Ford County, Illinois - The whole text, 1908 (part 6 of 9)

Alfred Sample Avas born in Butler county, Ohio, November 27, 1846. lie came to Illinois in 1857. lived and labored on the farm until he was sixteen years of age when he enlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and fought resolutely for his country until ]\Iay, 1864. He received severe wounds in both arms and breast in the battle at Resaca, Georgia, and on account of which he was discharged in December, 1864. In January, 1865, he entered Eureka College, where, and at ]\Ionmouth College, he pursued a course for four years with a view of the study of law. Afterward taught school for a short time. He read law with Colonel R. G. Ingersoll at Peoria, Illinois, and was admitted to the bar in December. 1870; came immediately to Paxton and formed a partnership with ]\I. II. Cloud, under the firm name of Cloud & Sample, which lasted until the fall of 1872, when the firm of Pollock & Sample was formed, and was dissolved in 1877. In 1872, he was elected states attorney for this county, and was reelected to the same office in 1876, l)y a large majority. In 1880 he was chosen elector on the republican ticket, and cast his vote in the electoral college for James A. Garfield for president, and Chester A. Arthnr for vice president. From the Ix'ginning he was a remarkahh" successful lawyer, and was employed in several of the most important suits ever tried in the county, among which may be mentioned his employment by the railroad and warehouse commissioners to prosecute the Wabash Company for making unjust discriminations in tlieir rates for carriage of freight between Peoria, Illinois, and New York, and Ix'tween Oilman and New York. By nature adapted to tlie profession of the law, possessing tact, energy, industry and invincible determination, he allowed no cessation of hostilities until he was completely victorious or utterly vanquished. Tie for years served on the circuit bench.

Milton H. Cloud was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, July 24, 1842, came to Illinois in 1850, and settled on a farm in Tazewell county, where he lived until he \yas twenty years old, when he enlisted in the Eighty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served his country valiantly for three years as color-bearer. At the battle of Kenesaw IMountain he received two severe wounds. After the close of his military service he entered Eureka College for a time, then read law at Pekin, Illinois, and during the winter of 1866 was a student at the Chicago Law School, after which he completed his preparatory study of the law at Metamora, Illinois, in the office of R. T. Cassell & Son. He was admitted to practice in 1867, and commenced practice at El Paso, Illinois; came to Paxton in January, 1869. and soon acquired a fair practice. In 1871, the partnership of Cloud & Sample was begun and continued until 1872. INIr. Cloud was also states attorney for the county during the partnership. For the year 1875 he was city attorney for the city of Paxton. In 1876. he became a member of the loan and real-estate firm of Ilanley, Sutton, Cloud & Day. jMr. Cloud in the examination of titles, is probalily as proficient as any attorney in this part of the state. In 1882, he was appointed master in chancery for the county by 0. T. Reeves, circuit judge. In 1886 he was elected county judge of Ford county.

John R. Kinnear was born July 26, 1848, at AVest Point, Tippecanoe county, Indiana. He removed with his parents to Kingston. Ross county, Ohio, in 1844, and thence to Bloomington, Illinois, in the fall of 1849, and again to Walnut Grove, Woodford county, Illinois, in the spring of 1850; young Kinnear was reared on the farm. He attended Eureka (>)llege at Galesburg. Illinois and remained there until August, 1862, when he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, August 22, 1862. His regiment was mustered into the service August 27, at Peoria, Illinois, and on September 7, was ordered to Louisville, Kentucky, and immediately began active service. The regiment, belonging to the Army of the Cumberland, has an excellent record for fighting qualities, having been engaged in twenty-two pitched battles, besides numerous skirmishes. ]\Ir. Kinnear was constantly with his regiment, except one month of sickness at Nashville, and kept a daily record of its operations. After having faithfully served his country for four years, lacking two months and twenty-two days, he was mustered out with his regiment at Washington, District of Columbia, June 6, 1865. On his return to his home he was solicited l)y his conu'ades to prepare a history of the regiment from his notes, which he did in 1866. How well he performed his work is best shown by the fact that more than two thousand volumes were published and sold at one dollar and fifty cents per volume. Soon after he reached home he began the study of the law in the office of Judge Charles H. Chitty, at Metamora, Illinois. After reading two years in the office, he attended the Chicago Law School, during the winter of 1867-68, and located in Paxton in March of the latter year. Here he formed a partnership with Hon. C. H. Frew, which was dissolved July 20, .1871 ; he served as city attorney for the city of Paxton during the years 1869-70-71, and as master in chancery for Ford county four years, from August 28, 1873. In January, 1881, he formed a law partnership with John H. IMoffett, which lasted until his removal from Paxton. During his residence in Paxton he successfully conducted a large and lucrative practice, and w^as engaged in many of the most important suits tried in this county. Among them he was of counsel for General Hendrix, indicted for murder in McLean coimty, who w^as acquitted. He was married to Rebecca Means, of Bloomington, Illinois, June 2, 1868, and by wdiom he had two children, Ritchey and Zeta.

Hon. Calvin H. Frew is the son of Robert and Anna S. Frew, and a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He was raised on a farm, and devoted much of his time to reading, when not engaged in farm or other labor. When seventeen years old, he began teaching school, paying a share of his wages to his father, and using the remainder to pay his own expenses at the high school, and at Beaver Academy in Pennsylvania, and later, at the Vermilion Institute in Ohio. In 1862 he became the principal of the high school at Kalida, Ohio, and occupied a similar position in the high school at Young America, Illinois, in 1863-64. In this way he paid indebtedness incurred in obtaining his education, and at the same time pursued his preparatory study of law. In the spring of 1865 he settled in Paxton, and there piKsued his study in the law until the following December, when he was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Illinois. In 1868, less than three years after his admission to the bar, he was elected to the general assembly from Ford and Iroquois counties. During his first term as a member of that body, he became distinguished on account of his, then supposed, unconstitutional and radical views touching the power of the state to regulate the charges of the raihvay companies for the carriage of passengers and freight. On January 19, 1869, he introduced and supported by an able argument the following resolution: "Resolved that all privileges, powers or prerogatives acquired by railroad companies of the state government are subordinate to the general welfare of the people or community where constructed, and that the right of the state to exercise a reasonable control over such companies is one of which no power can divest the people." The doctrine embodied ill this resolution has since become the settled law of the land, having been declared such by the supreme court of Illinois, as well as by the supreme court of the United States. In 1870, he was reelected by a large majority from the counties of Ford and Kankakee. During this term also, he took an active part in securing amendments to and the passage of some of the most beneficial statutes of the state now in force. In 1878 he was elected a third time to the legislature, this time representing the counties of Ford and Livingston ; one of the most important laws passed by the legislature at this session was that requiring the foreclosure of trust deeds and mortgages in court instead of by advertisement, the passage of which IMr. Frew urged with his usual zeal and force. In public life Mr. Frew has always been diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving his constituency with that earnestness and fearlessness characteristic of men of bold, independent mind.

F. L. Cook was a native of New York. Besides having a good commonschool education, he attended Eureka College in AVoodford county and Knox College at Galesburg, Illinois, for more than five years. His father having enlisted in the Union army, his son had to (jiiit college to oversee his business affairs, that of grain buyer and railway agent at Kappa, Woodford county, Illinois. This he did from 1862 to 1866. In {ho fall of the latter year he went to the national capital as an employe of the state, to collect soldiers' claims, where he was engaged for three years. He then acted as private secretary for Senator Cullum, then a member of the lower house of congress from Illinois, afterward as clerk of the two house committee on territories and foreign affairs dnring the years 1869, 1870, 1871, as well as having charge of the payment of United States marshals in the census office. in .June, 1S71, lie gi'aduated from the Columbia Law School, D. C. but had been admitted to practice in Illinois, and located at Paxton as a lawyer soon thereafter. The city council appointed him its attorney to fill the unexpired term of J. C. Patton. deceased, and in 1877, lie was appointed master

Charles H. Yeomans, one of the first settled and most successful attorneys in Gibson City, was born in Delaware county. New York, December 2, 1846, and came to Illinois in 1850. In July, 1871, he graduated from Ripon College, Wisconsin, and received the degree of A. B., and in 1879 the degree of A. M. from the same institution. While pursuing his classical course at Ripon, he also read law under the supervision of Hon. Jesse Dobbs, at Ripon. and during vacations in the office of Hon. C. H. Wood, at Onarga, Illinois. In October, 1870, he was admitted to the Wisconsin bar, and to the Illinois bar in 1872 at Ottawa, Illinois, having located at Gibson the preceding July. By close attention to his professional business and untiring fidelity to his clients' interests, he secured a full share of law business, as well as the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens He held the office of city attorney for his adopted city, and was a member of the board of education. He was public spirited and enterprising, taking an active part in whatever movements were inaugurated for the social or commercial advancement of the young and flourishing city of his adoption so fortunately located in the fertile valley of the Sangamon river.

