Whiteside Family

Notation # 2 pg. 412, in reference to the "Richland-Creek Baptist Church, first organized June 14, 1806: In 1809, these people built a meeting house on Richland Creek, some three miles northeast of Belleville; and at that time had a membership of about forty. Among these members were Benjamin Ogle, James Lemen, Sr., Wm. Lott Whiteside, William Kinney, Isaac Enochs, Larken Rutherford, Rev. Joseph Lemen, Ann Whiteside, Sally Whiteside, Ann Lemen, Elizabeth Badgeley, Mary Kinney and others."

Pg. 383, in reference to service in the War of 1812 of one Thomas Carlin, "This was considered a dangerous and perilous service. Carlin volunteered as one of four to reconnoiter and report, and he and three Whitesides-Robert, Davis and Stephen-were entrusted with this delicate service.

Pg. 268, in reference to Methodist pioneer preachers, "Rev. Jacob Whiteside of this county commenced the ministry about that time," (1814).

Pg. 314, in reference to Ridge Prairie, "Many citizens-the Ogles, Enochs, and Whitesides-left the older settlements and located themselves in the fine, healthy country northeast of the present City of Belleville. In this same year, 1802, the Goshen Settlement was enlarged and improved. The Gilham and Whiteside families settled there. These two large connections embraced nearly all the inhabitants of the settlement. The Casterlands, Seybolds, Groots, and some others located at the foot of the bluff, above the Quentine Creek. In 1803, Samuel and Joel Whiteside made the improvements on the Ridge Prairie, six or eight miles south of the present town of Edwardsville."

Pg. 319-20, in reference to one Jacob Judy, "He married into the Whiteside family and settled at Goshen as before stated, in 1801." And "In 1794, Joel Whiteside was driving a yoke of oxen about one hundred and fifty yards southwest of the public square in the present town of Waterloo and an Indian shot him. The ball passed thro his body, but did not kill him. Judy, Todd, Andy Kinney, and some others pursued the Indian with dogs and guns; overtook the murderer and killed him under a large tree which stood near the main road, about half a mile south of Whiteside's Station."

Pg. 417, "John D. Whiteside, another son of the aged Col. Whiteside, was born at Whiteside's Station in 1794, and was raised, lived, and died there in 1850. This pioneer possessed a strong, solid mind. Many important public stations he occupied with credit to himself. At various times, he has represented his native county in the State legislature and occupied for many years the office of treasurer of State; also the office of fund-commissioner. The business of this last office required his services in Europe, where he transacted important business for the State. It is singular that he was born, lived, died, and was buried on the same locality, the Old Station, in the present county of Monroe."

Pg. 181, "Towards the close of the Indian war, the country south of the New Design commenced its settlement. Johnson J. Whiteside and others laid off a town, not on paper, but on a sit situated on the west bank of the Kaskaskia River, not far south of the northern limits of the present county of Randolph, and called it Washington."

Notation pg. 338, "Congress in 1811, passed an act authorizing the organization of ten companies of rangers which afterward formed a regiment, known as the 17th U.S. Infantry, placed under the command of Wm. Russell of Kentucky, a renowned Indian fighter. Of these companies four were raised in Illinois Territory, those commanded respectively by Captains Samuel Whiteside, Wm. B. Whiteside, James B. Moore, and Jacob Short-J.H.G."

Pg. 406, in reference to the War of 1812, "Several officers distinguished themselves in the war in Illinois and showed strong minds as well as great devotion to the country. Capts. Samuel Whiteside, William B. Whiteside, James b. Moore, Jacob Short, Nathaniel Journey, Willis Hargrave, and William McHenry were efficient and very active in the defence of the country. Samuel Whiteside is till alive, a venerated and respected pioneer. Samuel and William B. Whiteside are two of the sons of the two gallant soldiers of King's Mountain memory. Each of these brave men commanded companies in the defence of the country."

