USA > Illinois > Carroll County > The history of Carroll county, Illinois, containing a history of the county-its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory war record statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men history of the Northwest Illinois miscellaneous matters, etc > Part 25
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Enterprise lost its name, and Wysox was substituted, at the time the report of the committee was acted upon.
Harlem was changed to York upon motion of Mr. Bailey, supervisor of that town, on the 14th day of November, 1850. Subsequently it was changed to Argo by the legislature, but was re-christened York at the next meeting of the board of supervisors after the change. This second change to York was through the influence of the same Mr. Bailey.
Bluffville has never had an existence as a town, its territory having always constituted a part of York.
POOR FARM REDIVIVUS.
The first committee appointed to locate a quarter-section of land for a poor farm do not appear, by the records, to have made any report, so, on Monday, Dec. 24, 1851, another committee, consisting of Messrs. R. W. Brush, David Becker and David Emmert, were appointed to that duty, and " authorized to view out and purchase a suitable tract of land on such
265
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
terms as they might deem expedient, and to apply the money then in the treasury, and that to be collected that year," to the payment thereof. Feb- ruary 12, 1852, this committee reports that they had purchased the farm formerly owned by Samnel S. Bayliss, containing two hundred acres, for the sum of eleven hundred dollars. "The money in the treasury appropri- ated to that object, and that to be collected in 1851 (amounting in all to about five hundred dollars) is to be paid on the execution by said Bayliss of a sufficient deed, and the remainder in county orders, to be issued, bear- ing interest at the rate of six per cent per annum from the date of purchase."
February 13, Henry F. Lowman, Jesse Rapp and David Becker were appointed a committee to contract with some person to take charge of the poor farm for one year, and to direet such improvements as the committee might deem necessary to the reception of paupers, ete. March 1, this com- mittee reported a contract, signed by themselves and Jacob Striekler, for the term of one year from that date, which was accepted and placed on file. The same day the board of supervisors ordered that " the house purchased of Samuel S. Bayliss be established as a poor house " from that date. The honse referred to was a kind of double concern-half frame and half log. Improvements were soon after commeneed, and continued from year to year, as the county had means, until in 1872 a handsome, commodious and con- venient briek house, of two stories and basement, was commeneed and com- pleted. In the basement are three rooms a eellar. On the first floor there are five rooms and two cells. On the second floor there are seven rooms- all well ventilated, and sufficiently roomy for all practical purposes. The contract was originally awarded to Karn & Rhinedollar, carpenters and builders at Mount Carroll. They sub-let the masonry part of the building to Mr. James Hallett, also of Mount Carroll. The contract price was $6,050, but by the time the building was completed extra work had been done that increased its cost to about $6,200.
When the poor farm was first purchased, R. W. Brush was appointed a special "agent to put into operation, and take a general supervision of the poor house in Carroll County for the ensuing year."
BRIDGES, ETC.
For several years after the management of the affairs of the county passed from the commissioners to supervisors. a good deal of their time was taken up in road and bridge matters. New roads were laid out, old ones straightened and re-located to conform to the greater interests and convenience of the people. March 7, 1853, a bridge was ordered to be built across Plum River, near Savanna, on the road leading southeastwardly to the Town of York, and Monroe Bailey, Renben H. Gray and Norman D. French were appointed a committee to aet with the road commissioners of Savanna to locate and superintend the building of the said bridge. Previous to the erection of this bridge, the only means of erossing Plum River at that point, in times of high water, was by ferry. In June, 1851, the supervisors granted license to Wade H. Eldridge to keep a ferry there for three months, on the condition that he would not obstruet the ford, give bond in the sum of fifty dollars, and pay into the treasury of the county the sum of one dollar-all of which requirements were filled. The rates of toll were:
Footmen, 5c .; do. going and returning the same day. Man and horse and horse and buggy, 10c .; do. going and returning same day, 15c .; wagon and two horses, or two oxen, 15c .; do. going and returning same day, 25c .; wagon and four horses, 25c .; do. going and returning same day, 20c. each way.
266
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
These rates were established by the board of supervisors, and may be found under their proceedings of June 3, 1851.
