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Macon County Origin
MACON COUNTY.
ITS ORGANIZATION.
Previous to the meeting of the Legislature, in 1829, Benjamin
R. Austin, Andrew W. Smith, and John Ward, had been selected to go to Vandalia,
then capital of the State, and procure the passage of an act dividing the county of Shelby, of which the present
county of Macon then formed a part, and forming a new county of the territory thus detached. They were successful;
and at that session the following act was approved establishing the county of Macon.
"AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A NEW COUNTY TO BE CALLED THE COUNTY OF MACON"
"Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly,
That all that tract of country lying within the following boundaries, to-wit: beginning at the southwest corner
of section numbered eighteen, in township numbered fourteen north, of range numbered one east of the third principal
meridian; thence due north with the said third principal meridian line to the northwest corner of township numbered
twenty north, of range numbered one east; thence due east with the line between townships numbered twenty and twenty-one
north, to the northeast corner of township numbered twenty north, of range numbered six east; thence due south
with the line between ranges numbered six and seven east, to the southeast corner of section numbered thirteen,
in township number fourteen north, of range numbered six east; and from thence due west along through the middle
of townships numbered fourteen north, to the place of beginning, shall constitute a county, to be called the county
of Macon; and the seat of justice therein, when located, shall be called the town of Decatur.
"Section 2. For the purpose of locating the seat of justice of the said county of
Macon, the following named persons are appointed Commissioners, to-wit: John Fleming, Jesse Rhodes and Easton Whitton,
whose duty it shall be to meet at the house of James
Ward, in said county, on the first Monday in April next, or within ten days thereafter, and after being duly
sworn before some justice of the peace of this State, faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties imposed
upon them by this act, shall proceed to determine upon a place for the location of the said seat of justice, having
due regard to the situation of the settlements, the convenience of the people, and the future population of said
county.
"Section 3. The said Commissioners are hereby authorized to locate the said seat
of justice on the land of any person or persons, who may be the fee simple owners thereof, if the proprietor or
proprietors of such land shall donate and convey, with covenants of general warranty, to the County Commissioners,
for the use of said county, a quantity of land not less than twenty acres, in a square or oblong form, upon which
to erect the public buildings; or otherwise, the said Commissioners may, in their discretion, locate the said seat
of justice on any of the public lands in said county, as may seem to be the most advantageous to the future interest
of said county.
"Section 4. As soon as said service shall be performed, the said Commissioners shall
make a report of their proceedings, under their proper hands and seals, to the first County Commissioners' Court,
to be held for and in said county, designating particularly the place selected, and a description of the same.
And if the situation on the public lands shall be preferred, after examination as aforesaid, the half quarter or
quarter section of land upon which the same may be located shall be stated in said report; and in that event, it
shall be the duty of the said County Commissioners, as soon thereafter as they may be enabled, to enter and purchase
the same, at the proper land office, in their respective names, as County Commissioners, for the use of the county
of Macon; all of which said proceedings the County Commissioners' Court shall cause to be entered at large on their
books of record.
"Section 5. As soon as a suitable site shall have been selected for the seat of justice,
and a report made thereof, as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of the County Commissioners to cause such donation,
or tract of land (if public land should be selected), or so much thereof as they may deem advisable, to be laid
off into lots, and be sold upon such terms and conditions as may be considered most advantageous to the interests
of the county, and the proceeds of such sales shall be applied to the erection of a court house and jail, and such
other public works as may be necessary for the use of said county. And as often as any lots shall be sold as aforesaid,
it shall be the further duty of said County Commissioners to make conveyances for the same to the purchasers thereof,
in their own names, as Commissioners for and in behalf of said county.
"Section 6. Until public buildings shall be erected for the purpose, the courts shall
be held at the house of James Ward, in said county.
"Section 7. An election shall be held at the house of James
Ward, on the second Monday of April next, for one Sheriff, one Coroner and three County Commissioners, for
said county, who shall hold their offices, respectively, until the next general election, and until their successors
are qualified ; which said election shall be conducted in all respects agreeably to the provisions of the law regulating
elections: Provided. that the qualified voters present may elect from among their number three qualified
voters to act as judges of said election, who shall appoint two qualified voters to act as clerks.
"Section 8. It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Circuit Court, who may be appointed
for such county, to give public notice, at least fifteen days previous to said election, of the time and place,
when and where the same will be held, and the officers to be elected thereat; and in case there should be no clerk,
it shall be the duty of the recorder, or any justice of the peace residing within the limits of said county, to
give notice of the time and place of holding the same as aforesaid.
"Section 9. The Commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice, as aforesaid,
shall receive the sum of one dollar and fifty cents per day for each day by them necessarily consumed in discharging
the duties imposed upon them by this act, to be allowed by the County Commissioner Court, and paid out of the treasury
of said county.
"Section 10. Until the next apportionment of members of the General Assembly shall
be made, said county of Macon shall vote with the counties of Fayette,
Bond, Montgomery,
Shelby and Tazewell;
and the clerk of the said county of Macon shall meet the clerks of the said counties of Fayette, Bond, Montgomery,
Shelby and Tazewell, at Vandalia, the seat of justice of Fayette county, to compare the number of votes given for
Senator and Representatives to the General Assembly, and sign the necessary certificate of election, at Vandalia,
and deliver the same to the person or persons entitled thereto.
"Section 11. The said county of Macon shall be and is hereby attached to the first
judicial circuit.
"This Act to take effect from and after its passage."
Approved January 19, 1829.
It will be observed by the foregoing act that the county,
so formed, was much larger than it is at present. It then included all of what is now DeWitt
County, except the northern tier of townships; all of Piatt
County, except one township, and about half of Moultrie
County.
On the first of March, 1839, DeWitt County was formed,
establishing the northern line of this county where it now is. On the following day an act was passed adding to
the county of Macon that portion now known as Niantic township.
It may be remarked, in this connection, that the formation of DeWitt,
and the losing of that much territory to this county, was a source of but little concern to our people. In fact,
at the time it was urged that the southern line of DeWitt should be extended far enough
south to include the present towns of Maroa, Austin and Friends Creek.
This tract of land, now rich, highly productive, and as finely improved as any other portion of the county, was
then considered a burden, and not desired by Macon, and not wanted by DeWitt. It was not thought possible to cultivate
the soil, or that it would ever be inhabited; and the expense of keeping up roads through it was considered to
be largely in excess of the income to be derived.
At that day there were but few people who dreamed even of the large prairies becoming settled and
put into cultivation. The most that was claimed was that the farms would extend but a short distance from the timber,
and the prairies remain forever wild, and used for grazing purposes only. Many of the early settlers made "clearings,"
and started their little farms in the timber, as they had been accustomed to do in the States from which they came.
