his first season in this city.

The principal actors of the stock company were
given benefits, prior to the closing of the regular term.
Mrs. Rice appeared as Meg Merrilies October 23, and
Mrs. Mossop chose the comedy of " The Jealous Wife "
for her own benefit. The season terminated November
25, and the company opened the new Milwaukee the-
ater November 29, 1848.

The principal amusements during the year, besides
the performances at Rice's, were Mabie's circus, which
gave a three days' exhibition, beginning May 8; Win-
ter's chemical dioramas at the Saloon, May 29; General
Tom Thumb at the court-house, June 2; and the regu-
lar exhibitions at Mooney's Museum, 73 Lake Street.
Minstrelsy was introduced at this place by Prater's
Genuine Virginia Minstrels and the " real-natured "
Kentucky Minstrels, as they were called, during the
summer. The manager of the museum was himself a
curiosity. On the 8th of November, David Kennison,
the sole surviving member of the Boston Tea Party,
was installed as nominal manager. His advertisement
read:

" I have taken the Museum in this city, which I was
obliged to do in order to get a comfortable living, as
my pension is so small it scarcely affords the comforts
of life. If I live until the 17th of November, 1848, I
shall be 112 years old, and I intend making a donation
party on that day at the Museum. I have fought in
several battles for my country. All I ask of the gener-
ous public is to call at the Museum on the 17th of
November, which is my birthday, and donate to me
what they think I deserve."

It is unfortunate that no authentic account of the
proceedings of the 17th can be found, for the amount
donated might serve as a criterion of Chicago's estimate
of a patriot's services.

The season of 1849, at Rice's Theater, began April
16. The auditorium was bright with fresh paint, and a
new drop-curtain, by J. D. Beckwith, representing
Bvron's " Dream," added to the attractiveness of the
place. Mrs. Mossop was the leading lady for a brief
time, but bade farewell to Chicago May 12, selecting
for her last appearance "Agnes DeYere, or the \\ ife's
Revenge," and "St. Patrick's Eve." The Democrat,
spoke of her departure with regret, and said. " When
such ladies as Mesdames Mossop and Rice honor the
stage, the prejudices of all reasonable persons will be

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

greatly mollified, and the drama become all that its best
friends could wish it to be."

The death of Dan Marble, at Louisville, Ky., in the
spring of 1S4Q, from cholera, deprived the stage of one
of its most popular comedians.

That terrible scourge, the cholera, swept over the
country in 1S49. and brought desolation to many a
home in Chicago. The public mind became depressed
with grief and fear, opening the way more surely to the
ravages of the insidious invader. Melancholy was con-
ducive to the fatal assaults of this disease, and many
able writers at that time advised the employment of all
available means totemperthe mind in lighter vein. With
this thought in view, the Democrat suggestively re-
marked, under date of May 24:

" The only place of amusement we now have in the
city is the theater, and, so far as talent and character
are concerned, it is supported by better actors than any
theater of twice its size in the United States. Mr.
Rice has just engaged two very justly popular actresses.
Mrs. M. Jones has been for several years the leading
lady in the principal theaters of New York, New Or-
leans, and other large cities. She is just from New
Orleans, and is now on her way to fill a summer en-
gagement in New York. She wiil appear to-night as
Kate O'Brien, in the drama called ' Perfection.' Miss
Julia Turnbull lacks only the merit of fashion of being
a foreigner to be extolled as the best dancer upon the
American boards. She appears to-night in no less than
three dances, during the plays of ' Lola Montez ' and
'Spirit of the Fountain.'"

Miss Turnbull soon became a favorite with the pub-
lic here. The stock company was composed of nearly
all of the people here in 1848, among whom Mrs. Rice,
Mr. Harris, and Mr. McYicker were the most promi-
inent. From time to time new faces were seen, for
brief seasons. The conspicuous names were : N. B.
Clarke, Mr. Holland, and Mr. Jamieson. Miss Julia
Dean and Barney Williams returned, in their respective
roles, and C. D. Pitt made his debut before a Chicago
audience. The occasion of Mr. Pitt's benefit, August
31, was rendered notable by the address of Stephen A.
Douglas, Thomas Hoyne, P. Maxwell, and more than a
hundred other leading citizens, who united in offering
him a complimentary night. The plays selected were
" Bertram," and " The Taming of the Shrew."

Mr. McYicker's benefit, September 17, furnished
the opportunity to produce, for the first time here, W.
E. Burton's drama, " Ellen Wareham." The evening's
bill also included: " The Artful Dodger," and " Sweet-
hearts and Wives," with the beneficiary in all the
plays.

James E. Murdoch played an engagement termin-
ating November 10, 1849, at Rice's. A fac-simile of
the play-bill is here reproduced. This is the earliest
copy of a bill which has come into our possession,
and was furnished by A. H. Hurley, who obtained it
from Miss Harriet M. Gale, of Exeter, N. H.

The season closed in November, and a review of the
principal bills shows that the regular company of 1849
contained Mr. and Mrs. Rice, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Mc-
Vicker, Mr. and Mrs. I). Clifford, Mrs. Coleman Pope,
Joseph W. Hur^.-ss, N. I!. Clarke, William Meeker, J.
H. Warwick, C. II. Wilson. Mr. Beaver, and |. D.
Beckwith, scenic artists. Perry Marshall served as
treasurer.

The Museum on Lake Street, already referred to,
parsed into the possession of Thomas Buckley, in June,
1849, who refitted it. A "lecture room," as it was
called, was attached to this place of amusement, wherein

Stage Manager,

Mr. i>T. B. Clarke.

EXTRAORDINARY NOVELTY!
MST . NIOMT

Of the Engagement of fhe Distinguished Tragedian,
First representUtioiLpf ScMIer's great'.Tragedy of the

DDr.n

"Which has teen for some time in preparation; ^itli_cliaracterisifa

Sctttcvii, ^puoiithiTciUsr, ittnsm fee.
WW. MURDOCH as CHARLES DE MOOR,

As performed by him in nil tlie principal Th5atrc3 tlirar/jlioul the U. S. A

This Ereniug, SATiRMI, Not. 10th, 1849,

Wi'l be acted the" Trageav of the

*Maxamilliam Count dc Moor,

CHARLES DE MOOR, his

Francis de Moor, sons,

Speidelberg, I Young )'McVicker. i Roller,
Switzer, [ Libertines. J Warwick. Kozcnki,

Grimm, I afterwards I 'Burgess. | Razman,

SShafmrle, j Robbers; j Adams. Heman,
A Commissary, Sbspard. | Daniel,

Amelia,

Mr. ciawa.

MR MURDOCH.

Cla'rto.
I Young 1 RiCe.

i SErSS [ Smith.
[ Robbers. | Beaver.

Meeker.
Davis.
Mis. Rice.

PAS DE DEUX

BY

MISSES EMMONS.

The whole to conclude with the Farce of

Tim Dodger, Mr- MeVirker. I Harding,
Quicksilver, Warwick. | Flighty,

Catch. Shepard. I Margaret,

Grudge, Beaver. | Emily,

Mr .Rice.

Meeker.

Miss Helen Mathews.

S. Emmons.

The following Songs and Dance incident to the piece.

""We're all a Dodging," Mr. Mc Vicler. "Heigho for a Husband," Miss ff. Mathews,

Duett and Dance, by Miss Mathews and Mr. McVickcr.

On Monday Evening, Mr/ Murdoch's Benefit,

Boxes," 50 cts; Pit, 25 cts.; Boxes for Colored. Persons, 25 eta

Doors open at half-past 6 oVlrvkj Curtail v !! As? nt :. quarler-past 7 pieciwilv.
"^JOtTRNALB PRINT 107. LAKE ST. CHICAGO

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

489

entertainments of semi-dramatic character were given.
Music, professional dancing, and farces were the princi-
pal features. On Saturday afternoons a special per-
formance was provided for the benefit of families and
school children. This was the beginning of the mati-
nee system in Chicago. Among the attractions adver-
tised for the Museum were a group of figures in wax
representing the Judgment of Solomon and also a fig-
ure said to represent Queen Victoria.

Mabie's circus gave four performances, beginning
May 2, 1849, a°d Crane & Co.'s circus was here July
2, 3 and 4 of that year.

Mrs. John B. Rice withdrew from the stage early in
the season of 1850. This event called out many ex-
ceedingly kind notices from the Press, one of which we
quote. The Gem of the Prairie, under date May 4,
1850, said :

" We noticed some time since the formal withdrawal
of Mrs. J. B. Rice from the Milwaukee stage, and
took occasion at that time to express our admiration
not only of the actress but of the woman, in all the re-
lations of private life. Since the opening of the theater
here, for the present season, Mrs. Rice has appeared
nightly, to the gratification of her numerous friends.
We learn, however, it is a pleasure that will be of but
short duration, as she has determined to retire wholly
from the stage in a very few days. The theater-going
public will regret to learn the fact ; but the motive
which determines her course will doubtless prove satis-
factory to all — a desire to devote her undivided atten-
tion to the care and training of her children. This is
the first duty in importance, and Mrs. Rice has not for-
gotten it in the excitement and applause of the stage.
We understand that there is a general wish among her
friends to give her, on the occasion of her withdrawal,
a complimentary benefit, that shall in some measure ex-
press their warm admiration of her talents as an actress,
and their esteem for the many virtues which are ex-
emplified in her private life."

N. B. Clarke was leading man and stage manager at
Rice's, in 1850.

Mr. and Mrs. Barney Williams were here in July, of
that year.

James E. Murdoch, supported by Miss Eliza Logan,
presented a repertory consisting of tragedy and comedy,
during the two weeks beginning July 15.

Burning of Rice's Theater. — The evening of
July 30, 1850, was the most startlingly memorable in
the history of this theater. A company composed of
Miss Eliza Brienti, Miss Helen Mathews, Mr. Guibelei,
Mr. Manvers and a home-chorus, aided by a local
orchestra, introduced opera for the first time in Chicago.
The event was one, however, which did not call forth a
large audience The little theater was far from being
crowded. The curtain rose upon the pleasing scene of
"La Sonnambula," and all went well, promising a most
satisfactory inauguration of this advanced phase of
dramatic endeavor. In the midst of the opera, how-
ever, the appalling cry of fire rang through the house.
The audience started to their feet in terror. No signs
of disaster were discernable, and for an instant it was
believed the alarm was false. A moment later the
warning cry was heard again, and serious injury to many
might have ensued, had it not been for the presence of
mind evinced by Manager Rice. Hastening to the
footlights he cried, " Sit down ! Sit down ! Do you think
I would permit a fire to occur in my theater ? Sit down!"
and, obedient to his command, the panic-stricken pen-
pie paused, half assured by the peremptory tone that all
was safe. But, while Mr. Rice was still standing on the

stage, some one from the prompter's place said, "Mr.
Rice, the theater is on lire?" The alarm spread, and
soon the building was cleared of its audience, J, II.
McVicker was on the stage at the time. He beg
pull down scenery, hoping to save something; bui thi
flames spread so rapidly that everybody was driven
away. Mr. McVicker hastened to Ins mums, a few
doors from the theater. Before he could reach there,
that building was also on fire, and he was compelled to

go to the Sherman I se in Ins stage costume. Ilelost

everything except the clothes then worn by him.

The cause of the alarm was the burning of stables
on Dearborn Street, in the rear of the theater, owned and
occupied by J. T. Kelley. So rapid was the progress
of the fire that the audience were scarcely in the strei 1
before the stage of the theater was enveloped in flames
The firemen labored bravely to suppress the fire, but
did not gain mastery over it until one-half the block
was laid in ruins. The theater was totally destroyed, in-
volving a loss of $4,000 to Mr. Rice. Added to this
material annihilation of his property was the interrup-
tion of business, and although the sum named seems
inconsiderable at the present day, its real character is
better understood when we take into account the fact
that all things are relative. The disaster was a serious
blow to Mr. Rice. It checked a prosperous career by
summarily closing the season and disbanding the com-
pany in his employ.

But even great calamities have their humorous
phases. A story is told at the expense of a somewhat
noted character of those times, whom the chronicler re-
fers to as Mr. B. From the Journal of that period we
quote the following:

" Mr. B. and a small party of jolly English friends,
who had been dining out, concluded to patronize the
opera that evening, and Mr. B., whose rotundity was
considerably better filled with the sparkle than the rest.
had taken a front seat, and was saluting the song and
sentiment of the occasion at every 'wait,' with un-
bounded applause, by clapping his hands and vocifer-
ating 'bravo! bravo!' Presently, like an electric
shock, came the crv of 'fire!' The audience started
suddenly for the doorway, though their retreat was
checked to good order by Mr. Rice, who was on the
stage at the time. Then all was confusion, and each
member of the company, in endeavoring to save the
properties, was rushing backward and forward across
the stage. Meanwhile our friends outside had missed
their comrade, and thinking perhaps he might have been
injured, one of them stepped up to the boxes, just as
the fire was bursting through the end of the building,
in volumes, and Rice was crossing the stage with aside-
scene on his shoulder. There sat Mr. B., solitary and
alone, on the front seat, in perfect ecstacies at the per-
formance, shouting 'Bravo! bravo! the most splendid
imitation of a fire I ever saw! ' "

The public sympathized ( ?) with Mr. Rice in his loss,
and a movement was made to give him a complimentary
benefit at the City Hall. The members of the opera
company, and those who could sing of the regular com-
pany, volunteered. The profundity of the alleged
sympathy was manifested by the numbers — who re-
mained away from the concert; for when the rei
were counted, it was known that the munificent
sixty dollars had been taken at the dour'

The opera company visited Milwaukee, where a brief
season of their so-called Italian opera was given. The
lines were rendered in Italian by those of the party who
could speak that tongue, and in English by those who
could not.

490

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Mr. Rice took the majority of his own stock to Mil-
waukee, in August, and played to light business until
January, 1S5 1. when he terminated his labors there. Mrs.
Mossop was with Mr. Rice at Milwaukee in September.

Meanwhile, undaunted by the destruction of his
Chicago house and the wretched returns for his Mil-
waukee endeavors, Mr. Rice at once set about building
a theater in this city. A lot on Dearborn Street, south
of Randolph, wherein Launder's livery stable formerly
stood, was purchased, and arrangements at once made
to construct a brick theater. The building was eighty
by one hundred feet in size.

Prior to the opening of the Milwaukee Theater,
Mr. McYicker. Mr. Archer, and other members of the
company started on a provincial tour, hoping thereby
to relieve present pecuniary distress. They played at
Aurora. Xaperville, St. Charles, and other towns, return-
ing to Chicago August 19. Mrs. Coleman Pope went
to Boston and Miss Mathews to New York.

An incident is related by Mr. McYicker which illus-
trates the trials of those days. The price of admission
in country towns was but twenty-five cents. While in
St. Charles one of the citizens waited on Mr. McYicker,
who was regarded as manager, although the company
was a commonwealth affair, and said, " See here, my
family is five in number — the old woman and three
children ; the oldest eight and the youngest four. So
I think you ought to let me see the show for a dollar."
Mr. McYicker assented. The next day his patron re-
turned, and said, " See here, your show put my boy
asleep, last night, and he didn't see any of it ; so I
think you ought to give me back a quarter." McVicker
argued that he had received but twenty cents each;
but the man silenced him by saying, " Well, I know;
but its worth twenty-five cents to carry a boy home
when he's asleep ! " The quarter was refunded.

Tremont Hall was fitted up after the burning of
Rice's Theater, and used by local and traveling com-
panies. This hall was located in the Tremont House,
and was a large dancing-room, facing on Lake Street,
over the dining-room of the hotel.

The Bateman children, Kate and Ellen, then but five
and seven years of age respectively, first appeared in
Chicago, at Tremont Hall, November iS, 1850, and
gave three performances. The opening bill embraced
a wide range of characters. The precocious girls were
supported by a company in comedies, and gave costume
scenes from " The Merchant of Venice," " Macbeth,"
and "Richard III." The plays produced were, "Old
and Young," with Kate in the quadruple role of
Matilda. Gobbleton, Hector, and Tuffington, while
Ellen impersonated Peter ; and " Swiss Cottage," with
Ellen as Xatz Teik, and Kate as Lissette. The length
of this entertainment alone is sufficient to exhaust the
strongest actress, and when the youthfulness of these
marvelous children is considered, it becomes painful to
contemplate. The following evening the bill was re-
peated. November 23, at a benefit performance, there
were given a scene from " Macbeth," and the plays
" Paul Pry," and " A Day after the Fair."

After the burning of the theater, dramatic affairs
naturally waned for a time, and nothing of importance
transpired subsequent to the departure of the Batemans.

Riii - > Theater. — John B. Rice completed

his second theater in January, 1851. The building
• 11 Dearborn Street, between Randolph and Wash-
ington streets, eighty feet front by one hundred in depth.
It was of brick, with cornices of galvanized iron. The
' OSt of the structure was $' 1,000. Those who devised
and erected the edifice, under Mr. Rice's .supervision,

were: J. M. Yan Osdel, architect; C. &: W. Price, masons,
and Updike & Sollett, builders. The stage scenery and
drop curtain were painted by J. D. Beckwith ; the stage
machinery by Morris & Watson. The orchestra was
under the direction of Mr. Le Brun.

The company contained Mr. and Mrs. Rice, Mr. and
Mrs. McYicker, Mr. Harm, Mr. Warwick, Mr. Archer,
and Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert, the latter being also dancers.
Mr. McYicker at this time became Mr. Rice's stage
manager.

Manager McYicker, in his lecture entitled " The
Press, the Pulpit, and the Stage," relates an incident of
'the days which taxed both the ingenuity and the ability
of actors to their utmost. He says:

" In Chicago, during my time, some good old days
have passed. No manager was ever more loyal to his
patrons than J. B. Rice, who built the first regular
theater in this city in 1847. His companies were
necessarily small, but he expected each member to be
competent to act many parts and set the example by
doing so himself. He would act two or three important
characters in a play, and if numbers were wanted he
would throw a black cloak over his other dress and act
the mob with a spirit that would appal the villain of the
play. He was a general actor and thoroughly under-
stood the requirements of his profession and how to
surmount difficulties. He would argue and convince
an ordinary star that it was better to hang William,
in the drama of ' Black-Eyed Susan,' from the limb of a
tree than from the yard-arm of His Majesty's ship —
when he had no ship in the theater. In time I became
his stage manager. On one occasion ' Othello ' was to
be given, but when night came I learned that the lead-
ing man who was to personate Othello had gone out to
dine with a party of gentlemen at a suburban hotel, and
could not possibly be back in time to commence the
play. Rice was a stickler for giving his audience the play
the bill announced, and as I had heard him say he had
acted everything in Buffalo, I went to his room where
he was dressing for the Duke, and without letting him
know the situation I said: ' Mr. Rice, did you ever act
Othello ? ' He looked up with a pride which can only
be appreciated by a professional when able to say that
he has acted an important Shaksperean character, and
replied: 'Yes, in Skaneateles.' 'Well,' said I, 'now
you shall have a chance in Chicago,' and then I told
him how matters stood. He expostulated — would rather
dismiss the audience — but he had made me his manager
and I would be obeyed. Othello was announced and
the audience must not be disappointed while it was in
my power to give the play. He desired me to apologize
to the audience, but I argued that would only attract
attention to his weak points, and the audience would
discover them soon enough. I did not believe in ad-
vance apologies. He dressed for Othello ; I, in addi-
tion to Roderigo, with the aid of wigs and robes, as-
sumed the characters of the Duke and Desdemona's
uncle, and the play went on, Rice acting Othello and
swearing at the leading man. He knew most of the
lines and, like a well-trained actor, had the faculty of
omitting that which he did not know in a pleasing man-
ner. He labored through three acts, when the absent
Othello appeared upon the scene. I told him to pre-
pare to finish the play, and I notified Rice that I had
no further use for his services that night, as Mr. McFar-
land would finish the part. He was thankful and re-
signed, and so the audience had two Othellos, one for
the first three acts weighing about two hundred and
forty pounds, and for the last acts one weighing about
one hundred and fifty pounds. A short time since my

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

49 1

attention was called to this incident by an old play-
goer, who had just witnessed Salvini as Othello, sav-
ing : ' Mack, Salvini is good, but no Othello has ever
satisfied me since I saw Rice and McFarland in the
part. That was a realistic Othello — a fine, noble look-
ing one in the first part of the play, and a thin, cadaver-
ous one at the end, making it appear as if the Moor had
lost flesh when his domestic troubles began. Salvini
cannot reach that point of excellence.' Chicago has
grown so rapidly that the primitive and mature days of
the drama 'tread upon each other's heels,' and I am
frequently asked by the old play-goers, who now feel
like retiring before the play is over, if we have as much
fun at the theaters now as in the 'good old times?'
We do, but of a different kind. Much of the mirth in
new places is of a personal character, a familiarity be-
tween actor and audience, which disappears with age
and large populations. Early impressions cling to us ;
the flavor of a peach is better during the first decade of
our existence than when we are three-score. The peach
is as good, perhaps better, but we have lost our taste,
and frequently blame it on the fruit. So, with many,
the good old days of the drama are those of youth and
familiarity, and can be found now by those who emi-
grate to Dakota, Leadville, or New Mexico ; but those
who remain at home will, upon observation, find that in
all its appurtenances and comforts, in all its illusions
and effects, in all that makes the theater attractive, the
stage of to-day exceeds its forerunner in brilliancy as
much as the electric light outshines the tallow dip."

The new house was opened to the public February
3, 1 85 1. The curtain rose upon the assembled com-
pany, who sang the Star Spangled Banner, after which
Mrs. Rice delivered an address prepared for the occa-
sion, but of which no copy is extant. The bill contained
three plays: "Love in Humble Life," "Captain of the
Watch," and "The Dumb Belle."

Mrs. Rice, it will be noticed, for a time resumed her
place upon the stage, this year, as leading lady.

Mrs. Louisa Mossop, who had for several months
been starring, was married to Mr. John F. Drew, at
Albany, N. Y., January 26, 1851.

After the death of Dan Marble, Mr. McVicker con-
ceived the idea of purchasing from his widow the plays
and costumes of the "great Yankee comedian," and
during the winter of 1851 carried it into effect. In
this move he was heartily seconded by Mr. Rice, who
kindly set apart a week which was wholly devoted to the
production of the plays, in which Mr. McVicker assumed
the Yankee characters. Meeting with a success which
was as flattering as, perhaps, well deserved, in the ren-
dition of the new comedy parts he had assumed, Mr.
McVicker resolved to retire from the stock company
and venture before Eastern audiences as a star. His
popularity in the West was acknowledged, and the Press
of this city bestowed upon him the warmest praise.
The last months of his stay in Chicago were devoted to
hard study and careful preparation. He appeared
nightly in a round of comedy parts that would astonish
modern actors, but attained so marked a degree of suc-
cess in them that adverse criticism was almost unknown.
The undertaking proved a wise one, for Mr. McVicker
soon became a favorite in Eastern cities. The New
York Mirror, in August, 185 1, remarked : " Mr. J. H. Mc-
Vicker, formerly of the Chicago Theater, who has been
playing an engagement at the National, in this city, has
made himself highly popular at this house, and very
deservedly so. He is a man of talent, and will become
the best representative of Yankee characters on the

stage, if we are not much mistaken." Mr. McVicker
continued as a Yankee star in this country until 1855,
when he went to Europe, playing twelve weeks in Lon-
don. IK- then returned home and assumed the mai
ment of the "People's Theater" in St. Louis, which
position he continued to hold until, in 1.S57, he returned
to Chicago to build his first theater.

In March of 1851 the old and vexing question of
high license came up again. It was now fixed at $25
per month. As it was no inconsiderable tax upon Mi.
Rice's resources, he presented a petition to the City
Council asking a reduction of only $5 per month
from the sum he was then paying. The prayer of the
petitioner was not granted ; whereupon the Daily Journal
took occasion to inquire of the Common Council whether
or not it wouldn't be well to confiscate Mr. Rice's
property at once and be clone with it.

Among the leading plays which in that month held
the boards, were "The Drunkard," played March -•'<,
on the occasion of a benefit being tendered to Mrs. Mc-
Vicker, "The Jewess," on the 27th, "Carpenter of
Rouen" and "Beacon of Death," " Lady of the Lake,"
" Macbeth " and others.

March 6, 1852, F. S. Buxton, a prominent man at
Rice's was given a benefit, at which " The Cricket on
the Hearth," and a farcical afterpiece satirizing the
woman's rights question were played, Mrs. Coleman
Pope taking the leading female characters. Mrs. Pope's
benefit, March 29, was the occasion of that lady's ap-
pearance as Nina Sforza, in a tragedy of that name,
and as Mrs. Lyonel Lynx, in " Married Life." The
ability of an actress in those days was tested in so cru-
cial a manner.

Susan and Kate Denin were complimented by a
benefit, under the especial patronage of Mayor Gurnee
and one hundred citizens, April 24, after a successful
engagement at Rice's.

The theater was given up to vaudeville entertain-
ments for a time in May. On the 17th of that month
Mrs. Warner, the tragedienne, began a round of legiti-
mate dramas — "Winter's Tale," Macbeth," "The
Hunchback," " Ingomar," and " The Stranger." The
supporting company included Mrs. J. B. Rice, Mrs.
Coleman Pope, Mrs. Frary, Mrs. Marble, Mrs. Farron,
Mr. Buxton, Mr. Harm, Mr. Warwick, and Mr. Samuel
Myers.

Miss Julia Dean, supported by H. A. Perry and
Mr. Dean, her father, opened a season May 31. The
same evening Mr. and Mrs. McMillan, comedians, made
their first appearance in Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Dan-
forth were engaged at that time as dancers.

The Democrat of June 14, 1852, paid the following
tribute to Mr. Hann, on the occasion of his benefit and
last appearance, at that date: " Mr. Hann has now been
for two years Mr. Rice's leading stock actor, and dur-
ing that time has won his way to a popularity and ster-
ling reputation which is seldom the lot of a stock actor
to enjoy. He is preferred by many to most of the stars
who visit us."

Mr. Hanley succeeded Mr. Hann in the company.

The sensational drama is not a modem incubus
upon art. As early as July 7, 1852, a play called " The
Cattle Stealers," introducing trained dogs and partially
trained actors, was given at Rite's. Various changes
were rung on this combination plan, and the imperson-
ation of an ape was successfully achieved by one of this
company, which was managed by Messrs. Cony &
Taylor.

Benjamin DeBar began a star engagement here July

492

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

22, supported by M'lle. Valle. Among their plays were:
•• The Disowned.'' " Esmeralda," " Peter Wilkins," and
•• The Bronze Horse."

Joseph Parker, the comedian, was at this house in
Jury, and Mrs. Julia Bennett, the genteel comedienne,
played a star engagement during August. Mr. Coul-
dock was also billed for a short season, in Shaksperean
tragedy.

I. H. McVicker returned to Chicago, as a star,
August 51. 1S52. in "The People's Candidate," with "a
first-rate political stump speech and patriotic song,"
supported by Mrs. McVicker, Mrs. Rice, and the full
company. The Democrat of September 8, said :

" Mr. McYicker's engagement has proved very suc-
cessful, and he may now lie considered one of the most
attractive stars we have. The theater has been crowded.
But while we admit ' Mac 'to be a host in himself, we
must say that he has received no little aid from the ap-
pearance of his wife. Although she is not starred in
the bills, she has hosts of admirers. Her voice is not
powerful, but there is a sweetness of tone that entrances
the hearers, while the depth of feeling she transmits to
language leads them to believe they are gazing at
reality."

The number of stars then traveling was very small.
Miss Dean made her appearance here as often as three or
four times a year. Mr. Neaffie, the tragedian, appeared
October 21, 1852, and J. B. Roberts November 8.
" The Corsican Brothers" was a popular success with
both of these actors, and their repertory included "Ham-
let," " Macbeth," and leading tragedies.

A benefit was given, November 22, 1852, the fire
company, at which Mr. Kerrigan made his debut, and
"acquitted himself creditably." Over $200 was real-
ized.

Among the favorite members of the stock company
during the fall of 1852, were J. G. Hanley, H. T. Stone
and Mr. and Mrs. Ryner.

December 13, 1852, was presented "a new play
called ' Uncle Tom's Cabin,' dramatized by Mrs. Anna
Marble." The cast was as follows: George Harris, Mr.
Hanley; Uncle Tom, Mr. McMillan; Shelby, Mr. Myers;
Haley, Mr. Rice; Sambo, Mr. Stone; Wilson, Mr.
Wright; Cassie, Mrs. Ryner; Emeline, Mrs. Putnam;
Eliza, Mrs. Hanley; Mrs. Shelby, Mrs. Marble; Legree,
Mr. Ryner. Topsy and Marks were not given, nor
were the bloodhounds and donkey thought of. The
play made a decided hit, running about three weeks,
which was an unprecedented time in those days of rapid
changes.

In 1852 the first German theater was erected in
Chicago on West Randolph Street near Canal. Its ex-
istence, however, was so brief that it scarcely figures at
all in the development of the drama here, as it burned
early in the following year.

The season of 1853 opened at Rice's, February 28;
the programme for the first night, was first the comedy,
" Married Life," followed by " The Jacobite," the whole
concluding with a mask ball. In this entertainment
Mr. McVicker appeared in three different characters.
The roster of the leading attractions for the year were
March 5, " Paul Pry." Mr. McVicker in the leading
role, " Ingomar, the Barbarian," with H. A. Perry as
Ingomar; 7th, ■•Sweethearts and Wives," with Mr. Mc-
Vicker as Billy Lackaday, the afterpiece was "Family
Ties, or the Will of Uncle Josh;" 8th, "The Wife"
and "The Toodles;" 9th, "Much Ado about Nothing"
and the "Peoples' Candidate;" t2th a new play first
tation in this city, "Writing on the Wall;" the
leading characters were : Box Smithers, II. A. Perry;

Fergusson Trotter, Mr. McVicker; Margaret Elton,
Mrs. Ryan; Lotty Smithers, Mrs. Rice. P. T. Barnum's
museum and menagerie was here July 25. The leading
features of Mr. Barnum's show at that time were a lot of
wax statuary, the renowned Tom Thumb, and a man
born without arms in the museum department, while
the menagerie was made up of a small collection of
animals, among which was a cage of performing lions,
under the control of Pierce, the lion tamer. At the
same date, Miss Julia Bennett began an engagement
at Rice's, lasting until August 1, closing with a benefit
performance for herself. July 23 a complimentary
benefit was tendered Mrs. Rice; the " Heir at Law "
being the piece presented on this occasion, closing with
the amusing farce "Box and Cox." August 16, Julia
Dean appeared in the " Hunchback," playing a week's
engagement. September 10, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Flor-
ence in the drama" Ireland as it Is " and " The Limer-
ick Boy," and on the 26th of the month Miss " Charlotte
Loyette" made her first appearance in this city at Rice's.
On the 15th J. M. Mitchell, a young actor from South-
ern's Theater, New York, made his first bow to a Chi-
cago audience, as Cecil Claud, the young fisherman in
a new play, the "Smugglers of Northumberland; "the
28th a benefit was tendered to Mrs. Marble, at which
her daughter, Miss Mary Marble, made her first appear-
ance on any stage as Madelaine in " The Child of the
Regiment." At the same performance Mr. and Mrs.
Florence also appeared in a comedy, "Irish Assurance."
Of the acting of Miss Marble the daily Journal said:

" The debut of this young lady was most creditable.
On her first appearance she was greeted by the spon-
taneous cheers of the audience, and as the play pro-
ceeded she was loudly applauded. The two songs,
which were given with great sweetness and beauty,
were encored, and at the conclusion of the piece Miss
Marble was called before the curtain, when Mr. Rice
tendered his thanks for the warm welcome which had
been given her, on her entrance into a profession of
which she had now become a permanent member.

"Taken altogether, the first appearance of this young
lady — yet scarce fifteen — affords abundant promise of a
bright future, and with proper study and application,
claims to no second place in the profession, may be ex-
pected for her."

October 1 was the occasion of a farewell benefit ten-
dered the Florences, and on the 3d is noted the return
of Mr. and Mrs. McVicker in their play " Home of the
West," concluding with the farce " Hue and Cry." On
the 1 2th Mr. Neaffie began an engagement, playing
"Macbeth," until the 25th. The month closed with an
entertainment given by the Italian Opera Company.
November 8 Mr. Couldock began a week's engagement,
opening with " Willow Copse,'' and playing successively,
" Hamlet," " Othello," "Richelieu" and "Betrothal."

December 10 it was announced through the Press
that the play of " LTncle Tom's Cabin," having been
through a six weeks' course of preparation, would
shortly be presented with new and realistic scenic ef-
fects, to contain also a panorama of the Mississippi,
painted by the scenic artist R. I). Smith. The 12th,
Christie's Nightingale Serenaders appeared at North
Market Hall, and on the 28th a performance was given
at Rice's for the benefit of Engine Company No. 1. The
programme on this occasion was the rendition of a new
drama, the " Ring and the Freebooter," after which
was presented the comedy " Lend me Five Shillings, "
concluding with the farce, " Hidden Thoughts or Fash-
ionable Society."

January 4 and 5, 1854, Campbell's Minstrels were

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

at Tremont Hall. This company was a popular one,
and at that time had among its members such well-
known talent as Luke West, Matt Peel, Joe Murphy,
and others of scarcely less notoriety in the profession;
the 12th Miss A. D. Hart closed an engagement at
Rice's in which she had appeared as Clari in the " Maid
of Milan," also in anew play "The Farmer's Daughter,"
in which she took the leading character. In February,
little Cordelia Howard, the talented child actress, left
this city to fulfill an engagement in Philadelphia. The
Florences were also here in that month, closing their
engagement on the 25th, with a benefit performance.
Early in March came Maggie Mitchell who, as the
critics then said, " united a very charming person with
spirited and graceful acting." On the 3d of the month,
the occasion of her last appearance here, she was pre-
sented by her friends with a handsome gold watch.
April 8, the Marsh Troupe began, at Tremont Hall, the
presentation of a new dramatization of " Uncle Tom's
Cabin," by George L. Aiken. The play as then given
contained six acts, nine tableaux and thirty-three scenes.
The cast was as follows:

Infant Woman Geureneau ". Eva

Little Mary Marsh Little Harry

Master A. Marsh Aunt Ophelia

Mrs. Marsh Mrs. St. Clair

Mr. Marsh Uncle Tom

Mr. G. C. Germon George Harris

Mr. Le Moyne Deacon Perry

Mr. Douglass Lagree

Mr. Lennox Cute

Mrs. Lennox Topsy

Mrs. G. C. Germon Cassie

The company was a good one, and on the opening
night Tremont Hall was packed with a delighted audi-
ence ; but the following day trouble arose between the
manager of the company and Mr. Couch, the proprietor
of the hall, which resulted in an abrupt termination of
the company's engagement.

May 1 1 Butler's Circus opened for a short season
on Lake Street, between Wabash Avenue and State
Street. June 12, 13 and 14, the circus and menagerie
of E. T. & J. Mabie, exhibited at the corner of State
and Polk streets ; and on the 23d and 24th of the
month Dan Stone's Railroad Circus and Hippodrome
also spread its canvas within the "city's gates."

June 21, Miss Kimberly appeared at Rice's in
" Hamlet." This lady was a talented actress, and met
with a hearty reception in her delineation of this and
other parts, at the hands of her Chicago audiences.
The Democratic Press said : " Her personation
of ' Hamlet ' was stamped with the spirit of
genius." On the 26th, at the request of Mayor
Wilkinson and many other prominent citizens, she
repeated her performance in this play on the Friday
(June 30) following. On the 27th, Mrs. Hayne appeared
in the "Priestess." July 2, Maggie Mitchell began a
two-weeks engagement at Rice's, her second appear-
ance in this city. The 21st, Sir William Don, an eminent
comedian, held the boards a short season, playing to
crowded and delighted audiences. The Press said:
" Sir William Don possesses an inexhaustible fund of
comic humor, which, after the manner of Leicester,
Buckstone, Burton and Placide, cannot fail to betray the
most obstinate stoic into a hearty laugh. We know
not when we have enjoyed so unrestrained and refresh-
ing a bravo ! bravo ! as we had on Tuesday night, on
seeing him perform in the play of a ' Rough Diamond.'
On the 23d, a complimentary benefit was given to Mrs.
John B. Rice, at which the following persons appeared :
Sir William Don, Mr. Warren, Mrs. Rice's brother, and

Miss Thomain of the Boston Museum; the principal
pieces, from which selections were presented were
"The Heir at Law" and "Rough Diamond." At that
time Miss Fli/.a Logan was in the second week of a
successful engagement, playing in Sheridan's comedy,
"School for Scandal." Concerning this lady the Daily
Press said : " In passages betraying the strong passions
of scorn, hate and revenge, she is very effective in
voice, expression and gesture ; but in the exhibition of
the more tender emotions she does not do so well."

August 13, John Brougham, the eminent English
comedian, began an engagement at Rice's, playing in
the standard English comedies of the day.

September 5, a notice appeared in the Democratic
Press, that Phelps's Burlesque Ethiopian Opera House
(Warner's Hall , 104 Randolph Street, would be opened
on the 8th of the month for the production of min-
strel concerts, under the direction of Daniel D.
Emmett ; L. Phelps, proprietor. The 10th, Mr. and
Mrs. W. J. Florence began a season of two weeks at
Rice's, playing to large ami appreciative audiences.

October 9, just before the rise of the curtain, the
manager announced from the stage the death of Mr.
Artemus, one of the company, in consequence of which
no performance could be given. The 15th, Miss Caro-
line Richings and her father were at Rice's. L. G.
Butler's North American Circus opened Novebmer 29
for a short season, on the grounds corner of Lake-
Street and Wabash Avenue.

In the Democratic Press of January 20, 1855. is
found the following notice which, without comment, ex-
plains itself: "Little Cordelia Howard has reached
Chicago, and commences an engagement on the 2 2d at
the theater. She played P>a, in " Uncle Tom " for one-
hundred nights in New York, and has also won laurels
as Little Katy in " Hot Corn," and the Strawberry Girl
in " Fashion and Famine."

February 19 the Sable Melodists, in connection with
the panorama " A Voyage to Europe," began a week's
engagement at North Market Hall.

Early in March the Florences played another en-
gagement at Rice's, their last appearance in this country
before their departure to Europe, so said the bills. The
latter part of the month brought the Richings again,
father and daughter, playing "Clari, the Maid of Milan,"
and "Court Favors."

The first circus of the season, Spalding & Rogers's
Combined Attractions, made its appearance April 11.
showing four days at corner of Clark and Adams streets.
Under, date of May 3, the Press had the following
notice: " Metropolitan Hall has been taken by some en-
terprising individual, who is constructing a stage at the
north end. Under the name of Metropolitan Atheneum,
it will be opened May 7, by Mrs. Macready, in drama-
tic readings."

The music was furnished by an orchestra, engaged
from New York, for this new place of amusement.

On that same date, Mr. Anderson, the tragedian, be-
gan an engagement at Rice's theater. May 10 Mr.
Samuel Mvers of Rice's theater was married in this
city to Miss Mary Marble, who it will be remembered,
was the daughter of Dan Marble, the eminent
dian. The nuptial knot was tied by Rev. Mr. Hibbard,
a Chicago clergyman. On the 1 St h Mr. Collins, the
celebrated Irish comedian and vocalist, was at the Athe-
neum, and on the following evening Mr. Anderson closed
his engagement at Rice's. The 26th Cordelia Howard
the comedienne, began an engagement at the theater,
and on the same date Bachus's Minstrels were billed at
the Atheneum.

494

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

June i, the Great Western Railroad Circus put in
an appearance, showing four days ; on the same date,
Mrs. Julia Dean Hayne was announced in an engage-
ment at the theater; the 13th a poem from the pen of
Ben. F. Taylor, of the Journal, was spoken, by Mr.
McFarland, as an address of welcome to an excursion
party, the guests at the city — from Burlington and
Quincy; the play on this occasion was the "Lady of
Lyons," Mrs. Julia Dean Hayne, appearing in the part
of Pauline. On the zist Sands, Nathan & Co's Ameri-
can Circus, exhibited on the grounds usually allotted to
tent shows, corner of Lake Street and Wabash Avenue.

July 3 and 4, came VanAmburgh's Menagerie and
Dan Stone's Circus, combined with Tyler's Indian
Exhibition, followed on the 30th of the month by the
Great Western. July 31, Mr. Frank Conway and wife
began a short season at the theater, in a range of Shakes-
perean characters.

An hiatus, now occurs, until in October, when the
records again show what was occurring in the amuse-
ment world. The 26th of the month, Miss Richings
the comedienne and vocalist was at Rice's, being suc-
ceeded on the 29th by Miss E. L. Davenport and Miss
Fanny Vining.

November 10, the papers announced that North's
National Ampihtheater was nearly finished. This build-
ing, which was situated on Monroe Street between
Clark and South Wells (now Fifth Avenuej, was a
wooden structure, two stories in height, ninety feet front
by two hundred and six feet in depth, and was built by
Levi J. North and Harry Turner. The main entrance
was eighteen feet wide, besides which were two stair-
ways, each eight feet wide, leading to the boxes in the
gallery. Its seating capacity was three thousand and
sixty-two persons; it had a performing ring forty-two
feet in diameter, and the building was lighted by one-
hundred and twenty gas jets. In the rear were the ac-
commodations for the company, also stabling quarters
for an entire stud of horses. The amphitheater was
opened on the 19th of the month, when it became for
its class, a popular place of amusement.

December 5, a performance for the benefit of Mr.
Myers was given at the theater ; performances were
given during the month by the SIvik Company; Christ-
mas night a benefit was given to John McNally the
doorkeeper of the theater, which position he had held
for five years. The bill for the evening was " The
Game of Love," and " Ladies Beware."

January 22, 1856, as pectacular piece "Cinderella,"-
with forty children in fairy or gala dresses, and a droll
afterpiece, " The Cavalry," was announced at North's
Amphitheater, to run until further notice.

February 7, Neaffie appeared at Rice's in the " Cbr-
sican Brothers." The Ethiopean Opera House, under
the management of Dan Emmett, Frank Lumbard,
musical director, was also giving nightly entertainments,
in burlesque opera and negro minstrelsy; the 13th,
Mr. Neaffie was playing at Rice's in "Jack Cade; " on
the 18th Couldock began an engagement in " Richelieu;"
the Florences were here on the 25th.

March 17 is noted the engagement of the Misses
Denin at the theater.

April 4, at the Atheneum a complimentary bene-
fit was j^iven to Mr. and Mrs. 1 1. I,. Scott; on the 7th,
Miss Kliza Logan, the tragedienne, began an engage-
ment at Rice's; she was a popular and pleasing
actress and a favorite with Chicago people.

A German theater was opened on the 19th, in a new
building, at the corner of Wells and Indiana Streets;
several stars, among the number Mme. Kenkel and

M'lle Dremmel, and a strong stock company were en-
gaged; the piece for the opening night was one of
Schiller's dramas, "Love and Intrigue;" it was well
presented, so said the critics, producing a decided sen-
sation and at once establishing the claims of the com-
pany to public favor; beginning on the 28th, and con-
tinuing the week following, were Campbell's Minstrels,
numbering fourteen performers, at Metropolitan Hall.

May 5, Christy's Minstrels were billed at the Am-
phitheater, and the following day Merhling & Co.'s
Circus exhibited on Lake Street, opposite the American
House. This was followed by Sands, Nathan & Co.'s
Circus, exhibiting at corner of Lake Street and Wabash
Avenue, May 26, 27 and 28. June 11 and 12 came
still another, this time Raymond & Van Amburgh's
Circus and Menagerie; on account of the immense size
of the tent, which was three hundred feet long by one
hundred feet in width, the show was compelled to make
its stand at the corner of State and Harrison streets,
where more ground could be obtained. The Hutchi-
son family were at Metropolitan Hall on the 30th, and
the week following, while at the same time Maggie
Mitchell was playing to crowded houses at Rice's thea-
ter. July 2, three circus shows were in the city; one,
Herr Driesback & Co., on Clark between Polk and
Harrison, the other Butler's Great Western, on Lake
Street, near the City Hotel, and the third the United
States Circus of Older & Co., at Lake Street and Wa-
bash Avenue. The same day Colonel Wood opened a
museum, containing eight living wonders, at 101 Lake
Street. The 19th, 20th, and 21st brought June's French
Circus; the 24th, Mr. Pfeiffer, a German actor of note
in his own country, made his first appearance in this
city, in a play presenting a period in the life of Schiller,
the poet.

The Democratic Press of the 28th had the follow-
ing:

"New Theater. — The demand of the amusement-
seekers, for a more commodious theater than the one
built for the Chicago of five years ago — quite a differ-
ent place from the Chicago of to-day — is about to be
satisfied. North's Theater has been leased and re-
modeled, and will be opened August 4, by the lessee,
Charles Thorne."

The company comprised Mr. and Mrs. Thorne,
Charles Thorne, Jr., Mr. McClosky, and L. G. Mes-
tayer; Miss Emily Thorne, Miss Cogswell, Miss Han-
son and Miss Julia Smith, from the New York and
Philadelphia theaters; also D. H. Howard, from Laura
Keene's New York Theater, and C. Wilson, formerly of
Rice's Theater. The piece for the opening night was
the well known comedy, " The Honeymoon " with the
following cast :

Duke. . . Mr. Charles Thorne

Rolando Mr. Mestayer

Jacques Mr. Johnson

Count Mr. W. H. Thorne

Balthazie Mr. St. Maui

Lopez Mr. I. Crouta

Campillo Mr. C. Wilson

Tuliana Mrs. C. R. Thorne

Volante Miss Emily Thorne

Lamoria Miss Allen

After the comedy, was given a grand National
Jubilee performance, commencing with the singing of
the "Marseillaise," by Miss Thorne with a full chorus.
The "Star Spangled Banner," by Mestayer, St. Maui,
and Miss Thorne, with the latter attired as the Goddess
(jf Liberty, concluding with "Hail Columbia" by the
whole company. The evening's performance concluded
with the comedy of " Simpson & Co."

EARLY AMUSEMENTS.

495

But the adage of "There's many a slip 'twixt the
cup and the lip," proved but too true in the case of the
opening performance of the new theater. On the even-
ing in question, fully one thousand people assembled in
front of the theater, either expecting to attend the per-
formance, or to learn why the doors were not opened.
They found, however, a card posted by Mr. Thome
which read as follows :
11 To the Citizens of Chicago and the Public in General:

This is to inform the public why I do not open the Amphitheater
on Monroe Street as I intended and advertised — and I now make an
appeal to the people. I leased the building of Mr. Harvey, the
agent of North, up to October I, certain, with a notice on either
side, to quit after that date. I have gone ahead in good faith. I
have fitted the house in good and costly style, at an outlay of
$2,500, and now, when everything was finished, between twelve
o'clock at night and five in the morning, men under the direction
of Mr. Harvey, agent of L. J. North & Co., proceeded to take
possession of all my effects. I am a stranger in this city, but an
American. I am aware that I have recourse to law, but I have a
company of twenty-five persons on my hands, and you, fellow-
citizens, all know the law's delays. I throw myself for sympathy
and protection on the citizens of Chicago.

"C. R. Thorne"

To this card Mr. Harvey replied with another, read-
ing as follows :

" The statement of Mr. Thorne is untrue in every material as-
sertion. C. K. Thorne never had a lease of North's National
Amphitheater, he never had legal possession of the building, and
neither I nor any one by my direction has taken possession of any
effects or private property of C. R. Thorne.

"Andrew Harvey."

Whether all this war of words was only a shrewd
advertising dodge on the part of Mr. Thorne, aided
and abetted by Mr. Harvey, or whether bona fide legal
difficulties had arisen, does not clearly appear. At any
rate, whatever was the difficulty, everything was satis-
factorily adjusted, and on August 12 the new theater
was opened with great eclat, the programme already
given being produced in full. On the 28th a benefit
performance was given to Mr. Mestayer, at which Miss
Kate Denin appeared in the play of "The Wife." The
following day the Daily Press, speaking of the National,
as this theater was now called, said : " The National is
having an auspicious season thus far, which demonstrates
that Chicago has become too large to be satisfied with
one small theater and an illiberal management. Miss
Kate Denin plays again to-night as Julia in the ' Hunch-
back,' and will, no doubt, be greeted with as large an
audience as on last evening. The performance will
conclude with the 'Irish Emigrant.' "

August 21, General Tom Thumb began a week's
engagement at South Market Hall.

September 1 the bill at the National for the week
following was "Love and Murder," "The Soldier's
Daughter," and "The Irish Suitor." The 12th was the
occasion of a benefit performance tendered to Miss
Thorne ; the bill was first, " Asmodeus or Little Devil's
Share," followed with the comedy, "My Sister Kate,"
and concluding with "A Capital Match."

The 17th, Buckley & Go's National Circus exhibited
at the corner of Clark and Adams streets. During that
week Campbell's Minstrels were playing at Metro-
politan Hall ; Billy Newcomb was at that time a mem-
ber of the company. On the 19th Dan Emmett, the
proprietor of the variety show bearing his name, and
located at 104 Randolph Street, announced for sale the
lease, fixtures, scenery, etc., of his establishment. His
reasons for offering his property for sale are quaintly
put in his own words thus : "I have entered into an
agreement to quit the profession, whereby I can realize
more than if I were to remain in the minstrel profession
all my life, with all the success I could desire." It is

scarcely necessary to add that Mr. Emmett did not at
that time retire from minstrelsy, as in later years he
achieved the reputation which placed him at thi
head of the profession. On the 21st John E. Owen's
made his first appearance in this city at the National;
and on the 29th Mr. Collins, the Irish comedian and
v< h alist, 1 • immenced an engagement at the same theater,
playing in the comedy, "The Nervous Man and the
Man of Nerve."

October 1, Spaulding & Rogers's North Am. ri< in
Circus was fitst on the list of attractions; on the 5th
" Hamlet " was on at Rice's, with Mr. I.cdlcv in the
leading part, and Mr. McVicker as the Grave-digger. 1 >n
the 7th Mr. Thome's company played the last perfor-
mance at the National under his management ; the next
night they appeared at Metropolitan Hall playing " I he
Irish Ambassador." The reasons for the change above-
mentioned are apparent from the following notice taken
from the Daily Press of October 18 :

"Within the last few weeks, North's Amphitheatre
has been enlarged, two tiers of seats have been added
looking toward the ring and stage, also a dress circle
and gallery capable together of seating three thousand
persons, have replaced the old arrangements. The ring
for equestrian performances is the same size as before.
Behind it the building is to be finished into a spacious
stage, green room, property room and all the adjuncts
of a first-class theater. It is Mr. North's intention to
combine the attractions of the circle with those of the
stage. The performance will generally commence with
feats of the ring, and close with plays on the stage."

On the 28th of the month Miss Emma Stanley, in
her celebrated " Lyric Drawing-room Entertainments,"
was billed at Metropolitan Hall, and at the same time
Miss Logan was playing to good houses at Rice's The-
ater. November 16 Yankee Robinson opened what he
called his Atheneum, at the German Theater on Kinzie
Street. The same date also marks the opening of
North's New Amphitheatre. On the 29th at Rice's was
announced the engagement of Chanfrau in " In and
Out of Place:" December 1, at Kinzie Hall was the
the English Gymnastic and Pantomime Troop. During
this month the performances at North's Amphitheatre
were of the most popular character, drawing crowded
audiences night afternight. The 2d, Chanfrau was again
at the Chicago Theater playing in the " Widow's Victim
or the Stage Struck Baker; " on the 9th he was followed
by Miss Kate Denin in the " Lady of Lyons," Miss Denin
appearing as Claude Melnotte, and Miss Woodbury as
Pauline. For the remainder of the year the leading attrac-
tions at this theater were, on the 12th, " Bride of Lam-
mermoor " and the "Gypsy Farmer;" 15th, "Ernest
Maltravers, or a Father's Curse; " 17th, the " Idiot Wit-
ness, or the Murder of the Heath ; " 18th, "A Grand-
mother's Pet;" 19th, "A Momentous Question, or a
Woman's Faith; " an afterpiece on this occasion was a
three act drama by Major Richarson entitled, " The
Massacre of Fort Dearborn." On the 23d appeared
Mr. and Mrs. Locke, in "True Love Never Runs
Smooth ; " 24th, the same company in " Hermit of the
Rocks."

William McFarland was manager of Rice's Theater
in 1856.

Public sentiment was no less divided in those days
than in the earlier moments of tin- drama here. A strong
feeling of opposition was encountered by managers, who
were obliged to contend against the disadvantage of
limited numbers in point of attendam e. As an indica
tion of this phase of antagonism, we quote from the
Congregational Herald of October 2. 1856, which edi-

496

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

tonally said, as counsel to the parents of those who were
attracted to the growing city of Chicago :

■• We advise your sons who come to reside in the
city not to attend the theater. Should they tell you
that they must attend a few times in order to know
what it is. we think it will not be difficult to show them
that they have no need to attend for this reason. * * *
No judicious parent would recommend his son to visit
a liquor saloon a few times, and participate in its
carousals, in order to know what it is. He surely would
not advise him to try his hand at the gambling table,
till he had tor himself experienced the effect of win-
ning and losing, of cheating and lying. Nor could
such a father advise his son even once to enter a den of
ill-fame, that he might know from observation and ex-
perience what it is ; and the same reasons which would
dispense with an experimental knowledge in these cases
would also excuse him from attending the theater even
once. Not that the theater is, of necessity, so low a
place as these others, and yet the same reasoning holds
equallv pertinent and conclusive. There is no reason
that one should visit, in order to know, while the influ-
ence of the first visit might be such as would never be
shaken off. The first visit would, in most cases, lead to
a second, and the second might introduce the series
with all its train of cause and consequence. * * If, as
many parents do, you have taught them [the sons] that
it is always best they should touch and taste and see for
themselves, even though the touch should be defiling,
the taste poisonous and the sight polluting, they will
doubtless on their taking up their residence in the city,
feel at liberty to ' go the rounds ; ' and if they do so,
when they have been once, they will be still more in-
clined to repeat the circuit. This is the law, and if
your sons do not follow it, they will come under the ex-
ceptions and not the rule. We, therefore, cordially in-
vite them not to go the first time. Visits to such places
are a poor investment of time, and, in the most favor-
able issue, bring no gain, but are often attended with
incalculable loss. If entire bankruptcy of character
and entire ruin of soul for time and eternity do not
ensue in the case of your son, his will be one of the
favored cases. * * We need men who, from principle,
will be more diligent in business than others ; and yet
who, in their diligence, will not bow down to the God
of this world. * * We need more than Christian
statesmen. * * We need more who can stand at the
very head of their departments in business, and at the
same time be the support of all good institutions. * *
But the foundations of such a character can never be
laid in the theater."

C. W. Couldock, supported by Miss Woodbury and
Mrs. Pennoyer, opened the year 1857 at Rice's, as
Luke Fielding in the " Willow Copse." His repertory
included " Richelieu," ''Othello," "The Iron Chest,"
••Lear," and " School of Reform;" but in the character of
Luke Fielding the most popular success was attained.
This play was originally played by Madame Celeste ; but
when she saw Mr. Couldock in the leading role, she at
on> e sent the manuscript to him as a token of her pro-
found appreciation of his acting, and never afterward
appeared in it.

The company, regularly employed in 1857, con-
tained Mr. and Mrs. McFarland, Mrs. Marble, Mrs.
Altemus, Mrs. Pennoyer, Mrs. Linden, Miss Woodbury,
Mr. Wright and Mr. Myers. The house was leased
February 23 by Perry Marshall, and managed by J. G.
Hanley.

The stars who held dates during the year, were J.
W. Wallack, Jr., January 26; Mr. and Mrs. Florence,

February 10 ; Maggie Mitchell, for three weeks from
February 23, with a constant change of bill, which did
not include " Fanchon," as this was several years prior
to her success in that character; Mrs. F'arrem, March
16; Miss Irving, March 18; J. H. Hackett, March 30,
in Rip Van Winkle, Falstaff and farces; Mr. Neafie, in
tragedy, April 14; J. S. Wright, in comedy, with
" Yankee " Robinson in his company ; Lola Montez,
who failed as an actress, April 28, in the play "Lola Mon-
tez in Bavaria," " I'ollies of a Night " and " Rosalie
Boget;" lone Davenport, May 18; Couldock, as Louis
XI, June 8; the Raval family and Blondin, July 1; Mr.
and Mrs. Conway, August 3; F. S. Chanfrau, August
31; John Brougham, as Micawber, October 19; Mr.
and Mrs. J. W. Wallack, October 26.

Rice's theater then changed hands, William McFar-
land becoming its lessee and manager, and U. P. Harris
treasurer. The season of 1857-58 opened in November,
1857, with "The Corsican Brothers." Frank Lumbard
sang the Star Spangled Banner, a song so popular with
the actors and audiences that, from the night Mr. Har-
dinge first sang it at the Baltimore Theater, October 19,
1 81 9, no theater could be opened, apparently, without
the introduction of the stirring melody.

The election of McVicker's Theater in 1857 (for
history of wftich see second volume of this work) and
the opening of Metropolitan and Bryan halls, attracted
the more popular companies from this house. It grad-
ually lost its hold on public favor, and in 1861 was
converted into a business block.

The first regular bill-poster in the city, of whom
mention is made, was S. C. A. Lattridge, who was in
business in 1852.

MUSIC.

The history of music, in a high professional sense,
begins at a comparatively recent date, subsequent to the
period treated of in this volume, although in an amateur
way it is coeval with the settlement of the city. Take
from Mark Beaubien his famous fiddle and you deprive
his memory of one of the most conspicuous adjuncts of
his primitive life.

On the authority of statements made by Gurdon S.
Hubbard and Hon. John Wentworth, it is recorded that
the first piano brought to Chicago was the property of
John B. Beaubien, probably in 1834. Soon after that
date Mrs. J. B. F. Russell, Mrs. J. H. Kinzie and Sam-
uel Brooks brought pianos here; to which number, as
time rolled on, others were added by those who, besides
their love for music, possessed the means to enable
them to become the owners of instruments so costly as
were pianos in those times. Undoubtedly the first
musical organization in this city was the Chicago Har-
monic Society, although the exact date of this institu-
tion cannot be ascertained. It was, however, as early
as December, 1835; for on the nth of that month it
gave its first concert at the Presbyterian church, the
proceeds going to the benefit of the association. As
this was also without question the first public concert
given in Chicago, the programme on that occasion is not
without interest. It was as follows:

PART FIRST.

The Allegro movement in the Overture to Lodoiska Krietzer.

Wreath — Glee for three voices Mazinghi.

" While with ceaseless course the Sun " Webbe.

" Di tanti Palpiti " Rosini.

" Behold, how brightly breaks the morning " Masienello.

Sprig of Shillalah, with variations — Violin Solo Lewis.

"Oh ! Lady fair " — Glee for three voices Moore.

Nightingale — Favorite Military Rondo.

' ' O, sing unto the Lord " — Anthem Whitfield.

MUSIC.

497

PART SECOND.

Soldier tired — Celebrated movement in Artaxerxes.
The Muleteers — Duet.

La Flora Mozart.

Canadian Boat song — Glee for three voices.

" Away with Melancholy," variations — Violin Obligato Lewis.

Deep Blue Sea — Glee for three voices.

Dead March in the Oratorio of Saul.

Schoolmaster — Glee for three voices — Basso Obligato — Violoncello

Acompaniment.
To commence at half past six. Tickets 50 cents.

How long this society flourished it has also been
impossible to ascertain, but its life was probably of
short duration. In January, 1836, the records show
that it gave its second concert at the Presbyterian
church; after this it is not mentioned.

With the coming of Isherwood & McKenzie, the
theatrical managers in 1837 singing became more pop-
ular; for. between the plays, of which there were usually
three given each night, ballet dancing and vocalization
relieved the tediousness of "the waits." Among the
most popular singers of those days was Joseph Jeffer-
son, Jr., then a lad of about ten years. With the re-
moval of the theater to the Rialto, on Dearborn Street,
began not only the foundation of the drama in Chicago,
but also of the musical art. The year 1839 was the
most remarkable of any, from the settlement of Chicago
to 1847, in point of dramatic representation; and music
necessarily received from the prosperity of this kindred
art a consequential benefit.

Among the very early notable managers who visited
Chicago with a musical company was P. T. Barnum, who
brought Master Diamond, a negro delineator, thirteen
years of age, "Yankee" Jenkins, a tenor singer, Signor
Marriotte and Falocinni. Three concerts were given
at the Saloon, November 25, 26, and 27, 1840. John
A. Still entertained the public at the Saloon, August 17,
1841, and during the dramatic engagement of Miss Por-
ter and Mrs. Duff, at the theater, in March, 1842, mu-
sic formed a special feature of the performances. The
Chicago Sacred Music Society was instituted February
13, 1842. The officers were: B. W. Raymond, presi-
dent; Benjamin Smith, secretary; T. B. Carter, treas-
urer; Seth P. Warren, C. A. Collier, directors; W. H.
Brown, E. Smith, executive committee. During the
summer of 1842 Mrs. Powell played an engagement at
the theater, and, although a tragedienne of no mean
ability, that lady won the favor of her audience by her
excellent singing. In fact, the local press of that time
suggested the advisability of her lessening the tragic
intensity of "Othello," on the occasion of the produc-
tion of that play, September 14, by the rendering of
" Strike the Light Guitar" between the acts. It is not
recorded, however, whether the lady accepted the ad-
vice or not. H. Cramer, who resided on Clark Street,
between Washington and Madison, and Charles Sofftje,
who lived with John H. Kinzie, were professsional in-
structors in music in 1844. One T. B. Carter is also
spoken of as the first singing master in Chicago, and
although no date is given of his labors in this field of
instruction, yet he was doubtless here several years be-
fore either of the gentlemen above mentioned. Mrs.
Strangman, organist at the Catholic church, gave a con-
cert at the Saloon, January 5, 1843. The record for
1845 shows that the Slater sisters, performers on the
viola and violoncello, appeared at the Saloon January
23. In May Mr. Cutter and his company were at the
Western Museum, and on the 12th of that month gave
a concert at the Saloon. Master Howard, who was de-
clared to be the "young Ole Bull," demonstrated his
facility with the violin, at the Saloon, May 15, and Mr.
33

Hazelton conducted a concert December 22. Concerts
were also given in this city, during the year by others
whose names cannot now be recalled.

Hazelton and Clemens did much to foster musical
tastes during the winter of 1X45-41",, and by repeated
public entertainments of genuine merit, encouraged
vocal and instrumental culture. Concerning the charac-
ter of their entertainments, the Democrat, ol Feb-
ruary 18, has the following:

" Hazelton and Clemens's concert came off last night (Febru-
ary 17, 1846), and the audience, which was large, was di
with the performance; and if it is creditable to our community to
patronize these efforts to excel and please on the part of our city,
the performance was still more so as to the performers, li
pounced that the concert would be repeated again with variations,
in both vocal and instrumental pieces, when those who lost the
opportunity of hearing the rich melody last night, and those who
enjoyed it, will avail themselves of the rich treat."

An anonymous correspondent of the Democrat,
under date of May 5, 1846, also wrote:

" I had the pleasure of being present at a private concert given
by Mr. Hazelton and his juvenile choir, at the City Salo.in, on last
Saturday afternoon (April 26), and may safely say that all present
were highly delighted. The Newhall family give high promise of
becoming splendid vocalists. The two little nightingales, one only
five and the other six years old, are charming creatures, and reflect
great credit on their zealous and experienced instructor."

A society called the Choral Union was formed in
1846, with the following officers: A. D. Sturtevant, pres-
ident; A. S. Downs, secretary; J. Johnson, first leader;
S. P. Warner, second leader; J. A. Hosington, third
leader The organization continued about two years.

A benefit was given Samuel Johnson, at the Univer-
salist church July 2, 1847, on which occasion the pro-
gramme was composed principally of ballads and glees.
Mr. Wall, the blind harper, was at the Saloon July 15.
A more imposing entertainment was that given at the
court-house December 21, under Signor Martinez's di-
rection. An orchestra of twelve pieces furnished the
instrumental portion of the programme, and "a young
lady, a celebrated vocalist from the East," whose name
is lost to history in this connection, sang. The Signor
himself astonished and delighted all by "holding a
guitar in each hand and performing Mozart's melodies,
waltzes, overtures and other popular airs." A "soiree
musicale " was given by theb and of the steamer " Lou-
isiana," five in number, at the Saloon, December 175 a
"grand concert on the piano," at the theater, by B.
Auguste Bode, December 27; and a plain concert by A.
R. Dempster, assisted by local amateur talent, at the
Saloon, January 5, 1847. A repetition of this perform-
ance was requested by the citizens, January 19.

The Alleghanians, a troupe famous in their day, first
sang here December 7, 1848. In May, 1S48, a musical
convention, composed of delegates from the various
religious denominations in the city, was held in the
First Baptist church. The object of the convention was
to discuss for adoption the best measures for securing
the advantages of a general musical education of the
young of the city; the adoption of the study of music in
the public schools, and the mode of conducting singing
in church services. The officers of the convention,
which met on the 9th, were: George Davis, president;
L. D. Boone and S. P. Warner, vice-presidents; B. W.
Thomas, secretary. A committee consisting of I.. 1 >.
Boone, George Brown, S. D. Breed, C. B. Nelson and
D. S. Lockwood, submitted the following resolutions,
which were adopted as the sentiments of the convention:

1. Resolved, That music is naturally in the soul, and if prop-
erly exercised, is one of the most powerful of all means used for the
elevation, spiritually, of mankind.

2. That instruction in vocal music should begin in public and

49«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

private schools, and it is the duty of those who have the manage-
ment of them to provide for said instruction.

3. That exercise in vocal music is conducive to health, and all
who have at heart the physical, as well as the spiritual welfare of
mankind, will advocate its study.

4. That like all choice blessings which are bestowed on man-
kind, through the beneficence of God, music, as well as other gifts,
must be cultivated to insure the benefits resulting therefrom.

f. That the " musical ear," when possessed to any degree, may
be improved bv study, but cannot be produced where originally
deficient.

6. That it is the duty of choirs to study sacred music, and as-
sist in imparting to religious services that spirit of devotion which
their duty properly performed enables them to do.

It was also resolved that, in the opinion of the con-
vention, congregational singing was the most desirable
method to be employed by religious bodies.

The Misses Xewhall and Perry sang at Market
Hall, March 22, 1849.

Professor Nathan Dye's first juvenile concert, con-
sisting of sacred music, was given at the First Baptist
church, April 3, 1S49. Rev. J. B. Tucker delivered a
lecture on the importance of instructing children in the
elements and practice of vocal music, during the even-
ing. .

The Empire Minstrels, a company composed of E.
D. Palmer, j. F. Taunt, G. G. Snyder, I. Gardiner, E.
L, Baker. R. H. Sliter, J. H. Goodrich, G. W. Vining,
musical director, Williams & Hubbard, proprietors, gave
an entertainment at the city hall, May 15, 1849. The
special attraction was Sliter's " appearance in his popu-
lar rattlesnake jig statue dance and Lucy Long in char-
acter."

The Alleghanians returned May 25, 1849, and the
Columbians first sang July 15 and 16, at the City Hall.
Conrad Charles Reisenger, a pupil of Ole Bull, was
here in August, and David G. Griswold, aided by ama-
teur vocalists, gave an elaborate concert September 27.

Mozart Society was formed December 4, 1849, by
the members of the late Choral Union; C. N. Holden,
president. At the initial meeting, the constitution of
the defunct organization was adopted, with the excep-
tion of the name of the society. The officers elected
were: George Davis, president ; A. D. Sturtevant, secre-
tary and treasurer; A. Runyon, C. N. Holden, S. John-
son, executive committe ; W. N. Dunham, first director;
Frank Lumbard, second director; W. B. Aiken, third
director. It should here be noted, that George Davis,
whose name has already been mentioned in connection
with several of the earlier leading musical organizations,
was always an active and indefatigable worker in pro-
moting the advancement of musical culture in the city.
He was himself a pleasing and popular singer, and was
highly esteemed as a man and citizen by all who knew
him.

During 1850 concerts were given by various travel-
ling companies. Joseph Burke, violinist; Richard Hoff-
man, pianist, and George Davis, vocalist, were at the
court-house June 28. The Original Ethiopian Ser-
enades sang at the city hall September 24. A con-
cert-room was opened in the Tremont House, called
Tremont Music Hall, in October. This room was one
hundred by forty in size, and seventeen feet in height,
and was " lighted by forty-eight burners in massive
chandeliers." The inauguration took place on the 24th
of that month, by the first concert of the Philharmonic
Society under Julius Dyhrenfurth. This society which
had just been organized was a most promising institu-
tion, and the first concert, given on the occasion just
mentioned, was the first of a series of eight subscription
entertainments given with the object of placing the or-
ganization on a permanent financial basis. Following

is the programme presented at the opening of this
new hall:

1. Potpourri — Fille du Regiment.

Orchestra.

2. Song. (With vocal quartette accompaniment.)

3. Violoncello Solo. Carlino Lensen.

4. Comic Song and Chorus Weinman.

5. The " Chicago Waltz" Lensen.

Composed for the occasion. — Orchestra.

6. Vocal Trio Messrs. Davis, Lumbard and Dunham.

7. Polka — French Song Lensen.

Orchestra.

8. Medley Overtures (Negro Airs) Dyhrenfurth.

Orchestra.

9. French Grand Chorus. Weinman.

(With full orchestral accompaniment, arranged from " Preciosa.")

November 20, the Alleghanians were at Tremont
Hall, and December 6 and 7 Van Wormer's Minstrels.
A company bearing up under the terrific name of the
Campanologians, with Herr Freebertshyer and his three
sons gave a performance. Mrs. Reignolds, and her
daughter, Miss C. M. Reignolds, sang in concert De-
cember 23, and on the 26th, Frank Lumbard's Glee
Club delighted the public.

In 1 85 1, the Baker family was the first troupe to ap-
pear, singing at Tremont Hall January 2. On the
same date Julius Dyhrenfurth began a series of prom-
enade concerts on Tuesday evening of each week at
the City Hall. The order of exercises at these con-
certs was first music, then promenading, after which
dancing closed the entertainment. It was not long
until the young people became more interested in dan-
cing than in the music and came so late to the concerts
that Mr. Dyhrenfurth wisely discontuedt hmie.n

The Kilmiste family, consisting of father and three
daughters, gave a concert at Warner's Hall January 1,
1852. Mr. Weinman also gave subscription concerts in
Dearborn Park during the summer evenings of 185 1
and 1S52. The second series of Prof. Julius Dyhren-
furth's subscription or Philharmonic concerts began
January 5, 1852, at Tremont Hall, and entertainments
were given from time to time, at brief intervals during
the year. Among the number Henry Ahner also gave a
series of concerts at Old Metropolitan Hall.

The professional musical events of the year 1852
were : February 2, Malone* Raymond and family, Tre-
mont Hall ; the Blakely family, February 7, at Tre-
mont Hall ; Rose Jacques, vocalist, Henry Squires,
tenor, and Herr Brandeis, in concert at Tremont Hall,
April 5, an occasion remembered as one of the most
satisfactory to the public of those early days ; Miss
Greenfield, "The Black Swan," April 22, at Tremont
Hall ; Kunkel's Minstrels, at City Hall, May 13, 14 and
15 ; Catherine Hayes, in concerts, at Tremont Hall,
June 21 and 23; Alfred Howard, the violinist, whose
first appearance here was in 1845, when but a lad, July
12 ; Monsieur and Madame Thillon, Frederick Holmes
and Mr. Hudson, at Tremont Hall, July 16, in concerts;
Mrs. Emma G. Bostwick, who became a favorite with
Chicago people, assisted in concert August 2, by Henry
Appy, the noted violinist, Felix J. Eben, flutist, and
and Herr Herold, pianist, a pupil of Mendelssohn ;
Nathan Dye's music class, August 5, at the Indiana-
street Methodist Episcopal church ; Mrs. Bostwick's
second concert, at Tremont Hall, August 6, on which
event the Democrat said : " Mrs. Bostwick has achieved
one of the greatest triumphs ever obtained by a public
singer in this city." Felix Simon, violinist, August 16 ;
the Baker family, at Tremont Hall, August 16 ; Mr.
Kemmerer's juvenile class of two hundred pupils, Sep-
tember 30, at the City Hall; Campbell's Minstrels, Tre-
mont Hall, October 4 and 5 ; a musical convention,

Ml SIC

499

directed by William B. Bradbury, and lasting three
days, at Warner's Hall, beginning October 26 ; Camp-
bell's Minstrels, return engagement, October 15 ami 10;
John Muir, the Scottish vocalist, aided by Mr. and Mrs.
Kerrigan, November 6 ; and Well's Minstrels, beginning
December 8, lasting one week.

First Opera in Chicago. — The first opera season in
Chicago was inaugurated unuer what were far from let-
tering auspices, and its duration was confined to a very
small part of a single evening's entertainment. On the
evening of July 30, 1850, an opera company consisting of
Mr. Manvers, Mr.Guibelei, Mr. Lippert and Miss Brienti,
assisted by a home-chorus and orchestra, began the first
season of opera ever given, or rather ever attempted,
in this city. The piece for the opening night was "Son-
nambula," and the place of presentation Rice's first
theater, located on Randolph Street. A fair audience
was present to witness this initial performance and
everything had progressed smoothly until the rising of
the curtain on the second act. At this juncture the
alarm of fire was given, and in an hour's time, the thea-
ter in which the opera was progressing lay in ashes, in-
volving a loss to its owners of over $4,000.* Thus ab-
ruptly terminated, before it had even fairly begun, the
first opera season in Chicago. Undaunted by his ill-
fortunes, Mr. Rice soon purchased a lot on Dear-
born Street, and immediately began the erection of a
new theater. From this time until in October, 1853, no
operas were given. The second season of this class of
entertainments began in Rice's new theater on the 27th
of October, 1853, and lasted one week. The company
was the Italian Opera Troupe from New York. In the
Democratic Press preceding the opening of the season
the following card from the manager of the troupe is
found :

" The undersigned, acting in the name and in behalf of Ma-
dame De Vries and Signor L'Arditi, known by the name and style
of the Artists' Association, has the honor of calling the attention of
the musical community and of the citizens of Chicago in general,
to the fact that he has made arrangements with Mr. Rice, the man-
ager, to have the Italian Opera Troupe on Thursday evening, Octo-
ber 27, at the Chicago Theater, to perform the opera, in three acts
of "Lucia di Lammermoor." The undersigned begs leave to intro-
duce the following artists : The grand prima donna, Signorina R.
De Vries, the favorite tenor, Signor Pozzolini, the tenor Signor
Arnoldi, the comprimaria, Mme. Sidenbourg, late of Madame Al-
bani's troupe, the unrivaled baritone, Signor Taffenelli, and the
eminent basso, Signor Calletti, Also a grand and efficient chorus,
and grand orchestra. This great company numbers over forty
members, the whole under the most able direction of the distin-
guished maestro, Signor L'Arditti.

C. POGLIANI.

The leading characters in the opera were cast as fol-
lows :

Lucia Signora R. De Vries.

Elgardo Signor Pozzolini.

Lord Asthoro Signor Taffanelli.

Lord Aurthur Bouchsland Signor Barattini.

Raimond Signor Candi.

This was no doubt a meritorious company of artists
and were well received by both press and public.

Among the musical events for the year 1853, none
equaled in importance the coming of those justly cele-
brated characters in the musical world, Adelina Patti
and Ole Bull. These famous artists made each their
first appearance in this city, at Tremont Music Hall,
April 21, of that year. The season of this company
consisted of three concerts given April 21, 23, and 26.
The appended programme of the opening night illus-
trates the excellent character of the entertainments.

PART I.
I. Overture from Rossini's Grand Opera of " William Tell," per-
formed by M. Strakosch.
* See History of the Drama.

2. Madame Sontag's celebrated I lavatina from "Lindidi Chamouni"

['luce di quest' anima," sung bj Vdelina Patti.

3. The Mother's Prayer. \ Fantasia Religeoso, ipo

executed by < >le Bull,

4. "Ahnongiui 1 ebrated Rondo Finelle from " ] 1 Son-

nambula," sung by Adelina Patti.

5. Paganini's famous Witch Dance, performed by Ole Bull

PART II.

1. The banjo, a new Capricio Characteristic, composed and per-

formed by Maui ice Strakosch.

2. " Cumin' through the Rye," the favorite Scotch ballad, Ming by

Vdi lina Patti.

3. Grand National Fantasia, for the violin, alone performed by

Ole Bull.

4. Jenny Kind's " Echo Song," sung bj Adalina Patti.

5. "The Carnival of Venice," by Ole Bull.

Tickets of admission to these concerts were our and
two dollars, and with each one was given a
bearing the number corresponding to the ticket. I hese
certificates were to remain in the hands of the original
holders, and established their ownership to their seats.
In May following, Ole Bull and his company returned
and gave a concert in the same hall, for the benefit of
the Norwegian Lutheran Church ; the affair was a
success, netting five hundred dollars to the beneficiary.
On the 18th of June, an excellent home concert was
given at Warner's Hall by the pupils of Henry Lippert,
who was, at that time, a popular and efficient teacher of
music in Chicago. On June 29, Signorina Balbina
Steffamore, a prima donna, assisted by Mrs. Amelia
Patti Strakosch, and the wonderful boy violinist, Paul
Julien, appeared at Tremont Hall two nights, June 29
and 30.

In November was announced the revival of the sub-
scription concerts of the Philharmonic Society, under
the direction of Christoper Plagge. In that month the
New York Italian Opera Company returned, singing
this time only in operatic selections. On the last night
of their stay they gave a "grand sacred concert." Early
in March, 1854, the Blakey family appeared at Tremont
Hall, and on the 21st, 23d and 25th of the month Ole
Bull and Adelina Patti gave a series of their popular
performances at the same place. In May the Philhar-
monic Society held its yearly meeting for the election of
officers. Charles N. Holden was re-chosen as presi-
dent; the other officers were A. D. Tittsworth, vii e-
president; R. G. Green, treasurer; and I. 1>. Cole,
librarian. The directors of the society were J. W.
Bogue, Henry Johnson. C. H. Lawrens, J. Q. Thomp-
son, A. D. Tittsworth, J. T. Jewett, C. 0. Thompson
and W. H. Rice. This organization was at this time in
a flourishing condition, having in January and February
of this year given a series of concerts which, aside from
being popular and pleasing entertainments, had netted
it handsome financial returns. On the 24th of May the
Germanic Musical Society gave a concert at Tremont
Hall, in which appeared in solo parts M'lle Caroline
Lehman, a vocalist from his Majesty's Theater at Copen-
hagen, Carl Zarrhn, flutist, W. Meyers. English horn, I.
Shuetz, clarionetist, and F. Thriede, bassoonist. Sep-
tember 21, the Philharmonic Society gave a re-union in
the First Baptist church, on which occasion the musical
exercises were conducted by Prof. Carl Bergmann, sub-
sequently one of America's noted musicians, the newly
elected director of the association. On the 26th the
new Metropolitan Hall was opened with a Concert by
Frank Lumbard, assisted by the best musical talent in
the city, including instrumental selections by the Gar-
den City Hand. < >f this new hall, and this the initial
performance, the editor of the Press said, •• This is the
finest hall in the city. We would rather hear frank
Lumbard and his assistants sing one evening in plain

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Saxon, than to hear all the Italian artists in Christen-
dom screech and squall until doomsday."

The vocal score was made up of the following per-
sons: Miss C. Hugunin, soprano. Miss Mary Bristol,
alto, A. Marechall and H. C. Boutwell, tenors, J. B.
Thompson, baritone, J. G. Lumbard, basso. In Octo-
ber a local company, the Metropolitan Serenaders, gave
a concert at Metropolitan Hall, and on the 17th of the
month the Chicago " Freier Sangerbund," a new musi-
cal organization, gave its first concert at North Market
Hall. In this month the New York Italian Opera Com-
panv en route for St. Louis, New Orleans and other
southern cities gave one entertainment at Metropolitan
Hall. At the same hall November 21, the Philhar-
monic Society gave a concert, composed of classic and
modern selections; this was conducted by Professor
Bergmann and was a pronounced success. In the early
part of this month the Ole Bull and Strakosch troupe
again visited the city, playing to packed houses, and
giving a rich and varied programme, which in excellence
and style of rendition was of the very highest order.
In the closing month of the year concerts were given
by the Philharmonic Society and an Italian Opera
Company, headed by Madam Rosa de Vries, who it
will be remembered, sang here in the previous year.

It is worthy of note that in the year 1854 the first
music printed in Chicago, from movable music type,
was set in the composing rooms of the Literary Budget,
bv Toseph Cockroft; the words to the music being
written by Francis Clarke. In January there appeared
in the Budget a piece of music, a song — " It will be all
right in the morning." The words were from the pen
of the poet Benjamin F. Taylor, the music by J. Dyhren-
furth. Also another a few weeks later, " The Moon-
light Serenade." This piece was composed and
arranged by George P. Graff, of this city, and dedicated
to Miss Anna M. Edwards, of Rockfort, 111. The piece
was sung by a club calling itself the Moonlight Har-
monists.

The year 1855 opened with a concert, by the Phil-
harmonic Society at Metropolitan Hall, being a benefit
tendered to Henry E. Lippert, the popular music
teacher. In February came the Continental Vocal-
ists at South Market Hall, and early in March the
American Harmonic Opera Troupe appeared at Metro-
politan Hall. In April, the Peake family of Swiss bell
ringers, and a few concerts by local companies, made
up the list. Among the leading companies here during
the remainder of the year were, Madame De Vries, the
Campbell Concert Company, M'lle. Theresa Parodi,
the Hutchinson family, Christy's Minstrels and Adelina
Patti. A notable local entertainment was given at
Phelps's Burlesque Opera House, by Frank Lumbard's
" Best Quartette in the World," which consisted of Frank
Lumbard, J. G. Lumbard, R. Sylvia and M. J. Ritter.

In January, 1856, the Ephonians, a local society,
gave a concert at the Metropolitan Hall, and in Febru-
ary an entertainment at the same hall was given by
volunteer performers, for the benefit of St. Paul's Lu-
theran Church. In May the Alleghanians returned and
appeared at Metropolitan Hall. In this month, too,
M'lle. Theresa Parodi, assisted by Mme. Amelia Patti
Strakosch and Mr. Arthurson, under the direction of
Maurice Strakosch, gave two concerts, which were
among the notable musical events of the year. June
2- Ole Bull, assisted by Adelina Patti, surnamed the
young Malibran ; Signor Morino, baritone ; Louis
Schreiber, cornet player, and Iran/. Rath, pianist, were
at Metropolitan Hall. In July, at the same place,
appeared Madame Albamowicz and Herr Ernest Jaeger,

pianist. August 20 and 22 the Pyne and Harrison
English Opera Company gave two excellent concerts at
Metropolitan Hall, the programme embracing selections
from the popular English and Italian operas. In Sep-
tember a local company gave, at German Hall, a comic
opera, " The Village Barber," and the papers also an-
nounced others in course of preparation. On the 29th
Mrs. Emma Gallingham Bostvvick, assisted by Henry
D'Antin and W. H. Curry, and orchestra by the Great
Western Band, gave a grand concert at the Metropolitan
Hall. In November Henry Ahner began a series of
Saturday afternoon concerts at this Hall, and on the
iothof the month M'lle. Theresa Parodi and company
appeared for the second time during this season.

The only event of note in the closing month of the
year was the appearance of a troupe, the New England
Bards, in a series of holiday concerts. On Christmas
night a benefit was tendered to Frank Lumbard, at
which the New England Bards assisted.

In this sketch of the growth of musical culture in
Chicago, no attempt has been made to discuss it as an
abstract theme. Glancing over the subject in its mere
chronological presentation, the deductions are apparent,
in fact unavoidable, that in the earliest days Chicago
was made up of a music-loving people. The fact is also
broadly presented that in this, as in everything which
tends to ennoble, elevate and refine, its people have ever
striven, and with that success born of earnest effort, to
attain the highest standard of excellence. Marked as
has been the progress in musical taste and culture from
1835 to 1857, the period treated in the present chapter,
yet a still more surprising advancement remains to be
noted in the succeeding years, the history of which must
form a part of the other volumes of this work.

EARLY LITERATURE.

William Asbury Kenyon. — It is not strange
that in the earlier history of Chicago there is a paucity
of local literature. A people engaged in the work of
building for themselves homes and habitations, in a
comparative wilderness, and in reclaiming the soil from
a state of nature, until it blossoms and teems with the
fruits of their civilizing labors, have but little time at
their command which they can devote to literary pur-
suits. Still, among those who were pioneers in this
particular spot in the West, there were those who have
left behind them works that are entitled to mention as
being distinctively of those days. The writers were
persons of education and culture, and possessed of
intellectual attainments fitting them to adorn any of the
highest stations in life.

It is impossible to notice the literary productions
which appeared only in fugitive forms. Many of them
were contributed by local writers to the magazines and
newspapers of that day, either anonymously or under
assumed names, which effectually buries in oblivion the
identity of the authors. Those only which appeared in
book form can be referred to in these pages.

In the columns of the Gem of the Prairie, a literary
paper published here as early as 1844, are to be found
many poems which bear abundant testimony that their
authors were gifted with true poetic instincts. But the
first writer, so far as known, who published a book of
poems in this city was William Asbury Kenyon.
There is to-day in the library of the Chicago Historical
Society a copy of this book, a small duodecimo volume,
bound in cloth, looking not unlike a pocket edition of
Cushing's Manual. Turning to the title page we read :
" Miscellaneous Poems, to which are added writings in

MUSIC.

5°i

prose on various subjects, by William Asbury Kenyon :
Chicago, printed by James Campbell & Co., 1845." 'n
his preface and speaking of the poems found in the
work, the author says :

" I should indeed be culpable in augmenting the poetical flood
(which, if the universal wish is universally attained, is likely to
soon deluge the literary world) if I did not believe there was some-
thing of merit in the productions thus put forth. But while I am
thus convinced, I am also assured there are some to which no im-
portant value will attach. * * * As a whole, the collection has
been designed for this community. The specimens here presented
have spontaneously sprung and blossomed upon the prairie, and, it
is hoped, if they possess either beauty or fragrance, will not, like
the flowers which spring to greet us, become extinct by the hoofs
of rudeness."

The preface bears date Chicago, January, 1845,
although no evidence has been obtained that the author
ever lived in this city ; yet it must be inferred that he
resided so near to it that, for all practical purposes, he
could and did claim it as his home. To one of his
poems, written in 1842, is a note appended concerning
the gaiety of the society in the town of Warrenville,
one of the oldest villages in DuPage County. And
again in his preface the author has returned his sincere
thanks to Captain Joseph Naper, Mr. Ellsworth and
Mr. Skinner, all citizens of Naperville, for material
assistance rendered in bringing out his book. To
show the poet in his lighter and doubtless his happiest
moods, as well as to express the character of his work,
a few stanzas from a " Prairie Song " are given :

" Oh, some may choose the forest glade,
And some may love the sea,
Others may seek the city's din :
But none of these for me.

" No hermit's cave, no crowded hive,'
No storm-tossed prison lone ;
But life at ease, in joy's own breeze,
A prairie cot my own.

" A prairie cot ? What joys do not
Come clustering around the charm ;
Scarce ripening fruits to autumn cling
As pleasures hither swarm.

" Dream, hunters, dream of seas of game,
Unused to following hound ;
The generous Lord, his bounteous board,
And plenty laughing round.

" Dream of the home where hearts have room,
Where nice restraint is not ;
Dream, dream of joy free from alloy,
Found in the prairie cot.

" Here, Clara, here love's mutual care
Shall smile around our hearth ;
While hand in hand, we prove the land
The paradise of earth."

ThS poet has also put into some rhythmic lines his
impressions concerning the Black Hawk War, his views
of which are here reproduced for the edification of
those who have read the history of that bloody strife.
Mr. Kenyon has entitled his lines, "Our Late Indian
Hunt," a title strongly suggestive of the poet's grave
doubts of the justice of the white men's cause " against
the famished remnants of a murdered race."
" Say : Did you hear of Black Hawk's War,

When nature's own was struggled for ?

Terror struck all the country through,

Raised by aggression's bugaboo.

" A few poor Indians, cornered up.
Saw, day by day, the whites usurp
Their lost game-grounds, their childhood's homes,
And even profane their father's tombs.

" They saw, they wept with deep, still grief :
Hope held no prospect of relief ;
' Farther, yet farther, we must go :
Swim to new wilds, like buffalo ! '

" They bore in silence till their wives,

' Whipped like tin- dogs, we loath our lives.'
Till from their mouths was snatched their bread
Till the last star of peace had ped

" Then roused they pride's expiring ray,
Their thickening deaths to hold at bay ;
They roused foi home, the) stood for life ;
Peace heaped their wrongs, — wrongs called for strife.

" Blow came for blow ! The cry was raised,
' Behold, by savage fury blazed,
The frontier wide in ruins lies,'
' Death to the race,' the aggressor cries.

" Death to the race ? Yes, when no more
They turned the cheek, as heretofore,
' Tis ' savage fury ' prompts the stand
On the last hold of childhood's land.

" Take back the term ! The wild man's heart
Abhors the deeds of savage art ;
Expiring, starved, they fled like deer ;
Still, still the gorgeless hounds pressed near.

" Wiskonsan, and the Broad-Axe, tell
Tales which your final dirge may knell
A war ! Alas! A ruthless chase
For famished remnants of a murdered race."
Turning over the leaves of this quaintly written,
yet really interesting, little volume, there are to be
found many selections, the perusal of which would
doubtless interest the reader. Indeed the author's mer-
its as a poet must not be judged wholly from the char-
acter of his stanzas given; for the shorter poems are
not his best efforts. Among the more pretentious ones
are many really fine evidences of superior thought and
grace of diction. Here is one, for instance, which in
the very opening lines, seems to have caught the fresh
breezy air of winter, the merry jingle of the bells, and
the light, joyous mirth inseparably connected with the
delights of a winter's night "Sleigh Ride."

"Come ! The moonbeams are glancing, the horses are
prancing,
The land-shallop waits at the door,
Hearts akin to the lark, let us gaily embark;
Heed Winter's keen pinching no more:

" In Winter 'tis time to be gay;

Love glows with its quickening ray;
For the fresher the air, the more bright is the glare;
All ready; — now swiftly away

" At the whips' sounding thwack, now we speed o'er the track,
'Mid joyous confusion of bells
And the shrill creaking of snow as we rapidly go,
The mingling wild harmony swells.

" The music of mirth is as light

As rays from the army of night,
When they play on the snow with a luminous glow,
And radiate witching delight."

The poet drew his inspirations from the genial
surroundings and amid the primal beauties of "our own
Prairie State." He has left behind him evidences that
he was a man of thoughtful and observant mind, that he
possessed an apt appreciation of the beautiful in art and
of the grand and sublime in nature. That he has
studied man with his faults and his follies, his virtues
and his vices; and, running through all his poetry, there
is much of a plain philosophy, which although inhomely
phrase, is pure in its teachings, and leaves no doubt that
he wrote to better, to elevate and to refine, anil to grave
"the living virtues on the heart."

Judge Henry Brown. — Passing from the field of
Poetry to the more practical one of History, it is a
source of pleasure to note the fact that, in this most im-
portant domain of literary work, Chicago was early rep-
resented. In 1844 Henry Brown, a Chicago lawyer,
and a Judge, wrote a work, which was at that time,
doubtless, not only the most complete history of Illi-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

nois but also of the Northwest Territory. Although
put forth as being only a history of the State "from its
first discovery and settlement " to the time at which
the book was written, yet it contains almost necessarily
a full and comprehensive account of the earliest explor-
ations in the Northwest, together with brief histories of
those sanguinary contests for the control of this terri-
tory, which for years raged between the French and
English nations. The history of this region from its
formation as a Territory to 1845 is fully and exhaust-
ively given. The story is well told, being written in
easy, narrative style, and so embellished with incident
that the usually dry historic details are invested with
almost romantic charm and interest. In fact the book
is as pleasant and entertaining as the facts treated of
are useful and instructive. The book was written at a
time when the author was busily engaged in the prac-
tice of his profession see Bench and Bar\ but it was
well done, with a careful detail attending the selection
and arrangement of matter, and with a patience and
closeness of inquiry, which illustrates the author's con-
scientious regard for the truth. Not that the history
does not, in the light of subsequent research, contain
many errors, both as to dates and in the correctness of
its subject matter, yet no one w:ould be warranted in the
assertion that Judge Brown did not make the best use
of all available means to secure accuracy. Moreover,
he did the work at a time when it was needed; and,
with whatever imperfections it may have possessed, it
met the popular wTant, was appreciated by those who
read it, and it still lives a modest but enduring memento
to the memory of its author, who was an able lawyer,
a just Judge, and an impartial historian.

Richard L. Wilson. — In 1842 a little book of
tracts, from the pen of Richard L. Wilson, the well-
known journalist, made its appearance, and met with
public favor. The book was entitled, " A Trip to Santa
Fe." and was a graphic description of a country about
which at that time comparatively little was known.
A few years later Mr. Wilson published another small
volume, " Short Ravellings from a Long Yarn," which
met with quite as hearty a reception as did his first pro-
duction. Like its predecessor, this was also a book of
travel, and contained a well-written account of a trip
made by its author by the overland route, then a long
and perilous journey, to the newly discovered land of
gold.

Mr-. Juliette A. Kinzie. — An interesting book is
" Waubun, or the Early Day in the Northwest," by the
lady whose name appears at the head of this article.
Herself one of the early pioneers of the West, a woman
who had the historical distinction of living in the first
house built in Chicago, of remaining here until she saw
the fort and its few straggling houses grow to a thrifty
little town, and, later, of witnessing its rapid and truly
marvelous strides as a city, she was eminently well quali-
fied in her later years to put into narrative form her
personal reminiscences of early life in this region. But
what enhances more than anything else the value of the
book, is its importance as a faithful history of persons
and things as they were in Chicago a half century ago.
True, to the citizen of to-day, it reads like a romance,
and to those who have never experienced " life on the
frontier," it seems hard to realize that the story of Wau-
bun is not a tale of fiction, rather than an authentic
account of life, and in those times. But the well-known
character of the author, and her connection with the
oldest family in Chicago, aside from her own early resi-
dence here, leaves no more room for doubting the
truthfulness of the narrative than for disputing the

authenticity of the book itself. Indeed, neither has
ever been questioned; but after reading its interesting
pages, one lays the book down with the thought almost
involuntarily expressed, " it is true; and verily truth is
stranger than fiction." The thrilling and pathetic ac-
count of the massacre of 1812, as told by Mrs. Kinzie,
who obtained her facts concerning it from a relative
who was an eye-witness and in a degree a sufferer from
its horrors, has been read by thousands. Waubun was
first published in 1855, but the edition was soon ex-
hausted, and about ten years later, in accordance with
a popular demand for the work, a second edition was
printed, which was speedily sold. To-day the book is
out of print, and copies of it are difficult to obtain
The author has years since gone to her reward; but in
Waubun her name and character, as well as those of
many of her associates in the early days in the North-
west, will long be preserved in this tribute to the mem-
ory of those brave pioneers who paved the way, and laid
the foundations of what has since become the great
metropolis of the West. See history of the Kinzie
family on page 98.

T. Heruert Whipple. — As a writer of short
stories, sketches, reviews and biographies T. Herbert
Whipple, still a resident of Chicago, early won for him-
self a reputation, which at that time augured well for
a brilliant literary career. And while he wrote much
which served to convince the public of his decided
talent in a literary way, it is to be regretted that he so
soon abandoned his purely literary labors to engage in
the routine duties of editorial work on a daily paper.
Mr. Whipple's father, Thomas P. Whipple, came to this
State in 1836 from Buffalo, N. Y.,and settled on a farm
about thirty-five miles west of Chicago. Here the
subject of .this sketch, who was six years of age at the
time of his arrival in Illinois, grew up and remained
until 1852. He then began the publication of a tem-
perance paper in St. Charles, which was subsequently
removed to this city, and became a prominent temper-
ance organ under the name of the Temperance Mes-
senger. In 1854 Mr. Whipple was made the editor of
a literary weekly, published in this city by W. W.
Danenhower and called the Literary Budget. He
remained here until 1856, when he resigned his posi-
tion, on account of the paper being changed from a
literary journal to a political organ, espousing the doc-
trine of Know-nothingism ; a political faith to which
Mr. Whipple did not heartily subscribe. January 10,
1854, Mr. Whipple married Miss Mira B. Fuller, a lady
of St. Charles, and with her returned to his father's
farm, that year, following the quiet pursuits of a farmer
until 1857, when he took a position as night editor and
local reporter on the Democratic Press of this city.
From then until 1861 he was engaged on several of the
city papers, but on the commencement of active hostil-
ities in the South, he was sent to the front as the war
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune. In that position
Mr. Whipple discharged his duties so well, and his
enterprise and ability as a writer and gatherer of news
attracted so much attention that, at the close of the war,
he was offered a position on the New York Herald, and
shortly afterward became its city editor. In two years
a change in the force of that paper was effected, new
influences controlling. Mr. Whipple resigned his posi-
tion and returned to Chicago. Mr. Storey offered him
a place on the Times, which he accepted. His next
move was the establishment of a private detective
agency ; and from that time up to 1878, he edited news-
papers at Galesburg, III., Yidalia, La., and Denver, Col.
In the last named year, his health failing in the West, he

MUSIC.

5°3

returned to Chicago and entered the employ of Captain
Turtle, as a detective, superintending his business and
assisting upon the Penny Press at Cleveland, Ohio, until
1882, at which date the Mooney & Boland Detective
Agency, of New York, established a branch agency here,
and he accepted the position of superintendent, a place
he still holds (1884). As editor, from 1854 to 1856, of a
paper that ranked as the leading literary journal of the
West, he was better acquainted with the writers of the
country than most men at that time. Among the more
noted of his own works, in fact the one which, perhaps,
gained him most reputation, was a novelette, " Ethzelda,
or Sunbeams and Shadows," published as a serial in the
columns of the Literary Budget. It was a tale of the
prairie region as it once existed, and was subsequently
issued in book form by Rufus Blanchard, who then had
a publishing house on LaSalle Street, and also in Phila-
delphia by a prominent publishing house. The story
deals with a band of robbers and counterfeiters whose
headquarters were in a large cave in the banks of the
Mississippi, somewhere on the western boundary of the
State of Illinois. Its dramatic arrangement is very good,
the incidents as interesting and exciting as the nature
of the tale would suggest. In addition to this, Mr.
Whipple contributed a great number of short sketches
to the columns of the Literary Budget, together with
book reviews and biographical sketches of the then
leading writers of the West. Among the latter was an
extended and ably written article on the life and writings
of that popular novelist, Emerson Bennett. This article
was widely read and copied by the leading papers of
the country.

W. H. Bushnell. — Previous to and contemporary
with Mr. Whipple, and also a popular writer and con-
tributor to the paper of which he was editor, was a gen-
tleman, by profession a civil engineer, William H. Bush-
nell, then of this city. This gentleman, aside from
being a poet of acknowledged ability, a sketch of whose
life, together with specimens of his poetry, can be found
in " Coggshall's Poets and Poetry of the West," was a
pleasing and graceful writer of prose stories, sketches,
Indian legends, etc. He was born in the city of Hud-
son, N. Y., June 4, 1823, and was educated at the Uni-
versity of New York City. He was first announced
as a poet in the year 1843, when he delivered, before
the Young Men's Lyceum of Chicago a poem enti-
tled " Knowledge is Power." He then lived in this
city engaged in the practice of his profession, but found,
it seems, time to contribute to the columns of the Gem
of the Prairie, and later to the Literary Budget, stories,
poems, and graphic sketches of Indian life in the West.
He was also connected in various capacities, editorially or
otherwise, to many other Chicago publications. Under
the pseudonym of "Frank Weber" he wrote a novel,
" Prairie Fire," first published in the Garden City, which
was well received throughout the West; in fact so pop-
ular did it become that it was printed in book form, rap-
idly ran through six editions, and is to-day found in the
trade. Subsequently he became one of the editors and
contributed largely to the Sunday Leader, the proprietor
of which was the now public printer, Hon. S. P. Rounds,
who was also the publisher of the Printer's Cabinet, for
which Mr. Bushnell has continuously written for over a
quarter of a century. Leaving Chicago for New York,
just prior to the war, Mr. Bushnell then devoted his time
mainly to authorship. He became a contributor to the
best literary publications, and has written many serial
novels, sketches, poems, etc., which have made his name
familiar throughout the land. As a writer of passionate
fiction he may justly be proud of the name he has won;

as a writer of Indian romance so great an authority as
>!- I'- Shillaber(" Mrs. Partington") has dei lar« .1 hi had
nu equal since Cooper; and Mrs. Ann S. Stephens that
his "Indians were too good and true to their subtli
acter to be appreciated by the masses " and that " eai h
of his poems contained a sufficient number of beautiful
similes to exhaust any author." He has been twice
married

A writer in the Criterion for August, 1882, said:

" Haste of composition has much marred the literary work of
Mr. Bushnell. All of his productions reveal this, and it is to be
regretted. He has written an amount scarcely to be credited, his

other engagements considered, and still accomplishes far more than
many a younger man, and one who has all his hours at command.
Yet, as a rule, he has written strong, well, and with a wo. id, rful
command of language and illustration; his serial, exhibiting
insight int.. the mature passions ,,f the human heart, and his poetrj
the love of the beautiful and tenderness of a woman,"

Mr. Bushnell is now engaged as a proof-reader in
the Treasury Branch of the Government Printing Office
at Washington, a position his years of newspaper life
have well fitted him to fill. He still finds time to write
much for the Press.

Henry A. Clark. — Another writer of those days,
also an occasional contributor to the literary journals,
was Henry A. Clark, an attorney of this city. Mr.
Clark wrote, among others, a novel, the " Banditti of
the Prairie," which was published early in the fifties,
though at. that time its authorship was credited to Ed-
ward Bonny, a then noted detective who lived in Du
Page County, near what is now Prospect Park. Later,
however, it became well known that Mr. Clark was the
anthor. The book had an immense sale, and at once
took its place among the popular romances of the day.

Benjamin F. Taylor, whose literary works have
long since given him more than a national reputation,
was for many years a resident of this city. For thir-
teen years he occupied an editorial position on the Chi-
cago Evening Journal, during which time he wrote
much that contributed to the fame which has since
been accorded him as one of the most graceful and
pleasing writers in the West. Mr. Taylor was born in
the town of Lowville, Cass Co., N. Y., in 1822. His
father, Stephen W. Taylor, LL. D., was president for
many years of the Madison University, at Madison, N.
Y. The son received a good education and, coming

West while yet a young man, began life surrounded
with all the generous possibilities of a new and growing
country. His writings early attracted attention, and
were distinguished by an originality of thought ami a
vigor of style hitherto almost unknown in the literature
of the West. Among the earlier poems written by Mr.
Taylor, and which at once gave him prominence, were:
"Rhymes of the River," "June Dews," "Shall I Know
Her Again? " " God Bless Our Stars," ami " Tin- World's
Embodied Thought." In 1855 a volume of his edito-
rial writings, entitled "January and June," was pub-
lished in New York, and a few years later a s.i ond ( .li-
tion was issued by a firm in this city. Mr. Taylor now
lives on a farm in northern Indiana, from the quiet se-
clusion of which he contributes occasional articles to
several of the leading periodicals in the Fast, as well as
to various journals in this and other States.

William Rounseville, win. began, in October,

5°4

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

1845, the publication of the Western Magazine, the first
literary periodical published in this city, was a writer of
rare and versatile talent. Bits of poetry, charming
sketches in prose, historical reminiscences, and well-
written fiction, all flowed from his ready pen; and into
whatever field he entered, he treated his subject with a
grace, vigor, and thoroughness which bespoke the
rarest qualities of intellectual strength and culture.
Aside from his editorial duties, he contributed a great
number of articles to his magazine, which well deserve
to be preserved as among the best specimens of early
literature in the West. In the initial number of the
Magazine, there appear credited to his pen the following
articles: A charming sketch, " The Pioneer of the
Prairies;" a well-written article on the "Arms and Ar-
mour of the Ancients," a subject which he carried
through all the numbers in the first volume; an histori-
cal sketch. "An Incident of the Revolution;" and two
short poems. "They Bid me be Sad," and "Can the
Mother Forget her Child?" The pages of every num-
ber teem with the fruits of his prolific pen. Among
the other contributors to this periodical were YV. H.
Bushnell and Judge Brown, whose works have already
been noticed in this chapter. The Western Magazine
lived but one year, when it was discontinued, and its
editor turned his attention to journalism, but later en-
gaged in the publication of an Odd-Fellows' Monthly.
Mr. Rounseville then removed to Peoria, where he re-
mained several years. He again returned to this city,
living here until his death, in 1878.

ARCHITECTURE.

The first house built in Chicago from plans drawn
by an architect was the residence of William B. Ogden.
In the fall of 1836, Mr. Ogden, being then in New
York on a visit, employed the services of J. M. Van-
Osdel, an architect of that city, in drawing plans for a
dwelling which he proposed building during the follow-
ing year. Hs also induced Mr. VanOsdel to come to
Chicago, in the spring of 1837, and personally superin-
tend the erection of the house. This residence, which
was still standing at the time of the fire of 1871, was
the finest and most attractive in the city. It stood in
the center of Block 35, Kinzie's addition, and was
bounded on the east by Rush, on the south by Ontario,
on the west by Cass and on the north by Erie. The
building was of the Grecian style of architecture, and
was almost square, two stories in height, the roof sur-
mounted with an observatory, while on two sides were
recess-porches flanked with large ornamental columns.
Mr. YanOsdel, after completing the building, decided
to make Chicago his home and is now living here. Not
long since he began a series of articles on the " History
of Chicago Architecture," which were published in the
Inland Architect, a monthly journal of this city. In
the first paper are found the following interesting recol-
lections, stated in the third person:

" Mr. VanOsdel arrived early in June of 1837. Passing from
the landing toward Mr. Ogden's office on Kinzie Street, he noticed
a block of three buildings, three stories high, the fronts of which
had fallen outward and laid prone upon the street. Upon inquiring
he found that the frost of the preceding winter had penetrated to a
great depth below the foundations, and the buildings, having a
south front, the sun acting upon the frozen quicksand under the '
south half of the block, rendered it incapable of sustaining the
weight of the building. At the same time, the rear, or north part,
of the block, being in shadow, the frozen ground thawed gradually
and continued to support the weight resting upon it The conse-
quence was that the block careened. Mr. Van1 Isdel's first work in
Chicago was to readjust the floors in this block, which, at first de-
signed for stores, was completed for tlwelling houses. * * *

The brick buildings in the city in the spring of 1837 were the Lake
House, on the southeast corner of Rush and Mich-gar, streets, a
building about eighty by one hundred feet, four stories high; the
St. James church, a pretentious semi-Gothic structure, with a square
brick tower, located on Cass, between Michigan and Illinois; Will-
iam Norton who built the first bridge across the river at Dearborn
Street, had a two story brick residence on Indiana, near Dearborn
Street; there were two stores, two stories high, on North Water
Street near the foot of Cass. These, with the frontless block first
mentioned, included all the brick structures in the North Division
of the city. There were but twc brick buildings in the West Divis-
ion, one a two story dwelling, corner of Jackson and Canal streets,
owned by Laframboise, an Indian chief; the other was Archibald
Clybourne's residence, in the (then) extreme northwest corner of the
city. In the South Division was the court-house, on the north-
east corner of the public square, having a basement and principal
story, dimensions about thirty by sixty feet; the court-room and
jury rooms on the principal floor; clerk's and recorder's offices and
vaults in the basement; the front was ornamented with a four-col-
umn Doric portico of wood work."

On the opposite corner, where the Sherman House
now stands, was the City Hotel, and north of that, on
Clark Street, was a two-story building occupied by Peter
Pruyn, and the "Saloon Building," which was four stories
high. It was discovered, after the roof was put on, that
there were no chimney tops, and not a flue in the build-
ing, and they were constructed afterward inside the
walls, as they were needed. There was a three-story
building on the southwest corner of South Water and
LaSalle streets ; also a three-story dwelling, southwest
corner of Randolph and Wells, owned by Charles Chap-
man, and a two-story dwelling, southwest corner of La-
Salle and Washington streets, the property of P. F. W.
Peck. The foregoing comprises all the brick buildings
in Chicago in the spring of 1837. In that year the
principal builders in the city were A. D. Taylor, Azel
Peck, Alexander Loyd, Peter L. Updike, Charles Low-
ber, Asbel Steele, F. C. Sherman, Alson S. Sherman,
and William Worthington. In his second paper Mr.
VanOsdel continues as follows :

"Among the very few buildings that made any pretentions to
architectual ornament were the residences of W. H. Brown and
John H. Kinzie in the North Division, and of Dr. John T. Temple
and George W. Snow in the South Division. Mr. Snow was the
inventor of the ' balloon frame ' method of constructing wooden
buildings, which in this city, completely superseded the old style of
framing with posts, girts, beams and braces. The great rapidity in
the construction and the large saving in cost, compared with the old
fashioned frame, brought the 'balloon frame' into general use. It is
conceded that a frame with every part spiked together offers greater
resistance to lateral force than any other method of construction.
As an evidence of its power to resist such force it may be stated
that the ' Bull's Head Hotel.' built by Mathew Laflin in 1S4S, at
the junction of Ogden Avenue and Madison Street, was a three-
story ' balloon frame' of large dimensions. Standing upon the open
prairie, with hardly a building within a miie of it, this structure
was exposed to the fierce, unbroken prairie winds, yet remained
unshaken for many years, until it was taken down to give place to
the Washingtonian Home, which now occupies its former site."

The balloon frame, however, proved its dangerous
character in the fire of 187 1, since which time, the
erection of frame buildings within the city limits is for-
bidden by law. That conflagration destroyed nearly
every building in the city which had been erected be-
fore 1838, only a few which had been removed to the
outskirts of the town being left. Among them was a
block of buildings which formerly stood on Lake Street,
but were, long before 187 1 , removed to State Street,
near Twelfth. The corniced pediment of these build-
ings was of the Grecian-Ionic order ; the broad en-
tablature, under the front eaves, was surmounted with a
frieze, ornamented with oblong quadrangular openings,
which besides serving to adorn were also utilized to light
the attic story of the building. In 1839 this was the
finest business block in the city.

The difficulties and obstacles which faced the archi-

ARCHITECTURE.

5 °S

tect and builder in the early days of Chicago have now
long since disappeared ; indeed many of them are almost
forgotten by the builders of to-day. The most serious
difficulty encountered was in the character of the soil
and the low elevation of the original surface of the
ground, on which the main part of the city is situated.
As is now well known, the strata underlying the city
was first a black loam soil, varying in depth from one to
two feet ; underneath was a bed of quicksand, three to
four feet in depth, resting on a stratum of blue clay,
which was almost impervious to water. In wet seasons
it was next to impossible to dig trenches for founda-
tions, as the water would fill such excavations to the
surface ; drainage was out of the question, owing to the
low and level surface of the ground ; and, owing to the
water-tight stratum of blue clay, already mentioned ;
the only resource of builders was to wait until the
ground became dry and firm by the slow process of
evaporation. In consequence of these difficulties many
of the earlier frame buildings of Chicago were built on
posts, sunk into the ground and resting on the hard clay,
which under the circumstances furnished the best foun-
dation to be had. The convenience of having a cellar
under a building was practically impossible. Mr. Van-
Osdel on this subject says :

" In 1S40. the owner of a brick building on the southwest cor-
ner of Lake and State streets determined to have a cellar under his
store. He made the necessary excavations, and succeeded in plank-
ing the bottom and walls with three-inch plank, with caulked and
pitched seams, rendering the basement water-tight. The depth
was about live feet. Upright posts were placed between the floor
and ceiling to resist the upward floating tendency of the cellar
floor ; but it was soon discovered that the hydrostatic force was
more than equal to the weight of the principal floor, and all the
goods resting thereon ; and an upward movement of the interior of
the building was manifest. The ark was scuttled and filled in with
earth, thus ending the first attempt at cellar construction in the
business portion of our city."

Prior to 1852 there were few brick buildings noted
for architectural beauty. The majority of them were
conspicuous for their plain and simple style and for the
utter absence of anything tending to embellish or adorn.
In those days, men who built had not the means to
indulge in architectural ornament nor any other extrav-
agance ; hence four walls, well roofed, properly lighted
and ventilated, and partitioned into suitable apartments
answered every purpose. However, as Mr. VanOsdel
observes, " the increase of wealth and prosperity in
after years permitted these same men to indulge their
latent taste and desire for the beautiful, in causing the
erection of many business edifices that would ornament
and adorn any city in the world."

Another difficulty in the way of constructing elegant
and permanent buildings in early times, was the scarcity
of suitable stone for building purposes. The nearest
quarries were located at Joliet, a distance of forty miles,
and before the opening of the canal, in 1848, the only
means of transportation was by wagons. The Scammon
school building, which was built in 1846, had its caps,
sills and water-tables cut at these quarries, from which
they were transported across the country by teams to
Chicago.

The Tremont House fsee Chapter on Hotels), which
was eighty by one hundred feet in dimensions, and five
stories in height, was furnished with cut stone from the
quarries at Lockport, N. Y., as was also the court-house,
built in 1853. In May, 1855, the system of sewerage
(q. v.) was devised which led to the elevation of the
street grades ; and a few years later, the Tremont
House, notwithstanding the size of the building and its
massive character, being built wholly of brick and stone,

was placed on jack-screws and elevated to a level with
the new grade The distance necessary to raise it was
seven feet. This remarkable undertaking was safely
accomplished, and a new basement was constructed
under the building. To better enable the reader to
understand the importance of elevating the grade "i the
city, for the purpose of promoting its architectural and
sanitary advancement, reference is made t" tin- topic
entitled "Street Improvements," which will be found
elsewhere in this volume. But as has already been indi-
cated, until this elevation of grade was accomplished,
the difficulties to be met in the construction of large
buildings were of the most serious ami aggravating
character.

The court-house q. v.' was of the Roman Gothic
style and was a handsome and well-proportioned struct-
ure. It stood in the center of the public square and
was one hundred and sixty feet front from east to west,
and one hundred and thirty-two feet in depth from front
to rear. The county jail was in the basement, offices,
court-rooms, etc., on the upper floors.

In filling the square about the court house up to
the required grade, it was essential that the lightingand
ventilating of the jail apartments should not be inter-
fered with. To avoid doing this "an area wall was
built on a circular plan, one hundred and eighty feet in
diameter, and circumscribing the entire building." It
was built three feet above the street-grade with a coping
of heavy cut stone, the whole surmounted with heavy
iron railing. This arrangement gave ample space for
light and air in the basement of the building, while the
surrounding yard was filled with dirt obtained in dredg-
ing the river.

The first brick building in the city to be raised, by
means of jack-screws, to the new grade, was a brick
store, situated on the northeast corner of Dearborn and
Randolph streets, and owned by J. D. Jennings. This
was done in 1859, and the work was done by James
Brown, of Boston. Two years later an entire block of
buildings on Lake Street, extending from Clark to
LaSalle, was raised by the same process simultaneously
and without damaging the block in the least. The busi-
ness of raising stores and blocks continued through a
period of seven years, from 1857 to 1864.

The first churches of Chicago (see Religious', while
exceedingly plain and simple in style and construction,
as compared with the costly and magnificent edifices of
the present time, were yet buildings in which was dis-
played a decided taste in architectural design and finish.
The First Universalist church on Washington Street,
between Clark and Dearborn, built in 1S44, was a frame
building, resting on a stone foundation six feet in
height. The building was of the Ionic order and cost
near $3,000. The First Methodist church, completed in
1845, was then one of the most beautiful and spacious
church edifices in the city. Two plans for the building
were drawn by Mr. Sullivan and Mr. VanOsdel, ami
the church was built embodying features from both
designs. It was of the Doric style of architecture,
though the entablature was void of any ornament. The
other churches in the city, belonging to the same school
of architecture, were the Tabernacle church, built in
1843, on LaSalle Street, and the Unitarian church on
Washington Street, built in 1S40. The latter was rather
a handsome edifice, being erected at a cost of §5,000.
St. Mary's church (Catholic1, erected in [843, on the
corner of Wabash Avenue ami Madison Street, was an
imposing structure, built of brick, with stone founda-
tion, and was one hundred ami twelve feel long by fifty-
five feet in breadth. The side walls were thirty-four

5°6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

feet in height. Twelve feet of the length in front was
devoted to a portico, or recess porch, supported by six
Ionic columns, which order of architecture prevailed
throughout the entire building. Another building of
the Ionic school was the First Baptist church, built in
1844-45, on l^e corner of Washington and LaSalle
streets. The St. James church, built in 1836, was a
large and handsome building of the English Gothic
style— one of the first houses in the city constructed on
this order of architecture. Rush Medical College
q. v. . erected in 1844, the plan of which was drawn by
Mr. VanOsdel, was a heavy massive building of the
Roman order. From its center arose a huge circular
dome, which gave to the structure a marked resemblance
to the roof of that celebrated Roman edifice of ancient
times, the Pantheon. The Second Presbyterian church,
which was built in 1849, was, from an architectural
standpoint, a splendid and imposing edifice of the
English-Gothic style. A peculiarity about it which
made it almost a famous building was the character of
the stone of which it was built. Its walls were con-
structed from a limestone rock, taken from the quarries
near this city, and was the first building of any import-
ance constructed of material thus obtained at home.
This stone was filled with a black, bituminous substance,
strongly impregnated with petroleum, which from the
action of the sun exuded from the pores of the stone, and,
running down the face of the walls, gave to the edifice
an appearance strikingly peculiar and antiquated. The
house was regarded as a curiosity, and sightseers in the
Garden City were always shown, as among its objects
of interest, the Second Presbyterian church. It was
destroyed in the fire of 1871, but the stones, uninjured
by the heat, were removed, and to-day form a part of
the walls of a church since created on Wabash Avenue.
Having thus noticed the character of the early
architecture of Chicago, its subsequent growth and
development are subjects which logically belong to a
later period, in the history of which it will be fully and
appropriately treated.

