Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society

“…increasing and enriching public knowledge of our heritage”

  • Join Us/Renew
  • Events
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • What’s New
  • Our Library
    • Overview
    • Directions
    • Events Schedule
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Library Collections
      • Overview
      • Newspapers on Microfilm
      • Ortssippenbücher (OSB) Collection
    • Photograph Collections
      • Mystery Photos
      • Notable Men Photos
      • World War I Soldier Photos
    • Publications
    • FamilySearch Affiliate
  • Research
    • Family Histories
      • App Family Stories
      • Dully Family History
    • Maps
      • Township Boundaries
      • 1833 Tazewell County Map
      • 1836 Tazewell County Map
      • 1857 Tazewell County Map
      • 1873 Tazewell County Map
      • 1873 Tazewell County Map 2
      • 1896 Tazewell County
      • 1920 Tazewell County
        from Prairie Farmer Magazine
      • 1929 Tazewell County
        from Illinois Highway Map
    • Records & Indexes
      • Deaths 1877-1950
      • Deeds 1830-1929
      • Marriage Applications 2020 On
      • Marriage Divorces Granted 2021 On
      • Marriages 1869-1950
      • Prairie Pioneer Certificates
      • Surname Registry
      • The Monthly Newsletter Surname Index 1978-2020
    • Research Guides
      • Amish Mennonites in Tazewell County
      • Tazewell County Cemeteries
      • Tazewell County Education Records
      • Vital Records: Birth, Marriage & Death
      • Links to Other Resources
    • Research Services
  • Historical Tidbits
  • About
    • History of TCGHS
    • Mission & Purpose
    • Our Officers & Board
    • Our Facebook Page
    • Contact Info
    • Contact Us
    • Website Map
  • Support TCGHS
    • Become a Member
    • Donate Funds
    • Donate Items
    • Affiliate Shopping
    • Surname Tree
    • Business Plaque
  • Members Only
    • Content of Members Only Area
    • Login/Logout
    • Register for Members Only
    • Edit Members Only Profile
    • Members Only Assistance
    • Society Documents
      • Bylaws
      • Deadline Dates
      • General Policies
      • Job Descriptions
Home > Publications > County Directories & Histories > Lynch Law

Lynch Law

Front Cover of Lynch Law
Back Cover - Lynch Law

One of our members, Jim Conover, has co-authored the definitive book on the history of “the Berry Gang”, which terrorized the people of Tazewell County for years in the late 1860’s, despite the efforts of Pekin’s tough City Marshal Alfred Stone, Tazewell County Sheriff Edward Pratt, and his deputies – including the gang’s eventual downfall. Based on historical documents and family histories. A classic piece of western frontier history right here in central Illinois! 8.6″ x 5.6″, 297 pp, softcover.

$20.00

(includes U.S. shipping & tax)


SKU: LynchLaw-01 Categories: Biographies, County Directories & Histories Tags: Books, Tazewell County

More Details

Welcome to Tazewell County, Illinois – 1869!

Situated on the very edge of the western frontier, Tazewell County was the jumping off place for many pioneers.

As hundreds of wagon trains from the east rumbled westward over the vast prairies of Illinois, many families claimed homesteads along the Illinois River.

One such family to settle here was the Berry family, who homesteaded a few acres just outside of Circleville. Four brothers of this family, William, Isaac, Emanuel, and Simeon Berry, and their many cohorts became known as “the Berry Gang”.

This gang of horse-thieves, road agents, and killers terrorized the people of Tazewell County for years, despite the efforts of Pekin’s tough City Marshal Alfred Stone, Tazewell County Sheriff Edward Pratt, and his deputies. Then one day they made the fatal mistake of resisting the law once too often. Over the next few days, that resistance would result in murder, aggravated assault, mob action, suicide, and a lynching.

