Sangamon County, Illinois - The whole text, 1876 (part 1 of 31)

Our Own Prelude

It is with unfeigned satisfaction that I write these closing words, for that is what" they are, although placed at the opening of the volume.

It. will be found, by consulting the book, that in settling Sangamon county every one of the original thirteen States are represented, also every State organized before Illinois; and that the descendents of the early settlers of this county may be found in every State organized since Illinois; also in the District of Columbia, and in every Territory belonging to the United States government. Remarkable as it may appear, there is not a State or Territory in our whole nation but has some chord that centers in Sangamon county. Many European countries might be included also. Thus it will be seen that the homogeneous character of our whole people could not be more forcibly illustrated than by this volume.

collecting the materials. The two years has doubk-d, and with four months added, 1 0 find myself putting on the finishing touches. Thus you have the result of more than four years labor on my part, and about two years by Mrs. Power. She has, during that time, written nearly two thousand letters of inquiry to the descendents of early settlers, and has incorporated the information obtained by their replies, in the family

Our O Wn Prel Ude

To Edwin A, Wilson, not only thanks, but much more substantial tokens of approval are due. He has done that which none of the early settlers seemed disposed to do. Without his co-operation, in furnishing the sinews of war, I should not have undertaken the work.

To Messrs. Preston Breckenridge, N. W. Matheny and N. M. Broadwell, the committee of the Old Settlers' Society, who have so heartily entered into the spirit of the work, I not only tender my thanks, but venture to express the hope and belief that every family represented in the book will feel under lasting obligations to them for the impartial manner in which they have discharged the duties devolving upon them.

To the families of the early settlers, who so kindly and courteously responded to my inquiries, and extended to me the hospitalities of their homes, I cannot find words to express the thanks I feel; but ardently hope that the perusal of the book will return to you some of the pleasure I enjoyed in visiting your families. In the book we lay before you, we think all will admit that every pledge has been more than redeemed. What I say about myself and rny associates will be seen the first time by them, as it is by you - here in print.

And last, though not least, I reverently bow with thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, that He granted to me uninterupted health from the beginning to the end of this work. J- ^" P-

United States Biographical Dictionary

TOHN C ^RROLL POWER was born September 19, 1819, in Fleming county, Kentucky, between Flemmgsburg and Mount Carmel. His grandfather Joseph Power, with six brothers older than himself, were all living near Leesburg, Loudon county, Virginia at the beginning of the American Revolution, and all became soldiers m the cause of freedom Some of the elder brothers served through the whole seven years strug- <rle for Independence, the younger ones entering the army as soon as they arrived at a suitable age. Joseph was but sixteen years old when he enlisted, and that was during last year of the war. He was married a few years later, and, in 1793, started with his wJfe, children and household goods, on pack-horses, and in company with several other families crossed- the Allegheny mountains to Pittsburgh They descended he Ohio river in boats, landing at Limestone, now Maysville, and afterwards settled what became Fleming county, Kentucky.

John Power, the second son of Joseph, born November, 1787,, in London county, Virginia, was the father of the subject of this sketch. He was a farmer in comfortable circumstances and the owner of a few slaves; but with his numerous fam.lv he could not send his children from home to acquire that education wh.ch ,s now to be obtained in district schools, within the reach of all; consequently this son of whom we wr grew to manhood without having mastered more than the simplest rudiment, of the English language.

Like many other men who have struggled against adverse circumstances, he comnftnced his education a, a period of life when he should have been ,n possess,. He takes pleasure in attributing to a great extent the measure .of success he 1 as attained both morallv and mentally, to his selection ot a wife. He was marned May ,4, SS Miss S-arah A. Harris. The marriage was solemnized about ,wenty.s,x miles betw Cincinnati, in Aurora, Indiana. Miss Harris was born there Octobe, ,, 1824, of English parentage.

Her ^ndfathcr, on the maternal side, was the Rev. John Wadsworth, who was Rector off single parish of the Protestant Episcopal church near Manchester, England, more than a Ihiri of a century. His daughter Catalina was the mother ol Mrs. Power.

On her father's side the history reaches back to her great-grandfather, William Fox, who was a wholesale merchant in London. He was also deacon of a Bapti church in that city. By his business travels he became conversant with the i and destitute condition of the poor people of the kingdom, and made an effort to induce Parliament to establish a system of free schools; but failing in that, he next undertook to persuade his friends to unite with him in organizing and supporting a system of week-day instruction so extensive that "every person in the kingdom might be taught to read the Bible." When he had gone far enough to realize that the magnitude of the work was almost appalling, his attention was providentially drawn to the consideration of Sunday schools, in order to determine whether or not thev would answer the same pnrpose. Becoming convinced that they would, he zealously adopted the latter plan, and on the yth ot September, 1785, he organized in the city of London the first society in the world for the dissemination of Sunday schools. That society stood for eignteen years without a rival, and during that time it was instrumental in establishing Sunday schools ..wherever Christian, missions had unfurled the banner of the cross.

William Fox had two sons and three daughters- The eldest daughter, Sarah, became the wife of Samuel Harris, a druggist of London. They had a son and daughter. The son, William Tell Harris, was married April 24, 1821, in England, to Catalina Wadsworth, daughter of Rev. John Wadsworth, as already stated. They came to America soon after their marriage, and settled in Aurora, Indiana. They have both been dead many years. Their only living child, -Sarah A., was educated at private schools, and a four years' course in Granville Female Seminary, an institution under the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal church, at Granville, Ohio, from which she graduated in 1842. After her marriage to Mr. Power, in 1845, a* his request she directed his studies, and when he began to write for publication she became his critic; in that way rendering the best possible assistance, which she continues to the present time.

Mr. Power was brought up a farmer, but engaged in other pursuits a number of years, always cultivating habits of study and occasional writing, but without any thought of becoming an author until well advanced in life. He met with serious reverses about the beginning of the great rebellion; and at its close, finding himself in possession of a few thousand dollars, determined to return to agricultural pursuits. He accordingly removed to Kansas, purchased a farm and prosecuted the tilling of it for three years. The grasshoppers destroyed the crops of 1866 and 1867, and the drought of 1868 made almost a total loss of those three years, with all the expense of farming. In April, 1869, he accepted the first and only offer he ever received for his farm, returned to Illinois, and since that time has devoted himself almost exclusively to literary pursuits.

His prize essay on Self-Education, for which the Illinois State Agricultural Society awarded him a premium in 1858, was revised and published in "Harkness' Magazine;" the editor expressing the opinion that those who read it would find it "one of the most

His "History of the Rise and Progress of Sunday Schools," published in 1864, by Sheldon & Co., New York, was his first publication in book form. It is the only connected history of that noble branch of Christian work ever attempted, and appears by common consent to be accepted as the standard authority on that subject. Mr. Power has written several books and pamphlets on various local subjects; also magazine articles on a great variety of topics.

Sketch Op The Author

An open letter by him to the Postmaster-General, on the subject of addressing mail matter, is a brief and interesting magazine article. Some of his ideas are quite novel, and will bear investigation. The main point he aims to enforce is, that all mail matter should be addressed by first writing the name of the state in full, next the county, then the postoffice, and end with the name of the person or firm expected to receive it; thus reversing the order practiced from time immemorial. He considers that essay his contribution to the great American Centennial.

Perhaps his most finished work is the latest - his monumental edition of the "Life of Lincoln." It is a fitting tribute to the nation's martyred dead. His style is peculiarly clear, concise and original. He treats every subject most thoroughly and comprehensively, yet with an ease and grace of manner that charms the reader. A gentleman of the highest literary attainments, connected with Madison University, Hamilton, New York, in a note to the publishers, says: "I have read your 'Life of Lincoln' by Power. It has the charm of a novel."

Mr. Power is now engaged on a history of the early settlers of Sangamon county, Illinois, which, of course, includes the city of Springfield, his place of residence. This work, upon which he has spent more than four years' constant labor, will be issued in 1876. It is awaited with expectant interest by his numerous friends. He has other literary work laid out, sufficient to keep him employed for years to come, and will doubtless continue in that pursuit the remainder of his days.

Written And Published

A call for a meeting of the early settlers of Sangamon county, Illinois, was drawn up May 25, 1859, by Pascal P. Enos, and circulated by him until sixty-one signatures were obtained, proposing a meeting of all those who were citizens of the county previous to the winter of the "deep snow," 1830-31; for the purpose of organizing a society to preserve the history of Springfield and Sangamon county. The call was published in the Jotirnal and Register of May 27th, and the meeting was held June 1st, and adjourned to June 15, 1859.

The OLD SETTLERS' SOCIETY OF SANGAMON COUNTY was then organized by adopting a constitution, in which it was declared that all persons were old settlers who came to the co.untv previous to the "deep snow." Thomas Moffitt was chairman, and Pascal P. Enos secretary of the meeting. It was declared that October 2oth of each year should he celebrated as Old Settlers' Day, in honor of the first cabin in the county having been raised by Robert Pulliam, October 20, 181 7. It was also declared that until the first Monday in June, 1860, the officers of the society should be Thomas Moffitt, President, and Pascal P. Enos, Secretary.

The old settlers and their descendents assembled on the morning of Oct. 20, 1859, in the vicinity, formed in procession, and, headed by a hand of music, marched to where the first cabin stood. Two wagons had been drawn together on the spot to serve as a platform. The President, Judge Moffitt, called the meeting to order, and the exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. Wm. S. Prentice, the presiding elder of the Springfield district of the M. E. church. The hand then played the red, white and blue, after which the Hon. James H. Matheny was introduced and delivered an oration, suitable to the occasion. Several other brief speeches were made after which they held a festival in picnic style, and thus passed the day, to the general satisfaction of all who assembled there.

It was fully expected that those meetings would he held annually, but nine long and eventful years passed before the e arly settlers of the county held another reunion. The - 2 next year, at the proper time for holding the meeting, the whole country was abla/e with the political excitement of the campaign that terminated in the election of Abraham Lincoln - one of the least pretentious of the early settlers of Sangainon county - to the office of President of the United States. .Then followed war, that terminated in the abolition of slavery and the death of President Lincoln.

