USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 17
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In September, 1870, the committee made the following report : " That we have received the building of the Poor Farm and settled with the contractor, Mr. Hall, and had the bonds issued to him for the same, also, that the house is ready for the County poor." Sub- sequently a substantial barn has been added at a cost of $900, and in 1871 an addition for the refractory inmates of the house, costing $536. The Poor-house is a large two story frame building, and its present able Superintendent or Warden, as he is called, succeeds in making a profit out of the farm, for the County, beyond the cost of keeping its unfortunate occupants. There have been three differ- ent superintendents since the creation of the poor-house. The first to whom the contract was given was Thomas P. Wilkins, in 1870. who received $900 per year. The amount received by Mr. Murray for the same in 1874 was $650. Mr. Wilson received the contract in 1877. The house will conveniently shelter forty or fifty inmates. The growth of the county in wealth can in no way be so clear'y exhibited as by giving the assessment rolls at different periods. We select three, which are here appended, viz. those of 1847, 1856, and 1879.
TAXES IN 1847.
$3,782 45
Land and Personal Property
Personal Property
$105 07 1,838 69
1,943 76
5,253 41
405 98
$4,847 43
follows :
Total value of Land . .
In 1847 the total amount of taxes paid in the county was as
Whole Revenue
TAXES ASSESSED FOR THE YEAR 1879.
TOWNS.
State Tax.
County Tax.
Town Tax.
District School
Road and Bridge
County R R. Tax.
Town R. R. Tax.
City Tax.
District Road
Back Tax.
Enjoined R. R.
Tax of 1873-4-5-6.
Total Tax.
Taylorville.
$2,254 10
$1,918 14
$122 86'
$7.368 21
$1,172 12
$506 43
$2,086 87
$1,011 73
$1 109 97
$17.849 53
Bear Creek
1,051 76
896 21
197 68
2,411 93
693 81
236 54
779 97
$215 77
894 39
7.378 06
Mt. Auburn
1,139 46
99 88
298 07
2,877 97
...
....
255 25
80 62
184 844
5,806 09
Locust.
945 53
803 84
212 25
2,097 77
594 33
212 23
143 23
311 69
438 95
5,758 82
Prairieton
945 36
788 71
1,437 83
207 82
...
275 05
728 56
403 87
954 22
215 23
9,149 47
Johnson.
749 62
295 71
1,611 54
1,010 47
197 44
847 44
252 94
638 23
6,482 28
King ..
820 76
144 65
1,304 13
288 15
218 97
396 80
348 00
29 98
4.494 19
Pana .
2.926 04
2,493 81
766 78
11,811 43
1.412 12
658 06
442 13
649 56
4 638 97
25,844 90
Assumption
1.203 78
1,102 08
529 41
4,221 18
1,006 83
291 29
404 44
1.726 68
10,575 69
1,015 21
863 15
149 45
1,007 45
414 66
229 30
271 08
229 73
381 28
194 29
417 60
338 41 374 24
42 88
2,912 33
South Fork ..
1,983 31|
1,689 63
224 04
3,705 76
1,176 02
441 13
1.38 23
387 70
822 27
11,188 80
Wabash R. R
510 83
434 36
117 77
1,037 48
276 23
113 33
325 16
46 52
175 42
$10,171,11
13,208 21
O. & M. R. R ....
543 95
463 36
126 45
1,945 68
297 85
120 93
152 30
41 18
202 58
5.359 78
9,254 06
I. & St. L. R. R.
158 33
134 85
30 60
344 00
42 18
35 21
13 00
98 69
5,750 73
6,607 59
TOTAL ..... $23,909 43 $20,355 53
$5,139 33 $58,020 93 $10,924 53. $5,365 58 $6,851 57 $2,367 06 $4,878 13 $15,137 44 $21,281 62 $174,231 15
4,094 91
8,189 81
$13,717 94
$2,047,453
$1,467,775
27,992
19,945
712,785
7,730
5,332
42,196
34,969
8,605
20,520
104,242
$148,773
VALUE.
63
ASSESSMENT OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY-1856-SHOWING TOTALS.
STATE OF ILLINOIS, } Christian County.
88.
