Campton Township, Kane County, Illinois - History, Genealogy & Today

Campton Township

Lilly Lake - Lily Lake

Chicken Grove - Gray Willow P.O.

Fairfield - Swinton - Milo - King's Mill

Campton - Canada Corners - Wasco

Kane County, Illinois

Yes, there once was a lake in Lily Lake! Though, certainly not this large.

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The Geographic Center of Kane County

Lilly Lake, at one time was a significant body of water. Settlement and drainage systems drew water from the lake before the early 1900s. By the 1970s wells had to be dug deep to find good sources of water. This area currently has St. Charles mailing addresses.

Campton Township was originally part of Sandusky precinct, until Fairfield was formed in 1837. By 1840 Campton and Plato were included.

TIMOTHY GARFIELD came from Fairfield, Rutland County, Vermont and is said to have named Fairfield after that community. The community was known as Milo in 1850, but the Kane County Board of Supervisors then named it Campton.

The town meetings were held in the log home of early settler, EBER CHAFFEE. The forward looking towns folk voted in 1874 to build a frame town hall on section 22.

Historical Time Line

1835

JOHN BEATTY of Crawford County, Pennsylvania staked a claim. He passed through Geneva where only HAIGHT & ALLEN were living. BEATTY's claim was later sold to C.H. SHAW. BEATTY built a log cabin, the first in the township, and also staked a claim on land that was later known as the BURR Farm. He didn't stay long, returning to settle in Geneva.
JOHN WHITNEY made claim. His son, MELVIN WHITNEY, later owned the property.
JAMES HACKET arrived from Ohio
LUKE PIKE settled
CHARLES BABCOCK arrived

1836

JOHN BEATTY helped removed Indians from the county.
ATWELL BURR settled.
JAMES WARD came from New York.
Mrs. McCLURE was the first teacher in the log school built on property owned by Mr. LAWSON.

1836-1837

HARRY & SPALDING EDDY came from Genesee County, NY. The later moved on to St. Charles.
JOHN ELLIOT arrived from Thornton, NH

1837

HENRY WARNE built a log cabin in sections 30 and 31. This became a Tavern which served many a weary traveler. CHARITY WARNE, his wife, died February 26, 1864. HENRY followed on March 29, 1864.
Miss MARY LEE taught school at the home of A. FISHER.

1838

A yoke of oxen was used to pull a log along the route to St.Charles. This became the first road.

1840

TIMOTHY GARFIELD opened Garfield Tavern

1841

The township had five school districts. Board of School Trustees - E. CHAFFEE, H.T. CURRIER, T.E. DODGE, CHARLES FLETCHER, ANSEL LAKE, and NELSON WALKER.

1845

Post Office opened at Canada Corners

1849

HENRY WARNE was the first postmaster in the first post office of the township. Initially it was called Fairfield, but was changed to Swinton, as there was another community by the same name. This post office was later moved to Blackberry Station. About this time another postal station was designated at King's Mill under the leadership of Dr. KING. This was later combined with the one at Gray Willow. Both were eventually abandoned.

1868

LARKIN Brothers built a cheese factory at Gray Willow.

1875

Cheese factory established at King's Mill

1884

Cheese factory built by EDWARD THORNTON in Lilly Lake

The first settler at Canada Corners was WILLIAM KENDALL, then came JOHN DURANT. Lilly Lake was initially settled by JAMES OUTHOUSE and E. REED.

Dr. KING was the first minister and physician in the township. He built the first saw mill, known as King's Mill. Water from Lilly Lake Creek was used to operate the old up and down saw (not circular). The first church meetings for Baptist's were held in a log cabin near Kings place. Dr. KING moved away in 1872.