USA > Illinois > Will County > Portrait and biographical album of Will County, Illinois : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 9
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GOVERNORS.
Shadrach Fond.
GOVERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
HADRACH
B GUL er 54
OND'
HADRACH BOND, the first Governor of Illinois after its organization as a State, serving from 1818 to 1822, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, in the year 1773, and was raised a farmer on his father's plantation, receiving only a plain English education. He emigrated to this State in 1794, when it was a part of the "Northwest Territory," continuing in the vocation in which he had been brought up in his native State, in the "New Design," near Eagle Creek, in what is now Monroc County. He served several terms as a member of the General Assembly of Indiana Territory, after it was organized as such, and in 1812-14 he was a Delegate to the Twelfth and Thirteenth Congresses, taking his seat Dec. 3, 1812, and serving until Oct. 3, 1814. These were the times, the reader will recollect, when this Gov- ernment had its last struggle with Great Britain. The year 1812 is also noted in the history of this State as that in which the first Territorial Legislature was held. It convened at Kaskaskia, Nov. 25, and adjourned Dec. 26, following.
While serving as Delegate to Congress, Mr. Bond was instrumental in procuring the right of pre-emp tion on the public domain. On the expiration of his term at Washington he was appointed Receiver of Public Moneys at Kaskaskia, then the capital of the Territory. In company with John G. Comyges,
Thomas H. Harris, Charles Slade, Michael Jones, Warren Brown, Edward Humphries and Charles W Hunter, he became a proprietor of the site of the initial city of Cairo, which they hoped, from its favor- able location at the junction of the two great rivers near the center of the Great West, would rapidly develop into a metropolis. To aid the enter- prise, they obtained a special charter from the Legis- lature, incorporating both the City and the Bank of Cairo.
In 1818 Mr. Bond was elected the first Governor of the State of Illinois, being inaugurated Oct. 6 that year, which was several weeks before Illinois was actually admitted. The facts are these: In January, 1818, the Territorial Legislature sent a peti- tion to Congress for the admission of Illinois as a State, Nathaniel Pope being then Delegate. The petition was granted, fixing the northern line of the State on the latitude of the southern extremity of Lake Michigan; but the bill was afterward so amend- ed as to extend this line to its present latitude. In July a convention was called at Kaskaskia to draft a constitution, which, however, was not submitted to the people. By its provisions, supreme judges, pros ecuting attorneys, county and circuit judges, record . ers and justices of the peace were all to be appointed by the Governor or elected by the Legislature. This constitution was accepted by Congress Dec. 30. At that time Illinois comprised but eleven counties, namely, Randolph, Madison, Gallatin, Johnson, Pope, Jackson, Crawford, Bond, Union, Washington and Franklin, the northern portion of the State be- ing mainly in Madison County. Thus it appears that Mr. Bond was honored by the naming of a
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SHADRACH BOND.
county before he was elected Governor. The present county of Bond is of small limitations, about 60 to So miles south of Springfield. For Lieutenant Governor the people chose Pierre Menard, a prominent and worthy Frenchman, after whom a county in this State is named. In this election there were no opposition candidates, as the popularity of these men had made their promotion to the chief offices of the State, even before the constitution was drafted, a foregone con- clusion.
The principal points that excited the people in reference to political issues at this period were local or "internal improvements," as they were called, State banks, location of the capital, slavery and the personal characteristics of the proposed candidates. Mr. Bond represented the "Convention party," for introducing slavery into the State, supported by Elias Ke it Kane, his Secretary of State, and John Mc- Lean, while Nathaniel Pope and John P. Cook led the anti-slavery element. The people, however, did not become very much excited over this issue until 1820, when the famous Missouri Compromise was adopted by Congress, limiting slavery to the south of the parallel of 36ยบ 30' except in Missouri. While this measure settled the great slavery controversy, so far as the average public sentiment was tempor- arily concerned, until 1854, when it was repealed under the le idership of Stephen A. Douglas, the issue as considered locally in this State was not decided until 1824, after a most furious campaign. (See sketch of Gov. Coles.) The ticket of 1818 was a compromise one, Bond representing (moderately) the pro-slavery sentiment and Menard the anti-slavery.
