McHenry County IL Archives History .....McHenry Township History - 1877 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 20, 2008, 8:32 pm

McHENRY TOWNSHIP 45, RANGE 8.

   George and John Boone made claims in this township in April, 1836, William
McCollum in July, and J. and H. L. McLean later in the same year. In 1837 came
Wesley Ladd, Solomon Morey in 1839. Ira Colby in 1840, and John W. Smith in 1843.

   Of all the townships in the county, this is the best watered, having, in the
northeast, about one-half of Pestaqua Lake, in the southeast a little more than
one-half of Lily Lake, with McCollum's Lake near the center. The Fox River, the
two branches of Boone Creek, a branch of the Nippersink in the northwest, and
the main stream crossing the northeast corner of Section 5, Range 9, beside
several smaller creeks, give an abundance of sport to the angler and no little
labor for the bridge builder.

   This water power is made available at McHenry village by compelling Boone
Creek to turn the wheels of two flouring-mills, and drive the machinery of a
planing mill, while the river itself, by the means of the steamers it bears upon
its bosom, is made to contribute to the amusement of seekers after pleasure
during the heat of summer.

   The people of this township have seven places of worship, which would seem to
be ample for all who choose to attend church. The M. E. Church at Ringwood is
the oldest, having been built in 1855; but the most expensive one is that at
Johnsburg, it having cost nearly $40,000, nor is it yet completed. This is for
the German Catholics, McHenry having a very large percentage of German in her
population. The congregation numbers about 1,200, and the officiating priest is
the Rev. H. M. Fugers. The Irish Catholics also have a church, but not so large,
and located at McHenry village, where are also a Baptist, Methodist and a
Universalist church.

   The Universalists do not pretend to hold regular meetings, while the
membership of the other two is not large, but the Catholic Church is well attended.

   Although apparently so well adapted to the milk business, there is but little
done in that line beyond shipping milk to Chicago. Considerable attention is
given to sheep raising.

   Like Algonquin and Nunda, McHenry has one-third of Range 9, making 48
sections, and giving the township the greatest variety of soil to be found in
the county. Although she can boast of no large prairie, she has plenty of timber.

   The village of McHenry, from 1837 to 1844, had the honor of being the shire
town of McHenry County, and when Lake was set off it was the influence of this
little burg that procured the line to be run so as to retain the west half of
Range 9, in order that she might still be the "Hub" of the county, but

        "The best laid schemes of mice and men
         Gang aft agleg."

So, although having the advantage of a possible water power that might make her
a second Lowell, the voters consulted their own convenience only, in making
their selection.

   Boone Creek divides the village into two parts, called Old McHenry and
Gagetown, the latter of which, having the depot and the railroad, has outgrown
the town by the river, as seems to have been the case elsewhere.

   Two years ago, Gagetown built a pickle factory, which is the only one in the
county that pulled through 1875, without closing according to law.

   The Old Town has a fine brick school house.

   Being convenient to the Fox River lakes by steamer and to Chicago by rail, it
has become a great resort for pleasure and fishing parties during the summer,
spring and autumn. A drive of four miles lands you at Pistaqua Lake, or a
steamer takes you there by water, and the fisherman or hunter who, in the proper
season, cannot enjoy himself there must be hard to suit. Its citizens are
American, Germans and Irish or their descendants. It has five dry goods stores,
three groceries, one machine shop, three hardware and two drug stores, one
lumber yard, three hotels, one jeweler, three doctors, six saloons, two
implement warehouses, one brick yard, where bricks of the best quality are made
by machinery, one furniture store, two livery stables, three harness shops, and
will soon have the third flouring mill in operation. Here also was located for
several years the wagon factory of Hon. Richard Bishop, which, from a small
beginning, grew till the Bishop wagon was known all over the West, but, in the
height of his prosperity, the fire closed him out in 1874. The wagon shop has
not been rebuilt, but the building erected on the ruins is used by Mr. Bishop's
son as a depot of agricultural implements.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY OF THE TAX-PAYERS AND VOTERS
OF
McHENRY COUNTY;

CONTAINING ALSO

A Map of the County; a Condensed History of the State of Illinois; an Historical
Sketch of the County, its Towns and Villages; an Abstract of Every-day Laws of
the State; a Business Directory; Officers of Societies, Lodges and Public
Officers; a Department of General Information for Farmers, Dairymen, Etc., Etc.

CHICAGO: C. WALKER & CO.
1877.


Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1876, by
C. WALKER & CO.,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

CULVER, PAGE, HOYNE & CO.,
PRINTERS, CHICAGO.


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