Hampshire Township, Kane County, IL - History, Genealogy & Today

Hampshire Township

Old Hampshire - New Hampshire - Hampshire Center -

Hen Peck - Holstein

Kane County, IL

Town 42 N - Range 6 E

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The area is NOT mountainous as depicted here.

Hampshire and Rutland were originally one district, named Deerfield Precinct.

Hampshire, located off the line of early travel was late in being settled.

Rev. Robert WILLIAMS was the first preacher in the township and served the people for many years.

The post office was at "Garland's Tavern" on the Galena Road. In 1875 it was removed to the new Hampshire village. In 1876 it was known as Holstein and discontinued about 1884.

The old state road to Galena passed through the township and for years was the only highway east and west. The next road was opened from St. Charles to Marengo, running through Hampshire township. During the excitement and rush for the newly discovered lead deposits near Galena, the Galena Road was much traveled. An old settler has stated that he had seen as many as 200 teams pass his place in a day. That would mean a dozen every hour. In those days "Hen Peck" was one of the important centers of the county. Its location made it an excellent camping place and often as many as fifty men would be in camp at one time.

The first school house was on the WHITTEMORE farm and made of unhewn logs. The earliest known school trustees were Lenas ALLEN, Samuel HAWLEY and T.C. WHITTEMORE. The district was incorporated by vote on March 5, 1842. There were 114 pupils in 4 districts then. By 1850 there were 8 districts and 430 students. In 1871 there were 600 students, eight teachers and 8 school houses.

1836

Lenas ALLEN came from Vermont and found the prairie ready for the plow, in striking contrast to the rocky hills he left. His was the first cabin in the township. It stood until the late 1880s, though he had passed on while living at his farm on February 5, 1848.
Thomas E. WHITTEMORE of New Hampshire and Samuel HAWLEY arrived next.

1838

S.A. McALPES, Daniel HALL & W.H. SEYMOUR, all of New York settled. Stephen HAVILAND arrived about the same time.
Rev. Robert WILLIAMS and E.O. GARLAND of New Hampshire arrived.
Joseph DALBY came straight from England.
Isaac PADDOCK and William TRUMBULL came from New York
HILDA COON and JOHN AURAND arrived

1842

Lucien BALDWIN arrived from Bennington, Vermont

1843

"Samuel C. ROWELL, the father of Fremont ROWELL, a leading citizen in the early 1900's arrived. He was 18 and road on horseback from Kentucky, where he lived for three years. He followed trails and wagon tracks, swam rivers, passed herds of deer and packs of wolves, depending upon settlers' cabins for shelter and food. Owing to his long hair and Southern pioneer dress he was frequently turned away by settlers, who were suspicious of horse thieves. One such a night he spent in a raging storm, form which he was saved by getting to the cabin of a Vermonter, who had been his neighbor in the east. On her advice he cut his hair and had no further trouble. He returned to Kentucky and was married there, bringing his new wife with him on his settlement here. He opened a store at Old Hampshire in 1850 and removed to New Hampshire in 1874. Fremont Rowell still conducts the business."
Henry DOTY, of Ashtabula County, Ohio came from Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he spent four or five years before settling here.

1852
First Church - Erected by the German Evangelical Society was in the northeast part of the township. It had been organized in 1842 by Rev. DIKOVER.

1874
The first village was opened by the opening of a general store on section 12. Here the first post office was established, with mail once a week. The new village of "Hampshire Center" was platted October 1874 by A.J. WILLING and C. A. FASSETH. The building of the railroad was its origin. It was incorporated by a vote of 73 to 2 in October 1876. The first officers were:

S.C. ROWELL, E.W. WHELPLEY, J.S. WYCKOFF, HENRY RINN, and A.B. FREEMAN, trustees.

1875
William RINN built a wind and steam mill, fashioned after the old Dutch style with flying arms.
HATHAWAY and Company built a cheese factory, which handled nearly all the milk in the district. The township has been and is chielfly devoted to dairying, and much of the celebrated "Elgin" butter comes from Hampshire.
The first railroad was build - The Chicago & Pacific which later became the C.M. & St. P Ry. The first train passed through Hampshire May 1875. The township donated $26,400, of which sum JACOB RINN gave $10,000.
The Commercial Hotel was built by Daniel BERRY. It was later owned by C.H. PARKS and known then as Park's House.

1876
Methodists built their first church. Rev. B.H. CARTWRIGHT, the "fighting parson" was the first preacher. He was the son of Peter CARTWRIGHT of political fame.
A large school house was built in Hampshire at a cost of $3500.

1882
Kane County Bank was established April 1st by PARKER and BACKUS. C.H. BACKUS became sole proprietor in January 1885.

1885
German Evangelical church was built in Hampshire.

Source: History of Kane County by Joslyn & Joslyn 1908