USA > Illinois > Henry County > History of Henry county, Illinois : it's taxpayers and voters, 1877 > Part 13
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
Supervisor of 1st District, John P. Hanna ; 2d, Albert Jagger ; 3d, John F. Willard; 4th, John C. Ward; 5th, Neely Withrow. Here was a great extent of country for a hundred voters or thereabouts to supply with roads. Those now living in the localities mentioned can perceive at a glance the probable character of the roads then constructed. The sparseness of the population, however, made it unnecessary to go in direct lincs as we do now, and advantage was taken of the lay of the ground, and thus ridges were followed and sloughs headed, which rendered the construction of many bridges, now necded, unnecessary. It must not be understood that road-viewers and surveyors laid out the roads on such circuitous routes. The truth is, the roads were " run " more directly from point to point, but the " travel " had to make the circuit in order to avoid the sloughs that no labor which could then be spared could make passable, and thus the proverb " the longest way round is the shortest way there," was literally verified. The first road ordered surveyed by the county was from Andover to Geneseo, thence to Rock River road at or near Joshua Browning's. C. K. Bartlett, A. M. Seymour and Joshua Browning were appointed viewers, and the road was to be laid without cost to the county. That rule was observed till June 6, 1838, when an order for the location of a road from Andover Mills in the direction of Peoria, was made at the expense of the county. The first appropriation for building was $50, to apply in part on a bridge across Green River, on road from Cleveland via Dayton to Andover, and in part on a bridge across same stream on the road from Geneseo to the junction of "Big Slough " with Rock River; this was made March 5, 1838. The second appropriation was made June 4, 1838, of $10, for a bridge on Camp Creek on the road from Andover to Cleveland. The first road from Andover to Wethersfield was declared to be such, June 4, 1838. It is probable that most persons acquainted with the streams mentioned will know how such small sums could be of essential service in constructing bridges over them ; it is very doubtful if such small appropriations were really economical. Larger expenditures would undoubtedly have secured more durable structures ; but the problem was, Where was the money to come from ? The justices' districts and the election precincts were each five in number, and the limits the same as the road districts. The increase of population, however, soon required alteration in all of them. By order of the court, on the second day of the first term, 28th June, the town of Dayton was designated as the place for holding elections in first district. From this it is to be supposed that the house of George Brandenburg was the town of Dayton. In the second district the Company House was selected for holding elections; in the third the house of Henry G. Little ; in the fourth the house of John C. Ward; and in the fifth the house of Joshua Browning. Before adjourning, the court ordered that the courts be held in the town of Dayton until the perma- nent seat of justice could be located, and proper buildings erected therein for their accommodation.
In accordance with the Militia Law of the state, an election was held on the 12th of August, 1837, for the choice of an officer to take command of the Henry County battalion. James M. Allan was elected Major, and commissioned accordingly by the governor.
At the regular term of the court, Sept. 4, 1837, after the qualifying
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of the clerk and treasurer, an order was passed authorizing the clerk to employ the surveyor to run the line between Henry and Rock Island counties, to ascertain if a certain man who had perislied of cold near the line of the counties in March, 1837, had really died in Rock Island County or in Henry. The man had some money and no known heirs, and Rock Island County claimed jurisdiction in the case and appropriated the money. The man really died in Henry County. A lengthy litigation ensued, but all efforts to compel Rock Island to refund the money proved unavailing. The first writ of ad quod damnum-damages for locating a dani-was issued in behalf of Charles Oakley, through Joshua Harper, · to enable said Oakley to build a dam across Green River on E. & N. E. 12, 17, 1, later known as Green River Mills, and burncd in 1874. The second writ of ad quod damnum was also issued at this term of the court. It was to enable Ithamar Pillsbury to build a dam across the south fork of Edwards River on N. W. 18. 14, 3. A sawmill was soon after erected there. Tlicse were not the first mills in the county ; those at Andover were in operation a couple of years before. It was at the close of this session of the court the first jurors were selected. But as there was no circuit court till the Spring of 1839, there was some change inade in the list, and, indeed, upon examining the records of the circuit court, it was found that very few of those selected by the county court were empaneled.
COUNTY SEAT.
