Niles Village
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One and one-half miles north of Norwood Park, Niles Village lies on the North Branch of the Chicago River.
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Village of Niles Officers |
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Fred Mau |
President |
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Henry Schroeder |
Trustee |
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William Hermann |
Village Clerk |
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Theodore Kolb, Sr. |
Treasurer |
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John Niemann |
Trustee |
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Theodore Kolb, Jr. |
Attorney |
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Xavery Wojtkiewicz |
Trustee |
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Edward Clark |
Superintendent Streets |
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Fred Poggensee |
Trustee |
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Fred Beisswanger |
Justice of the Peace |
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Henry Thoms |
Trustee |
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Jos. H. Stoelting |
Marshal |
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Christ Ebert |
Trustee |
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The Officers are as follows: |
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Frank Lenzen |
Marshal |
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Peter Lenzen |
President |
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William Habedank |
Vice-President |
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John Lenzen |
Secretary |
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John Niemann |
Treasurer |
The equipment consists of two pieces. Its membership is that of about thirty volunteers. It was organized some fourteen years ago.
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Members of the Niles Fire Department |
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John L. Calef |
Fred Schankin |
Fred Beisswanger |
Frank Moravec |
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Ernst Moss |
Anton Tenhopen |
Frank Whittington |
Frank Karlovski |
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J.F. Neumann |
Rudolph Cosmen |
Frank Lenzen |
Leo Rafinski |
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Charles Sickinger |
W. Wawrynkiewicz |
Alois Krejsa |
P.M. Williams |
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A.G. Kadler |
H. Hansen |
J. Iglewake |
J. Lenzen |
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Frank Cuchna |
Raymond Sickinger |
William Habedank |
J.W. Rohde |
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James Kozla |
Jos. Kemsky |
Joseph Novotny |
William Tomaszewski |
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Xavery Wojtkiewicz |
John Reusch |
Peter Lenze |
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School District 71 Board Members: |
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James Kozla |
President |
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John L. Calef |
Secretary |
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Fred Poggensee |
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This school was the one of old District No. 3 previously, and has stood in it present spot for twenty-two years, but the building is a new one.
Mrs. Kaly was once a teacher of the younger days of the school, while Mrs J. Day of Park Ridge, taught here for twenty years.
In the year of 1915 its teachers were Miss Elizabeth Johnson, who is the youngest principal in Cook County. She teaches from the fifth to eighth grades, while Miss Alice Wagner teaches the primary classes from first grade to fifth grade.
Miss Johnson lives in Chicago and comes to school every morning on horseback. Her horse, "Mary Ann," is gentle only with its mistress. Everyone knows the "little sunny-haired teacher and her horse."
Miss Alice Wagner is also from Chicago and loves her work and her pupils, always striving for the best.
The present pastor, Rev. Grotherr, and his wife, have been here a little over a year, but in that time have accomplished more than
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one could imagine. When he came, the school had but eight pupils and now the attendance numbers forty-one. Since his entrance, the congregation has attended every Sunday. In addition, Rev. Grotherr directs and plays for the choir which he organized, composed of forty-five members. His wife organized the Ladies' Aid Society, which now has twenty-five members. There is a Young People's Society.
Mr. John S. Niemann, who is a well-to-do property owner. He has been a trustee for seven years and is a straightforward business man.
He came from Alborg, Denmark, thirty-six years ago directly to Niles, which verifies the fact that he is one of the pioneers. He arrived one night at nine o'clock and has remained here since and says he never regretted it.
He was first in the employ of Peter Thorsen, who was the owner of the brick yards in Niles at that time, and postmaster. From there he gradually worked himself up to being a prominent trustee and property owner. He thinks that the people of Niles are the "only people," and that they have always treated him fairly and squarely.
Mr. Niemann married Miss Mary Kupper, who died eight years ago, leaving seven children, four girls and three boys: "William, who is the oldest, Edward, Rena, Johnnie, Amelia, Mary, Elvena.
Mr. Frank Lenzen is Niles' first Fire Marshal and has been continuous and faithful in the Volunteer Fire Company since its organization. He is enthusiastic in his work and tries to do everything he is able to do for the town. Mr. Lenzen came here from Niles Center some seventeen years ago and has accumulated considerable property. The farmers compliment Mr. Lenzen upon his excellent work as a blacksmith. He is much appreciated for his public spiritedness. His five sons are: Peter, Frederick, John, Benjamin, and Frank, Jr. He lost a daughter, Milta Caroline, some time ago.
