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 26
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
The " draft and specifications " were drawn by Olmsted & Nicholson, architects, Chicago.
Tuesday, September 9, 1856, the following resolution was presented to the board:
Resolved, That the committee for building court house, jail, etc., be, and they are hereby instructed to let the contract for building court house, etc., in accordance with a resolution of the board of supervisors, of March term, A.D. 1856.
To which an amendment was offered as follows, to-wit:
So far as to erect and cover in said building and finish the basement story.
And, on motion, a vote by ayes and nays was taken on said resolution as amended, which vote resulted as follows:
Ayes-Garner Moffett, Daniel Hurley, N. Stephenson, Peter Markley, M. W. Hollingsworth-5.
Nays-James Lewker, M. Neikirk, E. Chamberlain, Robt. Artt, M. C. Taylor, Asahel Aldrich-6.
The resolution did not pass. The following resolution was then pre- sented :
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to obtain a draft and specifications for a jail and county offices, the same to be fire-proof buildings -- the offices and jail to be separate -said committee to report at some future meeting.
The resolution was adopted, by the following vote :
Ayes-James Lewker, A. Aldrich, Robt. Artt, E. Chamberlain, M. C. Taylor, N. Stephenson-6.
Nays-Garner Moffett, M. Neikirk, M. W. Hollingsworth, D. Hurley, P. Markley.
B. R. Frohock, Asahel Aidrich, and Garner Moffett were appointed as such committee.
Friday, November 7, Leonard Pratt tendered his resignation as a member of the building committee, which resignation was accepted.
Saturday, the Sth, the committee appointed at the September term to obtain draft and specifications for a jail and county offices, reported that, owing to the death of Garner Moffett (a member of the board), and other circumstances, they were unable to attend to their duties as they would like to have done. A draft for a jail was presented by the committee, which was examined by the board.
The same day, Jolin Wilson, Esq., appeared before the board, and stated in substance as follows:
" That if the county would loan its credit to the amount of $100,000 for a term of years (perhaps ten), in consideration thereof he would build the court house for the county according to the plan and specification now (then) belonging to the county, then in the hands of M. W. Hollingsworth, and would secure the county in double the amount of the bonds the county might issue against the payment of said bonds or any interest thereon."
Messrs. Artt, Stephenson and Aldrich were appointed as a committee to consult with Mr. Wilson with regard to the matter, "to procure from him a contract, or form, or statement in writing, of his proposition to build the same; also, to ascertain what kind of security the county had best receive for the fulfillment of any contract that may be made," etc.
In the afternoon of that day the committee reported that they had met Mr. Wilson, but that they were unable to present a contract or statement from him at that time, but would do so in future, whereupon Daniel Hur-
lisa S. Halendy YORK TOWNSHIP.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
ley and D. R. Frohock were appointed for the purpose of receiving and consulting with Mr. Wilson in regard to entering into a contract with him to build a court house, jail and fire-proof county offices, ete., and to report upon what terms and in what time said Wilson would build said court house, jail and fire-proof county offices, and how payment should be made for the building thereof; also, the nature, kind and amount of security that would be given for the performance of said work, the amount of bonds .to be issued by the county, the rate of interest, time and manner of payment of interest and principal.
February 20, 1857, this committee reported that they had consulted with Mr. Wilson, and that he had no proposition to make, whereupon the committee was discharged.
Tuesday, May 5, 1857, Mr. Wilson again presented a proposition for building a court house, jail, ete., which was received. This proposition was, in substance, as follows: That he would so far complete the jail the first year as to render it available and seeure, and also provide jailer's rooms -- the year to commence March 1. The second year to have the offices ready for occupaney; the third year to so far complete the whole building that it could be occupied for offices, jail and court purposes, and the fourth year to have the whole building entirely completed in accordance with the plans furnished. He asked payment to be made as follows:
1st. Five thousand dollars to be paid in hand; $5,000 to be paid March 1, 1858; $5,000 March 1, 1859; $5,000 March 1, 1860; $5,000 March 1, 1861, with ten per cent on fifth payment twelve months; and $5,000 payable March 1, 1862, with ten per cent interest per annum, paya- ble annually for two years, and to enter into bonds with sufficient security to carry out his proposition. Upon the reading of this proposition, the fol- lowing resolution was offered:
Resolved, That the board accept the proposition of J. Wilson to build court house, jail, etc.