ART AND ARTISTS.

Samuel M. Brooks, who was here as early as 1833,
was the first artist in Chicago. He subsequently
removed to California. In 1845 he offered for sale the
paintings then owned by him, to enable him to indulge
in European study.

In 1842 Mrs. Strangman advertised in the Daily
American that she was prepared to give instruction in
music, painting and ornamental needlework.

J. L. Porter, a miniature painter, had a studio in the
Exchange Building. His advertisements show that he

remained here from 1845 to 1847, and possibly
longer.

R. M. White, an engraver, was also a lover of art
work, and in 1845 received a complimentary notice in
the Democrat.

In November, 1850, Powers's '' Greek Slave " was
exhibited at Tremont Hall, and aroused much discus-
sion as to the propriety of the nude in art.

A large painting entitled "Christ Healing the Sick,"
was exhibited here in 1850, but did not receive profit-
able patronage.

The daguerrean artists at that period were C. C.
Kelsey, 136 Lake Street, P. Von Schneidau, 122 Lake
Street, and John Hunter, at 85 on the same thorough-
fare.

Charles Peck painted a panorama of the Mississippi
and scenes from Chicago to the Pacific, in an early day,
which was exhibited in this country and Europe.

Monsieur Andreu, an excellent artist in landscape
work, resided here in 1854-55. In the latter year he
painted and exhibited a representation of the Garden
City, in four sections. His views were taken from the
observatory of the Tremont House.

Monsieur Montel, an artist in monochromatic draw-
ing, oil and water colors, also a teacher of the French
language, in 1854 had his studio at 84 Dearborn Street,
opposite the theater. In the next year there were C.
V. Bond in the Exchange Building, C. E. Cridland at
189 La Salle Street, E. S. Lennox and W. W. Pendergast
at 131 Lake Street, H. D. Theilcke in the Metropolitan
Block; of this number, Mr. Cridland excelled in land-
scape pieces. He painted that year for Robert Fergus
a piece of this kind, which was pronounced a very fine
painting. Mr. Fergus exhibited it at the State fair, where
it received the award of being the best landscape work
on exhibition.

St. Alary, an artist of some note, was here in 1856,
and later. Among his pieces which attracted much
attention, and which were painted in this city, were
" Contemplation," "Calypso," the " Spanish Belle," the
"Canadian Belle," and "Child at the Brook."

J. Healy, an excellent portrait artist, in 1856-57 had
his studio in the Exchange Building. An item in a
number of the Democratic Press of that time, says that
Mr. Healy had painted portraits of William B. Ogden,
E. L. VVadsworth and wife, Dr. Brainard and wife, Mrs.
E. Tinkham, and many others.

In October of that year, a very fine painting, " An
English Farm-yard," by J. F. Herring, was brought to
this city and exhibited in a room rented for the purpose
at No. 10 South Clark Street. Each animal in the
picture was painted from life. The painting which was
valued at $3,000, was pronounced the best which at
that time had ever been brought to Chicago.

BENEVOLENT, LITERARY AND SOCIAL SOCIETIES.

MASONIC.

Who was the first Freemason to become a resident
of Chicago, is a difficult question to answer, and one
that is not essential to the history of the fraternity in
the city. Masons in the segregate may do a great deal
by personal example, but the increase of the Order,
and the dissemination of its recognized principles and
doctrines, only become practicable upon the organi-
zation of a lodge, and its establishment as a working
body.

The primitive germ, the first "sprig of acacia,"
planted in the soil of Illinois, was the lodge established
at Kaskaskia by a dispensation from the Grand Lodge
of Pennsylvania, dated September 24, 1805, and at their
meeting on December 14, 1805, the lodge received an
auto-baptism, which gave it the name of Western Star
Lodge.

The officers of this first of Illinois lodges were
James Edgar, W. M. ; Rufus Easton, S. W. ; Michael
Jones, J. W. ; Robert Robinson, S. D. ; Alexander
Anderson, J. D. ; William Arundel, secretary. Thomas
J. V. Owen, a subsequent Chicagoan, was a member of
the lodge in 1826. The first initiation of record in the
State was that of Charles Querey, who took the Entered
Apprentice degree in this lodge, on February 3, 1806.
Upon September 13, 1806, the lodge assembled under
a charter dated June 18, 1806, from the Grand Lodge
of Pennsylvania, wherein the lodge was established as
"Western Star Lodge, No. 107."

The Order increased and multiplied, and at a con-
vention held at Vandalia, December 9, 1822, a Grand
Lodge was instituted, whereof Shad rack Bond was
Grand Master. This Grand Lodge * lasted until about
1828, but received the homage of several of the Illinois
lodges during its continuance, as they withdrew from
the various Grand Lodges by whom they were consti-
tuted, and paid tribute unto the Masonic Ca;sar of
Illinois.

Until 1835, from the date of the discontinuance of
the Grand Lodge, the history of Masonry in Illinois is
a tabula rasa. The supposition is that " they lived and
moved, and had a being ;" but their existence was
overt, their motions unattended with publicity, and
their being emulative of the cryptic status of the early
Christians at Rome. History records the fiery trials,
the unjust opprobrium, the bigoted antagonism that
were heaped upon Masons in these years, inaugurated
in 1826; and Illinois Masons apparently bowed their
heads before the tornado of blind passion and fury that
swept over the country, disbanded their organizations
and waited until the calm light of reason should again
have assumed its dominance. The last to surrender its
existence was "Western Star Lodge, No. 107."

In 1835 the dispersed brethren commenced re-unit-
ing, and the impetus this year given to the Masonic
fraternity has but gathered momentum with each suc-
ceeding year; the "light then kindled has burnt with a
steady, lambent, increasing flame. f

•Richard J. Hamilton was G. J. W. in 1824- , , .

tThe History of the Grand Lodge of Illinois, by H. G. Reynolds; and the
proceedings of the Grand Lodge, from 1840 to i860, have been invaluable in the
compilation of this topic.

On February 24, 1838, is the first instance of a cor-
ner-stone having been laid with Masonic ceremonies in
the State; Equality Lodge, No. 102, having performed

that office for the public works at Shawneetown

One word of explanation is necessary relative to the
numbers borne by the early lodges of Illinois; the) de-
rived their charters from various Grand Lodges, and
took the numbers from the category of each spe< ni<
source of being.

< >n April 6, 1840, at the Masons' Hall, in Jackson-
ville, a convocation assembled and formed the (.rand
Lodge of Masons of Illinois, said Grand Lodge having
a constituency of one hundred and twenty-seven mem-
bers in a segregation of six lodges. In 1 841, Stephen
A. Douglas was elected Grand Orator, but was unable
to serve. He was at the time Junior Warden of Spring-
field Lodge, No. 4.

Upon October 4, 1841, charters were voted to lodges
at Dixon, Chicago, and Joliet upon their complying
with Section six of the by-laws of the Grand Lodge.
In the case of the Chicago Lodge, the by-laws would
appear to have not been obeyed, as no charter is recorded
as having been issued.

Dr. William B. Herrick, subsequently Master of Ori-
ental Lodge, took the third degree on January 29,
1842 ; he having been initiated June 16, 1841, and
passed June 21, 1841. The lodge to which he belonged
at this time was called Mount Moriah, No. 33, but was
chartered as Hillsboro Lodge. Dr. John T. Temple
also appears September 24, 1842, as a member of Far
West Lodge, No. 29.

LaFayette Lodge, No. 18.— At the meeting of the
Grand Lodge on October 2, 1843, LaFayette Lodge, of
Chicago, under dispensation, was represented by L. C.
Kercheval, and on this date the charter was granted to
LaFayette Lodge, No. 18, and Kercheval admitted as
its representative to the Grand Lodge. He was subse-
quently appointed Grand Steward ; being the first Chi-
cago Mason who held a position in the Grand Lodge.
The dispensation for LaFayette Lodge was recom-
mended by Joliet Lodge, No. 10, and was granted on
October 2, 1842, by the Grand Master, but the lodge
did not meet until June 13, 1843, when their organiza-
tion was perfected by the installation of officers. At
this ceremonial there were present : N. Hawley, W. M.
Juliet, No. 10; Samuel H. Gilbert, W. M.'; T. W.
Smith, S. W.; Carding Jackson, J. W.; L. C. Kercheval,
secretary, pro tern.; Isaac Haight, treasurer, pro tem.;
John Davis, S. D., pro tem.; Joseph Fischbene, J. I>.:
F. A. Howe, tyler; and J. H. Sullivan and William
Harman, M. M. The names appended to the by-laws
are: Samuel H. Gilbert, Carding Jackson, H. W. Bige-
low, Samuel J. Lowe, L. C. Kercheval, John Davis, |.
Fischbene, F. A. Howe, Barnabas Horton. William Har-
man and John Ferns. The first raising was that of P.
T. McMahan, but the date is unknown. On October
16, 1843, John Ferns was elected tyler. On December
18, the following officers were elei ted; Carding lack-
son, W. M.; H. W. Bigelow. S. W.; Mathias Taylor. J.
W.; Samuel J. Lowe, treasurer; L. C. Kercheval, sec-
retary; John Davis, S. D.; Joseph Fischbene, J. I).;

5°8

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

F. A. Howe and " Barney Horton," stewards ; John
Ferns, tyler.

The following comprise those who were raised to per-
pendicularity in 1844 by LaFayette Lodge : W. B. Snow-
hook. J. L. Howe, on the third Monday in January; E. L.
Sherman, William Sheer, February 17: Samuel J. Surdam,
February 20 ; * J. J. Huntley, A. C. Taylor, P. P. Robin-
son, Valentine A. Boyer. March 18 ; Cornelius Lansing,
March 25 ; Thomas Brooks. April 1; A. Getzler, June 3 ;
Isaac X. Arnold, June 17 ; John J. Jackson, August
20 ; Joshua Bell.f September 2 ; Isaac P. Hatfield,
October 1; John B. Irvin, November 4; Charles R.
Starkweather and William S. Brown, December 2 ; Lot
Whitcomb. December 3 ; Virgil H. Eachus, December
11. June 17, a semi-annual election was held resulting
in the choice of Carding Jackson, W. M.; H. W. Bige-
low, S. Y\\; M. Taylor, J. \Y.; Samuel J. Lowe, treas-
urer; L. C. Rercheval, secretary ; John Davis, S. D.;
Alfred C. Taylor, J. D.; John Ferns, tyler ; R.Chester
and R. J. Hamilton, stewards. September 2, Kercheval
resigned as secretary and Valentine A. Boyer was in-
stalled as wielder of the instrument " that is mightier
than the tyler's sword." On November 18, William
Jackson was initiated, no charge being made for the de-
gree ; it being conferred gratuitously upon the son in
recognition of the services of the father — Carding
Jackson. On December 2, 1844, the lodge endorsed a
petition for the establishment of a new lodge ; this
petition to the Grand Lodge being, presumptively, for

a dispensation for Apollo Lodge, No.

December

16, 1844, an election was had resulting in placing Card-
ing Jackson as W. M.; M. Taylor, S. W.; Samuel J.
Lowe, J. W.; H. W. Bigelow, treasurer; William S.
Brown, secretary : Thomas Brooks and George B. Fear-
ing, deacons ; Captain J. Jackson and I. P. Hatfield,
stewards, and I. P. Hatfield, tyler.

In 1845 the officers of LaFayette, No. 18, were Card-
ing Jackson, W. M.; M. Taylor, S. W.; Hart L. Stew-
art, J. W.; H. W. Bigelow, treasurer; C. G. Wicker,
secretary ; Isaac P. Hatfield, S. D.; Thomas Brooks,
J. D.; B. Horton and J. L. Thompson, stewards ; N.
Christy, tyler ; R. J. Hamilton and Henry Brown, past-
masters. In 1846 the officers were Richard T.Hamilton,
W. M.: Mathias Taylor, S. W.; Hart, L. Stewart, J.W.;
H. \Y. Bigelow, treasurer ; C. G. Wicker, secretary ; J.
L. Thompson, S. D.; Thomas Brooks, J. D.; Abraham
Kohn and J. Y. Sanger, stewards ; I. P. Hatfield, tvler.
The officers for 1847 were Mathias Taylor, W. M.;
Charles G. Wicker, S. W.; J. C. Miller, J. W.; H. W.
Bigelow, treasurer ; Abraham Kohn, secretary ; Thomas
Brooks, S. D.; Philip Newberg, J. D.; J. L. Thompson,
tyler. In 1848, the occupants of official positions were
Carding Jacfcson, W. M.; Isaac N. Arnold, S. W.; J.
C. Miller, J. YV; H. W. Bigelow, treasurer ; Isaac P.
Hatfield, secretary; Philip Newberg, S. D.; J. L.
Thompson. J. ]).; Y. W. Potter and John B. Weir,
stewards ; Nathan Christy, tyler ; and the lodge had
ninety-four members. The lodge in 1849 had the fol-
lowing officers : Carding |ackson, W. M.; J. C. Miller,
S. W.; Philip Newberg, J. YV.; H. W. Bigelow, treas-
urer ; I. P. Hatfield, secretary ; Jacob Gauch, Jr., and
William A. Begole, deacons ; Heman Hatch and J. G.
Howe, stewards; Nathan Christy, tyler.

• Samuel Johns/in Surdam is the oldest living Mason (September, 1883)
made in Chicago.

ia liell experienced some difficulty in arriving at the degree <>f Mas-
ter Mason. He t'*,k the K. A. degree, but during his recipiency of the F. C.
degree allowed yjme atheistical proclivities to dominate over his responses;
whereupon he was led forth by the article provided for that purpose. Subse-
quent investigation and explanation demonstrated his eligibility and he suet
lively look the remaining two degrees. Vide paragraph on Anti-Masonry.

In 1850 the offices were filled as follows: J. C.
Miller, W. M.; Philip Newberg, S. W.; R. E. Goodrich,
J. \Y.; H. W. Bigelow, treasurer; I. P. Hatfield, secre-
tary; George Cowper, S. D.; William McMillan, J. D.;
Martin Dodge and H. R. Taylor, stewards; John Daly,
tyler; and eighty-four members were represented by trie
annual contributions to the Grand Lodge fund; and the
following list comprises the names of Master Masons of
LaFayette Lodge, No. 18, not heretofore mentioned :
Samuel McKay, James McGuire, N. F. Butler, Samuel
Aikins, A. Garrett, Leonard Falch, Duane J. Surdam,
Francis Edwards, James Campbell, John Blackstone,
Joseph Atkinson, J. F. Colby, M. L. Knapp, J. W. Dun-
lap, Levi Rosenfelt, William Locke, Daniel Lyons, W.
B. Smith, D. S. Cady, Joseph Filkins, Scott Benedict,
Matthew Mcllvaine, G. Wetherbee, N. W. Watson, S.
J. Huntley, B. Nietschmann, Jacob Rosenburg, J. A. W.
Donahoo, Frederick Weis, W. H. Dobson, George
Chacksfield, Solomon Kellogg, W. H. Wells, John
Pfund, F. Burckey, Joseph Goodrich, Jacob Rosen-
baum, J. M. Lowe, Theodore Hubbard, James McCord,
J. D. Jennings, James A. Marshall, David Sheppard
Smith.

In the proceedings of the Grand Lodge for 1847
occurs a peculiar case; that of Isaac P. Hatfield, of
LaFayette Lodge, No. 18. It appears that he was sum-
marily suspended from Apollo Encampment, by receiv-
ing notice October 5, 1846, and in said notice his atten-
tion was called to a resolution, purporting to have been
adopted by the Grand Lodge, declaring that suspension
from an encampment carried with it suspension from all
lower degrees. The Grand Lodge, upon being peti-
tioned by Hatfield on the subject, decided that the reso-
lution had never received deliberate sanction and was
therefore void.

Apollo Lodge, No. 32. — The first authentic notice
concerning Apollo Lodge, No. 32, and Oriental Lodge,
No. 33, is in the proceedings of the Grand Lodge for
1845; at which session Rev. W. F. Walker, of Oriental
Lodge, and William Stuart, of Apollo Lodge, both
under dispensation at Chicago, were admitted as proxies
of Joliet Lodge, No. 10. At this session the Grand
Master reported granting dispensations to Apollo* and
Oriental lodges; and charters were recommended to be
granted them under the numbers thirty-two and thirty-
three respectively. Messieurs Stuart and Walker, at
the request of the Grand Lodge, rehearsed the lectures
in the first and second degrees; as recited, they were
commended by the Grand Lodge and unanimously
adopted for the work in those degrees. Whereby Chi-
cago was complimented, and again was distinguished
by the election of Rev. William F. Walker to the office
of Grand Master, and William Stuart to the office of
Grand Orator.

The directory for 1845 specifies that Apollo Lodge
was instituted by dispensation from the R. W. D. G.
Master, November, 1844, and that the officers were
William Stuart, W. M.; John R. Case, S. W.; Cornelius
Lansing, J. W.; Charles Follansbee, treasurer; William
H. Adams, secretary; C. R. Starkweather, S. D.; C. C.
Norton, J. D.; Rev. W. F. Walker, chaplain; James A.
Marshall, L. Mower, G. Wadhams, stewards; and G.
Wad hams, tyler.

The charters for Apollo, No. 32, and Oriental, No. 33, f
must have been granted this session, as on November 8,
1845, the Grand Master granted a dispensation to

* The dispensation was granted to William Stuart, W. M.; John R. Case,
S. W.; and Cornelius Lansing, J. W.

+ The charter for Oriental Lodge was dated October 9, 1845.

MASONIC.

5°y

5IQ

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Apollo, No. 32, to pass and raise John Wentworth; and
reports having, upon the same day, consecrated these
lodges and installed their officers.*

The following is the earliest list on record of the
officers and members of Apollo Lodge, No. 32; and is
the list for the year 1S46: John R. Case, W. M.; Cor-
nelius Lansing, S. W.; Charles R. Starkweather, J. W.;
Charles Follansbee, treasurer; William H. Adams, sec-
retary: J. Herman Bird, S. D.; Carlton Holland, J. D.;
James A. Marshall and Joseph Keen, stewards. The
tyler was not a member of the lodge. Past Masters
were William Stuart and John Barney; and the Master
Masons were: John Brinkerhoff, Charles H. Larabee,
Joseph C. Brautigam, Adam Gibbs, John A. Ruckhart,
J. Milo Strail, M. Leopold, Lyman Mower, E. W. Her-
rick, Charles R. Vandercook, Alonzo G. Huntington,
Sylvester X. Rice, William M. Jackson, James Long,
John Wentworth, L. W. Clark, Edward R. Harmon and
Cyprian C. Norton.

The lodge made no report to the Grand Lodge for
the year 1S47, but presented the following statement, on
the date designated :

"Chicaco, September 23, 1S48.
" To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois:

"The undersigned, officers of Apollo Lodge, No. 32, held
in the city of Chicago, would respectfully represent that, in
the spring of 1S47, Apollo Lodge made an agreement with Oriental
Lodge, wherebv the two lodges might be consolidated, and thereby
form one lodge, more respectable as to numbers and more econom-
ical as to expenses than if two distinct organizations existed.
Besides, the wants of the fraternity did not require so many lodges
in this vicinity.

"In accordance with the above agreement, and with the con-
sent and by the advice of the M. W. Grand Master, Nelson D.
Morse, the members of Apollo Lodge, as per our returns, severally
dimitted from the lodge, June 25, 1847, and soon afterward the
majority of them became members of Oriental Lodge.

"A sufficient number dimitted to reduce the remaining mem-
bers as per our report, to the first three officers; since which time
Apollo Lodge has held no meetings, nor has it had in the opinion
of the fraternity, an existence as a lodge. Our charter has been
removed from the lodge room, and has been for more than a year
at the disposal of the Grand Lodge. The unexpected absence of
the W. M. last year prevented any action being taken upon it
at your last Annual Communication. The officers are willing to
abide by the decision of the Grand Lodge, either to return their
charter or to place it in the hands of some person appointed by
your honorable body to receive it.

" The officers would state that they have no funds or property
remaining in their hands belonging to the lodge, and that the
books of the lodge, placed in the hands of the Senior Warden for
safe keeping, were, among other things belonging to him, unfortu-
nately destroyed bv fire during the present summer; that they have
but their charter and the usual fee to return.

" The officers would therefore respectfully petition your hon-
orable body to relieve them of their responsibility and enable them
to connect themselves with other lodges, and thereby enable them
the better to en joy the privileges of the Masonic institution.

"And that your honorable body will direct us in relation to our
charter, either to return it to the Grand Secretary or place it in
the hands of some appointed person, your petitioners will ever
pray. "John R. Case, W. M.

" J. Herman Bird, S. W.
" j. A. Marshall, J. W." f

And at this date, October 3, 1848, the charter of
Apollo Lodge, N'i. 32, was directed to be returned to the
Grand Secretary. Hie facet Apollo! yet though here he
sank to rest, he awoke with the Orient; and as under
those auspices shone with a steady, lambent flame, con-
stantly increasing, steadily growing, until the light of
Oriental Lodge, No. t,},, is disseminated amid the Chicago
of six hundred thousand inhabitants.

Oriental Lodge, No. 33.— LaFayette Lodge, No.

remarked that the
11 this year

• A* a mattT of general Masonic history,
creed that it is indispensable for a Mason to belu

fulminated by resolutions in Illinois lodges.

t Case and Bird subsequently joined Oriental, No. 33, and Marshall
remained with LaFayette No. 18.

iS, by the accretion of members, became perforce
endowed with the maternity of Apollo, No. 32, to relieve
herself of the super-abundant Masonic clientd. Not-
withstanding this fact, by July, 1845, LaFayette Lodge
was again unduly distended by membership, beyond
the number recommended as the maximum by constitu-
tions and the Grand Lodge; a number of the members
consequently decided upon instituting another lodge,
among whom were William B. Herrick, J. V. Z. Blaney,
George Davis, W. H. Davis, William Henry, Hamilton
Hough, C. L. Schlatter, W. S. Brown, S. W. Sherman,
Samuel Hoard, W. F. Walker, Reuben Tayler; these
Masons signing the petition to the Grand Lodge and
being the charter members of Oriental, No. 33.

A dispensation was granted August 8, 1845, and the
first meeting was held August 9, 1845 ; whereat were
William F. Walker, W. M.; William B. Herrick, S. W.;
C. L. Schlatter, J. W.; J. V. Z. Blaney, S. W. Sherman,
W. H. Davis, Hamilton Hough, members ; W. H.
Adams, Charles R. Starkweather and J. R. Case of No.
32, visitors. The dispensation was read, by-laws
adopted and Oriental Lodge launched for the East.

Oriental Lodge, No. 2>7>- — On October 9, 1845,
the charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Illinois
to Oriental Lodge, No. 33, with the three senior officers
therein named as at the first lodge meeting. On De-
cember 20, 1845, the following officers were elected :
J. V. Z. Blaney, W. M.; William B. Herrick, S. W.; C.
L. Schlatter, J. W.; Samuel Hoard, treasurer; George
Davis, secretary; Hamilton Hough, S. D.; T. A.Stew-
art, J. D.; W. H. Davis and S. W. Sherman, stewards;
W. F. Walker, chaplain ; Isaac P. Hatfield of La-
Fayette, No. 18, tyler.

December 19, 1846, the annual election was held
with this result: James V. Z. Blaney, W. M.; George
Davis, S. W.; C. L. Schlatter, J. W.; Samuel Hoard,
treasurer; L. P. Hilliard, secretary ; George Ryer,
S. D.; Nathan C. Geer, J. D.; William W. Mitchell,
chaplain ; W. H. Davis, and S. W. Sherman, stewards ;
J. L. Thompson, of LaFayette, No. 18, tyler.

Upon April 26, 1847, a committee consisting of J. V.
Z. Blaney, George Davis and C. L. Schlatter — the three
senior officers of the lodge — was appointed to deliberate
with a like committee from Apollo Lodge, No. 32, upon
the feasibility of consolidating the two lodges, and on
May 26 this committee reported favorably upon the
project. Pursuant thereto on June 28, twenty members
of Apollo Lodge presented petitions for affiliation,
which were, after reference to the proper committee,
accepted. The case of Isaac P. Hatfield, before re-
ferred to, was acted upon by Oriental Lodge at this
meeting; the lodge declaring, by resolution, that the
record of Apollo Encampment having declared him ex-
pelled, Isaac P. Hatfield was "expelled." On Decem-
ber 17, however, a communication was received from
the encampment stating that I. P. Hatfield was not ex-
pelled, whereupon the resolution was rescinded and
ordered expunged from the record. Just what Oriental
Lodge had to do with the matter is unknown ; the de-
cree of the Grand Lodge was averse to his expulsion,
and he was a member of LaFayette, not Oriental, Lodge.
Election was then had, with the result as follows :
George Davis, W. M.; W. H. Davis, S. W.; J. A.
Reichart, J. W.; J. V. Z. Blaney, treasurer; L. P. Hil-
liard, secretary; R. V. M. Croes, S. D.; J. H. Pahlman,
J. D.; W. Mitchell, chaplain; John Daly and S. W.
Sherman, stewards ; J. L. Thompson, tyler. This year
the lodge had thirty-four members.

The election of December 15, 1848, made the follow-
ing officers : George Davis, W. M.; William H. Davis,

MASONIC.

5"

S. W.; J. A. Reichart, J. W.; A. G. Burley,* treasurer:
L. P. Hilliard, secretary; C. Drake, S. D.; J. H. Pahl-
man, J. D.: William Barlow, chaplain ; J. Herman Bird,
J. V. Z. Blaney and William B. Herrick, stewards ; N.
Christie, tyler. Forty members were the quota of the
lodge this year.

On December 21, 1849, the annual election resulted
as follows: J. Herman Bird, W. M.; L. P. Hilliard, S.
W.; Carlton Drake, J. W.; A. G. Burley, treasurer;
Peter A. Lantze, secretary; W. H. Adams, S. D.; P.
Ballingall, J. D.; J. V. S. Blaney, C. R. Starkweather
and George Davis, stewards ; J. Daly, tyler. The
officers subsequent to these years are contained in the
hand-book of this lodge. The members this year num-
bered forty-six.

The preceding pages exhibit the officers and mem-
bership of the two lodges that endured until 1850, and
in thus showing their constituency the early Masons of
Chicago are displayed ; the apostles whose teachings
and practice laid the foundation for the edifice, " not
made with hands," that adorns the city of the present.
They had their periods of sunshine and storm, their
moments of doubt and their times of assurance ; in fact,
a storm was raised about the ears of Apollo, No. 32, in
1845, because it was deemed this lodge had too much
assurance.

The casus belli was this: A. B. Lewis, a musician,
genealogically descended from a Cherokee by an Afri-
can paternal progenitor, for two years or so a resident
of Chicago, duly qualified with a diploma from an
acknowledged Grand Lodge, was admitted a few times
to the lodge of Chicago as a visitor. Those who
remember the bitterness of the pro and anti slavery
factions, will readily understand how the chivalric tent-
acles of the Southern lodges retracted with horror, at
the spectacle of a negro bowing before the Holy Altar
at the mention of the name of our common Father.
The Chicago lodges said, the half Indian, half negro,
was an undoubted brother Mason, a modest, worthy
man who came under the tongue of good report, and
how his exclusion from any lodge to which he might
apply for admission and display his credentials, would
comport with the respect due to the Grand Lodge
whose diploma he presented — one of the most intelli-
gent and respectable bodies of Masons in the United
States — was a question difficult of solution. But Apollo,
No. 32, piled Ossa upon Pelion; by the entertaining of
petitions from John Johnson and Davidson, barbers in
Chicago, of commingled Anglo-Saxon and African
blood, reputed of free birth and certainly of good
report, for degrees in this lodge; said petition being pre-
sented at a regular communication held May 2, 1845,
and referred in the customary manner. On May 5,
however, a special meeting was held, and a resolution
adopted, instructing the committee to whom the peti-
tion was referred not to report until after the next
meeting of the Grand Lodge in October proximo, in
order that an expression of opinion might be had from
the Grand Lodge. The intention of Apollo Lodge
appears to have been to ignore color lines, but it was a
little timorous as to the result of its action.

On November 21, next following, at a regular com-
munication, with W. M. William Stuart in the East, the
committee upon said petition reported favorably ;
but the delegate to the Grand Lodge having stated
that the Grand Lodge had not expressed any dictum
on the matter, a resolution was unanimously adopted,

* This gentleman is the Blue-Ribbon Lodge-treasurer, and is still the oc-
cupant of this office, having held it without lapse, except for the years 1851-52-
53-54 i thirty years.

allowing the petitioners to withdraw their petitions
and to resume their status as profane persons, de
novo. It was also desired l>\ thi SILz Vpollo

Lodge, that it might be made a matter ofi

the time of this action, no instructions had been
received from the Grand Lodge with which the anion
of the lodge was inconsistent. But the lodges uprose
in their wrath, headed by Harmony, No. 3, who, for the
nonce, was the Ate" of the Masonic confederation. Cir-
culars were sent to each lodge asking for an expression
of opinion; the question of a Black Lodge was gravely
discussed; committees met, acted and Darted; one
gravely stating that "the Author of all lias placed a
distinguishing mark upon them the negroes), clearly
indicating that there was a distinctiveness in be kept
up," etc. The tempest was full of acerbity, rancor and
harsh sentiment, and was distinguished, in the main, by
anything rather than the comprehensive charity that
should extent from the nadir to the zenith. The whole
fact appears to be that the Chicago lodge was
years ahead of time. It is surmised that the
onism engendered by the pioneer abolitionism of Apollo
Lodge, No. 32, led to its disintegration. Apollo was
the deity before whom darkness fled; and Apollo, No.
32, made quite an illuminative innovation upon the
pro-slavery ideas of that period.

On October 1, 1849, the Grand Lodge held its ses-
sion for the first time in Chicago, and on February 10,
1850, the record of the proceedings was destroyed by
fire, in consequence of which a special session of the
Grand Lodge was convoked at Springfield, April 8,
1850, to restore records, etc., destroyed. This session
of the Grand Lodge was christened, on this account,
"The Grand Lodge of Recovery."

One act of justice requires to be performed to the
memory of Nathan C. Geer: he is reported upon the
hand-book of Oriental Lodge as expelled; he was ex-
pelled, but was restored by Grand Master J. H. Hibbard
June 16, 1857, to good Masonic standing in the frater-
nity, upon the unanimous petition of the lodge, * and
died at Peoria in i860, a member of Peoria Com-
mand ery.

The Chicago lodges were by no means deficient in
the great Masonic virtue, charity, as the following pre-
amble and resolution, introduced in the Grand Lodge
at the session of 1853, will satisfactorily demonstrate:
"Whereas: It has been represented to this Grand
Lodge that the finances of LaFayette and Oriental lodges
of Chicago are now almost entirely exhausted by their
frequent disbursements of charity to indigent traveling
brethren; therefore Resolved : That the Grand Lodge
of Illinois, out of its Charity Fund donate to LaFayette
Lodge, No. 18, and Oriental Lodge, No. ^^, to be
equally divided among them, the sum of five hundred
dollars." The Grand Lodge accounts do not exhibit its
payment, however.

On May 18, 1854, the corner-stone of the Masonic
Temple, 83 and 85 Dearborn Street, was laid, the of-
ficers and members of the Grand Lodge meeting at the
lodge room, 171 Lake Street, and thence proceeding to the
location of the temple, where eloquent addresses were de
livered by Drs. J. V. Z. Blaney and \\ . B. Herrii k. The
first lodge room in Chicago was at the Harmon &
Loomis Building, at the southwest corner of Clark and
South Water streets, third story; and subsequently the
lodges met at Cobb's Building, 171 Like Street, and
over the Apollo Hall, 250 Lake Street, corner of 1 ake
and South Water streets.

The dedication of the temple occurred on St. John's

* Proceedings of Grand Lodge, 1840-60, p.i.; 1 .1.

5i-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Day, Jtme 24, 1S56, the fraternity assembling at Metro-
politan Hall, and thence proceeding, processionally, to
the Amphitheater, where the oration was delivered by
S. V. McMasters, D. D., of Alton. After the oration,
the procession again got into line and marched to the
temple, where the esoteric ceremonies were performed
bv the Grand Lodge, under the gavel of M. W. William

MASONIC TEMPLE.

B. Herrick, Grand Master, who delivered an eloquent
address. About 5 p. M. the brethren and guests assem-
bled at Dearborn Park, where a collation was laid,
after the discussion of which toasts and speeches were
rife. The banquet terminated at about 8:30, the breth-
ren and guests meeting at Metropolitan Hall in the
evening and winding up the proceedings of the day by
a grand ball, whereat the elite of the city were present.

Garden City Lodge, No. 141, was instituted by
dispensation on November 23, 1853, and was chartered
October 2, 1.S54, with the following charter members :
William McMillen, W. M; George E. Pitkin, S. W.;
L. P. Cheney, J. W.; Cheney Reed, treasurer; C. L.
Watkins, secretary; C. Sassaman, S. D.; A. H. Merrill,
J. D.; Carding Jackson and A. T. Dusenbury, M. M.

Waubansia Lodge, .No. 160. — In the proceedings
of the Grand Lodge for 1S54, L. I.usk, B. B. Payneand
Larkin M. Riley, the committee on Lodges Under Dis-
pensation, report having had consideration of petition
for a lodge at Chicago, to be called Waubansia, and
recommend the issue of a dispensation therefor to Will-
iam \>. Olmsted, master; E. J. Higgins, senior warden

and William A. Wilson, junior warden. Shortly after-
ward, Olmsted, being unable to attend to the duties re-
signed, and Deputy Grand Master T. O. Wilson, ap-
pointed John H. Dart, worshipful master, in his stead.
The dispensation appears to have been granted October
12, 1854, and a charter to have been issued October 3,
1855, to Waubansia, Xo. 160. The history of Wauban-
sia Lodge states that J. A. Hahn, J. T. Holt, Henry
Fuller, George H. Phelps, James P. Russell, Horace
Foster, Samuel Ashton, Frank Parmelee, William F.
Orcutt, William H. L. Wilbur, Thomas Speer, William
T. Hancock, S. S. Rogers, J. S. White, James S. Beach,
William S. Bond, Norman Wiard, C. P. Albee, Henry

A. Dean, S. C. Lum, Josiah H. Bross, T. O. Wilson, D.
S. Smith, Isaac P. Poineer and James Sinclair were also
charter members; that the primary ascensions of the
3-5-7 staircase were made by J. P. Brewster, John V.
Farwell, G. S. Barstow, P. A. Hoyne, J. E. Church, R.
C. Garrabrant, J. L. Marsh, C. T. Bowen, H. W. Zim-
merman and J. M. Witherell, and that the meetings
were held in Masonic Hall, 171 Lake Street, and subse-
quently in the Temple on Dearborn Street.

Germania Lodge, No. 182. — April 16, 1855, a dis-
pensation was granted to George B. Glaessner, Freder-
ick C. Brandes and Rudolph Woehrly, as the three
senior officers, for Germania Lodge to perform the
Masonic rites and ceremonies of a Blue Lodge, and for
the work to be done in the German language. At the
session of the Grand Lodge, this year, the committee on
Lodges Under Dispensation was divided in its opinion
upon the legitimacy of a lodge working exclusively in a
foreign language and, on October 2, 1855, the commit-
tee reported adversely to a continuance of the dispen-
sation; ostensibly because the application had no
avoucher endorsed of the ability of the lodge to do the
work and confer the degrees. This report was accepted
by the Grand Lodge, but subsequently, on the same
day, a resolution was offered that a charter be granted
Germania Lodge ; which was adopted after the word
dispensation had been inserted in lieu of charter. At
the evening session, however, in consequence of the per-
sistent efforts of Brother Hutton, the resolution was
called up, reconsidered and amended so as to give a
charter to Germania Lodge, No. 182, and the succeed-
ing day she was represented in the Grand Lodge; the
first German lodge in the State. The charter was
granted under date of October 5, 1855, the charter
members being George B. Glaessner, Frederick C.
Brandes, Frederick Burky, Rudolph Woehrly and Aug-
ust F. Otto. The first officers of the lodge were George

B. Glaessner, W. M.; Frederick C. Brandes, S. W.; Ru-
dolph Woehrly, J. W.; George P. Hansen, treasurer; A.
Boyer, secretary; F. Schoenwald, S. D.; Frederick
Burky, J. D., and J. G. Higgins, tyler. Thus the claims
of Chicago to recognition for polyglot Masons were con-
ceded and validated.

William B. Warren Lodge, No. 209. — On Novem-
ber 15, 1855, a dispensation was granted to William B.
Warren Lodge, and upon the 7th day of October, 1856,
a charter was issued therefor. The charter members
were: William T. Raifsnider, first W. M.; A. Loyd,
first S. W.; I. Kellogg, first J. W.; and A. W. Rood,
John Hughes, Harvey Danks, H. F. Hum, and N. W.
Douglass.

Cleveland Lodge, No. 211. — On January 16, 1856,
Reuben Cleveland, Josiah H. Bross, John K. Russell,
Caleb D. Fitts, Edwin A. Webber, Charles A. Case, Ja-
cob B. Stansell, Edwin Hamilton, Wiley M. Egan, Lu-
cian P. Cheney, Joseph P. Ross, Samuel I. Russell,

MASONIC.

5 '.5

Reuben Tayler, and Albeit C. Ellithorpe met at 79
Lake Street, the office of Dr. Lucian P. Cheney, to de-
bate upon the feasibility of establishing a lodge upon
the West Side. After an adjourned meeting they re-
solved that the name of the embryo lodge should be
Cleveland, and a dispensation was applied for. On
Thursday, January 23, 1856, at Temperance Hall, cor-
ner of West Randolph and Clinton streets, the dispen-
sation was read; and the officers at this first meeting of
Cleveland Lodge, U. 1)., were: Reuben Cleveland, W.
M.; Josiah H. Bross, S. W.; John K. Russell, J. W.;
Caleb D. Fitts, treasurer; Edwin A. Webber, secretary;
Charles A. Case, S. I).; Jacob 8. Stansell, J. D. On
February 14, 1856, Alvin Salisbury became the first no-
vitiate. At the annual communication of the Crand
Lodge, held in Springfield October 3, 1856, a charter
was granted to Cleveland Lodge, No. 211; and on
Wednesday evening, October 22, 1856, at a special com-
munication, the lodge was constituted and the officers in-
stalled by P. G. M. William B. Herrick. These were;
Reuben Cleveland, W. M.; Josiah H. Bross, S. W.;
Ira Goddard, J. W.; Ira S. Chamberlain, treasurer; Ed-
win A. Webber, secretary; John H. Dart, S. D.; Joel
M. Chamberlain, J. D.; Isaac P. Hatfield, tyler. The
following were the charter members of this lodge:
Charles A. Case, Wiley M. Egan, Albert C. Ellithorpe,
Caleb D. Fitts, Edwin Hamilton, A. P. Haywood,
Josiah H. Bross, Reuben Cleveland, James P. Ross,
John K. Russell, Samuel I. Russell, Jacob B. Stansell,
Reuben Tayler, A. A. Webber, and Edwin A. Webber.

With this closes the recital of the journeyings of the
various Blue Lodge pilgrims in search of light. In
1857 the Grand Lodge had two hundred and thirty-
nine chartered lodges, fifty-four working under dispen-
sation, and about ten thousand Masons who divided
their time by tripartite measurement. The leaven
which was hidden in a few measures of meal, and which
was so strenuously antagonized, has risen and permeated
the whole mass. "So mote it be."

LaFavette Chapter, No. 2. — Cryptic Masonry
was of very early establishment in Chicago, LaFavette
Chapter, No. 2, having been instituted by dispensation
from the M. E. Deputy Grand High Priest of the
United States July 12, 1844, constituted by charter
from the General Grand Chapter of the United
States September, 1844, and by charter from the
Grand Chapter of the State of Illinois October 14,
1850. The charter members were William F. Walker,
John "I. Case, Samuel H. Gilbert, Henry Brown,
Matthew Taylor, Reuben Tayler, Carding Jackson,
Henry W. Bigelow, Luther Marsh, A. Garrett, and
John Davis. The first officers of the chapter were:
Rev. William F. Walker, high priest; John R.
Case, king; Samuel H. Gilbert, scribe; M. L. Knapp,
captain of the host; Reuben Tayler, principal sojourner;
John Davis, royal arch captain; Cornelius Lansing, G
M. 3d V.; P. P. Robinson. G. M. 2d V.; John Brinker-
hoff, G. M, 1st V.; Samuel Hoard, secretary; H. W.
Bigelow, treasurer; Rev. William M. D. Ryan, chaplain;
Luther Marsh, William Harmon, and Isaac P. Hatfield,
stewards; Isaac P. Hatfield, guard.

Washington Chapter, R.A.M., was first organ-
ized December 26, 1857, at a meeting where Reuben
Tayler,* Reuben Cleveland, Dr. Franklin Wilson, Wiley
Michael Egan, Theodore Tuthill Gurney, George
Cowper, William Train Muir, Lucian Prentiss Cheeney,
Joshua Howell Gest, John Kniffin Russell, Enoch
Bunker Stevens, John T. Holt and William B. Milne

* Reuben Tayler is one of the oldest living Masons, having been made
April 18, 1820. his twenty-second birthday occuring May 3, 1820.

wen- present. The name of the chapter

upon, application made foi i dispensation,

tation made to LaFayette ( !hapti r, No ■

mendation therefor. The following were elected as

officers for the inchoate chapter: Reuben I

H. P. ; Reuben Cleveland, k\; Franklin Wilson, S. ;

Wiley Michael Egan, C. ol the II: rheodon Tuthill

Gurney, I'. S. ; George Cowper, k. A. < '. ; Lucian

Prentiss Cheeney, treasurer, and Joshua Howell

secretary.

Chic «jo Council. — On June 3, 1854, James 11. Hib-
bard, Grand Puissant, granted a dispensation to fosi ph
Filkins, M. Brayman, J. Herman Bird, Charles k.
Starkweather, C. k. Vandercook, fames Mi Nair, l^.i.f
P. Hatfield, John R. Case, L. V. Milliard, R,
Tayler and Carlton Drake to form a council of Royal
and Select Masters under the name of ( "hi. ago I loum il
No. — . The Grand Council, however, of which J. H.
Hibbard was the senior officer, was found to be i
as upon September 29, 1S53, the date of its < onstituting,
Springfield Council — one of the three constituent
cils — had no charter. Upon March 10, 1854, a new
Grand Council was organized, and at its annual convo-
cation on September 27, 1854, a letter was reo
from J. V. Z. Blaney, T. I. G. M. of Chicago Council,
stating that no work had been done under the old dis-
pensation and asking that a new one might be issued.
Authority to this effect was granted, the officers being
J. V. Z. Blaney, T. I. G M. ; Carlton Drake, D. [. G.
M. ; L. P. Hilliard, P. C. W. ; and the council having
fourteen members. This second dispensation was
either never issued or lost in transit to Chicago Coun-
cil, as J. H. Hibbard received a communication from
J. V. Z. Blaney in January, 1S55, stating that the dis-
pensation had not been received, and a< 1 ordingly one
was made out and sent to the council that was suffering
for credentials. They were received by Chicago Coun-
cil, and on March 8, 1855, the council regularly and
legallv convened, the following being the officers:
James V. Z. Blaney, T. I. G. M. ; L. I'. Hilliard, I >. I.
G. M. ; Carlton Drake, P. C. W. ; J. H. bird, C. G.pro
tern. Companions Ring, Shirley, McNair, Stark-
weather and Filkins; and visiting Companions, H.
Sondheim and Levi Leibalt were present. E. J. Hig-
gins, George W. Deering, W. C. Hunt and A. Lieben-
stein received degrees. The charter was issued Sep-
tember 26, "i S55, and the following were the first offii ers
under the charter : Companions lames V. Z. Blaney,
T. I. G. M.; Carlton Drake, D. I. G. M. ; L. P. Hilliard,
P. C. W. ; Thomas Shirley, C. G; J. H. Bird, recorder ;
C. R. Vandercook, steward, and E. J. Higgins, sen-
tinel.*

Apollo Commaxderv, No. i, Knights Templar, was
granted a dispensation by the General Crand Encamp-
ment of the United States, on May 15, 1845. Upon
September 17, 1847, anno ordinis, 729; the same august
Masonic body confirmed the dispensation and granted
a perpetual charter. The first conclave held by Apollo

Encampment was at the Masonic Hall, in the foreni

of May 20, 1S45, with William Frederick Walker, E. ('.:
John Roman Case, G; and William Stuart, C G.; and
at this conclave petitions were presentetl from Jacob Bee-
son, of Niles, and C. Britain, of St. Joseph, Mich.; and
from W. A. Rowlett, W. S, Brown, Philip 1'. Rob
Charles Follansbe and Charles Robert Starkweather, of
Chicago. It was agreed that the petitions should be
referred to a committee, who should report immediately.
Their report was favorable, and the ballot being clear,

' To John Oscar Dickenson, Rei >Council,No. i, the col-

laborator is indebted for aid in - history.

S M

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the applicants were declared elected, were introduced
and created Rosicrucians. Sir Knight W. E. Rus'sel,
was the first affiliate, his petition being presented at the
second conclave of the encampment, on May 23, 1845;
when W. S. Brown, W, A. Rowlett and P. P. Robinson,
were created Knights of Malta and Knights Templar.
The charter members of Apollo Encampment were
Henry Brown, John Barney, G. C. Blodget, John
Roman Case, Samuel H. Gilbert, Isaac Haight, A. B.
Lewis, William Moreland Davis Ryan, William Stuart
and William Frederick Walker. The commanders of
the encampment have been William Frederick Walker,
1845 ; John Roman Case, 1845-52 ; Reuben Tayler,
1853; James Van Zandt Blaney, 1854; John Herman
Bird, 1855; Thomas Shirley, 1856, and Hosmer Allen
Johnson, 1857 ; in which last year the designation
Encampment appears to have been changed to Com-
mandery *

Three commanderies having been instituted in the
State, preliminaries were perfected for the formation of
a Grand Commandery; and, upon October 27, 1857, a
convocation was had at the Masonic Temple, Chicago,
whereat Apollo, No. 1, Belvidere, No. 2, and Peoria, No.
3, were represented, and where a warrant, dated Sep-
tember 15, 1857, was received from the Grand Encamp-
ment of the United States, authorizing the organization
of a Grand Commandery of Knights Templar, for the
State of Illinois. Pursuant thereto the following
Knights Templar were elected officers of the Grand
Commandery: James Van Zandt Blaney, G. C; Clark
Brown Stebbins, D. G. C; Benjamin F. Barry, G. G.;
Hosmer Allen Johnson, G. C. G.; Reuben Tayler, G. P.;
Robert Harris Foss, G. T.; William Harbron Turner,
G. R. ; Henry L. Gaines, G. S. W. ; DeWitt Clinton
Martin, G. J. W.; Josiah Hunt, G. St. B.; Isaac Under-
bill, G. S. B.; Charles Robert Starkweather, G. W., and
Ezra James Higgins, G. C. G.

Relative to the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite,
G. W. Barnard states, that during the proceedings on
the first and second days of May, 1846, Most Puissant
Sovereign Grand Commander John James Joseph
Gourgas, 330, was authorized to issue to Brothers
W. F Walker, William Stuart, Charles R. Stark-
weather, John R. Case, William L. Brown and Samuel
Hoard, all of the city of Chicago, a charter for an Inef-
fable Lodge of Perfection, but that his closest search
has not revealed the issuance of any such charter.
But in July, 1856, Killian Henry Van Rensselaer visited
Chicago and, assisted by Charles Robert Starkweather,
initiated, elevated and proclaimed the requisite number
of worthy brethren to be S. P. R. S. 320 ; and
fully organized and constituted them in lodge, council,
chapter and consistory, and on the 20th day of Ijar, A.
M., 5617, — May 14, 1857, — charters were issued to these
organizations, under the name of Occidental Sovereign
Consistory of Sublime Princesof the Royal Secret; Gour-
gas Chapter of Rose Croix ; Illinois Grand Council
Princes of Jerusalem, and Van Rensselaer Grand Lodge
of Perfection; the charter members being, in each case,
Charles R. Starkweather, James V. Z. Blaney, George
W. Deering, James L. Dalliba, William B. Herrick,
Robert II. Foss, William W. Mitchell and Hosmer A.
Johnson.

Thus, in 1857, all the various Masonic confratern-
ities were constituted and in a flourishing condition.
But one item of general interest has been undiscoverable,
the first brother who was buried with Masonic honors.
Old residents state, that prior to the establishment of a

• H. S. Tiffany of Apollo Commandery, an. I the Blue Bool ol thai organi-
zation, have furnished valuable data that is presented in this summary,

lodge in Chicago, some one who died at the fort was
buried by such Masons as were in the town of Chicago,
with Masonic honors; but the most careful research has
failed to verify this assertion by documentary evidence.
Masonry, at the close of 1857, was a vital, augmenting
power.

Anti-Masonic. — In April, 1846, was organized the
Illinois State Anti-Masonic Society, of which James H.
Collins was president ; Joshua Bell and James H.
Rickey, vice-presidents ; Joseph Peacock, recording
secretary ; George W. Gardiner, corresponding secre-
tary, and A. Rossiter, treasurer. The recital of the
progress of Masonry from 1844 until 1857 demonstrates
that the anti-masonic antagonism was no great obstacle
to the advancement of the Order.

ODD FELLOWSHIP.

The first lodge of Odd Fellows organized in the
State of Illinos was Western Star Lodge, No. i,at Alton.
In 1835 Samuel L. Miller, a past-grand of a lodge in Mary-
land, came West and brought with him a warrant from
the Grand Sire, for the institution of an I. O. O. F.
lodge at St. Louis, at or near which city it was his inten-
tion to reside. Under this warrant he instituted Trav-
eler's Rest Lodge, No. 1, at that place, in the jurisdiction
of Missouri, and the following year, August n, he aided
in the institution of the first lodge in Illinois, namely,
Western Star Lodge, No. 1, at Alton. The charter
members were Samuel L. Miller, John R. Woods,
Stephen Lansing, Thomas Wright and John Fisher.
Samuel L. Miller, the founder of the two first lodges in
Illinois and Missouri, became the first Grand Secretary
of Illinois, and was for some years prominently identified
with the Order in this State.

Union Lodge No. 9. — From 1836 to 1844 the
Order evidently grew but slowly, for on the 28th of Feb-
ruary of the latter year the first lodge was instituted in
Chicago, under the name of Union Lodge, No 9 ;* so
that in eight years from the time of its introduction
into the State, nine lodges constituted the strength of the
Order all told. This lodge was established on a petition
to the Grand Lodge, from Past Grand A. L. Jacobus,
B. W Thomas, Edward Burling, Francis Marshall and
others, early in January, and on Wednesday night,
February 28, 1844, the Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge, Thomas J. Burns, being present, the first meet-
ing was held in a building which then stood on the
corner of Randolph Street and Fifth Avenue. The
charter members were B. W. Thomas, E. Burling,
Charles Wheelock, Francis Marshall, Augustus L.
Jacobus, Daniel Heald, Jr., William Anderson, J. M.
Morton, C. P. Kellogg and J. Burrows. Its first officers
were A. L. Jacobus, N. G.; F. McFall, V. G.; B. W.
Thomas, secretary, and Daniel Heald, treasurer. Among
its early initiatory members were Samuel B. Walker,
now living in retirement on the West Side, E. W. Den-
soms, E. A. Rucker, H. L. Rucker, W. W. Danenhower,
H. O. Stone, Robert H. Foss, A. G. Burley, and many
others whose names it has been impossible to obtain.
There were thirty-nine members by August 14. Isaac
N. Arnold joined in 1846. After it was fairly started
and in good working order, the lodge moved its place
of meeting to a hall on the corner of Lake and State
streets, where it remained until the erection of Odd
Fellows Hall, at Nos. 98 and 100 Randolph Street,
when it removed to that place. From the first, LInion

• Prior to the institution of Union, No. 9, the eight lodges in the State were
located as follows: Nos. 1 and sal Alton; No. 3 at Greenville; No 4 at
Jacksonville; No. 5 at Galena; No. 6 at Springfield, and Nos. 7 and 8 at Delle-

ODD FELLOWSHIP.

5'5

Lodge prospered finely, and its membership increased
so rapidly that in a little over a year, using the language
of a veteran Odd Fellow, "The boys swarmed and a
new lodge was started." This was

Duane Lodge, No. ii, was instituted March 5,
1S45. Its place of meeting was in the fourth story
of the Loomis Building, corner of Clark and South
Water streets. Of course the charter members of
Duane were all members of Union ; but, feeling that a
new lodge was needed, they had acted as they thought
wisely in thus establishing it. Their names were :
Francis McFall, Robert P. Hamilton, Allen S. Robison,
Thomas George, Lewis H. Todd, Augustin D. Boyce,
Perley D. Cummings, and William Anderson. The
new members fitted their lodge-room up in excellent
style, and it was generally conceded to be the finest and
best appointed hall then existing in the West. Owing
to this fact and the pride its members took in their
organization, Duane soon came to be known as the
" Silk Stocking Lodge," a title which clung to it for
many years. With the starting of Duane Lodge, the
Order continued to grow in Chicago, but nearly two
years elapsed before the third lodge was established.

Excelsior Lodge, No. 22. This was instituted
January 6, 1847. The formation of this lodge was the
result of a second " swarming " from the mother hive.
Its charter members were James K. Webster, S. W.
Grannis, James W. Grauks, Horace Lamb, J. DeLa-
Croix Davis, Herman H. Benson, Elisha Lane, F. Camp-
bell, Abel H. Daufer, William E. Knibloe, Thomas
Manahan, William Henry, George W. Carley, and L.
Daufer. Excelsior Lodge held its meetings in the hall
of Duane Lodge until the building of the hall on Ran-
dolph Street when it also moved to that place. Con-
cerning the formation of this lodge, an interesting bit
of history is found in the report of Grand Master S. S.
Jones to the Grand Lodge, in its session held at Spring-
field, in January, 1847. He says :

" Since the November session of this body, a petition has been
received from fourteen highly worthy brethren of Chicago, asking
for a charter for a new lodge at that place, to be known and hailed
as Excelsior, No. 22. The prayer was granted, and on the 6th of
of January, I, in company with other Odd Fellows, from sister
lodges, repaired to Chicago, and there instituted Excelsior Lodge,
No. 22, and installed their officers under the most flattering
circumstances. The petitioners for the charter were all worthy
gentlemen and well worthy to receive it, and we may look forward
with the brightest anticipations, for a high state of prosperity in
that lodge. They will do honor to the title and name they have
assumed." Continuing his report, the Grand Master adds, " We,
on Tuesday evening, visited Duane Lodge. No. 11, and therein-
stalled the officers for the current term. The petitioners for Excel-
sior Lodge were principally an accession from Duane. which lodge
they left with the best of feeling ; as I am informed they presented
the out-going members with the amount of their initiation fee for
the purpose of aiding them to commence the work under the
charter. Excelsior Lodge was instituted in the Duane lodge-room,
where their meetings are to be permanently held. In a word, I
may say, the Order in Chicago is in a highly flourishing condition."

It was in December of that year that the Order was
called on to perform the last solemn rites at the burial
of a brother. The Daily Journal of December 13,
1847, thus refers to it :

" On yesterday the different lodges of I. O. O. F. assembled
at the Methodist church to pay the last tribute to a departed
brother, A. P. Spencer, who died on Saturday ( December 11)".
Rev. Mr. Hibbard, of the New Jerusalem faith, though not a
member of the Order, officiated by request of the deceased. Mr.
Spencer was a printer and formerly a workman in this office. A
large number of the craft was in attendance and followed his
remains to the grave. This is the first instance where the brethren
of the mystic tie have been called upon to perform the solemn
rites of their Order."

Chicago Lodge, No. 55, the third in point of

seniority, was organized in July, [849, and held its
meetings on each Monday evening in the hall of Union

Lodge, which was still situated on th< co 1 Lake

and Stale streets. In the two years which had elapsed
since the institution of Excelsior, the Order had .01,
tinued its rapid growth in strength and numbers, until
the institution of Chicago Lodge was a necessity occa-
sioned by the number of applications for membership
in the existing lodges. < In its charter can be found the
names of many who are still its members. The follow-
ing is the list: Edward Burling, William Anderson,
Benjamin G. Johnson, Patrick O'Donaghue, Robert 11.
Foss, Isaac Spear, Timothy H. Ladd, Isaac Coburn,
Charles M. Gray, George M. Gray, B. C. Welch, II. II.
Husted, Ambrose Burnam, James Launder, David S.
Smith, William Dickens, John P. Foss, Samuel T. Foss,
William P. Roche, John M. Merserve, Moses Kohn,
Joseph Harrison, John J. Brown, Simon V. Kline, and
Jacob V. A. Wemple. A glance at the number of the
lodges as they were organized in this city, and an
observation also of the time elapsing from the institu-
tion of Union Lodge, No. 9, in 1844, to the establish-
ment of Chicago Lodge, No. 55, in 1849, will give the
reader some idea of the growth of the Order in the
State, and its comparative advancement in this city.
For instance, there were eight lodges in the State when
Union Lodge was organized ; five years later, when
Chicago had four lodges, there were fifty-five, so that it
is apparent that the growth of the Order here was more
rapid than in any other portion of the State.

Robert Blum Lodge, No. 58, was organized in
October, 1S49, and was the first German society of the
Order. Its meetings were held in the hall of Union
Lodge. It was from the beginning a prosperous body.
Its charter members were: Peter Schmitz, Philip Freed-
rich, John Fischer, Frederick Singer, George Funk, C.
Frederick Schott, Joseph Schlereth, Gottfried Laughein-
rich, V. A. Boyer and John M. Pahlman.

The following year, at the session of the Grand
Lodge, held at Peoria in July, the Grand Master re-
ported the fact that permission had been granted Robert
Blum Lodge to work in the German language. Com-
menting on this action, and referring to the policy of
permitting lodges in this country to work in a foreign
tongue, the Grand Master remarked:

'• As it is the established policy of the Order to allow lodges to
work in other languages than the English, I requested the secretary
to send for six copies of the books in the German languages, as
more would probably be needed. I am happy to say that I have
none but good accounts of the working of this lodge. Since this
occurred I have doubted whether it was the true policy to have
lodges working in foreign languages — whether our duty to our
country does not require us to use all our influence to Americanize
all foreigners among us as soon as possible, and afford them no
facilities for their being satisfied or comfortable without conform-
ing to the genius, institutions and language of the land."

The Grand Master's suggestions, it appears, have
never been carried out by the Order, for all over the
land are lodges working in foreign tongues, whose power
for good is" unquestioned and whose members are in
everv sense true Odd Fellows.

In July, 1850,3 Degree Lodge was organized, which
met on the second and fourth Fridays of each month
for work in the degrees, in Odd Fellows Hall on
Randolph Street. Previous to this two encampments
had been formed, but as they will lie treated separately
later on, no further mention is necessary here. But,
pursuing the history of the lodges, it is found that a
period of seven years elapsed before the formation "I a
new lodge marked the growth of the Order here, and
that one was established on the West Side.

;i6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Fort Dearborn Lodge, No. 214, the last referred
to, dates from October 4, 1856. Dr. Samuel Willard,
of this city, who for many years has been a prominent
Odd Fellow in this State, and who has represented the
Grand Lodge in the councils of the Sovereign Grand
Lodge of the United States, has written an interesting
history of Fort Dearborn Lodge, of which he has for
years been a nic-mber. Concerning the formation of the
lodge he says:

" There were then in this city but five lodges, Union, Duane,
Excelsior, Chicago and Robert Blum ; and the last of these lacked
but a week of being seven years old. The city had grown greatly ;
these lodges had increased in membership, and now two more
lodges were to be formed to work on the west side of the river,
Fort Dearborn. Xo. 214, to work in English, and Harmonia, Xo.
221, about four months younger, to work in German. * * * *
Curiouslv, Fort Dearborn Lodge is closely associated with my own
memory and work in the Order ; for this was the last lodge insti-
tuted before I became Grand Secretary, and the first representative
to the Grand Lodge from this body, assisted in choosing me to
that office within two weeks after this lodge was opened, and trans-
acted business with me at the session of 1S56." * * " On the
night of the institution the Grand Master, Perry A. Armstrong, met
the charter members of Fort Dearborn Lodge in the hall of Excel-
cior, with members of other lodges to aid. Brother George F.
Crocker, of Xo. 22, an active Odd Fellow, long since dead, acted
as D. G. M.: our long time-friend, Albert G. Lull, now P. G.
Rep., was grand marshal: James F. Tillson, grand secretary and
Andrew Tauber, of Xo. 5S, deceased, was grand treasurer. The
charter members Were Allen C. Lewis, F. H. Sleeper, Thomas
Manahan, E. B. Kingsley, J. K. Thompson, Reuben Cleveland,
N. \V. Condit, Pleasant Amick, J. P. Cook, A. G. Warner, George
W. Xoble and P. B. Lamb. The records of the first month do
not show the places of meeting after the institution ; but the lodge
seems to have gone at once upon the West Side, to a hall held by
Cleveland Lodge of Masons, on the southeast corner of Clinton
and Randolph streets."

The seal adopted by the lodge and still in use, bears
as a device a representation of old Fort Dearborn.
The first term closed auspiciously, having in the first
fourteen weeks of its existence taken in thirty new
members and a revenue of $122.50. The lodge was
now firmly established and from this time on its history
would probably be of but little interest to the general
reader, and the limits of this work preclude its further
consideration ; suffice it to say that Fort Dearborn
Lodge passed through various vicissitudes, alternate
periods of prosperity and adversity, survived all, and is
to-day one of the strong working lodges in the city.

Harmoxia Lodge, No. 221, was instituted in
January, 1857, by German residents of the West Side.
Its charter members were John C. Smith, John A.
Boerner, Louis Hientz, George Petermann, John Hoff-
man, Charles Ippel, Charles Rietz, Conrad Schertel, F.
W. Forch, and August Schenkoweitz. The lodge is still
recognized as one of the foremost German lodges in the
city.

Odd Fellows Hall. — In the foregoing history of
the different lodges in this city, frequent references
have been made to Odd Fellows Hall, which was situ-
ated on Randolph Street, near Clark. As it is pecul-
iarly an institution of the Order, a brief history is not
inappropriate here. This hall was built by Union,
Duane and Excelsior lodges, and on the 21st of Febru-
ary. [853, was thrown open to the public for inspection.
It was elegantly furnished and was pronounced then
the finest hall in the city. The following evening it was
dedicated to the uses of the Order, with appropriate
public ceremonies; Hon. Schuyler Colfax was the orator
of the occasion.

At this meeting the degree of Rebekah was conferred
upon some thirty or forty ladies, wives and daughters
of the members of the different lodges.

Illinois Encampment, No. 3, was the first of that

degree established in Chicago, and the third camp insti-
tuted in the S.tate. The first one was Wildey, No. 1, at
Alton; the next, No. 2, known as Lebanon Encampment,
at Springfield; the third as above, which dates from
February, 1845. Its charter members were R. W.
Thomas, Arthur Johnston, A. D. Boyce, Sylvester Marsh,
N. Sherman. Jr., P. D. Cumings and S. N. Davis. The
application for the charter for this Encampment was
made in December, 1844, and on the 24th of that month
Grand Master William Duane Wilson, of Michigan,
secured the warrant to confer degrees and to open Illi-
nois Encampment, No. 3. In accordance with this com-
mission Grand Master Wilson, assisted by Charles T.
Adams, Past Senior Warden of Michigan Encampment,
No. 1, came to this city and conferred the Encampment
degrees upon the petitioners, whose names have already
been given, and duly instituted the body on the night
of February 7, 1845. The ceremonies took place in the
hall of Union Lodge, No. 9, and the following officers
were installed: N. Sherman, Jr., C. P.; P. D. Cumings,
H. P.; R. W. Thomas, S. W.; A. D. Boyce, S.; S. N.
Davis,T.; Sylvester Marsh, J. W., and Anthony John-
ston, S. The Encampment did not, it appears, thrive
as vigorously as its friends had hoped ; for three years
later, March 20, 1848, for some reason, the members
surrendered their charter and it ceased to exist. No
doubt the mistake was made of planting the Encamp-
ment too early in a comparatively new field, as the Order
itself had only been introduced here in the preceding
year. Living but so short a time and dying as it did
before the institution of the Grand Encampment in the
State, facts concerning its history have been obtained
only with great difficulty. A careful search of records
here and the records of the Grand Lodge and Grand
Encampment of the State disclose no facts worthy of
note. And it was only from T. A. Ross, Grand Secre-
tary of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United
States, that the date of its organization and the names
of its charter members were obtained. But notwith-
standing the failure to continue the existence of Illinois
Encampment, No. 3, it seems that the Odd Fellows were
determined to try again; for in August, 1848, the records
of the Grand Lodge of the United States show that a
charter had been issued for the institution of

Chicago Encampment, No. 10, and on the night
of September 21, 1848, in the hall of Duane Lodge, No.
n, Patriarch A. L. Jacobus, by the authority vested in
him by the Grand Sire, instituted the new encampment.
The charter members were F. Scammon, T. H. Ladd,
E. A. Rucker, Charles Cumberland, S. N. Davis, N.
Sherman, Jr., W. H. Minard, George G. Andrews and
Peter A. Lantz. In addition, the following Odd Fel-
lows were initiated: C. G. Drake, T. L. Perdue, John
Gray, Henry L. Rucker, Moses Kohn, Charles M. Gray,
Samuel Rattle, Patrick A. Donahue, Truman Whitcomb
and vV, A. Eliason. Its first officers were F. Scammon,
C. P.; R. H. Foss, H. P.; T. H. Ladd, S. W'.; N. Sher-
man, J. W.; S. B. Wralker, T., and E. A. Rucker, S.
The new Encampment being started under more favor-
able auspices than the old one, soon attained a perman-
ent footing, and is- to-day a prosperous and active organ-
zation. In concluding this brief chapter, it should be
stated that the records of Chicago Encampment were all
destroyed in the great fire, and that, previous to this,
the records of the Grand Encampment had also suffered
a similar fate. Owing to these losses, it has been found
a matter of much delay and difficulty to obtain the few
facts here given concerning this Encampment. Indeed,
it is clue to the thoughtful foresight of A. T. Sherman,
an old and honored member of the Encampment, who

SOCIAL AND TEMPERANCE REFORMS.

5'7

took the pains, immediately after the fire, to collect by
interviews and from all obtainable records, information
concerning its institution and early history, that the
information herein given has been obtained.

It is to be regretted that a more detailed historj of
the Order, in this city, cannot be presented, but it is
believed enough has been written to include, in a gen-
eral way, the really important facts concerning its insti-
tution and subsequent growth; while a history of its
workings, in which would be included a discussion of
the power and influences of the Order as a social factor,
does not properly belong to a work of this character.
Of the lodges mentioned, which embrace those estab-
lished here during the period included in the present
book, all are to-day in a satisfactory condition, and from
them have gone out scores of sister lodges whose history
will receive appropriate treatment in the pages of another
volume.

SOCIAL AND TEMPERANCE REFORMS.

In the primitive state of society ; in the embryonic
stage of association of pioneer settlement, one of the
first wants felt by the individual is that of frequent
communion with his fellow-creatures — hence, in very
immature settlements are seen the "stag-dance" and
" hoe-down ; " in those a little more advanced, the Wa-
ba-no. Consequent upon the assembling of the individ-
uals of any sparsely settled region must result a discus-
sion of the means whereby their opportunities for social
and intellectual culture may be increased ; and then,
how those vices which militate against the welfare of
the little commonalty may be abrogated or destroyed.
It goes without saying, that of the latter class, intoxica-
tion is the most potent source of evil ; and to those
who nullified its possibility of harmful influences in Chi-
cago, Captain Heald takes precedence, by the destruc-
tion of the liquor in Fort Dearborn, prior to its evacua-
tion in 1812. This, however, was but a piece of quasi-
philanthropy ; the destruction was only accomplished to
preclude the augmentation of rancor and ferocity in the
Indian heart. The evils that might arise from its con-
sumption by the soldiers were undeserving of the exer-
cise of the stratocratic prerogative. But in 1832, Philo
Carpenter inaugurated a temperance society in the little
coterie of settlers. How largely it was attended, or
how many were permanently influenced by its precepts,
are unknown facts. No effort, however, but attains
some result. Meanwhile the settlers met at their balls
and parties, formed reading-circles and debating clubs,
and by the ennobling influence of the society of good
women, prevented the too great spread of lax habits
that are so prevalent in frontier settlements where
the majority of the settlers are masculine, and Indians in
an uncivilized state as to good habits, but in a highly
civilized condition as to bad ones, frequent the settle-
ment. There were likewise meetings held by various
apostles of various denominations, but exactly the
power that a church has in social reformation in a new
settlement, it is hard to designate ; as a church per se
is established by the devotees of that creed, and their
presence in the community has made itself felt long
before it assumes form as a congregation. Association
with the ladies of early Chicago softened the rugged
voyageur, ennobled the ferocious half-breed, stifled the
half uttered expletive upon the lips of the careless
hunter, and made the resident more careful as to his
dress, demeanor and habits ; but this casual association
was insufficient to check the fatal evil, intemperance.
The first organized secret society that attempted to

thwart the saloon interest was the Independent Order
of Rechabites, organized August 20, 1X44. h did
excellent and efficient work, in alluring the young men
from intemperance. This may beesteemed thi fi
of Philo Carpenter's temperance society, and many other
societies that succeeded it. Temperance so
divested of the halo of initiations and degrees arc not
eminently successful in restraining mature persons
Swaddling clothes of blue and red ribbons do not pre-
vent the illicit potation ; but the responsibility to a soci-
ety that the infringement of the obligation, of which
the cordon is an emblem, is a serious deterrent and pre-
ventive. The rock upon which temperani e reform was
built may then be said to be the Rechabite Lodge ol
1844. This statement, however, to be literally aci urate,
should be qualified by Stating that the temperance reform
of the hereafter was erected upon a basis of i S44, for
no tidal wave of prohibitory amendment, or restrictive
legislation swept over Chicago anterior to 1857. The
temperance reforms of those early days were individual
and not general, persuasive in lieu of coercive, appeal-
ing instead of mandatory, and possibly none the less
effectual because of these characteristics; that the
co-operative efforts that were exerted were successful
is proven by history ; for, despite the large element
that speculation introduced of lawless, careless charac-
ters, drunkenness was not a widely spread vice.

The results that were produced by the efforts of
individuals to cultivate their moral and intellectual
forces are seen in the Young Men's Association of

1841, and the Mechanic's Institute of February 23,

1842. The amelioration of the dearth of intellectual
food produced by the establishment of these Lycea can
not be over-estimated, and their moral effect was
extremely beneficial in the providing of pure, healthy
subjects of thought. Herein lies the secret of moral
warfare; fill the mind of youth with good, pure thoughts
and resolves and he will be moral; let him be contam-
inated by impure association and the result is nearly
certain. Repression will not reform him anymore than
the argumentum ad aquam, used by the fire companies of
early Chicago upon the demi-monde, extirpated the
social evil. It only caused its abiding place to be more
carefully hidden, to avoid similar unpleasant results.
These tw.o vices, immorality and intemperance, have
kept pace with the growth of the city, but the ratio of
increase was impeded by the social and temperance
reforms of these times; their particularization is sum-
marized about as follows: Social etiquette and the

ventionalities of polite intercourse were ingrafted by
travelers from the outside world and acquired by those
who had means and opportunities for travel, and from
them the "home-keeping youth " procured his example;
but the amenities and purities of home-life, the effort at
the cure of intemperance, proceeded from the rectitude
of the Chicagoans themselves and to their pel
efforts. To their irrepressible desire to do right them-
selves and have their neighbor do so likewise, may be
ascribed the results that made the Chicago of [857
notwithstanding its being the Mecca of the spi

and adventurer — the law-abiding ami orderly city that
it was.

The various temperance societies that prevailed in
Chicago may be summarized as follows;

The Chicago Temperance Society was organized
some time in 1832, and was requested to convene at
Baptist meeting-room. December z6, 1833, by J. Wat-
kins, secretary; and on January 30. [834, elected John
Taylor Temple, president; Josiah ( '. Goodhue, vice-
president; Philo Carpenter, secretary and treasurer;

5iS

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Captain DeLafayette Wilcox, U. S. A.; M. D. Harmon;
H. Van Der Bogart and Lieutenant J L. Thompson,
U. S. A., executive committee.

The Washington Temperance Society, instituted
January i. 1S40, had an alleged membeiship of eleven
hundred in 1S43, and of fifteen hundred in 1845. The
earliest list of officers attainable is that of 1843, and
comprises: L. C. Kercheval, president; T. W. Smith,
first vice-president; John Davis, second vice-president;
Luther Nichols, third vice-president; H. L. Rucker,
recording secretary; John L. Smith, assistant secretary;
James Curtiss, corresponding secretary; James L.
Howe, treasurer: B. W. Raymond and William Har-
man, managers.

The Bethel, or Mariners' Temperance Society,
instituted July 10, 1842, had an accredited membership
in 1843 of two hundred and seventy-one, and of one
thousand in 1845; officers: G. A. Robb, president;
Grant Goodrich, vice-president; Captain Henry Cort-
ney, secretary; Captain G. Peterson, A. B. Gould,
D. Mcintosh, floating committee; Samuel Gerome, J.
Prenderville,* T. F. Hunter, H. Smith and J. Lawson,
vigilance committee.

Junior Washington Temperance Society, organized
March 11, 1843, with one hundred and eighteen mem-
bers, and had some three hundred members in 1845.
The first officers were: Edward A. Rucker, president;
Edward Morey, first vice president; Alfred Scranton,
second vice-president; William Wayman, third vice-
president; David D. Griswold, recording secretary;
James A. Martling, assistant secretary; Asa Covey, cor-
responding secretary; William H. Scoville, treasurer;
Reuben B. Heacock and Richard H. Morey, managers.

Independent Order of Rechabites, Chicago Tent,
No. 65, organized August 20, 1844, with one hundred
and ten members, and the following officers: J. A.
Hoisington, S.; G. C. Thompson, C. R.; William Gam-
ble, D. R.; William Harman, P. C. R.; H. B. Bay,
treasurer; F. L. Kent, secretary; J. B. Nickerson, C.
R. R. H. S ; J. P. Thompson, levite; O. S. Hough and
I. A. M. Hoisington, stewards; John Guthrie, I. G.; H.
Norris, O. G.

Independent Order of Rechabites, Western Star
Tent, No. 125.!

Independent Sons of Temperance, first organized
November 8, 1845, with ten members, as Illinois Divi-
sion, No. 1, S. O. T., and first convened in the Rechabite
Hall. The following divisions were subsequently or-
ganized: Prairie, No. 8, J on February 13, 1847; Marin-
ers.' No. 42, f on January 1, 1848; Mechanics', No. 44,§
on April 12, 1848; Germania, No. 107, f on June 13,
1848; Cadets of Temperance,! Garden City Section, or-
ganized September 6, 1848. These numerous lodges
appear to have diminished, as in the directory of 1855-56,
but Chicago Division, No 1, and Garden City Division,
No. 422, are cited as being in existence.

In May, 1849, the Chicago Temperance Savings' As-
sociation was organized. The officers were: William
H. Brown, president; C. Walker, vice-president; J.
Wilcox, secretary; T. B. Carter, treasurer; Alfred
Cowles, attorney; Loaning Committee: B. W. Ray-
mond, Thomas Richmond and H. Smith. Trustees:
W. H. Brown, C. Walker, B. W. Raymond, A. Cowles,
H. Smith, T. I!. Carter, Jairus Wilcox, S. D. Childs,
S. L. Brown, B. W. Thomas, Samuel Hoard, L. A.

: two Rechabite lodges met at 92 Lake Street.
J These lodges, and I llbflequently met in the top story of

a brick building comer of Clark and South Water streets.

§ Convened in Yates's Building, corner of Randolph and Canal streets.

Brown, Thomas Richmond, Jeduthan Brown, H. M
Thompson.

The Independent Order of Good Templars insti-
tuted a Grand Lodge on April 18, 1855, of which Orlo
W. Strong was G. W. C. T. The subordinate lodges were:
Star of Hope, No. 15, instituted December 27, 1854,
met at Templars' Hall, corner of Wells and South Water
streets; Houston, No. 32, instituted April 2, 1855; met
corner of Randolph and Clinton streets; Arethusa. No.
48, instituted July 6, 1855; met at Odd Fellows Hall,
Metropolitan Block.

Star of Hope Lodge is still in existence, being the
oldest lodge in the Order, and has amongst its members
two of the charter members — J. S. Mclntire and James
Welch. It celebrated its twenty-ninth anniversary De-
cember 27, 1883.

The Temple of Honor is stated to have been insti-
tuted in Chicago in the winter of 1845, but the first ac-
count of any organization gives the date August 20,
1849. The various Temples were Radiant, No. 9;
Metropolitan, No. 35; Chicago Degree, No. 7, and Chi-
cago Social Degree, No. 18.

On February n, 185 1, a meeting was held by Scotch
residents in the basement of the First Presbyterian
church to form a Scotch Temperance Society. S. Lind
was in the chair, and J. F. Ballantyne was secretary,
and at the meeting about seventy signed the pledge to
restrain from usquebaugh and kindred drinks. A com-
mittee of Alexander Brand, S. Lind, Hugh Dunlop,
W. J. Patterson, Joseph Johnston, Thomas Scott, John
Shanks and J. F. Ballantyne, were appointed to draft
resolutions, etc., which were adopted at a subsequent
meeting.

MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

On the night of January 3, 1837, a number of Chi-
cago mechanics met at the Eagle Coffee House, for the
purpose of organizing a Mechanics' Institute. Samuel
Southerdon was called to the chair and Francis Kessler
was chosen secretary. The following committee was
appointed to draft a constitution : John Mitchell, Fran-
cis Kessler, William Duncan, I. L. Kimberly, Isaac N.
Arnold, David Foot, P. Ballingall, I. N. Balestier,
Samuel Southerdon, Dr. Murphy, Henry Baldwin, John
Black, E. E. Hunter, C. A. Lobei and P. Nichols. At
a subsequent meeting, held January 21, a constitution
was adopted, officers elected and arrangements made
for starting a library and museum. Five years later a
re-organization was effected and early in 1843 it was
chartered as a corporation. Its incorporators were
Charles M. Gray, A. S. Sherman, Elijah Smith and Ira
Miltimore. Its first officers were Ira Miltimore, presi-

^A^C ^L

dent ; J. M. Adsit, first vice-president ; G. F. Foster,
second vice-president ; J. B. Weir, recording secretary;
John Gage, corresponding secretary ; J. H. Hodson,
treasurer ; Horatio Cook, librarian ; C. M. Gray, assis-
tant librarian ; I. L. Milliken, Isaac Speer, E. D. Bates,
B. Bailey and E. Smith, directors. At the time of the
organization, and for several years thereafter, its meet-
ings were held in the hall of the old Saloon Building,
corner Lake and Clark streets.

The objects of the society as set forth in its con-
stitution were "to diffuse knowledge and information

MECHANICS' INST] nil.

S>9

throughout the mechanical classes ; to fount! lectures
on natural, mechanical, and chemical philosophy and
other scientific subjects ; to create a library and museum
for the benefit of mechanics and others ; and to estab-
lish schools for the benefit of their youth, and to estab-
lish annual fairs." The constitution further provided
that the institution might consist of an unlimited num-
ber of members, divided into three classes, regular or
life members, honorary, and corresponding members.
The only requisite for membership was good moral
character in the applicant, who was to be proposed by
one or more members of the Institute, and who was
required to receive a majority of the votes cast relative
to admission, and to pay the initiative fee demanded
under its by-laws. The officers were chosen annually
and regular meetings were held on the first Tuesday
evening of each month. Recognizing early the impor-
tance of obtaining a library, the leading members of the
Institute set vigorously to work to accomplish this
much desired end. Indeed, so enthusiastic were they
on this subject, that it was unanimously voted to make
no attempt to hold a mechanical fair until at least the
foundation was laid for the establishment of such a
library as the Institute desired. With the incorporation
of the Institute, the Prarie Farmer, then the best agri-
cultural monthly in the West, was made its official
organ, and the mechanical department of the paper was
edited by John Gage, a prominent and active member,
who was as thorough and able an editor as he was a
skilled and practical mechanic. Especially did he bend
his energies to the acquirement of the library ; not an
issue of the Prairie Farmer in which he did not discuss
its importance and urge the members of the Institute to
united and vigorous measures for its speedy accom-
plishment. In accordance with his suggestions, the
Institute, on the 2 2d of March, adopted a proposition
to raise subscriptions for this purpose, to be paid in
July following. This meeting, though not largely
attended, was a very enthusiastic one, and $128 were
subscribed and paid on the spot. Mr. Gage published
this in the Prairie Farmer and said that if each of the
one hundred and fifty members would subscribe five
dollars each, the net sum thus obtained would furnish
money sufficient to purchase books enough to form
quite a respectable library. Isaac Speer, J. B. Weir, G.
F. Foster, C. M. Gray, A. F. Bradley and John Gage
were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions.
They went to work with a will, and with such success
that by December, six hundred and twenty new volumes
were purchased and placed in the library-room, swell-
ing the number of books thus acquired in the first
year to nearly one thousand standard works. About
this time arrangements were made by which lectures
were delivered before the Institute, by local as well as
traveling lecturers. Speaking of this subject, the
Prairie Farmer says: " Whenever a traveling lecturer
comes along, if he be an able one and promises an
interesting course, an arrangement is made by which he
is furnished with their room, lights, etc., and the mem-
bers of the Institute admitted free, other citizens pay-
ing what the lecturer may demand." At the close of
the year 1S43, President Miltimore, on yielding up his
office to his newly elected successor, delivered an ad-
dress in which he briefly reviewed the history of the
Institute, and congratulated the members on the unin-
terrupted prosperity which had attended the first year
of its corporate existence. At the election of officers
for the year 1844, the following gentlemen were select-
ed: G. F. Foster, president; William H. Kennicott,
first vice-president; Azel Peck, second vice-president;

: >peer, corresponding secretary; Elijah Smith,

treasurer; ('.. M. Gray, librarian;'!. L. Milliken,
William Blair, II. Barney, S. S. Foster, A. F. I;
and J. E. Brown, directors. The Institute was now

fairly on the way to Success and had already established
its claims on the public as an institution meriting its
hearty support. In the following year 1845 the first
annual fair under its auspices was held, and was a suc-
cess beyond the hopes of the must sanguine of its pro-
jei tors. Nn records are at hand to give any details of
tin- exhibits of this fair, more than to say in a general
way that a large number of mechanical models were
contributed, many of them being furnished by mi
ics in this city. The fair, too, proved a stimulus to the
Institute, for during the year it rapidly increased in
membership; its course of lectures attracted always
good audiences and proved a source of considerable
revenue; the library was enriched with the addition of
many new and standard works, and the reading-room
was enlarged and comfortably fitted up for the accom-
modation of its visitors. In January of that year the
annual election of officers was held, and resulted as
follows: S. D. Childs, president; H. I.. Fulton, first
vice-president; Jason Gurley, second vice-president;
W. Blair, treasurer; S. S. F'oster. recording secretary;
Zebina Eastman, corresponding secretary; J. G. Brown,
librarian. The directors for this year were: C. M.
Gray, I. Speer, J. Meeker, I. L. Milliken, A. Bent and
S. Johnson. Two years now elapsed, of the events of
which it has been found impossible to obtain any
record, and no information except that which may be
gleaned, or rather inferred from later years. In a gen-
eral way it can be said they were prosperous and happy
years for the Institute. This much is deduced from a
statement made by a member who, in writing a brief
sketch of it, says: "Until the year 1857 the prosperity
of the society continually increased. In January, 1N4.S,
an election of officers was held, and Azel Peck, a prom-
inent member of the society and later its benefactor,
was chosen its president. The other officers were: S.
J. Lowe and S. S. Foster, vice-presidents: J. E.
Wheeler, corresponding secretary; O. Jagger, librarian;
Isaac Speer, treasurer; Sanford Johnson, C. M. Gray,
Peter Graff, H. H. Husted, A. I). Gibbons, and G. R.
Sloat, directors. The regular meetings were still held
in the Saloon Building, on the first Tuesday evening in
each month. During 1848 the lecture course of the
Institute was the best yet given, consisting of lectures
on the arts and sciences, and delivered by the best
informed and most scientific men in the city, who pre-
pared them for the special benefit of the members of
the Institute, more than for the edification of the gen-
eral public. Although the regular meetings of the so-
ciety were held but monthly, the library was kept 1 on-
stantly open to its members, each of whom was entitled
to draw from it one book at a time, t<> be retained not
longer than one week without renewal. The officers
for 1849 were: Edward Burling, president: Robert
Foss and R. Shephard, vice-presidents; A. 1 1. Taylor,
recording secretary; George Davis, corresponds
retary: and I. Speer, treasurer. The directors were:
H. H. Husted. I. L. Milliken, P. L. Updike, W. Anderson,
P. W. Gates, and Ives Scoville; lilbrarian, Oliver
Jagger.

In November of the following year the question of
establishing an evening school lor the benefit of ap-
prentices and the sons of members, was discussed, and
at a meeting of the hoard of directors held on the 19th
of the m inth, it was determin -d to start sir h .1 si hool.
A call was issued for competent persons who were will-

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ing to teach to send in their names to the board at once.
It was also decided to devote four evenings of the week
to the school and one to the lectures. The experiment
proved from the start a success; and the night-school
was regularly maintained for years. The rate of tuition
was but trifling, hence the sessions were attended and
the school, as an educator, became a recognized power
in the community. In this year Hon. William Bross
delivered before the society a course of interesting and
instructive lectures on geology. Dr. Blaney also lect-
ured on various occasions on "Chemistrvas applied to
the Arts." It was during this year, too, that the Smith-
sonian Institute at Washington donated copies of its
own publications to the society. Or. J. E. McGirr, a
then prominent physician of Chicago, also delivered a
series of lectures on physiology and hygiene for the espe-
cial benefit of the young students at the night-school.
The officials for this year were William H. Kennicott,
president ; I. Speer, vice-president and treasurer ; A.
D. Taylor, recording secretary and librarian; Alfred
Dutch, corresponding secretarv. The directors were S.
D. Childs, William Bross, O.' P. Hathaway, J. V. A.
Wemple. Edward Burling and G. R. Sloat. At the
beginning of 1851 the annual election of officers was
again held and H. H. Husted chosen president ; A
Bent and J. Couthbel, vice-presidents ; A. D. Taylor
and G. R. Sloat, secretaries ; Isaac Speer, treasurer ; A.
D. Taylor, librarian. The directors were H. L. Fulton,
A. C. Wood. Edward Burling, Henry Colson, Elihu
Granger and S. T. Hinckley. This year little is to
be noted except the continued growth and prosperity
of the society, and that in the winter its lecture course
was better than ever before in its history, being sup-
plied with the most celebrated lecturers then before the
public. The annual fair held in October, 185 1, was
a marked success. The officers elected in 1852 were
G. R. Sloat, president ; W. H. Kennicott and George
W. Snow, vice-presidents ; A. D. Taylor, recording sec-
retary and librarian ; S. D. Childs, corresponding
secretary ; and Isaac Speer, treasurer. The directors
were H. L. Fulton, J. A. Kennicott, Peter Page, James
Curtiss, Allen Vane and F. E. Demiry. About this time
a change was made in the constitution of the society.
by which citizens other than mechanics were admitted
to its privileges. This had the effect to greatly increase
its prosperity, as well as to extend its influence and
widen its field of usefulness. Its library numbered
over two thousand choice volumes and was open to the
public, as well as to the members of the Institute, the
year round.

With the opening of the year 1853, the Institute
doubtless had reached the zenith of its prosperous and
highly useful career; it had nearly three hundred mem-
bers, a library of over two thousand volumes, and the
best winter lecture course given before any association
iety in the land. This year Hon. John Went-
worth made donation to the society of a great number
of books and an extensive collection of important public
documents. Beginning on the first Tuesday in Novem-
ber was held its sixth annual fair at the city hall. This
was among the best and most important in its character
of any that had been conducted.

'The officers for [853 were Robert Foss, president;
Peter Page and Ives Scoville, vice-presidents; Lewis
Dodge, secretary; Isaac Speer, treasurer; directors,
Stephen l>err, A. S.Calvert, George P. Hanson, John
C. Rue and James Hollingsworth ; Lewis Dodge, secre-
tary of the board.

'The year < losed with the society in a mosl satisfac-
tory condition, and in January, 1A54, it had the grati-

fication of knowing that its last art and mechanical fair
had been the means of calling out a display of exhibits, the
like of which had never been equaled by any society in the
West. The officers elected for 1854 were Peter Graff,
president; James F. Jillson and E. Granger, vice-presi-
dents; Louis Dodge and George P. Hansen, secretaries;
Isaac Speer, treasurer, and Louis Dodge, librarian.
Directors : Stephen Derr, Ives Scoville, E. McAuthur, S.
D. Childs and Noble Martin. In 1855 the Institute had
reached that point in its history where its importance
was recognized in a most flattering and sustantial manner,
both by the State and Nation. Congress passed an act
providing that the scientific reports and books of the
Smithsonian Institute should be printed and distributed
to the three most important institutions in the country
The Chicago Mechanics' Institute was included among
the three, and received its due share. At this time the
State Executive Committee on Agriculture at Spring-
field authorized the Institute to hold and conduct an
agricultural and mechanical fair in this city. This it did
in the fall of 1855, being the first general agricultural
and mechanical fair ever held in the State of Illinois.
The officers then were : C. T. Boggs, president; Will-
iam Price and Ives Scoville, vice-presidents; C. E.
Holmes and H. M. Zimmerman, secretaries; Isaac
Speer, treasurer, and E. C. Holmes, librarian. The
directors were E. Granger, L. Waterhouse, S. D. Childs,
I. L. Milliken, N. Mason and H. W. Zimmerman.

In 1856 the officers of the Institute began making
extensive arrangements for enlarging its quarters,
extending the library, and also providing a suitable place
in which to hold its annual fairs. In doing this they
were simply carrying out the privileges granted in their
charter, which gave them the right to establish a perma-
nent public library, a thing which the committee had
now determined to do. They therefore divided the
library into two departments, one for circulation, the
other for reference. In the circulating department
there were now over two thousand volumes, embracing
the best works in all departments of miscellaneous liter-
ature, while in the reference library were fifteen hun-
dred volumes, including permanent and valuable pub-
lications in every branch of knowledge. An official
catalogue of the books in both libraries was also pre-
pared. The committee issued an address to the public,
from which is taken the following extract:

"Our city and country are so rapidlv filling; up with new cit-
izens that it could not be expected that the public should be fully
advised of the value of everv institution which has been prepared
in advance for their good. Therefore we invite the mechanics of
Chicago, and the public generally, to visit our hall, attend our
meetings, and avail themselves of the library, lectures, and privi-
leges which this institute may be able to confer."

The Institute during 1856 held regular weekly meet-
ings for the exhibition of any new invention, natural
curiosity, chemical compounds, or rare specimens of
art. To these meetings strangers and visitors in the city
were cordially invited; and in any event they were
always well attended.

'The officers-for 1856 were George P. Hansen, pres-
ident; Isaac Speer and I. L. Milliken, vice-presidents;
Urich Gregory and Z. Eastman, secretaries; U. Gregory,
librarian, and Isaac Speer, treasurer. The directors
were N. S. Cushing, Z. Eastman, S. D. Childs, U.
Gregory, Lewis Dodge and R. E. Moss. With the
beginning of the year 1857, and at which period its his-
tory in this volume must be closed, the Institute had
never seen brighter days, nor had it ever had rosier
prospects for the future. But clouds were gathering,
which, although then unseen and unnoticed, were but

YOUNG MENS' association.

5-''

the forerunners of the storms which so swiftly followed.
Already men of sagacious minds and far-seeing wisdom
had predicted a financial crash as inevitable, and that,
too, in the near future. It is a matter of history now
that it came, ruthless and terrible in its destructive
effects upon trade, commerce, business, values. Every-
thing went down before it. The Chicago Mechanics'
Institute, unfortunately, had just contracted a consider-
able indebtedness, which, had not this trouble come, it
would have easily paid. But the fact that its officers
and the warmest friends of the Institute were themselves
seriously embarrassed, many of them being financially
ruined, as a matter of course, seriously interfered with
the carrying out of certain plans already fully matured,
and upon the realization of which the highest hopes had
been reared for the future welfare of the society.

YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION.

The predecessor, in time only, of the present Public
Library of Chicago was an institution, called the "Young
Men's Association of Chicago," afterwards changed to
the "Chicago Library Association." On the evening of
January 30, 1841, Walter L. Newberry, Mark Skinner,
Hugh T. Dickey, Peter Page, Walter S. Gurnee, William
L. Church and a number of other citizens convened at
the chamber of the Common Council for the purpose of
establishing a library association. The movement met
with a fair amount of encouragement, and on February
6 a constitution was adopted and the following officers
elected: \V. L. Newberry, president; Mark Skinner, vice-
president; Hugh T. Dickey, corresponding secretary;
Leroy M. Boyce, recording secretary; Walter Vail, treas-
urer; and Charles H. Starkweather, Peter Page, Walter
S. Gurnee, Francis Howe, Norman B. Judd, William
L. Church and Charles Sturtwait, managers.

" The first election," says Mr. Page, "was made,
from motives of policy, a very novel and interesting
affair. Five tickets were put into the field, the Regular,
the Opposition, the Lawyers, the Respectable, and the
Whole-Hog tickets, which last was headed by a printed
cut of a genuine porker. The regular ticket was elected,
Mr. Newberry being chosen president." Seth T. Otis,
the third president of the association and always one of
its active and influential members, has written the fol-
lowing interesting account of its formation and the
earlier days of its history. He says:

"Up to 1S41 there had been no permanent reading-room in
the city, the lack of which was felt to be a serious drawback to the
best interests of the young of the community. Dr. Sidney Sawyer
and myself had formerly been members of a young men's associa-
tion in the city of Albany, N. V., which had prospered finely at
the low tax of $2 per annum to each of its members. Hence we
advocated the establishment of a similar institution here and urged
upon the citizens of Chicago its necessity and the benefits to be
derived from it. No one entered into active opposition against the
measure, but many doubted its success at so low a tax per
capita as was proposed, and with the limited number of subscrip-
tions we could obtain. But we proposed to bring in all classes of
citizens, and I believed it could be done. At length about the 10th
of January, 1841, a half dozen gentleman friendly to the enterprise,
met at my hardware store one evening and we decided the effort
should at once be made. Hon. Mark Skinner drew up a subscrip-
tion paper and all present signed it. It was left with me to circu-
late, and I went at it with a will. At the end of a'coupleof weeks,
I should say, we had nearly one hundred and fifty subscribers, each
one of whom had paid his subscription fee of S? in advance, with the
understanding, however, that it would be refunded in event the
association was not formed. At this point a mischievous and
unwarranted report was put in circulation, by one or more leading
mechanics, that the association was to be an aristocratic and exclu-
sive affair, and their friends were advised by them to keep aloof
and form an association of their own.* * * During the week I was
assisted by other members of the committee in getting additional

subscribers. I was anxious thai an even two hundred should be

obtained, and to accomplish thi 1

a dozen or mon young men, who afterwards became memb

tlie associ in. .11. \\ h, n the 1

obtained, I pasted all the subscription papers u|

and ..iia, hed ii 1,. a wooden roller. ' hi thi 6th -1 Fi bruary I

unrolled the Ion hung ii over the chairman's

desk and handed him a pa. kage containing four hundred dollars in

cash as the resull ol mj canvass. Ii is pleasant to me as I write

1 Novembi . 1 - m rnbi 1 al thi »daj thi outbui -.1 ol applause

which followed. Nearlj 1 ibscriber was present and the best

of feeling prevailed. [t Was VO cash On 'land

should be considered as initiation fees, and used in tun.
reading-room; and that .... annual tax ol $2 should be paid in addi-
tion. It was also v.. led that tin- association should be known by
the name of the 'Young Men's Ass,,, .ii a,. ,, 1 ityofl hicago.'

A reading-room on the northwest lei ol l.ak. and Clark sire, is

was leased at an annual rental of $125, and titled up under the
supervision of I'eter l'age. It was supplied with the principal
newspapers and periodicals published at that time ["he nucleus
for a library was provided by a selection "I book presented to the
association by Walter L Newberry, on the '-'-i1'1 ol Vpril, 1841.
This was immediately increased by gi n ins from Mes-rs.

S. Lisle Smith, Dr. S I!. Ogden, W II. (lark, Dr. S. Sawyer and
other citizens and members of tin' association."

Thus by such men and for such objects as already
stated the Association was formed. In the winter alter
its organization, the first lecture was delivered before
the Association by William M. Brown, and during the
same season, lectures on various subjects were deliv-
ered by Dr. Brainard and others. Afterward the
Association occupied commodious and pleasant rooms
in the old Saloon Building on the corner of Lake and
Clark streets. At the discontinuance of the Chicago
Lyceum, the library of that society found lodgmenl on
the shelves of the Association, sometime about 1845.
The Association library was subsequently removed to
Warner's Block, on Randolph Street, and here rooms on
the third floor were occupied. Better quarters were
secured in the brick block at 95 Washington Street.
The next move was into the Portland Block ; from
there, in 1866, to Metropolitan Hall, corner of Ran-
dolph and LaSalle streets, where it occupied rooms on
the second floor, behind the lecture room a public hall,
also leased by the Association) and there remained
until destroyed by the fire of 1871.

The Association was incorporated January 30, 1851,
but this act did not change its character, except as to
its legal rights and liabilities,* that is, it was never in the
strict sense of the term a public library, as it was open
only to its paying or elected members. It was a sub-
scription library, wholly different in its character from
the Public Library of to-day, which is supported by
public taxation and which is free to all ; being sustained
in the same manner, and as open to the public as are
the public schools of the city.

The presidents of the society up to 1857 were:
Walter L. Newberry, elected February, 1841; Hugh T.
Dickey, 1842; Seth T. Otis, 1843; i'eter Page, 1044,
David S. Lee, 1845; George Manierre, 1846; Samuel
J. Lome, 1S47; Walter Wright, 184X . Janus II Reed,
1849; Thomas Hoyne, 1850-51; H. G. Shumway,
1853 ; Samuel D. Ward, 1854; Henry E. Sulyle, 1855 ;
Thomas B. Bryan, 1856; George W. Gage, [857. The
founders of this institution were, as one writer has said,
"young men who having selected this city as their
place of residence, were desirous of securing, at an
early day, the establishment of an association which
should afford at a trilling expense the means of intel-
lectual improvement, not only tor themselves, but for

* From the rules of the Assoi iati n Vny member may have die privilege
of introducing strangers to the roomsof the Association, by registering their
names in a book to be kept for thai p
access to the rooms of the Association Foi two weeks aftei such introduction.

Vny p, .-,,., ... 1. !..,-. ing therc-

li ,1 fifty , ents pel month."

5"

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

others who afterwards might avail themselves of its
privileges." From the time of its organization up to
its incorporation in 1851, the Association was sustained
by the voluntary contributions and efforts of its mem-
bers and during this period its success fully equaled the
expectations of its projectors. At the beginning, the
Association started with only about one hundred vol-
umes, contributed by friends; but in 185 1, this number
was increased to over twenty-five hundred, and by the
spring of 1S57 to four thousand seven hundred and
fifty, embracing works from standard authors in liter-
ature, fiction, travel, art, science, history, and biography,
making a valuable library, the benefit of which to its
patrons can hardly be overestimated. In fact, at this
stage of its existence, its growing value and importance
were fully recognized, and it was already regarded as
one of the indispensable institutions of the city. Here,
for the present, it is necessary to close the account of
its further growth and works, to be again taken up and
carried along in proper time and order in the second
volume of this work.

THE CHICAGO LYCEUM.

The Chicago Lyceum, an institution in which for
many years were centered largely the social, as well as
the intellectual interests of Chicago's citizens, was insti-
tuted December 2, 1834. From this time until the 22d
of December of the following year, it had a mere
informal existence, no attempt being made for a perma-
nent organization until the last-named date. At this
time, however, a constitution was adopted, by-laws
framed, and the following persons chosen its first
officers : A Cowles, George Manierre, William Jones
and O. M. Dorman, vice-presidents ; (name of president
not given ; ) George O. Haddock, recording secretary ;
E. I. Tinkham, treasurer, and H. K. W. Boardman,
librarian. At its weekly meetings were discussed ques-
tions of importance, and there was not a prominent
citizen of Chicago in those days who was not a member
of the Lyceum and who did not take a lively interest in
its proceedings.

Hon. Thomas Hoyne, who was an early member of
the Lyceum, and in 1840 its secretary, recalled just
prior to his death, which occurred July, 1883, some
of his recollections of its early days. He said :

" It was the foremost institution in the city, when I came here
in 1837. At the time I became a member, not a man of note, not
a man in the city of any trade or profession, who had any taste for
intellectual and social enjoyment, who loved books, conversation
and debate, but who belonged to the Lyceum. Why, to-day I can
recall the names of old friends, by scores almost, whose eloquence
I have listened to in its meetings. Some of them have long since
paid the debt of nature ; others are still living, honored and respected
citizens of this and other towns throughout the country, and
not a few have, since the days when they were active members of
the Chicago Lyceum, achieved for themselves brilliant reputations
in their various walks in life. When I came here the society had,
for those days, an excellent library, consisting of, as I remember,
over three hundred volumes. Its meetings were generally held in
the old court-room, corner of Randolph and (lark streets. I say
were generally held there, for it was not infrequent that the bad
weather and the condition of the streets made it necessary for us to
appoint the meetings in a locality most convenient for the majority
to attend. Later its meetings were held in the hall of the old
Saloon Building and in the Presbyterian church. We ran along
until 1143 or 1144. The city was then entering upon its career of
rapid growth and development, which has since astonished the
world, and which about that time absorbed the interests of the
citizens so much that the Lyceum meetings began to be poorly
attended and finally, as an institution, it died from sheer neglect."

Among the leading members of the Lyceum in its
flourishing days, were J. C. Butterfield, E.G. Ryan,
late Chief Justice of Wisconsin, "Buck" Morris, Dr.

Egan (noted as being the best after-dinner speaker of
his time in the country), Stephen Lisle Smith, Dr. John
T. Temple, Judge Brown, Mark Skinner, George
Manierre, I. H. Foster, I. Y. Scammon, Thomas Hovne,
G. W. Meachan, Dr. Boone, Rev. I. T. Hinton, ('. V.
Dyer, and many others of not less repute and standing,
whose names are not at hand. Rev. I. T. Hinton was
the pastor of the Baptist Church, and a remarkably able
man. He used frequently to deliver public lectures on
various topics to the citizens of Chicago, and such was
his reputation as a scholar and orator, that rarely did he
find a room sufficiently large to contain his audiences.
C. V. Dyer, another active member of the Lyceum, was
the acknowledged wit of the town, and aside from this
quality, was a man of sound worth and merit. Mr.
floyne, related of him the following anecdote, illus-
trating his ready wit :

" The old cemetery was in those days located in what is now
Lincoln Park. Beyond that was only a scattering settlement.
Here, to this locality, about the year 1840, Mr. Dyer moved, from
a former residence in the city. One day, in the street, a friend
accosted him with the remark, ' Hello, Dyer, I don't see you very
often ; where do you live now ? ' ' O, I am very comfortably situ-
ated,' replied Mr. Dyer without relaxing a muscle of his features,
' I have a home beyond the grave.' His friend saw the point,
circulated the story, and Dyer was long known as the
sojourner on earth who had a ' home beyond the grave.' "

As an institution exercising a healthy and energiz-
ing influence in this community, as promoting the
social and intellectual interests of the society of early
Chicago, the Lyceum deserves more than the passing
notice here given. It is to be regretted that the
material is not obtainable from which to write a fuller
history of its life and growth from its organization to
the close of its existence as a distinct and separate
society.

On the discontinuance of the Chicago Lyceum, the
Young Men's Association was organized (see article on
same), and the library of the first-named society finally
drifted into the hands of the latter, where it remained
until destroyed by fire October, 1871.

Young Men's Lyceum. — This institution was exclu-
sively a young men's affair. No doubt its origin was a
direct outgrowth of the influences emanating from the
Chicago Lyceum, inspiring the young to higher intel-
lectual attainments. It was organized September 25,
1843, with the following officers: David I). Griswold,
president; Edwin C. Stone, vice-president; William H.
Scovill, secretary, and Edward Morey, treasurer. For
some reasons (whether from lack of proper support, or
whether merged into the Young Men's Association)
which it has been impossible to ascertain, the Young
Men's Lyceum was only a short-lived institution. After
much research, nothing could be learned of its history
more than has been here given. It was little more
than a debatine-club.

SOCIETIES OTHER THAN SECRET.

Of this class there were many, some purely social in
their character, others combining charitable and social
features. From 1840 to 1857 there were: New England
Societv, organized in 1846; W. H. Brown, president;
George A. Robb, George W. Snow, John P. Chapin, J.
B. F. Russeil, W. T. DeWolf, Jacob Russell, vice-
presidents; S. W. Stebbins, secretary; E. I. Tinkham,
treasurer; Rev. W. M. Barlow, chaplain; O. Lunt,
E. H. Haddock, A. H. Squier, John S. Wright, E. E.
Lamed, Thomas Dyer, managers; J. A. Wight and
S. C. Clarke, libra'""' committee. This society met each

SOCIETIES OTHER THAN SECRET.

523

year on the 2 2d of December, to celebrate the landing
of the Pilgrims.

The Illinois St. Andrew's Society was organized
January, 1846; A. S. Sherman, president; William
Brown, vice-president; James Smith, treasurer; John
Sheriffs, secretary; John Olston, assistant secretary;
Alexander Morrison, Hugh Dunlop, Alexander White,
Solomon McKitchen, managers. Held four meetings
each year, second Thursdays in February, May, August
and November; also an anniversary assembly on St.
Andrew's Day.

St. George's Society, organized April 27, 1847.
Benevolent in purpose. Daniel Elston, president;
S. J. Lon, James Dike, vice-presidents; J. Dike, treas-
urer; J. McMilluns, secretary. Four meetings annually,
10th of April, July, October, January.

Excelsior Society, organized December iS, 1848;
one hundred and twelve members, natives of New York.
Mahlon D. Ogden, president; I. N. Arnold, Dr. Brain-
ard and John Beard, vice-presidents; H. G. Shumway,
secretary; William Blair, treasurer.

Chicago Bible Society, organized April 7, 1840.
O. Lunt, president; O. M. Dorman, W. F. Domimers,
A. J. Brown, G. W. Southworth and Thomas George,
vice-presidents; T. B. Carter, secretary; A. G. Downs,
treasurer.

St. Peter's Society. Benevolent in purpose. Or-
ganized November 15, 1847. Charles Bumgarten,

president; Christian Lohn, vice-president; Peter Ke-
rii.li, secretar) ; Ja< ob w eidzel, treasu

Hibernian Benevolent Society, organized in 1848.
Monthly meetings al Apollo Hall. Dr. J. I.. \i
president; Janus McMullen, vice-president; Charles
McDonnell and John Murphy, secretaries; John I
treasurer.

Sons of Penn, a society compi ised of those who were
natives of Pennsylvania, was organized January 16,
1850. David Rutler, president; Dr. Henry I'
A. H. Huge and Calvin DeWolf, vice-presidents; W. W.
Danenhower, secretary; Thomas Parker, treasurer;
Rev. A. M. Stewart, chaplain.

Hebrew Benevolent Society, organized April 1, 1854.
and had in 1856 forty members.

Chicago Phrenological Society, organized Novem-
ber, 1855.

Chicago Historical Society,* organized April 24.
1856. W.H.Brown, president; W. B. Ogden and J.
Y. Scammon, vice-presidents; Dr. H. Ray, secretary;
S. D. Ward, treasurer; William Barry, librarian.

There were in 1857 the following societies, the
names of which suggest without comment their charac-
ter and objects:

The American Sunday School Union, the American
Protestant Association, Young People's Christian Asso-
ciation, the American Tract and Mission Society, and
the American Tract Society.

* Will be treated fully in subsequent volumes.

BANKS AND BANKING.

The Currency of the early days prior to 1830 was
subject to wide suspicion, limited only by the extreme
necessities which make money necessary at any cost. In
fact, the volume of money coin in all the regions west of
Detroit was too meager to be computed. Money was
little needed, as nearlv the entire business consisted of
barter of blankets, beads, traps, guns and ammunition
with the Indians for the products of the hunt. The
very early exchanges which involved the payment of
money were made through the Indian traders. Perhaps
Gurdon S. Hubbard was the first white man who ever
did anything resembling a banking business in Chicago.
Although not then known as a banker, he kept a good
credit account at several points east of Chicago and
could draw a bill of exchange on Buffalo which was
sure to t>e honored on presentation. The currency in
use at that time was mostly silver coin. No paper money
was known except such rude scrip as might be issued
by the Indian traders, which, to their credit, was always
redeemed according to promise.

First Banking Law. — No State legislation on
banking which had any direct bearing on the banking
business of Chicago was had prior to 1835. As early
as 1816 an act was passed incorporating the " President,
Directors and Company of the Bank of Illinois," at
Shawneetown. It was the earliest effort at legal bank-
ing in Illinois and the provisions of the charter were
not unlike those of the other "wiid-cat" banks that fur-
nished the worthless and irredeemable paper money
scattered through the West in early times, and which
was the only paper money issued by banks then known
in Chicago. The act is given entire as furnishing the
modern reader a definite idea of the legal basis on which
'• wild-cat" banking formerly flourished. It was as
follows :

An Act to incorporate the President, Directors and Company
of the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown.

Section i. lie it enacted by the Legislative Council and House
of Representatives of the Illinois Territory, and it is hereby enacted
by the authority of the same, that a bank shall be established at
Shawneetown, the capital stock whereof shall not exceed three
hundred thousand dollars each, one-third thereof to remain open
to be subscribed by the Legislature of this Territory and State,
when a State Government shall be formed, which Territory or
State shall be entitled to such part of the dividend of the said cor-
poration in proportion to the amount actually subscribed by such
Territory or State, which one-third shall be divided into shares of
one hundred dollars each, in the same manner as the individual
Stock is divided, and that subscriptions for constituting the said
stock shall, on the first Monday in January next, be opened at
Shawneetown, and at such other places as may be thought proper,
under the superintendence of such persons as shall hereafter be
appointed, which subscriptions shall continue open until the whole

capital stock shall ha-. n i I- cribed (or: Provided, however,

That so soon as there shall be fifty thousand dollars subscribed for
in the whole and nn thousand dollars actually paid in, the said cor-
poration may commence business and issue their notes accordingly.

SB . 2. Be it further enacted. That it shall be lawful for any
persons, or partnership, or body poli tii to ubscribe for such or so
many shares as he, she, or they may think lit, nor shall there be
more than ten shares subscribed in one day by any person, copart-
nership or body politic, for the first ten d i) afti r opening subscrip-
tions. The payments of said shall be made by the
subscribers respectively, at the time and manner following — that is
bscribing then shall !»■ paid into the hands
of the person appointed to receive the same, the sum of ten dollars
in gold or silver on each share subscribed for, anil the residue of

the stock shall be paid at such times and in such installments as the
directors may order: Provided, That no installment shall exceed
twenty-five per cent on the stock subscribed for, and that at least
sixty days' notice be given in one or more public newspapers in the
Territory : And provided also, that if any subscriber shall fail to
make the second payment at the time appointed by the directors
for such payment to be made, shall forfeit the sum so by him, her,
or them first paid, to and for the use of the corporation.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That all those who shall
become subscribers to the said bank, their successors and assigns,
shall be and they are hereby enacted and made a corporation and
body politic, by the name and style of " The President, Director
and Company of the Bank of Illinois," and shall so continue until
the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-
seven, and by that name shall be and is hereby made able and
capable in law, to have, purchase, receive, possess, enjoy, and
retain to them and their successors, lands, rents, tenements, hered-
itaments, goods, chattels and effects of what kind, nature or
quality soever, to an amount not exceeding in the whole five hun-
dred thousand dollars, including the capital stock aforesaid, and
the same to grant, demise, alien, or dispose of, to sue and be sued,
plead and be impleaded, answer and answered, defend and be
defended, in courts of record or any other place whatever; and
also to make, have and use a seal, and the same to break, alter and
renew at pleasure, and also to ordain, establish and put into execu-
tion such by-laws, ordinances and regulations as they shall deem
necessary and convenient for the government of the said corpora-
tion, not inconsistent with the laws of the Territory or constitution,
and generally to do, perform and execute all and singular acts,
matters and things which to them it may appertain to do, subject
however to the rules, regulations, limitations, and provisions here-
inafter prescribed and declared.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That for the well ordering of
the affairs of the said corporation, there shall be twelve directors,
the first election of whom shall be by the stockholders by plurality
of votes actually given, on such day as the person appointed to
superintend the subscriptions for stock shall appoint, by giving at
least thirty days' notice in all the public newspapers of the Territory,
and those who shall be duly chosen at any election shall be capable
of serving as directors by virtue of such choice, until the full end
or expiration of the first Monday of January next ensuing the time
of such election, and no longer; and on the first Monday of
January in each and every year thereafter, the election for
directors shall be holden, and the said directors at their first meet-
ing after each election, shall choose one of their number as presi-
dent.

Sec 5. Be it further enacted. That in case it should happen
at any time that an election for directors should not be had upon
any day, when, pursuant to this act, it ought to have been holden,
the corporation shall not for that cause be considered as dissolved ;
but it shall be lawful to hold an election for directors on any other
day, agreeable to such by-laws and regulations as may be made for
the government of said corporation, and in such case the directors
for the time being shall continue to execute and discharge the
several duties of the directors until such election is duly had and
made ; anything in the fourth section of this act to the contrary
notwithstanding : And it is further provided. That in case of death,
resignation or removal of director or directors, the vacancy shall
be filled by election for the balance of the year.

Sec 6. Be it further enacted, That a majority of the
directors, for the time being, shall have power to appoint such
officers, clerks and servants under them, as shall be necessary for
executing the business of the said corporation, and to allow them
such compensation for their services respectively as shall be reason-
able, and shall be capable of exercising such other powers and
authorities for the well governing and ordering of the affairs of the
said corporation as shall be prescribed, fixed and determined by the
laws, regulations and ordinances of the same : Provided always,
That a majority of the whole number of directors shall be requi-
site in the choice of a president and cashier.

SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That the following rules,
restrictions, limitations and provisions, shall form and be the
fundamental articles of the constitution of the said corporation,
to wit:

(1). The number of votes to which the stockholders shall be

BANKS AND BANKING.

5-5

entitled in voting for directors, shall be according to the number of
shares he, she or they may respectively hold, in the proportions
following — that is to say, for one share and not more than two
shares, one vote ; for every two shares above two and not exceed-
ing ten, one vote ; for every four shares above ten and not exceed-
ing thirty, one vote ; for every six shares above thirty and not
exceeding sixty, one vote ; for every eight shares above sixty and
not exceeding one hundred, one vote ; for every ten shares exceed-
ing one hundred shares, one vote ; and after the election, no share
or shares shall confer a right of voting, which shall not have been
holders three calendar months previous to the day of election.

(2). The Governor of the State or Territory is hereby appointed
agent for the Legislature to vote for president, directors and
cashier of said bank, and is hereby entitled to exercise the right
of voting for the same in proportion to the number of shares
actually subscribed for by the Legislature, in the same ratio that
individuals, or other bodies politic or corporate, are entitled to vote
for ; and the said agents hereby appointed shall exercise the power
hereby vested in him until the Legislature shall make other regula-
tions respecting the same, and no longer.

(3I. None but a bona fide stockholder, being a resident citizen
of the Territory, shall be a director; nor shall a director be entitled
to any other emolument than such as shall be allowed by the stock-
holders at a general meeting, but the directors may make such
compensation to the president for his extraordinary attendance at
the bank as shall appear to them reasonable and just.

(4). Not less than four directors shall constitute a board for
the transaction of business, of whom the president shall always
be one, except in case of sickness, or necessary absence, in which
case his place may be supplied by any other director, whom he, by
writing under his own hand, may depute for that purpose.

(5). Any number of stockholders, not less than fifteen, who
shall be proprietors of not less than fifty shares, shall have power
to call a general meeting of the stockholders for purposes relative
to the institution, by giving at least thirty days' notice in one or
more of the public newspapers of the Territory, specifying in such
notice the object or objects of such meeting, and may, moreover,
appoint three of their members as a committee to examine into the
state and condition of the bank, and the manner in which its affairs
have been conducted: Provided, That no member of such com-
mittee shall be a director, president or other officer of any other
bank.

(6). Every cashier, before he enters upon the duties of his office,
shall be required to give bond with two or more sureties to the sat-
isfaction of the directors in a sum not less than $10,000, conditioned
for his good behavior aud the faithful performance of his duties to
the said corporation; and the other officers and servants shall also
enter into bond and security in such sum as the president and
directors may prescribe.

