WILLIAM HICKLING. THE cities of Chicago and Ottawa, Illinois, were laid out the same year, and began building up under equally favorable auspices. In the early years of their existence there were times when the town on the Illinois River seemed to have brighter prospects than the town by the lake, and hence it happened that some of those who were among the first residents of Chicago were found a little later among the permanent residents of Ottawa. The late William Hickling, who for some years prior to his death in 1881, was one of the men most prominently identified with the important work of the Chicago Historical Society, first became generally known to the western business world in Ottawa. Before that, however, he had lived in Chicago, and he and his partner were probably the first mill owners and operators who located on or near the site of the future city. He was an Englishman by birth, his boyhood having been spent in Lincolnshire, where he was born December 7th, 1814. When he was seventeen years of age, he took passage on a sailing vessel-that was seven years before steamships began crossing the Atlantic-and at the end of a six weeks' voyage reached the United States, landing in Philadelphia. After remaining in Philadelphia two years, long enough to learn something of the country and its resources, he set out on a tour of observation, his intention being to travel through. either the southern or western States, until he found what seemed to him a promising place to locate and engage in business. Starting towards New Orleans, his attention was attracted to Chicago by accident, and a chance acquaintance resulted in his seeking "the west" rather than 'the south." While drifting down. the Ohio River on a flat-boat he became acquainted with a gentleman, something like a dozen years older than himself, who introduced himself as George E. Walker, and said he was on his way to Chicago. What he heard of the young settlement on Lake Michigan, determined Mr. Hickling to visit the place, and in company with Mr. Walker he arrived here in 1833. The two men who thus met by accident began business together in Chicago, and for many years thereafter were associated together in various enterprises of greater or less importance. Their first business venture was the building and opera tion of a saw mill on the north branch of the Chicago River. It was not an enterprise which yielded large returns in the way of profits, and after a time they sold this mill, and built another on the Desplaines River, some miles distant from the town of Chicago. This, too, passed out of their hands at the end of a few months, and they then decided to remove to Ottawa. There they continued to do business in partnership, but engaged in merchandising instead of manufacturing lumber. In this business they were entirely successful, and in a comparatively short time they had accumulated comfortable fortunes. Mr. Hickling became especially prominent, not only as a merchant and business man, but as a public-spirited citizen, capable of rendering important services to the community in which he lived, and always ready to meet any reasonable demands which might be made upon him. He married a sister of his partner, Walker, built a handsome residence in Ottawa, and became engaged in important enterprises, not only in Ottawa, but elsewhere. As early as 1837 he was interested with General Samuel B. Chandler, Governor John Reynolds, and others, in the construction of what was known as the Pittsburg & St. Louis Railway. This projected railway was intended to carry coal from the "Bluffs," near St. Louis, to the city. It was graded, and a wooden track laid, which lacked the "strap rail" then in use on more pretentious railways. Mr. Hickling platted the town of Pittsburg for the company with which he was identified, at the foot of the bluffs, about seven miles out of the city, but both the town and railway enterprises proved unsuccessful. The railway was not completed until some years later, when it became a part of a more extensive system. When the town of Ottawa was regularly incorporated, Mr. Hickling became its first mayor, and held the office two terms. In 1849 his wife died, and a few years afterward he was married to Miss Sarah A. Caswell, a young lady who had come west from New York State in her girlhood. Retiring temporarily from business in 1859, he went abroad, accompanied by his wife, for a season of rest and recreation. Returning to Ottawa, he was again elected to the mayoralty of the city, and also held other important official positions, a large share of his attention being devoted to the advancement of educational interests. After his retirement from active merchandising operations, he engaged in banking, becoming the first president of the First National Bank of Ottawa, and retaining the position as long as he resided in that city. He devoted much of his time to home and foreign travel, and for several years he and his wife lived abroad. Both had artistic tastes of a high order, and they availed themselves of the opportunities presented to them during their extensive travels, of gathering together many rare and beautiful works of art, which eventually found a place in their Chicago home. They removed from Ottawa to Chicago in 1869, and it was here that Mr. Hickling spent the last twelve years of his life. It was here also that he turned his attention largely to historical research, and became so conspicuously identified with the movement to gather together and preserve, as far as possible, everything pertaining to the early history of Chicago and the State of Illinois. A man of fine natural ability, he had received a thorough English education, and from the time he landed in the United States, he was a close observer of the trend of events, especially of what took place in that portion of the country which passed from under savage domination within his life-time. He was a close student of the Indian character, and his intimate acquaintance with Shabonee, "Billy" Caldwell, and other famous Indian chieftains, lent a peculiar charm to the reminiscences of his later life. Much of the most interesting and reliable information now obtainable concerning the doings of these Indians, the services rendered by them to the white settlers, their habits and customs, has been preserved by Mr. Hickling in his contributions to the historical literature of the west. He became connected with the Chi cago Historical Society in 1870, served as a member of the executive committee, and at the time of his death was vice-president of the organization. He contributed to the advancement of its work during his membership in various ways, the financial assistance which he gave the society from time to time being not the least important of his services. The latter was especially appreciated after the fire of 1871 had wiped out of existence the library which the society had collected. Mr. Hickling, having a large private library, had supplied the society with numerous volumes which were in demand from time to time, taking other volumes in exchange. All these volumes were returned by him after the fire, to aid in forming the nucleus for a new library, and in addition he was one of the first to contribute to the fund necessary to give the society a new lease of life. He was himself a great sufferer from the fire, and his losses aggregated a handsome fortune. His resources were, however, equal to the emergency, and a few years' time sufficed to relieve him from financial embarrassments, and render secure the fruits of his earlier years of labor and enterprise. His death occurred on the 25th of August, 1881. He left no children, Mrs. Hickling being the only surviving member of his family, and heir to his large estate. In beautiful Oakwood Cemetery a stately marble |