Cook County IL Archives History - Books .....Early Chicago - Part 2 1876 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 11, 2007, 10:08 pm Book Title: Early Chicago - A Lecture There was great prejudice between the emigrants from the South and those from the East. All our Eastern people were considered by the emigrants from the South as Yankees. The first contest was about the convention system in politics. Southerners denounced it vehemently as a Yankee innovation upon the old system of allowing every man to run for office who wanted to do so, and taking his chances. Their system was to solicit their friends to solicit them to run for office, and then they reluctantly consented, and placed themselves in the hands of their friends. All Yankee customs, fashions, and innovations upon their established usages were ridiculed as Yankee notions, worthy only of the peddlers of wooden clocks and pewter spoons. Thomas Ford, born in Uniontown, Penn., in 1800, who had lived in Illinois from 1804, and whose father had been killed by the Indians, came here as Judge, and did more than any other person to mollify the prejudices of the South against the North. He early foresaw that all that the early settlers of Illinois needed, was the growth of more Yankee thrift among them; and he early told his friends that while he stayed here he was going to conform to all the Yankee notions, as fast as he could ascertain what they were, and wanted his acquaintances to inform him what he should do to prevent embarrassment by non- conformity. I met him on his way to Court one morning, and he said he had just been detained by a lady complaining that he did not attend her party on a previous evening. He told her that he was very fond of parties, and always attended them whenever he could, but that he held Court that evening until it was too late to go. But this did not satisfy her. She wanted to know, if he could not attend, why he did not send a "regret." He did not understand the matter, and made an excuse that the Court was waiting, informing her that he would converse with her some other time. "But," said he, "what's that? What did she want me to do when I couldn't go?" I informed him that the lady had some sisters visiting her from the East, and she had a pride in having them write home that among her friends were the very best people in Chicago, and among them the Judge of the Court; which in his absence, a little note from him would establish. "Capital, capital," said he. "Why you Yankees have a motive in all you do. You turn everything to account. The longer I live among Yankees the more I see why it is that they are getting rich and overrunning the country. Nobody shall complain of me hereafter in that respect. Ill have some note-paper in my desk, and if the lawyers detain me, I'll send the Sheriff with one of those little billet-doux. If there is any other thing that you Yankees want me to do to testify my high appreciation of you, please let me know." The next day the Judge called at my office with a beautiful little note, on gilt-edged paper, addressed to his wife, and reading as follows: "Judge Ford's compliments to Mrs. Ford and the children, and regrets that he cannot be home to have the pleasure of their society on Monday next." Below this was the following postscript: "The above is one of the Yankee notions, and when you want to go anywhere and cannot, you must always send one of these, which they call a 'regret.' Please tell this to the neighbors, and also tell them that when I return I shall have a great many stories to tell them about different Yankee notions." Not long after, I was at Oregon, Ogle County, where he resided, and where he was then holding Court. When it became time for the Sheriff to adjourn the Court, the Judge said, "Mr. Sheriff, don't forget that party at my house to- night." And the Sheriff exclaimed, "Hear ye! Hear ye! The Judge of this Court requests me to say, that he and his lady would be pleased to see you all at his house to-night, both citizens and strangers! Now this honorable Court stands adjourned until to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock." It was wonderful to notice the mixture of people who unceremoniously visited him that evening—attorneys, jurors, suitors, and citizens generally, with their wives. One person seemed as much at home as another. There was a grand welcome for all. He was the very prince of hospitality. His small house could not contain the crowd, and many stood outside and mingled in the entertainments. The Judge passed through the assembly with a waiter on which was a decanter of Madeira wine, and wine-glasses. His wife passed around with another waiter loaded with cake. Said the Judge to some Yankee gentlemen, "This is the way we original Illinoisans give a party. We invite all; the latch-string is out; all come who can, and those who cannot come say nothing. They never write any regrets. Indeed, a great many of our prominent men at the South could not do it. I have known men in our Legislature who could not write." Then he passed away into a group of people who were natives of the South, and told them how he got himself into trouble with a Chicago lady by not writing her a little billet-doux explaining to her why he did not go to her party, when he wanted to go more than she wanted to have him. He often uttered the sentiment that he did not wish to live in a locality where his house was not large enough to entertain his neighbors without making selections. He said he must either build him a larger house or move into a distant settlement. When I came away I expressed the wish that I might soon have the pleasure of seeing him and his neighbors in Chicago. Whereupon the Judge jocosely observed, "We will either come and see you or send you a billet-doux." But a Southern Illinoisan, a native of North Carolina, exclaimed, "Yes, when you Yankee peddlers are putting up wooden clocks and pewter spoons for this region, tell them to put up a little gold- edged note-paper for us, and have them to be sure that the gold isn't bronze!" But the people of this State settled the house question for Judge Ford. For, at the next Gubernatorial election, he was made its Chief Magistrate, and as Governor he rendered his