Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force 3d March, 1837

AN ACT to change part of the State road from Palestine to Shelbyville.
1

Commissioners appointed to change road to intersect road to Shelbyville

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That Franklin Frazer and Robert Templeton, of the county of Shelby, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to change that part of the State road2 running from Palestine in Crawford county, to Shelbyville, in Shelby county, so that said road may intersect the State road running from Terre Haute to Shelbyville at or near the line of Shelby and Coles counties, having in view a due regard to public convenience.

Road vacated

Sec. 2. That after said commissioners shall have changed that part of said road, so much of said road as now passes through Shelby county be and is hereby vacated.

To take oath

Place & time of meeting.

To make report

Compensation

Sec. 3. Said commissioners shall, before entering upon the duties enjoined upon them by this act, take an oath before some justice of the peace of Shelby county faithfully to discharge the duties enjoined on them by this act. Said commissioners shall meet at the house of Franklin Frazer in Shelby county, on the first Monday of March next, or within three months thereafter, to view, mark and locate said road, and after they shall have completed said work they shall make out a report, describing the said road, and deliver a copy to the county commissioners court of Shelby county where the same shall be filed, and the court shall allow said commissioners a reasonable compensation for their services.

Approved 3d March, 1837.

1On January 30, 1837, John S. Turley introduced HB 159 in the House of Representatives. On February 27, the House passed the bill. On March 2, the Senate also passed the bill. On March 3, the Council of Revision approved the bill, and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1836. 10th G. A., 1st sess., 428, 707, 732, 804, 816, 829; Illinois Senate Journal. 1836. 10th G. A., 1st sess., 553, 574, 583-84, 604.

2State roads were those public roads established or designated by the General Assembly and usually crossed county lines. Only the General Assembly could establish, alter, or abandon state roads, until 1840 and 1841, when the General Assembly gave counties the authority to alter or to abandon state roads upon petition by a majority of voters in the area of the change.
An Act concerning Public Roads, sec. 9; An Act Authorizing Commissioners’ Courts to Alter, Change, and Relocate State Roads; An Act concerning Public Roads.