Joseph Everett Gale was my father's 3rd great-grandfather. He was born in 1799 in Harrison County, Kentucky, and moved to Pike County, Illinois, in 1826. On July 21, 1831, he married Elizabeth Garrison, daughter of Rev. Elijah Garrison. Theirs was the first marriage recorded in Montezuma, Pike County, Illinois. (See below). Elizabeth's maternal great-grandfather, Jonathan Boone, was a brother of Daniel Boone.
In the book "Past and Present of Pike County, Illinois", by Capt. M.D. Massie, 1906, we find the following information pertaining to Joseph Gale:
Transcription: "Montezuma. The first settlers of Montezuma township were Ebenezer Franklin, who came in 1819; Charles Adams, James Daniels, David Daniels, David and Daniel Hoover, Joel Meacham, Thomas Davis, who came in 1826. Like all settlers of new countries they suffered many hardships and inconveniences. The nearest mill for the first few years was at Edwardsville, Madison County, eighty miles away. At the time there were about 200 Indians in the neighborhood. A Dr. Houston was the first physician. Polly Davis was the first school teacher. In addition the the care of the neighbors' children she had eight of her own. The first marriage was that of Joseph Gale and Elizabeth Garrison in 1830. There were three villages in the township, Milton, Montezuma and Bedford. The township is a most excellent agricultural one and has some of the best and most enterprising farms." (Continue reading below).
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