There are justices and justices, and many are criticized unjustly and unkindly, because of court decisions. Mr. Fred Beisswanger understands his office, being a politician from his German home.
He has three brothers who are all well to do, and who still reside in the Empire of the Kaiser. His late brother Henry was a Congressman and Mayor of a well known city.
Judge Beisswanger came from Germany April 7th, 1883, and remains in Niles because it appeals to him on account of its natural beauty, peace, its close proximity to Chicago, and also to be near the many friends that he has cultivated during the 34 years of
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residence, as officers, lawyers and judges of the higher and lower courts of the City and County.
He is the only one in Cook County with the experience of farmer, law clerk, County Constable, Deputy North Town Assessor, Town Collector, Police Magistrate and Constable from the Town of Lake.
At 1258 Clybourn Avenue, Chicago, he is in the hotel and restaurant supply business, where he is sure to give his customer a good article and low figure.
Martenek and Krejsa are prominent restaurant and business men.
About six years ago they became active in organizing the Village of Niles Building and Loan Association. Their purpose is to furnish money for the villagers and others, so that they can be independent in their own homes. They accept members from Chicago and elsewhere, thus proving a public benefit to all, and bringing settlers here. Mr. Krejsa located here from Chicago some eleven ears ago. He has been active, progressive and liberal in all public matters. Mr. Krejsa has a large following and has many friends among Chicago business and political men.
James Kozla has been here about eight years. He came previously from Chicago. He is the President of the School Board and a member of the Knights of Pythias. For three years Mr. Kozla has been the only manufacturer of cigars in Niles. They are high grade. Niles appeals to him because of the good, helping citizens. He has always prospered.
His best cigars are the "K.P.," ten cent brand, and the "Dandy Jim," five cent brand.
Fred Poggensee, the harness-maker of Niles, has been here thirteen years. Mr. Poggensee is a member of the School Board and is liberal in any project which would benefit his community.
He bought out the harness business and property of Mr. Tarnow, who removed to Park Ridge, who was ninety years old when he died about two years ago.
Ernest Moss formerly with the International Packing Company of the Union Stock Yards, came here about sixteen years ago and
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occupies one of the historical taverns on Milwaukee Avenue. The road-house is situated on a hill near the bend of the road and would immediately appeal to the eye of an historian.
Mr. Moss married Miss Lena Cosmen, a daughter of pioneers in Norwood Township.
Mr. Frank Whittington, real pioneer, was born near Des Plaines and moved to Niles with his parents, William and Louise (Debden) Whittington, when seventeen years of age. He was Road Commissioner for about twenty-five years and school director for about the same length of time. He was especially interested in the plank (toll) road built by Amos J. Snell, which whom he was associated in business. he has a fine home on an eminence and conducts a farm of some thirty acres of valuable land at this date. He has one daughter, Miss Nellie Layton Whittington, and a, son, who is Dr. Clifton Whittington, a veterinarian of high standing in Luverne, Iowa.
Mrs. Jennie Whittington died about fifteen years ago and Miss Nellie has been valuable in compiling some early history for Niles.
His pioneer parents, William and Louisa (Debden), came from Gloucestershire in 1850, to Des Plaines, Ill., but Mr. Whittington, Jr., came from Jefferson about 1870.
The earliest settlers were English, as the name and dates will testify.
John L. Calef, son of Mary A. Calef, is one of the most prominent men in the village and township. He has been here thirty years or more, is the Treasurer of the Niles Township Improvement Association, the former Postmaster of Niles Village, and on the School Board. He was born in Park Ridge and is a real pioneer. His mother's maiden name was Mary A. White, who came from Scotland. She and her husband first settled in New Hampshire before coming to Park Ridge.
The late Alexander Wolcott was the County Surveyor for many years. His wife preceded him in death. Their daughter, Mrs. Alwood McGrew, lives in Chicago, 331 Belden Avenue. Their family consisted of Henry, deceased; Charlotte, Caroline (Mrs. Reid), deceased.
