USA > Illinois > Cass County > Beardstown > Historical sketch of Cass County, Illinois: an oration delivered July 4, 1876, at Beardstown, Ill. > Part 4
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Green Garner,
Thos. J. Joy.
L. Clark,
Aaron Bonny,
Wm. Paton.
Green H. Paschal, Onslow Watson, John McDonald.
W. P. Johnstone.
------
Henry S. Dutch,
32
HISTORICAL SKETCHI OF CASS COUNTY.
Amos L. Bonny,
Titus Phelps, Jas. Williams,
James B. Davis,
Ephraim Moseley,
John Redman,
Jas. Ross, Sr.,
Henry Hopkins,
Elias Matthew,
T. S. Berry,
Thos. Boicourt,
Thos. Finn,
A. Bowen,
John Robinson,
Daniel Cauby,
John Long,
George Shaw,
Evan Warren,
J. M. Ross,
L. B. Freeman. J. M. McLean,
John Cunningham,
Pleas. Scott,
B. A. Blantin.
Jas. Holland.
Jas. Biddle.
Jos. Jump,
Wm. Fields,
J. T. Powell.
C. H. Oliver,
Alex. Bain,
John De Weber,
Alex. Huffman,
Jas. Garner,
Reddick Horn,
Jonas McDonald,
John Biddles.
Archibald Job, John Peirce,
Phillip Cochrane,
George Beggs,
John Biddlecome,
H. H. Hall,
B. Stribling,
Jas. Berry.
A. Elder,
Chas. P. Anderson, M. O'Brien,
A. S. West, Wm. M. Clark,
S. Steveson.
Isaiah Paschal,
Wm. Blain.
CANDIDATES.
Probate Justice.
J. S. Wilbourne . .
. .. 11
Wm. Scott.
. 26
Jas. Berry
.65
Sheriff.
Lemon Plaster .
...
.81
M. F. Higgins. . . ...
.15
J. B. Bueb
.70
N. B. Thompson .30
Alfred Elder ... .. 64
Recorder. Thos. Graham ...
.
1
Dr. O. M. Long
. 7
County Commissioners' Treasurer.
Thos. Wilbourn . ... 14 J. C. Spense . .. 84 County Commissioners' Clerk.
J. M. Pratt 52 R. G. Gains . .49 County Commissioners.
Amos Bonney
60
G. F. Miller
16
H. Mckean
.......... 30
Benj. Stribling
.95
Henry MeHenry.
7
County Surveyor.
Wm. Holmes
S6
Wm. Clark ........ 19
C. Rew ..
Coroner.
27 J. Anderson .... None. Halsey Smith. .. 75
The election was held on the first day of August, 1837, and the following named officers were elected : Joshua P. Crow, Amos Bonney and George F. Miller, county commissioners ; John S. Wilbourne, probate justice of the peace ; John W. Pratt, clerk of county commissioners' court ; N. B. Thompson, clerk of the circuit court ; Lemon Plaster, sheriff. These men were sworn into office by Thomas Pogue, a Beardstown magistrate.
Jas. Daniels,
M. H. Biddles,
33
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
On the 14th day of August, the county commissioners met and organized Cass County. At this first meeting of the Board, the new county was divided into six precincts, which were named : Beards- town, Monroe, Virginia, Sugar Grove, Richmond and Bowens.
When this county was organized there was not a house, built exclusively for religious worship, in it, and not one in all Morgan County outside of Jacksonville. Physicians were scarce, and fever and ague quite common. Game was plenty, some of which was very disagreeable, particularly wolves, and an occasional panther. The wolves very seldom did violence to human beings; but when the weather was cold and stormy, and the ground frozen, they were so bold and threatening, that nobody cared to risk himself out alone at night. The only instance of violence to a man within my recollection, was the case of Esquire Daniel Troy, living near Bethel, who was walking home one night from town, carrying a quarter of beef on his shoulder. He was attacked by a gang of wolves, the beef taken away from him, and he very roughly handled.
