History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 23

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 23

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In pursuance with the adjournment, on the 5th day of July, 1830, the commis- sioners again met, this time at the house of Mr. Clarke, and proceeded to divide the county into three districts, and to provide for the election of justices of the peace and constables in each. These districts were each eight miles wide, and run east and west the entire length of the county, and were known as First, Second and Third magistrate's district.

The First was in the south, the Second in the middle, and the Third in the northern part of the county. An elec- tion for the First district was ordered to be held at the house of James Vance, on the first Saturday in August follow- ing, for two justices of the peace and two constables. George Dowell, Wil- liam S. Moore and William Garrett were appointed judges of election. In the Second district an election was ordered to held at the same time, at the residence of John Baker, for four justices and four constables. Elias McFadden, Peter Hale and David Troxwell were appointed the judges of the election in this pre- cinct. William Deakins, John Wyatt and Isaac Bartlett were appointed as- judges of election in the Third district, which election was ordered to be held at the house of John Vance, on the same day above mentioned, when two justices of the peace and two constables were to be chosen.

At the general election, held on the first Monday in August, 1830, James ·Vance, James Clarke and John Hardesty were re-elected to fill the positions of county commissioners; William South- ward, sheriff; Peter Hale, coroner; and Jesse Bartlett, surveyor. This election was held at the house of John Baker, then a rude hut built of poles, which were hardly large enough to call logs. This edifice was used as a tavern, court house and clerk's office, until the erec- tion of the log court house in 1831.

At the special election, held August 7, in the several magistrate's districts, James Vance, Sr., and John Billew were elected justices of the peace, and James Lee and James B. Tomberlin, consta-

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

bles, in the First district. In the Sec- ond district were elected James Clarke, William McDonald, Robert Cook and Samuel Bogart, justices of the peace, and John Wilson, Oliver C. Rice, Thomas J. Pennington and John Har- ris, constables. In the Third district Ephraim Perkins and Caswell Russell were elected justices, and Francis Read- ing and Jacob Coffman, constables.

On the first Monday in September, 1830, the county commissioners held the third meeting of the first regalar term, and the first business brought up was the selection of grand and petit juries for the October term of the Circuit court, then to be held for the first time in this . county. It required nearly two-thirds of the legal voters of the county to fill these juries. John Baker was appoint- ed by the board to fill the office of clerk, pro tem., in place of M. L. Stin- son, who had resigned. They, also, ap- pointed James Vance, Sr., commissioner of school lands; Isaac Bartlett, county surveyor, and John Huston, county treasurer. The latter gentleman, before qualifying for the office was required to give bonds in the sum of $800, a fact that demonstrates the small amount of money handled by that officer in those early days.

Prior to the organization of the county McDonough being attached to Schuyler county, the taxes were assessed and col- lected in that county, and one of the first acts of-the commissioners of the newly created county, was to request the authorities of the latter to furnish them with a list of taxes assessed for the com- ing year, which request was at once complied with.

In December, 1830, James Clarke. one of the county commissioners, went to Springfield, and, in behalf of the county, entered the southwest quarter of section 31, in township 6, north, range 2, west, upon which the old town. of Macomb was laid out.

In the spring of 1831, James M. Campbell, having been appointed to the office of clerk of the Circuit court, came to McDonough councy, to enter upon the duties of that position. Shortly af- ter his arrival, John Baker resigned the office of clerk of the county commission- er's court. Mr. Campbell was suggested for the place. Somehow an impression had obtained among the people that, that gentleman was a Yankee, a class of people not in favor iu these localities. Mr. Campbell, on being asked if he was a New Englander, replied; " Well, gent- lemen, if to be born in Frankfort, State of Kentucky, living there until six years of age, coming to Illinois and remaining for six years, then returning to Kentucky and living there for twelve years, and then returning to Illinois, constitutes a Yankee, then I am one." This explana- tion was satisfactory and he was appoint- ed to fill the office.

Strict economy governed the commis- sioners in all affairs pertaining to the welfare of the county. Every bill pre- sented was carefully scrutinized, and value received was invariably required before payment.

