Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force Jan.[January] 7, 1835.

AN ACT concerning the Towns of Pittsfield and Chester.
1

May become incorporated.

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the inhabitants of the town of Pittsfield in the county of Pike, and the inhabitants of the town of Chester in the county of Randolph, are hereby authorized and empowered to become incorporated in the manner and upon the terms prescribed in the act, entitled “An act to incorporate the inhabitants of such towns as may wish to be incorporated,” approved, February 12th, 1831, notwithstanding there may not be one hundred and fifty inhabitants in either of said towns;2 and upon complying with the provisions of the act aforesaid, the inhabitants of the said towns, and the president and trustees thereof, when elected, shall have, exercise, and enjoy all the rights, privileges, and powers granted and conferred by the act above recited.

This act to take effect from its passage.

Approved, Jan. 7, 1835.

1John T. Stuart introduced HB 36, originally titled “A Bill for the Benefit of the Town of Pittsfield in the County of Pike,” in the House of Representatives on December 17, 1834. The House passed the bill on December 23. The Senate took up the bill on December 23 and referred it to a select committee on December 26. The following day, the select committee reported back the bill with an amendment, in which the Senate concurred. On December 30, the Senate passed the amended bill, changing the title to, “A Bill concerning the towns of Pittsfield and Chester.” On January 2, 1835, the House referred the Senate amendments to a select committee. The select committee reported the bill back without amendment on January 5, and the House concurred with the Senate in its amendments of the bill and title. On January 7, the Council of Revision approved the bill, and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 1st sess., 128, 134-35, 152, 185-86, 200, 213, 240, 245; Illinois Senate Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 1st sess., 127, 128, 131, 138, 142, 155, 187-88, 192, 195.

2Section 1 of the 1831 law required towns to have at least 150 inhabitants before they could incorporate.
“An Act to Incorporate the Inhabitants of Such Towns as May Wish to be Incorporated,” 1 March 1831, The Laws of Illinois, Passed at the Seventh General Assembly, 82-87.