Compton’s founder, Joel Compton instigated his plat track side of the CBQ Rail Company in Section 11 on what was his farmstead. Meanwhile, West Brooklyn had three founders, Daniel Harris, O.P. Johnson, and R.N. Woods who platted in Section 8.

The crop yields in that part of the country was noted for their gi-nor-mous size so there seemed to be enough all around to give business to everyone. Each was said to market a half million bushels of grain a year but for some reason hard feelings developed between the two towns-to-be with a “fierce rivalry existing from the very first” and which continued for some decades until by the time the 1914 history was written, it was claimed that it had mostly died down(!).

Just what the cause of the feud was, history doesn’t make clear. Was it hat ugly and senseless human trait, jealousy? Was it envy of the others money the excuse? Political leanings? Religious stance? Or membership in a fraternal organization? That does happen.

An entry does report this: “The people of Brooklyn Township voted to bond themselves for $50,000 to help build the railroad (1873). The bonds were issued and sold and by reason on non-performance of promises of promoters of the railroad, payment of the bonds was contested for years; but in the end the courts ruled for the bonds and, with a compromise, they were paid.”

Then this: “At the time the present branch of the CBQ railroad passed through the township, there seems to have been an agreement between the prominent citizens and owners of the land that the station that was agreed upon with the railroad company was to be situated within the township as part of the consideration of $50,000 paid through bonds issued by the town in favor of the railroad project. The site of the new village was to be called “Modoc,” but commonly called “Carnahan Station,” the new place being almost, if not at, the center of the township, east and west. Then as now officials were sometimes actuated by selfish motives and the agreement was disregarded. The railroad officials placed the village at what is now the site of Compton, the east end of the township. This action was the cause of the founders of West Brooklyn taking the initiative and planning a village to suit their own ideas.”

This does give us a hint of the foundation of the “fierce rivalry” that existed. To confuse me even farther is that inclusion of the site called “Modoc,” although Carnahan is well enough identified.

“Believing that the factional warfare would ruin both other places Andrew J. Carnahan conceived of the idea to build on his farm in Section 9 midway between what would become Compton and West Brooklyn.” His own platting would, of course, be called Carnahan where another grain bin elevator soon towered into the sky at the site. That in 1873 also.

Perhaps, three grain stops were just too many so while Compton and West Brooklyn did prosper, Carnahan did not attract enough business to pay expenses—”After serious financial losses, Mr. Carnahan abandoned the plan. The big elevator stood for decades afterward, a monument in recalling the fiercest rivalry, a town site fight, the worst Lee County ever witnessed.”

The other two rail side villages did thrive from their beginnings in the 1870’s with the usual kinds of businesses rural crossroads towns concentrated on even to having a hospital (last week), a hotel of good reputation and a large automobile garage as modern times moved on. What wasn’t built was removed from Melugin’s Grove or from the neighborhood ... Schools, churches, etc. As lifestyle changed so too did those small hamlets either dramatically or subtilely. It would take a full time diarist to keep an accurate journal of changes even in the rural landscape. But grain bin elevators dominated the town sites even as they do today plus the private ones that impress by their numbers.

While Compton could boast a Masonic Lodge, West Brooklyn had the “Catholic Order of Foresters,” organized by members of St. Mary’s Church that accented the main street. When a “modern” brick was only a few years old, it burned but immediately another went up, St. Mary’s. It remains as a dark red brick smack dab on the sidewalk and street edge as you see often in urban ethnic neighborhoods. Its spire towers into the sky beckoning those out on the rolling prairie around it. There was a women’s Forester group, Modern Woodmen of America, Independent Order of Oddfellows and some Masons, too, although not enough to have “club rooms” but who regularly met with their organizations elsewhere. The two small villages were social to a high degree.

While Compton’s founder set aside acreage for a city park where a “pagoda” was erected, West Brooklyn’s investors platted a seven acre subdivision at an early date.

In both towns, music was a self-made entertainment, West Brooklyn being noted for its Cornet Band of younger men while the Barr Orchestra was famous throughout the county and area; the peer of any orchestra in the entire county, it was said. Their schedule was booked a year in advance so popular were they for dances and parties.

1914

In that telling we learned something new ... There was a dancing season ... Like the baseball season or county fair time, etc. The Barr Orchestra had more dates during dancing season than any other musical group.

While Compton had blocks of those impressive late Victorian/Four Square design homes, West Brooklyn was said to have broken away from the routine with the arrival in 1893 of a young farmer whose ideas and energy changed the course of progress for the better. Henry Gehant came to town, first buying a mercantile, establishing a news par, the “News,” and in 1894 setting about to incorporate the town under the laws of the State of Illinois.

The Henry F. Gehant Baking Company was organized in 1897 with a capital of $10,000 deposits of $50,000, the amounts increasing steadily as the bank took care of insurance, dealt in real estate and farm loans.

The Gehant Bank is still in business after more than a hundred years, its officiars, the Gehant family.

Nearly all business establishment are closed in both the towns in Brooklyn Township,. Lee, as they are in most of the rural communities in the Northwest. Who’d have thought that would have happened just thirty years ago? The grain bin elevators do thrive, however. One time we were anchored at Melugin’s Grove, the spring and timber being the draw. Then the railroad opened up the world to us all in the rural.

The automobile came along and people didn’t look back but set out on highways to everywhere, taking pictures to show off back home. There was no limit to destinations. Now we have telephones that take pictures as we sit around and view the scenes about us. Perhaps, in the future, we won’t have to travel, just take pictures to send to everyone else. Stores will arise along the empty main streets and once again the small town will thrive!