Mr. Coles, all the more noble and heroic considering
the overwhelming pro-slavery influences surrounding
him, has challenged the admiration of every philan-
thropist of iiiodern times.
March 5, 1819, President Monroe appointed Mr.
Coles Registrar of the Land Office at EdwardsviLe,
at that time one of the principal land offices in the
State. While acting in this capacity and gaining
many friends by his jxiliteness and general intelli-
gence, the greatest struggle that ever occurred in
Illinois on the slavery qiiesion culminated in the
furious contest characterizing the campaigns and
elections of 1822-4. In the summer of 1823, when a
new Governor was to be elected to succeed Mr.
Bond, the pro-slavery element divided into factions,
])utting forward for the executive office Joseph
Phillips, Chief Justice of the State, Thomas C.
Browne and Gen. James B. Moore, of the State Mil-
itia. The anti-slavery element united upon Mr.
Coles, and, after one of the most bitter campaigns,
succeeded in electing liim as Governor. His plural-
ity over Judge Phillips was only 59 in a total vote of
over 8,000. The Lieutenant Governor was elected
by the slavery men. Mr. Coles' inauguration speech
was marked by calmness, deliberation and such a
wise expression of appropriate suggestions as to
elicit the sanction of all judicious politicians. But
he compromised not with evil. In his message to
the Legislature, the seat of Government being then
at Vandalia, he strongly urged the abrogation of the
modified form of slavery whi«:h then existed in this
State, contrary to the Ordi.iance of t787. His posi-
tion on this subject seems the more remarkable, when
it is considered that he was a minority Governor, the
population of Illinois being at that time almost ex-
clusively from slave-holding States and by a large
majority in favor of the perpetuation of that old relic
of barbarism. The Legislature itself was, of course,
a reflex of the popular sentiment, and a majority of
them were led on by fiery men in denunciations of
the conscientious Governor, and in curses loud and
deep upon him and all his friends. Some of the
public men, indeed, went so far as to head a sort of
mob, or " shiveree " party, who visited the residence
of the Governor and others at Vandalia and yelled
and groaned and spat fire.
The Constitution, not establishing or permitting
slavery in this State, was thought therefore to be
defective by the slavery politicians, and they desired
a State Convention to be elected, to devise and sub-
mit a new Constitution ; and the dominant politics
of the day was "Convention" and "anti-Conven-
tion." Both parties issued addresses to the people.
Gov. Coles himself being the author of the address
published by the latter party. This address revealed
the schemes of the conspirators in a masterly man-
ner. It is difficult for us at this distant day to esti-
mate the critical and extremely delicate situation in
which the Governor was placed at that time.
Our hero maintained himself honorably and with
supreme dignity throughout his administration, and
in his honor a county in this State is named. He
was truly a great man, and those who lived in
this State during his sojourn here, like those who
live at the base of the mountain, were too near to see
and recognize the greatness thatovershadowed ihem.
Mr. Coles was married Nov. 28, 1833, by Bishop
De Lancey, to Miss Sally Logan Roberts, a daughter
of Hugh Roberts, a descendant of Welsh ancestry,
who cami to this country with Wm. Penn in t682.
After the expiration of his term of service. Gov.
Coles continued his residence in Edwardsville, sup-
erintending his farm in the vicinity. He was fond
of agriculture, and was the founder of the first agri-
cultural society in the State. On account of ill
health, however, and having no family to tie hira
down, he spent much of his titiie in Eastern cities.
About 1832 he changed his residence to Philadel-
phia, where he died July 7, 1868, and is buried at
Woodland, near that city.
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBAKA
^y^e;^;^>^c^^£j^.^y^^^j?.
GO VERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
119
-..,^4.^-V>-l-
â– ^
INIAN EDWARDS, Governor
ly" from 1827 to 1830, was a son
yy^ of Benjamin Edwards, and
was born in Montgomery
County, Maryland, in March,
1775. His domestic train-
V' ing was well fitted to give
his mind strength, firmness and
honorable principles, and a good
foundation was laid for the elevated
character to which he afterwards
attained. His parents were Bap-
tists, and very strict in their moral
piinciples. His education in early
youth was in company with and
partly under the tuition of Hon. VV'm.
