The Story of Roscoe, Illinois

Roscoe Picture Story

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Written by
Florence Lovejoy Shugars, 1987
Edited by
Dorothy Warner Hunter

Foreword

"As our title suggests, this is not a history in the usual sense of the term. The word, history, implies all the facts, undisputed, carefully researched from official records and documents and stalwartly set forth for all the world to see -- or read. No Nonsense! This we do not claim to have done. True, there are many historical facts here, but perhaps more important are the glimpses of everyday life during those earlier years: the hardships suffered by those hardy souls who dared to leave behind all that was familiar and dear, the challenges, the hopes, the accomplishments, the joys, the sorrows; and woven through it all a strong sense of community."

Book References

INDEX OF NAMES - PAGES

Abbott, Asa  16,26,31
Abbott, James  16,26,50
Abell, Franklin  8,9,24
Abell, Henry  8,9,11,24,48,50
Abell, Ralph  8,48,50
Adams, David  35
Adams, Henry  40
Adams, Rev.  25
Agard, Rev.  25
Alexander, Ben  52
Allen Ephriam  4,35
Ames, Dr. Alfred  22,26,50
Amiden, Mr.  21
Anderson, Rev.  25
Armitage, Joseph  16
Atwood, Anna Brooks  7
Atwood, Joe  17
Atwood, Patten  7
Baldwin, Thomas  6
Barnes, Ralph  18
Bartlett, David  20
Baume, Rev. James  25
Bender, Andrew J.  17,47
Bender, Bessie  17
Bender, Clarence  17
Bender, Harley  17
Blackinton, Henry  4
Blackinton, Mrs. Jessie  16
Blackinton, Marcius  4
Blair, Alvah  4
Blodgett, Caleb  4
Bond, 0. Jack  55
Bourne, Rev.  25
Bowman, William  35
Bradley, Edmund  26
Bradley, Eunice  26
Bradley, Frances  8,35
Bradley, Harriet  28
Bradley, Dr. James  23
Bradley, John  26
Bradley, Dr. Lent Bristol  8,23,26,38
Brayton, Russell  5
Brewster, Rev.  25
Briggs, Cora  26
Briggs, DeWitt  35
Briggs, Josiah  35
Briggs, Thankful  26
Briscoe, Arthur  18
Brown, Elijah H.  2,3,4
Brown, Rev. Ebenezer  12,26,40
Brown, Mrs. Ebenezer  26
Brown, George  49,50
Brown, Jack  52
Brown, John P.  18
Brown, William  28
Brown, Zaddock Mitchell  8
Bruner, Wallace  35
Bubser, Frank  9
Budd, Morris D.  33
Budd, Ralph  9,14,15,33,38,41,43
Budd, William W.  9,14,33,38,41
Bunting, Arne  49
Butts, J.  21
Cant, William  35
Carpenter, Newton  4
Carr, Ed.  15
Chappel, Philip M.  18
Churchill, Winston  46
Clark, Rev. John  24
Clark, Rev.  25
Clendening, Rev  25
Cleveland, Pres. Grover  49
Coffin, Henderson  15
Cole, Hiram B.  24
Cormack, Rev.  25
Crockett, Dr. Walter  22
Cross, Hannah  26
Cross, Margaret  2
Cross, Robert  1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 24, 48
Cross, Rev  25
Cummings, Leon  54
Curry, Dennis  41
Curtis, Henry B.  18,51
Curtis, Mrs. Henry B.  51
Curtis, Dr. John  22
Denning, Rev.  25
Dodge, Lucien Bonaparte  8
Douglas, Stephen A  34
Dowd, Rev. Quincy L.  10,51
Durgan, Joseph  21
Eastman, Ezra  35
Eastman, S.N.  16
Eaton, Dr. E.D.  26
