Columns

With the involvement of the United States in World War I, the nations citizens became well aware that the resources of our allies were nearly exhausted. Eyes turned to America for necessary food, fuel and supplies to continue the conflict.

In Fayette County, as in other counties throughout the nation, agencies were formed to not only gather clothes for the Belgian war effort, but also to be sure that local residents had enough food and fuel.

Many years ago, I became custodian of an old handkerchief box containing obituaries and family information about the Charles and Gertrude Clark St. Pierre family. It had been kept by Miss Genevieve Capps, and passed on by Mary Joyce Capps.

I had heard of the St. Pierre family the St. Pierre corner south of Bayle City being notorious as a dangerous intersection. The family came to this area before the Civil War. Edmond St. Pierre was born in Canada, and his wife, Catharine LaGarce, was born in Versailles, France.

With the celebration of the 40th Grande Leve over the weekend, it seems that this is the proper place and time for Peter B. Hill to tell his story.

His first-person account of the hardships in the early days of white habitation of the Illinois Territory was written in 1873, and gives us a first-person look at those days and times.

Peter Bruns Hill was born April 14, 1808, in Kentucky, the youngest son of Henry and Elizabeth Bruns Hill. He was eight years old when his parents came to the territory.

Shobonier, the only town in Kaskaskia Township, was established as a timber town in about 1844.

It is located in Section 16, the School Section, and the first to buy lots here in 1851 were James Albert, Francis, J. Brown, Stephen Hopkins and George Willet.

The survey of Shobonier by James R. Oliver was filed with the county as a permanent record on Nov. 20, 1859. The original town was on the west side of the railroad. Three additions, Blackman, Metzger and William Lee, have been made to the town since its beginning.