History of White County Illinois, Part 12

Author: Inter-State Publishing Company
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 831

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The next session of the court was held May 13, the same year, at the store-house of James Ratcliff. Considerable probate and other private business was transacted. At the session of the court May 15, it was ordered that the county levy be fixed as follows: All white males not exempted by law pay $1; all bond servants, $1; all horses, mules or asses, 374 cents; ferries at the

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Big Wabash, $5; stud horses at what they per season stand. The building of an estray pen thirty feet square, with strong gate, was ordered let to the lowest bidder on Saturday, June 8. When completed, Daniel Hay was appointed keeper. At the same term the building of a jail on the public square was ordered, the build- ing to be of good sound oak logs, fourteen feet long, hewed to a foot square, with a floor of square timber a foot thick; two stories, con- nected by a small hatchway; a window in each story one foot by six inches, crossed by iron bars; the entrance by a door in the second story, reached by a step ladder outside.

Daniel Hay was the first Treasurer ; his bond was presented and approved at the August term. The amount of the bond is not stated, but three years later, in 1819, John McHenry, as Treas- urer, gave a bond of $2,000. The levy for 1816 amounted to $308.124, besides a tax of $15 on a store in Carmi. Of this amount the sheriff collected $304.624. In 1817 the levy amounted to $573, the tax on stores $105. The sheriff collected $615.25. The county judges were each allowed $2 per day for their services. In 1816 they received $22 each. In 1817, $26 each.

At the November term, 1816, an order was passed for building a court-house, but the work was greatly delayed; over three years afterward, in December, 1819, it was ordered " that if plank can- not be procured at the saw-mill on or before the 5th day of January next, to finish the court-honse, then the commissioners appointed at last term of this court to have the said house finished will contract for plank to be sawed by hand, at any price not ex- ceeding $3 per hundred." This house was blown down several years afterward, and the present building erected in 1828, it then being considered about the finest in the State.

At the June term, 1817, John Craw was licensed to keep a tavern upon giving a bond of $100 and paying $3 license and a fee of $1 to the clerk. At a session of the court June 10, 1817, it was ordered that the house of John Craw "be the court-house until further provisions be made for the accommodation of the court." At the July term, 1818, John Lucas was licensed to keep a tavern in Carmi, upon giving bond and paying $2 license and a fee of $1 to the clerk. Samuel Bozeman was also licensed to keep a tavern in Carmi in 1818.

About this time a bridge at Carmi was deemed a necessity, and the court in March of that year appointed William McHenry, Benjamin White, Leonard White, Lowry Hay, James Gray and

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Willis Hargrave commissioners to build a bridge at this point, and appropriated $1,500 in addition to the amounts that might be subscribed. The project failed ; it was impossible to get sufficient subscriptions, and $1,500 was more than a year's revenue of the new county. Ten or fifteen years later another unsuccessful at- tempt was made, but it was not until 1840 that a bridge was built, -the one torn down in 1878.

Justices of the peace were appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of the County Court. At the July term, 1819, the following entry was made on the records: "James Pierce, Andrew Story, Reuben S. Spencer, Samuel Hogg and William Ellis, gentlemen, are by the court recommended to the Governor of the State of Illinois as proper persons to be added to the com- mission of the peace in this county." At the January term, 1819, four licenses to sell liquor were granted : To Philip Buckner, of Carmi, in payment of $3 license and $1 clerk fee; to Robert Cam- ron, on the payment of $1.50 license and $1 to the clerk; to Wm. Cain, $1 license and $1 clerk fee; Moses Thompson, for $3 license and a clerk fee of $1, which persons were licensed to keep tavern and sell liquor. At the June term, 1819, James Ratcliff, Clerk, was authorized to procure a seal with an appropriate device, for the county.

The judges, in addition to their oath of office and the oath to support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Illinois, were in 1819 required to take an oath to suppress dueling, as appears by an endorsement upon the back of the certificate of elec- tion of Judges John C. Slocumb, Daniel McHenry and James A. Richardson in that year. The constables and nearly all the county officers were for years appointed by the Commissioners' Court. At the September term, 1819, it was " ordered that James Ratcliff give the proprietors of the county seat of White County credit for $328, as full compensation for the purchase of two lots for a public square in the town of Carmi."

