USA > Illinois > Adams County > The history of Adams County Illinois : containing a history of the county - its cities, towns, etc. a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion; general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 37
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CAUSES OF SLOW GROWTH.
For the first ten years, dating from 1824, the growth and settlement of Adams county was very slow, being retarded by various causes. The lands not being in the market, immigration was retarded; trading facilities were proportionately curtailed; money was exceedingly scarce; coon skins, maple sugar, deer hides, feathers, wild honey, beeswax and deer tallow were the current circulating medium of the people. However, the wants of the people being simple and few, and raising most everything they needed, they were doubtless as happy in their primitive condition as now, when surrounded by every luxury the heart can desire. Being also considered an unhealthy location, having but little intercourse with the outside world in the way of trade, and not being supplied with any buglers, in the shape of real estate agents, to sound its beauties and advantages, the county drifted along upon the tide, biding its time, which was sure to come. Finally, in 1834, the re-action took place and it commenced a rapid increase which it has steadily kept up until the present time, and now shows the most beautiful city in the State, being second in size, with a population unsurpassed for intelligence, industry and enterprise.
Up to this time, most of the bacon and flour used by the people of this section had been imported, but with a steam flouring-mill in operation, and with the stock raised in the county, the business began to be reversed and exporting soon followed.
CHOLERA.
On the 4th day of July, 1833, cholera broke out in the county, and the citizens of Quincy took active steps towards preventing the spread of the disease and also for the care of those unfortunate ones who had been at- tacked with it.
This was the first time in the history of the county that it was visited by an epidemic, and for some little time the people were at a loss how to proceed, some of the physicians, as do those of the present day, asserting that the disease which was spreading was not the cholera, but finally their eyes were opened to the stern reality, and active steps were at once taken to prevent its further ravages. The disease made its first appearance about the 4th day of July, and on the 6th a meeting of the citizens was called
278
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
to be held at the court-house, to take steps for that purpose. William G. Flood was appointed chairman, and the Hon. O. H. Browning appointed secretary. The town was divided into three districts, with a vigilance com- mittee for each district. J. F. Holmes, O. H. Browning and R. S. Green, chairman of the respective vigilance committees, were appointed a board of health, and from the reports seemed to have been invested with almost absolute authority. They were instructed to meet daily, or oftener, if necessary, procure attendance and nourishment for the sick, and also to superintend the burial of the dead. The disease spread with great rapi- dity, and it was all the more noticeable in a small and thinly settled county. On the 7th of July there were forty-three cases of sickness, however, not all being cholera. There is no record left of the actual number of deaths from cholera alone, but from the best authority to be obtained, somewhere be- tween thirty and forty died in Quincy alone, which at that time contained a population of about four hundred. In that day the people were not so well prepared, either with means or remedies, to battle with an epidemic, and had no contingent fund, national, State, or county, as is now the case when such plagues overtake the country. Neither had they the means of com- munication which we now possess. The expense was borne by public sub- scription, and the report of Levi B. Allen, treasurer of the relief committee for July 10th, shows that he had received twenty-six dollars and ninety-five cents, and he had disbursed the sum of four dollars. What a sum of money to battle an epidemic with. Yet how heroically did those gallant pioneers fight their battles. Faithfully and well did they stand one by the other resolving to live and die together. While there is no doubt that there are many of the old citizens living to-day who were participants of those scenes, the only one whose name was then mentioned as a leader, now liv- ing, is the Hon. O. H. Browning.
POPULATION.
At this period, or the year 1834 following, the population of the entire county had reached the number of 7,042 souls, and of this number there were 1,319 subject to military duty ; as to sex, the records show that there were 1,452 male children, and 1,317 female children under ten years of age. The population of Quincy at this period was 753 inhabitants, and of this number 270 were subject to military duty, the majority single men.
PRICES OF PRODUCE.
As a matter of interest we have taken the pains to give a table of prices of farm produce for a period of fifty-three years, commencing with the year of the organization of Adams county, and the figures we believe are very accurate for the average prices in New York City for the month of January in each year:
James Campbell CLAYTON TOWNSHIP
.
