Stephenson County, Illinois Genealogy - Political History of Stephenson County

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Stephenson County, Illinois Genealogy

Political History of Stephenson County

On the political history of the county we have but barely touched. As before related the first officers of the county were elected in the spring of '37. The county remained under the commissioner form of government from the time of its organization until the fall of '48, when by vote the people adopted township or ganization and it has remained under that form of government since.

Under the old regime the officers serving the county are as follows: Sheriffs-William Kirkpatrick, 1837; Hubbard Graves, 1838; Oliver W. Brewster, 1840; Joseph McCool 1842; O. W. Brewster, 1844-6; F. A. Strockey, 1848.

County Clerks-O. H. Wright, 1837 to the adoption of the new organization in 1848. Probate Judges-O. H. Wright concurrent with the clerkship from '38 to '41; Thomas J. Turner, 1842-5; Seth B. Farwell, 1.846; C. W. Williams, 1847.

Treasurers - L. O. Crocker, 1841-2; Chancellor Martin, 1843; A. W. Dice, 1844-7. Recorders-J. W. Buckley, 1843; John A. Clark, 1845-7.

Collectors-John R. Howe, 1838; John Gordon, 1840; O. N. Brewster, 1841-7; F. A. Strockey, 1848.

The offices of assessor and treasurer were combined from '37 to '40 with L. O. Crocker incumbent. After the separation he continued as treasurer as stated before.

Assessors-O. W. Brewster, 1841-2; Chancellor Morris, 1843; A. W. Rice, 1844-7. Surveyors-Frederick D. Buckley, 1837-42; A. Chamberlain, 1843; M. Montelius, 1847. Coroners-Lorenzo Lee, 1837; B. R. Wilmot, 1838; Lorain Snow, 1840; Henry W. Hollenbeck, 1841; Isaac S. Forbes, 1844; Henry W. Foster, 1846; Abel Smith, 1848. Commissioners-L. W. Streator, Isaac S. Forbes and Julius Smith, 1837; L. W. Streator, Robert McConnell and John Moore, 1838; Thomas Van Valzah, 1839; J. Corey and B. R. Wilmot 1840; Hubbard Graves and Alfred Cadwell, 1841; James T. Smith and George Reitzell, 1842 ; Joseph Musser, 1843; Ezekiel Brown, 1844; Samuel F. Dodds, 1845; Abner B. Clingman, 1846; John Bradford, 1847; Gustavus A. Farwell, 1848.

Clerks Commissioners' Court-W. H. Hollenbeck, 1837; W. P. Hunt, 1838; W. H. Hollenbeck, 1839-42; William Preston, 1843-7.

School Commissioners-John Rice, 1841; Jared Sheetz, 1843; L. W. Guiteau, 1845-7. State Senators-George W. Harrison, 1838; J. A. Mitchell, 1842; L. P. Sanger, 1846-8. Representatives - Germanicus Kent, 1838; Thomas Drummond, 1840; William Preston, 1842; G. Purinton, 1844; L. H. Brwen, 1846; A. Eads, 1848.

In 1848 the legislature passed an act establishing the plan of township organization and Stephenson county was amongst the first to avail itself of the new provision at an election held November 5, 1849. The officials that have served since that time are as follows County Judge-George Purinton, 1849; John Coates, 1853; W. M. Buckley, 1857; Talcott Ormsbee, 1861; Charles B. Wright, 1863-5; Andrew Hinds, 1869; Henry C. Hyde, 1873-'82; E. P. Barton, 1886; Geo. Wolf, 1890; Jas. H. Stearns, 1894; W. N. Cronkrite, 1898.

States Attorney - Sheldon L. Hall, 1839; Thomas J. Turner, 1846; H. B. Stillman, 184750; Orrin S. Miller, 1851-2; William Brown to 1860; S. D. Atkins to 1864; F. C. Ingles to 1868; D. W. Jackson, to 1872; J. S. Cochran, to 1884; Oscar E. Heard since 1884.

