Pontiac in Livingston County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
County Seat Almost Moved
Looking for Lincoln
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
1. Left Section - - County Seat Almost Moved Marker
(Click on any of these photos to see the details.)
Inscription.
County Seat Almost Moved. Looking for Lincoln. , Left Section , Riding the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Lincoln pleaded cases in Livingston County’s first courthouse located on this site. But these events almost did not come to pass. The town proprietors had promised a courthouse, which two years later had not materialized. The unrest grew, and on August 30, 1839 an election was held for the purpose of moving the Seat of Justice several miles up the river to the Owego Township farm of Daniel Rockwood. The arguments urged in its favor were numerous: Pontiac was not the most central point; it was an unhealthy locality, being low and marshy; and the proprietors had not made the promised improvements. The proposed fifty-acre site was high and dry; it was in a central location, being the nearest of the center of any on the river, and the courthouse would be built immediately. The result of the election was a huge majority in favor of the move - - 81 for to 56 against - - but not quite the two-thirds majority required to move the county seat. The vote was sufficient enough, though, to move those parties interested in Pontiac real estate to expedite the building of the much-needed and long-awaited courthouse. , , Center Section, Livingston County’s first courthouse, completed in 1841, was occupied on July 23, 1842. Used for political and social meetings, church services, and Sunday school, the twenty-two by thirty foot, story-and-a-half frame building gave great satisfaction. In 1843, Samuel Ladd taught the area’s first public school in it. Hugh Taylor rented the jury room for a store in 1845, and also rented the courtroom for three months. Though Pontiac remained largely uninhabited, the country around gained population, and court sessions offered a most popular entertainment. , , Right Section , There was much work in contentious Livingston County for Lincoln, Douglas and other circuit-riding attorneys. Lincoln also appeared in the state Supreme Court in 1843 with an appeal from the circuit court here. Livingston Count Sheriff Garret Blue had been found guilty in circuit court of slandering Eliza Allen by calling her a perjurer. Mrs. Allen and her husband, Moses, sued for $2,000 but won only $250 damages and court cost of $13. (Blue’s alleged name-calling, it is thought, grew out of an earlier case in which Blue was found guilty of publicly accusing Mrs. Allen of adultery. The Allens lost and paid $18.75 costs.) The state Supreme Court reversed Blue’s conviction of perjury and ordered the Allens to pay $8.50 costs. During one term of court, Lincoln paid his hotel bill here by attending to one of owner John Foster’s many pending legal cases.
Left Section
Riding the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Lincoln pleaded cases in Livingston County’s first courthouse located on this site. But these events almost did not come to pass. The town proprietors had promised a courthouse, which two years later had not materialized. The unrest grew, and on August 30, 1839 an election was held for the purpose of moving the Seat of Justice several miles up the river to the Owego Township farm of Daniel Rockwood. The arguments urged in its favor were numerous: Pontiac was not the most central point; it was an unhealthy locality, being low and marshy; and the proprietors had not made the promised improvements. The proposed fifty-acre site was high and dry; it was in a central location, being the nearest of the center of any on the river, and the courthouse would be built immediately. The result of the election was a huge majority in favor of the move - - 81 for to 56 against - - but not quite the two-thirds majority required to move the county seat. The vote was sufficient enough, though, to move those parties interested in Pontiac real estate to expedite the building of the much-needed and long-awaited courthouse.
Center Section
Livingston County’s first courthouse, completed in 1841, was occupied on July 23, 1842. Used for political and social meetings,
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church services, and Sunday school, the twenty-two by thirty foot, story-and-a-half frame building gave great satisfaction. In 1843, Samuel Ladd taught the area’s first public school in it. Hugh Taylor rented the jury room for a store in 1845, and also rented the courtroom for three months. Though Pontiac remained largely uninhabited, the country around gained population, and court sessions offered a most popular entertainment.
Right Section
There was much work in contentious Livingston County for Lincoln, Douglas and other circuit-riding attorneys. Lincoln also appeared in the state Supreme Court in 1843 with an appeal from the circuit court here. Livingston Count Sheriff Garret Blue had been found guilty in circuit court of slandering Eliza Allen by calling her a perjurer. Mrs. Allen and her husband, Moses, sued for $2,000 but won only $250 damages and court cost of $13. (Blue’s alleged name-calling, it is thought, grew out of an earlier case in which Blue was found guilty of publicly accusing Mrs. Allen of adultery. The Allens lost and paid $18.75 costs.) The state Supreme Court reversed Blue’s conviction of perjury and ordered the Allens to pay $8.50 costs. During one term of court, Lincoln paid his hotel bill here by attending to one of owner John Foster’s many pending legal cases.
Erected 2009 by
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
2. Middle Section - - County Seat Almost Moved Marker
Location. 40° 52.777′ N, 88° 37.744′ W. Marker is in Pontiac, Illinois, in Livingston County. Marker is on West Washington Street west of North Mill Street, on the left when traveling east. located on the South/East Lawn of the Livingston County Courthouse in Pontiac. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 W Washington Street, Pontiac IL 61764, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Right Section - - County Seat Almost Moved Marker
1. Looking for Lincoln Video - on P. B. S. Follow Henry Louis Gates, Jr. "...from Illinois, to Gettysburg, to Washington, D. C., and face to face with people who live with Lincoln every day..." (Submitted on April 11, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)
2. Looking for Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Website:
Many resources for the Tracking of Lincoln through History and Illinois. Aimed at all ages. (Submitted on April 11, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.)
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
4. Middle Section Photo - - Livingston County's First Courthouse
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
5. Right Section Photo - - "Young Stephen A. Douglas"
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
6. Right Section Photo - - "Young Abraham Lincoln"
Photographed By Larry Gertner
7. Travel with Lincoln
All the Lincoln Circuit HMDb markers, and a few others, following Lincoln's travels while a member of the Circuit of the Eighth Judicial District from 1847 - 1857.
Climb into Lincoln’s buggy and take a trip with Lincoln and his fellow lawyers on the job traveling Illinois as Circuit Lawyers. See all the Lincoln Circuit Markers (and a surprise or two), in the order of his travels while a member of the Circuit of the Eighth Judicial District (of Illinois) during 1847-1857. Use the “First >>” button in the upper right to see these markers in sequence, starting from Springfield. (Submitted on April 11, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana.) Click for more information.
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
8. Full View - - County Seat Almost Moved Marker
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
9. Looking West - - County Seat Almost Moved Marker
Note the "Abraham Lincoln Statue" in the back-ground of the photo.
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
10. Looking North East - - County Seat Almost Moved Marker
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
11. Full View - - "Abraham Lincoln Statue"
The "Abraham Lincoln Statue" is next to the marker. The paving stones have many names of they that sponsored the statue and viewing area.
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
12. Closer View - - "Abraham Lincoln Statue"
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
13. Looking West - - "Abraham Lincoln Statue"
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
14. Other View - - "Abraham Lincoln Statue"
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
15. East Side - - Livingston County Courthouse
Photographed By Al Wolf, April 10, 2010
16. South/East Corner - - Livingston County Courthouse
The marker can be seen to the left in the photo.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 2, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 11, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 909 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 11, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. 7. submitted on June 2, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. submitted on April 11, 2010, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.