USA > Illinois > Cumberland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 63
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 63
USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 63
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
It should be added that Richland County has not been free of murders. At an early day one Gatewood got into an altercation with one Brimberry. In the course of the wrangle, Gatewood threw up his gun to shoot his opponent, when Brimberry rushed between the men and received the fatal shot. Gatewood fled, and was never brought to justice. More recently, a case of indefensible homicide brought out the only manifestation of " lynch justice " the county has ever known. Two farmers had had some difficulty, when they met on the farm of the aggressive party. After ordering the man off' the premises, where he was engaged in threshing, the proprietor
39
638
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
of the farm went to his house and returned with a gun, and without further parley killed the man. The murderer was arrested and brought to the jail, where he remained two or three days. In the meanwhile the report became general that a prominent attorney had taken his case to defend, and that he felt confident of securing his acquittal. This brought out a mob from the country, neighbors and friends of the murdered man, and the criminal was taken to a tree in the court-yard and hung. Others charged with murder have been disposed of by the courts in the county, but none have been judicially hung. The early crimes were principally counterfeiting, horse stealing, hog stealing, and assault and battery.
The machinery of justice was set in motion in the fall of 1841, the first grand jury being composed of the following citizens: John Cotterell, Thomas McCarty, Daniel Wheeler, Samuel R. Lowry, Carnahan, J. F. Reed, George Mc Williams, Stephen Gardner, Thomas Lewis, Thaddeus Morehouse, Joseph Bryan, George Hig- gins, Thomas Parker, Eleana Richards, Enoch Stites, John Heep, John Matthews, John Brown, Henry Taylor, L. L. Allendar, Elijah Nelson, Arvin Webster, Orran Coats. The first petit jury was composed of MeIntyre Ryan, Samuel Butler, John Allen, Thomas Ellingsworth, Daniel Ripple, T. W. Lilley, Hiram Barney, Jr., William Perry, Matthew Elston, William Coanour, William Leath- ers, William Lampkin, David Walker, John Price, Andrew Britton, William Mc Williams, James Nelson, John Jeffords, F. B. Parker, James Cheek, S. W. Graham, George Smith, Wright Mash and James B. Shelds.
COUNTY OFFICIALS.
The Commissioners elected in 1841 were Lot Basden, Amos Bullard and Hugh Calhoun, Jr. By lot it was decided that the length of term of each one's office should be in the order named, the longest first. In 1842, Hugh Calhoun, Jr., was re-elected; 1843, Elijah Nel- son; 1844, Samuel R. Lowry; 1845, Canada Clubb to succeed Lowry, resigned, and Eleana Richards for regular term; 1846, James Check; 1847, Joseph Harmon; 1848, John D. Richards. In the following year the new constitution was framed and adopted, the election changed from August to November, and the County Court established. This court consisted of a County Judge and two assistants, who were ex-officio justices of the peace. Upon this court was conferred all the powers of the county commissioners, and upon the county judge, the probate business formerly devolving upon the probate justice of
639
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
the peace. The members of the court held office for four years, and were all elected at the same time. In 1849, A. Kitchell was elected 1 County Judge, and N. D. Jay and S. R. Lowry, associates. In 1851, Elcana Richards was elected to succeed Jay, deceased. In 1852, J ... D. Richards was elected County Judge to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Kitchell. In 1853, the following members were elected for the regular term: J. D. Richards, County Judge; Miles R. Yocum and D. W. Blain, associates; 1857, John D. Richards, County Judge; D. W. Blain and Henry Peebles, associates. In 1857, township organization was voted by the people, and the following Board of Supervisors elected: D. W. Blain, from Olney Township; James Adams, from Boone (Denver); H. L. Carson, from Jackson (Decker); W. R. Williams, from Noble; Jacob May, from Claremont; T. S. Smith, from Bonpas; Christian Jaggi, from Troy (German); James Kinkade, from Douglas (Preston); Milton Eckley, from Madison. The records of the county are not sufficiently explicit to add to the list of supervisors of the county. But one place in the records of twenty-five years does the name of the supervisors appear with the names of the townships which they represented, and the task of deciphering this relation is of a more extended nature than the im- portance of the result would warrant.
