USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 44
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Old court-house bonds. $26.000
Jail bonds. . $50.000
Bonds issued in payment of prior debts, and temporary
loans made during this term . $314.934.28
Notes and interest bearing county orders 21.401.44
From which are to be deducted interest bearing assets . 6.875.55
$412.335.72
$405.460.17
It shoukl here be stated that a large number of county orders and unadjusted claims amounting in the aggregate to nearly 50 000 formed a heavy floating debt-March 1, 1874. The tax levy for the current year, to wit : $148 280 - 98 was then in process of collection, and as not a dollar of it had been expended or paid into the treasury at that date, the above mentioned floating debt of $50.000 is not, nor ought it to be made part of the exhibit of the county in- debtedn ss, and further it should be stated here, that, on a later day, the administrators of the estate of Wm. T. Brown deceased, paid $19 975.83 of the assets of his estate into the county treasury in payments of a judgment of nearly $49 .- 000 obtained by the county against the late W. T. Brown. This amount was afterwards applied towards paying off a part of the county debt.
175
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The death of Judge Brown was one of the saddest events in the county history. In making himself the financial agent of the county, and, in a measure the superintendent of publie improvements also, he added so many labors to his official duties as county Judge, that he broke down under the load. The very fact, that his financial agency was out of place and had forced him into a false position. weighed heavy on his mind, clouding an intellect as bright and bril- liant as but few mortal are blessed with. Whoever has seen our lamented judge in the last days of his life, tottering under that load of fearful responsibility will ever remember with grief and sorrow that picture of hopelessness and de- spair. All know how he put an end to his troubles and sorrows. Judge J. G. Irwin, his successor in office, caused the following entry to be made in the records of the prohate court of April 1874. As a token of respect to the memory to William Taylor Brown, late judge of this court who departed this life on the 2.1. of March 1874, his successor in office has caused to be spread upon the pages of this record, the follow- ing brief outline of the career of the deceased as a public man.
" He was born April 26, 1817. The whole period of his manhood save an interim of seven years was spent in the public service of the people of Madison county, from 1837 to 1856 he held the office of clerk of the circuit court, and during the first ten years of that period also discharged the duties of clerk of the county court. In 1858 he was elected sheriff and filled this office for one term of two years. In 1864 he was again elected clerk of the circuit court in which position he served until autumn 1868. In November 1869 he was elected Judge of this court, and continued to serve the people in that capacity until his death, having been re- elected in November 1873 for a second term."
These facts are the best testimonials of the esteem in which the deceased was held as a public offieer.
His has been a career of honor and suecess unparalleled in the lives of the public men of this county. Although possessed of many public and private virtues, the chief orna- ment of his character was his generosity and charity. Ile was incapable of saying " No" in the presence of want and misery and his charity regarded neither creed, race, nor col- or. If the earnest and sincere prayers of the poor of this earth may smooth the pathway of the traveler on his jour- ney from this world to the bourne from whence no traveler returns, let us trust and believe that his has been a happy exit.
The authorities of the county being of the opinion that the large amounts of money borrowed by the late Judge Brown, had not all been satisfactorily accounted for, made a proposition to the administrators of his estate to effect a speedy and amicable settlement. They appointed a com- mittee of investigation, composed of the Hon. A. W. Met- calf, and Messrs. Cyrus Leverett and Otto Brodtbeek, to act with the administrators in examining persons and papers with a view of settling the affairs withont going to court. The administrators declined to enter into the proposed ar- rangement, preferring to have the claim of the county, if one really existed, adjusted before the probate court. The
county employed Hon. A. W. Metcalf, as attorney, while Messrs. Krome and Hadley appeared for the estate. The trial ended in a judgment against the estate, as mentioned above.
Election-1869 to 1873. At a special election he'd for the purpose of electing two delegates to the constitutional convention-16th representative district-Madison and Bond counties; C. F. Springer, of Edwardsville, a republican, and H. W. Billings, of Alton, a democrat. were chosen.
