WILLIAM SCHWEEN, farmer, P. O. Elgin, is a native of Hanover, Germany; came to the United States and to Illinois settling in Cook County in 1837. During the first three years he worked on the old Hennepin Canal, making claims in Hanover and Schaumburg townships. In 1840 he located at Highland Grove, and his brother, Ernest, at Sarah's Grove.They were the first German settlers in Schaumburg, and both kept' "bachelors' hall" for some years. William Schween landed in Chicago $14 in debt, but went at his work wilh true Teutonic pluck and energy, the result of which is that he is looked upon as one of tho wealthiest as well as earliest of Cook County's German settlers. His Schaumburg land was sold to other settlers, and in 1847 he located in Hanover, on the farm now run by his son, Herman P. Schween. In June, 1843, William Schween married Sophia Busche, who was born in Germany and reared in America. They have five living children. Mr. Schween is a Republican, and was four years a Supervisor of Hanover. As an illustration of the primitive times of Chicago, he gives the following prices of produce: live hogs, under 200 pounds, sold at $1 per cwt., over 200 pounds, $1.25; winter wheat Weighing 63 pounds per bushel sold at forty cents, and much was sold tor twenty-five cents — "in trade at that"," says Mr. Schween. Potatoes sold at eight cents, oats at ten cents per bushel, butter at five cents per pound, and eggs at four cents per dozen. About everything tho settlers bought was almost as expensive in those days as they are now; but not withstanding the many inconveniences and extortionate prices they prospered and grew wealthy



FROM:
History of Cook County, Illinois
From the earliest period to the present time.
BY: A. T. Andreas
A. T. Andreas, Publisher
Chicago 1884.