Livingston County, Illinois - The whole text, 1878 (part 6 of 25)

We old ones are passing away. The fifth verse of the above requires the following explanation : Jerome Garner was the second Postmaster at Pontiac, and when he received his appointment he purchased a bell-crowned stove-pipe hat, and in it he kept all mail matter which arrived at this point. He was extremely fond of fishing ; and when any one was desirous of mailing a letter or expecting to receive one, it was necessary to seek for Jerome up or down the Vermilion until he was found, when he would take off his hat, perform his official duties, and then return it to his head.

On the Court House roof, with fiery claws, He sprang as the springing lion draws His prey to the earth, then clasped the bell. To his fiery breast, till it, tottering, fell To the earth below, with burning beam, And blazing rafter, till a stream

In the year 1875, when the new Court House was completed, it was determined by the old settlers throughout the county that a grand re-union should be held and the new building properly dedicated. A preliminary meeting was called at the fair ground early in the Fall of the year, at which C. B. Ostrander presided, and John A. Fellows was appointed Secretary.

The 30th of December was the day fixed upon for the re-union, and committees of arrangements were appointed in every township in the county. On the day appointed, the old settlers turned out en masse. Tables, capable of seating fifteen hundred people, had been prepared by the citizens of Pontiac, and these were all filled. James McDowell was President of the day, and John A. Fellows, Secretary. An address of welcome was delivered by Nathaniel J. Pillsbury. Letters were read from Judge Treat, who held the first term of court in Pontiac, and from Hon. David Davis and Jesse W. Fell. 0. F. Pearre, who had been requested to furnish a poem for the occasion, read the following

Address To The Old Settlers Of Livingston

ADDRESS TO THE OLD SETTLERS OF LIVINGSTON: One hundred years ago to-day. The British troops in Boston lay ; Our sires then hardly thought that they

Where now our county Spreads out one vast and fertile plain Of golden corn and waving grain, Rejoicing 'neath a constant rain Of Heaven's bounty.

Yea, men now sitting in this hall In mem'ry can the time recall When nature brooded over all ; When was unbroken The solitude that wrapped the land Where now our smiling cities stand, When silence reigned on every hand, ^ And gave no token.

Of gray wolf, weary In searching for his scanty food, Save where, perhaps, some cabin rude Seemed on the lonely scene to brood, And served to point the solitude

The quaint old story : How Chief Shabbona and his band Kindled their camp fires on the strand Of fair Vermilion, when the land Stood robed by virgin Nature's hand

Peace to thy shade ; Shabbona, rest; A warm, true heart beat in thy breast ; The white man's friend you stood confessed. Among the bravest, truest, best.

Of those we mention. Thy name deserves a worthy place. Brave chieftain of a warlike race, Hist'ry accords thee little space ; I would more worthy pen could trace^ Thy fame, and, with befitting grace.

Is this through which Vermilion flows From early morn to evening's close : Through towns and farms the tra\'ler goes, Where fifty thousand souls repose ; The desert blossoms like the Rose Of Sharon blooming.

And you, who yet upon the shore Of Time remain, strike hands once more. To-day recount your trials o'er. Repeat to us, from out your s»ore, The legions and the early lore.

Repeating The name of Ruramery, he who found That famous railroad under ground ; Then pass the name of Corey round, Cornell and Sprague, their praises sound ; Ladd, Dehner, Fellows, Fyfe, profound On finance, Spafford, such names sound

After these exercises, various old settlers made short addresses, and the day was spent in relating incidents and anecdotes of the early days, and a regular Old Settlers' Association was formed.

The second meeting was held on the fair grounds in September, 1876. The third meeting was held at Fairbury, September 4, 1877, and was largely attended. The meeting was called to order by the President, James McDowell, and Dr. Fraley delivered an address of welcome. Hon. Woodford G. McDow-

The officers elected for the following year, were : President, Walter Cornell; Secretary, John A. Fellows ; Scribe, David Murdock ; Chaplain, Rev. James Parcells. The village of Cornell Avas chosen for its next point of meeting.

The first religious organizations and buildings Avere, of course, as in all our new countries, by that glorious band of pious pioneer preachers, the Methodists. There is something so natural in their doctrines and so artless in their way of advancing them, that the history must be blind to one of the brightest lights which fails to give these plain privates their proper place in its pages.

From here and there in the log school houses, where earnest worshipers rdternately wept, sung and clapped their hands, have grown the full fruition of all those early hopes and prayers.

The churches at present organized Avithin the county are : Methodist (by Conference Report of 1877) - Fairbury, Fairbury Circuit (2), Forrest, Chatsworth, Avoca (2), Pontiac, Saunemin, Rook's Creek (2), Waldo and Nebraska (3), Reading (2), Cornell and Newtown (2), Odell, Nevada, Dwight ; total, 14 charges, 21 churches, 2,561 members. Value of houses of worship, $83,900. Number of Sunday schools, 34 ; scholars, 3,243.

Presbyterian - Pontiac, Cayuga, Dwight, Union, Fairbury, Reading, Chatsworth ; total, 7. Membership, 560. Value of church edifices (estimated), $40,000.

There are eight Roman Catholic churches in the county : Pontiac, Nebraska, Odell, Union (German), Dwight, Broughton, Fairbury, Chatsworth, and a station at Cornell, embracing, in the aggregate, 1,135 families, Avith probably not less than 3,500 communicants Avho have received confirmation.

There are Odd Fellows' Lodges at Cornell, Pontiac, Odell, Dwight, Fairbury, Forrest and Chatsworth, eight in all, with a membership of 400, and three Encampments, with 100 members.

County Organization

The territory which is now Livingston County was, in the first division of the State, a portion of Cook County. After that, it became a portion of Vermilion County, and hence the name of the river which flows through it, which had no other reason for its name, either in the color of its water or its surroundings. Subsequently, in the organization of those counties, nearly all of it became portions of McLean and La Salle, though a portion remained attached to Vermilion until this organization. By act of the Legislature, approved and in force, February 27, 1837, Livingston was created a county with its present boundaries. Its name was suggested by Jesse W. Fell, and was due to the popular esteem in which Edward Livingston was held, in consequence of his being the reputed author of President Jackson's famous proclamation to the South Carolina nullifiers, in their first unseccessful attempt to disrupt the L^nion.

In the act of organization, James W. Piatt, of Macon County ; William B. Peck, of Will County, and Thompson S. Flint, of Tazewell County, were appointed Commissioners to locate the permanent seat of justice; and they were to take into consideration the convenience of the people, and the situations of the settlements, with an eye to the future population.

Edward Livingston was a native of New York, and one of the prominent Livingston family of that State. He removed to New Orleans on account of his health, and became a leading lawyer of that city. He was appointed, by President Jackson, Minister to England, and was recalled to take the position of Secretary of State, when Jackson re-organized his Cabinet, in consequence of his quarrel with Calhoun. He was popularly credited with being the author . of the proclamation which "Old Hickory " sent out against the South Carolinians, when they adopted the ordinance of nullification. No more worthy name could have been selected for this great county than the one popularly identified with Jackson's stern determination to maintain this Union under all circumstances.

At this date, there were no settlements to receive the commission kindly vouchsafed in the enabling act, except those along the river from Indian Grove to La Salle County ; and the entire population did not exceed 450.

They were to meet at the house of Andrew McMillan, on the Vermilion River, about four miles northwest of Avhere Pontiac now stands, on the first Monday in June, and proceed to examine and determine upon a place for the permanent seat of justice. The county seat was to be located on government land, or if upon private land, then the owners thereof should be required to donate twenty acres, or the sum of three thousand dollars, the proceeds of the land, or the money in lieu thereof, to be used in erecting county buildings. The Commissioners met and selected the ground, and accepted the offer of Henry Weed, Lucius and Seth M. Young, who, as proprietors of the land, proposed to give three thousand dollars, a block of land two hundred feet square on which to put the Court House, and an acre of land not more than thirty rods distant from the Court House block, on which a jail was to be built, and an estray pen, and agreed, further, to build a good and substantial wagon bridge across the Vermilion River at that point. They gave their bond, signed by themselves as principals, and C. H. Perry, Avho was the first merchant in the county, James McKee, who Avas interested in the water privilege at Pontiac, and J. W. Fell, as sureties for the faithful performance of the contract.

By the enabling act, an election was to be held at the house of Andrew McMillan, on the second Monday in May, for a Sheriff, Coroner, Recorder, County Surveyor and three County Commissioners, to serve until the next regular election in August, 1838. This election was held, and officers were duly elected to launch the new county on the stormy sea of political existence : Joseph Reynolds, Sheriff; Robert Breckenridge, Jonathan Moore and Daniel Rockwood, County Commissioners, who met May 18, and organized, appointing Abram W. Beard, Clerk. That there was the usual amuount of log-rolling and managing to secure the location of the county seat is more than probable, as at the next session of the Legislature held after the location was made, an act was passed providing for an election in the new county to determine whether the county seat should be changed from its location.

The County Commissioners for a time held their meetings at McMillan's. There were three voting precincts in the county ; the upper was called Indian Grove ; the middle one Center, and the one in the northwestern portion of the county Bayou.

The Commissioners, at their first meeting, ordered that ''All horses over three years old, and all horned cattle over three years old, all sheep over one year old, all wagons, carriages, clocks, watches, jacks, jennies, mules, etc., are considered as being taxable property, upon which there shall be a tax of ^ per cent." The Court also ordered that an election should be held in the several precincts for the election of Justices of the Peace and Constables, on the 24th of June, and appointed John Recob, Treasurer, who gave bond in $1,000. At the session of the Court July 11th, Cornelius W. Reynolds was granted a license to keep a store for a year on payment of $5. Sept. 4th, Court appointed Matthias I. Ross, Clerk. Dec. 4th, James C. McMillan was appointed first School Commissioner. The Sheriff having failed to receive his commission, the Court appointed Joseph W. Reynolds, Collector of Taxes.

