Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490


USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 1
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 1
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91



LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN


977.37 D14c


Ill. Hist. Surv.


1682.


56


COMBINED HISTORY


OF


EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH


COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


WITH ILLUSTRATIONS


DESCRIPTIVE OF THEIR SCENERY


AND


Biographical Sketches of some of their Prominent Hien and Pioneer


PUBLISHED BY J. L. MCDONOUGH & CO., PHILADELPHIA.


CORRESPONDING OFFICE, EDWARDSVILLE, ILL.


1883.


9


977.37 Ⅱ14c


PREFACE.


-


HE publishers desire to return their sin- cere thanks to those who have aided in making this work thorough and com- plete. For the incidents relative to the early settle- ment of these counties, we are indebted to a few early pioneers, who have seen a wild frontier country develop into a wealthy and populous com- munity ; especially are we under obligations to the writings of George Flower and Morris Birkbeck, whose graphic articles shed much light on the early settlements in this section of the state. For other facts we are under obligations to a class of intelligent men, who, amid the ordinary pur- suits of life, have taken pains to thoroughly in- form themselves in regard to the past history and resources of their county. Among those who have specially contributed to the history of Ed- wards county are :- Charles Churchill, Alexander Stewart, Jesse Emmerson, John Woods, John Tribe, Philander Gould, Ansel A. Gould, George Lopp, Enoch Greathouse, Benjamin Ulm, Francis Great- house, Thomas Coad, George Michels, Elisha Chism, and Dr. F. B. Thompson.


The gentlemen who have assisted us in Law- rence county are :- J. W. Crews, David D. Lanter- man, J. M. Miller, Samuel Sumner, A. I. Judy, George McCleave, Dr. W. M. Garrard, Richard King, Francis Tougas, Renick Heath and William Laws.


In the preparation of the history of Wabash coun- ty we have been materially assisted by Judge Robert Bell, James M. Sharp, Judge E. B. Green, Dr. Jacob Schneck, Joseph Compton, Dr. James Harvey, John Dyar, E B. Keen, Thompson Blackford, Henry Lov- ellette, Dr. A. J. McIntosh, J. J. Smith, Wmn. Ulm, Thomas N. Armstrong, Ira Keen, John Rigg, D. L. Tilton, A. B. Cory, J. Zimmerman, Mrs. Elizabeth Litherland, John Wood and John Higgins.


To the county officials of the respective counties we extend our thanks for the many courtesies extended, during the compilation of this work.


Among the chapters most fruitful in interest to ·a great number of our readers, will be found those which treat of the early history of the churches. Many persons are now living whose fathers and grandfathers, in the humble log cabin, which was then the only house of worship, assisted in founding organizations which have been of the greatest good to subsequent generations. To the clergymen of the different denominations, and to many of the older members of these societies, we are indebted for much valuable information. The editors of the several newspapers have also rendered assistance in that prompt and cheerful manner so characteristic of the journalistic profession.


We have endeavored, with all diligence and care- fulness, to make the best of the material at our command. We have confined ourselves, as nearly as possible, to the original data furnished. The sub- ject matter has been carefully classificd, and will be a great help to the public as a book of reference con- cerning the past history of the county. The facts were gathered from many different sources, and de- pend largely, not on exact written records, but on the uncertain and conflicting recollections of different individuals l We have tried to preserve the inci- dents of pioneer history, to accurately present the natural features and material resources of this por- tion of the state, and to gather the facts likely to be of most interest to our present readers, and of greatest importance to coming generations. If our readers will take into consideration the diffi- culties of the task, we feel assured of a favorable verdict on our undertaking.


THE PUBLISHERS.


206789


3


3


1


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I.


A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORY.


PAGE


Geographical Position, 9; Early Explora- tions, 9; Discovery of the Ohio, 15; English Explorations and Settle- ments, 16; American Settlements, 22; Division of the North- West Territory, 23; Present Condition of the North- West, 24 . 9-25


CHAPTER II.


BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ILLINOIS. French Possessions, 25; The first Settle- ments in Illinois, 26; Founding of Kaskaskia, 27; As a part of Louisi- ana, 27; Fort Chartres, 28; Under French rule, 29; Character of the Early French Settlers, 30; A Possession of Great Britain, 30 ; Conquest by Clark, 32; The "Compact of 1787," 32; Land T'enures, 34; Physical Features of the State, 35; Progress and Development, 35; Material Resources of the State, 36; Annual Products, 36; The War Record, 38; Civil Government, 39; Territorial and State Officers, 40 ; Mis- cellaneous Information . .


. . 25-45


CHAPTER Il1.


GEOGRAPHY, AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES AND RAILROAD FACILITIES.


EDWARDS COUNTY, 46 ; LAWRENCE COUNTY, 46; WABASH COUNTY, 47. Railroads, Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific, 48; Ohio and Mississippi, 49; Louisville, Evansville and St. Louis, 49; Peoria, Decatur and Evansville, 49; . . . 46-50


CHAPTER IV.


GEOLOGY.


EDWARDS COUNTY, 50; WABASH COUNTY,


51; LAWRENCE COUNTY, 53. . . . 50-54


CHAPTER V.


FLORA.


List of Native Woody Plants, Grasses, etc., etc. . . 55, 56


CHAPTER VI. FAUNA.


Treating of the Various Families of Ani- mals and Birds that have existed in these counties . ... . 56-58


CHAPTER VII.


PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLERS.


EDWARDS COUNTY, First Settlers, 58; Early Marriages, 66; The Deep Snow, 67; The Sudden Freeze, 67. LAWRENCE COUNTY, First Settlers, 68; WARASH COUNTY, First Settlers, 73; Pioneer Mills, 77; The Cannon Massacre, 78; Habita and Modes of living in Pioneer times, 78. . 58-80


CHAPTER VIII. CIVIL HISTORY.


EDWARDS COUNTY, Act creating the Conn- ty, 80; County Government at Pal- myra, 81; Second Court, Third Court, Justice's Conrt, 84; First and Second Commissioner's Court, 85; County Government at Albion, County Com- missioner'e Court from First to Fonr- teenth, 86-88; County Courts, from First to Seventh, 89, 90; Boards of County Commissioners, 90,91; Pub- lic Buildings, 91; Taxable Property, 92; Circuit Courts, First Murder Trial, 93; Second Murder Case, 94; First Naturalization, Judges of Circuit Court, First Probate Business, The First Will, Probate Judges, 95; First Deed Recorded, Delegates to Constitu- tional Convention, The County in the General Assembly 96; County Officers 97.


PAGE


LAWRENCE COUNTY, 97; County Gov- ernment, 100; Militia Districts, 101 ; Public Buildings, The First Court- house, 102; Early Ferries, Early Revenue, Fiscal Statement of De- cember 6, 1827, 105; Election Pre- cincts, 104-106 ; County Finance since 1827, 106-108 ; Circuit Courts, 1821 to 1848, 108-110; United States Census 1850, County Government from 1849 to 1883, Swamp Lands, 110; Finan- cial Notes 1849 to 1883, 111 ; Officers Representing and Serving Lawrence County, 111-115.


WABASH COUNTY, Organization, etc., 115- 120 ; Public Buildings, 120-123; Tax- es and Debts, 1825 to 1850, 123, 124 ; Railroad Debts, 124; Officers Repre- senting and Serving the county, 125- 127. . . 80-127.


CHAPTER IX. THE BENCH AND BAR.


Circuit Judges & Non-resident lawyers, 128. EDWARDS COUNTY, Former Resident Law- yers, 129; Present Bar, 129. LAW- RENCE COUNTY, Former Resident Law- yers, 130; Present Bar, 130; WA- BASH COUNTY, Former Resident Law- yers, and Present Bar, 132. . . . 127-138


CHAPTER X. THE PRESS.


