USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 4
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
liam Primrose and Elizabeth, his wife, George Porter and Elspet, his wife, and the unknown heirs and devisees of said James Duncan, de- ceased, or which they or either of them had or might have had to or in said hereinafter mentioned and described tracts and parcels of land as by the said Deerees remaining of record in the Office of the Clerk of said Court, reference being thereto had, will more fully and at large appear.
"Now, therefore, the said party of the first part, by virtue of the power and authority granted and given to him by the said Decrees of said Court as above mentioned, in pursuance of the Statute in such cases provided, and in behalf of said Isabella Taylor, George Taylor, William Primrose and Elizabeth, his wife, George Porter and Elspet, his wife, and the unknown heirs and devisees of the said James Duncan, deceased, and for and in consideration of the sum of $1.00 to him in hand paid by the said party, granted, hath bargained sokl, alien, release and convey unto the said party, to him, and to his heirs and assigns, forever, all those several tracts and parcels of land in said Bill of Complaint and in said Decree particularly mentioned and described, which are known, designated and described as follows:" (Here follows description of the following additional.)
"And also all the estate, right, title, interest, trust, property, claims and demands whatsoever, both at law and at equity in any manner what- soever aceruing of the said Isabella Taylor, George Taylor, William Primrose, Elizabeth, his wife, George Porter and Elspet, his wife, and the unknown Heirs and Devisces of James Duncan, aforesaid deceased, and of each and every of them, of, in and to, or out of said lands, prem- ises, and hereditaments and every part and parcel thereof. Provided, however, upon the Trusts by the above mentioned Decree in the said party of the second part, fully established and declared in favor of and for the benefit of the aforesaid David Chalmers, William Littlejohn, George Yates, Robert Catto, Peter Williamson, Alexander Smith, Charles Chalmers, Nathaniel Farquhar and Alexander Fonlerton as Directors of the aforesaid Aberdeen North American Investment and Loan Company and upon sueh trusts as they shall from time to time direct and appoint."
From the above it can be seen that there is abundant reason for the numerous bills in chancery and bills to elear titles that thrice a year burden the columns of the newspapers of MeHenry County and erowd the doeket of the Circuit Court.
CHAPTER V ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT BY WILLIAM DESMOND
BOUNDARIES-ORIGIN OF NAME-ANNEXATION TROUBLES-HISTORIC SITUA- TION-ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY-SELECTION OF COUNTY SEAT- POPULATION-FIRST ELECTION-ROAD DISTRICTS PRECINCTS-PRECINCTS REFORMED-TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION-REMOVAL OF COUNTY SE.AT- FIRST COURTHOUSE-SECOND COURTHOUSE-PRESENT COURTHOUSE-PRES- ENT JAIL-POOR FARM-COUNTY JUDGES-SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS -SHERIFFS-COUNTY TREASURERS-COUNTY CLERKS-CIRCUIT CLERKS AND RECORDERS-CORONERS-SURVEYORS-SUPERINTENDENTS OF POOR- STATES ATTORNEYS-COUNTY COMMISSIONERS-BOARD OF SUPERVISORS- NEW ASSESSMENT LAW.
BOUNDARIES
Mellenry Comity is the second from the eastern line of the State; it is bounded on the north by Wisconsin; on the east by Lake County ; on the south by Cook, DeKalb and Kane counties; and on the west by Boone County. It contains seventeen civil townships, the total of which is 620 square miles.
ORIGIN OF NAME
Melleury County was named in honor of Colonel William MeHenry, who commanded a regiment during the Black Hawk War, marching through the territory now comprising the county that bears his name, to join General Atkinson at Ft. Atkinson, Wis. This territory once belonged to the Great Northwest Territory, established in 1787, and while Wisconsin was yet a territory itself, what is now MeHenry County, with thirteen other Ilinois counties, desired to become a part of Wis- consin. The account of this affair will be given, before taking up the real county organization and government questions.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
ANNEXATION TROUBLES
For more than a dozen years before Wisconsin was admitted into the Union of States, many of the citizens and tax-payers living in the northern part of finois desired to be annexed to Wisconsin, it really amounted to a movement of secession. In fact this feeling had existed many years back even to the date of Illinois being admitted into the Union in 1818. . The story of this struggle forms one of the most interest- ing stories connected with the Commonwealth. The final adjustment is a perpetual witness to the prophetie genius of Nathaniel Pope, the territorial representative of Illinois in Congress. In the light of subse- quent history it was nothing less than genuis that enabled this man alone, and unchallenged to add fifty miles to the northern boundary of Illinois, and thus make her with her commercial metropolis on the lake- front the keystone of the magnificent arch of great western states. As a statesman and patriot Nathaniel Pope is worthy to be placed at the head of the illustrious column which includes Lincoln, Douglas, Grant. Yates and Logan.
