Woodford County, Illinois Genealogy Trails

As will be noticed in the original act for the formation of Woodford County, the seat of justice was to remain for two years at the town of Versailles, when the final question as to the place of its location was to be submitted to a vote of the people. As is usual in new counties, many towns and villages of Woodford aspired to the dignity of becoming the county seat, of which the most formidable

contestant was the village of Metamora, then called Hanover. The act had been prepared (Under the supervision of Mr. Bullock and the Versailles party.) giving the people the right to decide the county seat question by vote—under the impression that with the seat of justice at Versailles for two years, it would so increase the importance of the place and the population in its vicinity, as to render the result of a vote favorable to it, but falling somewhat short in their expectations, Mr. Bullock still determined to retain the “court at Versailles” if at all possible, and at the next session of the Legislature, went to Springfield, where he succeeded in getting a bill before the body to locate the seat of justice by three Commissioners—named in the bill—who were supposed to have been selected because of their partiality for the town of Versailles.

Woodford was not yet entitled to a Representative in the General Assembly, but had continued to vote as heretofore, with Tazewell County, whose Representative was Mr. Tackerberry, of Pekin.

On learning of the new movement on foot to locate the county seat by Commissioners, instead of by vote of the people, and which had been represented as being the wish of the latter, Tackerberry wrote to John Page, Sr., of Hanover, and was informed by Mr. Page of the true state of affairs, that the people had expected to vote upon the question, and was ready at any time to settle it in that way.

Page and S. S. Parks hastened to Springfield, when they found the bill had passed to its second reading, and with all their “lobbying,” and “log rolling,” could only succeed in getting a “supplemental act” to the original, giving them two additional Commissioners, we believe, of their own selection.

A meeting of these Commissioners was called at Versailles, in June, 1843, for the purpose of settling the mooted question.

The five Commissioners were J. L. Sharp, of Fulton County; L. A. Hanaford, of Peoria; John H. Harris, of Tazewell; James K. Scott, of De Witt and John H. Bryant, of Bureau, a brother of Wm. Cullen Bryant, the poet.

There still seems to have been wire pulling, even after the passage of the acts, and the appointment of the Commissioners, together with time which was to settle the question.

Sharp, the Commissioner from Fulton County, started for the place of meeting according to appointment, but at Pekin received information that the Commissioners had already met at Versailles, and there not being a quorum present, had left for their homes, without accomplishing anything, when he, too, turned homeward.

Upon the assembling of all interested in the exciting question, and the Hanover faction learning of the trick played upon, them in sending Sharp—who, if not favorable to them, was at least, they believed, unbiased—about his business, started John W. Page after him post haste, to bring him back in time for the meeting which was to take place the next day.

Page, after a long and tedious chase, finally came up with Sharp at Centerville, in Fulton County, and inquired, “Are you Mr. Sharp?” and being answered in the affirmative, replied, “then I am after you sharp.” Upon receiving a full explanation of how matters stood, Sharp agreed to return, and they immediately set out, but his horse gave out by the time they reached Washington, where they were. forced to remain over night. The next morning they came on to Versailles and the Commissioners held their meeting. After visiting the different points contesting for the honor of the position, it was finally settled, and possibly for all time, according to the following report on file in the County Clerk’s office:

We, the undersigned, Commissioners, appointed by an act of the Legislature of the State of Illinois to locate the seat of justice of the county of Woodford, approved February 28, 1843, and an act supplemental to said act., approved March 6, 1843, having met at the town of Versailles, and been duly sworn according to the provisions of said act, have proceeded to examine said county and the different sites proposed for said seat of justice with respect to the present and future population of said county. and after mature deliberation have agreed to locate the said seat of justice in the town of Hanover, on Sections 17 and 20, in Township 27 north of the base line, Range 2 west of the Third Principal Meridan, and that the public buildings for said county be built on such blocks or lots as the County Commissioners of said county shall think best.

Done at Versailles, this 17th day of June, 1843.
J. L. SHARP,

L. A. HANAFORD, JOHN H. BRYANT,

Commissioners.