Oswego is a village located in Kendall County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 13,326.

Geography

Oswego is located at 41°41'26" North, 88°20'30" West (41.690681, -88.341778).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 17.3 km² (6.7 mi²). 17.0 km² (6.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.50% water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there are 13,326 people, 4,476 households, and 3,692 families residing in the village. The population density is 781.9/km² (2,024.5/mi²). There are 4,591 housing units at an average density of 269.4/km² (697.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the village is 93.49% White, 1.79% African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.79% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 4.99% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 4,476 households out of which 47.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.0% are married couples living together, 6.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 17.5% are non-families. 14.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.96 and the average family size is 3.30.

In the village the population is spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 37.0% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village is $71,502, and the median income for a family is $75,929. Males have a median income of $55,580 versus $32,484 for females. The per capita income for the village is $27,204. 2.8% of the population and 1.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.4% of those under the age of 18 and 3.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Early Oswego

Did you ever stop to wonder how a town came to be? Something must have drawn the people to the place. Whatever the reason, the first basic purpose often lingers and colors everything through its existence.

The beginning was when John, Walter, and Daniel Pearce, with their sister and husband, Rebecca and William Smith Wilson, came to the Fox River in 1832. John and Walter chose claims on the west side of the river. The Wilsons staked a claim in what is Oswego along the Waubonsie creek. The site is marked by a boulder on Route 25 (as number 2 of 24 Heritage Places marked for Oswego's 150th birthday).

Daniel returned to Ohio, sold his farm, and with his family, came to Oswego in 1833, staking his claim east of the Wilson's (number 15 of Heritage Places).

When the father of the Pearces died in Ohio, their mother, Nancy, came to live here. She died in 1840 and was buried on Pearce property. The first family cemetery was located west of the Arbor Valley Building on Route 34.

Wilson sold his claim of 145 acres which covered most of present day Oswego to Walter Loucks, who sold parcels to Lewis Judson, who platted the original Village of Oswego. (The Judson House is number 20 of Heritage Places.)

Oswego was originally called Lodi or Hudson. As Hudson (number 4 of Heritage Places), the early town was on the west side of the Fox. A store building of stone and wood was opposite the present bridge, consisting of four rooms up and down. The upper rooms opened onto a gallery; the lower floor housed a grocery store and post office. My great-grandfather, Charles L. Roberts, was postmaster. A hotel was to the south; a livery stable was near the river for hotel guests and used by traveling circuses for their horses. A foot bridge was used for people to get groceries and mail,

The stone building, now Known as Turtle Rock, built in the 1850's by Cole and Crothers for a manufacturing venture (number 13 of Heritage Places) was used as an ice house and later used by the Seeleys as a barn. Purchased by James Curry, the building was remodeled and opened as a restaurant. Later it reverted to a private residence.

As more folks came, businesses were established in Oswego, the name being changed from Hudson to Oswego. My great-grandfather, William Phillip, was very upset over the name change as he came from Hudson, New York.

The west side was abandoned. The store was moved to the Roberts' farm to the west and used as a granary. Have no idea what became of the hotel or stable.

Well, that was the beginning. And now to other happenings. When the World's Fair of 1893 was scheduled for Chicago, also called the Columbian Exposition, the women in Oswego formed a study climb in preparation for the event. It was called the Columbian Club, which evolved into the Nineteenth Century Club in 1895, and which continued as study club. Eventually, the women would bring books, possibly on the papers they had prepared, and the nucleus of a library began. Money from dues was slotted to buy books. A central place was needed, and the books were only available when the club met. My mother, Helen Richards, learned that the Rank Building (number 10 of Heritage Places) had been left to Oswego for public use. Lawrence Rank, a bachelor, was postmaster many years and also wrote for the newspaper. Mother was appointed to go before the Village Board and ask for use of the building. The Board granted the request, and when Mr. Johnson's store lease expired, he turned over the first floor to the club. Some of the men played cards on the second floor. Husbands of some of the members agreed to install a much-needed roof and the Board was advised to have the fire bell removed. The bell was not removed, so the men did so. You can imagine the repercussions. Also, the card players were vexed, so my mother's name was "mud" for some time. The club women manned the library and in later years Misses Jane and Agnes White assumed the work. Both had worked in libraries. The library was finally housed in the present structure, the club turning over their books, which, I believe, was some 4,O00 volumes. The library is on the site of the Towle Tavern, one of the earliest hotels in Oswego. The bell reposes in front of the fire station on Hain Street.

