The first war in which any of the citizens of the territory now composing Wmson Co, participated, was the Black Hawk war of 1832. And for information pertaining thereto the reader is referred to the history of Franklin Co.
From the section on Franklin Co:
The county of Franklin has not been behind her sister counties in helping to fight the battles of our common country. Among the early settlers were a few survivors of the war of the Revolution, and also of the war of 1812-15. But the first military bodies, organized within the county for actual service, were those formed in 1832, for the purpose of participating in the war with the Indians, known as the Black Hawk war, which resulted in the defeat of the Indians, and their removal, by treaty, to lands beyond the Mississipi River. There were three compnaies raised and organized in this county, (then including the territory of Wmson Co) on that occasion, all of which joined ther 2nd IL Regiment, and were mustered into the service of the United States for 90 days under the call of the Governor of the State, amde on 15 May 1832. The members of these companies all being early settlers of the county, their names are hereby given in full.
(Please note these are not complete lists of persons who served)
The 1st compnay consisted of Capt George P Boyer, Lt Jacob Phillips, Lt Thomas P Moore, Sgt Thomas Adams, Sgt Jacob Clark, Sgt Edward Franklin, Cpl William Fleming, Cpl William AKins, Cpl Augustus Adams, buglar William Whittington and Privates: Benjamin Adams, Thomas Bevers, James Bowling, Benjamin Bowling, Henry Bowyer, John Berry, Jacob Bailey, James Browning, William Clampet, Evan Cleveland, John Clark, Jesse Cleveland, Reuben Clark, John P Due, Vachel Dillingham, Absalom Estes, James Farris, Joseph Gifford, Thomas Hail, Moses Jordan, Elijah Jordan, James Jordan, Nathaniel Morgan, Aaron Neal, James Plasters, Abraham Redburn, Garrett Robertson, AW Richardson, John Scribner, James Summers, Noah Summers, James Schoolcraft, John Slater, Benjamin Whittington, James Whittington, Benjamin Williams, William Ward and Joseph Western.
The 2nd compnay consisted of Capt William J Stephenson, Lt Tramel Ewing, Sgt John P Maddox, Lt Anderson P Corder, Lt Henry Hays, Lt John T Knox, Cpl Thomas Province, Cpl Michael Rawlins, musician Walter B Scates (later judge on supreme court), Privates: John Robbitt, Josiah B Denning, Elisha Eubanks, Anderson P Farris, Hez Garrett, Robert Garrett, Wiliam Gassaway, Benjamin F Hickman, John Hays, William A Hubbard, Lewis Hillen, Nat Jones, Thomas Knox, Larkin Lynch, William P Maddox, Andrew Miller, Moses Neal, Benjamin N Pope, Henry Rotramel, ANdrew Robertson, Ezekiel Rawlings, Wilson Rea, Harvey Swafford, HM Silkwood and Benjmain Talbot
The 3rd company consisted of Capt Obediah West, Lt Robert West, Lt Hugh Parks, Sgt Wilie Scott, Sgt William Henry, Cpl Moses Odum, Privates: James Browning, Pleasant Bradley, Washington Beasley, Edward Franklin, Isaac Groves, Jabez Hooker, Augustus Henry, Giles Joiner, Henry Layman, Junior Meriditch, William Murphy, Albert Province, Thomas Pully, Samuel Parks, Richard Price, ANdrew Price, William Rich, William Ran, Seth Roper, David H Springs, Robert Worthen, John Ward, Dickson Ward, Robert Watson, Isaac Youngblood and Zach George.
These companies, after having served until hostilities ceased, were mustered out of service at Dixon Ferry, 07 Aug 1832, by Capt ZC Palmer of the 6th US Inf, upon the order of Maj Gen Scott, comanding the Northwestern army. These pioneer soldiers have nearly all completed the battle of life, and gone to rest-- the only ones now living, being Edward Franklin, Jesse Cleveland, James Summers and Benjamin Whittington of Capt Boyer's company, and John T KNox and Elisha Eubanks of Capt Stephenson's company.