Supplina 'Squire' Judd and the History of Mason County, Illinois

January 11, 2006

This PDF document contains selected pages from a very interesting work. It's the Centennial History of Mason County Illinois published on the U.S. Centennial in 1876. It speaks of the founding and early days in Mason County, IL. John and Altha Hamilton along with Suplina Judd (Altha's brother) and perhaps other extended family are believed to have emigrated from New York to Mason County in about 1831. They were all living near each other in the 1830 Census in Amity, Allegheny County, NY. Supplina Hamilton (named for his Judd Grandfather and Uncle) was born in Illinois in 1832. It is believed that John and Altha were both dead by around 1839 leaving the children of John and Altha as orphans. In the 1840 Census there are extra older children in the Suplina Judd household in Mason County. Children that are too old to be his kids. It may be that 8 year old Supplina Hamilton may have been living with his uncle Suplina Judd in Mason County at this time. These pages tell us of the early day life in Salt Creek Township and in near by Havana, Illinois. <strong>They even speak of Suplina Judd who was known as 'Squire' Judd</strong> (squire is short for esquire... often used to refer to a lawyer). This would have been Supplina Hamilton's uncle. It sounds like 'Squire' Judd was a character and remembered in the community. S. Judd is also mentioned as being on the voting rolls in 1848. Other neighbors mentioned are John McCarty (Jane McCarty married Greenberry Templeton and was the mother of Supplina Hamilton's daugher-in-law's Laura Annettie and Julia Aletha Templeton) and N. Powel. Supplina Hamilton came west across the Oregon Trail in 1851 with the Powel train. In Supplina's letter to J.M. Powel in 1899 remembering the journey, Supplina said that he came with 'Uncle Noah' Powel. Supplina and the younger men were the teamsters.

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