USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois > Part 16
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SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the Com- missioners aforesaid shall receive a compensation of two dollars for each and every day they may be necessarily employed in fixing the aforesaid seat of
Marcus, D. Bruce
LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
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justice, to be paid out of the county treasury by an order from the Commissioners' Court.
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of Jefferson County are hereby declared entitled, in all respects, to the same rights and privileges as are allowed in general with the other counties in this State.
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the county of Jefferson sball vote in conjunction with White County for Representatives to the General Assembly of the State, and it shall be the duty of the Clerks of said counties to meet at the court house in White County, within ten days after such elections, and make a certificate, signed by both Clerks, to the persons duly elected; and if the said Clerks shall fail to do the same they shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars, for the use of said counties, to be recovered by action of debt in the county in which such delinquent Clerk may reside.
SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That the county of Jefferson shall he and compose a part of the See- ond Judicial Circuit, and the courts shall be holden therein at such times as shall be specified by law.
This was followed by a supplemental act. entitled “ An act supplemental to an act for laying off a new county out of the counties of Edwards and White," approved March 29. 1819, and is as follows:
Be it endeted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That all that tract or part of country lying north of the county of Jefferson and west of the county of Wayne, and not included within the limits of the said counties of Jefferson and Wayne, established by the act to which this is a supplement, be and the same is hereby attached to and forms a part of the said county of Jefferson, and that the inhabitants there- of have and enjoy all the rights and privileges, as far as may be, that the inhabitants of the county of Jefferson have and enjoy.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the county of Jefferson be and the same is hereby attached to the Fourth Judicial Circuit of the State, etc., etc.
The county was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, and who was inaugurated into office on the 4th of March. 1801. He was born at Shadwell, Albemarle Co., Va., April 2, 1743, and died at Monticello, his country seat, July
4, 1826, just half a century after the adop- tion of the Declaration of Independence, a document penned by his own hand, and which has rendered his name immortal, and dear to every liberty-loving citizen of the whole country. Jefferson's administration was very popular, and he was elected to a second term, receiving more than three- fourths of the votes in the electoral college. During his first term, the afterward noto- rions Aaron Burr was Vice President, and during the second, George Clinton was asso. ciated with him as Vice President.
On the 30th of March. 1819, two other acts were passed by the Legislature, pertain- ing wholly or in part to Jefferson County. The first authorized Lewis Watkins to admin- ister the required oaths to all officers com- missioned for the county; and the other or- dered an election in Wayne, Jefferson. Clark and Alexander Counties, to be held on the fourth Monday of April, for County Commis- sioners, Sheriffs and Coroners. The Coroner then was an important officer, as, in the ab- sence or inability of the Sheriff to serve, the Coroner acted in his stead until the Sheriff resumed his duties.
In pursuance of the last-mentioned act, an election was held at the house of William Casey, which stood where the brick building recently known as Taylor's Commercial Hotel now stands. Some thirty or forty votes were cast; and Zadok Casey, Joseph Jordan and Fleming Greenwood were elected Commissioners, and Lowis Watkins, Sheriff. The Commissioners met at William Casey's on Monday, June 7, for the purpose of or ganizing the county court. Their certifi cates of election were signed by Oliver Mor- ris and Lowis Watkins, Justices of the Peace, and attested by Edward Maxey, act ing Clerk of the Court; they were then duly sworn into office. Edward Maxey, the Clerk
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pro tempore, resigned, and the court appoint- ed Joel Pace to the office of County Clerk. He gave bond in the sum of $1,000, with James Kelly and Isaac Casey as securities.
This completed the organization of the county, and it was now ready for business.
