HR0910 LRB094 19422 HSS 55133 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, It has come to our attention that the 175th
3 anniversary of the founding of Coles County occurred in
4 December of 2005; on December 25, 1830, the Illinois State
5 Legislature granted the petition to form Coles County in
6 east-central Illinois; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Between 1820 and 1840, two migrations settled in
8 Illinois; the group from New York and New England settled
9 Northern Illinois, and the group from the Ohio and Wabash River
10 Valleys settled in Southern Illinois, including what is now
11 Coles County; and
 
12     WHEREAS, The first permanent settlement in Coles County
13 occurred in 1824 in Hutton Township near the Embarras River; in
14 that year, a small group of men from Crawford County decided to
15 settle there; one of the early settlers, Benjamin Parker, built
16 his cabin on the east bank of the Embarras River; in 1826, he
17 moved to the present site of Charleston and was joined by other
18 settlers, thus forming a permanent settlement; and
 
19     WHEREAS, It was the location of that permanent settlement
20 that was chosen to serve as the county seat for the new county;
21 named Charleston for another early settler, Charles Morton, the
22 land for the first county courthouse was 40 acres, 20 each
23 donated by Mr. Parker and Mr. Morton; and
 
24     WHEREAS, Coles County was previously a part of Crawford
25 County, which stretched from its current location to the
26 northern State line, covering about a third of Illinois; the
27 county got its name from Edward Coles, second governor of
28 Illinois known for his anti-slavery sentiments; at the time,
29 Coles County included what are now Cumberland and Douglas
30 counties; and
 

 

 

HR0910 - 2 - LRB094 19422 HSS 55133 r

1     WHEREAS, Today most Coles County workers are employed in
2 agriculture and industry; business, transportation facilities,
3 an airport, and favorable factory sites have influenced the
4 development of industry in the county; the Mattoon area has
5 about 20 manufacturing and business firms with heavy
6 employment; the Charleston area has about 15; and
 
7     WHEREAS, A celebration of the 175th anniversary of Coles
8 County's founding is being planned for Charleston's Fourth of
9 July celebration; therefore, be it
 
10     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12 we congratulate the citizens of Coles County on the occasion of
13 the 175th anniversary of the county's founding; and be it
14 further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the Coles County Board as an expression of our
17 esteem and with best wishes for a fruitful future.