At the March term, 1838, the Court prepared the first list of grand and petit jurors, which embraced such well known names as Darnall, Spence, Moore, Isaac Wilson, Popejoy, Blue, McMillan, Edgington, Barrackman, Boyer, Norton, Moon, Steere and Donah o, who, or their representatives, still remain with us. It is not known that these juries performed any duty, as, by the records of the Circuit Court, no term of Court was held until October, 1839, at which Court there was no Clerk and no grand or petit jury, the Clerk, Henry Weed, having removed from the county. Joseph Reynolds, Sheriff, presented at this term his settlement with the Treasurer, and presented a receipt for ^68.71.

For the following year, the Court added to the taxable property "All town lots, hogs over one year old, stock in trade, fiirm and household utensils, money loaned, houses, mills and factories."

The first general election held in the county was the State election, the first Monday in August, 1838. At that election there were cast for Governor: For Cyrus Edwards, 45 ; for Thomas Carliji, 59. For Member of Congress - S. A. Douglas, 62; J. T. Stewart, 46. For county officers, the votes were: For County Commissioner - Uriah Springer, 90 : Albert Moon, 60 ; William Popejoy, 59 ; Robert Breckenridge, 41 ; Robert Smith, 29. For Sheriff - Nicholas Hefner, 65 ; Joseph Reynolds, 31. For Coronor - Simeon Mead, 45 ; Ambrose Sprague, 17. For Clerk - James S. Munson, 58 ; Matthias Ross, 34. For Recorder - James S. Munson, 60 ; Truman Rutherford, 34. For Surveyor - Isaac Whitaker, 59 ; Franklin Oliver, 41.

The county formed a legiflative district with Kane, De Kalb, La Salle and Iroquois Counties. Joseph H. Churchill and Wm. Stadden were elected Representatives at that election. John T. Stewart was elected to Congress from this district, which embraced all the State north of Springfield, the " Little Giant"' being for the time defeated. In drawing for seats by the County Commissioners, L'riah Springer, Avho was absent, drew the three years term, Albert Moon two years and Wm. Popejoy one year. This Court had more bills to pay than its predecessor. Among them was one to Henry Weed for "^4.12| for paper, sand and ink, used by him as Circuit Clerk up to this time." Just how much of it was for sand, the bill fails to mention ; but it should be remembered in honor of Livingston County, that it paid for the sand its first Circuit Clerk used. April 9, 1839, the Court appointed the first Assessors, one for each precinct - Robert Smith for Indian Grove Precinct, Andrew McMillan for Center, and John Dermey for Bayou - and ordered that seventy cents on $100 be levied and collected on certain property, among which is this singular item : " Slaves and servants of color." It is not generally known that the laws of this State at that time, or at any time, recognized property in human chattels, but such was the revenue law of 1839. Robert Smith was appointed School Commissioner.

At the general election in August, 1839, Truman Rutherford was elected Probate Justice of the Peace, an office which had jurisdiction in all probate business ; Lemuel White, County Commissioner ; C. W. Reynolds, Recorder and County Court Clerk ; Jacob Moon, Treasurer ; Isaac Burgit, Coroner ; Franklin Oliver, Surveyor ; W. G. Hubbard and J. C. McMillan, Justices of the Peace.

Eighty-one votes were given for and fifty -six votes against removing county seat. Seventy-eight votes were given for removing to the location ofi'ered by Rockwood, Hubbard and Weed, at a point about four or five miles up the river from Pontiac, Avhere fiftv acres of land were ofi'ered ; the bond for the donation having been approved by the court.

This vote was taken by virtue of an act passed March 1, 1839, directing a vote to be taken at the August election, for and against re-locating the county seat, by which it was provided that, if two-thirds of all the votes cast were for removal, and a majority were for removal to any place named, then the county seat should be removed. It lacked a few votes of the required two-thirds, though a majority favored Rockwood 's.

On the 3d day of December, 1839, the County Commissioners entered into a contract with the proprietor of the town for the erection of a Court House, to be 22x30 feet, two stories high ; to be built and completed within twelve months after " there is sufficient rise in the Vermilion River to allow the proprietors of the saw-mill to put said mill in operation." When completed, the Commissioners were to cancel and deliver up the bond which had been given for the location of the county seat.

At the general election held in August, 1840. the following vote was cast : For State Senator - John Moore, 62 ; David Davis, 38. For Representative, Welcom P. Brown, 62 : I. T. Gildersleeve, 61 ; Asahel Gridley, 38 ; Isaac Funk, 38; A. R. Dodge, 14; L. W. Leek, 32. For Sheriff" - Garrett M. Blue, 66 ; John Foster, 29. Davis M. Pendell was elected Coroner ; Andrew Mc- Millan and Nicholas Hefner, County Commissioners. There is no record of the vote at Presidential or Congressional election.

The Court extended the time for building the Court House to May 1, 1841; and John Foster received an order for $5.00, for use of his room for holding Circuit Court.

Robert Smith and John Blue were appointed Assessors. In 1841, Daniel Barrackman was elected County Commissioner ; Samuel Boyer, School Commissioner; S. S. jNIead, Assessor; W. G. McDowell w&s appointed Collector, and D. S. Ebersol was appointed Clerk of the Court.

States Attorney, Fairbury History Of Livingston Couiity

After the census of 1840, the State was re-apportioned for Congressional Representatives, giving seven Representatives instead of three, as heretofore.

This county was in the Fourth District, which first elected John Wentworth to Congress. He remained our Representative as long as we remained in that District. Previous to this, John T. Stewart, of Springfield, had been our Representative.

At the election held in 1843, the following vote was cast : For. Congress - John Wentworth, 111; Giles Spring, (}6. For County Commissioner - Charles Jones, 84; Augustus Fellows, 50. For County Clerk, D. S. Ebersol, 122; Wm. K. Brown, 28. For School Commissioner - Samuel Boyer, 136. For Recorder - D. S. Ebersol, 121 ; S. C. Ladd, 16. For Probate Justice - Truman Rutherford, 82 ; Wm. K. Brown, 49. For Treasurer - Truman Rutherford, 92 ; Lyman Bergit, 45. For Surveyor - Amos Edwards, 67 ; Orin Phelps, 39 ; Franklin Oliver, 38.

At a special election held in November, the following votes were cast : For Probate Justice - Andrew McMillan, 46 ; Augustus Fellows, 37 ; S. S. Mead. 5. For County Treasurer and Assessor - McMillan, 46 ; Fellows, 37 ; Mead, 5.

At the August Election in 1844, for Member of Congress, John Wentworth received 110 ; B. S. Morris, 61. For State Senator, S. G. Nesbitt received 106; G. W. Powers, 66. For Representative, James Robinson received 106 ; E. B. Myers, 63. For County Commissioner, Andrew McDowell received 104; Walter Cornell, 65. For Sheriff, R. P. Breckenndge received 97 ; Thomas Sawyer, 71. For Coroner, John Blue, 113.

On the 2d day of December, the following minute is entered of record : " This day comes Andrew McMillan, Treasurer of Livingston County, and makes settlement with the Court, and pays over to the Court $13.00 in county orders and 20 cents in specie, it being the whole amount of funds received by him." It is hardly necessary to add that McMillan did not default to the county during his term.

In 1845, the same Treasurer reported and turned over without default, 20 cents in silver. There is no record of what his commissions amounted to.

Andrew McMillan was appointed to take the census for that year. . At the June Term of the County Court, D. S. Ebersol resigned the Clerkship, and S. C. Ladd was appointed Clerk.

At the regular election in August, Murrell Breckenridge was elected County Commissioner; Augustus Fellows, School Commissioner; S. C. Ladd, Clerk; S. S. Mead, Coroner. And at a special election in December, S. C. Ladd was elected Recorder. c

Ordered That Hugh Taylor & Co. remove their goods, chattels, etc., out of the Court House by the 1st day of November next ; and if they should fail to do so, then they shall pay additional rent

At the regular election held in August, 1846, A. C. French, for Governor, received 124 votes; T. M. Kilpatrick, 60. John Wentworth, for Congress, received 124 votes ; John Kerr, 58. James Robinson, for Representative, received 122 votes ; Bissell Chubbuck, 42. R. P. Breckenridge was elected Sheriff; Charles Jones, County Commissioner, and John Blue, Coroner. In 1847, Isaac Hodgson was elected Commissioner ; S. C. Ladd, Clerk. In September, the County Court contracted with Henry Jones, J. H. Demoss and Philip Rollings to build the bridge over the river at Pontiac, for |450. An election was held in March, 1848, to vote upon the new Constitution and the separate articles. The vote was, for the Constitution, 71 ; against it, 25. For the separate article in relation to colored people, there were 8^ votes ; against it, 12. For the two-mill tax, which was intended to pay off the long past due State debt, 71 votes ; against it, 35.

At the regular election in August, the vote for Governor was : For A. C. French, 135. For Congress, John Wentworth, 108 ; John Y. Scammon, 62. For Senator, Wm. Reddick, 131. Murrell Breckenridge was elected Sheriff; Henry Jones, County Commissioner, and John Blue, Coroner.

At the judicial election in September under the new constitution, John D. Caton received eighty votes for Supreme Court Judge; Lorenzo Leland, seventyseven votes for Clerk of the Supreme Court; B. F. Fridgley, sixty-three votes for Judge of the Ninth Circuit ; T. Lyle Dickey, forty-seven for Judge ; Burton C. Cook, eighty votes for State's Attorney, and S. C. Ladd, eighty votea for Circuit Clerk.

