The village of Como was laid out at the southern end of the tract, on the river, and comprised nine blocks, making one hundred and forty-two lots. The first street running parallel with the river was called Front, and the two next Second and Third. At right angles with these, and commencing on the west side of the town, were Grove, State, Court, and Walnut streets. The ferry landing was at the foot of State street. Hopkins, Brittel, Dr. Harding and George C. Willson, who were then living on the claim, were each to have a share of the village, farm, and timber lots. The lots were put up, and the mem­bers bid for choice, which resulted as follows as to farm lots: Lot 1, Jason Hopkins; 2, A. D. Jones; 3, M. G. Atwood; 4, Geo. P. Plant; 5, C. Jones and N.S. Seaver; 6, H. H. Perkins; 7, S. P. Breed; 8, Jmm P. Pool; 9, W. S. Wil­kinson; 10, F. J. Williams; 11, Richard Soule, Jr.; 12. H. B. Sampson; 13, W. Sampson; 14, Simeon Sampson. Lot 15 was afterwards bought by Jesse Scott. The following lots were on the south side of the river: 16, L. Bigelow; 17, Alfred Dow; 18, Dr. Harding; 19, B. H. Brittell; 20, G. W. C. Jenks; 21, S. B. Cushing; 22, Wm. Pollock; 23, Geo. C. Willson; 24, H. H. Perkins. The original agreement was that members were to forfeit the amount they paid in case they failed to settle or build a house on their respective lots. About this time speculation in western lands collapsed, and the ardor Of several of the Company cooling down, they returned East, either selling or forfeiting their claims. A. D. Jones, F. J. Williams, R. Soule, Jr., J. P. Pool, Geo. P. Plant, M. G. Atwood, C. Jones, and N. S. Seaver, never made a permanent settlement.

The Government land sales took place in 1842, when W. S. Wilkinson, Geo. C. Willson, and William Pollock were selected to bid in the lands, the lot holders furnishing the money to buy the same at $1.25 per acre. After the sale these gentlemen conveyed to the owners their several farm and timber lots, as follows: Farm lot 1 and timber lot 1 to Jason Hopkins; farm lot 2 and timber lot 2, to A. D. Jones; farm lot 3 and timber lot 3, to James N. Dow; farm lot 4 and timber lot 4, to Wm. Pollock; farm lot 5 and timber lot 5, to James D. Bingham; farm lot 6 and timber lot 6, to H. H. Perkins; farm lot 7 and timber lot 7, to S. P. Breed; farm lot 8 and timber lot 8, to James N. Dow; farm lot 9 and timber lot 9, to W. S. Wilkinson; farm lot 10 and timber lot 10, to Judith Sampson; farm lot 11 and timber lot 11, to James M. Burr; farm lot 12 and timber lot 12, to Henry Briggs Sampson; farm lot 13 and timber lot 13, to Wm. Sampson; farm lot 14 and timber lot 14, to Simeon Sampson; farm lot 15 and timber lot 15, to Jesse Scott; timber lot 16 to Dr. J. J. Harding; part of timber lot 18 to James M. Burr; timber lot 19 to John Scott; timber lot 4 to J. H. Brittell; timber lot 22 to Wm. Pollock; part of timber lot 23 to Josiah Scott; part of timber lot 23 to Geo. C. Willson; timber lot 28 to Josiah B. Harding; house lot 22 to Judith Sampson; part of house lot 25 to Josiah B. Harding; part of house lot 25 to Geo. C. Willson; house lot 26 to J Jason Hopkins; house lot 27 to Elizabeth Harding. All the farm lots were very soon improved by their owners, and as early as the land sales Como was the leading settlement in Eastern Whiteside, stores, factories, and the largest grist mill being built and successfully run.

The Postoffice at Como was established in 1840, and Dr. L. Harding appointed. the first Postmaster. The present Postmaster is A. H. Atherton. The grist mill was erected in 1845-'46, by Messrs. Smiths & Weber, at a cost of $42,000, and was the first mill of the kind built in the township or county. For many years it did an extensive business. The Congregational Church building was erected in 1854, and was the first church edifice built in Hopkins.

Of the early settlers of Como, Mrs. B. S. Sampson was the eldest member of the colony. Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Sampson, Mrs. Breed, Mr. Wm. Pollock, Mr. and Mrs. Jason Hopkins, William Tell Hopkins, Dr. and Mrs. Harding, J. M. Burr, Mrs. Geo. C. Willson, Mrs. J. B. Harding, Mrs. Jesse Scott, Mrs. J. D. Bingham, and Mrs. Mason, the mother of Mrs. Pollock, all died at that place. R. H. Perkins was drowned at the falls of St. Croix, in Wisconsin. in the spring of 1850. Mrs. Perkins died at St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1873. S. P. Breed died in New Hampshire. William Sampson died in Chicago in 1851, where he had resided for some years; his wife, Caroline Sampson, died at her home in that city, September 28, 1877, aged 84 years.

