USA > Illinois > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 21
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The county government was conducted in this manner until October, 1813. During this period of time, 1795 to 1813, the county records mention also the names of James Lemen, William Biggs, Jean F. Perrey, Nicolas Jarrot, William Whitesides, Uel. Whitesides, David Badgely, James Bankson, Samuel S. Kennedy, John Finley, Jacob A. Boyes, George Caldwell, John G. Loften, William Scott, Enoch Moore, William Gillham, in connection with conducting the county government. They were all justices.
In October, 1813, the first county court was held. Its officers were: Judges .- John Thomas, Jr., William Biggs, Caldwell Cairns. Clerk .- John Hay.
Sheriff .- John Hays.
This court continues in office until the second Monday in Febru- ary, 1816, when a new county court is organized with :
Judges .- William Biggs, Risdon Moore, Benjamin Watts.
Clerk and sheriff as before.
By act of the territorial legislature, January 12, 1818, this court goes out of existence, a court of justices is re-established and re- mains in power until the state organization takes place. The offi- cers of this justice's court were : John Hay, Peter Mitchel, Henry Walker, Jacob Ogle, Jr., Thomas Cohen, Abel Fike and Thomas Gillham.
This brings us up to the state organization, which gives the county a board of commissioners as administrative authority. The gov- ernor appointed, June 17, 1819, the first board, viz :
1st Board .- Cornelius Gooding, E. P. Wilkinson and Clayton Tippon.
2d Board, 1820 to 1822 .- Elected Jacob Ogle, Jr, Edmund P.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Wilkinson and Joseph Trotier. Wilkinson resigned in 1821, and James Mitchell was elected to fill this vacancy.
3d Board, 1822 to 1824 .- William Rutherford, James Tanne- hill and Abel Fike.
4th Board, 1824 to 1826 .- William Rutherford, Abel Fike, and John Stuntz.
5th Board, 1826 to 1828 .- John Middlecoff, John Stuntz and Peter Mitchell.
6th Board, 1828 to 1830 .- John Middlecoff, John Stuntz and Peter Mitchell.
7th Board, 1830 to 1832 .- Williame Moore, Abel Fike and Abram Badgley.
8th Board, 1831 to 1834 .- Abram Badgley, James Anderson, and John Murray.
9th Board, 1834 10 1836 .- James Anderson, John Murray and Benjamin F. Smith.
10th Board, 1836 to 1838 .- Benjamin F. Smith, W. G. Goforth and George Temple.
.
In 1838 commissioners were elected to serve one, two and three years respectively.
11th Board, 1838 .- E. G. Porter, Samuel Ogle and Jacob Eyman 12th Board, 1839 .- Same members.
13th Board, 1840 .- G. S. Porter, Jacob Eyman and James Glass. Glass resigned in 1841.
14th Board, 1841 .- Jacob Eyman, Richard Bradsby and J. T. Darrel.
15th Board, 1842 .- Richard Bradsby, J. T. Darrel and D. T. Moore.
16th Board, 1843 .- Richard Bradsby, D. T. Moore and Simon Stookey.
17th Board, 1844 .- Same members.
18th Board, 1845 .- Richard Bradsby, Simon Stookey and Ansby Fike.
19th Board, 1846 .- Richard Bradsby, Ansby Fike and John Irwin.
20th Board, 1847 .- Ansby Fike, John Irwin and Abraham Badgley.
21st Board, 1848 -Same members.
The board of county commissioners was abolished by the consti- tution of 1848, and the administration of county affairs placed in the hands of a county court, composed of a county judge and two associate justices. (See Probate Judges.)
This court conducted the affairs of the county to January 24, 1874, when the system of county commissioners was re-established as provided by the constitution of 1870.
The commissioners were elected in November, 1873, but owing to an imperfection in the law, could not take charge of their offices until a special act of the legislature had corrected said imper- fections.
1st County Board, under this law, 1874 .- C. L. Emmerich, August Chenot and Joseph Veile.
2d Board, 1875 .- C. L. Emmerich, August Chenot and F. C. Horn.
3d Board, 1876 .- C. L. Emmerich, F. C. Horn and Frauk Poignee.
4th Board, 1877 .- F. C. Horn, Frank Poignee and Henry Barthel.
5th Board, 1878 .- Same members.
6th Board, 1879 .- Same members.
7th Board, 1880 .- F. C. Horn, Frank Poignee and Louis Ploudre.