Re-Organization Of The Society

July 28, 1868, a call appeared in the Jotirnal and the Register, proposing to hold a meeting at Clear Lake, seven miles east of Springfield, on the 2oth day of August. The call was signed by thirty-two of the early settlers.

The meeting was called to order by the chairman of the committee of arrangements, Strother G. Jones, Esq. Exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. C. B. Stafford. Speeches were made by Munson Carter, Rev. John England, Gen. M. K. Anderson, and Samuel Williams, when they adjourned for dinner, which was taken in pic-nic style. After dinner Preston Breckenridge gave an account of his three first years in the county, 1834-5-6. The year 1835, 'ias always been remembered as a time of great suffering. Other speeches were made and the meeting adjourned.

The annual meeting of the Early Settlers' of Sangamon County was called to order at 12 o'clock by S. G. Jones, the President. After prayer by Rev. Mr. Holton, of Springfield, speeches were made by Rev. Dr. Bergen, Revs. C. B. Stafford and David England, and adjourned for dinner. After that, more speeches by J. Wickliffe Taylor, P. Breckenridge and J. H. Matheny. The meeting was then closed for the purpose of effecting a more permanent organization, which was done by enrolling eighty-six names of early settlers, of both sexes. They provided for future business by the election of P. Breckenridge, President; Samuel Preston and Strother G. Tones, Vice Presidents; John F. King, Secretary.

Mr. Breckenridge not being present, Vice President S. G.Jones called the meeting to order. Prayer was offered by Rev. Francis Springer, who followed that with an address. Brief speeches were made by Elisha Primm, David England and Samuel A. Grubb, and after dinner, Samuel Williams read a paper full of historical reminiscences. Speeches were made by Cg>\. Thomas Bond of Taylorville, Joab Wilkinson of Macon county, and John Fletcher of Sangamon, and adjourned.

Mr. Breckenridge called the meeting to order, and the exercises were opened with prayer by the venerable Daniel Wadsworth of Auburn. Thomas S. Parks, the secretary, read the minutes, followed by a brief 'speech from Samuel Williams. Governor Palmer was then introduced and made a speech depicting many scenes and incidents in the lives of the early settlers, not forgetting his own experience in courting, by taking his girl behind him on horseback to camp meetings, picnics, etc. It was regarded as the most mirth 'provoking speech ever delivered at an old settlers' meeting. After that came dinner, followed by a letter from General McClernand and speeches from J. H. Matheny and Hon. John T. Stuart. Then came the election of

Oak Ridge Park, adjoining Springfield on the north, SEPTEMBER 29, 1872. The meeting of the Old Settlers was called to order at eleven o'clock. As a change in the usual programme, the Society proceeded at once to the election of officers for the ensuing year. Job Fletcher was elected President, with seventy Vice Presidents, and Noah W. Matheny, Secretary. After dinner, General John A. McClernand was introduced and spoke about three-fourths of an hour in a chaste' and eloquent style. The next speech was by Rev. William J. Rutledge. He said that thirty-three years betore he had run a saw mill on Spring creek and sawed stringers used in laying the track of the first railroad ever built in the State of Illinois. The latter part of his speech was exceedingly humorous and closed amid a roar of laughter. Major Elijah lies then took the stand and in a conversational way related many interesting incidents of his experience among the early settlers. He was followed by Revs. J. D. Randall, of Edwardsville, and William S. Prentice and F. H. Wines, of Springfield. George R. Weber made the closing speech, and the meeting adjourned.

The Old Settlers assembled in full force. A long train of cars well filled, came from Springfield, bringing the old settlers from all other parts of the county. The President, Captain Job Fletcher, called the meeting to order, and an address of welcome ws delivered by Rev. John Slater, of Pleasant Plains. The exercises were formally opened with prayer by Rev. Mr. Lyon of the M. E. church. Governor Palmer \v;is then introd\ ced and made an excellent old settlers' speech in his usual mirth provoking style. Next came dinner, after which several more speeches, and then the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Rev. Samuel M. Wilson, of Pleasant Plains, President; James Parkinson, Vice President; and N. W. Matheny, Secretary.

The Old Settlers assembled in large numbers to-day, in Stout's Grove, to find that the most ample provision had been made for their comfort by the local committee, William Burtle, Philemon Stout, Davis Meredith and Job Fletcher. The President, Mr. Wilson, not having arrived, the meeting was called to order by Captain Fletcher. After a few short speeches, dinner was announced and partaken of with H keen relish by all. More speeches were then made, and a vote of thanks was tendered the retiring President, Rev. S. M. Wilson. The following officers were then elected: William

The Old Settlers' of Sangamon and Menard counties held a union meeting here today. William Burtle, President of the Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon county assumed the chair, and the meeting was opened with prayer by Elder Vawter of Cantrail. Speeches and feasting occupied the time until just previous to adjournment, when the following were elected as officers for the ensuing year: Alexander B. Irwin, President, E. C. Matheny, Secretary.

The Old Settlers' of Sangamon county, assembled here to-day by thousands. They came by the Chicago & Alton Railroad, in wagons and carriages, on horseback and on foot. Alexander B. Irwin, the President, being detained by sickness, the assembly was called to order by Gen. M. K. Anderson. Brief speeches were made, but the principal one was by Hon. William H. Herndon. It was rich in incidents and anecdotes, and flashed with brilliant thoughts throughout. After this speech one hour was devoted to dinner in pic-nic style. A few more short speeches were made and then the following were elected as officers' of the society for the next year: Alexander B. Irwin, President; Gen. M. K. Anderson, Vice President; E. C. Matheny, Secretary.

Old Settlers History

In June, 1872, I was called upon by Hon. Preston Breckenridge, who was then serving his third term as President of the Old Settlers' Society of Sangamon County. He stated, in substance, that the early settlers of the county had for some years been talking of having something written and published that would serve as a history of the county and biographical sketches of themselves; that thus far they had not found any person qualified for the work who was willing to undertake it. He further stated that a copy of the small pamphlet history of Springfield, prepared and published by myself, under the auspices of the Springfield Board of Trade, had fallen into his hands, and that after perusing it, and conversing with some of his friends who knew me, he determined to form my acquaintance, and see if I could be induced to engage in the enterprise. He very frankly told me there was no fund to defray the expense, that the only inducement they could offer would be their co-operation in collecting information and giving their subscriptions for the book. The following communication was the result of that interview :

SIR: - You, as the representative of your society, having expressed to me a desire to have a book written and published, to preserve, as far as possible, the biographical, historical and other reminiscences of the early settlers of Sangamon county, and having requested me to suggest a plan upon which I would be willing to undertake such a work, I offer the following as my views upon the subject: The materials are so abundant, that I would not be willing to engage in it if I were required to compress all in a very small, cheap volume. I propose to undertake to write and publish a book upon that subject, to contain not less than five hundred octavo pages, with a small map, showing all the townships, villages, towns and cities, with other objects of interest, in the county - all to he printed on the best quality of book paper, and bound in the finest of English cloth, provided I can obtain subscriptions for one thousand copies at five dollars per copy.

If this plan should meet the views of your society, I should expect old settleas to co-operate with me, by furnishing all the information they may respectively possess. It would be more satisfactory for those interested, if you would appoint a committee of three - a majority of whom shall reside in Springfield - to whom I can submit all copy for their approval, before publication.

J. C. Power

At a meeting of a committee of the Society of Old Settlers, on the fifteenth of August, the above communication was laid before them, whereupon the following resolutions were adopted:

Resolved, That this society heartily endorses the proposition of Mr. Power, and we hereby pledge ourselves, as a society and as individuals, to co-operate with him in obtaining the requisite number of subscribers and in collecting information and compiling the book.

Resolved, That the President of this society, Hon. P. Breckenridge, is hereby requested to appoint two old settlers of this count)-, who reside' in Springfield, to act with himself, the three to form the committee to point out sources of information to Mr. Power, and examine his manuscript, for the purpose of correcting all errors before publication.

Resolved, That for the purposes of this book, all persons are considered old settlers, who were citizens of Sangamon county previous to December 31, 1840.

The Old Settlers' Society by this action did all that was necessary to place the subject in its true light before the public, but the undertaking was one involving so much time, labor and money, that nearly two months elapsed before I decided to go on with the work, when the following was added, and the canvassing commenced:

With the view of rendering' the book of general interest to all the citizens, I shall make the history of the county as full as possible, to the date given in the third resolution. In this history all old settlers will be incidentally mentioned, but for those who take sufficient interest in it to subscribe for one or more copies of the book, a concisely written biographical sketch will be given of themselves and families. The order of arrangement will be, first, the history, then the biographical sketches.

At a meeting of the Old Settlers' Society in Springfield, August 22, 1874, for the purpose of agreeing on the time and place of holding the next annual festival, and for the transaction of any other business that might come before it, the following report of special committee was read, and on motion ordered to be included as part of the proceedings of the meeting:

GENTLNMEN: - We, the undersigned, committee appointed by your honorable body two years ago this day, to co-operate with Mr. J. C. Power, and so far as necessary, direct his movements in preparing a history of the old settlers of Sangamon county, beg leave to report that we have examined his work, and find that he has canvassed the whole county outside of Springfield, and that we are highly pleased with the progress made. Mr. Power has collected a much greater quantity of material than we had expected; and the work, when completed, we believe will be a source of much pleasure to the surviving Old Settlers, and of increasing interest to their descendents in all coming time. He is more than redeeming every promise made at the commencement, and it will amply repay all the patrons of the work to wait with patience the few months longer that will" be necessary to complete it.

In view of the fact that there is such a vast fund of interesting information, we have advised Mr. Power that if there be any families of old settlers who do not take sufficient interest in the subject to aid by their subscription in carrying forward the work, that he omit any extended sketches of them, in order to devote more space to historical matters of general interest.

