As Tazewell County prepares to celebrate its Bicentennial in April 2027, a series of monthly tributes is underway to honor the 22 individuals who have served as County Clerk since the office was first established on April 10, 1827. Led by current Clerk and Recorder of Deeds John C. Ackerman and his immediate predecessor, former Clerk Christie A. Webb, the initiative highlights the diverse lives and legacies of those who held this foundational role in county government.

From surgeons and cigar company owners to a race car driver and federal appointees, the office has been shaped by a remarkable array of public servants. Among them, five received presidential appointments, one served in the State Legislature, and another was named Assistant Secretary of State. The youngest to serve was just 22 years old; the oldest, 64.

Each month on the 10th, a floral wreath from The Greenhouse Flower Shoppe in Pekin is placed at the gravesite of one former Clerk. This month marks the fifth tribute in the series, spotlighting Richard W. Ireland, who served from 1849 to 1853.

Born March 31, 1827, in Sevierville, Tennessee, Ireland moved with his family to Tazewell County in 1836, settling near Tremont. A practicing attorney, he briefly served as Deputy Circuit Clerk and Deputy Sheriff before being elected County Clerk at the age of 22—the youngest ever to hold the position.

Ireland lived in Pekin during his tenure, and he partnered with Roberts & Ireland at the law firm on Court Street. He never married and resided at the Tazewell House Hotel. Notably, he was involved in 17 of Abraham Lincoln’s cases in Tazewell County, serving as Deputy Circuit Clerk in fifteen of them.

In his final years, Ireland returned to Tremont to live with his sister. He passed away on March 18, 1871, and is buried at Tennessee Point Cemetery alongside his parents.

Biographical research for this series is provided by Susan Rynerson of the Tazewell County Genealogical and Historical Society and Jared Olar of the Pekin Public Library. Their work ensures that each Clerk’s story is preserved and shared as the county builds momentum toward its historic Bicentennial.