History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 45

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 45

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In May, 1867, $1,546.25 had been paid by the citizens of Watseka on their individual subscription, leaving an unpaid balance of $953.75. At this time J. A. Koplin, A. S. Palmer and J. W. Williams were appointed to ascertain if it could be collected ; and none of it having been paid, at the annual meeting in September the list was placed in the hands of a committee, consisting of A. G. Willard, K. Shankland and Thomas Stump, with instructions to enforce the collection of the same. A year later A. Honeywell and A. J. Alexander were added to the committee, and at the May term, 1869, this special committee was directed to bring immediate suit, in their discretion, on any unpaid amounts. A report, submitted by Blades & Kay, collection attorneys, to the December meeting in 1871, shows only a very small portion collected. Here the matter rests.

406

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

BURNING OF THE COUNTY OFFICES AND PARTIAL LOSS OF RECORDS.

At two o'clock on the morning of October 16, 1866, the buildings occupied for county offices were destroyed by fire. The school-house already mentioned as situated on lot 11, block 20 (where Bishop's furniture store now stands), was occupied below by the county judge, county clerk and county treasurer, as previously described, and the upper story was used for the public school. The fire, supposed to be incendiary, originated in this building, and the wind blowing strongly from the northeast at the time, communicated the flames to the wooden structure adjoining on the west, in which the circuit clerk's office was then situated. Regarding the loss of books and records and the damage to them, Judge McNeill wrote, in answer to the request of the editor of the "Republican": "All the following records were preserved complete : All the books and papers pertaining to the office of the clerk of the circuit court, and also the following records belong- ing to the county clerk's office, to wit, the land book, the swamp land record, the probate claim dockets, running back to January 4, 1859; the executors, administrators and guardians' records since 1860, and the railroad tax book. In addition to the above, most of the impor- tant records were dug out of the fire, only partly burned, and it is hoped that we shall be able to decipher most of the important matters belonging to the county court. By the assistance of those interested in the estates, and perhaps some necessary legislation, the county court will be able to straighten up most all of the important matters of that court. All executors, administrators and guardians will be required to file new bonds, and render just accounts of all estate matters in their hands, as soon as practicable. Perhaps the most serious loss of the whole is the destruction of the will records, as many of our land titles are derived from that source. If those interested take immediate steps, by proper legal proceedings, to quiet their titles while the neces- sary evidences to do so are attainable, most of this evil may be avoided. .. The orders and decrees of the county court in all administrators' and executors' sales of real estate are preserved in full in the deeds made on such sales." Fortunately, in January, 1865, the board of supervisors had appropriated $300 to assist Judge McNeill in inaking an abstract of the land titles in the county. As the abstract was to be used by the judge in his private business, this occasioned some com- plaint; but this fire proved the foresight of the board, and justified their action. In addition to those mentioned as destroyed, the record of the proceedings of the board of supervisors, and the assessors' and collectors' books were lost. The former was restored from September

407

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

23, 1861, by reference to newspaper files, supervisors Honeywell and McNeill being appointed by the board and charged with that impor- tant duty. The county clerk, under instructions of the board, made new assessors' books, and those township officers copied and returned, at the expense of the county, the assessment of their several towns. A committee, consisting of C. F. McNeill, chairman, Samuel Williams and Alba Honeywell, was appointed to prepare a bill to be presented to the legislature for passage, to aid in restoring the records and tax levies, and to legalize the same. This trust they performed, and the act was approved and became a law January 30, 1867. We have once before alluded to the destruction of the commissioners' record, the journal of the county court and the supervisors' record to the date above mentioned, as having entailed upon us a heavy task in the prep- aration of some portion of these pages, and. we dare not hope that for the want of information which they would have furnished we have not fallen into some errors.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

The political or, more strictly, partisan history of the county was comparatively uneventful and uninteresting till the organization of the republican party, and the presidential campaign of 1856. Anterior to this time Iroquois county had been uniformly democratic. Passing the many active members of that party, we can find room to mention only the most prominent: Hugh Newell, Isaac Courtright, Micajah Stanley, Samuel M. Ayres, Major John Strickler, Samuel McFall, Samuel Harper, Sr., John Chamberlain, Joseph Thomas, Aaron M. Goodnow and John Wilson. Courtright served two terms in the legislature, and Stanley and Thomas one each. As the early presiden- tial votes show, the whigs were greatly in the minority. Robert Hill, Edward D. Boone, James Smith, Ira Lindsey, Lewis Roberts and Col. Thomas Vennum were the leading men of this party.

