Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II, Part 12

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn; Martin, Charles A. (Charles Aesop), 1857- 4n
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 720


USA > Illinois > Christian County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Christian County, Volume II > Part 12


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H. Cheney


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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY


' in the case: "If that is so, then I will agree to eat this desk." Mr. Lincoln very promptly re- plied : "Well, Judge, if you do eat that desk, I hope it will come out a brand new manufactured wagon."


During the early days the convening of court was considered plenty of excuse for the people to take a holiday. The early settlers were all eager to attend court sessions, where they could meet others, and when the court's business for the day was done, could talk over their many experiences and hardships, meet old friends, and compare notes as to how each was getting along in life. Accommodations as to hotels or even lodging places were of the most meagre and primitive kind, and not alone those who had traveled from over the countryside to merely watch proceedings, but many of the judges and attorneys who later attained prominence and eminent positions, were compelled to accept rude comforts and inadequate shelter. Of course, these times have long since passed, yet they form an interesting part of the history of Christian county jurisprudence.


CIRCUIT JUDGES.


Judge Samuel H. Treat, who presided over the term of court above mentioned, was at one period judge of the Supreme Court of Illinois, and later became judge of the Federal Court for the Southern District of Illinois, a capacity in which he was acting at the time of his death. While he was well known and highly honored in Chris- tian County, he was more closely identified with the people of Sangamon, for the Eighth Judicial District of Illinois at that time comprised Sanga- mon, Tazewell, Woodford, McLean, Livingston, DeWitt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion, Edgar, Moultrie, Christian, Logan and Menard counties.


Judge Treat was succeeded in office by Judge David Davis, who presided over the courts at Taylorville from 1849 to 1853. In the latter year the liome of Judge Davis, McLean County, was eliminated from this circuit and he was suc- ceeded by Judge Emerson, the latter by Judge E. Y. Rice, and Judge Rice by Judge H. M. Van- deveer. A law establishing Appellate Courts in each circuit and providing for the election of three judges for each circuit, and out of the judges of the several circuits in this state, four Appellate Courts, consisting of three judges each, selected by the Supreme Court, was passed by the Illinois Legislature in 1877. At the first


election thereafter, in June, 1879, Judge W. R. Welch, of Carlinville; Judge Charles S. Zane, of Springfield, and Judge J. J. Phillips, of Hillsboro, were elected for the circuit of which Christian County formed a part. When Judge Zane was appointed to a federal judgeship in Utah, where his decisions upon the Mormon question brought him into much prominence throughout the coun- try, he was succeeded by Judge William L. Gross, of Springfield, by appointment to fill out the unexpired term. About one year later he was succeeded by Judge James A. Creighton, who presided over the courts of Christian County for many years. Since that time the county has been placed in various circuits, and its Circuit courts have been presided over by Judge Robert Shirley, of Carlinville; Judge Jacob Fouke, of Vandalia ; Judge William Farmer, of Vandalia ; Judge S. L. Dwight, of Centralia ; Judge T. E. Ames, of Shelbyville and Albert M. Rose of Louisville. The present incumbents of the Cir- cuit Bench in the Fourth Judicial Circuit are James C. McBride, Taylorville ; Thomas M. Jett, Hillsboro ; William B. Wright, Effingham. These men were elected in 1915 for a term of six years. Judges McBride and Jett were re-elected at that time. Judge McBride has also served as Ap- pellate Judge of the 4th District since 1912.


It may not be out of place to dwell a little further upon some of the judges of the Circuit Courts of Christian county who have now passed away. The record of Judge Treat is too well known to need further mention in this work. Judge David Davis won distinction in both the state and federal courts, was elevated to the . office of justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by his personal friend and former associate, Abraham Lincoln, and afterward re- signed to be sent to the United States Senate from Illinois. A plain, unassuming man and matter-of-fact lawyer was Judge Charles Emer- son. Possessing but little sentiment, facts were the most important things with him, yet he pos- sessed with his judicial mind a courteous man- ner, and there were many of the younger mem- bers of the bar during his term of office who liad reason to remember his kindness and his wise and generous advice and counsel. His rec- ord shows that few of his decisions were re- versed by the higher courts.