Preston Breckenridge

My time was fully occupied for nearly two years in writing up and arrangino- the materials in my hands, and incorporating additional matter constantlv coming in. This brought us to our "Centennial" year, and the following Joint Resolution was passed by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, and approved by the President, U. S. Grant, March 13, 1876:

Be it resolved by the Senate "and House of Reprvsentatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That it be, and is hereby recommended by the Senate and House of Representatives to the people of the several States that thev assemble in their several counties or towns on the approaching centennial anniversary of our national independence, and that they cans* to have delivered on such a day an historical sketch of said county or town from its formation, and that a copy of said sketch may be filed, in print or manuscript, in the Clerk's office of said county, and an additional copy, in print or manuscript, be filed in the office of the Librarian of Congress, to the intent that a complete record may thus be obtained of the progress of our institutions during the first centennial of their existence.

Hon.J. L. Beveridge, Governor of Illinois, issued a proclamation April 25, 1876, recommending to the people in every county and town in the State, that they take measures to carry out the recommendations of the Joint Resolution of Congress. The following correspondence was in compliance with the recommendations:

Mr. J. C. Power

Sir: - As Congress has, by joint resolution, recommended to the people of the several States, that they cause to be prepared and preserved in a certain manner, histories of the different places, "to the intent that a complete record may thus be obtained of the progress of our institutions during the first centennial of our existence;" and as the Governor of Illinois has by proclamation, called upon the people of this State to prepare such record, we, as Advisory Committee of the "Old Settlers' Society," of San- gam on county, in the absence of any action on this subject by the city or county authorities, suggest that your "History of Sangamon County" be supplied by you in compliance with the requirements of the resolution of Congress, as the Centennial record.

Having examined two hundred and fifty pages of the advance sheets of your work, it appears to fill the requirements both as to Sangamon county and the city of Springfield, and is more complete and full than any similar work could be, if gotten up and prepared in the brief time yet remaining for such business.

Noah W. Matheny

On behalf of the officers of Sangamon county we heartily concur in the foregoing suggestions, believing that the object desired will be completely attained thereby.

Your note of the 8th instant is before me. In reply, I would say that my work of nearly four years' incessant toil on the history of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County is drawing to a close. I very willingly acquiesce in your suggestion that it be adopted as the "Centennial record." It is passing through the press as rapidly as possible: two hundred and fifty of the six or seven hundred pages are already printed. It may not be entirely finished by the arrival of the Centennial anniversary, but when completed I will have copies bound in the most durable manner, and deposited at the places designated in the joint resolution of Congress, with special reference to the pleasure it may afford your descendents in perusing its pages at our second Centennial anniversarv.

Sir : - Having given your book entitled, "History of the Early Settlers of Sangamon County, Illinois," a somewhat careful examination, we are free to say that it more than fulfills the promises made by you in undertaking the execution of the work.

Additions, Omissions And Coeeections Alexander, John

ALEXANDER, JOHN S., See his name, page 77. His son WILLIAM, died Aug. 21, 1876, at Williams- , ville, 111., and was buried at Oak Ridge vCemetery, Springfield. N AMOS, Mrs. SARAH Seeker name, page Si. The name of her son, Judge Samuel K. Swingley, is there erroneous1'// spelled Swinley.

ANBERSON/Gen. MOSES K.. See iii.3 name, page 82. His son, WILLIAM WILKES, was married Aug. 14, 1876, near Hillsboro, Fleming county, Ky., to Emma L. Jones, a native of that county. He continues his studies at Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky.

BENNETT, Rev. WILLIAM T. See page in. His daugh- . ter, REBIE //., was married June 6, 1876, to Geo. W. Freto, and resides in Mechanicsburg, Illinois.

BRADLEY, WILLIAM, was born in 1786, in Gieen county, Kv., and was married there Sept. 20, 1810, to Elizabeth Crowder. They moved to Sangarnon county, arriving September, 1831, in what is now Ball township, bringing eight children, and had three born there. Of their children, the eldest -

MART, born Aug. 4, 1810, in' Green county, Ky., was married there to Jacob Greenawalt. See his name, page JJQ. He died and she was married Oct. 29, 1863, to Michael Fay, as his third wife. He was born July 18, 1824, i n Baden, Germany, and was brought by his parents to Sangamon county, in 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Fay reside in Cotton Hill township, southwest of New City, Sangamon county, 111. Mrs. Fay is the only one of her father's family living in the county.

BROWN, ROBERT T., See his name, page 150. His daughter, MARGERY I., was married Sept. 6, 1876, to Thomas S. Sawyer, and lives near Cantrail, Illinois.

BULLARD, WESLEY. See his name, page 158. His son, JAMES R., born Oct. 10, 1846, died July" 16, 1876, in Mechanicsburg, Illinois. His son, JOHN N., was married May 10, 1876, in Springfield, to Lillie May Pinckard, daughter of Thomas Pinckard, of the State journal office. .

CLAYTON, JOHN C., was born March 10, 1810, in Caldwell county, Ky. He came to Sangamon county in 1829, with his cousin and brother-in-law, John S. Clayton. See his nume, page 205. John C. Clayton was married Jan. 24, 1^30, in Beardstown, Illinois, to Ginsev (jane) Clack, who was born March 17, 18*15, in Caldwell county, Ky., also. They had four children who lived to maturity. Mr. Clayton was a soldier in a company from Saugamon county, in the Black Hawk War of 1832. Early in 1856, he moved his family to the vicinity of Urbana, Champaign county, Illinois. Of their four children

HUMBERT, born August 17,' 1839, in Alton, Madison county, 111., brought up in Sangamon county, married April 14, 1867, in Decatur, Illinois, to Marietta Fry. They reside near Chatham, Sangamon county, Illinois.

JO1L\ HARD1N, born June 16, 18-17, in Sangamon county, brought up in Champaign county, Illinois, and married at Neosho, Newton county, Missouri, May 7, 1875, to Justie E. W» b'ster, who was born Nov. 19, 1854, at Pleasant .Hill, Cass county, Missouri. She is a graduate of Central Female College, Lexington, Missouri. Since 1874, J. H. Clayton has been a. member of the mercantile firm of Whitsitt & Clayton, and resides at Nevada, Missouri.

ANNA E., born May 26, 1851,111 Sangamon county, brought up in Champaign county, Illinois, arid in 1868 went to make her home with an uncle in Missouri. She was married Sept. 21, 1871, to C. E. Whitsitt. They have one child, LENA A. He is a member of the mercantile firm of Whitsitt & Clayton, and resides at Nevada, Vernon county, Missouri.

DARNEILLE, JAMES W. See page 2-1.2. He moved from Chicago to l>clvidere, Illinois, where his wife, Mrs. Belle Moulton Darneille, died in November, .1876.

CULLOM, SHELBY M. Sec his name, page 298. He was elected Governor of the State of Illinois Nov. 7, 1876, and will be inaugurated Jan. 3, 1877.

RlCHAj.ll) Dixon, was married May 6, 1874, to Elizabeth E. Logan. They have one son, and reside near Mechanicsburg, Sangamon county, Illinois.

Drennan, William

DRENNAN, WILLIAM. Sec his name, page 264. He ditd Sept. 28, 1876. He had been for several years, and was at the time of his death, the oldest 1 citi/en of Sangamon county. His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. J. C. Van Patten, from Psalms 23-4: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow ot death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."

ELK1N, GARRETT. See page 282. His son, CHARLES N., born April 12, 1846, near Springfield, Illinois, enlisted May, 1864, for one hundred days, in Co. K, I33d 111. inf., ai.<l suved full term. In June, 1865, he enlisted for one year in Co. E, I54th 111. Inf., and served full ttrm. He was married May 16, 1867, to Harriet Regin, who died Jan. 16, 1873. He was married Sept. i, 1874, to Ella Welsh. He is conductor on the Springfield City Railway, and lives in Springfield, Illinois. EDWARD S. was with his brother, Charles N., in the three months service, and after that served two years in Co. A, loth 111. Cav. He married Mary A. Brown, has one child, LKK, and lives in Springfield, Illinois.

FERGUSON, Mrs. LUCY. See her name, page 293. Her son, WILLIAM //., left four children, J. H., ELLEN, WILLIAM and MARTHA, now living near Decatur, Illinois. Her daughter, LUCY C., born in 1809, in Culpepper county, Virginia, married there in 1831 to Rev. Isaac Haines, of the M. E. Church, who was born in 1806, in Rappahannock county, Virginia. They lived a short time in North Carolina, returned to Virginia, and from there to Sangamon county in 1836. They had two children, WILLIAM C., born Sept. 21, 1832, in Wilmington, North Carolina, brought up in Sangamon county, married Dec. 14, 1859, in Christian county, Illinois, to Lucy E. Young, who was born Jan. 12, 1840. She died Dec. 16, 1865, leaving one child, DORA E. William C. Haines was married Jan. i, 1866, in Missouri, to Margaret Hancock, who was born in 1846, in Henderson county, Kentucky. They have two children, LUCY i:. and WILLIAM c.. jun., and reside near Taylori8 ville, Illinois. LUCY A. Haines, born in 1835, in Albemarle county, Virginia, married in 1854 in Taylorville, Illinois, to J. V. Clark. They have one child, MAKY .\. In 1859 they moved to Charleston, Missouri, and now reside in Mississippi county, opposite Cairo, Illinois. Rev. Isaac Haines died in 1838, near Rochester, Sangamon county, Illinois, and Mrs. Lucy C. Haines died August, 1850, near Taylorville, Illinois. PHILIP C. Ferguson's son, EZEKIEL, horn August 5, 1839, in Sangamon county, married January, 1869, to Htster Kelly. They have two children, iVTLip c. and HIRAM K., and live near Tavlor\ ille, Illinois, Dr. Philip C. Ferguson died Feb. 28, 1864. His widow and four children, the eldest of whom is THOMAS J., reside near Wathena, Doniphan countv, Kansas.

Fortu'N E, Thomas E.

FORTU'N E, THOMAS E. S-ee his name, page 306. His daughter, ELIZABETH, J. B., married Samuel Odor Butts, who was born in February, 1809, and died August 26, 1840* leaving three children. JULIA F. was married in 1852 to Isaac Allen, have four children,

MAN, and live in Jacksonville, Illinois. ANNA E. married Josiah Burrows, have three living children, ALBERT s., E. LEE, and HELEN G., and live near Jacksonville, Illinois. THOMAS S. lives in Colorado,. Mrs. E. J. B. Butts married Barnabas Barrows. They had one child, CHARLES, born Jan. 3, 1854, near Jacksonville. Barnabas Burrows died May 18, 1876, and his widow and son reside near Jacksonville, Illinois.