Pg. 409, "In 1814, Mrs. Reagan and six children were killed in the forks of Wood River, a few miles east of the present city of Alton. A party of whites followed them, commanded by Capt. Samuel Whiteside. One Indian was killed in a tree-top by Pruitt, and the rest escaped."

Pg. 255, in reference to Monroe County, "The third settlement, which originated a few years later, was Whiteside's Station, a few miles north of Waterloo."

Pg. 131, "Another station was erected by the Flannarys, that was on the main road from Kaskaskia to Cahokia, and known if after-times as Whiteside's Station."

Pg. 175, "Eight men, Capt. N. Hull, commanding, James Lemen, Sr., Joseph Ogle, Sr., Benjamin Ogle, J. Ryan, William Bryson, John Porter, and Daniel Raper pursued this party of Indians, who were double the number of whites. The hottest of the battle was fought in the timber northwest of the camp-meeting ground, at the Big Spring, in Monroe Co., and not far east of the road from Waterloo to Whiteside's Station."

Pg. 176, "Several emigrants had stopped at Kaskaskia and Jacob Judy among the rest. He sold out his property at Kaskaskia and located himself and family on the site where at present stands the old water-mill known at this day as Judy's mill. This mill is a small distance west of Whiteside's Station, in Monroe Co."

Pg. 314-15, "All the frontiers of Goshen Settlement and in fact all the upper colonies were compelled to go to Cahokia or to Judy's mill, near Whiteside's Station, for their grinding."

Pg. 377, "It has been stated that George and William Blair emigrated to Illinois in 1796. George occupied a place on the main road from Whiteside's Station to Fountain, where the late Mr. Eberman resided, and erected a distillery on the spring branch, west of the road."

Pg. 344, "Col. William Whiteside, in 1796, introduced into the country a fine blooded-horse of the Janus stock. It is supposed by the best judges of horses that a better horse has never since stood in Illinois. Many colts made turf nags that won races not only in Illinois, but in many parts of the Union. The owners of two of these horses, both sired by Whiteside's horse, made a large bet on a race between them of three miles repeat. This race took place in the Horse Prairie in the spring of 1803. The people of Illinois at that day were all comprised within the St. Clair and Randolph counties and were not numerous."

Pg. 416-17, "William B. Whiteside, the captain of the company of United States rangers in the war of 1812, was born in North Carolina, and when a lad, came with his father, Col. William Whiteside, to the country in 1793. He was raised on the frontiers and without much education, but possessed a strong and sprightly intellect and a benevolence of heart that was rarely equaled. All his talents and energies were exerted in the defence of his country. He was sheriff of Madison County for many years. At his residence in Madison County, he died some years since."

Pg. 408, "I was a sergeant in Capt. William B. Whiteside's company of the United States rangers, and marched in this campaign." (August 1, 1813)

Pg. 378, in reference to one Thomas Higgins, "I personally knew him to be a member of the company commenced by Capt. William B. Whiteside in most of the War." (1812)

Pg. 382, in reference to the same Thomas Higgins, "On June 3, 1812, he entered the military service of the United States as a private in the company commanded by William B. Whiteside."

Pg 357-58, "A school-house, a log cabin, in ancient times stood at the foot of the bluff, half-way between Judy's and William B. Whiteside's; but more than half the time it was not occupied."

Pg. 425, "Congress also donated 'one hundred acres* of land to each militia-man enrolled and doing duty in Illinois on Aug. 1, 1790, within the district of Kaskaskia.' The claims under this act were made mostly by French settlers, as they constituted the greater part of the militia force at that date. The following are the names of the claimants other than those of French birth or origin affirmed by the commissioners, Kaskaskia, Dec. 31, 1809"

