USA > Illinois > Knox County > Portrait and biographical album of Knox county, Illinois > Part 121
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One of the peculiar features of this railroad com- pany was that, while people knew very well who was engaged in operating it, and where the depot was lo- cated, freight was seldom found after the most dili- gent search. Space will permit us to deal only with generalities on this subject. One of the princi- pal stations in Western Illinois, if not of the whole State, was Galesburg. This station was generally managed by Nehemiah West, George Davis and Samuel Hitchcock, and others. A station was at
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the latter-named gentleman's house for many years. There was another station in Ontario at the residence of C. F. Camp. Hod Powell was generally the con- ductor here. The trains were always run through in the night-time, and there was never any whistling for down brakes or crossroads.
The first record of any convention is a Democratie one, which was held in Henderson during the cam- paign of Martin Van Buren. The Whigs at this period were in the minority. The candidate's name and office for which he was running were announced by the persons voting and taken down by the Clerk of the election.
The first Whig Representative from the county was John Denny, who was elected in 1840. A year prior to this the first Anti-Slavery Society was organized. It was organized at Knoxville in the winter time, and was presided over by Wm. Holyoke. He was after-, ward one of the Presidential Electors of the Liberty party in 1840, when James G. Birney ran for Presi- dent. The list of those who had the nobility and manhood at this time to come out and take a firm stand against slavery was comparatively small. There were 13 in this county who voted for Mr. Birney, and their names should be perpetuated in history. They were William Holyoke, Levi Spencer, Patrick Dunn, John McMullin, Samuel Metcalf, Thos. Sim- mons, John G. West, L. C. Conger, G. A. Marsh, George Avery, Abram Tyler, Leonard Chapel and Horatio Foote. From this time the Liberty party increased until they numbered enough to hold the balance of power. In 1854-56 came the disinte- gration of the Whig and Democratic parties, and a new party was formed from these-the Liberty party, known to the world since as the Republican party, the standard of which the bold members of the Liberty party followed to victory in 1860.
The most exciting political contest in Illinois, probably, was that between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, in 1838, for the United States Senatorship. They had a joint debate at Gales- burg, October 7, at which were gathered some 25,- ooo people. The topic discussed was almost solely that of slavery, and the attendance here showed the interest the people had taken in it. Douglas was the successful candidate, but his election only increased the ardor of the Republicans.
The campaign of 1859 was a continuation of the struggle. It is claimed the Republicans of this
county were the first to bring out Lincoln for the Presidency. Hon. R. W. Miles, from Persifer, sat by Abraham Lincoln at the secret caucus held in the library-room of the capitol at Springfield, held in June, 1859. This was soon after the Legislature had elected Douglas to the United States Senate. A gentleman in making a speech said that they were going to bring out Abraham Lincoln as a candidate for President in 1860. Mr. Lincoln at once arose and, with considerable emotion, exclaimed : " For God's sake, let me alone! I have suffered enough !" It was not, however, for Mr. Lincoln to have his way.
We have somewhat anticipated in following out some leading features in the political history.
In 1847 an election was held for members of the Constitutional Convention. A new constitution was prepared and submitted to the people, which was adopted in 1848. One of the provisions of this con- stitution was the establishing of a County Court and the doing away with the County Commissioners' Court. It provided for a County Judge and two As- sociate Justices, if the Legislature saw proper to so order it, which it did.
The last meeting of the County Commissioners' Court was held Oct. 12, 1849. On the 3d of Decem- ber following, the first term of the County Court was held. This court had charge of the affairs of the county until the township organization system was adopted, which was in 1853. The new constitution gave the counties the privilege of either adopting the County Court or the Supervisors.
At the fall elections of 1849 a vote was taken " for " or " against township organization," which resulted in favor of it by 728 votes against 420. At this time there were 12 election precincts-Brush Creek, Pope Creek, Fraker's Grove, Victoria, Haw Creek, Spoon River, Littler Creek, French Creek, Cherry Grove, Galesburg and Knoxville. It was de- cided that the election was in favor of organization It was subsequently decided that township organiza- tion was not adopted, inasmuch as it did not receive a majority of all the votes in the county. During this discussion it was claimed by many that the law was unconstitutional.
