USA > Illinois > Williamson County > History of Williamson county, Illinois, From the earliest times, down to the present, 1876, with an accurate account of the secession movement, ordinances, raids, etc., 1914 > Part 13
USA > Illinois > Williamson County > History of Williamson county, Illinois, From the earliest times, down to the present, with an accurate account of the secession movement, ordinances, raids, etc., also, a complete history of its "bloody vendetta," including all its recondite causes, results, etc., etc. > Part 13
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the Sheriffs of the county have been, John D. Sanders, 1839; John M. Cunningham, 1842-44; Joel Huffstutler, 1846-48; John Goodall, 1850; James Marks, 1852; Joel Huffstutler, 1854; Jacob W. Sanders, 1856; Richard T. McHenry, 1858; R. R. Hendrick- son, 1860; Lewis Spencer, 1862; R. M. Allen, 1864; George W. Sisney, 1866; Hardin Good- all, 1868; A. N. Owen, 1870; Z. Hudgens, 1872; N. E. Norris, 1874; Wilson J. Capling- er, 1878.
The Collectors of this county were Wil- liam Hindman, 1839; William Dillard, 1840; James M. Furlong, 1841; John S. Tutton, 1842; Robert P. Erwin, 1843, after which the office was united with the Sheriff's.
The County Judge were Simon Hubbard, who held the office of County and Circuit Clerk, County Judge, Master-in-Chancery, and Recorder of Deeds, followed by W. A. Denning and Samuel K. Casey. After the division, W. H. Eubank, 1849; David Nor- man, 1855; I. M. Lewis, Jesse Bishop, J. M. Spain, 1869; and now Bishop again.
The Commissioners have been, Cyrus Campbell, Starling Hill, F. F. Duncan, Joab Goodall, John T. Damron, R. L. Pully, Thomas Scurlock, Thomas D. Davis, John Brown, Jonathan Jimpson, William Hind- man, Addison Reece, Bazzell Holland, John
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H. Manier, M. S. Strike, C. M. Bidwell, R. H. Wise, James B. Roberts.
The first Circuit Court was held by Samuel D. Lockwood, followed by Browne and Hardin. After the division, Walter B. Scates, W. A. Denning, W. K. Parrish, Wil- lis Allen, W. J. Allen, A. D. Duff, and now M. C. Crawford.
· The People's Attorneys have been Sam- uel D. Marshall, and, after the division, W. H. Stickney, Willis Allen, W. A. Denning, S. S. Marshall, F. W. Rawlins, W. K. Parrish, John A. Logan, M. C. Crawford, E. V. Pierce, J. M. Clemison, C. N. Damron, F. M. Youngblood, J. B. Calvert, pro tem., J. D. F. Jennings, and now J. W. Hartwell.
The County Clerks have been John Bain- bridge, 1839; John Hicks, 1840; Elijah Mc- Intosh, 1841; Thomas Davis, 1841; A. P. Corder, 1843; John White, 1848; John H. White, 1852; John M. Cunningham, 1861; W. N. Mitchell, 1865; J. W. Samuels, 1869; W. H. Eubanks, 1873. The County Clerks did the probate business until 1849.
Circuit Clerks, John Lowden, 1849; G. W. Goddard, 1856; John M. Cunningham, 1861; J. W. Hartwell, 1868; C. H. Dennison, 1872, and M. S. Strike, 1876.
In an early day taxation was no burden to the people, being only twenty-five cents
·
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on the hundred dollars' worth of property. Wolf scalps were as good as county orders. For the purpose of paying a premium of one dollar per scalp for wolves, an assessment of two dollars on each voter was made, but wolf scalps, bear, deer and coon skins could be exchanged for tax receipts.
It is common for us to speak of those early settlers as virtuous, honorable and up- right men; but they sometimes committed crimes, and occasionally a man was sent to prison. The law was not enforced then, as at present. The people had an inherent sense of right, which was as efficacious in suppressing crime as the law. Hezekiah Garrett once killed a man in Frankfort with his fist, and was sentenced to the State's prison for one hour. He was a very good man. Most cases were tried by Justices of the Peace, of whom many ridiculous stories are told.
The county being mostly settled by peo- ple from Tennesee, in Jackson's times, they were all strong Jackson men, or Democrats; but after the slavery question was settled, in 1818, political excitement did not run high here until the election of James K. Polk, described hereafter.
The manner of voting was by word of
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mouth, until 1849, when the ballot was ad- opted.