At the Presidential election, Cass received 130 votes; Taylor, 82 votes ; and for the first time in our history as a county, the third party received a vote. Four votes were cast for the Van Buren electoral ticket, upon which were the names of such veteran Abolitionists as President Jonathan Blanchard. For the first time also, the vote indicates a healthy increase of population in the county. Up to this year, the vote had been very nearly uniform,

"In March, 1849, tlie bridge which had just been completed and accepted bv the court was carried away by a freshet, and Rollings and Demoss were ordered to save what they could of it, and report what portion of it could be

161 votes for County Judge; S. Miller, 2. S. C. Ladd, 137 for Clerk; Jason Tuttle, 8. James Bradley, 114 for County Justice of the Peace; Philip Rollings, 95 for same ; W. G. McDowell, 55. Franklin Oliver, 73 votes for Surveyor ; Amos Edwards, 53. Walter Cornell was elected School Commissioner, and J. D. Garner. Coroner. 55 votes were given for township organization out of a total of 164 votes cast ; not a majority.

That all the offices were not vastly remunerative is evidenced by the following order at the October term of the Commissioners' Court : " Ordered, that Andrew McMillan be allowed ten dollars ($10) for services as County Treasurer for two years."

The County Court under the new Constitution organized December 31. 1849. J. C. McMillan, County Judge ; Philip Rollings and James Bradley, County Justices, and S. C. Ladd, Clerk.

At this time first appeared the constitutional clause in the oath of office : " I do solemnly swear that I have not fought a duel, nor sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel, the probable issue of which might have been the death of either party, nor been a second to either party, nor in any way aided or assisted in such duel, nor been knowingly the bearer of such challenge since the adoption of the Constitution, nor will be engaged in such duel during my continuance in office."

That our foremost citizens earned their bread in those days is drawn from the following recorded order : " Ordered, that John A. FelloAvs be allowed sixty two and one-half cents for chopping wood for county." It does not appear Avhether his services, like McMillan's, were of two years' duration.

Murrell Breckenridge was elected County Judge at a special election in September, 1850. Henry Loveless was elected Sheriff, and Joseph Springer Coroner, in November. At the regular election in 1852, the vote for Secretary of State was for Alexander Starne, Democrat, 209; B. S. Morris, Whig, 161; Erastus Wright, Anti-slavery, 11.

For Representatives, C. I. Starlech, 207 votes ; C. R. Patton, 203 ; A. A. Fisher, 159 ; George M. Radcliffe, 156 ; William Strawn, 26. Strawn was on the Anti-slavery or Abolition ticket.

The four Anti-slavery votes of 1848 seem to have grown into eleven this year, Mr. Wallace, notwithstanding his small vote for State's Attorney in the ".ounty, was elected, and proved a very acceptable officer. He was a son-in-law of Judge Dickey, and went with him into the army, where he yielded up his life at Shiloh. He is spoken of as a brilliant lawyer and a very popular man. No record of the Presidential and Congressional vote of that year is found ; but it must have been about the same as above - Democratic, 208 votes ; Whig, 160; Abolition, 11. Total 379, indicating a population of about 2,000.

In 1853, the number of voting precincts had been increased by addition of Reading, New Michigan, Mud Creek and Avoca Precincts. Any inhabitant of the county will recognize these localities, although the precincts are known to the law no longer.

The vote at that election was : For County Judge - Billings P. Babcock, 243 votes; John Hoobler, 133. For Clerk, George W. Boyer, 221 ; 0. Chubbuck. 118. For Associate Justice, D. Mcintosh, 4 ; J. P. Garner, 74 ; Eli Myer, 278 ; John Darnall, 228. For Treasurer and Assessor, Walter Cornell, 272 ; Philip Rollings, 94. County Surveyor - James Stout, 156 ; Charles Hustin, 73; Amos Edwards, 48 ; Nelson Buck, 58; E. B.Oliver, 21. For School Commissioner - Joseph A. Hews, 118 ; Eli Meyer, 103 ; H. H. Hinman, 134.

This list, together with those elected to the minor offices at this election, embraces many names new to the records of the county, but which are now familiar as household words. The Breckenridges, the McMillans and other old families seem to have given way all at once to such new blood and new material as B. P. Babcock, James Stout, Louderback, Hinman, Boyer. Chubbuck and Mcintosh, although Darnall seems to have have retained a place in official life.

New life was coming into the county. The first dash of the tidal wave of immigration was reaching us. The Chicago k Mississippi and Illinois Central Railroads were being built. Of the men whose names appear above, whose lives are well remembered, are B. P. Babcock, who, after a faithful term as County Judge, where he displayed the same clear, cautious and honest care in public which has always marked his private affairs, is now one of the largest farmers in the county, owning two splendid sections of land, upon which is Babcocks Grove, of which Isaac Funk once said, that "next to Elkhart Grove, he thought nature had made this the handsomest spot in this whole glorious State." Geo. W. Bover, as his records in the different offices of this countv show, was a singularly neat and efficient Clerk. Orlando Chubbuck, after having served an apprenticeship as an honest farmer and faithful citizen, read law, and now practices the same in La Salle County. David Mcintosh, among many other, perhaps, as honorable things, has once faithfully served us in the Legislature. Jerome Garner was one of the first local attorneys at law. Eli Myer has passed away, leaving an honored name, which is kept alive by a large family of descendants. Walter Cornell still upholds the faith that has led him thus far, an honored, esteemed and beloved old man. Rollins is still with us, though he long since eschewed politics and office holding. Nelson Buck, after several terms of official service, and many years of active life, received an appointment to survey in Western Nebraska, and was, in 1869, massacred by the Sioux. H. H. Hinman still faithfully serves his day and generation as a missionary, after having lived many years in Africa. He now represents the Anti-Secret- Society Association in its crusade against Masonry and kindred clans. He was one of the first to espouse Abolition sentiments in the county, and never let his light be hid under a bushel, or anything else. James Stout - no one living in the county from '55 to "70 but knows the intrepid, earnest, positive, lively, jagged and, perhaps, "sassy " Jim Stout. In early life, he had tried teaching school in Kentucky, but gave more attention to teaching the negroes the etymology of the word "freedom " than his employers approved of, and he left town between two days, without calling around to get his Avages, and believes to this day that blood-hounds were on his track until he forded the Ohio River. With a not very passive nature, the little experience he had there set every drop of blood in him on fire, and he became the fiery champion of down-trodden Africa from that hour. He was possessed of a vast fund of indignation, and never failed to surround all his efforts with the glitter of attraction which that gave. At one time he helped "steal a nigger," as the phrase went, the story of which must have a place here. A fugitive slave had been taken and was before the court at Ottawa, to have his case legally determined. Stout, with some other Abolitionists, was in attendance. With most of them, it was probably their first experience, and no well developed plan was agreed upon how they might best help the slave. After as patient a hearing as could be given under the great excitement, the Court decided that the fugitive must be sent back to his master. While the opinion of the Court was being delivered, a breathless silence reigned in the court room. The Abolitionists, embracing many who hardly accepted that title, were undecided. The crisis had arrived, and Stout, carried away with excitement, sprang upon a table and shouted, " I move we form ourselves into a committee of the whole, to carry this poor slave back to slavery and bondage ! " The entire room was at once in an uproar which passes all description. While attention was thus called to the mover of this resolution, the slave was spirited out of the window, put into a close carriage and, quicker than it can bs told, was on his way to Canada. The parties engaged in this rescue were arrested and tried for the crime, for it was a crime to help a fugitive away. Stout refused to employ any counsel, refused the aid of the Court, who nffered to assign him a legal adviser, and persisted in defending his own case, and by his quick, sharp wit, he was cleared. All that could certaiily be proved against him was his motion. His line of defense was that he had only proposed to carry the fugitive back to slavery and bondage, but the prosecution endeavored to show by the witness, Judge Caton of the State Court, before whom the former hearing had been had, that Stout, the defendant, did not mean what he said when he proposed to carry the slave back to bondage. The question was asked Judge Caton, ''What is your opinion of the intent of the defendant in making that remark?" "I object! " shouted Stout. In the course of the discussion which followed, in regard to the right of an answer to the question. Stout sprang to his feet and demanded " a subpoena for God Almighty ! He is the only one who knows my intent." Defendants were not then competent witnesses. The Sherift' jocularly remarked tliat he would find it <lifEcult to serve such a subpoena. Stout sharply retorted, " You can, for it is written, ' He will be found of those who diligently seek Him.' " This turned the tide, and he was acquitted, while the others were convicted and fined. Mr. Stout, after being several years editor and proprietor of the Pontiac Sentinel^ was appointed, in 1869, Receiver of Public Moneys, at Boise City, Idaho, by President Grant, where he now resides. He was possessed of more fire for the fluid ounces of blood he contained, and more fight to the square inch, than any resident of Livingston County, unless history is at fault.

At the election in 1854, which occurred in the midst of the political excitement in regard to Kansas, the county seems for the first time to have given majorities for the Whig and Anti-slavery, or, rather, Anti-Nebraska candidates. The vote for Congressman was: For Jesse 0. Norton, 319 ; J. N. Drake, 207. Por Representatives - P. S. Day, 317 ; David Strawn, 331 ; J. L. McCormick, 185 ; George W. Armstrong, 201. Por Sheriff - W. B. Lyon, 187 ; M. Breckenridge, 133 ; M. B. Patty, 69 ; Jerome P. Garner, 104. Por Coroner - Laban Prakes, 178; Jacob Streamer, 171; Ira Loveless, 118. Por Surveyor - T. P. Norton, 267 ; I. R. Clark, 80; N. Buck, 115. Jesse 0. Norton was a Whig, a resident of Joliet, and has been nearly all the time in public life since that election until his death abo'ut two years ago. Of the Representatives voted for that year, two are well known in the county. G. W. Armstrong has served more terms in the Legislature of this State, probably, than any man now living. David Strawn, though not a resident of the county, had a large landed interest in it, and was subsequently the builder of the Chicago & Paducah Railroad. In 1855, Walter Cornell was elected Treasurer and Assessor ; H. H. Hinman, School Commissioner ; I. R. Clark, Surveyor ; Thomas Croswell, Coroner. Dwight Precinct had been added. No records of the important election of 1856 are on file. At the election of 1857, two more precints had been added - Nebraska and Days, the latter embracing what is now Broughton and Round Grove. At this election, about 1,000 votes were cast. For County Judge the vote was: Por Henry Jones, 510 ; 0. Chubbuck, 436. Por Associte Justice - John Darnall, 469; J. P. Morgan, 497; Decatur Veatch, 453; Jacob Angle, 473. For Clerk - S. S. Saul, 525; S. L. Manker, 427. For School Commissioner - J. H. Hagerty, 480 ; J. W. Strevell, 465. Por Surveyor - Nelson Buck? 493 ; James Stout, 444. Por Treasurer - J. R. Woolverton, 488 ; James Gibson, 447. Por Township organization, 738 ; against, 40. This was the last election held under the old county organization. Township organization went into effect the next year.

