USA > Illinois > Ford County > Historical Atlas of Ford County Illinois > Part 4
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diana, at the northeast corner of Edgar County ; thenoe west with the line di- viding Townships 16 and 17, to the southwest corner of Township 17 north, Range 10, east of third principal meridian ; thence north to the northwest corner of Township 22 north ; thence east to the State line ; thence south with the State line to the place of beginning. Vermilion County was formed out of territory attached to Edgar County for county purposes.
Edgar County was organized January 3, 1823, and at that date the terri- tory now embraced in Vermilion County was attached to the county of Ed- gar. Clark County was organized March 22, 1819, and at that date the territory now comprising the county of Vermilion formed part of Clark. Crawford County was organized December 81, 1816, and at that date the territory now embraced in Vermilion County formed part of Crawford. Edwards County was organized November 28, 1814, and at that date the territory now embraced in Vermilion County formed part of Flwards. St. Clair County was organized April 28, 1809, and at that date the terri- tory now embraced in Vermilion County formed part of St. Clair.
The territory attached to Vermilion County embraced all the country now occupied by Champaign, Iroquois and Ford Counties ; two tiers of townships on the east side of Livingston : two.this Is of the width of Grundy County south of the Kankakee, and nearly one and one-half Congressional Townships in the south west corner of Will.
Iroquois County was formed February 20, 1833. Champaign County was formed February 20, 1833. Livingston County was formed February 27, 1837. Grundy County was formed February 17, 1811. Will County was formed January 12. 1986 Ford County was formed February 17, 1859.
Very Respectfully yours,
HENRY D. DEMENT. Secretary of State.
Although Ford was the last county of the State organized, she is not the least, as many suppose.
In population, Ford County numbered as follows : 1860, 1,979; 1870, 9,103; 1880, 15,105. At the date of the last census there were twenty-six counties in this State containing . less number of inhabitants than Ford.
Forty-five counties have a smaller acreage than this county, as shown by the reports of the State Board of Equalization.
THE NAME FORD.
This county received its name in honor of Thomas Ford, the eighth Governor of Illinois (if the administration of W. L. D. Ewing, covering sixteen days, is to be counted as a term, other- wise Gov. Ford's would be the seventh).
Thomas Ford was born at Uniontown, Penn., in the year 1800. His father was killed by the Indians when Thomas was but two years old. In 1804, his mother, with her large family of children, removed to St. Louis, Mo., and two years later set- tled in Monroe County, Ill.
This mother was a good manager, energetic, and determined that her sons should become good citizens. Gov. Ford's boyhood was mostly spent in earning something for the family support, at- tending an occasional session of the county school, and one term at the Transylvania University. He then studied law with Dan- iel P. Cook, & Congressman, and soon thereafter commanded . remunerative class of clients.
In 1829, he was appointed Prosecuting Attorney, and was re- appointed in 1881.
Afterward he served two terms as Circuit Judge, one term as Judge of the Circuit Court at Chicago, and one term as Judge of the Supreme Court. In 1837, the financial panic then sweeping over the country visited Illinois with the most destructive effect. The State had become embarrassed as a consequence of loaning her credit to various projects of internal improvements, notably that of building railroads, and for the purpose of establishing a State bank and branches. The panic came, the internal im- provement plans collapsed, the banks failed, the State bonds ex- perienced a heavy decline, public confidence was lost, credit disappeared, and business of every kind was completely prostrated. This unfortunate condition of affairs continued for a period of several years. In 1842, Thomas Ford was chosen Governor; the State debt then amounted to $14,000,000. It was during his able administration, and chiefly upon his recommendation, that a series of wise financial measures were brought forward in the Legislature. The fallen credit of the commonwealth was re- stored, confidence re-established, and a fresh impetus given to trade and agricultural enterprise.
In his first message, he says : " We must convince our credit- ors and the world that the disgrace of repudiation is not counte- nanced among us, that we are honest and incan to pay as soon as we are able."
When Gov. Ford delivered the reins of government to his successor, instead of a domestic debt f'or the ordinary expenses of the State amounting to almost one-third of a million dollars, we find it reduced to $31,212, with 89,260) in the treasury.
Gov. Ford in his personality is described as " short in stature, slender, dark complexioned, heavy dark hair, decp set eyes, sharp nose and small mouth."
