Madison County History
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A
STAR IS BORN IN HARTFORD
On May 30, 1927, twins were born in Hartford to Paul Arnold and
Gladys Huldah Walker. The boy was named Norman Eugene “Clint”
Walker, and the girl was named Neoma Lucille “Lucy” Walker. After
leaving school to work at a factory and then a riverboat, Clint
joined the U.S. Merchant Marines during the last months of World War
II. He then worked at odd jobs in Texas, California, and Nevada. His
good looks and imposing physique (he stood at 6 feet, 6 inches tall)
helped him land an audition, where he won the lead role in the TV
series, “Cheyenne.” He was cast as Cheyenne Bodie, a roaming cowboy
hero in the post-American Civil War era. Clint frequently returned
to the Hartford and Alton area to visit his twin sister, Lucy. He
would work out at the Alton Y.M.C.A., attracting huge crowds. Walker
married three times – first to Verna Garver (one daughter, Valerie);
second to Giselle Hennesy; and for a third time to Susan Cavallari.
He died May 21, 2018 in California, nine days before his 91st
birthday.
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MADISON COUNTY ESTABLISHED
On
September 14, 1812, Madison County was established in the Illinois
Territory out of Randolph and St. Clair Counties, by proclamation of
the Governor of Illinois Territory, Ninian Edwards. It was named for
U. S. President James Madison, a friend of Edwards, and had a
population of 9,099 people. At the time of its formation, Madison
County included all of the modern State of Illinois north of St.
Louis, as well as all of Wisconsin, part of Minnesota, and
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
A meeting was held on April 5, 1813 at the home of Thomas
Kirkpatrick in Edwardsville, where appointed commissioners were to
report on their selection of a county seat. A meeting was held on
January 14, 1814, where the court ordered the sheriff to notify the
commissioners appointed by law to fix the place for the public
buildings (courthouse and jail) for Madison County. The county seat
was established in the town of Edwardsville, with the first public
building – the jail – being erected in 1814. The first county
courthouse was erected in Edwardsville in 1817.
During the period 1819 to 1849, Madison County was reduced in area
to its present size, about 760 square miles. All of the public lands
had become the property of individuals and had been converted into
thousands of productive farms. New towns and villages were
established, such as Collinsville, Highland, Marine, Venice,
Monticello [Godfrey], Troy, and Alton.
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QUICK LINKS
Confederate Cemetery (North Alton)
Western Military Academy (Upper Alton)
Shurtleff College (Upper Alton)
Monticello Ladies Seminary (Godfrey)
Illinois State Penitentiary in Alton (1833-1860)
Federal Military Prison at Alton (1861-1865)
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