Please Don't Quote Me By Caralee Aschenbrenner PART II Daniel Webster was an American idol of his time. Not as a singer, mind you, but an orator, statesman and politician, his voice described as "rich and varied music ... Along with the penetrating splendor of his eyes gave his spoken wordsa glory that we cannot recover as effectively when his speeches are in print."

In the days before radio, television, film those who could publicly orate built up devoted audiences, often of tens of thousands to hear ideas and debates important in the day. Daniel Webster was said to be the most admired of them all. And though he became both a Representative in Congress two different times from two different states and a Senator, plus serving as Secretary of State under William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, he still yearned to be president. His tenure as a statesman was deeply affective in plotting out timely diplomatic treaties and issue. Webster, despite personal weaknesses was a celebrity of some magnitude.

It would be no wonder then that if a group was in the process of selling property to promote and develop a town out West in the "wilderness" of Illinois, having Daniel Webster's name on the project's patent to endorse it would be of interest, local or not.

So it was in Prophetstown in 1838 when it was being laid out and platted, its proprietors being Erastus Nichols, Jabez Warner, James Craig, Dixon Morehouse, George Campbell (those last three lived in Galena) and Asa Crook, the first white settler at the oxbow of the Rock River, and Daniel Webster, too, to whom a piece of the property was given "for the influence of his great name, Prophetstown can exultingly exclaim in that the godlike Daniel was one of its first proprietors."

Just as today we're to be swayed because Michael Jordan wears a certain athletic shoe or Tiger Woods drives a brand name luxury automobile, back in the 1830's they were already doing the same sales campaigns. Daniel Webster's name on a "product" may have sold some acreage down there in Whiteside County but no record is found of it.

By the late 1830's when this incident occurred and the 1840's the fortunes of Portland, five miles west of P-town were already dwindling. Its "fortunes" had grown rapidly in the short time of its history (last week). Reference material does say that Portland and Prophetstown were "rivals." They'd been much alike at their beginnings though there's no record of a hole-in-the ground abode at P-town! But its founders were hustlers and they were settling in at the former site of three villages of the native American with the celebrated Indian chief, the Prophet, the leader there. A river crossing had developed on a trail to the lead mines from the south of Illinois so, naturally, there was traffic and the possibility of trade. Portland thus faded.

In the way of the times buildings were moved one place to another in the entire, just as a chair might be. Jacked up and raised to the up side of huge logs rolled in coordination across the landscape via horsepower, it was recycling of the utmost. One of the first mentioned as being moved from Portland was in 1841a "store of goods" belonging to Dodge and Wiggins which once in Prophetstown persisted until the 1870's when replaced by a stately brick.

That same year, 1841, there is note of a hotel from Portland which made its cumbersome way east five miles also and where with "additions and extensions" made to it over the years, it became quite a "commodious structure."

The Rock River House, as it was called in its early day, was a "well-known, much patronized hotel. Probably no public house in this section of the country had wider fame. The public was sure to find at the Rock River House a bountifully supplied table and acceptable accommodations. Its destruction by fire in March, 1872 removed one of the landmarks of the county. The loss, however, is well made up by the present Seely House." (1877)

Even though the ORIGINAL c. 1840's hotel may have been mostly destroyed another old structure was again moved to the site. It also was moved from Portland.

That hotel was built in 1856 by S.M. Seely and kept by him as a hotel for two years. Col. E. Seely then moved into it and continued the business for about two years, when it was purchased by M.V. Seely who occupied it as a farm house and hotel for twelve years (then) in 1872 Mr. Seely had it moved to Prophetstown at a cost of four hundred dollars. He then had it remodeled, plastered and painted and formally opened in December 25, 1872." You recall from last week that Norman Seely was the digger of the hole in the ground. Those Seelys were really into holes, homes and hospitality, weren't they?

The Seely House eventually had twenty-eight rooms for the use of the traveling public. Following its 1872 opening and the Seely regime, others took on the ownership "with entertainment in a satisfactory style. Rates were two dollars a day ... It served as a community meeting place and for civic and social clubs and as for the dining at one time it was in the basement. It later became known as the Eureka Inn.

While the present day Eureka may not be the c. 1840's structure it started out to be it is almost one hundred forty years old, a venerable structure with those attractive accents which definitely spell out an era long past. In an era today in which a thing is manufactured to easily become disposable, its a treat to see the wide, curved molding the welcoming foyer with the open stairs and long bannister, low ceilings. It's heart and pulse to the lover of historic sites.

The present owners are Cheri and Joe Waite who have been proprietors since 1988. If previous cooks were as good a cook as Cheri, its no wonder the restaurant has persisted this long ... Yeast rolls smothered in pecans, ham balls to drool over, prime rib and catfish a speciality!!!! (815) 537-5571!!!!! If going on Route 78 south through downtown Prophetstown turn left at 3rd Street; the Eureka is the first on the left, parking lot beside it. The street becomes a road to Rock Falls, passing across Route 88 on to near Como and Route 30. Another scenic northwest Illinois route. We promote the Eureka Inn here because it so speaks of the past, a rare communication.

During the 1830's-'40's when the Midwest was still frontier, Daniel Webster meanwhile was deeply involved in politics and diplomatic statesmanship. Disappointed that he had not been called to head the Whig Party in the presidential election, he contemplated returning to private life on his two farms; one in Massachusetts, the other in Maine, to rest and formulate new ideas though he was in dire need of straightening out his finances. Reference gives that his family had expensive tastes and he did also! Webster liked the social life, all kinds of social life. Social life was expensive and he had no ability to handle his money ... "He liked to eat and drink, especially the latter." It was added that his farms were as ruinous to his finances as his dissipation (!) ... Always borrowing money or renewing loans. To quote the Webster entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica "When business methods get mixed up with politics, there may not be corruption but there is a danger of it. Webster's acceptance of money from Private sources while holding public office would not stand the tests of today's standards" ... Hint is that politics hasn't changed a lot in the hundred seventy some years since then.

Noted as an example was Webster's serving as a "channel," as it was called, through which 13,000 was funneled to remove objections to ratify a certain treaty by paying off a couple of senators to obtain their votes. As far back as Webster's era it was called a "stimulant." Yes, even then there was a stimulus!

While Webster's reputation as an orator and statesman made him the idol of his time, perhaps closer investigation into his private affairs may have tarnished his reputation. Those giving him part of a patent may not have appreciated negative publicity surrounding their "endorser."

If Daniel Webster ever acknowledged their "stimulant," if that's what it could have been other than publicity, nothing is found concerning it. It was a unique incident in the complex stories of our past here in northwest Illinois. What is known is that Webster's part of the patent was sold in Philadelphia some years later. Daniel Webster's career/biography may be little read today but once upon a time he was something of an American idol.

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