As population increased in Union County a few people who were
educated in professions came along with the settlers.
If these people
were measured by the standards of education with which professional people are
today measured they could not be classed as such for in those days there was no
training for the ministry, teaching, medicine and the law in special schools. A
minister became a minister because he "got religion" and while he conducted
meetings he earned his livelihood by farming or other work. Our first settler,
George Wolf, was a Dunkard preacher, and later there were many other religious
groups developed in the county. It is interesting to note all the way thru the
records of Union County that there has always been a well-rounded group of
people made up of all types of people of native white origin.
Preparation
for teaching consisted of a two or three term course in a "subscription school"
where the rudiment of arithmetic, reading, writing and spelling were taught.
This two or three term course did not follow eight or twelve years of previous
schooling but was the complete extent of the teacher's training. A man named
Griffin was the first teacher in Union County. He was followed by Winsted Davie
who had gone to school before he came to Union County. Willis Willard who had
had a little schooling in Vermont before coming here followed him.
Doctors become doctors by reading medicine and practicing under an established
physician and lawyers became lawyers by reading law books and "putting out their
shingles." There were no bar examinations or state medical board examinations.
In fact, most of the people of the times were unlearned and superstitious
and clung to the idea that a sick child had been "witched" and his treatment
consisted of various methods used to break the "spell" the witch had cast over
the child by refusing to lend anything to persons believed to be a witch or by
hanging a bottle of urine in the chimney. The early doctors borrowed some of
their medical practice from the practice of witchcraft, such as the brewing of
teas from certain herbs but the doctors did not use the rituals practiced by the
early "medicine men."
The earliest doctor in the county was Benjamin W.
Brooks who had been educated in the east and traveled extensively before
settling here. His name appears on the county records as a doctor being paid by
the county for caring for paupers, as a surveyor, laying out roads, as a county
commissioner and later as a member of the legislature. He must have been a man
of rare ability for he was active in these many pursuits until his death in
1845. He is one of the few individuals who kept a record of the events of the
period other than the records kept by the county court.
There were more
men "practicing law" in this early period of Union County than those in other
professions. Most of the early commissioners, clerks of the court, constables
and justices of the peace practiced law in a small way.
Among our
earliest lawyers were John Reynolds, who later became Governor of the State,
Daniel P. Cook, presiding judge of the first probate court and James Evans, Esq.
These early lawyers were licensed by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Other names
appearing as lawyers during this period were Richard M. Young, David T. Maddox,
Charles Dunn, Thomas Reynolds, Thomas C. Browne, David J. Baker and Walter B.
Scott.
At that time there were no women in professions. The women who
married became the housekeepers and heads of their own little home industries
which consisted of planting, growing, harvesting, spinning, and weaving flax and
cotton and of grinding corn for meal. The work of the woman was endless because
she was not able to buy many of the necessities of life, all were wrought by the
sweat of her brow. The spinsters who did not marry and become heads of
households became members of a brother's or sister's household. Only a very poor
person "hired out" to earn a home for herself and in most of these instances,
she was treated as a member of the family by whom she was employed. The earliest
business in which women were found were millinery and needlecraft. Several years
later a few were educated enough to become teachers but in the earliest part of
our history, women were not sent to the subscription schools because it was not
necessary for them to know how to read and write. Still, with all this lack of
opportunity and education for women, many of them became outstanding in the
community for the wise way in which they conducted their households and guided
their families.
Although Union County
was not divided into precincts as they now stand, the present political
divisions will be used in this chapter in order to locate our early settlers
more clearly in the minds of the reader.