There were a few large gray wolves also, that were very much feared. One cold, bright, moon-shiny night, I heard an uncommon fuss with my dogs, and opened my cabin door. A favorite little black dog immediately pounced into the house, and the largest gray wolf I ever saw, which was after him, tried to follow. The door was open, and I had no time to get my rifle. The only weapon at hand was a stick of fire wood, but with this I did good execution, and Mr. Wolf had to beat a retreat. So severely had I beaten him, that he immediately left our premises. I afterwards heard a fuss among the dogs at a neighbor's, Armstrong Cooper's house, and then the crack of a rifle, and in a short time I heard the dogs and another rifle at Mr. Lamb's house, and then all was still. I found next morning that these shots of Cooper and Lamb had killed him. He was a monster, and measured nine feet and nine inches, from his nose to the end of his tail.
At that time, there was very little litigation among the country people, and personal altercations were usually settled by a resort to blows.
It was in the winter of 1836-37, I believe, although I would defer my recollection to others, if they think I am mistaken, that we had what we called the " sudden change" in the weather, the most remarkable one I ever saw, heard of, or read of. On Saturday morning, there was snow on the ground. The following Sunday was a very warm day, and Monday, until about one o'clock p.m., was 3
34
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
still warmer, and on both days there was considerable rain. The snow had melted into slush and water, which was standing in ponds on the level ground, and roaring down declivities. At that hour, the weather turned suddenly very cold. In one hour after the change began the slush and water was frozen solid ; and in two hours from that time, men were hurriedly crossing the river on the ice. A vast amount of cattle, fowls and game, and many persons, were frozen to death. I heard of one man, who was crossing a prairie, on horse- back, who had killed his horse and taken the entrails out of him and then crawled inside of him for protection, was found there frozen to death. I don't know how the thermometer stood, for we had none.
On Monday, during this sudden change, Dr. Chandler was returning home from a professional trip up the bottom. His overcoat was covered with slush and mud, and in a few minutes after the change began his coat was frozen stiff, and he felt that he was in danger of being frozen. He stopped at the store of Henry T. & Abner Foster, at Richmond, on the land since owned by John P. Dick, where he was warmed up and thawed out. He then mounted his horse and started on a gallop for home, about six miles distant, but soon found himself freezing again. He stopped at another house, and warmed, and started again, with like results. He thus was forced to stop at four different houses, between Foster's store and his house, to prevent freezing to death. When he arrived within sight of his own house his horse fell down, and left him helpless on the ice, and his family dragged him, in a helpless condition, into the house.
At the special session of the Legislature in the summer of 1837, was passed a preamble and statute to the following effect :
" Whereas, at an election held in the county of Morgan, according to the provisions of ' An act for the formation of the county of Cass,' it appeared that a majority of the voters of said county voted for the creation of said county ; and, whereas, at an election for the county seat of said county, Beardstown received the highest number of votes for the county seat, and whereas some doubts have been expressed as to the legality of the proceedings of said elections, now, therefore, to remove all doubts on that subject :
" Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That the county of Cass, as designated and bounded in the ' Act for the formation of the county of Cass,' approved, March 3d, 1837, be, and the same is hereby declared to be, one of the counties of this State.
35
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
"Sec. 2. The county seat shall be located at the city of Beards- town, in said county ; Provided, however, That the provision of the act, above referred to, shall be complied with by the citizens, or corporation of Beardstown, in relation to the raising the sum of ten thousand dollars, to defray the expenses of erecting public buildings for said county.
"Sec. 3. The corporation of Beardstown shall be allowed the period of one, two, and three years, for the payment of ten thousand dollars, aforesaid, to be calculated from the passage of the law aforesaid, which sum shall be paid in three equal payments. The County Commissioners' Court of said county shall make their con- traets for erecting the public buildings in said county, so as to make their payments thereon when the said installments aforesaid shall become due and payable.
"Sec. 4. The court house of said county shall be erected on the plat of ground known as the public square; in said town of Beards- town.
"Sec. 5. Returns of the elections for the county officers of said county, to be elected on the first Monday of August next, shall be made in Beardstown, to O. M. Long and Thomas Poyne, notaries public in Beardstown, who shall open and examine the poll books of said election in the presence of one or more Justices of the Peace in and for said county ; and said notaries public, after due inspection and examination of the poll books, according to the laws of this State, shall make out certificates of election of those persons who have received the highest number of votes, which certificates shall be such as those required to be made by the clerks of the County Commissioners' Court, and shall receive and be entitled to the same effect in law."
This statute also provides how the school fund of Morgan County shall be divided with Cass County.
