Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 23

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972

USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II > Part 23

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The apportionment of 1901 made Winnebago County a part of the Twelfth district. Judge Charles E. Fuller, of Belvidere, was nominated in 1902 without opposition and elected. He was re-elected in 1904, 1906, 190S and 1910. The Roosevelt-Progressive tidal wave swept over the district in 1912, and William H. Hinebaugh, of La Salle, was elected by a plurality of 1,429. Two years later, in 1914, the Progressive move- ment became a spent force, and Congressman Fuller was returned, carrying every county in the district over Judge Hinebaugh.

E. B. Washburne, John F. Farnsworth, Robert R. Hitt and Charles E. Fuller represented the Rockford district in Congress exactly half a century. Rockford district has not been repre- sented in Congress by a Democrat in sixty-three years, since the retirement of Thompson Camp- bell in 1853.

STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.

The state board of equalization was created by the legislature March 8, 1867, and, as orig- inally constituted, consisted of one member from each of the twenty-five senatorial districts into which the state was then divided, to be ap- pointed by the governor. In 1873 the law was changed and provided for the election of one member of each congressional district. Winne- bago County has furnished two members of the

Mary Le Favor

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

board. Charles A. Works served one term, 1892 to 1896, from the Sixth district ; and under the next congressional apportionment he served the Ninth district two terms, from 1896 to 1904. Edward H. Marsh was elected in 1904, and re- elected in 190S.

WINNEBAGO IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

When Germanicus Kent and Thatcher Blake settled in Rockford in 1834, what is now Winne- bago County was a part of senatorial and repre- sentative districts which covered a large portion of northern Illinois. Under the apportionment of 1831 the counties of Peoria, Jo Daviess, Put- nam, La Salle and Cook were united in one dis- trict, and had one senator and one representa- tive. Winnebago County, having been organ- ized from attached portions of La Salle and Jo Daviess, was included in this territory. At the election of 1832, James M. Strode was elected senator, and Benjamin Mills representative. In 1834 James W. Stephenson was chosen senator, but he resigned and James M. Strode was chosen his successor. John Hamlin was elected repre- sentative.

Winnebago County was organized in 1836, and continued to be attached to Jo Daviess County in all general elections until the apportionment of 1841. At the general election in 1836, A. G. S. Wright of Jo Daviess was elected senator, and Elijah Charles and James Craig were elected representatives. In 1838 George W. Harrison was chosen senator, and served the district until a new apportionment was made. Germanicus Kent of Winnebago and James Craig of Jo Daviess were elected representatives. In 1840 Thomas Drummond of Galena and Hiram W. Thornton of Jo Daviess were elected representa- tives.

The apportionment of February 26, 1841, pro- vided that the county of Winnebago should have one representative, Ogle one representative, "and the two together one senator." The first elec- tion under this apportionment was held in 1842. Spooner Ruggles of Ogle County was elected senator, and served four years. Before his term had expired, however, Mr. Ruggles had become a citizen of Winnebago County. In 1846 Anson S. Miller was elected senator and served two years. In 1842 Darius Adams was elected repre- sentative from Winnebago County, and served one term. In 1844 Anson S. Miller was elected,

and served one term; and in 1846 Robert J. Cross was elected and served one term.

The constitution of 1848 divided the state into twenty-five senatorial districts, with one member each, and fifty-four representative dis- tricts, with a total of seventy-five members. Under this apportionment, McHenry, Boone and Winnebago counties constituted the Twenty- fourth senatorial district. At the first election, Alfred E. Ames of Winnebago County was elected senator. The senators, at their first ses- sion under the new constitution, were divided by lot into two classes. The seats of the first class were vacated at the expiration of the second year, and those of the second class at the ex- piration of the fourth year, so that one-half of the members were elected biennially. Mr. Ames drew the short term and served two years. In 1850 Thomas B. Talcott was elected senator, and served four years. Under this constitutional apportionment, Winnebago County constituted the Forty-seventh representative district, with one member. Wilson H. Crandall was elected in 1848, and served one term. Horace Miller was elected in 1850, and served one term. In 1852 Abraham I. Enoch was elected and served two years.

The act of February 27, 1854, apportioned rep- resentation in the general assembly at twenty- five senators and seventy-five members of the house, with fifty-eight representative districts. Boone, Winnebago, Ogle and Carroll comprised the Third senatorial district. At the election in November, 1854, Wait Talcott of Winnebago was elected senator for the Third district, and served the full term of four years. In 1858 Zenas Applington of Ogle was elected, and served four years.