Giving the Names of all the News- papers that have been printed in each of the Counties . . . 133-137.


CHAPTER XI. PATRIOTISM.


Black Hawk War, 137-141; War of the Rebellion, 141; A List of Names of the volunteers from each of the Counties, with a short historical Sketch of the Regiments to which they belonged 137-156


vi


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE


CHAPTER XII.


COMMON SCHOOLS.


The School Systema of the State-their


Growth, Resources and Management etc., 156; EDWARDS COUNTY, 159 ;


LAWRENCE COUNTY, 161; WABASH


COUNTY, 162. 156-163


CHAPTER XIII.


ECCLESIASTICAL.


EDWARDS COUNTY .-- Methodist Church, 163;


Protestant Episcopal, 165; Baptist, 167;


Church of Christ, 268; Cumberland Presbyterian, 172; United Brethren, 176; Evangelical Association, 179; LAWRENCE COUNTY .- Presbyterian Church, 181 ; Christian Church, 182; United Brethren, 200; Disciples of Christ, 183; Methodist Protestant, 184; Methodist Episcopal, 185. WA- BASH COUNTY .~ Christian Church, 186; M. E. Church, 189; Presbyterian, 192; Evangelical, 195; Catholic, 198; Ger- man Lutheran, 198; Evangelical As- sociation of N. A., 199 ; United Breth- ren in Christ, 200. . . .


. 163-202


.


BIOGRAPHIES.


Adams, David . 300


Armstrong, Thomas N. . 298


Armstrong, Berkley (deceased)


. 297


Bear, James ..


. 220


Bell, Hon. Robert


. 247


Belles, Philip . . 830


Berninger, Isaiah


. 307


Blood, John M. (deceased) 276


Bockhouse, William


325


Bower, George


228


Brause, August . 302


Briggs, Jonathan


. 216


Burkett, John T.


. 262


Campbell, Joseph M.


226


Churchill, Joel


. 215


Colyer, Walter


226


Compton, Van Buren . 298


Curdliog, Robert W . 227


Dalby, Samuel Nelson


214-B


Dickson, Dr. Henry L. . 224


Edwards, Eld. Caleb


. 227


Emmerson, Morria


226


Ewald, George C. . 323


Files, Dr. Chesterfield . 220


Flower, George


. 212


Flower, Mrs. Eliza Julia


214-A


Flower, R. C . 224-4


PAGE


Foster, Blasliel 315


Foster, William F. 224


Fox, Jeremiah


299


Frazer, Dr. Milton D.


330


Freeman, Samuel


. 324


French, Dr. Zeba D.


269


Friend, Dr. William


. 310


Frost, James P. .


. 275


Gill, Thomas


274


Glaubenaklee, Henry


225


Gordon, Robert S.


. 262


Gould, Ansel A.


. 314


Gould, Philander


. 814


Gray, Dr. F. S.


. 800


Green, Hon. Edward B.


249


Groff, lion. John


. 322


Smith, John


218


Hallam, John .


. 224


Harris, Gibson


. 217


Harrison, John M.


. 261


Havill, Frank W.


. 253


Higgins, John


308


Hoopes, Caleb


267


Jaquesa, Hon. Isaac N. .


253


Joy, Thomas L.


. 261


Keen, Hon. E. B.


. 335


Keen, George W.


. 306


Keniepp, Captain G. M.


258


King, Henry (deceased)


299


Landes, Ilon. Silas Z.


252


Leacher, Dr. Jacob


259


Lewis, Harlie V.


329


Low, Dr. Lyman W


. 219


Manley, Alfred P.


. 257


Manley, Frank C.


. 325


Manley, Dr. Paul G.


. 336


Mayo, Walter L.


. 221


Marx, Samuel


. 307


Marx, Philip H.


. 308


McClane, Dr. C. T.


324


Mcclurkin, Dr. John C.


. 225


McDowell, Dr. James O.


268


McIntosh, Dr. Andrew J.


