Category Archives: Local government

Sangamon County circuit clerks, 1821-2023 (list)

Posted on December 30, 2014 by editor

The histories of most of the 28 people – 26 men and two women – who have held the office of Sangamon County circuit clerk were researched in 2011 by Savannah Little. The resulting brief biographies can be read on … Continue reading →

Posted in Local government, Politics, Prominent figures, Sangamon County | Leave a comment

Elm devastation, 1940s

Posted on December 23, 2014 by editor

The malady that killed thousands of Sangamon County’s elm trees in the late 1940s wasn’t the dreaded Dutch elm disease. It was worse. The Illinois State Journal sounded the first alarm in its Aug. 3, 1945 edition: “Elm attacked by … Continue reading →

Posted in Disasters, Local government | Leave a comment

The Historic Preservation Association of Springfield

Posted on December 19, 2014 by editor

Note: This post has been revised by the author. By the middle 1980s, the preservation of historically and architecturally significant buildings had become the subject of growing attention in Springfield. This attention reflected national trends, as well as regret over … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Historic Sites, Local government, National Register, Springfield | 3 Comments

National Lincoln Monument Association directors, 1865

Posted on November 15, 2014 by editor

The National Lincoln Monument Association, officially organized on May 11, 1865, oversaw fundraising for and construction of Abraham Lincoln’s tomb. Although members originally planned to build the structure on land that now is the site of the Illinois Statehouse, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Historic Sites, Illinois capital, John T. Stuart, Journalism, Lincoln Tomb, Lincoln, Abraham, Local government, Media, Politics, Prominent figures | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sangamon County boundary maps

Posted on October 29, 2014 by editor

When formed in 1821, Sangamon County took in all of what now are Sangamon, Menard, Logan, Cass, Mason and Tazewell counties, parts of McLean, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Macon and Christian counties, plus a sliver of northern Morgan County. Cass was … Continue reading →

Posted in Local government, Maps, Sangamon County | 2 Comments

‘Riverton riot’ of 1906

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

In the early years of the 20th century, local newspapers reported Lithuanian ethnicity in crimes of violence, much as media later in the century reported race. However, it’s easy to see why a “Lithuanian” brawl could have seemed relevant to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Ethnic groups, Law enforcement, Lithuanians, Local government | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Pasfield family (1830s to 1930)

Posted on September 28, 2014 by editor

Three men named George Pasfield — father, son and grandson, usually distinguished as “the first George Pasfield,” “Dr. George Pasfield” and “George Pasfield Jr.” — played major roles in the growth of Springfield over nearly a century. 1830s George Pasfield … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Business, Early residents, First Citizens, Historic Sites, Hotels & taverns, Illinois capital, Industry, Local government, Parks, Prominent figures | 3 Comments

Rudy Davenport (African-American history series)

Posted on September 21, 2014 by editor

Born in Georgia in 1928, Rudy Davenport grew up in Chicago, graduated from Roosevelt University, and moved to Springfield in 1966.  He worked for the State of Illinois and was an active volunteer with the NAACP. Davenport was one of … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Ethnic groups, Local government, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Harry Loper (Springfield race riot)

Posted on September 7, 2014 by editor

Harry Loper, a successful white restaurateur, owned one of the few motorcars in Springfield in 1908. So when Sangamon County Sheriff Charles Werner wanted to move two black accused murderers out of the county jail before a white mob stormed the facility, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Disasters, Local government, Prominent figures, Race riot of 1908, Restaurants | Leave a comment

Noah Roll (slain police officer)

Posted on August 7, 2014 by editor

Police Officer Noah Roll was attempting to protect two streetcars from a mob at Ninth Street and North Grand Avenue about 9:15 p.m. Aug. 7, 1917, when he was struck in the head by two shots fired by someone on … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Labor unions, Law enforcement, Local government, Transportation | Leave a comment