USA > Illinois > Woodford County > History of Woodford County > Part 8
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In 1894 the final contest took place and resulted in the removal of the county seat to Eureka. It was hard fought from beginning to end, each side exerting all its energies. It was quite generally recognized that this was the final con- test. A new court house and jail were needed, and wherever these were erected the county seat would remain permanent- ly located. Committees were appointed on each side and thousands of dollars were expended in the campaign. Every township was thoroly canvassed and arguments both for and against removal were known in every part of the county.
The problem with Eureka was to reach the indifferent voter who had no interest in the location of the county seat. Every stay at home vote was favorable to Metamora. Mi- nonk was the scene of the hardest fought battles and mem- bers of the committee spent the day there looking after the fight. As an inducement to locate the seat of justice at Eu- reka, the city council of that city deeded the public spuare, which is in the center of the business part of the city, to the county, the conditions being that the court house be lo- cated on it. The election resulted in 2,595 votes being cast
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HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
for removal and 1,960 votes were cast against it. The claim was at once set up by the friends of Metamora that the votes cast for removal did not represent a majority of votes of the county. A contest was at onee begun by Metamora to test the matter. The attorneys of that city, not wishing to make Woodford county a party of the suit made the city of Eureka defendant. On hearing the argument that Woodford county and not Eureka should have been made defendant, Judge Worthington sustained Eureka in its plea, and the case was thrown from court. As the thirty days, within which a con- test could be begun, had passed, Metamora had no recourse save an appeal to the supreme court. The decision of Judge Worthington was sustained and on receipt of news of the decision the records were at once removed to Eureka.
There had been no arrangements made for the accommo- dation of the county officers at the new county seat, and they were scattered in various empty buildings until a new court house could be erected. The county clerk's office was on the east side of College street in the building now occupied by the Woodford County Republican. The sheriff and circuit clerk offices were in the R. D. Smith building on the north- west corner of College and First streets. The jail and court room were in the building owned by Mrs.R. E. DeMotte on the corner of Second and Callender streets.
As soon as possible arrangements were made for the erection of a new court house. In order that the arrange- ments for the convenience of the county officers might be as complete as possible, the board of supervisors took a trip thru the state, visiting a number of the more modern court houses, and investigating as to material, cost, etc. It was determined that Woodford county should have a court house that would be a credit to the county, and, at the same time, one that was not unduly expensive. Plans were submitted by a number of architects, and after careful consideration the plans presented by Bell and Kent, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, were accepted. They called for a commodious struc-
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THE COUNTY SEAT.
ture two-story and a basement in height, constructed of gray sandstone and surmounted by a handsome dome. On the second floor are the circuit court room.jury rooms, and several offices, while on the first floor there is a conveniently arrang- ed county court room, and also offices of the sheriff, county and circuit clerks. The basement has a meeting room for the
COURT HOUSE AT EUREKA, ILLINOIS.
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supervisors, a G. A. R. room, and offices of the treasurer and superintendent of schools.
The building was constructed in a very substantial man- ner, and under the careful supervision of the board that was made up as follows in 1897 : Chairman, N. S. de Vries, Joseph Hindert, B. W. Uphoff, John J. Tjaden, Frank Mau, Jacob
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IHISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
Wagner, W. H. Friedrich, Anthony Fisher, Peter Schertz, A. J. Woltzen, James M. Jeter, E. A. Childs, Thomas Crib- ben, P. A. Felter, Jacob Miller. J. B. Detweiler, E. S. Brown.
Those who took part in planning for the building in 1896, but were not on the board that followed, were Josiah Ker- rick, Adam Stephens, George Andrews, J. P. Kunkler.