The authors, using all available official documents, newspaper accounts, and personal family records, documented and wrote this true story

Surnames & Locations

Some of the surnames (mostly from Tazewell County) mentioned in Lynch Law include Addington, Bailey, Barber, Barlow, Barnard, Barnes, Bassett, Berry, Bode, Boyle, Bradley, Briggs, Briscoe, Britton, Brown, Browner, Brownley, Burnham, Cass, Caswell, Chamberlain, Charlton, Charmus, Clary, Cohrs, Combs, Conner, Connett, Coombs, Copes, Crall, Cullon, Culver, Daly, Daughtery, Dawson, Delany, Ditmon, Eades, Edds, Edwards, Farr, Farrow, Finigan, Flemming, Frazer, Glasgow, Gordon, Green, Griffith, Grote, Hamilton, Hamson, Harriot, Hatfield, Hawley, Henry, Hinman, Hodges, Horn, Howard, Hyers, Jones, Kessler, Knott, Lacey, Laman, Lane, Larimore, Livingston, Mallingford, McCain, McClintock, McCook, McFarland, McKasson, McKean, McLaughlin, McLeese, Meyers, Michael, Miller, Milner, Montgomery, Morris, Mosher, Murphy, Nass, Newman, Olgesby, Orendorff, Orr, Orrel, Ott, Parks, Pepper, Pratt, Prettyman, Priddy, Reed, Reeves, Roberts, Rockhold, Rodecker, Saltonstall, Schafer, Sellers, Shaw, Shay, Shuttleworth, Sims, Spoonhoff, Stanford, Steele, Stephens, Stevens, Stickney, Still, Stone, Storm, Sutton, Terry, Thomas, Towner, Turner, Umdenstock, Underhill, Updike, Vanorstrand, Warburton, Watson, Welch, Whitney, Wilson, Wiseman, Woolford, and Yeoger.

Locations mentioned include Bath, Circleville, Delavan, Dillon, Hopedale, Jacksonville, Joliet, Mason City, Pekin, Peoria, San Jose, and Tremont – many are in Tazewell County.

About the Authors

Jim Conover (a TCGHS member) and James Brecher began research on the lynching incident several years ago, while they were both policemen with the Pekin Police Department. The research took them to several locations throughout the state and turned up many interesting events that led to the writing of this book.

Conover retired in 1994 to pursue a career as a writer and private detective. He  retired from detective work around 2003 and now concentrates on writing books and screenplays.  Besides Lynch Law, Jim has published four novels,   Jim also wrote and produced a western movie, The Showdown, filmed entirely in Tazewell County.  He has also produced a music video as well as a documentary on his true life crime book, Slayer of Innocence.

Brecher is also retired and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Justice and Human Services at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Related products

  • Cover - Cemetery Volume 3 - Fondulac & Hittle Townships

    Cemetery Volume 3 – Fondulac & Hittle Townships

    $36.00
    Add to cart
  • Cover - Pekin Centenary 1849-1949

    The Pekin Centenary 1849-1949

    $21.00
    Add to cart
  • 1879 History of Tazewell County CD-ROM

    1879 – History of Tazewell County CD-ROM

    $24.00
    Add to cart
  • Cover - Marriages 1942-1952 as Published in Pekin Daily Times

    Marriages 1942-1952

    $24.00
    Add to cart

Your Cart

Search Publications

Product Categories

  • Atlases
  • Biographies
  • Cemetery Listings
  • City Directories & Histories
  • Columbia Steamboat Disaster
  • County Directories & Histories
  • Donations
  • Historical Notecards & Postcards
  • Marriages 1827-1897
  • Marriages 1898-1938 Index
  • Marriages 1939-1950 Index
  • Marriages 1942-1972
  • Naturalizations
  • Other Tazewell County Items
  • Shelf Sitters
  • The Monthly - Back Issues & Indexes

Visit Us

Ehrlicher Research Center
719 N 11th Street
PO Box 312
Pekin, IL 61555-0312
(309) 477-3044
Contact TCGHS
Map & Directions

Our Hours

Monday 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am-1:00 pm
  7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Wednesday   9:00 am-4:30 pm
Thursday 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Sunday 2:00 pm-4:30 pm

Quick Links

  • Join Us/Renew
  • Library Overview
  • Coming Events
  • Society Publications
  • Research Services
  • Donate to the Society
  • Contact Us

Resources

Website Map

Links to Other Resources

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

© 1999–2023 • Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society • All Rights Reserved

Copyright • Terms of Use • Privacy