, 1873-11-27
A GENUINE HEROINE.

Ilao Difficulties Encountered by
Elizabeth EIo:t, nnA Ea0sv She Ksc-
casnc tho BcBt Dressed Indy of the
Time.
I'll tho Editor ef the Illinois statc Journal:
In my peregrinations among tho Old Settlers,
many curious incldonts como nndor my notice.
In tho yonr 1911, family moved from Ogle-
thorpe County, Gn.. to st. Clair County. In this
Stato. 4 niece Of tho gentleman accompanied
them as a n,ombcr Of tho family, her parents
having died when sho was quito young. Hor
name was Elizabeth Holt. Thoy brought along
Bomo cotton us it was taken from the holls, in
order to hayo tho seed for planting. Before
leaving Georgia btiao Holt had received instruc-
With reference to weaving q peculiar draft or fig
ure designed for 1ady's whilo drces. After thoir
arrival in Illinois, Miss Holt obtained por1ne-
sion to appropriate that cotton to hor own uBe.
She pic}toa the sced from 1t. and with d pair Of
hand-carlse, brought from Georgia, prepared it
for spinning. Tho only spinning wheel sho
could boast Of was about thirty milea away, but
nhe managed to obtain it and spun her cotton.
She thon secured tho did Of man, who. under
hor directions, constructed loom inside tho
cabin, making tho wall securo, partly for beams
and posts. Tor warping abe bored holoa in
tho nldo Of tho cabin and put wooden pins in
them, aud for spoofs used oorn-cobs with tho
pith pushed out. A slaio and harness Was
brought nlong by the family. With these appli-
ances she put lor warp in tho loom and COM
monccd weaving oarlJ i'll tho summer Of 1919.
She Ind hurried oil she could. fearing to delay
lost alle should forget tho instructions concern
ing the dtart.
She had barely commenced Weaving wilon tho
ncwa came to the settlement tint young MIN
named Wllaon Cox had been found dead in
Lis fathers cabin, and his aiste= carried
array by tho Indiana. The murder was COM
mittea about noon, whom oil the family wero
live about miles from any other family.
The a!nrm was Eiyon and preparations for
pursuit ntRlo that night and party Of armed
Mcn started IN pursuit the next morning, who,
on tho third day, overlook. tho indians and
reaoucd 1sebecca Cox. sho was horribly
Indian, who tried to kill her when he found she
was about to bo takon from tho1u.
Tho murder took place about Il miloa
from Edwartsyillo, June 8, 1878. That was
Via NC 0 t&o @ss Of e 1ss 81 ~ assas Btan
Tho utmost CONSERVATION prevailed among
lilo frontier scstlors and all lod to aono fortified
place for protection. Tho fnn,iiy with whom
alDs Holt lived took refuge in Fort Dsadsly,
Of milo distant. A. squad Of soldiers WAS eout
by Gov. Edwards to dofend tho fort.
Miss Holt told tho Lieutenant In command
about her loom, mud asked II he could givo llor
any protection. IIe told her he would SEQ what
Edwards asking pcrmsaton to guard the loom,
which MIS- granted. Tho picco waa accord
armed s,o mon mon. past of ' tho CLOTH waa m
bloaclod to enowy wltanoss, mado into d
AreHs and worn by Miss Holt for tho first
Limo. to quartorfy meeting in tho vicinity,
about tho cloHo Of the war. Sao attracted uni
yeraal attonton as tho finest drossol lady in MI
tint region Of country. Dlisa Holt was married.
to William, Archer in tho latter part Of 1878, atld
1uoyod to what aftcrward became Sangamon
County. They settled Boutl, of Spring Crack,
about soyon miles west OF Springfield, aud raised
died in 1867. and his widow resides on tho tarm
wAoro thoy settled in 1920. She Is now SO yenrs
old.
A pioco Of The dross sho woyo. untor guard,
moro than sxty yoars ago is preserved as relic,
tiouiticA. by consulting Aigs seiman at tho
rooms of tho City Llbrnly.
6pRlNaFIELn, Nov. 9, 1873. 0AnRoLL.