USA > Illinois > Stark County > History of Stark County, Illinois, and its people : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 30
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Another representative was added by the eensus of 1880 and on April 29, 1882. the Illinois Legislature passed an aet dividing the state into twenty distriets. No ehange was made in the boundaries of the distriet in which Stark was situated, but the number was changed to the Tenth instead of the Ninth.
Twenty-two congressmen were given to Illinois by the eensus of 1890 and the state was aceordingly divided into twenty-two distriets by the aet of June 9, 1893. Under this apportionment the Tenth Distriet was made to consist of the counties of Henry, Knox, Mereer. Roek Island, Stark and Woodford. The first eleetion was in Novem- ber. 1894.
The last and present apportionment was made by the aet of May 13, 1901, when twenty-five districts were established. This appor-
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
tionment places Stark in the Sixteenth Distriet, along with Bureau, Marshall, Peoria, Putnam and Tazewell. The census of 1910 gave the state twenty-seven congressmen and in 1912 two members were elected from the state at large.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
In the Eleventh General Assembly, which passed the act creating the County of Stark. William H. Henderson was a member of the lower house and is accredited to Burean County in the official records, though his home was within the limits of Stark. Colonel Henderson was also elected to the Twelfth General Assembly in 1840 and in this session was accredited to Putnam County.
Section 6. Article 3. of the constitution of 1848 provided that "The Senate shall consist of twenty-five members, and the House of Repre- sentatives of seventy-five members, until the population of the state shall amount to 1.000,000 of souls, when five members may be added to the house and five additional members for every 500,000 inhabitants thereafter, until the whole number of representatives shall amount to 100; after which, the number shall neither be increased nor diminished; to be apportioned among the several counties according to the number of white inhabitants. In all future apportionments, where more than one county shall be thrown into a representative distriet, all the repre- sentatives to which said counties may be entitled shall be elected by the entire district."
Section 40 of the same article apportioned the representation in the General Assembly at twenty-five senators and seventy-five repre- sentatives, and another section provided that an apportionment should be made to become effective in 1855, and every tenth year thereafter. In the apportionment of 1848 the Nineteenth Senatorial Distriet was composed of the counties of Henry, Mercer, Knox, Rock Island, Stark and Warren: and the Forty-third Representative Distriet of the counties of Henry, Rock Island and Stark, which was entitled to one representative.
In the first session of the General Assembly under this apportion- ment, which convened at Springfield on January 1, 1849, John Denny. of Knox County, was senator, and John W. Henderson, of Stark, representative. From that time until the next apportionment, the district was represented as follows: 1850, John Denny, senator; James M. Allen, of Henry, representative: 1852. Benjamin Graham, of Henry, senator: William Marshall, of Rock Island, representative.
A new apportionment was made by the act of February 27, 1854,
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
under which representatives and senators were elected in the autumn of that year. No change was made in the Senatorial District, except that it was made the Ninth instead of the Nineteenth. but Peoria, and Stark counties were made to constitute the Forty-first Representative District, which was given two members of the lower branch of the Legislature. During the life of this apportionment the distriet was represented as follows: 1855. Benjamin Graham, senator: Henry Grove, of Peoria, and Thomas J. Henderson, of Stark, representa- tives: 1857. Thomas J. Henderson, senator; Martin Shallenberger, of Stark. and John T. Lindsey, of Peoria, representatives: 1859, Thomas J. Henderson, senator: Myrtle G. Brace, of Stark. and Thomas C. Moore, of Peoria, representatives: 1861. Thomas J. Pick- ett. of Rock Island. senator; Elbridge G. Johnson, of Peoria. and Theodore F. Hurd, of Stark. representatives.
