History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 11

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 11

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cent. per annum, payable in advance, he entering into a bond with the county for the faithful performance of the same.

On Thursday, December 5, 1839, James C. Perry, a native of England, came before the court, and having taken the oath of allegiance, was duly natur- alized a citizen of the United States, the first in this county after its organization as a separate county.

At a special meeting of the county commissioners, held on the 13th of January, 1840, the following preamble and order was made :

" Whereas, Elijah Van Horn, Solomon Cal- honn and Thomas L. MeGill, a committee ap- pointed by a meeting of the citizens of Jersey county, to superintend the erection of the pub- lie buildings for said county. this day pres- ented to the court a draft of a plan and expla- nations thereof, of a building for a court house and jail for said county. which plan and ex- planations are ordered to be filed. And it is further

"Ordered, that if the citizens of Jerseyville and its vicinity will build, at their own ex- pense, a building according to the said draft and explanation, the said building will be re- ceived by the commissioners' court of Jersey county, for the use of said county, as a good and suitable court house and jail for the said county of Jersey."

But little was done by this court, be- yond the usual routine work, laying out roads, building bridges, auditing claims, etc. In March, 1840, however, they appointed John Kimball, assessor for the county, and George W. Lowder, collector.

The county commissioners' court that met on the 7th day of Sept., 1840, was composed of Amos Pruitt, Chauncey Brown, and Cyrus Tolman, the latter two of whom produced their certificates

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

of election, and after duly qualifying, took their seats.

At the March term of the court, 1841, the following order was made, and en- tered upon the records:

" Whereas, Solomon Calhoun, E. Van Horne and 'Thomas L. McGill, a committee to super- intend the erection of the court house and jail of Jersey county, this day presented to the court a statement, marked C, showing that the enclos- ing of the court house is under contract, and also showing the probable cost of finishing the court house and jail to be $2,170, and the said committee exhibited to the court, subscrip- tions, notes and obligations, to be applied to the public buildings, for the sum of $2,189.51 over and above the amount under contract and expended, and also an obligation to make up the deficit, should the above not be enough; and whereas, also, a deed from the trustees of Jerseyville to the county of Jersey, for the public square in said town, being more than an acre of ground, whereon the court house now stands, duly recorded by the recorder of Jersey county, as appears by certificate thereon, has been presented to the court, which is or- dered to be filed. Therefore, it is ordered that it be entered on record, that the court is satis- tied that the citizens of Jerseyville and vici- nity will comply with the provisions of the sixth section of the act of the general assembly of the state of Illinois, entitled, an act to cre- ate and establish the county of Jersey. ap- proved Feb. 28, 1839."

A few days after, the court made a further order as follows:

" Whereas certain subscriptions toward the public buildings of Jersey county, have been made payable to the county commissioners of said county, and according to their terms are not binding on the subscribers until they are entered upon the records of said court, it is therefore,

"Ordered, that the said subscriptions be en- tered of record, and that the said subscribers pay their subscriptions to the committee. appointed by the citizens of the county to superintend the erection of the public buildings, as other subscriptions."

The court which met at the regular September term in the year 1842, was composed of Chauncey Brown, Cyrus Tolman and William Palmer, the latter taking the place of Amos Pruitt. The court first assembled on the 5th of Sept- ember. The regular routine work of auditing claims and hearing road peti- tions was gone through with, and the regular tax levy ordered. This latter was for thirty cents on the hundred dollars for county purposes.

In September, 1843, Thomas Carroll became a member of the county com- missioners' court, in place of Chauncey Brown, whose time had expired.

In September, 1844, Maurice Arm- strong became a county commissioner, the court for this year consisting of Armstrong, William Palmer and Thomas Carroll. At the June term, 1845, of this court, they appointed Thomas L. McGill, as the agent of the county for the collection of the subscription of the citizens to the fund for the erection of the court house and jail, in the town of Jerseyville.

In the fall of 1845, Ambrose T. Wyckoff became a member of the court, in place of William Palmer, whose term had expired.

