USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois, 1810-1962 > Part 26
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There was naturally some little dissatisfaction with the selection that was made. It was said that Lewis Banker, one of the commissioners, was the father-in-law of William Casey; and it was, of course, hinted that it was through his influence that the site was selected. 'e are not vouching for the truth of this, but at least it
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indicates that public matters were probably discussed in the early day much as they are today.
le do not have the time to discuss all the acts that were done once the county court was organized, neither would such a dis- cussion be profitable, but we might stop to note what was done in the way of furnishing the county with its first court house and some other public structures. It was resolved that a court house should be built at the first term of the County Commissioners Court. The building was to be of' hewn logs with dimensions of eighteen by thirty feet. Also, a stray pound was ordered to be built in 1820, as was a jail.
It might be interesting to consider what the population of the county has been at various times in the past: in 1820 it was 691; in 1830 -- 2, 555; 1840 -- 5,672; 1850 -- 8, 107; 1860 -- 12,965; 1870 -- 17, 864; and in 1880 -- 20, 686. You may carry on your own research from 1230.
The court, as we have seen, ordered list. Vernon to be laid of in lots, so that the lots could be sold and public buildings erected. This onder provided that Joel Pace contract with a surveyon to lay off the town in lots; that the sale of lots should commence on the third honday of September, 1819; that an advertisement be inserted in the Illinois Emigrant for three weeks previous of the commencement of the said sale and that fifty copies of the advertisement be struck of as handbills and be distributed in the county. The last part of this order is the most interesting pant: "And it is further ordered that the town be called litt. Vernon. "
Je should note that the name "Mount Pleasant" was the name first proposed for the new town, and it almost was accepted. It is thought that the name it. Vernon was finally selected because of lashington's popularity among the people of the county.
The original survey was made by a man by the name of William Hosick, who had but one arm and was a resident of Shawneetown. The town, of course, included but the twenty acres that were required by the act forming the county. The boundaries of the town were: Harrison Street on the north, Jordan Street on the South, Casey Street on the west (Casey, then being the present Eleventh Street), and Johnson Milley was the eastern boundary. Forty-eight lots were laid off in the
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original survey. At the sale, Lot il was sold for $41.00 and the others were sold for varying prices ranging up to $165.00. Sometime subsequent to the original sale, when the interest had died down and a few purchasers had failed to meet the terms of their purchases, the value of real estate in Mt. Vernon declined somewhat.
'e have seen that the purpose of the sale was to raise money for the erection of the necessary public buildings. lip to this time the court had been meeting in the various private homes in our commun- ity. So it was ordered that a court house be constructed.
I think that the original order tells us more about the building than my own words would do, and that it also gives us an idea of how the early inhabitants of this county went about getting things accomplished:
"Ordered, that the building of a court house be let to the lowest bidden on Friday the 24th inst. to be eighteen by thinty feet, thirteen feet high; to be built of hewed logs that will face from ten to twelve inches, closely notched down; to have a good roof made of boards; also a good under floor made of plank, rough, and closely, laid; and joist plates, with holes cut for joists; that the house to have one door and one window, cut and faced, and to them good shutters hung, made of rough plank; the house and all work about it done in a workman-like mannen, completed and de- livered to the County Commissioners' Court at their next September term, subject to the inspection of the County Com- missionens, said house to be built in the public square, on on the spot said Commissioners shall designate. The timber to be furnished by Isaac Casey, William Casey and Joseph Jon- dan. The building to said house to be paid for out of any money that may be in the treasury not otherwise appropriated."
John Sanders undertook the original contract for the sum of $85.00, and the building was finished according to schedule. As winter came on it was found to be rather uncomfortable, and it was arranged that a good chimney, back and hearth were to be built and the cracks were to be closely chinked inside and well daubed outside with well wrought montan. Other changes were also to be made in the building. Oliver lionris undertook to do the remodeling for the sum of $80.00, but when the commissioners examined the work they were dissatisfied and deducted 5.00 from the amount. So we find the first court house as an asset to the community in every respect, for the total expenditure of $160.00.