In May, 1856, the "Iroquois Republican" was started by J. A. Graham and D. T. Lindley, with Jesse Bennett and Franklin Blades as editors. The former, though the senior, was only an occasional con- tributor. Blades was a young physician, animated, as most young men are, by a high purpose, a pure devotion, and an'ardent attachment to the principles of political unity and universal freedom. Closing his salutatory, which was a vigorous announcement of the position the paper would maintain, with this terse and manly avowal, "Here we stand, God help ns," which gave token of the strength, courage and earnestness with which he would do battle for human rights, he mod- estly accepted the visible leadership of his political associates, and

408

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

marshaled them for the conflict. Throughout that memorable cam- paign the fiery and enthusiastic notes of a dashing championship rang out in all the utterances of the "Republican." Owen Lovejoy was the candidate for congress from this district. On August 7 a mass meeting was held at Middleport, which was a notable event in connec- tion with the change in the tide of politics in this county. It was in every way a county affair, and the first really distinctive outpouring that had ever been awakened in Iroquois county. Because of the general and permanent interest which will always attach to it, we sub- join almost entire the account given of it by Dr. Blades. "Thursday last inaugurated a new epoch in the politics of our county. In years agone, while nearly the whole country was ablaze with partisan heat and strife, our county hibernated on, and gave back no response to, the enthusiasm that thrilled the nation in heart and limb. But the long to be remembered 7th ignited the very soul of the county, and made it vibrate to all its extremities with the deep, fervent throbbings which have pulsated throughout the nation. That gathering may be surpassed in numbers at. some future day, when the county shall have become more densely populated, but it will never be surpassed in earnest en- thusiasm. We had not doubted that the convention would be well attended ; but when we saw the immense delegations which at an early hour commenced pouring into town from every township, we felt ashamed that we had so greatly underrated the spirit and enterprise of Iroquoisans. The first large delegation came into town from Onarga and the Longshore neighborhood, the two having united a half mile out of town, and were escorted in by the Momence brass band, who did their dusty, tiresome labors on that day cheerfully and creditably to themselves, and much to the grateful entertainment of the occasion. Then came in the Concord and Milford delegations, which united a short distance out of town, and were also gallantly escorted in by the band. Next, the Ash Grove delegation was escorted in by the band. Right nobly did Ash Grove do her duty, considering that the main part of Ash Grove township is twenty miles off. Hundreds came in 'on their own hook.' Altogether, Middleport was never so gloriously overwhelined as on that day. Never within the memory of the oldest citizen has there been so large and enthusiastic a gathering as literally ponred out to greet with warm hearts, and with countenances lit at the altar-fire of liberty, that noble hearted, glorious man, Lovejoy. It is a fair estimate to place the number who were in attendance at 4,000. And when we consider that they were nearly all residents of the county, it is an illustration of how profoundly the 'great dcep' of the popular heart has been moved by the wrongs and calamities which

