Month: March 2025

Jennie Cullen’s Family

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Cullen, Jennie - death certificate

Two-year-old Jennie Cullen died in Dayton February 21, 1881 and is buried in the Dayton Cemetery. She is not related to anyone in the cemetery. The Cullen family lived in the area for only a few years, but luckily Jennie appeared in the 1880 census in Ottawa. From that entry we discover that her parents were Thomas and Emma Cullen and she had two older sisters, Josie and Hattie. Following these facts led to this account of the Cullen family.

Thomas Cullen was the son of Patrick Cullen and Bridget Finnell, immigrants from Ireland. He was born in New York in October 1852 and married Emma Schuyler in New York in 1874.  In late 1879 or early 1880 they moved from New York to Ottawa, Illinois.

In 1880 Thomas gave his occupation as “working in  glass factory”. This was probably the Ottawa Glass Company, a plate glass company, which opened on April 1, 1868.  In January 1880, the Ottawa Free Trader reported that “The Ottawa Glass Co has 140 hands, 20 are blowers.” At this time there was also a bottle factory in Streator, another place Patrick may have worked, as his son Frank was born in Streator.

A number of family members worked in the glass industry. By 1900 the family has moved to Covington, PA, where Thomas is now a glass gatherer. His 18 year old son Frank is working as a glass cutter, and daughter Josephine is married to a glass blower.

In 1910 the family is living in Roulette, PA, where Thomas and son William are both glass workers, probably at the Fairchance Glass Works.  Son Frank is working as a glass cutter in Putnam, PA.

In 1920, Thomas was retired and managing a pool hall, but the family still has glass associations. Daughter Hattie’s husband, Ezra S. Cochran, is a glass blower for a window glass factory in Putnam, PA.

Thomas and Emma had nine children:
Josephine (1875-1918) married Edward Cauffeld
Harriet (1876-1928) married Ezra S. Cochran
Jennie (1879-1881)
Frank (1882-1946) married Grace Sullivan
Carrie (1886-1956) married 1st William Sheldon; 2nd Oren Verne Tippen
William Roy (1887-1940) married Edith May Hutchinson
Margaret Agnes (1889-1967) married Hollis A. Clark
James Andrew (1891-1962) married Ruth Getman
Mary (1895-1942) married Gordon Legacy

Emma Schuyler Cullen died in Roulette, PA, on June 1, 1911. Thomas Cullen died April 22, 1925 in Putnam, PA, where he was living with his daughter, Harriet Cochran. Thomas and Emma are buried in Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Sartwell, PA.

Elections, Music, and Fish

Candace W 1 Comment

DAYTON ITEMS

During the past few weeks the river has been quite high, and, as a consequence, a goodly number of game fish have no doubt ascended the river. They were caught in large numbers on Saturday and (we are sorry to say) on Sunday last. One fisherman reports having caught a fine string of twenty-two bass and pickerel.

At the school election a week ago last Saturday the votes were somewhat mixed, some, according to law, stating for long and short term, and others merely containing two names. The judges decided that the party receiving the greatest number of votes, whether for long or short term, or no term, was elected, but the township treasurer decides that the persons who received the greatest number of designated votes were legally chosen. According to this decision the board of directors for the following year will consist of the following members: Joseph Barends, H. B. Williams and John Green. The vote on issuing bonds to the amount of $2,500 for building a school house was carried almost unanimously, there being only two opposite votes.

Co. Supt. Williams visited our schools last Friday.

Mr. C. B. Hess and family will commence moving to the city this week. We are sorry to lose such good citizens, but our loss is Ottawa’s gain. “May they live long and prosper.”

Little Willie Hull, son of Mr. Geo. V. Hull, of Ottawa, spent Sunday recreating with Chas. Green and other friends in Dayton.

Mr. and Mrs. Theo. Gibson, of Ottawa, spent the Sabbath at his brother’s, Mr. Geo. W. Gibson.

The Musical Union are procuring some new books and expect to hold some interesting meetings during the season. On account of the unavoidable absence of the leader, Mr. Chas. Green, no meetings have been held for two weeks. A dramatic entertainment for the benefit of the Union is being prepared, and will take place in due time.

Mr. John F. Wright will depart this week for a month’s visit at his old home in Braidwood.

Ex Uno1

  1. The Ottawa Republican, May 4, 1882, p. 4.

Dayton in 1858-59

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In 1858 the Chicago publisher, John C. W. Bailey, decided to publish a directory of La Salle County. In his introduction to the work, he explains that he had no material from any previous publication to aid him and that, therefore, it took a long time to collect the information. He states that in the farming districts he relied on the postmaster for a list of the persons in their district. Because of this the lists are sometimes incomplete and at other times duplicate other lists. For instance, the townships of Dayton and Rutland are closely connected, both by residence and relationships. In many cases names appear on both lists, so caution is needed. Also, the lists are certainly incomplete, so lack of a name does not imply lack of residence.

Here are the pages that refer to Dayton township.

DAYTON
TOWN 34, range 3
The Post Office Dayton. O. W. Trumbo, Post Master

The village of Dayton, in the township of the same name, is situated on the west bank of the Fox River, four miles above Ottawa, and is destined to be one of the greatest manufacturing places in the west. The water is drawn from the Fox River Feeder, under a twenty foot head; there is sufficient water unoccupied to drive fifty run of burrs. It contains two large flouring mills, one woolen factory, one wool carding establishment, one machine shop, one cloth store, one saw mill and one tavern, all owned by John Green, who located here in 1829 as an extensive farmer and stock grower. He possesses some of the best blood stock, both Durham and Spanish.

Two school houses and churches are within 1 1/2 miles of this place, also two miles distant on the east bank of the river, is the largest white sulphur spring in the State, and is a great place of public resort; the water contains great medical qualities, and probably will become the principal watering place in the west. It is also owned by John Green, of this place.