Eaton, Dr. Samuel W.  26
Eisenhower, General Dwight  18
Erickson, John E.  49,50
Evans, Harry  40,47,48,52
Feimley, Moses  35
Field, Thomas  35
Fisher, Rev.  25
Fluck, Rev.  25
Fry, Donald H.  50
Fyler, Lorenzo  8,15
Fyler, Mary Frances  15
Gardner, Mr.  16
Gorham, Mr.  28
Grant, George  21
Greeley, Charles  35
Greeley, Rev. Dudley  6,33
Greenlee, John  47
Gregory, Harvey  24
Griswold, Francis  12
Haight, Rev.  25
Hate, William  8
Hanson, Wallace  30
Hardy, Belle  24
Hardy, Frank  35
Hardy, Harris. 17
Hardy, Harry L  47
Hardy, Hosea  24
Hardy, James  22
Hardy, Mina  49,50
Hardy, Dr. Ray C  23
Hardy, Sheldon  20,24
Harnden, Mrs.  18
Harris, Mrs.  16
Harrison, Pres. Benjamin  49
Hartenberger, Jack  30
Hastings, Miss  29
Hatch, Alonzo  35
Hauge, Victor  49,50
Hayes, Charles  52
Hicks, M.  26
Hill, Jim  21
Hinckley, Mary  49,50
Hobart, Mrs. Edwin  9
Holmes, Esther  29
Hononegah, Princess  4
Hovenburg, Von  2
Howland, Nathaniel  10
Hunter, Mrs. Dorothy  51
Hutchins, B.F.  17
Ilsley, Annie  31
Ilsley, Charles  31
Ilsley, Charlotte  31
Ilsley, Edward  31
Ilsley, Rev. Horatio  31,32
Ilsley, Mrs. Horatio  31
Ilsley, Mary Ellen  31
Ilsley, Orien  31
Ilsley, Susan  31
Janssen, Jon  18
Jenks, Clarissa  24
Jenks, Edwin  3, 11,21,29
Jenks, Ella  28,29
Jenks, Louisa  28
Jenks, Mahala  28
Jenks, Smith. 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 24
Jenks, Dr. Solomon  5,6,8,9,22
Jenks, Mrs. Solomon  22
Jerome, Chauncy Bush  46
Johnson, Ronald T.  50
Kelley, John  52
Kellogg, Mr.  28
Kerr, Alexander  29
Kerr, Ann Frances  26
Kerr, Charles  26
Kerr, George  26
Kerr, James B.  28,29,35,36
King, Mr.  21
Knowland, James R.  9
Lauber, Robert  30
Lavec  2
Lawrence, A.D.  15,50
Lawrence, Luther  35
Lee, James B.  2,3
Leland, Alvan  6,8,11,26,28
Leland, Solomon  6,26,37
Leonard, Horatio  7
Leonard, Horace K.  26
Leonard, Minerva  26
Leper, E.M.  28
Lincoln, Abraham  33,34
Logan, Robert  3
Loomis, Rev. Theoren  26
Love, Jabez  27
Lovejoy, Andrew James I  6,7
Lovejoy, Andrew James 11  46,51
Lovejoy, Lucia  6
Lovejoy, Nathan  6
Lovejoy, Rubie Curtis (Mrs. W.N.)  38,41
Lovesee, Ed  35
Lovesee, Henry  4
Lovesee, John  4
Lovesee, William 11  4
Lovesee, William III  4
Lovesee, Rev  25
Lundy, Dr. W.N. 22
Lyford, Thomas  6,7,8
Mack, Stephen  2,4
Maxham, Rev.  25
McAffee, Alexander  2
McAffee, James  2
McAffee, Robert  2
McAmmond, Rev. Foster  26
McCurry, Mrs. Kay  8,51,54,55
McDonald, George  18,48,52
McDowell, James  18
McKeig, Rev.  25
McMullen, Rev. G.F.  25,26
McRoberts, J.  14
Mead, William  2,7
Meirs, Lydia  26
Melcher, Joe  16
Mohring, John  30
Moir, E.  26
Moir, John  26
Moore, Frank  47,48,49,50,51
Morse, Will  14
Muller, Mr.  17
Neblock, Nick  47
Neblock, Mrs. Nick  47
Newton, Rev.  25
Nichols, Harry  8
Nichols, Lewis  8
O'Conner, Mr.  47
Olmstead, Mae  46
Parson, Deacon Ensign  26
Parson, Mrs. Ensign  26
Peaseley, James  35
Peers, Henry  50
Perine, Harry  23