8th Board, 1881, (present Board. )-Frank Poignee, Louis Plou- dre and C. H. Fietsam.
OFFICERS OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
Our chapter on Bench and Bar will treat this subject more elaborately. We will here merely introduce the names of the Hon. Judges who held court, and also the names of prosecuting attorneys, and masters in chancery.
Judges .- Hon. Jesse B Thomas, 1815 to 1817 ; Dan. B. Cook and John Warnock, in 1818; John Reynolds, 1819 ; Joseph Philips, chief justice Nov , 1819, and June, 1820; John Reynolds, eleven terms in succession, from August 12, 1820 to August, 1824 ; Samuel McRoberts, March term, 1825; Richard M. Young, three terms, August, 1825-March and August, 1826; Theophilus W. Smith, five terms, from March, 1827, to August, 1828; Thomas C. Brown, August term 1829; T. W. Smith, ten terms, from Sept., 1830 to April, 1834; Thomas Ford, March, 1835; Sidney Breese, from 1835 to 1842; James Semple May term, 1843; James Shields, August term, 1843, and May and October terms, 1844; Gustavus Koerner, May and Oct. terms, 1845; W. H. Underwood, from April, 1849, to August, 1855; Sidney Breese, 1855 to 1857; W, H. Snyder, 1857 to 1861; Joseph Gillespie, from October, 1861 to October, 1873; W. H. Snyder, present judge, since October, 1873.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
William Mears, 1815 to 1817 ; C. R. Matheny, to 1819 ; Nicolas Hansen and W. H. Brown, pro tem., Nov. term, 1819 ; William Mears, in 1820; S. D. Lockwood, in 1821; A. W. Snyder, 1822; James Turney, attorney-general, to 1825 ; Alfred Cowley, circuit attorney to 1832 ; James Semple, district attorney to 1834; Ninian Edwards, prosecuting attorney, pro tem. Sept .. 1834; Jesse B. Thomas, attor- ney-general to 1837; U. F. Linden, attorney-general to 1838 ; Jo- siah Fisk, pro. tem., three successive terms in 1838 and 1839; G. W. Olisey, in 1839; Joseph Gillespie, pro tem., 1839; W. H. Underwood to 1844; W. H. Bissell, 1844; Philip B. Foulk, from 1852 to 1854; W. H. Snyder, 1854 to 1856 W. C. Kinney, 1856 to 1858; A. W. Metcalf, 1858 to 1860; John B. Hay, 1860 to 1868; R. A. Halbert, 1868 to 1872; C. P. Knispel, 1872 to 1876; G. W. Brockhaus, 1876 to 1880; R. D. W. Holder, 1880 to date.
MASTERS IN CHANCERY.
These officers hold their positions by virtue of appointment by the court.
The following gentlemen have held this office in St. Clair county :
W. C. Kinney, P. B. Foulk, W. W. Roman, G. W. Brackett, Nathaniel Niles, C. W. Thomas, G. A. Koerner, C. P. Knispel and Fred. Scheel, the present incumbent since 1879.
SHERIFFS.
The records mention the following as sheriffs, irrespective of time of appointment :- William Biggs in 1795; George Blair in 1799 ; and John Hays in 1802.
The latter remained in office many years, and was succeeded by William A. Beaird.
After the organization of the State, the following citizens held this responsible position, viz. :-
William A. Beaird from 1819 to 1830.
John D. Hughes 1830 to 1834.
John Claypool 1834 to 1836.
Charles Sargent
1836 to 1838.
S. B. Chandler
1838 to 1846.
Dav W. Hopkins
1846 to 1850.
John Irwin 1850 to 1852.
Thomas Challenor 1852 to 1854.
-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
John Galbraith from 1854 to 1856.
George C. Hart
1856 to 1858.
F. Mayer
66 1858 to 1860.
Edw. H. Flemming
1860 to 1862.
John Galbraith
1862 to 1864.
Frederick Ropiequet " 1864 to 1866.
Charles Becker
1866 to 1868.
James M. Stookey
1868 to 1870.
James W. Hughes
1870 to 1874.
Herman G. Weber
1874 to 1880.
Frederick Ropiequet "
1880 to ......