1870 .- House of representatives : D B. (il ham, A. F. Rogers and Theodore Miller. Sheriff, R. W. Crawford, and coroner, T. J. Irish. 1871 .- Treasurer, T. H. Ken- nedy ; surveyor, N. D. Sweeny. 1872 .- State senate, J. H. Yager ; house : Henry Weinheimer, B. R. Hite and Thomas T. Ramey ; sheriff, J. T. Cooper ; clerk of the circuit court, John D. Heisel ; county attorney, E. B. Glass, and coroner, W. H. Greipenberg. 1873 .- W. T. Brown, county judge ; B. E. Hoffman, county clerk ; T. H. Kennedy, treasurer ; A. A. Suppiger, school superintendent; N. D. Sweeny, surveyor : W. E. Wheeler, W. W. Jarvis and T. W. Kin- der were elected county commissioners.
The former system of county government, the so-called county court, was abolished by the new constitution, sub- stituting a formerly tried system of county commissioners, with a three years' tenure of office for members elected after the year 1873. Those elected in 1873 had to draw lots for respective terms of one, two and three years. Owing to an imperfection in the law, introducing the system. the com- missioners could not take charge of public affairs until January 24th, 1874.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, JANUARY 24, 1874 TO APRIL, 1876.
First Year .- W. E. Wheeler. chairman ; W. W. Jarvis and T. W. Kinder, members. This board took charge of the county affairs under very unfavorable circumstances. The finances of the county were in confusion, and a large interest bearing debt made the semi-annual payment of interest a heavy burden. Besides, there were county orders and unadjusted claims amounting to nearly fifty thousand dollars to be met, with not a dollar of available funds in the treasury. The tax books for the year were in the hands of the collector, but no effort at collection had been made. The law provided for the c llection of the revenue in the first quarter of the year, but usage had made the third quarter of the year the tax gathering quarter for Madison county. The great commercial crisis of 1873 began to be severely felt in the west about this time, and at last, the railroad companies combined to have the tax colleetors en- joined from collecting all taxes levied on railroad property. The prospect was gloomy, but the members of the board proved cqual to the task allotted to them. Firmly resolved, not to allow the public debt to be increased another dollar ; the board set to work to ascertain in the first place, what the net revenue for the year would amount to. All san- guine views were banished and stern reality bravely met. It was resolved that the expenditures of the county should be kept within the revenues derived from taxation, and this
176
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
resolution was rigidly adhered to. A number of county bonds were maturing during the year, and of course, they could not be paid out of a crippled revenue. The board, however, succeeded in protecting the credit of the county by finding purchasers of the bonds, and at lower rates of imterest at that.
The heavy and unheard-of pauper expenses were reduced to a minimum, despite bitter words and rude threats.
The new order of things did by no means please all, and, in some instances, it became necessary that the firmness of mind was aided by strength of muscle and pluek.
The current expenses of the county, exclusive of interest, during the year, amounted to $89,088.45. The interest paid during the year amounted to $36,925.04.
The second county board, with T. W. Kinder as chairman, and R. W. Crawford as new member, conducted the affairs pretty much on the same plan and with similar success.
The current expenses of the county during the year 1875 amounted to 890,987.62. The tax levy of the year was $115,531.85. The voters of the county adopted township organization at the November election, 1875.
John Bardill, who had been elected member of the board as successor to W. W. Jarvis, served from December 1, 1875, to April, 1876, when the county commissioners board was superseded by the board of supervisors.
The districting of the county under the new order of things, was an easy task,-the congressional townships in all but one instance, forming non-political corporations named as follows :
Town 3 Range 5 Helvetia.
Town 3 Range & Collinsville.
1
65
5 Saline.
1 5 8 Edwardsville. S Fort Russell.
=
5
5 Leef.
6
= 5 New Douglas.
66
6 8 Moro.
3 1
66 6 St. Jacobs.
3
66 9 Nameoki. 9 \ Chouteau.
5
6 Alhambra. 6 Olive. 7 Jarvis. 7 Pin Oak.
66
6
66 9 Wood river.
