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Gc 977.301 Ad1h 1132544
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
5
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00828 8844
22.50
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofadamsco00chic
-
QUINCY
THE HISTORY
OF
ADAMS COUNTY,
ILLINOIS.
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; GENERAL. AND LOCAL STATISTICS.
PORTRAITS OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMINENT MEN.
HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST, HISTORY OF ILLINOIS, MAP OF ADAMS COUNTY, CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, ETC., ETC.
ILLUSTRATED. .
CHICAGO : MURRAY, WILLIAMSON & PHELPS, 85 WASHINGTON ST. 1879.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year IS79, by MURRAY, WILLIAMSON & PHELPS, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
BLAKELY, BROWN & MARSH, Printers, 155 and 157 Dearborn Street, Chicago.
Manufactured by DONOHUE & HENNEBERRY, Chicago.
PREFACE.
1132544
Could Time's eternal scroll have been unrolled by some magic hand, and three score Oyears of his close-mouthed secrets been portrayed in panoramic view to the astonished gaze of John Wood, as he stood upon the rugged crest of the bluff where the city of Quincy now is, and took a survey of the Great River, as it flowed on in silent, resistless grandeur, with bosom unruffled by paddle or oar; or turning to greet the sunrise, scanned Nature's un- dressed and ever varying landscape of undulating woodland and prairie, stretching far away until the green and blue blent in misty haze, how would his brave heart, like a caged bird, have fluttered to be free from its narrow house, that the disenthralled spirit might rise heavenward to mingle with the forest choristers his meed of praise to the God of Na- ture and of Time.
More than fifty-eight eventful years have been erased from the eternity of the future and written in the eternity of the past since that day, and still the grand old man lives to see the scroll of time unrolled.
2.
When Mr. Wood stood upon the site of Quincy, in February, 1819, and resolved that he would plant civilization on that spot, there was no mark of the white man's presence in the unbroken wilderness of what is now Adams County. The woodman's despoiling ax had leveled no tree of the primitive forest, nor had the then rude implements of the husband- man disturbed a wisp of the prairie virgin sward. The herds of sleek deer leisurely cropped the tender herbage of the thicket, or lay lazily ruminating in the shaded glen, without knowledge or fear of the argus-eyed huntsman; the saucy wolves galloped in gangs about the prairies, in search of victims on which to glut their greed for blood, regardless of the near coming of their most deadly foe; while the wild Indian indolently floated about in his bark canoe fishing, or wandered over his "happy hunting grounds" in search of game, with no thought of being disposessed of his domain by the encroachments of the greedy pale face. But what change busy mind and hand hath wrought in little more than half a century ! In the year 1822, John Wood returned to put his former resolution into execution and planted the nucleus of the new order of things by erecting the first cabin, in December of that year. Willard Keyes built the second one, on the site of Quincy, while Justice I. Perigo and Daniel Lisle settled in other parts of the county about the same time. Thus began white man's history in Adams county, now one of the most populous and wealthy in the great "North West."
It is to gather up and arrange in chronological order and historic form the important events that have transpired during this marked transition of the wild wilderness to the beautiful cultivated farms, the "Red man's" wigwam to the palatial home, and the teeming towns and cities, with their fine business blocks, their splendid school houses, colleges and church edifices, and from the diminutive Indian pony to the iron horse and the harnessed lightning, as vehicles of burden and thought, that we, with our corps of helpers have many months been engaged. This volume is the result of these months of diligent labor and earnest research.
The value of a history depends upon its accuracy. Truth must ever be the motto of the historian, else his book is but a prosy, pointless fable. It has been the purpose and ef- fort of the publishers of this work to compile a reliable and valuable reference book for the posterity of those heroic fathers and mothers who battled with nature and won. Many were their labors, hardships and privations during those years of pioneer life, but grand have been the results. To gather up the fragmentary facts of nearly sixty years, many of them hitherto unwritten, and only treasured in the minds of those early settlers who were the actors in, or observers of, what transpired, the details and important connections of which have slipped through the meshes of memory-and rivet them into a faultless chain of history, is beyond mortal ken. But neither time nor effort has been spared to procure the " missing links " and bridge the chasms, so as to present to our readers as complete a record as possible. How well we have succeeded in the object sought they must judge; but we trust not rashly, for in seeking for information to establish points of historical in- terest, while generally we and our assistants received the kindest of treatment and ready responses to such inquiries, there are other instances where every attempt was baffled, either by the inexcusable delay in furnishing promised matter, or willful indifference of the persons appealed to. Then, too, there are frequently differences of opinion as regards
iv
PREFACE.
the dates, names, etc., in which cases some one will declare the record of them in this work at fault; but in every instance the most reliable data were obtained and published. As far as the history is founded upon recorded facts, it can be safely said to be trustworthy for it was written with great care with reference to dates and proper names.
