The War of 1812 in Illinois-- Part 1

From Free Pages Roots Web."

Upon the declaration of war  in June 1812, the Potawatomies and most other Indian tribes in the Illinois Territory strongly sympathized with the British, whom they saw as valuable allies in keeping the intruding American settlers from taking their land.ar of 1812."

They had been  hostile and restless for some time previous and blockhouses and small family forts were the order of the day for American settlers who were mostly in the southern part of the future state. There were often Indian  attacks on them.

Territorial Governor Ninian Edwards, becoming apprehensive of an outbreak of Indian hostility as the situation between the United States and Britain worsened, constructed Fort Russel a few miles from the present-day city of Edwardsville (named for him).  Sadly, the exact location of this fort is not known today (probably north of the city).

Taking the field in person, he made Fort Russell his personal headquarters and collected a force of 250  mounted volunteers who were later reinforced by two companies of rangers, under  Col. William Russell, numbering about 100 men.

--Brock-Perry

Early History of Peoria-- Part 2: The Coming of the War of 1812

During 1810, a series of raids were launched by Illinois Indians which resulted in a great deal of anxiety among the settlers.  Throughout the next year, British representatives from Canada; still upset  over their defeat in the American Revolution, continued to encourage the Indians to attack the white settlers throughout the Illinois Territory.

The War of 1812 began in June of that year and that caused the French settlers in Peoria to be at war with the British and their Indian allies, including the Potawatomi.  Because the French settlers at Peoria had a close relationship with the Potawatomi, their position was extremely difficult.

In August of 1812,  the American post at Chicago, Fort Dearborn, was taken by the Potawatomi, and many of the soldiers and residents  were killed or taken prisoner. Thomas Forsyth of Peoria, half brother and  partner of Chicago trader John Kinzie, went north to negotiate with the Indians for the return of the prisoners.

In the meantime, Governor Ninian Edwards had been receiving reports that Peoria was a hotbed of Indian troubles.  In October, 1812, just a few months after Fort Dearborn, the governor led an attack  of mounted troops across the prairies from Fort Russell near Edwardsville (no one is sure where this fort's actual location was), and destroyed the Potawatomi village of Chief Black Partridge at the upper end of Lake Peoria, on the east side of the river.

Although the soldiers found the village deserted, they plundered and burned it.  In clashes with nearby Indians, 25 to 30 were killed.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson of Illinois-- Part 10: Dispersing the Indians

They found a deserted Sac village near modern-day Quincy, Illinois,.  They then  marched  east to the Illinois River and followed it to Peoria.

From there they went north to Gomo's village which they found to also be deserted.

There were no battles in the campaign, but it did disperse the Indians and forestalled further attacks.

The force returned to Fort Russell near Edwardsville by late October 1813.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 7: Edwards Organizes Punitive Expedition Against Indians

Ninian Edwards negotiated with the Potawatomie Chief Gomo, but these negotiations broke down.  Raids and confrontations between small groups of settlers and Indians continued through 1811.  In 1812, the fall of Fort Dearborn (Chicago) and subsequent massacre galvanized public opinion and outrage.

Governor Edwards decided there should be an expedition against the Indians at Peoria Lakes.  Troops from Kentucky were expected to join the expedition but didn't show up.  Edwards had mounted rangers under Col. William Russell of Kentucky, hero of the Battle of King's Mountain during the American Revolution.

Fort Russell by Edwardsville was named for him.

Also in Edwards' force were militia commanded by Charles (Nelson?)  Rector and the newly promoted to colonel Benjamin Stephenson.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson=-- Part 6: A Line of Blockhouses Across the Illinois Territory

From the Benjamin Stephenson House Site "The War of 1812 and Indian Threat."

In the early days of the Illinois Territory, Indians posed a definite threat to white settlement.  The fact that the British constantly meddled in Indian affairs trying to stir them up, made matters worse.

When Ninian Edwards, for whom Edwardsville is named, became territorial governor in 1809, he organized and strengthened the territory's militia.  Benjamin Stephenson was appointed brigade commander of the militia and later became adjutant.