He says in his valedictory message : " Without having in- dulged in wasteful or extravagant habits of living, I retire from office poorer than I came in, and go to private life with the full determination not to seek again any place in the Government."
He died at Peoria November 2, 1850, in very indigent cir- cuinstances.
FORD COUNTY ORGANIZED.
AN ACT TO CREATE THE COUNTY OF FORD AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES :
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the Sinte of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That all that portion of Vermilion County lying and be- ing within the following boundaries, and described as follows, to-wit ;
Beginning at the northeast corner of Cinnpaign County, running thence north to the south line of Iroquois County, thence west to the southwest corner of Iroquois County, thence north to the northwest corner of Iroquois County, thenoe west to Livingston County, thence south to the southeast corner of Liv. ingston County, thence west to Mclean County, thenee south to the northwest corner of Champaign County, thence east to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby created into a new county, to be called the county of Ford: Provided that a majority of all the legal voters of said county of Vermilion
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voting on the question shall vote for said new county, at an election to be held in manner hereinafter provided.
Sec. 2. The qualified voters of said county of Vermilion may at a special election to be held in the several towns in said county on the first Tuesday in April next, vote for or against the creation of said new county of Ford by bal- Int upon which shall be written or printel or partly written and partly printed the words, " For the new county." or " Against the new county."
SEC. 3. The Clerk of the County Court of said county of Vermilion shall give notice of mid election in the several election districts of said county in the same manner as notice of general or especial elections are given in counties which have not adopted township organization as nearly as may he, and the Judges and Clerks of Election in the several election districts of said county shall keep a list of the votes polled at said election, and conduct the same in all respects and make return thereof to the Clerk of the County Court in the anme manner as is provided by law for general elections. All vacancies in the board of election shall be filled in the same manner as is provided by law in other cases. The Clerk of saidl t'ounty Court shall within seven days after said election, or aa anon thereafter an said returns shall be received, proceed to canvass the returns of said election in the same manner as in general elections, and shall within five days thereafter muake return of said vote to the Secretary of State.
SEc. 4. If it shall appear that a majority of all the votes in said county of Vermilion voting upon the question, have voted in favor of the creation of sail new county of Ford, then there shall be held a special election in the several towns and precincts within the limits of this act described for said new county of Ford, on the first Monday in June next for county officers. In case of fractional towns or precincts which have become detached by the boundaries of the said new county the voters thereof may at the first election for county officers vote within such town or precinct within maid new county as they deem most convenient. The snid election to be conducted by the Judges of Election then in office under appointment or election in said county of Vermilion, and to be held at the place of holding the last general election. In case of vacancy in the board of election, or non-attendance, said vacancy or place of any nh- sentec shall be filled in the same manner as is provided by law in other cases of election. At which election the qualified voters of said county of Ford shall eleet all county officers for said county except such as hereinafter are excepted who shall be commissioned and qualified in the same manner as such officers are in other countries in this State, and who shall continue in office until the next general election for such officers and until their successors are elected and qualified, and who shall have all the jurisdiction and perform all the duties which are or may be conferred upon such officers in other counties of this Stato.
Ser. 5. All the Justices of the Peace, Constables or other town or precinct officers who have been heretofore elected and qualified in said county of Ver- milion whose term of office shall not have expired at the time of said election and whose residence shall be embraced within the limits of said county of Ford shall continue in office until their term of office shall expire, and until their successors shall be elected and qualified.
Skc. 6. For the purpose of fixing the permanent location of the county sent of said county of Ford, the voters of said county shall at said election for county officers vote for some place to be designated upon their ballots for a county seat, upon which ballots shall be written or printed, or partly written and partly printed, " For county seat -" after which words shall be written or printed the name of the place intended for the county seat. The place re- ceiving a majority of all the votes cast upon the question shall be the county seat of said county of Ford, but if no one place shall receive a majority of all the votes enst upon the question, then it shall be the duty of the county Court of said county to call another election within thirty days thereafter at the several places of holding elections in said county, at which election the voters of said county shall proceed to vote as before, but shall choose from the two places having the greater number of votes at the former election, and the place having the majority of all the votes cast at the second election shall be the per- manent county sent of said county of Ford.
SEc. 7. The notice of said election for county officers shall be given by the Clerk of the County Court of Vermilion County in the same manner as in cases of general elections; said notice shall specify that a vote will be taken upon the location of the county sent. The returns of said election for county officers shall be made to the Clerk of said court, who shall cause the same to be opened and canvassod and returns thereof made in the same manner as is provided by law in other cases.