The apportionment of 1854 made Winnebago county the Fifty-third representative district, with one member. In November of that year William Lyman of Rockford was elected, and served two years. In 1856 William Lathrop was elected and served one term. Elijah W. Blaisdell, Jr., was elected in 185S, the year of the famous Lincoln and Douglas debate. Mr. Blaisdell voted for Abraham Lincoln for United States senator. In 1860 Alfred A. Hale was elected and served one term.

APPORTIONMENT OF 1861.

By the act of January 31, 1861, the repre- sentation was fixed at twenty-five senators and

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

eighty-five members. The state was divided into twenty-five senatorial and sixty-one representa- tive districts. Winnebago, Boone, McHenry and Lake constituted the Twenty-third senatorial district. At the first election on this basis, in 1862, Cornelins Lansing of McHenry was elected senator, and served three years. Senator Lansing died August 26, 1865. In 1866 Gen- eral Allen C. Fuller of Belvidere was elected senator and was re-elected in 1870. Under the apportionment of 1861, Winnebago Connty was made the Fifty-fiftli representative district, with one member. In 1862 Selden M. Church of Rockford was elected, and served one term. In 1864 William Brown of Rockford was elected, and served one term. Abraham I. Enoch was elected in 1866 and served one term. Ephraim Sumner was elected in 186S.

The representation in the twenty-seventh General Assembly, which convened January 4, 1871, was the first under the constitution of 1870, and was apportioned by the governor and secretary of state. There were 50 senators and 177 representatives. The state was divided into twenty-five senatorial districts, and ninety- seven representative districts. Winnebago, Boone, McHenry and Lake counties constituted the Twenty-third senatorial district. At the election of 1870 General Allen C. Fuller of Bel- videre and John Early of Rockford were elected Senators. Winnebago County was made the Ninety-first representative district, and at the election of 1870 James M. Wight and D. Em- mons Adams were elected members of the house.

By the act of March 1, 1872, the state was divided into fifty-one senatorial districts, as provided by the constitution. Each district was entitled to one senator. Winnebago and Boone counties comprised the Ninthi senatorial district. At the general election in 1872 John Early of Rockford was elected senator for the Ninth dis- trict. The constitution of 1870 provided that senators elected in 1872 in districts bearing odd numbers should vacate their offices at the expi- ration of two years. Mr. Early was re-elected in 1874 for the full term of four years, but died while in office, in September, 1877. In 1878 Charles E. Fuller of Belvidere was elected sen- ator, after a notable triangular contest.

Under the new constitution senatorial and representative districts became identical for the first time in the history of the state. Each district was entitled to three representatives.

In 1872 Robert J. Cross and Duncan J. Stewart of Winnebago Connty, and Jesse S. Hildrnp of Boone County, were elected representatives for the Ninth senatorial district. Mr. Cross died in office, and Richard F. Crawford was chosen to complete his term. In 1874 Andrew Ashton and Richard F. Crawford of Winnebago, and Myron K. Avery of Boone were elected. George H. Hollister, John Budlong and Andrew Ashton, all of Winnebago County, were elected in 1876. In 1878 Omar H. Wright of Boone, and Thomas Butterworth and Horace W. Taylor of Winne- bago were elected. In 1880 Edward B. Sumner of Winnebago and Omar H. Wright of Belvidere were elected as Republicans, and Laurence Mc- Donald of Winnebago was the Democratic minority representative.

By the apportionment act of May, 1882, Win- nebago and Ogle connties were united in the Tenth senatorial district. The first election under this apportionment was held in 1882. Isaac Rice of Ogle County, the hold-over sen- ator from the old Twelfth district, had two years to serve, as it is a principle of our pres- ent constitutional law that no man can be legis- lated out of office. There was, therefore, no election of senator until 1884, when Edward B. Snmner was elected for the full term of fonr years. Benjamin F. Sheets of Ogle County, suc- ceded Mr. Sumner in 1888, and served four years. In 1892 David Hunter of Winnebago was elected and served four years. In 1882 Albert F. Brown and John Seyster of Ogle, and Edward B. Sumner of Winnebago were elected representatives for the Tenth district. Albert F. Brown, Republican, of Ogle, David Hunter, Republican, of Winnebago, and Edward M. Winslow, Democrat, of Ogle, were elected in 1884. In 1886 David Hunter of Winnebago, James Lamont of Winnebago, Prohibitionist, and James P. Wilson, Republican, of Ogle, were elected representatives. From 1888 to 1890 David Hun- ter and Robert Simpson of Winnebago, and Win. H. Cox of Ogle represented the district. In 1890 James P. Wilson and Prescott Talbot of Ogle, and David Hunter of Winnebago were elected. In 1892 James P. Wilson and Prescott H. Talbot of Ogle County, and Lars M. Noling of Winne- bago were elected representatives.

