Livingston County, Illinois - Chapter 4: County Organization, 1909

ABEA AND DATE OF ORGANIZATION OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY - SET APART FROM M'LEAN AND LASALLE COUNTIES IN 1837 - LOCATION OF COUNTY-SEAT AT PONTIAC - FIRST ELECTION OF COUNTY OFFICERS - ORGANIZATION OF PRECINCTS - GRAND AND PETIT JURIES - FIRST GENERAL ELECTION AND VOTE FOR LOCAL AND STATE OFFICERS - SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS AND LIST OF CANDIDATES.

Livingston County contains 1,026 square miles of territory. It was formed by act of Legislature, February 27, 1837, out of McLean and LaSalle counties. In size, it is the fourth county in the state, being exceeded only by La Salle, McLean and Iroquois. Some of the founders of Bloomington in McLean county, figured considerably in getting the boundaries fixed, as their object was to divide the prairie nearly equally between the Mackinaw and Vermilion rivers, and their branches, and it cannot be denied that McLean county secured the larger share of the fine district south of the Vermilion river. The territory which is now a part of 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. Its name was suggested by Jesse W. Fell after Edward Livingston, a member of one of the prominent Livingston families of New York state, in consequence of his being the reputed author of President Jackson's famous proclamation to the South Carolina nullifiers, in their first unsuccessful attempt to disrupt the Union.

The law directed that the first election for county officers be held, (as was also the first session of the court), at the house of Andrew MeMillan, until the county commissioners should provide a more suitable place. The entire population of the county at that time did not exceed 450 inhabitants, - men, women and children.

of Tazewell county; William B. Peck, of Will county, and James W. Piatt, of Macon county, were appointed commissioners to locate the permanent seat of justice, These commissioners met at the home of Mr. McMillan, on the Vermilion river, about four miles northwest of where Pontiac is now located, on the first Monday in June, 1837, for the purpose of arranging for the location. The county seat was to be located on government ground, or if upon private ground, then the owners of the same should be required to donate twenty acres or the sum of $3,000, the proceeds of the land, or the money in lieu thereof, to be used in erecting county buildings. These gentlemen were assisted by several of the citizens who were either interested as speculators, or to point out the advantages of various crossings or fords on the Vermilion river. And, after making satisfactory examinations, they reported in favor of the present site of Pontiac, or rather on the southeast quarter of section 22, with the express understanding that the provisions of the law should be complied with, which were, among other matters, that a donation of $3,000 should be made by the owners of the land, which, however, it appears should be arranged by the county commissioners' court.

The land upon which the court house was to be erected was owned by Henry Weed, Lucius Young and Seth M. Young, and besides the donation of $3,000, they also agreed to donate a block of land 200 feet square on which to put the court house; also a tract of one acre, not more than twenty rods from the square, on which a jail was to be built and for a stray-pen lot; and they also agreed to build a wagon bridge with suitable capacity across the Vermilion river. They gave bond signed by themselves as principals, and C. H. Perry, James McKee and Jesse W. Fell as sureties. $

The law authorized an election to be held at the home of Andrew McMillan on the second Monday in May, 1837, for sheriff, coroner, recorder, county surveyor and three county commissioners, but the returns show that the election was held by precincts (Pontiac, Indian Grove, -etc.), on June 6, 1837, and the total vote as shown by the records is 110,

The election was held and officers duly elected, as follows: Sheriff, Joseph Reynolds; county commisioners, Robert Breckenridge, Jonathan Moore and Daniel Rockwood. The first clerk was Abraham W. Beard, who was appointed by said commissioners, and his bond was signed by James Holman and Robert Recob as sureties, The court also appointed John Recob as treasurer. From the records in the county court, we find that the first county commissioners' court was held at the home of Mr. McMillan on May 18, 1837. The reason of the discrepancy between the date of the election and the date of the holding of the commissioners' court, is not clearly shown by the returns. The county commissioners held their meetings at the home of Mr. McMillan for several years.

