Jersey County, Illinois - Chapter 3: Geology, 1885 (part 2 of 2)

A committee, consisting of William Shcpard, John S. White and H. O. Goodrich, were appointed to inquire into and report to the court the names of the parties entitled to the bounty, who, on the 10th day of December, 1864, made the following report:

" Your committee appointed to ascertain who were entitled to receive the bounty appropriated by your honorable body for such as would volunteer in the service of the United States and be credited to the various precincts of Jersey county, thereby relieving the county from the hardships of the recent draft, would respectfully beg leave to report that in their opinion all members of the 144th regiment, stationed at Alton, who are credited to the county, are entitled to and should receive said bounty of $.")0.00 each, the names of all, or nearly all so credited are herewith submitted, and credits certified to by the adjutantgeneral of the state.

who have enlisted since the issuing of your order, in the (list regiment, and been credited to the county, as shown by accompanying certificate. (Here follows the list of volunteers.) " Believing, as we do, that the parties above specified have, by their voluntary acts, relieved the county you have the honor to represent in a most unprecedented manner from the hardships necessarily attending a draft, and which has borne so heavily on other counties in our district, we respectfully renew our recommendation that the bounty be paid, feeling sure the people of this county will sanction and approve your action in these premises."

The court approved the report, and ordered the bounty paid as recommended. There were 249 names on the list, all but five being in the ranks of the 144th Reg. of HI. Inf.

The court that came into existence in Dec, 1865, was composed of tbe following gentlemen - O. P. Powel, county judge; Phineas Eldredge and William H. Allen, associate justices.

On Monday, December 6, 1869, J. M. Hurd, county judge; Caleb Noble and G. W. Gorin, associate justices, entered upon the duties of the county court, having been elected to those offices at the regular election that fall. Before this court, on the 9th day of September, 1871, came William Shephard, and made an offer to the court to pay the sum of $12,750, in cash, for the 500 shares of stock in the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago railroad, succescors to the Tonica and Petersburg and Jacksonville, Alton and St. Louis railroad, belonging to the county of Jersey, in right of the $50,000 subscribed to the capital stock of the said company, as previously mentioned. This offer, appearing to be advantageous to the county, it was accepted and the clerk au-

Robert M. King succeeded J. M. Hurd as county judge, at the December session, 1872, the associate justices being Caleb Noble and William A. Scott. They at once entered upon the discharge of the functions of the court according to the law governing this bod.y Some repairs were made upon the court house by this court, and a bell purchased and placed on that building in September, 1873. This was the last county court held as the county government, the constitution of the state, adopted in 1870, making change in the form of government and originating the rule of

The first meeting of this board was held on Monday, in Jan., 1874, they not being able to organize at the regular time, December, on account of some lack of action on the part of the legislature in passing the necessary laws. The board comprised the following gentlemen: William H. Allen, Edwin Colean and Isaac R. Ely. These parties at once proceeded to cast lots as to the lsngth of time each would occupy the office, when William H. Allen drew the one year term; Edwin Colean the two year and I. R. Ely the three year. On organization, Isaac R. Ely was declared chairman, and the board commenced the consideration of the business of the county. The first business brought before them was the examination and approval of the reports of the various road supervisors, they having jurisdiction over those officers at that time.

1875 - Isaac R. Ely, Edwin Colean and G. S. Compton, with the first-named in the chair. The first meeting was held on the 7th day of Dec, 1874.

1876 - Isaac R. Ely, G. S. Compton and William H. Fulkerson. The first meeting was convened on the 6th day of Dec, 1875, and G. S. Compton was chosen chairman for the ensuing year.

1878 - W. L. Ruyle, John W. Evans and Prentiss D. Cheney, the latter elected to fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of W. H. Fulkerson. The last-mentioned was elected chairman for the year. The first meetingwas, held on the 6th of Jan., 1878.

1879 - W. L. Ruyle, J. W. Evans and S. B. Foree, with Col. Ruyle in the chair. At a special meeting held on the 25th of Feb., of this year, the chairman stated the object of the meeting to be to obey the summons of the supreme court, on mandamus, to appoint commissioners to divide the county into towns under the township organization act. It seems that on the 3d of Sept., 1878, a petition numerously signed was presented by Henry Slover, asking the board to order the submission of the question of township organization to the people of Jersey county. The commissioners accordingly ordered the submission of the question at the next general election. At that time it was found that the total number of votes cast was 2858, of which 1459 were for town- ship organization, and 1399 against it, but because of some informality in the returns from Grafton precinct, the vote of that sub-division was not counted which made the vote stand as follows: For township organization, 1268, and against township organization, 1295. The trouble that grew out of this ruling was carried to the supreme court of the state, hence the above action of that body, in ordering the appointment of commissioners. E. M. Fuller, George H. Jacks and Phineas Eldredge, were selected as the parties to divide the county into townships for the purpose of carrying out the wishes of the people. They made their report, at the March term of the commissioners court, in which they recommend the following subdivisions:

This report was adopted and the commissioners ordered an election for county supervisors, and upon the 25th of March, i879, the court of county commissioners adjourned sine die, and were succeeded by the

Board Of Supervisors

The first meeting of this body was on the 14th of April, 1879, when the following supervisors appeared, presented their credentials, and after due qualification took their seats:

1883 - The board for this year met for the first time on Tuesday, June 26, 1888, and re-elected W. E. Carlin as chairman. The board consisted of the following gentlemen:

Other Official Matter

In this chapter it is designed to present the various official matters, which, although too brief to place in a chapter separately, are too important to be ignored. These items have been mostly gatheredfrom the records of thecounty, although some have been gained in fragments during interviews with those familiar with the subject.

Matrimonial

This is a matter which always attracts attention when treated historically, and is especially interesting to the younger portion of the community, who, their time not yet having come, still walk "in maiden meditation fancy free," dreaming of the prince that will "a wooing" come, or picture the charms of the future mistress of their household.

In various lands the marriage rite is solemnized in different ways and by different ceremonies; in all, the acts of the contracting parties must be understood by each, and by the community in which they live, as being a mutual agreement to hold relations toward one another as man and wife. In this state a license has always been required, although it is not in all the states, and thus from the records in most all instances we can trace all the earlier marriages of the county. In this county, it is impossible to do so, as the first eighteen years of the county's existence the records were kept in what is now the county of Greene. Therefore, for the record of these the reader is referred to the history of that county for them.

In early days, young men and maidens were not married in the grand style which usually characterizes the marriages of the present period. They did not wait until riches came before they married, as is too much the case in this money-loving age, but chose their mate without regard to this point, and settled down to live in simple and comfortable style, and they generally lived happily and gained the respect of their neighbors by attending to their own business.

There were no "diamond weddings" in those days, and the extravagance that now often attends the marriage ceremony was then unheard of. The old folks were plain, economical and hospitable people, and the young folks were imbued with the same attributes that characterized their fathers and mothers. They were willing to commence housekeeping in a style corresponding with their means, trusting to the future for larger houses and more expensive furniture.

There are many rich anecdotes of the rustic marriages in early days, but where possible they are treated of in connection with the history of the townships in which they occurred. How, when the time came, the blushing and rosy maid would drop her milk pails, throw off her apron and tying on her sunbonnet, clamber into the lumber box wagon, while ''John" in his overalls and farm boots would take up the whip, and the oxen would move off with the bridal procession to the "Squire's" who did the "jining of the knot."

Among the amusing stories told of some parties in the county, away back in the misty past, is one where a country couple made their way to one of the incipient villages in the county in quest of some one who was authorized to tie the hymeneal knot. They went to a young storekeeper, who, in the way of a practical joke, referred them to the postmaster, stating that the government authorized him to officiate upon such occasions. When the postmaster was seen he disclaimed any knowledge of such authority, and said that he had only been in the employment of the government a short time and was not yet "quite up to snuff." But if the merchant said he could, he supposed it was so. Accordingly the couple were ranged up in front of the postmaster, who in the most approved style impressed them with the solemnity of the occasion, warned them to "let no man put asunder what he had jined," and in closing pronouced them "Mr. and Mrs., as provided by the United States postal regulations. Go your way, keep your mouths shut, and you'll be happy." As they turned to leave, he remarked, "only a dollar a piece, please."

The first marriage in Jersey county after the organization of the same, according to the records, was that which united the destinies of John P. Allcorn and Mary Hawkins, the lisence for which was issued Oct. 17, 1839; the ceremon}' was performed by David Myers, J. P.

The following table will show how the number of marriages varied witli each year, and how the market matrimonial, was affected by the circumstances of the times:

Shortly after the separation of Jersey from Greene county, and its organization into a distinct sub-division of the state, the county commissioners ordered the copying upon the record books of Jersey county all the transaction relating to real estate in Jersey county, and a complete set of books of this nature were made and are on file in the office of the recorder of the county. From these it will be seen that the first deed relating to land lying within the present limits of Jersey county was recorded in Greene county on the 24th day of June, 1S22. This warrantee deed bear the date of Fel) 7, 1822, and was made by John Evans and Ann Evans, his wife, to Davis Stockton, conveying to the latter the east half of the northeast quarter of section 11, and the west half of the northwest quarter of See. 12, T. 8 north, R. 12 west, containing 160 acres of land. The consideration was $160. This instrument was acknowledged before Joel Meacham, a justice of the peace.

