USA > Illinois > Morgan County > History of Morgan county, Illinois : its past and present, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; a biographical directory of its volunteers in the late rebellion; portraits of its early settlers and prominent men [etc., etc.] > Part 1
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, IL: PAST and PRESENT
LARVEY.
01.
HISTORY
OF
MORGAN COUNTY,
ILLINOIS:
Its Past and Present,
CONTAINING
A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; ITS. CITIES, TOWNS, ETC .; A BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY OF ITS CITIZENS; WAR RECORD OF ITS VOLUNTEERS IN THE LATE REBELLION ; PORTRAITS OF ITS EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT MEN; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS; HIS- TORY OF THE NORTHWEST; HISTORY OF ILLINOIS; CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES; MAP OF MORGAN COUNTY; MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, ETC., ETC.
ILLUSTRATED. e
CHICAGO:
·
DONNELLEY, LOYD & CO., PUBLISHERS. 1878.
COPYRIGHT. DONNELLEY, LOYD AND COMPANY, 1878.
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PREFACE.
‹ But little over half a century ago and not a white man dwelt in the present confines of Morgan County. It was then a luxuriant, trackless, uninhabited domain, with no life save that of the wild beast or bird, native savage, or wandering hunter, or explorer, in his search for new scenes and fresh exploits. One hundred and thirty-six years before that time, the western borders of the county had first fallen under the gaze of the white man, as the devoted mis- sionary, Marquette, paddled up the Illinois River, on his return voyage of discovery. It will soon be two hundred years since the first habitation of the white man appeared in the Mississippi Valley. Ere he could do this, empires were to change, the native savages were to be expelled, and new powers were to come into energetic existence. Though the French were the discoverers of this beautiful, fertile 'valley, yet it was reserved to the sturdy Anglo-Saxon to develop its resources, and bring it to its present condition. The merry French- man loved ease, not conquest, and here he could pass his time in luxuriant idleness, the natural fertility of the soil providing abundantly for all his simple desires.
A little over a century passed from the date of Marquette's explorations, until the War of Independence occurred, whereby this vast region passed into the hands of the valiant sons of freedom, and emigration began rapidly to pour into it. So quickly did the valley fill, that in less than half a century it was divided into territories and states; and in 1809, Illinois was recognized as an integral part of the Union. Nine years after, the State passed to the second grade of government. About this time the "Sangamo country " became noted in the East and South, and emigrants came thither in great numbers. Early in the Autumn of that year, Ambrose Collins, Elisha and Seymour Kellogg, with their families, left their eastern home, proceeded in wagons to the head of navigation, for the West, where they embarked in flat-boats, and side by side, floated down the beautiful Ohio to old Shawneetown, where they disembarked, resumed their first mode of travel, and went on to Carmi. As it was late in the season, they remained here during the winter, and the next summer proceeded , to Edwardsville, then a prominent western town. Here Mr. Collins was taken sick, and with his family, with the exception of one son, Charles, was compelled to remain for the winter. The two Kelloggs, their families, and Charles, went on to the head of Mauvaisterre Creek, where, late in the Autumn of 1819, they
" 'established their homes, the first in the county. The following winter they were visited by three commissioners from a New York city colonization com- . pany, one of whom, Isaac Fort Roe, remained and founded a home. He,
E
>
xiv.
PREFACE.
however, lived but a short time, his death being the first among the whit residents in the present county.
Emigration now began to come into the new country with surprisin rapidity, and five years after these events occurred, Morgan County was created retaining at that time the present counties of Scott and Cass, the former bein separated in 1832, the latter in 1837.
To record the events from the arrival of the Kelloggs until the presen time, and preserve them for coming generations, has been the aim of this work This lapse of time has not been without its history ; a history so full of import ant events, and fraught with interest to the children of these sturdy pioneers who left homes for these wild haunts, and whose energy has made Morga County what it is-abounding in wealth, enterprise, and culture.