"William Arundel, Edward Herbert, William Murry, Levi Theed,
Timothy Bellow, John Jones, Joseph Ogle, Edward Todd,
George Biggs, John Rice Jones, Levi Piggott, William Todd,
John Brady, William Jones, William Piggott, Alexander Waddle,
Isaac Brasten, Jacob Judy, Daniel Raper, David Waddle,
William Butts Samuel Judy, William Robins, Jesse Waddle,
Thomas Callahan, Robert Kidd, Benjamin Rogers, Hardy Wear,
Isaac Chaffin, Alexander McNabb, John Sack, Frederick Weiser,
William Chaffin, Edward McNabb, Ebenezer Sevans, John Whiteside,
Alexander Dennis, James Moore, Jr., Daniel Shultz Wm. F. Whiteside,
John Edgar, John Moore, John K. Simpson, William Young
Isaac Enochs, William Moore, Daniel Sink, Whiteside,
Philip Gallaher, John Moredock, Christopher Smith, James Wilson,
John Hays, William Morrison, Robert Sybold, Thomas Winn."

Pg. 185-190, "In 1793 Illinois received a colony of the most numerous, daring, and enterprising inhabitants that had heretofore settled in it. The Whitesides and their extensive connections emigrated from Kentucky and settled in and around the New Design in this year. Not only the numerous names of Whiteside was in this colony, but also were their connections: Griffin, Gibbons, Enochs, Chance, Musick, Going and others. This large connection of citizens, being all patriotic, courageous, and determined to defend the country at the risk of their lives, was a great acquisition to Illinois, which was hailed by all as the harbinger of better times.

The Whitesides and their early connections were born and raised on the frontiers of North Carolina, and emigrated to Kentucky. They had been inured to Indian hostilities and other hardships incident to frontier life, from their early years to manhood. The patriarch and leader, William Whiteside, had been a brave soldier in the Revolutionary war and was in the celebrated battle of King's Mountain. To be a soldier in the battle of King's Mountain was an honor of itself. His brother, John Whiteside, was also in the war for independence, and acted well his part in that struggle. The Whiteside family were of Irish descent and inherited much of the Irish character. They were warm-hearted, impulsive, and patriotic. Their friends were always right and their foes always wrong in their estimation. They were capable of entertaining strong and firm attachments and friendships. If a Whiteside took you by the hand, you had his heart. He would shed his blood freely for his country or for his friends.

William Whiteside erected a fort on the road from Cahokia to Kaskaskia, which became celebrated as Whiteside's Station. At this station, Whiteside raised a large and efficient family.

John Whiteside, his brother, resided at the Bellefontaine for many years, and died there. He also had a large family, whose descendants are very numerous and settled in many parts of the West.

William Whiteside, soon after he arrived in Illinois, became conspicuous and efficient as a leader in the Indian war. He was the captain of many parties that took signal vengeance on the savage foe for murders they committed on the women and children, as well as on the grown men. One trait of character-bravery-the Whiteside family possessed in an eminent degree, and the patriarch of whom I am speaking was as cool, firm, and decided a man as ever lived. Scarcely any of the family ever knew what fear was.

William Whiteside was the captain of a party of eight men, who pursued a large number of Indians and overtook them on Shoal Creek.

In 1793, the Kickapoo Indians stole a number of horses from the American Bottom, not far distant from the present residence of Mr. Miles, and fled toward their towns at the source of the Sangamon River. Many of the citizens assembled to pursue the Indians, but only eight came to the sticking point, William Whiteside, captain, Samuel Judy, John Whiteside, Samuel Whiteside, William Harrington, Wm. L. Whiteside, John Porter, and John Dempsey. They pursued the Indian trail near the present city of Belleville, toward the Indian camp on Shoal Creek.

It was a hazardous and dangerous march, eight men in pursuit of a large body of Indians, and going into a country where hundreds of the enemy could be called forth in a few hours. Scarcely eight men in any country could be selected, with the same talents and efficiency, to succeed in such a perilous attempt on the enemy, as those composing this forlorn hope.

These pioneers had no time to prepare for the march, or the Indians would escape. They had scarcely anything with them to eat. Their guns, ammunition, and bravery were almost all they had along. One other essential ingredient they had in an eminent degree, great talents, caution, and experience in the captain and also many of his party. They followed the trail, day and night, with great rapidity. One of the party was generally out before on the trail as a spy, to prevent the whites from rushing into an ambuscade. Better to lose one man than all the party.