The present Jonesboro precinct
was the most populous settlement in our early history. Here land was entered by
Israel Thompson, 130.68 acres; Adam Cauble, 124.52 acres; Jacob Rendleman, 400
acres; Edward Vancil, 160 acres; John Crowell, 31.62 acres; John Vancil, 69.50
acres; Wm. Hughes, 80 acres; Jacob Weigh, 80 acres; George Wolf, 720 acres;
Jacob Hunsaker, 240 acres; Jacob Wolf,' 320 acres; Michael Linbaugh, 160 acres;
Jonathan Husky, 80 acres'; William Grammer. 160 acres; John Grammer, 240 acres;
Henry Culph, 80 acres; Jacob Trees, 80.63 acres; Henry Cruse, 80 acres; Joseph
Palmer, 80 acres; Emmanuel Penrod, 160 acres; Geo. Hunsaker, 160 acres; George
Smiley, 40 acres; Russell E. Heacock, 160 acres; Thomas Green, 160 acres; David
Kimmel, 480 acres; Alexander P. Field, 80 acres; Robert Hargrave, 160 acres;
Isaac Tinsley, 80 acres; David Anindel, 280 acres; John Whitaker, 160 acres;
Jacob Butcher, 160 acres; John Weigle, 80 acres; Wilkerson Goodwin, 120.63
acres; and John Waggoner, 40 acres; Anthony Morgan, 80 acres; John Hargrave, 160
acres; William Hunsaker, 40 acres; James Ellis, 160 acres; David Cotner, 160
acres; David Brown, 304.66 acres; Joseph Taylor, 80 acres; J. Taylor and the
legal heirs of J. Hughes, 160 acres. This means that these people obtained this
land from the government by right of settlement upon it and the payment of a
small fee of fifty cents to less than two dollars per acre. By 1835 John Grammer
had donated part of his land to the city of Jonesboro and other land had also
changed hands by right of purchase but the above describes the original
settlement of the precinct.
The settlement of what are now Anna Precincts
was next in size to Jonesboro. Here the following men had entered land as
follows: Peter Casper, 344.58 acres; John Wooten, 160 acres; Conrad Sitter, 160
acres; Anthony Lingle, 200 acres; Henry Barringer, 80 acres; David Crise, 160
acres; Jacob Hunsaker, 160 acres; William Morrison, 340 acres; Robert Crafton,
91.22 acres; Joseph Mcllhaney, 182.46 acres; John Winces, 160 acres; Winsted
Davie, 80 acres; Abner Field, Jr., 160 acres; John Thornton, 80 acres; Thomas
Sams, 80 acres; Rice Sams, 80 acres; John Grammer, 160 acres; Jacob Hunsaker,
Jr., 184.53 acres; John Mcintosh, 80 acres; Daniel Spence, 80 acres; David
Brown, 160 acres; John Weigle, 160 acres; William Craigle, 320 acres; David
Miller, 160 acres; Leonard Knupp, 80 acres; George Cripe, 80 acres; Isaac
Cornell, 160 acres; Peter Miller, 100 acres; John Brown, 160 acres; Nicholas
Wilson, 162.46 acres; Henry Bechtle, 200 acres; George Plott, 80 acres; Lennard
Lipe, 40 acres.
Cobden Precincts were settled by Cornelius Anderson,
180.34 acres; C. B. R. Smith, 40 acres; Aaron Trees, 40 acres; Samuel Hartland,
40 acres; Johnson Summers, 93.57 acres; John Vancil, 40 acres; Duvall Lence, 240
acres; John Lingle, 160 acres; John Lence, 160 acres; John Lence, Jr., 160
acres; Pete Lence, 80 acres; John Harris, 158.55 acres; John Lingle, 184.11
acres; Benedict Mull, £6.01 acres; George Hartline, 93 acres; John R. McFarland,
162.88 acres; Matthias Zimmerman, 41.84 acres; Samuel Penrod, 80 acres; Thomas
Farrill, 80 acres; John Vancil, Sr., 80 acres; Joseph Miller, bU acres; Edmund
Vancil, 240 acres and Isaac Vancil, 320 acres.