By the act of January 31, 1861. the state was divided into districts for twenty-five senators and eighty-five representatives. The Six- teenth Senatorial District was composed of the counties of Marshall, Peoria. Putnam and Stark, and the Thirty-sixth Representative Dis- triet of Peoria and Stark counties. Under this apportionment the members from the districts were as follows:
Senators-John T. Lindsey, of Peoria, 1863: Greenbury L. Fort, of Marshall. 1867. Representatives-James Holgate. of Stark, and William W. O'Brien, of Peoria, 1863: Richard C. Dunn. of Stark. and Alexander McCoy, of Peoria, 1865: Sylvester F. Ottman, of Stark, and Thomas C. Moore, of Peoria, 1867: Bradford F. Thomp- son, of Stark, and William E. Phelps. of Peoria, 1869.
The constitution of 1870 provided that the governor and secretary of state should fix the apportionment for members of the General Assembly. under certain restrictions regarding population. etc. Only one session of the Legislature was held under this apportionment that elected in the fall of 1870-in which the Sixteenth Senatorial District. composed of Marshall, Peoria, Putnam and Stark counties. was represented by Mark Bangs. of Marshall, and Lucien H. Kerr, of Peoria. Stark County alone constituted the Seventy-fourth Rep- resentative District, and was represented by Miles A. Fuller.
By the act of March 1. 1872. the state was divided into fifty-one districts. each of which was entitled to one senator and three repre- sentatives, the counties of Bureau and Stark constituting the Six- teenth District. During the ten years this apportionment lasted, the following members of the General Assembly were elected from this district :
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IHISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
Senators-Lorenzo D. Whiting, of Burean, 1872-re-elected in 1876 and 1880. Representatives-1872, J. R. Mulvane and Mark R. Dewey, of Bureau: Cyrus Bocock, of Stark; 1874, J. H. Moore and J. J. Herron, of Burean: A. G. Hammond, of Stark: 1876, Charles Baldwin and J. J. Herron, of Bureau: Daniel J. Hurd, of Stark; 1878, Alfred G. Scott and Simon Elliott, of Bureau, Sylvester F. Ottman, of Stark: 1880, John H. Welsh and Charles Baldwin, of Bureau: Sylvester F'. Ottman, of Stark.
Bureau, Putnam and Stark counties were placed in the Twenty- fifth Distriet by the apportionment aet of May 6, 1882, the district being entitled to one senator and three representatives. Members of the General Assembly under this apportionment were as follows:
Senators-Lorenzo D. Whiting, 1882; Edward A. Washburn, of Bureau, 1886: Lonis Zearing, of Bureau, 1890. Representatives- 1882, James T. Thornton, of Putnam: John H. Welsh, of Bureau: John Lackie, of Stark: 1884, Albert W. Boyden, of Bureau: Eli V. Raley, of Putnam: James H. Miller, of Stark: 1886, Sterling Pom- eroy and Anthony Morrisey, of Bureau: James II. Miller of Stark; 1888, Anthony Morrisey and Peter MeCall, of Bureau: James H. Miller, of Stark: 1890, Michael Barton, of Burean; Archibald W. Hopkins, of Putnam, Samuel White, of Stark; 1892, Michael Barton, of Bureau: Archibald W. Hopkins, of Putnam: George Murray, of Stark.
A new apportionment was made by the act of June 15, 1893, which placed Burean, Putnam, Stark and Whiteside counties in the Thirty- first Distriet, with one senator and three representatives. Following is a list of the members of the General Assembly who served from this district under the apportionment of 1893:
Senators-1894, James W. Templeton, of Burean, who was re- eleeted in 1898. Representatives-1894, William M. Pilgrim and George Murray, of Stark: J. W. White, of Whiteside: 1896, George Murray, of Stark ; Jerry W. Dineen and Caleb C. Johnson, of White- side; 1898. Alfred N. Abbott, of Whiteside: Michael Kennedy, of Bureau: Archibald W. Hopkins, of Putnam: 1900, Allen P. Miller. of Stark: Alfred N. Abbott and Edward Devine. of Whiteside.