The militia was well organized, and kept up regular muster until 1845. Company musters were held at David Norman's, John Snider's, Sarahsville, Thos. Hill's, Solon San- ders and Bainbridge. Batallion drills were held at David Norman's, John Sander's, and Bainbridge. Regimental musters were held yearly at Frankfort, until the division, then at Marion, there being a regiment in this county. James Corder was the first Major from this county; Allen Bainbridge was the first Colonel; John Davis, Brigadier Gen- eral; John S. Tutton, last Colonel, and R. P. Erwin last Adjutant. A great crowd of these soldiers got into a difficulty at Bain- bridge once, and just as they stripped and walked out to fight, a streak of lightning struck a cotton-wood tree, near by, bursting it into splinters, and they all ran off like devils.
In 1832, when the Black Hawk war be- gan, the Governor called for 230 men from Franklin county, and one company com- manded by Jeff Stephens, went from Frank- lin county, and the others from what is now this county. The militia were summoned formed into line ready for draft. They did not like to go so far to fight Indians. But
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just before the "hat" was passed, an order came to give a chance for volunteers. Enough volunteered to make up the company, and a shout of joy rang out along the line from those who did not want to go, on seeing the company full, Hugh, Samuel, Thomas, Jack- son and James Parks, Junior Meredith, Wm. Crain, Wm. Groves and O. H. Wiley, were among the number who went. Obadiah West was elected Captain; Hugh Parks First Lieutenant, and Robert West Second Lieutenant. They went through to Rock river on horseback, and after three months returned home without having done any fighting. Black Hawk was defeated, and soon after died.
The division of Franklin county into the counties of Franklin and Williamson, was authorized by Act of Legislature, approved February the 28th, 1839, providing that the legal voters of Franklin county should meet at their respective places of voting, on the first Monday in August, 1839, and vote for or against a division of the county. The Act further provided that in case a majority of the votes cast were in favor of division, the new county should be called "William- son," and then proceeded to bound the county. The election was held, and a major- ity voted for the division. The Act also
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provided that an election for county officers should be held on the first Monday in Sep- tember, 1839, and the returns of said elec- tion should be made to Wm. Norris, Star- ling Hill, and John T. Davis, three Justices, who should meet at Bainbridge, and ab- stract the returns, and transmit the same to the Secretary of State. This election re- sulted in the election of Duncan and Hill, as County Commissioners ; Campbell was al- ready one by virtue of being one in Frank- lin county. Sanders was elected Sheriff. The Act also provided for a division of the school funds, and Williamson county got $469.51, as her part. By the same Act, Cal- vin Bridges, of Union county, Thornsberry C. Anderson of Gallatin, and Jefferson Al- len, of Jackson, were appointed to locate and lay out the seat of Justice in this coun- ty. They were authorized to require a do- nation of twenty acres of land, to be made to the county, for this purpose. On the 19th day of August, 1839, the commission- ers appeared before Wm. Norris, and took an oath to locate the county seat as near the center of the county as was eligible.
On the 7th day of October, 1839, the County Commissioners met at the residence of Wm. Benson, and cast lots for the dif- ferent terms of service. Campbell drew
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 237
the short term, one year; ITill, the interme- diate, and Duncan the iong terni, three years. Their first work was to approve the bond of the Sheriff and County Clerk. On the same day, October 8th, John Davis re- ported as Justice of the Peace, of having fined Thos. Culbreth $3.00 for an assault and 'battery on Michael Shanks, which is the first criminal case recorded in the coun- ty. Two days afterward, the Court laid the county off into five election precincts, Northern, Saline, Grassy, Fredonia and Ma- rion, which extended through the county north and south; and appointed Judges of Election. They then laid the county out in twelve road districts, corresponding to our twelve townships, and appointed Supervis- ors. Men were also appointed to mark out and locate roads. Henry W. Perry surveyed the town lots. These were ordered to be sold on six, twelve and eighteen months' time by the Sheriff. The sale commenced on the 17th day of November, 1839, and con- tinued for three days, during which time thirty-eight lots were sold, and went very high.
The southeast corner of the square was covered with a heavy growth of hazel brush, and R. M. Hundley, Daniel Stroud and Jesse
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Sanders were employed to "shrub off" the square.
On the second day of December, 1839, Gabriel Sanders took the contract for build- ing the Clerk's office on the square, for $108. It was finished, and the Court moved into it May the 4th, 1850. The contract for the jail was let to Squire Howell, for $335, on the 8th day of January, 1840. It was a log house, and stood where the jail now stands. When he got it finished the Court docked him $25, for defective work.