279
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
Year.
Corn, bu.
Wheat, bu.
Oats, bu.
Pork, Mess, bbl. Wool, Ib.
1825
$ 42
$1 01
$ 27/2
$13 37
3212
1826
74
90
4515
11 75
34
1827
70
93
56
11 871%
25
1828
57
1 15
34
14 1212
25
1829
59
1 53
3012
12 25
223%
1830
54
1 04
32
11 50
2112 8
1831
5812
1 25
3112
13 87
25
1833
25
1 261%
50
13 60
2712
1833
8113
1 19
4916
13 25
3213
1834
5913
1 06
44
14 50
3314
1835
74
1 05
49
13 75
2716
1836
951/2
1 78
5613
18 25
3213
1837
1 06
1 77
57
23 50
45
1838
86
1 0916 8
4013
21 50
80
1839
92
1 24%
55
23 25
3812
1840
5912
1 06
3312
14 25
8212
1841
52
1 03
52
13 35
2713
1842
67
1 25
49
9 6215
20
1843
5012
881/2
3313
8 8715
19
1844
43
1 00
43
10 1212
2613
1845
5112
1 0212
5113
8 30
29
1846
74
1 31
4917
13 56
27
1847
80
1 0216
4913
10 25
23
1848
1 25
5013
11 00
29
1849
6412
1 2213
21
14 18
36
1850
64
1 25
435%
11 81
31
1851
6414
3 20
4813
12 18
3113
1852
701
1 06
4712
14 68
31
1853
681>
1 32
511
19 62
39
1854
821/2
2 04
4913
13 43
39
1855
1 01
2 57
5513
12 62
2512
1856
93
2 14
4613
17 37
32
1857
7312
1 76
47
10 67
35
1858
61
1 37
4213
15 75
2912
1859
801%
1 40
5014
17 57
38
1860
9112
1 45
4614
16 18
39
1861
73
1 14
38
16 12
32
1862
67
1 38
4013
12 25
47
1863
75
1 53
701/2
14 43
632%
1864
1 26
1 801/2
891/2
19 87
2812
1865
1 94
1 85
1 03
35 25
55
1866
9515
1 5712
1 20
29 12
70
1867
1 1612
3 00
80
19 12
60
1868
1 20
2 45
86
21 00
48
1869
90
1 70
75
28 00
57
1870
1 12
1 30
78
29 75
61
1871
80
1 42
75
19 75
43
1872
78
1 50
54
14 50
70
1873
66
1 67
68
13 25
1874
84
1 65
77
16 50
55
1875
97
1 25
65
20 50
56
1876
71
1 30
59
20 75
49
1877
59
1 47
55
17 50
48
3
2
It will be seen that the prices of leading farm products have not been controlled so much by war at home or abroad as by the supply. For instance the price of wheat during the first two years of the civil war was less than January, 1877. And again, during the prevalence of the Franco- German war prices were lower than for 1878. The maximum price, $3.00 per bushel for wheat, was reached two years after the close of our civil war. A foreign demand may make an active market, but unless there is a short crop at home it seldom carries the price up very high.
280
IHISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
WILD CAT SCHEMES.
