FRANKLIN GROVE
The first settlements in China Township were made at or near what
is known as Franklin Grove. It was in June, 1835, when Col. Nathan
Whitney, Cyrus Chamberlain and Lockwood Minor arrived in Dixon. The
three men had been neighbors in Genesee County, New York. They
searched the nearby areas around Dixon for suitable land with
Chamberlain locating a claim near Grand Detour and Minor stopping
there also. Mr. Whitney looked over the area of Franklin Grove and
not finding running water, made no claim, nor did he see or hear of
any others who had claimed land in this vicinity.
Mr. Whitney left the area and returned to Rock Falls in Whiteside
County during that fall spending a considerable time looking for a
good location. Not finding any, he wintered in Joliet and in the
spring of 1836, he again visited the Franklin Grove area, this time
claiming a large piece of prairie three quarters of a mile square. In
addition he purchased a 28 acre tract of timber.
Soon thereafter a few families had settled near the grove. Some
broke the prairie land making homesteads, while others sold out and
moved on. Another early settler was Cummins Noe who settled on the
creek south of the grove erecting a cabin on the road from Chicago to
Dixon. This cabin would be later be utilized for temporary living
quarters for others moving into the grove area.
In 1837, Jeremiah Whipple came with his family in a wagon from
western New York. Having visited the area and making a land claim the
prior year, he now returned bringing equipment with to start a
sawmill operation. The family settled in the grove near the creek and
was commonly called "Whipple's Cave." That same year Nathan Whitney
returned to his claim accompanied by Jacob John. They went to work,
cutting trees for a house to be built on Whitney's land. This is said
to have been the first frame-house between Chicago and the
Mississippi River; being framed and partly enclosed that fall and
completed in the spring of 1838. All the lumber not made by hand was
purchased in Chicago at nearly $200 per thousand feet.
Mr. Whitney brought with him many seeds of fruit trees for
planting. By 1843, he had a large orchard and in 1847, began selling
fine apples and other fruit. He also perfected new varieties by
grafting and it is said that he had developed numerous types of
apples. One that has come to be well known is the "Whitney #20
Crabapple." He shipped fruit and nursery stock all over the country
and helped to establish other orchards locally.
Christian Lahman along with his father-in-law, Joseph Emmert and
several other families from the German Baptist Congregation in
Germantown, Pennsylvania came and settled in an area north of the
grove during 1843.
There was no real effort to form a village until late 1848, when
Mr. Lahman laid out 10 acres of land into lots and was called the
town of Chaplain. A cabin built prior by Lockwood Minor was the only
residence at the time in the newly formed town. A small business
district grew around the Minor cabin.
The first post office was established in 1848, with Abram Brown
as postmaster. Mail was brought from Dixon once a week with A. R.
Whitney assigned the duties as mail carrier. The postmaster received
a share of the postage collected and his earnings for the 1st quarter
of the year was 37 cents.
Great excitement occurred in 1852, when news came that the
Chicago Air Line Railroad would come through the village on its route
to Dixon. Either by accident or design the line was surveyed through
the village and Grand Detour had lost its hopes forever of the
railroad coming through its town. In 1853, the area north and east of
Chaplain was plated and with a few additions is the present town of
Franklin Grove.
A hotel was erected on Elm Street by Jonas Clisbee, just north of
the rail line to care for the men who were constructing the track.
The first train arrived on Dec. 5, 1854, and it was at this time that
the town name was changed from Chaplain to Franklin Grove at the
request of Father John Dixon, to honor his youngest son. The village
was incorporated in 1857, with Louis M. Blaisdell elected as
president.
The town has had many types of unique buildings through the
years. The Canterburry Block and several other brick structures
provided the space for a variety of businesses. Around 1868, another
hotel was built and called the "Sherman House," being a large red
brick structure and best known simply as the Franklin House.
In 1875, E. R. Irwin erected a large flour mill east of town.
This was a large wind mill with 40 foot blades to catch the wind. It
was a prosperous business venture for many years until 1890, when it
was converted into a tile factory, with the top of the structure
being removed. In 1900, the entire building was ultimately torn down.
The town of Franklin Grove hosts its Heritage Days Celebration in
late summer each year. This yearly celebration re-lives the days of
old with displays, early crafts, old machinery and best of all ......
the stories and yarns of the early settlers and how they lived. If
you get the chance, visit Franklin Grove during this period and take
along a friend to share in the memories.
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