Logan County, Illinois - Chapter 4: Civil History, 1886

Chapter 4: Civil History

Formation of Logan County. - First Election. - Election Precincts. - Township Organization. - Official Record. - County Seats. - Postville, Mt. Pulaski and Lincoln. - Public Buildings.

Wben Illinois was admitted into the Union it was composed of fifteen counties, one of which, Bond, included the present county of Logan, and much of the northera part of the State. During the legislative session of 1820-21, Sangamon County was created, the act being approved Jan. 30, 1821. Its limits then included the following defined territory, which any reader can readily trace on a township map of the State. Commencing at the northeast corner of Locust Township in Christian County, then north to a point on the Illinois River about two miles below the City of Peru, down the middle of the river to the boundary line between Cass and Morgan counties, then east to the northeast corner of Morgan County, then south on the line between Morgan and Sangamon counties to the northwest corner of Otter Township in Macoupin County, then east to the place of beginning. The territory defined included what is now a part of Christian County, a small part of Macon, all of Logan, part of McLean, all of Tazewell, part of "Woodford, part of Marshall, part of Putnam, and all of Mason, Menard and Cass.

Logan County remained a part of Sangamon until the session of 1838-'9, when a bill was presented to the Legislature by prominent citizens of this portion of Sangamon, asking for a separate county organization , under the name of " Logan County. " The origin of the name of the county is not now definitely known. It is ascribed to the [ndian Chief, Logan, to Judge Logan, and to Logan County, Ky. Which of these is correct can not now be determined. In February, 1839, the act was approved. Its prominent parts read as follows: defines the boundaries of Menard County. Section two related especially to Logan and reads: "5e it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That all the tract of country lying within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of township 20 north, of range 4 west; thence south to the southwest corner of section 18; thence east one mile; thence south to the southeast corner of Menard; thence east to the line dividing ranges 3 and 4; thence south to the southwest corner of section 7, township 17 north, of range 3 west; thence east to the northeast corner of section 15, township last aforesaid; thence south one mile; thence east to the eastern boundary of Sangamon County; thence with the present boundary of Sangamon County to the place of beginning, shall constitute the county of Logan."

"That Charles Emmerson, of Macon County, Cheney Thomas, of McLean County, and Charles Matheny, of Sangamon County, be, and they are hereby, appointed commissioners to locate the seat of justice of Logan County; and who, or a majority of whom, shall in all respects perform their duties in the manner that the commissioners for the location of the county seats of the counties of Menard and Dane are by this act required to do; and shall meet at the town of Postville, in the said county of Logan, on the first Monday of May next, or within twenty days thereafter, for the purpose of performing the same; and such location, when so made, shall be and remain the seat of justice of the said county of Logan until the end of the session of the General Assembly in the year 1841."

The act further provided for an election to be held in each of the counties on the first Monday of April following. In Logan County the election for county officers was to be held at Postville and Mt. Pulaski.

These new counties were attached to and became a part of the first judicial district. Logan was allowed one representative in the next General Assembly, and until the officers were qualified to act in the newly formed counties, the sheriff of Sangamon County was empowered to transact all new business arising therein.

The county was now divided into two election precincts, the voting places being at Mt. Pulaski and the county seat. Three commissioners transacted all the business for the county; laid out roads; regulated licenses; attended to the poor, then generally " farmed out," a3 it was termed, that is, given to some one who would feed and clothe them for a certain consideration paid out of the county treasury. The commissioners, at their first meeting, drew lots for their respective terms of office, one serving for three years, one for two years, and one for one year. Thereafter one commissioner was elected annually. Soon after the organization of the county, it was found inconvenient for all voters to come to Mt. Pulaski and Postville to vote, and an additional precinct was made with a voting place at Middletown. Another was soon after made on Salt Creek, one on Sugar Creek, one at Elkhart and one at the Kickapoo. On Salt Creek the voting place was Eli Fletcher's barn. Other voting places were formed from time to time as the county settled, until 18-65, when the vote on the township organization was made, which resulted in the adoption of that mode of division for the county.

The law creating township organization in Illinois passed the General Assembly in 1861. By its provisions, the people of any county could so organize their county for judicial and civil purposes whenever a majority so desired. The vote on this question was held in November, 1865, but for some cause was declared illegal, and the next year another vote was obtained, which resulted in the adoption of the law in this county. The County Court, at the December terra of 1866, appointed Asa C. Barnes, of Atlanta, H. C. St. Clair, of Mt. Pulaski, and L. D. Dana, of Elkhart, commissioners to divide the county into townships, and to give to each a name. This duty was performed in March of the following year, when the commissioners defined the limits of each township, and gave to each the name it yet bears. An election for township oflScers was held in each township on Tuesday, April 2, and on the 13th of May the new Board of Supervisors, seventeen in number, met tor the first time. Since that date this board has performed the functions of the old Board of Commissioners, and the civil division remains the same.

