USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 28
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 28
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 28
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The area of the whole county, swamp lands included, is stated to contain 137,486 acres. 84,834 acres were listed as "improved " lands in 1882. The lands owned by individuals at the period of the organization of the county, amounted to about one half of that quantity, to wit : to 42,186 acres. Besides Palmyra, the county had another and far more important commercial centre in the town of Mt. Carmel, founded in 1817, and incorpor- ated in 1825.
Shortly after the organization a census was taken by Abner Armstrong. The number of resident families is stated to have been 351, and the total population 1930 souls, of whom 427 were subject to military duty in the State militia.
In order to make the above list of names more com-
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
plete, the following addition is made. We are indebted to the Mt. Carmel Register for it.
First Grand Jury appointed September 5th, 1825 .- Seth Grand, Felix Hull, John Higgins, John Arnold, Ran- som Higgins, Moses Decker, Stephen Bliss, Stephen Summons, Joseph Wright, John Andrew, John Arm- strong, Lewis Armstrong, Spencer Wood, Joseph Wood, William Higgins, Alexander Wood, Thomas Beard, John McCleary, Daniel Groves, John Gray, David Wright, Samuel N. Campbell and Beauchamp Harvey.
First Petit Jury .- William M. Richards, George Pugh, John Harrison, James McMillen, John Key, Thomas Pulliam, George W. Higgins, William Brown, William Fullerton, John Campton, Francis Vallie, Lyman Utter, Lyman Brines, George Claypole, John Still well, William Deputy, William Arnold, John Degan, Ephraim Phar, James Block, Joshua Beall, Stephen Simonds, Nathan Fry and Aaron Gould.
The counties of Illinois along the Wabash were divid- ed into military districts and thus Wabash county formed seven military or company districts, named after their captains. There was a Captain Arnold's, a Cap- tain Campbell's, a Captain Andrews', a Captain Beall's, a Captain Wardell's, a Captain Suider's and a Captain McCleary's district. These districts existed at the time of the organization of the county, and this subdivision was utilized by the first county, in calling each district a road district also, placed under the supervision of Levi Crouch, John Compton, James Gray, Joseph Jones, Henry Utter, Enoch Greathouse and Coles Bertley respectively.
Political Subdivisions .- In June,'1825 the county was divided into two townships, called Prairie, north of the base line and Centerville south of the base line.
Two years later in June, 1827, the county was sub- divided into five districts for the election of justices of the peace and constables. Heretofore the justices of the peace were appointed by the governor of the State, usually upon recommendations made by the county commissioners. These justices in their turn apppointed their own constables, who however had to be confirmed by the county board, before they could enter upon the duties of their offices. The five districts or precincts were named as follows : Coffee, Mt. Carmel, Centerville, Wabash and prairie.
' Coffee .- Was bounded as follows: Beginning at the mouth of Bonpas creek, thence up the same to the old Bonpas bridge, thence with the road leading to Mount Carmel to Coffee creek, thence down the same to the Wabash, thence down said river to the place of begin- ning. Elections to be held at the house of John Comp- ton, with Daniel Keen, Thomas Beaird and John Mc- Cleary as judges of election.
Mount Carmel -Beginning at the Wabash where the base line strikes the same, thence west to the range line dividing ranges twelve and thirteen west, thence south with said line two miles, thence west to the Bonpas creek, thence down said creek, to the old Bonpas bridge, thence with the road leading to Mount Carmel to Coffee creek,
thence with said creek to the Wabash river, thence up said river to the place of beginning. Elections to be held at the tavern of Robert Lucas in Mount Carmel, with James Townsend, James Brown and Edward Ulm as judges of election.
Centreville .- Beginning at the section corner of sec- tions 17, 18, 19, 20 in township 1 north of range 12 west, thence west to Bonpas creek, thence with said creek to a point two miles south of base line, thence east to the section corner of sections 12 and 13, on the line between ranges twelve and thirteen, thence north two miles to the base line, thence east one mile, thence north three miles to the place of beginning. Elections at the court-house in Centreville, with Henry Utter, Seth Gard and Zedekiah Winter as judges.
Wabash .- Beginning at the base line at the section corner between sections 31 and 32 in township number one north of range 12 west, thence north to the north line of the county, thence east to the Wabash, thence down the same to the base line, thence west with said line to the place of beginning. Elections to be held at the house of John Andrew, with Abner Armstrong Spencer Wood and John Snider as judges.