name dear to every Illinoisan by his almost superhuman, but eminently successful, efforts to complete the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and to restore the lost credit of our State. He died not long after the expiration of his term of office, and left to his children only the proceeds of the copyright of his History of Illinois,—a book which, when once commenced, no reader will lay aside until he has finished it. In this work is the only authoritative history of the settlement of the Mormons in this State, and their final expulsion of it, with the assassination of their leader, Joseph Smith. In his preface he says: "The author has written about small events and little men. And in all those matters in which the author has figured personally, it will be some relief to the reader to find that he has not attempted to blow himself up into, a great man." One of our most reliable places of entertainment was the Post-Office while the mail was being opened. The Post-Office was on the west side of Franklin street, cornering on South Water street. The mail coach was irregular in the time of its arrival, but the horn of the driver announced its approach. Then the people would largely assemble at the Post-Office, and wait for the opening of the mails, which at times, were very heavy. The Postmaster would throw out a New York paper, and some gentleman with a good pair of lungs and a jocose temperament would mount a dry-goods box and commence reading. Occasionally I occupied that position myself. During exciting times, our leading men would invariably go to the Post-Office themselves, instead of sending their employes. The news would be discussed by the assemblage, and oftentimes heavy bets would be made, and angry words passed. If it was election times, there would be two papers thrown out, of opposite politics, two reading stands established, two readers engaged, and the men of each party would assemble around their own reader. This condition of things would last until the mails were opened, when the gathering would adjourn until the next blowing of the driver's horn. This gathering afforded the best opportunity for citizens to become acquainted one with another. On one of these occasions, I was introduced to a Lieutenant in the army who had just come to take charge of the Government works in this city. He had great confidence in our future, and expressed his intention to invest all his means here. He was eventually ordered away to some other station, but kept up his interest in Chicago. His taxes became high, too high in proportion to his pay as an army officer and the support of his family. His wife had once placed the price of a new dress in a letter which was to leave by the return of a mail which brought her husband an exorbitant tax-bill. He expressed his intention of ordering, by the same mail, the sale of his Chicago property, as his means could endure his taxes no longer. His wife ordered her letter from the mail, took out the money, and, saying that she preferred the Chicago property to a new dress, insisted that he should use it to pay his Chicago taxes. The next summer he visited our city, and rented his property for enough to pay the taxes. That lady lost her dress for that year, but she gained thereby one of the largest and most celebrated (Kingsbury) estates in our city. I mention this fact to warn our ladies that they should never ask for a new dress until they find their husband's tax-receipt in his wallet; and, at the same time, I would caution husbands not to try to carry so much real estate as to make their poorly-clad wives and children objects of charity when they make their appearance in the streets. Our early settlers were distinguished for their liberal patronage of all religious denominations, and we had one clergyman who created as much sensation as any we have had since his day. Like all really influential sensational preachers, he was an original. He dealt freely in pathos and in ridicule. If we cried once, we were sure to laugh once, in every sermon. Unlike clergymen now called sensational, he never quoted poetry, nor told anecdotes, nor used slang phrases, for the purpose of creating a laugh. There was nothing second-handed about him. I allude to Rev. Isaac T. Hinton, a Baptist clergyman, who was the only settled minister on the South Side when I came here in 1836. His residence was near the corner of VanBuren street and Fifth avenue, then in the outskirts of the city, and was shaded by native oaks. He was a man who never seemed so happy as when he was immersing converted sinners in our frozen river or lake. It is said of his converts that no one of them was ever known to be a backslider. If you could see the cakes of ice that were raked out to make room for baptismal purposes, you would make up your mind that no man would join a church under such circumstances unless he joined to stay. Immersions were no uncommon thing in those days. One cold day, about the first part of February, 1839, there were 17 immersed in the river at the foot of State street. A hole about 20 feet square was cut through the ice, and a platform was sunk, with one end resting upon the shore. Among the 17 was our well-known architect, John M. VanOsdell, alderman-elect, said to be now the only survivor. There are many now living who were baptized by Mr. Hinton; among them is the wife of Hon. Thomas Hoyne, mayor-elect. But recently our Baptist friends have made up their minds that our lake has enough to do to carry away 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. It was the custom in those days to give clergymen donation parties. Now, we have surprise parties, where the lady is expected to endanger her health by hard-working all day in order to prepare her house for a surprise in the evening. The only surprise about them is the magnificence of the preparations. Then the party was advertised in the newspapers, and a notice posted in the vestibule of the church. It was customary in those days for all denominations to patronize liberally the clergymen of other denominations. Mr. Hinton had a family of children nearly grown up, and consequently all the young people, as well as the old, would be there to have a grand frolic at his donation party. There