Weather Forecasts | Weather Maps | Weather Radar
Carrollton
February 20, 1821, the first movement that was made to locate a county seat for Greene County was the meeting of the commissioners appointed by the Illinois General Assembly. These men met at the residence of Isaac Pruitt, he was one of the most substntial members of the area. He had entered land a few miles west of the current day Carrollton, and built a log cabin near the presant position of the Margart Black Historic site. Then after some debate as to the location they rode to the land of Thomas Carlin. After some consulation it soon became evident that the commissioners were unanimous that the court house should be built on the land of Mr. Carlin.
Thomas Carlin was born near Shelbyville, Kentucky in 1786. In 1803 the family moved to Missouri where his father died. Thomas Carlin served as a ranger during the War of 1812. In 1814 he owned a ferry crossing the Mississippi near the present site of Edwardsville Junction with his brothers James and William Carlin 1814. Thomas A. Carlin was a Captain in the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War. In the spring of 1819, he come to the Carrollton area with his mother and step father, and camped under a large tree in the southern part of what is now the town site. Determined to make this his home he built a log cabin about ½ mile south of the Square. He was elected the 6th governor of Illinois on Dec. 7, 1838, and served as Governor from 1838 – 1842.
The the commissioners were standing near the east side of the presant square when they reached this decision. Whereupon, John Allen paces 50 yards to the west, drove a stake, and said, “here let the court house be built.” And so it was decided. The town was laid out, and named in honor of of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, MD. At this time there was not a house upon the site of the town. The town was surveyed on the 13th of March 1821 but was not filed for record untill July 30, 1825.
Thomas Carlin offered Jacob Fry, a lot in Carrollton if he would build a house, which he did. Gen Fry came to Carrollton and cut the timbers, split the boards and pput up a house, which stood for some 57 years, and for a long time formed a part of the St. James Hotel. Before Gen. Fry had finished building he stopped work to help Thomas Rattan in the building of his log cabin, upon the north west corner of the squre. On May 1, 1821 Thomas Rattan was granted a license for a tavern, to be kept in Carrollton. It was orderd that the following rates for tavern keepers be:
Each Meal 25cents
Lodging in a bed 12 cents
Feeding and Keeping a horse 37 ½ Cents
French Brandy ½ Pint 50 Cents
Gin or Rum ½ Pint 25 Cents
Apple Brandy ½ Pint 18 ¾ Cents
Cherry Bounce ½ Pint 18 ¾ Cents
Whiskey ½ Pint 12 Cents
Thus Rattans building was the first finshed in the new town and Fry’s second.
On June 13, 1821 at a special meeting of the County Commissioners William and Thomas Finley were to build a court house for the sum of $380. The Following September, a contract was entered into with Thomas Rattan for the reection of a chimney to the courthouse for $55. He was to have 6,000 brickes delivered to him by Mr. Eldred. The building was finished by June 1, 1822 and the third building built in town. In December 1821 a contract was also let to John Dee and Henry Teagarden, to build a hewn log jail, a little west of the courthouse.
On the east side of the square, on the north end, was erected the first store in town. This was opened by a party from Edwardsville by the name of Pogue, who hired John Skidmore as manager.
Samuel Lee erected a dwelling on the north side of the square, where he boarded with John Skidmore, whos sister-in-law, Miss Faust Mr. Lee later married. This was a small frame building with a portico in front. Before the house could be completed Mr. Lee died in September 1829 and it was afterword known as the haunted house. Lee’s will directed that the house be finished for the use of his wife. In April 1831 Mrs. Lee marries Edward Baker, a young lawer, moves to Springfield, and becomes friends with Abraham Lincoln. At Lincoln’s inauguration in March 1861, Baker made the shortest speech of his life with these words, “Fellow citizens, I introduce to you Abraham Lincoln, the President-Elect of the United States. In 1836 Baker sold the house to Orange Heaton.