Foster, Thos. Veatch

FOSTER, THOS. VEATCH, was born Sept. 25, 1788, in Harrison countv, Kentucky. He was a brother to Ivins Foster. See pzg'e jog. Thomas V. Fos^ ter was twice married and had four children who lived to maturity bv each marriage. He moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1826, and settled seven miles southvyest of Springfield, where he died of cholera November 15, 1832. His youngest child by the first marriage, THOMAS VEA TCH FOSTER, Jnn., was born July 29, 1821, in Harrison county, Kentucky, was married

June 24, 1847, in Sangamon county, to Polly E., daughter of Augustine E. Foster, a younger brother of Ivins Foster. Two years later Thomas V. Foster, Jun., and wife moved to the vicinity of Elkhart, Logan county, Illinois. They had five children. Their second child, WILLIAM A. Foster, born June 27, 1849, in Sangamon county, Illinois, five miles west of Chatham, and brought up in Logan county. He took a three years literary course in the Illinois Weslevan University at Bloomington, and graduated Feb. 10, 1876, at the, Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago. He is now - December, 1876 - a druggist in Springfield, Illinois.

FOUTCH, JOHN, was elected Nov. 7, 1876, to represent Sangamon county for two years in the Legislature of Illinois. He resides at New Berlin. Page JTO.

GALT, THOMAS, was born Sept. 12, 1805, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He received his literary education at Jefferson college, Canonsburg, Penn., and his theological education at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Allegheny City, Penn. He was licensed to preach June 18, 1834, by the Presbytery of Ohio. He was married Oct. 6, 1834, in Washington county, Penn., to Sarah Happer, who was born in that county Sept. n, 1809. They moved west in the spring of 1835, anf^ a'ter spending a few months in Peoria, came to Springfield in the autumn of that year. Rev. Dr. John G. Bergen introduced Rev. Mr. Gait to the Farmington Presbyterian church, of which he soon after became pastor. Mr. and Mrs. Gait had four living children, namely -

JAMES J., born Sept. 28, 1835, in Sangamon county, was married October, 1857, to Mary A. Brown. They have eight children, and live near Palmyra, Nebraska.

JOHN, born Nov. 30, 1838, in Sangamon county, married Feb. i:, 1862, to Margaret A. Epler, who was born July 30, 1841, in Morgan countv, Illinois. They had six children, MARTIN E. died young, WILLIAM A., CHARLES E., ANNABEL, CARRIE and LILLIE live with their parents. John Gait and family resides at the family homestead where his parents settled in 1835, and where he wes born. It is one mile east of Farmingdale, Sangamon county, Illinois.

MARTIN H., born Sept. 9, 1841,111 Sangamon county, married Nov. 19, 1865, to Clara Spillman. They have three living children, and live near Manti, Fremont county, Iowa.

THOMAS, Jun., born July 10, 1844, in Sangamon county. He was married August, 1869, at Otisville, New York, to Jennie McFarlane. They have three children. Rev. Thomas Gait, Jun., is pastor of the First Prcsbvterian church of Aurora, Illinois, and resides there.

ELIHU L., born Feb. 13, 1850, in Sangamon county, married April 9, 1872, in Petersburg, Illinois, to Lou Bergen. They have one child, and reside in Petersburg.

Rev. Thomas Gait, Sen., died Sept. 12, 1857, near Farmingdale, Sangamon county, Illinois. Mrs. Margaret S. Gait resides in Petersburg, Menard county, 111.

Garretson, Thomas

GARRETSON, THOMAS P. See his name, page 324. He was born Sept. 18, 1818, in Anne Arundel county, Maryland, came in 1839 to Sangamon countv, was married July 2, 1845, 'n Menard county, Illinois, to Martha M. Harrison, a native of Kentucky. They had two children, both of whom died in infancy, and Mrs. Garretson died April 26, 1848, in Springfield. He was married Feb. 22, 1854, in Menard county to Phebe Campbell, who was born April 26, 1831, in Butler county, Ohio. They had ten children. The three eldest, VINCENT, AMANDA and ALBERT died of scarlet fever from the 241)1 to the 28th of September, 1858. The other seven, COR Ni. LI US, BEAUREGARD, L O U R E N A M A Y, J A M E S T., SARAH J., WILLIAM L. and ANN ETTA, live with their parents. Thomas P. Garretson is a carpenter by trade, and was working within six feet of Winchester House, on the steeple of the First Presbyterian church in Springfield, in 1842, when Mr. House was thrown from the steeple by lightning and killed. Mr. Garretson and family reside ten miles west of Lincoln, Logan county, Illinois.

Haines, Christopher

HAINES, CHRISTOPHER. His son, FRANCIS A., was born March 22, 1832, in Sangamon county. In 1852 he went overland to the Pacific coast, and in 1856 and '7 was a volunteer soldier against the Indians in the north of Oregon. In November, 1858, he started for Illinois, arriving in Springfield Januarv ist, and was married in Ihireau county Jan. 17, 18:59, to Zerelda'G. Britt. They had two children, ELLA BELLE and MINNIE, both died young. Mr. Haines enlisted Jan. 13, 1864, in Co. C, 2cl 111. Artillery, served to the end of the rebellion, and was mustered out with the regiment Aug. 3, 1865. He and his wife reside at New City, Sangamon county, Illinois.

HAND, ELI AS, was born about 1770,111 Cape May county, New Jersey. He was married there to Miss Say re. They had four children in New Jersey, and moved to Sangamon county,, arriving May 30, 1838, in what is now Gardner township. Of their children -

ELIZABETH,\>Q\n in New Jersey, married in Sangamon county to Franklin Bradley. They had one son, FRANK, who is a minister in the M. E. Church, and in 1873 lived in Davisville, Michigan. Franklin Bradley died Sept. 14, 1845, an<^ his widow married John G. Ransom. See his name.

Harrower, William

HEDRICK, ALFRED, was born near Greenville, Tennessee, came with his father, Charles Hedrick, to Sangamon county among the early settlers. Alfred Hedrick lives in Taylorville, 111., Of his two sons - o Martha M. Kimball, who was born . Jan. 1 8, 1844, in Vermont. They now - ^874 - have four children, MARION C., NATHAN K., ALFRED C., and ROBERT A., and live four miles south of Rochester, Illinois.

HENRT R., born Feb. 25, 1848, in Sangamon county, married Dec. 30, 1869, to Laura J. Johnson, has two children and lives four miles south of Rochester, Illinois.

Hedrick, Jonathan

HEDRICK, JONATHAN, born in Kentucky, and married there to Julian Holland, a native of Maryland. They had two children in Fleming county, Ky., and moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1830, at Buffalo Hart grove, thence to what is now Clear Lake township, where they had four children. Of their six children -

NARCISSA, married McDonald Cantrail. See his name. - FLEMING, died aged fifteen years. MUNSON, iiorn in Sangamon county, enlisted in 1862, for three years in Co. C, --h 111. Inf., and died at Vicksburg, a short time after it was captured in 1863.

HI C KM AN, GEORGE T. His son, WILLIAM H., enlisted Aug. 5, 1862, in Co. B, i3Oth 111. Inf., and died Jan. 19, 1863. Another son, JAMES F., married Sophia C. Burns, and lives near Buffalo Hart, Sangamon county, Illinois - 1876.

HOUGH.TON, ALVIN, born June 12, 1810, in Madison, Somerset county, Maine, was married Sept. 6, 1835, at Skowhegan Falls, Maine, to Betsy Hilton, who was born June 17, 1815, at Anson, Maine. Alvin Houghton came to S ringfielcl, Illinois., in June, 1837, and brought his wife in the spring of 1840. He was a carpenter by trade, and worked at that business for about twelve years, after which he kept a dairy until 1851, when he moved twenty miles east of Springfield, on a farm, and remained there until the fall of 1869, and then moved to Washington county, Kansas.

ERVIN, O., born Dec. 14, 1841, in Springfield, 111., was married Sept. 13, 1866, in Sangamon county to Sarah Jane Wall, who was born Feb. 6, 1842, in Allegany. county, Pennsylvania. They have two children, LAURA E. and LILLIAN, and live four and a half miles northeast of Illiopolis, Illinois.

HUDSON, JOHN. See his name, page 385. His son, JOHN M., died Oct. 12, 1876. His son, ANDRE W J., having been married fourteen years, has -an only child, MARGARET MARIA, born Feb. :i, 1876.

NEWTON JASPER, born Dec. 31, 1832, in Sangamon county, married May 16, 1852, to Eliza A. Keys. They had five children. ANN E., died in her second year. EMMA J., MARY L., MELISSA and JOSEPH W.; the four latter live with their parents near Cotton Hill postoffice, Sangamon county, 111.

JAYNE, Dr. GERSHOM, page 406. His daughter, JULIA M., married Hon. Lyman Trumbull. Their son, Walter Trumbull, was married Sept. 27, 1876, in Chicago, to Hannah M. Slater.

JOHNSTON, ADAM, was born April 14, 1816, in Glasgow, Scotland. Wh 'n he was four days old his parents embarked on bo »rd a vessel, and after a short stay at Belfast, Ireland, sail-, d for America. Ian ling during the summ r of that year in Philad Iphia, Prim. I e was brought up in that city and learned the busin ss of a marble mason. During that time he assist' d in building Girard College. He went in 1837, to Jefferson city,

Missouri, and after filling a contract on the State House, then in course of construction there, he came to Springfield, in the spring of 1839, and worked as a journeyman on the State House of Illinois. Mr. Johnson was married July 3, 1846 to Barbara A. Wolgamot. He has been continuously and successfully in business in Springfield, nearly thirty-eight years. Adam Johnson and wife now - December, 1876 - reside in Springfield, Illinois.