Wirt, whom his father patronized
and who was more than two years
older. An intimacy was thus
form.'d between them which was lasting for life. He
was farther educated at Dickinson College, at Car-
lisle, Pa. He next commenced the study of law, but
before completing his course he moved to Nelson
County, Ky., to open a farm for his father and to
purchase homes and locate lands for his brothers and
sisters. Here he fell in the company of dissolute
companions, and for several years led the life of a
spendt'.irift. He was, however, elected to the Legis-
lature of Kentucky as the Representative of Nelson
i-ounty before he was 21 years of age, and was re-
jected by an almost unanimous vote.
In 1798 he was licensed to practice law, and the
following year was admitted to the Courts of Tennes-
see. About this time he left Nelson County for
Russellville, in Logan County, broke away from his
dissolute companions, commenced a reformation and
devoted himself to severe and laborious study. He
then began to rise rapidly in his profession, and soon
became an eminent lawyer, and inside of four years
he filled in succession the offices of Presiding Judge
of the General Court, Circuit Judge, fourth Jidge of
the Court of Appeals and Chief Justice of the State,
— all before he was 32 years of age! In addition, in
1802, he received a commission as Major of a battal-
ion of Kentucky militia, and in 1804 was chosen a
Presidential Elector, on the Jefferson and Clinton
ticket. In 1806 he was a candidate for Congress,
but withdrew on being promoted to the Court of
Appeals.
Illinois was organized as a separate Territory in
the spring of i8og, when Mr. Edwards, then Chief
Justice of the Court of Appeals in Kentucky, received
from President Madison the appointment as Gover-
nor of the new Territory, his commission bearing date
April 24, 1809. Edwards arrived at Kaskaskia in
June, and on the i ith of that month took the oath of
office. At the s.ime time he was appointed Superin-
tendent of the United States Saline, this Government
interest then developing into considerable proportions
in Southern Illinois. Although during the first three
years of his administration he had the power to make
new counties and apiwint all the officers, yet he always
allowed the people of each county, by an informal
NINIAN EDWARDS.
vote, to select their own officers, both civil and mili-
tary. The noted John J. Crittenden, afterward
United States Senator from Kentucky, was appointed
by Gev. Edwards to the office of Attorney General of
the Territory, which office was accepted for a short
time only.
The Indians in i8io committing sundry depreda-
tions in the Territory, crossing the Mississippi from
the Territory of Louisiana, a long correspondence fol-
lowed between the respective Governors concerning
the remedies, which ended in a council with the sav-
ages at Peoria in 1812, and a fresh interpretation of
the treaties. Peoria was depopulated by these de-
predations, and was not re-settled for many j-ears
afterward.
As Gov. Edwards' term of office expired by law in
1812, he was re-appointed for another term of three
years, and again in 1815 for a third terra, serving
until the organization of the State in the fall of i8i8
and the inauguration of Gov. Bond. At this time
ex-Gov. Edwards was sent to the United States
Senate, his colleague being Jesse B. Thomas. As
Senator, Mr. Edwards took a conspicuous part, and
acquitted himself honorably in all the measures that
came up in that body, being well posted, an able de-
bater and a conscientious statesman. He thought
seriously of resigning this situation in 1821, but was
persuaded by his old friend, Wm. Wirt, and others to
continue in office, which he did to the end of the
term.
He was then appointed Minister to Mexico by
President Monroe. About this time, it appears that
Mr. Edwards saw suspicious signs in the conduct of
VVm. H. Crawford, Secretary of the United States
Treasury, and an ambitious candidate for the Presi-
dency, and being implicated by the latter in some of
his statements, he resigned his Mexican mission in
order fully to investigate the charges. The result
â– was the exculpation of Mr. Edwards.
Pro-slavery regulations, often termed "Black Laws,"
disgraced the statute books of both the Territory and
â– .he State of Illinois during tlie whole of his career in
ihis commonwealth, and Mr. Edwards always main-
tained the doctrines of freedom, and vvas an important
r.ctor in the great struggle which ended in a victory
for his party in 1824.
In 1826 7 the Winnebago and other Indians com-
mitted son-e depredations in the northern part of the
State, and the white settlers, who desired the lands
and wished to exasperate the savages into an evacu-
ation of the country, magnified the misdemeanors of
the aborigines and thereby produced a hostility be-
tween the races so great as to precipitate a little war,
known in history as the "Winnebago War." A few
chases and skirmishes were had, when Gen. Atkinson
succeeded in capturing Red Bird, the Indian chief,
and putting him to death, thus ending the contest, at
least until the troubles commenced which ended in
the " Black Hawk War " of 1832. In the interpre-
tation of treaties and execution of their provisions
Gov. Edwards had much vexatious work to do. The
Indians kept themselves generally within the juris-
diction of Michigan Territory, and its Governor,
Lewis Cass, was at a point so remote that ready cor-
respondence with him was difficult or impossible.