The Treasurers of the county have been, W. H. Reed, elected in 1841; M. C. McLain, in 1845; Jonas Notestine, appointed December 10, 1846, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of McLain; M. Stauffer, elected in 1847; Joshua Smalley, in 1849; William T. Shelby, appointed March, 1852, in place of Smalley, deceased; T. L. Stewart, elected in 1855; R. B. Marney, 1857; T. T. Smith, 1859; D. D. Marquis, 1865; John Kuster, 1869; George D. Morrison, 1873; John Kuster, appointed in 1874 to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Marney; Frank Gillaspie, in 1877, who is the present incumbent.
The Circuit Clerks have been, J. M. Wilson, appointed in 1841; M. B. Snyder, elected in 1849; John Wolf, appointed March, 1859, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Snyder; G. W. Mor- rison, elected November, 1859, to serve out the unexpired term of Snyder; John Wolf, elected in 1860; C. W. Cullen, in 1864; Aden Knoph, in 1868; Thomas Tibbett, in 1880, and is the present Clerk.
The county clerks until 1849 were elected recorders and were appointed clerk to the County Court by the county commissioners. M. B. Snyder was the first and only Recorder of the county and Clerk of the County Court from 1841 to 1849; Jacob Hofman, from
640
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
1849 until 1861; W. T. Shelby, from 1861 until 1865; J. R. John- son from 1865 until 1869; W. T. Shelby, from 1869 until 1882; John Von Gunten from 1882, and is the present County Clerk.
The Sheriff's of the county have been: Lewis Sawyer, appointed in 1841, and subsequently elected until 1848; J. H. Parker, elected in 1848; R. B. Marney, in 1850; J. H. Parker, in 1852; MeIntyre Ryan, in 1854; Horace Hayward, appointed to fill the vacancy occa- sioned by the death of Ryan, May, 1855; J. H. Parker, elected in 1856; W. T. Shelby, in 1858; T. L. Stewart, in 1860; William Cov- entry, in 1862; T. L. Stewart, in 1864; Archibald Spring, in 1866; M. M. St. John, in 1868; Hiram Sharp, in 1872; J. J. Richey, in 1878; Archibald Spring in 1882, and is the present incumbent.
The office of county judge, as at present constituted, dates back to 1857 for its origin. Previous to 1849, the somewhat similar offi- cial was the probate justice of the peace, and from 1849 to 1857, the county judge acted also as county commissioner, and has been classi- fied elsewhere. R. B. Marney was the first and only Probate Justice of the Peace for Richland County, from 1841 until 1849. In 1857, John D. Richards was elected and served until 1865; James Wright, from 1865 to 1869; John D. Richards, from 1869 to 1873; H. Hay- ward, from 1873 to 1882; F. D. Preston, from 1882, and is now the Presiding Judge.
The Surveyors of the county have been: A. F. David, elected in 1841; John Wolf, in 1846; A. B. Webster, appointed in March, 1849, to fill vacancy occasioned by resignation of Wolf; John Wolf, elected in 1851; John Reasoner, in 1853; Isaac Barnes, in 1855; A. Jenkins, in 1865; I. Barnes, in 1869; Thomas Humbert, in 1875; J. H. Clark, in 1879, and is still in office.
The office of county superintendent of schools dates its origin to 1865. Before this, the corresponding official, with somewhat less duties, was the School Commissioner. The gentlemen who have filled this position are: J. F. Reed, elected in 1841; A. L. Byers, in 1847; Daniel Cox, in 1849; A. H. Baird, appointed in 1850 to fill vacancy; J. H. Gunn, elected in 1853; William Warfield, in 1861; Jacob Hofman, in 1864. As County Superintendent of Schools, W. H. Williams, elected in 1865; J. C. Scott, appointed October 19, 1867, in place of Williams, removed; W. W. Carnes, appointed March 23, 1872, in place of Scott, resigned; J. J. Coons, elected in 1873; R. N. Stotler, elected in 1882, and is the present official.
