Macoupin County, Illinois - Chapter 7: Government, 1911

Chapter 7: Government

COMMISSIONERS' COURT OF ALMOST UNLIMITED POWER - LIST OF FIRST VOTERS - COMMISSIONERS' COURT ABOLISHED AND COUNTY DIVIDED INTO TOWNSHIPS - NAMES OF COUNTY OFFICIALS FROM 1829 TO 19! I.

Under the act of the legislature passed in 1829, creating the county of Macoupin, provision was made for a governing body to be known as the county commissioners' court, and at the first election, held at the home of Joseph Borough on the I3th day of April, 1829, a majority of the votes cast resulted in the choice of Theodorus Davis, William Wilcox and Seth Hodges as members of said court. Tristram P. Hoxey was appointed county clerk. His duties included the offices of county recorder and circuit clerk. Joseph Borough, at whose home the first election was held, was appointed county surveyor by the governor in 1829, and it was he who laid out the county seat. At the election referred to, seventy-eight votes were cast.

Names Of Voters

"I certify that John Powell, Abraham Wyatt, judges, and T. P. Hoxey and Theodorus Davis, clerks of the election, were severally sworn before me as the law directs, and that I was sworn agreeably to law by John Powell, he being one of the judges of the election, previous to our entering upon the duties of our respective offices dated at the house of Joseph Borough, this I3th day of April, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine.

A poll book of an election held at the house of Joseph Borough, Macoupin county, state of Illinois, for Macoupin district, to elect three magistrates and two constables in and for said district, this i6th of May, 1829.

At an election held this i6th day of May, 1829, agreeably to an order received from the county clerk of Macoupin county, we the undernamed judges and clerks do return the following list of names to be acknowledged as sufficient votes at said election :

To the commissioners' court was given almost unlimited power in the matter of local government and its jurisdiction covered almost every conceivable subject relating to the business affairs of the bailiwick. In fact, the record makes it appear that on more than one occasion the court assumed dignities not intended by the law which called it into being, and for that reason it finally became a target for many adverse criticisms.

The county commissioners' court continued in existence until 1849, when it was abolished by an act of the legislature, approved February I2th of that year.

University Of Illinois

Under this act provision was made for a county court to consist of a j udge, and two associate justices, whose duties should be "to sit with the county judge, as members of the court, for the transaction of all county business." The county court remained in existence until 1870, when it was superseded by the board of supervisors, the present governing board of the county.

Dissatisfaction throughout the county was made manifest by many of the taxpayers, with the manner in which the affairs of the county had been conducted, and hence it was that in 1870 the citizens of Macoupins by a decided majority, adopted the township form of government, which has since been adhered to.

Following the expressed determination of the people to adopt the township form of government, the county court, then composed of Philander C. Huggins, Andrew A. Atkins and Martin Olmstead, appointed John I. Rinaker, E. H. Davis and John T. Henderson commissioners, to divide the county into towns, agreeably to the statute made and provided to provide for township organization. In relation thereto the following appears in the records :

"At a meeting of the board of commissioners appointed by the county court of Macoupin county, state of Illinois, at the December term, A. D., 1870, of said court to divide said county into townships and name the same under the township organization laws of the state of Illinois, held at the court house in Carlinville on this day in pursuance of agreement, the board organized by the appointment of John I. Rinaker as chairman and John P. Henderson secretary.

"The said board as such commissioners proceeded to divide the county into towns, making as many towns as there are townships according to government survey, there being twenty-four in number. The board not being fully advised in regard to the wishes of the people in the several towns, or some of them, in regard to names for the said towns, and wishing to further consult the wishes of the people, it was moved and carried that the board adjourn to meet again on Thursday, February 2, 1871, at the county clerk's office in Carlinville, Macoupin county, Illinois.

"The board met pursuant to adjournment, present John I. Rinaker, E. H. Davis and John P. Henderson. After due consideration of reports from different parts of the county, the board proceeded to make changes in the names of towns in accordance with .the expressed will of the people and agreed and finally adopted the names as set forth in the report this day, agreed upon and filed with the county clerk, which report was duly signed by the several commissioners and the board adjourned.

In 1872 township 12 N. R. 6 W. was divided into two townships, namely, Virden and Girard, which made the number of townships in the county twentyfive. In 1884 Staunton township was divided into two halves and the north half was named Mt. Olive, which made the number of townships in the county twenty-six, which at present prevails.

Superintendents Of Schools

In 1884 Staunton township was divided in halves by drawing a line through the township from east to west. The north half was named Mount Olive township and has since been known and designated as such.