•February 8, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Abraham Lincoln is celebrated on President’s Day in February but also on his birthday Feb. 12. He is remembered locally for his years as a circuit court rider and for the many clients he served.

What is less known is that he was the first corporate lawyer for the Illinois Central Railroad when it was one of the largest corporations in Illinois. To properly tell this story we have to begin at the beginning with Land Grants.

Land Grants were started in the U.S in the 16th century for the purpose of establishing settlements. There were several kinds of land grants - for veterans, universities, etc. and the Land Grant of 1851 granted 2.5 million acres of Illinois public land to the Illinois Central Railroad - ICRR. This was the first railroad to receive a land grant and when finished, it was the longest railroad line in the world. But there were restrictions and financial burdens with the land grant so the ICRR received a charter from the state of Illinois which freed it from all the responsibilities of the land grant - but were required to pay seven percent of gross earnings annually as a charter tax to run from Galena through Springfield to Cairo.
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Photo by Mike Brothers
State Treasurer Michael Frerich visited a Sullivan Chamber round table at Cathrine’s 5 West Feb 3. John Hindman of Mattoon (right) was among interested citizens attending.

•February 8, 2017•

State treasurer Michael Frerichs gave visitors to the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce round table a chance to find out how he does his job in a state with no money.

“As the chief investment officer for a state without money, we were able to generate $68 million in interest for Illinois last year,” Frerichs explained to community leaders gathered at Cathrine’s 5 East Feb. 3.

He explained that if the state had a balanced budget, that would have grown another $30 million.

“We try to help provide tools for families to help invest,” he continued, noting programs such as the College Savings has grown to include 440,000 participants.

“A new investment program involving 14 states now allows people to save on behalf of persons with disabilities or blindness without jeopardizing federal disability benefits,” Frerich said.

He reported that the National Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Alliance allows for tax free investments when funds are used for the person with disabilities utilizing a pool involving 14 states. Read More

•February 1, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

My friend and News Progress colleague Joe Pound has every so kindly advised me that my source of the city website for the origins of the name “Sullivan” was incorrect.

Indeed, further research shows that in documents from the Sullivan County Commissioners in 1845, they met and agreed on a site for the new town and selected the name “Sullivan” after General John Sullivan of Revolutionary War fame.

So, let me now praise famous men. John Sullivan was born Feb. 17, 1740 in New Hampshire and was a continental general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate to the Continental Congress, Governor of New Hampshire and a U.S. federal judge. He studied and practiced law often to the annoyance of his neighbors for his numerous frivolous suits and foreclosures. Read More

Photos by Ellen Ferrera
Through the doors of the Ward Museum at Mason Point are treasures from a lifetime of collecting frozen in time.

•February 1, 2017•

By Ellen Ferrera
for the News Progress

Up the steps of the main Mason Point building, through the front door and about 100 yards ahead you will arrive at the entrance to the magical world of the Abraham L. and Cora Ward Museum - frozen in time since it opened in 1948. Inside are some 25,000 items, many valuable and rare with mysterious origins as intriguing as the story of the museum itself.

When ill health forced Mr. Ward into retirement in his early forties, he and Cora set out on train trips all over North America, Mexico, Canada and Cuba.

It was their custom to purchase a train ticket as far as they could travel to a good sized city by daylight. They would spend the night in a hotel and the following day engage in their passion of collecting anything and everything of interest.

His passion was sea shells and hers was glass tumblers and goblets, but their interests were wide-ranging. When they tired of one city, they would buy another ticket as far as daylight would take them. Read More

Six Express Interest in the Sixth

•January 25, 2017•

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita B. Garman has selected the judicial screening committee for the Sixth Judicial Circuit.

The screening committee was formed for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of those persons who have applied for appointment to the Office of Judge of the Circuit Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit created by the resignation of Chief Judge Daniel Flannell on January 12, 2017.

Under the Illinois Constitution, the vacancy will be filled by Supreme Court appointment. Read More