USA > Illinois > Champaign County > A Standard history of Champaign County Illinois : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic and social development : a chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs, Volume I > Part 18
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"The jail was a rude log-cabin structure, in which prisoners were put through a trap door in the second story, there being no other entrance. So Lincoln and I were secretly admitted into the small enclosure surrounding the jail, and as we approached the one-foot square hole through which we could converse with the prisoner, he heard us and set up a hypocritical wailing, and thrust out toward us a
163
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
very dirty Bible, which Lincoln took and turned over the leaves mechan- ically. He then said: 'Where were you going, Tom?' The boy attempted to reply, but his wailing made his answer incoherent, so Lincoln cut him short by saying : 'Now, you do just what they tell you- behave yourself-don't talk to anyone, and when court comes I will be here and see what I can do. Now stop crying and behave yourself.' With a few more words we left, Lincoln being very sad; in fact, I never saw him more so."
THE SECOND AND THIRD JAILS
About a year after this incident occurred, the county built a jail of brick and iron in the public square, at a cost of $7,000. Many additions and improvements were made, both to the jail and the jailor's residence, but these were not sufficient to meet the requirements of a wealthy and advanced county, with the result that in 1906 the massive, attractive and commodious structure, east of the courthouse, was erected.
One execution took place in the 1857 jail-that of Richard Collier, convicted of the murder of Charles Freebriant, which took place Decem- ber 16, 1898.
THE COUNTY POOR FARM
The County Poor Farm, with suitable buildings for the care of the indigent and insane, is located about a mile east of the courthouse. The original property at that site was purchased in 1865, although seven years before eighty acres for the purpose had been bought in Section 7, St. Joseph Township. The latter location, however, was found to be too far from the county seat, as well as from the center of population.
ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICERS
With the exception of the judges of the different courts who have presided in Champaign County, and the prosecuting attorneys of the circuit and county, whose records will be found in the chapter on the "Bench and Bar," the county officials include the following:
Court of County Commissioners: 1833, Isaac Busey, Jacob Bartley and George Akers; 1834, John Brownfield, William Nox and Daniel T. Porter; 1836, Cyrus Strong, Hiram Johnson and William Nox; 1838, under a change in the law, James Clements was elected for one year ; Daniel T. Porter for two years and Jefferson Huss, for three years. Afterwards until the adoption of the constitution of 1848, the fol- lowing were elected each year : James Clements, 1839; Daniel T. Porter, 1840; Jefferson Huss, 1841; James Clements, 1842; William Taylor,
164
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
1843; John W. Swearingen, 1844; Archa Campbell, 1845; B. F. Harris, 1846; William Nox, 1847; James Clements, 1848.
As stated, under the constitution of 1848 the county was placed under the government of the county judge and his two associates (See Bench and Bar). The system was again changed in 1860, when the county adopted township organization, thereby creating the cooperative Board of Supervisors.
