The English Settlement is the name given to a planned settlement of some in the
Illinois Territory
The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. Its ca ...
. It was founded by
Morris Birkbeck
Morris Birkbeck (January 23, 1764 – June 4, 1825) was an English agricultural innovator, author/publicist, anti-slavery campaigner and early 19th-century pioneer in southern Illinois, in the United States. With George Flower he founded the Engl ...
and
George Flower
George Albert "Buck" Flower (October 28, 1937 – June 18, 2004) was an American actor, writer, producer, assistant director, production manager, and casting director. He was sometimes credited as Ernest Wall, Buck Flower, George "Buck" Flower ...
in the early nineteenth century. In 1816 the two men chose the location, bought the land, and eventually brought over about 200 settlers from England. The chief surviving town is
Albion, Illinois, although some of Birkbeck's followers joined the
Owenite
Owenism is the utopian socialist philosophy of 19th-century social reformer Robert Owen and his followers and successors, who are known as Owenites. Owenism aimed for radical reform of society and is considered a forerunner of the cooperative ...
utopian community at
New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony is a historic town on the Wabash River in Harmony Township, Posey County, Indiana. It lies north of Mount Vernon, the county seat, and is part of the Evansville metropolitan area. The town's population was 789 at the 2010 census.
Es ...
after his death. The well funded and organized English settlement was important both for its influence on pioneer agriculture and the influence of its leaders on rejecting slavery in
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
.
References
Further reading
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Geography of Edwards County, Illinois
Populated places established in 1816
1816 establishments in Illinois Territory
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