The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 22

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884

USA > Illinois > Livingston County > The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 22

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247

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

1878. He was a inan of fiery and impetuous energy that overcame all obstacles with which he came in contact. He had many warm personal friends, who cherish his memory.

Isaac Wilson, who is still living, is distinguished as one of the litigants in the first law suit in the Circuit Court. William Strawn, who resides at Odell was a personal friend of Old John Brown, whose "soul goes marching on." Strawn fought by his side in Kansas. He was one of the charter members of the "underground railroad" through Livingston County, over which many a negro traveled on his way to Canada.

Pontiac has grown to be a beautiful city of near four thousand inhabitants. A few of her old stagers still remain, but, in the course of nature, they must soon pass away. Their view of the present situation is best expressed by the following :

OLD STAGER'S SOLILOQUY.

A good many strangers are coming here now, As I told Eli Davis to-day : New forms and new faces will make us think how We old ones are passing away.

The town is improving, and growing so fast Old landmarks are fading from view, And whichever way my glances I cast, My old eyes can see something new.

The churches, six of them, with carpets and pews, With paid preachers to manage the works ! Elder Stubbles, in them days, prcached the glad news 'Till he gave the people the "jerks."

And the Phoenix, all brick and three stories high, With basement-it cuts such a swell : As I think of the days forever passed by, When Willet Gray kept a hotel.

And the Post Office, too, is wonderful now, With drawers and lock boxes and that ; Why, I can remember distinctly just how Jerome carried the thing in his hat.

And them Indian signs where they sell the cigars, Lord ! once we were thankful for pipes, When we heard not the rumble of railroad cars, And Ladd went hunting for snipes.

And fancy saloons, with wine, rum and gin, And little back rooms all so snug ; Why, once we were glad to take our whisky in From the neck of a little brown jug.

And croquet and billiards and such games as these Have banished the old games from sight ; Then, on boxes and kegs, we sat at our ease And played good old poker all night.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

A good many strangers are coming here now, As I told Eli Davis to-day ; New forms and new faces will make us think how We old ones are passing away.

The fifth verse of the above requires the following explanation : Jerome Garner was the second Postmaster at Pontiac, and when he received his appoint- ment he purchased a bell-crowned stove-pipe hat, and in it he kept all mail matter which arrived at this point. He was extremely fond of fishing; and when any one was desirous of mailing a letter or expecting to receive one, it was necessary to seek for Jerome up or down the Vermilion until he was found, when he would take off his hat, perform his official duties, and then return it to his head.

HISTORY OF THE COURT HOUSE BELL. In Troy, New York, the bell was bought ; "Out West," to Chicago, the bell was brought. In "Eighteen Sixty" the bell came down, For the Methodist Church in our little town.

A Methodist bell, its voice rang out With a martial ring and a joyous shout,

As high it hung in the belfry there, Calling the people to sermon and prayer.

Till the church grew small for the growing throng, Who came at the call of its bold, "ding dong."

Then the house was sold to " The Band and Gown," And the bell from the belfry was handed down,

And placed on high in the Court House steeple. Then sold to the county-a bell for the people.

As of yore, it did its duty well, In its new position of "Court House bell."

It called the lawyers to wordy fray- They came to spout, and remained to prey.

It startled the ear of the Court House rats, As it summoned the Supervisor cats ;

Saying, " Walk to your Council Chamber, please, And examine the state of the public cheese."

It spoke when political hacks came by, To preach for truth some ancient lie.

It rang for joy, when the first glad ray In the east proclaimed our Natal Day.

It shrieked aloud when the fire fiend came. And called the people to fight the flame.

Solemn and slow was its measured toll, As it rang the knell of the parting soul.

Slow and solemn its measured beat, When funeral pall and marching feet.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Went by with the dead, and the last farewell Was heard from the throat of the sobbing bell.

But July the Fourth of "Seventy-Four," It rang at noon to ring no more.

And the tones that came from the quivering bell Were the tones of its own funeral knell.

For Union Block, our city's pride, Was bathed in a fiercely rolling tide

Of lurid, hungry flames, that clasped The city's heart within its grasp ;

And a fiend that lay in the doomed hotel, Glared hot and fierce on the Court House bell.

With a tiger's spring and a tongue of flame, Across the chasm the fire fiend came.

On the Court House roof, with fiery claws, He sprang as the springing lion draws His prey to the earth, then clasped the bell, To his fiery breast, till it, tottering, fell

To the earth below, with burning beam, . And blazing rafter, till a stream Of molten metal came out to tell The end of the Pontiac Court House bell.

OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

In the year 1875, when the new Court House was completed. it was deter- mined by the old settlers throughout the county that a grand re-union should be held and the new building properly dedicated. A preliminary meeting was called at the fair ground early in the Fall of the year, at which C. B. Ostrander presided, and John A. Fellows was appointed Secretary.

The 30th of December was the day fixed upon for the re-union, and com- mittees of arrangements were appointed in every township in the county. On the day appointed, the old settlers turned out en masse. Tables, capable of seating fifteen hundred people, had been prepared by the citizens of Pontiac, and these were all filled. James McDowell was President of the day, and John A. Fellows, Secretary. An address of welcome was delivered by Nathan- iel J. Pillsbury. Letters were read from Judge Treat, who held the first term of court in Pontiac, and from Hon. David Davis and Jesse W. Fell. O. F. Pearre, who had been requested to furnish a poem for the occasion, read the following

ADDRESS TO THE OLD SETTLERS OF LIVINGSTON: One hundred years ago to-day, The British troops in Boston lay ; Our sires then hardly thought that they Would found a Nation Whose ships would whiten many seas, Whose flag should float on every breeze, Whose armies could maintain with ease Her lofty station.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

And in that hundred years ago, The deer, the wolf, the buffalo, At will went roaming to and fro Where now our county Spreads out one vast and fertile plain Of golden corn and waving grain, Rejoicing 'neath a constant rain Of Heaven's bounty.

Yea, men now sitting in this hall In mem'ry can the time recall When nature brooded over all ; When was unbroken The solitude that wrapped the land Where now our smiling cities stand, When silence reigned on every hand, And gave no token,

Save by the hooting of the owl, The clangor of the water fowl, The red deer's signal or the howl Of gray wolf, weary In searching for his scanty food, Save where, perhaps, some cabin rude

Seemed on the lonely scene to brood, And served to point the solitude So lone and dreary.

Oliver, Cummings, these can tell, Wilson, McDowell and Darnell ; John Johnson knows the story well, The quaint old story : How Chief Shabbona and his band Kindled their camp fires on the strand Of fair Vermilion, when the land Stood robed by virgin Nature's hand In pristine glory.

Peace to thy shade ; Shabbona, rest ; A warm, true heart beat in thy breast ; The white man's friend you stood confessed, Among the bravest, truest, best, Of those we mention. Thy name deserves a worthy place, Brave chieftain of a warlike race, Hist'ry accords thee little space ; I would more worthy pen could trace Thy fame, and, with befitting grace, Thy virtues mention.

But, ah ! what mighty change has passed Since the brave Chief Shabbona last Upon the stage his vision cast. What grandeur looming

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Is this through which Vermilion flows

From early morn to evening's close : Through towns and farms the trav'ler goes,

Where fifty thousand souls repose ; The desert blossoms like the Rose Of Sharon blooming.

Not Homer in his valiant crew Could mention more good men and true ; McMillen, Breckenridge and Blue, McDowell and Tuttle, Campbell, too, And other worthies not a few.

Ye pioneers, it is to you

The debt of gratitude is due ;

Ye builded wiser than ye knew The broad foundation On which our superstructure stands ;

Your strong right arms and willing hands,

Your earnest effort still commands Our veneration !

And you, who yet upon the shore Of Time remain, strike hands once more,

To-day recount your trials o'er,

Repeat to us, from out your store, The legions and the early lore, Repeating The name of Rummery, he who found

That famous railroad under ground ;

Then pass the name of Corey round, Cornell and Sprague, their praises sound ;

Ladd, Dehner, Fellows, Fyfe, profound On finance, Spafford, such names sound In greeting.

We point to you, old friends, and say The heat and burden of the day You bore, and in an earnest way We meet you, Well pleased, indeed, to see you stand,

On this glad day, a gallant band,

Whose hands have wrought, whose brains have planned

Such vast improvement in the land ; With beating heart and open hand, We greet you !

After these exercises, various old settlers made short addresses, and the day was spent in relating incidents and anecdotes of the early days, and a regular Old Settlers' Association was formed.

The second meeting was held on the fair grounds in September, 1876. The third meeting was held at Fairbury, September 4, 1877. and was largely attended. The meeting was called to order by the President, James McDowell, and Dr. Fraley delivered an address of welcome. Hon. Woodford G. McDow-

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

ell delivered a historical address, and letters from various distinguished persons, who visited the county in an early day, were read.

