| Legends and Lore of Coles County, Illinois |
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| A website in conjunction with the book "Tales of Coles County, Illinois" by Michael Kleen |
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| Airtight Bridge |
| Ashmore Estates |
| Click on a picture below to explore that location's unique history! |
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| St. Omer Cemetery |
| Attention! I have recently begun publishing a monthly photo-newsletter on my website, www.michaelkleen.com. The purpose of this photo-newsletter is to bring you the most up-to-date, accurate information on various locations of interest around Coles County, Illinois. Because I was never happy with the content of this website (the one you're on right now), or the method of its transmission (too easily copied), I decided to link the locations on this website to their appropriate issues in the newsletter. Of course, not all of the locations on this site have an issue devoted to them yet, but they will in the coming months. I believe the Legends and Lore of Coles County newsletter is far better quality than the articles I had posted here. As I became interested in studying the unusual history of Coles County several years ago, I searched the web for any information I could find. Unfortunately, the information I was able to dig up was either of poor quality, based on questionable eye-witness accounts, or hadn't been updated in a long time. I wanted to create a website where people with both an interest in ghosts and hauntings, and people with an interest in local history could go to find definitive information about where they live without having to make the painful trek to the library or newspaper archives to search for information about things most residents would like to see buried forever. |
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| Bethel (aka Ragdoll) Cemetery |
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| Kickapoo Cemetery |
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| Overall Map of Locations (main map can be found at the Mattoon Chamber of Commerce website) |
| Scroll down to discover the wierd history of Coles County! |
| The Wierd History of Coles County written and researched by Michael Kleen Coles County has always had a strange history, even up to modern times, when not only did Charleston (smaller than Mattoon and away from the interstate and main railroad) get the county seat, but it also got the university. And, as you can see from the map, is at the center of wierdness in the area. The History of Coles County, published in 1879, and its modern version, published in 1976, offer a wealth of information on the County's past. The area that is now known as Coles County was actually part of a large area of land claimed by Virginia after the Revolutionary War. The first white settlers to the area were veterans who had been promised free land for their role in overthrowing the British, but these patriots didn't last long in the unforgiving and hostile-Indian filled land. The area was formally ceded to the US government in 1784, although the native inhabitants, mostly Kickapoo, Pottawatomies, and Winnebagoes, didn't have much of a say in the handover. |
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| Illinois was recognised as its own territory in 1809, and became a state in 1818. Coles County became an official county when it was carved out of Clark County in 1830, and was named after Illinois' 2nd governer. Coles County was considered wild territory, a "wilderness waste," until 1824 when the first settlement was made in the form of a single logan cabin. However, there seems to be some confusion about this, because the History of Coles County at first mentions Blakeman mill as being built a short time after this settlement (1829), but then later goes on to say that a battle with Indians was fought near Blakeman mill as early as 1818. General Whiteside, in command of the Illinois Rangers, followed the Indian's trail to "the site of the Blakeman Mill," the author writes. He also mentions that the natives had at this time stolen horses and cattle from the local settlers. So the earliest date of settlement seems to be obscure, even from the historians of 1879. Reguardless, by 1825 a settlement had been founded where the town of La Fayette would be, and the Ashmore family (the town now bears their name) had settled the area in 1829. Most of the county had settlements by 1830. Charleston was founded in 1831, Mattoon in 1855, and Ashmore also in 1855. Most of the native inhabitants were forced out of the area by 1820. There were some encampments that lasted longer, and one was located near a group of trees called "Dead Man's Grove," called that, as the story goes, because a man was once found there having frozen to death. The local Indians, according to The History of Coles County, believed in the two great spirits of the Pattawatomies, one that was benevolent called Kitchemenedo, and one that was menevolent called Matchemonedo. When a Native American was thought to be insane, or possessed, he or she was tied to a tree and left there. The Indians never killed wolves, because they thought it was cowardly to kill a fellow hunter. Wolves ran wild in large numbers at this time, and the settlers were very much afraid of them. Disease often ravaged the area. A Cholera epidemic in 1851 was particularly deadly. It was said that 250 were treated for the disease, and over 23 died. One of Coles County's most sinister incidents took place in 1855. That October, Adolph Monroe, the son-in-law of the victim, murdered Nathan Ellington with a revolver during a family dispute. Monroe was said to have "fallen a prey to intoxicating drink," but was sentenced to be hanged for the crime anyway. On the day of his hanging, February 14th of all days, a great crowd showed up to watch, but was dissapointed when the Governor granted Monroe a 30 day stay of execution. The crowd wasn't very happy about this, and showed their displeasure by storming his jail cell, hauling him to a vally west of town, and lynching him. According to History of Coles County, Monroe said to a man who was present: "I die, and if I go to Hell, you will go with me to the same place, for you it was that sold me the whisky that has brought me to this terrible fate." The infamous Charleston riot took place in March of 1864, but I won't go into detail about it here. An account of the riot can be found at this website. I do not agree with the author of History of Coles County (1879) that "such incidents are better forgotten than perpetuated upon the pages of history." Even unpleasant history is still history, and history shouldn't ever be forgotten. The fact that history repeats itself is not just a worn out cliche. We need to know the past in order to know how not to repeat it. An "Old Settlers Association" was formed in 1878, and you can still find some gravestones marked with "OSA" around Coles County. |
| More to come..... |
| Make sure to check out the exciting new Legends and Lore of Coles County blog by clicking on the button below... |
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| Special Note: The text written on these pages were written by me using information from public records, unless otherwise noted. There was a recent attempt to plagarize my writing and use it in a magazine without giving credit or asking permission. Please, if you want to use this page as a source, drop me an e-mail! I would be more than happy to help you find anything you need. |
| Who is Michael Kleen? I am a 24 year old with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Illinois University and a certificate in Paranormal Investigation from Flamel College. I'm currently working on a Master's Degree in History. I have published several books, three of them on my independent label: Black Oak Press, Illinois. I have been a student of the paranormal my entire life, and have over 8 years of experience with paranormal investigation. I am available (depending upon my schedual) as a private consultant to local paranormal investigation groups on a case by case basis. For more information, or general inqueries, please e-mail: [email protected] |