McHENRY PLAINDEALER SAMPLE OPEN HOUSE EDITION McHENRY LOOKS BACK WITH nutE OH L0N6 HISTORY OF LOCAL CHURCHES. CONGREGATIONS Plant Departments^ Since the very beginning of SfcHenry's long history, pride has been expressed in its church- and in the growing c o n g r e g a t i o n s w h i c h m a d e fhem possible. It is only natural that the community's founders would never have found the strength and courage for the gigantic undetakings of the period from within themselves alone. Almost without exception, they were religious men and women who relied on their fritb in God f© help them in the troubled times during which they transformed a vast wilderness into tfie start of a thriving area. Baptist Church Paradoxically, the Baptist church is both the oldest *md the' newest of the McHenry churches. Its first service was in 1X37, and after many years ture was erected in 1958 on Rt. 120, west of the city. Rev. Carl Lobitz is pastor of the church at this time. St. Mary's Parish St. Mary's Catholic church was founded in 1894 and at the present time is the city's largest congregation. A committee composed of Dr. C. H. Fegers. Anton Weber, John Heimer and Frank Barbian visited the Archbishop of Chicago and obtained permission to purchase the old public school and adjoining property. The present church was biftlt in 1898, but in 1P18, during funeral services for the late Peter Scheid, a mfember of one of the pioneer Catholic families, the church was badly damaged by fire. It was immediately rebuilt and decorated and is today one of the Bill Moore, left, advertising manager, and C. Ernest Useman, also in the advertising department, are shown at the layout table which encloses a two-year complete mat service, free to advertisers, from which it is possible for the merchant to select his choice among thousands of illustrations adaptable to almost any type of business. when it ceased to exist; a Bap- most beautiful edifices in this tist church on Main street : part of the state. opened its doors and held its Rev. Fr. Eugene Baumhofer firsf service just a few weeks J is the present pastor. 8Rn- j Alliance Bible Church The Rev. Joel Wheeler, who Qn Nov. 14, 1948, the Alwas the first minister of the gospel to locale in McHenry county in 1837. was also the first minister of the first Bap- j tist church in McHcnry. Pastor of the no* church on 1 Main street is Itcv. Virgil Chappell. St. Patrick's Church St. Patrick's Catholic church waS founded in 1840. The charted members were Michael Sutton, John Sutton, George Frisby and James Gibbs. Fr. Mc- Evoy saw the need of a new and larger chuich and erected the present edifice in 1923. with a seating capacity of about 340 and a chapel adjoining. Among early pastors were Rev. Patrick O'Neill, who served nearly thirty years until his death in 1906; and the Reverends Burke, t-ehane, Hagen, Quinn, Lynch. McEvoy and O - Rourke. Rev. Fr. Edward C. Coakley is the present pastor. Methodist Cliurch In the same year 1840--- when McHenry was a mere hamlet, the Methodist church j was organized. At that time Rev. H. Stocking was presiding ; p'der. and Rev. William Val- i lette was the first preacher in | charge. For a time 1his society met in the old school house where the Universalist church later stood on Court street. In 185'J. the older portion of the present building was erected. I Rev. George Martin is min- ! ister in charge at the present I time. | Universalisis The U n i v e r s a l i s ! c h u r c h , which .\as closed in 1929, was orennized in the winter of 1853. First members were R. Bi^hon. D. Brown. Frances Harrison, C. B. Curtiss, Chrisliance Bible church had its beginning in the Christ for McHenry meetings under leadership of Donald G. Liberty. Meetings were held in .the old Legion hall on Green street. Later, rites were conducted in several locations irt McHenry. Lakemoor and McCullom Lake. While at the Masonic hall, the church became affiliated with the Christian «nd Missionary Alliance. The old Lutheran church on John street was acquired and the first services were held there in the fall of l'J58. At that time the name was changed. Mr. William Harper became pastor in May of this year. St. Paul's Episcopal St. Paul's Episcopal church had its beginning with a meeting of all interested Episcopalians on Dec. 11, 19J>5. The first services in the McHenry area was Jan. 15, 1956, in the kindergarten building. It was spring of that ypar that the Mission of St. Paul was formally organized. The church was built in the summer of 1957 and the first service was held there Oct. 27 of that year. There were seven families when the mission was founded, and this has now grown to