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| Peck's Gazetteer (1837) |
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By JOHN MASON PECK
Gallatin Co. ILGenWeb
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G
allatin County joins the Wabash and the Ohio, in the southeastern corner of the state, and was organized in 1812. It is bounded north by White county; east by the states of Indiana and Kentucky; south by Pope county; and west by Pope, and Franklin counties.
It is from thirty to thirty-six miles long, and with a medium width of twenty-seven miles — containing about 760 square miles.
Its eastern boundary is washed by the Wabash and Ohio rivers, and the interior watered by the Saline creek and its tributaries.
Sand predominates the soil of this part of the state. The basis rock generally is sandstone, lying probably upon a stratum of clay slate.
This county is mostly covered with timber, amongst which are various kinds of oak, walnut, poplar, mulberry, hickory, beech, cypress, and other kinds found in this part of the state.
The salines, in the vicinity of Equality, are sources of wealth; and furnish large quantities of salt for home consumption.
Other articles of export, are horses, beef, pork, cattle, lumber, some tobacco, etc. About one half of the salt manufactured at the salines is exchanged for corn, corn meal, flour, beef, pork, potatoes and every species of produce raised in the country, to support the establishment.
This part of the state is well adapted to the growth of stock.
Gallatin county contains about 9,750 inhabitants. It is attached to the third judicial circuit, and sends three members to the house of representatives, and one member to the senate.
Shawneetown is an important commercial town on the Ohio.
The seat of justice is Equality.
[104-105]
Bankstone's Fork, in Gallatin county, rises in the interior, runs a southeastern course, and enters the South Fork of Saline creek, fourteen miles above Equality. It has a fine country on its borders, and a large settlement.
Bear Creek, a small stream that rises in the north part of Gallatin county, runs south, and enters the North Fork of Saline creek, ten miles above Equality. Here is much good land, and a large settlement.
Cypress, a sluggish creek in Gallatin county, between Equality and Shawneetown, which runs into the Saline creek. The land in the vicinity is generally good and heavily timbered.
Devil's Anvil is a singular rock, of considerable elevation, and the top jutting over its base, near the road from Equality to Golconda. The surrounding country is very hilly, with rocky precipices, and exhibits all the desolation and wildness of a mountainous region.
Dillard's is a large settlement in Gallatin county, eight miles northwest of Shawneetown. The land generally is good.
Eagle Creek, a small stream in Gallatin county. It rises in the interior, runs south, and enters the Saline creek near its mouth. Some broken, and some good land, and a large settlement are on this stream.
EQUALITY, the seat of justice for Gallatin county, situated on the north side of Saline creek, on section fifteen, nine south, eight east. It has nine stores, four groceries, two taverns, a brick courthouse forty feet square, two stories high, and neatly furnished, a number of mechanics of different trades, and about seventy or eighty families. It is situated in the vicinity of the salt manufactories, fourteen miles south of Shawneetown. The adjacent country south and west is broken and rough; north and east is much good land.
Ford's Ferry, in Gallatin county, on the Ohio, twenty miles below Shawneetown, and twenty-five miles south of Equality. It is on the great road from the southern parts of Kentucky and Tennessee to Illinois and Missouri.
Grable's Settlement, in Gallatin county, is sixteen miles west from Equality, on the road to Frankfort.
Harris's Creek rises in the bluffs of the Ohio river, in Gallatin county, runs a north course, and enters Saline creek, fifteen miles below Equality. Much of the land on its borders is rough and broken, interspersed with tracts of good soil.
Little Saline, in Gallatin county, rises in the bluffs of the Ohio river, runs a north course, and enters the South fork of the Saline creek, eighteen miles above Equality. It waters a tolerably good country, with a scattering population.
Logan's Settlement is in a good tract of country, in Gallatin county, eighteen miles northwest from Shawneetown.
Lollard's Settlement is ten miles northwest from Shawneetown, in Gallatin county, and contains much good land.
Rector's Fork, in Gallatin county, is a branch of the North fork of Saline creek, which it enters fifteen miles above Equality.
Saline, a navigable stream in Gallatin county, that enters the Ohio river twelve miles below Shawneetown, on section five, eleven south, ten east. It is made by three principal branches distinguished as the North, South and Middle forks, which unite near Equality. The North fork rises near McLeansboro' in Hamilton county, and runs a southerly course. The South fork rises on the borders of Johnson and Franklin counties, takes an easterly course, and unites with the North fork. The Middle fork rises on the east side of Franklin county, takes a southeasterly course, and unites with the South fork a few miles above Equality. Saline creek is navigable for steamboats to Equality, fourteen miles.
Shawneetown is the principal commercial town in the southern part of the state. It is situated on the Ohio river, about ten miles below the mouth of the Wabash, in section six, of township ten south, in rang ten east of the third principal meridian, in latitude thirty-seven degrees forty minutes north.
The bank of the Ohio at this place has a gradual ascent, but is subject to inundation at the extreme floods. Between the town and the bluffs the surface is still lower, and more frequently submerged. Though no considerable sickness has prevailed in this town for some years past, it cannot but be regarded as less healthy than the more elevated portions of the state.
Considerable commercial business is transacted at this place, both in the wholesale and retail line. It has eight or ten stories, several groceries, two public houses, and six or seven hundred inhabitants.
The land office for the district is in Shawneetown. A printing office is here which publishes a weekly paper called the "Illinois Advertiser." There is also a bank here which was chartered by the territorial legislature, and which has lately recommenced doing business, after a suspension of several years.
Source: John Mason Peck. 1837, 2nd Ed. A Gazetteer of Illinois. Philadelphia: Grigg & Elliot, 1837. 104-105, 152-307.
©2000 Jon Musgrave
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