In the proceedings of the March term, 1820, there is given the account of Robert Hawthorn and Sidney North, administrators of theestate of John Hawthorn, deceased, and in the bill of costs of settlement of the estate, a charge of $5 is made for whisky furnished at asale. Considering the low price of this article in those days, people must have had wonderful appetites for strong drink. In early days a license to keep tavern included the right to retail liquors. At the March term, 1820, Hugh M. Weed, Philip Buckner

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and John Pallier were licensed to keep tavern. At this session, the court, "pursuant to law," fixed the rates for entertainment and liquors, as follows: Breakfast, dinner and supper, 374 cents; cognac rum, per half pint, 50 cents; whisky, per half pint, 12} cents; horse feed, 25 cents.

The court was not so exact in defining the bounds of townships as is necessary in these days, as the following orders, entered on the record of the September term, 1820, will show: " On motion of George McKinzie, ordered that the bounds of Southwest town ship be as follows, viz .: West of Bear Creek, and including all of Captain Mayberry's militia company." "On motion of Daniel Hay, ordered that all that part of this county north of the Cabbage Patch and Skillet Fork compose one township, which is distin- guished by the name of Wake & Tealey Township."

At the election Aug. 7, 1820, Joseph Pumroy, James A. Rich- ardson and James Pierce were chosen County Commissioners. The judges of this election were each allowed $1; and the clerks $2. The sheriff was allowed 374 cents a day for dieting prisoners. The administrators of Reuben Walden, deceased, in settlement of the estate, were allowed $4.50 for "whisky furnished at sale," in 1820.

In this year a Probate Court was created, the Governor appoint- ing James Ratcliff, Judge, and the Commissioners' Court ceased to transact probate business. Mr. Ratcliff held the position of Probate Judge and Clerk of the County and Circuit Courts for many years.

At the March term, 1821, it was " ordered that the county levy for the present year be as follows, viz .: All merchants, 25 cents upon all stock in trade for each $100; distillers, 50 cents on each $100 worth; copper stills, 50 cents on each $100; all horses, mares, mules, three years old and upward, 50 cents on each $100 worth." At the June term, 1821, George Mccown was paid $47, it being the lowest price bid for the keeping of Thomas Taylor, a pauper, from Jan. 10 to the first Monday in May. At the September term, it was "ordered that the sheriff forthwith have Elijah Rice at the court-house in Carmi, and after three days' notice make sale of said Rice for the best price that can be had." Rice had been convicted of larceny in the Circuit Court. The sale was probably only for a term of months or years. At the same time William Hosick was appointed Surveyor in the place of George Hosick, removed. In November of the same year it was "ordered that it be certified hat George W. Webb and Edwin B. Webb are young men of moral

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character." This was in pursuance of law, to enable them to obtain license from the Circuit Court to practice law.

In June, 1822, James Higginson was appointed County Treas- urer, John McHenry having resigned. Samuel Hughes, Daniel McHenry and John Archer were elected Commissioners in August of this year.

In March, 1823, Daniel Hay was appointed agent for the county and "empowered to call on each and every person who may have unsettled accounts and proceed to settle with the same." The clerk was instructed to turn over to him all papers in his hands that " will have a tendency to throw lights on any accounts where the county may be interested."

At the June term, 1824, Charles Pugley was allowed $50 " for amputating the leg of James Russell, a pauper of this county, and Josiah Stewart a like sum of $50 for medicines and attendance on said Russell after the amputation, to be paid in the notes of the State Bank of Illinois." It was then the rule to state whether orders should be paid in specie or in State paper, as the latter was at a discount, sometimes $3 being worth only $1 in specie.

The court-house having been demolished by a storm July 6, 1824, the court, Aug. 21, bargained with John Craw for his log house adjoining the public square, for the sum of $3 per day in State paper when in use. Samuel Hughes, Alexander Trousdale and Wm. Nevitt were elected Commissioners in August, 1824.

The county levy in 1825, was fixed at one per cent. on horses, own lots, carriages, distilleries, stock in trade, ferries and mills, but was afterward reduced to one-half per cent. The road tax was fixed at one-half per cent. June term, 1825, ordered that a day's work of a man on the roads be considered worth $1.50, and a wagon and team of four horses or oxen, $3 in State paper.