Judge E. Y. Rice, who was formerly promi- nently connected in Montgomery County, pre- sided over the courts in this circuit for several years, but resigned in 1870 when he was elected


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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY


a member of Congress. He was succeeded by Judge II. M. Vandeveer, who was re-elected in 1873, continuing in office until 1875 and then refusing to allow his name to be used in con- nection with re-election. Here was an excellent legist, thoroughly versed in human nature, and therefore not easily deceived, but able to get at the facts of the case before him. As a judge he was upright, dignified and impartial, and he had the unqualified esteem and respect of the members of the bench and bar.


A brilliant man, an excellent lawyer, a close student, a man of integrity, and a rapid worker on the bench was Judge Phillips, who presided over the Christian County Court for many years. An equally able lawyer and impartial judge was Hon. W. R. Welch, of Carlinville, a master of precedents, and possessed of a clear, judicial mind.


PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.


The list of prosecuting attorneys of Christian County contains the names of many men who have proved their legal worth and personal prob- ity. The first to hold this office was David B. Campbell, who served from 1839 until 1852, being succeeded by Elam Rust, who acted in this capacity from the time of his election, in 1853, until 1856. J. B. White was prosecuting attor- ney from 1857 until 1864, and afterward moved to a farm near Morrisonville, Christian County, where he died about 1909, a capable prosecutor and a lawyer of general ability. C. M. Morrison held the office from 1865 until 1868, and was fol- lowed by Horace Gwin, who was elected in 186S and served until 1871. The latter enjoyed the reputation of being acquainted more thoroughly with the elementary books of Chitty and Black- stone than any other attorney of his day.


With the abandonment of the old plan of elect- ing district attorneys, in 1872, and the passage of the act providing for the election of a state's attorney in each county, Alexander McCaskill was made prosecuting attorney of Christian County, and served until 1876. He was one of the highly esteemed men of his community, was later made county judge, and at all times thor- oughly merited the esteem in which he was held. In 1876 V. E. Foy was elected state's attorney, and served until 1SS0, being afterwards twice elected county judge. He wielded a wide influ- ence in the community, and few men had a stronger hold upon the people. He died April 27,


1900, and was buried by members of the pro- fession. He was succeeded in office by Hon. John G. Drennan, who was elected in 1880 and served two terms. He was a capable lawyer and fearless prosecutor, and after leaving office built up a large practice. Later he became a member of the law firm of Palmer, Shutt, Dren- nan and Lester of Springfield, and is at present counsel for the Illinois Central Railroad with offices in Chicago. In 188S the choice of the people for state's attorney was Joseph C. Creigh- ton, who served until 1895, in that year being compelled to seek another climate because of ill health. When he left Christian County for Utah, in June, 1895, he was succeeded by Hon. James B. Ricks, who held the office of public prosecutor until December, 1896. At that time Hon. E. A. Humphreys, one of the well known, capable and thorough members of his profession, was elected to the state's attorneyship, and served until 1904. R. C. Neff of Taylorville was elected in 1904 and served one term. He was succeeded in 1908 by Arthur Yockey who also served one term. In 1912 Harry B. Hershey was elected to this important position. He served the people so faithfully that he was re-elected in 1916.


PROBATE JUDGE.


The following is a list of the men who have occupied places on the county bench since 1839- a list in which will be recognized the names of many who have held high places in legal circles, and a number who still are acting in official and judicial capacities :


Thomas W. Davis, elected in 1839; William S. Frink, elected in 1843; Calvin Goudy, elected in 1847; and re-elected in 1849; II. M. Vandeveer, elected in 1849 and served until 1857. During that time the following named men served as associate county judges; G. R. Jernigan, Amos Richardson, John S. Foster, John Barns, J. H. Clark, M. P. Goodrich, D. D. Shumway, 1857- 1861; associates, William Sharp, John H. Dawdy, Leander L. Clark, 1861-1865; associates, T. B. Anderson, John White, Andrew Simpson, 1865- 1869; associates, David Henshie, John White. .


