Political

In 1818 the nearest court was in Shawneetown, as there were only 150 people in what was then Franklin Co.  From 1818 to 1826, the area records were kept at the house of Moses Garretts.  In 1820 Lemuel R Harrison did a survey of Frankfort.  Then in 1826 the first court house in the area.  1820-21 the sheriff in Franklin Co area was David W Maxwell, in Wmson Co area was Samuel T Russell. They were followed  by Thomas J Mansfied and John Crawford.

List of Sheriffs--1839 John D Sanders, 1842-44 John M Cunningham, 1846-48 Joel Huffstutler, 1850 John Goodall, 1852 James Marks, 1854 Joel Huffstutler, 1856 Jacob W Sanders,, 1858 Richard T McHaney, 1860 RR Hendrickson, 1862 Lewis Spencer, 1864 RM Allen, 1866 George W Sisney, 1868 Hardin Goodall, 1870 AN Owen, 1872 Z Hudgens, 1874 NE Norris, 1876 Wilson J Caplinger

List of Collectors-- 1839 Wm Hindman, 1840 Wm Dilliard, 1841 James M Furlong, 1842 John S Tutton, 1843 Robert P Erwin, then the office was united with the Sheriffs

List of Judges--Simon Hubbard, WA Denning then Samuel K Casey.  After the division 1849 WH Eubanks, 1855 David Norman, 1869 IM Lewis, Jesse Bishop and JM Spain, now Jesse Bishop.

List of Commissioners--Cyrus Campbell, Starling Hill, FF Duncan, Joab Goodall, John T Damron, RL Pully, Thomas Scurlock, Thomas D Davis, John Brown, Jonathon Jimpson, Wm Hindman, Addison Reece, Bazzell Holland, John H Manier, MS Strike, CM Bidwell, RH Wise and James B Roberts.

List of Circuit Courts--Samuel D Lockwood, Browne and Hardin.  After the division, Walter B Scates, WA Denning, WK Parrish, Willis Allen, WJ Allen, AD Duff and now MC Crawford.

List of People's Attorney--Samuel D Marshall. After the division, WH Stickney, Willis Allen, WA Denning, SS Marshall, FM Rawlins, WK Parrish, John A Logan, MC Crawford, EV Pierce, JM Clemison, CN Damron, FM Youngblood, JB Calvert, JDF Jennings and now JW Hartwell

List of County Clerks--1839 John Bainbridge, 1840 John Hicks, 1841 Elijah McIntosh, 1841 Thomas Davis, 1843 AP Corder, 1848 John White, 1852 John H White, 1861 John M Cunningham, 1865 WN Mitchell, 1869 JW Samuels, 1873 WH Eubanks.  County Clerks did the probate business until 1849

List of Circuit Clerks--1849 John Lowden, 1856 GW Goddard, 1861 John M Cunningham, 1868 JW Hartwell, 1872 CH Dennison and 1876 MS Strike

Most of the people in Wmson Co had come from TN.

There was a county militia until 1845, they held musters at David Norman, John Snider, Thomas Holl, Solomon Sanders homes also at Bainbridge and Sarahville.  In the militia were Maj James Corder, Col Allen Bainbridge, Gen John Davis, Col John S Tulton and Adjustant R Perwin.  In 1832, they were in the Black Hawk War.  Some of the people from Wmson Co were: Hugh, Samuel and Thomas Jackson, James Parks, JR Meredith, William Crain, William Groves, OH Wiley, Capt Obadiah West, 1st Lt Hugh Parks and 2nd Lt Robert West.

The first election was in Sep 1839 to elect Wm Norris, Starling Hill and John T Davis.  The County Commissioners were Duncan, Hill and Campbell, Sanders was the sheriff.  William and Bethany Benson gave 20a of  land to the county in the west half of the SW SW part of section 18 in T9-3.  08 Oct 1840 lots went for sale by John S McCracken in Marion. William T Turner was school commissioner, John Davis was treasurer along with John Davis.  The first act in the county was for the Justice of the Peace to fine Thomas Culbreath for assault and battery of Michael Shanks.  There were five election precincts: Northern, Saline, Grassy, Fredonia and Marion.  There were also 12 road districts.  Henry W Perry did the survey for Marion and by Nov 38 lots had been sold.  The SE corner of what became the square was covered with hazel brush, RM Hundley, Dan Stroud and Jesse Sanders were hired to clear the area. In Dec 1839, Gabriel Sanders began the first clerk's office.  Squire Howell built the first jail and Richard Cook a horse thief was the first prisioner.  John G Sparks was the jailor.  The first whiskey license was  issued to John Davis, then one to a Campbell at Bainbridge and Starling Hill at his house until he moved to Marion.  In Mar 1840 Samuel T Russel was the west assessor and George W Binkley was the east assessor.