May 6, 1853, the board passed an amended order directing the com- missioners appointed March 7, 1853, to superintend the building of the bridge, not to exceed the sum of $2,000 in all their charges against the county for that purpose. September 13, 1853, Supervisor D. P. Holt offered the following resolution :
That the orders heretofore passed in relation to building a bridge across Plum River, near Savanna, be sustained and approved, and that the sum, not exceeding $2,000, be appro- priated for that purpose.
The ayes and nays were called for, and C. Van Veghten, E. Brock, David Becker, G. Denny, D. P. Holt and H. B. Puterbaugh voted in the affirmative, and James Linke, Joseph Steffins, R. J. Tomkins and H. B. Loman voted in the negative.
The records do not show very clearly to whom the contract for build- ing this bridge was awarded, but, from the following entry in the super- visors' records, under date of Thursday, January 12, 1854, we are led to conclude that D. P. Holt was the builder. The entry reads:
That the clerk of the supervisors be and is hereby authorized to issue a county order to the amount of three hundred and sixty-nine dollars, to D. P. Holt, as balance on his con- tract for building Plum River Bridge, on his filing an order of the committee of the accept- ance of the said contract.
Then there comes a subsequent entry, in the course of the proceedings of that meeting, wherein the board is petitioned by the supervising commit- tee to direct the clerk to issue an order for one thousand five hundred dollars to D. P. Holt, in part payment for the Plum River bridge, on his filing his bond, with good and sufficient security, etc .- from all of which it appears that Mr. Holt was the contractor and builder of the first bridge across Plum River at that point.
This bridge and the one at Bowen's old mill, on Plnm River (now Wood & Kitchen's), were the largest and most costly in the county. They were wooden structures, and went down from time, before floods and constant use. But at last they are succeeded by strong iron bridges, that defy the force of floods and ravages and decay of time. There are other bridges in the county, but they are wooden ones and of minor importance. These bridges are kept up and repaired from time to time by the several townships in which they are situated.
From the time of the permanent location of the county seat at Mt. Carroll, and the removal of the county offices from Savanna, in 1844, until the breaking out of the war, in 1861, there was but little to disturb the industrial pursuits of the people. As a rule, the people were of a sober, industrious character who had come to the county to secure homes they had not the means to secure in their native states, and possessed but little money to help them in their new location. But " where there is a will, there is always a way," and, careful and prudent, and, by education and force of circumstances, economical, they succeeded in conquering the hard- ships incident to pioneer life. And, although they were sometimes " hard run " for the necessaries of life, they kept up brave hearts, and in two or three years had reduced their claims to remunerative farms -- at least, they had been made to produce enough to support their family occupants, and something to spare. As the years increased, the productions of their farm and stock increased, and the memories of the scanty meals and scanty
267
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
wardrobes, physical hardships, etc., of their pioneer days were sweetened in the contemplation of farms and houses and barns and other surroundings of comfort their industry and perseverance had brought forth from the prairies and forests, that but a few years ago had been the grazing places of the buffalo,* the elk and other animals natural to the wilds of the north- west, and the undisturbed hunting grounds of the red men.
Nature seems to have designed certain localities of our common coun- try for certain purposes. The rock-bound rivers and ereeks of the New England states pre-eminently suit that part of the country for mannfactur- ing purposes. But the Great Architect that unfolded the beautiful prairies and reared the grove-covered hillsides of Carroll County seems to have intended it for agricultural and stock-growing purposes, and to these ends the people directed their energies and their industries.
THE CARROLL COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
Was organized in 1853. On the 3d day of September of that year, in pur- suance of a call signed by Manasses Neikisk, Harry Smith, David Emmert and one hundred and twenty others, a meeting was held at the court house for the purpose of organization. Garner Moffett was chosen chairman of the meeting, and Luther H. Bowen and II. G. Grattan were appointed see- retaries. After a general interchange of views and opinions, Messrs. L. Tomlinson, M. Bailey, R. H. Gray, B. R. Frohoek, Jolin Iler, H. Smith, T. Aldrich, E. Brock and H. G. Grattan were appointed a committee to pre- pare a business programme, etc. The committee retired and, after a brief absence, returned and reported
That a society be formed in Carroll County to represent the interests of Agriculture, Horticulture and Mechanics, and that a committee be appointed by this meeting to prepare a constitution and by-laws, preparatory to the permanent organization of this society, to be submitted at an adjourned meeting to be held on the second Tuesday of September, inst., and that said committee consist of the following named persons: Garner Moffett, Benjamin R. Frohock, H. G. Grattan, R. H. Gray, E. Brock.