COUNTY JUDGES.


William S. Moore, 1869-1877 ; Alexander Mc- Caskill, 1877-1882; V. E. Foy, 1882-1894; L. G. Grundy, 1894-1898; R. M. Potts, 1898-1902; James H. Forrester, 1902-1906; J. H. Morgan,


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1906-1909, died in office ; Charles A. Prater, ap- pointed vice Morgan 1909, elected in 1910 and re-elected in 1914, is the present incumbent.


CHRISTIAN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION.


Christian county has been well represented by legal talent from the earliest days, when on the roll of its attorneys were found such honored and distinguished names as those of John W. Wheat, who came here in 1840, and located at Taylorville; Benjamin Mason, who settled at that city in 1852; Thomas Shumaker, who was the fifth resident lawyer, locating in the same year as Mr. Mason; J. H. Dawdy, who took up his residence at Pana in 1856; George Pease, the second lawyer of Pana, locating there in 1857; James O. Connor, a New Yorker, who located at Pana in 1858; Harrison Havens ; D. K. Hall, who settled at Taylorville in 1859; Hon. D. D. Shum- way, who came to Christian County in 1843, and engaged in practice in 1860; D. T. Moore ; W. S. McWilliams, Jas. C. Essick, J. H. Yarnell, Geo. W. Vandeveer, Edw. J. Searles, at one time on the Arkansas Supreme Bench, S. P. Davis, J. G. Murdock, Daniel McFarland; A. D. Rich ; J. A. Tyler, S. S. Hibbard, H. M. Vandeveer, the nes- tor of the Taylorville bar; A. B. Hammer, an early lawyer of Assumption and later of Taylor- ville, John B. Jones, who removed to Arkansas about 1882, later going to Chicago where he died in 1914, and a host of others.


Among these lawyers, and those who have fol- lowed them, every department of justice and jur- isprudence has been represented and represented well. The activities of a large part of the Chris- tian county legal fraternity have not been con- fined to their immediate fields of practice, but have extended into the state courts of other commonwealths, and even to the highest federal tribunal-the Supreme Court of the United States, many have achieved greatness, many more distinction, and the profession as a whole, as represented by Christian County, has an hon- orable record.


CHRISTIAN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION.


It would not be possible in a work of this na- ture to give the biographies of all who have prac- ticed law, and who are now engaged in practice, in Christian County. It must suffice to say that in every way the present practitioners of the county are upholding the reputation established


by the forerunners of the profession here, and that their honorable, clean and earnest efforts have served to instil in the mind of the public a proper respect for the law and a realization of its importance. The following is a list of the present members of the Christian County Bar Association, which numbers in its ranks some of the most distinguished professional men in this part of the state : E. E. Adams, J. J. Bul- lington, Jolın B. Colegrove, Jas. L. Drennan, E. E. Dowell, W. R. Dexheimer, Logan Griffith, Jas. Forrester, Arthur Fitzpatrick, M. J. Fitzgerald, J. H. Fornoff, L. G. Grundy, W. S. Greer, Frank S. Gray, H. B. Hershey, John E. Hogan, J. L. Hart, E. A. Humphreys, J. A. Merry, J. C. Mc- Bride, W. B. McBride, Jas. McQuigg, R. C. Neff, C. A. Prater, Wm. M. Provine, Walter M. Pro- vine, John W. Preihs, A. D. Sittler, C. E. Spring- stun, James M. Taylor, Leslie J. Taylor, Frank L. Taylor, W. T. Vandeveer, George Wallace, Arthur Yockey, Ella Yockey.


