USA > Illinois > Woodford County > History of Woodford County > Part 7
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Woodford county has the distinction of having the first county Y. W. C. A. in the world. The National Board which is at the head of the great work, is located at New York City, and every country in the world has associations affiliated with it. For the past three years the splendid women at the head of this work have been trying to solve the problem of "How to reach the girls and women in the small towns and rural districts." Finally some one conceived the plan of organizing a county the same as if it were a city. This work was started in Woodford county in May, 1908, when Miss Helen F. Barnes, National Secretary from New York, and Miss Harriet A. Broad, state executive of Chicago, made a tour of the county to arouse enthusiasm for this work. The secretary came the first of October and the first county as- sociation was organized October 17th, 1908, and became a part of the National Association. There is a board of direc- tors, with Mrs. M. A. Adams, of ElPaso, as president, and each town or community is a branch with its own committee. Branches were organized in Eureka, ElPaso, Minonk, Roa-
95
EDUCATION AND RELIGION.
noke, Benson, Secor, Washburn. The membership is 250 and clubs and classes in Bible study, gymnasium, sewing, fancy work and drawing have interested the members. Socials, lectures, pienies, and various entertainments have been enjoyed. Sixteen Woodford county young women at- tended the summer conference at Lake Geneva.
The association is for the spiritual, social, physical and educational needs of women. The aim of the county organ- ization is to give the girls of rural communities the advan- tages of the college and city.
The following are statistics :
Enrollment in clubs 90
Attendance 589
Enrollment in Bible classes 176
Attendance 1036
Enrollment in sewing classes
37
Attendance
148
Enrollment in gymnasium 30
Attendance 402
Attendance at socials
1560
The secretary, Miss Elizabeth Mckenzie, has oversight of the work of the county.
CHAPTER IX.
The County Organizes.
A S the county became more thickly settled the demand for a more convenient county seat became imperative. By 1840 the vicinity of Spring Bay, Versailles, Bowling Green, Metamora and Walnut Grove had numerous settlers. and a movement was begun for the organization of a new county. Aside from the need of a more conveniently located seat of justice, was the ambition of the citizens of Versailles to make that the county seat. It was hoped that the location of the seat of justice there would soon make it the metropolis of the county. A petition was circulated praying for the creation of a new county, of which Versailles was to be the county seat. Thomas Bullock, who had named the town, was one of the prime movers in presenting the matter before the legislature. The granting of the petition was opposed by citizens of Washington, who were ambitious to make that city the county seat. A petition had been circulated with that in view, but Versailles had gotten its petition before the legislature in time to give it precedence, and Washing- ton confined its efforts to opposing its granting. Mr. Bul- lock and others worked unceasingly and were rewarded by seeing their cherished bill become a law. A new county was created named Woodford, in honor of Woodford county. Kentucky, the former home of Mr. Bullock. It did not how- ever, make Versailles the permanent seat of justice, but lo- cated it at that place for two years, on condition that suit- able buildings were furnished free of expense to the county.
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97
THE COUNTY ORGANIZES.
A school house was provided for the use of the county of- ficials and answered the purpose of a court room very well. This law provided for the completion of the organization of the county, and the election of the necessary officers. On April 13th, 1841, the persons elected met in Versailles to organize. The affairs of the county were then in the hands of three county commissioners instead of a board of super- visors as at present. The commissioners organized with John J. Perry as clerk. On June 7th, they decided the date of the expiration of the term of each commissioner as fol- lows :
Joseph Meek, of Walnut Grove, August, 1841; JJames Boys, of Metamora, August, 1842; Josiah Moore, of Bowling Green, August, 1843. The remaining county officers were as follows: Probate judge, J. B. Holland; sheriff, William S. Magarity ; cirenit clerk, S. J. Cross; county clerk, John J. Perry ; coroner, William Hosher; treasurer, James S. Me- Cord; assessor, JJoshua Woosley; collector, William Rock- well; surveyor, S. S. Parke.
For convenience in voting the county was laid off into four election precincts, designated as Bowling Green, Ver- sailles, Partridge and Richland. The voting place in Part- ridge was fixed at the house of John Sunderland, while that of Richland precinct was the house of James Owens.