3
4
66
66
5 10 Alton.
6
7 Hamel. 7 Omph Ghent.
6
66 10 Godfrey.
The first board was composed of John A. Prickett, of Ed- wardsville, chairman, 1876 and 1877: H. M. Thorp, Hel- vetia ; Jones Tontz, Saline ; Daniel Ruedy, Leef; Andrew Jackson, New Douglas; F. S. Pike, St. Jacobs ; J. L. Fer- guson, Marine ; R. D. Utiger, Alhambra; James Olive, Olive-chairman in 1879; Ignatius Riggin, Jarvis ; J. B. McKee, Pin Oak; W. A. Mize, Hamel ; James Kell, Omph Ghent ; B R. Hite, Collinsville (chairman 1880-'82) ; J. B. Gibson, Fort Russell ; E. K Preuitt, Moro ; Philip Bradon, Nameoki (T. J. Irish, of Nameoki, was chairman in 1878); Amos Atkins, Chouteau ; S. B. Gillham, Wood river (chairman in 1>81) ; Edmund Dooling, Fosterburg ; R. J. Brown, Venice ; Henry C. Sweetzer, Ed. Woodman, J. M. Tonsor, and C. A. Herb, Alton ; and John MI. Pearson, of Godfrey.
This board found the financial affairs of the county in a better shape than the first board of county commissioners had found them in 1874. Other difficulties, however, had meanwhile arisen between the county commissioners and the
collector, whose office had been declared " vacant " by a majority of the commissioners. This order had no other effect but to delay the collection of the much needed revenue, thus compelling the new board of supervisors to begin its official life with another " whereas," and an order to borrow $19,000 to meet the payment of interest of the county debt due June 10, 1876.
Before the expiration of the first year the board ordered to have a vote taken on the question : "Shall the present interest bearing debt be refunded, and will the people con- sent to the issuing of $400,000 of 6 per cent. interest bearing bonds to replace existing 10 per cent. and 8 per cent. bonds ?" The legality of the bonds issued by former authorities, was questionable and as the new or prospective bonds would be legalized beyond per adventure by an affir- mative vote of the people, it was hoped that the county debt could be refunded at a much lower rate. The voters of Madison county bore witness by a decided majority, that they looked upon the county debt, as just and again endors- ed by an affirmative vote, to approve the measures taken by their representatives in office. The board immediately re- solved to have the financial transactions of the county authorities from December 6, 1869 to April 24, 1876 over- hauled, and a committee of five members. to wit: John B- Gibson, chairman, B. R. Hite H. M. Thorp, S. B. Gillham and J. A. Prickett appointed, to investigate the matter. This committee called Hon. A. W. Metcalf and Hon. J. G. Irwiu to their assistance and after a laborous and search- ing investigation, lasting many days an I weeks reported in substance, that all outstanding bonds of the county were issued for a valuable consideration. That all moneys raised by taxation, by loans and from other sources during that period of time amounted to $1,183,512.12, and that the dis- bursements, properly authenticated, together with the amounts of judgments recovered against the financial agent and the county treasurer amounted to $1,188,512.14 or two cents more than the receipts .-
This report was published in phamphlet form and freely distributed over the county, as well as spread on the county records at length ; - hence it is deemed superfluous to re- peat said report in full.
The interest bearing debt of the county, subject to be called in and converted into 6 per cent. bonds, amounted, according to the report of the clerk, June 5, 1877 to $392,- 500.
The condition of the treasury was such, that the board felt justified in ordering the payment of 87,500 in money, leaving $385,000 to be refunded. This then was the debt of the county in 1877. The reduction $20,000 of interest bearing bonds, and $50,000 unpaid claims and county orders, $70,000 in the aggregate, had been effected withont resorting to special tax levies. The amount of money re- ceived from the estate of William T. Brown, to wit : $19,975.83 and 822,743.79, back taxes collected under the new system, making a snug total of $41,719.62, have mate- rially aided in the reduction, but the prudent economy of the board should be credited with the balance of said re- duction.