Again on March 2nd of 1830 the subject come about again to build a more substantial courhouse, in the center of the public square. A contract was entered into with Thomas Rattan to build a brick court house, who agreed to finish and deliver it to the county, except paint, for the sum of $7000 to be paid to him in yearly installments of $1000.
The Tavern House ws bult on the west side of the square in 1832 by James Reno, fahter of Major Marcous Reno. The name was changed to the Hinton House in 1850 when JudgeAlfred Hinton bought it for a combined hotel, tavern, general store, stage coach stop, and drug store. One of the most famous patrions was Abraham Lincon. From 1890 to 1896 this building was known as the bassam houseand was one of the finest hotels in Carrollton. From 1896 to 1900 it was known as the Westside House
In 1870 the brick Italianate Almshouse was constructed east of town. It is one of only a few surviving buildings in Illinois constructed by county governments to house and care for the poor and indigent. Male and female paupers would work on the surrounding farm to provide for themselves; children would attend community schools. Mentally impaired citizens were integrated rather than left in seclusion.
The farming operations declined when almshouses were converted for use as elderly care facilities in the early 1900s. This building was abandoned in the 1950s, when the number of residents requiring county assistance dwindled. Over the years, this county-owned building has fallen into an advanced state of disrepair, as evidenced by the collapsed porch, graffiti, and missing windows. The remaining land is leased to a tenant farmer who would like to expand agricultural operations if the historic building is demolished.
In 1882 a fire proof section was added to the courthouse housing the Circuit Clerk and the County Clerk’s Offices. In 1890, the 1832 portion of the courhouse was toren down and work began on the new building. In 1891, the corner stone for the presant courthouse was laid. The contract was awarded to Frederick W. Menske of Quincyfor the bid of $39,700. The new building was completed in March of 1892, the exterior walls are 8-inch thick Berea sandstone against brick on a foundation of native limestone. The total thickness of the walls is 20 inches. In July of 1893, a clock was purchased for the tower.
RAINEY, Henry Thomas, a Representative from Illinois; born in Carrollton, Greene County, Ill., on August 20, 1860; attended the public schools and Knox Academy and Knox College, Galesburg, Ill.; was graduated from Amherst (Mass.) College in 1883 and from the Union College of Law, Chicago, Ill., in 1885; was admitted to the bar in 1885 and commenced practice in Carrollton, Ill.; master in chancery for Greene County, Ill., from 1887 to 1895, when he resigned; elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-eighth and to the eight succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1921); unsuccessfully contested the election of Guy L. Shaw to the Sixty-seventh Congress; engaged in agricultural pursuits; elected to the Sixty-eighth and to the five succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1923, until his death; majority leader (Seventy-second Congress), Speaker of the House of Representatives (Seventy-third Congress); died in St. Louis, Mo., on August 19, 1934; interment in the Carrollton Cemetery, Carrollton, Ill.
SIMPSON, Sidney Elmer, (husband of Edna Oakes Simpson), a Representative from Illinois; born in Carrollton, Greene County, Il., September 20, 1894; attended the public schools and was graduated from Carrollton High School; during the First World War served in the United States Army, with overseas service; owner of Simpson Motor Co. and Simpson Bus Co.; served as chairman of the Greene County Republican Committee; member of the executive committee of the County Chairman’s Association of Illinois; city treasurer of Carrollton, Il., for one term; member of Carrollton Board of Education; elected as a Republican to the Seventy-eighth and to the seven succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1943, until his death; chairman, Committee on District of Columbia (Eighty-third Congress); had been renominated to the Eighty-sixth Congress; died in Pittsfield, Ill., October 26, 1958; interment in Carrollton City Cemetery, Carrollton, Il .
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 2,605 people, 1,077 households, and 724 families residing in the city. The population density was 602.3/km² (1,561.2/mi²). There were 1,175 housing units at an average density of 271.7/km² (704.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.77% White, 0.04% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.
There were 1,077 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,154, and the median income for a family was $37,368. Males had a median income of $33,194 versus $19,211 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,340. About 6.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
.gif){kind=spacer}
© 1992-2007 Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association, All Rights Reserved.