How many of you have noticed the boulder to the west of the library or at the end of Jefferson which marks the fording of the Fox River? In 1834, Frink and Walker ran a stage from Chicago to Galena, probably stopping at the Towle Tavern. The site is number 1 of Heritage Places.

The street car tracks were laid and the elevation built from the bridge to Main Street. Traffic started over the line from Aurora to Yorkville in 1900 and continued until the late 1920's. An accident occurred on the line between Oswego and Montgomery when a car from Aurora was supposed to wait in Montgomery but failed to do so, and they ran together. The motorman had his feet cut off. The motorman was Mr. DeGerald and the conductor, Red Hoag. No one else apparently was hurt. I happened to be on the car going to Aurora to business college. I have often wondered how I returned home. It is all very hazy.

The river used to freeze over for weeks at a time in the early days, and when it broke up, would overflow and leave large chunks of ice from the lumberyard to the river and traffic was held up. The road was later filled in.

Oswego had a baseball team which played on the flats where the sanitary plant is located. The battery composed of Glen and Oliver Leigh. At one time the high school boys practiced there. Years before, there was a slaughter house operated by the Knapps.

At one time Oswego had two telephone exchanges. One approximately where the bakery is and the other upstairs in the building south of the alley,

Oswego had an outstanding Red Cross Chapter which met in the then township building on the hill on Washington Street, which is now the Kuhn Building. A committee prepared the hall and served the dinner, providing coffee, tea, rolls, and butter, and members brought food. When I say prepared the room, there was no heat except a coal stove and gas for cooking. Water, coal, etc., baa to be carried. Finally a man was hired to make the fire so the room would be fairly comfortable by the time of the meeting. Average attendance was from 25 to 35. The Red Cross Chapter was especially active from 1927 through World War II. Many articles for men in hospitals, as,veil as layettes, comforters and clothing for needy in the Township. were made. Monies were collected for disaster relief overseas. The Chapter was disbanded in 1968 due to lack of interest by younger persons and the age of members.

Oswego seemed to be a great town for school reunions. The Old School Mates, which met for many years, was the age group of my grandmother and grandfather. Average attendance was 30 to 40. Next was the Duffy School Picnic. Christofer Duffy was school principal for many years and their reunion was a large one. Frank Vanderlip, who was born on a farm east of Oswego, belonged to this group. He went to New York City and was a famous financier both here and overseas. Articles regarding his career appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. In 1917, the picnic was held at the Dully home in Ottawa and 82 persons attended, including sons, daughters, grandchildren, and friends. Charles Newman was principal for many years, and this reunion attracted a large number. I have one picture of a gathering that was held in the school yard where the bank and post office are now; 143 attended. My mother was in this group. Later some of the women met for a picnic and reunion and called themselves "The Old Stone School Mates" and were various ages.

Dances were part of the legend of Oswego in the early days and I want you to Know we had dancing school here. The second year after the lesson, the Masonic hall was thrown open to the public for a fee, having a four-piece orchestra from Aurora. Of course the evening only lasted until the last car to Aurora, which I think was 11:30.

I want to tell you of two other clubs in Oswego. The M. D.'s and W.L. The M. D.'s were the Merry Dames; a fun club of women who went to great extremes for the meetings. One, I remember as my mother belonged, was a wedding they had at Minnie Johnson's home at the corner of Route 25 and Chicago road. The last meeting was a funeral at the home of Mrs. Folk. The guests viewed the corpse by looking in a mirror in the bottom of a box. The U. L. was the Wilted Lettuce which began by Mrs. Barker inviting some of the ladies, after Nineteenth Century Club, to come to her house for wilted lettuce, It expanded to a goodly number for a few years.

I have made mention of different places in Oswego being numbered, and perhaps some of you do not Know of this project. In 1973, Paul Shoger proposed that a Heritage Committee be started to gather data and mark some places of historic interest in Oswego, and also to mare plans for the 150th birthday in 1983. Sponsored by Myron Wormley, Supervisor of Oswego Township, a committee was formed: Margaret Rogerson, Arthur Davis, Max Cutter, Mabel Carpenter, Chasta Fenneil, Ford Lippold, Paul and me. Funds were provided through Revenue Sharing from Oswego Township. Twenty-four sites were marked, either by boulders or numbers on houses, At this time work was started on the history of Oswego, the book available by 1983. A different committee worked on the book. A brochure giving numbers and data concerning each site is available at the library or the Little White School}. I wonder how many of you have gone on this tour.