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Following the court house, a stray pound and a jail were constructed; and these were followed in 1320 by a Clerk's Office. . It this time, outside of the count house there was little in the county in the way of internal improvements. It may be that in Roman times all roads led to Rome, but early lit. Vernon could boast of nothing of the sont. In fact, it seemed that all roads led to some other place. The first road was the old Goshen Road, and it nan about four miles south and east of lit. Vernon. There were a few trails, but not even a trail led here.
In 1819 and 1820 various persons were appointed to view and lay out necessary roads for the town, but nothing came of the attempts until about 1821 when the Saline and Walnut Hill Road was laid out. It was to be eighteen feet in width. The road crosses no stream ne- quiring a bridge except for Casey's Fork on the liudy. This bridge was constructed by Ben Hood and Carter Wilkey at a cost of $44. 15. Hood and ilkey sawed the lumber by hand. Following this, provisions were made for the Vandalia Road, then the Frankfort Road, the Richview Road, the flashville Road, the Fairfield Road and the Brownsville and Pinck- neuville Roads. This brings us up to about 1344 in regard to the con- struction of roads in Jefferson County.
The inhabitants were also advancing in the field of education at this early period. It is believed that the first school ever taught in Jefferson County was taught in 1820 by Joel Pace, in a floorless cabin without ceiling on windows. The pupils were probably the chil- dren of William laxey, John and Henry Wilkerson, Isaac Casey, and James and Lewis Johnson.
The second school in Jefferson County was probably taught at ild Shiloh by James Douglas; and the third by Emory P. lione at Union in 1821, with W. L. Howell teaching this same school in 1822. We have considered something of the history of the first count house. In 1921 it was decided that a new court house was needed in the community. The walls were to be built of brick, twenty by thirty feet, two stories high; the first story to be nine feet and the second seven and a half , two sets of joists were to be put in. The building, was to have nine sixteen-light window frames below and eight twelve-light window frames above, two door frames, four fireplaces; and
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the building was to have a good firm brick floor, and well covered with good oak shingles without sap, the brick and timber to be of the best quality, and the whole thing was to be completed by the December term. Actually, the building was not completed until 1029. A man by the name of licinide at first undertook the job and later gave it to Thomas Condan. hiBride received , '300.00, Jordan $202.00, and a man by the name of Tunstall 110, 00; and later in 1029 when the building was finally completed and remodeled, $89,00 was spent for construction and $79.93 for painting.
The first term of the circuit court held in this county was convened on the 8th day of October, A. D. 1819, with William Wilson as judre. It is said that the grand jury netined to the woods north of the public square and returned with two indictments, both for assault and battery. One indictment was against the sheriff, who it is reported pleaded guilty and a fine of $2.00 was assessed. The county at this time was without a jail, and the jails of White and lashington counties were used.
To continue with the history of the court houses of Jefferson
County: it is said that one morning in 1839 the town awoke and found that the court house of 1321 had fallen down and that there was a hole in one side lange enough to drive through with a wagon. The town ac- cepied this fact in good spirits. Every one equipped himself" with a nope and razed the building by pulling, down the walls, to the accom- paniment of much dust, noise and fun.
Various court houses in the surrounding counties were examined in order to determine the type of building Jefferson County desined. In spite of all the improvements and changes that have been made, it appears that in some respects things and people do not change so much after all. This same viewing of count houses of the surrounding counties was carried on in 1938-39, when our present court house was being contemplated.
In 1841, Jefferson County had another new court house. It had been ordered that the clerk advertise in the "Western Voice" at Shawneetown and the "State Register" at Vandalia that the count would at the next June tenn receive sealed proposals for the building of a brick court house on the public square in lit. Vernon, and that a
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committee was selected to superintend the advertising, planning and building, of the house, subject at all times to the direction of the court and liable to be removed by the court. It was also advertised that the bids would be let on the 20th of july for the building of a court house in mt. Vernon on the plan of the court house at Carmi, Illinois. The building was to be of the same size and finish. William Edwards received the contract for +5500. 00.