Bids were received from numerons firms, that of H. G. Bruning, of Havana. III., being finally accepted, the contract price being $60,762. The special duty of overseeing the
SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE AND THE JAIL, EUREKA.
work devolved upon the building committee which was composed of P. A. Felter. chairman, W. II. Fredrich, Thomas Cribben. B. W. Uphoff, A. J. Woltzen, Ed. C. Engel, county clerk. The county employed Henry Lesch, of Wash- burn, to look after interests of the county and superintend the work of building. The funds necessay for the work were raised by the issue of interest bearing warrants, which were redeemed in a very short time by the levy of one per cent tax. The corner stone of the new structure was laid under the supervision of the board of supervisors with ap- propriate ceremonies, the stone being laid by Miss Gertie de Vries, the daughter of the chairman of the board.
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THIE COUNTY SEAT.
A few months after the completion of the court house, a commodius jail and jailer's residence were erected. This structure was built on the property on First street across from the new court house. The jail is of pressed brick with
THE HOME AT COUNTY POOR FARM.
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stone trimmings, the residence portion being in the front and the jail in the rear. The contract for the work was let to Kipp and Perryman, of Minonk, for $18,000. The cells are modern and are strong and well constructed.
On the same lot with the jail the heating plant, for both court house and jail was erected, both buildings being heat- ed by steam. There is no fire in the vicinity of the court
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IHISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
house, and the building is considered fire proof The records are kept in a manner to preclude all apparent chance of de- struction. All these buildings are lighted thruout by electricity and the office equipment is ample for all needs of county officials. The yards of both court house and jail have been graded and are now beautiful lawns. It is esti- mated that the value of the county property at Eureka will reach $125,000.
In connection with the description of the other public buildings it is appropriate to refer to the commodious ahns house, located between Metamora and Eureka. It is located on a Farm purchased in 1867. and the property has been improved from time to time until it is now one of the best equipped alms houses in Central Illinois. It is under the management of a superintendent appointed by the board of supervisors. The present superintendent, Frank Murray, has held that position for several years to the entire satisfaction of the board. The farm consists of 240 acres. and is made practically self-supporting. It has been the policy of the county to keep its property in the best condition, but while this is true and the county officials are supplied with all needed equipments, the low rate of county taxation bears witness to the economy of the officials. The original building cost $10,800 and in 1903 an addition costing $10.540 was made to the building, and $5,673 was expended in installing a heating plant.
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CHAPTER XI.
Travel and Communication.
T IIE early means of communication and travel were very unsatisfactory. Whenever possible the rivers were taken advantage of for transportation and a great number of emigrants bound for the west made the journey as far as possible on the Ohio and other rivers. Travelers from the northeast came on the Great Lakes to Fort Dearborn, after- ward Chicago, and completed the journey overland. The emigrant vessels presented a grotesque appearance, being loaded with chattels of the mover and his family. Others came in covered emigrant wagons, called prairie schooners. The ocenpants of these suffered many hardships in cross- ing the country. The narrow trails were difficult to follow and the tall slough and prairie grass which grew to great height presented a serious barrier to the traveler's progress. The journey was often made thru swamps and across rivers and streams that were without bridges.
It was many years before roads were laid out. Perhaps the first of these thru Woodford county passed thru Han- over and was followed by the stage coach that passed that way. It is said this was originally laid out by dragging a log across the prairie grass. The progress in the direc- tion of laying out roads was very slow. The state took the matter up and the county was soon crossed by several so- called state roads. These were winding and songht the easiest places for fording streams and the parts of the prairie least apt to become impassible. Among the first of-
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HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
ficial acts of the commissioners of the newly created county was a provision for roads. In accordance with a legislative enactment of the session of 1840-'41 a state road was laid out thru Woodford, extending from Oliver's Grove, Living- ston county, to Peoria. It passed thru Bowling Green Versailles and Washington, being seventy-four miles in length, nineteen of which were in this county. A second state road was from Bloomington to Spring Bay, while still others included one from Peoria to Ottawa and one along the northern border of the county. These roads were not kept in very good condition, and it was many years before bridges were built. One of the oldest of these was across Walnut creek, near Mount Zion, and was known as Travis bridge.
