On the 27th day of January, 1831, the Legislature appointed John G. Sanborn, Hazen Bedell, and John McNeil, commissioners, to locate the permanent seat of justice, and on the 7th of April following they, in a sealed package, directed to the county commissioners:
     "Respectfully report that we have located the seat of justice for said county, on the south-west quarter of Section twenty-nine, in township Eleven North, and range Two west of the Fourth principal meridian, they have given the said seat of justice the name of MONOUTH."
     At the court, held June 12, 1831, orders for proposals to erect a courthouse where issued as follows:   *     *     *   "That said proposals be received and contracts entered into for the purpose of building a court-house of twenty by twenty-two feet on the ground, nine feet between the sleepers and joists, to be built of logs hewn down inside and out, and finished as the county commissioners shall direct, at the time and place aforesaid, and in such lot as they shall designate."
      The contract for building the court-house, after the usual manner of crying it, was let to Francis Kendall for the sum of fifty-seven dollars.  To this he was allowed three dollars for additional expense incurred.  The Commissioners' Court had met just six days previous to this, and ordered a sale of lots in the town of Monmouth.  The site had been surveyed by the surveyor, Peter Butler, for which he received twenty-one cents per lot, three hundred and twenty stakes being required. The order for sale read as follows: "The highest and best bidder to be the purchaser, provided the large or out lots be not sold, unless the bid offered shall amount to at least two dollars per acre.
     "The bid on the in lots be not less than four dollars per lot, and those adjoining the public square not to be sold unless the bid offered be at least ten dollars per lot.
     "The lots will be offered, with a few exceptions, alternately, and the purchaser or purchasers will receive a certificate of purchase, and required to give three separate notes of equal payments with approved security, payable in twelve, eighteen and twenty-four months, subject to a discount of

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twelve and a half per cent, on all moneys paid for said lots before due, calculating from the time paid; also subject to a discount of twelve and a half per cent, on the amount or price of each lot, on which a comfortable cabin or dwelling-house, store, grocery, or mechanic's shop shall be erected and finished suitable to live in, within one year from the sale of said lot." 
     At this sale, held on June 6th, forty-six purchases were made and recorded, aggregating in value $965.62¹/₃.
     At the Special Term of the Commissioners' Court, held July 9, 1830, it was
     "On motion, ordered, That the temporary county seat of justice, or place of holding County Commissioners courts and Circuit courts, for the county of Warren, be held (until the permanent seat be located) at the upper house of Mr. Alexis Phelps, at the Yellow Banks, now Oquawka, Henderson county, on fractional section Fifteen, in town Eleven north of Range Five West."
     The court-house was ready for occupancy early in the summer, and the records (what few there were) were at once taken there.  During the summer and autumn but six buildings were erected, beside the court-house and jail.  The former occupied the lot afterwards purchased by Capt. D. T. Denman, and on which his residence stood, while the latter was situated on the lot afterwards occupied by the wagon shop of William T. Henry.
     The first settlers were Daniel McNeil, Joel Hargrove, and Elijah Davidson, of whom one, the latter, is now living.
     The first mentioned of these persons opened the pioneer store of Monmouth; Daniel McNeil, the second; Stapp and Berry, the third, and the fourth by McCallon and Gibson.
     To open a grocery at that time, it was necessary to obtain a town license, in which generally was specified the prices to be charged for articles used in the keeping of customers.  It appears that these trades people were accustomed to often combine the privilege of entertaining travelers with the grocery business, as there is on record in the county office many items like the following:

     The above "scale of prices" was granted on Nov. 25, 1835, when Warren county contained, according to a census taken then, 2,623 inhabitants, and was twenty-six miles broad and thirty-six mils long; and when Monmouth contained but seven houses, according to some authorities, and about eighty inhabitants, although, by the close of the  year 1837, there were eighty houses and 400 inhabitants.
     At the December term of the County Commissioners Court, in 1834, the first license to keep a tavern in Monmouth was granted to James M. Garrison, who gave a bond of $200, and paid for this license $5.00.  The following were the rates fixed in the license:

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     The licenses for opening stores were generally from seven to ten dollars, and were renewable each year.  S. Phelps & Co. were granted one at the June term, 1835, for $8.00.  Elujah Davidson, the first grocery man, was given his license Dec. 5, 1831, for $2.50.  He was appointed county treasurer in the spring of 1832, and held the office several years.  Martin McCowen was granted license to open a grocery in 1834, and as in all grocery licenses, the rates of charges were also given.  W. B. Stapp and W. S. Berry were granted license to "vend merchandise" in the summer of 1835, and paid $11 license fee.  At the same time Ferdinand Vandyke and William Tracy received their permits for the same purpose.  James P. Hogue, James McCallon and W. F. Smith's permits were given at the same time, and from that time, names of the old merchants often appear on the old records, showing that Monmouth was increasing rapidly in business and population.  During these five years it had only been a village, but the citizens were actively discussing the feasibility of forming a town government, and enjoying a town's privileges.  James McCallon, Daniel McNeil, Jr., and others, were the most energetic in this move, and finally in compliance with the general demand, posted notices in the most conspicuous places in town and notices informing the "legally qualified voters of the town of Monmouth" that a meeting to determine this question would be held at the school house on Nov. 29, 1836.  The proceedings to incorporate Monmouth as a town, as recorded, were commenced at this date.  These proceedings were under the general law of the State in fore at that time, being the act approved Feb. 12, 1831, entitled "an act to incorporate the inhabitants of such towns as may wish to be incorporated." Ten days prior to November 29th, a notice had been publicly posted up in compliance to law, and in pursuance of this call " the male citizens of the town of Monmouth" met at the school house at this date, and having organized by calling Elijah Davidson to he chair, and Harry Jennings as clerk, "the object of the meeting was fully set forth" and voting for and against the incorporation of the town commenced.  Twenty-three votes were cast in favor of the incorporation and none against.
     The voters were: Wm. F. Smith, Daniel McNeil, Jr., R. W. McMillen, Mordecai McBride, B. F. Berry, Yost Huffman, J. J. Caldwell, G. W. Vaugan, J. P. Hogue, Samuel Brazelton, Geo. H. Wright, Alex. Hogue, F. Vandyke, James McCallon, S. T. McBride, Thos. Butler, Andrew Robinson, Frank Kendell, Peter I. Dodge, Thos. G. Hogue, Elijah Davidson, Harry Jennings and Alex. Ritchie.
     It was at once ordered that an election be held on December 5th following, for five trustees to serve twelve months, or until their successors wore qualified.  At this time Elijah Davidson, Daniel McNeil, Jr., James McCallon. Alex. Ritchie and George H. Wright were duly elected, and at once qualified.
     Daniel McNeil, Jr., was chosen President of this Board of Trustees and Harry Jennings, Clerk and Treasurer. The first official act of this Board was the passing of the following ordinance, at their meeting held on December 26, at the house of James McCallon:

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MORE TO COME

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MANUFACTORIES.

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SCHOOLS.

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CHURCHES.

     The First United Presbyterian Church.  This congregation was organized by Rev. Robert Ross, May 9, 1853, more than twenty-three years ago, as an Associate Reformed Church.
     Nineteen persons united, whose names were as follows: John, Ann, Isabella and James S. Gowdy, Isabella Young, James G. and Martha E. Madden, t. W. Smiley, John and Mary J. Saville, John E. Clark, Mrs. Clark, Robert A. Kendall, James E. McNair, Edward Kirk, Isabella Wallace, Julia a., Maria S. and Susan Madden.  The first communion service was held June 11th, following, when thirty-four persons sat down to the communion table, ten of whom now remain in the congregation.  This church has received into her fellowship over fourteen hundred persons, and now has a membership of four hundred.
     The congregation......................................................................

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expense of $1,500.  It is still used.  Their first pastor was Rev. J. C. Graves.  Since then they have been ministered to by Rev. J. H. Bandy and others.
     They have at present thirty-one members and a Sunday school of forty scholars.

THE PRESS

THE MONMOUTH COLLEGE,

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PORTRAIT OF W. G. BOND
SHERIFF, WARREN COUNTY ILLS.

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no more scholarships at this rate.  In lieu thereof, for every one hundred dollars, scrip was issued entitling to tuition, at current rates, to the amount of $200, payable one-tenth annually.  Again this plan was modified by giving scrip for the sum donated, dollar for dollar, entitling to tuition to the amount of the face of it, at the rates current at the time of the sale.  Many thousands of dollars were thus secured.  Finally, however, all these schemes were abandoned, because the education promised by the college cost it more than the principal and interest of the money paid for the scholarship amounted to.  Endowment on this principle was found to be impossible.  In 1871, it was determined to solicit donations, without any tuition in turn, for the Endowment fund.  On this plan over $75,000 have been secured, which is being collected and invested in bonds secured by mortgage or real estate, and bearing interest at the rate of ten per cent. per annum.  A few thousand dollars have also been secured by the sale of perpetual scholarship for $1,000.
     The first President of the College was Rev. David A. Wallace, who still holds the place.  The following have been connected with it as Professors and Instructors.

     The number of students in all departments, each year from the beginning, has been as follows:

     Of these, 155 are in the college proper.
          The number of graduates each year from the beginning has been as follows:

     Those at present connected with the college are marked (*),

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     The whole number of graduates, classical and scientific, has been 460; 254 classicals, and 206 scientifics.  Of the classicals, 19 were ladies, and of the scientifics, 136.  The Honorary Degree of A. M. has been conferred on 4 persons; of D. D., on 32; of LL. D., on 1.  Of the 235 gentlemen who graduated from the classical course, 134 were candidates of the ministry, and of the scientifics. 5.  Three gentlemen and two ladies are missionaries in the foreign field.

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LODGES.
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CITY GOVERNMENT.

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