An apportionment aet passed by the General Assembly and ap- proved on January 11, 1898, was deelared unconstitutional, so that the next legal apportionment was that made by the act of May 10. 1901, which is still the law regulating the membership of the Legis- lature. Under this aet the counties of Burean, Henry and Stark were erected into the Thirty-seventh District, with one senator and three
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
representatives. The list of members from this district includes the following:
Senators James W. Templeton, of Bureau, 1902: B. Frank Baker, of Henry, 1906: IIngh S. Magill, of Bureau, 1910: C. C. Per- vier, of Bureau, 1914. Representatives-1902, James E. Noyes, of Stark; James K. Blish and Nathaniel W. Tibbets. of Henry; 1904, James E. Noyes, of Stark; James E. Dabler, of Bureau: Nathaniel W. Tibbetts, of Henry: 1906, Francis J. Liggett, of Stark; Clayton C. Pervier, of Burean; William J. MeGuire, of Henry: 1908, Francis J. Liggett, of Stark: Clayton C. Pervier, of Bureau: William J. McGuire, of Henry; 1910, Clayton C. Pervier, of Bureau; William J. McGuire and John R. Moore, of Henry; 1912. Randolph Boyd, of Henry: Clayton C. Pervier and Frank W. Morissey, of Bureau: 1914. Randolph Boyd and John R. Moore, of Henry; Frank W. Morissey, of Bureau.
OFFICIAL ROSTER
Following is a list of the county officials from the organization of the county in 1839 to the general election of 1914, with the year in which each was elected or assumed the duties of the office:
County Clerks-Oliver Whitaker, 1839; Thomas J. Henderson, 1847; Miles A. Fuller, 1853; Oliver Whitaker, 1869; David Walker, 1873: Joseph Chase, 1890: William W. Fuller, 1894: William E. Nixon, 1902.
Recorders-B. M. Jackson, 1839: J. W. Henderson, 1843; Sam- uel G. Butler, 1847. With the adoption of the constitution of 1848 the office of recorder was abolished, except in counties having a popu- lation of 60,000 or more, and the elerk of the Circuit Court was made ex-officio recorder in counties having less than that number of in- habitants.
Circuit Clerks-Oliver Whitaker. 1848: Jefferson Winn, 1852; Patrick M. Blair, 1860: John M. Brown. 1868: James Kinney, 1888: Joseph Chase, 1896; Elisha B. Redfield. 1904: Walter F. Young, 1912.
Sheriff's-Augustus A. Dunn. 1839; John Finley, 1840: John W. Henderson. 1844: John Finley, 1848; William F. Thomas, 1850; Clinton Fuller, 1832: Joseph Blanchard. 1854; Henry Breese, 1856; Oliver P. Emery, 1858; Elisha Greenfield, 1860: B. Frank Fuller, 1862: John M. Brown, 1864: Jesse Likens, 1866; S. M. Adams, 1868: C. F. Hamilton, 1878: Samuel M. Adams, 1880: Andrew Gal- braith, 1882; James Montooth. 1886: William Hughes, 1890; Donald
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
Murchison, 1894; John P. Williams, 1898; Thomas J. Malone, 1902; Edwin G. Williamson, 1906; Thomas J. Malone, 1910; James K. Fuller, 1914.
Treasurers-Minott Silliman, 1839; Benjamin Turner. 1849; Davis Lowman, 1853; IIngh Rhodes, 1859; William Lowman, 1861; C. M. S. Lyons, 1863; R. J. Diekinson, 1865; Orlando Brace, 1873; John Hawks, 1886: Donald Murchison, 1890; Jasper N. Kitterman, 1894: Wilber P. Snare, 1898; Fred J. Rhodes, 1902; Charles W. Boeock, 1906; E. G. Williamson. 1910: Henry D. D. Martin, 1914.
Surveyors-Carson Berfield, 1839; Sylvester F. Ottman, 1853; William Nowlan, 1861; Henry H. Oliver, 1863; Edwin Butler, 1865; Manning A. Hall, 1879; Edwin Butler, 1884; Henry II. Oliver, 1888; Clement L. Cravens, 1902; William F. Nicholson, 1912.