Dongola Precincts which
comprise a large portion of the southeastern corner of Union County, were
settled by Thomas Sams, 66.98 acres; John Davis, 95 acres; Daniel Hileman, 80
acres; Moses Shelby, 49.24 acres; Moses Meisenheimer, 80 acres; Peter Cruse, 287
acres; David Penrod, 80 acres; Levi Patterson, 160 acres; Alex Beggs, Jr., 80
acres; John Borin, 160 acres; Daniel Carriker, 40 acres; Philip Hinkle, 80
acres; Henry Bechtle, 80 acres; John Vineyard, 160 acres; Thomas S. Hughes, 80
acres; Joseph Barber, 80 acres; Lost Cope, 160 acres, John Cope, 80 acres;
Joseph Barbee, 1C0 acres; Isaac Beggs, 160 acres; Lewis Penrod, 160 acres; Jacob
Peeler, 40 acres; George Hileman, 40 acres; Alex Beggs, Jr., 240 acres; Tobias
Meisenheimer, 120 acres; A. Meisenheimer, 40 acres; Alex Brim, 160 acres; John
Edelman, 340.18 acres; Adam Edelman, 1D0.29 acres; Hosea Borin, 320 acres;
William Crise, 80 acres; Thomas Mcintosh, 160 acres; Henry Strickler, 40 acres;
Alexander Beggs, 125.98 acres; Thomas Lanes, 80 acres; George W. Brown, 80
acres; Daniel F. Coleman, 160 acres; John Hunsaker, 160 acres; Isaac Braggs,
364.87 acres; George Davis, 160 acres; John Uri, 160 acres; John Yost, 206.89
acres; Wilkinson Goodwin, 160 acres; John Hunsaker, 160 acres; Samuel Hunsaker,
40 acres; Adam Clapp, 320 acres; John Miller, Sr., 160 acres; Augustus Post, 40
acres; George Devolt, 80 acres; Andrew Shaffer, 40 acres; Michael Dillow, 80
acres; Wiley I. Davidson, 40 acres; J. Grammer and J. Bradshaw, McLean, 80
acres; Joseph Crite, 40 acres; George Krite, 40 acres; 80 acres; Benjamin
Menees, 40 acres; John Dillow, 200 acres; James John Bradshaw, 80 acres; John
Saunders, 80 acres and Michael Osman, 40 acres.
Stokes Precinct north of
Dongola and east of Anna was settled by George Evans, 160 acres; John Mowery, 80
acres; Benjamin Menees, 80 acres; William Gwinn, 40 acres; Ambrose B. Rains;
George Hileman, 40 acres; William Smith, 80 acres; W. Davidson and T.
Throgmorton, 160 acres; John Stokes, 80 acres; George Godwin, 80 acres; Jonathan
Boswell, 40 acres; Abner Cox, 160 acres; Richard McGinnis, 160 acres; Caleb
Musgrave, 120 acres; Silas Toler, 40 acres; Isaac Bizzel, 160 acres; Isaiah
Patterson, 95.36 acres; William Cove, 94.62 acres; John Davis, 95 acres; Daniel
Hileman, 80 acres and Moses Shelby, 49.24 acres.
The early settlers of
Saratoga Precinct were William Owen, 120 acres and Thomas Green, 60 acres.
Lick Creek early settlers were John Smith, 80 acres; Thomas D. Patterson,
160 acres; Wyatt Anderson, 40 acres; Zebedee Anderson, 80 acres; Hugh Craig, 160
acres; Heirs of John Cox, 320.25 acres; Nathan Musgrave, 80 acres; John
Bradshaw, 160 acres; Benjamin Menees, 160 acres; George Evans, 160 acres; 1818
Owen Evans, 160 acres, and Nathan Musgrave, 80 acres.
There were no
settlers in Rich Precinct before 1835.
Many people settled near the
river, the only means of long distance transportation at that time.
Reynolds Precinct, the southwest corner of the county, was settled by McDaniel
Dorris, 160 acres; Joseph Smith, 724.38 acres; Daniel Ellis, 80 acres; Stephen
Donohoe, 160 acres; David Brown, 80 acres; Jacob Littleton, 319.91 acres; J.
Mcintosh, 80 acres; James Brown, Sr., 160 acres; L. W. and J. Smith, 480 acres;
Benjamin Harris, 308.90 acres; Caleb Casper, 160 acres; Nicholas Longworth, 160
acres; Benjamin Brooks, 240 acres; Willis James, 40 acres; David Miller, 127.94
acres; Jacob Hileman, 124 acres; Jacob Trees, 206.48 acres and Hithaper A. Same,
80 acres.
Meisenheimer Precinct was settled by Quinton Ellis, 80 acres;
Cliff Hazelwood, 160 acres; Daniel Knupp, 80 acres; David Meisenheimer, 80
acres; J. J. Meisenheimer, 80 acres; Andrew Smith, 80 acres; Samuel Hunsaker,
160 acres; John Knupp, 80 acres; Adam Eddleman, 160 acres; Abraham Brown, 120
acres; Legal Representatives of A. Cruse, 160 acres and John Smith, 40 acres.
Mill Creek Precinct was settled by George Hunsaker, 160 acres; Peter Lence,
206.89 acres; Peter Cruse, 204.87 acres; George Lawrence, 160 acres; Jacob
Hunsaker, 160 acres; Henry Clutts, 202 acres; Christian Miller, 202 acres; James
Weaver, 160 acres; Peter Albright, 80 acres; John Harriston, 80 acres; John
Kimmel, 80 acres; John Fink, 80 acres; Edmund Holleman, 80 acres; Joel M. D.
