The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Moment In History

KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE: (continuation-Not everyone supported the Union in Henderson County during the Civil War. People had migrated from the South and still had relatives there.)

The men left their arms at a farm house northeast of Oquawka and came into town unarmed. At a meeting at the court house, the leaders of the invading army made a speech in which he informed the assembled people that interference with the members of the "Knights of the Golden Circle" would not be tolerated; that they proposed to stop the soldiers from making their members take the oath of allegiance even if they had to use force to do so.

In course of the speech he remarked, "You are probably unaware that there are many Knights in your midst." One Fred Ray, who resided at Oquawka but was not a soldier replied, "We don't care how many there are of you; there are enough of us here to take care of you."

(To be continued)

1911 History of Henderson County