J. Rheese Patrick, fourth son of Mr. A. C. and Mrs. C. H. Patrick was born March 4, 1858, at Rural Valley, in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. During his boyhood days, until he was fifteen years old, he attended the common schools of his neighborhood in winter time and Avorked at the carpenter's trade during his vacations. Subsecpiently he took the full classical course of study at the Glade Run Academy, located at Dayton, Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1879 completed the post-graduate course in that institution, which entitled him to enter the sophomore class in college In the fall of 1879 he engaged to teach the public school at Pellsville, Vermilion county^ Illinois, as principal, which position he occupied for three successive years, and in the meantime began and completed his preparatory study of the law under the supervision of INIessrs. Kinnear & ]\Ioffett, attorneys in Paxton. In ]\Iay, 1882, he was admitted to the bar by the appellate court at Springfield, Illinois For six months thereafter he studied and worked in his profession in the office of Hon. Calvin II. Frew, of Paxton. He then opened an office and practiced on his own account. At the spring election of 1883, he had the honor to be elected to the office of city attorney for the city of Paxton, after a close contest, Milton II. Cloud, an older and more experienced lawyer, being his opponent.

Dr. Lockhart Brooks Farrar was born at Langdon, Cheshire county. New Hampshire, August 29, 1822. The death of his father occurred when the sub- jec't of this sketch was al)out four years old. Ilis mother then removed witli her family to Walpole, New Hampshire, where his boyhood and early manhood years w'ere passed. After attending the common schools and different academies in his native state, he tanght school for some years in various towns in New Hampshire and Vermont. He began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. George Smith, of Walpole, and completed his preliminary course in his profession with the late Dr. Hubbard Groves, of Nashua, New Hampshire. His first course of lectures w^as given at Woodstock, Vermont. 1iut he received his diploma from the Berkshire Medical College, of IMassachusetts, commencing in 1848. He practiced his profession for three years at Hollis. New Hampshire, then moved to Manchester, ^lassachusetts. The winter of 1854-55 he spent at the Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, and at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York city, and in the hospitals of those cities. In the spring of 1856 he came to Illinois, and to Paxton in the fall of 1858. In 1868 he began the study of law, and in 1871 took the law diploma from the INIichigan University and was admitted to the Illionis bar the same year. He opened a law office at Paxton and practiced that profession for about four years and then returned to the practice of medicine.

S. P. McLean was born ]\Iay 9, 1852, in Hancock county, A-'irginia. He resided in Carrollton. Ohio, half a dozen years, and then removed to Vermont, Illinois, in 1860. He was taught the harnessmaker's trade by his father, and thereby earned the money to give him a good college education.

He read law with Gest & Pooks, of Rock Island, Illinois, was licensed to practice on examination by the supreme court of Illinois, at Ottawa, in September, 1877, and in the fall of the same year came to Paxton and formed a law partnership with Hon. John Pollock, under the firm name of Pollock & IMcLean. A year later. Pollock retired from the practice of the profession, and McLean continued the business. At the spring election in 1879. he was elected city attorney for the city of Paxton, which position he held, in addition to a good general practice, until ^lay. 1880. wlieii lie resigned as city attorney, boxed his law library and entered journalism, begiiuiing as reporter on the Bloomington (111.) Daily Mail. As a newspaper man he was a "Bohemian." having been engaged in reportorial and editorial work on Ihc Seihilia (Mo.) Ba/oo. the (ii-cat Sonlhwcst of St. Louis, the Decatur Herald, IMooniington IMail, Lincoln Times and other sheets, and Avas editor of the Kankakee Times, and where his fi'iends jokingly said he was put under bonds to stay at least a year as a condition precedent to his employment. He was quite spicy and versatile as a writer, and h(>ld the usual adjustable political notions of newspaper i-epoi-fers. On .July 1)5. 1881. he was united in

S. P. Radv, attorney at law, at Gibson, Illinois, was horn in Floyd county, Indiana, in 1858. Until he was fifteen years old he worked on his father's farm in the summer season and attended the district school of his neighborhood during the winter. At the age of fifteen he became an assistant teacher in the high school in Galena, under his brother, William Rady. For the next nine years he taught school a part of the time and attended school the remainder of the time. While so engaged he went to Hartsville University, Indiana, and the National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, and graduated there in the scientific course in 1877. For three years thereafter he was principal of the high school at Lonadeser, Kentucky. Some time afterward, he accepted the principalship of the Gibson city public school, which he held for one year.

James Henry Lott was born May 7, 1855, at Charleston, in the state of South Carolina. His father was of mixed blood, being equally Indian and African, and was a free man and a carpenter by trade. His mother was a (luadroon and a slave, and by descent a granddaughter of Governor Pickens, of that state. Henry went to Boston in 1865, as valet to Colonel Nutt, of the Fifty-fifth Massachusetts Colored Volunteers, and in the fall of the same year came to Tuscola, Illinois, where he attended the public schools until 1873, and in the meantime learned the barber's trade. In 1878 he went to Terre Haute, Indiana, where he read law in the office of Doris & Doris, for eighteen months, and in 1881 came to Paxton, Illinois, and resumed his law studies in October of the latter year, under the supervision of A. Sample. On the 23d day of November, 1863, he was admitted to the bar, after a rigid examination by a committee of three eminent lawyers, appointed by the appellate court of the third district, then in session at the state capital, to examine applicants for admission. His knowledge of his chosen profession in thoroughness and extent was undoubtedly^ equal to if not above the average of beginners. He certainly deserved much credit for the determination he has shown to succeed, for it must be remembered that during most of the time he had been engaged in preparation for the law practice, he earned a livelihood for himself and family at the barber's chair, and only acquired his knowledge of law and other subjects while others slept.

John II. Mofpett, who in 1884 was one of the youngest and most successful members of our l)ar, was born in Clayton, Adams county, Illinois, February 25, 1857. In 1859 he emigrated with his i)arents to lUoomington, Indiana, and in the spring of 1865 to Paxton, Illinois. Here he graduated from the public school, standing at the head of his classes, in 1875. Desiring more extended education, he repaired to ]\Ionniovith College in the fall of the same year and there studiously applied himself until the spring of 1877. when he began his investigations of the intricacies of the law in the office of John R. Kinnear, then one of the leading lawyers of the Ford county l)ar, and in January. 1880. was admitted to practice. He immediately formed a partnership with his preceptor under the firm name of Kinnear & IMoffett. which lasted until May, 1883, when Mr. Kinnear took his departure for Seattle, Washington. After that, he conducted as resident partner the law business of the firm of Tipton & :\Ioffett. During the years 1881-82, he held the office of city attorney for the city of Paxton.

The Present Members op the Ford County Bar are : Milton II. Cloud, and F. IM. Thompson, composing the firm of Cloud & Thompson; A. jMcElroy; C. 11. Frew; H. IT. Kerr (now county judge) and Frank Lindley, composing the firm of Kerr & Lindley; ]\I. L. ]\IcQuiston and G. Frederick, IMcQuiston & Frederick, C. E. Beach; R. A. McCracken; Samuel Ludlow and A. L. Phillips, Phillips & Ludlow; C. S. Schneider and R. L Schneider, Schneider & Schneider; 0. H. Wylie; Harry Duffield, (city attorney) Paxton; H. P. Beach, M. H. Scott, Piper City; L. A. Cranston, (states attorney) Gibson City.

The Ford Circuit Court

The legislature of the state of Illinois in the act organizing Ford county placed it in the eighth judicial circuit, and provided that the judge of said circuit should hold a term of court, on the organization of the county, at a place to be desigiuited by the county court.

February 4, 1861, an act was passed, organizing the twenty-seventh judicial circuit, in which were placed the counties of Vermilion, Champaign, Douglas and Ford. Our county remained in this circuit until 1867. when on January 29, by an act of the legislature, the counties of Moultrie, Shelby, IMaeon, Piatt, Fayette, Champaign and Ford were united in the seventeenth circuit.

In April, 1872, the legislature again changed the circuit, placing us in the twentieth, with tlie counties of Kankakee, Iroquois and Livingston.

Under act of the legislature approved and in force ]\Iarch 28, 1873, the state was again divided into circuits, McLean and Ford constituting the four- teentli. By act Jiine 2, 1877, in force July 1, 1877, the state, excliLsive of Cook county, was divided into thirteen circuits. The counties of McLean, Ford, Kankakee, Iroquois and Livingston forming the eleventh.

The arrangement of counties under this act, together with the additional judge elected under its provisions, made the numher of judges in each of said circuits three.

The following judges have held circuit courts in Ford county : Hons. David Davis, Charles Emerson, 0. L. Davis, James Steel, A. J. Gallagher, Charles H. Wood, Thomas F. Tipton, J. W. Cochran, 0. T. Reeves, N. J. Pillsbury, Franklin Blades, Alfred Sample, Charles R. Starr, Colestin I), flyers, George W. Patton, John TI. Moifett and Thomas IVI. Harris.

The Hon. David Davis, of Bloomington, was the presiding judge; Samuel L. Day, clerk ; Howard Case, sheriff ; and Ward H. Lamon, states attorney. The first grand jurors were James P. Button, Matthe\r Elliott, ]\Iilton Strayer, Obadiah Campbell, Sidney Morgan, Solomon Burt, John B. Buell, Leander Britt, Lindsey Corblej^, John Brown, Leander Butts, John P. Day, Richard Bryan, John Dopps, Sr., William Bryan, Robert Eggleston, Peter Van Antwerp, Robert N. Scovill and William Newlin.

"The charge to the grand jury was made by the judge himself, who also administered the oaths. In his charge, the judge urged them to do their whole duty as men and jurors, and as they were just starting in a new county to be careful and see that all depredations committed in their neighborhood were presented to the jury and returned to the court. The judge said, 'rid your neighborhood of all petty thieves and lawbreakers, and return them to this court.'