PROMINENT MEN.


The following lawyers, once residents of this county, gained prominence in the practice of their profession here, but later removed to other fields: Jolın G. Drennan, now counsel for the Illinois Central R. R. Co., Chicago; F. P. Dren- nan of Springfield ; C. E. Abrams of Bellingham, Washı .; R. M. Potts, state superintendent of In- surance, Springfield ; Leroy Anderson of Pres- cott, Arizona; D. O. Potts of Wichita, Kan .; C. H. Shamel of Springfield; W. H. Nelms of Springfield; Daniel McCaskill of Chicago; Tom Sheridan of Cairo. The following prominent attorneys died recently : James Abrams, J. E. Sharrock, D. M. Sharp, J. H. Morgan, Alfred Adams, J. W. Kitchell and James B. Ricks.


CHAPTER X.


POLITICAL REPRESENTATION.


NECESSITY FOR GOOD OFFICIALS-CHRISTIAN COUNTY POLITICAL BATTLES-FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELEC- TION-RESULTS OF ELECTION OF 1844-TAYLOR AND FILLMORE-ELECTION OF 1852-BUCHANAN


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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY


AND BRECKENRIDGE - LINCOLN AND HAMLIN- CAMPAIGN OF 1864-GRANT AND COLFAX-CAM- PAIGN OF 1872-IIAYES AND WHEELER-GARFIELD AND ARTHUR - FIRST CLEVELAND CAMPAIGN- HARRISON AND MORTON-CLEVELAND AND STE- VENSON - M'KINLEY AND HOBART - M'KINLEY AND ROOSEVELT-ROOSEVELT AND FAIRBANKS ---- TAFT AND SHERMAN-WILSON AND MARSHALL- WILSON'S SECOND TERM-CONGRESSIONAL APPOR- TIONMENTS - REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS- CHRISTIAN COUNTY IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY- REPRESENTATIVES IN UPPER HOUSE-SENATORIAL APPORTIONMENT-CONVENTION OF 1847-CONVEN- TION OF 1862-SUPREME COURT OF ILLINOIS ---- FORTUNATE IN ITS OFFICIALS.


NECESSITY FOR GOOD OFFICIALS.


In the history of any community or locality politics has its established place. Politics must not be confused with public polity ; nor can they be disassociated. We find the one an arena in which men strive for personal preferment; the other a general or fundamental system of government which is adjudged to be the best for the one and the most beneficial for the whole. Therefore, while not always combining, the two are analogous. We have before us, constantly, the presence of men who are in office merely for the emoluments which that office will bring to them; we have-and by this the government is held together-the men who, realizing the re- sponsibility of office, unselfishly and unswerv- ingly devote themselves to their duties, live up to their pledges and, leaving office, whether by retirement or the fluctuations of the vote that often brings incompetents into prestige and casts qualified men into the discard, leave behind them records of things really done.


VALUE OF AMBITION.


It must not be thought that politics does not conform with polity; the two must co-operate, and, so co-operating must employ the best minds and talents of any community. It is naturally so. The man who has shown his power of lead- ership in the marts of trade and commerce; the individual who has brought himself to a position of prestige in finance; the citizen who has shown executive prowess and energy-each one of these is, by endowment, one who should enter that field in which politics and polity, under our form of government, should combine. The physician,


engrossed in his practice, has hearkened to the call of the party ; more frequently we find the legist wooed from his duties in the courts; the professions all have listed to the fascinating call of the political slogan. The merchant, flushed with victories fairly won in competition with men of calibre and worth has allowed his name to be entered in the lists; his lowly clerk has aspirations, influenced by the esteem which he has gained from his fellow-workers through labor well done or achievement attained; the man in any line whose foresight, enterprise and energy has brought him to the forefront-of these is politics made. But not all. We have also the man who has secured his chance by some undue, but for him, fortunate influence. In the lexicon of man there is supposed to be no such word as "Luck," yet it would seem that there are those so gifted by the gods that happy circumstance seems to hover about and with them. The grafter, the briber, the child em- ployer, they are with us always-like the poor. And they insinuate themselves into our politi- cal life and combine to make up the greatest menace to our government and polity-which brings us back to our subject of political repre- sentation.


