A life-sized bronze statue of Governor Wood is in Washington Park, located in the business center of the city, erected by the city which he founded, nursed through infancy with care to the full maturity of the “Gem City” of the Mississippi, with a prosperous population of forty-five thousand intelligent people, whom he honored by a patriotic and a stainless Christian life.
Before the election of Governor Wood, Illinois had three governors of Celtic descent—Duncan, Carlin and Ford. Both Ford and Carlin, previous to their election, had resided in Quincy.
In 1812, the territory between the Illinois and the Mississippi Rivers, was set aside by Congress as a military or bounty land district, wherein the soldiers of the War of 1812 might locate their warrants for a one hundred and sixty-acre land grant as a bounty from the government. Quincy was made one of the land offices for that purpose, which brought many of the ex-soldiers, especially from Tennessee and Kentucky, to Adams County. The names of those who were Irish, or of Irish descent, holding warrants issued in 1817 and 1818 and located in Adams County before 1836, were the following: Peter Flynn, James Moffatt, Patrick Nugent, John McDade, David Higgins, John W. McFadon, John O’Roork, Williams McCauley, John Arthur, David Bagley, John Patterson, Nicholas Farrell, John McKenzie, David McIntire, Hugh Cannon, John Smith, John McIlvain, Dennis Sweeny, James Murry, Thomas Boyd, Peter Long, Thomas Smith, Arch McCrea, Joseph Carter, David Smith, Samuel Thayer, Joseph Clark, Butler Powers, John Thompson, Henry Kelly, William Keen, John Manning, James Kernan, Thomas Moore, Joseph Cady, Thomas Matthews, Thomas Rankins, James Connor, Dennis Darling, Charles Mooney, Hugh Riley, Patrick Callahan, Robert McRey, James Doty, John Russell, John Blevins, James Denning, Patrick Coyle, Felix McNalley, Patrick Reardon, Dennis Kelley, Bernard Murphy, Nicholas Conner, Maurice O’Conner, Anson Kennedy, John Dempsey, John McClure, William Currey, George McIntire, Arch McLaughlin, James Clark, Isaac Gleason, Donald McQuinn, John Collins, John Murry, Martin Finnagin, Daniel Daugherty, John McInelley, John Carter, Solomon McKinney, James Welsh, John Campbell, Michael Smith, M. Garvin, William Steward, William Hynes, Robert McCulley, James Miles, James Flanigan, James Downey, William Green, Patrick Barrett, Dennis Carvin, Thomas Wall, Thomas Cochran, John Hayes, James Donaldson, William Bryant, James McKeen, Peter O’Donnel, John Fitzgerald, William Furguson, Hugh Neely, Ben Connelley, Patrick McGaugh, James Mullen, W. Bradley, J. H. Lancaster, James McDonald, Arthur Campbell, Michael McGuire, John Campbell, Michael McDermott, Timothy Shields, John Smith, Mathew Williams, Dennis Connor, Cornelius Kelly, John Ray, Simon Bradley, William Flynn, Peter Curry, Patrick McBrierly, Michael Moore, John Green, Jeremiah McChesney, Michael O’Cain, Hugh Brown, Barney McHatten, John Kincaid, Jeremiah Fallon, Samuel Cochran, Thomas Redmon, James Brannon, Daniel McDonald, Michael McKay, Daniel McNutt, Robert Bradley, Peter Kennedy, Barney O’Neil, John Dunn, George McConley, Henry McCleary, Thomas Burke, William Hughes, Patrick Haffey, Morris Walsh, Martin Eaton, Jeremiah Sullivan, Daniel McWright, Gago Murphy, Isaac Hughes, John Murphy, James Kirkpatrick, Thomas Kavin, Mathew Campbell, Jacob McMahon, Samuel McEvans, William Clemens, George McCoy, James Daugherty, David Hanes, James Doty, William Kelley, William McCassell, Patrick Hart, John McKinzey, Patrick Holland, John McCurdy, George Mahon, Richard Moody, James Kelley, Richard Harrington, William McClure, Thomas Higgins, Owen McGaffery, Thomas Powers, Cornelius McMahon, Edward Murphy, Hugh McDermott, John Fitzpatrick, John Butler, John Pickett, Richard Daily, William Clark, William McCullough, John Lawrence and William Haslett.
Many of those who located their warrants on land in Adams County before 1836, afterwards became prominent business men in Quincy, while others immediately after filing claims sold their locations to land sharks for a few dollars, and moved north to the lead mines at Galena.
