USA > Illinois > Stark County > Documents and biography pertaining to the settlement and progress of Stark County, Illinois : containing an authentic summary of records, documents, historical works and newspapers > Part 15
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The time had now arrived when the people of western Putnam resolved to have a little commonwealth of their own. This period and events belonging are well portrayed by Mrs. Shallenberger. thus: " At the session of the legislature in 1836-7. an act "for the formation of the county of Coffee" was approved. Now. as Colonel William Henderson was from his first settlement here prominent in local polities, and known to be an enthusiastic admirer of the Tennessee hero. General Coffee, with or under whom he had done military service, it is highly probable that this, as well as subse- quent acts for the same purpose were secured through his instru- mentality. The new county was to be eighteen miles square, com- prising nine full townships-six to be taken from Putnam, two from
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Knox and one from Henry. Benjamin Mitchell, Richard N. Cullom of Tazewell. and Samuel İlackleton of Fulton. were the commission- ers to select the site for the county seat, which, if located on ground not already laid out as a town, should be called Ripley. This act, however, was not to take effeet unless a majority of the voters in Knox and Henry counties, at an election on the 10th day of April, 1837, should sanction it. Putnam was allowed no voice in these proceedings, and the project failed on the vote: so "Coffee county " was no more, although it had already appeared on several maps of that day. A more vigorous attempt was made during 1838, con- tinuing through a great part of the year. Much feeling was excited by this contest, as is usual in local questions. Both parties in the struggle had weighty arguments to wield. Those wishing to make the Illinois river a boundary on the east, urging the increased tax- ation that must result to the residents in a small county; the other side urging the convenience of a county seat near at hand. So the question of a new county was made the leading issue in the canvass for another representative from the Spoon river country. As early as February. 1838. a meeting was held at the house of James Hol- gate. near Wyoming, when it was " Resolved, to petition the next legislature for a new county, and to protest against the Illinois river as a boundary on the east." and "to nominate Colonel William Il. Henderson, in order to the success of their plans." After adjourn- ment, a meeting of the disaffected minority, some fifteen or twenty, was held and resolutions passed "to accept the Illinois river as a boundary on the east, and to put Thomas S. Elston, Esq., of Bureau. in nomination for the legislature." Mr. Elston. however, does not appear to have become a candidate. Others were nominated in dif- ferent parts of Putnam and Bureau; but only the names of Colonel Henderson. Ammon Moon, B. M. Havs of Hennepin, and Andrew Burns of Magnolia, were conspicuous in the canvass. In an address to the electors of the district, published in the nearest papers, Colonel Henderson stated that "he should lay down as a basis for his action, two lines, to-wit: the lines dividing ranges 8 and 9, east of the fourth principal meridian, and another which had reference to the formation of Marshall county." He was elected by a plurality of nearly a hundred over his competitors, receiving the almost unanimous vote of Spoon river, Lacon and Lafayette preeinets. Notice for a petition for a new county was again advertised according to law, in October, 1838, and on the sixteenth of January, 1839, Colonel Henderson pre- sented this petition from citizens of Putnam, Henry and Knox conn- ties, praying the formation of a new county.
The subsequent proceedings are summarized from legislative and other documents as follows : In 1837 the vote of Eastern Knox county for division and annexation to Coffee county was 77, while against the measure 186 votes were cast, thus effectually closing the road which earlier appeared open to the success of the measure. On January 23, 1839, Mr. Moore reported a bill for an act to establish Stark county, which was twice read, and on motion of Mr. Stapp, referred to a com- mittee composed of Stapp, Henderson, Alexander, Compher and Jar-
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rott. On February 5. Jarrott reported the bill. Stapp moved indefinite postponement ; but on motion of Henderson the bill and amendment wore laid on the table. On February 7, on motion of Otwell. they were referred to a committee, composed of Murphy, Otwell. Dubois. Jarrott and Kercheval. On February 11. Dubois reported the bill. etc .. and recommended adoption. Forty three votes were recorded in favor and 31 contra. On February 15, the engrossed bill was read a third time, but its passage was negatived. On February 16. the question - " Shall the bill pass ?" was again negatived. On February 2s a mes- sage from the senate announced that that body amended a bill for " an art to dispose of the territory lying west of the Illinois river in the county of Putnam and for other purposes," so as to read, "an act for the formation of Stark and for other purposes." and further asked the concurrence of the house. On March 2. the council of revision reported approval of the act, and Stark county was established.
