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1822
For Anti-slavery interests in the American Congress, The newly admitted State of Illinois would best be settled by similarly minded Northerners. Looking to expand on the economic benefits created by the 1817 Authorization to build the ERIE CANAL from the Hudson River at Albany to Lake ERIE at Buffalo, NY. The canal’s opening in 1825 provided relatively easy transport of commercial goods from New York City to the Great Lakes.
WAR of 1812
The newly established country of America was in an expansive national mood and agreed to take on England militarily with the hopes of gaining control of the remaining British territory on the North American Continent by reserving Canada for future US expansion.
The British fought back by forming alliances with American Indian groups in the now Midwest to give American troops competition for the land in the Northwest Territory of what’s now, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.
AUGUST 1812: American Troops surrendered control of Ft Mackinac in Upper Michigan, and Fort Detroit in the city of that name. General William Hull who was in command of Ft Detroit, ordered the U.S. Troops, women an Children living near the fort in what’s now Chicago, to abandon the fort and retreat to fort Wayne in Indiana.
FORT DEARBORN MASSACRE
After delaying their Departure for a few days they left Fort Dearborn 500 Pottawatomie allies and 54 US Army Regular Privates, 12 Militia, 4 US Army Officers, 12 Women and 20 Children. Captain John Wells led the procession south along the lakefront. The Pottawatomie took a different path than the group Americans. The Americans were attacked at what is now 18th Street and Prairie by 500 Pottawotomi Indians
Captain Wells was attacked first and decapitated with his heart being cut out and eaten by Chief Pesotum. The battle didn’t last long, they were vastly outnumbered. Survivors were comprised of 25 Privates, and 11 Women and Children. That was a loss of 66 dead including 21 women and Children. The date of the Fort Dearborn Massacre was August 15,1812.
This was a month or two before the British invaded the Chesapeake area and Burned the White House and Capital before moving North to Baltimore in an attempt to do to Baltimore what they had done to Washington DC.
They were thwarted in this engagement at Fort Henry where Frances Scott Key wrote his Poem that subsequently became the “Star Spangled Banner.”
Later in 1813 Andrew Jackson attacked British Troops and prevailed quite stirringly in the famous “Battle of New Orleans.” Jackson was seriously outnumbered and ill equipped whish made his Reputation that led to the US Presidency years later.
All this War across the country’s Mid section served to prove to lawmakers that a canal was needed to complete the national waterway link from New York to the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and Finally to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. America MUST be able to move Artillery, Military supplies, men and supplies across country to defend our claim to our growing nation, in particular the recent Louisiana Purchase of most land between the Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean.
ILLINOIS and MICHIGAN CANAL origins:
Jesuit Fathers Marquette and Joliet had explored Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, the Illinois River, and the Mississippi in the 1670’s and had told anyone who’d listen that the Great Lakes could be connected to the Mississippi via a short portage at the Western end of the, now, Chicago River.
The portage’s existence became a well-known engineering challenge of the late 1700’s and early 1800’s
POLITICAL HISTORY
The Secretary of War knew he could build the canal to facilitate American Army troop movements in Defense of the country. The actual enabling took Illinois politicians, in particular the Illinois Congressional Representative, a diminutive and frail ex-Kentuckian , Daniel P COOK to sponsor legislation
Daniel P. COOK
Arguably “the Father of Chicago” for his movement of Legislation through Congress establishing “The I & M Canal” was born in Kentucky in 1794 and received legal training from the Hon. John Pope and in 1815 moved to Kaskaskia, in the then Territory of Illinois and purchased “The Illinois Intelligencer” the first newspaper in the state and the publication that had the monopolistic rights to all Government printing. He purchased the paper from Matthew Duncan whose brother, Joseph, would become a competitor for Cook’s Congressional seat and eventually becoming the Governor of Illinois, 1834-38.
“Mr. Cook’s energy, ability and endearing qualities of disposition, coupled with the influence possessed by Judge Nathaniel POPE, then Secretary of the Illinois Territory soon made themselves felt, and the bright young Kentuckian was elected Clerk of the House of Representatives. At the second session of the Second Territorial Legislature, serving in this capacity until January 1818, when the last session of the Territorial legislature adjourned. He served concurrently from January 1816 to April 1817 as Auditor of Public Accounts.