. 296


McJilton, Dr. Edward L.


308


WCoffee


Medler, William Il.


225


Michels, George


. 214


Miller, Edward


254


Miller, Dr. Charles J.


259


Morgan, Maxwell W ..


218


Murphy, Dr. Hugh A.


267


Parkinson, Robert (deceased)


260


Parmenter, Henry . 326


Petty, G. W.


268


Pixley, Asa (deceased) . . 816


Price, Isaac F.


. 256


Putnam, Samuel R.


. 255


PAGE


Rice, Cyrus . 220


Rigg, Henry H. . 323


Rigg, James W. . 260


Rodgers, Augustine J. . 309


Rude, David S.


218


Samoniel Brothers


257


Schaefer, Dr. H. M. 316


Schneck, Dr. J.


256


Schrodt, John .


245


Sears, Dr. Paul


244


Seibert, Charles.


310


Seitz, Jr., William


258


Sentance, John


222


Shearer, Joseph B.


306


Smith, Dr. James E.


.297


Smith, Valentine


255


Smith, Rozander


. 309


Stewart, Alexander


223


Stoltz, George


307


Strahan, John (deceased).


324


Trihe, William B.


. 216


Ulm, Captain William


321


Utter, Abraham (deccased)


246


Kamp, Louis


. 263


Vandermark, Simon


. 288


Vandermark, Cyrus


288


Waller, Dr Fay K.


309


Wilkinson, Thomas


.283


Wilkinson, Hon. William R. .


. 284


Wood, Joseph .


216


Woods, Thomas T. .


227


Wood, Hon William (deceased)


250


Zimmerman, Hon. Jacob


. 248


TOWNSHIPS.


Allison


276


MBellmont


819


Bond


342


Bridgeport


. 327


City and Precinct of Albion .


203


City and Township of Lawrenceville


228


WCity and Precinct of Mt. Carmel .


235


Christy


264


331


Dennison


285


Dixon . 289


French Creek . 337


w/Friendsville


. 278


W Lancaster


303


W Lick Prairie


340


Lukin . 801


Petty 317


Russell 269


Salem


.311


Shelby .


272


Wabash


291


vii


TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PORTRAITS.


-


PAGE


Armstrong, Berkley .


Facing 296


Blood, John M. (dec'd) Facing 276


Churchill, Joel . 215


Flower, George


. 212


Flower, Mrs. Eliza Julia


214-A


Flower, R. C .


224-A


Foster, Blashel


. 315


Frost, James P


275


Gill, Thomas


274


Gould, Philander,


. Facing 314


Gould, Martha L


Facing 314


Gould, Mrs. Sarah (dec'd)


Facing 314


Gould, Ansel A .


Facing 314


Gould, Chloe S .


Facing 314


Groff, John and Wife


Facing 322


Harris, Gibson


. 217


Lescher, Dr. Jacob


. 259


Low, Dr. Lyman W


. 219


Mayo, Walter L .


. 221


Pixley, Asa (dec'd) .


Facing 316


Rice, Cyrus .


Facing 220


Rude, David S. (dec'd)


Facing 218


Sears, Dr. Paul .


. 244


Stewart, Alexander


. 223


Utter, Abraham (deceased)


. 246


Utter, Mrs. Elizabeth


. 246


Wood, Hon. William (dec'd)


. Facing 250


Wood, Joseph (dec'd) .


Facing 216


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE


Landes, Mrs. Between 248-249


Manley, Dr. P. G. .


. Facing 332


Map of Counties Facing 9


Medler, Wm. H.


Facing 272


Miller, Edward .


. Facing 336


Parmenter, Henry


Facing 836


Pixley, A., Jr.


. Facing 310


Public Buildings, Edwards County . Facing 84


Public Buildings, Lawrenceville . . Facing 232


Rigg, H. H.


. Facing 280


Rigg, J. W.


. Facing 256


Sears, Dr. Paul


Between 248-249


Seibert, Charles


. Facing 304


Seiler, Jacob .