"Hon-. David Brier, of Bloomington, defended the location selected by the county commissioners for the courthouse. After carefully listening to both sides, the court gave his opinion in the matter. In doing so, he complimented County Judge David Patton, saying he had been acciuainted with him a number of years, and that his opinions as a lawyer were considered carefully made and well taken, but in this case the court must differ with him.

"One criminal case was tried at this term of court. It was on a change of venue from Vermilion county, where a man had stolen a kit of fish weighing fifty pounds from the railway depot at Danville. In this trial, three of the jury were from the Pan Handle. The prisoner was very ably defended by an attorney from Danville. The defense set up was that the value of the fish stolen was less than five dollars, and introduced witnesses to prove that this was the fact. One of these, Mr. Barnhouse, of Prairie City, swore that a kit of fish, such as the one stolen, was sold in his town for from four and a half dollars to four dollars and seventy-five cents. In the cross-examination. States Attorney W. H. Lamon brought out that the witness knew nothing of the value of fish in Danville, and as Danville was the place from which the fish was stolen, the Danville price must be that at which it was valued. In his charge to the jury. Judge Davis said if they found that the prisoner was guilty, and that the fish stolen was valued at five dollars or over, the penalty was not less than one nor more than five years in the penitentiary. After a short consultation, the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and set the penalty at one year in the penitentiary.

"The whole business of the court was carried on more like a general school of instruction to a class of students than anything else that the writer can compare it to. A local attorney, Mr. JMorse, who had a client, and wishcnl to get a continuance of his case, had prepared an affidavit setting forth the reasons for not being ready for trial. In the affidavit there was some very strong language used in behalf of his client, to wliirli Judge Davis listened as long as he could, but, after a little, exclaimed, 'Tut, tut, tut, young man, you should never get your client to swear to any such thing as that. Never allow 3^our clients to perjure themselves. It is the duty of an attorney to keep his client out of trouble, and not get him into it.' "

I'rior to the formation of the fourteenth judicial ciivuit, in 187-4, the district Iiad been so large that Ihc jiulges could not give the necessary time to our (ounly to dispose of Ihe husincss. Since that (hite, the business has ])een kept well in haiul, it being the fre(|ucnt custom when cases could not otherwise be disposed of, to lioid night sessions.

Judge Tipton, of Bloomingtou, at one time to clear the docket of long pending cases, made a custom of holding court until near midnight, and sometimes even later, or rather earlier.

As an illustration of the confidence of the bar and litigants in the court, there was one term when a full week passed in the trial of causes, and in only one case was a jury called; in all the others by agreement, jury was waived, and trial had before the court.

One of the most aggravated murders committed thus far in the history of our county was that of Robert A. ^filler. He was a farmer, Avell advanced in life, of quiet, kindly disposition, loved by his neighbors, respected by all and without a single enemy as far as he knew. For many years he had lived on his farm in the north part of Wall township, some seven miles northwest of Paxton.

On the early morning of October 7, 1875, he took his cows to water to a well, some little distance from the house by the edge of a cornfield. A nephew of Miller, Willis Conn, a single man some twenty years of age, who lived near Rantoul, hatl the afternoon of the day before come to Paxton and bought a revolver. After testing it, he procured sufficient lunch for his supper and breakfast, ami then went to a vacant house in the neighborhood of Robert A. ]\Iiller, where he spent the night. Very early in the morning, he had come down to his uncle's, and had concealed himself in the corn just near this well, close to where he knew his victim would pass in watering his stock. When his uncle had come near enough to gratify his murderous desire, he fired the shot with deadly certainty, the ball entering the right side and penetrating near the heart.

His uncle fell mortally wounded ; l)ut not satisfied with this Conn rushed up to the fallen body, and, putting the weapon close to the head of his victim, fired the second shot, and immediately disappeared. As soon as the neighbors received the alarm, and gathered in sufficient numbers, search was at once begun for the murderer, and a messenger sent to the sheriff^ at Paxton. On receiving word of the tragedy, warrant was issued, and Sheriff: Lyman started for the scene.

About a mile out of town, he met a man afoot, who told him he was the party he was looking for, and that he had shot Uncle Bobby Miller, and gave himself up. Conn was at once taken into custody, put in jail, and held to await his trial.

Circuit court sat in December, when he was indicted, and his trial began December 9, 1875, and lasted four days. A. Sample, states attorney, was assisted by M. H. Cloud in the prosecution, and the prisoner was represented by M. B. Thomson, of Urbana, Illinois. No trouble was experienced in impaneling a jury. The ground of defense was insanity, which was most persistently presented by defendant's counsel. The fact and circumstances of the killing were not disputed. A number of physicians of reputation testified as to the mental condition of the prisoner. Some to the effect that he was wholly irresponsible for his acts, and others that, while at times this might be true, yet that he had the power to distinguish between right and wrong, and if so, was responsible.

"The court instructs the jury for the people that the complete possession of reason is not essential to constitute the legal responsibility of the offender, and although the jury may believe from the evidence that at the time of the act the person was not of sound mind; yet, if the jury believe from the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the prisoner had the power to distinguish right from wrong, and to adhere to the right and avoid the wrong as applied to the particular act charged, then he is responsible to the law for his act.

"The jury are instructed for the defendant, that if they believe from the evidence in the case that at the time of the killing that said defendant was insane, and that though they may believe he had some idea of right and wrong; yet if the jury believe from all the evidence that the defendant was driven to said act by an irresponsible insane impulse which he was on account of such insanity unable to control, then, and in that case, there Avould be no such intent to commit crime charged, and in that case the jury should find the defendant not guilty."

The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary for twenty years. His conduct and appearance during the trial tended strongly to prove that he was not in his right mind. He sat heedless during the investigation, showing neither concern nor fear, and save when the verdict was read in open court, did he seem to realize the terrible punishment before him. He was promptly sentenced and taken to Joliet, but only lived to serve about two years of his time.

On December 19, 1878, Joseph Borowick, living in the southern part of Sullivant township, the head of a family of Polanders, was shot and mortally wounded. Investigation developed the fact that they had procured a large

The old gentleman- while in this condition, as was his wont, undertook the task of whipping his wife. In the progress of the trouble, his stepson, Maik Borowick, became involved, and, as was supposed, in defense of his mother, fired the shot which caused the killing.

]\Iaik was at once arrested, sent to jail, indicted at the April and tried at the August term of circuit court, 1879, his Honor, Judge Reeves presiding. A. Sample, state's attorney, prosecuted, and Judge Tipton, of Bloomingt<.n, defended the prisoner.

The trial was beset with many difficulties. The chief witnesses were Poles and Bohemians, and being uiuible to speak our language, had to be questioned through an interpreter. The best interpreter that could be obtained was, in many instances, unable to make the witness fully understand the questions of the lawyers, or obtain an intelligent answer. The evidence was entirely circumstantial, and that not the strongest class. The weather was extremely hot, the defendant and his mother appeared largely indifferent to the progress of the trial, and the public took but little interest in the case.

The trial lasted three days, and a verdict of guilty of manslaughter was rendered, and ]\Iaik Borowick was sentenced to the penitentiary for a term of five years - five days to be spent in solitary confinement and the residue at hard labor. While the prisoner manifested no great anxiety in his trial, when it was over and he understood that his punishment was imprisonment and not hanging, he seemed very highly pleased.

On April 2G, 1880, in Padua township, McLean county, Illinois, Henry Stovenour and Frank Bailey were killed, and Hendryx was on INIay 5 indicted by the grand jury of McLean county for committing the offense. On the petition of the defendant, change of venue was granted to Ford county, where trial was had at the December term of circuit court, 1880, his Honor, Judge Reeves, presiding.

The case was very hotly contested, the people being represented by States Attorney Porter, of McLean, and Cook, of Ford county, and General Schenck, of Indiana. Messrs. Tipton & Ryan, of Bloomiugton, and John R. Kinnear, of Paxton, appearing for the defendant.

The trial lasted eleven days, while over two hnndred witnesses were in attendance from INIcLean comity. Great interest was manifested by the pub- lie, and crowds filled the courtroom during the progress of the trial. The plea relied on by prisoner's counsel to secure acquittal was that of self-defense, Avhich was urged with great ingenuity and persistency in the selection of the jury and during the progress of the trial. An entire day was occupied by counsel in presenting the case to the jury. The trial was concluded late in the afternoon, and the jury then retired. After Ix'ing out about three hours, a verdict of "not guilty" was returned, and the prisoner was discharged. The costs in this case to JMcLean county were several thousand dollars, and to Ford county not a few hundred.

The following gentlemen sat on the jury in this case : Ira W. Hand, James Boyd, Charles A. Cook, Joseph Bushnell, William II. Crowe, Fred Potts, Frank P. Xewhart, James F. Ellis, Jacob Snider, John Clayton, Isaac Palmer and E. Atw^ood.

A homicide which our circuit court was called upon to investigate was that of Abram Thorp. He was a young man and unmarried. He had lived in the vicinity of Paxton, near Trickel's Grove. On Sabbath morning, Sej)- tember 30, 1883, his dead body was found lying on the sawdust in Larkin's ice-house, located in the alley in the rear of the St. Elmo Restaurant. He had apparently been killed by a severe blow on his head.

