Chester moved with his parents to Tennessee, staying there until 1814. He came to Illinois Territory. The country was wild and unsettled. Indian and wild beasts were numerous.
Mr Bethell and most of the settlers in that vicinity were compelled to live in what was known as Frank Jourdan's Fort, situated in what is now Gallatin County, in southern Illinois. He remained there 3 months, when not liking the way things were conducted, he gathered together his little stock of goods and went 30 miles into the interior where he pitched a camp near a stream called Bethell's creek, in which he lived until he could build a rude cabin. He lived there 13 years, during a part of which frequent Indian alarms kept him anxious and alert.
He was a good hunter. He killed a great many bears and panthers and had many narrow escapes. He shot a deer, which on being shot bounded away a few rods into a dense thicket. He reloaded his gun and entered the thicket to get the deer. He came suddenly upon it where it had fallen dead. Within a few feet of him and on the body of the deer was crouched a huge panther. He instantly raised his gun to his shoulder and fired, giving the panther a mortal wound. A valuable dog that always followed him rushed in and grappled with the panther in his death struggle. He plunged toward the panther and stuck his hunting knife into the panther.
In 1827 he came to what is now Jersey county. He moved to what is known as the "Lax" place. In 1840 he moved to Missouri and returned to Jersey County in 1849. where he stayed to his last day. He and his wife Jane were married for 58 years and had 12 children. He was a lifelong democrat and voted his first ticket for James Madison and his last vote was for Seymour. He had been a long time member of the Baptist Church, but in later years became a member of the Universalist faith. His wife died in January 1869.
Mr Bethell and most of the settlers in that vicinity were compelled to live in what was known as Frank Jourdan's Fort, situated in what is now Gallatin County, in southern Illinois. He remained there 3 months, when not liking the way things were conducted, he gathered together his little stock of goods and went 30 miles into the interior where he pitched a camp near a stream called Bethell's creek, in which he lived until he could build a rude cabin. He lived there 13 years, during a part of which frequent Indian alarms kept him anxious and alert.
He was a good hunter. He killed a great many bears and panthers and had many narrow escapes. He shot a deer, which on being shot bounded away a few rods into a dense thicket. He reloaded his gun and entered the thicket to get the deer. He came suddenly upon it where it had fallen dead. Within a few feet of him and on the body of the deer was crouched a huge panther. He instantly raised his gun to his shoulder and fired, giving the panther a mortal wound. A valuable dog that always followed him rushed in and grappled with the panther in his death struggle. He plunged toward the panther and stuck his hunting knife into the panther.
In 1827 he came to what is now Jersey county. He moved to what is known as the "Lax" place. In 1840 he moved to Missouri and returned to Jersey County in 1849. where he stayed to his last day. He and his wife Jane were married for 58 years and had 12 children. He was a lifelong democrat and voted his first ticket for James Madison and his last vote was for Seymour. He had been a long time member of the Baptist Church, but in later years became a member of the Universalist faith. His wife died in January 1869.
Chester moved with his parents to Tennessee, staying there until 1814. He came to Illinois Territory. The country was wild and unsettled. Indian and wild beasts were numerous.
Mr Bethell and most of the settlers in that vicinity were compelled to live in what was known as Frank Jourdan's Fort, situated in what is now Gallatin County, in southern Illinois. He remained there 3 months, when not liking the way things were conducted, he gathered together his little stock of goods and went 30 miles into the interior where he pitched a camp near a stream called Bethell's creek, in which he lived until he could build a rude cabin. He lived there 13 years, during a part of which frequent Indian alarms kept him anxious and alert.
He was a good hunter. He killed a great many bears and panthers and had many narrow escapes. He shot a deer, which on being shot bounded away a few rods into a dense thicket. He reloaded his gun and entered the thicket to get the deer. He came suddenly upon it where it had fallen dead. Within a few feet of him and on the body of the deer was crouched a huge panther. He instantly raised his gun to his shoulder and fired, giving the panther a mortal wound. A valuable dog that always followed him rushed in and grappled with the panther in his death struggle. He plunged toward the panther and stuck his hunting knife into the panther.
In 1827 he came to what is now Jersey county. He moved to what is known as the "Lax" place. In 1840 he moved to Missouri and returned to Jersey County in 1849. where he stayed to his last day. He and his wife Jane were married for 58 years and had 12 children. He was a lifelong democrat and voted his first ticket for James Madison and his last vote was for Seymour. He had been a long time member of the Baptist Church, but in later years became a member of the Universalist faith. His wife died in January 1869.
Mr Bethell and most of the settlers in that vicinity were compelled to live in what was known as Frank Jourdan's Fort, situated in what is now Gallatin County, in southern Illinois. He remained there 3 months, when not liking the way things were conducted, he gathered together his little stock of goods and went 30 miles into the interior where he pitched a camp near a stream called Bethell's creek, in which he lived until he could build a rude cabin. He lived there 13 years, during a part of which frequent Indian alarms kept him anxious and alert.
He was a good hunter. He killed a great many bears and panthers and had many narrow escapes. He shot a deer, which on being shot bounded away a few rods into a dense thicket. He reloaded his gun and entered the thicket to get the deer. He came suddenly upon it where it had fallen dead. Within a few feet of him and on the body of the deer was crouched a huge panther. He instantly raised his gun to his shoulder and fired, giving the panther a mortal wound. A valuable dog that always followed him rushed in and grappled with the panther in his death struggle. He plunged toward the panther and stuck his hunting knife into the panther.
In 1827 he came to what is now Jersey county. He moved to what is known as the "Lax" place. In 1840 he moved to Missouri and returned to Jersey County in 1849. where he stayed to his last day. He and his wife Jane were married for 58 years and had 12 children. He was a lifelong democrat and voted his first ticket for James Madison and his last vote was for Seymour. He had been a long time member of the Baptist Church, but in later years became a member of the Universalist faith. His wife died in January 1869.
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