In 1841, John Brinck purchased eighty acres of land on North Mill Road, Cherry Valley. This land changed hands several times, with notable owners including Rufus C. Potter, Charles Pehl, and Gustaf Gustafson. In 1914, Ira A. Green and his wife Hattie bought the farm, moving there in 1915. Ira farmed the land, served as a tax assessor, and was active in community organizations. Their son, Robert P. Green, took over the farm in 1928. Robert and his wife Frances later sold the farm in 1974 for development into Cherry North Estates. Ira and Hattie Green are buried in Cherry…
John H. Gorsuch, his wife Leora, and daughter Laura June moved from Rockford to Cherry Valley on June 1, 1936. Sons John R. (Jack) and Gerald (Jerry) were born in 1937 and 1942, respectively. John purchased land and built their home from an old interurban streetcar. He later built additional homes and ran several businesses, including a root beer stand and restaurants. Jack served in the Marine Corps, and Jerry graduated from DeVry Technical College. John H. was an Explorer Advisor, leading various activities for local boys. The Gorsuch family lived in Cherry Valley for 28 years before relocating to…
The Garrett family, originating from the Isle of Man, settled in America in 1827. Thomas Garrett and his wife, Margaret Kewish, initially lived in Painesville, Ohio, before moving to Rockford, Illinois, in 1838. Thomas, Rockford’s first shoemaker, later acquired a farm on Mulford Road. Their descendants, including Thomas’s son Will Garrett, played significant roles in the local community, with Will serving in various township positions and being active in the Masonic Lodge. The Garrett legacy continued through multiple generations, contributing to the development and history of Cherry Valley, Illinois.
William Gable and his wife, Betsey (Leib), arrived in Cherry Valley from Erie County, New York, in 1849 with their seven children. They settled on eighty acres of government land. William briefly served in the Civil War. Their son, Henry Gable, married Minerva Wood and remained in Cherry Valley, raising two children, Fannie and Chester. Fannie married Alden E. Cramer, while Chester married Flora Ward, and they had sons John N. and Harvey J. Gable. The Gable family’s legacy includes farming and local contributions, with their descendants continuing to reside in the area.
John Fisher, born on April 8, 1819, in Pennsylvania, moved to Illinois in 1849 and settled in Winnebago County in 1865. He married Sally Mason, born in December 1819, and they had thirteen children. John operated a successful flour mill in Cherry Valley with his son Solomon. He and Sally lived at 417 Genoa Road before retiring to Louisiana. Their son William F. Fisher, born on September 20, 1858, in Ogle County, Illinois, married Phoebe Castle and had four children. William and Phoebe retired to Cherry Valley. Their son, Herbert William Fisher, born on April 14, 1889, was a carpenter…
Thaddeus and Katherine Kirkland Davis, early pioneers from New York, settled in Rockford, Illinois, in 1839. Their son Jacob, born in 1833, married Harriet Campbell, and they had two sons and a daughter. Abram E. Davis, Jacob and Harriet’s son, purchased a farm on Mill Road and had a son, Fred, born in 1894. Fred, who served in World War I, later developed Davisville and served on the Cherry Valley School Board. He married Emma Enders in 1932, and they had two daughters, Anne and Leslie. The Davis family has a long history of community involvement and land ownership in…
Charles Benson Culver, born in 1873 in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, married Mary Adams, born in 1880 in Beath, Scotland, in 1903. The couple moved to Cherry Valley in 1906, where they opened the town’s first general merchandise store. Their home at 113 North Van Buren Street was where they raised their three children: John Classon, Charles David, and Ruby Mae. The store was a central hub until a devastating fire in 1928 destroyed it. Charles subsequently opened a gas station on the same lot. Both Charles and Mary died in 1956. Their descendants have since spread across various states, continuing…
Dr. Charles Edward Klontz brought the Klontz name to Cherry Valley in 1904 when he began his medical practice after graduating from Northwestern University Medical School. He married Elizabeth Wilmira Case, a Knox College Conservatory of Music graduate and daughter of David and Emma Case. The couple initially lived in Rockford but soon returned to Cherry Valley, where Dr. Klontz practiced until his death in 1947. They had four children: Edward, Gladys, David, and Charles Jr. Dr. Klontz was known for his dedicated community service, house calls, and contributions to the local medical and farming communities. His legacy continued through…
Amon Case, born October 8, 1816, in Hoosick, New York, was a Cherry Valley pioneer who purchased his first farm in 1846. He married Mary Jane Lamb in 1846, and they moved to Cherry Valley, Illinois, settling on a 160-acre farm. Amon became a prominent farmer, acquiring over 2500 acres and raising large herds of livestock. The couple were active in the Cherry Valley Baptist Church. They had five children: Amy, Charles, David, Joseph, and Elizabeth. Amon died in 1883, and Mary Jane in 1908. Their descendants continued to play significant roles in Cherry Valley’s development and community life.
Martin Chesak, born in 1861, and his wife Anna, also born in 1861, moved to Cherry Valley from Trenton, Wisconsin, in 1895. They bought a farm that was part of John Brown’s broom corn farm and had three daughters: Mamie, Kathryn, and Rose. Martin died in 1941, and Anna in 1935. Mamie married Len Johnson in 1908, and they had six children. Len operated a lunch room and the creamery wagon service. Kathryn married Bill Oberg, running the Cricket confectionery, while Rose died young. Descendants of the Chesak family, including the Nymans and Lofquists, have continued to live and contribute…