A Bill to create and organise the County of Scott
Sec[Section] 1 Be it Enacted by the people of the State of Illinois Represented in the General Assembly
That all that part of the Country situate in the following boundry To Wit. beginning in the Center of the Channel of the Illinois River, opposite the line between Townships Fifteen and Sixteen North. Thence running East on said line to the line between Ranges Twelve and Thirteen, thence south, on said Range line to the north west Corner of Section Eighteen in Township Fifteen North Range Twelve west, thence East to the line between Ranges Eleven and Twelve, thence south to the north west Corner of section Eighteen, thence East to the North West corner of section sixteen, thence south to the North West corner of section Twenty Eight, thence East to the North West Corner of section Twenty Six all in Township Fourteen North Range Eleven West, thence south to the line dividing Morgan and Green Counties, thence west with said line to the Center of the Channel of the Illinois River. Thence North with the channel of said River to the beginning which shall constitute a County to be called Scott.
That all that part of the Country situate in the following boundry To Wit. beginning in the Center of the Channel of the Illinois River, opposite the line between Townships Fifteen and Sixteen North. Thence running East on said line to the line between Ranges Twelve and Thirteen, thence south, on said Range line to the north west Corner of Section Eighteen in Township Fifteen North Range Twelve west, thence East to the line between Ranges Eleven and Twelve, thence south to the north west Corner of section Eighteen, thence East to the North West corner of section sixteen, thence south to the North West corner of section Twenty Eight, thence East to the North West Corner of section Twenty Six all in Township Fourteen North Range Eleven West, thence south to the line dividing Morgan and Green Counties, thence west with said line to the Center of the Channel of the Illinois River. Thence North with the channel of said River to the beginning which shall constitute a County to be called Scott.
Sec 2. There shall be an Election held on the third Monday in March next in the Town
of Winchester and at the different places of voting for Justices of the peace and Constables in
the limits of the said County of Scott, the Election shall be conducted by the presant Judges of Election in said County Who have been appointed by the County of Morgan according to the Election laws of this State, at which Election the legal voters of the County of scott shall Elect all County Officers
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for the County, of who shall be qualified and Commissioned as similar ^officers^ are in other Counties of this State. said officers so Elected and qualified shall hold there officers untill the next Ensuing Regular Election for such officers now provided by law, and shall
have the same jurisdiction and discharge all the duties in the limits of the County
of Scott that are Required by law of similar Officers in the other Counties of this State.
Sec 3. Within five days after said Election the Judges of Election at the different places
of Voteing shall return the Poll Books of said Election to the Town of Winchester directed to Ira Rowen John Hanback and Samuel Peak three acting Justices of the peace in the limits of said County, and the said Justices shall meet in the Town of Winchester within seven days after said Election and procede to open said Election Returns, and to do and perform all the duties in relation to
said returns that are Required by law of the Clerks of the County Commissioners Courts in relation to similar returns
Sec 4 As soon as the County officers shall have been Elected and qualified as provided
for in this act, the County shall be considered organisid, and the Clerk of the County Commissioners Court shall give notice of the same to the Judge of the first Judicial Circuit, who shall appoint a Clerk of the Circuit Court, and shall hold Courts in the said County in the Town of Winchester
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said County of Scott shall form a part of the first Judicial Circuittill otherwise ordered by lawSec 5. Suits and Endictments, that have been Commenced or may here after be Commenced in the Circuit Court of Morgan County by any of the Citizens liveing in the limits of the County of Scott before the organization thereof shall not be affected by this act, but all such suits
^so commenced^ shall be decided in the Circuit Court of Morgan County
Sec 6 The ^said^ County of Scott shall at the next regular Election for senators and Representatives to the next General Assembly, be entitled to Elect one Representative to the General assembly and the County of Morgan four Representatives and the County of Scott shall vote with Morgan to Elect one senator ^un^till the next aportionment of Representatives provided for by the Constitution of the state
Sec 7. All Justices of the peace and Constables Elected in the County of Morgan, who reside in the limits of ^of the County^ Scott shall hold their Offices and have Jurisdiction in the said County of Scott, as thoug they had been origionally elected in the said County of Scott
Sec 8. The School funds belonging to the several Townships in said County and all notes and Mortgages pertaining to the same shall be paid and dilivered over to the School Commissioner of the County of Scott
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by the School Commissioner of the County of Morgan, so soon as the said County shall be organised and the Commissioners of school lands appointed and qualified according to law togeather with all Interest arising out of said Money that has not been heretofore Expended
for School purposes, in that part of Morgan County now Included in the County of ScottSec. 9. The seat of Justice of said County shall be and permanentley remain at Winchester upon the following Condition that the president and Trustees of said Town Consent that the Courthouse of said County shall be upon the public Square or on a lot ajoining said Square at the option of said president and Trustees said lot to be procured