The election of 3 858 will ever remain a memorable one. Douglas and Lincoln were before the people of the State as representatives of the two political ideas of the day. Douglas had separated from the President, and stood upon the platform of Popular Territorial Self-Government, called in derision, " Squatter Sovereignty," holding the doctrine that the people of each Territory had the inherent right to decide for themselves whether they would have slavery in the Territory or not ; Lincoln, the chosen representative of all the various shades of political and moral opponents of slavery, conservative himself, held strongly the view that slavery could not be interfered with in States where it already existed, could be prohibited in Territories by Congress, and in States it could only be abolished by State authority.

These two leaders were candidates for the United States Senate, and made a very thorough canvass of the State. There was a third ticket in the field, which represented the ultra State Rights doctrine, that slavery could not even be kept out of a Territory, either by State or Territorial authority, but as property, slavery would go wherever the Constitution went. This ticket, however, seems to have got but two votes in the county, one at Pontiac and one in Dwight. If this was, as was said at the time, a Postmaster's ticket, it probably not now receive those two Postmaster's votes. A rapid increase of population, together with the excitement consequent on the interesting contest increased the vote to double that of the year before. The county gave about 200 majority to the Republican ticket. There were then twenty-three townships in the county. The vote was : For State Treasurer - James Miller, 1,001 ; William B. Fondy, 789. For Superintendent of Instruction - Newton Bateman, 998 ; A. C. French, 790. For Congress - Owen Lovejoy, 986: G. W. Armstrong, 794. For Representatives - Alexander Campbell, 1,003 ; R. S. Hick, 1,000 ; S. C. Collins, 784 ; William Cogswell, 776. For Sheriff- William T. Russell, 987 ; Joshua C. Mills, 806.

At the special election in 1859, W. G. McDowell was elected County Judge, and in November, the vote for Treasurer was : For Philip Cook, 739 ; J. S. Gumm, 620. For School Commissioner : I. T. Whittemore, 728 ; A. E. Harding, 616. For Surveyor : E. W. Gower, 498 ; T. F. Norton, 442 ; N. Buck, 417.

The interest taken in the Presidential election of 1860 was sufficient to call out a very full vote. The entire vote polled was 2,563. Lincoln received 1,475; Douglas, 1,088. The majority of Yates and Hoffman was about, the same. For Congress, Owen Lovejoy received 1,451 ; R. N. Murray, 1,097. It is interesting to notice that in all these recorded votes, Lovejoy always lacks a few of the full party vote. He was such a pronounced Abolitionist that, probably, in nearly every county, there were some who called themselves Republicans who would not vote for him. Way down in the heart of many others who did vote for him; there was undoubtedly a rebellion against voting for so pronounced an Abolitionist. Still, he was one of the most brilliant men of his day. Those who had the opportunity to hear him on the canvass will remember him to their dying day, as one of the very ablest and most interesting public speakers they ever heard. To those who used to hear him in the pulpit, before he became an official, the same clear elucidation of doctrine, the same fearful, rugged, pointed portraiture of wrong and error, is well remembered. The vote for State Senator for that year was : For Washington Bushnell, 1.464 ; for John Hise, 1,074. For Representatives - A. J. Cropsey, 1,474 ; J. W. Newport, 1,475; H. H. Brower, 1,092 ; Daniel Evans, 1,097. For Circuit Clerk - James W. Remick, 1,345 : Ben. W. Gray, 1,229. For Sheriff - E. R. Maples, 1.547 : James M. Perry, 1,023. For Coroner - Thos. Croswell, 1,475 ; T. B. Norton, 1,043. For State's Attorney - C. H. Wood, 927 ; G. H. Watson, 859 ; Joshua Whitmore, 829. For Constitutional Convention, 1,743 ; against, 120. The election of Col. Cropsey as Representative marked the first election of a citizen of the county to either house of the General Assembly. Heretofore, candidates had been selected from other counties in the district, this county not being deemed of sufficient importance to be entitled to representation. He soon left us however, for he early went into the military service, and soon after removed to Nebraska, where he has been honored with more distinguished official

At the June election in 1861, the unanimous vote of the county was given to Hon. C. R. Starr for Circuit Judge, who remained upon our bench until he resigned in 1866.

At the November election, in this year, there were three tickets in the field. A Union ticket was formed, which was composed of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. Disaffection was caused in both parties. However, and party or independent tickets were named. For Delegates to the Constitutional Convention of that year. Perry A. Armstrong received 1,153 votes, and Alexander Campbell 1,115. On county officers the vote was: For County Judge - Jonathan Duff, 918 ; N. S. Grandy, 191 ; W. J. McDowell, 245. For Clerk - R. B. Harrington, 822 ; J. F. Culver, 511. For Treasurer - Samuel Maxwell, 818 ; J. R. Woolverton, 312 ; T. W. Brydia, 224. For Surveyor- Nelson Buck, 925 ; T. F. Norton, 403. For School Commissioner - J. W. Smith, 1,096; C. M. Lee, 217.

The Union ticket was elected, but it did not stop the war. Robert B. Harrington and Samuel Maxwell, who this year came into official notice, were influential men, and both very popular and efficient officers. Mr. Maxwell removed to Missouri soon after his two years' term closed. Mr. Harrington served two full terms as Clerk, and after a short but eventful residence in Mississippi, struck Nebraska, and at Beatrice now serves the public acceptably as Receiver in the Land Office.

In June, the new proposed Constitution was submitted, and received 852 votesto 1,466 against. This Constitution was not adopted by the vote of the State. At the November election, the vote for State Treasurer was - Wm. 0. Butler, 1,099 ; Alex. Starne, 938. For Sheriff - Job E. Dye received 1,036 votes, and S. H. Putnam, 902. For Coroner - Thomas Croswell, 1,056 ; S. B. Norton, 971. For Congress (at large) - E. C. Ingersoll, 1,096: J. C. Allen, 954. For Congress, Eighth District - Leonard Swett, 1,110 ; John T. Stewart, 938. For Member of Legislature - J. 0. Dent, 950 ; T. C. Gibson, 950 ; M. B. Patty, 976 ; A. A. Fisher, 1,085 ; Franklin Corwin, 1,098 ; Albert Parker, 1,097.

This county composed, with La Salle, a district, and the three former were elected by 150 majority. Of these latter, Mr. Corwin was after this repeatedly elected, was twice elected Speaker of the House, and afterward represented his district (the seventh) in Congress.

The Presidential vote in 1864 was: For Abraham Lincoln, 1,746 ; George B. MeClellan, 1,100. Seven towns - Nebraska, Reading, Rook's Creek, Belle Prairie, Sullivan, Owego and Nevada - gave Democratic majorities, the latter two by only one majority each. R. J. Oglesby for Governor, William Bross for Lieutenant Governor, Sharon Tyndale for Secretary of State, 0. H, Miner for Auditor, James H. Beveridge for Treasurer, Newton Bateman for Superintendent, S. W. Moulton for Congress (at large), S. M. Cullom for Congress, Washington Bushnell for Senator, and Franklin Corwin, John Miller and Jason W. Strevell for Representatives, each received 650 majority. Wm. T. Ament was elected State's Attorney, E. W. Capron Coroner, and Amos Hart Sheriff by the same average vote. This was Mr. Cullom's first election to Congress, although he had already served the Springfield District in the Legislature, was Speaker of the House, and had been a candidate for Congress at a preceding election. He continued to be our Representative in Congress until 1871. He subsequently served two terms in the Legislature, and was then elected Governor.

The election in 1865 was an exceedingky exciting one, arousing animosities which were not allayed in years. The large Republican majorities given at the last election discouraged the Democracy, while the recent return of so large a body of Union soldiers who had been for years promised by those who served in the grand army of stay-at-homes, that when "this cruel war was over" they should certainly be remembered in the distribution of offices, that the Democracy were easily led to unite with the soldiers in the support of a distinctly soldiers" ticket. True, nearly all the candidates on both tickets were soldiers, but the one was known as Republican and the other as the Soldiers' ticket.

The vote was: For Judge - J. F. Culver, 1,034 ; James Stout, 575. For Clerk - R. B. Harrington. 969 ; George W. Rice, 840. For Treasurer - Hugh Thompson, 1,077 ; B. F. Hotchkiss, 729; for Superintendent of Schools - H. H. Hill, 910 ; Hugh Pound, 895. For Surveyor - A. E. Huetson, 1,013 ; Nelson Buck, 772. Of these gentlemen, B. F. Hotchkiss was for many years Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and was elected Surveyor, a position lie resigned, and took up his home in Nebraska. In his new home, the citizens will find him a valuable and worthy man, true to convictions, and one whom to know is to love and respect. Mr. Huetson, after serving repeated terms as Surveyor, left us for Dakota Territory, where he can but make himself a useful and honored citizen, H. H. Hill was a successful school teacher when elected Superintendent, and served two terms in that capacity. Under his administra- tion of this responsible position, the schools of the county rapidly increased in efficiency, and still feel the effect of his laborious, methodical and conscientious work. Soon after retiring from office, he took up his residence in Chicago, where he is engaged in business.