Herring, 80 acres; Peter Albright, 80 acres; Christopher Barnhart, 40 acres;
John Miller, 160 acres; Michael Holshouser, 160 acres; John Hartline, 80 acres;
Anthony Lingle, 160 acres; Henry Clutts, 103.36 acres; John Whitaker, 160 acres;
John Barger, 160 acres; Philip Shaver, 160 acres; Peter Panless, 80 acres;
Philip Panless, 80 acres; William Worthington, 160 acres; Moses Cruse, 160
acres; John Hoffner, 240 acres; George Medlin, 40 acres and Adam Goodman, 80
acres.
Union Precinct, west of Jonesboro along the Mississippi River was
the most thickly settled district along the river but the majority of the
entries were made between 1825 and 1835 after Willard's Landing had become
established. Those who entered land here were George Smith, 166.04 acres; George
James, 39.70 acres; William James, 40 acres; Franklin M. Bennett, 42.50 acres;
John Dougherty, 42.52 acres; Mirian E. Whitaker, 165 acres; James M. Abernathy,
152.81 acres; Thomas H. Harris, 40 acres; Elijah Willard, 1049.90 acres; Lineas
B. Sublett, 240 acres; S. M. and J. Smith, 160 acres; William Green, 40 acres;
Sarah Robinson, 40 acres; Richard McBride, 160 acres; John Eaton, 40 acres; L.
Lewis and J. Hunsaker, 160 acres; Harrison Ellis, 40 acres; George Kimmel, 40
acres; Vincent Robertson, 80 acres; Jonathan Ellis, 80 acres; Thomas S. Cox, 40
acres; Thomas Green, 160 acres; John McBride, 80 acres; Matson Green, 120 acres;
James Smith, 80 acres; Charles Conaway, 80 acres; William M. Mounts, 40 acres;
David Green, 160 acres; Benjamin J. Harris, 969.21 acres; William Willard, 80
acres; Benjamin Hall, 240 acres; Mica j ah Littleton, 80 acres; William
Littleton, 80 acres; Joseph Joy, Sr., 120 acres; John Price, 40 acres; John
Barker, 40 acres; Caleb and D. Trees, 80 acres; John Summers, 80 acres; Abraham
Summers, 80 acres; William Grammer, 80 acres; Abraham Hunsaker, 40 acres; John
Grammer, Sr., 40 acres; John H. Grammer, 40 acres; Jacob Rentleman, 320 acres;
Calvin Price, 180 acres and Augustus Rixleben, 180 acres.
Farther up the
river Preston Precinct was settled by Thomas H. Harris, 1111.95 acres; Jacob
Crafts, 307.90 acres; Garland Laughlin, 20 acres; John Rorax, 120 acres; John
Baltzell, 71.71 acres; Ninian E. Whitaker, 127.86 acres; J. Carp and T. Craft,
88.86 acres; Joseph Smith, 143.07 acres; George W. G. Henson, 160 acres;
Benjamin Walker, 206.77 acres; Cyrus S. Freeman, 16.28 acres; John Freeman, 80
acres; William Bittle, 40 acres; Thomas Wright, 40 acres; Henry Lyerle, 80
acres; Wm. Shepard, 40 acres, and George Smith, 40 acres.
Alto Pass
Precinct was settled by Henry Rendleman, 40 acres; Solomon Penrod, 80 acres;
Robert W. Croft, 280 acres; Edward Vancil, 160 acres; Caleb Hartline, 40 acres;
John Gregory, 160 acres; Charles Dougherty, 36.89 acres; John Price, 80 acres;
Jacob Lingle, 160 acres, John Vancil, Sr., 120 acres and Peter Dillow, 160
acres.
207 of these entries were made before 1820. Many of these settlers
entered more land after 1835 and by 1835 some of the above mentioned farms had
changed ownership.
The census of 1835 showed that there were 4,147 persons in Union
County, 2,100 males and 2,047 females. Forty-seven of these were negroes and the
remainder white. There was only one person over eighty years old. There were
five shoemakers and saddlers; one tailor, William Kaley; two wagon-makers,
George Knite and David Masters; two carpenters, one named John Rinehart; one
cabinet-maker, a Mr. Bond; two hatters, one of whom was James Hodge; eleven
blacksmiths; three tan yards, one south of Jonesboro owned by Jaccard and one
north of Jonesboro owned by Rendlemans; twelve distilleries; two threshing
machines, one cotton gin, one wool-carding machine owned by Jake Frick; ono
horse and ox mill; 18 horse and ox grist mill; two water saw mills and five
water grist mills.