They came up with the Indians on Shoal Creek and found three of the horses grazing in the prairie. They secured these horses and then made arrangements to attack the Indian camp. By order of the captain, although the party was small, yet it was divided into two parties, and each to attack the camp at the same time, from the opposite sides. The captain's gun to fire was the signal to commence the battle. One Indian, the son of the chief, old Pecon, was killed, one mortally wounded, and others slightly.

The Indians, although many more than the whites, ran off and left their guns and everything but themselves. The old chief surrendered and gave up his gun to Whiteside. The chief, judging from the bold and energetic attack, supposed the whites to be numerous behind. But when he discovered the whole were only eight men, he cried with a terrific voice to his braves to return and fight the Americans, and at that same time seized his gun in Whiteside's hands and attempted to wrench it from him. Whiteside was an extraordinary stout man and never at a loss in any personal scramble that resembled a fight. Whiteside's men were afraid to shoot the Indian, as they might kill the captain; but he was in no danger from the Indian. Whiteside retained the gun in triumph and the Indian, although a brave man, was forced to acknowledge the superiority of the white man. Whiteside would not injure or let his men kill an unarmed foe, although the Indian broke the truce. The Indian escaped to his warriors unhurt, much to the honor of Whiteside. These were the days of chivalry in Illinois.

Whiteside, who was famous for his prudence as well as his courage, said it was unwise to remain in the Indian country a moment longer. They started back with the horses they caught and neither eat or slept until they reached Whiteside's Station. And the very night they arrived at the station, Pecon and seventy warriors camped in the vicinity of Cahokia, in pursuit of Whiteside and his party.

The wisdom of Whiteside was verified in this case. Suppose the whites had loitered at the Indian camp on Shoal Creek a few hours, these seventy savages would have destroyed a part or all of Whiteside's party before they reached the settlement.

Savage malignity and revenge was not appeased by the noble and generous act of Capt. Whiteside in saving the life of the old chief, Pecon; but in revenge for the loss of his son, the old warrior and his braves shot, near the station, a young man, Thomas Whiteside, and tomahawked the boy of the captain while he was out at play, so that he died. These murders occurred the next year, 1794, after the son of Pecon was killed. There is no passion in the breast of a savage so strong as that of revenge.

In 1795, a Frenchman in Cahokia informed Capt. Whiteside that a camp of Indians of considerable number was established at the bluff, a short distance south of the present macadamized road from Belleville to St. Louis, and that they meditated some injury to him-to kill him, or steal horses, etc. This information aroused the blood of the old warrior, Whiteside, and he called on his tried band of heroes. His passion was not cooled down for the loss of his people, and, moreover, he was acting in self-defence. His small company, Samuel and William L. Whiteside, Samuel Judy, Isaac Enochs, Johnson J. Whiteside, and others, to the number of fourteen, were assembled, and just before day, the camp was surrounded and all the Indians killed except one. He escaped, not to live, but to die, as the other Indians killed him for his cowardly running off. The Indians numbered more than the whites, but were surprised and killed. This is Indian war. The bones of these Indians were seen at this battle-field for years after.

In this battle, Capt. Whiteside was wounded, he supposed, mortally. He fell to the ground, and in this condition, he exhorted his men to fight bravely; never to give a inch of ground and never permit the enemy to touch his body when he was dead, supposing he would die in a short time. His son Uel, was also wounded in the arm and could not use his gun. He examined his father's wound and discovered that the ball had not passed through the body, but struck a rib and glanced off toward the spine. On further examination, he found that the bullet had lodged near the skin, and with his butcher-knife he cut it out, saying, 'father, you are not dead yet.' The old man jumped to his feet, remarking, 'boys, I can still fight the Indians.' Such desperate feats of courage and military enthusiasm rarely occur in any age or in any country.

