It was at the February Session 1867 of the Board of Supervisors, the Town of South Dixon was detached from the Town of Dixon, embracing all of Town 22, Range 9, except the north tier of sections. The town remained with these boundaries until the March session 1877 when the territory lying north of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway was restored to the Town of Dixon. South Dixon township comprises an area of 19,200 acres.

It was on July 10, 1863 that the “Town of Eldena” was platted on land of the Illinois Central Railroad. The earliest permanent settler in the township was Joseph Cartwright who settled there in 1838 and died the following year. Prior to this, however, in 1836 a young man staked out a claim for himself close to the three mile branch on the Chicago Road, near the northeast corner of Section 15. Abram Brown, who settled in the town in 1849 on that part of Section 13 where he continued to live until his death, relates that Uncle Peter and Aunt Rhoda McKenney, through some misunderstanding, jumped the young man's claim, and built a small shanty and set up housekeeping, by reason of which the “Claim Society” ousted them. The shanty was loaded on a wagon much against their will, and moved off the premises.

The second permanent settler was Charles Edson, who located here in 1839. Mr. Edson and his wife did much to foster everything that was calculated to uplift and advance the interests of the community. The family afterwards occupied the farm across the road from what is now the red brick school house, which circumstance and their relations to the school gave it the name of Edson School, by which it was known for many years. As soon as they moved into their first house, Mrs. Edson gave up her largest room for a school, and this was the first school to be taught in the vicinity. The teacher was Miss Robinson, later a preceptress in Mr. Morris Seminary where she married Judge Fuller of Ogle County and, after his death, became the wife of Bowman Bacon, a nephew of Mrs. Joseph Crawford of Dixon.

The Edson School later became known as the “Brick School” in the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of Section 13 which was built at an early day, and was for many years the center of intellectual activity in that section. Mr. E. B. Edson was the first teacher in this building. In the days when Abram Brown, Ephraim Groh and others were at the height of their activity, this school house was the scene of many periodical debates which attracted a large attendance, many from Dixon taking part.

In 1851 the Illinois Central R. R. completed a survey through Lee County and construction was commenced the following year. On January 13, 1855, regular train service began, though the bridge at Dixon was not completed. Passengers were transferred by boat until February 8th when the first train crossed the bridge. This was known as the Galena Division operating between Galena, Freeport and Amboy, Ill. Eventually a round house was constructed at Amboy, this being a division point.

The first train to operate through Eldena was on January 13, 1855. A large timber about 2 1/2 ft. square and 8 ft. long was used for passengers to get on and off the train before the depot and platform was built.

The third family to locate in Eldena consisted of James Campbell, his wife and two daughters. Mr. Campbell died shortly, and his widow married Isaac Boardman of Dixon. The father of Reuben Trowbridge settled near Eldena very early and reared a large family of boys. Hiram and Homan Meade joined the settlers soon after, and a man of “different stripe” by the name of Hammill, who brought his wife from the poor house in Buffalo, N.Y., came to the township. His abuse of one of his children so excited the kind N. G. H. Morrill, the County Poormaster, and other large-hearted people of Dixon, that they administered to the brute a thorough coat of tar and feathers in Dixon, in the vicinity of where the Western Hotel then stood.

Some of the early settlers were Christian Stevens, Henry R. True, Caldwell Bishop, Henry Page, Jacob McKenney, Jacob Groh, James Rogers, Matthew McKenney, William A. Judd, Nathan Hill, Bernard Missman, Abram Brown, Daniel Brown, Oliver Fellows, William Fritz, Hiram Uhl, Reuben Trowbridge, Reuben H. Cheney, George H. Stohn, A. H. Brubaker, Jacob Seneft, Henry Lenhart, Emory June, Jerry Mostoller, Jeremiah Glessner and Frederick Glessner. Most of these early settlers migrated from Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

The only poor-farm in the county, consisting of 100 acres, was situated on Section 26, one-half mile north of Eldena. The first grain house and elevator was built by Reuben Trowbridge, Reuben H. Cheney and Daniel Brown. The elevator was capable of handling 3000 bushels of grain daily and later was operated by Jerry Mostoller who also operated a grocery store. The first store and house in Eldena were built by Reuben H. Cheney. Later other stores were owned by Frederick Glessner, George H. Stohn and A. H. Brubaker, who carried an assortment of goods suited to the requirements of the neighborhood.

Jeremiah Glessner, born April 11, 1823, in Somerset Co., Pa., with his son Frederick, age 18, migrated to Lee County in 1864, settling on a farm near Eldena, and later purchased the farm adjoining the Lee County Poor-Farm to the north. In 1877 Frederick Glessner opened a general store, also operated a grocery wagon throughout the country, buying eggs and trading groceries for them. During this period he also operated the first Post Office. In 1904 he traded the general store for 80 acres of timberland in northern Wisconsin. He then built a small grain elevator, put in a stock of lumber and coal at Eldena, and continued this business until his death in 1911.

One citizen who provided a valuable service to our area was Dr. E. S. Murphy, Sr. In the early nineties he was the teacher at the Eldena School during which time he studied for the practice of medicine. He opened his office in a small two-story building adjoining the Mostoller grocery store, and was on call day or night, and cared for patients for miles around. His driver at the time was Patrick Dully, Manager of the Eldena Creamery. After a couple of years he was urged to continue his practice in Dixon, which he did, and became one of the leading doctors in this area.

Photo taken in 1896 of a grocery store on wheels operated for several years, five days a week, by Fred Glessner's son Otto, age 16. Leroy Glessner, age 5, was in the driver's seat holding the reins. The building on the left is the old Methodist Chuch which was moved and attached to the Fred Glessner store. The building in the center is the Mostoller Grocery Store and Grain Office. The small building at extreme right is where Dr. E.S. Murphy, Sr. started his practice as a doctor in the fail of 1897.

During the early days four churches were built in South Dixon Twp. namely, The Methodist Episcopal in Eldena in 1870 - this also was a Union Church being used by the Evangelicals and United Brethren for church purposes. The St. James Evangelical Lutheran on Chicago Road in 1877; the Bethel Evangelical in Eldena in 1892, and the Immanuel Evangelical on the Pump Factory Road five miles south of Dixon in 1895. About 1890 the Methodist Episcopal Church closed its doors and shortly after sold the church building to Frederick Glessner who moved it down to Main Street and attached it to his grocery store, using it as a warehouse. The Bethel Evangelical Church in Eldena was struck by lightning and burned to the ground on June 15, 1925. Services were held in the hall above the Glessner Hardware Store until about Jan. 1927, when the Immanuel Evangelical congregation decided to close their church. They offered their church building to the Eldena congregation who accepted and then moved the church a distance of five miles at a cost of $1,400.00.

During this period the following schools were built in So. Dixon Twp: Eldena, Hollister, Red Brick, White Temple, Levan, Preston, Will, and Duis. All are now being used as residences except the Eldena School which was sold and moved to the Ordnance Plant one mile south of Eldena. The Duis School remains on the original site in good condition, with the blackboard still on the wall and the partition between the class room and cloakroom intact.

Return to the Lee County map.

All pictures and articles found on this page are copyrighted by the Lee County Historical Society. They are not to be reproduced, redistributed, sold, or otherwise altered. These pictures and articles are for the sole private, non-commercial use for research and education. These pictures may not be used without the expressed written permission of the Lee County Historical Society.