We found that this court house was forty feet square, square roof, cupola supported by pillars and surrounded by a nailing, court room below, judge's seat on the north side, stairways in the southwest and southeast conners, with four rooms above for offices. The front door was on the south and plain doors on the east and west. There was mone care exercised concerning the doors of this court house than there had been for the previous buildings. It is said that cattle and sheep used the old court house during vacations, but the people had outgrown this and through the efforts of a Dr. W. S. VanCleve, the public square was ; enced and the weeds and bushes cut. The new build- ing was completed in 1340, and one of the good things about it was that final settlement and payment were made in October, 1841.
The first indictment for murder in Jefferson County was returned at the April term in 1841 against Rollin Bradley, changing him with killing and mundering one Elijah P. King. Je will not go into the facts, but Bradley was found guilty. Judge Scates, later on the Supreme Bench of Illinois, was the presiding circuit judge. Brad- ley was sentenced to be hung on the third day of january, 1842, between the hours of 12:00 and 2:00 o'clock. A gallows was erected and a lange crowd was said to have been present. However, Bradley was not without friends, and these went to Springfield and a pardon was ob- tained. His friends returned with the pardon, as is done in the best movie technique of today, just in the nick of time and just in time to disappoint one of the largest crowds that up to that time had ever assembled in the county.
I believe at this time, just for the sake of the record, we should bring the matter o," the county court houses of Jefferson County up to date. The court house of 1840-41 served until about 1863 on 1870, during William Coffee's term as sheriff, when there was a fine.
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So following this, Jefferson County had another court house which was remodeled in 1800 after the cyclone. This remodeled building fulfilled the needs of the county until 1939 when our present court house was constructed for about $300, 000, a building, of which we can be justly proud. Remember the first court house of the county was built and remodeled for $160.00. The cost of living and of court houses has come up to some extent.
We must of necessity do some skipping about in a historical review of this type. Je have been considering some of the activities which were taking place in the town and township of lit. Vernon. Let us change the scene and notte a few of the developments in a part of the other townships of the county.
Je; Person County is divided into sixteen townships and adopted township organization in 1869. The first township officers were elected in 1870. Time will not permit us to discuss each indi- vidual township; however, I shall devote a few moments to the more well-known ones, especially those which contain the more interesting villages from a historic viewpoint.
Mention has been made of the early settlement of Moore's Prairie and we know that it received its name from Andrew loone, its first settlen.
Shiloh Township, save moore's Prairie and the vicinity immediately surrounding lit. Vernon, was the first to attract early settlers. Zadok Casey is credited with being the first white inhabi- tant and was followed by Jovennon Casey in 1317 and William laxen in 1218, who constructed the first mill. Abner Hill kept a distillery in the northeast part of the township and, as has been before mentioned, this township had one of the first schools in the county.
Woodlawn is in Shiloh Township and was laid out by John D. Williams for S. R. Casey and W. J. Green, October 1, 1269. The first house in the village was built by linam Ferguson. James Farmer erected the first will in 1072, and a man by the name of Hicks had established a drug store in 1870. A Methodist Church was built in the village in 1579 Con . 1200, 00.
Pendleton and Hoone's Prairie Townships are closely con- nected and at one time comprised loone's Prairie Precinct. The first
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village of Pendleton Township was Lynchburg. How many of you have ever heard of it? This village was laid out in 1852 and 1953 by W. H. Lunch and originally consisted of four blocks of eight lots each. Lynchburg was no more than well started when the march of progress sealed its jate, as well as that of other communities in the county. Progress in this instance was in the form of the railroad. When the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad was built and passed Lynchburg by "on the other side" Lynchburg was doomed, but with the railroad came Opduke and Belle Rive.
