Memories of Priscilla hollyhock
Priscilla hollyhock is in bloom.
It is blooming this year just as it
has since 1839 in Southern Illinois
and Southeast Missouri. This strain
of hollyhock has a rosy pink and a
lighter pink with deep maroon veins
in the five-petaled quarter-sized flower.
Its leaf is a true hollyhock one, with
possibly a darker green color and smaller
in size. The plant grows from 38" to 54"
in height with perky little flowers
completely lining its erect stalk. It
is a biannual which often winters in
this area. This almost dwarf strain of
the hollyhock goes back to the Cherokee
Indians and the tragic Trail of Tears
march of 1838-39.
As the story goes, Barzilla Silkwood, a
wealthy Southern Illinois farmer, met a
10 year old slave girl on a North Carolina
plantation on one of his travels. He felt
sorry for the girl, know only as Priscilla,
because her family had all been sold into
slavery and she was alone.
Later, during the winter of 1838, on
another of his travels, this time to
Willard's Landing on the Mississippi
River near Jonesboro, Illinois, Mr. Silkwood
came upon the Cherokee Indians and their
slaves being moved across country by the
United States government. They were camped
on the river bank awaiting the ice to thaw
so they could cross the Mississippi.
The Cherokee had been evicted from their
native mountains by the government and
forced, under military escort, to take
the death march into Indian Territory,
coming through this part of Missouri to
present day Oklahoma. The march was in
1838, and 1839, when more than 15,000
Cherokees traveled this Trail of Tears.
More than 4,000 perished because of bitter
winter weather and hardships encountered
along the way.
It is said that Silkwood recognized Priscilla
in this band at Jonesboro and bought her from
the Indian tribe for $1,000 in gold. He was a
man who hated slavery and was also touched by
the sight of an orphan. He freed Priscilla and
took her home with him to his Silkwood home,
on the Shawneetown-to-St. Louis trail, where
she lived with his wife and the 15 other orphan
children whom he had given a home.
When Priscilla left the Indian tribe to go
with Silkwood, she carried in her apron pocket
a handful of hollyhock seeds which she planted
in the yard of her new home. These hollyhocks
have flourished each year, spreading from family
to family over the years, and are often seen at
farm homes throughout Southern Illinois.
Priscilla Hollyhocks at Southern Illinois Home
Taken From Georgia in 1838.
Slave Girl Sold by Cherokee Chief to
Mulkytown Man Brought Seeds
When Indians Were Moved.
CARBONDALE, IL - It took 112 years to get
Priscilla's hollyhock seed from Georgia to
Oklahoma, according to John W. Allen, curator
of history of Southern Illinois University
Museum.
Priscilla was a slave girl who lived on a
plantation in Georgia. In the mid-1830's
Barzilla Silkwood, a prominent resident of
Franklin county, north of Mulkeytown, Illinois,
met Priscilla while visiting the Georgia plantation.
A short time after the visit, the master with
whom Silkwood had visited in Georgia died, and
his property was sold. Priscilla was sold to an
Cherokee Indian chief.
In 1838, many of the Cherokees were moved from
the Great Smokies to Indian territory in
northeastern Oklahoma. On their way, they
passed through southern Illinois and stopped
near Jonesboro in Union county, where they
camped for several weeks on the creek west
of town. While they camped there, Silkwood
went on a business trip to Jonesboro.
While standing in front of the Willard hotel
in Jonesboro he noticed a girl, who passed with
a group of Indians and looked very intently at
him. Silkwood thought she seemed strangely familiar.
Upon her return she asked, "Are you Marse Silkwood?"
He then recognized her as one of the slaves he had
know on the plantation in Georgia.
He learned that Priscilla was now the property
of an Indian chief, then camped on Dutchman creek.
Her plight appealed to the sympathy of Silkwood, so
he bought the girl from the chief. It is said that
he paid $1,000 for her.
Taking the slave girl with him, Silkwood returned
to his home near Mulkeytown. There the girl became
one of the family and lived with them the rest of
their lives.
When Priscilla had prepared to leave Georgia and
go to the Indian territory, she had gathered her
pockets full of hollyhock seeds from the plants
that grew about the plantation home. She had carried
these with her and planted them about the Cherokee
cabins. When the Indians were forced to leave land
in Georgia, she again gathered some hollyhock seeds.
She had these when Silkwood bought her from the Indian
chief. They were carried to the Silkwood home near
Mulkeytown where she planted them. There they have
grown for more than 100 years and are known as the
Priscilla hollyhocks.
In 1950, seeds of these hollyhocks were gathered
and sent to the daughter of the last chief of the
Cherokees in Oklahoma. The Indians completed their
journey in 1839. One hundred twelve years later the
hollyhocks seeds completed their journey, and the
same Priscilla hollyhocks, that grew about the cabins
of the Cherokee Indians and on the plantation in
Georgia, are now growing about the Indian homes in
Oklahoma.
