Jersey County, Illinois - Chapter 7: Development of Illinois, 1919

Chapter 7: Development of Illinois

ST. CLAIR COUNTY - RANDOLPH COUNTY - TERRITORY OF INDIANA - TERRITORY OF ILLINOIS - LOUISIANA PURCHASE - AARON BURR CONSPIRACY - TRIAL OF BURR - GOVERNMENT OF TERRITORY - FIRST TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE - OTHER NEW COUNTIES - SUBSEQUENT TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURES -

Governor St. Clair and his secretary Winthrop Sargent, first ar¬ rived at Kaskaskia in February, 1790, and organized the County of St. Clair, which included all of the state as far north as the mouth of the Little Mackinaw Creek on the Illinois River, and including all of the then inhabited portion of the state. John Edgar of Kaskaskia, John Baptiste Baubean of Prairie Du Rocher, and John D. Moulin of Cahokia, were appointed as judges, each to hold court in the district of his resi¬ dence. William St. Clair, a brother of the governor, was appointed clerk, and recorder of deeds; William Biggs, sheriff, and the county seat was located at Cahokia.

In 1795, Governor St. Clair divided St. Clair County on a line run¬ ning from the Mississippi River through New Design Settlement east to the Wabash River, and named all of the state south of that line Randolph in honor of Governor Randolph of Virginia. On December 3, 1798, Shadrach Bond was elected a delegate to the territorial legislature which met at Cincinnati, Ohio, January 22, 1799. On May 7, 1800, by Act of Congress, Ohio was made a territory, and the remainder of Northwestern Territory was made the territory of Indiana, with Vin¬ cennes as the capital. William Henry Harrison, then a delegate from

Territory Of Indiana

In January, 1801, a session of these officers was held at the seat of government, some laws were adopted, one appointing justices of the peace for the counties of St. Clair and Randolph, and on March 3, a term of the general court for the whole territory was opened by the three judges. This terminated the domination of Illinois until the pas¬ sage of Act of Congress of February 3, 1809, establishing Illinois Ter¬ ritory, which also included Wisconsin, making Kaskaskia the capital.

Territory Of Illinois

John Boyle was appointed governor of the new territory, but he declined to serve, and upon the recommendation of Henry Clay, Niniau Edwards, chief justice of the Court of Appeals of Kentucky, was ap¬ pointed to the office. Nathaniel Pope was made secretary, and Jesse B. Thomas, Alexander Stuart and William Sprigg were made judges, on June 16, 1809. These officers, with the exception of Thomas, who wras a delegate in Congress, convened at Kaskaskia, and enacted such laws of Indiana and from other states as they deemed applicable. Thus was the civil government of the territory of Illinois put in operation. St. Clair and Randolph were recognized as the two counties of the new territory. The population was estimated at 9,000, and settlements ex¬ tended as far north in the American bottom as Woodriver and in other directions. There were 168 slaves in the territory.

Louisiana Purchase

An event of the most vital importance to Illinois, was the purchase of Louisiana by President Jefferson from France, in 1803, for $15,000,- 000.00. The French had laid an embargo on all business from Kaskaskia and other points on the Mississippi River to New Orleans, thus prac¬ tically paralyzing all of their trade and commerce. Jefferson, wdio had taken the most intense interest in this Northwestern Territory, realized that there could be no progress made in developing this territory so long as New Orleans and Louisiana were held by an alien enemy. The only other outlet was the St. Lawrence River, wThich wras held by Eng- land, and with the month of the Mississippi River in the hands of France, the whole Mississippi Valley was closed up and practically use¬ less. Hence, the vast importance of this purchase to Illinois, as well as to all the rest of this valley and its subsequent development and future prosperity.

Aaron Burr Conspiracy

Following the completion of the terms of the Louisiana Purchase, came the Aaron Burr conspiracy in 1806, which had for its object the wresting of all of the Mississippi Valley from the United States, and the establishment of a seat of government at New Orleans. In the furtherance of his plans, Burr visited all of the settlements west of the Allegheny mountains, including Kaskaskia, St. Louis and Vincennes, enlisting men and making converts for his enterprise. He had boats built for his expedition. All were to rendezvous at the mouth of the Ohio River, when they would be conveyed, with equipments, thence to their destination.

