An act to incorporate the President and Trustees of the Jerseyville Academy

Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois represented in the general Assembly That the persons hereafter elected pursuant to the provisions of the Act and there Successors be and they are hereby Created a body politic and Corporate to be Styled the “President and Trustees of the Jerseyville Academy” and by that name to remain in perpetual succession with power to sue and be sued, plead and be implead[,] to acquire hold and Convey property real and personal, to have and use a Common seal and the same to break[,] alter[,] and renew at pleasure to make and alter from time to time such by laws as they may deem necessary for the government and regulation of the said institution[,] its officers[,] servents[,] and property ( Provided such by laws are not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of this state or of United States

Sec 2^d The Trustees of said institution shall consist of Five persons who together with the President shall be elected by the stockholders annually on the first Monday of April in each year and shall hold there offices until their successors are duly elected and qualifiedThe elections shall be held in the Town of JerseyvilleAll elections for offices shall be by ballot and may be made personally or by proxy and conducted in such manner as may be directed bylaws of said institution

Sec 3^d The directors of said institutions shall have power to fill all vacances which ^may^ occur from time to time in there body either by death[,] resignation[,] or other wise

Sec 4. The said President and trustees shall hold the property of said institution solely for the purposes and advantages of said institution and of education and the promotion of literature and science in the said Academy and no particular religious faith

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shall ever be required of those of whome become President and trustees[,] students[,] pupils[,] teachers[,] officers[,] or servents of said institution

Sec 5 Said institution shall be permanently located in or within one quarter of a mile of the limits of the Town of Jerseyville in Greene County in this State and the said President and trustees shall be competent in law or in equity to make to themselves and there successors in office in there said Corporate name and capacity any estate real[,] personal[,] and mixed by the gift, grant[,] bargain[,] and sale[,] conveyance[,] will[,] devise[,] or bequest of person or persons or body Corporate and politic whatsoever and the same estates whether real or personal to grant[,] bargain[,] and sell[,] convey[,] devise[,] let[,] place out on interest or otherwise dispose of for the sole and separate use and benefit of the said institution in such manner as shall seem to them most beneficial to the interest of said institution The said President and trustees shall faithfully apply all funds by them collected and received according to the best of their judgment in erecting and Completing a Suitable building or buildings supporting the necessary officers[,] instructors[,] servents[,] and in procuring books[,] maps[,] charts[,] globes[,] philosophical and other apparatus necessary to the success of said Academy Provided nevertheless that in case any donation[,] devise[,] or bequest or otherwise shall be made to the said institution for a particular purpose or purposes not incompatiable with the designs of said institution and the corporation shall accept the same evry such donation devise or bequest shall be applied in conformity with the express conditions prescribed by the donor or devisor

Sec 6 The trustees shall annually and as soon as conveneant after there election elect a Treasurer

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and secretary of the board of President and trustees of said incorporation who shall who shall each be Stockholders therein and who when elected and qualified shall continue in office until there successors are duly elected and qualifiedAll processes against said corporation shall be by summons and the service of the same shall be by summons and the service of the same shall be by leaving an attested copy there of with the President or at his usual place of residence at least twenty days before the return thereofThe President and trustees as well as the treasurer shall before entering upon the duties of there office take an oath or affirmation to fulfil the duties of their offices respectively

Sec 7 The said President and trustees [s]hall have power to emply and appoint a principal of said institution and all such instructors and instructresses and also such servents as may be necessary and shall have power to displace any or either of them as they may deem the interest of the institution and the cause of education therein to require and to fill vacancies that may happen by death or otherwise among said offices or servents the lands with in the jurisdiction of this state held in perpetuity by the said Corporation shall not exceed one quarter section of land at any one time and if donations in lands be received at any time by said Corporation the same may be held in trust by the said President and trustees and shall be sold within Five years from the date of such donation for the benefit of said institution and in failure thereof the lands so given shall revert to the doner or grantor of the same or to there heirs