The officers elected for the following year, were : President, Walter Cornell; Secretary, John A. Fellows ; Scribe, David Murdock ; Chaplain, Rev. James Parcells. The village of Cornell was chosen for its next point of meeting.

CHURCHIES.

The first religious organizations and buildings were, of course, as in all our new countries, by that glorious band of pions pioncer preachers, the Methodists. There is something so natural in their doctrines and so artless in their way of advancing them, that the history must be blind to one of the brightest lights which fails to give these plain privates their proper place in its pages.

From here and there in the log school houses, where earnest worshipers alternately wept, sung and clapped their hands, have grown the full fruition of all those early hopes and prayers.

The churches at present organized within the county are: Methodist (by Conference Report of 1877)-Fairbury, Fairbury Circuit (2), Forrest, Chats- worth, Avoca (2). Pontiac, Saunemin, Rook's Creek (2), Waldo and Nebraska (3), Reading (2), Cornell and Newtown (2), Odell, Nevada, Dwight ; total, 14 charges, 21 churches, 2,561 members. Value of houses of worship, $83,900. Number of Sunday schools, 34; scholars, 3,243.

Presbyterian-Pontiac, Cayuga, Dwight, Union, Fairbury, Reading, Chats- worth ; total, 7. Membership, 560. Value of church edifices (estimated), $40,000.

Baptist-Pontiac (2), Dwight (2), Odell, Nebraska, Fairbury, Ocoya ; total, 8. Membership estimated at about 450.

There are six Christian churches, with an estimated membership of 400.

There are four Congregational churches, with about 300 members.

There are eight Roman Catholic churches in the county : Pontiac, Nebraska, Odell, Union (German), Dwight, Broughton, Fairbury, Chatsworth, and a station at Cornell, embracing, in the aggregate, 1,135 families, with probably not less than 3,500 communicants who have received confirmation.

There are a few other scattering churches, or bare organizations, of which statistics cannot be found.

SOCIETIES.

There are Odd Fellows' Lodges at Cornell, Pontiac, Odell, Dwight, Fair- bury, Forrest and Chatsworth, eight in all, with a membership of 400, and three Encampments, with 100 members.

There are Lodges of Master Masons at Pontiac, 84 members; Odell, 63; Dwight, 55; Fairbury, 101; Forrest, 40; Chatsworth, 37; Ancona, 28; Cor- nell, 14; Sullivan, 19. Total, 441.

There are Chapters of Royal Arch Masons at Fairbury and at Odell; and at Fairbury is a Commandery of the Knight Templars.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Number of public schools sustained.

250

Number of persons between the ages of 6 and 21.

13,612

Number of male pupils enrolled.

5,715

Number of female pupils enrolled.

5,346

Number of male teachers.

188

Number of female teachers.

289 8

Number of graded schools.

Whole amount received by School Treasurers $152,619 54

Estimated value of school property. 204,875 00

Principal of Township School Fund.

207,732 31

With the exception of Cook County, Livingston has the largest township school fund of any county in the State.

POLITICAL AND OFFICIAL ANNALS.

COUNTY ORGANIZATION.

The territory which is now Livingston County was, in the first division of the State, a portion of Cook County. After that, it became a portion of Ver- milion County, and hence the name of the river which flows through it, which had no other reason for its name, either in the color of its water or its surround- ings. Subsequently, in the organization of those counties, nearly all of it became portions of McLean and La Salle, though a portion remained attached to Vermilion until this organization. By act of the Legislature, approved and in force, February 27, 1837, Livingston was created a county with its present boundaries. Its name was suggested by Jesse W. Fell, and was due to the popular esteem in which Edward Livingston was held, in consequence of his being the reputed author of President Jackson's famous proclamation to the South Carolina nullifiers, in their first unseccessful attempt to disrupt the Union.

In the act of organization, James W. Piatt, of Macon County ; William B. Peck, of Will County, and Thompson S. Flint, of Tazewell County, were appointed Commissioners to locate the permanent seat of justice; and they were to take into consideration the convenience of the people, and the situations of the settlements, with an eye to the future population.

Edward Livingston was a native of New York, and one of the prominent Livingston family of that State. He removed to New Orleans on account of his health, and became a leading lawyer of that city. He was appointed, by President Jackson, Minister to England, and was recalled to take the position of Secretary of State, when Jackson re-organized his Cabinet, in consequence of his quarrel with Calhoun. He was popularly credited with being the author of the proclamation which " Old Hickory " sent out against the South Caroli- nians, when they adopted the ordinance of nullification. No more worthy name could have been selected for this great county than the one popularly iden- tified with Jackson's stern determination to maintain this Union under all circumstances.

