THE FOUNDER OF COMPTON
While most of the towns within Lee County took some time to
become established communities, the town of Compton almost came into
existence overnight. The history of Compton started when railroad
tracks were laid through Brooklyn Township, one mile south of what
was called, "the Burg" but officially known as the town of Melugin's
Grove.
The town of Melugin had been started during the winter of 1833
when Zachariah Melugin built the first house in Lee County, outside
of Dixon at the grove which would come to be known as Melugin's
Grove. This area had been a popular station on the stage line between
Chicago and Galena and now with the birth of the railroad industry
would soon come the demise of the stagecoach and Melugin's Grove when
the new railroad service started in 1872, some thirty-nine years
after the grove was settled in.
Joel Compton was born in Sussex County, New Jersey on June 28,
1819. During 1842 he married Nancy Townsend. It was in 1856, that
they came west and settled on land a short distance southeast of the
site which would become a village bearing his name. At the time he
owned some 400 acres of fertile land. By 1867, he purchased the
property of Aaron Hook who lived in Melugin's Grove. Mr. Compton
moved his family there and would shortly thereafter own a grocery
store, drug store and a hotel.
As the Kenyon Railroad, later known as the CB&Q, laid its
track through the township the station was to become located on
property Mr. Compton owned. Suddenly, what had only been farmers
fields had now overnight brought a rapid turn of events. It was the
advantage of faster transportation that would induce the residents of
the grove to relocate their homes and businesses on farmland owned by
Joel Compton near the train tracks.
Dixon and Amboy which earlier had the advantage of railroads
prospered and the population of those communities increased along
with businesses starting up.
The area was soon platted into lots and Mr. Compton along with
others now had the tedious work of moving their buildings a short
distance to the new town which appropriately became known as Compton.
Most of the stores, along with homes, churches and the school house
would eventually be moved into the new village.
One such large building moved to the area from Melugin's Grove
had become known as the 'Cave', which had been used as a tavern and
was placed on the corner of Cherry and Third. Several business
ventures were conducted in this building throughout the years.
The village of Compton received their charter from the
State of Illinois in December of 1875 and held its first organized
meeting on Jan. 14, 1876 ,and elected J.W. Swisher, W.W. Miller, M.M.
Avery, G.W. Bradshaw, W.I. Guffin and Joel Compton as trustees. Mr.
Compton also became the first president of the small village of
Compton.
Joel Compton died on Dec. 9, 1896. His wife died on Aug.
11, 1906, just days before a fire would engulf many buildings in the
business part of town. The fire destroyed each of the wooden
structures that had been located on the east side of Third Street.
The blaze had been reportedly started in the barbershop and had
quickly spread through the business district except for the saloons.
In the early 1920's goods were now being easily and
sometimes more rapidly moved by truck. By 1929, the completion of the
north-south highway, U.S. 51 which linked Rockford and Mendota now
beckoned residents of Compton to venture outside of their community
to work, shop and trade, just as a new form of transportation had
lured residents from Melugin's Grove.
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