were no religious services, and the house was completely taken possession of by the multitude. People would send just what they happened to have, and it would look at times as if Parson Hinton was going into the storage business. Cords of wood would be piled before the door; flour, salt, pork, beef, box-raisins, lemons, oranges, herring, dry-goods, anything and everything. After the donation party was over, there was always a large quantity left which he did not need, but he knew exactly where to place it— among the destitute of the city. Probably no occasions are remembered with more pleasure by the old settlers of this city than those gatherings at the hospitable mansion of the jolly English preacher, with his attractive laugh, who always enjoyed a good story, and could generally tell a better one. There are many married couples in this city who will tell you that there was where they first met. The first Sabbath I passed in this city, my good boarding-house mistress (Mrs. John Murphy, present on this platform to-day) took me with her to his church, as was the custom of Christian ladies with strange young men in those days. He told me that godliness was profitable unto all things; and he was right. Christian men and women have not kept up this good old custom of taking young men, strangers in the city, to church with them, and using their efforts to lead them to a high social position with their religious instruction. Strange young men now in this city are told that there is a moral infirmary opened here, entirely for their benefit, where the seats are all free, and men are supported expressly to save such as they are from destruction. I never knew a young man to amount to anything if he had no respect for his social position; and that position can never be attained where young men are turned away for religious instruction, to places to visit which they would not think of inviting a young lady to leave a respectable church to accompany them. All honor to those clergymen and Christians of Chicago who have their weekly- church sociables, where young men are brought forward into respectable social intercourse, as well as moral development. The celebrated Indian chief, Black Hawk, covered the whole ground when he said to Gen. Jackson, "You are a man, and I am another!" Not feeling able to sustain the expense of a whole pew, I engaged one in partnership with an unpretending saddle and harness maker (S. B. Cobb), who, by a life of industry, economy, and morality, has accumulated one of the largest fortunes in our city, and still walks our streets with as little pretense as when he mended the harnesses of the fanners who brought the grain to this market from our prairies. The church building in those days was considered a first-class one, and we had a first-class pew therein, and the annual expense of my half of the pew was only $12.50 more than it would have been in our Saviour's time. People wonder at the rapid increase in the price of real estate at the west; but it bears no comparison with the increase in the price of gospel privileges. A good clergyman is well worth all that a liberal-hearted congregation may see fit to pay him. But the people ought to cry out against the reckless waste of money, steadily increasing, in the erection of extravagant church edifices. And the pride in such matters seems to eat up all other considerations. During the recent panic, a Christian lady of this city, with a large family of children, whose husband was suddenly reduced from opulence to penury, astonished me by observing, with tears in her eyes, that her most grievous affliction was that she would be compelled to give up her pew in the church, which was one of the most expensive in the city, and take one in a cheaper edifice. And yet our people sing in every church, "God is present everywhere!" At the close of service one day, Parson Hinton said he thought Chicago people ought to know more about the devil than they did. Therefore he would take up his history, in four lectures; first, he would give the origin of the devil; second, state what the devil has 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 contain the mass that flocked to hear him, and it is a wonder to me that those four lectures have not been preserved. Chicago newspaper enterprise had not then reached here. The third evening was one never to be forgotten in this city; as it would not be if one of our most eminent clergymen, with the effective manner of preaching that Mr. Hinton had, should undertake to tell us what the devil is doing in this 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 finished, 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 contained his prescription for destroying the devil. I remember his closing: "Pray on, 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." In this grand contest with his Satanic Majesty, he, our leader, fought gloriously, but he fell early in the strife. We, his hearers, have kept up a gallant fight to this day, but, judging by our morning papers, the devil is still far from being dead. Yet we dealt him some heavy blows at the recent election! An interesting institution was the ferry-boat between the North and South Sides. It was a general intelligence office. Business was done principally upon the South Side, while most of the dwelling-houses were upon the North Side. The ferryman knew about every person in town, and could answer any question as to who had crossed. The streets had not then been raised to their present grade, nor the river deepened or widened, and the boat was easily accessible to teams. It was pulled across by a rope, and was not used enough to kill the green rushes which grew in the river. If a lady came upon the South Side to pass an evening, she would leave word with the ferryman where her husband could find her. Bundles and letters were left with him to be delivered to persons as they passed. He was a sort of superannuated sailor, and if he had not sailed into every port in the world, he had a remarkable faculty of making people think he had. His fund of stories was inexhaustible, and he was constantly spinning his interesting yarns to those who patronized his institution. Like most sailors, he could not pull unless he sung, and