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

At this date, there were no settlements to receive the commission kindly vouchsafed in the enabling act, except those along the river from Indian Grove to La Salle County : and the entire population did not exceed 450.

They were to meet at the house of Andrew McMillan, on the Vermilion River, about four miles northwest of where Pontiac now stands, on the first Monday in June, and proceed to examine and determine upon a place for the permanent seat of justice. The county seat was to be located on government land. or if upon private land, then the owners thereof should be required to donate twenty acres, or the sum of three thousand dollars, the proceeds of the land. or the money in lieu thereof. to be used in erecting county buildings. The . Commissioners met and selected the ground, and accepted the offer of Henry Weed, Lucius and Seth M. Young, who, as proprietors of the land, proposed to give three thousand dollars, a block of land two hundred feet square on which to put the Court House, and an acre of land not more than thirty rods distant from the Court House block, on which a jail was to be built, and an estray pen, and agreed. further, to build a good and substantial wagon bridge across the Ver- milion River at that point. They gave their bond, signed by themselves as principals, and C. H. Perry, who was the first merchant in the county, James McKee, who was interested in the water privilege at Pontiac, and J. W. Fell. as sureties for the faithful performance of the contract.

By the enabling act, an election was to be held at the house of Andrew McMillan, on the second Monday in May, for a Sheriff, Coroner, Recorder, County Surveyor and three County Commissioners, to serve until the next regular election in August, 1838. This election was held, and officers were duly elected to launch the new county on the stormy sea of political existence : Joseph Reynolds, Sheriff: Robert Breckenridge, Jonathan Moore and Daniel Rockwood, County Commissioners, who met May 18, and organized, appoint- ing Abram W. Beard, Clerk. That there was the usual amount of log-rolling and managing to secure the location of the county seat is more than probable, as at the next session of the Legislature held after the location was made, an act was passed providing for an election in the new county to determine whether the county seat should be changed from its location.

The County Commissioners for a time held their meetings at McMillan's. There were three voting precincts in the county ; the upper was called Indian Grove ; the middle one Center, and the one in the northwestern portion of the county Bayou.

The Commissioners, at their first meeting, ordered that "All horses over three years old, and all horned cattle over three years old, all sheep over one year old. all wagons, carriages, clocks, watches, jacks, jennies, mules, etc., are considered as being taxable property, upon which there shall be a tax of } per cent." The Court also ordered that an election should be held in the several precincts for the election of Justices of the Peace and Constables, on the 24th of June, and appointed John Recob, Treasurer, who gave bond in $1,000. At

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

the session of the Court July 11th, Cornelius W. Reynolds was granted a license to keep a store for a year on payment of $5. Sept. 4th, Court appoint- ed Matthias I. Ross, Clerk. Dec. 4th, James C. McMillan was appointed first School Commissioner. The Sheriff having failed to receive his commission, the Court appointed Joseph W. Reynolds, Collector of Taxes.

At the March term, 1838, the Court prepared the first list of grand and petit jurors, which embraced such well known names as Darnall, Spence, Moore, Isaac Wilson, Popejoy, Blue, Mc Millan, Edgington, Barrackman, Boyer, Nor- ton, Moon, Steere and Donaho, who, or their representatives, still remain with us. It is not known that these juries performed any duty, as, by the records of the Circuit Court, no term of Court was held until October, 1839, at which Court there was no Clerk and no grand or petit jury, the Clerk, Henry Weed. having removed from the county. Joseph Reynolds, Sheriff, presented at this term his settlement with the Treasurer, and presented a receipt for $68.71.

For the following year, the Court added to the taxable property " All town lots, hogs over one year old, stock in trade, farm and household utensils, money loaned, houses, mills and factories."

The first general election held in the county was the State election, the first Monday in August, 1838. At that election there were cast for Governor: For Cyrus Edwards, 45 ; for Thomas Carlin, 59. For Member of Congress- S. A. Douglas, 62; J. T. Stewart, 46. For county officers, the votes were: For County Commissioner-Uriah Springer, 90: Albert Moon, 60; William Popejoy, 59; Robert Breckenridge, 41 : Robert Smith, 29. For Sheriff- Nicholas Hefner. 65 ; Joseph Reynolds, 31. For Coronor-Simeon Mead, 45: Ambrose Sprague, 17. For Clerk-James S. Munson, 58; Matthias Ross, 34. For Recorder-James S. Munson, 60; Truman Rutherford, 34. For Surveyor-Isaac Whitaker, 59 ; Franklin Oliver, 41.