At a special call of the county commissioners' court heid at the dwelling house of Andrew Mc- 'Millan on the 18th day of May, 1837, it was ordered that this county be divided into election precincts, three in number; also, that all they portion of country west of the old county line, commencing at the range line between sections 27 and 28, thence east to the range line between sections 5 and 6, thence north to the county line, be designated or known by the name of Bayou precinct; ordered by said court, that all elections to be held in said precinct be opened and held at the dwelling house of Alexander W. Breckenridge; ordered that Jacob Dickson, James Walker and Albert Moon be appointed judges of election in and for said precinct.

Ordered that all that portion of the county south of the old county line, including Eppards Point, also all the settlement on the west side of the river as high up as said river as to the mouth of the little Vermilion and extending up the little Vermilion as far as to include Isaac Burgitt, also including all the east side of the big Vermilion and the Five Mile Grove, to be known by the name of Center precinct. Ordered that the dwelling home of Isaac Whicher be the place to open and hold elections for said Center precinct. James Holman, Matthias B. Miller and James C. Milan were appointed to serve as judges in and for said Center precinct.

Ordered that all the country south of the above mentioned precinct to the county line, including the Indian Grove, constitute the third, which is called the Indian Grove precinct; ordered that A. B. Phillips, at the lower end of Indian Grove, be the proper place for holding elections for said 'precinct; ordered that Robert Smith, Nicholas Hefner and John Darnall be appointed judges of in and for said precinct.

old, all horned cattle over three years old, all sheep over one year old, all wagons, carriages, clocks, watches, jacks, jennies, mules, etc., are considered by the court of commissioners as belng taxable property upon which there shall be a tax cost of one-half per cent.

Time of Holding Meetings. - Ordered by the County Commissioners' Court that the judges of the several precincts shall open and hold an election in their respective precincts on Saturday, the 24th day of June next, for the election of justices of the peace and constables.

The commissioners at their June term, 1837, decided that "in accordance with the act of the Legislature passed February 27, 1837, the county seat should be located on the southeast quarter of section 22, town 28 north, of range 5, east, on condition that Messrs. Weed and Youngs should pay $3,000 into the county treasury, donate a square for a court house, 200 feet square, also a tract for jail, build a bridge across the Vermilion, ete. After this, the contract for building

The names of the grand jurors are as follows: Martin Darnall, Jeremiah Travis, Isaac Wilson, Nathan Popejoy, James Spence, James Weed, Isaac Burgit, Francis J. Moore, Burnett Miller, Samuel Boyer, William G. Hubbard, A. W. Breckenridge, James McMillan, Garrett M. Blue, Mirack D. Edgington, Jacob Moon, Samuel Norton, James Campbell, John S. Chew, Daniel Barrackman, Emsley Pope, James Dickinson and Amos Lundy.

The records show that no term of court was held in October of this year, and it is doubtful if either of these juries performed any duties. So far as we have been able to ascertain, none of the above parties are now alive.

The first term of circuit court was held October 21, 1839, in the log house erected in 1832, on the banks of the Vermilion river, just east of the line of the town of Pontiac, in what was then, and for several years after, known as the Weed residence, and was held by Judge Samuel H. Treat. The bar was composed of David B. Campbell, state's attorney; David Davis and George F. Markley. The court appointed Mr. Campbell as clerk pro tem, Henry Weed, the clerk-elect having returned to New York state. Nicholas Hefner was sheriff. The records of the court show that no jury had been summoned, and it appears that all the cases had been tried by the judge. There were twenty-eight cases on the docket, a large number for the first court, although it is a fact that these had been "brewing" quite a long while.

At the time the county was organized, it was placed in the First circuit, but the judge sitting in that circuit did not have time to come to Pontiac; no law had been passed fixing the time for holding circuit court in this,county, and the clerk had moved 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.

At the old settlers' meeting held at Fairbury in 1877, Judge W. G. McDowell, the historian, said "that the first regular term of circuit court was held in the spring of 1840, in the Weed log house, and that the jury held its deliberations on a lot of saw-logs which lay on the banks of the river." Mr. McDowell further said that "the first trial by jury in the circuit court was between Isaac Wilson and Nathan Popejoy, in which Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas were attorneys, after which they spoke on the political issues of the day. They spoke in the street, or rather open prairie, from the top of a drygoods box. The late Judge David Davis of Bloomington was also there as one of the prominent attorneys. The judge and all attorneys came across the country from Springfield and Bloomington in buggies and on horseback. Circuit court seldom lasted over one or two days at each term, and yet all the cases were disposed of."