Julius Manning rendered an opinion that the township organization had not been legally adopted, which opinion was sustained by the Supreme Court of the State. In the spring of 1850 a Board of Su- pervisors was elected, but it held but one ses-
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sion. The County Court ordered another election, which was held Nov. 5, 1850, the result of which was 673 votes for and 317 against organization. This was not a majority of all the legal voters in the county, and the measure was again lost. It will be seen by these elections that there was a large element against it.
Another election was subsequently held, which re- sulted in favor of township organization. On the 5th day of April, 1853, an election was held for Super- visors. This board held its first meeting at Knox- ville, June 6, 1853. The last meeting of the County Court was held March 4, 1853.
In the fall of 1854 the first railroad was completed through the county, which much increased its pros- perity and development. Following this came man- ufactories, the most important of which was that of Geo. W. Brown. In the spring of 1857 the Peoria Branch completed its line to Galesburg. In August, 1870, the Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis Rail- road completed its track across the northwestern corner of the county, and, in the spring of 1883, the Central Iowa ran its trains across the southwestern corner. With all these lines of road crossing the county from every direction, it was given the most ample facilities for transportation.
One of the most troublesome subjects ever brought up before the Board of Supervisors, and also before the people, was the removal of the county seat to Galesburg. This question began to be agitated soon after the advent of the railroads. The people of Galesburg, believing that their city was to be the important town in the county and was the railroad center, thought they ought to have the seat of justice there. Several elections were held for the purpose of voting on the removal, but each time it was de- feated. But Galesburg was growing rapidly, and she thought that her having the county seat would be only a question of time and, perhaps, a little money. April 6, 1869, another election was held. When the returns were made up the result showed 247 votes against removal. The question of fraud was raised by the Galesburg party, and the case was carried to the courts by Geo. Davis, who, on behalf of himself and the people of the county, brought suit against the Board of Supervisors and county officials to im- peach the election returns and purge the poll-book of illegal returns. The case came up in the Circuit Court of the county, when a change of venue was
taken to the Circuit Court of McDonough County. It was called up at the September term of 1871, when Judge Higbie decided, after throwing out what he decided to be illegal votes, in favor of the removal of the seat of justice to Galesburg.
The Knoxville party took an appeal to the Su- preme Court of the State, when, after some three years from the time of the holding of the election, Judge Walker rendered a decision confirming the de- cree of the lower or Circuit Court.
Jan. 30, 1873, the Board of Supervisors ordered all records to be moved to Galesburg. Wagons were in waiting at Knoxville pending the order, and it lives yet vividly in the memory of many, that no public records were ever transferred with such rapid dispatch as those from Knoxville to Galesburg. It took a long time to get them started, but when they did move, they went as though they were on the wings of air; and here, in charity, perhaps, it is well to drop this subject and " lay this sheet of sorrow on the shelf."
The Board of Supervisors held their first meeting in the new county seat, Feb. 27, 1873. In consider- ation of the removal of the county seat to Galesburg, that city officially and the citizens individually gave the county the following lands and money : A deed to the lots on Cherry street ; a deed to the lots where now stands the jail ; a deed fiom the city of Gales- burg for the east half of College Park, provided the court-house should be constructed thereon. The city also agreed to furnish a court-room for ten years, and to pay all expenses incurred in removal of the county records and property ; and also gave two cer- tificates of $2,000 each, and $2,000 toward the build- ing of a jail. At their meeting in January, 1874, the Board of Supervisors ordered all the county prop- erty in Knoxville, consisting of the court-house and jail, to be deeded to the city of Knoxville for the consideration of one dollar. A grand county build- ing has been commenced on the site donated by the city, and it is expected that it will be completed by the end of this year. The jail was completed in 1874, and is a credit to the county.
When the Rebellion broke out, and a call to arms was made, Knox County was among the first to re- spond, and made during that long and bloody con- flict an enviable reputation for her patriotism and devotion to the country.