At a special session of this court held on Monday, Oet, 13, 1845, the follow- ing order was placed on the records:

"Ordered, that Samuel R. Perry, of the county of Greene, and state of Illinois, be and he is hereby allowed the sum of $900.00 in full payment for a certain farm situate and being in the county of Jersey and state of Illi- nois, containing 166 acres; it being the same tracts or lots of land heretofore owned by Thos. Vance, and conveyed by the said Vance to the said Samuel R. Perry, which said farm the court has this day purchased for the pur-

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

pose of establishing a poor house thereon ; and it is further ordered, that the clerk deliver to the said S. R. Perry, the aforesaid sum of $900, in Jersey county orders, upon receiving the and of conveyance of said premises."

In December of the same year, the county commissioners established county poorhouse, on this farm which is located several miles northeast of Jer- seyville, on which was a house already for occupancy; it was, at once, used for the purpose intended.

Maurice Armstrong, Ambrose S. Wyckoff and Benjamin Cleaver, consti- tuted the county commissioners' court for the year commencing Sept. 7, 1846.

On the 6th of September, 1847, when court was duly opened, James McKin- ney, who was, on the 2d day of August, 1847, elected county commissioner as the successor of Maurice Armstrong, pre- sented his certificate of election, and after due qualification took his seat.

James A. Piggott, James McKinney and Ambrose S. Wyckoff, comprised the county commissioners' court, from the 1st day of Sept., 1848, and on account of the change in the mode of govern- ment, consequent upon the adoption of the state constitution of 1848, held over until the following December, 1849, when the county commissioners' court gave place to

THE COUNTY COURT.

The first meeting of this court was held on the 3d day of Dec., 1849, was presided over by George E. Warren, county judge, assisted by Jacob Lurton and James McKinney, associate justices. The commission of the judge being read and placed upon the records, court was opened in due form, and proceeded to the transaction of the business of the

county. The usual routine work of laying out roads, building bridges, aud- iting claims, etc., was gone through with. At the January term, 1850, the contract for the superintending of the poor-house for the term of one year from the first of March following, for which proposals had been invited, was awarded to Ira Moore, who had offered to do it for the sum of $235. About this time, on account of expenditures of the county exceeding the income, county orders became somewhat depreciated and Judge Warren gave considerable atten- tion to the matter of repairing the credit of the county and restoring the warrants to a par value. One of the methods employed was to pay interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum, on all warrants or orders for which the treasurer had no funds on hand to meet. This was partially a success, the credit of the county being strengthened.

In December, 1852, Jasper M. Terry became associate justice of this court, in place of Jacob Lurton, entering upon the duties of his office at once. The question now came up before this court of the county subscribing the sum of $50,000 in bonds toward the building of the Jacksonville & Carrollton railroad and it was placed before the people who voted upon it on the 26th of March, 1853, and a majority of the voters of the county being in favor of the said subscription, the court

"Ordered that George E. Warren, county judge, or his successor in office, be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered to sub- seribe, on behalf of Jersey county, 500 shares, equal to $50,000 of the capital stock of said company, and to issue the bonds of the county, in sums not less than $50, bear- ing six per cent, interest, payable annually,

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

and redeemable in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five (1875), to pay sueh subseription in such in- stallments as may be called for by said com- pany."

On Monday, December 5, 1853, the term of the office of the judge and asso- ciate justices having expired, George E. Warren having been re-elected to the position of county judge, and Jasper M. Terry to that of associate justice, to- gether with Charles II. Bowman, the other newly elected associate-justice, came together, and presenting their commissions, and having been duly sworn, opened court in form.

It now becoming necessary to have larger accommodations for the paupers, the court looked around for a proper and suitable place.

In September, 1854, the court pur- chased of James C. Graham, 20 acres of land off of the west side of the farni owned by the said Graham, lying east of Jerseyville, on the Carlinville road, and including the house fronting on said road, together with the orchard and other improvements. The sum paid was 82,000. This was used as the poor- house, as soon as possession was had.

At the meeting of the county court, held in December, 1856, J. Murray Bacon succeeded C. H. Bowman as asso- ciate justice.

On Thursday, Sept. the 10th, 1857, the Jacksonville, Alton & St. Louis railroad company presented a request "that the court issue bonds to said company for the amount of the capital stock, $50,000, subscribed by the county of Jersey to the said Jacksonville, Alton & St. Louis railroad company, "agreeably to the pro- visions of an act of the legislature of

the state of Illinois." In accordance the court made the following order.

