AUGUST 4, 1975 • PLAINDEALER CENTENNIAL EDITION-PAGE 2 McHenry Community Settled In Year 1836 DAVID G. WELLS FRANK WATTLES PETER W.FRETT JOHN R. KNOX PETER J. DOHERTY R. IRVING OVERTON GEORGE P. FREUND DONALD P. DOHERTY JOSEPH STANEK The present city of McHenry was settled in the year of 1836, *' then in Cook County. During the session of 1836-37, the Legislature passed an act setting off from Cook the territory now included in McHenry and Lake counties, under the former name, which was given in honor of General McHenry who fought in the war of 1812 and the Black Hawk War. The village tif'McHenry was laid out in 1837 by A.S. Barnum, a Chicago surveyor, through the efforts of Henry McLean. It was the first town or village that took shape in the county. In May, 1837, the county seat was located at McHenry, which had been chosen by commissioners appointed by the Legislature,-- Crystal Lake, Half Day, Ft. Hill and Independence Grove (now Libertyville) competing for that honor. The first election was held in 1837, and Christy Wlweler, Wm. Way and John McLean were appointed judges; H.M. Owen and B.B. Brown, clerks, and in that election William H. Buck and Wm. Way were elected Justices of Peace. In 1838-39 the county of McHenry was divided into two parts, the new county being called Lake. It was thought that McHenry would continue to be the county seat but the people became dissatisfied, it being so much to one side, that the Legislature during the session of 1842-43 passed an act authorizing the people to select a new county seat. The election was held and Centerville (now Woodstock) had the majority. So in 1844, the seat of justice was removed to that place. McHenry had not built its courthouse and jaiT on the village square, now the city park, until 1844, so it was used for a very short time. Later it was removed to its present site the town club. West McHenry (formerly called Gagetown) sprang into existence upon the arrival of the railroad in 1854. George Gage owned the site of the town and was instrumental to quite an extent in securing the railroad. He and others at once saw the propriety of erecting public and private buildings, and it was not long until the majority of the lots were sold and built upon. Gradually the business was drawn from the east side, till now the villages are about equal rivals in the merits of commerce. On Aug. 10,1872, the village of McHenry was incorporated. At the first election held by the authorized voters of McHenry Village the following officers were chosen: R. Bishop, president; J.B. Perry, J.M. McOmber, H.C. Smith, John King and F.K. Granger, trustees; Michael Kelter, clerk, and Henry Colby, treasurer. • Fifty-one years later McHenry became incorporated as a city. On May 15,1923, the board members elected were President Dr. D.G. Wells; Trustees, Peter Doherty, John R. Knox, Albert Krause, R.I. Overton, Simon Stoffel, Frank Wattles; Clerk, Will Schreiner. During the years after 1850, McHenry had several improvements: The railroad in 1854; the telegraph established on Oct. 31, 1873, the first message being sent by Hon. F.K. Granger to Hall, Patterson & Co., and receiving an answer on that date. The first switchboard and exchange, owned by the Chicago Telephone Co., was established in the Stoffel building in 1897, under the management of Simon Stoffel. A water power light plant was installed in the old Owen grist mill in 1908, near where Unti's Ice Cream factory later was located. In 1915 the Public Service Co. of Northern Illinois acquired possession. The city water system was established in 1898; gas in 1912 ; the sewer system in 1923, and paving in 1923 a^d 1927. The new state bridge over Fox river was opened for traffic in November, 1927. „ A public library was organized in 1936, by the Mothers club, located in the Community high school. The history of the town of McHenry is recounted here starting in the year 1834, when what are now known as McHenry and Lake counties formed the north part of Cook county. At this time the land was unsurveyed and in possession of a wandering tribe known as Potawatamie Indians. They were an ignorant, but quiet, inoffensive people who subsisted chiefly by hunting and fishing and whose only domestic animals were the dog and the Indian pony. The Indian title to these lands was extinguished by treaty in 1835. Emigration to the West really commenced in the fall of 1836. A few found their way into what is now McHenry county. The first settlers of this county were composed of two classes, the one was that class that float along on the tide of emigration for purpose of plunder, and the other who came here to