County Treasurers: Moses Thomas, 1833; Green Atwood, 1837; Jacob Bradshaw, 1839; M. W. Busey, 1843; Elisha Harkness, 1851; William H. Pearce, 1853; Chalmers F. Sherfy, 1855; William Munhall, 1857; Pleasant M. Parks, 1859; Robert T. Miller, 1861; George W. Kennard, 1865; James M. Davies, 1869; John W. Hill, 1871; Thomas A. Lewis, 1873; James W. Davidson, 1886; Paul W. Woody, 1890; E. A. Kratz, 1894; Ellis M. Burr, 1898; Daniel P. McIntyre, 1902; John A. Scott, 1906; Lou N. Bear, 1910; Edward Rogers, 1914-
Sheriffs: John Salisbury, 1833; A. H. Stevenson, 1834; David Cox, 1838; Wilson Lewis, 1844; Edward Ater, 1850; F. M. Owens, 1854 ; Penrose Stidham, 1856; N. M. Clark, 1858; Randolph C. Wright, 1860; Nathan Towle, 1862; John D. Johnson, 1864; Thomas J. Scott, 1866; Peter Myers, 1868; Henry C. Core, 1870; John D. Johnson, 1874; James E. Oldham, 1878; James C. Ware, 1882; P. B. Burke, 1886; Samuel C. Fox, 1890; Daniel D. Cannon, 1894; Ernest Lorenz, 1898; Cyrus S. Clark, 1902; Jonathan M. Peters, 1906; George W. Davis, 1910; Augustus M. Evans, 1914-
Clerks of the County Commissioners and County Courts: Thomas R. Webber, clerk of the County Commissioners' Court, 1833 to 1849, when he was elected county clerk ; Thomas A. McLaurie, 1853; Solomon J. Toy, 1857; Nathan M. Clark, 1865; John W. Shuck, 1869; James S. Mccullough, 1873; Thomas A. Burt, 1896; Charles W. Webber, 1906; Fred Hess, 1910-
Prosecuting Attorneys: Under the first state constitution the attorney general was also prosecuting attorney of the circuit. After the adoption of the 1848 constitution, until 1856, T. H. Campbell, of Spring- field, and Amzi McWilliams, of Bloomingon, served in that capacity. In the year named, Ward H. Lamon was elected prosecuting attorney of the Eighth circuit, holding office until 1861. After the creation of the twenty-seventh circuit in 1861, Joseph G. Cannon was elected for two terms: Martin B. Thompson then served from 1868 to 1876, and, under the new law providing for the election of a prosecuting attorney for each county, Milton W. Mathews held the office from 1876 to 1884; Lewis A. Smyres commenced his service in 1884; Randolph C. Wright,
165
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
1892; Andrew J. Miller, 1896; Fielding A. Coggeshall, 1904; Louis A. Busch, 1912-
County Surveyors: Garrett Moore, 1833; James S. Wright, 1838; John L. Somers, 1850; John Thrasher, 1857; R. C. Wright, 1859 ; L. T. Eads, 1861; John Thrasher, 1865; T. B. Kyle, 1869; F. M. Price, 1875; T. B. Kyle, 1879; Joseph O'Brien, 1900; E. V. Burton, 1912; R. T. Fisher, 1916 ---
County Coroners-James Myers, 1847; A. M. Kerr, 1854; B. Thrasher, 1858; W. S. Garman, 1860; A. M. Kerr, 1862; W. J. Foote, 1864; H. Miner, 1866; W. J. Foote, 1868; J. M. Tracy, 1870; S. K. Reed, 1872; George W. Burr, 1876; Jacob Buch, 1880; W. B. Sims, 1892; Henry S. Penny, 1896; John V. Swearingen, 1908; J. J. Han- more, 1912; John V. Swearingen, 1916-
STATISTICS
In the matter of statistics, as of all else, the '30s in the history of Champaign County constituted the days of small things; therefore, of special interest-easy to grasp and analyze in all their details.
It has been seen how in June, 1833, Moses Thomas, the assessor, reported the total revenue of the county to be $71.37. Of that amount, $61.61 was assessed on the personal property of the 111 tax payers; upon their horses and cattle, clocks and watches and pleasure carriages. The item last named yielded but 621/2 cents, as only three citizens allowed that they possessed such luxuries as "pleasure carriages." Asahel Bruer reported one carriage valued at forty dollars, for which he was taxed twenty cents; Mason S. Martin, another which he returned as a fifty-dollar luxury and for which he was assessed twenty-five cents, and James T. Roe, the third pleasure carriage, valued at thirty-five dollars, and yielding the county thirty-seven and a half cents in revenue. But while the Buseys, the Boyds, the Byers, the Rhineharts, the Trickles and others had a number of horses, they appear to have been shy on pleasure vehicles.
FIRST ASSESSMENT IN CHAMPAIGN COUNTY (1833)
The details presented by Assessor Thomas in 1833 were as follows:
Horses.
Cattle.
Clocks and Watches. Value of
Taxes
Owners' Names.
No.
Value.
No. Value. No. Value. Property. Assessed.
Westley Arrasmith
1
$10
2
$20
$30
Moses Argo
1
40
1
8
1 $6
54
$0.15 .27
166
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Clocks and
Horses.
Owners' Names
No.