The carliest provision made by the commissioners for the betterment of roads was in 1841, when the county was divided into fifteen districts, in each of which there was a supervisor of roads. This number was increased as the needs of the county demanded. The first of these were as follows: Meredith Myers, Allen Patrick, JJames Richardson, Allen Hart. James Phillips, Win. P. Atteberry JJames Mitchell. Peter Engel, Joseph Nelson, Thornton Park- er. JJefferson Hoshor, John Foster, Jefferson Sowards, and Benjamin Major. The roads of the county were superintended by such supervisors until the division into townships in 1855, when each township chose its own commissioners.
The first public means of conveyance aside from boats on the rivers and lakes, was the stage coach. These were large, brilliantly painted vehicles, a little on the style of the 'bus of today. They were usually drawn by four horses and made what was considered at that period very good time. One of these lines ran thru Versailles and Bowling Green to Peoria, being ferried across the Illinois. Another line passed thru Hanover. Fred Hartman, for many years the bell ringer at Eureka College, was an old stage coach
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TRAVEL AND COMMUNICATION.
driver on the line thru Mackinaw. While living he was able to tell many interesting altho trying experiences passed thru by the early coach driver. It was sometimes necessary to pry the wheels out of the mud with a rail, and the passen- gers were called on to assist in the operation, before the coach could proceed on its journey. These coaches carried the mails, but these were small, consisting of a few papers and an occasional letter.
The pioneer did not need the stage greatly, as he usual- ly walked or rode horseback. Many a settler made his tour of investigation on foot or horseback, going back to bring his family to his new found home. William Fisher, who came here from Vermont, walked back to that state for his wife. Elijah Marshall tells of walking from Detroit to Ot- tawa. They covered about fifty miles a day. They would get supper and sleep at one place and would rise at day- light and walk until breakfast time, when they would get breakfast at another place. Rowland Davison, who later settled in Linn township, walked a great part of the journey from Troy, New York, to Groveland and return. Joseph Meek made his first trip to Woodford county on horseback.
The pioneer was accustomed to meeting and overcoming difficulties, and met and accomplished the long journey as he did all other tasks in his way.
It was not until 1854 that a railroad was built thru the county, but navigation on the Illinois was open and Spring Bay was quite a good point for many years. A carrier was employed to take the mail from Kappa to Spring Bay twice a week, George Taggart being employed in that position. Ile visited Metamora and Eureka on the ronte.
The building of the Illinois Central opened a new epoch in the history of the county. It passed thru the eastern part which was practically unsettled at the time of the con- struction of the road. This company received substantial aid from the government, being granted each alternate sec- tion of land for six miles on each side of the track. This
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HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
gave the company thousands of acres of land in the best region of the county. In return for this grant of land the company agreed to pay into the state treasury seven per cent of its gross income annually. The income to the state from this source from 1855 to the present time exceeds twenty-seven million dollars.
At the time of the building of this road it was possible to ride for miles without seeing a single dwelling house, but, immediately upon the construction of it, the region began to be settled and is now one of the most populous parts of the county. Soon the entire aspect of the country was changed. Farm houses began to dot the prairies and several towns soon sprang up along the line of road. Panola was one of the first of these. At that time the engines used wood as fuel, and had a wooding station near Panola. South of there a turntable was located in the early history of the road.
Four years later, in 1856, a second railway was built thru the county, known as the eastern branch of the Peoria and Oquakwa, later called the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw, and now known as the Toledo, Peoria and Western. This road crossed the Central at right angles. As in the case of the buikling of the first line. it resulted in the establishment of several towns that have since become of considerable im- portance. It extended a mile north of the old town ,of Eu- reka, and had the result of locating the city a mile north of the original site. This road has since become an important line of travel between Peoria and eastern cities, and also has extensive Chicago traffic.
The same year that witnessed the construction of this road, saw the surveying of the Tonica and Petersburg line thru Metamora, but it was not constructed. In 1870 the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago was built thru to Metamora and later was finished to Washington by the Chicago and Alton company, which had come into possession of the road. Metamora township bonded itself for $50,000, to aid in the construction of the road, and Cazenovia township also took
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TRAVEL AND COMMUNICATION.
stock in the company to the amount of $50,000. The orginal plan was to complete the road further south, but the work was not done. In recent years the trains on this road have run into Peoria over the Toledo, Peoria and Western.