An awkward element in the State government under Gov. Bond's administration, was the imperfec- tion of the State constitution. The Convention wished to have Elijah C. Berry for the first Auditor of Public Accounts, but, as it was believed that the new Governor would not appoint him to the office, the Convention declared in a schedule that "an auditor of public accounts, an attorney general and such other officers of the State as may be necessary, may be appointed by the General Assembly." The Constitution, as it stood, vested a very large appoint- ing power in the Governor; but for the purpose of getting one man into office, a total change was made, and the power vested in the Legislature. Of this provision the Legislature took advantage, and de-
clared that State's attorneys, canal commissioners, bank directors, etc., were all " officers of the State" and must therefore be appointed by itself independ- ently of the Governor.
During Gov. Bond's administration a general law was passed for the incorporation of academies and towns, and one authorizing lotteries. The session of 1822 authorized the Governor to appoint commis- sioners, to act in conjunction with like commissioners appointed by the State of Indiana, to report on the practicability and expediency of improving the navi- gation of the Wabash River; also inland navigation generally. Many improvements were recommended, some of which have been feebly worked at even till the present day, those along the Wabash being of no value. Also, during Gov. Bond's term of office, the capital of the State was removed from Kaskaskia to Vandalia. In 1820 a law was passed by Congress authorizing this State to open a canal through the public lands. The State appointed commissioners 10 explore the route and prepare the necessary sur- veys and estimates, preparatory to its execution; but, being unable out of its own resources to defray the expenses of the undertaking, it was abandoned until some time after Congress made the grant of land for the purpose of its construction.
On the whole, Gov. Bond's administration was fairly good, not being open to severe criticism from any party. In 1824, two years after the expiration of his term of office, he was brought out as a candi- date for Congress against the formidable John P. Cook, but received only 4,374 votes to 7,460 for the latter. Gov. Bond was no orator, but had made many fast friends by a judicious bestowment of his gubernatorial patronage, and these worked zealously for him in the campaign.
In 1827 ex-Gov. Bond was appointed by the Leg- islature, with Wm. P. McKee and Dr. Gershom Jayne, as Commissioners to locate a site for a peni- tentiary on the Mississippi at or near Alton.
Mr. Bond was of a benevolent and convivial dis- position, a man of shrewd observation and clear ap- preciation of events. His person was erect, stand- ing six feet in height, and after middle life became portly, weighing 200 pounds. His features were strongly masculine, complexion dark, hair jet and eyes hazel ; was a favorite with the ladies. He died April 11, 1830, in peace and contentment.
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5
Educiso Coles
115
GOVERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
Edward Coles.
DWARD COLES, second Governor of Illinois, 1823- 6, was born Dec. 15, 1786, Xn KUXI in Albemarle Co., Va., on the old family estate called "Enniscorthy," on the Green Mountain. His fath- er, John Coles, was a Colonel in the Revolutionary War. Having been fit- ted for college by private tutors, he was sent to Hampden Sidney, where he remained until the autumn of 1805, when he was removed to William and Mary College, at Williamsburg, Va. This college he left in the summer of 1807, a short time before the final and graduating examination. Among his classmates were Lieut. Gen. Scott, President John Tyler, Wm. S. Archer, United States Senator from Virginia, and Justice Baldwin, of the United States Supreme Court. The President of the latter college, Bishop Madison, was a cousin of President James Madison, and that cir- cumstance was the occasion of Mr. Coles becoming personally acquainted with the President and re- ceiving a position as his private secretary, 1809-15.
The family of Coles was a prominent one in Vir- ginia, and their mansion was the seat of the old- fashioned Virginian hospitality. It was visited by such rotables as Patrick Henry, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, the Randolphs, Tazewell, Wirt, etc. At the age of 23, young Coles found himself heir to a plant- ation and a considerable number of slaves. Ever since his earlier college days his attention had been drawn to the question of slavery. He read every-
thing on the subject that came in his way, and listened to lectures on the rights of man. The more he reflected upon the subject, the more impossible was it for him to reconcile the immortal declaration "that all men are born free and equal " with the practice of slave-holding. He resolved, therefore, to free his slaves the first opportunity. and even remove his residence to a free State. One reason which de- termined him to accept the appointment as private secretary to Mr. Madison was because he believed that through the acquaintances he could make at Washington he could better determine in what part of the non-slaveholding portion of the Union he would prefer to settle.