641
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
The social development of a community is the true measure of its progress. Individuals may acquire wealth and renown without virtue, but the community has a longer life, and success in the end depends upon the moral sentiment, and the culture which is a nec- essary outgrowth of such sentiment. The relation of the physical features of a country to such development is an important one, and he who would learn the hidden causes that make or mar a nation must seek in these " the divinity that shapes our ends." In these physical features are stored those potent industrial possibilities that make the master and the menial in races. From the fertile soil comes fruit-ladened, peace-loving agriculture; from the rock-bound stores of mineral wealth springs the rude civilization of the carly days on the Pacific slope, or the half-savage clashing of undisci- plined capital and labor in the mining regions; from the rivers rises, fairy-like, the commercial metropolis, which, "crowned with the glory of the mountains" and fed with the bounty of the plains, stands the chosen arbiter between the great forees that join to make a nation's greatness. The influence of this subtle power is felt every- where. Here it spreads the lotus plant of ease and binds the nation in chains of indolent effeminacy; here among the bleak peaks of a sterile land,
"The heather on the mountain height Begins to bloom in purple light,"
a type of a hardy and unconquered race; there it strews the sand of desert wilds, and man, without resource, becomes a savage. This factor in society is marked even in the smaller divisions of society, and stamps the mark of destiny upon the single community. The early people of Richland County were fortunate in two respects. Here were brought together emigrants from all sections of the nation. The native of Kentucky, Tennessee and the States further south met the descendants of the pioneers of Ohio, New York and New England. The social customs of either section modified the other, and while the amusements and incidents of public occasions took on much of that boisterous character common to southern Illi- nois, they lost much of the most objectionable features earlier than many surrounding communities.
EARLY ROADS.
Another influence in this direction was the fact that through Richland County lay the great thoroughfare in this section of the
642
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
State from east to west. This gave facilities for coming in contact with the outside world, and brought the habits and customs preva- lent here in sharp comparison with more advanced communities else- where. In this way roads became mighty agencies in the problem of civilization, and railroads, by cheapening the cost of travel and stimulating the industry of a community, foster the best elements of development.
The thoroughfare referred to was the regular successor of the old Indian trail which led from Bear Grass, now the site of Louis- ville, Ky., to Cahokia, on the Mississippi River, near Saint Louis. Indian trails were the only certain guides to the earliest travelers in this country, and soon became marked by the wagon tracks of the whites. This trail followed the most direct and available route between the two points, so that there was little inducement for the early settlers to change its location, and for some time it was made a mail route for the settlements that gathered near it. About 1835, however, the road was regularly laid out and worked by the general government between Vincennes and Saint Louis, and at this time was varied somewhat to enter the villages or nuclei of settlements that were growing into importance a little off the old line. Through this county the original trail passed a little south of Olney and Claremont, and the government survey brought it north so as to pass through these towns. Up to 1824, the mail was carried along this route on horseback, but at this time this primitive method was superseded by two-horse vehicles, Messrs. Mills and Whetsel being contractors. In 1828, these were succeeded by the regulation four- horse stages, which continued to ply the road until the location of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad in 1852, marked the approach of a new era in traveling. These stages were fitted out with all the lux- uriance of the time. The winding horn announced the approach of "the mail," the horses' plumes touched the romantic hearts of the young, while the dexterity of the various drivers and the gossip of the travelers afforded the issues for the wordy wars which took place about the fire-place of the tavern or elsewhere. But with all these accessories "staging" was rather a prosaie matter to both driver and passenger. During a large part of the year the travel was slow and laborious, and it was no infrequent thing that the stage was fixed in the mud and abandoned, the trip being completed in some farmer's wagon which the driver secured. Horses were changed every ten miles, and one stage made the trip from Vincennes to this county, where it was met by another vehicle, which made another third of
643
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
the distance between the two terminal points. The end of this Vin- cennes division was at different points in the county at different times, sometimes at the Fox River, at Olney, or just cast of town. In addition to the stage line, there was a large traffic on this road which brought considerable revenue to the county. Saint Louis was the great market for all this region, and the trace road was crowded with teams, at certain seasons, hauling produce to market. There were certain market days on which teamsters planned to reach the city, and the caravan approaching this destination would stretch out for miles on the road. It was no uncommon thing to find from fif- teen to fifty teams resting at some of the early taverns along the road, and subsequently large numbers would " put up " for the night. This gave a good market for all the surplus corn in the neighbor- hood, and a sale for other products, for many of these teamsters were hucksters on their own account.