sixty. The first full time priest, the Rev. R. L. Eldrige. took up residence in McHenry in 1959. Presbyterian Church In early 1958, Rev. John O. Mclntyre was called to McHenry by the National Missions Board of the United Prebyterian church to guide in the formation of a new congregation. With a nucleus of several families. regular worship and church school began in the Walt Deterding, composing room foreman, is shown in the advertising make-up department. He is at work making up an ad which will appear in the Aug. 24 issue. From this department, the completed ad is placed in the newspaper form, and combined with news columns will make up a page which you will read next week. topher S^cber, George Gage i community barn of Eastwood, and A. H. Hanlcy. There is no j Manor. Utjiversalist church in McHrn- j Thirteen months later, the ry today. 1 -roup held their first service In Lutheran Congregation ' a newly constructed building The Zion Evangelical Lutli- ! Lincoln road, which is their ' eran church was formed in ' present home. 1876 under the direction of | In 1959, they were formally Rev. H. G. Schmidt. They held [organized by the Prebyterv of services for a time in the Bap- ; Freeport. Five acres of land •ist church and then in ihe ^as been purchased at the cor- Methodist Episcopal church. ncr of Lincoln and Chapel Hill On Sept. 19, 1891, they dedi- ; roads which will be the site of cater! their own church, which future permanent buildings, was located on John street un- Off the new Plaindealer Model A duplex web-fed press comes one of the weekly issues of the paper. The large mechanical device was added after moving to our new location at 3812 W. Elm street in mid-July. The press makes it possible for us to bring the paper lo readers in the McHenry area on Thursday for 1he first time since 1949, when lack of space prevented the actual printing process being continued in our own plant. til 1he beautiful, modern struc- Dr. Wheeler First Settler The present city of McHenry was settled in the year of 1836, th£n in Cook county, but during the session of 1836-37 the Legislature passed an act setting off from Cook the territory now included is McHenry and Lake counties, under the former name. This name was given in honor of General McHenry, who fought in the War of 1812 and the Blackhawk war. The first to arrive here was Dr. Christy G. Wheeler and bio family, who settled in McHenry upon their arrival from New Hampshire in 18".f>. The land was still unsui-veyed and only an occasional log cabin had PROGRESS IS EVIDENT FROM EARLIEST DAYS Following the arrival of the railroad in 1954, and the establishment of telegraph service in 1873,many other signs of progress were evident in McHenry in the days before the turn of the century and in the years since that time. The first switchboard and exchange, owned by the Chicago Telephone Co., was established in the Stoffel building in 1897, under management of Simon Stoffel. In 1912, the exchange was moved to the Court street location. A water power light plant was installed in the old Owen grist mill in 1908, near the location of the old Unti ice cream factory. In 1915, the Public Marcella Larson is shown making a plate for a new subscriber to the Plaindealer, using an addressograph which became part of our equipment last winter. The name of each subscriber appears in plate form, and these names are printed on both the newspaper and later on the automatic billing which is also supplied by Ihe machine. Through this department pass nearly 5,200 newspapers weekly. PUBLISHER'S DUTY IS EXPLAINED BY OWNER OF PAPER (Taken been built. There were no I established in 1898, followed school houses or churches; no • fourteen years later by gas, in highways had been laid out; no from the Plaindealer files of 18701 It is a stern and open an i<n- Service Co. acquired possession, j pleasant one. C ase- ;ue c.n- The city water-system was j stantly occurring where if the p u b l i s h e r o f a n e w s p a p e r bridges had been built; no rails for fences had been split. Dr. Wheeler, who came here seeking a climate suitable for his impaired health, opened a small store in McHenry, and this, with the practice of medicine, occupied his time until he died at the age of 32. One cold morning in the winter of 1836, Dr. Wheeler's shanty caught fire. While on the roof trying to extinguish the flames, he was delighted to hear a musket discharged some distance east of Fox river, which gave notice that he was not alone in the wilderness. 