After the legislature adjourned he became Judge Cook for the district of the counties of Bond, Madison, St Clair, Randolph, and Monroe. This was an area of about one-third of the new state of Illinois.
SLAVERY QUESTION
He served as Judge for only a few months before devoting his time and focus to help with the formation of the State Government of Illinois. July of 1818 saw the Constitutional convention open in Kaskaskia Illinois and adjourn in August of that year. Congress did not recognize the Illinois Convention until December 3, 1818, but because the convention was approved by the Illinoisans and called for elections on the Third Thursday of September for State officers and a Congressional Representative, Mr. Cook was a candidate for a term that would expire on March 3, 1819. He ran as a candidate of the Anti Slavery faction of the two groups who argued the subject of slavery’s inclusion as recognition in the original state Constitution..
“The question of slavery was an organizing issue even at that early time in the State’s foundation and the politicians had divided themselves into two sharply defined parties, one led by Ninian Edwards the last territorial Governor and Shadrach Bond, Illinois’ first Governor” Cook was a member of the Anti slavery Edwards group. The pro slavery group, led by Shadrach Bond put forth a candidate, John McLean of Shawneetown, also a Kentuckian by birth, and well-respected Attorney from Southeastern Illinois.
The campaign between McLean and Cook became a personal popularity between two equally respected young men and two parties of nearly equal strength. Mr. McLean won by 14 votes!
Shadrach Bond was inaugurated Governor Of Illinois on October 6, 1818 and Mr. Cook was elected to be the first Attorney General of Illinois in December of 1818 by the Illinois Legislature.
Being an ambitious man, Cook then ran for Congress against the incumbent McLean in of 1819. By then the Missouri Compromise had come to national attention, The question was whether to admit Missouri as a Slave State or not. The Missouri Compromise became the defining issue of the election, and it was reportedly short, sharp and decisive. Mr. Cook was elected by a sizable majority. Illinois’ second congressional election was an Anti-Slavery mandate! giving comfort to the abolitionists who had intended Illinois’ settlement to be as an Anti-Slavery State
Cook while in Congress 1819-1827 reportedly earned the respect of his contemporaries, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and James Monroe
On May 6, 1821 Congressman Cook married the beautiful and accomplished daughter of Governor Ninian Edwards. They had one child, John, on June 12, 1825 born in Belleville, St Clair county who went on to become a prominent citizen, Sheriff and Mayor of Springfield and member of the legislature.
Beginnings of the ILLINOIS and MICHIGAN CANAL
In 1822 former Congressman McLean attempted to beat Congressman Cook in a rematch for election. McLean lost by nearly 1,000 votes. It was after this election that Mr. Cook got satisfaction on the task of winning Federal Participation in the creation of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The Federal Act of March 30,1822 was the result of years of effort.
Governor Shadrach Bond’s instructions on October 10,1818 to Illinois’ First session of the First General Assembly was to take the Federal Funds for building Roads connecting Illinois to other nearby states would be better spent to “defray the expenses of cutting a canal to connect the waters of Lake Michigan and the Illinois River. The advantages resulting from such a work are too obvious to require comment. By means thereof together with the canal connecting the waters of Lake Erie and Hudson River, which is already in a state of great forwardness; a water communication from our very doors will be opened to the Atlantic by way of the lakes. I therefore recommend an early application to the Congress of the United States, to procure such a change in the disposition of that land as to make it applicable to the furtherance of so desirable a purpose.!”
IMAGINE THAT!
The first Governor of the brand new State of Illinois, at the first session of the First General Assembly having the vision to call for water access for the State of Illinois’ future manufactured goods and farmers crops and their sale to citizens of other states and parts of the new United States of America.
March 12,1819 An Illinois house’s resolution calling for the appointment of commissioners to investigate the practicality of opening navigation between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River.
December 15,1819 16th US CONGRESS Motion by Rep Cook of Illinois calling for the Secretary of War to report on ALL topographical reports previously made on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Reports were submitted to House Committee on Roads and Canals on December 28.1819 by the Secretary of War
January 1,1821 Illinois General Assembly authorizes the state to make the necessary surveys and cost estimates for a canal.
Senate Bill Number 5 “ An act respecting navigable Communication betweens the waters of the Illinois River and Lake Michigan.”
