USA > Illinois > Mercer County > Past and present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 6
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One week after this election the Commissioner's Court, as it was then called, but now known as the board of supervisors, met at New Boston for the transaction of public business. They appointed Wil- liam C. Townsend, clerk; Ephraim Gilmore, treasurer; John Long, school commissioner; Harrison W. Riggs, judge of election in the
61
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
first precinct, and Isaac Miller, judge of election in the second pre- cinct. They granted William Denison a license to run a ferry across the Mississippi at New Boston. He was taxed $4 for this privi- lege. He was permitted to charge $1.50 for each four-horse wagon ; $1 for each two-horse wagon; 1834 cents for each horse; 50 cents for man and horse ; 1834 cents for each head of cattle ; 61/4 cents for each head of sheep and hogs; 1834 cents for each footman.
They laid the county off into four road districts and appointed Abraham Miller, Lewis Noble, Jesse Kester and James H. Bane commissioners of the districts. They ordered a tax of $1.20 to be levied on each quarter section of taxable land in the county. This concluded the business of the first day.
On the following day they selected the grand jurors for the first term of the Circuit Court. They were as follows: George Miller, Isaac Miller, John Farlow, Jesse Willits, John Hill, Mark Willits, David Shaunce, Lewis Noble, Daniel Pinkley, John W. Denison, William Willits, Joseph Glancey, John Reynolds, George Blake, Benjamin Vannatta, John Long, James Irvin, Wesley Wicks, Ephraim Gilmore, John Kester, Thomas Morgan and John Bates. For petit jurors: John Miller, Isaac Miller, George Miller, Abra- ham Miller, Isaac Dawson, William W. Wilson, John Shaunce, Isaac Drury, William H. Denison, Joseph Noble, Joseph A. Denison, Wil- liam Drury, Harrison W. Riggs, William Jackson, Robert Reynolds, Newton Willits, Joseph Leonard, Joshua Willits, James H. Bane, Eli Reynolds, John P. Reynolds, Drury Reynolds, Christopher Shuck, John Rankins.
At the first regular term of court in June it was found that the clerk had failed to give bond and, being apparently unable to do so, William Drury was appointed in his place. The amount of the bond was $1,000. The first minute book of the board was manufac- tured by Mr. Drury. It consists of about one hundred pages of foolscap paper, ruled by the clerk himself, and bound with what appears to have been a fishing line. The sides of the book are thin pieces of oak boards, dressed down with a draw shave. After being thus prepared they were covered with paper. The backs and corners are of buckskin, doubtless from some deer that had been shot down by the clerk himself. In many other ways this book is a memento which should be preserved. Recorded therein are the earmarks of animals and the names of those who recorded their particular ear crops.
One of the first acts of the regular board was to grant a license to Eli Reynolds to sell groceries in New Boston, for which he was
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
required to pay 871/2 cents. The first road was ordered at this term and was projected from New Boston toward Rock Island, and was designated by stakes driven in the prairie and trees blazed in the woods. The viewers were Ephraim Gilmore, Harrison W. Riggs and Lewis Noble. For their services they were paid $8. The county was laid off into justice districts. The New Boston precinct con- stituted all west of the middle Township + and the remainder of the county constituted what was called the Sugar Grove District. The state road from Knoxville to New Boston was approved, and in fact much of this session was taken up with the consideration of various roads extending from the river back throughout the county and to leading cities in Western Illinois.
The first financial report of the commissioners made March 9, 1837, showed that the revenue from the state was $400; tax on per- sonal property, $58.61; road tax, $922.38; tax for license, $35; and interest on notes, $12.25. The amount paid out on county orders for county purposes was $439.5172, leaving a balance in the treasury of $993.20; but this balance included notes to the amount of $950, leaving cash on hand, $43.20.
The rapid settlement of the county required the formation of other election districts in 1836. In September that portion of the county lying east of a line extending due north and south one mile east of the line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 west, was set apart as a new precinct. It embraced what is now Richland Grove, Rivoli and North Henderson townships and nearly all of Preemption, Greene and Suez townships. The name of Richland was given to this new precinct. One of the county commissioners, Hiram Hardy, resided in this district. At that time there were only about a dozen voters in that portion of the county. In September, 1837, Richland Precinct was subdivided and a new location and justice district was formed of that portion lying south of the line, separating Townships 14 and 15, thus providing for the new settlements on Pope Creek and the new district was given that name. A year later another district was formed from all that part of Sugar Grove lying south of an east and west line equally dividing Township 14. It was called Ohio Precinct. In 1839 Edwards Precinct was formed from what is now Preemption, the north half of Greene, northeast quarter of Mercer and the southeast half of Perryton. At the same meeting Eliza Precinct was formed and embraced what is now Eliza Town- ship. In June, 1840, Keithsburg Precinct was set off and at that time embraced Abington Township also. Thus as time passed and
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
settlement continued, new precincts and townships were set apart until the present condition of things existed.
