USA > Illinois > Washington County > History of Washington County, Illinois > Part 8
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County Recorder.
It appears that the office of Recorder was separate and distinct from that of any other office during the period between the dates 1835-1843. Wm. Boyd was appointed in 1835. Wm. Boyd was elected in 1839. James Burns, elected in 1839 ; re-elected in 1843.
County Collecter.
Prior to 1844, the office of County Collector was distinct from any other office. At that date, the office of County Collector was abolished, and the Sheriff was made ex-officio Col- lector of the county. Below will be found the names of the County Collectors :
John Martin was appointed in 1818, and we find no other appointment on record until James G. Harris was appointed in 1837. Isaac Parlier, appointed in 1840; re-elected in 1841. Salem Goodner, appointed in 1842. John L. McElhanon, appointed in 1843.
First Voting Precincts.
At a regular term of the Justices' Court, on March 18th, 1818, four voting precincts were made for the county, to be known as follows: Sugar Creek township, Carlyle township, Crooked Creek township, and Covington township. In 1820, another township was created, called Shoal Creek township.
Vote of Washington County, by Precincts, for Presidential Electors, in 1876.
REPUBLICAN.
DEMOCRATIC.
Ashley ..
193
226
Covington,
140
Dubois.
60
87
Elkton.
118
93
Hoyleton
113
121
Irvington ...
IIQ
48
Lively Grove.
133
95
Nashville.
4.38
424
Okawville
223
135
Pilot Knob ..
72
57
Plum Hill
72
Richview ....
193
Venedy
134
Total
sy !!
1671
About 15 votes were cast for Peter Cooper's (Greenback candidate) electors.
CHAPTER VI. THE BENCH AND BAR.
HE Judiciary and the Bar furnish interesting chapters in the history of every community.
The legal profession, and the Judiciary are so closely connected and associated with the development and progress of civilization, that their history is almost inseparable from the civil history of the com- munity.
Washington County has in times past been favored with a learned and upright Judiciary as well as a Bar profound in the lore of the law.
This county originally belonged to the twenty-third Judicial district, which was composed of the following counties; Marion, Clinton, Washington, Per- ry, Randolph and Monroe.
Southern Illinois in the early days, like all other newly settled countries, had but little litigation to occupy the attention of the Courts. A term of the Circuit Court seldom lasted more than a day or two.
This is in striking contrast to our courts of to-day, that often occupy from two to four weeks in a single term. The Judges in company with the lawyers rode from one county-seat to another on horseback. The first Circuit Court held in this county, was held at the house of James Bankson on Shoal creek, now in Clinton county, on the 13th day of July, 1818. John Warnock was the Judge, William H. Bradsby clerk and Daniel S. Swearingen sheriff. The following names composed the Grand Jury : Thomas F. Herbert, George Brown, Philip Martin, Leaven Maddox, Abraham Baker, Abner Eads, Bolin Green, Elis Chaffin, Andrew Bankson,. Jacob Turman, John Starna- ter, Mathias Eads, Joseph Watkins, Cyrus Cherby, John Clary and Henry McDaniel. The Grand Jury was in session one day, and returned five in- dictments : one for assault and battery, and four for retailing "spirituous li- quor" without license.
Judge Warnock, after serving two terms, was succeeded by Judge John Reynolds, a noted politician, and a man of distinguished ability. He after- wards became Governor of the State.
The sessions of the court were held during Judge Reynolds' term of of- fice at Covington, which was laid out and became the county-seat in 1818. In 1819, at the October term, Judge Joseph Phillips appeared upon the Bench as the successor of. Judge Reynolds.
Judge Phillips and John Reynolds presided alternately, until the No- vember term, 1822, when Wm. Reynolds appeared upon the Bench. Judge Wm. Reynolds presided, continuously, until the year 1825.
Judge Samuel McRoberts, succeeded Wm. Reynolds and presided at the various terms April, 1825, to September, 1826.
Hon. Theophilus Smith was the successor of Mr. McRoberts, and con- tinued in office until 1834.
Judge Thomas C. Brown, appears to have presided at the August term of the Court in the year 1829.
Sidney Breese, a name conspicuous in the history of the legal profession of Illinois, was the next Judge, in the order of succession. He was elected and assumed the duties of his office, some time in the autumn of 1835. He presided continuously, until 1842, when he resigned the Judgeship to accept a seat in the United States Senate.
