USA > Illinois > Morgan County > History of Morgan county, Illinois : its past and present, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; a biographical directory of its volunteers in the late rebellion; portraits of its early settlers and prominent men [etc., etc.] > Part 23
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The isolated condition of the farmer causes him to act slowly in avail- ing himself of the generally conceded advantages of association and co- operation ; but at a very early day beginnings were made by the early pioneers. Woods, in 1820, says : " An agricultural society was established last year, and Mr. Birbeck made president. It held its first meeting at Kaskaskia, but whether there was any other meeting I do not know."
Faux, in November, 1819, says of Moses Birbeck : "He has just returned from a tour through Illinois, by way of Kaskaskia, where he was chosen president of the Agricultural Society of Illinois, one grand object of which will be to, rid the State of stagnant waters." This fixes the date of organization nearly, but does not mention any other officers. The Edwardsville Spectator, of May 16, 1820, contains a letter to Henry S. Dodge, secretary of the Agricultural Society of the State of Illinois, from Curtis Blakeman, of Madison County, who gives an account of a crop of corn, of between nine and ten acres, yielding 120 bushels of shelled corn to the acre. Mr. Dodge was probably the first secretary of the associa- tion. This society remained intact several years, and numbered among its members men of worth and standing. "Becoming tired of keeping up their organization, the members," says one of their number, George Churchill, " turned over their surplus fund to the Sunday School agent, Rev. J. M. Peck, and disbanded." This society, though small, did much good in the State. The Agricultural Society of Madison County, organized Feb. 9, 1822, at Edwardsville, was probably suggested by the State society just mentioned. It existed but a short time, holding its last meeting November 3, 1824. There are no records of existing societies until 1839, when the Union Agricultural Society was chartered. It com- prised the greater portion of Lake, McHenry, Kane, Cook, DuPage, Will, and LaSalle Counties. It started the Union Agriculturalist and Western Farmer, about the close of 1840, or beginning of 1841. It gave quite an impulse to agriculture in those counties, and doubtless to more than it ever accomplished. It held four annual cattle shows, the last occurring in 1844. It seems to have discussed, to some extent, agl ricultural education. Judge John Dean Caton, of Ottawa, was its firs- president, William B. Ogden, its treasurer, and John S. Wright, secret tary. Louis Ellsworth, well known in agricultural and horticultura- circles, was vice-president at the first organization, and subsequently president. M. L. Dunlap, better known as "Rural," of the Chicago Tribune, was one of its secretaries. Judge Caton thinks there were nine persons who formed the organization, but few of whom now survive.
Nearly at the same time with the organization of the Union Agricul- tural Society, a new effort was made and a second Illinois State Agri- cultural Society, organized at Springfield, about the beginning of 1841. The January number of the Union Agriculturalist, [of that year, contains an account of a meeting in the Senate chamber on the 12th of that month. It seems to have been an adjourned meeting. James M. Bradford, of Sangamon, presided and John S. Wright was secretary. £ Mr. Brown, of
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Sangamon, reported a constitution, which was discussed and adopted. On the 15th, another meeting was held, at which Mr. Brown, from a committee, reported a list of officers who were elected. They were : Wm. Wilson, of White County, president; two vice-presidents from each of the nine judicial circuits of the State; Isaac S. Britton, of Sangamon, re- cording secretary ; John S. Wright, of Cook, corresponding secretary ; and John Williams, of Sangamon, treasurer. But little appears to have been accomplished by this organization. The Prairie Farmer, of 1843, contains a report from its corresponding secretary, Mr. Wright, mainly made up of recommendations. He states that county societies had been organized in the counties of LaSalle, Winnebago, JoDaviess, Putnam, Hancock, Knox, Peoria, McDonough, Schuyler, Adams, Morgan, Scott, Sangamon, Greene, Madison, Coles, Edgar, Jackson, and Jefferson. The Union Agriculturalist states that fairs were held in 1841, in LaSalle, San- gamon, Morgan, and Winnebago, under the name of the Agricultural Society of Illinois. All these societies, State and local, seem to have de- clined and expired within a few years.