When the County of Henry was to have a seat of justice located, those possessing eligible points for such location did not fail to urge the great advantages of their several positions. The county seat of Henry County has been tlirice located, and not once was there all approximation to unanimity of views and feelings in regard to the site. Twice were Commissioners appointed to locate a seat of justice, and once, upon petition, the legislature designated the point. The first location was unquestionably a tolerably wise one, if prospective consider- ations were to prevail in the decision. If the limits of the county were to be preserved intact, and the " swamp lands " were to be drained so as to make them inhabitable, the Commissioners could not resist the conclusion that the site selected would be but little north of the center of population after a lapse of from twenty-five to fifty years. It was not far from the geographical center. The second location was made by a larger bonus being given by the owners of the town to the county than was offered at any other point.
That selection was within six miles of the west line of the county, and but three miles from Rock River, the northwestern boundary of the county. The third point selected was designated by the legislature on petition of a majority of the voters of the county ; it is about four miles south and one mile west of the first location. As has been stated, the enabling act to organize the county appointed Commissioners to locate the county seat. The oath qualifying them to act, was administered October 3, 1837, by William McMurtry, of Henderson, Knox County, an acting Justice of the Peace and afterwards Lieutenant Governor of the state. Andover had just sprung into vigorous existence under the auspices of capitalists in New York, and was a prominent candidate. Geneseo, having
Hon. ANDREW CRAWFORD, Ex-State Senator, Chicago. Former Resident of Geneseo.
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HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY.
claims as to position, delightful situation and well-to-do citizens, was also in the field. Morristown, situated in a beautiful prairie, and having backing in the shape of wealth, put in her claim. A little place on Spring Creek, southeast from Geneseo a few miles, known as Ford Town, asked to be noticed in the race for distinction. In the Summer of 1836, James M. Allan, being wide awake, saw at a glance that there inust not only be a county seat, but that it ought to be located no great distance from the center. To ascertain how nearly in the center an eligible situa- tion could be obtained, he rode down to an established " corner," designated by a government tree in Spring Creek, and from that point, guided by a pocket compass, rode due west and counted the steps of his horse as he proceeded till he reached, as he supposed, section 17, 16, 3, some four or five miles from the starting point, in the midst of as beauti- ful prairie as nature has furnished. His figures did not deceive him. He afterwards bought S. E. 17, staked out a town, named it Richmond, and entered the lists for the seat of justice.
The law required the Commissioners to meet at the house of Dr. Baker and thence proceed to select a site. Another requirement of the law was that government land should be selected if equally eligible. At that time four-fifths of the land in the county was in the hands of the government. The Commissioners met as required, accompanied by a delegation from Andover. At Brandenburg's they met Major Allan who accompanied them to Geneseo. His point was well considered, the arguments pro and con. heard, and the party went out into the open prairie to Richmond, on nearly the highest ground in the vicinity, with no house within five miles or a tree within three miles. The site commanded an extended view of a splendid though nearly entirely unoccupied country. Upon examining a map of the county this point was seen, as before stated, near the geographical center, and what was there in the nature of the soil of the county to prevent its becoming the center of population ? Nothing, except the swamps in the northern part, and they would be drained and populated with inhabitants other than frogs in the course of fifty years. Allan offered 120 acres of the site to the county, and Richmond was the county seat. This decision of the Commissioners disappointed the calculations of Geneseo and Andover more perhaps than those of the other towns, for those places had been fairly under way, and it was supposed would soon have a heavy settle- ment around them.
Andover certainly had no claims on the score of position, as it is just seven miles from the west line of the county, and but ten miles from the south line. Geneseo was more favorably situated as to geographical position, as the town is centrally located from east to west, though but nine iniles from the northern boundary and six from Rock River, but it was clear if the county was to remain intact, she would be considerably north, not only of the geographical center, but of the center of popula- tion. This latter fact probably determined the action of the Commis- sioners.
In all counties not bounding upon navigable streams it was usually supposed, at that early day, that the county town had a far better pros- pect for population and wealth than other towns. Hence the great struggle for location. But since the introduction of railroads eligible
IO
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points for towns along their lines have led all other towns in the counties in the race for population and wealth, whether seats of justice or not. The great struggle among holders of town property has since been for railroads. Without them but little, with them a great deal, may be accomplished.