I, CHARLER WHITMER, Clerk of the County Court within and for the said County, in the State afore- said, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct abstract of all the taxes levied in said County of Christian, for the year A. D. 1879, in the several towns of said County. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, at Taylorville, this 1st day of January, A. D. 1880. CHARLES WHITMER, County Clerk.
$21,907 75
County Tax at 40 cts. on the $100
Total State Tax
State Tax for Schools-20 ets. on the $100
State Tax at 47 cts. on the $100.
Total value of Real and Personal Property.
Total value of Lands and Town Lots
Deduction.
Aggregate.
Unenumerated Property
Bonds, Stocks, &c., Terre Haute & Alton R. R.
Carriages and Wagons Clocks and Watches Goods and Merchandise Manufactured Articles. Moneys and Credits.
Hogs
Sheep.
Mules and Asses
Neat Cattle ...
Horses ..
Total Tax Levied
105 88
3.465 60
Ricks ....
1,225 90
1,044 87;
184 18
3,616 24
501 35
Roseniond
1 1×8 97
1,013 30
134 39
1,187 50
266 40
156 21
55 97
768 26
44 19
4,491 67
Mosquito ...
1,204 85
1,026 45
359 46
3,156 09
Stonington
1,026 0)
874 34
381 28
1,384 57
646 81
6 13
4,930 14
May ..
^74 19
735 67
162 20
1,146 79
Buckhart ...
1,78€ 92
1,523 50
402 10
4,341 38
1,391 60
G89
992
6,738
315
7,894
3,013
NUMBER.
95,539
1,372,236
Total, $579,678
Town Lots.
Lands.
Tax.
Tax.
-
....
878 89 973 75
Greenwood ...
72 11
3,965 04
10,055 08
218 74
9,815 87
17,593
$607.670
112,785
31,325
County Tax
Total State Tax .
$9 623 03
4 002 77
402 10
Tax.
64
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
TOTAL VALUE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY-1879.
Assumption. $66,335 King
Mosquito. 46,973 Rosemond
86,659
Locust 43 803
Prairieton. 42,245 | Greenwood 68,177
Taylorville 205,413 All other personal property required to be listed 39,802 $1,445,926
Total value of Personal Property LANDS.
No. ACRES. Av. VALUE. ASS. VALUE.
Improved Lands ...
395,940.95 $14.01 100
$5,548,116
Unimproved Lands 51,387 7 5 100
325,159
Total Value of Lands.
$5,873,275
TOWN AND CITY LOTS.
No. LOTS. AV. VALUE. ASS. VALUE.
Improved Town and City Lots
3,603
$252.61
$910,182
Unimproved Town and City Lots ..
2,519
25.74
64 847
Total Value of Town and City Lots.
$975,029
PROPERTY BELONGING TO RAILROADS.
ASSESSED VALUE.
Lands other than " Railroad Track "
$10,425
Lots other than " Railroad Track " 3,396
Personal Property other than " Rolling Stock" 15,132
Total Value of all Property as Assessed 53,953
Grand Total. $8,353,183
A STATEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTY ON TIIE 25TII OF MARCH, 1880. INDEBTEDNESS.
Orders outstanding, including amount in Treasurer's hands not canceled. $6,670 47
July certificates and foreign witness certificates not canceled. 1,257 60
Coupons due and not paid .. 400 00
Total floating debt. $8,328 07
County bonds in aid of P. & S. R. R
20,000 00
County bonds in aid of D. & E. St. R. R 100,000 00
Total indebtedness.
$128,328 07
ASSETS.
Cash on hand to pay coupons.
Cash in Treasury
5,720 08
County revenue now being collected ..
20.355 53
Eighty acres of land in the county-probable value .. 200 00
Two hundred acres of land in Fayette county, probable value .. 650 00
Total assets $27,325 61
A LIST OF PERSONS WHO HAVE REPRESENTED THE COUNTY OF CHRISTIAN (AND OTHER COUNTIES DISTRICTED THEREWITII) SINCE ITS ORGANIZA- TION IN 1839 TO THE PRESENT TIME IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTA- TIVES OF THIE STATE OF ILLINOIS .*
NAMES. DATE. COUNTIES.
NAMES.
DATE.
COUNTIES.
Martin White ... 1810 & 1811
Logan and
E. M. Gilmore ... 1869
Montgomery & Christian.
H. M. Christian 1842 & 1843
Christian.