" It is therefore ordered, that said bonds be issued in behalf of said county, for the sum of $50,000, in sums of $500 each, bearing date in this day, and payable at the American Ex- ehange bank, in the city of New York, on the 1st day of March, 1875, with interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum, payable on the 1st day of March in each and every succeeding year, at the said American Exchange bank. And that the judge and associate justices of the court sign said bonds, and that the same be attested by the clerk of the court, under the seal thereof. And that the clerk of this eourt sign the interest warrants, to be attached thereto, for the aceruing interest on each of said bonds, and deliver said bonds to the said company upon the receipt of the certificate of stock, to which the said county of Jersey is entitled, by virtue of their said subscription."

At the December session of the county court for the year 1857, there was an entire change in the composition of the same. At that time, O. P. Powel,' county judge, Richard R. Ely and Wil- liam Williams, associate justices, pre- sented their commissions, filed their official bonds, aud being duly qualified, entered upon the discharge of their duties.

With the December term of 1861, came a new county court, consisting of Rich- ard I. Lowe, county judge, Jacob Lur- ton and Larkin Richardson, associate justices. In 1863, at the June term of this court, $3,400 was placed in the hands of Richard I. Lowe, for the pur- pose of making the necessary additions and repairs to the court house according to plans and specifications submitted by William Embley, and adopted by the court, the additions to be made by Em- bley & Coddington.

Upon Thursday, Sept. 22, 1864, at a

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

special session, the following was spread upon the records:

"Whereas, upon the representation of many of the citizens, who are large tax-payers in the county, that by the offering of a bounty of $50.00 to encourage enlistments, a draft to fill the required quota of Jersey county may be averted, and at the earnest request of such citizens, a special term of the court is called on this day. And the court being satis- fied that it is the general wish of the tax-pay- ers of the county. that enlistments should be encouraged, both by individual and county bounties; therefore,

"It is ordered, that the sum of $10,000.00 be and the same is hereby appropriated by the county court of Jersey county, for the purpose of paying a bounty of $50.00 to each person who shall volunteer from Jersey county on or after the 19th day of September, 1864, until her quoia shall be lilled.

A special levy of a tax was ordered to meet this demand upon the finances of the county, of 50 cents on a dollar.

A committee, consisting of William Shepard, John S. White and H. O. Goodrich, were appointed to inquire in- to and report to the court the names of the parties entitled to the bounty, who, on the 10th day of December, 1864, made the following report:

"Your committee appointed to ascertain who were entitled to receive the bounty ap- propriated by your honorable body for such as would volunteer in the service of the United States and be credited to the various precincts of Jersey county, thereby relieving the county from the hardships of the recent draft, wonkl respectfully beg leave to report that in Their opinion all members of the 144th regiment, stationed at Alton, who are credited to the county, are entitled to and should receive said bounty of $50.00 each, the names of all, or nearly all so credited are herewith submit- ted, and credits certified to by the adjutant- general of the state.

" We would further recommend that the same bounty be paid to the following parties,

who have enlisted since the issuing of your order, in the 61st regiment; and been credited to the county, as shown by accompanying cer- titicate. (llere follows the list of volunteers.)

" Believing. as we do, that the parties above specified have, by their voluntary acts, relieved the county you have the honor to represent in a most unprecedented manner from the hardships necessarily attending a draft, and which has borne so heavily on other counties m our district, we respectfully renew our recommendation that the bounty be paid, feeling sure the people of this county will sanction and approve your action in these premises."

The court approved the report, and ordered the bounty paid as recom- mended. There were 249 names on the list, all but five being in the ranks of the 144th Reg. of Ill. Inf.

The court that came into existence in Dec., 1865, was composed of tbe follow- ing gentlemen-O. P. Powel, county judge; Phineas Eldredge and William H. Allen, associate justices.

On Monday, December 6, 1869, J. M. Hurd, county judge; Caleb Noble and G. W. Gorin, associate justices, entered upon the duties of the county court, having been elected to those offices at the regular election that fall. Before this court, on the 9th day of Septem- ber, 1871, came William Shephard, and made an offer to the court to pay the sum of $12,750, in cash, for the 500 shares of stock in the St. Louis, Jack- sonville and Chicago railroad, succes- cors to the Tonica and Petersburg and Jacksonville, Alton and St. Louis rail- road, belonging to the county of Jersey, in right of the $50,000 subscribed to the capital stock of the said company, as previously mentioned. This offer, ap- pearing to be advantageous to the coun- ty, it was accepted and the clerk au-

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

thorized to make out and sign the re- quisite papers necessary to vest the title of the same in the said William Shephard.