(7). The lands, tenements, and hereditaments which it shall be
lawful for the said corporation to hold, shall be only such as shall
be requisite for its immediate accommodation in relation to the con-
venient transaction of its business, and such as shall have been
bona fide mortgaged to it bv way of security, or conveyed to it in
satisfaction of debts previously contracted in course of its dealings,
or purchased upon judgments which shall have been obtained for
such debts.

(S). The total amount of debts which the said corporation
shall at any time owe, whether by bond, bill or note or other con-
tract, shall not exceed twice the amount of their capital actually
paid over and above the moneys then actually deposited in the bank
for safe keeping; and in case of excess the directors, under whose
administration it shall happen, shall be liable for the same in their
natural and private capacities, and an action of debt may be brought
against them, their or any of their heirs, executors or administra-
tors, in any court competent to try the same, or either of them, by
any creditor or creditors of the said corporation; but this provision
shall not be construed to exempt the said corporation, or the lands,
tenements, goods or chattels of the same from being liable for and
chargeable with the said excess; such of the said directors who may
have been absent when the said excess was contracted or created,
or who may have dissented from the resolution or act whereby it
was contracted or created, may respectively exonerate themselves
from being so liable by forthwith giving notice of the fact, and of
their absence or dissent, at a general meeting of the stockholders,
which they shall have power to call for that purpose.

(9). The said corporation shall not directly or indirectly deal or
trade in anything except bills of exchange, gold or silver, or in sale
of goods really and truly pledged for money lent and not legally re-
deemed in due time, or of goods which shall be the produce of its
lands; neither shall the said corporation take more than at the rate
of six per cent per annum for or upon its loans or discounts.

(10). The shares of the capital stock of the said corporation
shall be assignable and transferable at any time, according to such
rules as shall be established in that behalf, by the laws and ordi-

aano >1 the tame; bul no tod h ill bi
thereof being indebted to the bank, until 11 1
except the president and directoi

1 1 1 1. I'he bills obligator) and of credit, undei thi
1 "i poration, which shall be made paj ible toanj 1- 1 on 01
shall be assignable b) ai

the like qualities as to negotiability, and the holders thereof shall
have and maintain thi bills obligator)
and of credit had been made by or on behall ■■! a natui il
and all bills or notes which may be issued bv order of the
poration, signed b) the president and countersigned by tin- princi-
pal cashier or treasurer thereof, promising thi paj I ol

to any person or persons, his, her or their order, 01 to
though not under the seal of the said corporation, shall be binding
and obligatory upon the same, in like manner and with lib
and effect as upon any private pi rson 01 i" 1 d by him,

her or them, in his, her or their private or natural capai
capacities, and shall be assignable and negotiable in the lil
ner as if they were so issued by such private person or persons —
that is to say, which shall be payable to any person or persons, his,
her or their order — shall be assignable by endorsement, in like
manner and with like effect as bills of exchangi and those

which are payable to bea mi shall I" assignable and negotia
delivery only.

(12). Half yearly dividends shall be made of so much of the
profits of the bank as shall be deemed expedient and proper; and
once in every three years the directors shall lay before thi
holders, at a general meeting, an exact and particular statement of
the debts which shall have remained unpaid, after the expiral
the original credit, for a period of treble the time of that credit,
and of surplus of profit (if any) after deducting losses and divi-
dends. If there shall be a failure in the payment of an) pari "i
any sum subscribed to the capital stock of said bank, the" party fail-
ing shall lose the dividend which may have accrued prior to the
time of making such payment during the delay of the same.

Sec. 8. And be it further enacted. That the said corporation
shall not at any time suspend or refuse payment in gold and silver,
or of any of its notes, bills or obligations, nor of any moneys re-
ceived upon deposit in said bank or in its office of discount and de-
posit; and if the said corporation shall at any time refuse or neglect
to pay on demand any bill, note or obligation issued by the cor-
poration according to contract, promise or undertaking therein ex-
pressed, or shall neglect or refuse to pay on demand any moneys
received in said bank, or in its office aforesaid or deposit the person
or persons entitled to receive the same, then, and in every such
case, the holder of any such note, bill or obligation, or the person
or persons entitled to demand and receive the same, shall recover
interest in the said bills, notes, obligations or moneys until the
same shall be fully paid and satisfied at the rate ol twelve per
centum per annum from the time of such demand as aforesaid
Provided, That the Legislative of this Territory may, at any time
hereafter, enact laws to enforce and regulate the recovery of the
amount of the notes, bills, obligations, or debts, of which payment
shall have been refused as aforesaid, with the rate of interest above
mentioned; vesting jurisdiction for that purpose in any courts
either of law or equity within this Territory.

Sec. g. Be it further enacted. That John Marshall, David
Apperson, Samuel Hays, Leonard White and Samuel R. Campbell,
or any three of them, shall be commissioners for the pur]
receiving subscriptions and who shall have power to appoint a per-
son to receive the money required to be paid at the time of sub-
scribing, and the said receiver shall, as soon as the directors are
appointed, pay over the same into the hands of such person as the
directors may direct.

Sec. 10. Be it further enacted. That the aforesaid corpoi ''111
shall not be dissolved previous to the expiration of their charter,
nor until their debts, contracts, notes, bills of exchange, and under-
takings in their corporate capacity, shall be finall) and faithfully
settled' Provided, also, That after the expiration,.!' their charter.
they shall not transact business, according to the true intent and
meaning of this act, further than to settle and close' their ,
as above provided. This act to take effeel fromandaftei its

WILLIS Harck.w e, Speaker 0) the House of Representatives.
Piekkf. Menard, President of thi I is/alive Council.
Approved December 28, 1816.

Ninian Edwards. {Govcttwr.)

Under the Territorial Government, two other banks
were chartered, one at Edwardsville-and one .it Cairo,
under charters the provisions of which were similar to
that above quoted. Their existence had ceased before
Chicago became an element in the banking of tie
The Cairo Hank had a somewhat mythical exi
until 1S36, at which time it was brought into actual life

^6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

for speculative purposes, issued its full quota of paper
money, flourished for a time, and finally succumbed to
the rough financial storms of the times. Its charter was
repealed on the 4th of March, 1843.

The Edwardsville Bank and the Bank of Illinois at
Shawneetown became banks of deposit, and received
the public moneys arising from the sale of public lands
in Illinois. The Edwardsville Bank failed in 1819-20,
owing large sums to depositors, which it never paid.
The United States brought suit against the bank for its
deposits and obtained a judgment for §54,000, which
proved valueless. The bills, of course, became worth-
less. The bank at Shawneetown showed more vitality,
being under more skillful financial management. It
went into business immediately after its charter was
granted, and being a repository of Government funds,
acquired an extensive credit, which it kept unimpaired
until the general failure of all the Kentucky banks in
1821. It was one of the last to suspend, which it did
August 21, and was one of the very few banks of the
time that ever paid even a dividend on its indebtedness.
It managed to compromise its debts both public and
private, by means it is not necessary here to explain,
and save its franchises under its charter. It remained
dormant until February 12, 1835, at which time an act
was passed to extend its charter for twenty years, from
the first day of January, 1837. Under the extended
charter the bank was authorized to receive interest for
loans made: "On loans for six months or under, at the
rate of six per cent per annum; and on loans over six
months at the rate of eight per cent per annum." All
stock not responding to the calls to be forfeited, and the
one hundred thousand dollars of stock reserved to the
State to be sold to the highest bidder, and the proceeds
paid over to the State Treasurer for the benefit of the
State. In lieu of all other taxes, the Bank was to pay
into the State Treasury, annually, one-half of one per
cent on the capital stock paid in.

State Banks. — On the adoption of the State Con-
stitution, August 26, 1818, there was in existence within
the bounds of the State, only the bank of Shawneetown,
then in good credit, and the Edwardsville Bank already
in the throes of dissolution. The constitution first
adopted declared that there should be no other banks or
moneyed institutions in Illinois, but those already pro-
vided by law, except a State Bank and its branches.

March 22, 1819, the first State bank was incorpor-
ated under the name and style of the " President,
Directors and Company of the State Bank of Illinois."
The amount of capital was limited to five hundred
thousand dollars, all of which was owned by the State,
which through the Legislature was invested with its
entire management and control. The president and
directors were to be elected by the Senate and House
of Representatives, on a joint ballot, and the cashiers
appointed by a majority of the directors. The property,
lands and faith of the State were pledged without any
restrii tions for the redemption of the bills issued, and
the State was pledged, at or before the expiration of the
ten years the time of its charter , to redeem all bills
presented in gold or silver. The bills were declared
legal tender for all debts due the State. The school-
fund and all specie, or " land-office money," were
required to be deposited in the principal bank. Two
thousand dollars was appropriated to procure plates
and start the financial institution on its career of benefi-
cence. Three hundred thousand dollars was to be put
in circulation. It was to be distributed in the several
districts in ratio with the population. The bills wire to
be loaned on cured by mortgage, at the rate of

six per cent per annum. As the bills themselves bore
an interest of two per cent per annum the borrower
virtually paid but four per cent, for his money. No
person was entitled to a loan of more than one thousand
dollars. The officers of the bank were entitled for
their services to banking accommodations, on approved
security, at two per cent per annum, in the following-
amounts : President of the principal bank, $2,000 ; the
president of each branch, $1,000 ; and each director,
$750. Four branches were established : At Edwards-
ville, Madison County ; at Brownsville, Jackson
County ; at Shawneetown, Gallatin County ; and at the
seat of justice in Edwards County.

The currency soon flooded the State and all gold
and silver disappeared as a circulating medium, and, *
as was quite natural, did not enter the vaults of the
wild-cat bank or any of its branches. The money was
scarcely in circulation before it depreciated to seventy
cents on the dollar, then to fifty and so on down to
twenty-five cents, when it disappeared from circulation
and found its way into the hands of shrewd speculators
who looked to its ultimate redemption by the State.
There was subsequently a special law passed legalizing
the payment of the officers of the State government in
this depreciated paper at its current value. As under
the terms of the charter all taxes and revenue of the
State were payable in these bills, the State at last
became hopelessly entangled in its own financial system
and was forced to withdraw the circulation. This was
begun in 1824, but the currency continued to circulate
in the channels of the State receipts and disbursements
until the expiration of the charter in 1831, when the
State closed its banking business at a loss exceeding the
full amount of the original issue. Governor Thomas
Ford, in his History of Illinois, sums up the result as
follows :

" In the course of ten years, it (the State) must have
lost more than §150,000 by receiving a depreciated cur-
rency, $150,000 more by paying it out, and $100,000 of
the loans, which were never repaid by the borrowers,
and which the State had to make good, by receiving the
bills of the bank for taxes, by funding some at six per
cent interest, and paying a part in cash, in the year
1831. Inclosing up the affairs of the bank the State
borrowed of one Samuel Wiggins, January 29, 1831,
the sum of $100,000. It is stated by contemporary
writers that the shrewd and provident Wiggins paid
over a large part of the loan to the State in bills of the
old State Bank which had been bought up by him at
a low price and which the State now redeemed at par.
The loan was at the time extremely unpopular, and
threats of repudiation were rife for years afterward.
It was however, paid ultimately, principal and interest,
and the credit of the State saved from blemish."

For two or three years succeeding the closing up of
the old State Bank no bank legislation was had. The
citizens of the State were wholly engrossed in the Indian
troubles which culminated in the Black Hawk War, so
called. The treaties which followed its close opened
up a vast domain for settlement, and, in 1834, the tide
of emigration from the East set strongly through Chi-
cago toward the region lying west and northwest, soon
to be open for settlement. Many on reaching Chicago
cut short their prospective tours and found their per-
manent home here, thus swelling the population and
making a most thriving village, which even then gave
promise of becoming the center of trade for the great
crowds of prospectors which were passing through.
Thus during the short space of two years Chicago grew
from a small and unimportant hamlet, with little trade

BANKS AND i:\.\KIV.

527

or commerce, to be an exceedingly busy center of trade,
with a resident population, according to the State cen-
sus taken in 1835, of three thousand two hundred and
sixty-five inhabitants. All were filled with the intense
desire to better their condition by availing themselves
of the opportunities afforded in a new and rich country
rapidly filling up with sturdy and thrifty settlers. In-
spired with courage and hope adequate to the brilliant
prospects offered, Chicago that year put on the armor
of enterprise in which she has fought through flood, and
fire, and war, and financial disaster, unflinchingly and
with no backward step, to the proud position of the
inland metropolis of the nation; a city, with its suburbs,
of seven hundred and fifty thousand souls, as busy, as
persistent, as sturdy, and with faith in its future yet
beyond, as strong as appeared to the pioneer denizens
of the little Chicago of fifty years ago.

Tt was not until 1835 that a banker could have found
a paying business in Chicago. During that year began
the great mania for land speculation which, from the
pine forests of Maine swept the country to the prairies
west of the great lakes. The purchase and sale of city
lots in paper cities, and claims to vast tracts of land,
at constantly enhancing prices, became the absorbing
business of the times. The titles to the land in many
cases was no less fictitious than the prices they realized;
yet the immense volume of business transacted required
a certain amount of money "to facilitate exchanges " if
not sufficient to do a cash business, which at the time
was not thought of. Chicago then felt for the first time
in its history the sore need of money, and yearned for
a bank of issue.

Another State Bank. — Chastened into some
slight degree of caution, but by no means disheartened
by the outcome of the business of the old State Bank,
the Legislature, February 12, 1835, in addition to
extending the charter of the Shawneetown Bank, as
before mentioned, incorporated another State bank.
The Legislature did not, as before, take upon itself in
behalf of the State the responsibility of managing the
bank, nor did it assume the payment of its obliga-
tions or the redemption of its bills in specie, either on
demand or at any future period. With the wisdom which
comes from experience it was content to leave the
entire management of the bank to private enterprise.
Following is a summary of the more important pro-
visions of the charter. The title of the act was: "An
Act to incorporate the subscribers to the bank of the
State of Illinois;" the capital was to be $1,500,000,
divided into shares of one hundred dollars each; $1,-
400,000 to be subscribed by individuals, while $100,000
should be reserved to be subscribed for by the State,
whenever the Legislature might deem it proper to sub-
scribe the whole or such parts thereof as the condition
of the treasury might justify. It was further provided
that the capital stock might be increased $1,000,000 by
individual subscriptions. The style of the corporate
body was; " The President, Directors and Company of
the State Bank of Illinois," and the corporation was to
continue until January 1, i860. The principal bank
was to be located at Springfield, with branches, not to
exceed six in number, to be located within the State at
such points as the president and directors should deter-
mine.

The bank was forbidden to commence business until
$250,000 of the capital stock should have been paid in
in specie : rates of interest on loans for sixty days or
less, six percent ; on loans over six months and under
twelve, eight per cent per annum.

The amount of bills or notes in circulation was

limited to twice and a half the amount of -

paid in and possessed, exclusive of the sum due 1

posits; and its loans and disi OUntS were

< eed three times the amount of such stock, exi lu
the deposits aforesaid. Directors were declared liable
in their natural and private 1 apai it) for any transgres
Mon of the above limits. I he sei tion 1 on, erning the
redemption of bills read as follows:

"SECTION 25, If. at anytime, tl rporation herebycreated,

shall neglect or refuse, for tern mand, at the banking

house, during the regular hours of business, to redeem, in
any evidence of debt issued by the said corporation, the said cor-
poration shall discontinue and close all iis operationsof business

except the securing and collecting ol debtsd r to bee

to the said corporation, ami the charter hereby granted shall be
forfeited.

" Section 26. The said corporation shall he liable to pa) to
the holders o) ever) evidence of debt made by it — the payment of
which shall have been refused, damagi for the non-payment

thereof, in lieu of interest at and after the rate of ten pet ci
per annum, from the time of such refusal until the payment 1
evidences of debt and the damages then on."

It was further provided, that whenever the State-
should have subscribed for and paid the amount of
$100,000, for stock reserved for it, the- Governor should
nominate two directors to represent the interests of the
State in the corporation. The issuing of bills of a less
denomination than five dollars was forbidden under for-
feiture of charter. The bank was to pay annually, on
January 1, into the State treasury, one-half of one per
cent on the amount of the capital stock actually paid
in by individuals, in lieu of all taxes whatever. Inter-
ference on the part of the bank with the election of State-
officers forfeited the charter of the bank. Supplemen-
tary to this act, January 16, 1836, the bank was author-
ized to increase the number of its branches to nine; the
time for redeeming its bills, without forfeiture of its
charter, was extended from ten to fifty days. As a con-
sideration for these favors the bank agreed to redeem
what was known as the "Wiggins loan." together with
what interest might thereafter accrue thereon. This, a
part of the burden left by the old State Bank, became
the heritage of its successor.

Chicago gets her first Bank. — The citizens of
Chicago immediately moved to secure the location of
one of the branches of the State Bank in their town.
Their efforts were successful, ami the announcement
was made as early as June, 1S35, that a branch was to
be established there. December 5, 1835, the officers of
the " Chicago branch of the Illinois State Bank " were
announced in the American as follows: 1 >irectors — John
H. Kinzie, president ; G. S. Hubbard, Peter Pruyne, P.
K. Hubbard, R. I. Hamilton, Walter Kimball, H. P.
Clarke, G. W. Dole, E. D. Taylor; Cashier, W. II.

MA ^

'/r~trU/>7.

Brown. The bank was open for business about the
middle of December, in the four-story brick block then
owned by Garrett. Brown & Bro., at the corner.
Salle and South Water streets, and immediately 51
off with a flourishing business. The cashier advi
in the American, February 13, 1836, thai the hank was
to he kept open for business from 9 o'clock a.m., to 1
o'clock p. m., that " discount days" v I lays and
Fridays, and that all paper shoul 1 be on, red on Mon-
days and Thursdays. Vs an index of the magnil
sonic of the accounts as well as the heavy business then

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

done by one of the leading firms it was stated in the
American of March 12, 1836, that the Messrs. Garrett,
Brown & Bro.. from December 30, 1835, to February
27, 1836, deposited with the Chicago Branch Bank the
sum of $34,359-31- This was nearly an average of
seven hundred' dollars per day, and at that time was an
item of news that reflected great credit upon the enter-
prising firm that did the immense business evinced by
their huge deposits, as well as upon the solid financial
institutions that could be trusted by them with such a
fabulous amount.

Although the Chicago Branch was the only bank in
the city at the beginning of 1836, the bills of the Illinois
State Bank furnished but a small part of the currency
in circulation. The value of the bills in circulation de-
pended more on the facility with which they could be
circulated than upon any knowledge as to their intrinsic
worth. Anything that would go at the bank or that
was not questioned on the street would do. The Shaw-
neetown Hank, the Bank of Green Bay, working under
charter from the Michigan Territorial Legislature and
other banks, sufficiently remote for safety, helped to
swell the volume of currency and buoy up the inflated
trade of the times.

Things went on swimmingly all through 1836 and
until the spring of 1837. Then came the sudden crash
in the East, a decline in values, a general suspension or
failure of banks, and individual ruin on every hand.
The far West was at first believed to be too remote to be
drawn into the Eastern whirlpool of destruction. Its
banks had no circulation in the Eastern States, and there-
fore were not subject to the sudden and overwhelming
demand for redemption and liquidation which fell upon
the Eastern banks without warning. The banks of
Illinois and the speculation in Western lands seemed to
have little in common with the speculative craze in the
far F.ast, except that it was a psychological development
of the same mental disorder. It was reasoned that with
her own money and her own lands, and her own prices,
Illinois might float securely in her own tub. Forthwith
the wise men set about fortifying for the coming storm.
The bank was, of course, the palladium of safety. It
was determined to have money of home manufacture in
sufficient quantity to keep the Illinois tub afloat. In
the summer and fall of 1836, in connection with the
great speculative excitement then near its culminating
point, a great system of public improvements began to
be discussed. It embraced the stupendous work of
pledging the public credit to such an amount as might
complete a water way from Chicago to the Mississippi
River, and cover the whole State with a system of rail-
that would reach nearly every prominent paper
city which had been laid out, and which only needed
railroad facilities to make them habitable as well as in-
habited. I 1 "i' a population in order to keep
up prices, began to dawn upon the people of Illinois
almost simultaneously, with the determination to create
through the banks an ample supply of money. The two
ive a correlative fitness to together
raise the State to the highest point of prosperity at
onre. The building of the railroads and the canal and
the improvement of the river navigation, would open up
the country to immediate and rapid settlement, and the
highest hopes of the wildest speculators thus find
fruition. Public meetings wire held in most of the
towns, where the plan was discussed and resolutions
favoring the pro anil, from most of the
counties, delegates appointed to attend an Internal
Improvement convention, to be held .it the capital. The
convention assembled at the same time as did the Legis-

lature of 1836-37, and recommended to that body a
system of internal improvements, whtch, as stated in
the resolutions, "should be commensurate with the
wants of the people." The scheme was without doubt,
worked up to this point, by a few shrewd designing men
for purposes not entirely patriotic or unselfish, but when
presented, it was most eagerly adopted by the Legis-
lature. The building of the proposed railways, and the
improvements of navigable streams, allayed the bitter
opposition which had developed in sections of the State
too remote from the Illinois & Michigan Canal to be
benefited by the project, and the canal section could
well afford to support tbe general scheme, however
visionary, if thereby could be secured further appropri-
ations for the continuance of the work. The banking M
interest could but approve of a plan that would make
the banks the fiscal agents of the State in the carrying
out of the scheme ; the people saw in it a flood of
money, sudden wealth without toil, and a continuance
of good times, and Illinois, basking in the sun of pros-
perity, the haven of rest to which the pauperized in-
habitants of less favored States would flock for homes,
in numbers sufficient to occupy the whole domain and
ever after remain the richest, the most populous and the
most powerful of all the States. There were conser-
vatives who saw the danger, warned the people and
opposed the plan as inopportune, visionary, dangerous
to the credit of the State and ruinous to its people ; but
all their efforts to stem the popular tide of enthusiasm
for the project proved futile.

On February 27, 1837, the great scheme of internal
improvements was legally inaugurated in the Legis-
lature, by the passage of a bill, the provision of which,
if carried out, would have met the wishes and expecta-
tions of the wildest enthusiast of those visionary times.

The act created a Board of Fund Commissioners,
consisting of three members, who were to be " practical
and experienced financiers ; " and also a Board of Com-
missioners of Public Works, consisting of seven mem-
bers. The members of those two executive boards
were to be appointed by the General Assembly, and to
hold their offices for two years. The Commissioners
were authorized and required to complete, " within a
reasonable time certain public works, and for which
appropriations were made as follows :

For the improvement of the navigation of the

Great Wabash $100,000

The Illinois River 100,000

The Rock River 100,000

The Kaskaskia Kiver 50,000

The Little Wabash 50,000

Total $400,000

For the building of railroads:

The Great Western Railroad from Vincennes to

St. I.ouis $ 250,000

A railroad from the city.of Cairo, at or near the
confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers, via Vandalia, Shelbyville and De-
catur, and Bloomington to the southern ter-
mination of the Illinois & Michigan Canal,
and from thence by way of Savannah to
Galena -- 3,500,000

A southern cross railroad, from Alton to Mount
Carmel, via Edwardsville, Carlyle, Salem,
Fairfield and Albion; and also a railroad
from Alton to Shawneetown 1,600,000

A northern cross railroad, from Cjuincy to Spring-
field, and from thence to the Indiana State
line, in the direction of I.aFayette 1,850,000

A branch from the central railroad, from near
Shelbyville to the Indiana line in the direc-
tion of Torre Haute 650,000

A railroad from Peoria, on the Illinois River,

to Warsaw, on the Mississippi 700,000

<2^Z/su^**t^&~7>t^

BANKS AND DANK 1 NO.

529

A railroad from lower Alton to the central rail-
road 600,000

A railroad from Belleville, via Lebanon, to
intersect the railroad from Alton to Mount
Carmel 150,000

A railroad from Bloomington, McLean County,
to Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, and a
branch through Tremont to Pekin 350,000

Total appropriated for railroad building. .$9,650,000

There was a further appropriation of $200,000, to
counties which neither of the proposed railroads nor the
canal would pass, " for the improvements of roads and
bridges," the said amount to be paid to the counties
designated, " from the first money that should be ob-
tained under the provisions of this act." This appro-
priation was little less than a legislative bribe to the few
counties that otherwise, seeing themselves shut out from
the distribution of benefits, might have jeopardized
the passage of the bill by their opposition. The total
amount appropriated was $10,250,000 ; and the total
length of roads contemplated was 1,341 miles.

The fund constituted for the work proposed was to
consist- 1. Of money to be borrowed. 2. All appro-
priations which should be made from time to time
out of the State revenues, arising from lands and taxes.
3. All moneys to be received from tolls, etc. 4. All
rents, issues, and profits arising from lands to be pur-
chased by the State. 5. The proceeds of all lands
which might be donated by the General Government in
aid of the undertaking. 6. All grants and donations
from individuals. 7. All profits and interest which
may accrue from said works, together with the balance
(after paying the debt due to the school, college, and
seminary fund) to be received under the distribution
law of Congress, which amount of said deposit, so
funded, was " to be charged to the said fund of inter-
nal improvements, and repaid out of the same when
demanded by the General Government." 8. All net
profits, to arise from bank and other stocks thereafter
to be subscribed for, or owned by the State, after
liquidating the interest on loans contracted by the pur-
chase of such bank or other stock.* The passage of
the bill of which the foregoing is a digest involved the
necessity of enlarged banking facilities in the State, —
indeed the bolstering up of the banks, or rather their
absorption by the State was but a part of the scheme to
be worked in a co-operative way to the attainment of
the same end. The banks were to receive a large
amount of the bonds of the State in payment for stock
to be subscribed for and would, at the same time, be-
come the fiscal agents of the State for the receipt and
disbursement of the vast sums involved in' the prosecu-
tion of the work. Accordingly March 4, 1837, an act
was passed increasing the capital stock of the Shawnee-
town Bank $1,400,000, all of which with the consent of
the bank was to be subscribed by the State; also, during
the same session, an act increasing the capital of the
State Bank $2,000,000, which increased stock was like-
wise to be taken by the State. To pay for the stock
subscribed for, the Fund Commissioners were author-
ized to subscribe for the amount, payment for which
was to be made, a part from the State's dividend of
the surplus revenues of the United States, and the
remainder from the sale of State bonds. The total
amount of the capital stock of the two Illinois banks
after the increase was: Shawneetown Bank, $1,700,000;
State Bank, $3,100,000. Of these amounts the stock
was owned as follows: Of the Shawneetown Bank, $200,-
000 by private individuals and $1,500,000 by the State;

* For a further history of the scheme up to the time of its utter failure
and abandonment, see article on Railroads.

34

of the State Bank $1,000,000 by individual stockholders,

and $2,100,000 by the State. Governo

the following account of the manner in which these

banks were started in their enlarged sphen

ness by the State:

" Although the State was to have the majority of
stock in both hanks, vet wen the private stockholders
to have a majority of the directors. The banks were
made the fiscal agents of the canal and railroad fund-;
and, upon the whole, it is a mere 1 ham e thai the State
did not lose its entire capital thus invested. It was sup-
posed that the State bonds would sell lor a premium of
about ten per cent, which would go to swell the interest
fund; and that the dividends upon stock would not
only pay the interest on the bonds, but furnish a large
surplus to be carried, likewise to the interest fund.
However, when these bonds were offered in market,
they could not be sold even at par. The banks were
accommodating, and rather than the speculation should
fail, they agreed to take the bonds at par, as cash,
amounting to $2,665,000. The Bank of Illinois Shaw-
neetown) sold their lot of $900,000, but the $1,765,000
in bonds disposed of to the State Bank, it is alleged,
were never sold. They were, however, used as bank
capital, and the bank expanded its business accord-
ingly:"

It will be seen by the above that in the onset the
banks were obliged to come forward and sustain the
credit of the State by taking its bonds at par, which
was above the market value, and in the case of the
State Bank, in so far as it extended its business upon
the basis of the sold or unsaleable State bonds, it was
doing it on dead capital and running the imminent risk
of failure. It did not take long to show the fallacy of
the system. In the spring of 1837 the speculative
bubble burst, prices collapsed, and the banks of the
whole country suspended specie payment. It became
at once apparent that the State Bank must suspend with
the other banks of the country or fail. It had already
become crippled by many failures among its speculat-
ive customers, to whom it had loaned money, and had
still further weakened its position by extending its
business largely on the unavailable capital of Illinois
bonds. Being, as it was, one of the fiscal agents for
both the canal and railroads, and indebted to both
these funds to a large amount, its failure would have
involved in ruin the whole system of public improve-
ments. To avert the threatened calamity, a special
session of the Legislature was called in July. Of this
session, Governor Ford, in his history, says:

" The Governor's message made a statement of the
matter, without any direct recommendation to legalize
the suspension, and did recommend a repeal or modifi-
cation of the internal improvement system. The
Legislature did legalize the suspension of specie pay-
ments, but refused to touch the subject of internal
improvements. It was plain that nothing could be
done to arrest the evil for nearly two years more."

The act passed, legalizing suspension, was general
in its nature, and was as follows:

An Act to suspend, for a limited time, certain Laws in relation
to the Banks of this State.

Section i. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illi-
nois, represented in the General Assembly, — Thai every provision
of law, requiring or authorizing proceedings against anj bank in
this State, with a view to forfeit its charter or wind u
or which requires said Dank to suspend iis operations ami p
ings, in consequence of its refusal to pay its notes or evidi
debt in specie, is hereby suspended until tin i

special session of the General Assembly, unless banks shall have
generally resumed specie payment at an earlier date, in which case

* " History of Illinois," pp. 90-91,

53°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the Governor shall give notice thereof by proclamation, and the
said bank shall, within twenty days thereafter, also, resume specie
payments: Provided, however, That to secure the benefit of the
foregoing provision, said banks shall agree to conform to, and
comply with, the following conditions, restrictions and limitations,
viz.:

First — That it will not, either directly or indirectly, divide or
pay among its stockholders, or to any person for them, any divi-
dends, interest, or profits whatever, until it shall bona fiJc resume
the pavment of its notes and evidences of debt in specie, which
dividends shall be retained in bank as an additional security to the
holders of its notes.

Second — That it will not, directly or indirectly, during the
suspension of specie payment, sell, dispose of, or part with any of
its specie, or gold or silver bullion, except for the purpose of
change to the amount of five dollars, or under the sum of five
dollars.

Third — That it will furnish monthly, upon the oath of its
president or cashier, to the Executive of the State, a full and com-
plete statement of the condition and financial operations of said
bank and branches, which shall be published in the newspapers of
the State Printer.

Fourth — That it will not, directly or indirectly, issue or put in
circulation, during the period of its suspension of specie payments,
any bank bills or notes, or any evidence of debt by which the
amount of its circulation shall be increased beyond the amount of
capital stock paid in by the stockholders.

Fifth — That it will receive upon deposit any funds belonging
to the State, which may be required to be so deposited, and pay
the same out upon the order of the proper officer, or agent of the
State, in kind, free from charge; and also all funds heretofore
deposited by the State.

Sixth — That until the banks shall resume specie payment,
citizens and residents of the State who are indebted to them upon
notes heretofore discounted, shall be allowed to pay their debts
in installments, at the rate of ten per cent, upon each and every
renewal of the amount originally due, upon condition that such
debtors shall execute new notes, with satisfactory securitv and pay
the aforesaid per cent, and the interest in advance, according to
the usage and custom of banking: Provided, That this section
shall not apply to notes or bonds assigned or endorsed to the bank.

Seventh — That any violation of the provisions of this act, or
any failure to comply with and conform to the same, shall subject
the bank in default to a forfeiture of its charter.

Sec. 2. Whenever any bank shall accept the provisions of
this act, and the president thereof shall furnish the Governor with
a certificate of the fact of such acceptance, under their corporate
seal, the Governor shall issue a proclamation, stating the fact of
such acceptance; and from and after the date of such proclama-
tion such bank shall be considered as being entitled to all the
benefits hereby conferred, and bound by all the conditions, restric-
tions and limitations herein contained.

Sec. 3. This act shall not be construed so as to impair
any rights required by individuals, or to exonerate the bank from
any liability to the holders of its notes, for the non-payment of
the same; and the provisions of this section shall apply as well
to notes heretofore issued as to notes which may hereafter be
issued.

Approved 21st July, 1837.

The State Bank, under the provisions of the act,
continued to do business as the fiscal agent of the State,
although it never again redeemed its obligations in spe-
cie. So long as the fund commissioners could dispose
of the State bonds in sufficient amounts to continue the
internal improvements it had a fair although somewhat
soiled reputation as a monetary institution. The work
was continued until near the close of 1838, when the
fund commissioners had exhausted every means their
ingenuity could devise for raising money on State bonds
to 1 ontinue the work, and were compelled to report an
empty treasury, their inability to replenish it by the sale
of more bonds, and the consequent necessity of sus-
pending the work. An extra session of the Legislature
was called, and the bubble was as legally burst as it
had been legally inflated by the passage of an act in
1839 which repealed the system and provided for
winding it up.

The indebtedness incurred by the State in this ill-
starred enterprise amounted to $6,014,749.53, for which
she had to show only one small section of railroad com-

pleted from Springfield to Meredosia" and a network
of unfinished roads spread across the State in all
directions which, thus left uncompleted, soon became
nearly worthless. The credit of the State had become
so impaired that its bonds had no staple or quotable
value, and were bandied about in the money markets of
New York and London at prices varying from fifty to
seventy-five per cent below par. The credit of the
banks which had been so closely identified with the
State improvement scheme, and whose only valid claim
to solvency rested on the credit of the State, it being
the owner of a great majority of the stock in both banks,
sank even below the credit of the State. Their stocks
were worth in the neighborhood of fifty cents on the
dollar, and, at that quotation, the banks could not
redeem their own bills. As banks of issue their mission
was at an end in 1839. The State Bank, however, con-
tinued to perform some of the functions of banking,
such as dealing in exchange, and disbursing the canal
fund, for a few years thereafter. The end came during
the winter of 1843. The Legislature at that time had
come to a realizing sense of the situation, and deter-
mined to retire from the banking business by forcing into
liquidation the banks it virtually owned. On January

24 an act was passed " to diminish the State debt, and
put the State Bank into liquidation," and on February

25 an act "to diminish the State debt one million dol-
lars, and put the Bank of Illinois i^Shawneetown) into
liquidation."

The " diminishing the State debt " was to be brought
about by forcing the banks to surrender up to the Gov-
ernor State bonds, scrip, or other evidences of State
indebtedness — the Shawneetown Bank $1,000,000, and
the State Bank $2,050,000 — for which a like amount of
the stock held in either bank was to be surrendered by
the State. As the securities sought to be exchanged
were at the time about on par, each with the other, it
might be deemed that the exchange contemplated was
no robbery. It was, however, an arbitrary and unjust
act to thus force the banks to deliver up its securities
for its stock, and leave the burden of the past losses of
the bank upon the individual stockholders who had paid
good money for their stock, now worthless, instead of
giving their notes, still unpaid, as the State had done.
The scheme worked, nevertheless; the bonds to the
amount of $3,050,000 were delivered up, the State
indebtedness thus reduced, and the banks finally wound
up at the expense of the individual stockholders, the
holders of their bills, and their other creditors, who
realized but little out of the final settlement.*

Thus the Chicago Branch of the State Bank went
out in 1843. Its demise was not generally regretted by
the citizens. It had not proved the unmixed blessing
anticipated by those who had been instrumental in its
establishment seven years before. For nine years after
the close of the State banks there was no attempt to
establish any system of State banking in Illinois. Dur-
ing that period the business was done entirely by
private bankers, and on the currency of other State
banks or on other issues not authorized by the laws of
the State to be used as money.

From 1836 to 1843, during which time a branch of
the State Bank of Illinois was located in Chicago,! the
young city nearly doubled its population. The enum-

* In justification of this arbitrary procedure on part of the Legislature it
was claimed that the bunds thus demanded were not the identical bonds which
had been received by the banks; that the bonds had been sold at par. and re-
purchased at a great discount, and that the banks had made money by the oper-

t In the nominal compliance with an act of the Legislature passed Janu
ary 31, 1840, the branch was removed to Lockport, but its business, through an
"agency,'' still went on in Chicago.

BANKS AM) HANKING.

53i

eration of 1837 gave a population of four thousand one
hundred and seventy-nine; that of 1843, seven thousand
five hundred and eighty. The growth was not entirely
attributable to the bank; on the contrary that institution
proved quite inadequate to furnish the banking fai ilities
to meet the legitimate requirements of the fast growing
town, and, after the first year was little better than a
stumbling block in the way of progress. Outside its
own immediate circle of friends, it could grant but little
banking accommodation. Its discredited currency had
driven all silver coin out of circulation, and in its place
the citizens were forced to use anything that would
enable them to carry on the business of the city. Canal
scrip was used, payable at the "Chicago Branch," some
bearing interest, some payable on demand, and issued
on engraved paper in the semblance of bank notes, in
denominations of $1, $2, $2.50, $3 and $5. The city
corporations, having been refused a discount at the

people in the personal responsibility, ability and honesty

of those who had promised to redeem it.

Illegal Banking.— The Legislature of 18
chartered the Chicago Marine & Fire Insuranci
pany. In the charier it was spa mi, a
the company should do a banking business, or issue any
notes or bills in the semblance ol ban!
passed as money. Tlie company organized under their
charter and one of their earliesl advi
appeared in the American, May [6, 1837, n
follows :

The Directors of the Chicago Marine .\ Fire h.
Company, being desirous ol rendei ng to thi com
the existing deranged condition of tin- monetary system .,! the

country, ever) legitimate aid san< 1 :d by prudeni

visions of the charter of the company admit, when there are so
many pressing causes urging to action ever) power capable of
affording relief, have determined to avail themselves of that por-
tion of the 5th section which is contained in the clause following:

FAC-SIMILE

)F PLATE ENGRAVED BY THE CHICAGO MARINE AND FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT Nor [SSI ED
IN ANY LARGE AMOUNTS.

bank and being unable to obtain a loan elsewhere, issued
scrip also, in small denominations. The small trades-
men issued tickets of credit for change, from five cents
to 50 cents, "good for groceries," "payable in goods,"
"good for tobacco," "good for a drink," or good for
anything else which the issuer might happen to deal in.
In addition to this was county scrip, State-Auditor's
scrip, St. Louis scrip, and subsequent to 1837, a flood
of bills issued by Michigan banks under the Land Loan
banking law of that State. Of all this variety not a bill
could be found that would be taken for postage, or for
lands by the General Government, and, when found
necessary to convert any of them into gold or silver, it
was done at a frightful discount, varying from ten to
eighty per cent, according to the character of the paper
offered, and the whims, avarice, or necessities of the
parties to the trade. All the bank bills might be termed
legal issues, as the banks were all working under
franchises granted them by some State or Territory.
During this period, 1837-43, besides these, there came
into general use as money, an issue of certificates of
indebtedness which in contrast might be distinguished
as illegal money; since its issue was not authorized
under the laws of any State, and its current value as
money was based entirely on the confidence of the

"And also to receive moneys on deposit, and to loan the same, on
bottomry, and respondentia, or otherwise, at such rates of interest
as may now be done by the existing laws of the State." * * *
The condition of the company is entirely solid and beyond
doubt, as there is a surplus, beyond its capital stoi 1- paid in, of a
considerable amount and because it has met with no loss since its
organization, and its present risks are very few and limited to
small amounts.

The Articles of the By-Laws, in relation to deposits are :
( I ) All deposits shall be either general or special.

(2) General deposits are those which shall be made by
the depositor, subject to be drawn out at any time on his check or
order.

(3) Special deposits shall be those which are made for any
specific time, and for which the depositor shall receive an it

(4) No sum of money less than ten dollars shall be received
on a general deposit, nor less than five dollars on spei ial

(5) All money deposited specially on trust for a shorter
term than one year shall be deposited for a certified number of
months — not less in any case than three months from date of de-
posit.

(6) The rate of interest to 1" such special
deposits of not less than six months shall be I ^ix per
cent per annum; in all other case- tin rati shall bi -
special agreement between the depositor and the officer of the insti-
tution at the time of depositing.

I 7) When the time of deposit shall exceed a year, interest
maybe made payable before the principal becomes due, ann
semi-annually, as may be agreed on ; but when the deposit shall be
for a shorter time than a year, no interest will be paid until the
principal becomes due.

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Certificates of deposit, for money deposited, whether
general or special, specifying: the time and amount of the deposit,
and when payable, and in what fund, and whether with or without
interest, shall be issued when required, and in such cases the money
so received shall be payable according to the terms of the certifi-
cate, on the production and surrender of such certificate.

Office in Russell's Brick Block, corner of Lake and Clark
streets.

Office hours, from 9 A M. to 1 P. M.

J. S. Breese, President.
L. D. BOONE, Secretary.

In accordance with the above notice, the company
immediately commenced a "banking business." It
received deposits, it loaned money, it bought and sold
exchange and coin, and its demand certificates of
deposit in the course of business, performed the func-
tions of money, although they were not in the semblance
of "bank notes." and it would have been impossible to
prove that they had been issued in violation of the
provisions of the charter. What circulation they had
was based on the confidence of the people in the
solvency of the institution, rather than on any authority
or power conferred on it by State legislation. It
does not appear that the directors of this company
designed to create a circulating medium in their certifi-
cates, nor did they do so to any great extent, but, per-
haps, sufficiently to suggest the feasibility of the plan to
a class of men having the ability to put it in practice
successfully, and to such an extent as to render it the
leading monetary system, and a prominent factor in the
trade and commerce of the Northwest for many years.

Among the shrewdest financiers then living in Chicago
were George Smith and Messrs. Strachan & Scott, all
from Scotland. Smith* first came to Chicago as a
prospector in 1834. He became strongly impressed
with the immense field for profitable investment of
money offered by the great Northwest, then for the first
time open for settlement, and returned to Scotland full
of enthusiasm over the glorious business prospects which
his sagacity enabled him to discern. He there organized
the '• Scottish Illinois Land Investment Company ; "
Strachan &: Scott came out with him, on his return, as
managers of the affairs of the company ; George Smith
was a large stockholder, and a sort of advisory director,
and did his business at their office which they opened
as agents of the Scotch company, real estate agents,
and private bankers, immediately after their arrival
late in 1836 . The three were comfortably settled and
doing business in August, 1837, as appears by the
following advertisement which appeared in the Demo-
crat of August 16 :

"to rent.

" Several houses and rooms suitable for families. Apply to
Strachan i: Scott, corner of Lake and Wells streets, or to George
Smith, Lake House."

These Scotch gentlemen, whose business in the
country was to make money, watched with intense
interest the developments of the new phase of banking

rjr- Smith wasa native of Old Deer. Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where
he was born about the year 1809. He was bred a farmer, spent two years at
Aberdeen University and came to America and the great West, not I" establish
a banking business bulto become a great Land-holder .n th. v..st 11m.. , upi.-d
domain of the new country. It seems a matter of chance or accident that the
hu*ine*s in which he engaged made him the Kr<;it banker "f tin- Wist instead
the owner and cultivator of immense tra< ts of land. His Connection with Stra.
chan & Scott, and Alexander Mitchell, shrewd and educated bankers, had
undoubtedly much to do with changing the character of his business, and turn-
ing it into the unexpected channel it afterward followed.

which had its basis outside of any legislative authority.
The act gave the company a corporate existence, and
empowered it to hold property, to buy and sell, to
sue and be sued, which seemed to them all that was
necessary "for their purposes. Accordingly, in 1839,
the times having become propitious through the collapse
of the State internal improvement scheme, and the
abridged importance and prominence of the State banks,
which followed, they took a transcript of the charter of
the Chicago Marine & Fire Insurance Company, and
without important changes obtained from the Territorial
Legislature of Wisconsin, its passage as an act incorpor-
ating the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Company.
Another Scotchman now joined the trio. Alexander
Mitchell, a young banker from Aberdeen, came out at
the solicitation of his friend, George Smith, to assume
the secretaryship and local management of the new
company at Milwaukee. The stock of the company
was $225,000, one-half of which was held in Scotland,
and the other half by George Smith, Alexander Mitch-
ell, and Strachan & Scott. The office was established
at Milwaukee. The sign read : " Wisconsin Fire &
Marine Insurance Company." The proprietors imme-
diately commenced the business for which they had
obtained the charter, leaving the people to judge as to
whether they were doing a banking business or not.
To their customers they issued certificates of deposit,
engraved like bank bills, of various denominations from
one dollar to ten dollars. Below is a copy of one of
the few, if not the only original certificate issued by the
company, now in existence :

WISCONSIN MARINE & FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.
No. 113,897.
This is to certify that E. I. Tinkham has deposited in this
institution one dollar, which will be paid on demand to bearer.
Milwaukee, W. T., nth July, 1845.

George Smith, President.
Alexander Mitchell, Secretary.

These certificates were redeemed in Chicago at the
banking house of Strachan & Scott, until their removal
to New York in 1840, and subsequently by George
Smith & Co., so long as they continued in circulation.
The issue worked its way into circulation slowly at first,
and against the opposition of the banks still doing busi-
ness under State charters. From the first appearance
of these bills until the State banks, under the old regime,
were powerless and useless, they were subject to their
bitter hostility. The people, however, favored them, as
they were always promptly paid on presentation and
showed in favorable contrast with the Illinois bills afloat,
all of which were below par, and none of which were
ever redeemed at their face value after the Wisconsin
Fire & Marine Insurance Company started business.
December 1, 1841, the company had out of its certifi-
cates of deposit (afloat as currency) only $34,028. The
issue from that time rapidly increased. In 1843 the cir-
culation was $100,000 ; in November, 1845, $250,000 ;
in July, 1847, $300,000; in November, 1847, $400,000 ;
in November, 1848, $600,000; in October, 1849, over
$1,000,000; in December, 1851 (the year before the
banking law was passed in Wisconsin^, $1,470,000.
From that point the circulation was gradually con-
tracted. Every dollar of this vast amount was paid
according to its tenor, on presentation. Nearly $34,000
was never presented, that amount being probably lost
by fire, shipwreck and wear. In 1853 the company was
re-organized as a legal banking institution under the
general banking law of Wisconsin, its name, already too
long, being lengthened by the important word, Bank,
to which it had an unquestionable title by an illegal but

BANKS AND BANKING.

533

honorable career in the banking business for thirteen
years. It received its legal christening under the name
of "The Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Company
Bank," and as such is known to this day. The name
was, and is, too long for practical adoption. In its
early days it was more generally dubbed Smith's Bank,
or Mitchell's Bank, and under the latter name, after
half a century, stands with unlimited credit in all the
marts of the world.

As has been stated, the issues of the bank were slow
in gaining the confidence of the people. The irregular
and illegal form in which the currency was put out
was kept constantly in the mind of the people by those
who were interested in perpetuating what they were
pleased to term legal banking. Runs on Strachan &
Scott and Smith, and on the bank of Milwaukee, were
organized with a view to discredit the currency, and
destroy the growing confidence in its stability anil
value. None of them succeeded further than to create
temporay panic outside the bank; on the contrary, each
run, either on the bank at Milwaukee or on Smith at
Chicago, or on any other agents for the redemption of
its bills, was promptly met, and left the bank in better
standing than it was before. As its business increased, in
order to enlarge the field of its circulation, it established
agencies for the redemption of its bills at Galena, St.
Louis, Cincinnati and Detroit. The result was that the
illegal bills, issued honestly and honestly paid, drove
from circulation the legal bills, dishonestly issued and
afterward dishonored. A few banks stood the stern
Scotch test, and kept their bills in circulation; but it is
but truth to say that the illegal issue of the Wisconsin
Fire & Marine Insurance Company drove the depre-
ciated paper of the legally constituted State banks out of
circulation.

As contrasting the two systems of banking then in
vogue the Milwaukee Courier, May 9, 1842, published
the following statements, with comments, as follows :

BANKING.

Statement of the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Com-
pany, December 1, 1S41:

ASSETS.

Bills and notes, chiefly at or under 60 and go days'

date, not due and bearing interest . .$ 8,439.00

Real Estate and Real Estate Securities, mostly in
Milwaukee, Walworth and Racine counties, sold,

and now in course of being paid for 94,442.70

Cash in hands of correspondents at New York, De-
troit, Chicago and St. Louis — part bearing interest. 155,789. 76

Cash on hand — Western funds 16,518.00

Gold, silver, treasury notes and Eastern bills 5,346.95

Company's office furniture, etc 2, on. S3

Expense account 177-93

Premiums of fire insurance, being loss sustained by fire,
insurance after absorbing all premiums heretofore

received S2S.72

Due from Ter-itory of Wisconsin for expenses of Leg-
islature, for which certificates are held, bearing 10

per cent interest 16,873. 01

Current and miscellaneous accounts 5, 465 81

$299,893.71
LIABILITIES.

Capital stock paid in ••■ $224,475.00

Deposits and check account, in $1, $2, $3 and $5 evi-
dences of debt outstanding (circulation) 34,028.00

Due correspondents 5,000.00

Sum of credit of individuals on current and miscella-
neous accounts • 6.177.48

Unpaid dividends. ... 45-°°

Profit and loss account 20, 597.64

($20,000 of this sum is premium received on com-
pany stock sold. )

Premiums of marine insurance, being profits on
account of marine insurance, subject to losses that
may yet be ascertained 570.59

$299,893.71
(Signed) ALEX. MITCHEL1 , Seen

STATE BANK OF ILLINOIS.

The cashier of this institution has made an authorized expose
of its affairs, and it shows it to be irretrievably insolvent — from the
Missouri (St. Louis) of the 25th.

The immediate liabilities of the bank are:

Circulation $2,86i,2S8.oo

Unclaimed dividends 811.00

Discount, exchange and interest 212,380.91

Due to other banks ,. 46,826.31

Deposits 157,448.64

Total 83,27s, 754.86

To meet these liabilities which are instantaneous, he

reports. Specie $ 526,096.65

$144,476 of other bank bills which may be worth. . . 75,000.00

Total S 601.oij6.65

IMMEDIATE ASSETS.
Resources of which part may be realized :

$60,236.07, bank balances $ 60,000

$811,801.09, real estate taken from broken debtors,

probably worth 200,000

$1,686,000, State stock, worth 337,200

$673,975.32, loans on real estate, of which may be

collected 1 50,000

$825,469.50, suspended debt of which it is possible

there may be collected 100,000

$1,317,954.36, bills discounted of which may be col-
lected I ,000,000

$547,171.17, bills of exchange on pork, worth 300,000

$156,492.42, due from Fund Commissioners, and
$350,165.20 due from the State, on which noth-
ing can be realized for years.
$336,827 04, due from other banks — probably most of

it from Cairo — may be worth 175,000

Total resources $2,943,296,65

The last exhibit showing the condition of the State
Bank of Illinois, is the work of prejudice. The estimates
of the value of securities, although, in the aggregate, nut
far from the truth, were made at the time with a view
to discrediting the bank. The reader will remember
that, as has been told, the State soon after closed up the
bank and robbed it of its State stock, leaving it unable
to pay its other creditors. On the part of the members
of the Legislature who forced the bank to close up, it
was a shameless repudiation, since many of them were
debtors to the bank, and it was openly charged that the
ruling motive for closing it up was to thus avoid the
payment of their honest debts.

The only object of the foregoing exhibit is to show
the reader how the illegal system of banking honestly
conducted, compared with legal banking dishonestly
carried on. A State may be dishonest as well as an
individual, and lacking the control coming from fear
of punishment, do more mischief than the citizen who
has a wholesome fear of the penalties of the law before
his eyes. It is sufficient to say that in 1843 legal bank-
ing ceased in Illinois, and that illegal banking had,
meantime established itself. For the sin reeding eight
years, the banking of Chicago was carried on by pri-
vate bankers or banks, using as currency the bills of

534

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

sin Marine & Fire Insurance Company, and
the bills of other State banks which had managed to
resume specie payment and sustain their credit against
the first-named institution.

Eakl\ Banks and Bankers — 1S36 to 1851). —
The banking of Chicago was carried on prior to 1851,
bv the following corporations, firms and individuals:

1836 — Chicago Branch of the State Bank of Illinois,
comer of LaSalle and Water streets, removed to Lock-
port in 1S40 ; agency remained in Chicago until bank
- I in 1S43.

1S37 — Strachan & Scott : remained in business until

out private banking business to Murray &

Brand. George Smith succeeded them as agents of the

isin Marine & Fire Insurance Company. The

Chicago Marine & Fire Insurance Company did a full

banking business with the exception of issuing bills.
Its charter was amended in 1849. and it was the prede-
cessor of the Marine Company of Chicago.
• — N h inges.
1S40 — George Smith & Co., I.aSalle Street, bankers,
continued in business in Chicago until 1856-57, at which
time the business of the house was closed up. Mr.
Smith after an honorable and successful career of twenty

CZ^fr£t

vears as a Western banker, retired with a very large fort-
une, and returned to Scotland. He now lives in Lon-
don. He has still large property interests in Chicago.
The first full and reliable business directory pub-
lished in Chicago was issued by Norris in 1844. It
contained the following names of persons engaged in
banking and brokerage :

Murray & Brand, exchange brokers, corner of Lake
and Clark streets; Noah Buckley, pawnbroker, corner of
Randolph and Wells streets; Newberry Walter L. &
Burch I. H. . bankers. 97 Lake Street ; Griffin & Vin-
cent, brokers, corner of Dearborn and State streets;
George Smith & Co., private bankers, and exchange
brokers. Bank Building, LaSalle Street; Elijah Swift,
broker. 102 Lake Street ; R. K. Swift, broker, 102 Lake
H. W. Wells, agent of Farmer's and Mechanic's
Bank, 112 Lake Street, upstairs.

The directory of 1845 shows no additions to the
bankii \ of the city. The names and adver-

ts of banks and bankers were as follows:
cander Brand >V Co. Murray & Brand , private
bankers and exchange brokers, 127 Lake and Clark
Street. " Collections and remittances made on all parts
of the I'nited States, Great Britain and Ireland, and
.tinent of Europe. Money remitted to or from
settlers or emigrants in sums as may be required. De-
posit accounts kept. Interest paid on special deposits.
immissions attended to." J, ( !oe
north of Lake Street, between Clarke and South

Water streets; Newberry & Burch, 97 Lake Street;

•;. .-.- Co., bankers and exchange brokers,

l ike .-mil Randolph ; K. K. Swift,

Xr,2 Lake - tain ; " money loaned on

real estate and other undoubted securities ;" Agency of
the Farmer's and Mechanic's Bank of Michigan, H. W.
Wells, agent, office Saloon Building, Clark Street.
Agency of the Mississippi Marine & Fire Insurance
Company, office S7 Lake Street, M. M. Hayden, vice-
president.

The directory of 1849-50 has the following:
Money Lenders — G. P. Baker, 193 Lake Street; J,
S. Dole, 181 Lake Street ; Thomas Parker, 40 Clark
Street: F. G. Hall, 103 Lake Street; R. K. Swift, 11 1
Lake Street.

Banks, bankers, and dealers in exchange — Alexander
Brand & Co., 127 Lake Street; I. H. Burch, 125 Lake
Street; Chicago Savings Bank,* 125 Lake Street; Chi-
cago Bank,* 125 Lake Street; Curtis & Tinkham, 40
Clark Street; D. C. Eddy, 97 Lake Street; George
Smith & Co., 41 and 43 Clark Street.

In 1851 a general banking law was passed by the
State Legislature and legal banks of issue incorporated
under its provisions, ultimately superseded the private
banking which had been carried on since 1843. Many
of the private bankers organized banks, and continued
their business under new corporate names. The sur-
vivors of the period of illegal banking as shown in the
directory of 1851 were:

Bankers — Alexander Brand & Co., 127 Lake Street,
corner of Clark; I. H. Burch, 125 Lake (Chicago Bank,
also Chicago Savings Bank'; George Smith & Co., 41
and 43 Clark Street; Tucker, Bronson & Co., 85 Clark
Street; Jones William) & Patrick (Milton S.) 40 Clark
Street; Richard K. Swift, 45 Clark Street.

Money Lenders — lohn Denniston, in Lake Street;
E. G. Hall, 103 Lake'Street.

The directory also shows that, in that year, Charles
B. Farwell was teller at George Smith's Bank, and that
Edward I. Tinkham was secretary of the Chicago Marine
& Fire Insurance Company.

The "illegal banks" and bankers that lived through
the period, and continued after the passage of the Bank-
ing Law, in 185 1, to do business had shown a vitality
not to be despised. "Smith's Bank" (The Wisconsin
Marine & Fire Insurance Company) was in constant
danger, and attacks on its credit were so persistent that
it may be said to have been in a constant state of siege
from the time its bills first appeared in 1839, until it
finally became a legal banking institution, under the
banking law of Wisconsin, in 1853.

As early as 1841, before the collapse of the State
Bank of Illinois, the following appeared in the Chicago
American of September 28, 1841: " The present circu-
lation of the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance
Company, whether in Illinois or elsewhere, is $29,000.
In addition to the guarantee afforded by stockholders,
both here and in Great Britain, we are enabled to com-
municate the facts, that the parties by whom the bills of
the institution are redeemed in the city have never been
without the means of taking up its whole circulation at
a moment's notice, either in Illinois funds or Eastern
exchange, and have at this time, deposits, available
for the redemption of the bills, in the Chicago Branch
Bank, to an amount exceeding the entire circulation."
A statement like the above silenced the Illinois
Bank men for the time being, as a run on Smith's Bank
would be virtually a run on their own bank, the deposits
for the redemption of the bills being kept in that insti-
tution. But when, in 1843, the Stale Bank was closed
up, the war was carried on by all the outside banks of
issue whose circulation came in competition. The most
formidable attempt to ruin the bank occurred in Novem-
• Owned by I. II. Burch.

BANKS AND BANKING.

535

ber, 1839. For weeks before, the Michigan banks, with
allies in Chicago, had been employing brokers to gather
"Smith's bills," of which there were out at the time
$1,000,000. On Thanksgiving day Smith closed his
bank in Chicago for the holiday as was customary. The
news was immediately sent to Milwaukee that "Smith
had closed his bank in Chicago," and a local panic was
thus inaugurated. Simultaneously the accumulated bills
began to pour in for redemption, both in Milwaukee
and Chicago. Mr. Mitchell, secretary at Milwaukee,
immediately sent an express to Chicago for a supply of
specie, which was promptly forwarded in double the
amount required, one-half by land express and the other
by way of the lake. In the History of Milwaukee, pub-
lished in 1S81, the run on the bank and its result is thus
stated : " There was much excitement and large crowds
of panic-stricken depositors thronged the bank and with-
drew their deposits. The more intelligent classes, how-
ever, proved their stanch friendship and supreme con-
fidence in Mr. Mitchell and his bank, by furnishing him
all they could rake together at first, and afterward
replenishing his coffers by depositing with him such
amounts as had been placed in his hands for safe-
keeping. Thus the run became nearly self-supporting,
and, as the supply of coin seemed inexhaustible, the
local panic among small depositors had entirely subsided
before the arrival of the coin from Chicago, the deposits
being actually decreased at the end of the run only
about $100,000."

Mr. Smith promptly redeemed the bills presented in
Chicago. The plot failed and left the bank ultimately
stronger in the confidence of the public than ever
before.

The panic, however, was not confined to Milwaukee
and Chicago, where it was short lived, but spread all
through the West where the bills were current and con-
stituted the greater part of the circulating medium.

Concerning the panic and the bank, the Chicago
Democrat, December 1, 1849, discoursed thus: "Wis-
consin Marine & Fire Insurance Company — Panic —
Some considerable excitement has been created within
the past few weeks with regard to this institution ; and
on account of articles published in the papers of this
city, many of the holders of its bills abroad have been
alarmed. In St. Louis the excitement was intense and
its bills were selling at five to six per cent discount.
They were, however, redeemed at the company agency,
at one per cent discount — the usual rate. Upon the
line of the canal, also, we learn that the bills have been
selling at eight per cent discount." After alluding to
its hatred of banking and broken banks it continued :
"We do not wonder that they 1 the failures of the banks]
should cause the people to enquire whether the owners
of the institution are legally responsible for its liabilities.
In this state of things, we agree with our contemporaries
of the Press that it is due to the public on the part of its
proprietor that the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance
Company should make such arrangements as will pre-
vent these panics in the future. Mr. Smith is now in a
position in which he can make such a disposition of the
property which he possesses, or securities that he can
command, as will amply secure the public, so far as a
bank can be said to be secure. We should think that a
regard alone of his own interest would lead to this.
Such security would restore confidence, and give his
institution a stability which it can never possess under
its present character. Mr. Smith has been made a
wealthy man by the people of this city. Why then with-
hold legal responsibility which should long ago have

been given, but without which the public have been so
generous as to put confidence in the institution?"

As showing that both Mr. Smith and Mr. Mitchell
were not unmindful of the demands the public had upon
them in return for the confidence it had shown in their
institutions, the following appeared in the Democrat of
December 7, 1849.

" Wisconsin Marine it Fire Insurance Company
and George Smith. We copy the following from
Thompson's Hank Note Reporter of December 1, just
received :

" Wisconsin Marine & Fikk Insurance Company,

"Milwaukee, November 22, 1S49.
"J. Thompson, Esq., — Dear Sir: In the Bank Note Reporter
of the 15th current I observe reference is made to this institution in
a communication in which you append certain remarks of your own
and inquire whether the public have a legal claim on me for the
redemption of its notes. In answer to this question, I have to in-
form you that being aware that doubt existed with respect to the
extent of my liability for the issues of the company, and being
desirous of satisfying what I am not prepared to call an unreason-
able wish on the parts of a portion of the public, I did, in March,
1846, create a legal liability on my part for all such issues, and that
in order to remove all ground of doubt on this subject, and acting
under the advice of able counsel as to the most effectual manner of
accomplishing the desired end, I have recently, together with Mr.
Mitchell, the secretary, executed instruments creating a personal
liability on the part of both of us, to trustees, for the benefit of the
holders of the company's notes now outstanding, and those that
maybe hereafter issued; the trustees being William H.Brown at
Chicago and Hans Crocker of this city.

'' Yours respectfully,

" George Smith."

The following appeared in the Democrat of Decem-
ber 11, 1849: "Some fifty or sixty of the merchants of
the city have published a circular expressing confidence
in the notes of the Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insur-
ance Company."

There was very little popular distrust of the bank
after this date. Its circulation was still further increased
in amount, and for the succeeding three years was the
favorite currency throughout the West.

The Chicago Democrat was at this time violently
opposed to banks and banking as carried on in the
West, whether legal or illegal, and kept up a constant
fusilade against them all. It represented, however,
quite fairly the different phases of the business as they
transpired. The following excerpts are deemed of his-
toric value:

Issue of April 16, 1849:

" Chicago Temperance Saving Association. — Deposits
from a dollar, upwards, received, drawing seven per
cent interest, payable half yearly. William H. Brown,
president; Charles Walker, vice-president; J. Wilcox,
secretary; T. B. Carter, treasurer; Alfred Cowles, attor-
ney. Loaning Committee: B. W. Raymond, Thomas
Richmond, Henry Smith."

June 26. — "A new banking-and exchange house
has been opened in this city by Messrs. Curtiss & Fink-
ham who, having command of considerable funds in
Ohio and other currency, it is expected by the produce
operators and others, will be able to extend the facili-
ties now afforded for the purchase of the productions
of the country. E. I. Tinkham, late cashier of Wiscon-
sin Marine & Fire Insurance Company, is a partner
in the firm."

September 19, under the head of " Money Table: "
" Bills bankable and commanding specie at one per
cent : New England banks in good credit, New York
State banks in good credit, New Jersey and Maryland
banks in good credit, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky banks
in good credit, Michigan, Virginia and Missouri banks

536

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

in good credit, Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance
Company certificates. Pennsylvania banks, not over one
per cent, discount in New York.

•• Uncurrent. — Canada, three per cent discount,
Pennsylvania, par to three per cent discount, Tennessee,
not taken. State Bank of Illinois, fifty per cent dis-
count. State Bank of Shawneetown, seventy-five per
cent discount."

•■ Scrip. — Chicago city orders, par to five per cent
discount; Cook County orders, thirty to thirty-five per
cent discount: auditor's warrants, ten to fifteen per
cent discount; one hundred and sixty acre land war-
rants. $132 to $154 each.

"Exchange. — On New York, Albany and Boston,
one and a half per cent premium for currency; on New
York. Albany and Boston, one per cent for specie; on
Buffalo, three-quarters of one per cent premium for
currency: on Buffalo, one-quarter of one per cent
premium for specie; on England, $5.10, the pound ster-
ling, in sums to suit."

In the same issue (September iq) R. K. Swift
advertised as follows:

•■ R. K. Swift will receive deposits of money and
allow interest as follows: On certificates payable five
days after demand, four per cent ; ten days, five per
cent ; fifteen days, six per cent; twenty days, seven per
cent ; twenty-five days, eight per cent; thirty days, nine
per cent ; forty-five days, ten per cent. If the sum or
sums deposited by one person should exceed $1,000,
the time of demand is to be arranged by special con-
tract. A deposit book will be opened from 1 till 2 p. m.
every day holidays and Sunday excepted) at the resi-
dence of the subscriber, 48 Michigan Avenue, for the
benefit of ladies, and one per cent more will be allowed
them over the rates above named.

" R. K. Swift,
" Office over Kohn's store, 11 1 Lake Street."

Mr. Swift was the first banker in Chicago to inaugu-
rate banking exchanges with California and the Pacific
coast. In the same paper from which the above is
quoted appears the following:

*LLefy>

" California Loan Office. — Parties who make loans
or discounts of the undersigned may, if they desire,
contract to make payments at the office of E. & R. K.
Swift, San Francisco, and have interest stopped pro
rata from the date of such payment; or to make pay-
ment by drafts to be drawn on the subscriber by said
E. & k. K. Swift, of San Francisco; and such drafts to
be received as payments and stop interest pro rata,
either from date, sight, or maturity of the same, as may
be contracted at the time of making the loans or dis-
count. The rate of interest will necessarily be high,
and the most rigid scrutiny will be required.

"R. K. Swift, in Lake Street."
Office — San Francisco — E. & R. K.
Swift will remit money to and from San Francisco, and
will also receive deposits of money at San Francisco
and cause the same to be remitted to any of the leading
cities in the United States, Canada or Europe, and will

ship packages of goods from Chicago, by way of New
York and Cape Horn, to San Francisco.

" R. K. Swift, Chicago.
" Elijah Swift, San Francisco."

The intensity of the hatred which the Democrat
cherished toward wild-cat currency is evinced in the
following, which appeared in the issue of December 1,
1849:

" Private Banking. — We understand that before long
we shall be blessed (?) with more home-made monev.
Among those who intend to issue bills we have heard
mentioned: R. K. Swift (we have not learned the name
of his bank), I. H. Burch, Esq. (Chicago Bank, we sup-
pose), and J. Y. Scammon, Esq. (Chicago Marine &:
Fire Insurance Company). Glorious times, bye and bye,
if paper money will make them."

The above brought the following response from Mr.
Scammon, which was published December 8:

" Banking Office of Chicago Marine & Fire Insur-
ance Company, December I, 1849. To Editor of Democrat :
In your paper of this morning I find my name as connected with
this institution included among those who intend to issue bills.
Permit me to say through the same medium that it is not my inten-
tion to issue bills or any other circulation. The object and design
of the Board of Directors of this company are to establish a sub-
stantial and responsible marine insurance company, in which our
citizens shall be interested, and which shall be chiefly owned and
managed here. Besides the business of insurance, the company
will receive money on deposit, and loan it and the capital of the in-
stitution, and it is our intention to organize a savings department,
under such guarantees as will make it undoubtedly safe to de-
positors. Your obedient servant,

"J. Young Scammon."

As further proof that the Chicago Marine & Fire
Insurance Company did not intend to issue bills, the
following, which appeared in the Democrat of December
6, 1849, is given:

" Chicago Marine 6° Fire Insurance Company. —
At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Chicago
Marine & Fire Insurance Company, held November
26, 1849, the following resolutions were read and
adopted:

" Resolved, That the business of this institution shall be divided
into two general departments; one to be styled the Insurance De-
partment, and the other the Deposit and Loan Department. The
business of the first department shall be mainly confined for the
present to marine insurance; that of the second to the receiving of
money on deposit and the loaning of the same. The second de-
partment shall be subdivided into a general deposit department
and a savings department.

" Resolved, That for the protection and security of all persons
who shall make deposits in the savings department of this institu-
tion, it is hereby declared, and the company do hereby contract
and agree that all such sums of money as shall be deposited in
the savings department of this institution shall be held in trust
for said depositors, and shall not be mingled with the general funds
of the institution, but shall be kept, used and invested by this
company as a distinct fund, the principal thereof belonging in
equity to such depositors respectively, and not to the institution,
so that, in no event, shall such funds be jeopardized by other trans-
actions of this institution, this institution agreeing to return such
deposits with interest, at the rate stipulated in the respective
deposit books or certificates of deposit, but this institution and all
its property and funds shall nevertheless be liable for the payment
of such deposits.

"Resolved, That it is not the design or intention of this insti-
tion to exercise any doubtful powers, or to do any act not clearly
within the limits of its charter.

"J.YOUNG SCAMMON, President.
" E. B. McCagg, Secretary."

In the same issue (December 6, 1849), appears the
following advertisement:

"Exchange Bank. S. Bronson & Co., 60 Clark Street. Col-
lections and remittances made on all parts of the United States.
Deposit accounts kept. Lots and farms for sale. Drafts on New
York at one per cent. Premium for currency."

BANKS AND HANKING.

537

" The subscribers are selling exchange on New York, Albany
and Boston, for currency at one per cent premiums; for Eastern
bills at one-half per cent premium. GE( IRGE SMITH & CO."

Banking Under the State Law (185 i to r.86i
— The period from 1843 to i860 was one of marked
growth in business and population, and it is not strange
that acute financiers should have discovered that the
deprivation of a local circulation was becoming each
year, as business increased, an increasing loss to the
State. In 1851, the business of the State, and especially
of the northern part, of which Chicago had become the
trade center, had so increased that a new banking law
had become an imperative necessity. The irresponsible
issues of individual bankers, however well secured, and
the currency of banks outside the State were not con-
sidered adequate, safe or profitable, for the best busi-
ness interests of the commonwealth. Accordingly in
1 85 1, the Legislature passed a general law, under which
legal banking was again established. The law was
passed February 15, 185 1, and amended February 10,

l8S3-

It was copied in its essential provisions after that
of the State of New York, and is so generally familiar
to the intelligent reader as to render it unnecessary to
give it entire. The general provisions were as follows:

The State Auditor was authorized and required to
cause to be printed and engraved, in the best manner
to guard against counterfeiting such quantity of cir-
culating notes, in similitude of bank notes, in blank of
different denominations, not less than one dollar, as he
might from time to time deem necessary to carry into
effect the provisions of the act. These blank bills
were to be countersigned and registered, and, when
given out under the provisions of the law became the
legal money of the State.

Any person or association of persons formed for the
purpose of banking under the act were required to
legally transfer to and deposit with the Auditor any
portion of the public stock issued or to be issued by the
United States or any State stocks on which full interest
is annually paid, or the stocks of the State of Illinois —
the State stocks to be valued at a rate twenty per centum
less in value than the market price of such stocks to be
estimated and governed by the average rate at which
such stocks have been sold in the city of New York, within
the previous six months preceding the time when such
stocks may be left on deposit with the Auditor. The
Auditor was forbidden to issue bills for banking pur-
poses on the security of any State bonds, on which less
than six per cent per annum was not regularly paid,
except at least two dollars in such bonds, exclusive of
interest, be deposited for one dollar of bills so issued.

At the valuation thus prescribed the corporators
were entitled to receive a like amount of bills, which on
being countersigned by the officers of the bank thus
created, they were authorized to loan and circulate as
money, such bills being made payable on demand, at
the place of business, in the State, where the bank had
been established.

In case any bank should fail to redeem its bills on
presentation, and on formal complaint thereof, made in
manner prescribed in the act, the said bank was to be
restrained from doing further business and the securi-
ties deposited were to be applied first, to the redemp-
tion of the outstanding circulation, and the residue,
if any should remain, to the payment of other liabilities
of the bank.

Each stockholder was made individually liable in
proportion to the full amount of capital stock owned by
him. The banks were to be examined annually by a

board of commissioners, and a detailed report ol tin-
financial condition of each hank doing business under
the act filed with the Auditor. Quarterly reports were
also tn be made l>\ the offii ers of sui h b

Auditor.

The law was submitted to the people for ratification,
at the fall election, and ratified. The vote in the state
was: for the banking law, 37,578; against, 31,321. The
majority in Cook County for the law was 2,332.

Pending the ratification of the law the i.em of the
Prairie, November 15, 1851, said:

" Our local currency is now supplied by the follow-
in- hanks : The Wisconsin. Marine & lire Insurance
Company, the Chicago bank of I. II. Burch & Co., the
city bank of Bradley & Curtiss, the Southwestern
Plank Road Company, Macomb County Bank, Mi. hi
gan, Oswego & State Line Plank Road Company, and
the Illinois River Hank. The hills of these banks
passed readily among us. They were called into exist-
ence by the necessities of the times, and, although every-
body is dissatisfied with the establishment of mone)
institutions in our midst, without the sanction and con-
trol of law, they have met the sanction and countenance
of the community, and will continue to do so, unless it
shall turn out that the State has adopted a general
banking law. In that case, we apprehend that what-
ever banking institutions may be in Illinois must com-
ply with the law, or their bills will be forced out of
circulation."

In advocacy of a general banking law the (Jem of
the Prairie, October 26, 185 1, said :

" Illinois is flooded with the issues of foreign banks.
Our people pay several hundred thousand dollars for a
currency, the whole of which goes to enrich private cor-
porations of the Eastern States. The general banking
law, on which we are to vote in a week or two provides
securities far superior to those of a large majority of
the banks whose issues go to make up our present cur-
rency, and it effectually guards against over issues. It
will furnish us with a home currency to be kept under
the control of laws of our own making, the interest of
which will be retained in the State, augmenting the
general wealth, instead of being carried off, thereby
impoverishing our people to the tune of hundreds of
thousands of dollars annually." * * * " Shall we
have this or that ? That is really the question before
us. One or the other we must and will have."

Under the provisions of the act passed and ratified
by the people, what was termed legal banking was
again begun in Illinois. The first bank organized in
Chicago was the Marine Bank. It filed its certificate
of organization January 13, 1852. Its capital was at
that time $50,000, which was increased May 20 by an
addition of $500,000. Bonds were deposited, accord-
ing to the Auditor's report, October 20, 1852, to secure
a circulation of $99,044. J. V. Scammon was the pres-
ident of the institution and Edward I. Tinkham its
cashier. The first appearance of its bills was announced
in the Democrat of April 21, 1852, as follows :

" Marine Bank. — The bills of this bank, the first
issue under the General Banking law, made their ap-
pearance on Saturday April 17. The plate is a very
fine one and will not be an easy one to counterfeit."

On the following day the Democrat described the
bill as follows :

"We received yesterday in the course of business a
$5 bill of the Marine Bank. It is finely engraved, hav-
ing for a vignette, the busl of thai distinguished philos-
opher and theologian, Baron ;. with rays
emanating therefrom, placed between two beautiful

53S

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

women. The only thing we objected to in the bill is
the embellishing it with ladies — emblems of innocence
— as though there were anything innocent about bank-
ing institutions. The bills are secured by stock depos-
ited with the Auditor."

The Democrat of February iS, 1852, announced the
organization of the Merchant's and Mechanic's Banks
of Chicago.

•• Banking House. No. 5. Clark Street ; Levi D.
Boone, president : Stephen Bronson, Jr., cashier."

Messrs. I. H. Burch & Co.. proprietors of the Chi-
cago Bank, promptly legalized their institution. The
Democrat. July 7. 1S52, announced the fact :

" Messrs. I. H. Burch & Co., of the Chicago Bank
have filed the necessary papers for the organization of
their bank under the general law of the State,
with a capital of $1,000,000. Mr. Burch has done busi-
ness in this city for a number of years, and earned an
enviable reputation."

October 9. the same paper said:

" The Chicago Bank is now in full operation, $108,-
000 of State stock having been deposited with the
Auditor as a basis of circulation. Additional deposits
of stock will be made soon. The nominal capital is
§1,000,000. The following is the list of officers :
Thomas Burch, president ; Alfred Spink, vice-president;
I. H. Burch, cashier."

The Southwestern Plank Road Company filed the
necessary papers with the Auditor to render it a legal
bank, in the latter part of May, 1852, and was there-
after known as the Commercial Bank.

Messrs. Bradley &: Curtiss started banking under
the law in June. Their bank was known as the Chicago
City Bank.

In May. Forrest Brothers & Co., opened a new
banking house. On the announcement, the Democrat
of May 6, 1852, says : " They have done business both
in this and the old country, which will give them advan-
tage on foreign exchange. Banks are now getting as
thick as groceries in our city, and, as we are to have
them, the more we have the greater the competition and
the less the shave." This banking house did business
as the Union Bank. The Democrat of August 19 said
concerning it : " A new bank is that of Forrest
Brothers & Co., which commenced business with a cap-
ital of $200,000. The gentlemen connected with this
establishment have long been well known in this city.
The stocks have been purchased, the company organ-
ized and they will proceed to business as soon as the

- in be engraved. The officers are : Andrew J.
Brown, president, and Henry L. Forrest and Thomas L.
Forrest, joint cashiers.

The Democrat of August 5, 1852, announced: "The
old post-office building has been refitted by Dr. Davis-
son, and is now occupied by Messrs. Davisson &
McCalla as a banking office, under the name of the
Bank of Commerce." The announcement in the same
paper, October 7. 1852, shows that at that time, it was
doing, or preparing to do, a legal business. It read as
-. - i he Bank of Commerce is now organized
under the general banking law, with a capital of $600,-
000. A. W. Davisson is president and T. McCalla,
cashier."

Chase Brothers & Co., advertised in the Democrat,
December 25, 1852, that the Farmer's Bank, No. 100
Randolph Street, was opened and ready for business.

;^n banking institutions also advertised offices
of redemption in Chicago. The bills of the Bank
of the City of Washington, D. C, wire redeemed
at 104 Randolph Street., " in current funds or bank

bills," by S. Vrooms. The Mechanic's Bank, George-
town, D. C, pledged a contingent Safety Fund of
United States stock for the redemption of its bills.
The Democrat of October 8, 1852, in which the above
information appeared, said: The Mechanic's Bank, of
Georgetown, comes into our market to compete with
our bankers and brokers, in the fiscal transactions grow-
ing out of our large trade and commerce."

Bills purporting to be issued by the Bank of America,
Washington, D. C, were redeemed by George Smith,
who had bought a controlling interest in the institution
in April, 1852, and became its president. He organ-
ized a bank under the same name under the State law,
July 19, 1852, depositing bonds sufficient for the
redemption of a circulation of $50,000. Between the
two he floated a large circulation.

The Transition Period. — As has already ap-
peared the capitalists of Chicago who believed in legal
banking were not' slow to avail themselves of the bene-
fits of the new law. During 1852, the following Chi-
cago banks were organized:

Marine Bank, January 13, 1851, J. Y. Scammon,
president; Edward I. Tinkham, cashier.

Merchants' and Mechanics' Bank, February, 1852,
Levi D. Boone, president; Stephen Bronson, cashier.

Commercial Bank, successor to the Southwestern
Plank Road Company.

The Bank of Commerce, papers filed in May, 1852;
bonds deposited to secure circulation in October, A. W.
Davisson, president; T. McCalla, cashier.

City Bank, June, 1852, was a proprietary bank owned
by the firm of Bradley & Curtiss.

Chicago Bank, July 1, 1852, was the successor to the
banking business of I. H. Burch & Co.; president,
Thomas Burch; cashier, I. H. Burch.

Union Bank, August, 1852, owned by Forrest Bros.
& Co. Andrew J. Brown, president; Henry L. Forrest
and Thomas L. Forrest, joint cashiers.

Bank of America, owned by George Smith & Co.
(Elisha W. Willard being the co-partnen, July 19, 1852.

Farmer's Bank, December 25, 1852, was established
and organized by Messrs. Chase Bros. & Co.

At the beginning of 1853, the new city directory
published, contained the names of the following persons
and firms, at that time identified with the banking busi-
ness of the city:

James M. Adsit, broker, 35 Clark Street.

George J. Brewer (Marine Bank\ 37 Clark Street.

I. H. Burch & Co. (Chicago Bank), corner of Lake
and Clark streets.

Chicago Marine and Fire Insurance Company, 37
Clark Street.

Chicago Bank, corner of Lake and Clark streets.

Marine Bank, 37 Clark Street.

City Bank, 24 Clark Street.

Bank of Commerce (Davisson McCalla & Co.), 50
Clark Street.

Exchange Bank, (H. A. Tucker), corner of Lake
and Clark streets.

Bank of Chicago* (Seth Paine & Co.).

Commercial Exchange Company, 66 Clark Street;
David Gamble, with George Smith & Co.; Henry
Greenbaum, at R. K. Swift's bank; Elbridge G. Hall,
money loaner, 103 Lake Street; Jones & Patrick, bank-
ers, 40 Clark Street; Alfred Spink, teller of Chicago
Bank; Richard K. Swift, banker, corner of Lake and
Clark Streets; George Smith & Co. (Wisconsin Marine
& Fire Insurance Company, and Bank of America),

» The place
known as Eddy's

BANKS AND BANKING.

539

bankers, 41 and 43 Clark Street; John K. Valentine,
with George Smith & Co.

The year 1852, which witnessed the reestablishment
of banking under the State laws of Illinois, was an ex-
citing one in the annals of Chicago banking. It was
soon discovered that, although a new and legal currency
had been provided, it was not supplanting the well-
established and largely-circulated bills issued by the
Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Company.
"Smith's bills" were still plenty, and were current
wherever known, as they were always kept at par with
the money of other banks, and redeemable in gold at
one per cent discount. Smith had grown rich and some-
what arrogant in his consciousness of financial strength.
He continued to flaunt his bills in the face of the new
banking law in a manner exasperating in the extreme
to J. Young Scammon and other stanch and honest
advocates of "legal banking" who had established
banks in the city. It was not deemed prudent or prac-
ticable by the enemies of his bank to repeat the old-
time attempts to ruin it by a run. He kept himself
constantly fortified against aggressive moves in that
line, and could have turned the tables on any bank or
combination of bankers who should attempt it, in a way
which it was not pleasant to contemplate. There
existed, however, from the beginning a determination
on the part of the banks doing business in good faith
under the State law to drive the illegal issues out of
circulation if possible. Meantime a state of armed
neutrality prevailed.

Sometime in the early spring complaints became
rife among the people at the current charge of one per
cent for gold for bank bills. This was the rate which
had been established by Mr. Smith, and it was found
impracticable for the legal banks to redeem at par,
while his money still circulated as currency, as theirs
would be constantly returning for gold while Smith's
would remain out performing the functions of money.

The following extracts from the Chicago Democrat,
not partial to banks, whether legal or illegal, shows
something of the public sentiment on the subject. On
the 4th of May, 1852, it said:

"We understand that arrangements are now being made by
all the banks in our city to bring up their notes to loo cents to the
dollar, instead of keeping them at 99 cents, where they have been
for a long time. If all go into this operation, by exchanging notes
every Saturday night, they have nothing to fear from each other.
Some are afraid of the land sales about to take place in our city.
But we think that land warrants will be used at them instead of
specie and so this is no objection."

On the 6th of May it said:

" The people are becoming very much excited upon the subject
of the banks not redeeming in specie. We have talked with our
bankers upon this subject. Each alone says there ought to be spe-
cie payment, but each is afraid of his rivals. Each is afraid that
if he pays specie some of his rivals will make a run upon him.
There is some plausibility in these pleas, but there is a way to obvi-
ate them all. Let there be a common day to all. Let our Board
of Trade take hold of this matter. Let there be a committee
appointed to see all the banks in the city and make an amicable
arrangement whereby all the banks shall commence paying by June
I, or at fartherest by July 1. Our Legislature ought to take hold
of this subject, as it is clearly embraced within the terms of the Gov-
ernor's proclamation; and it is in their power to stop all illegal
banking. The Marine Bank is paying specie now, and several of
the other bankers have authorized us to say that they are ready and
willing to begin whenever a day shall be agreed upon."

From the Democrat of May 24:

" We have conversed with the most of our bankers upon the
subject (of paving specie) and they have all said that they would
pay specie the moment Mr. Smith did; that they could not pay spe-
cie unless he did, for it was in his power to ruin them. Mr. Smith
is now here, and is willing to make any arrangement that will give
him an equal chance with the other banks, but any arrangement

made must be adhered to in good faith and strictly adhered to by
every one. A combination of merchants, to deposit with no one
who issues bills not equivalent to spei ie 01 to New York 1

at one-half per cent premium, is on fool ind si Id be resorted to.

The Chicago & Galena Railroad and canal trustees have thi
under advisement of taking no bills n here. If

our bankers havi no respecl for themselves; if they do not value

their own notes at par, it is time they were taught to do so. A
people are not free whilst they submit to have a currency that those
who issue it at par will not take back at par. ( lur Legislature is
soon to convene, when a stringent law a^.iin-t present abusi
be passed, and there should be no law to collect a note given for
such stuff as we are having now for money."

From the foregoing extracts it appears that at that
time Mr. Smith, with his illegal issue, was master ol the
situation, and, with the exception of the Marine Hank,
could dictate terms to the legal banks of tin- city. The
proposed arrangement with him fell through. To estab-
lish a clearing-house, as was proposed, and ex< hand-
bills, would have been in defiance of the very law under
which the other banks had been organized.

As the banking law seemed inadequate to drive out
of circulation Smith's certificates of deposit, some of the
banks decided to avail themselves of the advantages of
this system of banking as well as their own, and thus
reap the advantage of a larger circulation than was
authorized under the law. How many banks entered
into this double-headed system of banking, or the
amount of their issues cannot now be ascertained.

The Merchants' & Mechanics' Bank did quite a
thriving business. The Democrat, August 20, 1852,
stated that there were counterfeits of the bank afloat,
and warned its readers to take no bills not countersigned
by the register, John Neal. In the issue of the next
day, the president of the bank, L. D. Boone, replied
that there were no counterfeits on his bank, and that he
supposed the bill alluded to as a counterfeit was "a cer-
tificate of deposit, which the bank was prepared to
redeem at any time." An indignant citizen, in answerto
Mr. Boone's avowal, wrote that "these certificates, in
arrangements, vignettes, figures, and stamps are well
calculated to deceive the unfortunate receiver. Such
an issue is void, because unauthorized by law, and
worthless because the illegal acts of the officers cannot
bind the stockholders." The editor added: "If the
banking law of Illinois is worth anything, it is in com-
pelling those who issue a paper currency to put up some
sort of security to the bill holder with the Auditor."

In the Democrat, September 3, 1852, appeared the
following:

" 'Damn Shinplasters.' — Excuse us, dear reader — we are in
bad humor. We cannot see deception substituted for fair dealing
so long as open honesty is the only sure road to success The
Merchants' & Mechanics' Bank of Chicago has issued a shinplaster
exactly like their notes which are secured as the law requires. The
Western papers call it a "dangerous counterfeit." 'Tis worse, 'tis
a device, a deception, a fraud, and the only way to avoid it is to
refuse all notes on the Merchants' & Mechanics' Bank of I
We have quoted it a doubtful (D. D ) and dashed it on our li-i , and
so long as the safety of our readers requires this course we will
pursue it.'

" The above, from Thompson's Bank Note Reporter is plain
talk. We insert it, not so much to injure this one bank in partic-
ular, but because others of our city banks are going into thi same
operation. The thing ought to be stopped at once. Under our
new banking law the bill holder is secured, but there is no security
for the depositor. So people who prefer security to no security will
hereafter take the legal countersigned bills, instead of the illegal
certificates of deposit."

By September 1, an irrepressible conflict had been
worked up between the legal and illegal bank interests.
At about this date a new element of financial disturb-
ance was added. All banking in Chicago had, whether
legal or illegal, been heretofore conducted on worldly
principles and for the object, more or less sordid, of

54Q

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

worldly gain. A new departure in the business was
inaugurated by Seth Paine & Co.

The senior partner, Seth Paine, was a native of
New England, and, when a young man, came West.
He left Montpelier, Vt., in April, 1S34, in company
with Chester Smith, who was at that time an Illinois
merchant, being a partner of a Mr. Goss at Walker's
Grove, now Plainfield. He traveled with him on his
western journey by stage, canal and schooner as far as
Detroit, where they separated, Smith going through to
Chicago by stage, and Paine taking the longer but less
expensive route in the schooner " Commerce," by way
of the lake. It took his last dollar *r> pay his deck
passage to Chicago, where he arrived after a rough
voyage of twelve days, with no capital except health,
strength, and a most earnest endeavor to do his work
in life according to his eccentric views of right. He
was tall and straight. He had a frank, open coun-
tenance, and a pleasing and prepossessing address.
His conversational powers were excellent, and as a
public speaker he was far above mediocrity. He was
good humored, and made friends rapidly. He hired
out with the firm of Taylor, Breese & Co., and was for
a time a partner. Subsequently he entered into a
copartnership with Theron Norton, under the firm
name of Paine & Norton. They did a fairly successful
business for several years. Paine sold out to Norton
July 1, 1842, and retired from mercantile business in
Chicago. He was married in Chicago on Thursday
evening, August 25, 1837, to Mrs. Francis Jones, eldest
daughter of Major Whitlock. Paine was always a rabid
and uncompromising Abolitionist, and, subsequent to
the dissolution of the firm of Paine & Norton, became
a convert to the socialistic theories of Fourier, went
into Lake County, where he bought a large farm,
christened the place " Lake Zurich," and in company
with other kindred reformers attempted to carry into
practice the socialistic theories he had accepted. How
well or poorly he succeeded is not known. It is certain,
however, that the enterprise did not prove ruinous nor
so discouraging to him as to break his faith in the
Fourierite doctrines. He was also for a time a heavy
owner and one of the managers of the Illinois River
Bank, an unchartered bank at LaSalle, 111. On the
first appearance of what are now termed " spiritual
manifestations," in the form of rappings or knockings
at Rochester, N. Y., through the mediumship of the
Fox girls, he became deeply interested in the phe-
nomena, and soon after became an ardent convert and
earnest advocate and believer in modern spiritualism —
so ardent and earnest as to render him a credulous
victim of the many designing mountebanks who attached
themselves to that much abused and little understood
philosophy. The character of Paine was naturally
radical, and molded and fashioned by the many uot-
side isms he had embraced, could but impel him to the
adoption of modes and methods of action quite at
variance with those prevailing, in whatever he might
undertake. To his vision the affairs of this world were
badly out of joint. They were sadly in need of re-or-
ganization, and it required Seth Paine to adjust things
properly. So he left " Lake Zurich " and his farm, and
returned to Chicago to teach his old friends and the
world at large how banking could be carried on in
accordance with what he deemed a higher law than
the banking law of Illinois — the law of humanity.

The Bank 01 the City of Chicago. — The firm
of Seth Paine & Co. was formed early in August, 1852.
The following announcement appeared in the- Democrat
of August 10: "Seth Paine & Co. are about to open a

banking and exchange office in Eddy's new building,
adjoining the old post-office, on Clark Street." The
firm was composed of Seth Paine, who put in about
$1,100, and Ira B. Eddy, who put in something over
$4,000. The capital stock of the concern never ex-
ceeded $6,060, although it was believed that it was
backed by capitalists of some strength and character,
and at the start it had such financial standing as to
obtain quite a number of depositors.

By the middle of October, the bank was opened for
business, as appears by the following notice in the
weekly Democrat of October 18: "The Bank of
Chicago has determined upon issuing certificates of
deposit, and issues are now out, which for artistic skill
and beauty of finish are not exceeded by any bills we
have seen. On the right of the ones is a beautifully
executed portrait of Senator Douglas, engraved by the
well-known Tappan, Carpenter, Cassilear & Co. On
the right of the twos is Washington crossing the Dela-
ware, and on the threes a fine portrait of Henry Clay.
Mr. Paine, who is at the head of the banking house of
Seth Paine & Co., is president and W. T. Muier is
cashier."

So soon as the bank commenced business it was
apparent that Paine's theory of banking was as unique
as were his other theories, and, if carried out, would be
equally subversive of the interests of both legal and
illegal banking ; indeed, it was his idea to work as
radical a change in banking, as he believed would come
to society as a whole by the adoption of the theories of
Fourier.

The prospectus of the bank, written by Paine him-
self, gives the high moral grounds on which the bank
was to be conducted. It read as follows :

" Bank of Chicago.
" Paine, Bros. & Co.

" Rates of discount according to time and circumstances — six
per cent being the highest.

" We loan to no one to pay debts.

" We loan to no one to aid in murder of anything which has
life.

" We loan to no man to aid in speculating in that which is
necessary to life.

"We loan nothing on real estate — believing that real estate
cannot be bought and sold ; and that possession with use, is the
only title.

"We loan nothing to aid in making or selling intoxicating
liquors, or tobacco in any of its forms.

" We loan nothing to gamblers or usurers who borrow to loan
again.

" We loan nothing except for aiding the natural exchange
between the producer and consumer, whether of body, soul or
spirit — and for the time necessary to produce the exchange.

"Our basis for making loans is the established character of
the borrower. He must be a temperate, honest and religious man
or woman, with a mind sufficiently developed to understand his
business. We are prepared to loan any amount needed for such
business by such men. Our money corresponds in commerce,
to the blood in the human system. It is the circulating medium.
When money is used for the purposes of slaughter and shedding of
blood, it makes the blood run cold ; and it stagnates, and ceases
to be healthy, and does not circulate freely, and finally ends in
death.

" When used by any of the other classes excluded, it also ends
in death. We want no business done which is death to the human
body, or hell to the soul; and we would as soon furnish a rope to
out brother for hanging himself, as the money to buy it with. We
would as soon kill ourselves, as lend our money to aid in killing.
We would as soon drink ourselves, as lend our money to drunkards.
We would as soon take high rates of interest, as loan the usurer
facilities to do the same thing. We would as soon take the life of
our brother, as lend our aid to speculators in the bread of life, who
may starve him into a living death, while they permit not the
prayer for desolution. All has its foundation in Hate; and 'He
that hateth his brother is a murderer! ' — We will no longer mur-
der! "

" His established rate of interest was not to exceed

BANKS AND BANKING.

51 1

six per cent per annum. He proposed to loan his certi-
ficates on satisfactory security, for three-fourths of the
amount, and an even exchange of the other one-fourth
in current bank notes such as the certificates were pay-
able in) with the agreement on the part of the borrower
that as often as one-tenth of the amount borrowed was
returned for redemption, he should take them again,
giving in exchange current bank notes. The plan, in
other terms, was to make each borrower a sort of fiscal
agent of the bank, pledged to keep in circulation or
redeem so much of the money as he had borrowed and
put in circulation. Had the people given Seth Paine
their confidence and supported in as full measure as
did the people of the Loyal States the Government
during the war, and had Seth Paine's fiat money been

quarters of as anient a set of Spiritualist*
found in the country. Both Paine and Eddy, Ins tnon
eyed partner, were bright and shining lightsof this Spir-
itual Church, and prominent and loud > In.rters at the
frequent meetings held over the bank. It was nol long
before the bank became so identified with the spiritual-
istic views (if the proprietors as \<> be inseparable in the
minds of the outside ' ommunity.

January i, 1853, Mr. Paine issued the first numbei
of a paper styled the Christian Hanker. The a
were somewhat incoherent, abounded in wit and sar-
casm, and so intermingled spiritualism, banking, and
anti-monopoly, that it is no wonder many believed
Paine had gone stark mad. In addition to his polem-
ical articles, he was bitterly personal, and in his efforts

FACSIMILE OF SETH PAINE S THREE DOLLAR DILL.

backed by a power co-equal to that of the General
Government : and had Paine possessed the power, as
did the Government to put out of circulation all other
issues save his own, his money would have proved as good
as greenbacks. Unhappily for Paine, none of these
conditions indispensable to success as a fiat-money man-
ufacturer were vouchsafed to him.

For a few weeks after it was opened for business,
the bank did a quiet and unostentatious business with
a class of very respectable citizens, who believed in the
applications of moral principles to banking, as incul-
cated in Paine's manifesto, and who were not suffi-
ciently practical to foresee the obstacles to be encoun-
tered in establishing the institution in a not over moral
community, made up largely of men who drank spirit-
uous liquors, smoked and chewed tobacco, butchered
cattle and hogs, and ate the meat, speculated in bread
stuffs and other articles of food, bought, sold, mort-
gaged and owned land, loaned money at over six per
cent, and otherwise brought contempt upon the code of
morals on which the bank had been set up.

Perhaps Paine's overweening confidence and often
ill-timed advocacy of the many vagaries which he cher-
ished, and which in a most illogical manner he man-
aged to attach to, or mingle with his banking business,
had something to do with precipitating the calamities
that befell the institution.

Over the bank was "Harmony Hall," the head-

to pull down the strongholds of sin, spared none who
stood in the way. The articles became more vituper-
ative with each succeeding issue, as increasing outside
annoyance gave fresh cause, from his view, for righteous

indignation. As showing the mental condition of Paine
at this period in his banking career, and as relics of the
time, quite copious extracts from the Christian Banker,
Vol. 1. No. 4, date January 29, 1853, are here given.

Extracts from the Christian Banker:

" Our Pulpit. — We preach daily (Sunday excepted,
when we talk, as the spirit moves, in Harmony Hall, at
half-past ten in the morning and seven in the evening
in the Bank of Chicago. Our hearers give incr
evidence of hope within thir souls, and go forth as
radiators of new light. If a cigar-smoker or a rum-
sucker, or hog-eater comes in tor there are such men
in Chicago yet), who not only have so little respect for
themselves, but actually intrude such offensive infl
before us as would make a dog puke ; we refuse to do
business with them, but send them right over to Swift,
who smokes to drown 1 onsi ience, which lias been vio-
lated SO long by huge shaves "I his fellow-men, that

542

HIS TORY OF CHICAGO.

the hair has all come oft" over that organ. — See Eddy
on phrenological bumps. There all smokers can find
sympathy.

•• Our pulpit brings faith and works together. Igno-
rance supposes we would loan our bills for the sake of
money. But intelligence radiates from our pulpit, and
permeates their addled brains as far as wholesome truth
can reach a tobacco bloat or a sucker of rum, and tells
them that our faith is true, and they can't borrow for
love or money. Some come in to exchange our bills
for something which our addle-headed bankers take on
deposit, they take nothing which goes out at less than
ten per cent' — that being their standard of both faith
and dumplings. Well, Illinois River bills are bankable,
and why should they not be ? Taylor is interested in
him, especially in this crisis, for they regard him as a
great manager.

" So we give them bankable bills — Illinois River
bills. Our bills are signed by Seth Paine, president,
and are issued in pursuance of law. Those bills are
signed by Seth Paine, treasurer of the Salisbury Plank
Road, which was never built or intended to be — and
my responsibility passed from the concern long ago.
Churchill Coffing was president, but he, too, has sold
out, and we both know there has been no responsibility
there since. Taylor & Gurnee make a newspaper adver-
tisement saying that they are responsible — but this
amounts to nothing — they are not legally holden, and
they have no moral responsibility — and if they had
both, they are unable to pay their own debts, much less
to give responsibility for several hundred thousand dol-
lars, which they have loaned to themselves and others,
and which they never intend to pay. This trash is
bankable, and so Seth Paine, plank-road treasurer, goes
for his subsequent issues. This shows the need of our
pulpit — the need of light. * * * From present indi-
cations preaching is still needed. So bring on your
bills for redemption, and when objection is made to the
various trash paid out by Tucker, Burch, Smith and
other chaps here, we will open our mouth or the Lord
will open the mouth of Balaam's Ass to keep you from
being shaved twelve per cent by the Great Mogul and
his undertrappers, who, next to R. K., pursue the peo-
ple with Swiftest destruction, and keep you trotting
over here with bills for redemption, till you wear out
more shoe leather than Jo. Kenyon's whole stock
amounts to — all because you don't know any better
than to keep your accounts with men who throw us out
because we reduce rates."

In an article on taxation the editor says:

" In our first number, I said we would pay'no more
taxes — and on that lovely spot at Lake Zurich, the Lord
of Hosts and the devotees of Mammon shall measure
swords, and test the right of a set of vampires to prey
upon my substance.

•■ We well considered what we said, and we have
been greatly strengthened in our convictions since that
time. We say that man has an inalienable right to as
much soil as he can occupy and cultivate ; that he can-
not acquire any title to more, nor be restricted in his
title to less. Any attempt to acquire more is as great a
crime as to submit your right to less.

" It was a great crime in the Jews to crucify Jesus,
yet no greater than for a man to attempt holding this
earth by a parchment claim, * *

" I claim the right to my land by the right of nature.

God gave it to me, and I say to those who claim it,

'show me the title superior to God.' If I have a right

to the soil I have to my sinews, and the turnips which

-inews and God's rains and sunshine produce.

They are either God's or mine. If God's, levy your
taxes on Him, take the turnips if you dare, for taxes or
anything else. If they are mine, take them if you can."

The opening paragraph of a lengthy article on
" Spiritualism," shows that Paine believed that the
directors of his bank were not all taxpayers or property
owners in Chicago. It read :

" The subject (Spiritualism^ may hardly seem appro-
priate in even the 'Christian Banker,' but when men
come to an understanding of the truth as it is in Jesus,
they will see clearly that it is appropriate and necessary.
When men come to know of the connection and ex-
changes between mind and matter, surely they will not
wonder that we have sustained our position against the
entire moneyed hosts, and in the face of falsehood,
detraction, Grand Juries, corrupted Judges and bribed
lawyers. No, if the dark minds of Clark-street bankers
were open to the knowledge of our minds, and the
hosts of God who are managing this whole matter, and
could only be made aware how little and how dark their
point of vision, they would no more think of contending
against us than of an attempt to dethrone Almighty
God.

"We have not only direct communication with God,
but we are surrounded by the mightiest intellects who
have swayed this world and this country. Thus armed,
it is not us, but God, against whom you fight. We
have no feeling or war against any banker in this city.
We regard every one a brother, and would rather do
him good than anything else, but our course is rendered
necessary by the false attitude they assume and the
false position in which they have placed themselves.
The scourges which we have and shall inflict, are all
for their present and eternal good, and the moment
they assume a true and teachable position, we shall
show them this by impressions which will be made
by the spirits upon their own minds. But they must let
reason and charity, not passion and avarice, be their
guiding star."

The prospects of " Union Stores " was discussed
thus :

" Be patient, brothers. The good time is close at
hand. Lying, cheating and stealing, as competition
needs and cannot live without, shall give place to truth",
love, and honesty. We will soon have the matter in
hand. You selfish fellows may as well wind up before
we administer on your estates."

Following are extracts from his " Market Reports":

" We commence our market report this week, and it
will be seen there is a strange coincidence between the
high prices of pork and preaching, money and false-
hood, and the great difference between theory and
practice, talk and work, intelligence and ignorance,
priest and people, saint and sinner, shaver and shaved,
gouger and gouged, banker and customer, dancer and
fiddler, twelve per cent and upwards and six per cent
and downwards, man and hogs, God and the Devil,
Christian bankers and Christian shoemakers,* the Chi-
cago Press and common honesty, the higher law and the
lower law, and many articles offered in Chicago at the
board of brokers, and in the higher and more spiritual
circles, at the board of robbers, which public sentiment
tolerates and keeps in being, while it will be seen that in
proportion to the rise in steeples has been the fall in
morals.

"There has been but little Christianity in market,
and much that is offered is of the scurvy order. This
kind, however, bears a much better price than the more

>cr was issued a few weeks as a travesty on Paine's

HANKS AND BANKING.

543

perfect, as the tastes of consumers have been destroyed
by rum and smoke, until their heads and hams are in a
perfect pickle.

" Christianity being the purest and scarcest metal,
like gold among bankers, we take it for our standard ;
and everything and everybody which does not come up
to that standard, we quote below par, until they reach
the point where neither zero nor Nero can measure
them.

" In money of the outer circles, we place the Bank
of Chicago at par.

" Bills received on deposit so long as they keep good
credit.

" Commercial Bank, I. Cook.

" Union Bank, Forrest Bros. & Co.

'• Bank of Commerce, Davisson, McCalla & Co.

"Bank of America, Smith & Willard — Don't mistake
this kitten of Illinois, for the old cat at Washington,
lest you get your eyes scratched out by mother of
frauds. Reject this as you would the small-pox. It
was gotten up to bolster Wisconsin, but will be the
fruitful source of speedy dissolution to the whole brood
of cats, both wild and tame — regular and irregular.

" Merchants and Mechanics' Bank, Boone & Bran-
son.

" Chicago Bank: not the Chicago Bank of I. H.
Burch, or a shinplaster of Little Falls in the State of
New York. This was conceived in iniquity, and went
forth a fraud — a draft upon somebody not accepted, paya-
ble at some place, without legal identity.

" Exchange Bank, H. A. Tucker & Co. This con-
cern exists only in name, and exists only as the nurse
of unfledged goslings hatched from rotten eggs, by
the Macomb County goose at Mt. Clemens, the issues
of which, like Smith's fraud at Washington, are not
taken on deposit by us, any more than those Illinois
River issues, which are sustained in being by the same
system of ' Kiting.'

" City Bank — This bank is said to be on its last legs,
and the Penn Yan attachment which floods the country
and which has been driven to protest by us again and
again, will not be worth half price in a very short time.
Depositors in this like those of Smith, are daily losing
confidence, and the day of its doom is written. For
some time past, they have shinned about for even shin-
plasters, to meet their returning circulation, and have
deposited their best securities with different bankers,
leaving their remaining circulation without foundation.
We don't think they can keep open doors one week
longer."

Sufficient has been quoted to show that the editor of
the Christian Banker was not disposed to " turn the other
cheek " when he was smitten, and that he did not pro-
pose to give up his cloak nor even his coat without a
vigorous fight. By his indiscriminate attacks on every
body and everything, outside his own circle, he alienated
the common sympathy which otherwise would have been
bestowed upon him. He became the Ishmael among
Chicago bankers, whose hand was against all others,
and against whom every other banker's hand was raised.
During the month of January, 1853, Paine's bank was
constantly called upon to redeem every bill which came
into the possession of rival banks. The circulation at
its highest did not exceed four thousand dollars, yet
this small amount kept Paine quite busy, as through the
machinations of his rivals and enemies, it seemed to find
its way back to his bank for redemption as fast as it
could be paid out, and the circulation thus became a
source of constant annoyance to him instead of proving,
as he had hoped, a source of profit to himself and a bless-

ing to th,- community. In his tribulation, In- looked to
the departed spirits of illustrious bankers i
It was given through a Mis. Herrick, a speakin
trance medium, who, at that time presided as"higl,
priestess" over the Spiritual Church in Harmony Hall.
She, or rather Alexander Hamilton, through her,
advised Paine and Eddy what course to pursue, and, 111
order to give specific advise on the dail) and hourly
emergencies as they might arise, the High Pi
came down from the altar and was installed behi

counter of the bank, as a spiritual director. SI Id

them for whom to redeem, and who were to be denied.
No smokers, drinkers nor bankers were to be paid.
Women, children, negroes and spiritual minded men

were to be served first. So s 1 as it became known

that the bank was being thus conducted, on petition ol
Ira B. Eddy's friends, he was brought before I id
Skinner, and on hearing of testimony, a commission of
lunacy was granted and he was declared incapable ol
managing his business affairs. An injunction was
served in order to protect and preserve Mr. Eddy's
interest in the bank. By the commission of lunacy
Devotion C. Eddy was appointed conservator of the
estate of Ira B. Eddy, and John \V. Holmes, book-keeper.
As soon as this became known there was excitement
without and within the bank. The holders of the bills
began to flock in crowds to the bank, where Mr. Paine
and the priestess were installed behind the counter
grimly awaiting the assault of their enemies. Most of
the bills were redeemed, but occasionally a man came
up whom for spiritual reasons the priestess spurned.
Such persons were collared by the husband of the
priestess and one or two other stalwart Spiritualists who
acted as door-keepers, and incontinently hustled out.
Judge Hoard was thus tumbled, and Ezra L. Sherman,
after a smart tussle with the spiritual police, came out in
a dishevelled and flurried condition. The worthy Colonel
(then Captain) James R. Hugunin made a wager at
Swift's bank (cigars for the crowd that he could go
over to the bank, being a friend of Seth, and get his
bills redeemed. He took $35, and walked confidently
across the street into the bank, and up to the counter,
where he affably presented his bills for redemption.
Paine looked favorably upon his case and would have
redeemed on the spot, but the spirit of Alexander Ham-
ilton looked sternly out of the eyes of Mrs. Herrick. and
out of her mouth his words came in startling cadence.
" Never ! get out ! ! " " Then give me back my money,''
said the mild-mannered Captain; "Never! get out ! ! "
again quote the priestess, and forthwith the Captain
was hastilv leaving the bank, wildly clawing the air as
he proceeded toward the sidewalk, and the bank door
was slammed, not exactly in his face. A moment after
it was reopened, Seth appeared and gave to the shaken-
up Captain the bills, and he returned to his friends at
Swift's. "What luck, Captain?" cried the crowd.
"Good!" "What kind of bills did Paine give yon'"
"The very same I carried over, and 1 was deuced lucky
to get them. I think I can afford to pay the cigars."

Things culminated at the bank on the following day,
February 11, when the conservator ol" Eddy's estate
undertook to get possession of the bank. Ira 1'.
threatened to shoot, and the priestess refused to abdi-
cate in favor of Holmes the book-keeper, whom the
court had appointed. On complaint of Holmes, lor
attempt to intimidate by personal violence, the whole
corps of the bank, including mediums and spiritual
friends, were arrested and brought before Judge
Rucker. The trial resulted in tin: discharge of two or
three, and the binding over in $500, to keep the ;

544

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

of all others except the high priestess. During the
trial she became unduly demonstrative, and was taken
to jail, resisting the officers on her way quite stub-
bornly. She was held in durance vile until the storm was
over. Ira B. Eddy was for a short time in the Hart-
ford Insane Asylum, but was soon liberated on petition
of many respectable citizens who had known him long
and well, and who had doubted from the beginning the
means by which his committal had been brought about,
as well as the alleged fact of his insanity.

The Bank of Chicago was, by the removal of Eddy's
deposits, crippled to that extent that it never rallied
sufficiently afterward to be even a disturbing factor in
the finances of the city. So far as is known, every bill
was redeemed and every indebtedness of the bank
honorably paid, either by Paine, Eddy, or the conser-
vators of Eddy's estate. The bank, eccentric as it was, was
not, as were many of its contemporaries, buried either
in dishonor or insolvency.

Paine continued to protest through his Christian
Banker, and other channels, until summer had come,
when he returned to Lake Zurich, where he lived
several years indulging in his vagaries in a harmless
manner. His theories and plans, however they may
have occasionally brought .discredit to his head as a
well-balanced motive power, were ever creditable to his
heart. Among his large-hearted enterprises, which he
started after his banking experiment had come to grief,
was a school on his farm. He named it the Stable of
Humanity. He returned to Chicago in 1868, and
organized a "Woman's Home." The object of the
institution was to better the condition of that class of
women who, having no homes, are forced to take such
accommodation as the ordinary city boarding-house
afforded. The Woman's Home was to be so conducted
as to give to friendless women the comfort and protec-
tion of a home at a moderate price. Paine managed
the " Home " for several years. It was located at the
corner of Jackson and Halsted streets, where the Far-
well House now is. Mr. Paine died in Chicago in
1871.

The Bank War. — The collapse of Paine's bank did
not end, but rather intensified the antagonism between
the legal and the illegal bankers. Indeed, the war had
been carried on unceasingly all through the period
covered by the preceding history of Paine's raid on
both camps.

December 23, 1852, the Grand Jury found bills of
indictment for carrying on a banking business in viola-
tion of the laws of the State, against the following per-
sons : Henry T. Adams and Charles L. Chase, of the
Farmer's Bank: Seth Paine and W. T. Maier, Bank of
Chicago; L. I). Boone and S. Bronson, Merchants' and
Mechanics' Bank; Thomas McCalla, Bank of Com-
merce ; J. R. Valentine, cashier of the Bank of America;
and George Smith ami E. \V. Willard, Wisconsin Marine
& Fire Insurance Company. The following allusions
to the matter are taken from the Chicago Democrat of
December 25, 1852:

" Bank War. — The regular banks have succeeded
in getting about a dozen of the irregular banks indicted.
nterested in the irregular ones are going to
swear away the suit from Cook County because both
the Judges are stockholders in the bank whose head
man * was mainly instrumental in getting up the crusade
against the irregular ones. Meanwhile the irregular ones
are demandii last as they can get bills to de-

mand it upon. But the joke is, many of our regular banks

•I! J. Voting Scammc/n, president of the Marin- : Bank.

are irregular ones too, and keep some old corporation or
some old name to get extra shinplasters under or extra
interest with. Thus they carry water upon both shoulders.
The Spiritual Bank, so called, is believed to be backed
by some of the wealthiest bankers in our city. At any
rate it has good references, as see the card of Seth
Paine & Co. under our advertising head. Let this
bank fight go on until banks like individuals shall be
made to obey the laws in every respect, in taking inter-
est as well as issuing bills."

On the 1st of January, 1853, the Democrat said :

" Yesterday, all through the streets there was more
excitement against the irregular banks than we ever
knew before, and the irregular banks were searching in
every direction for the bills of the regular banks so as
to demand the specie. It is hard now to get hold of a
regular bill. Great inquiry was made to know why
some irregular banks were indicted and some not. We
have inquired of the jury, and find that while their inten
tions were good they could not get the requisite infor-
mation against some, whilst certain of the regular bank-
ers were over anxious to furnish information against
others, the complainants being as prompt in withhold-
ing information against some as they were to furnish
information against others. The fact speaks volumes,
that the wild-cats who have regular bankers for dor-
mant partners were not indicted."

All was not harmonious even in the regular camp.
There was bickering and heart-burning, and crimination
also there, as is evinced by the following which appeared
in the Democrat, January 1, under the caption of "Bank
Reform : "

" See cards of Messrs. I. H. Burch & Co., Forrest
Bros & Co., R. K. Swift and others in our columns (the
cards do not appear in the issue). We are informed
that these gentlemen and several others of the regular
banks in our city are ready to live up to the general
banking law as to rates of interest, the moment another
of the regular banks which abuses its own charter by
resorting to an old insurance company * to protect itself
in a gross violation of the letter and spirit of the General
banking law, will loan to its customers as it does to
that insurance company."

The suits brought under the indictments amounted
to but little. There is no record that anybody was ever
punished for a violation of the law. Some of the irregu-
lar or illegal banks went out of existence because of
their inherent weakness, and others, having financial
strength, took refuge under the statutes of Illinois, Wis-
consin and other States. Under the indictments, it was
found that the end was likely to be too far from the
beginning, and that pending the decision of the Superior
Courts, to which every case would be carried, illegal
banking would go on as before. So the regular bankers,
headed by Hon. J. Y. Scammon of the Marine Bank,
determined to put an end to it by amending the bank-
ing law, so that it should not only authorize banks, but
should prohibit under penalty, the prosecution of any
banking business in the State which should interfere
with the franchises granted to the regular banks under
the banking law already passed. Accordingly the
Legislature passed a prohibitory law against illegal
banking, and supplementary to the banking law of
185 1, whereby it was made little less than felony to do
a banking business within the State, except under the
provisions of the statutes. The law read as follows :

* The Chicago Marine & Kire Insurance Company had been revived and
was virtually under the same management as the Marine Hank. It was charged
that id' banklent the insurance company at legal rates and that the i

company put out the same money for its benefit at illegal rates.

BANKS AND BANKING.

545

An Act supplemental to and explanatory of an act entitled "An
act to establish a general system of banking," and to prevent the
issuing and circulating of illegal currency.

Section i. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois
represented in the General Assembly, That the act to which this is
supplementary shall be so construed that no person or persons
shall become incorporated under the said act, until he, she or they shall
have deposited with the Auditor United States or State stocks, as
required by said act, so that the capital stock of said incorporation
shall amount, in such United States stocks or State stocks, at the
rate and value fixed by said act, to the sum of fifty thousand dol-
lars ; and at no period during the existence of said bank shall the
capital stock of the same, in stocks deposited as aforesaid, be less
than the sum of fifty thousand dollars.

2. No bank, banking association, corporation, broker,
banker, dealer in money, produce or foreign merchandise, or other
person, shall emit, issue, utter, pay out, pass or receive in pay-
ment, or on deposit, any bill of credit, bond, promissory note,
vvritten instrument, or instrument partly written and partly printed,
to be used as a general circulating medium, or in lieu of money, or
other currency or intended by the makers thereof to be so used, other
than the bills or notes of banks of this State, counter-signed in the
Auditor's office, according to the provisions of the act to establish a
general system of banking, or the notes or bills (of a denomination
not less than live dollars), of specie paying banks, created by an
express authority of law, in either of the United States, Territories,
the District of Columbia or Canada. Every bank, banking associ-
ation, corporation, broker, dealer in money, produce or foreign
merchandise, or other person, who shall violate the provisions of
this section, shall forfeit and pay to any person or persons, who
may sue for the same, the sum of fifty dollars for each and every
bill of credit, bond, promissory note, bill of exchange, order, draft,
certificate of deposit, or other instrument so issued, uttered, paid
out, passed or received, contrary to the provisions of this section,
to be recovered in action of debt, before any justice, magistrate
or court having jurisdiction to the amount claimed in any such
suit.