The sheriff's of the county were ex-officio collectors of revenue. The amounts of revenue collected, though insignificant amounts in the beginning, viz., $917.78 in 1810, have gradually assumed huge dimensions, $354, 114.34 in 1880. The whole amount of revenue collected by county officers in the county exceeds twelve millions of dollars. Let it be said here that these vast sums have all been accounted for. True, there were a few instances, where the col- lectors could not pay up promptly, but the amounts wanting were comparatively small, and were in every instance restored to the county.
CIRCUIT CLERKS.
The first circuit court for St. Clair county was held at Belle- ville on the twelfth day of June, 1815. Its first order was to ap- point a clerk, whose name was John Hay, July 12th, 1815, who held the office for twenty-six years. W. C. Kinney was appointed in 1841, and resigned April 1st, 1845.
Theodor Engelmann succeeded him, being appointed by the court on said day, was elected in 1848, and held the office until 1852.
W. S. Thomas was elected in 1852, and remained in office until 1864. In the election of 1864 F. Karsch had been chosen clerk, but he died before qualifying, and Thomas held over. Benjamin Boneau was elected in 1861 for the balance of the term, and re- ceived a commission from the the governor; but Thomas refused to vacate the office. Boneau brought suit, but the court decided in favor of the incumbent, who served until 1864.
Henry A. Kircher was clerk from 1864 to 1868. G M. Roeder from 1868 to 1872. Charles Becker from 1872 to 1880. G. H. Stolberg, the present incumbent, succeeded Becker December 1st, 1880.
The circuit clerk has thus far been ex-officio recorder of deeds. The population of the county had now increased to over sixty thousand, when, under the statutes of the State, the office of recorder was separated from that of circuit clerk.
J. A. Willoughby was elected to this position, and holds the office for four years from December 1st, 1880.
PROBATE JUDGES.
The officers or judges of the court of common pleas first, and the court of county commissioners next, transacted the probate busi- ness of the county up to May 7th, 1821, when judges of probate took charge of that branch of the public business.
Edmund P. Wilkinson occupied the position from said date, August 4th, to May term, 1823. He was then succeeded by John Hay, who officiates as such to August 12th, 1842. His records are most accurately kept, carefully indexed, and all proceedings signed by himself. The last record so signed was dated August 12th, 1842. Probate record C, page 89, contains, however, an entry of proceedings had before him, the minutes of which are not in Mr. Hay's handwriting, nor do they bear his signature; they are dated
September 3d, 1842. The worthy judge had been called to attend another court, a higher one.
John D. Hughes had charge of the office from the tenth of December, 1842, to December, 1849.
In 1848 the new constitution created a county court, with one judge, having probate jurisdiction and providing for two associate justices, all to hold office for four years. Under this law there were elected :-
1849-1853 .- Nathaniel Niles, judge; Abraham Badgley and S. M. Thrift, associates.
1853 .- Nathaniel Niles, county judge ; C. W. Schoeck and Ansby Fike, associates.
1857 .- Nathaniel Niles, county judge; James M. Whitacker and John Thomas, associates.
1861 .- John D. Hughes, county judge ; William Krafft and C. L. Emmerich, associates.
1865 .- John D. Hughes, county judge, and William Krafft and C. L. Emmerich, associates.
Hon. John Hughes died in 1868, when-
1868-F. H. Pieper was elected to fill the vacancy.
1869 .- F. H. Pieper, county judge; and Joseph Veile and C. L. Emmerich, associates.
The constitution of 1870 created a county board of three mem- bers, to be elected for three years, leaving the probate business to be transacted by the county judge, as heretofore. F. H. Pieper was re-elected in 1873, and in 1877. His present term will expire in 1881.
COUNTY CLERKS.
John Hay, whose name the reader has met on these pages before as that of a most accurate, diligent and faithful officer, appears as clerk of the county in the last decade of the eighteenth century, and received his commission as such July, 1809.
The county records of the fifty years following its organization are, so to say, his work, and an admirable one, indeed ! John Hay resigned the office of clerk on the 22d of August, 1836. Of him Governor Reynolds says: "He worked while life lasted, and died praising God."
Richard Randle was appointed on the same day, holding the office to August 31st, 1837.
James M. Charles, elected in 1837, resigned on the fifth of Sep- tember, 1838, "for reasons too well known to your honorable body to need further explanation." Lewis Morris was appointed clerk, pro tem.
J. M. Reynolds was elected in 1838 to fill the balance of Charles' term of office, was re-elected in 1839, and died in his office, June, 1843.