To preserve correctly these annals has been our aim, and while we do no arrogate to ourselves accuracy beyond criticism, the narration will be found measurably correct, the arrangement and collation of which compelled th careful examination and digestion of a labyrinth of facts, incidents, an narratives enveloped in the PAST, entering so largely into the PRESENT of th community in whose interest these pages have been written.
To the patriarchs of the PAST, and to the representative men of the PRESENT without whose aid the undertaking would have been fruitless, we tender ou . grateful acknowledgements. Especially do we desire to record our obligation to JUDGE WILLIAM THOMAS, that eminent citizen, whose. pen has so faithfull preserved the PAST during his long residence in the county, and whose aid ha been so freely given. . Also to MR. TIMOTHY CHAMBERLAIN, secretary of the Ol Settlers' Association, for the use of the society's records, and the list of the ol settlers, prepared by him. To J. R. BAILEY, for the use of the Sentinel (nor Courier) files, and for valuable information contained .in them. To MR. M. F SIMMONS, and MR. C. M. EAMES, for free access to the Journal files. To th propriet. "s.and editor of the Courier, and to the Waverly and Meredosia press all of wh. n freely extended aid to us whenever desired.
To many others, and to the citizens of Morgan County in general, w tender our acknowledgements,"for the uniform courtesy and kindness extende our representatives during the preparation of these annals, as well as for thei liberal patronage, without which this history could not have been prepared, an would have 1 nained un v. ritten, and unpreserved. Respectfully,
DONNELLEY, LOYD & CO.,
Publishers.
CONTENTS.
HISTORICAL.
PAGE
History of Northwest Territory .. 19
Geographical Position. 19 Agriculture. .229
Early Explorations ..
20
Agricultural Implements.
.242
Morgan
County
Medlcai
Divislons of Land ...
.243
Society ...
.. 367
Fences ..
.243
Jacksonville Medical Club ... 367 Churches ... 367
City Schools
375
lilinois Coliege. .380
Whippie Academy .... ... 385
Jacksonville Female Acade- my .. 386
Illinois Female College
389
Jacksonville Business Coi-
lcge ..
.392
.294
Athenæum
.394
307
1liinois
Conservatory
of
Music ..
396
Orphans llome. 398
.330
The Press.
399
The State Institutions.
Illinois Ir titution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb. 401
Education of the Blind ..... 410 Moredosia 413
Waverly .420
Murra: v Ile 427
Frankiln. 428
Woodson 429
Milltia. 362 Chapin 430
Young Mens Christlan Asso- ciation .. Concord 431 .362 Lymiviiie 432
Prentice.
432
Alexander.
433
Arcadia. 434 Art Association of Jacksoll- vlilc ..... .. 364 Jacksonville Literary Union.364 Morgan Citv 434 Bethci. 434 Piato Ciub (Tlie) .365 Literberry 435
Orieans. .435
Clays. .228 Soclety. .366 Pisgah. 435
Building Material. .228
Jacksonvliie Natural History
Woodiyıl. 435
Railroads. .229 Society 366 Sinciair 436
Population .229
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
PA E
Mouth of the Mississippi. 21
Source of the Mississippi. 21
Wlld Prairie.
LaSalle Landing on the Shore of Green Bay. 25
Buffalo Hunt.
27
Trapping.
29
Hunting.
32
Appie Harvest ..
Great Iron Bridge of the C., R.
Grac.
E. Church.
.375
Iligh chpoi .. 379
Illinois Dilege .. .383
Iilinois remale College ...... 391 liiinols Institution for the Education of the Blind. ... 411 Illinois Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb .. .. 401
Jacksonviu Female Acade- my .. .. 388 Jacksonville Woolen Mills ... 356 Morgan County Court House.377
PORTRAITS.
PAGE
Burnett 1sham
. . 200
Langley James.
146
Orear William. 348
Reinbach Harry
.252
PAGE PAGE
ScymondWiiiianı .182
Curtiss T. E. .212
Devere J. H .. .364
Hart Wm. P. Rev .219
Village Residence .. ..