Richard Cook was the first prisoner. He had been in Franklin jail from this end of the county on a charge of horse stealing, before the division, and brought here. John G. Sparks was first Jailer, and got thirty- seven and a half cents a day for dieting prisoners.
John Davis was the first man to get license to retail whisky; 'but during 1839, two of the County Court began to sell whis- ky. A pretty hard record for this county. Campbell kept at Bainbridge, and Hill at his residence, until he moved to Marion, and the "Honorable the Worshipful" Judges fixed the price of whisky at twenty-five cents a pint, which they afterwards reduced to twenty and a half cents.
On the 3rd day of March, 1840, the
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 239
Court divided the county into two Assessor's districts. Western, with Samuel T. Russell, Assessor, and Eastern, with George W. Binkley. At the first assessment there were 154 tracks of land, valued at $27,136. Personal property was valued at $139,410. Taxes on land was twenty and on personal property twenty-five cents per hundred dollars' worth. Total taxes for 1839, $749.25; delinquent list, $18.01 1-2; $407.12 of this amount was county funds. The Clerk received two cents a tract for ex- tending the land on the Collector's books, $3.08, and five per cent. on personal prop- erty, $69.70.
In 1841, John Paschal built the court- house. It was forty feet square, two stories high, and built of brick, on the Square, at a cost of $3,500. It stood until 1859, when it was removed and a house 'built of the brick on the Brooks farm.
March 3rd, 1840, the first grand and petit jury were selected by the Court; only three of the first are alive-O. H. Wiley, Hugh Parks, and Thomas Cox; and only two of the last-L. C. Parks and James Shaw. During this year the Court appoint- ed Overseers of the Poor, and up to 1860, when the county bought the poor farm, there were a great many sickly people in
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the county. Ehud Lamaster took the con- tract to keep the paupers, at $1.40 per week, per head. There were not one-tenth as many. They did not like to be sick, but the idea of going to the poor house was intol- erable. The house cost $147. The keepers have been Lamaster, Roberts, Cash and Doty. One of the paupers, Rebecca Hilder- brand, has been a county charge for twenty- three years and has cost the county $2,392.
J In 1840, Warrington K. Spiller tran- scribed the land records of Franklin county, pertaining to this county, for $46. The county records are now all in a perfect con- dition; but some of them are badly writ- ten and difficult to read. v The first Circuit Court was 'began May 4, 1840, by Walter B. Scates, in the little clerk's office on the Square. This court was conducted very .
loosely. A Justice's court had simply authority, without dignity, in those days.
While Starling Hill was County Com- missioner, he was also ex-officio a Justice of the Peace, and kept a grocery in Marion. He could be seen sitting at his window, selling whisky to a fighting rabble on the outside, while a case was being tried on the inside by a jury, and the jury, lawyers, wit- nesses and everybody else half drunk, talk- ing about horse races, etc., so mixed up
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 241 that nobody could tell the jury from the rabble; but when the verdict came, it was about right. This was not the case in Hill's court alone, but it was the. general custom.
Under the law of 1819, the Court had power to fix the fare at hotels, and they fixed the price of a meal at 12 cents, of horse-feed at 12 cents, and of lodging at 6 1-4 cents.
Allen Bainbridge put up the "Western Exchange," the first regular hotel in the town. It was a brick building, fifty feet long, and two stories high, situated on the north side of the Square, on which he paid out 37 1-2 cents in cash, the rest being paid in goods. In 1844, there were four Aboli- tionists in the county, and three hundred Whigs. Political excitement ran very high. Some of the Democrats had the horns of their oxen painted with polk berries, and one teacher brought his whole school into town, with his scholars painted. The Whigs would drag the polk stalk in the dust behind their wagons, and the result was many fights. I tell this to show that thirty years progress has made us no better. The Cutrells, Russells, Roberts, Ryburns and McDoonalds were Whigs. The first liberty-pole raised in the county, was raised in 1848, by the Whigs.