Coroners-Adam Day, 1840; John Miller, 1844; Philip Anschutz, 1846; William Chamberlain, 1848; Minott Silliman, 1830; David MeCanee, 1852; Imther S. Milliken. 1854; Benjamin L. Hilliard, 1856: Jerome B. Thomas, 1860; Jeffrey A. Cooley, 1862; John F. Rhodes, 1864; John Finley, 1866; Thomas Hall, 1868; P. P. Johnson, 1870: William H. Butler. 1874; Wilson Trickle, 1876; W. B. Arm- strong, 1878: John F. Rhodes. 1880; Charles W. Teeter, 1882; David S. Burroughs, 1884; Loyal T. Sprague, 1886: James G. Boardman, 1888: John N. Conger, 1900; James G. Boardman. 1904; J. C. Blais- dell, 1906; William L. Garrison, 1912.
Commissioners-Calvin Winslow, Jonathan Hodgson and Ste- phen Triekle. 1839; William Ogle. 1840; Brady Fowler, 1841: Jonathan Hodgson (elected to succeed himself), 1842; Lemuel S. Dorrance, 1843; Joseph Palmer, 1844; Jefferson Trickle, 1845; James Holgate, 1846; Thomas Lyle, 1847; Theodore F. Hurd, 1848.
The constitution of 1848 changed the form of county government by substituting a County Court, composed of a judge and two justices of the peace, for the board of commissioners. James Hol- gate was elected judge and the additional justices of the peace were William Ogle and James B. Lewis. The first session of this court was convened on December 3. 1849. The same officials continued in office until September, 1852, when John F. Thompson succeeded Mr. Lewis. By the adoption of township organization in 1853, the board of super- visors, consisting of one member from each township, took the place of the County Court, the last session of which was held on June 6, 1853, and the next day the first board of supervisors met in special session for the purpose of organizing. Following is a list of the super- visors since that time:
Vol. 1-20
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
Ehnira Township-Thomas Lyle, 1853; Myrtle G. Brace, 1854; Isaac Spencer, 1855; James Buswell, 1856; John Turnbull, 1858; James Buswell, 1861; Henry II. Oliver, 1862; Charles Stuart, 1863; Andrew Oliver, 1864; Matthew B. Parks, 1866; Lewis Austin, 1868; Charles P. Bussell, 1869; Thomas Oliver, 1871: Matthew B. Parks, 1874; Henry HI. Oliver, 1877; Matthew B. Parks, 1880; Robert Armstrong, 1882; William Jackson, 1885; Andrew Oliver, 1886; William Jackson, 1887; George T. Oliver, 1894: George D. Board- man, 1906 (re-elected at each succeeding election to 1914) .
Essex Township- Lemuel Dixon, 1853; Josiah Moffitt, 1853; Henry Colwell, 1857: John Chaffee, 1859; Jonathan Nicholas, 1862; William II. Butler, 1863; Edward Trickle, 1865; Sylvester F'. Ott- man, 1866; Hopkins Shivvers, 1867; Philip F. Earhart, 1870; John H. Ogle, 1871; Timothy Bailey, 1874; Jacob Graves, 1875; Philip F. Earhart, 1877; James M. Rogers, 1878; William H. Graves, 1879; Philip F. Earhart, 1880; John Jordan, 1882; Philip F'. Earhart, 1883; John Jordan. 1886; John HI. Ogle. 1890: M. R. Cox, 1891: Lemuel Dixon, 1895: P. B. Colwell, 1905: S. B. Adams, 1913; W. L. Hag- erty, 1914.
Goshen Township-Lewis H. Fitch, 1853: Henry Hayes, 1836; Theodore F. Hurd. 1858: Jacob Emery, 1861: Joseph Atherton, 1863; James HI. Quinn, 1865; Julius Ives, 1870; D. J. Hurd, 1871; Julius Ives, 1872; D. J. Hurd, 1873: Harrison Miner, 1875: Joseph D. Rhodes, 1879; Luman P. Himes, 1880; J. S. Atherton, 1882; James II. Quinn, 1883; J. S. Atherton, 1884; John F. Rhodes, 1885; Harrison Miner, 1890; E. S. Buffum, 1891; J. II. Baker, 1893: W. F. Nicholson, 1903; Robert Fell, 1905: Edd Nowlan. 1913: David Carstairs, 1915.
