Holland

William Holland was the first settler in Washington township, Tazewell county, IL. He
was a native of North Carolina, and emigrated to Edwardsville, Madison county, IL in 1815
(Same time as our Sarah?). He stayed there for 3 years, then moved to Sangamon county
for 2 years, then on to Peoria in the spring of 1820. He crossed the river to the flats and
occupied an old shanty. He raised a crop and erected a double log cabin. He was
employed by the U.S. government as a blacksmith for the Indians. William Holland was
also a gunsmith and his services were in great demand. In the spring of 1825, he came to
Washington Township and built a log house on section 23. His family were the only
white occupants of this township until 1826.

In 1826, John Redman came to Washington township from Indiana. In 1827, James
Holland, a brother of William Holland, Sen., from North Carolina, temporarily stayed in
Washington township, he later moved to Macoupin County, IL. (I believe this is the same
James Holland that married Matilda Hall.)

The first marriage in Washington township was in 1828, between James Hendricks and
Miss Sallie Redman, daughter of John Redman. They were united by Daniel Meek, Justice
of the Peace. The same day Terrill Hall was married to Miss Jane Redman, second
daughter of John Redman. (It was probably through James Holland that the Hall family
and Redman family were acquainted.)

William Holland, Sr., laid out the original town of Washington in 1834. He also built the
first grist-mill in 1827.

In Leaves of A Woman's Private Journal, it states that James Holland, who married
Matilda Hall, was a cousin. So, I believe that James and William Holland's father may
have been a brother to our Sarah. There was a Matthew Holland in the 1820 Madison
Co. IL census - who is a possible candidate for James' and William's father. More
research will have to be done on this.