At the March term of the county commissioners'court James Clarke was allowed the sum of three dollars for go- ing to Springfield and entering the land upon which the original town of Ma- comb was located.

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

In payment for the use of his house for court purposes John Baker was granted the fee simple right to two lots in the town of Macomb, which was then to be laid out. John J. Keaton was em- ployed to make the survey, for which he was allowed the sum of thirty-five dol. lars. David Clarke and John Baker were employed to carry the chain, for which they each received fifty cents a day. William McDonald received sixty- two and a half cents per day for driving the stakes, the work being more arduous than that of earrying the chain. It ap- pears from bills allowed by the county commissioners' court the wages paid lab- orers at this time were from fifty cents to one dollar per day.

Many laughable anecdotes are related of this survey, Mr. Keaton was not a regular surveyor, and is said to have known less about surveying than those who carried the chain. He had great difficulty in making the corners-in fact never did make them, and they have never been straightened to this day. Another man being wanted to assist in the work, several were approached for this purpose, but all had an excuse to make, one man replying that he would not give the pleasure of his day's drunk for the two best lots in the town. The first plat of the town not proving satis- factory, the citizens petitioned the county commissioners to change it, which was done, although one of the members of the board, Hon. James Vance, entered upon the records of the court his protest against the action.

At a meeting of the board of county commissioners, held April 12, 1831, the question of building a court house was

discussed at length, and the following order made:

Ordered, That the building of a liouse, to be used as a court house, be let to the lowest bidder, of the following description, to-wit: To be built of logs, liewed on both sides, to face from nine to twelve inches; to be built eighteen feet by twenty, with a white oak plauk floor above and below, laid loose; nine feet between the joists and sleepers, the sleepers laid two feet apart, laid on the sills; joists not more than two feet apart, of good white oak, hewed, or sawed four inches thick by nine inches wide; to be chinked and daubed on the outside; one door six and one- half feet high and three feet wide, well faced and cased; a good batten door, hung on good iron hinges; one window, to have twelve panes of glass, and one window of six panes of glass; to be placed in said building by the the instruction of James M. Campbell; each window to have a good strong batten shut- ter, hung with butt hinges; covered with boards four feet long, of good width, and what is called double covered, with good gut- ters and eaves. The said building when completed and finished to be done in work- manlike manner. The said building to be on a lot in the town of Macomb, (on a lot), to be in due time, that is within two weeks, made known to the undertaker. The under- taker will be required to give bonds, with sufficient security, for the faithful perform- ance of his undertaking in the penal sum of double the amount of his bid, made payable to the county commissioners, or their succes- sors in office, for the use of the county, that the said liouse shall be finished on or before the first day of September inst.

It is further ordered, That the weight poles are to be of sufficient weight to be of service; that the undertaker furnish everything necessary for the above building, except the glass for the windows.

On the same day the above proposi- tions were made the contract was let to William Southward for the sum of sixty-

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

nine dollars and fifty cents. As will be observed, there is a considerable dif- ference between the first and last build- ings erected for court purposes.

At this meeting John Baker applied for a license to keep a tavern, which re- quest was ordered on his paying into the county treasury the sum of six dollars and fifty cents, together with the clerk's fees for issuing the license. The board then adopted the following scale of pri- ces to govern inn-keepers in the county:

For each meal of victuals. $0 25

For each night's lodgings. 0 12}

For each horse feed per night. 0 25

For each horse feed 0 12}

For each half pint of whisky. 0 12}

For each half pint French brandy. 25 For each half pint Holland gin or wine 0 25 For each half pint peach brandy ... 0 183

Four licenses to sell intoxicating liquor in Macomb were granted by the com- missioners during the year 1831, one of them being issued to John Baker, then a Baptist preacher, who figured in the, to modern eyes, singular dual position of a dispenser of gospel and whiskey. Shortly after obtaining the license he- admitted to a partnership Samuel Bogart, a Methodist clergyman, and under the firm name of Baker, Bogart & Co., these reverend gentlemen continued the same business.