It is not strange, however, that the opinion was entertained that much of the prairie land was absolutely useless
and valueless, for at that period, for the greater portion of the year, they were almost submerged with water.
Horses and cattle would mire on land now considered dry, and forming some of the best farms in the county. It is
asserted by some of our then residents of the county, that the object of securing the addition to the county of
the present Niantic township, was to prevent the removal of the county seat from Decatur to a little town then
just commenced in the township of Friends Creek, called Murfreesboro.
It will be remembered that Piatt County was then
a part of Macon, and the proposed new county seat, being nearer the center of the county than Decatur, may have
actuated Mr. Gouge, who was then our representative in the legislature, in procuring this addition to our western
territory. The assertion, however, that any such notions were entertained as to the proposed change in the county
seat, is denied by others who were residents at the time. It is very probable, however, that there was a change
of the "seat of justice" anticipated, for the Niantic territory was considered worthless, except as so
much ballast to counterbalance the eastern portion of the county. And the prospects of Murfreesboro, it seems,
were blighted about that time, and it has long since ceased to be, except in the recollection of a very few of
our oldest residents.
In January, 1841, Piatt County was formed from
portions of DeWitt and Macon counties, and in February, 1843, the county of Moultrie
was formed from portions of Shelby and Macon counties, each
by acts of the legislature. Macon county now remains as left after the passage of- the last act, forming Moultrie
County. It now contains an area of five hundred and seventy-seven square miles, or 369,280 acres.
The Commissioners appointed by virtue of the foregoing act, met on the tenth day of April, 1829, and
proceeded to view the several proposed locations for a "seat of justice;" and as a result of their deliberation,
made the following report, as appears by the record of the County Commissioners' Court:
" We, the Commissioners appointed for the purpose of locating the seat of justice for Macon county,
after being duly sworn before John Miller, an acting justice of the peace for said county of Macon, having carefully
and impartially viewed and examined the situation and convenience, likewise the advantages, of the present and
future population, have located the said seat on the fifteenth section in township sixteen north, in range two
east, northeast quarter and east half of said quarter, the southeast corner of said above-named half quarter, in
compliance to an act of the General Assembly requiring us so to act. Approved January 19, 1829. Whereunto we have
set our hands and seals this tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, 1829.
"John Fleming, [Seal.]
"Jesse Rhodes, [Seal.]
"Easton Whitton." [Seal.]
When the site had been selected, as referred to in the above report, an order
was made on the first day of June, 1829, by the County Commissioners, directing the "laying off" of the
town of Decatur, as follows :
"Ordered, That Benjamin R. Austin, County Surveyor for the county of Macon,
be and is hereby required to lay off the town of Decatur, in said county, after the form of Shelbyville, and make
and return to one of the commissioners of this court, a complete plat of the same on or before the first day of
July next."
Under the above order the "old town" of Decatur was laid out and platted, which contained
twenty acres. Its boundaries were: Prairie street on the north, Water street on the east, Wood street on the south,
and Church street on the west, and was divided by Main street, running east and west, and by North Main street,
running north and south. The "old town" remains substantially as platted, "after the form of Shelbyville,"
with the exception that Merchant street has been formed since, and some of the lots are divided so as to run north
and south instead of east and west, as laid out.
By the act creating this county, the land upon which the Commissioners located the "seat of justice"
was to be donated to the county. The land on which the county seat was located had not, in fact, been entered from
the government at the time, but was afterwards entered by Parmenius
Smallwood [ed., Parmenas Smallwood], Easton Whitton and Charles Prentice, and a deed was by them made to the
County Commissioners, on the eighth day of October, 1831.
A sale of town lots, however, had been made by the County Commissioners on the tenth day of July,
1829, and bonds given to the purchasers.
The order of the Commissioners, under which this sale was made, is as follows :
"Ordered, That a sale of lots take place in the town of Decatur, in this
county, on the tenth day of July next, on the following terms, to-wit: A credit of twelve months will be given,
and note with approved security will be required, and that the clerk of this court is required to advertise the
sale in the paper printed in Vandalia, until the day of sale."
The following order was also made, which we insert, showing the rate of taxation and the articles of property to
be assessed:
"Ordered, That for the purpose of raising a revenue to defray expenses of
the county for the year 1829, that a tax of one-half per cent, be levied upon the following personal property,
to-wit: On slaves and indentured or registered negro or mulatto servants; on pleasure carriages; on distilleries;
on stock in trade; on all horses, mares, mules or asses, and neat cattle over three years old; and on watches,
with their appendages, and on all other personal property except the lawful fire-arms of each individual."
This tax, when collected, amounted to the sum of $109,32 1/2.
At the same term of Court, the tavern rates were also fixed as follows :
"Ordered, That the tavern rates for this county shall hereafter be as follows,
to-wit: For breakfast and horse fed, 37.5 cents; keeping man and horse each night (the man to have supper and lodging),
62.5 cents; dinner and horse fed, 37.5 cents; brandy, rum, gin, wine or cordial, 25 cents per half pint;
whisky, or cider brandy, 12.5 cents per half pint."
This was also for the purpose of defraying the county expenses: No person was allowed to go into any
sort of merchandising business without a license "first had and obtained" from the County Commissioners,
for which a fee of from three to five dollars was charged. Ferries were established on the river, and license granted,
and the rates of ferriage fixed by the court.
In connection with the organization of the county, a few things may be said in reference to its location,
character of population, and commanding influence with reference to neighboring counties, etc. It is the geographical
centre of the State -- east and west, north and south. Its entire area is within the great corn-growing belt of
Illinois, and it possesses a soil unsurpassed in rich and productive qualities. There is not an acre of it, scarcely,
that is not susceptible of cultivation.
Its population, composed, as it is, of emigrants from the east and south, in about an equal proportion,
is a modification of the temperaments and sentiments of the two sections, possessing the extremes of neither. Politically,
it has been Whig, Democratic and Republican, and never either way by a large majority. A just estimate of the political
sentiment of Macon County has always been, almost without an exception, a true criterion of the sentiment of the
State. As it has been in politics, so it has been in religion, in morality, in business. In the latter, we have
never had the wealth of some other counties, nor the wild, reckless, speculating spirit of some others; but our
business men have always been of the safe, conservative sort, that make gradual progress, and with that are satisfied,
reference, of course, being here made to the general mass.
We have never launched out into a system of public expenditures for this public improvement or that,
not consistent with our actual wants and our ability to pay. We have no public city or county debt hanging over
us and weighing us down to such an extent as to cripple our industries, and drive away our population. Our taxes
are, and have always been medium, as compared with other counties in the State. Our improvements have been, for
both county and city, just such as the public demands suggested.