Details called for:
1.) The Gubernatorial Appointment of 3 Commissioners to determine the most eligible route and make the surveys
2.) Called for the Commissioners to faithfully AND impartially discharge their duties
3.) That they complete their report by December 1822
4.) That their budget is the sum of $500
18th U.S. CONGRESS, second session JANUARY 3,1825
Illinois’ Congressman Daniel P Cook of Illinois presented a Memorial enacted by the Illinois Legislature on November 27,1824 that requested a land grant of one section of depth on both sides of the proposed canal. Memorial was assigned to a select committee that reported favorably on the matter and introduced a bill, HR 309 providing for that land grant
A BILL
“To grant a certain quantity of land to the State of Illinois, for the purpose of aiding in opening a canal to connect the waters of the Illinois River with those of Lake Michigan.”
That amount of land was to include 4 sections of land adjacent to the canal on both sides of the Canal
The Act went on to grant the power of disposal of the land to the Illinois Legislature
And granted the Governor of Illinois the duty to select the superintendent of the Canal and report that appointment to the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States.
The Act also gave Illinois the power to sell the land and convey a fee simple title to the purchaser, the most powerful form of Real Estate title.
On February 17th,1825 the House became a committee of the whole and amendments were offered leading to the bill being tabled. The Bill was never reconsidered and the Bill was defeated.
19th U.S. CONGRESS second session, JANUARY 9,1827 SENATE BILL 48
Essentially the same Bill as 2 years previous, but the number of sections on both sides had increased to six and that the Canal when complete be a public highway for the Untied States Government free from any tolls for its use or for persons in its service.
This bill died because Eastern members of Congress held that a grant of Public lands could only be justified if the U.S. Government could take advantage of the future sale of adjacent sections of land at a profit to the U.S.
A Section of land is 640 acres and one-mile square
Finally a COMPROMISE on the number of sections of width:
The approved width to be: One half of 5 sections on Both sides, reserving each alternate section for the U. S. Government to dispose of, In Essence a checkerboard pattern. It would be the power of the next president Andrew Jackson to distribute the title to the alternate sections
U.S. CONGRESS MARCH 2,1827
PASSED BY THE CONGRESS AND SIGNED by President John Quincy Adams the same day!
Adams was recognized by History as a forward thinking builder, he extended the Cumberland Road into Ohio with Surveys for it’s continuation west to St. Louis, he began the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, the Delaware and and Chesapeake Canal and the Portland to Louisville Canal around the Falls of the Ohio: the connection of the Great Lakes to the Ohio River system in Ohio and Indiana; and the enlargement and rebuilding of the Dismal Swamp Canal in North Carolina.
Adam’s Vice president was the aforementioned former Secretary of War, James C. Calhoun who’s quote from 1819 supported the Illinois and Michigan Canal for Military National Defense
COOK DIED October 16, 1827 on a visit to his father in Kentucky
A report 60 years later put it this way: “Thus there passed away from earth, one of those rare small, frail men of body, who seem inspired from the first with the thought they must exert their influences and do their work with all their might before the time comes upon them so quickly in which no man can labor. Such men are given to the world as one of its powers of progress, and must be accounted, by the Higher Power, as necessary to its onward march, as those men of physical ad intellectual might who, through ceaseless perseverance of a long life, are accorded the privilege of working out to their conclusion some of their dearest plans for the public good.”