The carly roads, running north and south, were a road extend- ing via Palestine to Terre Haute, one running to Carmi and one via Newton to Charleston. Local roads, some laid out by regular process and others by general use, united the various settlements in the county. Road-making was a large part of the business of the carly commissioners, and vacating and re-locating roads was as frequent as the establishment of new ones. Most of the early roads ignored section lines and ran the most direct route that was available from point to point. When the country became more thickly settled this plan was found to interfere with the convenience of farmers whose lands were purchased according to the lines of survey. It was con- sequently easy to get the requisite number of signers to a petition for a change of road. This has been continued until, with few exceptions, the roads are all run on the section lines and are found a, mile apart, running each way. A few are found to wind about to reach the most available ground, and some are yet but lit- tle more than the woodman's trail through certain timbered por- tions of the county; but in the main the roads are regularly on sec- tion lines. In quality the roads of the county are poor. The soil is especially adapted to the retention of water, and mud places an embargo on traffic for several months in the year. The cost of bridges in the county is not large when the number of streams is considered. The Fox requires four, one of which is upwards of a hundred feet long. There are some dozen bridges, over thirty feet long, in the county, and all are constructed of wood and uncovered.
The settlement of the country and the increased amount of labor
644
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
expended on the highways has greatly improved them over what they were thirty years ago, but the scarcity of good, road-making material has obliged the Road Supervisors to resort to corduroy plan. Small poles are cut and laid closely together across the track. These become bedded and are not so rough as a stranger to them would suppose, and they have the merit of keeping the vehicle on the surface. In 1850, a plank road was talked of, and the County Court passed the following resolution on the subject: " Whereas, by an act of the General Assemby of the State of Illinois, entitled, 'an act to provide for the construction of plank roads', by general law, approved February 12, 1849, it is provided that the County Court may agree to the use of any public highway in the county by any plank road company for the construction of a plank road; and Whereas, it is represented to this court that steps have been taken for the formation of a plank road company to construct such roads in this county, and it is probable that such companies when formed will be desirons of using some of the public highways; therefore, Resolved, that deeming it of importance to the county to encourage internal improvements by private enterprise of whatever character, and especially the construction of plank roads, and that every aid should be extended by the County Court within its jurisdiction, and without involving the county in debt for the success of the improve- ments whereby the property of the county, real or personal, will be greatly enhanced in value, and the county revenue consequently increased, the industry and enterprise of our people stimulated to new life, their condition bettered and the markets and goods' prices brought nearer home by the aid of these roads, emigration to the county encouraged. and the discontent of our present population allayed, this court, therefore, cheerfully invites the enterprise on foot, and hereby cheerfully tenders to them the use of any public road within the county, over which this court has any jurisdiction, for the construction of plank roads in accordance with the act above named." It was further provided, that written permission would be given when a formal request was made. This action was pub- lished in all the papers near at hand, and the county assumed the intense attitude of " Barkis is willin'," but no one ever came for- ward to claim any rights under this pronunciamiento. It is quite probable that something might have been accomplished in this way had not the subject of railroads been agitated very soon after this, and a road actually located through the county.
645
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
RAILROADS.
The general improvement system of the State in 1837, included the building of sundry railroads, but with a short sighted view the system contemplated the improvement of State cities to the exclu- sion of foreign towns. The natural laws of trade, however, were not to be trammeled by such prejudices, and several roads were pro- jected to cross the State from East to West and to terminate in Saint Louis. Among these was the Ohio & Mississippi Rail- road. The application of this company for a charter was stoutly resisted and several times defeated. In June, of 1849, a railroad convention was held at Salem, to take into consideration the griev- ances of the people in the counties to be benefited by its construc- tion, and at least four thousand earnest men assembled, over a thou- sand of whom were delegates. Judge Kitchell and others represented Richland County. An address was adopted, and a committee appointed to present it to the Governor. A special session of the legislature was called, and after strong opposition, a charter was granted, in 1851. The larger part of the capital invested was from the East, though Page, of Saint Louis, was an important member of the syndicate and a heavy loser in the final construction of it. In 1852, the line was located and the County Court proposed to submit to the voters of the county the proposition of subscribing $50,000 to the capital stock of the company on several conditions, viz .: "1. No bonds to be issued to the company until the company has expended in the construction of the road in the county an amount of money equal to the amount of bonds asked to be issued. 2. The county not to issue more than one third of the amount of subscrip- tion each year. 3. The railroad company to issue to said county stock equal in amount to the bonds issued, said company to pay to the county six per cent interest on said stock, to be paid half yearly. 4. The rate of taxation for county purposes is not to be increased for the purpose of paying interest on said bonds, and the County Court is not to issue any bonds to said company if any higher rate of tax than is now assessed for county purposes should be required to pay the interest on the county bonds. 5. The County Court shall have authority to make any arrangements they may think proper and for the best interests of the county with either the rail- road company or individuals, for the payment of the county bonds, and the interest, or either, without using any funds or revenues of the county, and in doing so, said County Court may dispose of the railroad stock, but never at less than par value, and only so as to
646
HISTORY OF RICHILAND COUNTY.