We have no court house at the present, it is true; but we have what satisfies the public in both economy
and convenience, and have no one, two or three million dollar court house debt eating out the material prosperity
of the people. Our school houses are ample in size, well built, and constructed usually with a view to health,
comfort and convenience, rather than show and splendor.
We have kept on straight forward, as the crow flies, and have met with no reverses, such as have overtaken
other counties. In peace we have been peaceful, maintained order, and had but little or no outlawry. In war we
have been actuated by the dictates of true and genuine patriotism, and have done our whole duty. In the Black
Hawk war we furnished 50 men; in the Mexican
war, 79; in the late war [ed., the Civil War] a reference to Chapter IV of this work will satisfy everyone
that Macon county was "in the fray." In the ranks we were not behind. Our Tuppers, Pughs, Oglesbys, Moores,
Smiths, and a host of others were there.
In education, with but 18 persons in the county, between the ages of 12 and 21, who can neither read
nor write, we have nothing to be ashamed of, In crimes and misdemeanors our position is not unenviable. Smaller
counties, with one-fourth our population, furnish more penitentiary convicts than we do.
Hence we say, for these reasons, and many others that might be mentioned in this connection, that
while we are not boastful, and "have none of that other spirit that would drag angels down," yet we,
as a county, can claim our share of whatever glory there may be in making Illinois one of the first States in the
Union, in prosperity, wealth and commanding influence. We arrogate to ourselves nothing but what justly belongs
to us, but if it were possible to blot our State from existence, the shock would affect the commercial world from
center to circumference.
ITS SETTLEMENT.
The first house erected within the present limits of Macon county was the "trading house,"
about eight miles north-east of Decatur, on premises belonging to Wm. C. Johns, Esq. , which was a log structure,
built by Lortons for the purpose of trading with the Indians. A thriving business was carried on by these men until
1825 or 1826, when the Indians ceased to visit this part of the country, except in very small companies. Prior
to that, from 200 to 500 Indians would sometimes be camped in the vicinity at once. The men were principally engaged
in hunting, and would bring to Lortons whatever furs or other articles they had for exchange, and purchase powder,
whisky, blankets, etc. The trading house was erected about the year 1816. The Lortons were from St. Joe, Michigan,
and returned to that place when the Indians left this part of Illinois.
The second house erected in the present limits of Macon county was built by William Downing, near
the present residence of Capt. D. L. Allin [ed., Captain
David L. Allin] on the south side of the Sangamon River. This was in fact the first residence, for the one
built by Lortons was not intended as a permanent residence, but only for the purpose of trafficking with the Indians
so long as they remained in the vicinity.
Downing is said to have come into this vicinity for the purpose of trapping and gathering honey. He
left the neighborhood of Vandalia in the spring of 1820, and built his cabin some time in the fall of that year.
Downing remained here but a short time, and sold his "improvements" to John
Ward, upon the latter's arrival in this vicinity. He then removed to Bond
County, Illinois, where he lived a great many years. It is regretted that a more extended sketch of Downing
cannot be given in this connection, but he was here but a few years, and there is, perhaps, but one man now living
in the county who was here any portion of the time that Downing was; and it being over half a century since, he
remembers but little of the old trapper and bee hunter.
The next house built was by Buel
Stevens, in 1822, near what is now known as Stevens' Creek, about three miles northwest of Decatur. This became
the nucleus of what was afterwards known as the Stevens' Settlement, which, with the Ward Settlement, on the south
side of the river, were the only settlements within the present line of Macon county until about the year 1828,
when people began to come into the county, and settle both up and down the river.
For an account of the early settlements made within what was then Macon, but which now constitutes Piatt
County, we make the following extracts from a historical sketch of the latter county, read at Monticello on
the Fourth of July, 1876, prepared by a committee consisting of William H. Piatt, Ezra Marquis and C. D. Moore,
old and respected citizens of that county :
"Settlements commenced as early as 1823 -- over half a century ago. The first known settler in
the territory comprising Piatt County was George Hayworth,
a Quaker from Tennessee, who, in 1823, located on a piece of land included in the present city limits of Monticello,
and built the first cabin. This historic structure is still standing in Monticello, and is used for a stable.
He was joined during the same year by a Mr. Daggett, who erected a cabin on a spot just north of Monticello,
where N. E. Rhodes barn now stands. On the following March, 1824, Abraham Haneline, of Green County, Ohio [ed.,
Greene County, Ohio], moved here with his sons, including
Nathan, who is the oldest resident now living in the county. They located in the Sangamon timber, about four miles
northeast of Monticello, at Coon's Spring.
About the same time James and John Martin, from Virginia, built on Furnes' Run, about a mile above the spring.
The next year brought another settler by the name of York, who stopped near the mouth of Goose Creek.
In 1828 James A. Piatt, Sen., formerly of Ohio, but later of Indianapolis, Indiana, purchased the claim of Hayworth,
and in April, 1829, moved upon the claim with his family. In the autumn of the same year, Jeremiah Terry settled
on what is now the Piatt county fair grounds.
In 1831, Peter Souders, of Lee county, Virginia, moved his family to the northeast part of the county,
in the Sangamon timber. Settlers now began to increase more rapidly, but the rich, rolling prairie, with all its
fertility and beauty, seemed to have few charms as a dwelling place for these early settlers. Instead, they invariably
selected some spot in the timber for their abiding place, and it was not long before the first settlers had neighbors
in all the belts of timber that line the banks of the Sangamon, Okaw, Camp Creek, Goose Creek, Willow Branch and
Madden's Run.
Among the early settlers that followed close upon the heels of those already mentioned, were Abraham
and Ezra Marquiss, of Ohio; George Widick, a Mr. Dillow, James Chambers of Kentucky; John Madden, John Argo, William
Wright, Peter Croninger, I. V. Williams, Joseph Mallory, George Boyer, Samuel and Jacob Cline, Thomas Welch, John
Bailey, George Evans, A. Rizor, Samuel Suver, John Hughes, A. J. Wiley, Luther and Joe Moore, William Monroe, Simon
Shonkwiler, Daniel Stickel, and others."
We are also permitted to make the following extract from the history of DeWitt
County, by Mr. W. L. Glessner, of Clinton, which was prepared for the Fourth of July celebration of the present
year, and published in the Clinton Register of the 7th of July, 1876. It will be remembered that the portions of
DeWitt county referred to, constituted a part of Macon until 1839, so that all the settlements referred to were
made in what was then Macon county, and are interesting as a part of Macon county history:
" The first settlers of DeWitt County,
as near as I have been able to ascertain, were a party consisting of six persons: Zion Shugart, Edom Shugart, their
mother, Elisha Butler and his wife, and John Coppenbarger, of whom the only living member is Edom Shugart, who
now resides at Marysville, Nebraska. This party arrived in what is now section seven, Tunbridge township (on what
is known as the Emily Hayes farm), on the 29th day of October, 1824. They put up a hastily constructed log cabin,
and made ready for the winter.