September term, 1826, ordered that the sheriff pay out of State paper belonging to the county 62g cents on the dollar when orders are presented for specie. In December, 1826, Daniel McHenry, Joseph Pumroy and James Ratcliff were appointed agents to super- intend the letting of the building of a brick court-house in Carmi, but nothing was done about the matter at that time. In June, 1827, the clerk was instructed to advertise the letting of the build- ing of a brick court-house, forty feet square, in Shawneetown Ga- zette. In 1827 the contract was awarded to Allen Rudolph for $3,000.

George McHenry was appointed Assessor and received $30 for

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listing all taxable property in the county. He was also appointed Treasurer, giving bond in the sum of $1,000. The next year, being reappointed, he gave a bond of $2,000. The Treasurer was allowed a commission of two per cent. In December, 1827, it was ordered that State paper be paid out seventy-five cents on the dollar.

Sept. 2, 1828, Robert D. Walden filed in the Commissioners' Court his bond as paymaster of the Eleventh Regiment Illinois Militia. At the December term, 1828, the clerk reported that he had in vacation granted, under the statute, license to Thompkins & Co., to peddle wooden clocks, for which said firm paid $50 in State paper.

March term, 1829, Benjamin Backus, desiring & pension from the United States, filed his declaration and made the necessary oaths. This year, David Phillips was appointed Treasurer. In June Allen Rudolph gave bond in the sum of $500 to build a bridge across the river at this place. A large quantity of timbers was pre- pared and hauled in, but it had to be abandoned. Thus was the second attempt a failure. The timbers were afterward used in erecting houses in Carmi. At the December term, it was ordered that Rudolph's time for completion of the court-house be extended to Aug. 1, 1830, provided he furnish a court-room.

March term, 1830, Josiah Stewart this day deposited in open court 60 cents, the tax on forty acres of land, adjoining Carmi, the tax for 1829. Josiah McKnight, John Phipps and John Haynes were elected County Commissioners in 1828, and re-elected in 1830. The cost of holding the election in 1830 amounted to $27.70, includ- ing the cost of returning polls. There were then four townships, Burnt Prairie, Mantua, Fox River and Prairie. The justices of the peace in these days reported to the Commissioners' Court all fines assessed, paying over the amount collected, and the court en- trusted to some constable the collection of unpaid fines.

At the March term, 1831, Samuel D. Ready, Davidson & Ker- ney, and Wilmans & Weed were licensed to sell " foreign goods " in Carmi for one year, on payment of $15 each. William Head was appointed to sell goods at his house in this county, on giving bond and paying $6 tax. The county revenue in 1830 was $975.09. Constables were allowed $1 per day for waiting on court, etc. At the September term it was "ordered that the court-house be received, it having been completed according to contract, and the court here tender to Mr. Allen Rudolph a unanimous vote of thanks for the neat and substantial manner in which he has com-

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pleted said building. " At this term a certificate of good moral character was given Alexander S. Roberts, to enable him to obtain law license. Hosea Pearce was Sheriff at this time.

March 21, 1832, it was "ordered that the following named per- sons be permitted to vend merchandise in this county until the first Monday in March next, on their paying to the county treasurer the sums annexed to their respective names, to-wit : Davidson & Kerney, $20; Wilmans & Weed, $25; Gray & Wal- den, $15; Samuel D. Ready, $15; Frederick Williams, $10; Dan- iel Powell, $10." There was no poor-house in those days, but contracts were made with various persons for keeping and clothing paupers, in some cases as low as 75 cents per week. At the June term this year, Thomas Ormsbee was granted the usual cer- tificate for obtaining license to practice law. In August, Josiah McKnight, Hugh Wasson and Andrew Storey, were elected Com- missioners. In March, Nathaniel Blackford was appointed Treas- urer, and held the office until April, 1805, when John McCown was appointed in his stead. In December, Geo. W. Webb & Co., Jonathan Brown and Obed Nowling were licensed to sell goods in Carmi. At this term James Vickers appeared and filed his sworn declaration to enable him to obtain a pension from the Gov- ernment, proving moral character by witnesses. In this year the county tax collected on personal property, commission being de- ducted, amounted to $478.21; land tax, $534.06.

March term, Curtis Hill paid into court $12.50, a tax imposed on him for a license to vend clocks in this county from December term up to this time. John Copeland proved moral character and filed declaration for the purpose of obtaining pension. At the April term it was " ordered that the following property be taxed for the year 1833, one-half per cent .: Town lots, slaves, carriages, distilleries, horses, mares, mules, asses and neat cattle over three years old, clocks ard watches with their appendages, mills (except horse mills) and machines. In December, the contract for build- ing jail was let to Simeon Smith, his bid being $2,000; $225 addi- tional was allowed for extra work on its completion.