-F 16
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When the call for troops was made to fight Mexico, this county responded promp- tly. In 1846, A. P. Corder and E. A. Phil- lips took a few men from this county. and entered the service at Calendonia, Illinois. They joined Capt. H. L. Webb's company, in the 2d regiment of the first call of Illinois Volunteers. On the battle-field of Beuna Vista, Corder was promoted to the rank of a captain, from a private, for his reckless bravery. In 1847, John M. Cun- ningham made up a company of one hun- dred and twenty-five men, and left Marion, May the 24th, for Alton. On arriving there, Jackson Damron took forty of the men and joined company "E," from St. Clair county. Cunningham's company was Company "B," of the first regiment of the second call, or 5th Illinois regiment. B. F. Furlong was First Lieutenant, R. M. Hundley was Sec- ond Lieutenant, and D. L. Pully was Third Lieutenant, W. H. Eubanks, Orderly Ser- geant; Wm. Sykes, Chief Musician; Harvey Russell. Color-bearer; E. W. B. Nubia (a very bad man), was Colonel, and - Boy- kin (a very good man), Lieutenant-Colonel. They left Alton June 17th, 1847; left Leav- enworth, July 7th, and marched through to Santa Fe on foot, where they arrived De- cember 12. They returned home October,
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1848, and were received with public dinner in the Court House.
Capt. James Hampton raised another squad in this county, and joined John A. Logan from Jackson, and one Provo, from Union, and made another company. Thomas I. Mckinney, now General Mckinney, was a private in Cunningham's company. A soldier, in 1848, in this county, was a cu- riosity, and the people came from all quar- ters to see the troops, as they returned home.
In 1852, J. M. Campbell was appointed Drainage Commissioner, to sell the swamp lands of the county, but he soon resigned, and James D. Pully was appointed in his place. In 1863, Mr. Pully made his full re- port, having sold all the swamp lands of the county, amounting to over 23,000 acres. These lands were sold in 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes, for 75, 50 and 25 cents per acre, and the proceeds went to the school fund.
During the campaign of 1856, the Dem- ocrats were very noisy, and the Republicans were silent. Griffin Garland made the first Republican speech in the county, during this campaign, and Col. Ben L. Wiley, Repub- lican candidate for Congress, received forty- four votes in the county. The campaign of 1856 was attended by many rough-and- tumble fights, and whisky was issued out
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by the bucket full. Men were generally al- lowed to vote as they pleased, but abo- litionists were looked upon with contempt.
On the 19th day of March 1858, R. M. Hundley took the contract of building a new court-house for $9,500, $7,700 in coun- ty orders, and $1,800 out of the swamp land fund. He gave bond in the sum of $19,000 to have it completed by the 15th day of November 1858, which he did. He then got $245 for painting it, and N. B. Colvert $305 for furnishing the court room. It was burned down May 30, 1875. All the houses on the block on which it stood were also burned, the loss being about $25,000. This was the only fire that ever occurred in Ma- rion of any consequence.
The old court-house was a plain, brick building, without any parapets, turrets or ramparts. Many have been the scenes of revelry and romance within its courts. Its walls have resounded with the commotion of war-like preparations, and the still, poison- ous breath of treason has been whispered in its precincts. Again, it has been the scene of festive occasions, where our native belles vied with other in a perfect oreola of beau- ty. Lot No. 2 of block No. 5 of the original survey, on which this house stood, was sold by the county June 19, 1875, for $1,775.
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The court then rented a room from Goodall and Campbell, for $500 a year, to hold court in. At the November election of that year, a proposition was submitted to the voters for raising, by special taxation, a sum sufficient in five years to build a court- house; but the majority was against it.
The first politician that figured in our county was Thomas Roberts, of Northern. He was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention of 1818. Willis Allen and Allen Bainbridge were both elected in 1838, to the Legislature on the question of a division of the county. Soon after the division, Allen moved to Marion, and bought three acres land from Benson. It had a log cabin on it, in which he lived for some time. He was a man of considerable talent, great shrewd- ness, and unbounded energy. He lived re- spected by all, and idolized by his party. He went to Congress in 1852, again in 1854, served several terms in the Legislature, and died in 1859, while holding court, as circuit judge, in Saline county. Allen was a spare built man, erect, graceful, and of uncom- mon strength, agility and endurance. His voice was soft and melodious, countenance rudy and fair, his hair was russet brown, a soft grayish blue eye, lighted by a fascinat- ing smile. He was frank, generous and con-
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fiding to a fault, and was more interested in doing a kindness to others, than serving himself. When he was engaged his glance was withering. He was the father of the Honorable W. J. Allen, and was the most powerful politician in Southern Illinois in his day.