Hon. James Semple was the successor of Mr. Breese. He served for one year only.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
General James Shields, whose reputation is national in its character, hav- ing held the office of Major General, in two wars-the Mexican and the war of the Great Rebellion, and who enjoys the eminent distinction, of hav- ing represented three States of the Union on the floor of the United States Senate, was the successor of Judge Semple. He served two years and re- tired in 1844.
Hon. Gustavus Koerner, succeeded General Shields. He served from 1844 to 1849.
Hou. William H. Underwood was the next Judge. He served for six years, and upon his retirement, the venerable Sidney Breese, was again called to the Bench. His term of office began in 1855, and he served a little more than two years, when he was called to the Supreme Bench of the State of Illinois, which position he held continuously until his death in 1878.
HoD. H. K. S. O'Melveney succeeded Judge Breese and served out the residue of the term to which Judge Breese had been elected. He retired from the Bench in 1861.
Judge Silas L. Bryan succeeded to the Bench in 1861, was re-elected in 1867, and retired in 1873.
Judge Amos Watts, a resident of Washington county, was elected to suc- ceed Judge Bryan, in 1873, and is the present incumbent, (1879).
Judge Watts is a lawyer of distinguished ability,-yet in the vigor of manhood, of studious habits, and has a wide field of usefulness yet before him.
During a ten years' clerkship of the county court Judge Watts read law under the direction of Hon. P E. Hosmer, and was admitted to practice in 1854. He, from that time on enjoyed a lucrative practice until he was elected Judge in 1873.
By act of the legislature of 1877, the judicial system of Illinois was ma- terially changed. Two districts were thrown into one, and each of the dis- tricts so formed has three Judges. Washington county is now in the third judicial district, which is composed of the counties of Marion, Clinton, Wash- ington, Perry, Randolph, Monroe, St. Clair, Madison and Bond. Associated with Judge Watts, in this district, are Judge George W. Wall, of Duquoin, Perry county, and Judge William H. Snyder, of Belleville, St. Clair county. Ephraim Kilpatrick was the first resident lawyer in Nashville, or Wash. ington county. He practiced here for a few years and removed to Iowa.
J. Thomas Hanson was the next resident lawyer. He was a native of Maryland. Was a gentleman of culture and a good lawyer. Was an ar. dent politician of the olden type.
Ptolemy E. Hosmer, a native of Vermont, was admitted to the Bar, in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, by Judge John M. Krum, on the day that James K. Polk was elected President, in 1844. He practiced his profession in Franklin county one year, when he removed to Nashville, where he has ever since enjoyed a large and lucrative practice.
He has represented this county in the State Legislature. As a represen- tative, he distinguished himself as an able lawyer and legislator.
Lyman P. Lacey, now a resident of Mason county, Illinois, and Judge of the Circuit Court of that district, and one of the Judges of the appellate court, was the next resident lawyer.
He came to Nashville, in 1844. He remained here but a short time, but during his stay among the citizens of Washington county, he built for him- self a reputation as an able jurist and an upright man.
T. J. Lecompte, came to. Nashville in 1844. He was a successful practi- tioner, until he became blind. He died a few years ago.
J. H. Wickizer commenced the practice of the law in Nashville, in 1845. Judge Isaac Miller came here in 1850, has been in the practice continuous- ly ever since, and is now a resident of Nashville, (1879). He served one term in the State Legislature.
Marcus McCord, the present County Surveyor (1879), of Washington county, was admitted to the practice in 1853. After a brief period he aban- doned the practice of his profession.
John Curtis was a resident lawyer here in 1853, and practiced in partner- ship with Mr. McCord.
Captain Lorenzo Johnson, a native of Connecticut, and who was appointed by the Governor of that State, as a captain in one of the ten regiment, raised in that State, for the Mexican war, located in Nashville at the close of this war, and practiced for two years ; he removed from here to Chester, where he died.
Wm. H. Redden, was admitted to the Bar and began the practice of his profession, in 1857, in Nashville.
He laid aside the " musty volumes of legal lore," when the tocsin of war
was sounded, on the fall of Sumter, and buckled on his sword in defence of the nation's honor.
At the close of the war, he returned to Nashville and resumed the prac- tice of his profession. He soon after removed to Kansas, where he died
H. Clay Bradsby, a native of Washington county, was admitted to the practice in about the year 1854. He remained only a year after bis admis- sion to the Bar, when he removed to Vandalia, Fayette county, Illinois, and from there to Effingham, where he now resides, (1879).