Belle Rive was established in Pendleton Township in 1871. The original plat was of sixty-seven blocks and, being a new railroad town, it improved rapidly. As we mentioned above, this improvement was to some extent at the expense of the less fortunate villages of the county. A Christian Church was organized in 1873-74, and a Masonic Lodge in 1871.
Belle Rive was laid out on April 1, 1371, and Opdyke soon followed, being laid out in the same year on April 14. Opdyke was, of course, also a direct result of the railroad development. The lietho- dist Church was established in 1872, and a liasonic Lodge originally organized in Lynchburg was moved to Opdyke in 1376.
In the year of 1816 on 1017, William liaxwell came from Bour- bon, Kentucky, and settled in Rome Township and his sone Robert and Archibald soon followed. It is interesting to notice that Robert entered the first tract of land in Jefferson County and paid for it in cash.
One of the first taverns of Jefferson County was located in this township, operated by William Joins. Legend has it that this was the meeting place of lawless characters, horse thieves, counterfeiters and even mundenens; but whether true on not, we know that the tavern was soon out of business and the township settled by progressive citi- zens.
The village of Rome was not settled on seven hills, but it was an early community of this county, having been laid out on March 14, 1849, by Amba Andrews, and the survey was made by L. F. Casey. Originally, there were four blocks, each one having five lots. The first structure was elected for John Bostwick for a grocery, but most
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of the stock would have been difficult to distinguish from that of a saloon. Andrew Harmon erected the second building for use as a hotel.
The town was probably named for Rome, New York, as In. Andrews, one of the early settlers of the community, came from that place. A post office had been established at lin. Andnews' home in 1830 and was designated as Jordan Prairie Post Office. This post office was moved to Rome when the town was established; and then it was discovered that there was another post office in the state by that name, so another name had to be selected. It is said that Dr. Jones named the post ofice Con General Dix. Thus we have the name by which we know the community.
We will now consider one of the most important townships, if not the most important one -- Spring Garden. You who know something of my background will understand my placing Spring Garden in this position of prominence. (EDITORIAL NOTE: Min. Williams grew up in the Spring Garden community. ) At least, I am on a firm ground when I say that it had the greatest population of any township in the county, with the exception of Mt. Vernon.
In preparing this paper I read where Spring Garden Township is situated in the southern tip of townships of the county, and "is as "ine a body of land as lies out of doors." This statement takes in quite a little territory, as it has been my observation that most land does lie out of doors as this particular author put it.
It is believed that the very first settlers of Spring Garden Township were the Smiths and the Hoppers, who came around 1816. But of more interest is the fact that Uniah Compton early settled at the springs called Compton Springs and from these the township received its name. Compton improved the springs and made them quite a nesont for his day.
Perhaps we should have discussed the village of Spring Garden first among the villages of the county, as it was laid out by L. F. Casey, October 24, 1848. .. "). Creek erected a house and was in busi- ness in 1847, a year before the village was laid out.
James li. Williams built the first hotel, having traded for the land from Creek, and in 1859 and 1360 he built a brick hotel. 20- seph Williams built a house in 1853 and was in business with his brother, Henny.
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One of the first steam mills in the county was constructed by Driver & Pollock in Spring Garden, and it is related that soon after the mill was completed that there was quite a celebration among the residents; that the millen crowded on steam until the mill stones flew into fragments, bringing the celebration to an abrupt halt. Later this mill was out of operation and Hanny Williams built a new mill a short distance from the town.
The village of Spring Garden had the first Township High School in Jefferson County, and this was probably the first Township High School in Southern Illinois. I attended this school in the school years of 1888-1389. In. J. T. Whitlock, Later a resident and prac- tising physician in this city, was the teacher.
.le have seen how the coming of the railroad destroyed Lynch- burg, and to a great extent Spring Garden suffered the same Late. First the building of the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroad caused people to move to Opdyke and Belle Rive; and laten, when the Chicago and Eastern Illinois was constructed, Bonnie and Ina came into existence. While the coming of the railroad did not guarantee a brilliant future for these towns, it made certain that progress had ended for Spring Ganden, even though it was by far the most active of the communities in the county outside of lit. Vernon.
