Adams County, Illinois - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 8 of those read), 1879

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 8 of those read)

The following is the list of members of the general assembly, who have represented Adams county and the counties to which it was attached before its formation in 1825 :

County Officials

In August, 1835, the first election for county officials, under the first division into precincts, was held, the only officers to be elected being, recorder, surveyor, justices of the peace and constables. The total number of votes polled wa,& eleven hundred and ten. Charles W. Billington was elected recorder, and H. Patten, surveyor. The following officers were elected in the different precincts :

Clayton

At the sarae^tirae the question of a location for a county-seat was voted upon, and the town of Quincy received six hundred and eighteen votes, as against four hundred and ninety-two polled in favor of the commissioners stake. The excitement attending this election was considerable owing to the move made bj a few of the people of the county to move the county-seat from Quincy. The effort failed and the subject died out only to be revived at a later date.

First Court

The first Circuit Court of Adams county was held in August, 1825, in a log cabin about sixteen feet square, with a portico for the accommodation of the petit jury. It was situated at the foot of Vermont street; John Yorke Sawyer, Judge ; J. Turney, circuit attorney,, and John H. Snow, clerk. The Grand Juiy, after being charged by the court, retired to the shade of a large oak tree near by and commenced their deliberations - upon any and all violations of and against the laws of the State of Illinois, and particularly turned their attention to those infractions of the law which had been committed within the precincts of Adams county. It is related that they found indictments against a couple of the inhabitants of the county for quarrelling upon election day. The main reason, probably, why more indictments were not found is that the county officials, with the grand and petit juries, composed very nearly all the male citizens of the county. A few cases were tried, one by John Wood against Daniel Lisle for slander, Lisle having charged Mr. Wood with drowning a horse-thief in Bear Creek. This case probably originated from the fact that Mr. Wood and Mr. Keyes had some time before traded with a stranger for some hogs, who, after making his sale to them, "left for parts unknown," and they afterward found out that he was suspected of horse stealing. If "honest John Wood" had known his man at that time he would undoubtedly have put him under arrest, and if he could not have got him into confinement it would have been because of almost super-human efforts on the part of the thief. His disappearance, and Mr. Wood's law-abiding and energetic character being known, the story was started but never proven against him.

First Probate Matters

From an inventory and sale bill that is on file in the county clerk's office we obtain an idea of the character and value of a pioneer's personal property in 1826.

"The inventory of the estate of Moses T. Hastings, late of Adams county, deceased, appraised upon oath by us, the subscribers duly appointed to that service by Henry H. Snow, judge of the Court of Probate for the county of Adams, State of Illinois, viz.:

Let the reader picture for himself the scene on this Indian summer's day while the early settlers gathered around the auctioneer and rung in their " picayune " and " one bit " bids for the remnants of their poor companion's wardrobe.

About the 1st of June, 1851, the county was visited by a series of rain storms, which flooded the streams, washing away build ings, fences, bridges and roads; the loss to crops was very great. The bottom lands were overflowed for several weeks, and the people who had settled therein were compelled to leave on short notice. Streams which usually could be waded with ease became roaring rivers, and breaking through their banks washed away the wheat, oats, corn, and other crops which the thrifty people of the county had expended time and money upon in the hope that they would reap an abundant harvest. Most of the bridges wliich it was supposed at the time had been built above high-water mark, were also taken off in the mighty flood. The bottoms being submerged, and roads washed away, making it difficult for persons to travel, greatly retarded business of all kinds, and in no place was it more keenly felt than in the city of Quincy. Country people could not get to town, and as a consequence the merchants and tradesmen were at a standstill, so far as it related to traffic. As a natural consequence the Mississippi river went on the rampage and ran riot over all of the land included by the bluffs, and opposite to Quincj it was at one time from seven to fifteen miles wide. The highest point reached bj the water at Quincj, June 6th, was four feet higher than the highwater of 1844. Of course the oldest inhabitant was on hand to relate his experience and inform the people that he had witnessed higher water in 1826, but it appears that his story was not given any more credence than are the legends related by the same individuals of our day. It has been asserted by some that the highwater of 1844 was higher than that of 1851, yet whilst it is true that lower down the river and from the mouth of the Mississippi there flowed more water in 1844 than 1851, yet at Quincy and along the western shore of Adams county the water of 1851 was higher by some four feet, and to-day the highwater mark is reckoned by the record made in 1851.

Excessively warm weather followed the heavy rains, causing a great amount of sickness among those living in the bottom lands, which was a natural consequence owing to the great amount of decaying vegetable matter which was washed into and upon the lands which were overflowed.

Communists. - The "American Eagle" landed at the Quincy wharf on Tuesday, April 13, ]849, 281 French Communists who were on their way to Kauvoo with a view of making a permanent location. The}' were composed mostly of merchants and farmers, having with them their implements of husbandry and a variety of tools suited to their various trades.

The steamboat ofiicers reported them to be the most cleanly and industrious emigrants they ever met. The company was headed by Monsieur Cabet, who was many years a leader in the French House of Deputies, and was once banished from France by Louis Phillippe. They bought from the retiring Mormons some of their property, but did not make a great success of their settlement.

In the month of January, 1838, the citizens of Adams county commenced to move in relation to organizing an agricultural society, and on the 6th of the month a meeting was held at Columbus for that purpose. The meeting was organized by appointing Maj. J. H. Holton, President, and Kichard W. Starr, Secretary. Hon. J. H. Ralston in a few pertinent remarks explained the object of the meeting. A committee of seven was appointed, consisting of J. H. Ralston, Dunbar Aldrich, Daniel Harrison, Lytle Grifling, Colman Talbot, Stephen Boothe, and James Murphy, to adopt a constitution, and they having reported one to the meeting, it was adopted, and the society was organized by the election of the following officers:

The meeting was very much in earnest, and each and every one present pledged themselves to all that was in their power to make the society a success. At an adjourned meeting of the society held at Fairfield (now Mendon) on Saturday, June 26, President J. H. Holton in the chair, the

On Stock

Since the first agricultural society inaugurated the system of holding fairs and annual displays of stock and produce, the interest in such matters has been kept alive. Nearly every year from the formation of the first society a fair has been held within the county. In 1867 and 1868 the State Fair Association gave displays at the large and capacious fair grounds at Quincy, and by the large display and attendance caused much enthusiasm in that department. Immediately following, came the Mississippi Fair Association, and this was followed by associations of dift'erent names. At the present time two distinct organizations give fairs in the county. The Adams County Fair Association, which has selected Camp Point as the site for its grounds and improvements, is in fine financial condition, being out of debt and owning their own grounds. The following are the officers :

The Quincy Fair Association gives its displays on the Quincy Fair Grounds. The officers of the association are J. W. Smith, President ; B. W, Dickinson, Secretary, and U. S, Penfield, Treasurer, The following is the programme for the last meeting :