This movement was widespead and the feeling at times was in- tense, and even bitter. The war ery of "fifty-four forty or fight" did not more thoroughly arouse the enthusiastie democracy over the Oregon boundary line than did this inter-state controversy and kindle the ser- tional prejudices of the settlers in the disputed territory. The village of Rockford played quite a prominent part in this struggle and its in- fluence was felt as far east as Mellenry County, as now described. "There was brought to light in this city a few years ago a copy of the official proceedings of a mass-meeting held in Rockford July 6, 1840. This convention was composed of delegates from the northern fourteen counties of the state. Its purpose was secession from Illinois and an- nexation to the proposed new State of Wisconsin. History has never fully explained the causes of this movement. Tradition alone has interpreted its true animus. The apparent motive was a restoration of the boundary line as originally established between the two states that might be formed of the territory north of an east and west line running through the southern bend of Lake Michigan. This line, it was claimed, had been arbitrarily and unfairly extended fifty miles north when Illinois became a State." (Winnebago County History of 1884.).
The real reasons for this movement were two. First, the settlers in the northern and southern portions of the state had little or no interest in common. The northern portion was settled mostly by people from
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
New England and New York. They were industrions, thrifty and pro- gressive. They built towns and cities as if by magic. The southern part of Illinois was settled by emigrants from the slave-holding states. They were generally poor, as the well-to-do people did not emigrate in those days in our country's history. This class of poor people came to southern Ilinois from slave-holding states to escape the limitations of their former poverty. Between the people of the southern and north- ern portions of the state was a great gulf fixed. Each misunderstood the other. The Illinois and Michigan canal was opposed by the people of southern Illinois for fear it would flood the state with Yankees. This conflict of interest and opinion was a continuation of the struggle be- tween the civilization of Plymouth and Jamestown. The Puritan and the class distinctions of the cavalier had entered the western arena, where a few years later Lincoln and Donglas fought the historie battle of the century.
The second reason for this sectional divorcement was the desire of the northern people to escape the burden of the enormous state debt which had been created by the gigantie scheme of internal improvements. In 1840 during Governor Carlin's administration, the total debt of this state was $14,666,562.42. The treasury was bankrupt; the revenne was insufficient : the people were unable to pay high taxes and the state had borrowed itself out of a good credit. The state never repudiated its debt, but simply could not pay it at that time. Again, the state had little to show for its vast expenditures. Southern Illinois dominated the state, and the people in the sparsely settled northern eonnties were not responsible for the creation of so great a state debt-hence naturally rebelled, and wished to be annexed to Wisconsin, where taxes were not nearly so great a burden.
HISTORIC SITUATION
In order to fully understand the position at the date of the Rockford Convention in 1840, it is best to briefly refer to the Ordinance of the Northwest Territory, as adopted in 1787. This ordinance provided for the division of this vast area for territorial purposes, which of course had no direct reference to present matters. It provided that not more than two states should be formed from the territory north of an east and west line running through the southerly bend of Lake Michigan.
The public record shows that in 1818 Ilinois Territory petitioned Congress for admission into the Union on an equality with the original
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
states. The petition defined the northern boundary of the state in accordance with the provisions of the Ordinance of 1787. When the petition came before Congress, Mr. Pope was instructed by the com- mittee to report a bill in pursuance of the petition. Before the bill became a law it was amended by the extension of the boundary line from the southerly bend of Lake Michigan to 42 degrees and 30 min- utes. Thus was added to Illinois a territory fifty miles from north to south, which now includes the northern fourteen counties of the State of Illinois. These radical changes were proposed and carried through both houses of Congress by Mr. Pope, entirely on his own personal responsibility. The territorial legislature had not even petitioned for them, but the great and lasting advantage was so apparent that the action of Mr. Pope received the unqualified endorsement of the people.
