USA > Illinois > Ford County > History of Ford County, Illinois : from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 24
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The new building is located on the site of the old courthouse at Paxton, and is a two-story and basement building, ninety-four by eighty feet in
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
extreme dimensions. It is constructed in a most substantial manner, accord- ing to the latest and most approved methods used in modern fire-proof buildings. the materials used being concrete, stone, terra cotta and steel. The building is designed in the renaissance style of architecture, all molding, pilasters, cornices. etc .. having classic outlines. The beautiful structure is sur- mounted by a low copper-covered dome. The base, entrance-ways, quoins on corners and architraves around windows are of buff Bedford stone. The cor- nice and cartouches are of terra cotta, while the balistrade around the roof is of brick and stone. All exterior portions of the building, where stone and terra cotta are not used, are laid up in very dark, vitrified brick, thus giving a great contrast. The roof is made of tile laid in concrete, which, in turn, is supported by steel trusses and beans. The heighth of the main corridor from the ground is forty feet, and the heighth of dome, at base of flag-staff, is seventy-two feet.
The interior of the building is finished throughout in best manner, all floors and walls being fire-proof. All corridors and public spaces in offices have tile floors and marble wainscoating. The stairs are of iron and steel, with marble treads and landings. The woodwork throughout is of white oak, with furniture and fixtures to match. The interior is decorated in oil colors, very artistically executed, and presents a very pleasing effect to the eye, as well as being extremely durable.
The basement is occupied by storage vaults, boiler room, fuel room, work room, Grand Army room and coroner's room, and is aided by a stair leading from main corridor on first floor.
The first floor is occupied by the principal officers of the county. As you enter the building at the center of the front, you find at the right, the county clerk's, county treasurer's and the county judge's rooms. On the left, are the offices of the circuit clerk, the sheriff and the board of supervisors. All principal offices are provided with ample vault room and private offices.
The stairs leading from the first to the second floor, are directly in line with the main entrance, and form one of the main features of the building.
On the second floor are the offices of the county superintendent of schools and the states attorney; also the circuit courtroom, jury room, lawyers room, law library, judge's private office and toilet rooms for men and women, as well as the ladies waiting room.
While the Ford county courthouse is not as large as those of some other counties, a careful inspection of the building will convince one that, owing to the convenient arrangement and equipment, the accommodations of the build-
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IHISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
ing are equal to those of many larger and-more costly structures. The building is fully equipped with electric lights and fixtures, and is also piped throughout for gas.
The new courthouse building, in which the people take the greatest pride, was dedicated with appropriate exercises, June 11, 1908. The building was occupied early in the fall of 1907.
The following were the dedicatory services :
NEW FORD COUNTY COURTHOUSE
PAXTON, ILLINOIS.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11, A. D. 1908
MASTER OF CEREMONIES-JUDGE M. H. CLOUD.
MASTER OF PARADES AND PROCESSIONS-MAYOR C. E. BEACH.
CHIEF MARSHAL-E. A. GARDNER.
AIDES-AAUGUST KOEIINE, A. DILLON, JOHN WALDRON AND D. M. BRENEIS.A.
TEN O'CLOCK A. M.
Music Paxton Band
Invocation Rev. G. E. Hemdahl
Music
Double Male Quartet
Address of Welcome on Behalf of Ford County J. P. Glass · Address of Welcome on Behalf of City of Paxton. . Mayor C. E. Beach Response to Addresses of Welcome J. P. Smith
Music Double Male Quartet
Address HI. A. McClure
Address
Judge C. D. Myers
DINNER.
ONE THIRTY O'CLOCK P. M.
Civic Parade, Led by Fourth Regiment Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias, under Command of Colonel John Bertoni.
Music
Paxton Band
Vocal Selection Chorus of School Children Presentation of Keys of New Courthouse by John Iehl, introduced by J. W. Gilkerson, Chairman of Building Committee.
Response and Acceptance of Keys by George Stockdale, Chairman of Board of Supervisors.
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IIISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
Music Double Male Quartet
Address Hon. I. N. Phillips
Music Paxton Band
Address Judge T. M. Harris
Address
Judge G. W. Patton
THIE FORD COUNTY ALMSHOUSE AND POOR FARM.
The county almshouse was erected in 1897. It is built of brick, with stone trimmings, three stories with basement and attie. It has accommodations for about fifty inmates and is equipped with ample facilities for their care. There are also good, substantial outbuildings, such as barn, toolhouse, slaughterhouse, sheds, etc.
