Illinois Place Name of the Day – Oct. 3, 2008

Cover for Callary: Place Names of Illinois. Click for larger imageElizabeth. Jo Daviess. Village (1887) Twelve miles east-southeast of Galena. According to an Illinois state historical marker, in June 1832, at the height of the Black Hawk War, a group of Sauk warriors threatened Apple River Fort. With many of the men away hunting, Mrs. Elizabeth Armstrong rallied the women, and they put up such stiff resistance that the Indians withdrew. The settlement was named in her honor. Another account claims that three Elizabeths were among the women defending the fort, and the community was named for them collectively. The village was laid out about 1839 by site owner John Winters, whose wife was also named Elizabeth. Whether Elizabeth Winters was one of the Elizabeths who defended Apple River Fort is unknown (Bateman and Selby, eds., Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Jo Daviess County,
633; Illinois Guide; Past to Present: Elizabeth, n.p.). Post office established Dec. 11, 1828, as Apple River; changed to Elizabeth Nov. 25, 1842.

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From Place Names of Illinois by Edward Callary


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