The Seat of Justice .- One of the first matters which engaged the attention of the court was the location of the seat of justice according to the provisions of the act for the formation of the county. As soon as the court convened, the Commissioners appointed for that purpose presented the following re- port:
According to an act of the General Assembly, approved March 26, 1819, appointing certain Com- missioners to meet on the second Monday of May, at the house of William Casey. for the purpose of fixing a permanent seat of justice for and in Jeffer- son Connty. the following persons met. viz .: Lewis Barker. Ambrose Manlding and James A. Richard- son, who, after being duly sworn, have proceeded. determined and fixed upon the southwest quarter of Section 29. Range 3. of Township 2. on the land owned by William Casey, the town to be laid off in the southwest corner of said quarter, to commence near the timber, on a point not far distant from Casey's honse, and thence to the foot of the de scent on a point on which Casey's house stands, or in such a manner as said Connty Commissioners shall designate. Given under our hands and seals this 12th day of May. 1819.
JAMES A. RICHARDSON. AMBROSE MAULDING. LEWIS BARKER.
This report was accompanied by the follow- ing paper, confirmatory of Casey having com- plied with the requirements of the twenty acre-clause of the legislative act:
Personally appeared before ns the subscriber, William Casey, and made a donation of twenty acres of land, to be laid off in town lots and sold for the purpose of paying for public buildings in the county of Jefferson, which twenty acres of land shall he laid off by the County Commissioners on the land designated by the Commissioners appointed by the State Legislature for fixing the permanent seat of justice for said Jefferson County. Whereof the
said William Casey has hereunto set his hand and seal this 12th day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.
WILLIAM CASEY.
N. B. Provided such Commissioners shall lay off said town so as not to include said Casey's house and farm.
[Attest ]
JAMES A. RICHARDSON, AMBROSE MAULDING, LEWIS BARKER.
The report of the Commissioners was re- ceived, and the selection made by them be- cams the seat of justice of the new county, an honor which it has retained to the present day. There was, as is always the case, some little dissatisfaction at the selection thus made. Mr. Isaac Hicks wanted it near him, and offered a site known as " Post Oak Hill," which was a fraction nearer the geographical center of the county. Another " eligible lo. cation " was on the high grounds between Mrs. Samuel Casey's and Mrs. Dodds' resi- dence. But Lewis Barker, one of the Com- missioners, was the father-in-law of William Casey, and there were hints at the time that it was through his influence the present site was selected. Be that as it may, the loca. tion selected is a beautiful one for a town, and could scarcely be surpassed by any of the other sites offered. For their services in " fixing the permanent seat of justice," the court allowed Maulding $8, and Barker and Richardson $12 each. Maulding lived in Hog Prairie, a little this side of the present town of McLeansboro; Barker owned the ferry at Cave-in-Rock, and Richardson lived in the vicinity of Carmi. Of the laying-out of the seat of justice, and its growth and de- volopment as a town. the reader is referred to the chapters devoted to Mount Vernon.
The Courts. - Thus the county court was organized, the seat of justice established and the legal machinery of the newly created municipality put in motion. The first ses- sion of the court was taken up with the re-
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port of the Commissioners for locating the seat of justice, as already noticed; James Kelly and Jacob Barger applied for a writ to condemn a "mill seat;" license for retail- ing goods was fixed at $15, and the Clerk em- powered to issue them when called on for the same; the laying off a town ordered, also the building of a court house, etc., etc. At the second session of the court, held June 25, 1819, James Kelly was appointed County Treasurer; a list of the tasable property was ordered: Lewis Watkins took out tavern license, for which he paid a fee of $4. At the third term of court, held September 6, among other business, the court house was received and the survey of the town ordered to be recorded. Also, W. Casey and J. Pace were ordered to " stake out" the town, and several roads ordered to be viewed and laid out. In this humble and unpretentious way, the county moved along quietly. The busi. ness coming before the county court was of a general character, as above given. and