Among the important and exciting discoveries during the early history of
our country was the discovery of gold in California in 1848. Even though it
was in the days before the telegraph, telephone or radio, the news was
quickly brought back to the East. The thought of gold shut out all ideas of
dangers and hardships which might have to be met. Men went wild over the
idea of getting riches.
Among the early settlers in the East was my great-grandfather, Horace B.
George, who was born in Jefferson county, New York, in 1824. By this time
the East was beginning to be more heavily populated. Better opportunities
seemed to be had in the Middle West, where the fertile prairie lands were
being taken by the settlers moving in. So at the age of twenty-four he came
to La Salle county. The forest lands in this region were rapidly being taken
and cleared by the farmers. Saw-mills were buirt along many of the streams.
One of these was on the Fox river in Dayton township. My great-grandfather
worked in this mill.
When the news of the great discovery came, it seemed a great opportunity, so
my great-grandfather left his work and went to the gold fields. He bought up
what tools, food and supplies he needed. He traveled with a group in a
covered wagon train. It was a slow and weary trip. They had to be in fear of
the Indians. Often they were hungry and thirsty. Some of them became sick
and died. Others turned back.
When he finally got to California he saw that there were a great many other
people coming from all parts of the country. A town had sprung up around the
gold fields over night. People lived in anything they could find. More came
every day. When he had been there some time things grew worse. People
started stealing gold from others. Many men gambled and lost all their
money. A igilance committee was formed by the leading men. They were to keep
law and order. They hanged the worst men.
On returning he brought with him some gold nuggets. He certainly was proud
of them. He was always ready to show them and tell of his adventures. He had
one nugget made into a ring and another into a pin. These pieces of jewelry
are still in the family, as my great-uncle, W. C. Cove, has them now.
When Mr. George came back he obtained 160 acres of land from the government
in 1853 or '54. His brother Harvey settled there until 1863. His parents
were Gilman and Fannie George; the former was born in Vermont and the latter
in New Hampshire. They had five children - Moses, Harvey, Horace, the
subject of this sketch, Mary, and Daniel. Horce married Miss Elizabeth
Stadden. She was born in 1832. Mr. and Mrs. George have three children —
William, who is dead; Ida B., wife of W. C. George, who now lives in Leland,
and Edgar C, my grandfather, now dead, used to live in Leland also.
William Stadden, son of Mrs. H. B. George, and father-in-law of H. B.
George, was born in Newark, Lacking county, Ohio, December 5, 1808. He was
the son of John and Elizabeth (Green) Stadden. He came to La Salle county in
1831 and settled in Dayton township. During the Black Hawk war he moved his
family to Springfield, returning two years later. In 1834 and 1835 he was
sheriff of La Salle county, and in 1838 was elected to the state senate and
served a term of three years. In 1848 he was a member of the constitutional
convention at Springfield. He died Oct. 13, 1849. Their family of seven
children are Mary, Jonathan, Elizabeth, Mrs. George, of Leland, 111.,
William, Maria, Aaron and Richard.
Extracted 06 Jun 2015 by Norma Hass from Stories of Pioneer Days in La Salle County, Illinois, by Grammar Grade Pupils, published in 1932, page 90.
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Kendall |
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