. Facing 236


Sentance, J. and Son


. Facing 226


Smith, Rozander


Facing 308


Smith, James N.


Facing 274


Tribe, R. M.


. Facing 280


Tribe, W. B.


Facing 226


Utter, Abraham (deceased)


. Facing 247


Wood, Joseph


. Facing 216


Wood, Oliver II.


Facing 280


Wood, Thomas


Facing 342


Wright, David P.


Facing 256


Kamp's Mill


. Facing 240


Partial List of Patrons


345


Constitution of Illinois


360


Declaration of Independence


372


Constitution of the United States


378


Amendments to Constitution of U. S. .


. . 876


1


PAGE


Adams, David (deceased) .


Facing 308


Armstrong, Berkley


. Facing 290


Bear, James W, .


Facing 342


Blood, Mrs. A. .


. Facing 264


Bond, L. C.


Facing 226


Buxton, Dr. W. E.


Facing 264


Churchill Bros.' Business Block . . Facing 208


Churchill, James, Residence


Facing 208


Churchill, Mrs. Joel, Residence


Facing 208


Court-House, Mt. Carmel


Facing 120


Curtis, John


Facing 268


Dreibelbis, F. and J. Mill


Facing 232


Ewald, George C.


Facing 284


Foster, Blashel


Facing 326


Frost, James P. .


. Facing 272


Gawthorpe, Thos.


Facing 284


Gill, Thomas


Facing 274


Glaubensklee, Henry and Sarah


. Facing 226


Gould, Deuel .


Facing 204


Gould, Ansel, Jr.


Facing 288


Gould, Philander


Between 312-313


Gould, Ansel A.


Between 318-319


Groff, John .


Between 820-321


Keen, E. B.


. Facing 298


Keen, G. W.


. Facing 308


Keen, W. E.


. Facing 332


King Henry (deceased)


Facing 800


٠


LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS


-


CRAWFORD COUNTY .


R. 13 E


R. 12 E.


R. NIE .


R .10 E.V


Chaunicy


Birds Sta


T.S N.


Charlottsville


Russellvier


Paragon


BOND


13


CO.


PETT


RUSSELLVILLE


OUTLINE MAP


EDWARDS, LAWRENCE


WABASH-COUNTIES


T.3 N.


Vincent


A


· ILLINOIS


N


tto


DENNISON


A


N


Raccoon


S. Francisville


1


RICHLAND


c O.


MauBe Grove!


N


1


Mier 2,50. LANCASTER


i


T


SALEMS


FRIENDS


T. IN


USHELBY


Samsville


1.0


LICK


VILLET!


Base Line


PRAIRDE


>


Gards Point


Bonet Gap


3


0


Friends Grove.


MT CARMEL


T. I S.


0


BELLMONT


Mt Carmel


ALBIJON


L. E. & ST . R. RO


Fete


Albion


Bellmont


27


Wanborough


Browns


Keensburg


E


E


Cowling


2


1


T. 2 S.


1


Buk


VAREN CH


1


A


DIXON


EMCREEK


3


Grazville


T.3 S.


R.10 W.


R.JI W.


WHITE


c O.


R.14 W.


| BRIDGEPORT


LAWRENCE 1


Lawrenceville


ALLISON


Hadley


9. & M. aBridgeport ARI


Remarais


Griswold


ISUMNER


Indian Cr.


NRICHLAND


T. 2 N.


Creek


D


Orio


RIVER


/


West Salem


WABASH Allendale


Tills Fratrie


2.


APaton


OF


WABASH


Creek


Michester Mills.


COFFEE


Creek.


Brent


A P


. 5


Pinkstaff


Brushy


T.4 N.


Muddy


Centerville


Summer


Westport


W.ST.L.& P. R.R.


N.


HISTORY


OF


EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILL.


CHAPTER I. A BRIEF SKETCII OF THE NORTH-WEST TERRITORY.


GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.


