In a
written sketch read before a meeting of Old Settlers, in 1870, Mr. Phelps
submitted a history of his first and second visits to this country, from the
following extracts are collected:
“In the
Fall of 1829, I first traveled through the Rock River Valley. Leaving Gratiot’s Grove [one mile south of Schullsburg]
, in the lead mines, I took a southwesterly course and passed not far from
where Freeport now stands; continued down the prairie and passed about one or
two miles east of Buffalo Grove; came to the Galena trail about half-way from the
Grove to Ogee’s Ferry, where Dixon now stands.
I arrived there about sunset, stayed that night with the Indians, and
was treated by them with much kindness.
This was my first view of the Rock River Valley. I did not at that time have the least idea of
settling in this part of the world, yet these beautiful undulating and rich
prairies left an impression on my memory that no time could erase.
“In the
Summer of 1833, I again visited the lead mines, and during that Fall I came to
the conclusion to explore the Rock River country, with the determination that
if it pleased me as well as I thought it would, I would make a permanent
location for my permanent location for my future home. With this object in view I hired a Frenchman,
[Stephen A. St.Cyr, Sergeant, Black Hawk War] who had been a clerk for a fur
company in the Rocky Mountains, to accompany me, knowing that he was well
suited for such an expedition, as he was acquainted with the Indian character,
and a pleasant traveling companion. About
the 1st of November, 1833, we set out from the lead Mines to descend
the Pecatonica River, in a small canoe, supposing we would reach Rock River by
that course of travel. In consequence
of the meanderings of the Pecatonica and the time we devoted to the examination
of the country through which we were passing, we were seven days in reaching
Rock River, at Rockton. * *
* When we arrived about one mile
above the present site of Oregon City, we discovered a tent on the bank of the
River, a short distance back from the water’s edge, and, supposing it to be an
Indian tepee or wigwam, I told my companien du voyage to go up to it and
see if we could get something to eat. He
replied that it was a white man’s tent, and upon going up to it I found that my
companion’s declaration was correct, and was much surprised to meet there my
old friend Col. W. [William] S. Hamilton, the son of Alexander Hamilton, who
was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.
(Col. Hamilton subsequently went to California, probably about 1849-50,
where he died some years later.) I had
not seen him for five years. He seemed
surprised to meet mSe, and asked me what brought me here. I told him I was out exploring, and if I
liked the country I intended to make a location for my permanent home. He replied that if that was my object I need
not travel farther, that I was on the right spot. H informed me that ne had a Government
contract to survey the Rock River country into townships, and that he knew of a
location about three miles west of where we where we were that could not be surpassed
in point of beauty, embracing all the advantages that were necessary to make a
comfortable and convenient home. He then
gave me a note, with directions where to find it. I made my first claim where my present house
now stands, according to Col. Hamilton’s
directions. Before leaving, he had our
dinner prepared, and gave us bread and bacon enough to last us a week.
“Being now
supplied with one week’s provisions, there was nothing to hinder our making it
thorough examination of the surrounding country, on both sides of the river;
and being fully satisfied that it was susceptible of a good settlement, and
that a good crossing at the river could be made, I made my next claim where
Oregon now stands. We spent a week
here. Our camp was just above the fair
grounds. Having accomplished our
desires, the weather becoming cold and our provisions short, we packed up and
steered our course for the lead mines, leaving our canoe and such articles as
we could not take with us. We spent part
of the first day in hunting in West Grove.
During that night, it commenced snowing.
We started on our course next morning; struck White Oak Grove, a little
west of Forreston; from that grove we bore northwest until we reached Cherry
Grove (now Carroll County), a distance of twenty-five miles. It was severely could, and in crossing
streams our clothing could get wet and freeze on us, and we suffered
severely. The next day, we reached White
Oak Springs, worn out with fatigue.
“Thus ended my first exploring
expedition in the valley of Rock River.
In the Summer of 1834, I raised a crop and built a house on the farm on
which I now live, and in the Spring of 1835, I moved my family into the same,
from Schuyler County.”
When Mr. John Phelps moved his
family up from Schuyler County, in the Spring of 1835, he was accompanied by
two brothers, B.T. Phelps and G.W. Phelps, and a hired man named Johnston. In the Summer of that year, Fletcher Hitt, a
surveyor, was employed to subdivide the land embraced in Phelps’ second claim
into town lots and what progressive town was christened Oregon City. The town site was regularly laid out in
1836.
The second house commenced by John
Phelps in the Summer of 1836, and finished that Fall. It was a double log house of two stories, built
of hewed log, and , in its “day and generation,” was famous throughout the Rock River
Valley. Its finish was a little more elaborate than
the Jenkins cabin, from the fact that the Phelps saw-mill on Pine Creek, which
had been commenced in the Spring of 1836, had been completed and was in
operation, which furnished lumber for the floors, doors, etc. That house built on the corner lot of the
block now occupied by the cheese factory of
George A. Mix. The old houise was
torn down about 1845 or 1846, and moved away by the party to whom its logs had
been sold.
…The first frame barn in Oregon was built by Mr. Phelps in
1838. It was erected on the west side of
Third street, a short distance north of the double log house just mentioned.
In 1835, Mr. Phelps also established the first ferry at
Oregon City. The lumber used in the
construction of the ferry-boat was sawed out by hand with a whip saw, by
himself and his brother, George W. Phelps.
After the boat was completed and ready for use, it was managed for some
time by Jonathan W. Jenkins.
History
of Ogle County, Illinois. Published H.T.
Kett, Chicago, 1878. Pp 486-488.
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