The Buel Institute, of Putnam County, an organization which has " never let go," was organized in 1846, and is now the oldest agricultural society in the State. At the time it was formed, a society was created in Macoupin County. Kane County held a fair the same year, and that of Peoria County was postponed. No other evidences appear of any oth- er societies, on the pages of the agricultural periodicals at that time. The Prairie Farmer of 1847, notices no agricultural gatherings of any kind in any part of the State. In 1848, it notes a coming fair of the Buel Insti- tute, and an organization of a society in Rock Island. In an editorial on " Our Agricultural Societies," written that year, in the pages of the Prairie Farmer, the editor says: " It will be no news to announce that the greater number of these are either not in existence, or are in a state of entire slumber." But evidences of a better day were appearing. That same year, in October, a convention of nurserymen met in Peoria. A second meeting was held in November, 1847, at Farmington, Fulton County, and is referred to as the " Illinois Horticultural Society." The same year the Chicago Horticultural Society was organized, with J. H. Kenzie as president. It held at least five exhibitions.
At Princeton, in December, 1850, the Northwestern Fruit Growers' Association began its work, which, in 1857, it handed over to the Illinois State Horticultural Society. In 1851, the first Alton Horticultural Society was formed, and has been continued, with one or two exceptions, annually until this day. The year 1851 was notable for the organi- zation of the Industrial League, under the lead of Prof. J. B. Turner, which did much to forward the discussion of agricultural education. Prof. Turner was born and raised on a farm. Accustomed to severe toil and industry, he educated himself, graduating with honor at Yale College. For a while he was a tutor at New Haven, where he won high encomiums from his associates. He came to Illinois in 1832, when this country was a comparative wilderness, the home of the savage. He well remembers, and narrates interesting reminiscences of noted Indians, and of trips to Chicago and elsewhere, when the compass was his only guide. He was one of the early professors in Illinois College, in which position he remained fifteen years, when failing health admonished him to seek a
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more vigorous occupation. He then began to turn his attention to agriculture, and to engage vigorously in that pursuit. Here he led the advance in many reforms ; introduced the Osage orange fence ; was the first to advocate and use farm machinery ; was a constant contributor to various literary, scientific, and agricultural journals, and was one of the earliest and warmest advocates of the present common school system of the State. He has always been a forcible writer, and tenaciously energetic in any reform he advocated. He has been prominently connected with all State agricultural societies, and was among the earliest agitators and supporters of such organizations. In 1853, the Illinois State Agricultural Society was chartered and organized, and continued under that name until 1871, when it was re-organized, and continued under the name of the State Board of Agriculture. The first organization was effected in 1853, in Springfield, and for the next twenty-five years there has been no break in its continuity. A vice-president from each congressional district has been biennially elected. These were nine in number at the first election. They were afterward increased to fourteen, and in 1876, they were nineteen in number.
Many subordinate and independent organizations have sprung up to forward the specialties comprehended in the scope of the State Agricul- tural Society, and Board of Agriculture. Of these, the oldest and most efficient has been the Illinois State Horticultural Society, organized at Decatur, in 1856. It succeeded the Northwestern Fruit Growers' Asso- ciation in 1857, organized, in 1850, and itself ante-dated by the meetings of 1846 and 1847. Since 1867, it has been aided by a State appropriation of $2,000 per annum, the most of which has been devoted to the publi- cation of its annual reports. In 1874, the Illinois State Horticultural Society was declared a public corporation, by act of the legislature, and required to report its receipts and expenditures. In 1868, the Northern Horticultural Society was organized, and has since held annual meetings of great interest, the most of which have been reported in the Transac- tions of the State Society, as well as those of Alton, Warsaw, Adams County, Galesburg, Jacksonville, and other local institutions of the same character.
The Illinois Wool Growers' Association was formed in 1864, and is still in existence. The Illinois Swine Breeders' Association, in 1869; the Illinois Poultry Association, probably in 1874 ; the Illinois State Dairy- man's Association, some years since, and the Fish Culturists have lately organized. These and kindred associations tend more and more to a division of labor, and discussion of the many branches of agriculture.
