In 1891, Emma S. Dunavan, of Dayton, Illinois, received a patent on a new and useful improvement in the class of mailboxes intended to be placed on the door of a building, including a bell linked to the door of the mailbox which would ring when mail was deposited. The full description of this invention may be seen here.

Emma was the wife of William J. Dunavan, son of Albert F. and Emma (Cooper) Dunavan, and grandson of William Lair and Eliza (Green) Dunavan. He was the junior member of the Fox River Horse Collar Manufacturing Co. in Dayton, in partnership with his father. William traveled a great deal in connection with the factory and in October 1887, he opened a wholesale and retail store of horse collars, harnesses, buggies, etc., at Kinsley, Kansas.

                                                       DUNAVAN-SWANK
On Wednesday, January 9, 1889, W. J. Dunavan, of the firm of Dunavan & Son, this city, reported at the Swank mansion in Fort Scott, Kansas. His credentials being satisfactory, at 9 p. m. he was united in marriage to Miss Emma Swank, in accordance with the solemn but beautiful Episcopal church ritual. A brief wedding tour, embracing Kansas City and Hutchinson in the route, landed the happy couple in Kinsley, the home of the groom, where they received the congratulations of his many friends.¹

The news of her invention was well received in Fort Scott:

A WOMAN WHO THINKS
An Illinois Lady, Formerly of Fort Scott, Invents a Useful Contrivance.

Yesterday the scribe dropped into the office of Dal Burger’s Fort Scott Carriage Works on his rounds and was shown a newly patented mail box that is certainly getting near the acme of achievement in its line.

The box is the invention of Mrs. Emma S. Dunnavan, of Ottawa, Illinois, who was formerly well known here as Miss Emma Swank, and is the daughter of Mrs. Agnes Swank of this city. It consists of an ordinary wooden or metal box of the usual form and size, with a spring door near the top through which the letter or card is put. A push button extends out from an opening above the door, which is used in opening the latter. When the button is thrust in by the postman as he pushed back the door, an electric bell is set ringing which calls attention to the postman’s visit as the whistle commonly used now does, but in a surer and at the same time a more genteel manner. The ring is surer because the bell is rung inside the hall or room.

The intention is to place the box on the outside of the door, the bell being placed inside. This does not disfigure the door as the box can be made as ornamental as may be desired, and the bell is much like an ordinary door bell.

Below the spring door for the insertion of letters is a glass through which the contents may be seen. Below that is an ordinary lock such as is used on postoffice boxes, which when unlocked allows the hinged bottom to be opened and the contents removed. The box with its bell attachment is certainly a convenient and useful contrivance and shows a good degree of practical ingenuity in its inventiveness.²

1. The Kinsley [Kansas] Graphic, January 18, 1889, p. 3, col. 2
2. The Fort Scott [Kansas] Daily Monitor, August 26, 1891, p. 4, col. 6

James and Martha (Jones) Hite

The Dayton Cemetery Association holds its annual meeting every year on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. In addition to the pot luck lunch and business meeting, each year a historical program is given on some aspect of the history of the families buried in the cemetery and of the history of Dayton.

In 1964, Maud Hite Temple was the speaker. She told of the preceding generations of her family and of their move from Virginia to Ohio and then to Illinois. The full text of her presentation can be read here.

The beginning of a new year is a good time to start any new enterprise and marriage is one of the best, especially if it comes with cake, as shown in this newspaper article:

HYMENEAL

Married – At Dayton, in this county, on the 31^st inst. (New Year’s Eve) by the Rev. David Newton, Mr. John Stadden to Miss Ann Maria Miller, both of Dayton.

Accompanying the above notice, was that which always gladdens the poor printer’s heart – a bountiful supply of Miller’s workmanship, in the shape of delicious wedding cake. The happy couple have our best wishes for their future happiness, hoping that the evening of their days will be as pleasant as the first dawn of 1841 met them agreeable and happy.¹

Ann Maria Miller was the daughter of Isaac and Esther (Gleim) Miller. She was born in Pennsylvania about 1818, one of a large family. Her brother Reuben left Pennsylvania for the west in 1836 and came to Dayton. The rest of the family soon followed, including her widowed father, Isaac, and settled in Freedom township. Ann and John did not stay long in Dayton. By 1846 they had moved to Dallas county, Texas where she died November 23, 1872 and was buried in the Stadden cemetery in Wilmer.

