USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume I > Part 62
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JOLIET & BLUE ISLAND RAILWAY, con- stituting a part of and operated by the Calumet & Blue Island-a belt line, 21 miles in length, of standard gauge and laid with 60-1b. steel rails. The company provides terminal facilities at Joliet, although originally projected to merely run from that city to a connection with the Calumet &
Blue Island Railway. The capital stock author- ized and paid in is $100,000. The company's general offices are in Chicago.
JOLIET . & NORTHERN INDIANA RAIL- ROAD, a road running from Lake, Ind., to Joliet, Ill., 45 miles (of which 29 miles are in Illinois), and leased in perpetuity, from Sept. 7, 1854 (the date of completion), to the Michigan Central Rail- road Company, which owns nearly all its stock. Its capital stock is $300,000, and its funded debt, $80,000. Other forms of indebtedness swell the total amount of capital invested (1895) to $1,- 143,201. Total earnings and income in Illinois in 1894, $89,017; total expenditures, $62,370. (See Michigan Central Railroad.)
JONES, Alfred M., politician and legislator, was born in New Hampshire, Feb. 5, 1837, brought to McHenry County, Ill., at 10 years of age, and, at 16, began life in the pineries and engaged in rafting on the Mississippi. Then, after two winters in school at Rockford, and a short season in teaching, he spent a year in the book and jewelry business at Warren, Jo Daviess County. The following year (1858) he made a trip to Pike's Peak, but meeting disappointment in his expec- tations in regard to mining, returned almost immediately. The next few years were spent in various occupations, including law and real estate business, until 1872, when he was elected to the Twenty-eighth General Assembly, and re-elected two years later. Other positions successively held by him were those of Commis- sioner of thé Joliet Penitentiary, Collector of Internal Revenue for the Sterling District, and United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. He was, for fourteen years, a member of the Republican State Central Committee, dur- ing twelve years of that period being its chair- man. Since 1885, Mr. Jones has been manager of the Bethesda Mineral Springs at Waukesha, Wis., but has found time to make his mark in Wisconsin politics also.
JONES, John Rice, first English lawyer in Illi- nois, was born in Wales, Feb. 11, 1759; educated at Oxford in medicine and law, and, after prac- ticing the latter in London for a short time, came to America in 1784, spending two years in Phila- delphia, where he made the acquaintance of Dr. Benjamin Rush and Benjamin Franklin; in 1786, having reached the Falls of the Ohio, he joined Col. George Rogers Clark's expedition against the Indians on the Wabash. This having partially failed through the discontent and desertion of the troops, he remained at Vincennes four years, part of the time as Commissary.
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General of the garrison there. In 1790 he went to Kaskaskia, but eleven years later returned to Vin- cennes, being commissioned the same year by Gov. William Henry Harrison, Attorney-General of Indiana Territory, and, in 1805, becoming a member of the first Legislative Council. He was Secretary of the convention at Vincennes, in December, 1802, which memorialized Congress to suspend, for ten years, the article in the Ordi- nance of 1787 forbidding slavery in the Northwest Territory. In 1808 he removed a second time to Kaskaskia, remaining two years, when he located within the present limits of the State of Missouri (then the Territory of Louisiana), residing suc- cessively at St. Genevieve, St. Louis and Potosi, at the latter place acquiring large interests in mineral lands. He became prominent in Mis- souri politics, served as a member of the Conven- tion which framed the first State Constitution, was a prominent candidate for United States Senator before the first Legislature, and finally elected by the same a Justice of the Supreme Court, dying in office at St. Louis, Feb. 1, 1824. He appears to have enjoyed an extensive practice among the early residents, as shown by the fact that, the year of his return to Kaskaskia, he paid taxes on more than 16,000 acres of land in Monroe County, to say nothing of his possessions about Vincennes and his subsequent acquisitions in Missouri. He also prepared the first revision of laws for Indiana Territory when Illinois com- posed a part of it .