The first general] election in the county was the state election, held the first Monday in August, 1838. The vote on county officers was as follows: 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, 41. For Coroner: Simeon Mead, 45; Ambrose Sprague, 17. For Clerk: James S. Munson, 58;

Matthias Ross, 34. For Recorder: James 8. Munson, 60; Truman Rutherford, 34. For Surveyor: Isaac Whitaker, 59; Franklin Oliver, 41. For Governor: Cyrus Edwards, 45; Thomas Carlin, 59. For Member of Congress: Stephen A. Douglas, 62; J. T. Stuart, 46.

On April 9, 1839, the court appointed the first assessors, one for each precinct - Robert Smith for Indian Grove precinct, Andrew McMillan for Centre, and John Downey for Bayou. The court ordered that 70 cents on each $100 be levied and collected on certain property, among which appears this item: "Slaves and servants of color," Robert Smith of Indian Grove was also appointed school commissioner.

In August, 1839, at a general election, Lemuel White was elected county commissioner; C. W. Reynolds, recorder and clerk of the county court; Jacob Moon, county treasurer; Isaac Burgit, coroner; Franklin Oliver, surveyor; Truman Rutherford, probate justice of the peace, an office which had jurisdiction of all probate business; W. G. Hubbard and J. C. McMillan, justices of the peace.

By virtue of an act passed March 1, 1839, it was directed that a vote be held in August following. for and against re-locating the county seat, by which it was provided that, if twothirds of the votes cast were for removal, and a majority were for a remoyal to any place named, then the county seat should be removed. Sites for a location were offered by Messrs. Rockwood, Hubbard and Weed, at a point four miles up (southeast from Pontiac) the Vermilion river, where fifty acres of land were offered. The vote showed 81 votes were given for and 56 against removing the county seat from Pontiac, and that 78 votes were given for removing to the location offered by these gentlemen. It lacked a few votes of the required two-thirds, though a majority favored Rockwood.

On December 3, 1839, the county commissioners entered into a contract for the erection of a court house, which is given in detail on another page.

The following was the result of the vote of the general election held in August, 1840. There is no record on file of the vote at presidential or congressional election: For state senator, John Moore, 62; David Davis, 38. For representatives, Welcome 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 and Nicholas Hefner and Andrew McMillan county commissioners. John W. Reynolds was appointed school commissioner and Robert Smith and John Blue, assessors,

After the census of 1840, showing a population of 759 inhabitants, the state was apportioned for congressional representatives, giving seven representatives instead of three, as heretofore.

In 1841, Daniel Barrackman was elected county commissioner; Samuel Boyer, school commissioner; S. S. Mead, assessor; W. G. McDowell was appointed collector and D. S. Ebersol was appointed clerk of the court. At the election held in 1848, the following vote was cast: For Congress, John Wentworth, 111; Giles Spring, 66, For county commissioner, Charles Jones, 84; Augustus Fellows, 50. For county clerk, D. 8. Ebersol, 122; W. K. Brown, 28. For school commissioner, Samuel Boyer, 136. For recorder, D, tice, Truman Rutherford, 82; W. K. Brown, 16. For treasurer, Truman Rutherford, 92; Lyman Bergit, 45. For surveyor, Amos Edwards, 67; Orin Phelps, 39; Franklin Oliver, 38. Mr. Ebersol resigned as clerk and recorder in June, 1845, and S. C. Ladd was appointed. This county was in the fourth district, which first elected John Wentworth to congress. He was our representative as long as this county remained in that district. Previous to this, John T. Stuart, of Springfield, had been our representative.

At the special election held in November of this year Andrew McMillan was elected probate justice and also county treasurer and assessor. His opponents were Augustus Fellows and $. $. Mead.