During the decades between 1820 and 1840, large numbers of Irish pioneers came to Quincy, many of them direct from Ireland. They were the following: Rev. Fr. Michael Ahern, Richard and William Ahern, James Arthur, Nathaniel, Thomas, Robert and William Benneson, Rev. William Best and six sons (John H., Alexander, William, Jr., James, George, Joseph), Patrick and Michael Barry, Patrick and Matthew Brady, Patrick Britt, John Beattey, Thomas Burns, John Boles, George Callihan, Arthur Carroll, James Campbell, Matthew Cashman, William, Matthew, Andrew and Terence Clark, Matthew Campion, Matthew, David and John Cary, Matthew Carmody, Patrick Curnan, Thomas Clancy, Michael Corcary, Matthew and David Costigan, Martin Collins, John Connery, Edward Crotty, Michael Connell, Thomas Clancy, Edward Condon, Patrick Costigan, Patrick and John Cronin, Anthony and Montgomery Coyle, Michael Crough, Patrick Cody, Patrick Curley, Patrick Corrigan, Perry Cushin, Rev. Fr. Derwin, Delany Desmonde, James Dillon, Patrick Dowd, Patrick Daily, John and Thomas Dwyer, Patrick and Michael Derry, Patrick Eagan, John Enright, Robert Evans, Michael, William and John Fitzgerald, Dr. John and William Fitzpatrick, James Flynn, Rev. William B., James B. and Matthew B. Finlay and their three sisters, Ann B. Padgett, Jane B. and Mary B. Finlay, Michael Feeney, James Fisher, Michael and Martin Farrell, Richard and James Grant, Mathew Gorman, John and James Gregory, Michael and Patrick Gerry, Oliver and William Geary, Jackson Grimshaw, Patrick and Michael Haley, Joseph and Robert Hartley, John Heelan, John Hurley, Thomas and Patrick Heires, Andrew and John Haire, Sylvester, Thomas, Michael, Patrick and Timothy Haires, Patrick Hade, David and Dennis Higgens, Edward Hoverton, Arthur Hughes, Daglon Hoolihan, Patrick Igo, Michael Ives, Daniel Karns, Patrick Kirby, Patrick Kinsella, James Kane, David Keef, Thomas Keough, Timothy, William and John Kelley, Patrick and Maurice Lenehan, William Kennedy, Andrew, Robert, Joseph and William Long, Thomas Landers, James Lawler, Thomas Leahy, Dr. John Leavey, Michael Lawton, Samuel Lowry, Barney Little and son Edward, John William and Charles Lee, Rev. Fr. Peter McGirr, James McGrath, Thomas McFall, Bernard McCann, Michael McKevitt, Bernard McDermott, Michael McCarty, Patrick McDonald, Joseph McConnell, Barney McCabe, John W. McFadon, John McDade, Michael Maloney, Patrick, Edward and John Murphy, Michael, John and Peter Meehan, John Murray, Michael Gilbert, John Mahaney, James and Richard Montgomery, Patrick Nealon, John Nolan, Richard Nagle, Timothy Noonan, John Nevins, James and Frederick O’Connor, Patrick, John, Daniel, Jeremiah, William, James and Michael O’Brien, Charles O’Neil, Michael and William B. Powers, Richard Purcell, George and John Padgett, John Piggot, Michael Quin, Patrick Quigley, William Richards, Thomas, Michael, George and James Redmond, Michael, James and Patrick Reardon, James, Daniel, Patrick and William Ryan, John and Patrick Reagan, David Roach, Patrick and Hugh Rudden, William, John and Patrick Shanahan, Hugh, John and William Smyth, John and Thomas Sheridan, Owen, A., Terrence and Peter Smith, Timothy, Daniel, Florence and Henry Sullivan, Maurice Savage, Patrick Sweeny, Darby and Jeremiah Shea, Michael Sheehan, Thomas, Tobin, James and William Troy, Edward Trulock, Patrick Tully, William Thompson, Sylvester and William B. Thayer, Terrence Waters, Michael, David, Richard, Edward, John and Perry Whalen, Benjamin Watson, James and Philip Walsh.
