DUNDEE TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Newsletter

The Informer April 2007

Welcome 2007 / A Letter From the President

The past 6 months have been painstakingly stressful yet hopeful and exciting at the same time. This was due to the heating system dilemma at our museum.

You may or may not be aware that the boiler heating system failed at the onset of cold weather last October. Unable to be repaired, we were forced to close our doors.

The Board of Directors was faced with gathering information and making a variety of decisions swiftly but with deep forethought. After weighing the pros and cons of available heating systems, it was decided to install a forced air furnace system that can be upgraded with central air conditioning sometime in the future.

The next step was researching how to pay for it. Faced with a cost that far exceeded our coffers, we took a line of credit at the bank. We also made pleas for monetary donations and applied for grants.

Before and after the installation of furnaces and duct work, many tasks were completed by our members, their families and friends to help keep the cost down. It was a tough, labor intensive schedule all the way up to the last minute to open for the 2007 season on time.

The kindness and generosity of many people, businesses, organizations and municipalities helped us from borrowing the entire line of credit. We have already started to make monthly payments to pay back the bank loan.

We will continue to work on fundraising for this expensive but vital project. Our museum must not be faced with having to close its doors again. After all it is here for our community, our residents, our visitors and our future generations.

Kristie Benedik

President 2006 / 2007

847-428-0932

kbenedik@sbcglobal.net

Thank You

Last spring we asked for donations to help with some of our conservation costs. Thank you to the following for donating towards this important part of historical preservation:

David and Janet Oatman

Thank you to the following for their monetary and in kind donations toward our new heating system project:

Advanced Roofing Systems

Air Products Equipment Co.

Althoff Industries

Wynona Burns

Carpentersville Lions Charities

Dave Culligan

Delta Kappa Gamma

Marge Edwards

Home Depot

Gene and Mary Lamp

Myrtle Miller

Sue and Ron Roeser

Seigle Family Foundation

John Sutfin

William and Gwen Sutfin

Village of Carpentersville

Village of West Dundee

Welcome New Members

Judy Andrews

Jack Festen

Anthony and Cindy Gorski

John and Peggy Hernandez & Family

Leigh A. James

John and Bonnie Smith

Jeff and Susan Gotschewski

Jeff and Kim Ilardi

Larry Pepper

Robert and LuAnne Lewandowski

Email or Snail Mail

Would you prefer your newsletter and other historical society news emailed?

Save the postman some steps, save a tree and save our society some $ by requesting email notices. Let us know simply by emailing your request to us at dths@sbcglobal.net.

If you still prefer USPS mail, do nothing and we will continue to send you things in that manner.

Recall Elections, Dundee Township, In Pioneer Days

Reprint of Fred Holmes' newspaper column published 9/30/1943

The first election in Dundee Township of which there is any record, was held in July 1835 at the home of Captain T. H. Thompson for the election of justices of the peace. The total vote was 18, James Kimball and Mr. Green being elected. A month or so later at another election at the same place, county officers were voted for Justice of the Peace Thompson administering the oth to the election officials.

At the presidential election of 1836 the judges were Thomas Deweese, Benjamin Moore, Thomas H. Thompson and Jonathan Kimball. The clerks were Isaac Fitts and Solomon Hamilton and 42 votes were cast.

General McClure One of Judges

In October, 1837, an election was held at the Christopher Branham home to choose justices and constables. John Rhodes received 24 votes and Thomas H. Thompson 22 votes and both were elected. For constables John Oatman received 42 votes and Christopher Branham 44 votes. The election judges were Gen. George McClure, Thomas Thompson and Thomas Deweese; clerks, Christopher Branham and Hardin Oatman.

The poll list contained the following names: Steven Tourtelotte, Isaac Fitts, Amos Perry, Thomas Barnes, Jesse Newman, John Ellison, James Robertson, Seth Green, Francis Perry, Peter Whitney, David Hammer, Thomas Burbanks sr., Aaron Burbanks, Thomas Burbanks jr., John Oarman sr., John Oatman jr., Jubilee Deweese, Noah Tyler, William Wilbern, John Jackson, Joseph Metcalf, George Taylor, David Corton Parker, William Shaw, Calvin Tyler, Dan Stewart, Thomas Spencer, Squire Simpson, Harry Smith, Daniel G. Carpenter, Thomas Mitchell, Charles Carpenter, Hardin Oatman, Thomas Deweese, George McClure, E. W. Austin, Alexander Gardiner, Chris Branham, L. Stichler.

Woman Served as Coroner

Dundee Township has furnished three members of the state legislature, as follows: Edward W. Austin 1848-51; Julius A. Carpenter, 1873-75; Edgar C. Hawley, 1889-97. H. E. Hunt was a member of the state board of equalization four years, 1976-80. Marvin Quackenbush served as county superintendent of schools from 1886 until his death in 1902; and Eugene H. Norton was county coroner nearly 20 years, his first election being in 1906, from which date he served until his death in 1926. His daughter, Miss Etta, was appointed to fill the vacancy until the fall election. Thomas H. Thompson was one of the first county commissioners, elected in 1837, and in July, 1854, he was vice-president of the first Republican county convention. Charles B. Wells was circuit clerk and recorder four years, 1848-1852.

The town has furnished several supervisors who have served as a chairman of the county board, J. R. Smith holding that office nearly 20 years. Recent chairman from this town: Charles J. Mutchow and the late Edgar W. Mills. The above shows that Bonnie Dundee has been well represented in teh roll of public servants, especially in the good old days.