James Ryan was at once suspected and arrested. At the coroner's inquest it Mas shown that Ryan and Thorp had a difficulty the night previous, during which Thorp had severely bitten Ryan's lip; that both men were more or less intoxicated, and that early Sabbath morning Ryan had said in substance that "he had got even with Abe."

On this and other evidence he was held for the grand jury, and was indicted in December, but obtained a continuance until the April term, 1884, when his trial was had. The case was called and jury selected on Tuesday tlie 8th, and verdict was I'didcrcd on the following Saturday. Some thirty witnesses were sworn on behalf the people and about the same number for the defense. A. Sample was associated with F. L. Cook, states attorney, in the prosecution, which was most vigorous.

The prisoner being unable to employ counsel, his honor. Judge Reeves, at the term at which indictment was found, assigned as his attorneys E. C. Gray and Judge Tipton, who were assisted on the trial by J. II. IMoffett. Tlic plea of Ryan was "not guilty." The evidence, though wholly circiunstantial, satisfied the jury beyond doubt of the defendant's guilt. The jury retired on Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning returned their verdict, which was:

States Attorney

Previous to LS72 the district of the states attorn(\v was coextensive with that of the circi\it .judge Init by an act passed in 1872 each county elected a states attorney. The names of the g:entlemen who served as states attorney at the various sessions of onr circuit courts up to 1872. are: Ward H. Lamon, Vermilion county; J. G. Cannon, of Douglas county; and M. B. Thompson, of Champaign countj^

The General Assembly

By the aet of January 31, 1861, the representation was fixed at twenty-five senators and eighty-five representatives. Ford county was placed in the ninth senatorial district and the forty-second representative district. This being the first appointment since the organization of Ford, the county was represented for the two preceding years in the senate Ijy Thomas A. Marshall, of Coles, and in the house of representatives for the same time by Samuel G. Craig, of Vermilion. The ninth senatorial district included the counties of Coles, Douglas, Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, Vermilion. Colonel Charles Bogardus represented Ford county in the senate, from 1888 to 1899.

Ford county was represented in the lower house by Charles Bogardus, from 1884 to 1888; John A. Montelius, 1901 to 1903; A. L. Phillips, 1905 to 1907.

The First Courthouse

When the new county of Ford was organized, a great and pressing want was a suitable place for holding court, rooms for county officers and a jail. There had been considerable discussion as to the proper site for the county buildings, and some propositions were presented to the county court in regard thereto. However, on tlie 16th day of January, 1860, the question was definitely settled by an order entered in the county court providing for the location of the courthouse and jail on the site where the present one now stands.

In June of the same year, an agreement was entered into for the erection of the courthouse ; the county judge and associate justices representing the county, and James F. Hall being the contractor.

The original cost as provided in the contract was fixed at eleven thousand dollars but tlie plans being afterward somewhat changed and enlarged permission was granted by a vote of the people, April, 1861, to add four thousand dollars to the first amount. In December, 1861, an additional contract was made with Mr. Hall, and the total price increased to sixteen thousand dollars, the additional cost being for excavation of the basement, grading the yard and construction of outbuildings.

On February 13, 1862, the building was accepted by the board of supervisors, and a county order issued to ]\Ir. Hall for two thousand eight hundred and ninety dollars. The records are not very cle;ir as to this sum. tlie writer being under the impression that this was the balance still unpaid on the sixteen thousand dollars, until assured by parties conversant with the facts that this last payment was for additional improvements not named in the contracts. This would bring the total cost of the courthouse, as it then stood, up to eighteen thousand eight hundred and ninety dollars. The explanation for these additions to the original contract price is made "that the original plan was found unsatisfactory, and that it was thought best to make the change at that time rather than after the work was completed under the first contract." Nothing appears to the contrary but that the supervisors and others representing the county acted wisely in this regard. Bonds were issued for sixteen thousand dollars, bearing interest at the rate of ten per cent per annum.

The courthouse as first built, contained on the first or ground floor offices for the county clerk, circuit clerk, and sheriff, rooms for the jailer and family and cells for the prisoners. The second floor contained court and jury rooms.

After completion of the jail, the cells in the courthouse were removed, and in their stead the circuit clerk's office was fitted up. The county clerk occupied the room formerly used by the jailer. In INIarch, 1875. a contract was entered into with William Daniels for building fire-proof vaults at the west end of the courthouse, and other improvements, including the fitting up of the clerk's offices as already mentioned. The total cost of the same was two thousand nine hundred and sixty-nine dollars and eighty cents. The courthouse was of ample size to meet the wants of our county for many years.

Sheriff'S Residence And Jail

At a session of the board of supervisors. INlay, 1871, a committee, consisting of Supervisors C. E. Henderson. William Noel and James H. Flagg, was appointed, with instructions "to examine iiilo tbc matter of building a new jail or to repair the old one so as to l)e capable of holding prisoners, and for that purpose they are hereby authorized to go abroad and examine such jails as in their judgment will be suitable."

At the meeting of the board in June, the committee reported, as the result of tlieir labors, a plan for a county jail. The board accepted the report and decided in favor of erecting a sheriff's residence and a jail. The plan presented by the committee was followed.

The board again met in July of the same year, and appropriated twenty thousand dollars for the erection of the buildings named and directed the count\' clerk to issue county orders from time to time as directed by the building committee, but not to exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars. The orders were to bear interest at ten per cent per annum.

Six-tenths of the county tax collected each year was set apart to meet the payment of these county orders. jMessrs. Henderson, Noel and Flagg were placed in charge of the work on behalf of the county.

In September, 1871, the board made an additional appropriation of twelve thousand dollars, "for the completion of the sheriff's residence and jail, said orders to bear interest at ten per cent per annum, six thousand dollars to be paid in five years, and six thousand dollars in ten years." The total cost of these buildings, not including discounts on county orders, was something more than twenty-eight thousand dollars. This is ascertained by the orders issued and estimating discounts on the same, there being no funds in the county treasurv at the time.

The New Courthouse

The old courthouse was a scene of many interesting things in the history of the county. ]\Iany men, who afterward became distinguished citizens of the nation, took part in the varied litigation conducted in its courtrooms. Among these may be mentioned, Ex-Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court David Davis, now dead; Hon. J. G. Cannon, speaker of the national house of representatitves ; and in the early days states attorney of the district then including Ford county.

In December. 1905, a decision was reached by the board of supervisors to remodel the old courthouse. At the following January meeting the sum to be expended for the work was fixed at fifty-five thousand dollars. The plans for the practically new structure were awarded to Joseph W. Royer, of Urbana, Illinois, and he was employed as architect. John lehl, H. A. MeClure and J. P. Glass were named as the first building committee.

The new building is located on the site of the old courthouse at Paxton, and is a two-story and basement building, ninety-four by eighty feet in extreme dimensions. It is constructed in a most su1)stantial manner, according to the latest and most approved methods used in modern fire-proof buildings, the materials used being concrete, stone, terra cotta and steel. The building is designed in tlie renaissance style of architecture, all molding, pilasters, cornices, etc., having classic outlines. The beautiful structure is surmounted b>' a low copper-covered dome. The base, entrance-ways, quoins on corners and architraves around windows are of buif Bedford stone. The cornice and cartouches are of terra cotta, while tlie balistrade around the roof is of brick and stone. All exterior portions of the building, where stone and terra cotta are not used, are laid up in very dark, vitrified brick, thus giving a great contrast. The roof is made of tile laid in concrete, which, in turn, is supported by steel trusses and beams. The heighth of the main corridor from the ground is forty feet, and the heighth of dome, at base of flag-staff, is seventy-two feet.

The interior of the linilding is finished throughout in best manner, all floors and walls being fire-proof. All corridors and public spaces in offices have tile floors and marble wainscoating. The stairs are of iron and steel, with marble treads and landings. The woodwork throughout is of white oak, with furniture and fixtures to match. The interior is decorated in oil colors, very artistically executed, and presents a very pleasing effect to the eye, as well as being extremely durable.

The basement is occupied by storage vaults, boiler room, fuel room, work room, Grand Army room and coroner's room, and is aided by a stair leading from main corridor on first Hoor.

The first floor is occupied l)y the principal officers of the county. As you enter the l)uilding at the center of the front, you find at the right, the county clerk's, county treasurer's and the county judge's rooms. On the left, are the offices of the circuit clerk, the sheriff' and tlic board of supervisors. All principal offices are provided with ample vault room and private offices.

The stairs leading from the first to the second floor, are directly in line with the main entrance, and form one of the main features of the building.

On Die second floor are the offices of the county superintendent of schools and the states attorney; also the circuit courtroom, jury room, lawyers room, law library, judge's private office and toilet rooms for men and women, as well as the ladies waiting room.

While th(> Ford comity courthouse is not as large as those of some other c(mnties, a careful inspection of the building will convince one that, owing to the convenient arrangement and equipment, the accommodations of the build- ing are equal to those of many larger and- more costlj' struetures. The building is fully equipped with electric lights and fixtures, and is also piped throughout for gas.

The new courthouse building, in which the people take the greatest pride, was dedicated with appropriate exercises, June 11, 1908. The building was occupied early in the fall of 1907.

MASTER OF CEREMONIES - JUDGE M. H. CLOUD. MASTER OF PARADES AND PROCESSIONS - MAYOR C. E. BEACH. CHIEF MARSHAL - E. A. GARDNER. AIDES - AUGUST KOEHNE, A. DILLON, JOHN WALDRON AND D. M. BRENEISA.