N 1784 the North Western Territory was ceded to the United States by Virginia. It embraced only the territory lying be- tween the Ohio and Mississippi rivers; and north, to the northern limits of the United States. It coincided with the area now embraced in the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and that portion of Minnesota lying on the east side of the Mississippi river. On the first day of March, 1784, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe, delegates in Congress on the part of Vir- ginia, executed a decd of cession, by which they transferred to the United States, on certain conditions, all right, title and claim of Virginia to the country known as the North- western Territory. But by the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, the western boundary of the United States was ex- tended to the Rocky Mountains and the Northern Pacific Ocean. It includes an area of 1,887,850 square miles, being greater than the united areas of the Middle and Southern states, including Texas. Out of this magnificent territory have been erected eleven sovereign states and eight territories, with an aggregate population at the present time of 13,000,000 inhabitants, or nearly one-third of the entire population of the United States.


Its rivers are the largest on the continent, flowing thous- ands of miles through its rich alluvial valleys and broad, fertile prairies.


Its lakes are fresh-water seas, upon whose bosom floats the commerce of many states. Its far-stretching prairies have more aeres that are arable and productive than any other area of like extent on the globe.


For the last quarter of a century the increase of popula-


tion and wealth in the north-west, has been about as three to one in any other portion of the United States.


EARLY EXPLORATIONS.


In the year 1512, on Easter Sunday, the Spanish name for which is Pascua Florida,* Juan Ponce de Leon, an old comrade of Columbus, discovered the coast of the American continent, near St. Augustine, and in honor of the day and of the blossoms which covered the trees along the shore, named the new-found country Florida. Juau bad been led to undertake the discovery of strange lands partly by the hope of finding endless stores of gold, and partly by the wish to reach a fountain that was said to exist deep within the forests of North America, which possessed the power of renovating the life of those who drank of or bathed in its waters. He was made governor of the region he had visited but circumstances prevented his return thither until 1521; and then he went only to meet death at the hands of the Indians.


In the meantime, in 1516, a Spanish sea-captain, Diego Miruelo, had visited the coast first reached by Ponce de Leon, and in his barters with the natives had received con- siderable quantities of gold, with which he returned home and spread abroad new stories of the wealth hidden in the interior.


Ten years, however, passed before Pamphilo de Narvaez undertook to prosecute the examination of the lands north of the Gulf of Mexico. Narvaez was excited to action by the late astonishing success of the conqueror of Montezuma, but he found the gold for which he sought constantly flying before him; each tribe of Indians referred him to those living farther in the interior. And from tribe to tribe he and his companions wandered. They suffered untold priva- tions in the swamps and forests ; and out of three hundred followers only four or five at length reached Mexico. And still these disappointed wanderers persisted in their original fancy, that Florida was as wealthy as Mexico or Peru.


* Pascum, the old English "Pash " or Passover; " Pascua Florida " is the "Holyday of Flowers." 9


10


HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


Among those who had faith in that report was Ferdinand de Soto, who had been with Pizarro in the conquests of Peru. He asked and obtained leave of the King of Spain to con- quer Florida at his own cost. It was given in the year 1538. With a brilliant and noble band of followers he left Europe and in May, 1538, after a stay in Cuba, anchored his vessels near the coast of the Peninsula of Florida, in the bay of Spiritu Santa, or Tampa bay.


De Soto entered upon his march into the interior with a determination to succeed. From June till November of 1539, the Spaniards toiled along until they reached the neighborhood of Appalachee bay. During the next season, 1540, they followed the course suggested by the Florida Indians, who wished them out of their country, and going to the north-east, crossed the rivers and climbed the moun- tains of Georgia. De Soto was a stern, severe man, and none dared to murmur. De Soto passed the winter with his little band near the Yazoo. In April, 1541, the resolute Spaniard set forward, and upon the first of May reached the banks of the great river of the West, not far from the 35tlı parallel of latitude .*


A month was spent in preparing barges to convey the horses, many of which still lived, across the rapid stream. Having successfully passed it, the explorers pursued their way northward, into the neighborhood of New Madrid ; then turuing westward again, marched more than two hun- dred miles from the Mississippi to the highlands of White river; and still no gold, no gems, no cities-only bare prai- ries, and tangled forests, and deep morasses To the south again they toiled on, and passed their third winter of wander- ing upon the Washita. In the following spring (1542), De Soto, weary with hope long deferred, descended the Washita to its junction with the Mississippi. He heard, when he reached the mighty stream of the west, that its lower portion flowed through endless and uninhabitable swamps.