On the 26th of April, 1831, the first public sale of lots in the new town of Macomb was made. William Edmon- ston, having been appointed as commis- sioner for the sale of all lots, acted as auctioneer. But few sales were made, and the amount realized was small.

At the June session of the board of commissioners, the three magistrate's

districts were made election precincts for the congressional election to be held in August. For this election the judges were allowed one dollar per day, and the clerks one dollar and a shilling.

In September of this year James Vance was appointed commissioner of school lands, in accordance with the act of congress devoting every sixteenth sec- tion of land for school purposes, the pro- ceeds of the sales to be devoted to edu- cational matters. He was instructed by the board, to loan all money received therefor for not less than twelve per cent. per annum. Trustees for each township or magistrate's district were also ap- pointed for the school fund.

At the regular September session of the county commissioner's court, 1831, it was ordered "that George Grace, John Lee and John Baker, be appointed viewers, to lay out and mark the road from Washington to the county line, toward the town of Rushville.

At the same session, on a petition of the citizens of the county, John Lee was appointed constable in and for Mc- Donough county. This term or session of the commissioner's court was the first that was held in the new log court house, then just finished, at the cost of $69.50.

At the December session, James Clarke was granted a license to keep a tavern, or in other words, to deal in ardent spirits, at his house in Macomb.

On the 8th of March, 1832, the follow- ing resolution was adopted by the county commissioners:

"Ordered, That the building of a jail for said county be let to the lowest bidder, on the second Monday of April, next; and that the clerk advertise the same, to-wit: twenty

Stephen Blackstone

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY. 209

feet square, with three rooms, at least nine feet between the floor and ceiling, the walls built of hewed logs, twelve inches square, laid close and dovetailed together, and pinned, each log at the corner, so as not to admit of anything passing through. The in- terior of the said rooms to be lined with plank two inches thick, of white oak, spiked on across the logs. laid close; with a floor of said sized lumber of two thicknesses cross- ing at right angles, with a ceiling in the same way. The walls planked and to be spiked in diamond form, four inches square, on all the walls, ceilings and floors; with a clapboard roof nailed on, the boards to be three feet long and of good width; all of which is to be done in good workmanlike manner; with three doors covered with sheet iron, with a place left so as to open on hinges a small grate in the center of the two inner doors-and to be so fixed as to be as strong when done, as though they were solid, with three grates, two large enough to admit of a pane of glass 10x12, with a sash swinging on hinges on the inside of each room, and one window large enough to contain six panes of glass, in each window; two grates of iron bars only four inches square from center to center of the bars; and two outside doors to the criminal rooms, hanging on the outside, opening into the debtors' room, and that the bar to be of iron three inches breadth bar, and crossing through the center with bars one inch square; the house to be placed on a stone foundation, built at least six inches above the highest point of the ground, and to set into and under the surface at least two feet thick, and. the space filled with stone to the lower part of the floor; and the whole to be completed in a workmanlike manner, etc.

The contract was let to James Edmon- ston, who, in due time, completed the work to the satisfaction of the commis- sioners.

At the April term (1834) of the county commissioners' court, William Willis was appointed county treasurer,

his bond being fixed at $2,500. He only retained the office one month, when Resin Naylor was again re-appointed.

On the 3d of September, 1832, a new board of county commissioners came into being, consisting of James Clarke, James Edmonston and Enoch Cyrus. These were elected at the general elec- tion held on the 6th of August of that year. The first session of their court was held on the 3d and 4th of Sep- tember.

The old court house, built of logs proving inconvenient, and incommodious for the transaction of the business of the rapidly growing county, at the ses- sion of the commissioner's court, held on the 7th of March, 1833, it was deter- mined to build a brick structure for the purposes of the county. The building of this, it was determined to let to the lowest bidder, and the clerk was ordered to issue the necessary notices, that drafts for the same would be received at an adjourned meeting to be held on the 6th of May, next. . At the time appointed, the commissioners met and adopted a plan for the new court house. The building was to be 46 feet square, with foundation walls of stone two feet thick and three feet high, being one foot above the surface of the ground. This was to be surmounted by a superstructure of brick, two stories high, the lower one to be 14, the upper to be 12 feet high, the whole to be surmounted by a cupola.