During the winter of 1824, Nathan Vestal, with a large family, moved in and settled a short distance
from the Shugarts, and in the following spring John Coppenbarger removed his family into the neighborhood, and
thus was commenced the settlement of that portion of the territory of Illinois now known as DeWitt
County.
During the winter of 1824 a little girl of Nathan Vestal's died, and was buried on the hill near Emily
Hayes' residence. As there was no lumber in the country, a coffin was made by splitting slabs out of trees and
hewing them into shape.
The nearest settlement to the Shugarts', at that time, was the residence of a man named Laughery,
ten miles down Salt Creek, in what is now Logan county.
"Another settlement was made in what was called Fork Prairie, in the vicinity of the present
town of Marion, in 1831 and '32, the first settlers being Thomas R. Davis, James Morris, John Morris, Benjamin
Lisenby, Alexander Dale, Josian Harp, Charles McCord and Hugh Davenport.
"The first settlement about Clinton was made by Joseph (or Josiah) Clion, in 1830. He erected
a cabin on what is now known as the Paschal Mills farm, about one mile west of Clinton."
There were also early settlements made in what was then this county, but which now forms a part of
Moultrie, as early as 1829 and '30.
It is worthy of remark that the first who came here, as a general thing, commenced their improvements
in the timber. But few, for a great many years, thought it advisable to attempt farming in the prairie. They at
first were not satisfied that crops could be successfully cultivated there. It was almost the unanimous opinion
that the large prairies never would be in a state of cultivation, but useful only for grazing purposes.
Another obstacle was in the way for a good many years, and that was there were no plows suitable
for breaking the prairie land. The sod was very much tougher then than it was in after years when the stock had
pastured the prairies and killed out the grass to some extent.
It would be astonishing to many of our present residents to see the immense crops of prairie grass
that in early days grew upon their present fields. It grew in places to the height of from six to twelve feet,
and was "almost as thick" some of the old settlers say, "as the hair on a dog's back." It was
these immense crops of grass that furnished the fuel for the terrible fires that swept over the prairies during
the fall season of the year, and were so often productive of loss of life and property.
And then, again, there was so much of the prairie land that was considered too wet to be ever suitable
for cultivation. Thousands of acres that now constitute some of the best farms, in the highest state of cultivation,
and possessing the very richest of soil, were condemned as swamp lands. The fact is that there is much of the land
of Macon county that is now considered high and dry, or at least sufficiently so for all practical farming purposes,
that was so wet that during a greater portion of the year it was absolutely dangerous to ride over it on horseback,
for fear of miring.
There was another drawback in the settlement of the prairies, and that was the great labor and cost
of fencing. It is a well authenticated fact that the northern portion of Illinois might have been under a general
state of improvement a great many years sooner than it was, but for the difficulty and great expense of fencing
the farms. The Supreme Court of this State, at an early day, entertaining the idea generally prevailing, that our
immense prairies would always remain commons, and used only for pasturing purposes, reversed the common law idea
prevailing almost universally, in consequence of which every man was compelled to fence his entire farm so as to
keep his neighbor's stock out, in order to protect his crop.
It would have been much less expensive for each man to have protected himself against his own stock,
than to have protected himself against the stock of the entire neighborhood. This decision of the Supreme Court,
requiring stock to be fenced out instead of in, has been the most expensive decision to the people of Illinois
of any other, perhaps, ever made. It has cost the farmers of Macon county, who entered their land of the government,
more to build these fences and keep them in repair, by far, than the land cost, and all the necessary implements
of husbandry. Our prairies would have been in a splendid state of cultivation long before they were, but for the
inability of the people to build the necessary fences to protect their crops from destruction by the few cattle
that were permitted to run at large and feed on the commons or speculator's land. One-tenth of the land that might
have been in cultivation but for the expense of fencing, would have produced more than sufficient corn to have
fattened all the hogs running at large merely for the sake of the fall masts.
Another thing retarded the early settlement of the county to some extent, which was the fact of speculators
and capitalists from the east coming into the county and buying up large tracts of the best and most available
lands, and holding them for an advance in price occasioned by the development and improvement of the surrounding
lands. Every person who came into the county to make it his home was welcomed. He was assisted in every possible
way to induce him to become a resident.
But the speculator, who brought nothing into the county, and did nothing whatever to develop the growth
of the country by building or improvements of any kind, was not held in very high esteem by the residents generally.
He bought his lands and paid the small annual assessments thereon, and waited for other people's labor and money
to enhance the value of his investments.
It should be mentioned, however, in this connection, that Philo Hale, who owned as much if not more
land in Macon county than any one else, was an exception to the rule just stated. He owned large bodies of land
in the county, but he came here and made this his home. He was one of the people.
He induced others to come, and did all in his power to advance the material prosperity of the county.
He published in the eastern papers flaming accounts of our rolling prairies, rich soil, etc., etc. The people of
the county were often astonished at reading in the newspapers published in the eastern States, glowing accounts
of large and enthusiastic mass meetings, at which Judge so and so presided, and Captain so and so acted as secretary,
when and where resolutions were passed endorsing this or that local improvement, and expressing the gratitude of
the people for the rapid progress in the construction of a railroad from Chicago to St. Louis or Chicago to New
Orleans, or Vincennes to Nauvoo!
Of course the meetings and the resolutions passed only existed in the mind of Mr. Hale, and, of course,
the result to be accomplished was commendable, whether some of the means he resorted to were justifiable or not.
Had he lived to old age, Mr. H. would have been instrumental in aiding immensely in the material advancement and
improvement of the county.
Another obstacle was also in the way of the rapid advancement of the country, and that was, the lack
of markets for the produce raised, which continued until railroad facilities were offered by the opening of the
great Western Railroad (now T. , W. & W. R. R. ), and the Illinois Central -- the former in 1852, and the latter
in 1854.
The hogs and cattle sold had to be driven overland to St. Louis, Chicago and other markets. There
was no sale, of course, for corn -- or comparatively none -- and wheat, when hauled to Springfield, but very seldom
realized over thirty-three cents per bushel, so that there was no impetus given to the raising of grain of any
sort, except for home consumption.