In 1841 John Paschal built the court house which was a 2 story brick building, costing $3500.  This one stood until 1859 when it was removed, the bricks were used to build the house on the Brooks farm.  In Mar 1840, the first jury was called, (in 1876) only five men were still living from that time: OH Wiley, Hugh Parks, Thomas Cox, LC Parks and James Shaw.  A poor farm was established about this time and was bought by the county in 1860.  The keepers were Ehud Lamaster, a Roberts, a Cash and a Doty.  Rebecca Hilderbrand lived at the poor farm for 23 years.  In 1840 Warrington K Spiller copied all the land records from Franklin Co records and Starling Hill was Co Comm.  Allen Bainbridge opened the Western Exchange Hotel on the north side of the square in Marion.

In 1846 units formed for the Mexican War.  Capt AP Corder, EA Phillips and a few others joined with Capt HL Webb's 2nd unit.  In 1847 John M Cunningham and 125 men formed Co B 5th IL and went to Alton, IL (in Madison Co).  Jackson Damron and 40 men formed Co E.  Col EWB Nubia and Lt Col Baykins, 1st Lt BF Furlong, 2nd Lt RM Hundley, 3rd Lt DL Pulley, Sgt WH Eubanks, musician Wm Syker, color bearer Harvey Russell.  These groups of men returned in Oct 1848.  Capt James Hampton joined with John A Logan's company.  Thomas I McKinney, then a Pvt with Cunningham later became a general.

In 1852 JM Campbell was given the job of selling the swamp land in the county but he resigned.  James D Pully took over and all the swamp land was sold by 1863, some 23,000a.  In Mar 1858 RM Hundly built a new court house.  This 2nd one burnt down 30 May 1875 along with all the houses on that block.  Lot #2 of block 5 on the original survey was sold 19 Jun 1875.  A room was rented for the court.  Citizens of the county did not want to build a new court house.

Politicians

The first politician was Thomas Roberts of Northern Prec in 1818.  Willis Allen and Allen Bainbridge in 1838 on the question of the division of Franklin Co to form Wmson Co. 1840 Anderson P Corder, a teacher from Franklin Co, came to Wmson Co and became a attorney.  Willis Allen moved to Benton, he was in Congress in 1852 and died 1859, he was the father of WJ Alen.  1848 saw John T Lowden in politics.  1853 Robert J & Clarke Ingersoll came to the county.  In 1854 WJ Allen was admitted to the bar.  The Ingersoll brothers got into it with Josh Allen and left the county in 1856 for Peoria, IL. WJ Allen was in Congress in 1865, then went to Cario, Carbondale and was a law partner with John A Logan.  Capt John M Cunningham the father in law of John A Logan, was made Provost Marshall in the Utah Territory in 1869, where he died in 1874.  His body was brought back to Marion by Mrs Mary Logan.  James D Pully was in the Legislature and Lt Col of the 128th IL Inf, he died 02 Jan 1866.  Col Robert M Hundley also in the 128th, came to Wmson Co in 1838.  George W Goddard was a lawyer and a Capt of Co C 31st IL, in 1876 he was the mayor of Marion.  Others in Marion: AC Nelson, a minister came in 1821; James M Washburn, a lawyer; Jesse Bishop, a judge; Wm W Clemens, a lawyer came in 1862; John H Mulkey, a lawyer in 1856 went to Cario; George W Young, a lawyer and Lt in Civil War; and Jerome B Calvert, a lawyer

Defaulters (stole money) of the county: Sheriff RR Hendrickson in 1862 for $1693, he paid back.  Co Superintendent WR Scurlock in 1864 for $750, bondsman paid.  Co Treasurer James Cheneworth in 1863, (amt not listed) collected in suit to bonds.  States Attornet JDF Jennings in 1875 for $900, suit pending.  Sheriff A Nowen in 1872 for $5000, bailed out suit pending.