The farm is composed of one hundred and sixteen and fifty-seven hun- dredths acres and is kept in a high state of cultivation and well stocked with the necessary farm animals, machinery, etc. The pauper relief expenses of the connty have been much reduced since this farm was purchased and put in operation.
LAFAYETTE, BLOOMINGTON & MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD BONDS.
On November 6, 1867, an election was held to determine "whether said county of Ford shall subscribe to the capital stock of the Lafayette, Blooming- ton & Mississippi Railway to the amount of four thousand dollars per mile, for the distance which said road shall traverse said Ford county to aid in the construction of said railway."
This subscription amounted to one hundred and twelve thousand dollars, the distance being twenty-eight miles. A majority of votes were cast for the project.
On January 17, 1868, an election was held "to determine whether said county shall subscribe to the capital stock of the Lafayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railway to the amount of thirty thousand dollars, in addition to what has already been subscribed."
This proposition was also adopted. In December, 1871. a committee rep- resenting the board of supervisors reported that the railroad company had complied with all requirements of the board. The question arising upon issuing the bonds as voted to the amount of one hundred and forty-two thousand dol-
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
lars, David Keighin, then a supervisor from Mona, introduced a resolution fixing the rate of interest at six per cent, which was defeated by a vote of six to five.
On January 2, 1872, the board ordered the bonds issued for the full amount. payable in ten years, with interest at ten per cent per annum. The certifi- cate of stock was thereupon issued at the county by the railroad authorities.
Similar certificates were issued to other counties and several townships which had voted aid to this railroad. It was afterward claimed by these coun- ties and townships that this was the only bona fide stock in this railroad, notwithstanding that certificates of stock had been issued to indivduals by the directors of said road in sufficient amounts to control the elections in selecting directors; and thus control the railroad.
In the latter part of 1873, the board directed Alfred Sample, states attor- ney, to investigate the management and records of said railroad. Mr. Sample did so and made an exhaustive and satisfactory report to the board of the results of his labors, he having carefully examined the company's books at Toledo, Ohio. At the next annual meeting for the election of directors of the Lafayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railway, held at Bloomington, Illinois, January 20, 1874, representatives of the several townships and counties appeared and presented their claims to be heard, etc. A warm, interesting and somewhat noisy meeting was held, which resulted in those representing the railroad company withdrawing and holding their meeting elsewhere.
The representatives of the people remained at the appointed place and proceeded to elect a board of twelve directors, those from Ford county being O. D. Sackett, Alfred Sample, John H. Collier and Merton Dunlap, who had been authorized by the board of supervisors to represent the interests of this county at said meeting.
The following officers were then elected : F. Henderson, president ; O. D. Sackett, vice president; N. S. Sunderland, treasurer; A. Sample, attorney; Merton Dunlap, secretary.
The contest for the control of the railroad continued for about two years in the courts, when the whole matter was suddenly brought to an end by the sale of the railroad under the mortgage which was given by the directors of the road at an early period of its existence.
While this relieved Ford county from any further responsibility in the management of the railroad, the indebtedness of one hundred and forty-two thousand dollars still remained.
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
On January 22, 1880, a contract was entered into between the board of supervisors and a firm in New York city by which these bonds were funded into six per cent bonds due in twenty years, with the privilege to the county of paying the same any time after five years.
It seems proper in this connection to make a brief mention of the contest between the people and the railroad companies, beginning in 1873. It was claimed that the latter were charging illegal and unjust rates for passenger fare and freights. This question assumed such a magnitude in Ford county that in the election for county officers in that year the voters united without regard to party, and the "Farmers' ticket" was elected by a large majority.
The state legislature passed a stringent law against unjust discrimina- tions, and prescribed that three cents per mile for roads of the class of the Illinois Central should be the maximum charge for passenger travel. Rates for transportation of freights were also fixed. A board of railroad commis- sioners was appointed whose duty it was to see this law enforced.
The contest continued in the court for several years with but little suc- cess for the people. In December, 1879, a public meeting was held at the courthouse in Paxton, at which a resolution was adopted requesting A. Sam- ple, states attorney, to prosecute all infractions of the railroad law in Ford county. Soon after this, commissioners met the business men and farmers of this locality in this city. Mr. Sample presented an extended list of extor- tionate rates imposed by the railroads in violation of law. Of the commis- sioners, Hon. William Smith, chairman, and Mr. Oberly earnestly favored the enforcement of the law.
This meeting, through which was manifested the determination of the peo- ple to push matters, provoked considerable interest among the railway officials. Some of them came to this place to investigate as to how far the people were disposed to go and if matters could not be compromised.
