A Shocking Event

July 26, 2023July 25, 2023Candace W Leave a comment

Bloomington Pantagraph 16 May 1878

Thomas J. Parr was born in Ohio, March 13, 1814. He came to La Salle county in 1834 and the following year bought 160 acres of land in Dayton township. He married John Green’s niece, Sarah Ann Pitzer on May 26, 1836. Sarah was the daughter of John’s sister, Anna. For Thomas and Sarah’s memories of early Dayton, see here and here.

Thomas and Sarah had eight children, six of whom lived to adulthood :

Jesse N. born January 24, 1839; married January 31, 1867, to Anna Cain; died November 28, 1886

Elizabeth Amanda, born August 5, 1841; married September 24, 1857 to Noah Brunk; died March 14, 1921, in Peabody, Kansas

Joseph Brumbach, born January 8, 1843; married December 28, 1865 to Sarah Knickerbocker; died October 1, 1900, La Salle county, IL.

Francis Marion, born June 10, 1845; married Julia Curyea December 31, 1868; died July 12, 1928

Martha A., born August 1848; married May 26, 1867, to Lyman N. Cole; died November 2, 1902, in Le Mars, Iowa

William Howard, born December 12, 1853; married December 31, 1874 to Mary Ruger; died June 24,1923, in Ottawa; bur W. Serena

Thomas J. Parr lived another 20 years and died February 19, 1898. Sarah died the next year, August 5, 1899. They are buried in the West Serena Cemetery, near Serena, La Salle County.

Planning for the Old Settlers’ Annual Reunion in 1876

July 19, 2023Candace W Leave a comment

Old Settlers

The Old Settlers’ Association met at the Court House on last Saturday afternoon to elect officers, set a day for the Annual Reunion, and general business. Not a very large number were present.

The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr. Jno. Miller, of Freedom, and the minutes of previous meetings were read and approved.

Mr. Munson moved that the old officers be re-elected, which was carried; and Messrs. Elmer Baldwin, Philip Watts and Jesse Green were added as vice-presidents. Following is the list of officers: John Miller, President; Ransom Pulmer, W. Bushnell, John Hoxie, E. S. Leland, I. H Fredenburg, D. F. Hitt, E. Baldwin, P. Watts, Jesse Green, Vice Presidents; A. M Ebersol, Secretary and Treasurer, J. H. Pickens, General Superintendent.

On motion it was decided to hold the Annual Pic-Nic in Hoes’ grove on the 21^st of August next.

Messrs. J. Bachellor, J. Pembrook and S. H. Miller were appointed a committee to secure the grove and make arrangements for freeing the Illinois River bridge on that day.

Messrs. E. Baldwin, R. Palmer, and Jno. Miller were appointed a committee on speakers.

The committee appointed at the last meeting on History reported no action.

A resolution was presented and adopted as follows:

Resolved, That the Hon. Elmer Baldwin be elected to procure from the most reliable sources the statistics of the earliest settlers of the several towns of La Salle county, including all matters of general interest, with a view of the publication of a history of the early settlement of the county, this society to have the first claim to the copyright by paying a reasonable amount for the same.

Jesse Green, Cyrus Shaver, O. O. Wakefield, S. R. Lewis and Wm. Munson were appointed as committee on Finance.

After considerable discussion it was decided instead of increasing the number of committees, to appoint one committee of J. H. Pickens, J. Bachellor, and J. R. Shaver with full power to act on questions of privileges, seats, stands, refreshments, etc.

J. Miller was appointed a committee of one on policy and A. M. Ebersol on concert, programme, etc.

Adjourned to meet at call of Secretary.¹

It’s interesting to note that some good plans do, indeed, come to fruition. Elmer Baldwin’s book, History of La Salle County, Illinois, was published in 1877 and has long been the source of information on the early days of the county. It appears, however, that Baldwin retained the copyright to his work.

The Ottawa [IL] Free Trader, June 10, 1876, p8, col 2

144 years ago today in Dayton

July 12, 2023July 2, 2023Candace W Leave a comment

paper mill and other businesses

Flour mill (built 1855) and tile factory

DAYTON
One of La Salle County’s Flourishing Manufacturing Centers

Dayton, as some of your readers may not know, is located four miles from Ottawa, on the Fox River branch of the C., B. & Q. R. R. Its most solid attraction is one of the best water powers to be found in the West. The dam that supplies the power is owned and kept in repair by the state, so that lessees of power feel assured that if the dams or locks should ever be impaired by the ravages of time or floods, the damages will be speedily repaired, without tax or expense to them.

The paper mill of Williams & Co., situated at the lower end of the manufacturing portion of the town, is one of the best in the state. Their products are so favorably known that running night and day the year round they are unable to supply the demand.

The Tile and Brick Works of D. Green & Sons are yet in their infancy, yet the perseverance of its proprietors, and the excellence of the material close at hand, is sufficient evidence that the surrounding country can soon be supplied with the very best tile and brick to be found anywhere.

The grist and merchant mill of D. Green & Sons is presided over by Mr. Stover, widely known for many years as one of the best millers in the state,

The Fox River Horse Collar Manufacturing Co. is an incorporated company, composed of a body of modest and unassuming men, their modesty being only equaled by the superior quality of their goods, which are widely known from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia on the east, to Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri on the west, to be the best in the world. They use about forty tons of rye straw yearly for filling horse-collars, and the hides of about 2,000 head of cattle are required yearly to supply them with leather.

The elegant massive building known as the Dayton Woolen Mill is now owned and run by J. Green & Sons. They are so well known for the excellence of their goods and their honorable dealing that the simple announcement that they are again in business is sufficient to flood them with orders.

Adjoining the town is the splendid grain and stock farm of Isaac Green. Mr. Green makes a specialty of raising Norman and Clydesdale horses and thoroughbred cattle, and can show some of the finest in either class to be found in the state. Among the minor attractions are many fine driving teams, single and double. I would like to give you the names of the owners, but their objections to seeing their names in print forbid it.

And last, though not least, we have the nicest girls, the most dashing beaux and the most enchanting Groves to be found anywhere. Go a fishing and come and see us.

Full Stop

The Ottawa Free Trader, July 12, 1879, p. 8, col. 1

Dayton and the Greens

John Green and the history of Dayton, La Salle County, Illinois

Month: July 2023

A Shocking Event

144 years ago today in Dayton