The war record was compiled from the Adjutant General's, and other published re- ports, and carefully re-read and compared, and will be found very correct.
The history of the county seat contest, which is quite full, was also obtained from published facts and records, and from living witnesses, and prepared with special pre- caution.
Quite a large portion of the history of the carly settlement of the county was procured through ex-Governor John Wood, and from the records of the "Old Settlers' Association," and from General John Tillson's carefully kept memorabilia of dates and occurrences, as he has gathered them from the most authentic sources, and from his own acute observations and wonderful memory.
Whatever of merit this volume possesses as a work of history, is very largely due to the material furnished and other invaluable aid, so cheerfully rendered in many ways, to the publishers and their agents, by the persons whose names we here mention in grateful acknowledgement :
Ex-Gov. John Wood, Gen. John Tillson, Willis Haselwood, County Clerk, and his ef- ficient deputy, Mr. Head; Gen. James W. Singleton, Hon. O. H. Browning, Gen. J. D. Morgan, Anton Binkert, County Treasurer; George Brophy, Circuit Clerk : Col. Edward Prince, Cadogan & Gardner, of the Quincy Herald; D. Wilcox & Sons, Quincy Whig; Addison L. Langdon, Quincy Commercial Review; Quincy Daily News; G. L. Hoffmann, Editor of the Germania; W. D. Perry, Proprietor of the County News; Geo. W. Cyrus, Proprietor of Camp Point Journal,; Orestes Ames, Esq .; Albert Beebe, Esq .; Dr. Joseph Robbins, Dr. M. F. Bassett, Lorenzo Bull, Esq .; Wm. McFaden, Esq .; Chas. W. Keyes, Ben. H. Miller, John Wessels, Michael Farrell, John Williams, E. K. Stone, Gen. E. B. Hamilton, A. W. Blakesley, John J. Metzger, John M. Grimes, Hon. J. N. Carter, Mayor W. T. Rogers, Mrs. Sarah Denman, Mrs. Chas. H. Morton, Mrs. Jacob Dick, Col. K. K. Jones, Joseph H. Stewart, John M. Sterne, John T. Turner, Col. S. B. Chittenden, S. H. Bradley, Adam E. Horn, Thomas Bailey, Richard Seaton, E. B. Curtis, Prof. S. F. Hall, Hon. Maurice Kelly, Dr. T. G. Black, James Campbell, Charles Ballow, Wm. Montgomery, S. M. Irwin, Solomon Wigle, Edw'd F. Humphrey, Perry Alexander, Rev. Wm. Stewart, Henry Summers, J. O Bernard, Woodford Lawrence, W. A. Mitchell, Rev. H. C. Adams, H. E. Wharton, R. F. Edmunds, W. C. Taylor, Osker Wagy, Rev. G. W. Huntley, Philo E. Thompson, Joel K. Scarborough, Brackett Pottle, Geo. H. Walker, J. B. Fraizer, Alex M. Smith, D. Whitlock, Hon. Ira Tyler, Philip Fahs, C. J. Tenhaeff, J. J. Graham, Charles M. Gammer, James Sykes, M. D., James Richardson, Sr., Hon. W. T. Yeargain, Michael Ste- vens, Christopher Seals, Paris T. Judy, Geo. Phirman, Henry Renken, A. C. Robertson, Wm. Sykes, Geo. Hughes, E. W. Lierly, Geo. Cutforth, Laris Pulman, Irwin Anderson, W. D. Dodd, J. W. Steffen.
To the above persons, to the Honorable Board of Supervisors of Adams county, to the members of the Newspaper Press of the county generally, to the Pastors and Officers of the various churches, and to the many citizens throughout the county who have so courteously assisted us in this arduous labor, we tender our most sincere thanks.
And now we write the word Finis. Our work conscientiously performed, is complete. The result we hand you, believing that when you have carefully examined it, you will find it comparatively free from errors, and to contain much that you will be proud to transmit to posterity ; and we hope and trust you can truthfully award us the verdict, " well done."
