The town of Rutland embraces the east part of Townships 33 and 34, of Range
4, and is bounded on the south by the Illinois river, west and north by the Pox,
and east by the east line of Range 4. Its location is an enviable one, having
the Grand Rapids of the Illinois on the south, Marseilles in its southeast
corner, Ottawa at its southwest. The Illinois and Michigan Canal, and Rock
Island & Pacific R. R. pass through its southern border, while its western and
northern line is washed by the Fox, with its rapids and heavy water power— a
combination of natural resources that must insure a future of which we can form
no conception. It is useless to speculate as to the time. This region of country
is only just in its infancy, and the womb of time is pregnant with startling
events to be developed in the distant future. When the Lowells and Birminghams
of the East shall be duplicated along the banks of the Illinois and the Fox, the
towns of Rutland, Manlius, Fall River, Dayton and Ottawa, will constitute one
grand metropolitan city of busy industry and commerce.
It is true, the sanguine anticipations of the early settlers have not been
realized in this direction; but the development of such resources requires time
and capital. The almost unlimited amount of power now running to waste, the
cheap and inexhaustible amount of fuel close at hand, the exhaustless supply of
rich ores, which the world elsewhere cannot rival, ready to be floated over the
bosom of the lakes, and through our ship canal, without transhipment, with the
mountains of ores in Missouri, all in regions destitute of fuel, and which must
seek the locality where that element exists — are facts that no sophistry can
belittle, or argument gainsay, but that stand in bold relief, as inexorable as
fate. Add to this the capacity of the richest agricultural region in the world,
for the production of cheap and abundant food, and the picture needs no further
embellishment.
But the farmers of Rutland have no cause to repine at their lot as tillers of
the soil. Their soil has no superior among their sister towns. The town is well
supplied with timber, and they have a market close at hand; and the old denizens
who have spent fifty years in improving and embellishing their homes, would
doubtless hesitate to exchange their fruit orchards, waving fields of grain, and
sleek herds and flocks, for the smoke of the furnace and the clack of the mill.
Rutland was one of the earliest settled towns in the county.
The first settler in Rutland was Wm. A. Clark, from South Carolina; he settled
on the N. E. J S. 22, T. 34, R. 4, in the spring of 1829; sold to John Green,
and moved to near Naperville.
David Grove, and wife, Anna Howser, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1829; one of
Green's party; aided John Green for a year or more, and then settled on S. 22,
T. 34, R. 4; now living, aged 73. Children of first wife: Samuel, who .married
Mary Parr, lives at Utica, and is now Supervisor of that town; George, at home;
John died. Mrs. Grove died in 1849 Second wife, Mary W. Robinson. Her children
were: Katharine, at home; Anna, married a Mr. Hoag, now dead; Elizabeth, married
David Connard, and lives in Miller; Isabella, married Daniel Wickwire, and lives
in Rutland; Eliza, married W. H. Chapman, and lives at Freedom.
Reason Debolt, and wife, Emma Grove, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1829; one of
Green's party; settled on S. 11, T. 34, R. 4; in 1833 sold to Loring Delano, and
moved to the N. E. J of S. 16, where he now lives. Mrs. Debolt died in 1843.
Children: Elma, married a Mr. Hupp, and lives in Iroquois County; Barbara,
married David Connard, and died in 1851; Lovina, is living in Ohio; George,
married Miss Sutton, and lives in Dayton; Jesse, died in the army; Cyrus,
married Elizabeth Dunnavan.
Henry Brumback, and wife, Elizabeth Pitzer, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1829;
settled on the N. E. J S. 13. Children: Lizzie, born in 1830— first birth in
town, married Frank Bruner, now a widow; and Rachel.
Samuel Grove, from Licking County, Ohio, was one of Green's party. He returned
to Ohio, and oame back to La Salle County in 1856.
