Isaiah Stillman
Brigadier General, U.S. Army

Isaiah Stillman was born in 1793 in Massachusetts but left the East and traveled to Illinois to become a trader of pots, pans, and other items. For a time he lived in the Coopers Creek Landing in Fulton County before deciding to join the Illinois Militia in 1827 as a Captain, at the age of 35.

By the early part of 1832, Isaiah had attained the rank of Brigadier General elect. With this new position, he gained the responsibility of defending everything west of the Illinois River. This land was mostly an empty place, with few First Nation's tribes and settlements.

In April 1832, Governor Reynolds ordered him to raise a command. He was unable to raise a full battalion so he was made a Major instead of a General. Cavalry Major Isaiah Stillman the led the Illinois Militia in the first armed confrontation of the Black Hawk War against Black Hawk's Sauk Indian Band. The first armed confrontation would be named Battle of Old Man's Creek, but was later renamed Stillman's Run. The year after the Black Hawk War, he was promoted to General.

Death and Burial

Brigadier General Isaiah Stillman died on 15 April 1861 in Kingston, IL, at the age of 67. He is buried at Springdale Cemetery and Mausoleum in Peoria, IL.