W. Mcclintock was apppointed to fill this vacancy, and was elected in 1843 for a full term.
John Scheel succeeded him, and held the office from 1849 to 1857.
W. W. Roman was elected in 1857, but died before the expira- tion of his term, in September, 1861. Bernhard Wick succeeded him, by being appointed and by election to two successive terms, 1861 to 1865, and 1865 to 1869.
Sebastian Fietsam was clerk from 1869 to 1873, when he was succeeded by L. C. Starkel, who was re-elected in 1877, and is the present incumbent.
TREASURERS.
John Johnston, appointed June 7th, 1819, served until 1825; was succeeded by W. A. Beaird, from 1825 to 1827 ; Sylvester Merrill from 1827 to 1829; John Winstanley from 1829 to 1831; Thorn-
79
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ton Peeples from 1831 to 1833; Sylvester Merrill from 1833 to 1835; Timothy Hinckley, 1835 to 1837; W. B. Davis from March 10th, 1837, to September, 1837 by appointment ; Abraham Badg- ley from 1837 to 1839 ; John Ward from 1839 to 1843; Solomon Miller from 1843 to 1845; William Moore from 1845 to 1847 ; John Scheel from 1847 to 1849; Jacob Eyman from 1849 to 1853; J. W. Pulliam from 1853 to 1855; Charles W. Schoeck from 1855 to 1857; Charles Seitz from 1857 to 1859; John Rit- tenhouse from 1859 to 1863; Herman G. Weber from 1863 to 1867 ; Edward Rutz from 1867 to 1873; F. Ropiequet from 1873 to 1875; G. W. Sieber from 1875 to March, 1878; when he was detected as a defaulter to a large amount ; M. T. Stookey, the present incumbent, became his successor, and was re-elected in 1879.
The treasurers were ex-officio county assessors. The amounts of money placed in their hands were not so large as those collected by the sheriffs, still they amounted to millions of dollars. In this case we have to state a heavy defalcation, that of G. W. Sieber, mentioned above. It amounts to over twenty-six thousand dollars. Sieber, who had fled, was arrested at or near California, in Missouri, and brought back to Belleville. He was put in jail, bailed out by John Gross and John Lang, trusting friends, who, in their turn, were also deceived by the guilty man, making his escape soon after being released from imprisonment. He is still at large, and it is said that he now lives in the city of Mexico.
CORONERS.
The functions of coroners prior to the organization of the State were performed, as circumstances required it, by the then jus- tices; their reports were duly filed and recorded, as hereintofore mentioned. We will liere briefly state the names of county coroners, and their respective terms of office :-
Job Badgley, 1818 to 1820; Samuel Redman, 1820 to 1824; John Pulliam, 1824 to 1828: Jacob Eyman, 1828 to 1832; Sam- uel Philips, 1834 to 1836; Moses Stookey, 1838 to 1840; Alex- ander Reany, 1840 to 1842; M. J. Gannon, 1844 to 1848; James Scott, 1848 to 1854; William Kelley, 1856 to 1860; Theodor Joerg, 1862 to 1864: David Miley, 1864 to 1866; Gustav Wetz- lau and Thomas Scott, 1866 to 1868 (Wetzlau having resigned) ; Theodor Joerg, 1868 to 1870; William Kelley, 1870 to 1872; John N. Ryan, 1872 to 1874; Philip Schildknecht, 1874 to 1876; Timothy Canty, 1876 to 1878; and Johu Brader, 1878, re-elected in 1880, present incumbent.
SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS OR SUPERINTENDENTS.
William Moore, 1832-1833; Sylvester Merrils, 1833; Smyth Moore, 1843; George C. IIart, 1847; David McFarland, 1849; Joseph Hypes, 1833; George Bunsen, 1855; John H. Dennis, 1861 ; E. H. Palmer, 1863; August Whiting, 1865; James P. Slade, 1867; John P. Givillim, 1873; died in office. James P. Slade appointed Feb. 2d, 1875, and subsequently elected. James McQuilkin, present incumbent since 1879.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
John M. Messenger, elected in 1835, died in office in November, 1838: was succeeded by C. M. Messenger, 1839 to 1847; William Moore, 1847 to 1849 ; W. L. Deneen, 1849 to 1855; Fred. Graner, 1855 to 1857; Sharon Tyndale, 1857 ; resigned March 31st, 1861; Gustavus F. Hilgard, 1861 to 1863 ; Henry Holbrook, 1863 to 1865; Edward Rutz, 1865 to 1867; Gustavus F. Hilgard, 1867 to 1877; Louis Graner, present incumbent since 1879.