Dinner One Thirty O'Clock P. M.

Presentation of Keys of New Courthouse by John lehl, introduced by J. W. Gilkerson, Chairman of Building Committee. Response and Acceptance of Keys by George Stockdale, Chairman of Board of Supervisors.

The county almshouse was erected in 1897. It is built of brick, with stone trimmings, three stories with basement and attic. It has accommodations for about fifty inmates and is equipped with ample facilities for their care. There are also good, substantial outbuildings, such as barn, toolhouse, slaughterhouse, sheds, etc.

The farm is composed of one hundred and sixteen and fifty-seven hundredths acres and is kept in a high state of cultivation and well stocked with the necessary farm animals, n)achinery, etc. The pauper relief expenses of the county have been much reduced since this farm was purchased and put in operation.

On November 6. 1867, an election was held to determine "whether said county of Ford shall subscrilie to the capital stock of the Lafayette. Bloomington & Mississippi Railway to the amount of four thousand dollars per mile, for tlie distance which said road shall traverse said Ford county to aid in the foustruction of said railway."

This subscription amounted to one lumdi-ed and twelve thousand dollars, the distance ])eing twenty-eight miles. A majority of votes were cast for the project.

On .laiiiKify 17. 1868, an election was held "to dctcr-mine whether said county sliall subscri])e to the capital stock of the Lafayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railway to the amount of thirty thousand dolhirs, in addition to what has already been subscribed."

This pi'ojxjsition was also adopted. In December, 1871, a coiiunittee representing the ])oar(l of supervisors reported that the railroad company had complied with all r('(|iiirements of the l)oar(l. The (lucstion arising upon issuing the bonds as voted to the amount of one hundred and forty-two thousand dol- lars, David Keigliin, then a supervisor from IMona, introduced a resolution fixing the rate of interest at six per cent, which was defeated by a vote of six to five.

On January 2, 1872, the board ordered the bonds issued for the full amount, payable in ten .years, with interest at ten i^er cent per annum. The certificate of stock was thereupon issued at the county by the railroad authorities.

Similar certificates were issued to other counties and several townships which had voted aid to this railroad. It was afterward claimed by these counties and townships that this was the only bona fide stock in this railroad, notwithstanding that certificates of stock had been issued to indivduals by the directors of said road in sufficient amounts to control the elections in selecting directors ; and thus control the railroad.

In the latter part of 1873, the board directed Alfred Sample, states attorney, to investigate the management and records of said railroad. Mr. Sample did so and made an exhaustive and satisfactory report to the board of the results of his labors, he having carefully examined the company's books at Toledo, Ohio. At the next annual meeting for the election of directors of the Lafayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railway, held at Bloomington, Illinois, January 20, 1874, representatives of the several townships and counties appeared and presented their claims to be heard, etc. A warm, interesting and somewhat noisy meeting was held, which resulted in those representing the railroad company withdrawing and holding their meeting elsewhere.

The representatives of the people remained at the appointed place and proceeded to elect a board of twelve directors, those from Ford county being 0. D. Sackett, Alfred Sample, John H. Collier and Merton Dunlap, who had been authorized by the board of supervisors to represent the interests of this county at said meeting.

The following officers were then elected: F. Henderson, president; 0. D. Sackett, vice president; N. S. Sunderland, treasurer; A. Sample, attorney; Merton Dunlap, secretary.

The contest for the control of the railroad continued for about two years in the courts, when the w^hole matter was suddenly brought to an end by the sale of the railroad under the mortgage which was given by the directors of the road at an early period of its existence.

While this relieved Ford county from any further responsibility in the management of the railroad, the indebtedness of one hundred and forty-two thousand dollars still remained.

On Jaimai-y 22, 1S80, a contraet was entered into Ijetween the board of supervisors and a firm in New York eity by whieh these bonds were funded into six per cent bonds, due in twenty 3^ears, witli the privik^ge to the county of paying the same any time after five years.

It seems proper in this connection to make a brief menti3n of the contest between the people and the railroad companies, beginning in 1873. It was claimed that the latter were charging illegal and unjust rates for passenger fare and freights. This question assumed such a magnitude in Ford county that in the election for county officers in that year the voters united without regard to party, and the "Farmers' ticket" was elected by a large majority.

The state legislature passed a stringent law against unjust discriminations, and prescribed that three cents per mile for roads of the class of the Illinois Central should be the maximum charge for passenger travel. Rates for transportation of freights were also fixed. A board of railroad commissioners was appointed whose duty it was to see this law enforced.

The contest continued in the court for several years with but little success for the people. In December, 1879, a public meeting was held at the courthouse in Paxton, at which a resolution was adopted requesting A. Sample, states attorney, to prosecute all infractions of the railroad law in Ford county. Soon after this, commissioners met the business men and farmers of this locality in this city. Mr. Sample presented an extended list of extortionate rates imposed by the railroads in violation of law. Of the commissioners, Hon. William Smith, chairman, and Mr. Oberly earnestly favored the enforcement of the law.

This meeting, through which was manifested the determination of the people to push matters, provoked considerable interest among the railway officials. Some of them came to this place to investigate as to how far the people were disposed to go and if matters coidd not be compromised.

Briefly stated, after considerable agitation and correspondence between the iMJIway managers. Chairman Smith and ^Mr. Sample, the leading roads concluded to comply with flic law as to passenger and freight rat(>s. Sul)se((U(>ntly another serious ({uestion ai'ose regai'ding freights from within and without the state, the companies claiming this to be a matter to be regulated by congress. East and west lines charged, for example, more on freight from Oilman to New York city tlian from Peoria, a distance of eighty-five miles.

The matter was finally detci-minod in favor of t]i(> state law by a suit brought ill the Foi'd comity circuit court In' Mr. Sample in 1882. The case was stfongly contested by the i-ailroads, but the supreme court decided

War Of The Rebellion

WAR OF THE REBELLION. Ford county, at the breaking out of the war of 1861, being so recently formed and having a population of less than two thousand, did not organize any company of soldiers. However, many of our patriotic citizens enlisted in commands organized in adjoining counties and elsewhere in the state. It would give us pleasure to publish their names in this work, but the difficulty of obtaining a complete list is insurmountable, and a partial list would be very unsatisfactory.

At a meeting of the supervisors, August, 1862, a resolution was introduced by Supervisor Button and duly adopted, providing for a county tax of five mills on the dollar for the purpose of paying each volunteer sixty dollars and to create a fund for the support of soldiers' families during their absence.

In April, 1864, a draft having been ordered to fill the ciuota of this county for seventy-eight men, an order was adopted by the supervisors offering a bounty of one thousand dollars to each man drafted, who should be accepted by the government.

However, it transpired that bounties b}^ counties exceeding the sum of three hundred dollars were illegal, and efforts were made to legalize this one thousand dollars bountj^ by a special act of the general assembly. It did not succeed, and consequently but three hundred dollars could be paid to each man. February, 1865, the sum of fifteen thousand dollars was appropriated b3' the supervisors to procure volunteers to fill the county quota, the amount for each volunteer not to exceed three hundred dollars.

On page 276 of said report is the following, showing "expenditures and liabilities incurred by Ford county in aid of the suppression of the late rebellion, as reported to the adjutant general's office:

Piper City Guards

Company C, Ninth Battalion Illinois National Guards, was organized March 27, 1876. The list of original members has been furnished, and is as follows, viz:

The company was reorganized September 4, 1877, in accordance with the new military code, and under the consolidation of the different regiments and battalions May 4, 1882, was assigned to the Fourth Regiment, and was known as Company H.

Reminiscences By R. R. Murdock

My first visit to the western - now the middle western states was in the autumn of 1852. I came by canal packet boat to Buft'alo, by rail to Cleveland, by steamer to Toledo (the railroad between the latter places was not in operation) and by Michigan Southern railroad to Chicago, stopping en route to visit friends in southern Michigan. From Chicago, a side trip was made to JMilwaukee by steamer returning by rail and stage (an open sleigh) via Madison, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois. This was not a ''Homeseeker's" trip, for at that time I had no thought of making a home in the west, but the microbe got in its work and in due time, developed into a case of genuine western fever.

In the spring of 185;] ]\Ir. E. R. Fay and myself came west together and without nuu'h delay he (U'eich'd to locate in Ottawa, Illinois. lie opened an office there and in due time became a leading l)anker of the i)la,ce. This time I did not stay west long but came again the foUowing s])ring prepared to make some investments. Three or four of us joined together and employed a surveyor (Major Ilitt) and he and I made many selections from government lands in Livingston county, and went together to the land ottice in Danville to purchase the same, but for some reason they could not, or woidd not sell at that time but placed our aijplication on tile; but nothing eanie of it. It was claimed that other filings were ahead of ours. Returning from Danville via the Danville and Ottawa travel road, we evidently passed over the present site of Paxton, l^iit there was nothing in sight, not even a railroad stake, as I believe, to fix the location in my memory, but I claim this was my first visit to Paxton. About 4 P. M. our road led us near to D. C. Stoners' house, which he had built and moved his family iuto a, short time before. Learning that there was no house of any kind on this line of road nearer than Oliver's Grove, twenty miles or more away, we decided to remain with the Stoners over night. This was my first night in Ford county.

