Month: March 2021

The Depot at Dayton

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The older picture (left) was taken before the elevator was built.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy branch railroad line through Dayton began in Aurora and went through to Streator. We know the names of a few of the station agents who manned the Dayton depot. See below for mention of Wilmot Van Etten, Thomas Belrose, and Roy McBrearty in the Ottawa newspaper..

The route ran as follows:
Aurora
Montgomery
Oswego
Yorkville
Fox
Millbrook
Millington
Sheridan
Burgess Junction
Serena
Wedron
Dayton
Ottawa
Grand Ridge
Streator

Ottawa Free Trader, 10 Sep 1881, p5, col 1
An appalling accident took place at the C., B. & Q. railroad crossing on Columbus street in this city on Wednesday last, resulting in the death of Bernard Dougherty
[description of accident omitted]
We believe the time allowed on the card for making the run to Ottawa depot from Dayton is too short. The time for leaving Dayton is 11:16 and Ottawa 11:28 – 12 minutes; distance four miles, one and a half of which is through the city, further the engine takes water and crosses a railroad track and a swing-bridge.

Free Trader, March 3, 1888, p. 8, col. 4
James Ryan, our Cornet Virtuoso, is studying telegraph with [Wilmot] Van Etten at the depot. Jimmie is always on the key and we hope he will become an expert and get big pay.

Free Trader, January 24, 1891, p. 8, cols. 2-3
Thos. Belrose, Jr., has now taken charge of the station at Fox. He has been a student at the depot here for a long time, and we all wish him success in his new quarters.

Free Trader, April 11, 1902, p. 8, col. 3
Mr McBraerty is laid up with rheumatism. His son Roy has charge of the depot.

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Van Etten

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TRUMBO – VAN ETTEN

            Married Wednesday, June 13th by the Rev. Gault, of Aurora, Illinois, at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver W. Trumbo, Dayton, Illinois, their daughter Jessie to Wilmot Van Etten.

            The large and commodious residence of the bride’s parents was neatly and tastefully decorated for the occasion with flowers and evergreens, and a large number of relatives and friends of the bride and groom were present to participate in the wedding ceremonies.

            At one p. m. during the familiar tones of Mendelsohn’s wedding march, rendered on the piano by Miss Davis, the wedding party consisting of the ushers, Messers A. E. Butters and John Green, flower bearers, Barbie Green and George Wright, the bride and groom entered the parlor and presented themselves before the Rev. Gault, who in a short and impressive manner repeated the marriage service.

            The congratulations to the newly wedded pair were many and sincere, and all wished them much joy and a life full of happiness and prosperity.

            The wedding feast was a grand affair, and the tables were loaded with choice and tempting viands. The bride and groom departed on the 3:50 p. m. accommodation for Chicago, from whence they will go east to make a short visit among the groom’s relatives and friends in New York.

            The bride is one of Dayton’s fairest daughters, and we trust will not be obliged to leave our midst.

            The groom has been station agent here for a couple of years, and has formed a large circle of friends and acquaintances who hope he and his fair bride may make their future home among them.

            The wedding presents were many and elegant, and showed the respect and esteem in which Mr. and Mrs. Van Etten are held by their many friends and acquaintances. About eighty guests were present.

from the Ottawa Free Trader, June 16, 1888

Albert F. Dunavan

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  • Albert F. Dunavan
    Albert F. Dunavan
  • Emma (Cooper) Dunavan
    Emma (Cooper) Dunavan

A. F. Dunavan, eldest of seven children of William L. and Eliza G. (Green) Dunavan, was born Oct. 29, 1832, in Rutland Township, La Salle County, Ill., where he was reared on a farm. He went to California, being six months on the road, going with eight teams and six yoke of oxen and cows, and worked in the gold mines in a place called Volcano for three years. He then, in 1855, returned to his home in Rutland and bought a farm of 160 acres of land, where he followed agricultural pursuits till 1870, when he engaged in his present business. This business was first conducted under the firm name of George H. Pennypacker & Brunk until 1870 when Mr. Dunavan was admitted to the firm. In 1873 it was made a joint stock company, but was bought out in 1877 by A. F. Dunavan & Son, who are carrying on a successful business. They employ on an average twelve men and manufacture annually 1,500 dozen horse collars and fifty dozen fly nets, beside other articles pertaining to their business. Their business is exclusively wholesale. He was married July 4, 1860, to Emma R. Cooper, of Kalamazoo, Mich. They have three children – W. J., in business with his father; Jennie C., attending school at Ottawa, Ill.; and Herbert L., attending high school at Ottawa. Politically Mr. Dunavan is a Democrat. In his religion he is liberal. He has held the office of School Director. His father is a native of Licking County, Ohio. He left Ohio in 1829 and lived a year and a half near Peru, Ill., where he was married. His wife is also a native of Licking County. They are now living on a ranch in Texas engaged in the cattle business. His father was a Colonel in the was of 1812.1

  1. History of La Salle County, Illinois, 2 vols. Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co., 1886, 2: 92.

Spring in Dayton – 1907

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News From Dayton

Mrs. Ostrander spent Saturday in Ottawa.
Mrs. Sam Hippard is very slightly better just now.
Mrs. C. G. Wilson visited Mrs. Ostrander Friday.
Mr. Chas. Ballou was a passenger to Ottawa Saturday.
Mrs. Edward Dallam was a passenger to Ottawa Friday.
Mr. Birch is to work for Mr. McClary this coming summer.
Mr. Frain is doing considerable improving to his residence, including a new veranda.
Mr. Tom Maher and Townsend Fullerton are doing some tiling for Mr. Frank Trumbo.
The Dayton township school trustees met with the clerk, Mr. Ed McClary, Monday morning and transacted business.
Mr. Joe Hogan will move Tuesday to the farm of Mr. Frank Trumbo, to whom he has hired out for the coming year.
Mr. Clarence Doran, who has been in Joliet for the past year, is now home and will work the home farm this year.
Mrs. Rush Green and daughter Gladys went to Chicago Saturday via the Rock Island to visit her mother and sister.
Mr. Collamore and wife and grandson, Willie Kelly, went to Montgomery last Monday, probably to stay permanently.

Mrs. R. G. Trumbo came down from Mendota last Monday, where she has spent the winter with her daughter, Mrs. Will Van Etten and family.

Mr. Ray Doran and family have moved to Joliet, where he has a position with the Rock Island railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Collison have moved to Joliet, also. Mr. Collison has the same work as Ray.

Mrs. Edward Dallam entertained a select party of eight last Thursday – Miss Ruth Haight and Ralph Green, Mr. and Mrs. Rush Green, Mr. and Mrs. Edward McClary. Five hundred was played and ice cream and cake were served.

Mr. Geo. Makinson, who died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. G. M. Pedersen, at Yorkville, was buried in Dayton on Saturday, March 30th. He left Dayton about 16 years ago. Previous to that he had been postmaster of Dayton for forty years. He was 81 years of age.

What narrowly escaped being a tragedy occurred in Dayton as a result of the usual April fool joke. Miss Cora Tanner, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Al Tanner, was accidentally shot by her cousin, Willie Luce. The shot entered at the knee, struck the patella, glanced off and is buried in the flesh. She was hastily brought to Ottawa and Dr. Hathaway made a careful examination, but says no bones are broken. They will make another examination with the X-ray on Wednesday and remove the bullet if possible. She is resting as comfortably as can be expected.

from The Ottawa Republican-Times, April 4, 1907