3. In addition to the penalties provided for in the foregoing
section, every broker, banker, dealer in money, produce or foreign
merchandise, and every officer, agent or employe, of any bank,
banking association, corporation, broker, banker, dealer in money,
produce or foreign merchandise, who shall offend against the pro-
visions of this act, shall, for every bill, bond, note, order, certifi-
cate of deposit, or other instrument or piece of paper emitted,
issued, uttered, paid out, passed or received contrary to the pro-
visions of this act, be liable to be indicted, and, on conviction,
shall be imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year. It
shall not be necessary in any indictment, suit or prosecution, under
the provisions of this act, to specify or particularize any particular
bill, note, bond, order, certificate of deposit, or other instrument,
but it shall be sufficient to allege generally that the defendant or
defendants have been guilty of violating the provisions of this act,
by uttering, emitting, paying out, passing or receiving, as the case
maybe, any such bill, note, bond, order, certificate of deposit, or
other instrument, of the character or description which, by this act,
are forbidden, or prohibited to be issued, passed or received, and
proof of such general nature shall be sufficient to sustain such
indictment, suit or prosecution.

4. Whenever it shall be represented to any one of the bank
commissioners, upon the oath or affirmation of any credible per-
son, setting forth the facts, or whenever, from any information, any
one of the said commissioners shall have reason to believe that any
bank, corporation, broker, banker, dealer in money, produce or
foreign merchandise, shall have been guilty of any violations of
the provisions of this act, it shall be the duty of said commissioner
forthwith to proceed to the said bank, or place of business of such
bank, corporation, broker, banker, dealer in money, produce, or
foreign merchandise, officer, clerk, agent or employe, and then
and there to inquire, by the oaths of the said broker, banker,
dealer, officer, clerk, agent or employe, or other testimony,
whether the said bank corporation, broker, b anker, dealer in
money, produce, or foreign merchandise, officer, clerk, agent or
employe, have been guilty of any violation of this act. The said
bank commissioner shall have full power and authority to issue
subpoenas and attachments to compel the attendance of witnesses
before him, from any part of the State, and shall have power and
authority to administer all oaths and affirmations to parties, wit-
nesses, or others, required to be administered or taken by this act;
and shall have power to compel such broker, banker, dealer in
money, produce, or foreign merchandise, or any officer, clerk,
agent, or other employe, to answer all proper interrogatories pro-
pounded to him, her or them, touching any violation of the pro-
visions of this act, and may commit any such person to jail, for
refusal so to do, there to remain until such party consents to
answer such interrogatory, or is otherwise discharged by due course

35

<>f law. lb shall reduce the said evidence and answers t.. writing

and report the same to the other bank commissioners and

tin- State's Attorney lor tin- judicial court in i '. Lank.

thei corporation, or the place of business of any such

banker, dealer, officer, clerk, agent, or other employe,
situated. Ami il the said commissioner shall be oi thi

that any such banker, broker, dealer, 1. agent, or employe

has been guilty of any violation of the provisions of this .,, i, be
shall make complaint before some judge, justice oi the p

other proper officer, and the said judge, iusl 1 thi pi

other officer shall proceed against tile person or persons named in
said complaint in all respects, as provided by the eighteenth divi-
sion of chapter thirty of Revised Statutes, entitled "Criminal juris-
prudence;" and, for the purpose of compelling tin witm to
attend, may issue subpoenas and attachments to any pari ol the
State: Provided, that no answer made by any broker, banker,
dealer in money, produce or foreign merchandise, officer, clerk,
agent, or employe, or any other person, upon any examination,
made by or before any bank commissioner, judge, justice of the
peace, or other officer, touching any violation ol this act, shall be
given in evidence against him, her, or them, on the trial 1 it an)
indictment, suit or prosecution, for the recovery of any penalt) of
forfeiture imposed or provided for by this act, or in any other writ
or legal proceeding whatsoever.

5. In case the bank commissioners, or a majority of them, shall
be satisfied that any bank, corporation, broker, banker, dealer in
money, produce, or foreign merchandise, or such officer, clerk,
agent, or employe, has been guilty of any violation of tin pro-
visions of this act, they shall immediately apply to some judge ol a
Circuit or Supreme Court for a writ of injunction against such bank,
corporation, broker, banker, dealer in money, produce, or foreign
merchandise, such officer, clerk, agent, or employe, forbidding and
restraining him or them from violating any of the provisions of
this act; and such judge, after reasonable notice given to such bank,
corporation, banker, broker, dealer in money, produce, or foreign
merchandise, or such officer, clerk, agent or employe1 shall pro-
ceed, without delay, to investigate the questions involved in such
application, and shall have power to compel the production of all
books, papers, vouchers, and documents in the possession of the
defendants, or cause and to require answers, on oath, from such
defendant or defendants; which answer shall not be evidence on
trial of any other action or suit in law or equity; and if upon such
examination, he shall be of the opinion that any of the provisions
of this act have been violated, he shall issue such writ of injunction
and enforce the same, in case it shall be disregarded, according to
the practice of the courts of chancery; and further proceedings
shall be had upon such application in the Circuit Court of the county
where the office, or place of business, of such bank, corporation,
broker, banker, dealer, officer, clerk, agent, or employe may be
situated, as may be necessary to enforce the provisions of this act.
And if it shall be finally determined by the judge or court, be cer-
tified to the Auditor, which shall be sufficient authority to him,
and he shall proceed to put the said bank into liquidation, in the
manner contemplated by this act, and the act to which this is a
supplement.

6. The bank commissoners to be appointed under the provi-
sions of the act to which this is supplemented, before entering
upon the duties of their office, shall take and subscribe an oath or
affirmation, faithfully and impartially to perform all the duties
enjoined upon and required to be performed bv them, under the
provisions of this act and the act to which this is a supplement,
which said oath or affirmation shall be filed in the office of the Sec-
retary of State.

7. Every payment made, in whole or part, in any bill, note,
bond, order, draft, certificate of deposit, or other instrument or
paper, the passing, uttering, emitting, or use of which is prohib-
ited by this act, shall be utterly null and void, and the persons or
corporation to whom any such payment may have been made therein
may sue and recover upon the original contract or cause of action,
in the same manner and with like effect as if no such payment had
been made.

S. No action shall be maintained in any court of this State
upon any contract, expressed or implied, the consideration ol which
in whole or in part, shall be by any bill, note, check, draft, or other
instrument or paper, the use, receipt, or emission of which is
prohibited by this act, but the same shall be judged to be utterly
null and void.

o,. In all prosecutions and suits for the recovery of penalties
imposed for any violation of the piovisions of this act. tin- persons
suing for the same, (notwithstanding he may be liable for. or may
have given bond for the costs of such penalties when recovered,)
and the defendant or defendants shall be competent witnesses

10. This act to be enforced and take effect from ami after the
first day of August next.

Approved I'ebruary 10, 1853.

546

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

So soon as the foregoing act was passed, illegal
banking went out of sight in Illinois.

Smith's banking thereafter was legalized under a
charter from the State of Wisconsin and became the
Wisconsin Marine & Fire Insurance Company Bank;
the deposit of bonds equivalent to the professed circu-
lation of his Bank of America had legalized that, and
he went on with his banking as before. If his currency

ran short he had only to buy some bank outside of the
State, legally organized. He thus bought the Atlanta
Bank of Georgia, the International Bank, Griffin, Ga.,
and others.

A reference to the sketches of the State banks will
show the reader that the circulation furnished by them
was, at its largest, but a small proportion of the capital
invested by them, and that they gradually diminished
it until in 1856, the aggregate authorized cir-
culation of all the Chicago State banks was
only $250,000, and of this sum it seldom
occurred that it was all in circulation. The
amount was entirely inadequate for the busi-
ness wants of the community. As the ille-
gal issues had been suppressed, the bills of
banks of other States, more particularly those
of Georgia banks, gained a wide circulation.
Many of them were owned or controlled by
Chicago capitalists and were redeemable at
the banking offices of their sponsors. Besides
this there appeared the bills of many banks
not guaranteed by any local banking firm,
which were tolerated, though suspected of
being of the wild-cat breed. In fact the cur-
rency was, so far as safety or reliability
went, but little improved by the substitution
of Georgia bills for the irregular issues of
home bankers which had been suppressed.
The character of circulating bills is shown
by a list turned over by Oscar L. Caldwell,
a conductor on the Burlington railroad, as
taken by him during one trip in September,
1855. The whole amount was $203, made
; up of the following : Five $5S on Atlanta
} ' Bank, Georgia ; eight $5S and one $10, on
3 Interior Bank of Georgia ; five $5s and one
' $10, on LaGrange Bank, Georgia ; two $5s
; on Michigan Insurance Company, Detroit ;
J one $1 on Marine Bank, Chicago ; one §5,
j one $2, and one $3 on State Bank of Illinois;
: one $10 on Mahoning County Bank, Youngs-
, town, Ohio ; one $1 on Dairyman's Bank, N.
c Y.; one $3 on People's Bank, Wisconsin ;
: one $2 on City Bank, Racine, Wis.; one $1
j on Kenosha Bank, Wis.; one $5 on Charter
S Oak Bank, Connecticut ; one $3 on Alton
Bank, Illinois ; one $2 on Bank of Naper-
ville, Illinois ; one $5 on Bank of Cumber-
land, Maine ; one $5 on State Bank of Indi-
ana ; one $5 on Agricultural Bank, Tennes-
see ; one $5 on Luther Wright's Bank, Os-
wego, N. Y.; one $5 on Bank of Virginia ;
one $5 on Fire & Marine Insurance Compa-
ny, Burlington, Iowa ; one $5 on Merchant's
Bank, Macon, Ga.; one $5 on Bank of Bing-
hamton, New York ; and one $5 on Gran-
ville Bank, Granville, 111. Of the $203,
Georgia banks furnished $115 ; New York,
$11; Iowa, $5 ; Virginia, $5 ; Tennessee,
$5 ; Indiana, $5; Wisconsin, $6; Ohio, $10;
Michigan, $ia; Connecticut, $5; Maine,
$5 ; Illinois country banks, $20 ; Chicago
city banks, $1.

Although this list may not show the true
proportion of the various issues in general
circulation, it shows that under the banking
law the State banks furnished but a tithe of
the money in circulation, and that the strin-
gent law passed in 1853 against irregular
banking in the State had not been effectual

BANKS AND HANKING.

547

in closing the gates against a flood of paper money
from all quarters outside its jurisdiction. Of these
the Georgia Bank bills gained the largest circu-
lation, as many of them were made redeemable
in Chicago in current bank bills. This forced the
strong Illinois banks to keep their own circulation
constantly fortified with an undue amount of specie for
its redemption, and thereby rendered their circulation
unprofitable to them however desirable it might be to
the public. Any attempt to drive the better class of
Georgia money out of circulation by gathering it up and
demanding its redemption in current money in Chicago
was sure to result in the gathering up of all current
Chicago bank notes as an offset. To eradicate the one
was to suppress the other, and the wild-cats still
flourished. Banks which had depended solely on the
profits arising from the circulation of their bills as
money were many of them forced into liquidation, and
others abandoned the business except that outside the
issue of bills, which they continued to sturdily pursue.
The statement of two of them on the first Monday of
January, 1856, shows how strongly their circulation was
fortified. On that date the Marine Bank reported a
circulation of $84,850, with specie on hand, $90,000,
and the Chicago Bank $50,000 in circulation, and
$50,000 of specie on hand.

Several attempts were made to drive the Georgia
money out of circulation by bringing it into popular
discredit. In the fall of 1855 the railroads seriously
discussed but never fully agreed to the measure of re-
fusing all Georgia and Tennessee bills. December 27,
1855, a card appeared in the daily papers, addressed to
the banks and bankers of Chicago, signed by one hun-
dred and twenty merchants and firms, which read as
follows:

" The undersigned merchants and business men of
this city respectfully solicit your aid in suppressing and
driving out of circulation all Georgia and Tennessee
money from our city and State, believing it highly in-
jurious to the business interests of the community and
unworthy of a longer credit. We hereby assure you
that we heartily concur in the late movement of our
prominent railroad companies against the issue of
Georgia and Tennessee banks, and would urge the
banks and bankers of this city to refuse receiving them
on deposit on and after the 15th of January next."

The editor of the Democrat, commenting on the
above, said:

" So long as the bills of the sound Georgia banks
are convertible into New York exchange at three-
quarter per cent, and into gold at a rate no higher than
one per cent, they will be freely taken by all business
men."

In the Democratic Press of January 6, 1856, ap-
peared, under the heading, " Georgia Banks Sustained,"
a counter card signed by one hundred and twenty-five
firms. It read:

" We the undersigned, persons engaged in business
in the city of Chicago, having been familiar for years
with its immense and rapid growth and unparalleled in-
crease of business, and the every-day increasing demand
for money to carry on the business so rapidly pouring
in upon us, have observed with regret an effort on the
part of some of our newspapers and brokers, as well as
people at a distance, to discredit and render useless the
currency upon which this city has mainly relied and
used in the various transactions of business. If the
general banking law of the State had been such that
legitimate banking could have been done under it, or if
it could be immediately so amended as to admit of such

successful banking, and thus supply a circulating me-
dium at once for this city and State, the undersigned
would have no objection to forcing out of circulation all
foreign bills, or bills of other States, Sii
ceded that this banking law cannot be alter.. 1 .,1
amended until the State Constitution is amended, and
since that cannot be effected under three or four years.
there appears no remedy for the use of foreign' bills.
The undersigned therefore look upon anj successful
effort to discredit any circulating medium that is re-
deemed promptly where issued, as not only unwise but
exceedingly mis. hievous to the general interests of the
State and city and individuals, and il generally would
most seriously effeel the value ol both personal ami real
property. The rate of interest money commands here
is proof that we have too little rather than too much.
The undersigned are decidedly opposed to the invidi-
ous distinction sought to be made by some of our news-
papers and brokers against the issues of the banks of
the State of Georgia, the bills of which we have become
familiar with, the owners of which we have become
acquainted with, and the security of many of which we
are perfectly satisfied with. The fact that two of the
Georgia banks have stood a continuous run for four
months or more, and have redeemed a half million per
month of their issue in gold and silver, have increased
our confidence in these banks, and the ability and dis-
position of the stockholders to promptly redeem all their
issues. We shall therefore continue to receive and pay
out, use and give credit to Georgia money, the same as
the bills of other States, so long as they are redeemed
in specie at the banks where issued, and we advise
others who are engaged in business to do the same,
until a full remedy can be had by amending our own
banking law."

The Marine Bank, and the banking house of R. K.
Swift, advertised on January 16, 1856, that they would
no longer receive on deposit Georgia or Tennessee
bank bills. In the same paper, Preston & Co., bankers,
advertised that they were partial stockholders of the
Planter's and Mechanic's Bank, Dalton, Georgia, were
liable for its issues, and that its notes would be received
by them, the same as Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, and
other Western currency. Smith redeemed the issues of
the Atlanta Bank, the International Bank, and others in
whicli he was interested.

It does not appear that the Southern banks having
reliable fiscal agencies at Chicago were much restricted
in their general circulation by the partially successful
effort to discredit them. They continued as a part of
the circulating medium, in spite of all the local opposi-
tion until extraneous circumstances destroyed the entire
system of State banking throughout the land.

The history of legitimate banking in Illinois or Chi-
cago after 1853 was uneventful until 1856. The panic
of that year brought the banks of Illinois in common
with those of the whole country, to the severest test. It
is truth to say that the Chicago banks stood the test
well. Some of them failed, some went into voluntary
liquidation, and a few weathered the storm and con-
tinued to do business until they were superseded by the
National Banks in 1863-64. Of changes subsequent to
1857 this history will treat hereafter. I he following is
a sketch of each bank doing business in Chicago and
recognized under the laws of the State from 1S51 to

i8S7-

The Marine Bank of Chicago.— Chartered Jan-
uary 13, 1852. Officers, J. Young Scammon, president ;
Edward I. Tinkham, cashier. Capital $50,000 — in-
creased, May 20, 1852, by $500,000. Paid in, $150,000.

543

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Circulation of $99,044. secured, by Auditor's report of
November 20. 1852, by Virginia six per cent bonds,
valued at par, §30^000 ;' Illinois State bonds and Illinois
& Michigan Canal securities amounting to §142,398.14,
valued at $69,052.23. In 1S54 its circulation had in-
creased to (158,901, to secure which it had deposited
§42,000 of Virginia bonds and §244,623.40 of Illinois
State and canal bonds, having a market value of §128,-
303. S5. In 1S56, its circulation had been reduced to
§100.705. Its securities were : §9,000 of Missouri
bonds and §198.705.15 of State bonds of Illinois, valued
at §100.70:;. 73. November 30, 1858, the circulation
had been reduced to §50,000, for the redemption of
which there were deposited with the State Auditor,
§47.276 Illinois New Internal Improvement bonds,
valued at §1.05, and §1 2,000 Illinois interest bonds valued
at §0.96. November, i860, the amount of the circulation
remained unchanged 1 §50,000 , secured by Illinois State
bonds valued at §53,098. Its charter expired in 1S77,
at which time it went out as a solvent bank.

Bank, of America. — This was a proprietary bank,
owned by George Smith and Elisha Willard ^George
Smith & Co. Chartered July 19, 1S52; capital, $1,-
000,000; paid in, §50,000. Circulation, November,
1 85 2, §50,000, secured by deposit with the State Audi-
tor of §10,000 Pacific Railroad bonds of the State of
Missouri, valued at par, and §77,000 of various canal
bonds, valued at fifty cents on the dollar, and $6,501.87
of canal certificates, valued at thirty-three cents on the
dollar. For the succeeding four years the amount of
circulation and the securities deposited remained un-
changed. In November, 1859, the circulation had been
reduced to §1,162, for the security of which $2,000 of
Missouri sixes were deposited.

The Bank of Commerce was owned by Davisson,
McCalla & Co.; incorporated in May, 1852. Capital,
§260,000; paid in, §52,000. Officers, Alfred W. Davis-
son, president; Thomas McCalla, cashier. Its first
circulation amounted to §50,000, to secure which were
deposited July 24, 1852, §35,000 of Missouri State
bonds, §10,000 of Kentucky State bonds, and $5,000 of
Ohio canal bonds. November, 1854, the circulation
had increased §4,998, and §5,000 additional Kentucky
State bonds had been deposited for security. In the
Auditor's report for 1858, its name appears among the
suspended banks. Its final showing in the Auditor's
report of i860 speaks well for the Illinois banking law,
under which the bank had been organized and its bills
issued. It was as follows:

1858. Dr.

Sept. 18, To amount of stock deposited $2,005 °°

Sept. 28, To amount of sale of securities 2,oSg 00

84,094 00
1858. Cr.

Sept. 28, By amount of notes in circulation. . . .$2,005 °°
i860.

Nov. 30, By amount of notes redeemed 522 00

Nov. 30, By express account 5 00

Nov. 30, By specie on hand 1 , 562 00

$4,094 00

The City Bank was a proprietary bank owned by
Messrs. Bradley & Curtiss; chartered June 26, 1852;
capital, $200,000. Its place of business was No. 24
Clark Street. Amount of circulation, November, 1852,
$59,994, which was secured by deposits of §60,000 in
Virginia State bonds, valued at par. In 1854 the circu-
lation had diminished $10,000. November, 1856, the
Auditor reported a circulation outstanding of $1,539,
against which was held $1,537.40 in specie. The bank

went into Involuntary liquidation, being " closed by
protest."

The Chicago Bank was owned by I. H. Burch &
Co., the firm being Isaac Howe Burch and Samuel
Howe. President, Thomas Burch; cashier, I. H.
Burch. Incorporated July, 1852; capital, $100,000;
paid in, $59,501.29. Circulation in November, 1852,
was §53,997, secured by deposit with the State Auditor
of $10,000 in Missouri State bonds and §77,501.57 in
canal securities. In November, 1856, the circulation
was $50,000, secured by $8,000 in Virginia sixes and
§86,000 in Illinois and canal bonds. In November,
i860, the amount of circulation had been reduced to
§4,903 2,2Si ones, 1,060 twos, 94 threes, and 43 fives),
to redeem which the State Auditor held §5,454 of
Illinois State bonds.

The Exchange Bank was owned by Messrs. H. A.
Tucker & Co.; organized in January, 1853. Officers;
President, H. A. Tucker; cashier, Hamilton B. Dox.
Capital unknown. Place of business, 34 Clark Street.
The circulation in 1854 was $49,995; security deposited,
$50,000 in Missouri State bonds. In 1856, the circula-
tion had been withdrawn. At that time there was only
$675 outstanding, for which the Auditor held $675 in
specie.

The Union Bank was owned largely by Forrest
Bros. & Co. It was organized August 18, 1852; capital,
§200,000; paid in, $50,000. The circulation was, in
October, 1852, $49,995, secured by $50,000 of Virginia
sixes. This bank was " closed by protest " in 1856. At
the closing up of its business in 1857 there was of its
bills outstanding $1,611, of which amount there was
subsequently redeemed $78. Lost, $1,533.

The Farmer's Bank was organized December 25,
1853, by Messrs. Chase Bros. & Co. Its circulation was
secured by $50,000 Missouri State bonds. It was forced
into liquidation in 1854. The bonds proved ample to
redeem its circulation.

The Phoinix Bank was organized in 1854. It had
a circulation of $50,000, secured by $50,000 in Missouri
State bonds. It was forced into liquidation in 1855.
In November, 1856, the Auditor reported of its bills
outstanding, $415, to redeem which he held a deposit of
$413.40 in specie. The bank was owned by N. C. Roe
& Co., 42 Clark Street.

Merchants' and Mechanics' Bank was organized
in February, 1852. Officers: President, Levi Boone;
cashier, Stephen Bronson. Capital, $100,000. The
circulation, in 1853 was $54,700, for which it had pledged
to the State Auditor $50,000 in Virginia sixes and $10,-
000 in canal bonds. In 1854 its circulation had in-
creased to $58,700, with a corresponding increase of
securities in canal bonds. The bank closed business in
1856. The Auditor's report in the fall of that year
showed $2,068 of bills still outstanding, with a deposit
of a like amount of specie.

Whatever of disaster may have befallen these banks,
it will be seen that no material loss ever came upon the
holders of their bills. The financial storms of 1856 forced
some of them to close up business, but the law under
which they had been organized grew in favor with the
people until the unexpected contingencies which grew
out of the civil war in 1861 destroyed the basis on which
banking had been done, and, shortly after, forced an
abandonment of banking under State laws altogether,
and the law was repealed.

Other Financial Institutions. — In addition to
the banks of issue which flourished during the period
subsequent to the passage of the State banking law of
1 85 1, there were several stanch financial institutions

BANKS AND BANKING.

549

worthy of mention. The Butchers and Drovers' Hank
was the only bank on the North Side. It issued no
bills, but did a thriving business. It was located at the
corner of North Water and North Clark streets.

The Metropolitan Bank was also a bank of de-
posit, owned and run by Gurley & Farlin.

" Swift's Bank," the proprietors of which were R.
K. Swift, Lyman P. Swift, and J. S. Johnson, did a
very extensive business at the corner of Randolph and
La Salle streets.

The leading savings banks were: The Chicago
Savings Bank, 125 Lake Street; Dollar Savings Bank,
22 Clark Street; Marine Savings Bank (a department of
the Marine Company); and the Dime Savings Bank.

The Illinois Saving Institution, which for many
years was regarded as being undoubtedly secure, was or-
ganized in 1855-6. Its first president was John H. Kinzie.
He was succeeded in 1859 by John C. Haines. George
E. Stanton was its vice-president, and Nathan B. Kid-
der its cashier. Among its permanent trustees were:
John H. Kinzie, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Erastus S.
Williams, Alexander C. Coventry, William B. Ogden,
George W. Dole, Benjamin W. Raymond, John S. Reed,
O. R. W. Lull, George E. Stanton, and Nathan B. Kid-
der. Serving as directors for brief periods were: John
H. Dunham, Henry Witbeck, John C. Haines, and
Conrad L. Deihl.

In 1857 was organized the Merchants' Savings,
Loan and Trust Company, the only financial institution
now in existence, under its old name, organized prior
to 1858. It office was at the corner of Water and La-
Salle streets. It capital was $500,000. Its first presi-
dent was J. H. Dunham, and its first vice-president
Walter L. Newberry. D. R. Holt was its first perma-
nent cashier, although before him M. B. Bartlett had
served as cashier and secretary pro km. The directors,
prior to 1861, were: John H. Foster, 1857-61; Jona-
than Burr, 1857-61; W. L. Newberry, 1857-61; D. R.
Holt, 1857-61; William E. Doggett, 1857-61; Henry
Farnam, 1857-61; I. N. Arnold, 1857-61; A. H. Burley,
1857-61; J. H. Dunham, 1857-61; William B. Ogden,
1857-58; George Steel, 1857-58; M. D. Ogden, 1858-
61; S. A. Smith, 1858-61; C. H. McCormick, 1858-61.

The Western World Insurance and Trust Company,
142 and 144 South Water Street, was chartered in 1853.
Its authorized capital was $500,000, of which it issued
$250,000, the par value of its shares being $50. George
H. Hazelton was its first president, and Charles H.
Abbott its first cashier. He subsequently became the
treasurer of the company, and Alfred Edwards succeeded
him as cashier. The early directors were: O. Kendall,
George H. Hazelton, Amzi Benedict, L. S. Church, and
Charles H. Abbott.

The Chicago Marine & Fire Insurance Company
was first chartered in 1836 by Theophilus W. Smith and
others. It did a banking business to the extent of any
private bank or banker not issuing currency. It ceased
to do business in 1839 or 1840, but did not thereby for-
feit or resign its charter. In 184S, its stock having
passed into other hands, its business, under the old
charter, was revived.* It commenced with a nominal
capital of $35,000, and an actual cash capital of $25,000.
J. Young Scammon was the largest stockholder, the
president, and managing head of the institution, and so
remained, with the exception of three years while he
was abroad, until it finally closed up business in 1874.
Until 1857 its career was that of unprecedented success.
It had at that time extended its business more widely

» See on previous pages of bank history, and biography of Hon. J. Y.
Scammon.

than any like institution in the West, had an actual cash
capital of half a million dollars, and was the largest
moneyed institution in the State. The Marim Hank,
chartered in [852, was owned by the same Stockholders
and was under the same management. In i.s^y Mr.
Scammon retired from the active management of both
institutions and visited Europe, where lu- remained

about three years. At the time of his departure the
joint capital of the two concerns was $1,050,000. Under
the new management a train of misfortunes befell thi
company, which seriously depleted its financial strength
and impaired its credit. Mr. Scammon on Ins return
resumed the management, and it again regained its credit
and prestige, which it held until the great fire of 1871.
This disaster followed, before recuperation was possible,
by the financial disaster of 1873, rendered n necessary
to permanently close its business, winch was done in the
winter of 1874 or spring of 1875.

The bankers and banks of Chicago which survived
the panic of 1856, and appeared as doing business in
1857, were given in the directory of that year, with the
time they had done business in the city, as follows :

F. Granger Adams, 44 Clark Street, forty-seven
years in city.

J. M. Adsit, 39 Clark Street, ten years in the city.

Brewster, Hoyt & Co.. 24 Clark Street, nine months
in the city.

I. H. Burch & Co., 123-125 Lake Street, twelve
years in the city.

Davisson, McCalla & Co. (Bank of Commerce), 128
Lake Street, corner of Clark.

John Denniston, money broker, 11 1 Lake Street,
eight years in the city.

Evans, Whipple & French, money brokers, 48 Ran-
dolph Street, four months in the city.

Gurley & Farlin (Metropolitan Bank), 48 LaSalle
Street — Joel Gurley and D. H. Farlin.

Hoffman & Gelpecke, 58 LaSalle Street, two years in
the city.

E. H. Huntington & Co., 34 Clark Street, two years
in the city.

Morford Bros. (R. H. Morford), 32 Clark Street,
one year in the city.

Officer & Brother (R. W. & S. P. Officer), 154 Lake
Street, one year and three months in the city.

Charles G. E. Prussing, 40 Clark Street, eleven years
in the city.

Daniel Richards, 29 Randolph Street.

Strong & Wiley, 141 Randolph Street (D. C. Strong
and C. V. Wiley), six months in the city.

H. A. Tucker & Co. (Exchange Bank\ H. A.
Tucker, president; Hamilton B. Dox, cashier, four
years in the city.

Wadsworth & Hitz (Strong Wadsworth and Louis
J. Hitz), 66 Clark Street.

R. K. Swift, Brother & Johnson, northwest corner
of Randolph and LaSalle streets, three years in the
city.

E. I. Tinkham & Co., 34 Clark Street, two years in
the city.

Wheeler, Bunker & Co., 65 Clark Streel George
H. Wheeler, New York, Edward II. Bunker, Chicago),
nine months in the city.

G. C. Whitney & Son G. C. and C. H. Whitney .
36 Clark Street, one and one-half years in the city.

Bank of America, George Smith & Co., proprietors,
41 Clark Street.

Bank of Commerce [Commercial Hank , Davisson,
McCalla & Co., proprietors, northwest corner of Lake
and Clark streets.

55°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Chicago Bank (I. H. Burch & Co.\ corner of Lake
and Clark streets.

Exchange Bank H. A. Tucker & Co.), 34 Clark
Street.

Marine Bank & Chicago Marine Insurance Com-
pany incorporated in 1836^, 154 Lake Street, twenty

years in the city. J. Young Scammon, president; Ben-
jamin F. Carver, cashier.

State Bank, 55 Clark Street, William B. Rogers,
house 103 Adams Street.

It is appropriate to close this chapter with a bio-
graphical sketch of one who filled an important place
in the banking history of that period.

J. Young Scammon was born in Whit-
field, Lincoln Co., Maine, July 27, 1812.
His father, Hon. Eliakim Scammon, was an
early settler and a long resident of East Pitts-
ton, Kennebec Co., Maine. He was a man
widely known and esteemed and represented
his town and county in both branches of the
State Legislature. His mother was the
daughter of David Young, who was a wealthy
man of affairs, and had represented the town
of Pittston, District of Maine, where he re-
sided, in the General Court of Massachu-
setts, before the separation of Maine from
Massachusetts.

The subject of this sketch was bred on a
farm, and would quite likely have followed
the vocation of a farmer, had not an acci-
dent, which occurred when he was a youth
of ten years, deprived him of the full use
of his left hand.

Subsequent to the accident he pursued
his studies with a view to following a profes-
sion. He received an academic education at
the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, Kent's Hill,
Readfield, and Lincoln Academy, New Cas-
; tie, Maine. He entered Waterville College
1 (now Colby University) in the class of 1831.
He received the degree of LL. D. from that
institution in 1865. After leaving college he
studied law in Hallowell, Maine, in the office
of Hon. John Otis. Having completed his
legal studies he was admitted to the Bar in
Kennebec County, and immediately after
started on a tour' of observation with a view
to settlement West. He arrived in Chicago
September, 1835, after a tempestuous and
dangerous passage, on the steamboat " Penn-
sylvania," at that time plying between Buffalo
and other Lake Erie ports, and occasionally
making the round trip to Chicago, via Green
Bay. The steamer anchored outside the bar,
and the passengers, Scammon among them,
were landed in a skiff or yawl under the south
end of a bridge which crossed Dearborn
Street, from whence they made their way,
through the tall prairie grass, across what is
now the heart of the city, to the Sauganash
Hotel, then located on Market Street, near
Lake.

Through letters to Mr. Henry Moore,
then an attorney of the town and Deputy
Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court,
under Colonel Richard J. Hamilton, who
then held most of the offices in the county,
he made the acquaintance of the latter gen-
tleman. The Circuit Court commenced its
session not long after Scammon's arrival,
and, on the solicitation of Mr. Moore, whose
private business prevented his further service
as Deputy Clerk, he consented to remain
temporarily and fill the position during the
session of the court. Thus Mr. Scammon
began active life in Chicago in 1835, in the

banks and banking.

551

office of the Circuit Court of Cook County. His
services were appreciated by Colonel Hamilton. He
was subsequently appointed Deputy Clerk, in place
of Moore, who resigned his claim to the official
position, and was allowed to open an office as an
attorney at law in the somewhat contracted precincts of
one corner of the Clerk's office, having been admitted
to the Bar of Illinois December 7, 1835. The young
lawyer grew rapidly into favor, and filled, during the
succeeding two years, many offices of trust and respon-
sibility under Colonel Hamilton, who was then Clerk of
the Circuit Court, Clerk of the County Commissioner's
Court, School Commissioner, Recorder of Deeds, not-
ary public, and bank commissioner. He continued
studiously to apply himself to the duties of his profes-
sion. December 5, 1836, he entered into a copartner-
ship for the practice of law with Buckner S. Morris.
The firm had a successful and increasing practice for
eighteen months, when it was dissolved. For a year
after the dissolution Mr. Scammon practiced alone. In
1839 he again entered into a copartnership with Nor-
man B. Tudd. The firm existed until 1847, and, during
its continuance, ranked as one of the strongest and
most reliable legal firms in the Northwest. Mr. Scam-
mon, up to this time, had devoted his energies and
attention assiduously to his profession and had attained
the foremost rank as a practitioner in Cook County
and throughout the State of Illinois. Subsequently, in
1849, he entered into a law partnership with Ezra B.
McCagg, who had previously been his confidential law
clerk. This copartnership remained unbroken until
1856, when Mr. McCagg went to Europe, and Mr.
Samuel W. Fuller assumed charge of the law office,
and conducted the business under the name of Scam-
mon & Fuller. Mr. McCagg-, returning home in 1857,
and entering into the active business of the office, the
name of the firm became Scammon, McCagg & Fuller,
and so remained until after the great fire of 1871.

From the dissolution of the partnership with Mr.
Judd, although continuing to practice and to be retained
in many important suits, he became more identified
with the public affairs of the commonwealth, and more
engrossed in private business. His dissolution of that
copartnership was consummated on account of his inter-
est in railroad matters, which largely absorbed his atten-
tion at that time, he being then one of the projectors
and builders of the Galena & Chicago Union Rail-
road.* In 1837, while known exclusively as a lawyer,
he was, without solicitation on his part, appointed
attorney of the State Bank of Illinois. He also held
the position of reporter of the Supreme Court of Illi-
nois from 1839 to 1845, during which time the Court
Reports were published in a style of excellence hitherto
unknown in the West, and not inferior to like publica-
tions in the Eastern States.

Subsequent to 1857 Mr. Scammon became so prom-
inently engaged in the business interests of Chicago
and the State as to overshadow for years the well-
earned and merited prominence which he had attained
in his profession. He was identified with the earliest
efforts to establish the common-school system in Chi-
cago, being appointed one of the school inspectors in
1839, and remained a member of the school board until
1845,1 when he was nominated as an Alderman from
the First Ward. His candidacy was opposed by some
on account of his "building big school-houses," as
it was expressed, he being tne strong advocate of
expenditures for school purposes, considered at that

time prodigal in the extreme, and far beyond the pres-
ent or prospective wants of the 1 ity. Il< was 1
by a most Mattering vote, and in his new office helped
to lay the broad foundations a the presenl magnificent
school system of the city.

Mr. Scammon was, however, more strictly identified
with the financial institutions of the Stati than with
any other departmenl ol its material progress. He had,
by the knowledge gained through his legal connection

with banks as an-attorney, 1 mi 1 all the

details of the various theories of banking then in vogue,
and, naturally, his attention became directed to thai
business. The amended Constitution of 1x4s permitted
the general banking law of 1851 to he passed. He was,
at the time the law passed, the president and leading
stockholder of the Chicago Marine & lire Insurance
Company, an institution performing all the functions of
a bank, except that of issuing curreni y. Soon after the
passage of the act and its adoption by popular vote, he
established, under its provisions, tiie first 111-1
under the general law called the Marine Bank, His
bank was considered the strongest and most reliable of
the State banks established under the law, and under
his direction was so conducted a-- to not only vindicate
the law, but bring it into especial favor throughout
the State, where a strong prejudice had previously pre-
vailed against banks, and especially against State bank-
ing.* He became the open and fearless antagonist of
all who sought to evade the banking law. The illegal
or irregular bankers were indicted in January, 1^53.
under a law then recently enacted, which drove illegal
banking from the city and State, or forced it to seek
cover under the aegis of law. This act was framed by
him, and passed through his advisement.

In 1S57, having accumulated an ample fortune, he
decided to temporarily retire from active business and
to take a rest, after his arduous and successful career
of nearly a quarter of a century. He accordingly
sailed for Europe where he remained for about three
years. On his return in i860, and finding that through
mismanagement or misfortune, or both, the Chicago
Marine & Fire Insurance Company, which he had
left the strongest institution of its kind in the West, was
on the verge of bankruptcy, he immediately re-assumed
its personal management and plunged anew with his
accustomed energy into the vortex of Chicago I
of which this great monetary institution was the center.
Success crowned his efforts, as always before. The
institution regained its former prestige, as the lead-
ing monetary institution of the city, and so remained,
under his management, until the destruction of the Illinois
currency, in consequence of the depreciation of South-
ern State stocks, upon which it was in part based, com-
pelled a general suspension of banks which had received
and held that currency on deposit. Mr. Scammon then
opened a private bank, settled up the affairs of the old
institution, and re-organized it. and made it again a
prosperous institution until the destruction of the city
by fire in October, 1871. The enormous and unex-
pected losses then incurred, followed by the business
panic of 1S73, rendered it expedient to wind up its
affairs, and it ceased business in 1874.

In things temporal, the tide which "taken at its
flood leads on to fortune," oftentimes at it- ebb, leaves
the hitherto fortunate mortal stranded on the shore
among the wrecks of his former possessions. From
causes over which Mr. S had little control,

disaster in worldly affairs became his lot, against which

* Mr. Scammon th the banking of the city furthcl

in the topical history of banking.

55*

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

he struggled with such energy, determination, fortitude
and philosophy as evinced a type of character more
exalted and more worthy of emulation than is often
evolved from a life of uninterrupted success. At the
time of the great fire Mr. Scammon was possessed of a
vast fortune, was a banker of the highest standing both
as to executive ability and commercial integrity, and
was possessed of almost unlimited financial credit
throughout the country. As a lawyer he stood in the
front rank, and as a man of affairs in the great public
enterprises which concerned the welfare and prosperity
of the city and State, he ranked as one of the foremost.

Full half a million dollars of his property vanished
in the smoke and flames of the great conflagration. His
banks, his warehouses, his stores, and his home, all
disappeared in the general ruin.

But his courage remained undaunted, and his credit
unimpaired. He immediately set about the task of
rebuilding, with his full share of that wonderful delirium
of energy which characterized the renovation of the
destroyed city. In fifteen months he expended more
than one million dollars in rebuilding the new Chicago.
Much of the capital required was necessarily borrowed,
either on the personal credit of Mr. Scammon or on
such collateral security as his property, remaining after
the fire, enabled him to offer. The panic of 1873
depreciated the value of his securities, although it did
not decrease the amount of his debts, and his monetary
credit became so impaired as to leave him hopelessly
involved. Out of the wreck something may be saved
to him who builded the ship, but, perhaps, nothing
beyond what would be required to earn the same anew.

Losing his fortune, Mr. Scammon still retained all of
himself that is imperishable, and has since that time
borne himself as a Christian philosopher and as a true
man should. His reputation, save that ephemeral form
which is measured by dollars and re-acts on itself when
the dollars vanish, is unsullied. He is (1884) engaged
in practice as a lawyer in Chicago, taking little part in
public affairs outside the duties of his profession.

The active years of his life identified him with
nearly every branch of Chicago development. He was
the first professed receiver in northern Illinois of the
doctrines contained in the religious writings of Emanuel
Swedenborg, and organized the first " Church of the
New Jerusalem " west of the lakes. He was the first
homeopath in Chicago. He was also one of the first
organizers and directors of the Chicago & Galena Rail-
road, and the acknowledged leader in the State bank
reform of 1 85 1 , being the managing head of one of the
first banks organized under its provisions. Although
engrossed in business, he ever took an active interest
in politics. He, however, was never an office-seeker or
an office-holder in a political sense, though the Whig
candidate for Corngess in the Chicago District in 1848,
and was elected and served as a member of the State
Assembly in 1860-61. In politics he was formerly a
stanch Whig, and, on the disintegration of the party
became, and has since continued, an unswerving Repub-
lican. In the interest of that party he established the
Inter-Ocean* in 1872.

This sketch, treating of the public and civil life of
Mr. Scammon, although giving the reader an idea of
the many paths of usefulness through which he won the
gratitude and respect of his fellow-citizens, does not
touch upon the deeper and broader traits of his char-
acter, which are known only to such as have been drawn
to him within his Church, his large circle of personal
friends, and his family. The inner and better life of a

• S« Hi*tory f>i Chicago Journalism in later volume.

true man is seldom written. It is more fitting that it
be engraved in the hearts and cherished in the memories
of those whose lives have been intimately interwoven
with his own.

While in affluent circumstances his public as well as
private benefactions were bountiful to the full measure
of his ability. The Hahnemann Homeopathic Society
received from him as a free gift a commodious hospital.
The Chicago Astronomical Society and the Dearborn
Observatory owe their existence mainly to Mr. Scam-
mon. He was elected the first president of the Society,
built, at a cost of $30,000, the Observatory, and paid the
salary of its director until the fire of 1871. On his
retirement from the presidency of the Society in 1882,
the following was placed on the records :

" The Hon. John Young Scammon having resigned
the office of President of the Chicago Astronomical
Society, which office he has held from the organization
of the Society in 1862 to the present time, the directors
take this occasion to express their sense of obligation
for his untiring interest in the success of the Dearborn
Observatory, and for the munificent benefactions he
has bestowed upon it.

" It is to Mr. Scammon that the Society is indebted
for the tower of the Observatory, which he furnished
the means to erect at a cost of $30,000.

" Mr. Scammon also made a generous contribution
toward the purchase of the Great Refractor, and, in the
early history of the Society, the salary of the director
was for a considerable period paid entirely by the same
liberal hand.

" Whenever a history of Chicago shall be written in
which justice shall be done to those who have made our
city what it is, then will the name of J. Y. Scammon be
found to occupy an honored place in the records of
those whose benefactions have contributed most to the
growth and prosperity of the city and its institutions."

Mr. Scammon was married in Bath, Me., July — ,
1837, to Miss Mary Ann Haven Dearborn. They had
four children, two of whom survive. One daughter
died in infancy.

Charles Trufant was born July 7, 1840. His youth
was spent in Chicago. He was graduated from the
Chicago University and soon after entered the service
as a Lieutenant in the Ninth Illinois Cavalry. He was
subsequently appointed on the staff of General Steele,
and served through the war, bearing himself as a true
and brave soldier throughout. At the close of the war
he commenced the study of law in the office of that
eminent lawyer and statesman, Hon. George Evans,
Portland, Me. In 1869, having completed his legal
studies and been admitted to the Bar, he entered into
a copartnership with Robert T. Lincoln, who had been
a law student in the office of Scammon, McCagg &
Fuller. The career of the promising young firm was
cut short by the failing health and early death of young
Scammon. He died August 23, 1876.

Of the two surviving daughters, Florence A. D.
(now Mrs. J. S. Reed) was born in Chicago Novembers,
1844. She now resides in South Carolina. Arianna
Evans Scammon was born April 2, 1848, and is now a
resident of New York City. Mrs. Scammon died at
Soden, Nassau, Germany, ten miles from Frankfurt-on-
the-Main, July 9, 1858, where she was buried, and over
her remains rests an appropriate marble monument.

On December 5, 1867, Mr. Scammon married Mrs.
Maria Sheldon Wright.

William H. Brown was born in Connecticut about
1795. His father was a native of Rhode Island and by
profession a lawyer. He practiced for twenty-five

BANKS AN' I) BANKING.

553

years in Auburn, N. Y., and toward the end of bis life-
removed to New York City. Young Brown studied
law with his father, with whom he also practiced for a
short time, and then removed to Illinois Territory,
where he was licensed to practice September 28, [817.
He took up his residence in Kaskaskia as early as
December, 1818, and in the spring of 1819 was appointed
Clerk of the United States Court for Illinois, a position
he held untii 1835. On the change of the State capital
in 1820, he removed to Vandalia, where he purchased a
half interest in "The Illinois Intelligencer," established
in 1815, and the first newspaper published in Illinois, of
which he became the editor. In December, 1822, he
married Harriet C, daughter of Colonel John Seward,
of Montgomery County, 111.

In February, 1823, the pro-slavery faction in the
Legislature by the high handed methods, which became
historic, secured the passage of a resolution submitting
to the people a call for a constitutional convention, the
covert purpose of which was to legalize slavery in the
State. Mr. Brown's partner in the Intelligencer was
William Berry, a pro-slavery member of the Legislature;
and at this critical juncture in presence of so well de-
fined an issue, their views could not well be harmonized.
Mr. Brown's interest was bought out, but before the
close of the year the paper, in other hands, was again
brought under the influence of free principles, and for
eight months before the general election did good
service in securing the memorable victory for freedom
of August 2, 1824. In that contest Mr. Brown was one
of the working force which revolutionized the public
opinion of the State in that pivotal epoch of its history.

In October, 1835, he removed to Chicago, having
been appointed cashier of the branch of the State Bank
which was to be established here. December 5, 1835, he
formally announced the names of the officers of the
bank, which thereupon became an institution of the
ambitious and speculating town. In 1836 Mr. Brown
gave evidence of taste and wealth by building a ten
thousand dollar residence on the northwest corner of
Pine and Illinois streets.

In 1840 he was elected School Agent by a majority
of one, on the Whig ticket, having offered to serve with-
out salary. For thirteen years he filled that office with
marked efficiency and general acceptance. In that
relation, and as one of the Board of Inspectors he con-
tributed largely to the increasing success of the schools

of Chicago. December 8, 1S40, he delivered a lecture
before the Lyceum on "The Early History of Illinois;"
and January 20, 1842, one on "The Social and I
Rights of Women."

In 1845 Mr. Brown formed a partnership with
Alfred Cowles, a lawyer, and in 1840 lie was one of the
syndicate who bought the charter of the Galena & Chi-
cago Union Railroad from the estate of K. R. Hubbard,
deceased. In 1857 he built a more costly residence
than before on Michigan Avenue, keeping well to tin-
front in that class of expenditure by an outlay of
$30,000.

In i860 he was nominated for the State Legislature
by the Republicans, and worked hard for the sin < ess of
the party in the State and Nation. He was elected and
acquitted himself with credit in that position, b( ing
especially marked for his zeal in the support of the
national administration throughout the Civil War. De-
cember 5, 1864, he delivered a lecture before the Chi-
cago Historical Society, of which he had been the first
president, 1856 to 1863, on the "Early Movement in
Illinois for the Legalization of Slavery."

At the close of the war, Mr. Brown retired from
active business pursuits ; and, in 1866, accompanied by
Mrs. Brown, he went to Europe, partly for recreation
and partly in the hope of recruiting his failing health.
In Amsterdam he was taken ill with small-pox, and
while convalescing was struck with paralysis, of which he
died June 17, 1S67. All his children, four sons and
one daughter, with their mother, survived to mourn his
loss, surrounded by the regret and respect of the whole
community.

On three critical occasions in the life of the State,
the city, and the Nation, respectively, Mr. Brown was
not only on the right, but also the victorious side ; and
he has deservedly taken high rank among his fellow-
citizens as a philanthropist, a friend of education and a
patriot. The public cannot minutely discriminate
between good fortune and victorious choice ; and, if it
could, there is no doubt that Mr. Brown would be
entitled to its applause on the higher ground. Intel-
lectually, he was not great, but his talents were respect-
able ; and though perhaps opinionated and stubborn,
as the wont of successful men, he was esteemed for his
kindness of heart by those who knew him best.*

* If a more extended analysis nf Mr. Brown's character be thought desir-
able, see Dr. Patterson's tribute to his memory. — Fergus 6, p. xi.,ctc.

TRADE, COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.

PRIMITIVE PERIOD— 1833 to 1848.

Chicago has now the largest trade and the most
extended commerce of any inland city in the world. It
is the most important primary market in the world for
cereals, live stock, and all their manufactured products,
such as flour, pork, lard, beef, tallow, etc.

The commerce of Chicago began quite early, as the
reader well knows who has read the history of the
American Fur Company and the Government Factories,
both of which had agencies there at a very early time in
its history. Chicago had nothing to export, except
furs and peltry, until 1833. Up to that time there were
no products of husbandry raised west of Lake Michi-
gan in sufficient quantity to more than supply the wants
of the resident people. The records prior to that date
showed that each vessel which arrived at the port of
Chicago brought passengers and provisions, and took
little back. Indeed, the balance of trade was most
sadly against the port. When the first modern mer-
chants established themselves in Chicago, they did not
look for any profit from an export trade, but entirely
from the sale of goods brought from the East. Among
them were flour, wheat for seed), beef, pork, and nearly
all the ordinary necessities of life.

It is stated by Judge Caton that, as late as 1836,
during the fall, an actual scarcity of provisions prevailed,
and quite a panic set in among the inhabitants. Some
of the merchants — all, in fact, but George W. Dole —
put up the price of flour, of which they held but small
stocks, to the exorbitant price of $28 per barrel. Mr.
Dole, who held the largest stock, not only refused to
take an interest in this first " Chicago corner," but
actually broke it by refusing to sell to these extortionate
dealers, while he, himself, continued to sell at retail, at
the old price of $11, until further supplies arrived.

From 1832 to 1838 the incoming settlers consumed
nearly all the products of those who had come before
them. Those who had raised crops in 1833 found a
ready market for their surplus among the comers of
1834, who, in turn, found an equally urgent demand for
their products in the increasing throng of emigrants of
the succeeding year. The early trade and traffic in
furs, or the correlative barter of goods in exchange for
them, could hardly be classed even as the beginning of
Chicago commerce. The Factory at Chicago and the
agents of the American Fur Company show in their
ro ords all that will ever be known of early Chicago
commerce. The vast commerce of the city to-day has
n<; connection with :t whatever. The Indian trade was
virtually extinct before the American commerce which
now centers at ( 'hicago had begun. Only a single man
Gurdon S. Hubbard became identified with the modern
commerce and trade of the city, who had been connect-
ed with the rude Indian traffic which centered in
(.'hicago in the earlier times.

I he beginning of what is now the vast trade and
commerce of Chicago dates back to the spring of 1833,
at which time the first invoice of what might be termed
the first products of civilized industry was shipped from

the port of Chicago to an Eastern market. The
slaughtering of cattle and swine seems to have furnished
the first surplus products for export. The early history
of that branch of industry has been told elsewhere.
George W, Dole made the first shipment of beef in bar-
rels in the spring of 1S33, which is believed to be the
first consignment of Western products to Eastern mar-
kets, excepting furs, peltry, and hides, ever shipped as
a commercial venture from Chicago. The bill of
lading read as follows:

"Shipped in good order and well conditioned by New-
berry & Dole, on board the schooner called ' Napoleon,' whereof
is master for the present voyage John Stewart, now lying in the
port of Chicago, and bound for Detroit. — To say:
O. Newberry, Detroit :
287 barrels beef.
14 " tallow.

2 " bees-wax — 1155-4, 94/4- 2IO/4-
152 dry hides, weighing 4659 pounds.
" Being marked and numbered as in the margin, and to be
delivered at the port of Detroit in like good order, (the dangers of
the lakes and rivers to be excepted,) unto consignees or to their as-
signees— he or they paying freight at per barrel bulk.

" In imtness whereof, the master of said vessel hath affirmed to
two bills of lading, all of this tenor and date, one of which to be
accomplished, the other to stand void.

"JOHN STEWART.
" Dated, Chicago, April 17, 1833."

From this first shipment dates the beginning of
Chicago commerce. Following soon after came the
trade in lumber, which, so soon as the town and tribu-
tary country began to be settled, became a most impor-
tant article of import. A large part of the region west
of Chicago was prairie with large areas destitute of tim-
ber, and the forests of Michigan and Wisconsin, along
the lake shore, became early sources of wealth to the
enterprising lumbermen; and building material became
the second essential article of Chicago commerce.
Charles Cleaver, in a letter written, descriptive of Chi-
cago, in 1833, says that the stock of lumber at that
time in the town did not exceed ten thousand feet, and
that prices ranged from $60 to $70 per thousand. Two
small saw-mills, one, (water-power) some six miles up
the North Branch; and the other (steam-power), owned
by Captain Huntoon, south of the present line of Divi-
sion Street, cut such timber as grew in the vicinity. It
was generally of small growth and of varieties not valu-
able for building purposes: mostly oak, elm, poplar
and white ash. Of course, with such a meager supply
of growing timber and such inadequate facilities for its
manufacture, the commerce in lumber was evolved from
necessity, so soon as the town began to grow and the
surrounding country began to be settled.

David Carver was the first lumber merchant in Chi-
cago, and the first to inaugurate that important branch
of commerce. He came to Chicago in 1833, either in
the spring or early summer. He owned a schooner,
named for himself, the "David Carver," which plied as
a lumber craft — probably the first — between St. Joseph,
Mich., and Chicago. It was sometime during the
summer or fall of that year that he brought in the first
cargo of lumber, and started the first lumber yard in the
city. He worked his vessel into the main river, and

TRADE, COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES.

555

discharged his cargo of pine on the south bank, between
LaSalle and Wells streets, where the first lumber yard
was thus started. Two years later, Kinzie, Hunter &
Co., Jones, Clark & Co., and perhaps others had
engaged in the business ; quite a lumber fleet was
employed, and Chicago became the great center of
lumber trade, which trade has ever since been an essen-
tial element in its commercial importance.

With the exception of the lumber trade and the
shipment of beef and pork, both of which branches
increased in amount and importance from year to year,
the commerce of Chicago was still one of large receipts
of food, clothing material, building material, agricultural
implements, etc., etc., with small exports in return. It
was not until 1838 that Chicago, now the greatest pri-
mary grain market in the world, exported its first invoice
of wheat. It amounted to seventy-eight bushels, and was
shipped in bags to Buffalo, on the steamer "Great
Western," by Charles Walker, of the firm of Walker &
Co. The following year (1839) Messrs. Newberry & Dole
commenced as shippers of wheat, on a scale which com-
pletely overshadowed Walker in the magnitude of the
business done. Governor Bross, in one of his historical
papers in 186S, writes of this early shipment and of the
elevator facilities of the time as follows :

" The history of the next shipment, in 1839, of
three thousand six hundred and seventy-eight bushels,
on board the brig ' Osceola,' is scarcely less interest-
ing. It was made by Newberry & Dole, whose ware-
house was on the North Side, immediately east of
where Rush-street bridge now stands. The wheat was
bought from farmers' wagons and hoisted to the upper
story by Irish power, with rope and pully. The problem
of loading on the brig was solved by fixing a spout in
one of the upper doors and making it gradually nar-
row till it reached the deck, where the wheat was dis-
charged into boxes holding four bushels, weighed and
transferred into the hold of the vessel."

A reminiscence of this period in the commercial
history of the city appeared in the Democrat of Sep-
tember 25, 1848, from which are given the following
extracts:

" In 1S30 Chicago was a mere trading post, where some one hun-
dred persons, principally Government agents, troops, Indian
traders, etc., resided. In 1831 there was but one store, and that
was kept by G. W. Dole inside the palisades of the fort.* From
this year until 1839 the post and country, to the distance of one
hundred miles and over, was supplied with the necessities of life —
flour, corn, pork, beans — from the East, principally from Ohio. \
In 1S39 the export trade commenced. That year a vessel which
came to this port with seven hundred barrels of flour returned to
Ohio without disposing of the article. This year also the first
cargo of wheat was shipped from this port by Giles Williams. The
pile of wheat lay in a shanty where the Winslow warehouse now
stands (South Water, between Dearborn and Clark streets), and
was quite a curiosity at the time. This was the commencement of
the export trade, which in 1842 ran up to 586,907 bushels of
wheat and 2,920 barrels of flour."

The above extracts mention a shipment of wheat
in 1839, other than that of Newberry & Dole before
mentioned. It is possible that there is a confusion in
names, and that both accounts refer to the same ship-
ment.

It appears that at that time the importation of flour
to Chicago ceased, and from that date the city became
an exporting point, not only for provisions, burfer wheat
and flour. The commodities heretofore named as first
becoming articles of commerce have ever since been
the most important in the trade of the city, and the con-

• other trade

Chi-

* The writer is not historically correct. The
cago at that time. See early history.

t The writer is in error concerning the article of pork. Both beel and
pork were in fair supply after 1834. There were slaughtered that year in Chi-
cago 4,400 hogs and 1,000 cattle.

stantly increasing volumes of trade in them has been
a never failing source of prosperity. As the country
became settled, the agricultural products became more
diversified, ami, with the increased facilities lot trans-
portation, first by the completion of the canal, and later
by the railroad system, all the diversified produ< Not the
richest and most extended agricultural region on the
continent, poured with a never ceasing stream through
the marts of the growing city, increasing its wealth and
importance, in a ratio from year to year such as was
never known before in the history of any commercial
city on the earth. The wonderful growth of Chicago's
.trade cannot be told in narrative. It is a matter of
comparative statistics, and will be thus treated further
on. Supplementary to the export of heel" and pork
in 1833, and wheat in 1839, flour was fust exported in
1839, in small quantity, by John Gage. Corn, now the
most important cereal raised in the West, and the largest
in quantity of any exported, was not shipped in large
amount until 1847. Although raised in large quantity
it was fed to stock, or otherwise found a local consump-
tion until long after the surplus wheat had become a
regular article of export.

In 1841, a memorial was presented to Congress for a
further appropriation for the improvement of the harbor
of Chicago, and for other relief. It was accompanied
by most elaborate statistics of the trade and commerce
of the city during the preceding six years and a full
list of the mercantile firms which had suspended busi-
ness since 1837.* The memorial was drawn and the
statistics compiled by the late Thomas Hoyne, and are,
so far as can be found, the only comprehensive statistics
of Chicago trade and commerce, in the articles men-
tioned, compiled during the period treated, sufficiently
accurate to be deemed of historic value. His statement
of the trade and commerce of the city for the years 1836
to 1841, inclusive, with names of dealers, description of
products, and valuation, is given below:

1836 — Walker & Co. exported $1,000 in hides.

1837 — Walker ct Co. exported $10,000 in hides, and
Absalom Funk $1,000 in beef and pork. Total,
$1 1,000.

1838 — Walker & Co. $25,000 in hides and thirty-nine
bags of wheat shipped in the steamer " Great Western";
Funk, $1,000 in beef and pork. Total, $26,000.

1839 — Walker & Co., $15,000 in hides ; Giles Will-
iams & Co., forty-three thousand six hundred and ninety-
five bushels of wheat, f $6,000, and corn and flour,
$780; C. McDonnell, merchandise, $1,000; John
Gage, flour, $2,063 ; Payne & Norton, pork, beef and
lard, $10,000; and Funk, beef and pork, $1,000. Total,
$35-843- Newberry & Dole shipped three thousand
six hundred and seventy-eight bushels of wheat on the
"Osceola" in October.

1840 — C. Walker & Co., hides and wheat, $185,000;
Giles, Williams & Co., wheat, corn, flour, pork, beef,
tallow and hams, $5,280 ; Church lV- Selden, white
beans, $50 ; L. Lynd cV Co., flour, salt and pork, $t8o ;
C. McDonnell, merchandise, $1,000; B. W. Raymond,
flour, wool, pork, wheat and beans, $3,000; S. 11 Col-
lins, lead, $150 ; John Gage, flour, $626; Crawford &
Harvey, wheat, $1,552 ; Bristol & Porter, wheat. $io,-
120; John Finnerts, hides and furs, $2,000 ; Payne &

* The list of suspended firms appears elsewhere, in its proper historic con-

t There is no record of the shipment of this wheal to .my Eastern market.
It was probably bought of fanners and sold t> the local trade of the city and

surrounding country. The same may be said ol i_ considerable portionof the
hides, provisions, flour, corn, and otlu-r commodities mentioned in the report.
The statement is valuable .is showing the growth "f tr.ol.- in these important
commodities, whether they were shipped to Eastern markets or sold al horn.-.
It is a comprehensive statement ol thi whole trade of the city embracing not
only the exports, but the home trad. also.

5>6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Norton, pork, beef and lard, $6.700 ; H. C. Stone,
wheat, flaxseed and beans. §2.271 ; Gurnee & Mattison,
hides and furs, $9-454 : Funk, beef and pork, $1,500.
Total. $228,883.

1841. — \V. W. Saltonstall, 7,326 bushels of wheat,
$6,165 ! C- talker & Co., 42,200 bushels of wheat,
$29,536; W. L. Whiting, 94,548 bushels of wheat,
$75,362 ; H. Norton & Co., 24,03s bushels of wheat,
and 170 barrels of pork, $24,432: Giles, Williams &
Co., 43.695 bushels of wheat, 1.781 bushels of corn, 553
barrels of flour, 141 barrels of pork, 401 barrels of
beef, 2,718 hams, ^t; bushels of grass seed, 39 bushels
of beans. $33,733: Church & Selden, i62I/2 barrels of
beans, $414.50 ; Harmon & Lewis, 8 tons of lead, $640;
Lynd & Co., 70 barrels of flour, salt and pork, $240 ;
C. McDonnell, merchandise. $1,500; B. W. Raymond,
pork, beans, flour, wheat and wool, $6,000 ; Hiram
Norton, butter. $200: G. W. Merrill, 12,212 bushels of
wheat, $9,359 ; John Gage, flour, 1,852 barrels, $6,144.-
75 : Crawford & Harvey, 18,700 bushels of wheat, and
1,000 barrels of beef and pork, $21,200; Dodge &
Tucker, pork, lard and hams, $5,000 ; Bristol & Porter,
19,493 bushels of wheat, $10,120; Payne & Norton,
pork, beef and lard, $2,000 ; H. Buht, furs, $3,000 ; H.
O. Stone, flour, pork, flaxseed and beans, $1,044; S.
T. Otis, pork, hams and lard, $500 ; Gurnee & Mat-
tison, hides and furs, $17,500; Absalom Funk,
beef and pork, $1,200; M. & S. Co., beef and pork,
$1,000 ; Smith & Webster, 42,000 bushels of wheat
with beef, pork and flour, $72,000. Total, $328,290.25.

The statement also comprised the following schedule
of products, shipped during the period which could not
be apportioned :

Shipped by Newberry & Dole, 6,627 barrels of pork,
beef, flour and whisky, valued at $60,270 ; 50,136 bush-
els of wheat, $50,136; 704 packages of furs, $7,000;
3,235 hides, $9,705 ; 40 tons of lead and shot, $800.

Shipped by W. S. Whiting, 566 tons of pork, beef,
flour and whisky, valued at $33,360.

Shipped by Smith & Webster, 3,450 barrels of beef,
pork and flour, valued at $20,700.

Shipped by Bristol & Porter, 17,057 barrels of pro-
visions and flour, valued at $102,402 ; 244 tons of mer-
chandise. $14,000; 6,223 hides, $18,669; and 421
packages of furs, $4,210. Total shipments above
named, $321 2^2.

The aggregate value of the trade in produce and
native products for six years, as shown in the foregoing
statements, is summarized as follows:

1836, $1,000; 1837, $11,000; 1838, $26,000; 1839,
\y, 1840, $228,883; 1841, $328,290.25;

Total $631,01625

Newberry & Dole and other shippers, not in above. . 321,252 00

ARTICLES EXPORTED IN THE YEAR 1S43

Total for six years, 1836 to 1841, inclusive.

52,268 25

The commerce of Chicago for this period, and for
the two succeeding years, so far as imports and exports
showed, was, according to the records of Captain Seth
Johnson, Deputy Collector of the port, as shown in the
following tabulated statements:

EXPORTS.

1836 $ 1,000 64

1837 11,06500

1838 16,044 75

'839 33.843 00

1840 228,635 74

1841 348,362 24

1842 659,305 20

1843 682,210 85

IMT'ORTS.

1836 $325,203 90

1837 373,667 12

1838 579.174 6l

1839 630,980 26

184O 562, 106 20

1841 564.347 88

1842 664,347 88

>843 971.849 75

Wheat 628,967 bus.

Corn 2,443 "

Oats 3,767 "

Flaxseed 1,920 "

Pork 11, 112 bbl.

Lard 2,823 "

Beef 10,38c "

Tallow 1,133 "

Hides 14,536

Tobacco. 74

Lead 360

Wool 22

Candles 4

Soap 5

Packages Furs...

Brooms

Flour 10,

900 lbs.

000 "

050 "

900 "

300 "
393

180 doz.

786 bbl.

ARTICLES IMPORTED IN THE YEAR 1S43.

Merchandise . . 2,012 tons
" . . 101,470 pckgs.

Salt 27,03s bbl.

Whisky 2,585 "

Lumber 7,545,142 feet

Shingles 4,117,025

Square timber. . . 16,600 feet

Staves 57,000

Bark 430 cds.

The shipments of wheat and flour up to the year
1842, inclusive, were given by early statisticians as
follows:

Wheat, 1838, 78 bushels; 1839, 3.678 bushels; 1840,
10,000 bushels; 1841, 40,000 bushels; 1842, 586,907
bushels. Flour, 1842, 2,920 barrels, which was the first
considerable shipment recorded in the annals of the
trade.

No reliable statistics of the shipment of corn are
extant earlier than 1847, although unimportant ship-
ments were made prior to that date. In 1847, 67,315
bushels were shipped to Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit,
and other Eastern markets, the immense export trade in
that cereal being inaugurated that year.

Oats also appears for the first time in the statistics
of the year 1847, as an article of export, 38,892 bushels
being shipped.

The first shipment of wool, 1,500 pounds, was made
in 1842.

The following price current, from the Daily Amer-
ican, April 11, 1840, shows the variety of commodities
then dealt in, and the prevailing prices at that time:

Provisions.' —

Beef, per 100 ft $ 4.00 @. $ 4.50

Pork, per IOO lb 5.00 @

Pork, per bbl 12.00 @

Hams, smoked per 100 lb 9.00 @

Lard, per 100 ft 9.00 @

Butter, per 100 ft 15.00 (g)

Cheese, per 100 ft 10.00 @

Flour: —

Wheat, superfine, per 100 ft 2.00 @,

Wheat, fine, per 100 ft

Wheat, superfine, per bbl 4.25 @

Wheat, fine, per bbl 3.25 @

Corn Meal, per bushel 44 @

Buckwheat, none.

Grain: —

Wheat, winter, per bushel. ...

Wheat, spring, per bushel ,

Corn, per bushel

Oats, per bushel

Barley, per bushel

5.50
1400
10.00
10.00
20.00
12.00

.56 @

•44

@

.38

® .

.20

@ .

•38

@

Vegetables: —

Potatoes, per bushel 19 @

Turnips, per bushel 19 @.

Onions, per bushel 63 @

Beans, per bushel 63 @

Fruit: —

Apples, green, per barrel 4.50 @.

Apples, dried, per bushel 2.00 @

Peaches, dried, per bushel 3.75 @

Cranberries, none.

Raisins, per box 2.75 @

Raisins, per ^ box 1.62 @

.25
• 25

■ 75

■ 75

5.00
2.25
4.00

3.00
1-75

TRADE, COMMERCE AND MANUFACTl RES.

557

Groceries: —

Sugar, St. Croix, per cwt 12.00 @ 14.00

Porto Rico, per cwt 11.00 @ 11.50

Muscovado, per cwt 10.50(g), 11.00

New Orleans, per cwt 10.00 @ 10.50

Maple, per cwt 12.00 @ 13.00

Lump, per cwt 17.00(g) 17.50

Loaf, per cwt iS 75 @ 20.00

Molasses, per gallon 60 (gj .75

Tea, Imperial, per lb SS (g) 1.13

Gunpowder, per Tb 75 @ .88

Old Hyson, per tb - 75 @ 1.00

Young Hyson, per lb 56(g) .75

Brandy, Seignette, per gallon 2.00 @ 2.50

American, per gallon 1. 00 (g). 1.50

Gin, Holland, per gallon 1.75 @ 2.00

Columbia, per gallon 1.00 @ 1. 12

Barbers, per gallon 1.00 @ 1.12

Rum, St. Croix, per gallon 1.75 @ 2.00

New England, per gallon 88 @ 1.00

Wine, Madeira, per gallon 1.50 @, 3.00

Port, per gallon ... 1.25 @ 3.00

Malaga, per gallon 1.25 @ 2.00

Whisky, per gallon 40 @ .44

Salt, per bbl 3.00 @ 3.25

White fish, per bbl 10.00

White fish, per ',< bbl 5.50

Mackerel, No. 1, per bbl 14.00

Mackerel, No. 2, per bbl 11.50

Mackerel, No. 3, per bbl 8.00

Dry Codfish, per cwt 7.00® 8.00

Haddock, per cwt 4 00 @ 5.00

Soap, New York, per lb 08 @ .og

Soap, Chicago, per lb 07 @ .08

Candle mould.

Hull & Son, New York, per lb 21 @ .22

Colgate, New York, per tb- 21 @ .22

Chicago, pei lb 16 @ .18

Furs and Skins: —

Otter, per skin .. . . 4.00 @ 6.00

Fox, per skin 1.00

Deer, per skin 75 @ 1.00

Raccoon, per skin 38© .50

Mink, per skin 3S © .44

Muskrat, per skin 03© .10

Hides:—

Green, per lb 04® 4^

Dried, per lb 08 @ .10

Lumber: —

Clear, per M 1S.00 @ 20.00

Merchantable, per M 12.00 @ 14.00

Flooring, per M 14.00 @ 16.00

Siding, per M 14-°° @ 16.00

Refuse, per M 8.00 @ 10.00

Shingles, per M 2.50® 4.00

Wood: -

Hickorv, per cord 4-00

Oak.pe'rcord 3-25 @ 3-5°

From the foregoing the reader may trace the growth
of the commerce of Chicago from its beginning in 1833
to 1843, at which time the city had fairly taken its place
as the most important inland commercial mart in the
country. In 1842, for the first time the exports were more
than the imports. The succeeding five years to the close
of 1847, at which time the Chicago Board of Trade was
organized, the increase in the commerce and trade of
the city kept pace with its own marvelous growth, and
the rapid settlement and development of the vast region
lying to the west and northwest, which then and ever
since has been tributary to it.

The imports from the beginning showed the impor-
tance of Chicago as a distributing point for general
merchandise, and marked it as the central inland em-
porium of trade it has since become. It is unnecessary
in this connection to trace, except so far as appears
statistically, the growth of the trade in dry goods, gro-
ceries, crockery, hardware, and other branches of mer-
chandising from the beginning. The columns in the
tables given and to be given, showing the increase oi
imports' from year to year, are sufficient. They show

that in the distribution of goods tin- city has, in its
increase, kept even pace with its exports of the natural
products, and that it has with uninterrupted pr<
come to be, not only the greatest inland mail
cereals and provisions, but the greatest inland distribut-
ing point for general merchandise in the world. So,
from the small beginnings hen recorded each year,
the increasing tides of trade have ebbed and flowed,
carrying out the golden harvest to feed the nations, and
bringing in the products and manufactures of other
climes and other people for the enrichment, enjoyment,
and comfort of the millions who now at knowledge < 'hi
cago as their great emporium.*

Supplementary to statistii s already given, the follow-
ing shows the growth of trade and commerce foi th<
succeeding five years, from [844 to [847, inclusive:

IMPORTS.

1841 $ 564.347 88

1S42 800,427 24

1843 1,435. S86 70

1S44 1,686,41600

1S45 2,043,445 73

1846 2,027,150 00

1847 2.641,852 52

EXPORTS.

1841 S 34s. -".J 2|

1S42 659,302 20

1S43 [,OOS,2l '7 'it

■S44 78!

1S45 1. 541'. = i'i - =

1S46 1,813,46800

1S47 2,296,299 00

The leading articles of export were:

1842
1843-
1844.
1845.
1846.
1S47.

Wheat, bu.

587,207
628,966
891,894
956,860
1.459.594
1,974,304

2,920
10,876

6,320
13.752
28,045
32.53S

16,209
21.795
M.93S
13,268
31,224

(- (|2(l

I,500
22,952

96,635

216, till!
281,222
411.488

As showing the character and variety of the general
mercantile trade of the city in 1S47, the following
analytical table of the imports of that year are given.
The amount of goods, wares, and merchandise received
at Chicago from the opening of navigation in 1847 to
November 1 of the same year, not including goods
landed here and taken to the interior, compiled from
the original invoices of merchants, was as follows:

Liquors $86,334 67

Tobacco and cigars. 3.716 00

Ship chandlery 23.000 00

Tools & hardware . . 15.000 00

Furniture trimming. 5,564 07

Glass S.949 24

Scales 4.044 55

Coaches, etc 1 , 500 00

Looking glasses, etc. 2.50000

Marble Soo 00

Oysters 2,50000

Sportsmen's articles. 2.000 00

Musical instruments. 6.426 00

Machinery, etc 30,000 00

Dry goods $837,451 22

Groceries 506,027 56

Hardware 148,811 50

Iron and nails 88,275 00

Stoves and hol'ware 68,612 00

Crockery 30, 505 00

Boots and shoes. ... 94,27500
Hats, caps and furs. 68,200 00

Jewelry, etc 51,000 00

Books and station'y. 43,58000

Printing paper 7.2S4 11

Presses, type, and

printing materials 7,432 50
Drugs & medicines. 92,081 41

. Paints and oils 25,46000

Total value of imports of merchandise $2,259,309 S3

The total value of miscellaneous articles imported in
1847, exclusive of lumber, and not included in the
above, was $117,210.29. It comprised: S;dt, 24,817
bbls., and 5,537 sacks; coal, 15,782 tons; water lime.
1,618 bu.; besides grindstones, iron, fish, cider, and
other articles altogether of considerable value.

The amount of lumber, etc., received tit Chicago for

* The city from the beginning did a large retail trade in dry goods, gro-
ceries, hardware, h sand stuns, etc., with the settlers of the surrounding

country. The wholesale tradeindryg Is n.i. started in 1-1, . by Hamilton

ft Day. Cooley, Wadsworth ft < ■■ . need wholesaling

dry goods on a large s. ale, and for years did 1

throughout the West. In hardware and iron. William Blair was the pioneer in
the wholesale trade, which he began in |S,4. 1 he wholesale trade ill .
hce,an quite earlv, but the question as towhowas the hrsl wholes.,.

cannot be definitely decided. The jobbing trade in clothin)

11 \. Huntingdon, in No' b '■ idsworth

ft Parks. Their sales for the first yearamounted 1 | Mender-

sond Co. were the iirsi wholesale ind shoes, beginning in a

small way in 1851. O. F. Fuller commenced the wholesale trade in dm
and chemicals in 1852.

55«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

1S47. from the opening of navigation to November 1,
was as follows:

Plank, boards, etc., ft. 32,11s, 225

Shingles, M 12,148,500

Lath, M 5.655.700

Square timber, feet. 24,000

Shingles-bolts, cords. . . . 32S
Tanner's bark, cords. ... 600

Staves 50,000

Spokes 109,000

Total value, $265,332.50.

The exports from the port of Chicago during navi-
gation season of 1S47, were as follows :

Wheat, bushels 1,974,304

Flour, barrels 32,59s

Corn, bushels 67,315

Oats, " 3S,Sg2

Beef, barrels, 26.S04

Pork, " 22,416

Hams and shoulders. . 47,24s

Tallow, pounds 208,435

Butter, " 47,536

Beans, bushels , 440

Wool, pounds 411, oSS

Tobacco, " 2S.423

Lard, 139,069

Leather, " 2,740

Beeswax. " 5.39°

Oil, gallons S,7g3

Lead, pounds 10.254

Hemp, " 6,521

Flax Seed, bushels 2,262

Mustard Seed, bushels... 520

Timothy " " ■• 536

Hay, tons 415

Cranberries, bushels 250

Buffalo Robes, bales. . . 60

Dry Hides 8,774

Deer Skins, pounds 28,259

Sheep Pelts - 1,1 33

Furs, packages 27S

Ginseng, pounds 3,625

Ashes, barrels 16

Bristles, pounds 4, 548

Glue, " 2,480

Brooms 3, 168

White-fish, barrels 1,229

Barley, bushejs 400

Value, $2,296,299.

Besides a large amount of merchandise, produce,
provisions, grain, horses, cattle, salt, and supplies of all
kinds sent to the lumber and mining regions, and differ-
ent ports on the upper and lower lakes.*

The preceding pages have given a history of the
commerce of Chicago from its beginning to a time
when it was primarily established; and had attained such
magnitude and importance as to have evolved a com-
mercial association, the Chicago Board of Trade, which
thereafter became the exponent of mercantile thought
and the representative of the executive force of trade in
the city. The specific history of this organization will
be given further on.

From the annual reports of the Chicago Daily Dem-
ocratic Press, the less elaborate reports of other con-
temporaneous journals, the reports of Federal officials,
and from all other accessible sources of information, the
following tables have been compiled showing statistically
the commercial progress of Chicago from 184810 1857.!

Jesse B. Thomas's Statistical Report,
t The tables, to insure perspicuity, havi
beycnd the date mentioned.

RECEIPTS.

\ EAR.

Timber, Hoards,
Planks, Etc.

Shingles.

Lath.

Shipments.

1847

184S . . .
1849

1850 . . ,

1853

1854

1855

1856 , , ,

1857

32,118,225
60,009,250
72,259,553
100,364,779
125,056,437
147,816,232
202,IOI,09S
228.336,783
306,553,467
456,673,169
459,639,19s

12,148,500
20,000,000
39.057.750
55.423,750
60,23S,25O
70,080,500

93.483.784
28,061,250
158,770,860
135,076,000
131.832,250

5,655,700

10,025,109

19,281,733

19,809,700

27,583,475
19,759,670
39,133,116
32,431,550
46,487,550

79,235,120
80,130,000

228,336,783
306,553,457
456,673,169
459,639,19s

1853.

1854.
1855-
IS56.
1857.

IS4S
IS49
1850.
IS5I.
1852.
1853.

IS54-
1855-
1856.
1857-

' Receipts by

lake and rail,

Pounds.

1,943.415
1,853,920
1,106,821

500,000
520,242
913, 6S1

1,088,553
920,143
953. 100
536,791

2,158 462
575,90s

1,062,881

20 @ 23
25 @ 30
25 @ 30
25 @ 4°
18 @ 37
35 @ 50
20 @ 30
20 @ 38
20 @ 37
25 @ 42

25,Sg3
25,486
2S,6o6

31,149

70,560
I7L770

tSlaughtered

in Chicago,

Number.

22,032
33,658
14,560
33,966
117, 2S4
$334

Shipments,

47,925
59- M4
43. I66

65. "5

187, S84
172,104

instances, been extended

* The receipts by teams, which some years were considerable, were r
ported. It is estimated by old dealers that, during the years treated, th
not less than 200,000 per year thus marketed in the city.

t This column shows the number of hides taken from the slaughte
of the city, less the number manufactured into leather in the Chicago ta
The number thus consumed annually is not known.

t During 1857 the local demand from the tanneries nearly equaled the local
supply.

TRADE FROM 1848 to 1857.

559

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;6o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

PRIMITIVE MANUFACTURES.

Following, in good time, the ample supply of grain,
cattle, hogs and other products of the field and farm,
came the establishment of various branches of depend-
ent manufacture — milling, slaughtering, packing, ren-
dering, soap and candle making, brewing, distilling,
tanning, glue making, etc., which, as distinguished from
the more intricate and varied manufactures of wood

ucts, and were naturally the outgrowth of a bounteous
supply of the raw products of the soil. Other manufact-
ures are treated elsewhere. It will be interesting to
note in future volumes the immense development of
these primitive branches of manufacture, and to mark
how largely the manufactures of the great city have
sprung from the agricultural products of which it is the
great mart.

Of the branches above enumerated, the most impor-

2-^ \ .-" A - rJ !;■

FAT CATTLE FAIR IN 1856.

and metal, may be termed primitive manufactures.
Of these there were in Chicago, in 1857, well-estab-
lished, the following branches, with capital invested,
value of manufactures, and number of hands employed,
as below stated:

Description of Business.

Capital
Invested.

Annual
Product.

Hands
Employed.

Flour

lieef and pork

Soap, candles, lard, etc. .
(jlue and neats-foot oil . .

liijjh wines, beer and ale .

$325,000
154,100
296,000
20,000
15,000
497,000
332,000

S 636,569

1,250,000

528,021

25,000

75,000

1,150,320

432,000

73
175
100
15
25
165

$1,639,100

$4,096,910

679

The above statistics are only of such branches of
manufacture as spring directly from agricultural prod-

tant up to 1857 were: milling, packing, brewing and
distilling, and tanning hides; and their gradual devel-
opment is deemed worthy of further specific mention.
Packing Houses and Meat Products. — The first
slaughter-house was built on the south bank of the North
Branch of the Chicago River, south of the Blooming-
dale Road and opposite the North Chicago Rolling
Mills. The site of the original log slaughter-house,
built by Archibald Clybourne in 1827, for the killing of
such cattle as were required by the garrison at Fort
Dearborn, is now (1883) occupied by an old frame
building that was used by Archibald Clybourne, also as
a slaughter-house, now falling into pieces from sheer
old age and dry rot. In October, 1832, George W.
Dole packed one hundred and fifty-two head of cattle
for Oliver Newberry, of Detroit, which were purchased
of Charles Reed, of Hickory Creek, at $2.75 per hun-
dred pounds; the hides and tallow being a perquisite of
the slaughterers, who, in this instance, were John and
Mark Noble, and the cattle were killed on the prairie,

PRIMITIVE MANUFACTURES.

5*i

near what is now the corner of Michigan Avenue and
Madison Street. The packing-house was near the
southeast corner of Dearborn and South Water streets;
the barrels in which the beef was packed being brought
from, and the beef shipped to, Detroit. In December,
1832, three hundred and thirty-eight hogs were killed
and packed by Mr. Dole; they were purchased from
John Blackstone for $3 per one hundred pounds net,
and were killed in the back yard of the warehouse and
salted and stowed away in bulk until barrels could be
made during the winter. Elias Colbert states, in his
History of Chicago, that these meats were sent to New
York from Detroit; also that in an old account book of
Mr. Dole's was an entry of a sale of a barrel of mess-
pork at $6 and of a barrel of "one hog pork" at §14.
The following year Archibald Clybourne, the Govern-
ment butcher for the Pottawatomies, engaged in the
packing business, at his log slaughter-house on tl.e east
side of the North Branch, where he packed some two
hundred and fifty head of cattle and about two thousand
hogs; at this place also George W. Dole packed two
hundred and fifty head of cattle and one thousand hogs;
the average cost of the cattle was $2.80, and of the hogs
$3 per hundred pounds net. In 1834, Oliver Newberry
and George W. Dole had a slaughter-house erected on
the South Branch of the river, where some three hun-
dred head of cattle and fourteen hundred hogs were
packed during the year. Gurdon S. Hubbard also
commenced packing during 1834 in the old bank build-
ing, corner of Lake and La Salle streets, but, in conse-
quence of the lack of barrels, the five thousand hogs
killed had to be stowed away in bulk until the ensuing
spring, when barrels were brought from Cleveland at a
cost of $1 apiece. In 1837-38 Mr. Hubbard built a
packing-house on Kinzie Street, near Rush Street,
where he carried on business until 1840, when he built
a house on South Water Street, between Clark and
LaSalle streets. There he continued the packing busi-
ness until 1848, when he removed to the North Branch.
In 1836, Sylvester Marsh, who packed with Mr. Hub-
bard from 1833 until 1834, built a packing-house on
Kinzie Street, near Rush Streetj and in 1838, or 1839,
entered into partnership with George W. Dole.

Mr. Marsh remained in business in Chicago until
1855. He was, in the fall of 1883, still alive, and a resi-
dent of Concord, N. H. On October 22, 1883, he
appeared before the United States Senate committee on
education and labor, then in session at Boston, and,
prompted by the questions of the members, told the
interesting story of his long and busy life. From the
published interview the extracts below are taken :

Q. Where were you born ?

A. In Campton, X. II.

Q. That is about how far north from here ?

A. I5v the old stage route it would be about one hundred and
seventeen miles.

Q. You may state the places where you have since resided,
without, at present, giving any particulars with regard to your resi-
dence.

A. I was born in 1S03, and resided in New Hampshire until I
was nineteen.

Q. At Campton ?

A. Yes. From Campton I came to Boston; from Boston
I went to Ashtabula County, Ohio ; from Ohio to Chicago ; 1 1 was
in Davenport, Iowa, in 1S52-53, but did not stay there much); from
Chicago I came back to Jamaica Plain, near Boston, in 1855; was
there six years; went back to Chicago and staid there three years,
until 1863. In 1S63 I went to Brooklyn, N. V., and was there
from 1863 until 1S64. I went from there to Littleton. \. II..
for the purpose of building the railroad up Mount Washington 1
lived there fifteen years and then came to Concord, where 1 now
live.

Q. You are the inventor and constructor of the Mount Wash-
ington Railroad?
36

A. Ves, sir.

Q Wv objeel hi 1 g your testimony i , bj the statement of

j '"11 ' ■;■■ ive the

people ol ■

the American peopli , and of thi m during your lifetime

and within your recollection, V'oui father was a farmer, was he
not ?

A. Ves.

Passing over the period of his life prior to his reach-
ing Chicago in 1833, the interview continued as fol-
lows :

Q. How long did you remain there?

A. From 1828 to the winter of 1S33-34.

Q. Where did your go then ?

A. To < !hii igo

Q. In what condition was Chicago then ?

A. Chicago then had about three hundred inhabitants, bt
Fort Dearborn, which had eighty soldiers and theii officers, mak-
ing it amount to about one hundred. There was no busini
in the winter, Provisions were all taken from Ohio for them to
live on.

Q. What made vou go there >

A. Well, I heard of it, locked at it. and saw that it was a
good point. I had faith in the growth ol the country, and went
there to open a market. There was no slaughter-house there, no

place to kill a beef, and for sixty days I led the I attl I to an "1.1

elm tree that stood on Monroe Street, about where the court-house
is, and there I took a tackle and swung them up on the elm after
killing them.

0- What animals did you kill?

A. Beef, principally; there was not anything else there to
kill, the first little while that I was there. They had hardly any
sheep.

0. Were there any hogs?

A. Yerv few hogs. The hogs had all to come from Wabash,
one hundred and fifty miles down. I went into that business after-
ward, and went down to Wabash and drove them up.

Q. You killed those animals to ship to the Fast ?

A. Xo; I kilied those for the local market, as much beef each
day as was needed for home consumption.

Q. Did you commence the meat business there ?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. You were the first one that established it ?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Tell us something of its development afterward.

A. Chicago grew very fast ami in 1S35 there must have
been two thousand five hundred people there. We then went
down to the Wabash country, as we called it, and bought cattle and
hogs and drove them up for market. We did not ship them then.
In 1836 they commenced building the canal, and in that year I
packed six thousand hogs there, mostly for home consumption.
They were building the Illinois & Michigan Canal then, and the
contractors in 1S37-38 took the pork lor their men. The state-
failed to pay in 1838-39, and work on the canal was stopped.
State bonds went down to twenty-live cents on the dollar, and the
State issued what was call "canal-scrip " to pay the contractors what
they owed them for work that they had done. I li.it was afterward
redeemed dollar for dollar. In i\;o the old town of t hicago was
sold. The Government gave the Slate of Illinois every alternate
section for fifteen miles wide, to aid in building the canal from
Chicago to the Illinois River— Peru, I think, is at the end of the
canal— and one section of that canal was right in the heart of old
Chicago. It was sold in June, 1836, bj the State of Illinois lor a
quarter down, and the balance in one. two and three years, and 1
think there was but one man in the city that made his second pay-
ment. That was P. F. W. Peck. The thing all burst up, and there
was but that one man that made his second payment. They had all
paid one-quarter down and given notes at interest for the rest. I
did so myself, and so did others; but only one made the second
payment.

Q. Win SO?

A. because everybody burst up — the banks and evi 1
else went up.

1,1, What became of the 1

A. The canal went along for awhile. < lontracts were entered
into by the State, and work went along iintil 1839 the State trying
in everyway to pay, and about thai time the) stopped. There
was an appropriation of $4,000,000 made by the >tate i..r internal
improvements, but when the canal and railroad wei
it all burst up. and these improvements were not again begun until
about 1S47 or 1S48.

Q. What was the conditio lid there- then '

How were they clad, and how were thej housed, and what was the
condition of their wages

56=

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Well, from 1536 to 1S42, when the United States bank-
rupt law was passed, there was no responsibility. No man had
anything, hardly, that he could call his own at the time the law was
passed in 1S42.

Q. You think that the bankrupt act was necessary, do you ?

A. Oh. yes ; they never would ha\-e started in the world, if
it had not been for that.

Cj. During that time how were prices ?

A. In 1S3S I paid $6 a hundred pounds for pork in Chicago.
In 1841, with a view of finishing the canal next summer, I bought
pork for $2, that is to say, I paid $2 for all pork that weighed two
hundred; for all hogs that did not weigh two hundred, I paid $1.50
a hundred. I bought beef there for barreling in 1S43-44 for $2 a
hundred, for the fore-quarters of the beef, if the ox weighed
six hundred pounds, and $1.50 per hundred pounds if he fell under
it. That is the lowest price I ever heard of it being sold for.

Q. That was owing to the condition of credit and of the
currency ?

A. Yes, and then there was more of this stuff raised than
was needed up to about 1S46 or 1S47, when the famine in Ireland
cleaned out the West almost entirely. Wheat was worth twenty-
five cents a bushel in 1844 in Chicago. Produce commenced ris-
ing from that time, and, you might say, has kept on rising since.
Cattle and pork rose a good deal from a small price until in 1850
cattle were worth $4 to S5 a hundred pounds, and hogs were worth
the same. There has been a steady increase each year. I made
money for the reason that everything was going up.

Q. That comes down to when ?

A. From iS44to 1S50.

Q. You still remained at Chicago?

A. Yes.

Q. I suppose Chicago was developing all the time ?

A. Yes.

Q. Do you recollect about the price of wheat or corn in those
days ?

A. In 1S4S corn was worth twenty-five cents a bushel.

Q. That is, at Chicago ?

A. Yes. Freight then was as high as twenty-five cents a
bushel to Buffalo.

Q. And from Buffalo on to Boston what was it ?

A. I do not know what freight was to Boston then. I stayed
in that provision business until I killed one hundred and eighty-five
head of large cattle and five hundred hogs for a day's work, and
that is not, comparatively speaking, more than a teas.poonful to
what they have come to since I left the business. Chicago had no
start, no life, until the Legislature passed what we called the relief
law, that is, they gave us as much of the land as we had paid for.
If a man had bought four lots and paid the_ full value of one, the
relief law gave us one lot, and then gave us up our notes. That
was the first sign of life after the break-up in Chicago. Then, you
see, a man who was cleared through bankruptcy, if he could only
raise a hundred dollars, had credit, but up to that time, when we
were all in debt, nobody could trust his brother. In 1S51 and 1S52
I spent most of my time in northern New York and Vermont. In
January, 1851, I received an appointment as agent for the Ogdens-
burg & Lake Champlain and Burlington .$: Rutland railroads. My
business was to procure freight and passengers from the West over
these roads, for the Boston market. In the fall of 1850, I shipped
a propeller-load of about three thousand barrels of provisions to
Ogdensburg, which were stored there till the railroad was com-
pleted in January, 1851. I bought seven thousand kegs of nails at
the Keeseviile Iron Works, on Lake Champlain, as return freight for
Chicago. Nails were worth only $2.87 14 per hundred, but during
the next six months they rose to $4 per hundred. These northern
railroads were not successful in getting much business for the
Eastern markets for a few years, as they could not compete with
the New York Central Railroad and the Erie Canal.

Q. From Chicago where did you go ?

A. I went from Chicago to Davenport, Iowa, in 1852. I was
there two years.

1 >. Did you follow the same business there?

A. Xo; I was in the grain business there.

<£. How were the prices of provisions there?

A. Well, hogs were $3 a hundred in Davenport in 1852.

Q. What are they worth now ?

A. I don't know what they are worth now. They vary. They
have been as high as eight, ten and twelve cents a pound, though
they are down now, I believe.

Q. You do not know the price of other kinds of meat — beef
and mutton, at Davenport at that time, do you?

A. No.

(£. You were in the grain business mostly?

A. Yes.

•J. Do you recollect about the prices of grain there?

A. Corn was worth twenty to twenty-five cents a bushel; wheat
from forty to fifty cents; oats about twelve cents.

Q. Did you ship to the East?

A. I did, from Chicago to Buffalo. I did not ship much from
Davenport. In 1852 I went into the grain drying business, making
kiln-dried meal for the West India Islands, from a process of my
own invention. I made five hundred barrels of kiln-dried meal a
day, and shipped it to the West India Islands.

Q. What sort of market did you get for it ?

A. A very fair market. The negroes in the West India Islands
ate it.

Q. Did you ship it down the Mississippi ?

A. Some of it, but most of it by way of New York. I made
money the last year that I sent kiln-dried meal there, by my own
process.

Q. Is the invention still in use?

A. Yes; much of the article is put up now for the European
markets under my same brand, " Marsh's Caloric Dried Meal." I
have five patents for drying grain. There is not so much of this
kind made as there used to be, because farmers take care of their
own corn now, and if the corn begins to heat they will put it into
cars. When I began it they would put it in their warehouses and
let it stay there awhile, and it would heat.

Q, From Davenport where did you go?

A. I went to Chicago. I did not really move to Davenport.

Q. You went back then to Chicago. How long did you
remain there?

A. I remained in Chicago until 1855, all the time.

Q. There was no special change in the condition of things in
Chicago, I suppose, during that time, that you remember ?

A. No.

In 1839, Oramel S. Hough and R. M. Hough were
with Sylvester Marsh. In 1837-38, D. H. Underhill
came to Chicago and engaged in the packing business
for a brief period, killing his hogs near Absalom Funk's
butcher-shop, corner North Water and North State
streets. About 1841, Eri Reynolds commenced pack-
ing in Dole's packing-house. In the winter 1841-42,
Oren Sherman and Nathaniel Pitkin, a dry-goods firm,
packed several hundred hogs, pork being then at the
lowest price ever known in Chicago; Charles Cleaver
stating that several loads of hogs were bought by him
at that time for $1.25 per hundred. Archibald Clybourne
during the winter of 1842-43 slaughtered and packed
for William and Norman Felt — William Felt & Co. —
about three thousand head of cattle for shipment to
New York City; alleged to be the first beef packed in
Chicago for an eastern market. In 1843-44, Thomas
Dyer and John P. Chapin commenced packing in Rey-
nolds' house, associating with them Julius Wadsworth,
in 1844, and then built a packing house on the South
Branch near North Street; being succeeded in 1845 or
1846, by Wadsworth & Dyer. During the season of
1844-45 this firm packed the first tierce of beef ever put
up in Chicago for the English market; the barrels for
the firm's use were furnished by Hugh Maher. In 1843,
George Steel packed hogs on South Water Street, near
the corner of Franklin Street. About 1S49, William B.
Clapp entered the pork packing arena. In 1850, Oramel
S. and R. M. Hough built a packing house on the South
Branch at a cost of $3,000; in 1853, they built a large
stone packing-house costing $20,000, which was burned
in the fall of 1856. They rebuilt in 1857 at a cost of
$25,000. In 1852, Orville H. Tobey and Heman D.
Booth commenced packing pork; and, in 1854, John L.
Hancock — as agent for Craigin & Co., of New York —
built a packing house on the South Branch at a cost
of $45,000, and did what was then deemed an enor-
mous business. In 1853-54, Andrew Brown o: Co.
commenced packing, as did Moore, Seaverns & Co., in
the fall of 1854. The following table exhibits the capac-
ity and valuation of the packing houses in 1858, not
including the value of the real estate.

l'RIMITIVK MAM 1 \C I IRKS.

563

G. S. Hubbard & Co

Hough & Co

Cragin & Co

Thomas Nash ( afterward Van

Brunt & Watrous)

Moore, Seaverns & Co

A. Brown & Co

Tobey, Booth & Co

John Hayward

Jones & Culbertson

J. & J. Stewart

George Steel & Co

W. Leland

Small Packing Houses

*Total

Capacity

Per Day. |

Cattle.

Hogs

200

1,000

225

1 ,000

401 >

1,000

400

E.400

200

600

200

600

600

140

400

1,200

300

300

IOO

500

1,705

9,000

$10,

25,01 10

45, 000

19,100

15,000
10,000

1, , . „ ,, 1
5,000

(),< nil)

3,000
3,000

$154,100

Beef packing was for years the most ostentatious
business in Chicago, and gave the newspapers of the
day a most splendid foothold for boasting. Compared
with the volume of business in that line now carried on,
when single houses do more business daily than was at
that time done in a year by the whole city, there was
little to brag of; but the journalists of then, as now,
looked back for comparisons, and found in them the
grand satisfaction which came from past progress and
unlimited hope for the future. Below are two extracts
concerning the business in its early days from the Daily
Democrat of September 26, 1848:

"The beef-packing season has opened unprecedent-
edly early this year, and already a brisk little business is
being clone by one firm in this city — Messrs. Marsh &
Sherry. The firm kills from fifty to sixty head per day,
and has already shipped seven hundred barrels of beef to
the East. Chicago will rely for its supplies of cattle this
season principally, if not altogether, on the northern por-
tion of the State. One firm, Wadsworth, Dyer & Co.,
have already contracted for one thousand head of cattle.
We have seen letters to Mr. Marsh from his commission
house in Boston, stating that his beef takes the lead
altogether of that shipped from Maine; also one from
England to Wadsworth, Dyer & Co., stating that as long
as their beef is kept up to its present standard there is
no fear but it will compete successfully with the best
Irish brands. This firm kills none but the heaviest
cattle, and uses foreign salt altogether in packing. In
consequence of this superiority most of the beef packed
in this city goes to England or Boston. It is expected
that eighteen thousand to twenty thousand barrels of
beef will be packed this season, or perhaps more. Of
this Marsh & Sherry expect to pack four thousand
barrels, Wadsworth, Dyer & Co. ten thousand, and the
remainder by Slocum & Clapp and one other firm.
Barrels are selling at $1.00, at which price contracts for
large numbers have been made."

In 1850, November 16, the Gem of the Prairie gave
the following exhaustive review of the business, the
mention of the firms and business done being as fol-
lows :

" The slaughtering and rendering establishment of
Sylvester Marsh is situated upon the beach imme-
diately north of the North Pier. The packing-house
is situated on the bank of the river, at the corner of
North Water and Wolcott streets. It was built during
the present year, is three stories high, and sixty by
eighty-four feet in size. He employs seventy-five hands,
and slaughters one hundred and eighty-five cattle per
day. He pays out for the season, cash, for cattle, $90.-

• From Annual Review of Chicago Daily Press and Tribune (or 1858.

000; for salt and barrels, $i 5,000; for labor, $5,000 —
total, Si 1 0,O0O.

" The slaughtering and packing house of Gurdon S.
Hubbard is situated upon the North Branch, on I 1 I
Watei Street, between Michigan and Illinois si
Number slaughtered per day, one hundred and five;
hands usually employed, seventy-five. Hie packs this
year for Norman Felt, of New York; Joseph Draper,
hi" Huston, and W. Smith, of New Haven. Pays for
cattle, §100,000; for salt and barrels, $21,000— total,
Si 2 1 ,000.

"The establishment of Wadsworth, Dyer & Co. is
situated upon the South Branch, in the suburb ol the
city. The various buildings cover hall an ai n I he
number of cattle slaughtered this season by the firm
will probably exceed six thousand. The firm employs
one hundred and ten men, and slaughters two hundred
and ten head of cattle per day. They commenced
operations here seven years ago. Their brand in the
London and Liverpool markets lake precedence over
beef from every other quarter of the world. I in h
hides are purchased!)) Gurnee, Hayden & Co., and their
refuse is carted by C. Beers to his farm beyond Bridge-
port. Paid for cattle, $132,000; for salt, barrels and
labor, $28,000 — total, $160,000.

" R. M. & O. S. Hough are located a short distance
below Bridgeport, immediately on the banks of the
river. Their building is thirty by sixty feet in size,
with wings. They are working fifty hands, ami slaught-
ering one hundred and thirty head of cattle per day.
Cash paid for cattle, $70,000 ; for salt, barrels and
labor, $15,000 ; total, $85,000.

" Passing down the river until within a short distance
of the tannery of Gurnee, Hayden & Co., we come to
the slaughtering and packing house of William IS. Clapp.
He is killing one hundred cattle per day, and working
forty hands. He has a contract for supplying one
thousand eight hundred barrels to the United Stati 5
Navy. Cash paid for cattle, $56,000 ; for salt, barrels
and labor, $1 6,000 ; total, $72,000.

"A little further down is the establishment of l'.ri
Reynolds, a brick building, fifty by one hundred and
twenty feet in size. He packs for himself and W. & H.
Felt, of Earlville, N. Y., employs thirty hands and
slaughters about ninety head of cattle per day. His
estimates for the season are : Cash for cattle. $48,000 ;
for salt, barrels and labor, $10,000 ; total, $58,000.

"The seventh and last establishment, that of Messrs.
Clybourne & Ellis, we did not find time to visit. It is
situated upon the North Branch, about a mile abovt
Ogden's Bridge. They will slaughter this season about
two thousand head of cattle, and the cost of the same,
including salt, barrels, labor, etc., will amount to about
$45,000.

"Hence we have twenty-seven thousand live hun-
dred cattle packed and $651,000 paid out. The major-
ity of cattle are fattened in Illinois. McLean County
bearing the palm ; but a portion are brought from
Indiana and Iowa."

The first cattle-yards were opened in 1848. at the
" Bull's Head." and occupied the immediate vicinage
of Madison Street and Ashland Avenue: but they were
but a make-shift for supplying the necessities of the
growing cattle trade, and the live stock dealers became
disgusted with the long drive to and from the yard to
railroad depots ami slaughter houses. In 185
wants of the public were met by John B. Sherman, who
leased the Mvnck property on the lake shore, north ol
Thirty-first Street, ami laid out what were known as
Sherman's yards, and this entrepot at once took the

5°4

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

place of the old Bull's Head, and, being upon the line
of the Illinois Central Railroad, was eminently adapted
to the needs of the live-stock traffic.

Flouring Mills. — The first flouring mill erected in
this city was located on the South Branch and was
built by Tared Gage in 1S36. In partnership with one
Lyman, he conducted this mill until in January 1847, when
with John C. Haines he purchased the Chicago Mills.
These mills were massive, yet commodious buildings of
stone situated on South Water Street and the river, and
had excellent facilities for receiving grain direct from
vessels or canal boats, and for loading the same. They
had four run of buhrs and appropriate machinery for
elevating and handling grain, all driven by a pair of
reciprocating engines, to supply whose consumption of
steam required the use of twelve hundred tons of coal
annually. The total investment in the plant was
$150,000; in 1854, the proprietors employed thirty men
and ground one hundred and twenty-five thousand
bushels of wheat and ten thousand bushels of corn, turn-
ing out twenty-five thousand barrels of flour and six
hundred thousand pounds of meal. At that time the
out-put of these mills was nearly all consumed in this
city; in the year mentioned less than two thousand bar-
rels were shipped to a foreign market.

The Hydraulic Mills, operated by the old water
works engine, were built in 1842 by James Long. They
were situated at the corner of Lake Street and Michigan
Avenue. In 1848 they were owned and run by J. P.
Hodgkiss & Co.; and in that year ground up over one
hundred thousand bushels of grain, seventy-five thou-
sand bushels of this amount being wheat. This would
be turning out nearly fifty barrels of flour per day.
Speaking of these mills the Democratic Press in its com-
mercial review for 1854 says: "The Hydraulic Mills,
corner of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, have until
the last season done a large business in the manufacture
of flour. Since the construction of the new water
works, these mills, having fulfilled their destiny, have
brought their business to a close. From the first of
January, 1854, to the 28th of September, which was the
time included in their last year's operations, they ground
eleven thousand barrels of flour and two hundred and
ten thousand pounds of corn meal."

In that year there were but two mills in operation in
the city; the Hydraulic Mills, having shut down in Sep-
tember; and a steam mill built in the spring of 1S54, by
Messrs. Ricord, Bierlein & Co., was in the fall of the
same year, completely destroyed by fire. The remain-
ing one, besides that of Gage & Haines, already men-
tioned, was known as the "Adams Mills," and was an
extensive and superior establishment situated on North
Water Street and the river. Thirty men were employed
here, and in 1854 the output was one hundred and fifty
thousand bushels of wheat and five thousand bushels of
corn. This was equal to thirty thousand barrels of flour
and three hundred thousand pounds of cornmeal. The
Adams Mills brand of flour was considered a choice
article in the markets and was much sought after by
Eastern shippers.

In July, 1855, the Hydraulic Mills were again started,
making three mills in operation for that year, the total
output of which was nearly eighty thousand barrels of
flour, an increase for the year of over thirteen thou-
sand barrels.

In 1856 there were the following mills in operation :

Gage & Haines, South Water Street, capital invested
$150,000, flour manufactured 35,000 barrels, value of
the same $250,000, hands employed ,30 ; Adams & ( D.'s
Mills, North Water Street, capital invested $125,000,

flour manufactured 38,000 barrels, value $240,000, hands
employed 25 ; Empire Mills, corner North and LaSalle
streets, run by Ricord, Bierlein & Co., capital invested
$10,000, flour manufactured 6,000 barrels, value $39,-
000, number of hands 5 ; N. A. Chase, Jr., 12 and 14
North Canal Street, capital invested $10,000, value of
manufactures $57,569, number of hands 7 ; Stevens,
Lane & Co., 143 West Lake Street, capital invested
$3,500, cost of building $8,000, barrels of flour manu-
factured 12,000, number of hands 6 ; Novelty Mills,
owned and run by James McNair, 53 State Street, cap-
ital invested $5,000. A summary of the above state-
ments would be as follows :

Capital invested $325,000

Value of manufactures 636,569

Barrels of flour 89,000

Hands employed 73

During the year 1857, three new mills were built ;
Shawmut Mills, Star Mills and the mills of Grist, Rob-
bins & Co. The total output of flour of all the city
mills for the year was 96,000 barrels.

Brewing. — The immense brewing interests of Chi-
cago had their origin in the small beginnings of Will-
iam Lill and William Haas, in September, 1839. -They
were really employed by William B. Ogden,'who estab-
lished Mr. Lill in business, at the corner of Pine Street
and Chicago Avenue. The " brewery " was a little tene-
ment building in that locality, and the extent of Mr.
Lill's manufacture, at first, is said to have averaged about
nine barrels per week. Aftera few years Michael Diver-
se)- entered into an active partnership with Mr. Lill, and
Mr. Ogden's silent connection with the business ceased.
Under the management of Lill & Diversey, the " Chi-
cago Brewery" grew by 1857 to be the most extensive
establishment of the kind in the West. It was situated
on the corner of Pine Street and Chicago Avenue, the
buildings covering a whole block. At the time of the
panic of 1857 the firm had invested nearly $250,000 in
their business, and successfully weathered the financial
storm. Besides being known as good business men, Lill
& Diversey were noted for their benevolence and gener-
osity, the latter being a large benefactor to the German
Catholic churches of Chicago.

James Carney, who had formerly kept a grocery
store, commenced brewing in a small way in 1840. His
establishment was on South Water Street, between State
Street and Wabash Avenue. He continued the busi-
ness until 1855, at which time he retired, renting his
brewery to John O'Neill.

F. Busch was also an early brewer, his establishment
being called the " North Brewery," and was situated on
the Green Bay road, near the lake shore, North Side.

The "Columbian Brewery" was built by J. J. Sands,
on the corner of Pine and Pearson streets, in 1855. He
manufactured cream ale.

In October, 1855, James Carney, one of the oldest
brewers of Chicago, rented his establishment to John
O'Neill.

In 1856 Conrad Seipp, now one the most extensive
and wealthy brewers in the West, commenced this busi-
ness in Chicago, investing $18,000 and turning out
$8,960 worth of malt liquors the first year. In 1857
the entire capital invested in breweries, outside of Lill
& Diversey's did not exceed $70,000.

The annual report of the Democratic Press, issued
January 1, 1855, names and locates the firms engaged
in brewing as follows :

" Frederick Burroughs — brewing and malting — Lake
Street, near Union Street, West Side.

PRIMITIVE MANUFACTURES

5^5

"The North Brewery (F. BuschJ — Green Bay road,
near the lake shore, North Side.

'■James Carney — No. 39 South Water Street.

"J. A. Huck — Wolcott, corner of Division Street,
North Side.

" Lill & Diversey — Chicago Avenue, corner of Pine
Street, on the lake shore. The largest establishment in
the city and the West. They manufacture all kinds of
ale, porter, vinegar, etc.

"Union Brewery (George Metz — Wolcott Street,
north end, near the lake.

"Garden City Brewery (John Parker ), erected in
1854 — No. 115 Dearborn Street.

"J. S. Saberton, brewer and distiller — Wolcott
Street, near the cemetery.

"North Star Brewery [Isaac and John A. Irvin) —
Wolcott Street, near North Division."

The names of brewers engaged in the business Janu-
ary, 1857, with statistics of the business for 1856, were
as appears below :

Value of

No

Bbls beer

Bushels

Pounds

Capital

manufac-

hands

manu-

grain

Hops

Names of Firms.

Invested.

factured.

used.

1856.

ployed

sumed.

Conrad Seipp. .

$iS,ooo

$ 8,g6o

6

1. 120

2,240

2,0O0

George Metz. .

15,000

19,200

6

2,400

4,800

4,000

Braham & Co. .

8,000

8,000

2

1,000

3,000

2,400

V. Busch

6,000

25.600

4

3,200

6,400

600

T.F.Rodermsyer

8,O0O

40,000

6

5,000

8,750

S.OOO

Bucher & Co. . .

5.0OO

11,200

2

1,400

2,800

832

Blattner & Co. .

I.OOO

2,0O0

2

250

700

700

3,00O

8,000

2

I.OOO

2,000

2,000

3,000

7,200

3

900

i.Soo

goo

Total

67,000

130.160

33

16,270

32.490

21,432

At that time there were several rectifiers, vinegar
manufacturers and a few small brewers whose trade
statistics do not appear in the above.

Distilling. — The business of distilling high wines
came in quite early, but to whom belongs the honor of
being the pioneer in the business has not been ascer-
tained. In 1854, there were two quite extensive dis-
tilleries. I). Ballentvne's establishment was on the lake
shore, south of Twelfth Strset; and that of A. Crosby
& Co. on the North Branch, near Chicago Avenue. J.
S. Saberton also distilled on a small scale, in connection
with his brewing business. In 1857, only two distilleries
were reported as follows :

Charles H. Curtiss (successor to Ballentyne — lake
shore, south of Twelfth Street. He had a capital
invested of §50,000, employed twenty-five hands, and
paid out for raw material and wages $150,000. He pro-
duced, annually, 10,000 barrels of high wines, valued at
$150,000.

A. & W. H. Crosby & Co.— North Branch, had
invested $75,000, employed fifty hands, and consumed
annually 300,000 bushels of grain and 3,000 tons of
coal. The yearly production of high wines was 1,050,-
000 gallons, valued at $310,000.

The comparative summary of the brewing and dis-
tilling business made by the Democratic Press at the
close of 1856 was as follows :

CAPITAL.

Capital invested $297,000

Unreported (estimated) 200,000

Total $497,000

Capital invested in 1855. 397. 200

V M II .11 \l \\t I \, I 1 11

Value of manufactures $Q50, J20

Unreported (estimated) 200,000

Total $[,150,320

Value of manufactures in 1856...

Increase in [856 $323,675

ENI Ml It MIoN 01

High wines, gals. 1,567,241
Beer, bbls 16,270

M \\l I \> I I RES,

Ale, bbls 45.780

ti , bbls 2,170

RAW MA I KKI \l. 1 I INS1 MED,

('■rain, bush 75?, 250 I ( L.il, tons 6,000

Hops, lbs 97,008 Wood, cords 400

11 INDS > Mi'i OYED.
Hands employed 165

Tanning. — During the year 1831 John Miller, the
brother of Samuel Miller, built a tannery just north of
the hitter's tavern, near the junction of the two brant hes
of Chicago River. They were in the business together,
and in the spring of 1832 Benjamin Hall joined them
in the enterprise. They continued in that business for
a number of years. W. S. Gurnee was one of the earli-
est of this class of workers. In 1843 the "Chicago Hide
and Leather Company " was formed, with Mr. Gurnee
as president. Gurnee, Hayden c\: Co., Gurnee & Yoe,
etc., are firms whose names are familiar to early settl< is.
George Bickerdike and James Knox also had tanneries
on the South Branch for a number of years. In Novem-
ber, 1848, George Burr established a morocco leather
manufactory in a large four-story building, on the South
Branch.

The business of tanning did not, however, assume
any large proportions until subsequent to 1857. A
reference to the table showing the receipts and shipments
of hides, show that nearly the whole amount received
and slaughtered were shipped to Eastern markets.

Soap, Candles, Oils, etc. — In 1833, Elston &
Woodruff commenced to make snap and randies, in a
log barn which had already been built on Kinzie Street,
at the junction of the North Branch with the main river.
In 1835 Charles Cleaver, a young Englishman, pur-
chased Mr. Woodruff's interest, and the next year bi lUghl
Mr. Elston's share in the business. Mr. Cleaver removed
his factory to the corner of Kinzie antl West Water
streets in 1836. His enterprise had so prospered by

l£%aS'£azi

$99,800

^/>t/-e-r

1837, that he was obliged to erect a two-story-and-base-
ment building, situated on the corner of Washington
and Jefferson streets, where he remained for ()\e years.
In 1842 he moved to the corner of Madison Street and
Canal, and in 1849 to the North Branch, near Division
Street. Mr. Cleaver changed his location to Cleaver-
ville, now Oakland, in 1851. Here, notwithstanding
the smiles and even derisive laughter of many who
thought him foolish in establishing a large manufacturing
industry "so far out in the country," he erected a three-
story brick building, where he not only made soap and
candles, but also the packing boxes desired for his trade,
He built a pier into the lake, at which vessels loaded
and unloaded, and had the satisfai tion, a few years after-
ward, of seeing the Illinois Central, Michigan Central.
and Chicago, Alton 6k St. Louis roads pass in fro
his factory. In 1857 the village of Cleaverville «
out upon 'Mr. Cleaver's land. Until that year his fat-

566

HISTORY OF CHICAGO

tory did nearly all the rendering for Chicago packers,
and was one of the most extensive in the city.

Charles Shillitoe & Co. commenced to manufacture
soap and candles in August, 1S36, but the firm was dis-
solved in about a year. Joseph Johnston was also
engaged in this line of business. "The Chicago Oil
Mill "was established by Scammon & Haven in 1852,
the building being located on the South Branch near
Van Buren-street bridge. The ''Chicago Oil Manufact-
uring Company" was formed in 1855, with F. C. Sher-
man as president.

Christian Wall & Sons commenced the manufacture
of glue and neats-foot oil in August, 1855. Their
factory was situated on the west side of the North
Branch, above Chicago Avenue. The capital invested
was Sio.ooo. Up to January 1, 1856, they had manu-
factured one hundred and fifty barrels of glue, one
thousand two hundred gallons of neats-foot oil, and four
thousand pounds of tallow. They employed fifteen
hands.

A starch factory was also started in 1855, at Cleaver-
ville, by M. L. Keith.

The beginning and development of other manufact-
ures, farther removed from the native products, and
requiring more special skill, were as appears in the
following sketch of

Earlv Manufactories of Wood, Iron, Etc. —
Although the hypercritical may deny that a blacksmith
is, strictly speaking, a manufacturer, the development
of this individual into the foundryman is so gradual,
and, if the Knight of the Anvil is successful, so certain,
that for all practical purposes a starting point in this
topic of "Early Manufactories" will be found here. In
most new countries of the Northwest the horse and the
man occupied the wilds together ; and man's mute but
indispensable help-mate may be said to have not infre-
quently been the means of establishing the first branch
of manufacture therein. The first blacksmith to visit
Chicago, of whom there is any record, was Jean Baptiste
Mirandeau, the pioneer settler of Milwaukee, who used
to come down from there to repair the soldiers' guns
and shoe their horses, long before the first Fort Dear-
born was destroyed. After the second Fort Dearborn
was built, David McKee was appointed Government
blacksmith, his shop being situated near the Agency
House, at the foot of State Street. Later came William
See, sometimes called "Rev.", a Methodist exhorter, -
whose daughter, Leah, became Mrs. James Kinzie. In
the fall of 1833 Mathias Mason opened a blacksmith
shop. Clement Stose and Lemuel Brown established
themselves about the same time. These include the
earliest blacksmiths or "iron manufacturers," of Chicago;
although it must be acknowledged that David McKee's
little shop and scant kit of tools bore but a slight family
resemblance to the machine shops and rolling mills of
to-day.

Lemuel Brown was born in Cumberland, R. I.,
December, 1784, and died at the residence of his
nephew, I). (1. Drown, in Kenwood, December 29,
■ it the unusual age of ninety-nine years and thir-
teen days. In the fall of 1832 Mr. Brown left Massa-
chusetts for Chicago, being sent by the Government to
take charge of the firearms of Fort Dearborn. He was
delayed at Cleveland, Ohio, and made his way to Chi-
cago by team during the winter. He arrived iii Chicago
in the spring of 1833, and with the exception of brief
intervals, has resided here since that time. He resided
in Hyde I'ark for 'he last six years, and voted at every
village and school election during his residence. He
voted for every President 'but two, voting for the first

time, though under age, by virtue of the ancient law
providing that each free-holder to the extent of four
hundred dollars was entitled to vote. He was a con-
sistent Whig, and since the day of the present political
parties, a stanch Republican. He was an expert steel
temperer by trade, and worked at the forge until past
eighty years of age.

