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Sec. 3. An election shall be held at the place of holding as now laid off bv Vermilion County in the said county of Champaign, on the second Monday of April next, for one Sheriff, one Cor- oner, and three County Commissioners, who shall hold their offices until the next general election and until they be qualified; and the Justices of the Peace and constables who are now in office and residing within the limits of the said county of Champaign, shall continue in office until the next quadrennial election for Justices of the Peace and Constable, and until their successors be qualified. It shall be the dutv of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of said county to give public notice at least ten days previous to the election to be held on the said second Monday in April next, and in case there shall
In this manner, without the form of a vote of the county from which the new county was to be subtracted; with no provisions made for the division of common property or for the payment of possible debts or liabilities in- cumbent alike on the original county; with no assignment of the new county to an estab- lished judicial circuit for court purposes, was the new county launched into existence.
Its people were, almost without exception, pioneers of the back-woods class; many -- both men and women-as the record of early conveyances show, were unable to write their names. Their occupations in the older States, in which they had been reared and from which they had come, were to subdue the forests and other natural obstructions in the way of existence for themselves and their families. Here they found natural obstacles equally great, added to which was the want of many things which civilization had afforded them there. John B. Thomas, Abram John- son, Charles Fielder, Claude Tompkins, Asahel Bruer and Thomson R. Webber had taught schools, either here or in the older States, in which the most elementary kind of instruc- tion in the common branches had been given; but aside from these, probably, there were none who would have assumed to instruct the youth.
It must not be assumed from this lack of book-learning that the population of the new county lacked in the worldly wisdom which was necessary for them to have in coping
be no clerk in said county, it shall be the duty of the recorder or judge of probate to give at least fifteen days' notice previous to said elec- tion, who shall be legal voters, and the returns of the election shall be made to the Clerk, Recorder or Judge of Probate, as the case may be, who gave the notice aforesaid, and by him, in the presence of one or more Justices of the Peace, shall be opened and examined, and they jointly shall give to the persons elected Com- missioners certificates of their election, and like certificates to the persons elected Sheriff and Coroner, to forward to the Governor, which elec- tion shall in all respects be conformable to law.
Sec. 4. All courts for said county shall be held at the house of Philip Stanford until public buildings are erected, unless changed to some other place by order of the County Commission- ers' Court, who shall make the same a matter of record.
Sec. 5. The commissioners appointed to lo- cate the county-seat shall be allowed two dol- lars per day for each day they may be neces- sarily employed in making said location, to be vaid by said county.
Sec. 6. The seat of justice of said countv shall be called, and known, by the name of Urbana.
Approved February 20, 1833, by
JOHN REYNOLDS, Governor.
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ENGINEERING HALL-UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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721
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
with the world. Not at all. They were shrewd observers of men and mankind and well versed in the motives that ruled human ac- tions. (1)
The real pioneer is, sui generis, a character by himself, and is never truly at himself un- less upon the frontier. When civilization over- takes him in its march westward, he sickens of the association and plunges into the forest for relief. With characters of this class we have to deal somewhat in these annals. Of such were the Fielders, John Light, Tomp- kins, Gabbert, Daggett, Gabe Rice, Gentry and others of the squatters who preceded those who formed the first permanent settlements. They came here because it was a frontier and they loved the country while it was such; but when the red man gave way before the white man, and lands began to pass from the owner- ship of the Government to that of the indi- viduals, the sign was ripe for their removal westward, and we know little of them save what we know by inference-they were the true pioneers.