At the session of 1839, on the 2d day of March, the Legislature made this preamble and statute :
" Whereas it was provided, by the act for the formation of the county of Cass, that, in case the county seat of said county should be located at Beardstown, the corporation or inhabitants should, within one year after the location, pay into the county treasury the sum of ten thousand dollars, to be applied to the erection of public buildings ; and whereas, by the act passed 21st of July, 1837, in relation to said county, further time was allowed said corporation to make said payment, the said corporation having failed to pay the
36
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
said ten thousand dollars, and not having complied with, or agreed to comply with the provisions of the last recited act, the County Commissioners of said county, under the provisions of the first recited act, located the county seat at Virginia, and contracted for the erection of a court house and jail in said county ; and doubts being entertained as to the true construction of the act last recited in relation to the rights of said corporation, and the duties of the County Commissioners, therefore :
" Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That the county seat of Cass County shall be and remain at Virginia, and the courts of said county shall hereafter be held at that place ; and the several county officers, who are required to keep their offices at the county seat. are required to remove their respective offices, and all bonds, documents, books and papers pertaining to the same, to Virginia, on or before the first day of May next, and thereafter hold and keep their respective offices at that place ; and in case one or more of said officers shall fail, or refuse to comply with the provisions of this act, such officer shall forfeit his office."
In the years 1838 and 1839, was built, as I believe, the first rail- road west of the Alleghany Mountains, running from Meredosia to Springfield. I particularly recollect this great enterprise, for two reasons : first, I took a trip in 1838 from Meredosia to Jacksonville, on the first passenger train that ever ran on that road ; and second, because it was built by the State, and was a part of that great internal improvement policy, which bankrupted and disgraced the State, and spread misery among the people. Of all the hard times that the people of Cass County, and indeed of the whole State, have ever seen, these were the hardest.
This was caused by the passage of a bill in the Legislature, providing for a general system of internal improvements by the construction of nearly 1,300 miles of railroad. and the improvement of various rivers. These improvements never paid the interest on the money they cost, and in 1840, after a short but eventful life of three years, fell the most stupendous, extravagant, and almost ruinous folly of a grand system of internal improvements that any civilized community, perhaps, ever engaged in, leaving a State debt of $14,237,348.00, and a population of less than half a million to pay it. For this the people could not blame the Legislature, or the politicians, for the people themselves had demanded and clamored for it, and the Legislature only obeyed their behest in granting it. At the same
37
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
time. the State banks suspended, and left us with a depreciated currency. The State Bank of Shawneetown collapsed with a circu- lation of $1,700,000, and the State Bank with $3,000,000. The people were left destitute of an adequate circulating medium, and were not supplied until the ordinary process of their limited commerce brought in gold and silver and bills of solvent banks from the other States, which was very slow. Even immigration was stopped, owing to the general financial embarrassment, high taxes, and disgraceful condition of the State. When money was abundant, credit had been extended to every body. With the vast system of internal improve- ments, and the large circulation of the banks, this was the condition of our people. They were largely in debt on account of speculations, which proved to be delusions. Contracts matured, but nobody paid. The State had sold and hypothecated her bonds until its credit was exhausted. Then no further effort was made to pay even the interest on the State debt. Then the State bonds went down, down, until they were worth but fourteen cents on the dollar. The people were unable and unwilling to pay higher taxes, and what might almost be called a general bankruptcy ensued. The people owed the merchants ; the merchants owed the banks, and for goods purchased abroad ; while the banks, having suspended specie payment, owed every one who carried one of their rags in his pocket. None could pay in par funds, for there were none to be had. In this dilemma the Legislature tried to come to the relief of the people, but instead of relieving them from their wretched condition by summary legis- lation, they, as such bodies usually do, in like circumstances, only made matters worse. Among other statutes passed with this generous object, was one that I have no doubt many of my hearers will recollect, which was known among the people as the stay law, or two-thirds law. It serves to illustrate both the hard times and the inconsiderate and unjust legislation of that day, although done with the intention of affording relief to the debtor class, without apparently thinking that it was at the expense of the creditor. This law provided that property levied upon by execution should be valued as in " ordinary times ;" the valuation to be made by three householders summoned by the officer holding the writ, of whom the debtor, creditor, and officer should each choose one, thus placing it in the power of the officer to favor either party at his option ; the property was not to be sold unless it brought two-thirds of its valuation ; no way was provided by which the creditor, if two-thirds of its valuation was not bid, could hold his lien ; thus forcing him to stay collection