Briefly stated, after considerable agitation and correspondence between the railway managers, Chairman Smith and Mr. Sample, the leading roads con- « luded to comply with the law as to passenger and freight rates. Subsequently another serious question arose regarding freights from within and with- out the state, the companies claiming this to be a matter to be regulated by congress. East and west lines charged, for example, more on freight from Gilman to New York city than from Peoria, a distance of eighty-five miles.
The matter was finally determined in favor of the state law by a suit brought in the Ford county circuit court by Mr. Sample in 1882. The case was strongly contested by the railroads, but the supreme court decided
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
adversely to them, setting forth the reasons in one of the most elaborate opin- ions filed for years.
WAR OF THIE REBELLION.
Ford county, at the breaking out of the war of 1861, being so recently formed and having a population of less than two thousand, did not organize any company of soldiers. However, many of our patriotic citizens enlisted in commands organized in adjoining counties and elsewhere in the state. It would give us pleasure to publish their names in this work, but the difficulty of obtaining a complete list is insurmountable, and a partial list would be very unsatisfactory.
BOUNTIES.
At a meeting of the supervisors, August, 1862, a resolution was introduced by Supervisor Button and duly adopted, providing for a county tax of five mills on the dollar for the purpose of paying each volunteer sixty dollars and to create a fund for the support of soldiers' families during their absence.
The following committees were appointed to disburse the funds for sol- diers' families : Patton Township-William Walker, J. II. Flagg, J. F. Hall ; Drummer's Grove-J. H. Kendall, J. E. Davis, Leonard Pierpont; Stockton -- S. K. Marston, T. W. Pope, G. B. Winter. In December, 1863, the bounty was increased to three hundred dollars to each volunteer.
In April, 1864, a draft having been ordered to fill the quota of this county for seventy-eight men, an order was adopted by the supervisors offering a bounty of one thousand dollars to each man drafted, who should be accepted by the government.
However, it transpired that bounties by counties exceeding the sum of three hundred dollars were illegal, and efforts were made to legalize this one thousand dollars bounty by a special act of the general assembly. It did not succeed, and consequently but three hundred dollars could be paid to each man. Feb- ruary, 1865, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars was appropriated by the supervisors to procure volunteers to fill the county quota, the amount for each volunteer not to exceed three hundred dollars.
The adjutant general's report, Vol. 1, page 194, makes the following show- ing for this county :
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
Prior to December 31, 1865.
Total quota 300
Total credits 222
Deficit of men 78
December 31, 1865.
Total quota
272
Total credit 271
Deficit 1
On page 276 of said report is the following, showing "expenditures and liabilities inenrred by Ford county in aid of the suppression of the late rebel- lion, as reported to the adjutant general's office :
Bounties $72,426 15
Transportation 10,000 00
Soldiers' families 3,861 94
Total $86,288 09
G. A. R. POSTS.
There are in this county three posts of the Grand Army of the Republic, as follows :
LOTT POST, NO. 70, G. A. R.
This post was organized and mustered at Gibson November 3, 1879.
The following is the membership to February 28, 1884; Captains, J. II. Collier, Austin Crabbs, Willard Proctor. First Lieutenants, J. N. Me Vicker, Samnel Johnston, J. J. MeCormack, Russell Puntney. Second Lieutenant, S. A. Armstrong. Sergeants, R. M. Smith, J. T. MeClure, H. J. Ring, A. J. Ilam, J. E. Collier, F. P. Wood, Fred Potts, George W. Preston, James Grant, Frank Du Close, J. S. Frederick. Corporals, S. J. LeFevre, W. II. Vreeland, W. B. Aaron, J. L. Mitchell, Mark Anthony, W. E. MeMullen, S. S. Barnes, L. L. Garrett, F. M. Anderson, T. M. Bunch. Musicians, R. A. MeClure, John Grove. Privates, II. M. Blacker, J. D. Bell, G. W. Haupt, S. A. Plank, Daniel
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
Crummy. Charles Phillips, J. N. Vaughn, James Allen, J. D. Corbin, P. W. Dale, C. C. Houdyshell, O. O. Perrin, S. Emmons, II. E. Shearer, J. R. Lott, Ralph Mulvane, C. Ashby, W. T. Estes, William Day, J. M. Phillips, W P. Jones, E. Barnabee, J. M. Burner, W. II. Simms, M. K. McDowell, J. M. Mitchell, F. C. MeDowell, O. H. Damon, T. B. Strauss, J. W. Rinehart, P. II. Faught, A. Stratton, W. Bowen, J. G. Barker, M. W. Scott, W. Gilchrist, D. Baylor, L. L. Flora, J. S. Sawyer, Charles B. Payner (saddler), Elmer Ashby, J. W. Moore, D. S. IIall, V. G. Way, W. Ramey, J. H. Stathem, J. H. Arrow- smith, Nelson Smith, H. A. Grove, J. R. Gilchrist, John Joos, A. J. Cooper, S. Ross.