secure homes and an honorable living. The former soon floated away, while the latter remained, and their names appear in this record. They were mostly from the eastern states, and came to this country either by steamboat around the lakes, or by team overland through Chicago and thence by following the Indian trail to the banks of the Fox river at this place. Among the number that decided to locate here were three intelligent and enterprising young men named Henry W. and John V. McLean and Wm. L. Way, who had heard that a new county was to be set off from Cook county and organized in the spring following. They were highly elated with the prospect of settling in a new county, so they started from somewhpe down the Fox river and headed their way up the banks until they arrived at a spot a short distance below the present village of Algonquin, when they encamped for the night. They made preparations to enter, as they termed it, an unexplored region. The next morning they travelled up the river until they V The Newest Business in One of the Oldest Buildings in McHenj*y PHOTOGRRPHY ¥V Formerly Langdon Studio has been serving McHenry County for over 25 years. The studio specializes in all varities of photography; such as portraits, commerical, aerial, copy and restoration and weddings. COME IN AND TALK WITH US ABOUT YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC NEEDS. Also; ask us about our summer special now in progress. 3814 W. MAIN McHENRY 385-0093 arrived upon the ground where the old village of McHenry now stands. They made their claim and it was then arranged that • Henry McLean should go to Vandalia, which was at that time the capital of the state, get the boundaries of the county established and commissioners appointed to locate the county seat, which plan was carried out and the commissioners, after examining several points, established the seat of Justice at McHenry on the ninth day of May 1837. In the meantime, during the winter of '36 and '37 several new emigrants arrived. Some of the earliest mentioned were Christy Wheeler, John McOmber, Daniel, Owen, David and William McCollum, B.B. Brown, John and Geo. Boone, Wesle/Ladd, Abial and Samuel H. Walker, Michael and John Sutton. Other names that have been recorded that settled about the same time between 1836 and '39 are: Chauncey Beckwith, James Button, Jacob Jackson, Merrill Thompson, Manley Turner, Jacob Story, James Salisbury, Abijah Barnum, Joel Wheeler, Peter Robinault, Benj. Bosworth, Freeman and Alden Harvey, Enos Bernarde, A H. Hanly, Smith Herrick, John McQueen, Col. Star, E. Keyes, Horace Long, Gideon Colby, Stillman Colby, George Frisby, James Gibbs, Isaac Griswold, Andrew Harsh, Matthew Carr, Chas. Smith, Wm H. Hankins, George Gage, Abijah Smith, Benson Sherman, Mr. Richardson, Solomon Morey, Edmond Fleming, and Nathan Hait. And from 1840 to 1845: John Flusky, Bryan Frisby, Michael Kelter, Wm. Walsh, Richard Bishop, Joseph Button, Page Colby, Robert Harrison, Charles Harrison, Alvin H. Parker, John W. Smith, Freeman Whiting Solomon Dodge, Ira Colby, Wm. Mead, Nickolaus Frett, Nickolaus Adams, Jacob Schmitt, Stephen Bautes, John P. May, Mathias Lay, Henry Thelen. Wm. Klein, Mathias Wagner, Peter Miller, Frederick Schmitt, John Freund, Lucius Hobart, Joseph Tuttle, John Frisby, Philip Sutton and James Gage Fay. t The names following yere found in an old Day book of John McOmber kept in 1837 and on to 1841: In 1836, Solomon Morey and Samuel Terwilliger; in 1837, John Matties, Chas. Salisbury, Dr. McAllister, Abijah Barnum, E.C. Brainard, Roger and Henry Stewart, Mr. Williams, Freeman Adkins, and Mr. Tower; in 1838, Geo. Barnes, Sam Greenleaf, Wm Holcomb, John McCollum and Luke Hale; in 1839, Nathan J. Hait, Dr. Bosworth, Rufus Soles, and Mr. Adams; in 1840, Christopher Walkup, JameL ^ufield, Emery Johnson, Joel Johnson, Webster Colby, Mr. Wells, Dr. Lewis, L.C. Gates, S. Wylie, Geo. Truesdell, Geo. McCollum, D.O. Dickenson, D. Valentine, Mr. Bloom, H.G. Wilson, Mr. Wightman, H.O. Stone, Geo. Smith, Mr. Munger, Will Talbot, Henry Matthews, Mr. Kingston, E.W. Smith, Sam Terwilliger, Manly T. Turner, and Hibbard Smith; in 1841, William Beach, Levi Merriman, and Joseph Webster. According to history the first log cabin was built in 1836 on what was the L.C. Gates property, west of the town club. The west end was occupied as a dwelling house, the center had bunks with hay in th|ln to sleep on, and the east end was occupied by the cows and Bens. Some records state that this cabin was built by Christy Wheeler, and others disclose that it was built by Henry McLean. John McOmber, also known as Esquire