USA > Illinois > Madison County > Alton > Gazetteer of Madison County : containing historical and descriptive sketches of Alton City, Upper Alton, Edwardsvile, Collinsville, Highland, Troy, Monticello, Mairne, Bethalto, and other towns, including some account of the resources of the various townships, to which is added a directory of the Altons,. > Part 7
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
*Lippincotts Papers, No. 25.
· 8-
58 :
A GAZETTEER OF
plete in having the earliest dates, but the record of licenses seems more complete during the period covered by it.
NOTE .- The spelling of the names followingis according to the " Records." 1814.
June 14, *William Kelley to Rebeckah McMahan.
July 27, Samuel Stattiens to Elizabeth H.
Sept. 5, Samuel Lockhart to Winney Walker.
Sept. 22, James Kirkpatrick to Electa Meacham.
Oct. 13, Benjamin Stedman to Margaret Gillham,
Oct. 13, Myatt Stubblefield to Sarah Black.
Dec. 12, Bennet Nowland to Nancy Robeson.
Dec. 27, George Moor to Peggy McFarlin.
1815.
Jan. 2, *Jubilee Posey to Caty Smith.
Jan. 24, *William Wood to Polly Cox.
Feb. 1, *Jesse Bell to Susan Meacham.
Feb. 13, #Phillip Teter to Rebeckah Robeson.
March 17, William Johnson to Lydia Hutton.
May 26, Davis Carter to Caty Ragan.
June 23, Orman Beeman to Talisha White.
June 6, Abraham Prickett to Sally Kirkpatrick.
July 31, James Heart to Fanny Puksley.
Aug. 12, Daniel Lanison to Amans Greenwood.
Nov. 22, "Hiram Beck to Nancy Sams.
Dec. 20, Water McFarlin to Sally Hutton.
1816.
Jan. John Drum to Gilley Wood. Feb. 20, Abraham Casteel to Polly Nowland.
Feb. Jonah Caton to Ara Clark,
March 11, *Israel Turner to Caty Stice.
April 30, $Samuel Seybolt to Tamar Pickering. May 21, Samuel Jaraway to Jenney Whitehead. June 3, #Samuel Thomas to Elizabeth Isey. Aug. 5, Thomas Moore to Rebecca Holcoinb.
Aug. 17, *William Atkins to Elizabeth Emert.
Aug. 24, James Thomson to Permilia Sorrels.
Sept. 11, Joseph Borough to Sally Shepherd. Sept. 25, *Robert Reynolds to Sally Whiteside.
Nov. 13, Walter J. Sealey to Vicy Meacham.
Nov. 13, David H. Kennedy to Mary Coots. (?) Nov. 27, Jephtha Lumkin to Jane Kirkpatrick.
Dec. 13, *John Green to Nancy Means.
Dec. 19, *Samuel Beeman to Polly Smelser.
Dec. 28, Samuel Davidson to Vitet Enloe.
1817.
Jan. 3, Moses Archer to Elizabeth Brazel.
Feb. 7, William Wyatt to Rachel Kitchens.
Feb. 15, #Alexander V. Bonner to Huldah Foster.
Feb. 22. # William Green to Polly Starkey.
March 1, Rodolphns Langworthy to Lucy Meacham. March 12, *Jonas Bradshaw to Betsey Sawyers.
March 13, James Reynolds to Sally Black. March 18, Levi Scot to Edy Ennis.
April 10, *Wiley Green to Betsey Higgins.
April David Nix to Betsey Whiteside.
April 16, James Heryford to Betsey Vincence. May 26, "Jacob Deck to Sally Bates. June 5. * John Greenwood to Margaret Kirkpatrick.
June 10, *Thomas Scott to Susan Cooper.
June 21, Hampton McKinny to Polly B. Clark.
59
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
June 23, Job Day to Jane Shockley. July Samuel Judy to Sally Reaves. July 15, Thomas Hamiliton to Purifa Harris.t
July 22, Absalom Renshaw Milley Woodyard. July 23, John Bates to Nancy Crosby.