Upon which the ayes and nays were taken, with the following result: Ayes-Jas. Hallett, Peter Markley, N. Stephenson-3.
Nays-M. Bailey, O. S. Beardsley, Jas. De Wolf, M. C. Taylor, E. Chamberlain, J. R. Shelby, M. Neikirk, Albert Healy, H. L. Lowman-9. So Mr. Wilson's proposition was rejected.
The following resolution was then offered:
Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the board, who shall have power to let a contract for the building of a court house upon the public square in the town of Mt. Carroll, in accordance with the specifications and profiles of a plan now in the hands of Mahlon Hollingsworth, provided such contract is let to such parties as will agree to build the same within four years. *
Upon which the ayes and nays were taken:
Ayes -- James Hallett, Peter Markley, O. S. Beardsley, N. Stephenson, H. F. Lowman-5.
Nays-W. Bailey, Jas. DeWolf, M. C. Taylor, E. Chamberlain, J. R. Shelby, M. Neikirk, Albert Healey-7.
The resolution was lost.
The board then resolved-
1. That it is necessary for the convenience and interest of Carroll County that a jail, county offices and jury rooms should be built at the earliest practical day.
2. That, in the opinion of the board, the most economical plan of building the same is to combine them with the court house.
16
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
3. That measures be now taken by the board to secure that object.
4. That a committee of three be appointed to let a contract upon the most favorable terms, in accordance with the specifications and profiles of a plan of a court house now in the hands of Mahlon W. Hollingsworth, and that such contract, before it is filed and in binding, shall be submitted to the board and supervisors at as early a day as the said com- mittee shall think proper to call a meeting of said board.
M. Neikirk, M. Bailey and J. P. Emmert were appointed as the com- mittee to carry into effect the above resolutions.
Wednesday, May 27, 1857, the board again met, when the above- named committee presented their report, setting forth that they had exam- ined all the proposals for the building of said court house, and presented for the consideration of the board the proposal of Wm. T. Miller, the said proposal being, in the opinion of the committee, the most favorable for the county, said proposal being as follows:
I propose to build the court house in accordance with the specifications, profiles and plans furnished by Olmsted and Nicholson, of Chicago, for thirty-one thousand five hun- dred dollars, in the following payments, to-wit:
In hand, $4,500; March 1, 1858, $4,500; March 1, 1859, $4,500; March 1, 1860, $4,500; March 1, 1861, $4,500; March 1, 1862, $4,500; March 1, 1863, $4,500; interest at ten per cent on each payment after due, if not paid at maturity. I propose for the above pay- ments to put the whole building under roof, finish jail and jailer's rooms, county offices and fire-proof vaults by March 1, A. D. 1859; finish court room for court purposes by March 1, 1860; and complete the building by March 1, A. D. 1861. And I propose further that, should said proposition be accepted, I will enter into good and sufficient bonds for the ful. fillment of my part of the contract.
WM. T. MILLER. BY J. P. EMMERT.
A motion was made to accept the above proposition, upon which the yeas and nays were called:
Yeas-M. Bailey, P. Markley, Jas. Hallett, Albert Healey, O. S. Beardsley, N. Stephenson, H. F. Lowman-7.
Nays-E. Chamberlain, M. Neikirk, J. R. Shelby, Jas. De Wolf, J. M. Manning-5.
The motion prevailed, and Miller's proposition was accepted.
Tuesday, May 28, David Emmert, Abraham Beeler and Philander Seymour were appointed a committee to enter into a contract on the part of the county with Win. T. Miller, in accordance with his proposition. The committee were fully instructed, and required to take a good and sufficient bond from Mr. Miller for a faithful performance of his undertaking, etc. Several resolutions of instruction to the building committee were spread upon the journal, with a view to the protection of the interests of the tax- payers of the county. The contract was duly drawn up and signed by the contracting parties, and all the preliminaries arranged to commence building the present very handsome, commodious and convenient county buildings, Mr. Miller being required to enter into bond in the sum of $6,000, with good and sufficient security, etc.