Prairie .- Beginning at the section corner of sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, in township 1 north, range 12 west, and thence north four miles to the county line, thence west to Bonpas creek, thence down the same to a point four miles south of the north line of the county, thence east to the place of beginning. Elections to be held at the house of John Arnold, with Ransom Higgins, John Harrison and James McMillen as judges of election.
Various unimportant changes in names and boundári s were made in the course of time, until at this day, we find the following.
POLITICAL SUB-DIVISIONS OF WABASH COUNTY AS PER ORDER OF SEPTEMBER TERM, 1881.
ELECTION PRECINCTS
Mount Carmel is bounded as follows : Commencing on the Wabash river where the base line strikes the same, thence west to the northwest corner of section 3, T. 1 S., R. 13 W., thence south to the southeast corner of section 4, T. 2 S., R. 13 W., thence east to the Wabash river, thence up the Wabash river to the place of beginning.
Friendsville commences at the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 32, T. 2 N., 12 west, on the north line of the county ; thence west on the north lino of the county to the northwest corner of the north- east quarter of section 33, T. 2 N., R. 13 west, thence south on the half section line to the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 11, T. 1 N., R 13 west, thence west to the northwest corner of section 15, T. 1 N., R. 13 west, thence south to the southwest corner of section 34, T. 1 N., R. 13 west on the base line, thence east on the base line to the southwest corner of the southeast quarter of section 32, T. 1 N., R. 12 west; thence north on the half section line to the north line of the county and the place of beginning.
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
Wabash commences on the Wabash river where the north line of the county strikes said river, thence on the north line of the county to the northwest corner of the northeast quarter of section 32, T. 2 N, R. 12 west, thence south on the half section line to the south west corner of the southeast quarter of section 32, T. 1 N., R. 12 west on the base line, thence east on the base line to the Wabash river, thence up said river to the place of beginning.
Lancaster commences at the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 33, T. 2 N., R 13 west, on the north line of the county to Bonpas creek, thence southerly along said creek to where it strikes the half section line of section 22 running east and west T. 1 N., R. 14 west, thence east on the half section line to the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 21, T. 1 N., R 13 west, thence north on the section line to the northwest corner of section 15, T. 1 N., R. 13 west, thence east to the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 14, T. 1 N., R. 13 west, thence north on half section line running north and south of sections 2 and 11, T. 1 N. R. 13 west on the half section line running north and south of section 33, T. 2 N., R. 13 west to the place of beginning.
Lick Prairie commences at the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 21, T. 1 N., R. 13 west, thence west on the half section line to Bonpas creek, where said creek strikes the half section line of section 22, running east and west, T. 1 .N., R. 14 west, thence southerly along said creek to where it strikes the half section line of section 11 (running east and west) T. 1 S. R. 14 west, thence east on the half section line to the southeast corner of section 9, T. 1 S., R 13 west, thence north to the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 21, T. 1 N., R. 13 west, the place of begin- ning.
Bonpas commences at the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 9, T. 1 S., R. 13 west, thence west on the half section line to Bonpas creek, thence southerly with said creek to the southwest corner of section 3, T. 2 S., R. 14 west, thence east on the south line of sections 1, 2 and 3, T. 2 S., R. 14 west, and the south line of sections 4, 5 and 6, to the southeast corner of section 4, T. 2 S., R. 13 west, thence north to the southeast corner of the northeast' quarter of section 9, T. 1 S., R. 13, the place of beginning.
Coffee commences at Bonpas creek, at or near the southwest corner of section 3, T. 2 S., R. 14 west, thence due east on the south line of sections 1, 2 and 3, T. 2 S, R. 14 west, on the south lines of sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, T. 2 S, R. 13 west, to where the same strikes the Wabash river, thence southerly along said river to the mouth of Bonpas creek, thence up said Bonpas creek to the southwest corner of section 3, T 2 S., R 14 west, the place of beginning.