- Rice (Jones), son of the pre- ceding by a first marriage, was born in Wales, Sept. 28, 1781; came to America with his par- ents, and was educated at Transylvania University and the University of Pennsylvania, taking a medical degree at the latter, but later studying law at Litchfield, Conn., and locating at Kaskas- kia in 1806. Described as a young man of brilliant talents, he took a prominent part in politics and, at a special election held in September, 1808, was elected to the Indiana Territorial Legislature, by the party known as "Divisionists"-i. e., in favor of the division of the Territory-which proved successful in the organization of Illinois Territory the following year. Bitterness engendered in this contest led to a challenge from Shadrach Bond (afterwards first Governor of the State), which Jones accepted; but the affair was ami- cably adjusted on the field without an exchange of shots. One Dr. James Dunlap, who had been Bond's second, expressed dissatisfaction with the settlement; a bitter factional fight was main- tained between the friends of the respective parties, ending in the assassination of Jones, who
was shot by Dunlap on the street in Kaskaskia, Dec. 7, 1808-Jones dying in a few minutes, while Dunlap fled, ending his days in Texas .- Gen. John Rice (Jones), Jr., another son, was born at Kaskaskia, Jan. 8, 1792, served under Capt. Henry Dodge in the War of 1812, and, in 1831, went to Texas, where he bore a conspicuous part in securing the independence of that State from Mexico, dying there in 1845-the year of its annexation to the United States. - George Wallace (Jones), fourth son of John Rice Jones (1st), was born at Vincennes, Indiana Territory, April 12, 1804; graduated at Transylvania Uni- versity, in 1825; served as Clerk of the United States District Court in Missouri in 1826, and as Aid to Gen. Dodge in the Black Hawk War; in 1834 was elected Delegate in Congress from Michigan Territory (then including the present States of Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa), later serving two terms as Delegate from Iowa Terri- tory, and, on its admission as a State, being elected one of the first United States Senators and re- elected in 1852; in 1859, was appointed by Presi- dent Buchanan Minister to Bogota, Colombia, but recalled in 1861 on account of a letter to Jefferson Davis expressing sympathy with the cause of the South, and was imprisoned for two months in Fort Lafayette. In 1838 he was the sec- . ond of Senator Cilley in the famous Cilley-Graves duel near Washington, which resulted in the death of the former. After his retirement from office, General Jones' residence was at Dubuque, Iowa, where he died, July 22, 1896, in the 93d year of his age.
JONES, Michae7, early politician, was a Penn- sylvanian by birth, who came to Illinois in Terri- torial days, and, as early as 1809, was Register of the Land Office at Kaskaskia; afterwards removed to Shawneetown and represented Gallatin County as a Delegate to the Constitu- tional Convention of 1818 and as Senator in the first four General Assemblies, and also as Repre- sentative in the Eighth. He was a candidate for United States Senator in 1819, but was defeated by Governor Edwards, and was a Presidential Elector in 1820. He is represented to have been a man of considerable ability but of bitter passions, a supporter of the scheme for a pro-slavery con- stitution and a bitter opponent of Governor Edwards.
JONES, J. Russell, capitalist, was born at Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio, Feb. 17, 1823; after spending two years as clerk in a store in his native town, came to Chicago in 1838; spent the next two years at Rockton, when he accepted a
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clerkship in a leading mercantile establishment at Galena, finally being advanced to a partner- ship, which was dissolved in 1856. In 1860 he was elected, as a Republican, Representative in the Twenty-second General Assembly, and, in March following, was appointed by President Lincoln United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. In 1869, by appointment of President Grant, he became Minister to Belgium, remaining in office until 1875, when he resigned and returned to Chicago. Subsequently he declined the position of Secretary of the Interior, but was appointed Collector of the Port of Chi- cago, from which he retired in 1888. Mr. Jones served as member of the National Republican Committee for Illinois in 1868. In 1863 he organ- ized the West Division Street Railway, laying the foundation of an ample fortune.
