by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 28, 2014 | Biographies
There is something about ‘the first’ that sets one apart. John Rice Jones, a Welshman, was the first lawyer in Illinois to practice at the bar. He held various offices and later moved to Missouri where he became a judge of the supreme court.
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 28, 2014 | Biographies
When John Heard settled north of Chester in 1801, he was beyond the established settlements and for some time had no nearby neighbors.
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 28, 2014 | Biographies
Paul Harrelston came to the county in 1802 and settled near the mouth of Camp Creek. He later became, for a short time, one of the early sheriffs of the county and was influential in local affairs for several years.
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 28, 2014 | Biographies
Because of Indian unrest, only one settler is indicated as coming to Randolph County in 1811. This man was Michael Harmon who established a settlement near Palestine. Though he died within a short time, five sons carried on. This settlement later attracted numerous...
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
The tanning of leather continued for many years to be a local industry. William Gordon who came to the Sparta region in 1820, worked at the tanner’s trade. Robert Pollack also had a tannery nearby. Two fair-sized tanneries in one locality would seem to indicate a...
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
William Going was a blacksmith and bell maker who settled in the community known successively as Washington, Horse Prairie Town, and Lafayette; neither of which succeeded in growing into a village. William was a good blacksmith and bell maker but doubtless would long...
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
Though Brewerville has never prospered as a village, it provides a point by which some earlier interests may be located. The lowlands between Brewerville and the Mississippi River once contained some of the finest kind of pecan trees. There were great groves of them,...
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
In 1825, Edmund Faherty, built a “horse band mill” two miles north of the mill established by William Nelson in 1812. From the large number of such mills, one would conclude that their capacity to produce was rather small or that there were more settlers...
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
John Edgar was an officer in the British Navy during the Revolutionary War. He married an American wife who was an able person and much devoted to the cause of the colonists. This attitude on the part of his wife must have greatly influenced Edgar, for we shortly find...
by Randolph County Genealogical Society | Feb 7, 2014 | Biographies
Large families were not so unusual in pioneer days. One pioneer, upon being asked how he managed to feed so many, answered – “Every mouth brings two hands.” Benjamin Craine brought many hands when he came with seven sons in 1802 to settle on Mary’s...
Latest Comments