Sec. 8. All suits and prosecutions that have been or may be commenced in said county of Vermilion, including all the proceedings in the County Court, in matters of probate before the organization of said county of Ford, shall not be affected by this act or the operation thereof, but all such suita, prosecutions and proceedlings shall be prosecuted, and conducted to their final termination is said county of Vermilion, and the officers of said county are hereby author- ized to execute all writs that may be necessary for the completion of said suits, prosecutions or proceedings within the limits of said county of Ford, and all judgments that may have heretofore been obtained, or that may hereafter be obtainml in said county of Vermilion before the organization of said county of Ford, shall have the same lien upon all property within the limits of said county of Ford as if the said territory had not been created into a separate county.
SEC. 9. As soon as the county officers shall have been elected and quali- fied as aforesaid, the said county of Ford shall be considered organized. The oath of office may be administered to the several county officers by any person within the limits of the new county authorized by law to administer oaths, and As soon as said county is organized, the Clerk of the Circuit Court shall give no- tice thereof to the Judge of the circuit in which said county may be embraced, who shall thereupon hold court at such place in said county of Ford as the County Court thereof shall designate until the county seat of said county shall become permanently located as heretofore provided, which court shall be holden at such times as the Judge of said circuit shall appoint until otherwise pro- vided by law, the said county of Ford shall be taken and considered as a part of the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
SEc. 10. The school funds, if any, in the hands of the School Commis- sioners of Vermilion County belonging to the several towns or parts of towns embraced within the limits of said county of Ford, shall be hy said Commis- sioners paid over to the School Commissioner of said county of Ford, so soon as he shall have given bond and been qualified on demand made.
SEC. 11. The County Court of said county of Ford shall at some term of tid court, by an order to be entered upon their records, appoint some compe- tent person a Commissioner for the purpose hereinafter expressed, who shall take an onth of office before some officer of said county authorized by law to mulminister oaths, said court shall at the same time provide a sufficient number of well bound blank hooks, and deliver the same to said Commissioner, who shall receipt the same to the Clerk of said court, and as soon as the same aball be delivered to said Commissioner he shall record in each book a copy of the or ler of appointment and onth of office, and shall thereupon proceed to tran- scribe into such hooks all deeds, mortgages and title papers of every descrip- tion, with the acknowledgments and certificaten in relation thereto, of lands lying in the said county of Ford, which have been recorded, or may hereafter he reconled, before the organization of said county, in the Recorder's office of said county of Vermilion. Such Commissioner shall be allowed by said County Court such sums as his services shall be worth, to he paid out of the county treasury. Said Commissioner shall note at the end of escb paper he shall transcribe, the book and page from which the same was transcribed, and shall makea correct double index of said records, and on the completion of his duties, said Commissioner shall return said books to the Clerk of the Circuit Court of the said county of Ford, whereupon they shall be taken and consid- cred to all intents and purposes as books of records of deeds, mortgages and title papers for said county of Ford, and copies of said recor Is certified by the officer having the custody of the same shall be evidence in all courts and places in the same manner that deeds and title papers regularly recorded in the Recordler's office, an evidence and with the same effect.
Ber. 12. Of the swamp lands lying within the present limits of Vermilion County and of the proceeds of sales of anid Innds heretofore made, and which may hereafter he made before the organization of said county of Ford, after deducting all expenses paid by. and for which the said county of Vermilion may be liable. The snid county of Ford shall receive and be entitled to a share in proportion to the number of Congressional townships and parts of townships
lying within the boundaries of said county of Ford, and the share of said coun- ty of Vermillion to said lands and proceedis of sales thereof as aforesaid, shall be in proportion to the number of Congressional townships and parts of town- ships remaining within the limits of said county of Vermilion after said county of Ford shall have been organized.
Sec. 13. The Secretary of State shall forthwith furnish to the Clerk of the County Court of Vermilion County a certified copy of this act.
Sec. 14. This net shall take effect and he in force from and after its WILLIAM R. MORRISON,
passage. Speaker of the House of Representatives.
JOHN WOOD, Speaker of the Senate. Approved February 17, 1859,
WILLIAN H. BISSELL.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, I .S. STATE OF ILLINOIS. OFFICE OF SECRETARY.