A bank was incorporated by the Legislature of Illinois, on the 22d of March, 1819, by the style of the " President, Directors and Company of the State Bank of Illinois," to continue for twenty-five years, with a capi- tal not exceeding four millions of dollars, one-half of which was to be subscribed by individuals aud the other half by the State, when the " Leg- islature should deem proper." Books were to be opened in divers towns, and if stock was ever subscribed, not one dollar was ever paid. Such was some of the extravagant legislation of that period. The next General Assembly, of 1820-21, repealed this mammoth charter. A way had been discovered to create money without capital. Another bank was chartered, in which specie had no concern, with a capital of $500,000 on State credit; the stock to be raised and managed by State Directors, under the super- vision of the Legislature. Three hundred thousand dollars in paper cur- rency were to be emitted, loaned on real estate at two-thirds the appraised value, or on personal security not exceeding one hundred dollars to indi- viduals. No individual could obtain over one thousand dollars on landed security. Interest at six per cent. The bills drew a credit of two per cent. per annum, and the institution was to run ten years; and if its projectors were to be credited in their fancies, it would produce an increase in that period sufficient to redeem all the bills issued, pay all contingent expenses, and give the State a profit of one hundred thousand dollars by the time the charter would expire. But it all turned out to be a fraud, delusion and snare. The bills went tumbling down to thirty-three cents on the dollar; the real estate of borrowers, previously inflated by a spurious currency, went down in a greater degree; lands that had sold for ten dollars per acre, fell to two and three dollars: town lots in villages sunk near one thousand per cent., and fancy towns, on paper, became wholly valueless. And at the expiration of the charter, in 1831, when the bills had to be redeemed, there was no alternative, to save the State credit, but to contract a cash loan to redeem the outstanding bills of one hundred thousand dollars. This was the commencement of the debt of the State, and has been designated as the " Wiggins Loan," from the gentleman who negotiated the stock.
AGRICULTURAL.
In the beginning of the year 1838 the people of Adams county began to take interest in the matter of associating themselves together for the pur- pose of furthering the agricultural interests and growth of the county, and in January of that year a meeting was held in the town of Columbus, over which Judge Ralston presided. The meeting adopted by-laws and a con- stitution, and from this meeting have sprung the large and influential societies of the county, which have accomplished so much in the county for its agricultural development, and of which further mention will be made under the appropriate head.
281
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
MAILS.
In order to show what trouble the people of the Western country had in communicating with the outside world, in the earlier days of the settle- ment of the county, it will only be necessary to introduce the rates of postage, as established by the government in 1835. The rates were as follows:
On a single letter, composed of one piece of paper, for any distance not exceeding 30 6c.
miles. .. .
Over 30 miles, and not exceeding 80 miles. 10c.
Over 80
150 1212c.
Over 150
400 1834c.
Over 400
25c.
Thus it will be noticed that in order to send a letter to St. Louis, in those days, required a stamp of at least twelve and one-half cents, and to Chicago would have required at least twenty cents; while on every one to New York or Philadelphia, a stamp of twenty-five cents would be re- quired. What nice little stamp accounts some of our large Adams county firms would have had to paid had they lived in those days and done the business they now do. Beyond a question or doubt there are firms in Adams county to-day, who, had they been doing the same business in 1835 that they now do, would have had to pay the government at least ten thousand dollars per year postage. Then again, with the high rates of postage which they were compelled to pay, they were obliged to wait the uncertain arrivals of the mail boy, or the more uncertain arrival of the stage coach. Such postal facilities nowadays would most certainly inter- fere with the heavy mercantile transactions which are now carried on by the people of this county. And while we are at present enjoying every facility that human intellect can invent to annihilate space, in order that the world may have quicker and safe rcommunication, from continent to continent, there are some to be found who croak and fret at delay, and grumble about not getting their mails.
PRICES IN QUINCY.
It may, as an item of interest, be of some importance to the people of the county to know how the markets ruled away back in our grandfathers' days, and we give the prices current of the Quincy market, corrected by Whitney & Co., and published in the Illinois Bounty Land Register, of date April 17th, 1835:
Bacon, hams, hog, round, per 1b .. $
.05
Hides, green, per 1b ef .041/2 .08
Beef, on foot, per cwt ..
3.00
Iron, bar,
fresh in market, per Ib.
.04
.1212
Beeswax, per İb ..
.15
Lard, .05
Butter, fresh, per scarce
.1634 Lead, pig, 66
none
kegs, none
.1212
Candles, sperm, per Ib
.40
Leather, sole, $0 28 to .33
.50
dipped,
Nails, cut, assorted, per 1b .10
Coal, per bu.
.1634 .20
wrought,
.2)
hoop, יר
bar,
mould,
.20
upper,
282
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
Coffee, per 1b.