In 1836 Willis Willard built the first steam saw and
grist mill in the county and in 1838 a steam flour mill was added. The Willard
family also built some of the first frame houses in the county and a store
building in Jonesboro. By 1835 several stores were doing a flourishing business
in Jonesboro. Nimrod Ferguson, Elijah Willard, Winsted Davie and Charles
Rixleben were the owners of stores during this period.
It is evident from
the appearance of new business that the community was growing and that
agriculture was increasing. All the industries and businesses which sprang up
were related to agriculture and were a source of supply for a growing
population.
In the courts appear many new names during the decade
following 1835. Alexander F. Grant and Justin Halin were presiding judges in the
Circuit Court and John Dougherty was prosecuting attorney. In 1836 Jeptha Hardin
presided and in 1837 Walter B. Scates. Wiley Davidson was sheriff and Jacob
Grammer was coroner and W. Davies was still clerk. In 1840 Jacob Davis was
sheriff and Judge C. Campbell was coroner. In 1841 Willis Allen was prosecuting
attorney and another attorney was named Billings. At this term of court, Sidney
S. Condon was appointed clerk. In 1842, John A. McClernand appeared among the
attorneys, Thomas Hodge was sheriff, S. S. Condon, clerk and H. F. Walker,
coroner. W. A. Denning was prosecuting attorney in 1845. In 1844, David Hileman
was probate judge.
During this period Union County was represented in
state government by John S. Hacker, Senator and Brazil B. Craig representative,
1834-36; 1836-38 John Dougherty, representative, 1838-40 John S. Hacker, senator
and Jacob Zimmerman, representative; 1840-42, John Dougherty, representative;
1842-44, John Dougherty, senator and John Cochran, representative.
Between the years 1827 and 1832 the Black Hawk war was waged. Since it was
fought in the northern part of the state, Union County was not affected much by
it but in 1832 an independent company from this county was mustered into the
service of the state. Following is a roster of the company: Captain, B. B.
Craig; First Lieutenant, William Craig; Second Lieutenant, John Newton;
Sergeants, Samuel Morland, Solomon David, Hezekiah Hodges, John Rendleman;
Corporals, Joel Barker, Adam Cauble, Martin Uri, Jeremiah Irvine; Privates,
Aaron Barringer, John Barringer, John Corgan, Matthew Cheser, Daniel Ellis,
William Farmer, Thomas Farmer, Moses Fisher, Abraham Goodin, William G. Gavin,
Hiram Grammer, William Grammer, Lot W. Hancock, Daniel P. Hill, Jackson
Hunsaker, Peter Lense, John Langley Moses Lively, A. W. Lingle, John Murphy, P.
W. McCall, John Morris, Nimrod Mcintosh, John A. Mackintosh, Washington McLean,
Elijah McGraw, John Penrod, John Parmer, John Quilman, W. H. Rumsey, Elijah
Shepherd, Daniel Salmons, Preston I. Staten, John Vincent and Jesse Wright.
During this period the homes of the farmers in the "bottoms" were destroyed
by one of the worst floods in the history of the county. Many homes had been
established in Union, Preston and Reynolds precincts because the river afforded
the only type of long distance transportation available at that time and all
produce had to be hauled in wagons to the river to be sold. It is evident that
the men operating trading posts on the river such as Willard's Landing, due west
of Jonesboro; and Harris' Ferries across the river in the northwest corner of
the county probably did more business than the others because by 1835 Elijah
Willard and Thomas Harris had entered more land than any other men in Union
County. However all this land, fertile when dry enough for a crop, was menaced
by floods. The early settlers were fortunate if they were able to harvest a crop
one out of three years. The spring floods usually destroyed crops planted the
previous fall and prevented the planting of crops in the spring. In 1844 Dr.