In 1832 a number of saw-mills were built along
Hickory Creek, and one at the mouth of the slough
which then emptied itself into the river just south of
Division Street, Chicago. The mill was burned in 1834,
and refitted in 1835. During the summer it was mostly
engaged in sawing out three-inch plank, which were
used in covering the North Pier. Colonel G. S. Hub-
bard and Captain Bemsley Huntoon were, successively,
proprietors. The latter operated it for five or six years,
adding to the saw-mill a shingle machine. Captain
Huntoon's mill and the water-power establishment of
John Miller, fourteen miles up the North Branch, sawed
out such timber as grew adjoining, consisting of oak,
elm, poplar, white ash, etc. Of such " lumber," in its
green state, most of the houses were built, and the
reader can easily imagine what these structures must
have looked like after the summer's heat had warped
and twisted the material.

In the spring of 1833, Tyler K. Blodgett established
a brick-yard, on the North Side, not far from the river
bank, between Dearborn and Clark streets. He engaged
Henry S. Lampman, then of Ann Arbor, as a workman.
As Mr. Blodgett operated the first brick-yard in the
city, so Mr. Lampman was undoubtedly the first brick-
maker. If any brick were manufactured in Cook
County before then it is not known. From this yard
came the brick for the first building constructed of this
material — the dwelling house of Mr. Blodgett, after-
ward occupied and added to by Colonel M. E. Stearns.
The structure was located across the river, opposite this
yard, and was originally a one-and-a-half story build-
ing, twenty feet square. It was upon the eighth day
of October, 1833, that a young man named Asahel
Pierce arrived in Chicago from Vermont, and com-
menced the erection of a blacksmith shop, on Lake
Street, corner of Canal. Being unable to find suitable
lumber in Chicago, he was obliged to haul his mater-
ial from Plainfield, forty miles,* and, after he had pur-
chased Rev. Mr. See's old set of tools, he had a money
capital of only a few dollars with which to establish
himself in business. But Mr. Pierce set out with such
a determination to succeed that he was soon obliged to
enlarge his shop. He obtained from John T. Temple
&: Co., an order for doing the ironing for the first stage
line between Chicago and St. Louis. This was in Jan-
uary, 1834. In the spring of that year he commenced
the manufacture of the old-fashioned " Bull " plow,
with wooden mould-board. This was certainly the first
agricultural implement manufactured in Chicago, and
the first one made in the State north of Springfield.
Mr. Pierce afterward devised many improvements in
plows, manufacturing the first steel, or self-scouring
plow in the West. In the fall of 1835 David Bradley
came from Syracuse, N. V., in the employ of William
H. Stow, to assist in the erection of the first foundry,
located on Polk Street, on the west side of the South
Branch. The money for the constuction of the so-called
" Chicago Furnace," was furnished by Jones, King &
Co., who, at this time, employed William H. Stow &
Co. The old hardware firm of Jones ; William) & King
(By ran) had been formed in 1834. The next year W.

* This circumstance leads to the belief that, at that time, there was no
large manufactory of lumber nearer than Plainheld.

EARLY MANUFACTORIES.

567

B. Clarke was admitted to the partnership, forming the
" Co." It was this management which furnished the
money referred to. The first castings were made as
early as December, 1S35. In March, [837, Stow & Co.,
formed a partnership with King, Walker J. H.J & Co.,
(E. Peck), the old firm of Jones, King & Co. having
been dissolved, and commenced the operation of a foun-
dry, under the firm name of William H. Stow & Co.
They continued to operate it until about 1842.

In the spring of 1834 Briggs & Humphrey inaugurat-
ed the business of manufacturing wagons and carriages
by starting a small shop on Randolph Street. They
continued in partnership for some six or seven years.
Soon afterward, Peter Schuttler, who, by 1857, had one
of the largest establishments of the kind in the West,
also started a small wagon shop.

Charles Morgan commenced the manufacture of
furniture in the spring of 1837. His large factory on
Lake Street was burned in 1852, but was rebuilt. In
1857 he occupied a five-story building and had invested
$60,000 in the business.

Among the first sash, door and blind factories, if not
the first, was that established in 1837 or 1838 by Ira
Miltimore, on the South Branch. It was purchased by
David Scott in 1838 and was burned in July, 1842.

One of the earliest machinists and foundrymen of
Chicago, and among her prominent citizens was Elihu
Granger, Alderman for a number of years and, later,
Superintendent of Public Works. Although a native
of New Hampshire, he became a resident of New York
when a young man, following in various localities his
vocation of mechanic and millwright. He came to
Chicago in the winter of 1836 for the purpose of build-
ing Lyman & Gage's flour mill, the first one erected in
Chicago. It was situated on the west bank of the Chi-
cago River, at what is now the west end of Van Buren-
street bridge. The machinery was furnished by the Aub-
urn (N.Y.) State Prison. In February, 1837, having com-
pleted his contract with Lyman & Gage, Mr. Granger
became a heavy canal contractor, and like all others of
that class, became financially embarrassed, being paid
in State scrip and bonds upon which he was able to
realize but comparatively a small amount. In 1839 Mr.
Granger pre-empted Block 4, of the original town, on
the north side of Chicago River, which was canal land,
and established thereon a small foundry and finishing
shop. He made a specialty of manufacturing machinery
for elevating grain. The locality of Mr. Granger's first
foundry was North Water Street, west of Clark-street
bridge.

An attempt has been made in the foregoing pages to
chronicle the first appearances of those branches of
manufacture previous to 1840, which afterward devel-
oped into magnitude, viz., the manufacture of iron and
of wood in its various forms. The full list of manufact-
ures of Chicago in 1839 compiled from Fergus's direct-
ory for that year, the files of the Daily American, and
other sources and including primitive manufactures was
as follows:

" Candle and Soap-Makers. — Charles Cleaver, South
Branch ; Joseph Johnston, West Washington Street.

" Fanning Mill Manufacturers. — James V. Dickey,
North Clinton Street ; Albert C. Elhthorpe, Monroe,
near Franklin Street.

" Iron and Brass Founders and Machinists. — Elihu
Granger, foundry North Water Street, near LaSalle ;
P. W. Gates, machinist, No. 42 Canal Street ; William
and John Rankin, brass founders. No. 55 Clark Street;
William H. Stow, foundry, West Randolph Street.

"Wagon and Carriage-Makers. — Briggs & Hum-

phrey, Randolph Street, near Franklin; John Lang,
Ninth State Street and Kinzie ; fohn Burgess, Ran-
dolph, cast of Wells; Henry Bower, Wabash Avenue,
near Randolph.

"Brewers and Distillers. — William Haas, brewer,
corner of Chicago Avenue and Pine Street : William
Fill, brewer, same location ; Edward Nicholson, distil-
ler, Illinois Street, near the lake.

"Steam Saw Mill. — Captain Bensley Huntoon,
proprietor, North Bran< h,

"Sash and Door Factories. — Francis McFall, Mai
ket Street; Ira Miltimore, South Branch; Edwin B.
Colvin, corner North Water and Dearborn streets.

"Tanners. — James 11. Knox, Wells Street, south of
Polk; John Miller, North Branch; Marvin M. lord,
Clark, northeast corner of Madison.

"Flour Mill. — South Branch, Canal Street, Lyman
& Gage, proprietors.

"Miscellaneous. — Charles M. Cray, grain cradle
factory, No. 78 Dearborn Street; Hay ward & Co., buhr
mill-stone manufactory, Kinzie Street ; Noah Scranton,
block and pump-maker, corner North State and North
Water ; V. Detrich, match-maker, corner Division
and North State; John Penny, brick-maker, North
Branch."

Among the earliest of the metal workers who com-
menced business about the time that William H. Stow
& Co. assumed charge of the "Chicago Furnace " in
1839, were the brothers William and J. Rankin. They
established a brass foundry, on the corner of Clark and
Illinois streets. Hiram P. Moses, Mr. Stow's successor
in 1842, owned a shop at this time on the South
Branch, at the Polk-street crossing. The firm, at first
B. P. Andrews & Co., became afterward Moses &
Ayres, and then Hiram P. Moses. The latter was a
brass founder and steam-engine and boiler builder.
Mr. Moses was perhaps the first manufacturer in Chicago
to make a specialty of steam-engine building. In later
days his foundry was known as the "Chicago Steam-
Engine Works." At this establishment, in 1848, the
engines and boiler of the propeller, " A. Rossetter"
were made. The " Chicago Eagle Foundry," also oper-
ated a similar concern in 1840.

It will be remembered that, in 1839, Elihu Granger
established his iron foundry on North Water Street,
upon canal land. On account of a decision of the
court against his claim, in 1842 he was obliged to change
his location to the corner of Franklin and Indiana
streets, where for many years he did a large and suc-
cessful business, adding good facilities for iron and
brass castings. In 1853 Mr. Granger sold out to his
sons, and they conducted the business until the panic of
1857, when they were obliged to make an assignment
to their father and George W. Dole, as trustees.

In 1S42 Philetus W. (kites formed a partnership
with his father-in-law, Hiram H. Scoville, and opened
a small blacksmith and wagon shop on Randolph
Street. ' Mr. Scoville had been engaged in contracting
on the canal and had met with serious reverses. Mr.
Gates was also without capital. To show the financial
condition of the new firm it is only necessary to state
that they were obliged to buy one thousand feet of lum-
ber on credit, with which to erect their building, which
was situated near the bridge. At the end of the year a
foundry and machine shop was built, on the corner of
Washington and West Water streets. The firm con-
ducted the business for about live years, when Mr.
Gates purchased Mr. Scoville's interest. In 1848, after
being alone one year. Mr. Gates admitted A. II 11"^,
into partnership. Before the end of the year George S.

568

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

McKnight had purchased Mr. Hoge"s interest, the firm
becoming P. W. Gates & Co. Soon afterward E. S.
and A. G. Warner. Thomas Chalmers, and Andrew and
David Fraser became associated with Mr. Gates, adding
to their already extensive business the manufacture of
cars. The panic of 1857 found them encumbered with
debts amounting to §350,000 ; but, although the affairs
of the firm were placed in the hands of an assignee, by
1 860, everv dollar of this indebtedness was paid off.

In 184S. soon after Mr. Scoville severed his business
relations with Mr. Clates, he, with his sons, Adison,
William and Ives, established a foundry on the corner
of Canal and Adams streets. About this time the Galena
& Chicago Union Railroad Company commenced laying
iron, and Scoville & Sons contracted for building a
number of freight and passenger cars. They also built
the first locomonve manufactured west of the Allegheny
Mountains, called the " Enterprise.' The formation of
this firm of Scoville & Sons, in 1848, was the origin of
the present 1883 Scoville Iron Works, Nos. 51-53 Lake
Street.

In 1S46 another branch of iron manufacturing was
established in Chicago. During that year C. R. Van-
dercook &: Co. commenced to operate the " Phoenix
Foundry," on the south side of the river, near the lake
shore. The firm made a specialty of manufacturing
" Queen of the Prairies," a new hot-air cooking stove,
and also turned out furnaces, grates, etc. This was
the first stove foundry in Chicago.

By 184S a number of firms were operating quite
large brass foundries. Thomas George ii: Co., on Lake
Street, was not only one of the oldest of the brass found-
ers, but the most extensive. Nugent & Owens estab-
lished their works on Market Street in 1848, but they
were burned out in 1854, and afterward the foundry
was operated by M. Nugent alone. H. W. Rincker
was proprietor of the first bell-foundry on Canal Street
near Adams, and in 1848 cast probably the largest bell
in the city, for St. Peter's church. In 1854 he also cast
the large alarm bell for the court-house. In those days
F. Letz's Chicago Iron Works on Wells Street, and
James Hannah & Co.'s foundry in Wabansia's addition,
West Side, were turning out considerable work. Letz's
works had been established some years, and in 1S53 he
purchased land on Franklin Street, between Washing-
ton and Madison, where he erected a substantial cut-
stone and brick building of three stories.

In 1 85 1 Charles Reissig established the "Chicago
Steam Boiler Works " on Jackson Street, west side of
the river. He constructed the large mains for the
water works in 1S54.

Mason 6t McArthur commenced to manufacture
purifiers and various wrought-iron work for the gas
works in 1852, in a small wooden shop on Randolph
Street. A removal was afterward made to the corner of
Canal and Carroll streets, and in 1855 the facilities of
the establishment were greatly increased. By 1857 the
Isior Iron Works" were among the leading iron
manufactories of the city.

The year 1852 marks an epoch in the history of
Chicago and Cook County manufactories. It was then
evident that the city was to become a ^reat railroad
center, and all branches of manufactures were fostered.
The building of cars and locomotives, especially, grew
into large proportions. As has previously been' stated
P. W. Gates and Hiram H. Scoville engaged in the
manufacture of cars on a small scale, when the Galena
& Chicago Union Railroad first commenced to call for
rolling stock in 184X. Stone & Boomer, in February of
that year, began the construction of wooden bridges on

the Howe principle. In November, 1852, they com-
pleted the " Union Car Works," on South Clark Street,
which were destroyed by fire in September, 1855. In
February, 1853, they turned out the first car, and dur-
ing 1854 four hundred cars were completed. The firm
had the contract for equipping the Western Division of
the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, and the
Ohio & Mississippi Company. At the time of the
destruction of the works they were the most extensive
of the kind in the West, the gross annual earnings of
the firm in the building of bridges being §800,000.
They had contracts with twenty-four different railroads
in Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. After the fire, the
firm purchased the "American Car Works," on the lake
shore, in the southern part of the city, and associated
with themselves N. S. Bouton. Mr. Bouton had pur-
chased the works of G. W. Sizer & Co. This manu-
factory was completed in the fall of 1852, but did not
fairly commence business until March, 1853. When
Messrs. Stone, Boomer & Bouton assumed charge in
1855, everything was in fine working order, the build-
ings and necessary yard-room covering thirteen acres of
ground. The Michigan Central and the Illinois Cen-
tral roads passed by the manufactory, so that every
transportation facility was at hand. The works con-
sisted of a foundry, blacksmith shop, engine house,
machine shop, paint shop and two passenger-car shops,
and were known as the " Union Car and Bridge Works."
In addition to these buildings the new firm continued to
use their old foundry on South Clark Street. It should
be remarked, however, that before the American
Car Company's works came into their possession,
they did a very extensive business under the former
management and under the superintendence7 of D. H.
Lyman. During the first year T853 seven hundred
cars were constructed, mostly freight. The passenger
coaches of the Illinois Central Company were also built
by the American Car Company. The value of the
finished work amounted to $450,000. In 1854 the
company manufactured thirty-nine first-class passenger
cars and two hundred and thirty platform cars. This
work, with the railroad castings, brought the value of
manufactures up to §600,000 in the year 1855. In
December, 1856, the car works were bought by the Illi-
nois Central Company. The partnership was dissolved.
Mr. Stone went into business as a contractor, Mr. Boomer
as a bridge builder, and Mr. Bouton started a foundry
on Clark Street, being appointed, soon after, to the
position of City Superintendent of Public Works.

In September, 1853, the attention of business men
was called to the importance of establishing, at this
point, a locomotive manufactory. A company was
therefore formed, in 1854, of which William H. Brown
was president. The works of H. H. Scoville & Sons,
corner of Adams and Canal streets, being adapted to the
wants of the locomotive company, were purchased by
the new organization. The Messrs. Scoville had already
commenced the construction of a locomotive, which was
placed upon the track soon after the organization of the
company. It was the first locomotive built in Chicago
— the " Enterprise " — and entered the services of the
Galena & Chicago LInion Railroad Company. After-
ward the locomotive company built the " Falcon" for
the same road, and during the year of its existence
turned out some ten locomotives, when its works and
"good will " passed into the hands of the Galena &
Chicago Union Railroad Company.

In 1854 the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad
Company established a machine and repairing shop on
West Kinzie Street. Locomotives were also built there,

EARLY MANUFACTORIES.

569

the " Black Hawk " being one of its productions. The
next year 11855! the Illinois Central followed the exam-
ple of the Galena road and established shops on the
lake shore, south of Twelfth Street. As stated, in 1856,
the company purchased the American Car Works, at
Carville. In 1855 the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
Company erected machine and repair works on Buffalo
Street, and the Chicago, Burlington & Ouincv Com-
pany put up similar shops on West Kinzie. The Chi-
cago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Company also estab-
lished works on the North Branch of the river. Con-
sequently there was little need for private assistance in
the manufacturing of cars and locomotives.

Within the five years succeeding 1852, a number of
new iron manufactories started into life. In Tune, 185,3,
the " Chicago Iron Railing Manufactory," A. F. Stod-
dard, proprietor, commences business on Randolph
Street. Vincent, Himrod & Company's stove foundry-
was built the same year, being located on the South
Branch. John Peattie's steam engine works were
located the same year on North Water Street. In
1854, Stephens & Brother established a steam-engine
manufactory, and J. W. Cobb's establishment on the
corner of Kinzie and Desplaines streets, devoted to the
same objects, was burned. The "Chicago Lead Pipe
and Sheet Iron Works," corner of Clinton and Fulton
streets, were established the same year by Collins &
Blatchford, on the corner of Clinton and Fulton streets.
Pressed bar lead was also made. The parent house for
lead manufacture was located in St. Louis. M. C.
Barrel established a foundry corner of Canal and
Adams, in 1855; and during the same year Russe'l &
Angel commenced business on the corner of Kinzie and
Halsted; and Sherman. Bay & Co., on Canal Street.
In April of this year, Perkins & Krause began to man-
ufacture steam engines and flour and saw mills, their
works being situated on the corner of Canal and
Washington.

The following establishments commenced business
in 1856: Evarts & Butler, manufacturers of shingle
machines, steam engines, etc., North Water Street;
James Campbell & Co., boiler manufacturers, Jefferson,
near Kinzie; W. M. Horton & Co., founders, corner
Canal and Adams.

In July, 1857, Captain E. B. Ward established his
mills for the re-rolling of iron rails. They were situated
on the North Branch, three miles from Lake-street
bridge. The buildings covered fifteen acres. The
machinery was made in Detroit.

But few manufactories of any kind were established
in 1857, those already in existence feeling satisfied if
they could tide over the hard times.

By the year 1857 the capital invested in iron
works, car manufactories, etc., exceeded $1,700,000,
and the value of manufactures over twice that amount.
Some two thousand eight hundred workmen were
employed and eight thousand tons of wrought and four-
teen thousand tons of cast iron were consumed. In the
manufacture of stoves a capital of about $185,000 was
employed, and the value of the products was §238,000
per annum.

Asahel Pierce, as has been stated, was the pioneer
manufacturer of agricultural implements in Cook
County, and the first one in northern Illinois. In 1847
Cyrus H. McCormick removed from Cincinnati to Chi-
cago, and made arrangements with C. M. Cray for the
manufacturing of his celebrated reaper. About seven
hundred machines were made the first year, and fifteen
hundred the second. In 1848 Mr. McCormick entered
into a contract with Ogden & Jones under the firm

name of McCormick, Ogden & Co. The contract em-
braced the supplying of Illinois except foi unties),

Tennessee. Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan. V

rangements were also made to enlarge the ma

"ii the north side ol the river, near the mouth of the
harbor, During this year 1848 Mr. McCormick's
brother, Leander, was taken into tin- business, and in
1X40 Willi. mi s. McCormick was associated, The)
afterward 1859 became partners in the manufactory. By
1857 the establishment was turning oin over four thou-
sand reapers annually, a capital of about §360,000
being invested.

In 1853 J, s. Wright commenced manufacturing
the Atkin's self-raking reaper and mower, his building
being on Peyton Street. North Side. The next year
three hundred reapers were turned ont from this factory.
In 1X55 Mr. Wright changed his location. In 1857 he
was manufacturing one thousand eight hundred ma-
chines.

In 1854, as stated, Asahel Pierce turned over the
manufacture of plows to David Bradley, his brother-
in-law. Mr. Bradley associated with himself Conrad
Furst, and the foundation of the present extensive estab-
lishment of the " Furst & Bradley Manufacturing Com-
pany " was laid.

H. A. Pitts, manufacturer of threshing machines and
horse powers, was also prominent in this branch of
industry. His factory, corner of West Randolph and
Jefferson streets, was burned in September, 1855, but
re-built on a greatly extended scale. In October, [855,
H. 1). Emery & Co. established the "Chicago Agri-
cultural Works."

An idea of the growth of this class of manufactur-
ing may be obtained from the statement that in 1856
the capital invested amounted to $597,000, and the total
value of the production was $1,134,300.

Among the pioneers in planingand the manufacture
of buiiders' materials — sash, doors, blinds, etc., — after
Ira Miltimore were Foss & Brothers and J. W. Noble,
who established themselves in 1848; also F. McFall &
Co. and Goss & Phillips, successors to Goss & Abbott.
Mr. Goss commenced the business in 1848, and the firm
of Goss & Phillips was formed in 1850. C.oss & Phil-
lips' factory was consumed by fire in August, 1856. but
suspended business only a few weeks, and even then
showed the enterprise which the " (loss & Phillips Man-
ufacturing Company" possess to the present day. By
1857 there were some twenty planing mills and sash,
door and blind factories, in which establishments was
invested a capital of $445,000. The value of manu-
factures turned out during the year 1856 was over $1,-
000,000.

From the most reliable accounts, as stated, Briggs
& Humphrey were the first regular wagon and carriage
makers, with Peter Schuttler a "good second." In No-
vember, 1837, J. C. Outhet started a wagon manu-
factory, and continued in business many years, his
location being on Randolph Street, between Franklin
and Wells streets. Ii. C. Welch established the first
omnibus factory in the city in 1846. The firm name
was at first B. C. Welch & Co., then Wei, h & Mensden,
and after Mr. Welch's death in [856, J. T. Mensden &
C'o. The factory was situated on Randolph, between
LaSalle and Clark streets, and the business had widely
extended by 1857. F. Busch commenced to manu-
facture wagons on Washington Street in 1X47. II.
Witbeck was one of the largesi and best known wagon
manufacturers in Chicago for many years His manu-
factory, which he greatly enlarged in 1X53. was situated
on the corner of West Randolph and Jefferson Streets,

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

In 1S54 Mr. Pierce, after having conducted the
business of manufacturing wagons and plows for twenty
years until it had grown into immense proportions, gave
up the latter branch of the industry to his brother-in-
law, David Bradley, and established the " Chicago Car-
riage and Wagon Factory " at Holstein, three miles
northwest of the city, on Milwaukee Avenue, being the
largest and best known house of the kind in the city.
Mr. Pierce carried on the business up to September,
1856, when the management was assumed by Tucker &
Steinhouse. Mr. Bradley, in the meantime, had asso-
ciated himself with Conrad Furst, an experienced car-
riage and wagon maker, and thus was laid the basis of
the "Furst & Bradley Manufacturing Company," still
alive and wonderfully prosperous.

Among the prominent wagon and carriage manu-
facturers of early days may also be mentioned Ellithorpe
& Kline. John H. Kline went into business for himself
in 1856.

By 1 85 7 the total capital invested in the business
was $356,000, and the value of the manufactures $948,-
160. Over seven thousand wagons and carriages were
manufactured in 1856.

Charles Morgan has the reputation of being the
earliest furniture manufacturer in Chicago. John Phil-
lips commenced to make chairs in 1845. His factory
was on the corner of Green and Third streets, and was
the first establishment devoted exclusively to the manu-
facture of chairs. Both were in business in 1857.
Furniture making took a fresh start in 1855 ; such new
firms as Jacob Strehl and Hutchings & Brown going
into the business. The capital invested in this branch
of industry in 1857 was $354,000, and during 1856 the
manufactures were valued at $543,000. Among the
most extensive then doing business were D. L. Jacobus
& Bro., on Randolph Street, and John Finerty, on the
same thoroughfare, the latter of whom confined himself
to the manufacture of fine goods.

The sub-soil of Chicago and vicinity is a blue clay,
underlying the surface from three to six feet. This
material is found in great abundance on the South
Branch of the River, in Green's addition. Next to Mr.
Blodgett, among the first of Chicago's citizens to fairly
establish this branch of manufacture was John Penny.
Other Pennys followed, and in the forties John Penny
was re-enforced by A. J., and G. W., his sons. Penny &
Meacham, Penny, Meacham & Harvey, etc., were all in
the same business up to 1857. In 1853 the total manu-
facture of bricks had reached only twenty million, but
the entire product was used at home, Milwaukee also
furnishing this city a portion of her cream colored
articles. By 1854 there were five brick-yards in oper-
ation, that of Daniel Elston being the largest. F. T. &
E. Sherman had also obtained a reputation for the
excellence of their manufacture. In 1857 there were
fifteen yards and they turned out about ninety-one
million of brick, valued at over $700,000.

About eighteen miles southwest from Chicago, are
situated the famous " Athens Quarries," near Lemont.
In 1846 the stone was discovered by some workman
while they were excavating for the Illinois & Michigan
Canal, but was not then considered of superior quality.
It was, at first, used merely for foundation stone. In
1851 the " Illinois Stone Company " opened a quarry
there, but even then no one thought of using the stone
for 1 i' ing purposes, or of calling it "marble." In 1852,
however, the Merchant's & Mechanic's Bank of Chicago
was faced with the Athens stone, the first used for this
purpose in the city. P. C. Sherman and William 11.
Ogden then used it in their buildings, next to the Sher-

man House, and on the corner of Lake and Clark
streets. Several large marble yards started up in Chi-
cago during the year 1852, several of them drawing
their supply from the Athens quarries. H. & O. Wilson
had extensive yards, on the corner of State and Wash-
ington streets, established in the summer of 1853. John
Shumer & Co., successors to A. S. Sherman, on Water
Street, also were actively engaged in that business.
The " Illinois Stone & Lime Company " was organized
in December, 1853, purchasing A. S. & O. Sherman's
interest in the quarry at Lemont, and also the lime kiln
near Bridgeport. The organization consisted of W. S.
Gurnee, president ; M. C. Stearns, secretary and treas-
urer ; A. S. & O. Sherman, superintendents. The
reputation of the Athens stone extended until it became
the favorite building material in the city. Professor
Hitchcock while on a visit to Chicago, during the winter
of 1855-56, examined and analyzed it, and called it
" Athens Marble." Although really a magnesian lime-
stone, it has since been known by that name.

In 1857 the amount of capital employed in the stone
business of Chicago was fully $1,500,000. During that
year the six thousand tons of Athens marble, shipped
mostly from Chicago, found its way to all the important
cities in the Northwest, and became a serious compet-
itor in the market with the products of the Lockport
quarries, in New York.

In 1838 S. B. Collins & Co. began the manufacture
of boots and shoes, in a small way. It increased yearly
until 1855, at which time the business passed into the
hands of Pearson & Dana. In 1854 E. S. Wells opened
the Metropolitan Boot and Shoe Store, and commenced
the manufacture on an extensive scale.

In 1855 C. G. Sheffield, as agent of the old type
foundry of John T. White & Co., New York, established
a branch in Chicago — the only one of the kind west of
Cincinnati. It was in a large four-story brick building
on Washington Street.

Messrs. Rossetter & Pahlman established the " Chi-
cago Woodenware Manufactory" in 1854. The value
of its product the next year amounted to $100,000. At
this time it was the only establishment of the kind in
the West, and the largest one in the United States. E.
& D. Brunswick established their billiard table manu-
factory on Randolph Street at an early day. I. Brown
started the first match factory on Wells Street. In 1854
Chapman & Atwood established the "Eagle Match
Factory." In June, 1854, the first paper box factory
was started at No. 71 Lake Street by Wiegle & Co.
The first manufacturer of tobacco was A. Meyers, who
commenced business in 1849. In 1856 L. Lyon erected
a factory for the manufacture of white lead on Halsted
Street, corner of Fulton.

The manufacture of musical instruments was started
in 1854. During that year R. G. Green started a melo-
deon manufactory at the southeast corner of Washing-
ton and Market streets. The business had been carried
on by Mr. Green and partners in an unostentatious way
for two years, and assumed a prominent place among
the manufactures of the city and county at this time,
when he became sole proprietor of the business. He
employed twenty workmen, and made three hundred
instruments during the year, valued at $25,000. The
capital invested was $10,000. Following this first
manufactory came additions in 1855. During that year
Knaub & Sons began the manufacture of pianos at 145
North Clark Street. Their invested capital was $3,000.
They employed nine workmen, and made the first year
thirty pianos, valued at $10,000. H. Stone also began
the manufacture of pianos the same year, at the corner

EARLY MANUFACTORIES.

57'

of Clark and Water streets. His capital was $200; he
employed two workmen and made, in one year, eight
instruments, valued af $2,000. John Preston was also
making pianos at this time, but his capital, the number
of operatives employed, or the extent of his business,
are not matters of record. The summary of thisbrani h
of business; for 1S55, as shown by the Democratic
Press, was: Capital invested, $13,200; number of hands
employed, 31; pianos manufactured, 38; melodeons
made, 300; total production, valued at $37,000.

Late in 1855, the first type foundry was started by
C. G. Sheffield, at 43 Franklin Street, where he adver-
tised a "type foundry and printers' warehouse." His
first investment was $15,000, and he employed fifteen
hands. Besides the type he manufactured, he kept for
sale the first full stock of printers' material ever offered
in the city. His advertisement stated that it included
everything in the printer's line, "from a Washington
press to a bodkin."

As has been remarked, the revival of manufacturing
dates from the "wholesale " introduction of railroads in
1852. In 185 1 the total capital invested in foundries was
$55,000; in agricultural implements, $98,000; in wagon
and carriage manufactories, $22,300, and in the black
smithing business, $10,700. By 1854, $1,650,000 was in-
vested in locomotive, engine and machine shops; $3 10,000
in agricultural implements; $220,000 in wagon and car-
riage manufactories, and many other lines of manufacture
were represented in proportion. A comparison of the
value of manufactures for 1854, 1855 and 1856, shows
that within those three years it more than doubled.

In 1854 the value of manufactures was as follows:
Locomotives, engine, machinery and iron works, railroad
cars, furnishings, etc., $3,200,000; agricultural imple-
ments, $350,000; carriages and wagons, $500,000; fur-
niture and cabinet work, $350,000; planing mills, sash
factories, etc., $500,000; brass and copper works, $135,-
000; stoves, leather, soaps and candles, and all other
branches, $2,800,000.

A comparison for the years 1855 and 1856 is given
in detail. No reports were received in 1857, the year
of the panic, but upon the authority of the Democratic
Press it may be stated that before the end of the year
the total value of the manufactures had equaled that of
1856.

COMPARATIVE VALUE OF CERTAIN MANUFACTURES.

1S55.

1856.

Locomotive, engine, machinery and

$2,876,000
649,790
702,104
455,500

749,684
377,200
826,645
464,130
290,000
588,900
260,000
i<i;. <

$3,887,084

1,134,300

948,160

543,000

1,092,397

471,000

1,150,320

52S.02I

Furniture and cabinet works

Planing mills, sash, door and blind

Whisky, ale, porter, beer, etc....

432,000

896,775

23S.OOO

Besides the important branches especially mentioned
were many others which should be recorded as having
become established prior to the close of 1856. The
following table from the Democratic Press gives the
essential particulars concerning many of them:

MISCl I 1 \M OUS MANI PAl [I

Stearns & Co

William I [olraes

Jordan & Olcott

Week-. Bros

I tuntson & ["owner. . .

|"hn 1 '. ( larland

W. &G. Wright

I. Speer

W. A. Hendrie

I). A. Frost

A. S. Beckwith

W. & E. Cook

Held & lire, ,

E. Smalley

I I. C. Rosin

A. Hesler

Fassett iv Cook

Aker & Downer

George Drake

F. Weigle

Sundell iV Co

E. Scanlan

Simm & Co

l'age & Co

E. R. Bowen

C. Schilling

Frazer .V Forsythe. . .

C. ]. Wilder

Worthing & Melville.

E. (use

M. Guvies

G. J. Sutter

E. S. Wells

Pearson & Dana

J. Kirby & Co

Culver, Page&Hoyne

T. Asmus

S. Fisser.... ... ..

I.inic

Look'g .

Ship builders. . .
Ship builders. . .
1 "ih e.Spic's &c.

Trunks, etc

Trunks, etc

J^elry

Jewelry

Silver Plater. • . .

1 !old Pens

I ilass Stainers. .

etc

Cisterns

Patterns

1 >aguei rea

1 laguerreans . . .

Malster

Painter

Paper Boxes. . .
Soda Water. . .
1 Confections
Confections . . .
Confections . . .
Gloves, etc. . . .
Gloves, etc.. . .
Baking, etc.
Crackers, etc. .
( Irackers, etc. .
Crackers, etc. . ,
Crackers, etc. . .
Bakers' Tools. . ,
Shoes, etc

Shoi S, etc

Boxes

I'.l. ink Books, etc
Plank Pooks.etc
Caps, etc

Totais $439,700 $1,644,697 502

-
[0,000

8 .IKK,

50,00.1
r 5,000

20,

_• . 1 . 11 1
1 ,

•J. K ,
600

22, OCX)

5,000

3,000

2,500

5O0

3,000

5,000
4,000
7,000
3,000

200
4,600
5,500
2,500
i, 000

300

8,000
20,000

5,000
12,000

4. -1

-

1

000
20,000

[00,000

50,000

5,000

[5,000

2.K*.
lo.ixxj

- , ..

5,000

1.
75,000

105,000

7,500

500

I5.IXXI

211,1m
15,000

I O.K.. ,

500

I., ......

17,000

8,000

44.247
250

The Democratic Press gave the following:

SUMMARY OF MANUFACTURES, JAM AKY I, 1857.

Iron works, steam engines, etc

Stoves

Agricultural implements

Brass and tin ware, etc

Carriages, wagons, etc

High wines, beer, ale, etc

Soap, candles, lard, etc

Furniture

Stone, marble, etc

Planing mills, sash, doors, etc

Musical instruments

Leather

Barrels, wooden ware, etc

Brick

Flour

Chemicals

Harness, saddles, etc

Sheet and bar lead

('due and neats-foot oil

Starch, estimated

Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, etc...

Engraving, etc

Cigars

White lead

Types, etc

Boots, shoes, clothing, and other

manufactures, estimated

Miscellaneous

Total, [856

Total, [855

Total. [854

Capital.

Value of
Hands. Manufaclurt

$1,763,900

1 B5,ooo
597, 000
257,000

3 5 I I , I K K I

4'. 7, 1 » » '
296,000
354,000
617,950
445,000
1 i,200

3 3 2,000
[78,700

V Ml.. H II I

325,000

I5,000

S 2 , ' )K I

25,000

15,000
75,000

I I, ixxi'

8,050

SII.KKI

500,000 1,750

$' " ),40

J, 220,000 5. .x»i

<■•■:.•<- 1

238,1 "K.
,134,300
471,000
O48, l60

,150, 120
528,021

543,000
806,775

.092.397

37.O00

432."""

357,250

71 2. KM,

271. KMI
[I

25,k«i
[00,000

7.2KI

750. KMI

$15,515,063
[,031,49]

57*

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

MISCELLANEOUS MANUFACTURING ITEMS FOR 1S56.

Number of establishments propelled by steam 137

Tons of cast iron consumed (reported) iS,_)02

Tons of wrought iron consumed (reported 1 1 1 , iy6

Tons of coal consumed (reported) 38,5 16

Cords of wood consumed (reported) 3,000

REVIEW OF TRADE IN 1857.

The year 1857, which closes the period treated in
this volume, was one of wide-spread business disaster.
One of those periodical business convulsions had swept
over the land. Following the unexpected failure of the
Ohio Life & Trust Company, a panic occurred in the
great Eastern money centers, so general as to com-
pletely destroy for the time all business confidence.
The sudden and forced liquidation of all debts which
followed so lessened values that insolvency became the
rule rather than the exception among business men.
Trade at the close of the year was completely paralyzed,
and the new year showed more business wrecks than
any five years before. Chicago could not and did not
come out of the storm unscathed. The sudden with-
drawal of all orders for the purchase of her grain and
other products of export on which the stability of her
trade was built, and the great depreciation of all State
securities, on which rested the solvency of the Illinois
banks, brought many of her citizens to sudden ruin, and
forced several of her banks into liquidation. Up to
that time the opinion most widely held concerning
Chicago by those not personally interested in her was,
that her marvelous growth had been of the mushroom
order; more largely on the basis of speculative hopes in
what the city was to become than on any well-grounded
confidence in her based on what she had already
achieved. The conservative business element of the
East had ever viewed her sudden growth with more of
suspicion than of wonder, and predictions had been
common that the first business collapse would burst the
bubble and leave her the ruin of ruins among the specu-
lative cities of the land. The crisis came as unex-
pectedly to Chicago as to the other cities of the country.
For a few weeks each individual and each community
was entirely engrossed in endeavors for self-preserva-
tion. When the storm had spent its fury, and so far
abated as to allow a comparison of damage done and
reserve force remaining, the " mushroom city on the
lake " was found to have endured the financial storm
with more equanimity and apparently less damage than
any of the older cities, and to be awaiting the tide of
returning prosperity with a courage and strength which
her business reverses had only redoubled. Thenceforth
her business standing among the cities of the country
was not as it had been before; the problematical dis-
trust as to its stability and inherent merit and strength
was supplanted by a confidence in its inevitable future
which has since then made it the center of confidence
for all outside capital as well as the center of hope for
all local enterprise.

The sixth annual review of the trade and commerce
of Chicago for the year 1857, published by the Chicago
Press, gave a full statistical report of the' trade of that
year, and in its editorial comments reflected the prevail-
ing spirit and sentiment of Chicago. The report was
incited by a combination of the spirits of pluck and
brag which was then and has ever since been character-
istic of the city. The following excerpts are given :

•• In accordance with our invariable custom we

' to tin- readers of the Chicago Daily Press, and

the public generally, the Sixth Annual Review of the

Trade and Commerce of our city ; and in doing so it is

proper to remark that such a statement for the year
1857 will be looked upon with an unusual degree of
interest — for in many respects it has been the most
important one in the history of Chicago. While old
and wealthy cities on the Atlantic seaboard succumbed
to the financial revulsion — while crash after crash
occurred in the commercial world, and ruin left its
traces on every hand — from all parts of the country,
North, South, East and West, we heard the momentous
query put — 'How stands Chicago?' For years the
assertion had been made that our city was but a bubble,
to be exploded by the first breath of adverse fortune.
How nobly she has weathered the storm and falsified
the predictions of envious rivals, it devolves upon us, in
dry facts and figures that cannot be disputed, to dem-
onstrate. We will show the people of the East that not-
withstanding they have rolled desolation and panics
from the Atlantic seaboard to the Mississippi, that there
is in the commerce of our city a vigor and elasticity
which are equal to every emergency. We will show
that, all things considered, the Trade and Commerce of
Chicago throughout the past year, have been most fully
maintained, and that the falling off in some departments
of business is due to the general stagnation of trade
throughout the whole country.. It will be fully demon-
strated by our tables of exports and imports — by the
well-known fact that the Northwest was never before so
rich in the elements of genuine prosperity — that had
there been money and confidence in the East, our
products would have moved forward in abundance,
and the West would have in return depleted the store-
houses of the East of their overstocked importations —
that so far as the Northwest is concerned, there was no
cause for a panic ; and that had the East not spent her
substance in over-trading, over-speculating, and by a
long series of violations of the laws of commerce, the
West would have saved her from the ruin that followed.
" One of the principal sources of strength which, amid
the recent panic and wide-spread disaster, has enabled
Chicago to achieve so commanding a position among
her sister cities of the Union is to be found in the solid
capital which her bankers and business men possessed
— the accumulations of the energy, the prudence, and
the successful commerce of the last dozen years. To
this should be added the wisdom and far-reaching fore-
cast which induced them to sustain and give confidence
to our home currency — the bills of the Illinois and
Wisconsin banks. These bills are secured by State
stocks, and though at one time, had these stocks been
thrown on the market, the bills could scarcely have been
worth fifty cents on the dollar — the actual value accord-
ing to the sales in the New Vork market, for most of
them ranging at from sixty to eighty cents — yet the people
gave them their confidence and passed them from hand
to hand in the payment of debts and for the purchase of
goods. Our city bankers also acted nobly. Though
some of our country banks were forced to close their
doors, and all the banks in Illinois and Wisconsin,
except the Marine and the Chicago banks of this city,
which to their honor be it said paid the coin on demand
for all their issues, virtually suspended specie payments,
yet our bankers received at par the bills of all the coun-
try banks, and thus saved the business of the city from
utter stagnation and ruin. The position which our
bankers assumed toward our business men, and that of
business men toward each other, was not one of hostil-
ity but of mutual forebearance and support, and never in
commercial, as well as in all other matters, was the
motto more beautifully illustrated — ' in union there is
strength.'

REVIEW OF TRADE IN [857.

573

" In striking contrast with this liberal policy was the
course adopted in our sister city, St. Louis. The bank-
ers there became alarmed, and under the self-confident
dictation of the State Bank of Missouri, threw out the
bills of the States of Illinois and Wisconsin. This at
once effectually blocked the channels of trade ; in a lew-
days a large number of her oldest and most wealthy
business houses went by the board, and in the end, as
might have been foreseen, the banks themselves were
forced to suspend. As a consequence, merchants in
central and southern Illinois, and in southern Iowa
have made their fall purchases in this city, and never
has the great fact stood out in bolder relief that Chicago
is the great commercial center of the Northwest than
within the last few months. Their interests are identical,
and their development and growth in wealth and all
that elevates and refines our common humanity must
go on in a rapidly increasing ratio for untold genera-
tions.

"Another fact deserves special notice here. The
influence of our commanding commercial position in
enabling us successfully to resist the panic, is patent to
all men, and it will have a stimulating effect upon the
future growth of the city. During the worst w:eeks of
the panic our shipments of wheat were about a hundred
thousand bushels per day, and, of all cereals averaged
from one to two hundred thousand bushels. This prod-
uce went very far toward liquidating maturing West-
ern indebtedness. When coin and exchange became
dear, our merchants took currency from their customers,
bought wheat for it and made exchange for themselves.
Such an example of Western energy and shrewdness
was duly appreciated by the creditors of Chicago deal-
ers upon the seaboard. It is not a mere idle boast ;
but a simple fact that Western credit is now stronger
than ever before.

" To all those who have persistently slandered our
city — who have regarded it as an empty bubble soon to
explode, and bring ruin upon all those who had placed
any confidence in her stability, the figures which we lay
before our readers to-day are a crushing, unanswerable
reply.

"The opening of the year 1857 was not such as would
have foreboded a period of commercial disaster. The
country was rich in its products after a series of most
bountiful harvests — the majority of our people, owing
to the scarcity of money in the East, rather curtailing
than expanding their business, and in no former period
of our history did the average condition of the commer-
cial houses of this city appear more favorable. As the
season advanced, however, matters in the East grew
worse, and the Wall-street gamblers, through their
organs, raised the cry that the cause of all the disturb-
ance was — the West. Libels on the character of our
business men — on the general stability of our country,
were published far and wide ; and a most desperate
effort was made to bring back to their coffers the capi-
tal which had forsaken them for a more profitable
market in the West. The commercial communities in
the East had over-traded, and by a long series of enor-
mous importations, had plunged the country in debt,
and now they began to see that unless they could revo-
lutionize the entire country, West as well as East, they
alone would be buried in the ruin which their own fol-
lies had engendered. But all this could have but
slightly affected the Northwest, had the people and the
journals of the West been true to themselves. Unfortu-
nately there were some blind, dissatisfied and jaundiced
leaders who most effectually played into the hands of
the 'croakers 'of the East.' Parties who had large and

extensive time-contracts i*>r produi e— made during the
winter of 1856 57 in ordi thi market, early
in the spring published and most industrious!) circu-
lated reports said to ha pfrom

actual observation '—that there was 1 \ 'no

grain in the 1 ountt \ ' thai out staples were exha 1
that the mighty Northwest had neither money nor prod
inc. Unfortunately then' wire journals throughout the
country — some even in this city — which wan too Stupid

to see through the transparent trick I rrupt to

testify i" the truth, or too lazy to investigate the matter
for themselves— which, witii blatant words, loudly
re-echoed this false cr) of the general poverty ol the
West. These slanders ware most eagerly caught up by
the journals of the East and extensively published under
the head of ' Western Distrust ol the West.' The effect

was instantly felt. Our bankers Stood appalled at the
drain which immediately set in on them from their cor-
respondents in the East. Large sums of money whit h
had been sent forward for the purpose of moving the
crops were at once withdrawn ; and when navigation
opened, it was a difficult matter for our merchants to
accommodate the trade. The ( hicago Daily Press
stood alone in its position, that the Northwest was
entirely solvent — that she was teeming with wealth in
her products — that her farmers had their granaries and
their storehouses full, and were ready to sell at a fair
price. To counteract our statements, trade circulars
and 'cooked up' newspaper articles were scattered
broadcast over the country, stating that all along our
rivers and linesof railroad, the country had run itself out,
and that in the whole valley of the Illinois there were not
twomillion bushelsof grain of all kinds. In cont radii tion
to this, we at that very time published reliable statements,
showing that between Naples and Peoria, there had been
found by actual count, over two million bushels of corn.
The tables of statistics which follow in this review
demonstrate to a certainty the truth of the assertions we
then made. We find that the receipts of corn for the
season bv the Illinois & Michigan Canal are 4.122,601
bushels; by the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad, 407,-
437; by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad,
1,892,219; by the Illinois Central Railroad, 192,102;
and by the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was 354,-
166 bushels — nearly all of which was from the crop of
1856. And yet at the commencement of the season,
there was ' no corn in the country.'

"Not content, however, with slandering the West
by representing her as poverty-stricken in respect to
the crop of 1856, the same parties circulated false
reports relative to the coming crop of 1857. Because,
in some portions of our State, the small crop of winter
wheat was injured by the winter of 1856-57, it was
stated there would be ' no wheat in the country.' Then
again, touching the corn crop of 1857, which proved to
be the largest ever grown in this State, the same parties,
in the face of the promising accounts which came in
from all quarters misrepresented it, both as regards
quantity and quality, carrying out the polic) or plan,
as it would appear studiously arranged beforehand — to
damage Western interests and Western men. True, all
now know that the position of the < hicago Dailj Press
was correct — as the facts above given, and which may
be found further in detail in this artii le abundantly
prove; but these truths could not at the time spoken
of be demonstrated beforehand to the people of the
East— especially as there was a very ai live party there,
who deemed it their only salvation to roll back the
• star of empire ' from the Great Valley of the Missis-
sippi. The honest friends of the West were frightened

5 74

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

by the misrepresentations that had been spread by inter-
ested gamblers and their abettors — and the consequent
general lack of faith in the West was but the entering
wedge to the widespread disaster which followed, and
which all, more or less, have felt and do now experience.

■• It is not our object or design to. brood over the
errors of the past; but it is the duty of the honest jour-
nalist to chronicle the events of the year, be they favor-
able or otherwise, so that our people may have an
opportunity to learn wisdom from experience; and in
this connection, it is interesting to look around and see
the position which those now occupy who labored so
industriously to damage the Northwest. They have been
the first to fall into the pit they so earnestly dug for others;
and if ever they be resurrected, it will be to be looked
upon with general distrust. As for those journals
which so violently opposed Western interests, while
catering for Western support, they have spent their shot,
and their shafts are for the future barbless. The
mighty Xorthwest, even now, stands firmly in her posi-
tion; Chicago, her center and index, still maintains her
commercial supremacy — -and it has been the wonder of
the whole continent that she, so young, so ambitious and
enterprising, should have so stoutly and so bravely
withstood the revulsion.

•• By reference to our commercial tables, it will be
seen that while we have exercised a most laudable
economy in our imports of merchandise, our exports,
even in spite of the low prices which prevailed, have not
materially fallen off. We have exported more wheat,
packed more beef, and shipped more cattle than in the
previous season; and still there is a large surplus in the
country for next season's business. Unless some hith-
erto unknown mine be sprung upon the money markets
of the world, the reasonable prospect is, that the busi-
ness of Chicago the present year will far outstrip that of
any previous one. There is but little grain in the East
— with four months of winter before them. The banks
of New York are overflowing with gold, ready for
profitable investment; while we have an abundance of
produce of all kinds, which, as soon as navigation opens,
will go forward and relieve the embarrassed of all
classes — for it is a well-known fact, that when the grain
moves general prosperity follows.

'• In the tables which follow in this article will be
found the receipts, shipments and prevailing prices of
almost every important article of trade and commerce
for the year 1857, as well as for a series of years pre-
ceding. To the merchant, the trader, or the property-
owner, they cannot fail to be interesting; as without a
knowledge of the facts they demonstrate* any movement
in the commercial world would be but groping in the
dark.

"The grain trade — which is probably the most
important branch of our commerce — has been active,
aud shows, contrary to general expectation, but a slight
falling off on the business of 1856, and an increase over
that of 1855. The receipts of all kinds of grain in
1855 were 20,487,953 bushels, while during the past
year they foot up 21,856,206 bushels — a falling off on
the receipts of 1856 of about three million bushels. The
shipments of grain and flour reduced to its equivalent
in wheat, during the past year, amount to 18,032,768
bushels — which is but 2,818,618 bushels less than was
shipped in 1856. and over two millions more than were
shipped in 1855. It will be noticed, however, that while
there is a slight reduction in the general footing up for

the year, that in the great staples of the grain trade we
show quite a large increase. Of wheat we have exported
9,485,052 bushels, or 1,147,632 bushels more than in 1856,
and 3,286,897 bushels more than in 1855. In flour also,
there is a large increase. We exported in 1857 259,-
648 barrels, or forty thousand barrels more than the
shipments of 1856. Unfortunately, the people of the
East became panic-stricken just as the wheat crop of
1857 was beginning to come in — else our shipments of
wheat and flour reduced to its equivalent in grain ,
would have been several million bushels more. For the
present year there is a grand prospect for this trade — -
the crops of 1857 almost untouched, plenty of money in
the East, and a general scarcity of the cereals.

" The provision trade has shown quite an important
increase over the business of 1856. The number of
cattle slaughtered and packed during the season just
closed is 19,127 — an increase on the business of 1856
of 4,000 head. Before the scarcity of money occurred,
however, packers' estimates exceeded 30,000 head.

" In 1857 we find there were over twenty-five thou-
sand cattle shipped East — an increase of over three
thousand head on the business of the previous year.
Had the season been longer this number would undoubt-
edly been greatly increased.

" Although the past year has not been very profit-
able to lumber manufacturers, yet the figures show the
trade to be in a most favored position. The receipts
are 459,639,198 feet, or over three millions more than
in 1856. Had the business kept up during October and
November at the same rate as the previous portion of
the season, the receipts could not have fallen short of
500,000,000 feet. The shipments for the year are 58,-
221,063 feet more than those of 1856.

" The stone business in Chicago is quite a prominent
branch of trade. In 'the following columns will be
found statistics concerning its extent and position,
which cannot fail but prove of interest to the commer-
cial communitv.

" The position which the Chicago and Canadian
trade has assumed within a year or two may be learned
from an article in this review, which contains several
valuable statistical tables. Our relations with Canada
are of great importance, and our trade with our neigh-
bors across the line is annually on the increase.

" In coal, salt, high wines, hides, cheese, butter, and
many other important branches of trade, will be found
a large increase on the business of 1856. Of course,
even with this increase, we must take into account the
general condition of the country during the past few-
months, which has no doubt operated to lessen the
figures to a considerable extent.

" The growth of our lake commerce is worthy of
some space in our review, and we have presented some
statistics showing its growth and position. We give
lists of steamers, propellers and sail vessels engaged in
the general merchandise business of our city.

" We also give the rates which exchange on New
York, Buffalo and St. Louis have commanded each week
during the past four years. It is quite an interesting
table and could not be well omitted in giving a general
view of our trade and commerce.

" The shipping interest in our city is now large and
extensive, and demands some attention. A carefully
prepared table of the rates of freights for carrying
wheat and corn to Buffalo and Oswego, will be found
in this review."

REVIEW OF TRADE IN 1857.

575

The following table shows the amount of some of
the leading articles transported on the Illinois &
Michigan Canal each year since its completion:

jt: f-1
0 2tc
^3 3

f

3 g 0 0

3 S- < 3

3

3

3 »
3 3.'

: -■

Corn
Oats
Pota
Men
Sugs
MnU

5 <

- -■

r. — x —

:

S v ' O 3 3 B^C — a.™

3 _

3

- —

3

3

" '^ -off

o-a 3- 6 •'

—

— r'

AH

SI ^ —

3

t

= -
L- —

3 :
3 •

CT

a •

• s* '

O.

0" %

w

*SL

•£

— '.

r

a

; 0 ;

w1 1

3

a..

cr .

i"

f :

€£m h

co-j -p. W 4-

^jo-^i 0 o to o o o o '- o co w

&

«u» O H M M 4- O

J* Cn 00 W "m t-i w O O Cn "to M ^-J Ln

Wui O) . OCO,LnOOOO<-<^-J OLn -*j . Ln

vj m M O^-J ^-4 . Ln w , IO OW Ln *j CC O ^ h4- O tO . Ln COO O

^OOOiw' UO' i.O'J'HCMOOwilOUiH' tO COW O

-^1 O O O O -J * Q M ' H100W004-MC6 COO O * Oui O -*4
to O O cot-n 0 OU LnOtOOO cow Ln 0 C© 00 to cow CO O

€»

10 M 00 M M M Ln O

:/* 4> ~0 O W O too 4* OW 1-1 w 4-

m CCOO Ln OW -J O O . 4- CC^J -. Ln <-> >-« . » HI 4>

O-^-^JCOOOWCOOLn. 4--JO. WOt04-0--J--4'-<. Ln Ji M W

• O Ln oi- WU4- O ' -JW C»' hh w 04- CO O C M ' O CT-O 10

p

tO O 10 10 CO OO tOtO* W -J ■"-« ' O U IO vj u\v] W O ' O 0 W >-<

Ui M COm-~J -1 hW^J Ln COW O 4- W C O 4- OW W O W O

€£

-. CM_n -.

V3 0 <J» O W W 4- 4- O "to M Ln h m CO

W W •-< <-i ■■"• OCOW, LnCDMm4-0^ O ^-4 ^J W

O W O O-OJ-WLn CO. C* M 10 O CO 1-. Ln HiQ CO QC W tOLn-J COO

P COOWOLn^i CMn * 0 ~^J W to 0 4- O <-n 0 <Ji O -4 W i- to to ^J

W O Ln w O W COI0 -h ' .-IW4-W CO *~j to 0 10 Ln o-^J COtO O Ln O

4- COmvJ mWO OO C4-MM h ih CO OLn O tOW tO ^ m W O

€#

O M 00 M p ~ 4^- Ln H

- 4> U* i MO^J CCL^IO OW CCU CXCOm

Ui h O -*t COO -^ILnOLn^JLOtJtOOM4--''-i tO

--J-^I O COOlh ODiflvj 0 4- O1-" O O 10 0--J 00*JWW^J-J4- O

"rJvii.i---i4-'JLn4- to Co^jwW CotOLo O ^ CO 4- --J Ln W to H i»

tO -^1 W Otn CCW 4- •— O r-f O to lm -J 0 4- C O C0 4- tO C/j <_n O "-• W

--1 W COW to Ln 4- 4- O 4^ 4- xO Ln 004- -J O to Ln 0 i-"-t- tOOWO O

&

1-. c>Ln m hh

■ LniA +. W i. 10 vt O Oi Coi U O* O 4- W

W — OtOCO GO OO CO O «-< O O OW .CO •-< 4- O 4- >-» tO >--

•-J OOWLn to OO p Ln O O 4- W OO 10--J O to O O >- Ln m O J-< O

■ O4-0*-JOLn0O-^Ot0MOt00Lno"0Ot0Ot00t0Lnt0

O O W C^\Q O 0 <~n to 4- to W to 00^4 W O O W M vj O^-J m M ui W

COCOCOLnLnO 4> O OO O O *-J M <W to COW OLn -j C0 4- Ln ^J 4^ O

€&

-H O O M H H

-OtO h*- MC^4^ noi- OM LnLnW

W ~J ^J tO O CO to -1 to CO 4- CO CO to to W 'W 4- O O 4^- to —

to to 10 4- CC 10 4- C W O W -J vju«4- O 10 i-< W -" O 10 OO W — -J

-t-

P1 O >-< h 4ft- coto O to -*j 0 en 4-. 4- m 0 -1 — to'tooi-O CO 000 w

O --J O O CO Ln Oto O O •-< W 4- O hUi W C W C-J CO Ln 04- 0 '-'

10 ^O O O 0-4 W m >-t C>+*Ln tOLn hh +. to OW-JO O^JOO O

€©■

P OO "0 vl bvl COW W H sj M O h O Ln b

Ln vj 4- w O O <-n O to to 10 **J 10 >-i cc-~J tO O OW m tO t-i

w O'-'L^J CoOW hvj 0*-J tOLtJLn co h m >-iWLnOLn m C^OOw

.4-00 O'vl 04- Co^iC 04- — -h OW CO'W CoC'Ln cc-^i to OO

W Ln to W W O M vj O-^I CO 0 4- O 10 O-J 4- to O X W *-J tO LO W O

coocn COCOh COCOHUl 0 WLn i~i rj 0 »-» W 0»-iO COmOOUI CO

۩

CC^JO M M H H JO Ln
- "^. "-h in ji. W O h h OO i- "to O -J i- O

w Ln O W O 10 O cow Co to — O OW 4- Ln w 4-. tO — *-*

. Ln 0"*J (>H WM4- O 10 U3 OCO-h O'W OC004^-0-J OO 4— W -

O"-" OO O Om O to Ln h-'jj'W O to 4- — W OW Ctnvjvj O -t- vj

W O OOO^I tOO O CROW 0 OLn 04- O ^n IOC vC OW OCOOI

€^P ." -H r *■

M h m to 4. OM0 m tOWLn4-^ltO W — CO >-« OO m

O O 10 4- >-< Ln w 4- •- Ln 0 0 '-" O to O & td ••£ O >-■ -1 CO

O —< to t0vi--JW4i* O Ou1 w hvj o^iO cotoviLnto^JOww la
O i M b M M to"to"tOL*3Ln O^J vl OOOOCOOO-C*-J^i^-l4i. COLn .

0 CC4-4- O— to -J O 4- OLn m m 0 4- COtO O —OLn C^IMvl |

0 OLn

■o

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0

+•

■^ 0

Total Imports and Exports.— Below will be
found a table showing the total imports and exports by
lake, canal and railroads during 1857. We have spared
neither pains nor expense to make it perfect, and so far
as the hooks in our public offii 1 S ari ai 1 urate, will this
statement be found correct. The imports have, as a
general thing, been properly classified, and maj
lied upon; but the system of classification in regard to
our exports is so general, that it is altogether impossible
to make up a complete table from their bonks. We find
that the item under the head of " merchandise " is madi
to include almost every article of trade, from a needle
to an anchor. We trust that we will be able to report
a better state of affairs next year. It is an impi
matter' to know how much we export and import, and
we are happy to learn that some of our railway com-
panies are beginning to appreciate this, and classify and
systematize more:

ST V Tl-.MKX '!

Showing the Comparative Receipts and Shipments by Lake, Canal and
Railroad for iSjj.

Articles.

Lake.

Canal.

Railroad.

Total.

Ag. imp. lbs..

37.3oo

15,286,072

15.323,370

Ag. prod's lbs.

146,460

23,760

11,723,006

11,893,227

181,792

181,792

Apples, bbls. .

8,375

8,795

17,170

Hark, cords . .

5,118

5,118

Barley, bu. . . .

33.160

2,692

86,191

122,043

Barrels (e) ...

12,910

1,240

32.771

46,921

Beans, bu.. . .

2,827

132

6,850

9,809

Beer, bbls

22,596

2,429

25,025

559

191

217,721

218,471

Beef, bbls. . . .

43S

30

13

4-1

Broom, c. ts. .

46

3S3

42<l

Buckwheat. . .

14S

14s

Butter, lbs. . .

4.395

1,534,990

1.539.385

Calves, no. . .

[,894

1.894

Cattle, no. . . .

53

48,235

48,288

Car axles ....

54

54

Car wheels. . .

1.732

1.732

Castings, tons

2,059

i}4

38

2,097

Cheese, lbs. . .

8,000

970.590

978,59°

Coal, tons . . .

134.043

6,636

30,671

171,350

Corn, bu

3,200

4,122,605

3,oS5,S25

7,211,630

Cotton, lbs. .

103,000

103,000

D'd Hogs, lbs.

8.442,01 1

8,442.611

D'd Beef, lbs.

211,712

211.712

Dr'd Fruit, lbs.

516,987

516,987

Eng. & Boilers

II

1 1

Fish, bbls... .

15.569

15,569

Flour, bbls. . .

5.347

12,931

376,752

5,030

F'niture.pkgs.

4,290

4,290

" tons.

11

2,632

2,643

1,13s

1,138

Grass Sd., lbs.

5.900

162,751

2,288,572

2,257,22;,

Grindst's, tns.

527

= 27

Hair, tons . . .

1

1

33

593

240

916

Hemp, lbs. . .

193,637

[93,637

Hides, lbs.. . .

72>353

5,366,931

Hides, no. . . .

1,159

61,833

62,992

Hogs (live). . .

21 18, |02

Horses, no. . .

4,428

I.I"

Hoops, cds. . .

10

30

1"

Hubs, no. . . .

24.584

24.584

Iron& N'ls, t.

6,950

8

2,835

Iron.lW S.tns

6,154

21

255

lard. bbls....

M9

7.234

Lath, no

79,650,000

404. 00O

so.144.1x>

Lead, tons. . .

36

2,091

2.127

Lime, &c. bbls.

23,320

7,686

4?. 4^=

-

Lumber, ft. . .

444,396,300

196,150

459,639,198

Mach'ry, pks.

17?

175

" tons

104

41

59

204

576

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Article?.

Lake.

Canal.

Railroad.

Total.

Marb!e, tons...

651

651

Malt, bu

3.j6o

42.376

45.736

Mdse., pkgs...

160,763

160,763

Mdse.. tons. . .

82.749

202

91,663

174,612

Meal. lbs. ...

13,700

101,892

"5.592

Mill Stos, tns .

23

Mill Stuffs. . . .

435-3")

7.927,556

"o'>-\S7?

Molasses, bis..

1.S4S

1,848

So

366,739

940,432

1,307,251

Oil. bbl

"4

1

I'5

Oil Cake. lbs. .

45,767

45.767

Paper, lbs. . .

436,460

436,460

reaches, boxes

S.oso

8,050

Skins, lbs

38,441

38.441

Pickets, no... .

1,182 000

I,lS2,000

Pork, bbls . . .

5

2,787

6,126

8,918

Posts, c'r, no. .

544.302

544.302

Provisions, lbs.

4,200

1.395. 19S

4.S52.S30

6,252,22s

R. R. Chairs..

lo.iSS

io,iS8

R. R. Iron, t's

27,30=;

7S7

28,092

R. R. Ties, no.

120,076

2.057

122,133

Reapers, no. . .

95

95

2,213

S4.4S5

86,6gS

Salt, bbls

204,469

4

204.473

Salt, sacks . . .

117.377

"7. 377

Lard, tons. . . .

....

LS50

1,850

52,469

25.469

Shingles, no. .

130,462,250

1,36s, 000

131, 830,250

S. Bolts, cds..

7.1S2

7,182

Shot, lbs

81,000

81,000

Slate, tons. . . .

134

134

Spokes, no. . . .

373.300

373.30O

Staves, no. . . .

3,123,000

30,610

3,153,610

Stone, c v .

122, S42

122,842

Stone, tons . . .

1,515

465

1,980

Stone ware . . ".

5S,I23

58,123

Sugar, lbs. . . .

1,714,961

6,432,166

S, 147. 127

Sundries, tons.

172

2

347

521

Tallow, bbls. .

565

565

Tar, lbs

29.750

29.750

Tel. poles, no.

12,883

12,883

Thresh. Mach.

140

210

350

Tobacco, lbs . .

91,266

91,266

Vinegar, bbls..

9

9

\\ ag s i: Bug's

625

5

153

7S3

\\ ater pipe, pc.

1.835

1,835

Wheat, bu

8.470

8S5.53I

9,461,029

10,355.030

Whisky, bbls. .

430

5,88i

24.255

30,566

\\ hite Lead, lb

425,012

425,012

Wood, cords.

79.463

21,592

17.974

119,029

Wool, lbs. . . .

Sg.sSS

1,027,243

1,116,831

SHIPMENTS.

Articles.

Lake.

Canal.

Railroad.

Total.

Ag. Imp., lbs.

520,418

6.930.S44

7,451,262

Ag. prod s, lbs.

53.312

1,348,192

1.401,404

: :js. ...

165,582

165,582

Apples, bbls. .

10

5.931

5,941

Barley, bu. . . .

1,104

9.993

158,829

169,926

Bark, cords. . .

686

686

Barrels, no. . . .

3,900

10,037

13,937

54

8,600

8.654

Beer, bbls

6

1. 313

1. 319

Beef, bbls ....

44.203

53

146

44.402

Broom'. orn.ts.

353

35

393

B. W. Mr, bis.

83

83

Butter, lbs

45.350

45,350

Castings, tons.

226

849

1.075

. lbs... .

218,406

218,406

634

22,764

23.398

1 •--• ,51 t

48,620

6,825,134

122

25.365

25.487

I'd Hogs, lbs.

4,229,253

4.229,253

I'd Beef. Inn. .

148,626

,1- '.j..

E'd fruit, lbs.

13.179

13.179

Engines, no. . .

5

5

Articles.

Lake.

Canal.

Railroad.

Total.

Fish, bbls. . . .

147

147

Flour, bbls. . .

167,227

644

78.407

255.278

Furniture, tons

47

392

439

Grass Seed, lbs.

731,300

806,648

1.537.943

G. Stones, tons

14

14

Hair, tons

40

40

Hay, tons ....

434

596

1,030

75,200

66,578

141.778

Hides, lbs . . .

196,000

1,320,300

1,516,300

Hoops, cords. .

35

35

110,070

110,070

Horses, no.. . .

2,105

2,105

Iron S: Nails..

39

140

24,32s

24.479

Iron, I'. & Sc p

601

106

35

742

Lard, bbls. . . .

2,210

1.476

3,686

14,118,275

3S, 519,420

52,637,695

Lead, tons. . . .

928

1 So

1,108

Lime, bbls. . . .

1,010

1,392

12,759

15,161

Lumber, ft. . . .

240,330

82,427,639

22S, 919,870

311,787.839

Mach ry, tons.

2,273

2,273

Marble, tons. .

102

102

Mach'rv. tons.

"5

91

206

Mdse., tons. . .

9,189

717

137.253

M7.I59

Mdse., pkgs. .

23,17s

23,17s

Meal, lbs

402,770

113,289

516,059

Mill Stuffs, lbs.

76,716

76,716

MillStone, lbs.

6,500

1,400

7,900

Molasses, bbls.

1,506

1,506

Oats, bu

3S9.1S4

1,890

24.53S

415,612

Oil, bbls

35

35

Pelts, &c, lbs.

592,973

592.973

Pork, bbls

12,151

91

17.836

30,07s

31.656

5S7,SSo

619,536

Provisions, lbs.

1,617,460

1,846,106

3.463.566

R. R. Iron, tns.

129

55

184

Reapers, no. . .

102

S69

971

Salt, bbls

2,240

11,578

57,501

71.319

Salt, sacks. . . .

53.534

53,534

Lard, tons. . . .

5S5

88

673

45

6.471

6,516

Shingles, no. .

20,131,250

134,696,500

154.827,750

Sh. Bolts, cds.

489

76

565

Staves, cords. .

519

206

725

Stone, tons . . .

1,604

7,ooo

8,604

Sugar, bbls. . .

12,645

876,550

889,195

Sundries, tons.

99

35

3,464

3.59S

1 allow, lbs. . .

i,S07

37

345

2,189

Vinegar, lbs. .

60

60

\\ as;ons, no. . .

no

1,624

1.734

Wheat, bu. . . .

9,284,705

12,383

187,964

9,4S5,oS2

Whisky, bbls..

609

359

9,014

9.982

Wood, cords. .

126

126

Wool, lbs

3,276

735 7"

738,987

AUXILIARY AGENCIES.

In the foregoing pages the development of the trade,
commerce and manufactures of Chicago have been
traced from the beginning to a period when the city
had attained the foremost rank among the commercial
cities of the country. Thus far, the record has been of
results, and of a progress so rapid as to be phenomenal.
Such progress was not the result of chance, nor of
what is sometimes termed good fortune. It was the
result of a combination of energetic causes, rather than
a combination of favorable circumstances ; causes as
remarkable as the growth of the city itself. Due allow-
ance being made for all the natural advantages arising
from its geographical location, and the fertility and
productiveness of the tributary country, the unprece-
dented growth of Chicago is more largely attributable to
human foresight, courage, energy and enterprise than
any other modern city in the world.

So late as June, 1825, Prof. William H. Keating,

AUXILIARY AGENCIES.

577

the geologist and historiographer, with Major Long's
second expedition, at the close of a most disparaging
description of Chicago and the surrounding country,
said: "The dangers attending the navigation of the
lake, and the scarcity of harbors along the shore, must
ever prove an obstacle to the increase of the commer-
cial importance of Chicago. The extent of the sand
banks which are formed on the eastern and southern
shore by the prevailing north and north-westerly winds,
will likewise prevent any important works from being
undertaken to improve the port of Chicago." In i8;j,
Milwaukee, eighty-five miles north, and Michigan City,
twenty-five miles south, at the head of the lake, were
both considered as likely to become great trade centers
as Chicago. Only the residents of Chicago had supreme
faith in her future. No city ever started under more
discouraging conditions. The site was on a level so
low that the waves of the lake, when driven by eastern
storms submerged half the ground on which the pres-
ent city is built, and inundations from the spring
freshets were frequent when the Desplaines River,
overflowing its banks joined its waters with those of the
South Branch of the Chicago River, and sought an out-
let through its low banked channel at the site of the
amphibious town.

ft is unnecessary to indulge in speculations as to the
causes which brought together at such an unpromising
spot, the wonderful aggregation of human energy which
has overcome every natural obstacle, and built a city,
where under other conditions no city would have been.
In twenty years all was changed. The river creeping
in torcuous course behind forbidding sand-bars to its
shallow outlet had been made straight, and, through
wide opening piers, welcomed to a safe haven the storm-
tossed ships. Wharfs and docks, and warehouses lined
its banks where trees had stood before, and forests of
masts lined its borders. The city had been lifted, and
stood on dry ground, high above the flood. The waters
of the Desplaines no longer threatened devastation,
but, turned into an artificial channel, bore a never ceas-
ing flood of wealth to the city, vieing in beneficent
service with a dozen lines of railway, converging to this
common center, and reaching their iron arms far out to
the north, to the south, to the east and to the west.

The energy which had wrought such changes and
achieved such wonderful results had one peculiar char-
acteristic. It was prophetic, ever, in its immeasurable
faith, providing for what was to come. The sudden
avalanche of grain which came to Chicago with the com-
pletion of the canal, constantly increasing as each newly
built railroad added to its volume, ever found waiting
buyers, and shippers, and warehouses and elevators of
ample capacity, ready built for the trade. The city has
thus from the beginning always been found prepared to
avail herself of each new branch of trade which has come
to her; hence, no opportunity has been lost to her by
being taken unawares, and no advantage wasted, how-
ever pressing or unexpected its appearance, for want of
foresight in preparation or courageous promptness in
its appropriation.

At the beginning of the commercial history of Chi-
cago the avenues of trade, whether for the export
and import of merchandise by lake, or the receipt
and distribution inland, was restricted by most serious
natural obstacles. Until 1834, there was no harbor.
A sand-bar ran across the present mouth of the river,
and the roadstead outside, unprotected by headlands,
made what is now the safe harbor of Chicago a point on
the western shore to be avoided, except in mild weather,
when vessels might ride quietly at anchor off shore,

while their cargoes and passengers wi ed and

landed by the primitive means of lighters.

Leading inland from Chicago were no roads that

were passable. I lie land was a low, damp p

which, in the wet seasons of spring and fall, becami
better than a bog, over which the roads wire well nigh
useless for heavy teams, except in the dryest sumn
the coldest winter. The radius of country tributary to
Chicago was thus measured by the facilities for trans
portation. No farmer could safely bring a load ol
or wheat from a further distance than fifty miles with
any expectation ol profit. So, at the beginning
radius of country directly tributary to Chicago as .1 -ram
mart maybe safely set .11 that distance. The notable
exceptions to the restrictions was in the marketing o(
cattle, sheep and horses, w hi, h could be driven in, thus
being made to transport themselves to market. The
first, and most important, commercial need of -Chicago
was better means of transportation centering at the
chosen site of the great 1 n\

Plank Roads superseded the primitive roadways
over all the important thoroughfares leading from the
city at a quite early date; thus essentially enlargii
area of trade subsidiary to the city. The Southwestern
Plank Road, left the "Hull's Head" on Madison Street,
and passed through Lyonsville to Brush Hill, mar what
is now LaGrange Station, on the Chicago, Burlington &
Qu'incy Railroad, a distance of sixteen miles. From
that point the Oswego Plank Road extended fourteen
miles further in a southwestern direction, to the Naper-
ville settlement. The Northwestern I 'lank Road
started from the Galena depot, and extended seventeen
miles to the present village of Desplaines in Maine
Township. Seven miles out the Western I'lank Road
branched off toward Elgin, running, in 1853, some-
twelve miles in that direction. The Southern I'lank
Road started on State Street, at the south line of the
city, and extended ten miles in a southerly direction
toward Iroquois County. There were also projected in
1853, the Blue Island Plank Road, from that village
due north to the southwest corner of the city; thence
along Blue Island Avenue, which the City Conn, il had
planked to Madison Street; and the Lake Shore I'lank
Road, which commenced at the north line of the city
on Clark Street, from thence it ran northwardly, nearly
parallel with the lake shore by Rees & Hundley's
tavern, through Pine Grove to Little River, and thence
to Hood's tavern on the Green Bay Road.

These roads raised the mud embargo, which had
before hampered the country trade a good part of each
year, and greatly enlarged the cin le of country that
sought Chicago as a market.

The Illinois & Michigan Canal, completed
in 1848, was the first great feeder, and remained,
for many years, the most important avenue of transpor-
tation between the city and the interior of the State
During the five years, from 1850 to 1857. railroads were
built in all directions centering in Chicago, and at the
latter date the present magnificent system of transporta-
tion, which has since so developed in magnitude as to
reach all points in the United States, the Canadas, and
Mexico, was fairly inaugurated, and in such manner as
to seeure to Chicago the position she lias i nine to hold
as the great railroad center of die 1 Olltinent.

I'm Imi'kovi ur.xr of the Harbor, or rather the
building of the harbor, the dredging ami straightening
of the river, and the building of docks and whar.
the convenience of the immense commerce which the
improved means of land transportation had centi
the citv, kept even pace with those enterprises. In the

57«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

summer of 1833 the first pier was built, and in the
spring of 1^34 the first sand-bar had disappeared, anil
thereafter Chicago was open to a commerce which has
increased each year until the present time.*

Customs — Up to 1846, Chicago belonged to the
Collection District of Detroit, being a port of delivery
only. All the statistics pertaining to customs, foreign
. and lake trade were merged in the general reports of
the whole district at Detroit. Jul- 16, 1846. the new
District of Chicago was created embracing in its juris-
diction the harbors, rivers and waters on the western
shore of Lake Michigan as far north as the town and
river of Sheboygan, and as far south as the dividing line
between the States of Illinois and Indiana. Chicago at
that time became a port of entry, + thus being recog-
nized by the Government, and placed on an equal com-
mercial footing with other American ports of the first
class. The lake trade did not show a large foreign
element in early years as is evinced by the following
extracts from the Chicago Weekly Democrat. Septem-
ber .36. 1S4S. it said:

•■Before 1846 there was no foreign trade at this
point. In that year there was but $14.10 received in
payment of duties. In 1S47. however, the following
descriptions of goods were received here, paying duties
to the amount below: Fire wood, 256 '4 cords; peaches,
2 bbls.: saddles. 1. The duties received on these arti-
cles amounted to 8768.13, the value of articles was
S1.1S2.90.

" In 1848. to September 1, the following is the amount
of dutiable goods imported: St. Urbes salt, 7,100
minots; sea oil, 18 barrels; cod oil, 68 barrels; mack-
erel. 150 barrels; salmon 10 barrels; herring, 21 barrels
and 100 boxes; charcoal, 19 barrels;, lumber, 149,900
feet; stone, 13 cords; wood, 142 cords; shingles, 2 bun-
dles; crockery, 8 crates. The value of the above arti-
cles was $6,600.70, and the duty $1,629.48. The total
value of articles paying duty at this point imported
since Chicago was make a port of entry has been $7,-
783.60, and the duty collected $2,411.71."

The first importation of foreign goods from the
Atlantic was in 1848. It consisted of a cargo of salt,
directed from Turk's Island, aboard the brig "McBride."
The vessel passed through the Gulf of St. Lawrence,
and Canada waters, in bond, the duties being paid at
the custom house in Chicago on its arrival, December 4.
The Chicago Democrat of December 12, 1848, states
that this was the first shipment ever made from the
Atlantic direct to any port on the upper lakes, and adds
that it passed through the Lachine and Welland canals.

The following tables furnished by the Revenue
Department at Washington, give the statistical history
of the port, for the twenty years succeeding its estab-
lishment.J

Statement of the names of collectors, with dates of
their first official bonds, for the port of Chicago, 111.,
from July 16, 1846. to June 30, 1N71.

Name of Collector. Date of Bond.

William li. Snowhook August 27. 1S46

Jacob Russell May n, 1849

William B. Snowhook [une 6, 1853

Phillip Conley fuly 17] 1855

Jacob Fry April 13, 1857

Bolton I'. Strother June 2r, 1858

Julius White April 6, [861

I.uthcr Haven < i, t,,|„r IO| l86l

T. J. Kinsclla March 22, 1866

nailed mention see article! on Harbor and Marin.-. Ri. ilr.i.Kt- and

the Illinois 4 Michigan Canal elsewhere in this volume.

JTh,- -■ ompanying tablet

o.nod generally treated in this volume, as otherwise their value and' interest

would be impaired.

W. B. Scates June 26, 1866

James E. McLean June 16, 1869

Statement Showing hie number ami Tonnage of Vessels
in the Foreign Trade, which entered into and
cleared from the customs district <>k chicago
during the Fiscal Yeak ended June 30, from 1S47

TO 187I.

ENTERED.

YEAR ENDED
JCNE 30

I»47 4

184S ] 12

1*49 24

1850 1 18

1851 1 10

■1852 1 4

t853 8

IS54 19

1855 ' 37

1856 122

1857 1 IOO

I858 74

1859 1 97

I S60 I g2

l86l I 158

1862 J 365

l863 ; 395

1S64 i 202

1S65 184

1866 147

1867 74

1868 1 45

1869 1 26

1S70 ! 46

1S71 65

,205
,620
.690
,587
942
,130
.236
064
,948
.179
■ 573
,063
,068
.465
.797
,691
007
709
234
006
231
480
690
906

Foreign.

No.

Tons.

1

350

2

399

II

2,397

4

648 j

I

215

I

213

3

703

15

2,916

93

20,6Si

109

27.051 !

90

22,256

21

5,269 !

2S

7.472

43

12.133

164

4^.iSi

231

69,601

213

<>4.304

155

49,699

234

73.425

14b

43.519

1 20

33.I4S

in

2S,5o8 '

77

21,979 i

109

29,932

52
215

209

164

118

120
20I
529
626
415
339
381
220
165
137
123
174

2,20s
4,604
9.oi7
7,338
4,So2
MS?
2,130

6.939

30,280
107,629
97,230
50,829
57,332
52,540
82,59s
223,97s
239,292
172,311
149,40s
162,65c)
9S,525
48,379
37.9SS
34.W'9
50,83s

YEAR ENDED
JCNE 30 —

1847
184S
1S49
1850
185I
1S52
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858

rS5g
1S60 .
1S61

1562 ,

1563 .

1864 .

1865 ,

1 866 .
1-1,7 .
1863 .

1870 .

1871 .

130
365
45'
469
216
199
141
77
149
1S7
171

1,202

S07

964

1,043

2,093

3.403

2.28S

8,014

31,464

76,930

57.713

39,819

53.^99

6l,2&2
138.424
179.791
195,276
113,683
104,507

77,737

22.5SO

47,514
63,046
50,856

83,017

3

15

84

98

59

44

24

45

162

227

213

157

252

150

129

ior

54
100

2,796
998
215
213

703
2,916
19,511
24,277
14,809
12,000
6,670
11,999
44.759

64.6S6
50,567

So, 001
46.382
35.97S
27,834
14,928
27.356

9
9
11

9

33
59
165
175
169
■132
154
410
613
6g6
429
356
393
227
278
290
225
383

S07

3,760

2,041

2.30S

3.616

2,288

S,7I7

34,3So

96,44 1

Si, 990

54,62s

65.S99

67,952

150,423

224,55"

264,055

178,369

155.074

I57.73S

68,962

S3.492

,,o,SSi,

65.784
110,373

Treasury Department, Bureau of Statistics,
Washington, D. C, April 12, 18S3.

J. X. Whitney,
. icting (. '/ii'1 of Bureau.

AUXILIARY AGENCIES.

577

Statement of tonnage of vessels sail
ments issued at Chicago, 111.

with docu-

June 30,

June 30.
[une 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
I une 30,
"June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
J une 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
J une 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,

1S47.
1S4S.
1S49.
1850.
1S51.
1852.
1853
1S54.
1855
1856.
iS57-
1858
1S59.
1S60.

1S62...
1863...
1864 ..
1865...
1866. . .
1S67...
186S. ..
1SO9 ..
1870. . .

526.56

526.80

649.5]

706. 7.)

093-54

1,120.21

t ,413.50

3,207.92

5.S77 37

7.S51.29

8,151.55

7. "51-45

10,233.81

12,757-39
14.030.S6
15,334.00
17,96663
17.702.91
17.898.S3
12,718.60
10,848,53
11,175.13
7,086.01
6,584.7s

Total.

3.951 56
10,488.62

17.332.43
21,242.17
23,103.45
25,209.30
27.015.75
11,041.04
50,972.1x1
57.407.30
67, in. 92
67,001.23
6S.123.39
78 S16.05
85,743.66
10S.357.42
126,684.40
160,241.07
137,988.75
140,102.72
■95,336.05
100,753.71
104.314.58
93,625.49
93.9l8.97

Statement of vessels built in the district of Chicago,
111., (.hiring the years ended:

June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
[une 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
[une 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,

1S47
1S4S
1S49
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
i860
1S61
1862
1863
1864
1865
1S66
1S67
1S68
1869
1870
1871

2,210.84
1,641.3s
313.56
1,217.28
1,158.35
3.255-oS
1,742.15
4.404-47
2,722.6s

586.42

230.01

761.13
1,013.55

9,421.79

10,911.59

3.155.76

687.37

1,217.63

6, 290. S 7
4,223.77
1,619.01
1,611.40

No report
No report

49.78

No report
776.07
398.28
361.34
556.37
365.26
255.02

2,744-79
862.93

1.097.67
57-66
160.09

2,210.84

1,691.21

3I3.56

1,211.78

1,158.35

3,255.08

1,742.15

4,404-47

2,722.78

586.42

230.01

1,537.20
I,4II-83

9.783-18
11,46s. 01
3,521.02
942.39
3.962.42
7, 153. So
5,321-44
1,676.67
1, 771-49

Statement of amounts received from customs, at
the port of Chicago from July 16, 1846, to June 30,
1S71. Post established July 16, 1846.)

Amount forward $1,503,444 65

1848 $322 52

1S49 613 72

1S5O 5,615 22

1851

IS52

IS53 127,060 II

1854 334.043 7S

1855 575.470 So

1856 207,392 00

1857 145,662 54

1858 82,445 06

1S59 24,818 90

Amount forward. .$1,503,444 65

i860 70,891 78

1861 4S,o55 33

1S62 25,822 28

1863 So,447 S2

1864 174.698 58

1865 160,475 50

1866 420,629 95

1S67 548,607 64

1868 710,920 93

1S69 .' 620,903 46

1870 724.565 49

1S71 838,265 57

Numbei ol employes -it tin- port of ( or the

year 1847 was three; for thi yeai 1850, five; for i860,
thirteen; and fur 1870, thirty-seven.

statistics furnished li\ I Edward Wilkins British
Consul at Chicago, in 1856, gave the extern of trade
between I hicago ami Canadian ports, carried on in
British vessels, in have been a-- follows :

1S54

1855

[856, I" Nov. T .

Vessels.

1

5
77
95

t . 1 93

11, ,i,i 7
22, iii, ^

I

I , , - , , 2 " I

I'M, -I

expor rs.

1854

[855

1S56, to Nov. I.

1.482
13,010

23.377

£ 16,429 7 6
173.922 1 -

v 7, 1 [Ol

Total...

.$5,927,728 98

The total trade with Canada, via Collingwood, Mich
igan Central and other lines, together with that in
British bottoms, was estimated by Governor liross, in
1856, to aggregate $2,500,000.

Elevators. — Allusions to Newberry & Dole's first
elevator have been quite frequent in the preceding
pages. Their first warehouse, which could Ik- i ailed an
elevator from its mechanical appliances fur loading
grain, was located on the north end of Rush-streel
bridge. From it, in 1859, was made the second ship-
ment of wheat from Chicago. The wheat was bought
from farmers' wagons, and hoisted to upper story by
old-style pulley blocks, and rope, by hand-power. The
three thousand six hundred and seventy-eight bushels
comprising the shipment, were to be transferred to the
brig " Osceola." How it was done was thus described
in Bross' history: " The problem of loading it on the
brig was solved by fixing a spout in one of the upper
doors and making it gradually narrower till it reached
the deck, where the wheat was discharged into boxes
holding four bushels, weighed and transferred to the
hold of the vessel. From the bins holding the wheat
in the upper story a row of men was formed, who
passed it in buckets, precisely similar to the means
used to pass buckets of water at a fire before the intro-
duction of engines."

This firm afterward built and operated a warehouse
and elevator; but on account of the increase in busi-
ness, man-power gave place to horse-power in the ele-
vating and transferring of the wheat. A bucket-belt, not
unlike those now in use, was used to raise the grain to
the upper story: and not only was the wheat elevated,
but, in course of time, the horse also. "The endless
treadle on which the horse traveled," says Mr. Bross,
"was in the way. and, besides, it made a great deal of
noise. Hence his tramway was transferred u< the upper
story, and with straps and pulleys a party of sailors
soon transferred the faithful animal to the same locality,
where he lived and traveled seven years without ever
again setting foot mi terra firma." The unfortunate
animals who operated the elevating apparatus, continued
in vogue for a number of years. The followinj
cerning the wheat warehouses, 1 >r grain elevators, 1- •
from the Chicago Daily American, March 18, 1842.
Speaking of new elevators it said:

"That run by H. Norton & Co. is the largest, being
i.me hundred by forty feet in size. It is on the Reserva-
tion. Work in this mill will be performed by horses.

^So

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

The wheat, instead of being shipped from it by the
usual slow and tedious process, will, after being raised
to the upper story by means of elevators not unlike
the revolving buckets of the dredging machine, glide
thence into the hold of the vessel in double quick time.
1 hat of Smith & Webster, on the corner of South
Water and Dearborn streets, is also a great addition
to our city. This, and the line one of J. 1). Merritt
near it, has greatly improved the appearance of South
Water Street. Five more warehouses will be put up
tiie coining season — two on the Reservation, just above
Clark-street bridge, one on the north and the other on
the south side of the river, and one on the South Branch,
near Lake Street."

The use of steam-power in the place of horse-power
was not applied until 184S, and for years afterward was
not in general use. J. S. Wright, in his history of "Chi-
cago, Past, Present and Future," published in 1870, page
157, shows something of the condition of the elevator
and warehouse business in 1848 and succeeding years.
The quotation is as follows :

"Steam Elevators. — Such amounts of grain could
never be handled in reasonable time for western oper-
ators, except by steam machinery. It seems like magic
to compare present facilities with Mr. Dole's horse-power
elevator which, with Messrs. Peck's, Wheeler's, Walker's
and others, supplied requisite facilities, till that ingen-
ious spirit. Captain R. C. Bristol, erected in 1848 the
first steam elevator. Mr. Wheeler says that down to
January 1, 1855, the whole storage room was not over
seven hundred and fifty thousand bushels. So that the
total only thirteen years ago, was but little over the aver-
age of one of seventeen elevators now, and every one
before 1855 has gone out of use.

" Along the river, and South Branch, and lake basin,
these huge, somber piles of two by six and two by
twelve joisting, laid flat, rise high above surrounding
structures. Their sides studded with iron plates, which
are heads of large rods to hold against lateral pressure,
bespeak the heavy stores they safely hold. Thinking
an account of the modus operandi would be interest-
ing, I went for information to the elevator last built by
Messrs. Armour, Dole & Co., which was certain to have
all improvements. An old settler, Mr. Baker, was in
charge, who began to build in 1854 the elevator of
Messrs. Gibbs & Griffin on a lot leased by me to them.
After politely showing me through and explaining the
operation, I asked him for the further favor of writing
out what he had spoken, and here you have it : —

■• •( Chicago has superior advantages in handling and
storing grain, not only on account of steam elevators,
but in absence of current, and the even stage of water.
The>e are serious inconveniences on the Mississippi,
and other large Western rivers. Then the wide prairie
affords ample yard-room for cars, which the railroads
and proprietors of elevators have wisely provided.

•• 'Tew persons, however, even of the old settlers in
Chicago, have correct ideas of the ease and speed with
which grain is handled. 'This is the modus operandi of
Messrs. Armour. Dole & Co's new elevator on the
South Branch, running from the C. I!. cV Q. R. R.

'"'The building is three hundred and twelve feet long,
eighty-four feet wide and one hundred and thirty feet
high, machinery driven by a four hundred horse-power
engine. It is divided into one hundred and fifty bins,
sixty-five feet deep, with storage capacity of one million
two hundred and fifty thousand bushels. 'The yard will
hold three hundred or four hundred cars. Two switch
engines, when in full operation, are required to put in
and take out cars. Two tracks receive each ten cars,

unloaded at once in six to eight minutes, each car hav-
ing its elevator, conveying the grain to its large hopper-
scale in the top of the building. 'There weighed, it is
spouted to the bin appropriated to that kind and quality.
To carry grain to the several bins renders the ele-
vation necessary. Allowing fifteen minutes to unload
each set of ten cars, four hundred are unloaded in ten
hours, about one hundred and forty thousand bushels.

'"Shipping facilities equal receiving, there being si\
elevators for that work, handling each three hundred
bushels per hour, or one hundred and eighty thousand
bushels in ten hours. 'The grain is run out of the bins
to another set of elevators, which throw into large hop-
pers at the top of the building, in which it is weighed,
and sent down in spouts into the hold of the vessel.
'The same company have another elevator on the opposite
side of the slip — for a slip at right angles to the South
Branch is cut to lay vessels alongside the warehouse —
and ten other large elevators and five smaller, afford the
same facilities. Any one of thirteen of them, too, will
unload a canal boat of five thousand or six thousand
bushels, in an hour and a half to two hours ; an aggre-
gate from sixty-five canal boats alone of three hundred
and fifty-seven thousand bushels in ten hours.' "

F"rom the foregoing extract it would appear that
steam-power was first introduced in 1848, by R. C.
Bristoll. It was not until a much later day that steam-
power entirely superseded horse-power.

In the report of "city improvements," made by the
Chicago Democratic Press, January 1, 1855, for the
year 1854, appears the following:

" Grain Warehouse, on North Water Street and
the river, for Gibbs, Griffin & Co. This is one of the
gigantic grain houses which are being called into exist-
ence by the urgent want of storage room which it is easy
to see must exist in a city which receives in a single sea-
son over fifteen million bushels of grain, with no pros-
pect of its ever being any less. River front sixty feet,
Galena Railroad front one hundred and ten feet, depth
one hundred and ninety feet, and eighty-seven feet high.
Built of timber, inclosed with brick, and calculated to
hold over five hundred thousand bushels of grain ; two
million feet of lumber used in its construction ; archi-
tects, Burling & Baumann ; mason, William Mortimer;
carpenters, Baker & McEwen ; machinist, Mr. Miller.
Cost, $75,000."

In 1855, Sturges & Buckingham built, under an
arrangement with the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany, what was, at the time considered, as expressed in
the newspapers of the time, an enormous grain house.
It was on the east side of the freight depot, and east of
the basin that connected with the Chicago River.
It was built of Milwaukee brick, was one hundred by
two hundred feet in size, capable of holding eight hun-
dred thousand bushels of grain, and cost $76,000.

'The Press, in describing this elevator already built,
said : "'The same party is to erect, during the coming-
spring, a similar grain house, east of the present one.
Its dimensions are to be one hundred by two hundred
and thirty feet."

In January, 1858, the Democratic Press had the
following description of the latest and largest elevator
in the city :

" Our attentive correspondent Rural gave the readers
of the Press a few days since a minute description of the
mammoth grain warehouse of Messrs. Sturges iV Buck-
ingham, at 'the Illinois Central depot. Much as we
have read about them — for they had before been noticed
in these columns — till yesterday, when we visited them,
we had no adequate conception of their gigantic j>n>-

THE CHICAGO B< >ARD < U< Ik U)E

i

portions or the perfection of their arrangements in every
particular; The buildings are one hundred and three
by two hundred and four feet, and one hundred and
twenty feet high. In the operation of the machinery
the grain is elevated one hundred and twenty-eight feet.
The cost of the buildings complete will be about $200,-
000 each. The machinery for handling the grain is
worked by four steam engines, in each building, and
every part of it is perfect in every particular. The brick
walls are bound together by massive bolts only a few
feet apart, and to give some idea of the amount of tim-
ber used, we state that twenty-nine ship loads were used
during the last summer in the construction oi the build-
ing now being completed. Two hundred and thirty-six
car loads of grain were unloaded by one of the houses
last summer in one day, and the amount of grain handled
was between eighty and ninety thousand bushels. It is
safe to say that each house can handle a hundred thou-
sand bushels per day. Strangers at a distance can form
some idea of the facilities for handling grain 111 this city
from the above facts. And if, with the lands along the
line of the Illinois Central Railroad only sparsely settled,
a single firm has found it necessary to make so large an
investment to accommodate the business now offering,
what will the grain trade become when all the vast
fertile prairies between Chicago and Cairo shall be cov-
ered with waving harvests? That day is not distant, and
already does the enterprising, indomitable proprietor.
Mr. Sturges, begin to look forward to a third house of
equal proportions to accommodate the stupendous busi-
ness which his magnificent road is beginning to pour
into the lap of our city.

" We would that every farmer in the State could have
gone with us through these immense warehouses, and,
like ourselves, he could not have resisted the emotions
of thankfulness and honest pride, that Providence has
cast our lot in so goodly a land. The all-wise Creator
has wrought on a vast scale in our beautiful valley, and
it requires vast enterprise to provide for the develop-
ment of the resources which His bounty has provided.
We are glad to welcome Mr. Sturges to our city as a
permanent resident, for he is one of the men who has
the intelligence to appreciate the resources of the West,
and also the capital to provide means for their adequate
accommodation."

Up to 1857 the warehouse and elevator business had
developed in full ratio with the requirements of the
trade. An elevator, merely for the elevating of wheat,
and its transfer to vessels had become inadequate to tin-
wants of the trade, and an " elevator " had come to
mean not only a means for shipping, but a repository
for the storage of wheat, and the elevators of 1857 were
also the store-houses wherein were held all the grain
of the city, until such time as it might be required for
delivery or shipment. An elevator had thus come to
mean, in 1S57, a store-house for grain, as well as a
facility for shipping. The houses were partitioned into
huge bins, into which the various grades were put for
storage, either in special lots to be delivered in kind; or
in general bins to be delivered according to grade. The
issuing of receipts from these warehouses, with the grade
of the wheat attached, began in 1S57, and thus placed
wheat in the list of articles which could be called purely
speculative. The era of speculation in wheat date^s
from the issue of the first general warehouse receipt, in
which the grade of the wheat was specified, and in which
it was promised that a like grade should be delivered on
demand.

Following is a table showing the status of the ware-
houses of Chicago in 1857:

^3 > 3: _S || 5- §" ~- = * =|
.-. £ -n £ • i i '] - ^ < _ ;:

-: ; : : :- : : : _ P : c a

"z b b b b b b 0 c b 'j c

^..cccrrc _ z z

uioooooooc

8 8 8 8 ~8 8 8 8 g

c c ■

b b

c ;

c : ■ z :

-n j' p p c z ■;• ;•

"z "0 b b b c b z

z z z z z z 5 c

~ - - - r z - z

' -1- •»!- "II

•.•.Irj-.ls' I" *M »'<!'■ t

9 c g g g 1 1 i 1

■ypqstl 1

■ n 11 1 w • 1

! I I

'Suiddiqg j ,

THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE.

The subject of organizing .1 Board of Trade in Chi-
cago was first brought to public notice through a com-
munication which appeared in the Chicago Daily Ameri-
can of December 4. 1841, over the signature of " Ml I
chant." The writer said: " It is a subject upon which
1 have thought much, and in my experience of several
years trading in the city, I have often known instances
of much trouble and 'vexation that might have been
avoided through the interference Of some such institu-
tion, and 1 have several times thought of tailing the
attention of the mercantile community to its important e
It would be greatly to the interest of us all, were some
active measures taken in regard to it." The ear
thus sown by this unknown merchant seems to
fallen on barren ground. Il does not appear that his
Suggestions awakened any response in the mercantile
breasts of the community.

The year 1S4S saw the first infantile struggles ol the
Chicago Board of Trade. Under the head of "The
Beginning," Colbert's History of Chicago, p. 48, has the
following:

■■ Early in the vear [848 — a tune anterior t« ■ the in-
troduction of the iron-horse, which now sii..rts over the
broad and fertile prairies of Illinois— long before eleva-
tors of one million bushels capacity were even thought
of— a lime when the clearance •<< a lumber schooner
from this port received .1 - 1m, .,1" notice when
elevators used horses as a motive power. Thomas Rich-
mond and W. I.. Whiting, discussed one afternoon the
propriety of establishing a Board of Trade in Ch

5«*

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Mr. Richmond was then in the elevating business, and
Mr. Whiting a grain broker— the first who pursued this
vocation in Chicago. These gentlemen consulted with
other business men. and the result of this consultation
was an invitation published at the time for the mer-
chants generally to meet together on the 13th of March,
1 8485 to take the initiatory steps in regard to the forma-
tion of the Chicago Board of Trade. The following is
a copy of the call:

Merchants and business men who are favorable to the estab-
lishment of a Hoard of Trade in this city, are requested to meet at
the office of \Y. L. Whiting, on the 13'th (March, 1S48,) at three
o'clock, r. M.

Norton, Walter & Co.
DeWolf & Co.,
Charles Walker,
Thomas Richmond,
Thomas Hale.
Raymond, Gibbs & Co.

Wadsworth, Dyer iv Chapin,

George Steel.

I. H. Burch & Co.,

Gurnee, Havden & Co.,

H. H. Mag'ie & Co.,

Neef & Church,

John H. Kinzie,

"At this meeting nothing further was done than to
pass resolutions stating that the growing trade of Chi-
cago demanded the establishment of a Board of Trade.
A constitution was then adopted and a committee
appointed to draw up by-laws to be submitted at an
adjourned meeting to be held on the first Monday in
April following, when they were adopted. All inter-
ested were invited to meet daily at the rooms of the
Board over Gage iS: Haines's flour store, on South Water
Street, which had been rented at $110 per annum.
George Smith was elected president, but declining to
serve, Thomas Dyer was chosen in his stead. Charles
Walker and John P. Chapin were chosen first and
second vice-presidents, and G. S. Hubbard, E. S. Wads-
worth, George Steel, Thomas Richmond, John Rogers,
H. G. Loomis, George F. Foster, K. C. Bristol, J. H.
Dunham, Thomas Dyer, G. A. Gibbs, John H. Kinzie,
C. Beers, W. S. Gurnee, T. H. Reed, E. K. Rogers, I.
H. Burch, A. H. Burley,"lohn Y. Read, W. B. Ogden,
O. Lunt, Thomas Hale, E. W. Hadduck, I. V. Ger-
main, and L. P. Hillard were appointed directors."

The members of the board at the time of its organ-
ization were as follows : Gurdon S. Hubbard, E. S.
Wadsworth, Matthew Laflin, George Smith, Orrington
Lunt, Ira V. Germain, J. B. F. Russell, Theron Par-
dee, Thomas Dyer, D. Humphrey, H. J. Winslow,
George F. Foster, John King, Jr., James H. Rochester,
Isaac Hardv, Zenas Cobb, Jr., R. C. Bristoll, I. H.
Dunham, A. V. G. D'Wolf, Almond Walker, H. H.
Harrison, William F. DeWolf, James Winn, J. H. Reed,
James H. Carpenter, J. P. Hotchkiss, John High Jr.,
S. L. Brown, J. R. Case, Joseph T. Ryerson, Andrew
Blaikie, I. Whitcomb, George A. Gibbs, G. M. Higgin-
son, Jared Gage, Sylvester Marsh, E. H. Hadduck,
John P. Chapin, George Steel, J. H. Kenzie, John
Rogers, Thomas Richmond, Thomas Hale, James Peck,
George C. Drew, T. V. G. Loomis, B. W. Raymond,
John W. Shoemaker, Albert Neeley, Joseph R. Beals,
Amos G. Throop, John L. Marsh, E. K. Rogers, C.
liters, L. P. milliard, John C. Dodge, John Pearson,
Thomas 'Thompson, W. S. Gurnee, Alexander Brand,
Charles Walker, Allen Richmond, M. C. Stearns, O.
Sherman, G. A. Robb, H. R. Payson, A. H. Burley, I.
H. Burch, W. H. Clarke, J. C. Walter, J. A. Smith, T.
S. Morgan, \V. L. Whiting, John S. Reed, 'Thomas B.
Carter, T. L. Parker, F. A. Stockbridge, Julian S.
Rumsey, C. L. Harmon, John C. Haines, William 15.
Ogden, and Jabez B. Foster. — Total membership,
eighty-two.

I he organization as at first effected was not a cor-
porate body. It had no legal status, being only a vol-

untary organization for the purpose of facilitating the
business of the city and promoting her commercial in-
terests by more united action than heretofore. At that
time there was no general State statute under which a cor-
porate organization of this kind could have been effected.
So the functions of the Board in its early days were advis-
orv rather than authoritative, and its many regulations,
resolutions, and mandates commanded observance and
respect only in accordance with the amount of common
sense or wisdom they embodied, and from the respecta-
ble character of the mercantile body whose sentiments
they promulgated. It was, however, the center of
deliberation on nearly every question in which Chicago
had an interest, from the time of its organization, and
on nearly all of them it held pronounced views, on one
side or the other, to which it gave public utterance
through resolutions, manifestos, petitions to the Legis-
lature and Congress, and by the appointment of com-
mittees to advise with the outside elements and report.
Thus the early influence of this body, however great or
important a factor it may have been in molding the
commercial destinies of the city, or regulating and
bringing into order its methods of business, were less
apparent than actual.

At the first meeting of the Board, held in April
1848, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Sylvester Marsh and John
Rogers were appointed Inspectors of Fish and Provis-
ions, and John Rogers and James L. Hare, Inspectors
of Flour. 'This was the first move ever made in the
city toward securing uniformity in grades, or guaran-
teeing the quality of any of the merchantable products
sold. As these officers had no legal authority to enforce
an inspection, a committee of the Board was chosen to
wait upon the City Council and ask the passage of an ordi-
nance for the government of inspectors, whereby their
offices might be recognized under the municipal law.

During the same year a committee on banks, chosen
by the Board, reported a plan for a general system of
State banking, which, with slight amendments, was
adopted, and the committee requested to frame a bill
in accordance with the amended report ; to present it
to the Legislature, and urge its passage. 'The commit-
tee were also instructed to secure a charter for the
Board. 'The action of this committee resulted in the
passage of a general act, February 8, 1849, for the es-
tablishment of Boards of Trade and Chambers of Com-
merce, under the provisions of which the Board was
subsequently reorganized.

At the first annual meeting, held April 13, 1849,
Thomas Dyer was re-elected president, and' John P.
Chapin and C. Walker as vice-presidents. John C.
Dodge was chosen secretary and W. L. Whiting
treasurer. Several public matters claimed the attention
of the Board. The spring freshet of that year was the
most disastrous that had ever occurred, totally destroy-
ing nearly evey bridge in the city. 'The Board ap-
pointed a committee to devise means for facilitating
intercourse with the North and West sides and the
outlying settlements. The action of this city is not
a matter of record.

The obtaining of daily telegraphic market reports
for the benefit of members of the Board was for the
first time discussed at the first annual meeting, and a
committee appointed to confer with the telegraph com-
panies.

'The city authorities seem to have worked in confi-
dential harmony with the Board, as is evinced in the
fact thai during the year they issued bonds for the im-
provement of the harbor, after the great freshet,
amounting to $1,000, which were turned over to the

THE CHICAGO BO \KI> OI< I k U)E.

5*3

Board to be negotiated, and the proceeds expended for
the purpose mentioned under its direction. The Board
accepted the trust, and doubtless made the money e,o
as far as possible in dredging out the river.

The tolls on the canal, which on through freight
to and from the Mississippi and from that river
to tide water, and resolutions were passed favoring a
rebate on the tolls on such shipments. The importance
of further telegraphic extensions was discussed, and
the discussions brought forth a series of resolutions
favoring and earnestly urging such extension. The
hour of meeting was changed from 9 i<i 9:30 a. m., the
old hour having been found too early to insure a lull
attendance.

Although the proceedings of the Board had been
sometimes Pickwickian in its discussions, and perhaps
more miscellaneous than practical in its treatment of
nearly every subject, however remotely it might con-
cern the city, it had, by ignoring nothing, managed to
have its say on everything. It had thus, during the
first two years, not only kept itself busy, but had been
instrumental in doing much to promote the prosperity
of the city and to place its growing commercial import-
ance more prominently before the outside world. It
was aggressive in its efforts to build up the trade of
Chicago from the very beginning, and entered its second
stage of life with a quite extensive, if not yet world
wide, reputation.

Organization Under the State Law. — Feb-
ruary 8, 1849, a general law relating to the establish-
ment of boards of trade was passed by the State Legis-
lature, and, at the annual meeting of the Board held
in April, 1850, it was resolved to organize under its
provisions. It was also resolved :

" That this organization shall be called ' The Hoard
of Trade of the City of Chicago.'

" Each member joining the association shall sign the
constitution, and, with the exception of old members,
pay five dollars, and in addition pay such sums semi-
annually as shall be decided on by the vote of the
Board.

" Annual and semi-annual meetings shall be held,
and special meetings may be called at any time at the
written request of any live members."

The treasurer's report at this meeting showed a
deficit in the treasury of §146.20 To provide for
this it was voted to raise the annual dues from two to
three dollars. It was also resolved that the old mem-
bers sign the new constitution which had been framed
.in accordance with the provisions of the State law, and
pay three dollars each, to be applied to the payment of the
outstanding debts of the old Board about to be super-
seded by the new and legally constituted body and that
the office furniture be transferred to the new Hoard. It
was then voted, "That the Hoard of Trade do now
dissolve," and the voluntary organization ceased to
exist.

The corporate life of the new Board began April 13,
1850, at which time the new constitution was pies, nted
for signatures. The following week the new organiza-
tion was completed by the election of officers: the pres-
ident, vice-president, treasurer and secretary of the old
organization being re-elected. The new organization
did not create any new enthusiasm or interest. In fact,
the novelty having worn off, the membership decreased,
in spite of the strenuous exertions of the officers and a
few stanch supporters who appreciated its growing
importance, as the trade of the city increased. The
daily meetings were thinly attended, ami the sessions
devoid of interest except when some outside qui

roughi up for disi uss 1 more

n 12 m. to 1 1 a. 1 >ur
1 yeai the Board had in 1 onsideration 1
navigation ol the St. Lawrence River, which was
nestly favon d bj . who. through a 1 0111

mittee, prepared a report bristling with argument
replete m ith
was published, bui 1 itself fell thn

I he improvement oi the Illinois River, b)
removal of the sand-bars, so as to render it navi]
1 ame tip for 1 onsideration, and n was dei ided b]
lution of the Hoard, that means should be ta
dredge them out. Votes of thanks were given to the
Hon. Stephen A. Douglas and General lames Shields,
fo their successful efforts in ol
the magnificent grants ol land, whii h insured the 1 om-
p'letion of the Illinois Central Railroad, which had
already been begun; also for thi 1 sful, but no

less meritorious efforts, in advocating the free n;
lion of the St. I awrencc.

The third annual meeting in April. 1851, showed by

the official reports presented a s what dis 'aging

aspect of affairs. The membership had falli
largely, the number of members having paid their dues
and being otherwise in good standing, bi ing 0 I) thirty-
eight. The treasurer reported a di I'm it ol $165 96, with
no provisions to supply it. He recommended an assi SS-
ment of four dollars on each member to pay up the
okl score. The time <>f meeting was again changed,
with the object of securing a larger daily attendance,
the hour of session decided upon being from 11:30 a.

M., to 12:30 P. M. A bye-law was adopted forbidding
members from giving untruthful or bogus reports ol
their transactions, on pain of expulsion. This early
effort of the Hoard to place itself on the basis ol
honesty, and to purge itself of duplicity ami de< eit in its
transactions, is worthy of note. The old officers wen
re-elected. During the year interest in the organization
was at an extremely low point. The daily attendance
dropped to nearly nothing at times, and the I'
transactions "on "Change" were proportionately insig-
nificant. A record was kept during the- year, from
which the following excerpt is given:

fuly 9. — Present: C. Walker. Mo transactions.

July to. — Present: C. Walker. |. C. White. I I .
Walter'.

July 1 2. — Present: ( >. l.unt.

fuly 13. — Present: None.

fuly 14. — Present: None.

fuly 15. — Present: ( '. Walker.

fuly 16. — Present: None.

July 17. — Present: J. C. Walter.

fuly 18. — Present: None.

it appears from the above that during the nine days,
only live members had sufficient interest in the institu-
tion to put in an appearance at the place appointed for
daily sessii »ns

The interest in outside topics also sensibly waned
during the year. The only subject considered being
the improvement of the Illinois River, on which subjei I
they so far look action as to appoint a delegation to
attend the convention for thi consideration uf the
matter, which was held at Peoria December ?<>. New
rooms were rented at the corner of South Water and
(lark streets, which were for the first tune occupied at
the fourth annual meeting, which occurred in April,
[852.

' At this meeting, despite the dull and uninteresting
year that had passed, the official reports were more

S84

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

encouraging. There had been an accession of fifteen
members during the year, making a total of fifty three,
and the organization was out of debt. The election
resulted in the choice of George Steele, president ;
Thomas Hale, vice-president ; and John C. Dodge, sec-
retary and treasurer. The new rooms did not seem to
please the majority of members, and it was decided to
move again, the rooms selected being those occupied
by the secretary of the Chicago Mutual Insurance
Company The next meeting was held at No. 3 Tre-
mont Block. Late in the year it was decided to move
again, to No. 8 Dearborn Street. In February, Mr.
Dodge tendered his resignation, and James F. Dullaba
was appointed to serve out the unexpired term. The
retiring secretary assumed the lease of the rooms then
occupied by the Board, and instructions were given to
sell the carpet and furniture. It is presumed that the
new rooms were already furnished, or that if in accord-
ance with the old adage, " three moves are as bad as a
tire." the carpet and furniture were not worth moving
again. The Board took no important action on outside
matters during the year, except in the passage of some
earnest resolutions, protesting against the repeal of the
banking laws then in force.

The fifth annual meeting was held at the new rooms,
No. S Dearborn Street, in April, 1853. The officers
elected were : Thomas Hale, president ; C. H. Walker,
vice-president ; L. P. Hilliard, secretary and treasurer.
The new rooms did not suit, indeed they had only been
hired for temporary accommodation, until a fitting place
for a permanent location could be obtained. A com-
mittee was chosen to confer with certain parties then
building, with a view to obtaining a long lease of rooms
adapted to the wants of the Board. The quarters were
not, however, changed during the year. The hour of
meeting was again changed to 10 o'clock a. m., and the
secretary was ordered to provide refreshments for such as
attended the daily sessions, and in accordance with
instructions, thereafter set up a free lunch each day
consisting of crackers, cheese and ale.

Many important subjects were brought to the con-
sideration of the Board during the year.' The project
of establishing a bank to increase the then very limited
and inadequate banking facilities of the city — the pro-
posed capital was §5,000,000, and resolutions passed
the Board favoring its establishment. The harbor being
still in a dangerous condition, a committee was appointed
to take soundings, and to devise ways and means for
the further improvement of the north channel. The
Board also passed resolutions favoring a ship canal
around Niagara Falls, on the American side. It also
petitioned the City Council to make an appropriation
for such improvements of the harbor as might be
deemed necessary, and Thomas Hale and Orrington
Lunt were appointed delegates to go to Washington to
represent the harbor interests of Chicago, and to secure
such favorable action of Congress as was possible. They
started on their mission bearing credentials from the
Hoard, and fortified with a full set of resolutions and
memorials from that body. The improvement of the
St. Clair flats came tip for consideration, and delegates
were appointed to attend a joint convention of dele-
gates from all the lake cities, held in Detroit, for the
purpose of devising some plan for carrying on the
desired improvement.

The sixth annual meeting was held in April, 1854.
The new officers chosen were: George A. Gibbs, pres-
ident: VV. I). Houghteling, vice-president : and James
F. Dullaba. se< retary and treasurer. New rooms were
rented on the corner of Wells and South Water streets

over the store of Purington & Scranton at $250 per
annum. W. I). Wilson, in consideration for services a--
janitor, was allowed the use of the rooms. It was voted
to print the constitution and by-laws and the names of
officers and members in pamphlet form. Several public
questions, as they came up during the year, were, as
usual, acted on by the Board. A remonstrance was
made against the proposed location of the Government
office, it being considered to far from the present or
prospective center of business. The remonstrance and
all other means used by the Board failed to change
the location.

A most important question, and one entirely rele-
vant to the legitimate business for which the Board was
organized, came up for the first time during this year.
Hitherto all grains had been measured in the old-fash-
ioned way in a half-bushel measure. The process was
slow, unreliable and cunfbersome. The trade, in its
accumulating proportions, had already outgrown it. It
was proposed by the Board that the Boards of Trade of
Milwaukee, Detroit, Toledo, and other points be re-
quested to use their influence to secure such legislation
in their respective States as should result in the use of
weights, instead of measures in the measuring of grain,
seeds, etc. This action, first started by the Chicago
Board, resulted ultimately in bringing about the desired
reform, thereby opening the way for all the improved
methods of inspecting, grading, storing, transporting,
and transferring grain in bulk, all of which may be
traced in their inception to this change ; and none of
which, under the old system of measurement, would
have been possible.

The seventh annual meeting was held in April, 1855.
The officers elected were: Hiram Wheeler, president;
C. B. Pomeroy, vice-president, and W. W. Mitchell, sec-
retary and treasurer. The time of meeting was changed
to 11:30 a. m., but not proving beneficial, was subse-
quently altered again to 9:30 a. m. The secretary seems
to have grown lax in his duties as a caterer, as it was
voted to employ some one to furnish the daily lunch of
"crackers, cheese and ale." A reading-room was insti-
tuted for the use of members, and newspapers from the
cities of Boston, New York, Montreal, Buffalo, Oswego,
Detroit and Cincinnati ordered to be subscribed for and
kept on file. The important public questions acted on
by the Board during the year was the project to build
the Georgian Canal. The action of the Board and the
final outcome of the enterprise are thus told in Colbert's
history: " During this summer the project of the Georg-
ian Bay Canal was actively discussed, and many urgent
and imperative reasons were set forth in favor of its
being built. On July 28, William Bross, of the Tribune,
addressed a meeting of the Board, representing the
advantages to be derived from the proposed canal, and
introduced Thomas Steers, of Toronto, C. W., who read
a communication from the Board of Trade of that city,
showing its willingness to cooperate with the "board " of
Oswego regarding a survey. Mr. Bross then offered a
a resolution to the effect that the Chicago Board of Trade
will cooperate with other boards having any interest in the
matter in the building of the Georgian Bay Canal, subject
to the control and direction of the Canadian Govern-
ment. A committee, consisting of William Bross and
George Steele, went to Canada and advocated the meas-
ure. A charter of incorporation was afterward obtained,
but beyond the breaking of ground and presenting the
president of the company with the usual gift, nothing
was done, and the subject has almost entirely passed
away from the memory of those who were once its most
earnest advocates."

THE CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE.

S8S

Sometime during the year a door-keeper was ap-
pointed. The free-lunch fiends had increased to such a

degree as to seriously threaten the solvency of the insti-
tution. It was a flagrant abuse of hospitality, and. in
the eyes of the more staid members, the free lunch was
incompatible with the dignity which should attach to so
important a body as the Board of Trade had become;
while not a few had come to view the whole thing as an
unmitigated and very costly nuisance. One disgusted
member moved "that the Board will no longer be res-
ponsible for refreshments." His motion was lost, but,
as a compromise, the door-keeper was chosen, whose
duty it was to keep out all dead-heads whom he sus-
pected had unholy designs on the lunch.