JOHNSON, LUE. See ^ his name, page 413. His son, ORSON D., born April 23, 1827, in Vermont, was married in Rochester, Sangamon county, 111., to Lydia Eggleston. They have four living children, ELLEN, born Sept. 16, 1848, in Rochester, was married in Mount Pulaski, April 16, 1865 to Aaron G. Given, and have four children, FLORA, i.i K, GEORGE, and MIXDRED, and live in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois. OLLIE, born Aug. 6, 1851, in Rochester, 111., was married in Mt. Pulaski, Jan. 6, 1868, to Walter McGraw, and died April 30, 1874, leaving one child, RALPH. BET TIE, born July 6, 1858,. and WILLIAM, born Dec. 11, 1861, both in Mt. Pulaski. Orson, D. Johnson and family, live in Mt. Pulaski, Logan county, Illinois.

JONES, HASK1NS, was born in Maryland, and married in JtfFerson county, Term., to Lucy Tolley, and came to Sangamon county, in 1835, settling in Sand Prairie, five miks east of Rochester. Th< y had thirteen children -

CARTER T., born Aug. 17, 1834, in Jefferson county, Tenn., married in Sangamon county, April 23, 1863, to TheivsaTalb.rr, has four childr n, FANNY, LUCY, BETTY and CARTER T., Jun., and lives four milts south of Rochester, Illinois.

426. His son, EDWARD D., was married Oct. 10, 1876, to Lulie Todd, in Springfield, Illinois. His daughter, ANNIE E., was married Dec. 7, 1876, in Springfield, to Alvin B. Hoblet, of Pekin, 111. Mr. Hoblet is cashier of the Farmers' National Bank of that city.

LINCOLN, ABRAHAM. Page 456. An attempt was made on the night alter the Presidential election, Nov. 7, 1876^0 steal his body from the sarcophagus, in the National Lincoln Monument. The thieves were detected in the act but escaped. Two nit n are under arrest. charged with the crime, and are now - December, 1876 - in jail at Springfield, awaiting trial. Their reputed object was to secure a large reward in money, and the release of an engraver, who is serving a ten y<ars term in. the Illinois Penitentiary, .for engraving and issuing counterfeit money.

LINDSAY, JOHN, was born in 1773 at Fort Pitt, now Pittsburgh, Penn. He was taken by his parents to Fleming county, Kentucky. He was married there in the year 1800 to Mary Glass. She died January, 1811, leaving five children, and Mr. Lindsay was married there in September, 1811. They had one child in Kentucky, and moved in 181710 St. Clair county, Illinois, where they had one child, and moved to what is now Sangamon county in 1819, settling in what is now the

DA VID H., born February, 1807, in Fleming county, Kentucky, married in 1832, in Sangamon county to Mary A. Dorrance. They had four children, MAR\ S., born March, 1833, died Jan. 6, 1869, in Shelby county, Illinois. MARGARET A., born March, 1836, married B. F. Sinard. She died, leaving a son, MILTON siiVARD, wholives in Mt. Auburn, Illinois. fMARQUIS D., born March 23, 1839, enlisted August 9, 1861, for three years, in Co. B, 3Oth 111. Inf., served full term, and was honorably discharged Aug. 27, 1864. He was married in Sangamon county Oct. 31, 1866, to Margaret Kinney, who was born April 6, 1839, in Cazenovia, New York. They had two children. LOGAN L. lives with his parents. IDA MAY died in her fourth year. M. D, Lindsay lives near Loami, Illinois. MARTHA, born March, 1842, married Daniel Young. Mrs. Mary A. Lindsay died in 1846, while her husband was in Mexico. David H. Lindsay was a soldiei in the 4th 111. Inf., under Colonel E. D. Baker. He served one year from June, 1846, returned home and died in 1847, °*

AMANDA L., born December, 1810, in Kentucky, married in Sangamon county to John Morgan, and died, leaving four children, ELIZABETH, SALLY ANN, JOHN W. and SOPHIA S.

JOHN P., born July, 1814, in Fleming county, Kentucky, married in Sangamon county in 1839,10 Virginia B. Young. They had six children in Sangamon county. MARY J., bom July 22, 1840, married Seth Moore, and lives in Lawndale, Illinois. MELISSA G., born. Dec. 23, 1841, married Charlie E. Morton, and lives near Centerville, Iowa. James N., born July 30, 1842, is unmarried, and lives in Centerville, Iowa. ELIZABETH, born Feb. i ^, 1846, died aged seven years. ELIZA ANN, born Sept. 15, 1848," married William A. Smith, and lives in Colfax county, Nebraska. JOHN W., born March 22, 1850, is unmarried, and lives in Russell county, Kansas. Mrs. Virginia B. Lindsay died May 2, 1850, in Sangamon county, and J. P. Lindsay married Eliza A. McCandless, and in 1853 moved to Logan county, where they had five living children, SOPHIA BELLE, FLORENCE P., ALMA M., CHARLES E. and WINNIE M. John P.Lindsay resides near Lincoln, Logan county, 111.

ABRAHAM L., born April to, 1819, in St. Clair county, Illinois, was married in Sangamon county to Ann Wise. They have seven living children. JOHN D. is married and lives in Ottawa, Kansas. NANCY J. married B. H. Lake and and lives in Mount Pulaski, Illinois. SOPHIA MAY, marrried N. Elkin, and lives near Elkhart, Illinois. WILLIAM H., EVA E., GEORGE B. and HARRIET C. live near Elkhart, Logan county, Illinois. Mrs. Ann Lindsav died January, 1865, near Elkhart, Illinois, and Abram L. Lindsay now - 1876 - lives in Russell county, Kansas.

McGINNIS, JOHN J, See his name, page 499. His widow, Mrs. Elizabeth McGinnis, was married in December, 1874, to Y. B. Clark, and lives at Clarksdale, Christian county, Illinois.

McMURltT, ARTHUR B. His daughter, MARTHA J., marriecl Robert Elder, and live near Girard, Crawford county, Kansas. His son, LEWIS S., lives near Girard, Crawford county, Kan.

came to Ogle county, Illinois, enlisted M-irch, 1862, in Co. A, I2th 111. Cav., for three years, and was honorably discharged March. 186^, went to Maple Grove, Kansas, in May, 1866, and was married there [uly 26. 1868.

ORR, ROBERT, was born in Wythe county, Virginia, and was there married to Sarah Messersmith. They moved to Ohio in 1817, to Connersville, Indiana, in 1818, and to Springfield, Illinois, in 1826. They had ten children -

AX DREW, M'E LINDA; ALEXAX HER S. married Eliza J. Wallace, and lives near Auburn, Illinois. ELIZ.ABETH, NANCY J.; HIRAM married Savilla Ranch, and both died. ROBERT, MARGARET; SA)[- UEL married Jane Laswell, and lives near Auburn, Illinois.

POWER, GEORGE. See his name, page 578. He was awarded the premium of a gold headed cane for the most skillful feat of horseback riding, by an elderly gentleman, at thp fair of the Sangamon county Agricultural Society, in September, 1876. He was in his' seventy-ninth year, and the eldest of five competitors. The cane was presented in presence of the largest number of visitors during the fair, by the president of the society, ex-Governor John M. Palmer.

PURSELL, WILLIAM. See Jiis name, page jpo. His daughter, ALICE BELLE, was married Nov. 2, 1876, to William T. Kincaid, near Farmingdale, Sangamon county, Illinois.

RIDGELY, CHARLES, was born Jan. 17, 1836, in Springfield, Illinois. He is the eldest son of N. H. Ridgely - page 616 - by his second witV, who was the daughter of Jonathan Huntington, and was born in Boston, Mass. Her brother, Hon. George L. Huntington, deceased, was mayor of Springfield in 1 86 1-2. Charles Ridgely entered the preparatory department of Illinois College at Jacksonville, in October,

March, 1852, withdrew from the college to accept a position in Clark's Exchange Bank, which was organized at that time in Springfield by his father in connection with some eastern capitalists. June 22, 1853, he became cashier of the bank, which position he occupied until it was wound up, March 29, 1855. His father, N. H. Ridgely, succeeded to the business of Clark's bank, as a private banker. Charles took the place of cashier with him, where he continued until April i, 1859, when he was admitted into partnership with his father in the banking business; the new firm name being N. II. Ridgelf & Co. Charles' brother, William was admitted as a member of the firm April i, 1864, and its business continued until Oct. i, 1866, when it was^ merged into theRidgtly National Bank. Chas. Ridgely became vice president at the organization, and now - December, 1876 - continues to hold that position. In 1871, he was mainly instrumental in organizing the Springfield Iron Company, and building the Rolling Mill at Springfield. He bee 'me, and continues to be the President of that company. As a compliment to the President of the company, the new postofrice at the mills bears the name of Ridgely. Charles Ridgely is also a member of the firm of Beard, Hickox & Co., proprietors of the North Coal Shaft. In 1870 he was honored with the nomination of the Democratic party as candidate for the office t>f state treasurer of Illinois, but the party being in the minority, he, in common with the entire ticket, was defeated. He has served two terms as a member of the Board of Education of the city of Springfield. He was married June 10, 1857, to Jane M., youngest daughter of James W. Barret. She was born in Island Grove, Sangamon county. They have four children ; WILLIAM BARRET, E DWARD, FRANKLIN and MARY LEE. Chas. Ridgely, wife and children reside in Springfield, 111.