A later and more novel form of agricultural association is seen in the order of the Patrons of Husbandry. Its object is "mutual instruction and protection." In pursuit of this object, it necessarily comes in con- tact with those who prefer that the farmer should devote himself solely to seeking the maximum of production, and leave distribution to the " laws of trade." Hence, this form of action and its allies have been subjected to some ridicule and abuse. Nevertheless, the organization has done a good work in arousing the agricultural classes to a sense of their own ignorance, of the impositions which have been placed upon them, of the utter necessity of doing their own thinking, and of having their share in the control of prices. At the close of the year 1875, at the
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fourth session of the State Grange, this order had organized 1,586 granges in Illinois, 1,325 of which had paid dues that year. More or less asso- ciated with and much in sympathy with this movement, have been the various open, and occasionally partisan, organizations of farmers' clubs, and the State Farmers' Association, the latter of which was organized in 1872, and has devoted itself more to the agitation and discussion of those subjects that most concerned the political-economical relations of the agriculturist, such as trade, transportation, and taxation.
A pursuit so intimately connected with the interests of a people, could not exist without its representative periodicals. The oldest agricultural paper in the state was the Western Plowboy, a double-column octavo, published semi-monthly, at Edwardsville, Madison County, by John York Sawyer, during the year 1831. The twenty-fifth number was published January 24, 1832, and gives notice of its discontinuance for want of proper support. From an extract in the twelfth number it is learned there were then "no less than seven " agricultural papers in the United States.
The Union Agriculturalist and Western Farmer was probably the next paper started. It was the organ of the Union Agricultural Society in 1840-41, and was edited by the society's secretary, John S. Wright. It was the Prairie Farmer of later years, and is yet in existence, the oldest rural periodical in the Northwest. In 1856, the Illinois Farmer, edited by Simon Francis, was started in Springfield. It was afterwards edited by M. L. Dunlap-" Rural "-and was discontinued in 1865. Since the last named period, quite a number of such magazines and papers have been started, until now Illinois, in the scope and ability of her agricul- tural literature, surpasses any other State except New York, whose great metropolis gives that State a publishing center of more apparent than real advantage.
Morgan County has always kept in the advance in agricultural pur- suits. The earliest settlers were men of ability, and kept apace in the interests attached to their calling. The
MORGAN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
has had a continuous existence since its inauguration in 1851, with the exception of 1862, when the society gave way to the demands of war, and gave the grounds to the One Hundred and First Regiment, Illinois Volunteers. The records from 1851 to 1854, are somewhat obscure. It appears that there were two societies in existence, one of which held a fair on Wednesday and Thursday, the 22d and 23d of October, 1851. Of this society the officers were Jos. Morton, President ; W. L. Sargent and S. T. Mathews, Vice Presidents, and Wm. G. Johnson, Secretary. This fair was held on the poor-house grounds, then in the eastern part of Jacksonville. At this fair stock alone was exhibited, a rope being stretched around the enclosure where the stock was shown. At the close of each day, a hat was passed around and a collection raised to aid in defraying the 'necessary expenses. About the same time, or a few days after, an exhibition of textile fabrics and home manufactures was given in the public square, the fancy articles being attached to ropes stretched about on the grounds. It is probable these exhibitions were the first of
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the kind in the county. No records of any prior to this date exist, nor do the recollections of any of the older citizens fix on any dates before this accurately. Some aver that fairs were held as early as 1838 or '40, others at various dates from 1840 to '51, but no one can state definitely during this period or give any accurate description of such exhibitions. There may have been a few small exhibits held and probably were, but no fair under an organized association before the one of which mention has been made.
About the year 1852 or '53, the two organizations appear to have united, and on November 11th, 1854, a charter was received by the "Morgan County Agricultural Association." The first officers of this association were Judge Stephen Dunlap, President; James Green and Col. Jos. Morton, Vice Presidents ; Cyrus Mathews, Treasurer, and Austin Rockwell, Secretary. Soon after, this society purchased of Col. George M. Chambers fifteen acres of land, situated in the southwestern part of the city of Jacksonville. Here annual exhibitions were held until the year 1858. On the 20th of February of that year these grounds were sold to Mr. Henry Saunderson, for five thousand dollars, and thirty acres of ground, a mile and a half west of the public square were purchased of Col. James Dunlap. This was a more desirable location, and is still used by the association. The fairs have always been a decided success in this county, the exhibitions being equal to any in the State. The association secured the location of the State Fair on their grounds for the year 1860, which was largely attended from all sections of the State. From three to four thousand dollars are annually paid in premiums by the asso- ciation. The present officers are N. D. Graves, President ; F. M. Morton and J. H. Potts, Vice Presidents ; B. F. Beesley, Treasurer, and James M. Dunlap, Secretary.
