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News Articles on McDonough County's History
KILL-JORDAN - ELIJAH WAYLAND TELLS OF THE STREAM AND HOW IT GOT ITS NAME
Editor Journal: Kill-Jordan, the small creek which runs north of the fair grounds heading in the southeast part of the city of Macomb, is about seven miles long. It empties into Troublesome Creek, in Chalmers township. About 100 rods from its mouth is a high cliff known as the "Indian Grave Hill". This cliff is about a 100 feet high and on top of this hill is the Indian's grave. His name was JORDAN. He was killed by a wounded deer. JORDAN wounded the deer and with a butcher knife attempted to kill it. The deer kicked and struck the knife in such a shape as to drive it into the Indian's body, killing him instantly. He was buried on the hill and the Indian's gave the creek the name of Kill-Jordan.
When a small boy, I heard the old pioneers tell the story, then new, and all were familiar with the subject. Willis WAYLAND, Wm. EDMISON, Gabriel BURR, and Medley SHELTON were the pioneers. Medley SHELTON lived with the Indians and knew all about the subject.
It happened about the year 1832. Jordan was of the Sac Indian Tribe. Being in conversation not long since with John CORDELL, who lives on the stream, and others, they requested me to tell the history in one of the papers, as it will be something for the young readers to remember.
As a reader of the JOURNAL if anyone has any old reminiscences to write I would like to read them.
ELIJAH WAYLAND
[Macomb Daily Journal, 25 June 1901 - Transcribed by K. Torp]
- AN OLD SETTLER - Plymouth, Illinois, March 5, 1897.
Editor, Journal - I saw a request of J. L. ANDERSON in your paper of February 9th requesting all persons to send their name and date of their arrival to this County. I came to McDonough County in the fall of 1892 (probably s/b 1829) in company with my mother and stepfather, F. A. KINGTON and Byrd SMITH, my brother. They settled near Grindstone, north of where Industry now is. The same fall, I with my brother Isaac G. SMITH, returned to Springfield, where I attended school three months in the fall of 1833. I returned to McDonough County in the fall of 1834 and moved to Round Prairie, Lamoine Township, April 1 of that year and have resided there ever since.
I was born in Hopkins County, Kentucky, July 26, 1819. My father died when I was five years of age. My mother moved to West Virginia, where she married F. A. KINGTON. They had one son; he now resides in Jasper County, Missouri. I am the sole survivor of my fathers' family; there being five sons and three daughters. We came to this state in 1830 and first settled in Springfield.
In 1839 I was married to Emeline DAVENPORT. She was born in Ulster County, New York in 1819, and came to this state in 1835. In 1842 I united with the Methodist Church. I have never served in any war only I was ordered out in 1844 to Carthage, Hancock County, by Gove. FORD; was present when Joseph and Hiram SMITH were escorted around the square in that place by Gen. DEMMING. I had two sons in the late war; one enlisted in 1861, the other in 1862, each serving three years. My first presidental vote I cast for HARRISON and TYLER, and my last was McKINLEY and HOBART and I think I voted for the best interest of the country.
John H. SMITH
[Macomb Daily Journal, 8 March 1897, pg. 2 - Submitted by K. Torp]
AN OLD SETTLER - J.L. ANDERSON
I was born in Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky, March 28, 1815; came to Illinois with my father, arriving in Lewistown, October 27, 1830. On the tenth day of November 1831, we came to McDonough County and settled on what is known as the Camp farm, some 2 1/2 miles west of Macomb; came to Macomb in the winter of 1833. In 1845 I was appointed by the County Commissioners to take the enumeration of McDonough County for the state, was assessor of Macomb City for two years, was collector for the City and Township for three years, on the Board of Supervisors from Bushnell one year, and justice of the peace 24 years.
I have spent 4 or 5 years in California and the Rocky Mountains and could give you some items that would be of interest to some of the old citizens, but would take too much space.
I am contemplating a reunion of old citizens tell the frightful reports and scary times we had during the Black Hawk War, 1832, and have a good time generally.
J. L. ANDERSON, Bushnell, Illinois, March 8
[Macomb Daily Journal, 9 March 1897, pg. 2 - Submitted by K. Torp]
WALKER Reunion
The descendents of John WALKER of Wigtown, Scotland, who was born about the year 1650, who are living in this locality, will hold a reunion here August 24th. John WALKER married Jane McKNIGHT in about 1671 and they had two sons, John and Alexander. There is no record of the latter except that his three sons came to America with John. John WALKER married Katherine RUTHERFORD in 1702 at Wigtown, Scotland. He then moved to Neury, Ireland and in 1739 came to Chester Co., Penn. He died in 1734 and was buried at Nottingham Meeting House. Their children moved to Augusta and Rockbridge Counties, Virginia; then to Adair and Woodford Counties, Kentucky and then to Morgan, Mason, Menard, and McDonough Counties, Illinois. (August 25 issue contains a long list of descendents of John WALKER from all over McDonough County and neighboring counties, plus these from Hamilton, Iowa: Wm. H. WALKER, William F. WALKER, Louie E. WALKER, Birdie WALKER, Walter WALKER, Roxey WALKER, Harlen WALKER, and Lena WALKER.)
August 26 - William A. WALKER of Hamilton, Marion Co., Iowa, and daughter are here visiting with his brother-in-law, W. T. BORRKING. Mr. WALKER is a Civil War veteran, serving with Co. B., 16th Illinois. Additional WALKER family history recounted at the family reunion: William WALKER, the provisional Governor of Nebraska, was a son of William WALKER of Virginia who was captured by the Delaware Indians in 1381(sic) when he was but 11 years old, and carried to the wilds of Ohio Territory. His son, born in 1800, received his education in this tribe and also spoke many other languages. He became chief of the Wyandotte and in 1843 went to Kansas with his tribe and remained there until his death in Kansas City in 1874.
Mrs. J. B. WHITE of 630 Humboldt Ave., Kansas City, desires additional information on this family. [Macomb Daily Journal, Tuesday 25 July 1899 - Submitted by K. Torp]