The county formed a legislative district with Kane. De Kalb, La Salle and Iroquois Counties. Joseph H. Churchill and Wm. Stadden were elected Rep- resentatives at that election. John T. Stewart was elected to Congress from this district, which embraced all the State north of Springfield, the " Little Giant" being for the time defeated. In drawing for seats by the County Com- missioners, Uriah Springer, who was absent, drew the three years term, Albert Moon two years and Wm. Popejoy one year. This Court had more bills to pay than its predecessor. Among them was one to Henry Weed for "$4.12} for paper, sand and ink, used by him as Circuit Clerk up to this time." Just how much of it was for sand, the bill fails to mention ; but it should be remembered in honor of Livingston County, that it paid for the sand its first Circuit Clerk used. April 9, 1839, the Court appointed the first Assessors, one for each precinct-Robert Smith for Indian Grove Precinct, Andrew McMillan for Center, and John Dermey for Bayou-and ordered that seventy cents on $100 be levied and collected on certain property, among which is this singular item : " Slaves and servants of color." It is not generally known that the laws of

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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

this State at that time, or at any time, recognized property in human chat- tels, but such was the revenue law of 1839. Robert Smith was appointed School Commissioner.

At the general election in August, 1839, Truman Rutherford was elected Probate Justice of the Peace, an office which had jurisdiction in all probate business ; Lemuel White. County Commissioner ; C. W. Reynolds, Recorder and County Court Clerk ; Jacob Moon, Treasurer ; Isaac Burgit, Coroner ; Franklin Oliver, Surveyor ; W. G. Hubbard and J. C. MeMillan, Justices of the Peace.

Eighty-one votes were given for and fifty-six votes against removing county seat. Seventy-eight votes were given for removing to the location offered by Rockwood, Hubbard and Weed, at a point about four or five miles up the river from Pontiac, where fifty acres of land were offered : the bond for the donation having been approved by the court.

This vote was taken by virtue of an act passed March 1, 1839, directing a vote to be taken at the August election, for and against re-locating the county seat, by which it was provided that, if two-thirds of all the votes cast were for removal, and a majority were for removal to any place named, then the county seat should be removed. It lacked a few votes of the required two-thirds, though a majority favored Rockwood's.

On the 3d day of December, 1839, the County Commissioners entered into a contract with the proprietor of the town for the erection of a Court House. to be 22x30 feet, two stories high : to be built and completed within twelve months after " there is sufficient rise in the Vermilion River to allow the proprietors of the saw-mill to put said mill in operation." When completed. the Commission- ers were to cancel and deliver up the bond which had been given for the loca- tion of the county seat.

At the general election held in August, 1840. the following vote was cast : For State Senator-John Moore, 62; David Davis, 38. For Representative, Welcom P. Brown, 62: I. T. Gildersleeve, 61; Asahel Gridley, 38; Isaac Funk, 38; A. R. Dodge, 14; L. W. Leek, 32. For Sheriff-Garrett M. Blue, 66; John Foster, 29. Davis M. Pendell was elected Coroner; Andrew Mc- Millan and Nicholas Hefner, County Commissioners. There is no record of the vote at Presidential or Congressional election.

John W. Reynolds was appointed School Commissioner, and qualified under a bond for $12,000.

The Court extended the time for building the Court House to May 1, 1841; and John Foster received an order for $5.00, for use of his room for holding Circuit Court.

Robert Smith and John Blue were appointed Assessors.

In 1841, Daniel Barrackman was elected County Commissioner ; Samuel Boyer, School Commissioner; S. S. Mead, Assessor; W. G. McDowell was appointed Collector, and D. S. Ebersol was appointed Clerk of the Court.

D. L.Murdock STATES ATTORNEY, FAIRBURY

259

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

At a meeting of the County Court, July 23. 1842, the Court House was accepted and occupied.

After the census of 1840, the State was re-apportioned for Congressional Representatives, giving seven Representatives instead of three, as heretofore.

This county was in the Fourth District, which first elected John Wentworth to Congress. He remained our Representative as long as we remained in that District. Previous to this, John T. Stewart, of Springfield, had been our Representative.

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The History of Livingston County, Illinois : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., Part 22

Author: Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron Number of Pages: 884

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Chicago : W. Le Baron
Number of Pages: 884