In 1834 Josiah McKnight, John T. Lawler and IIenry P. An- derson were elected Commissioners. At the June term, bills for the Ledbetter case, amounting to $268.704, were allowed. He was the only man ever hung in this county.

In 1865, and many years thereafter, five days' labor on the roads was required from each person liable to road labor. The county

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frequently paid 12 per cent. interest on money borrowed for public improvements. In September of this year, John Phipps was ap- pointed School Commissioner for the county, and held the office for several years. At the same term Edward Trevis made oath to application for pension from Government as a Revolutionary sol- dier.

In 1836 Lawler and Anderson were re-elected Commissioners, with Samuel Hughes. Upon the records several orders are found for parties to furnish maintenance for near relatives who were too old and infirm to provide for themselves. The recreant parties were ordered "in no wise to fail, under penalty of the law." Numerous instances are given of minors who were " likely to become a county charge, " being bound out by the court.

In 1837 James Ratcliff was elected Clerk, a position which he had held by appointment since the meeting of the first County Court. An aversion seems to have been entertained toward clock peddlers, as they were always charged a larger sum for license than any one else. In September of this year, Oliver Holcomb paid $50 for the privilege of selling clocks for three months.

In 1838 the court passed an order " that the county treasurer is hereby authorized and required to pay grand and pettit jurors 75 cents per day each day they may serve, on their producing the clerk's certificate of service." This year Samuel Hughes, Benjamin Latimore and John Storey were elected Commissioners. After this, but one commissioner was elected each year, and they held their office for three years instead of two.

There were always three or four taverns in Carmi, and there ap- pears to have been one at almost every country cross-roads. All tavern-keepers were required to give bond and pay a license fee, ranging from $1.50 to $7.50, owing to the location. Among the landlords from 1830 to 1840 were John Storms, Samuel Ready, William Pollard, Pendleton Childress, Elam Stewart, Seth Har- grave, John H. Jones, Daniel Powell, James C. Haynes, Levi Williams, James Jessop, Reuben Emerson, Jehiel Reeves, John J. Miller, William Harvey, William Williams, Patrick Handmore, Stark Williams, Joseph Moore, Henry Kellogg, John Harris, Richard Fulkerson, Caleb Butler, Joseph Butler.

License to sell liquor was given for a small sum, generally about $1.50 in the country, and $5 or $6 in town. In 1839, however, the price was uniformly fixed at $25.

In 1839 district assessors were appointed to assess the value of

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real and personal property, receiving for their services $1 per day. The county levy was fixed at 30 cents on each $100. John Phipps was appointed Tax Collector, and held this office, as well as that of School Commissioner, several years.

At the January term, this year, James Ratcliff, who had previ- ously been authorized to receive from the Board of Fund Commis- sioners of the State the portion allowed to White County of the amount appropriated for local improvements to counties through which no railroad passed, reported that he had received $15,530, which he had deposited to the credit of the County Commissioners, in the Bank of Illinois at Shawneetown, as directed. The State had entered upon a gigantic system of railroad building, which eventually proved a total failure and involved the State with a heavy burden of debt. Members of the Legislature from counties through which none of the numerous lines of projected railways were to run, naturally demanded something for local improvements for their constituents, and hence this appropriation of what was aptly termed by one of the old citizens as "hush money." The most of the money paid to this county was used in building the old bridge at this place. This bridge was built under the supervision of the Carmi Bridge Company, and afterward turned over to the county. During this year Josiah McKnight was elected Commissioner.

The annual tax for selling merchandise ranged from $5 to $25, owing to location and stock. This was in lieu of all taxes. After the adoption of a regular system of valuation and assessment of all property, in 1839, this license fee was done away with. Among the storekeepers from 1833 to 1839 were Gray & Waldin, at Gray- ville; Jehiel Reeves, where Liberty now is; Wood & Mansfield, at Concord; William Williams, Adam Crouch, Matthew Dockery, Daniel Powell, Roley Williams, Josiah Phillips, William T. Sealey, William Fuller, John McConn, Robert Graham, Harris & Miller, William Martin, William H. Davidson, J. C. Slocumb, Joseph Ruddick, N. & J. B. Blackford, Henry Kellogg, Henry Franks.