SMITH,, GEROGE M. See his name, page 666. His son, JACOB H., was marrit d, not in Hennepin, but in Washington, Tazewell county, Illinois, to Joanna Higgins, who was born Oct. 26, 1819, in Cumberland county, Ken ucky. They have eight children, namely, GEORGE D., was married Sept. 3, 1874, in Missouri, to Mattie Force, and now lives in Hope, Hempstead county, Ark. MARY J. was married June 21, 1866, in Saline county, Missouri, to Dr. Robert S. McNutt. They have four children, live in Rocheport, Boone county, Missouri. WILLIAM T., born April 28, ^850, in Saline county, Missouri, and now - 1876 - lives in Berlin, Sangamon county, Illinois. MATILDA J. was married Dec. 2, 1871, to John H. Herring, have one child, WILLIAM s., and reside near Herndon, Saline county, Missouri. ANNA E., ALICE W. and MATTIE F. live with their father, near Marshal, Saline county, Mo. FREDERICK N. lives with his brother, George D., in Arkansas. George M. Smith's son, JOHN W., left five children, namely, AMANDA, married George W. Parrish, and has one child, DAISEY MAY. MARY M. and CARRIE live with their sister, Mrs. Parrish, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. JOSEPH B. and WILL A. live with their uncle, Fox, in Quincy,. Illinois. George M. Smith's daughter, ELSIE A., born Dec. 20, 1830, in Jennings county, Indiana, married in Sangamon county, Illinois, July 4,1842, to Stephen Butler, who was born Nov. 13, 1815, in Adair county, Kentucky. They have ten children, namely, JOHN, born May 5, 1843, MARY C., born Oct. 8, 1844, in Sangamon county, was married May 7, 1864, to D. A. Russell, and live in Harrrison county, Iowa. H. G., born Sept. 20, 1846, married March 11, 1876, to Ida Willes.. MARTHA M., born Feb. 19, 1848, married Dec. 2, 1868, to Alfred H. Fairchilds, and lives in Jefferson county, Iowa. SOPHRONIA, born F^b. 23, 1850; ELIZABETH, born July 1,1852, in Sangamon county, Illinois. HARRIET, born Sept. 7/1855; OWEN, born Sept. 16, 1857; BASSETT, bora July 16, 1859, and SAMANTHA, born July 7, 1863, the four latter in Jefferson county,

Iowa. Stephen Butler and family now - November, 1876 - reside near Missouri Valley postoffice, Harrison county, Iowa. Smith, Lawson H. See his name, page 108. He died Dec. 12, 1876, near Rochester, Illinois.

Steph E N Son, James

STEPH E N SON, JAMES. See his name, page 684. He was born July 3, 1872. His son, WILLIAM C., born Oct. 10, 1812. HANNAH A., born Oct. 12, 1814, married Jacob Zwingle. He died Feb. 8, 1876. Their son, WILLIAM M. Zwingle, was married May 25, 1876, to Eliza Graham. JAMES W., born May 20, 1816, moved from Audrain county, Missouri, to Pike county, Illinois. FINIS E., born Sept. 29, 1818. He moved from Chandlerville, Illinois, to Wichita, Kansas. HARRIET married William N. Spears. She moved from Lincoln, in 1876, to Tallula, Menard county, Illinois.

WALLACE, WILLIAM. See his name, page 747. His son, BENJAMIN F., moved from Keokuk, Iowa, to Macon, Macon county, Illinois. His daughter, JANE ELIZABETH, married Dr. John F. Sanders. See his name, page 637.

WEBSTER, BE LA C., was one of the early merchants of Springfield. A sketch of him was expected but had not arrived when this record closed, Dec. 15, 1876.

Whitesides, Nicholas

W ILK I SON, GARY, was born in Kentucky, and married there to Nancy Moon. They came to Sangamon county, Illinois, among the early settlers. They had four children. Their son,jREUBEJV, resides in Taylorville, Illinois.

John Carroll Power Historical Prelude

THE first white men who explored the upper Mississippi valley were Jesuit missionaries from New France - now Canada. They visited the southern shores of the great northern lakes, for the purpose of communicating a knowledge of Christianity to the ahoriginal natives.

Jacques Marquette, a Roman Catholic priest, and Louis Joliet, a merchant from Quebec, with two canoes and five men, left Green Bay and went down the Wisconsin river to the Mississippi, entering the latter stream June 17, 1673. They floated down the "father of waters," making frequent stoppages among the Indians, and passed below the mouth of the Ohio river. Here they found the savages disposed to be hostile, which caused them to return. On approaching the mouth of the Illinois river, on their way up, they were told by the aborigines, that if they would follow the course of that stream their route to the lakes wrould be much shorter. Accepting this advice, the party reached Lake Michigan, at a point where Chicago now stands. Other Frenchmen came by the way of Canada and the lakes, and in a few years all this region of country was considered a part of New France. The French being entitled to it by right of discovery, their possession was undisputed for about ninety years.

Difficulties arising between France and England, at home, the British government sent an army of one thousand regular soldiers under Gen. Edward Braddock, to make war against the French and their native allies in the new world. General Braddock landed at Alexandria, Virginia, and after increasing his army to twenty-two hundred men, by the addition of provincials, or citizens of the country, he marched to attack Fort Du- Quesne, where Pittsburgh now stands. Colonel George Washington, who was well acquainted with the Indian character, accompanied the expedition as a volunteer aid. General Braddock refused the counsels of Colonel Washington, and the result was the surprise and defeat of his whole army by the French and Indians. The commander was slain in the engagement, which took place July 9, 1755-

In 1758 the English government sent another army, which was more successful. It took Fort Duquesne, and the war raged until 1763, when the fall of Quebec left the English victorious; and by the treaty which followed, the whole of New France was ceded to Great Britain.

Previous to the year 1673 the upper Mississippi valley was known only to the aborigines or Indians. From the year of its discovery by the explorations of Marquette and Joliet, for more than half a century there was no attempt at organized government. The first effort was made in 1718, when the "Company of the West" was formed in Paris for the government of- the New World. In that year the building of Fort De- Chartres was commenced, and when completed was occupied as the military headquarters of the French. It was about sixteen miles above Kaskaskia, in the American bottom, three miles from the bluft and three-fourths of a mile from the river. At the time New France was ceded to England, in 1763, Fort DeChartres was occupied by M. St. Ange de Bellerive, as commandant and Governor of the Illinois country. He continued in possession of the fort until 1765, when Captain Sterling, of the fortysecond Royal Highlanders, was sent out and took possession of the fort and country, in the name of the British government. He died about three months after his arrival. Fort Chartres continued to be the headquarters of the British until 1772, when part of the fort was destroyed by a great rise of water in the Mississippi river. The English garrison was then removed to Kaskaskia.

In 1763 the population of what is now the State of Illinois, did not exceed three thousand. About one-third left the country upon its change of masters ; so that when the English took possession, the entire population, including French, English and negroes, was about two thousand. Speaking of their new seat of government, Rev. John M. Peck says: "In olden time, Kaskaskia was to Illinois what Paris is at this day to France. Both were, at their respective days, the great emporiums of fashion, gayety, and I must say, happiness also. In the year 1721 the Jesuits erected a monastery and college in the village of Kaskaskia, and a few years afterwards it was chartered by the French government. Kaskaskia for many years was the largest town west of the Alleghaney mountains. It was a tolerable place before the existence of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati or New Orleans."

The English government became fairly settled in their occupation of the country wrested from France, and then commenced that series of parliamentary enactments for the taxation of the American colonies, without permitting them to have any voice in her national councils, which led to the revolutionary struggle. Open hostilities commenced at Lexington, Massachusetts, April 19, 1775. Couriers were despatched, on the most fleet-footed horses, and in a very few days the infant colonies were ablaze with excitement, and the call to arms was responded to from Maine to Georgia. The first Congress met in Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1774, and continued its meetings by successive adjournments, until July 4, 1776, when the American colonies were declared to be free and independent States. The familiar events of the war for independence, followed each other in quick succession, until all parties were engaged in the conflict along the Atlantic coast; but there were British outposts in the west which had until 1778 r°- mained undisturbed. It was known that these posts were depots for supplying the Indians with arms and ammunition, that they might practice deeds of cruelty and murder against the frontier settlers. The general government had not power to command without consent of the States, even the limited resources of the country ; but what there was, in the way of soldiers, seemed imperatively demanded on the seaboard. Under these circumstances, Colonel George Rogers Clarke, of Virginia, volunteered to lead an expedition against the British garrison west of the Alleghanies; and the Governor and Council of Virginia took the responsibility of sending him out. Two sets of instructions were given him : One, which was public, was for Col. Clarke to raise se\en companies, and proceed west. The secret and real instructions were for him to raise seven companies, of fifty men each, proceed to Kaskaskia, and take and destroy the garrison of Fort Gates at that place; and that the object of the expedition must be kept a profound secret. The instructions were given January 2, 1778, by the Governor at \Villiamsburg, then the Capital of Virginia. Col. Clarke left Virginia on the fourth of February for Pittsburgh. He took with him twelve hundred pounds in depreciated currency to defray the expenses of the expedition, and raised three companies in Pittsburgh. He procured boats, and with his supplies, arms and ammunition, descended the Ohio river to "Corn Island," opposite the present city of Louisville, Kentucky, where he was met by Captain Bowman, who had gone down through Kentucky to raise a companv of men. When all were assembled on the island, Col. Clarke first declared to them that his point of destination was Kaskaskia, in the Illinois country. From Corn Island he descended with his forces to Fort Massac, at the west side of the Ohio river, about forty miles above its junction with the Mississippi. The party left their boats at this point, and marched across the country to Kaskaskia, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles, through an unbroken wilderness.

Thev arrived within sight of the village on the morning of July 4, 1778. He concealed the main body of his men, and sent out spies to reconnoitre. At night the men were divided into two bodies, one to take the village and the other, Fort Gage. After all was in readiness, with the soldiers drawn up in line on the banks of the Kaskaskia, Col. Clarke delivered a short address to his troops, in which he reminded them that it was the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and that they must take the fort and village at all hazards. Fort Gage was a work of considerable strength, mounted with cannon and defended by regular soldiers. So secret had been the movements of the attacking party, and so little were they expected, that they reached the very gates of the fortifications unperceived. In addition to this, they were so fortunate as to get into communication with an American belonging to the fort, who led a detachment of soldiers, under the celebrated Simon Kenton, inside, through a back gate. The first intimation the Governor had of their presence, was by Kenton giving him a shake to arouse him from his slumbers. The conquest was achieved without the shedding of a drop of blood. The rhortification of Governor Rocheblave was so great when he found himself a prisoner in the hands of so small a body of raw malitia, without having an opportunity to fire a gun, that he refused to acknowledge any of the courtesies extended to him on account of his official position. The only alternative for Colonel Clarke, was to send him in irons to the Capital of Virginia.

