Fairbank family history

James and John Fairbank, born in England and later residents of New York state, were early settlers in the Big Woods area. They moved to Winfield Township in 1837 to settle the land. James and John became accomplished farmers and then leaders of the township and DuPage County. John married Permelia Levens and they had six children. One of their sons, Judson, continued farming until 1901 when he and his wife, Leah Martin, of Kane County, moved to West Chicago with their four children.

Their son John married Lulu Cromer and they later came to own her parents' home, built at the corner of Eola and Butterfield Roads in 1887, the same year as the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad. Mr. Cromer had owned two hotels in Chicago and raised Percheron horses on his farm. Theodore Roosevelt once borrowed Lulu's horse for a parade in downtown Chicago. Mrs. Fairbank, a talented musician and singer, played the organ at the Big Woods Church until she was 87 years old.

One of the chicken coops behind their home was the former Big Woods School, from across Butterfield Road. Mr. S. B. White, husband of Mrs. Irene White (of Site 58), later owned the farm, which was cared for by Andrew Brummel (of Site 1) and later by Robert Wolsfeld (of Site 57). The water tower with John Fairbank's name still stands near the Eola Road entrance to Fermilab but the historic home was burned down by vandals around 1968.

Click on individual photographs for more information.

Farm families