:: Grafton Township History ::
:: Grafton Township ::
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copyright 2007 Grafton Township
Grafton Township History continued..
The first settler of this township was a Mr. Grinnell. He stayed just a short time, sold his farm to
Lewis Holdridge, who was the second man to come to the township. Next came Prescott
Whittemore, from New York. The name was given to this township, by Prescott Whittemore for the
township of Grafton, New Hampshire.
Marion, son of William Robb, was the first child born in the township. The date of his birth is 1839.
The two year old daughter of Charles Stowell was the first person who died in the township.
On the 2nd of September, 1844 Sanford Haight and Miss Mary A. Sprague were united in marriage,
by Beman Crandall, a Justice of the Peace; this is the first marriage in the township.
The first school was taught in a log school house erected in 1842, in District No. 7, Cynthia
Thompson being the first teacher.
The first religious services were held in 1839, in the house of Prescott Whittemore, by Elder Marvin,
a Baptist minister. The Congregational Church was organized Sept. 11, 1852, by Rev. Starr and
Dickeson.
The first house in the township opened as a hotel or house of public entertainment was that of
Prescott Whittemore. Practically, he was engaged in the hotel business for ten years, it being more a
matter of accommodation than for pecuniary gain. When the Village of Huntley was started, a hotel
opened there, Mr. Whittemore closed his house, so to speak, though his latch string was never
pulled inside.
The first post office at Huntley was established in 1851. Prior to this the people of Grafton got their
mail at Coral.
The first settler of this township was a Mr. Grinnell. He stayed just a short time, sold his farm to
Lewis Holdridge, who was the second man to come to the township. Next came Prescott
Whittemore, from New York. The name was given to this township, by Prescott Whittemore for the
township of Grafton, New Hampshire.
Marion, son of William Robb, was the first child born in the township. The date of his birth is 1839.
The two year old daughter of Charles Stowell was the first person who died in the township.
On the 2nd of September, 1844 Sanford Haight and Miss Mary A. Sprague were united in marriage,
by Beman Crandall, a Justice of the Peace; this is the first marriage in the township.
The first school was taught in a log school house erected in 1842, in District No. 7, Cynthia
Thompson being the first teacher.
The first religious services were held in 1839, in the house of Prescott Whittemore, by Elder Marvin,
a Baptist minister. The Congregational Church was organized Sept. 11, 1852, by Rev. Starr and
Dickeson.
The first house in the township opened as a hotel or house of public entertainment was that of
Prescott Whittemore. Practically, he was engaged in the hotel business for ten years, it being more a
matter of accommodation than for pecuniary gain. When the Village of Huntley was started, a hotel
opened there, Mr. Whittemore closed his house, so to speak, though his latch string was never
pulled inside.
The first post office at Huntley was established in 1851. Prior to this the people of Grafton got their
mail at Coral.
following officers elected: Thomas Huntley, Supervisor; Stewart Cummings, Clerk; E. S. Haydon
Assessor; W. S. Robb, Collector; Prescott Whittemore, Overseer of Poor; Wm. Chambers, Elisha
Dayton and Sanford Haight, Commissioners of Highways; J. Holbert and J. Hoyt, Justices of the
Peace; Wm. Robb and W. Smith Constables.
Grafton Supervisors
Thomas S. Huntley 1850
Alpheus Kenny 1851
S.T. Thompson 1852
W.S. Robb 1853
Sanford Haight 1854
Chauncey Pendleton 1855
Charles Hubbard 1856
E.P. Hayden 1857
Unknown 1860
J. G. Templeton 1861
C.W.H. Card (chm.) 1862
T.S. Huntley (chm.) 1863
Stephen Burton 1864-65
Elias Wanzer 1866-68
C.W.H. Card 1869
Thomas Huntley 1870-71
J.G. Templeton 1872-73
George Van Valkenburg 1877
John S. Cummings 1878-79
William G. Sawyer 1880-86
John Weltzen 1887-1904
H.F. Heinemann 1905-10
John Donahue 1911-16
John Conley 1917-32
Joseph Henner 1933-37
Frank C. Ferris 1937-44
Harley Mackeben 1944-64
Hubert Curtis 1964-65
Howard Ruth 1965-1977 (died while in office)
Mildred Ruth 1977 (appointed to fill term for a few months)
Chuck Ruth 1977-1989
Vernon Brunschon 1989-1993
Millie Ruth 1993-2005
John Rossi 2005-2009
Linda Moore 2009-present
Source information from: Images of America: Huntley, By Nancy Bacheller
Source information: History of McHenry County, IL 1885, Huntley Library
Source information: The Huntley Farmside Dennis Q. O’Brien, Township Historian Assisting the
Editor, McHenry County, IL 1832-1968, Huntley Library
Assessor; W. S. Robb, Collector; Prescott Whittemore, Overseer of Poor; Wm. Chambers, Elisha
Dayton and Sanford Haight, Commissioners of Highways; J. Holbert and J. Hoyt, Justices of the
Peace; Wm. Robb and W. Smith Constables.