Brooks described in his diary, the worst flood that had been known since the
settlement of this county by white people. Following is his account: "The
Mississippi commenced rising on the 18th of May, 1844 and continued rising at
the rate of two feet to thirty inches in twenty-four hours until the first of
June, at which time it stood within eight inches of the flood line of 1808. By
the 10th of June it fell five or six feet, and left the farms in the bottom all
free of water. The bottom farms had been more or less covered with water except
that of Jacob Trees. On the 11th of June, the waters commenced to rise again,
the flood coming down the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and this time it rose
from one foot to eighteen inches in twenty-four hours. This rise steadily
continued until it overflowed the bottom land in Union County from eighteen to
thirty feet deep. This was the depth of the water on the road to Littleton's old
ferry, and also to Willard's landing. Stocks, crops, houses and fences were
carried away in the raging waters. The people made efforts to save their stock,
and called to their aid ferry and coal boats and all floating craft, but soon
they found they could only hope to save a few of their household effects, and
the stock was left to its fate and the people fled to the hills. This rise
continued steadily until June 29, when it came to a stand. On the first of July
it commenced slowly to recede. This was higher water than that of 1808 by ten or
twelve feet. It was higher than was ever known, except in 1785, which Beck says
in his history was the highest water in 150 years. Mr. Cerre, one of the oldest
French settlers of St. Louis said: "The flood was higher by four or five feet in
1785 than in 1844. In 1844 the steamer Indiana transported the nuns from
Kaskaskia Convent to St. Louis. The boat received them from the door of Pierre
Menard's residence, the water in front of the house being fifteen feet in depth.
Two hundred people went from Kaskaskia on the Indiana and about 300 found
shelter at Menard's, while yet others were sheltered in tents on the bluffs. The
loss in the bottoms was at least $1,000,000. From Alton to Cairo there were
288,000 acres of land overflowed. In Randolph county is a document soliciting a
grant of lots from the crown of France, and urging as a reason the great flood
of 1724, which overflowed the village and destroyed it. Great overflows occurred
in 1542, 1724, and 1785, and in 1844. The Mississippi bottoms are now very
clean, as everything is washed off and many of the small trees are killed.
Politics has been one of
the most interesting subjects for conversation since our country began.
Political parties developed as controversial matters arose in the country. Our
first great controversy was whether or not we should remain British subjects and
pay the taxes imposed by that government or whether we should revolt and set up
our own government. Those in favor of remaining British subjects were called
Loyalists or Patriots and those in favor of independence were Federalists. As
long as George Washington lived (December, 1799) the Federalists were in power
but before his death a controversial question had arisen.
Thomas
Jefferson, who had been a Patriot because he belonged to the governing family in
Virginia, but who took active part in the framing of the Constitution of the
United States of America and the setting up of the government of the U. S.
differed with Washington on the matter of the limit of power of the federal
officials. Washington believed in a strong central government which should have
the power to decide all matters of government. Jefferson believed that the
central government, the president, congress and the supreme court, should act
only on matters set forth by the Constitution of the United States. He believed
that all matters not provided for by the Constitution should be settled by the
states according to their own views. However history shows that later, Jefferson
went beyond his principle, because he negotiated the Louisiana Purchase and the
Constitution did not provide for the purchase of new territory by the
government. However at the death of Washington, Jefferson became the leader of
the party in power, Republicans. This party grew so strong that it was
practically without opposition until 1828.
At the time of the first
elections in Union County, the candidates were not elected because they adhered
to opposing party principles due to the fact they were all Jeffersonians — or
Republicans. The choice was made on the basis of personal likes and dislikes
because population was not large and most of the settlers had heard of each
other since nearly all of them had travelled over the same roads to arrive at
their destination.
Note: The writer is indebted to Mr. A. Ney. Sessions
for the record of the 1822 poll books which will be used as typical of the whole
period to 1850.
The poll books of 1822 show that the names of the
candidates were written across the top of the page and the names of the voters
down the left side of the page and opposite his name and under the name of the
candidates was written the voter's choice. The County Board of Commissioners
appointed election judges and clerks for the elections of the year and it was
the duty of the clerk to compile the poll books and the judges to see that he
did his work properly. After the names of the candidates were written across the
tops of the pages, the voters were heard as they arrived at the polls. The voter
told the judge of the election what candidate he wished to vote for and the
clerk placed a mark opposite the voters names under the names of the candidate.
Each voter's name was placed on a new line and a record of his vote was opposite
his name.
In 1822 the candidates and the number of votes cast for each
Governor of Illinois were Thomas C. Brown 96, James B. Moore 9, Joseph Phillips
71, and Edward Coles 75; for Lieutenant Governor, John G. Lofton 22, A. F.
Hubbard 65, James A. Peacock 26, and James Lemons 33; for Congress, John McLean
101, and Daniel P. Cook 157; for Senator, John Whitaker 81, John Grammer 162, R.
