Tazewell County, Illinois - Chapter 14: County Officials and Political History, 1879

Dr. Flavd Shurflef, County Clerk, was elected in 1877. He is a son of Milton Shurtleff, a native of Plymouth, Mass., and Mary F. Berry, a native of New Hampshire. They came to Tazewell county at a time when Central Illinois was but little inhabited. Dr. D. was born in Groveland, Tazewell Co., Jan. 6,1842; was sent to the common schools, and later attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, where he graduated with honor, and engaged in the practice of medicine in his native place. He owns a large and valuable farm in Groveland township. The Doctor served in the war for the Union as Assistant Surgeon of the 154th 111. Inf., a position he was, in an eminent degree, qualified to fill, he being, by education and practice, a skilled "surgeon. The Doctor's political views conform to those of the Democratic i)arty, by whose suffrage he was elected to the office of Clerk of this county. He was also Supervisor of Groveland from 1872 to 1875. A full-page portrait of Dr. Shurtleif will appear in this volume.

Andrew Jackmn Kinsey, Sheriff of Tazew^ell county, is a native of Culpepper Co., Virginia, born Oct. 8, 1831. He has been a resident of this county for twenty-six years, and during all these years has always been keenly alive to every movement looking toward the development of her resources. His parental ancestors, James and Ann Kinsey, were also of Virginian birth, and hard-working, honest people. Mr. Kinsey lived in his native State until twentyone years of age, when he married Miss Lucy Brown, and came, one year later, to Illinois, settling in Tazewell county. They have been blessed wath ten children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Ann Eliza, Nov. 27, '53; Charles M., June 14, '55; Stephen D., Nov. 1, '58; Martha N., May 18, '61; Turner L., April 8, '63; John F., Oct. 27, '64; Lina J., June 15, '66; James W., Jan. 8, '69; AVilliam W., Dec. 8, '70, and Harry B., April 1, '74. Their household has been saddened by four deaths: Ann Eliza, Sept. 11, '54; Martha N., Sept. 3, '62; Turner L., Aug. 15, '64, and John F., Oct. 18, '65.

well county, having'been born in Pekin, Feb. 17, 1850. He is the son of Benjamin S. and Sarah A. (Haines) Prettyman, both of whom came to the county in an early day, and are well and favorably known. States Attorney Prettyman passed his boyhood days in attendance upon the public schools of Pekin, and passed one year in school at Worcester, Mass. He finished his education at Chicago University, Chicago, at which institution he spent two years. He returned to his native town and engaged in the ])raetice of law, and in 1876 was elected to the office of States Attorney, running on the Democratic ticket. He has served his ward, the third, as Alderman in the City Council, He fills his present official position with credit to himself, and as far as we can learn with general satisfaction to all. He is First Lieutenant ofCo. G, 7th Regt., I. N. G. July 21, 1871, he was united in marriage with Fannie Yandervort; they have two children - Fannie, born July 8, 1873, and John B., born Oct. 19, 1875.

Alfred ]V. Eodecker, County Judge, was born in Peoria, May 15, 1844, and received his education in Eureka College, Eureka, 111. He came to the county in the spring of 1856, at the age of 12 years, and in 1862 settled in Pekin, where he was afterwards admitted to to the Bar, and engaged in the practice of law. In addition to the office of County Judge, Mr. Rodecker has been School Inspector for seven years. He formed the acquaintance of Miss Ida Fenner, and on June 8, 1871, was united to her by the bonds of matrimony, and their home was brightened by one son of promise, Thaddeus, who was born June 22, 1872.

Henry C. Sutton, present Circuit Clerk, has been a resident of this county since 1855 ; is a son of Samuel C. Sutton and Susan, his wife, who lived in New York city, where Henry was born Sept. 23, 1828. He has held many of the most important offices of Tazewell Co., and was Justice of the Peace for twenty years. Pie is a conscientious Christian, and member of the j\I. E. Church. Dec. 31, 1849, at Martin vi lie, Somerset Co., N. Y., he married Miss Jane McCord, and from the union sprang six children, to gladden the home and lessen the cares during the evening of their peaceful lives.

