Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1889-04-24
PIONEERS IN ILLINOIS.
The Strnggles and Entor prise OF Morrts
Birkbeck and George Flower.

Birkbeck and George Flower.
1t seems strange to recall that, with
in the present century, the great
West including the region where
Chicago now stands, had its intrepid
explorers, whose journeys were as dam
gerous as those Of Livingstone and OF
Stanley. TAe Historical Society of
Chicago has lately published an ac-
count of the adventures of two English
pioneers in Illinois. Morris Birkbeck
and George Flower. In 1916, when
these two young Englishmen set out
for the new world, n great part of Hi
.nois was savage wilderness. In
1912 the Ipdians had murdered the
garrison of Fort Dearborn, at the
Routh.of the Chicago river, where Chi
cage now stands, and nearly all the
SETTLERS in the vicinity.
The story which George Flower left
behind him of his journey into the
great West is as interesting rs nar-
rataEe OF African exploration. On the
way ihe had to ford q deep river, the
direafions for getting across which
illustrate the difficulties of travel in a
country where there are plenty of riv-
ers. but no ferries nor bridges.
..t@.aGe straight in," be was told,
''four times the length of your horse;
then turn sharp to your right; go on
two lengths of the horse; then bend
little rs the left, and then push on to
the otAer shore. slanting off little
with tbs current as you gor'
Even with such explicit directions
as these, one had to have a pretty
good memory to escape drowning
Flower said that the tording ad-
ventures which he haa on this trip
impressed themselves so vividly on his
senses that he continued to ford rivers
in his dreams as long as he lived,
which was more than fifty years after
ward.
Both Flower and Birkbecls were
anen of property BirkbecA, who was
~ widower, brought with him his two
daughters, their companion, Miss
Andrews. and u few servants. Flower
yes bachelor; bud on the way they
encountered minister at o settlement,
ard FloEef and Miss Andrsys were
marraea, 1t Was a strange romance.
siEes Birkp was also saitor fol
Miss Andrews hand; but tba young
womaq baving decided in favor OF
Flower, Rirkbeck gave her hand at
the weddi@g to him, t&l1ing the place
of parent to the woman whoH he cogld
not make bis wife.
Flower 1'pitehed his camp perya-
nently. aRa with MUCH Aagacitg. at
fertile and beautiful gqot in South
eastern Illinois, which ae nagnaa AL
,bions in honor Of his nstive couatry.
Sfe established ae English coieay al
fbis poiHk; ana .Albios became the
county sest of EdYards County, and q
place of local smportance. Flower
h1lilt ga elegant house at his new
home, and used his wealth to develol
and ipprove agriculture in his
adopted land
He did more than this; when, in
1923, 1t was sought to make Illinois
slave State, he resisted the PROPOSE
tion with all his influence. which was
very considerable in the new common
wealth, AND was instrumental in secur-
ing the defeat Of the scheme. He could
not have done greater service to his
State or his country.
Flower lived until the yesr 1862. In
the meantime he had lost his large
fortune, but he remained highly es-
.eemed to the last, and died in the
state which he had helped to found.
Youths Companion,