86
A Representative Pioneer .. 87
Lincoin Monument, Springfieid. 88
A Ploneer School House .. 89
Farm View in the Winter. 90
Spring Scene .... 21
Pioneers' First Winter.
Conservatory of Music. .397
Courier Office 400
Iroquois Chlef.
34 43
Pontiac, the Ottawa Chieftain ... Indians Attacking Frontlers- inch
56
A Western Dwelling. 100 Hunting Prairie Woives at : Early Day. .. It
Starved Rock, on the Illinois
Tecumseh, Shawnee Chieftain ... 69 River, LaSalle Co., Il. 110
Indians Attacking a Stockade ... 72 An Early Settlement 116
Black Hawk, tlie Sac Chieftain .. 75 Chicago in 1833. 133
Oid Fort Dearborn, 1830. 136 Blg Eagle ... 80
Capt. Jack, the Modoc Chieftain 83
Present Site Lake Strect Bridge, Chicago, 1833 .. 136 Kinzie House 85
PAGE
Jacksonvllic, City of:
Microscopicai Socicty 367
Discovery of the Ohio. ..
33
English Explorations and
Settlements. 35
American Settlements 60
Division of the Northwest Morgan Coun+v Agricultural Political History. .252 Society .. .250 Territory .. 66 Tecnmsch and the War of 1812 70 County Officers since 1823 ... 263
Past and Present .. 267
Winnebago War (The). .288
Other Indian Troubles. 79 The Deep Snow 293
Present Condition of the
Northwest.
87 99
Indiana 101
Iowa ... 102
.103 Michigan .334
Wisconsin. 104
Minnesota. 106 Banks.
354
Nebraska. 107 Mannfactures. 355
History of Illinois. 109 Water Works. .356 Oak Lawn Retreat. .. 409
Coal ... 125
Compactof 1787 .117
Cilcago. 132 Municipal History 357
Early Discoveries 109 Fire Department. 361
Early Settlements 115
Cemeteries ... 361 Education .. 129
French Occupation 112
Genius of LaSaile. 113
Materiai Resources. 124
Massacre at Fort Dearborn .. 141
Physical Features .. .121 Progress of Development .... 123 Religion and Morais. 128 War Record of lliinois. 130
Illstory of Morgan County 221 Topography and Geology .. .221
Coal Measures 222
Limestone .227
Jacksonville
Horticultural
PAGE
Ruins of Chicago. 142 View of the City of Chicago ... .. 144 Shabbona ... .149 Illustrations of the City of Jack - souvili3:
Athenæum. .395
& P. R.R., crossing the Missis- sippi at Dr venport, lowa 96
A Pralrie Storm. 59
A Pioneer 1)welling 61 63
Breaking Prairie ..
Lodges. Associations, and
Societles .. .362
Gas Works. 357
Street Railway. .357
.319
Old Settiers Association. Common Schools.
Jacksonville, City of.
.401
Business Interests
.354
Biack llawk War (The).
The Sudden Freeze ...
Railroads .. 310
Architecture (Early). .244
Agricultural Organizations .. 247
Black Hawk and the Black Hawk War ... 74
liiinois.
History of Morgan County :
PAGE
Sorosls.
367
Yatcsviile .436
Strawn Jacob .. . frontispiece. Widenham J. C ... ..... ... 380
Illinois Institution for the
Reading Room and Library.362 Jacksonville Library Asso-' clation .. 363 Neelyviile. 433
xvi
CONTENTS.
MORGAN COUNTY WAR RECORD.
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
. Infantry.
Infantry.
Infantry.
10th (3 months). .437
54th (3 years) .450
140th (100 days). 462
8th (3 years).
.437
56th
.450
144th (one year).
.462
9tlı ..
.437
57th
450
145th (100 days) 462
9th (consolidated).
58th (consolidated).
450
146th (one year)
.463
10th (3 years).
437
450
149th (3 years).
463
11th.
441
61st 450
150th (one year). 463
14th
.441
62d 450
153d ..
463
64til
.450
154th
463
67th 450
155th
464
68th
.450
Cavalry.
71st (3 months)
450
464
.
16th (3 years) ..
