HR0910 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0910 LRB094 19422 HSS 55133 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It has come to our attention that the 175th anniversary of the founding of Coles County occurred in December of 2005; on December 25, 1830, the Illinois State Legislature granted the petition to form Coles County in east-central Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Between 1820 and 1840, two migrations settled in Illinois; the group from New York and New England settled Northern Illinois, and the group from the Ohio and Wabash River Valleys settled in Southern Illinois, including what is now Coles County; and

WHEREAS, The first permanent settlement in Coles County occurred in 1824 in Hutton Township near the Embarras River; in that year, a small group of men from Crawford County decided to settle there; one of the early settlers, Benjamin Parker, built his cabin on the east bank of the Embarras River; in 1826, he moved to the present site of Charleston and was joined by other settlers, thus forming a permanent settlement; and

WHEREAS, It was the location of that permanent settlement that was chosen to serve as the county seat for the new county; named Charleston for another early settler, Charles Morton, the land for the first county courthouse was 40 acres, 20 each donated by Mr. Parker and Mr. Morton; and

WHEREAS, Coles County was previously a part of Crawford County, which stretched from its current location to the northern State line, covering about a third of Illinois; the county got its name from Edward Coles, second governor of Illinois known for his anti-slavery sentiments; at the time, Coles County included what are now Cumberland and Douglas counties; and

WHEREAS, Today most Coles County workers are employed in agriculture and industry; business, transportation facilities, an airport, and favorable factory sites have influenced the development of industry in the county; the Mattoon area has about 20 manufacturing and business firms with heavy employment; the Charleston area has about 15; and

WHEREAS, A celebration of the 175th anniversary of Coles County's founding is being planned for Charleston's Fourth of July celebration; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the citizens of Coles County on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the county's founding; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Coles County Board as an expression of our esteem and with best wishes for a fruitful future.