Cattle. Watches. Value of Taxes Value. No. Value. No. Value. Property. Assessed.
George Akers
....
2
$20
$20
$0.10
Isaac Burris
40
.20
Arthur Baird
2
$80
1
10
90
.45
John Bailey, Sr.
2
100
9
114
1
$30
244
1.22
John Bailey. Jr
2
80
2
20
32
82
.41
George Bartley
3
120
2
16
2
13
149
.471%
Matthew Busey
3
150
15
181
1
17
348
1.74
William Boyd
4
160
2
18
1
20
198
.99
Mijamin Byers
5
200
14
190
1
20
410
2.05
Samuel Bromley
3
120
3
30
1
20
170
.85
Asahel Bruer
2
70
5
40
1
10
160
.80
Isaac Busey
4
300
9
100
1
60
460
2.30
Samuel Beckley
100
7
76
176
.88
Charles Busey
3
90
11
124
1
20
234
1.17
James Brownfield
5
250
2
20
1
20
290
1.45
John Brownfield, Sr ..
6
300
3
50
1
16
366
1.83
Frederick Bouse.
2
80
11
124
1
20
224
1.12
Reuben S. Bullard.
2
130
1
10
..
...
40
.20
Sarah Coe
I
20
2
16
1
20
56
.28
William Curry
2
60
6
60
1
20
140
.70
William Coe
1
40
1
8
.
48
,24
James Copeland
1
40
4
46
1
18
104
.52
Curtis Carmean
1
50
1
10
1
9
69
.341%
John Coddington
2
100
84
1
16
200
1.00
Thomas Dier
2
100
1
8
1
10
118
.59
Benjamin Delaney
1
50
3
24
74
.37
James Freeman
2
80
1
10
90
.45
Robert French
1
50
3
27
27
.131%
David Gabbard
3
60
3
24
84
.42
Jacob Heator
1
50
5
70
120
.60
Lackland Howard
1
30
2
16
1
20
66
.33
.Jefferson Huss
2
60
3
24
84
.42
Enoch Humphries
1
75
.
3
38
. .
. .
1
50
1
10
60
.30
Valentine Iliff
1
30
3
40
1
6
76
.38
John Jayne
1
10
2
16
1
5
15
.071%
Amos Johnson
1
40
2
16
86
.43
Elijah Jackson
1
30
T
S
75
. .
. .
.
...
....
Mason S. Martin
1
50
. ..
2
16
116
.58
Levi Moore
3
100
2
16
1
20
136
.68
James Moss
3
90
5
40
130
.65
1
30
1
6
36
.18
Joshua Chapman
3
130
2
20
150
.75
Nancy Cook
1
30
1
10
Larken Dier
1
50
1
8
:
50
.25
Abner Fuller
.
1
8
1
16
24
.12
Thomas Hobbs
38
.19
William Harris
1
10
10
.05
James Johnson
40
.20
John Jackson
75
.3716
Elias Kirby
2
70
1
10
80
.40
John W. Leird.
1
8
8
.04
Garret Moore
3
38
38
.19
William Jackson
2
70
1
10
60
.30
John Brownfield, Jr.
2
50
2
20
20
.10
John Brown
Noah Bixler
1
10
10
.05
Jacob Bartley
1
50
4
100
.50
3
40
I
10
26
.13
Alexander Holebrooks
75
.371%
Benjamin Brownfield
140
.70
58
.29
Henry Hannahs
6
167
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Clocks and
Horses.
('attle. Watches. Value of Taxes Value. No. Value. Property. Assessed.
William Nox. Sr
2
$75
10
$122
$197
$0.981%
Ethan Newcomb
1
50
G
75
125
.621/2
William Nox, Jr.
1
50
1
8
58
,29
James Osborn
1
40
10
116
1
$20
176
.88
William Osborn.
1
50
2
18
68
.34
Jonathan Osborn
I
30
5
50
80
.40
George Powell
1
50
2
40
90
.45
William I. Peters
2
70
16
86
.43
William Peters
2
80
3
24
104
.52
Robert Prather
40
5
60
1
15
25
.1216
Thomas Rowland
2
60
5
65
1
16
141
.701%
Gabriel G. Rice
1
40
2
20
60
.30
James T. Roe.