Gov. Edwards' administration, however, in regard to
the protection of the Illinois frontier, seems to hava
been very efficient and satisfactory.
For a considerable portion of his time after his re-
moval to Illinois, Gov. Edwards resided upon his
farm near Kaskaskia, which he had well stocked with
horses, cattle and sheep from Kentucky, also with
fruit-trees, grape-vines and shrubbery. He estab-
lished saw and grist-mills, and engaged extensively
in mercantile business, having no less than eight or ten
stores in this State and Missouri. Notwithstanding
the arduous duties of his office, he nearly always pur-
chased the goods himself with which to supply the
stores. Although not a regular practitioner of medi-
cine, he studied the healing art to a considerable ex-
tent, and took great pleasure in prescribing for, and
taking care of, the sick, generally without charge.
He was also liberal to the poor, several widows and
ministers of the gospel becoming indebted to him
even for their homes.
He married Miss Elvira Lane, of Maryland, in
1803, and they became the affectionate parents of
several children, one of whom, especially, is well'
known to the people of the " Prairie State," namely,
Ninian Wirt Edwards, once the Superintendent c<
Public Instruction and still a resident of Springfield
Gov. Edwards resided at and in the vicinity of Kas-
kaskia from i8o9toi8i8; in Edwardsville (named
after him) from that time to 1824; and from the lat-
ter date at Belleville, St. Clair County, until his
death, July 20, 1833, of Asiatic cholera. Edwards
County is also named in his honor.
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBANA
GO VERNGRS OF ILLINOIS.
123
®)®(®V(i)(£)^^^(\2)
^.0\m REYNOLDS, Governor 1831-
f^t* 4' ^^''S 'JOf' i'"' Montgomery Coun-
ty, Pennsylvania, Feb. 26, 1788.
His father, Robert Reynolds and
his mother, nee Margaret Moore,
were both natives of Ireland, from
whicli country they emigrated to
the United States in 17S5, land-
ing at Philadelphia. The senior
Reynolds entertained an undying
hostility to the British Govern-
ment. When the subject of tiiis
sketch was about six months old,
his parents emigrated with him to
Tennessee, where many of their
relatives had already located, at the base of the
Copper Ridge Mountain, about 14 miles northeast of
the present city of Knoxville. There they were ex-
posed to Indian depredations, and were much molest-
ed by them. In 1794 they moved into the interior
of the State. They were poor, and brought up their
children to habits of manual industry.
In 1800 the family removed to Kaskaskia, 111., with
eight horses and two wagons, encountering many
Hardships on the way. Here young Reynolds passed
the most of his childhood, while his character began
to develop, the most prominent traits of which were
ambition and energy. He also adopted the principle
and practice of total abstinence from intoxicating
liquors. In 1807 the family made another removal.
this time to the " Goshen Settlement," at the foot of
the Mississippi bluffs three or four miles southwest
of Edwardsville.
On arriving at his 20th year, Mr. Reynolds, seeing
tliat he must look about for his own livelihood and
not yet having determined what calling to pursue,
concluded first to attend college, and he accordingly
went to such an institution of learning, near Knox-
ville, Tenn., where he had relatives. Imagine his
diffidence, when, after passing the first 20 years of
his life without ever having seen a carpet, a papered
wall or a Windsor chair, and never having lived in a
shingle-roofed house, he suddenly usiiered himself
into the society of the wealthy in the vicinity of
Knoxville! He attended college nearly two years,
going through the principal Latin authors; but it
seems that he, like the rest of the world in modem
times, had but very little use for his Latin in after
life. He always failed, indeed, to exhibit any good
degree of literary disciphne. He commenced the
study of law in Knoxville, but a pulmonary trouble
came on and compelled him to change his mode
of life. Accordingly he returned home and re-
cuperated, and in 1812 resumed his college and
law studies at Knoxville. In the fall of 181 2 he was
admitted to the Bar at Kaskaskia. About this time
he also learned the French language, which he
practiced with pleasure in conversation with his
family for many years. He regarded this language
as being superior to all others for social intercourse.
JOHN RE YNOLDS.
From his services in the West, in the war of 1812,
he obtained the sobriquet of the " Old Ranger." He
was Orderly Sergeant, then Judge Advocate.