The eighth annual meeting was held at the Tremont
House, April 7, 1856. The Board was now fairly estab-
lished, and was deemed of sufficient importance to
make its membership desirable to most merchants of
standing in the city. The day when it was necessary to
canvass for new members was passed. At this meeting
forty-five new members were elected. The officers
elected were: C. H. Walker, president; G. C. Martin,
vice-president, and W. W. Mitchell, secretary and treas-
urer. The meetings were ever after this time well
attended. The lunch was abolished; cards of member-
ship were issued, a regular door-keeper appointed; ami
the Board, having passed its days of adolescence, started
on the more business-like career of actual usefulness.
More pretentious and commodious quarters were taken.
May 1 the Board took possession of the lower floor of
Walker's building at a rental of $1,200 per annum.

Rooms were rented in George Steele's building, on
the corner of South Water and LaSalle streets, at a
rental of $1,000 per year.

On the 6th of October one hundred and twenty-two
new members were admitted.

During this year the projects of erecting a building
suitable for a Merchants' Exchange, was discussed, and
a committee appointed to prepare plans, solicit subscrip-
tions, etc. The members of the committee reported in
November that they had individually purchased a piece
of ground, at the corner of Clark and Washington streets,
for the sum of $180,000, suitable for the proposed build-
ing, which the Board could have at the price they had
paid. The offer was accepted on the condition that a
sufficient amount of stock could be obtained to earn-
out the purpose of building. The stock was not raised,
and, for years after, the building project was not
revived.

Action was taken on various matters of commercial
importance during the year. At that time the Welland
Canal had grown to be of great importance as an avenue
of transportation of Western products to tide water.
The shipments through the canal were so large as to
render it a serious competitor for the carrying trade
with the New York & Erie Canal, which, at an early day,
enjoyed almost a monopoly of the business. The
freight thus diverted proved a like diminution in the
trade of Buffalo, the western terminus of the Erie Canal.
With the design of forcing the shipments back into
their old channel, through Buffalo, a bill was presented
in the New York Legislature, which, if passed, would
establish a rate of tolls discriminating against all routes
using the Welland Canal. Pending its passage resolu-
tions were passed by the Chicago Board of Trade, pro-
testing in the strongest terms against the injustice of
the proposed scheme, and also urging all Canadian
houses doing business in Chicago, to request their cor-
respondents to memorialize the Canadian Government
to enlarge the Welland Canal sufficiently to enable the

vessels in ii..

m was taken in conjum tion with the
St. Louis Chamber ol Commerce, looking to the
improvement of the Illinois k,

I'll'- first steps were taken tin-, year for denning and
regulating the standard and grades ol wheat. The
standards established were to be designated as "while
wheat" winter, ••ml wheat" winter, and "spring

wheat." From thiscrudi 1 m has 1 1 volved

the whole system of the grading and inspecting now in
vogue, under rules so urn 11111-. thai thi gradi
standard all over the commercial world, whi
American wheat is known.

In April, 1857, the ninth annual meeting was held.
The offii ers ele< ted were; 1 ' II. Walker, presidi
W. Noble, vice president, and W. W. M it, lull. se< retary
ami treasurer. Seventy - three new members
admitted. It was resolved to emplo) a superintendent,
at a salary of ,^1,500. I'. I.. Wells' was
appointed to the position. He had been for several
years before, the commercial editor of the Dailj :
and, since 1.X54, had published annual reports
trade, commerce and manufactures of the city,
were the only compilations of commercial statistics ol
those years approaching anything like completeness or
accuracy. His appointment open,,! to the Hoard a new
department of usefulness. Under his direction 1
tern of gathering, preserving and publishing the trade
statistics of each year, was inaugurated by the Board.
The first annual trade report was issued under his super-
vision in 1859. Since which lime the Board lias been
the great depository and conservator of the sialism s ol
Chicago trade.

In the summer a system of lumber inspection was
adopted by the Board, and during the year sixty more
were added to the list of members

The early history of the Hoard of Trade was
uneventful and uninteresting, except that it is the
history of an institution which has. from the small and
apparently insignificant beginnings here, hronicled,
to be the great central force « hi< h < ontrols the business
of half a continent and an important factor in the
commerce of the whole civilized world. The crude
efforts, often blindly made, to systematize business
methods and unify the business interests and em
of the city, did not then show, save to the few gifted
with extraordinary prescience, the wonderfully intrii all
and powerful instrumentality in directing ami controll-
ing trade and commerce it has since become. Nearly
all the modern means, methods and facilities foi
transacting business or earning on either local trade or
foreign commerce, had their inception in the Hoard,
and were in their perfection evolved from its .11 lion.

The inspection, warehousing ami shipping of grain,
in well-defined and standard grades ; the standards of
inspection of flour, pork, beef, lard, butter, lumber, eh .
were all primarily established and ultimately perf
through its action. The rapid dissemination and inter-
change "f reliable commercial news and market quota-
tions was evolved from the mutual necessities of the
boards of trade in the business centers ol the world.
The system of gathering ail important commercial
statistics has been carried to a point ol comprehensive-
ness and accuracy far beyond that of the Government
bureau of statistics. It has also become an essential
ageni v in the direction of State d:\d national legislation
on all commercial questions. Its resolutions am
gestions, although made in less high-sounding phrase.

with less all-absorbing frequency, and with less youthful
fervor than formerly, carry with them now a tone of

S86

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

authority which seldom passes unheeded. Much of the
commercial law of to-day lias grown out of questions

brought to the notice of the courts through the transac-
tions of its members and the rules established by the
Board. The statutes pertaining to inspection, ware-
housing, and many others were the direct outgrowth of
its action. The daily gathering on the floor, the Babel
of trade, where more business is done than in any like
place in the world, is, although the most conspicuous,
thus seen to be but one of many phases of its executive
work. In all great crises the Hoard has come to be
the true index of the patriotism, the benevolence and
humanity of its members, no less than that of their com-
bined business force. Witness their acts of humanity
when Chicago went up in flame and smoke, and their
never failing loyalty and patriotism in the dark and
troublous times of the Rebellion. The history of
these years will in future volumes constitute the brightest
pages in its annals.

In the efforts to facilitate legitimate trade, it will be
curious to note how has been necessarily evolved the
most tempting facilities for speculative trade, even to
the point of gambling, pure and simple. So long as a
trade involved the necessity of an actual delivery or
receipt of the goods sold or bought thefe was little
inducement for speculators to overtrade, since the con-
summation of each trade involved the expenditure of
such large amount of labor and time. The storing of
wheat in specified grades of an acknowledged standard,
and the issuing of warehouse receipts for the same,
placed wheat on the list of speculative articles so soon
as the receipts came to be acknowledged as a delivery
on a sale, thus mobilizing the article to that extent that
large deliveries could be momentarily tendered on a sale
at any specified hour. Such deliver}- had not before
been possible. Thus the reader who follows the history

of the Hoard through the subsequent years will observe
how the spirit of speculative gambling has been a nat-
ural outgrowth of the necessities of legitimate trade,
and how, with the establishment of acknowledged
grades of inspection, and their mobilization for specu-
lative purposes through their representation by ware-
house receipts, one after another, the various food
products, as they came to lie stored in sufficient quan-
tity, have been added to the speculative list. Wheat,
corn, rye, barley, oats, flour, pork, lard, butter, oil, have
come successively to add volume to the speculative
material, and the volume of speculative trading has
grown in a tenfold ratio to that of the increasing basis.
Reports of daily transactions on the Hoard have ceased
to show the volume of legitimate trade, except when
correlated with other known facts. It is not now un-
common, on an excited market, for the entire avail-
able stock of one of these articles to be sold and resold
a dozen times in a single day.

Speculative trading in grain and provisions, as now
developed, was entirely unknown during the period
treated in this volume. It is of purely Western origin,
and its birthplace was the Board of Trade of Chicago.,
It will not be the least interesting part of its future his-
tory to trace it from its legitimate birth, through all its
stages of development, to the present reckless and
riotous period of its life. This early sketch mav
therefore be deemed of more than passing interest,
since it is but the necessary introduction to what in the
succeeding years will prove a most interesting historic
topic concerning the development of Western trade and
commerce, and the unique experiences of Western
business men.

The principal officers of the Board of Trade of
Chicago, from its organization to 1857, were as below
given :

YEAR OF
INCUMBENCY.

PRESIDENTS.

VICE-PRESIDENTS

SECRETARIES

I lit \SCKEKs.

SECRETARIES AND
TREASURERS.

1-4' ■

1949-50 .

1 350-51 .
I85I-52.

1S52-53 .

1853-54 ■

1S54-55 •
1S55-56 ,

IS57-58 .

Thomas 1 (yer.

Thomas Dyer.

Charles Walker.
Charles Walker.
George Steel.
Thomas Hale.
George A. Gibbs.
Hiram Wheeler.
C. II. Walker.
C. II. Walker.

< Charles Walker.
/ John 1'. Chapin,
\ John P. Chapin. I
) Charles Walker. \
John 1'. Chapin.
John P. Chapin.
Thomas Hale.
C. H. Walker.
W.D. Houghteling.
C. P>. Pomerov.
('.. C. Martin.'
( ;. W. Xoble

W. L. Whiting.

John C. Dodge.
John C. Dodge.

John C. Dodge.

Thomas Hale.
Thomas Hale.

* Mr. Dodge resigned in February, 1853. Mr. Dullaba served by appointn

lohn C. Dodge.*
C. P. Hilliard.
James E. Dullaba.
W. W. Mitchell.
W. W. Mitchell.
W. W. Mitchell.

xpired 1

Subjoined are personal sketches of the several presi-
dents of the Board. Hon. Thomas Dyer is mentioned
in the political chapter, he having filled the office of
Mayor of ( Ihicago.

Charles Walker, the eldest son of William W.
and Lucretia Walker, was born at Plainfield, Otsego Co^
N. V., February 2, 1.S02. Here and at Unadilla Forks
he- both attended and taught school. At the latter place
•ked in a store and also engaged in business for
himself. In 1X24 he removed to Burlington flats, con-
tinuing as a merchant, and gradually adding to his other
business a grist mill, a saw mill, a potash factory and a
tannery. In a few years he was doing the largest busi-
ness in these branches in that section of the country.
He established himself at this point with a capital of

$1,350, $1,000 of which was borrowed. Mr. Walker
continued in business at various points in the State, en-
gaging in the grain and cattle trade, and by close and
judicious management he prospered finely until 1828.
During that year, however, all his savings were swept
away, a large amount of cheese, butter and pork which
he had shipped to the South being greatly damaged at
sea. In the autumn of 1834 he sent his brother Almond
to Chicago with a large stock of boots, shoes and
leather, and during the succeeding spring he arrived
himself, although he did not make the city his permanent
home. He at once invested in real estate and other-
wise showed the confidence he felt in the future
supremacy of Chicago. In 1836 Mr. Walker admitted
E. H. Hulbert to partnership, the firm name being C.

l'HK CHICAGO B( >ARIJ ( H TRADE.

5«7

& A. Walker, and their business being the importation
of farming implements from the East, besides carrying

a general stock of goods. He weathered the storm of
1837, and in 1839 shipped the first grain from Chii ago
to the East. It consisted of thirty-nine bags of wheat,
which he sent to his mills at Burlington Flats, Otsego
County. During this period Mr. Walker divided his
time about equally between Chicago and the State of
New York, but by 1845 n's business had so increased at
the former point that he decided to remove hither.
Accordingly he formed a partnership in Utica, X. V.,
with Cyrus Clark, his brother-in-law, under the firm
name of Walker & Clark, for the purpose of receiving
Western produce. In May, 1845, he removed his family
to Chicago. Although the crisis in the grain trade
seriously affected Mr. Walker's business, his house con-
tinued to hold its position as the leading grain and pro-
duce establishment in the West. In 185 1 C. Walker &
Son, of Chicago; Walker & Kellogg, of Peoria, and
Walker & Clark, of Buffalo, were the largest grain pur-
chasers in the United States. At this period a severe-
attack of cholera made it necessary for Mr. Walker to
leave the active management of his affairs to his eldest
son, Charles H. Walker, who continued the business
under the firm of C. Walker & Son, and C Walker &
Sons, until 1855, when the father was obliged to retire
from business altogether. The management of the
house was now left to his two sons and others, who con-
tinued the same under the firm of Walker, Bronson &
Co. During the year 1856-57 the firm handled over
5,225,000 bushels of grain. As is usually the case with
men who have successfully managed their private
affairs, Mr. Walker was called to several public posts of
responsibility. He was one of the original directors of
the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad in 1847-48, tak-
ing an active part in its management from first to last,
and also in 1S56 acting as president a#id one of the main
directors of the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska line, which
was intended to be a continuation of the Galena road.
Mr. Walker was the second president of the Board of
Trade, serving for three years from 1S49. His death
occurred June 28, 1869. Mr. Walker was twice mar-
ried— the first time to Mary Clarke, at Unadilla Forks,
and the second time to Nancy Bentley, at Lebanon
Springs, N. V.

C. H. Walker, the eldest son of the above, who as-
sumed the managment of his father's extensive interests
when he retired from business, was himself president of
the Board of Trade in 1856 and 1857. Mr. Walker is
now a resident of St. Mary's Parish, La. George C.
and William B. Walker, also sons of Charles, are mem-
bers of the prosperous commission house of George C.
Walker & Co. There is one other child living, a
daughter, now Mrs. Cornelia W. McLaury.

George Steel was born in Forfarshire, Scotland,
in 1797, one of a family of twelve sons, and removed to
Canada about 1828, engaging as a contractor on the
Lachine Canal. In 1837 he came to Chicago, having
entered into a contract for constructing a portion of the
Illinois & Michigan Canal. He built the works at
Utica, known as the Clark Cement Works, After the
stoppage of work on the canal, Mr. Steel came to Chi-
cago and began business as produce and general com-
mission merchant, and established a pork-packing trade
on South Water Street, between what is now Fifth Av-
enue and Franklin Street, on the site of the Uston
Manufacturing Company. At that time fifty hogs was
a large day's packing business. His office and ware
houses were at the foot of LaSalle Street on South Water.
In 1856-57 a building was erected on this site and a

1 finished in the third story for the use ol the Board

1,1 Trade, that being the lirsi room construct*

for tin Bi was fiftj bj

feel in size, but was soon found to b n the

pui pose intended, ai

building, just west

built Hi'

from 1 anal and rai i ipai u\

of about one hundn id bushels ll was on the

ei "i North Franklin and River streets. It was

burned about the year 1854. Mr, Steel was married in
Montreal, about 1830, to Morrison, and was

the father of nine children, seven ol whom are still
living— Jane, James, Marjorey, Mary, George, Susan,
and William, In 1852-53 Mr. Steel was president

1 'hii ago Board 1 1 I rad< His di atl urred in < !hi-

cago, in March, 1865. During Ins life he was a ver)
popular man, and is remembered b) his few surviving
associates as one of the typi( al business r< presentatives
of the early period in < 'hicagi 1.

Thomas II \i r, president of the board in 1853, was
a forwarding and commission merchant. Hi owned
large warehouses both on North and South I
streets, and was one ol the leading mi le cit)

Mr. Hale was one of those who signed thi call in 1848
for the formation of the board of Trade, but with the
exception of this one office does not appear as a public
functionary. S. T. Hale and Martin ('. Hale are his
sons. Mr. Hale died some years ago

GEORGt A.UGUST1N GlBBS, son of I »r \ornn I.
Gibbs, a pioneer of Rochester. N. Y.. was horn in
Rome, of that Slate. September 13, 1S11. His mother,
Sophia Gibbs, was a descendant of General Patterson,
of Revolutionary lame. The subject of this sketi h was
given an academic education at Rochester, but at the
age of nineteen, quitted school to engage in business
for himself. In [840 he came to Chicago is the agent
for a forwarding line in Buffalo. He remained in that
business for some time, but finally formed .1 conm
with the firm of B. W. Raymond & Co., which later
became known as George A. Gibbs >v Co About this
time, in company with Edward W. Griffin, he built what
was afterward known as the old Galena Elevator, and
which was the first of its kind built in Chicago. In
1854-55 he was president ol the Chicago Board of
Trade and was for years a prominent member of that
body. Mr. Gibbs was three times married; first in
1831 to Miss Bertha Strong, daughter ol Judge 5l
of Rochester. By this marriage there were lour chil-
dren, two of whom died in infancy, and two, William S.
and lames S. Gibbs, are now both well-known residents
of Chicago, the latter being the present cashier ol the
Illinois Trust & Savings Bank. His second marriagt
was to Miss Mindwell Woodbridge, daughter of I >r.
John Woodbridge, of Hadley, Mass.. during this mar
riage one child was born but which also died in inl
He was last married to Miss Anna Milford, daugl
Major Milford. an old resident of t hicago. In 1865,
1 1, 1 ember sih, Mr. Gibbs i\\v(\. leaving no issue by his
last wife, who survived him until in July, i88i,when she
too deceased.

Hiram Wheeler, member of the firm. Munger,
Wheeler & Co., has been in the -rain and wan
business for forty-five years. lb- came to I hicago in
1849, having previously bi d in the lake trade

.a St, Joseph and Niles. Mich. I v. les W,

and C. Henry Wheeler, are now members of the firm.
Hiram Wheel* ted president of the Board of

'Trade in 1 855.

SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION OF LOCALITY.

GEOGRAPHICAL.

Chicago is situated at the embouchure of the Chi-
cago River, near the southwestern corner of Lake
Michigan. The geodesic position of various points in
the city has been determined as follows :

Steeple of Roman Catholic Church of the Holy
Xante on Wolcott Street, between Huron and Superior
streets, 41° 53' 4S" north latitude; 870 37' 47'7j" longi-
tude:

Dome of Chicago city hall, or court-house, 41° 53'
6.2' north latitude: 870 36' 1.2" longitude.

Center of the base of iron light-house, 41° 53' 24.9"
north latitude; S70 36' 59' longitude.

Tall chimney of the Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany's machine shops on the lake shore, 41° 51' 50.5"
north latitude; 870 37' 21.27" longitude.

These observations were made under the auspices
of the United States Topographical Engineers, anterior
to 1870.

The observations made by the United States Signal
Service have determined the following geometrical
data :

Station on Washington Street, one square from city
hall, ante-fire, in 1871. latitude, 410 52'; longitude,

87 35 ■

Station in Major Block, southeast corner of Madison
and l.aSalle. determined by Captain Powell, in 1881;
latitude. 41° 53' 4": longitude, 870 37' 45".

The position of old Fort Dearborn is of record in
the archives of the War Department as 410 52' latitude;
$7° 35' longitude.

The center of the telescope in the Dearborn Observ-
atory, situated within the Douglas University buildings

Cottage Grove Avenue, is 410 50' 1" latitude; 870
36' 41.7" longitude, or 5 hours 50 minutes 26.78 seconds
west from Greenwich; or io° ^t,' 40.4" longitude; or 42
minutes 14.69 seconds west from Washington. This
observation wa> taken by Prof. T. H. Safford, and is
authenticated by Prof. Elias Colbert.

The Ephemeris, or American Nautical Almanac,
gives the location of Chicago, as latitude, 410 50' 1";
longitude. 5 hours 50 minutes 26.78 seconds, or 870

The latitude is, ol course, north; and the longitude
we^t from Greenwich.

METEOROLOGICAL.

The height of the barometer above mean tide is
661.17 feet.

The mean annual rainfall for eleven years ending
ber jl, [882, is 33.92 inches, and excessive rain-
falls during tin-, period have been on September 9, 1875,
3.52 inches; on the night of July 25, 187S, 4.14 inches;
on July 16, 1879, 3.25 inches, and on November it,
. 18 in< hes.
The maximum temperature, since the establishment
of the station of the United States Signal Service on
.ber 1, 1870. and prior to July 24, 1883, was

+ ()(), on July 29, 1874; the minimum temperature,
during the same period, was 23 on February 24, 1872.
The mean temperature for ten years from 1872 was49° 4'.

Phenomenal meteorological occurrences have been:
the continuance of navigation during the entire year of
1882, and the opening of navigation on May 1, 1883; a
storm on August 5, 1875, wherein the wind attained a
velocity of forty-five miles an hour; a storm on June
25, 1877, when the wind registered on the anemometer
fifty miles an hour, an,d on May 6, 1876, when the city
was visited by a tornado which accomplished damage to
the amount of about $250,000, during the few minutes
of its passage. But Chicago has been singularly free
from the devastating cyclones that have cut swathes of
ruin in all the conterminous country, and the reason-
able solution of this fact appears to be that the light,
humid atmosphere of the lake absorbs the approaching
cyclone and disseminates it. The force of a cyclone, as
the force of dynamite, requires repression and compres-
sion to educe it.

No more favorable opportunity will be presented,
in the course of this history to allude to the duties per-
formed by the observer at the signal station, in carrying
out the rules imposed by the United States Signal
Service. He has to record, encipher and transmit to
the Chief Signal Officer observations of the barometer,
thermometer, hygrometer, anemometer and anemoscope;
the kind, amount and direction of clouds; the time of
the beginning, ending and amount of precipitation dur-
ing storms; the depth and temperature of rivers and
lakes; carefully note and record all atmospheric phe-
nomena; prepare weather reports for the information of
the public; attend to the hoisting and lowering of
cautionary signals, and generally have a hundred eyes,
like Argus, and a hundred arms, like Briareus, to see
and annotate such matters meteorological, as will fore-
tell coming storms and record the passage of those that
assume entity. This subject is adverted to that the
public may have some little conception of the sleepless
watchfulness and care that obtains at the multifarious
stations of the United States Signal Service all over the
continent; and of the unceasing vigilance, that is the
prerequisite to liberty for mariners to set sail without
forebodings of impending shipwreck.*

No reference has been made, in this brief allusion
to meteorological phases of Chicago's existence, to any
observations that may have been made prior to the
establishment of the United States Signal Station; there
were observations, made cursorily, but no meteorolog-
ical record is of value unless it is uninterrupted; casual
observations are liable to omit the very phenomena, or
occurrence, that is of prime importance; and another
reason for ignoring sporadic data is, that such matters
are treated in the course of the history or are noted in
the chronological table.

Sufficient elaboration, however, has been given to
the thermal status of Chicago's climate, to exhibit that
the newspaper claim of its eligibility as a summer resort,
is not without foundation in the truth-telling figures,

* To Sergeant William Norrington, the observer at'the signal station in
Chicago, the collaborator is under obligations for valuable information.

588

GEOLOGICAL.

5«9

registered upon the various thermometers (luring the
summer months.

TOPOGRAPHICAL.

The authentic topography of Chicago is limited in
consequence of the first survey not having been made
until 1 82 1, and then only of the shore-line; in fact, the
surveys have nearly all been directed to this particular
portion of the city, the interest of the general and
municipal governments being concentrated upon the
harbor, the river and the pier. When reai estate specu-
lation was rife in the city, then, of course, additions and
subdivisions were made con amore, but these surveys were
sectional, not general, and the results of such surveying
are not included in this article; which contemplates
merely the configuration of the shore-line and the accre-
tions and erosions that have been occasioned bv the

and from Chicago Avenue to the north bank of the
Chicago River, of about ninety-eight acres.

The surface configuration of the ground is thus
accurately described by John M. Van Osdel:

" From the fort, at Kush-street bridge, south on Michigan
Avenue, the surface of the ground was, as it is now. about nine or
ten feet above the surface of the lake. The surface drainage was
from Michigan Avenue west to the river, and from State Street
west was nearly a level plain, elevated some two or three feet above
the river. The topography of the North Division was similar, the
surface declining from Rush Street toward the west. The surface
water cut large gullies in the soil, known as sloughs; three of
these sloughs opened into the main river. One at State Street was
about sixty feet wide at the mouth and extended in a southwesterly
direction to the site of the present Tremont House. Another had
its outlet between Clark and LaSalle streets, and extended inland
across Lake Street. The third and most formidable one was on
the North Side, near Franklin Street, being eighty feet wide at the
river and extending north through the Kingsbury and Newberry
tracts to Chicago Avenue."*

■hnnnnnninnn^^yu

constant current that sets toward the mouth of the
harbor from the straits of Mackinaw. The same forces
that caused the bar across the mouth of the river in
times of yore, have made hundreds of acres of land
upon the north side of the pier, and the detritus and
deposit that was formerly a formidable obstacle to navi-
gation has become dry land, and a valuable accessory
to Chicago's greatness.

From 1821 until 1869 the lake eroded the shore"
south of the pier to a width of three hundred and twenty
feet; but the piling driven along the lake front retarded
this incursion, and then caused a deposit until the land
lost has been more than recovered. That the soil along
the lake, south of Thirty-ninth Street and as far west as
Grand Boulevard, is "made land," is easily perceivable
from its arenaceous character and the conchological
remains with which it is replete. The accompanying
plat* clearly shows the accretions alluded to, and which
demonstrates that at a line near the north bank of the
river the various accessions, in lineal feet, have been as
follows: From 182 1 to 1833, 420 feet; to 1S38, 780 feet;
to 1843, 1,036 feet; to 1849, 1,400 feet; to 1854, 1,520
feet; to 1864, 1,650 feet; to 1869, 1,758 feet; to 1876,
1,900 feet, and to 1880, 1,860 feet; this augmentation
making an area, from the survey line of 1821 eastward,

* Taken from tracings furnished by the kindness of the Chief of Engineers,
United States Army, and on file in the office of the Chief Engineer ( Jfficer,
Military Division of the Missouri.

GEOLOGICAL.

Chicago lies on an apparently level plain which sur-
rounds the whole of the head of Lake Michigan ; the
plain having a gradual, average ascent of from five to
fifteen feet in a mile in its recession from the- lake. The
smooth surface of this vast prairie was leveled by the
former waves of the lake, which left the oldest beach
line at fifty-two feet above its present level. Upon this
level the surface deposit is either black muck, or, in
places, lake sand. For several eons the lake occu-
pied three different levels, the highest of which — men-
tioned above — was not as high as around Lake Erie,
and this level was that which the lake occupied at the
close of the drift period. Then the water fell to about
its present level and remained there for ages, while a
dense forest in some places and extensive marshes in
others, covered the surface where Chicago now stands
anil over a region to twenty miles north of the city.
This was the Quaternary period, and the mastodon
roamedf where the churches and schools of Chicago
now stand. At the close of this epoch, the lake rose-
thirty feet, and there remained for ages, throwing up a
great beach line, and covering the bones of the masto-

* These sloughs are located upon the plat of Chicago m 1830, in the chapter
upon Early Chicago.

t The skeleton of a mastodon was found thirteen feet 1
northwestern part of the city ; all of the skeleton, however.

ider ground in the
.is 110I exhumed.

59°

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ilons and the prostrate trunks of the forest with fresh
water deposits.* The lake then fell to its present level,
throwing- up a series of beach lines as it receded. All
the fresh water deposits lie on a slope of boulder- drift
clay, except where protuberances of rock come above the
surface : one of these, at Stony Island, is remarkable
for a steep dip of the strata in every direction from its
center. — anticlinal axis. This clay varies from zero to at
least seventy feet in thickness, and is a hard, stony clay,
containing ice-scratched boulders of rock transported
from hyperborean regions, and lies everywhere upon a
floor of Niagara limestone completely covered with
glacial scratches, running approximately in a south-
westerly direction. This clay has been thoroughly
studied, because during the excavation of about ten miles
of tunnels for the Chicago water works. etc., the working of
them was watched by the members of the Academy of
Sciences ; it is so compact that even when the tunnels
were driven two miles under the lake at a depth of
sixty feet, there was scarcely any infiltration. Like the
boulder clay of the West everywhere, its stratification is
very obscure, except at a few certain points, and con-
tains no synchronous fossils, except fragments of wood.
The clay is also replete with pockets full of stratified
gravel, having the general shape of boulders and sur-
rounded by compact clay : the strata of the gravel was
sometimes vertical. These masses were probably depos-
ited in a frozen condition ; the interstices of the gravel
are filled in the upper part of the pocket with combusti-
ble carbureted hydrogen gas ; the lower interstices filled
with water, that, on analysis, yielded this singular
result : that water taken from gravel pockets underneath
the bed of the lake, contained about twice as much
common salt as the artesian well water from the rock
beneath the pockets, and about ten times as much salt
a- the water of the lake above : so that the boulder
drift beneath the lake appeared, relatively, a salt deposit
sandwiched between the fresher waters of the lake above
and the rocks below ; a fact which is considered of
importance by those who believe in the marine origin
of the boulder drift. In the boring of artesian wells it
is a matter of much regret that careful records have not
been kept that would elucidate the deeper geology ; at
the Union Stock Yards, however, a well was sunk to
the depth of eleven hundred and five feet, and in this
instance a record was kept by Johnston Ross, who
superintended the boring. This itinerary and the
known superficial data give the following section of all
deposits down as far as known :

Surface soil : 1 t.

■ i j I' rom one

Lake deposits : I

Quaternary forest and soil bed : j '° sevent>'

Boulder drift : J leetT

Niagara Group.

1. Bluish-gray limestone 16 feet.

2. Light-gray limestone, slightly varying in

shade, of color at different depths 13S feet

3. Limestone — nearly white 20 feet

4. Limestone — buff or drab 80 feet=254 feet.

ClNCINN IT] ( iROUP.

5. Shale — soft and line 104 feet

6. Limestone — light-gray 20 feet

7. .shale — coarser and arenaceous [26 feet=250 feet.

Trenton Croup.

-. Brownish ferruginous limestone 25 feet

i). Grayish limestone— more or less dark 305 feet=33o feet.

a matter of scientifit credence that this rise corresponded to the in-
undation of the Loess found "n ill- Mississippi kiver. and in must .,f the South-
is. where, as in Chi 1 forest bed containing remains <.t
the lllllaliHHllll

t The drift and :- were forty-<iix feel where the well was

bored ai the stock yards

St. Peter's.

10. Whitish-brown sandstone 155 feet=i55 feet.

Lower Magnesian Limestone.

11. Light-colored limestone — very hard 60 feet

12. Gray limestone 10 feet= 70 feet.

The first forty feet of the Niagara limestone is
extensively permeated with bitumen or petroleum, of
which several ounces can often be taken out in a mass
from cavities in the rock ; an aggregation of protracted
percolation. Green stains occur frequently in the lime-
stone ; analysis thereof determined them to be salts of
chromium, but not in paying quantities. Of the bitum-
inous rock several edifices in Chicago have been built ;
such buildings are readily recognized by their peculiarly
antiquated, weatherbeaten appearance. Outcroppings
of the Niagara limestone occur at Stony Island, South
Chicago, at Steams' lime kilns Bridgeport), corner of
Twenty-seventh and Halsted streets ; at Phinney's lime
kilns, corner of Nineteenth and Lincoln streets ; at Rice
& Son's and Keyes & Thatcher's quarries and kilns,
corner of Grand Avenue and West Ohio Street ; also
near Hawthorn Station in Cicero Township. By these
outcroppings, and by the fact that the Cincinnati shale
comes to the surface in a northwesterly direction in
central Wisconsin, the strike is manifested to be north-
west and the dip consequently* northeast, and the
clinometer demonstrates its angle to be nine degrees.

PALEONTOLOGICAL.

In presenting a list of the fossils found in Chicago
and its immediate vicinity — the most primitive of the
old settlers — a brief resume of the paleontological
researches that have been made here is requisite, as
such explorations have considerable bearing on the
identity of many species enumerated, and resulted in
giving to the scientific world many new and interesting
forms. Of the one hundred and twenty-one species
given, Chicago has furnished forty-six type specimens,
exclusive of instances where these quarries have pro-
vided material used in describing forms found in other
localities. In i860, Professor McChesney described and
illustrated, in the Proceedings of the Chicago Academy
of Sciences, Bucaniachicagoensis, Trematospiramathew-
soni, and other species. In 1865, Professors Winchell
and Marcy read before the Boston Society of Natural
History, a paper entitled: "Enumeration of Fossils
collected in the Niagara Limestone at Chicago, 111.,
with descriptions of several new species ;" this paper
was published and illustrated, and applied only to
species found at Bridgeport, and therein thirty-nine
established species were mentioned as having been
identified and a similar number were described as new
species. About the same time Professor James Hall, of
Albany, N. Y., published a pamphlet entitled : "Account
of some new, or little known, species of Fossils from
the Niagara Group;" in which some of the species de-
scribed by Professors Winchell and Marcy were figured
and described under different nomenclature. This has
occasioned confusion and synonyms, which, however,
time will eradicate. In 1868, Professors Meek and
Worthen described in the third volume of Illinois Survey,
two new species, and illustrated a few others. During

• 'I'lie dip of the rock in the immediate vicinity of Chicago has been given
by the State Geologist as east and southeast. At Phinney's quarry — the only
one opened at the time of the compilation of this report — when the observation
was taken, the westerly presentation of the undulating stratum gives that ap-
pearance, but the opening of the quarry on other sides rectified the undulating
appearance, and revealed tin: true dip to be northeast.

In the compilation of this topic Or. Kdmund Andrews furnished valuable

data upon surface geology, and Albert It. Hager furnished important facts on
deeper geology, without which this chapter would be barren and uninteresting.

PAI.KONTOI.OGICAL

591

1881-82-83, S. A. Miller, of Cincinnati, the author and
eminent paleontologist, in the Cincinnati Journal of
Natural History, described and illustrated some thir-
teen species from Bridgeport and from a quarry
a few miles west of Chicago, and also redescrihed
and illustrated a few of the species of Professors
Winchell and Marcy that had been in dispute.
Among those described by S. A. Miller, is the enig-
matical fossil Myelodactylus bridgeportensis, for which
a new family — the Myelodactylidse — has been proposed.
The fossils that are found in Chicago and its vicinity
are generally casts of the interior, and impressions on
the rock of the exterior ; the casts are, generally, clear
and sharp, but broken, and perfect specimens are
extremely rare, necessitating an extensive suit before
identification is certain, except in pronounced forms ;
which fact has often been productive of confused iden-
tification among the prominent authors. The condition
of the sea, at the time of the depositing of the rock, was
very favorable to the crinoidal fauna, demonstrated by
the large ami robust forms and number of species of
that representative of the echinodermata*

RIZOPODA.
RECEPTACULITES infundibnlits ; Hall, 1S61, Ceo. Rep. Wis.;

(Ischadites tesselatus; W. & M).
POLYPI.
*Ci.adopor.\ verticillati; Winchell & Marcy, Post. Soc. Nat.

His.
C. fibrosa, \

C. seiiata, - Hall, 1S52, Pal. N. V., Vol. II.
C. reticulata, )

Chunophyli.um niagarense ; Hall, as above.
Diphyphyllum ciespitosum ; Hall, as above; (Dip/ophyllum

caespitosum).
Favosites niagarcnsis; Hall, as above.
F. favosusj Goldfuss, 1826, Germ Petrif.
IIalysites calenulata; Linnaeus, 1767.
LlMARIA crassa; Rominger, 1S76, Foss. corals.
Lyelli a parvituba; Rominger, as above.
Syringopora ftbiala; Rominger, as above.
S. t/tiella; Rominger, as above.

Streptelasma cormculum; Hall, 1847, Pal.'N. V., Vol. I.
Stromatopora Hindi; Nicholson, 1S74, Ann. and Mag. Nat

Hist.
Zaphrentis tmbinala; Hall, 1S52, Pal. N. Y ., Vol, II, (Polydi-

lasma turbinatum).

ECHINODERMATA.
Eucalyptocrincs ornatus; Hall. 1S61, Rep. of Progr. Surv. of

Wis.
*E. chicagaensis ; W. & M , 1865, Mem. Bos. Soc. Nat. His.
*E. rotundus; S. A. Miller, 1882, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
*E. turbinates; Miller, as above.

*E. dtpressus; S. A. Miller. 1SS0. Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. 1 1 is.
*E. egani ; Miller, as above.

Lecanocrinus pusillus ; Hall, 1863, Trans. Alb. Inst., Vol. IV.
SACCOCRINUS semiradiatus; (?) Hall, 1867, 20th Reg. Rep., (Acti-

nocrinus semiradiatus)
*S. marcouanus; W. & M., 1865, Mem. Bos. Soc. Nat. His.,

(Metris/oainus marcouanus). re described and illustrated by S.

A. Miller, 1SS1, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
*S. infelix; Winchell & Marcy, 1865, Mem. Bos. Soc. Nat. His.,

(Megistocrinus infelix), re-described by S. A. Miller, 18S1,

jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
*S. necis; W. &M., 1S65, Mem. Bos. Soc. Nat. His., (Megisto-
crinus necis), re-described and illustrated by S. A. Miller, 1881,

Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
*S. urniformis, I g A ym lgg Jour an Sqc Na( Ris

*S. pyriformis; Miller, 1S82, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
Glyptocrinus cat ley i; (?) Hall, 1862, Trans. Alb. Inst., Vol. IV.
Gt-YPTASTER occidentalis ; Hall, 1863, Trans. Alb. Inst.: Vol. IV.
*G. egani; S. A. Miller, 1SS1. Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His
Cyathocrinus com; Hall, 1864, 20th Reg. Rep.
*C. vanhoinei; S. A. Miller, 1881, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
*MELOCRINUS obpyramidalis ; W. iV M., 1865, Mem. Bos. Soc.

Nat. His , (Actinocrinus obpyramidalis), re-described by S. A.

Miller, 1SS1, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
s article wer

*ICHTHYOCRINUS cordis; W. & M., 1S65, Mem. Bos, Soc. Nat.

Ilis. ; re-described by S. A. Miller, 1881, Jour. Cin. Soc.

Nat, His.
CARYOCRINUS ornatus; Say, 1S25. Jour. Acad. Nat. Science.
♦Myelodactylus bridgeportensis; S. A. Miller, isso, four. Cin.

Soc. Nat. His.

BRYOZOA.
CERAMOPORA/o/t<7«o/ Hall. 1S52. Pal. N. Y., Vol. II.
LlCHENALIA concentrica; Hall, as above.
FENESTELLA elegans; Hall, as above.

BRACH10P0DA.

Spirifera crispa; Kissinger, 1826.

S. gibbosa; Hall, 1861, Rep. of Progr. Wis. Sur.

S. radiata; Sowerby, 1825, M in. Conch., Vol. V.

S. meta; (?| Hall, 1S67, 20th Reg. Rep.

ANASTROPHIA internascens; (?) Mall, 1S70, 28th Reg. Rep.

Rhynchonella tennesseensis; Roemer, i860, Sil. West. Tenn.

R. cuneata; Dalman, 1S27.

MERESTINA nitida; Hall, 1852, Pal. N. X ., Vol. II, (Atrypa nitida),

Atrypa nodoslriafa; Hall. 1852, Pal. N. Y., Yol. II.

A. reticularis; I. inn., 1767.

*Pentamerus chica^oensis; W. & M.. 1S65, Mem. lios. Soc. Nat.

His.
P. pergibbosus; Hall & Whitfield, 1S75, Ohio Pal., Yol. II.
P. oblongus; Sowerby, 1S39, Murch, Sil. Syst.
P. multicostatus; Hall, 1861, Rep. of Progr. Wis. Sur.
P. occidentalis; Hall, 1852, Pal. N. Y., Vol. II.
*P. sinuliot; W. & M, 1S65, Mem. Bos. Soc. Nat. His., {Spin/era

si miliar).
Dixohlcs conradi; Hall, 1S6S, 20th Reg. Rep. N. \\, (Obo.'us

conr.uti).
Trimerella g randis; Billings, 1862, Pat. Foss., Vol. I.
Strophomena rhomboidalis : Wahlenberg, 1821.
S. striata; Hall, 1843, Geo. Rep. 4th Dist. N. Y.
S. depressa; (?) Sowerby, 1S25, Vol. VI, Min. Conchol.
Strophodonta seniifasciala; Hall, 1863, Trans. Alb. Inst., Yol.

IV.
S. profunda; Hall, 1852. Pal. N. Y., Vol. II, (Leptaena profundi).
STREPTORHYNCHUS subplanus; Conrad, 1842, four. Acad. Nat.

Sci., Vol. VIII.
*TREMATOSPIRA mathewsoni; McChesney, 1861, New Pal. Foss.

GASTEROPODA.

Murchisonia sublata; Conrad, 1842, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Yol.

VIII, (Loxonenia sublata).
*M. woithenana; S. A. Miller, 1SS2, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat. His.
Pl.ATYSTOMA niagarense; Hall, 1852, Pal. N. Y., Vol. II.
TROCHONEMA/rt«/>«y Hall, 1S67, 20th Reg. Rep.
T.fatua; Hall, as above.
STRAPAROLLUS mofisus;(';) Hall, as above.
*PLEUR0T0MARIA sigareloides; W. & M., 1865, Bost. Soc. Nat.

His.
P. casii; Meek & Worthen, 1868, Geo. Sur. Ills., Vol. III.
P. halei; Hall, 1861, Rep. of Progr. Wis., Sur.

P. cyclonemoides ; Meek & Worthen, 1S6S, Geo. Sur. Ills., Yol. III.
P. ida; Hall, 1S61, Rep. of Progr. Wis. Sur.
*P. axion; Hall, 1867, 20th Regents' Report.
*P. gonopleura; W. & M. l865TBost. Soc. Nat. His.
P. occidens; Hall, 1867, 20th, Reg. Rep.
*BUCANIA chicagaensis; McChesney, i860, New Pal. Foss., (Bell-

erophon perforates, of Winchell & Marcv; Tremanotus alpheus,

of Hall).
*Sublites brevis; W. &. M., 1865, Mem, Bos. Soc. Nat. His.
*S. gracilis; S. A. Miller, 18S2, Jour. Cin. Soc. Nat His.
Si'ROPHOSTYLUS cyclosto :, us ; Hall, 1S63, Trans. Alb. Inst.,

Vol. IV.
HOLOPEA guelpnensis; Billings, 1S62, Pal. Foss., Vol. I.
*H. chicagoensis; W. &. M., 1S65, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. His.
*H. uiagarensis; W. X; M., as above.

CEPHALOPODA.

*Orthoceras scammoni; McChesney, 1S61, New Pal. Foss.
O. annulatuin; Sowerby, 1S1S, Min. Conch., Yol. II.
*Cyrtoceras heicules; W. & M.. 1S65, Mem. Bost. Soc. Na!

Hist.
*C. rigidum; Hall, 1867, 20th Reg. Rep.
*C. fosteri; Hall, 1861, Rep. of Progr. Geo. Sur. Wis.
TROCHOCERAS bannisteri; W. & M., 1865, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat.

His.
T. dcsplainense ; McChesney, 1S60, New. Pal. Foss.
*G0MPH0CERAS scrinium ; Hall, 1S64, 20th Reg. Rep., (C, mar-

cyie of Winchell & Marcy).
PHRAGMOCERAS nestor; (?) Hall, 1S67, 20th Reg. Rep.

59^

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

LAMELLIBRANCHIATA.
*CoNOCARDfUM smatu>n: W. & M.. iSo,. Mem. Host. Soc. Nat

His.
*C. niagarense: W. & M., as above.
*EDMONDIA nilesi; W. & M.. .is above.
IMODIOLOPSIS acta; Hall, 1S67, 20th Keg. Rep.
• M ific/eus; Hall, as above.
Ambonychia acuttrostra; Hall, as above
A .:/ i .-.:: Hall, as above.
(AMPHICCSLIA leitfyi; Hall, as above

A. neglttla; McChesncv. 1861, Pal. Foss., (Ambonychia nrglccta),
*ClE!DOPIIORUS ekicagoensis; S. A. Miller. 1SS0. lour. Cin. Soc.

Nat. His.
•PTERINKA brisa; Hall, [867, 20th Reg. Rep.
(CVPRICARDIKIA arata: Hall, as abo\e.
*CypRICARDITES {?) quadrilaferalis; Hall, as above.

CRUSTACEA.

Calymene uiaeareusis: Hall, 1S43, Geo. Rep. 4th Dist. N. V.
(Ii.iaksi's armatus; Hall, 1867.20th Reg. Rep.

J-*"*1 'Hall, as above.
I. iHsigms, \

fLiCHAS emttrginatus; Hall. 1879. 2Sth Reg. Rep

I ^sgwa*-, / w v M lg6 Mem Bos Soc Nat_ His

*I. aecipiens, \ ■"

BRONTEUS acamas; Hall, 1S67, 20th Reg. Rep.

CERAURUS niagarensis; Hall, as above.

Ai idaspis Hanoi; Hall, 1S62, Geo. Sur. Wis. , (Acidaspis ida, of

Winchell & Marcyl.

The following list of the Batrachia and Reptilia that
have been found in this region has been prepared by
Dr. N. S. Davis. Jr., of Chicago.

BATRACHIA.
TRACHYSTOMATA. SIRENID/E. Siren lacertina; Great
Siren.

PROTEIDA. PROTEID/B. Necturus lateralis; Mud-puppy
or Water-dog.

CADUCIBRANCHIATA. amiu.ystomid.e. Amblystoma
opaciiiii; Opaque Salamander: A. punctatum ; Large Spotted Sal-
amander: A.tigriuum; Tiger Salamander: A.jeffersonianwn, sub-
species, laterale; Jefferson's Salamander. pi.ethodontid.e. Hem-
idactylium sculatum; Four-toed Salamander: Plethodon einereus:
Red-backed Salamanders of both sub-species, cinereus and ery-
tltronoltis: Plethodon glulinosits: Viscid Salamander : Spelerpcs
bilineatus: Two-striped Salamander: S. longicaudus , Cave, or long-
tailed. Salamander: S. Ruber, sub-species, tuber; Red Triton.
DESMOGNATHID/E. Desmo^nathus fusca. sub-species, fusra;
Dusky Saiamander: D. nigia: Black Salamander. PLEURODELID.*.
Diemyctylus miniatus, sub-species, miniatus; Red Evet : D. mill-
iatns. sub-species, viridescens; Spotted Evet.

ANOURA. fU-Funiiia:. Bufo lentiginosus, sub-species,
amciicanus; Common Toad, HYun.E. Acris gryllus, sub-species,
crepitans. Northern Cricket Frog: Chotophilus triseriatus, sub-
species, triseriatus: Tree Frog: llyla picketing!; Pickering's Tree
load: //. versicolor; Common Tree Toad. RANID.E. Rana
halecina : Common Frog: K. palusliis; Pickerel Frog: R. claim-
tan:; Green or Spring Frog: R. catesbiana; Bull Frog: R, tern-
pjraria, sub-species, silvatica: R. areolata, sub species, circulosa;
Ringed Frog.

REPTILIA.

OPHIDIA. 1 koi m.iii.k. Crotalus horridus; Banded, or

Northern, Rattle Snake : Caitdisona lergemina; Massassauga, or

Prairie Rattle Snake: Ancistrodon contortrix; Copperhead or

Cotton-mouth. cqi.UliRlD/E : caiphophiops am anus: (Ground

Snake. Ophibolus dolialus, variety, tiiangulus: Milk Snake or

Vdder: 0. getulus, variety, sayi; King Snake: DiadopUis

functatu • 5, punctatus; Ring-necked snake: Cyclophis

, Green or Crass snake: Coluber vulpinui ; Fox Snake:

ate f us; Pilot Snake : Pityophis sayi,

sab-species, tayi; Western Pine Snake : Bascaniott constrictor, sub-

coiutnctor; Black Snake; Blue Racer: Eutania saurita;

Riband Snake: Swift ( .arter Snake: E. faireji; Fairy's Garter

Snake: F.. proximo; Say's Garter Snake: E.tadix; Hoy's Carter

-make F.. migrans, sub • vagran . Spotted Riband Snake:

E. sirtalis, sub-species, dorsalis; Common Striped Snake: !■'.. Sir-

tr.lis, sub-spei ies, ir/alii ; < 'ommon ( .arter Snake: E. sirtalis, sub-

obseura: Sloreria rccipitomaculata ; Red-bellied Snake.

S. deioyi; De Kay's Brown Snake: Tropidoclonium kirtlandi:

Tropidonotus grakami; Graham's Snake:

T. leberii: Leather Snake: '/', sipedon, sub- pecies, sipedon;

I h>- „,.,rk • indicate! p. ■■ i. , the type ■■< which n... I., inul .11 111, (hi a,;,,

f|i*arri*-*, and thr rn.irk t indicates sj^-r ii--. designated oa found in I litcagoal 1 In-
iimf «./ ihrir description

Water Snake: 7'. sipedon, sub-species, woodhousei; Woodhouse's
Water Snake: T. sipedon, sub-species, erythrogaster ; Red-bellied
Water Snake: T. rhombifer: Hetetodon platyrhinus; Spreading
Adder: H. simus, sub-species, sii/tus; Hog-nosed Snake.

l.ACER T1LIA. SCINCID/E. Eumeces fasciatus; Blue Tailed
Lizard. TEIli.E. Cnemiduplioi us sexlincatus; Six-lined Lizard.
amh 1111:. OpAeosaurus -centralis; Glass Snake. iGUANIDiS,
Secloporus uni/ulaliis, sub-species, undu'atus; Swift Lizard.

TESTUDINATA. trionychid/e. Amyda mutica; Leathery
Turtle . Aspidonectes spini/er ; Common Soft Shelled Turtle.
rill'.I.YHKlli.E. C/ielydra serpentina; Common Snapping Turtle.
CINOSTERNID/E, Aroiiiochelys odoratus; Musk Turtle or Stink Pot:
.•/. carinatus. kmyihii.e. Malacoc/eniiiiys geographicus ; Map Turtle:
iif, pseudo-geographicus; Le Sueur's Map Turtle: C/iiysemys picta;
Painted Turtle: limys meleagris; Blanding's Turtle: Cistiuio
clausa; Common Box Turtle.

ZOOLOGICAL.

The following list of animals, whose habitat is, or
was, Chicago, is furnished by Jacob W. Velie, Secretary
and Curator of the Chicago Academy of Science :

BLARINA: Gray. B/arina brev cauda. Gray — Short-tailed Shrew.
Scalops: Cuvier. Scalofis argentatus, Aud. and Bach — Silvery

Mole.
Condylura: Illiger. Condylura cristata, Illiger — Star-nosed

Mole.
Lynx: Rafinisque. Lynx ru/us, Rafinisque — Wild Cat.
Canis: Linnaeus. Cam's oceidentalis, var. griseoalbus — White

and Gray Wolf.
Vulpes: Baird. Vulpes fulvas.yax. fulvas — Red Fox: V.virein-

ianus, Richardson — Gray Fox.
Putorius : Cuvier. Pulorius novebjiacensis, De Kay — White

Weasel: P. vison, Richardson — Brown Mink: P. nigriscens,

Aud. and Bach — Black Mink.
Lutra: Linn. Lutra canadensis, Sabine — American Otter.
Mephitis: Cuvier. Mephitis mephitica — Common Skunk.
Procyon: Storrer. Procyon lotor, Storrer — Common Raccoon.
Ursus: Linn. Ursus americanus, Pallas — Black Bear.
DlDELI'HYS: Linn. Didelphvs virginiana, Shaw — Opossum.
SciURUS: Linn. Sciurus ludovicianus, Curtis — Western Fox

Squirrel: S.carolinensis, Gmelin — Gray Squirrel,
P tkromys: Cuvier. Pteroiuys volucella Cuv. (?) — Flying Squirrel.
Spermoi'HILUS: Cuvier. Sperm op a this franklinii, Richardson —

Gray Gopher: S. tridecem lineatus, Aud. and Bach — Striped

Gopher.
ARCTOMYS: Shreber. Arclomys monax, Gmelin — Woodchuck,

Ground Hog.
Castor: Linn. Castor canadensis, Kuhl — American Beaver.
Mlis: Linn. A/us deeumamts, -Pallas — Brown Rat (introduced

1S46): Al muscalus, Linn — Common Mouse (introduced).
Hespf.romys: Waterhouse. Hesperomys mic/iiganensis, Wagner —

Prairie Mouse.
Arvicola: Lacepede. Arvicola a ustei a, ]<econte — Prairie Meadow

Mouse.
Fiber: Cuvier. Fiber zibethicus, Cuvier — Musk Rat.
Lepus: Linn. Lepus sylvaticus, Bachmann — Gray Rabbit.
Cervus: Linn. Cervus canadensis, Erxl — American Elk: C. vir-

ginianus, Boddaert — Virginia Deer.
Bos: Linn. Bos ame icanus, Gmelin — American Buffalo. Of this

last species of mammalia a curious error obtained with the

early explorers; an instance of which appears in the " Recueil

de voyages de M. Thevenot, Paris, ifiSi," wherein are given

the voyages of Pc're Marquette. Upon a chart entitled.

"Carte de la decouverte faite Tan 1673 dans 1'Amerique Sep-

tentrionale,"* illustrative of the regions over which Marquette

passed, is one district noted as inhabited by " Nations qui out

des chevauxet deschameaux ! " (Nations who have horses and

camels). The peculiar appearance of the buffalo undoubtedly

gave origin to this error.

ORNITHOLOGICAL.

The following table of families of birds in Chicago
and its vicinity, is given by Jacob \V. Velie, of the
Chicago Academy of Science:

Turdidse 'Thrushes. 9 species

Saxicolida: Bluebirds 1 species

Sylviida: Warblers 3 species

Pariil;e Titmice and Chickadees, 1 species

* Vide Haps in Karly History of CbicSgO.

CHICAGO

IN 1853.

FLORAL.

593

Sittid.x' Nuthatches 2 species

Certhiid as Creepers i species

Troglodytida: Wrens 5 species

Mutucillidce Wagtails and Titlarks. . 1 species

Mniotiltidse American Warblers. .. .32 species

Vireonida? Vireos or Greenlets. ... 4 species

Laniidae Shrikes 2 species

Ampelidie Wax-wings 2 species

Hirundinids Swallows 6 species

Tanagridse Tanagers 1 species

Fringillidse Finches, Sparrows and

Buntings 30 species

Icteridse American Starlings <) species

1 Divide Crows and Jays 2 species

Alaudidae Larks 1 species

Tyrannida> Tyrant Fly-catchers. ... g species

Trochilida; Humming-birds 1 species

Cypselidae Swifts 1 species

Caprimulgida- Cioat-suckers 2 species

Picidae Wood-peckers S species

Alcedinidse Kingfishers 1 species

Cuculida» Cuckoos 2 species

Strigidae Owls S species

Falconidre Hawks, Falcons, Kites

and Eagles 14 species

(athartidre American Vultures 1 species

Columbida* Pigeons and Doves 2 species

Meleagrida- Turkeys 1 species

Tetraonida" Grouse 3 species

Perdicidae Partridges and Quails . 1 species

Ibidida? Ibises 1 species

Ardeidse Herons 6 species

Strepsilida' Turnstones I species

Charadriida? Plovers ... 5 species

Scolopacida; Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. 23 species

Phalaropodida? Phalaropes 2 species

Kecurvirostrida" Avocets and Stilts 1 species

Rallidse. Rails, (jallinules and

Coots S species

t Iruida? Cranes 2 species

Anatida? Swans, Geese and

Ducks 31 species

Pelecanida- Pelicans 1 species

Phalacrocoracidas . . . . Cormorants 1 species

Laridse. . - Gulls and Terns. 14 species

Stercorariida? Skuas and Jaegers. . . . 2 species

Podicipitidae Grebes 3 species

Colymbidae Loons 2 species

ENTOMOLOGICAL.

Of the entomology of this region nothing can be
intelligently said within the limits of this chapter; as, to
give a catalogue of the various Coleoptera, Lepidoptera,
Diptera, Heminoptera, Orthoptera, etc., would occupy
to ogreat a proportion of this work; and the possible
benefits to the agricultural inhabitant of Chicago by the
publication of such a catalogue would not repay the
labor bestowed upon the compilation. There is no
question as to the value of the science to both the savan
and the agriculturist, but unfortunately, there is no
classification made of the insects indigenous to this
region, and to eliminate them from a general catalogue
would require months of labor. In the comprehensive
collection of Mr. Andrew Bolter are one hundred and
fifty specimens not identified, and this gentleman states
that new microscopic species are continually being dis-
covered; hence a catalogue from this — the best collec-
33

tion in the State — would be necessarily imperfect; and
the collection itself being extant, entomologists can
consult that, and have the advantage of Mr. Bolter's
exhaustive research and comprehensive information to
aid their entomological investigations.

ICHTHYOLOGICAL.

The ichthyological specimens* that are found in
the waters adjacent to Chicago, comprise, three speci-
mens of |the Darters; four specimens of the Perches;
one of the Bass; eight of the Sun Fishes; one each of
the Pirate Perches and the Maigres; four of the Scul-
pins; one of the Cod Fishes; two of the Sticklebacks;
one each of the Silversides and Toothed Minnows; two
of the Pikes; one of the Trout Perches; seven of the
Salmon; one each of the Gizzard Shad and Herring;
twelve of the Carps; seven of the Suckers; three of the
Cat Fishes, and one each of the Eel and the Sturgeon
family.

CONCHOLOGICAL.

Of the conchological specimens found in Lake Mich-
igan, the Calumet and Chicago rivers and the Calumet,
Hyde and Wolf lakes, the following classification has
been made by W. W. Calkins:

LlMN.EA reflexa, apprcssa , jugularis , palustris, caperatcea, umbro-
sus; PHVSA gyiina and heterostropha; Vi.ASORBl'S.Kcaiiipanula/us,
trivolvis, parvus, bicarinatus; Segmentina atmigera; Valoata
tricarinata, sincera and contectoides; Mei.antho subsoiidus, coatc
/a/a, and the smaller species By/h. obtusa; SOMATOGYRUS depres-
sus; Amnicola cincinnatiensis; Try. subulate; Gox. livescens;
Sph.eria simile, partumeium, tiansvetsiim ; Pisidia abditum and
compressum ; Umonid.e cornutus, gracilis, gibbosus, luteolus, occi-
dens, rectus, pustulosus, rubigitwsus, elegatis, undulatus, verrucosus,
ellipsis, tuberculalus; Margaritana complanata; Anodonta
footiana imbecillis and plana.

FLORAL.

In 1872, an exhaustive catalogue of the flora of
Chicago, and the country within radii of about forty
miles, was compiled by H. H. Babcock, and published
in The Lens, a journal issued by the State Microscop-
ical Society of Illinois. This classification was thorough
and complete, and is — like the entomology — too large
for insertion in this work. Dr. Lester Curtis, president
of the Microscopical Society, courteously furnished this
catalogue, and naturalists can obtain information of him
relative thereto. In connection with this subject, it is
germane to allude to the peat-beds that have been found
in several localities; showing not alone the cryptogamic
sphagni, but also demonstrating that the climate of Chi-
cago in by-gone years was humid and cloudy; as sun-
light and dry atmosphere are fatal to sphagnum, of which
peat is the consequence. Microscopic investigation of
this peat will reveal many of the floral antiquities of this
region.

« A complete catalogue of the fishes of Illinois, will be found in Bulletin
No. 2, Natural History of Illinois, by Professor David S. Jordan; issued under
the auspices of Professor S. A. Forbes, Director Illinois State Laboratory of
Natural History.

SANITARY HISTORY

Town and City Regulations. — When, in the
summer of 1832, General Scott brought his troops from
the East to engage in the Black Hawk War, lie intro-
duced the first epidemic to the people of Chicago; and
a full account of this cholera season will be found in
the matter devoted to the Indian scare. It was not
until the next year that the town authorities, in pursu-
ance of their delegated powers, made the first sanitary
regulation. On November 7, 1833, the Board of Trus-
tees passed an order imposing a penalty of $3 upon
anybody who should throw refuse into the river. June
o, 1834. on account of the cholera scare, the Town
Supervisor or Street Commissioner was ordered to
remove many nuisances which then endangered the
public health. In August ordinances were passed
against throwing anything of an obstructive nature into
the sewers. A vigilance committee was also appointed
to see that the needed work was done. It consisted of
Dr. W. B. Kgaii. Dr. J. C. Goodhue. A. Steele, Mark
Beaubien. J. K. Palmer. South District; G. Kercheval,
J. Miller, N. R.. Norton, John Davis and Hiram Hug-
unin. North District; J. Kinzie, C. Taylor and J. Bates,
West District. Drs. Clark and Kimberly were author-
ized, if necessary, to establish a cholera hospital out-
side the city limits.

In February, 1835, the corporate powers and limits
of the town were changed, and among other privileges
the Trustees were authorized to form a permanent
Board of Health. A revival of the cholera excitement
in the summer caused the formation of the board on
June 19. It consisted of James Curtiss, IS. S. Morris,
E. Peck, B. King, A. N. Fullerton, John T. Temple,
J. Jackson and H. Hugunin. They held their first
meeting June 23. But the board seems to have died
with its birth, and only one of its acts is distinctly
stamped upon the history of these early days. To carry
out their sanitary measures the board proposed to bor-
row ,S2.ooo, which caused such a panic in the ranks of
the strict economists that the board subsided into
hopeless inaction.

In January. 1837, before the incorporation of the
city, the establishment of a permanent hospital was
urged, but it was not until the public had again suffered
with cholera and other epidemics that the project was
favorably looked upon. Cnder the act of incorpora-
tion of March, 1837 Section 57 , the Common Council
were to appoint three commissioners annually to consti-
tute a Board of Health. The Mayor of the city or the
presiding officer of the Council was to be president of
the board, and the City Clerk its clerk. The charter
also provided for the appointment, annually, of a health
officer, whose duty it should be to visit persons sick of
infection-, diseases, and to board vessels suspected of
harboring any pestilential or infectious disease. Ac-
cordingly, on May 9. 1837, Dr. J. W . Kldredge, A. N.
Fullerton and D. Cox were elected members of the
board, and Dr. D. Brainard appointed health officer.

From this time on the sanitary affairs of the city
were in the hands of its Board of Health, the executive
officers of which were either known as the city physi-
cian, the health officer, or the marshal. In 1838, when

Dr. E. S. Kimberly was health officer, Chicago had
first to battle with an epidemic in its municipal capacity,
the "canal cholera" breaking out among the laborers of
the Illinois & Michigan Canal. Dr. Charles V. Dyer
was elected health officer at the beginning of the year
1839, but resigned his position in September, and was
succeeded by Dr. Kimberly, who served until 1841.
During this year Dr. John W. Eldredge was elected
health officer, and in May an ordinance was passed
requiring the attending physician to give a certificate
upon the death of any person, thus establishing a basis
for the gathering of vital statistics. The first regular
mortuary record, however, was not published until 185 1.
In 1842, Dr. Egan was chosen city physician and Orson
Smith health officer and city marshal. Mr. Smith
served in that capacity until 1845. During this year
Dr. Phillip Maxwell was chosen city physician and
Phillip Dean city marshal and health officer. In 1846
Ambrose Burnham succeeded Mr. Dean, while in 1847
a separate choice was made for each office, viz.: J. F.
Wait, health officer ; Ambrose Burnham, City Marshal,
and Dr. Henry S. Huber, physician. Dr. Levi D.
Boone became city physician in 1849, and City Marshal
Burnham also acted as health officer. A continuation
of the roster is as follows : City physicians, Dr. Boone,
1850-51; Dr. A. B. Palmer, "1852; Dr. Brock Mc-
Yickar, 1853-54 ; Dr. Isaac Lynn, 1855 ; Dr. McVickar,
1856 ; Dr. Gerhard Paoli, 1857. The health officers
were Orson Smith, C. P. Bradley, W. B. H. Gray, W.
W. Taylor, George P. Hansen, and Ambrose Burnham.
Cholera and Small-Pox Epidemics. — After the
cholera epidemic of 1832, the next season which came
upon the city was in 1838, when the laborers on the
Illinois & Michigan Canal were attacked by a disease
which balked all medical skill. It was called "canal
cholera," and as fast as its victims succumbed their bodies
were sent to Chicago and thrown on the roads near
Bridgeport, as citizens were afraid to touch them. It
was in 1843 that the city or small-pox hospital was con-
structed, located just above North Avenue, near the
lake shore, on the grounds purchased for a cemetery.
In March, 1845, the' building burned to the ground.
The fire originated from some ashes which were care-
lessly left too near the building. Its burning was
particularly unfortunate at this time, as there were
several small-pox cases, and patients were then being
treated in the pest house. Mayor Oarrett had even
issued a proclamation for general vaccination. While
another hospital was being erected on the same site, the
patients were accommodated at the house of a Mr. Shaw,
in the northeastern part of the city. The County Hospital
was opened in old Tippecanoe Hall, on March 30, 1847.
During 1846-47 the population of the city increased
rapidly and a great amount of sickness prevailed. Most
of the patients without means, were accommodated at
the Alms House. The accommodations becoming quite
insufficient, it was found necessary to have a large num-
ber of sick persons boarded and cared for at private
houses in the city. This was necessarily attended with
great expense, and, to avoid it, the public authorities
suggested the renting of a building on the north side of

SANITARY HISTORY.

595

the river. Upon second thought, however, the Common
Council saw fit to apply for the temporary use of the
garrison buildings.

In 1848, small-pox was epidemic in the regions
adjacent to the city, and R. C. Ross, the City Marshal,
advertised under date of January 28, that the following
physicians would gratuitously vaccinate the poor :
Henry S. Huber, L. D. Boone, 1). Brainard, C. H.
Duck, J. Jay Stuart, and H. K \Y. Boardman, J. N.
Banks, F. C. Hagerman, Aaron Pitney, Erial McArthur,
Ceorge Wallingford Wentworth, J. Bassett, and John
I). Bowlby ; and the following physicians also advertise,
under the same date, that they will gratuitously dem-
onstrate the principles of Jenner upon those who are
too poor to pay for their inoculation : Doctors C. H.
Duck, Max Meyers, H. K. W. Boardman, M. L. Knapp,

Cross, W. B. Mead, and W. R. J. Reynolds.

This appears to be the first official and medical co-op-
eration, for precautionary measures, to prevent the
introduction or spread of small-pox.

In 1849 the variola was prevalent in the city; and,
in February, a public meeting was held whereat resolu-
tions were passed setting forth the necessity of cleans-
ing the city, which resolutions were presented to the
Common Council by Dr. B. McVickar, chairman of the
committee, and referred to the Board of Health by the
Council ; and on April 2 the following gentlemen were
appointed assistant health officers, to act as co-adju-
tors to the Board of Health ; being in the ratio of one
officer to each block in the city : Charles Walker,
George \V. Meeker, Nathaniel Sherman, Jr., Jeremiah
Price, Mark Kimball, A. S. Sherman, Charles McDon-
ell, Jacob Bendler, J. Ambrose Wight, C. R. Stark-
weather, John Frink, Isaac Speer, Ezra Collins, T. B.
Carter, John High, Samuel Bennett, J. O. Taylor, Caleb
Shaw, Jared Gage, T. Whitlock, S. J. Sherwood, J. T.
Edwards, A. H. Burley, Zebina Eastman, C. N. Holden,
William Wheeler, A. F. Bradley, and A. Rossiter, and,
in the latter part of April these additional gentlemen
were appointed, so as to complete the ratio as designat-
ed : Thomas Church, Samuel B. Cobb, S. Sawyer,
John Jennings, John B. Turner, John S. Wright,
John S. Gray, G. M. Higginson, Elihu Granger,
T. Weiler, Hugh Dunlap, A. Moon, Andrew Smith,
A. Peck, Luther Marsh, Solomon Wait, and Samuel
Hoard. If these gentlemen were only as efficient and
distinguished in the enforcement of sanitary regulations
as they have been as citizens of Chicago, there probably
was never such a hygienic posse in any city in the
Union.

Cholera did not make its appearance seriously until
the winter of 1849. Anticipating its dread coming, the
muncipal authorities inaugurated a cleaning crusade.
Small-pox was already quite prevalent, and there was
such a marked increase of cholera in the country that
a public meeting was held, February 12, demanding
that more stringent measures be taken. Among other
things, the Board of Health asked that additional sew-
ers be built. On April 29, the malignant form of chol-
era was brought by the emigrant boat, "John Drew."
Captain John Pendleton contracted the disease from the
emigrants, who had arrived from New Orleans, via the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and Illinois & Michigan
Canal. He died a few hours after the arrival of the
boat. Others who came also died soon after their arrival.
At this time there were no quarantine regulations, and
the disease was further introduced and spread by the
arrival of emigrants from Europe. In May the Council
authorized the Board of Health to construct a temporary
hospital for the treatment of indigent persons attacked

by the cholera. It was located near the present site of
the old County Hospital, near Eighteenth Street and
the Chicago River. In September it was ordered closed
by the Common Council, and was re-opened after a few
days, cholera having appeared again among some newly
arrived emigrants. It was closed in October, and finally
burned in May, 1852.

From the time of its introduction, in 1849, cholera
gradually spread, and prevailed as an epidemic from
July 25 until August 28, during which time one thou-
sand persons were attacked, of whom three hundred and
fourteen died. More than any other locality in the
city, the disease prevailed on a sandy elevation in the
North Division, chiefly inhabited by Norwegians, and
many of them recent arrivals. Forty-four out of the
three hundred who lived in this region fell victims to
the malady. Among the citizens of prominence who
were carried off by the scourge this year were Hon.
Henry Brown, Rev. W. H. Rice, Henry B. Clark, Dr.
J. E. O'Leary, L. M. Boyce, James Knox, M. Kohn,
W. N. Bently, Samuel Jackson, Newell Stratton, A. J.
Penny, E. Hitchcock, A. Calhoun, A. S. Robinson and
George Avers.

Descriptive of these terrible times is the following,
written by an old settler who was a participator in the
horrors of which he wrote and had a narrow escape
from death himself :

" During the winter of 1848-49 cholera appeared at
New Orleans, and began slowly to ascend the Mississippi,
and before the frost had left the ground it appeared
inevitable that the contagion would reach Chicago,
which was, indeed, the case all too soon. The first case
that came under my notice was that of Deacon Jackson,
of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, who was a personal
friend. One Sunday morning in May, or perhaps in
June, on my way to church, I was crossing the river by
ferry at Rush Street (all the bridges had been carried
away that spring by a flood), when I overheard a fellow-
passenger telling another one that Captain Jackson had
died of cholera. I inquired what Captain Jackson was
referred to, when I learned it was my friend, the Deacon.
As the ferry landing was within a few rods of the Jack-
son dwelling, being one of the houses within the fort,
I hastened thither. I found William Jones alone with
the corpse, the family being in an upper room, from
whence I could hear their united wailings. The face
was a shade darker than usual, and around the mouth
were the dark purple spots, which I soon learned to be
the unmistakable deathmark of that dreaded and terrible
disease — the Asiatic cholera. Mr. Jackson had been
attacked the previous afternoon, while engaged in his
usual employment of driving piles and building docks
along the river ; he hastened home and died within a
few hours.

" The disease gradually, or, I may say rapidly spread,
until on the 1st day of August the number of deaths
reached thirty, which was the highest number for any
one day. I think the death of Mr. Bentley, the father
of Cyrus Bentley, soon followed that of Deacon Jackson.
L. M. Boyce, a prominent druggist, died in his house
alone, his family having just left for the country. Dea-
con Knox, also of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, died
very suddenly. The Rev. W. H. Rice, pastor of the
same Church, was attacked while returning from the
bedside of Mr. Knox. It was Sunday morning, and he
was intending to preach, and was hastening for that
purpose. I happened to be at the door of his boarding-
place when he arrived, and assisted him into the house.
The house was that of Mr. Pillsbury, on Dearborn
Street, a few doors south of where the Tribune building

596

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

now stands. Dr. D. S. Smith was called ami attended
him. Mr. Rice steadily failed until about 2 o'clock,
when we gave him up. He then gave directions about
his affairs and made his will. Among other remedies,
by Smith's direction, we tried electricity, first insulating
the patient by standing the bedstead on glass. Whether
from this or other treatment. Mr. Rice lingered along
and I staid with him till midnight, when I retired to
another room to sleep, fully expecting to find him dead
in the morning. But to my surprise I found him still
living, and apparently improving. He continued thus
through the day, when he again began to fail, and soon
died. When Mr. Rice was attacked Sunday morning,
the weather was very warm, and so continued till Mon-
day afternoon, when there came one of our Lake Michi-
gan chilling breezes. It was to this that I attributed
Mr. Rice's relapse, for I had noticed that deaths were
more numerous after these sudden changes from hot
to cool.

"There was at this time an Englishman named Mor-
rell. a blacksmith, who was just from England and but
recently married, who was working for me. One Satur-
day night he came to me and said lie wanted all the
money that was due him, and that he would not be at
work till the following Tuesday, as he had bought a lot
from Mr. Elston. and he wanted on Monday to get
lumber on the ground, and set carpenters at work on
a little house which he had determined to build.
Late Saturday night I saw him on his way home,
appearing unusually cheerful. On Sunday morning fol-
lowing I went* over into town on the South Side, and
did not return till after the evening Church service,
when I was met with the information, that Morrell was
dead and buried. I was thunderstruck. Mrs. Morrell
came to me in the morning to say that Mr. Elston had
returned the money which had been paid on the lot,
and that she was going back to her old home in En-
gland; and before night of that Monday she was on her
sad and lonely journey thither.

"Another Englishman named Conn, a boiler-maker,
was also at work, and with him was a boy of fourteen,
who was at work also, as Conn was very desirous of
keeping the boy with him. The boy was attacked with
cholera. We ministered to him, and chafed his limbs
to promote circulation for two or three hours. We
rubbed till the skin was broken. When we found that
all our efforts were in vain, Conn quietly arose from
working over him, and began silently to pace the floor,
- mally stopping to look down on the dying boy.
Soon, however, he began to curse and swear, and to
half-soliloquize and half-relate, as he continued his
walk. Such oaths and imprecations I have seldom
heard. ' Here,' said he, ' I have brought the boy from
his home, and I promised his mother that I would
return him safely to her. And now, in this far-away
country, the boy is dying. What am I going to say to
his mother'' Rough as Conn was in speech and man-
ner, he was kindly, and faithful, and true; that is as he
understood his obligations.

•• That summer I boarded with my partner in business,
Mr. T. C. James. One day when I went in to dinner.
Mr-, lames asked me to go into another room and look
at one of her daughters, a girl of fourteen, who had just
begun to complain and had lain down. I saw at a
glance that it was cholera. She died in about seven
hour-.. Another daughter was taken while returning
from the funeral the following day, and died before
morning.

•■ Late in the season I resolved to go into the country
to visit friends and recuperate. Travel then to Wis-

consin, where I was going, was by large steamers by
the lake. On landing at Kenosha, I met a great-uncle,
who invited me to his house. A few minutes after our
arrival there, word came that a great-aunt, living but a
few rods away, had been suddenly taken sick. We went
there and found it to be cholera. She died during the
night. I went over in the morning again, and found
the undertaker there, but not another man about to help
him place the corpse in the coffin. I took hold with
him, and, as she was a heavy woman, it was with a great
deal of difficulty that we accomplished the task. I then
went immediately into the country, a few miles away, to
my father's, and before night we heard that the uncle,
with whom I had stayed the night before, was also
dead. Such were cholera scenes throughout the coun-
try. On my return to Chicago the first acquaintance I
met was Deacon Elisha Clark, of the First Presbyterian
Church. He looked cheerful and animated, and the
first word he said was: 'The cholera has left us.'
This shows how depressing was its presence, and what
relief was its departure."

A few physicians and as a rule in such calamities
some Catholic priests and Sisters of Charity remained
to care for those who otherwise would have been thrown
upon the streets or be placed under the guardianship of
the municipal authorities. During the month the deaths
numbered nine hundred and thirty-one. Of the seven
hundred and thirty-one fatal cases reported for August,
two hundred and sixty-four were on account of cholera.
Early in November, through the persistent warfare of
the municipal authorities and physicians and Christian
men and women, the epidemic was driven from the city
The disease was almost confined to the emigrant classes.
For many years thereafter the city enjoyed compara-
tive immunity from this epidemic.

The cholera scourge forced a strong conviction into
the public mind that a permanent city hospital ought to
be established. Dr. Brock McVickar, who had been
re-elected City Physician for 1854, was ordered to report
to the Board of Health what measures should be taken.
During the height of the excitement, in July, a quaran-
tine station was established, and in November the City
Physician again urged the erection of a permanent hos-
pital and also the establishment of a dispensary for
each division of the city. The board offered $100 for
the best plan for a city hospital, and in April, 1855,
awarded the premium to Carter & Bauer, who estimated
the cost at $30,000. In February of the next year a
tax was levied to raise the necessary funds for its con-
struction, and the architects visited New York to exam-
ine the city hospital there and perfect their plans. They
returned in April, the Common Council adopted the
plans, as improved, and the erection of the building was
commenced, south of LaSalle Street, between Cross and
Old. The hospital was completed in June, 1857, and
two medical boards were established the allopathic and
homeopathic i to treat patients. The structure was of
brick, sixty-six by one hundred and fifteen feet, three
stories in height, and cost, ready for occupancy, $45,000.

In December, 1850, there were a few cases of small-
pox, the disease increasing in the spring of 185 1, sub-
siding during the summer, and developing with increased
virulence in December. But two deaths are, however,
officially reported as resulting from small-pox in 1851.

On February 15, 1 851, chiefly because of the ravages
of cholera, the Legislature passed an act incorporating
the Chicago City Hydraulic Company, that citizens
might obtain a better water supply. Cholera continued
to increase throughout the winter and spring of 1852,
and in May the pest-house was opened to receive cases

SANITARY HISTORY.

597

Of all contagious diseases. During the year there were
six hundred and thirty deaths from cholera alone. The
general health of the city was good in 1853. The next
year was the great cholera season.

In January, 1852, small-pox broke out again, and,
in June, the Small-Pox Hospital was ordered changed
in its internal arrangement so as to have small-pox and
cholera cases at either end of the building. The deaths
from small-pox are reported as nine.

In April, 1854, a few scattering cases of cholera
appeared, but the public prints and the Board of Health
denied their existence, under the mistaken idea that to
deny the existence of an evil goes far toward killing it.
But the temporary hospital was ordered to be built in
May. A train which entered the city June 29, brought
a party of Norwegians, bound for Wisconsin, among
whom the disease was raging. Six were dead on the
train, and a seventh died in a few minutes after being
taken out. Some twenty persons were taken, in various
stages of the disease, from the train to the City Hospital.
These were the first recorded cases. Until about the
5th or 6th of July, the disease was generally confined
to newly arrived emigrants. Quarantine grounds were
immediately established on the main lines of emigrant
travel. The ground near the City Hospital was taken
for quarantine purposes. The suddenness with which
the pestilence came upon the city is shown by the deaths
during the first week of July. The total interments
from July 1 to July 8, were two hundred and forty-two.
During this latter month the mortality among those
taken with the epidemic nearly doubled, the deaths
occurring being about sixty per day. The death-cart
was continually upon the streets. Especially during the
8th and 9th of July were the thoroughfares of the city
crowded with hearses. On Sunday the populace became
so excited that a grand exodus occurred, many persons
going to Milwaukee. Dr. Charles V. Dyer tells the
following anecdote with a good deal of zest, relative to
some brother practitioners and himself, during the
cholera season of 1854 : " Deeming it requisite to estab-
lish a quarantine, to prevent the introduction of the
disease, we organized an amateur Board of Health, and
hired a warehouse to be used as a hospital. Hearing
that a steamboat was coming into port, with eighteen
cases of cholera on board, we went onto the vessel and
removed the patients to the improvised hospital. On
viewing the sick, nine were decided to be beyond medi-
cal assistance, and the remaining moiety were decreed
to be favorable subjects for pathological skill ; but,
unfortunately, the nine upon whom were lavished all
the resources of science died, and those who were
esteemed to be almost in articulo mortis all got well."

Mortuary Report. — The first mortuary report
was published in June, 185 1, from data furnished the
City Clerk by the City Sexton. For several years there-
after the record was prepared from reports furnished the
City Sexton by the undertakers. Following will be
found a table showing the number of deaths by the
principal causes, from 1851 to 1857 inclusive, and the
total mortality by years :

Years.

Small-pox.

Fevers.

Con-
sumption.

Dysen.

tcry.

Cholera.

Totals.

185I .- •

2

49

7

22

2lfi

669

I852. . . .

9

144

116

53

630

.••.652

I853...

19

Il6

176

54

113

1,205

i854----

12

209

216

242

1.424

3.S34

1855....

30

86

162

ISO

147

1.983

1S56. ...

16

135

2SS

305

1,897

1857

10

267

255

465

2,170

Totals

98

1,006

1,220

1,291

2.43n

13,410

HOSPITALS, — The first city hospital established was,
as stated, a small-pox hospital, built in 1843, immedi-
ately above the present North Avenue, near the lake
shore, on ground purchased for a cemetery ; this was
burned early in 1845, and a second one erected in that
year upon the same site.

The first Insane Asylum was on Kinzie Street, in
1847, ami was controlled by Dr. Edward Mead, but
these quarters proving too restricted, Dr. Mead pur-
chased about twenty acres of land two miles north of
the city, and, in 1847, a new asylum was ready for occu-
pation. This was a private institution.

The County Hospital was first opened March 30,
1847, in the old Tippecanoe Hall, under the direction
of the professors of Rush Medical College, and under
the especial control and management of Dr. and Mrs. J.
J. Van Dalsem. In the Weekly Democrat of December
28, 1847, it is stated that "everything is done for the
amelioration of the condition of the patients, and every
possible care taken of them during their occupancy of
the hospital," but that "the building is entirely inade-
quate to the requirements of a hospital, there being no
regular wards," and in the male department there were
forty or fifty patients suffering from various diseases.
The reporter also states that " from the crowded condi-
tion of the hospital the aroma was pungent and particu-
larly unpleasant." The number of patients present at
one time fluctuated from seventy to one hundred ; the
total number admitted, up to the date of the leportorial
visitation, being three hundred and seventeen.

In May, 1849, a temporary hospital for the treatment
of cholera patients was located on Eighteenth Street,
near the river. The Democrat, of June 12, 1849, also states
that " we are informed that there is a house, on Erie street
in the Seventh Ward, between Wells Street and the river,
on the North Side, which is intended for cholera
patients. When our informant was there, the bodies of
a man and his son were in a coffin, while on a wretched
pallet within sight was the wife and mother. There
was but one attendant — a man." Dr. L. D. Boone,
hospital physician, however, under date of June 14,
1849, controverts the full force of this assertion, by
specifying that "the building is sixteen feet wide, forty
feet long and twelve feet high ; that it is divided into
three rooms ;" that the patients were attended by Dr.
Hagerman, county physician ; that there were two
attendants, one " as good a nurse as can be found in
the United States." Dr. Boone also states that "this is
the second attempt that has been made by the city
authorities to provide a place for homeless and friendless
persons who might be attacked with cholera in the city,
and also the second time that inhuman persons have
threatened to demolish it." Two facts are deducible
from the allegation ami the refutation : that newspapers
sometimes made sweeping assertions years ago, and that
early residents of the city were just as unreasoning and
apprehensive during epidemics as they ever have been
in later days. Another communication from P. F. W.
Peck, in the same paper, states that the first hospital
was on Jackson Street, between State and Clark. This
assertion is not verifiable from any extant record of
reliable information.

The Illinois General Hospital ok the Lake
was incorporated October 29, 1849, at the second ses-
sion of the Legislature of that year, the trustees under
the incorporation being Hon. Mark Skinner, Hon.
Hugh T. Dickey and Dr. John Evans. The Journal of
September 24, 1850, contains an announcement that
" Dr. N. S. Davis will give a course of five lectures
in the City Hall — the free use of which is granted by
the City Council — the avails of which are to be expended

59s

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

in the purchase of furniture;" and Dr. Davis says,
under date of September 26, 1850, that "the trustees
have engaged a building adequate for the accommoda-
tion of fifty patients," but that furniture is required to
fit up the hospital for their reception. Dr. Davis inaug-
urated his course of lectures, but on the Campbell
Minstrels coming to the city he canceled his dates, the
lectures remaining undelivered; and the Minstrels,
then under the management of George A. Kimberly,
in recognition of the courtesy of Dr. Davis and the
Trustees, gave a complimentary concert for the benefit
of the hospital. The course of lectures was thereafter
completed, and the hospital was opened in the old
Lake House, with beds for twelve invalids, on Novem-
ber 25, 1S50. where patients could receive treatment
gratis, upon payment of from two to three dollars a
week for board and nursing. On November 30, 1850,
the Board of Trustees met, adopted a code of by-laws
for the government of the hospital, and elected the fol-
lowing officials, viz.: Mark Skinner, president; Dr.
John Evans, secretary; Captain R. K. Swift, treasurer;
Dr. Daniel Brainard, surgeon; Dr. N. S. Davis, phy-
sician; Dr. John Evans, physician to the female wards.

The Sisters of Mercy furnished nurses for the care
of the patients from the opening of the hospital; but
on the incorporation of the Mercy Hospital, on June
a i, 1852, they determined on opening a hospital under
the auspices of their order, and in June, 1853, removed
to Tippecanoe Hall, and there cared for the county
patients. The Illinois general hospital was then dis-
continued.

The United States Marine Hospital. — In the
Weekly Democrat of March 10, 1846, appears an
account of a meeting held at the Bethel church in this
city, on Tuesday, February 25, 1846, for the purpose of
inducing the General Government to establish a Marine
hospital in Chicago. Of this meeting Mr. Brainard was
chairman and Thomas L. Forrest, secretary. Colonel
William B. Snowhook, Redmond Prindiville and Thomas
L. Forrest were appointed a committee to submit the
report of the meeting to Captain J. McClellan, of the
Topographical Corps. Messrs. John Reed, E. Kelly,
Henry Courting, James McNeil and Captain Sauly
were designated as a committee to draft and circulate a
petition asking Congress to locate a marine hospital at
this port, for the benefit of sick and disabled seamen;
and a vote of thanks was passed to Messrs. William B.
Snowhook and Augustus H. Knapp for the interest and
zeal they manifested in collecting information contained
in the adopted report. The petition was drafted, numer-
ously signed, and presented to Congress; and under

the championship of Hon. John Wentworth, who
worked assiduously for the measure, a law was passed
locating a United States marine hospital at the port of
Chicago. It was built in the years 1850 and 185 1 on
Michigan Avenue, near the site of old Fort Dearborn,
under the superintendence of Lieutenant J. D. Webster,
of the Topographical Corps, at a cost of $50,000, ex-
clusive of the land which belonged to the Government,
and was under the charge of Jacob Russell, collector
and agent, with Dr. William B. Herrick, physician and
surgeon, and C. R. Vandercook, steward.

In 1849, the executive committee of the Hibernian
Sociery met, and, on May 7, passed the following
resolution : Resolved, that we thankfully accept the
liberal offer made by the faculty of the University of
St. Mary of the Lake, of five acres, on the lake shore,
north of the city, and that as liberal donations have
been promised us, we proceed at once to erect a per-
manent hospital building. The site was just north of
the German settlement. Despite the liberality of the
donative and the sanguine temperament of the society,
the hospital does not appear to have been erected.

In May, 1854, a temporary cholera hospital was
built by the city, on the beach of the lake, in the North
Division, and is stated to have been an enlargement of
the small-pox building erected in 1845.

In June, 1857, the first permanent City Hospital
was completed.

S/. James Hospital was organized in 1853, and
incorporated in 1854, with the following officers and
directors : Rev. R. H. Clarkson, president ; George W.
Dole, treasurer ; Dr. A. B. Palmer, physician ; C. R.
Larrabee, secretary. The board of directors were John
West, Edwin H. Sheldon, John C. Dodge, William F.
Dominick, Walter L. Newberry, S. H. Kerfoot, T. F.
Phillips. In the spring of 1854, the hospital was estab-
lished at No. 79 Illinois Street, and was mainly sup-
ported by contributions taken up on the first Sunday in
every month in St. James' church, the deficiency unfilled
by contributions being supplied by members of the
congregation. During the first year of its maintenance
it admitted sixty-nine patients and the expenditure was
$1,498.48. The number of beds was something less
than twenty, and they were kept occupied by incurable
cases ; the hospital being maintained more for such
cases than for those afflicted with casual and temporary
ailments. In 1855, the hospital was removed to No.
1 1 1 Ohio Street, and there retained until the establish-
ment of St. Luke's Hospital, in 1858, when the patients
were transferred to the latter, and St. James' Hospital
was discontinued.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

The vast political influence the State of Illinois has
wielded in deciding the destiny of the nation is due in
great measure to the geographical location of Chicago
within its borders. The result of the elections of i860
would not have been a Republican victory had the
northern boundary line of the State been an extension
of the northern boundary line of Indiana, as was at
first intended. This would have thrown Chicago and
the fourteen northern counties of Illinois into the State
of Wisconsin. These were all strong Republican coun-
ties, and it was their vote that carried the State for Mr.
Lincoln. Without them he could not have carried it,
and indeed had they been in Wisconsin it is possible
that Mr. Lincoln would never have been a candidate for
President at all. Hence it appears that the action of a
far-sighted statesman, at the time of the admission of
the State of Illinois into the Union, was of vast import-
ance in shaping the ultimate history of the Union, and
that action was taken chieflv because of the location of
Chicago. The history, therefore, of the admission of
the State of Illinois is the beginning of the political
history of Chicago, though Chicago as yet was not, and
its site was only occupied by a frontier post and a few
trading houses.

It was a fortunate thing for Illinois and for the
whole country that at the time Illinois applied for
admission to the Union, the Territory was represented
in Congress by Nathaniel Pope. He was a native of
Kentucky, where he was born in 1784. He received a
liberal education, and adopted the law as a profession.
When the Territory of Illinois was set off from Indiana
in 1809, Governor Edwards appointed him Secretary of
the Territory and instructed him to proceed to Kaskas-
kia and inaugurate the new government, which he did
prior to the arrival of the Governor. He held the
position of Secretary until 1816, when he was elected
Delegate to Congress. He served in that capacity until
after the admission of the State, when he was appointed
Judge of the L'nited States District Court for the Dis-
trict of Illinois, which position he filled with eminent
ability until his death at Springfield, June 14, 1850.

In January, 1818, the Territorial Legislature, then in
session at Kaskaskia, sent a petition to Congress asking
the admission of Illinois into the LTnion. This petition
described the northern boundary line of the State as
drawn at the southerly bend of Lake Michigan, being an
extension of the northern boundary line of Indiana. The
whole northern portion of the Territory was at that
time still in the possession of the Indians and was unin-
habited, save by the Indians themselves, and by a few
frontiersmen and traders. But little importance was
ascribed to it, and, besides, it was supposed that the
ordinance of 1787 provided that the northern line should
be drawn there.

Bv the fifth article of that celebrated ordinance it
was provided that the Northwest Territory should be
divided into not less than three, nor more than five
States, and it defined the boundaries of three of the
States. The western State was to be bounded by the
Mississippi, the Ohio and the Wabash rivers ; a direct
line drawn from the Wabash and Port Yincennes due

north to the territorial line between the LTnited Stati s
and Canada, and by the said territorial line to the Lake
of the Woods and the Mississippi. It was provided,
however, that if Congress should find it expedient they
should have authority to form one or two states in that
part of said territory which lies north of an east and
west line drawn through the southerly bend, or extreme
of Lake Michigan.

It was upon this provision that Wisconsin subse-
quently based her claim to the fourteen northern coun-
ties of Illinois.

When the bill came from the committee to be acted
on by Congress, Mr. Pope, with a wise and statesman-
like forecast, moved to amend the bill by establishing
the northern boundary line at the parallel of forty-two
degrees and thirty minutes north latitude.

The object of this amendment, Mr. Pope said, was
to gain for the proposed State a coast on Lake Michigan.
This would afford additional security to the perpetuity
of the Union, inasmuch as the State would thereby
be connected with the States of Indiana, Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania and New York through the lakes. The facility, too,
of opening a canal between Lake Michigan and the Illi-
nois River made it desirable that the port'of Chicago
should be in the proposed State, so that the canal, when
built, should be entirely in one State jurisdiction.

These considerations prevailed, and the bill was
amended so as to establish the northern boundary line
of the State, as it has since existed.

The bill became a law April 13, 1818, and in pur-
suance thereof a convention was called at Kaskaskia to
form a constitution. The State was formally admitted
by Congress December 3, 1818.

Thus it was that Chicago influenced the formation
of the great and imperial State of Illinois, binding the
North and East by the chain of the great lakes, and
the Mississippi River to the South and West, becom-
ing the key-stone in the western arch of States.

But many years were yet to pass before Chicago's
influence was to be felt by means of elections.

When Illinois was set off from Indiana in 1809, it
was divided into two counties. These were Randolph
and St. Clair. The latter comprised the northern por-
tion of the territory. As the population of the State
increased new counties were organized, and Chicago
has been successively in the counties of St. Clair, Madi-
son, Crawford Clark, Pike, Fulton, Peoria and Cook.

The records of these counties do not recognize Chi-
cago as a place, or a voting precinct, until it was em-
braced in Fulton County in 1823. The records of that
county show that September 2, 1823, an election was
ordered to be held at the house of John Kinzie for tin-
purpose of choosing a Major and company officers of
the Seventeenth Regiment of Illinois Militia, the elec-
tion to take place on the last Saturday of September.

If this election was held, it was the first that ever
took place at Chicago. No records nor returns of this
election are extant, consequently it remains a matter of
doubt whether the election called was held or not.

The first official account of an election actually held
at Chicago appears in the records of Peoria County. It

6oo

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

was held August 7, 1826, being a gubernatorial and
congressional election. The poll-list from the Chicago
precinct shows the names of thirty-rive persons who
voted, as follows:

1. Augustin Barmy,

2. Henry Kelley ,

3. Daniel Bourassea,

4. Cole Weeks,

5. Antoine Ouilmette,

6. John Baptiste Secor,

7. Joseph Catie,

8. Benjamin Russell,

9. Basile Desplattes.

10. Francis Laframboise, Sr.,

11. Francis Laframboise, Jr.,

12. Joseph Laframboise,

13. Alexander Larant,
Francis Laducier,
Peter Chavellie,
Claude Laframboise,

17. Jeremiah Clairmore,

18. Peter Junio,

19. John Baptiste Lafortune,

20. John Baptiste Malast,

21. Joseph Pothier,

22. Alexander Robinson,

23. John K. Clark..

24. David McKee,

25. Joseph Anderson,

26. Joseph Pepot,

27. John Baptiste Beaubien,

28. John Kinzie,

29. Archibald Clvbourne,

30. Billy Caldwell,

31. Martin Vansicle,
Paul Jamboe,
Jonas Clvbourne,

34. Edward Ament,

35. Samuel Johnson.

The judges were John Kinzie, J. B. Beaubien and
Billv Caldwell; clerks, Archibald Clybourne and John
K. Clark.

The whole thirty-five cast a solid vote for the fol-
lowing ticket : Ninian Edwards, for Governor; Samuel
H. Thompson, for Lieutenant-Governor; and Daniel P.
( Yiok.* for Congressman. ■ On the State vote Edwards
was elected by a small majority, but the other two were
defeated.

The names of these voters indicate that the large
majority of them were French half-breeds, French trad-
ers, and others connected with the fort or in the Gov-
ernment employ. They were for the most part em-
ployes about the fort, and the trading- houses, and
voted precisely as their employers or the officers of the
fort dictated. The election was held at the agency-
on the North Side, the residence of Dr. Alex-
ander Wolcott. As John Quincy Adams was President,
it followed that the voters of the Chicago precinct at
that time were all Whigs.

DAMEL P. Cook— The life and services of Daniel P. Cook
covered but a brief period of time, but were of enduring value to
the great State of Illinois. A Kentuckian by birth, he possessed
all the social, genial qualities by which the noted men of that State
are marked, and during the twelve years of his residence in his
adopted home he developed, to a life-destroying degree, that quality
of untiring industry which is a prominent trait of the people of
the East. His services during four terms in Congress, not only
gained him the admiration and the love of his constituents at home,
but the respect of such statesmen of the day as Henry Clay, John
C. Calhoun, John Quincy Adams and James Monroe. For the
last five years of his short life Mr. Cook labored unceasingly —
■■horn C'".k County v.as named.

14-

10.

32-
53-

and, as regarded his delicate constitution — relentlessly, for that
measure of public utility, which accomplished more than all else
to build up northern Illinois into one of the most prosperous re-
gions of the earth. The first grant of lands to the Illinois &
Michigan Canal in 1827, was the commencement of the up-build-
ing of a great commonwealth, and especially of that region whose
life and wealth has concentered, with such grand results, in the
county of Cook. It was but a just tribute of remembrance to an
earnest, an honest and a useful life, to stamp this region of future
power with the name of one who, though cut down in youth, was
so much its father and benefactor.

Daniel P. Cook was born of respectable and humble parents, in
the county of Scott, Kentucky, in the year 1794. With merely a

^i. a- ts^-^<

common school education, and a brief experience in mercantile
pursuits, he entered the law office of Hon. John Pope. In 1S15, Mr.
Cook removed to Kaskaskia, the Territorial seat of Government,
to engage in the practice of law, and to strive for the success
which was so soon to come to him. " The Illinois Intelligencer,"
the first paper published in the Territory, had been established six
years. That journal had all the Government printing, which was,
of itself, quite a profitable monopoly. On account of the sparsely
settled state of the county, the practice of law was then at a low
ebb, and, in order to add to his scanty income Mr. Cook, soon
after settling in Kaskaskia, purchased the "Intelligencer'' and
formed a partnership with Robert Blackwell. The original pro-
prietor of this paper, and from whom it was purchased by Messrs.
Cook & Blackwell, was Matthew Duncan, the brother of Joseph.
Joseph Duncan was afterwards a successful competitor for Mr.
Cook's seat in Congress and Governor of the State. The paper
became at once a political power, Judge Breese acting as one of
its editors. Mr. Cook's energy, ability and endearing qualities
of disposition, coupled with the influence possessed by Judge
Nathaniel Pope, then Secretary of the Territory, soon made them,
selves felt, and the bright young Kentuckian was elected Clerk of
the House of Representatives, at the second session of the Second
Territorial Legislature, serving in this capacity until January,
1818, when the last session of the Territorial Legislature ad-
journed. A portion of this period, also, from January, 1816, to
April, 1817, he acted as Auditor of Public Accounts. The next

POLITICAL HISTORY.

601

day after the adjournment of the last Territorial Legislature Mr.
Cook became " Judge " Cook, his district in the " Western Cir-
cuit " embracing the counties of Bond, Madison, St. Clair, Ran-
dolph and Monroe, or a territory comprising about one-third of
the present State. He remained in office but a few months, no
doubt wishing to give his whole energies to the movement then
progressing for the formation of a State Government. In July.
1S18, the constitutional convention assembled at Kaskaskia and
adjourned in August. The Constitution was approved byCongress
in December of that year. Illinois, therefore, did not formally
and legally become a State until December 3, 1818. But by virtue
of the Constitution adopted by the convention in August, an elec-
tion for State officers and a Congressional Representative was called
for the third Thursday of September. The question of slavery
was even then dividing the councils of the young State, and the
politicians of the day had separated into two sharply-defined parties,
led respectively by Ninian Edwards, last Governor of the Terri-
tory, and Shadrach Bond, first Governor of the State. A strong
disposition had been evinced by Governor Bond and his party to
insert into the new Constitution some provision recognizing slavery
as a necessary, because an "established" institution. Although
better counsels prevailed and the slavery issue was not recognized
as an element in the campaign, Mr. Cook was put forward as a
Congressional candidate for the short term expiring March 3,
1819, and as a representive of the Edwards faction; while John
McLean, of Shawneetown, also a Kentuckian by birth, and a brill-
iant and irreproachable member of the Bar from southeastern Illi-
nois was his opponent, and the representative of the Bond party.
This campaign, therefore, resolved itself into a personal contest
for popularity, waged by two talented and energetic young men,
supported by parties of nearly equal strength. As would be ex-
pected, the result was close; Mr. McLean was returned by only
fourteen majority.

Mr. Bond was inaugurated as Governor October 6. 1818, and
upon the organization of the State government in December, Mr.
Cook was elected Attorney-General by the Legislature, and held
the office until the conclusion of his more successful contest with
Mr. McLean in the summerof 1S19. The proposed Missouri Com-
promise had now entered Congress, had became a national issue,
and divided the country. During his term of service Mr. McLean
had taken his stand with the pro-slavery party and against the re-
striction of slavery to the future state of Missouri. The second
campaign between himself and Mr. Cook was therefore fought on
this all-absorbing issue, and was short, sharp and decisive. Mr.
Cook was elected by a good majority. He was re-elected to the
Seventeenth Congress, his competitor being Hon. E. K. Kane,
first Secretary of State, and who was a stubborn representative of
the pro-slavery element. It was understood, at the time, that Mr.
Cook favored the admission of Missouri as a slave State, merely as
a matter of policy. To the surprise and indignation of many of
his supporters, at the next session of Congress he voted against the
measure. While the bill was before the House of Representatives
he frankly admitted that he had changed his mind, and gave as his
only reason that the proposed Constitution of the new State was
not in conformity with the principles of the Constitution, in that it
proposed to bar out free negroes and mulattoes from settling in
Missouri, notwithstanding they had the power, and had availed
themselves of it, to purchase and hold property. Missouri pro-
posed to pass ex-post facto laws — laws impairing the obligation of
property contracts which these people had made. Mr. Cook re-
peated that his " feelings" were in favor of the admission of Mis-
souri— that "both personal and political reasons rendered it a de-
sirable event."

On May 6, 1821, Mr. Cook married Miss Julia C, the eldest
daughter of Governor Ninian Edwards, an accomplished, beau-
tiful and loveable woman. One child. John Cook, was born
to them, June 12, 1S25, in the town of Belleville, St. Clair County.
He was afterwards a prominent citizen of Springfield, Sheriff of
the county, member of the Legislature, and mayor of the city.

Although Mr. Cook had already made his mark in Congress,
among other measures having introduced a bill giving actual set-
tlers on public land the rights of pre-emption, it was reserved for
him, during the session of the Eighteenth Congress to commence
a work which he lived to see completed, and which was the crown-
ing success of a successful public career. Relying upon the oppo-
sition which had been aroused because of Mr. Cook's course on
the Missouri question, Mr. McLean led the opposition against his
political rival at the general election of 1S22. He was defeated
by nearly one thousand votes. It was at this session of Congress
that, with the earnestness and faithfulness which marked all his
efforts, Mr. Cook urged upon that body the justice of granting
such aid to the State of Illinois as would insure the construction of
the Illinois & Michigan Canal.

Says William H. Brown, in his memoir : "In 1S22 this sub-
ject was brought directly before Congress. Mr. Cook labored to

secure such aid from the General Government as would enable the
state to prosecute this important work. He asked for bread and
received a stone. The utmost extension of congressional liber-
ality was a grant of a strip of land, ninety feet wide, through the
public domain, from the Illinois River to the lake ; and lest, by
any means, the Congress of the United States, after such a munifi-
cent grant, should be further committed, a saving proviso was
added, that the United States should in no wise become liable for
any expense incurred by the State * in surveying or opening said
canal.' In the intervening years, from 1822 to 1827, Mr. Cook
urged this measure in Congress as a national work, in which other
States were as directly interested as his own, and affording to the
Government in time of war.great facilities in the movement of troops
and transportation ofstores. The result of his labors was the passage
of the act of March, 1827 (the last session of his congressional
career), granting, in fee simple, to the State, and without any reser-
vation, the alternate five sections upon each side of the canal,
amounting to more than three hundred thousand acres of land,
and embracing the site of the city of Chicago. This act was
worthy of a Congress representing a great Nation, and is wonder-
fully in contrast with that of i322. But its greater and more en-
during value was the precedent for future grants, embracing that
for railroad purposes, the effect of which we now feel in the en-
hancement of the value of property, the increase of business and
the general prosperity of the State."

In 1823-24 the State was greatly agitated over the attempt
made by the pro-slavery members of the Legislature to have a con-
vention called for the adoption of a new Constitution, legalizing the
" institution " within the limits of the commonwealth. Although
the proposition was carried by the Legislature, when submitted to
the people in 1824 the measure was rejected by 1834 majority, out
of a vote of 11,764. The vote of Fulton County, which then
comprised Cook, was 5 for and 60 against the resolution for the
calling of the convention. Daniel P. Cook, with such men as
Governor Coles, Judge Pope, Governor Edwards, William H.
Brown, and Samuel D. Lockwood, was found in the front ranks,
faithfully fighting the abomination.

Mr. Cook's competitor for Congress in 1S24 was ex-Governor
Bond, and as it was a close " presidential year " when the election
of the National Executive might be thrown into the House of
Representatives and even be decided by Illinois, the contest was
exciting. Governor Bond was, however, defeated by over three
thousand majority. The President was chosen in the House of
Representatives, and Mr. Cook cast the vote of the Stale of Illi-
nois for John Quincy Adams. It is not necessary to vindicate the
young congressman from the charge of " broken faith with his con-
stituents," which was brought against him by his political oppo-
nents and the warm friends of Mr. Adams' presidential rivals.
For an explanation of the pledge he made, and how he kept it, the
reader is referred to the best known authority on this subject.* Mr.
Cook was a candidate for re-election in 1826, but was defeated by
General Joseph Duncan, a resident of Jackson County, and, al-
though still young, a Lieutenant of the War of 1812 and a State
legislator of some experience. He went into thecanvass with
ardor, and his opponent's friends were so confident of their accus-
tomed success that they did not put forth counter efforts. Others
were anxious that Mr. Cook should become a candidate for the
Senate. He wasdefeated by amajorit) of 641. But his term of serv-
ice both as a congressman and as a man, was graduallyapproaching
its close. The arduous duties which fell upon his shoulders during
the session of 1826-27 were too much for his enfeebled constitu-
tion, and during the last days of his life at Wash ngton he was
confined to his bed. In the spring of 1827, by the advice of his
physician, he departed for Cuba, in a vain search for lost health
and strength. Eaily in the month of June, however, he returned
to the home of Governor Edwards at Belleville. He gradually
went into a consumptive's decline, and, while on a visit to his
father, in his native place in Kentucky, he died, October 16. 1827.
Thus there passed away from earth, one of those rare, small, frail
men of body, who seem inspired from the first with the thought
that they must exert their influences and do their work with all
their might before that time comes upon them so quickly in which
no man can labor. Such men are given to the world as one of its
powers of progress, and must be accounted by the Higher Power,
as necessary to its onward march, as those men of both physical
and intellectual might who, through the ceaseless perseverance of a
long life, are accorded the privilege of working out to their con-
clusion some of their dearest plans for the public good.

The next election of which there is a reliable
account was purely local, it being for the election of
Justice of the Peace and Constable. It was held July
24, 1830, at the house of James Kinzie, on the West

" History of Illinois and Life of N'inian Edwards, by his son. Xinlan W.
Edwards,

6oz

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Side: fifty-six voters turned out. John S. C. Hogan,
afterward Postmaster, was the successful candidate for
Justice over Archibald Clybourne. It was probably
quite an exciting election, as a much larger vote was
polled than at the State election held only about a week
afterward.

At the State election held August 2, 1S30, thirty-
two voters exercised their privileges at the Chicago pre-
cinct, twenty-two of whom supported the somewhat
celebrated John Reynolds for Governor. Reynolds
was a Jackson Democrat, and was elected by a triumph-
ant majority. Chicago, unanimously Whig in 1826, was
now strongly democratic — two to one — Jackson being
the President. This election was held at the house of
James Kinzie. on the West Side. The judges of elec-
tion were: Russel E. Heacock, J. B Beaubien, and
James Kinzie; the clerks were, Madore B. Beaubien
and Rev. Jesse Walker.

Prior to the organization of Cook County, in 1831,
there was not a sufficient number of voters in Chicago,
or in fact in all the region roundabout, to make them
even a disturbing element in the politics of the State.
What few there were seem to have had no political
partv predilections whatever, further than to vote with
the dominant party, and for several years thereafter
party lines were not strictly drawn in the local elections
which occurred. In the congressional election held in
August. 1832, the county, then embracing the present
counties of Lake, McHenry, DuPage and Will, there
were cast at the three precincts, one hundred and four-
teen votes, of which number ninety-four were for the
Democratic candidate for Congress, Joseph Duncan,
of Jacksonville . who was elected. His competitors
were Jonathan H. Pugh. Whig, who received nineteen
votes, and Archibald Clybourne, who received one
vote.

State and county officers were elected at the same
time, which show more local or personal than political
preference. The votes were: For State Senator — James
M. Strode Galena . eighty-one votes; James W. Stev-
enson Galena . twenty-six votes ; J. M. Gay, four votes.
F<t State Representative — Benjamin Mills (Galena,
one hundred and ten votes. For Sheriff — StepHen
Forbes Chicago , one hundred and six votes; James
Kinzie Chicago , two votes. For Coroner, Elijah
Wentworth, Jr. Chicago , one hundred and four votes.
The votes of the different precincts, Chicago, Hickory
Creek, and DuPage, are not separately given in the list*
from which the above returns are taken. Chicago had
been entirely depopulated by a cholera panic in July,
and it is not probable that any large part of the vote
was cast at that precinct. This was the first general
election after the organization of Cook County. J

So far as appears from the votes cast at presidential
and congressional elections after 1832, the returns of
which will be given further on, Chicago and Cook
County seem to have been unswervingly Democratic
for the succeeding twenty-two years, during which time,
with but a few exceptions when the councils of the
party were divided '1840 ami [848 , it did not fail to
give a majority for the Democratic candidate, whoever
he might be, and regardless of all local issues tending to
swerve voters from party allegiance. It was not until
it had seen buried in oblivion the party which had been
ient and worthy foe, and its own party disintegra-
tions throughout the nation had become apparent, pre-
cipitated, although not caused, by the acts of one of

supplement to !eet'ir.r of Hon. John Wentworth, Fergus's Historic
~-n<-s No. 8, p. 43-

'orporate history of Chicago,] and {early history elsewhere in this

Chicago's most gifted and idolized citizens, that the
Chicago Democracy knew defeat. The following elec-
tion returns will show the strength of the opposing polit-
ical parties at the periods designated:

1834 — Gubernatorial election, August 4 Cook
County :

For Governor. — William Kinney of Belleville .
Whig, 201; Robert K. McLaughlin of Yandalia , 10;
Joseph Duncan of Jacksonville), Democrat, 309; James
Adams (of Springfield i, 8 — 528.

1836 — Presidential election, November Cook
County1. For President — Martin Van Buren, Demo-
crat, 519 votes; William Henry Harrison, Whig, 524
votes.

1838 — Congressional and gubernatorial election,
August (Cook County). Congressman — Stephen A.
Douglas, Democrat, 1,667 votes; John T. Stuart, Whig.
839 votes. Governor — Thomas Carlin, Democrat, 1,664
votes; Cyrus F2dwards, Whig, 832 votes.

This was a most exciting campaign. The recent
financial collapse, which had left business in a state of
paralysis throughout the country, had been attributed
largely to the financial policy of Jackson's and Van
Buren's administrations, and the Whig party, with a
vigor inspired by high hopes of riding into power
on the waves of prevailing discontents, were contesting
every election, thus preparing the way for the great
presidential campaign of 1840, which resulted in a vic-
tory so overwhelming as to endanger the victors by its
completeness.

During this campaign Stephen A. Douglas, then a
a young man of twenty-five years, made his first appear-
ance in Chicago as a political orator. He had been in
the State but ' five years, his home being first in Win-
chester, a small town some fifteen miles from Jackson-
ville, and later in Springfield. During this time he had
taught school, completed his law studies, been admitted
to the Bar, and by his marvelous powers fought himself
to a prominent position among the oldest and ablest
members of the Illinois Bar. At the age of twenty-two
years he was elected by the Legislature as Attorney
General of the State; when twenty-three years old he
was a member of the Legislature; and a year later his
talents received national recognition through his ap-
pointment by President Van Buren to the office of
Register of the Land Office at Springfield, 111. In 1838
he received' the Democratic nomination for Congress,
and with the uncompromising pluck which characterized
his whole life canvassed the whole district, holding joint
discussions with his opponents or speaking alone, dur-
ing every evening, except Sundays, for the five months
preceding the election. It was at the close of this
remarkable campaign that he spoke at Chicago. The
meeting was held in the Saloon Building. August 4.
The fame of the " Little Giant " had preceded him and
the hall was packed with an eager crowd whose curios-
ity to see and hear the young orator was little less than
their interest in the exciting political issues he was to
discuss. It is a matter of history that on his debut he
took the entire crowd by storm. He was applauded to
the echo, and a Whig, William L. May, who arose to
reply, was hissed down and failed to get a hearing. For
sixteen years thereafter Douglas led captive the Democ-
racy of Chicago, and held their destinies in the hollow
of his hand. The vote polled at the Congressional
election was the largest ever at that time polled in the
State, aggregating over 36,000 votes; so close was the
contest that the result was not officially declared for
several weeks, when the Whig candidate was declared
elected by a majority of five votes only.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

603

1840 — Presidential election, November 3 Cook
County . For President — Martin Van Buren, Demo-
crat, 1,989 votes; William Henry Harrison, 'Whig, 1,034
votes. Chicago^ For President — Van Buren, 807
votes; Harrison, 622 votes.

1842 — Gubernatorial election Cook County. For
Governor, Joseph Duncan, Whig, 625 votes; Thomas

Ford, Democrat, 1,328 votes; Hunter, Abolitionist,

37 votes.

1842 — Congressional election Fourth District 1.
Giles Spring, Whig, 891 votes; John Wentworth, Dem-
ocrat, 1,172 votes. Mr. Wentworth was re-elected in
1842, 1844, and 1846, serving four terms in Congress
successively as a Democrat.

1S44 — Presidential election, November 4 (Cook
County!. For President — James K. Polk, Democrat,
2,027 votes; Henry Clay, Whig, 1,117; James G. Birney,
Abolitionist, 317. (Chicago) Polk, 136 votes; Clay,
850 votes; Birney, 209 votes.

1848. — Presidential election, November 7 (Cook
County). For President — Martin Van Buren, Free-
Soil Democrat, 2,120 votes; Lewis Cass, Straight Dem-
ocrat, 1,622 votes; Zachary Taylor, Whig, 1,708 votes.
(Chicago) Van Buren, 1,543 votes; Cass, 1,016 votes;
Taylor, 1,283 votes.

1850 — Congressional election. Cook County. For
Congressman, R. S. Molony, Democrat, 2,863 votes;
Churchill C. Coffing, Whig, 1,880 votes.

1852 — Presidential election, November 3 Cook
County.) For President — Franklin Pierce, Democrat,
3,767 votes; Winfield Scott, Whig, 2,089 votes; John
P. Hale. Free-Soil, 793 votes. Chicago) Pierce, 2,835
votes; Scott, 1,765 votes; Hale, 424 votes.

1854 — Congressional election Cook County . James
H. Woodworth, Free-Soil, 3.448 votes; Turner, Demo-
crat, 1,175 votes.

1856 — Presidential election, November 4 Cook
County). For President — John C. Fremont, Republi-
can, 9,020 votes; James Buchanan, Democrat, 5,680
votes; Millard Fillmore, Whig, 342. Chicago Fremont,
6,370 votes; Buchanan, 4,913 votes; Fillmore, ^t,2
votes.

1856 — Congressional election (Cook County). John
F. Farnsworth, Republican, 8,993 votes; John Van
Nort Wyke, Democrat, 5,572 votes. •

1858 — Congressional election TCook County). John
F. Farnsworth, Republican, 10,108 votes; Thomas Dyer,
Douglas Democrat, 8,278 votes; Robert Blackwell, Ad-
ministration Democrat, 305 votes.

i860 — Presidential election, November 7 Cook
County. For President — Abraham Lincoln, Republi-
can, 14,589 votes; Stephen A. Douglas, Democrat, 9,846
votes; John Bell, Straight Whig, 107 votes; John C.
Breckenridge, Southern Democrat, 87 votes.

i860 — Congressional election iCook County . Isaac
X. Arnold, Republican, 14,663 votes; Augustus Har-
rington, Douglas Democrat, 9,791 votes.

The returns of such important elections as have been
before given are sufficient to indicate to the reader the
political status of Chicago and Cook County through
the period of the twenty-five years here in review. In
1836 Cook County gave Harrison, Whig, a majority of
rive votes in a total ballot of 1,041. His vote was
largely increased by his being a Western man and in
closer sympathy with the frontiersmen than was his
Eastern political opponent, Van Buren. Two years
after, in 1838, with no such disparity in the popularity
of the opposing candidates, the Democrats carried the
county by a majority of 828 in a total vote of 2,506; the
Democrats outnumbering the Whigs, two to one. In

1840, when the enthusiasm of thehard-cider-Tippecanoe
campaign swept the country like a prairie fire, both Cook
County and Chicago stood rock-bound against the
popular wave, and gave a majority for Van Buren, in
spite of Harrison's personal popularity: the county 835,
in a total vote of 3,023; the City of Chicago, 185, in a
total vote of 1,429.

The Democratic ascendancy remained uninterrupted
until 1848. In the presidential election of that year
two Democratic candidates were in the field: Cass the
regular nominee, and Van Buren, who had been nomin-
ated by Northern Democrats, who took issue with their
Southern brethren on the admission of Texas as a slave
State. The Democratic forces thus being divided and
demoralized, the Whig candidate, Zachary Taylor,
received a small majority over Cass, both in the < ity
and county. The aggregate vote, however, of both
wings, showed that the united Democracy still held the
power at the ballot box in a ratio of two to one.

The election of 1850 showed the usual Democratic
majority, as did the presidential election of 1852, the
majority for Pierce, Democrat, being, the latter year,
646 over the combined vote of the Whigs for Scott
and the Free-Soilers , for Hale in the city. In the
county the Democratic majority was 885.