As Capt. Whiteside and party were returning to Whiteside's Station, they halted at Cahokia to dress the wounds of the captain and his son. A widow lady, an American, and two beautiful and intelligent daughters, and as few Americans resided in the village, the wounded men stopped at this lady's house a few minutes to dress their wounds. William B. Whiteside* was with the party to this lady's residence. He was quite young and very handsome. This accidental meeting made these young people acquainted with each other and at last the two brothers married the two sisters, Misses Rains, and each party raised large families. It is singular that such small circumstances may decide the destiny of a person during life.

The father and son both recovered of their wounds and lived a long time after. The name Whiteside was a terror to the Indians.

The old warrior, William Whiteside, rested in peace from Indian wars for many years, as this battle was the last, until 1811, when the Indians again commenced depredations. He was elected colonel of St. Clair County and held that office for many years. He never cared much about parade of military office. He admired more 'the hair-breadth 'scape in the imminent deadly breach.'

Col. Whiteside, after the peace with the Indians, turned his attention to his farm at the station, and improved it. He cul-

* I am inclined to think the Governor was indebted to his imagination for this piece of romance. Wm. B. Whiteside, called Bolin, was one of his sons, and Uel the other. I knew Bolin intimately, and the family of Uel. I also knew Mrs. Bolin Whiteside, whose maiden name, according to my recollection, was Arendell.
In a sketch of the Whiteside family that I furnished Hon. E. B. Washburne, to be used in an address delivered by him before the Agricultural Society of Whiteside County, in 1877, I fell into the error of taking the Governor's account of this double marriage without due reflection. Afterward, on meeting with Michael Whiteside, since deceased, who lived in this county, he said he did not believe the story, and referred to circumstances that satisfied me that it was not rue, and upon reflection I am constrained to believe either that the Governor culled this ornamental story from his imagination or some one injected it into the story. The Governor was in the habit of having fine passages written by his friends. Col. Nathaniel Niles of Belleville has been suspected of writing a very fine passage, touching the return of Reynolds to the hearthstone of his early life and the scenes of his childhood in Tennessee. If this passage in regard to the double marriage is a canard or was an interpolation, the Governor should be held responsible, for he knew the history of the Whitesides, as his brother Robert married a daughter of Wm. B. or Bolin Whiteside. This I know. Joseph Gillespie, Jan. 25, 1883.

tivated a fine apple-orchard, which, in days gone by, was quite celebrated, as very few orchards were in the country.

He and his brother, John Whiteside, in 1806, purchased a land-warrant of one hundred acres and located it on a mill-seat on Wood River, where the main road crosses the creek from Edwardsville to Alton. They prepared and hauled much timber to the premises for the mill, but never built it.

Col. Whiteside was a justice-of-the-peace and judge of the court of common-pleas. These offices he executed to please the people, not himself, as the military was his fort and pleasure.

In the war of 1812, Col. Whiteside was active and efficient in organizing the militia of St. Clair County and preparing them for active service. He himself was in the service and attended at Camp Russell in carrying out the military operations in the defence of the frontiers. He died at his residence, the old Station, in 1815. He was universally known throughout the country, and his death cast a gloom over the community.

He had been a regular member of the Baptist church for many years previous to his death. He was an exemplary and moral man and possessed a strong, uncultivated mind. His education was limited, but his life, being one of extraordinary events, made him intelligent. Reflection and study were forced on him in self-defence. His frontier life, with the Indian war and all its dangers and perils impending over him for many years, developed his mind and made him a grave, reflecting man. His person was stout and active. He, as it was with most of the name, was a stranger to fear. He was clam and meditative in times of peril. He never permitted any rash impulses to influence him in battle. His remains now rest at his old Station, in peace and quiet, from the din and uproar of the battle-field, where his energies and commanding talents have, on many occasions, won the victory for the stars and stripes. He was the leader and pioneer of the Whiteside family and connections in Illinois. They are exceedingly numerous, extending throughout the country. They may look back at him with esteem and respect as the pioneer, Moses, that conducted them thro the wilderness to Illinois, the 'promised land.'"