I have used newspaper extensively throughout my research. News items posted in neighborhood sections of the newspaper provide a wealth of detailed information that is not available in official primary source government documents including the United States Census. Newspapers provide details on the whereabouts and events of our ancestors. They can also provide information on the growth and changes in communities as we shall see in this post.

The DuPage County Genealogical Society of Illinois (DCGS) provides information on their website to individuals searching for their ancestors with DuPage County Illinois roots. One of the projects they have worked on for years is to publish excerpts from the Wheaton (IL) Illinoian newspaper. Microfilm copies of the paper (1885 to 1939) are available at the Wheaton Public Library during Library open hours.

Here are four (4) items the DCGS volunteer transcribers uncovered in the Wheaton Illinoian related to DuPage and the Winfield Illinois area:

#1 Item from the Wheaton Illinoian: 14 February 1907: The Mary Beecher farm consisting of 315 acres directly south of Winfield had been purchased by Chicago parties and is being subdivided into smaller tracts.

Mary Jerome Beecher was the sister of Col. Julius Warren the founder of the City of Warrenville Illinois. Beecher owned a large tract of land in and surrounding Winfield. Here is more information on the Mary Beecher Farm property, referenced in the above article, excerpted from Louise Spanke’s book Winfield’s Good Old Days: A History.

At the death of the last of Colonel Warren’s sisters, Mrs. Jerome Beecher, the Warren lands went on the market in 1908 as Winfield Farm, and Winfield was finally free to grow. Vandercook and Skidmore, Chicago realitors, handled the sales from an office near the [Winfield Railroad Train] station. Lots were priced from $300 to $1000, or $200 to $600 per acre. They were promoted for poultry farm or market garden, for permanent or summer homes, or for investment. They were sold for all of these uses, and a diverse group of new residents soon ringed the close-knit community. . . . .

To circle back and connect this newspaper excerpt back to the Daleiden family I was able to obtain two Deeds from the Office of the DuPage County Recorder of Deeds showing that Christopher Daleiden purchased land from the “The Mary Beecher Warren Home” a parcel (lot number 3 in section 13) in the Plat of Frederickburg (Village of Winfield). Here is the handwritten “Quit Claim Deed” dated 6 June 1900.

Christopher Daleiden in June of 1909 purchased additional property within the Winfield Farms subdivision.

Item #2 Wheaton Illinoian: 5 July 1907: Mrs. Marion Ashley had been appointed manager of the Winfield Rest Farm. Miss J.P. Forsythe, the owner, has taken charge of her sister’s rest home in Chicago. The sister having died a few weeks ago.

Item #3 Wheaton Illinoian: 23 August 1907: The new St. Johns church at Winfield was dedicated Sunday with appropriate ceremonies. Archbishop Quigley of Chicago had charge of the services assisted by priests from neighboring parishes. Many people from Wheaton were in attendance.

Item #4 Wheaton Illinoian: 10 July 1908: At 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 30th, the Rev. Peter J. Muldoon came to Winfield where he was met at the depot by a procession formed by the congregation headed by a band. Bishop Muldoon confimed a class of 180 and delivered a sermon which was well received.

The Church Rev. Bishop Muldoon was visiting in 1908 was St. John’s Roman Catholic Church in Winfield. Muldoon was the The Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. The area of Dupage County was still under the control of the Chicago Archdiocses in 1908. Today it is within the control of the Diocese of Joliet. Here is some background on Bishop Muldoon from Wikipedia:

On 25 July, 1901, Pope Leo XIII appointed Muldoon as titular bishop of Tamassus and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He was consecrated on July 25, 1901 by Cardinal Sebastiano Martinelli at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.^[5][1] After his ordination, Muldoon was assigned as an assistant pastor at St. Pius Parish in Chicago. After noticing Muldoon’s abilities, Archbishop Patrick Feehan appointed him as his secretary. His appointment raised jealously among many local priests and German priests resentful of Irish clergy. Some of these discontented priests engaged in character defamation against Muldoon – one of them was ultimately excommunicated by Feehan for these actions.^[1] Muldoon was appointed as vicar-general of the archdiocese.^[6]