46
Thos. Findley ... 1871
=
Dorice D. Shumway
1847
Edward Evey .. 1849
Shelby and
James M Truitt .. ..
1873
=
Anthony Thornton .. 1851
Ch: istian.
Hiram P. Shumway
1873
Samuel W. Moulton 1853
Elias J. C. Alexander
1873
Henry Richmond ... 1855
Montgomery
Levi Scott.
1875
Henry Richmond ... 1855
Calvin Goudy ...
1857
W'm. E. Morrison ... 1877
James M. Davis
1859
David II. Zepp
1877
II. M. Vandeveer .....
1861
Philip Burrell
1877
Gustavus F. Coffin .. 1803
Elisha E Barrett .... 1865
=
John B. Jones ..
1879
Jolin B. Rieks 1867
George L. Zink
1879
A LIST OF SENATORS.
NAMER.
DATE.
COUNTIES.
Edward D. Baker ...
1840 & 1841
Sangamon, Menard, Logan and Christian.
Edward D. Baker ...
1842 & 1813
Same.
B. Johnson ..
1811 & 1815
Mongomery, Christian and Bond.
Oliver Goudy
1847
Samne.
Iliram Roundtree ..
1849
Christian, Shelby, Montgomery, Fayette and Bond.
lacob D. Lansing ...
1851
Same.
Gabriel R. Jernigan
1853
Same.
Gabriel R. Jernigan 1855
Same.
Joel S. Post ..
1857
Champaign, De Witt, Piatt, Christian, MeLean and Shelby.
Joel S Post ...
1859
Sanie.
R. J. Oglesby
ISGI
Same.
11. M. Vandeveer ...
1863
Macoupin, Shelby and Christi m.
11. M. Vandeveer ...
1865
Same.
John M. Woodson. 1867
Saine.
John M. Woodson.
S.e.
Charles Voris
1871
Macoupin, Shelby and Christian.
Win. B. Hundley ...
1873
Montgomery and Christian.
W'in. B. Hundley ...
1875
Same.
Elizur Southworth
1877
Same.
Elizur Southworth
1879
Same.
* For this list of Representatives and Senators we are indebted to Co'. George II. Harlow, Secretary of State.
30
Property of Saloons and Eating Houses.
Household or Office Furniture and Property ..
Investments in Real Estate and Improvements thereon (see see. 10)
6,710
South Fork 121,219
May.
59,268
Bear Creek 50,494
Stonington.
45,721
Mt. Auburn 60,977
Rieks 71,360
Buckhart 1 8 520
TOTAL .. $1,445,926
Johnson
49,303
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS FOR CHRISTIAN COUNTY FOR THE YEAR 1879.
FARM PRODUCTS, Etc.
ACRES 1879. Bus. 1879.
Field Products.
Corn ..
137,207 1 3 3,576,128 100
ACRES 1879. NO. POUNDS.
Tobacco ..
61/5
3,170
Broom Corn
18 10,870
Spring Wheat ... 583
6,093
Flax (Fibre).
62416
38,900
Oats
20,818
663,263
Apple Orchard
3,645 1 6 148,235
Peach Orchard.
224 6,123
Pear Orchard
21/1
140
NO GALLS.
Vineyards.
2634
480
42.7
1,115
Meadow
NO. TONS
Timothy Meadow
28,545
35,24016
Clover Meadow.
209
206
Prairie Meadow
48316 1,170
Hungarian & Millet 35
56
NO. BUSHELS.
Rye
4,282 3,694714
eluded above) ...
33
Barley
121
2,524
Buckwheat
2913
3,499
Beans
101/4
107
Peas
31/5
240
Irish Potatoes.
745
64,441
Total No. of Acres in Co.
under cultivation .... 355,8461/g
LIVE STOCK, Etc.
Sheep.
Hogs.
QUANT.TY OR VALUE.
QUANTITY OR VALUE.
No. Sheep killed by dogs.
137
Number Fat Hogs Sold . 34,928
Total Val. Sheep killed by dogs
$417
Total Gross Weight Fat Hogs Sold. 7,797,811
Number Fat Sheep Sold ....
936
Number Hogs and Pigs died of
23,564
Sold
90,419
'Total Gross Weight of Swine died of Cholera ...
1,652,291
Dairy.