But upon the construction of the railroads above mentioned, dividing the county into four quarters,
a new era commenced in the history of Macon county. The fact is, that the day that the first train of cars ran
into Decatur, is the day from which the material advancement of Macon county dates. That was the beginning of our
improvements; that was the beginning of our settlement proper; that was the beginning of our agricultural development.
It was the commencement of our manufacturing institutions; it was the commencement of the city of Decatur.
According to the United States census for 1850, the entire population of Macon county at that time
was but 3,998. From 1850 to 1870 -- a period of twenty years -- the population had increased to 26,481. In 1830,
the year after the organization of the county, our population was but 1,133, so that the increase in population
for the twenty years preceding the construction of our two leading railroads was but 2,876, and for the twenty
years following was 22,483.
In 1850 but a small portion of our prairies were in cultivation, but now they are a solid mass of farms, and many
of them are in a splendid state of cultivation. There were in cultivation during the year 1876, 258,315 acres of
land.
But it must be remembered that this vast body of land now in cultivation, does not produce as much by one half
as it is capable of under a judicious and systematic treatment, such as we find in some of the older states.
Another influence also operated in retarding the rapid settlement of the county during its early history,
and that was what was variously styled the "ague," "chills and fever," and "Illinois shakes."
It was a terror to newcomers. In the fall season of the year, like Brady's bitters, everybody took it. It was no
respecter of persons; everybody shook with it, and it was in everybody's system. They all looked pale and yellow,
as though they were frost-bitten.
It was not contagious, but was a kind of miasma that floated around the atmosphere and was absorbed
in the system. It kept on absorbing and accumulating from day to day, until the whole body corporate became charged
with it as with electricity, and then the shock came; and the shock was a regular shake, with a fixed beginning
and an ending, coming on each day, or each alternate day, with a regularity that was surprising. And after the
shake, then came the fever, and this "last estate was worse than the first."
It was a burning hot fever, and one that lasted for hours. When you had the chill you couldn't get
warm, and when you had the fever you couldn't get cool. It was awkward in this respect. It was, indeed. It would
not stop, either, for any sort of contingency. Not even a wedding in the family would stop it. It was imperative
and exacting. When the appointed hour came around, everything else had to be stopped to attend to its demands.
It didn't have any Sundays or holidays.
After the fever went down, you didn't still feel much better. You felt as though you had gone through
some sort of a collision, and came out not killed, but badly demoralized. You felt weak, as though you had run
too far after something, and then didn't catch it. You felt languid, stupid and sore, and was down in the mouth
and heel and partially raveled out, so to speak. Your back was out of fix, and your appetite was in a worse fix
than that. Your eyes had more white in them than usual, and altogether, you felt poor, disconsolate and sad. You
didn't think much of yourself, and didn't believe other people did either. Your didn't care whether there was any
school or not. You didn't think much of suicide, but at the same time you almost made up your mind that under certain
circumstances it was justifiable. You imagined that even the dogs looked at you with a kind of self-complacency.
You thought the sun had a kind of sickly shine about it. About this time you came to the conclusion that you would
not take the whole State of Illinois as a gift, and picked up Hannah and the baby and your traps, and went back
"yander" to Injeany [ed., Indiana], Ohio, or old Kaintuck [ed., Kentucky].
The above is no picture of the imagination. It occurred in hundreds of cases. It put us in bad repute
with our neighbors, and for that reason they refused to come and settle with us. Whole families would sometimes
be sick at once, and not one member scarcely able to wait on the others. And when an emigrant happened to stop
in a neighborhood affected with this disease, he did not stay long.
Persons emigrating to the county usually selected their locations and commenced their improvements
on government land, and waited until they were able to amass from the scanty resources enough to purchase the forty
or eighty acres -- as the case might be -- at the sales at the land office at Vandalia.
In the earlier days the government price of land was fixed at $1.25 per acre. Amusing incidents are
related in connection with the races that were sometimes made by different persons desiring to enter the same piece
of land. It was not unfrequent that men who had about exhausted their means in reaching the country, and had labored
hard and undergone all sorts of privations in securing a comfortable home and other necessary improvements, and
had, perhaps, a few acres of ground in cultivation--when they had at last obtained, by the strictest economy, or
perhaps borrowed enough money, to purchase from the government their little forty-acre home, found that some speculator
had preceded them and entered their land. It is said, however, that in some instances the speculator did not retain
the improvements; for, by some magical power or otherwise, in a remarkable short space of time almost, the identical
improvements appeared at some other locality not far away, and having the same occupants.
The first piece of land ever entered in Macon county was the west half of the northeast quarter of
section thirty-one, in township sixteen north, range two east of the third principal meridian, on the ninth day
of November, 1827, by Lewis B. Ward. This
was owned by Mr. Ward until the fall of 1876, when it was sold to Bartley G. Henry. There were about eight hundred
acres of land entered during that year, and there is now probably not an acre of land in the county belonging to
the government.
Smith, J. W. (1876). History of Macon County, Illinois, from its organization to 1876.
Springfield, Ill: Rokker's Printing House. Transcribed and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards.
ORIGINAL COUNTY OFFICERS
COUNTY JUDGES
Daniel McCall, First County Judge.