August 3, 1857, the first instalment, as provided in Mr. Miller's proposition, was paid to him in county orders, the numbers commencing with 1804 and ending with 1834-thirty-one in all-and representing $4,500. .
September 15, 1857, the board ordered that " W. T. Miller and Jacob P. Emmert be allowed the exclusive use and occupation of the court house square, in the Town of Mount Carroll, during the time they are engaged in building and finishing the court house thereon, for all purposes connected with the erection of said court house."
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
June 1. A. D. 1857, a contract was entered into by and between David Emmert, Philander Seymour and A. Beeler, building committee, on the part of Carroll County, and State of Illinois, as party of the first part, and William .T. Miller and Jacob P. Emmert, party of the second part, etc., by which the last named undertook the building of the court house, on the terms proposed in Miller's proposition by Emmert, May 27. Work was at once commenced. The building of the stone basement walls were let to Mr. James Watson, and were completed that year. In May, 1858, James and B. H. Hallett, masons, commenced the brick walls, which were fully completed, and the building enclosed, by the beginning of Winter. In the Spring of 1859, Sheriff Nase was ordered by the judge of the circuit court to occupy the jail department, but the building was not accepted by the county until Tuesday, June 4, 1861, when the board of supervisors ordered " that the clerks and sheriff be instructed to remove, occupying the offices in the new court house."
The delay in occupying the new building grew out of the fact that a controversy had grown up between the county authorities and the contract- ors. The former maintained that the terms of the contract had not been filled, and that, in many respects the plans and specifications had not been followed. The main sources of difference arose in regard to the roof (which was claimed to be imperfect and leaky) and the fire-proof vaults. Committees of investigation were appointed, and suits against the con- tractors for damages, etc., were threatened, but the differences between the parties in interest were finally satisfactorily settled, without resort to the courts of law. However, the vaults were overhauled and remodeled, and the roof repaired. These expenses were incurred by the county, for the reason that the building committee had accepted the contract as completed.
WAR RECORDS.
If there is any one thing more than another of which the people of the Northern States have reason to be proud, it is of the record they made during the dark and bloody days of the War of the Rebellion. When the war was forced upon the country, the people were quietly pursuing the even tenor of their ways, doing whatever their hands found to do -- making ' farms or cultivating those already made, erecting homes, founding eities and towns, building shops and manufactories-in short, the country was alive with industry and hopes for the future. The people were just recov- ering from the depressions and losses incident to the financial panie of 1857. The future looked bright and promising, and the industrious and patriotic sons and daughters of the Free States were buoyant with hope-looking forward to the perfecting of new plans for the ensurement of comfort and competence in their declining years, they little heeded the mutterings and threatenings of treason's children in the Slave States of the South. True sons and descendants of the heroes of the "times that tried men's souls " -- the struggle for American independence-they never dreamed that there was even one so base as to dare attempt the destruction of the Union of their fathers-a government baptized with the best blood the world ever knew. While immediately surrounded with peace and tranquility, they paid but little attention to the rumored plots and plans of those who lived and grew rich from the sweat and toil, blood and flesh of others-aye, oven trafficked in the offspring of their own loins. Nevertheless, the war came, with all its attendant horrors.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter, at Charleston, South Carolina, Major Anderson, U. S. A., commandant, was fired upon by rebels in arms. Although basest treason, this first act in the bloody reality that followed, was looked upon as the mere bravado of a few hot-heads-the act of a few fire eaters whose sectional bias and freedom hatred was crazed by excessive indulgence in intoxicating potations. When, a day later, the news was borne along the telegraphic wires that Major Anderson had been forced to surrender to what had at first been regarded as a drunken mob, the patriotic people of the North were startled from the dreams of the future-from undertakings half completed-and made to realize that behind that mob there was a dark, deep and well organized purpose to destroy the government, rend the Union in twain, and out of its ruins erect a slave oligarchy, wherein no one would dare question their right to hold in bondage the sons and daughters of men whose skins were black, or who, perchance, through practices of lustful natures, were half or quarter removed from the color that God, for His own purposes, had given them. But they "reckoned without their host." Their dreams of the future -- their plans for the establishment of an inde- pendent confederacy -- were doomed from their inception to sad and bitter disappointment.