APPOINTMENT TO WEST POINT
Felix M. Usis, a nineteen-year-old boy of Niles, Illinois, has been appointed to West Point by Congressman George Edmund Foss. The boy is a graduate of Lane Technical High School. He reported at West Point on July 10th. He was recommended for appointment by George H. Klehm.
Courtesy of Miss Nellie Whittington of Niles, Ill.
Christian Ebinger was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1812, where he was for a number of years in charge of the flower garden of King William of Wurtenburg. He came to America in 1831. In 1834 he came to "Dutchman's Point," where he built the second house in the Village of Niles. He was a farmer and a local preacher for the German Evangelical Association. He died in 1879, leaving seven children, Christian, Henry, Margaret, Sarah, Eliza, Caroline and William.
Mrs. Henry Ebinger, who had been a resident in and around Park Ridge for about 66 years, died recently. Mr. Henry Ebinger died in December 1894. They at one time owned the entire village of Edison Park and most of Niles and occupied the Janes farm now belonging to H. J. Macfarlane in Park Ridge.
Among the earlier pioneers were Christian and Frederick Ebinger, who came to Niles with their families and located here. Raised interesting families who in later years have removed to nearby places. They were among the founders of the German Evangelical Church, which stood on Harlem (72nd) Avenue and later was removed to Edison Park. Ebinger Cemetery marks the last resting place of many of the family. Mr. Christian Ebinger of Edison Park is the only son living in this vicinity. The others are either deceased or have removed from here. Mr. Henry Ebinger, another son, lived in Niles until his death and was always foremost in anything for the good of the town he lived in. Shortly after 1834, when the Ebingers came, John Jackson Rulaud, who hailed from Long Island, Hannah Ketchum Ruland, his wife, and two children, the eldest of whom, John Ruland, then a mere baby, is now in his 82nd year and about the oldest inhabitant, and they located on the old Ruland homestead now occupied by the youngest son, Hiram. Mrs. Ruland (who, by the way, was a direct descendant of Joseph Ketchum and John Chester, both Revolutionary heroes and who came over with the early Puritans) tells many and varied tales of the early days in Niles, when the only way to reach Chicago was on foot or behind an ox team following an Indian trail through prairies and timber, fording streams and going around fallen trees or brush heaps. Then the Indians would walk into the little log cabin she called home and with a grunt roll up beside the fireplace to sleep or if they wanted something to eat and you felt unwilling to give it have them take it from you. One old warrior used to boast of killing 12 women in an Indian massacre ere they came this far west. In those days all Chicago supplies came by slow sailing vessels or by heavy ox teams by way of Indiana or Southern Illinois. One winter flour and Indian meal was not to be gotten. The family used rice as a substitute. Potatoes were $1.25 a bushel for seed and when Mr. Ebinger and the Ruland men went
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to Chicago to buy them they sunk their wagon in the prairie mud and it took two days to get a load home from Chicago. It was impossible to make a trip from here to Chicago in one day. Mrs. Ruland's three sisters, Mrs. Yolk, whose husband afterwards went to Oconto Falls, Wis., and became one of the great lumbermen there, and another sister, who later married Henry Beyer, who was the brewer here and had a brewing establishment in a small brick building on the Whittington farm, then owned by a Mr. Horter. Henry Horner, who married the third sister, and later had a brick yard, and Mrs. Beyer. The Horners have long since passed away, but Mr. Beyer, one of our oldest residents, still lives in the old place where he and his wife started housekeeping.
Mr. Joseph Ketchum, a brother of Mrs. Ruland, and his family came a little later and lived on what is still called the "Ketchum place," and the house still stands as a landmark, though the family moved West many years ago.
After a few years a stage coach began plying between Milwaukee and Chicago, and a Mr. Schooley kept a small store and postoffice.
The first house built within the city limits was that of John Schadiger and Julius Perren. The house was built in 1832 or 1833 and had no windows and but one door. John Schadiger moved to Wisconsin soon after and Julius Perren lived in Niles until his death, which was about 1873.