409

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

their brethren in Kansas have endured, and how it swells with terrible indignation at the bloody hand of tyranny which sways the scepter of the direst despotism over that doomed territory. After forming into procession under the efficient marshalship of our friend Mark Ayres, assisted by Messrs. J. C. Bryant, D. B. Gardner and F. Blades, the company proceeded to the tables, where were spread out, in bounteous profusion, the good things prepared and furnished by fair hands from every part of the county. ... Dr. Fithian, the elector for this district, first addressed the meeting with force and point for nearly an hour ; but his voice failing-he is in feeble health-he was obliged to desist. After a soul-stirring glee or two by the Onarga glee club, and a spirited air by the band, Owen Lovejoy ascended the stand, and for over two hours poured forth the charming eloquence of his musical soul to an audience as spell-bound as was ever transfixed by the magic tongue of eloquence. We do not wish to praise or express admiration by rote, but we will say that we never heard that speech surpassed. He moved the liearts of the great throng as we never saw them moved before, and the upturned eyes, oft filled with tears, told in language stronger than mere utterance that humanity has its instinctive, spontaneons, irresist- ible sympathies for human woe and bondage, in whatever of its protean horrors it presents itself. Owen Lovejoy is this day more secure in tlie affections of the people than any other man may soon hope to attain to. He is a noble, generous, glorious, frank-hearted, good man. It was luxurious to witness how completely and triumphantly he vindicated his past life from tlie aspersions and slanders that have been heaped upon him. Most of all, his irresistible defense of his position as a national man, in every true sense of that term, was grand and soul- stirring in the highest degree. Said he, 'If we succeed in electing a president, we will neither dissolve the Union ourselves, nor let any other party do it.' To which we said in our hearts, Amen ! and all the people said, Anien! Amen !! His apostrophe to the constitution we expect never to hear surpassed in patriotic eloquence."

Dr. Blades was nominated one of the republican candidates for rep- resentative to the general assembly from this district, and was elected over his competitor, Micajah Stanley, by a majority of 162 votes, the total number cast for both being 1,302. The county went republican by majorities ranging from 154 to 290,-the first time in its history of twenty-two years that it disavowed faith in the shibboleth of democra- cy. No man contributed more to this result than Dr. Blades. For a few years following this triumph the county alternated between the supremacy of the two parties. In 1857 the democrats were successful at the polls, Judge Chamberlain heading the ticket for reelection. The

410

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

total vote was 1,269, as against 1,318 the year before. The one reflected the views on local and the other on national issues. In 1858 the county gave a republican majority, and again in 1860. A union and a republican ticket was in the field in 1861. This year the swamp-land question was once more a topic of discussion. A public fear of litiga- tion was to some extent excited by those interested in the union nomi- nations. Some of the most respectable republicans gave their active influence to this ticket. The republicans generally were desirous of uniting all in a hearty support of the war, and to that end were anxious to testify their magnanimity by sharing the offices with their opponents. Samuel Williams was candidate for county judge on the union ticket, and being an old citizen, enjoying the full confidence of the people, was elected. The full ticket was successful.

During the early stage of the war Judge McNeill conducted the " Republican." He forecasted events with uncommon clearness, and by his radical and steadfast sentiments contributed largely toward educating and unifying the war feeling. Scarcely could a man have so good a monument from other material. For many years since that time, as a few before, he exercised a controlling and creating influence in the republican party of this county. No hands have done more toward its upbuilding. Others planted, but he has weeded and watered and trained with an unselfish and sacrificing devotion. From that time to this the county has been strongly republican on questions of national debate. In local politics, however, since 1873 there has been nearly an even division of success between the republican and inde-

pendent parties. We attempt only a brief account of the two salient political events in the history of the county. The revolution of 1873 and the good results following it mark a distinct epoch. The reforms introduced by the constitution of 1870 were everywhere reluctantly accepted by the office-holders, whose ideas of compensation liad been gradually formed by the powerful influence of the fees and perquisites of the old system. Under that had been produced a set of unwritten maxims, and practices not more real, disorganizing in their moral effects, but cohesive otherwise, which had originated in every shire town a central authority styled " the ring." When by the altered circumstances the incumbents were constrained to take smaller pay in salaries, which were not, unlike the former pay, adequate to lay the foundations of respectable fortunes, they naturally felt that it was an effectual, if not ingenious, scheme of oppression. That they did not promptly come forward, upon the inception of the new system, and offer zealous suggestions how to put the machine in motion and keep it in running order, so as to secure the most effective results, ought

