THE HISTORY OF RUTLAND, IL
Transcribed by Nancy Piper
Most of Rutland lies within the boundaries of LaSalle County, but a small fraction of the village lies within Marshall County limits . This is compromised of Burns additon layed out on section 12 and 13, town 29, range 1 east.
In March, 1855, a company was formed in Rutland, Vermont, that was called the "Vermont Emigration Association." It was organized "for the purpose of settling a section of country in the west, where social, religious and civil privileges may be enjoyed". A committee was appointed "to proceed to the west, to select a site for a village in the midst of government land, where each member may obtain a quarter section or more of land at the minimum price." Dr. H.D. Allen was elected president of the association; William W. Ingraham, vice president; Dr. O. Cook, secretary; B. Kirkaldie, treasurer. They also elected a board of 13 directors.
In May of 1855, a locating commitee went out to Iowa and other parts of the west to try to find land suitable for their purposes. They finally determined that the land which was at that time on the line of the Illinois Central Railroad was suitable for their needs. The proposed village sight was located on a somewhat level prairie in the midst of exceedingly productive farmland.
The association agreed to the location and twenty-two thousand acres of land lying in Marshall, LaSalle and Livingston counties were purchased from the railroad company and speculators, who had recently purchased it from the government. Each member of the association was entitled to a building lot on the central part of the tract and 160 acres of farm land.
The village was laid out in November, 1855, and was named by the settlers "New Rutland", after their old home. The first house was built by John Wadleigh, November 1, 1855. He hauled the lumber from Wenona Station. That winter, another house was built and a large boarding was built the summer of 1856. During 1856 and 1857, many of the members of the association arrived in New Rutland and started building the village. A school house was built in 1857. A Congregation church was founded February 15, 1858 with 26 members and a Baptist church was organized on January 15, 1859. By 1860, half of the organization (approximately 60 familes) had arrived and settled.
During its early years "New Rutland" achieved a reputation of being one of the best shipping point along the Illinois Central Railroad. Vast quantities of corn, cattle and hogs were raised for shipment in the surrounding area. Extensive warehouses were built at New Rutland to accomidate the trade. In the year ending December 1, 1879 there was shipped from this point, 61 car loads of cattle and hogs and 464 car loads of grain. Since a railroad car held 400 bushels of grain to a car, this would make 181,600 bushels shipped.
The "New" was dropped from Rutland's name before 1900 and the postoffice and village have gone by the name of Rutland ever since. Rutland's population grew at its peak to about 600 people. At one time there were four churches, the Christian of Cambellite Adventists, Methodist, Congregational and Catholic. Each of these churches had a church and residence for a pastor. There were also stores, shops, a grist mill, and an elevator.
There is a story about the first saloon built in Rutland. A building was put up for a saloon and had a successful business. Apparently the people of the village didn't want "unsavory" elements in their village and one night they turned out and demolished the establishment. The owner pressed charges against them and several persons who were identified as being among the mob were fined.
Rutland's population has remained about the same at approximately 500 people. The small businesses have been replaced by super stores in the larger communities. Rutland still has two churches, Christian and Catholic, a grain elevator and tavern.
From the settlement at Rutland a few settlers settled in the easter part of Bennington and a few adventurous ones struck out into the western part about the same time.
It was soon found that the land was not only susceptible of cultivation, but that it was extremely fertile, and the crops raised were much better than those in the timbered land, and it was but a very short time before the land was all taken up and farm houses sprung up in every direction. But a serous problem arose, and that was how to fence the farms. In the timber was plenty of stuff for rails, but the hauling of them eight or ten miles was too much to be undertaken, and to fence with lumber too expensive for the condition of their finances.
About this time the legislature passed an act giving the township the privilege of deciding by a vote whether cattle and hogs should be permitted to run at large. At the next spring election Bennington submitted the question to the people and the vote was nearly an unanimous "No" and that township was the first in this section of country to try to raise crops without fences, the cattle being either herded or shut up.
We have said that Bennington was the youngest of the townships, for at the time that township organization was adopted by the other townships, in 1850, Bennington did not have a settler in it, and Saratoga, a similar township, was not much better off. It filled up sooner, however, than Bennington, and was granted a town organization in September, 1855 and Bennington did not become a town until December 1856.
Not much more can be said about the early settling of Bennington. After it began to settle, in an incredibly short time the land was all taken up, and as the land could be brought under cultivation simply by plowing, no fences being needed, no timber to clear off nor stumps to pull, it was very rapidly brought under cultivation, the water soon disappeared from the depressions, the connecting sloughs dried up and the system of drainage which has been adopted make it the best farming land in the county. At least it is not excelled by any.
Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties
by John Spencer Burt and W.E. Hawthorne
Chicago, The Pioneer Publishing Co, Published 1907