1. Ottawa Free Trader, January 1, 1841, p. 3, col. 3

Yesterday was the seventy-third anniversary of the birthday of Jesse Green of Dayton, and to properly celebrate that event his relations from far and near gathered to wish the old gentleman and his estimable wife a happy New Year and many pleasant returns of the day and consequent similar gatherings. Including the relations in Dayton and from abroad, the residence of Mr. Green was crowded but all present enjoyed themselves to the fullest extent. After all the guests had assembled, Thomas E. MacKinlay in behalf of the company, presented Mr. Green with a very handsome easy chair and Mrs. Green with a table. Mr. Green was taken completely by surprise, but managed to express his thanks. An elegant dinner was served, and a fine time was had by all present.

Those from abroad were Attorney General McCartney and wife of Hutchison, Kan.; Ed. Jackson, Cincinnati; Joseph Jackson, Millington; L. C. Robinson and wife, Rutland; N. M. Green and wife, Serena; Kent Green, Chicago; Mrs. Craig, Jacksonville; Mrs. John Crum, Mrs. Joseph Harris and Mrs. L. Matlock, Misses Ray Harris and Mertie Crum, Yorkville, and T. E. MacKinlay and wife, C. B. Hess and wife, H. B. Williams and wife, T. H. Green and wife, W. N. Bagley and wife, Will and Don MacKinlay, Ed. Hess and Theodore Strawn, of Ottawa.¹

1. The above unidentified clipping, found among other Green papers, can be dated to 22 Dec 1890, as Jesse Green was born 21 Dec 1817. Assuming it came from an Ottawa newspaper, it probably appeared in the Ottawa Free Trader or the Republican-Times, as the Fair Dealer did not begin publication until 1892. The Free Trader microfilm is missing the issues for this period, so the paper cannot be firmly identified. There is no Republican-Times issue for 22 Dec 1890 on the microfilm. The next issue, 25 Dec, was checked, but nothing found.

This hand-drawn birth record is an example of fraktur,¹ a Pensylvania German folk art tradition. In addition to recording that Ahab Christopher Trumbo was born March 13th, 1836, it adds words of advice to a young man in selecting a wife.

Ahab Christopher was the son of Jacob Trumbo III and his wife, Elizabeth Snyder. He was born in Brock’s Gap, Rockingham county, Virginia, and came to Illinois with his family in 1853. The family settled in Dayton township, on Buck Creek. Christopher married Fidelia Kagy January 28, 1869 in Ottawa. They had one child, who died in infancy. Christopher died of consumption in October, 1869, at the age of 33, and is buried in the Ottawa Avenue cemetery in Ottawa, Illinois. Note that his obituary says that he died on October 22nd. However, his mother’s family Bible gives the date of his death as October 10

Christopher Trumbo

DIED
In the village of Dayton, October 22d, 1869, A. C. TRUMBO, age 33 years.

The subject of this notice was a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, but for several years a resident of the town of Dayton. He was one of our most exemplary young men, and his loss will long be felt by a large circle of relatives and friends. Behind his modest bearing he concealed sterling qualities of mind and heart, – accurate judgment, inflexible devotion to principle, warm, affectionate, exceeding purity of heart and character. He was at an early age marked by the fell destroyer consumption. He leaves a young wife and an aged mother, who but a few days since was notified of the death of her son W. B. T., who had recently returned to Virginia to recruit his failing health. The funeral services of both of her sons will take place at her house on Sunday, the 24th inst, at 10 o’clock a. m., by the Rev. Mr. Thompson, of Putnam county. Thus, in the short space of five weeks, has this aged mother been bereft of two noble, high minded young men, just in the prime of life. She has a hope both sure and steadfast, that what is her apparent loss is their gain.²

1. For more information on fraktur, see http://frakturweb.org/
2. Ottawa Free Trader, October 23, 1869, p. 5, col. 3.

Springfield, Illinois, Old State Capitol

Dayton resident William Stadden was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1836 and served for four years, representing La Salle, Iroquois, and Kane counties. He served at the same time that Abraham Lincoln was serving in the Illinois House of Representatives. In the Senate, Stadden was on the committee on canal and canal lands, where his familiarity with the Illinois & Michigan canal, and the feeder from Dayton to Ottawa, might be useful.

