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Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947WILMETTE LIFEAdroit Sparring MarkedEarliest Elections HereTrustees Balloted ManyTimes to Choose Presidents,MeeSecond Presidentt Finance Problemof Village ServedAlthough the Village was incor-porated during the spring and sum-with General Grantmer of 1872. the first meeting ofWilmettes second Village presi-the newly-elected board of trusteesdent, Benjamin M. Munn, accord-did not occur until November 8 ofing to story, suggested to Governorthat year in the home of A. T. Sher-manRichard Y a t e s, 1136 Greenleaf avenue.during theThere seems to be no record of theopening of theelection of the first trustees and theCivil War thatmanner of their selection is obscure,the man mostbut the official minutes reveal thatneeded in the or-Alexander McDaniel, Charles T.ganization ofBoggs, A. T. Sherman, BenjaminMState troops. Munn, Amos Shantz, and JohnGwas Capt. Ulys-. Westetfield composed the board.ses S. Grant,Memberswho later Chose Presidentachieved greatIn those days the village presi-military fameFIRST POLICEMEN Representing the law as it existed in earlierdent was chosen by the trusteesand becamedays, the officers pictured above guarded the peace and welfare offrom the board membership. Be-President of theGross Point, when the police force of that community consisted offore the first village president. JohnGbut the two. It was their job to see thai roaming domestic animals. Westerfield, was selected the sixB. M. Munn United States"were kepi off the sidewalks, and to prevent foraging cows from enter-directors had to ballot seven times.Mr. Munn, then Captain Munn,ing stores and consuming the green vegetables. They also were presentMr. McDaniel was chosen villagewho was in Springfield helping or-at all the dances, picnics, celebrations and other public events, justtreasurer and on motion Charles A.ganize the 7th Regiment Illinoisto see that everything went off all right.Vail was appointed village clerk andInfantry, had become acquaintedMatthias A. Gedney, street commis-with Captain Grant at Galena, 111.,The honor of being the first po-sioner and constable.while he was teaching in the publicMrschools there. During the first yearlice officer of Gross Point goes to. McDaniel and Mr. Boggs wereappointedof the war, Captain Munn was inPeter J. Schaefgen (left). He was on motion to select a suit-ableGeneral Grants command. official seal.born in that village in 1855 and livedEncounteIn 1869, Mr. Munn moved to Wil-r Finance Problemthere until his death in 1927. Ap-Minutemette and during 1872-73 he wass of the meeting of Feb-deputypointed as policeman in 1886, he collector of internal revenue.ruary 3, 1873, indicate that thoseA lawyer, Mr. Munn later was as-served for the first 10 years onlypioneer officials met with difficultysistant corporation counsel of Chi-on Sundays, holidays, and specialin securing funds with which to op-cago, under the late Hon. Jesse O.erateevents. After 1896, he served full the village, because recordNorton, and was acting counsel foris made that Henry A. Dingee,time, his hours being from 8 a.m.Esq.several months. He was elected, would make a loan to the vil-president of the village in 1873 and juntil 8 p.m.lage on condition that the membersoserved for one year.fAt 8 p.m. he went to the Chicago the board of trustees would en-dorseand North Western depot in Wil-, the bond of the village andBorn February 11, 1826, Mr.that the interest rate should be 10Munn spent his youth and earlymotte and worked until midnight.-per cent per annum.manhood on his fathers farm. He |His services as policeman numbered VAccordinattended district schools and Wil-19 years. He was the father of John >g to the minutes of aliams college and after studyingP. Schaefgen, 1935 Birchwood ave-board meeting held March 3. 