Belknap, Illinois

From Wikipedia.

Back on July 8, I mentioned that Ann Stokes, Civil War nurse on the hospital ship USS Red Rover, lived in this town that I had never heard of before.

It is a village in Johnson County in the far southern part of Illinois.  In the 2010 census the population was 104.  Probably why I had never heard of it.  The population of Johnson County in 2010 was 12,582 with county seat at Vienna.  This is the area of Illinois known as "Little Egypt."

Belknap was established in 1873 as a stop along  what would become the Big Four Railroad.  It is likely it was named after William Worth Belknap, who was U.S. Secretary of War.  The village was incorporated in 1880.  (William Belknap was an interesting character as well as a Civil War officer.  I will write about him later.)

Of interest, Mermet Springs, which is listed as being in Belknap is a repository for all sorts of things for scuba divers to explore including vehicles, a rail car and a Boeing 727 which was used in the movie "U.S. Marshals."

I was unable to find out anything about Ann Stokes living there are being buried there.  Now, here is a woman deserving of a historic marker of some sort.

--Old Secesh