Robert M. King succeeded J. M. Hurd as county judge, at the December ses- sion, 1872, the associate justices being Caleb Noble and William A. Scott. They at once entered upon the discharge of the functions of the court according to the law governing this bod.y Some re- pairs were made upon the court house by this court, and a bell purchased and placed on that building in September, 1873. This was the last county court held as the county government, the con- stitution of the state, adopted in 1870, making change in the form of govern- ment and originating the rule of

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

The first meeting of this board was held on Monday, in Jan., 1874, they not being able to organize at the regular time, December, on account of some lack of action on the part of the legis- lature in passing the necessary laws. The board comprised the following gen- tlemen: William H. Allen, Edwin Co- lean and Isaac R. Ely. These parties at once proceeded to cast lots as to the Isngth of time each would occupy the office, when William H. Allen drew the one year term; Edwin Colean the two year and I. R. Ely the three year. On organization, Isaac R. Ely was declared chairman, and the board commenced the consideration of the business of the county. The first business brought be- fore them was the examination and ap- proval of the reports of the various road supervisors, they having jurisdiction over those officers at that time.

The boards of county commissioners for the succeeding years were as fol- lows :

1875-Isaac R. Ely, Edwin Colean and G. S. Compton, with the first-named in the chair. The first meeting was held on the 7th day of Dec., 1874.

1876-Isaac R. Ely, G. S. Compton and William H. Fulkerson. The first meeting was convened on the 6th day of Dec., 1875, and G. S. Compton was chosen chairman for the ensuing year.

1877-G. S. Compton. W. H. Fulker- son and John W. Evans, with Mr. Compton again in the chair. First meeting held on Monday, Dec. 4, 1876.

1878-W. L. Ruyle, John W. Evans and Prentiss D. Cheney, the latter elected to fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of W. H. Fulkerson. The last-mentioned was elected chair- man for the year. The first meeting was held on the 6th of Jan., 1878.

1879-W. L. Ruyle, J. W. Evans and S. B. Foree, with Col. Ruyle in the chair. At a special meeting held on the 25th of Feb., of this year, the chairman stated the object of the meet- ing to be to obey the summons of the supreme court, on mandamus, to ap- point commissioners to divide the county into towns under the township organi- zation act. It seems that on the 3d of Sept., 1878, a petition numerously signed was presented by Henry Slover, asking the board to order the submission of the question of township organization to the people of Jersey county. The commissioners accordingly ordered the submission of the question at the next general election. At that time it was found that the total number of votes cast was 2858, of which 1459 were for town-

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

ship organization, and 1399 against it, but because of some informality in the returns from Grafton precinct, the vote of that sub-division was not counted which made the vote stand as follows: For township organization, 1268, and against township organization, 1295. The trouble that grew out of this ruling was carried to the supreme court of the state, hence the above action of that body, in ordering the appointment of commissioners. E. M. Fuller, George H. Jacks and Phineas Eldredge, were selected as the parties to divide the county into townships for the purpose of carrying out the wishes of the people. They made their report, at the March term of the commissioners court, in which they recommend the following subdivisions:

Piasa-embracing all of T. 7, north, R. 10 west.

Fidelity-T. 8 north, R. 10 west.

Ruyle-fract'l T. 9 north, R. 10 west. Jersey-all of T. 8 north, R. 11 west, and fractional T. 9 north, R. 11 west.

Mississippi-T. 7 north, R. 11 west.

Elsah-fractional T. 6 north, R. 11 west.

Grafton-all of fractional T. 6 north, and Rs. 12 and 13 west.

Otter Creek-T. 7 north, R. 12 west. English-T. 8 north, R. 12 west.

Illinois-fractional T. 7 north, R. 13 west.

Richwoods-fractional Ts. 8 and 9 north, Rs. 13 and 14 west.