The election in 1844 resulted as follows: For members of congress, John Wentworth, 110; B. S. Morris, 61. For state senator, S. G. Nesbit, 106; G. W. Powers, 66. For representative, James Robinson, 106; E. B. Myers, 63, For county commissioner, Andrew McDowell, 104; Walter Cornell, 65. For sheriff, R. P. Breckenridge, 97; Thomas Sawyer, 71. For coroner, John Blue, 113.

At the presidential election, James K. Polk carried the county by 43 votes, receiving 109 yotes to Henry Clay's 66. Not a vote was cast for Birney.

At the election held in August, 1845, Murrell Breckenridge was elected county commissioner, Augustus Fellows as school commissioner, S. O. Ladd as clerk and S. S. Mead as coroner. In December following, Mr. Ladd was elected recorder,

The election held in August, 1846, resulted as follows: For governor, A. C. French, 124; T. M. Kilpatrick, 60. For congress, John Wentworth, 124; John Kerr, 58. For representative, James Robinson, 122; Bissell Chubbuck, 42, R. P. Breckenridge was elected sheriff, Charles Jones, county commissioner and John Blue, coroner.

In March, 1848, was held an election to vote upon the new constitution and separate articles, The vote stood: For the constitution, 71; against it, 25. For the separate article in relation to colored people, there were 89 votes for and 12 votes against. For the two mill tax, which was intended to pay off the state debt, long past due, there were 71 votes for and 35 votes against.

The regular election held in August , 1847, resulted as follows: For governor, A. C. French, 135. For congress, John Wentworth, 108; John Y. Scammon, 62. For senator, William Reddick, 131. Murrell Breckenridge was elected sheriff; Henry Jones, county commissioner, and John Blue, coroner.

At the judicial election held in September following, under the new constitution, John D. Caton received 80 votes for supreme court judge; Lorenzo Leland, 77 votes for clerk of the supreme court; B. F. Ridgley, 63 votes for judge of the ninth district; T. Lyle Dickey, 47 votes for judge; Burton C. Cook, 80 votes for state's attorney and S. C. Ladd, 80 votes for circuit judge.

At the presidential election held in November, 1848, the Democrats carried the county, Lewis Cass, the Democratic candidate, receiving 130 votes, and Zachary Taylor, the Whig candidate, receiving 82 votes. But 4 votes were cast for the Van Buren electoral ticket.

At the election held May 20, 1849, M. B. Patty and L. E. Rhodes were elected county commissioners. In November following, J. C. McMillan was elected county judge; S. C. Ladd, clerk; James Bradley, county justice of the peace; surveyor; Walter Cornell, school commissioner and Jerome P. Garner, coroner. Fifty-six votes were given for township

The county court under the new organization organized December 31, 1849, with J. C. McMillan as county judge, Philip Rollins and James Bradley as county justices, and S. C. Ladd as clerk.

At a special election held in September, 1850, Murrell Breckenridge was elected county judge. In November following, Henry Loveless was elected sheriff and Joseph Springer, coroner.

At the regular election held in 1852, 879 votes were cast. The vote for secretary of state was: Alexander Starne, Democrat, 209; B. S. Morris, Whig, 161; Erastus White, Anti-slavery, 11. For representatives: C. I. Starlech, 207; C. R. Patton, 208; A. A. Fischer, 156; William Strawn, 26. For state senator, Burton C., Cook, 207; Wil- Jiam Paul, 10. D. P. Jenkins was elected state's attorney. We are unable to find a record of the presidential or congressional vote for this year, but it probably did not differ materially from the vote for secretary of state.

The election in 1853 resulted as follows: For county juds>, Billings P. Babcock, 243 votes; John Hovbler, 133. For county clerk, George W. Boyer, 221; O. Chubbuck, 118. For associate judge, Eli Myer, 278; John Darnall, 228; Jerome P. Garner, 74; D. McIntosh, 4. For treasurer and assessor, Walter Cornell, 272; Philip Rollins, 94. For county surveyor, James Stout, 156; Charles Hustin, 73; Nelson Buck, 58; Amos Edwards, 48; E. B. Oliver, 21. For school commissioner, H. H. Hinman, 134; James A. Hews, 118; Eli Myer, 103. At this time, the voting precincts had been increased by the addition of Avoca, Reading, New Michigan and Mud Creek precincts.