I, Henry D. Dement, Secretary of State of the State of Illinois, do herchy certify that the foregoing in a true copy of an Act to create the county of Ford and for other purposes now on file in this office. In witness whereof, I hereto set my hand and affix the Great Seal of State,
[1 .. .. ] at the city of Springfield, this 11th day of June, A. D. 1883. HENRY D. DENKNT. Secretary of State.
Agreeably to the fourth section of the foregoing act, an elec- tion was held on the first Monday in June, 1959, in the new county of Ford, for county officers. At the same time, in accord- ance with the sixth section, the location of the county seat was determined by the selection of Paxton, the name of the town at that time being Prospect City.
The following is a list of the county officers, from the first election, until the present time.
COUNTY JUDGE. David Patton, from June 1859 to December 1873. Hugh P. Beach, 1873-86 .*
COUNTY CLERK.
Nathan Simons, 1859, until his death, Angust 29, 1865. John J. Simons, August 81. 1865, to December, 1865. James S. Frederick, 1865-73.
Merton Dunlap, 1873-86 .*
COUNTY TREASURER.
Daniel C. Stoner, June, 1859, to November, 1859. John P. Day, November, 1859-65. James P. Button, 1865, to March 22, 1866.
John P. Day, March, 1866-69.
Leonard Pierpont, 1869-73.
James D. Kilgore, 1873, to September, 1874.
John B. Shaw, September, 1874-86 .*
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
Samuel L. Day, 1859-64. James F. Ilall, 1864-68. Levi A. Dodd, 1868-72. Weaver White, 1872-76.
Augustus M. Daggett, 1876-80.
Weaver White, 1880-84.
STATE'S ATTORNEY.
Previous to 1872, the district of the States Attorney, was co-extensive with that of the Circuit Judge, but by an act passed in 1872, each county, elected a State's Attorney.
The names of the gentlemen who served as State's Attorneys
at the various sessions of our Circuit Courts up to 1872, are : Ward II. Lamon, Vermilion County. J. G. Cannon, of Douglas County, and M. B. Thompson, of Champaign County. Under the election by counties, the list for Ford is as follows : Alfred Sample, 1872-80.
France L. Cook, 1880-84.
SHERIFP.
Howard Case, 1859-60. James D. Hall, 1860-62.
Edward L. Gill, 1862-64.
William Snyder, 1864-66.
Mark Parsons, April 9, 1866, to November 14, 186. Thomas E. Barnhouse, 1866-68.
S. L. Edgar, 1868-70. Edward L. Gill, 1870-74.
Samuel B. Lyman, 1874-82.
James W. Ramsay, 1882-86 .*
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
William W. Blanchard, 1859-63. Robert McCracken, 1863-65. J. B. Randolph, 1865-67. W. C. M. LeFevre, 1867-69. James Brown, 1869-71. William L. Conrow, 1871-78. Robert N. Gorsuch, 1873-77. Daniel II. Armstrong, 1877, to February, 1879.
Samuel A. Armstrong, March 1879, to September, 1882. John M. Hanley, September 1882, to December 1882. Franz G. Lohman, 1882-86 .*
SURVEYOR.
James W. Campbell. 1859-61. Jonathan Covalt, 1861-63. John F. Stoner, 1863-69. Henry J. Howe, 1x69-75. Ilenry McCulloch, 1875-79. Charles B. Ellis, 1879-83.
*Term expire *.
CORONER.
Wheeler Bently, 1859-62. John H. Evans, 1862-66. Wheeler Bentley, 1866-67.
D. R. Francis, 1867-68. F. F. Fuller, 1868-70.
George B. Walker, 1870-72. John S. Bodwell, 1872-74.
John F. G. Helmer, 1874-78. John C. Culver, 1878-80. Charles Bradley, 1880-82. Hiram W. Barney, 1882-86 .*
MASTERS IN CHANCERY.
This officer is appointed by the Judge of the Circuit Court. The list of those serving in this capacity is as follows: R. S. Buckland S. L. Day, Levi A. Dodd, John R. Kinnear, John C. Patton, F. L. Cook, and Milton H. Cloud, the present incumbent.