to all his songs he had one refrain with a single variation. His voice was loud and sonorous. If he felt dispirited, his refrain was, "And I sigh as I pull on my boat." If he felt jolly (and people took particular pains to make him so), his refrain was, "And I sing as I pull on my boat." All night long this refrain was disturbing the ears of those who dwelt near the banks of the river. Song after song was composed for him, in the hope of changing his tune, but it would not be long before he would attach to it his usual refrain. One of our musical composers composed a quadrille, which our young folks used to dance in the evening on the ferry, during certain portions of which they would all join in old Jack's refrain, and sing, "And we'll dance as we ride on the boat." There was a little boy who took great delight in Jack's company, whose parents lived on the margin of the river near the ferry, and as in the last of his sickness he was burning with a violent fever, nothing would quiet him but the sound of old Jack's voice. Old Jack had just sung, "And I sigh as I pull on my boat," when the boy whispered his last words to his mother, "And I die while Jack pulls on his boat!" Jack heard of this, and his lungs became stronger than ever. Racking both his memory and his imagination for songs, for weeks all night long he sung, with his plaintive refrain “Charlie dies while Jack pulls on his boat." A distinguished poetess traveling at the west about this time, was tarrying at the Lake House, and heard of the incident. She wrote for a New York magazine some beautiful lines appropriate to the last words of the child and the circumstances. These were reproduced in our Chicago papers, but I have in vain sought to find them. Some of our old scrap-books undoubtedly contain them, and I would like to be the instrument of their republication. Old Jack went to church one Sunday, and the clergyman preached from the text, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and My words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He shall come in His own glory." After church was over, the clergyman took Jack to task for making so much noise on his ferry-boat, and told him he was going to have him removed. "You can't do it," said Jack. "Why not?" said the clergyman. "Your sermon, sir, your sermon! You said we must make a practical application of it." "How can you apply that to your position?" "In this way," said Jack; "the Mayor appoints a ferryman. I will just tell him, he that is ashamed of me and of my boat, of him will I be ashamed when I go to the polls on the day of election!" Jack was not removed. But he went one fall to the south with the robins; but, unlike the robins, he returned no more. He probably saw the coming bridge. It was customary during the winter to give a series of dancing-parties at central points between here and the Fox River, along the line of some of our main traveled roads, notices of which were generally given in the newspapers. We used to have much more snow than we have now, and large sleigh-loads of people would be fitted out from the city, to meet young people from different parts of the country. People in the country settlements were generally emigrants from the more cultivated portions of the east. United States Senator Silas Wright once told me that he could enumerate a hundred families, the very flower of the agricultural interest of St. Lawrence County, who had emigrated to west of Chicago. These settlers were not always poor; they were often men of large families who came here to obtain a large quantity of contiguous land, so as to settle their children around them. The custom at these parties was to leave Chicago about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, take supper on the way out and engage breakfast for the morning; and, after dancing all night, getting back to the city about 9 or 10 o'clock. The hotels in the country were frequently built of logs, but whether of logs or boards, were generally built in one style. Cooking-rooms, bar-room, sitting- rooms, were below, and above was one large hall, which could be used for religious services on Sunday, or public meetings on a weekday, and, by suspending blankets, could be divided into sleeping-rooms. Above was the attic, which could be used for storage when the hall was cleared, and also for dressing-rooms at parties. Ladies and gentlemen could more easily find their wearing apparel when suspended from nails driven into the beams of the building than they can now from the small dressing-rooms where the clothing is in constant danger of being mixed together, I remember one of those occasions when the country residents had begun the dance before those from the city had reached there. Country ladies were passing up and down the ladder to the dressing-room. But the city ladies would not ascend the ladder until it had been fenced around with blankets. There were always on these occasions mothers present from the country, who attended the young people to look after the care of their health, such as seeing that they were properly covered on their going home from a warm room, as physicians were very scarce in the country, and it was a great distance for many of them to send for medicines. These country matrons took it much to heart that the young ladies from the city were so particular in having the ladder fenced off, and were very free in the expression of their views on the subject to the elderly gentlemen present. During the evening a sleigh-load was driven up containing a French danseuse from Chicago, of considerable note in those days; and it was not long after she entered the hall before the floor was cleared for her to have an opportunity to show her agility as a fancy dancer. When she began to swing around upon one foot, with the other extended, one of these country matrons, with a great deal of indignation, ran across the hall to her son, and said, "I don't think it is proper for our young folks to see any such performance as this, and now you go right down and tell the landlord that we want some more blankets," and the boy started before the last part of the sentence was heard, "and I'll have her fenced off by herself, as the city ladies did the ladder!" Her remarks were passed