61
6 Marine.
66
1 10 7
G 9 Fosterburg.
3 10 Venice.
66
5
177
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The county debt at present, June 1, 1882, amounts to 8316,000, with balance of 846,589.28 cash in the treasury. The present financial system of the county was inaugurated by the first board of County Commissioners, and it is but just to state that the presiding officer of the board, with whom the plan of reform had matured before entering upon the duties of his office, was ably aud earnestly supported by his colleagues.
The succeeding boards have strictly adhered to the plan which, after all, may be couched in the brief expression, " Live within your income." The tax levies since adoption of township organization have been $155,628.27 in 1876; 8137,058.88 in 1877; $151,714.00 in 1878 ; $151,654.58 in 1879 ; 8137,902.95 in 1880, and $122,300.33 in 1881.
The current expenses of the county, including disburse- ments made by township officers on account of roads, bridges, assessments and elections, and exclusive of interests paid or bonds redeemed, appear to have been as follows :
1876
$90,607.08
1877 .
1878.
106,769.20
1879.
96,911.28
1880 .
87,098.15
The disbursements made by the county direct in 1880 were as follows :
Court of assessment and tax books . $2,609.86
Panpers [ County farm . $6,-50 90
S supported elsewhere 8.221 25 $15,072.15
Courts and jurors 6.062.40
Elections . 1,042 70
Jail and dieting prisoners 2,60%.35
Stationery 2.363.38
Court-house
2,084.89
Inquests
976.05
Roads .
500.00
Inspection of mines
400.00
Salaries of county officers 8,667.05
Sundry expenditures . 885.40
Total
$43.272.23
The interest matured and paid during the year amounted to $23,615.00.
Elections 1874, State senator, W. H. Krome ; House of Representatives, F. S. Pike, G. H. Weigler and George A. Smith ; Sheriff, J. T. Cooper, and coroner J. A. Miller, 1875. Hugh E. Bayle treasurer and Walton Rutledge sur- veyor. 1876. House of Representatives, Samuel A. Buck- master, F. M. Pearce and John S. Dewey ; sheriff, James T. Cooper ; clerk of the circuit court, John D. Heisel ; states attorney, C. L Cook, and coroner C. S. Yourie, 1877 JM. G. Dale, county judge, H. E. Bayle county clerk, Adolph Ruegger, treasurer, B. F. Sippy, school superintendent and W. Rutledge, surveyor. 1878. State senator, A. J. Parkin- son ; House of Representatives, W. R. Prickett, J. M. Pearson, and John S. Dewey ; sheriff, James T. Cooper and coroner, C. S. Yourie. 1879. A. Ruegger, treasurer. 1380. House of Representatives, Henry (. Billings, John MI. Pearson and Jones Tontz; sheriff, J. T. Fahnestock ; clerk of the circuit court, William Dacch; states attorney, J. II.
Yager, and coroner, C. S. Yourie A constitutional amend- ment adopted in 1880, changed the tenure of office of sheriff and treasurer, and also the years of holding elections for other county officers, hence no election took place in 1881, the judge, clerk and treasurer holding over one year, and the superintendent being reappointed by the board of super- visors.
ADDEND.A.
The census of 1880 fixes the population of the county at 50,141 ; aud the agricultural statistics made by the town- ship assessors for the same year give us the following reports.
The figures are, as a matter of course, not absolutely cor- reet, hut may safely be taken as a criterion of the rich agri- cultural resources of the county. According to reports we find :
83,500 acres of corn, producing 2,752,100 bushels.
139 750 " wheat, 3,374,300 bushels.
1-1,150
' oats, 261,000 bushels.
6,5~0
' apple orchard, producing 190,250 bushels of apples.
112 peach 46 producing 1,450 " of peaches.
91,194.75 -10 ' pear producing = of pears.
1,100
" vineyard producing 146,000 gallons of wine.
14 500
" timothy meadow producing 15,350 tons of hay.
3.150 " clover 2.750 tons of hay.