When Wisconsin began to aspire to statehood, it was upon the lan- guage of the Ordinance of 1718, above quoted, which was declared a compact to remain in foree forever unalterable, that our northern neigh- bor based her elaim to the territory north of the original line. This question of boundary became an issue in local polities, and it was not until 1848, when Wisconsin became a state, that all the hope of the restoration of the original line was abandoned.
Let it be remembered that had it not been for Nathaniel Pope, Congressman, succeeding in getting the boundary line, as given in the old Ordinance of 1787, changed to take in these fourteen northern coun- ties of Illinois, this volume would necessarily be for a county within the State of Wiseonsin.
As has been well said by another historie writer: "The beneficent results arising from the policy of Nathaniel Pope and the failure of the separatists are incalculable. No reflections are cast upon those who desired separation. They acted from worthy motives, but they failed to foresee the future. Time has shown their error to have been that of judgment rather than of heart. The people of Wiseonsin, however, never fully became reconciled to the situation. From the standpoint of state pride, it may be said that in the collapse of the movement was the magnificent city of Chicago, the 'Queen of the north and west,' saved to Illinois. The most wealthy and populous, as well as progressive, counties were preserved to our own beloved Commonwealth, which has become the pride of the nation."
Again, Mr. Pope saw that none of the states in the West eould ven- ture a dissolution of the Union without the assistance of a state which
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
nature had planned should be large and powerful. Nathaniel Pope was indeed a constructive statesman.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY
On January 16, 1836, the county of MeHenry was separated by Act of Legislature from what was then known as Cook County, incluid- ing the present county of Cook and the counties of Lake, Dul'age, Me- Henry and Will. The act ereating the county read as follows :
"Be it enacted, that all that tract of country within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at a point on Lake Michigan where the township line dividing townships 42 and 43 strikes said lake and run- ning thenee west along said line to the east line of range unmber 4, cast of the third principal meridian, thence north to the boundary line of the State, thenve cast to Lake Michigan, thence cast along the shore of said lake to place of beginning, shall constitute a new county to be called MeHenry." The population according to the census of 1920 is 33,164.
SELECTION OF COUNTY SEAT
The Legislature selected as a commission to locate a county seat for the new county, M. L. Coville, of MeLean County; Peter Cohen, of Will County; and Daniel Dunham, of Kane County. The locations suggested were Libertyville, Half Day, MeHlenry, Crystal Lake and Fort Hill. After taking into due consideration the advantages of each settlement suggested, the commissioners decided, May 10, 1837, upon Mellenry as being the best suited for the seat of justice as it was near the geographical center of the county, as then constituted. containing thirty congressional townships.
FIRST ELECTION
On June 1, 1837, Mellenry County held its first election, at the house of Hiram Kennecott, near Half Day, which is now in the present County of Lake. As a result of the election, Charles H. Bartlett, Mat- thias Mason, Solomon Norton were elected county commissioners ; Henry B. Steele, sheriff; Michael C. MeGuire, coroner; Seth Washburn, re- corder : and Charles E. Moore, surveyor.
I. V. Buckland.
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
ROAD DISTRICTS
The county was first divided into what were called Road Districts, this division being effected June 10, 1837, and as follows: Oak Pre- vinet, which was that part of the Lake road commencing at line of Me- llenry County and extending to the north line of Oak Precinct; that part of the Lake road commencing at the north line of Oak Precinct and extending to the north line of MeHenry County; that part of the road in Oak Precinct west of the north branch of the Chicago River, com- meneing on the south line of said county, and extending to the north line of Oak Precinct ; that part of the Desplaines road leading from Chicago to Milwaukee, commencing at the south boundary line of said county, and extending to the north line of Ferry Hubbard's claim; that part of the Desplaines road commeneing at the north side of Ferry Hubbard's elaim and extending to the north side of Wynkoop's claim; that part of the Desplaines road commencing at the north end of Wynkoop's claim, and extending north to where said river crosses the Desplaines road; the road commencing near Washburn's on Indian Creek, and extending west to Bang's Lake; and Fox Precinct.