The news sank deep into the stout heart of the disap- pointed warrior. His health yielded to the contests of his mind and the influence of the climate. He appointed a successor, and on the 21st of May died. His body was sunk in the stream of tho Mississippi. Deprived of their ener- getic leader, the Spaniards determined to try to reach Mexico by land. After some time spent in wandering through the forests, despairing of success in the attempt to rescue them- selves by land, they proceeded to prepare such vessels as they could to take them to sea. From January to July 1543, the weak, sickly band of gold-seekers labored at the doleful task, and in July reached, in the vessels thus built, the Gulf of Mexico, and by September entered the river Paunco. One-half of the six hundred t who had disem- barked with De Soto, so gay in steel and silk, left their bones among the mountains and in the morasses of the South, from Georgia to Arkansas.


De Soto founded no settlements, produced no results, and left no traces, unless it were that he awakened the hostility of the red man against the white man, and disheartened


" De Soto probably was at the lower Chickasaw bluffs. The Spaniards called the Mississippi Rio Grande, Great River, which is the literal meaning of the aboriginal name.


› t De Biedna says there landed 620 men.


such as might desire to follow up the career of discovery for better purposes. The French nation were eager and ready to seize upon any news from this extensive domain, and were the first to profit by De Soto's defeat. As it was, for more than a century after the expedition, the west remained utterly unknown to the whites.


The French were the first Europeans to make settlements on the St. Lawrence river and along the great lakes. Quebec was founded by Sir Samuel Champlain in 1608,* and in 1609 when Sir Henry Hudson was exploring the noble river which bears his name, Champlain ascended the Sorrelle river, and discovered, embosomed between the Green moun- tains, or " Verdmont," as the chivalrous and poetic French- man called them, and the Adirondacks, the beautiful sheet of water to which his name is indissolubly attached. In 1613 he founded Montreal.


During the period elapsing between the years 1607 and 1664, the English, Dutch, and Swedes alternately held pos- session of portions of the Atlantic coast, jealously watching one another, and often involved in bitter controversy, and not seldom in open battle, until, in the latter year, the English became the sole rulers, and maintained their rights until the era of the Revolution, when they in turn were compelled to yield to the growing power of their colonies, and retire from the field.


The French movements, from the first settlement at Quebec, and thence westward, were led by the Catholic missionaries. Le Caron, a Franciscan friar, who had been the companion and friend of Champlain, was the first to penetrate the western wilds, which he did in 1616* in a birch canoe, exploring lake Huron and its tributaries. This was four years before the Pilgrims


"Moored their bark on the wild New England shore.""


Under the patronage of Louis XIII, the Jesuits took the advance, and began vigorously the work of Christianizing the savages in 1632.


In 1634, three Jesuit missionaries, Brébeuf, Daniel, and Lallemand, planted a mission on the shores of the lake of the Iroquois, (probably the modern Lake Simcoe), and also established others along the eastern border of Lake Huron ..


From a map published in 1660, it would appear that the French had at that date, become quite familiar with the region from Niagara to the head of Lake Superior, includ- ing considerable portions of Lake Michigan.


In 1641, Fathers Jogues and Raymbault embarked on the Penetanguishine Bay for the Sault St. Marie, where they arrived after a passage of seventeen days. A crowd of two thousand natives met them, and a great. council was held. At this meeting the French first heard of many nations dwelling beyond the great lakes.




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