In 1848, John T. Lowden was a member of the Constitutional Convention from this county. He was a Whig, 'but a man of prominence and merit. The Ingersolls came to this county about 1853, and in 1854 Robert J. and Clark, and W. J. Allen were all admitted to the bar. They were consid- ered a very intellectual family; but, being Abolitionists, and the boys being deists, ren- dered them obnoxious to our people in that respect. Robert and J. H. Manier, on one occasion, got the keys to the printing office, and one night went in and printed a long poem, which Robert had written, on the citizens of the town, and left a copy at each man's door. The poem was abusive, and created a considerable stir, but the author could never be found. Robert once got mad at Josh. Allen for something, and used to say on the streets, "I will overshadow Josh. Allen yet." They left here in 1856, and settled at Peoria, and Robert J. Inger-
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soll is now one of the most renowned ora- tors of ancient or modern times.
Anderson P. Corder was known in Franklin county as a school teacher. He came to Marion in 1840, and commenced the practice of law. He figured in our poli- tics until 1874, and was the most singular politician ever in the county. Sometimes he would rise in public estimation until he could have been elected to and office; then, again, sink beneath public contempt. He was in the State Senate one term, and held the position of Master-in-Chancery. He was not a profound thinker, but a witty, fluent speaker. From 1840 to 1850, he held almost despotic political influence. No man thought of running for office without his consent; but in latter years he lived a hard, intemperate life, and not only lost his in- fluence, but lost that respect which ought to attend a man of gray hairs. There are many incidents in the life of this man that would be interesting to our people, had I room to give them. During the war he was an outspoken southern sympathizer, but when invasion threatened this State, he drew his sword for defense.
Hon. W. J. Allen was raised in this coun- ty, was in Congress several terms, and in the Legislature. He moved to Cairo in
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1865, and now resides in Carbondale. For the last twenty-two years he has been inti- mately connected with our politics, and ap- pears conspicuous and interesting at every point. He was for a long time a law part- ner of Senator John A. Logan, when he (Logan) lived in this county. The charac- ters of these men are not local, and there- fore not a part of my subject, only where they have operated in our local politics. They are both men whose profound and uni- versal genius it is impossible to contem- plate without respect. And, however much we may differ from either of them politi- cally, we are bound to admit that they are great men-the honor and pride of our county. Our children will proud that such men ever lived in the county.
Capt. John M. Cunningham, the father- in-law of John A. Logan, was a politician of good ability; one of the most affable and polished men of his day. He held several county offices, and, like Corder, was a Democrat, and during the war, very bitter. In 1869 he received the appointment of Provost Marshal in Utah Territory, where he died in 1874, and was 'brought to Marion by Mrs. Mary Logan.
James D. Pully was a leader in the Democratic party during the war, and a
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man of fine personal appearance, and a' high order of intelligence. He served two terms in the Legislature, and was Lieuten- ant-Colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty- Eighth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers. His outspoken manner of defending hiş principles was the cause of some personal feelings between him and Republicans. He died January 2nd, 1866, in the full vigor of manhood.
Colonel Robert M. Hundley came into this county in 1838, a penniless boy, and is now one of our wealthiest citizens. He is a man of talent and great shrewdness. Dur- ing the war he was an ardent Democrat, wielded a powerful influence. He was Colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty- Eighth Illinois Volunteers, and in 1868 came out as a Republican candidate for State Senator, 'but was defeated. Since then he has held the balance of power be- tween the two parties in this county, and generally uses it on. the side of the Demo- cracy. He is a very outspoken, fluent talk- er, but does his political work sub rosa, so that the effect can be seen like the 'burst- ing up of waters from an undercurrent. He still lives in this county, as a target for the deliberate and persistent defamation of his
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opponents, and the spontaneous praise of his admirers.
George W. Goddard is a lawyer and pol- itician of the old stripe and fashion-too honest for modern politics. He is a War Democrat, and was Captain of Company C, Thirty-First Regiment Illinois Volun- teers. In the army he was a brave and re- spected soldier. He has been Circuit Clerk, and is now Mayor of Marion, and is one of those men "in whom the elements are so happily united that Nature can stand up and say to all the world, this is a man."
Hon. A. C. Nelson came to this county over twenty-five years ago, penniless. As a partisan, he is a Democrat, and is a man of good talent, and very eloquent. He served one term in the Legislature, and won for himself the title of "Egyptian orator." Mr. Nelson has served his party well, and now lives on his farm, a model of all that is hon- orable in principle, virtuous in nature, and praisworty in action. He is a minister who practices what he preaches, and will live in our history in an immortality of re- spect.
James M. Washburn commenced the practice of law in this county fifteen years ago, and since been a Democratic politician of considerable prominence. During the
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war he was very bitter at times, and has 'been elected to the State Senate, and also to the Lower House, in 1876, and as a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1869. He is a man that all parties admit is honest and upright in his daily work, and is now the leader of his party.
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