One of the first things Stephenson did was to build a line of blockhouses across the state from east to west.  This line was anchored by Fort Russell, just north of Edwardsville.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 5: Very Involved in Edwardsville's Economy

In April 1816 he was appointed Receiver of U.S. Land Office in Edwardsville and held that post until his death in 1822.  In 1818, he was a delegate to Illinois' First Constitutional Convention.  In 1819 he was founder and first president of the Bank of Edwardsville and also held that position until his death.

He was buried at Lusk Cemetery in Edwardsville.

His house, which was built in 1820, still stands and now operates as a museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

On his grave he is listed as "Colonel Illinois Militia Rangers War of 1812."

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 4: Militia and U.S. House of Representatives

During the War of 1812, he was appointed commander of a regiment of territorial militia with the rank of colonel.  He took part in two campaigns and later was appointed adjutant general.

In September 1814 he was elected as an Illinois Territorial, non-voting, member of the U.S. House of Representatives and served a partial term to March 1815.  Then, he was elected to a full term March 1815 to March 1817..

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 3: Very Important in Early Illinois History

From Find-A-Grave.

July 8, 1769 to October 10, 1822

Buried at Lusk Cemetery in Edwardsville, Illinois.

U.S. Congressman.  Lived in Virginia and Kentucky before moving to Randolph County in Illinois Territory in 1809.  Later appointed Randolph County's first sheriff by Territorial Governor Ninian Edwards.  The two men became good friends for the rest of their lives.

Moved to Edwardsville in Madison County and operated a general store and other businesses.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson of Illinois-- Part 2

He served as representative from Illinois Territory in the U.S. Congress 1814-1816 and was representative to the convention that wrote the first Illinois Constitution in 1818.

In 1820 he built the house that still stands and is believed to be the oldest standing house in the state.

Benjamin Stephenson died October 10, 1822 and is buried in Edwardsville.

Stephenson County in Illinois, in the northern part of the state, is named for him.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson of Illinois-- Part 1

On Saturday,. April 7, I wrote about the War of 1812 muster taking place at the Stephenson House in Edwardsville, Illinois, on April 14.  I am familiar with this town because it is on Route 66, but i didn't know about the Stephenson House so did some more research.

From Wikipedia.

Colonel Benjamin Stephenson was a prominent citizen and politician.  Born 1769 in Pennsylvania, moved to Virginia in 1788, then moved to Kentucky and to the Illinois Territory in 1809.

He was an Illinois militia colonel and commanded a regiment in the War of 1812.  In 1813, he was appointed adjutant of the Illinois militia.

--Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Military Muster in Edwardsville

From the April 6, 2018, Edwardsville (Illinois) Intelligencer  "Military muster marks bicentennial: by Carol Arnett.

This is being held to mark the 200th anniversary of Illinois becoming a state in 1818 as well as the War of 1812 and will take place at the historic Edward Stephenson House, (built in 1820) in Edwardsville.  There will be tours of the house and 20 re-enactors present who will be portraying War of 1812 American soldiers.

A lecture on Colonial-era medicine and their uses will be given at 2 p.m..

--Brock-Perry

Archaeologists Look for Fort Russell in Illinois-- Part 2

In 1812 Indians killed a settler near what is now the Village of Pochahontas and another near present-day Alton.  This caused Territorial Governor Ninian Edwards to order the construction of several blockhouses (two-story windowless) where settlers could take refuge, at twenty mile intervals between the Mississippi and Kaskaskia rivers.

Troops were stationed at Fort Russell and cannons from Fort de Chartres, a former French outpost, were brought in for defense.

Kind of Sad When You Lose a Whole Fort.  --Brock-Perry

Archaeologists Look for Fort Russell-- Part 1

From the April 3, 2012, Edwardsville (Ill.) Intelligencer by Oliver Wiest.

They are still looking for the site of Fort Russell which was built 200 years ago to protect Edwardsville from  Indian attack during the War of 1812.  A government land office survey puts its site around Springfield Road northwest of Edwardsville.

A musket ball was found along Route 159, north of town.  The fort might have been there, but then again it might not.

What they do know is that it was a 150-foot square fortification located along what was then called Edwards Trace, now Springfield Road.  This path had been used by American Indians for a thousand years.