Osceola Township-Bradford S. Foster, 1853; William W. Winslow, 1855; Isaac W. Searle, 1859; John Winslow, 1860: John Lackie, 1861; Bradford F. Thompson, 1866; John Lackie, 1867; Charles Wilson. 1868: Augustus L. Thompson, 1869; John Lackie, 1870; Philip Munson, 1872; John Lackie, 1874; John D. Hatfield. 1882: Mordecai Bevier, 1884; James Hall, 1887; Mordecai Bevier, 1889; William M. Pilgrim, 1890: Mordecai Bevier. 1894; Thomas F. Fate, 1896; Thomas Hickey, 1898; Mordecai Bevier, 1900: F. J. Liggett, 1902: J. H. Hall, 1908: HI. P. Hopkins, 1910; J. M. Liggett, 1912: II. P. Hopkins, 1914.
Penn Township-James Holgate, 1853; Nathan Snare. 1834; IIenry Breese, 1856: Milan B. Little, 1857: Benjamin Bunnell, 1858; Nathan Snare, 1860; Samuel Crum. 1862; Samuel G. Avery, 1863:
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
Nathan Downing, 1864; John Snare, 1865: John Ackley, 1866; Cyrus Bocock, 1868: G. W. Brown, 1872: Robert MeBocock, 1874; James Snare, 1886; Cyrus Bocock, 1887; William C. Redding, 1890: B. F. Gharrett, 1891 : Zura Fuller, 1893; Weldon Reagan, 1896; Dominiek Harty, 1897: C. W. Bocoek, 1903: Dominick Harty, 1907; A. A. Webber, 1909: Ilarry Barton, 1911 (re-elected at each succeeding election to 1915).
Toulon Township-Calvin L. Eastman, 1853; John Berfield, 1854: Amos P. Gill, 1855: John Berfield, 1856; George W. Dewey, 1859: Davis Lowman, 1860: John Murnan, 1862; Brady Fowler. 1863; Isaae Thomas, 1864; George W. Dewey, 1865: C. M. S. Lyon, 1868; Brady Fowler, 1869; C. M. S. Lyon, 1870; James Fraser, 1871; Jonathan Fowler, 1873: James Nowlan, 1875; William P. Caverly, 1879: Jonathan Fowler, 1881; William P. Caverly, 1882: John Fowler, 1883; William P. Caverly, 1884; John W. Smith, 1885; Samuel Burge, 1887; William P. Caverly, 1891; J. A. Kloek, 1895; W. B. Ballentine, 1899; J. A. Klock, 1903; F. B. Nicholson, 1905 (re- elected at each succeeding election until 1915).
Valley Township-Charles C. Wilson, 1853; Jacob Speer, 1855; Charles C. Wilson, 1856; J. S. Hopkins, 1857; Simon Dixon, 1860; Henry M. Rogers, 1861; James M. Rogers, 1863; Nathaniel Smith. 1865: James M. Rogers. 1866: John Speer, 1868: Henry M. Rog- ers, 1869; John Jordan, 1875; Henry M. Rogers, 1876; Edward Colgan, 1877; John Speer, 1887; Edward Colgan, 1889; William Gill. 1895; Owen W. Hurd, 1896: James MeCurdy, 1906; William Gorman, 1910: Grant Burdick, 1912; James MeCurdy, 1914.