In 1847, Illinois needed to revise its first constitution to meet the needs of a growing population and a constitutional convention was convened. William Stadden was one of two delegates from La Salle County to the convention, where he served on the revenue committee. The convention met in June, 1847, and spent nearly three months devising a new instrument; the following March its work was ratified by a large majority of the voters; and on April 1, 1848, it became operative. William Stadden was able to see the new constitution become law before he died the following November.

Additional biographical information on William Stadden may be found here.

Joseph Green, like his father and brothers was of an adventurous nature. He was only one year old when the family moved to Illinois and making a home out of the wilderness was surely an adventure. The expedition to the California gold mines in 1849, with his father and his older brother Jesse was a welcome change from his life in Dayton, which in twenty years had become much more civilized. Very much the little brother, he was eleven years younger than Jesse and although he would have considered himself, at 21, the equal of any man on the trip, he was still one of the younger ones. He was sorely missed in Dayton by his sisters, Rachael and Rebecca, who filled their letters with a wish that he would be home soon.

Most of the gold miners returned home in January of 1851, but Joseph and three others were left behind in Mexico, where they were to remain until spring, in charge of some Mexican horses which were bought in coming through that country.

Joseph had barely returned to Dayton when it became clear that his taste for adventure was still strong. His younger brother Isaac, who was deemed too young to go on the previous trip, wanted his chance and Joseph got up an expedition of his own to California, which left Dayton in April. As in the previous attempt, there were no great riches in the end, but the adventure may have been its own reward.

Joseph had expressed a desire to go to China, but this never came to pass, due to his untimely death, December 27, 1855, at the age of 27. He is buried in the Dayton cemetery

Rebecca Green Trumbo, or “Aunt Beck” as she was known to her niece, Maud, was the tenth child and sixth daughter of John and Barbara Green. She was born across the river from Dayton, in Rutland township, September 8th, 1830, the first of their children to be born in Illinois. She grew up with a number of Dunavan children near her own age, all of them her aunts and uncles, children of her older sisters, Eliza and Nancy. She was also very close to her brother Joseph, who was two years older. When Joseph went with the Dayton party to the gold fields in 1849, she wrote often, teasing him about some of the local girls who missed him very much.

In return, Joseph said
“(I want you to explain yourself about what letter you had reference to when you spoke of Miss E J B receiving that letter is entirely beyond my comprehension I am in the dark on the subject if it is anything relating to me I would like to understand it –  as to who gets Miss E. J. B. is the least of my concerns But as far as I know she is a very nice girl”

He also added some very sage advice:
“(Becks be carefull here after about whittling allways whittle from you and you will not be apt to cut your fingers — always take it moderate for a few days until you get your hands tuffend to it”

Rebecca and Rachel, her sister, filled their letters with wishes for the men to come home:
“O Joseph if you could only be here next saturday night we have first rate cotillion parties last saturday evening we had three musician’s and first rate music (and some pretty good dancing) but o how we miss you at them. do hurry and satisfy yourself and come back to gladden our hearts dont be too hard to satisfy either for it is to hard for near and dear friends to be seperated for gold or anything else aint it”

On October 15, 1854, Rebecca married Oliver W. Trumbo. As if the three Green-Dunavan marriages had not complicated relationships already, in 1865 her little brother Isaac would add another Green-Trumbo marriage when he married Oliver’s sister, Mary Jane.

Rebecca and Oliver lived on a farm in Dayton township. They had two daughters, Jessie, born  June 1, 1867, and Frankie Rae, born November 30, 1876.

Frankie died at the age of seven of a malarial fever. From her obituary:
“Frankie was the light and joy of her home, and by her death a place is left vacant that cannot be filled until that joyful meeting of families on the other shore. Having attended school but a little over a year she had reached a grade seldom attained by a child of her age, and won the warmest love from teachers and schoolmates.”

Jessie married Wilmot Van Etten June 13, 1888. They lived in Mendota. Rebecca lived with them after Oliver died, and she died there September 25 1916. She is buried in the Dayton Cemetery.