.444
18th (reorganized).
3d (consolidated)
465
19th (3 years)
4th (3 years).
465
20th
66
.444
5th
465
21st
.444
6til
465
23d
444
26th
.445
8th
465
27th
..
95th
452
9th
466
28th
.446
99th
.452
10th
466
28th (consolidated)
446
101st 66
.452
466
29th (3 years) ...
.447
105til
460
12th
466
30th
447
113th
460
31st
66
447
115th
460
32d
117th 6.
461
33d 448
118th
461
34th
448
119th
461
36til
449
122d
461
39tl:
..
449
129th
41st
449
130th
43d (consolidated).
.449
133d
.461
29th U. S. Colored Infantry. .... 468
44th (3 years).
449
45tlı
449
50th
449
135th
Recruits for the U. S. Regular
53rd
.450
137th (100 days) 462 Army.
.468
DIRECTORIES.
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Jacksonville City Directory ..... 469
Town 14 North Range 9 West ... 631 .. 66
10
... 657
..
9
... 727
66
..
10
... 587
66
10
... 694
12
... 753
Town 14 North Range 8 West ... 615
..
11
... 703
13
... 762
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
PAGE
Forms:
PAGE
PAGE
Adoption of Chilldren. .160
Bonds.
.176
Game.
151
Biils of Exchange and Promis- sory Notes
151
Codicil ... 189 Lease of Farm and B'ldings.179
Jurisdiction of Courts.
154
County Courts. 155
Conveyances. 164
Lease of House
180
Landiord and Tenant.
.169
Church Organizations.
189
180
Liens. 172
Desceut ....
151
Married Women 155
Deeds and Mortgages.
157
Notice Tenant to Quit.
181
Millers .. 159
Drainage ...
163
Orders ..
174
Marks and Brands. Panpers. 164
159
Damages from Trespass .169
Quit Ciaim Dced. 185
Receipt ... 174
Roads and Bridges 161
Real Estate Mortgage to se-
Surveyors and Surveys .. 160
Suggestions to Persons purchas- ing Books by Subscription .. .190
Articles of Agreement. 175
Tenant's Notice to Quit 181
Bilis of Purchase 174
Warranty Deed. 182
Weights and Measures. 158
Biils of Saie. 176 Will .187 Woif Scalps. 164
MISCELLANEOUS.
PAGE
Map of Morgan County. .front. Constitution of the United States 192
How to keep Accounts. .211
Interest Table. .212
... Miscellaneous Tabie. 212
Names of the States of the Union
and their Significations 213
Population of the U. S.
214
Population of Fifty Principal Cities of the U. S ... .. 214 Population and Area of the U. S.215 Population of the Principal Countries in the Worid .... .... 215 Population of Iiiinois ... .. 216
PAGE
Surveyors Measure .. 211
Electors of President and Vice- President. 1876 .. .206
Practical Rules for every day 207 use.
U. S. Government Land Meas- ure .... 210
Agricultural Productions of Iiii- nois by Counties. .218
11
... 739
..
66
9 ... 567
Town 15 North Range 8 West ... 685
66
... 688
64
..
10
... 733
38th
449
126th
461
2d .. 467
Chicago Board of Trade .468
Springfield Light 468
133d (100 days). 462 30th
468
144th (3 years).
462
First Army Corps. .. 468
462
Town 15 North Range 12 West ... 717 Town 16 North Range 8 West ... 724
Business Directory.530
Town 13 North Range 8 West ... 537 46
66
11
... 679
..
11th 66
..
13th 466
13th (consolidated)
466
15th (3 years). 467
17th 467
Artiliery.
1st. 467
15th
.444
2d (3 years).
73d (3 years) ..
451
3d
464
74th
444
76th
451
87th
451
91st
.452
92d
452
7th
465
94tl
.445
59th (3 years).
.6
.. 4
Vetcran Batallion, 14th and 15th ......
443
14th (reorganized)
.444
444
451
437
.
Chattei Mortgages .177
Interest.