A list of the names of persons who have represented St. Clair County in the General Assembly, of the State of Illinois, and the year when elected.
SENATORS.
William Kinney
1818
Seth Cantlin *.
. 1842
James Lemen. .
1820
Seth Cantlin*
1844
William Kinney
1822
J. L. D. Morrison. 1848
James Lemen. .
. 1824
Edward Omelveny. 1852
James Lemen. .
. 1826
J. L. D. Morrisont
1854
Risdon Moore, Jr.
1823
William H. Underwood. 1856
Risdon Moore, Jr.
.1830
William H. Underwood. 1860
Adam W. Snyder.
1832
A. W. Metcalf .
1864
Adamı W. Snyder.
1834
Willard C. Flagg
1868
Jolin Murray. .
. 1836
W. H. Underwood 1870
John Murray .. .
1838
John Hincheliff.
1872
Adam W. Snyder.
1840
Jefferson Rainey
1874
James A. James, (District Senator.). 1840
John Thomas?
1878
REPRESENTATIVES.
f Risdon Moore,
Edward Abend,
1818.
J. D. Thomas.
1848.
Simon Stookey.
Risdon Moore,
(S. B. Chandler,
1820.
Charles P. Matheny,
Herbert Patterson,
David Blackwell.
William H. Snyder.
Risdon Moore,
1852.
( William H. Snyder,
1822.
Jacob Ogle,
Joseph 'Trotier.
1854.
William C. Kinney.
1824.
Abraham Eyman,
1856.
Vital Jarrot, W. H. Roman.
1826.
David Black well.
1858.
Vital Jarrot.
1828.
\ William G. Brown.
1860.
Samuel Stookey.
1830.
[ William G. Brown,
1862.
John Thomas.
1832.
Jolin Stuntz.
John Thomas.
John D. Hughes,
( A. B Pope,
1834.
William Moore,
Amos Thompson.
Joseph Green.
1868.
Alexander Ross.
1836. John Stuntz,
( William Moore.
John Thomas,
· 1872.
Luke H. Hite,
Lyman Trumbull,
William G. Kase,
1840.
David Baldwin,
1874.
John Thomas, James Rankin.
G. Koerner,
John W. Wells,
1842.
Phillip Penn,
1876.
Alonzo S. Wilderman,
Amos Thompson.
James M. Wittaker.
Amos Thompson,
Thos. Jennings,
1844.
Samuel Anderson,
1878.
Joseph Veile,
J. L. D. Morrison.
Henry Seiter.
John Reynolds,
Philip H. Postel,
1846.
William H. Underwood,
1880.
John N. Perrin,
( Samuel Stookey.
Joseph Veile.
Sometimes St. Clair County was a district by itself, sometimes it was associa ted with other counties to form a district; we have given the names of all persons who have ever represented it.
For list of Senators and Representatives, we are under obligations to Hon. George H. Harlow, former Secretary of State.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Court-Houses.
The first proceedings of the county officials of the new county of St. Clair were held in a private dwelling-house at Cahokia. The grounds on which said house was erected were purchased by Antoine Girardin, John Dumoulin and Philip Engel, then acting as judges of the common pleas court, from Francois Saucier on the 8th day of October, 1793. The deed of conveyance describes the property as follows : " All that certain messuage or dwelling-house, (now con- verted into a prisou and court-house) and lot of land thereto belong- ing, situate in the village of Cahokia, bounded in front by the street next to the river, on the east by a vacant lot, commonly known by the name of the " Parade," on the south by a lot now belonging to
* Elected to fill a vacancy occasioned by resignation of Adam W. Snyder.
t Elected to fill vacancy on death of Omelveny.
# Elected on adoption of the New Constitution.
¿ Present incumbent.
-
James R. Miller,
Joseph Green,
1870.
S J. R. Miller, 1.G. Koerner. Bernhard Wick,
1833.
William W. Roman, Vital Jarrot.
Jolin Thomas.
Daniel T.Moore. .
1864.
Jos. B. Underwood,
Jacob Ogle.
( John Middlecoff,
J Albert H. Trapp,
Risdon Moore,
David Blackwell.
j John Reynolds,
John Scheel,
{ Jolin Reynolds,
Vital Jarrott,
Nathaniel Niles,
1866.