The following were among the farmers and land-holding taxpayers in Adams County, as appear by the tax records for the year 1845: James, John and Henry Burke, James Bailey, Thomas Bryan, Thomas Bray, Daniel Bradley, Thomas Boyd, John Buckley, John Brady, Thomas Beaty, John Burns, Sr., William Boyle, Michael Bradly, John Calihan, Thomas, William and Hugh Clark, Michael and James Collins, Edward Corrigan, Thomas Curry, J. W. Cassidy, William Cadogan, James, John and William Campbell, Hugh Connor, John Caldwell, Hugh Carlin, James Colvin, Philip Cain, John and Joseph Craig, John Cunningham, Jacob Dailey, Alexander Donovan, Peter Donnell, John Donnelly, Charles Dempsey, John Dorsey, Patrick and John Fitzgerald, Hugh Furguson, William Finley, James and L. Frazier, Ben Galliher, Jeremiah Galliger, James Galligher, Daniel Higgins, Sr., and Daniel Higgins, Jr., John and William Hughes, James Hawley, John Hagerty, William and Jesse Hogan, Joseph, John, James, Thomas, William and Patrick Kelly, Maurice Kelley, Andrew Long, Richard Lee, William Lynch, John, William, Ben and Joshua Laughlin, Michael Limbaugh, John Lawless, James Moore, James Mehan, John Moran, James Mulligan, Edward, William and Henry Murphy, John and Charles Mullan, John Malone, John Murry, William McAdams, James McNutt, William McKinney, James and Michael McCann, Mathias McNeal, Martin McNitt, Thomas McKee, James and William McLaughlin, Dennis McCalip, John, Isaac, Samuel and Thomas McVay, John McClarry, Dennis McKellup, John and Robert McBride, A. McClain, Robert and John McCoy, Dennis McDaniel, Philip McKay, John McKinzie, William and John McClintock, Samuel McNulty, William and Michael McGingley, William, John and James McCormick, Dorsy, Smith and James McGinnis, George McMurry, James McCorian, Robert and John McBratney, William McCreary, Ben and Joseph McFarland, Alex McGuire, James McAnulty, William McGaughey, William McFarlin, Robert McWiney, S. McKinney, Robert and Andrew McCully, Ed McCafferty, John, William and Andrew McNay, John McGibbons, Hugh Nevin, William O’Harra, Doud L. Patterson, William Piggott, John Padget, Robert Rankin, William and Luke Riley, Andrew Redman, Michael Rawlings, John and James Smith, William Smyth, John and Bradley Stewart, William Stewart, Sr., John Savage, James Shannon, Dennis Seals, John Shaw, M. Scoggan, D. Sullivan, Michael, Peter and James Thomas, John Terry, James and Michael Welsh.
The records of the county land warrants filed in Adams County before 1836, by ex-soldiers, plainly show that Irish-Americans were as well represented in the war of 1812 as they were in that for American Independence. The following names are taken from Volume 9, Adjutant General’s reports of Illinois, published by the State in 1902, giving a complete roster of Illinois officers and enlisted men in the Blackhawk war of 1831–2, and the Mexican war of 1846–8, both taken from the official rolls on file in the War Department, Washington, D. C., to show the strength of Irish-Americans among the pioneers of the Mississippi Valley in those early days, as well as to show that the race never fails to respond in large numbers to the war-call of their country in time of danger.
The following served in the Blackhawk war: John and Daniel Wood, Daniel Hayes, James McCarlin, Thomas Duncan, Bernard Fleming, Thomas Gulley, H. Riley, Timothy Inghram, John Russell, Thomas Stanly, John, James and George Karnes, John and James Caldwell, Richard Hogan, Aaron Quigley, Peter Smith, William Lafferty, James and Jacob L. Reynolds, James Pougee, James, William, John and Reubin Clark, Michael and Ezekiel Rawlings, William, John and William C. Murphy, Charles Dunn, James McColugh, John Dobbins, Richard Hughes, Jacob Kennedy, John McCove, James Rose, James Duncan, James Bryant, John Lowrey, William and F. A. Riley, John and A. S. Fitzgerald, Hugh and Robert McDaniel, Charles Sexton, David Ray, James, William and James N. Clark, Serratt