The first mortgage recorded was given by Isaac Piggott to John Evans and was dated Feb. 16, 1826, and was for $800, the security being the <vest fraction of the southwest quarter of section 20, containing 53.63 acres ; and the south fraction of the northeast quarter of section 30, containing 103.56; and the north fraction of the northeast quarter of section 33, containing 37.09 acres, all lying in T. 9 north, R. 13 west. The terms of this mortgage were that it was to he paid with 100,000 feet of good, merchantable flooring plank, to be delivered by said Piggott, at the rate of 10,000 feet per year. It was acknowledged before Samuel Lee. J. P.. ami was satisfied in full, Nov. 27. 1828. This instrument was tiled for record Feb. 27, 1S26, in Greene county, and transcribed into the records of this county.

Town Plats

The plats of the original towns in Jersey county were laid out and filed for record upon the dates given below. To nearly all of them additions have since been made, but space forbids the

Jerseyville, laid out by John W. Lott, Edward M. Haley and Alexander H. Burrett, Oct. 1, 1834, and was surveyed by G. M. Richards. The plat filed for record March 2, 1835.

Delhi, filed for record June 5, 1868, by Sarah A. Lurton, Joseph X. Lurton, Jacob M. Early, Caroline S. Early, William A. Scott and Sarah A. Scott.

Treasury

The first settlement with the treasurer of Jersey county was at the December session of the county commissioners' court, in 1841, and is given here, as a curiosity. Treasurer in account with Jersey county:

In order to show the difference between the then and now, the report of County Treasurer John A. Shepherd for the year 1884, is here inserted: County Treasurer in account with Jersey county, 1883=1 584;

Contra Court House

The old court house was built in 1840, by subscription of citizens, and was originally 40 feet square. Aaron Hue and Peyton C. Walker did the carpenter work, and Peter Perrine the brick work. In 1862 an addition, 16x30 feet in size, was added, on the north side of the building, which was used for jail purposes, but about 1873 or 4, some prisoners escaping by digging through the rear wall, the county commissioners, ordered that it be lined with 2x4 pine scantling laid flat and spiked and covered with common sheet iron. On the early morning of January 6, 1884, as Charles Lipscomb, the janitor of the Baptist church, was going to that place of worship, at 4 o'clock, to build the fire, it being one of the coldest days during that winter, he smelled smoke, but attaching no attention to it, supposing that somebody was building a fire.

He remained in the church until after 6 o'clock, when going out he discovered smoke issuing from the jail windows. He at once proceeded to awake G. C. Cockrell, who lived near by and then to inform Sheriff C. S. Frost, Finding that C. Blay, the janitor of the jail, had the keys of the jail, and knowing that several prisoners were in confinement there, he hastened to the house of the above, half a mile distant. Minn they arrived at the jail, the found it filled with a dense smoke, and the prisoners not able to come out. Charles Keith, James Powel, W. Hibble, J. E. Cory and M. Cockrell at considerable risk to themselves plunged into the room and soon brought out the dead bodies, for they were nothing else. These victims were Walter Dunsdon, in jail under accusation of murder; Emile Koehler, for horse-stealing; August Shultz, for purloining a coat; James Griggs, for petit larceny.

The fire is generally believed to have been owing to a defective flue and the pine wood close to it catching fire early in the night and being closely confined between the iron casing and brick wall, smouldered until it broke out about six or seven o'clock in the morning. The flames soon wrapped the whole building and soon the edifice was but a smoking ruin, and Jersey county was without a court house or jail. All the books, furniture, even the bar railing and the matting on the stairs was taken out of the building and saved.

The subject of building a suitable court house in Jerseyville is, at the present writing, 188.5, under consideration, and no doubt, in the near future, the county will find itself in possession of an edifice of that character. The present depressed state of trade and low price of farm products, causing a stringency in the times, is all that is deferring the matter.

County Jail

ing was destroyed by fire,. Jan. 6, 1884, the county was left without any place for the incarceration of its prisoners. Therefore, at the meeting of the board of supervisors on the 3d of June, 1884, the grand jury made the following presentment:

"Whereas, during the past winter a sad and fatal calamity befell our county, whereby our court house and county jail were destroyed by tile, and

"Whereas, the immediate erection of a good and substantial county jail, adequate to the present and future demands, therefore we regard, as an absolute and pressing necessity, dictated alike by consideration of justice. safety and an enlightened civilization.*'

The board of supervisors thereupon took the matter under advisement, and having some idea at the time of building a court house and jail together, advertised for plans, and appointed a committee to examine the said plans, and decide upon one and make a report to the board, the result of their deliberations. The committee consisted of the following gentlemen: C. P. Stafford, V. L. Dodge, J. M. Segraves, G. \V. Reed and Lloyd T. English. On consideration of t lie subject, at the September term, they reported that they agreed, that on ace. unit of "bard times," caused by the liglit crops for the past three years, it would be useless to ask the people of the county to lay a tax upon themselves to build a structure of this kind, but in view of the absolute necessity of building a jail at once, they considered a plan for one, presented by William Embley, of Jerseyville, eminently fitted for construction and which could be built for $15,000, and recommended that the board of supervisors submit to the people of the county, at the November

This report was at once adopted and the necessary orders issued for submitting the question to the people, and the latter approving of the measure by a majority of 426 votes, the plan of Mr. Embley was adopted, and the tax levied in accordance with the resolution. A building committee was appointed to superintend the getting of bids, to make contracts and oversee the erection of the building. This committee consisted of M. V. Hamilton, W. E. Carlin, C. P. Stafford, L. T. English and V. L. Dodge.

