County of statue: Greene County
Location of statue: 5th St. (US 67) & Main St., courthouse lawn, Carrollton
Artist: Victor Sophus Joachim Holm, 1876-1935, sculptor
Contractor: Springfield Granite Company
Plaque Text:
THOMAS CARLIN
1789 ~ 1852
SIXTH-GOVERNOR-OF-ILLINOIS
1838 ~ 1842
---------
THIS-MONUMENT-IS
ERECTED-BY-THE-STATE
OF-ILLINOIS-IN-GRATEFUL
-REMEMBRANCE-OF
DISTINGUISHED-SERVICES
"Thomas Carlin (July 18, 1789 – February 14, 1852) was the seventh Governor of Illinois, serving from 1838 to 1842. Born in 1789 in Frankfort, Kentucky, Carlin removed from Kentucky to Madison County, Illinois in 1812. He was married at Edwardsville, Illinois in 1814 to Rebecca Huitt (August 27, 1799 - September 5, 1865). They eventually relocated to Greene County, Illinois in 1819. He laid out the town of Carrollton, and donated a large parcel of land upon which the county seat was constructed. He served as Greene County's first sheriff. he served in both houses of the Illinois General Assembly, and was instrumental in obtaining passage of a bill in January 1829 creating Macoupin County. The city of Carlinville, Illinois is named in his honor. The first two years as Governor were spent in Vandalia, with the remaining two years in Springfield, once the capital was transferred there. Carlin died in 1852 in Carrollton, Illinois.[1][2] His wife survived him. During their marriage, the Carlins had at least 12 children: Mary Ann, b.1816; Eugene, b. 1817; William H., b. 1818; Nathaniel, b. 1819; Elizabeth, b. 1820; Emily St. Aubert, b. 1821; John Massingill, b. 1829; Julia, b. 1830; Andrew Jackson, b. 1832; John Clark, b. 1832; Eugenia, b. 1839; and Thomas B., b. 1842." ~ Wikipedia
"February 20, 1821, the first movement that was made to locate a county seat for Greene County was the meeting of the commissioners appointed by the Illinois General Assembly. These men met at the residence of Isaac Pruitt, who was one of the most substantial members of the area. He had entered land a few miles west of the current day Carrollton, and built a log cabin near the present position of the Margaret Black Historic site. Then after some debate as to the location, they rode to the land of Thomas Carlin. After some consultation, it soon became evident that the commissioners were unanimous that the court house should be built on the land of Mr. Carlin.
"Thomas Carlin was born near Shelbyville, Kentucky in 1786. In 1803 the family moved to Missouri where his father died. Thomas Carlin served as a ranger during the War of 1812. In 1814 he owned a ferry crossing the Mississippi near the present site of Edwardsville Junction with his brothers James and William Carlin 1814. Thomas A. Carlin was a Captain in the Illinois Militia during the Black Hawk War. In the spring of 1819, he came to the Carrollton area with his mother and step father, and camped under a large tree in the southern part of what is now the town site. Determined to make this his home he built a log cabin about ½ mile south of the Square. He was elected the 6th governor of Illinois on Dec. 7, 1838, and served as Governor from 1838 – 1842.
" The commissioners were standing near the east side of the present square when they reached this decision. Whereupon, John Allen paces 50 yards to the west, drove a stake, and said, “here let the court house be built.” And so it was decided. The town was laid out, and named in honor of Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, MD. At this time there was not a house upon the site of the town. The town was surveyed on the 13th of March 1821 but was not filed for record until July 30, 1825.
"Thomas Carlin offered Jacob Fry, a lot in Carrollton if he would build a house, which he did. Gen. Fry came to Carrollton and cut the timbers, split the boards and put up a house, which stood for some 57 years, and for a long time formed a part of the St. James Hotel. Before Gen. Fry had finished building he stopped work to help Thomas Rattan in the building of his log cabin, upon the north west corner of the square." ~ Carrollton Area History
Proper description:
"Thomas Carlin, standing and wearing a long, heavy cloak. His proper right arm is raised shoulder level, his hand open and out to the proper right side. His proper left hand is to his side and is holding his top hat and a cane. He steps forward with his proper left foot. Carved in relief on the base, below the plaque, is an eagle."
~ Smithsonian American Art Museum