38
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
or suffer discount of 333 per cent. This law was made applicable to all judgments rendered and contracts accruing prior to the 1st of May, 1841, without reference to the legal obligations of the time when contracts were entered into ; being in violation of that clause of the constitution of the United States, declaring that " no law shall be passed impairing the obligation of contracts." In the case of McCracken vs. Howard, 2d Howard, 608, the Supreme Court of the United States subsequently held this law to be unconstitutional. But, in the mean time, the law had performed its mission, and had rendered the collection of debts almost impossible. The condition of our people was truly distressing. There was an utter dearth and stagnation of business. Abroad, the name of the State was associated with dishonor. There were no immigrants but those who had nothing to lose ; while people here, with rare exceptions, were anxious to sell out and flee a country presenting no alternative than exorbitant taxation or disgrace. But property would not sell, nor was there any money to buy with. Indeed, money, as a means of exchange, became almost unknown. Payment was taken in trade, store pay, etc. Merchants and other dealers issued warrants or due bills, which passed for so much on the dollar in trade. Even the County Commissioners' Court of Cass County came to the relief of the people, and had a plate engraved, and issued vast quantities of county warrants, or orders, in the similitude of one dollar bank bills. But these county orders, and others like them, were made invalid by an Act of the Legislature passed in the interest of the banks ; so that even this charitable act on the part of our County Com- missioners to relieve the local scarcity of money failed in its office.
At this time money was so scarce that it was with great difficulty that farmers, owning good farms, could get the money to pay their postage. It was not necessary then to prepay postage. Domestic letters cost from five to twenty-five cents apiece, according to the distance they had come ; and foreign letters were still higher.
What was worse, they must all be paid for in silver, and it often occurred that a letter would lay in the office for weeks before its owner could get the silver to redeem it. If the farmers wished to get goods from the store, they were forced to buy on credit, and pay in grain or other produce, or take butter, eggs, poultry, game, honey, wood, or other articles, to exchange for store goods.
Produce continually fluctuated in price, even in store pay. I have seen corn sell at six cents often, and have heard farmers remark that ten cents in cash was all that corn ought to and probably ever
39
IIISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
would bring, and that farmers could get rich at that price. I have sold wheat in Beardstown at 35 cents per bushel, and pork often at 1} cents per pound.
One of the first acts of the County Commissioners' Court after the organization of this county, was to arrange for raising a revenue, and they passed an order that the following kinds of property be taxed at the rate of one-half per cent. : Town lots, " indentured or registered negro or mulatto servants" (for this had not ceased to be a slave State at that time), pleasure carriages, stocks in trade, horses, mules, " and all neat cattle over and under three years old," hogs, sheep, wagons and carts.
A public notice was given to "all persons trading in Cass County " to procure a license according to law. Under this notice, at the September Term, 1837, Spence & Foster, T. & J. T. Wilbourn, and Parrot & Alcott, got a license to sell goods, wares, and merchan- dise in Beardstown; and Beasley & Schafer, a similar license at Monroe ; and all such licenses were fixed at five dollars each. Tavern licenses were granted at seven dollars each. At the same term, a license tokeep a ferry-boat, for one year, at Beardstown, was granted to Thomas Beard for twenty-two dollars.
The first county order drawn on the treasurer, was for twenty-two dollars and fifty cents, in favor of N. B. Thompson, for the books of the County Commissioners' Court. The second was in favor of N. B. Thompson, for thirty dollars, and was for three county seals, in full, September 6, 1837.
The first term of the Circuit Court of Cass County was held in Beardstown, November 13, 1837, in a one-story frame building stand- ing at the corner of Main and State streets, where Seeger's hall now stands. Present : the Hon. Jesse B. Thomas, jr., judge of the First Judicial Circuit ; Lemon Plaster, sheriff; and there being no Circuit Clerk elect, N. B. Thompson was appointed clerk by the judge.
The grand jury at that time consisted of Thomas Wilbourn, fore- man, Isaac Spence, Augustus Knapp, James H. Blackman, Alexan- der Huffman, Robert Gaines, Richard Graves, William Shoopman, Benjamin Stribling, John Daniels, Phineas Underwood, Ephraim Moseley, John Robinson, Elijah Carver, John P. Dick, William Mc- Auley, Marcus Chandler, Henry S. Ingalls, Jeremiah Bowen, Amos Hager, and Jeremiah Northern.