Civil Histoky

Coimty Justices, 1857-'66. - The Justices enumerated in this list served four years, except in cases of death or resignation. Tliey are arranged according to the years in which they were elected :

Oivil History County Seats

The first county seat, Postville, was laid out by Russell Post, from whom it received its name, in the year 1835. He discovered here a butiful site for a town, and being something of a speculator in "Western town sites, at once entered the land and laid out a village. John Sutton soon after erected a small hotel, where the travelers from Springfield would often stop for refreshment when on their way to and from the State capital. The first store, a primitive structure, was built by Ackman & Rankin. They were soon followed by James Primm and S. M. Tinsley, in a similar enterprise. Mr. Primm was the first Postmaster in tlie town. He was succeeded in the office, about 1848, by Solomon Kahn, who retained the office until the union of Lincoln and Postville, and the removal of the postoffice to the latter place. Ackman & Rankin's store was the first house built on the town plat. It was erected during the spring and summer of 1836. Hiram Edwards had the contract for its construction, and received $70, in hard money, for the work.

John Edwards hewed the logs for its construction. These were hewn to a thickness of six inches, and as wide as the log would make. The whole was roofed with clapboards. After its erection, the proprietors divided it into two rooms, using the rear room as a storeroom. Mr. Sutton's house being too small for the entertainment of travelers, a more commodious structure was built, on the corner of the square, by William McGraw. Another was afterward added by Dr. John Duskins. It fronted the court-house. As Postville was on the direct road from St. Louis to Chicago, it beul^ came a regular stopping place for stages. A large amount of merchandise was taken from St. Louis by this route, to Springfield, Bloomington and Chicago. Chicago was yet a village, with scarce a hope of future greatness.

The organization of the county, and the location of the countyseat at Postville, aided much in its prosperity. The commissioners appointed, in the act of incorporation, to locate the seat of justice for the new county, selected Postville, it being near the center of the county, and donating a square of land, and four or five lots in addition. A court-house and jail were at once ordered erected, and work upon them commenced. The court-house was built in the center of the square, faced the south, and was two stories high. Its entire cost was not likely more than $200. The jail was built mainly by Elisha Parks. It was constructed of hewed or sawed logs, each one foot square, notched at the ends, so that when laid in the wall they fitted closely together. This jail was about twelve feet square, and that many feet in height to the first story. The upper floor was made of logs of the same dimensions as those composing the sides, securely fastened to the upper tier of logs. The lower floor was composed of logs hewed about twelve by sixteen inches in thickness, the greater thickness placed upward. These were laid closely together, and, as well as the walls and upper floor, were covered with heavy oak plank, two inches in thickness, thoroughly nailed on, within and without. In the center of the upper floor a small trap doorjwas made, sufiiciently large to admit a man's body. In order to secure light and ventilation, this door was composed of a crosswork of iron bars, firmly fastened together, and secured with a good padlock several inches from the door. Two windows, of similar material, were also made. Over all a good, heavy roof was placed, and in the end of the upper story a door was made of heavy plank, which in turn could be securely bolted. When a prisoner was confined within this citadel, he was, in most cases, safe. He would be taken in at the upper door, the trap-door of the inner cell raised, a ladder let down, and he was compelled to descend into the prison. The ladder would then be withdrawn, the trap-door and outer door bolted, and he was safe It is confidently affirmed that criminals could more easily escape from the jails of to-day than from this one.

