800 N. SPRING STREET

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

A December 1889 article in the Elgin Daily Courier lists that Alecsius C. Joslyn started construction on a home and barn for $3000. 

Alecsius Joslyn was a New York state native who first moved to Rockton, Illinois before finally settling in Elgin in 1872. He was in the oil business, becoming an agent for the Standard Oil Company. He was active in many facets of local government, serving as, at one time or another, an alderman, a street commissioner, a highway commissioner as well as a Kane County Board treasurer. Alecsius was married to Lucy, and together they had a daughter named Nellie who became the second wife to Edward Eno, a prominent figure in Elgin’s milk industry.

After just over a decade living at the property, the Joslyn’s sold their home in 1903 to John Waterman who turned around only six years later and sold it to Samuel Shedden.

Samuel and his wife, Fern, lived at 800 N. Spring for the next 31 years. During that time, Samuel worked as a bookkeeper for George Peck’s store, later working his way up to an executive position for Illinois Iron and Bolt Company out of Carpentersville. Similar to the Joslyn residents before him, Samuel was active in the community and served as the Kane County Treasurer for a number of years and was an active member of the First Congregational Church and the YMCA.

ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

The house at 800 N. Spring Street is not one easily identifiable in an architectural style. While the Spring – Douglas Historic District nomination form lists this house as contributing to the historic significance of the area, it too designates no one particular style to the building. 

There are some elements of a number of styles exhibited by 800 N. Spring, however. The battered columns suggest some Craftsman influence, the decorative crowns above the façade windows suggest Italianate influence, while the horizontality of the elements, the low-pitched front porch roof and the off-center door are trademarks of the Prairie style.  

Sources: 2004 Heritage Plaque Application; Audio: TextAloud