George Henry Harlow, former Circuit Clerk, and now Secretary of State, was born Sept. 5, 1830, at Sacket's Harbor, Jefferson Co., N. Y., and is the son of Daniel Harlow and Mercy nee Austin. At the age of 13, he spent one year on a farm, and then engaged in a dry goods and grocery store, at Belleville, X. Y. At the age of 18 he engaged himself to Lewis Chambers, of Deer River, N. Y., to learn the carpenter's and joiner's trade. Mr. C. was a most exemplary man, and a devoted Methodist. It was his custom at morning prayers, to ask that "liberty and universal freedom might cover this land as the waters cover the great deep, and that every chain might be broken, and every slave set free." At his majority, he entered the office of O. L. Wheelock, now of Chicago, for the purpose of learning the art of designing and drafting. In March,

1854, having attained considerable proficiency as an architect, and wishing a more extended field in which to start in his chosen profession, he removed to Illinois, and located in Pekin. He soon found, however, that there was little demand for fancy architecture, and was compelled to lay aside his T square and pencil, and take up his jack plane and hammer. For fifteen months he worked steadily at $1.75 per day. In 1855, accepted a position as clerk in the store of James Milner, at Pekin. Soon after entering the office of Mr. Gill, which he did in 1857, he entered into a partnership with him, to conduct a general merchandising business at Delavan. In 1858, Mr. H. began business in his own name, as a forwarding and commission merchant and grain buyer. He shortly afterwards associated with himself L. B. Chambers, and were doing a prosperous business, when, in 1859, they were burned out, without a dollar of insurance. The blow was a severe one, but, undaunted, the young firm rallied their energies and again established themselves. In a few months Mr. Harlow purchased his partner's interest.

In politics Mr. Harlow always took an active interest, and was formerly a Whig. During the political campaign of 1858, he became greatly interested in building up the Republican party, and his place of business became the headquarters whence the Republican documents were distributed throughout Tazewell county. In 1860, he was nominated for the office of Circuit Clerk, and was elected, being the only Republican elected in the county on the ticket. One of the important events in which Mr. H. took an active part, was the organization of the '' Union League of America," an institution that originated in the city of Pekin, and spread with unparalleled rapidity, into every loyal State in the Union. Associated with him in this patriotic work, were the following old and well known citizens of Tazewell county : John W. Glassgow, Esq., Dr. B. A. Cheever, Hon. Chas. Turner, Hart. Montgomery, Maj. R. N. Cullom, Col. Jonathan Merriam, Capt. Henry Pratt, Alexander Small, L. F. Garrett, and Rev. J. W. M. Vernon.

From this organization, on Sept. 24th, 1862, a State Council was organized, and George H. Harlow elected Grand Secretary thereof. The order grew rapidly, and in 1863 the office of the State Council was located at Springfield, where Mr. H. spent most of his time in the interest of the order, and working in conjunction with that old ( war Governor, Richard Yates, who was not only a member of the I order, but also one of the advisers and counsellors in carrying on its work. At the meeting of the 24th General Assembly, held Jan. 2, 1865, he was elected first assistant secretary of the Senate. He held this position until Jan. 17, when Governor Oglesby appointed him his private secretary. He filled this position four years, and was, at the same time, assistant inspector-general, and commissioned with rank of Colonel of the State. He accepted the position of Asst. Sec'y of State, in 1869. In April, 1872, he resigned his position at the request of Mr. Rummel, who saw, from the complimentary notices in the papers throughout the State, that Mr, Harlow was growing in favor, and would probably be the next nominee for the office of Secretary of State. He was nominated in INIay, and one month later Mr. Rummol joined the Liberal or Democratic party, and on its ticket was nominated for the same office. The result of the election was, Mr H. defeated him by 47,942. He entered upon the duties of his office Jan. 13, 1873, and performed its duties with honor to himself and satisfaction to his constituents, as was demonstrated by his re-nomination in the convention held May 24, 1S76, and his re-election in the following November. He is a member of the Episcopal Church, and is now a vestry-man of St. Paul's Church, Springfield, and Supt. of the Sunday-school. He was married Oct. 1st, 1850, to ^liss Susan M. Baily, daughter of Hon. Samuel P. Baily, of Tazewell Co. Mrs. Harlow is a member of the Episcopal Church. Her father was a native of Penn. He married Mary Dorsey, of Elk Ridge landing, Maryland, and shortly after moved to St. Louis, Missouri. From here he returned to Pekin, where he was for thirty years engaged in the practice of law, and occupied many positions of honor and trust. Mrs. Baily was a lady of culture and fine accomplishments, and greatly beloved by a host of friends. Mr. Harlow has had born to him seven children - George Dorsey, who died at the age of one year and four months ; Richard Austin, now twenty years of age; Bessie Baker, Georgia Clarissa, Kate Louise (who died at the age of five years), Howard Bernard (who died at the age of four years) and Susanna Baily.