Riley, John, Eagon, Franklin S. and I. S. Casey, William and Thomas Hayes, James Rhea, James Flannagan, William, John and Edward Kirkpatrick, John McMurphy, John Cain, William Finney, James Shaw, William Logan, James Cummings, John Cowan, Patrick and I. H. Tennery, John McConkey, James Bailey, John C. Bradley, Patrick Whalen, Josiah and Abraham Welsh, William F. McClure, Samuel Burk, James Dunlap, Marshall Lafferty, William and John McCabe, John McGuire, Cornelius Doherty, John McCoy, Dennis Keen, James McMillan, Patrick, William and Robert Campbell, Thomas McDonald, James Buchanan, Samuel Dunlap, Bonapart Gallaher, Joseph McCreary, William McKinney, Hugh McCrakin, John Haynes, Robert McClarney, Robert Patterson, Alexander McKinsey, Martin and John Farley, Nathan McCarty, John McCoy, John R. Mullins, Nimrod, John, Dudly, Richard and Benjamin Murphy, John McConnell, Edward McGovern, Nelson McDowell, D. B. McConnell, William and John Duncan, John Dougherty, James Kirby, William Patterson, Thomas McAdams, Joseph Burk, Thomas Evans, Thomas C. Hughes, John McCurry, James Kincaid, William Finley, John McFain, John Guffy, Phellonson and John Higgins, Joseph McKinney, Jonathan McClanan, George W. McCarty, William, William R. and Samuel McAdams, Josiah T. Bradley, Charles D. Kelley, John B. Logan, Samuel McCully, John M. O’Harnett, John O’Mulvany, Albert B. Murphy, Hiram Casey, Jesse Ford, Thomas McDowell, Andy and John McFarlin, Richard Bradley, Robert Caldwell, James McCabe, Keavan Murry, Edward McNabb, David McNair, Peter O’Leary, Patrick Clary, Patrick Gallagar, Patrick Karnes, Daniel McKaney, John Ragan, Timothy Barrett, John and James McDeed, Hugh Finley, John Lancaster, Thomas Welch, James, Francis, John and William Kirkpatrick, Dennis Quinlivan, John Foley, John Brophy, David, William and James McKee, Isaac Kilpatrick, James Patterson, John Hughes, James Mulligan, Patrick Flaherty, James Whalen, Michael Davis, John O’Hara, James, John and Samuel Burns, Mathew Lynch, John Nevins, John Powers, John McMullin, Jeremiah Kelly, Hugh McGary, Michael Brockett, Michael Fanin, John McDaniel, James Clark, Thomas Kenney, Andrew Malone, Daniel Moore, John Sheeney, William Shaw, Mathew Bailey, William Mallory, Thomas Kinney, William Lynch, James Green, Murry McConnell, John Laughrey, John, William and James McKee, James McNabb, Daniel Riley, James McGee, Michael Killion, Daniel Carter, Michael and Jacob Kellyon, William Kelly, Daniel Doolin, Michael Horin, James McMurty, George Higgins, Thomas McBride, Hugh Cochran, Robert McMahan, James McElroy, Thomas McConnell, Patrick Gray, Michael Klean, Patrick Kenney, Dennis Quinliven, John O’Neil, Patrick and John Dugan, Patrick Gilroy and Michael Meara.
There were six Illinois regiments mustered for the Mexican war. The first, second and third were enrolled and mustered as a brigade by Gen. Philip Kearny at Alton, men principally from the “Bounty Land” district. The general, being the grandson of an Irishman, drew many of that race to his standard. The following are the names: John W. Burns, William Cassedy, William Finney, Richard Grant, John McCoy, Daniel McNeil, James Ramsey, Patrick Higgins, William A. Clark, Patrick Mehan, Patrick Burk, Peter Conover, Patrick Clemens, Chandler Bradley, Peter Dolin, Thomas Cain, Dennis Griffin, Thomas Gorman, Francis Quinn, Thomas Riley, John Smith, Jeremiah Sullivan, George Connor, Hiram Clark, R. F. Cochran, John W. Hughes, William Long, James Murry, Hugh Fee, Thomas Turley, John Crogan, James and Thomas Bryant, John Carter, C. McConnell, James Neeley, Patrick O’Neil, James Stewart, Isaac Curry, James Doyle, James T. Lawler, Daniel McClelland, John Scanland, Francis Ryan, John McKibbin, John Hughes, Daniel Curry, James Campbell, James Cavanaugh, Austin Daugherty, John Kincade, James McClure, Arch McBride, John McIntosh, Francis McLeary, Daniel Shean, William Taggart, James Buchanan, James Converse, William McAvoy, J. McCullum, Ezekiel