was dispatched without much debate or wrangling. The last session held by this (the first) board, tavern keepers' rates of charges were fixed as follows: A single meal, 373 cents; lodging, 123 cents; keeping horse all night, 50 cents; a single feed, 25 cents. The first term of the Circuit Court convened in the town of Mount Vernon (then compris. ing but four cabins) on Monday, October 28, 1819, Hon. William Wilson as Judge and F. A. Hubbard, State's Attorney. Joel Pace was sworn as Clerk. and gave bond in the sum of $2,000. Lewis Watkins was Sheriff, and gave bond in the sum of $10,000, with Zadok Casey, Joseph Jordan and John Wilkerson, securities. But thirteen men could be found, outside of the officers of the court, to serve as grand jurors. These were as follows: Edward Maxey, F. McBride, J. C. Casey. W. Jordan, L. Johnsou, A. P. Casey, John
Wilkerson, H. P. Maxey, Isaac Casey, James Johnson, S. Gaston, J. Lee and A. Harris. After receiving the usual charge from the court, they repaired to the jury room, which, in this case, was "God's first temples," and after an hour's deliberation returned into court, presente.l the indictments and were discharged. The next term of conrt was held on the 15th and 16th of May, 1820, Judge Wilson again presiding, and Henry Eddy acting as State's Attorney. But we will not follow the proceedings of the courts, as our readers would find them, doubtless, dry reading. The brief extracts have been made merely to show the commencement and or- ganization of this important branch of the county's machinery.
Public Buildings .- At the first term of the County Commissioners' Court, it was resolved to buildl a court house. This building was unpretentious, but it served the purpose of those early days when we were not as proud as we are now. It was of hewed logs, and was 18x30 fest in dimensions. A stray pound was ordered, and at the February term, 1820, the court ordered a jail to be built. These early public buildings, however, will be noticed by Mr. Johnson, in his sketch of Mount Vernon, and all the facts pertaining to them and their successors will there be given. The part they bear in the organiza- tion of the county requires some reference to them in this connection, but this brief allu- sion must suffice.
Among the first acts of the court was laying off the county into civil divisions. At first it was divided into two districts, or town ships, called respectively " Moore's Prairie" and " Casey's Prairie." At the June term of the court, in 1820, Walnut Hill Precinct or Township was formed It inclu led all of Jefferson and Marion Counties north of the line dividing Townships 1 and 2 south. The
-
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
next change in the civil divisions, of which we find any account, is in June, 1832, when Grand Prairie Precinct was formed. It was in the northwest part of the county, and was eight miles square. The voting place was fixed at Poston's will. In June, 1834, Horse Creek Precinct was laid off. It extended seven miles from the east line of the county, and was bounded north by the county line and south by the Fairfield road. The voting place was at Frank Haney's. Gun Prairie Precinct was formed in 1835. It began, the records say, where the "new hurricane" crossed the west line of the county, "ran with the hurricane to Morgan's mill. to A. Toney's, to W. Toney's, to the edge of Moore's Prairie, and on to the south line of the county." The voting place was to be at the house of William King. The next pre- cinct was formed in 1845, and was called Long Prairie. It was bounded by the West and Middle Forks of Muddy River and the Grand Prairie road, with the voting place at the house of H. Hicks. In 1846, Elk Prairie Precinct was formed. Its bounds were from the mouth of Dodd's Creek to Mendenhall's quarry, west to Middle Fork, down it to the county line, then up the creek to the beginning. The voting place was fixed at J. Kelly's. At the same time. New Moore's Prairie Precinct was formed, includ- ing Township 4 and Range 4. with voting place at Wilbank's. With, perhaps, a few other changes in names and boundaries and geographical position, the county moved on for several decades, under the old precinct system.
The population of the county has increased regularly since its organization. At the cen- sus of 1820. the first taken after the county was formed, it had a population of 691; in 1830, 2,555; in 1840, 5,762; in 1850. 8,107; in 1860, 12.965: in 1870, 17,864: in
1880, 20,686. If it has not increased as rapidly as some other counties in population. its growth has been steady and good, and its class of citizens will compare favorably with those of any portion of the State.