Aug. 6, William Going to Anna Whitehead. Aug. 9, Edward Welsh to Rachel Kain, widow. Aug. 9, #Philip Henson to Elizabeth Greenwood.
Aug. 9, # Edward Haleyį to Elizabeth Bolt. Aug. 14, Daniel Dunmore to Turzy L. Meacham.
Aug. 16, George Hewitt to Peggy Bishop.
Aug. 19, John Wyatt to Rebecca Wyatt. Sept. 1, Jesse Renfro to Letty West. Oct. 1, Hiram Huitt to Nancy Herriford. Nov. 4, *John Cammel to Levina Parkinson.
Nov. 15, *Joshua Delaplain to Hannah Davidson, widow.
Dec. 10, Abraham Sippy to Sally Miller.
Dec. 11, John C. Wood to Fanny Denson.
Dec. 11, Hiram Robbins to Betsey Dean.
Dec. 23, *Alexander Byrum to Polly Wood.
Dec. 26, *Jehu L. Litton to Lydia Morris. Dec. 3, Martin Jackson to Betsey McDaniel.
1818.
Jan. 26, John McCollum to Sarrah Whiteside. Feb. 11, *George Faris to Nancy Piper.
Feb. 17. * John Crawford to Cassey Holcomb.
Feb. 17 William Howard to Elizabeth Reece. Feb. 25, Robert McMahan, jr., to Nancy Conway.
Feb. 27, Lorenzo Edwards to Patsey New. March 5, James Thomson to Jean Munson. March 9, Henry Emert to Rachel Rebold.
March 9, Richard Kinghton to Jeney Smart. March 20, Isaac Casteel to Betsey Albard. March 21, *James Gillham to - - Lofton.
March 3, John Richardson to Orphy Thompson. April 15, Thomas Furgason to Betsey Medford. May 22, *George Allen to Polly Gibbs.
June 3, David M. Gillham to Polly Harkleroad. June 9, Nicholis Russell to Polly Canby. June 17, John T. Lawyork to Ann Trulock.
July *Aquilla Low to Polly Revis. July 8, *Temple Nix to Hannah Taylor, July *William Burton to Barbary Smart. July 18, *Jacob Moore to Polly Burns. July 18, *Jacob Waggoner to Nancy Moore. Aug. 5, #Daniel Holcomb to Vicy Tolly.
Aug. 17, Elias Roberts to Elizabeth Allen.
Aug. 21, John Johnson to Nancy Dugger. Aug. 22, *Moses Leeds to Mary Waddle. Sept. 19, Solomon Penny to Jincy Renshaw. Oct. 5, John Piper to Lucinda Beard. Oct. 10, Warner Yates to Frances Tindall. Oct. 20, *Thomas Fenley to Charlotte Jackson.
Oct. 29, *Hiram Rountree to Nancy R. Wright. Nov. 17, John Powell to Betsey Coop.
Dec. 7, *Thomas Hill to Peggy Moore. Dec. 16, William Archer to Betsey Holt. Dec. 18, John White to Peggy Robinson.
+Purifa Kirkpatrick in Record of Certificates.
¿William Hailey in Record of Certificates.
60
A GAZETTEER OF
Dec. 21, John Carson to Margaret Parkerson. Dec. 24, Daniel Pettengill to Anna Bickmore. 1819.
Jan. 13, Isaac Renfro to Rachel Carson. Jan. 18, Elias McCance to Polly Whiteside.
Jan. 19, *James Whitlock to Rhody Green.
Jan. 28, *Daniel Harper to Peggy Standfield. Jan. 30. * Owen Evens to Mary Crispwell.
Feb. 2, *Nicholas Cheleano to Margaret Degearly.
Feb. 15, Andrew Armstrong to Maryann Roberts.
Feb. 15, *William Kirkpatrick to Lyddia Bartlett. Feb. 22, *Thomas McDow to Mary Lofton. Feb. 25, *Adam Miller to Peggy Thomson. March 6, #Thomas Lofton to Betsey Hayton. March 8, Mark Higgins to Rachel Brisco.
March 8, James Dunn to Zilpha Thomas.
March 15, Joseph Howard to Jenney McAliley.