158
Limitation of Action. 155
Landlord's Agreement. Notes .. 174
Definition of Commercial Terms173
Exemptions from Forced Sale ... 156 Estrays. 157 Fences .. .168 Forms:
cure Payment of Money .... 181 Release ... 186
Tenant's Agreement. 180
Taxes .. 154 Wilis and Estates. 152
11 ... 603
461 461
447
452
.4
PAGE
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.
When the Northwestern Territory was ceded to the United States by Virginia in 1784, it embraced only the territory lying between the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, and north to the northern limits of the United States. It coincided with the area now embraced in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and that portion of Minnesota lying on the east side of the Mississippi River. The United States itself at that period extended no farther west than the Mississippi River ; but by the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, the western boundary of the United States was extended to the Rocky Mountains and the Northern Pacific Ocean. The new territory thus added to the National domain, and subsequently opened to settlement, has been called the " New Northwest," in contradistinction from the old "Northwestern Territory."
In comparison with the old Northwest this is a territory of vast magnitude. It includes an area of 1,887,850 square miles ; being greater in extent than the united areas of all the Middle and Southern States, including Texas. Out of this magnificent territory have been erected eleven sovereign States and eight Territories, with an aggregate popula- tion, at the present time, of 13,000,000 inhabitants, or nearly one third of the entire population of the United States.
Its lakes are fresh-water seas, and the larger rivers of the continent flow for a thousand miles through its rich alluvial valleys and far- stretching prairies, more acres of which are arable and productive of the highest percentage of the cereals than of any other area of like extent on the globe.
For the last twenty years the increase of population in the North- west has been about as three to one in any other portion of the United States.
(19)
20
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
EARLY EXPLORATIONS.
In the year 1541, DeSoto first saw the Great West in the New World. He, however, penetrated no farther north than the 35th parallel of latitude. The expedition resulted in his death and that of more than half his army, the remainder of whom found their way to Cuba, thence to Spain, in a famished and demoralized condition. DeSoto 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 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 DeSoto's defeat. Yet it was more than a century before any adventurer took advantage of these discoveries.
In 1616, four years before the pilgrims " moored their bark on the wild New England shore," Le Caron, a French Franciscan, had pene- trated through the Iroquois and Wyandots (Hurons) to the streams which run into Lake Huron ; and in 1634, two Jesuit missionaries founded the first mission among the lake tribes. It was just one hundred years from the discovery of the Mississippi by DeSoto (1541) until the Canadian envoys met the savage nations of the Northwest at the Falls of St. Mary, below the outlet of Lake Superior. This visit led to no permanent result; yet it was not until 1659 that any of the adventurous fur traders attempted to spend a Winter in the frozen wilds about the great lakes, nor was it until 1660 that a station was established upon their borders by Mesnard, who perished in the woods a few months after. In 1665, Claude Allouez built the earliest lasting habitation of the white man among the Indians of the Northwest. In 1668, Claude Dablon and James Marquette founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls of St. Mary, and two years afterward, Nicholas Perrot, as agent for M. Talon, Governor Gen- eral of Canada, explored Lake Illinois (Michigan) as far south as the present City of Chicago, and invited the Indian nations to meet him at a grand council at Sault Ste. Marie the following Spring, where they were taken under the protection of the king, and formal possession was taken of the Northwest. This same year Marquette established a mission at Point St. Ignatius, where was founded the old town of Michillimackinac.
During M. Talon's explorations and Marquette's residence at St. Ignatius, they learned of a great river away to the west, and fancied -as all others did then-that upon its fertile banks whole tribes of God's children resided, to whom the sound of the Gospel had never come. Filled with a wish to go and preach to them, and in compliance with a
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
SOURCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
BRIGHAM
MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
21
22
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
request of M. Talon, who earnestly desired to extend the domain of his king, and to ascertain whether the river flowed into the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean, Marquette with Joliet, as commander of the expe- dition, prepared for the undertaking.