(1) John Brownfield, whose name has often been mentioned and will often occur hereafter, was a typical pioneer of Champaign County. Of him, and as illustrative of his ready ability to meet difficult emergencies as they arose, Hon. William D. Somers once related the following: "His shrewdness in settling by the most peace- able of measures a threatened lawsuit, well illustrates his aptness in dealing with men. At one time Mr. Brownfield was the owner of a water-mill on the creek below Urbana, in which he made use of a wheel fashioned after one which somebody had patented, without thinking of infringing anyone's rights, others of the same pattern being in use in the neigh- borhood. An agent of the patentee came through the country looking after infringers upon his patent. He came to Urbana, one day. put up his team and enquired for Mr. Brown- field's mill and residence, and was told he was in town. The two soon met and the stranger made known his business. He said he was in- formed that Mr. B. had in use one of his pat- ent wheels; that he had already settled like infringements on his letters patent with so and so, and was disposed to settle with him without suit. Mr. Brownfield said if he had infringed upon the rights of any one he was willing to pay; but from the stranger's de- scription of his wheel he doubted if his own wheel was any infringement. He invited the claimant to go with him to his mill and ex- amine for himself. It was then near noon, and it was agreed that the two should meet soon after dinner and together go to the mill three miles away. After his dinner the stranger drove out with a spirited team for Mr. Brown- field to pilot him to the mill, but he could not be found. After some further search he con- cluded to go alone and inspect the wheel. He soon reached the mill but found no wheel in it. The smoking embers of a bonfire nearby plainly showed that the wheel and all evidence of its character had been reduced to ashes. The evidence from which to base a suit was gone and the suit thus settled by peaceable means."
These squatters, here, as elsewhere on the borders, sought out the way and tested and proved the lands. They cautiously felt their way upon unknown courses and into unknown lands. Having effected their quest, they either remained to enjoy the fruits of the risks and hardships they had invoked and dared, or gave way to others and followed the Star of Empire westward where they, in turn, sought out other lands
The early settler, almost without exception, came empty-handed and poor; it is only the daring of the poor man, with necessity behind him, that is equal to the demands made upon the pioneers. It has ever been the incentive of poverty that has changed the wilds into the habitable empire of civilization. It was the rich who drew back and failed on the frontier, not the poor.
Closely following them were another class, none the less willing to grapple with the hardships of a new country than were those they found on the lands as squatters, but act- uated by different motives. They were gen- erally poor men, or men of little property in the older States, who were in search of homes and independence. As they bade adieu to their old homes, they beckoned civilization and schools to follow them. They were brave, rough men, else how could they encounter the hardships of a new country for the sake of a home. Men of effete and delicate organ- izations will cringe before aristocracy and lick the crumbs from its table to the verge of star- vation, before they will face these things. They loved the refinements of life; for, before a dozen land-holders had gathered about the Grove, we find the school-house, afterward known as the Brownfield school-house, a fact, though a rough, uninviting fact. The Brum- ley school-house soon followed. They culti- vated the social, for we find the beaux and belles, though clad in buckskin and homespun, holding their social dances and engaging in honorable marriage.(1) They were hospitable,
(1) The first marriage under a license issued by the new Clerk was that of Malinda, the daughter of the pioneer, Isaac Busey, to John Bryan, July 25, 1833. The second was that of Nathan Henline to Sarah Souder, November 23, 1833. The officiating magistrate in the first was Moses Thomas, and in the latter Mijamin Byers.
Speaking of the latter wedding, Emma C. Piatt, in her "History of Piatt County," page 218 says: "However, all arrangements that could be made in those times were resorted to for the approaching marriage. Maple sugar was
1
722
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
for who ever entered the home of an Ohio or Kentucky pioneer and did not have set before him the best the cabin afforded? They might well have said in most cases, "Silver and gold have we none, but such as we have give we unto thee." For, until the farm had been put in cultivation and had yielded of its fruits
prepared and sold in Pekin for breadstuff and for Sarah's wedding dress. The dress was made of white goods that cost seventy-five cents per yard, and its style was very simple. A draw- string drew it together at the neck and another string answered for the belt. Mr. Souders tanned leather and made Sarah's wedding shoes. "Mr. Henline bought his wedding clothes in Pekin. His wedding shoes were the third pair he had ever had, and his wedding shirt was done up by a little boy. The 23rd of November, 1833, was chosen for the wedding day, and when the eventful time arrived, Mr. Abe Hen- line was started for Big Grove (now Urbana) for Squire Byers to perform the ceremony. When he arrived at Big Grove, the Squire was not there and Mr. Henline had to hunt him up. This additional ride delayed him, so that the folks at Mr. Souders had given up their coming that night. Near eleven o'clock, when prepara- tions for retiring were about to be made, Mr. Henline arrived with the Squire. Hurried prep- arations were made, and the couple were about to step forward to be united, when some one remembered that the license was gotten from Champaign County. As Mr. Souders resided in what was then Macon county, the marriage would be illegal if performed in his house. Again the marriage was delayed until the wed- ding party, bearing burning sticks for torches, marched over beyond the county line into Cham- paign County. There, in the woods, near mid- night, of the 23d. of November, 1833, the young people were made one. The company returned to Mr. Souders for the night. In the midst of the remaining night Sarah was awakened by her mother rushing into the room and saying: 'Sally get up and prepare to meet your God, the stars are all falling.' The folks rushed to the doors and windows, and beheld the great mete- oric shower of 1833."