March 17, #John Waddle to Caty Snyder.
March 25, John Barnaby to Polly Johnson.
March 26, Thomas Moore to Mary Parkerson. April 3, Samuel Hamilton to Polly Eldrige.
April 19, James Nixon to Mary Ann Rutherford.
April 21, Daniel White to Anne Brown.
April 25. * Daniel Tolman to Mary Ann Hare.
May 1, William Ennis to Sally Wiatt.
May 3, *John Cressup to Agness Manning, (on condition of no ob- jection of parents.)
May 11, George Bridges to Mary Lindly.
June 3, Richard Brozale to Lavodosea Enyart.
June 7, John Cormack to Fanny Randle.
RECORD OF CERTIFICATES OF MARRIAGES,-For Madison County Illinois Territory, previous to 1820, filed by Josias Randle, Clerk.
1813.
Jan. 29, Jas. McKiney l to Nancy Lockhart, by Rev. Josias Randle.
Feb. 19, John Lawton ad to Patey Hill, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
April 9, Jas. Sullivan Z to Phebee Hutton, by Rev. Josias Randle.
April 8, John Hapton ad to Harriet Stublefield, by Rev. Wm. Jones. May 3, Joshua Renfro l to Pheraby Revis, by Rev. James Renfro.
June 24, Daniel G. Moor I to Franky Jarvis, by Rev. Josias Randle. March 25, William Ogle ad to Isabella Kyle, by Thos. Davidson Esq. March 9, William York ad to Betsey Kitchens, by Thos. Davidson, Esq. July 2, Thomas Wadkins ad to Polly Green, by Thos Davidson, Esq. Aug. 31, Samuel Hutton l to Peggy Wright, by Rev. Josias Randle.
Nov. William Furguson ad to Hannah Green, by Thos. G. Davidson, Esq.
Nov. George Wise l to Elth Jones, by Rev. Joseph Lemon.
Nov. Joseph Ferguson l to Jane Gragg, by
Nov. Daniel Johnson ad to Susanna Smelser, by Thos. Davidson, Esq.
Dec. 23, John Gillham ad to Elizabeth Gillham, by Judge John G. Lofton. 1814,
Jan. 1, Thomas Green, I to Nelly Desha, by
Jan. 4, Samuel G. Morse l to Polly Kirkpatrick, by William Gillham Esq. Jan. 31, John Enox ad to Marjory Fergason, by Thos. G. Davidson, Esq. April 2, Mills Whitley ad to Elizabeth Little, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
April 2, Thomas Finley ad to Mary Little, by Rev. Win. Jones.
June 14, William Killey l to Rebekah McMahan.
May Timothy Lamberson l to Rebekah Furgason.
*The abbreviations l and ad refer to the authority by which the parties were married; ¿ signifying by License and ad by advertisement.
61
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
May John Hawks / to-McFarlin.
Jan. 20, John Davidson ad to Margaret Gillham, by Judge Jolin G. Lofton. Feb. 10, William Sharone / to Keziah Robinson, by Judge John G. Lofton. Feb. 16, Hardy Wilbanks ad to Susanna Gillham, by Judge J. G. Lofton. Dec. 23, William Montgomery ad to Saralı Rattan, by Rev. Wmn. Jones, Dec. 13, Thomas Carlan ad to Rebeckahı Hewitt, by Rev. Win. Jones. 1815.
Feb. 2, Jesse Bell I to Susan Meacham, by Rev. Josias Randle. Jan. 5, Jubilee Posey ¿ to Caty Smith, by Rev. Josias Randle.
Feb. 4, William Fergason ad to Polly Dogget, by T. G. Davidson, Esq.
Feb. 2, William Wood ¿ to Polly Cox. by Rev. William Jones.
Feb. 26, James Steel l to Rebeckah Bradshaw, by Rev. William Jones. March 18, William Rowden, ad to Livinia Prewitt, by John Springer, Esq. Feb. 14, Phillip Peter ¿ to Rebeckah Robinson, by Rev. Chas R. Matheney. Nov. 23, Hiram Beck ¿ to Nancy Sams, by Rev. William Jones.