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
The Stato Board of Equalization was organized by act of the General Assembly, approveil March 7, 1867. As at first com- poseil, the board consisted of twenty-five meinbers, one elected from cach Senatorial District. In 1872. the law was so amended as to reduce the number of members to nineteen, ono being elected for each Congressional District. The first board was appointed by the Governor, and held office for a term of two years. Subse- quent to the first board the term has been four years. The duties of this board are to oqualize the assessments between counties, by increasing or decreasing the total amount of the assessment on lands, lots or personal property or on all in each county, pro- vided the aggregate assessment in the State must not be de- creased; and any increase of the same must not exceed one per cent. The board also assesses the capital stock of incorporated companies, and also railroad property. The members who have represented the district which includes Ford County are as fol- lows : Ira C. Mosier, Kankakee County, 1868 to 1876; Clinton C. Campbell, Kankakee County, 1876 to 1880; Orville D. Sackett, Ford County, 1880 to 1884.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
By the act of January 31, 1861, the representation was fixed at twenty-five Senators and eighty-five Representatives. Ford County was placed in the Ninth Senatorial District and the For- ty-second Representative District. This being the first appor- tioninent since the organization of Ford, the county was repre- sented for the two preceding years in the State Senate by Thomas A. Marshall, of Coles, and in the House of Representatives for the same time by Samuel G. Craig, of Vermilion. The Ninth Senatorial District included the counties of Coles, Douglas, Cham- paign, Ford, Iroquois, Vermilion.
STATE SENATORS. Joseph Peters, of Vermilion, 1862-66. John L. Tincher, of Vermilion, 1866-70. The Forty-second Representative District included the coun- ties of Ford and Iroquois.
REPRESENTATIVES.
Addison Goodell, of Iroquois, 1862-64.
Charles II. Wood, of Iroquois, 1864-60.
Charles E. King, of Iroquois, 1866-68.
Calvin H. Frew, of Ford, 1868-70.
Under the apportionment of 1870, Ford retained her former position in the Senatorlal District, but in the Legislature was unit- ed with Kankakee instead of Iroquois, and the number changed to seventy-nine, and two members allotted to our district.
During this term, we were represented as follows :
STATE SENATOR. James W. Langley, of Champaign, 1870-72.
LEGISLATURE.
Calvin II. Frew, Ford, 1870-72. Warren R. Hickox, Kankakee, 1870-72.
By the act of March 1, 1872, the State was divided into Sen- atorial Districts as provided by the constitution of 1870, cach district being entitled to one Senator and three Representatives. Ford and Livingston Counties were united in the Eighteenth District.
STATE SENATORS. James G. Strong, Livingston, 1872-76. Samuel T. Fosdick, Livingston, 1876-80. George Torrance, Livingston, 1880-84.
MEMBERS OF LEGISLATURE.
Jonathan P. Middlecoff, Ford, 1872-74. John Pollock, Ford, 1872-74. Lucian Bullard, Livingston, 1872-74. Joseph I. Robinson, Ford, 1874-76. Albert M. HIaling. Ford, 1874-76.
David McIntosh, Livingston, 1874-76. John II. Collier, Ford, 1876-78. George B. Gray, Livingston, 1876-78.
Eben C. Allen, Livingston, 1876-78. Norman E. Stevens, Ford, 1x78-80. Calvin II. Frew, Ford, 1878-80. George B. Gray, Livingston, 1878-80. Jolin II. Collier, Ford, 1880- 82.
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Albert G. Goodspeed, Livingston, 1880-82. Leander L. Green, Livingston, 1880-82. John II. Collier, Ford, 1882-84. Albert G. Goodspeed. Livingston, 1882-84. Michael Cleary, Livingston, 1882-84.
COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
An act for establishing county courts, approved February 12, 1849, and in force at the time of the organization . of Ford County, provided for the election of a County Judge. Also, that at the same time " there shall be elected two Justices of the Peace, whose jurisdiction shall be co-extensive with the county, and who shall hold their offices for four years." They were to give bond, and have the same powers as township jus- tices and " moreover, sit with the County Judge, as members of the court for the transaction of the county business, and none other, and while sitting as members of the court shall bave an equal vote with the County Judge on all questions and matters legally and properly before said court. The said Judge with said two Justices shall in all cases whatever, have, exercise and possess all the power, jurisdiction and authority heretofore con- ferred on the County Commissioners Court." To distinguish these county justices from those of the several townships they were termed Associate Justices. In probate and certain other matters, the County Judge acted alone.
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