2
100
1
8
143
.711%
John G. Robertson
2
50
3
30
1
25
319
1.591%
Walter Rhodes
1
100
2
16
1
25
141
.701%
Robert Russel
1
20
John Salisbury
1
40
8
100
140
.70
John W. Swearingen
?
75
5
58
133
.661%
Joseph Stayton
3
120
3
30
150
.75
David Swearingen
1
25
1
8
33
.161%
John Swearingen
1
10
10
.05
Cyrus Strong
2
100
6
57
1
16
173
.861%
Andrew Stevenson
1
70
70
.35
Philip Stanford
2
100
5
40
]
20
160
.80
Henry Sadorus
2
80
13
160
1
20
260
1.30
John Trueman
2
40
1
10
50
.25
Joshua Taylor
1
50
1
10
60
.30
Martin Tompkins
3
120
1
32
1
20
172
.86
Robert Trickle
2
100
3
21
1 28
149
.741%
Jacob Thomas, Sr
2
100
4
36
1
20
156
.78
Henry Thomas
1
35
5
62
1
20
117
.581%
Adam Thomas
35
.171%
Joseph Thomas
1
30
10
40
.20
Moses Thomas
4
150
14
182
1
16
348
1.74
William T. Webber
1
65
2
30
1
5
105
.521%
John Whiteaker
3
125
14
188
1
20
333
1.6615
Andrew Wilson
1
40
1
8
48
.24
Harris Wilson
2
80
18
1
20
118
.59
Henry Wilson
]
45
2
16
61
.301/2
Adam Yeazel
2
80
]
8
I
16
104
.52
Jolin Zornes
1
10
. .
10
.05
Total
171 $87,085
387
$4,336
45
$776
$12,322
$61.61
. .
.
1
50
50
.25
Hiram Rankins
2
80
7
100
180
.90
Abraham Peters
]
8
8
.04
Daniel T. Porter .
1
.40
Mathias Rhinehart
200
8
8
87
87
.431%
.471%
T. R. Webber.
]
60
3
40
30
30
.15
Samuel Wilson
2
INCREASE OF COUNTY REVENUES
By 1836 the revenue of the county had increased to $258.85, and by 1844 to $1,672.87. This represented taxable property valued at over
Owners' Names
No.
Value. No.
5
64
64
.32
Henry Osborn
....
. .
100
.50
10
80
20
.10
Joshua Trickle
Jacob Thomas, Jr.
1
95
94
168
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
$334,373, as compared with $12,322 in 1833-quite an increase in a decade. After that the figures increased by leaps and bounds, and it will serve no useful purpose to present them ; those who are interested in such comparative details, year by year and decade by decade, have free access to the assessors' books at the county seat. A very striking and interest- ing comparison, however, is that between the first assessor's report of 1833 and the last, of 1916; the first showing property valued at $12,322 and assessed as $61.61 and the last, a valuation of $33,824,061 and an assessment of $1,275,276.12.
PROPERTY VALUATION AND TAXES
The material stability of Champaign County is well illustrated by the returns of the assessors in 1916, which, as stated, indicate that the real estate, comprising both country lands and village and city lots, and the personal and corporation property, are valued for purposes of taxation at $33,824,061, and that the taxes levied for all purposes amounted to $1,275,276.12. The assessed value of railroad property within the county was $1,926,251, and of telegraph and telephone companies, $82,800. The largest items among the tax levies were: For roads and bridges, $187,919; school, $473,455; state, $270,592 ; county, $148,963, and cities and villages, $149,796.
The showing by townships is as follows:
Townships.
Value of Property. Taxes Levied.
