Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 35

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724

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FORT GAGE, situated on the eastern bluffs of the Kaskaskia River, opposite the village of Kas- kaskia. It was erected and occupied by the British in 1772. It was built of heavy, square timbers and oblong in shape, its dimensions being 290x251 feet. On the night of July 4, 1778, it was captured by a detachment of American troops commanded by Col. George Rogers Clark, who held a commission from Virginia. The soldiers, with Simon Kenton at their head, were secretly

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admitted to the fort by a Pennsylvanian who happened to be within, and the commandant, Rocheblave, was surprised in bed, while sleeping with his wife by his side.

FORT JEFFERSON. I. A fort erected by Col. George Rogers Clark, under instructions from the Governor of Virginia, at the Iron Banks on the east bank of the Mississippi, below the mouth of the Ohio River. He promised lands to all adult, able-bodied white males who would emi- grate thither and settle, either with or without their families. Many accepted the offer, and a considerable colony was established there. Toward the close of the Revolutionary War, Vir- ginia being unable longer to sustain the garrison, the colony was scattered, many families going to Kaskaskia. II. A fort in the Miami valley, erected by Governor St. Clair and General Butler, in October, 1791. Within thirty miles of the post St. Clair's army, which had been badly weakened through desertions, was cut to pieces by the enemy, and the fortification was aban- doned.

FORT MASSAC, an early French fortification, erected about 1711 on the Ohio River, 40 miles from its mouth, in what is now Massac County. It was the first fortification (except Fort St. Louis) in the "Illinois Country," antedating Fort Chartres by several years. The origin of the name is uncertain. The best authorities are of the opinion that it was so called in honor of the engineer who superintended its construction; by others it has been traced to the name of the French Minister of Marine; others assert that it is a corruption of the word "Massacre," a name given to the locality because of the massacre there of a large number of French soldiers by the Indians. The Virginians sometimes spoke of it as the "Cherokee fort." It was garrisoned by the French until after the evacuation of the country under the terms of the Treaty of Paris. It later became a sort of depot for American settlers, a few families constantly residing within and around the fortification. At a very early day a military road was laid out from the fort to Kaskaskia, the trees alongside being utilized as milestones, the number of miles being cut with irons and painted red. After the close of the Revolutionary War, the United States Govern- ment strengthened and garrisoned the fort by way of defense against inroads by the Spaniards. With the cession of Louisiana to the United States, in 1803, the fort was evacuated and never re-garrisoned. According to the "American State Papers," during the period of the French

occupation, it was both a Jesuit missionary station and a trading post.

FORT SACKVILLE, a British fortification, erected in 1769, on the Wabash River a short distance below Vincennes. It was a stockade, with bastions and a few pieces of cannon. In 1778 it fell into the hands of the Americans, and was for a time commanded by Captain Helm, with a garrison of a few Americans and Illinois French. In December, 1778, Helm and one private alone occupied the fort and surrendered to Hamilton, British Governor of Detroit, who led a force into the country around Vincennes.

FORT SHERIDAN, United States Military Post, in Lake County, on the Milwaukee Division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, 24 miles north of Chicago. Highwood, adjacent on the south, has a population (1910) of 1,219.

FORT ST. LOUIS, a French fortification on a rock (widely known as "Starved Rock"), which consists of an isolated cliff on the south side of the Illinois River nearly opposite Utica, in La Salle County. Its height is between 130 and 140 feet, and its nearly round summit contains an area of about three-fourths of an acre. The side facing the river is nearly perpendicular and, in natural advantages, it is well-nigh impregnable. Here, in the fall of 1682, La Salle and Tonty began the erection of a fort, consisting of earth- works, palisades, store-houses and a block house, which also served as a dwelling and trading post. A windlass drew water from the river, and two small brass cannon, mounted on a parapet, com- prised the armament. It was solemnly dedicated by Father Membre, and soon became a gathering place for the surrounding tribes, especially the Illinois. But Frontenac having been succeeded as Governor of New France by De la Barre, who was unfriendly to La Salle, the latter was dis- placed as Commandant at Fort St. Louis, while plots were laid to secure his downfall by cutting off his supplies and inciting the Iroquois to attack him. La Salle left the fort in 1683, to return to France, and, in 1702, it was abandoned as a military post, though it continued to be a trad- ing post until 1718, when it was raided by the Indians and burned. (See La Salle.)