After some other business of rather an unimportant character, the meeting adjourned until the second Tuesday in September.
Tuesday, September 13, 1853, the meeting re-assembled, and was called to order by the chairman, Garner Moffett.
The committee on constitution and by-laws submitted a constitution and by-laws, each article of which was acted upon and adopied separately.
After the adoption of the constitution, the society proceeded to the election of officers, with the following result:
President-John Keach.
Vice President -- Henry Smith.
Treasurer-R. J. Tompkins.
Secretary-H. G. Grattan.
Executive Committee-Tilson Aldrich, Ephraim Brock, Benj. R. Fro- hock, D. P. Holt and Monroe Bailey.
Monroe Bailey was chosen as a delegate to represent the society at the state fair, to be held at Springfield, on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th of October, 1853; and Tilson Aldrich, Henry Smith, and Henry G. Grattan were selected to represent the society at the Fruit Growers' Convention, to be held at Chicago, on the 14th, 15th, and 16th days of October, 1853.
* Some authorities have maintained that the buffalo never appeared east of the Missis- sippi River, but recent discoveries have proved the contrary, skeletons of this animal having been found in this section of the state.
268
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
The secretary was directed to " furnish printed copies of the constitu- tion to be distributed throughout the country for signatures," when it was voted to adjourn.
The next meeting relating to the interests of the society, of which there is any record, was held by the executive committee, on Monday, April 24, 1854. That meeting adopted a resolution requiring the treasurer of the society to give bonds in the sum of one thousand dollars; that the first annual fair be held on the first Thursday of October, and that the Board of Supervisors of Carroll County be petitioned for an appropriation of five hundred dollars, to be expended in fencing and arranging the fair grounds for the use of the society. The first bill that seems to have been presented against the society was by H. G. Grattan, the secretary, for "printing and stationery," and he was ordered to " draw on the treasurer for the same."
The first fair commenced on the first Thursday of October, 1854, and was held on the farm of A. Monroe Bailey, about seven miles south of Mt. Carroll, and was rather a primitive affair. It is related of the president that he took a sow there to be shown and put her in a pen, but that he did not know that the rules of the society required all stock and articles intended for exhibition to be entered upon the books of the secretary. His ignorance of the rules was not discovered until the fair closed, when he loaded his female porker into his wagon and hauled her home, a wiser man than when he dumped her into the pen in the morning.
The writer of this history was unable to find any record of that first fair-the number of entries, the premium list, award of premiums, or any- thing of the kind, so he is unable to present any of the particulars. Only the first report of the treasurer has been preserved among the records, and this is presented in full:
CARROLL COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY,
In Account with R. J. Tompkins.
Sept. 25 By amount received from members to date $104 00
Sept. 25
6 state
50 00
Sept. 29
for membership 66
66 74 00
Sept. 29 66
יר tickets of admission to fair grounds. 57 25
Sept. 29 66
from Pierce for grocery permit_
5 00
Oct. 1
for membership
1 00
Oct. 29
of interest on money received to date 13 57
$304 82
1853.
DR.
Dec. 10, 1 blank book for Grattan 50
Dec. 10, 1 gr. paper
25
Dec. 16, 3
75
1854.
Aug. 19, Paid Grattan bill for printing 8 80
1855.
Sept. 28, Ed. Phillips for attending gate. 1 50
Sept. 28, Ira Bailey for watchers of tent and contents
at fair 4 00
Sept. 28,
Wheeler on account of printing 30 00
Sept. 28, Mrs. Ferrin premium on Rug 1 00
$46 80
Balance of cash in hands of treasurer $258 02
R. J. TOMKINS, Treasurer.
MT. CARROLL, Oct. 29, 1855.
The second fair was held in the Fall of 1855. The ground selected was on the hill on the east side of Dog Run, and a little west of the present
269
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
residence of Nathaniel Halderman, Esq. The records fail to show where it was held in 1856, and the old settlers with whom the writer talked were at fault as to its location that year, but it is probable it was held on the same ground it ocenpied in 1855.