John N. Vernor, was admitted about this time, but never entered into the practice on account of his frequently and almost continuously being honored with important offices and position by his fellow-citizens.
Captain A. J. Hosmer, studied law with his brother, Hon. P. E. Hosmer, in Nashville, and was admitted to practice in 1855.
Like thousands of others of the brave sons of Illinois, when the life of the nation was trembling in the balance, be had his heart fired with that pa- triotic fervor that pervaded all classes of citizens who loved American insti- tutions, and he abandoned his civic duties for the privations and dangers of the tented field.
He was made a captain in the Forty-fourth Regiment of Illinois Volun- teers, and fell at the head of his company at the historic battle of Stone River-one of the mary sacrifices for the nation's life.
James Bassett, author of "Bassett's Criminal Precedents," located at Ashley, in about the year 1864. He practiced here for some time, but has long since been " gathered to his fathers."
Hon James M. Rountree, the present States Attorney of Washington county, is a native of the county. He studied law, while engaged in the business of life, and was admitted by the Supreme Court of the State in the year, 1867.
He has built up a good business, and is quite popular in the practice of his profession.
Wm. S. Forman, studied law in the office of Judge Amos Watts, and was admitted to the Bar in 1872. Mr. Forman, is a young gentleman of genial disposition and engaging manners, of sound personal character, and of more than ordinary ability. He has a good practice, and bright prospects for the future.
Green P. Harben, a located lawyer at Okawville read law under the direc- tion of Judge Watts. He was admitted to the Bar in 1870.
James Mondy, was admitted to the Bar in 1870. He soon after died. Robert Finney was licensed to practice law in the year 1872.
Hon. Dan. Hay, read law under the direction of Hon. P. E. Hosmer, and was admitted in the year 1867. Mr. Hay is a lawyer of ability, and en- joys an extensive practice.
He is a native of Washington County, and has represented the district of which it forms a part, in the State Legislature, He is a gentleman of a high order of intellect, and has a bright future before him.
Washington F. Crane, was admitted to the Bar in 1872.
Judge C. T. Ware, at present Judge of the City court of East St. Louis, was a resident lawyer in Nashville in 1870.
William Rainey, deceased, was admitted to the practice in 1872.
Wm. E. Alexander, was admitted by the Supreme Court to the practice in 1872.
Benjamin Klane, was also licensed to practice in the year 1872.
Hon. James A. Watts, a native of Washington county, a. brilliant young lawyer of Nashville, studied law in the office of his father, Hon. Amos Watts, and was licensed to practice in the year 1872, at the age of twenty-one years.
Mr. Watts, Jr., has by his business qualifications, strict attention to busi- ness, untiring industry, perseverance and integrity, built up for himself a large practice.
He has been honored with the highest office in the gift of the municipality of Nashville, having been chosen by the unsolicited suffrages of his fellow- citizens to the office of Mayor of the city, which office he now holds. There is no young man in Southern Illinois that has brighter prospects for ad- vancement and preferment than has Mr. Watts.
Judge S. E. Catterlin, a lawyer from the State of Alabama, came to this county in the year 1867, and has since resided at Ashley. Judge Catterlin has been eminently successful.
George Aikin, a native of Washington county, and a resident lawyer of Nashville, studied law in the office of Judge Watts, and was licensed to practice, by the Supreme Court, in the year 1875.
Mr. Aikin is a young man of ability as a lawyer and orator, and of un-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
questionable integrity-the requisites to success in the profession of his choice.
He is.at present associated in the practice with Hon. James M. Rountree. Walter Way, was the prosecuting attorney of Washington county, from 1872 to 1876.
M. M. Goodner, a native of Washington county, read law in the office of Hon. Amos Watts, and began the practice of his profession in 1860.
Mr. Goodner has occupied several positions of honor and trust, the most important of which, was the office of Judge of the county court.
Judge Georg. W. Vernor, the present Judge of the county court of Washington, is a native of the county ; was admitted to the Bar in 1860, and has been eminently successful in the practice of his profession.
Lafayette Belcher, was licensed to practice law, in about the year 1858. J. M. Durham, of Ashley, was admitted to the Bar in 1858 or 1859.
Lewis M. Phillips, was licensed to practice, in 1860. He is a man of sound morals, well defined conscientious convictions, a diligent student, and conse- quently an able lawyer.
Wm. Berry and John Lane, were admitted to the Bar, some time during the war of the rebellion.