Soon after the capture of Kaskaskia Colonel Clarke communicated the result of his expedition to the Governor, and expressed a desire to have civil government extended over the conquered territory. An act was passed by the law-making powers of Virginia, in October, 1778, to establish the county of Illinois. " It embraced all that part of Virginia west of the Ohio river, and was probably the largest county in the world, exceeding in its dimensions the whole of Great Britain and Ireland." To speak more definitely, the county of Virginia, called Illinois, embraced the territory now included in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.

After capturing Fort Gates, the next point to be reduced was Fort St. Vincent, now Vincennes, Indiana. This fortification, with Governor Hamilton and seventy-nine men, fell into his hands February 24, 1779.

Until this stage of its history, the Illinois country had been successively under savage, military, and monarchial rulers; but the time for another change was at hand. The first republican Governor of Illinois was no less a personage than the renowned Patrick Henry, the great orator of the American Revolution. He became the Governor of Virginia in 1776, and by re-election continued to hold the office until 1799. The law of Virginia establishing the county of Illinois having been enacted in October, 1788, it was in this way that he became the first republican or democratic Governor of Illinois.

On the twelfth of December, 1788, Governor Henry appointed John Todd civil commandant and Lieutenant Colonel of the new county. He wrote Commandant Todd a lengthy letter of instructions, in which he says : " The grand objects which are disclosed to your countrymen, will prove beneficial or otherwise, according to the nature and abilities of those who are called to direct the affairs of that remote country. * * * One great good expected from holding the Illinois is to overawe the Indians from warring against the settlers on this side of the Ohio." Near the close of his letter, Governor Henry says : " I think it proper for you to send me an express once in the month with a general account of affairs with you, and any particulars you may wish to communicate."

The headquarters of Commandant Todd, or the seat of government for the county, was at Kaskaskia. The stay of Colonel Todd in Illinois was not of long duration. Being under orders to return to Virginia, he made it convenient to visit his family at Lexington, Kentucky, on the way. While at Lexington, news came that the Indians west of the Ohio were crossing over into Kentucky. He returned at the head of his command, to assist in repelling the savages, and was killed at the battle of Blue Licks. See sketch of the Todd family in this volume.

In 1 780 Congress recommended to the several States having waste or unappropriated lands, in the western country, to cede it to the United States government for the common benefit of the Union. In January, 1781, Virginia responded to the overture of Congress, by yielding her claims to the territory northwest of the Ohio river, with certain conditions annexed. By an act of Sept. 13, 1783, Congress proposed to comply in the main with the wishes of Virginia, but suggested some modification of the terms. On the 2oth of Dec. following, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act accepting the modified terms proposed by the United States Congress. By this settlement the United States was to refund to Virginia all the money that had been expended by that State in her military operations in conquering and holding the territory. It was also stipulated that a quantity of land, not exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand acres, promised by the State of Virginia, should be allowed and granted by the United States to General George Rogers Clarke, and to the officers and soldiers of his regiment who inarched with him when the forts, Gates, at Kaskaskia, and St. Vincent, now Vincennes, were reduced; and to the officers and soldiers who were afterwards incorporated into that regiment. By this act the representatives of that State, in Congress, were instructed and empowered to transfer the territory, by deed, to the United States. The deed was executed March i, 1784, and signed by Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe. By Virginia protecting the frontier settlers from the cruelties of Indian warfare, she very justly goes down to posterity with the honor of having donated to the general government, territory from which has grown five of the very best States of the American Union. But while she was generous to the public, she failed to be just to the man who was instrumental in bringing so much honor upon herself. In Butler's history of Kentucky it is said of George Rogers Clarke: " The government of Virginia failed to settle his accounts. Private suits were brought against him for public supplies, which ultimately swept away his fortune, and with this injustice the spirit of the hero fell, and the General never recovered his energies, which had stamped him as one of nature's noblemen. At the same time it is feared that a too extensive conviviality contributed its mischievous effects." The latter was, most likely, the real cause of his misfortunes.

The Ordinance Of 1787

July 13, 1787, an ordinance for the government of the Northwestern Territory, ceded by Virginia to the United States, was enacted by Congress, and General Arthur St. Clair appeared at Marietta, on the Ohio river, and put the new government in operation. Washington county was the first organized, and included a considerable portion of the present State of Ohio. In February, 1790, Governor St. Clair and his Secretary, Winthrop Sargeant, arrived at Kaskaskia and organized the county of St. Clair, which embraced more than half the present State of Illinois. The first legislative body for the Northwestern Territory assembled at what is now Cincinnati, September 16, 1789. On the third of October, General William H. Harrison was elected the first delegate to represent the Northwestern Territory in the Congress of the United States, and for more than ten years its government continued without change.

May 7, 1800, an act of Congress provided for the organization of a territorial government to be called Ohio. November 29, 1802, it was admitted to the Union as a .State, with its seat of government at Chillicothe.

From the time the territorial government of Ohio was organized, the remainder continued to be governed as the Northwestern Territory. The same year Ohio was admitted as a State - 1802 - the Territory of Indiana was organized, with William Ilenrv Harrison as Governor. In 1803 the first legislature of Indiana Territory assembled at Vincennes. Illinois being then a part of Indiana Territory, St. Clair county sent three representatives. Indiana was not admitted as a State into the Union until 1816, but seven years previous to that time had lost more than half its area.

By an act of Congress, approved February 3, i 809, Illinois was separated from Indiana, and provision made for organizing a Territorial Government. Hon. Ninian Edwards, Chief Justice of Kentucky, was appointed by President Madison, to be the first Governor of the Territory of Illinois. The government was organized, in the absence of Governor Edwards, by Nathaniel Pope, Territorial Secretary, April 28, 1809. Governor Edwards arrived at Kaskaskia early in June, and on the eleventh of that month took the oath of office. He was Governor during the whole territorial existence of Illinois. His first commission was dated March 7, 1809; re-appointed November

12, 1812; again re-appointed Jan. 16, 1816. From 1809 to 1812 all the legislation was done " By authority of the Governor and Judges." They did not enact laws, hut selected from the territorial laws of Indiana, and from the State of Kentucky such as were suitable to the situation, and declared them to be the laws of the Territory of Illinois. During those three years the Territory was without a voice in Congress.

The first election in Illinois was held by order of Governor Edwards, March 14, 1812, for the purpose of ascertaining if the people generally desired to take part in the government and relieve the Governor and Judges of so much responsibility. The result of the election was favorable to the change. That involved the necessity for another election, which was ordered for October ninth, tenth and eleventh, for the purpose of choosing a delegate to Congress and members of the Territorial Legislature. The members thus elected assembled at Kaskaskia November 25, 1812, being the first legislative body in the territory. From that time to 1818, all business was done in the name of the "Legislative Council and House of Representatives." That body assenibled annually in December.

By an act of Congress, approved April 18, 1818, the people of Illinois were authorized to advance from a Territorial to a State Government. In August an election was held for State officers and a representative in Congress. The State was admitted into the Union Dec. 3, 1818. Shaclrach Bond, who had been a delegate in Congress from 1812 to 1815, and receiver in the land office from that time until the State was admitted to the Union, was elected the first Governor under the State organization. Ex-Governor Edwards and Jesse B. Thomas were chosen by the legislature to be the first United States Senators.

When Illinois was admitted to the Union it was composed of thirty-three counties, but Sangamon county and Springfield were unknown. The county was created, by a law of the State, entitled :

SECTION i. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That all that tract of country within the following boundaries, to-wit: - Beginning at the northeast corner of township twelve north, on the third principal meridian, thence north with said meridian to the Illinois river, thence down the middle of said river to the mouth of Balance or Negro creek, thence up said creek to its head, thence through the middle of the prairie which divides the waters of the Sangamon and Mauves Terre, to the northwest corner of township twelve north, range seven west, of the third principal meridian, thence east along the north boundary of township twelve to the place of beginning, shall constitute a separate county to be called Sansramon.

SECTION 2. Be it further enacted, That so soon as the county commissioners of said county shall be elected and duly qualified into office, they shall meet at some convenient place in said county, and determine on some place as near the centre of the population of said county as circumstances will admit, and such place, when selected by said county commissioners, shall be the temporary seat of justice for said county, until otherwise provided by law: Provided, however, that if any settler or settlers, owner or owners, of the place so selected as aforesaid, shall refuse to ,have the temporary seat of justice fixed on his, or her or their improvements, then the said commissioners may determine on such other place contiguous thereto as they may deem proper.

SECTION 3. Be it further enacted, That said county commissioners shall be allowed the same compensation for the time necessarily employed in fixing the temporary seat of justice as in other cases.

SECTION 4. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of Sangamon county arc hereby declared in all respects entitled to the same rights and privileges as are allowed in general to other counties in thus State; Provided, always, that in all cases where free holders only are capable of performing any duty, or are entitled to any privilege; housekeepers shall, for all such purposes, be considered as free holders in the said Sangamon county, and shall and may do and perform all duties appertaining to the different offices in the county.

That all may understand the difference between the boundaries of the county when organized, and the present bouadaries, it is only necessary to spread before you any late township map of the State and trace the following boundaries: Commencing at the northeast corner of Locust township, in Christian county, thence north to a point on the Illinois river, about two miles west of the city of Peru, thence down the middle of said river to what is now the boundary line between Cass and Morgan counties, thence east to the northeast corner of Morgan county, thence south on the line between Morgan and Sangamon counties, to the northwest corner of Otter township, in Macoupin county, thence east to the place of beginning. It will be seen that the boundaries between this county and Morgan, Macoupin and Montgomery, are unchanged. The original metes and bounds of Sangamon county, as given, embraced the following counties and parts of counties, as at present constituted : Part of Christian, a small part of Macon, all of Logan, part of McLean, all of Tazewell, part of Woodford, part of Marshall, part of Putnam, all of Mason, all of Menard, and all of Cass.