Nov. 28, Martin Jones ad to Margarett Hutton, by Rev. William Jones. Nov. 19, James Beeman ad to Litha Odle, by Rev. William Jones. Oct. 17, Thomas Blankenship od to Hannah Carter, by Rev. Wm. Jones. Nov. 5. John Jones ad to Mary Wright, by Rev. Willian Jones. Dec. 14, Thomas Green ad to Rody Hegans, by Rev. William Jones. Dec. 16, Soloman Revis ad to Polly Green, John Springer, Esq.
1816.
Feb. 5, Young Wood ad to Polly Ewin, by Rev. William Jones. Jan. 21, Mathew Cowin ad to Betsey Hewitt, by Rev. William Jones. March 14, Israel Turner / to Caty Stice, by Rev. Rivers Cormack.
April 2, Samuel Seybolt / to Tamar Pickering, by Rev. Rivers Cormack. April 8, Evans Smith l to Hannah Turner, by Rev. Rivers Cormack. June 4, Semuel Thomas I to Elizabeth Isley, by Rev. William Jones. Aug. 5, Samuel Stockton ad to Loruhuma Patterson.
Dec. 13, Jeptha Lampkins / to Jean Kirkpatrick, by A. Prickett, Esq. Dec. 19, John Green l to Nancy Means.
Dec. Samuel Beaman / to Polly Smelser.
1817.
Feb. 11, Wm. Atkins ¿ to Elizabeth Emert.
Feb. 11, David Canady l to Mary Cyles.
Feb. 13, William Wyatt { to Rachel Kitchens, by Rev. William Jones. Feb. 6, David Faukner ad to Lydia Beaman, by Rev. William Jones. Feb. 16, Alexander V. Bonner ¿ to Huldah Foster, by J. T. Lusk, Esq. Feb. 26, William Green / to Polly Starkey, by Rev. Willianı Jones. Feb. 18, James Hareford ad to Patience Jones, by T. G. Davidson, Esq. March 25, Jonas Bradshaw l to Betsey Sawyers, J. T. Lusk, Esq: April 19, James Heryford l to Betsey Vincence, by Rev. Will. Jones.
April 22, Robert Reynolds ¿ to Sally Whiteside, by John McKiney, Esq. May 31, Wiley Green I to Betsey Higins, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
May 30, Jacob Deck l to Sally Bates, by Rev. Win. Jones.
June 21, Thomas Scot l to Susan Cooper. by J. Springer, Esq. June 10, John Greenwood I to Margaret Kirkpatrick, by Rev. R. Cormack. Aug. 13, Phillp Henson / to Elizabeth Greenwood, by J. T. Lusk, Esq. Aug. 14, John Bates / to Naney Crosby, by Rev. Wmn. Jones.
Aug. 14, Thomas Hamilton / to Purifa Kirkpatrick, by Rev. Win. Jones. Ang. 28, Absalom Renshaw / to Milly Woodyard, by Rev. R. Cormack.
Sept. 8, William Haily l to Elizabeth Bolt, by Rev. Joseph Lemon.
Nov. 16, Joshua Delaplain ¿ to Hannah Davidson, widow, by T. G. David- son, Esq.
· Dec. 27, John L. Sitton l to Sydia Morris, widow, by J. T. Lusk, Esq. Dec. 3, (1818) Martin Jackson I to Betsey McDaniel, by J. T. Lusk, Esq. 1818. Jan. 15, John Cammel ¿ to Levina Packerson, by John Hone, Esq. Jan. 28, Alexander S. Biram l to Polly Wood, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
62
GAZETTEER OF
March 18, Lorenzo Edwards l to Patsey New, by Rev. Wm. Jones. March 27, James Gillham l to Sarah Lofton, by T. G. Davidson, Esq. April 18, Thomas Ferguson l to Betey Medford, by Hail Mason, Esq. Feb. 17, George Faris l to Nancy Piper, by Rev. Joseph Lemon. April 5, Moses Fenley ad to Sally Scott, by Rev. William Jones. May 28, George Allen I to Polly Gibbs, by T. G. Davidson, Esq. May 29, John Crawford l to Cassy Holcomb, by John McKiney, Esq. July 17, William Burton I to Barbary Smart, by Hail Mason, Esq. Aug. 6, Daniel Holcomb l to Vuy? Tolly, by John McKiney.