R. H. Madden, located, and began the practice of law in Nashville, in 1861. In 1872 he removed to Chicago, where he now resides.
E. M Vance, located in Nashville, in 1854. He removed from here to Vandalia, Illinois, from whence be removed to Missouri, where he now lives.
Charles Rose, the present Master in Chancery of Washington county, is a native of Ohio. He studied law in the office of Hon. P. E. Hosmer, and was admitted in 1874.
He is a young man of moral and industrious habits, and bids fair to at- tain eminence in his profession.
Lyman Smith and Henry T. Sumner, were practicing lawyers in Nashville, in 1859.
Mr. Smith removed to Vandalia, and shortly thereafter died. Albert G. Boyd was a practicing lawyer here in 1859.
Hon. Samuel W. Jones, was admitted to the Bar in 1874, and soon after located in Nashville. He graduated at the Law-School of Lexington, Ken- tucky, in 1874. He is at present one of the representatives to the General Assembly of the State, from this district.
Perry Boucher, was admitted to the Bar in 1876.
Alexander Morgan and C. T. Moore, were admitted in 1877.
W. Henry Moore, was admitted to the Bar in 1872, and has since prac- ticed in the courts of the county.
Mr. Moore is an eloquent advocate, and bids fair to attain eminence in his profession. He has represented his district in the State Legislature.
Col. Hicks, the " hero of Paducah," resided a short time at Richview and practiced in the courts of this county.
John Breese, of Richview, was admitted to the Bar in 1877.
Alpheus L. Watts, studied law in the office of his father, Hon. Amos Watts, and received his license to practice, in 1877. He is associated in the prac- tice, with his brother Hon. James A. Watts. He is a young man of marked ability, scholarly habits, and doubtless will achieve distinction in his chosen profession.
A. W. Smith, a native of West Virginia, located in Nashville, and com- menced the practice of the law, in 1875. He had previously resided at £a- lem, Illinois, from whence he removed to Ashley, and from thence to Nash- ville.
James J. Anderson commenced the practice of law in Nashville in 1877. He had previously been admitted to the Bar in the State of Missouri.
George W. Hendricks, of Elkton, Washington county, was admitted to the practice of law in 1878.
Incident .- In the history of the bar, as in the history of all other profes- sions and avocations, there are to be found many genuine specimens of the " Genus Homo," and many incidents that are peculiarly diverting in their character.
In the early days of Nashville George W. Lee, known as the " irrepressi- ble," afforded a source of great amusement for the lawyers and politicians. Lee was a great politician, and believed in the infallibility of General Jack- son. His highest ambition was to be a lawyer, and at almost every term of the court he would present himself for examination, for admission to the Bar. On one occasion, when the examiners, the court and every one present had become satisfied of his incompetency, the examiners concluded to have some sport with the " descendant of the Revolutionary Lees, and accordingly proceeded to propound all manner of ludicrous questions to him.
One of the examiners propounded this question : " What penalty do our laws prescribe for the crime of suicide ? Lee studied thoughtfully for a mo- ment, scratched his cranium, and anwered : " I don't know, unless it is to send the victim to h-ll." On one occasion, as Senator Breese, was about to take his departure for Washington City, the indomitable Lee, sent him word that he wanted to see him before he left for the Capital. It was just as the tolk of a war with Mexico had begun to get common over the country. With great dignity, Lee informed the Senator that he had a message, which he wanted conveyed to the president. The Senator expressed the pleasure that it would give him to be the bearer of a message from so distinguished a personage as Lee to the president, and asked him what it was that he desired to commu- nicate. Says he, "Tell President Polk, if we want to whip the Mexicans, we must fight them upon land and upon sea."
The brilliant General U. F. Linder was in attendance upon one term of the court in Nashville, in 1842. He left behind him the record of being one of the most eloquent advocates that ever practiced at the Washington county Bar.
In 1840, and for several years thereafter many lawyers of wide spread re- putation, were in atttendance at the terms of the circuit court of this coun- ty. Among the most noted were Judge Joseph Gillespie, of Madison coun- tv ; Hon. Ben. Bond, of Clinton, Gov. G. Koerner, of St. Clair, Col. Wm. H. Bissell, Lyman Trumbull and others. Judges Trumbull and Gillespie were more engaged in practice than the others.
General Shields, while not upon the Bench, practiced for several years at the Nashville Bar, as did also, Judge H. K. S. O'Melveney.
Richard Bond, a prominent lawyer of Carlyle, had at one time consider- able practice in the courts of this county.
