Dating in the 1870s

Many young ladies in the Chicago area during the 1870s and 1880s opened up their homes on New Year’s Day for what was described as “New Year’s Day Calling”.  Cards similar to Christmas greetings were distributed with the ladies’ addresses labeled on them and advertised in the newspapers.  NPR describes this activity as a sort of “speed dating” of the late 19th century.   According to the Chicago Tribune, a young woman would open up her house on January 1 usually between 10 am - 9pm and serve refreshments while the bachelors would introduce themselves and leave their names on the card.   

According to NPR, if the lady asked the young man to remove his hat and coat, this was a good sign.  However, if the woman was not interested, she would have the man keep his coat on and he was required to stay for only 10-15 minutes.   Men could come in groups or solo.  Also, woman could host parties with their friends.  Cakes and drinks were available at these parties, but serving alcohol was not acceptable.  A warm fire was also suggested.   

Calling was actually a huge success during this time in many cities.  NPR states that there is mention of a woman in Washington DC who had 900 men show up at her house for a calling!  There were also different types of shoes sold for these events.  Unfortunately, this custom eventually disappeared and by the 1920s this type of dating was considered “old-fashioned”.  

Here is an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune for a calling from December 23, 1880:

It has been the custom of THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE to mention, in a pleasant and modest way, the names of ladies in Chicago and the suburbs who would keep “open house” on New-Year’s Day...It is the desire of THE TRIBUNE to present in its issue of Friday, Dec. 31, 1880, a complete and full list of the names of all ladies who will receive on the following day.  We therefore suggest that all in Chicago and vicinity who propose keeping “open house,” and wish mention made of the same, will notify THE TRIBUNE on or before Thursday, Dec. 30.  

19th Century Baseball in Lockport and Joliet

According to the Chicago Tribune, baseball during the 1800s was meant to be a friendly gathering with neighboring towns along with a "gentlemanly competition".

There is mention of a baseball game between the Joliet Hunkidoris and Lockport Sleepers on August 6, 1851.  There is some discrepancy with the date as it may have been played closer to the 1880s.  The 1851 date came from the book “19th century Baseball in Chicago”, written in the 1930s.  Nevertheless, it appears there were definitely baseball teams during the late 19th century in the area.

The Underground Railroad in Will County

Samuel Gushing operated the underground railroad out of his home in Crete during the first half of the 19th century.  It is said that he helped approximately 80-90 slaves escape (History of Will County, 1878).  He reported that they would come from a house in Wilmington or Joliet and he would keep them in the upper room of his log cabin and assist them at night to Crown Point, Indiana-the next stop on the underground railroad.  He was arrested in 1843 for harboring slaves and the original indictment from Will County states on July 1, 1843 he helped four slaves from Missouri.  During the trial, it was found that the prosecuting attorney was not ready and a nolle pros was entered and Mr. Gushing was allowed to return home to continue the Underground Railroad (The History of Will County, 1878).  The History of Will County states “Samuel expresses no regret for the part he took in “feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sheltering the cold and weary, worn traveler, remembering that the Master had said “In as much as ye have done it unto the last of these ye have done it unto me”.

Lincoln's Funeral Train

When Lincoln was assassinated in April of 1865, he was taken by train back to Springfield, Illinois.  The train departed Washington DC on April 21, 1865.  It arrived in Lockport, Illinois at 11:30 pm and Joliet, Illinois at 12:00 on May 2.  In Lockport, the train passed by the Gaylord and Norton Building (lockportworks.com).  It was a very somber occasion where hymns were sung and no one spoke as they paid their respects to Abraham Lincoln.  Here is an article published in the Joliet Signal, May 9, 1865 (Jolietlibrary.org). 

On last Tuesday night at 12 o’clock the remains of President Lincoln reached this city on the way to their last resting place in Springfield.  Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, several thousand of our citizens most of whom had been political opponents of Mr. Lincoln while living, assembled at the Chicago & Alton railroad depot, to manifest their respect for the eminent dead.  The depot was decorated in mourning, and appropriate arrangements made for the occasion...eager to get sight of the coffin, which was visible from the windows.  A large number of ladies were permitted to pace through the car...Guns were fired, bells tolled, solemn anthems sang by a splendid choir and mournful dirges played by the Joliet Cornet Band.  Though the crowd was immense, there was scarcely a word spoken above a whisper.  All seemed to realize the solemnity of the occasion, and to unite in the tribute of respect to the departed President. 

The Gold Rush comes to Will County!

The History of Will County, 1878 states, “for those who are old enough...will recall the wonderful excitement which took place all over the land” referring to the Gold Rush. It apparently was what everyone in Will County was talking about in 1849-1851.  The Lockport telegraph in 1849 warns individuals to not move west for an uncertain future and to find contentment in Will County.  They also jokingly stated when referring to the Gold Rush:  “A world-wide malady has at last extended to our midst” “Symptoms about the same as elsewhere, a sensation of nausea at the mere thought of common business...frequent giddiness of the head, optical allusions in which everything is seen in a yellow light, raging appetite for maps...terminating in a frantic effort to sell out and settle up at which the stage of the disease is considered incurable”.

Despite the Lockport telegraph’s advise, numerous individuals set out west in 1849.  A few Homer Glen residents were successful which influenced even more individuals in 1850 to find gold out west. The “true Democrat” in 1850 gives a list of about 400 that left in the Spring from Will county which significantly affected the business and created a huge traffic jam out west where wagons would be halted for days.  10-20 teams a day that spring would pass along Jefferson Street including individuals with only a knapsack and rifle who decided to buy everything else once they got out West.  Some individuals were successful and some were not and most returned 1-2 years later.

Schools

The first school in Homer was said to be in 1834, taught by D.C. Baldwin in an abandoned structure close to Lockport East High School (History of Will County, 1878).  In the summer of 1835, Abigail Raymond taught a few children in the cow stable close to Bruce and Gougar Roads (History of Will County, 1878).  As a matter of fact, by 1878 there were 416 students and eight school districts in the area.  

The First Ball of Will County

Even though the early settlers lived in log cabins, there is still an account of a Ball occurring in 1831.  This party took place in a house along Hickory Creek, possibly in present-day New Lenox.  The ball apparently was quite a hit back in the 1830s.  The History of Will County, 1878 describes three out of five Chicago bachelors came to the ball on their horses.  The party lasted for about two days as the guests were required to travel quite a few miles.   The festivities began at noon.  According to the History of Will County, 1878, a variety of dishes seem to have been present including: “prairie chickens, pumpkin pie, crab apple sauce or stewed wild plums, melon, and wild grapes. Corn dodgers (baked or fried corn bread cake) were also served along with saleratus (baking soda) biscuit and wild honey.”  

Apparently the young Chicago bachelors put on more of a show flirting with the young ladies as the History of Will County, 1878 book states. The settlers of Hickory Creek were upset with this behavior, and decided in the middle of the night to play a prank on these bachelors.  When daylight came, everyone noticed that the manes and tails were cut off of the Chicago bachelor’s horses!  This party-foul put an unfortunate ending to the first ball of Will County.