On the completion of this line the Low Pomi postoffice and store, that were located a short distance from the persent site of the town, were moved to the town as it is now located.
In 1872 the Chicago, Pekin and Southwestern road was constructed. The various townships along the road sub- scribed liberally toward building the line. Mivonk town- ship subscribed $50,000. Clayton also pledged a like amount, but it was never paid owing to a technicality that allowed the township to escape payment. Oho township voted $50,000, after a bitter contest. The road was never completed thru the township, altho the grading was finished. The completion of the road required the building of two ex- pensive bridges. This, coupled with suits for damages in- enrred from grading, probably resulted in the abandonment of the plan, the T. P. & W. tracks being used instead. Roa- noke township did not vote bonds, but donated $5,000 in private subscriptions on condition that a switch be put in near the present site of Roanoke. The road is now under the control of the Santa Fe. For several months during 1892 this branch was a link in a line from St. Louis to Chi- cago, operating what was known as the Red Express. Dur- ing the continuance of this arrangement Eureka was the end of the division, a round house and turntable being located at the junction of the T. P. & W. and Santa Fe east of there. A number of men were brought to Eureka by this plan. The trains were discontinued because of the protest of the Passenger Association which charged the St. Louis end of the line with cutting rates.
In 1873 a line of road was constructed that was known as the middle division of the Illinois Central. It extends from Minonk to Kankakee, connecting with the Blooming- ton and Kankakee branch at Kempton. It enters Woodford
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HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
a short distance south of Minonk and runs into that city over the main line of the Central. Minonk is made the terminal and has profited much from its construction.
The last road to be constructed thru the county was the Lake, Erie and Western thru Montgomery township. This was constructed in 1888 and has resulted in the estab- lishment of Goodfield and Congerville. It has been a great convenience to the southern portion of the county and has given them a closer market for their grain and stock.
With the multipication of railways there come an in- crease in ease of communication. The mail service has been developed to a degree of perfection that was hitherto un- thot of. One of the greatest advance steps taken in this de- partment has been developed during the past eight years in rural mail delivery. The offices of the county each have from one to three carriers, who reach practically all the farm houses in the county. Their routes vary from 20 to 27 miles, and their lines are laid out so as to give service to the greatest number. ,
The telegraph has developed side by side with the rail- roads, but it is only within the past quarter of a century that it has become the popular means of newspaper service. News was often a week old before it was published in the dailies. As late as 1858 an account of the Douglas rally at Metamora on September 30th, ap- peared in the Chicago Daily Times, of October sixth. The connty is now crossed by numerous wires of both the West- ern Union and Postal Telegraph Companies.
It is diffienlt to ascertain the date of the introduction of the first telephone in the county. Dr. N. B. Crawford had one in operation between his house and office at least twenty-five years ago. This was among the first used. Now the county is served by numerous telephone exchanges, that have telephones in hundreds of homes in the county.
The latest means of travel is the automobile, which has become very popular during the past five or six years. There are now several hundred in the county. The Meta-
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TRAVEL AND COMMUNICATION.
mora Herald speaks of a vehicle, built by Geo. Marsh and a painter named Smith, as the forerunner of the automobile. This was constructed in 1858 and was considered a marvel at that time, but it finally went into the scrap pile. The memory of it is only reealled by the recent introduction of the automobile and its adoption as a popular means of travel.
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CHAPTER XII.
War Records.
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N the great civil strife that threatened to destroy the na- tion, Woodford county maintained her loyalty to the union. When hostilities broke out party prejudices were laid aside and with but few exceptions the citizens were loyal to the national government, while President Lincoln received their support in his effort to put down the rebel- lion. The approach of the war cloud had been watched with growing interest. Slavery had many opponents thruout the country, as was shown by the existence of the branch of the underground railroad thru the county.
