Court, Bench and Bar
The first term of the Circuit Court of Rock Island County was held
April 28, 1834, in the house of John Barrel in Farnhamsburg, Richard M.
Young presiding Judge.
Farnhamsburg was located on the bank of the Mississippi River, in the east
part of the City of Rock Island, a short distance west of the residence of
the Hon. Ben T. Cable. The first house built on the present site of the
City of Rock Island, then Farnhamsburg, was a log house built by Colonel
George Davenport and one Russell Farnham, who was engaged in business with
Colonel Davenport. This log house was afterwards enlarged and kept as a
hotel by John Barrel, a Virginian. In November, 1835, the records and
Court were removed from the house of John Barrel to Stephenson. Under an
act of the Legislature of March 31, 1819, the State of Illinois was
divided into four judicial circuits. The Judges of the Supreme Court of
the State held the Circuit Courts. The Circuit Courts are Courts of
general jurisdiction.
The County Commissioners Court was established March 22, 1819. It had
jurisdiction throughout the County in revenue matters, county tax,
licenses, " and other public business. Three Judges formed the Court. One
was the County Judge, the others Associate Justices. This Court continued
until the County Court was established by act of February 12, 1849. The
County Court consisted of one Judge. It had probate jurisdiction. Under
the law two Justices of the Peace were elected. These had authority to act
with the County Judge to transact the business formerly done by the County
Commissioners Court, and so continued to 1857, after which the County
business was trans-acted by the Board of Supervisors, the County being
then organized under the township organization law.
The following persons, residents of Rock Island, were at various times
members of the County Commissioners Court: George Davenport, John W.
Spencer, John Vanatta, George' W. Harlan, John S. Miller, Lucius Wells,
Nathaniel Belcher, Jacob Coleman, Lemuel Andrews, Adolphus Dunlap, John R.
Taylor, George S. Moore, John Kistler, William L. Lee, M. W. Wright,
Samuel Sloan, Jacob Starr, T. C. Temple, Captain T. J. Robinson, James
Weaverling, William M. Bailey, John M. Gould, George E. Holmes.
The County Court was established by an act of the Legislation of February
12, 1849, in addition to its jurisdiction in probate matters and matters
pertaining to the revenue. The Legislation conferred upon the Court a
limited law jurisdiction, which it still possesses, although enlarged.
The office of County Judge has been filled by prominent citizens of Rock
Island County:
John W. Spencer, 1849 to 1852;
William Bailey, 1852 to 1853;
John M. Gould, 1853 to 1857;
Cornelius Lynde, Jr., 1857 to 1861;
Joseph B. Danforth, 1861 to 1865;
John W. Wilson, 1865 to 1871;
Samuel S. Guyer, 1871 to 1877;
Lucian Adams, 1877 to 1902;
E. E. Parmenter, 1902 to 1906;
Robert W. Olmsted, now acting Judge, elected in April, 1907, in place of E. E. Parmenter, deceased.
Courts of Probate were first established by law February 10, 1821. In
the County of Rock Island Harmon G. Reynolds was Probate Justice from 1839
to 1846. He was followed by Ira O. Wilkinson, 1847 to 1849.
The Circuit Court of Rock Island County was originally in the fifth
judicial circuit of the State of Illinois, afterwards in the sixth
judicial circuit. In 1873 with the Counties Henry and Mercer it composed
the fifth judicial circuit. Afterwards, under the act of June 7, 1877, the
Counties of Rock Island, Mercer, Henry, Henderson, Warren and Knox
composed the tenth judicial circuit. Under the act of April 23, 1897, the
Counties of Rock Island, Mercer, Whiteside and Henry now compose the
fourteenth judicial circuit.
Gentlemen eminent as jurists in this State have presided in the Circuit
Courts of Rock Island County; we find on record the names of:
Richard A. Young, 1834;
Sidney Breese, 1835;
Thomas Ford, 1836;
Daniel Stone, 1837 to 1841;
Thomas C. Brown, 1841 to 1848;
Benjamin R. Sheldon, 1848 to 1849;
William Kellogg, 1850 to 1851;
Ira O. Wilkinson, 1850 to 1857;
J. W. Drury, 1858 to 1860;
John H. Howe, 1860 to 1861;
Ira O. Wilkinson, 1861 to 1867;
George W. Pleasants, 1867 to 1897;
J. J. Glenn, 1878 to 1897;
A. A. Smith, 1878 to 1894;
Hiram Bigelow, 1895 to 1902;
F. D. Ramsey, 1897;
William H. Gest, 1897.
Emery C. Graves, 1903;
Among the gentlemen named above as Judges who were residents of the
County of Rock Island are Ira O. Wilkinson, J. W. Drury, George W.
Pleasants and William H. Gest. Judge Wilkinson, after leaving the bench in
1867, went to Chicago, where he practiced law until 1881, when he returned
to Rock Island County and resumed practice. He died August 24, 1894. Judge
Pleasants, after he became Judge in 1867, continued to preside as such
until the year 1897. He died October 22, 1902. For nineteen years he
presided as one of the Judges of the first, second and third districts of
the Appellate Courts of this State.
Judge Drury after he retired from the bench in 1860, resumed the practice
of the law at Davenport, Iowa; he died March 1, 1899.
Judge Gest is now one of the Circuit Judges of this judicial district. The
members of the bar of Rock Island County who are now in actual practice
are about sixty-five. Many of them are young men who have lately entered
into the practice of the profession. The oldest members of the bar now
living and nearly all are in actual practice, are John T. Browning, Edward
D. Sweeney, William Jackson, Lucian Adams, Henry C. Connelly, M. M.
Sturgeon, W. J. Entriken, William A. Meese, William R. Moore, J. T.
Kenworthy and Charles L. Walker.
Early Settlements of Rock Island County
Source: Historic Rock Island County, pub. Kramer & Company, Rock Island, Illinois, 1908