Bids for the work, according to the plans and specifications of William Embley, which bad been adopted, were received and opened by the board and after some delay the contracts were let. Dowdall and Sturdevant agreed to do the stone foundation work for s.s7o; H. 0. Leak, of Jerseyville, the superstructure and woodwork, or, in other words, the building proper, for $7,445, and P. (i. Pauly & Bio., of St. Louis, to put in the steel-clad cells, corridors and other iron work, for $6,800.

Work was at once commenced, and soon carried to a successful finish, producing as superb a building of this character as is found in the state.

The building is of a composite order of architecture, combining the merits of the Tudor and English Gothic, is of brick, with handsome stone trimmings, and presents an agreeable appearance. The front part of the building is the residence of the sheriff, and contains, on the first floor, an office 14x27 feet in size, a parlor and sitting-room, each size of the parlor and Bitting-room, over which they arc situated, a guard-room over the office, and two Bteel-clad cells for female prisoners. This part of the building is 30x40 feet in ground area. The jail proper is in the rear of the dwelling part, and is 38x48 feet in size. This latter contains two tiers of steel- (dad cells, four on each floor, with corridors, also enclosed in grating, and surrounded by a jailor's corridor, which is spacious and comfortable. The cells are each 6!>x8 feet in size, are well-ventilated and exceedingly comfortable for places of that kind. The steel-clad work is the best known, and will defy the most energetic attacks upon it, cold chisel or file havingno material effect upon it. Altogether the edifice is one in which the county can take pride, and reflects great credit on the people, the board of supervisors, the architect and builders.

County Charity

Although the heart of every man in the county heat in earnest sympathy with the poor and destitute that lay within his knowledge, and the hand of pity and help was never withheld, in time of need, from those wdio were in want, it was for many years after the organization of the county ere its citizens felt it just to themselves and others t'> provide a building to he used as a sanctuary for the poor and friendless. Many, having in mind the parish poorhouses and "unions" of the old countries, shrank hack with horror at the idea that any in whom they felt an interest should be doomed to inhabit a place within the cold and cheerless walls of such an asylum. The large and generous heart of thepioneer could not tolerate it. Little did they feel that many a waif upon the broad and troubled sea of the world's bitter experience, has hailed as a safe harbor, as a secure haven, the much dreaded almshouse. Perhaps it was owing, partially, to these mistaken notions in regard to that noble charity, that so long delayed the erection of the building. But let not those of this later generation think that their forefathers, and the early settlers here, were a people wanting in brotherly charity. As early as 1840, measures were taken looking to the relief of the necessitous. The method of relief, the letting out of the care of the unfortunate, though not deemed the best now, went far toward mitigating the sufferings of the weary wight that had lost his all through force of untoward circumstances; the widow and orphan struggling for the daily crust of bread; the waif left to live or die, as best it may. For some years this system of relief was the only one practiced, and as but few needed it, it sufficed,

At a special term of the county commissioners' court, held Oct. 1.'!, 1846, the purchase of a tract of land for a poor farm was consummated. This farm, which comprised some 166 acres of land, was purchased for $900, of Samuel R. Perry, and was situated northeast of Jerseyville. On it was a house already built, and in December of the same year, the commissioners having established it as a poorhouse, it was at once odenee for that purpose. This was used for many years.

to build a new almshouse. Fen- that purpose a new farm was purchased, the old "lie proving ineligible. This latter is <m section 16, English township. On it the present handsome and substantial brick edifice was erected, in 1865. It is two stories in height, the main building occupying 30xfi0 feet of ground area., with an L 20x40 feet in size. Close byis a smaller building, used for the siek, which is 20x30 feet in size. A fine barn is also on the premises. The farm, which is an exeellent one, and the house, is under the superintendeney of Castleton Lynch.

Ghaptrr Vii Political

How much better can the political history of a county be given, than by grouping together, in one comprehensive chapter, the vote of each succeeding year? What long dissertation upon the causes that Lead to this or that issue, equal the plain facts, deduced from the mathematics of the ballots on the occasion? it has been the endeavor to give the official vote of every year, but in Bome cases, some parts are wanting, but a diligent research among the records ami papers, both of the county offices ami the office of the secretary of state, at Springfield, fails to produce anything more. The following is the