PIPER CITY POST, NO. 361, G. A. R.
List of members to February 28, 1884; officers 1884; F. O. Walrich, Com- mander; H. P. Beach, S. V. C .; T. J. Sowers. J. V. C .; S. D. Culbertson, Surgeon; G. M. Williams, Adjutant; Ira W. Iland, Chaplain; W. Dick, O. D .; J. R. Rezner, O. G .; J. A. Montelius, Q. M .; D. W. Turney, S. M .; C. R. Jack- son, Q. M. S. Members, Robert Hevener, James Healey, J. G. T. Luther, B. G. Church, J. S. Campbell, T. W. Eaton, Robert R. Farris. J. C. Moore, C. C. Crandell, Charles Litsy, D. Ritchie, W. P. Moore, D. H. Rodgers, B. H. Mor- row, W. B. Miller, W. W. Coburn, W. T. Riggs, James Feeley, A. J. Long, J. McBride, J. Wagner, E. B. Beighle, C. Fable.
PAXTON POST, NO. 387, G. A. R.
Organized January 12, 1884. Membership to March 6. 1884: Officers, Colonel Charles Bogardus, Commander; M. II. Cloud, S. V. C .; W. C. Hutchi- son, J. V. C .; T. M. King, Q. M .; C. M. Taylor, Chaplain; B. F. Mason, O. D .; John Swanson, O. G .; J. W. Ramsay, Adjutant; W. M. Wilson, S. M .; William Cramer, Q. M. S. Membership, G. L. Atkinson, A. II. Bridgeman, Charles Bogardus, J. M. Briney, G. W. Berdine, M. H. Cloud, William Cramer, M. Cramer, M. V. Davis, Stacey Daniels, W. C. Hutchison, Frederick Johnson, Theodore M. King, B. F. Mason, F. MeFarland, Taylor Pyle, John A. Peter- son, T. S. Peacock, J. W. Ramsay, John Swanson, Alfred Sample, C. M. Tay- lor, J. D. Wilson, Thomas Wier, W. M. Wilson. W. T. Westbrook, Henry Weaver.
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
PIPER CITY GUARDS.
Company C, Ninth Battalion Illinois National Guards, was organized March 27, 1876. The list of original members has been furnished, and is as follows, viz:
Captain, H. C. Banghman ; First Lieutenant, F. O. Walrich ; Second Lieu- tenant, D. F. Walden; Orderly Sergeant, J. P. Madden; Sergeants, John Nein- mier, J. D. Parsons, E. F.Pulver, J. T. Wilson; J. R. Rezner, Color Sergeant Ninth Battalion; Corporals, J. W. Ramsay, J. R. Bagly, S. Kiblinger, Frank Kiblinger; Musician, II. S. Randall; privates, Henry Allnut, Watson Bishop, John HIobbis, E. A. Kice, G. M. Bagley, N. G. Plank, JJ. S. Telfer, J. B. Tel- fer W. M. Thompson, Joseph C. Kirk, M. Johnson, William Hartley, James Lis- ton, Alex Liston, J. Netterville, John C. Zea.
The company was reorganized September 4, 1877, in accordance with the new military code, and under the consolidation of the different regiments and battalions May 4, 1882, was assigned to the Fourth Regiment, and was known as Company H.
The present commissioned officers are Frank O. Walrich, captain; John Rorbach, first Lieutenant ; J. R. Rezner, second lieutenant.
REMINISCENCES BY R. R. MURDOCK.
My first visit to the western-now the middle western states was in the autumn of 1852. I came by canal packet boat to Buffalo, by rail to Cleveland, by steamer to Toledo (the railroad between the latter places was not in opera- tion) and by Michigan Southern railroad to Chicago, stopping en route to visit friends in southern Michigan. From Chicago, a side trip was made to Milwau- kee by steamer returning by rail and stage (an open sleigh) via Madison, Wis- consin and Rockford, Illinois. This was not a "Homeseeker's" trip, for at that time I had no thought of making a home in the west, but the microbe got in its work and in due time. developed into a case of genuine western fever.
