Old Settlers Association

OLD SETTLERS ASSOCIATION NORMAN V. KELLY We have quite a few companies here in town that has been around at least 100 years and many of them are still thriving quite well. During Prohibition for some obvious reasons a lot of local Service Clubs formed and they too are still alive and kicking. Now Peoria became a city in 1845 and one group that began here in Peoria on July 4, 1867 was the Old Settlers Association who had its first meeting and from that brief get together in the Peoria County Courthouse The Old Settlers Association was formed. There were twenty-two original signers of the Constitution they agreed upon that day. However over the months hundred more signed up including the very first original seven men that permanently settled here in our area in 1819 and led by Josiah Fulton. The dues were to be a whopping one dollar a year and for the life of me I cannot see any written proof that they were ever raised. Actually they had a rather long winded title which was The Old Settlers’ Union of Peoria and Vicinity. This group became an association to honor and remember all the citizens who resided here in 1835 the very year that Peoria was incorporated into a Town. Mr. John Hamlin presided and the basic idea was presented to the group of twenty-two men present at the old courthouse. Thus began this remarkable association that built three cabins and a large stone monument as the group began to flourish and continue their long lasting organization that pretty much used the Glen Oak Park as their meeting place. Basically it was an annual picnic, meeting place and annual reunion of old friends that rarely saw each other at all except for the annual picnic they held to renew old friendships and meet new friends. They had a few rules as to who was eligible to become a member. Mainly the applicant had to be of good moral character and was a citizen that had lived in Illinois at least on or before 1935. They further stated that an applicant had to have lived here in Peoria County during the last ten years. The charter members at that first meeting amounted to twenty two members. John Hamlin became its first president and among the group were men that would eventually guide and lead this group for years to come bettering this community as they went along.

c. 1912

Lake at Glen Oak Park c. 1912

As the group grew into a more sociable, a more party-like group turned the one day a year into a day that thousands of folks looked forward to. Naturally the ladies took over the food aspect of the picnic as all kinds of competitive games were formed and in the early evening ‘Old Fashioned Dances’ were held as the day long activities kept every one happily busy. The original meeting place was where the zoo area is located today and just down the road was the small lake that still exists to this day. Horse drawn teams were parked among the shade trees, and folks came from all over the State of Illinois for the festival. The old men would get situated under the trees, talking of farming and the Civil War which was still a topic of interest. As the years changed our history there was always some major topic to discuses while the children played and the wives gathered to make sure there was plenty of food for everyone. Beginning in the early 1930’s yet another Abe Lincoln replica cabin was dedicated. They built it as closely to the original plans as possible. The cabin was to replicate the birth cabin of Mr. Lincoln, and all the labor and supplies were donated within the group itself: many of the members belonged to most of the local unions. From Stone cutters, carpenters and experts of all kind they worked together to build the cabin that drew folks from all over the State of Illinois to marvel at the workmanship and to discuss the popular Civil War President. For you that may have forgotten, the original cabin of Abe’s birth was in Hodgenville, Kentucky, circa 1809. On this day in 1930 past president of the Old Settlers, Historian and early Settler, Ernest East gave the dedication speech. I believe that the third and final cabin was dedicated on August 1, 1959. Each new cabin was begun with the demolition of the previous cabin as it grew old and unsafe. The builders stuck pretty much to the original plan, building the cabin seventeen feet long by thirteen feet and eleven logs high. The roof was shingle, which they called ‘Shakes.’ There was the front door, five foot eight and a space hone out for the fireplace. There was one two foot square window with the rest of the walls having no open spaces at all. Unlike Lincoln’s home, which had a dirt floor, the Settlers made the floor from gravel and a smooth concrete surface. As far as I can ascertain the three cabins were built during 1893, 1927 and finally in 1959. THE STONE MONUMENT Way back in 1812 President John A Bush suggested that the Old Settlers build a Stone Monument very close to the cabin and a discussion about the monument went on for several years. Sadly most of the men that originally planned the monument died and it was not until October 9, 1930 that the first stone was put into place and the shaft was not competed until November 15, 1930, On December 5, 1930 the Old Settlers Stone Monument was finally completed and dedicated. The site of the old cabin and the fresh new monument was a tourist attraction for decades and was even refurbished in the 1980’s. All the stones, in some cases boulders were collected from many Townships n the area. In all Just over 15,000 were part of the monument while thousands more were used for the foundation. The old monument can still be seen inside the ZOO compound over at Glen Oak Park. I have not seen it in years but it is still there. I wonder if it’s worth restoring? I used to know a lot of members of the Old Settlers group but sadly most of them are no longer with us. It certainly is part of Peoria’s history and I could have written 5,000 words about it, but magazine space is limited. At one time it was the oldest man made monument we had and it drew thousands of folks to the park over the years. Editor’s Note: Norm is a Peoria Historian, Author and true-crime writer. Norm is a monthly contributor to ASO. norman.kelly@sbcglobal.net