Strong as this jail was made, it could not always be depended on, as the following incident will show: JSTot many years after it was built, ajnan named Bartlett was arrested and confined in the jail, for shooting at the stage driver. He was an exceptional villain, shrewd, cunning and brave, and was noted for his adroitness in escaping. In order to be doubly sure of his keeping, a strong guard was stationed about the prison day and night. One day on taking him his food, he was discovered to have made an attempt at liberty by tearing loose one of the inside planks, his only instrument being a case-knife and his boot heel. Manacles were then brought and placed on his wrists; but these being large and his hands small, he quickly slipped the irons off and handed them to the astonished jailer, with the quiet remark, '-! do not wear iron jewelry." Manacles were then brought and fastened to his feet. No sooner was lie left to himself than he commenced a constant rubbing together of these irons until the friction would wear away some weak spot between his feet, and he would remove these to hand them to the jailer, with the same dry remark. Sometimes he would keep up his incessant rubbing for days in order to accomplish his purpose. One day during his coniinement, he managed to attract the attention of J. P. Evans, then a lad some fourteen years of age, to whom he offered a " fortune " if he would bring him a watch, no matter what kind, or whether it was of any value. The boy, though tempted by the "fortune" offered, consulted his father, one of the guards, before acquiescing in the wish of the prisoner. Mr. Evans told him that Bartlett only wanted it, in all probability, to make some kind of tool out of the mainspring with which to effect his release. The watch was accordingly not obtained. Baffled on all hands, Bartlett now determined on his escape, let the difficulties be what they would. The distance between the lower and upper floors was fully twelve feet in height, more than twice the height of the prisoner. By a little practice, and being naturally very athletic, he becatne able to spring up and catch in the bars of the trap door above. Clinging to one of these bars with one hand, he drove a part of the window sash under the door, which would not quite close, until he wrenched the staple, through which the padlock was inserted, from its place. His strength was prodigious; he would often spring up to the door, swing by one arm and talk to any one who desired to converse with him. Eaising the door, he went to the outer door, by some means opened it, and observed the guards were not on the watch, having left their guns in their part of the jail, and retired to the court-house square to the shade, and for conversation.

way southward toward a drove of horses in the prairie, observing them slowly, as though designing to purchase. While there one of the guards noticed him and remarked to his comrades, "That looks like Bartlett." " It can't be," said another; "he could not get out of jail." One of them ran to the jail and immediately calling to them, confirmed their suspicions. Not seeing the guns at first, it was thought the escaped convict had them and would defend himself. He had secreted them under the bed used by the guards. Just at this moment, however, he was seen to leave the horses, having worked his way toward the timber, and to run for it with all the fleetness he possessed. A pursuit was at once started, which traced him to Salt Creek and there lost him. After diligent search, he was, however, found secreted in the water, underneath a tree which had fallen nearly across the stream. This the pursuers had unintentionally surrounded, to deliberate on what was the best method to adopt to efi'ect his capture. While standing there, one of them happened to look closely at this tree, and saw in the water the form of the fugitive with his face just out of the water. He was at once taken into custody and remanded to jail, where he was securely ironed and hardly ever after left unseen. His trial occurred soon, when he was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment in the penitentiary, where it is believed he died. While there he narrated his manner of escape from the Logan County jail, and also told his listeners that at one time his pursuers were so close to him that he could have seized one of them, Evans, and pulled him into the water. He said that when captured he was "nearly froze," and would have been compelled to leave the water soon.

This old jail stood some distance northeast of the court-house square and was used until 1847, when the county seat was removed to Mt. Pulaski. The court-house and square were sold to Mr. Solomon Kahn for $300; the same gentleman purchased five ad ditional lots belonging to the county, in Fostville. The jail was also sold, and the logs comprising its strong floor and sides were used for ties on the railroad. For several years after the settlement, a large pond of water near by afforded water for stock, and during the winter a skating place for the youth of the village. It was in this pond that a man named Willis lost his life, and whose death remained so long a time a mystery. About the year 1838 or '39, Willis was employed to look after and feed the stock of a Mr. Wheeler, who desired to make a visit to his old home in Ken- tucky. One night Willis went to town carrying with him his ax, a very peculiarly shaped one, the blade being so made that it would with ordinary blows sink deep into the hardest wood. While in town Willis imbibed too much whisky and late in the evening started for home. He was never afterward seen alive. In the course of a day or two, his absence being noticed, search was made for him, but to no avail; persons on horses would ride into this pond, the water coming up on the side of the saddle, but could find no trace of Willis. At last he was given up for lost, various opinions being hazarded as to the probability of his whereabouts. After seven years had passed away, the pond one dry summer dried up, leaving a bare piece of ground near its center. One evening, as a woman from the village was seeking her cows, she chanced to cross this bare spot, when to her great astonishment she discovered the skeleton of a man. Hastening to town, she narrated her discovery to several, who at once went to the spot. The skeleton was there, and in removing it the ax was found. From its construction it was at once recognized by the older ones as Willis's ax. The mystery of his mysterious disappearance was now solved. He had wandered into the pond and perished. For further proof it was recollected that one of Willis's legs had been broken, and an examination of the right thigh corroborated the fact that the remains were those of the unfortunate man. They were at once removed and given a respectful burial.