Here the Democratic ascendency, which had been
uninterrupted for almost a generation, ceased, and for
as many years thereafter the party struggled in a
minority, only fitfully broken by some local issue on
which a fusion with other opponents of the Republican
party brought a temporary or partial victory.

In 1854 the vote for a member of Congress gave to
the Republican candidate a majority of 2.273 in a total
vote of 4,623, the tables being completely turned, and
the ascendency of the Republicans being now estab-
lished on the former Democratic ratio of two to one.
The reader can trace the subsequent history of political
party power and weakness up to i860 in the preced-
ing pages. The further history of Chicago's career
as a Republican stronghold will appear in future
volumes.

The decline of Democratic power in Chicago was in
a sense attributable to the same causes which destroyed
its efficiency and strength as a National party, and in
that sense need not here be discussed. The gradual
decadence of the old Whig party, which for nearly fifty
years had been in constant antagonism to the Demo-
cratic party, would have left it undisputed master of
the field, but for the evolution of a new party on the
issue of slavery or no slavery in the Territorial domain
of the Nation. The question of the abolition of slavery
was not the basis on which the Republican party was
founded, nor was the abhorrence in which the institu-
tion was justly held by a large part of the Northern peo-
ple sufficient to break old party ties or bring into exist-
ence a party that could rule the destinies of the Republic.
Until the stern necessities of war wrung from that
cautious, wise and freedom-loving patriot, Abraham
Lincoln, against the protests of many of his trusted
advisers, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republi-
can party, although opposed to the extension of slavery
and favoring its restriction to its existing territorial
limits, had abjured all sympathy with the formerly de-
cried but now glorified party known as abolitionists.
Nevertheless, although their doctrines were repudiated
openly, they were, from the beginning, a constant and
ever increasing educational power, imbuing the popular
heart with their own abhorrence for the cursed institu-
tion itself, and preparing it for the great conflict which
in good time was to come. It was precious seed they

604

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

sowed as they " went forth weeping," and not a few of
them lived " to come again rejoicing, bearing their
sheaves with them.*'

The student of Illinois history is conversant with the
early history of slavery as it had a bearing on the desti-
nies of the State. He has read of the efforts, well nigh
successful, which were made to legalize the institution
in Illinois in 1824. As late as 1840. with a view to in-
ducing Southern planters to settle in the State with
their slaves, and to insure peace and harmony with the
neighboring slave States, many openly advocated the
introduction of slavery. Through all the various laws
passed by the State Legislature had run a peculiar code
which precluded the residence of free negroes in the
Si.ue. except under conditions but little better than
those of actual slavery. They were incompetent wit-
nesses in any case where a white man was the plaintiff
or defendant, and except they could show free papers
were subject to arrest, imprisonment, and, after due
advertisement, no master appearing, the negro so ar-
rested was sold by auction for the costs of his arrest.
The sale thus made placed him under as absolute con-
trol of his new master as though he had been a born
slave in the South. The same penalties were provided
f >r insubordination or other offenses, including that of
running away, as for slaves, and throughout the code
•■slaves" and "servants " colored were subject to the
same penalties and restrictions.

Under this code of laws, modified, but not repealed
until the War of the Rebellion was ended, free negroes
had few rights which white men were bound to respect.
Among the posthumous papers of the late Zebina East-
man, who. at the time of his death was engaged on this
volume, is an exhaustive history in manuscript, of the
•• Black Code of Illinois," which he in common with
other early Abolitionists opposed for nearly half a cen-
tury before they saw it obliterated. The papers are
deposited with the Chicago Historical Society, pending
their publication. Mr. Eastman thus sketches the end
of class legislation against negroes in Illinois :

•' After this there came upon the nation the storm of
God"s terrible swift judgments, in his thunder and his
lightning, and things were not what they seemed before.
What had been prayed for by timid women for a gener-
ation and unheeded, to remove the curse of ourapostacy
from the honor of the State, was answered very sud-
denly at length by the spontaneous action of stern and
earnest men. The storm of the Rebellion was a revo-
lution, the most complete ever falling over the fate of a
race — to the colored people of the country, bond or
free. If the slaves even had become free, real freedom
should come to the colored people of Illinois, and their
coming here should no longer be a ' High Misdemeanor'
as the statutes still declared it). There were whisper-
it the Black Laws should be repealed. After
the emancipation had been effected, John Jones, a
mulatto well known in Chicago, a man free born, vet
who came under the ban of the law and filed his certifi-
cate of freedom with the Chicago Historical Society,
carried a petition through the streets of Chicago, asking
for the repeal of these laws. He went to Springfield,
bai Iced by influential 1 itizens, and engineered the enter-
prise. 'Through his efforts the end came speedily.
Through Senator Lansing of M, Henry County, first
moving early in the -'■•.-ion of 1865, for tin- repeal of
these laws, and the- steady processof the course through
the legal forms, we see, at last, as with a blow, four
ifter tlv breaking out of the Rebellion, every
vestige of the Black Code swept from the statute book.

Therefore in the laws of 1865, there is the following
enactment, with this title abreviated :

" An act to repeal Section 16, Division 3, Chapter
30, and Chapter 74, of the Revised Laws, etc." — and this
is the immortal act :

"Section i. Be it enacted by the people of the State
of Illinois by the General Assembly; that Section 16,
Division 3, Chapter 30, of the Revised Statutes of the
State entitled ' Criminal Jurisprudence ; ' and Chapter
74 of said Revised Statutes, entitled ' Negroes and
Mulattoes,' and an act of the General Assembly of this
State approved, February 12, 1853, entitled 'An act to
prevent the immigration of free negroes into this State '
be, and the same are hereby repealed ; also, Section 23,
Chapter 40, Revised Statutes, entitled, ' Evidence and
Deposition.'

" Section 2. This act to be in force from and after
its passage." Approved February 7, 1865.

Mr. Eastman with the exultation of a fearless, out-
spoken, conscientious abolitionist of the old school, who
had lived to see the full consummation of his life-long
work, and the fruition of his early hopes, thus closes:

" This is one of the immutable laws, that stand for-
ever ! Every pigeon-hole of the legal archives was
ransacked, and every taint of color in our laws searched
out and buried forever."

Under these laws negro servants were advertised as
runaways in the daily papers of Chicago, and the labor
of free negroes sold. 'The more serious phases of the
working of the atrocious laws did not often appear in
the northern part of the State. Mr. Eastman's papers,
before alluded to, abound in incidents illustrative of the
working of the black code. Among them is one having
its scene partially laid in Chicago :

One Nicholas Jones, a free-born colored man, born
and reared in the South, there married or rather took
to himself, as no marriage like his was valid a black
woman who was a slave. They had several children.
All efforts on his part to purchase his family having
proved unavailing, he fled with them to the North, and
came to Chicago to live. An agent of his wife's owner
traced these fugitives to their city of refuge, where, with
the co-operation of one Henry Rhines, the whole fam-
ily, including the free-born husband were arrested,
bound, bundled into a carriage and started for the
South. Mr. Eastman states that their repeated calls
for help along the road were unheeded until they had
reached Ottawa, crossed the river, and commenced to
cross the prairie beyond. There they were stopped bv
Sheriff William Reddick, and forced to show their claim
to the colored cargo. LInder the existing laws their
right to the woman and children was established, but
Jones himself was set free, and was allowed to return
wifeless and childless and broken hearted to Chicago.
Jones stated that while he was on his way to Ottawa, he
saw Rhines rob his wife of what little money they pos-
sessed, which she had concealed about her person.
The date of this occurrence is not given. The story is
a sail one, but it does not seem to have stirred the
unsympathetic heart of either of the then leading polit-
ical parties.

Below are other incidents in the history of Chicago
having a bearing on the early development of anti-
slavery sentiment in Chicago.

An advertisement published in Chicago in 1837, in
the Commercial Advertiser, Hooper Warren, publisher,
read :

"One Cent Reward. — Disappeared from my
residence, on the morning of the 2d inst., an industrious

POLITICAL HISTORY.

605

Black Girl, named Eliza Ann Thompson, about fourteen
years old, rather large of her age, and foxy-looking; a
great liar, and would steal some; as she not only has
taken away her duds, but some other fixings which she
had no right to. As near as I can ascertain, she was
persuaded to run away by a bull ! negro by the name
of Joe Abbey, who had been prowling about my house
some time for that purpose. I forbid all persons har-
boring or trusting her on my account, as I will pay no
debt or debts of her contracting after this date. The
above reward will be given for her delivery, but no
charges paid.

"January 3, 1837. John1 C. Hugunin."

In 1842, Edwin Heathcock, a colored man, indus-
trious and well-behaved, and a member of the Chicago
Methodist Church, was working in a field on the
North Branch of the Chicago River, having hired out
as a laborer to earn wages for himself. While so em-
ployed, a wordy quarrel arose between himself and
employer, or some fellow workman, in which language
was used not comporting with the dignity of either
white or black, and which came near ending in a more
serious affair. In retaliation the white man had the
negro arrested on the ground of being in the State of
Illinois without free papers or having given bonds.
Heathcock was brought before Justice L. C. Kercheval,
who had given much attention to the law governing
such cases, and he promptly committed the negro to
jail. It was impossible to make Heathcock say that he
ever had a master or owner, or ever even wanted one. He
was put in charge of Sheriff Samuel J. Lowe, in the log
jail on the northwest corner of the court-house square ;
the Grecian-columned brick court-house gracing the
eastern corner. He was duly advertised for sale in the
" Chicago Democrat," for six weeks, with the constitu-
tional cut of a runaway negro, bare-headed, with a
bundle held over his shoulder on a stick. The day of
sale was to be Monday, November 14, 1842, if no mas- -
ter came to claim him. On the Saturday night preced-
ing the sale, Mr. Eastman met, on Clark Street, Calvin
DeWolf, then a young law student. Together they
went to the printing office of the former, where by the
dim light of an oil lamp, Mr. Eastman set up in type a
little hand-bill headed, " A Man for Sale," giving the
date and place of the Monday morning sale, and invit-
ing the citizens of Chicago to be present. DeWolf
stood behind the press and rolled, while Eastman
pulled. The bills finished, they went out with their
paste-pot and pasted them along the board fences that
surrounded the court-house square, and pretty well
lined the forty yards up and down Clark Street, where
the citizens could have a fair chance to encounter them
as they passed to and from their places of worship the
following day. The bills were a surprise to some, anil
an offense to others, as was proved by the splashes of
mud and tobacco which disfigured some of them, while
others were torn from their exalted positions and tramp-
led in the mud of early Chicago. Enough had been
seen, however, to draw a crowd on Monday morning
that blocked the corner of LaSalle and Randolph streets,
and up the latter to the front of the log jail. Sheriff
Lowe brought out the man, whom the law had put into
his hands for sale. Says Mr. Eastman :

" I believe it was the only slave sale that ever took
place in Chicago. Chicago, however, always does jus-
tice to her natives. Its first white settler was a black
man — Jean Baptiste Point De Saible — who preceded
John Kinzie in the settlement of Chicago, and who is
the black root from which all our glory has sprung — the
parent of the half million population; so before they

sold a negro as a slave in 1S42, they previously made a

precedent by selling a white man ; for before this, s e

time in the thirties, as Judge Caton testifies, a Maryland
vagrant there being nothing here that could be done
for him) was sold as a vagrant or vagabond, and was
bought by George White, the black crier of auctions
and lost children. So tile way was justified for this
sale by Sheriff Lowe.

••Sheriff Lowe brought out his prisoner, placed him
on the sidewalk and offered him lor sale, to pay the
expenses of his imprisonment. There were people
enough there to have invited strong competition for a
bargain. Edwin Heathcock seemed to shudder from
the effect of the chill air, in contrast with the seething
jail, or from the fact that he was passing through a
scene to which he was not accustomed. Some of us
might have felt a little queer, if we were being sold by
the Sheriff, instead of our horse or our dog. Sheriff
Lowe tried to be complacent ; but being an English-
man, although a good Democrat enough to be Sheriff,
he felt himself encumbered with embarrassing circum-
stances, and he was rather solemn. The people looked
on glum and scowling. He offered the man for sale,
and called for bids. The offer was answered by expres-
sive silence. He felt called upon to explain that he
was only the agent of the law, and that as the man had
been committed and had not proved his freedom, neither
had any master proved that he was a slave, the law
required him to sell the negro to pay expenses — pay for
solving that muddle of the law, which itself could not
solve ; but Sheriff Lowe did not admit that. Xo bids
came in. The auction went on ; — ' Here is an able bodied
man ; I am required to sell him for a term of service,
for the best price I can get for him, to pay his jail fees.
How much ami bid, and so on.' Xo bids. Said he,
'Gentlemen, this is not a pleasant job. Don't blame
me, but the law. I am compelled to do it. If I can
get no bid for this man I must return him to jail. The
law requires me to sell him ; if I get no offer, I must
return him to jail, and continue the sale at another
time.'

" Still no bid came at these pathetic appeals. Like
the Irishman who had joined himself to a potato cask
by putting his hand through the bung-hole and grasp-
ing a potato, he had got a man on his hands, and he
couldn't drop him. Finally the threat of putting the
poor man back into that miserable jail prevailed so far
that a voice was raised from the opposite side of the
street — ' I bid twenty-five cents.' This was the voice
of the late Mahlon D. Ogden. Appeals were made in
the usual manner for an increase of the bid. ' Do I
hear no more — only twenty-five cents for this able-
bodied man; only a quarter?' But no further bid was
made, nor did the good Mr. Ogden raise his, and the
man was struck off to Mahlon I). Ogden for twenty-five
cents. Mr. Ogden took out a silver quarter and handed
it to the Sheriff, in presence of the crowd, who gave a
liberal cheer. He then called the man to him. ' Edwin,
I have bought you ; I have given a quarter for you ;
you are my man — my slave ! Xow, you go where you
please.' "

First Passenger on the Underground Railroad to
Chicago. — Mr. Eastman says : " I believe I sent the first
passenger on the underground railroad to Chicago,
but he had to go through Chicago not alone into it to
get to freedom." The facts, as given by him, are as
follows :

In the fall of 1839, Mr. Eastman was living in the
little town of Lowell, on the Vermilion River, in La
Salle County. On a very cold morning in October of

6o6

HISTORV OF CHICAGO.

that year, a farmer came to him, stating- that he had
met a very strange person down on the river bank, who
upon his approach aimed a shotgun at him with a
warning to keep back, and that he believed he was a
fugitive of some kind — perhaps a runaway slave. Mr.
Eastman asked the farmer to go back, and if it was a
black man, tell him he was among friends, and bring
him up to him. The farmer soon reappeared with the
stranger, whom Mr. Eastman describes as a most
strange, famished, terrified negro, clad in rags and skins.
anil armed with a murderous looking knife extemporized
from the end of a scythe, and an equally rough looking
gun. both of which he carefully guarded, evidently sus-
picious that they might be taken from him. Other
neighbors joined Mr. Eastman and his companion, and
the negro was finally made to believe that even if, as
they suspected, he was a runaway, no harm would be
done him — that he was among friends. One of the
party, whose home was nearest the spot where this inter-
view occurred Mr. H. L. Button, afterward a resident
of Hyde Park . took the fugitive to his table, and a good
meal had the effect of thawing his reticence and loosen-
ing his hitherto silent tongue. It being now understood,
although the man did not admit it, that an escaped
slave was present, plans were discussed as to his dis-
posal, which was not so easy a matter to determine in
1839 as it might seem to the reader of 1884. Mr. East-
man says :

•■ We were living in a moral community. On one
side of the river, and not a gunshot distance from us
was a Congregational church; on the other side was
Vermilionville, with a Baptist church, and a Methodist
meeting: and the founder of the town named in Peck's
Guide Book of Illinois was a leader in the Baptist
Church, and a reader of the Chicago Democrat.
This man was an exemplary man, but, alas, he was a
Democrat ! Down the river a "little way was another
exemplary man, who was an attendant at the Congrega-
tional Church; but, alas, he was a Whig! The little
party that had determined to engage in the unlawful
business of sheltering — perhaps, in the sense of the law,
secreting — this runaway property consisted of four; the
one who had just fed him was a deacon of theCongrega-
tionalist Church; another who had fallen into this bad
business was a leader in this Baptist Church of Ver-
milionville; another was a boisterous millwright who was
in for the fun of the thing; and the fourth was myself,
who at that time represented the sense of the no offense
in hindering us; but there was a grave offense in our
hindering that 'any person,' who figures so largely in
authority in the law. So now, in all this we were willful
transgressors. There were enough of us to have made
it a • conspiracy ' if we had been negroes; and we
should have been seditious, and might have been dis-
persed by proclamation, or treated as rioters by force of
arm-, and a- white mm subjected to imprisonment.
We knew the penalty to which we made ourselves liable,
and therefore added to our other sin that of concealing
the crime. We were moral thieves in thus projecting
plans. Secretly to run that negro into freedom. We
knew that the most active man among us, and probably
his go.,d wile, had already made themselves liable to a
five-hundred-dollar fine in giving that man a breakfast.
That Democratic farmer who had left us had already
made himself liable by bringing the negro up out of the
bushes by the; river bank. I had made myself liable by
the "comfort' I gave him while standing in the road —
he, in the meantime, not permitting me to handle his
shotgun. We all began to realize that we were in for
it, and might as well be hung for an old sheep as for

a lamb.' So we resolved to take him over the river to
a farmer from New Hampshire, who we knew was a
reader of the Bible and Rogers's Herald of Freedom,
and there secrete him till he could be sent to Canada.
And then we all went stealthily down to the river, not
by the common road and the ford, but by a pathway
through the bushes, and crossed the river by stepping
from stone to stone. As we thus passed along in Indian
file, the negro in the midst, we knew that we were
breaking the law of Illinois. We were aiding him to
escape, and were liable to be indicted. We thought of
the good Baptist world at large. Now, as we discussed
the matter in the presence of that rabbit-skin-clad negro,
we considered how we could possibly protect him, and
get him safely off to that land of freedom in Canada.
At the word Canada this stolid man's eyes seemed to
kindle up with some expression of intelligence. The
thought came over one of the party that if any person
might desire to interfere with our intentions, that is,
hinder us, it might be necessary for us to ' hinder '
him, in the language of the law that makes ' hinder ' an
offense, with penalty of imprisonment. Now, there was
the Democratic founder of the town, and the good Whig
Justice of the Peace, further down, and we would rather
have met the devil than either that Whig or Democrat.
We thought of the religious community up in that vil-
lage we must needs pass if we took the common road,
and as Fred Douglass said, ' would rather meet a wolf
than a Christian.'

" Skulking along under the shelter of fences and
bushes, the party reached the house of the New Hamp-
shire farmer, who 'read the Bible and Herald of Free-
dom," and found in the 'bay' of the old fashioned
New England barn a safe hiding-place for the fugitive,
who, fairly in the hay almost to his eyes, opened his
heart and disclosed the story of his wrongs, his suffer-
ings, and his final escape from the Alabama plantation
to the sympathizing circle seated on the railing of the
'bay.' He had supposed vaguely that 'the North'
meant liberty, and that Illinois was a part, at least,
of the North, and found out his mistake in geographv
when, having reached the State, after incredible hard-
ships, he was arrested as a runaway slave and thrown
into jail. He was advertised, but no master appearing,
was sold to pay jail expenses. After serving his time
with his new master, he again started for the land of
freedom, which he now knew was Canada, and had
reached the little hamlet where Mr. Eastman lived be-
fore he found 'aid or comfort.' He remained one
night in the barn to which he had been taken, and the
next night farmer Clark took the first passenger to the
nearest station on what became the great ' under-
ground railroad,' and which later had so many
branches centering in Chicago. The first night the
fugitive reached Ottawa, thence on by night stages in
farmers' wagons to Northville, then to Plainfield, to
Cass, then to Deacon Vial's at Lyons, who brought him
to Chicago and deposited him with Dr. Dyer. After
caring for him a little while, the good Doctor thought it
advisable to give him a chance to see Canada — to reach
Canaan at last— and placed him on board the steamer
' Illinois,' Captain Blake, with his gun and his knife.
Captain Blake, as usual, when several days out, made
a tour of discovery to see what he might find on board,
and among the firemen he found a ' new hand,' at
which discovery he was very wroth, and made awful
threats in language more forcible than polite. How-
ever, his fury ended by the positive determination to
'kick him off the boat at the first port he came to.'
So as he came into the Detroit River, he made a grand

POLITICAL HISTORY'.

607

circuit, as if to show off his fine boat to a circle of
admiring Southerners on board, and ran it into a port
on the Canada shore, where he had no passengers to
leave, but where he furiously dragged the negro from
the lower regions and energetically ' kicked him off '
into freedom."

Mr. Eastman gives the following as the last slavery
disturbance in Chicago :

" In 1845-46 a certain negro was arrested by Henry
Rhines by virtue of a writ issuing from the office of
Justice Lewis C. Kercheval, and brought before that
Justice to answer to the charge of seeming to be free
when he was not, and to respond to a claim of owner-
ship by a man residing in Missouri. There was no
master or agent in Chicago to look after the interests of
this claim, but the negro was brought before the Justice
to answer to the charge. It was soon noised abroad
that Rhines had " got hold of another nigger, and had
him in Kercheval's office." Dr. Dyer, the stanch
friend of the then oppressed race, with a score of black
friends of the prisoner, and quite a number of "respect-
able" people besides, soon arrived at the office, where
the Justice was engaged in making out the paper of
•' extradition," and Mr. Kercheval was coldly informed
that that case was to be contested. Lawyer Collins was
sent for, and as the rumor that " a nigger had been
caught " spread abroad, great crowds of people gathered
on the street and filled the Justice's office on the second
floor of a wooden building on Clark Street. It was very
evident there was to be a full trial. Mr. Collins critic-
ally examined all the papers that had been prepared in
the case, as well as the evidence submitted to prove that
this man was a slave of somebody in Missouri. He
could find no flaw in Kercheval's decisions through
which the man might escape, and suddenly sprung upon
him this startling proposition: "This man is charged
with being a slave in Missouri ; now, I deny that slavery
exists in Missouri." The Justice affirmed that the
proposition was absurd; that everybody knew that
slavery existed there. " I deny it," protested Mr. Col-
lins, " and you can't take as evidence what everybody
says; it must be proved before your honor. Your
honor's court is of too high a grade to be taking evi-
dence on hearsay." No one could be found who could
testify ''from personal knowledge" that slavery existed
in Missouri. Mr. Collins claimed that it must therefore
be proved by the law itself, and it struck the Justice
that this was but reasonable and just, and in accordance
with proper legal practice.

In the meantime the crowd was getting very dense
in front of the building, blocking up Clark Street from
Lake to Water, and the little office and stairway was so
closely packed that there was great danger of breaking
down and being lost in one common muddle.

" It must be proved," says the Justice, and where is
the " Stat-tuts of Wisconsin!" Now these " Stattuts "
were not in the Justice's office; they were not com-
monly at hand. A messenger was sent for the " Stat-
utes of Wisconsin." Rhines remained on hand to guard
his prisoner. It was with great difficulty that the mes-
senger squeezed his way down the office stairs and
through the outside crowd on his mission to a neighbor-
ing law office to get the required authority, and there was
therefore a long and solemn waiting for his return — an
ominous pause in the process of administering justice.
Suddenly, from his " durance vile," and from before
the very presence of the Justice, uprose that "nigger,"
and somehow, like a bubble, glided over the heads of
the throng and down the staircase to the sidewalk.
The crowd moved on to follow, and Rhines, like "Jill,"

'•came tumbling after." Reaching the sidewalk, he
tried to get out his pistol, but the pressure of the crowd
forced him to point it past his own nose up to tin- heav-
ens— an unprofitable direction in which to shoot. The
Justice, in the meantime, waited for the arrival of the
"statutes," and could have seen — had he looked, as his
constable was obliged to see, to his discomfiture, in his
utter helplessness on the outside — an eager and excited
crowd, a mingling of men, wagons, horses and drays,
and in the midst of shouts the negro hoisted onto
the highest seat of the best carriage on the street, while
the spare room was filled with young men, and then
driven by these daring young fellows down Lake Street
to Lawyer Collins's office, while an immense crowd fol-
lowed shouting and cheering the rescued and rescuers.
Arriving at the office, the negro ascended to the second
story, the young men took out a front window, and the
former prisoner, standing upon the sill, thanked the
crowd below for his rescue from those whose purpose
it was to remand him to slavery.

No prosecutions followed or were even threatened
for thus placing obstacles in the way of the distribu-
tion of law and justice, although the offenders, who had
incurred the penalty of six months' imprisonment by
this jolly performance, would have filled half a dozen
jails like that of Chicago, and the officers of the law
who designed to send this underground-fugitive back to
slavery, had to digest their disappointment as best they
might.

To Mayor Curtiss, and to many of the good citizens
of Chicago, however, this " demonstration " looked
somewhat, yea, "very like" a mob, and there was great
fear lest the fair fame of Chicago as a "law abiding
city" should be tarnished. As a consequence of this
anxiety, a proclamation was issued, calling a meeting of
law-and-order people of the city in the court-house.
The law-and-order people (on both sides* were on hand
at the appointed time. Everything had been prepared.
Resolutions had been prepared, and were about to be
promulgated, that would forever squelch " abolitionism."
Somehow, things did not work smoothly for the self-
constituted law-protectors, and when J. Young Scammon
arose in the rear end of the court-room and proposed a
set of resolutions that had been brooded over by
another kind of men, great was the consternation.
Through much disturbance he was at length permitted
to read them. They deprecated all illegal interference
with the law, and especially illegal arrests of people
who had made Chicago an asylum from oppression,
declaring that Chicago was on the side of humanity,
and was bound to protect legally the fugitive from
oppression. The resolutions were passed by an enthu-
siatic vote. This was the last slavery excitement under
the Black Laws, and Chicago maintained thereafter her
well-earned reputation as a law-and-order community.

The murder of Lovejoy at Alton, 111., in 1837, seems
to have been the first incident that aroused the apathetic-
people of Chicago sufficiently to result in anything
like organization or public protest against the enor-
mity of human slavery. Mr. Eastman in his article
in Blanchard's History of the Northwest, gives the fol-
lowing account of Chicago's connection with the early
anti-slavery days :

"Soon after the murder of Lovejoy, there was a meet-
ing called in Chicago — not to sympathize with the
cause of abolitionism, but to condemn this assault on
the constitutional right of the freedom of the press. It
was called to be held in the Saloon Building, a small
public hall on the corner of Clark and Lake streets, on
the third floor, and the meeting was held not without

6o8

HISTORY' OF CHICAGO.

tears that it would be broken up by a mob. There was
an abundance oi caution used in the calling and holding

of the meeting, to avoid any collision ' with the fellows
of the baser sort.' Rev. F. Bascom, of the First Pres-
byterian Church. Dr. C. V. Oyer, Philo Carpenter,
Robert Freeman. Calvin DeWolf, and some few mem-
bers of the Baptist and Methodist churches, were the
leading spirits of this meeting. A watch was set to
give seasonable warning of any approach of a mob,
should any one be sent howling upon the track of these
devout men, mourning tor Lovejoy, and endeavoring to
give voice to a right-minded public opinion. But there
was happily no demonstration of mob violence, and the
meeting was not a large one. but probably fully repre-
sented the interest which Chicago then took in the fate
of Lovejoy; the city was at least saved from the dis-
grace of a mob. It was not then presumed that an abo-
lition press would have fared any better in Chicago than
it had at Alton. The public were not prepared to
tolerate any such newspapers.

•■ This was the first anti-slavery meeting, if it may
be called such, held in Chicago, of which there is any
recollection. The men who were present became
prominent afterward in the anti-slavery history of Chi-
cago. The men who were willing to be known as abo-
litionists, soon after this event, were mainly a nucleus
that formed around the First Presbyterian church,
embracing a few individuals who were Methodists or
Baptists: but in almost every instance they were pro-
fessing Christians, who were led to take a stand by the
death of Lovejoy. Here was the beginning of that anti-
slavery sentiment that became a power in Chicago, and
made that city distinguished throughout the country as
one that proved itself a law-abiding community by shel-
tering and protecting the fugitive slave against illegal
arrest."

The date of this'first meeting is not given; probably
in 1838.

September 3, 1839, the Chicago Colonization Society
was organized.

January 16. 1840, the Chicago Anti-Slavery Society
held its first public meeting at the Saloon Building. The
officers were: President, Henry Smith; vice-presidents,
Ira Miltimore. George Foster, and J. Johnston; secre-
tary. Calvin DeWolf; treasurer, George Manierre. Reso-
lutions were offered, and, with slight amendments,
adopted, by Rev. Isaac T. Hinton, Rev. Flavel Bascom
and Charles Durant, favoring the adoption of some plan
for the peaceable abolition of slavery throughout the
world, and denouncing the " Black Code " of Illinois.

December 25. 1X40, there was published in the Chi-
cago American, a petition to the State Legislature,
praying it to remove from the Illinois statutes those
laws known collectively as the " Black Code " which
prevented negroes from testifying against whites, and
which permitted any white man to cause any black man
to be thrown into jail who did not show his papers of
freedom.

The Liberty Party abolitionist held a State con-
vention at Chicago, May 27, 1842, to nominate candi-
date for State ofti' ' ernor, Lieutenant-Govern-
or, et( . This was the first Stair Convention ever held
in the city.

It does not appear that these early abolition efforts
made any perceptible impression on the Democratic
majority or the Whig minority until the issue took a
national form. But the leaven worked fast. In 1844,
when, for the first time the abolitionists had a national
ticket in the field Chicago gave 209 votes for P.irney,
the presidential candidate. Out of a popular vote of

2,615,855, B._..ey received only 62,263 votes. Of these,
the State of Illinois gave 3,570, and the little city of
Chicago 209. Numerically the vote was insignificant,
but comparatively it stamped Chicago at that early day
as a hot-bed of abolitionism, where lived an uncompro-
mising and undismayed set of radicals, whose strength
was not to be despised.

The anti-slavery sentiment of the city was still more
plainly discernable in the presidential election of 1848,
when the Democratic party divided on the issue. Then,
the anti-slavery sentiment was expressed by a vote of
1,543 for Van Buren.

The anti-slavery Democrats were again whipped
into the party traces in 1848, but the incorrigible anti-
slavery sentiment in Chicago and Cook Countv asserted
itself in a vote of 793 in the countv and 424 in the city
for Hall.

The succeeding four years brought the contest
which had heretofore smouldered under the crust of
party politics to an eruptional crisis. During the period
from 1848 to 1852, the whole nation had become stirred
to its utmost political depths by national legislation
which made it patent to the Northern mind that the
North were not longer to be neutral in the propagan-
dism of slavery in the Republic.

The passage of the fugitive-slave law, a part of the
compromise measures of 1850, although accepted by
both the old parties as a law to be observed and exe-
cuted, met a most determined opposition thoughout the
North, and, although there was no political party, save
the little revolutionary knot of abolitionists opposed to
the law, it could not be enforced in Chicago, nor in any
other considerable city in the North, without a popular
outbreak, which' showed plainly that a conscientious
sense of inherent right was becoming so potent that
party discipline could no longer restrain it. There was
great excitement in Chicago on the receipt of news
that the fugitive slave bill had been passed. Septem-
ber 18, 1850.)

On October 11, the colored people, in convention
assembled resolved, " not to fly to Canada," but, " to
remain and defend themselves." On the 21st, the Com-
mon Council fa Democratic Council) passed a resolu-
tion that " the city police would not be required to
aid in the recovery of slaves." On the 22c!, a great
mass-meeting of citizens was held, which, by resolutions
condemned the law, and defied its enforcement in
Chicago.

Stephen A. Douglas had been a most ardent sup-
porter of the compromise measures. He had become
a resident of Chicago in 1847, and had, through his
influence, made the city of his residence the terminus
of the Illinois Central system of railroads, thus largely
increasing its commercial prosperity and importance.
His popularity in Chicago as a citizen and asa politician,
was at this time at its height. His power over his home
constituency was never shown in a stronger light than
at this time. In October, 1850, he returned to Chicago,
where he found, even among his political friends, the
measures generally unpopular, and, in the Democratic
papers, even, assailed with great bitterness. On the 24th
of that month he made, in Chicago, what has been
deemed the ablest speech of his life, in which he
defended the principles of the compromise bill, includ-
ing the fugitive-slave bill, in a manner so masterly as
to silence, if it did not convince the insubordinate ele-
ments of his own party. In this speech he enunciated
the doctrines on which he framed and defended the
Kansas-Nebraska bill, three years later, in the follow-
ing words :

POLITICAL HISTORY.

609

" These measure are predicated on the great funda-
mental principle that every people ought to possess
the right of framing and regulating their own internal
concerns and domestic institutions in their own way.
* * * These things are all confided by the Constitution
to each State to decide for itself, and I know of no
reason why the same principle should not he extended
to the Territories."

Through the influence of Douglas, the Chicago
Democracy was re- united and solidified (for the last
time, as is evinced in the vote of the city and Cook
County in 1852, when the united Democracy gave
Pierce, the Democratic candidate for President, a vote
of two thousand eight hundred and thirty-five in the
city, against four hundred and twenty-four for Hall the
free-soil candidate.

Douglas's scepter was quite rudely broken before
another national election. In 1854, January 30th,
Douglas made his great speech in the United States
Senate, championing the Kansas-Nebraska bill, which
repudiated the compromises which had gone before,
and, in. the minds of the populace, showed the compro-
mises of 1850, including the hated fugitive-slave law,
to have been only designed as a subterfuge of the slave
power to gain a foothold for further aggression. Doug-
.las took no backward step. He came to Chicago, as
before, to explain to his constituency the questions they
did not understand. He found his power gone, and
only a small but faithful minority of adherents left.
The anti-slavery sentiment had broken all bounds, and
could no longer be curbed, even by the eloquence of
Douglas. An account of his discomfiture is copied
from the Chicago Times, of Sunday, August 19, 1877,
it being one of a series of historical articles under the
head of " By-Gone Days " which appeared in that
paper. Its statements show the extreme color of admira-
tion for the hero of the story, but is, nevertheless,
deemed to be essentially correct, and is therefore em-
bodied in the history. It read as follows :

" No man of his time had so many personal friends
and so many bitter political enemies as Stephen A. Doug-
las. The former regarded him almost in the light of a
prophet, and under his banner would have under-
taken any crusade it might have entered his head to
preach. The latter in order to maintain an equilibrium,
went quite to the other extreme, and regarded the
inventor of squatter sovereignty in the light of a Judas
or Beelzebub, devoid of a single pure motive.

" Impartial history has since taken the equation of
the Little Giant's character and mental stature, and now
declares that he was neither so great as his most enthu-
siastic friends believed him to be, nor so fickle and
insincere as his enemies portrayed him. He was em-
inently a man of action ; a man to exert a powerful
influence on his own generation, but as he, by nature,
favored compromise principles, had a tendency to trim
— not by any means a bad trait in times of public
excitement — it was to be expected that he would leave
no particular influence behind him. Even the present
generation, hearing the old heads talk with abiding
interest about Douglas, wonder, when they read his
speeches, full of one idea and rather tiring repeti-
tion, what there was great in the man to draw other
men to him in such magnetic chains ; and another gen-
eration, still further removed from personal knowledge
and oral reminiscences of the man, will wonder even
more. It was Douglas's fault that he was ambitious. It
is his glory, that in the supreme moment of his life he had
the greatness to sink his disappointment in the welfare
of his country, and his chief title to greatness rests on

the fait that he was able to conquer himself, and, with
a heroic abnegation, place himself by the side of the
man who had robbed him of the crown of his consum-
ing ambition, to strengthen his arm in fighting his coun-
try's Iocs. The man who could do this was not small,
— he was not without principle — and though it does
not prove him a great man as to brains, it testifies most
eloquently to his greatness of heart.

" Two causes led to the mobbing of the Little Giant
in 1854. Those were Know-nothing days, and the
Nebraska excitement — supplemented by the Kansas
furore — was coming to a head. That it was a period
of turmoil is little matter for wonder. In the one case
it was a question between the native and the foreign born
element — a question, in fact, whether the adopted citi-
zen had any rights which a native was bound to respect.
In the other case it was a struggle between freedom
and slavery ; a life-and-death, hand-to-hand struggle
then begun, and which came to an end only with the
surrender of Lee under the apple tree.

"On the Know-nothing question Douglas took noble
and even advanced ground. In fact, he was the first
to make war on the prescriptive spirit of the native party,
and it was he who marshaled the Democratic party
against the hosts of intolerance, fanatism, and political
as well as religious bigotry.

" Prior to the throwing of these firebrands into the
political establishment of the country, as between
Whigs and Democrats, Chicago was strongly Demo-
cratic— was a stronghold, in fact. By way of illustrat-
ing the Democratic strength of that period, an old set-
tler made the remark: ' If the town pump had been
nominated for mayor in those days, on the Democratic-
ticket, it would have been elected. A nomination was
always equivalent to an election, and I remember once
when Dr. Kimberly, lately deceased, got the Demo-
cratic nomination for clerk of some sort, in the Demo-
cratic convention that was held in the little old court-
house that stood in the northeast corner of the square,
he fainted dead away; he was so overpowered by it.
You see the nomination gave him a sure thing, and a
nomination and election coming that way in one fell
swoop is calculated to knock over the strongest, as I
happen to know, for I have run for office myself once
or twice in my life.'

"But the Democratic party got on a terribly ragged
edge in 1854. The Whigs went to pieces, but in their
place came an indefinable something that was neither
fish, flesh, nor fowl, for a time, and went under the
name of ' Fusion.' Everybody ' fused ' for a time,
and ' thused ' over it, but the thing didn't last long,
and out of this chaos was born the Republican party.

" When Know-nothingism came, it completely para-
lized the Democratic party for a time, and the leaders
were afraid to combat it. But Douglas, with his char-
acteristic courage — or more properly speaking, pluck —
having been invited to deliver a 4th of July address at
Philadelphia, accepted on condition that he be allowed
to free his mind, and he did so acccordingly. On the
one hand he went rough-shod for the Know-nothings,
and on the other he spoke with enthusiasm for his squat-
ter sovereignty, and thus had the entire opposition about
his ears. On the one hand this speech had the effect
of placing the Democratic party in solid opposition to
Know-nothingism; but what he had said about the Ne-
braska question so offended the free-soil element in
the party that a goodly proportion sloughed off and
joined the incoherency known as Fusionists. It was
by this free-soil element that Douglas was most bitterly
antagonized thereafter, and it was his former supporters

CMO

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

of this complexion that determined to make it warm
tor him on his return to Chicago.

"There was at that time a daily paper in Chicago
called the Democratic Press. It was edited by John
L. Scripps and Hon. William Bross, the latter still surviv-
ing. This paper, once Democratic, turned with vindic-
tive vehemence on the " Little Giant," and lett no
means untried to turn the populace against him. Just
at that period the once powerful Democratic party of
Chicago was actually scattered to the four winds, and
not more than a corporal's guard of true souls could be
found to give the little Senator a brave backing.

"But, backing or no backing, the 'Little Giant'
determined to face the music, and it was announced
that shortlv after his arrival in Chicago, after the
adjournment of Congress, he would take occasion to
address his constituents on the issues of the day, and
mayhap make a few personal explanations.

"This was just what the opposition to Douglas
dreaded. They knew they had him at an advantage
so long as he was a thousand miles away; but face to
face, with his persuasive tongue in motion, it was
another matter, and they determined at all hazards to
thwart his purpose — even though it was at the sacrifice
of their own vaunted principle, free speech. Once
before, in 1850, Douglas had passed under a cloud, but
a single speech by him in explanation of his position
had placed him in a greater favor than ever. It was
this power his enemies dreaded, were determined to
nullify, and made arrangements accordingly.

•• Congress adjourned about the 1st of August. Mr.
Douglas left Washington soon after, and reached his
home in this city on the 25th. When he arrived here
he found a most formidable organization opposed to
him, determined to crowd him to the wall at all hazards;
and determined even that he should under no circum-
stances have an opportunity to address the people, as it
was announced he was prepared to do. In this move-
ment to oppose violence to free speech the clergy took
a prominent part, and from numerous orthodox Prot-
estant pulpits, especially of the Methodist and Baptist
persuasion, the fiat went forth to the faithful that this
anti-Christ must be denied every opportunity to pollute
the pure atmosphere of Illinois with his perfidious
breath. Not only was this organization and purpose
manifest in Chicago, but it was rampant all over the
State, and the Know-nothing and free-soil combination
was at nearly every point prepared to contest -with him
the right to address the public, on the plea that he was
a public enemy.

" It was on the evening of September 1, 1854, that
he was announced to speak at North Market Hall,
where now the county building stands. Dan O'Hara
-ays there can be no mistake about the date, because it
was his birthday, his thirty-third, and he celebrated it
by attending the meeting as one of the " Little Giant's"
most ardent admirers.

" As soon as the date was announced earnest prepa-
rations began on both sides. ( )n the one hand were
incendiary appeals on the part of a reckless, partisan
press, calling on the populace to 'thwart the little dema-
- ' purpose, while cm the cither there went for-
ward determined measures on the part of Mr. Douglas's
friends to see fair play and give him muscular backing
if need be. But this determination was not widespread
throughout the party. It was principally confined to
personal friends — but these tried and true friends.

" Just before the meeting all manner of reckless re-
ports were given currency by the opposition pre one

being to the effect that Mr. Douglas had selected a
body guard of five hundred Irishmen who, with arms
in their hands, were to be present and compel the peo-
ple to silence while he spoke. Phis storv was spread
to inflame the Know-nothing element. It is needless
to say that it had no foundation in truth, and more's the
pity. Such an organization at this time — an organiza-
tion to maintain free speech — would have been a most
creditable thing, and that some of the leaders of that
mob were not shot down in their tracks will ever be
matter for regret among all liberty-loving and all right-
minded folks, even though the mob acted in the abused
name of liberty. After the riot, with a view of keeping
up the bad blood engendered, a paper declared that ter-
rible times might be expected soon, as the friends of
the ' Little Giant ' had bought up all the guns and re-
volvers in the stores of the city, and had given heavy
orders for more. All of which was another lie manu-
factured to suit a particular emergency.

" Judge I. L. Milliken was the Mayor of the period
— a Democrat in those days — and he was invited and
consented to preside at the meeting. The fact that
violence was to take place at the gathering was daily
impressed upon the public by the opposition press, but
with consummate duplicity it was stated that it would
be brought about by Douglas, who intended to overawe
all disapproval by armed opposition.

" Cmder such circumstances as these, assembled the
meeting on that September evening. During the after-
noon the flags of such shipping as was owned by the
most bitter of the Fusionists were hung at half-mast; at
dusk the bells of numerous churches tolled with all the
doleful solemnity that might be supposed appropriate
for some impending calamity. As the evening closed
in, crowds flocked to the place of meeting.

" The gathering was on Michigan Street, immedi-
ately in front of the old North Market Hall. A great
crowd was assembled, and it was plain from the start
that a wicked feeling was abroad. A little before 8
o'clock Mr. Douglas began to speak. And still the
crowd increased. It completely filled up Michigan
Street, east as far as Dearborn, and west as far as Clark.
And, besides this, the roofs of opposite houses were
covered, and the windows and balconies filled, for the
' Little Giant ' had a way of making himself heard at a
great distance.

" The Senator had spoken but a few minutes when
it became apparent that there was an element present
that was not disposed to hear him. On the questioning
of some statement of the speaker by a person in the
crowd the rumpus began in earnest, and for a matter of
two hours a juvenile pandemonium sported at a white
rage all around that Old Market Hall. First hisses were
in order. The Senator paused until silence was com-
paratively restored, when he told the meeting that he
came there to address his constituents, and he in-
tended to be heard. He was instantly assailed by all
manner of epithets. Every name that vile tongue could
invent was hurled at him. In a moment he was sur-
rounded by a howling, raging mob, hungry to do him
personal injury. But, all undaunted, he fearlessly faced
the enemy, at the same time keeping down a little com-
pany of friends on the platform, who were all eagerness
to resent the insults and affronts so brutally heaped
upon their idol. Mr. Douglas appealed to the latter to
be calm; to leave him to deal with the mob before him
He boldly denounced the violence exhibited as a pre-
concerted thing, and in defiance of yells, groans, cat-
calls, and every insulting menace and threat, he read

POLITICAL HISTORY.

<5n

aloud, so that It was heard above the infernal din, a let-
ter informing him that if he dared to speak he would be
maltreated.

" The Senator's biographer, Mr. Sheahan, alludes as
follows to the affair: ' We never saw such a scene be-
fore, and hope never to see the like again. * * *
L'ntil ten o'clock he stood firm and unyielding, bidding
the mob defiance, and occasionally getting in a word
or two upon the general subject. It was the penalty
for his speech in Philadelphia. It was the penalty for
haying made the first assault upon Know-nothingism.
It was the penalty for having dared to assail an order
including within its members a vast majority of the allied
opposition of the Western States. We have conversed
sin re then with men who were present at that mob;
with men who went there as members of the order,
pledged to stand by and protect each other; with men
who were armed to the teeth in anticipation of a scene
of bloody violence, and they have assured us that noth-
ing prevented bloodshed that night but the bold and
defiant manner in which Douglas maintained his ground.
Had he exhibited fear, he would not have commanded
respect; had he been craven, and entreated, his party
would in all probability have been assaulted with
missiles, leading to violence in return. But, standing
there before that vast mob, presenting a determined
front and unyielding purpose, he extorted an involun-
tary admiration from those of his enemies who had the
courage to engage in a personal encounter; and that
admiration, while it could not overcome the purpose of
preventing his being heard, protected him from personal
violence. The motive, the great ruling reason, for
refusing him the privilege of being heard, was that, as
he had in 1850 carried the judgment of the people
captive into an indorsement of the fugitive-slave law,
so, if allowed to speak in 1854, he would at least rally
all Democrats to his support by his defense of the
Nebraska bill. The combined fanatics of Chicago
feared the power and effect of his argument in the
presence and hearing of the people. They therefore
resolved that he should not be heard. So far as this
occasion was concerned, the object was successfully
attained, and if there were any doubts as to the fact
that the course agreed upon had been previously con-
certed, the experience of the following few weeks served
to remove all question on that head.'

" It was reported at the time, especially by and
among those who were not present, that the ' Little
Giant ' was pelted with rotten eggs. This feature is
now called in question by most trustworthy witnesses,
who substitute rotten apples. Perhaps, as between
rotten eggs and rotten apples, there is not much choice
of flavor, but the Sunday Times historian agrees with
Uncle Dan O'Hara that the veracity of history is above
every other consideration, and he, having been one of
the eye-witnesses aforesaid, falls in line on the rotten-
apple side of this controversy.

" It was a brave little band that stood by the side of
the ' Little Giant ' in that hour of peril, and but for his
restraining influence, though but few in numbers, it is
more than likely they would have left their mark upon
the mob. Some have since gone where it is to be hoped
mob spirit is unknown since the rebellion of Satan,
but others are still among the living. Of this little band
were Hon. Frank C. Sherman, General Hart L. Stewart,
Cornelius and William Price, Tom Mackin, Elihu
Granger, Dan McElroy, Dan O'Hara, Colonel Dick
"Hamilton and Elisha Tracy.

" This band clung to trie lion-hearted Senator to the
last. For two hours they stood like a solid wall back of

him, and when, after a vain and protracted effort to be
heard, Mr. Douglas finally succumbed to the inevitable,
and prepared to leave the rostrum, they formed a stanch
phalanx about his carriage, and proceeded to march
with their charge toward the hotel. Hooting and yelling,
the mob followed up to Clark-street bridge. It was a
fortunate circumstance that as soon as the Douglas
party had got across the bridge-tender had sense
enough to turn the bridge, and thus the greater part of
the mob were unable to continue their pursuit. In time
the Senator was safely ensconced in his hotel, the Tre-
mont House.

" A month or two later Mr. Douglas was invited by
his political friends in this city to partake of a public
dinner, and he accepted the invitation. The 9th of
November was selected for the time, and on that even-
ing some two hundred gentlemen sat down to a dinner
at the Tremont House. In response to a complimentary
sentiment, Mr. Douglas addressed the company in a
speech which was substantially the address which he
would have made to the people in September, had he
not been prevented by the mob.

" After the mob violence encountered in Chicago,
Mr. Douglas announced his intention to speak at several
points in the State, there being an election for Congress-
men and State Treasurer then pending. Everywhere
throughout the northern part of the State he was
greeted upon his arrival by every possible indignity that
could be offered, short of personal violence. Burning
effigies, effigies suspended by ropes, banners with all
the vulgar mottoes and inscriptions that passion and
prejudice could suggest, were displayed at various
points. Wherever he attempted to speak, the noisy
demonstrations which had proved so successful in Chi-
cago were attempted, but in no place did they succeed
in preventing his being heard. At Galena, Freeport,
Waukegan, Woodstock, and other points in the very
heart of the abolition and Know-nothing portion of the
State, he bearded the lion in his den, and soon rode on
the topmost wave of public favor once more."

Later, when Douglas in the highest magnificence of
his intellectual stature, rose up in indignant and uncom-
promising protest against the enormities that had grown
out of his Kansas bill, and, apostatizing from his former
apostasy, again stood for freedom, he came again to be
the idol of the city, which now holds his sacred dust,
and mourns his untimely death at a time when it seemed
that the fires of true patriotism were just breaking in
a white heat from his great soul.

From the date of Douglas's rebuff, Chicago never
ceased to be on the extreme verge of anti-slavery
excitement, and became the center of the Western move-
ment which resulted in making Kansas a free State.

May 31, 1856, that most wonderful combination of
everything good and bad which has ever been put in
human form — James H. Lane, of Kansas — addressed
the whole city in Court Square. His address was the
culmination of the anti-slavery sentiment which then
broke out in deeds.

An echo comes from Kansas of those early times.
In the history of that State published in 1883, is an
account of what Chicago did for the struggling settlers
of that State in their extreme distress. The account is
as follows:

One of the earliest and most enthusiastic Kansas
meetings held was at Chicago, Saturday evening, May
31, in court-house square. The Kansas speakers were
Colonel James H. Lane and Mr. Hinman, -fresh from
the smoking ruins of Lawrence." The Chicago Daily
Tribune. June 2, gave a two-column report of the meet-

6l2

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

ing under such head-lines, as these: " Illinois Alive and
Awake!" "Ten Thousand Freemen in Council!"
• Two Thousand Old Hunkers on Hand!" "Fifteen
Thousand Dollars Subscribed for Kansas!!!"

Hon. Norman Judd presided, and made the opening
speech. He was followed by Francis A. Hoffman.
1. C. Vaughn, in an eloquent speech, presented the
claims of Kansas for immediate relief, and offered the
following resolutions :

•' Resolved, That the people of Illinois will aid the freedom of
Kansas.

"Resolved, That they will send a colony of live hundred
actual settlers to tint Territory, and provision them for one year.*

"Resolved, That these settlers will invade no man's rights, hut
will maintain their own.

"Resolved, That we recommend the adoption <>f a similar
policy to the people of all of the Slates of the Union, ready and
willing to aid: and also, a thorough concert and co-operation
among them, through committees of correspondence, on this
subject.

" Resolved, That an executive committee of seven, viz., J, C.
Vaughn, Mark Skinner, George W. Dole. I. X. Arnold. N. 1'..
ludd and E. I. Tinkham, be appointed with full powers to carry
into execution these resolutions.

"Resolved, That Tuthill King. R. M. Hough. C. B. Waite,
I. H. Dunham, Dr. Gibbs, J. T. Kyerson and W. B. Egan be a
finance committee to raise and distribute material aid."

Following the reading of the resolutions, the}' were
seconded by Peter Page, and passed amidst the most
enthusiastic and prolonged cheering.

Next Hon. \Y. B. Egan, one of the most eloquent
Irish orators of the city, spoke to his Irish fellow-citi-
zens, rousing them to the highest pitch of excitement.

The president then introduced Colonel James M.
Lane, of Kansas. As he rose up and came forward, he
was greeted with an outburst of applause from the
crowd that continued for some minutes, during which
time he stood statue-like, with mouth firm set, gazing
with those wondrous eyes down into the very heart of
the excited throng. Before the applause had subsided
sufncientlv for his voice to be heard, the fascinating
spell of his presence had already seized upon the whole
vast audience, and for the next hour he controlled its
every emotion — moving to tears, to anger, to laughter,
to scorn, to the wildest enthusiasm, at his will. No
man of his time possessed such magnetic power over
a vast miscellaneous assembly of men as he. With two
possible exceptions Patrick Henry and S. S. Prentiss ,
no American orator ever equaled him in effective
stump-speaking, or in the irresistible power by which
he held his audiences in absolute control. On that
night he was at his best. It was doubtless the ablest
and most effective oratorical effort of his life. No full
report of it was given at the time. One of the hun-
dreds of young men made Kansas-crazy by the speech,
and who forthwith left all and followed him to Kansas,
thus wrote of it twenty years after:f

" He was fresh from the scenes of dispute in the
belligerent Territory. He made a characteristic speech,
teeming with invective extravagance, impetuosity, de-
nunciation, and eloquence. The grass on the prairie
is -waved no more easily by the winds than was this
vast assemblage by the utterances of this speaker.
They saw the contenting factions in the Territory

* The plan here adopted of lending in emigrant*, provisioned for one year,
a* well as that subsequently adopted of arming them for self-defense, did not
originate at this meeting. It was a Southern idea, first conceived early in
March, by Major Buford, of South Carolina, adopted by most Southern Emi-
grant Aid societies in the South, and practically carried out before a company
was ever raised, provisioned or armed by any Northern organization, Early in
April, Kuford's " regiment," as it was called, was in Kansas. Other parties,
armed and •' provisioned lor .1 year'* (nominally so — the promises were not ful-
filled) came in during the first half of May from other Southern States. M>ir<-
than half of the military posse organised for the sacking of Lawrence had re-
cently ar- th, armed and promised " provision for a year." on
the sworn allegiance to the slave powers.
nd S. S. I'rouiy.

through his glasses. The Pro-slavery party appeared
like demons and assassins; the Free-state party like
heroes and martyrs. He infused them witli his war-
like spirit and enthusiastic ardor for the practical
champions of the freedom. Their response to his
appeals for succor for the struggling freemen was im-
mediate ami decisive."

It is doubtful if the writer of the above, or any other
of the ten thousand hearers of that night, can recall a
single sentence of his speech. 'The emotions aroused
were so overwhelming as to entirely obliterate from
memory the spoken words. A few broken extracts are
preserved below. He began:

•■ 1 have been sent by the people of Kansas to plead
their cause before the people of the North. Most per-
sons have a very erroneous idea of the people of Kansas.
They think they are mostly from Massachusetts. They
are reallv more than nine-tenths from the Northwestern
States. 'There are more men from Ohio, Illinois and
Indiana than from all New* England and New York
combined."

Speaking of the President, he said :

" Of Franklin Pierce I have a right to talk as I
please, having made more than one hundred speeches
advocating his election, and having also, as one of the
electors of Indiana, cast the electoral vote of that State
for him. Frank was, in part, the creature of my own
hands; and a pretty job they made of it. The one pre-
eminent wish of mine now is that Frank may be hurled
from the White House; and that the nine memorials
sent him from the outraged citizens of Kansas detailing
their wrongs, may be dragged out of his iron box."

Of the climate of Kansas, he said:

" Kansas is the Italy of America. The corn and the
vine grow there so gloriously that they seem to be glad
and to thank the farmers for planting them. It is a
climate like that of Illinois, but milder. Invalids, in-
stead of going to Italy, when the country became known,
would go to Kansas, to gather new life beneath its fair
sky and balmy airs. The wild grapes of Kansas are
as large and luscious as those that grow in the vine-
yards of Southern France."

He alluded to Colonel W. H. Bissell, then the Re-
publican candidate for Governor of Illinois, as follows :

" It is true I was side by side with your gallant ami
noble Bissell at Buena Vista and in Congress. I wish 1
could describe to you the scene on the morning pre-
ceding that glorious battle. On a ridge stood Clay,
Bissell, McKee, Hardin and myself. Before us were
twenty thousand armed enemies. It was a beautiful
morning, and the sun shone bright upon the polished
lances and muskets of the enemy, and their banners
waved proudly in the breeze. In our rear the lofty
mountains reached skyward, and their bases swarmed
with enemies ready to rob the dead and murder the
wounded when the battle was over. Around us stood
five ragged regiments of volunteers, two from Illinois,
two from Indiana, and one from Kentucky; they were
bone of your bone, blood of your blood, and it was only
when you were near enough to look into their eyes that

you could see the d 1 was in them. It did not then

occur to them that I should be indicted for treason be-
cause I loved liberty better than slavery."

He then gave a warm and glowing tribute to Colonel
Bissell, his brother-in-arms.

Then followed a most vivid and awful narrative of
the outrages perpetrated upon the free-State men by
the Missouri ruffians; so vivid that the Ossawatomie
murders seemed but merited retaliation, and most sweet
revenge to his excited hearers.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

613

" The Missourians [said he] poured over the border
in thousands, with bowie knives in their boots, their
belts bristling with revolvers, their guns upon their
shoulders, and three gallons of whisky per vote in their
wagons. When asked where they came from their reply
was, ' From Missouri ; ' when asked, ' What are you
here for?' their reply was, 'Come to vote.' If any one
should go there and attempt to deny these things, or
apologize for them, the Missourians would spit upon
him. They claim to own Kansas, to have a right to
vote there and to make its laws, and to say what its in-
stitutions shall be."

Colonel Lane held up the volume of the statutes of
Kansas ; then proceeded to read from it, commenting
as he read :

"The Legislature first passed acts virtually repeal-
ing the larger portion of the Constitution of the United
States, and then repealed, as coolly as one would take a
chew of tobacco, provisions of the Kansas-Nebraska
bill. Of this bill I have a right to speak — God forgive
me for so enormous and dreadful a political sin — I voted
for the bill. I thought the people were to have the right
to form their own institutions, and went to Kansas to
organize the Democratic party there, and make the State
Democratic, but the Missouri invaders poured in — the
baliot boxes were desecrated — the bogus Legislature
was elected by armed mobs — you know the rest.

" The pro-slavery fragment of the Democratic party
talk much about Know-nothingism. It is their song day
and night. Well, these Kansas law-makers have gone
to work and repealed at once the clause in the Nebraska
bill that gave the right to foreigners to vote in Kansas
on declaring their intention to become citizens, and
made it requisite for them to have lived in the Territory
five years, and to take the final oath; and at the same time
they made all Indians who adopted the habits of white
men voters at once. And what was the distinguishing
habit of white men ? Why, it was understood to be
drinking whisky. All that was necessary to naturalize
a Kansas Indian was to get him drunk. What Know-
nothing lodge ever went so far in their nativism as this'
— made foreigners in the Territory wait five years to
become citizens, and enfranchised the drunken, thieving
Indians at once, one and all !

'• The pro-slavery fragment of the Democratic party
also delights in the term ' nigger-worshiper,' to desig-
nate Free-state men. I will show you that these Pro-
slavery men are, of all nigger-worshipers, the most
abject. According to the Kansas code [Colonel Lane
read from the book, giving page and section], if a per-
son kidnaps a white child the utmost penalty is six
months in jail — if a nigger baby, the penalty is death.
Who worships niggers, and slave nigger babies at that ?
To kidnap a white child into slavery — six months in
jail — to kidnap a nigger into freedom — death ! "

He concluded his scathing review of the infamous
code as follows :

" Is there an Illinoisan who says enforce these mon-
strous iniquities called laws ? Show me the man I The
people of Kansas never will obey them. They are be-
ing butchered, and one and all will die first ! As for
myself, I am going back to Kansas, where there is an
.indictment pending against me for high treason. Were
the rope about my neck, I would say that as to the
Kansas code it shall not be enforced — never! — never !"
Following, he argued, elaborately and conclusively,
the right of Kansas to come into the Union as a free
State " now." He closed his speech with a detailed ac-
count of the murders and outrages perpetrated upon
the free-State settlers, given with a masterly power of

tragic delineation which brought each particular horror,
blood-red and distinct, before the eyes of the excited
throng. He knew of fourteen cases of tar and feather-
ing— "the most awful and humiliating outrage ever in-
flicted on man." He told of Dow, shot dead while
holding up his hands as a sign of his defenselessness;
lying, like a dead dog, in the road all the long day, until
in the evening his friends found his body, dabbled in his
life blood, and bore it away; Barber, unarmed, shot on
the highway, brought dead to Lawrence, where his
frantic wife, a childless widow, 'mid shrieks of anguish,
kissed the pallid lips that to her were silent evermore ;
Brown, stabbed, pounded, hacked with a hatchet, bleed-
ing and dying, kicked into the presence of his wife,
where in agony he breathed out his life — she, now a
maniac."

A voice from the crowd called, " Who was Brown ? "
Lane continued :

" Brown was as gallant a spirit as ever went to his
God ! And a Democrat at that — not one of the Pro-
slavery fragment, though. For the blood of free men
shed on the soil of Kansas — for the blood now flowing
in the streets of Lawrence — for every drop which has
been shed since the people asked to be admitted as a
State, the Administration is responsible. Before Cod
and this people I arraign Frank Pierce as a murderer !

"In conclusion I have onlv this to say: The people
of Kansas have undying faith in the justice of their
cause — in the eternal life of the truths maintained — and
thev ask the people of Illinois to do for them that
which seems to them just.''

The Chicago Tribune, in its report of the meeting,
June 2, says:

" We regret we can only give a meager outline of the
eloquent and telling effort of Colonel Lane. He was
listened to with the deepest interest and attention by the
vast throng, and as he detailed the series of infamous
outrages inflicted upon the freemen of Kansas, the
people were breathless with mortification and anger, or
wild with enthusiasm to avenge those wrongs. During
Colonel Lane's address, he was often interrupted by
the wildest applause, or by deep groans for Pierce,
Douglas, Atchison, and the dough-faces and ruffians
who had oppressed Kansas; and by cheers for
Sumner, Robinson, and other noble men, who have
dared and suffered for liberty. * * * Language is
inadequate to give the reader a conception of the effect
of the recital of that tale of woe which men from Kan-
sas had to tell; the flashing eyes, the rigid muscles, and
the frowning brows told a story to the looker-on that
types cannot repeat. From the fact that the immense
crowd kept their feet from eight till twelve o'clock, that
even then they were unwilling the speakers should
cease, or that the contributions should stop; from the
fact that workingmen, who have only the wages of the
day for the purchase of the day's bread, emptied the
contents of their pockets into the general fund: that
sailors threw in their earnings; that widows sent up
their savings; that boys contributed their pence; that
those who had no money gave what they had to spare;
that those who had nothing to give offered to go as set-
tlers and do their duty to Freedom on that now conse-
crated soil; that every bold declaration for liberty, every
allusion to the Revolution of 1776. and to the possibility
that the battles of that period were to be fought over
again in Kansas, were received as those things most to
be desired — something of the tone and temper of the
meeting may be imagined. * * * The effect of
the meeting will be felt in deeds. Be the consequences
what thev may, the men of Illinois are resolved to act.

614

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

5 * * Take it with its attending circumstances — the
shortness of the notice, the character of the assembled
multitude, and the work which was accomplished — it
was the most remarkable meeting ever held in the State.
We believe it will inaugurate a new era in Illinois. We
believe it is the precursor of the liberation of Kansas
from the hand of the oppressor, and of an all-pervading
political revolution at home.

••About half-past twelve. Sunday having come, the
meeting unwilling adjourned, and the crowd reluctantly
went home. At a later hour, the Star Spangled Banner
and the Marseillaise, sung by bands of men whose
hearts were full of the spirit or these magnificent hymns,
were the only evidences of the event that we have en-
deavored to describe."

The subscriptions in money, given by upward of two
hundred different persons and firms, in sums ranging
in amount from $500 down to ten cents — the latter sum
being given by a boy, all he had — amounted to over
$15,000. In addition were given the following utensils
and supplies, for the use and comfort of the emigrants.
The names of the donors and explanatory notes are
given, as reported:

F. R. Gardiner, six rifles, three with double barrels,
sure at each pop.

Major Van Horn, one sixteen shooter.

C. W. Davenport, one six-shooter, and ten pounds of
balls.

An editor and a lawyer, four Sharpe's rifles and
themselves.

D. G. Park, one can of dry powder.
C. H. Whitney, one revolver.

J. M. Isaacks, one Sharpe's rifle.

G. M. Jerome, Iowa City, one rifle.
A. S. Clarke, one Sharpe's rifle.

J. A. Barney, one rifle.

H. A. Blakesley. one rifle.

W. H. Clark, one double-barreled rifle and $10.

J. A. Graves, one Sharpe's rifle.

Frank Hanson, one double-barreled gun and $25.

A German, one pair of pistols.

J. H. Hughes, one Colt's revolver.

F. M. Chapman, one horse.

Urhlaub & Sattler, three revolvers.

This meeting, although not the first of a like charac-
ter held in the Northwest during that spring, was re-
markable as being the first great outburst of enthu-
siasm, which, breaking local bounds, spread to every
town and hamlet from the Mississippi to the Atlantic
coast. It was the " little cloud no larger than a man's
hand" which forthwith spread over the whole heavens,
and out of it came money, and arms, and ammunition,
and a ceaseless tide of emigrants and troops of armed
men — all setting Kansasward. Out of it came " Lane's
Army of the North," in the imagination of the frightened
pro-slavery Kansans and Missourians, "a mighty host,
terrible with banners," coming, in uncertain but irresis-
tible force, by a route indefinitely defined as from the
North, to sweep as with the besom of destruction, the
Territory clean of the Territorial laws, and every man
who had advocated their enforcement. The army
proved neither so numerous in numbers nor so terrible
in its vengeful visitations on the pro-slavery settlers, as
to justify their fearful apprehensions; nevertheless, its
heralded approach inspired the free-State settlers with
renewed courage, opened a new path of immigration
into the Territory, and proved one of the many great
moral forces which brought victory and peace at last.

The exciting campaigns of [858-60 will furnish a fit
beginning, in the succeeding volume, to the exciting

period of the Rebellion, and the succeeding years of
peace, during which the Republican party held undis-
puted sway in Chicago, and throughout the Nation.

LOCAL POLITICS.

At the municipal elections, party lines were not
always strictly drawn. 'Through the long uninterrupted
predominenee of the Democratic party, several Whig
mayors were elected, and, in one case a Know-nothing,
much to the surprise of both parties. Below is given
the names and political affiliations of the mayors of
Chicago, from 1837 to 1858 :

1837, William B. Ogden, Democrat.

1838, Buckner S. Morris, Whig.

1839, Benjamin W. Raymond, Whig

1840, Alexander Loyd, Democrat.

1841, Francis C. Sherman, Democrat.

1842, Benjamin W. Raymond, Democrat.

1843, Augustus Garrett, Democrat.

1844, Augustus Garrett, Democrat.

1844, Alson S. Sherman. *

1845, Augustus Garrett, Democrat.

1846, John P. Chapin, Whig.

1847, James Curtiss, Democrat.

1848, James H. Woodworth, Democrat.

1849, James H. Woodworth, Democrat.

1850, James Curtiss, Democrat.
185 1, Walter S. Gurnee, Democrat.

1852, Walter S. Gurnee, Democrat.

1853, Charles M. Gray, Democrat.

1854, Isaac L. Milliken, Democrat.

1855, Dr. Levi D. Boone, formerly a Democrat,
elected on the Know-nothing ticket.

1856, 'Thomas Dyer, Democrat.

1857, John Went worth, Republican-Fusionist (so
styled , received five thousand nine hundred and thirty-
three votes, against four thousand one hundred and
thirty-two votes cast for Carver.

There were few local excitements of sufficient im-
portance to be historic. In 1840 the papers noted at
the general election, great excitement and many arrests
—no bloodshed.

'The most notable local political disturbance occurred
during the administration of Mayor Boone, the successful
Know-nothing candidate. High license for saloons
came in that year to intensify the local excitement.

Under the peculiar stress brought upon Dr. Boone
and his administration, through the prejudice of foreign
voters, and the high license law that was started at that
time, he found himself confronted by a mob quite early
in his administration. 'The story was told years after
in the Chicago Times, August 5, 1877, as quoted be-
low :

"The riot occurred in 1855, nearly the middle period
between the beginning and now. Chronologically it is
the great 'divide,' at least for the present, but by and
by time will lengthen the hither end out of all proportion,
and when the last old settler departs, who

" ' Was there all the while
At the bailie of the Nile,'

this now-famous time would live only in history. But
hold ! not even there, unless the Sunday Times rescues
it from oblivion, which it now proposes doing.

" The records of that affair are now only to be found
in the memories of participants. All other data were
destroyed by the great fire. By and by these partici-
pants will all have disappeared, and then what is left will

LOCAL POLITICS.

6i5

lie merely, ' What I used to hear my father tell abotu
that affair' — exceedingly unreliable stuff, after passing
through one, and, perhaps, even two defective memories.

" Just now reminiscenses of that old time ruction, in
view of the new, still partly on hand, cannot fail to be
read with interest-, and it is important that the data
should now be gathered while the leading participants
are still with unimpaired memories among the living.
Dr. L. I). Boone was the Mayor of that period. ' In
Mayor Boone's time ' is a remark very common among
old settlers. It was one of the hottest and most un-
reasoning political periods in the history of the country.
Passion ran high on all sides. The temperance ques-
tion was alive ; the Catholic question almost precipitated
a religious war, and Know-nothingism hung on the
outer wall a banner inscribed, ' Put none but Americans
on guard.' Each one of these questions was well cal-
culated to rouse the very worst passions, and under this
stimulus sprang up a generation of b'hoys that, until the
war of the Rebellion, were the terror of all large Amer-
ican cities.

"Venerable Dr. Boone, who now in his mellow old
age enjoys a glass of beer when mixed with Thomas's
orchestra music, as well as the next man, was the Know-
nothing or American party candidate for mayor, and
was elected. This event took place in March, 1855.
During the preceding winter the Legislature had passed
a stringent temperance law, to be submitted to the
people for ratification or rejection. Mayor Boone
believed — and for this he had apparently the best of
reason — that the act would be ratified by a large major-
ity, and appreciating that an abrupt passage from
unlimited beer to no beer would be a trial that no well-
regulated Teuton could undergo with equanimity, he
determined, as a measure for the good of the community
to smooth the way by degrees, and thus effect the
transition by such easy stages that, metaphorically
speaking, the Nord Seite would pass the Rubicon with
no more discomfort than it now experiences in crossing
the river by way of the LaSalle-street tunnel.

" The historian for the Sunday Times had the pleas-
ure of an interview with Dr. Boone during the past
week, in which the ex-Mayor took occasion to remark
that his actions at that time were considerably misunder-
stood, and were still misunderstood, as he had never
taken occasion to correct false impressions. The
Doctor then stated what has been mentioned, that he
believed the temperance law was again to become a fact
and what he did he did conscientiously, as he believed,
for the good of the whole community, and not on
fanatical grounds.

" What he did do was, as soon as he was inducted
into the office of Mayor, to recommend to the Council
that the license fee be raised from $50 per annum, to
the rate of $300 per annum, but that no license be
issued for a longer period than three months. This he
believed to be a wise measure of precaution, since it
would root out all the lower class of dives, and leave
the business in the hands of the better class of saloon-
keepers, who, when the temperance law should go into
force, could be rationally dealt with. But the saloon
element failed to see this measure by the same candle
that Mayor Boone saw it. They regarded the ordinance
in the light of oppression and nothing else, and banded
together to defeat its object. The city government at
this time was completely . in the hands of the Native
American party, and the Mayor and the Council had no
fear of defeat, the more so as the adage, ' to the victor
belongs the spoils,' had been so sytematically carried

out that every man of the eighty or ninety patrolmen on
the force was a native American.

"As soon as the ordinance was passed resistance
was agitated. The Nord Seite was in a state of fer-
ment, It was argued, and not without some show ol
truth, that the boasted equal rights guaranteed by the
constitution was a cheat and a fraud, and thai if for-
eigners did not then and there die in the last ditch in
behalf of their liberties, there would soon be instituted
for the white alien a system of slavery as abject as the
negro's servitude on the Southern plantation.

" One need not go over the whole ground to know
what was said at that time. The imaginative orator
was there, as he is everywhere, and if he failed in his
duty it was not for want of a fruitful theme. But he
he did not fail, and he fired the Teuton heart to a point
where it was literally self-consuming, and other hearts
— (/ /a Beecher — such as beat in Irish and Scandina-
vian bosoms ached in earnest sympathy, though the
demonstrations that ensued were principally of Teutonif
origin.

" At the period that this stringent and almost pro-
hibitory license ordinance was sought to be enforced,
there was also among the municipal regulations a Sun-
day law, and this dead letter was sought to have the
breath of life blown into it at the same time. Accord-
ingly the persecution was of a two-fold character, ami
the Teuton's cup of bitterness literally overflowed. He
determined to rebel. He did rebel. But the revolt
was short-lived. Clubs proved trumps.

" Mayor Boone had been running the municipal
machine but a few weeks when in the neighborhood of two
hundred saloon-keepers were arrested, and some of them
' jugged,' and others held to bail for trial on the charge,
either for selling liquor without a license or for viola-
tion of the Sunday ordinance. When the saloon inter-
est was attacked, the victims made common cause, and
one attorney represented the entire batch. Between this
attorney and the City Attorney it was agreed to try a
sample case, and let the rest take the course set by that
precedent. This case was called on the 21st of April.
Squire Henry L. Rucker — a street was named in his
honor — was the Police Magistrate of that period, and
his court-room was in the court-house proper. About
10 o'clock, a few moments after the case had been
called up for trial, at remendous commotion ensued in
and about the court-house. The saloon interest had
massed itself in a solid body on the North Side, espe-
cially the two hundred under bonds, and having secured
a fife and drum, they proceeded to make a forced march
on the court-house. With a tremendous racket they
entered the sacred precincts of justice. The fife
screeched, the drum rattled, beery throats uttered gut-
teral and unintelligible oaths, and there was the deuce
to pay generally. This mob was bent on intimidation.
Having, as they supposed, exercised a certain amount
of ' moral ' influence on the court, the mob gathered
in force at the intersection of Randolph and Clark
streets, and literally obstructed both thoroughfares
opposite the Sherman House. C. P. Bradley was Chief
of Police at that time, and Darius Knights, now at the
head of the sewage department of the city, was the
Marshal. Both were men of force and not to be
trifled with. Luther Nichols — who came with General
Scott in 1832, has been a resident of Chicago ever since,
and is now the oldest continuous resident in the city —
was the captain of police. When the mob had com-
pletely blocked the before-mentioned thoroughfares, Cap-
tain Nichols hurried to Mayor Boone for orders. ' What

6i6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

shall I do ? ' queried he. ' Clear the streets and dis-
perse the mob," was Mayor Boone's answer, and the
order was obeyed without any serious consequences.
Several who made efforts at resistance were arrested.
All this happened in the forenoon. The mob having
dispersed, quiet reigned ' down town,' but it was one
of those calms that precede a storm. Both sides were
setting ready for a desperate struggle. While the
saloon interest on the North Side were marshaling its
forces, for the declared object of rescuing the prisoners
in the hands of the officers, Mayor Boone was energeti-
cally strengthening his position by swearing into service
an extra force of one hundred and fifty policemen, thus
placing an effective force of nearly two hundred and
fifty men at his command.

•• About three o'clock the mob was sufficiently organ-
ized to proceed, and accordingly made its way along
North Clark Street to the bridge. A part got across,
but a considerable portion was cut off by a strategic
movement on the part of the bridge-tender. It appears
that the rioters became somewhat separated, one part
preceded the other a short distance, and as soon as
the first batch was across, the tender swung his bridge
to an open.

" Then a curious parley ensued. The Teutons
raved and swore, and threatened to shoot, while the
bridge-tender yelled back that he was acting under
orders from the Mayor, and that he could not accom-
modate his fellow-citizens with a passage until the
mayoral order was countermanded. The Mayor was
communicated with, and finally word was sent to turn
the bridge. Then the mob swarmed across, only to
meet a solid phalanx of police. The reason -Mayor
Boone consented to the turning of the bridge was that
he felt confident that his arrangements were equal to
any emergency, and so they proved.

" Without much ado the mob and the peelers came
into collision. The leaders of the mob cried, 'Pick out
the stars! ' ' Shoot the police ! ' Immediately a brisk
lire was opened, and for a short time things were ex-
ceedingly lively round about the Sherman House.
Quite a number of rioters were seriously wounded, but
so far as can be definitely ascertained, only one was
killed, though a few days later there were several mys-
terious funerals on the North Side, and it was generally
believed that the rioters gave certain victims
secret burial, the regulation with reference to permits
not being quite as strict then as now.

•• A stalwart Teuton leveled a double-barreled shot-
gun at Officer Hunt, and blew off his left arm. The
action was observed by Sheriff Andrews, who directed
a young man named Frazer, standing by his side, to
return the fire. He did so, and brought down his man.
So far as known this was the single fatality of the day.
Subsequently those in sympathy with the rioters had
Krazer arrested, but the Sheriff put a quietus on that
effort by averring that the shot was fired at his express
order. Officer Hunt is still a member of the police
force. He is at present detailed for special duty in
connection with the Comptroller's office, and attends to
show-licenses and other matters of that sort. At Mayor
Boone's 9 iggestion the City Council voted him the snug
sum of .S.3.000. and he still, after a lapse of twenty-
two year--, has that amount on interest, with Dr. Boone
a^ his financial agent.

"The riot was ostensibly set on font to release cer-
tain compatriots from jail. But it turned out to have a
contrary effect, and instead of releasing any it added

sixty to the number already • jugged.' The eveni of
the day created intenst 1 ccitement throughout the

city, and as an aid to the police the military were called
out, the said military consisting of an Irish company
known as Montgomery Guards — relics of which were
maintained up to quite a late period; an American com-
pany known as the Chicago Light Guards, a dragoon
company, and a battery of two guns under command of
the then prominent banker, R. K. Swift. The latter is
said to have cut rather a bad figure during the trouble.
He responded with his two guns, but was at a loss what
to do. Mayor Boone requested him to protect the court-
house with his artillery, but the financial shootist claimed
that it could not be done, since he could at the most
protect but two sides at the same time. His honor,
therefore, drew for him a little diagram, demonstrating
that by placing one gun at the corner of La Salle and
Washington streets, and the other at the corner of Ran-
dolph and Clark, he would be able to command all the
approaches to the square. As soon as Swift became
aware that the thing was practicable, he washed his
hands of the whole affair, and left the guns in charge of
his lieutenant, who was really an able officer, and would
have thoroughly demonstrated the practicability of the
Mayor's views, had the mob given him an opportunity.
But the mob kept quiet thereafter. The one dose, well
and quickly applied, was all-sufficient. Bad blood was
rampant in those days, and street broils were exceed-
ingly common. But Mayor Boone, being a man of
nerve and decision, took the riotous bull by the horns,
the moment he made his appearance, and knocked the
brute insensible at the first blow.

" It was fortunate for Chicago at that trying period
that the government was in excellent hands. For
putting down a mob few could compare with C. P.
Bradley and Darius Knights, men of the stanchest
nerve."

Following are personal sketches of the mayors who
served the city up to 1858, from the inauguration of
city government in 1837 :

William B. Ogden. — It has been the good fortune
of Chicago to have possessed from the beginning a large
number of public spirited citizens, and it is to them in
greater measure than is often accorded, that the pros-
perity of the city is due. Early perceiving its great
natural advantages, they supplemented those with the
splendid enterprises and works that have made Chicago
what it is. In the history of the progress and develop-
ment of the city, the names of these honored citizens
must always hold a foremost place, and chief among
them stands the name of William B. Ogden. For nearly
half a century, his time, his thought, his wise foresight
and his prudent counsel were all given, and cheerfully
given, to the building up and development of the great
city, which he early saw would be the gateway and
exchange of the Northwest. The mere enumeration of
the great works and enterprises in which he was engaged,
the most of which his mind conceived and his hand
executed is enough to daze the ordinary mind. He ad-
vocated and helped to construct the Illinois &: Mich-
igan Canal. He built the first railroad that entered the
city. He projected and constructed thousands of miles
of that railway system which pours into the lap of Chi-
cago the wealth and commerce of more than ten States.
He possessed in a wonderful degree the American char-
acteristics of hopefulness and self-reliance. Coming to
Chicago when still a young man, while as yet the Indian
paddled his canoe on Lake- Michigan, or chased the
deer over the prairies, and the nightly howling of wolves
disturbed the repose of Chicago's first settlers, his pre-
scient mind took in the future development of the great
Northwest. When he first stood upon the shore of

LOCAL POLITICS.

617

Lake Michigan, there were scarce five thousand persons
between that shore and the Pacific, and he lived to see
it teeming with a population of ten million souls. He
was a born leader of men. It has been said of General
Jackson, that if he was thrown with a number of men
and any emergency should arise requiring a commander
that all would instinctively turn to him and obey him.
Mr. Ogden possessed the same characteristic and was
regarded in the same way. He was the first Mayor of
Chicago;* the first president of Rush Medical College;
the president of the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad;
of the National Pacific Railroad Convention held in
Philadelphia in 1850; of the Illinois & Wisconsin Rail-
road Company; of the Buffalo & Mississippi Railroad
Company; of the Chicago Branch of the State Bank of
Illinois; of the board of sewerage commissioners of the
city of Chicago; of the board of trustees of the Uni-
versity of Chicago; and he was the first president of the
Union Pacific Railroad Company. Nor was he a mere
figure-head in these great enterprises, but to all of them
he contributed his time, his thought, his active exertion
and his money. He foresaw the vast importance and

value of the reaping machine to the Western prairies;
and was early engaged in introducing it into extensive
use throughout the West. He became interested with
Mr. McCormick in the first large factory for their manu-
facture, and it was at Mr. Ogden's suggestion that the
reaper was sent to England in 1851, which took the
prize at the London Exhibition. He was a man of
commanding presence, and cast in a mold of generous

For sketch of Buckn

econd Mayor of Chicago, see " He

nubility. All whom he met accorded him at once their
respect and confidence. In his commerce with man-
kind, whether with the high or the humble, he was
always a courteous gentleman. He was the contem-
porary of, and lived on terms of intimacy with, some "I
the greatest men our country has produced, and though
his life was mainly devoted to business, in comprehen-
sive grasp of mind, in nobility of character, in all that
goes to make the perfect citizen and the useful man, he
was the peer of all. He was born on the 15th of June,
1805, in the town of Walton, Delaware Co., N. Y. His
grandfather had been an officer in the Revolutionary War,
and belonged to the Ogden family of Eastern New
Jersey. Some time after the war he removed with a
small colony of other officers and their families to the
wild and picturesque region of Delaware County. Here
a settlement was formed in the unbroken forest, and
though the homes were rude, they were characterized
by culture and a genuine hospitality. Amid such sur-
roundings William was born and the first years of his
life passed. He was- born a pioneer, and he possessed
the spirit of adventure and enterprise that belongs to
the pioneer. Fond of athletic sports, he early became
an adept with the rifle, and his boyhood was spent in
learning the mysteries of wood-craft. Nor did he lose
his natural taste for books and intellectual pursuits.
His father's means warranted him in looking forward to
one of the liberal professions for his career in life, and
having chosen the law, he commenced his academic
studies. But his hopes were rudely shattered by the
sudden ill-health and subsequent death of his father,
and when little more than sixteen years of age he found
himself the mainstay and support of his mother and his
younger brother and sisters. From this responsibility
he did not shrink, and though the chosen avenue of life
was closed to him, he knew that others would open to
the faithful, honest and industrious worker. In the
busy working-day world he did not intend to be a drone.
The first years of his business life were moderately suc-
cessful, but did not satisfy his ambition, and he began
to cast about for other fields of labor, where the reward
would be more in proportion to the enterprise. In the
meantime, however, he did not cease to take an active
interest in the public affairs of his native country, and
in 1834 his fellow-citizens elected him to the Legislature
of New York. The most notable thing in his legislative
career was his advocacy of the New York & Erie Rail-
road, then lately projected, and which was seeking State
aid in its construction. Though he was not thirty years
of age, he made a wise and prophetic speech, urging
upon the Legislature the importance of timely aid to the
great enterprise. Though the measure did not pass at
that session the following year the aid was granted. But
he still desired a wider theater for his operations and
ambition, and in 1835 he removed to Chicago as the
representative of a number of Eastern capitalists win >,
associated under the name of the American Land Com-
pany, were making large investments in Chicago town
lots, and other Western lands. Here he established a
loan and trust agency, and commenced those vast
operations and enterprises which resulted in making a
small city a great one. His success was not unbroken,
and the financial depression of 1837 found him unpre-
pared for the storm, mainly through his attempt to carry
others. But he bravely struggled through, and after
several years of unwearying exertion, he came out with
untarnished name and credit. Those were indeed days
of depression, discouragement aud gloom. The vision
of the future greatness seemed to depart from Chicago
forever, and the luckless holders of corner lots loathed

6iS

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

the verv sight of their possessions, and could not even
give their lots away. Men subsequently became
millionaires, because they could not sell their land at
at any price during those days of desolation and de-
spair. But it many lost faith. Ogden did not, and
throughout all those trying years from 1837 to 1843
maintained a bold and courageous front. On the incor-
poration of the city in 1837 Ogden was elect Mayor,
.'ver lohn H. Rinzie, the Whig candidate. In all mat-
ters of public improvement he was untiring and zealous,
and where it was possible always sought to place such
improvements on a solid and enduring basis. Many
street improvements he made at his own or the expense
of those associated with him in his town property.

But the several years following 1837 were years of
trouble. The prosperity of Chicago received a check,
as did that of Illinois and the whole country. Business
was prostrated. But worse than that; the State had
embarked its credit in a vast system of internal im-
provement, too costly for the time. The canal was
abandoned, work on the railroad ceased; the State
could pay no longer and was bankrupt. The debtors
were in a vast majority and it was hard to pay debts,
much harder to pay taxes. Then went up the coward
and despairing cry of " Repudiation "—" Let us have
stay laws, relief laws, anything to save us from our
bitter enemies, the creditors!" Throughout the city
and throughout the State only the wild and senseless
clamor of repudiation was heard. In the city a meeting
was called by frightened debtors and some dema-
gogues, to take measures looking to the repudiation of
the city debt. Inflammatory speeches greatly excited
and made desperate many of the crowd, and everything
looked as if dishonor would crown the city's brow. In
the midst of the excitement Mr. Ogden stepped forward
to address the crowd. The sentiment in favor of repu-
diation appeared to be overwhelming, and it seemed
like madness to endeavor to stay the whirlwind of des-
peration that was determined to sweep all before it.
But he was equal to the great occasion. In a few well-
chosen sentences he exhorted the citizens not to commit
the folly of proclaiming their own dishonor. He be-
sought those who were embarrassed to bear up against
adverse circumstances with the courage of men, remem-
bering that no misfortune was so great as personal dis-
honor. That it were better to conceal misfortune
than to proclaim it : that many a fortress had been
saved by the courage of its inmates in concealing their
weakness. " Above all things, do not tarnish the honor
of our infant city." His eloquence prevailed, and to
hiin, more than to any other one man is due the fact
that the city's credit was saved. Nay more than that :
the example of that time became a guide and a tradi-
tion, and to it we owe that high sense of honor and
financial integrity which has preserved the city's good
name and fame against the schemes of all subsequent
repudiators. Mr. Ogden's influence in this respect was
felt throughout the State, and the honor of Illinois as
well as of Chicago was saved. There can be no brighter
page in any man's history than that which contains such
a story as this. But this was not the only occasion when
Mr. Ogden's power as an orator (hanged the temper of
an angry and excited crowd. It was when he was
building one of his Wisconsin railroads. He and others
had obtained larg<- stoi k subscriptions from the farmers
and villagers along the line. Hard times came on, the
road was not completed, but the subscriptions had all
been paid. The people began to think they had been
swindled, and Mr. Ogden was denounced as tin- chief
offender. 'Threats against his life were made if he

should ever show himself in the country again. He-
heard of these threats, and against the counsel of his
friends he called a public meeting and announced that
he would address the people. A crowd of excited men
gathered together, ready for almost any act of violence.
He was received with hisses and groans, and at first
could hardly be heard, but he appealed to their sense
of fair play so effectively that at last they began to listen.
Clearly and cogently he related the facts; spoke of his
own losses and sacrifices; how unavoidably the work
had been delayed. Then he showed what would be the
effect of the completed road; how it would bring a mar-
ket to every farmer's door, and would treble the value
of every farm, and that if they would be patient a little
longer all would be well. After he had finished a com-
mittee was appointed to wait on him, not to lynch him,
but to say : " Mr. Ogden, we are authorized by the
farmers and the stockholders along the road, to say, if
you wish it, we will double our subscriptions." Another
display of his oratory was exhibited on a more pleasing
occasion. In 1839 Oliver Newberry built a magnificent
steamboat, and called it the Illinois. It was a Chicago
steamer, and the citizens of Chicago determined to pre-
sent it with a splendid flag worthy of such a vessel, and
Mr. Ogden was selected to make the presentation
speech. It was a beautiful day in summer, and the
whole city turned out en masse to witness the spectacle.
General Scott was present on the occasion. Standing
on the deck of the steamer, General Scott by his side,
and the commander of the vessel, Captain Blake, and
the owner, Mr. Newberry, in front of him, Mr. Ogden
commenced by speaking of the "splendid specimen of
naval architecture " on which he stood, and of his
pleasure in being the organ of presenting the appropriate
gift to the steamer bearing the name of our State. He
spoke of the wonderful advance our country was mak-
ing, of the enlarged means of communication between
the East and the West, binding together the Hudson,
the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. He spoke of the
prairie fires as the " Pillar of fire by night " lighting the
path of Empire on its Western way. He paid a glow-
ing tribute to the memory of Robert Fulton, but for
whose genius the lake and the prairie around it would
have still remained in the solitude of nature. Then
turning to Captain Blake and unfurling the silken
banner, he said : " We present to you our country's flag.
To you it is no stranger; under a most valiant chief
[bowing to General Scott] whom a grateful people have
not forgot to praise, bravely and honorably have you
defended it in war. Stand by it in peace. Stand by it
forever." To recount the labors of Mr. Ogden in con-
nection with the railroads of the Northwest would be to
write a volume. He was called the "Railway Ring of
the West." East, West and South he pressed his rail-
road enterprises, and it was his desire to bring every
farm in the Northwest within reach of a road. It was
in April, 1849, that the first locomotive started west
from Chicago. It drew a train ten miles from the city.
It was the earnest of Chicago's greatness. 'That road
was built by William B. Ogden. The panic of 1857
found Mr. Ogden heavily obligated as endorser for the
Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad Company,
but he weathered the storm successfully, without loss,
and without assistance from the hosts of friends who
tendered him almost unlimited means during those try-
ing times. It was at this time that a Scotch nobleman
sent him the following note :

"My ,/,',„■ Mr. Ogden.-— \ hear you are in trouble. I have
placed to your credit in New York ,£100,000. If you get through 1
know you will return il; if you don't, Jeanie and I will never miss it."

LOCAL POLITICS.

619

Although this princely liberality was not accepted,
it will always remain a gratifying exhibition "I" the
esteem and confidence which Mr. Ogden inspired in
those who knew him. Mr. Ogden was one of the chief
organizers of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway
Company in 1859, now one of the largest, if not the
largest railway corporation in the United States. In
1856 he organized a lumber company on the Peshtigo
River in Wisconsin, purchased immense tracts of pine
lands, erected extensive mills and factories and built up
at the mouth of the river on Cireen Hay a thriving vil-
lage. In i860 he purchased at Brady's Bend, on the
Alleghany River, in Pennsylvania, some fivethousand
acres of iron and coal land, and organized the Brady's
Bend Iron Company, with a capital of $2,000,000. This
company employed over six hundred men in their fur-
naces and mills and turned out year after year over two
hundred tons of rails daily. When the Union Pacific
Railroad Company was organized, under the act of
Congress in 1862, Mr. Ogden was chosen its first pres-
ident, but his other enterprises induced him subsequently
to retire from the presidency, though he remained a
director, and gave what service was possible to the con-
struction of the road. In June, 1868, he retired from the
presidency of the Chicago & Northwestam Railway
Company, with some of the lines of which he had been
connected for a period of twenty-one years. At a meet-
ing of the stockholders on that occasion, this resolution
was adopted: " Resolved, That his [W. B. Ogden's] con-
nection with this company dating back for a period of
twenty-one years, his disinterested labors in its behalf
without fee or reward during the whole time, the benefit
he has conferred upon it, and the country demand our
grateful acknowledgement, and we hereby tender him
our warmest thanks for his long services, and our best
wishes for his long continued health and prosperity."
Politically he was known as a Democrat. As such he
was elected to the New York Legislature, and as Mayor
of Chicago. When the slavery question arose, he iden-
tified himself with the free-soil party, and in 1848 sup-
ported the Van Buren and Adams ticket. In i860 he
supported Mr. Lincoln, and was elected to the Illinois
Senate on the same ticket. He favored the war for the
Union, but was opposed to the emancipation proclama-
tion and the policy of the administration, and this led
him finally to antagonize the Republican party. The
later years of his life were spent largely in New York.
At his villa of Boscobel, on the Harlem River, he dis-
pensed a noble and generous hospitality. It was here
in his retirement and repose from his chief business
cares, that news suddenly came upon him — " Chicago is
burning." He started at once for the West, and arrived
in Chicago on Tuesday, October 10. He found only a
mass of black and smoking ruins. The house of his
brother, Mahlon D. Ogden, was the only house remain-
ing on the North Side. The following day he received
the news of the utter destruction of his immense lumber
establishment at Peshtigo, and that many lives had been
lost. Remaining in Chicago a few days longer, to instil
hope and courage in the hearts of the despairing and
stricken citizens, he started for Peshtigo, where he was
much more needed. General Strong, who accompanied
him, has written a thrilling account of this fire and of the
labors of Mr. Ogden during these trying times. After
these herculean labors Mr. Ogden again sought the
retirement of his favorite villa. Mr. Ogden's social
qualities were of a high, a very high order. His mind,
enlarged by travel and by extensive reading, sought
relaxation from his immense business cares, in art.
music and poetry. He was a great lover of nature, and

Bryant was his favorite poet. At his home he enter-
tained with a generous hospitality, his mother and sisters
assisting him. He was nut married until late in life.
In February, 1875, he married Miss Mariana Arnnt, a
daughter of Judge Arnot, of Khnira, N. Y. This must
excellent and highly accomplished lady cheered and
solaced the declining years of his life. In his youth he
had been separated by death from the one dear heart
that he loved, to whose memory he remained ever faith-
ful. Years afterward he would show to his most inti-
mate friends some tenderly cherished rehes — a ribbon.
a glove, some faded flowers — mementoes of one whom
he never could forget. Such fidelity to his youthful
love was strikingly characteristic of the man. His
nature was sympathetic, and his smile illuminated every
circle. To relieve the distressed, to aid the deserving,
to encourage the despairing, for these and all good
works, he always seemed to have abundant time, and
many now prosperous men can look back upon the
time when the timely word or aid of William B. ( >gden
placed them upon the road to that prosperity. The
most striking feature of his character was self-reliance.
As Emerson says, " He could stay at home in his own
mind." He did not pretend to be powerful, he was
powerful. He saw his way to the end from the begin-
ning. To a lady whom he was seeking to encourage
about her sons, he once said, " I was born close to a
saw mill, was early left an orphan, christened in a mill-
pond, graduated at a log school house, and at fourteen
fancied I could do any thing I turned my hand to, and
that nothing was impossible, and ever since, madam, I
have been trying to prove it, and with some success."
He believed that honest faithful work could accomplish
every thing. His conversational power was very great.
The artist Healy said of him that in conversation he
was a worthy rival of the best three he ever met : Louis
Phillippe, John Quincy Adams and Doctor Bronson.
Guizot, the French historian and statesman, said of him
as he looked upon his portrait, "That is the representa-
tive American, who is a benefactor of his country, espe-
cially the mighty West ; he built Chicago." Ogden
could indeed say, as he looked over the great West and
the great city thaj. he loved, " et quorum magna pars
fni." Fortunate in his life, he was also happy in his
death. Cheered by the affection of his noble wife, sur-
rounded by loving friends, honored and respected by
all his fellow-citizens, sustained and soothed by an
unwavering faith in the religion of his fathers, he
entered the valley of the shadow of death. On the 3d
of August, 1877, he died at his country seat, Boscobel,
on the Harlem. His remains repose in Woodlawn Cem-
etery, near New York. To the citizens of Chicago it
should be said, " Would you behold his monument, look
around you ! "

Benjamin W. Raymond, the third Mayor of Chi-
cago, was born at Rome, N. Y., in 1801. His early
years were passed in Oneida County and St. Lawrence
County, N. Y., anil he received a good common school
education. At the age of nineteen he commenced his
business career as an employe for a lumber merchant.
Afterward he commenced merchandising, and con-
tinued it with more or less success for several years.
His mother had died when he was five years old, and
his father when he was about twenty-two, so that upon
Benjamin was now thrown the care of his younger
brothers and sisters. The feeling of responsibility
caused by these circumstances created in him habits of
economy and industry, and these became to him hand-
maids of fortune. In 1826, under the influence of the
celebrated revivalist, Rev. C. G. Finney, Mr. Raymond

6-o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

made profession of religion, which he consistently main-
tained until the end of his life. He also became
strongly imbued with strict temperance principles, and
cave up the saJe of liquor in his store, though it was one
of the largest sources of profit to the merchant of those
days. As early as 1S31 he began to look to the Far
West, believing that greater opportunities could be
found there for the young business man than could be
found in his native country. At this time he formed
the acquaintance of Mr. S. X. Dexter, who encouraged
him in his Western notions, and offered large financial

T^yT^S^^^ru^L^

assistance. One or two trips into Northern Ohio and
part of Michigan not proving very successful, he settled
in East Bloomfield. N. V.. and for four years carried on
,i very successful business. Here, in the year 1835, he
married Miss Amelia Porter, with whom he lived hap-
pily for almost fifty years, and who still survives him.
Two sons were born to this marriage, one of whom is
now dead. The other is Professor Oeorge W. Raymond
of Williams College. His attention was now attracted
to Chicago as a point of great future importance, and
he determined to make it his future home. He arrived
in Chicago in June, 1836, with a large stock of goods,
and found the place running over with merchants and
merchandise looking for nothing so much as for pur-
chasers. The outlook for legitimate business was by no
means favorable, and Mr. Raymond was obliged to look
about for other points at which to dispose of his goods.
Assisted by his friend Dexter, and in partnership with
him. he also made large investments in real estate, and
when the hard times of 1837 came upon the country
the firm of P>. W. Raymond & Co. found its liabilities
largely in excess of its assets. But Mr. Dexter had
both the ability and the will to assist the struggling
firm, and during the years 1837, 1838 and 1839 ad-
vanced fully §20,000, and thus the.credit of the house
was preserved and it passed safely through the terrible
depression. In the year 1839 Mr. Raymond was elected
Mayor of the city,, on the Whig ticket. Although the
Democrats were in the ascendancy, the popularity of
Mr. Raymond enabled him to successfully carry the
election. The main incident of Mr. Raymond's term of
office was an exciting contest between the North and
South divisions concerning a bridge over the Chicago
River. The bridge had been swept away at Dearborn
Street, and the people of the South Side were opposed to
its being replaced. There were great jealousies existing
at the time between the divisions, and the contest was
waged with great bitterness. The Council was evenly
divided, and Raymond, who held the casting vote, was
a South-sider. Finally he decided that if the North-
aiders would subscribe $3,000 toward the erection of
the bridge they should have it, and this being agreed
to he gave the casting vote in favor of the bridge. It
was during his term of office that the canal scrip was
largely counterfeited. Mr. Raymond was exceedingly
active in putting a stop to it Several persons were
arrested, and two were convicted and punished. The
hard times brought great suffering among the laboring
s, and particularly to the " canallers," as the Irish
laborers and their families were called, who had been
working on the canal until the work was stopped by

the inability of the State to go further. These laborers
thrown out of employment poured into the city, where
they became only objects of charity. Mr. Raymond
bestowed upon them the whole of the salary he received
as Mayor. It was during his term of office that the
Fort Dearborn reservation was laid out in town lots and
sold. It had been expected by the people that the land
would be donated by the Government to the city, but
the Government was not very rich, and so the order
went out for the sale of Fort Dearborn addition.
Through the efforts of Mr. Raymond Dearborn Park
was reserved to the city, and State Street was laid out
one hundred and twenty feet wide instead of sixty. This
he accomplished by his personal exertions. In 1842 he
was again elected Mayor, much against his own per-
sonal wishes. City orders were being hawked about at
a large discount, though good times were now return-
ing. Mayor Raymond by a system of rigid economy in
the administration of public affairs soon brought the
city's credit to par. Mr. Raymond early became in-
terested in railroads, and he was one of the first directors
in the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad, the pioneer
of the great Northwestern system. He was one of the
foremost in many of the great undertakings that have
tended to build up Chicago, but he was particularly
active in promoting the religious and educational in-
terests of Chicago and the West. He laid out the town
of Lake Forest, and was active in securing the charter
for its University. He was president of the board of
trustees of the University for twelve years. He was one
of the trustees of Beloit College, and also of the Rock-
ford Female Seminary, and he gave largely of his time
and means to their assistance. He did much for the
town of Elgin; built the first woolen mill there, and in
1864 founded the celebrated watch manufactory, and
was the first president of the company. For more than
fortv vears he was a ruling elder in the Second Presbv-
terian Church of Chicago. His later years were passed
in retirement and in the enjoyment of that ease his long
life of labor had so nobly won. He died on the 6th of
April, 1883, full of years and honor.

Alexander Lnvn became Mayor in 1840, engag-
ing in business for many years as a builder and con-

tfsy^

(&v^

tractor, owner of a lumber yard and proprietor of a
dry goods and grocery store. The latter was run under
the firm name of Loyd & Thomas until after 1857.

Francis C. Sherman was one of Chicago's pio-
neers, coming to this city from Connecticut in 1834.
Like most of Chicago's Mayors he was, primarily, a

^2"*fftslA^^

-gyT^r^^

merchant, being also interested in a brick yard at a
later day. Mr. Sherman was Alderman of the First
Ward in 1837, County Commissioner from 1840-45,

LOCAL POLITICS.

62f

mayor in 1841, chairman of the Board of Supervisors
in 1 85 1, and again filled the Mayor's chair for three
terms, commencing 1862.

Augustus Garrett, one of the pioneer business
men and public-spirited citizens of Chicago, came to
the city in 1836. Originally from the State of New
York, he had been a successful auctioneer both in Cin-
cinnati and New Orleans, but bad fortune had over-
taken him, and when he came to Chicago he was, virtu-
ally, a bankrupt. Introducing himself to Rev. Jeremiah
Porter, the Church people interested themselves in his
case and he soon was upon his feet again, financially.
He sent on for his wife, whom he had left with her
parents, on the Hudson River (being unable to support
her), and the husband and wife were soon together
again and settled down as permanent residents of Chi-
cago— one of them, at least (Mrs. Garrett1, to make
hei name blessed to posterity. In the winter of 1839,
through the labors of Rev. Peter R. Borein, they were
both converted to a belief in the Methodist faith, and
became prominent Church members. Mr. Garrett's
abilities as a clear-headed and successful business man
were at once recognized in a public way. He served
as Alderman in 1840 and in 1845 was elected to the
mayoralty. His death occurred in December, 1848.
Mrs. Garrett survived her husband until November,
1855, having two years previously bestowed the bulk of
her husband's large fortune upon that noble institution
for the propagation of Christian learning, known as the
Garrett Biblical Institute. Mr. and Mrs.. Garrett left
no children.

Alson S. Sherman was born April 21, 181 1, in
Barre, Vt., coming to Chicago November 1, 1836. The
early portion of his residence in Chicago was spent as
a builder and contractor, being engaged from 1845 to
1855 in the marble, stone and milling business, and in
the sale of building material. Mr. Sherman was active
as a local legislator, the public showing their confidence
in him repeatedly. He served one term as Mayor, one
term as chief engineer of the fire department, two
terms as Alderman, about ten years on the board of
water commissioners, and acted for a number of years
as city school trustee. In fact, in most of the public
enterprises which marked Chicago's early growth, Mr.
Sherman took a leading part. He was married Feb-
ruary 26, 1833, and has nine children living. Mr.
Sherman's residence is Waukegan.

John P. Chapin, Mayor of Chicago in 1846, was in
business, for many years, as a forwarding and commis-
sion merchant. He first established himself alone, and
later became a member of the firm of Wadsworth,

State's Attorney, and Alderman for two term-.. He was
elected Mayor in 1S47 and again in 1X50.

James H. Woodworth acted as Mayor in 1848 and
1849. He was a native of New York, coming to Chi-
cago in 1833, and early becoming a marked public
character. Mr. Woodworth engaged in the milling

cC^r^

^

business, And was part owner of the old Hydraulic
Mills for some time. He was elected Alderman in 1845
and again in 1847, and was later a commissioner of
water works, while during 1S55 and 1857 he was sent
to Congress.

Walter S. Gurnee was born at Haverstraw-on-
the-Hudson, N. Y., in 1813. Having lost his father at
the age of eight'years, he left his home to find another
with his uncle, Judge John D. Coe, at Romulus, Sene-
ca Co., N. Y. Here he remained until old enough to
take care of himself. Mr. Gurnee's first independent
business venture was at Detroit in 1835, and the follow-
ing year he went to Chicago, where he, at first, started

fc/ '&~r,

in the saddlery business, also carrying a stock of
general hardware. Until his retirement from busi-
ness, was engaged in the leather trade, operating, in
early days, one of the largest tanneries in the West.
He was one ot the original directors of the Board of
Trade, and was elected Mayor of Chicago in 1851 and
1852. Mr. Gurnee was always considered one of the
most substantial business men of the city, being so con-
fident of its continual growth that he invested in real
estate in localities which, at the time, were far beyond
its limits. He, with Charles E. Peck, purchased con-
siderable land along the line of the Chicago & Milwau-
kee road, and founded the present beautiful village of
Winnetka. Mr. Gurnee is now a resident of New York
city, having removed there in 1863.

Charles M. Gray, Mayor in 1853, was a native of
New York, coming to Chicago in 1834. At first he
manufactured grain cradles in a small way, and after-
ward associated himself with Cyrus McCormick in the

<yfA/?/? ttt/fril

^r^^&Lu-^,

Dyer & Chapin, who were also large packers, oper-
ating a house on the South Branch. In 1844 Mr. Cha-
pin served as Alderman from the First Ward, but was
better known as a merchant than as a politician.

James Curtiss, a lawyer by profession and a native

of New York, came to Chicago in 1835. He held many
offices of local trust, being Clerk of the County Court,

manufacture of reapers. He was also engaged in busi-
ness as a wholesale grocer, and had merely a local
name as a public man. He is assistant general freight
agent of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Rail-
road.

Isaac L. Milliken was one of Chicago's early
blacksmiths, but being industrious, ambitious and popu-
lar, obtained a smattering- of law and served the city as

lis*

t^tac

622

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Alderman twice and both the city and county in a judic-
ial capacity. He acted as assistant County Judge for a
few years, commencing' with 1853, and began his service
as Police Magistrate in 1S56. He became Mayor in
1854.

I.kvi D. Boone was born December 8, 1808, near
Lexington, Ky., being a grand-nephew of the noted
Daniel Boone and a son of "Squire" Boone, a Baptist
minister, and Anna Grubbs, of Virginia. He was the
seventh son, and in his tenth year was left fatherless,
his mother being poor and burdened with a large
family. His early days were spent among Indian out-
rages, and his first recollections were of the active and
brave part taken by both his parents in subduing the
savages. His father was killed at the battle of Horse-
shoe Bend. Growing up amid such scenes, it is quite
remarkable that when twenty-one years of age Dr.
Boone should have been able to graduate with honors
from Transylvania University. In the spring of 1829
he removed to Kdwardsville, 111., to engage in the prac-
tice of his profession. Subsequently he settled in Hills-
boro, Montgomery County, and upon the breaking out
of the Black Hawk War in 1832 responded as the very
first man in his county, and served as Captain of a
cavalry company. In 1836 Dr. Boone removed to Chi-
cago and at once became identified with its progress.
At first he engaged in the insurance business, but the
panic of 1837 forced him to return to practice. For a
number of years he was western head of the Mutual
Life Insurance Company. He served as city physician
for a number of years, and his invaluable services dur-
ing the cholera epidemic of 1848 are still remembered
with gratitude by many early residents. Having served
three successive terms as Alderman, he was elected
Mayor in 1855, and it was during his administration
that the "beer riots" were quelled. During the war

=^' ^/^/ii^C^^-

Dr. Boone was a faithful Union man, and therefore the
following story told of him ever retains its " flavor: "
" He was one of the physicians at Camp Douglas dur-
ing the incarceration of Confederate prisoners, one of
whom, a boy named Tom Green, got the good Doctor into
a peculiar scrape. Green's mother came to Chicago and
immediately set about securing her son's release, aided
by a Mrs. Morris. A plan was arranged by which Tom
should promenade a certain stretch every day where his
mother could view him through a field-glass from the
roof of an adjoining building. But Mrs. Green couldn't
stay and departed, leaving $50 for her boy in care of
Dr. Boone, which was to be used in buying necessaries.

I he Doctor placed the amount in his safe in an envelope
and labeled it 'Ton! Green's money,' and was then
called to Washington. Green learned of the money and
its location, and secured it through the connivance of a
medii al student during the I >octor's absence, the student
agreeing to let Tom escape for $30. The bargain was
made and 'lorn proceeded to escape by climbing a fence
and — found himself in the Federal ranks, betrayed by
the Student ! I he I rnion soldiers tried in vain to compel

I om to give up the information relating to his attempted

by moderate means, and only succeede'd after

stringing him up by the thumbs. Then the youthful

Confederate confessed that the money to purchase his
liberty had come from Dr. Boone, and that was all he
knew about it. Immediately upon Dr. Boone's return
to Chicago he was arrested on a charge of conspiracy to
aid in the escape of prisoners of war. No explanations
would suffice at that time, and he was placed under
arrest by Colonel Joseph Tucker, then in command of
Camp Douglas. After a time the Doctor was released
on parole, and that parole was still in force when his
spirit took its flight." Dr. Boone was the first man in
Chicago to advocate the award of private bounty as an
inducement for men to enlist in the Federal ranks. For
himself he backed the proposition to give a city lot or a
farm of 'forty acres to the widow of the first Chicago
volunteer who should fall in defense of the country's
honor; and the widow of a gallant soldier under Colonel
Mulligan received the Boone bounty as promised. In
March, 1833, Dr. Boone was married to Miss Louise
M. Smith, daughter of Judge Theophilus W. Smith, of
the Illinois Supreme Court. At the time of his death
six of their eleven children were left to them — two sons
and four daughters. Aside from his public life. Dr.
Boone is best known as a pillar of the Michigan-avenue
Baptist Church, and as a trustee and valued patron of
the Chicago University. His life, in short, was filled with
useful works, and his marked success as a man was
merited.

Thomas Dyer, an old and respected settler and
merchant of Chicago, was born January 13, 1805, at

Canton, Conn. His father was an officer of the Revo-
lutionary War. Young Dyer was brought up as a
farmer's son, but developed sterling business traits at
an early age. When he was about thirty years old he
started for Chicago and the West, and soon engaged in
general trade, also erecting a warehouse, and doing
business under the firm name of Wadsworth, Dyer &
Chapin; Newberry & Dole, and this house were among
the very earliest warehouse firms to engage in business
in the then young city. Mr. Dyer at once assumed his
place as a leading man of affairs in the growing com-
munity with which he had cast his lot, being one of the
directors of the Galena & Chicago Union road. He
also served one term in the Legislature, was president
of the Chamber of Commerce in 1848, and Mayor of
the city in 1856. His death occurred at Middletown,
Conn., on the 6th of June, 1862. Mr. Dyer was twice
married — the first time to Adaline Hopkins, the second
time to the widow of Elijah K. Hubbard. Clarence H.
Dyer, his son, is still a respected business man of this
city, being a child about two years old when his father
removed to Chicago. Mrs. Dyer resides with Elijah K.
Hubbard, Jr., her only surviving child.

John Wentworth was born in Sandwich, Strafford
Co., N. H., on March 5, 1815, of the Hon. Paul and
Lydia Cogswell) Wentworth. His paternal grand-
father was the Hon. John Wentworth, Jr., member of
the Continental Congress from New Hampshire, whose
name is signed to the original " Articles of Confedera-
tion." His maternal grandfather was Colonel Amos Cogs-
well, who served through the entire Revolutionary War,
entering at the same time that General Washington
took command of the Revolutionary Army, under the
old tree at Cambridge, Mass.; and served through the

LOCAL POLITICS.

623

entire war, with six brothers, and assisted at the forma-
tion of the Society of Cincinnati at the disbanding of
the Revolutionary Army. John Wentworth is descended
on both sides from the earliest settlers of New En-
gland, and there is no blood in his veins of any emi-
grant, since the year 1700; all his ancestors, after that
date, living and dying in New England, and nearly all
of them in the State of New Hampshire. The ancestor
of his family in 1066 was Reginald Wentworth, — Ry-
nold de Wynterwade — who was proprietor of the lief of
Wentworth, in the wapentake of Strafford, West Riding
of Yorkshire, as shown by the celebrated Domesday
Book; Wentworth means the White Hall, Court or
Town. A periodical of years since thus describes the
birthplace of John Wentworth: " He was born in that
part of New Hampshire known as the Switzerland of
America; among those highlands separating those beau-
tiful and picturesque bodies of water, dotted with hun-
dreds of little islands, which are known as Squam and
Winnipisseogee Lake. As the traveler from the capital
of the State reaches the first of that extensive range of
mountains, which he never loses sight of until he
arrives at Mount Washington itself, known as the Red
Mountain, he beholds a promontory of comparatively
low lands, nearly equally divided between hills, vales.
and little lakes, jutting up among precipitous and rug-
ged mountains, and from which there seems no outlet,
except in the direction of the entrance. At the extreme
end of this peninsular strip of land, bounded almost
entirely by mountains, with no house, no road, nor any
place beyond save the mountain's craggy side; less
than a quarter of a mile to the right of the road that
now leads through a hardly passable gorge to Thornton,
in the town of Sandwich, at the foot of Mount Israel,
and at the last cultivated farm thereon, was Colonel Went-
worth born, in the sight of almost perpetual snows.
Seldom indeed are all those towering peaks that line
the town of Sandwich snowless, and few are the fields
that miss the frosts for six months in a year. It blights
the blossoms in the spring and the unripe fruit in
autumn. Few are the agricultural products adapted to
its short and cool summers, and to its winters, vieing
almost with those of Franconia, known as the coldest
place in the Union. The soil is sterile and rocky; and
its original settlers, in 1768, declared that they found it
a dense mass of rocks and trees, with no bare spot
save its lakes and rivers. At the dale of the birth of
Mr. Wentworth there were no stores, no hotels, and no
places of recreation, where one could while away a
leisure hour, or which could entice one from the paths
of industry. Work was the only recreation and sleep
the only rest. The evening shade was the signal for
general retirement, and the day-dawn found all break-
fasted, and the oxen yoked at the door. Amid such
habits, and upon such a theater, was the subject of this
sketch born and reared." And so restricted were its
mail facilities, that the news of the Battle of New Or-
leans reached the town on the day of Mr. Wentworth's
birth.

The first school attended by John Wentworth was
the public school taught by Benjamin G. Willey, at
Sandwich, in the winter of 1819-20. He attended the
common schools of Sandwich until the winter of 1826-
27, when he went to reside with Dr. Asa Crosby the
ancestor of the distinguished family of all the Crosbys
in the United States , of Gilmanton, N. H.. and attended
the academy there under the charge of Asa Emerson
Foster. During the summer and fall of 1827, he was a
pupil of Rev. James Towner at the Wolfeborough, N.
H., Academy, and in the summer of 1828 was at the

New Hampton, \ II.. Vcademy, of which Benjamin
F. Farnsworth was principal. On August 12, 1828, the
inchoate congressman participated in the annual exhi-
bition, being then thirteen years of age, and declaimed
an extract from Webster's eulogy on Adams and feffer-
son. In the winter of 1828 29 he attended a school
taught by Dudley Leavitt, of Meredith. N. 11., the cell
brated almanac-maker. In the summer of 1829 and
the winter of ^29-30, he attended the New Hampton
Academy, under the same preceptor as before; and, on
August 13, 1829, at the annual exhibition, took part in
a Creek dialogue. He remained at home during the
summer of [830, and returned to the Academy in the
winter of 1830-31. At this Academy', in the spring ol
1830, he founded the Social Fraternity, which Was
created by the founder in order to supply the necessity
existing for a debating and literary society, other than
the Literary Adelphi, an association whose advantages
were limited to students of older age than that of Mr.
Wentworth. It was a fitting prelude to the life of John
Wentworth, editor, mayor and congressman, to find him
at the age of fifteen organizing a literary society, to
provide students with those educational amenities from
which they were debarred because of their age. He-
remained at this Academy until the winter of 1831-32.
participating in the exhibition of August 13. 1831, and
there took an original part in the discussion: "Which
has conferred the greatest benefit upon mankind, the
discovery of the art of printing or the mariner's com-
pass ? " During this winter he taught his first school
at Simpson Hill, New Hampton, N. H.; and returned
to the Academy subsequently and remained until the
spring vacation. In the spring of 1832 he attended the
Academy of South Berwick, Me., under the charge of
Lewis Turner, remaining until the close of the summer
term, and there delivered the valedictory address.
During his stay there he wrote several articles for the
Democratic Press in defense of General Jackson's
financial policy, which received high eulogium. Thus,
during his adolescence, is John Wentworth noticeable
for his prominent literary ability. In the autumn of
1832 he entered Dartmouth College, N. H., from which
institution he graduated in 1836. During his second
winter in college he taught school in Hanover, about
two miles south of the college; during the third winter
at college he taught school at Grafton, N. H., and the
fourth winter at East Lebanon, N. H. While there he
was a substitute for one of the leading men in the school
district, a delegate to the county convention, to nom-
inate a democratic candidate for Senator, and was made
chairman of the committee on resolutions; his reports
and the remarks called forth by the transaction of busi-
ness received high encomiums from the delegates and
the Press. His first and only vote before coming to
Chicago was cast for Isaac Hill, Democratic candidate
for Governor, and this action likewise manifested the
bent of his subsequent career. On Monday, October 3,
1836, he left the paternal roof-tree in Sandwich, N. H.,
with a general idea of going West and with $100 in his
pocket. The opinions of the prominent men of that
time may be inferred from the following letters, given
to Mr. Wentworth prior to his departure:

" MOULTONBOROUGH, September 22, 1836.
" Hon. John Reynolds, Dear Sir: Permit me to introduce
In your acquaintance Mr. John Wentworth, a young man of good
talents, who has just completed his collegiate studies, and visits tin-
West for the purpose of studying and pursuing the practice of the law.
As your knowledge and influence will enable you to direct him in
the choice of a desirable spot to locate, whatever assistance you
may render him will be gratefully received and considered a favor
conferred on, Your friend and obedient servant,

" Benning M. Kkan."