Returning to the county " governors " of those early days, it should be stated that the presiding members of the court had represented the present county of Edwards
in the first legislature of the State, and that he as chair- man of the committee on public buildings, had superin- tended and conducted the erection of the Statehouse at Vandalia. Hiram Bell was clerk of this court, and re- mained in appointment and reappointment at first, and by election and reëlection next for more than 30 years. George Bell was the first county assessor, and received a compensation of $25.00 for his labors. Abner Arm- strong, the sheriff, was also treasurer, and Hiram Bell, the county clerk, was also county surveyor and clerk of the circuit court. Beauchamp Harvey at Mount Car- mel, and John Tilden at Centerville, were the earlier justices of the peace, and L. W. Jordan, constable. The poor " masters " were William Higgins and George W. Higgins. Gervaise Hazleton, George Claypole and Ephraim Phar, Thomas Pulliam, William Higgins and John Compton were trustees of school-lands. There were two organized school districts, one at Mt. Carmel and the other at Centerville.
Abner Armstrong was appointed agent to lay off the donation land at Centerville into town lots. There were 12 blocks of 4 lots each. These lots measured 10 by 14 poles. The streets were ordered to be two poles wide, and the lots were to be sold at auction on the 4th of July, 1825, on very easy terms, to wit: at a credit of six, twelve and eighteen months, and no " earnest" money required. The sale however proved a failure, and the court authorized Armstrong to sell at private sale, provided however that no lot should be sold for less than $25.00.
To make the county seat more accessible, a road from Centerville east, crossing the road from Jeremiah Woods to Palmyra at Prairie creek, to Moses Bedell's mills, was laid out on a route viewed by Enoch Great- house, Jeremiah Woods and John Compton and another one from August Tegan's ferry to Centerville.
The county revenue of the first year amounted to 395.30, and the ordinary expenditures to $255 40. The support of the paupers cost the county $44.40, which amount was paid to William Johnson, who had provided for the wants of Daniel Hoit, a pauper, during a period of ten and one-third months, at the rate of fourteen cents per day.
Miscellaneous notes from the journal of the commis- sioners. Tarlton Boren, Ephraim Phar and Beauchamp Harvey formed the second county court, 1826. They organized a new precinct and named it Coffee. Its boundaries commenced at the old Bonpas bridge, thence with the county road leading from Mt. Carmel to S. Riggs, thence in a direct line to the mouth of Coffee creek, thence with the Wabash to the mouth of Bonpas, thence up the creek to the place of beginning, elections to be held at the house of John Compton, with Thomas Baird, Levi Compton and Daniel Keen as judges of election. John Tilton, William Higgins, sr. and Thomas Pulliam conducted the election at Centerville. The compensation of judges was for each 75 cts. specie or its equivalent in state paper. ($1.00 in specie was worth
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
$3.00 in state paper in 1825-see chapter of Lawrence county.) Isaac Parmenter was granted license to sell liquor by the small, for which privilege he paid 25 cts., December 5, 1826; and was elected sheriff in 1828. John Crow kept tavern at Centerville, and Robert Lucas at Mt. Carmel. The court fixed their rate of charges at 25 cents per meal, 6} cents for lodging, whiskey at 12} cents and foreign spirits or wines at 25 cents per half pint. The annual tax for taverns was then $3.00. George Knight succeeded Tarlton Boren, December, 1828. Levi Crouch is mentioned as coroner at the same time. The last meeting of court at Centerville was dur- ing March, 1829. The court then adjourned to meet at Mt. Carmel in June, 1828. Beauchamp Harvey was re-elected in 1830, leaving the county commissioners' court unchanged. The county revenue of 1830 amounted to $701.10. The population of the county was increasing rapidly, and amounted in 1830 to 2,710, about one hundred more than the parent county Edwards contained. O. B. Ficklin, in later years member of leg- islature and finally representative in Congress, com- menced his career like his friend Isaac Parmenter in keeping tavern, 1831.
No vestige of records has remained in existence from 1831 to Sept. 1844. The August election of 1844 added Daniel Keen to his colleagues Anthony Altintz and William Wier. The population had meanwhile increased to over 4,000 souls and 4 new precincts, to wit ; Pleasant Hill, Friendville, Lancaster and Bonpas, had been es- tablished. George Glick succeeded Wier in Sept 1845, and Stephen T. Gunn became the successor of Altintz in 1846.