JONES, William, pioneer merchant, was born at Charlemont, Mass., Oct. 22, 1789, but spent his boyhood and early manhood in New York State, ultimately locating at Buffalo, where he engaged in business as a grocer, and also held various public positions. In 1831 he made a tour of observation westward by way of Detroit, finally reaching Fort Dearborn, which he again visited in 1832 and in '33, making small investments each time in real estate, which afterwards appreciated immensely in value. In 1834, in partnership with Byram King of Buffalo, Mr. Jones engaged in the stove and hardware business, founding in Chicago the firm of Jones & King, and the next year brought his family. While he never held any important public office, he was one of the most prominent of those early residents of Chicago through whose enterprise and public spirit the city was made to prosper. He held the office of Justice of the Peace, served in the City Council, was one of the founders of the city fire depart- ment, served for twelve years (1840-52) on the Board of School Inspectors (for a considerable time as its President), and contributed liberally to the cause of education, including gifts of $50,000 to the old Chicago University, of which he was a Trustee and, for some time, President of its Executive Committee. Died, Jan. 18, 1868 .- Fernando (Jones), son of the preceding, was born at Forestville, Chautauqua County, N. Y., May 26, 1820, having, for some time in his boyhood, Millard Fillmore (afterwards President) as his teacher at Buffalo, and, still later, Reuben E. Fen- ton (afterwards Governor and a United States Senator) as classmate. After coming to Chicago, in 1835, he was employed for some time as a clerk in Government offices and by the Trustees of the
Illinois & Michigan Canal; spent a season at Canandaigua Academy, N. Y .; edited a periodical at Jackson, Mich., for a year or two, but finally coming to Chicago, opened an abstract and title office, in which he was engaged at the time of the fire of 1871, and which, by consolidation with two other firms, became the foundation of the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, which still plays an important part in the real-estate business of Chicago. Mr. Jones has held various public posi- tions, including that of Trustee of the Hospital for the Insane at Jacksonville, and has for years been a Trustee of the University of Chicago .- Kiler Kent (Jones), another son, was one of the found- ers of "The Gem of the Prairies" newspaper, out of which grew "The Chicago Tribune"; was for many years a citizen of Quincy, Ill., and promi- nent member of the Republican State Central Committee, and, for a time, one of the publishers of "The Prairie Farmer." Died, in Quincy, August 20, 1886.
JONESBORO, the county-seat of Union County, situated about a mile west of the line of the Illi- nois Central Railroad. It is some 30 miles north of Cairo, with which it is connected by the Mobile & Ohio R. R. It stands in the center of a fertile territory, largely devoted to fruit-growing, and is an important shipping-point for fruit and early vegetables ; has a silica mill, pickle factory and a bank. There are also four churches, and one weekly newspaper, as well as a graded school. Population (1900), 1,130.
JOSLYN, Merritt L., lawyer, was born in Livingston County, N. Y., in 1827, came to Illi- nois in 1839, his father settling in McHenry County, where the son, on arriving at manhood, engaged in the practice of the law. The latter became prominent in political circles and, in 1856, was a Buchanan Presidential Elector. On the breaking out of the war he allied himself with the Republican party ; served as a Captain in the Thirty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and, in 1864, was elected to the Twenty-fourth General Assembly from McHenry County, later serving as Senator during the sessions of tlie Thirtieth and Thirty-first Assemblies (1876-80). After the death of President Garfield, he was appointed by President Arthur Assistant Secre- tary of the Interior, serving to the close of the administration. Returning to his home at Wood- stock, Ill., he resumed the practice of his profes- sion, and, since 1889, has discharged the duties of Master in Chancery for McHenry County.
JOUETT, Charles, Chicago's first lawyer, was born in Virginia in 1772, studied law at Charlottes-
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ville in that State; in 1802 was appointed by President Jefferson Indian Agent at Detroit and, in 1805, acted as Commissioner in conducting a treaty with the Wyandottes, Ottawas and other Indians of Northwestern Ohio and Michigan at Maumee City, Ohio. In the fall of the latter year he was appointed Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn, serving there until the year before the Fort Dear- born Massacre. Removing to Mercer County, Ky., in 1811, he was elected to a Judgeship there, but, in 1815, was reappointed by President Madi- son Indian Agent at Fort Dearborn, remaining until 1818, when he again returned to Kentucky. In 1819 he was appointed to a United States Judgeship in the newly organized Territory of Arkansas, but remained only a few months, when he resumed his residence in Kentucky, dying there, May 28, 1834.
JOURNALISM. (See Newspapers, Early.)
JUDD, Norman Buel, lawyer, legislator, For- eign Minister, was born at Rome, N. Y., Jan. 10, 1815, where he read law and was admitted to the bar. In 1836 he removed to Chicago and com- menced practice in the (then) frontier settle- ment. He early rose to a position of prominence and influence in public affairs, holding various municipal offices and being a member of the State Senate from 1844 to 1860 continuously. In 1860 he was a Delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention, and, in 1861, President Lin- coln appointed him Minister Plenipotentiary to Prussia, where he represented this country for four years. He was a warm personal friend of Lincoln, and accompanied him on his memorable journey from Springfield to Washington in 1861. In 1870 he was elected to the Forty-first Congress. Died, at Chicago, Nov. 10, 1878.