John Stark. after whom the county is named, was born at London- derry. N. IL .. August 28, 1728, of Irish parents, who came to the colonies in 1719, and in 1736 moved to Derryfield, now Manchester. In 1752 John joined a hunting expedition through the wilds of North- ern New Hampshire, was captured by the Abenagnoies, carried to Canada, released by a Boston friend on payment of $103, and the vear following visited the headwaters of the Androscoggan. During the Revolution he was at Saratoga, and was of the council which stipu- lated the surrender of Burgoyne. He also served in Rhode Island in 1778, and in New Jersey in 1780. In 1781 he was appointed comman- der of the northern department of the American army and served until he greeted the birth of the United States. In his Irish ritle brigade were seventy-one Irishmen. who served at Bunker Hill, where four of them were killed. Stark's order was, " wait till you see the white of their eyes," and on another occasion, "We must win today, boys, or tonight Molly Stark is a widow." The name has not suffered in its present connection, for in later years the sons of Molly Stark obeyed many an order, with a much nobler foe in front than Stark fought against.
The act approved February 1. 1840. provided that Corns Walker, of MeDonough county, D. G. Salisbury, of Bureau county. and William Fenn. of Marshall county, be commissioners to locate the seat of jus- tiee for Stark county. they to meet at W. Il. Henderson's house in 1840. It was further provided that that portion of Henry county within the following-named boundaries be attached to Stark, viz .: " Be- ginning at the southeast corner of Henry county. running north on Tine dividing ranges 5 and 6 to the northeast corner of section 24, 7 15 N., R. 5 E .. thenee west with the section lines to the northwest cor- ner of section 22. in R. 4, thence along the section 22. thence south along line dividing towns 13 and 14 N., thenee east to beginning." This addition was subject to a vote of Henry county, ordered to be taken in March, 1840. Another act, approved February 1, 1840. declared valid the assessment of taxes taken in Stark and Henry coun- ties in 1839, as if taken regularly under the act concerning public rev- enue, as approved February 26, 1839. The act approved February 27,
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1841, provided that the east & of R. +and all of R. 5 in townships 14 and 15 N. constitute a part of Stark, and be taken from the southeast corner of Henry county, on condition that the people of Henry county would vote in favor of such addition to Stark. It was further provided that John Dawson, Peter Van Bergen and William F. Elkin, all of Sangamon county, be appointed commissioners to locate the town of Toulon, the county seat, and they were instructed to meet at W. II. Henderson's house in April, 1841. The action of those com- missioners was also made liable to a vote of the people of Stark. The sale of lots in the town, and the transfer of school funds from Henry and Knox counties to Stark county, were also provided for. A refer- ence to the pioneer chapter will point out the opposition this question met with from the citizens of Henry county, concerned an anti-square opposition which still persists in denying a ninth township to Stark.