To our numerous subscribers and their families, this volume is respectfully dedicated by the publishers,
July, 1879.
MURRAY, WILLIAMSON & PHELPS.
INDEX.
HISTORICAL.
The Northwest Territory :
Early French Explorations in the Mississippi Valley.
7
Early Settlements in the Northwest. 14
The Northwestern Territory 22 The Louisiana Purchase. 28
/ Indian Wars in the Northwest .. 34
Sketches of Black Hawk and Other Chiefs 42 Early Navigation of Western Rivers 56
Archæology of the Northwest .... 59
Sketches of the Western and Northwestern States 67
Expedition of Lewis and Clark. 86
Sketch of Chicago 96 History of Illinois:
Former Occupants 17
Indians ..
21
Early Discoveries. 31
French Occupation 44
English Rule.
47
County of Illinois
55
Northwestern Territory
55
Ordinance of 1787
56
Illinois Territory
59
War of 1812. The Outbreak 59
Illinois as a State 74
Indian Troubles. 83
Black Hawk War. 84
95
From 1834 to 1842.
Prairie Pirates
102
104
Morman War
Mexican War 118
Dress and Manners.
149
Physical Features of Illinois.
154
Agriculture ...
155
Governors of Illinois
157
United States Senators
162
Representatives in Congress 165
Chicago
170
States of the Union. 177
Digest of State Laws. 187-238
History of Adams County.
239
CHAPTER I.
Boundaries-Geological -Carboniferous-St. Louis Sand Stone - Kinderhook Group-Economical Geology - Bituminous Coal - Limestone for Lime - Clay and Sand for Brick-Soil and Timber. .239
CHAPTER II.
French Missionaries-Discovery of the Mississippi- History Prior to State Organization-First White Settlement of the County-Organization of the County-Origin of Names of County and County Seat - First Election-Court Seals - Entry of County Seat Land-Quincy Platted-First Sale of Town Lots-First Marriage. 257
CHAPTER III.
First Court House -- County Commissioners' Court-Town Rates-Rules of County Commis- sioner's Court-Lead Mine Excitement-Suck- ers-School and Temperance-First Stock of Goods-First Ferry Rates-Maine Street Opened in Quincy-Fiscal - First County Jail-First Preaching-Brick Made-Deep Snow ........ 266
CHAPTER IV.
First Flouring Mill-Land Office Investigation --- Tavern Rates Established-Weather in 1832- Black Hawk War-Anecdotes-Causes of Slow Growth-Cholera-Population-Prices of Pro-
duce - Wild-cat Schemes - Agricultural - Mails-Prices in Quincy - The Jail - Election Precincts - Incorporation - County Seat Con- test-Columbus-Highland County .272
CHAPTER V.
The Mormons-The Quincy Riflemen-The Mexican War
.. 296
CHAPTER VI.
The California Excitement-The Asiatic Cholera. Etc ... 307
CHAPTER VII.
Township Organization-Origin - Report of Com- missioners - Division of County into Town- ships-First Meeting of Board-Names of Mem- bers-Election Precincts-Aid to Soldiers' Fam- ilies - Difficulties in Paying Taxes -Bounty Act-County Line. .. 312
CHAPTER VIII.
Burning of the Court House-County Seat Elec- tion-The New Court House-Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors in Relation to the Building-Description of the Building as Com- pleted-Occupancy. .322
CHAPTER IX.
The Civil War-Cairo Expedition-Col. B. M. Pren- tiss takes Command-Ten Regiments of Infantry and Cavalry-Cavalry-Independent Regiments -New Call - General Call - Recruiting again Stopped-Recruiting for Old Regiments-Ex- citement in May - Last Calls-Appointments and Promotions .. 330
CHAPTER X.
Adams County-War Record 351
CHAPTER XI.
Early Settlements-By Whom and How Made-First, Settlers-Old Settlers' Society-List of Mem_ bers - Early Experiences - First Ferry-Early Customs-Lost Children-First Mill-Their Life and Work 395
CHAPTER XII.
Bench and Bar-Judges of Circuit Court-Primi- tive Practice-Early Members-Legal Contests -Bar Association .. .. 407
CHAPTER XIII.
Miscellaneous Mention-County Officials-Precinct Elections, 1835-First Court-First Probate Mat- ters-High Water-Agricultural Society ..... 420
CHAPTER XIV.