3,330
prairie 4,300 tons of hay. "
1 410
" rye producing 19,600 bushels.
5
" buckwheat producing 180 bushels.
5,750
" Irish potatoes producing 490,000 bushels.
100
" Sweet potatoes
7,200 bushels.
290
" broom corn produeing 580,000 pounds.
250
" sorgho producing 20,000 gallons of syrup.
250
" turnip producing $5,090.
1,575
" fruits and berries producing $15,000.
4.500
" other erops.
39,500
pasture.
66,000
wood land.
29.220 66
" ' nncultivated land.
One hundred sheep killed by dogs, valued at $450.00, 111 pounds of wool shorn, 2,400 sheep sold, weighing 264,000 pounds, 6,750 cows kept, 202,500 pounds of butter sold, 31,70 ) pounds of cheese, and 5,200 gallons of cream, 637,000 gallon of milk sold, 750 colts foaled, 300 horses died, 1,6 .0 fat cattle weighing 1,763,000 pounds sold, 21,050) fat hogs, weighing 4,210,000, sold, 1,300 hogs died of cholera, 131,400 pounds in weight ; 3,920,000 pounds of grapes produced.
Statisties iu reference to births and deaths in the county are omitted, because the reports are incomplete, and statis- ties based on such reports would, of course, be wholly worth- less. The county records show that 13,040 marriages were solemnized in the county since 1812.
. The county of Madison was represented in the state senate after the adoption of the constitution of 1846, under the name of 6th senatorial district by Joseph Gillespie from 1848 to 1858. Under the apportionment of 1854 Madison, Bond and Montgomery counties formed the 21st senatorial district, and were represented by Samuel A. Buckmaster fro 2 1858 to 1862. The apportionment of 1861 formed the 6th sena- torial district out of Madison and St. Clair counties. This
23
2 909
" Hungarian and millet producing 2,580 tons of hay.
178
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
5th district was represented by W. H. Underwood of St. Clair from 1862 to 1864, by A. W. Metcalf of Madison, from 1864 to 1868, by Willard C. Flagg of Madison, from 1868 to 1872, and W. H. Underwood. Since 1872 Madison county has formed the 41st senatorial district, and was represented by Senators John H. Yager 1872 to 1874, W. H. Krome 1874 to 1878, and by A. J. Parkinson from 1878 to 1882.
The county being designated the 20th representative district, from 1848 to 1854, was represented by Edward Keating and Curtis Blakeman, 1850. by Andrew Miller and N. G Edwards ; the latter resigned during his term, Samuel A. Buckmaster filling vacancy 1850 to 1852; by Samuel A. Buckmaster and Thomas Judy 1852 to 1854; and ss the 14th representative district 1854 to 1862 by G. T. Allen and Henry T. Baker 1854 to 1856; Lewis Ricks and Aaron P. Mason 1856 to 1>58; Z B. Job and Joseph H. Sloss from 1858 to 1860; and Cyrus Edwards and Garrett Crown- over 1860 to 1862. In 1862 Madison and Bond counties formed the 16th representative district, and were represented in the 23d General Assembly by Samuel A. Buckmaster and N. Watkins from 1862 to 1864; Buckmaster was elected speaker of the House of Representatives and became famous for his energetic administration. The civil war was raging and passions ran high. On one occasion Buckmaster cried out: "I'll have order in this house, even if I should use a shot gun for a gavel !" The very man, who caused Buckmaster to burst out in this exclamation of wrath, was Speaker of the house at a later period, and was then very much in need of a Gatlin gun or " Mitrailleuse " to preserve order against the very element, which he represented in 1862. By Julius A. Barnsback and Hiram Dresser from 1864 to 1866; by John H. Yager and Jediah F. Alexander from 1866 to 1868, and by Daniel Kerr and Samuel H. C'hallis from 1868 to 1870. From 1870 to 1872 Madison county formed the 26th representative district with Daniel B. Gillham, A. F. Rodgers and Theodore Miller as members, and since 1872 the county has formed the 41st district, and was represented by Henry Weinheimer, B. R. Ilite, and T. T. Ramey from 1872 to 1874; by Franklin S. Pike, George H Weigler and George A. Smith, from 1874 to 1876; by Samuel A. Buckmaster, F. M. Pearce and J. S. Dewey from 1876 to 1878; by W. R. Prickett, J. M. Pearson and J. S. Dewey from 1878 to 1880; and by H. O. Billings, Jones Tontz and J. M. Pearson from 1880 to 1882.