There was no petit jury at this term, but talismen were drawn as they were wanted.
40
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
At the May term, 1838, Nathan alias Nathaniel Graves was in- dicted for the murder of an eastern man named Fowle, which murder took place at what was known as Miller McLane's grocery, kept in a log house which stood on the present site of Philadelphia. Fowle and Alec Beard were sitting down on a log outside the grocery, talking in a friendly manner. There was quite a number of persons around. Graves and Richard McDonald came riding up on horseback from different directions about the same time. Graves dismounted, leading his horse toward Fowle, drew a pistol and shot and killed him. He was so near Fowle that the fire burned his clothes. The men standing around were so surprised that they stood still while Graves mounted his horse and started to ride away. At this time McDonald cried out, " Men, why don't you arrest him?" and rode after him. When Graves saw that McDonald was about to catch him, he drew a knife and turned around. McDonald caught him by the throat and choked him till he surrendered. but was himself badly, almost fatally, wounded in the struggle. Graves took a change of venue to Green County, where, breaking jail, he escaped to Ken- tucky, where he died a natural death.
In 1839, the town of Arenzville was founded by Francis Arenz.
Thus matters stood from 1837 to 1843. during which time there grew a feeling of dissatisfaction among the people of the southern half of the townships seventeen and other parts of Morgan County, with Jacksonville ; and there was such effort made to dissever their relations, that two statutes were passed by the Legislature in the session of 1843, which provided for the accomplishment of three objects : one of which was that a vote be taken whether Morgan County should be divided into two counties, one of which was to remain by the name of Morgan County, and the other by the name of Benton ; second, that the tier of half townships, known as seven- teen, or the " three-mile strip." on the north side of Morgan County, be added to Cass County ; and third, that Cass County should vote for the selection of a permanent county seat. The election on the first proposition was held in Morgan County on the first Monday in August, 1843. and resulted unfavorably to the creation of the county of Benton. The proposition to annex the " three-mile strip." in the four different precincts in that strip of territory. stood as follows :
For attaching to Cass. Against attaching, 115 5
Arenzville.
At the house of Henry Price .
70
14
Princeton .
41
35
At the house of William Berry.
20
24
Majority for attaching the " three-mile strip" to Cass. 168.
-
41
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CASS COUNTY.
On the first Monday in September. 1843, there was an election held in Cass County, in which the " three-mile strip" took part. to determine the permanent location of the county seat, at which election the vote stood as follows :
Precincts.
For Beardstown.
For Virginia. 234
Virginia .
Richmond.
21
34
Monroe.
17
7
Beardstown
413
13
Majority for Beardstown, 165.
The County Seat was removed to Beardstown. and on the eighth day of February, 1845, the town of Beardstown presented the County Commissioners' Court with lot one, in block thirty-one, in that town, with the Court House and Jail thereon completed. On the sixth of March, 1846, Reddick Horn sold his farm, consisting of 134 acres, in sections twenty-eight and twenty-nine. in township eighteen, range eleven, to the County of Cass, for a " home for the poor of the county," for $1,500.
By the breaking out of the Mormon, war, in 1845, Beardstown again became the rendezvous for the State forces called out to coerce into obedience to our State laws that peculiar people. The troops were under the command of Brigadier-General John J. Hardin, of Jacksonville, Illinois.
The town of Chandlerville was begun in 1848, by Dr. Charles Chandler.
From 1850 to 1852. Cass County was infested by horse thieves. who resided in the county, some half dozen of which were arrested in the latter year, and brought before a magistrate for examination. One of the number was a large, powerful, good-looking young Hungarian, named Eugene Honorius. I was prosecuting the case, and felt satisfied from what I could learn, that he had no heart in that nefarious business, but was induced to stay with the gang out of love for the sister of one of them. Not having sufficient testimony, I pressed him into the service as witness, and by a rigid examination, extorted all the necessary facts from him sufficient to hold the rest of the gang, who were committed to jail.
Before the sitting of the Circuit Court, however, they all broke jail, and fled to Kansas : from whence the girl to whom Honorius was attached, wrote back to a friend the statement : That by an arrangement with the gang. after they had escaped from jail, one Sunday she asked the Hungarian to go to a religious meeting with
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