Ayers
$ 662,746
$ 19,586.57
Brown
1,100,360
35,857.42
Champaign
5,273,764
309,567.42
Colfax
809,295
21,498.71
Compromise
1,333,984
37,757.79
Condit
851,185
23,752.78
Crittenden
832,301
28,271.84
East Bend
881,156
24,013.30
Harwood
876,583
21,706.09
Hensley
825,372
19,811.97
Kerr
397,840
13,282.52
Ludlow
954.496
27,800.99
Mahomet
779,371
27,289.55
Newcomb
753,555
24,100.68
Ogden
1,202,782
33,309.63
Pesotum
879,580
29,396.78
Philo
1,098,216
28,554.65
Rantoul
1,556,917
48,020.11
Raymond
1,005,611
33,327.99
169
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Township
Value of Property Taxes Levied
Sadorus
$1,110,050
$34,410.27
Scott
991,354
27,401.48
Sidney
1,146,985
32,111.85
Somer
831,708
22,050.85
South Homer
945,271
34,916.94
Stanton
811,705
21,406.94
St. Joseph
1,118,509
36,047.04
Tolono
1,058,336
34,772.31
Urbana
3,735,039
225,251.94
Total
$33,824,061
$1,275,276.12
POPULATION (1833-1917)
The statistics of population relating to Champaign County, accord- ing to the returns of the state and federal census takers, are as follows, the deduction being that when the county was organized in 1833 it contained about eight hundred people: 1835, 1,038; 1840, 1,475; 1845, 2,041; 1850, 2,649; 1855, 6,565; 1860, 14,629; 1865, 21,124; 1870, 32,737; 1880, 40,863; 1890, 42,159; 1900, 47,622; 1910, 51,829; 1917 (estimated), 60,000.
BY TOWNSHIPS, CITIES AND VILLAGES
According to the Federal census returns for the last three decadal years the population of the townships, cities and villages of Cham- paign County was as follows :
1910. 51,829
1900. 47,622
1890. 42,159
Ayers Township, including Broadlands Village and part of Allerton Village.
929
865
719
Allerton Village (part of) .
15
. .
Total for Allerton Village in Ayers Township, Champaign County, and Sidell Township, Ver- milion County
379
Broadlands Village
480
Brown Township, including Fisher Village.
1,396
1,544
1,312
Fisher Village
850
614
Champaign Township, including Champaign City.
13,353
9,966
6,619
Champaign City
12,42 1
9,098
5,839
Ward 1
1,805
Ward 2
1,964
Ward 3
1,990
. .
Ward 4
1,524
....
....
Ward 5
1.423
. .. .
....
Ward 6.
1,997
....
...
Ward 7.
1,718
Colfax Township
800
901
914
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
170
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
1910.
1900.
1890.
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
51,829
47,622
42,159
Compromise Township
1,557
1,576
1,650
Condit Township
689
777
750
Crittenden Township
683
820
932
East Bend Township
879
1,113
1,122
Hardwood Township
737
750
761
Hensley Township
596
610
642
Kerr Township
418
427
366
Ludlow Township, including Ludlow Village and part of Rantoul Village
1,530
1.060
1,152
Ludlow Village
305
306
298
Rantoul Village (part of) .
523
....
...
Total for Rantoul Village in Ludlow and Rantoul townships
1,384
1,207
1,074
Mahomet Township, including Mahomet Village. Mahomet Village
565
515
473
Newcomb Township
744
854
959
Ogden Township, including Ogden Village.
1,389
1,392
1,433
Ogden Village
428
419
334
Pesotum Township, including Pesotum Village.
1,096
1,094
1,038
Pesotum Village
376
Philo Township, including Philo Village.
1,239
1,175
1,240
Philo Village
562
502
491
Rantoul Township, including Thomasboro Village and part of Rantoul Village.
1,995
2,365
2,391
Thomasboro Village
321
1,207
1,074
Raymond Township, including Longview Village
1,052
1,093
1,204
Longview Village
257
Sadorus Township, including parts of Ivesdale and Sadorus villages
1,688
1,757
1,655
Ivesdale Village (part of)
429
476
323
Total for Ivesdale Village in Sadorus Township,
Champaign County, and Bennent Township, Piatt County
436
476
323
Sadorus Village (part of )
299
284
277
Total for Sadorus Village in Sadorus and Tolono townships
336
340
277
St. Joseph Township, including St. Joseph Village St. Joseph Village
681
637
552
Scott Township
984
1,026
978
Sidney Township, including Sidney Village. Sidney Village
481
564
581
Somer Township
866
940
1.072
South Homer Township, including Homer Village. Homer Village
1,086
1,080
917
Stanton Township
759
865
847
Tolono Township, including Tolono Village and part of Sadorus Village ..
