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Wilmettes 75th Anniversary 1872-1947September 18, 1947his first tasks were surveying theLatch-Stringfour-mile limit of Northwestern Always OutWilmette Gotuniversity, the Skokie ditch andthe Big ditch.* * *atTelephones in Westerfields HomeAstronomy also interested himand he could often be found at nightFirsin his apple orchard, perched in onet Village President<$> oWinter of 92f the trees studying the skyOnce Entertained for Mem-about 1840, by ship from Buffalo,through a telescope. Another one ofChicagos Columbian expositionremaining a short time and then re-bershis hobbies was playing the flute. of Passing Carnivalwas still in the blueprint stage; theturning to New York where he laterHe particularly enjoyed doing thisnation was talking about Bi-metal-| sold his ship-building business.on winter evenings, with his familylism, and gold and silver parity;John Gedney Westerfield, Wil-* * *grouped around the fireplace ofmetteand the first electric motor to bes first village president, wasHetheir home, which is still standing came back here aboutrun by alternating current wasconsidered a very hospitable man.Hi1850, when he purchased a farmdressed for its debut.s latch string was always out,Manodr tuias rynow owned by the Scott, 1118 Greenleaf avenue.accordingof 200 acres along the lake shore, to story, and he wel-ThThis was the winter of 1892. Wil-e Antoine Ouilmette cabin,Mr. Westerfield was marriedcomed any traveler passing throughmette was 20 years old. And Wil-standing vacant along the lake,about 1844, to Rebecca Dingee,the village to spend the night eitherwasmette villagers, hunched in coats on his farm and intact untildaughter of Solomon Dingee of Newin his house or barn.Yorkand jackets appropriate for Febru-. They had four children,Th1865, when he tore it down toe extent of his hopitality issaveary near the lake watched in anti- it from washing into theCharles P., Mary, Frank M., andshown in an incident which oc-lake. He attempted, accordingHarry D. Harry was the first sta-cipation as Alexander Graham Bellscurred while his wife was visitingto a member of his family, totion agent of the Chicago, Milwau-I new and faster kind of communica-her brother, Squire Dingee, in Ra-keep some of these logs forkee and St. Paul railroad depot atI tions was being brought to them. Avenswood, 111. It was in the fall ofhistoric record but they wereEvanston.public pay telephone, a "toll sta-the year, a carnival was passinglater lost. The rest of the cabin* * *tion," was installed on the premisesWaloenstge rfGielrdeen Bay road and Mr.material he used for construct-Besides serving the village asof M. E. Mueller, and the village, in the absence of hiswifeing a shelter for his live stock.its first president, Mr. Wester-had its first inter-city telephone, invited the entertainers to field was village trustee fromservice.lodge with him. All went well, sothe story goes, until Mrs. Wester-H1872 to 1877 and village clerke became interested in theWithin the following two or threefield returned and found the snakeNortfrom 1879 to 1891. He held theh Western pickle works andtownship offices of clerk fromyears, the idea caught on, and morecharmers pets in her kitchen andbuilt a pickle factory at the corner1882 to 1885, and highway com-telephones began to make appear-the fat lady and the living skeletonof Lake avenue and Sheridan road,ance in homes and businessesstaying in her house.whicmissioner from 1875 to 1878.h he operated for 10 years. He*throughout the village. There was a * *is considered one of the men whorumor going around then that Wil-Mr * Mrs. Westerfield was a charterf. Westerners hospitalitymette, contiguous to the NorthernandWirests tintroduced that industry to themember of the Baptist church in. After discontinuing the manu- enthusiasm about the fu-boundary of Evanston. would soonturefacturingEvanston. Seldom missing a Sun- of pickles, he developed a prospects of the regionbe a part of that university town.broughtstrainday, she drove to the neighboring of cucumber which was later many people, includingIn fact, the telephone company wasmanyknown as the Westerfield.community in a two wheel cart. of his relatives, here andquite sure of it and decided to con-from their settlement the Vil-Mr. Westerfield also built a vine-tinue to serve Wilmettes subscriberslage of Wilmette has grown.gar factory and an ice house on theMMrsr. Westerfield died in 1892 and. Westerfield in 1890.from the Evanston exchange rather Westerfield*margin of the lake, near the presentA portrait of Mr. * *Asite of the Wilmette waterworks.hangs in the council chamber of descendant of one of theWthailnm eetstetablish a separate one for. * *"Knickerbocker"the village hall. rffiealmilies in NewYorkAs it was customary for youngLocal Exchange, Mr. Wested was born inYonkersmen of that time to have a pro-, in 1822, and in early lifeHenry W. Miller Waswasfession in addition to their busi- engaged in ship building inNew York.ness, Mr. Westerfield becameWilmetteWBilumt,e ttby 1896, when there were 11e customers, the companys Treasurergeneral superintendent stated in hisHe first came to this regioninterested in surveying. AmongForannual report that the possibility of Term of 27 YearsEvanstons annexing Wilmette wasHarry Winfield Miller was villa,2rbecoming remote, and he recognizedtreasurer from 1913 to his death in"a movement upon the part of1940, a consecutive term of 27 years.Activ(Wilmette) citizens for a local ex-e in many civic projects, hechange." It was up to the village24was 77 at the time of his death.board. "If it would modify the ex-WMilmr.e tMtiller and his wife came toisting ordinance accordingly." hee in 1905. In 1913 he warwrote, "the demand will be met."first elected village treasurer. UponcompletionAnd it was. of his 25th year as treas-urer, the village board adopted FBy July, 1897, a local exchangeICGresolution of appreciation of thewas established at Wilmette avenuehigh service he had renderedand West Railroad avenue (GreenHe was also a member of Wil-Bay road). Theres a drug store onmette Lodge No. 931 A. F andthat corner now; and there was aAdrug store then. The new telephonepqourW. heM., the Consistory and Shrine.n the First Federal Savings and ownf lantexchange, built in the back of theLoan Association of Wilmette wasstore, was to be managed by drug-aorganized in 1934, he was chosengist Samuel C. Sexauer, shown ontreasurer and served until histhe Bell telephone companys rec-death.I ords as the "popular and progres-\~jrthcJLocatFor 33 years Mr. Miller was cmiionsive druggust."nected with the First National Banko"Everything Booming"f Chicago, in charge of the s^r-uH-(ies service department. In 1927 h""Everything is booming in thisWEretired from that position and d?-uburban town," the general super- CARRY THE FINEST ORIENTALS, oted his time to civic treasure-intendent reported that year. "A dir-ships.| ect toll circuit was provided . . .ANDHis wife preceded him in deathThere are 28 telephones . . . And NATIONALLY ADVERTISEDby 18 years. There were no chil-more t^nn four miles of pole lines."dren.(Continued on page 109)BROADLOOMS AND CARPETINGThis seems a fitting time to express our appre-ciation to those who have helped to fill ourmeasure of success to overflowing.JC MESTJIANSUNDAY AFTERNOON Mrs. Jack W. Mayfield, 121 Sixteenthstreet (she was Miss Katherine Neithaver then) and Miss Tillie 511 GREEN BAY ROADWIL 5051Engels, photographed during a pleasant Sunaav afternoon spinthrough the groves and meadows of Wilmette of yesteryear. (Phototaken by Thomas Gillette and loaned from collection of H. F. Dusham.)