McOmber, erected a log cabin onrthe site where the E.M. Owen house now stands. In 1837 more permanent homes were built. John McOmber building on the hill in West McHenry, now known as the Christy house (more recently the white kindergarten building). It was made from the first timber sawed at the mill, where he was employed. During this same year comfortable residences were built by Dr. Christy Wheeler, Rev. Joel Wheeler, Herman N. Owen, James A. Salisbury and A.S. Barnum. About this time B.B. Brown built his famed "Log Cabin Tavern" which became one of the historic hostelries of the state, where the town club now stands. It was a double log house with an "L" attached, part of the structure being two stories high. In 1845, John W. Smith bought this tavern, and later he and his nephew, David Smith, built the Riverside House. The first six marriages solemnized in McHenry county were: Nov. 30,1837, Mr. Jonathan Imeseon and Miss Mary Wray (the first in the county); Feb. 1, 1839, Mr. Chas. Frame and Miss Mary Dufield; Feb. 22, 1839, Mr. Fellows and Miss Christina Robinault (these four by Elder JoeftWheeler); Jan. 29,1839, Mr. Luther S. Barnham and Miss Charlotte Joslin, by Wm. L. Way, Justice of the Peace and Nov. 28, 1841, Mr. Samuel Greenleaf and Miss Elizabeth McOmber, by Joel H. Johnson, Justice of Peace. The first birth in McHenry ct^inty was: Ellen Augusta Wheeler, Sept. 20, 1838, daughter of Christy Wheeler. Jonathan and Mary Imeson had a son born Jan. 18,1839. Some of McHenry's citizens were members of the Legislature of the State of Illinois. The earliest on record is Hon. Henry McLean. Later, were Hon. George Gage who was a member of the XVII General Assembly, having been elected to the House of Representatives in 1850, and elected as an Independent candidate to the Senate of the XIX General Assembly in 1854. Hon. Richard Bishop was a member of the Legislature in 1872. Hon. F.K. Granger was elected as Representative in 1874 and was re-elected three times without opposition. During his last two terms, he was temporary speaker of the House, having the honor of being the first to preside in the new State Capitol building. Later in 1898, he was elected Senator of the 8th District Senatorial. In 1930 Thomas A. Bolger was elected to the General Assembly and re-elected in 1932 and 1934. Another local legislator was the late Albert H. Pearson. Rep. Thomas Hanahan now represents McHenry in the state House. Business enterprises in McHenry showed an astonishing amount of growth in the years following the arrival of the three original settlers. With the coming of several more settlers, and at least one family in 1837, the business necessary to the maintenance of the settlement sprang into existence. The first post office was established in 1837, with Christy Wheeler as the first postmaster. He held the office for one year and was succeeded by H.N. Owen. The third postmaster was John W. Smith, who came to McHenry in 1843. The first post office was in a rude log building near the present site of the Riverside hotel and when the railroad was built V2-mile west of McHenry in 1854, West McHenry sprang into existence. The post office was then moved to the West side in 1882, and for a year McHenry was without a post office. Finally, through the efforts of Congressman Elwood, another one was established in 1883 in McHenry. There seems to be some question as to who operated the first store in McHenry. Original documents show that supplies were being sold as early as June, 1837, by John McOmber, though whether it was done in a store seems unauthenticated. The 1885 history of McHenry county lists Christy Wheeler as the first store-owner. In addition, S.S. Greenleaf built and operated a shoe store in 1839, and a grocery store was being conducted in the same year by H.S. Bosworth. A general store was opened by Owen Brothers in 1851, and the moving of the John W. Smith store building to McHenry in 1854 from Smith's Corners completes the list of early stores. * The first saw-mill in McHenry was built in 1837 by a man named Barnum on the site of the old mill dam. He later sold it before completion to H.N. Owen and James Salisbury, the former adding a carding factory in 1841. (The latter was killed in the mill in 1844). This early, construction work in the mill was done by John McOmber. In 1851 E.M. Owen and his brother, H.N. Owen, built a grist-mill, using the same water power as the saw mill. The present grist-mill owneu by William Spencer was McHenry Leaders The village of McHenry was incorporated Aug. 10, 1872, according to 1885 history. VILLAGE PRESIDENTS Richard Bishop 1872 J.B.Perry 1873 C.B. Curtiss 1874 Richard Bishop 1875-78 Smith Searles 1879 Richard Bishop 1880-81 Anthony Webber 1882 Rollin Howard 1883 Richard Bishop ~ 1884-85 B. Gilbert : 1886 Flavel K. Granger 1887 R.A. Howard 1888 J. VanSlyke 1889 Simon Stoffel 1890 J. VanSlyke \ 1891 Isaac Wentworth 1892-95 John I. Story .' 