The first settlements in China Township were made at or near what is known as Franklin Grove. It was in June of 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 in1857 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.

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.