Perry, Marie Thompson  19,37
Peters, Mrs. Lillian  50
Pettibone, Simeon  24
Pettibone, Mrs. Simeon  24
Phelps, Dr.  27
Pierson, M  26
Pillsbury, Rev.  24
Porter, Elmer  17
Porter, John S.  17
Postlethwait, Hartley  32
Prentice, Joseph  9
Presley, Oscar  52,53
Ralston, Kenneth  2
Ralston, Stewart  51
Ralston, Thomas J.  2
Randall, E.H.  17
Ransom, C. Arthur  17,47,48,49
Ransom, Dr. Daniel  22
Ransom, Dr. Giles  9,16,17,22,50
Ransom, Penn W.  22
Ransom, Dr. Wilmot L.  12,22
Reed, Horatio  48
Reed, Fred  17
Reeves, Rev  25
Reimer, Owen  50
Reynolds, Andrew  3,24,28
Rhodes, Henry  35
Rhodes, J.M.  35
Rhodes, John  10,11,24,28
Rice, M.L. 28
Richardson, Abigail  3
Richardson, Benjamin 11  3, 4, 8, 13, 24
Richardson, Benjamin F. III  8
Richardson, Charles  3
Richardson, Harry  17
Richardson, James and Josiah  35
Richardson, Mrs, Jennie B.  51,54
Richardson, Lionel  13,31
Richardson Mary Ann  8,24
Richardson, Walter  17,47
Richardson, Washington  24
Richardson, William  13,27
Rogers, Howard "Cobby"  52
Roosevelt, Teddy  46
Roscoe, Charlie and William  9
Ryley, William H  8
Sage, Hiram  16
Schermerhorn, H.  35
Schoonmaker, Fred  47
Secoy, Simon  5
Seton, Ezra Lewis  16
Shaw, David  41
Shaw, Rev.  25
Sherwin, J.  21
Shockly, Gladys  29
Shugars, Henry  54
Shugars, Mrs. Henry  46
Sikes, Dr. Edward  22
Skellgen, Henry  35
Smith, D.C.  28,36
Smith, George  35
Smith, Israel  4
Smith, James  35
Smith, Lyon  35
Smith, Squire  23
Smith Walter  35
Smith, William  4,28
Snook, James  17
Spawn, LA.  28
Spencer, Joseph  35
Spielman, Bob  46
Spielman, Jacob  46
Steel, Ruby  29
Stewart, Rev. W.F.  25
Stockwell, Arvilla  7
Streeter, B.A.  29
Strickland, Hugh  28
Strother, French  13
Sturtevant, David A.  15,17,21,49,50
Sturtevant, Frank  29
Sturtevant, Maude  49,50
Taft, Cory  4
Taft, George  47
Taft, Mrs. George  51
Taft, Levi M.  5
Teed, Marion (Mrs. Lloyd)  46
Thayer, Ferris  4
Thompson, Clark W.  21
Thompson, James  11,12,21,26,32,40
Thompson, Mrs. James  12,13,19,26
Trigg, Rev.  25
Tuttle, Rev. Albert  6,11,24,25
Tuttle, Amos  5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 24
Tuttle, Mrs. Amos  5
Tuttle, Harmon  35
Vance, Caleb  50
Vance, Rev.  25
Vincent, Charles E.  50
Vincent, Percy  47
Walker, Rev. Leander  25
Wallace, Victor  49,50
Warner, Frederick  5
Warner, Josephine Amelia  5
Warner, Lenore Sturtevant  29,46,48
Warner, Lucy Ann and Mary Jane  5
Warner, Walter  5, 24
Warner, "Widow "  28
Warren, A.  16
Welch, Mrs. Maria  7
Welch, Perry  15
Whipple, Delia  26
Whipple, Thomas  11,26
Whiting, Charles  17
Wilcox, Alvin C  16,17,51
Wilcox, Clifford W.  17,51
Wilcox, Mrs. Mary  37
Wilcox, Norris  5,24
Williams, Caroline  29
Wilson, Ernest H.  49,50
Wilson, James A.  21,50
Wilson, Pres. Woodrow  22
Wood, Ann  46
Wood, "Family  33,38
Wood, S.S. (Sabin)  37
Woodworth, N.  35
Worster, Theon  35
Wycoff, J.B.  13
Yates, Gov. Richard  46
Young, Rev.  25
Zopp, Dona J. 50