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Knox County has 20 full townships, all of which are subject to a high state of cultivation. This would give her 460,800 acres of land, hardly an acre of which but what could advantageously be tilled. It is claimed for one of its townships, Ontario, that for richness of soil and completeness of cultivation it is equal to any township in the country.
The population of this county in 1880 was 38,344, with an assessment value, as shown by the reports of 1885, of $6,305,295 on lands ; town lots, $1,954,641 ; personal property, $2,833,922.
For beauty of location, for richness of soil, for its railroad facilities, for its educational institutions, and the culture of its people, Knox County is unsur- passed by any county in the State. From the time of the settlement of the. Robertsons, it has been steadily developing, improving its farms, building railroads and manufactories, establishing extensive business towns, erecting church edifices and institu-
tions of learning until it stands out to-day in beauti- ful, bold relief, a complete civilization, wrought out from a wilderness within a half century, and com- manding the admiration of the world.
There are four old settlers living who have been closely identified with the county almost from its first settlement, whom we think it would not be out of place to mention before closing this sketch, and in doing so we think it will give pleasure to all, and these are Maj. Thomas McKee, George W. Brown, Judge Dennis Clarke and Judge Robert L. Hanna- man. These worthy pioneers and noble citizens, while they have, with but one exception, never been possessed of very much of this world's goods, yet their hearts have ever been ready to sympathize, and their hands ever prompt to help the poor, the unfort- unate and afflicted. Many a widow, many an orphan, many a poor man has had frequent occasion to bless them for their acts of kindness.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.&
IVIL Government was inang- urated in Knox County, July 7, 1830, by the assembling of the County Commissioners and the organization of the County Commissioners'Court at the residence of John B. Gum, on section 32, Hen- derson Township, then the temporary seat of justice. The court was con- posed of Riggs Pennington, Philip Hash and Charles Hansford. There was but little business transacted at this session beyond that of organizing One of the first orders made was to grant a license to Samuel S. White to keep a tavern, which they were careful to give under
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certain restrictions. As they may be interesting to the newer generation, they are given below: For each half pint of whisky, he was allowed to charge 121/2 cents; half pint of brandy, 183/4 cents; for each half pint of wine, 25 cents ; for each meal of victuals, 25 cents; for lodging for one person one night, 25 cents ; for a feed of corn or oats for a horse, 121/2 cents; for feed and stabling for a horse one night, 25 cents.
About the next order of the Commissioners was one given to the Clerk, who was requested to notify the Postmaster-General " that the county of Knox is organized, and that the seat of justice for said county is at the residence of John B. Gum, Esq., and re- quest him to supply the said county with mail as soon as practicable."
Knox had been attached to Fulton for judicial
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purposes, and this year the assessment of taxes had been made by the Assessor of Fulton. The Commis- sioners requested of the Commissioners of Fulton County to be allowed to collect all taxes for the past year, the assessment of which had been made by that county. This request was granted, and Sheriff Osborn was directed to make the collection. Mr. Osborn collected, after riding over the entire county, $19.32, and his commissions on the same were $1.5634.
The first session of the Circuit Court opened on Friday, Oct. 1, 1830, Hon. Richard M. Young presiding; John G. Sanburn, Clerk ; Stephen Osborn, Sheriff, and James M. Strode, State's Attorney pro tem., in absence of Thomas Ford. The session lasted only one day, but little business was transacted, and the juries were discharged.
In December there was another session of the Commissioners' Court, beginning Monday, the 6th. At this term the Commissioners made an order to pay themselves for their services, which, at least, could not be called exorbitant charges, allowing for their salary about 50 cents a term. Sheriff Osborn was paid $3 for attendance at all the terms. The sum of $4 was appropriated to pay John B. Gum for the use of his house for court and election pur- poses.
In March, 1831, Treasurer Gum made his report, which was the first made in Knox County. The largest revenue at this period was from the State; the tax on personal property was 1/2 of 1 per cent.
About this time began to be considered the pro- priety of having a court-house and of building up a town. An act was procured from the Legislature locating the county seat and authorizing the Com- missioners to lay off the town. The county seat was laid off on section 28, township 11 north of range 2 east, and was christened Henderson, but was after- ward changed by the Legislature to Knoxville. This act of the Legislature, which also defined the bound- aries of the county, was approved by the Governor, Jan. 15, 1831.
