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FAMILIES OFTHE PIONEERSARE RECALLEDhelitrehe32,Dr-lobertses, McCreerys and Burnses Settled in Near Fort Jordan in Early 1800'sThere were several families of early pioneers prominent in the first Franklin county settlements and development of the area around these two settlements, Fort Jordan and Frank’s Fort. It is only fitting to give a brief resume of some of these families.a-ailyanenhebishem.iantoJohn Roberts, born in 1748 in Frederick county, Maryland, brought most of his family of 11 children west in 1812 or 1813 to Wilson county, Tennessee. From there, he and a son, William Augustus, and the latter’s son, Thomas, traveled on into the Illinois Territory. He filed on land south of Frank’s Fort, in what is now Corinth township of Williamson county, and his son and grandson also located in the area as early as 1814. An indication of the youth of some of these early settlers is given by the fact that Thomas Roberts was born in 1793.Daily I LaunIs Ovandonedre-;Ct-fheoreersrainlorI i lithe be ntlcl’s•enitit * KMThe Robertses also filed on land in Franklin county and other lands in Williamson county, In 1818, from Sumner and Wilson county, Tennessee, several Roberts families, including James Stewart, a son-in-law, began * their long, hazardous journey to Illinois. After many delays they finally crossed the Ohio River and followed the miry and rutted Shawneetown trail inland. At a point near Sarahs-ville, they left the trail to follow the “old path’’ road which led to the Deer Lick country near the two Jordan forts. There among the settlers they Jtound their father, John Roberts, and his son and grandson.Thomas Roberts, a grandson of John Roberts, was the representative from the Jordan Fort settlements to the Illinois Constitutional Convention as Illinois prepared to enter the Union as a state.Four McCreery’s came to Illinois and what was later Franklin county from Kentucky in 1812. Robert and Allen McCreery shortly afterward continued on across the Mississippi river to Missouri but Alexander and George McCreery filed on land near Fort Jordan. Later George moved to what is now Saline county, near the present town of Galatia.In the year 1816, their parents, George and Margaret (Black) McCreery, came and settled on land adjoining that of Alex. This farm became quite a noted place—Fancy Farm—and McCreery eventually sold it to Henry Yost of Virginia prior to his death in 1821.The Burns family, including William Burns and his brothers and young sons, came before 1817 to the Frank’s Fort settlement and they helped to organize a Methodist class among the settlers living near “Deer Lick.It is said by some historians that “Africa,” the settlement of freed Negro slaves, was first located on McCreery’s Fancy Farm place.Moses Jones, Zadoc and Zion Hunt Mitchell also came from Wilson county, Tennessee, probably either by way of Poseyville, Ind., or over the new state road from Shawneetown. Zadoc Mitchell, who died in 1833, the “night the stars fell,” was soon established just south of the Roberts settlement and Zion located not far fromFranklin per was pr ment whicl Louis by a man and P ton Standa present loc lows’ build North Mail square.The wee owner was ton who, al to Brownie ton.When the in 1908 its not want tc paper busi scription li to Arley E Martin, r today told porter: “E a newspap chines and —I get a h is fascinati Martin’s paper mar pretty hect ed the Fi dent, locai store now. East Mail square. V burned in cided to g shrewd n Standard, his paper for whic 50 cents Standard a year.About fi had trade land” (w mine No. for ^a. “g Sandoval, to Benton to 'the St, the rest. 1 About ti had beccn dred peog had sevei ers here t week or 1 he discovi ed a news so he to equipment Frankfort building n hotel now street. T that time L. Me Far several ylt; “In the good pri Martin sa the Bentc going golt; Frankfort there. I three day job and someone “After decided I insane a* (CoFLAT WALL PAINTold Fort It is s the Yosts in 1823 tc dist ehu named f( son coun erts sett members to organ Met hod is er their Tied fr the atter cy Fanr nois stat incoi*por hut the came inproposec Richard William John Rlt; Creery.
Newspaper Details
West Frankfort Daily American
West Frankfort, Illinois, US
Wed, Sep 21, 1955
Page 46
Full Page
Clipped by
Marie N.
Select State, USA 12 Jan 2017
Other Publications Near West Frankfort, Illinois
McLeansboro Gazette
Franklin County Gazette
West Frankfort Daily American