624

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

John Reynolds was Governor and Member of Con-
gress from Illinois, and Mr. Bean was Member of Con-
gress from New Hampshire. The other letter was
from Governor Isaac Hill, formerly United States Sen-
ator from New Hampshire, to General Henry Dodge,
Governor of Wisconsin :

"CoNCORD, N. II., September 29. 1S36.
'Sir.' 1'ermit me to introduce to your friendly attentions Mr.
fohn Wentworth, a graduate of Dartmouth College, of the present
Year. Mr. Wentworth possesses merit as a scholar and a gentle-
man, and has already discovered talent as a politician which gives
him the first rank among our young men. lie goes to the West in
pursuit of fortune and fame. Should he take a stand in your Ter-
ritory, I cannot doubt that he will receive, as he will merit, the
patronage and friendship of the pioneers of your flourishing country.
1 am. with high respect, Your obedient servant,

" Isaac Hill."

These letters and the facts recited show how well his
dominating characteristics were exhibited in his early
life: how the struggles, the difficulties and the encomi-
ums he experienced, seemed to be preparatory to the
wider, higher sphere he was ultimately to fill. Upon his
journey he traveled by post-coach to Concord, N. H.;
thence across the Green Mountains to Troy, N. Y.;
thence to Schenectady; thence, for the first time, on the
cars to Utica, X. Y.; thence, for the first time, on the
canal, to Tonawanda, N. Y.; thence by stage to Niagara
Falls: thence on a steamer, for the first time, to Buffalo,
thence on the steamboat Columbus, Captain A. Walker,
to Detroit, arriving there October 13. He took a pedes-
trian excursion of some forty miles into the country
from Detroit, visiting Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, and
advertising for a position as school teacher, in the De-
troit Free Press, but meeting with no response to his
advertisement, and not being inspired by the "star of
inevitable destiny " otherwise to remain, he returned to
Detroit upon the seventeenth, and sent his trunk to
Chicago by the brig Manhattan, Captain John Stewart,
and took stage for Michigan City, Ind., arriving there
on the afternoon of October 22. The ensuing day he
set out on foot for Chicago. Several old residents
remembered seeing Mr. Wentworth en route to Chicago,
tall, dusty, gritty and independent as he strode toward
the goal, where he was to win fame and fortune such as
are achieved by but few people. He tarried over the
night of October 24, at Calumet, now known as South
Chicago, and arrived in Chicago on the forenoon of
October 25, 1836, and accidentally meeting Matthew S.
Moloney, then of the leading mercantile house of Wild,
Moloney & Co., formerly of Northfield, N. H., and an old
schoolmate of Mr. Wentworth's, that gentleman strongly
recommended to him the United States Hotel — previ-
ously the Sauganash — kept by the late John Murphy,
afterwards well known as an Alderman and leading pol-
itician of the city. Since that date John Wentworth
dines with Mrs. John Murphy every 25th of October.
He determined upon pursuing the study of law, and
made the necessary arrangements having that end in view
with Henry Moore, a leading lawyer of this city, whose
ill-health required him to return to the East, where he
died of consumption many years ago. But, on Novem-
ber 23, 1836, he was induced to take editorial charge of
licago Democrat. Of the influence of that news-
paper upon civic and general politics ; of the sturdy
denunciation of the wild-cat and other fictitious paper
money: its stanch advocacy of " Liberty and Econ-
omy; " its stinging and pungent epigrams, the history
of those times bears witness. A short time after he
took charge of the paper, the mark of this twenty-one
years old editor was made in the city of his choice, and
many of the prominent citizens of Chicago and propri-

etors of the newspaper, urgently solicited him to remain
in charge of the paper, and proffered him every financial
assistance necessary for its purchase: so evidently was
Mr. Wentworth the right man in the right place. He
accordingly made arrangements to take the paper, and
within three years the establishment costing $2,800 was
owned by John Wentworth, free from indebtedness.
He had earned it by incessant labor and indefatigable
application, rigid economy and unremittent attention to
business — such attention as his magnificent physique
and the stern, persistent daily labor of his early New
England home fitted him to endure. In the winter of
1836-37, Mr. Wentworth attended the meetings held in
the Saloon Building, to consider whether the Legisla-
ture— then in session at Vandalia — should be applied to
for a city charter. But very few of those who attended
those meetings are now living. He also took an active
part in the election of Chicago's first Mayor, William B.
Ogden. He was the secretary of the first political
meeting ever called in the old First Ward. In 1837, he
was appointed by the Council the first corporation
printer of] Chicago, and early in 1838, was appointed
School Inspector, which office, under different names,
he held at various times afterward. Mr. Wentworth
was one of the earliest, and has ever been one of the
most persistent advocates of the common-school system
in the West. In 1839, he was appointed one of
the "aides-de-camp" of Governor Carlin. In 1840 he
commenced making speeches to public assemblages
outside the city, and in February, 1840, wrote a
letter upon the relation of the banks to the Govern-
ment and their reciprocal duties. This letter was
printed in pamphlet form, and copied into the Adminis-
tration papers of the day; it received deserved eulogiums,
and attracted a great deal of attention to the utterances
of the newspaper, whose editor, in such terse, powerful
yet elegant phraseology, clearly solved one of the vexed
financial and economic questions of the day. During
this year, also, he started the Daily Democrat, the first
daily Democratic newspaper in the Northwest. Despite
these various demands upon his time and mental
capacity, he still pursued his legal studies, and early in
the spring of 1841 he left Chicago to attend the law
lectures at Cambridge, Mass., with the intention of re-
maining there a year, but hearing that he would prob-
ably receive the nomination for Congress, he returned
to Chicago late in the autumn of 1841, and was shortly
thereafter admitted to the Bar. On May 18, 1843, he
was unanimously nominated for Congress by the Demo-
cratic convention at Joliet. In consequence of the fail-
ure of the Legislature to district the State, the election
which should have taken place in 1842 did not occur
until August, 1843, when Mr. Wentworth was elected
from the Fourth District of Illinois by a large majority,
at the early age of twenty-eight, to a seat in the House
of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Congress, the
youngest member of that body. In 1844 he was re-
nominated, " ncmine contradicente" and re-elected by a
majority of more than three thousand. He was re-
nominated in the same manner and re-elected by a
majority of over six thousand in 1846. In 1848 he was
again nominated and rolled up a majority of three thou-
sand five hundred and fifty-five votes, while in Washing-
ton, attending to his Congressional duties, and notwith-
standing the cry of rotation in office made by aspirants.
As an evidence of Mr. Wentworth's personal popularity
it may be remarked that at the time of the antagonism
to him, Mr. Polk's majority was, in the same district,
only three thousand and eight votes; also, that Mr.
Wentworth's majority was greater than that of any

LOCAL I'Ol.l tics.

r'-'S

other person in the State whose election was contested
by an opposing faction. The Congresses to which he
was elected up to this period of his life were the
Twenty-eighth, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-
first. Before Mr. Wentworth entered Congress he had
never seen a legislative body in session, yet his actions
in Congress were such as though he had been engaged
in parliamentary debates for years. In fact, his whole
life has exhibited a wonderful adaptability of mind and
aptitude of manner, with a comprehensiveness of under-
standing that made all questions readily understood by
him. before his election to Congress there had not
been any member who resided on the lake, nor had
there neen one north of the center of the State of Illi-
nois, and until the admission of Wisconsin as a State he
continued to be the sole representative who resided
upon the shores of Lake Michigan. His district em-
braced the counties of Boone, Bureau, Cook, Cham-
pagne, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Iroquois, Kane, Ken-
dall, Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, McHenry, McLean,
Vermillion and Will, and it extended from the Wiscon-
sin State line on the north to a distance of one hundred
miles below the line of the termination of the Illinois
& Michigan Canal on the south, and from the Indiana
State line on the east to counties touching Rock River
on the west. Its area was two hundred and fifty miles
by one hundred miles, and comprised the most wealthy
and populous portion of the State. Since that time
several entirely new counties, and parts of other new
counties, have been created out of his old district. Mr.
Wentworth was a member of the Baltimore National
Convention of 1844, which nominated James K. Polk
for the presidency; also of that of 1848, which nomi-
nated General Lewis Cass. He was chairman of the
committee that called the celebrated National River and
Harbor Convention which assembled at Chicago in 1847,
and Mr. Wentworth also drafted the address to the peo-
ple of the United States, urging them to send delegates
to the convention. In 1850 he peremptorily declined a
renomination to Congress, and retired from his repre-
sentative duties on March 4, 1851. In November, 1852,
he was elected to Congress from a new Congressional
district, the Second, made under the census of
1850, comprising the counties of Cook, DeKalb, Du-
Page, Kane, Lee, Whiteside and Rock Island. His
term in the Thirty-third Congress expired on March 4,
1855, and again he refused to accede to the solicitations
of his constituents, declining a re-nomination. He thus
served two years under Acting- President Tyler ; he was
present at the inauguration of President Polk ami
served out his term of office ; was present at the inau-
guration of President Taylor and that of Acting Presi-
dent Fillmore, and served two years under their admin-
istrations. He was then out of Congress for two years.
He was present at the inauguration of President Pierce,
and served two years under his presidency. He was
present when John Quincy Adams fell in the House of
Representatives, and was one of the committee
appointed by Speaker Robert C. Winthrop to take his
remains home to Massachusetts. He was elected to the
Thirty-ninth Congress from a district composed alone
of Cook County, and was upon the Committee of Ways
and Means under the administration of Acting-President
Andrew Johnson. During this session he was an earnest
advocate of the immediate resumption of specie pay-
ments, often declaring that every day's delay therein
would prove calamitous to the country. He attended
the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln and was one of
the committee to receive his remains at Chicago. Dur-
ing Mr. Wentworth's occupancy of a seat in Congress,
40

I here was much local legislation requisite for tin- cres-
cive Chicago of that era, and In- worked intelligently
and incessantly for those improvements that were nei
essary for her future greatness, lb- urged, and accom-
plished, the improvement of the harbor, the establish-
ment of light-houses and ports of entry, tin- erection ol
marine hospitals, etc. He championed tin- causes of
his constituents in contested cases under the pre-emp
lion acts, and was the unpaid agent for numberless
claimants for bounty, back-pay, etc., accrued during the
Mexican War. He strenuously championed pre-emp-
tion, graduation and homestead laws ; he was the first
Western congressman who introduced a bill advocating
the bonded warehouse system, and he was mainly
instrumental in passing the land grant bill for the Illi-
nois Central Railroad through the House of Representa-
tives. The remarks of the Democratic Review, made
during his congressional career, aptly describe his serv-
ice : •'Colonel Wentworth's political career has been
marked by untiring industry and perseverance, bj inde-
pendence of thought, expression and actjon, by a thor-
ough knowledge of human nature ; by a moral courage
equal to any crisis ; by a self-possession that enables
him to avail himself of any chance of success when on
the very threshold of defeat ; and by a steady devotion
to what he believes to be the wishes and interests of
those whose representative he is. * * * leu-

men of his age, under so many adverse circumstances,
have attained to equal success, and still fewer are less
indebted to accidental circumstances. So many obsta
cles have been already overcome by him, that he is
never daunted by the hopelessness of any enterprise
that it may seem desirable to undertake." Wheeler, in
his '• Biographical and Political History of Congress,"
Vol. 2, conveys the same idea as to Mr. Wentworth's
persistence : "We mark him down as a man of untiring
energy, whose mind once fixed upon a project is not apt
to be diverted from it, but will make every considera-
. tion secondary to its accomplishment. Possessing a
good knowledge of parliamentary tactics, and conver-
sant generally with the means of success in any move-
ment he may make, he calculates coolly and afar off, and
turns every little circumstance to good account. We
have seen him stand up in the face of denunciation and
excommunication fierce enough to awe into submission
any mind accustomed to acknowledge the obligations
of that austere discipline which is characteristic of the
Democratic party. If he has winced, we have never
seen him. As a good local representative he has few
superiors — perhaps none." The value of these criti-
cisms lies in their having been contemporaneous,
almost synchronous, with the performance of the legis-
lative duties commented upon. Mr. Wentworth was
one of the original stockholders of the Chicago &
Calena Railroad, and continued one of its most urgent
supporters, and was chairman of the executive commit-
tee of the board when the road was consolidated with
the North-Western. In 1857, Mr. Wentworth was unan-
imously nominated, in a convention of delegates from
all the old political parties that existed at that time, as a
candidate for Mayor. The new party was designated,
at that period; the Republican fusion. Upon receipt of
the nomination Mr. Wentworth at once stated, in his
speech at Metropolitan Hall, that if he was elected he
wished it distinctly understood that he was elected to
enforce all the laws of the city. This he proposed
doing. He stated that he did not desire the salary ;
that he could not well attend to the duties without en-
croaching upon the responsibilities of his private busi-
ness- and that the only consideration that made him a

626

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

candidate was, that he believed the great mass of those
who ought to take it, were deterred from doing so, from
the moral certainty that they would greatly increase the
number of their enemies. But, of all considerations, this
would have the least weight with John Wentworth. He
also explicitly stated that he would defer to the wishes of
the people, if they elected him, and serve for one year, but
that must be all that he would be expected to serve. In
March. 1S57. he was elected by over eleven hundred
majority. His watchword, while serving the public,
was that which dominated his individual business inter-
est- : "Liberty and Economy," and to the doctrines im-
plied in that watchword he steadfastly adhered. It may
be remarked that, during this term, he introduced the
nrst steam fire-engine into the city, which was named
"Long John" in his honor; and his first official act
was to call a board of engineers who established
the present grade. Mr. Wentworth declined a re-
election, but he was again nominated and elected
to the mayoralty in i860. When the Prince of Wales
visited Canada in i860, there was a strong effort made
to have him make a tour of the United States, but the
Canadian authorities were opposed to this, and wished
to take him through the British Provinces, with an idea
of enlisting his influence for their development, with
reference to the then contemplated Pacific road through
the British Provinces. Lord Lyons, then British min-
ister at Washington, was exceedingly anxious to gratify
the American people in their wishes, and he suggested
that the Governors of the States and the Mayors of the
principal cities should meet the Duke of Newcastle upon
the arrival of the Prince in Canada, to have a consulta-
tion upon the subject. It was understood that the
Duke of Newcastle had the movements of the Prince in
charge. Mr. Wentworth was one of the large body of
prominent men of America who met the Duke at Mon-
treal— but was the only one from Illinois. It was urged
by the Canadian authorities that the Prince would not
be well received by the masses of the foreign population
in the United States, and disturbances might arise, and
it was contended that those disturbances would be in-
augurated in Chicago. Mr. Wentworth assured the
Duke of Newcastle that he had only to make his
arrangements through the British Consul at Chicago,
and he, as Mayor of the city, would see that they were
all carried out. And they were carried out, to the en-
tire satisfaction of the Duke and to the pride of the
people of Chicago. Mr. Went worth in person superin-
tended all the arrangements, and they were so satisfac-
tory, that, after the return of the Prince, the Duke of
Newcastle wrote him a very complimentary letter, stat-
ing that nowhere were the arrangements made and car-
ried out so satisfactorily as they were at Chicago. He
sent to Mr. Wentworth a large portrait of the Prince
and also sent to him two Southdown sheep from the
Queen's herd for his farm. During this term he intro-
duced two more fire-engines, which were named " Lib-
erty " and '• Economy," after the prominent characteris-
tics of his civic rule. Upon each occasion of his
assumption of the Mayor's office, he found a large float-
ing debt against the city, but at the termination of each
of his tenures of office there was no floating debt, and
he left money in the treasury for his successor. Mr.
Wentworth positively declined a renomination to the
office of Mayor, and, although it was frequently tendered
him, has persistently declined it since that time. In
1861 he was elected a delegate to revise the Constitu-
tion of the State of Illinois, and during the same year
■ .-en a member of the Board of Education for
three years. In all his official capacities, Mr. Went-

worth wielded all his influence in behalf of the common
school system when it was very unpopular; and by his
strong, urgent and sensible articles in the " Democrat,"
he was extremely influential in causing the first brick
public school building to be erected in Chicago, called
the Dearborn school; on the north side of Madison
Street, east of Dearborn Street; it was always his favorite
school, and at the time of the fire he was on the special
committee in charge of it. In later years, when failing
banks became largely in default to the school fund,
his energy, both upon the board and in his newspaper,
saved a large portion of those funds that, at one time,
were considered lost; and had he been sustained by the
action of a majority of the board, every dollar that was
finally lost, by what he believed an unjust compromise
with the banks, would have been saved. In 1863 he
was appointed a police commissioner to fill a vacancy in
the term, which expired in November, 1864. It was
during this term as police commissioner that the raid
by the Rebels upon Camp Douglas was to have been
attempted, and he was all the time in private consulta-
tion with Colonel Sweet, in charge of Camp Douglas.
Francis C. Sherman, the Mayor of the city, had author-
ized Mr. Wentworth to take entire charge of the police
in case of any emergency; and during the entire night
wherein Colonel Sweet made the arrests which caused
such a sensation throughout the country, Mr. Wentworth
was in a private room, with a man from each police
station in the city, awaiting any suggestions that
might be made by Colonel Sweet. 'While sitting there
a messenger arrived from Colonel Sweet, bringing, with
the Colonel's compliments, several pistols which
he had just taken from the traitors outside the
camp, and were so soon to have been used in liberating
the prisoners. It was also during this period that, as
police commissioner, he preserved order in the court-
house yard while the notorious Clement L. Vallandig-
ham addressed the people. At the close of his remarks
Mr. Wentworth took his place upon the court-house
steps and made that ever memorable speech in reply to
him; and when a disturbance was attempted, Mr. Went-
worth called the attention of the crowd to the fact that
Mr. Vallandigham could never have uttered his senti-
ments in the loyal city of Chicago but for the protection
of the Chicago police, acting under his orders. He then
asked of Mr. Vallandigham's friends the same courtesy
while replying that he had extended to Mr. Vallandig-
ham. Mr. Vallandigham's friends saw the point and
gave Mr. Wentworth an attentive hearing. In 1868 he
was again elected a member of the Board of Education
for four years. One phase of his political career has
been unnoticed hitherto in this article — the change
from old-time Democracy to Republicanism, and his
action upon the slavery question. Of these two mat-
ters, Zebina Eastman, the war-horse of abolitionism,
thus wrote in 1857 : " In politics Colonel Wentworth
has ever acted with the old-line Democratic party; but
when the old parties became split up, by making the
slavery extension question a test, he went, with such
other Democrats as Hamlin, Wilmot, King, Trumbull,
Fremont, Blair, and others, into what is known as the
Republican movement. To the success of this move-
ment Colonel Wentworth has, by public speeches, by
writing in his newspaper, and by efforts in every other
way, bent all his energies. And if there is any truth in
the old adage, that the tree which bears the best fruit is
always known by its receiving the greatest number of
clubs, Colonel Wentworth is singled out as one of the
most effective laborers in the ranks of the opposition to
slavery extension. It is not only in his own immediate

LOCAL POLITICS.

627

neighborhood, but from the most distant parts of the
Northwest, and from the extreme Eastern Press, Colonel
Wentworth receives flattering testimonials of the effect-
iveness of his labors in the Republican cause, which he
has espoused, by the violent personal abuse he receives
from its opponents. No idiot, no drone, could receive
the notice he daily does from the Press. Each day
bears witness to the great fact that, if he is not hard at
work, his enemies, at least, think he is, and are caution-
ing their party friends to beware of his efforts, and be
prepared to counteract his movements. Of the services
that Mr. Wentworth has rendered to his fellow-citizens,
the late Hon. Thomas Hoyne — who came to Chicago a
few months after Mr. Wentworth, and was intimately
associated with him during his entire life in Chicago, a
period of over forty-five years — thus eloquently speaks,
in a set of resolutions adopted by the Chicago Historical
Society, May 21, 1882:

" Whereas, This Society recognizes the long career of public
service which has made the life of Hon. John Wentworth con-
temporaneous with the first organization of our municipal govern-
ment and the entire history of Chicago since the year 1S36. He
was the first member of Congress from this district when it com-
prehended seventeen counties from Northern Illinois, of which he
was the representative for many years. He was the Mayor and
chief magistrate of the city, twice chosen at two different periods
by the people, and his administration of city affairs is remembered
to this day for its inflexible character, its economical expenditure of
public money, its rigid execution of all laws and ordinances, the
suppression of all vice and corruption, and the stern and impartial
exposure and punishment of all crimes and criminals. He was the
publisher and proprietor of the first newspaper ever printed in
Chicago, and his name stood at the head of the Press of this State
for a quarter of a century. His more recent labors, in the com-
pilation of accurate historic material in respect to the early settle-
ment and progress of the city, the personal reminiscences of a pub-
lic life prolonged through one of the most eventful periods of
American public history, and his recent lectures before this society,
have all inspired a general public interest in the knowledge which
he has accumulated; and this society, recognizing the value which
his early contemporaries and the community at large attach to so
signal a public life and career, do hereby, as a token of respect,

"Resolve, That the president and secretary be instructed to
request of Hon. John Wentworth that he will procure a portrait
likeness of himself to be taken so that it may be hung upon the
walls of this institution, and remain as a memorial to posterity of
the conspicuous position he occupied, and the public labors and
services which he accomplished during a long and distinguished
career, marked by the most extraordinary development in the rise
and progress of this city, and his participation in the most moment-
ous events of American public history." [Portrait by John Phil-
lips, of New York, presented September 1, 1S82.]

The Calumet Club also adopted the following ex-
pressive preamble on October 8, 1881, in asking Mr.
Wentworth to sit for his life-sized portrait for the club :

" Whereas, The directors of the Calumet Club appreciate in
the life career. and world-wide celebrity of the Hon. John Went-
worth a great and noble example of what may be attained by force
of character, strength and purity of purpose and public spirit, com-
bined with generosity and kindness of heart, and recognize in his
personality an incarnation of the spirit of Chicago — his own life
history being virtually that of the settlement, growth and prosperity
of the city, as well as a prominent part of the history of the Na-
tion."

While he has written for the public as much as any
other man in Chicago, no man has addressed more
popular assemblages than he has, and his meetings have
been essentially his own, being called in his own name
and having no presiding officer. He speaks frankly his
sentiments and takes the responsibility, and he has
never failed to fill the house.

On November 13, 1844, Mr. Wentworth was married
at Troy, N. Y., by Rev. Nathan S. S. Beman, D. D.,
to Roxanna Marie, only child of Hon. Riley and
Roxanna fAtwater Loomis, of Troy, who, after many
years of delicate health, died February 5, 1870. They

had live children, all of whom died young, except Miss
Roxanna Atwater Wentworth, now living.

Since serving his last term in Congress, Mr. W< 111
worth has bestowed his time and attention upon his
enormous stock-farm of about live thousand acres, at
Summit, Conk Co.. 111., from which, like Cincinnatus, he
was so often summoned to serve his countrymen. Mr.
Went worth's father was one of the largest real-estate
holders in the State where he lived, and Mr. Went-
worth's domestic early life was passeil among the most
distinguished of New Hampshire's agriculturists; and,
in his public life, Mr. Wentworth had learned that
nearly all the prominent men of this country had passed
their later years upon large country estates. Mr. Went-
worth had visited the farm of General Washington at
Mount Vernon, and of the Adamses at Quincy, and
more particularly was he pleased with a visit paid by
him to ex- President Van Buren upon his farm at l.in-
denwood, N. Y.; and he had also heard of the Hermitage
estate of General Jackson, of the Monticello estate of
President Jefferson, and the Montpelier estate of Presi-
dent Madison, and had also talked of their estates,
at Ashland and Marshfield, with those singularly great
orators, Clay and Webster. These incentives made Mr.
Wentworth determine upon emulating their example,
and he selected the Summit as the location for his
estate. This spot is noted as a dividing line between
the streams that empty into Lake Michigan and pass
out to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and those that empty
into the Illinois River and pass out into the Gulf of
Mexico. Mr. Wentworth retains his interest in politics
and is active in those pertaining to Chicago, but per-
sistently refuses all proffers of nomination to office. In
1867 his Alma Mater, Dartmouth College, conferred
upon him the degree of LL. D. (Legum Doctor , and
on July 2, 1873, he was elected president of the Alumni
of the New Hampton Academical Institution, and in
1882 and 1883 he was elected president of the Alumni
Association of Dartmouth College, for each of those
years. In June, 1880, Mr. Wentworth was a vice-presi-
dent of the' Republican National Convention, being a
delegate from the First District, but was declared ineli-
gible by the majority report which confirmed congres-
sional district representation. This, however, did not
prevent his earnestly working for the nomination of U.
S. Grant, and subsequently for the nominee of the con-
vention, James A. Garfield. Mr. Wentworth grieves
over the irreparable loss of his manuscripts and papers
through the Chicago fire. He had kept a journal of all
the great events that transpired while he was in public
life, making entries therein almost every day, after the
style of John Quincy Adams. He also had a complete
file of the Daily and Weekly Chicago Democrat, from
his first connection with the paper to its close, a period
of twenty-five years. Mr. Wentworth is an active mem-
ber of the Chicago Historical Society, and is especially
interested in matters relating to Early Chicago, of which
he has tacitly become the acknowledged depositary, and
whereon he is conceded authority. His essays upon
this subject are the classics of Chicago historiology.
There is no man living that can so familiarly shake
the hands of so many of the settlers of northern Illinois
prior to 1850, male or female, as John Wentworth
He has likewise paid much attention to New
England history, more particularly to the history
of his native State, New Hampshire. The news-
papers of that State frequently quote him as
authority upon matters appertaining to its early history.
He has been, for nearly a quarter of a century, vice-
president of the New England Historic Genealogical

628

HISTORY OK CHICAGO.

Society: and has been a frequent contributor to the
columns of its recognized organ, the New England
Historic Genealogical Register; a full set of which
volumes he lias presented to the Chicago Historical
Society, together with many other valuable and rare
works. Mr. Wentworth is also the author of the Went-
worth Genealogy, in three volumes, conceded by critics
to be the most complete and most perfectly indexed of
any of that class of work published, and which is
recognized in England and the United States as a stan-
dard work, and has been highly eulogized by many
prominent literary men of both countries. Its collabor-
ation occupied years of careful and cosmopolitan
research.

••The Hamptonia." a quarterly published by the
literati of New Hampton Academy, thus truthfully
summarizes the life of this gentleman: "Mr. Went-
worth, all through his editorial and official life, has
shown himself not only a man of decided convictions,
but has proved on many notable occasions that he had,
under the most adverse circumstances, the courage to
follow them. He has ever looked upon parties as only
necessary organizations for the accomplishment of
desirable ends, and he has no party attachments beyond
his assurance of right, always having principles which
he wished sustained by the legislation of his country,
and always seeking political organization which would
best promote this object. Mr. Wentworth has been
remarkable, as a writer and speaker, for conveying his
ideas in the fewest possible words, and for his success

in commanding the closest attention of promiscuous
audiences; also for his habits of untiring industry, and
for keeping such control of his private business that he
has ever been personally independent of political
results."' Judge James B. Bradwell, who has been an
intimate friend of Mr. Wentworth ever since his arrival
in Chicago, thus condenses his estimate of the latter
gentleman: " Few men in the nation have the intellec-
tual capacity of Mr. Wentworth. He is strong in what-
ever he undertakes, and does it in his own peculiar way.
He has been a power in this State and Nation. The
old settlers know what influence he exercised in Con-
gress and in the old Chicago Democrat for many years.
The short and pointed paragraphs of the Democrat were a
terror to the enemies of Mr. Wentworth. The influence
of this paper in politics and the development of this
country cannot be appreciated by those who were not
here then."

Mr. Wentworth was one of the earliest Masons and
Odd Fellows in Chicago. He stands six feet six inches
high and weighs three hundred pounds, and has the
reputation of being one of the most healthy and indus-
trious men, and possessed of the greatest endurance of
any in the city of Chicago.

His full-size portrait, painted by the renowned
George P. A. Healey, can be seen at the rooms of the
Calumet Club, corner of Michigan Avenue and Twen-
tieth Street ; where his friends, the old settlers of Chi-
cago, have their annual assemblage in May of every
year.

ol.li BLOCK HOUSE AND MCJH'I HOUSE I.N 1 .85 7. — THE LAST OF FORT DEARBORN

WOLF POINT AND EARLY HOTELS.

The few travelers and emigrants who came to the
site of Chicago prior to 183 1 had more difficulty in
finding the true town than at present. The fort could
be seen, and from a distance might be taken for the
nucleus of the coming village, but its forbidding inclo-
sure showed, on nearer approach, that it was exclusive
property and no village or even place of temporary so-
journ for the weary traveler, except as the guest of the
officers of the garrison. That was not the village of Chi-
cago at that time. In the fall of 1829, among others
looking for a place to stop " over night " was the family
of Elijah Wentworth. It consisted of himself, wife and
two daughters, Zebiah, then nineteen years old ; Susan,
eighteen years of age, and George, then a child of

ARCHIBALD CALDWELL.

four years old. Whether Elijah, Jr., then twenty-six
years old, came with his father, is a matter of doubt.
He came soon afterward, if he was not at that time of
the emigrant party. Elijah had come up from the
Wabash country with three yoke of oxen, two covered
wagons, containing all his household goods and earthly
possessions, and, homesick, was trying to get back to
Maine, where he was born. He was looking for Chi-
cago as a point on the lake from which he might embark
for the East. He arrived in October. 1829, and put up
at the only tavern then having a sign-post. It was
owned by James Kinzie who had built it the year
before, and was then kept by Archibald Caldwell, who,

by virtue of his license, granted December 8 b; the
Commissioners of Peoria County, was, without doubt,

the first landlord who ever legally kept tavern in
Chicago.

The family found refuge at this tavern. It came
on prematurely cold that year, and it was certain that
the family must winter at Chicago. The oxen could
not be sold here, and were accordingly sent back to the
"Wabash country" to winter. The family rented a
small log-house owned by Mr. Kinzie, standing on the
shore of the South Branch some little distance south ol
Caldwell's tavern, at $5 per month, and moved into it
as a temporary home. While living there. Caldwell
dissolved with Kinzie, left the hotel and removed to
near Green Bay, Wis. Mr. Wentworth, in January or
February, rented the hotel of Mr. Kinzie at $300 per
year and became its landlord. Here he remained until
the fall of 1830, when he gave up his lease and took a
claim eight miles north, near what is now the Jefferson
Station on the Chicago & North-Western Railroad.
There he kept a hotel uninterruptedly, except during
the spring and summer of 1832, when for a few week-,
he took refuge in the fort fearing Indian depredations.
When Scott came with the cholera, he returned to his
house with many other families who, like him, became
panic stricken by the pestilence.

Who kept the tavern afterward known as the Wolf
Tavern " the forks " had been known as Wolf Point
long before during the year 1 83 1 , is not specially
determined by the traditions or records of the period.

In addition to this first tavern there was another in
1830, kept by Samuel Miller. It stood on the east side
of the North Branch, nearly opposite Wentworth's.
He with his brother was living there in 1829, and kept
a small store, besides entertaining such strangers as
came along. In 1830, he having enlarged it materially,
his place became known as a tavern, and he was the
principal competitor of the "Forks Tavern" on the
opposite side. He ran a ferry at that time to accom-
modate the travel and help along his own trade.*
There was at that time no bridge. Mr. Miller kept the
hotel until the death of his wife, in 1832, when he sold
out and moved away. It was never known as a hotel
after Miller left it ; various families lived in it tempo-
rarily, and at one tune it was used as a store.

Mark Beaubien had his log house, also a tavern, on
the South Side, on the point made by the junction of the
two branches. It was not at that time a pretentious
hostelry. He afterward added to it and kept one of
the most famous hotels in the city, known as the Sau-
ganash. •

These three hotels, connected only by a primitive
ferry, with a few scattering buildings on the West Side,
made the only pretense of a village at Chicago in 1830.
and was known as " The Forks " and as Wolf Point. The
origin of the name is buried 111 oblivion. Mrs. Juliette
A. Kinzie, authoress of " Waubun," came here in the
winter of 1831, and. at that early clay discussed the
origin of the name as shrouded in mystery, then t< >- ■
old to be traced to its genesis, .she states that at that

.831

when Marl Beaubien tool tin. ferry establi

Sec Colbert's History, p. 5.

629

6;o

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

time i S3 1 it was known as Wolf Point, and suggested
some quite plausible origins for the name; among
others, that it was the former residence of an Indian
chief, whose name, translated into English, means
"Wolf." The value of Mrs. Kinzie's testimony lies,
not in her fanciful legend, but in the historic fact that
at that time the land lying about " the forks "
was known as " Wolf Point," and that the origin of the
name was at that early day not known. As to tfie name
and many other facts concerning Wolf Point, and the
early taverns, Mr. Gurdon S. Hubbard, the oldest
living citizen of Chicago, wrote the following letter to
Rufus Blanchard, which is embodied in his History of
the Northwest. See pp. 757-59.

what was then called the Forks. About this dale Samuel Miller
bought a small log cabin on the opposite side of the river from
Wentworth's, and south of the present Kinzic-street bridge, to
which he added a two-story log building, finishing the outside with
split clapboards. These two public houses were the first Chicago
could boast of. Miller by his influence and enterprise, erected a
bridge built wholly of logs, across the North Branch, just north of
his tavern. lie and Wentworth being competitors for public favor,
the Forks house getting the most patronage, James and Robert
Kinzie built stores there, and here resorted some of the officers of
the fort daily for social intercourse and ' drinks ' at Wentworth's
bar. Wolves were in those days quite numerous; one had the
audacity to enter in the day time Wentworth's meat-house, and
was by him killed. His house had for a sign a tall sapling topped
off just above a prominent branch ; it extended some distance
above the top of the roof, and was a conspicuous notice, to be seen
from the prairie and surroundings, that ' here was food for man

F POINT IN t.S^O

"Chicago, October 13, 1880.
Blanch ird :

" My Dear Sir — Your favor of nth is at hand, and I most
cheerfully give you what information I possess on the subject mat-
ter of your note.

" Prior to 1800 the North Branch of the Chicago River was
called by the Indian traders and voyageurs 'River Guarie,' and the
South Branch ' I'ortage River.' On the west side of the North
Branch a man by the name of (luarie had a trading-house, situated
on the bank of the river about where Fulton Street now is. This
house was inclosed by pickets. He located there prion to 177S.
This tradition I received from Messrs. Antoine Deschamps and
Antoine Beson, who, from about 1778, had passed from Lake
Michigan to the Illinois River yearly; they were old men when I
first knew them in 1818. This tradition was corroborated by other
old voyagers The evidences of this trading-house were pointed
out to me by Mr. DesChampS; the corn hills adjoining were dis-
tinctly traceable, though grown over with grass.

" I am of opinion that these branches retained their names
until about the time of the location of the first Fort Dearborn, and
were afterwards known as the North and South brarn hes.

" My impression is that F.lijah Wentworth opened his tavern
on the West Side, near the present West Kinzie Street, in 1830, al

and beast ; ' it lacked, however, something to hang to the branch
projection, to give it character; how to obtain a proper emblem
puzzled the good landlord, as there was nocarpenter or paint shop,
or citizen artist; a happy thought struck him, that Lieutenant Allen
might condescend to supply the deficiency, if properly approached ;
this was effected through a mutual friend. The boards of a dry-
goods box were obtained, from which was put in shape, under the
superintendence of Lieutenant James Allen, a well-proportioned
sign, the Indian Agency blacksmith putting to it hinges, when
Lieutenant Allen took it in hand again, producing and presenting
to Wentworth the picture of the slethy wolf, which was to serve not
onlv an attractive painting, but a memorial of the landlord's valor
in the killing alone and unaided, of a ferocious wolf. Officers and
citizens received invitations to be present at the hanging of the
sign; the day and hour arriving, found assembled a majority of the
people; the sign was brought forth, duly veiled with a blanket, was
attached to the branch of the pole, the veil removed, and it swung
gracefully, and was greeted with hurrahs from those present ; in
turn something else greeted the hoarse throats of friends. Thus
was produced anil baptized the name of ' Wolf Point.'

" Besides Wolf Point was a place called Hard Scrabble, of
early historic interest.

"Mrs. fohn II. Kinzie in her book, ' Waubun,' correctly

WOLF POINT AND EARLY HOTELS.

63'

describes tile location as ' Lee's Place.' Mack & Conant, exten-
sive merchants at Detroit, in the Indian trade, became the owners
of this property about the year 1S16. They sent Mr. John Craft
with a large supply of Indian goods to take possession of it, and
establish a branch of their house there, the principal object being
to sell goods to such traders as they could residing throughout
this country, without interfering with the interests of those traders
who purchased goods from him.

" Mr Craft repaired the dilapidated building, adding thereto,
and erecting others necessary for the convenience of business, lie,
I think, named it ' Hard Scrabble; ' whether he or some one else,
it bore that name in 1S1S.

" At the organization of the American Fur Company, 1S1O,
Mr. Astor's plan was to control the entire trade by absorbing other
companies doing an Indian business. He succeeded in buying out
the Southwest Company, whose headquarters were at Mackinaw,
but failed in his efforts to buy out Mack 6t Conant.

entitled to more than ordinary credence. The honestj
of the writer is not questioned, and his own desire to
vindicate the truth of history is shown in the following
corrections made with his assent, alter an interview
with him on February 3, 1884, at which time the letter
was read to him. The corrections made were on the
following basis of conflicting tacts; i Mr. Wentworth
was not keeping the tavern after the close of 1831; ' -'

Lieutenant James Allen, as appears from the 1 ds

and his letters now on file with the Chicago Historical
Society, was not here until May 14, 1833. Hence,
either Mr. Allen did not paint the sign, or Mr. Went-
worth was not the landlord at the time it was painted.
It was decided, as probable, that the sign was not

DEARBORN STREET DRAWBRIDGE, BUILT IN 1834.

" Mr. James Abbott, however, their agent at Detroit, suc-
ceeded in buying them out in i820oriS2i, and they withdrew
from the Indian trade, transferring their Indian goods, posts and
good will to the American Fur, who constituted Mr. Craft their
agent here, he removing his quarters from ' Hard Scrabble ' to
the company's warehouse, located north of, and adjoining, the
military burying-grotind. They enlarged it and built a log ware-
house, besides; J. 15. Beaubien, who had previously occupied it,
removing to the ' Factor House,' adjoining Fort Dearborn. Craft
died in the fall of 1S26 and Mr. John Kinzie succeeded him.
William \V. Wallace (who was one of Astor's men on his expedi-
tion to Columbia River) took possession of Hard Scrabble' after
Mr. Craft had left the place, and died there during the winter of
1827-28. FYom that time till the land title passed from the Govern-
ment, it was occupied by several families, temporarily, among
whom were the I.awtons, for a short time, and James Galloway,
the father of Mrs. Archibald Clybourne.

" Yours truly,

■"' G. S. Hubbard."

The foregoing letter gives a circumstantial account
of the painting and raising of the wolf sign at the old
Wentworth tavern. The letter is of great historical
value, and from the known reliability of its author is

painted or hung until 1833, at which time either Charles
Taylor, or his successor, William Wattles, was the land-
lord. That a sign bearing the image of a wolf, rudely
painted, once swung from the pole of the old Wentworth
tavern, can scarcely be doubted, but it is also quite cer-
tain that it was not put up until long after Wentworth left
the hotel — probably in 1833. Zebiah Wentworth Fstcs .
still living, remembers nothing of the sign; John Hates,
still living, remembers a rough board sign, put up some
time after he came here in the fall of 1832. So the
wolf sign, the Wolf tavern, and the accompanying pict-
ure which lacks the sign afterward put up. become
historically reconciled. In 1830, there was no sign ai
either of the taverns at Wolf Point, and no bridges-
only a ferry.* In 1833, there was a sign of a wolf swung

th

•A valuable thread of testimony was presented, too late for publication in
proper connection with the article concerning early bridges. It embodies
: result of a meeting of the old settlers whose names ippear, held
hefallof 1883, and was presented to the editors by John Hates. one of the
igners. It reads as follows:

" We all agree that the first bridg across thi North Branch of th. I
liver was built in the winter .4 1831 and i -: ;e. The first bridge across the

6«

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

from the sign-post of the old Wentworth tavern, and
bridges across both the North and South branches.

These three taverns and Kinzie's store made Wolf
Foint the site of the real Chicago of 1830. The sale of
the canal lots, the improvement of the harbor, the erec-
tion of warehouses, and, in fact, the evolution of a great
city on the lake shore, changed the center of the town
from Wolf Point to a region before not believed to be
habitable, and that location lost its importance, which
waned as its taverns died, and strangers sought board

the house again changed hands, William W. Wattles
becoming its proprietor and landlord. In Novem-
ber, he sold out to Chester Ingersoll, who ran it an
uncertain length of time, first as the " Traveller's
Home," and afterward as the Western Stage House. It
went out of sight as a hotel in 1834.

With the wane of the hotel interest on the Point, its
importance fell off, and with the great impulse of grow-
ing trade at the new town, with the erection of a first-
class hotel, the Lake House, and the removal of the

THE SAUGANASH HOTEL

and lodging in the new town and at new hotels. The post-office farther down town, it ceased all pretentions
old Wolf Hotel, after Wentworth left it, next came as the true Chicago after 1834. The movement of the
into the possession of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Taylor center of business and the center of population until

cy£*/> JOy An^zj

Jtiwy^&y-

'^ty-is-

Mr. Kinzie and family boarding with them in part
payment for the rent. This was in 1832. In 1833,

South Biaoch was built in the winter of 1832 and 18^3; and that both bridges

were built on abutments and two ' bents.' The abutim-nts wen: built of logs in
the shallow water near the bank-. The bents were of four heavy logs, resting
«-n the bottom, in deeper water, stringers of heavy logs stretched from the abut-
ment* to the bents, and between th< b< m On these stringers puncheons or
-plit log* were laid for a floor. These bridges were about ten feet wide and
without railings, for th<- fir-t few yeare, after which guards, or railings, were
added. These were both wagon bridges, and were about six feet above the

water, so that teams pav^d under thei h< io freely. Tin bridge on the

South Branch stood til! (he spring of 1837, when it was gone; i) waa therein
the fall of 1856(1 n 1 to th< fool bridgi thej lashed

inly wide enough for foot

; heavy 1
;. issengei

, which formed ■» Renting bridge

1 rran,..

1 1,, first bridge
it was a wagon bridge, ten or twelve feet wide.

over the North Branch;

I h I

" I'll' B ITES,

"'" n ■ 1 [ 1 < t h VVBK.

"JOHNNO..I.K."

the great city absorbed all the various hamlets in one
great whole, is traced by the building and success of
the various early hotels. Following is a sketch of the
early hotels other than the two Wolf Point taverns
"lready sketched, which, by their success, marked the
location and growth of the great city in its early days.

Mark Beaubien, whose name is inseparably linked
with almost every chapter of Chicago's early history,
was a famous hotel-keeper in his day. He came here in
1826, from Detroit. In 1831 he built, as he claimed,
the first frame house in Chicago, the Sauganash Hotel.
It is related that while he was at work on his house,
Billy Caldwell Sauganash one day said to Beaubien,
" I suppose you will name your new hotel after some
great man?" "Yes," replied Beaubien, "I will. I

WOLF 1'OIXT AND EARLY HOTELS.

<>33

shall call it the ' Sauganash.' " He kept his word ; the
house became famous, and its name has gone into his-
tory as for years being the largest and finest hotel in
Chicago. Mark, as is well known, was a jolly host ;
after having given his guests the best his larder afforded,
he would of evenings tune up his violin, on which he
was, for those days at least, a skilled performer, and
often, till late at night, amuse and entertain them with
his melody. Dancing, too, generally formed no small
feature of these sports ; and so the Sauganash became
popular through the character of its proprietor as a
musician as well as for its excellence as a hotel. This
house was situated on the south side of Lake Street, at
the corner of Market, though one or two old settlers
have given the impression that it fronted as much on
Market as on Lake. The accompanying illustration of
the building, showing it as it appeared in 1833, has been
pronounced by Hon. John Wentworth and by Charles
R. Vandercook, who were in that year boarders at the
hotel, a most excellent representation of it as it then
was. It seems, too, that the cabin which Mr. Beaubien
built when he came here stood on the site where, a few
years later, he built the Sauganash Hotel. Mrs. Harriet
Murphy, whose husband John Murphy was at different

\corrM~Jy

times proprietor of the hotel, states that the frame part
was an addition built on to the cabin ; and a writer who
was at the hotel in the winter of 1833-34 says this room
in the cabin, which was then weather-boarded on the
outside, was the warmest and most comfortable place in
town. Mr. Beaubien kept the Sauganash until 1834,
when he left it, anil in January, 1835, a Mr. Davis
assumed control. Mr. Beaubien had meanwhile built a
new house on the northwest corner of Wells and Lake
streets. In August of 1834, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy
took charge of this new hotel, which they christened
the Exchange Coffee House. They remained there
until 1836, when they removed to the old Sauganash,
the name of which they changed to United States Ho-
tel. Mr. Murphy continued business there until the
following year, when he removed to the West Side,
where he opened a new hotel under the same name he
had given the old Sauganash, which was then converted
into a theater — the first in Chicago. In 1839 the Sauga-
nash was once more occupied as a hotel, being kept by
Jesse Seymour until in 1840, when Mr. Murphy having
leased his new West Side hotel, again became the propri-
etor of it. He remained there about a year and a half,
when he again returned to the West Side to the United
States Hotel, Mr. Smith having surrendered his lease. A
man by the name of Davis next took the Sauganash but
failing to make it pay, Mr. Murphy once more assumed
its management, at the earnest solicitation of its owner,
Augustus Garrett. Just how long he continued to run
the house this time is not known, but it was probably in
1843 when he moved out. The next proprietor of the
Sauganash was Jeduthan Brown and he was succeeded
in 1844 by L. M. Osterhaudt, who kept it for several
years, when it passed into the control of M. & (1. Wal-
rod, who were its proprietors until 1848. From the

directory of that year it appears that Newell Stratton
had control, and in 1851 IS. S. Foster wasi 11 charge
at the time it was destroyed by fire. The conflagration
which swept from existence, save in the memories only
ol those who had known for years this historic build-
ing, occurred at half-past 3 o'clock Tuesday morning,
March 4, 1851; the following account of which is found
tn the Gem of the Prairie of March 8, 185 1 :

"At about half-past three o'clock last Tuesday morning ilaim-
were discovered issuing from the roof of the Sauganash Hotel on
Market Street, between Lake and Randolph streets, and so rapid
was their progress among the combustible materials in that vicinity
that nine buildings were destroyed, before being finally subdued
by the firemen. The buildings destroyed were owned by the
( iarrett estate."

Ilk- account then mentions the occupants, and
among the rest says, "Sauganash Hotel, li. S. Foster."
Concerning the origin of the fire the article concludes .

"It is supposed that the fire was the work of an incendiary.
The supposition is strengthened by the fail that while the fin-
Monday evening was raging at the corner of Lake Street and
Wabash Avenue, an unoccupied building adjoining the Sauganash
Hotel was set on fire in an upper story, but was discovered and
put out before making any considerable progress."

Thus ends the history of this notable building, which
for so long was a prominent mark of interest in Chica
oil's early days.

Another hotel and scarcely less noted in its time
was the Green Tree Tavern, which stood on the northeast
11 inter of Canal anil Lake streets. It was built by James
Kinzie in 1S33, and opened for business by David
Clock, who in a short time relinquished his proprietor-
ship to Edward Parsons. The next proprietors were
two young men, Snow and Spear, who kept it until
1838, when John Gray managed it until 1841. He
sold out to George W. Rogers, who was its owner until
1845. During his time the house was known as the
Chicago Hotel. The following year he was succeeded
by F. A. Mclntyre. From the directory of 184S it is
learned that J. W. Moves was then running it under the
name of Noyes Hotel. In the next year it again
changed hands and names, being called the Rail Road
House, which title it held until 185 1, when it became
the Atlantic Hotel. Shortly after that year, Fred Meher
took charge of the house and, in 1854, changed its
name to the West'. Lake Street House. He continued
to run it until 1859. Afterward it became a tenement
house, having, however, a saloon in the lower front
part. It remained standing at the corner of West Lake
and Canal streets until 1880, when it was removed to
Nos. ^7,, 35 and 37 Milwaukee Avenue, in order to
make room for the American Iron Company's buildings
which now occupy its former site. At this time 1884
the house still stands at the above numbers, and perhaps
scarcely one among the thousands who pass it daily are
aware of its historic character or that it is one of the
oldest buildings in existence in the city. There stands
to-day on the southeast corner of Canal and Randolph
streets a small two-story frame building, sadly dinged by
age and exposure to the weather, for which the claim is
made that it was the first frame house built on the
West Side. In years now long since past it was known
as the Western Hotel, and was built in 1835, as near as
can be learned, by W. H. Stow, who came to Chicago
in 1833. Mr. Stow was by trade an iron founder, and
at one time had his shops on the rear end of the lot on
which he later built his hotel. As he employed a
number of men, his house was more of a boarding-
house for local custom than for the accommodation of
the transient public. Mr. Stow kept the house until
1852, at which time he rented it to Martin Dodge and

634

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

William R. Irish, who. under the firm name of Dodge
and Irish, conducted it until the following year, when
Irish retired from the firm, being succeeded by A. P.
Collar. The name of the house was. on the retirement
of Mr. Stow from its management, changed to Commer-
cial Hotel. Dodge & Collar remained the proprietors
until early in 1S54. when the building was partially
destroyed by lire. After this it was rebuilt and in the
years 1855-56 appears in the* city directories as the
Wilson House, kept by T. O. Wilson. With this termi-
nated its career as a hotel or boarding-house. It is
now occupied as a saloon, which is kept and owned by
a son of the man who originally built and owned the
house.

Chicago did, however, have a really grand hotel as
early as 1835 : tn's was tne Lake House, located on the

$10,000. William Rickards was the next manager in
1844, and remained in charge several years, finally, how-
ever, leaving there to take control of the Sherman
House. In 1854 the house was remodeled, inside, an
additional story, with a handsome cupola added, and
was opened as a first-class hotel by James E. Hays and
M. M. Smalley. This firm remained the proprietors
until in 1856, when Mr. Boardman took it and ran it
until 1858. After repeated experiments to make it a
financial success, all of which proved failures, the house
was converted into residence flats and was so used until
destroyed in the great fire of 1871.

From 1849 t0 1852, Edward H. Aiken kept a hotel
called the Lake Street House, situated at Nos. 135 and
137 Lake Street. In 1852 this house was destroyed by
fire, and Mr. Aiken became the proprietor of the Gar-

THE GREEN' TREE HOTEL.

( ornersof Kinzie, Rush and Michigan streets, fronting on
the latter. This hotel, which was built of brick, was three
>tories and a basement in height, was elegantly fur-
nished throughout, and cost its owners nearly $100,000.
The men whose enterprise led them into building a
house which for those days was far in advance of the
needs of the town, were Gurdon S. Hubbard, General
David S. Hunter, John H. Kinzie, Dr. W. B. Egan and
Major James B. Campbell. The hotel was completed
and thrown open to the public: in the autumn of 1836,
Jacob Russel, of Middleton, Conn., assuming con-
trol of it> management. In 1839 Mr. Russel left the
Lake House to take charge of the City Hotel the pred-
■ essoi of the Sherman House which had just been
opened to the public, and (Jeorge E. Shelley, of Balthnore,
became the proprietor of the Lake House. Mr. Shelley
introduced a French cook, printed bills of fare, and
various other innovations in the management of the
house. The following year Daniel S. Griswold suc-
ceeded Mr. Shelley in the management of the Lake
and some years after this it was sold under a
foreclosure of mortgage, by Hon. [saai N Arnold,
attorney for the mortgagees, to Hon. Thomas I >yer, for

den City House, which then stood on the corner of
Madison and Market streets. Mr. Aiken remained there
until in 1855. The house then passed into the hands
of R. and G. W. Storrs, who were its owners until 1859.
Robert Hill next became its proprietor. Afterward
the house was taken by Mr. Throop, the man who built
it, and was conducted by him until it was, a few years
latter, destroyed by fire. The large wholesale house of
Marshall Field & Co. now ( 1884) occupies the corner
where it formerly stood.

The Mansion House was built in 1831 by Dexter
Graves ; it stood on Lake near Dearborn and almost
opposite the old Tremont House. As originally built, the
Mansion House was situated some little distance back
from the street, but two years later Mr. Graves erected
a frame addition in the front, which came out to a line
with the street. About this time he sold it to a Mr.
Haddock, his son-in-law, who kept it until 1835 when
it passed into the hands of Abram A. Markle, who, for
two years thereafter accommodated and entertained
many of Chicago's early residents, and travelers coming
this way to take an observation of the " town lying in
the mud."

WOLF POINT AND EARLY HOTELS.

635

In 1837 it was kept by Jason Gurley and two
years later by Asher Rossiter. In 1844 Charles Skinner
and J. F. Smith were its proprietors. The directory of
1845 shows it to have been in the hands of C. W. Cook.
In 1848 Jacob R. Bates took it. Two years later the
greater part of the house was removed to the northwest
corner of Lake Street and Michigan Avenue, and was
fitted up as a hotel under the name of the Dearborn
House.

Among the minor houses in the year 1845 was the
Eagle Tavern at Dearborn and South Water streets,
the Farmer's Exchange on Lake Street near Wabash
Avenue, and the Illinois Exchange, corner Wells and
Lake streets.

There were in 1839 the following minor taverns :
the Columbian House, on the corner of Wells and
South Water streets ; the Shakespeare Hotel, corner of
Kinzie and Rush streets; the Southern Hotel, corner of
State and Twelfth streets; the Buffalo Hotel, on South
Water Street; the Lake Street Coffee House, corner of
Lake and Wells streets ; the Ohio House, on LaSalle
Street, and Myrick's Tavern ("the Bull's Head) on Cot-
tage Grove Avenue, near Twenty-ninth Street.

These hotels, which in the English sense, might
more appropriately be called inns, were establishments
which met a demand for modest accommodations,
peculiarly active in young and growing towns.

The New York House was built in 1834 and opened
to the public the following year by Lathrop Johnson
and George Stevens, who conducted it until the fall of
1839, when they were succeeded by L. M. Osterhoudt.
He remained its keeper until 1843.

In 1849-50 W. R. Green and B. H. Skinner kept a
hotel, known as the New York House, at 211 and 213
Randolph Street. A few years later the firm became
Smith & Tiernan. In 1858 the house was still kept
as a hotel by J. F. Smith, formerly of the firm of Smith
&: Tiernan.

The LInited States Hotel, which has been mentioned
so frequently in the account of the old Sauganash, was
built by Mr. Murphy ; it stood on Canal Street, near
Randolph. The house changed hands often during its
career, and at the time it burned, in 1852, was kept by
David L. Rogers.

The Vermont House, which stood on Market Street,
between Lake and Randolph streets, flourished in the
days of the old Sauganash and was kept for years, in
fact until 1864, by Joshua Bell.

The American Temperance House, situated on the
northwest corner of Lake Street and Wabash Avenue,
was built by Asher Rossetter in 1840, and opened to
the public in the spring of the following year. Charles
W. Cook was its first proprietor, and kept it for a num-
ber of years, being succeeded by Jeduthan Brown ; later
Jason Gurley purchased an interest and the firm in 1845
was Brown & Gurley. Then A. J. Douglass took con-
trol, conducting the house until 1849, when it passed
into the hands of Milton Barney, who continued its
proprietor until 1852. In this year Mr. Rossetter took
charge, changing the name to the American House,*
omitting the word " temperance." In the directory of
1854 "A. Rossetter (S; Co." are put down as propri-
etors ; and it was probably at this time that John M.
King had managing charge of the house. In the fall
of 1854 W. R. Irish, who, it will be remembered, at one
time kept the old Western Hotel, became the proprietor,
conducting it until 1856. In the fall of that year,
William Church and Charles Bissel took the house until
1858, when it again changed hands, L. P. Hill taking

See Udall A: Hopkins' City Directory for 1852-5} '

control ; he continued its proprietor until, in 1861, the

house was torn down to make room for a business block
which occupied its site until the fire of 1871.

I'he City Hotel, subsequently the Sherman House,
was built in 1836-37 by Francis C. Sherman. Jacob
Kussel was its lirst proprietor, taking possession in
I let ember, [837. In 1844, Mr. Sherman remodeled
the house, added two stories, making it five stones
high, and changed its name to the Sherman House.
Two years later Mr. Russel retired from its manage-
ment and was succeeded by James Williamson and A.
H. Squier; the next year Mr Williamson retired from

/&4^*s*>b>

the firm, William Rickards purchasing his interest.
This firm, Rickards & Squier, retained the proprietor-
ship of the house until in 1 S 5 1 , when they sold out to
Brown & Tuttle, late of the City Hotel, a building
which then stood on Lake Street, near Wabash Avenue,
and was formerly the Farmer's Exchange. In February
of 1854, Mr. Brown sold his interest to A. H. Patmor,
and until 1859 the firm was Tuttle & Patmor. In 1858
the proprietors were Martin Dodge and Hiram Longly.
In 1833, the first Tremont House, situated then on
the northwest corner of Lake and Dearborn streets,
was built by Alanson Sweet. It was kept as a saloon
and boarding-house by him and a man from Canada,
named Darwin. Then the Couch brothers purchased
the property and Ira Couch opened it as a hotel. He
ran it until 1836, when his brother James took control,
and was managing it at the time it burned, October 27,
1839. In December of the same year the erection of

<

c^^StZ,

the new house was begun, on the corner where the
present Tremont stands, and on the 20th of May, 1840,
the building was completed. Both of these structures
were of wood and far different in style and cost of
construction from the costly edifice which to-day ranks
among Chicago's leading hotels. The house, however,
did a large business and prospered finely until July 21.
1849, when it was destroyed by fire. Its proprietors,
however, immediately set to work rebuilding, this time
a brick structure, which was opened in October, 1850.
Ira Couch remained the proprietor until 1S53, when the
house passed into the hands of the Gage brothers,
David A. and George W. Two years later John Drake,
now of the Grand Pacific, was associated with them, and

0-1*4

in 1 858 Gage Bros. & Drake were its proprietors.
Speaking of the house in its earlier days, James Couch
says that ofttimes they were so crowded that not only
all the beds, but every available space of floor room,

6*6

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

would at night be occupied by travelers, who were glad
enough to get even a pallet on the floor. A single boat
would bring two and three hundred passengers at a trip,
and as the Tremont was a popular hotel, it was on such
occasions taxed to its utmost for their accommodation.

The Steamboat Hotel, on North Water Street, near
Kinzie, was kept in 1S35 by John Davis, and from 1836
to 1839 bv William McCorrister, as the American
Hotel.

The Chicago Temperance House in 1S39 stood on
La Salle Street, near Lake, and until 1844 was kept by

by fire, and Mr. Barker removed to the corner of Wells
and Randolph streets, taking charge of a hotel, then
newly built, which he also christened the Baltic House.
This house he kept until 1855, when O. V. Colby took
it, changing its name to the Colby House. Mr. Colby
remained there until in 1856-57, when the house was
torn down and a new building, the Metropolitan Hotel,
was erected in its stead.

For some years previous to the building of the
Metropolitan, Isaac Speer, a worthy citizen, by trade a
jeweler, conducted an extensive establishment at 77

FRINK A WALKERS STAGE OFFICE.

David L. Roberts. In the following year it was taken
by Augustus Dickinson, who kept it until 1849, when it
was probably torn down or was no longer used as a
hotel.

The new City Hotel which stood on the corner of
Lake and State streets, was erected in 1848. Before
this, for some years, a wooden building under the same
name occupied the same ground. When the new house
was built, Jeduthan Brown was its proprietor, and the
next year A. H. Tuttle became a partner. They con-'
ducted the house until 185 1 when they went to the
Sherman House. In 1856 the City Hotel was kept by
John H. Thorn and William F. Orcott, the next year by
Orcott i\: Sutherland, and in 18,8 bv Richard Somer's
& Co.

In 1848 Peleg A. Barker kept the Baltic House,
situated on the southwest corner of Dearborn and Ran-
dolph streets. Two years later this house was destroyed

Lake Street. He had in his employ a man named
Howgate, in whom he reposed every confidence. At
the end of the year 1853 Mr. Speer was astonished on
balancing his books to discover that, notwithstanding a
brisk trade and an apparent prosperous business, he
was losing money. The mystery was wholly unexplain-
able. He, however, kept on, and the three years fol-
lowing showed precisely the same results ; at this time,
he found himself on the verge of bankruptcy, but with
no satisfactory reasons apparent for his affairs being in
so deplorable a condition. While, he was thus lament-
ing his troubles, the news reached here that the detec-
tives of St. Louis had unearthed, in that city, a lot of
stolen jewelry, which bore the trade mark of Mr.
Speer. Investigation followed, and the fact was dis-
closed that Howgate had been systematically robbing
him for years, and mainly with the proceeds of his
thefts, had commenced the erection of the Metropolitan

WOLF POINT AND EARLY HOTELS.

'",7

Hotel on the site formerly occupied by the Baltic.
Howgate was apprehended, brought to trial, and the
matter finally settled by Mr. Speer receiving the new
hotel, in reparation for the losses he had sustained. In
1857 the Metropolitan was kept by John Mason and a
man named Goodman.

The Matteson House was built in 1850 by C. H.
Bissell, immediately following the destruction of the
old Baltic, already mentioned. It was completed and
opened to the public, with W. I.. Pearce as proprietor,
in the month of August of the following year. Mr.
Pearce kept the house until 1854, when it passed into
the hands of Herrick Stevens and J. P. Willard, who,
under the firm name of Stevens & Willard, were its
proprietors until 1859. In that year Charles H. liisscll
and William S. Goodrich took it, and a few years later
it was purchased by Robert Hill, who kept it until it
was destroyed in the fire of 1871.

In 1854, besides the hotels already mentioned, there
were the following : The Bissell House, at 224 Lake
Street, P. Bissell & Son, proprietors ; the Bradley
House, corner of Van Buret! and Sherman streets, by
Boyington & Turley ; the Bull's Head, by H. Hopkins,
at the head of Madison Street, where is now situated
the Washingtonian Home ; the Breman House, by
C Nockin, at 245 South Clark Street ; Doty's Hotel,
by Theodoris Doty, at 64 and 66 Randolph Street ; the
Foster House, by Geiselman & Bro., Kinzie, corner of
Clark ; Hamilton House, by J. F. Draper & Co., at 14
North Clark; the Pake View House, by J. H. Rees, on
the north lake shore ; the McCardel House, McCardel
& Crane, 17, 19 and 21 Dearborn; Merchant's, I. a
Salle Street near South Water, by F. Moore ; Naper-
ville House, at 191 Randolph, by A. Schall ; National
Hotel, Randolph, near Peoria, by Brown & Crout ; the
New England House, at 40 Kinzie, by Briggs & Felt-
housen ; the Philadelphia House, Washington, corner
of Franklin, by Buest & Bunn ; the Planter's House,
by J. McDonald, Randolph, corner Wells; the Rock
Island House, south end Clark Street, H. Longley ; the
Yorkshire House, J. Watson, Wells, near Randolph.

From this time up to 1859 the hotels of minor im-
portance multiplied rapidly. Those of any prominence
or worthy of mention, erected during this period, were :
The Audubon House, Nos. 68 and 70 West Lake
Street ; the Boardman House, corner Clark and Har-
rison ; the Briggs House, Randolph and Wells, built in
1854 by William Briggs and kept by John Floyd &
George H. French, who were still its proprietors in
1857 ; the Cleveland House, also new, kept by A.
Cleveland, at Nos. 46, 48, 50 and 52 West Lake ; the
Richmond House, corner South Water and Michigan
Avenue ; and the Young America, which stood on the
southeast corner of Randolph and Dearborn, near
Rice's theater. Of perhaps a score, the names of which
have not been mentioned, it is only necessary to say
that they were boarding houses, transitory, many of
them, in their character, and not living long enough to
become fixed or permanent houses of public entertain-
ment.

Family of Elijah Wentworth. — The following
sketch of the family of Elijah Wentworth is compiled
from the very authentic and elaborate work of John
Wentworth, LL. D., entitled " The Wentworth Gene-
alogy, English and American," published in 1878, in
three volumes. Some additions and unimportant emen-
dations have been made from the statements of Mrs.
Zebiah Wentworth Estes , given during the summer of
1883.

Elijah Wentworth, son of Elijah and Rebecca

(Capen Wentworth. was born in Sloughten. Ma^v, Sep-
tember 25, 1776. He married, in 1798 or 1799, Lucy
Walker, of Hampden, Maine, and, after his marriage,
removed to Duck Trap, Maine. In 1X17, with his
family, he emigrated West; first to Kentucky; thence t"
Illinois, and thence to Dodgeville, Wis. He came I"
Chicago, in the fall of 1829.*

In January, 1830, he opened the Wolf Point Hotel,
which he rented of Mr. Kinzie and which he kept until
late in the fall of that year, when he removed to a claim
he had taken, eight miles northwest of the city, near where

Jefferson Station, on the Chicago <S; Northwestern Rail-
road, now is. Here he built quite a large log house and
opened another tavern, which he kept uninteruptedly
except during a short time when driven into refuge at
Fort Dearborn during the Black Hawk War, in [832 .
for many years. His wife died of cholera in Chicago,
July 22, 1849. He died at the residence of his daughter.
Mrs. Sweet, at St. Joseph, Mich, in November, 1863.
He was buried in Chicago.

Their children were.

Hiram, born in Yassalborough, Maine, April 22,
1800.

Elijah Wentworth, Jr., was born in I incolnville,
Maine, March 30, 1803. He came to Chicago either
in 1830 or 1831. He was elected, by a unanimous vote.
the first Coroner of Cook County. He afterwards
removed to Lyons, Cook County, where he kept the
well-known Black Horn tavern. He was Postmaster
for a while 1844 . In 1875 he was living in Galesburg,

by Zebiah We

638

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Knox Co., Ill He married, January 15, 1832, Eliza
lane Weed, Plainfield, Will Co., 111. She died in Chi-
cago, lune 24. 1836; 2 he married Angelina, daughter
of Demas Colton, Middletawn, Conn. She died at East

Hartford. Conn.. July 25, 1858. 3 He married at
Galesburg, June 13, 1864, Mrs. Elmira L; Myers widow .
He died at Galesburg, November 18, 1875.

Eliza died young in Illinois.

Lucy, born in Lincolnville, Maine. October 25, 1807;
married October 12, 1S27, in Jo Daviess County, 111., John
Ray, Willow Springs, Wis. She died April 24, 1864.
Marv Wilson, born October 19. 1808: married 1
William" Clark. Lewiston, Fulton Co., 111. He died at
Fort Winnebago, Wis., 1831. 21 John Holcomb. She

died in 1834, at Pekin, 111. Ruth Whitney, died in
infancy in Lexington, Ky.

Zebiah Walker Estes , born in Hampden, Maine,
April 19, 1810; married Elijah S. Estes, now of Bay
View, Wis., September 4, 1836, where January, 1884 ,
she is still living.

Susan, born in Hampden. Maine, July 12, 1811;
married 1 July 1, William Anderson; 2 Charles
Sweet. February 16, 1836, moved to St. Joseph, Mich.,
where she died, March 25, 1882.

Isaac died in infancy in Ohio, about 181 3.

George H., born September 9, 18 15, near Lexington.
Ky. Now, 1884, living in the town of Lake, Wis.

^

^^^^UWmtWimm^^^S^'^^^

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m^ A. J^f z-'p j| I'li-p j

35 ^ f^ ~:i^f

VIEW ON CLAKK. STREET IN 1857.

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.

1603 — Samuel Champlain first arrives on the St.

Lawrence River 3X

1608 — Samuel Champlain founds Quebec 39

161 1 — Samuel Champlain establishes trading-post

on site of Montreal _ 39

1 6 15 — Samuel Champlain leads Hurons against the

Iroquois 39

1618 — John Nicolet arrives in Quebec from France 39

1634-35 — John Nicolet visits what is now Wiscon-
sin and Illinois 40-41-2S7

1635—36 — First Jesuit Mission Huron Mission

founded in the Northwest 41

1645 — Louis Joliet born at Quebec 42

1660 — Second Mission Ottawa Mission at Keewee-
naw Bay, Lake Superior) founded in the
Northwest by Pere Menard . 41

1665 — Father Claude Allouez founds "Mission of
the Holy Ghost " at La Pointe Ashland Bay,
Wisconsin ] _ 41-42

1667 — Louis Joliet explores the copper mines of

Lake Superior 42

1668 — Fathers Dablon and Marquette establish
the " Mission of St. Mary," at Sault Ste.
Marie 42

1669 — Father Jacques Marquette succeeds Al-
louez at La Pointe and first meets Illinois
Indians — LaSalle discovers the Ohio River 42-61

1670 — Marquette appointed to Illinois Mission —
Miamis and Mascoutins visited by Allouez —
French traders in Wisconsin 42-287-33-48

167 1 — France takes formal possession of the
Northwest — Grand convention of Indian
tribes at Sault Ste. Marie 42-47-48

1673 — Joliet and Marquette explore the Missis-
sippi River, and return to Green Bay by way
of the Illinois and Lake Michigan — Fort
Cataraqua later Fort Frontenac estab-
lished 43-50-61-287

1674-75 — Marquette attempts to reach his Illinois
Mission and winters at the " Portage River."
French traders in Illinois — The Kaskaskia
Mission founded ... 44-45-46

1676 — Allouez received at Chicago by Illinois In-
dians 287

1679 — First vessel (Griffin) launched on the Upper
Lakes — Fort Miami built by LaSalle at
mouth of St. Joseph River, Michigan 62

1680 — The word Chicougou first mentioned by

Hennepin ._ 37

1680 — LaSalle reaches the Illinois River by way of
the St. Joseph and Kankakee — Fort Creve-
cceur built and destroyed — Massacre of the
Illinois Indians by the Iroquois — Tonty
and other Frenchmen escape massacre and
reach Green Bay by way of the Desplaines
and Chicago portage — LaSalle visits the
Illinois River the second time _ 62-63

1681 — Marquette's journal published by Ther-

venot 44~4y

1681-82 — LaSalle first visits and describes the

"Chicagou Portage " 63-64

Pag,

16S2 — 1 onty passes through Chicago on his
route from the Mississippi River to Mack-
inac 64

[682—83 — Fort S. Louis Starved Ruck , on the
Illinois River, fortified by LaSalle and Ton-
ty— LaSalle writes to I. a Barre from the
Chicagou Portage — Miamis settled at Fort
St. I. on is 33-64

1684 — Tonty attacked at Fort St. Louis by the
Iroquois — De la Durantaye comes with a
party from Mackinac to relief of Tonty —
Fort built at " Chicagou " 65

1685 — Tonty visits De la Durantaye as his fort at

Chicago 65

1687-88 — Henri Joutel and companions twice visit

Chicago 65

1699 — St. Cosme, Tonty. De Montigny, Davion
and De la Source at Chicago — Miami Mis-
sion established in charge of Fathers Pinet
and Bineteau — Boy lost on the Chicago
prairie _ 66-287

1700 — Fathers Gravier and Marest found new Kas-
kaskia Mission — De Courtemanche visits the
Miamis at St. Joseph and at Chicago to
arrange for making peace with the Iroquois. 67

1702 — Fort St. Louis abandoned as a military post

by the French _ 67

1700-06 — Deaths of Fathers Pinet and Bineteau,

first Chicago priests 67-6.S

1 7 18 — James Logan explores route to the Missis-
sippi - 79

1702-26 — Constant war in northern Illinois between
the French and their allies the Illinois, and
the Foxes — Illinois driven from the Illinois
River — Miamis driven eastward — Abandon-
ment of the Chicago route from Canada
to the Mississippi . _ _ 67-69

1726-57 — Northern Illinois deserted by the French. 69
Immigration of Northwestern tribes ._ 34

1764 — Treaty between Western Confederacy of

Indians and the English 34

1769 — Pottawatomies conquer the Illinois at Starved
Rock, and become the dominant tribe of
Upper Illinois 34-35

1773 — William Murray, an English subject, pur-
chases land of the Indians, which extends
up the Illinois River to "Chicagou or Gar-
lick Creek " — " Illinois Land Company "
formed ._ _ 69-70

1778 — French trader named Guarie settled at Chi-
cago 92

1779-96 — Baptiste Point De Saible settled at Chi-
cago 70

1780 — "Illinois Land Company" re-organized at

Philadelphia 70

1 783 — Treaty with Northwestern tribes 34

1786 — Letter of William Burnett alluding to Chi-
cago 72

1790 — Battles between General Harmer's army and
Indians near Chillicothe, Ohio, and Fort
Wayne, Ind 34

639

640

HISTORV OF CHICAGO.

1701 — Expeditions of Generals Scott. Wilkinson and
St. Clair against the Western Confederacy
of Indians — French trader at Chicago
killed by Pottawatomies 34. 91 1

1794 — Victory of General Anthony Wayne over

Western Confederacy. .. 34 1816-

i 7 L»> — Treaty of Greenville — Chicago first officially

recognized by the United States. ... 35, 70, 79 1817-

1796-Le Mai, a French trader, buys the cabin of

Point De Saible 7-

i7u8 — Letter of William Burnett referring to an

expected garrison at Chicago 72

1S03 — Arrival at Chicago of Captain John Whistler,
with company of United States soldiers —
Establishment of Fort Dearborn 72-80 181 7-

1S04 — Settlement of first permanent white resident,

John Rinzie __ _ 72 1818-

Cnited States Indian Agency established. 86, 97
Birth of first white child Ellen ML Rinzie . 76

1805 — First Masonic Lodge established in Illinois. 507

1809 — American Fur Company organized by John

J. Astor 93

Territory of Illinois set off from Indiana... 599

1810 — Captain Nathan Heald succeeds Captain

Whistler as commandant at Fort Dearborn — 1819-

Pottawatomie council at St. Joseph in regard
to the tribe joining Tecumseh and the

Prophet 80

Matthew Irwin made United States Factor 1820 —

at Chicago 87

Illinois Pottawatomies commence hostilities

against the whites 76-7 7-80

Mention of Chicago's first physician, John

Cooper .457

Attention of Government drawn to scheme
of canal connecting Lake Michigan with the
Mississippi River . 166 1S21-

1810-11 — First Chicago teacher and pupil. . 204

1811 — Matthew Irwin and John Lalime write to
L'nited States officers regarding Indian
depredations in Illinois — Battle of Tippe-
canoe— Pottawatomie council on the Illinois

River at Peoria 77-78-79

Southwest Fur Company formed 93

1812 April 6 — Settlers murdered at." Lee's place "
on the South Branch at the Chicago River —
June 18 L'nited States declares war against
England — July 16 Fort Mackinac surren-
dered— August 15 Massacre of the Fort 1822 —
Dearborn garrison — August 16 Fort Dear-
born burnt by the Indians — Detroit sur-
rendered by General Hull 80-83

First mention of Chicago militia _ 264 | 1823-

1814 — First merchant brig put on the Upper Lakes
— Canal scheme favorably mentioned by
President Madison 240-166

1X15 — "Dean House" built on the lake shore —
Foreigners prohibited by Congress from
dealing in furs in the United States and

Territories 85-93

Garden belonging to Fort Dearborn culti-
vated by Antoine Ouilmette and Alexander

Robinson __ 92

Treaties of peace with the Pottawatomies at

Portage des Sioux and Detroit... 35

1816 — Fort Dearborn rebuilt — Indian Agency and
l'nited States Factory re-established —
Treaty of St Louis, by which lands around
the head of Lake Michigan were deeded to
( iovcrnmcnt 83-92

Page

Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown incor-
porated— -First legal banking in the State.. 524
Major S. H. Long explores future route

of Illinois & Michigan Canal _ 166

First Chicago School opened 204

17 — Conant and Mack's trading-house estab-
lished at Chicago _. 92~93

-Samuel A. Storrow, of Massachusetts, visits
and describes Fort Dearborn and the Chi-
cago River and portage 100

American Fur Company re-organized, and

agency established at Mackinac 93-94

'The schooner " Heartless " wrecked off Chi-
cago harbor 240

1818 — Schooners "Baltimore" and "Her-
cules" run between Chicagoand Mackinac. 94-95

-Judiciary organized under State Constitution 419
Agency of American Fur Company estab-
lished at Chicago — First visit of Gurdon S.
Hubbard, now ^1884 the oldest living resi-
dent 96-1 10

April 13) Illinois admitted as a State 599

John H. Kinzie indentured to American
Fur Company . 74

-Incorporation of first State bank and estab-
lishment of four branches 526

Schooner " Jackson " plies between Chicago

and Mackinac _ 95

Dr. Alexander Wolcott appointed LTnited
States Indian Agent — Lewis Cass and
Henry R. Schoolcraft visit Chicago, which
consists of Port Dearborn and three log
houses — " Cobweb Castle," completed by

Dr. Wolcott 90-100

Government goods in LTnited States Factory

valued at $20,000 89

First mention of a Chicago Justice of the

Peace _ . 420

" Walk in the Water " wrecked .... 240

Chicago shore line first surveyed 589

Treaty with the " LTnited Tribes " at Chicago 35

LT. S. Factory discontinued .. 89

First baptism Alexander Beaubien baptized

by Rev. Stephen D. Badini 288

Charles C. 'Trowbridge visits Chicago, on
Government business. In regard to the

location of Indian Mission schools.). _ 100

Masonic Grand Lodge instituted in Illinois. 507
March Congress grants to Illinois permis-
sion to cut a canal through the State,
donating 90 feet each side the route, and

appropriates $10,000 for surveys 166

February — Bill passed by Legislature pro-
viding for survey of canal route, and ap-
pointing commissioners 1 66

f June 5 — Arrival of Major Long's expedi-
tion— Chicago described by William H.
Reating as consisting of "a few huts" — Its
lake trade not exceeding " the cargo of five

or six schooners" 100

(May — Fort Dearborn evacuated by garri-
son and left in charge of Dr. Alexander Wol-
cott; July 20) — First Chicago marriage ^Dr.
Wolcott and Ellen M. Rinzie . 74, 76, 84, 85, 90
Archibald Clybourne and David McRee
become residents of Chicago — Government

blacksmith shop established 101-566

Chicago taxed as a part of Fulton county,
and John Rinzie : December 2) recommended
for Justice of the Peace of same county. 75-174

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.

641

Page

1824 — Illinois divided into five judicial circuits 419

Five routes surveyed for Illinois & Michi-
gan Canal _ 167

("August 23) — The Clybourne family settle at
Chicago _ 1 o 1

1825 — (January)— Illinois & Michigan Canal Com-
pany incorporated 167

(July 28) — John Kinzie commissioned Jus-
tice of the Peace for Peoria County 75

(September 6) — Chicago becomes a precinct
of Peoria County — Archibald Clybourne
appointed first Chicago Constable.. 75, 103, 174
(October 9) — Rev. Isaac McCoy preaches

the first Protestant sermon . _ 28S

John H. Fonda describes the town as con-
taining " about fourteen houses and not
• more than seventy-five or one hundred
inhabitants ; " fourteen residents assessed as
taxpayers 100, 101

1826 — Rev. Jesse Walker first visits the town ;
Mark Beaubien becomes a resident ; the

Scott family settle at Gross Point 106, 288

(August 7) First Chicago election 600

1827 — "Winnebago War" — Chicago militia organ-
ized __ _ 264-269

Illinois organized into four judicial circuits. 419
Congress appropriates to the State 284,000

acres for canal purposes . . 167

" Miller House " built by Samuel Miller —
Clybourne's slaughter-house built on the
North Branch _ _ _ . 104-560

1828 — (January 6) — Death of John Kinzie at Fort

Dearborn .. 75

Fort Dearborn re-garrisoned 84

Rev. Isaac Scarritt preaches in the " Miller
House " . _ _ 288

1829 — Fifth judicial circuit created (including Chi-
cago) _., 419

Towns established along the proposed route

of the Illinois & Michigan Canal 167

First ferry established at Chicago (where

Lake Street crosses the river) 197

" Wolf Tavern " built by James Kinzie and
Archibald Caldwell .. 96

1830 — Chicago surveyed and platted by Canal
Commissioners on Canal Section 9 (plat

published August 4) 111, 174

First bridge across Chicago River (South

Branch, near Randolph-street crossing 19S

Methodist "Chicago Mission District''
formed and Rev. Jesse Walker appointed to

mission... 288

Death of Dr. v'e -ar>der Wolcott _ 90

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Forbes open school

in the "Dean House" 114,205

Elijah Wentworth becomes landlord of the
Wolf Tavern 96-103

1 83 1 — (January) — First movements toward con-
struction of railroad in Illinois 244

(January 15 — Cook County created, and

Chicago designated as the county seat 116

(March) — Cook County organized, and Chi-
cago made a voting precinct ; first election

for county officers 116

(March) — Appropriation bv Congress for

light-house ... .. 240

(June) — Troops withdrawn from Fort Dear-
born— Colonel T. J. V. Owen, Indian Agent,

placed in charge of fort . . 84, 90, 9 1

(June) — First county roads established (pres-

Page

ent State Street and Archer Avenue, and

Madison Street and OgdeLTi Avenue; 117

Cook County granted twenty-four canal lots

by the State 174

(June 16; — First Methodist class formed;
Rev. Stephen R. Beggs appointed to the

Chicago Mission 288

First post-office established — First prayer
meetings held — John Miller's tannery biiilt

on North Branch 115,289,565

Richard J. Hamilton appointed Commis-
sioner of School Lands for Cook County.. 205

Construction and fall of the light-house 240

Arrival of Colonel Hamilton, G. W. Dole,
P. F. W. Peck, Mark Noble, Dr. Elijah D.
Harmon, and other prominent early settlers 115

1831-32 — First Chicago literary society formed 472

1832 — f January) — First Methodist quarterly meet-
ing ....'. 288

(March) — First public building (the " Estray

Pen ") erected _ 174

(April) — First street leading to the lake laid

out _ _ 192

(April; — Breaking out of " Black Hawk

War" 266

(May) — Captain Gholson Kercheval's Chi-
cago militia company organized — Settlers
from surrounding country take refuge in
Fort Dearborn — (May 21) — Captain Jesse
Brown's Chicago company leave Fort Dear-
bon for a week's campaign against the
Indians — Robert Kinzie, Jean Baptiste Beau-
bien form companies and go to the aid of

the settlers 266, 270

(June 17) — Fort Dearborn garrisoned by a
company of U. S. soldiers, under Captain
William Whistler — (July 10) — Steamer "Shel-
don Thompson " arrives with General Scott
and troops for Black Hawk War, and brings

cholera .. 120, 121

(August 3) — Black Hawk routed at Bad

Axe _. 271

(August 19) — First Chicago Sunday-school

organized _ 289

First frame business building erected — First
provisions packed and shipped — First saw-
mill established ..122, 566

Chicago Temperance Society organized 517

Bridge built over the North Branch 198

1833 — (March 2! — First appropriation for improve-
ment of harbor ($25,000) __ . .122,234

(May 5) — First Catholic church (Old St.

Mary's) organized 290

(May) — Garrison transferred from F'ort
Brady to Fort Dearborn — (May 19) — Rev.
Jeremiah Porter preaches his first sermon in

Chicago 299

(June 26) — First Presbyterian Church organ-
ized __ 300

(July 1) — Improvement of harbor com-
menced ._ _ __ 122, 234

(July 7) — First celebration of the Eucharist 300
(August) — -Town incorporated — First elec-
tion of town officers 128, 174. 175

(August) — "Temple Building," First Bap-
tist church building finished _ 315

(September 26) — Treaty with the Pottawat-

omies 56, 122,128

^October) — School Section 16 sold at public
auction at $6.72 per acre (square mile

42

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

191
361

192

4-1'

556

206
6«

bounded east and west by State and Hal-
sted streets, and north and south by Mad-
ison and Twelfth streets

October 19 — First Baptist Church organ-
ized

October — Manufacture oi agricultural im-
plements the " Bull Plow " commenced in
Northern Illinois by Asahel Pierce, at Lake

Street, corner of Canal.. 566,

November 6 — First fire ordinance passed,

and fire warden appointed

November 7 — Ordinance against polluting

the river

November 20 — First issue of the "Chicago

Democrat '* . . 175,

November — Code of local laws adopted —
First jail log erected — State road from

Chicago to Vincennes completed 175,

Arrival of first Chicago lawyers — Trial of

first larceny case _ _

First shipment from port of Chicago — I. um-
ber-yard, brick-yard, and manufacture of

soap and candles started . 554, 555,

December — Wharfing privileges defined — I 1836-

" English and Classical School for Boys "

opened 141,

Tremont House built _ . . _ _

1 B34 — January 4 — First Presbyterian church dedi-
cated

February 24 — First professional public en-
tertainment

June 7 — Organization of Cook County

Militia as the Sixtieth Regiment I. S. M

September 1 — Sunday law passed .

October — First authorized town loan —
First lire — First Episcopal religious serv-
ice 142, 221,

December 2 — " Chicago Lvceum " insti-
tuted

Town limits extended; South Water and
Lake streets graded; first drawbridge Dear-
born Street . _ 1 75-192-15

First vessel enters Chicago River; Chicago &
Vincennes Railroad incorporated; Vigilance
Committee appointed to see that health reg-
ulations are complied with 241-245-

St. James' Episcopal Church organized:
Fir>t Methodist church building erected. 334
Death of Mrs. Eleanor McKillip Kinzie..

divorce suit and murder trial

First piano brought to Chicago

Establishment of first carriage-shop and

fir-t book-store 567.

Great immigration from the East, and rise in

Chicago real estate 133

1835 — February 12 — Second State Bank incor-
porated

May — Opening of Government Land-
Office at Chicago; great land craze... 134-
June — Temporary Board of Health organ-
ized; failure to negotiate town loan of $2,000

litary purposes 196

gust 5 — I- 1 r-t police Constable 1 lei ted;
municipal law passed prohibiting gaming-
houses and the sale of liquor on Sunday. 202-203
I 1 tober — First lire company formed " Pio-
neer" hook and ladder 222

ber — Volunteer Fire Department
organized; court-house erected one story

and basement, corner Clark and Randolph

Streets 176-222

Cemetery located; town seal adopted.. 141-176
(December — " Chicago Branch of Illinois
State Bank" established; first musical or-
ganization _ 527-496

Town organized for school purposes; school
districts established; first building erected

specifically for school purposes 207-208

First Swedenborgian services in Chicago;

first term of the Sixth Circuit Court 345-427

Last visit of Pottawatomies to receive their
annuities; the Beaubien claim entered at
Chicago Land-Office, and Fort Dearborn

Reservation bought by J. B. Beaubien 36-85

First foundry established; population of

Chicago, 3,265 566-1 79

United States Land Office established . 14S

Ship building commenced ._ 241

(June 8) — First issue of Chicago American

(weekly) _ 366-372

(August 18) — Chicago Bible Society organ-
ized 356

-Evacuation of Fort Dearborn as a military

post 84, 160

( January 1) — First carrier's address. _. 412

(January 16) — First Chicago Railroad char-
tered (Galena <X: Chicago Union 245

January 18: — Chicago Hydraulic Company
incorporated; Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany incorporated 185-246

vMay) — Arrival of Chicago's first Homoeo-
pathic physician 46 7

(June 11) — First Universalist Society organ-
ized

334

5"

594

325 J ■

97
421
496

4M
'34

527

(38

I

594 1837-

( June 29)
ized

-First Unitarian Societv organ-

43

343

(July 4) — Commencement of construction of
canal at Bridgeport. _ _ 168

July 9) — The Chicago American calls at-'
tention to a pond of water on Lake Street,
corner of La Salle, " inhabited by frogs,"

and smelling disagreeably _ 192

(August 11 — First Odd Fellows lodge in

Illinois organized 514

(September 14) — First circus _ 472

(October n) — Chicago Commercial Adver-
tiser established. . _. 378

(October,! — First meeting of Cook County

Medical Society _ 466

(November) — Chicago Democrat passes into

charge of John Wentworth 371

Troops permanently withdrawn from Fort

Dearborn... . S4

" Archer Road " laid out from Chicago to
Lockport; first house built from architectural
designs; first flouring mill erected (Gage &

Lyman's _ 504-564

"Saloon Building" erected; Canal, Lake,
and Randolph streets turnpiked and bridged 192

Lake House completed _ 634

- January 3 — Mechanics Institute organized 518
(February 27) — Passage of Internal Im-
provement Bill, making appropriations for
railroads and canals — Legislature legalizes

the suspension of specie payments 528-530

(March 2 — Rush Medical College incor-
porated . 464

March 4 — Chicago chartered as a city 176

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.

643

Establishment of the Municipal Court 443

(March 31! — First city election; six wards

established 177-178

(May) — First Theater License granted . . 473
(May 9) — First permanent Board of Health

appointed . 594

(May 12) — First Board of School Inspec-
tors elected by City Council. 209

1 June 1) — First issue of City Scrip 150

(June 25) — Dedication of (Old) St. James

Episcopal church 334

(July 1) — First City Census taken, popula-
tion,4,170 __ ._ 179

i^ October) — First Theater opened in Sauga-

nash Hotel 474

(November) — Chicago and Vicinity Bible

Society organized 357

Cook County attached to the Seventh Cir-
cuit 428

Chicago Post-Office first made a distributing-
point 150

First Pamphlet printed in Chicago 412

Chicago Marine & Fire Insurance Company

chartered 531

Manufacture of furniture begun 567

First sash, door and blind factory estab-
lished 567

Reward offered for runaway negro 604

Great financial panic 183

1838 — (February) — First steam fire engine 227

(May 20) — License granted to Chicago

Theater . _ 477

(August 4 — Stephen A. Douglas's first

speech in Chicago . 602

"Canal Cholera " among laborers on Illinois

& Michigan Canal 594

First Chicago steamer ("James Allen")

built. 241

Discussion between Stephen A. Douglas and

John T. Stewart in Saloon Building 180

Drought, and business depression 150

First Methodist Church building moved

from North to South Side 326

First invoice of wheat exported from

Chicago (78 bushels) 555

Manufacture of boots and shoes commenced

by S. B. Collins _ _ _. .... 570

1839 — (February 15) — Municipal Court abolished,
and cases pending transferred to Circuit

Court 178

Fort Dearborn Addition surveyed and

platted ._ 160

(February 19) — Union Agricultural Society

incorporated. 378

(March) Management of school fund trans-
ferred from County Commissioners to Com-
mon Council _ _ 209

April 6) — Grand Masonic Lodge of Illi-
nois formed .. 507

'April 9 — " Daily Chicago American'' first

issued . -377-379

July) — Regular steamboat line established

between Chicago and Buffalo 241

(September 3 — Chicago Colonization So-
ciety organized 608

(October 27) — First Tremont House burned 635

(October 27' — Tremont House burned. 223

Bridge and ferry difficulties — June) Sale of
Fort Dearborn addition — Great fire October
27 — Thanksgiving Day first observed 150

Disestablishment of the Municipal Court . . 444

First law book published 412

Attempted impeachment -of Judge Pear-
son 444-445

First passenger on the Underground Rail-
road to Chicago, 605-606

Steamer "Illinois" built for Chicago by

Oliver Newberry of Detroit 618

Rankin's brass foundry established (first .. 567
Granger's iron foundry, the " Chicago fur-
nace" established 567

Engraving commenced by S. D. Childs 414

First important shipments of grain and

"our 555

Commencement of brewing 561

Dearborn-street bridge demolished 198

1840 — (January 1) — Washingtonian Temperance

Society instituted 518

(January 16) — First meeting of Chicago

Anti-Slavery Society 608

(February 24) — Daily Chicago Democrat

first issued ._ 372

Re-organization of School System under
City Charter — Permanent establishment of

Public Free Schools _ 210

(April 4) — 'Weekly Tribune established. . . 378
(April 7) — Chicago Bible Society organized
as auxiliary to American Bible Society. .357-523
(July 10) — First Cook County murderer

hung in Chicago ._ 273

First book compiled and printed in Chicago

("Scammon's Reports") 413

Clark-street bridge built. Floating swing

bridge') ... 199

(October) — City organized into four School

Districts. 210

(December) — Uniformity of School text-
books secured . 211

John Stone tried for murder and executed.
"Know-nothing" excitement 151

1841 — (February 6) — Young Men's (Library) As-
sociation, of Chicago, organized — First Chi-
cago Reading-room. . . 521

(February 27) — Office of City Marshal cre-
ated 17 9.

(May 3) — First Unitarian church building

dedicated .... 344

Wells-street bridge constructed 199

Great temperance revival 152

Cook County first supplied with Bibles by
Chicago Bible Society 357

1S42 — January 6 — The Better Covenant ('now

The Universalist) established 384

March) — Trinity Episcopal Church estab-
lished 336

May 27 — Abolitionist State Convention at
Chicago. (First State Convention in the
city .. . 608

June 1 — Organization of Second Presbyte-
rian Church 305

(July ip) — Chicago Bethel, or Mariner's
Temperance Society, organized 5 iS

fuly — First Propeller built on Lake Mich-
igan, launched from Averell's Shipyard,

(North Side ) ' 242

First shipment of wool .... . 556

Exports of Chicago for the first time more

than the imports 557

"Hydraulic- Mills" built by James Long.. 564

644

HISTORY OF CHICAOO.

Washingtonian Society organized — Federal
Bankrupt Law passed — Martin Van Buren

visits Chicago i5J

Religious work commenced among the Sea-
men— Bethel erected - 354

Washington Guards, Montgomery Guards,

and Chicago Cavalry organized 275-270

The Western Citizen first issued 383

Vocal music introduced in schools 211 1845-

November 14 — Negro sold at auction on

Clark Street... - --- 605

1842-43 — Foreign loan of $1,600,000 negotiated to
prosecute work on Canal — Work com-
menced on Canal on "shallow cut " plan.. 170

1843— March 11— Junior Washingtonian Tem-
perance Society organized . _ 518

March — City Hospital burned . 594

March 25 —Chicago Society of the New
Jerusalem organized. September 7, incor-
porated 346

First book compiled, printed, bound and

issued in Chicago (Directory for 1844) 413

First Eastern Express 263

First celebration of St. Patrick's Day — Great

spring snow storms 152

Chicago Branch of State Bank discontinued 531
Illegal banking established in Illinois. .532, 533
Immigration of Jewish colony to Cook

County — 348

(August 14) — Tabernacle Baptist Church

organized 319

Canal-street Methodist Episcopal Church

organized _ 327

St. Paul's Evangelical United Church or-
ganized _ 351

September 25) — Young Men's Lyceum or-
ganized . . 522

(October 2) — First Chicago Masonic Lodge

(Lafayette Lodge, No. 18J chartered.. 507

Mechanics' Institute chartered as a corpora-
tion 518

Plan first conceived of pumping water from

the Chicago into the Desplaines 170-171

Organization of German Evangelical Asso-
ciation _. 334

Chicago Hide & Leather Company formed,

Wil.iam S. Gurnee, president.. 565

(December 25 — New) St. Mary's Church
opened ._ 290

1844 — February 28) — First Odd Fellows' lodge
established (Union, No. 9 314

April — First medical journal issued — (Illi-

nois Medical and Surgical Journal,. _ 384

(April 22) — Establishment of Chicago

Daily Journal 377

(May 20) — First issue of Gem of the
Prairie (merged in the Chicago Tribune

in 1852) 389-401

(June 3) — University of St. Mary's of the

Lake established 298

(August 9 — Severe storm and ternado.
Bank building and residence of E. H. Had-
duck struck by lightning — Schooner " Dan-
iel Whitney " lost on Lake Michigan, with
all on board

August 20 — Independent Order of Recha-
bites instituted 518

November 4 — Severe wind-storm — Walls
of Fir^t Baptist Church, then in process of
■ on, demolished 153

First homeopathic pharmacy established.. 470

Meat first packed for English market 562

The first " impartial historian " 502

First edition of Mrs. Juliette Kinzie's "Mas-
sacre at Chicago " published 413

La Fayette Chapter (first Masonic} insti-
tuted 513

Seamen's Society organized 354

-I February) — Creation of County Court 446

First Odd Fellow's Encampment estab-
lished 516

Dearborn School Building (First perma-
nent public school building] erected on Mad-
ison Street opposite McVicker's Theater 211

(May 15) — First Chicago Commandery

(Apollo, No. 1) granted a dispensation 513

(September 23) — Reformed Presbyterian

Church organized 312

(November 26 — First issue of Chicago
newspaper printed in foreign language,

Chicago Volksfreund 154, 389

First chair manufactory established 570

Large immigration of Jews to Chicago 348

Publication of first book of poems .... 501

First Annual Fair of Mechanic's Institute.. 519

(November 8) — Independent Order of Sons

of Temperance instituted 518

1846 — (January) — St. Andrews Society organized. 523
March 20) — Special tax for street improve-
ments first levied 154

(April 9) — Establishment of the Western
Herald (afterward Congregational Herald). 395
(May 11) — War declared against Mexico —
(May 20) — Governor Thomas Ford issues
proclamation calling for thirty companies of
Illinois volunteers to serve twelve months —
(May) — Captains Lyman Mower and Elisha
Wells raise Chicago companies which are
attached to First Illinois Regiment. Cap-
tain C. C. Sibley enlists company of regu-
lars in Chicago _ 279, 280

(July 16) — Chicago made port of entry 244

(July) — River and Harbor Convention 236, 237
(September) — Sisters of Mercy commence
work in Chicago — 1847 — Convent of Sisters

incorporated 299

(October 8) — State School Convention at

Chicago 212

City first supplied with Bibles by Bible So-
ciety 358

Organization of St. Paul's German Lutheran

Church. 348

Church of the Holy Name established 297

St. Patrick's Church — St. Peter's German
— St. Joseph's (German) established . . 294, 295
North Side made a Catholic parish under
charge of priests of College of St. Mary's.. 297

New England Society organized .. .... 522

"Athens Quarries " discovered ... 570

Establishment of first stove foundry | Phce-
nix Foundry) . 567

'February 16) — City divided into nine wards,
one alderman to be elected annually from

each, and hold office two years 179

(February 27'j — Act passed adjusting wharf-

ing privileges.... 239

.March) — $2,600 in money, besides supplies
contributed toward sufferers by famine in
Ireland 154

1847—

CHRONOLOGICAL INDKX.

64S

(March) — $3,500 appropriated by Govern-
ment for Chicago light-house 242

(March 30) — County Hospital opened in

"Tippecanoe Hall " 594

(April 3) — Victory of Buena Vista cele-
brated 154

(April 27) — St. George Society organized.. 523
(May) — " Scammon School " building erect-
ed on West Madison Street, near Halsted . 212
(May) — "Chicago Horse Company" raised
for Mexican War — Attached to Fifth Regi-
ment as infantry 281, 282

(June 28) — Opening of Rice's first theater. . 484
(July ij — Organization of Third Presbyterian

Church . . 306

(July 10) — First issue of the Chicago Tribune 401
(July 22-23) — Quinn Chapel Methodist

Episcopal Church organized _ ^^3

(August 10) — First number of Watchman
of the Prairie issued (afterward Christian

Times, Baptist and Anti-Slavery) 402

(August 15) — First German Methodist Epis-
copal Church organized 331

(August) — Weekly steamboat communica-
tion established with Sault Ste. Marie 242

(November! — Chicago Hussars and Chicago

Artillery Company organized 279-285

(November 14) — Indiana-street Methodist

Episcopal church dedicated 328

(November 15)— St. Peter's Society organ-
ized . ._ 523

Wells, Madison and Randolph-street bridges

completed - . 199

Ferries established 202

Oats first exported.. _ 556

Insane Asylum erected. 597

First Odd Fellow's funeral .. 515

(December) — First Law School opened. . .. 447
McCormick Reaper manufactory established 569

1847-48 — Fifth Illinois Regiment in Santa Fe 283

^48 — (January) — "Market Building" (First City

building) erected _ 1 So

(January 15) — First telegram received in

Chicago (from Milwaukee) 263

Chicago Democrats first divided on free-
soil question . 154

(February 14) — First Norwegian Evangeli-
cal Lutheran Church organized 349

March 1) — Contract let for building first
thirty-two miles of Galena & Chicago Union

Railroad 248

(March' 13I — Formation of Chicago Board

of Trade . _ 581, 582

(April 10) — The "General Fry" (first boat)
passes over Illinois & Michigan Canal. 155, 171
(April 16) — Formal opening of Illinois &

Michigan Canal 171

(April) — Illinois Staats Zeitung estab-
lished 389

(May) — Southwestern Plank Road com-
menced ._ 197

(May 28) — First services in North Presby-
terian church 310

(June 27) — Chicago first in direct communi-
cation with the Atlantic Ocean 155

(July) — First United States Court opened . . 448
(October 18) — Fifth Illinois Regiment mus-
tered out of service at Alton 2S3

fOctober — Northwestern Journal of Hom-
eopathy first issued ,., 402

Clark Street numbered from South Water

to Randolph. 192

Appropriation by Congress for erection of

Chicago Marine Hospital 242

Chicago has her first ten miles of railroad.. 262
The "Pioneer" first locomotive placed on
Galena & Chicago Railroad, to run from

Chicago to the Desplaines.. 249

First car and locomotive shop established.

(Now" Scoville Iron Works"; 568

First telegraph office 263

First Jewish religious congregation 348

Cholera epidemic 595

First cattle yards — near intersection of
West Madison Street and Ashland Avenue). 563

School first opened at Bridgeport 213

Hibernian Benevolent Society organized 523

(December 18) — Excelsior Society organ-
ized 523

American Odd Fellow (first organ of secret

societies) started .. 402

Small-pox epidemic in vicinity of Chicago —

First gratuitous vaccination 594

1849 — (February 1) — Galena & Chicago Union

Railroad opened to Elgin.

(March 5) — St. Ansgarius Swedish and Nor-
wegian Church organized.. 338

(March 12) — Great flood .. 200-201

(March) — Clark-street bridge carried away

by ice jam _ _ — 1 99

(March 29)— First Chicago parties emigrate

to California 155

(April) — Mayor's Court instituted 44S

(May) — Chicago Temperance Savings Asso-
ciation organized . 518

(July 21) — Great fire, Tremont House

burned the second time.. 155, 635

(August 1) — Thirty deaths from cholera 595

(August 16) — Catholic Orphan Asylum estab-
lished 299

First Jewish Synagogue (South Clark Street

opened 348

Methodist Protestant Church organized ^^t,

Chicago German Odd Ball organized 285

Banking exchanges with California inaug-
urated 536

Bank panic. 535

(October) — " of Common Pleas " added to

title of "Cook County Court" 448

(October) — Northern Indiana & Chicago
Railroad Company consolidated with North-
ern Indiana 260

Tobacco first manufactured ... 570

1849-50 — "Northwestern Plank Road constructed. 197
Principal streets of city planked 192

1S50 — January 16) — "Sons of Penn " organized. . 523
March 18) — Church of the Atonement

(Episcopal established 337

(July 30 — Appearance of first opera 499

Burning of Rice's theater 4S9

(July) — Methodist Calvinistic Church organ-
ized ...: 330

(September 4) — City first lighted with gas. 155
September 18 — Passage of the Fugitive

Slave Bill 608

General numbering of streets. 192

(September 20'' — 2,595,000 acres of land
along the route of Illinois Central Railroad
granted to Illinois 252

646

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

(October^ — Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany obtain possession of unoccupied por-
tion oi- Fort Dearborn Reservation in con-
sideration of 845.000 paid to Government.
(October :: — Mass-meeting held condemn-
ing the Fugitive Slave Bill, and defying its
enforcement in Chicago

October 24 — Great Speech of Stephen A.
Douglas at Chicago 60S-

October 20 — Organization of the Printers'
Union

October 29) — •• Illinois General Hospital
of the Lake " opened in the old Lake House
St. Louis' Church French Catholic) estab-
lished

Christian Church organized

Chicago Medical Society formed

Night school opened at Mechanics' Insti-
tute

Teachers' Association formed

Elgin and Genoa Flank Road organized

[850-51 — Western Plank Road organized

United States Marine Hospital erected
iS;i — January] — Rice's second theater complet-
ed

February 10 — Grant of land by State to
Illinois Central Railroad Company.. _

February 1 1 — Scotch Temperance Society

formed _

(Februarys — Legislature creates a "Chi-
cago Board of Health " — House of Refuge

established

Office of City Collector established

February 15 — Chicago City Hydraulic

Company incorporated .. 186-187,

Board of Water Commissioners created _ . .

Legal Banking established

(February 17 — Act of 1836, incorporating
Illinois Central Railroad Company repealed

February — Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany incorporated by Act of State Legisla-
ture

Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad

Company organized

Police Court established

May 20 — Grace Episcopal Church organ-
ized

May 22J — First Congregational Church
organized ._

June 7 — Trial of first fugitive slave case.

June 26 — Tabernacle Baptist church build-
ing destroyed by fire

August 24 — State-street Methodist Epis-
copal ' :i organized

nber — Corner Stone of County and

City Court House laid 180-

Communion service presented to Saint Ans-

garius 1 Jenny Lind

Chicago \- Milwaukee Railroad Company
chartered

lirst mortuary record published

Bridewell opened

Soap factory of Charles (.'leaver located at

iow < Oakland

(852 — January — Sangamon Washington School
•1

Franklin School opened

January 13 - I ir^t bank in Chicago organ-
ized under State General Banking Law

Marine Bank, j. Y Scammon

608
609

415
597

296

35i

466

5-o
213
197

197
598

49°

255
5i8

182

596
x79

537

252

253

259
449

337

339

45°

320

329
-181

338

257
594
204

5^5

213
2I3

537

(Januaryl — Galena & Chicago Union and
the Aurora Branch Railroad commence joint

business 257

(February 7) — Western Tablet (Catholic lit-
erary periodical) established 407

(February 20) — Michigan Southern Railroad
completed to Chicago first Eastern trunk

line 259

(February 20) — First through train from the
east, via Michigan Southern Railroad entered

Chicago 156

(March' — Inauguration of construction of

Illinois Central Railroad 253-354

(May 21) — Michigan Central Railroad Com-
pleted to Chicago 261

(May 21) — First construction train over
Michigan Central Railroad enters Chi-
cago 156, 261

(June) — " Chicago Typographical Union "

chartered __ 415

"Mercy Hospital" incorporated 598

City Council pass ordinance allowing Illinois
Central to lay tracks parallel with Lake

Shore 255

(September) — Illinois Central Railroad Com-
pany commence work on Lake Shore Break-
water 255

(September 16) — Daily Democratic Press

established 407

(October 14) — Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne &

Chicago Railroad Company organized 261

Chicago & Mississippi Railroad Company

chartered 259

(October) — Van Buren-street German Meth-
odist Episcopal Church organized... 331

(November) — Spiritualistic Society formed. 353
(December 1) — Plymouth Congregational

Church organized 341

" Union Car Works " built — American Car

Works completed 568

" Athens Marble " first used for facing build-
ings _ 570

Owen -street Methodist Episcopal Church

organized _ 330

Maxwell-street German Methodist Episco-
pal Church organized _. 332

Saint Michael's Church established... 295

1852-53 — Conflict between legal and illegal banking 539

1853 — (January 1 — First number of Christian

Banker issued 541

(January 5) — Establishment of Northwest-
ern Christian Advocate 408

(January) — Swedish Immanuel Evangelical

Lutheran Church organized _ 350

(February 3) — Tabernacle Baptist Church

(West Side) dedicated 321

(February n) — Canal-street Methodist
Church organized as " Jefferson-street

Methodist" 327

(February 12) — Legislative act passed pre-
venting immigration of free negroes into

Illinois ... 604

fFebruary 22) — Dedication of first Odd

Fellows Hall 516

February) — Recorder's court established. . 451
March — Daily steamboat communication

established with Milwaukee 242

( March) — Jackson Guards organized 285

April 25 — Salem Baptist Church organized ^^^

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX.

647

(April 25) — Passenger trains on Michigan
Southern & Michigan Central collide at
Grand Crossing, near city — Eighteen killed

and many wounded 157

(May? — First conviction of a counterfeiter

in the U. S. Court 45 1

(June 15; — New England Congregationalist

Church organized ' 342

(July) — Westminster Presbyterian Church

organized - 309

(September 5, — Attempt to assassinate Allen

Pinkerton on Clark Street 157

(November) — Office of Superintendent of

Schools created _ . . 214

(November 20) — South Congregational

Church organized.... 341

(December 19^ — Trial of George W. Green,

Chicago banker, for murder of his wife 157

Northwestern University located at Chicago 219
Chicago Evangelist first issued (merged
into the New York Evangelist in 1855) ... 407

Garden City Institute established 220

First Congregational church building de-
stroyed by fire _. 340

First Swedish Church organized 324

First Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church

organized 332

Zoar Baptist Church organized 323

Church of St. Francis D'Assissium organized 297

Lithographic house established 415

1853-54 — First distilleries 561

1854 — February 22) — ''Chicago Light Guards"

organized 285

(February) — Act passed to enable Chicago
to borrow $100,000 for use of water works. 182
Second system of water works inaugurated 188
(April 25) — " National Guards " organized. 2S5
(April 27) — Severe storm on lake — Seven

vessels wrecked near Chicago 243

(May 15)—" Emmet Guards " organized. . . 285
(September 1) — Stephen A. Douglas pre-
vented from speaking in Chicago by a

mob ._ 610-61 1

Deaths from cholera 1,424 _ 154

(September 29) — Washington Independent

Regiment organized 284, 286

Establishment of Staats Zeitung threat-
ened by a mob, on account of hostility of

the paper to Nebraska bill 390

Cholera epidemic. ._ 597

St. James' Hospital incorporated 598

First homeopathic hospital established 470

Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac Railroad

originated 257

" Joliet & Chicago Railroad Company"

chartered 259

Locomotive manufactory established (Pur-
chased by Galena & Chicago Railroad Co).. 568

Dearborn Seminary established . 220

" Furst & Bradley Manufacturing Com-
pany" established 569

" Chicago Woodenware Manufactory " estab-
lished (only establishment then in the West,

and largest in the United States) 570

Manufacture of musical instruments com-
menced 57°

Two flouring mills in Chicago, " Chicago

Mills " and "Adams Mills" 564

First Republican majority in Chicago 603

(November 25) — Shields' Guards organized 285

(December 19) — South Presbyterian Church
organized 311

1855 — January — Hahnemann College chartered, 471
(January 25 to February 7) — Embargo of
railroad traffic on account of snowstorm.. 157
(February 1) — "William Tell Guards" or-
ganized 286

February 14 — Board of Sewerage Com-
missioners incorporated 179

(February 15) — Chicago Theological Sem-
inary chartered .... 356

March — " Beer Riot" 614-616

Railroad connection established between

Chicago and Burlington, Iowa 258

(April 25 , — Northern Indiana & Michigan
Southern railroad companies consolidated. 260
(April 18) — Grand Lodge of I. O. of G. T.

instituted 518

(May 3) — "Chicago Guards of Liberty" or-
ganized 286

(June iS) — Trial of Beer Rioters 453

(June 23) — Office of Superintendent of

Schools erected _ 179

(December 28)— Main line of Illinois Cen-
tral Railroad completed _ 255

Police Department created — Three precincts

designated 203

First Masonic Council in Chicago chartered . 513

Three flouring mills in Chicago 564

First type foundry established 570

Chicago Phrenological Society organized.. 523
Consolidation of companies forming the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad

Company _. 258

Consolidation of Illinois & Wisconsin and
Chicago, St. Paul & Fond du Lac railroads,

under latter name _. 257

Land Department of Illinois Central -Rail-
road organized 256

(August 10) — "Highland Guards" organ-
ized 286

(September) — Severe storms — Brig " Tus-
carora " wrecked on the iSth, just outside the
the harbor — " Seneca " (steam tug) explodes
October 16, in river, while passing the Ran-
dolph-street bridge 243

Enforcement of Sunday law attempted 157

(October 22) — Old Settlers' Society organ-
ized. 158

(October) — Schooner " Mark H. Sibley " and
barque " Pathfinder" sunk in Chicago outer

harbor.. _ 243

(November) — North's National Amphithe-
ater finished .. 494

(December) — Moseley public school fund

established _ 215

Surveys for sewerage system 192

Plan of draining city into the river, and
thence into lake adopted. 191

1856— (February) — First Editorial Convention in

Illinois _ 390

(February 22) — St. John's Episcopal Church

organized 337

(March 19) — National Guards Cadets organ-
ized 285

(April 8) — Edina Place Baptist Church or-
ganized 321

(April 24) — Chicago Historical Society or-
ganized 523

(April) — Chicago Dragoons organized 286

D4S

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

May] — First steam-tugs

(May 31)— Kansas Meeting in Court-house
Square, addressed by James H. Lane.. 611-
(May) — Propeller " Bay State " sunk in Chi-
cago harbor

(June 1) — First suburban trains — Chicago

and Hvde Park.. _

(July)— First direct clearance made from

Lake Michigan for Europe

(September "19) — Lake House ferry-boat cap-
sized and ten drowned

(October S)— Chicago High School opened

_ _ 218-

(October) — Brigs "A. R. Cobb" and
- Happy Go Lucky " wrecked outside the

harbor, and other vessels disabled

(November 12) — Union Park Baptist Church

organized . .

(November 2S) — First wooden pavement

laid on Wells Street

(December 2) — Severe storm — Crew of the
•• Charles Howard " rescued by Chicago

volunteers _.

(December 7) — Olivet Presbyterian Church

organized

(December 14) — Berean Baptist Church or-
ganized _.

(December) — Rounds' Printer's Cabinet
issued (the first monthly typographical

journal in the L:nited States)

(December) — Schooners "N. C. Walton"
and •' Charles Howard " wrecked in Chicago

harbor ._

Garrett Biblical Institute established

First train run into new depot of Illinois

Central on Lake Shore ..

First sewers laid .

" Ogden " and " Moseley " schools estab-
lished

Madison-street bridge built at city ex-
pense (first) _

Rush-street iron bridge built

Six flouring mills in Chicago

•• German Chicago Artillery," " Washington
Grenadiers," and "Washington Rifles" or-
ganized

1857 — (February 18) — City charter revised — Ap-
pointive power transferred from Council to

153
612

243

255
243

2C2
-219

243
322
158

158
315

334

243

354

255
192

216

202
202
S64

286

Mayor — Treasury department established
with City Comptroller at head — Police Court
created — Board of Education re-organized. 179

(February 8) — Great freshet

(March 3)— Riot at the polls

(April 1) — Severe gale — Six vessels wrecked
in vicinity of Chicago, fifteen seamen lost..
(April 20) — " Dens on the Sands " broken

up by a mob. _ 158

(April 1) — Chicago Record (First Chicago

Episcopal journal) established 411

(April) — Church of the Holy Communion

established 337

Church of the Ascension organized 337

(May 4) — High grade established on South

Side .. 159

(June 19) — William Jackson executed on

Reuben Street (now Ashland Avenue) 159

(May 7) St. Paul's (Universalist) Church

dedicated 343

(June) — Permanent City Hospital erected.. 596
(July 13) — Wabash-avenue Methodist Epis-
copal church commenced ... . 329

(July 26) — Desplaines-street Methodist Epis-
copal church dedicated 329

(July) — First Nicholson pavement laid 194

(September) — German Medical Society or-
ganized 467

(October 19) — Great fire in Chicago 226

(December) — New St. James' Episcopal

Church opened _ 335

Brown and Foster school buildings erected

— First steam-heating of school building. .. 216

(July) — Iron mills (Ward's) established on

North Branch 569

Capital invested in iron works, car manu-
factures, etc., $1,700,000 569

Nine flouring mills in Chicago 564

Street grade raised 193

Village of Cleaverville laid out 565

St. Louis, Alton & Chicago Railroad Com-
pany organized _ 259

Great financial panic .. . t59j 572> 573

Merchant's Saving & Trust Company or-
ganized (Only financial institution organized
prior to 1858 now (1884) existing in Chi-
cago; 549

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