Trial Of Burr

On November 27, 1806, President Jefferson issued a proclamation warning the people against this movement, and Burr's men refused to proceed, so the expedition was abandoned before New Orleans was reached. Burr was arrested under an indictment for high treason, and was tried before Chief Justice John Marshall and a jury at Richmond, Va./ the trial commencing March 27, 1807, and closing September 6, when he was acquitted, but through the publicity given his acts, his power for evil was broken, and public sentiment classed him with Bene¬ dict Arnold, as a traitor to his country. He retired to France, where he lived in poverty for many years, but he finally returned to New lrork, and died in this country, a discredited and disappointed man.

Government Of Territory

From its organization as a territory of the first class in 1809, Illinois was governed by the governor and the judges. All laws deemed neces¬ sary were enacted by them. On September 14, 1812, Madison, Gallatin and Johnson counties were established by them. Madison County con¬ tained all of Illinois and Wisconsin north of a line running due east from the Mississippi to the Wabash, along the north line of St. Clair County, with the house of Thomas Kirkpatrick as the seat of justice for all of said new county. This new seat of justice was on the present site of Edwardsville. By Act of Congress, May 21, 1812, Illinois was made a territory of the second class, which required the election of a legislative council consisting of one member from each county, and a house of representatives. The council was elected for a term of four years, and the representatives for two years. Samuel Judy was elected as a member of the council, and William Jones as a representative, for Madison County.

First Territorial Legislature

Governor Edwards, by proclamation, convened the first territorial legislature at Kaskaskia, November 25, 1812. There w'ere five members of the council, and seven representatives, making twelve in both branches. They met in an old, weatherbeaten unpainted, two-story frame building, the council on the second floor, and the representatives on the first, with one doorkeeper for both houses. All twelve members boarded with one family, and slept in one room. There was not a lawyer in either branch.

By act of December 13, 1812, all of the laws of the territory of Indiana that were not local, and all laws enacted by the governor and judges under the first grade of territorial government that were not repealed, were re-enacted, together with such laws as they deemed neces¬ sary. Pierre Menard of Randolph County was president of the council ; and John Thomas was secretary. George Fisher was speaker of the lower house, and William C. Greenup was clerk. The legislature met once a year, but the sessions were short. The members of the council, as before stated, served for four years, the representatives for two years, and the representative to Congress, two years. In 1814, Col. Benjamin Stephenson was elected a delegate to Congress; and in 1816, Nathaniel Pope was elected to the same office.

Other New Counties

On November 28, 1814, Edwards County was created from all that part of Madison County east of the Third Principal Meridian, and a part of Gallatin County, and it was named in honor of the governor. On January 4, 1817. Bond County was taken from the east side of Madison

Comity, between it and Edwards, and was named in honor of Shadrach Bond, delegate in Congress, and later the first governor of the State of Illinois.

Other Territorial Legislation

In the session of the legislature, convened November 14, 1814, the officers of the council were the same as those of the first session. In the house, Risdon Moore of St. Clair County, was elected speaker; and Williams Mears, clerk. At this session a contract was entered into with Nathaniel Pope for revising the laws, payment of fifty dollars was of fered for the killing of every Indian that was hostile. On December 24, adjournment was made until September 4, 1915. On the reas¬ sembling of the legislature on that date, John G. Lofton appeared in place of Owen Evans, as a member of the house from Madison County. The third territorial legislature met December 2, 1816. The council was composed of Pierre Menard, of Randolph, who was again elected president; John G. Lofton, of Madison; Abraham Amos, of St. Clair; John Grammar, of Johnson; and Thomas C. Browne, of Gallatin. Joseph Conway was secretary of the council. In the house, George Fisher was elected speaker, Daniel P. Cook, who was auditor of public accounts, was made clerk. Twenty-eight acts were passed at this session. Among the more important ones were the establishing of a bank with a capital of $300,000.00 at Shawneetown; a fine of $200.00 was to be assessed against any Indiana lawyer practicing in the courts of this territory; and the same act imposed a fine of $500.00 on any judge who knowingly allowed an Indiana lawyer to practice in his court. This session ad¬ journed January 14, 1817, to December 1, 1817, at which date it recon¬ vened, and fifty acts were passed, among which were those establishing banks at Kaskaskia, Edwardsville and Cairo. An adjournment was taken January 12, 1818, which terminated all territorial legislation, al¬ though it continued in existence until the admission of Illinois into the Union. At the time that John G. Lofton was elected as a member of the territorial council from Madison County, as stated above, there were but five members of that body, and said county represented by him contained all of Illinois Territory, bounded as follows: on the east by the Third Principal Meridian ; on the west by the Mississippi River ; on the south by St. Clair County ; and extended on the north to the dividing line of Upper Canada. The only change in the dimensions of Madison County prior to the creation of Greene County in 1821, was the taking of Bond County from its east side in 1817.