Some authorities say that Samuel Lyttleton lived in this house for a time and that after him the place was called Lyttleton's Point, but it appears that Lyttleton came later, in 1838, and made a bargain to buy the real and personal property of John and Christian Ebinger, which was in the spring of 1834. In the following fall, John Plank built his house a short distance to the northward and John and Frederick Ebinger built during the same fall. John Ruland came next and after him came John Ketchum. John Plank sold his house to a man named Mr. Phillips, who kept the first store and was the first Postmaster, in 1836. Phillips had the store about a year when he went out of business and, it seems, there was no store for a number of years. Phillips' consecutive successors as Postmaster was George Beach, George Scolly, Henry Lester and Peter Thorsen, who took the office in 1881.
Other settlers kept coming in. Saw mills were started and quite a bit of lumbering business done among those earlier settlers whose exact time for locating here I have been unable to positively ascertain.
Wm. Clark and his wife and family; Mr. Horter who married Miss Clark and whose daughter, Mrs. C.M. Campbell, still lives in Niles; Thos. Wheldon and his wife and son, Thomas, now at rest, and daughter, Mrs. Bickerdike, of Avondale; Mr. Wheldon's grandson, Geo. Wheldon, now occupies the old Wheldon homestead; Mr. Dewes and his family, although a large family, only his two sons, William and John, reside on a portion of the land their father owned.
Wm. West and family, whose old house still stands, is occupied by his grandson.
Mr. Benj. Lupton, whose son was the village blacksmith for many years and the old shop still stands, now owned by his son, William.
Mr. Brown and wife, whose sons and daughters, Andrew, Alex, William and Thomas, Mrs. Raffen and Mrs. Day, have long since left Niles. Mrs. Day Belle Brown was married to Rodney Day, who lived where John B. Langdon now has Atlasta Farm, later removed to California, but her sons still own part of the old place on what was until a short time ago called the Hartt Road in memory of a family named Hartt, a relative of the Huntingtons. About the time these people were coming, John Huntington, who is now 93 years of age and lives at 452 West Street, Kenosha, Wis., came, first working in the saw mills and later hauling logs to the mills, bought and began driving a stage coach between here and Chicago, making daily trips and coming up to what was known first as Seeley's Tavern, later kept by a Mr. Moulton Teufel and Robert Robinson, and finally acquired by Amos J. Snell.
Mr. Huntington at one time sold out to Robert Robinson, but afterward bought the coach and kept it as long as the coach was driven, until we began having more accommodations on the railroad.
The old hotel is still standing and is used as a dwelling.
Among the early storekeepers were Mr. Segelken, who had a building between the Park Ridge Road and Milwaukee Avenue, about where Mrs. Beto now keeps her ice cream parlor, and Mr. Brunst purchased the old school house, which he made over into a store and meat market. It is now used by his son as a dwelling house.
Henry Lester, who kept a small store, was village postmaster after Mr. Schooley's death, and also Justice of the Peace in the place where Mr. Poggensee now has his harness shop, until his death. Mr. Peter Thorsen succeeded him as postmaster and John Calef was the last postmaster before the rural delivery about 10 years ago.
Mr. Thorsen also built and conducted a store and saloon which is now Mr. Nieman's place. Mr. Thorsen was the last brick-yard
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owner, the first being a Mr. Horner, one of our earliest settlers.
Duturs Winter had a grist mill on the North Branch Road just off Milwaukee Avenue in these early days where the settlers came many miles to get their grist ground.
Dr. Theodore Hoffman was in the early fifties and until his death, except for a short time before the Chicago fire, when he lived in Chicago, the doctor for many miles around, when the only means of getting through the timber was on horse back, with his medicine and instruments in his saddle bags. My father tells of many instances of the hardships our physician endured. One in particular I will quote here, as the doctor ofttimes told it in later years:
He had gone many miles in the timber to visit a patient and night coming on ere he could leave the case, he missed trail and tendered in the then thick forests part of the night when, at last, he saw a cabin. He aroused the people; they let him in, and, having no extra bed, he threw himself on a pile of shavings in the corner, glad of a shelter. In the morning they cooked potatoes and had bread, no butter or anything else to go with it, and gladly shared their meager store with him. Such was the pioneer spirit if the people who founded Niles.
Among the early blacksmiths were Mr. Neff and Mr. Watson, a wagon-maker. Their shop has long ago disappeared.
Later Mr. Nick Rohs opened the shop, now occupied by Joseph Stoelting, and the grocery next to the shop is kept by Nick Rohs, the second, while Mrs, Rohs, Sr., still lives in the little place next door.