--Brock-Perry

Edwardsville's Lusk Cemetery-- Part 3

Reuben Hopkins, Benjamin Stephenson and Thomas Tamil have new grave markers.

Hopkins died at age 75 in 1822.  He was a lawyer known as "The General."  Every 4th of July he read the Declaration of Independence at the annual celebration.  He enrolled in the American Army early in the Revolutionary War and was at Bunker Hill at age 28, rising through the ranks eventually to brigadier general.

Benjamin Stephenson signed the Kickapoo Indian Treaty and his home is a historical attraction at 409 South Buchanan.  He was a close personal friend of Ninian Edwards, Territorial Governor and for whom the town is named.

By the 1900s, Lusk Cemetery had fallen into disrepair and the city took it over in 1914.  The headstones were removed in the 1920s.  In the 1930s part of the cemetery was bulldozed for a Works Progress Administration road project.  More headstones were removed.

In 1961, the Lusk Cemetery Association was formed to keep it from becoming a park after the city announced plans to do that.  Their license expired in 1981 and the city took it over and it became a park.

--Brock-Perry

Edwardsville's Lusk Cemetery-- Part 2

Veterans buried at Lusk Cemetery (now Lusk Park)

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Reuben Hopkins and John Tindall

WAR OF 1812: John Lusk and Benjamin Stephenson

BLACKHAWK WAR:  John Lusk and Martin Lusk
:
MEXICAN WAR   John W. Biggerstaff, Geo. C. Lusk, Richard G. Lewis and one unknown

CIVIL WAR: twelve veterans

WORLD WAR I:  two veterans.

--Brock-Perry

Edwardsville's (Ill.) Lusk Cemetery

Last week on August 20th and 24th, I wrote about Colonel Benjamin Stephenson of the War of 1812 being buried at Lusk Cemetery in Edwardsville and how the colonel received a marker.

From the April 20, 2011, Edwardsville (Ill.) Intelligencer "Lush Cemetery among city's oldest" by Ann Niccum.

The cemetery is a 2.8 acre plot located at 536 Randle Street and is where prominent resident, early settlers and veterans of seven wars as well as circuit riders are buried.  It was established in 1818 about the time that Ebenezer Cemetery fell into disuse.  Lusk cemetery was one of the first in the area to use headstones instead of boulders.

It was named for John Thomas Lusk, one of Edwardsville's earliest settlers.  Lusk came to the area in 1805 and built the first hotel.  he and his family are buried at the cemetery.

--Brock-Perry

Illinois' Colonel Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 2

Benjamin Stephenson was born July 8, 1769, in York, Pennsylvania.  His father James was a private in the Revolutionary War and served as a waggoner at Valley Forge during the horrendous winter of 1777.  His mother Mary was the daughter of Lt. Col. James Reed who also was in the Revolution.

In the 1790s, his parents moved to Martinsburg, Virginia.  In 1799, Benjamin married Lucy Swearingen and moved to Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1803.

In 1807, he moved to Logan County, Kentucky and waited for the opening of the Illinois Territory in 1809.

In June 1809, Territorial Governor Ninian Edwards appointed Stephenson sheriff of Randolph County.  he later was appointed adjutant general of Illinois state militia under commander Edwards.  In September 1812, there were eight companies with 570 men at Fort Russell in Edwardsville commanded by Stephenson.

From 1814-1815, he was in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1815, he was appointed by President James Madison as Receiver of Moneys in the Edwardsville Land Office, a position he held until his death Oct. 12, 1822.

--Brock-Perry

Illinois' Colonel Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 1

From Illinois Historic Sites.

I'd never heard of this colonel from Illinois, but wrote about the dedication ceremony at his grave in Edwardsville, Illinois back in July.

It turns out that his postwar house is a state museum.  We've been in Edwardsville on several occasions in regards to Route 66, most recently in June to sign up for the 2014 Illinois Route 66 Motor Tour./  I understand there is a good chance the town will be hosting the International Route 66 Festival in 2015.

Anyway, his house was built in the Federal style in 1820 and is classified as a living museum.

--Brock-Perry