Published March 8, 2025
By Arlis Dittmer
Illinois has 102 counties. In the late 18th century, Illinois was considered a county of Virginia because of George Rogers Clark’s expedition had won the area from the British who had previously won the area from the French. After the American Revolution, Illinois was part of the Northwest Territory, called that because it was north of the Ohio River and west of Pennsylvania.
St. Claire County, created in 1790, is the oldest of the 15 counties created before Illinois became a state in 1818. The Northwest Territory Governor, Gen. Arthur St. Clair named the county after himself. St. Clair and Randolph Counties became part of Indiana territory in 1801. In 1809 land now known as Illinois and Wisconsin were called the Illinois Territory which lasted until 1818.
There were 32 counties in Illinois by 1825 when the state added ten more, Adams being one of them. The land was north and west of the Illinois River, on the northern edge of Pike County. As counties were organized, boundaries were moved around sometimes with the removal of townships to form a separate county. For example, Henderson (Oquawka) was formed out of Warren (Monmouth). This continued until the last county was created in 1859.
America had adopted the old British system of shires which translated into counties. Counties simply meant a unit of local government to administer land, settle disputes and provide services to residents.
Three commissioners were appointed to determine the site of the courthouse but only one commissioner from Morgan County and one from Pike County actually visited Adams County. State law said it should be close to the center of the county. They arrived in Quincy where Williard Keyes volunteered to help them find the center of the county but instead he led them through the bogs of Mill Creek. Tired and discouraged, they returned to Quincy and the next day selected the east side of Washington Park as the site for a courthouse.
In the late 1830s more and more people settled in the eastern part of the county. The location of the courthouse came up again due to Quincy being on the western edge of the county. The distance to the county offices and the courthouse was not easy for the settlers in the eastern part of the county to cross because there were few passable roads. Along with citizens voicing their support, The Columbus Advocate newspaper was established to encourage naming Columbus as the county seat. Columbus was the closest town to the center of the county. Adding to the discontent was the cost of the 1836 courthouse which was built in Quincy and paid for by county taxpayers. A few years later, Quincy built a county jail, also paid for by county residents.
Two prominent lawyers, Abraham Jones and Archibald Williams, both friends of Abraham Lincoln, were in favor of Columbus, which at that time had a growing population, second only to Quincy as the largest town. Jonas and his family lived in Columbus where he owned a general store and helped to start a Masonic Lodge in 1839.
During the “county seat wars” with Quincy, the Brant House or the Columbus Hotel as it was known then, was large enough to serve as a courthouse as some elderly settlers recalled in the early 20th century. Other settlers said the town had picked out a southeast corner of the town square as the location for a Courthouse. As a judge of the Circuit Court, the Hon. Stephen A. Douglas ordered the court files to be removed from Quincy and sent to Columbus. His decision was based on the 1841 county vote of 1,636 to move the courthouse to Columbus versus 1,545 votes to stay in Quincy. Both side accused the other of using illegal votes. The disputed matter was sent to Springfield for deliberation and the files were never moved.
By 1841, the city of Quincy held about a quarter of the population of the county. The city charter said that no Quincy tax would go towards any county roads which annoyed rural residents. According to an article in the 1841 Quincy Whig, “Adams … [was] the Empire County of the State with the largest population, and, after the election of 1842, with the largest representation in the Legislature of any other county in the State.” Because of Quincy’s size, Columbus proponents felt that they would not be economically hurt by the removal of the courthouse to Columbus. But Quincy officials threatened to split the county to which the June 26 Whig replied to Columbus residents, “…do not let these pleas or threats alarm you, do your duty and justice will be the result of the struggle.” The ‘county seat wars” were getting nasty.
In an effort to settle the dispute, the Legislature passed a bill splitting Adams County into two counties in 1842. The ten eastern townships were to be called Marquette County with Columbus as the county seat. But the citizens of Columbus did not want to split the county. They wanted the Courthouse and any additional offices such as clerk, sheriff, and recorder of deeds which they saw as an economic benefit to their community.
The newspapers started referring to Marquette County in 1843. An election was held for county officials, but people did not vote. The new county remained unorganized. Judicial matters continued to be held in the Quincy courthouse. The citizens of the county, whether Adams or Marquette, were tired of the issue.
In 1846, the new Marquette County elected the Hon. E. H. Buckley to the legislature. He introduced a bill in 1847 to change the name of Marquette County to Highland County. But the people living in this new county refused to organize except for judicial appointments.
In 1848, the second Illinois State Constitution was adopted which allowed Highland County to be reattached to Adams County and cease to exist. In those years Marquette and Highland County existed, their townships did not collect any taxes.
Arlis Dittmer is a retired health science librarian and former president of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. During her years with Blessing Health System, she became interested in medical and nursing history—both topics frequently overlooked in history.
Sources:
Collins, William H. and Cicero F. Perry. Past and Present of the City of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois. Chicago, IL: S. J. Clarke Pub Co, 1905.
“Columbus.” Quincy Daily Journal, November 11, 1895, 3.
“Columbus Opposed Quincy in Capital Race 100 Years Ago.” Quincy Herald-Whig, July 2, 1950, 8.
“County Meeting.” Quincy Whig, November 11, 1841, 1.
“The County Seat.” Quincy Whig, June 26, 1841, 1.
Illinois Secretary of State. Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties
Kay, Jean. “Columbus was Created for a Purpose,” The Yellowjacket, 2009.
Landrum, Carl. “A Century Ago in Quincy: Long Debate Over County Seat,” Quincy Herald-Whig, December 17, 1967, 3C.
Tillson, Gen. John. History of the City of Quincy, Illinois.