Charles Emerson, Second County Judge
Kirby Benedict, Third County Judge
Dr. John G. Spear, Fourth County Judge
Thomas H. Read, Fifth County Judge
William Prather, Sixth County Judge
John Rickets, Seventh County Judge
Samuel F. Greer, Eighth County Judge
CIRCUIT CLERKS
D. McCall, First Circuit Clerk
H. M. Gorin, Second Circuit Clerk
N. W. Peddicord, Third Circuit Clerk.
William Prather, Fourth Circuit Clerk
Joseph Q. A, Odor, Fifth Circuit Clerk
William L. Hammer, Sixth Circuit Clerk
E. McClellan, Seventh Circuit Clerk
COUNTY CLERKS
D. McCall, First County Clerk
H. M. Gorin, Second County Clerk
N. W. Peddicord, Third County Clerk
E. B. Hale, Fourth County Clerk
Warner W. Oglesby, Fifth County Clerk
Samuel Rea, Sixth County Clerk
I. C. Pugh, Seventh County Clerk
H. W. Waggoner, Eighth County Clerk.
SHERIFFS
William Warnick, First Sheriff
John McMennamy, Second Sheriff
James Stevens, Third Sheriff
William Wheeler, Fourth Sheriff
Samuel Rea, Fifth Sheriff
Stephen M. Whitehouse, Sixth Sheriff
E. McClellan, Seventh Sheriff
George Goodman, Eighth Sheriff
John W. Bear, Ninth Sheriff
A. A. Murray, Tenth Sheriff
John E. Jones, Eleventh Sherif
James Travis, Twelfth Sheriff
George M. Wood, Thirteenth Sheriff
I. D. Jennings, Fourteenth Sheriff
Martin Forstmeyer, Fifteenth Sheriff
COUNTY TREASURERS
B. R. Austin, First County Treasurer
John Miller, Second County Treasurer
James Johnson, Third County Treasurer
Joseph Hostetler, Fourth County Treasurer
Joseph Stevens, Fifth County Treasurer
James Renshaw, Sixth County Treasurer
David Davis, Seventh County Treasurer
Henry Snyder, Eighth County Treasurer
Thomas H. Read, Ninth County Treasurer
George Powers, Tenth County Treasurer
Samuel C. Allen, Eleventh County Treasurer
I. C. Pugh, Twelfth County Treasurer
William Cantrill, Thirteenth County Treasurer
Ira B. Curtis, Fourteenth County Treasurer
William M. Boyd, Fifteenth County Treasurer
R. H. Park, Sixteenth County Treasurer
George M. Wood, Seventeenth County Treasurer
STATE’S ATTORNEYS
D. L. Bunn, Ninth State's Attorney. --He was appointed prosecuting attorney
by Gov. Yates, in 1862, to fill out the unexpired term of James P. Boyd, and was re-elected in 1864, and served
four years, and then "retired in good order." Mr. B., in his official capacity, was regarded by all as
a successful prosecutor, and faithfully discharged the duties of his office.
M. B. Thompson, Tenth States Attorney. --He was elected state's attorney
in 1868, for the seventeenth judicial circuit, of which Macon County formed a part at that time.
Chas. C. McComas, Eleventh State’s Attorney. -- Was elected
prosecuting attorney for Macon County, being the first elected for the County under the constitution of 1870.
L. A. Buckingham, Twelfth State's Attorney. -- In Nov., 1876, was
elected state's attorney for Macon County for the period of four years.
MASTERS IN CHANCERY
I. C. Pugh, First Master in Chancery
Wm. a. Barnes, Second Master in Chancery. -- Was Master in Chancery from
18 -- to 1864.
R. H. Merriweather, Third Master in Chancery. -- He was appointed Master
in Chancery in May, 1864, and continued to hold the office until January, 1874.
John A. Brown, Fourth Master in Chancery. -- He was appointed by Judge
C. B. Smith master in chancery of Macon County, in 1873, and has performed the duties pertaining to the office
faithfully and efficiently.
At the time of the formation of the county, all county affairs were transacted
by the County Commissioners' Court, which was composed of three men, who were usually selected with reference to
their qualifications for the peculiar and responsible duties of the office. This court assumed jurisdiction upon
almost all manner of subjects, except the exercise of judicial functions, and the record shows that, even in this
respect, upon one occasion at least, the court assumed to fine a man for an indignity to that honorable body, which
supposed indignity the court characterised as "flouting," whatever that may mean.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ COURT established under act of
March 22, 1819.
♦These Commissioners were allotted to the respective terms opposite their names by
the County Clerk, under an act approved March 1st, 1837. Under this act the term of service of the County Commissioners
was fixed at three years, one to be elected each year.
It will be noticed that there are but two members of the above court remaining
in Macon county, viz: James D. Tait and Samuel
Rea. The others are either dead or have ceased to be residents.
By an act of the Legislature, approved February 12, 1849, the County Commissioners'
Court was abolished, and the County Court established, This act provided for the election of a county judge and
two additional justices of the peace, whose duty it should be "to sit with the county judge as members of
the court, for the transaction of all county business." The County Court was in existence from 1850 to 1860.
The following constituted our County Court during that period:
COUNTY COURT.
| 1850-51 |
William Prather, County Judge. |
Jacob Hostetler, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1851-52 |
William Prather, County Judge. |
Jacob Hosteller, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1852-53 |
William Prather, County Judge. |
Jacob Hostetler, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1853-54 |
William Prather, County Judge. |
Jacob Hostetler, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1854-55 |
William Prather, County Judge. |
Jacob Hostetler, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1855-56 |
William Prather, County Judge. |
Jacob Hostetler, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1856-57 |
John Rickets, County Judge. |
Jacob Hostetler, Associate Justice. |
John Rucker, Associate Justice. |
| 1857-58 |
John Rickets, County Judge. |
Jacob Spangler, Associate Justice. |
M. G. Camron, Associate Justice. |
| 1858-59 |
John Rickets, County Judge. |
Jacob Spangler, Associate Justice. |
M. G. Camron, Associate Justice. |
| 1869-70 |
John RicketsCounty Judge. |
Jacob Spangler, Associate Justice. |
M. G. Camron, Associate Justice. |
There are but three members of the old County Court now living, viz : Judge John Rickets, and
Associate Justices Jacob Spangler and M. G. Camron.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. *
Note. -- On the 17th of February, 1851, an act was passed authorizing counties to adopt the system of "Township
Organization" therein prescribed, upon the petition and vote of citizens of the county. At the September term,
1859, of the County Court, a vote of the county was authorized to be submitted to the legal voters at the November
election ensuing. The proposition to go into township organization was carried, and at the December term following
of the County Court, William Cantrill [sic] [ed., probably William
Cantrall], David Garver and James Dingman, were appointed as commissioners to divide the county into townships,
which they did, and reported to the court their action on the 14th of January, 1860. At that time the county was
divided into fourteen townships, as follows:
- Friends Creek
- Maroa
- Montgomery (afterwards changed to Austin)
- Bull Point (afterwards changed to Hickory, and then to Hickory Point)
- Decatur
- Long Creek
- Whitmore
- Oakley
- Harris (afterwards changed to Harristown
- Wilson afterwards changed to Mt. Zion)
- South Wheatland
- South Macon
- Madison (afterwards changed to Blue Mound)
- Niantic. Illini, Milam, and Pleasant View have been since formed of parts of
other townships.
1860
Austin, James Parker
Blue Mound, J. C. Armstrong
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Decatur, John W. Koehler, ast.
Friends Creek, D. K. Wilson
Harristown, Abraham Eyman
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden
Long Creek, John Rucker
Maroa, William Crawford
Mt. Zion, W. C. Meyers
Niantic, J. H. Hughes
Oakley, G. W. Forest
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
South Macon, W. D. Hamilton
Whitmore, Jas. Lichtenberger
1861
Austin, J. S. Parker
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Decatur, John W. Koehler, ast.