County Officers .-- As a matter of interest to our readers, we present herewith a very full and complete list of county offcers, from the the formation of the county to the present time. It has cost considerable time and labor to prepare it, and it is believed to be substantially correct.
The County Commissioners come first, and are as follows: In 1819, they were Zadok Casey, Fleming Greenwood and Joseph Jordan; in 1820, William Casey, Joseph Jor- dan and Barton Atchison; in 1822, Samuel Gaston, William Hicks and Barton Atchison; in 1824, W. J. Tunstall, John Jordan and H. B. Maxey; in 1826, Edward Maxey, Arba Andrews and M. Ham; in 1828, Edward ·Maxey, Arba Andrews and M. Ham; in 1830, Edward Maxey, Arba Andrews and M. Ham; in 1832, Arba Andrews, Barton Atchison and Willoughby Adams; in 1834, Barton Atchison, George W. Watters and J. M. Scott; in 1835, Noalı Johnston succeeded Watters; in 1836, Willoughby Adams. Barton Atchison and A. Bruce; in 1838, William Bullock, James Sursa and Barton Atchison; in 1840, James Sursa, B. Atchison and James Kirby; in 1841, Willoughby Adams succeeded Sursa; in 1842, Willoughby Adams, James Kirby and John Breeze; in 1844, James Kirby. F. S. Casey and A. D. Casey; in 1845, E D. Andrews was appointed to fill out Kirby's term; in 1846. A. D. Estes. E. D. Andrews and F. S. Casey; in 1847. W. Adams, John Troutt and F. S. Casey; in 1848, F. S. Casey, Dr. W. Adams and John Troutt; in 1849,* W. Dodds was elected
# The law was now changed, and the board was composed of a County or Probate Justice or Judge and two Associates.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Probate Justice or Judge, and Dr. W. Adams and F. S. Casey, Associates; in 1852, W. Dodds, Probate Judge, and F. S. Casey and Dr. W. Adams, Associates. Judge Dodds resigned, and J. R. Satterfield was elected to fill out his term.
Judge J. R. Satterfield, the successor of Judge Dodds, is one of the old landmarks of Jefferson County. He came here in the fall of 1818, a stripling of a lad. He is an old man now, and has grown gray in the service of the people. Indeed, so long has he been in the official harness, that he is almost looked upon as a pre-historic relic. His official in- tegrity is above reproach, and his name is the synonym of fidelity and honesty. He was born in Pendleton County, Ky., and came to Illinois when but nine years old. Here he grew to manhood, and here he has spent an active life. He has been Sheriff, County Superintendent of Schools, County Judge or Probate Justice for over twenty years, County Recorder, Deputy Sheriff and Justice of the Peace for forty years. He and Mr. Bogan have been in office so long, that they could not survive in private life. They are what the sage has termed " the noblest works of God " -- honest men.
In 1853, J. R. Satterfield, Judge, and F. S. Casey and A. D. Estes, Associates; in 1857, J. R. 'Satterfield, Judge, Dr. W. Adams and S. W. Carpenter, Associates; in 1861, J. R. Satterfield, Judge, and W. Adams and F. S. Casey, Associates; in 1865, A. M. Grant, Judge, and W. Adams and F. S. Casey, Associates; in 1866, J. R. Satterfield was elected to fill out Grant's term, he hav- ing resigned; in 1869, J. R. Satterfield, Judge, W. Adams and S W. Carpenter, Asso- ciates. After this date, township organiza- tion came into effect. Since the Board of Commissioners have been superseded by the Board of Supervisors, there have not been
many changes in the office of County Judge. Jared Foster was elected County Judge in 1873, and in 1877 was succeeded by C. A. Keller, and he, in 1882, was succeeded by William B. Anderson, the present incum- bent.