PRECINCTS
A further division was made in September, 1837, when the Com- missioners' Court ordered, "That that tract of the country-viz .: fol- lowing the south line of said county a distance of twelve miles; thenee north twelve miles, thenee east to a point two miles east of Fox River, thence south for two miles from the river to the place of beginning- shall constitute a general preeinet and magistrate's district to be called Virginia Preeinet and Magistrate's District."
On June 1, 1840, "all that part of Virginia Preeinet lying north of the north line of township 43, east of Fox River, was attached to MeHenry Precinct."
MeHenry Precinct, which was set aside on September 4, 1837, origi- nally had the following boundaries, according to the following order : "That the following tract of country-viz .: Commencing at a point two miles east of Fox River, thence west following the north line of the Virginia Precinct twelve miles, thence north to the state line to a point two miles of Fox River, thence south following said river to place of beginning-shall constitute a general precinct and magistrate's dis- triet to be called MeHenry Precinct and Magistrate's District."
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
Nipersink Precinet, ordered on the same date was the third pre- einet. The order separating it, read as follows: "That the following traet of country, viz .: Commencing on the north corner of Mellenry Precinet on the State line, thence south following the west line of Mellenry Precinet to the southwest corner, thence west to the county line, thenee north to the State line, thence east along said State line to the place of beginning shall constitute a general precinct and magis- trate's district, to be called Nipersink Precinct and Magistrate's Dis- triet."
Under the same date, "Ordered by the court, that the following tract of country-viz .: Commencing at the southwest corner of Virginia Precinct, thence west following the south line of said county of Mellenry to the west line of said county, thence north following said county to the southwest corner of Nipersink Precinct, thenee east to the northwest corner of Virginia Precinct, thence south to the county line to the place of beginning shall constitute a general precinet and magistrate's district to be called the Kishwaukee Precinct and Magis- trate's District."
On October 5, 1840, the Commissioners' Court ordered, That a new precinct be formed from MeHenry Precinct, embracing township 46, range 7, township 46. range 8, and that part of township 46, range 9, which belongs to MeHenry County shall be known and designated as and by the name of Independence Precinct."
PRECINCTS REFORMED
With the influx of settlers, eame a necessity for a change in the boundaries of the preeinets, and on March 1, 1841, the commissioners' Court ordered the following reforms :
"Independence Preeinet contains township 46. range 7, township 46, range 8, and the west half of township 46, range 9.
"Nipersink Preeinet contains range 6, township 46, and range 5, township 46.
"Eagle Precinct contains township 45, range 5 and two miles off from the north part of township 44, range 5."
"Hartland Precinct contains township 45, range 6, and the west half of township 45, range 7; the north half of township 44, range 6, and sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, and 18 of township 44, range 7."
"MeHenry Preeinet contains the east half of township 45, range 7; township 45, range 8; west half of township 45, range 9, and all that
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IHISTORY OF MeHENRY COUNTY
part of township 44, range 9, which formerly belonged to Virginia Pre- cinet lying on the east side of Fox River."
"Virginia Precinet contains township 41, range 8, sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and also the south half of township 44, all being in township 44, range 7; and township 43, range 7; township 43, range 8; the west half of township 43, range 9.
"Kishwaukee Precinct contains the south half of township 44, range 6, and sections 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, of township 44, range 5; township 43, range 5, and township 43, range 6."
On March 29, 1841, the Commissioners' Court ordered "That town- ship 45, range 5, be annexed and hereafter form a part of Nepersink Precinct ; and that part of township 44, range 5, which heretofore be- longed to Eagle Precinct be attached to Kishwaukee Precinct; and that Eagle Precinct (formed at the March term of said court ) be and is here- by extinguished from the list of precinets in MeHenry County; and that the place for holding elections in Nipersink Precinct be held at the schoolhouse neat Jason N. Jerome's, in said precinct ; and that Joseph Metealf, Nathaniel Smith, and Welby Diggins, be appointed judges of election in said precinct."
Another preeinet was added on March 6, 1843, by an order that pro- vided, "That the petition of divers citizens of Independence Precinct (be granted) that the precinct heretofore known as Independence Pre- einet (be divided) and that a new precinct be formed with the boun- daries as follows, to-wit : To consist of the whole of township 46, range 9, and four miles off from the side of township 46, range 8 east of the third principal meridian. That this precinct be known and styled as Wentworth."