Priscilla lived to be an old woman and is still
remembered by some persons. She is buried in the
family plot beside Silkwood and his wife in the
Reid cemetery near the old roadway north of the
Stories along the Trail
The Cherokee
"Trail of Tears"
"Priscilla"
Priscilla Hollyhocks at Southern Illinois Home
Taken From Georgia in 1838.
Slave Girl Sold by Cherokee Chief to
Mulkytown Man Brought Seeds
When Indians Were Moved.
CARBONDALE, IL - It took 112 years to get
Priscilla's hollyhock seed from Georgia to
Oklahoma, according to John W. Allen, curator
of history of Southern Illinois University Museum.
Priscilla was a slave girl who lived on a
plantation in Georgia. In the mid-1830's
Barzilla Silkwood, a prominent resident of
Franklin county, north of Mulkeytown, Illinois,
met Priscilla while visiting the Georgia plantation.
A short time after the visit, the master with
whom Silkwood had visited in Georgia died, and
his property was sold. Priscilla was sold to an
Cherokee Indian chief.
In 1838, many of the Cherokees were moved from
the Great Smokies to Indian territory in
northeastern Oklahoma. On their way, they
passed through southern Illinois and stopped
near Jonesboro in Union county, where they
camped for several weeks on the creek west
of town. While they camped there, Silkwood
went on a business trip to Jonesboro.
While standing in front of the Willard hotel
in Jonesboro he noticed a girl, who passed
with a group of Indians and looked very intently
at him. Silkwood thought she seemed strangely
familiar. Upon her return she asked,
"Are you Marse Silkwood?" He then recognized
her as one of the slaves he had know on the
plantation in Georgia.
He learned that Priscilla was now the property
of an Indian chief, then camped on Dutchman creek.
Her plight appealed to the sympathy of Silkwood,
so he bought the girl from the chief. It is said
that he paid $1,000 for her.
Taking the slave girl with him, Silkwood
returned to his home near Mulkeytown. There
the girl became one of the family and lived
with them the rest of their lives.
When Priscilla had prepared to leave Georgia
and go to the Indian territory, she had gathered
her pockets full of hollyhock seeds from the
plants that grew about the plantation home.
She had carried these with her and planted
them about the Cherokee cabins. When the Indians
were forced to leave land in Georgia, she again
gathered some hollyhock seeds. She had these
when Silkwood bought her from the Indian chief.
They were carried to the Silkwood home near
Mulkeytown where she planted them. There they
have grown for more than 100 years and are
known as the Priscilla hollyhocks.
In 1950, seeds of these hollyhocks were gathered
and sent to the daughter of the last chief of the
Cherokees in Oklahoma. The Indians completed their
journey in 1839. One hundred twelve years later the
hollyhocks seeds completed their journey, and the
same Priscilla hollyhocks, that grew about the cabins
of the Cherokee Indians and on the plantation in
Georgia, are now growing about the Indian homes in
Oklahoma.
Priscilla lived to be an old woman and is still
remembered by some persons. She is buried in the
family plot beside Silkwood and his wife in the
Reid cemetery near the old roadway north of the
Silkwood home.
Uncle Bazil and Priscilla
Your letter to the Postmaster was given
to us, as we live in the home where
Priscilla was raised.
Great Uncle Bazil Silkwood first saw
Priscilla in North Carolina when she
was sold to the Indian Chief. She was
then just a little girl separated from
her family. He must have done her a
kind favor of some kind.
The Indians then were driven out of
the southern states. This Indian Chief
and his tribe were trying to make their
way to the Indian Territory .
Sometime later, Uncle Bazil was in
Jonesboro, Illinois on business. Uncle
Bazil saw Priscilla and recognized her
and she recognized him. He bought her
from the chief for $1,000.00. Not for a
slave, but to set her free. He hated slavery.
He brought her home with him, and she was
just one of the sixteen children that Uncle
Bazil and his wife raised. They had no
children of their own. Priscilla was treated
just as good as the other children were.
My father and his sister were two of the
orphans raised here. We live in the house
that Priscilla was raised in. Uncle Bazil
built this house in 1825. It is still perfectly
solid. We keep it in good repair.
When Priscilla came she brought some hollyhock
seed in her apron pocket. She planted them and
they have come up and bloomed every year since.
Quite a good many are up now.
Priscilla was a very industrious and very
agreeable person. She was a member of the
Christian Church here and went every Sunday
as long as she was able. She was treated just
like the other members.
Uncle Bazil gave each one of the orphans 40
acres of land. Priscilla received her 40 acres
just like the rest. She was 75 when she passed
away. I don't remember the year. She is buried
in Uncle Bazil's plot in the Reid cemetery. The
administrator never put a regular marker on her
grave. Just a little sandstone marks her grave.
You may have heard that she was part Indian.
She was the color of an Indian and had the
features of one. I know just where her 40 acres is,
it is a valuable piece of ground now. This farm has
been in the Silkwood family ever since Uncle Bazil
bought it. We have raised our children here, the
4th generation. At one time it was an Indian camp
ground. Uncle Bazil had friendly Indians for neighbors.
This old house has a lot of history. Several
people come every year to see the house. Must
close. Guess I have written too much already.
Sincerely, Fred Foehr.
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