FORT WAYNE & CHICAGO RAILROAD. (See Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway.) FORT WAYNE & ILLINOIS RAILROAD. (See New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railway.)

FORTIFICATIONS, PREHISTORIC. Closely related in interest to the works of the mound- builders in Illinois-though, probably, owing their origin to another era and an entirely different

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race-are those works which bear evidence of having been constructed for purposes of defense at some period anterior to the arrival of white men in the country. While there are no works in Illinois so elaborate in construction as those to which have been given the names of "Fort Ancient" on the Maumee in Ohio, "Fort Azatlan" on the Wabash in Indiana, and "Fort Aztalan" on Rock River in Southern Wisconsin, there are a number whose form of construction shows that they must have been intended for warlike pur- poses, and that they were formidable of their kind and for the period in which they were con- structed. It is a somewhat curious fact that, while La Salle County is the seat of the first fortification constructed by the French in Illinois that can be said to have had a sort of permanent character ( see Fort St. Louis and Starved Rock), it is also the site of a larger number of prehistoric fortifications, whose remains are in such a state of preservation as to be clearly discernible, than any other section of the State of equal area. One of the most formidable of these fortifications is on the east side of Fox River, opposite the mouth of Indian Creek and some six miles northeast of Ottawa. This occupies a position of decided natural strength, and is surrounded by three lines of circumvallation, showing evidence of consider- able engineering skill. From the size of the trees within this work and other evidences, its age has been estimated at not less than 1,200 years. On the present site of the town of Marseilles, at the rapids of the Illinois, seven miles east of Ottawa, another work of considerable strength existed. It is also said that the American Fur Company had an earthwork here for the protection of its trading station, erected about 1816 or '18, and consequently belonging to the present century. Besides Fort St. Louis on Starved Rock, the out- line of another fort, or outwork, whose era has not been positively determined, about half a mile south of the former, has been traced in recent times. De Baugis, sent by Governor La Barre, of Canada, to succeed Tonty at Fort St. Louis, is said to have erected a fort on Buffalo Rock, on the opposite side of the river from Fort St. Louis, which belonged practically to the same era as the latter .- There are two points in Southern Illinois where the aborigines had constructed fortifica- tions to which the name "Stone Fort" has been given. One of these is a hill overlooking the Saline River in the southern part of Saline County, where there is a wall or breastwork five feet in height enclosing an area of less than an acre in extent. The other is on the west side of

Lusk's Creek, in Pope County, where a breast- work has been constructed by loosely piling up the stones across a ridge, or tongue of land, with vertical sides and surrounded by a bend of the creek. Water is easily obtainable from the creek below the fortified ridge .- The remains of an old Indian fortification were found by early settlers of McLean County, at a point called "Old Town Timber," about 1822 to 1825. It was believed then that it had been occupied by the Indians during the War of 1812. The story of the Indians was, that it was burned by General Harrison in 1812; though this is improbable in view of the absence of any historical mention of the fact. Judge H. W. Beckwith, who examined its site in 1880, is of the opinion that its history goes back as far as 1752, and that it was erected by the Indians as a defense against the French at Kas- kaskia. There was also a tradition that there had been a French mission at this point .- One of the most interesting stories of early fortifications in the State, is that of Dr. V. A. Boyer, an old citizen of Chicago, in a paper contributed to the Chicago Historical Society. Although the work alluded to by him was evidently constructed after the arrival of the French in the country, the exact period to which it belongs is in doubt. According to Dr. Boyer, it was on an elevated ridge of timber land in Palos Township, in the western part of Cook County. He says: "I first saw it in 1833, and since then have visited it in company with other persons, some of whom are still living. I feel sure that it was not built dur- ing the Sac War from its appearance. . . . It seems probable that it was the work of French traders or explorers, as there were trees a century old growing in its environs. It was evidently the work of an enlightened people, skilled in the science of warfare. . . . As a strategic point it most completely commanded the surrounding country and the crossing of the swamp or 'Sag'." Is it improbable that this was the fort occupied by Colonel Durantye in 1695? The remains of a small fort, supposed to have been a French trad- ing post, were found by the pioneer settlers of Lake County, where the present city of Waukegan stands, giving to that place its first name of "Little Fort." This structure was seen in 1825 . by Col. William S. Hamilton (a son of Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury), who had served in the session of the General Assembly of that year as a Representative from Sangamon County, and was then on his way to Green Bay, and the remains of the pickets or palisades were visible as late as 1835. While the date of its

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erection is unknown, it probably belonged to the latter part of the eighteenth century. There is also a tradition that a fort or trading post, erected by a Frenchman named Garay (or Guarie) stood on the North Branch of the Chicago River prior to the erection of the first Fort Dearborn in 1803.