Thomas Cooper, County Treasurer, and a pioneer of Tazewell Co., was born Feb. 2, 1830, in Hamilton Co., Ohio, and came to this county way back in the early days of the county's history, in 1844, when but a lad of fourteen years. His parents, William and Mary (Beal) Cooper, were natives, the former of Virginia, and the latter of Pennsylvania. At the rather tender age of 19, Mr. Coo})er, in compliance with the scriptural injunction, "took unto himself a wife," and in 1849 was bound in the bonds of matrimony to Miss M. A. Strickland. Five children blessed the union. Mr. Cooper at the age of 16, enlisted in the Mexican War, in which he did gallant service, and fought under that brave old hero Gen. Winfield Scott. In January, 1879, he, as a delegate, accompanied the " Merchant's and Manufacturer's Industrial Deputation of the Northwest," to Mexico, thereby giving him an opportunity to see that land, where thirty-three years before he liad helped to vanquish that great Mexican chieftain, Santa Anna.

A. R. Warren, M. D., Coroner of Tazewell Co., is a native of Kentucky, and was born in 1841. His father, an attorney at law and Judge of the Surrogate Court in Canada, was a man of fine legal mind, and his mother, Eliza (Bordridge) \\'arrcn, a native of Kentucky, was a woman of high culture and fine education. The Doctor received his medical education at the E. M. Institute, Cincinnati, and came to this county four years ago, where he has established a fine practice. While engaged in the practice of his profession in Elgin, 111., he became acquainted with Miss Mary Kizer, of that city, whom he won and wed in October, 1863. He grew up in the Episcopal faith, to which he still adheres.

Benjamin C. Allensworth, County Superintendent of schools, P. O., Minier; was born in Little Mackinaw township, this county, Oct. 27, 1845. He attended the public schools of his township and then entered the State Normal University, from which he graduated June, 1869, and was elected to the office he now holds at the regular November election, of 1877, on the Democratic ticket. He was also elected Assessor at the April election of the present year, (1879). His parents, William P. and Arabella Allensworth, were natives of Kentucky. Supt. Allensworth is well informed on school matters having made educational questions a special study. He resides on section 3.

His father, William P., was born in Mulilenburg county, Kentucky, Sept. 25, 1820. He came to this county in 1830, and, consequently, is remembered as one of the early settlers. His father's family lived at the head of Little Mackinaw timber, and Mr. Allensworth made his permanent home in Little Mackinaw township. On the 13th of March, 1844, he was married to Miss Arabella Waggenner, who, together with seven children, three sons and four daughters, still survive his death, which occurred at Minier, the 10th of May, 1874. Politically the subject of this sketch was first a Whig, and then, to the close of his life, was identified with the Democratic party. In 1868 he was elected to the office of Circuit Clerk of Tazewell county, which position he held for four years. In his private relations he possessed qualities of heart and mind which endeared him to his family and a large circle of devoted friends. Although cut down in the prime of his manhood and usefulness, he is kindly remembered by those who knew him best, as one who lived long by living well. A portrait of Mr. Allensworth may be found in this work.

Leander King, County Surveyor ; a native of Ohio, was born in 1838. Thomas King, his father, was a Pennsylvanian, while his mother, Elizabeth Bunniuger, was born in Maryland. Mr. King early learned surveying and civil engineering, which he has followed with good success, having held the office of County Surveyor of Tazewell Co. for 10 years. He came here in 1845, when but seven years of age, and has been identified with the county since ; was a soldier in the war for the Union, serving as orderly sergeant in the 47th 111. Inf, in which he enlisted in Aug., '61, and served with credit for 3 years. Soon after the close of the war, in Jan, 'QQ, he was married to Miss Helen F. Foster.

