Monday, October 19, 2009

Twilight Of Empire - Part Three - The Posey Connection

My first blog post regarding Twilight Of Empire, a non-fiction book about the Blackhawk War by Allan W. Eckert, can be found here.

Page 486 in the book stated, "The generals of the first, second, and third brigades were, respectively, Alexander Posey, Milton K. Alexander and, --once again in a commanding role--James D. Henry."

Page 487 - "Traveling with Posey's brigade was the independent company of Captain Jacob M. Early, in which Abraham Lincoln had just enlisted as a private--his third enlistment of this campaign--following his discharge after the twenty day enlistment."

Page 501 - "To General Posey, presently at Fort Hamilton [on 29 June 1832], he [General Henry Atkinson] sent an order to attach his brigade to Colonel Dodge's troops and rendezvous with him at Lake Koshkonong."

The name Alexander Posey, a general in the Blackhawk War, sounded familiar to me; and indeed, it was. Alexander Posey was the grantee on Deed C-362 where my ancestor, William Roark, was the grantor in Gallatin County, Illinois, in 1830 (see my "In Deeds" blog post).

...Consideration of sum of two dollars....as also for medical services by A. Posey of second part to my wife Charlott....being in value twenty-eight dollars receipt already acknowledged...a parcel of ground containing one quarter of an acre...town plat of Shawneetown, Gallatin County, Illinois, ...Lot Number 487...granted to said William Roark by patent from the United States bearing date of the 10th of November 1830.....
Signed: William Roark

Alexander Posey was the son of Thomas Posey and the brother-in-law of Joseph Street. Street, a Winnebago Indian agent, was also involved in the Blackhawk War.

General Alexander Posey, Joseph Street and my ancestor, William Roark, all lived in Gallatin County, Illinois, at one time. To find out who else, in addition to Gen. Posey, enlisted to serve in the Blackhawk War from Gallatin Co., search the Illinois SOS site here.

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