At the election in 1854, the county for the first time gave majorities for the Whig and Anti-slavery candidates. The vote for congressman was: Jesse O. Norton, 319; J. N. Drake, 207. For representatives, David Straw, 331; F. S. Day, 317; George W. Armstrong, 201; J. L. McCormick, 185. The vote on county officers resulted as follows: For sheriff, W. B. Lyon, 187; Murrell Breckenridge, 133; Jerome P. Garner, 104; M. B. Patty, 69. For coroner, Laban Frakes, 178; Jacob Streamer, 171; Ira Loveless, 118, For surveyor, T. F. Norton, 267; Nelson Buck, 115; I. R. Clark, 80.

and assessor; H. H. Hinman, school commissioner; I, R. Clark, surveyor ; Thomas Croswell, coroner. Dwight precinct had been added during this year. i

At the electionvin 1857, Nebraska and Days preciucts had been added, the latter embracing what is now Broughton and Round Groye townships. This was the last election held under the old county organization, as the township organization went into effect the following year. The vote on township organization was 738 votes for and 40 against. The vote for county officers was: For county judge, Henry Jones, 510; O. Chub- 'buck, 436. For associate judges, J. P. Morgan, 497; John Darnall, 469; Decatur Veatch, 453; Jacob Angle, 473. For county clerk, S. S. Saul, 525; S. L. Manker, 427, For school commissioners, J. H. Hagerty, 480; J. W. Strevell, 465. For surveyor, Nelson Buck, 493; James Stout, 444; for treasurer, J. R. Woolverton, 488; James Gibbons, 447.

Prior to township organization in 1857, there were but ten voting precincts in the county. When the county was organized in 1837, three voting precincts - Indian Grove, Center and Bayou - were established. In 1853, Reading, New Michigan, Mud Creek and Avoca were added, followed by Dwight in 1855 and Nebraska and Day's, the latter embracing what is now Broughton and Round Grove, in 1857.

The first county officers under township organization were: county judge, Henry Jones, (Dem.); sheriff, James W. Remick, (Rep.); clerk of the circuit court Benjamin W. Gray, (Dem.); treasurer, Joseph R. Woolverton, (Rep.) ; county surveyor, Nelson Buck, (Dem.) ; school commissioner, James H. Hagerty, (Dem.). ~

In 1858 occurred the memorable Lincoln-Douglas compaign. There were at that time twentythree townships in the county. The county gave a Republican majority of about 200. 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, 1,001; S. C. Collins, 784; William Cogswell, 776. For sheriff, William T. Russell, 987; Joshua C. Mills, 806.

In 1859 at a special election, W. G. McDowell was elected county judge, and in November following, Philip Cook was elected county treasurer ;

At the presidential election held in 1860, the vote of the county polled was 2,563, of which Lincoln received 1,475 and Douglas, 1,088. For congress, Owen Lovejoy received 1,450, and R. N. Murray, "1,097. The vote for state senator was, Washington Bushnell 1,464; John Hise, 1,074. For two representatives, Andrew J. Cropsey, 1,- 474; J. W. Newport, 1,475; Daniel Evans, 1,097; H. H. Brown, 1,092. For circuit clerk, James W. Remick, 1,345; Benjamin W. Gray, 1,229. For sheriff. Edward R. Maples, 1,547; James M. Perry, 1,023. For coroner, Thomas Croswell, 1,475; T. B. Norton, 1,043. For state's attorney, C. H. Wood, 927; G. H. Watson, 859; Joshua Whitmore, 829. There were 1,743 votes cast for the constitutional convention and 120 against.

In June, 1861, the unanimous vote of the county was given to Hon. C. R. Starr, of Kankakee, for circuit judge. He remained upon the bench until he resigned in 1866.

In November, 1861, there were three county tickets in the field - Republican, Democratic, and a Union ticket composed of equal number of Republicans and Democrats. the latter were elected. The vote stood: For delegates to the constitutional convention, Perry A. Armstrong, 1,153; Alexander Campbell, 1,115, On county officers the vote was: For county judge, Jonathan Duff, 918; N. S. Grandy, 191; W. G. 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.