Ralph Baird was licensed to operate a ferry-boat- on the Wabash, with a landing in section 23, T. 2 S. R. 13 W. Daniel Darnell, a negro 23 years old, was recorded as free born, on the affidavit of Nathan Seers, who had raised him. Lawrence and Elizabeth Ferguson produced documentary evidence, that William Ferguson, of Louis- iana, from motives of benevolence and humanity, had manumitted them and their children on the 4th day of June, 1847, and upon giving the required bond, they were registered as free negroes and permitted to dwell at Mt. Carmel. This is the only instance in which the " black laws" of Illinois are mentioned in the county records of Wabash. Daniel Keen was re-elected in 1847, and remained a member of the commissioners' court until 1849, when this court, by provision of the new constitution of Illinois was abolished and the government of the county entrusted to a county court, composed of three members, the county judge as presiding officer, and two county justices, his associates, to be elected Nov. 1849 for a term of four years. Abraham Utter succeed- ed Glick in 1840. The last term of the commissioners was held on the first Monday of December 1849, present Daniel Keen, Stephen T .. Gunn and Abraham Utter. At the close of this period the number of paupers had in- creased to 7, and Daniel Hoit, the first county pauper, was still one of their number. These people were farmed
out to the lowest bidder; some were taken at 37} cts. per week, while others cast as much as $2.00 per week.
Statistics taken from the U. S. Census of 1850 .- The county had then a population of 4690, among them 50 persons of color. Mt. Carmel counted 935 inhabitants, 151 children were born in 1849, 121 couple got married and 45 persons had died during the year ; 808 dwelling- houses sheltered 816 families; 30 teachers taught 1233 native born, 32 foreign born and 2 negro children. There were 20 adult natives and 1 adult foreigner unable to read and write. The farms of the county embraced 24,369 acres of improved and 39,649 acres of unimproved land representing a cash value of $407,000; the farming utensils were worth $36,000 and the live stock $118,235. The slaughtered- animals represented a value of $34,000. The farmers had produced, in 1849, 12,438 bushels of wheat, 320,000 of corn and 45,000 of oats, 5,000 lbs. of tobacco, 10,230 1bs. of wool, 2,500 bushels of beans, 10. 110 of Irish and 536 of sweet potatoes, 55,500 lbs. of butter and 6,000 lbs. of cheese, 2,200 tons of hay, 4,687 lbs. of flax, etc. etc. There were two libraries in the county, with a catalogue of about 600 volumes each. There were 2 Lutheran, 1 Christian, 2 Methodist, 3 Presbyterian and 2 Roman Catholic churches in the county, 11 buildings in all, erected at an expense of $13,950 with a capacity of seating 7,400 people. 7,400 seats and only 4 630 souls in the county!
Before entering upon the proceedings of the newly in- troduced government of the county, we shall introduce here a brief sketch of the
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
First Court House .- Moses Bedell, the miller, con- tracted, September 5th, 1825, for the building of a frame court-house, 26x36 feet, two stories high ; the first story to be eleven feet in the clear, the second eight feet. He agreed to furnish all the materials, have shutters to the windows and shingles to the roof. The work was to be completed by May 1st, 1826. The house was completed and the worshipfuls-as the commissioners called them- selves-occupied it on the 5th of June, 1826. Moses received $715.00, the contract price, on the 19th of March, 1827.
Second Court House .- The location of the county seat at Centerville, was a failure, and a majority of the people desired a relocation, selecting Mt. Carmel as the most desirable place. The only objection to the scheme was the question of expense, but when Scoby Stewart, in March, 1829, offered to give bond to the amount of $4,000, conditioned that within two years from date, he would erect a court-house at Mt. Carmel of equal value of the old court house at Centerville, free of all ex- penses to the county, and located on a lot, selected by the court, and to be donated to the county, the question was decided at once. The court chose lots 217 and 477 as the most suitable site, on which the second court- house of the county was erected.
1
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IRT HOUSE MT PARME!
WARASH CO !!!
Of THE PONIVERSITY OF ILLINO
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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
This building was occupied by the county authorities until April 5th, 1857, when it was destroyed by fire.
Third Court House .- This building was erected in 1857, on the old site by Hiram Bell, contractor, at an expense of $6,770. A part of the necessary funds was borrowed from Thomas J. Shannon, who was at the same time appointed agent to pay the contractor as the work progressed, and upon the reports of Charles Cuqua and Brivoyle, experts, superintending the work. Brivoyle, for some reason, withdrew from this superintending po- sition and was succeeded by T. C. Turner. The build- ing was completed in autumn, 1858. A final settlement with the contractor was had on the 6th day of December, 1858.