E. Heacock 3, and Henry L. Wibb 0; for Representative, John Mcintosh 138, Alex
P. Field 136, James P. Edwards 70, William Echols 107, and John Hunsaker 31; for
Sherff were George Hunsaker 220, and James S. Smith 13; for Coroner, Charles
Daugherty 60, Jonathan Lyerle 88, Wesley G. N'immo 63; for City Commissioner,
Cliff Hazelwood 111, Samuel Hunsaker 135, George Brown 160, Samuel Butcher 97,
Jessie Echols 100, and for delegate to the national convention, William Barton
58.
After the votes were recorded in the poll books and counted the
results were given to the Clerk of the Court who issued a certified statement
giving the names of the two leading candidates for each office.
All of
the freeholders, that is, people owning land were allowed to vote at that time.
There were 235 voters in the 1822 election. In 1850 all free men were allowed to
vote but colored men were not allowed to vote until after the Civil War. This
system of voting was used until 1850. It was easy to see that a man kept his
promise to vote for a certain candidate in those days. An amusing incident is
related about a voter in Johnson County who wished to vote for Lincoln, which
shows how the judges and clerks helped elect their own candidate. It is possible
that no such corrupt practice ever existed in Union County. It seems that it was
generally known that a certain voter was a supporter of Abraham Lincoln and the
judges and clerks of the election were opposed to Lincoln. When the voter came
to the polls to cast his vote the judges and clerks ignored him and he was
forced to go away without being heard. However he met an influential man in the
neighborhood who returned to the polls with him and insisted that his vote must
be recorded
As the population grew and the number of offices and
candidates increased this system of voting became too slow to be useful and the
system was changed to a ballot system.
In the election of 1822 all
candidates were Republicans. Jefferson had done much in aiding with the
settlement of the Northwest Territory and all citizens here followed his
leadership. He had established the new method of surveying, the use of
townships, base lines, prime meridians etc. and had been instrumental in the
government provision that Section 16 of every township should be given by the
government to the township for school purposes. He had also propounded the
theory that religion, morality and knowledge were necessary for good government
and the happiness of mankind.
However, shortly before 1828, Jackson began
to oppose the Republicans with the idea that caucuses were not fair in their
methods of selecting a president and that office seekers should be a direct
choice of the people. Jackson, who was a southerner was opposed to a high tariff
because the southerners exported their cotton to England and other countries had
to buy all their manufactured goods from the northern states or pay a high duty
or tariff for importing them from other countries. Jackson also opposed the
establishment of a national bank, so with these three "planks" he established
the platform of the new "Democratic Party" which has stayed in existence to the
present time, altho some "planks" have been changed in the platform from time to
time,
Jackson was opposed in 1836 by a new party which called itself the
Whigs. The Republican party had died and Jackson's Democratic party had been in
full power until the question of the National Bank arose. The Whigs favored a
National Bank and blamed Jackson with the hard times that had followed the era
of speculation which Jackson had put an end to by ordering all land purchased
from the government to be paid for in gold or silver, thus devaluating the
currency the various banks in the country had put into circulation on the
strength of the fact that they held federal money on deposit in their banks.
In 1840 the Whigs were victorious but did not stay in power long because
they would not express themselves in the campaign regarding their stand on the
annexation of Texas while Polk, the Democrat's candidate openly favored the
annexation.
The next controversial issue to arise was slavery. Two new
parties appeared drawing members from both the Democratic and the Whig parties.
The "know-nothing party" was so-called because its members belong to secret
societies which opposed allowing any foreign born person to hold public office,
and when asked about their policies, always answered, "we don't know".
The Democrats were still intact in the south and Southern Illinois, since this
area was settled by southerners, but in the north two factions of Democrats had
sprung up; the Anti-Nebraska and the Douglas Democrats. The Kansas-Nebraska
bill, sponsored by Stephen A. Douglas, allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide for
themselves whether or not they should be admitted as free or slave states to the
Union. This was contrary to a previous provision that this territory should be
considered slave territory.
Union County followed the rest of the country
in presidential campaigns so that no disrupting issues caused much controversy
until the slave question arose.
Contributed 11 Sep 2017 by Norma Hass, extracted from History of Union County, by Lulu Leonard, published in 1941.
| Jackson | Williamson | |
| MO |
 |
Johnson |
| Alexander | Pulaski |