FOSS, George Edmund, lawyer and Congress- man, was born in Franklin County, Vt., July 2, 1863; graduated from Harvard University, in 1885; attended the Columbia Law School and School of Political Science in New York City, finally graduating from the Union College of Law in Chicago, in 1889, when he was admitted to the bar and began practice. He never held any political office until elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth Congress (1894), from the Seventh Illinois District, receiving a majority of more than 8,000 votes over his Democratic and Populist competitors. In 1896 he was again the candidate of his party, and was re-elected by a majority of over 20,000, as lie was a third time, in 1898, by more than 12,000 majority. In the Fifty-fifth Congress Mr. Foss was a member of the Committees on Naval Affairs and Expenditures in the Department of Agriculture.

FOSTER, (Dr.) John Herbert, physician and educator, was born of Quaker ancestry at Hills- borough, N. H., March 8, 1796. His early years were spent on his father's farm, but at the age of 16 he entered an academy at Meriden, N. H., and, three years later, began teaching with an older brother at Schoharie, N. Y. Having spent some sixteen years teaching and practicing medicine at various places in his native State, in 1832 he came west, first locating in Morgan County, Ill. While there he took part in the Black Hawk War, serving as a Surgeon. Before the close of the year he was compelled to come to Chicago to look after the estate of a brother who was an officer in the army and had been killed by an insubordinate soldier at Green Bay. Having thus fallen heir to a considerable amount of real estate, which, in subsequent years, largely appreciated in value, he became identified with early Chicago and ultimately one of the largest real-estate owners of his time in the city. He was an active promoter of education during this period, serving on both City and State Boards. His death occurred, May 18, 1874, in consequence of injuries sustained by being thrown from a vehicle in which he was riding nine days previous.

FOSTER, John Wells, author and scientist, was born at Brimfield, Mass., in 1815, and edu- cated at Wesleyan University, Conn; later studied law and was admitted to the bar in Ohio, but

soon turned his attention to scientific pursuits, being employed for several years in the geological survey of Ohio, during which he investigated the coal-beds of the State. Having incidentally devoted considerable attention to the study of metallurgy, he was employed about 1844 by mining capitalists to make the first systematic survey of the Lake Superior copper region, upon which, in conjunction with J. D. Whitney, he made a report which was published in two vol- umes in 1850-51. Returning to Massachusetts, he participated in the organization of the "American Party" there, though we find him soon after breaking with it on the slavery question. In 1855 he was a candidate for Congress in the Springfield (Mass.) District, but was beaten by a small majority. In 1858 he removed to Chicago and, for some time, was Land Commissioner of the Illinois Central Railroad. The latter years of his life were devoted chiefly to archæological researches and writings, also serving for some years as Professor of Natural History in the (old) University of Chicago. His works include "The Mississippi Valley; its Physical Geography, Min- eral Resources," etc. (Chicago, 1869) ; "Mineral Wealth and Railroad Development," (New York, 1872); "Prehistoric Races of the United States," (Chicago, 1873), besides contributions to numer- ous scientific periodicals. He was a member of several scientific associations and, in 1869, Presi- dent of the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science. He died in Hyde Park, now a part of Chicago, June 29, 1873.

FOUKE, Philip B., lawyer and Congressman, was born at Kaskaskia, Ill., Jan. 23, 1818; was chiefly self-educated and began his career as a clerk, afterwards acting as a civil engineer ; about 1841-42 was associated with the publication of "The Belleville Advocate," later studied law, and, after being admitted to the bar, served as Prosecuting Attorney, being re-elected to that office in 1856. Previous to this, however, he had been elected to the lower branch of the Seven- teenth General Assembly (1850), and, in 1858, was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-sixth Congress and re-elected two years later. While still in Congress he assisted in organizing the Thirtieth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, of which he was commissioned Colonel, but resigned on account of ill-health soon after the battle of Shiloh. After leaving the army he removed to New Orleans, where he was appointed Public Adminis- trator and practiced law for some time. He then took up the prosecution of the cotton-claims against the Mexican Government, in which he

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was engaged some seven years, finally removing to Washington City and making several trips to Europe in the interest of these suits. He won his cases, but died soon after a decision in his favor, largely in consequence of overtaxing his brain in their prosecution. His death occurred in Washington, Oct. 3, 1876, when he was buried in the Congressional Cemetery, President Grant and a number of Senators and Congressmen acting as pall-bearers at his funeral.