The relations between Mr. Coles and President Madison, as well as Jefferson and other distinguished men, were of a very friendly character, arising from the similarity of their views on the question of slavery and their sympathy for each other in holding doc- trines so much at variance with the prevailing senti. ment in their own State.
In 1857, he resigned his secretaryship and spent a portion of the following autumn in exploring the Northwest Territory, for the purpose of finding a lo- cation and purchasing lands on which to settle his negroes. He traveled with a horse and buggy, with an extra man and horse for emergencies, through many parts of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, determining finally to settle in Illinois. At this time. however, a misunderstanding arose between our Government and Russia, and Mr. Coles was selected to repair to St. Petersburg on a special mission, bear- ing important papers concerning the matter at issue. The result was a conviction of the Emperor (Alex-
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EDWARD COLES.
ander) of the error committed by his minister at Washington, and the consequent withdrawal of the the latter from the post. On his return, Mr. Coles visited other parts of Europe, especially Paris, where he was introduced to Gen. Lafayette.
In the spring of 1819, he removed with all his negroes from Virginia to Edwardsville, Ill., with the intention of giving them their liberty. He did not make known to them his intention until one beautiful morning in April, as they were descending the Ohio River. He lashed all the boats together and called all the negroes on deck and made them a short ad- dress, concluding his remarks by so expressing him- self that by a turn of a sentence he proclaimed in the shortest and fullest manner that they were no longer slaves, but free as he was and were at liberty to proceed with him or go ashore at their pleas- ure. A description of the effect upon the negroes is best described in his own language :
"The effect upon them was electrical. They stared at me and then at each other, as if doubting the ac- curacy or reality of what they heard. In breathless silence they stood before me, unable to utter a word, but with countenances beaming with expression which no words could convey, and which no language can describe. As they began to see the truth of what they had heard, and realize their situation, there came on a kind of hysterical, giggling laugh. After a pause of intense and unutterable emotion, bathed in tears, and with tremulous voices, they gave vent to their gratitude and implored the blessing of God on me."
Before landing he gave them a general certificate of freedom, and afterward conformed more particu- larly with the law of this State requiring that each individual should have a certificate. This act of Mr. Coles, all the more noble and heroic considering the overwhelming pro-slavery influences surrounding him, has challenged the admiration of every philan- thropist of modern times.
March 5, 1819, President Monroe appointed Mr. Coles Registrar of the Land Office at Edwardsville, at that time one of the principal land offices in the State. While acting in this capacity and gaining many friends by his politeness and general intelli- gence, the greatest struggle that ever occurred in Illinois on the slavery question culminated in the furious contest characterizing the campaigns and elections of 1822-4. In the summer of 1823, when a new Governor was to be elected to succeed Mr. Bond, the pro-slavery element divided into factions, putting forward for the executive office Joseph Phillips, Chief Justice of the State, Thomas C. Browne and Gen. James B. Moore, of the State Mil- itia. The anti-slavery element united upon Mr. Coles, and, after one of the most bitter campaigns, succeeded in electing him as Governor. His plural- ity over Judge Phillips was only 59 in a total vote of
over S,ooo. The Lieutenant Governor was elected by the slavery men. Mr. Coles'inauguration speech was marked by calmness, deliberation and such a wise expression of appropriate suggestions as to elicit the sanction of all judicious politicians. But he compromised not with evil. In his message to the Legislature, the seat of Government being then at Vandalia, he strongly urged the abrogation of the modified form of slavery which then existed in this State, contrary to the Ordinance of 1787. His posi- tion on this subject seems the more remarkable, when it is considered that he was a minority Governor, the population of Illinois being at that time almost ex- clusively from slave-holding States and by a large majority in favor of the perpetuation of that old relic of barbarism. The Legislature itself was, of course, a reflex of the popular sentiment, and a majority of them were led on by fiery men in denunciations of the conscientious Governor, and in curses loud and deep upon him and all his friends. Some of the public men, indeed, went so far as to head a sort of mob, or " shiveree " party, who visited the residence of the Governor and others at Vandalia and yelled and groaned and spat fire.