Immediately upon the surrender of Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln- America's martyr president-who, but a few short weeks before, had taken the oath of office as the nation's chief executive, issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteers for three months. The last word of that proc- lamation had scarcely been taken from the electric wires before the call was filled. Men and money were counted out by hundreds and thousands. The people who loved their whole government could not give enough. Patriotism thrilled and vibrated and pulsated through every heart. The farm, the workshop, the office, the pulpit, the bar, the bench, the college, the school house-every calling offered its best men, their lives and their for- tunes in defense of the government's honor and unity. Party lines were, for the time, ignored. Bitter words, spoken in moments of political heat, were forgotten and forgiven, and, joining hands in a common cause, they repeated the oath of America's soldier statesman -- " By the Great Eternal. the Union must and shall be preserved !"
Seventy-five thousand men were not enough to subdue the rebellion. Nor were ten times that number. The war went on, and call followed call, until it began to look as if there would not be men enough in all the Free States to crush out and subdue the monstrous war traitors had inaugurated. But to every call, for either men or money, there was a willing and a ready response. And it is a boast of the people that, had the supply of men fallen short, there were women brave enough, daring enough, patriotic enough, to have offered themselves as sacrifices on their country's altar. Such were the impulses, motives and actions of the patriotic men of the North, among whom the sons of Carroll made a conspicuous and praise- worthy record. Of the offerings made by this people during the great and final struggle between freedom and slavery, it is the purpose now to write. April 14, A. D. 1861, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, issued the following
PROCLAMATION :
WHEREAS, The laws of the United States have been, and now are, violently opposed in several states by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary way, I there- fore call for the militia.of the several states of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000,
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
to suppress said combination and execute the laws. I appeal to all loyal citizens to facili- tate and aid in this effort to maintain the laws and the integrity of the perpetuity of the popular government, and redress wrongs long enough endured. The first service assigned to the forces, probably, will be to repossess the forts, places and property which have been seized from the Union. Let the utmost care be taken, consistent with the object, to avoid devastation, destruction, interference with the property of peaceful citizens in any part of the country ; and I hereby command persons composing the aforesaid combination to dis- perse within twenty days from date.
I hereby convene both houses of Congress for the 4th day of July next, to determine upon measures for public safety which the interest of the subject demand.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States.
WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
The gauntlet thrown down by the traitors in the South was accepted- not, however, in the spirit with which insolence meets insolence-but with a firm, determined spirit of patriotism and love of country. The duty of the president was plain under the constitution and the laws, and above and beyond all, the people from whom all political power is derived demanded the suppression of the rebellion, and stood ready to sustain the authority of their representatives and executive officers.
The first war meeting held in Carroll County convened at the old court house on Wednesday evening, April 17, 1861, for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of organizing a military company to act in con- junction with other companies for the defense of a common country. T. T. Jacobs was chosen as president of that meeting, and S. C. Hays was appointed to act as secretary. Volney Armour stated the object of the meeting, when stirring speeches were made by J. P. Seedy and Hon. B. L. Patch.
V. Armour, B. L. Patch, A. Nase, Samuel Preston, of Mount Carroll, and Monroe Bailey, of York, were appointed to prepare a series of resolu- tions expressive of the sense of the meeting, and during their absence, short and enthusiastic speeches were made by Messrs. Hays, Colehower, Chapman and others. After an hour's absence, the committee returned and reported the following, which were unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, The people of several states of the Union are in open and armed rebellion against the Government of the United States, and have, without any reasonable excuse or any invasion of their rights by the general government, seized the forts, arsenals, and prop- erty of the government, and to crown their outrageous acts, have actually levied war upon the government, by their late attack on and forcible occupation of Fort Sumter; therefore, be it
Resolved, 1. That we, the citizens of Mount Carroll and vicinity, without distinction of party, hereby declare our unalterable attachment to the Union and Constitution as it is, and that we will stand by the stars and stripes, and support the administration in its measures to vindicate the rightful authority of the government in suppressing treason and enforcing the laws in all the states.