At the November election, 1862, the vote stood: For state treasurer, W. O. Butler, 1,009; Alexander Starne, 938. For congress (at large), E. C. Ingersoll, 1,096; J. C. Allen, 954. For congress (Eighth district), Leonard Swett, 1,110; John T. Stuart, 938. For members of the legislature, Franklin Corwin, 1,098; Albert Parker, 1,097; A. A. Fisher, 1,085; M. B. Patty, 976; T. C. Gibson, 950; J. O. Dent, 950. This county and La Salle County at that time composed the Eigbt district. Job E. Dye was elected sheriff and Thomas Croswell, coroner.

received 1,746 votes and George B. McClellan, 1,100. The county went Republican by a majority of 650, The townships of Belle Prairie, Sullivan, Owego, Nebraska, Nevada, Reading, and Rooks Creek gave Democratic majorities, In the county, William T. Ament was elected state's attorney, E. W. Capron, coroner, and Amos Hart, sheriff.

Jason W. Strevell was elected Representative in the General Assembly this year from Livingston County, while Franklin Corwin and John Miller were elected from the LaSalle portion of the District.

The election in 1865 was an exciting one. There were two county tickets in the field - the Republican and the Soldiers'. Nearly all the candidates on both tickets were soldiers who had taken part in the late Civil War. The Democrats throughout the county supported the Soldiers' ticket. The vote was: For county 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. Huetson, 1,013; Nelson Buck, 772.

At the election in 1566 the county went Republican by an average majority of 1,100. Over 3,300 votes were cast," William Strawn, Franklin Corwin and Elmer Baldwin were elected to the Legislature from this district over M. L. Payne, James Clark and Douglas Hapemar. James H. Gaff was elected sheriff and Thomas Croswell, coroner.

In November, 1866, William B. Fyfe was elected county treasurer, and A. C. Huetson reelected county surveyor. A vote was also taken by which the county was to determine whether it would permit cattle to run at large or not, as but few fences at that time had been erected on the various farms. The vote stood 1,249 votes for and 977 against.

At the presidential election in 1868, U. 8. Grant received 3,448 yotes and Horatio Seymour 2,182. The vote for congressman was, Shelby M. Cullom, 3,447; B. S. Edwards, 2,134. J. W. Strevell defeated Julius Avery for state senator. William Strawn, Franklin Corbin and Samuel Wiley were elected representatives. Mason B. Loomis was elected state's attorney; J. E. Morrow, circuit clerk, and George H. Wentz, sheriff.

Mr. Strevell, of Pontiac, was the first citizen of the county to be elected to the state senate. At this election 5,595 votes were cast, the average Republican majorities being about 1,320. But four towns in the county gave Democratic majorities: Nevada, 33; Belle Prairie, 6; Reading, 2; Sunbury, 7.

At the election in 1869, there were three county tickets in the field - Republican, Democratic and Temperance. The yote was as follows: For county judge, Lewis E. Payson, 1,896; A. E. Harding, 1,126; James Parsons, 108. For elerk, Byron Phelps, 1,806; Robert B. Hanna, 1,224; Eben Norton, 124, For treasurer, Aaron Weider, 1,844; James Mcllduff, 1,227; R. G. Morton, 103. For superintendent of schools, H. H. Hill, 1,655; Myron Woolley, 1,182; A. D. Jones, 21. For surveyor, A. C. Huetson, 1,922; Charles Smith, 1,127; James McCabe, 105. N. J. Pillsbury, Joseph Hart and George S. Eldridge were elected delegates to the constitutional convention from this district (Livingston and La Salle).