County and Circuit Clerks-Joel Pace was the first County and Circuit Clerk. He held both offices up to 1837, when Noah Johns- ton became County Clerk. He was suc- ceeded by E. H. Ridgeway, in 1838, who held both offices until 1843, when J. F. Wat- son succeeded him; in 1857, W. Dodds came in; in 1865, C. H. Patton; in 1869, W. Dodds; in 1871, J. N. Satterfield; in 1873, W. H. Smith; in 1877, J. N. Satterfield; iu 1880, Allen C. Tanner, the present incum- bent. E. H. Ridgeway succeeded Joel Pace as Circuit Clerk in 1841, and in 1848 was succeeded by John Wilbanks. T. B. Tanner came in in 1852, and in 1854 was succeeded by J. S. Bogan, who is still in the office. It is a striking example of the "right man in the right place." He came very near being defeated once, that is, he lacked but three votes of carrying the county unanimously. This may have been fun for Bogan, but it was rough on his opponent. The people of Jefferson County show their good sense in retaining Mr. Bogan, for we have never been in a more neatly kept or admirably arranged office than his. He has a place for every- thing, and is particularly careful to keep everything in its place-even his deputies.
Sheriffs-Lewis Watkins was the first Sheriff, and was appointed in 1819; the next was W. L. Howell, who was appointed in 1821; in 1823, Howell was again appointed to the office; in 1824, Nicholas Wren came in; in 1828, James Bowman, who, it seems, filled the office to 1842, when W. J. Stephen- son became Sheriff, and held the office until 1848, and was succeeded by Elijah Piper;
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in 1850, J. R. Satterfield came in; in 1852, W. Dodds; in 1854. J. R. Allen; in 1856, James Westcott; in 1858, John Bagwell; in 1860, C. G. Vaughn; in 1862, J. B. Goodrich; in 1864, C. G. Vaughn; in 1866, William Dodds; in 1868, W. E. Coffey; in 1870, 1872, 1874, J. B. Goodrich; in 1876, 1878, 1880, George W. Yost; in 1882, Thomas M. Gray.
Treasurers -- The first Treasurer of the county was James Kelly, who was appointed in 1819. He had but little trouble in taking care of the funds, and perhaps spent few sleepless nights through fear of "thieves breaking through and stealing" the funds of which the county had made him the custodian. In 1821, Edward Maxey came in; in 1826. John Wilbanks; in 1829, Joseph Pace; in 1833, S. Goddard, in 1835, J. Livingston; in 1837, G., P. Casey; in 1839, H. B. New- by: in 1843, A. B. Watson; in 1850, J. H. Watson; in 1851, Elijah Piper; in 1857, J. Q. A. Bay; in 1861, H. G. Goodrich; in 1863, W. M. Hicks; in 1867, S. W. Jones; in 1869, W. H. Smith; in 1871, S. W. Jones; in 1875, C. D. Ham; in 1877; G. L. Cummins: in 1879, C. W. Lindley.
School Commissioners-D. Baugh was the first School Commissioner of whom we have any account, and was appointed in 1836; J. R. Satterfield was the next, and was ap- pointed in 1845; he was succeeded by J. H. Pace in 1847; in 1850, W. H. Lynch; in 1851, J. H. Pace; in 1859, J. R. P. Hicks; in 1861, J. M. Pace; in 1869, G. W. John- son; in 1873. J. D. Williams, the present incumbent.
Miscellaneous-Of the early Surveyors we can learn but little. From 1850 to the pres- ent time, they have been as follows: L. F. Casey, 1850 to 1854; W. B. Anderson, 1854 to 1865; J. D. Williams, 1865 to 1871; B. C. Wells, 1871 to 1875; W. T. Williams,
the present incumbent. The first Assessor was James Kelly, and the next Edward Maxey. Among the early Justices of the Peace were the following, in their order of appointment: O. Morris, Lewis Watkins and W. Maxwell, in 1819; William Maxey in 1820, and in 1822, J. Roberts, James Ab- bott, J. Pace, John Jordan, W. L. Howell, Barton Atchison and Samuel Gaston.