We give a few additional names that have been sent to C. J. Skinner of persons 30 years of age born in La Salle county. He now has between forty and fifty, but there are many others. If a Young Settlers’ Association is to be formed it is desirable that the names be handed in at an early day. Send them on a postal card to that gentleman, together with the date and place of birth. Following is the supplemental list:

Geo. W. Shaver, farmer, born in Rutland Jan. 12, 1842.
A. F. Dunavan, manufacturer, Rutland, Oct. 29, 1832.
Cyrus Debolt, farmer, Rutland, October 28, 1839.
Elizabeth Dunavan, wife of Cyrus Debolt, Aug. 11, 1838.
Geo. W. Lamb, stock dealer, Rutland, April 23, 1850.
O. D. Walbridge, farmer, Rutland, June 15, 1841.
George W. Parr, farmer, Manlius, March 24, 1847.
Jesse Grove, farmer, Rutland, January 29, 1841.
Lucien Grove, farmer, Rutland, January 29, 1842.
Samuel Grove, farmer, Rutland, March 21, 1836.
William Trumbo, farmer, Fall River, June 16, 1848.
Stephen Kleiber, farmer, Rutland, Nov. 12, 1841.
Matt Debolt, farmer, Rutland, November 4, 1841.
George D. Shaver, farmer, Rutland, Jan. 12, 1839.
George Hayward, stock dealer, Ottawa, April 19, 1843.
James Armour, farmer, Ottawa, September 21, 1841.
Louisa Pembrook, wife of Thos. Bartlett, Rutland, Sept. 2, 1832.
James Shaughnessy, farmer, Deer Park, May 1, 1837.¹

1. Ottawa Free Trader, April 21, 1883, p. 8, col. 1

Young Settlers’ Association

    Some time since a suggestion was made through the Free Trader that a Young Settlers’ Association be formed, consisting of those who were natives of La Salle county and now over thirty years of age; and all such were requested to send a statement to Charles J. Skinner, of this city, containing name and date and place of birth. Up to the present time the following have been received by that gentleman:

George Galloway, born April 12, 1828, in Fall River; farmer.
(Mr. Galloway was the first white male born in the county.)
E. F. Dimmick, May 24, 1849, at Vermillionville; farmer.
James Collins, June 6, 1838, Ottawa; laborer.
Gilbert P. Brown, March 28, 1851, Dayton; painter.
Charles L. Eaton, Dec. 6, 1845, Deer Park; farmer.
Robert J. Wallace, May 28, 1852, Utica; laborer.
William Haynes, June 1, 1839, La Salle; merchant.
George Howland, August 10, 1848, South Ottawa; farmer.
Albert Maierhofer, May 27, 1851, Ottawa; plow manufacturer.
William H. Daggett, Dec. 13, 1843, Ottawa; boatman.
Samuel Richolson, March 25, 1841, Holderman’s Grove; attorney.
Benjamin Lewis, Sept. 26, 1833, Serena; farmer.
John S. Clayton, June 17, 1837, Deer Park; stock raiser.
William R. Clayton, May 8, 1835, Deer Park; farmer.
Charles J. Skinner, Feb. 10, 1841, Dayton; clerk.
W. W. Calkins, May 29, 1842, Farm Ridge; lumber merchant, Chicago.
Mary Jane Painter, Nov. 24, 1847, Bruce; now wife of T. L. Green, and postmistress at Reddick,                   Kankakee county, Ill.
John G. Armstrong, July 7, 1836, near Morris, then a part of this county; editor.
R. E. Skinner, May 10, 1843, Serena; clerk.
William Richards, Dec. 25, 1852, Farm Ridge; farmer.

The above list is scarcely a commencement of that which might be obtained were all who come within the thirty years’ limit to affix their names. A society once organized could not be otherwise than successful, and their annual meetings would be an appropriate complement to that of the present Old Settlers’ Picnics. Or, if it be deemed best, finally, not to complete the organization, still the possession of the list would be an advantage to the Old Settlers’ Association, and a matter of history for the county. We would therefore suggest that all others who were born in La Salle county and are now over thirty years of age forward on a postal card to Mr. C. J. Skinner, Ottawa, the desired information.¹

1. Ottawa, Free Trader, March 10, 1883, p. 5, col. 3