At this election, eight townships voted for or against township subscription to the proposed Fairbury, Pontiac and Northwestern Railroad Company (now the Streator branch of the Wabash, running from Streator to Fairbury). The vote resulted as follows; Pontiac, 374 for and 6 against; Indian Grove, 273 for and 211 against; Amity, 90 for and 9 against; Eppards Point, 67 for and 25 against; Newtown, 76 for and 49 against; Avoca, 65 for and 63 against; Owego, 90 for and none against; Esmen 75 for and none against. The latter township ignored the vote entirely, on the ground that the 75 votes cast were not a majority of all the voters of the town. In November, 1870, John W. Hoover was elected sheriff; J. J. Wright, coroner; R. W. Babcock, county judge. John Stillwell was elected a member to the Legislature. State's Attorney M. B. Loomis having remoyed to Chicago, Gov. Palmer appointed C. C. Strawn to fill out the unexpired term.

At the election held in 1872, the presidential yote stood; Grant, 3,110; Greeley, 1,888; O'Connor, 201. For governor, Oglesby, 3,153; Koerner, 2,062; J. G. Strong of Dwight was elected to the state senate and Lucian Bullard of Forrest to the Legislature. The county officers elected were: state's attorney, James H. Funk;

At the judicial election held in 1873, N. 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.

There were two tickets in the field in 1873 - Republican and Anti-monopoly. At the election held in November, the latter swept the county by a majority of nearly 1,400, R. R. Wallace defeated L. E. Payson for county judge; G. W. Langford was elected over W. H. Jenkins for county clerk; Joseph Stitt defeated A. G. Goodspeed for treasurer; M. Tombaugh defeated J. W. Smith for county superintendent of schools. Republican majorities were given only in the townships of Pontiac, Indian Grove, Avoca, Forrest, Odell and Eppards Point, and in several townships not a vote was cast for that ticket. In 1874, B. E. Robinson was elected sheriff and E. G. Johnson, coroner. In 1875, Joseph Stitt was re-elected treasurer, and B. F. Hotchkiss, surveyor. In 1876, S. T. Fosdick of Chatsworth was elected to the state senate and George B. Gray of Rooks Creek to the Legislature. The county officers elected were: State's attorney, D. L. Murdock; coroner, Darius Johnson ; sheriff, B. E. Robinson; circuit clerk, W. H. Jenkins. In August, 1877, Franklin Blades was elected as an additional county judge, receiving nearly a unanimous vote.

vember 9, 1899: County Judge, R. R. Wallace; County Treasurer, W. E. Baker; County Clerk, John C. George; County Superintendent of Schools, Henry A. Foster. George F. Kline was appointed Coroner, February 9, 1892. November 8, 1892: Circuit Clerk, Hugh Thompson; State's Attorney, Edgar P. Holly; Surveyor, D. J. Stanford; Coroner, John Zimmerman. November 6, 1894: County Judge, C. M. Barickman; County Clerk, Fred Duckett; Treasurer, James B. Parsons; Sheriff, Edward O. Reed; County Superintendent of Schools, C. R. Tombaugh. November 2, 1896: Circuit Clerk, Erastus Hoobler ; State's Attorney, Ray Blasdel; Coroner, W. E. Slyder; Surveyor, D. J. Stanford. November, 1898: County Judge, C. M. Barickman; County Clerk, Fred Duckett; Treasurer, E. O. Reed; Sheriff, W. L. Talbott; County Superintendent of Schools, C. R. Tombaugh. Barickman, after serving three years, resigned as county judge and Gov. Yates appointed Fred G. White to the vacancy. C. R. Tombaugh resigned as county superintendent of schools in September, 1901, and the board of supervisors appointed W. E. Herbert in his stead. November, 1900: Circuit Clerk, Erastus Hoobler; State's Attorney, A. C. Ball; Coroner, W. E. Slyder; Surveyor, D. J. Stanford. November, 1902: County Judge, C. F. H. Carrithers; County Clerk, Fred Duckett; Treasurer, W. L. Talbott; County Superintendent of Schools, W. E. Herbert; Sheriff, C. H. Hoke. November, 1904: Circuit Clerk, R. G. Sinclair; State's Attorney, A. C. Ball; Coroner. W. E. Slyder; Surveyor, D. J. Stanford. November, 1906: County Judge, U. W. Louderback; County Clerk, W. W. Kenny; Treasurer, A. L. Mette; Sheriff, James W. Morris.