Cows-Number Kept 4,216
116 485
Crops, Etc.
Ponnds Cheese Sold
8,335
20,900
Number Bushels Timothy Seed Produced.
2,044
l'aiile.
Number Fat ('attle Sold
7,224
Produced
Number Pounds
Grapes Pro-
Sold
.. 8,236,326
dueed.
10,630
GRAND SUMMARY OF PERSONAL PROPERTY -1879. ITEMS.
NUMBER.
Av. TOTAL.
Ass. VALUE.
Ilorses of all ages
11,540
$2.1.67
$284,782
Cattle of all ages.
22,750
10 91
248,324
Mules and Asses of all ages.
2,898
29.02
84,005
Sheep of all ages
7.843
1.19
9,363
Ilogs of all ages.
40,744
1,49
60,683
Steam Engines, including Boilers
32
326.10
10,435
Fire or Burglar Proof Safes
67
53.10
3,668
Billiard, l'igeon Hole, Bagatelle, or other similar Tables.
33
41.67
1,375
Carriages and Wagons of whatever kind
4,294
14 40
€1,844
Watches and Clocks
38.10
2.65
10,105
Sewing and Knitting Machines
2,119
9.37
19,862
Piano Fortes
11
57.59
8,120
Melodeons and Organs
290
26.57
7,863
Patent Right4.
31
Merchandise on hand
152,633
Material and Manufactured Articles on hand.
2,695
Manufacturers Tools, Implements and Machinery (other than Engines and Boilers which are to be listed as snel)
7,806
Agrienltural Tools, Implements and Machinery Gold and Silver Plate and P'lated Ware.
62,326
Diamonds and Jewelry.
37
Money4 of Bank, Bankrª, Broker or Stock Jobber
45,177
Credits of Bank, Banker, Broker or Stock Jobber.
15,100
Moneya of other than Bank, Banker, Broker or Stock Jobber.
118,925
Credits of other than Bank. Banker, Broker or Stock Jobber. Bonds and Stork ..
6,095 1
350
Sorgo ...
2483
20,067
VALU . OF CROI'S.
Turnips & other Root Crops 473% Other Fruits and Berries
$3,144
Other Crops not named above 16115
262
Pasture .... 57,93234
Woodland.
23,221%
Uncultivated Land. 51,42414
Area City and Town
Real Estate (not in-
Do. do. not aseer-
tained
78
Sweet Potatoes 193/
1,3.3
Total Gross Weight Fat Sheep
Cholera ..
Gallons Milk Sold
Number Bushels Flax
Seed
8,711
Total Gross Weight Fat Cattle
& Christian.
Wm. F. Mulkey
1875
John S. Hagler ... 1875
Win. Y. Crosthwait ..
1879
Wm S. Ricks .. 1844 & 1845
Christian.
Wm. B. Hundley .... 1871
James M. Berry ...... 1871
Number Pounds Wool Shorn ...
34,201
Winter Wheat.
28 770 377,950
Wheat.
NO. GALLS.
6.33
430 102,012
$37,763 : Pana .. $271,696
Property of Companies and Corporations other than hereinbefore enn- merutel
15.50
Pounds Butter Sold
$400,000
65
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
Gavin Ralston, Peter Porter, Thos. P. Chapman, 1839; Peter Porter, Aquilla Council, T. P. Chapman, 1840; Overton Williams, A. Couneil, E. S. Young, 1841; Overton Williams, A. Council, E. S. Young, 1842; Jesse Elgan, O. Williams, E. S. Young, 1843; Jesse Elgan, George Diekson, J. H. Bilyeau, 1844; George Dick- son, Jesse Elgan, Peter R. Keteham, 1845; George Diekson, Jesse Elgan, Peter R. Ketcham, 1846; Wm. A. Goodriel, Jesse Elgan, P. R. Keteham, 1847; Jesse Elgan, Wm. S. Peabody, Wm. A. Goodrich, 1848.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
Horatio M. Vandeveer, elected in 1839; Benjamin Yates, ap- pointed (pro tem.) in 1842; Thomas Dougherty, eleeted 1843 and served until 1848, at which time the law directed the Cireuit Clerk to assume the duties of Reeorder.
CLERKS OF CIRCUIT COURT.