Commissioners Record .- The first meeting of the County Commis- sioners was held at Elijah McClenahan's house, April 4, 1839, under the act establishing the county, approved March 2. that year, Calvin Winslow, Stephen Trickle and Jonathan Hodgson present. The two first named qualified before the latter, who was a justice of the peace, and he, in turn, before Calvin Winslow. Oliver Whitaker was ap- pointed clerk pro tem. Minott Silliman qualified as treasurer and Oli- ver Whitaker as clerk. On April 5th. T. 14, R. 6 and 7 E. was laid off as justice district No. 1 ; T. 13. R. 7 E., as distriet No. 2 ; T. 12 N .. R. 5 E .. as district No. 3; T. 13, R. 5 E., as No. 4, and T. 13, R. 6 E., as No. 5. The boundaries were not exactly those of the congressional townships. Nine road districts were established on this day also. The road supervisors then appointed were John Lyle, James Holgate, Whitney Smith, Jefferson Trickle, W. W. Webster (June term), Joseph Palmer, Peter F. Miner, S. G. Worley and JJohn Miller. It was then ordered that every able-bodied man should perform three days' work on the roads. There were five assessors' districts established. Isaac Spencer, J. W. Agard, I. 11. Barnett, Silas Richards and Adam Perry were appointed justices of the respective justice districts.
On April 5, 1839, James Holgate was appointed school commis- sioner. The school lands trustees appointed on April 6, 1839, were 1. C. Avery, Henry Seely and A. M. Smith, for Osceola : Henry Breese, Samuel Camp and I. Spencer, for Penn: J. W. Heath, Samuel Seely and Adam Perry, for Tonlon ; Calvin Powell, Sr., Moses Boardman and Whitney Smith, for Essex: W. W. Webster, Joseph Palmer and Milton Richards, for West Jersey : (. Il. Miner, Luther Driscoll and Samnel Parrish, for Goshen. The first deeds recorded in the county were as follows: William Dunbar to Ruliff Parrish. June 24, 1839, for lots 1. 2 and 8. in block 38, La Fayette village ; Henry and Eliza Seely to Nicholas Sturm. February 28, 1839, for the N. 3. N. W. 4. Section 27. T. 14, R. 7, the consideration being $187.50.
Robert McClenahan was appointed county collector. A lottery was held to determine the terms of the commissioners, which resulted in giving Stephen Trickle one year, Jonathan Hodgson two, and Cal- vin Winslow three years. The board decided that the county and cir- cuit courts should be held hereafter at W. II. Henderson's house. On
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June 4th a tax of 40 cents per $100 valuation was ordered. At this session five election preeinets were established, grand and petit jurors were appointed, and the assessors ordered to be paid. In September. 1839, William Ogle replaced Commissioner Trickle. John Hester. Adam Perry and Joseph D. Lane were commissioned to locate a road. commencing at Boyd's Grove toward L. S. Dorrance's mill. This was the introduction to road-making under the new local government. On September 3d a number of orders were issued for SI each, to judges and clerks who presided at the August election, and the day after a resolution was recorded granting 75 cents per day to each grand and petit juryman who would be called to serve in court. On December 2. 1839, an order was issued for $2.50 to B. M. Jackson, to cover freight and other charges on eleven record books, from Cincinnati, O., to Stark county, and one for 75 cents for conveying seven record books from La Fayette to Colonel Henderson's house was issued to Philip Anshnte.
The first regular bridges over Spoon river on the Peoria and Galva road were erected in the fall of 1839, L. S. Dorrance supplying the lumber. In March, 1840, William Lyle was paid $16.50 for the origi- nal book-case in clerk's office. At this session the following names were bestowed on the five election precincts respectively, viz: No. 1. Osceola, Wyoming, Massillon, La Fayette and Central. On March 7. 1840, Minot Silliman presented his account as follows: 81,268.76 from September 2, 1839, to date, including $505.60 of the internal improve- ment fund paid over by the Stark county commissioners as agents for Putnam county ; contra jurors' certificates, $27; county orders paid out, $528.49; commission, $11.10; total expenditure, 8566.59 ; cash on hand, $702.17. Henry Breese was appointed collector of the county. The first overseers of the poor were appointed September 9, 1840, as follows: William Mahany, Central township; Henry MeClenahan. La Fayette township; Brady Fowler, Osceola township; Nehemiah Mer- ritt, Wyoming township. In October. 1840. a special election for jus- tice of the peace was held in Massillon township, which cost the county $5.50 judges' and clerks' fees. The total expenditures for the year ending March 7. 1841, amounted to $1,298.02, and the total revenue, including balance from 1840, $2,111.00.
