McHenry County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Political Representation, 1922

Chapter 6: Political Representation

Under the constitution of 1848 McIIenry County became a part of the Twenty-fourth Senatorial district with Boone and Winnebago counties, and with Boone County formed the Fifty-first Representative District. In 1854 it was associated with Lake County in a Senatorial and with Boone in a Representative District. In 18,sl it was made a part of the Twenty-third Senatorial District, with Boone, Winnebago and Lake, and this political unit existed until the apportionment of 1872, which ushered in what became known as the minority system of representation, each district being entitled to one senator and three representatives.

.McIIenry and Lake counties formed the Eighth District, Boone having been added in 1 SS2 and this political division had made up the Eighth Senatorial District to the present time.

Early Representatives

McIIenry County obtained its first resident representative in the general assemhly in 184S, when John F. Gray was elected to the lower house. Two years later the county had two representatives al Springfield in the persons of A. II. Nixon and George Gage, the former being reelected for the third term in 18f>4, when II 'lt (Jaire, after a service in the lower house, was elected to the State Senate, thus being entitled to the distinction of being the first state senator elected from McIIenry County.

Wcstley Digginfl was elected to the lower house in lS,")(i and Lawrence S. Church in 1858, 1860 and 1862, in which year Thaddeus B. Wakeman was elected to the lower house. Merritt L. Joslyn was elected to the lower

W. Deitz was elected in 1868, while William A. McConnell and Era B Curtiss were both elected in ls7n. in whal was known as the Ninety-third district.

Richard Bishop was the firs! Democral ever elected from McHenry County, his election taking place in 1872, in which year P. K. Granger was the Republican elected. Mr. Granger was re elected in ls7 I. .Men-it t I.. Joslyn «as elected to the stale senate in ls7<i and Mr. Grange] turned to the house in lv7s.

S. Soutbworth was elected to the house in lS.sS and Knhert J. I'.eek chosen at a special election to succeed B. M. Haines, deceased, July 15,

1890. Mr. I'.eek served in two later sessions of the general assembly, having been elected in 1SHL' and 1>!U. John C. Donnelly was elected to the of 1900, making ten terms he has served this county and district. James II. Yiekers was elected to the house in liHO, re-elected in 1914, 1916 and 1918.

A Capable Official

While McHenry County has always been fortunate in the high type of men it has chosen as its representatives at Springfield it is not disparaging to any of them to say that to Edward I). Shurtleff belongs the distinction of exerting the greatest influence as a legislator and attaining campaign of l!HN and w hen it appeared as if his candidacy was in danger, Governor Lowden, without knowledge of Mr. Shurtleff, paid the latter the following high tribute when a country newspaper sought the Governor's estimate of Shurtleff:

Waukegan, 111. Edward D. Shurtleff was my dependence in the house of Representatives in enacting my program into law in thai general assembly.

There will In' much important legislation for the consideration of the coming general assembly ami .Mi-. Shurtleff will be of more use to the people of ilic state ill' Illinois than a dozen ordinary men.

The following is a list of the state senators and representatives for the districts in which McHenry County has been located since its organization as a county 1838 to 1919:

1840-42 - Albert C. Peary. Richard Murphy and Plieiuv.er for Cook, Will and McHenry Counties. Kalh; Henry Madden for Boone, PeKalli, McHenry and Kendall.

entitled to two representatives. James Harrington, George W. Cest- Binger, James T. Pierson for Kane, McHenry, Boone and DcKalb, all served from the district in order given.

1872-74 - By the apportionment of 1872 McHenry and Lake Counties became the eighth district, entitled to three representatives - Richard Bishop, McHenry County; Plavel K. Granger, McHenry; Elisha Gridley, Lake County.

1882-84 - In 1882 McHenry and Boone became the eighth district, entitled to three representatives - Charles H. Tryon, McHenry; E. M. Haines, Lake; Charles Fuller, Boone.

Political Statistics

At the first election held in McHenry County, June 1, 1837, the whole number of votes cast was 115. The election for county officers was held at the store of niram Kennicott, near Half Day, on the Desplaines River, within the present county of Lake.

In 1838 the county chose its first representative to the State Legislature, electing Dr. Richard Murphy, Democrat, over Giles Spring, Whig, by a considerable majority. The convention which nominated the successful candidate was held the first Monday in March, 1838. About sixty delegates were present, among whom were the following from McHenry County : WTilliam M. Jackson, Proctor Smith, William Sponable, Russell Diggins, C. Canfield, William A. McConnell and A. B. Coon. Of the entire number of delegates, only four were living in the early eighties, of whom Messrs. Coon and Jackson of this county were survivors.

This county was solidly Democratic from its infancy until 1856, when the impending crisis changed the majority to the Republican side, where it has remained ever since.