USA > Illinois > White County > History of White County Illinois > Part 13
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Here follows a copy of said "letters," then an inventory of the property, at $53.52, which was sold for $64.62}, and on which the administrator's fees and expenses were $8, and the probate fees $7. 50. The forms above given were evidently written out beforehand with blanks, and after the transaction of the business these were filled, except the date of the death.
The next case was the appointment of Robert Shipley as admin- istrator on the estate of Hezekiah B. Davis, deceased,-dates not given. The goods were inventoried at $383.50, and sold for $264.75; and cash belonged to the intestate, besides the above, to the amount of $660.78. This transaction appears to have oc-
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curred also at the first session of the court, as above described. Then follow in a similar manner, with dates generally omitted, the ap- pointment of Priscilla Hurt, administratrix on the possessions of Absalom E. Hurt, bill of sale amounting to $562.561; of John Lassley, administrator on the estate of Christopher Kingrey, with no inventory, bill of sale, or copy of letters of appointment; of George Webb, Nov. 2, 1840, for Davis Berry, $561.062; of James Robertson, for Jesse Welsey, $262.124; of Wesley Jameson, for John Thomas, $56.50, etc., etc.
In the foregoing account a skip is made from 1820 to 1840; and thus the record is given in the first volume in the clerk's office; but the probate business during; that interval was recorded in another volume, lettered" B. " Dates are often omitted through- out both these volumes, and the name of the probate judge scarcely ever appears; but it seems that James Ratcliff held the office uninterruptedly unti about 1850, when he was succeeded by Solomon Vories. Since 1848 the succession of all county officers can be readily traced in our table of election returns, in another chapter.
Government by "county commissioners " continued until 1848, when the people adopted the " County Court," which con- sisted of one "judge " and two "associate justices." The " county judge " at first had probate jurisdiction, and afterward concurrent jurisdiction with the "justices." Since 1872 probate business is attended to by the "county judge," elected every four years, exclusively for that purpose.
CIRCUIT COURT.
March 3, 1815, Gallatin, Edwards and Madison counties were constituted the second circuit. The present White County was then in Gallatin. At that time there were but three circuits in the State.
In 1819 the second circuit was made to comprise the * counties of Crawford, Edwards and White," sessions of the court to be held the " second Mondays of May and October."
FIRST CIRCUIT COURT.
The following is from the record:
"At a Circuit Court began and held for the county of White, in the town of Carmi, on Monday, the fifth day of May, 1817,
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agreeably to an act of Assembly, passed on the sixth day of Janu- ary, 1817, and also a supplement to said bill, passed on the tenth day of January, 1817. Present, Hon. Thomas Towles.
"Samuel Hogg, Foreman; David Haney, Daniel Brown, James Meridith, Richard Haynes, George MoCown, Aaron Will- iams, Abner Pierce, John C. Gore, Jordan Vance, Samuel Craig Thomas Mays, Peter Phillips, James Mays, James McNeal, Emanuel Madcalf, George Berry and Robert Shipley, a Grand Jury, sworn to inquire for the body of the county of White, re- ceived a charge, and retired out of court to consult of present- ments, etc.
" On motion Francis E. Walker, Wm. Wilson, Richard Haynes, Robert Shipley, were admitted to practice law in this State.
" Peter Phillips and Jacob Phillips, plaintiffs, against William Hungate and Andrew Vance, defendants: In trespass By order of the plaintiff in his proper person, it is ordered that the suit be dismissed.
" William Hungate, plaintiff, against Jacob Phillips and Peter Phillips, defendants: In trespass vi et armis. By order of the plaintiff in his proper person it is ordered that the suit be dis- missed.
" Peter Phillips, plaintiff, against Andrew Vance, defendant: In trespass; ordered that the suit be laid over till to-morrow.
"Robert Shipley, plaintiff, against William Nash, defendant : In trover and conversion. This day came parties, by their attorney, and the defendant, by his attorney, filed his plea in theas e, and the plaintiff joined the same, and thereupon it is ordered that the suit be laid over until to-morrow. Ordered that court adjourn until to-morrow at nine o'clock."
PERSONAL SKETCHES.
Of the circuit judges, the first who resided in White County was Hon. William Wilson, a full sketch of whom is given in Chap- ter XIII.
Hon. Chauncey S. Conger, Judge of the Second Judicial Cir- cuit of Illinois, is the youngest of five sons, namely: Hon. Omar D. Conger, United States Senator from Michigan, and a resident of Port Huron, that State; Williston K., of California; Seymour B., who was killed in the late war, in West Virginia; Everton J., whose sketch appears on a subsequent page, and Chauncey S.