and Thomas Flynn, John Fisher, Dawson Cary, Michael Little, Edward and Timothy Kelley, John Lynch, Timothy McCarty, John McDonnald, James Stewart, Mathew Moran, Michael Brennan, James Carlin, Michael Hyde, Michael McCarty, Frank Carney, James and Thomas Clark, John Carroll, Arthur Hughes, Patrick Murry, Michael Page, William and James Wall, Larkin Riley, Mathew Bradley, Benjamin Clark, Robert and Alex Kelley, Mathew McAnnelly, James McCoy, Thomas Kinney, Ben. F. McNeil, David Rawlings, James Russell, James McGuire, William Roach, John Tully, Joshua Walsh, George Burk, William Barry, George Clark, Clark Higgins, Isaac Kelly, Andrew McCauly, John Bostick, Murry Tully, Cornelius and Asa Cochran, John Burns, Mason and Jobe Kelly, Michael McHale, James Hayes, Michael McCarty, Michael Foy, John A. Logan, James Burk, James Dunn, Charles McAnelly, John and Daniel McCarty, Richard McCord, Daniel Carter, John Delancey, John Dougherty, Edward Little, Joseph and Reuben McDade, McDaniel Welch, Hugh McElhanan, William Dempsey, John Flanagan, John Curry, William Hughes, Patrick McGee, James Hayes, James Mulligan, James McCru, Thomas Montgomery, David McCann, Patrick Kelly, Robert Burk, Patrick Lanon, George Cochran, Dennis Campbell, Charles Devine, Andrew Hayes, James Lancaster, Joseph Quigley, Hardy Carroll, Myron Burns, William Cassidy, Martin Clark, Damon Kennedy, Josiah McCormick, William McCassilin, Thomas Mullen, Martin McRorgh, James McDonald, James McFadden, George Nolan, Thomas Sheridan, Patrick Casey, Thomas Carnahan, John Connor, Warwick Flanagan, John Fitzgerald, Robert and John McKinney, James, John and Keran McGinnis, John McMillan, James O’Leary, John McAllister, William Donley, Patrick Flarity, George McGuire, James Murphy, Patrick Cruis, John Duncan, John Dwyer, Charles Hunter, James Hackney, William Kennedy, James McGovern, James O’Connor, John Quirck, Michael Riley, James Ryan, Daniel Dougherty, James Phelan, James Regan, Arthur Gallagher, John Kennedy, William Murry, John, Felix and Edward Clark, George Carey, Carter Murry, John O’Brien, Daniel Sexton, James Collins, Hugh Kelly, Levi McBride, William Bryant, Mathew Gillespie, Patrick Green, George McConkey, James Rafferty, Andrew Shaw, Thomas Smith, Francis Clark, Alexander Dougherty, William McMullen, Michael Brennan, Daniel Doyle, David Sullivan, Mathew McWorter, William Bradley, Patrick Hannon, Henry McGuire, James Shaw, Hugh Duffy, Thomas Gaffeny, Daniel O’Melvaney, Andrew Burk, John Crowley, Patrick Murphy, John Welch, Hugh McKinley, James Barry, John Burns, Richard Carter, James Logan, James Fitzgerald, Timothy Ryan, Patrick and Samuel McDonald, Thomas McGill, Hugh Riley, David Mooney, James Collins, Timothy Ryan, Daniel Duff, William and James Flint, Jackson Larkin, Robert and John Patterson, John Little, Davis Murphy, James McCrary, James Rearden, Timothy and John Ingram, Patrick Scully, James Donovan, Charles Lowrey, Logan Lynch, Thomas Reynolds, John Brady, James O’Neil, John Mahan, George Haley, James and William Nolan, John Casey, Josiah O’Riley, William and John Burk, Charles and John Lynch, Thomas and James Kelly, Patrick McKelvy, James Murphy, William and Andrew McGuire, James Hughes, William Clark, James Galliher, Thomas McDonald, Dennis Bolan, James Eagan, Peter Murphy, John McCary, James McGuire, Patrick Toucy, Peter Foy, William Grace, Peter Welch; Mathew Murry, James Conolly, James McCabe, Charles Dillon, James Dailey, Michael Fitzpatrick, Daniel Shields, Patrick McKee, Patrick Kelly, Michael King, Daniel Kennedy, Daniel McClusky, John O’Malloy, Charles McCarty, Peter O’Neil, Cornelius Mahoney, Thomas Mulligan, James Lancaster, James Murphy, James Phalan, Jeremiah Sullivan, Patrick Plunkett, John Foley, Patrick Power and Michael K. Lawler.
Many of these soldiers became very prominent in the political and social affairs of the state and nation, especially John Wood, Murry McConnell, Michael K. Lawler and John A. Logan.