The Press
.. 429
CHAPTER XV.
Horticultural-Medical Society . .. .... 435
CHAPTER XVI.
HISTORY OF QUINCY.
Historical-City Officers-Commercial and Manufac- turing-Ice Harvest-Churches-Water Works
vi
INDEX .
HISTORICAL .- CONTINUED.
-Fire Department-Schools-Academy of Mu- sic-Opera House-Railroad Bridge-Military- Societies - Railroads - Building Association- Gas Company-Cemeteries ... 453
CHAPTER XVII.
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES.
Beverly - Benton-Camp Point-Clayton-Concord
-Columbus-Ellington - Fall Creek-Gilmer- Houston-Honey Creek-Keene-Lima-Liberty -Mendon-Melrose - McKee- Northeast-Pay- son-Richfield-Ursa .. 503
CONCLUDING CHAPTER.
Mounds and Mound-Builders-Swamp and Over - flowed Lands-The Soldiers' Monument-The County Poor-Temperance-Educational-Pub- lic Buildings-Benevolent Societies-Firemens' Benevolent Association-Quincy Free Reading Room -- Quincy Library-Tue Young Mens' Chris- tian Association - Charitable Aid and Hospi- tal Association-Quincy Work House-Hotels -- Manufactories-The Wholesale Trade of Quincy -Quincy Horse Railway and Carrying Com- pany-United Presbyterian Church, of Clayton- Christian Church, Pleasant View - Christian Church, Ursa .933
ILLUSTRATIONS-NORTHWEST HISTORY.
Westward, the Star of Empire takes its way. 17
An Indian Camp 33
Indians trying a Prisoner. 49
A Pioneer Winter .. 65
Lincoln Monument, Springfield 72
Chicago in 1820. 97
Present site of Lake Street Bridge, Chicago, 1833. 97 Old Fort Dearborn, 1830 .103
The Old Kinzie House 103
ILLUSTRATIONS-STATE HISTORY, ETC.
Illinois State Capitol. 17
Starved Rock on Illinois River near Peru 25
Scene on Fox River. . 151
Iroquois Chief ... 37
Passenger Depot L. S. &. M. S., and C. R. I. & P.
Gen. George Rogers Clark 49
R. R. Companies, Chicago 167
Gen. Arthur St. Clair ... 59
Sectional View of LaSalle Street Tunnel. 170
Pontiac, The Ottawa Chief 69
Inter-State Industrial Exposition 173
Black Hawk, The Sac Chief .. 85
Adams County Court House 238
Illinois Industrial University 99
Franklin School, Quincy .478
Illinois Institute for Deaf and Dumb .. .111
The Jefferson School, Quincy. 182
Illinois Charitable Eve and Ear Infirmary .115
Maplewood High School, Camp Point. .514
Chaddock College, Quincy .. .940
dale
.. 121
St. Francis Solanus College, Quincy. 912
PORTRAITS.
PAGE.
PAGE.
Abel Christian
540
Gardner Henry J.
432
Artus Joseph
460
Gay V. P.
.760
Bailey Thomas
.. 752
Geisel Henry. 590
Baker Aaron
888
Hall S. F. .294
Baker George .552
Hardy J. P. .531
Bassett M. F
.596
Haselwood Willis .302
Batschy C.
760
Beebe Silas ..
.398
Ingraham Thos 760
Jarrett James .456
Binkert A
310
Jones K. K. .390
Black T. G.
.734
Jndy Paris T. 366
Booth Stephen
800
Kelley Ion. Manrice 880
Bowles A. E
286
Kendall Lewis 721
Bowles Holman
.366
Keyes Willard .258
Bradley Danie!
.786
King E. M. . 902
Bradley S. H ..
794
Kinney Benjamin. .502
Langdon Addison L 430
Browning Hon. O. H.
406
Larimore J. W .. 552
.552
Byrd Wm. A., M. D .608
Lewis Eber
728
Cadogan John P .433
Campbell James 278
Likes Wm.
888
Castle T. H.
264
Logue J. C.
.518
Chapman E. W
286
Lowery Thos.
760
Chase Charles.
286
McIntyre Robert
540
Chittenden John B
.788
Chittenden S. R ...