1912. The public service of city officials in the early days required a great amount of time and all of '.he knowledge they possessed. In the year that the first officials were installed after incorporation as a city, McHenry realized one of its biggest accomplishments of that time in the paving of city streets. Many will still recall, with a smile, the common sight of cars becoming stuck in the mud of city streets when the frost went out in the spring before this time. More paving was done in 1927, the same listened to ihe promotions of sympatry alone lv> would come very short of his duty II is his iself in the invincible armor of truffi and justice he will be prepared to receive the inevitable kicks lhat are sure to be dealt from riuht a*id left, and especially Irom Ihe rear. From a personal experience Of many \ears in the management of a newspaper wc have Ion ; ago learned to expect this kind of l reat men!. and if there is any marked cessation in it j wc are thereby admonished not to suppress it; and if he attempts to conciliate one party by suppressing some! bin;: that they desire to keep a secret, but which justice requires should lie made public, he is LONG STRUGGLE TO ATTRACT BUSINESS EVIDENT IN 1875 business to publish the news, | that we must be neglecting ihe faithful performance of our duty. There is no better evidence, not only of the impartiality of a publisher and the thrift of his business, but of the fact lhat It seems impossible, doesn't I year that the state bridge over it, that bustling McHenry could the Fox river wag opened, takever have boasted but one fam- ing major traffic fiom the old tty. I bridge one block north. The following article is taken, in part, from an 18?5*f issue of the Plaindealer and points up the interest which has existed through the years in encouraging new business to locate in McHenry. "Shall McHenry become a manufacturing village? "The above is a pertinent question, and perhaps someone will say, not easily answered. Let us look at the matter for a moment from a disinterested standpoint. Every man recognizes the fact lhat something must "be done to keep the money lit home that is now sent away to build up other cities. "But the query arises, what shall we manufacture?" Let every man who has an idea on this subject give his views briefly and have them published. In this way we can arrive at some conclusion as to what mechanical' branch would be the most profitable and give employment to the .largest number of workmen. "It seems to be the general opinion that to manufacture plows, cultivators and other farm machinery would be the most profitable to begin with. "A joint stock company with a capital of $10,000 could be started, making the shares $50 each, with monthly payments of five dollars until the stock is paid up. In this way nearly every man in the village could lend a helping hand toward establishing the first manufactory. "Another business which suggests itself to our mind is a woolen factory. It would make a home market for all our wool and a large amount of produce and save not only paying transportation to and from the seabord but save thousands SPLINTERS by J. Van Slyke (Taken from the Jan. 12, 1876, edition) A heavy rain on Bunday morning--Thunder and lightning in the afternoon--A slight flurry of snow in the evening-- And colder than "dunder and blixim" before morning--Roads horrible--Surprise parties have broken out in this village-- From a Gloversville, N. Y., paper we learn that it was 36 degrees below zero at that place last week. No wonder they make buckskin mittins in that county -- Remember the club dance at the Parker House on Friday evening -- Have you broken that good resolve you made on New Year's yet? -- Salt and water is said to be good for worms. We are going to inquire of those > who have tried it and find out--One or two weddings are on the tapis. Positive fact. But the of dollars at home that is now paid to eastern merchants and manufacturers. As far as location is concerned, there is no pleasanter or healthier place to be found in the northwest than McHenry. •, "Surrounded by a rich and prosperous farming community, all that it needs is some manufacturing interest to make it the first village in the county. "Now the question is who will take the lead and make an effort towards having something of this kind established in our midst, "Let no man turn a cold shoulder to any enterprise that may seek a location among us. The more we get the better for all, and no petty jealousies should be allowed to drive one away. What is good for the merchant is good for the mechanic, and what benefits the mechanic cannot fail to benefit the producer." custom of the country forbids us to bg more loquacious on this subject--A young man who let a basket of eggs fall the other day says: "Truth squashed to earth may get up and git." but "he'll be darned if eggs will" -- We learn that the Leap Year party will be held on Friday evening of next week, the 21st--One of our exchanges has a new writer who is to furnish articles in a foreign language. He has just arrived from "Hinne fon Lengeshter raus". Glad he's come. Always admire folks from that town--We advise that young gentleman to be sure he has a handkerchief when on a flirting expedition and to use it instead of a stick. If you will only study "cause and effect" you will see the benefit of following our advice--It is said that smoking will kill lice on plants, but for boys we think a fine tooth comb is most effective-- The bachelors in this village are all on the "ragged edge" in consequence of that Leap Year party--There are two-.things that are sure to come -- death and taxes. The collector is now anxiously calling for the latter--A friend has. figured out the following. When Columbus discovered America had he left one cent at compound interest, it would have amounted at Ihe nresent time to $360,287,970,459.17. Why in thunder didn't Columbus leave a cent to our credit somewhere? We pause for a reply -- The old bachelors in this section are sprucing up. Cause -- the announcement ol the Leap Year party. No use, you old sinners. The day of grace has passed --- Say, who wants to buy a dog? - We won't tell about their trading hats, because we said we wouldn't. Like the illustrious G. W., we cannot tell a lie-- Ford is still taking photographs for $2 per dozen, warranted to be just as homely as you are. Signs Of The Times - -1876 Dateline 1876 -- The town board have appointed Wm. Purdy collector. The receipts are now being filled out, ar taxpayers will find him reaf _ to relieve them of their greenbacks the last of next week at his residence opposite the M. E. church. We are informed that O. Bishop has put seven barber chairs in his warehouse', where with keen razors and good help he will give you a close shave on short notice. dirty Rowels used. N-E-X-T. * A mistake occurs in the date on the first page of this paper. It reads January 27th, when it should be the 26th. Messrs. Rogers and Saymour. who are located in Stoddard's old, store with their steam feather bed renovator, are doing a lively business and give sat«» faction to all of their custff mers. They will remain but a few days longer, . and those wishing their beds renovated should call at once. Owing to the horrid condition of the roads, wood is scarce in this market and one feels himself lucky if he gets enough to scrimp along with. In consequence the girls a% obliged to dismiss their bea* early, is it won't do to keep the fires late these times, It is to be hoped that the roads will get in a condition soon, that our citizens may be able to get in a condition soon, that our citizens may be able to get their summer's supply of wood. George Johnson headed the McHenry Day program in co£ nection with the city's centennial in 1936. YOUR WEEKLY VISITOR * * sure to call down upon his ov\ n his efforts are appreciated by head the just indignation of his readers, than that somethose who believe that news-; body is continually eomplainpapers were invented for the j ing because their "corns have purpose of disseminating infor- \ been trod upon". Of course mation rather than of conceal- ,111010 will be cases where the Ing facts. 1 publisher is misled by designing The only safe course for a | or thoughtless persons, and will publisher to pursue is to state 'Ik* betrayed into saying somefairly, without fear or favor, thing which will work injustice what he believes to be true and , u> the innocent:. Hut any pubright, whether the blow is tojlisher who loves justice is alfall upon the fingers of his j ways ready and glad to make friends or the toes of his one- ' ample amends in such okps, A bright, interesting, informative visitor arrives in over 5,100 McHenry area homes each week. He presents necessary news and information which allows residents to become knowledgeable, participating citizens, as well as providing countless values to help save important family dollars. If you have forgotten to guarantee his regular presence in your home for the next full year, be sure to fill out the following coupon . . . your whole family will thank you for it. toft* ^ . ^ ^ ^ fx*** >> „s W " <;.V v> y > '*.« * >,i>f :<,v * >•> N :• •>vf* , . , .*iS ^ ^ 1 *. *, * ^ ^ *** * v f r : : : % . t , s ^ « 5 5 1 * *** * ^ • r* Z a* ORDER BLANK Enclosed find my check for $3.50 for 1 year's subscription to the McHenry Plaindealer Name Street City * State YOUR McHENRY PLAINDEALER 3812 W. ELM ST. EV. 5-0170