LYNN TOWNSHIP

In this area stood a Potawatomi village when Michael Fraker arrived from Kentucky about 1830. With kindness and understanding he negotiated a peaceful settlement with the Indians and became the first permanent settler in northeastern Knox County.  His grave is about one-half miles south of this point. (On Hwy. 17 just west of LaFayette)

Erected by the descendants of Michael Fraker
and The Illinois State Historical Society 1963


Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2003
by J. Crandell

More information about Michael Fraker

(Extracted from the History of Knox County, Illinois by Albert Perry, Vol. I, pgs 436-437,
submitted by Janine Crandell)

This township claims a white settler about as early as any township and the county. One Michael Fraker is said to have arrived in the year 1828, and settled upon Section 23. He is said to have purchased this land while he was yet in Kentucky, but he found it occupied by the Indians. The men were all absent hunting, but the women and children were upon the place. Mr. Fraker made himself at home upon the property but upon the return of the Indians they disputed his right, but he made himself very friendly and useful to them and, as he was a blacksmith and could fix their guns and, in different ways made himself serviceable, they at once took him in, kindly helped him build a cabin, but finally left him in possession of the property. The Indians made new homes at Indian creek. They returned annually at sugar-making time which they wished him to regard as purely friendly visits. In Mr. Fraker's time, there were quite a number of Indians in his neighborhood, and their trails were visible from Spoon River to the Mississippi.

There was a grove in the neighborhood that was named Fraker's Grove. Upon the east side of this grove, there was a flowing spring and the Indians may free use of it.

Mr. Fraker, being a mechanic, constructed a hand grist mill, the pull stones being made of hard-heads which he found upon the prairie. It was not of the modern kind by any means as the upper stone was turned by means of a pin set in the outer edge of the stone, and was turned by hand.

Mr. Fraker died in 1848, at the age of 79 years.

The population increased rather slowly until the arrival of the railroad. This gave them trading and shipping points that encouraged settlement and then it became more populous.

The first grist sent to a mill, that could do any amount of work, was taken by William Dunbar to Tazewell County. A person often had to wait two weeks for his turn to come to get grain in town.

Among the recreations that were indulged in, in the early times, were wolf hunts and both men and women engaged in this sport. The women went along and prepared meals of chickens, potatoes and other eatables for the tired hunters, at the close of each day.

The township was organized April 5, 1853, the same as all other townships of the county. Lynn Township has never had a village that amounted to anything. In the early days, an effort was made to attract people to the south line of the township, called Centerville. This was afterwards platted and named Milroy, but that proved a failure and nothing is left to mark the spot.