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Their father was Rev. Enoch Conger, a Presbyterian minister and a native of New York State, who emigrated to Ohio in 1824, where, in the course of time, he had charge of several churches in the Western Reserve. Their mother's maiden name was Esther West, and she was also a native of the State of New York. The subject of this sketch was born in Plymouth, O., Jan. 14, 1838. After obtaining a common-school education, wherein he exhibited special talent for mathematical studies, he, in 1857, entered the ser- vice of the Port Huron & Milwaukee Railway Company as a civil engineer, and in November, 1858, he accepted a similar position on the Illinois Southern Railroad, since known as the Cairo & Vin- cennes Road and Wabash Railway. In 1860 he acted as civil engi- neer for surveying the level from Carmi to New Haven, and for the construction of the lock and dam at the latter place. In the spring of 1860 he commenced the study of law in Carmi, and in June, 1861, was admitted to the bar, since which date he has been engaged in law, most of the time in partnership with Colonel J. M. Crebs. In the fall of 1860, Mr. Conger was also elected County Superintend. ent of Schools, and in November, 1862, a Representative to the Legislature of Illinois, by a majority of 872 over Hon. S. H. Mar- tin, independent Democrat. Mr. Conger was the youngest mem- ber of that General Assembly. In June, 1879, he was elected one of the judges of the Second Judicial Circuit, by a majority of 3,287 over Benson Wood, the Republican nominee, and of 5,615 over James C. Allen, and 7,326 over W. G. Bowman, independent Democratic candidates.
Mr. Conger is comfortably situated in the city of Carmi, where his influence is sought for every local enterprise that is inaugura- ted. Of local organizations in which he takes any interest at all, he is generally made president. He is an Elder in the Presbyte- rian church, a member of the Masonic order, in which he was a Master several years, has been High Priest of the chapter, and is also a member of the A. O. U. W.
Nov. 28, 1861, Mr. Conger was married to Miss Ellen Stewart, a daughter of Dr. Josiah Stewart, and their children are-Maud E., Annie S., Margaret L., Nellie S., and Chauncey S., Jr.
THE BAR OF THE PAST.
In the course of sixty-five years many attorneys have pleaded at the bar of White County,-among them John M. Robinson,
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Win. H. Davidson, Wm. Wilson, Edwin B. Webb, John McLean, Henry Eddy, Jephthah Hardin, S. Snowdon Hayes, John E. Whiting, Aaron Shaw, E. A. Kitchell, James S. Robinson, E. J. Conger and others,-most of whom are now silent in the grave. Sketches of several of these are given in this and other chapters. Aaron Shaw, for a time State's Attorney, is a resident of Law renceville; is an able man, and is now Congressman elect from the Olney District; has been a member of Congress in previous years. Kitchell was a man of good judgment, unpretending dig- nity and a good lawyer. He moved to Galesburg, Ill., many years ago, where he recently died. McLean, Hardin and Eddy, espe- cially the latter, were residents of Shawneetown, and all good law- yers.
A. R. Shannon, born in Shelby County, Ky., June 28, 1822, is a son of Thomas and Eliza (Dupuy) Shannon. the former a na- tive of Virginia but reared in Kentucky. Dr. Shannon came to White County in 1820, and was married the next year. A. R. en- tered the Illinois College, at Jacksonville, Ill., when twelve years of age; remained there two or three years, and then went to the Indiana State University, at Bloomington, graduating in 1841. Ile immediately returned to Carmi and commenced the study of law under Hon. E. B. Webb; attended the law school at Lex- ington, Ky., two terms, graduating in 1844. Returned to Carmi and engaged in the practice of law one year, when he engaged in the mercantile business, which he continued till 1876 and then closed out. He was married in June, 1845, to Sarah Jane, daughter of S. D. Ready, a merchant of Carmi. She died in 1860, leaving a family of three children, only one of whom is now living-Mary, who makes her father's house her home. She was educated at Nazareth Academy, near Bardstown, Ky., where she spent six years, graduating in 1875. One son, S. R. Shannon, died in April, 1876, at the age of twenty-seven. He had spent a great deal of time in college and had been in the mercantile business with his father four years when he died. The rest of his children died when quite young. Mr. Shannon has been a member of the Ma- sonic order for the last twenty years. He was a member of the School Board of Carmi twelve years; was also one of the original members of the State Board of Education; was a member of that board when the State University was located at Bloomington, Ill.