Horatio M. Vandeveer, appointed in 1839 and resigned in 1842; David C. Goodan, appointed (pro tem.) in 1842; Horatio M. Van- deveer, re-elected in 1843 and served until 1848; W. S. Moore, eleeted in 1848 and served until 1852; W. S. Moore, re-elected in 1856, again eleeted in 1860 and re-elected in 1864; John B. Ricks, eleeted in 1868 and re-elected in 1872; Josiah A. Hill, eleeted in 1876, and is the present ineumbent.
CLERKS OF COUNTY COURT.
Ezekiel Young, appointed in 1839, served until 1843; Philip C. Ferguson, elected in 1843; Daniel Miller, eleeted in 1847 (died in offiee); Thomas P. Bond, appointed ( pro tem.) 1848, and served by re-election in 1849 until 1853; John Hunter, eleeted in 1853 and served until 1856, (died in offiee); W. A. Goodrich, appointed (pro tem.) in 1856, elected in 1857, re-elceted in 1861, was again eleeted in 1865 and re-eleeted in 1869; Wm. II. Kirkwood, elected in 1873; Chas. Whitmer, cleeted in 1877, and is the present in- eumbent.
SHERIFFS OF TIIE COUNTY.
William S. Ricks was appointed in 1839, and was eleeted in 1840; Amos Richardson, eleeted in 1842; Henry Hardin, eleeted in 1844; Gabriel R. Jernigan, eleeted in 1846; Wmn. L. Hammer, eleeted in 1848; Wm. A. Goodrich, eleeted in 1850; Wm. E. Brents, elected in 1852; Win. A. Goodrich, eleeted in 1854; John C. Goode, elected in 1856; James Christian, eleeted in 1857 ; Leander S. Clark, eleeted in 1858; James Christian, eleeted in 1860; C. A. Manners, eleeted in 1862; John B. Ricks, eleeted in 1864; John White, elected in 1866; Josiah A. Hill, eleeted in 1868; Henry Johnson, eleeted in 1870; J. S. Mereer, elected in 1873; Josiah A. Hill, eleeted in 1874; Thos. G. May, eleeted in 1876; A. L. Clark, eleeted in 1878, (died February 1st, 1880); W. C. Haines, the present ineumbent, was appointed by the Board of Supervisors, Feb. 7th, 1880, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Clark.
PROBATE JUDGES.
Thomas W. Davis, elected in 1839; Wm. S. Frink, eleeted in 1843; Calvin Goudy, eleeted in 1847, and re eleeted in 1849.
COUNTY JUDGES.
1849-'53, H. M. Vandeveer. Associates
1853, H. M. Vandeveer. Associates
1854, H. M. Vandevecr. Associates
1855-'57, H. M. Vandeveer. 9
§ G. R. Jernigan, Amos Richardson. G. R. Jernigan, John S. Foster. John Barns,
J. H. Clark.
{ J. H. Clark,
Associates M. P. Goodrieh.
1857-'61, D. D. Shumway. Associates Wm. Sharp, John H. Dawdy. 1861-'65, Leander L. Clark. Associates T. B. Anderson, John White.
1865-'69, Andrew Simpson. Associates
( David Henshire, John White.
1869, William S. Moore. 1877, Alexander MeCaskill, present incumbent.
MASTERS IN CHANCERY.
J. M. Vandeveer, 1850; J. R. Garin, 1850; Ben. Mason, 1853, and 1854; D. D. Shumway, 1857, who served until his death, May 9th, 1870; and at the special term of Court in May, the busi- ness was given to speeial eommissioners, and between that time and the November term 1870, when John B. Jones was appointed ; he served until Dee. 31st, 1878, and on the 1st of January, 1879, John G. Drennan was appointed, and is the present ineumbent.
CORONERS.
Benjamin Williams, appointed in 1839; Jaeob Lovely, elected in 1840; Daniel Robb, eleeted in 1842; Green B. Keteham, eleeted in 1844 ; J. Keteham, elected in 1846; J. M. D. Langley, eleeted in 1848; James Ridgway, eleeted in 1850; R. E. White, elected in 1852; E. T. Lee, eleeted in 1854; Jesse Murphy, elected in 1856; Moses H. Brents, elected in 1858; Joseph Fellers, elected in 1860; D. C. Blount, eleeted in 1862 and served until 1872; J. W. Lamb, eleeted in 1872 and re-elected in 1874; G. W. Long, eleeted in 1876 and re-eleeted in 1878.