August Helm was the earliest village shoemaker, of whom I can find no record; later a Mr. Slutow had a repair shop and store which was after purchased by Fred Man, now village president.
Loami Hall, a bachelor so identified with Niles that the road on which he lived was and is still called Hall's Road, lived among the earlier settlers here, bought up timber land and sold cord wood to the railroad at a time when the engines were fed with cord wood instead of coal. When there was an opportunity to embark in the coal business, he went to Chicago, returning to pass his last years in his old home near the river, later purchasing a, poultry farm from Dr. Ferdinand Henrotin and now owned by a Mr. Bulchee.
As the later settlers came, roads began to be cut through the forests and some means taken to make traveling easier and quicker, and a man named Gould built a plank road to Niles from Chicago. He established toll gates at Elston and Milwaukee Avenues; another at about Irving Park and Milwaukee Avenues; a third at Western Avenue in Chicago. After a few years, Amos J. Snell bought out Mr. Gould and re-made the road into a hard gravel road, extending the road from Niles to Wheeling, and establishing another toll gate Welcome Park. Mr. Snell became quite a factor in Niles history, buying much land and renting to farmers, until his death. It may be interesting to know that much of the gravel for the hard road through Niles was at this time taken from the farm now owned by the Kolb family.
Thos. White, another old settler, and family, of whom all that remains in Niles are Mr. Calef and family and the little family cemetery, known as White's Cemetery, mark the old farm spot.
The Methodist Church was first started in the old school house in the same place where our school now stands. People came for many miles to attend services there. Later Mr. Benjamin Lupton gave the lot, and the others interested gave money and work, and a small church was built, but as the English-speaking people moved away, it was finally found impossible to keep up the services, until now only a Sunday school is held with a Mr. Dahm as superintendent.
John Plank was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, in 1808. He came to America in 1831, living in Detroit for a year. In 1832 he came to Chicago with the Ebinger brothers. He was the third to build a house at Dutchman's Point. He farmed to some extent for a few years and sold whiskey to Indians and travelers. On leaving Dutchman's Point, he went to Missouri and there became a convert to the Methodist Episcopal Church. While there he preached on license for some two years, then he went to Wisconsin, later going to Iowa, having been sent there from Chicago by the German Methodist Church. He was in Iowa until 1883 and was then sent to Dakota. His sister, Elizabeth, was married to John Ebinger and he married Miss Elizabeth Ebinger. The family have gone into Park Ridge and Edison Park.
Mary A. Calef, John & Hiram Ruland, Henry Beyer, Wm. Lupton, Chas. Schroeder and Jacob Wagner are still living.
Benjamin Lupton was born in England, 1817. His father and mother were Christopher and Ellen (Parker) Lupton. Benjamin immigrated to America in 1831. He worked about two years, learning the blacksmith's trade, with Mathias Mason, of Chicago. He then moved to Half Day in Lake County, where he remained about one year, when he returned to England. While there he married Miss Mary Arrowsmith, whom he brought to America with him. After returning to America he settled at Dutchman's Point and opened the first blacksmith shop, in 1840, in which he carried on the trade for over twenty years when he retired from active business. Wm. Lupton, his son, is living on the place yet, is retired, and ran the blacksmith shop for years. The shop is still there, but closed.
The first hotel was built by John Marshall and Benjamin Hall in 1837. Mr. Hall sold his interest to Mr. Marshall, who sold soon after to John Shrigglv, who had it for a number of years. Colonel Anderson, of Naperville, bought it then, and it passed through several proprietors' hands later. This was called the North Branch Hotel.
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Benjamin Lupton was the first blacksmith at Dutchman's Point in 1840. He carried on the business for over twenty years and then came James Milne in 1848.
A steam saw-mill was erected by John Gray and Robert Hartt. The latter is said to have been the first to peddle popcorn in Chicago and was known as "Popcorn Hartt". The mill sawed a large amount of planks for plank roads. It was sold to John Brown and then to John Ketchum, who ran it until 1874, when it ceased operation.
The Village of Niles in 1884 had two stores, two hotels, one drug store, one harness shop, two blacksmith shops, three churches, two schools, one physician and about two hundred inhabitants.
Peter Thorsen was the first postmaster in the general store, which building is now occupied by John Neimann.