West Jersey Township-William W. Webster, 1853: C. M. S. Lyon. 1836: Sylvester II. Sanders, 1858: Ephraim Markley, 1859; C. M. S. Lyon, 1860; Aaron Sehnmek, 1861; C. M. S. Lyon, 1862; Milton Atherton, 1863; Isaae L. Newman, 1864: Nelson Jones. 1865: Levi Eckley, 1868; Isaac L. Newman, 1869; Andrew J. John- son, 1871; Daniel R. Gelvin, 1873; James McGinnis, 1876; Andrew J. Johnson, 1877; Isaac L. Newman, 1878: H. C. Hyde, 1880; George M. Ilazen, 1881: Lewis C. Egbert, 1882; Philip Beamer, 1884: Lewis C. Egbert, 1885; John Hazen, 1886; Charles W. Terry, 1887; Lewis C. Egbert, 1888: Carlon Riee. 1889; Thomas J. Dryden, 1892; L. A. Kamerer, 1912: F. V. Addis, 1914.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Following is the vote of Stark County for President and Vice President from its organization to 1912, inclusive. In the table the
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
whig and republican candidates are first given, followed by the deno- cratic candidates, and in a few important instances third party candidates are given as indicated in parentheses :
1840-Harrison and Tyler. 187
Van Buren and Johnson. 154
1844-Clay and Frelinghuysen 187
Polk and Dallas. 206
1848-Taylor and Fillmore 214
Cass and Butler. 174
Van Buren and Dodge ( Free Soil) 84
1852-Scott and Graham. 336
Pieree and King 350
Hale and Julian ( Free Soil) 82
1856 -- Fremont and Dayton. 718
Buchanan and Breckenridge. 352
Fillmore and Donelson ( American) 152
1860-Lincoln and Hamlin. 1,164
Douglas and Johnson. 659
Breckenridge and Lane (Dem.) 1
Bell and Everett ( American) 23
1864-Lincoln and Johnson .. 1,174
Mcclellan and Pendleton 613
1868-Grant and Colfax. 1,394
Seymour and Blair 705
1872-Grant and Wilson. 1,218
Greeley and Brown 606
1876-Hayes and Wheeler. ,440
Tilden and Hendrieks. 786
1880-Garfield and Arthur. 1.383
Haneoek and English 681
1884-Blaine and Logan. 1,365
Cleveland and Hendricks 784
1888-Harrison and Morton. 1,359
Cleveland and Thurman 826
1892- Harrison and Reid. 1.240
Cleveland and Stevenson 824
1896 -MeKinley and Hobart. 1.636
Bryan and Sewall 1.020
Paher and Buckner ( Gold Dem.) 17
1900-Me Kinley and Roosevelt 1.665
Bryan and Stevenson. 939
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
1904-Roosevelt and Fairbanks 1.764
Parker and Davis 574
1908-Taft and Sherman 1.635
Bryan and Kern. 738
1912-Taft and Sherman. 549
Wilson and Marshall. 669
Roosevelt and Johnson ( Progressive) 1,053
Chaffin and Watkins ( Prohi.) 25
Debs and Seidel (Socialist ) 41
CHRONOLOGY
In the foregoing chapters a conseientious effort has been made to give an authentic and comprehensive account of the progress of Stark County along industrial, educational, professional and religious lines, as well as her part in the military affairs of the nation when treason sought to disrupt the Union. As a conclusion to this work it is deemed appropriate to give a list of the principal events leading up to the ยท settlement and organization of the county, together with those that have some bearing upon its more recent history. At first glance, some of these events may seem to be only remotely connected with the county's story, but it must be remembered that every politieal sub- division is but the product of an evolution, its origin often being found in some incident that happened many years before, and perhaps in some distant state, or even a foreign country. Henee each event in the following list wielded its influence in shaping the destinies of Stark County.
, 1671. Nicholas Perrot, the French explorer, visits the region about the sources of the Illinois River.
, 1672. Fathers Allouez and Dablon, Jesuit missionaries, visit - some of the Indian tribes in the Illinois country.
, 1673. Father Marquette passes up the Illinois and Des- plaines rivers on his return from exploring the Mississippi River.
January 3, 1680. La Salle reaches Lake Peoria on his first attempt to find the mouth of the Mississippi.
April 9, 1682. La Salle reaches the mouth of the Mississippi and claims all the country drained by the great river and its tributaries for France under the name of "Louisiana." Under this claim the present State of Illinois beeame a French possession.
, 1712. Antoine Crozat granted the exelusive trade with Loui- siana by the French Government. He was succeeded by the Western Company in 1717.
