"One of the early settlers (of Oak Park) was Reuben Whaples, who arrived in 1845. He had been for some years before on a farm in what is now Proviso, but one day the first cyclone on record came along and took such a fancy to his house and barn that it carried them off. Being of a peaceable disposition he moved what the cyclone left to the 'Ridge' and became a neighbor of Kettlestring's."
--Chicago Tribune, 25 February 1900, p. 33

The 1860 Census of Chicago shows the Whaples family consisting of: Ruben, 54; Mary, 34; Louisa, 19; Emilia, 17; Carolina, 15; Sophia, 13; George, 11; Della, 5; and Judson, 2.

Mr. Reuben Whaples was born in Hartford, Conn., in the year 1800 and came to Chicago in 1838. He purchased a farm in Du Page county about five miles southeast of Elgin, 111., where he lived for a while and sold out. Thence he removed to a farm in Proviso township where his house was blown down in the great wind of April 21, 1845, and he determined to leave the locality, selling his farm. His next move was to purchase a farm at Kettlestrings' Grove, where he built a large and substantial log house on the corner of Lake street and Harlem avenue, the site of which is now occupied by the fine residence of Mr. Christian Schlund. Here he resided until the year 1855 when he sold his land to Mr. J. H. Quick and went to live in a vacant hotel on the west side of the Des Plaines river until he got possession of a farm which he had purchased at Udina, about five miles west of Elgin. The family lived there about a year, when Mr. Whaples got a good offer for the place and sold out. They then moved back to Kettlestrings' [Grove], Mr. Whaples purchasing land of Mr. Kettlestrings, and for a while occupying the old Kettlestrings homestead on the south side of Lake street, near Harlem avenue. He subsequently built a good, substantial frame house, which is now the manse of the Presbyterian church on Lake street, and resided there until his death, Oct. 20, 1865. Mr. Whaples was a very enterprising man and fond of speculation, a good neighbor and a good citizen. He was a tinner by trade.
--Halley's Pictorial Oak Park