from one to another, and the company was loudly applauding them, when the applause was greatly increased by the entrance of the landlord with some blankets under his arm. The more the applause increased, the more animated became the danseuse, who took it all for herself. The fancy dance was finished, but the merriment had such an effect that one of our city young men took down the blankets around the ladder, and for the remainder of the evening the exposed ladder and the nimble French danseuse ceased to attract attention. I have thus made you a few selections from my large casket of reminiscences of the amusements of early Chicago. But I give them as a mere appendix to my historical lecture, and do not wish them considered as any part of it, as I could have ended without them, and then have given you a lecture of ordinary length. If anyone thinks them inappropriate to this occasion, I wish to say that I respectfully concur in his views. If, however, they have served to compensate any of you for the tedium of the more historical portion of it, I will waive the question of their appropriateness, and express my gratification at having given them. SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES. After MR. WENTWORTH'S Lecture had been published in the newspapers, he received the following information: FROM FULTON COUNTY. The County Commissioners' Court met, for the first time, 3 June, 1823. July 5, 1823, John Kinzie was recommended for Justice of the Peace, at Chicago. Sept. 2, 1823, Ordered that an election be held at John Kinzie's house, for one major and company officers in 17th Regiment of Illinois Militia; John Kinzie, Alexander Wolcott, and John Hamlin to conduct said election, upon the last Saturday in September instant. June 3, 1823, Ordered by the Court, that Amherst C. Rausam be recommended to fill the office of Justice of the Peace, vice Samuel Fulton, resigned. He qualified before the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Fulton Co., July 2, 1823. If he resided at Chicago, he robs John Kinzie of the honor of being our first Justice of the Peace. July 5, 1823, Ordered that the Treasurer pay to A. C. Rausam the sum of four dollars, for taking a list of the taxable property at Chicago, in said County, and collecting the same, so soon as he (the said Rausam) shall pay the same over to the County Treasurer, in such money as he received. Sept. 3, 1823, Ordered that Amherst C. Rouseur [Rausam?] hand over to County Treasurer amount of tax received and collected at Chicago, in same kind of money he received. April 27, 1824, Sheriff Eads released from paying money-tax collected at Chicago by Rousseur [Rausam?] It is so hard to decypher these French names in American manuscripts that this name may not be the correct one. There was a Eustache Roussain and also a Captain Ransom in the employ of the American Fur Company, in this region, in 1821. It may be that he was not a defaulter, but collected his taxes in furs, local money, etc., and refused to give them up until he received his four dollars in cash. The same name appears as grand juror, October, 1823. Among the grand jurors, in October, 1823 and April, 1824, were Elijah Wentworth, Sr. In Sept., 1824, Hiram, son of Elijah Wentworth, Sr., was added. In March and Sept., 1824, Elijah Wentworth, Jr. (our first Coroner), and John Holcomb (who married his sister), were upon the petit jury. The Wentworths were then living in what is now Fulton Co. Whence they removed to Dodgeville, Wisconsin, and did not come to Chicago until 1830. CHICAGO MARRIAGES RECORDED IN FULTON CO. By John Hamlin, J. P., July 20, 1823, Alexander Wolcott and Ellen M. Kinzie. By same, October 3rd, 1823, John Ferrel and Ann Griffin. [The Clerk sends this as a Chicago marriage; but I can learn nothing of the parties.] It is claimed that the marriage of Dr. Wolcott, Indian agent here, in 1823, was the first in Chicago. He died in 1830, voting on the 24th July, of that year. His widow, daughter of John Kinzie, married George C. Bates, of Detroit, Mich. He is now living in Salt Lake City. Col. Thomas Owens was afterwards Indian agent, and may have succeeded him. Charles Jewett of Kentucky, was Dr. Wolcott's predecessor, and our first Indian agent. John Hamlin died at Peoria, in April of this year. A writer in the Peoria Transcript says, that in 1823, he accompanied William S. Hamilton to Green Bay, where he had a contract to supply Fort Howard with beef, and he arrived there July 2d, 1823. On his way back, Mr. Hamlin performed the marriage ceremony. Whilst here, he made an engagement with John Crafts to enter the service of the American Fur Company, which frequently brought him to Chicago. NOTES UPON THE TAX PAYERS OF 1825. 1. Gen. John B. Beaubien was living at Macinac when the Fort there was surrendered to the British, in 1812. He married a sister of the Indian Chief, Joseph Laframboise, was brought here in 1819, by the American Fur Company to oppose Mr. Crafts, had several children (some of whom now live here), was one of the principal men in the employ of the American Fur Co., and his last wife with several of his children was upon the platform at the delivery of this lecture. I attended the marriage of his daughter, in early days, to N. D. Woodville. 2. Jonas Clybourne came from Pearlsburgh, Giles Co., Virginia, with sons Archibald and Henley. Archibald came in 1823 and went back to Virginia for his father's family. His widow, who was a Miss Galloway, from the region now known as Marseilles, LaSalle Co., Illinois, was on the platform at the delivery of this lecture, and has several children. Henley Clybourne married Sarah Benedict, and has two sons living at Fort Scott, Kansas. Archibald Clybourne was Justice of the Peace in 1831. 3. John K. Clark, was half brother to Archibald Clybourne, and married Permelia, daughter of Stephen J. Scott, who now lives, his widow, at Deerfield, Lake Co., Ill., with her daughter. There was no son to live to have children. 4. John Crafts was a trader sent here by Mr. Conant, of Detroit, and had a trading house at Hardscrabble, near Bridgeport, and monopolized the trade until the American Fur Company sent John B. Beaubien here in 1819. In 1822, Mr. Crafts went into the employment of the Fur Company as superintendant, Mr. Beaubien being under him. He died here single in 1823, at Mr. Kinzie's house, and he succeeded him. Prior to this, Mr. Kinzie was a silver-smith and made trinkets for the Indians. 