The next important act of the Commissioners was the erection of a court-house. At a special meeting held March 12, 1831, they adopted plans and sub- mitted them to the public, with the announcement that the contract for the erection of the building would be let to the lowest bidder. The contract for
the erection of the building was let to Wm. Lewis, and for the completion to Parnach Owen. The total cost of this court-house, with furniture as itemized, was as follows: Erection of building, $78; comple- tion of same, $too; six extra windows, $6; chinking, daubing, underpinning, $37.50; upper floor, $18; judges' stand, tables, benches and fitting window, $43; stove and pipe, $38, and laying of floor, stair- way and window shutters, $74.93. Total, $395-43. And yet this building was thought at this time to be rather an imposing structure. This building stood on the northwest corner of lot 10, block 5. Even as small as this sum was, the Commissioners had to advance money to the contractors to enable them to finish their work.
Parnach Owen, who was the first Surveyor of the county, was employed to lay off the county seat, for which he received 1236 cents per lot of one quarter- acre each. To Andrew Osborn was let the job of furnishing the posts and stakes, for which he received $15. Owen's job amounted to $18.25.
This site was on " Congress land," and conse- quently the Legislature had no power to convey title. This power rested with the U. S. Government. The County Commissioners could, however, pre-empt it for county purposes, and this was done. Rees Jones was sent to the Land-Office at Springfield and made the necessary pre-emption. The price was $1.25 per acre, and embraced one quarter-section. Rees Jones was paid $8 for his services.
Saturday, April 23, 1831, was the day appointed by the Commissioners' Court for the public sale of lots. Settlers attended this sale from all parts of the county. The lots were readily sold and at very fair prices. There were 79 lots sold, aggregating $1,256. The highest price paid for a lot was $61, and the lowest was $2.
These Commissioners were liberal-minded and awake to the wants of their fellow creatures. They did not want them to come there and stay all day bidding on lots and go home hungry; accordingly they provided refreshments for them, and at the next meeting of their court paid to Morton Carver $1.75 from the county funds. Corn dodgers and whisky were cheap in those days.
The Commissioners of those days were very judi- cious and very careful of the use of the public money. They were exceedingly particular that the law.
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should be strictly complied with. There is no set- tlement long without its poor people. Knox County had them, but her people were very liberal and charitable to them. In May, 1831, the first record appears of a pauper, who was let by the County Com- missioners' Court to Stephen Osborn.
In the fall of 1832 William McMurtry was ap- pointed Commissioner of School Lands, Abraham D. Swartz having declined the position the year before. He served in this capacity many years and proved a most excellent officer, advancing the educational in- terests of the county very much. He gave bonds in the sum of $12,000, which was large for those days.
A session of the Circuit Court was held in June. The Grand Jury made their report, stating " that they had no business before them, and that they knew of no violation of law which it was made their duty to report."
There is no community but has its bad characters, who are either members of it or are passing through. Knox County was not an exception to this rule, and the Commissioners, indorsed by the people, decided that they should have a jail. A contract was accord- ingly let to John G. Sanburn to build a jail, which was to cost $250. Though this sum was not large, yet the Commissioners deducted $5 25 from it before they accepted the work, and this was not done until June 7, 1838, though the jail had been completed and occupied for several years. It was constructed of logs and was 20 feet square, and stood on the west side of the Square.
It seems that in those days the people had some idea of high license, for we find the Commissioners in 1834 increasing the tavern or saloon license to $5, while they reduced the price of whisky to 61/4 cents per half pint. It is probable they saw in the traffic of spirits too great a profit, and, having the welfare of their people in view, reduced the price. License for peddling clocks was raised the year following from $12.50 per year to $50 per year. Undoubtedly the Commissioners saw that these peddlers were im- posing on their constituency, and raised the license to keep them out of the county.
One of the provisions of the law in those times was that stock was allowed to run at large, having certain ear-marks, which it was made the duty to have recorded by the County Clerk. In each coun- ty seat was an estray-pen, where all unknown and unclaimed stock was confined.