The Constitution, not establishing or permitting slavery in this State, was thought therefore to be defective by the slavery politicians, and they desired a State Convention to be elected, to devise and sub- mit a new Constitution; and the dominant politics of the day was "Convention " and "anti-Conven- tion." Both parties issued addresses to the people, Gov. Coles himself being the author of the address published by the latter party. This address revealed the schemes of the conspirators in a masterly .nan- ner. It is difficult for us at this distant day to esti- mate the critical and extremely delicate situation in which the Governor was placed at that time.
Our hero maintained himself honorably and with supreme dignity throughout his administration, and in his honor a county in this State is named. He was truly a great man, and those who lived in this State during his sojourn here, like those who live at the base of the mountain, were too near to see and recognize the greatness that overshadowed them.
Mr. Coles was married Nov. 28, 1833, by Bishop De Lancey, to Miss Sally Logan Roberts, a daughter of Hugh Roberts, a descendant of Welsh ancestry, who came to this country with Wm. Penn in 1682.
After the expiration of his term of service, Gov. Coles continued his residence in Edwardsville, sup- erintending his farm in the vicinity. He was fond of agriculture, and was the founder of the first agri- cultural society in the State. On account of ill health, however, and having no family to tie him down, he spent much of his time in Eastern cities. About 1832 he changed his residence to Philadel- phia, where he died July 7, 1868, and is buried at Woodland, near that city.
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Neman Edwards
GOVERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
119
Ninian Edwards.
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INIAN EDWARDS, Governor from 1827 to 1830, was a son of Benjamin Edwards, and was born in Montgomery County, Maryland, in March, 1775. Ilis domestic train- ing was well fitted to give his mind strength, firmness and honorable principles, and a good foundation was laid for the elevated character to which he afterwards attained. His parents were Bip- tists, and very strict in their moral principles. His education in early youth was in company with and partly under the tuition of Hon. Win. Wirt, whom his father patronized, and who was more than two years older. An intimacy was thus formed between them which was lasting for life. Ile was further educated at Dickinson College, at Car- lisle, Pa. He next commenced the study of law, b it before completing his course he moved to Nelson County, Ky., to open a farm for his father and to purchase homes and locate lands for his brothers and sisters. Here he fell in the company of dissolute companions, and for several years led the life of a spendthrift. He was, however, elected to the Legis- lature of Kentucky as the Representative of Nelson County before he was 21 years of age, and was re- elected by an almost unanimous vote.
In 1798 he was licensed to practice jaw, and the following year was admitted to the Courts of Tennes- see. About this time he left Nelson County for Russellville, in Login County, broke away from his dissolute companions, commenced a reformation and devoted himself to severe and laborious study. Ile then began to rise rapidly in his profession, and soon became an eminent lawyer, and inside of four years he filled in succession the offices of Presiding Judge of the General Court, Circuit Judge, fourth J idge of the Court of Appeals and Chief Justice of the State, -- all before he was 32 years of age! In addition, in 1802, he received a commission as Major of a battal- ion of Kentucky militia, and in 1804 was chosen a Presidential Elector, on the Jefferson and Cliston ticket. In 1866 he was a candidate for Congress, bit withdrew on being promoted to the Court of Appe ils.
Illinois was organized as a separate Territory in the spring of 18og, when Mr. Edwards, then Chief Justice of the Court of Appeals in Kentucky, received from President Madison the appointment as Gover- nor of the new Territory, his commission bening dit . April 24, 1800. Edwards arrived at Kasharkia in Jambe, and on the rith of that month took the oath . f office. At the same time he was appointed Sipeut .- tendent of the United States Saline, this Goverameio interest then developing into considerable pre portio ., in Southern Illinois. Although during the first thr .c years of his administration he had the power tom k . new counties and appoint all the officers, yet he always allowed the people of each county, by an informal
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vote, to select their own officers, both civil and mili- tary. The noted John J. Crittenden, afterward United States Senator from Kentucky, was appointed by Gev. Edwards to the office of Attorney General of the Territory, which office was accepted for a short time only.
The Indians in ISro committing sundry depreda- tions in the Territory, crossing the Mississippi from the Territory of Louisiana, a long correspondence fol- lowed between the respective Governors concerning the remedies, which ended in a council with the sav- ages at Peoria in 1812, and a fresh interpretation of the treaties. Peoria was depopulated by these de- predations, and was not re-settled for many years afterward.