June 8, 1854, a petition was presented to the board of supervisors, asking for help from the county in the sum of $500. The petition was not acted upon at that time, but on motion, was laid over until the next meet- ing of the board, but a close following of the record fails to reveal any fur- ther action in regard to the petition, or at least the appropriation of the sum asked, until Tuesday, May 5, 1857, when the board of supervisors
Resolved, That five hundred dollars ($500) be appropriated out of the County Treasury to be expended by the Executive Committee of the Carroll County Agricultural Society in the purchase and fitting up of Fair Grounds to be used at the annual exhibition of Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Fairs in said county, and that the title to said grounds shall stand in the name of the Board of Supervisors of Carroll County and their successors in office.
Pending the consideration of this resolution, the following amendment was presented, to-wit:
Resolved, That the board accept the proposition of J. Wilson to build a court honse, jail, etc.
Upon which substitute the ayes and nays were taken, as follows:
Ayes-James Hallett, Peter Markley, N. Stephenson-3.
Nays-M. Bailey, O. S. Beardsley, James De Wolf, M. C. Taylor, E. Chamberlain, J. R. Shelby, M. Neikerk, Albert Healy, H. L. Lowman-9. And the substitute was lost.
On motion, the original resolution was then passed.
May 29, 1857, Joseph Warfield and wife deeded to the board of super- visors a little over five and a half acres of ground in the southwest quarter of section twelve, town twenty-four, range four east, in consideration of $550. October 4, 1858, Jackson Beaver and wife also conveyed to the board one acre and sixty one-hundredths, adjoining the Warfield tract, for $125. This increased the domain of the society to about seven acres, which served the purposes of a fair ground for several years, and until the population and growth of the county had so increased that a larger area became a necessity. April 15, 1865, the executive committee appointed a committee of three, consisting of John Nycum, Daniel Becker and Elijah Bailey, to ascertain whether the old fair grounds could not be sold, and larger and more com- modious grounds be purchased, the committee to report at the next meeting.
At the same meeting, the executive committee caused the following entry to be spread upon the journal:
WHEREAS, Certain friends of agriculture and members of the executive committee believe the prosperity of the agricultural society would be enhanced by moving the fair about to different parts of the county ; therefore,
Resolved, That propositions will be received at the next meeting of the executive com- mittee as to such removal, by any portions of the county interested in having the fair held in their midst.
May 20, 1865, a meeting of the executive committee was held at Lanark, when the committee appointed at the last previous meeting, in regard to selling the old fair grounds and purchasing a larger area, reported that additional ground could be purchased from Joseph Warfield to enlarge the old fair grounds; also, that new and suitable grounds could be pur- chased from William T. Miller, north of the town of Mt. Carroll, and that
270
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
the old fair grounds could readily be sold at a fair value. The report of the committee was received and the committee discharged.
A committee of Lanark citizens appeared at this meeting to ask that the fair be removed to tliat place, but had no definite propositions to make in regard to the removal. After some conversation relating thereto, they asked for further time to canvass the matter, which was granted. A committee of five, John Kridler, M. Z. Landon, John Keach, R. M. Cook and Elijah Bailey, was appointed to receive such propositions as might be presented, and to report thereon at the next meeting of the executive committee, when final action would be taken on the subject.
The next meeting of the executive committee was held at the office of the secretary of the society, in Mount Carroll, on June 3, 1865, when the committee on the location of the fair grounds submitted a report, which was accepted. The report embraced the proposition of the people of Lanark, and was substantially as follows:
The people of Lanark, on condition that the Carroll County Fair be held in the town of Rock Creek, at or near the village of Lanark, for 1865 and 1866, will furnish grounds, suitably fenced, and the necessary buildings, free of expense to the society ; provided that the executive committee will give the use of the old lumber on the old fair ground (the posts and buildings excepted), and the net proceeds of the fair for the year 1865. (Signed) M. D. Welch, Z. B. Kinkaid, M. Z. Landon, committee; M. Z. Landon, chairman.
This proposition was amended by requiring the Lanark people to enter into a lease of the grounds to the society for two years, when it was accepted, and the fairs for 1865 and 1866 were held there.