Joseph Grove, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1839; one of Green's Company. He
married Elma Jackson, and settled on S. 22. He died in 1858. His widow died in
1872. Their children were: Semantlia, who married a Mr. Wakefield; John, is in
Iroquois County; Jeremiah, died in the army; Jesse, is at home; Lewis, married
Melinda Pitzer, now of Miller; Elma, married George Pitzer, of Iroquois County;
David, is at Dayton; Mary, and Clara, are at home.
William L. Dunnavan, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1830, made a claim southwest
of Peru; sold to Ish, and settled on Section 22 in 1831. He was married in the
fall of that year to Eliza, daughter of John Green, by David Shaver, Esq., being
the first wedding in town. Has six children: Albert; Emma, married a Mr. Hite;
John; Elizabeth, married Cyrus Debolt; Jesse, married Maggie Burk; James, at
home.
Edward Keys, from Indiana, in 1830; settled on N. E. ¼ S. 14, T. 33, R.4; he
first stopped with Christopher Long, on Covell creek, while building his cabin;
moved on to his claim in December; he died of cholera at the land sale in 1835.
His widow married Alonzo Walbridge. (See Mrs. Walbridge's narrative.) He left
three children: Elias H., married Dorothy Hanson; Sarah, married William
Johnson; Emily, died single.
Christopher Long, and wife, Miss Booth, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1827,
first located on the Drake farm in company with Moses Booth, his brother-in-law,
on Covell creek, and in the fall of 1831 settled on the N. W. 1/4 S. 13, T. 33,
R. 4. He died in March, 1846, aged 51; his wife died in 1832; his second wife,
Mary Alvord, died in Sept., 1846, aged 42. He had five children: Catharine,
married Elias Trumbo, now living in Rutland; Elizabeth, married Jonathan
Stadden; Lewis, .married Miss Barbour, of Miller; Jane, married a Mr. Murphy, of
Ottawa; and William.
Matthias Trumbo, and wife, Rebecca Grove, came from Licking County, Ohio, in the
fall of 1830, .and settled on S. E. I S. 28, T. 34, R. 4. He died October 1,
1875; his wife died May 1, 1873. He had eight children: John, died in 1841;
Lavinia, married West Matlock; Isabella, married Jesse Green, of Dayton; Elias,
married Catharine Long, the first child born in the county; Eliza, married
William Gibson, and lives on the old farm; Barbara, married Joseph Jackson, of
Millington; Elizabeth, married Jacob Strawn, of Utica; Anna, married Lewis
Robinson.
David Shaver, and wife, Nancy Grove, came from Licking County, Ohio, in the fall
of 18B0; settled on S. 2, T. 33, R. 4; was Overseer of the Poor and Justice of
the Peace several terms; he died Jan. 2, 1848. He had nine children: Cyrus,
married Betsey Hackett, and settled on the S. E. J S. 4. Has four children:
Harvey, married Sarah Johnson, now in Missouri; David R., married Margaret
Kleiber, live on Section 3; Joseph, married Janet Neff, live in Rutland;
Harrison, died in 1833, the first natural death in the town; Rebecca, married
John Snelling, of Freedom; Barbara, married Joseph Miller, of Ottawa; Nancy,
married William S. Allen, in Galesburg; Catharine, married John K. Spencer.
William Parr, and wife, Sally Trumbo, from Licking County, Ohio, came in the
fall of 1830; he settled on the S. E. i S. 3, T. 33, R. 4. He had five children:
Henry R., married Elsa Armstrong, live in Serena; Samuel, married Josephine
Armstrong, in Rutland; Isabella, married Orson Potter; John, married Lucy
Milliken; Mary, married Samuel Grove, of Utica.
Samuel Milliken, and wife, Rebecca Williams, from Licking County, Ohio, came to
South Ottawa in 1830, and in the spring of 1832 settled on the S. E. 1/4 S. 5,
T. 33, R. 4; sold to M. E. Hollister in 1836, and moved to N. E. 1/4 S. 10,
where he resided till his death in 1864. He has seven children: May, married
Levi Zeluff; Margaret, married John Billman, of Kansas; Comfort, married James
Stevenson, of Grand Rapids; Amanda, married Edward Wightman, in Iowa; Jerusha,
married John Kelly, in Missouri; Samuel, married Sarah Leek; Lucy, married John
Parr, of Rutland.