1,379
1,663
1,777
Sadorus Village (part of)
37
56
902
Urbana Township, including Urbana City.
9,378
6.948
4,488
Urbana City
8.245
5,728
3,511
Ward I.
1,800
Ward 2
1.962
. .
....
. .
Ward 4
1,815
....
....
Ward 5
1,602
....
....
Tolono Village
760
845
Ward 3
1.066
1,821
1,669
1,406
1,491
1,599
1,303
1,452
1,623
Rantoul Village ( part of) .
861
1,277
1,247
1,329
1.655
1:1
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
In explanation of the figures relating to the population of the incorporated cities and villages of the county the government reports give the following facts: Thomasboro Village was incorporated in 1900. In 1900 Rantoul Village was returned as in Rantoul Township only, and Ivesdale as in Champaign County alone. Longview Village was incorporated in 1903 and Pesotum Village in 1906. In 1907 the part of Champaign City in Urbana Township was annexed to the corporation.
CHAPTER VI
LEGAL AND MEDICAL
SUPREME COURT AND CIRCUIT JUDGES-WILLIAM WILSON, FIRST CIRCUIT JUDGE-FIRST PROBATE JUDGE-JUSTIN HARLAN-SECOND TERM OF CIRCUIT COURT-FIRST CRIMINAL INDICTMENT-POPULAR RESORT FOR BENCH AND BAR-AS EFFECTIVE AS BOLTS AND BARS- AUGUSTUS C. FRENCH-AARON SHAW AND O. B. FICKLIN-CIRCUIT DUTIES AGAIN IMPOSED ON SUPREME COURT-THE COUNTY IN THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT-FIRST MURDER TRIAL IN THE COUNTY-UNDER THE 1848 CONSTITUTION-DAVID DAVIS-JOSEPH G. CANNON'S MAIDEN PROSECUTION-OLIVER L. DAVIS-UNDER THE CONSTITU- TION OF 1870-C. B. SMITH-FRANCIS M. WRIGHT-SOLON PHIL- BRICK-FRANKLIN H. BOGGS-HOME JUDICIAL TIMBER-WHAT THE CIRCUIT COURT RECORDS SHOW-JUDGE HARLAN'S LAST WORK-PRO- BATE JUDGES-JOHN BROWNFIELD-SETTLED OUT OF COURT-ARCHA CAMPBELL, LAST PROBATE JUDGE-COUNTY JUDGES-JUDGE J. O. CUNNINGHAM-WILLIAM D. SOMERS, FIRST RESIDENT LAWYER- COL. W. N. COLER, SECOND LAWYER-JUSTICE JAMES S. GERE- JAMES W. SOMERS-HENRY C. WHITNEY-JAMES B. MCKINLEY- S. B. RADEBAUGH-GEORGE W. GERE-JOHN C. BLACK-MILTON W. MATHEWS-ROBERT C. WRIGHT-WILLIAM B. WEBBER -- THE MEDI- CAL PROFESSION-CHOLERA EPIDEMIC OF 1834-DR. T. FULKERSON, FIRST RESIDENT PHYSICIAN-DR. JAMES H. LYON-VICTIMS OF MIASMA-DRS. HARMAN STEVENS AND JOHN S. SADDLER-DR. WINSTON SOMERS-DR. WILLIAM A. CONKEY-DR. PHILIP C. MOSIER -- PIONEERS AT URBANA AND WEST URBANA-READY FOR THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC OF 1854-THE WIPING OUT OF A FAMILY- DR. CHARLES A. HUNT-DR. SAMUEL W. KINCAID-DR. HERMAN CHAFFEE-OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSION.