Before closing this chapter it will be well to notice the agricultural resources of the county. For the year 1877, there were reported 13,760 acres of wheat; 97,680 acres of corn; 26,780 acres of meadow; 21,486 acres of other field products ; 124,000 acres in pasture ; 3,594 in orchard, and 66,052 in woodland. There were only 48 acres returned as swamp lands. The value of the various farm products is not given, nor the amounts in bushels. The yield has been very large and assures abundance for the residents of the county, in addition to large quantities shipped to other markets.
Morgan County contains, according to the report of the County Assessor, made to the State Board of Equalization, from the returns made to him in the Spring of 1877, 353,352 acres of land. By this board the county was placed in the third class, and the lands valued at $22 per acre, or a total value of $7,773,744 ; by the County Assessor it was rated at $19.54 per acre, or a total value of $6,904,498.08. Of the num- ber of acres given, 287,300 are classed as improved lands, valued by the assessor at $22.36 per acre, or a total of $6,424,028. The remainder of the lands, 66,052 acres, are classed as unimproved lands, and are valued at $7.26 per acre, or a total of $479,537.52. Of this latter class, but little is waste land, the greater portion being pastured. There were returned by the assessor at the same time, 3,387 improved city and town lots, and 2,074 as unimproved. The former were valued at $700.87 each, or $2,373,853 in all. The latter were valued at $73.13 each, or $151,672
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in all. This gives the total number of lots to be 5,461, and their total value as $2,525,525. The railroad property is reported at 13 acres, with a value of $4,100, and 23 lots, valued at $8,450, or a total value of this class of real estate property of $12,550. The number of live stock in the county is large. There were reported by the. assessor 5,467 horses ; 16,809 cattle ; 1,108 mules and asses ; 7,309 sheep ; and 19,198 hogs. The horses were valued at $276,372; the cattle at $315,782 ; the mules and asses at $67,500; the sheep at $15,800; and the hogs at $69,956, making a total number of 49,801, valued at $745,410. There are reported 8 steam engines, valued at $5,000; 22 burglar and fire safes, valued at $4,850 ; 2,246 carriages and wagons, valued at $60,711; 880 watches and clocks, valued at $6,148; 1,006 sewing and knitting machines, valued at $19,908; 223 pianos, valued at $26,500; 94 melodeons and organs, valued at $5,738. The total value of these pro- ducts is $128,855.
The value of manufactured articles is $935, that of manufacturers' tools and machinery, $5,385; of agricultural tools, $33,186 ; $68,193 are. in the hands of bankers and brokers, while an additional credit of $16,778 is reported ; $596,482 are otherwise invested, while over $300,000 worth of bank stock is held. The value of household and office property is $132,325.
To recapitulate: The total value of lands is $6,904,498.08; of lots, $2,525,525 ; of railroad property (real estate), $12,550 ; of live stock, $745,410 ; of farming machinery and other implements, $128,855 ; and of the other items enumerated, $1,151,314. To this may be added other items, aggregating about $300,000, making the total wealth of the county, $11,768,152.08.
POLITICAL HISTORY.
If the reader will turn to the History of the Northwest, published elsewhere in this volume, he can readily trace the progressive stages through which that country passed until its ultimate division into terri- tories and states. He will there learn that the Illinois Territory was formed from the Indiana Territory in 1809, and made an independent municipality. Nineteen years prior to this date, in February, 1790, Arthur St. Clair (who had been appointed Governor of the Northwest Territory by Congress, October 5, 1787), and the Secretary, Winthrop Sargent, arrived in Kaskaskia to execute the orders of the late Congress regarding the inhabitants of the then far West. The country within the boundaries of our present State, extending northward to the mouth of the Little Mackinaw Creek, on the Illinois, was organized into a county, named after His Excellency, Governor St. Clair. This was the first county formed in the limits of Illinois. It was divided into three judicial districts, and Cahokia made the seat of government.