By the apportionment act of June 15, 1893. Winnebago and Ogle counties were continued as the Tenth district. The first election for senator under this apportionment was held in

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

1896, when Delos W. Baxter of Rochelle was elected senator for the full term. In 1900 Henry Andrus, of Winnebago, was elected senator. The first election for representatives under this ap- portionment was in 1894, when Lars M. Noling and C. Harry Woolsey of Winnebago, and Victor H. Bovey of Ogle were elected for this district. In 1896 Lars M. Noling and Henry Andrus of Winnebago, and Victor H. Bovey of Ogle, all Republicans, were elected. In 1898 Henry Andrus and Frank S. Regan, of Winnebago, and James A. Countryman, of Ogle, were elected. In 1900 James A. Countryman and James P. Wilson of, Ogle, and David Hunter of Winnebago were elected.

By the act of May 10, 1901, Winnebago and Ogle counties were for a third time made the Tenth senatorial district.

At the election in 1902 Frederick Haines, Re- publican, of Winnebago, Johnson Lawrence, Republican, of Ogle, and James P. Wilson, Dem- ocrat, of Ogle, were chosen representatives. In 1904 A. J. Anderson, Republican, of Winnebago, was elected senator. Mr. Haines was returned to the house. His colleagues were W. B. Mc- Henry, Republican, of Ogle and Charles E. Mar- tin, Democrat, of Winnebago. Earl D. Reynolds, Republican, of Winnebago, Johnson Lawrence, and James H. Corcoran, Democrat, of Winne- bago, represented the district in the house from 1906 to 1908. Henry Andrus, Republican, of Winnebago, was chosen senator in 1908. There was no change in the members of the house. The election of 1910 resulted in the choice of three new members in the house: John A. At- wood and John Coleman, Republican and Denio- crat, respectively, of Ogle, and Alexander Col- lier, Republican, of Winnebago.

No re-apportionment of the state followed the census of 1910. Henry Andrus was re-elected senator in 1912 and Mr. Atwood and Mr. Cole- man were returned to the house. The third member was A. J. Lovejoy, Republican of Win- nebago. The present members of the house, elected in 1914 are: E. A. Festerling, Repub- lican, of Winnebago; H. S. Hicks, Progressive, of Winnebago, and John A. Atwood. Mr. Hicks and Medill McCormick are the only Progress- ive members in the lower branch. For the first time in many years the Tenth district is with- out a Democratic member in either branch of the General Assembly.

CHAPTER XIV.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

FREE EDUCATION AGITATION-ORDINANCE OF 1787- FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL LAW-NUMEROUS REVI- SIONS-STATE SCHOOL FUNDS-LANDS DONATED BY CONGRESS-SALES OF LAND-FIRST PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY-FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOLS-OTHER EARLY EDUCATIONAL INSTITU- TIONS-ILLINOIS PUBLIC SCHOOL LAW-IIISTORY OF ROCKFORD SCHOOLS-EAST SIDE DISTRICT- WEST SIDE DISTRICT-EARLY EDUCATORS-PUBLIC SCHOOL REORGANIZATION-BOARD OF EDUCATION LITIGATION-THE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL A CREDIT TO THE CITY - LIST OF PRINCIPALS - PRESENT SUPERINTENDENT-TRIBUTE TO A MAN OF WORTH-PAGEANT AND PARADES-PASSING OF A VETERAN EDUCATOR-STATISTICS-BOARD OF EDUCATION-COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS-COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS SINCE 1837-A PROGRESSIVE EDUCATOR - FATHER OF THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS-PRESENT COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT- PRESENT CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS - TRAVELING LIBRARIES-TOWNSHIP GRADUATION EXERCISES- CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS-SCHOOL SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. -

FREE EDUCATIONAL AGITATION.

The public school system of Winnebago County had its beginning in national and state legisla- tion. The foundations of the system were laid more than a century ago, about four years before the United States entered upon national life under the constitution. On May 20, 1785, an ordinance was passed by Congress, then assem- bled in New York, for a system of rectangular surveys of the lands in the "western territory," and it was therein provided "that there shall be reserved the lot number sixteen of every township for the maintenance of public schools within the township." "The territory thus des- ignated was the Northwest Territory, from which Illinois was created.