Goodman Hargus, came from Norway, to New York in 1828; one that came over in the
famous sloop; he married in New York and settled in Rutland in 1834. He died in
1850, leaving five children.
G. W. Howe, from New York in 1834; settled on N. E. 1/4 S. 33, T. 34, R. 4; went
to Rock Run, Will County, in 1840, and died there.
Widow Barbary Grove, mother of Joseph, came in 1833. She died at the age of 78.
Her son, Elias, came with her and died single in 1845; her daughter Elizabeth,
was the first wife of N. Madison Letts.
Widow Anna Pitzer, a sister of John Green, came with a large family from Licking
County, Ohio, in the fall of 1830, and settled on N. E. 1/4 S. 10, T. 34, R. 4.
A woman of much business capacity and decision of character. During the Black
Hawk war, few men exceeded her in efforts for the protection of the infant
settlement. She was a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She died
in 1854. Her children were: William, who married Sarah Kite, and settled on the
old homestead; Anthony, married Margaret Wagy, he died on the way to California
in 1852; James, married Elizabeth Kite, live in Kansas; Jesse, died in
California; Benjamin, died in the army; Jacob, married Sarah Kite, live in
Kansas; Sarah Ann, married Thomas Parr, of Dayton; Rachel, married Thomas
Bayley, live in Kansas; Elizabeth, married Henry Brumback, of Rutland; Margaret,
is dead; Catharine, married H. Ham an; Alvah, is dead.
Edward Sanders, from Licking County, Ohio, in 1831, settled on N. E. 1/4, S. 11,
T. 34, R. 4. He served five years in the United States army; while stationed at
Fort Dearborn, he went as a scout to the Illinois and Fox rivers in 1816, and
what he saw of the country then, induced him to make it his home. He was a
carpenter by trade; his wife was Margaret Wamsley.
Jacob Anderson, from Norway, to New York, 1825; here, 1834; settled on S. W. 1/4
S. 13, T. 34, R. 4; went to California and died there, one of the first colony.
Andrew Da] 1, from Norway, to New York, 1835, in the sloop; here, 1834; settled
on S. W. 1/4 S. 1, T. 34, R. 4; died at Salt Lake.
Yital Vermit, from Canada, 1834, settled on N. E. 1/4 S 12, T. 34, R. 4. He
married Huldah Walker, daughter of Dr. David Walker, of Ottawa. Kept hotel for
several years, at Vermit’s or Vermit’s Point; went to Indiana. They had four
children.
Jas. M. Philips, and wife, Ann Gillespie, from Pennsylvania, 1834, settled on S.
E. 1/4 S. 10, T. 33, R. 4; moved to Indian Creek 1835.
John C. Philips, from Pennsylvania, 1834, settled on S. W. 1/4 S. 10, T. 33, R.
4; moved to Newark 1835 John Weitsell, from Germany, on N. E. 1/4 S. 13, T. 34,
R. 4.
Rev. John St. Clair, and wife, from Kentucky, on S. E. i S. 10, T. 34, R. 4,
Wm. Anderson, from Ohio, 1834, on S. E. 1/4 S. 3, T. 34, R. 4.
John Harrington, from New York, 1834, on S. W. 1/4 S. 34, T. 34, R. 4; sold to
J. F. Keyes, and moved to western part of the State.
Solomon Channel, and wife, Betsey Wamsley, from Ohio in 1832, settled on N". W.
i S. 12, T. 33, R. 4; sold to A. D. Butterfield, and returned to Ohio, came back
to Illinois in 1840, and died 1875; his wife died before him. He has had seven
children. Joseph, now in Iowa; Mary, married a Mr. Bell in Adams; Malvina; Alva,
is dead; Sarah, John, and Jackson, are single.