Sec 8 The President and trustees shall meet semi annually or oftener if they shall deem proper at the Academy

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after the same shall be erected and it shall be the duty of the secretary to attend all the meetings of the board and keep and preserve a fair and correct record of there proceedings a majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business relative to said institution

Sec 9 That on the payment of twenty Dollars to the treasurer of the said institution every such person shall be considered a stockholder and shall be entitled to one vote for every share of said corporation shall entitle the holder to one vote in all elections and it shall be lawfull for each and evry stockholder for the time being of the said institution his or her executors and administrators or assigns to give Sell[,] devise[,] and dispose of there respective rights or shares in the said Academy and there respective assignees shall be stockholders of said institution and shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges in said institution as the original stockholder are entitled to by this act

Sec 10 That John W. Lott[,] George H. Collins[,] Benjamin L. Yates[,] Alexander H. Burritt[,] Joseph Gerrish[,] Richard Graham[,] Samuel L. McGill and Edward M Daley of the County of Greene be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners to solicit and receive subscriptions of stock to said institution and give receipts for the first instalment to be paid on subscriptions of stock to said Academy and give a receipt for the same to be paid on Subscription and when the sum of Six Hundred Dollars shall be subscribed for the said Commissioners or any three of them are hereby authorezed to give public notice by Posting up advertisements at four public places in the county of the time and place of holding an election for President and trustees of said

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institution and that said election be held in the Town of Jerseyville at such place as the Commissioners may direct and that the said Commissioners or any three of them are hereby appointed Judges of the first Election and are authorised and empowered to hold the same. The first election to be held on such day as the said Commissioners may direct but afterwords the annual elections shall be held on the first Monday in March in each Year there after at the Academy as soon as erected That each stockholder shall be required to pay to the commissioners two Dollars on each share by him subsorited at the time of subscribing and the residue at such time or times as the President and trustees shall direct Provided that any stockholders neglecting or refusing to pay the ballance due on any share or shares shall forfeit to said institution all money previously paid on such share or shares so neglected

Sec 11. all sales of real or personal property or evidence of indebtedness by said in corporation must be signed by the President and attested by the Secretary and when thus signed and attested they shall be binding on said incorporation according to the true intent and meaning of the same and not before

Sec 12 that after the first election for President and trustees the President and trustees shall act as Judges of election or any three of them shall and may act as the board of election

Sec 13 That the Academy when erected and in operation shall at all times be open for the use and privelege of any ^free^ white person within the United States who may wish to be instructed in said Academy Provided said free white person will comply with the laws

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and bylaws of said institutions and pay the sums fixed by the President and trustees for the instruction of the students or pupils attending at the same

Sec 14 That in case it should so happen that an election for President and trustees should not take place on the day on which it should take place according to law the said corporation shall not for that cause be deemed dissolved but that it shall be lawfull on any other day to hold an election in the place of the one omitted to be held in such manner as may be prescribed by the by law of said incorporation

Sec 15 the President and trustees shall make an annual dividend of all profits which may arise by said incorporation if there should be any surplus after defraing the expences of said institution unless the said President and trustees shall deem it to the interest of said institution to have all of the funds arising there from paid out in improving or repairing said build[ing]s or in purching books or [whatsoever?] else for the benefit or interest of said corporation

Sec 16 ^16^ This act to take effect & be in fource from its passage If at any time the corporation shall act contrary to the provisions of this act or shall in any manner abuse the powers herein granted it shall be the duty of the Attorn[ey] General to file an information in the nature of Quo warrants for the purpose of vacating and annulling this act and the powers herein granted

Sec 16 1 this act to take effect and be in force from and after its passage but the Legislature reserves the right to alter amend or repeal this act when ever the public good may require

Sec 17. The Legislature reserves to the Right to alter[,] amend[,] or Repeal this act when ever the

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public good may require it.