Aug. 22, Jacob Moore l to Polly Burns, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
Jacob Waggener, I to Nancy Moore, by Rev. Wm. Jones. Temple Nix, I to Hannah Taylor, by Micajah Cox, Esq. Aguilla Low, I to Polly Revis, by Micajah Cox, Esq.
Oct. 10, Moses Seeds l to Mary Waddell, by Amos Squire, Esq. Oct 20, Thomas Fenley l to Charlotte Jackson, by Hail Mason, Esq. Oct. 29, Hiram Roundtree l to Nancy R. Wright, by Rev. Josias Randle. Sept. 21, Aug. Longworthy I to Adah Meacham, by R. Langworthy, Esq. 1819.
Jan. 4, John White I to Peggy Robinson, by Rev. G. P. Rice. Jan. 15, Thomas Hill, I to Peggy Moore, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
Jan. 15, Shadrack Jackson l to Prudence Finley, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
Jan. 27, Elias McCance l to Polly Whiteside, by M. Cox. Esq. Jan. 30, James Whitlock / to Rhoda Green, by Rev. Wm. Jones. Jan. 30, Daniel Harper I to Peggy Stanafield, by Rev. R. Cormack. Feb. 11, Owen Evans l to Mary Cripwell, by T. G. Davidson, Esq. Feb. 11, Nicholas Cheleano l to Margaret Dejerley, by T. G. Davidson Esq. March 5, William Kirkpatrick l to Lydia Bartlett, by Hail Mason, Esq. March 25, James Dunn l to Zilpha Thomas, by Rev. Wm. Jones.
April 12, Thomas McDow l to Mary Lofton, by M. Cox, Esq.
April 15, Adam Meller l to Peggy Thompson, by A. Squire, Esq. April 15, John Wadle / to Caty Snider, by A. Squire, Esq. Marchi 11, Thomas G. Lofton I to Betsey Heaton, by A. Squire, Esq. April 30, Daniel Tolman, ¿ to Mary Ann Hare, by Hail Mason, Esq. May 3, John Crissap l to Agness Manning, by Thornton Peeples, Esq. 109 in all.
The attention of the people was early called to the necessity of certain "internal improvements" as will be seen from the following :
Extracts from an Act approved March 27, 1819, in respect to draining the American Bottom-funds to be raised by Lottery.
SECTION 1, Be it Enacted etc.,
That the following seven persons be, and they are hereby appointed managers of a lottery for the purpose herein after mentioned, viz: Hugh H. Maxwell, William C. Greenup, George Fisher, William Alexander, Amos Squires, Joseph A. Beaird and John Hays; and the said managers or a majority of them may raise by lottery in one or more classes, any sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, to be applied to the draining of such ponds in the Mississippi bottom-commonly called the "American Bot- tom,"-extending from the town of Kaskaskia, to a line drawn across said bottom from the mouth of the Missouri river due east, as the said com- missioners may think most proper and necessary to be drained ; com- mencing with those which produce the greatest injury to the health of the people, and continuing in the same manner until the funds raised for that purpose shall be exhausted, defraying the incidental expenses attending the same &c., &c.
An Act for the improvement of the internal navigation of the State, and a memorial to Congress on the subject were passed by the Legislature of the State, and approved, February 14, 1823. This act provided for a Board of Commissioners, whose duties were to devise and adopt measures to open
63
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
a communication by canal and locks between the navigable waters of the Illinois and Lake Michigan, to cause the route to be explored, surveys and levels to be taken, maps and field books to be constructed, and estimates of the cost to be made, and to invite the attention of the Governors of the States of Indiana and Illinois and through them the Legislatures of those States to the importance of a canal communication between the Wabash and Maumee rivers. Thomas Sloo, jr., Theophilus W. Smith, Emanuel J. West and Erastus Brown were elected Commissioners. Mr. Sloo was from Hamilton County, and Messrs. Smith, West and Brown from Madison County. Under their direction five different routes were ex- plored, and the expense upon each caleulated; the highest estimate being $717,110 and the lowest $639,946. It does not come within the province of this sketch to go into any detail history of the progress of this great undertaking until its completion in 1848, as it in no way pertains to Madi- son County.