It may be interesting to note here the names of the first judges of election after the organization of the county. Bowling Green, Eli Patrick, Samuel Arnold, Samuel Kirk- patrick; Versailles, HIeny I. Clark, Warren C. Watkins, Ben Major; Partridge, Jefferson Hoshor, John Page, Joel Ranney ; Richland, Benj. D. Perry, Jesse Hammers, Jefferson Sowards. In a short time Spring Bay precinct was formed. In each of these precinets was an overseer of the poor, whose duty was to look after the needy in his precinet. The first of these appointed by the commissioners were, Versailles, Benj. J. Radford; Bowling Green, Reuben Carlock; Part- ridge, John Page ; Richland, J. Foster.
98
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
The first county order was issued to Henry I. Clark for $1.00 in payment for his services as judge of election, that being the compensation of such an official at that time. while the clerk received $1.25.
The growth of the financial affairs of the county may be shown by a glance at the report of the first collector, who acted for the county instead of for each township as at present. His total collections were $1.034.60, while the col- lections of the various township collectors in 1909 amounted to $262,322.32. William Rockwell, the first county collector, gave a bond for $4,000, while that of L. C. Gish, now county treasurer, was $202,000.00. The first sheriff, William S. Magarity. gave bond for $1,000.00 which amount seems small in contrast with the bond for $10,000.00 required of the present sheriff. B. F. Slenker.
Each official subscribed to an oath in which he pledged himself to support the constitutions of the United States and of the State of Illinois, and to fulfill the duties of his office to the best of his ability, but in addition to that he was re- quired to swear that he had never taken part in a duel, had sent no challenge, and further that he would take no part whatever in a duel during his term of office.
Woodford county was made a part of the Eighth judi- cial distriet, and the first session of court was held at Ver- sailles, in September, 1841, with Judge Samuel H. Treat on the bench. The county commissioners, at their session in June, had chosen twenty-three men to act as the first grand jury, and also twenty-four men as petit jurors. The grand jurors were as follows: Thomas A. McCord, John Mohr, S. Y. Barnard. Reuben Carlock, William C. Anthony, Henry I. Clark, Amos Watkins, James Findley, David Travis, Elijah Diekinson, Caleb Davidson, Ellis Parker, Parker Morse, Wil- liam Dodds. Jesse llammers, JJames Owens, Samuel Head- lock, Harlow T. Barney, Austin Crocker, Joseph Wilkerson, John Sunderland. John Page and George Bennett. Only seventeen of the above number are shown by the court
99
THE COUNTY ORGANIZES.
records to have been present the session of court Those present with John C. Coons formed the first actual grand jury. John W. Page was chosen foreman and the work of the term was taken up. Two indictments were returned, one against Nathaniel Wilson for larceny, and the other against Alfred Moore for arson. Neither case was tried at that term of court.
Daniel R. Meek, who resides at Secor, was present at the opening of the session of conrt. He distinctly remembers the occasion, which was an important one in the history of Versailles. Flags were flying from the school house in which court was held and men laid aside their work to attend court. There were a number of prominent men in attendance upon the session of the court altho they had not gained the promi- nenee they afterward attained. Among these were Abraham Lincoln, David Davis and others.
The law that created Woodford county provided that all cases begun in the courts of Tazewell or MeLean counties prior to the organization of the new county, by citizens liv- ing within the boundaries of Woodford, should be decided in the courts where they were begun.
The first entry on the docket is that in the case of George C'ase, appellee, vs. Isaac W. Lowe, appellant, in which the suit was dismissed as per agreement.
David R. Campbell was present as states attorney. There were no jury cases at that term altho twenty-four jurymen had been drawn. These were as follows : Wesley Arnold, Jacob Stevenson, William Long, James A. Whorton, Thomas H. Baker, John P. Beaty, Thomas Bullock, Benj. J. Radford, M. R. Bullock, David Deweese, James Wells, James Brown, Cooley Curtis, Francis Boggs, Andrew Galbreth, Solomon Tucker, Aaron Richardson, Samuel Arnold, William S. Pratt, Norman Dutton, George Kingston, C. D. Banta, Amos A. Brown and William Willis.
In 1843 a law was passed submitting to a vote of the people of Tazewell and Woodford counties a proposition to
100
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
change the boundary lines between the two counties to the line between townships 24 and 25 north of the base line, but the proposition was never adopted. The same year the boundary line between Woodford and Mebean counties was definitely fixed and has remained unchanged since that time.