save the county from all loss." Such "ironclad " conditions are rarely accepted by railroad corporations and these were promptly rejected and were never submitted to the people for acceptance. In October, however, a proposition was made to subscribe $50,000 of stock to the road, the bonds of the county to run thirty years at seven per cent., to be expended only on the construction of the road in the county, and the company to pay six per cent. interest upon the stock or such other rate in lieu of cash, as might be agreed upon. This was ratified by the people, on December 6, 1852. The road was rapidly pushed through, the line passing just south of Olney. Judge Kitchell was a director of the road at that time, and he offered to the contractors a one-half interest in his first and second additions to the city and $3,000 in cash, if the line was deflected north suffi- cient to pass through this "property. This arrangement was made and the variation begins at Claremont village and ends just west of Noble. The road was completed from Vincennes to Saint Louis, in 1855, the first through train passing through Olney on the 4th of July, in that year. This road was a valuable acquisition, but the course of the company's practice has been of the most arbitrary and tyrannical. For years it was the only outlet for the county's product, and the company did not hesitate placing a tariff that almost shut the business men in from the markets of the country. After rail- roads reached Vincennes from other points the dealers were in the habit of using the Ohio & Mississippi to that point, and thence east- ward on other lines. At first, this road refused to deliver freight to competing lines, and then raised the local tariff to such an exorbi- tant rate as to force the shipper to submit to the high through rates, but this was met by the other lines by a reduction of their rate in proportion to the Ohio & Mississippi's raise. The people became clamorous for another road to compete with the "O. & M.," and car rates to New York dropped from $80 to $40 at once. The manage- ment of this road in Richland County has been marked by a grossly tyrannical and arbitrary spirit, and its whole course in the matter of locating its line and doing business throughout the State has been such as to justify the bitterest opposition. The county paid nothing toward its construction, however, which may be a small solace to their feelings. There was such a demand for the stock that the company did not need the assistance of the county in disposing of it, and so no call was made for the bonds subscribed. The road passes from east to west through the county, crossing the townships of Claremont, Olney and Noble.
647
HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.
Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railroad .- About the time of the completion of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad. a new road was pro- jected from Mattoon to Grayville, on the Wabash River. A char- ter was not secured, however, until February 6, 1857, and up to 1876, little more than the preliminary surveys had been accomplished. A part of the original plan was to secure an outlet through Indiana, and the Mount Vernon & Grayville Railroad Company was the name under which this part of the road was incorporated. To the construction of this road the terminal county had voted a large sub- scription, which was subsequently diverted to the building of a new court house. The first spike had been driven on this division of the road in the early part of 1871, and some five miles constructed and ironed, but the action of the people with regard to the subscription caused the work to be discontinned there. In March, 1872, the two companies were consolidated under the name of the Chicago & Illi- nois Southern Railroad Company, and about the same time this new organization was consolidated with the Decatur, Sullivan & Mat- toon Company, which had been formed under a charter obtained in 1871. With all this activity in the transfer of franchises and change of names but little or no progress was made toward the realization of the desire of the people. From time to time many flattering statements and satisfactory promises were made. In 1874, finding that the last consolidation had so involved this part of the road with the other parties to the consolidation as to probably defeat the construction of the line, proceedings were brought in the Jasper County Court, and thence to the Federal Court, to annul the consolidation, and on May 5, 1876, such a decree was granted. Work was at once begun on this middle section of the Grayville & Mat- toon Railroad, and thirty of the ninety-three miles proposed were graded in this year. In the following year the road reached Mat- toon, and the whole line completed from Grayville to the proposed northern terminus.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.