Mr. Reynolds opened his first law office in the
winter and spring of 1814, in the French village of
Cahokia, then the capital of St. Clair County.
In the fall of 1818 he was elected an Associate
Justice upon the Supreme Bench by the General
Assembly. In 1825 he entered more earnestly than
ever into the practice of law, and the very next year
was elected a member of the Legislature, where he
acted independently of all cliques and private inter-
ests. In 1828 the Whigs and Democrats were for
the first time distinctively organized as such in Illi-
nois, and the usual party bitterness grew up and
raged on all sides, while Mr. Reynolds preserved a
mdicial calmness and moderation. The real animus
.if the campaign was " Jackson " and " anti- Jackson,"
'he former party carrying the State.
In August, 1830, Mr. Reynolds was elected Gov-
ernor, amid great excitement. Installed in office, he
did all within his power to advance the cause of edu-
cation, internal improvements, the Illinois & Mich-
igan Canal, the harbor at Chicago, settling the coun-
try, etc.; also reccmmended the winding up of the
State Bank, as its affairs had become dangerously
complicated. In his national politics, he was a
moderate supporter of General Jackson.* But the
most celebrated event of his gubernatorial admin-
istration was the Black Hawk War, which occurred
in 1832. He called out the militia and prosecuted
the contest with commendable diligence, appearing
in person on the battle-grounds during the most
critical periods. He was recognized by the President
as Major-General, and authorized by him to make
treaties with the Indians. By the assistance of the
general Government the war was terminated without
much bloodshed, but after many serious fights. This
war, as well as everything else, was materially re-
tarded by the occurrence of Asiatic cholera in the
West. This was its first appearance here, and was
the next event in prominence during Gov. Reynolds'
term.
South Carolina nullification coming up at this time,
t was heartily condemned by both President Jackson
snd Gov. Reynolds, who took precisely the same
grounds as the Unionists in the last war.
On the termination of his gubernatorial term in
^834, Gov. Reynolds was elected a Member of Con-
gress, still coiisidering himself a backwoodsman, as
re had scarcely been outside of the State since he
became of age, and had spent nearly all his youthful
days in the wildest region of the frontier. His first
niove in Congress was to adopt a resolution that in
all elections made by the House for officers the votes
should be given viva voce, each member in his place
naming aloud the person for whom he votes. This
created considerable heated discussion, but was es-
sentially adopted, and remained the controlling prin-
ciple for many years. The ex Governor was scarcely
absent from his seat a single day, during eight ses-
sions of Congress, covering a period of seven years,
and he never vacillated in a party vote; but he failed
to get the Democratic party to foster his " National
Road" scheme. He says, in "My Own Times" (a
large autobiography he published), that it was only
by rigid economy that he avoided insolvency while in
VVashington. During his sojourn in that city he was
married, to a lady of the place.
In 1837, while out of Congress, and in company
with a few others, he built the first railroad in the
Mississippi Valley, namely, one about six miles long,
leading from his coal mine in the Mississippi bluff to
the bank of the river opposite St. Louis. Having not
the means to purchase a locomotive, they operated it
by horse-power. The next spring, however, the com-
pany sold out, at great sacrifice.
In 1839 the ex-Governor was appointed one of the
Canal Commissioners, and authorized to borrow
money to prosecute the enterprise. Accord' ngly, he
repaired to Philadelphia and succeeding in obtaining
a million dollars, which, however, was only a fourth
of what was wanted. The same year he and his
wife made at our of Europe. This year, also, Mr.
Reynolds had the rather awkward little responsibility
of introducing to President Van Buren the noted
Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, as a " Latter-Day
Saint!"
In 1846 Gov. Reynolds was elected a member of
the Legislature from St. Clair County, more particu
larly for the purpose of obtaining a feasible charter
for a macadamized road from Belleville to St. Louis,
a distance of nearly 14 miles. This was immediately
built, and was the first road of the kind in the State.
He was again elected to the Legislature in 1852, when
he was chosen Speaker of the House. In i860, aged
and infirm, he attended the National Democratic
Convention at Charleston, S. C, as an anti-Douglas
Delegate, where he received more attention from the
Southern Delegates than any other member. He
supported Breckenridge for the Presidency. After
the October elections foreshadowed the success of
Lincoln, he published an address urging the Demo-
crats to rally to the support of Douglas. Immedi-
ately preceding and during the late war, his corre-
spondence evinced a clear sympathy for the Southern
secession, and about the first of March, 1861, he
urged upon the Buchanan officials the seizure of the
treasure and arms in the custom-house and arsenal
at St. Louis. Mr. Reynolds was a rather talkative
man, and apt in all the Western phrases and catch-
words that ever gained currency, besides many cun-
ning and odd ones of his own manufacture.