The votes cast at the November election, 1882, by townships, were as follows: Grand Prairie, 92; Casner, 115; Blissville, 139; Bald Hill, 98; Rome, 194; Shiloh, 213; McClellan, 166; Elk Prairie, 176; Field, 193; Mount Vernon, 731; Dodds', 182; Spring Garden, 250; Farrington, 105; Web- ber, 174; Pendleton, 304; Moore's Prairie, 180; total, 3,312.
The following is a partial vote of the county :
For Legislature -- Varnell, Democrat, 2, - 775; Jennings, Democrat, 2,835}; Crews, Republican, 3,241; Judd, Greenbacker, 779.
County Judge-Anderson, Democrat, 1, - 972; Anglen, Greenbacker, 1,239; Ander- son's majority, 733.
County Clerk-Tanner, Democrat, 2,010; Hobbs, Greenbacker, 1.262; Tanner's major- ity, 748.
Sheriff-Gray, Democrat, 2,036; Wall, Republican, 1,236; Gray's majority, 800.
County Treasurer - Carroll, Democrat, 1,931; Legge, Republican, 1,340; Carroll's majority, 591.
Township Organization .- The State con- stitution of 1847-48, contained the provision of township organization-a provision that was to be voted on by the people of each county, and leaving it optional with them to adopt or reject it in their respective counties. So, in accordance with the provisions of that constitution, the first township organization act was passed by the Legislature. But the
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
law, in attempting to put it into practical operation, disclosed radical defects. It was revised and amended at the session of 1851, substantially as it existed until the recent revision in 1871. The adoption of township organization marks an era in many of the counties of the State. The northern part of the State adopted it first. The people who had settled there were mostly from the East, and were familiar with the township system and its practical workings. The people in the southern part of the State were much more slow to take hold of the new system.
Jefferson County adopted township organ- ization in 1869 though township officers were not elected until the following year. At the time of the change, the election precincts of the county were Blissville, Elk Prairie, Gun Prairie, Grand Prairie, Horse Creek, Horse Prairie, Jackson, Jefferson, Jordan Prairie, Knob Prairie, Long Prairie, Moore's Prairie and Mount Vernon; total, thirteen. The new system involved a few changes, and the civil and Congressional townships were made to correspond, and the following are their names and the first Supervisors of each as elected: Mount Vernon Township, H. War- ren. Supervisor; Field, John C. McConnell, Supervisor; Shiloh, John R. Moss, Super- visor; Casner, Eiljah B. Harvey, Supervisor; Pendleton, William A. Jones, Supervisor; Spring Garden, William S. Bumpus, Super- visor; Rome, Gilbert L. Cummings, Super-
visor; Webber, S. V. Bruce, Supervisor; Blissville, Samuel Johnson, Supervisor; Elk Prairie, George W. Evans, Supervisor; Far. rington, M. A. Morrison, Supervisor; Grand Prairie, Jacob Breeze, Supervisor; Moore's Prairie, J. A. Wilbanks, Supervisor; Bald Hill, John B. Ware, Supervisor; Mc- Clellan, William A. Davis, Supervisor; Dodds, Robert D. Roane, Supervisor. The following are the Supervisors at present: Thomas E. Westcott for Mount Vernon; Henry Breeze for Grand Prairie; William J. Bledsoe for Casner; J. B. Norris for Bliss- ville; R. T. Wright for Bald Hill; Andrew Riley, Jr., for Rome; John C. Tyler (for Shiloh; Elijah Collins for McClellan; S. H. Dolby for Elk Prairie; William J. Garrison for Fields; William S. Bumpus for Dodds; C. M. Brown for Spring Garden; Thomas F. Moore for Webber; L. E. Jones for Pen- dleton: G. W. Clark for Moore's Prairie; L. B. Gregory for Farrington.
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