Madison
County Genealogical Society
Minutes of the Meeting - August 14, 2014
The August 2014 meeting of the Madison
County Genealogical Society was held at the Edwardsville Public Library on
Thursday, August 14, at 7:00 pm.
President, Robert Ridenour, called the
meeting to order.
GIFT MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE
Do you have a family member that is
interested in (or even obsessed with) genealogy? A membership in the Madison
County Genealogical Society would be a very thoughtful gift. A gift card will
be sent to the recipient of any gift membership.
The following memberships are available:
Individual/Family Annual Membership $20.00
Patron Annual Membership $30.00
Life Membership $250.00
Contact our Secretary, Petie Hunter, at petie8135@att.net, about a gift membership.
August
Meeting
On August 14, 2014, Bill Wilson,
President of Hill's Fort Society, Vice President of the Illinois Chapter of the
Society of the War of 1812, and Chairman of the Illinois Bicentennial
Commission of the War of 1812, discussed the new book, Forts and Blockhouses of
Early Illinois, Book II, written by Kevin Kaegy and
himself.
Bill talked briefly about an earlier book that he and Kevin had written: The
Tales of Hill's Fort, (20XX). After completing this first book, they started
collecting data about other forts and blockhouses. They intended to write a
second book on Hill's Fort and include a chapter on other forts and
blockhouses. That idea did not work out because that chapter grew much faster
then the other parts of the book.
One day the light bulb came on, and they decided to put all the data on the
other forts and blockhouses in a separate book about the Forts and Blockhouses
of Early Illinois. This book was published in 2006. It started with the early
Indian stone forts in the southern part of the state. Next came the French
forts scattered along the river, Fort de Chartres, Fort Massac, and a few other
small forts. Then came the early Illinois settlers, those people that came here
in 1779-80 all the way up to 1805-06. The book also contains information on
forts and blockhouses of the War of 1812 and the Blackhawk War.
A blockhouse can be an independent building of two layers, the second layer
being larger than the first, which you can go into, lock the door from the
inside, and protect those that are inside. Another type of blockhouse is a
building that stands in the corner of a fort. Again, the second level is larger
than the first, allowing you to shoot along the outside of the fort wall while
being protected by walls all around you.
The first book makes mention of about 170 forts and
blockhouses of all different eras. A numbering system was developed that
would allow a fort or blockhouse to be referenced by the same number, even in
later works. This book was sold all over Illinois. All of the proceeds went to
the Hill's Fort Society and were used to help build the replica of Hill's Fort
at Greenville, Illinois.
As Bill and Kevin started making presentations on the Forts and Blockhouses of
Early Illinois, the audiences were invited to give them any information that
would make their book better. People would give them corrections and new
information that they did not have when they wrote the book.
In the Spring of 2014, Bill and Kevin took all the new
information they received and revised their book. All the new forts and
blockhouses they learned about went into Chapter 1. They made corrections and
additions to the material included in the first book. Chapter 3 tells about the
16 places in Illinois where an historic fort or blockhouse still exists that
you can go to and look at. Driving directions, GPS locations, and photographs are
included.
The last chapter of the book is One Hundred Other Historic Illinois Sites. It
includes addresses and GPS locations so that you can visit these sites.
Bill had copies of both the old and the new books for purchase by the audience.
If you would like to obtain a copy, the new book, Forts and Blockhouse of Early
Illinois, Book II, sells for $30. The earlier book sells for $28, but you can
get the pair for $50. You can contact Bill Wilson at William Wilson, 208 North Bertha St,
Albers, IL 62215; phone: 618-248-5885 or 618-830-4433; e-mail:
billwilson1812@frontier.com.
This presentation was very well attended, very well received, and produced several questions
and comments from the audience.