For many years, or until 1837, Henry County was attached to this county for judicial purposes, and embraced at that time a part of Whiteside County. All taxes were collected over this territory by Knox County, and elections were ordered and Judges ap- pointed by the Commissioners. Licenses were granted, roads opened and other matters were at- tended to by them.
The increase in population required, in the minds of the Commissioners, an increase in court-house facilities, and accordingly we find them in Septem- ber, 1836, ordering the Clerk to advertise for plans. On the roth of March, 1838, the contract was let to Alvah Wheeler and Zelotes Cooley for $15,450, and it was to be completed by May 1, 1840. A cupola was afterward added at an expense of $725. (See article on court-house.) The Commissioners ordered that the old court-house be sold at public auction on the Ist of April, 1840, and it was bid off to Alvah Wheeler for $89.50. It was subsequently moved about a mile west of Knoxville, onto Mr. Wheeler's farm. Prior to the building of the new court-house, or in 1836, the old court-house was moved from its original site to a lot on the corner of Smith and West streets. It was moved by John Carnes for $67.50. The old site was ordered to be subdivided into nine lots by the Commissioners, and sold. Eight of these lots sold for $39.01 each, the other lot sold for $37.50.
Soon after the completion of the new court-house it was determined by the County Commissioners' Court to have a new jail. At their January term, 1841, a contract was let to Zelotes Cooley for $8,724. This contract was rescinded and another made with Alvah Wheeler, who in 1845 completed the building. It is now used for a tenement-house. Prisoners escaped from this new jail as well as the old. There were many horsethieves in those days, and they were very bold and troublesome to the settlers. In order to protect themselves and to get rid of these thieves, if possible, the citizens banded together and formed what was known as the "Knox County Society for the Detection of Thieves." In this they had the co-operation of the Commissioners, who, in 1845, offered a reward of $50 for the detection of anyone stealing a horse.
The last meeting of the Commissioners' Court was Oct. 12, 1849. At this time Manyweather Brown, Alfred Brown and Amos Ward were members, and
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all were present. After transacting the business they had before them they adjourned " until court in course," but they never met again. And thus passed away this institution of county government, to the economical administration of which the county of Knox was much indebted for its favorable finan- cial beginning and its continuous prosperity.
County Court.
N Dec. 3, 1849, the first term of the County Court was held. The duties of this court were, in a legislative capacity, identically the same as those of its predecessor, the Coun- ty Commissioners' Court. In addition to the legislative power, the members of this court, under the act by which it was established, were al- lowed the exercise of judicial authority, having the same jurisdiction as Justices of the Peace. It con- sisted of a County Judge and two Associate Justices. The Judge and the Associates acted together in the transaction of county business only. The Justices had an equal vote with the Judge and received the same salary while holding court, which was $2 a day. Two of the three constituted a quorum for the transaction of business. George C. Lanphere was the first County Judge, with James M. Hunter and Alfred Brown as Associate Justices. During the existence of this court township organization was brought forward, discussed and finally adopted, which relieved this body from further charge of county matters. Its last meeting was held March 4, 1853, when it adjourned sine die.
Board of Supervisors.
URING the spring elections of 1853 a Board of Supervisors was elected, which consisted of one Supervisor from each township, there being 20 townships. This Board held its first session June 6, 1853, in the court-house at Knoxville. At this meeting 16 townships were represented by the following-named Supervisors : Daniel Meek, W. S. Gale, Reuben Heflin, J. P. West, G. W. Manly, J. M. Foster, S. S.
Buffum, J. C. Stanley, Augustus Lapham, W. M. Clark, J. H. Nicholson, J. L. Jarnagin, E. P. Dun- lap, Peter Frans, Asa Haynes and E. Crane. This Board proved very competent in the administration of the affairs of the county.
The Board first organized by electing Daniel Meek Chairman. The first order made by them was that the Clerk issue an order on the Treasurer, in favor of John Miller, for $9, for extra labor as Road Super- visor for the year 1852 in Road District No. 27.
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