On July 12, 1841. John Dawson, P. V. Bergen and W. F. Elkin. appointed under the act of February 27, 1841. to locate the county seat of Stark county, made their report, stating that on May 17, 1841. they did locate the Town of Toulon as the county seat, on ninety rods of land then owned by John Miller, being a part of the southwest quarter of section 19, in township 13, north, range 6. east, being twelve rods east and twelve rods north of the west and south boundaries of the quarter section. upon the condition that John Miller execute to the commissioners a good deed in fee simple for the tract. This deed was made July 28, 1841, by John and Mary Ann Miller, reserving only such timber and shrubs. buildings, rails and fruit trees, to be removed by him before April 1, 1842, and like property when the owner of any lot shall commence building on and enclosing the same. This deed was acknowledged by Joseph Perry. In September, Is41, Brady
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Fowler replaced Calvin Winslow on the county board. The expendi- tures for the year ending March 9. 1842, exceeded $1020, still leaving a balance in favor of 1848 of $1,053.19.
The commissioners in 1843 were Wm. Ogle. Brady Fowler and F. W. Emery. In 1844. L. S. Dorrance took Wm. Ogle's place; in 1845. Joseph Palmer replaced Brady Fowler ; in 1846, Jefferson Trickle took F. W. Emery's place: in 1847. James Holgate, Joseph Pahner and Jefferson Trickle formed the board, and the last named with Theo. J. Hurd and Thomas Lyle in 1848. They were the last commissioners of Stark and its live precinets, Toulon, Osceola, Lafayette, Massillon, and Wyoming.
During the year 1849 the commissioners' court was abolished and the business of the county placed in charge of the county court. James Holgate, deceased, was judge, and Win. F. Thomas, sheriff, and ex ollicio, collector of taxes. Calvin L. Eastman, Theo. F. Hurd and Henry Breese were appointed commissioners in December, 1852, to divide the county into townships in accordance with the act of Feb- rnary 17. 1851, providing for township organization. One of the last acts of the old board, June 6, 1853, was a resolution favoring $50,000 aid to the Western Air Line Railroad. In Angust, 1853, 534 voters sanctioned this aid, and 141 opposed the proposition.
The justices of the peace holding office in 1849 were: W. W. Win- słow. Dan. 1. Hurd. Walter M. Fuller, Isaac Thomas, Miles A. Fuller, JJacob Young, John F. Thompson, James B. Lewis, John Miller, Wm. Ogle, Milton Eckley, Joseph Catterlin. John Finley and Herrick A. Halsey were elected in 1851; James Hathaway, Chas. C. Wilson and John F. Thompson in 1852. James Holgate was county judge, and Oliver Whitaker notary public. The names of the pioneer justices from the days of Squire Owens and Squire Benjamin Smith down to 1866, are given in the marriage record, while from 1853 to the present time the record is given in the histories of the several townships.
The committee on division of the county reported in January. 1853. the following names for seven of the eight divisions : Essex, Valley. Goshen. Toulon, Penn, Elmira and Osceola. The supervisors subse- quently chosen, wore Lemuel Dixon, Charles (. Wilson, Lewis 11. Fitch. Calvin L. Eastman, James Holgate. Thomas Lyle and Bradford Foster. West Jersey was subsequently organized in 1853, and W. W. Webster elected first supervisor. James Holgate was elected first chairman of the board, June 7. 1853. The committee above named received $1.50 for their services, and the new organization was completed. The justices elected in 1853 are named as follows : Alfred Freeman, Chas. B. Donalson. John Miller, Jacob E. Jones, Hervey .I. Rhodes, Henry Breese. John Snare, James Buswell, W. M. Fuller, Isaac Thomas, John Finley, Herrick R. Halsey, Washington Trickle, Jacob Young, Alex. Moncreif, James Holgate, county judge. From 1854 to the present time the names of supervisors and justices are given in the histories of the townships.