The territory constituting the county was thus set apart by law, but it was without officers. For the purpose of supplying them an election was held Monday, April 2, 1821, at the house of John Kelly. At this election William Drennan, Zachariah Peter, and Rivers Cormack were elected county commissioners. They met the next day, each took the oath of office, and at once entered upon the discharge of their duties. The following is a transcript from the original records of their first term of court:

At a Special Term of the County Commissioners' Court for the County of Sangamon, begun and held at the house of John Kelly, on Spring creek, on the third day of

April, 1821: Present, Zachariah Peter, Rivers Cormack, and William Drennan, commissioners. Ordered by the Court that Charles R. Matheney be appointed Clerk of the County Commissioners Court for the county of Sangamon; who thereupon took the oath prescribed by law, also the oath of office, and entered into bond, as the law directs, with James Latham his security. Ordered that court adjourn.

Zachariah Peter Rivers Cormack

The Commissioners met again in Special Session, April 10, 1821, at the same place. Present: Z. Peter and Wm. Drennan. John Spillers was allowed ten dollars for conveying election returns to Vandalia. James Sims was appointed County Treasurer. John Lindsay, Stephen Stillman, and John Robinson, were appointed to the office of Justice of the Peace. The following report was made with reference to the location of the county seat :

WHEREAS, the Act of the General Assembly, entitled An Act, establishing the county of Sangamo, required of the County Commissioners when elected and qualified into office, to fix a temporary seat of justice for said county: Therefore, we, the undersigned, County Commissioners for said county, do certify that we, after full examination of the situation of the population of said county, have fixed and designated a certain point in the prairie near John Kelley's field, on the waters of Spring creek, at a stake marked Z. & D., as the temporary seat of justice for said county; and do further agree that the said county seat be called and known by the name of Springfield.

There is no explanation of letters used in marking the stake, but it is probable that the onlv two commissioners present agreed to use one initial from each of their names.

The point chosen was near what is now the northwest corner of Second and Jefferson streets. The first court house in the county was built on the same spot.

We find the county of Sangamo organized, and the county seat temporarily located and named. It may be interesting to note some of the incidents that influenced the selection of that pai'ticular spot. Towns and cities are born, live, and die, subject to the contingencies of birth, life, and death, analagous to that of human beings. About the year 1818, an old bachelor by the name of Elisha Kelly emigrated from North Carolina to this State, stopping first in Macoupin county. Mr. Kelly was exceedingly fond of the chase, and in prospecting for good hunting grounds, wandered in between two ravines, a couple of miles apart, running in a northwesterly direction, and emptying into Spring creek, a tributary of the Sangamon river. The deer with which this country abounded before the advent of civilization, made their homes in the timber along the larger water courses. In the morning they would leave the heavy timber, follow up the ravines, along which the trees became smaller, and finally ran out on the open prairie, They would pass the day amid the tall and luxuriant grass, roaming about and grazing at pleasure, and as nightfall approached, return down- the ravines, to the places they had left in the morning, each to seek its lair for repose. The deer in passing down these ravines, gave Mr. Kelly an opportunity for the full gratification of his ambition for game. It seemed to him so much like a hunter's paradise, that he returned to his old home and induced his father, Henry Kelly, and his four brothers, John, older than himself, and Elijah, William and George, younger, to emigrate with him, those who had families bringing them. He induced other families among his acquaintances to emigrate also. More families continued to move into the country, and generally settled at long distances from each other, but the principal settlement clustered around the Kellvs. NVhen the commissioners came to locate the county seat, it was discovered that the Kellev settlement was the only place in all the county, large as it was, where enough families could be found in the vicinity of each other to board and lodge the members of the court and those who would be likely to attend its sessions.

The records do not show that anything more than locating the countv seat was done that day, but in another part of the book we find a copy of a contract that was evidently entered into after adjournment, and before they separated. There is no evidence of any advertising for proposals to build a court house, but here is the contract:

Article of agreement entered into the loth day of April, 1821, between John Kelly, of the county of Sangamo, and the undersigned, county commissioners of said countv. Tin said Kelly agrees with said commissioners to build, for the use of the said countv, a court house of the following description, to-wit: The logs to be twenty feet long, the house one story high, plank floor, a good cabin roof, a door and window cut out, the work to be completed by the first day of May, next, for which the said commissioners promise, on the part of the county, to pay the said Kelly forty-two dollars and fifty cents. Witness our hands the day and date above.

John Kelly

As the temple of justice approached completion the commissioners found that it would be a very nice summer building, but they evidently had some doubts about it for winter. So we find another contract, of which the following is a copy :

Jesse Brevard agrees with the county commissioners to finish the court house in the following manner, to-wit: To be chinked outside and daubed inside. Boards sawed and nailed on the inside cracks, a good, sufficient door shutter, to be made with good plank and hung with good iron hinges, with a latch. A window to be cut out, faced and cased, to contain nine lights, with a good, suificient shutter hung on the outside. A fire place to be cut out seven feet wide, and a good, sufficient wooden chimney, built with a good, sufficient back and hearth. To be finished by the first of September, next.

Jesse Brevard

June 4, 1821, the court assembled in the court house for which they had signed the contract twenty-four days previous. A contract was entered into that day to build a jail, first drawing up the specifications and then writing the contract on the back, of which the following is a copy:

Robert Hamilton agrees to build the within named jail for the county of Sangamo, and to have the same completed by the first Monday in September, next, for the sum of eighty four dollars and seventy-five cents, for which the commissioners agree, on ~ 5 the part of the county, that the said Hamilton shall be entitled to a warrant on the county treasury for the sum of eighty-four dollars and seventy-five cents, as aforesaid.

Robert Hamilton

The following is a "description of a jail for Sangamo county," to-wit: The timber to be cut twelve feet long, hewed twelve inches square, raised seven feet between the floors, the upper and also the under floor to be of the same kinds of timber, hewed and fit on the sill with a shoulder of at least three inches. The under sill to be let in the ground so as to let the floor rest on the surface of the earth. The logs to be matched with a half dove-tail, and made to close. The building to be covered with a good cabin roof, a window cut eight inches square, half cut out of the timber above and half below. A bar of iron let into the log above and one below, one-half inch thick and two inches wide; three bars of iron standing upright one inch square, let in through the top and bottom bar and into the timber. One door cut three feet in width and five feet high, to be faced, or cheeked, with good timber, three inches thick, put on with good spikes; a strong door shutter, made of good oak plank, put together crossing and angling, with rivets, at least four in each cross of the plank, and fourpenny nails, drove from each side of the door, not more than one-half inch apart. To be hung with three good, strong, iron hinges, so turned as not to admit of the door coming off, and a good, strong bolt lock. The building to be completed by the first Monday in September, next.

At the meeting of June 4th John Hamblin and David Black were appointed constables. To this time the records show that the name of the county had been written Sangamo, but without any apparent reason, we find a letter added, making it Sangamon.

At a meeting of the commissioners under this date, we find that John Kellv was allowed $42.50 due him on contract for building the court house, and he was allowed $5.00 for extra work. At a meeting September I, 1821, Jacob Ellis was allowed $4.50 for Judge's seat and bar in the court house. The meeting of December 4, 1821, shows that Jesse Brevard was allowed $20.50 for finishing the court house, making a total of $72.50 as the total cost of the first court house of Sangamon county, but even here we see that the cost nearly doubled the original contract of $42.50.

Continuing the business done on June 5th, we find that the county was divided into four election districts, or townships, called, respectively, Sangamon, Springfield, Richland and Union. Overseers of the poor were appointed, two for each township. and a board of three trustees to look after the overseers of the poor. It does not appear that any one was appointed to look after the trustees. At that meeting James C. Stephenson was appointed county surveyor, and George Hay worth county treasurer, in place of James Sims, who refused to qualify. Provision was made for levying a tax on houses, neat cattle, wheel carnages, stock in trade and distilleries.

July 1 6, 1821. Ordered, that one-half of one per cent, be levied on all property for the purpose of paying for the public buildings, and for other purposes.

Sangamon Countt

December 4, 1821. John Taylor came into court and entered his protest against the sufficiency of the jail. At the same term it was ordered that Robert Pulliam be allowed to keep a tavern, or public house of entertainment, upon his executing a bond and paying to the county the sum of three dollars, and that he be allowed to charge the following ratc-s, to-wit: Meal of victuals, 25 cents; bed for night, 121^ cents; feed for horse, 121^ cents; keeping horse all night, 37^ cents; whisky, for half pint, 12^.

March term, 1822. Erastus Wright was authorized to keep a ferry across the Illinois river, opposite Fort Clark, now Peoria. Rates of charges were fixed in the license. We learn that he never kept the ferry.

Elijah Slater, on filing his bond, with Dr. Gershom Jayne as security, was granted license to keep a tavern, or public house of entertainment, in the town of Springfield, and a schedule of charges fixed similar to that annexed to Mr. Pulliam's license.

George Havworth, the county treasurer, made what was probably intended as his annual report, although the county had been organized only about eleven months. The amount of taxes collected for 1821 was $407.44; fines collected, $40.00, making the total receipts $447.44. The amount paid out was $420.183^. This included the payment of all the officers, and of all bills connected with the building of the court house and jail, leaving $27.261^ cents in the treasury, and no public debt. From the official papers it appears that the entire salary of the county treasurer for that year was $22.26^.

July 29, 1823, the amount of taxable property returned to the court was $129,112.50. After reducing the territory of the county to about one-seventh of the original area, we find that the taxable property now - 1876 - amounts to about thirty-five millions of dollars.

Adam Hamilton, county treasurer, reported at the May term, 1824, total amount of collections was $875. 87^, and the disbursements $753.90, leaving a balance of $121.97

After the temporary location of the county seat, a contest sprang up, looking to the permanent location of the same. At an election of members of the legislature, two opposing candidates went before the people on the merits of two localities. I. S. Pugh was the candidate for Springfield, and William S. Hamilton, a son of the distinguished statesman, Alexander Hamilton, represented Sangamo, a beautiful site for a town on the banks of the Sangamon river, about seven miles west, bearing a little north from Springfield. Hamilton was elected, but Pugh went to Vandalia, the capital, as a lobby member, and succeeded in having commissioners - named in the next paragraph - appointed, who proved to be favorable to Springfield.