James S. Robinson, State's Attorney, 1851-'59, was a son of Hon. John M. Robinson, and was born March 12, 1830, in Carmi.
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On attaining manhood he studied law under Hon. Edwin B. Webb, of the same place, and attended law school at Louisville, Ky., where he received a diploma in 1850. In 1851 he com- menced the practice of law in Carmi, but was in the same year elected State's Attorney for this district, which office he held until he died, in 1859. He married in May, 1851, Miss Emma, daugh- ter of Samnel D. Ready, who was also a native of this county. She died in February, 1852, and in 1854 Mr. R. married Betty Har- row, a daughter of Thomas Harrow, in Lawrenceville, Ill .; she was originally from Winchester, Ky., and she is still living, in Greenville, Miss. With her is her only child, Miss Lucy H. Rob- inson. After Mr. R.'s death, the family removed from Carmi to Frankfort, Ky., then to Cleveland, ()., where Miss Lucy H. grad- uated, a a seminary. Mr. Robinson was a gentleman very highly esteemed, as was evidenced by his early promotion to a most im- portant public position, and by his re-election to the same. He was popular throughout the entire district as an able attorney for the "people."
Honorable Everton J. Conger was an attorney at law and a resi- dent of Carmi. He was born in Sandusky County, in 1835, and is an elder brother of Chauncey S. Conger, already mentioned. His first occupation was that of dentistry, which he followed in several localities. He was thus engaged at Fremont, Ohio, when the great war of the Rebellion commenced in 1861. He then enlisted in the 100-days' service, and before his term expired he raised a company in his State, of which he was commissioned Captain, and which was attached to the West Virginia Cavalry. He was afterward commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel of the First District of Colum- bia Cavalry, under Colonel Baker; and as the latter was absent much of the time, Mr. Conger had actual command. He partici- pated in engagements at Petersburg and through the Richmond campaign; was wounded several times. His arm was nearly cut off on one occasion by a broad-sword, as he was lying down and attempted to raise the arm to defend himself; and he still carries an enemy's bullet in his body. He is thus rendered a cripple for life.
When Lincoln was assassinated, in April, 1865, and General Baker was at the head of the United States Detective Service, Lieu- tenant Dougherty, with about twenty men, was detailed to act under the command of Colonel Conger to go in search of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin. They finally found Booth in a barn, which 21
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they surrounded. Mr. Conger several times ordered the wretch to come out and surrender himself; the latter refusing, the Colonel threatened to set fire to the barn, in order to drive him out. Ac- cordingly he soon commenced a fire, when Sergeant Corbett shot Booth, wounding him, and the posse took him out by force to the porch of a house near by, where he soon afterward died.
All through the war Colonel Conger was faithful both as a sol- dier and an officer, winning the highest mead of praise. After the close of the Rebellion he practiced dentistry about two years. In 1869 he commenced the study of law in the office of Crebs & Conger, at Carmi; was admitted to the bar in 1871, and began the practice of his profession in this place; but he was soon elected Police Magistrate, which office he retained until some time in 1880, when he was appointed one of the Federal Judges of Montana Territory. This appointment, which he now holds, is a high testi- monial to the ability and integrity of this ex-soldier and jurist.
THE PRESENT BAR.
Colonel John M. Crebs, the oldest member of the bar in the Twelfth Judicial District, was born in Loudoun County, Va., April 9, 1830. His parents were Berry and Lucy (Wilson) Crebs, father a native of Frederick County, Va., and mother, of Loudoun County. In 1836 the family emigrated to this county and settled about eight miles southwest of Carmi. In 1852 the subject of this bio- graphical notice was admitted to the bar, and in December he opened an office in Carmi and commenced the practice of his pro- fession. In August, 1862, he entered the service of the United States as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Eighty-seventh Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry and served until July 5, 1865, when he was dis- charged. The history of this regiment is given in Chapter VIII. During all this service the Colonel was never sick or wounded. After the close of the war he commenced the practice of law again in Carmi. In 1866 he was nominated by the Democracy of Illi- nois for Superintendent of Public Instruction. In 1868 he was elected to Congress from the Thirteenth District, and re-elected in 1870. Since 1860 he has been in partnership with Judge C. S. Conger in the practice of law, excepting one year, and until the latter was elected Judge. Colonel Crebs is a Deacon in the Presby- terian church; is a man of considerable property and of well- known liberality, having done much for local improvements and philanthropic enterprises of all kinds.