5. Jeremie Claremont was employed by the American Fur Company in 1821, for the trade of the Iroquois River. 8 & 9. Claude and Joseph Laframboise were brothers. The widow of the latter was living, at last dates, with her son-in-law, Medard B. Beaubien, at Silver Lake, Shawnee Co., Kansas. 11. Peter Piche, is believed to have been the one who lived at Piche's Grove, near Oswego, Illinois, alluded to by Mrs. Kinzie in her "Waubun." 14. Antoine Oilmette is the person spoken of in Mrs. Kinzie's book, "Waubun." His daughter Elizabeth, married Jan. 23, 1827, our first Irishman, Michael Welch. NOTES UPON THE VOTERS OF 1826. 1. Augustine Banny, said to have been a travelling cattle dealer, supplying Forts. 2. Henry Kelly, had no family here, worked for Samuel Miller. 4. Cole Weeks, American, was a discharged soldier, had no family, worked for John Kinzie. He married the divorced wife of Caldwell, brother of the first wife of Willis Scott. Caldwell had a fondness for Indian hunting and trading, and is supposed to have gone off and died with them. A man, answering his description, by the name of Caldwell, was living, not long since, at Kershena, Shawanaw Co., Wisconsin. Caldwell's wife, who married Cole Weeks, was sister to Benjamin Hall, of Wheaton, DuPage Co., Ill., and Caldwell was cousin to Archibald Clybourne, and came from the same place in Virginia. 14. Francis Laducier, had no family, died at Archibald Clybourne's. 21. Joseph Pothier, married Victor Miranda, a half breed, was brought up in John Kinzie's family, was living recently at Milwaukee. 24. David McKee, lives at Aurora, Kane Co., Ill., and married 23 January, 1827, Wealthy, daughter of Stephen J. Scott. He was born on Hog Creek, Pewtown, Loudoun Co., Virginia, in 1800. 25. Joseph Anderson, had no family. 31. Martin VanSicle, was living recently near Aurora, Ill. He had a daughter, Almira. Willis Scott remembers going to Peoria for a marriage license for her. 34. Edward Ament, was living recently not far from Chicago; some say in Kankakee Co., Ill. The most of those having French names were employes of the American Fur Company, or hunted and traded on their own responsibility; and, when Chicago was abandoned as a Fur Trading Post, they moved further into the frontier country, in pursuit of their business. NOTES UPON THE VOTERS OF 1830. 1. Stephen J. Scott was born in Connecticut, moved to Chicago from Bennington, Wyoming Co., N.Y., lived many years at Naperville, Ill., and died there, where his son Williard now lives. His son Willis now lives in Chicago, and was upon the platform when this lecture was delivered. Several of his daughters are mentioned in these notes. 4. Barney H. Laughton, lived in his last days near what is now Riverside, on the O'Plaine River, and his wife was sister to the wife of our first Sheriff, Stephen Forbes. 5. Jesse Walker, was a Methodist preacher, finally settled at Walker's Grove, now Plainfield, in this State. 8. James Kinzie, was natural son of John Kinzie. His mother and Archibald Clybourne's mother were sisters. His first wife was Rev. William See's daughter. He died at Racine, Wis., where his second wife is said to be now living. His own sister Elizabeth Kinzie married Samuel Miller, the hotel keeper. 9. Russell E. Heacock, died at Summit, Cook Co., Ill., in 1849, and he has sons in this vicinity. 12. John L. Davis, said to have been an Englishman, and a tailor. 17. Stephen Mack, son of Major Mack of Detroit, married an Indian, was clerk in the employ of the American Fur Company, and finally settled in Pickatonica, Winnebago Co., in this State. 18. Jonathan A. Bailey, was father-in-law to the Post Master, John S. C. Hogan. Mr. Hogan held the office until 1837, when Sidney Abell was appointed. Mr. Hogan died in Memphis, Tenn., in 1866. Mr. Bailey was Postmaster before Hogan. 19. Alexander Mc, is written plain enough; but whether the last part is Dollo, Dole, Donell, Dowtard, etc., it is difficult to tell, as it is written so differently in different places. 27 & 28. John Baptiste Secor and Joseph Bauskey, died of cholera in 1832. Bauskey married a daughter of Stephen J. Scott. 32. Peresh LeClerc, was an Indian interpreter, brought up by John Kinzie. MORE RETURNS FROM PEORIA COUNTY. The Clerk of Peoria Co. has sent me the following, which are not alluded to in the lecture: SPECIAL FLECTION For Justice of the Peace and Constable, at the house of James Kinzie, in the Chicago Precinct of Peoria County, State of Illinois, on Saturday, 24th day of July, 1830. Total, John S. C. Hogan, for Justice of the Peace, 33 votes, Archibald Clybourne, 22 votes, Russell Rose, 1 vote. Total, 56. For Constable, Horatio G. Smith, 32 votes, Russell Rose, 21 votes, John S. C. Hogan, 1 vote. Total, 54. 1 James Kinzie. 2 Jean Baptiste Beaubien. 1825, '26 3 Alexander Wolcott. 1825 4 Augustin Bannot. [Banny?] 1826 5 Medard B. Beaubien. 6 Billy Caldwell. 1826 7 Joseph Laframboise. 1825, 1826 8 John Mann. 9 John Wellmaker. 10 Stephen J. Scott. 11 Thomas Ayers. 12 Russell Rose. 13 Lewis Ganday or Louis Gauday. 14 Michael Welch. 15 William P. Jewett. 16 John VanHorn. 17 Gabriel Acay. 18 Joseph Papan. 19 Williard Scott. 20 Peter Wycoff. 21 Stephen Mack. 22 James Galloway, [father of Mrs, Archibald Clybourne.] 23 David VanStow. [VanEaton?] 24 James Brown. 25 Samuel Littleton. 26 Jean Baptiste Laducier. 27 Joseph Thibeaut. 28 Lewis Blow. 29 Jean Baptist Secor. 1826 30 Mark Beaubien. 31 Peresh Laclerc. 32 Matthias Smith. 33 James Garow. 34 Alexander Robinson. 1825, 1826 35 Samuel Miller. [Landlord.] 36 Jonas Clybourne. 1825, 1826 37 John Joyal. 38 Peter Frique. 39 Jean Bapt. Tombien. [Toubien?] 40 John L. Davis. 41 Simon Debigie. 42 A. Foster. 43 George P. Wentworth. 44 Alex. McDowtard. [McDole?] 45 Jonathan A. Bailey. 46 David M'Kee. 1825, 1826 47 Joseph Pothier. 1826 48 Henry Kelly. 1826 49 Antoine Ouilmette. 1825, 1826 50 David Hunter. [General.] 51 James Engle. 52 John K. Clark. 1825, 1826 53 Russell E. Heacock. 54 Leon Bourassea. 55 Archibald Clybourne. 