FOWLER, Charles Henry, Methodist Episcopal Bishop, born in Burford, Conn., August 11, 1837; was partially educated at Rock River Seminary, Mount Morris, finally graduating at Genesee College, N. Y., in 1859. He then began the study of law in Chicago, but, changing his purpose, entered Garrett Biblical Institute, at Evanston, graduating in 1861. Having been admitted to the Rock River Methodist Episcopal Conference he was appointed successively to Chicago churches till 1872; then became President of the North- western University, holding this office four years, when he was elected to the editorship of "The Christian Advocate" of New York. In 1884 he was elected and ordained Bishop. His residence was in San Francisco, his labors being devoted largely to the Pacific States. Died Mar. 20, 1908.

FOX RIVER (of Illinois)-called Pishtaka by the Indians-rises in Waukesha County, Wis., and, after running southward through Kenosha and Racine Counties in that State, passes into Illinois. It intersects McHenry and Kane Coun- ties and runs southward to the city of Aurora, below which point it flows southwestward, until it empties into the Illinois River at Ottawa. Its length is estimated at 220 miles. The chief towns on its banks are Elgin, Aurora and Ottawa. It affords abundant water power.

FOXES, an Indian tribe. (See Sacs and Foxes.)

FRANCIS, Simeon, pioneer journalist, was born at Wethersfield, Conn., May 14, 1796, learned the printer's trade at New Haven, and, in connection with a partner, published a paper at Buffalo, N. Y. In consequence of the excitement growing out of the abduction of Morgan in 1828, (being a Mason) he was compelled to suspend, and, coming to Illinois in the fall of 1831, com- menced the publication of "The Sangamo" (now "The Illinois State") "Journal" at Springfield, continuing his connection therewith until 1855, when he sold out to Messrs. Bailhache & Baker. Abraham Lincoln was his close friend and often wrote editorials for his paper. Mr. Francis was active in the organization of the State Agricul-

tural Society (1853), serving as its Recording Secretary for several years. In 1859 he moved to Portland, Ore., where he published "The Oregon Farmer," and served as President of the Oregon State Agricultural Society; in 1861 was ap- pointed by President Lincoln, Paymaster in the regular army, serving until 1870, when he retired on half-pay. Died, at Portland, Ore., Oct. 25, 1872 .- Allen (Francis), brother of the preceding, was born at Wethersfield, Conn., April 14, 1815; in 1834, joined his brother at Springfield, Ill., and became a partner in the publication of "The Journal" until its sale, in 1855. In 1861 he was appointed United States Consul at Victoria, B. C., ·serving until 1871, when he engaged in the fur trade. Later he was United States Consul at Port Stanley, Can., dying there, about 1887 .- Josiah (Francis), cousin of the preceding, born at Wethersfield, Conn., Jan. 17, 1804; was early connected with "The Springfield Journal"; in 1836 engaged in merchandising at Athens, Menard County ; returning to Springfield, was elected to the Legislature in 1840, and served one term as Mayor of Springfield. Died in 1867.

FRANKLIN, a village of Morgan County, on the Jacksonville & St. Louis Railroad, 12 miles southeast of Jacksonville. The place has brick and tile works, a newspaper and two banks; the sur- rounding country is agricultural. Pop. (1890), 578; (1900), 687; (1910), 696.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, located in the south- central part of the State; was organized in 1818, and has an area of 430 square miles. Population (1900), 19,675. The county is well timbered and is drained by the Big Muddy River. The soil is fertile and the products include cereals, potatoes, sorghum, wool, pork and fruit. The county-seat is Benton, with a population (1890) of 939. The county contains no large towns, although large, well-cultivated farms are numerous. The earli- est white settlers came from Kentucky and Ten- nessee, and the hereditary traditions of generous, southwestern hospitality are preserved among the residents of to-day. Pop. (1910), 25,943.