It was ordered that the proposal of the letting of this contract should be published three times in the Jackson- ville Patriot, and that the contract should be let to the lowest bidder. In due time this contract was entered into

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

with George Miller and John T. Bishop, who were to build stone and brick work of the same for $2,498. James Clarke, Moses Henton and Benjamin Naylor were appointed by the board as the com- · mittee on building, who were to super- intend the erection of the same.

In the month of September, 1835, a further contract was made by the county with Morris Roberts and David F. Mar- tin to complete the inclosure of the building for the sum of $1,334. This part of the work was finished and ac- cepted in the spring of 1836. A further contract was made with Benjamin T. Naylor and Robert A. Brazleton for the completion of the wood work, painting, etc., for $1,000. This part of the work gave satisfaction, was accepted by the court, and McDonough county had a court house in which her citizens felt a just pride. It was built at a total cost of $4,832.

In the early part of 1834, Enoch Cyrus resigned his place upon the board of county commissioners, and on the 2d of June was succeeded by James Vance, Sr.

The county commissioners' court that met on the 1st of September, 1834, con- sisted of James Clarke, Nathan Ward and Cavill Archer.

.On Tuesday, March 3, 1835, the county commissioners' court ordered "that the following be the bounds of a new magistrate's district, in the south- west corner of McDonough county, number Four, and which is established as such, viz: Beginning on the line that divides the counties of Schuyler and McDonough, at the southeast corner of section 36, in township 4 north, range 3

west, thence north with the line dividing ranges 2 and 3 west, to the northeast corner of section 25, township 5 north, range 3 west, thence west with the line which divides sections 24 and 25 to the county line, thence south with the said county line to the Schuyler county line, thence east with the said line to the place of beginning; and that all elec- tions therein be held at the house of Malachi Monk; and that John Venard, James Edmonston and Hugh McDon- ough be and are hereby appointed judges of all elections in said district; and the'said place is established a pre- cinct for holding all general as well as well as special elections, in said county,"

A resolution was passed by the 7th of December, 1835, as follows: "This court doth certify that Theophilus L. Dickey, Esq., who is about to apply for a license ' to practice law in this state, is a man of honesty and probity and good de- meanor."

James Vance, Sr., the county school commissioner dying, while in that office, on the same day above mentioned, the commissioner's court appointed Benja- min Naylor to fill his place. It was this board of commissioners that laid off the county into 13 road districts and ap- pointed a supervisor to each, all to be under George H. Rice, chief supervisor of roads. Previous to this, each road, had its supervisor, who had certain con- tiguous land owners under his .control, by whose labor the road in question was kept in repair. At the same time as the laying out the several road districts, the county commissioners, in compliance with an act of the legislature, approved February 3, 1835, entitled "an act con-

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

cerning public roads," made the first levy for a tax for the benefit of the road fund, to be used in building bridges, re- pairing the same, setting up guide- boards, etc.

The record of the county commis- sioner's court, under the date of July 11, 1836, bears the following significant entry: "This day came Wesley Way- land and acknowledged that he had signed and sealed a certificate of free- dom to a negro woman, now resident with him." 815

On Monday, September 5, 1836, the new board of commissioners, elected at the preceding August election, took their seats. These gentlemen were: Stewart Pennington, James Edmonston and Asa Smith. A fifth magistrate's district was laid out by them, at one of their first meetings, in the northeast part of the county, and ordered that elections be held therein, at the house of Ephraim Palmer; and Ephraim Palmer, Alexan- der Campbell and Quintius Walker, were appointed judges of elections. The county treasurer, who was also county assessor, was at the same time ordered to Jevy a tax against various personal property in the county, among the items of which is that of slaves, showing that that class of property was owned in the county, although to a very limited ex- tent. A sixth magistrate's district was formed in September, 1837, and all elec- tions therein-were ordered to take place at the house of Benjamin B. Gates. Asahel Hubbard, Allen Milton and B. B. Gates were appointed judges of elections.

