CHAPTER X.
BENCH AND BAR OF SHELBY AND MOULTRIE COUNTIES.

SHELBY COUNTY

STATES ATTORNEYS

THE BAR.

PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE WAR.

THE BENCH AND BAR.

MOULTRIE COUNTY.

The Bench.

     When Moultrie county was first organized, it formed part of the eighth circuit, which extended from east line of the state to the Illinois River, embracing sixteen of the central counties of the state.  It afterwards formed part of the seventeenth circuit, wherein it remained until the division of the state under the present Constitution, when it was, with Champaign, Piatt and Macon, erected into the sixteenth circuit.  In 1877 it was changed to the fourth circuit, as at present, which includes also the counties of Vermillion, Edgar, Douglas, Clark, Coles, Piatt, Champaign and Macon.

     The first circuits judge holding court in this county was Samuel H. Treat, of the eighth circuit, and resident of Springfield, now one of the judges of hte U. S. district court.  David Davis of Bloomington (now United States Senator of Illinois) succeeded him.  He was followed by Charles Emerson of Decatur circuit judge of the seventeenth circuit.  Then succeeded A. J. Gallagher of Decatur as judge of the sixteenth circuit.  C. B. Smith of the sixteenth circuit was the next circuit judge.

     The 1877 the legislature passed a law establishing an appellate court, enlarging the circuit, and providing for the election of three judges for each circuit.  The judges thus elected was C. B. Smith, William E. Nelson and O. L. Davis.  At the election of 1879 C. B. Smith and O. L. Davis were re-elected, while W. E. Nelson was succeeded by J. W. Wilkin.

     County and Probate Courts. - The court having jurisdiction of probate matters and wills was originally known as the Probate Curt, and presided over by a justice of the peace.  Under the constitution of 1848 this was superseded by the county court, presided over by a county judge having a clerk and seal, and being a court of record.  The following gentlemen have held this office in the respective order named:  David Patterson, James Elder, Joseph E. Eden, Arnold Thomason and J. Meeker, the last named being the present county judge.

STATE AND PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.

FORMER RESIDENT-MEMBERS OF THIS BAR.

PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE MOULTRIE COUNTY BAR.