Judge Underwood, also, when not employed upon the Bench, was a practi- tioner in our courts. Between the years 1846 and 1865, Judge Underwood had a large and remunerative practice in this county.
For several years previous to the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, General Haynie and Judge Parish attended the courts of Washington county.
They were both lawyers of great popularity, and had a large practice, each of them.
T. M. Robinson, a native of the county, and resident of Ashley, was ad- mitted to the Bar in Texas, in about the year 1875, and is now a member of the Washington county Bar.
J. W. Hudson, present County Superintendent of schools, resides at Ash- ley, and practices law in the courts of Washington county. Mr. Hudson is a man of culture, well educated in his profession, and possesses those traits essential to success in the profession of law-studious habits and sound per- sonal character.
CHAPTER VII. PATRIOTISM.
"Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land ! Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned, As home his footsteps he hath turned, From wandering on a foreign strand ?"
OTHING is more natural than for Americans to love America. Its vast territory, embracing every variety of climate, every quality of soil ; and its mighty rivers, on whose bosoms float the pro- ducts of its fertile valleys and its mammoth manufactories ; its silvery lakes and snow-capped mountains; its stupendous cascades and gor- geous scenery ; its inexhaustible mines and gigantic internal improvements, are objects sufficient to awaken the pride and strengthen the devotion of any citizen for our country.
Nor is this all. Americans find in their country, its history, its tradi- tions and its institutions, something worthy to love, something worthy to pre- serve. In our country that grandest political doctrine, that "all men are created equal " in the scale of human rights, first found enunciation, and was first incorporated in the organic law of the land. The government stretches out its broad and strong arms for the protection of all its citizens in the enjoyment of personal liberty and freedom of conscience.
It is by no means surprising that citizens fostered, cherished and pro-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
tected by the benign institutions of our country, should hasten when dangers threaten and the lurid flames of war have lit our shores, to exchange the sober civilian's duties and habits for the gay uniform of the soldier and the dangers and privations of the tented field.
Illinois has ever been proud of the record of her distinguished civilians, whose deeds of statesmanship adorn with lustre the brightest pages of our country's history ; but she takes no less pride in the brilliant achievements of her brave sons upon the battle-field, wherever the voice of their country called them, all the way from the " Wisconsin and the Bad Axe " to the " Halls of the Montezumas." Illinois has ever been true to the government. In the hours of the nation's direst calamities never has she called upon our State for aid that the call went unhceded.
When it was known that Black Hawk and his merciless savages were visiting the pioneers of the North with death and destruction, the citizens of Illinois, the citizens of Washington county, laid aside their civil duties and at once repaired to the scene of hostilities.
A list of those engaged in the war will be found further on in this chapter. When the intelligence came that " American blood bad been spilled on American soil " by a semi-civilized race, and that war had been declared, Illinois, through her Shields, her Bissell, her Baker, and thousands of others less distinguished but no less brave, tendered her services to the nation, and from Lake Michigan to the Ohio went up the cry-" On to Mexico!" Washington county was not behind her neighbors in furnishing men and means in this war.
A full list of the names of all who served in this war will be found in this chapter.
In the dark days of '61, when the fate of.the nation was trembling in the balance, when the old ship of State was rocking to and fro on the billows of secession, when the deep and dark-mouthed cannon of a belligerent enemy were turned upon the national capitol at Washington, the course of Illi- nois was patriotic, prompt and decisive. Illinois patriotism asked for no compromises, sought nothing but the perpetuation of American institutions and the vindication of the nation's honor.
" To arms! to arms ! the sabres gleam ; High sounds the bugle call ; Combined by honor's sacred tie, The word is Law and Liberty ! March forward, one and all !"
was the universal sentiment of Illinois citizens. No state excelled ours in the performance of her duty, in furnishing men and munitions of war in this terrible crisis ; and Washington was not behind her sister counties in con- tributing to place Illinois among the foremost on the nation's escutcheon of honor
A complete roster of the enlisted men from this county in the War of the Rebellion, will be found in another portion of this work .* In addition to the number of troops accredited to the county, as shown by the Adjutant General's report, were two companies, viz. : company E, commanded by Capt. E. H. Henry, and company F, commanded by Capt. Andrew C. Todd, that joined the 10th Missouri Regiment, and were mustered into the service of the United States at St. Louis, ou the 8th day of August, 1861. Time nor space does not permit us to speak of the individual acts of valor and heroism of Washington county's soldiers.
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