A MURDER was committed in 1823, between the forks of Wood river which caused great excitement in the county. A man by the name of Eliphalet Green, who was working at Abel Moore's distillery had a quarrel with another and shot him. Green was arrested, tried, convicted and executed. The circumstances seem to have been nearly as follows:
Green, who was supposed to have some mental defect not amounting to idiocy, became very much enraged, having been violently abused, ran into the distillery got his gun and fired at his opponent, who was retreating or retiring from the building. He fled to the American Bottom but returned and gave himself up to William Ogle, who accompanied him next day to Edwardsville, and surrendered him to the authorities. He was tried before Judge Reynolds at Edwardsville, found guilty and executed, though some seem to have entertained a doubt whether his crime was anything more than man-slaughter. He died deeply and, it was supposed, sincerely penetent.
The following named persons constituted the jury in this case, viz :
James Mason, James Pearce, Ambrose Nix, David Roach, David Nix, Joseph Bartlett, John Vicking, Gershom Flagg, William H. Hopkins, William Hoxsey, R. C. Gillham and Jesse Bell .*
*An amusing anecdote is related of his Honor Judge Reynolds who presided at this trial, by Governor Ford in his History of Illinois. The etiquette preserved in the early Courts of the County was of the slightest and most informal nature. A very free and easy tone prevailed among Judges, Lawyers, and spectators, ex- tending frequently to the passing of audible compliments; sometimes of a little doubtful and always emphatic character.
The Sheriff convened Court on one occasion by stepping into the yard and call- ing out "Boys come into the house now-all on ye, John's goin' to hold Court." This was a fair sample of the official forms observed in such cases. It is related in the present instance that the Judge in passing sentence of death upon the prisoner made use of language something like the following: "Well Mr. Green the Jury in their verdict found you to be guilty of murder, and the law says you are to be hanged. Now I want you and your friends down on Wood River to understand that it is not I, that condemns you, but the Jury and the law. Now I wish to allow you all the time you want to prepare, so the Court wants to know at what time you would prefer to be hanged."
64
A GAZETTEER OF
This was the first trial for a capital offence in the County, and the second one in the State. The first conviction in the State for murder was in St. Clair, People vs. Bennett. Green was hung Feb. 24, 1824.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION IN MADISON COUNTY .- THE CONVENTION .- During the year 1823 considerable feeling began to be manifested in the county, as well as throughout the State on the subject of slavery. In the election of 1822 in some of the extreme southern counties the question of opening the State for the admission of slavery was discussed, but in the Legislature of the succeeding winter it assumed an alarming attitude in politics. The issue was not distinctly presented before that time, certainly not in Madison County, nor does it seem to have been generally considered as involved in the election which took place through the State .*
It is a noticeable fact that Mr. Coles, a citizen of Madison County, and an open and decided anti-Slavery man, was elected Governor though by only a plurality at this election, showing that the people were no more in favor of the change then than two years afterwards. In the County of Madison Emanuel J. West was elected a Representative to the Legislature while Theophilus W. Smith represented the County in the Senate. Both lent their influence in the contest which followed to the party favoring the introduction of Slavery, or what was the same thing, the question of a
To which the prisoner replied, "All times are alike to me, your Honor. Those who kill the body have no power to destroy the soul. My preparation is made, and I am ready to suffer at any time the Court may appoint."