JUDD, S. Corning, lawyer and politician, born in Onondaga County, N. Y., July 21, 1827; was educated at Aurora Academy, taught for a time in Canada and was admitted to the bar in New York in 1848; edited "The Syracuse Daily Star" in 1849, and, in 1850, accepted a position in the Interior Department in Washington. Later, he resumed his place upon "The Star," but, in 1854, removed to Lewistown, Fulton County, Ill., and began practice with his brother-in-law, the late W. C. Goudy. In 1873 he removed to Chicago, entering into partnership with William Fitzhugh White- house, son of Bishop Whitehouse, and became prominent in connection with some ecclesiastical trials which followed. In 1860 he was a Demo- cratic candidate for Presidential Elector and, during the war, was a determined opponent of the war policy of the Government, as such mak-
ing an unsuccessful campaign for Lieutenant- Governor in 1864. In 1885 he was appointed Postmaster of the city of Chicago, serving until 1889. Died, in Chicago, Sept. 22, 1895.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM, THE. The Constitution of 1818 vested the judicial power of the State in one Supreme Court, and such inferior courts as the Legislature might establish. The former consisted of one Chief Justice and three Associ- ates, appointed by joint ballot of the Legislature; but, until 1825, when a new act went into effect, they were required to perform circuit duties in the several counties, while exercising appellate jurisdiction in their united capacity. In 1824 the Legislature divided the State into five circuits, appointing one Circuit Judge for each, but, two years later, these were legislated out of office, and circuit court duty again devolved upon the Supreme Judges, the State being divided into four circuits. In 1829 a new act authorized the appointment of one Circuit Judge, who was assigned to duty in the territory northwest of the Illinois River, the Supreme Justices continuing to perform circuit duty in the four other circuits. This arrangement continued until 1835, when the State was divided into six judicial circuits, and, five additional Circuit Judges having been elected, the Supreme Judges were again relieved from circuit court service. After this no mate- rial changes occurred except in the increase of the number of circuits until 1841, the whole number then being nine. At this time political reasons led to an entire reorganization of the courts. An act passed Feb. 10, 1841, repealed all laws author- izing the election of Circuit Judges, and provided for the appointment of five additional Associate Judges of the Supreme Court, making nine in all; and, for a third time, circuit duties devolved upon the Supreme Court Judges, the State being divided at the same time into nine circuits.
By the adoption of the Constitution of 1848 the judiciary system underwent an entire change, all judicial officers being made elective by the people. The Constitution provided for a Supreme Court, consisting of three Judges, Circuit Courts, County Courts, and courts to be held by Justices of the Peace. In addition to these, the Legisla- ture had the power to create inferior civil and criminal courts in cities, but only upon a uniform plan. For the election of Supreme Judges, the State was divided into three Grand Judicial Divi- sions. The Legislature might, however, if it saw fit, provide for the election of all three Judges on a general ticket, to be voted throughout the State-at-large; but this power was never exer-
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cised. Appeals lay from the Circuit Courts to the Supreme Court for the particular division in which the county might be located, although, by unanimous consent of all parties in interest, an appeal might be transferred to another district. Nine Circuit Courts were established, but the number might be increased at the discretion of the General Assembly. Availing itself of its constitutional power and providing for the needs of a rapidly growing community, the Legislature gradually increased the number of circuits to thirty. The term of office for Supreme Court Judges was nine, and, for Circuit Judges, six years. Vacancies were to be filled by popular election, unless the unexpired term of the deceased or retiring incumbent was less than one year, in which case the Governor was authorized to appoint. Circuit Courts were vested with appellate jurisdiction from inferior tribunals, and each was required to hold at least two terms annually in each county, as might be fixed by statute.
The Constitution of 1870, without changing the mode of election or term of office, made several changes adapted to altered conditions. As regards the Supreme Court, the three Grand Divisions were retained, but the number of Judges was increased to seven, chosen from a like number of districts, but sitting together to con- stitute a full court, of which four members con- stitute a quorum. A Chief Justice is chosen by the Court, and is usually one of the Judges nearing the expiration of his term. The minor officers include a Reporter of Decisions, and one Clerk in each Division. By an act passed in 1897, the three Supreme Court Divisions were consoli- dated in one, the Court being required to hold its sittings in Springfield, and hereafter only one Clerk will be elected instead of three as hereto- fore. The salaries of Justices of the Supreme Court are fixed by law at $5,000 each.