1826 56 Horatio G. Smith. John S. C. Hogan, the successful candidate for Justice of the Peace, did not vote. Archibald Clybourne voted (for Justice) for Russell Rose, who was the candidate for Constable, voted for John S. C. Hogan, for the office of Constable. But the two candidates for Constable came squarely up to the mark, and voted for each other. Mr. Hogan was Postmaster in Chicago prior to the election of Martin VanBuren as President, who appointed Sidney Abell to succeed him. He built the first frame house on the South Side. It was near the north-west corner of Lake and Franklin streets. The judges of this election were Alexander Wolcott, John B. Beaubien, and James Kinzie. The clerks were Medard B. Beaubien and Billy Caldwell, the Sauganash. 19 Williard Scott was a son of Stephen J. Scott; and now lives at Naperville, Ill. 42 There was a Lieut. —— Foster here about that time. 50 General Hunter, U. S. Army, married Maria H. Kinzie, born 1807, the only child of John Kinzie, now living. 51 There was a Lieut. Engle stationed here about that time. SPECIAL ELECTION For Justice of the Peace, at the house of James Kinzie, Chicago Precinct, Peoria County, State of Illinois, on Thursday, the 25th day of November, 1830. 1 Archibald Clybourne. 2 James Kinzie. 3 John Wellmaker. 4 John Mann. 5 Russell E. Heacock. 6 Peter Wycoff. 7 Billy Caldwell. 8 Jesse Walker. 9 Enoch Thompson. 10 Medard B. Beaubien. 11 David VanEaton. 12 John B. Beaubien. 13 Stephen J. Scott. 14 Matthias Smith. 15 David McKee. 16 William Jewett. 17 Horace Miner. 18 Samuel Miller. 19 Stephen Forbes. 20 William See. 21 Peter Muller. 22 Jonas Clybourne. 23 John B. Bradain. 24 John Shedaker. 25 Peter Frique. 26 John K. Clark. Total, Stephen Forbes, 18. William See, 8. Mr. Forbes was the first Sheriff of Cook Co., and married a sister to the wife of Barney H. Laughton. William See is mentioned in Mrs. Kinzie's "Waubun," and was a Methodist preacher. Mr. & Mrs. Forbes taught school here in 1831. In this contest, each candidate voted for his opponent. The judges at this election were James Kinzie, John B. Beaubien, and Archibald Clybourne. The clerks were Russell E. Heacock and Stephen J. Scott. 6 Peter Wycoff, was a discharged soldier, and worked for Archibald Clybourne. 9 There was a Lieut. Thompson stationed here about that time. CHICAGO MARRIAGES, RECORDED IN PEORIA CO. By John Kinzie. 24 April, 1826. Daniel Bourassea and Theotis Aruwaiskie. By John Kinzie. 29 July, 1826. Samuel Miller and Elizabeth Kinzie. [Mr. Miller kept a hotel on the North Side, near the forks, and near where Kinzie street crosses the River. He moved to Michigan City, and died there. His wife was full sister to James Kinzie, and natural daughter of John Kinzie. Her mother was sister to Archibald Clybourne's mother.] By John Kinzie. 28 September, 1826. Alexander Robinson and Catherine Chevalier. [Che-che-pin-gua died on his reservation on the O'Plaine River, in this county, where his daughter now lives; his wife and sons being dead.] By John B. Beaubien. 5 May, 1828. Joseph Bauskey and Widow Deborah (Scott) Watkins. [He died of cholera in 1832. His wife was daughter of Stephen J. Scott.] By John B. Beaubien. 15 April, 1830. Samuel Watkins and Mary Ann Smith. By John B. Beaubien. n May, 1830. Michael Welch and Elizabeth Ouilmette. [He was our first Irishman, and his wife was daughter of Antoine Ouilmette, of Ouilmette's Reservation, in this Co.] By John B. Beaubien. 18 May, 1830. Alvin Noyes Gardner and Julia Haley. [He moved to Blue Island.] By Rev. William See. 3 August, 1830. John Mann and Arkash Sambli. By Rev. William See. 1 November, 1830. Willis Scott and widow Lovisa B. Caldwell. [They have been heretofore alluded to.] By Rev. William See. 7 November, 1830. B. H. Laughton and Sophia Bates. [They have been heretofore alluded to.] GOV. FORD'S HOUSE. Hon. Jas. V. Gale, an old settler of Oregon, Ogle Co., Ill., writes me: "that the house from which Thomas Ford was elected Governor, was one storied, 16 or 18 by 38, had a parlor, dining-room, and two bedrooms, with a small cooking room attached. It has been taken down some years. He settled here as early as 1836, and made a claim south of that of John Phelps. He sold it to John Fridley, who now owns it; and the same log cabin, which Judge Ford erected and occupied until he built his frame house, still stands. It is 18 feet square and 11 logs high. He was a man of small stature, careless in his dress, of good talents, put on no airs, popular with all, a good neighbor, able lawyer, congenial and sociable." INDEX TO "EARLY CHICAGO :"—Second Lecture, (No. 7 of Fergus' Historical Series.) BY HON. JOHN WENTWORTH, LL.D., Delivered Sunday, May 7, 1876. [This Index was prepared by Mr. Wentworth, August, 1881.] A. Abel, Sidney, 53, 55. Acay, Gabriel, 54. Adams, John, 9. Adams, John Quincy, 6, 7, 8, 17. Ament, Edward, 16, 53. Anderson, Joseph, 16, 53. Aruwaiskie, Theotis, 56. Aurora (schooner), 24. Ayers, Thomas, 54. B. Bailey, Jonathan A., 16, 53, 54. Banny, [Barry or Bannot;] Augustine, 16, 52, 54. Bates, George C., 51. Bates, Sophia, 56. Bauskey, Joseph, 17, 54, 56. Beaubien, John B., 15, 16, 18, 22, 24, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56. Beaubien, Mark, 17, 24, 25, 54. Beaubien, Medore B. [Medard B.], 16, 18, 22, 33, 35, 52, 54, 55. Benedict, Sarah, 52. Benton, Thomas H., 8. Black Hawk (Indian chief), 4, 10, 44. Blow, Lewis, 54. Bogardus, John L., 15. Bourassea, Daniel, 16, 56. Bourassea, Leon, 16, 54. Bradain [Beaubien], John B., 55. Breese, Sidney, 12, 14. Brown, James, 16, 54. Brown, Jesse, 19. Brown, Thomas C., 19. Brown, William H., 11. Buchanan, James, 8. Buell, E., 24. Burr, Aaron, 9. C. Caldwell, Archibald, 52, 53. Caldwell, Billy, (Sauganash, Indian chief), 14, 16, 17, 18, 25, 33, 54, 55. Calhoun, John, 3. Calhoun, John C., 7, 17. Caldwell, Lovisa B., 56. Cass, Gen. Lewis, 8, 22. Catie, Joseph, 16. Chamblee (Shabonee, Indian chief), 33. Charlevoix, Pierre Francois Xavir de, 10-13. Chavellea, John Baptiste, 16. Chavellie, Peter, 16. Che-che-pin-qua (Alexander Robinson, Indian chief), 15, 16, 33, 54, 56. Chevalier, Catherine, 56. Chi-ka-gou (Indian chief), 12. Clairmore [Clermont?], Jeremiah, 16. Clark, John K., 15, 16, 17, 18, 52, 54, 55. Clay, Henry, 7, 17. Clermont [Clairmore?], Jeremiah, 15, 16, 52. Clybourn, Archibald, 