The early history of Elk Prairie Township was similar to that of the county generally. The village of !infield in this township was laid out by A. M. Grant for ?. ?. Fitzgernell, the owner of the land, on March 26, 1860. The survey took in four blocks of four lots each. The first stone was operated by Isaac Boswell. Later, stones were opened by lin. Graham and Min. land. A mill was built and subse- quently improved. Dr. Gee moved to the village in 1867 and Dr. White was also a resident. About 1230 it was said that the village was to- cated in a good fanning area and that it should now and prosper. How- even, we now know that in addition to this there were other factors which controlled the growth of communities in this county.
The settlement of Blissville Township dates back to 1322 and 1623. Among the early settlers in this township were Jesse Jees, Joseph Laird, David Fairchild, Eli Gilbert, Isaac and Sidney Place and others whom we do not have time to mention. The township was named in honor
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of August Bliss, who settled in Casner Township. He made an early attempt to lay off a village, which was never improved; In. Bliss died on his way to California during the gold rush days.
The principal community of Blissville Township and of several others in that section of the county was Williamsberg. It is situ- cked in Knob Prairie on the northeast quanten 0; Section 35. Dns. Noone and Peavler Laid of the village on December 17, 1867. It con- sisted of four blocks with a total of forty-three lots. The first stone building was erected by john Hagle and the first residence by David Hicks.
It is difficult for us to realize at the present time the activity which once existed in these early communities. Hicks' son nan a drug store. Brick buildings were elected by Henry Willis. A good mill was built, which changed hands often and finally came into the possession of John Dare. There were several general stores and laten a second drug, stone operated by J. W. Robinson. The community was Williamsberg, but the post office carried the name of Laun.
All the townships could not be discussed and neither could all the villages, but I have mentioned those townships and villages which I felt held the greatest interest from a historical point of view. The history of Jefferson County and int. Vernon is closely, connected with the history of the courts of this state. It is more closely, connected than that of many countries and towns, as Jefferson County and I.t. Vernon both have an important place in the judicial background of the state.
The Supreme Court of the State of Illinois first met in lit. Vernon in 1848. The state constitution of 1048 divided the state into three grand divisions. Each division elected one judge. This county, was in the first division. Aften quite a struggle h.t. Vernon was selected as the seat of the first division. it that early day there appeared to be the same rivalry over the location of important insti- tutions and functions, which rivalry is not entirely unknown at this time.
The first term of the State Supreme Court held here convened in December, 1843. I believe that there were seventeen cases on the docket. Jefferson County furnished one of these. This was the case of
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William B. Thorn vs. Joel F. Watson, Administration of the state of Janes Ham. Thorn had a claim against the estate which the adminis- trator contended had been filed too late and was thus barned by the statute. The Lowen court held for the administrator and this decision was affinned by the Supreme Court.
In 1854 an appropriation was obtained from the legislature for the purpose of the construction of a court house, now the Appellate Court Building at 14th and lilain Streets, lit. Vernon. This appropri- ation was for the sum of $6000.00. T. B. Tanner, Maj. Johnston, Zadok Casey, William J. Stephens and Dr. John N. Johnson were appointed as commissioners to superintend the construction. It was found that the sum was insufficient, but panties in St. Louis were located who agreed to at least inclose the building for the #600.00. Tannen was in 1854 elected to the legislature and obtained an additional appropriation of $10, 000, and with this amount the building was completed according to the original design.
By the constitution of 1870, the Judicial Department of the state was reorganized. The three grand divisions were retained, but the number of judges increased from three to seven. The state was divided into seven districts and one judge elected from each division or district. For a number of years the supreme court has met only at Springfield, Illinois. The lit. Vernon building, then became the Appel- late Court House that we all know.
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