County Buildings .- The county courthouse and jail are noticed by Mrs. Shallenberger, thus : " The first courthouse, a plain wooden structure built to meet present wants, was completed in 1842, and
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served many important purposes for the county and town, not only as a seat of justice, but sometimes as church and schoolhouse too. The old jail was built a year or so later, perhaps, in 1844, by Ira WarJ. Ir .: a man from Knox county by the name of Hammond, doing the mason work. This still serves to hold. rather insecurely. however, Stark county criminals, and it can hardly be said that its accommodations or management, reflect any great credit upon the county officials who control this matter. The present courthouse is a substantial and well proportioned brick edifice, with airy and convenient offices on the first floor. Standing, as it does, on a square shaded by a fine growth of young trees, it is a pleasant and comely picture for the eve to rest upon ; one for which a good many of our citizens would be willing to fight valiantly should its possession ever be serionsly disputed -- as some see fit to predict. It was erected in 1856 at a cost to the county of $12,000." On July 14, 1854, the bid of . Volk & Co. for building a fire proof office structure for the county was accepted, and Messrs. Caverly, Jordan and Armstrong were appointed a building committee. This building contains the offices of the county clerk, circuit clerk and treasurer only. the other offices with the court room being in the old building.
The Poor Farm .- In the notice of the old commissioners' court. reference is made to the establishment of an alshouse. Mrs. Shallen- berger, speaking of this institution, says: "The first county poor-house was located a little northeast of Toulon, on what was long familiarly known as . Adam Perry's place:' indeed, the house was but the old residence enlarged, and adapted in various ways to its new duties. But this being deemed insufficient to meet the demands liable to be made by the increase of paupers, as the county grew in years and numbers, it was decided in 1868 to buy a larger farm, farther from town, and to erect upon it a good. substantial and commodions poor- house. Accordingly a tract of land described as the northeast quarter of section 12, in township 12 north. range 5 cast. in Stark county. was purchased from Davis Lowman, at a cost of about $8,000, and early in the following year preparations for buikling began -the committee in charge being C. M. S. Lyons. J. H. Quinn and H. Shiv- vers." Hewes White was appointed superintendent in March, 1862. The old poor-farm was sold June 27, 1868. in lots of five and ten acres, bringing 87.865. A few months prior to this the county purchased from Davis Lowman 160 acres for 86,000, and on this the present county poor-honse stands. The buildings were erected by William Caverly at a cost of $16,000. In August, isto, A. S. Green. superin- tendent, reported nine inmates. Lewis Lacy died there, July 29. 1870. in his soth year. From 1868 to June. 1886, two hundred and two per- sons were received into this institution. For a number of years Super- intendent Morrison has managed the house, and by methodical business means placed it at the pinnacle of all county charitable houses in the state. In December. 1886, the house was destroyed by fire; no lives were lost, but the superintendent lost his personal property.
The index to legislative acts affecting Stark county, from 1839 to 1869, is as follows: county formed, boundary and organization, L.
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1839 (2 Mar.). 229; locate county seat and extend county limits, after vote. L. 1840 (1 Feb.). 62: share in internal improvement fond, Id. (29 Jan .. 65; assessments for 1839 legalized. Id. (1 Feb.). 77: Toulon to be county seat. L. 1841 (27 Feb .. 98: records made by B. Turner. deputy of B. M. Jackson, legalized. L. 1845 (18. Feb.). 364; township from Henry and added to this county, vote thereon, L. 1849 (12 Feb.). 55: sheep and swine not to run at large. L. 1855 (14 Feb.). 154: school lands. T. 12. R. 6. sold by Isaac B. Essex, deeded by governor. L. 1851. township law. L. 1853 (§ Feb.). 151; Osceola plat vacated, Pr. L. 1855 ( 14 Feb.). 46: Wyoming chartered. 2 Pr. L. 1865 (16 Feb.), 642; Tou- lon chartered. Pr. L. 159 (11 Feb.). 658; amendment, offenders com- mitted. 2 Pr. L. 1865 (16 Feb., 583; Washington street partly vacated. Pr. L. 1847 (26 Feb. ), 204: same, Pr. L. 1851 (28 Jan.), 18; county to sell town lots. Pr. laws 1849 (12 Feb.). 133, and Pr. L. 1855 (14 Feb. ). 526: Toulon Lodge No. 93 A. F. and A. M. chartered, Pr. L. 1853 (10 Feb. ). 569: trustees First Baptist church, acts legalized, Pr. L. 1859 (12 Feb.). 33: supervisors sell seminary. 1 Pr. L. 1867 (18 Feb. ) 4.