16, 17, 18, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56. Clybourn, Henly, 52. Clyboum, Jonas, 15, 16, 17, 51, 54, 55. Cobb, Silas B., 44. Conant, , 52. Cook, Daniel P., 17, 25. Coutra, Louis, 15. Crafts, John, 15, 16, 51, 52. Crittenden, John J., 8. D. Davis, Jefferson, 7, 26. Davis, John L., 16, 53, 54. Dearborn, Gen. Henry, 7. Debigie, Simon, 54. Displattes, Basile, 16. Dodge, Gen. Henry, 8. Dorr, Capt. of Schooner Tracy, 8. E. Eads, Abner, 15, 50. Edwards, Gov. Ninian, 17, 25. Engle, Lt. James, 54, 55. F. Fair Play (revenue cutter), 24. Fergus, Robert, 26. Ferrel, John, 51. Field, Darby, 19. Fillmore, Millard, 7, 8. Forbes, Stephen, 53, 55. Forbes, Mrs. Stephen, 55. Ford, Gov. Thomas, 38, 39, 40, 56. Foster, Lt. Amos, 54, 55. Fridley, John, 56. Frique, Peter, 16, 54, 55. Fulton, Samuel, 50. G. Gage, Gen. Thomas, 11. Gale, James V., 56. Galloway, James, 54. Galloway, Miss, married Archibald Clybourn, 52. Ganday, Lewis, 17, 54. Gardner, Alvin Noyes, 56. Garie, ,12. Garow, James, 54. Garrett, Augustus, 33. Griffin, Ann, 51. H. Hale, Artimas, 9. Haley, Julia, 56. Hall, Benjamin, 52. Hallam, Rev. Isaac W., 33. Hamilton, Mrs. Gen. Alexander, 9. Hamilton, William S., 51. Hamlin, John, 50, 51. Harrison, Gen. William H., 8. Heacock, Russell E., 16, 18, 53, 54, 55. Heartless (schooner), 24. Henry Clay (steamboat), 5. Hinton, Rev. Isaac T., 42, 43, 45. Hogan, John S. C, 16, 53, 54, 55. Holcomb, John, 51. Hoyne, Thomas, 43. Hubbard, Gurdon S., 12. Hull, Gen. William, 25. Hunter, Gen. David, 54, 55. J. Jackson, Gen. Andrew, 8, 17, 28, 32, 44. Jamboe, Paul, 16. Jefferson, Thomas, 9, 12. Jewett, William P., 54. Jewett, William, 55. Johnston, Samuel, 16. Jowett [or Jewett], Charles, 51. Joyal, John, 54. Junio, Peter, 16. K. Kearney, Gen. Stephen W., 19. Keating, William H., 22. Kelley, Henry, 16, 52, 54. Kennison, David, 9. Kerchival, Benjamin B., 22. Kimball, Walter, 3. Kingsbury, Julius J. B., 42. Kinzie, Elizabeth, 53, 56. Kinzie, Ellen M., 51. Kinzie, James, 16, 18, 26, 53, 54, 55, 56. Kinzie, John, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56. Kinzie, Mrs. Juliette A., 52, 55. Kinzie, Maria H., 55. L. Laducier, Francis, 16, 17, 53. Laducier, John Baptiste, 54. Lafortune, John Baptiste, 16. Lafromboise, Claude, 15, 16, 52. Lafromboise, Francis, sr., 16. Lafromboise, Francis, jr., 16. Lafromboise, Joseph, 15, 16, 17, 33, 51, 52, 54. Larant, Alexander, 16. Laughton, Barney H., 16, 53, 55, 56. LeClerc, Peresh (LeClair, Peter), 17, 54. Lincoln, Abraham, 8. Littleton, Samuel, 54. Long, Stephen H., 22. M. Mack, Major, 53. Mack, Stephen, 16, 53, 54. Madison, James, 8, 9. Madison, Mrs. James, 8, 9. Malast, John Baptiste, 16. Mann, John, 16, 54, 55, 56. Martin, Laurant, 17. Marquette, Rev. James, 13. Maximillian, Emperor, 20. McDole, Alexander, 16, 54. McKee, David, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 53, 54, 55. McNeil, John, 24. Miller, Samuel, 53, 54, 55, 56. Mills, Benjamin, 26. Miner, Horace, 55. Miranda, Victoria, 53. Monroe, James, 8. Muller, Peter, 55. Murphy, John, 25, 44. O. Orleans, Duchess of, 13. Ouilmette (Willmette), Antoine, 15, 16, 52, 54, 56. Ouilmette, Elizabeth, 52, 56. Owen, Thomas J. V., 51. P. Papan, Joseph, 54. Pepot, Joseph, 16. Perrot, Nicholas, 13. Phelps, John, 56. Piche, Peter, 15, 52. Pierce, Franklin, 8. Polk, James EL, 7, 8, 20. Pothier, Joseph, 16, 23, 33, 53, 54. R. Ransom, Capt., 50. Rausom, Amherst C., 15, 50. Reynolds, Gov. John, 17. Robinson, Alexander, (Che-che-pin-qua, Indian chief), 15, 16, 33, 54, 56. Rose, Russell, 54, 55. Roussain, Eustache, 50. Rousser (Rausam), Amherst C, 15, 50. Russell, Benjamin, 16. S. Sambli, Arkash, 56. Sauganash (Billy Caldwell, Indian chief), 14, 16, 17, 18, 25, 33, 54, 55. Scott, Deborah, 56. Scott, Permelia, 52. Scott, Stephen J., 16, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56. Scott, Wealthy, 53. Scott, Willard, 53, 54, 55. Scott, Willis, 52, 53, 56. Schuyler, Gen. Philip, 9. Secor, Jolin Baptist, 16, 17, 54. See, Rev. William, 16, 53, 55, 56. Shabonee (Chamblee, Indian chief), 33. Shedaker, John, 55. Sheldon Thompson (steamboat), 5. Smith, Horatio G., 54. Smith, Joseph, 41. Smith, Mary Ann, 56. Smith, Matthias, 54, 55. St. Clair, Gen. Arthur, 11. Strode, James M., 26. Sullivan, Jeremiah, 20. Sullivan, Lt. , 20, 21. Superior (steamboat), 5. Swing, Rev. David, 37. T. Tappan, Benjamin, 6. Taylor, Augustine D., 3. Taylor, Zachary, 8. Tecumseh (Indian chief), 13, 14, 17. Thibeaut, Joseph, 16, 54. Thompson, Lt. J. L., 55. Thompson, Enoch, 55. Thompson, Samuel, 11, 17. Titus, Capt.-----, 24. Todd, John, 11. Tombien (or Toubien), Jean Baptiste, 54. Tracy (schooner), 8. Tyler, John, 8. V. VanBuren, Martin, 8, 55. VanEaton, David, 16, 54, 55. VanHorn, John, 16, 54. VanOsdell, John M., 43. VanSicle, Martin, 16, 53. Van Side, Almira, 53. VanStow, David, 54. Vivier, Rev. Louis, 12. W. Wales, Prince of, 22. Walker, Capt. A., 5. Walker, Rev. Jesse, 16, 18, 53, 55. Washington, Gen. George, 6, 9. Watkins, Deborah (Scott), 56. Watkins, Samuel, 56. Wayne, Gen. Anthony, 8, 12, 22. Webster, Daniel, 8. Weeks, Cole, 16, 52. Welch, Michael, 17, 19, 52, 54, 56. Wellmaker, John, 54, 55. Wentworth, Elijah, sr., 26, 51. Wentworth, Elijah, jr., 26, 51. Wentworth, George P., 54. Wentworth, Hiram, 51. Wentworth, John, 50. Whistler, John, 7, 8, 10. Whistler, William, 8. Wilkins, William, 8. William Penn (steamboat), 5. Wilmette [Ouilmette], Antoine, 15, 16, 52, 54, 56. Wilmette [Ouilmette], Elizabeth, 56. Winthrop, Gov. John, 19. Wolcott, Alexander, 15, 18, 23, 50, 51, 54, 55. Woodbridge, William, 8. Woodbury, Levi, 8. Woodville, N. D., 51. Wright, Silas, 47. Wycoff, Peter, 54, 55. Y. Young Tiger (schooner), 24. Additional Comments: EARLY CHICAGO By Hon. JOHN WENTWORTH EARLY CHICAGO. A LECTURE, DELIVERED BEFORE THE SUNDAY LECTURE SOCIETY, AT McCORMICK HALL, ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 7TH, 1876, BY HON. JOHN WENTWORTH, LATE EDITOR, PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR OF THE "CHICAGO-DEMOCRAT," THE FIRST CORPORATION NEWSPAPER MEMBER OF CONGRESS FOR THE CHICAGO DISTRICT FOR TWELVE YEARS; TWO TERMS MAYOR; AND A SETTLER OF 1836. CHICAGO: FERGUS PRINTING COMPANY, 244-8 ILLINOIS STREET. 1876. 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