$ .20
Pork, mess, per bbl.
$11.00
Deer skins, per İb.
.10
٠١ prime,
9.00
Furs, muskrat skins
.1634
66 cargo, . none 7.00
raccoon
.1212 Potatoes, Irish, per bu.
7.00
otter $3.50 to 4.50
4.50
Sugar, loaf, per 1b. .20
fine.
3.50
6. Havanna white, per .1637
Wheat, per bu.
.50
brown,
.121/2
Rye,
6
.37
Salt, Liv Blown, per bu. 1.50
Oats,
.25
alum ground,
1.00
Corn, in sacks, per bu.
.30
Kanawha, 1.00
" ear,
.25
retailed in bbl., per Ib .75
Grass seeds, elover, per bu. . scarce
8.00
Shot, per tb ..
.121/2
timothy,
3.00
Tallow,
.10
44
blue grass, per bu.
2.00
Whiskey, country, per gal. .30
Hides, dried, per Ib.
.09
Wool, per İb.
.50
December 18th of the same year, the market had advanced as follows: Wheat, $1.00 per bu .; flour $7.50 per bbl .; pork, $3.50 per cwt .; beef, $3.50 to $4.00 per cwt .; corn. in ear, 37¿c .; corn meal, delivered in town, 75c .; butter, 25c .; fire wood, $2.00 per cord.
What changes have taken place since those were the ruling prices. What fortunes have been made and lost, what vast changes in the mercan- tile world. From 2,500 bushels of wheat ground in the mills of Quincy in 1835 could our readers comprehend for a moment, the number of bush- els which were ground yearly simply by the mills of Quincy alone, to say nothing of the many others scattered over the county who are doing equally as large a business.
THE JAIL.
In the proceedings of the County Commissioners' Court of Thursday, June 6th, 1839, the order was made to build the jail which stood on Fifth street, Quiney, in the rear of the court-honse which was burned in 1873, The following are a part of the records: "WHEREAS, There is no no jail or place of confinement for criminals in the county of Adanis, it is therefore thought expedient and necessary that a jail should be built in the said county of Adams for the confinement and safe keeping of criminals. It is therefore ordered that a jail be built in the town of Quincy, on the east part of the lot on which the court-house now stands; said jail is to be built with the front facing to the south and to range with the south side of the court-house. Said jail is to be built after and agreeable to a draft as now'on file in the clerk's office.
Ordered, that the sum of one thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated to Joseph T. Holmes and J. O. Woodruff, or bearer, for the purpose of commencing and carrying on the building of a jail in Quincy. The above amount to be issued in orders of not less than fifty dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars each, the orders to draw twelve per cent. per annum interest from the time they are taken ont of the office until redeemed. Said orders to be redeemed in twelve months after their date.
sweet, . none
Flour, superfine, per bbl.
283
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
ELECTION PRECINCTS.
In June, 1839, proceedings in the County Commissioners' Court were had relative to the fixing the boundaries and the creation of election pre- cincts throughout the county. Below is a record of the proceedings of the commissioners as taken from official sources:
Ordered, That township 2 north, and range 5 west, constitute one election precinct, to be called Northeast Precinct, and ordered that Elliott Combs, Zacheus Dean, and Jonathan Browning be appointed judges of all elections to be held in said precinct, and ordered that all elections in said precinct be held at the house of Zacheus Dean.
Ordered, That township 1 north, and range 5 west, and township 1 south, 5 west, constitute Clayton, and ordered that Cyrus Cupen, George McMurray and Shannon Wallace be appointed judges of all elections to be held in said precinct, and ordered that all elections be held at the house of David M. Campbell.
Ordered, That township 2 south, and range 5 west, 3 south, range 5 west, 3 south, range 6 west, and 3 south, 6 west, constitute an election pre- cinct, to be called Kingston Precinct, and ordered that GeorgeW. Williams, Azariah Mayfield and Richard Buffington, be appointed judges of all elec- tions to be held in Kingston Precinct, and that all elections be held at the house of William Hendricks.