John Reynolds.
1850.
80
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
John Dumoulin, Esquire, and on the west by a street running be- tween the said lot and the lot of the widow Boilieu." The purchase price was one thousand dollars. On the 12th of December, 1794, the above mentioned judges caused the following declaration to be put on record :
" Now, know ye, that the said Antoine Girardin, John Dumoulin and Philip Engel do hereby declare that their names were and are and made use of in the said above recited indenture in trust only for the public uses of the county of St. Clair, in pursuance of, and according to, the true intent and meaning of a Territorial Law, made and passed at Cincinnati, in the county. of Hamilton on the 1st day of August, in the year 1792, entitled : An Act, directing the building and establishing of a court-house, county jail, pillory, whipping-post and stocks in every county." The building here mentioned and described is still in existence, and the reader is re- ferred to the history of Cahokia precinct for particulars.
Cahokia remained the capital of St. Clair county for about 24 years. An agitation to remove the county-seat to a more central part of the county had commenced early in 1813. At the December term, 1813, the court of common pleas, composed of John Thomas, Jr., William Biggs and Caldwell Cairns, ordered the clerk to notify John Hay, James Lemen, Isaac Enochs, William Scott, Jr., Nathan Chambers, Jacob Short and Caldwell Cairns, commissioners appoint- ed by the legislature to fix upon a place for the seat of justice of this county, to meet at the house of Col. Whiteside, on the 25th of January, 1814, and to make return at the next February term, un- der their hands and seals.
These commissioners reported in April, 1814, as follows :
"In pursuance of a law passed by the legislature of Illinois Ter- ritory, on the 10th of December, 1813, at the village of Kaskaskia, for the purpose of fixing on the place of holding courts in the coun- ties of Madison, St. Clair and Johnson, and by virtue of a written order issued from the court of common pleas, directed to us, Com- missioners for the county of St. Clair, to meet on the 25th of Janu- ary, 1814, at the dwelling-house of Col. William Whitesides, for the purpose of fixing the seat of justice for the said county of St. Clair, we, the commissioners, met, agreeable to order, all being present, and made no decision for the want of the law, and the proper officer to administer the oath required in that case. We then adjourned, and appointed to meet on Monday, the 14tli of February, at the vil- lage of Cahokia, and we met accordingly, and postponed our deci- sion for further consideration and view of situation and place. Then appointed to meet at the dwelling-house of George Blair, and met ac- cordingly, all being present. A majority could not agree, then we again postponed our decision, and appointed to meet on Thursday, the 10th of March, at the said dwelling-house of George Blair, and we, a majority of said commissioners, have agreed, and fixed the county- seat of St. Clair county on the land of George Blair, and have marked a place for that purpose, about 25 rods north-east from the dwelling-house of the said George Blair, in his corn-field, and we, a majority of said commissioners, further report, that the said George Blair has proposed and agreed to give a donation for the use and benefit of said county of St. Clair, of a public square containing one acre of land, for the purpose of erecting public buildings thereon, and to relinquish twenty-five acres of land, adjoining next around the public square, and he also proposes to give every fifth lot of land of the twenty-five acres, exclusive of the streets, a donation for the use and benefit of the county.
Given under our hands and seals, this 10tli day of March, 1814.
ISAAC ENOCHS, JACOB SHORT,
JAMES LEMEN, NATHAN CHAMBERS,
JOHN HAY.
This report was accepted by the court, who, at the same term, ordered that a court-house and jail be erected at the new county-seat. The erection of the new court-house at the site thus selected, laid the foundation of the city of Belleville, until then known under the name of Clinton Hill, or, as other writers say, Compton Hill. George Blair came into court at the said April term, and promised to have conveniences made by uext June term to hold the court at his place. He received six dollars for hauling benches and tables from the court-house at Cahokia.
SECOND COURT HOUSE.
In September term, 1815, of the court of common pleas, an order was made for the building of this court-house. The contract was let to Etienne Pensoneau. The court-house, a frame building, was completed and received on the 10th of September, 1817. The con- tract price of $1,525.00 was but partly paid, and the county re- mained in debt to Etienne Pensoneau about $1200. In June, 1819, the sheriff was ordered to sell so many lots in Belleville as would bring money enough to pay Mr. Pensoneau this balance still due and unpaid. The site of this court-house was on the public square in Belleville.
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