At the election in 1866, over 3,300 votes were cast, and the average majority for Republican candidates was 1,100. Franklin Corwin, Elmer Baldwin and Capt. Wm. Strawn were elected from this district to the Legislature, over Douglas Hapeman, James Clark and Capt. M. L. Payne. The vote for county officers was: For Sheriff - James H. Gaff, 2,188; James Kirby, 1,115. For Coroner - Thomas Croswell, 2,231 ; Eben Norton, 1,117.

Capt. M. L. Payne, whose candidacy appeared at this election, was a wellknown citizen of the county for many years. He served as Captain of a company raised at Danville, in the Black Hawk war; as Captain in the Mexican war, and subsequently as a Captain in the war against rebellion. He was a man of great energy and indomitable courage. He died of cancer, in May, 1878, and was buried with military honors, in the cemetery at Pontiac.

Hon. Elmer Baldwin, after his service in the Legislature, served one term in the State Senate, and is the author of the very complete and valuable History of La Salle County, recently published.

At the judicial election in June, Charles H. Wood received 897 votes for Judge of the Twentieth Circuit, and Geo. B, Joiner. 221. W. M. Taylor, 1,181 votes for Clerk of the Supreme Court; S. G. McFadden, 48.

In November, the vote was : For County Treasurer - Wm. B. Fyfe, 1,898 J J. I. Dunlop,738 ; John Dehner, 597, For Surveyor - A, C. Huetson, 1,525 ; E. B. Neville, 615 ; N. Buck, 555. Keeping up stock - For, 1,249 ; against, 977. This vote was under the provisions of a law, by which the county was to determine whether it would permit cattle to run at large or not. The adoption of the law rendered the expensive system of fencing unnecessary. No single act did as much to aid in the development of the county ; yet it caused violent opposition and litigation, quarrels, and at least one death. Its application to this county was due to Capt. Strawn, and it nearly defeated his renomination to the Legislature the next year.

In 1868, 5,595 votes were cast, the average Republican majority being about 1,320. Four towns only gave Democratic majorities : Reading, 2 ; Sunbury, 1 ; Belle Prairie, 6 ; Nevada, 83.

To the Constitutional Convention in 1869, the following were elected from this district (La Salle and Livingston): N. J. Pillsbury, Joseph Hart, Geo. S. Eldredge, over Jonathan Duflf, J. D. Caton and G. W. Armstrong.

For. Aga1N3T

This voting in aid of the railroad was under the law of 1869, which gave to all counties, townships, cities and towns, which voted such aid, all the State tax which should be raised, for ten years after such voting, upon the increase of assessment over the assessment of the year 1868 ; to be used by such counties, etc., as a fund for paying the interest and meeting the principal of such bonds at maturity - commonly known as the "grab law." The law was deemed vicious in its spirit and eflFect ; and, after several years of operation, in which millions of indebtedness was voted throughout the State, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional - or rather, that the act had been repealed by the Constitution of 1870.

By virtue of this vote, bonds were issued by all townships thus voting, except Esmen, which ignored the vote entirely, on the ground that the seventy - five votes cast were not a majority of all the voters of the town. This view was held by Dr. Woolley, who, as Supervisor of the Township, would not consent to the issuing of the bonds on that vote.

July 2, 1870, an election was held for and against the new Constitution, and the articles submitted separately, all of which received very nearly the unanimous vote of the county, the article on Minority Representation having 473 votes against it.

At this election, Hon. John M. Scott received 1,304 votes for Judge of the Third Judicial District, and was at that time elected Supreme Judge, E. S. Terry receiving 704 votes for the same.

At the November election, the vote cast was only 3,100. The Republican ticket was elected, except Sheriff, by an average majority of about 150.

Under the new Constitution, the county was a legislative district alone for that single election, and was entitled to two Representatives. The vote was : For Representatives - John Stillwell, 1,607; J. G. Strong, 1,607; Rufus W. Babcock, 1,527 ; J. I. Dunlop, 1,446.

In October, 1870, Hon. M. B. Loomis, State Attorney, having removed to Chicago, where he was subsequently elected County Judge, Gov. Palmer appointed Chris. C. Strawn, of P(»ntiac, in his place. Mr. Strawn, though a young lawyer, just commencing practice, proved a very efficient and successful officer.

- The Liberal defection from the Republican party was noticeable mostly in those townships where a strong German element existed, but its influence was somewhat felt throughout the county.

A new apportionment had been made for Congressional Representative, and the county was placed with Kankakee, Iroquois, Ford, Marshall and Woodford, making the Eighth District.

An earnest contest occurred in the Republican Convention for nomination for Congressman, the District being so strongly Republican that it was believed a nomination carried the certainty of election. After repeated ballots, Greenbury L. Fort, of Marshall, was nominated ; and, being elected, has continued to represent the county in Congress from that time. The vote for Congressional Representative was: For G. L. Fort, 3,158; for G. 0. Barnes, 2,111.

At this election, we were for the first time in a new Senatorial and Representative District, with Ford County comprising the Eighteenth District. Under a scheme known as " Minority Representation," a State Senator and three Representatives were elected, but only two of which Representatives could be on the same ticket ; that is, tlie voter may vote three votes for the same candidate, or two for one and one for another ; or one and one-half vote for each of two ; or one vote each for three candidates.

Late in this year, a movement took form which, within a year, politically revolutionized the county. No history would be complete which did not take note of the causes which led to one of the most remarkable political movements in the history of the county.

The year had been a bountiful one in the production of the staple crop of the county, corn. During several preceding years, the crop had been meager, and prices had ruled high. With this year's extraordinary yield, the prices fell to the lowest known since the general settlement of the county. With the farmers of this county, corn is the chief article of sale. With interest to pay upon their indebtedness, which was large, payments, taxes, store bills, hired help to meet in addition to the actual family necessities, with freights as high as at any time, a feeling of uneasiness became general, and complaint grew against the oppression of capital as aggregated in the enormous railroad corporations of the State.

It was believed that in justice the railroads ought to reduce their rates, and at least divide the losses which the farmers, their chief patrons, were meeting in selling their chief crop at ruinous prices. It did not reduce the general dissatisfaction at all to be told that if it Avere not for the railroads they could not sell their superabundant crop at any price ; nor did it meet the case to be advised that they ought to hold their crop till they could realize ; for with perhaps a majority sales were necessary. About this time, the Legislature had passed a law requiring all railroads and warehouses to reduce their rates. The law was openly defied, and suits were at once commenced on the part of the people of the State to compel a compliance with the law. The idea that these monster corporations were above all law, while the natural citizen must comply or go to jail, was not a pleasant one to contemplate. It took two bushels of corn to pay the freight on one to tide-water.

With foreclosures staring many citizens in the face, and inability to pay their just debts, with the largest crop they ever raised in their possession, their minds were naturally led toward united political action. While in other counties the matter was hardly thought of, in this the entire community was aroused to seek any relief they could find. A few citizens of the township of Pike met together and called a County Convention to demand a redress of grievances.

The convention met and warmed up in its denunciation of monopolies, and the "Farmers' Mevement " was fairly launched in this county. Granges of the Patrons of Husbandry were started in every neighborhood, and men and women pledged each other to defend, unto death, the interests of the farmers against monopolies.

t The unfortunate result of the Greeley movement had already convinced many that the Democratic party was practically dead, by suicide ; and many who did not particularly sympathize with the farmers were anxious to find some healthy political organization with which to connect themselves. The movement was the outgrowth of political injustice and business oppression. The farmers had but too many reasons for feeling that their interests were deemed as naught, by the combined and controlling aggregation of capital, and, whether blind or not, saw no other way but by political organization to save themselves. Thus was the Anti-Monopoly party formed in this county, which for years, under one name or another, exercised a controlling influence on the political affairs of the county, and gradually grew into the Greenback party.

In the judicial election of 1873, Nathaniel J. Pillsbury received the unanimous vote of the county for Circuit Judge, and was elected, being the first citizen of this county to receive that honor. He still remains upon the bench, and is showing such excellent judicial qualifications that his continuance is apparently alone dependent on his own choice.

At the November election of this year, the two tickets in the field were Republican and Anti-Monopoly. The latter swept the county by a majority of nearly 1,400 votes. The vote Avas : For County Judge - R. R. Wallace, 2,725; L. E^Payson, 1.322. For Clerk - G. W. Langford, 2,254; W. H. Jenkins, 1,811. For Treasurer - J. H. Stitt, 2,526; A. G. Goodspeed, 1,560. For Superintendent of Schools - M. Tombaugh, 2,728 ; J. W. Smith, 1,295. Republican majorities were given only in the townships of Eppard's Point, Pontiac, Indian Grove, Avoca, Odell and Forrest. Several towns did not cast a vote for that ticket, so complete and sweeping was the revolution. The Democratic party was for the time being extinct, their vote being generally given to the new party. In 1874, the vote ^as : For Sheriff - B. E. Robinson, 2,326 ; A. W. Snyder, 1,926. For Coroner - E. G. Johnson, 2,185; S. Stewart, 2,052.

This closes the political and official annals of the county. The reader will find them complete in the record of all facts of interest, except that the abstract of votes for the years 1837, 1841, 1851, 1856 and 1871 are not on file in the office of the County Clerk. They are supposed to have been lost at the time of the fire, and there is no known way of restoring them, unless the county orders them restored from the files of the Secretary of State.