Ordered, That township 2 south, and range 6 west, constitute an election precinct, to be called Liberty Precinct, and ordered that John Wigle, William Hart and Jacob Hunsaker be appointed judges of all elections to be held in said precinct, and that all elections to be held in said precinct be held at the house of D. P. Meacham.
Ordered, That an election precinct, to be called Payson Precinct, be bounded as follows, to-wit: beginning at the river on the county line, thence east along said line to the range line dividing 6 and 7 west, thence north with said line to the section corner between 24 and 25, 2 south, and range 7 west; thence west with said line to the river, and ordered that Thomas Crocker, Alexander Furst and David Collins be, and they are hereby appointed judges of all elections to be held in said precinct, and it is ordered that all elections in said precinct be held at the store of J. C. Bernard.
Ordered, That Quincy Precinct be bounded as follows, to-wit .: begin- ning at the river and running east on the section line dividing sections 24 and 25, township 2 south, and range 9 west, continuing to the section corner between sections 21 and 22, township 2 south, and range 8 west, thence north to the section corner between sections 21 and 28, township 1 south, and range 8 west, thence west along said line to the river. The old judges to serve. This record makes no mention of the place of holding the election.
284
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
Ordered, That the bounds of Burton Precinct be as follows, to-wit .: beginning at the section corner between sections 24 and 25, on the range line between 6 and 7 west, thence north on said line to the section corner between sections 25 and 36, township 1 south, and range 7 west of the 4th principal meridian, thence west to the range line between ranges 7 and 8 west, thence north one mile, thence three miles west, thence south six miles, thence east to the place of beginning, and ordered that E. M. King, John Doty and John G. Humphrey be and they are hereby appointed judges of all the elections in said precinct, and that all the elections in said precinct be held at the house of M. H. Daniels.
Ordered, That Columbus Precinct be bounded as follows, to-wit .: beginning at the northeast corner of township 1, south, 6 west, thence south six miles, thence west six miles, thence south one mile, thence west six miles, thence north seven miles, thence west six miles, thence south two miles, thence east six miles, to the place of beginning, and ordered that M. D. McCann, John Thomas and George Smith be and they are hereby appointed judges of all elections to be held in said precinct, and that all the elections be held at the school-house in the village of Columbus.
Ordered, That Houston Precinct is bounded on the north by the county line, on the east by the range line between townships 5 and 6 west, on the south by the base line, on the west by the range line between townships 6 and 7 west. Ordered, That David Strickler, John W. McFarland and Richard Seaton be and they are hereby appointed judges of all elections in said precinct, and that all elections be held at the house of H. A. Cyrus.
Ordered, that the bounds of Woodville Precinct be as follows, to-wit .: Commencing at the northeast of township number 2 north, and range 7 west, thence south on the range line, between sections 6 and 7 west, ten miles, thence west six miles, thence north ten miles to the county line, thence east with the county line to the place of beginning, and ordered that Benjamin Robertson, Martin Shurry and Simeon Curtis be and they are hereby appointed judges of all the elections to be held in said precinct, and that all elections be held at Woodville.
INCORPORATION.
The following entries are the record of the County Commissioners' Court relative to the incorporation of the towns Columbus and Payson, in the year 1839:
We do certify that, at an election held at the school-house in Columbus, on Saturday evening, March 2, 1839, ten days' notice having been prevously given in three public places, for the purpose of voting for or against incorporation of said town, and J. G. Driskell hav- ing been chosen President and W. D. McCann Clerk, and they having been duly sworn by William Oglesby proceeded to open a poll, which resulted as follows: For incorporating, forty-eight votes; against incorporating, three votes. J. E. DRISKELL, President,
W. D. McCANN, Clerk.
At an election held at the office of William Shinn, in Payson, Adams county, Illinois, on the 23d of May, 1839, for the purpose of determining
285
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
whether the town should become incorporated or not, the following num- ber of votes were given, to-wit .: In favor of incorporation, forty-one votes; against becoming incorporated, nine.
We hereby certify that the above is a true statement of the polls at said election.
