Custom Windmills
Brand Windmill
(unknown location)
Polo, IL 61064
Status
Destroyed
Owner
James Brand (? -?)
History
A few texts mention the windmill in Polo, Illinois. One is a
biography of James Brand, transcribed by one of his descendants: “He
[James Brand] sold his farm and moved to Polo, Illinois in 1854 and was
elected in 1857 to the town's first Board of Trustees. One of the town's
first businessmen, he started a lumberyard and sold farm implements in
Polo and built several houses in town for rent and sale. At one time, he
was a partner in a wind-powered grist mill in Polo which was later
damaged in a tornado and subsequently closed. He was one of the town's
first School Trustees and Treasurer of the Board. (He was a justice of
the peace when he resided in Brookville township.).”
Michael brand also has the following information about James Brand's
windmill:
"Mr. Brand sold his farm to a Mr. Reesman and bought a smaller one
from Mr. Guyer, south of the Brookville mill and built a brick house
which he also finished with walnut, where he resided until 1854, selling
out to D. Z. Herb, and moved to Polo, buying a tract of land in the
north end of town, adjoining the I.C.R.R. and built a home after the
railroad was finished started a lumber yard and dealt in farm
implements, being associated with D.C. Hetfield of Chicago. He also
built houses to rent and sell and became one of the first to engage in
business in Polo. He afterwards became interested with Zenas Applington
and Elisha Doty to the building of a wind power flouring mill which did
very good work for some time but was not a paying investment. It was
partly wrecked by a tornado and proved an unfortunate adventure for all
concerned. Mr. Brand continued to reside in his first home in Polo
until his death in 1873."
The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois explains that James
built the windmill at the present location of the town water tower, but
was unsuccessful in the business which was abandoned after the tornado.
Sources
-Brand, Michael. “Biography of James Brand” Ogle County Genealogy.
-“Reminiscences of a Pioneer” published in the Tri-County Press “Philadelphia,” Pages 301 – 302 courtesy Michael Brand
-Bateman, Newton, et all. Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois. Chicago: Munsell Publishing, 1909.