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
Horatio M. Vandeveer, appointed in 1839 and served until 1841 ; John W. Wheat, eleeted in 1841; Thomas S. Leaehman, elceted in 1843; Daniel Miller, eleeted in 1845; James C. Morrison, eleeted in 1847, and served until 1853; Richard Sparks, eleeted in 1853; Isaac Hanon, Jr., elected in 1855; S. S. Cisna, elected in 1857, and served until 1863; J. A. Ryan, elceted in 1863; A. MeCaskill, eleeted in 1865, and re-elected in 1869; R. W. Orr, cleeted in 1873, re-elected in 1877, and present incumbent.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
Gabriel R. Jernigan, appointed in 1839 and elected in 1840 ; Jesse Murphy, eleeted in 1843 and re-eleeted in 1847 ; J. Riehard- son, elected in 1849; Sanford Petty, eleeted in 1851, and served until 1861; Jones Suttle, eleeted in 1861, re-eleeted in 1863 and 1865; Morgan Goode, eleeted in 1867, (died in offiee); Thos. P. Bond, appointed in 1868, and eleeted in 1869 ; Samuel P. Mooney, eleeted in 1871; Amos A. Rhodes, elected in 1873, and served until 1879; W. J. Jordan, eleeted in 1879, the present treasurer.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
John E. Stoekton, eleeted in 1839 and served until September, 1842; Win. A. Goodrich, elected in 1843, re-elected in 1847 ; M. P. Goodrich, eleeted in 1849; Chas. A. Manners, eleeted in 1851, re-elected in 1853; A. Simpson, elected in 1855 ; Henry D. Hall, eleeted in 1857, re-elected in 1859 ; James A. Ryan, eleeted in 1861, II. F. Davidson, elected in 1863; A. McNeal, eleeted in 1865; Wm. T. Shaw, eleeted in 1867; Richard M. Powel, elected in 1869, and is the present ineumbent.
COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.
Sinec the organization of this county as many as three different courts for the transaction of the county's business have existed. First .- The County Commissoners' Court, of three members, for ten years. Second .- The County Court, comprised of a County Judge and two Associate Justiecs, for seventeen years. Third .- The
63
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Board of Supervisors, as at present constituted. The latter is under the form of
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
Before its final adoption it was submitted to the electors of the county, on no less than three different occasions. The first was at the November election in 1859. The vote then stood for township organization 789 ; against it 787,-a majority of two in favor of the measure, but still it was defeated, for the law required a majority, taking the highest vote cast as a criterion. The highest vote cast previously was for Congressman, 1716-the total vote on township organization was 1576. So the measure was defeated by the strict interpretation of the law by a majority of 69 votes.
The second effort was made at the election held November 4, 1862. The vote stood 733 for it, and 1201 against it-majority against 468.
At the third effort made November 7, 1865, it carried. There was a decided majority favorable to township organization. At the December term of the county-court following :- A. G. Neal, of Pana, Dial Davis, of Mt. Auburn, and J. Hamilton Vandeveer, of Taylorville, were appointed commissioners to divide the county into suitable townships. They reported March 1st, 1866, to the court " That they had performed the duty by dividing the county into seventeen districts, named as follows :- Mosquito, Mt. Auburn, Buckhart, Stonington, Prairieton, Assumption, May, Taylorville, South Fork, Bear Creek, Johnson, Locust, Pana, Rosemond, Greenwood, Ricks and King. The old county-court-Andrew Simpson, county Judge, with John White and David Henshie, Associate Justices-held its last meeting on the 10th of March, 1866; after ordering an election for one Supervisor from each of said townships as formed. The old court then adjourned.
SUPERVISORS' COURT.
The first special meeting of the newly elected Board of Supervi- sors was held at the court-house, May 1st, 1866. The names of the members elect were as follows :- Taylorville-William W. Ander- son ; Johnson-Tavner Anderson ; Bear Creek-James II. ITill ; Ricks-James H. Cisna ; King-William S. Potts; South Fork- Gavin Ralston ; Buckhart-John Sharp; Mt. Auburn-John M. Hill ; Mosquito-James Davidson ; Prairieton-W. M. Eaton ; Stonington-Asa Bowman ; May-John S. Fraley ; Locust-B. C. Cocheran ; Assumption-Jacob Overholt; Pana -- W. B. Little; Rosemond-James L. Simpson ; Greenwood-George W. Taylor. William W. Anderson was elected Chairman of the Board.
