Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1896 — Our Former Court Houses. [ARTICLE]

Our Former Court Houses.

Tli.e following article, prepared at our request by oue townsman, Hon. M. L. Spitler, gives the siibstance of his address at the “Farewell” meeting at the old court house, last Wednesday evening, July Bth, 1896. In the early history of our State, that portion of the northwest part of the State comprising what is now Benton, Jasper, Newton, Warren,' Lake and Porter Counties was attached to the County of Wabash. In 1825 and'"lß26 Warren County was organized, and County-seat located at Williamsport in 1828 and afterwards confirmed in June 1829. In 1834 and 1835 the further organization of the Northwest territories into Counties were completed. Out of this territory two counties were organized; Jasper County embraced the territory west and north of the Southeast Corner of Section Thirty-three (33) Township (24) North Range six (6) West, as far west to the State line of Illinois, and north to the township line dividing townships Twenty-nine (29) and Twenty-eight (28), which is just south of the now Catholic Cemetery, south of the College ’ The territory north of this to the township line dividing townships Thirtythree (33) and Thirty-four (34) embraced what was then named Newton County. In 1836 Porter County was organized and in 1837 Lake, thus depriving Newton County of all its territory north of the Kankakee River. At this time Jasper County was attached to White County for judic.al purposes. Previous t to being attached to White, it was attached to Warren; land deeds Jor lands in our County were recorded in Warren and White Counties, according to their date. In 1838 Jasper County was organized an independent County to which Newton was attached for some purposes, and to White for others. In 1839, by an act of the Legislature, Commissioners were appointed, to locate the County seats of the New Counties. Said Commissioners were empowered, if they deemed best, to consolidate the Counties of Jasper and Newton and name the seat of justice for the consolidated territories. These Commissioners considered it advisable to consolidate the two counties and fixed the County seat at the “Falls of the Iroquois River.” They gave the name of Jasper to the consolidated territory and the name of Newton to the County seat. The name of Newton was afterwards changed by an act of the Legislature to Rensselaer and by this name it is known at the present time.

In 1840, the Countv of Benton was struck off the consolidated county of Jasper, our territorial limits thus being the line between townships Twenty-seven [27] and Twenty-six [26] on the south and the Kankakee River on the north. This broad expanse of territory remained ours until December Term 1859 of Jasper Commissioners’ Court. After a long and warm contest, contestants having been once in the Supreme Court, the formation of the new County of Newton was organized by absorbing all our territory west of range seven [7] to the State line. ' The original County of Newton lost its name in in 1839, to receive it again in 1859 out of a portion of its old territory with a portion of old Jasper. Our first seat of Justice was fixed at the house of Robert Alexander in Parish Grove in January 1838. In March 1839, the Commissioners met at the house of George W. Spitler located about half a mile south of Lyons mill, then located near the present site, of the thriving town of Brook, which was in what is now known as Newton County. The time is too short and the space too limited to go into detail. We can only state results. You will see our Court House was the residence of Robert Alexander in 1838. Itr 1839 it was moved to a log house 16 feet square near the south bank of the Iroquois River, west, of Brook. In 1839 it was moved to the falls of the Iroquois at what is now known as Rensselaer.

’ George W. Spitler who at that time held all the County offices except Sheriff and -Treasurer built and donated to the County the first Court House. The next was a building on Cornelia Street between Front and Van Rensselaer, erected between the pressent residences of Mr. E. D. Rhoades and John Eger, James Van Rensselaer, proprietor of this town, donated a block to the County for a public square and also

four additional lots for erection of other public buildings. # ' In 1845 Mr.- Van Rensselaer erected a two story frame building 31 by 36 on lot 10 in block 13 which consisted of a Court Room below and two jury rooms above. This building when not used for Court purposes was used as a town hall, church, school rooms and reputable gatherings of all kinds and character. In 1854 this building was sold at public auction to one C. W. Henkle. In 1853 our County Commissioners determined to erect a new and more commodious Court House with accomodations sufficient.for all our County officers. Heretofore the, County officers held their offices in their respective houses as there was no other suitable place. In 1854 the contract was let at public auction to Benjamin Hehkle for $10500.00, be being the best bidder. « This building was seventy feet long and forty feet wide with six rooms below and court room above with two stair ways leading into Court Room. This bqilding was completed in 1856 and accupied soon after by the County Officers. This was really their first home. On January 18, 1865 this building was burned. The brick walls alone remained standing. The contents of Auditor’s and Treasurer’s offices were completely destroyed. In the Clerk’s office all the papers, records, and' files of Circuit Court and nearly all of Probate and Common Pleas Court were destroyed. The Recorder’s records were saved except Deed Records 2 and 11 moitgage record 3 and some unimportant records. This was a great financial loss to the County and to the Citizens and public generally. The loss was inestimable. Hardly a term of court ever passes without manifesting this loss. Our county commissioners however were prompt to act and on April -4 a contract was let to D. J. Silvers of Fort Wayne Indiana to rebuild the Court House psing the old walls, at a cost of SIO,OOO. In June following he was also awarded the Contract for building two vaults in the building at a cost of $954.00. September 8, 1865 this building was completed and occupied by the officers" and has been continuously thereafter until the 6th day of July, 1896 when the building was abandoned.

From year to year as occasion required this building has been repaired and changed until its condition no longer addmitted of repair, its accomodations no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of our growing needs and population. It was small, inconvenient and the officers could no longer dispatch business with promptness and comfort. Our commissioners have wisely determined to remove the old Court House and erect a new one, large, commodious and sufficient to fill all requirements of a great and growing County. The first jail was built in 1847 and consisted of hewed logs twelve inches square and was 20 by 26 feet in size, divided into two rooms, and was located on lot 10 in block 14. This building was sold in 1856 to Alfred Thompson for $20.00 who removed the same, and thus passed out of existence and quite out of memory of people. Until the erection of the present jail in 1883 our prisoners were confined in the jails of the surrounding Counties of White, Benton and Tippecanoe according to the character of the criminal. Our present Jail was built at a cost of $11,655, and was completed in 1883.