Iu 1840 a bridge was built across Skillet Fork, at Forkner's Ferry, by Variel & Craddock, their bid being $1,397.75. John Phipps superintended the work in behalf of the county.

At the January term, 1841, Wm. H. Davidson was appointed agent for the county, " to demand and receive from the auditor of the State a warrant or warrants on the State treasury for $1,000 (or such other amount as may be in the treasury) of an appropria- tion to White County, of the proceeds of the sale of the Gallatin

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Saline Reserve. The amount received from this source was $948.42. Wm. L. Harrison was appointed Assessor, and received for his services $158. Samuel Hughes was elected Commissioner. The county levy this year, and for several years thereafter, was twenty cents on the $100. Oct. 4, the commissioners rented the Carmi bridge for one year to Robert Wilson and James Fackney, for $356, they being the highest bidders.

In 1842 George Clark was appointed Assessor. At the March term, the clerk submitted a statement of receipts and disbursements of internal improvement funds received from the State, showing: County's distributive share of the $200,000 internal improvement fund, $16,728.40; county's share of proceeds of sale of the Saline Reserve, $948.42, making a total of $17,676.82. The disburse. ments were as follows: Carmi bridge, $11,783.93; Skillet Fork bridge, $2,868.34; Grayville bridge, $455; Sandy Slough bridge, $207; Lick Creek bridge, $250; Indian Creek bridge, near Powell's, $60; Cave Creek bridge, near Gallatin, $97; Bear Creek bridge, $84; John Phipps, superintending, $37; James Ratcliff, conveying money from Springfield to Shawneetown, $20; leaving a balance on hand of $1,814.50.

In 1843 John Blackford was appointed Collector, John Phipps, Assessor, and James Ratcliff, Treasurer. Abel Rice was elected Com- missioner. At the December term, Simon Hale, a Revolutionary soldier, filed a declaration with the usual form for obtaining a Gov- ernment pension.

In 1844 Samuel Hughes was elected Commissioner at the regular election, but owing to his death or resignation Ahart S. Staley was elected in December. In March, Abraham L. Armstrong made declaration in due form to obtain pension for the heirs of John Lamb, a Revolutionary soldier. James Ratcliff was a very popu- lar official, and usually held three or four county offices. This year he also filled the office of assessor.

In 1845 Wm. L. Garrison was elected Commissioner. Henry P, Anderson was appointed School Commissioner. The commis- sioners having purchased a tract of land from Wm. H. Davidson for a "poor" farm and erected a building thereon, Cyrus Burrell was appointed keeper of the poor-house; he was paid a salary, and all provisions were furnished by the county. The court-house was the place where dances, shows and other amusements were held in these days, and the building was considerably damaged at times; hence it was ordered, at the March term of this year, that John G.

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Houts, who had charge of the building, should "not permit any show, dances, or any assembly for amusement," unless parties paid a reasonable sum for the use of the house and stood responsible for any damage that might be done.

The amount of the county revenue in 1845 was $1,275.29.

In 1846 John H. Reeves was elected Commissioner, John B. Blackford, Sheriff and ex-officio Collector that year.

PROBATE COURT.

The first session of the Probate Court for White County was held Dec. 4, 1820, at the probate office in Carmi, by James Rat- cliff, Judge of C. P. W. C., and the first transaction is thus recorded:

"Be it remembered that, etc., came Daniel McHenry, who made it appear to the satisfaction of the court that John Ament, of said county, had departed this life 'intestate,' as it [is] said, on or about the-day of-A. D. 18-, having at the time of his decease di- verse goods and chattel and personal estate, which is liable to waste; whereupon the court here doth appoint the said Daniel McHenry administrator of all and singular, the goods and chattels and personal estate which was of the said John Ament, deceased, at the time of his death. Whereupon the said Daniel McHenry took upon himself the burthen of the administration, and entered into bond with Pierce Hawley, his security, which bond and security is approved of by the court. And thereupon the oath of admin- istration was administered to him, the said Daniel McHenry; and thereupon letters of administration on said goods and chat- tels and personal estate was [were] issued to the aforesaid admin- istrator, which letters are in the following words and figures, viz .: " etc.

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History of White County Illinois, Part 12

Author: Inter-State Publishing Company Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Number of Pages: 831

Author: Inter-State Publishing Company
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 831