On December 5, 1843, the Commissioners' Court ordered, "That a new precinet be formed off from the southeast corner of Virginia with boun- daries as follows, viz: "Commencing at the southeast corner of Mellenry County, running north to the line between MeHenry and Lake counties to the northeast corner of section 5, on the south line of township 44, range 9; thence west six miles to the northwest corner of section 4, town- ship 43, range 8; thence south to the Kane County line; thence east to the place of beginning. Said preeinet shall be known by the name of Fox Precinct."
In June, 1844, the boundaries of Fox Precinct were changed as fol- lows: "Commencing at the northeast corner of section 4, running thence south to the southeast corner of section 16, thence west one mile, thenee
LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF
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HISTORY OF MUHENRY COUNTY
south to the county line." Under the same date, it was ordered, "That the lines of the Fox Precinet be changed so as to commence at the south- west corner of section 9. in township 43, north, range & cast on the west Fine of Fox Precinct ; thence east on the south side of sections 9. 10, etc., till it reaches the county line."
On June 2. 1845, the Commissioners' Court ordered. "That a new precinct be formed from Nipersink Precinct with the boundaries as fol- lows: Including townships 45 and 46 north, of range 5 cast of the third principal meridian, and that said precinct be called Byron."
Another precinct was formed on the same date, under the following order, "That a new precinct be formed from the remainder of Niper- sink Precinct, consisting of township 46 north, range 6 east, and that said precinct be called Alden."
On June 3, 1845, the Commissioners' Court ordered, "That township 46 north, range 7 east, and the north half of township 44 north. range 7 east, constitute a new precinct, and that said precinet be called Wood- stock."
During the June term of the Commissioners' Court in 1846, Virginia Precinct was given another name, under this order, "That the place of holding elections in Virginia Preeinet be at the house of Henry M. Wait and S. King in said precinct, and that the name of said precinct be changed to Cass."
On March 2, 1847, the following order was given: "On the petition of Paschal Stowell and others. Kishwaukee Precinct was divided, and township 44 north, range 6 east, was constituted a precinet to be known as Franklin."
On March 2, 1847, a second order is filed, towit : Denying petition of Ellison D. Marsh and others for the formation of a new preeinet to be known as Coral Precinet.
On December 7, 1847, the Commissioners' Court ordered, "That the petition of divers citizens residing north of the center line in township 44 north, range 8 east of the third principal meridian and west of Fox River, asking to have that part of said township above described annexed to Mellenry Precinct be accepted."
The Commissioners' Court ordered under date of June 7, 1848, "That township 46 north, range 5 east, be, and is hereby, constituted an election precinct by the name of Chemung."
On June 7, 1848, the Commissioners' Court ordered, "That township 43 north, range 7 east, and the south half of township 44 north, range
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HISTORY OF MCHENRY COUNTY
7 east, be, and is hereby, constituted an election preeinet under the name of Grafton Precinet."
Acting on the petition of John Purdy and others, on September 5, 1849, Independence Precinet was divided, and the western third of town- ship 46, range 8, taken from Independence and attached to Kishwaukee Precinct.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION
On November 6, 1849, at a general election, the people of Mellenry County voted 1,943 in favor of township organization, and the Commis- sioners' Court therefore ordered, "That Carlisle Hastings, Phineas W. Platt and Frederick W. Smith, be. and are hereby, appointed commis- sioners to divide the county of MeHlenry into towns or townships, as is provided by the 5th section of the 1st article of the act to provide for township and county organization. Approved Feb. 12. 1849.'
The results of the commissioners in dividing the county into town- ships are as follows: Benton, Richmond, Hebron, Alden, Chemung, Bryon, Hartland, Greenwood, Mellenry, Brooklyn, Center, Seneca, Marengo, Riley, Coral, Grafton, and Algonquin. During 1850, the name of Brooklyn was changed to Nunda, Byron to Dunham, Center to Dorr, and Benton to Burton. From 1850 to the present date, the affairs of the varions townships, so far as county government has been concerned, have been in capable, honest hands, for only such have been elected to the board of county supervisors. A list of all members appears at the close of this chapter.
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