2. That we deem it our duty to organize a military company in this county, to meet any call that may be made by the government of the state, for the purpose of supporting the general government in the present emergency.
Volney Armour was then appointed as recruiting officer, when the meeting adjourned to meet again on Saturday evening, the 20th.
SATURDAY EVENING MEETING.
Pursuant to adjournment, the meeting re-assembled in the new court ยท house, for the purpose of commencing the organization of a volunteer com- pany to be tendered to the governor of the state. Judge Wilson presided at this meeting, and J. P. Emmert acted as secretary. Upon taking the chair, Judge Wilson electrified the audience with a manly and patriotic
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
speech, which was frequently interrupted with heart-swelling cheers. Judge Wilson was followed by Hon. W. T. Miller, Dr. B. L. Miller, H. A. Mills, C. B. Smith, Henry Ashway, James Shaw, V. Armour, N. Halderman, William T. Frohock, and others, with warm and patriotic speeches, which were heartily cheered.
Mr. Armour presented a roll for the signatures of volunteers, and the work commenced. While the roll was being signed, a delegation from York Township, headed by a martial band, entered the court house and were greeted with wildest applause. As soon as quiet was restored. Monroe Bailey, the chairman of the delegation, announced "that York Township was all on fire for the cause of their country-that nine of her sons had already enrolled themselves, and that at least as many more would before the Carroll County company was filled." This announcement created an enthusiasm that could not be restrained, and cheer after cheer greeted Mr. Bailey as he resumed his seat. The York boys were also greeted with hearty shouts as they filed forward to enroll their names.
During the reception of the names of volunteers, the following agree- ment was presented for signatures, which was promptly and unhesitatingly signed by a large number of prominent citizens:
We, the undersigned citizens of Carroll County, Illinois, do hereby agree to support, maintain and protect the families of all persons who may volunteer from our county for the defense of the honor and perpetuity of our beloved government, so long as said volunteers shall be engaged in such defense. For the performance of this agreement we pledge our sacred honor.
A subscription was then started for the purpose of raising money to defray the contingent expenses of the volunteers while completing their organization, and two hundred and fifty dollars were subscribed before the meeting adjourned.
Thus was awakened the war spirit in Carroll, and thus it continued till the war was ended.
Wednesday, April 24, the Carroll County Weekly Mirror, Messrs. I. V. Hollinger and A. Windle, publishers ; James Shaw, Esq., editor, sounded the key note to the war feeling in Carroll County, in the following editorial :
THE DIE IS CAST !
The whole country is in a flame of excitement; the fires of patriotism are being lighted in millions of Northern hearts ; while the dark fires of a hellish and infernal fanaticism are crazing the Southern mind. Sumter has fallen-the flag of our glorious country is trailed in the dus .- spurned, spit upon, insulted by Southern mutineers. Arsen- als and forts are taken by storm. Northern men are insulted, endangered, stain for no crime. The rebels are marching upon Washington. There is danger that the capital of our country will fall into their vandal hands. Virginia has seceded. Gov. Hicks, of Maryland, has proved a traitor. The bridges are broken down ; the railroad track is torn up; every thing is being done to hold back the forces of the Union, until Washington shall fall into the hands of those marching upon it.
Men of the great North, of the mighty West, must these things be ? Are we to tamely sit in inactivity until the whole country shall be overrun with a military usurpa- tion ? Is the nigger-driver to possess our government, make our laws, reduce us 10 bondage ?
Millions will answer-No! by the everlasting God, No !- Never! Next to our fire- sides and heartastones, the City of Washington is dear to the loyal American heart.
Let the old fires of the Revolution once again be lighted. Let patriotism and self- sacrificing devotion to our country warm every heart, and lead to promptness in action. Let all who can, volunteer. Let all who can not do this, give their prayers, their means, their sympathies, to the holy cause of freedom. Silence traitors and tories at home; stop the Southern boats on the upper Mississippi River. Keep our lead at home, until we give it to them in the shape of bullets; keep our iron until we can send it in the shape of swords,
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