In 1849 a movement was organized for the division of the county into townships. The proposition brought forth strong opposition, and a number of prominent men were untiring in their efforts to defeat the measure. The first election was held in 1850, the vote standing at that time 153 For township organization and 107 against it. The propo- sition did not have the required majority of all the votes of the county, and was resubmitted in 1852, the vote then stand- ing 469 for and 298 against organization. In 1853 a third test was made, the vote then standing 310 for, to 109 against. It was not until 1854 that the proposition carried the re- quired majority, the vote standing 692 for, to 193 against the plan of division. The same year the court appointed JJohn Summers, Daniel B. Owen, and Edgar Babcock commission- ers to divide the county into townships. The commissioners did their work and on April 16th, 1855, the first board of supervisors in Woodford county held its meeting at Meta- mora. The board was made up as follows : Metamora, Simon P. Shope; Montgomery. James Vance; Olio, Joseph Meek; Panola, and Minonk. Robert N. McClelland; Greene, John R. Gaston; Roanoke, David S. Brown; Linn and Clayton, Isaac Fisher; Cazenovia. John W. Acres; Worth, Jacob Shnek; Spring Bay. George N. Schnibly; Palestine, Allen Ilart ; Partridge, Jefferson Hosher. The board organized by choosing as its chairman, Simon P. Shope, of Metamora.
With the organization of this board the work of the county commissioners ended. For about fourteen years the county had been under their control and the affairs had been wisely and economically administered. The growth of the various settlements seemed to demand a closer supervision and the new system was instituted. The first eight years of
101
THIE COUNTY ORGANIZES.
the county's existence. the commissioners were elected, one being chosen each year to serve three years. In 1849, however, the law was changed and the affairs were administered by a county judge and two associates. The first judge was Welcome P. Brown and his associates were William C. Poynter and W. E. Buckingham.
The growth of the county was gradual but steady, and the business of the new board increased quite rapidly. In the beginning Clayton and Linn. Minonk and Panola were united so as to form but two precinets. This was due to the sparce settlement at that time, but it was but a few years until each township had its full quota of officials. Cruger township was not created until 1870, when it was cut off the west side of Olio. Kansas township was separated from Palestine in 1859.
The county is controlled at the present time by the fol- lowing board of supervisors :
Minonk, N. L. Davison ; Clayton, B. W. Uphoff, Linn, Ludwig Tjaden; Cazenovia, J. HI. Lesch; Partridge, Sol Winkler; Spring Bay, Alfred Hosher: Worth, Leo T. Schwenk; Metamora, Henry Heininger; Roanoke, C. F. Yeck ; Greene, Frank Vogel; Panola, Theobald Stimpert ; El Paso, E. A. Childs ; Palestine, W.A. Colburn ; Olio ; E. B Diek- inson ; Cruger, Ed. Perrine ; Kansas, W. 11. Dixon; Mont- gomery, Simon Naffzinger. The board is organized with Alfred Hosher of Spring Bay as chairman.
The early officers were usually elected for but two years, the coroner, sheriff, school commissioner, surveyor and treasurer each serving for that length of time. Later these officers were elected for the full four year term. The title of school commissioner was changed in 1865 to county super- intendent of schools. The county has been very fortunate in the selection of its officers. Only once has it suffered serious defaleation. Ayrs M. Whittaker, county treasurer, was declared a defaulter September 11th. 1878. in the sum of $41,632. 63. The bondsmen were called upon to make up
102
IHISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
the shortage. A settlement was finally made with the county bondsmen on the basis of 65 cents on the dollar. They were only held responsible for the defaleation of the conn- ty Fund. The state bondsmen were held for the other Funds. These protested and after three hearings in court they were released from further responsibility on the payment of a nominal sim, amounting to about $800.
The county is now controlled by an efficient corps of officials composed as follows: County judge, John F. Bos- worth ; county clerk, Adolph Woltzen ; circuit clerk, L. Il. VanAlstine : superintendent of schools, F. H. Doeden; treas- urer, L. C. Gish ; states attorney, Orman Ridgley ; surveyor, D. 11. Davison ; coroner, W. S. Morrison, master-in-chancery, John R. Tweddale : sheriff. B. F. Slenker.
Of these D. II. Davison has been the longest server, hav- ing been surveyor at varions periods for thirty years. L. Il. VanAlstine and Adolph Woltzen have been connected with the official business of the county for a number of years, the Former as deputy circuit clerk. and the latter as clerk; the latter first as deputy treasurer and later as county clerk.