A. D. Butterfield, from Jefferson County, New York. He visited Cuba, New
Orleans, and other places South, and came to Marseilles in April, 1835. Kept a
hotel one year, then rented his hotel, and in 1836 bought out Solomon Channel,
on S. 36, T. 34, R. 4, where he still resides; has held the office of Town
Supervisor. Has had three wives; his first was a Miss Edgar, second Lucy Otis,
third Sally A. Rood. Has had nine children: David, married Julia Young, lives on
the old farm; P. A., married Sarah Drackby, is in Marseilles; Julia C, married
Wm. A. Seers, of Odell; Orvill, at home; Leavitt M., married Ella Parr, of
Rutland; Geo. F., married Mary Allen, and lives in Galesburg; Chas. W., Susan
and Walter, at home.
Ephraim Shaver, born in Virginia, came from Indiana here, in 1839. His wife was
Mary E. Murphin, from Ohio. Their children are: Semantha, married Geo. Bennett,
of Waltham; Mary Lovina, married a Mr. Ross, her second husband Mr. Turple, they
live in Chicago; Margaret, married Henry Mandeville, of Kansas; Belle, married
Henry Bennett, of Deer Park; Dora, married Wm. Munson, Jr., of Adams; Geo. W.,
married widow Wade; Dolcina, Emma, and Peter, are at home.
Thomas Tuttle, from Indiana, in 1836, settled on S. 11, T. 33, R. 4; sold to
Garver Gunderson in 1839
Timothy Corbit, from Pennsylvania, in 1837, settled adjoining J. D. Butterfield.
Walter D. Rood, from Saratoga County, New York, in July, 1838, to Marseilles;
moved on to the Long farm. Went with Green's company in 1849 to California,
lived in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, and returned to La Salle County
in 1870. Married Amelia Robinson, and settled on S. 16, T. 33, R. 5, in 1872.
Has one child, Olive.
John Gibson, from Ohio, came here in 1840. He was a Lieutenant in the war of
1812, from Pennsylvania; he died in 1869; his wife died in 1860. Left six
children: Martha, married C. McKinley; Maria, married Jas. N. Frenary, of
Rutland; Capt. Wm. L., married Eliza Trumbo, of Rutland; Geo. W., married
Cynthia Robinson, of Rutland; John F., married Mary J. Anderson, of Rutland;
Capt. Theodore C, married Susan S. Sample, of Ottawa.
Jonathan Daniels, and wife, Mary Channel, from Licking County, Ohio, in the fall
of 1831, bought a claim of Wm. Stadden, on S. 33, T. 34, R. 4. They had two
children: Elizabeth, married Joseph Kleiber; Judith, married Wm. Stadden.
Joseph Kleiber, and wife, Elizabeth Daniels, from Licking County, Ohio, in the
fall of 1831, settled on S. 32, T. 34, R 4. He had eight children: Melissa,
married Henry Funk; Jonathan, married Elizabeth Funk; Mary, married Geo. Hays,
and afterward Henry Curry; Margaret, married David Shaver; Aaron, married
Rosanna McKernan, live in Allen; William, married Mary Pierce; Stephen and Etta,
are on the old farm.
Aaron Daniels, and wife, Maria Sanders, from Licking County, Ohio, in the fall
of 1831, settled on S. 33; now in Kansas.
Albert Dunnavan, from Licking County, Ohio, came with Letts to Cedar Point in
1830; remained there one year, then came to Rutland and settled on S. 13; in
1831 married Nancy, daughter of John Green, and still lives on the old farm. Has
eight children: Samuel, married Miss Munson; David; Isaac, is out West; Joseph;
George, married Miss Rogers; Katharine, married Frank Brandon; Jane, married
Aaron Howe; and Anna.
Extracted from 1877 History of La Salle County Illinois, pages 273-287.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