St. Clair County remained intact until 1795, when Randolph was formed by running a line through the New Design settlement in the present Monroe County, due east to the Wabash River, and all that country south of this line was established into the county of Randolph, named in honor of Edmond Randolph, of Virginia.
By an act of Congress, approved February 3, 1809, all that part of
HARRY REINBACH (DECEASED) FRANKUN.
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
the Indiana Territory lying " west of the Wabash River, and a direct line drawn from the said Wabash River and Post Vincennes, due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada," should, after the first of March following, constitute a separate territory, and be called Illinois. It will be perceived this included the present State of Wisconsin. The population of the newly organized territory was estimated at about nine thousand, leaving double that number in Indiana.
On September 6, 1812, the territorial legislature established the counties of Madison, Gallatin, and Johnson. The first named of these included what is now Morgan County. In 1815, Edwards and White Counties were erected; in 1816, Monroe, Crawford, Jackson, Pope, and Bond, and in 1818, Union, Franklin, and Washington were formed. It will thus be seen that when the convention met in July, 1818, to draft a constitution for the State of Illinois, fifteen counties were represented. Illinois was admitted as a State soon after, the first election for officers being held in September.
With the rapid increase of population the division of the State into smaller counties became necessary. In 1821 Greene County was formed out of the northern portion of Madison. Its northern boundary, however, was established as it yet exists, and all that country north to, and beyond the Illinois River, was attached to it for judicial purposes.
During the session of the General Assembly of 1822-'23, the Military Tract was laid. out into counties. The county seat of Pike County was established, and the records of lands, patents, deeds, etc., were recorded at Atlas. This tract had formerly been attached to Madison. On January 31, 1823, Morgan County was established. The act relating to its formation reads as follows :
" Be it enucted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly.
"SEC. 1. That all that tract of country within the following boundaries, to-wit : Beginning at the northwest corner of Greene County ; thence east to the range line between seven and eight west of the third principal meridian ; thence northerly along the middle of the prairie that divides the waters of the Sangamon River from those of Apple Creek, Mauvaisterre and Indian Creeks, until it arrives at the middle of range eight ; thence north to the middle of the main channel of Sangamon River; thence down the said channel to the middle of the main channel of the Illinois River ; thence down said last mentioned channel to the place of beginning.
"SEC. 2 .- Be it further enacted, That the electors of said county shall meet on the first Monday of March next at the house of James G. Swinerton to elect three county commissioners, a sheriff, and a coroner, and that Joseph Klein, John Clark, and Daniel Lieb, be, and they are hereby appointed the judges of said election ; who shall give notice thereof and proceed on that day to conduct the same according to the existing laws of this State, or such as may then be in force, relative to the election for county officers.
" SEC. 3. That Samuel Bristow, John Clark, and Henry Fahne- stock be commissioners to fix on a place for the temporary seat of justice for said county, whose duty it shall be to meet at the time and place for holding the election for county commissioners, or within C
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ten days thereafter, and, after being duly sworn, shall proceed to determine on sonie convenient place as near the center of population as circumstances will admit ; and such place, when located, shall be the seat of justice until otherwise provided by law. Such commissioners shall be allowed two dollars each per day for the time necessarily employed, to be paid out of the county treasury.
"SEC. 4. That the citizens of Morgan County are hereby declared entitled in all respects to the same rights and privileges as are allowed in general to other counties in the State. Provided always. That when freeholders are capable of performing any duty, or are entitled to any privilege, householders shall, for all such purposes, be considered as freeholders in said county, and shall and may perform all the duties appertaining to the different offices in said county.
"SEC. 5. That the County of Morgan shall compose a part of the First Judicial District in this State.
"SEC. 6. That Morgan County shall compose a part of the Sena- torial and Representative District with Greene County."
On February 17, this act was amended, changing the time of the meeting of the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice, from the first Monday of March to the third Monday, and that the elec- tion be held on the same day.
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