CHAPTER VIL.
POLITICAL HISTORY.
OLITICS, or the science of government, occupies a first place in the estimation of all free peoples, and of those who would be free, even as it does in that of the governing classes of countries where little or no freedom exists. Under our own flag, in every county and municipality in the Union, politics is an ever-reenrring subject. For this reason a large space is devoted to this chapter, and the following summary of the history of conventions intro- duced. Previous to 1796 the nominations for President and Vice President were entirely in the hands of the Electoral College: subsequently. the nominating power became one of the privileges of the several parties in Congress. George Washington was nominated as the first President without any formahty of convention in 17Ss. It is, perhaps, forgotten that John Adams had nearly half as many votes in the Electoral College. Washington was renominated for a second term in 1792. but not without considerable opposition. Probably most readers of this generation do not know that in the first Electoral College the names of Lincoln and Harrison were presented as rival candidates for election. R HI. Harrison. of Maryland, received six votes : and Benjamin Lincoln, of Massachusetts, one vote. The sharp contrast between the method of nominating candidates now and in the early days of the Republic is shown by the following sketch of the contest for the Presideney in 1800: The method, as the Constitu-
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tion then stood, of voting for two candidates without distinction as to the office for which they were intended -the one receiving the highest number of votes to be President-furnished peculiar facilities for quietly displacing Adams without seeming to make any open attack upon him; and even without the necessity that more than a limited number of influential politicians should be in the secret. The names of Adams and Pinckney being brought forward in a private caneus of the Federal members of Congress held for the purpose of agreeing upon candidates to be supported by the party, it was recommended pretty unanimously that both should be voted for equally: but the opponents of Adams secretly hoped that means might be found to secure Pinckney the larger vote. A similar caneus of the opposition members selected as their candidates Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr-with the distinct understanding. however, that Jefferson was the choice of the party for President. Both these caucuses were held with profound secrecy -this sort of dictation being not vet recognized as a part of the institutions of the country. Their proceedings. instead of being formally reported. were communicated to local leaders by letters.
In 1804, for the first time. the electors balloted separately for President and Vice-President. Jefferson being chosen by the adminis- tration party. and Charles C. Pinckney by the Federalists. In 150% a Democratic-Republican congressional caucus nominated Madison, and a Federalist. Charles C. Pinckney. In 1-12 a congressional caucus renominated Madison, while an opposition caucus at New York selected De Witt Clinton. In 1516 Monroe received the nomination of the Democratic-Republican congressmen. and Rufus King. of the Federalist cancus. In 1520 the power of the caneus waned, failed. and Monroe was reelected. In 1524 Crawford. nominee of a congress- ional caucus. failed. and the revolt against the system threw the onus of nomination on State legislatures. Clay, Jackson. and J. Q. Adams were nominated, and the latter was ultimately elected by vote of the llonse. In 152> Jackson was nominated by the Tennessee Legislature. and Adams by the National Republicans. Two years later the Anti- Masons' convention was called. met in September. 1:31. at Phila- delphia, and nominated William Wirt for President. In December the National Republicans nominated Clay at Baltimore, and the national nominating convention was at last a fact. Since 1530 the national convention has grown in popular favor. until in our own time it forms a meeting that claims the attention of the whole worldl. In the following record of elections mention is made of the candidates for President, and the vote each received in this county.
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