A. W. SHINN, President, ALEX. S. ABERNETHY, Clerk.
COUNTY SEAT CONTEST-COLUMBUS.
The principal argument used in this bitter contest was the geographi- cal idea, which the Columbus friends showed up in all its phases. It was only eighteen or twenty miles from the remotest portion of Adams county to Columbus, while, it was nearly double the distance to Quincy from the bordering precincts.
There was a paper printed in Columbus during this time to which all contributed who were interested in the decision against Quincy. It was understood that A. Jonas was the moving spirit, and he was well supported by the eastern Adamsites, without regard to politics. This paper, after sur- viving the rude shocks of internecine war, and seeing the advent of quietness, under a united Adams county, was destined to witness still farther strug- gles and perish for its opinions on the classic shores of Nauvoo.
The Columbus Advocate was bought by the company who started the " Nauvoo Expositor," principal among whom was Frank Higbee. The first appearance of the sheet called down the indignation of Joe Smith & Com- pany, who having met in council and declared it a nuisance, proceeded " to abate it." The fragments of this press and its appendages became like " the blood of the martyrs, the seed of the church," though not the Mormon Church. Other portions of our history refer to this occasion so that no more mention need here be made.
Mr. Wesley McCann retained his commission as Justice of the Peace for Adams county, as also did James A. Bell, who lived a few miles east of Columbus, L. McFarland, of Houston, and Esquire McClintock, of Liberty. These justices considered themselves acting under their original commis- sionis for four years, or until their successors were duly elected and com- missioned.
The election in the contest for the change in the location of the county seat from Quincy to Columbus, was held on Monday, the second day of August, 1841, and the certificate of the abstract of the poll books is in the following words as spread upon the record of the County Commissioners' Court.
Abstract of the poll books of an election held in the County of Adams and State of Illi- nois, on Monday, the second day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun- dred and forty-one. Columbus had sixteen hundred and thirty-six votes for county seat. Quincy had fifteen hundred and forty-five votes for county seat.
(Signed.)
HENRY ASBURY, J. P. [Seal.] W. D. McCANN, J. P. [Seal.]
Upon the official announcement of the result of the election, the friends of Quincy, by their counsel, Abraham Wheat, Esq., and Andrew Johnston,
286
HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY.
Esq., presented a petition to the County Commissioners' Court, which was filed on the 7th day of September, 1841, against the removal of the county seat from Quincy to Columbus, the reasons they gave being embraced in the subjoined copy of the petition as taken from official records.
TO THE HONORABLE WM. RICHARDS, GEORGE SMITHI, AND ELI SEEHORN, County Com- missioners of Adams County:
The undersigned citizens of Adams county beg leave respectfully to represent that the returns of the late etection held for the removal of the county seat of said county from Quincy to Columbus, have been made, as your petitioners have been informed, and believe, in favor of said removal, by a majority of ninety-one votes; that as your petitioners are informed and believe, a number of illegal votes have been found upon said poll books in favor of Columbus, exceeding the number of one hundred, and thus your petitioners con- sider it doubtful whether a majority of legal votes were cast at said election for Quincy or Columbus; that your petitioners are further informed that at several of the precincts in said county, the said election was not held and conducted conformably to law, nor the returns thereof made in accordance to the provisions of the law; that your petitioners are desirous upon the foregoing and other grounds, to contest the validity and correctness of said elec- tion and the returns thereof ; that the law providing for said election does not point out specially any method for contesting the same; that the said law provides that the returns of said election shall be certified to your honorable body, and does not provide for the revision thereof by any other authority. That your petitioners have given notice by publication in the Quincy Whig of their intention to contest the said election before three justices of the peace, in the manner provided in case of contested elections of justices of the peace; that your petitioners entertain some doubts whether the said election ought to be contested before the said justices or before this honorable court, and that your petitioners desire to know in what manner this honorable court will permit the said election to be contested. Therefore they pray this honorable court that upon a hearing of this petition it will be pleased to order as follows, to-wit:
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