During the '40s the county commissioners spent much of their time in the consideration of road problems. It was during those years that all the leading roads of the present day were established and partially worked. Taxation at all times was an important sub- ject and was duly considered by the county board. Late in the '40S various railway projects served to stir up the people. Western Illi- nois was traversed by the projected lines and very often each county was threatened therewith by a half dozen at one time. It was not until the early 'sos, however, that railway projects began to take definite form in this county.
In the spring of 1853 the county board was obliged to order the purchase of a poor farm, but before this the care of paupers was under the direct orders of the board and poor persons were usually farmed out to farmers who were willing to take them. This was found both expensive and unsatisfactory. Accordingly the board at the above date bought the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 33 in Perryton Township. The total cost was about seven- teen hundred dollars. Immediately other small tracts were added until the total purchase amounted to about one hundred and twenty- four acres. The larger part of the tract was prairie land, but a belt of timber occupied a portion. At once a building was erected, two stories high, with sixteen rooms, ten bedrooms and a hall in each story. Farm and house together all told, cost in round numbers $5,000. By 1857 about eighty-two acres of the farm were under cultivation.
The census of 1855 gave the population of Mercer County as 9.960. It was estimated in April, 1858, that the population was 15,000; acres of land, 357,000; under cultivation, 85,000 acres; yet susceptible of cultivation, 115,000. The value of the land in 1857 was placed at $2,766,361.16; assessed value of personal property, $1,196,397.25; number of horses, 5,218, assessed at $341,261 ; cattle, 15,844, assessed at $222,592; mules, etc., 336, assessed at $22,185; sheep, 4,140, assessed at $4,944; hogs, 23,202, assessed at $54,539; area of coal fields in the county, 70,000 acres. In 1855 coal worth $8,117 was mined; in 1858 the amount mined was worth about $22,000. Estimated corn in 1857, 2,000,000 bushels; wheat, 450,000 bushels; oats, 200,000 bushels.
The census of the county in 1855 showed 9,960 persons, of whom 5,186 were males. Live stock was valued at $816,656. Number of
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
pounds of wool sold was 24,393. In December, 1855, a man named Dorse and his wife, who had charge of a child of Mr. Dorse by a former wife, so abused it that it died. Reports concerning this affair coming to the authorities, the body was exhumed by the coroner and was found to be covered with terrible bruises and evidences that death had resulted, in all probability, from blows and exposures. They were arrested, taken to the jail at Monmouth and in due time were punished for the crime.
In 1856 the board of equalization, which had done some business before, was thoroughly organized and met all complaints from tax- payers thereafter. The existence of this board was a necessity, owing to the great divergence in assessment of schedules. At this time the county board rented for $100 per year rooms for the county offices in a building owned by Levi Willits on Block 94, Aledo.
In April, 1855, the county voted on the question for and against township organization, and the vote generally favored the plan, which was duly adopted. At that time the county had no jail and was obliged to send prisoners to other counties, for which service they were required to pay. Likewise it was necessary to pay for jury rooms while the court was still at Keithsburg and after it was removed to Aledo. At Keithsburg rooms were secured of B. P. Mc- Conaha and the schoolhouse there was occupied by the Circuit Court for the use of which $50 was paid in December, 1856. The grand jury likewise met in a room in the schoolhouse.