790
Montgomery Wm .748
Moore F. C .. .486
Moore John, M. D. .494
366
Crippen Samuel L .382
Morrison Hugh C 888
510
Nichols James
810
Norwood J. E
670
Daugherty M ... .810
Ording Henry .
326
Davis Levi .. .854
Pfanschmidt H. C .. 724
Pfeiffer F 590
Frazer James
,286
Powell John 526
.664
Church Samuel P 270
Calvin D. P. 810
Cooley Hon. H. S. .160
Morgan Gen. Jas. D. .352
.846
Morris George.
Curtis C. R. S. .612
Morton C. M.
Cutforth George. .366
Cyrus George W 512
Likes A. H.
888
Bredeweg John G. H. 718
Larimore Albert W .552
Brophy George .. .318
Buttz A. H. D .402
Lawrence Woodford.
Hulse Wm. .724
Behrensmeyer C. F. A 374
Lake Crib Chicago Water Works 177
Insane Hospital, Jacksonville. 99
Southern Illinois Normal University, Carbon-
Illinois Asylum for Feeble Miuded .Children 143
: Moecker II.
Cranshaw Theophilus
Fairchild M. Augusta 622
INDEX.
vii
PORTRAITS .- CONTINUED.
PAGE.
PAGE.
Powell Wm. C.
526
Stewart J. H.
.434
Ralston J. N ..
. 680
Summers Henry.
540
Rankin Robert.
.910
Summers Richard
.526
Redmond Thos.
.472
Sykes James Sen.
820
Richardson Gen. James.
502
Tenhoeff C. J.
874
Robertson John B
502
Tenhoeff W
800
Roeschlanb M. J.
448
Terrill Geo. F 506
Rogers W. T ..
452
Thompson W. H. .566
Ruddell J. M.
800
Tilleon Gen. John.
.330
Savage Chas. A.
728
Van Der Wall Peter
502
Seals C ...
534
Wagner Jacob .. .590
Seals Joseph
534
Walker Geo. H. .810
Seger S. E. 466
540
Wilcox Daniel.
.428
Singleton Gen. Jas. W.
498
Williams Archibald.
414
Steiner Michael.
534
Wiskiarchen Heinrich
590
Sterne John W
526
Wood Ex-Gov. John
.Frontispiece
BIOGRAPHICAL TOWNSHIP DIRECTORY.
PAGE.
PAGE.
City of Quincy
591-716
Keene.
863
Ellington.
.734
Northeast.
.876
Clayton ...
.753
Liberty
.883
Camp Point
.772
Richfield.
891
Melrose
.787
Honey Creek
.901
Mendon.
.800
Gilmer.
907
Ursa
811
Fall Creek
.914
Beverly
.821
Burton.
.920
Payson.
841
Columbus
921
McKee
847
Houston.
928
Lima
.856
Miscellaneous
931
MISCELLANEOUS.
PAGE.
PAGE.
Map of Adams Connty. Official Vote of Adams County ...
Front.
Interest Table
.584
Miscellaneous Table ..
584
Tabular statement ...
452
Population of the United States.
585
8th Regiment Illinois National Guards .. 561
Population of Fifty Principal Cities.
.585
Constitution of United States .. .567
Population of Illinois
.. 586-587
Electors of President and Vice-President, 1876 .. 579
Agricultural Product.ons of Illinois by Coun- ties 1870,.
.588-589
U. S Government Land Measure. .582
Population and Area of the United States.
.590
Surveyors' Measure. .583
Population and Area of the Principal Conn-
How to Keep Accounts
583
tries of the world. 590
Practical Rules for Every Day Use ... .579
450-451
Wible Daniel. 800
Sheer David.
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9
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85
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6
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Firbines
23
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MAP OF ADAMS COUNTY ILL.
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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
EARLY FRENCH EXPLORATIONS IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
De Soto-Le Caron-Samuel de Champlain-French Adventurers-James Marquette-Louis Joliet-Embarkation to Explore New Countries-Lake Michigan and Green Bay-The "Quisconsin "-Indian Accounts of the Country-Discovering the Great River-Indian Name of the River-Joy of the Explorers-Interview with Indians on Iowa Soil-Feast- Speech of an Indian Chief-The Des Moines River-" Muddy Water "-The Arkansas- Return-Indian Nations-Marquette's Record-His Subsequent Voyage-La Vantum- Marquette's Death-Removal of His Remains-Joliet's Subsequent Explorations-Robert La Salle-Louis Hennepin-Chevalier de Tonti-De La Motte-Fort Crevecoeur-Henne- pin's Voyage-Falls of St. Anthony-Seur de Luth-Hennepin's Claims as an Explorer- Colonization of Louisiana-Dissensions-Murder of La Salle.