FRANKLIN GROVE, a town of Lee County, on Council Bluffs Division of the Chicago & North- western Railway, 88 miles west of Chicago. Grain, poultry, and live-stock are shipped from here. It has banks, water-works, high school, and a weekly paper. Population (1890), 736; (1900), 681; (1910), 572.

FRAZIER, Robert, a native of Kentucky, who came to Southern Illinois at an early day and served as State Senator from Edwards County, in the Second and Third General Assemblies, in the

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latter being an opponent of the scheme to make Illinois a slave State. He was a farmer by occu- pation and, at the time he was a member of the Legislature, resided in what afterwards became Wabash County. Subsequently he removed to Edwards County, near Albion, where he died. "Frazier's Prairie," in Edwards County, was named for him.

FREEBURG, a village of St. Clair County, on the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute Railroad, 8 miles southeast of Belleville. Population (1880), 1,038; (1890), 848; (1900), 1,214; (1910), 1,397.

FREEMAN, Norman L., lawyer and Supreme Court Reporter, was born in Caledonia, Living- ston County, N. Y., May 9, 1823; in 1831 accom- panied his widowed mother to Ann Arbor, Mich., removing six years afterward to Detroit; was edu- cated at Cleveland and Ohio University, taught school at Lexington, Ky., while studying law, and wasadmitted to the bar in 1846; removed to Shawneetown, Ill., in 1851, was admitted to the Illinois bar and practiced some eight years. He then began farming in Marion County, Mo., but, in 1862, returned to Shawneetown and, in 1863, was appointed Reporter of Decisions by the Supreme Court of Illinois, serving until his death, which occurred at Springfield near the beginning of his sixth term in office, August 23, 1894.

FREE MASONS, the oldest secret fraternity in the State-known as the "Ancient Order of Free and Accepted Masons"-the first Lodge being instituted at Kaskaskia, June, 3, 1806, with Gen. John Edgar, Worshipful Master; Michael Jones, Senior Warden; James Galbraith, Junior War- den; William Arundel, Secretary; Robert Robin- son, Senior Deacon. These are names of persons who were, without exception, prominent in the early history of Illinois. A Grand Lodge was organized at Vandalia in 1822, with Gov. Shad- rach Bond as first Grand Master, but the organi- zation of the Grand Lodge, as it now exists, took place at Jacksonville in 1840. The number of Lodges constituting the Grand Lodge of Illinois in 1840 was six, with 157 members; the number of Lodges within the same jurisdiction in 1895 was 713, with a membership of 50,727, of which 47,335 resided in Illinois. The dues for 1895 were $37,834.50; the contributions to members, their widows and orphans, $25,038.41; to non- members, $6,306.38, and to the Illinois Masonic Orphans' Home, $1,315.80 .- Apollo Commandery No. 1 of Knights Templar-the pioneer organi- zation of its kind in this or any neighboring State-was organized in Chicago, May 20, 1845,

and the Grand Commandery of the order in Illi- nois in 1857, with James V. Z. Blaney, Grand Commander. In 1895 it was made up of sixty- five subordinate commanderies, with a total membership of 9,355, and dues amounting to $7,754.75. The principal officers in 1895-96 were Henry Hunter Montgomery, Grand Commander; John Henry Witbeck, Grand Treasurer, and Gil- bert W. Barnard, Grand Recorder .- The Spring- field Chapter of Royal Arch-Masons was organized in Springfield, Sept. 17, 1841, and the Royal Arch Chapter of the State at Jacksonville, April 9, 1850, the nine existing Chapters being formally chartered Oct. 14, of the same year. The number of subordinate Chapters, in 1895, was 186, with a total membership of 16,414 .- The Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters, in 1894, embraced 32 subordinate Councils, with a membership of 2,318.

FREEPORT, a city and railway center, the county-seat of Stephenson County, 121 miles west of Chicago; has good water-power from the Peca- tonica River, with several manufacturing estab- lishments, the output including carriages, wagon-wheels, wind-mills, coffee-mills, organs, piano-stools, leather, mineral paint, foundry pro- ducts; has three daily and weekly papers. The Illi- nois Central Railroad has shops here and the city has a Government postoffice building. Pop. (1890), 10,189; (1900), 13,258; (1910), 17,567.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume I, Part 35

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857- Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 724

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Church, Charles A., 1857-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 724