The act for calling an election to decide the question of removal of the county seat was approved by the governor in February, 1857, and an election was ordered for the first Monday in August. It was an important question and the whole county was on the anxious seat until the question was settled. Of course, Keithsburg strenuously opposed the removal, but sufficient influence was brought to secure an election on the question. The citizens of Aledo, at the demands of the county board, subscribed $8,000 to cover expenses of erecting buildings should the county seat be removed and the town proprietors of Aledo bound themselves to give certain lots and blocks in the city for the occupation of the county buildings. Enough money was pledged by Aledo for the construction of all necessary buildings at that time. An additional sum, it was realized, could be secured by the sale of the old county property at Keithsburg. The people were told that they would not be taxed a cent for the buildings or grounds. As it transpired, Millersburg opposed the removal, because the county seat being located at Aledo, would undoubtedly injure that village.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
On the other hand, New Boston favored the removal, perhaps, as a stroke against Keithsburg, its rival town on the Mississippi. The following is the result of the vote for the change of the county seat from Keithsburg to Aledo, held August 3, 1857:
:
TOWNSHIPS
FOR REMOVAL
AGAINST REMOVAL
WHOLE VOTE
13, I, North Henderson
89
25
114
14, I, North Pope
74
I
75
15, I, Richland Grove
104
O
104
13, 2, Suez
60
18
78
14, 2, Greene
62
40
102
15, 2, Maclura
I33
I
134
13, 3, Ohio Grove
I2I
9
130
14, 3, Mercer
231
0
231
15, 3, Perryton
I26
3
129
13, 4, Abington
34
67
IOI
14, 4, Millersburg
84
82
166
15, 4, Duncan
36
23
59
13, 5, Keithsburg
26
228
254
14, 5, New Boston
233
45
278
15, 5, Eliza
66
7
73
Totals
1,479
549
2,028
Majority for removal, 930.
When the county seat was removed to Aledo in the fall of 1857, there were no buildings that belonged to the county for the officers nor for holding court. For the purpose of holding court, however, the county procured the use of a building that was constructed for a schoolhouse, and the upper story was used at the time for school purposes. Court was held in this building, which subsequently was purchased by the county and was used until the erection of a new courthouse, which is stated more in detail hereafter. The first jail building, as hereinafter shown, has been given by the county to Wil- liam and Vashti College, and the part of it which contained the cells has been demolished and rebuilt, and it is now used as the girls' dormitory in connection with William and Vashti College. The building erected by the county for county officers is also now trans- ferred to William and Vashti College, and is situated on the block known as North Park or Monument Park in Aledo.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
Upon the removal of the county seat and the vacation of the old county buildings at Keithsburg, they were immediately occu- pied by men there who apparently had claims upon them. These men at first refused to surrender possession, but the buildings were ordered to be sold by the county board. The offer of L. W. Thomp- son to furnish temporary rooms in his two-story brick were accepted by the county board. In September, 1857, the board ordered all records of the county removed from Keithsburg to Aledo. H. S. Scott was the authorized agent of the county to effect this removal. The board accepted the block donated by Thompson and Willits as the site of the courthouse. I. N. Bassett was authorized to nego- tiate the sale of the old courthouse at Keithsburg. At that time a motion to take immediate steps to build a new courthouse was lost in the county board, but a vote to build a jail was carried and a committee accordingly was appointed to prepare plans for a jail alone and for a combined jail and courthouse. At that time the county paid out for paupers for the year ending September, 1857, $939.12 and paid for assessing the county, $495.75. They paid $5 for the rent of grand jury rooms and a temporary "calaboose." At this session the county board directed a special committee to secure a competent man to take charge of the poor house. Tyler Mc- Whorter was recommended and was appointed superintendent. He was authorized to borrow $500 with which to commence operations. The name of the Township of Maclura was changed to Preemption at this session. The old courthouse at Keithsburg had been left in possession of Nevius and Calhoun, who were to have free the use of the two lower offices upon consideration of taking care of the whole building. These men and others later refused to give up for a time possession of the buildings upon the order of the county board. The lots owned by the county at Keithsburg were ordered sold, one-fourth cash and the balance in six, twelve and eighteen months.
At that time a public road was projected from Aledo to McBride's Mill on Pope Creek and was viewed and in the end built. In the great storms during the spring of 1858 almost all the bridges in the county were washed away. They had entailed much expense during the '40s, probably not less than ten thousand dollars and all had to be replaced now at a time when the county needed money for other purposes. The poor house was built by R. Grow, who likewise did the mason work on the Methodist College in Aledo. The total assessment of the county in 1857 was $3,963,554.67. No sooner had
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
the county board begun the work of constructing new bridges in place of those that had been washed away than other storms equally severe came and washed away the new ones and prevented for some time the construction of others. Many buildings were blown down during the heavy storms, which in some instances approached almost the magnitude of tornadoes. The Record of May, 1858, spoke of one of these storms as the severest it had ever witnessed. Still another storm came in June, and in Henderson and Warren counties was a tornado, destroying large amounts of property and killing many per- sons. The fall of 1858 saw a change and the work of rebuilding the bridges and repairing the roads went rapidly on. A large bridge across Edwards River, just north of Aledo, was projected and built at this time.
