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 Valley Cemetery.
by Robert P. Green
On November 10, 1841, eighty acres of land was purchased from the United States Government by John Brinck. This land is located on the west side of North Mill Road, just north of the toll road and south of Newburg Road. In 1852, Darius Fish and Cornelius DeBois took over the farm as Executors of the John Brinck Estate. The farm was sold to Rufus C. Potter in 1853. His son, James H. Potter purchased the farm from his father in 1869.
In 1889 the farm was sold to Charles Pehl and Alfred Wallis. Mr. Pehl became the sole owner in 1896.
The eighty acres was sold to Gustaf Gustafson and his wife, Hilma, in 1905. They sold it to Ira A. and Hattie F. Green on June 29, 1914. However, about one month before they moved onto the farm, Mr. Gustafson passed away. The ownership of the farm then passed to his son, Grant, Mr. & Mrs. Green then completed the purchase from him.
On April 8, 1954, the farm was purchased by their son and his wife, Robert P. and Frances J. Green. On April 8, 1974, sixty years after the Green Family had purchased the farm, Bob and Fran sold it to Nyquist Moist Realtors. It is now being developed into Cherry North Estates.
Ira A. & Hattie F. Green Family
Ira A. Green was born November 11, 1876, at Lacon, Illinois. His wife, Hattie F. Pope, was born January 15, 1879, in Minonk, Illinois. They were married on December 19, 1906, at Minonk, Illinois, and resided there until moving to the farm on Mill Road in 1915.
Two children, Robert and Mary Ellen, were born to them. Robert was born September 6, 1910, and Mary Ellen on November 29, 1913, at Minonk.
Bob and Mary Ellen attended White Swan School, and they used to walk across the fields with their teacher, Miss Pansy Rowley. Miss Rowley would walk up from Cherry Valley and continue on to the school with her students.
Ira Green farmed for many years before turning the farm over to Bob. He also was Tax Assessor and sold real estate.
He served as a member of the School Board at White Swan School, and was Master of South Guilford Grange. He helped to organize the first Cherry Valley Homecoming. He was a long time Farm Bureau member, and Mrs. Green was a charter member of the Winnebago County Home Bureau, serving on the groups County Board.
Ira Green died June 7, 1960, and Hattie on April 10, 1964. They are buried in Cherry Valley Cemetery.
Bob took over operating the farm in 1928. He also served as Master of South Guilford Grange and on the school board at White Swan School. He married Frances McLarty on August 30, 1947. They have two daughters, Carol (Mrs. John Schroeder), Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, and Margaret. Both are graduates of the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse.
Mary Ellen married Frank L. Johnson on September 8, 1945, while she was in the Navy serving in the Washington D. C. area. They reside on the Mulford farm on Mulford Road. Frank and his family are long time Cherry Valley residents. They have two sons, Richard and Charles. Richard resides with his parents on the Mulford Road farm. He is a graduate of Rockford College and served in the Army in Alaska during the Viet Nam War. Charles is married to Elaine Swanson and they live near Perryville. He is also an Army Veteran, serving in Germany and Viet Nam.
After the purchase of the family farm by Nyquist Moist Realtors, Bob and Fran moved into a new home at the south end of the new development.