In the summer of 1799, a hardy pioneer from Kentucky, Major Christopher Clark set out to explore the wilderness.   He had traveled as far as St. Charles and stopped for a time. Eventually, he decided to move northwestward and while exploring discovered a wonderful living spring under a big elm tree in a clearing.  Indians of the Sac and Fox tribe were camped around the spring.  They were very friendly and communicated in sign language.  News traveled a circuit about the explorations west of the Mississippi River.  In 1801, after traveling over a thousand miles from Woodstock, Vermont, Joseph Cottle and his son-in-law Zadock Woods arrived at the spring in September of 1801.  With the help of Major Clark who had settled a few miles south at another spring, they built their log cabins on either side of the spring.

These events of 207 years ago were the beginning of what is now Troy.  By 1802, several more families had settled and built cabins nearby.  One settler, Joshua Robbins, a grocer from Troy, New York, gave a beautiful speech to a gathering about ancient Troy during the golden age.  What he really wanted was, of course, the town to be named after his hometown.  The group decided to name the town Troy.

During the War of 1812, the settlers built a large stockade for protection from the British and the Indians under the leadership of Chief Black Hawk. The fort was named Wood’s Fort after Zadock Woods.  There were twenty-five to thirty families living in twelve to fifteen cabins inside the log fort.  The fort had a blockhouse on each corner and a large blockhouse in the center that housed the spring.  The settlers were under siege for three years.  They went out during the day to tend their crops while others stood guard.  Finally, farming was abandoned and the settlers suffered very much from hunger.

The pioneers were aided at this fort by Lieutenant Zachary Taylor (later General and President Taylor) and the Rangers under Captains Daniel M. and Nathan Boone, Daniel Boone’s sons and Captain James Calloway, Daniel Boone’s grandson who was killed.  Daniel Boone visited the fort himself when he was 80 years old.  After the war, most of the folks returned to their homes even though it was still dangerous for some time.

As you drive down Main Street and see the little log cabins (very old but not the originals) and the stones left from the spring think of the history that has taken place here.  Main Street was once a deer path, and Indian trail then a road for the pioneers.

The wonderful living spring was lost to us when the city was dynamiting for the sewers for the Methodist church in 1929.  Now the mighty spring runs free under the streets of Troy.  Troy is still a wonderful place to live.  The people are good and still have that pioneering spirit. I am proud of Troy.

***Courtesy of Judy Hechler***