411

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

not to create astonishment, though it did provoke criticism. It would have been expecting too much to think that they could be conspicuous sympathizers with the new plan. It was not enough that a remote decision had been pronounced in adopting the constitution. A radi- cally curative effort by the people, displayed in tearing away from old . affiliations and assuming independent fellowship, in which they should remove their own positive sanction solemnly given at the polls, was necessary. To have indorsed the same men,-in other words, the old means of perpetuating power, would have defeated the object. Until they could raise themselves to this plane of a better manhood and citi- zenship, it were but putting new wine into old bottles. Incorrigible education unfitted the old vessels for the active virtues of the new compound. A new system required new men. The occasion for obtaining them was not long wanting. It was of no consequence that the popular agitation was incited by a wholly extraneous cause, or a cause combining with it many lesser ones. The people were ripe for the occasion when it came. Abuses in office and out of office, in busi- ness and out of business, in private and in public,-abuses everywhere, touching the financial affairs and operations of men,-had produced in the public mind, more especially of the " bone and sinew " of the land, patronizingly so called, a just sense that the burdens of government and of society were unequally distributed. Being hard pressed from every side, it is not surprising that in the general ferment they often struck wildly, and perhaps with too little moderation. But an impor- tant work was to be done, and it took blows to do it. It was unfor- tunate personally for those of the opposition upon whom devolved the leadership. In this county a long tenure of power, whose insecurity was never suspected, had made the dominant party remiss. The man- agers saw in the supremacy of their organization only spoils for division among themselves. The suffrage of the people was a public means to private ends. The overshadowing prominence of national ineasures took all their attention, and the local politicians were prosperous when the eyes of their constituents were turned away. Pains were not taken to inform the people of the state of county affairs, but rather there was a careful effort to withhold such knowledge. The system of account- ing showed either a misconception of the law, or an evasion of it, and the fiscal statements confused instead of enlightening those who were entitled to know the condition of public business ; indeed, it has been truly said that even the treasurer was not often able to furnish very definite information. The treasury was run in the interest of a few individuals. County orders sold at from twenty-five to fifty per cent discount. With a change of power, however, came a sudden improve-

412

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

ment of affairs. The augean stables were cleaned out. Care and economy succeeded waste and extravagance. County orders were honored at the desk of the treasurer. The public interests shot into the ascendant. About January 16, 1873, a convention of the farmers of Illinois was held at Bloomington, pursuant to a call, by a convention of a few clubs held at Kewanee, Henry county. A large representa- tion from clubs and granges, together with prominent men from differ- ent parts of the state, assembled to inquire into the cause for unpaid labor, and to deliberate upon a remedy. The chief subject of discus- sion was the extortionate tariffs of railroad monopolies, and the defiance by such monopolies of the lawful authority of the state. An associa- tion was organized, and the farmers of Illinois were advised to form clubs auxiliary to the same, for the agitation of questions affecting their interests. At this time the grange organization was almost universally unknown. In this state not a dozen were in existence, and these were limited to Lee and Whiteside counties. A few persons from Iroquois county were present at the state convention ; the only ones now remembered were A. J. Alexander, of Gilman ; George B. Fickle, of Onarga; and R. G. Campbell, of Loda. Fickle was a dele- gate from the Onarga Horticultural Society. Campbell represented the Farmers' Protective Association, of which he was president. This was organized at Loda, and incorporated under the laws of the state, November 30, 1871; and was the first farmers' club in the county, and the only one of the kind. On his return, a meeting was advertised to be held at Loda on the 25th, to ratify the action of the Bloomington convention, and to organize under the state association. It was largely attended, and earnest addresses were delivered. A similar meeting was held on the same day at Onarga, and about the same time another at Gilman, called by Mr. Alexander, who had been appointed to attend to the organizing of Iroquois county. Permanent clubs were formed at all these places. Others rapidly followed, and the press at once teemed with their proceedings. The whole country was soon ablaze. This was the secret of the wonderful spread of the order of Patrons of Husbandry, which was wholly distinct from the Illinois State Farmers' Association. For a while there was a little rivalry between the two grand organizations, but on the whole they worked harmoniously together for the same general objects. Iroquois county was soon well organized. In eighteen months about fifty of these bodies were meet- ing regularly, nearly three-fourths being granges.