The original proprietors of Como consisted of six civil engineers and surveyors, three ship captains, one clergyman, one editor, one printer and editor, one physician, one miller, one merchant, three shoe and leather dealers, and two farmers. The colonists were mostly natives of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and were well educated, moral and hospitable people.

A bridge was early built across the Elkhorn creek, near the cemetery in Como, on a State road which had been laid out from Peoria to Savanna; but as the road was never opened, except for a short part of its length, the bridge was moved to the place where it now is on the Lyndon road. A ferry was also established in the spring of 1840 across Rock river, which proved a great con­vemence, as there was none from Dixon to Prophetstown. Capt. Henry Sampson opened the first public house in Como, in 1839, and after the establishment of the mail route from Dixon to Rock Island in 1840,a postoffice was established at the place. Frink & Walker, the enterprising stage men, soon put a daily line of four horse coaches on this route, and as the horses were changed at Capt. Sampson's hotel, and meals taken there, it became quite a noted place on the road. Simeon Sampson went to California in 1850, was fortunate in his undertakings, and in 1854, came back and opened a store, in which he did an extensive business for several years when he retired on account of his health and is now living in Boston, Massachusetts, owning his large farm in Como, and valuable property in Sterling. Stephen P. Breed in 1841 established one of he best nurseries in the county, at Como, sowing his own seed, but upon the arrival of his wife in January, 1847, returned to New Hampshire, and after an active life died in that State in 1871. He was noted for his honesty, and great activity of mind and body. His love of flowers and door yard adornments contributed not a little to the taste Como displayed in this regard, at that time.

Como was in the zenith of its prosperity in 1845, Charles Holmes and done Lorenzo Hapgood had opened a store in 1844, and a very large business was done by them, and at the mill store of Smiths & Weber, which extended over one half of the county, including Sterling itself. There were also one or two other stores. The village maintained its ascendency as a trading point until about 1856, when the railroad, now known as the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, was completed. It then began to decline rapidly, and is now without a store, and its once splendid mill rotting down. The first store in the place was opened by Alfred and James Dow, in 1840. In 1841 William Pollock opened a store, and was followed by William Merritt. The first schools in Como were taught by Miss Maria Sampson, now Mrs. A. E. Merrill, of Sterling and Miss Mary D. Breed, now Mrs. Frank Cushing, of Portland, scholars attending from a long distance around.

In 1845 Aaron W. Pitts opened a blacksmith shop, and soon commenced the manufacture of the improved plows. Previous to 1844 all the plows in use were of home make, and generally had rods of iron for mould boards. These plows rooted the ground after a fashion, but required constant use of the foot or a paddle to make them run at all. In 1844 the first plow that would scour was brought from near Springfield, and was called the diamond plow. It con­sisted of a piece of steel cut in the shape of a diamond, and then bent to form a mould board, and shear, and was polished by grinding. These were rapidly im­proved so that by 1846 they came into general use, and for all practical purposes did as good work as is done today by the best plows. They were manufactured extensively at Grand Detour, and Moline, and were left for sale at the country stores, and sold on time at a dollar an inch. Mr. Pitts manufac­tured quite largely in Como until about 1849, when he left and commenced manufacturing in Peru, Illinois.

In 1847 a new road was laid out from Como through the Sampson farm, crossing the river at the Cushing farm, and thence running easterly until it struck the Dixon and Prophetstown road at Coloma. This road shortened the distance to Dixon and Peoria, and a license for a ferry across the river was applied for, but as the point was only a mile from the Como ferry, it was strongly opposed, and the license not granted. A boat was then built by stockholders, and run practically free for a year and a half, when upon the election of two new County Oommissioners, in 1849, a license for the ferry was obtained. An ap­peal was at once taken from the order of the County Commissioners' Court to the Circuit Court, and Knox & Drury, then prominent lawyers of Rock Island, employed by the upper ferry interest, but the appeal failed. It created a good deal of feeling at the time. The ferry ran until the opening of the railroad, when it was moved to Lyndon.

There is now nothing left to remind one of the olden times in Como, except the extreme beauty of its location, and the cordiality and intelligence of its inhabitants. The name of Como was derived from the expanse of the river just above the town, which is said to resemble Lake Como, in Italy.

Bent-Wilson history of Whiteside Co

Illinois - "Our Way"