Friends Creek, D. K. Wilson
Harristown, J. H. Pickrell
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden
Long Creek, John Rucker
Maroa, W. F. Crawford
Mt. Zion, W. C. Meyers
Niantic, J. H. Hughes
Oakley, G. W. Forest
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
South Macon, L. M. Clement
Whitmore, Henry Rhodes
1862
Austin, A. Emery
Blue Mound, F. A. Brown
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Decatur, John W. Koehler
Friends Creek, Comely Lukens
Harristown, J. B. Hanks
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden
Long Creek, John Rucker
Maroa, W. F. Crawford
Mt. Zion, B. W. Davidson
Niantic, J. A. Pritchett
Oakley, Laban Chambers
South Macon, A. H. Martin
South Wheatland, L S. Boardman
Whitmore, Jas. Lichtenberger
1863
Austin, J. S. Parker
Blue Mound, F. A. Brown
Decatur, B. F. Dillehunt
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Friends Creek, Andrew Dickey
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden
Long Creek, John S. Kizer
Maroa, W. F. Crawford
Mt. Zion, B. W. Davidson
Niantic, J. W. Corbett
Oakley, H. McCoy
South Macon, W. W. Dean
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
Whitmore, John Gill
1864
Austin, J. S. Parker.
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett
Decatur, David Morgan
Decatur, J. E. Roberts
Friends Creek, Comely Lukens (resigned)
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden
Illini, J. H. Pickrell
Long Creek, John W. Tyler
Maroa, W. F. Crawford
Mt. Zion, John Scott
Niantic, J. W. Corbett
Oakley, H. McCoy
South Macon, Frank Babcock
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
Whitmore, Charles Wooster
1865
Austin, J. S. Parker
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett
Decatur, David Morgan
Decatur, W. O. Jones
Friends Creek, D. K. Wilson
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, J. Y. Braden
Illini, John S. Childs
Long Creek, John W. Tyler
Maroa, Anderson Franklin
Mt. Zion, Jehu Scott
Niantic, J. W. Corbett
Oakley, O. J. Doyle
S. Macon, Frank Babcock
South Wheatland, L S. Boardman
Whitmore, Joshua Green
1866
Austin, C. F. Emery
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Decatur, W. A. Barnes
Friends Creek, William Daves
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, W. F. Montgomery
Illini, J. S. Childs
Long Creek, John W. Tyler
Maroa, John Crocker
Mt. Zion, John A. Henry
Niantic, J. W. Corbett
Oakley, O. J. Doyle
South Macon, N. Failing
South Wheatland, Jno. Montgomery
Whitmore, Joshua Green
1867
Austin, C. F. Emery.
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett.
Decatur, W. A. Barnes
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Friends Creek, William Daves
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, W. F. Montgomery
Illini, J. S. Childs
Long Creek, J. S. Kizer
Mt. Zion, J. A. Henry
Niantic, A, W. Pritchett
Oakley, E. Rhodes
South Macon, N. Failing
South Macon, R. Gray
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
Whitmore, Jas. Lichtenberger
1868
Austin, T. B. Campbell
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer
Friends Creek, S. Payne
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, H. S. Mannon
Illini, J. C. Tucker
Long Creek, Joseph Spangler
Mt. Zion, J. A. Henry
Niantic, Sheldon Parks
Oakley, E. Rhodes
South Macon, Joel T. Walker
South Macon, John Lyon
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
Whitmore, J. G. Harnesberger
1869
Austin, Robert T. Morris
Blue Mound, W. T. Moffett
Decatur, James Milliken
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer
Friends Creek, Payne & Swantes
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, A. McBride
Illini, J. J. Bachelder
Long Creek, Samuel Gillispie
Macon, Joel T. Walker
Maroa, John T. Lyon
Mt. Zion, R. M. Foster
Niantic, Shaw Pease
Oakley, Reed Spencer
Pleasant View, D. Powles
South Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
Whitmore, J. G. Harnesberger
1870
Austin, Peter Bennett
Blue Mound, R. H. Hill
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer
Decatur, Reuben Betzer
Friends Creek, F. Swantes (resigned & T. H. Barr Appointed)
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, A. McBride
Illini, J. J. Bachelder
Long Creek, J. Benson Myers
Macon, J. T. Walker
Maroa, John T. Lyon
Milam, J. B. Gleason (organized in 1869)
Mt. Zion, R. M. Foster
Niantic, Thomas Acom
Oakley, Reed Spencer.
Pleasant View, D. D. Powles
Wheatland, I. S. Boardman
Whitmore, Jas. Lichtenberger
1871
Austin, C. F. Emery
Blue Mound, R. H. Hill
Decatur, Joseph Mills
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer
Friends Creek, John Marsh
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, A. McBride
Illini, J. C. Tucker
Long Creek, J. B. Myers
Maroa, Samuel Lowe
Milam, G. A. Bartlett
Mt. Zion, William Davis
Niantic, S. Parks
Oakley, E. Rhodes
Pleasant View, D. D. Powles
South Macon, J. T. Walker
South Wheatland, Hiram Ward
Whitmore, Joshua Green
1872
Austin, D. Patterson
Blue Mound, D. F. Barber
Decatur, H. Hummell
Decatur, Jacob Spangler
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, A. McBride
Illini, J. C. Tucker
Long Creek, A. T. Davis
Maroa, Jason Rogers
Milam, G. A. Bartlett
Mt. Zion, G. A. Smith
Niantic, John Gordy
Niantic, S. Parks
Oakley, Read Spencer
Pleasant View, John Hatfield
South Macon, N. Failing
South Wheatland, Hiram Ward
Whitmore, Joshua Green
1873
Austin, D. Patterson
Blue Mound, Frank Coleman
Decatur, David S. Hughes
Decatur, Jacob Spangler
Friends Creek, R. H. Park
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, H. Lehman
Illini, L. R. Morse
Long Creek, A. T. Davis
Macon, N. Failing
Maroa, John Orr
Milam, J. W. Rogers
Mt. Zion, Wm. Davis
Niantic, James Dingman
Oakley, Dr. S. Cooper
Pleasant View, E. House
South Wheatland, H. Ward
Whitmore, J. C. Ruddock
1874
Austin, Robert Morris
Blue Mound, Frank Coleman
Decatur, David Hughes
Decatur, H. Hummel
Decatur, Jacob Spangler
Friends Creek, J. Ruddock
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, A. McBride
Long Creek, Samuel Gillispie
Macon, W. S. Gage
Maroa, Jason Rogers
Maroa, John Orr
Mt. Zion, Wm. Davis
Niantic, James Dingman
Oakley, Reed Spencer
Oakley, Wm. Grason
Pleasant View, E. House
Wheatland, H. Ward
1875
Austin, Robert Morris
Blue Mound, F. M. Coleman
Decatur, H. B. Durfee
Decatur, Jacob Spangler
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer
Friends Creek, James W. Brown
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, A. McBride
Illini, L. R. Morse
Long Creek, Samuel Gillispie
Maroa, John Orr
Mt. Zion, J. A. Henry
