ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 79 
me morning in 1860, taken our milk to Elgin, but finding the previous day’s milk 
id been returned with notice that they were so Hooded with milk that they could 
)t use any more of ours for some time to come. We took the previous day’s milk 
tto the wagon with that just brought and started for home. Calling at the grocery 
: James Knott, purchasing a large wash-tub, and a little further on to the meat 
arket of George Roberts and bought a calf’s rennet, and upon our arrival home 
ider the directions of Mother Herrick made our first cheese, putting it to press un- 
3 r a temporarily constructed press and to curing in one of the rooms of the house. 
Te soon partitioned off a part of the wood shed and obtained a larger wooden tub, 
ith a smaller tin tub to go inside of the wooden one, heating our milk and whey by 
arming water on the stove and turning it between the two tubs. Thus we worked 
>r three seasons, curing our cheese in a part of our house. In 1863 Father Herrick 
.lilt a small cheese factory 16 by 40 feet, and purchased a cheese vat and screw 
;esses from H. A. Rowe, Hudson, Ohio. In this small factory we made the cheese 
om the milk of our own cows, which had increased from 15 to 40 cows, and as the 
ipply far exceeded the milk demand of Chicago, we commenced to take in milk from 
ir neighbors, after running up our vat full three times a day. We have always car¬ 
ed the impression that this little cheese factory 16 by 40 feet was the first west of 
hicago where milk was received and made up on the dividend plan. Thus we la- 
oreoon releasing the overburdened milk market, taking our cheese loose in wagons 
rincipally to Chicago, in warm weather going all the way by night. We remember 
: reaching South Water street one morning in the summer of ’63. Meeting Mike 
aris, who got upon our wagon, lifting the sheet that kept the dust off our cheese, 
fering us 21 cents per pound for the load, we closed a bargain at 22 cents, and in 
ss than one hour had unloaded and received our pay, $462.00, reaching home in time 
) do our milking that night. In 1865, Mr. Hill built and operated a cheese factory at 
loomingdale. In the same year the Illinois Milk Condensing Company was organ- 
ed at Elgin and the old Dexter tannery was bought and fitted up for the condensing 
! milk. This for a time relieved the milk market, but only stimulated the produc- 
on still more, and to create a want for this overproduction the condensing com- 
my enlarged their works, putting in cheese vats and presses for the manufacture of 
leese. Mr. Borden came to our place in October, 1865, and bought our milk for one 
jar at 12 cents per gallon, and hired us for the same term to superintend the manu- 
,cture of their cheese at $80 per month, allowing us time at home night and morning 
• help do our own milking. We took the milk to the factory as we went to work, 
uring the year we manufactured 240,000 pounds of cheese, most of it going to the 
mse of Don Moran & Co., Chicago. In the spring of 1866, Henry Sherman and 
rank Webster built a small cheese factory two miles west of Elgin, near the resi- 
jnce of J. R. McLean. Also in the same season Ira Albro built one at Wayne; 
. R. Stone & Co. built one at Richmond, D. E. Wood making their cheese. In the 
inter of 1866 and 1867, there wus a factory built two miles east of Elgin, near the 
sidence of O. B. Jenne, by M. A. Devine, A. D. Gifford and J. H. Wagner Mr. Gif- 
rd soon retiring from the firm and P. Moran, of Chicago, taking his place. In the 
>ring of 1867, C. W. Gould built his Home factory. There was also one built at 
fcamore by O. K. Waite, also one about this time by Robert and William Stewart, 
id one by H. W. Mead, of Hebron. The following year many factories were built, 
mong them we might name factory (B) five miles east of Elgin, another in the same 
wnsliip by Gould & Hammond, and one at Udina. 
About this time commenced our real struggle for life in the dairy world. Our 
line markets were supplied and a different article must be made to meet the wants 
' the export trade. Repeated failures had been made by those coming from the 
rge cheese districts of the east. We began to realize that our water, grasses and 
imate imparted different qualities to our milk, and a manipulating process must be 
orked out to meet to meet the peculiarities of our milk and markets. We must cut 
ose from the East and secure success through our own efforts. The East were 
vish with their predictions concerning our ultimate failure in the West, and but for 
ie stamina of the pioneers of associated dairying in the West, we might to-day be 
ruggling on in a half-developed state instead of being the bright and shining star 
' all the world, as we are. How eagerly we caught at ideas that would lead to the 
iraveling of the tangled yarn. How glad to impart one to the other any points 
lined in the struggle for existence. 1 never shall forget the hearing of a rap upon 
y door at midnight in July, 1867. Upon opening I found O. K. Waite, all the way 
om Sycamore, 22 miles, after making liis’ cheese, to get light and give light. The 
ee hours of morning found us in serious consultation over this matter of adopting 
ir methods of manufactuie to our milk and markets, he driving back to make his 
teese. I remember at another time Robert Stewart, on his way to Chicago, stopped 
r er a train and walked out two miles to communicate to me some point he had 
fined in cheese-making. Robert Stewart was always in a hurry to do his brother 
anufacturer good. / A truly unselfish man. In the winter of 1867 and 1868 the 
orthwestern Dairyinens’ Association was organized in Rockford, with Wm. King 
