( Many thanks to
Carl Lorber, Library Services, at Eastern Illinois University.
He took the time to
find and send me this article. Thanks also to Peggy Manley.)
CUMBERLAND COUNTY COURT HOUSE FIRE
AS RECORDED BY
THE “CUMBERLAND
(Democrat”,
Toledo, Illinois Thursday, November 5, 1885)
COURT HOUSE BURNED,
Together With All
Books, Records and Court Documents
Court House burned
by the fire, which
occurred on yesterday morning the people of this county suffer almost
irreparable loss one from which is will take years to recover.
No money consideration will replace any part of the years of labor and
untold expense that the county has been to since its’
organization. Everything of any importance pertaining to county
or court business were in the courthouse and are now ashes.
“THE DISCOVERY”
About 2:10 a.m. yesterday, Frank
Field, sleeping in the City Hotel, was
awakened by a strong light shining in his room. Springing out of
bed he rushed to the window and saw that the courthouse was on fire in
the south-west corner, in the vicinity of the stairway. Awakening
some of those in the hotel they proceeded to give the alarm, and the
north bound train coming in about that time, blowing the engine
whistles it was not long before nearly everyone in town was on the
square. Having no implements or ladders with which to fight the
fire the citizens were powerless to do anything but look on and see the
flames do their work.
“THE LOSS”
In the circuit clerk's office was one transcribed record of Coles
County of deeds and mortgages and Index, 42 deed records, 16 mortgage
records , one set of general indexes to mortgages, 2 chattel mortgage
records, 2 transcripts of judgments of justices of the peace, 15
circuit court records, 13 fee books, 8 judges’ records, 1 masters book
of sale and redemption, 1 sheriff's levy, sale and redemption,
surveyors field notes of the county etc., George Bruster looses a set
of abstract books valued at $500. In the county clerks office
were sale records of delinquent lands, marriage, birth and death
records; all the county court records and documents; assessors and
collectors books, with the exception of Union Township. School
plats, tax rate docket, judges’ dockets, guardian and administrator
records, etc. Besides all the records in the county treasurers
office. Summing it all up, the loss is inestimable.
“ORIGIN OF THE FIRE”
To those that were first at the fire, it looked as though the fire
started at the head of the stairs in the hallway and gradually burned
into the stairway above, and from there spread to the roof. If
this was the case the fire was caused by an incendiary, and if by an
incendiary his worthless life ought to pay the penalty for such a
wanton crime.
“ NOTES”
Every person seems to have his opinion about the origin of the
fire. The citizens of Toledo deeply deplore the loss of the
courthouse records. An effort was made to save some of the
records yesterday morning but failed. Circuit Clerk Bruster was also make W.S. Everhart’s law office his
office temporarily. County Clerk
Lemen and Sheriff McCandlish
have taken temporary quarters at W.S.
Everhart’s law office.
Nearly every one is of the opinion
that it was the work of an incendiary, but who, and for what
purpose. The board of supervisors will meet tomorrow and will
take such action as the circumstances will permit. It is said
that the four men who were confined in jail for stealing ---- at the
fair grounds, while in jail, threatened to burn the town. The
election news hardly caused a ripple of excitement in Toledo, so great
was the feeling over the loss to the county of the courthouse and
records. Circuit Clerk Bruster and
Sheriff
McCandlish will lose by
the fire between $4000 and $5000 each, while County Clerk Lemen’s loss will be
considerable. Their losses are in the way of uncollected
fees. While the county is practically at his mercy, Mr. W.S. Everhart informs us that
the price for abstracting lands and lots will not be raised by one
cent. But will be the same price they have been ever since he
owned the abstract books. This confirms the opinion that this
paper has always entertained for Mr.
Everhart - that he is a fair
square man. P. Lawrence says he was the first
man at the fire, coming from the west. He thinks the fire started
in the hallway at the south partition. He also says the west
window in the county clerks office was open and that he thinks the door
to the county clerks office must have been open as he is positive he
saw a light in that office. Mr.
Jacob M. Conner says he heard
a short time before this alarm, a
noise in the direction of the courthouse that sounded like the bursting
in of a door. Probably this was done and the windows raised to
give draft to the fire. George
Shaw, living near the railroad
south-east of town, was lying
awake, he thinks about 1:00 o'clock. He heard someone running at
a fast pace, and got up to see what it was and saw a man running south
at full speed, but it was so dark he couldn't see who it was. The
dog got after him and run him a short distance, the barking awakening Jack Shaw, who lives across the
road. It will be observed this was a short time before the alarm
was given.
On the morning of November 5th,
1885, the Cumberland County, IL courthouse burned out of control.
Since there was only a bucket brigade, the call of “Fire” was spread
throughout the town, but soon was realized that this fire was well on
its’ way to destroying the courthouse and all records that were
inside.
The courthouse was located in the
town of Toledo, and was a 2 story brick building. The rumor of
the day was that a prominent attorney of the time was misappropriating
funds, and was no longer able to cover his tracks, or he would soon be
discovered. He had been doctoring the books, so to speak, and the
funds he had been stealing were all recorded in these books. The
only way to cover his tracks would be to burn down the
courthouse. The fire was a total loss, with all records being
destroyed from 1843-1885. This rumor was added to when this same
attorney was found forging notes and he soon left town. He was
eventually located and brought back to Toledo, but was able to secure
his bond, and mentioned that others would go down with him if he was
sent to prison. This man was able to pay off his debt and moved
his family out of town out of state.
We suggest, if you can, read the article itself in the
'Cumberland County History Book' complied by the Cumberland County
Historical and Genealogical Societies. It was printed in 1968 to honor
the states Sesquicentennial
( Now, no
charges were ever filed
against this attorney, no solid proof was ever found, so this is pure
speculation on behalf of the town)
(Contributed
by Mary (Easton) Watson Mary14@cfl.rr.com )
I just found a newspaper clipping my
Dad had saved. It came from "The Toledo Democrate" which is a local
newspaper in that area. It is
dated November 7, 1985,
Titled: Cumberland County Courthouse burned 100 years ago.
It was 100 years ago November 4, when
the Cumberland County Courthouse
burned to the ground.
The courthouse, a two-story brick
building with a courtroom on its ground floor and offices and county records on
the second, had been built in 1857.
According to newspaper accounts, the
fire was believed to have started in a corner of the building near a
stairway. The cause was never determined, but many believed that an arsonist was
responsible.
The fire was first noticed by a man
at a hotel across the street. A train passing through town blew its whistle
when the engineer noticed the fire.
Most of the town turned out to watch
or help with a bucket brigade. There was no fire department and not even any
ladders available to reach the top floor, so the building burned to the ground.
The fire destroyed all papers in the
courthouse, including land records, wills, mortgages and marriage and birth records.
Mary (Easton) Watson
New Court
House After The Fire It Was Rebuilt