The Ordinance of 1787, for the government of the Northwest Territory, provided that "religion, morality and knowledge . . shall forever be encouraged." The next step was in 1818, when Illinois sought admission into the Union. In April of that year Congress passed an act

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

enabling the people of the territory of Illinois to organize a state. Certain propositions were therein made to the convention of the territory, which, if accepted, would be binding upon the state and the federal government. Three of these referred to education. First : "that sectiou number sixteen or its equivalent in every con- gressional township shall be granted to the state, for the use of schools in such township." Second: "that three per cent. of the net pro- ceeds from the sales of all the public lands in the state shall he given to the state for the encouragement of learning, of which one-sixth part shall be exclusively bestowed on a college or university." Third: "that two entire town- ships in the state, to he designated by the presi- dent of the United States, shall be reserved for the use of a seminary." These propositions were accepted and on December 3, 1818, Congress ap- proved the constitution. Thus Illinois came into the Union with these valuable grants of land for the maintenance of education.

FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL LAW.

By the term "early schools" is meant those schools which were maintained under various laws of the state prior to 1855. The first pub- lic school law was passed in 1825, seven years after Illinois became a state. Common schools were established free to white citizens between the ages of five and twenty-one. Districts con- taining not less than fifteen families could be formed by the county courts, upon petition of a majority of the voters thereof. Voters were authorized at the annual meeting to levy a tax in money or merchantable produce, at its cash value, not exceeding one-half of one per cent., subject to a maximum limitation of $10 to any one person. The state also appropriated $2 out of every $100 received into the treasury, and disbursed the interest on the school fund proper among the several counties; and these sums were distributed by the counties among the respective districts. This law was hitterly opposed, and in 1827 it was amended so as to be virtually nullified, hy providing that no per- son should he taxed for the maintenance of schools, unless his consent was first obtained in writing. The state appropriation was also withdrawn. The school laws were revised at nearly every session of the legislature. These were all radically defective in that the state

did not impose a tax, but made it discretionary with the districts whether such a tax should be levied.

The school fund proper of Illinois consists of three per cent. of the net proceeds of the sales of the public lands in the state, one-sixth part excepted. This is known as the three per cent. fund, or school fund proper. Under an act of February 6, 1835, this fund was loaned to the state at six per cent. interest. The interest on this fund constitutes one of the sources from which the common school fund of the state is derived. The principal of this fund is now $613,362.96.

The college fund consists of one-sixth of three per cent. of the proceeds of the sales of public lands in the state. This fund was also loaned the state iu 1835. In the same year it was pro- vided that the interest on this fund should be annually loaned to the school fund, for dis- tribution with other funds, among the several counties in the state. The interest on this fund, less oue-fourth of one per cent., was set apart to the maintenance of the State Normal Uni- versity, ou February 18, 1857. The principal of this fund is $156,613.32.

The university fund is the amount charged to the state by an act of tlie General Assembly, approved Juue 11, 1897, including $18,440.00 derived from sale of lands. This fund is $649,012.91.

The seminary fund is derived from the pro- ceeds of the sale of "semiuary lands," which consist of two townships given. the state by the general government, for the founding aud sup- port of a state seminary. This fund was also loaned the state in 1835. In the same year it was provided that the interest on this fund should be annually loaued to the state school fund. In 1857 the interest on this fund, less one-fourth of one per cent., was devoted to the maiutenauce of the normal university. The principal of this fund is $59,838.72. ·

The surplus rercnue fund was created by Congress in 1836, by an act which deposited with the states, in proportion to their representation in Congress, the money that had accumulated in the national treasury, mainly from the sale of public lands. Prior to this act an unsuccessful effort had been made to distribute this money among the states as a gift from the nation. The objections to this plan were overcome by de- positing the money with the states, subject to

GARRISON SCHOOL, ROCKFORD

₾653000000

ROCKFORD HIGH SCHOOL-NEW NORTH BUILDING

P. A. PETERSON SCHOOL, ROCKFORD

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ROCKFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

131

Kishwaukee Wight

Lincoln Turner

Henry Freeman Brown

739

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

return upon call of Congress. About $28,000,000 were distributed among the states in this way, and none of it has ever been called for. Illinois received $477,919.24. A portion of this amount was expended in internal improvements, and the balance, $335,592.32, was by an act of the legislature of March 4, 1837, made a part of the common school fund of the state, and loaned to the state at six per cent.