]\Iy second trip through Ford county was in 1854. A business trip for H. F. Fames, then a banker at Ottawa and later president of Commercial National Bank of Chicago, took me to Decatur via the Illinois Central main line, thence to Danville by stage coach. Rain and mud interfered with further progress. Finally, learning that the Illinois Central (Chicago branch) was laid as far south as Pera (now Ludlow) and that a mixed train left that point for Chicago at about two P. M. each day, another party and I engaged a livery man to take us to that place, agreeing to pay him ten dollars if he got us there before the train left, otherwise eight dollars The last mile or two was made with the team on the full run nnd the locomotive calling us at every jump. We got into Chicago at about 1 A. M. next morning. We were the only passengers and we left the train at Hyde Park, then cpiite outside the city limits.

This second passage over the present site of Paxton, like the first, left no special impression on my mind. It was only a part of the great grand prairie. The spring of 1855 found Leander Britt, a personal friend from my native town, and myself in Chicago, and fully decided to make the west our future home. Great bargains in the way of city lots were offered us and glowing pictures of prospective profits on such investments were spread before us by wide-awake realestate dealers, but it was broad acres of rolling prairie that we sought, not the limited area of mud and water called a city lot.

The Illinois Central Railroad lands had just been put on the market and a few interviews with the officials and their promise of special inducements to early buyers, soon decided us to investigate along their lines, and with a horse and buggy sliii)ped from New York and with railroad passes in our pockets to use if needed, we set out by ourselves on a prospecting tour southward. It was lovely spring weather, and fairly good roads, and, but for ])oor board and poorer lodgings, it woidd liave been in every way enjoyable. However, at Loda we fovuul things iti this line (piite satisfactory. Mr. Russell, the station agent, and his wife were late arrivals, and had plenty of good things to eat and knew how to use them. There was no other family or person there and they seemed glad to see us and have us stay awhile, so we toolc the opportunity to rest our horse and fill ourselves up. We were favorably impressed with the country in the vicinity of Loda and southward, and after going as far south as Champaign, then the terminus of the railroad, returned to Loda and made a sort of headquarters there.

Aljcmt this time we visited Middleport, now Watseka, and in an interview with a former resident of our native county in New York and who was then a judge of Iroquois county, he stated that in liis opinion a new county could be made from that part of Vermilion county which is now Ford county, and explained why it could be made in no other way. Also, that if properly managed the county seat could be made at some point located on the Illinois Central Railroad where it crossed said proposed new county. Previous to this time, we had selected with the view of purchase three and one-half sections eastward from the present town of Paxton, and with this new thought in mind, we added to our list the eighty acres covering the central portion of this city as it stands today. IMaterial concessions in price were made to us on the three and one-half sections, and on the performance of certain conditions, a side track was promised us on the eighty acre tract. No mention was made at that time to any one of our possible plan for the new county and county seat.

In spite of the financial calamities of 1857 and consequent depression of all land values, the three and one-half sections were finally disposed of and handsome profits realized. The promise of the side track was secured by the land department from Superintendent Doane and conditioned that George B. Me- Clellan, the chief engineer, approve. This he promptly did and in tliis way became cognizant to the agreement, which proved of vast importance to us :ns will be explained later on in this paper.

Our purchase of the eighty acres and our scheme for a new county aiid county seat were carefully concealed at that time. Plans for a new county witli Loda for county seat were already talked of and symptons of a l)ooni for Loda were manifest. Our final contracts for the land were made in June, 1855. I then went home to assist in the harvest on the old farm, but returned to Illinois in November and stayed till January, 1856. I again made Mr. RusseU's headquarters and Mr. Addison Goodcll and I occupied the ladies' room in passenger house and slept (when not kept awake by wolves) t)n a folding cot or sofa, which I had purchased in Chicago. Soon after New Years I went home to New York and came back early in April and date my residence in Illinois from that time.

During' this winter, 1855-6 I purchased in my owu name one hundred and sixty acres covering ''the Hill" and the more level land north thereof to the east roail, also, in connection with A. D. Southworth, a full section (six hundred and forty acres) near the present town of Rankin for two dollars and fifty cents per acre, and later sold my half for fourteen dollars per acre.

A few days before my final departure from New York, at his rec^uest, I made known to W. H. Pells our plans and prospects for a new county. He then proposed to join us in the enterprise provided certain other lands adjoining could be purchased, and of course provided that, upon examination, he found things as I stated them to be. It was understood that we should secure options on these certain lands, and, wlien this was done he would come out and investigate. This he did early in June, 1856 and was well pleased. The land was purchased and the firm of Pells, Britt & Murdock created.

The new firm controlled three hundred and forty acres - all that was most desirable for town site purposes. After ]\Ir. Britt 's death, Mr. Pells arranged for the Britt undivided one-third interest. Having secured all the land we cared to purchase ourselves, w^e then proposed to certain persons to purchase land adjoining our own and thus become interested in the scheme. ]\Ir. James Mix Avas one of these persons and he promptly acted on our suggestion. The purchase proved profitable to him and he very useful to the enterprise. Until this time - midsunmier 1856 - our plan, even the fact of our owning any lands at this point, was carefully concealed. Paxton then consisted of three small houses, located near the south railroad crossing of the present town. There were no other improvements in sight, not even a stake to indicate that a town had ever been thought of. Meantime, Loda was booming in anticipation of its becoming the county seat of a new county.

In September the survey of the toAvn plat was conunenced and the erection of a six room house was rushed as fast as men and the delivery of material would permit, and, before it was fairly finished, INIrs. James B. Taft, a widowed sister of Mr. Britt, arrived from the east, prepared to take charge of it. This duty was ably and faithfully performed by her, and, although not so intended, necessity made it a sort of hotel for a while and the little liouse was often filled to overflowing. Mr. Britt lived and died in this house and after his death IMrs. Taft and her son 0. B. Taft, now of Chicago, resided there for many years.

During the summer of 1856 improvements were made by Britt and Murdock on one of the half sections of railroad land, as was agreed on their purchase. These improvements and certain other conditions having been fulfilled, we asked for the side track that had been promised by Superintendent Doane and endorsed by George B. McClellaii l)iit Superintendent Doaiie was dead, and the president then acting as superintendent would not recognize the agreement made ^\-ith us. McClellan then took the matter uj) for us and we learned that he and the president had some hot words over it, but the president would not yield. ;i\[r. McClellan said "Wait," with a manner impl\ing that we should finally get the side track. Later w^e got word from him to come to Chicago and I went promptly. At the office he stated that the president had gone to Europe and that he himself was acting superintendent and requested me to meet him at his boarding house in the evening. At this meeting it was arranged that we should have a regular station with a side track and some sort of station building, which pnn'ed to be an old shop, wrecked, moved and set up again, made fairly comfortable l)ut far from ornamental. We w^ere to grade for the side track and I was to act as station agent, the consideration therefor to be a commission on gross receipts. My first month's pay was eight dollars and thirty-six cents. I held the position for several years and until the per cent amounted to much more than the company was willing to allow as salary for the services rendered. I then resigned. The station was opened for business on or about December 1, 1856.

About the time the station matter was settled, and before tlie side track was completed, Blaine & Hanly shipped in a full train of lumber - twenty cars or more. It had to be unloaded wdiile standing on the nuiin line. Everybody from far and near lent a hand and the work was done in double-quick time.

A postoffice was easily obtained by removing the old Ten INIile Grove office, but a new name for it and the station was demanded. This proved less easy to settle than w^as expected. The appropriate and desirable names seemed to be already in use elsewhere. Our neighbors took occasion to suggest some names for us, but we accepted none of them. Prospect City was finally adopted, the promoter, whoever he was explaining that the "Prospect" was in consideration of its sightly situation, its prospective views in all directions, etc. Everything was "City" in those days - it was the fashion - so "City" was affixed. Almost the first new arrival after the name was proclaimed looked arouiul carefully and declared it was all prospect and no city. He took the next train and never came ^ back. We soon tired of the name and changed it to Paxton in honor of Lord Paxton of Scotland, then a large Illinois Centi'al stock' holder. We expected a visit and perhaps a present from him but he never came. However we got a good name for our town. The new postoffice w^as created, I think, November, 1856, and Mr. Leander Britt was made postmaster and filled that position for several years - as long as his failing health permitted.

Promptly on tlie coiiveiiiiiij: of the 1857 session of the Illinois state legislature, delegates from Loda appeared with their plan for a new county, of course so shaped that Ijoda must become the county seat thereof.

We were at that time nowise prepared for a new coiinty fight, and if a county seat had been tendered us then we could not have accepted or cared for it.

Our hope lay in postponing the issue for two years. The law provided, (and still provides) that the legislature may authorize a vote on the question of new counties, and when made up from two or more counties, must have a majority vote- of each and every county interested. We had good reason to believe that Iro(iuois county would not, at that time consent to separate any portion of its territory for any purpose whatever, but we felt obliged to make some sort of fight in the matter and to have a delegation in Springfield to care for our interests there. It was arranged that INIr. Britt and Mr. IMix should do this Avork and the duty w^as well performed.

Such questions are practically settled in the committee room ; the legislature simply sanctions by formal vote what the committee recommends. In the committee room much haggling and loud talk were indulged in. Many different plans were proposed. Several such sessions were held. Finally a new county bill was submitted, promptly passed and signed by the governor.