In the spring of 1853 Mr. E. R. Fay and myself came west together and without much delay he decided to locate in Ottawa, Illinois. He opened an office there and in due time became a leading banker of the place. This time I did not stay west long but came again the following spring prepared to make some investments. Three or four of us joined together and employed a surveyor (Major Hitt) and he and I made many selections from government lands in Livingston county, and went together to the land office in Danville to purchase the same, but for some reason they could not, or would not sell at that time but
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
placed our application on file; but nothing came of it. It was claimed that other filings were ahead of ours. Returning from Danville via the Danville and Ottawa travel road, we evidently passed over the present site of Paxton, but there was nothing in sight, not even a railroad stake, as I believe, to fix the loca- tion in my memory, but I claim this was my first visit to Paxton. About 4 P. M. our road led us near to D. C. Stoners' house, which he had built and moved his family into a short time before. Learning that there was no house of any kind on this line of road nearer than Oliver's Grove, twenty miles or more away, we decided to remain with the Stoners over night. This was my first night in Ford county.
My second trip through Ford county was in 1854. A business trip for II. F. Eames, then a banker at Ottawa and later president of Commercial National Bank of Chicago, took me to Decatur via the Illinois Central main line, thence to Danville by stage coach, Rain and mud interfered with further progress. Finally, learning that the Illinois Central (Chicago branch) was laid as far south as Pera (now Ludlow) and that a mixed train left that point for Chicago at about two P. M. each day, another party and I engaged a livery man to take us to that place, agreeing to pay him ten dollars if he got us there before the train left. otherwise eight dollars The last mile or two was made with the team on the full run and the locomotive calling us at every jump. We got into Chicago at about 1 A. M. next morning. We were the only passengers and we left the train at Ilyde Park, then quite outside the city limits.
This second passage over the present site of Paxton, like the first, left no special impression on my mind. It was only a part of the great grand prairie. The spring of 1855 found Leander Britt, a personal friend from my native town, and myself in Chicago, and fully decided to make the west our future home. Great bargains in the way of city lots were offered us and glowing pictures of prospective profits on such investments were spread before us by wide-awake real- estate dealers, but it was broad acres of rolling prairie that we sought, not the limited area of mud and water called a city lot.
The Illinois Central Railroad lands had just been put on the market and a few interviews with the officials and their promise of special inducements to early buyers, soon decided us to investigate along their lines, and with a horse and buggy shipped from New York and with railroad passes in our pockets to use if needed, we set out by ourselves on a prospecting tour southward. It was lovely spring weather, and fairly good roads, and, but for poor board and poorer lodgings, it would have been in every way enjoyable. However, at Loda we found things in this line quite satisfactory. Mr. Russell, the station
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HISTORY OF FORD COUNTY
agent, and his wife were late arrivals, and had plenty of good things to eat and knew how to use them. There was no other family or person there and they seemed glad to see us and have us stay awhile, so we took the opportunity to rest our horse and fill ourselves up. We were favorably impressed with the country in the vicinity of Loda and southward, and after going as far south as Champaign, then the terminus of the railroad, returned to Loda and made a sort of headquarters there.
About this time we visited Middleport, now Watseka, and in an interview with a former resident of our native county in New York and who was then a judge of Troquois county, he stated that in his opinion a new county could be made from that part of Vermilion county which is now Ford county, and explained why it could be made in no other way. Also, that if properly managed the county seat could be made at some point located on the Illinois Central Railroad where it crossed said proposed new county. Previous to this time, we had selected with the view of purchase three and one-half sections eastward from the present town of Paxton, and with this new thought in mind, we added to our list the eighty acres covering the central portion of this city as it stands today. Material concessions in price were made to us on the three and one-half sections, and on the performance of certain conditions, a side track was promised ns on the eighty acre tract. No mention was made at that time to any one of our possible plan for the new county and county seat.
In spite of the financial calamities of 1857 and consequent depression of all land values, the three and one-half sections were finally disposed of and hand- some profits realized. The promise of the side track was secured by the land department from Superintendent Doane and conditioned that George B. Me- Clellan, the chief engineer, approve. This he promptly did and in this way became cognizant to the agreement, which proved of vast importance to us as will be explained later on in this paper.
Our purchase of the eighty acres and our scheme for a new county and county seat were carefully concealed at that time. Plans for a new county with Loda for county seat were already talked of and symptons of a boom for Loda were manifest. Our final contracts for the land were made in June, 1855. I then went home to assist in the harvest on the old farm, but returned to Illinois in November and stayed till January, 1856. I again made Mr. Russell's head- quarters and Mr. Addison Goodell and I occupied the ladies' room in passenger house and slept (when not kept awake by wolves) on a folding cot or sofa, which I had purchased in Chicago. Soon after New Years I went home to New York and came back early in April and date my residence in Illinois from that time.
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