The business of the county has grown to such magni- tude that the treasurer, superintendent of schools, sheriff and circuit clerk are each empowered to employ a deputy, while the county clerk employs two. In the more busy seasons the connty and circuit clerks frequently employ additional as- sistance. As the county grows in wealth the business of the probate court, and consequently of the county clerk, greatly increases.
CHAPTER X.
The County Seat.
T IIE question of the location of the county seat of Wood- ford county has been a live issue ever since its organ- ization. Even before the law creating the county had passed, the hopes of obtaining the county seat at Versailles played no insignificant part in the movement for its organization. The jog in the county line between Tazewell and Woodford eut Washington, which would have been a formidable rival for county seat honors, out of Woodford and made it a part of Tazewell. The unsuccessful effort to change Woodford's boundary line in 1843 was but another effort to bring Wash- ington within the borders of this county, and had at its foundation a plan for the removal of the county seat to that city. The question was only permanently settled by the erection of buildings of such value and permanence as to make removal an unwise action.
The act creating the county located the seat of justice at Versailles for a period of two years. At the end of that time an election was to be held and the people were to decide for themselves as to the location of the seat of justice. Some restrictions were made in the law as to the contestants. Each town competing for the honor was required to give bond in the sum of $1,500. for the faithful payment of all pledges made toward the expense of new buildings. In case no town received a majority of the votes, a second election was to be held and only the two points receiving the highest number
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104
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
of votes could be voted upon. In spite of these elaborate provisions made in the law for this elec- tion it was destined never to be held. In 1843, before the expiration of the two years, during which Versailles was permitted to enjoy county seat privileges, a new law was passed giving the authority to locate the seat of justice into the hands of a commission. The law was drawn up in the interest of Versailles : as the people of that village feared to submit the matter to a vote. The law was opposed by parties from other parts of the county, but the opposition only served to increase the commission from three members to five. The following were appointed to decide the ques- tion : John Il. Bryant, of Bureau county ; John H. Harris, of Tazewell county : James K. Scott, of Dewitt county; L. A. Hannaford, of Peoria county : JJ. L. Sharp, of Fulton.
There was a sharp competition between the aspirants. On June 17th, 1843, the commissioners met at Versailles and after giving due consideration to the claims of contesting towns, decided to locate the seat of justice at Hanover. since called Metamora. The entry of their decision as it stands on the records of the county commissioners, is as follows :
We, the undersigned commissioners, appointed by an act of the Legislature of Ilinois, to locate the permanent seat of justice of Woodford county, approved Feb. 28, 1843, and an aet supplementary to said aet. approved March 6, 1843. having met at the town of Versailles and been duly sworn, according to the provisions of said acts, have proceed- ed to examine said county and the different sites proposed for the seat of justice. with respect ro present and future population of said county, and after mature deliberation have agreed to locate the said seat of justice in the town of Hanover on sections 17 and 20. township 27 north of the base line in range two west of. the third principal meridian.
105
THE COUNTY SEAT.
and that public buildings be located on such block or lots as the county shall think best.
Done at Versailles the 17th day of June, 1843. J. L. SHARP. L. H. IIANAFORD. JOIIN II. BRYANT.
Acting in accordance with the above orders, the county commissioners instructed the clerk of the commissioners' court to move all books, papers and furniture belong- ing to the county to Hanover on the Fourth day of July, 1843, or as soon thereafter as convenient. On August 12th, a special session of the commissioners was held when an order was issued, directing the circuit clerk to move all books, papers and furniture from Versailles to Hanover on September 1st.
The removal of the county seat was a sore disappoint- ment to the hopes of the people of Versailles, and the town never recovered from the effects of the change. The build- ing, which had been used as a court house, was located at the northwest corner of the public square. When the re- moval occurred, this building was sold to Isaac Boyd, being first used as a house and afterwards as an outbuilding.
