Over the last few years, I’ve done some digging into my heritage on my Mother’s side. When I was a teen, she gave me a couple of books and said they were about her family living in Illinois. One book is “Unlikely Warriors,” and the other “The Colonel’s Lady on the Western Frontier,” by Shirley Leckie. With me more interested in socializing with friends, the books gathered dust. And I’ve had a family album with some photos from the 19th Century but wasn’t real familiar with who those people were – just that they lived in Illinois. It was a couple of years ago when I put both together and learned those books were about the people in my family album! They lived in Jacksonville, Illinois. The most prominent were Civil War General Benjamin Henry Grierson and his wife Alice Kirk (formerly Kirkpatrick). I learned that Ben Grierson commanded a famously successful mission called Grierson’s Raid. Later, he was stationed in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, where he commanded the Buffalo Soldiers – the first African American US Army regiment. My books were by Shirley Leckie, who researched and wrote detailed accounts of Ben and Alice’s life and families. All I could think was OH WOW. Benjamin Grierson’s raid was a diversionary 600-mile push into Confederate territory, destroying Confederate property as he went. The Union Army had been unsuccessful at capturing Vicksburg, an important post on the Mississippi River. General Ulysses S. Grant came up with the idea that a diversionary raid comprising three Cavalry regiments led by Grierson would cause the Confederates to chase him and empty the fort. It worked, the Union captured Vicksburg, and the whole episode made national headlines!
I’ve spent my whole life ignorant of the amazing accomplishments of this part of my family! The Kirks even had an Underground Railroad station in Jacksonville – sometimes hosting/hiding as many as 30 escaped slaves on their way to freedom in Canada. And the Fullers can be traced right back to Plymouth, MA, in the 1620s.
I am related to all these Griersons and Kirks and the Fullers. According to these books, these Jacksonville families lived near each other and were very close. They had parties and cookouts. The kids knew each other. Quite a few got married. The families babysat for each other. Two Fuller daughters went with the Griersons out West. I did some resarch and uncovered where Ben and Alice’s house is today in Jacksonville. I contacted Brittany Henry at the Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitor’s Center, and learned Mary Gray owns the house. With this information I made up my mind to visit Jacksonville and experience the town! I contacted Mary, and she invited me to come see. She said there is a dedicated bedroom with photos of Ben and Alice, amongst other Civil War artifacts! Wow! So, we agreed to meet at her house, known as the Grierson Mansion, at 10:30 on a Wednesday.
I arrived in town the day before and went to the Visitor’s Center. Brittany came out and recognized me right away. This was the beginning of my being treated like family during my visit! That’s because my ancestors mean so much to Jacksonville. Brittany gave me some historical guidebooks of town, a couple of which prominently feature Ben Grierson! Jacksonville also hosted Abraham Lincoln and General Grant. It was an important Underground Railway stop for freedom seeking slaves on their way to Canada. I showed some of my 19th Century photos. Then I went to visit Woodlawn Farm, the most famous Underground Railroad station in town. Barbara, the curator, opened it just for me to take a tour. It has many important artifacts like some flowers from Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession, and a first edition copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Barack Obama paid a visit a few years back.
Then I visited the East Cemetery, where General Grierson, his parents, and his children and Alice Kirk Grierson are buried. It wasn’t hard to find where they were! A street was named for them.
Wednesday morning I went to meet Mary Gray at the Grierson House! Of course I had to take some street photos. There is a story about Lincoln and Grierson, and some of his history on a plaque out front.
Mary was ready to meet me at 10:30. We were excited to meet each other! She gave me a tour of the house, which is a beautifully updated 19th Century house with preserved Civil War memorabilia. I took in the Grierson bedroom, which has the same photos as my family album, plus the original furniture that Ben Grierson and Alice Kirk used! It was a terrific honor to see my ancestors’ artifacts so displayed. I have to say I was just overwhelmed about all of this and very proud.
The living room is very comfortable and has a picture of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation prominently displayed.
We took a stroll out back, where I learned the house next door was owned by John Kirk, the father of Alice Kirk Grierson! No wonder the families were so close.
Then Mary asked me to lunch! Wow, what a nice gesture! Here I am with Mary. She looks great!
Mary also gave me a couple of souvenirs. The most amazing was a Harper’s 1863 newspaper featuring General Benjamin H Grierson’s raid on the cover!
After a very relaxed lunch of pizza and salad, Mary took me on a tour of prominent Jacksonville houses. Then we stopped by the Jacksonville Area Museum. We didn’t have an appointment. But when we showed up, Tori Ohl, Executive Director recognized Mary. And when I said what I was doing and who I was, there was a lot of joy and excitement all around! I showed Tori some of my family photos from the 1800s and she scanned some of them. Then she had a big surprise for me. They are building a new exhibit and there is a section on my GGG Uncle Benjamin Grierson! Wow, this really took my visit to a new level. The exhibit is a town square with various replica store fronts. One of them is a store which Benjamin owned prior to being in the military. The fact was, he was not a good businessman! The store didn’t work out. But a replica is being built anyway. After all, it’s part of the history.
It was a brilliant day all around! And I really can’t put into words how amazing it felt to have rediscovered all this on my own without my dear Mom telling me long ago. I think it’s more exciting this way! Tori invited me back for the opening of the exhibit. I’d like to attend – though I don’t know when it’s scheduled. Thank you to everyone in Jacksonville!
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