He was married twice, but had no children. He
died in Belleville, in May, 1865, just after the close
of the war.
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBANA
GOVERNORS OF ILLINOIS.
127
1 1 LIAM LEE D. EWING,
Governor of Illinois Nov. 3
5 to 17, 1834, was a native
rof Kentucky, and jirobably
of Scotch ancestry. He had
a fine education, was a gentle-
man of polished manners and
refined sentiment. In 1830 John Rey-
nolds was elected Governor of the State,
)!i>^u and Zadok Casey Lieutenant Governor,
and for the principal events that followed,
and the characteristics of the times, see
sketch of Gov. Reynolds. The first we
^â– ^ see in history concerning Mr. Ewing, in-
forms us that he was a Receiver of Public
Moreys at Vandalia soon after the organization of
tni.s State, and that the public moneys in Iiis liands
vere deposited in various banks, as they are usually
'.'â– thv j^esent day. In 1823 the State Bank was
ubbed, by which disaster Mr. Ewing lost a thousand-
dollar deposit.
The subject of this sketch had a commission as
Colonel in the Black Hawk War, and in emergencies
ne ac'ed also as Major. In the summer of 1832,
â– "/hen i -"as rumored among the whites that Black
Hawk ai.d 'lis men had encamped somewhere on
Kock River, Gen. Henry was sent on a tour of
reconnoisance, and with orders to drive the Indians
from the State. After some op[X)sition from his
ubordinate officers, Henry resolved to proceed up
Rock River in search of the enemy. On the 19th of
uly. early in the morning, five baggage wagons.
camp equipage and all heavy and cumbersome arti-
cles were piled up and left, so tiiat the army migli'.
make speedy and forced marches. For some miles
the travel was exceedingly bad, crossing swamps
and the worst thickets ; but the large, fresh trail
gave life and animation to tl-.e Americans. Gen.
Dodge and Col. Ewing were both, acting as Majors,
and composed the " spy corps " or vanguard of the
army. It is supposed the army marclied nearly 50
miles this day, and the Indian trail they followed
became fresher, and was strewed with much property
and trinkets of the red-skin-, tliat they had lost or
ihrown away to hasten their march.' During the
following night there was a terrific thunder-storm, and
tlie soldiery, with all their appurtenances, were thor-
oughly drenched.
On a[iproaching nearer tlie Indians the next day.
Gen. Dodge and Major Ewing, each commanding a
battalion of men, were placed in front to bring on the
battle, but the savages were not overtaken this day
Forced marches were continued until they reached.
Wisconsin River, where a veritable battle ensued,
resulting in the death of about 68 of Black Hawk's
men. The next day they continued the chase, and
as soon as he discovered the trail of the Indians
leading toward the Mississippi, Maj. Ewing formed
his battalion in order of battle and awaited the order
of Gen. Henry. The latter soon appeared on the
ground and ordered a charge, which directly resulted
in chasing the red warriors .across the great river.
M.ij. Ewing and his command proved particularly
efficient in war, as it seems they were the chief actors
in driving the main body of the Sacs and Foxes, in-
I2S
WILLIAM L. D. EWING.
»
eluding Black Hawk himself, across the Mississippi,
while Gen. Atkinson, commander-in-chief of the ex-
pedition, with a body of the army, was hunting for
them in another direction.
In the above affair Maj. Ewmg is often referred to
as a " General," which title he had derived from his
connection with the militia.
It was in the latter part of the same year (1832)
that Lieutenant Governor Casey was elected to Con-
gress and Gen. Ewing, who had been elected to the
Senate, was chosen to preside over that body. At
the August election of 1834, Gov. Reynolds was also
elected to Congress, more than a year ahead of the
time at which he could actually take his seat, as was
then the law. His predecessor, Chailes Slade, had
just died of Asiatic cholera, soon after the elec-
tion, and Gov. Reynolds was chosen to serve out his
unexpired term. Accordingly he set out for Wash-
ington in November of that year to take his seat in
Congress, and Gen. Ewing, by virtue of his office as
President of the Senate, became Governor of the