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He was married Oct. 13, 1857, to Miss N. E. Stewart, daugh- ter of Dr. Josiah Stewart, so well known in the early history of White County. Mr. and Mrs. C. have had seven children, all of whom are living. The eldest, Edwin E., is married and living in Mount Vernon.
Charles E. MoDowell, attorney and counselor at law, a native of Mt. Carmel, Wabash Co., Ill., was born July 22, 1838, and was a son of James and Elizabeth P. (Watson) McDowell. The grand- parent on the McDowell side was William McDowell, of Scotch- Irish descent, a physician from the north of Ireland, and on the Watson side French-English. In December, 1859, Mr. McDowell moved to White and read law with Colonel John E. Whiting, and was admitted to the bar in the latter part of 1861, where he has since been in active practice. Mr. McDowell, in 1862, was ap- pointed County Superintendent of Schools, and was afterward elected to the position and served until 1869, a total of seven years. In 1869 he was elected a member of the State Constitu- tional Convention from the district composed of the counties of White and Edwards. In 1876 he was elected a member of the State Senate from the Forty-sixth District, comprising the counties White, Hamilton and Jefferson. In 1881 he was Grand Master of the A. O. U. W. for the State of Illinois. He is still in the prac- tice of law, making real estate a specialty. Since 1861 he has been in partnership with J. I. McClintock. The foregoing facts are a sufficient testimonial to the high standing of Mr. McDowell with- out any additional words from us.
Oct. 25, 1864, he married Mary C., daughter of John F. Young- ken and a native of Wabash County, Ill. They have one child living, Hattie by name.
James I. Mc Clintock, attorney at law and County Superintend- ent of Schools, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, Aug. 17, 1837. His paren s were James and Elizabeth (English) Mcclintock, also natives of Ohio.
He was educated in the district schools until ten years of age when he entered the Chillicothe Academy, a school of great note in its day. At the age of sixteen years he entered the Ohio Wes- leyan University at Delaware, Ohio, and graduated in the classical course in 1857, and in 1860 received the degree of Master of Arts from the same college. After graduating he engaged as salesman in a store in Chillicothe until the summer of 1858, when he emi- grated to Wabash County, Ill., and engaged in farming. In the
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fall of 1859 he began teaching school in Mt. Carmel, Ill., and was principal of the High School for several years. In 1863 he re- moved to Bloomington, Ill., and was Deputy County Clerk until July, 1864, when he entered the mustering and disbursing office at Springfield. In April, 1865, he became Principal of the High School at Rochelle, in Ogle County, but in July, 1865, removed to Carmi; taught school in Carmi for one year, and was admitted to the bar in 1867, since which time he has been in the practice of law in partnership with Hon. C. E. McDowell.
Mr. McClintock was elected County Superintendent of Schools of White County in 1869; resigned that office in 1872 and was elected County Attorney, which office he beld until 1876; he was again elected County Superintendent in 1877, and again 882. He has been Secretary of the Normal School at Carmi since its institution, and is also Treasurer of the Agricultural Board. He is a member of Carmi Lodge, No. 272, A. F. & A. M., of which he has been W. M. for a number of years; also belongs to Carmi odge, No. 121, A. O. U. W.
His wife, Mary E., is a daughter of Judge James McDowell, deceased, late of Mt. Carmel, Ill., and they have five children.
J. R. Williams, attorney at law, Schumaker's block, Carmi, is a native of this county, and was born in Burnt Prairie Township, Dec. 27, 1851. His parents were Thomas and Susan (Rawls) Williams, a further notice of whom is given in Chapter XVI. He was brought up on a farm; attended graded school in Carmi and Enfield; entered the Indiana State University at Bloomington and graduated in the classical course July 7, 1875, devoting a portion of his time to the study of law; finished his law course June 10, 1876, at the Union College of Law in Chicago; was admitted to the bar in July following, and Aug. 1 opened his office for practice in Carmi. Was Master in Chancery from January, 1880, to January, 1882; last April he was nominated by the Democratic Convention for County Judge, by a majority of 1,295 over his opponent, and Nov. 7, was elected. Mr. Williams has ever taken an active part in politics, and is a rising young man of great promise. He is a member of the Phi Cappa Psi fraternity.