Another and a later wedding in the county, which took place twenty years later, as told below, has features of the frontier:
"A few evenings since, the people of one of our hotels were aroused from their quiet slumbers and informed that an urgent case of matrimony was on hand and must be attended to. The doors were thrown open and in walked the party, consisting of the prospective bride and groom and several friends, male and fe- male. They had come from Dallas (Indianola) in Vermilion County, a distance of about forty miles, in a two-horse wagon, fearful all the time that the friends of the lady would pursue them for the purpose of retaking her, whom they had, by her consent, of course, managed to get away. The Clerk of the County Court was aroused to get the necessary papers, and the Squire, at the hour of twelve, aroused and called to consummate the ceremony. But these were not the only ones that were disturbed. The lady so far from being attired in her bridal robes of white, had no better apparel than an old calico dress, the one in which she had managed to evade the suspicions of her friends, and no shoes nor stockings. Resort was had to the nearest store, the clerk called and shoes and stockings procured, when the ceremonies were performed. The next morning after breakfast the party set out on their re- turn, rejoicing in the success of their enter- prise."-Urbana Union, September 14, 1854.
to the labor of the pioneer, he had little to offer his guest, whatever might have been his necessities. The only shelter available to the stranger was the lone cabin of the pioneer, such as is elsewhere described. Its door never refused to open to any one seeking its shel- ter, nor did its occupants ever refuse to divide their scanty supply with the needy. (1)
So, too, though uncultured and rough in manners, these people were not immoral nor given to vices destructive to good citizenship. No church or religious society was organized among them before 1836, but religious teach- ers were here, both laymen and licentiates, and they did not forget to let their light
shine. (2)
(1)T. R. Webber, at a gathering of his fel- low-pioneers on June 15, 1870, related the fol- lowing incident, which will well illustrate the claim of the text in favor of the wide gener- osity of our pioneers. This incident took place in Urbana, within the first building of any kind erected upon the original town plat:
"I built a cabin in Urbana (on the south end of lot 35, across from the Court House, west), . in the spring of 1834. It was 16 feet square. Owing to the superfluous house room, we kept boarders. Some times they were three or four deep. One cold winter night, in . November, 1834, we went to bed alone, congratulating our- selves that, for once, we had no visitors or lodgers for the night. We, however, had hardly got comfortably fixed before I heard a rap on the door. I asked what was wanted. The party "on the outside said he wanted lodging and stated that he had a sick wife. I let them in and stowed them away. Before morning a boy was born to the strangers. The parties remained a week or ten days at my house, and during that time my wife presented me with a daughter. The name of the parties was Shoemaker."
As a parallel incident, at the same time, John G. Robertson, who was in attendance, said that he had a comfortable cabin 18 feet square, in which he entertained forty-nine lodgers one night.
It will be in point to say that the daughter spoken of as born to Mr. Webber. was Miss Susan Ann Webber, afterwards Mrs. Blaydes, who was the first white child born to a resident of Urbana. She was born November 30, 1834, and died in Putnam County, Ind., in 1885.