The most munificent donation from Congress was the sixteenth section of every congressional township. This amounted to 998,448.89 acres. It has been said that if these lands had been properly cared for, they would have given the people such an ample public school fund as would have saved them from local taxation. The local sale of these lands and the handling of such funds were delegated to township trus- tees by the law of the state. The principal of this fund varies in different townships, from less than $100 to more than $100,000. Unfor- tunately, most of these lands were sold at an early day, when the people were poor and prices low. Some township trustees were wiser, and held them for higher prices. The township fund of the state, September 30, 1915, was $19,356,530.71.

A local fund is derived from fines and for- feitures. In 1853 the fines collected and crim- inal forfeitures on bail were added to the school fund. These laws have been changed from time to time. The statute of 1913 provides that all fines, penalties and forfeitures which may be imposed in any of the courts of record, and before any justice of the peace, except those incurred for violation of the ordinances of in- corporated cities and towns, shall be collected by the state's attorney, and by him turned into the county treasury. From this fund is paid all the expenses of the state's attorney's office, and the balance is paid to the county superin- tendent of schools, and the same shall be dis- tributed annually by him, in the same manner as the common school funds of the state are . distributed.

Congress granted to the states of the Union, September 2S, 1850, all overflowed and swamp lands, thereby made unfit for cultivation, within their respective limits. These lands were sub- ject to the disposal of the legislature, provided that so much of the proceeds of such sales as may be necessary shall be devoted to reclaiming the same by levees and drains. By an act of

the legislature, June 22, 1852, these lands were granted to the counties in which they were re- spectively located, upon similar terms upon which the state had received them, for educa- tional or other purposes, at their discretion. The state auditor of public accounts in 1855, certified that 1,801.9 acres was the total amount of such lands in Winnebago County. In March, 1855, the board of supervisors appointed Duncan Ferguson, Milton Kilburn and Edmund Oviatt a committee to examine these lands, and report. These swamp lands were located in townships 28, 29, and 43. Many of them were near the village of Winnebago. These lands were first sold by C. A. Huntington, the school commis- sioner, at high prices, and during prosperous times. Little cash was paid, and the purchasers gave mortgages for the balance. Values de- clined, and the purchasers could not redeem their property. Thereupon the supervisors ordered them resold, which was done by H. H. Waldo, who succeeded Mr. Huntington as school commissioner, for about what they were actually worth. Through some obscurity in the statutes of 1852 and 1854 upon the subject, there was prolonged litigation as to whether the proceeds should constitute a county fund, or be dis- tributed among the townships. The money finally passed into the control of the superintendent as a county fund. The principal of this fund in Winnebago County is $5,980.06. By way oť recapitulation it may be said the principal state and local funds for the support of higher and common school education are now as follows : Direct state taxation, direct local taxation, school fund proper, college fund, seminary fund, surplus revenue fund, township fund, fines and forfeitures, and the swamp land fund.

FIRST SCHOOLS IN COUNTY.

The first school in Winnebago County was taught by Miss Eunice Brown, who afterward became Mrs. J. G. Lyon. This school was on the site of 110 South Second street, Rockford, in the rear of what was known as the John Early residence, and taught in a log house. This was about July, 1837. In the spring of 1838 Miss Brown taught on the West side, in a building on what is now the courthouse square. Mrs. Lyon died at her home in Rockton, Decem- ber 7, 1889. Rockford had many excellent priv- ate schools between 1837 and 1857. The teachers

740

HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

were paid mainly by the parents, making out their own bills and collecting them. There was then no regular state or local tax, and the only publie school money was derived from the in- terest on the several state school funds, and the township fund obtained from the sale of the sixteenth section. Private teachers, who conformed to certain requirements of the law, received some compensation from the public money, in proportion to the number of pupils under their instruction.

FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

The early public school records of Roekford Township have been lost. It is therefore im- possible to obtain exact information. There ap- pears, however, to have been a school district, with a schoolhouse, on each side of the river. The East side public school was in the brick building on the southeast corner of the public square. This schoolhouse was erected at an early date, by private subscription. A sum of money was once raised to build a second public schoolhouse on the East side ; but it was never erected. The money was finally paid into the municipal treasury, upon the order of the city council. John A. Holland and others built a schoolhouse for private pupils, on South West street. It was occupied exclusively by the chil- dren of those who erected it. It was therefore not a large school, but somewhat exclusive. The contraet was made with Seely Perry for fur- nishing building material.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 23

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 972

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972