McHenry County IL Archives History .....Richmond Township History - 1877 
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RICHMOND, TOWNSHIP 46, RANGE 8.

   It was during Martin Van Buren's term, on the 15th of May, 1837, that Mr. A.
McConnell and Charles A. Noyes pitched their tents upon the soil of Richmond,
with the intention of becoming citizens of Illinois; then came John Purdy, who
bought part of Noyes' claim. Alexander, David and William Gardner followed,
settling the next year on Section 26, and began the march of improvement by
putting up a saw-mill on the Nippersink. In 1839, Stephen Pardee, Briggs Thomas
and Jonathan Ineson made their claims and the Gardners sold a part of their
water power, on the Nippersink, to Henry White and his son, John W., who, in
1840, erected the first flouring-mill in the county. These settlers, having come
from a land of school houses, in the summer of 1839, built one of logs on the
claim of William A. McConnell and called it Montalona school house, after the
name of their first post office, whose Postmaster, William A. McConnell,
received his commission from Amos Kendall, Van Buren's Postmaster General from
1837 to 1840. 'The second school house was built at Solon, in October, 1842, and
Charles Knapp managed forty pupils the first year.

   Richmond village has the honor of constructing the first house of worship,
which was a union affair between the Methodists and Congregationalists, Rev. N.
Jewett being the first Pastor. The date of this building is unknown, nor how
long it was so used, but the town now has four church buildings, owned
respectively by the Catholics, Methodists, Baptists and Congregationalists; none
of them being very strong in numbers. The aggregate cost of these buildings is,
probably, $10,000.

   The saw-mill, above mentioned as built by the Gardners, who were assisted by
the Mansfield brothers, finally fell into the hands 'of the Whites, who found
that it was not in the right place, so it had to be moved to the north side of
the creek, and the same parties, in 1840, built a flouring-mill at Solon, which
is said to have been the first grist-mill in the county. In 1844, C. G. Cotting
and John Purdy, under the firm name of Cotting & Purdy, at an expense of $6,000,
put up the mill at Richmond, now owned by Cole, Cooley & Co. Cotting & Purdy,
after seven years, dissolved partnership, the business being continued by
Cotting for thirteen years more, when it was bought by James Bacon & Son. This
mill is now worth $20,000. They have recently put in a steam engine, so as to
run the mill independent of the creek, if necessary. Robert S. Turner is now
engaged in the erection of a third flouring-mill in the town and will soon be
ready for business.

   Two railroads cross this township, the Rockford & Kenosha crossing Section 6
in a northeast and southwest direction. The Elgin & State Line was built to
Richmond in 1855. It enters the south side of the township, parallel to and
almost identical with but a little west of the line between Sections 32 and 33,
thence to Richmond village, whence it bears to the west, leaving the State about
one-third of a mile west of the east line of Section 5. This town has about
seven and a half miles of railroad. The first train was run across the
Nippersink, to where the depot now stands, on the 26th of November, 1855. That
depot was rather a diminutive affair and was long since replaced by the present
building. Hon. William A. McConnell is one of the Directors of this road.

   One-half mile west of the village may be found the pioneer cheese factory of
McHenry County, which was built by Wm. A. McConnell. It is of wood, 30x112 feet,
two stories high, is still running and making more cheese than any other in the
county. At Spring Grove, near the east line of the town, is another similar
structure; in fact, the dairy business is the leading interest of the town.

   Cotting & Purdy built the first store at Richmond, in 1844, which they rented
to the firm of Hale, Lee & Lay, of Kenosha, Wis., who put in a large stock, in
charge of Edwin A. Lay. They traded here seven years, then went to Chicago.
Previous to this time, in May, 1842, R. R. Crosby opened a store at Solon,
Leverett Steele being afterward associated with him. This Steele was the first
Postmaster at Solon.

   The village of Richmond was laid out by Cotting & Purdy in 1844, and Solon
about the same time. The former has a very fine school library, of four hundred
volumes, which is well cared for, and shows that it is useful as well as
ornamental.

   At the time of the settlement, game, consisting of geese, ducks, grouse and
deer, was abundant, while the Nippersink furnished plenty of fish to those who
loved the rod. The north and the south branches of this creek unite near the
center of Section 27, a little southwest of Solon, whence it flows nearly east
into Burton, thence southeast into the northeast corner of McHenry, finally
finding its way into Fox River.

   This town is well adapted to stock, and the creek affords a fine water power.

   John Purdy was the first Justice of the Peace, who was succeeded by R. R.
Crosby.

   The village of Richmond has a graded school, of three rooms, and its
reputation is good.

   Elder Joel Wheeler, now of McHenry, preached the first sermon in the
township, in July, 1838, and, in October following, L. S. Walker came from the
M. E. Church Conference and formed the first Methodist class.

   The first birth occurred in the family of John Purdy, on July 4, 1838, and
was a girl. The first death was in the same family and the second son, who died
August 19, 1839, aged 21 years.


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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