When the president's call for troops was issued, Wood- ford responded with alacrity. Governor Richard Yates, famous as the war governor of Illinois, found a ready re- sponse to each call that he made upon the county. In ap- portioning troops, it was customary to divide the number called for among the various counties of the state according to population.
Women were no less loyal than the men and suffered untold hardships that husbands, brothers and fathers might enter the field. The privation endured during those four years of war can never be adequately described. Men suf- fered untold hardships on the battlefield, but the dangers from battle were but a small part of those suffered in camp or on the march. Privation and exposure wrought far greater havoe in the ranks than ever shot and shell.
The hardships of those at home were increased by the depreciated currency, causing high prices and a correspond-
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WAR RECORDS.
ing difficulty in getting the necessities of life. Everything possible was done to minimize those hardships, but even these efforts availed but little in meeting the actual needs of the hour. Woodford county expended $41,761.24 in aid- ing the families of soldiers, while the husbands and fathers were at the front.
At the breaking out of the war the population of Wood- ford was given as 13,281, out of which number 1,643 soldiers were accredited to the county, during the four years of the struggle. In other words fully twelve per cent of the total population of the county was in the field. These were seat- tered among various regiments and companies but a number of these were almost entirely recruited in this county while still others often had two or three soldiers from it. The government did all that was possible to prevent a draft. A bounty was offered to each soldier enlisting but it finally be- came necessary to resort to a draft in some townships. Sub- stitutes were frequently employed to take the place of the man who had been drafted but did not care to go. Various figures were paid for these substitutes, $500 to $600 being a popular price, but in some eases it reached $1,000. Some townships sought to guard against draft by the offer of a liberal bounty in addition to that offered by the national government. In other instances a number of men banded themselves together to protect themselves from draft. Some- times there were ten and at other times twenty members, each agreeing to pay his part toward the purchase of a sub- stitute, should one of their number be drafted. In some cases men were drafted and accepted, who had enlisted earlier in the war and had been rejected because of some physical disability that rendered them unfit for service. This was due to the great need for men later in the war that rendered the government less exacting.
The union plan of the war contemplated four great movements, 1st, the opening of the Mississippi river; 2nd, the blockading of the southern ports; 3rd, the marching thru the enemies' country to the sea; 4th, the capture of
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HISTORY OF WOODFORD COUNTY.
Richmond. Woodford county soldiers were principally en- gaged in movements for opening the Mississippi and for opening the south.
The first company having a large part of its enlistment made up of Woodford county men, was Company G of the Seventeenth Infantry. It was captained by Otis A. Burgess, a Christian minister, who was at one time president of Eureka College. Burgess Memorial Hall, of that institution was erected in his honor, largely thru the generosity of his widow. On his resignation in April, 1862, Lieutenant Johnathan II. Rowell was promoted to the captaincy. He had been a student in Eureka College, and made an excellent record both during and after the war. He became promi- nent in the political life of Bloomington and later represent- ed that district in congress. The regiment of which this company was a part was mustered into the service at Peoria, May 25, 1861, and June 17th it left for Alton, where it spent some time arming and drilling, after which it entered into the active hostilities of Missouri. It took part at Fort Henry and Donaldson, and also in the terrible conflict at Pittsburg Landing. April 6th and 7th. The regiment was under fire the entire day of the sixth. The battle raged with varying success, and at nightfall General McClernand formed his ranks for the eighth time. Thru the entire bitter contest the seventeenth fought valiantly, and in the morn- ing took part in the stubborn conflict that resulted in driv- ing the enemy from the field. In the two days' battle the regiment lost 130 killed and wounded, several of whom were from Woodford county. During the next six months the regiment was engaged in numerous movements in that region, and later went to Vicksburg and took part in the final investment of that city. After the surrender of Vicks- burg took place, it remained there doing garrison duty and making excursions into the enemy's country. The regiment was mustered out at Springfield in May. 1864, their term of service having expired.
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