Oswego had two authors. Emma Murdock Van Deventer, wife of Dr. Van Deventer, wrote mysteries under the pen name of Lawrence L. Lynch. A copy of one of her books is available in the library. The other author was Samuel M. Crothers, who was born in the Crothers-Jolly-Denney House (number 8 of Heritage Places). When he was born, the nurse wrapped him in blankets and carried him through the transom to the too of the house so that he might be "high-minded." He was one of the youngest to be graduated from Princeton University and then became a noted preacher and author. My great-grandmother, Margaret Phillips Young, had one of his books which went to Mother's aunt and whose daughter sent it to Princeton University.

I want to mention that four ladies of the Nineteenth Century Club wrote papers in 1907 of the early days of Oswego. The articles were published in the Oswego newspaper and are available on microfilm in the library. The women were Margaret Phillips Young, Mrs. O. Hebert, Mrs. M. E. Jeneson and Helen McKinney Pogue. The first three came to Oswego in an early day and Mrs. Pogue was born here.

There are a number of homes and farms occupied by the same family for 100 years or more: the Hemm farm on Wolf Road, the Russell farm on Grove Road, the Wormley farm on Route 31, and the Crothers house, now occupied by a Denney, about a fourth generation to do so. When consulting Paul Shover on some names, etc., he said "What about your own house?" My mother was two when her parents, J. W. and Carrie Young Roberts, purchased the property in 1883 and as I am 86--figure it out for yourself. This reminds me of the story of a character in Oswego who, when people asked how old he was, would reply, "Born in Hay, figure it out yourself."

One item more I thought might be of interest. A geological survey of Illinois was being made and when the survey was in Oswego, discovered a snail never before seen or classified. So it was sent to Washington, where it received the name Tentaculitis Oswegonesis. Oswego was named before the snail.

Now to do a little bragging. My grandfather, M. C. Richards, invented the door hanger, among other things, which culminated in the Richards-Wilcox Manufacturing Company in Aurora. The inventor never reaps the harvest.

My great-grandmother, Margaret Phillips Young, was the first president of the Columbian Club and wrote a paper on early Oswego in 1907. I am the fourth generation to belong to the Nineteenth Century Club. As is, there may be other third-generation members, but I know of only one--Rachel Fosgett.

Lastly, there are two descendants of early families in the Kendall County Genealogical Society: Tom Nelson in the Pearce line and June Strappazon of the Bartlett-Minkler family.

The Bartletts were blacksmiths and their shop was on Bartlett's Creek. (The Bartlett house is #5 of Heritage Places.) The story is that Chief Shabbona brought his horses for shoes, and Mrs. Bartlett always fed all that came.

I want to add a postscript. The first church services were held at the Daniel Pearce home (number 15 of Heritage Places) by Methodist circuit riders. Later, in 1854, the Greek Revival building was dedicated on October 15, by the Methodist Episcopal Society, now known as the Little White School (number 3 of Heritage Places). --Barbara Richards March '98

Oswego High School

Oswego High School 4250 Daryl Thompson Hwy. Oswego, IL 60543-5219 Phone: 630-636-2000 Fax: 630-554-7160 School ID No.: 1519 School Web Site: www.oswego308.org/ohs Conference: Suburban Prairie Boys Nickname: Panthers Girls Nickname: Panthers Colors: Blue/Orange Enrollment: 2010 (Class AA) Type: Public Coed School Year: County: Kendall Cities in District: Oswego, Montgomery, Aurora Board Division: 3 Legislative District: 9

Oswego East High School

1525 Harvey Road Oswego, IL 60543 Phone: 630-636-2224 Fax: 630-554-6085 School ID No.: 1522 School Web Site: http://www.oswego308.org/wolfathletics Conference: Suburban Prairie Boys Nickname: Wolves Girls Nickname: Wolves Colors: Navy Blue and Silver Enrollment: 1426(2) (Class AA) Type: Public Coed School Year: 8/25/2004 - 6/6/2005 County: Kendall Cities in District: Oswego, Aurora, and Montgomery Board Division: 3 Legislative District: 9

External links

Oswego, Illinois Official Website