Judge, "But Mr. Green, you must know it is a very serious matter to be hanged. It is something that can only happen once in a man's life-and as the Court wishes to give you time for all needful preparation, I will appoint this day four weeks as the day-Mr. Clerk, look in the Almanac and see if this day four weeks comes on Sunday," the Clerk having examined and replied that "this day four weeks came on Thursday," the Judge fixed the execution for that day. At this point the prosecuting attorney, who had conducted the case interposed, and remarked that it was customary upon occasions like the present, when sentence of death was to be pronounced for the Judge to make a short address to the prisoner, summing up the evidence, endeavoring to impress upon his conscience a sense of his guilt, and to lead his thoughts to a serious preparation for death. "Oh its of no use, Mr. Turner," responded his Honor, "Mr. Green understands the whole matter as well as if I had talked to him for a week. He knows he is to be hanged this day four weeks. You under- stand it in that way, Mr. Green, don't you?" and upon the prisoner responding "Yes," to this question he was remanded to jail without more ceremony.
*Gov. Ford in his history, (p. 25,) seems tohave taken the contrary view. He says, "In the election of members to the Convention the only questions were, the right of the constituent to instruct his representative, and the introduction of slavery, which were debated with great earnestness during the canvass.
As there was no "election of members to the Convention," Gov. Ford must have meant to say "Legislature which called the Convention." There may have been such discussions in Monroe County, and further south but my recollection is that in Madison County we heard it whispered, that such things were being carried on in an underhand way, but the warnings of the Spectator were indignantly denied. -Lippincott's Paper No. 30.
65
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Convention. The old Constitution provided for alterations in only one mode. A vote of two thirds of the General Assembly could authorize the people to vote for or against a Convention. If the majority of the votes was in favor, the subsequent legislature was required to order an election of members to the Convention, and appoint the time of meeting, the ap- portionment to be in ratio to the members of both houses in the General Assembly. At that period the progress of the population northward had rendered the apportionment peculiarly unequal, and the strong-hold of the advocates of Slavery was in the counties near the Ohio river, and in the old French settlements. It was demonstrated that on a contingency one- fourth of the votes of the people could elect a majority in a Convention, and that majority might probably be in favor of opening the State to Slavery. Hence it became a paramount object of the opponents of the measure to defeat the Convention. After several efforts it was found that the constitutional majority in the Legislature in favor of a Conven- tion was lacking by one vote. A contested election of a perplexing and complicated character had come from Pike County, then including all the territory north and west of the Illinois river. Mr. Hansen the returned member was opposed to a Convention and refused to give it his vote. Here then it appeared was an opportunity for the dominant party, which the sequel shows they were not slow to improve. But it presented after all only one horn of a dilenema for the Convention party were bent upon electing Jesse B. Thomas, an early and honored citizen of Madison Coun- ty, residing at Edwardsville, to the United States Senate, and counted upon the vote of Mr. Hansen to effect it while his opponent Mr. Shaw was willing to vote for the Convention but declined to support the claims of Judge Thomas as a candidate for the Senate.
After a stormy session of about ten weeks, the Convention party adopted the desperate alternative of a reconsideration, and having already used Mr. Hansen's vote for their purpose, and finding him not to be moved by offers or threats from his position on the Convention question, they turned him out and gave his seat to Shaw .* This turned the scale and the vote
*The following which the "Spectator" of July 12th, 1823, copied from the "Essex (Mass.) Register," is but the recital of an incident characteristic of the "Animus" of a majority of those who advocated the extension of slavery.
"Mr. Hansen, a young lawyer who emigrated from New York, had been return- ed a member, and his election being contested, the House decided that he was entitled to a seat. But ten weeks afterwards, when Mr. Hansen dared to vote against the resolution for calling a Convention, the House re-considered its former decision, and admitted Mr. Shaw, his oppenent, to the seat, who voted for the resolution, and it was accordingly passed by a constitutional majority ! A dis- graceful scene took place during the pendency of the resolution for expelling Mr. Hansen. A mob assembled in the evening at the State House, and after numer- ous speeches had been delivered, inflaming the minds of the people against Mr. Hansen, they proceeded through the town with his effigy in a blaze, accompanied by drums and bugles, and crying "Convention or Death " They then proceeded to the lodgings of Mr. Churchill, another proscribed member, and insulted him by groans, &c. They then dispersed, after giving three cheers for a Convention. The next night after it was found Hansen had been expelled, and the question decided in favor of a Convention, the town was illuminated, and the mob again 9-
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.