by Carolyn Whitaker | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
The pioneer period produced individuals with unusual skills. Abel Broughton, came from Tennessee to settle near Shiloh Hill in 1838, developed the trade of making horse collars from corn husks. these found a ready sale, along with the splint baskets that he also made....
by Carolyn Whitaker | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
Sidney Breese, a distinguished jurist of early Illinois, settled at Kaskaskia prior to 1818. He, as clerk of the Supreme Court of the State, published the first reports of the court’s proceedings. A volume of these reports, issued in 1831 at Kaskaskia, is looked...
by Carolyn Whitaker | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
Andrew Borders, bearing the title of Major, came from Georgia in 1816 and settled west of Sparta. With him he brought a few slaves that he used on his farm. The descendants of these slaves still live about Sparta. A few years after coming to Randolph County, he...
by Carolyn Whitaker | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
A gristmill was a desirable addition to any growing community. As more settlers came, mills to grind their corn became necessary. Samuel Boyd came to the county in 1825. About 1830, he erected the first gristmill operated by horse-power in his community.
by Carolyn Whitaker | Jan 18, 2014 | Biographies
Captain William M. Adair was born in Randolph County, Illinois, January 6, 1837. The family is of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His grandfather came to America from North Ireland, and settled in South Carolina, and there his son William was born in 1781. The latter grew to...
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