CHRISTIAN COUNTY POLITICAL BATTLES.


Christian County, as behooves one of the most prosperous and progressive of Illinois sections, has had its battles to fight in politics. It may be said without preamble that its fights have been cleanly and decently conducted. In the early days, of course, there were the usual heated con- troversies which mark the opening of any new section on the frontier ; but Christian, in spite of its nomenclature derived from the county in Kentucky where there are supposed to live the feud-loving Blue Grass men, seemed to have been singularly free from disturbances of this nature. Its political history during that time needs but to be deduced from the record which is given forthwith-in all-and all in all-a very honorable one.


FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.


Christian County as a separate and distinct division was organized February 15, 1839, dur- ing the administration of Martin Van Buren. Therefore its first election as a county, as re- gards presidential preferment, was brought about


I. P. Cooper and Family


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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY


in the fall of 1840. The Whigs brought to the front the popular hero, William Henry Harrison, with the slogan of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too," John Tyler being General Harrison's running mate for the vice-presidency. The Democratic candidates were Martin Van Buren, for presi- dent, and R. M. Johnson, for vice-president. With no platform of principles, the Whigs car- ried the election under the slogan of "resistance to usurpation, misrule and despotism." There was another-the Liberty (Abolition) party-in the field, with James G. Birney and L. W. Taze- well as the candidates, but the abolition move- ment at that time had not gained enougli


strength to be really recognized. Christian County's vote was as follows: Harrison, S9; Van Buren, 147; total, 236. President Harri- son did not live long to enjoy his honors, his death occurring April 4, 1841. He was suc- ceeded by John Tyler, who served until the next election.


RESULTS OF ELECTION OF 1844.


The year 1844 went Democratic. By some of his adversaries President Tyler had been unrea- sonably held responsible for the financial panic, and this was not without its effect upon the public mind. The result is told in the election. James Knox Polk was elected president, with George M. Dallas as vice-president. The great statesman, Henry Clay, went down to defeat, the vice-presidential candidate of the Whig party being T. Frelinghuysen. James G. Birney again was the leader of the Liberty party, but, as before, could not command enough support to carry an electoral vote. His vice-presidential . candidate was Thomas Morris. It may be noted in passing that when Mr. Birney made his first campaign he received but 7,059 votes, and that four years later 62,300 voters gave him their ballot-a commentary of the people's voice against slavery even at that early day.


TAYLOR AND FILLMORE.


Zachary Taylor, with Millard Fillmore, brought victory back to the Whigs in 1848. The military hero with his assertions of loyalty to the principles of the Whig party, swept the coun- try and overwhelmed his adversaries, Lewis Cass and William O. Butler of the Democrats, and Martin Van Buren and Charles F. Adams of the newly-formed Free Soil party. General


Taylor died in office, being succeeded by Mr. Fillmore, July 9, 1850.


ELECTION OF 1852.


The change of politics, and, perhaps, of the idea of polity, brought to the front Franklin Pierce, a Democrat, who won the presidential election in 1852 with William R. King as his vice-president. Winfield Scott and William A. Graham were the Whig candidates, while John P. Hale and George W. Julian posed as the lead- ers of the new Free Democracy party.


BUCHANAN AND BRECKENRIDGE.


In 1856 the Democrats repeated. James Buchanan was elected president, with J. C. Breckenridge vice-president, defeating John C. Fremont and William L. Dayton of the Repub- licans. In the same year that is noted for the founding of the Grand Old Party, there came into being one which was destined to have a much shorter life-the American, or Know-Notli- ing party, with Millard Fillmore and A. J. Donel- son as candidates.