THE three great colonizing powers of the Old World first to raise the standard of civilization within the limits of North America were France, England, and Spain. The French made their earliest settlements in the cold and inhospitable regions of Quebec; the English at Jamestown, Vir- ginia, and at Plymouth, Massachusetts; and the Spaniards on the barren sands of Florida. To the French belongs the honor of discovering and colo- nizing that portion of our country known as the Valley of the Mississippi, including all that magnificent region watered by the tributaries of the Great
River. It is true that more than one hundred years earlier (1538-41) the Spanish explorer, De Soto, had landed on the coast of Florida, penetrated the everglades and unbroken forests of the south, finally reaching the banks of the Great River, probably near where the city of Memphis now stands. Crossing the river, he and his companions pursued their journey for some distance along the west bank, thence to the Ozark Mountains and the Hot Springs of Arkansas, and returning to the place of his death on the banks of the Mississippi. It was a perilous expedition indeed, characterized by all the splendor, romance and valor which usually attended Spanish adventurers of that age. De Soto and his companions were the first Europeans to behold the waters of the Mississippi, but the expedition was a failure so far as related to colonization. The requiem chanted by his companions as his remains were committed to the waters of the great river he had discovered, died away with the solemn murmurs of the stream, and the white man's voice was not heard again in the, valley for more than a hundred years. De Soto had landed at Tampa Bay, on the coast of Florida, with a fleet of nine ves- sels and seven hundred men. More than half of them died, and the remainder made their way to Cuba, and finally back to Spain.
Four years before the pilgrims "moored their bark on the wild New Eng- land shore," a French Franciscan, named Le Caron, penetrated the region of
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THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
the great lakes of the north, then the home of the Iroquois and the Hurons, but a French settlement had been established at Quebec by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. This was followed by the establishment of various colonies in Canada, and the hardy French adventurers penetrated the coun- try by the way of the St. Lawrence and the lakes. In 1625 a number of missionaries of the Society of Jesus arrived in Canada from France, and during the succeeding forty years extended their missions all along the shores of Lake Superior.
In 1637 a child was born at the little city of Laon, in France, whose destiny it was in the fullness of time to be instrumental in the hands of Providence in giving to the world a definite knowledge of the grandest and most fertile region ever opened up to civilization. That child was James Marquette, the descendant of a family of Celtic nobles. He entered the Society of Jesus when seventeen years of age, and soon conceived a desire to engage in the labors of a missionary among the Indians. He sailed for Quebec in 1666, and two years later founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls of St. Mary. The winter of 1669-70 he spent at Point St. Ignatius, where he established another mission. Here the old town of Michillimackinac, afterward called Mackinaw, was founded. It was from Indians of the different tribes who came to this mission that he received some vague intimations of the great river-the father of all the rivers. He at once conceived a desire to penetrate to the banks of the wonderful river, and carry his missionary work to the tribes which he had learned inhabited its borders. He applied to his Superior, Claude Dablon, for permission to "seek new nations toward the Southern sea." The authorities at Quebec were equally desirous of having new regions explored, and therefore appointed Louis Joliet to embark upon a voyage of discovery. Joliet was a native of Quebec and had been educated in a Jesuit College. He had at the age of eighteen taken minor orders, but had abandoned all thoughts of the priest- hood and engaged in the fur trade. He was now twenty-seven years of age, with a mind ripe for adventure. He left Quebec, and arriving at Mackinaw, found Father Marquette highly delighted with the information that they were to be companions in a voyage which was to extend the domain of the King of France, as well as to carry the Gospel to new nations of people. The explorers, accompanied by five assistants, who were French Canadians, started on their journey, May 13, 1673. Marquette has himself recorded in the fol- lowing simple language their feelings on this occasion: "We were embark- ing on a voyage the character of which we could not foresee. Indian corn, with some dried meat, was our whole stock of provisions. With this we set out in two bark canoes, M. Joliet, myself and five men, firmly resolved to do all and suffer all for so glorious an enterprise." They coasted along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, entered Green Bay, and passed up the Fox river, carrying their canoes across the Portage to the "Ouisconsin," now
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