(2)Cyrus Strong, who came here about 1831 and settled on the east side of the Salt Fork where the Danville road crosses, and built the house which was afterwards known as "Kel- ley's Tavern," was a minister of the church known as "disciples of Christ," or "Campbell- ites," as they were then called. He is said to have, at an early date, even before a church organization of any kind was in existence, and before the formation of the county, held relig- ious meetings in the Salt Fork neighborhoods.
John G. Robertson, a layman of the Baptist Church, who came in 1830 and settled in the Big Grove, is said to have held meetings in the cabins of the early settlers for religious conver- sation and instruction.
Rev. William I. Peters, a New Light minis- ter of the Salt Fork neighborhood. both before and after the formation of the county, exer- cised his vocation as a religious instructor.
Rev. Nicholas Devore, a Baptist minister, early settled with his family on the Upper
1
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY. - 723
Early in the settlement of the country, schools were organized by private efforts, for then' no system of public schools had been provided by law, and school-houses of the prim- itive log pattern were provided in Sadorus Grove, on the Sangamon, in the Big Grove and in the Salt Fork timber, in which instruction was given. There yet remain in life men and women who were instructed by Asahel Bruer and his contemporaries, in the rudi- ments of education, and tradition well estab- lishes the fact that, poor as were the facili- ties for getting such education, people highly prized even these.
Let no one despise or speak in disparaging terms of these feeble efforts at popular edu- cation. From these schools came men able to cope with the brightest and best educated men from the older States, in professional, business and farmer life. The graduates of these humble schools, which, under our greatly improved system of primary education, would not be tolerated for a day, now hold and, for many years have held, the foremost places of the county in professional and business life. Few things were therein taught; but what was taught was well learned, and the sons and daughters of pioneers yet among us have no reason to blush at their success in life's race.
Besides this, whatever of excellence and effi- ciency is now found in the system of primary education in this State-and there is very much-must be referred, for its origin, to the log school-houses and the unlearned school masters, which prevailed here in the early years.
Sangamon, and was not a silent observer of the religious needs of those around him. His neighborhood early received the name of "So- dom," which it held for many years. What re- lation the two facts bore to each other is not apparent.
Rev. John Durham, a minister of the United Brethren, residing in Indiana, came early and often to these settlements and preached his doctrines.
Alexander Holbrook, a Methodist exhorter, resident in the Big Grove, is said to have loudly proclaimed his faith to the early pioneers of his neighborhood.
The celebrated Peter Cartwright was the first religious teacher to hold meetings in Sadorus Grove, which he did in going and coming across the country.
A Baptist minister named Mahurin, was here before the Black Hawk War and often preached to the pioneers. He was appointed to the posi- tion of Chaplain in one of the regiments which marched against the Indians, in 1832, and never returned to the settlement. He was surely the first of his sect who officiated as a minister here.
Newspapers at that day were few in the State, and none was established in the county until 1852. Before that date, and for some years thereafter, one paper had been pub- lished in Danville, to which resort was had for the purpose of giving legal notification of the pendency of suits in court.(1) "The Chi- cago Democrat," published by John Went- worth, was the paper enjoying the largest cir- culation here.
Under the general law, as then in force, the election of Probate Judges was within the powers of the General Assembly. The choice for Champaign County naturally fell upon Moses Thomas, one of the two Justices of the Peace of the county and the friend of Senator Vance. The election which followed on the second Monday in April, 1833, at the house of John Light, resulted in the choice of Isaac Busey, Jacob Bartley and George Akers, as Commissioners of the new county, and of John Salisbury, Sheriff. It is probable that the first official act of the newly chosen Probate Judge was to canvass the returns of that election and to issue certificates of elec- tion to the successful candidates, which he is shown to have done by the record of the first meeting of the Commissioners held at the house of Philip M. Stanford, as provided by the organic act, on May 6, 1833. As will be remembered, Mr. Stanford's place, where the Commissioners met, was then a cabin situ- ated on Section 28 in Somer Township, where Mr. Daniel R. Roberts now lives.