Frank E. Pomeroy, attorney at law, was born in White County, Ill., Nov. 22, 1858. He is a son of James M. Pomeroy, one of White County's pioneers and prominent citizens, whose biography replete with interest will be found in this work. Lawyer Pomeroy made his home with his father till he was about twenty years of age,
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when he went to Lebanon, Ohio, and entered the National Normal University of that place. He commenced the study of law Ang. 13, 1879; was admitted to the bar August, 1881, at Mt. Vernon, Ill. In October, 1881, he and C. P. Berry formed a partnership in the practice of law. This partnership existed six months, when Mr. Berry went West and the partnership was dissolved. Mr. Pome- roy is now engaged in the practice of law alone, and for a young man of his natural ability we cannot but bespeak a brilliant career. The confidence the older members of the bar impose in him indi- cate worth in Mr. Pomeroy that should be the envy of all young men.
R. L. Organ was born in Wayne County, Ill., Dec. 8, 1849. He is a son of Henry A. Organ, a native of Tennessee, who moved to Wayne County in an early day, with his widowed mother and family. He made that his home till his death, Nov. 27, 1864. He was a farmer. R. L. Organ made his father's house his home until he was a young man. In 1868 he entered the Indiana State University, at Bloomington, and graduated in 1872. He then com- menced to study under Attorney-General James McCartney, of Fairfield, Ill., and remained with him about a year. He was ad- mitted to the bar at Mt. Vernon, Ill., in June, 1873. The follow- ing year he studied law in connection with legal writing. In 1874 he commenced to practice in Carmi in company with Allen Bleak- ley, the firm being known as Bleakley & Organ. This partnership continued until 1880, when they dissolved and Mr. Organ has con- ducted his business alone. At the time of their dissolution they had a good many abstracts; these Mr. Organ purchased of Mr. Bleakley and now has the only set of abstract books in the county. In 1877 he was elected Justice of the Peace, and in 1881 was re- elected. He was married Sept. 7, 1876, to Alice M., daughter of J. M. Damron, of Carmi. They have two children-Mabel, aged five, and Joseph L., aged two and a half years.
Nathaniel Holderby, attorney, of White County bar, is one of the pioneer children of White County. His parents were Na- thaniel and Nancy (Harvey) Holderby, natives of Gallatin County, Ill., and Virginia, respectively. They were among the first set- tlers of White County. His father died in November, 1864. His mother is still living with her son on the old homestead farm, in Hawthorne Township. She is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church. They had a family of thirteen, nine living, all resid- ing in White County-John, who married Mary Shirrell (they
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reside in Hawthorne Township); Thomas, who married Mrs. Louisa (Dagley) Wilson; James, married Ellen Eveilett; Alfred, married Jane Sherrill; Nathaniel, married Cynthia Graham, and William, unmarried. The girls are-Mary, wife of Andrew Bowen; Tabitha, wife of John Gaines; and Elizabeth. Nathaniel Holderby remained on the old homestead until fourteen, when his father died. He then lived with his brother Alfred, working on the farm and attend- ing school winters for two years. He then attended the common and graded school in Hawthorne Township for two years; then taught school winters for eight years, until 1875, when he read law in the office of Colonel Jasper Partridge for ten months; then read with P. A. Pierce fourteen months; then was admitted to the Illi- nois bar, at Mt. Vernon, in 1877. He then located in Carmi and established his present office. Mr. Holderby was married to Cyn- thia Graham, Jan. 1, 1878. She was born in White County, and was a daughter of Nathaniel and Susannah (Frazier) Graham, early settlers of White County. Mr. and Mrs. Holderby are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been Superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school for the past four years. They have two children-Amy, born Nov. 29, 1879, and Nellie, born Jan. 24, 1882. Mr. Holderby is a member of the A. O. U. W., Carmi Lodge, No. 121; Royal Templars, Carmi Lodge, No. 63. In politics he is a Republican. Mr. Holderby is one of the self-made men of White County, and procured an education through his own exertions.
Charles P. Berry was born in Hartford, Conn., Sept. 19, 1859. He was a son of Benjamin Berry, a contractor in Colt's Armory, at Hartford. He was by birth an Englishman, born in Yorkshire, England. Chas. P. Berry received his education in Hartford, Conn. He came to Illinois in 1878, though he had previously visited friends in this State. The winters of 1878 and 1879 he taught school at Elm Grove, White County. Immediately following this date he entered Colonel Creb's office as a law stu- dent; was under his instruction three years; was admitted to the bar May 10, 1881, at Mt. Vernon, O., and then received bis icense. In October, 1881, he opened a law office in Carmi in company with F. E. Poineroy. This partnership existed six months under the name of Berry & Pomeroy. Since that date Mr. Berry has been alone in the profession.
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