by said president and Trustees and a good Title Conveyed to said County and shall Erect a Courthouse thereon for the use of said County upon a plan and with materials to be agreed on by the County Commissioners of said County within three years from the time at which the said County Commissioners shall agree
upon such plan and materials and notafy the president and trustees thereof provided the Cost there of shall not Excede Three Thousand five Hundred Dollars
...?] lot or place ^25^ procured ^(^ by the County Commissioners aforesaid^)^ upon a plan agreed upon ^27^ by, them, within two years from the time said County Commissioners shall agree upon
a plan and notafy said president and Trustees thereof provided the Cost thereof shall not Excede one Thousand five hundred Dollars provided further that if the Courthouse shall Cost
more than the sum herein specified the Excess shall be deducted from the Cost of the
Jail, or if less the difference to be added to the p^r^ice of the Jail, if necessary, it being the object of this section to reqire an Economicle Expenditure of five Thousand Dollars by the president and Trustees in the Erection
of the Courthouse and Jail and no more, and that sum may be used in building the Courthouse
alone or may be divided in the Erection of both the buildings in such proportion as
the County Commissioners of said County shall direct, and that the afforesaid Expenditure shall be made within the time agreed for the Erection of said buildings
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and further that said president and Trustees will build a Jail for the use of said
County upon a [Sec 10. In order to secure the payment of the five Thousand Dollars mentioned in the
proceding section of this act the president and Trustees of the Town of Winchester
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are hereby required in four Months after the Organisation of said County of Scott to Execute a Bond to the said County of Scott in the penalty of six Thousand Dollars with such security as shall be approved of
by the the County Commissioners of said County with the Condition that if the ^said^ president and Trustees shall faithfully Comply with all the provisions of this act
said Bond to be null and void, otherwise to remain in full virtue and force in Law
and Equity. If the president and Trustees shall deem it proper, in order to raise
the said five thousand dollars to levy a tax. They are hereby authorised for the next
four years after the passage of this act, to levy a tax of Three percent per annum
on all real Estate within the limits of the Corporation of the Town of Winchester and the said president and Trustees shall have power to make such Ordininces and by laws as shall secure the assessment and payment of the said three per cent untill the said sum of five Thousand Dollars is raised and no longer, provided said by laws and Ordininces shall not be inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of this State[.] All Bonds notes or subscriptions that have been or May be Executed for the purpose
of building public Buildings in the Town of Winchester made Payable to the president and Trustees
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of the Town of Winchester or any other person are hereby declared valid and may be sued on, and Collected by
Law all such suits to be comenced in the name of the person or persons to whom payment was to have been made, for the
use of the County of ScottSec 11 In case of failure on part of said Trustees to Comply with the fourging sections the County Commissioners Court of said County shall locate the County seat of said County at some Eligible point at or near the Center of said County and shall make it a condition in the location that at least Twenty acres of land
shall be conveyed to the County to be laid off into Town Lots, streets and Allies and the procedes of the sales of said lots to be appropriated to the Erection of public Buildings
for the use of said County
Sec 12 In order to ascertain the cost of the building^s^ required by the preceding sections the County Commissioners shall so soon as they
agree upon the plan of said building[s] appoint Two Competent Mechanics to act with Two to be apointed by the said president and Trustees and a fifth to be Chosen by the four appointed
as afforesaid to make a full and definate bill of the work and Materials required in the Erection of said buildings
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and the Cost or value thereof and the persons so selected shall make such Bill of
work and materials and the value there of and deliver one Copy of the same to the
County Commissioners Court or to their Clerk and one Copy to the said president and Trustees or their Clerk which bill when so made by said Mechanics
shall be Conclusive upon the parties, and shall regulate them in the application of
the five Thousand Dollars, provided however that no Mechanic^s^ shall be Chosen under the provisions of this section who reside in the Town of Winchester[.] The fourgoing Committee of Mechanics shall before entering on the duties assigned them by this
section Each take an oth or affirmation faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties assigned them by
this sectionsec 13. In case any one of the County Commissioners of Morgan County shall be Included in the County of Scott, an Election shall be held in the County of Morgan to fill the vacancy thereby created as in other cases of vacancy
Sec 14 untill a new apportionment can be made of Interest on the School College and seminary
funds the school Commissioner of Morgan County shall apportion that fund among
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the schools in the Counties of Morgan and Scott as though it was all the County of MorganThis act to take effect from and after its passage.
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No 91
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01/15/1839
01/15/1839
2
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01/15/1839
01/15/1839
sel[select] Com[Committee]
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01/23/1839
01/23/1839
Engrossed
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01/23/1839
01/23/1839
passed
Handwritten Document, 10 page(s), Folder 105, HB 133, GA Session 11-1, Illinois State Archives (Springfield),