For the year ending July 10, 1858, the receipts of the county were $21,002.37, less $9,616.02 in cash and $42.50 in notes on hand at the beginning of the year. Among the receipts was $130 from Willits and Thompson to pay the expenses of the county seat election. The total disbursements amounted to $14,619.29. Among the disburse- ments were $4,480 interest on county bonds, $1,401.71 for pauper expenses and $100 damages allowed the contractor of the poor house for failure to pay as per agreement.
In February, 1859, the commissioners were authorized by law to collect the swamp land fund for the purpose of distributing it to the townships. This was the first distribution of such a fund. It became a part of the school fund of the county. The year 1859 is characterized by the large number of tracts of land sold throughout the county at sheriff's sale. The panic of 1857, the poor crops for several years and the hard times generally made it extremely difficult for farmers to live, pay their taxes and keep up their farms. As high as thirty-two such sales were made in 1859. The county treasurer's report for the fiscal year 1859-60 showed total receipts, $12,903.51; and total expenses, $12,607.39. In 1860 the personal property in the county was valued at $813,748; town lots, $317,864; realty, $2,012,- 645. The total county tax, all kinds, amounted to $57,577.84. The Keithsburg town lots were valued at $126,526; Aledo town lots, $83, 182; New Boston town lots, $77,030.
At the June term, 1860, the county board passed resolutions ask- ing the next Legislature to authorize the levy of a special tax not exceeding twenty thousand dollars for the express purpose of erect- ing county buildings, the question to be submitted to the legal voters of the county. At the September term the clerk was directed by the board to send a copy of this resolution to the members of the Forty-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
eighth Representative District and secure the passage of the act if possible.
The report of the county treasurer, Warren Shedd, in February, 1861, showed that the current expenses of the county for the year 1860, including interest on the county bonds, were $14,721.65 and that the total income from all sources amounted to $13,239.25, leav- ing a deficit of $1,482.39, which the county had no means of paying. The same conditions had existed for several years until now the total deficit aggregated $7,079.62. This had gone on notwithstand- ing the county revenue tax for five years had been at the rate of four mills on the dollar, the highest rate allowed by law. A reso- lution before the county board asking the Legislature to authorize the county to levy a special tax of two mills on the dollar to meet this deficit was lost by the vote of six yeas to seven nays. Mr. Whitsitt estimated that the county deficit by November 30, 1861, would amount to $8,150. After some skirmishing the same question was again submitted to vote. An amendment to strike out the clause to submit the question to the voters was lost, six yeas, seven navs. On the original question the vote stood ten yeas, three nays. Thus the Legislature was asked to pass a two mill special law to meet the county deficit and H. S. Senter, clerk, was appointed to go to Spring- field at once to urge its passage. It was provided that the question should be submitted to the voters the following June.
In 1860 Humphrey Riddell was appointed superintendent of the county poor farm at a salary of $400 annually, to be paid quarterly. In February, 1861, he was reemployed and at that time there were twenty inmates at the farm. During 1860 there had been received, 15; discharged, 8; died, 4. The total expenses of the farm from Feb- ruary 14, 1860, to February 9, 1861, was $1,666.97. The receipts from produce sold amounted to $1,195.16.
At the February term of 1861, the county board attached to the Township of New Boston all that part of the Township of Keiths- burg lying north of Edwards River. In April Warren Shedd, county treasurer, announced that he would no longer receive cur- rency in payment for county taxes. At that time the county board were called in special session to carry into effect the act of the Legis- lature, authorizing them to levy a tax to raise a sum not to exceed twenty thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting county buildings or for the purpose of liquidating the county indebtedness. They called the election to be held the first Monday in June to determine the question.