To return to the Commissioners : they lodged at Andover that night, made out their bills against the county, presented them for payment, and left for their respective homes. They were qualified on the 3d, and pre- sented their bills on the 6th of October. Voris charged, for twelve days, $36.00 ; Raywalt charged, for ten days, $30.00; Murphy charged, for seven days, $21.00.
It seems that Major Allan had a partner in this town speculation, for we find a deed made to the County Commissioners for land above specified by James M. Allan and Gilbert C. R. Mitchell, October 16, 1837. Allan and Mitchell made a.deed for 120 acres on S. E. 17, 16, 3, to County Commissioners 16th of October, 1837. The day following, Commission- ers met to determine the plans and measures necessary to be adopted in relation to the county seat. The surveyor was directed to lay out and make plat of town, for which he was to have forty dollars. The entire quarter section was laid out, 40 acres for the Allan party, 120 for county, in lots 4 by 8 rods, with streets mostly six rods wide. Each party had a public square. " Three choice lots " were donated to George Harris, upon condition that he should build a public house sufficient for the accommo- dation of company by the first day of June next. He was also to have three other choice lots to be paid for in work. He put up the house with tolerable promptitude, but it will be seen in the sequel that it went down more promptly, and without his help. Sale of lots to come Wednesday in June, was advertised in Peoria and Chicago, Canton and Galena papers. In the interval first-class lots were ordered to be sold for fifty dollars, second-class for twenty-five dollars ; one-third in hand, balance in six months. It was ordered that propositions for building a temporary court-house be received at the December term of this court-size 18 by 24 feet, story and a half high. There are no records to show that " propositions " were made, but at that term, December, 1837, the clerk was directed to let the job to the lowest bidder. George Harris got the job, and in part built that and his own public house during the ensuing year. The latter was a frame, 36 by 40 feet, or about that size, two stories high, the best in the county at that time. At the June term, 1838, the Commissioners pledged the faitli of the county that money received on sale of lots should be returned if the county seat should be moved. Sales were not numerous, and the clerk was authorized to sell to the best advantage he could for the interests of the county. In August, 1838, the term of office of the first Commissioners elected expired, and Marcus B. Osborn, Sylvester Blish and John P. Hanna were elected to succeed them. The legislature had passed an act during the preceding Winter requiring the boards to be elected in August, to draw lots which member should serve for three, which for two, and which for one year. Upon the lots being drawn, Osborn retained the office three years, Blish two, and Hanna one. At a special term of the court, 23d of October, 1838, George Brandenburg was allowed $12 for furnishing court-room one year. At the regular term, December 3, it was ordered that hereafter in all
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county elections the people shall assemble at the county seat to vote. The Commissioners, it would seem, were determined to have the people come to the county seat occasionally, at least. The voters in Richmond, at the August election, 1838, amounted to just seven, and perhaps the Commissioners hoped to cover up the feeble condition of the seat of jus- tice by compelling the people to vote at this point only. This order was repealed 17th of June following. It was during this term of the Court that it was ordered that the representative from this district be requested to inform the state legislature that this community, and Henry County particularly, has suffered very materially in consequence of there not being any circuit court held since its organization. It will be per- ceived at once that Henry County did suffer materially on that account, when we state that at the court held the Spring following there were just ten cases on the docket. One of them, however, was a criminal case, the principal in which, a counterfeiter, had to be guarded day and night, or else sent to another county to prison. In view of such cases it was ordered that propositions to build a jail be received January 1, 1839. On that day the proposals were all too high, and the court adjourned with- out making a contract. The next day, however, a bargain was struck with Geo. W. Harris, who was to have it completed by September following. It was never built. Circuit court was held in April, 1839; Thos. Ford, Judge ; James M. Allan, Clerk. The prisoner above referred to took a change of venue to Ogle County. Soon after the adjournment of court, while this and another prisoner were being kindly cared for at Mr. Harris' public house, by having their ankles ornamented with iron, and a keen lookout for them kept by the family, the house caught fire and was soon in a blaze beyond control. The court-house was in close proximity, and the fire reaching it, the two buildings were destroyed. Soon after the alarm, the two prisoners went to the wood-pile, and with the ax relieved each other of their ornaments, and then bent all their energies to saving the movables in the house. Porter, the counterfeiter, who was a small man, attempted to take down the coats hanging in the bar-room. One of them, belonging to Abram Miller (of the Geneseo House now), he found he could not get off the hook without tearing the loop. This he thought was a pity to do, and ran out to get a stool to stand 011, so as to reach the hook. When he returned the coat was in a blaze. He succeeded, however, in carrying to a place of safety a small stand, in the drawer in which was the complimentary document which afterwards enabled a jury of twelve men to order him cared for at public expense in Alton for the term of one year. Neither prisoner tried to escape. The court-house was not yet completed, and Harris wanted his pay as far as he had gone with it. This the Commissioners hesitated to grant, but ordered an election to be held upon that and other matters, so as to decide what was to be done. The result of the election was that Harris got $30 in addition to what he had received, and gave up the contracts for building both court-house and jail. The election took place July 9th, and the arrangement with the County Commissioners the day following.
