Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1890-10-15
PIONEERS IN ILLINOIS.
Enc Struggles and Enterprise of Morris
Birkbcck and George Flower.


Birkbcck and George Flower.
1t seems strange to recall that, with
in the present century, tho great
West, including the region where
Chicago now stands. had its intrepid
explorers, whose journeys were as dan
gerous as those of Livingstone and OF
Stanley. The 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, great part of Hi
nois was savage Wilderness. In
1872 the Indians had murdered the
garrison of Fort Dearborn. at the
mouth of the Chicago river, whore Chi
cago 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 as mar
rative of African exploration. On the
way he had to ford a deep river. the
directions for getting across which
illustrate the difficulties of travel in
country where there are plenty of riv-
ers, but no ferries nor bridges.
"Wade straight in," ho was told,
-four times the length of your horse;
then turn sharp to your right; go on
two lengths of the horse; then bend a
little to the left, and then push on to
the other shore, slanting off little
with the 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 fording ad-
ventures which he had 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 Birkbeck were
men of property. Birkbeck, who was
widower, brought with him his two
daughters, their companion, Miss
Andrews, and few servants. Flower
was bachelor; but on the way they
encountered a minister ut settlement,
and Flower and Miss Andrews were
married. 1t was a strange romance,
since BirkDeck was also a suitor for
Miss Andrews hand; but the young
woman having decided in favor of
Flower, Birkbeck gave her hand at
the wedding to him, taking the place
OF parent to the woman whom he could
not make his wife.
Flower pitched his camp" perma-
nently. and with much sagacity, at
fertile and beautiful spot in South
eastern Illinois, which he named AL
bion. in honor of his native country
He established an English colony at
this point; and Albion became the
county seat OF Edwards County, and
place OF local Importance Flower
built an elegant house at his new
home, and used his wealth to develop
and improve agriculture in his
adopted land.
He did more than this; when, in
1928, it was sought to make Illinois
slave State, he resisted the PROPOSE
ton with all his influence, which was
very considerable in the new common
wealth, and was instrumental in secLr-
ing the defeat of the scheme. He could
not have done a greater service to his
State or his country.
Flower lived until tie year 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.