My Genealogy Hound

HUITT, JOHN W. one of the first pioneers within the borders of Greene, is a native of North Carolina, born about the year 1798. His father, John Huitt, a native of Virginia, moved to North Carolina sometime after the war of the revolution, where he married Miss Lizzie Radcliff, by whom he had, at the time of his emigration to Illinois, eight children. They settled in that portion of the northwest now recognized as Madison county, Ill., as early as 1804. Think of it, gentle reader, and let your imagination carry you back to a time when the North American Indians’ moccasined feet trod the tall prairie grass where you now behold those evidences of civilization, flourishing cities, towns and villages. St. Louts itself, that magnificent city, on the Father of Waters, a mere trading post; where the daring trapper exchanged his furs to the wily trader, for tobacco, whisky, and in some rare instances, money. In this primitive wilderness the family of Huitts, a hardy, adventurous race, settled down for an existence among the wolves and Indians. A cabin was rented, and the following year one erected. Here the hardy pioneer swung his ax among the timber, or broke prairie for many a year. John Huitt, jr., and now the oldest settler living in Greene county, grew up among pioneer associations, his education necessarily limited, as the principal studies were a Dillworth spelling book and the New Testament. At the early age of 18, he was united in marriage to Miss Rosanna Hareford, a daughter of James Hareford, of Kentucky. In 1818 he moved to what is now Greene Co., where he made a claim, and when land came into market, purchased it. In the latter years of life Mr. H. became a large property owner. Mr. H., in his eighty-third year, once walked from the town of Kane, to his old homestead near Carrollton. There are few at his age who still have the old-time, vigor of youth. Of this marriage there were 13 children, 9 of whom are living: Rowland, Sarah, Nancy, William, Louisa, Katy, Rebecca, Jonathan and Fanny.