On the 13th of May, 1673, the explorers, accompanied by five assist- ant French Canadians, set out from Mackinaw on their daring voyage of discovery. The Indians, who gathered to witness their departure, were astonished at the boldness of the undertaking, and endeavored to dissuade them from their purpose by representing the tribes on the Mississippi as exceedingly savage and cruel, and the river itself as full of all sorts of frightful monsters ready to swallow them and their canoes together. But, nothing daunted by these terrific descriptions, Marquette told them he was willing not only to encounter all the perils of the unknown region they were about to explore, but to lay down his life in a cause in which the salvation of souls was involved ; and having prayed together they separated. Coasting along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, the adventurers entered Green Bay, and passed thence up the Fox River and Lake Winnebago to a village of the Miamis and Kickapoos. Here Mar- quette was delighted to find a beautiful cross planted in the middle of the town ornamented with white skins, red girdles and bows and arrows, which these good people had offered to the Great Manitou, or God, to thank him for the pity he had bestowed on them during the Winter in giving them an abundant "chase." This was the farthest outpost to which Dablon and Allouez had extended their missionary labors the year previous. Here Marquette drank mineral waters and was instructed in the secret of a root which cures the bite of the venomous rattlesnake. He assembled the chiefs and old men of the village, and, pointing to Joliet, said : " My friend is an envoy of France, to discover new coun- tries, and I am an ambassador from God to enlighten them with the truths of the Gospel." Two Miami guides were here furnished to conduct them to the Wisconsin River, and they set out from the Indian village on the 10th of June, amidst a great crowd of natives who had assembled to witness their departure into a region where no white man had ever yet ventured. The guides, having conducted them across the portage, returned. The explorers launched their canoes upon the Wisconsin, which they descended to the Mississippi and proceeded down its unknown waters. What emotions must have swelled their breasts as they struck out into the broadening current and became conscious that they were now upon the bosom of the Father of Waters. The mystery was about to be lifted from the long-sought river. The scenery in that locality is beautiful, and on that delightful seventeenth of June must have been clad in all its primeval loveliness as it had been adorned by the hand of
·
23
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Nature. Drifting rapidly, it is said that the bold bluffs on either hand "reminded them of the castled shores of their own beautiful rivers of France." By-and-by, as they drifted along, great herds of buffalo appeared on the banks. On going to the heads of the valley they could see a country of the greatest beauty and fertility, apparently destitute of inhab- itants yet presenting the appearance of extensive manors, under the fas- tidious cultivation of lordly proprietors.
THE WILD PRAIRIE.
On June 25, they went ashore and found some fresh traces of men upon the sand, and a path which led to the prairie. The men remained in the boat, and Marquette and Joliet followed the path till they discovered a village on the banks of a river, and two other villages on a hill, within a half league of the first, inhabited by Indians. They were received most hospitably by these natives, who had never before seen a white person. After remaining a few days they re-embarked and descended the river to about latitude 33°, where they found a village of the Arkansas, and being satisfied that the river flowed into the Gulf of Mexico, turned their course
24
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
up the river, and ascending' the stream to the mouth of the Illinois, rowed up that stream to its source, and procured guides from that point to the lakes. "Nowhere on this journey," says Marquette, " did we see such grounds, meadows, woods, stags, buffaloes, deer, wildcats, bustards, swans, ducks, parroquets, and even beavers, as on the Illinois River." The party, without loss or injury, reached Green Bay in September, and reported their discovery-one of the most important of the age, but of which no record was preserved save Marquette's, Joliet losing his by the upsetting of his canoe on his way to Quebec. Afterward Marquette returned to the Illinois Indians by their request, and ministered to them until 1675. On the 18th of May, in that year, as he was passing the mouth of a stream-going with his boatmen up Lake Michigan-he asked to land at its mouth and celebrate Mass. Leaving his men with the canoe, he retired a short distance and began his devotions. As much time passed and he did not return, his men went in search of him, and found him upon his knees, dead. He had peacefully passed away while at prayer. He was buried at this spot. Charlevoix, who visited the place fifty years after, found the waters had retreated from the grave, leaving the beloved missionary to repose in peace. The river has since been called Marquette.
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