William H. Hodge. The first Sheriff and Surveyor, and one of the active men who parti(U])ated in the organization of Tazewell county, was William Herron Hodge. He has aided in organizing three counties. He was born Jan. 4, 1794, in North Carolina. He came to Illinois in 1820, and to Bloomino; Grove, McLean county, in 1824. At that time, however, that was within the boundary of" this county. He was Sheriff, Collector and Assessor from 1827 to '31.

John Bciif^on, the first County Treasurer, was born in Pennsylvania, March I, 1778. He came to Illinois in 1820 and in 1823 to Blooming Grove. He was in the war of 1812 and fought at Tippecanoe under Harrison. Mr. Benson was living up to 1874, whether he has lived to see his hundredth birth-day, we do not know.

Thomas Orendorf, the first Coroner of Tazewell county, was born Aug. 14, 1800, in Spartanburg, S. C. He. came with his father to Illinois in 1817 and in 1819 came to Sangamon county, which was called the Saint Gamy country, but the words were afterwards united by common usage, and became Sangamon. In 1823 he came, with his brother William, to Blooming Grove, then in Fayette county, but afterwards in Tazewell, and now in McLean, where he became a well known and respected citizen.

"As early as 1821," says Nathan Dillon, in an article written several years before his death, "a few log cabins were already built in Sangamon county, which at that date embraced all the northern part of the State. The cabins were filled to overflowing with the families, the pioneers of the country, my family being among the number. I was present at the election, August, 1822, held at Springfield (the election precinct extending many miles east and west, and north, to the State line), and saw all the voters who could come to vote in that wide scope of uninha))ited country. Most of the voters residing in the precinct attended the election, though many of them had miles of wild country to travel in order to do so.

" The voters were mostly immigrants from the East and South, though a large portion of the men present were Indians and darkies, they of course not being allowed the right of suffrag(\ The voting portion of the community were then called the Yankees and white men. Three men named Kinney, Parkinson and Edwards, had a long bench ranged along side of the court-house, on which they set their liquors. The j)olls were held in the interior. We all got plenty to drink. The white men sang songs, the Indians and darkies danced, and a general frolic occurred ; but what has surprised me as I have reflected upon these early days, we had no fighting. The great evil was, that every candidate had to fill his jiortmanteau with whisky, and go around and see and treat every v(jter and his wife and family with the poisonous stuff, or stand a'chance of being defeated. John Reynolds was our Circuit Judge. He held his court at Springfield, in a log cabin built of round logs, the walls of which were only six feet high; it was also destitute of a floor; yet we continued to get along very well. The jury had to retire to the jail, another such building as I have described. Such are the outlines of those happy days.

" In the winter of 1 823, 1 emigrated to what is now called Dillon Settlement, in this county, 10 miles from Pekin, and 17 miles from Peoria, where I spent the season in quietude ; ray nearest neighbor living in Peoria, except one by the name of Avery, who had raised his cabin at Funk's Hill. But things did not remain in this condition long ; for during the same winter the Legislature made a new county, with Peoria for the county-seat, embracing all the country north of Sangamon county. Phelps, Stephen French and myself were appointed Justices of the Peace, for the new county, which extended east as far as Bloomington and north and west to the State line. We sent our summonses to Chicago and Galena, and they were promptlv returned by our constables.

" March, 1824, we held an election at Avery's, Wm. Holland, Joseph Smith and myself were elected County Commissioners. The whole county was embraced in one election district. The number of votes polled was 20 ; had some whisky on the occasion, but it was well tempered, having been imported a long way by water ; and we did not succeed in getting on as great a spree as we did at Springfield. "

On the first Monday in August, 1826, an election was held at the house of Nathan Dillon. This was the year previous to the organization of Tazewell county. The election was for Governor and other officials. We are not informed who received a majority of the votes nor the number polled, but the day was a gala one^ and of sufficient importance to be commemorated by a banquet. When the voting was concluded Jesse Dillon went to a neighboring corn-field and procurred an arm-full of roasting-ears, they were boiled together with a ham in a fifteen gallon iron kettle, then served to the assembled crowd of pioneers. This constituted an out-door feast worthy the occasion and heartily and thankfully partaken of by the people, nor do we know that whisky was served, yet we cannot say it was not.