LINCOLN AND HAMLIN.


The Democratic vice-president of the forego- ing term opposed Abraham Lincoln for the pres- idency in the next election. The result is known. There were several other candidates in the field, notably Stephen A. Douglas, with H. V. John- son as running mate, for the Independent Demo- crats, and John Bell and Edward Everett for the Constitutional Union. Hannibal Hamlin was Mr. Lincoln's vice-president, while Joseph Lane was the unsuccessful candidate of the Demo- crats for that office.


CAMPAIGN OF 1864.


Three parties were in the struggle in 1864. The fall of that year saw the struggle between the warring factions not only of the North and South, but of those which at that time were nearly as serious-the internal struggle of fac- tion which threatened disruption. The guiding hand and steadying influence of the president brought things to a point of reason, however, and when the passion of the moment was passed the people found that they had always had their confidence in the Great Emancipator. He was


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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY


elected, with Andrew Johnson as vice-president, by an overwhelming vote. The "Little General," George B. Mcclellan, over-estimated his sup- posed popularity in trying to defeat Mr. Lincoln. He was accompanied to defeat by George H. Pendleton. Jefferson Davis, the candidate of the Secessionist party and section, had Alexan- der H. Stephens as his vice-president. Lincoln met a martyr's death April 15, 1865, and was succeeded in the presidency by his vice-presi- dent Andrew Johnson.


GRANT AND COLFAX.


There were two parties in the field in the next year, but there may as well have been one. Ulysses Simpson Grant, hero of an hundred bat- tles, came to his own in the gratitude of an ador- ing people. "Bloody General" he may have been, but it would not seem so by the vote by which he was called to his office. Schuyler Colfax be- came vice-president. The Democratic candidates that year were Horatio Seymour and F. P. Blair, Jr.


CAMPAIGN OF 1872.


The Republican, Democrat and Liberal Repub- lican, Democratic "Straight Out," Labor Re- form and Prohibition parties were in the field in the election of 1872. The candidates, respec- tively, were: Ulysses S. Grant and Henry Wil- son, Horace Greeley and B. Gratz Brown, Charles O'Conor and John Quincy Adams, David Davis and Charles O'Conor, and James Black and John Russell. President Grant received 286 electoral votes ; Editor Greeley 63 ; the rest none.


IIAYES AND WHEELER.


Rutherford B. Hayes and William A. Wheeler were elected by the Republicans in 1876, the electoral vote being 185 to 184 for the Democrats, represented by Samuel J. Tilden and Thomas A. Hendricks. Three other parties received no elec- toral votes, the Independent, or Greenback, party, represented by Peter Cooper and Samuel F. Cary ; the American National, or Anti-Secret Society, party, with James B. Walker and D. Fitzpatrick; and the Prohibition, with Green Clay Smith and Gideon T. Stewart.


GARFIELD AND ARTHUR.


The Republicans gave 214 electoral votes to James Abram Garfield and Chester Alan Arthur,


who began their official life in 1881. The Dem- ocrats cast 155 electoral votes for Winfield Scott Hancock and William H. English, while the Na- tional, Greenback, party, represented by James B. Weaver and B. J. Chambers, and the Prohi- bition party, with Neal Dow and H. A. Thomp- son, received no votes. On July 2, 1881, when passing through the Baltimore & Potomac Rail- road station, President Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau, a disappointed office-seeker. The president lived until September 19, 1881, when he died and was succeeded in office by President Arthur.


FIRST CLEVELAND CAMPAIGN.


The year 1884 marked the inauguration of Grover Cleveland for his first term as president, he having been elected on the Democratic ticket in the preceding fall, with Thomas A. Hendricks as vice-president. James G. Blaine was his Republican opponent, with John A. Logan run- ning for the vice-presidency, while the National, or People's (Greenback) party, nominated Ben- jamin F. Butler and A. M. West, and the Prohi- bitionists, John P. Saint John and William Dan- iel.




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