As Gov. Edwards' term of office expired by law in 1812, he was re-appointed for another term of three years, and again in 1815 for a third term, serving until the organization of the State in the fall of 1818 and the inauguration of Gov. Bond. At this time ex-Gov. Edwards was sent to the United States Senate, his colleague being Jesse B. Thomas. As Senator, Mr. Edwards took a conspicuous part, and acquitted himself honorably in all the measures that came up in that body, being well posted, an able de- bater and a conscientious statesman. He thought seriously of resigning this situation in 1821, but was persuaded by his old friend, Wm. Wirt, and others to continue in office, which he did to the end of the term.
He was then appointed Minister to Mexico by i'resident Monroe. About this time, it appears that Mr. Edwards saw suspicious signs in the conduct of Wm. H. Crawford, Secretary of the United States Treasury, and an ambitious candidate for the Presi- dency, and being implicated by the latter in some of his statements, he resigned his Mexican mission in order fully to investigate the charges. The result was the exculpation of Mr. Edwards.
Pro-slavery regulations, often termed "Black Laws," disgraced the statute books of both the Territory and the State of Illinois during the whole of his career in this commonwealth, and Mr. Edwards always main- tained the doctrines of freedom, and was an important :. ctor in the great struggle which ended in a victory for his party in 1824.
In 1826 7 the Winnebago and other Indians com- mitted some depredations in the northern part of the
State, and the white settlers, who desired the lands and wished to exasperate the savages into an evacu- ation of the country, magnified the misdemeanors of the aborigines and thereby produced a hostility be- tween the races so great as to precipitate a little war, known in history as the " Winnebago War." A few chases and skirmishes were had, when Gen. Atkinson succeeded in capturing Red Bird, the Indian chief, and putting him to death, thus ending the contest, at least until the troubles commenced which ended in the " Black Hawk War" of 1832. In the interpre- tation of treaties and execution of their provisions Gov. Edwards had much vexatious work to do. The Indians kept themselves generally within the juris- diction of Michigan Territory, and its Governor, Lewis Cass, was at a point so remote that ready cor- respondence with him was difficult or impossible. Gov. Edwards' administration, however, in regard to the protection of the Illinois frontier, seems to have been very efficient and satisfactory.
For a considerable portion of his time after his re- moval to Illinois, Gov. Edwards resided upon his farm near Kaskaskia, which he had well stocked with horses, cattle and sheep from Kentucky, also with fruit-trees. grape-vines and shrubbery. He estab- lished saw and grist-mills, and engaged extensively in mercantile business, having no less than eight or ten stores in this State and Missouri. Notwithstanding the arduous duties of his office, he nearly always pur- chased the goods himself with which to supply the stores. Although not a regular practitioner of medi- cine, he studied the healing art to a considerable ex- tent, and took great pleasure in prescribing for, and taking care of, the sick, generally without charge. He was also liberal to the poor, several widows and ministers of the gospel becoming indebted to him even for their homes.
He married Miss Elvira Lane, of Maryland, in 1803, and they became the affectionate parents of several children, one of whom, especially, is well known to the people of the "Prairie State," namely, Ninian Wirt Edwards, once the Superintendent c' Public Instruction and still a resident of Springfield Gov. Edwards resided at and in the vicinity of Kas. kaskia from 1809 to 1818; in Edwardsville (named after him) from that time to 1824; and from the lat- ter date at Belleville, St. Clair County, until his death, July 20, 1833, of Asiatic cholera. Edwards County is also named in his honor.
John arnold
123
GOVERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
John
Reynolds,
JOHN REYNOLDS, Governor 1831- 9 4, was born in Montgomery Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, Feb. 26, 1788. His father, Robert Reynolds and his mother, nee Margaret Moore, were both natives of Ireland, from which country they emigrated to the United States in 1785, land- ing at Philadelphia. The senior Reynolds entertained an undying hostility to the British Govern- ment. When the subject of this sketch was about six months old, his parents emigrated with him to Tennessee, where many of their relatives had already located, at the base of the Copper Ridge Mountain, about 14 miles northeast of the present city of Knoxville. There they were ex- posed to Indian depredations, and were much molest- ed by them. In 1794 they moved into the interior of the State. They were poor, and brought up their children to habits of manual industry.
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