The town of Richmond, with the exception of the stable, having been reduced to ashes and " thin air," immediate steps for reconstructing the public buildings seemed imperative. All parties agreed as to the necessity of getting up new buildings, but the point at which they were
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to be erected was at once the subject of earnest dispute. Meetings were called at different points to discuss this, at that time, all-absorbing ques- tion. At a meeting held at a school-house on Rock River it was resolved that we are in favor of removing the county seat from its present loca- tion. Then followed petition to the Commissioners' Court asking for a convention of the people to take action on this momentous affair. The entire document is brief and to the point, and the insertion of the last resolution entire will doubtless be tolerated here, as it indicates the exist- ence of a very strong conservative and anti-progressive policy (to use no harsh terms) among the citizens of Rock River. It reads :
" It is further resolved at this meeting, by an unanimous vote, that we concur with the majority of legal voters of the county (when they shall be taken) for the re-location of the county seat of said county ; and we further disapprove of the minority REMONSTRATING against any loca- tion that may be made by the majority.
[Signed] GEO. COLBERT, Chairman. GEO. TYLER, Secretary."
Saturday, June 1, 1839.
A meeting called at Andover, June 13thi, to consider the same topic, memorialized the Commissioners to call a convention of the people to take the sense of the county on several topics of importance, among which are: 1st. The Revenue Law. 2d. The Internal Improvement System of this State. 3d. Adjusting the accounts of Geo. W. Harris. 4th. The removal of the county seat. On the last named subject we suggest the following considerations in favor of a removal: 1st. There have been strong objections from the first to the present location; that it is remote from timber ; that it is destitute of water power, of facilities for steam power ; that it is not on the direct route of travel ; the difficulty of obtaining suitable persons to hold office at the town of Richmond. This memorial was signed by fifteen citizens, among whom appear the names of I. Pillsbury, Wm. Ayers, Joseph Tillson, and others.
The memorials were presented at the June term of the court, and an order passed recommending the people to convene at Geneseo "to com- pare views and consult on such matters of immediate importance to the county as may be then and there proposed." As stated before, the con- vention met 9th July. The court, on the 10th, passed an order for the settlement with Harris, as before noticed. The terms of the court subse- quent to the June term were held at Geneseo because houses were more plenty. The inhabitants of Richmond had been under the necessity of lodging in the stable, and the court held one session in the same building. At the December term, 1839, the court petitioned the legislature to legalize acts during the sessions at Geneseo, that officers might be per- mitted to hold their offices at their own houses to January 1, 1841, and that the courts might be directed to sit at Geneseo. At the session of the legislature of 1839-40, an act was passed re-locating the seat of jus- tice for the County of Henry, and Alexander Turnbull of Warren County, M. W. Conway of Rock Island County, and Harmon Brown of Knox County, were appointed Commissioners to locate and name the town. This matter was postponed by the Commissioners till after the August election of 1840, and then summarily disposed of. Andover does not appear to have struggled a second time for the location; Geneseo and
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Morristown were the principal, if not the only, competitors. The popula- tion of the former place, no less than its location, pointed to it as the inevitable seat of justice. This led to more confidence than liberality, if the opposite party can be relied upon, and Morristown overbid her largely for the coveted honor. Geneseo, it is stated, offered the county a respectable portion of the village, as a bonus, while Morristown, or Charles Oakley and Joshua Harper, who represented that interest, offered an entire quarter section, sixteen town lots and one thousand dollars in cash. This settled the matter, and Morristown was a seat of justice. The Geneseo party claim to have made a more liberal offer than did Oakley & Co., but the offer came after the Commissioners had made their decision.
