Jacksonville
An Illinois Frontier Community

Alicia Hustedde
All Saints Academy, Breese

Many immigrants came to America after 1840 and mainly settled in the northeastern cities. As people moved westward in America during the early 1800s, new communities were formed, but not without difficulties. Jacksonville, Illinois, illustrates this process.

Webster defines frontier as "the part of a settled country that lies next to a region that is still a wilderness." Jacksonville, a developing community in a wilderness, was a frontier that attracted a variety of people seeking to start a new life. However, the constant arrival of strangers was a source of conflict ranging from personal squabbles to serious disagreements in religion, morals, and politics. Many competed for power and control, often dividing the town. The routing of a train through town and the subject of slavery caused social conflict in Jacksonville's early history.

A site for the proposed town was approved in the winter of 1825. The land upon which the county seat was to be plotted was sold at auction. Two settlers who quickly recognized a wise investment bought the land and donated half to the county. With this inducement, Morgan County officials quickly platted the town.

The town was laid out on a square typical of similar towns in the Midwest. The town plat consisted of sixty square blocks surrounding a central square where the courthouse would be located. Two streets, namely Main and State Streets, divided the town north to south and east to west, respectively. They named the town Jacksonville in honor of the popular "Hero of New Orleans," Andrew Jackson.

Settlers found Jacksonville an attractive place after Illinois declared statehood in 1818. The area was mostly prairie, and the ground was most suitable for growing crops. Indians were present but moved northward as the population of settlers grew. The population grew slowly in the early years, but news spread quickly about the rich soil that surrounded Jacksonville. Within five years the population tripled.

As Jacksonville grew, the rich land helped the town prosper with laborers making good wages. Merchants and tavern owners gained customers, and landlords always had an abundance of renters. Economic opportunities developed in response to the growing population. The constant flow of strangers presented a challenge to this new community. Different cultures, races, religions, and political views made up the population.

Politicians squabbled over the placement of the new soon-to-be county seat for Morgan County. However, they eventually settled on an eighty-eight-acre site on the Mouvaise Terre River.

Religion was another source of problems among the people. Most of the immigrants who came from Ireland were Catholic.

As the community grew, education also became a concern. Within two years of the town's founding, several local boosters were anxious to build a "seminary for learning" in Jacksonville. The boosters wanted an institution that would both uplift the moral and intellectual environment of the crude frontier community and entice prospective teachers eager to educate the children. Together with local residents pledging money, and a committee working with John M. Ellis, an agent for the American Home Missionary Society, the seminary became a reality. In November 1828, plans to proceed with the construction of a large, two-story brick building demonstrated the community's commitment to education. Named Illinois College, it was the first institution of higher learning established in Illinois.

Despite the ever-changing population, the social order was defined by a set of institutions that governed small and large units within the community. The family structure was the basic unit of organization. In spite of all the social conflicts, diversity of cultures, and different institutional units, Jacksonville's citizens discovered a sense of unity. They also had a sense of national pride and purpose and were ardently patriotic.

Jacksonville became a community of which its people were proud. Jacksonville's history would serve to remind modern America that despite whatever problems would occur, people would invent new forms and values to satisfy their need for community.—[From Don Doyle, The Order of a Frontier Community; Robert Howard, Illinois; Allan Carpenter, Illinois From its Glorious Past to the Present.]

6 ILLINOIS HISTORY/ DECEMBER 2000