1873,law in Boston, was admitted to thenthe next village election was evident-bar in 1852.Wuiel,m ewthto served 21 years with thee police department beforely held on the third Tuesday ofAprilHehis retirement in 1938. spent two years teaching,, 1873, with the railroad depotservingserving as principal of the Rising as the place for polling thePeter Schaefgens associate wasSun (Indiana) Female Seminary, votes. Two of the candidates forJoseph Engels (right). He was alsoand of the Charleston (Illinois)trustee, Mr. McDaniel and Mr. West-born in Gross Point, living thereerAcademy. He also was in chargef i eld, served as judges of theircontinuously until his death in 1940.ownof one of the public schools in Ga- elections.lena, 111.DEAN MisActing as a special police officers Elizabeth E. Pack-Develowhen occasions demanded, he wasp Hot ContestMrer was a member of the faculty. Munn died in 1900 at the ageofficially appointed to the force inAof New Trier Township Hight a meeting on April 17, 1873.of 74 years, and is buried in Rose-1892. He served for 25 years, retiringschool from the day its doorsthe votes were canvassed and thehill cemetery.successfuopenedin 1917. in February, 1901, untill candidates declared. Thismeetingher retirement 40 years later. was adjourned to April 21,whenFor most of those years she the new trustees were qualifiedand the old board dissolved. A hotAmocipally in scouting and skirmishs Shantz Servedserved as dean of girls and fourduty in Missouri.contestimes she was acting superin-t developed when the newboard3 Years as Presidenttendent.Was College President proceeded to elect a new presi-dent Benjamin M. Munn, Mr. West-ServinAfter the war he was for fiveg the village as presidentyears president of Hedding college,erfields successor, was not electedfrom 1875 to 1878, Amos Shantz wasuntil the 15th ballot.a member of the first board of trus-VillageAbingdon, 111. He then moved to PresidentCook county, and, after a shortNotees in 1872, and continued as at until after the village hadbeenmember on that board until 1878. incorporated a sear did oneoHeMiltonresidence in Glencoe, became a C. Springerresident of Wilmette in May, 1873. again served as trustee froml the village fathers point out thatHe was active in the development ofthe action was not quite "official"untiW188il0m etott 1883. Mr. Shantz came toe from Philadelphia in 1871,lOnceresidential property in the com- College Head the treasurer sent in their fee tomakinmunity and was one of the foundersg his home at 803 Lake ave-the secretary of the State of Illinois.Thisnue.Twiceof the Wilmette Methodist church. elected village president. cost the village exactly onedollarMilton Cushing Springer was for.He was elected village trustee inVImany years prominently identified1887. In those days the trusteesCharlesWLLilAliaGE PRESIDENTm Henry Alexander, villagewith civic affairs of the village.chose the president from their own Westerfield Waspresident since 1945, was born inBorn at Hennepin, HI., in 1837, henumber and Mr. Springer wasEarlyCarroll county, 111., in 1902. Astudied at Illinois Wesley an andselected for a one-year term. He Village Officialgraduate of Knox college and theCharleNorthwestern universities, and atwas elected president again in April,s P. Westerfield. son of JohnUniversity of Chicago law school,GGarrett Biblical institute, receiving1890, but died in office in December. Westerfield, was village clerkhe was admitted to the bar in 1930.of thajt year.from 1875 to 1878 and township clerk,Hde served as a village trustee fromWehgirlees from both the latteT schools.e a student at Northwestern, he1876Two of his sons were also active to 1878. Learnin surveying1941 to 1945 and was a member ofassisted in rescue work at the timein civic life. George W. Springer wasfrom his father, Mr. Westerfield be-the playground board from 1943 toocame a civil engineer and was1945. He and Mrs. Alexander, theWf inthnee tk"aLady Elgin" shipwreck offa village trustee in 1897 and 1898 and.deputyvillage president from 1900 to 1902. surveyor in Cook county andformer Miss Jane Ashcraft, live atcounty surveyor in Laekgea ncounty. He1025 Mohawk road. They have sixDuring the Civil war he served asLewis B. Springer was a state rep-later moved to Wauk. 111.children.a captain in the Union army, prinresentative from 1923 to 1927.