January 6, 1866, a meeting of the executive committee was held to consider the proposition of purchasing additional grounds of Mr. Warfield. The proposition was fully discussed, and a vote finally taken upon the sub- ject. Those voting in favor of the purchase were, Messrs. Bailey, Beardsley, Pierce, Hathaway and Funk. Those voting against the pur- chase were, Messrs. Stover, Reasoner and Davis. The proposition was accepted, and September 17, 1866, Joseph Warfield and wife deeded to the board thirteen and nine one-hundredths acres, adjoining the old grounds, for the sum of $$23.12, making a little over twenty aeres, the whole cost of which was $1,498.13. All of this tract was put in one enclosure in time for the fair of 1867, since when the fairs have been regularly held thereon.
The last fair was held September 4, 5, 6 and 7, 1877. The total num- ber of entries were 1,554; total amount of premiums offered, $2,148; total amount of premiums paid, $2,006.15. The number of shareholders or members is 436. The cash value of real estate and the improvements thereon is $3,000.
FINANCIAL EXHIBIT FOR 1877.
Amount in treasury last report_ $154 70
Amount received 1877: Fees (gate and entrance), 1,514 60
Booth rents, permits, etc. 308 40
Sale membership tickets. 415 00
State appropriation 100 00
Amount paid in 1877: In premiums $2,006 15
For current expenses other than
premiums. 655 10
Amount deficit, net (including debt covered by mortgage). 168 55
$2,661 25 $2,661 25
Indebtedness secured by note and mortgage. $1,485 00
271
HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
Officers, elected September, 1877 .- President, H. C. Blake, Mount Carroll; Vice President, L. E. Byington, Lanark; Treasurer, O. P. Miles, Mount Carroll; Secretary, E. T. E. Becker, Mount Carroll.
A NEW COURT HOUSE.
From October, 1844, to 1853, the court house erected by Messrs. Emmert, Halderman & Co. was sufficiently commodious to furnish accom- modations to the circuit court, the county offices, jail, etc. But population and business had been steadily increasing, and in the last named year the people began to agitate the building of a larger and better building-one in keeping with the importance and wealth to which the county had attained. In September of that year, the agitation of the subject had grown so general that, on the 13th of that month, the board of supervisors
Ordered, That R. J. Tomkins be a committee to obtain a draft of a court house, and ascertain the probable expense of building one.
A careful examination of the record fails to discover any report made by Mr. Tomkins, and it is fair to presume that he never made any report, or that, if he did, it was not a written one. The next entry in regard to the contemplated building is found under date of November 9, 1855, when the board of supervisors
Resolved, That a good and sufficient building or buildings be constructed, suitable for the uses and purposes of a jail and court house for the County of Carroll, said building to cost not less than $12,000 nor more than $20,000.
The ayes and nays being called upon the above resolution, the vote stood as follows:
Ayes-R. Wheeler, Philetus Reck, George Denny, Leonard Pratt, William Carroll, M. W. Hollingsworth, Nathan Stevenson, W. A. Shoe- maker-8.
Nays-None.
November 30, 1855, the supervisors "resolved that M. W. Hollings- worth be appointed to procure a draft of some competent architect for a court house and jail, with suitable rooms for sheriff, juries, clerk, recorder, and jailor, with specifications as to the size, material. finish and cost, and report to the next session of the board."
Tuesday, March 11, 1856, Mr. Hollingsworth presented his report, together with a draft and plan of a court house, which was accepted, when the board appointed M. W. Hollingsworth, R. H. Gray and Leonard Pratt " a building committee, to superintend the construction of said build- ing, upon the plan and in the manner designated; and also that the com- mittee, or a majority of them, be authorized to let the same to the lowest bidder therefor, and to enter into contract with any person or persons to construct the same upon the plan aforesaid, upon such terms as may be for the best interests of said County of Carroll, at the point heretofore desig- nated by said board." The board also adopted the following:
Resolved, That said committee be required to take from the contractor or contractors of said building good and sufficient bonds to secure the completion of the work and materials furnished in the manner and form described ; also, upon entering into contract, giving bonds as aforesaid, said committee be authorized to draw orders upon the county treasury, in favor of said contractors, in the sum of five thousand dollars; and, upon the covering in of said building, said committee are authorized to cause bonds, drawing ten per cent interest, to be executed, payable in equal instalments, in one, two and three years, for one half the bal- ance of contract price. And, upon the completion of said building, to cause bonds for the balance remaining unpaid to be issued, at ten per cent, as aforesaid, payable in two, three and four years from date, in equal sums.
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