County Clerks-W. Preston, 1849; J. J. Rogers, 1853; David H. Sunderland, from special election June 1855 and again in '57 and 61; George Thompson, 1865-9; I. F. Kleckner, 1873-7; Wm. Stahl, 1882; Hezekiah Poffenberger, 1886 and 1890; F. C. Held, 1894 and 1898.

Circuit Clerks-John A. Clark, 1849-52; Joseph B. Smith, 1852; Luther W. Guiteau, 1856; John W. Shaffer, 1860; Edward P. Hodges, appointed to fill vacancy by resignation November 9, 1863, elected 1864; William Polk, 1868; Aaron W. Hall, 1872; D. S. Brewster, 1876-80-'84; W. F. Goddard, 1892; H. W. Bolender, 1896.

Sheriffs-Peter D. Fisher, 1850; George Reitzell, 1852; Isaac Kleckner, 1854; J. W. Shaffer, 1856; C. F. Taggart, 1858; J. W. Shaffer, 1860; W. W. Robey, 1862; J. J. Piersol, 1864 ; W. F. Robey, 1866; J. R. Hayes, 1868-70; J. J. Piersol, 1872-4; Jesse R. Leigh, 1876-8; Wm. Stewart, 1880-82; Benj.

F. Timms, 1886; Jas. McNamara, 1890; E. B. Clingman, 1894; J. Mason Fox, 1898. Treasurers-Jonathan Reitzell, 1849; W. M. Buckley, 1853; Andrew Hinds, 1855; F. S. Gray, 1857-61; William Young, 1863-5; Robert Cooper, 1869-71; Oliver P. McCool, 1873-5; Charles F. Goodhue, 1877-removed October '78-Wallace W. Hutchinson, special election, November 1877 re-elected 1879; Abraham Gund, 1882; David F. Graham appointed and later elected, 1883; Wm. Stewart, 1886; David F. Thompson, 1890; Homer Niles, 1894; Martin D. Chilton, 1898.

School Commissioners-J. B. Smith, 1849; John Barfoot, 1852; F. W. S. Brawley, 1853-5; Henry Freeman, 1857; H. C. Burchard, 1859; A. A. Carey, 1861-3. In '65 the title was changed to County Superintendent of Schools.

County Superintendents-A. A. Carey, 1865; Isaac F. Kleckner, 1869; Johnson Potter, 1873; Adam A. Krape, 1877-'82; P. O. Stiver, 1886'90; R. W. Burton, 1894-1898.

Surveyors-Marcus Carter, 1859; B. Dornblazer, 1853-7; C. T. Dunham, 1859; William O. Saxton, to fill vacancy, 1860; W. Peters, 1861-3; Christopher T. Dunham, 1865-9; Samuel J. Dodds, 1871; F. E. Josel, 1875; Hiram Shons, 1879; Arthur P. Lagron, 1892; F. E. Josel, 1894; W. H. Shons, 1896.

Coroners-Isaac Bechtol, 1850; George H. Hartsough, 1852; Abel Smith, 1854; Samuel McAfee, 1856; B, P. Belknap, to fill vacancy, 1857; John Washburn, 1858; Levi A. Mease, 1862; W. W. Robey, 1864; F. A. Darling, 1856; Caspar Schultz, 1868; Christian M. Hillebrand, 1869; J. J. Dean, to 1880; Christian Hillebrand, to 1882; Miles Saxby to 1884; O. E. Stearns, to 1892; F. A. Dietrich, to 1896; L. M. Currier, to 1900.

On the adoption of township organization, November 5th, 1850, the county was as now, with the exception of Jefferson set off from Loran, and Kent from Erin on the seventeenth of March, 1856; and Dakota set off from Buckeye in 1860. The first board of supervisors consisted of John I. F. Harmon, chairman; C. E. Epley, J. J. Rogers, George Cadwell, Cor-nelius Judson, Michael Lawver, John Montelius, Daniel Wilson, W. M. Buckley, Conrad VanBrocklyn, Gustavus A. Farwell, Samuel McAfee, Hiram Hart and E. S. Hanchet. The first meeting occured November 11th, and organization effected. Mr. Hanchet being absent John K. Brewster was appointed in his place.

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