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
1718. French settlements made at Kaskaskia and Fort Chartres under the auspices of the Western Company.
April 10, 1732. The Western Company surrenders its charter and "Louisiana" (including Illinois) again became a crown province.
February 10. 1763. French and Indian war concluded by the Treaty of Paris. All that part of Louisiana lying east of the Missis- sippi, except the Isle of Orleans, ceded to Great Britain and Illinois thus becomes an English possession.
December 30, 1764. Gen. Thomas Gage issues a proclamation providing for the safe removal of all French subjects who were un- willing to become subjects of the British crown.
October 10. 1765. Fort Chartres occupied by a detachment of British soldiers.
-- , 1778. The British posts of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Fort Chartres in Illinois, and Vincennes. Indiana, surrender to Gen. George Rogers Clark.
October, 1778. The County of Illinois established by the Virginia Legislature, that colony elaiming the territory conquered by General Clark.
December 12, 1778. John Todd, the lieutenant commander for Illinois County appointed by Governor Patrick Henry, arrives at Kaskaskia.
September 3, 1783. The Revolutionary war coneluded by the Treaty of Paris, which fixed the western boundary of the United States at the Mississippi River. Ilinois thus became a part of the territory of the new republic.
August 3, 1795. Treaty with several Indian tribes negotiated at Greenville, Ohio. A square mile of land where Chicago now stands, another square mile at the foot of Peoria Lake, and two square miles at the mouth of the Illinois River set apart as Indian reservations.
May, 1800. Indiana Territory, including the present State of Illinois, established and Gen. William H. Harrison appointed gov- ernor.
August 13, 1803. A treaty negotiated at Vincennes with the Kaskaskia Indians and the remnants of other Illinois tribes, by which those Indians ceded all their lands except 350 acres to the United States.
November 3, 1804. A treaty concluded with the Saes and Foxes at St. Louis, providing for the cession to the United States of all the lands claimed by those tribes bounded by the Mississippi. Wisconsin, Fox and Illinois rivers.
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
February 3, 1809. Territory of Illinois established by an act of Congress and Ninian Edwards appointed governor.
-, 1814. Fort Clark built about where the City of Peoria now stands. A French trading post had been in existence here for many years. The fort was burned in 1818.
May 13, 1816. Treaty of St. Louis, by which the Saes and Foxes confirm the conditions of the treaty of November 3, 1804.
April 18, 1818. Congress passes an act authorizing the people of Illinois to hold a constitutional convention.
October 5, 1818. The state government organized at Kaskaskia.
December 3, 1818. Illinois admitted to the Union as a state.
-, 1825. Organization of Putnam County, which included the greater portion of the present County of Stark.
April, 1829. Isaac B. Essex, the first white man to settle in Stark County, built his eabin about two and a half miles southwest of the present City of Wyoming.
-, 1831. Rev. Jesse Hale sent to the military tract as a mis- sionary to the Indians.
August 2, 1832. Last battle of the Black Hawk war, in which the Indians were signally defeated.
September 26, 1833. Treaty with the Pottawatomi Indians at Chicago. By this treaty the Indian title to the lands in Stark County was extinguished and the country opened to settlement.
-- , 1833. A weekly mail route established from Springfield via Peoria to Galena. This route passed through Stark County and the first postoffice was established, with Isaac B. Essex as postmaster.
July 4, 1834. The first schoolhouse in Stark County raised in what is now Essex Township.
October 3, 1838. Death of Black Hawk, the celebrated Sae chief, in Iowa.
March 2, 1839. Aet organizing the County of Stark approved.
April 1, 1839. First election in Stark County held at the house of Elijah McClenahan.
April 4, 1839. First meeting of the board of county commissioners.
October 11. 1839. First session of the Circuit Court convenes at the house of William Henderson. In this year the capital of the state was removed from Vandalia to Springfield.
November 2, 1840. First presidential election after the organiza- tion of Stark County. Harrison and Tyler carry the county by a plurality of thirty-three votes,
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
February 27, 1841. Act of the Legislature naming commissioners to locate the county seat of Stark.