The county commissioner's court that came into power on the first Monday in

September, 1848, was composed of Wil- liam W. Bailey, John Vance and John Wyatt. James M. Campbell still con- tinued clerk, and the new sheriff was William H. Randolph. Up to this time all three of the commissioners had been elected for two years, but now, under a law of the state, they were to be elected one each year, to serve for three years. In accordance with this and the statute in such cases made and provided, the three commissioners drew lots for the length of term each was to hold the office. John Wyatt drew the ticket en- titling him to stay in one year, William W. Bailey two years and John Vance three years. This court transacted the usual routine business of the county in an apparently satisfactory manner, and on the first Monday of September, 1839, Mr. Wyatt retiring, his year being up, was succeeded by James Edmonston. The position of county commissioner was filled by the following gentlemen for the succeeding years: Hugh Kin- kade, elected August 3, 1840, resigned August 7th, and succeeded by Josiah Harrison; John Huston, elected in 1841; 1842, Isaac G. Smith; 1843, William Ferguson; 1844, John G. Woodside; 1845, Robert Bean; 1846, Joel Penning- ton; 1847, Charles C. Hungate; 1848, Samuel Calvin. This was the last county commissioner elected, the form of government being changed. In 1847 a state election was held for members of a constitutional convention, which assem- bly prepared and submitted to the peo- ple of the state a new constitution, which was adopted by a large majority. By this, in place of the county commis- - sioner's court, a county court was organ-

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

ized in each county. This consisted of a county judge, and if the legislature saw proper to order it, two ·associate justices. This the legislature acted favorably upon. The last meeting of the- county commissioner's court was held on the 8th of September, when Joel Pennington, C. C. Hungate and Samuel Calvin, the members were all present. When they adjourned, it was "until court in course," but they never re-assembled as a court again. They were succeed- ed by

THE COUNTY COURT.

The first session of this body was held at the court house in Macomb, on Mon- day, December 3, 1849, with the follow- ing members present: James Clarke, . presiding judge; Charles R. Hume and Charles C. Hungate, associate justices; Isaac Grantham, clerk, and David Law- son, sheriff. The first business trans- acted by the court, was the allowance of some claims against the county, the first one of which was that of Philip Spiker, who was allowed $25 for boarding John Freeland, a pauper, for three months.

On Thursday, March 7, 1850, it was ordered by the court that a levy be made of one eighth of one per cent. on the as- sessed valuation of property 'both real and personal, in McDonough county for the year 1850, to be set apart as a sepa- rate fund for the purchase of farm, etc., on which to erect a poor house, and for the erection of the same; which said last mentioned levy shall be collected in gold and silver coin, only." It was also made an order that Redmond Grigsby, Joel Pennington and Thomas Smith, were appointed commissioners to receive pro- posals for the purchase of a farm, not to

exceed 640 acres, for the purpose as set, forth in the above order. This com- mission was, also, instructed to report all proposals, together with their views and opinions thereon, at the June term of the county court, next following.

For some cause not assigned, these commissioners failed to make their re- port at the time mentioned, and the mat- ter remained open. On Friday, March 7, 1851, one year thereafter, the court in ordering the tax levy for the year, in- cluded one of six cents on each one hun -. dred dollars of taxable property for the poor farm fund, to be paid in coin.

The same day, Charles Chandler and George A. Taylor, were appointed com- missioners "to receive the proposals for the sale, to the county, of a suitable farm on which to erect a poor house, and to examine such farms as they may think suitable, not exceeding twenty-five hun- dred dollars in price, payment to be made in specie, half cash on completion of the contract, and the remainder in two equal payments, without interest." These parties were instructed to make their re- port at the next regular term of the court.

At the June term of the county court, Thompson Chandler took his place as associate justice in place of C. R. Hume. On the 11th of March, 1853, an entry was made upon the record of the county court, showing that the commissioners appointed for the purpose, had purchased for the county the following described real estate, for a poor farm: 85 acres on the east side of the north east quarter of section 24, in township 6 north, range 3 west, two and a half acres of the south end of the above described section; the south half of the south west quarter of

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History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 23

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150