This building was also destined to be destroyed by the elements. The following few lines, entered upon the journal of the county commissioners' board will fully explain the tragic downfall of Court-house No. 3,-to wit :
" June 4th, 1877: The board of county commis- sioners remained in session until about twenty minutes to four o'clock, P. M., when said court was suddenly adjourned without ceremony or delay, a terrible cyclone striking and destroying the court-house and offices, the members of the board and the other officers not standing upon the order of their going but at once and precipi- tately rushing to the vault, and upon emerging there- from the order of business was entirely lost in the wreck of matter."
The destruction of this building was indeed a calamity, the financial condition of the county being anything but prosperous. An appeal to the magnanimity of the state met with a noble reply, and a special appropriation of $15,000 enabled the county authorities to contract and pay for the
Fourth Court House .- The question of changing the site of the new court-house was submitted to a vote of the people, who by 1,020 against 309 decided to retain the old place. The original contract price agreed upon was amended by a compromise, April 1st, 1881, by which the contractors received an additional payment of $1,950. This circumstance had its origin in the great and astonishing looseness and lameness of con- tract and specifications, drawn by James Higbee, and adopted by the county commissioners. We introduce them here at length.
SPECIFICATIONS.
Mount Carmel, Ill. June 24th, 1879.
Specifications for building a court-house in the city of Mount Carmel, Wabash county and state of Illinois, said building to be brick and of size and form as shown on plans made by James Higbee of Mt. Carmel.
Excavation. - Under the main building the dirt is to be taken out to the depth of four feet, six inches, the trenches for the wings to be taken out to the depth of three feet, dirt to be removed off the ground, if not needed for grading.
Brick Work .-- The contractor of the brick work to furnish good merchantable brick for the foundations up to the surface of the ground to be all hard brick to be laid in good lime mortar, mixed with one-third cement, joints to be well filled with mortar, the foundations of the outside walls to be three feet wide and drop in as shown on plan, all the outside walls to be 18 inches all the way up, the cross walls 13 inches, the walls of the vaults to be built double with three inch space between them, as shown on plan ; the vaults to be arched over with hard brick laid in cement, the arch to be 18 inches thick ; for the walls above the ground good fair brick is to be se- lected for the outside and of uniform color, walls to be laid with binder every fifth course, straight and neatly pointed, wall left clean, cornice on main building to be made of brick.
Stone Work .- There will be water table of good stone, 6x8 inches, running round the entire building, stone door sills, 8x19 inches wide, stone window sills to all the windows, caps to windows to be of brick as shown on plan, steps to be added as shown on plan.
Carpenter Work .- First and second tier of joint to be of good sound oak or yellow poplar, free from sap, 2x12 inches, placed 16 inches apart from center, bridged with cross braces, all the floor joints, 10 feet long or longer, to be bridged ; there will be rough floor laid in the second story of good sound oak or yellow poplar. Strips, 1x2 inches, laid over each joint filled to the top with mortar to deaden sound, mortar to be dry before the floor is laid, all of the floors to be good sound ash, oak, or yellow pine, from 3 to 5 inches wide, nailed in the tongue and in every joint ; the upper joint to be of good sound oak or poplar, placed 16 inches apart from the centers ; there will be the inside finished and doors to be painted three coats and grained, outside of sash painted red, putty black, sash grooves stained. Wainscoting, witness stand, judge's desk to be oil finish. It is under- stood that all the work herein specified and not on. the plans is to be done, and also all of the work on plans and not specified is to be done, all to be done in good, neat and workmanlike manner, material furnished to be approved by county commissioners.
The bell is to be hung on good iron hangings ; court will furnish bell, contractor the hangings. The vault doors to be like the one now in use in the clerk's office in this city, two registers to each vault, doors to be made as shown on full size drawings, and all inside finish to be as shown on plan, slat seats and backs with iron frames, as per plan shown, said building to be completed on or before the 1st day of September, 1880, to the full satisfaction of the board of county commissioners.
The contractor to give bondsmen with two or more good and sufficient sureties in the penal sum of fifteen thousand dollars, to be approved by the board of county commissioners, payable to the people of Wabash county, Illinois. Plastering to be two coats, brown work and one coat of plaster Paris, all angles to be sharp and straight, all of said building to be plastered inside.
16
122
HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.
The board of county commissioners agree to furnish one-third of the contract price when the building is completed to the ground or first floor, one-third when the building is fully enclosed, and the remainder when the building is fully completed to the satisfaction of the board of commissioners.
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