On the assembling of congress, after the presidential election of 1872, the credit mobilier, which had been unearthed during the cam- paign, was investigated and thoroughly exposed. Following close

413

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

upon this came the salary grab by congress, approved by the president. The public mind was deeply affected by these events. Added to the grinding extortion practiced by the railroad corporations, these moral forces engendered a state of feeling that very early in the year took positive political form. High protective tariff and other causes added their full share to the result. . The evils complained of as heavily borne were understood to run through every branch of the public service from the national administration down to the lowest office. "These," said the " Gilman Star," of that date, " are the causes that make men forget their differences and labor for each other's welfare." Indeed, the grievances were real and deep-rooted, and like true men whom a' common danger threatened, the people dropped all contention. The press throughout the country, with great unanimity, applauded the movement, and welcomed it as a sign of coming good. Notably in some cases the attempt was undertaken to make it turn the old party mills, but with signal failure. Never did men set about the accom- plishment of an object with a firmer purpose, nor a more rational con- .ception of their aims and duties. The "Iroquois Times," "Gilman Star" and "Onarga Review " supported the farmers' cause politically, while the " Watseka Republican," advocating the railroad reforms de- manded by the new movement, close to labor for them within the party. On July 14 the republican central committee met at Watseka for consultation. Several of the principal men of the party, not mem- bers of the committee, were present by invitation, and freely advised concerning the best course of action. A contrariety of views were entertained. A "people's anti-monopoly convention " was called for August 26, to nominate candidates for county offices. This was a clear abandonment of the party name; but not, as was shrewdly suspected and finally developed, a sincere abandonment of the party organization. That this was a mistake, no well-informed republican will now deny. Whatever the motives for this change may have been, we regard them now as of little moment; still the decision was disastrous to the integ- rity of the organization, if at that time that was worth a consideration. The chairman, Z. Beatty, was a partisan of the inflexible type, whose spirit was such in this business that it was not necessary for him to make a special effort to give the proceeding, which he did not indorse, such an odor as to make it seem perhaps worse than it really was - even disingenuous. His name appended to any political call deter- mined its absolute character. The only question from first to last for the farmers to decide was whether they should undertake to accom- plish their desires within the republican party, to which a large ma- jority of them belonged, or whether it should be attempted by a new

414

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

and distinct organization. The action of the republican committee was interpreted to have been the result of temporizing motives, and hence when the hour for a new departure came there was scarcely a. breath of controversy, and the opposition that was made was so want- ing in strength as not to command even respectful consideration. It was soon clearly seen that the committee liad missed the popular chord, for expressions denoting a different wish were becoming numer- ous. This dissatisfaction was first made known by the Sheldon Club, and afterward by those of Milford, Gilman, Iroquois and Middleport, the two last of which separately issued calls for a farmers' convention, to be held in Watseka on August 8, " for the purpose," as expressed by the last club, "of taking into consideration the propriety of going into the people's anti-monopoly convention, already called, or to deter- inine under existing circumstances whether it is expedient to call a farmers' convention, and, if found to be expedient, to call such a con- vention and apportion the delegates to the same." The 8th of August brought together fifty-seven representatives of twenty-one organizations. A. J. Alexander was made president, and Henry Phelps and George T. Metzger, secretaries. An interchange of views on the question which the convention had been called to decide took place. There was great unanimity. Only four, of whom the writer was one, advocated turn- ing out to the primaries, and sending delegates of our own to the anti- monopoly convention to control it in our interest. The sentiment in favor of holding an independent convention was so strong that the majority were impatient of opposition so slight, and had it not been for the extreme fairness of the president the minority would not have been fully heard. A central committee of twenty-four, one from each club and grange, was appointed, and instructed to issue a call for a con- vention ; this they did before the adjournment, fixing the representation at three from each organization, and naming the 25th as the day for holding the convention. This was one day earlier than the anti- monopoly convention, and was so ordered to take a fearless and inde- pendent departure. This new plan of representation had a powerful effect in promoting the organization of farmers' clubs. The interval was improved by such as were intent on party-making and had a malady for office.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 45

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903 Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180