CHURCHES
The first sermon was preached at the house of James Milne, in 1847, by Rev. Wheaton, a Methodist minister. The churches in 1884 numbered three, Methodist, German Evangelical Lutheran and one a German Methodist Church. The German Evangelical Lutheran Church was started in 1859 by John Hasseman, Henry Hasseman, from Park Ridge, Fred Schlender, Fred Segelken, Fred Henning, Fred Schroeder, Fred Hasse, Mr. Luther, Mr. Rose, Mr. Hacker, Mr. Wendt and others. The church building was erected in 1861 on a lot donated to the society by William Lill, who was a brewer of Chicago. It was a two-story building with brick basement and frame superstructure, now torn down and a fine new brick building erected, forty by sixty-five feet in size, costing $2,500. Rev. Henning was the first preacher and he remained three or four years. He was succeeded by Rev. G.S. Loeber, who was pastor for twenty-three years. It was under him that the school was started. A separate school building was erected in 1872 on the same lot with the church. The first teacher was Fred Krieger, who taught for four years; the second was August Gruhl, who remained eight years, and a third, H. Jaerneke. The cost of the two-story frame structure was $1,200. The church of the Evangelical Association, a, German Methodist Church, was originally in Maine Townslip and until 1867 belonged to the Des Plaines circuit. The ministers who were with the church immediately previous to its removal were Rev. G. Vetter, 1864 and 1865, and Rev. A. Gockley, l866. The church was a small frame building which, when the new building was erected in 1875, was sold to Phillip Rehlstab for barn. Its original cost was about $400 and would seat about two hundred and fifty people. The church society was started in 1850 by Christian Ebinger, Henry Bende, Frederick Selger, Frederick and John Ebinger, Frederick Blume, Jacob and John Wingert, Jacob Garble, Jacob Brecher, Frederick Mueller and their wives, now moved to Edison Park. One of its first preachers was Jacob Esher, father of Bishop J.J. Esher and the Rev. George Esher of Chicago. Since the removal of the church to the location in this village the preachers were: Revs. P.J. Wingert, 1867; C. Augestein, 1863; H. Meier, 1869; G. Vetter, 1871; W. Strasburger, 1872; R. Rohrbach, 1874; C. Augestein, 1875; W. Schneiker, 1878; C. Banner, 1881 and 1882; Amos Gockley, 1883 and 1884. This new building was dedicated by Bishop J.J. Esher and its cost was $3,300. The membership of the church in 1884 was one hundred twenty-five.
The English Methodist Society erected their building in the year of 1880. A one-story frame, it was erected by the combined aid of its members and the expenditure of money was very little. John Ketchum did most of the carpenter work. The pulpit was usually supplied by students from Evanston and occasionally by a minister from Park Ridge. About 1884 there was a Sunday school in connection with the church and its attendance at that time numbered about twenty-five pupils with five teachers. Mrs. M. Ketchum was the superintendent. This building is used every Sunday and is still in Niles Village.
METHODIST CHURCH OF NILES VILLAGE
Rev. Bundock, who also officiated at Park Ridge, was the organizer. He divided his work between Park Ridge and Niles, or "Dutchman's Point" at that time. Benjamin Lupton gave a lot to the church. Mr. John Huntington, who now lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was a trustee. It was organized in about 1872 or 1873. Mrs. William White, mother of Mary A. Calef, was one of the original organizers. Mrs. Brown and the Milnes were also active. The mother of Mr. Frank Whittington was very enthusiastic in the building of the church.
There is at present a Sunday school of which Mr. Daum, of Edison Park, is the superintendent.
SCHOOLS
The first school taught here was 1839. The second was by a Miss Phillips, who was paid by subscription at the rate of $2 a pupil per term, a part of the bachelors subscribing for one or more pupils in order to sustain the school. The third teacher was Miss Cordelia Wheaton, whose salary was $12 a month and board. A school house was built in 1849 by John Ketchum for $25, the material being furnished. It was built on a lot donated by John Odell. This school house was used until 1857, when a brick school house was erected. The lot on which the brick school house was built was received in exchange of the old school house and lot, from William Horner. The house was built for $1,000. About 1884 there were about sixty-five pupils attending; about half of the pupils in the district attended the German school. A strong German school at that time the Evangelical Lutheran School.
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