List of Illinois Governors:
For brief Biographical information on each Governor go to: http://history.rays-place.com/governors/il/
Shadrach Bond 1818 – 1822
Edward Coles 1823 – 1826
Ninian Edwards 1827 – 1830
John Reynolds 1831 – 1834
William Ewing 1834 – 1834
Joseph Duncan 1834 - 1838
Thomas Carlin 1838 – 1842 - D
Thomas Ford 1842 – 1846 - D
Augustus C. French 1846 – 1852 - D
Joel Matteson 1853 – 1856 - D
William Bissell 1857 – 1860 - R
John Wood 1860 – 1861 - R
Richard Yates 1861 – 1864 - R
Richard Oglesby 1865 – 1868, 1872 _ 1873, 1884 – R
JohnM. Palmer 1869 – 1872 - R
John L. Beveridge 1873 – 1876 - R
Shelby Cullom 1877 – 1883 - R
John M. Hamilton 1883 – 1885 – R
U.S. Congressmen Representing Chicago
John McLean All of Illinois1818 - 1819
Daniel P. Cook All of Illinois 1819 – 1827
Joseph Duncan All of Illinois 1827 – 1833
William May 3rd District 1833 – 1839
John Stuart 3rd District 1839 – 1843 3 Illinois Districts Total
John Wentworth 4th District 1843 – 1851 7 Illinois Districts Total
John Wentworth 2nd District 1853 - 1855 9 Illinois districts Total
James Woodworth 2nd District 1855 – 1857
John Farnsworth 2nd District 1857 – 1861
Isaac Arnold 2nd District 1861 – 1865
John Wentworth 2nd District 1865 - 1867
Norman B. Judd 2nd District 1867 – 1871
John Logan 1st District 1871 – 1871
John Beveridge 1st District 1871 – 1873 19 Illinois Districts Total
John B. Rice 1st District 1873 – 1874
Bernard Caulfield 1st District 1874 – 1877
Carter Harrison 2nd District 1875 – 1877
Charles Farwell 3rd District 1873 – 1877
William Aldrich 1st District 1877 – 1879
Carter Harrison 2nd District 1877 – 1879
Lorenz Brentano 3rd District 1877 – 1879
William Aldrich 1st District 1879 – 1881
George R. Davis 2nd District 1879 – 1881
Hiram Barber 3rd District 1879 – 1881
Wm Aldrich 1st District 1881 – 1883
George R. Davis 2nd District 1881 – 1883
G. E. Adams 3rd District 1881 – 1883
CHICAGO MAYORS of the CITY
Beginning 1837
For brief Bios on each mayor visit: City of Chicago: Mayors
Notice how many were also U.S. Congressmen.
William B. OGDEN 1837 – 1838
Buckner S. MORRIS 1838 – 1839
Benjamin W. RAYMOND 1839 – 1840
Alexander LLOYD 1840 – 1841
Fancis C. SHERMAN 1841 – 1842, 1862 – 1863, & 1863 – 1865
Augustus GARRETT 1843 – 1844, 1845 – 1846
Alson SHERMAN 1846 - 1847
JohnP. CHAPIN 1847 – 1848
James CURTISS 1847 – 1848
James H. WOODWORTH 1848 – 1849
Walter S, GURNEE 1851 – 1852, 1852 – 1853
Charles N. GRAY 1853 – 1854
Isaac L. MILLIKEN 1854 – 1855
Levi D. BOONE 1855 – 1856
Thomas DYER 1856 – 1857
John WENTWORTH 1857 – 1858, * 1860 – 1861 – R * 1st Republican Mayor in USA & personal friend of Pres. A. Lincoln
John C. HAINES 1858 – 1859
Julian S. RUMSEY 1861 – 1862
John B. RICE 1865 – 1867, 1867 – 1869
Roswell B. MASON 1869 – 1871
Joseph MEDILL 1871 – 1873
Harvey D. COLVIN 1873 – 1875
Monroe HEATH 1876, 1877 – 1879
Carter H. HARRISON 1879 – 1887, 1893 Assassinated Oct 28,1893 3 day before end of World’s Fair. Won Mayoral election 5 times
List of United States Presidents:
George WASHINGTON 1789 – 1797
John ADAMS 1797 – 1801
Thomas JEFFERSON 1801 – 1809
James MADISON 1809 – 1817
James MONROE 1817 – 1825
John Quincy ADAMS 1825 – 1829
Andrew JACKSON 1829 – 1837
Martin VAN BUREN 1837 – 1841
William H. HARRISON 1841 – 1841 Died in Office
John TYLER 1841 – 1845
James POLK 1845 – 1849
Zachary TAYLOR 1849 – 1850 Died in Office
Millard Fillmore 1850 – 1853
Franklin PIERCE 1853 – 1857
James BUCHANAN 1857 – 1861
Abraham LINCOLN 1861 – 1865 Assassinated in office
Andrew JOHNSON 1865 – 1869
Ulysses S. GRANT 1869 – 1877
Rutherford B. HAYES 1877 – 1881
James A. GARFIELD 1881 – 1881 Assassinated in office
Chester A. ARTHUR 1881 – 1885
Grover CLEVELAND 1885 – 1889, & 1893 – 1897
Benjamin HARRISON 1889 – 1893
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