The first business transacted was the ap- pointment of Thomson R. Webber as Clerk of the Board-a position which he continued to hold by choice of the Board or by election of the people, for over twenty years. Moses Thomas, already a Justice of the Peace and Probate Judge, was appointed Assessor for the county.
A subsequent meeting of the Board was held at the same place on June 3, 1833, at which the Big Grove election precinct-the only one of the county-was divided, and the "Salt
(1) A legal notice, such as is required, to be given to a non-resident defendant, upon the fil- ing of an affidavit of non-residence, published as late as 1838, in a paper published at Paris, Edgar County, is found among the files of a case brought about that time.
A newspaper called "The Enquirer" was established in Danville, the first number of which was issued August 5, 1833. How long it was continued is not known.
724
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
Fork Settlement," to include Linn Grove with- out any other description or boundaries, was established with Moses Thomas, Robert Prath- er and Capt. William Nox as judges of elec- tion. The voting place designated was at the house of James Copeland, then on the State road. about two miles east of the creek cross- ing. At the same time Matthew Busey, Joshua Trickel and John Whiteaker were appointed judges of election for the Big Grove precinct. No other election precinct was created until June, 1835, when the "Sangamon Settlement," to embrace Sadorus Grove, but without defi- nite boundaries or other designation, was cre- ated, with John G. Robertson, Jonathan Max- well and John Mead as judges of election. The voting place was at the house of John Bryan on Section 14, Mahomet, east of the river.
No other material changes in the voting fa- cilities were afforded the electors for more than twenty years. The elections for 1854 were held in these three precincts, as above formed, except that Sadorus Grove had been added to Urbana Precinct. Exact lines of precincts were not needed where the settlers were confined to the timber belts and groves, as was the case to that date.
The matter of the location of Urbana, the county-seat, followed soon after these meet- ings of the Board of Commissioners. Two of those named in the organic act charged in the law with the duty of giving it a location, met at the house of Philip M. Stanford on June 20, 1833. They were duly sworn to the faith- ful performance of their duty and, on the next day, reported that the county-seat had been located on the northeast quarter of Sec- tion 17, Town 19, Range 9 East, where (and in an adjoining section) thirty-three acres of land for county purposes had been donated by Isaac Busey, Matthew Busey and William T. Webber.(1)
Tradition, among the early settlers who have been consulted upon this phase of early history, develops the fact that, in this case as in many another case of the origin of towns with a prospect, there was much contention among those interested as to the location of "Urbana."
It will be remembered that at this time there was no established town or village to claim the boon of the seat of justice, nor was there any densely settled district with in- fluence. The law under which these gentle-
men were to act only required them to "take into view the convenience of the people, the situation of the present settlements, with a strict view to the population and settlements which shall hereafter be made, and the eligi- bility of the place." The "settlements," and the "people" whose conveniences were to be consulted as then located, were found in three groups: one upon the Salt Fork, another at the Big Grove, mostly upon the Fort Clark road at the north side, and the third upon the Sangamon-the largest settlement of the three being the first, and the smallest the last named. The positions occupied by the first and last named settlements, at opposite sides of the county, excluded both from the consid- eration of the Commissioners, leaving the Big Grove Settlement at the center of the county alone to be considered. On the north side were most of the inhabitants, including Stan- ford (at whose house the Commission was re- quired to meet), John Whiteaker, the Brown- fields, John Light, Thomas Rowland (the friend of Senator Vance), and many others who had influence. On the south side were Isaac Busey, then the largest land-owner in the county; Matthew Busey (his brother), and Thomson R. Webber, all on the ground with land to give, besides Col. Matthew W. Busey, then a resident of Greencastle, Ind., but a large land-owner here, who was then on the ground seeking, with others with like inter- ests, the location of the new county-seat. So, also, William T. Webber, who had made val- uable selections of lands on the south side, then a resident of Kentucky, represented by his son, T. R. Webber, threw his influence into the arena of contest. Those on the north side wished the new town of "Urbana" to be lo- cated there, where was then established Van Buren postoffice, the only office in the county.
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