PAGE 58-60 REFERENCES
1. The Book of Beloit, published in 1936 by the Beloit Daily News Publishing Company on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first settlers at the junction of the Turtle and the Rock.
2. Articles written by Robert Cross, Roscoe's first settler.
3. History of Winnebago County, Illinois, 1877, Kett, H.F. and Co.
4. Rockton Herald reprints from the Rockford Daily Register- Gazette dated Sept. 17, 1906, of a talk on Roscoe history given by the Rev. Quincy L. Dowd at the Roscoe Congregational Church of which he was pastor. This ran as a series of five articles in the Rockton Herald, prepared by Dorothy Hunter.
5. Newspaper account by Dr. W.L. Ransom, printed in the Rockford Morning Star Jan. 15, 1927.
6. Abstract for the property at 4562 Hononegah Road, courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Peter Piazza.
7. Rockford newspaper clipping entitled Being a Boy in Old Rockford, Number Sixty - Roscoe. The date of the paper is unknown, but a reference in the article to the Roscoe woolen mill, "recently destroyed" dates it at about 1900. The mill was blown up in 1898.
8. Frank Bubser, former Roscoe resident and student of local history. He has early Roscoe documents, letters, and other mementos of the past.
9. Beloit Daily News series written by Emogene Selsor in 1965, based in part on personal interviews with local citizens who were knowledgeable about Roscoe's early history, foremost among them Harry Evans and Frank Bubser.
10. Information taken from newspaper obituary notice included in scrapbook of Roscoe items.
11. Past and Present of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County, Illinois by Charles A. Church, published in 1905 by S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois.
12. Letter, courtesy of Frank Bubser, great great grandson of Mrs. Tuttle.
13. Memoirs, concerning the Lovejoy family, written by the widow of Andrew James Lovejoy II whose grandparents settled in the area in 1837.
14. Eliza Nichols who has based her research on diaries, letters, county histories, church records, and family Bibles.
15. Historical address delivered by the Rev. Quincy L. Dowd Sept. 7, 1906 at the Roscoe Congregational Church on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of Roscoe.
16. Dr. Daniel Nielsen, grandson of Dr. Wilmot Ransom from whose journal he took much of his family information. Dr. Nielsen is a great great grandson of Dr. Jenks.
17. The Atwood Family, 1806 - 1928, Jennie Belshaw Richardson, secretary.
18. Research and letters relating to the Richardson family, now in the possession of Inez Richardson Carlson.
19, Personal recollections of Mr. Ralph Budd.
20. Rockford Morning Star, Sept. 13, 1958.
21. Newspaper account by Dr. W.L. Ransom in the Rockford Morning Star dated Jan. 24, 1928.
22. An article written by Marie Thompson Perry in 1912 for Pioneer Afternoon by request of the Fall Festival Committee, Sept. 13, 1912.
23. Thompson Genealogy - 1887. Information provided by James Thompson's daughter, Marie Thompson Perry.
24. Rockton Herald, Oct. 19, 1972. An interview with Harry Evans.
25. Newspaper account by Dr. W.L. Ransom, printed in the Rockford Morning Star Feb. 19, 1927.
26. A newspaper article on Roscoe, Its History and People dated Oct. 28, 1910, appearing in the Rockford Register-Gazette.
27. Conversation with Mrs. Gordon G. (Molly) Macnab, great granddaughter of James Thompson. Copy of the advertisement.
28. Personal recollections of John McDonald.
29. Dictated by Ralph Budd, son of William W. Budd, proprietor of this blacksmith shop.
30. Newspaper account by Dr. W.L. Ransom, appearing in the Rockford Morning Star Aug. 13, 1929.
31. Newspaper account by Dr. W.L. Ransom, appearing in the Rockford Morning Star Mar. 12, 1927.
32. Article written by Dorothy Hunter, printed in the Beloit Daily News Apr. 26, 1967.
33. Personal recollections of Mrs. Lenore Warner.
34. Mrs. John Neeson to whom the story was related by Lee Stockwell, former owner of the home.
35. Grover Porter.
36. Harley Bender.
37. Rockford Morning Star, May 31, 1953.
38. Kinnikinnick School Records.
39. Florence Shugars, personal recollections and family records.
40. Information taken from a Scrapbook of Roscoe Newspaper items, preserved in the first decade of this century by Mrs. E.H. Randall and found in the attic of their home on the south-east corner of Main and Bridge Streets by the present owners (1987) Mr. & Mrs. H. Ward Sterett.
41. Preface to the complete account of this Gold Rush expedition by Clark W. Thompson, written by his granddaughter, Mrs. Molly Macnab, and her husband, Gordon G. Macnab.
42. Feature article written by Eva Baumel for the Beloit Daily News and provided by Dr. Crockett's son, David.
43. Ray C. Hardy, Jr.
44. History of Roscoe Methodist Church by Dr. Ray C. Hardy, Sr.
45. Dorothy Hunter's account based on the Time Line taken from the church abstract.
46. Newspaper clipping, Rockford, entitled History of Roscoe Church, Last Service in Church Home of fifty-Seven Years Attended With Interest. Brief History of Edifice Given by Mrs. Amos Sammons.
47. Newspaper article printed in the Rockford Morning Star Oct. 6, 1895.
48. Information from Lenore Sturtevant Warner, granddaughter of David Sturtevant and Susan Wood.
49. Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Winnebago County. Chicago - 1916, volume 2, page 728.
50. Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society - April, 1915, Vol. 8, No. 1, Page 574 entitled Personal Reminiscences of Mr. Lincoln by Col. John W. Vinson. Courtesy of the Rockford Historical Society.
51. Diary of Alice Richardson, (later to become Mrs. Henry B. Curtis), dated 1870 and 1871.
52. Rockford Morning Star, Nov. 12, 1972.
53. Book of Beloit 11, Page 340.

I have a copy of this publication and will try to answer questions about the indexed items.

Librarian Jan Stokes of the Anderson Local History Room in Roscoe may be able to provide additional information.

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