This report was adopted and the com- missioners ordered an election for county supervisors, and upon the 25th of March, 1879, the court of county com- missioners adjourned sine die, and were succeeded by the

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

The first meeting of this body was on the 14th of April, 1879, when the fol- lowing supervisors appeared, presented their credentials, and after due qualifi- cation took their seats:

Walter E. Carlin, Henry J. Hoffman, Lewis Elliott, William A. Scott, Addison Greene, Samuel B. Foree, E. Meysen- burg, C. C. Buzby, S. W. Rogers, J. L. English, J. G. Erwin.

On organization, Walter E. Carlin was chosen chairman.

The following have been the various boards of supervisors of Jersey county, for each and every year.

1880-W. E. Carlin, J. L. Reed, B. F. Kelly, I. R. Ely, M. V. Hamilton, James R. Livingstone, C. C. Buzby, Ad- dison Greene, S. W. Rogers, J. G. Er- win, E. Meysenburg.

W. E. Carlin was duly elected chair- man for the year.

1881-This board met for the first time on the 6th of June, when there were present the following supervisors:

W. E. Carlin, P. D. Cheney, A. M. Slaten, C. B. Eaton, W. H. Allen, Jr., B. F. Kelly, John A. Cory, M. V. Ham- ton, Archie Craig, Elias Palmer, J. G. Erwin, C. C. Buzby.

W. E. Carlin was nominated and re- elected unanimously to the chairman- ship.

1882-W. E. Carlin, M. J. Richey, M. V. Hamilton, C. B. Eaton, Archie Craig, Milo Landon, N. M. Lurton, J. K. Cadwalader, Elias Palmer, C. P. Stafford, B. F. Kelly.

W. E. Carlin was again re-elected chairman of the board for the ensuing year, at the meeting which convened June 6th, for the first time.

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

1883-The board for this year met for the first time on Tuesday, June 26, 1883, and re-elected W. E. Carlin as chairman. The board consisted of the following gentlemen:

W. E. Carlin, M. J. Richey, Ephraim Chappel, James Segraves, M. V. Ham- ilton, Archie Craig, Chas. Ruyle, Milo Landon, Isaac N. Moore, A. J. Thomp- son, C. P. Stafford, J. K. Cadwalader.

1884-First meeting on the 3d of June, when the following supervisors took their seats:

Walter E. Carlin, M. J. Richey, M. V. Hamilton, Andrew J. Thompson,

J. M. Segraves, C. P. Stafford, Geo. W. Reed, H. V. Vorhees, N. T. Rogers, V. L. Dodge, Lloyd T. English, Isaac N. Moore.

1885-The present board of supervis- ors, held their first meeting on the 2d of June, when the following gentlemen took their places:

W. H. Bartlett, B. F. Kelly, V. L. Dodge, II. V. Vorhees, Geo. H. Van- Horne, N. T. Rogers, Lloyd T. English, (. P. Stafford, John L. Reed, W. E. Carlin, F. J. Mains, John A. Kraus.

W. E. Carlin was again chosen to fill the chair for the year.

CHAPTER VI.

OTHER OFFICIAL MATTER.

In this chapter it is designed to pre- sent the various official matters, which, although too brief to place in a chapter separately, are too important to be ignored. These items have been mostly gathered from the records of the county, although some have been gained in fragments during interviews with those familiar with the subject.

MATRIMONIAL.

This is a matter which always attracts attention when treated historically, and is especially interesting to the younger portion of the community, who, their time not yet having come, still walk "in maiden meditation fancy free," dream- ing of the prince that will "a wooing" come, or picture the charms of the fu- ture mistress of their household.

In various lands the marriage rite is solemnized in different ways and by dif- ferent ceremonies; in all, the acts of the contracting parties must be understood by each, and by the community in which they live, as being a mutual agreement to hold relations toward one another as man and wife. In this state a license has always been required, although it is not in all the states, and thus from the records in most all instances we can trace all the earlier marriages of the county. In this county, it is impossible to do so, as the first eighteen years of the county's existence the records were kept in what is now the county of Greene. Therefore, for the record of these the reader is referred to the hist- ory of that county for them.

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

In early days, young men and maidens were not married in the grand style which usually characterizes the mar- riages of the present period. They did not wait until riches came before they married, as is too much the case in this money-loving age, but chose their mate without regard to this point, and settled down to live in simple and comfortable style, and they generally lived happily and gained the respect of their neighbors by attending to their own business.

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History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 11

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150