It was two years before the new court house was erect- ed at Ilanover, and in the meantime temporary arrange- ments were made for the accommodation of the county of- ficers. The contract was entered into with William Rock- well and Samuel S. Parke, who were extensive land holders in that vicinity, June 4, 1844. The structure was to be brick, modeled after the court house at Lacon. It was to be 40 feet by 50 feet, two stories in height, and was to be furnished by January 1st, 1846. In return the county agreed to con- vey all the private donations, consisting of town lots, lands, notes and other evidences of indebtedness given originally for the express purpose of erecting a court house in the town of Hanover, to this firm. In addition to the convey- ance of these donations, the county agreed to pay the firm
106
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
the surplus revenues for the years, 1844 and '45, at the same time the county bound itself to levy at the same rate as be- fore and to use due economy. making no unusual expendi- tures. In case of any disagreement between the contracting parties, it was to be submitted to arbitration.
COURT HOUSE IN 1860.
The contract was sublet and the work was done by David Irving, the contract price being $4,400. This structure served the pur- pose of the county for half a century. It has been made historie thru the great mon who have argned in its court rooms. Its halls have been made to jesound with the elo- quence of Lincoln, Doug- las. Ingersoll. Stevenson and a member of other at- torneys who have been closely identified with the political life of the state ind nation.
In 1851 a contract was entered into with Luther C. Kinney for the erection of a jail on lots 10, 11 and 12, block 40, Metamora. The building was briek and was to be finished by March 1st. 1852. The contract price was $2,498.
As the county grew, demands for space in the court house increased, and it became necessary to make extensive additions to it. The building finally assumed its present form.
Metamora was not, however, to retain undisputed pos- session of the county seat. It was for many years the bone of contention between competing towns. There were several
.
107
THE COUNTY SEAT.
contestants for this honor. ElPaso once appeared as a claim- ant for it, but Eureka and Roanoke took the field most prominently in the contest. The former based its claims on its greater accessibility, the latter on its being nearer the center of the county. It was necessary that an aspirant have a petition signed by a majority of the voters of the county, before the matter could be submitted to a vote of the people. These petitions were the cause of much friction between the contestants. Various charges were brought to the effect that graveyards had been visited for names, signers had repeated. and that others were not legal citizens of the county. The petitions had to be able to stand a searching investigation and still have a clear majority of the voters of the county, after all illegal names had been expurgated, before the mat- ter of removal could be submitted to a vote. It was then necessary that a majority of all the votes of the county be cast for removal. Again and again the matter was submit- ted, and on at least two occasions the majority of the vote cast was for removal, but the attorneys for Metamora were always able to show to the satisfaction of the court that the vote fell short of an actual majority of the total voting strength of the county.
In 1867 ElPaso sent Robert G. Ingersoll, as their at- torney to appear before the board of supervisors at Meta- mora, and make an offer of $30,000 for the removal of the county seat to that place. The matter was submitted to the vote of the people, and the canvass indicated that 1,901 votes had been cast for the removal and 1861 against removal. A committee, composed of D. P. Kenyon, chairman; Andrew Cress, R. L. Sidwell, John Darst and Abraham Fulton, was appointed by the chairman. of the board of supervisors to investigate the matter of the removal. The committee re- ported that there had been 3,812 votes cast. Of this number, 1,901 votes were for removal to ElPaso, leaving a balance of 1,911 against removal. They advised that the matter be submitted to the court, and as a result the seat of justice re- mained at Metamora.
108
HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
May 3rd, 1869, Eureka and Metamora contested for the honor, but Eureka failed to develop its expected strength, the vote standing as follows: For removal to Eureka, 904, against removal to Eureka. 2,255. Eureka and ElPaso, at
COURT HOUSE IN METAMORA 1894.
the time their first contests were held, each had railroads, while Metamora had none. This argument was used exten- sively but failed to bring the people to see that a change was needed ..
In 1873 a sharp contest took place between Roanoke and Metamora. The petition was circulated asking for a submis-
109
THE COUNTY SEAT.
sion of the matter to a vote and the necessary number of signatures was obtained. The vote was taken November 11, 1873, and resulted in 1,665 votes being cast for removal and 1,628 against it. It will be seen that Roanoke had a clear majority of 37 votes. Metamora at once contested. It de- volved upon attorneys for that place to prove that the num- ber of votes cast for removal was not a majority of the votes of the county. After the submission of the evidence, the court decided that Roanoke had failed to get the required number and the court house remained at Metamora. Under the law as it exists the matter may not be submitted oftener than once in ten years. At the end of that period of time Roanoke again appeared as a contestant, the election oc- eurring in 1884. This time a light vote was polled and the majority stood heavily against removal, the vote being 1,122 for removal and 2,441 against removal.
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