The Loda delegates had asked for six miles off the west side of Iroquois county and that part of Vermilion county now Ford county but perhaps due to a confusion in the committee room, a mistake was made and the bill as passed called for twelve miles off Iroquois county and six miles square out of the northwest corner of what is now Vermilion county. Both counties voted against the new county as proposed. The Loda delegation never (|uite understood how this mistake occurred.

The years 1857 and 1858 were lively seasons for ])oth towns. Both clniuK^d to be dead sure of becoming the county seat, and both gained rapidly in population and trade, and as the period for the legislative session of 1859, both prepared for the fight of their lives. W. IT. Pells. James Mix and Leander Britt were our regular delegation and spent most of the winter in Springfield. I and others were there for brief periods.

Loda's plan for the new county necessarily involved a portion of Iroquois county. Our plan was Ford county as it now exists. There was no other town in it and our chance to become the county seat was thus assured. It was plain that Vermilion county would vote off that much and no more for a new county. The issue was with Iroquois county. Would the voters favor cutting off any part for the new county? Those favoring the Loda scheme declared they would.

William H. Pells, who was so v/ell known to the early settlers of this community for his enterprise, integrity and sterling worth, may well be called not only one of the fathers of Paxton, but also of Ford county. He was a native of Poughkeepsie, New York, born June 12, 1813. His educational advantages were limited to a few years' attendance at the schools of his native city, but by reading and contact with the business world he became a well informed man and a shrewd financier. When only thirteen years of age he was compelled by force of circumstances to begin life's struggle on his OAvn account. His father, who Avas financially well-to-do, by endorsing for others became involved in financial ruin.

The independence and self-reliance of young William asserted themselves in a marked degree. Going to New York city, he spent six months driving a milk wagon, after which he secured a position as clerk in a grocery store, continuing until 1830. That year witnessed his emigration to Palmyra,. New York, where he arrived penniless. Though not an experienced woodman, he replenished his exchequer by chopping wood and clearing land. Though a mere boy, he was possessed of indomitable energy and if he could not get employment to which he was accustomed, he accustomed himself to such employment as .he could get. The same business he followed at Ridgeway. There on the 19th of November, 1831, he entered the store of H. Francis as clerk. His carefully husbanded earnings were judiciously invested in good lands in that vicinity, Avhich Avere then selling from $3.00 to $5.00 per acre, and thus was laid a safe foundation, for financial growth. Domestic by nature, Mr. Pells early in life sought to surround himself with the hallowed influence of wife and home. The lady of his choice was Miss Maria B. Whitaker, a native of Norfolk, England, to whom he Avas married in 1836.

After clerking ten years Mr. Pells became a full partner in the store Avith his employer and in 18-16 became sole proprietor, continuing until 1851 Avith marked success. Admitting his brother to partnership, the business Avas carried on by the tAvo until 1856, Avhen Mr. Pells disposed of his entire interest. The same year he purchased from the Medina & Alabama Plank Road Company that part of the road extending from Medina to RidgeAA^ay. In the hands of the Company it had been a losing investment, but Mr. Pells Avith characteristic thoroughness, rebuilt it Avith elegant gravel, making it one of the best roads in the state, paying a liberal yearly dividend on the large amount of money expended in its construction. He continued to operate the road until the charter expired in 1881.

In 1856, Mr. Pells came to Avhat is noAV Ford County, Illinois, though then it Avas part of Vermilion County. He, R. R. Murdock and Leander Britt purchased the site and laid out Prospect City, as Paxton was then called. With commendable pride he watelied the growth of the infant town and to the last heartily assisted in everything that wonld advance its growth. In 1859 he took a prominent part in the organization of Ford connty and in making Paxton the seat of justice. Schools, churches and charities of all kinds found in him a liberal supporter. Every interest promising to l)c l)eneficial to the town or county claimed his attention.

In 1866 he began the erection of Pells' Block, completing it in 1867, a three-story brick block with 50 feet frontage on IMarket street, where the Lee & Grayson and Samuelson brick business buildings now stand.

The two first floor rooms were occupied by the J. S. Loose dry-goods store and the bank of Toy & Thompson, until they built the bank building noAv owned l)y Paxton bank. The second floor was occupied by offices and for years the Paxton Record had its home on the third floor. This was the first iron front liuilding erected in Ford county. This block was destroyed by fire in October, 1874, that began in the next building south of this, and burned eleven business houses before it could be checked.

He was one of the promoters and organizers of the Lafayette, Bloomington & ]\Iississippi Railroad Company and for several years was its vice president. But for his earnest efforts and those of a few others along the line of the road, it probably never would have been built. It has since become a part of the Lake Erie & Western system.

In 1876 he visited Petoskey, Michigan, and being favorably impressed with the climate and soil, purchased a large tract of land containing twelve thousand acres in Emmet county, which was then almost an unbroken forest, inhabited by one hundred whites and eleven hundred Indians. In 1882 the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad ran through Mr. Pells' tract of land, near the center of which sprang up a town, named by tln^ railroad company in honor of him, Pellston.

In political sentiment Mr. Pells was an old-line democrat, a great admirer of Stephen A. Douglas and like Douglas, a war democrat, contributing always most liberally for the good of the soldiers and their families. Though not an aspirant for places of public trust, lie held a number of official positions. In religious belief he was a Universalist.

Mr. and ]\Irs. Pells had a family of three children, though only one now living; Hannah W., wife of Colonel Charles Bogardus, of Paxton. His son, Edgar Z. Pells, died at Rochester, New York, in 1899.

After a brief married life of only nine years, Mr. Pells was deprived by death of his companion. Notwithstanding he survived her over forty years, she was his only wetldcd companion. On the 26th of -lune, 1886, j\Ir. Pells joined his Avife and child in the spirit world, while his body was laid to rest beside that of his wife at Ridgeway, New York. He was a man possessed of such traits of character as are worthy to l)e imitated and should never be forgotten; shrewd ;iiid i'ai'-sighted in business affairs, scrupulously honest, free-hearted, charitable, with a kind woi'd and tender thought for all. His charities were always unostentatious and quietly given and kept from the public when possible.

Colonel Charles Bogardus

The world instinctively pays deference to the man whose success has been gained through his own efforts and whose methods have ever been such as Avill bear close investigation and scrutiny. Such has been the record of Colonel Charles Bogardus, one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Ford county. The progenitor of the different branches of the Bogardus family in America was Everardus Bogardus, a Dutch Reform clergyman, who emigrated from Holland to New Amsterdam (now New York city,) in 1633, and was the second minister in that city, residing on what is now Broad street. In 1638 he married Annetje, widow of Roelof Jansen, (her name was corrupted later into Anneke Jans,) who had obtained a grant of sixty-two acres of land, (she being a relative of King William and Mary,) in what is now the center of New York city. This farm, long known as "Dominie's Bowery," in time became vested in Trinity church by unfair means and caused continuous litigation until about the middle of the nineteenth century. He is the only one of the name that has come to this country.

Colonel Bogardus is a lineal descendant of the above clergyman and is a son of James H. and Louisa M. Bogardus. He was born in Cayuga county. New York, March 28, 1841, and when but little over six years of age was left an orphan, both parents being taken away by an epidemic. He was taken by an uncle, W. H. Bogardus, who gave him common-school advantages until he was about twelve years of age, at which time young Charles entered a grocery store as clerk at a salary of a dollar and a half per week. This position he held for nearly four years, receiving increase in salary from time to time. His eai'nings were paid every Saturday night to the uncle, who, without the boy's knowledge, invested the same for him and subsequently offered to turn all over to him, notwithstanding his uncle was a poor man. But the boy. although only eighteen years of age, declined the offer and the money with thanks.

"When in his sixteenth year he went to Ridgeway, New York, to accept a clerkship in the store of another uncle at eight dollars per month and board. He was rapidly advanced in position and salary, becoming head clerk before he was nineteen.

Early in August, 1862, Colonel Bogardus, having just attained his majority, enlisted for the war in Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-first New York Infantry. But before going to the field he was united in marriiage, on the 17th of August, 1862, to Miss Hannah W., daughter of William H. Pells, both of whom are mentioned on other pages of this volume. On the organization of the company, August 13, 1862, Colonel Bogardus was elected first Lieutenant; was promoted to the rank of captain of Company I, December 12, 1862; to lieutenant colonel December 10, 1864; and was breveted colonel by order of the president of the United States "for gallant and meritorious services in the charge in front of Petersburg, Virginia, April 2, 1865." The letter from the governor of New York accompanying the commission states the reason for granting the commission and reads as follows: conferred by the president, in recognition of your faithful aiul distinguished services in the war. I feel a just pride in this acknowledgment of the gallantry and devotion of an officer of this state, which serves to heighten the reputation won by the valor and constancy of the soldiers of New York.

Colonel Bogardus was twice wounded in the battle of ]\Ionocacy, IMaryland, July^ 1864, an engagement comparatively insignificant in itself but important in its results, about three thousand Union troops by the skillful management of General Lew Wallace, held in check nearly six times their number for twentj'-four hours, thus giving General Grant barely time to move the first and second divisions of the Sixth Army Corps from City Point, Virginia, to Washington, arriving there just as the Confederate General Early appeared in front of the outer defenses of Washington. Had that heroic little band of boys in blue given way, the Capital City must have fallen a prey to the enemy. In the battle of the Wilderness the Sixth Corps to which Colonel Bogardus belonged, was on the extreme right and all remember what a desperate effort Lee made to crush that part of Grant's army; next followed in rapid succession the battles of Spottsylvania, Tolopotomy and Cold Harbor, (in the latter battle his regiment lost five captains and the young, then Captain Bogardus. came out of this battle acting as lieutenant colonel, all officers above him in rank but one having been shot,) ]\Iine Run, Petersburg, Sailors Creek, Appomatox, or Lee's surrender, and the other battles and skirmishes in which he was engaged will ever be remembered, as experiences in our subject's army life.