In the constitutional convention of 1862 the county was represented by Samuel A. Buckmaster and Solomon Koepfli. The constitution proposed by this convention was rejected by the people at an election held June 17, 1862. The county was represented in the convention of 1870 by Charles F. Springer and Henry W. Billings.
I. B. Randle represented the county in the state board of equalization from 1868 to 1872; George Hunter of Macoupin, from 1872 to 1876; Frederick Sunckel of St. Clair, from 1876 to 1880, and Jobn E. Coppinger of Alton, since 1880.
Among the state officers during this period, 1849 to 1882, there is not one Madison county name to to be found.
The county was represented as part of the 1st congres- sional district of Illinois from 1849 to 1855; by Hon. W. H. Bissell of St. Clair, as part of the 8th district by Lyman Trumbull, and after his election to the U. S. Senate, by .J. L. D Morrison of Belleville from 1855 to 1857; by Hon. Robert Smith of Alton, from 1857 to 1859; by P. B. Fonke of Belleville, from 1859 to 1863; as part of the 12th district by W. R. Morrison of Monroe, from 1863 to 1865; by Jehu Baker of St. Clair, from 1865 to 1869 ; by J. B. Hay of Belleville, from 1869 to 1873, and as part of the 17th congressional district by W. R. Morrison of Monroe, since 1873.
"The state legislature of 1882, rearranged the congression- al districts of the state, and Madison county together with the counties of St Clair, Bond, Washington and Monroe forms now the 18th congressional district of the state of Illinois.
The Presidential Electors, chosen for the congressional district of which Madison county formed a part, were the following : Michael Jones, 1820; A. P. Field, 1824; John Taylor, 1828; Abner Black, 1832; (Daniel Stookey seems to have cast the vote for Mr. Black) John Pearson, 1840 ; Willis Allen, 1844; William Martin, 1848; John A. Mc- Clernand, 1852; W. A. J. Sparks, 1856; Thomas G. Allen, 1860; H S. Baker, 1864; Charles F. Springer, 1868; John I. Rinaker, 1872; Cyrus Happy, 1876 ; and W. T. Morton, 1880.
CIRCUIT COURT NOTES, 1849 TO 1855.
Hon. W. H. Underwood, presiding-At this term 52 in- dictments for larceny were returned into court, resulting in 22 convictions, aggregating 77 years, 4 months penitentiary, 2 for arson, 1 conviction, John Sullivan, 2 years ; 3 for forgery, no conviction ; 1 for bigamy, not convicted ; 2 for pas-ing counterfeit money, both James Ryan and Henry Hughes, convicted and sent to penitentiary I and 5 years respectively ; 1 for libel, no conviction ; 3 for murder, John Schnagler, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced for two years ; 5 for manslaughter, 1 conviction, pardoned by Gov- ernor ; and I for rape, not tried.
1855 TO 1857.
Hon. Sidney Breese, presiding, W. H. Snyder, prosecuting attorney .- Hon. S Breese presided over three terms, during which 32 cases of larceny, 3 of passing counterfeit money, 6 of illegal voting, 3 of murder and 1 of swindling were placed on the criminal docket. 11 persons were tried and found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to the state penitentiary for 24 years and 4 months in the aggregate. William Mitchen, indicted for murder, was convicted of manslaughter and sent to the penitentiary for one year.
1857 to 1861. Hon. W. H. Snyder on the bench. P. B. Fouke, Spencer M. Case, A. W. Me calf and J. B. Hay, State attorneys.
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