Joseph Borough Home
Joseph Borough Home (1135 East Main St. Carlinville, IL)
Joseph Borough home (1135 East Main St.) as it stands today
Joseph Borough is one of the pre-eminent figures in the origins of Macoupin County. He also served with Abraham Lincoln in the state legislature.
On April 12, 1829, the first three county commissioners met in Borough’s home. The following day, Borough’s home was also the site of the first county election, where 78 men cast their votes. Borough was one of five men appointed by the General Assembly to supervise the election. On June 1, 1829, Borough was one of three commissioners who selected the site of Carlinville as the seat of the new county.
After struggling to gain state wide office, Borough won a Senate seat from Macoupin County in 1836 and was part of the fabled Tenth General Assembly, which historians believe was the most politically talented legislature in state history. Among the members were Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, and a host of future Governors, Congressmen, and Senators.
Sketch of the home as it would have looked in the mid-1800's
Borough acquired sizable amounts of land over the years, and eventually owned some 400 acres. His name is synonymous with the pioneer days of Macoupin County.