Oakley, William Grason
Pleasant View, E. House
South Wheatland, H. Ward
Whitmore, J. C. Ruddock
1876
Austin, A. Hackyard
Blue Mound, W. T. Moifett
Decatur, D. L. Hughes
Decatur, M. Forstmeyer
Decatur, Samuel Powers
Friends Creek, J, W. Brown
Harristown, M. G. Camron
Hickory Point, Henry Lehman
Illini, L. R. Morse
Long Creek, H. W. Davis
Macon, R. H. Woodcock
Maroa, John Longstreet
Milam, W. E. Kyker
Mt. Zion, W. H. Wallace
Niantic, A. C. Edgar
Oakley, William Grason
Pleasant View, E. House
Wheatland, H. Ward
Whitmore, J. C. Ruddock
The first Circuit Court held in the county was in the town of Decatur, commencing
on the eighth day of May, 1830, and was presided over by Judge Samuel D. Lockwood. Wm. Warnick was sheriff, and
Daniel McCall clerk, and John H. Pugh was prosecuting attorney. There were on the docket for trial, at this term,
the following cases: Thomas Cowan vs. Wm. King, appeal ; John Hanks vs. John Henderson, slander; Wm. Webb vs. Hubbell
Sprague, slander; Wm. Webb vs. Phillip D. Williams, appeal. The two appeal cases were dismissed at the cost of
the defendants, and the first slander suit was dismissed at the cost of the plaintiff, and the second at the cost
of the defendant. At the March term, 1830, of the County Commissioners' Court, the following order was made, and
the persons therein named constituted the first grand and petit jurors:
"Ordered, That the following named persons
appear before the Circuit Court, to be held at Decatur on the sixth day of May next, at the hour of eleven o'clock
A. M., to serve as grand jurors, to-wit: Benjamin
R. Austin, Francis G. Hill,* Robert Foster, William Freeman, Lambert G. Bearden, James
Ward, Jeremiah Ward, William D. Baker*,
Michael Myres [sic], William
Wheeler, Edmund McDaniel,* William Miller,
John Miller, Sr., James Hanks, Isaac Miller, David Miller (2d), Samuel Miller, William King, Thomas Cowan, Luther
Stevens, John Miller (3d), John Hanks,*
and Jonathan Miller; and that the following named persons appear at the Circuit Court, at the time and place above
mentioned, to serve as petit jurors, to-wit: David
Miller, Doras Stevens, Matthias Anderson,
Parmenas Smallwood, James Owens,
Winkfield Everett, William Ward, John Widick,
Samuel Widick, James W. D. Taylor, James A, Ward, James
Myres, John Mowry, Henry Ewing, James Finly, James McGinas, George Widick, Landy Harrell, Peter Walker, William Cox, Berry
Rose, Randolph Rose, David Davis and
John Warnick."
*Four of this grand jury are still living; but none of the petit jury.
Substantially the same juries were selected at the August term, 1829, of the County
Commissioners' Court, to serve at a fall term of the Circuit Court to have been held at the house of James
Ward. The writs issued were returnable at a court to be held at James Wards also; but there is no record of
a court held in the fall of 1829, and one of the jurors who served at the first term of court informs me that it
was held in Decatur in 1830. There is an impression, however, in the minds of many, that the first court was held
at Ward's, four miles south of Decatur.
The grand jury selected as above stated, were charged by John H. Pugh, after which
they retired "to consider the presentments. "On the same day they" returned into court, and having
no business, nor the attorney for the people any for them," were discharged.
There appears to be no evidence as to what attorney attended this term of court,
either from the record files or docket, excepting Mr. Pugh.
The second term of court was held on the second and third days of May, 1831. At
this term there were six cases pending for trial, one of which was an indictment for cheating, on change of venue
from Tazewell county, which was continued. Another was for "damages," which was dismissed by the plaintiff.
The other four cases were for slander, two of which were continued by consent, one dismissed by the plaintiff,
and one tried, in which the jury rendered a verdict of guilty, and assessed the plaintiff's damages at one cent.
The attorneys engaged in these cases were: George Forquer, John H. Pugh, W. L.
D. Ewing, and Hon. John T. Stuart, all of Springfield.
The following persons constituted the grand jury: James
Johnson, foreman; Benjamin Wilson,
Thomas Ward, Ephraim
Cox, Hiram Reavis, William Christopher, John Walker, William
Muirhead, Richard Dauget, Benjamin Frazie, Jacob Coppenbarger, John Ballard, Moses Harrel, Christopher
Miller, Joseph Stevens, John Taylor,
David L. Allin, John Ingram, Reuben
Beecher, Josiah Allen, James Bone, John Smith
and Landy Harrell, who, on being sworn and charged,”retired to consult;" after which they brought
into court one indictment charging the defendant with larceny.
The petit jury at this term was as follows: Emanuel
Widick, Lewis B. Ward, Jacob
Caulk, Elisha Freeman, John Rose, Lemuel Walker, Henry
Traughber, Allen Travis, Kinian Ingram,
Thomas S. Taylor, William Shepard, James Shepard, George Hawks, John Coppenbarger, Alexander Scott, James
Miller, Jonathan Flory, Philip Ballard, Alfred Layman [sic] [ed., Alfred
Laymons], Thomas Johnson, Daniel Shinkle, Abraham Shepard, Isaac Bigelow and Philip D. Williams.
But one of the grand jurors -- David
L. Allin -- and four of the petit jurors are now living. At the close of the first day the court adjourned
until six o'clock the next morning, at which time, it having no further business, adjourned until court in course.
There would be much of public interest connected with a detailed analysis of the
early courts of this county, and a more extensive notice of the lawyers who engaged in the early practice; but
our limits forbid. Many of the illustrious men of this country, who have since become famous in its politics, jurisprudence
and. national history, have practiced at the Macon county bar. Among them we mention : Abraham Lincoln, Stephen
A. Douglas, David Davis, Edward D. Baker, John A. McDougall, Anthony Thornton, Horatio M. Vandeveer, Charles
Emerson, Leonard Swett, John T. Stuart, U. F. Linder, Josiah Lamborn and Stephen T. Logan.
Mr.
Emerson was the first resident attorney, and came here in the spring of 1834*; Kirby
Benedict* was the second, who came here in 1836; and J.
S. Post was the first attorney admitted to practice from the county. George
Powers* and Jerome R. Gorin* were
admitted next in order.
Smith, J. W. (1876). History of Macon County, Illinois, from its organization to 1876. Springfield,
Ill: Rokker's Printing House. Transcribed and annotated by Judy Rosella Edwards.
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