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MARRIAGES.
The first marriage within the present limits of Henry County was that of James P. Dodge and Samantha Colbert, daughter of Rev. George A. Colbert, before the county was organized, Feb. 7, 1836. The license was issued from Knox County, where the record is also entered.
The first recorded marriage in the county was that of Mr. Louis Hurd and Miss Caroline W. Little, of Wethersfield, August 22, 1837, Rev. Itha- mar Pillsbury officiating. That notable event seemed to inspire the reverend gentleman, for we find his marriage with Miss Caroline E. Miller of Andover, December 18, 1837, Rev. Enoch Mead officiating. December 24, just six days after the Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Pillsbury's marriage, Win. B. Goss of Savannah, Jo Daviess County, was married by the aforesaid Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury, to Miss Ellen Baldwin of Cleveland. During the year 1838, there were five marriages in the County ; in 1839 six marriages are recorded. This year Geneseo witnessed the first wedding within her limits : James M. Allan and Susannah D. Stewart were married by the Rev. Jairus Wilcox, March 6, 1839. In 1840 there were ten couples united. In this year Morristown enjoyed her first wedding in the persons of Mahlon Lloyd, Esq., and Miss Amelia L. Davenport, December 30. During 1841 there seemed to be a very sudden increase of marriages, there being twenty-two recorded, of whom James Knox, afterwards representative to Congress, found a wife in the person of Miss P. H. Blish of Wethersfield, January 20, 1841. In 1842 there were twenty-three marriages ; in 1843 fifteen; in 1844 eighteen; in 1845 twenty-one; in 1846 twenty-five; in 1847 twenty-three; and they gradually increased till 1851, when there were sixty-three marriages in the county.
PHYSICIANS.
The first physician was also the first settler, it is believed - Dr. Baker, who settled on Rock River in 1835. We have no extensive record of his Æsculapian performances. The presumption is, his well known lack of adipose material was a constitutional bar to active practice, and he was not much known as a physician. Dr. Maxwell, who settled on Rock River in what is now Phenix township, in the Winter 1836-7, is said to have been a man of another cast, possessing a great deal of activity and promptness ; he has been represented as an eminent physician, very complaisant and agreeable in personal address. Dr. Pomeroy came in 1837. He had a very extensive practice, and is still residing in Geneses,
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an active and highly respected citizen. In 1845 Dr. S. T. Hume made his debut as physician of Henry County in Geneseo; he is still a practicing physician in that place. About the year 1840, Dr. Geo. Shipman, a Homœopathist, settled at Andover and built the house after- wards owned by Mr. Ayres ; he soon moved to Chicago.
LAWYERS.
Fortunately for the people of all new countries, lawyers find little encouragement at first to settle among them. Henry County was no exception. We have no data for an account of lawyers at an earlier date than 1845, unless we include an early settler of LaGrange, who has since practiced in the courts of California, but who left no record of his legal performances-if there were any-in this region. Nearly all who are now in the county have either moved into it since 1850, or have been admitted to the bar since that time. Our earliest information of attor- neys in the county is connected with two brothers, Wm. H. and Samuel P. Brainard. They were young men of promise ; Samuel P. holding at one time the clerkship of the county and circuit courts. Neither the law nor the offices, singly or jointly, afforded that gentleman an income sufficient to satisfy him immediately or prospectively, and upon the break- ing out of the gold fever in 1848-9, he suffered from a lingering attack of it and appointed a deputy to fill his post, while he went to California for gold which he never got. Wm. H. also filled the office of clerk of the circuit court, and was ex-officio recorder. , He was also school commissioner at a time when most of the school lands were sold, and sold for a large price, from which office he reaped a rich harvest. It is not possible to follow up the attorneys of the county individually and expect a narrative of them.
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