The State was divided in 1873 into twenty-seven circuits (Cook County being a circuit by itself), and one or more terms of the circuit court are required to be held each year in each county in the State. The jurisdiction of the Circuit Courts is both original and appellate, and includes mat- ters civil and criminal, in law and in equity. The Judges are elected by districts, and hold office for six years. In 1877 the State was divided into thirteen judicial circuits (exclusive of Cook County), but without reducing the number of Judges (twenty-six) already in office, and the election of one additional Judge (to serve two years) was ordered in each district, thus increas-
ing the number of Judges to thirty-nine. Again in 1897 the Legislature passed an act increasing the number of judicial circuits, exclusive of Cook County, to seventeen, while the number of Judges in each circuit remained the same, so that the whole number of Judges elected that year outside of Cook County was fifty-one. The salaries of Circuit Judges are $3,500 per year, except in Cook County, where they are $7,000. The Constitution also provided for the organiza- tion of Appellate Courts after the year 1874, hav- ing uniform jurisdiction in districts created for that purpose. These courts are a connecting link between the Circuit and the Supreme Courts, and greatly relieve the crowded calendar of the latter. In 1877 the Legislature established four of these tribunals: one for the County of Cook; one to include all the Northern Grand Division except Cook County; the third to embrace the Central Grand Division, and the fourth the South- ern. Each Appellate Court is held by three Cir- cuit Court Judges, named by the Judges of the Supreme Court, each assignment covering three years, and no Judge either allowed to receive extra compensation or sit in review of his own rulings or decisions. Two terms are held in each District every year, and these courts have no original jurisdiction.
COOK COUNTY .- The judicial system of Cook County is different from that of the rest of the State. The Constitution of 1870 made the county an independent district, and exempted it from being subject to any subsequent redistricting. The bench of the Circuit Court in Cook County, at first fixed at five Judges, has been increased under the Constitution to fourteen, who receive additional compensation from the county treas- ury. The Legislature has the constitutional right to increase the number of Judges according to population. In 1849 the Legislature estab- lished the Cook County Court of Common Pleas. Later, this became the Superior Court of Cook County, which now (1898) consists of thirteen Judges. For this court there exists the same constitutional provision relative to an increase of Judges as in the case of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
JUDY, Jacob, pioneer, a native of Switzer- land, who, having come to the United States at an early day, remained some years in Maryland, when, in 1786, he started west, spending two years near Louisville, Ky., finally arriving at Kaskaskia, Ill., in 1788. In 1792 he removed to New Design, in Monroe County, and, in 1800, located within the present limits of Madison
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County, where he died in 1807 .- Samuel (Judy), son of the preceding, born August 19, 1773, was brought by his father to Illinois in 1788, and after- wards became prominent in political affairs and famous as an Indian fighter. On the organization of Madison County he became one of the first County Commissioners, serving many years. He also commanded a body of "Rangers" in the Indian campaigns during the War of 1812, gain- ing the title of Colonel, and served as a member from Madison County in the Second Territorial Council (1814-15). Previous to 1811 he built the first brick house within the limits of Madison County, which still stood, not many years since, a few miles from Edwardsville. Colonel Judy died in 1838 .- Jacob (Judy), eldest son of Samuel, was Register of the Land Office at Edwardsville, 1845-49 .- Thomas (Judy), younger son of Samuel, was born, Dec. 19, 1804, and represented Madison County in the Eighteenth General Assembly (1852-54). Ilis death occurred Oct. 4, 1880.
JUDY, James William, soldier, was born in Clark County, Ky., May 8, 1822-his ancestors on his father's side being from Switzerland, and those on his mother's from Scotland; grew up on a farm and, in 1852, removed to Menard County, Ill., where he has since resided. In August, 1862, he enlisted as a private soldier, was elected Cap- tain of his company, and, on its incorporation as part of the One IIundred and Fourteenth Regi- ment Illinois Volunteers at Camp Butler, was chosen Colonel by acclamation. The One Hun- dred and Fourteenth, as part of the Fifteenth Army Corps under command of that brilliant soldier, Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, was attached to the Army of the Tennessee, and took part in the entire siege of Vicksburg, from May, 1863, to the surrender on the 3d of July following. It also participated in the siege of Jackson, Miss., and numerous other engagements. After one year's service, Colonel Judy was compelled to resign by domestic affliction, having lost two children by death within eight days of each other, while others of his family were dangerously ill. On his retirement from the army, he became deeply interested in thorough-bred cattle, and is now the most noted stock auctioneer in the United States -having, in the past thirty years, sold more thorough-bred cattle than any other man living -his operations extending from Canada to Cali- fornia, and from Minnesota to Texas. Colonel Judy was elected a member of the State Board of Agriculture in 1874, and so remained continu- ously until 1896-except two years-also serving as President of the Board from 1894 to 1896. IIe
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