Annals Of The Circuit Court

The first term of the Livingston County Circuit Court was held October 21, 1839, by Judge S. H. Treat, now of the United States Court. At the time the county was organized, it was placed in the First Circuit, but the Judge sitting in that circuit did not get time to come here, no law had been passed fixing the time for holding Circuit Court in this county, and the Clerk had moved away out of the State. By the act of 1839, we were placed in the Eighth Circuit, and October fixed for the time of holding Court. Judge Treat wrote up the record, and in the minutes his own attendance is mentioned, and that of David B. Campbell, State's Attorney ; Nicholas Hefner, Sheriff; David Davis and Geo. B. Markley, attorneys. An order was entered removing the Clerk, Henry Weed, by reason of his absence from the State for more than a year, and appointing D. B. Campbell Clerk pro tetn. No grand or petit jurors were summoned to this term. Twenty-nine cases were on the docket, and parties litigant seem to have been taken by surprise, for against eighteen of the cases the minute is entered, '* Neither party appearing, this case is continued." Nicholas Hefner filed his bond as Sheriff, and it was approved. C. W. Reynolds filed his appointment as Clerk, and Judge Treat certified that Hefner had attended Court one day.

At the May term, 1840, W. G. Hubbard was appointed Foreman of the Grand Jury, and, being charged by the Court, retired - Judge Treat says in a letter - to some convenient saw-logs by the mill near by.

The grand jury returned five indictments, the first of which was for selling whisky contrary to the statutes made and provided. It is not, perhaps, singular that the first indictment ever returned to our Court was for that, and it will not be hard to anticipate that the last one may possibly be for the same

At the October term, 1840, Garret M. Blue appears as Sheriff. At the April term, 1843, D. S. Ebersol Avas appointed Clerk, and Augustus Fellows Master in Chancery. At the September term, 1844, R. P. Breckenridge appeared as Sheriff, and John Blue as Coroner. At the September term, 1846,

Andrew McMillan appeared as Circuit Clerk. At the June term, 1847, John D. Caton presided as Judge. At the June term, 1848, S. C. Ladd appeared as Clerk. At the December term, 1848, T. Lyle Dickey presided, and Murrill Breckenridge was Sheriff. At the November term, 1850, Hugh Henderson, of the Eleventh Circuit, held court in exchange with Judge Dickey, and B. 0. Cook appears as State's Attorney. September, 1851, Henry Loveless was Sheriff. September, 1852, David Davis was Judge, and J. 0. Glover State's Attorney. May, 1853, E. S. Leland was Judge ; Geo. W. Boyer, Clerk ; Jeremiah Mathis, Sheriff ; W. H. L. Wallace, State's Attorney. In September, 1853, B. C. Cook was appointed State's Attorney pro tern. In 1855, W. B. Lyon appeared as Sheriff. This brings the record down through the earlier days.

The first deed recorded was one by Benj. Darnall and wife to Garret M. Blue, consideration $100, bearing date October 15, 1836, for the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 14, Town 28, Range 4 ; the said land being in McLean County.

Farming In The Olden Time

The way our fathers performed their farming operations is so little known to the present generation, who depend so much on improved farm machinery and require their horses to do all the work which men, women and children formerly did, that a description of the olden way cannot prove uninteresting.

Banish reapers, mowers, corn planters, sulky plows, wire-tooth horse rakes, double-shoveled plows, horse hay forks, threshing machines, grape-vine cradles, and a conception can be formed of the primitive farming facilities. Corn was "got in " in this way : After the land had been plowed, it was harroAved and "marked out" both ways, one way with a small, eight-inch mold-board plow, and the other by a marker made of 4x4 scantling, having on it four blocks or pegs, which would mark three rows at a time (if one happened to have so convenient an article, otherwise the land was marked out both ways with the corn plow). This marker had attached to it a pair of shafts, and a boWed sapling for a handle. If the horse was "handy" and tractable, the marking could be done without the aid of a rider ; but horses were so seldom driven single that the boys, who had most of this kind of work to do, could not manage them well enough to perform the work without a rider, so a " low-priced boy " was usually put astride the horse, who rode as long as the sheepskin, which reduced the terrors of bareback riding, and his unwilling seat could be induced to continue an unhappy partnership, when he was exchanged for a new recruit. Ah, the horrors of this ad sternum service I Boys who think riding horse is '"just fun ' should try the experiment of a week's experience during marking-out and corn plowing time, and endeavor to ascertain just how much fun can be extracted from it.

After marking, all the children were taken out of school for a week to " drop" corn. The ancient farmer who was so unfortunate as to have no grist

'of children was in a bad row of stumps. This may account for the tendency to large families so common in past years. They had work for the children to do in those days, and Nature is kindly disposed to supply the wants of population.

Corn dropping was done from little tin pails or baskets held in the hand, or buttoned into the clothing in front, or fastened by a belt around the waist. The covering was done with a hoe having an eye into which the handle was put. This was a tedious job compared with our present plan, but '' tending " the growing crop was no less so. " Plowing out" was all done with one horse, using the small mold-board, or a single-shovel plow, when again the small boy was fre- (juently made to earn his bread by the sweat of his - body.

" Changing work " was a common device. While one ftirraer was getting his land plowed, another wouhl employ his force of small help in getting in a crop, and then return the work.

The hay was all cut with a scythe and raked into windrows with a hand rake ; the grain cut with the old straight handled cradle, and raked into bundles with a hand rake. Threshing wheat was done with a flail, and other grains were trod out by keeping a troop of unshod horses circulating over it, each flooring requiring about an hour. Where grain raising was largely followed, " harvest hands" were scarce, and they often demanded and received two or three times as much for that as for any other kind of farm work. To swing a cradle all day was thought to be as laborious work and calling for as good pay as anything to be done, and he who could " rake and bind " and follow a cradle, keeping up his swath, need not tramp for a living during harvest time at least.

It is not easy to see how, with corn at from six to ten cents per bushel, oats little more, wheat from thirty to sixty cents, and other crops in proportion, the farmer succeeded in getting enough from the proceeds of his crop to pay for the labor he was obliged to hire. It is not difficult to understand why the best land that " ever lay out-doors ' remained for so long without purchasers.

Of course the farmers in those days did not ride in carriages, nor pay heavy taxes, nor buy luxuries, nor pay hotel bills when they traveled, nor dress themselves and families in "store clothes," but some of them lived comfortably. How did they do it ?

Agricultural Productions

This has been and still remains pre-eminently a farming county, very little manufacturing ever having been done here. The citizens send abroad for their clothes, their plows and farm machinery, for their boots, shoes, cheese, many of their wagons, and even in a measure for hams and bacon. Since the farm lands have come into general cultivation, it has been pre-eminently a corn raising county. It is believed that more corn is now raised and shipped from this than from any county in the country. In the earliei" years, Winter wheat wa* largely and profitably grown ; cases occurred where the farmer paid for his farm and implements from his single crop of wheat. It soon became an uncertain crop, and was gradually abandoned. The growing of Spring wheat did not long continue after it had been destroyed a few years by the chinch bug,, and flour and wheat have become one of the principal imports into the county. Oats remain a standard crop, and give a fair yield. In the northwestern part of the county, timothy is largely raised for seed, it being in great demand in the Eastern States by reason of its freedom from the foul seeds which are found in that raised in older States. In the southeast, flax is a favorite crop, ftid its growth is extending. Rye is raised by many farmers, by reason of the certainty of its yield and because its sowing and harvest occur at a time when other work is not pressing, and that it is the best crop to seed with, now that wheat has been abandoned, and oats are apt to grow so rank as to smother the young grass plants.

Corn, however, is the only real staple article of farm production. The county is in the very center of the corn growing belt ; the land is better adapted to its production, the land is not liable to wash, and may be kept annuallv under plow without deterioration. The perfection of farm machinery has reduced the cost of production of this crop to the minimum. The rapidity with Avhich it makes returns, the security with which it can be stored a year or more, the importance of the hog crop, and the cheapness with which it can bemarketed in that shape, are all inducements to raising corn. Besides these, are reasons found in the needs of the citizens. The population is largely made up of men with small means, who purchased small farms, but had not sufficient capital to fence and stock them for varied agriculture. Under the stimulus of the no-fence law, adopted in 1867, these open prairies were ploAved and planted in corn, without a rod of fence on them, for there was no necessity for fencing their farms and dividing into fields. Among the newer settled townships, there are those which have more than four-fifths of all their land annuallv in corn ; pastures are rare, and herds of cattle are not seen. Time will changethis, however, in a measure ; but the great staple will remain the principal article of production.

In the year 1877, the production of corn, by the report of the State Board of Agriculture, is put down at 10,930,000 bushels. It is believed that na other county in the world raised so much.

Fruits are receiving much attention. Apples, everywhere the staple, are becoming an important product. It will be a long time, however, before they will be found in great abundance on all farms. The borer and the blight make havoc with the young trees ; latterly, the severe Winters have ruined many, old and young, besides which, the system of farming practiced is a great hindrance to growing orchards. With few or no cross fences on the farms, the cattle roami at will among the trees during the Winter and early Spring.

Grapes produce abundantly-and reguhirly: indeed, no crop is so certain of producing a fair return. The Concord grape is a.s easily raised as com, and more sure of a crop.

Small fruits are fast popularizing, where only a few years ago they were only found in the garden or on the plantation of the horticulturist.

The Snyder blackberry, by reason of its ability to stand our severest Winters, and not being injured by Spring frosts, is fast being planted; all other varieties are too uncertain.

Live Stock

At one period of the history of the county, sheep were largely raised : and during the war, the high price of wool stimulated the spread of this branch of husbandry unduly. Particularly was this true of the fine-wooled varieties, the close of rebellious hostilities, prices fell, and disease began to spread amon» the sheep. Losses were terrible, and sheep husbandry disappeared from the county. There are now only a few of the middle wooled sheep kept, and thev seem to be comparatively remunerative.

Late years have shown a decided improvement in horses. The importation of Clydesdale, Belgian and Norman horses into the county has awakened a lively interest in that line. The peculiar nature of corn farming calls more for strength and endurance than for speed and action. The farmer reasons that two horses are better than three to draw a plow, if they can draw it as well. The heavy work with corn raisers is plowing and hauling the corn to market, and both of these require heavy horses.