May 17, 1841. The commissioners appointed to select the site for the county seat selected the present site of Toulon.
July 28, 1841. John Miller and his wife deed the county seat site to the county commissioners.
-, 1842. First courthouse built by Abel Mott.
-, 1848. Illinois adopts a new constitution.
December 3, 1849. First session of the County Court, which took the place of the commissioners under the new constitution.
October 20, 1850. First Masonie lodge in the county organized at Toulon.
November 8, 1851. Stark Lodge, No. 96, Independent Order of Odd Fellows organized at Toulon-the first Odd Fellows' lodge in the county.
November 2. 1852. Township organization carried at the general election by a vote of 443 to 173.
June 6, 1853. Last session of the County Court.
June 7, 1853. First session of the board of supervisors. In the fall of this year the first Illinois state fair was held at Springfield.
October 29, 1853. Stark County Agricultural Society organized. Ilugh Rhodes the first president.
September, 1855. Ground broken near Toulon for the Western Air Line Railroad. Event celebrated by a big dinner, speeches, ete.
January 4. 1856. The Prairie Advocate, the first newspaper pub- lished in Stark County, issued at Toulon by John G. Hewitt and John Smith. In this year the present courthouse was completed.
April 15. 1861. Big "war meeting" at Toulon.
April 25, 1861. First volunteers from Stark County mustered into the United States serviee as Company B. Seventh Illinois In- fantry, with Hugh J. Cosgrove as captain.
May 25, 1865. Meeting held at Toulon to rejoice over the return of peaee.
July 8, 1871. First regular passenger train arrives at Toulon on the Peoria & Rock Island Railroad.
December 13, 1878. Stark County Old Settlers' Association or- ganized at Toulon.
April 19, 1898. Wyoming incorporated as a city. S. R. Perkins eleeted the first mayor.
June 12, 1902. Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument erected by the county. dedieated at Toulon. In the fall of this year the Chicago &
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HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY
Northwestern Railroad was completed through the eastern part of the county.
April 20, 1909. Toulon incorporated as a city under the general laws of Illinois. George Nowlan elected the first mayor.
April 1, 1915. Carnegie Library at Wyoming opened to the public.
September 7, 1915. Toulon Publie Library opened.
October 28, 1915. Part of Stark County placed under quarantine on aeeount of the "foot and mouth disease." Several hundred head of cattle, hogs and sheep killed on the 30th.
POSTSCRIPT-IN LIEU OF A PREFACE
To write of the good and true; to preserve a record of the deeds and achievements of the past; to keep green the memory of those who played in the great drama of life before we came upon the stage of action; to chronicle the doings of our ancestors, that we may emulate their examples and profit by their mistakes, is a duty that every in- dividual owes to a common humanity, And to those in the ordinary walks of life-the real builders of state and nation- the history of their own people conveys a greater lesson than a knowledge of the Punie wars, the accomplishments of Alexander the Great, or the victories and defeats of Napoleon.
In bidding the reader good-bye, the editor and publishers of this History of Stark County and its People desire to say that no effort has been spared to give to the people of the county a history that is at once authentie and comprehensive -- authentie, because so far as pos- sible official records have been used as a source of information, and comprehensive, because, it is believed, no important event connected with the county's history has been omitted.
The work has been one involving great care and labor and much of the credit is due to old residents for their ready and willing coopera- tion in the collection of data regarding events of by-gone years.
The division of the history into topies is, we believe, the best that could have been made, and an arrangement that the reader will find at once logical and convenient.
In conelusion, the editor and his assistants desire to take this oppor- tunity to express their obligations to the various county officials and numerous eitizens for their assistance while the work was in prepara- tion, and especially to thank the librarians of the public libraries at Lafayette, Toulon and Wyoming for their uniform courtesies on all oceasions.
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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 977.351H14H C001 V001 HISTORY OF STARK COUNTY, ILLINOIS, ANO I
3 0112 025392330
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