Col. Wells Wait, school commissioner for La Salle county; resides at Dayton.
Office, in the Sheriff’s room, Ottawa city.

John Green, principal landed proprietor.      Andrew Thompson, blacksmith.

FARMERS

Albert, Thomas B, S W qr. Sec. 1.

Bagley John
Bennett Enoch
Black Samuel
Bly Frederick A.
Breese David K.
Breese Silas
Brisco, Patrick, S W qr. Sec. 35
Brown Enos, N W qr. Sec. 2.
Brown Silvester, S W qr. Sec. 3.
Brownfield K., S W qr. Sec. 3.
Burke Daniel, N E qr. Sec. 9

Carton Thomas, N E qr. Sec. 18.
Carpenter George W.
Chapman Samuel, S E qr. Sec. 4.
Clark W. O., N E qr. Sec. 2.
Connelly John G.
Conway Michael, S E qr. Sec. 9.
Cowper Mary, S W qr. Sec. 20.
Curyea Cincinatti
Curyea Henry
Curyea John H.

Daniels Aaron
Delevan E. C., N E qr. Sec. 21.
Dixon James, N W qr. Sec. 15.
Dobbins John, N W qr. Sec. 3.
Dunovan J. A.
Dunovan George M.
Dunovan W. L.

Erwin Wm., N E qr. Sec. 34.

Fisher Charles A., N W qr. Sec. 24.
Fielding John, S E qr. Sec. 33.

Gedney H. E., S E qr. Sec. 30.
Groove Davis
Groove Joseph

Hall Joseph
Harrington Robert
Hess Henry H.
Hess, Levi, N W qr. Sec. 12.
Hite David
Howard Humphrey, S E qr. Sec. 2.
Howland Ezekial, S E qr. Sec. 6.

Jacobs Peter

Kenny Christopher, N W qr. Sec. 18.
Kennedy Francis, S E qr. Sec. 33.
Kleiber Joseph

Lamb John F.
Laning Jacob, S E qr. Sec. 21.
Larkin Martin
Lawrence Daniel G.
Leland Lorenzo, S E qr. Sec. 21.
Lowell Calvin
Lyghthall Joseph

McCarthy Timothy, N E qr. Sec. 5.
McNeal William
Miller Edmund, N W qr. Sec. 13.
Miller John
Morgan Rees
Montgomery John H., S E qr. Sec. 2.
Monroe James, S W qr. Sec. 9.

O’Donnell Edward, S W qr. Sec. 4.
O’Donnell John, S E qr. Sec. 3

Pakenham Joseph, N E qr. Sec. 35.
Parr Thomas, N W qr. Sec. 1.
Pembroke Richard
Pennell Dwight
Pickings James, S E qr. Sec. 19.
Platt Joseph, N E qr. Sec. 5.

Reddick Hon. William
Reed Henry J.
Reigart Wm. H.
Rhodes Samuel
Robson Thomas, N E qr. Sec. 14.
Rowen James
Rumery William
Russell John

Sage Seth S., S W qr. Sec. 12.
Scovill Palmer F.
Sizer Randolph, N E qr. Sec. 35.
Stodden Jonathan

Thompson G. L., S W qr. Sec. 13.
Thorne Isaac
Thorne Richard, S W qr. Sec. 31.
Trumbo Elias
Trumbo Mathias
Trumbo Moab P.
Turner Benjamin

Wait Wells
Webb B. E., N E qr. Sec. 8.
White James
Wightman James D.
Wright Samuel
Wolsey Nathan. N E qr. Sec. 10
Woodlock Patrick, S W qr. Sec. 24.

What’s Going on in Dayton?

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Dayton Items

Our public schools are again in session, with Miss Cora Childs still in charge as principal and Miss Jennie Crane, of Ottawa, as assistant.

Misses Maud Green, Jessie Trumbo and Carrie Barnes are attending the Ottawa high school. Apparently they did not attend the full four years, as none of them appear in the lists of graduates in 1884-1888.

Mr. Joseph Green is kept busy at his sugar camp across the river. His maple syrup is excellent and in great demand.

H. B. Williams, Esq., and wife, of Ottawa, were in town last Sabbath.

Mr. Isaac Green has had a force of men clearing off the woods, brush, etc., across the river. It will make a fine sheep pasture.

Mr. Geo. W. Makinson came near having his house burned down last week from a defective flue. He talks now of having it insured with Mr. John Green, who is agent for the Phoenix and Aetna at this place.

The tile works got their first kiln of the season ready to burn last week, but were obliged to wait for coal. They are turning out a fine quality of tile, which is meeting with a ready demand.

The fact that caused the election of Mr. Beach as supervisor over Mr. Roades, we understand, was the removal from the town of a number of the latter’s supporters. The contest was close.

And now why can’t we build a thing that is greatly needed in our village, as well as the whole neighborhood, viz: a bridge across the river here. Nearly five thousand dollars have been spent for bridges, etc., in the north part of town during the past year or two, and wouldn’t it be the fair thing for about half the above amount to be invested in a bridge here. Eleven or twelve thousand dollars ought to put up a good, substantial iron bridge, and from twenty-five hundred to three thousand dollars from each town with one-half from the county will make up the above amount. A bridge here would greatly increase the value of property in the village and in consequence raise the assessment. This, of course, would materially lighten the taxes in the other part of the township. In fact, a bridge would be a great advantage in more ways than one, and we think has become a public necessity and should be built at once. The railroad bond case has been settled and most of the money raised to pay the lawyers, and now what sort of an excuse can we find to vote against investing a few hundred dollars in a much-needed bridge?

Occasional1

  1. Ottawa Republican, April 11, 1884, p. 5