The time was when the cattle which roamed over these prairies showed distinctly the dun. black, brindle and yellow colors characteristic of the native cattle. Now the short horns have so changed the general appearance of the herds that these colors are seldom seen. The entire "constitution"' of the horned cattle has been reformed - nobody breeds or cares to breed anything else. The hog crop now cuts so important a figure in the economy of the county, that much care has latterly been taken to secure the very best breeds for profit. The Chester White gradually gave way to the Poland China, and that in turn to the Berkshire, which is now the popular, not to say the fashionable, color.

The importation of Norman horses directly from France is largely due to the active business management of John Virgin, Esq., of Fairbury. In IsTO, Virgin, J. C. Morrison and Decatur Veatch formed a partnership for that business. Mr. Virgin was sent out, and brought home the first venture of that kind. That partnership was soon dissolved by the death of Mr. Veatch, but Virgin has continued the business of importation.

Of kin to the subject is the organization of Agricultural Societies. The county society, now known as the Livingston County Agricultural Board, was formed in 1855 by a few citizens. It owns a fine fair ground on the bank of the river at Pontiac, which is beautifully shaded with native trees, and has a fine half-mile track on it.

The Fairbury Union Agricultural Society was formed in 1875, as a stock company, and owns a fine ground at Fairbury. These two stimulate a generous rivalry, and are the means of vast good to the cause in the county.

The four railroads which pass through the county make no small item in the importance and wealth of the county. From their building dates the filling up of our county and the bringing its lands into market. Without them we were, and, in all human probability, would have, remained a waving prairie.

The first road in date of construction, the Chicago & Mississippi, running from Joliet to Alton, was built in 1853 and '54. A few years later, it was sold out on the second mortgage, and bid off by Joel A. Matteson, for |6,500. He run it for a time, and then permitted it to be sold, and it was purchased by T. B. Blackstone and others, Avho formed the Chicago & Alton Company, and have made it a successful road. The company purchased a controlling interest in the stock of the Chicago & Joliet road, and now, practically, it is a continuous line. The stations on their main line are Dwight, Odell, Cayuga, Pontiac and Ocoya. In 1869, this road built the Western Division, running from Dwight through the northern part of the county to Streator, thence southwest to Washington, in Tazewell County, with Nevada, Blackstone and Smithdale on it, and about the same time put down a second track from Odell north as far as Gardner.

This road now has sixty miles of track in the county. In the years 1858 and 'oU, the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw road was built through the county. It was then known as the Eastern Extension of the Peoria & Oquawka R. R. The road becoming embarrassed, the Peoria & Oquawka part of it passed into the possession of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy R. R., and all the company had was an extension to a road they did not own. The company was re-organized as at present known, and pushed their road on, reaching the Mississippi at Burlington, Keokuk and Warsaw. They own eighteen miles of track in this county. Its stations are Fairbury, Forrest and Chatsworth. The road now known as the Chicago & Paducah has a local history, it being a Livingston County corporation. In 1865, Mr. Samuel L. Fleming, of Pontiac, a man who had spent a small fortune in railroading, drew, and got passed by the Legislature, a charter for a railroad from Ottawa to Fairbury. The corporators ' named in the charter were S. C. Ladd, B. P. Babcock, Samuel L. Fleming, Nelson Buck, Jonathan Duff, Wm. Strawn, R. B. Harrington, S. C. Crane,

In 1867, the charter was amended so that the road might run anywhere northerly and southerly of Pontiac - that point being retained. The name, however, in the charter was retained. Under the impetus given to railroad building by the "grab law" of 1869, the company was formed, M. E. Collins being elected President and S. S. Lawrence, Secretary. The townships of Indian Grove, Avoca, Eppard's Point, Owego, Pontiac, Amity and Newtown issued bonds, and with these in hand the Fairbury, Pontiac & Northwestern Company made a c^ontract with Col. Ralph Plumb, of Streator, Col. W. H. W. Cushman, of Ottawa, and David Strawn, to build and equip the road, transferring to them all the bonds and issuing the stock to them, so that when built it became theirs. In this contract was a stipulation that the parties of the second part would never transfer the road to the Chicago & Alton R. R. Co.; the intent being, of course, to keep this a competing road. They built the road from Streator through this county, pushing it south through Ford, Champaign, Piatt, Moultrie, Shelby and Effingham Counties to Altamont. Its stations in this county are Newtown, Cornell, Rowe. Pontiac, McDowell, Lodemia, Fairbury, Murphy's and Strawn. It connects at Streator with the Ottawa branch of the Chicago, Burlington k Quincy. It has forty-one miles of track in the county.

Several other railroad projects are in contemplation or progress, principal among which, that are likely to be built at no distant day, are the road from Dwicrht to Kankakee, and the Decatur & State Line road, to pass through the eastern tier of townships.

In the early days, the newspaper was not thought to be, as now, a necessity of civilization. Men had other ways of spending their time than poring over column after column of Tribune, Inter-Ocean or Times; but with the railroad came the printing press, awd we find flung to the prairie breeze, Mar«h 14, 1855, from "Ladd's building, immediately north of the Court House, Pontiac, Illinois," the Livingston County News, published and edited by J. S. France - " independent in everything." It was a twenty-four column paper, well printed for the times, having only two columns of advertisements. Just how many subscribers it had is hard to state, but a reasonable guess could hardly place the number above two hundred. The first number, which is carefully preserved among a marvelous conglomeration of other county antiquities, newspapers, books, old demijohns, with their sere and yellow contents, with a chaos of unenumerated articles, by Uncle Jacob Streamer, of Pontiac, contains an editorial bewailing the lack of school houses and churches^, and the blighting prevalence of intem- perance ; an account of a temperance meeting, at which W. T. Garner, Wm. B. Lyon, H. H. Norton, I. P. McDowell and Robert Aerl were appointed a committee to call on the liquor sellers, and remonstrate vvith them against continuing their nefarious business ; upon failure to desist, they were to be prosecuted according to law. A committee, consisting of Nelson Buck, Dr. Darius J.ohnson and J. H. McGregor, presented a stirring lot of resolutions, which were heartily adopted by the meeting. A list giving the discount at which bank bills were received also appears, with a long list of "closed banks," which was expected to need to be " revised and corrected weekly," like the market reports. A statement of the profit of wheat growing is made by Mr. John J. Taylor, in which he shows, in double entry, how his wheat crop of the preceding year had paid all the expense of buying, improving and working his farm, including purchase money, and the harvesting of his crop. An old citizen remarks that this ruined many a man, as, for several years after that, wheat raising proved unremunerative.

D. Johnson and J. M. Perry were the physicians; J. S. France, George Bishop and McGregor & Dart the attorneys, and J. Streamer, Ladd & Mc- Dowell, Buck & Gray, the merchants, having cards in this first paper. It ought to be added here that some time before this, Thomas Cotton had published a paper at New Michigan, which did not survive its second number. The issues of his paper which did see light were devoted to enforcing Mr. Cotton's well known reform principles.

During the first year of its publication, France transferred the News to Philip Cook and M. A. Renoe ; Cook soon after selling to Jones. During the proprietorship of Cook & Renoe, which was during the dark and bloody days in which "Bleeding Kansas" furnished inspiration for most political discussion, the liberal sentiments of the proprietors did not permit them to hold their peace, even in an "independent" paper. In one of the papers, the editor complains that Capt. Payne had falsely accused them of running an " Abolition paper." The younger generation will probably never know the height and the depth of infamy which attached to that term in the mind of the average Illinoian of a generation ago. Renoe k Jones sold the News to Albee, and the publication was soon after discontinued.

Cook & Gagan started the Pontiac Sentinel in July, 1858, as a Republican paper. They sold to M. E. Collins, he to Stout & Decker, they to W. F. Denslow, he to Stout. Stout, in 1866, purchased a Taylor cylinder press, at an expense of about $1,500, and soon after the entire concern was consumed by fire, with but little insurance with which to start anew. The paper was going again within two weeks, and in 1869 he sold to Jones & Renoe, Avho werepublishing the Free Press, who consolidated the papers under the name of Sentinel a d Press. In July, 1873, H. C. Jones became sole proprietor, and changed the name again to the Sentinel, and in 1875, sold to F. L. AUes, who still owns and edits it. During all these changes it has remained Republican, and for twenty years - the life of the Republican party - it has battled for the success of that party.

The Republican was started in 1865, by Thomas Harper, and was published by him for a year. E. B. Buck, noAv of Charleston, Coles County, started the Constitution in 1864, as the organ of the Democratic party, and published it about six months, when the material fell to Maxwell and Duff, who disposed of it.

The Livingston County Democrat was started by Milton & Organ, in 1868. Mr. Organ soon after became sole proprietor, and sold to Peter Johnson, who published it as a Temperance paper, for about six months, when he re-sold it to Mr. Organ, who, after about a year, suspended its publication. M. A. Renoe published the National Union for several months in 1866.

Thomas Wing became possessed of a printing office and published the People's Advocate for a few months, in 1870. The material was afterward l)ought by Prince Kellogg, who removed it to Odell, and commenced the publi- <5ation of the Odell Times in January, 1872, which, in the course of a year, he sold to H. D. Wilson, who continued it for some months.

John H. Hewitt published the Pontiac Herald for a year, in 1871-72. Its circulation was not large, but its proprietor was happy with his *' Hurld," as lie called it.

A. L. Bagby commenced the publication of the Pontiac Free Trader, May 11, 1870, as a Democratic paper. In 1871, Bagby disappeared, and the publication was suspended, until C. S. Postlewait revived it, issuing the first number of Volume 2 in June, 1871, with R. W. Babcock as associate editor. C. A. McGregor and E. M. Johnson pui'chased it in October, 1871, for $150. Mr. Johnson has continued as co-proprietor and editor without intermission from that time. Jan. 1, 187-4, M. A. Renoe purchased McGregor's interest, and, in 1877, sold to John Stuff.

