The Moral Compass of Jefferson County: The Mount Vernon Temperance Society

Tracing a family tree often feels like assembling a puzzle where the most vital pieces are hidden in the margins of history. My own direct maternal line—stretching back through my mother Roberta (Clinton) England, my grandmother Maude (Taylor) Clinton, and my great-grandmother Janie (Gowler) Taylor—leads to my 2nd great-grandmother Kitty (Hunt) Gowler. The trail currently hits a "brick wall" with her mother, Delilah (Sanders) Hunt, but in my search for her lineage, I discovered a fascinating window into the world she inhabited within the pages of an old Jefferson County history book published in 1883. It is here, in the records of a local moral uprising, that the names of my ancestors come to life.

Janet England mitochondrial lineage "brick wall" at Delilah (Sanders) Hunt

Their Good Work in the Community

History of Jefferson County, Illinois, by Perrin, 1883, Chapter VII - Mount Vernon - Temperance Movements

In March 1832, the public life of Jefferson County shifted with the formation of its first organized moral effort: the Mount Vernon Temperance Society. Organized with a goal to be free from "sectarian taint," the society’s members committed themselves to a constitution that was intended to be liberal in its provisions.

The original pledge, found in Article II, required members to abstain from "ardent spirits" except in cases of necessity and to influence others to do the same through "mild and prudent" means. While the language was described by historians as somewhat "ambiguous," those who signed it understood that it represented a solemn commitment to temperance.

A Family Legacy: Allen and Delilah Hunt

Ancestors Allen and Delilah Hunt are listed as founding members of Mount Vernon Temperance Society 1932

The society wasn't just a political movement; it was a community effort involving entire families who gathered from across the county. Many of these early members were among the first settlers and pioneer families of Jefferson County. Among the dedicated names listed in these historical rolls are Delilah Hunt (Spelled Delia in book text) and her husband, Allen Hunt.

For my immediate family, Delilah stands as a direct maternal ancestor who stood alongside other local women committing herself to the society’s mission. Her husband, Allen, was equally involved, appearing on the membership rolls with other prominent local men like the Casey and Maxey families. Together, the Hunts represented the many pioneering couples who sought to improve their community through this "sweeping revival" of temperance.

Leadership and Evolution

The society was led by prominent early figures of the county, including:

President: John Baugh

Vice President: Samuel E. Goodrich

Secretary: Joel Pace

Managers: Joseph Pace, Abraham T. Casey, Samuel Cummins, and William Criswell

As the years passed, the movement evolved. By 1842, it was reorganized as the Jefferson County Temperance Society, adopting a stricter pledge that forbid the use, traffic, or provision of intoxicating liquors as a beverage. The legacy of ancestors like Delilah and Allen Hunt paved the way for this continued effort, which eventually saw over 300 individuals subscribing to the cause by 1846.

Members of the Mount Vernon Temperance Society

Below is a list of members who joined the society during its early years, many of whom were the foundational pioneers of the region:

• Allen: Lucinda, Rhodam

• Anderson: Ann, Caroline, Daniel G., Margaret, Martha

• Baugh: Downing, Elizabeth, Emily, John, John Jr., Milly, Polly

• Bingaman: H., Peter, William

• Bruce: Azariah, Elizabeth, James G., John, Marcus, Patsy

• Buffington: Abraham, Jane, Loyd, Margaret, Philip, Susan

• Carpenter: Milla, Samuel W.

• Casey: Abraham T., Elizabeth, Harriet, Isaac, John C., Rhoda, Thomas M., Vylinda, Zadok

• Crosno: Polly, Rachel, Reuben S., Sally

• Elkins: Ananias, Gazaway, Goodman, Robert (The grandmother of Louisa Abigail (Cockrum) Clinton, Louisa (Tiecenger) Lance, has some connection to this family. A future project.)

• Goodrich: Armilda, Calendar, Elgelina, Henry, Maranda, Mary, Nathan, Patsy, Robert, Samuel E

• Hunt: Allen, Delia (Spelled Delilah in other documents.)

• Johnson: Clarissa, Elizabeth, Emily, James, John N., Lewis, Lewis Jr., Nancy, Patsy, Susannah, William F.

• Knapp: Abraham M., Mary

• Maxey: Bennett N., Catherine, Charles H., Eddy, Edward, Elihu, Henry B., Jehu G.D., John, Mary, Polly A., Sarah, Susan, Theodore, William, William M.A.

• Maxwell: Robert, Sarah

• Overbay: Abel, James, Lucinda, Rhoda

• Pace: Harvey T., Joel, John M., Joseph, Mary, Nancy, Pamela, Phebe, Spencer

• Parker: John, Nathaniel

• Scott: H.J., Jehu, Keziah, Sarah, Scynthia, Sofronia

• Taylor: Elizabeth, Hannah, Matthew M.

• Tyler: Catharine, Henry, John, Russell, Sarah

• Wells: Elizabeth, Green B., Jerusha, Jonathan, Littleman, William

• Wilkerson: Mary, Rebecca (Allen Wilkerson is on Allen and Delilah's marriage bond in Wilson County, Tenn. His father John Wilkerson and his son Hartwell Wilkerson also moved to Jefferson Co from Wilson Co., Tenn., so this family is also a future project.)

• Additional Settlers: Mary Atwood, Asabel Bateman, Margaret E. Black, James A. Brown, Wallace Caldwell, James Carroll, William Criswell, Samuel Cummins, Green Depriest, James Dodds, Solomon Goddard, Joel Harlow, William Hicks, John Hudlow, George Johnston, Edward King, John M. Lane, David Little, John E. McBryan, John Milburn, Ransom Moss, Benjamin Patterson, Joab Peterson, Jarvis Pierce, E. H. Ridgway, James Tally, Robert Yearwood

Learn More

Perrin, W. Henry. History of Jefferson County, Illinois. Chicago: Globe Pub. Co., 1883. Digital images. HathiTrust. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t6rx9bb6h : 2024. A digital copy of this book is available at this link at the HathiTrust Digital Library.