DuPage County Illinois |
This township was settled in 1832 by Erastus and Jude P. Gary, who pitched their tents on the west branch of the DuPage river, within the eastern bounds of this township, and were the first white settlers in the town, and upon thorough investigation they found the soil presenting three distinct sources of wealth to the farmer: The rich rolling prairie awaiting the farmer's plow; fine and well watered grazing lands, and beautiful groves of timber, for fuel and building purposes; and when friends in the east were advised of these facts, the town soon settled up with a class of enterprising and upright citizens, and as early as 1834 such men as J. S. P. Lord, A. Churchill, A. Fowler, Col. J. M. Warren, A. E. Carpenter, E. Galusha, and many others, were added to the settlement. About this time a Baptist church was organized at Warrenville. The western side of this town was settled at an early day, and in 1836 the Baptists, Presbyterians and Methodists built a union church, and worshiped in the same building in brotherly love and unity. the first election under the township organization was held in 1850, and about this time the stations of Turner and Winfield were located.
In 1855 J. B. Turner platted and recorded about twenty-two acres of
land
under the name of "Turner Junction," and the following year, Dr. J.
McConnell
platted and recorded about fifty acres as the town of Turner, but by
act
of subsequent legislation the several plats and additions were merged
into
one town, under the name of Turner. The corporation is now under
municipal control, and is two miles square, with 150 voters, and is the
political center of the township. It is thirty miles west of
Chicago.
One of the finest school buildings in the county is located at
Turner.
It was erected the past season. It is a substantial brick
building,
and cost about $25,000- a fine view of which can be seen in this
work.
Turner is one of the principal railroad centers of the State, the
Chicago
and Northwestern railroad company, with its various branches, and the
Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy railroad branch running to Aurora, there
connecting
with the main line. Forty-six daily trains pass this place, and,
with extras, this number is often increased to eighty, averaging from
sixty-five
to seventy trains per day. In 1854 the Chicago and Northwestern
railroad
company erected repair shops, which were greatly enlarged in
1864.
the manufacture of railroad frogs is extensively carried on, as well as
general repairing. Seventy-three men are now employed in this
shop;
besides, twenty-two engineers and brakemen receive their pay at this
point.
The Congregational Church of Turner has a fine, substantial building, which was dedicated in 1869. The cost of the church was about $4,500. Present membership, 40. The Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in 1850 at a cost, including parsonage, of about $5,000. Present membership, 60. The United Evangelical Church was organized in 1867, and erected a house of worship in 1870, at a cost of $3,200, and now have a membership of 35. The German Roman Catholic Church have erected a substantial church building at a cost of about $3,000, and have a large congregation. WINFIELD STATION (recorded as Fredericksburg) was platted January 25, 1853, by J. P. Doe. It is a station on the main line of the Chicago and Northwestern railroad, and three miles east of Turner. It has one church- the St. John's German Roman Catholic- which waS organized 1867, with twenty members, and has increased to sixty-five. The society has a substantial church, erected 1867. There is one common school, with fifty-eight pupils in attendance.
WARRENVILLE is a small village situated in the southeast corner
of Winfield township. It is one of the oldest towns in the
county,
and is situated on the west branch of the DuPage river. It
derived
its name from Co. J. M. Warren, who settled in 1833. there are
here
Baptist and Methodist Churches; also a tannery, grist mill,
hotel,
post office, stores, etc. The Baptist Church was organized in
1836,
by Elder Hinton; a church was erected in 1855, at a cost of about
$3,000. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about 1854,
by Elders Hewes and Olmstead, with seventeen members; present
members,
thirty-seven. There is one public school at Warrenville, kept in
the basement of the M. E. Church, with forty-five scholars. the
tannery
is owned and operated by Dorus Stafford, is doing a fine business, and
is, we believe, the only tannery in the county.
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