The word professional is very broadly applied in these days-to the activities of lawyers and judges, to the work of the medical fraternity, to the labors of civil enginers, and the many and complex duties of the litterateur. This chapter confines itself to dealings with those men and women, the efficient performance of whose life work is based upon a pre- liminary education and training prescribed by institutions and individual authorities, and which earns for those who have completed them the
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official right to pursue their careers in the communities which they may select. The chapter is also limited to professions which operate either through the machinery of the county government, and the mem- bers of which depend chiefly upon their individual exertions, rather than upon business operations, for their success. Such a definition would include teachers and clergymen, but the former have a chapter solely devoted to them, and the clergymen, with their churches, are spoken of at length in the histories of the various communities to which they have contributed their best in the field of Christianity and spiritual progress. The same may be said of the press and the newspaper men and women of the county, who represent powers in the interest of enlightenment and progress not easily to be gauged. The legal and medical fields are therefore those left open for the consideration of this chapter.
SUPREME COURT AND CIRCUIT JUDGES
As a rule, justice in Champaign County has been faithfully con- served and wisely administered through the Circuit, Probate and County Courts. Under the constitution of 1818 the judicial power of the state was vested in the Supreme Court, comprising a chief justice and three associates, with such inferior courts as the Legislature might establish. The operations of the five Circuit Courts, which were in existence when Champaign was set off from Vermilion County, in 1833, were conducted by four associate justices of the State Supreme Court (act of 1829), and the special circuit judge assigned to duty for the territory north- west of the Illinois River. Champaign County was in the fourth circuit and, by law, Judge William Wilson, of Carmi, White County, was assigned to its courts; but he never appeared at Urbana to adminis- ter justice in that capacity.
WILLIAM WILSON, FIRST CIRCUIT JUDGE
Under the statutes, William Wilson was the first circuit judge of Champaign County, and is therefore entitled to a short sketch. In early life he came to Kaskaskia, Illinois. His character was above reproach. He had not enjoyed a collegiate education, but his legal attainments were good. It is said by a friend that "he was social in disposition, candid and artless by nature, with a manner pleasant and winning." For nearly thirty years he was one of the supreme judges of our state. His home for many years was about two miles from Carmi, the capital of White County, and here he exercised genuine old Virginian
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hospitality. Mr. Wilson was circuit judge for a short time, and on the 7th of August, 1819, was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Bench of the state created by the resignation of the gentlemanly swindler, William P. Foster, who had never gone near his circuit, but had drawn his salary with the regularity of a modern member of Con- gress. When the constitution of 1848 went into effect Mr. Wilson retired to private life. He died at his home April 29, 1857, at the age of sixty- three years, and met death with the serenity that accompanies the con- sciousness of a well-spent life.
FIRST PROBATE JUDGE
As has been noted, while the few settlers in what is now Champaign County were still under the jurisdiction of Vermilion, a number of justices of the peace had been appointed to settle any legal difficulties which might arise, and not long before the first election in April, 1833, one of their number, Moses Thomas, was elected by the Legislature to the probate judgeship, the first to occupy that bench for Champaign County. He canvassed the election returns, issued certificates of elec- tion to the successful candidates, and commenced at once to perform the other authorized duties of his office. The Probate Court was the pioneer body to actually administer justice in Champaign County.
It was a new era in the judicial history of the county which com- menced in 1835. In that year the state was divided into six judicial circuits, and five additional circuit judges having been elected, the supreme judges were again relieved from Circuit Court duties. Cham- paign County was still in the fourth circuit, and on January 19, 1835, Justin Harlan, an uncle of the late United States Senator James Har- lan, of Iowa, was commissioned its judge. On the following 6th of April he opened the first term of the Circuit Court of Champaign County at the store of Isaac H. Alexander, a resident of Danville, whose local interests were managed by County Clerk Webber.
JUSTIN HARLAN
Justin Harlan was an Ohio man, who, when a young man, had settled in Clark County, Illinois, and had served in the Black Hawk War from that section of the state before assuming his official duties. He served as circuit judge uutil 1841, was a delegate to the constitu- tional convention of 1847, was elected to the Circuit Bench under the constitution of 1848 and reelected in 1855, held the office of Indian
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