THE TOWN OF NACHUSA
An area in Lee County, just five miles east of Dixon was laid out
as a village in the fall of 1853, on land which was owned by Colonel
Dysart and George Baugh. This was the start of the village of
Nachusa, which got its name in honor of Father John Dixon, to whom,
in earlier times, the Indians applied the name "Nachusa," which meant
in their language, "white hair."
The village was originally established as a trading post which
soon thereafter dealt in large amounts of grain. Some 200,000 bushels
of grain were handled with the figure increasing to over 300,000
bushels a short time later. During 1860, a large grain elevator was
built which was operated by John Dysart and Israel Slothower.
Settlement was slowed by the fact that Dixon was just miles away
to the west and Ashton and Franklin Grove to the east were also
established areas. The early days of the village had cows and
chickens running all over and people had to fence in their gardens,
flowers and etc. to keep the animals out.
The first church built was the German Baptist which was widely
called the Dunkard and was located where Emmert Cemetery is today.
The small church had a basement, kitchen and a sleeping room above
the audience room. Different ministers were hired from time to time
to preach the sermons and they usually stayed or slept in the special
room for that purpose.
The first blacksmith shop opened in early 1856, by a Mr. Farwell.
There was also located a paint shop and John S. Eicholtz,
manufactured wagons of all kinds along with carriages and buggies. In
1868, Mr. Eicholtz added a blacksmith and a repair shop to his wagon
factory which served the village and surrounding areas for many
years.
When John Dysart returned home following service in the Civil War
he brought with him a Negro slave who he had befriended during the
war. Since the slave was now given his freedom, the Colonel gave him
a job and a place to live in Nachusa. His name was Peter Hatcher who
later was married and had six children who were all educated in the
Nachusa school. They were the only African Americans to ever live and
raise a family in Nachusa and were loved by the residents of the
community. Mr. & Mrs. Hatcher and some of their children are
buried in Emmert Cemetery.
In 1873, a general store and combined post office was built which
was operated by Horace Street. The upstairs of this structure was
used for Sunday school and was utilized for church suppers. It was
also used as a dance hall and for social gatherings. But the building
only lasted for two years as it was then torn down to erect a larger
building in its place. The business and new post office was now owned
by William Dysart. The structure later burned down in a fire in 1918.
During the early railroad years most of the people living in
Nachusa were of Irish descendent who worked for the railroad. They
attended St. Patrick's Church in Dixon and often times, their mode of
travel back and forth was with a railroad hand car. If a doctor was
needed in town they went to the town depot and telegraphed Dixon for
a doctor. By 1873, many had moved on following the progress of the
rails westward. Settlers were arriving from Pennsylvania and other
areas of the eastern part of the United States. Bigger and more
fashionable homes were being built, among them a home built for
William Dysart by George Eichholz. Another large structure built was
used as a hotel and run for many years by Mr. & Mrs. Dan
Eicholtz.
The laying of the corner stone for St. Pauls Lutheran Church in
Nachusa was in September of 1887. It was on August 9th of that year
when an organizational meeting was held to start a congregation with
W. L. Remsberg as the first church pastor. On Dec. 11, 1887, the
church was completed and dedicated, debt free. The building had been
a community enterprise built by members and non members of the church
for $2,686.
George Weyant and Frank Coleman operated a slaughter house begun
in 1889 and traveled the county peddling meat in wagons to the
farmers. In the ensuing years a barber shop, implement building,
harness shop, shoe repair and a ice cram parlor would be operated. It
was on May 12, 1904, when the Nachusa Home was formally opened with
six children at the time enrolled. The 45 acre tract of land was
donated for this home by Mrs. Mary Shippert. The home was rebuilt in
1911, due to a fire. A second fire occurred in 1928 and once again
the home was rebuilt during the next year.
By 1950, the Nachusa Lutheran Home consisted of three cottages, a
two room school building, a three car garage and a group of four farm
buildings with enrollment at 48 children. The home today has all
modern facilities and continues to serve the children.
Nachusa never became a "boom town," which would later on lose its
identity, rather, the area has maintained its stature through some
145 years.
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