The supervisors are chosen annually on the first Tuesday in April. The system seems well adapted to the wants of the people. It certainly has one merit of more equally representing the different interests of the county. It is in the nature of a small legislative body, deriving its power direct from the governed.
CHAPTER X. BENCH AND BAR.
the circuit court for the county of Dane, which con- vened at Taylorville, Monday, November 4th, 1839, Samuel H. Treat, judge of the eighth judicial circuit, presided.
There were present Horatio M. Vandeveer, clerk ; William S. Ricks, Sheriff; David B. Campbell, states attorney ; and James C. Conkling, attorney at law. By an act of the legislature, February 21st, 1815, the counties of Sangamon, Tazewell, Woodford, MeLean, Livingston, De Witt, Piatt, Champaign, Vermilion, Edgar, Moul.
trie, Christian, Logan and Menard, were formed into the eighth judicial district. These counties formed the circuit until the act of February, 1847, which excluded Livingston and Menard, and included Shelby and Macon counties.
After Judge Treat was transferred to the Federal courts by Pre- sident James K. Polk, David Davis of Bloomington was elected to take his place. He opened court in Taylorville June 4th, 1849. Judge Davis remained on the circuit until 1853. By an act of the legislature, passed February 3d, 1853, McLean county was taken out of the circuit, and a new circuit formed for Judge Charles Emerson. The counties of Sangamon, Logan, MeLean, Woodford, Tazewell, De Witt, Champaign and Vermilion formed Judge Davis' circuit, and retained the name and number, as the eighth judicial district. Bond, Fayette, Montgomery, Christian, Shelby, Effing- ham, Moultrie, Macon and Piatt counties formed Judge Emerson's circuit, and was known as the seventeenth judicial district.
By an act of the legislature, February 12th, 1857, the counties that composed the circuit were changed again. The seventeenth cir- cuit included and was composed of Macon, Piatt, Fayette, Effingham, Shelby, Moultrie and Coles counties. By an act passed February 11th, 1857, the eighteenth judicial district was formed. It was com- posed of the courts of Sangamon, Macoupin, Montgomery and Christian. The seventeenth still remained Judge Emerson's cir- cuit. E. Y. Rice, of Hillsboro, became Judge of the eighteenth ju- dicial district. He presided until 1870, when he resigned to take his seat in congress, to which body he had been clected. Hon. H. M. Vandeveer was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Judge Rice, which expired in 1873. At an election held that year, Judge H. M. Vandeveer was elected to the office for the full term of six years. His term expired in June, 1879. General Jesse J. Phillips, of Hillsboro, was elected to succeed him.
Our readers are familiar with the history of Judge Treat. His name has been connected with the jurisprudence of the State for nearly half a century.
David Davis, the second Judge upon the circuit, has an enviable record and a national reputation. Raised to the high dignity of a Judge of the Supreme Court of the United States by his warm per- sonal friend, Abraham Lincoln, and at present a senator in the halls of the first legislative body in the world, and representing there the great State of Illinois, serve to mark him as a professional jurist, and a wise and able statesman.
Of Judge Charles Emerson, it may be said that he was a plain, unassuming man, and a matter-of-fact lawyer. He had but little sentiment, and dealt very largely in facts; yet withal was kind and accommodating on the bench, particularly to the younger and inexperienced members of the bar. Very few of Judge Emerson's decisions were reversed by the higher courts.
Judge Rice, was born in Kentucky. He read law in the office of John M. Palmer, of Carlinville, and was admitted to the bar in 1857. He soon developed into a sound lawyer, and made an ex- cellent judge.
Of Judge II. M. Vandeveer, we shall have occasion to speak more extendedly further on in this chapter.
Judge Phillips, the present incumbent, is yet comparatively a young man, with little experience upon the bench, but so far has given evidence of being eminently qualified for the position. Ile brings to the bench studious habits, a well-trained and educated mind, a pleasing, gentlemanly address, and a strict regard for the rights and feeling of others, which augurs well for his success and popularity in the future.
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