There were several of these ponds about the old town of Postville, which have long since been filled, and are now cultivated or enclosed as yards. Where the city of Lincoln now stands was a large marshy piece of ground, and at one time when Colby Knapp was passing over the site on some journey, he aroused a herd of nearly forty deer. At that time these were plenty, and one could travel from this latter place to Springfield without encountering a fence, or having to follow the wandering of any road. The road, like the line, was direct. On the removal of the seat of justice to Mt. Pulaski, property in Postville declined considerably in value, and trade and population alike felt the result. The old court-house lost its prestige and became a dwelling, and the town no longer was enlivened at stated intervals by the presence of lawyers and clients on court days. It was in this old court-room that the illustrious martyred president conducted several cases, and by his known honesty won the hearts of the people. As an illustration of this latter, the following incident is given: Mr. Lincoln had been employed by a Mr. Brown to conduct a case for him, and which was to be heard in the Logan County Court. Thinking he could better advance his own interests, and supposing he could escape detection. Brown gave Mr. Lincoln a very false version of his case. This was developed in the trial, when Mr. Lincoln, vexed at the falsity of the man, and caring nothing only for the truth, turned to him in open court, exclaiming, with considerable earnestness, "Brown, what made you lie to me so ? If I had known the truth in your case, I would have advised you not to bring suit. " This unflinching regard for principle gave " Honest Abe " a standing among Logan County people which in after years was never lost.

The old court-house was also used by the religious element of the people for a house of worship, the noted pioneer preacher, Rev. Peter Cartwright, occasionally conducting divine services therein. No house of worship was ever erected in the town, the school-house and court-house being used in its stead. The first schools of this settlement were, like those in all parts of the county, subscription schools. It was not till after 1840 that a house was erected for no other purpose, rented rooms prior to this time supplying the deficiency.

The town of Postville never recovered from the effects of the removal of the seat of justice, and when it was united to Lincoln, in 1865, the town contained scarcely 200 inhabitants.

The removal of the county seat to Mt. Pulaski arose from that speculative fever passing over the State when so many counties were organized, and county seats created on a speculative basis. The inhabitants of the north and eastern portions of Logan County, together with many residents in McLean and DeWitt counties adjoining, desired to create a new county of the portions of these counties mentioned, and to locate a county seat at Waynesville, a small village in Waynesville Township, in DeWitt County. Those about Mt. Pulaski were in favor of the seat of justice being located there, and at an election to decide the matter, owing to these two chief infiuences, the removal was decided by a strong majority. Those residing about Mt. Pulaski hoped to see a new county created from Logan, Sangamon and Macon counties. These plans were, however, all frustrated by the passage of the new State Constitution, which prohibited the organization of new counties until a certain number of inhabitants were within the prescribed limits, and also defined the area a county must have before being created.

This put an end to further agitation on the subject, and ere long the inconvenience of the seat of justice began to befelt. Mt. Pulaski is within six miles of Sangamon County and eight miles of Macon, while it is over twenty miles to the north line of the county, and over fifteen to the western limits. The people living in these parts complained of the long distance to attend to all county business, and a more central location was agitated. The survey of the Chicago & Alton Eailroad being completed, it was urged that instead of re-locating it in the village of Fostville, a move most earnestly desired by its citizens, it woald be better to locate it on this railroad. Colby Knapp was then in the Legislature, and was mainly instrumental in getting the bill changing the seat of justice passed. Colonel E. B. Latham, John D. Gillett and Virgil Hickox, the original proprietors of Lincoln, gave to the county four squares of land, two of which have been made into parks, one is used for the courth)use, and on the other the jail and jailer's residence are located.

Public Buildings

The public buildings of the county are: 1. A court-house situated on block 16, original plat of Lincoln, between Kickapoo and McLean, and Broadway and Pulaski streets. It was built in 1858 at a cost of $13,000. The size is 45 x 75 feet. The second story contains a court room and two jury rooms, and the ground floor is divided into ofliijes used by the county treasurer, sheriff, surveyor and superintendent of schools. There are two fire-proof ofiices, one for the use of the clerk of the Circuit Court and the county records, and the other for the county clerk, in which are kept the books and papers pertaining to the Probate Court and finances of the county.

2. The county jail, which'was erected in 1868 at a cost of $36,- .000, is located on a block originally designed for a public park, bounded by Hamilton, Sherman, Broadway and Pekin streets. The front, intended as a residence for the sheriff, is of brick, and the rear of Joliet stone, and contains twenty cells, which afford a secure receptacle for those who violate the laws of the county.

3. The poor house and farm are about three milesfrom the courthouse. The farm contains 160 acres under a good state of cultivation, and was purchased of C. H. Couch, Esq., at $62.50 per acre.

In 1869 good buildings were erected on the same, which make it a comfortable asylum for the poor and destitute of the country. The whole cost of the farm, buildings and furniture was about $20,000, and tax -payers flatter themselves that no county in the State, of the size and population of Logan, can furnish more comfortable accommodations for those for whom the laws require them to provide.