A History of the City of Cairo, Illinois

XXVI. Alexander County and Its Other Towns, and Its Earliest Settlers

CHAPTER XXVI ALEXANDER COUNTY, ITS OTHER TOWNS, AND ITS EARLIEST SETTLERS T HE territory of the county was a part of St. Clair County, when that county was organized by Governor Arthur St. Clair March 27, 1790. It became a part of Randolph County, which was organized by him October 5, 1795. It became a part of Johnson County, when that county was organized by Governor Ninian Edwards September 12, 1812. It continued a part of Johnson County until January 2, 1818, when it became a part of Union County, then organized , but only by attachment thereto until it should be formed into a separate county, which was done March 4, 1819. It was, therefore, a part of or attached to Union County from January 2, 1818, to March 4, 1819. Its boundaries were the two rivers, and on the east, a north and south line between ranges one and two east, and, on the north, an east and west line between townships thirteen and fourteen, south range. These boundaries embrace about three hundred and seventy-eight square miles. The first section of this act of March 4, 1819, fixed the boundaries of the county and gave it the name of Alexander County, for William M. Alexander, who lived at America, the county seat. I have not been able to obtain much information concerning Doctor Alexander. He was a practicing physician in America and its vicinity, and also something of a politician and public man. He represented the county in the lower house of the legislature in 1820 and 1822. He was also speaker of the house in 1822 and 1824. In the"Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois," of 1900, is a short sketch of him. He is there said to. have gone from America to Kaskaskia and subsequently to some part of the south where he died, but the date and place of his death could not be given by the writer of the sketch. In Chapter I of that part of the "History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties" which relates to Alexander County are found extracts from the diary of Col. Henry L. Webb, of Trinity, at the mouth of Cache River. Col. Webb speaks of Doctor Alexander and of his being in co-partnership with him in certain business enterprises. In Chapter II Doctor Alexander is again spoken of. I regret very much that I am not able to say more concerning this man whose name our county bears. The second section of the act appointed Levi Hughes, Aaron Atherton, Daniel Phillips, Allen McKenzey, and Nesbit Allen, commissioners to locate the permanent seat of justice or county seat. The third section required the courts, elections, etc., to be held "in the house of Wm. Alexander, in said county, until the public building should be erected." 211 :412 HISTORY OF THE CITY OF CAIRO His house was very probably at America on the Ohio River. The commissioners located the county seat at America, where it remained until it was removed to' Unity by the act of January 18, 1833. The county of Pulaski was organized l\1arch 2, 1843, and all of Alexander County east of the west bank of Cache River and east of Mill Creek was taken off and included in Pulaski County. This left no part of the river in Alexander County, and reduced the area of Alexander from three hundred and seventy-eight square miles to' about two hundred. The county seat remained at Unity until February 4, 1845, when the legislature enacted a law removing and permanently locating it at Thebes, in the southeast quarter of section eight, township fifteen south, range three west, "commonly called Sparhawk's Landing" on the Mississippi River. On the 18th day of February, 1859, the legislature passed a law providing for the holding of an election on the first Tuesday of November , 1859, to determine whether the people of the county desired to remove the county seat from Thebes to Cairo. The election was held on the 8th day of November and resulted in a vote of five hundred and seventy fnr removal and three hundred and ninety against remnval. The polls were open at Cairo, Unity, Thebes, Santa Fe, Clear Creek, Dog Tnoth, and Hazlewood. The judges of the election at Cairo were Daniel Hannon, John Ryan and Hugh Dolan; and the clerks were J. W. Timmons and John H. Robinson. It will, therefore, be seen that America was the county seat of the county fourteen...