Grafton Supervisors
Thomas S. Huntley 1850
Alpheus Kenny 1851
S.T. Thompson 1852
W.S. Robb 1853
Sanford Haight 1854
Chauncey Pendleton 1855
Charles Hubbard 1856
E.P. Hayden 1857
Unknown 1860
J. G. Templeton 1861
C.W.H. Card (chm.) 1862
T.S. Huntley (chm.) 1863
Stephen Burton 1864-65
Elias Wanzer 1866-68
C.W.H. Card 1869
Thomas Huntley 1870-71
J.G. Templeton 1872-73
George Van Valkenburg 1877
John S. Cummings 1878-79
William G. Sawyer 1880-86
John Weltzen 1887-1904
H.F. Heinemann 1905-10
John Donahue 1911-16
John Conley 1917-32
Joseph Henner 1933-37
Frank C. Ferris 1937-44
Harley Mackeben 1944-64
Hubert Curtis 1964-65
Howard Ruth 1965-1977 (died while in office)
Mildred Ruth 1977 (appointed to fill term for a few months)
Chuck Ruth 1977-1989
Vernon Brunschon 1989-1993
Millie Ruth 1993-2005
John Rossi 2005-2009
Linda Moore 2009-present
Source information from: Images of America: Huntley, By Nancy Bacheller
Source information: History of McHenry County, IL 1885, Huntley Library
Source information: The Huntley Farmside Dennis Q. O’Brien, Township Historian Assisting the
Editor, McHenry County, IL 1832-1968, Huntley Library
Heartbeat of Nation
The sentiments which led
To the founding of government
Of the American way
Began with a deep-seated desire
In which free men could have their say;
That they might speak for themselves
And how they would be ruled,
How they could protect each citizen
And how their children would be schooled.
Thus, from the old Town Meetings
Of Colonial Time
Held for the elite
And the workers, sore with grime,
The Township form of government
Has lived in prosperity
And has survived through the recession
And is even now
The voting man’s expression
Of his Way of Life.
Township Government is
The heartbeat of our Nation-
It represents each individual
Regardless of his station.
It touches home-
And the people there
It knows the needs of home
It hears its citizens at prayer.
Centralized government- at a far city
Can it feel the pulse-throb
Can it judge and pity?
Does it know the ins and outs
Of problems close at hand?
Can it sit afar off-
Do you think it understands?
A great State, we are
Represented in the Nation’s Flag
By just one star;
But the life-blood
That flows in every vein
Pulses through a heartbeat
And sings the old refrain-
A government by the people
For each woman, man and child
Let’s keep Township Government
As it was originally styled.
By Dorothy Mathews
Clerk, Chemung Township 1967
Compiled by Pam Fender with the help of the Huntley Library
The sentiments which led
To the founding of government
Of the American way
Began with a deep-seated desire
In which free men could have their say;
That they might speak for themselves
And how they would be ruled,
How they could protect each citizen
And how their children would be schooled.
Thus, from the old Town Meetings
Of Colonial Time
Held for the elite
And the workers, sore with grime,
The Township form of government
Has lived in prosperity
And has survived through the recession
And is even now
The voting man’s expression
Of his Way of Life.
Township Government is
The heartbeat of our Nation-
It represents each individual
Regardless of his station.
It touches home-
And the people there
It knows the needs of home
It hears its citizens at prayer.
Centralized government- at a far city
Can it feel the pulse-throb
Can it judge and pity?
Does it know the ins and outs
Of problems close at hand?
Can it sit afar off-
Do you think it understands?
A great State, we are
Represented in the Nation’s Flag
By just one star;
But the life-blood
That flows in every vein
Pulses through a heartbeat
And sings the old refrain-
A government by the people
For each woman, man and child
Let’s keep Township Government
As it was originally styled.
By Dorothy Mathews
Clerk, Chemung Township 1967
Compiled by Pam Fender with the help of the Huntley Library