1895-96 John Evanson 1896-97 John I. Story 1897-98 W.A. Cristy 1898-99 George Rothermel , 1899-1900 Simon Stoffel 1900-01 Charles G. Frett ...1901-02 Frank H. Wattles 1902-03 John I. Story 1903-05 John Evanson 1905-07 P.J. Freund <? 1907-08 Frank H. Wattles 1909-10 John H. Miller 1911-12 Simon Stoffel 1913-14 David G.Wells 1915-16 R.G. Chamberlin 1917-18 John Olson . 1919-20 Simon Stoffel. . . 1921-22 ULLAGE CLERKS (incomplete) George W. Owen .. / 1891-95 F.S. McOmber ... "M895-96 A O. Rupp . 1896-98 John Stoffel 1898-1907 The City of McHenry was incorporated May 15, 1923. The list of mayors follows: CITY MAYORS David G.Wells 1923-24 Frank H. Wattles 1925-26 Peter W. Frett 1927-28 John R. Knox 1929-32 Peter J. Doherty (acting) 1932 Peter J. Doherty 1932-37 R. Irving Overton 1937-49 George P. Freund 1949-61 Donald P. Dolierty 1961-73 Joseph Stanek 1973 CITY CLERKS William G. Schreiner 1923-24 Ray F. Conway 1924-30 Peter A. Neiss 1930-37 Earl R. Walsh 1937-75 Terry Wilde 1975 built in 1872 by A H. Hanly. In 1841 a wagon factory was started by Richard Bishop, which made in addition sleds and plows. This factory was destroyed by fire.in 1874, but was rebuilt on a larger scale in 1878. Mr. Bishop also built a pickle factory in 1882, and another was built in 1884 by a union of farmers near the railroad in McHenry. This later was operated by Christy, Walker & Co. A butter and cheese factory was built in 1881 by Oatman & Sons in West McHenry near Hanly's mill and flourished for several years. A brick yard was operated in 1852 by Smith Covey, near the present site of the East campus high school. Another brick factory was built in the spring of 1882 by a stock company and was later operated by Isaac Wentworth and Amos Whiting. & In 1868 the brewery was built by George Gribbler and many additions were made from time to time. The first hotel was built by B.B. Brown in1837. It was a log building near the present site of the Riverside hotel. The second hotel was built in 1838 by Horace Long and was called the Mansion House. It was in the same block as the Brown hotel, but the location is not definitely settled. The Mansion House was used as the courthouse until the frame courthouse was built on the public park, and the building is today used as the Town club. In 1851 the Fremont was built on the present site of the Riverside hotel, but it was burned in 1859. The Riverside House was built in 1864 by John W. Smith. In 1858 the building known as the Parker House was built by George Gage and was called the Gage House. It was built in West McHenry and was destroyed by fire in July, 1890. To summarize the very earliest industries by 1839: McHenry had two hotels, one dry goods and grocery store, one boot and shoe shop, one blacksmith shop (operated by Nathan Hait), one saw-mill and one carpenter and joiner shop. Some of the oldest business enterprises in McHenry at the present time are operated by members of the original families. These include the insurance firm of Simon Stoffel, the marble works of Henry Miller, the hardware firm of John Vycital and the contracting business of Stephen H. Freund. Other old businesses include the Lumber yard established in 1873 by Smith and Snyder, later becoming Alexander Lumber Co. and the McHenry Plaindealer, established in 1875 by J. VanSlyke. The first banking business was located in the rear of Perry and Owens store in 1888. The McHenry State bank, formerly the West McHenry State bank, was established in 1906. RECENT HISTORY In 1947 the city initiated plans to replace the old iron bridge crossing Boone creek on Green street. Motor Fuel Tax funds were assigned to pay off the contract. A $50,000 issue was found lacking as widening of Green street»in front of the city was found desirable. Another issue of $20,000 was Tound necessary. This was looked upon as a tremendous debt in those days; but each payment was made without default. As the traffic count began to mount in the '50's, farsighted office holders worked out a favorable agreement with the State Highway department to widen Elm street from a town lane to four - lane highway. The city's share was 25 percent of the total cost and was paid from Motor Fuel Tax funds. As a connecting thorough fare, 111. Rt. 120 was widened and completely resurfaced in the '72 - '73 years. The city's (Continued on page 3) a