In June, 1861, the two mill tax to pay the current indebtedness Vol. I-3
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
of the county was defeated by the vote of 622 for and 944 against. The proposition to vote $20,000 for new county buildings was de- feated by 39 for and 1,593 against. The latter defeat was not to be wondered at, but the defeat of the two mill tax was merely evading temporarily what the county would have to do at a subsequent date with additional sums added. It was the next step to repudiation. The townships of Rivoli, Greene, Mercer, Perryton, New Boston and Eliza voted for the two mill tax; all the others voted against it. Keithsburg voted heavily against it and Abington did not cast a vote in its favor. Every township gave a majority against the $20,000 tax.
On April 1, 1862, the following persons were elected county supervisors : Allen S. Brown, A. J. Streeter, E. S. Roberts, B. W. Mclaughlin, J. C. Graham, H. E. Wright, W. M. Hays, W. D. Henderson, J. G. Gilmore, Frederic Frick, A. P. Taylor, Martin Boyd, John E. Willits, D. J. Noble and J. Y. Merritt.
In November, 1862, there were licensed in this county under the excise tax law, 17 lawyers, 24 physicians, 37 retail dealers, I 1 hotels, 12 retail liquor dealers, 5 wholesale dealers, 42 carriages and 12 coal mines. The excise tax amounted to $1,600, exclusive of coal mines, butchers and ferries.
In the spring of 1863 Mathew Sheriff, county treasurer, died, whereupon S. C. Amberson was appointed to the position by the county board. The treasurer was permitted to sell all the specie in the treasury for the highest premium in legal tender he could get. At this time they authorized W. M. Hays to demand payment of the subscribers at Aledo to the county building fund and if they refused to pay to commence suit against them. Mr. Amberson found in the county treasury $1,000 in gold in 1863. A little later he was required to account for $410 premium which the gold was worth in the mar- ket. A little later the board authorized Mr. Hays to demand from the administrator of Mr. Sheriff, late county treasurer, the sum of $369, which was the premium on gold left in the treasury by the late treasurer.
Preliminary steps to build a county jail were taken by the county board in 1864. Plans were called for and a premium was offered for the best designs. Still the movement seems to have died out, owing probably to the war conditions. In 1864 the assessment of the county showed a valuation of $3,311,834, with a total tax of $71.928.65.
Early in 1865 the board offered a bounty of $6 for the scalp of each black or gray wolf; $5 for the scalp of a common or prairie wolf, and $2.50 for the scalp of a whelp of either. At the
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
January session the county board paid nearly four thousand dollars from the military fund for the support of soldiers' families. Humphrey Riddell was continued as superintendent of the poor farm for many years. His salary in 1864 was $450. At the April term, 1865, the board authorized the purchase of eighty additional acres adjoining the poor farm. At this time they rented to outsiders a portion of the courthouse and appropriated $2,662 from the military fund for the support of soldiers' families. In March, 1866, the county farm had about ninety-five acres under cultivation, about twenty-five acres timber and waste land and the entire property was valued at $8,000. On the place was about twenty-two hundred dollars' worth of personal property. There were twenty-two paupers and the cost of keeping them per year was about eighty-one dollars and ninety cents each, or about one dollar and fifty-eight cents each per week. The County Infirmary, under the superintendence of Mr. Riddell was as well conducted as any in the state. During 1866 the average number of inmates was sixteen. The superintendent drew from the county treasury $900. Over five hundred dollars' worth of products were sold from the farm.
For the year 1866-7 William Clegg became superintendent of the poor farm, at a salary of $500. Mr. Riddell's final statement showed that there had been sold from the place produce to the value of $891.54 and that the personal property remaining on the place was worth $906; total, $1,797.54. The total expense for the year was $1,860.94. Thus the expense above the income was only $63.42. The institution was almost self-sustaining. However, this did not include the superintendent's salary, but was considered an excellent showing. It was hoped that the new superintendent would do as well. How- ever, it transpired that Mr. Clegg could not serve, whereupon Mr. Riddell was prevailed upon to continue another year. His salary was fixed at $650. In 1868 he was succeeded by S. H. Darbyshire, who was allowed a salary of $500. Bids were called for at that time and eight applicants applied for the position, all wanting the same salary-$500. Mr. Darbyshire was given the contract. The fol- lowing are the amounts drawn from the county treasury for the sup- port of the poor house for a series of years: 1859. $1,564.76; 1860, $1,564.81 ; 1861, $1,600.00; 1862, $1,735.00; 1863, $1,163.77; 1864, $1,950.00; 1865, $1,652.18; 1866, $1,500.00; 1867, $1,846.42; 1868, $1,450.00; 1869, $1,101.61.
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