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% he gkilij f mx.iWfilBOAT, JANUARY 97wnEARLY RECOLLECTIONS.intbftid)Ob or about the 17th of July, 1833, the gail vessel “Amaranth” anchored ia Lake Michigan, nearly opposite Fort Dearborn, Chicago, after a voyage of three weeks out from Buffalo,H. Y,, and having on board about sevpnty-five souls, and among them was the writer, then a boy about ten ye|r« Old* The vessel was relieved other cargo by means of small boats, ami the passengers, af ter being taken onhhore, were entertained as best tbif eoold be, “in and around” the residence of Heman Bond, which was built of logs and sods and was located near the foot of Monroe street. Chicago then consisted of the Fort at the mouth of the river, the house of John Ktnzie and some French shanties on the north side, the hotel kept by Ingersoll at the forks, a store at Wolf Point, the intersection of Lake and South Water streets, the frame of what was afterwards was called the Mansion House on the north side of Lake between Dearborn and State streets, a few other shanties, and the “the palatial reaidence” of our host.After “taking in” Chicago the next day, three of the several fami lies who had journeyed together thus far, chartered some “prairie sohooners” and “set sail” for their destination, what is now the town of Homer, Will county. This colony was composed of the families of Capt. Jireh Rowley, John Lane and Charles M. Gray, the latter now and tor many years past freight agent of the Michigan Southern Ra lroad at Chicago. We made our way as we could through the tall rosin weeds with very little track to Lawton’s (now Riverside), and thence to Flag Creek. Here we found the body of a log eabin and the owner, Mr. E. Want worth, whose place, in after years, became quite a noted stage station. We fought the mosquitoes until morning and after partaking of our frugal meal we launched out up-on the prairie and at noon we halted at4 the Big Spring near LiUioash Grave, and upon what is now the faftn of Thomas J. Sprague. After refreshments wo moved on , crossing the Desplaines River at what was known as Butterfield’s Ford, opposite the present town of Lockport, and near nightfall we arrived at our destination, all weary and sad. Calvin Rowley, (now of Rockford,) who came on prior to the Sac war, was here and had erected a log cabin in the timber about a mile and a half east of the river. Here we stayed until other and better places could be provided. On looking around we found already here Selah Laqfear, Luther Chamberlin, Holder Sisson, Captain Fatler, Arfnstead Runyon, Edward Poor, James Ritchey, John Black-stone, John Stitt and a tew others settled in what was afterwards called Yankee Settlement.About this time a postoffice was established on Hickory Creek and William Gougar appointed postmaster, the mail being brought from dnicago on horseback, and right glad were the Yankees to pay their quarters (which was then the postage,) for a letter from the old home. A saw miU had been built by Col. Sayers opposite where the Red Mill now stands, about two miles east of Joliet. Here a little lumber was procured with which to construct some ofthe ti shanties, and others were built of logs, chinked and mudded between the logs, with stick chimneys “turned out doors.”The first school was taught by Miss Sallie Warreq and the second by D. C. Baldwin, the veteran hardware merchant of Lockport. Our seats and desks were made of split “puncheons,” and our “persuaders” and “reminders” were the young hickories growing around the school-house. Among the scholars attending the school prior to 1840 were the Hon. Henry Snapp, Judge C. H. Weeks, the Hon. Horace Anderson, now one of the canal commissioners, and H. L. Hawley, one of natnre’s noblemen, who long since fell a victim to strong drink. Our religious training was not wholly neglected, for even as early as this we had preaching once in two weeks, the Rev. Jeremiah Porter (now of Green Bay) jand Elder Freeman, then both of Chicago, officiating alternately. Then people of all religious ideas within a radius of ten miles and more would meet together and worship God and enjoy it.In 1834 or *85, Mr. John Lane jfede the first steel plow ever made in tne West. He procured an old, ▼orn-out saw-blade at Col. Sayers’ mill, which he cat into strips about three inches wide, and, after making several trials, he succeeded in making a plow which proved to be a great improvement upon the cast or wooden ones then in use. He in after years became a very noted plow maker, and his son, John, jr., now of Chicago, fully sustains that reputation to this day. Other farming tools were manufactured by Mr. C. M. Gray, such as grain cradles, rakes,fanning mills, etc. Soon after thii * , antthe country settled up very fast, and and what in 1833 was a wild prairie, im 1840 was nearly all fenced and
Newspaper Details
Joliet Daily Sun
Joliet, Illinois, US
Tue, Jan 30, 1877
Page 2
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USA 03 Oct 2024
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