In 1873, the Free Trader became the organ of the Anti-Monopoly party, "which grew into the Independent Greenback party of 1876, and still remains the vigorous and prosperous champion of the political doctrines of that party.

John Harper, the great newspaper starter, commenced the publication o^ the Intelligencer at Fairbury, in 1863, which soon suspended; and Moses Osman published a paper for awhile.

In 1866, H. S. Decker commenced the publication of the Journal at Fairbury. He soon after sold to I. P. McDowell, and he to Otis Eastman, in 1867, who continued to publish it until 1873.

In June, 1871, the Dimmicks commenced the publication of the Independent at Fairbury, and in 1876 C. B. Holmes commenced the Blade. These papers were published until 1876, when J. S. Scibird became proprietor, and combined the two, with the title of Independent- Blade, which he publishes yet.

May, 5, 1868, C. L. Palmer commenced the Star at Dwight, a two column' paper somewhat larger than a good-sized shirt bosom, which he has continued without change of proprietor, except the association of his brother with him for a year in 1871-2. It has grown to a six-column quarto, with a steady growth, and has continued its issue until now.

In 1878, C. M. Cyrus commenced the Dwight Commercial, which is still published. C. L. Palmer commenced, in October, 1875, the publication of the Western Postal Review, a monthly paper devoted to matters of interest to- Postmasters, with Homer A. Kenyon as editor, which is still published.

In 1873, Dimmick Bros, commenced the publication of the Palladium at Chatsworth, which they sold to George Torrance, he to C. B. Holmes in 1874. The paper was afterward changed to Plaindealer, and is now published by R. M. Spurgen.

The press of the county has ever been marked by an intelligent and earnest desire to promote public morals and the general welfare of the county. There has been an almost universal absence of personal animosity which so freijuently mars the conduct of rival papers. A generous rivalry has not awakened personal hostility, and the general fairness has seldom been broken. The men whohave formed the editorial fraternity have been usually worthy men, whose influence has been for good. This is particularly true of those who are at present conducting this powerful and wide-spreading department of intelligence. Who can estimate the amount of good they have and can yet accomplish ? The first telegraphic dispatch ever received in the county was on election night of 1856, giving the news of the election of Buchanan. The Livingston County News the next morning contained full telegraphic news of the result of the election from all over the country. It was to all a mystery how the news was obtained, for it was not supposed that the News was able to pay for all that telegraphic matter. A friend who had somewhere learned how to read the wires supplied the enterprising publishers with them, and that night they were put in type as fast as received.

The Anti-Slavery Movement

In the earlier days of the county, very little of what was called Abolition sentiment existed. There was plenty, however, of latent anti-slavery sentiment, and it onlv needed a little friction to bring it out. In 1848, there were four votes cast for Van Buren, and while many voted for him in some parts of the .country who were not, it is pretty sure that these four men were Abolitionists..

It is not now possible to find out who they were, but Capt. Strawn, pretty good authority, says he believes the four pioneer anti-slavery voters were Otis Whaley, George and Xenophon Richards, and Moses Rumery. At any rate these men, together with Dr. H. H. Hinraan, C. P. Paget, Capt. Wm Strawn, and perhaps James Stout, formed the nucleus, a few years after that date, of the first Abolition organization in the county. For some years, they had taken a decided stand against the extension of slavery, and were looked upon as dangerous men.

Word was brought to some of them that some of the officers at Pontiac had captured a fugitive slave who was pushing through the country to Canada. The story ran that the fugitive was chained to a staple driven into the floor of the old Court House. The news created considerable excitement, and Avas the means of the organization, by Dr. Hinman, of an Abolition society. The slave was returned to his master, but he did not suff'er in vain, for if ttie Society thus formed did not liberate all the slaves in America, it certainly did its part toward it. Moses Rumery, who was closely identified with the movement,, did not join the Society, as it was both a church and a political organization, and he, being a Methodist, could not well join it, but was with them in spirit.. These men laid the track of the underground railroad through the county, with Rumery as conductor, and Hinman, Strawn, Paget and Whaley as station agents, flagmen and stokers. No dividends were declared on the stock, but the officers worked with untiring zeal, and no more negroes were seen chained to the Court House.

About this time, an incident occurred which aroused the minds of some citizens who had before this been much opposed to abolition. One Sunday morning, about the year 1853, Judge Babcock, who had recently purchased the Grove farm, heard a terrible racket down the road, and, accompanied by a man who was making it his home there, stepped to the road to see what was the matter, when a most singular, and to him a new sight, met his eyes. In a covered wagon were two as frightened negroes as ever drew breath in the prairie air of Illinois ; beside the wagon were two men on horseback, demanding in the most boisterous tones an unconditional surrender. Between them and the two chattels, walked a man, with a pistol in each hand, threatening the lives of the two pursuers if they came any closer, and alternately threatening the fugitives if they attempted to get out of the wagon, in response to the demands of their pursuers. They were two fugitives, accompanied by a colored barber from Bloomington, and pursued by two Pontiac citizens. As soon as the pursuers saw Judge Babcock and his companion, they rushed up and demanded help, which was politely refused, and then wanted to borrow their guns, which was also refused, and the Judge was, by the force of circumstances, forced to help these fleeing fugitives on their way to Col. Stewart at Wilmington, whereas for all his life, up to that moment, he had been an opponent of all the schemes of Abolitionists. The next time he went to Pontiac, he found it generally noised

Hon. William Strawn, whose whole heart was in the move, who not only spoke for the cause here, but went to Kansas to fight, and afterward enlisted in the war against rebellion from sentiments of anti-slavery, writes: "My particular acquaintance with Livingston County did not begin till 1850. Dr, H. H. Hinman's advent into the county was, I think, in 1852. A man who, with little physical strength, possessed the most magnificent moral courage and downright integrity of any man I ever knew, save perhaps, old John Brown, who added to an equal moral courage physical courage and bodily vigor of grand proportions. The Doctor, meek, heroic, energetic, persistent for the right, like his Divine Master loving absolutely all men, instant in season and -out of season in every good work, was a power for good in this county which few could rightly estimate.

" The precise date at which James Stout came into the county, I cannot say, but to him and Dr. Hinraan, this county owes more than to all others -combined for redemption from pro-slavery rule. Courageous to a ftiult, never thoroughly happy except when miserable - like the typical Englishman ; never sparing his dearest friend, if he thought he caught him in a mean trick, belligerently honest to his convictions, he secured both the enmity and sincere regard of a vast proportion of the inhabitants of the county. * * Though not then a resident of the county, I had the honor to be the anti-slavery candi- -date for the Legislature. I remember making a speech in the old Court House, to perhaps an audience of fifteen persons. S. C. Ladd was of the number, who thoroughly agreed with me in all propositions, except the voting part."

In addition it must be said that Owen Lovejoy, who, as a candidate for Congress, spoke here, did much to arouse the latent anti-slavery sentiment. He was probably the most effective political speaker ever heard in this vicinity. Thoroughly at heart believing every word he spoke, clear, positive and convincing, he never had his superior on the stump in this State. The remarkable unanimity with which the people of this county accept the ideas which were so unpopular a quarter of a century since, the slow growth of those ideas through the previous quarter, and until the passage of the "Nebraska bill," that Pandora's box of the propagandism, illustrates one of those wise sayings of an unlearned but very sensible negro, to a friend whose want of information he was lament- ' ing, "Ignorance is a mighty thing, sah ! and comes without study."

The curious may want to know who named and why the townships came to be named as they are. There is almost always a reason for any name. An investigator once discovered, by close study, how there came to be so mary Smiths in the world. He said, after the Lord had thought of all conceivable names to give the different families. He decided to call the remainder Smith.

The investigator has been among the townships. Reading was so named from the little village in its borders, which received its name from old Reading, in Pennsylvania. Newtown was but a slight change from New Michigan, a little hamlet in that township, named so in consequence of its being settled by Michigan folks. Sunbury, from the post office of that name in the township, kept by Wm. K. Brown. Nevada, from the prominence just then given to the present Western State of that name, just then drawing attention. Dwight, from the village of Dwight, which was named by Col. R. P. Morgan, Jr., an engineer on the Chicago & Mississippi Railroad, in honor of his friend, Henry Dwitrht, the builder of the road. Round Grove, from a small grove in its borders. Long Point, from the stream and point of timber in it. Esmen was named by Judge Babcock. It is the first person plural of the Greek verb to he, and means "we are the chaps," or words to that effect. Odell was named by S. S. Morgan, after W. H. Odell, of Wilmington. Broughton, from and by Wm. Broughton, the first settler there. Nebraska, by Reuben Macey, from the then prominence of "Nebraska Bill," who proved to be a very important personage in the affairs of this county. Rook's Creek, from the stream, named in honor of Frederick Rook, the pioneer. Pontiac, by Jesse W. Fell, from Pontiac, Mich., where the first settlers had moved from. Saunemin is a mystery; the -only man living who ever knew how it derived its name, and what it means, has forgotten. Sullivan, an abbreviation for Sullivant, who, at the time it was named, owned half the town. Waldo, by Parker Jewett, who named it from his old home, Waldo, Maine. Eppard's Point, from the point of timber land in it. Indian Grove, from the grove in that township. Forrest was first named Forestville by the railroad men, who there encountered, in building, the only piece of timber land for fifty miles on their road. Frost, the President of the company, came along, one day, and said it should be changed to Forrest, the name -of his New Yor^ partner, and railroad Presidents were a power in those days. Chatsworth, by the officers of the railroad company, from the country seat of the Duke of Devonshire. Germantown, by the German settlement in that township.

Military Record

No history of the county would be complete without at least brief mention of the part taken by her patriotic citizens in the struggle to mintain the unity and the honor of the Government.