When getting ready for the battle of Petersburg, the Colonel's orderly, Johnny Byron, packed one pocket of the colonel's overcoat, tightly with hard tack, when putting it on. discovering it. told the orderly to take them out. Byron begged him to leave them in saying it might be a long time before he could get anything else to eat. He was very fond of Byron and to please him let them remain. Later a confederate sharp-shooter's bullet was deflected b.y the hard-tack just enough to save his hip and perhaps his life, making a very severe bruise and lameness, but the hip was saved.

At the battle of Monocacy, July 9, 1864, Colonel Bogardus was so severely wounded that he could not endure to be transferred by and)ulance, hence was carried three miles on a stretcher to. the hospital at Frederick City, IMaryland. Had his injuries been less he Avould have been sent to Richmond or to Libby prison. Frederick City soon fell into the hands of the Tniou troops again, and he was transferred, about three months after, when able to travel, to the officers' hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, where he regained his strength sufficiently to come home on crutches and cast his fii'st presidential vote for Lincoln. As soon as he could get about by the use of a cane he returned to his command and served until he was mustered out on the 26th of June, 1865. A striking illustration of the wonderful transforming poAver of ideas on the lives and actions of men is given in the case of Colonel Bogardus and his maternal grandfather. The latter owned and worked slaves in New York state before the}' were mauuinitted - the former risked his own life for their freedom, aud today the negro accounts the Colonel one of his warmest friends. In 1885 he was appointed colonel and aide-de-camp by Governor Oglesby, and was reappointed in 1889 by Governor Fifer, holding the two positions eight years.

When hostilities had ceased Colonel Bogardus returned to Ridgeway, New York, where he became a partner of his old emploj^er, A. V. Pells, (to whom he feels he owes much of his success,) in the mercantile business, continuing until failing health, the effect of his wound, compelled him to quit mercantile pursuits. In April, 1872, he became a resident of Paxton and has since been prominently identified with its best interests, as well as those of the surrounding country. The varied and extensive business interests he successfully conducts prove him to be a man of broad comprehension and of fine executive ability. Besides doing a large real-estate and loan business he is extensively interested in stock-raising and farming, owning several thousand acres of valuable farming land in Illinois. He was president of the Ninth Congressional District Farmers' Institute from its organization. It grew to be one of the largest in the state. Democratic reapportionment destroyed it geographically, thus ending it after years of success. He was one of the organizers of the Paxton Brick & Tile Company, of which he was a director and part owner for twenty-one years, and was one of the incorporators of the Paxton Canning Company, another substantial concern. He sold his interest in both these companies some years ago. He was one of the incorporators and the first president of the Paxton Building, Loan and Savings Association and has been reelected twenty-five times, now serving his twenty-sixth year.

Upon the death of ]\Irs. Bogardus' father, she and her brother inherited among other properties a large tract of timber land in northern Michigan, later on the death of her brother, November, 1899, his interests became hers also. In the spring of 1900, at her request, he went to ^lichigan to look over the properties for her, getting up from a sick bed to do so ; he spent the summer getting well and studying the properties and in the fall founded the first mill for the manufacture of shingles, next a sawmill, later a planing-mill, another sawmill, lath-mills were added, in the meantime he had located Tindle & Jackson, the largest manufacturers of slack cooperage, broom handles and hoops in the world. An extensive turning works was recently started, which Avith other matters has made Pellston jump from one child in the public school when he and his wife arrived there, and a population of three or four families, until today Pellston has a school census of three hundred aud eighty-seven, and a total population of between eighteen hundred and nineteen hundred. Has a village organization, fire department, system of water works, shade trees on each side of every street, fine park, and is already quite a pretentious young city, still rapidly growing, and has changed under his short administration from the smallest hamlet and postofifice to the second largest in the county.

He is president of the Bogardus Land & Lumber Company, is interested in the Pellston Light & Power Company, in the Pellston Planing ]Mills and the Pellston Turning & Manufacturing Company. In all of his business interests he has been assisted b}- his estimable wife, a lady of good business ability and keen discrimination. Colonel Bogardus and his wife have donated fourteen hundred and forty-one acres to the University of ]\Iichigan for the purpose of establishing a summer school for the engineering department of that university. The land is valuable and the gift is one of the most generous ever made in that state. The regents have named it the "Bogardus Engineering Camp of the University of Michigan," in honor of the donors.

In political affairs Colonel Bogardus has been a prominent and influencing factor. He has served two terms, 1884 to 1888, in the lower house of the state legislature, and at the close of his second term as representative, he was elected, in 1888, senator, was reelected to the senate in 1892 and again reelected in 1896, from the eighteenth senatorial district, serving as a member of the legislature for sixteen consecutive years. In the fifteen county and senatorial conventions before which he was a candidate for nomination for House and Senate, he received a unanimous vote in each case. One of his important bills, and the first to l)ecome a law on the subject in Illinois, is that compelling instruction in the public schools, in physiology and hygiene, with reference to the effects of alcoholic beverages, stimulants and narcotics on the human system. Another bill worthy of mention is that regulating the weight of flour, compelling full weights under severe penalties. The indigent soldiers' bill, the bill establishing a State Board of Pardons, and the bill to promote the education of children to prevent truancy, are among the valuable laws that bear his name. In the thirty-fourth general assembly he was one of the republican members who in that memorable senatorial contest, Avhich lasted four months, succeeded in electing General John A. Logan to the senate of the United States. Subsequently the one hundred and three republicans who stood so firmly by the general, organized themselves into a society called the "Logan 103," of which Colonel Bogardus was secretary and treasurer from its organization until he declined to serve longer. In the thirty-fifth general assembly he was unanimously chosen chairman of the republican house caucus for the session. At each session he was appointed on some of the most important committees and held several important chairmanships. In 1895 he was chosen president pro teni ])y acclamation in the republican caucus - the highest place in the gift of the senate. In 1895, in the a])sence of the governor and lieutenant governor, he was constitutional governor of Illinois for some time. Strong and positive in his republicanism, his party fealty is not grounded on partisan prejudice, and he enjoys the respect and confidence of all his associates, irrespective of party. Of the great issues which divide the two parties, with their roots extending down to the very bed-rock of the foundation of the republic, he has the true statesman's grasp. Well grounded in the political maxims of the schools, he also studied the lessons of actual life, arriving at his conclusions as a icsult of what may be called his post-graduate studies in the school of affairs. Such men, whether in office or out, are the natural leaders of whichever party they may be identified with, especially in that movement toward higher politics which is common to l)()th parties and which constitutes the most hopeful political sign of the period.

Colonel Bogardns has but one living child, Maria L., wife of Oscar R. Zipf, an attorney of Freeport, Illinois. He has four grandsons : Oscar Robert, Charles B., George K. and Theodore F. He lost his only son, Edgar A., in 1889, aged fifteen and one half years.

Our subject has also been interested in local politics, having for six 3'ears served as a member of the city council, and for nine years on the school board, of which he was president a part of that time. He was a trustee of Paxton Collegiate Institute for years. He maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades, is a member of Paxton Post, No. 387, of which he was the first commander. He is likewise a member of Paxton Lodge, No. 416, A. F. & A. M., Ford Chapter, No. 113, R. A. M., Mount Olivet Commandery, No. 38, K. T., Gibson Council, No. 72, R. & S. I\r., and Patton Lodge, No. 498, K. P. He and his wife attend the Presbyterian church, to the support of which they contribute liberally, giving generously to all church and charitable interests, as did also the daughter, who is gratefully remembered at Paxton for her exemplary character, her interest in church work, and particularly her successful career as teacher and superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday school when she was but a young miss herself. Her kindness of heart was well known among the less fortunate and their needs when known to her had quick attention, with always a wish on her part that only The Master, the recipients and herself should know.

The terms, progress and patriotism, might be considered the keynote of Colonel Bogardus' character, for throughout his career he has labored for the improvement of every line of business or public interest with which he has been associated, and at all times has been actuated by a fidelity to his country and her welfare. The difficulties which he had to encounter in his own business career have made him ever ready to extend a helping hand to young men who are starting out in life without capital as he did, to whom his liusiness record should serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement.

Mrs. Cilvrles Bogardus

]\Irs. Charles Bogardus, nee Hannah W. Pells, only daughter of the late William H. Pells, one of the founders of Paxton, first saw Paxton in 1860, on a visit with her father and brother, little thinking it was destined to be her future home, where the greater part of her life would be spent.

In April, 1872, she left her old home in Ridgeway, Orleans countj', New York, where she was born and married, and with her husband, Colonel Charles Bogardus, their little daughter and her father. Mr. Pells, came to Paxton, where a family home for them all was established.

]\Irs. B., as she is familiarly called l)y many, is mucli like her father in disposition and Avays, inherits his business traits in a marked degree. She has always been the confidant of her husliand. who always counsels with her on

Flowers are to her a great pleasure, and with the ample grounds of the home, she has gratified her taste with careful selections of choice kinds, among which were forty varieties of roses.