PIONEERS, INDIANS, MOONSHINERS & GANGSTERS
It is believed that the Native Americans of the Illiniwek Confederation were the first to settle in the area of pre Macon County. They used the area around the south side of what would become Greenwood Cemetery along with several mounds that would become downtown Decatur.
The first pioneer home was a log cabin built in 1820 just south of the Sangamon river. Life was difficult in those days and an entire family could be wiped out with ease. There were no real burial customs in those days, no undertakers and no embalming. Funeral services consisted of nothing more than a few prayers and bible passages over an open hole in the ground. And while some of these burials took place literally in the back yards of the log cabins scattered throughout the area, most of the settlers searched for a communal place to bury the dead. This led them to begin burying in places that the Native Americans had also used, namely what would become Greenwood Cemetery.
On a Spring day, a small group of settlers were encamped near the Sangamon River, just south of the present day Greenwood.
The men had constructed a crude liquor still and were hard at work making moonshine. A group of Native Americans were passing by. What may have happened next is unknown, but for some reason, the settlers decided to pursue the Indians through the woods. The Indians were chased through the woods and they ran up a hill in the direction of the burying grounds. Before they could make it to the top of the incline, the settlers opened fire on the Indians and they were cut down on the side of the hill. The moonshiners decided to conceal the bodies of the Indians in a shallow ravine on the side of the hill where they fell. The bodies were dragged into the ditch and a number of stones were heaped over them. The makeshift grave can still be seen on the side of a hill in the southwestern part of the cemetery.
South Edward street was a narrow, winding
road that connected the southwest part of
Decatur with Lincoln Park drive and the
Sangamon river. It ran on the west side
of Greenwood. At some point it was given
the name of HELLS HOLLOW. This area was
home for a hobo camp in the early 1900's
until the 1930's. Gangs also lived in that
area and committed crimes including grave
robbing. Stories have also been told that
is was a good dumping ground for bodies
including those enemies of Al Capone of
Chicago. Since then the road has been
removed for safety reasons.
The Decatur Herald
(Decatur, Illinois)
14 SEP 1936 * page 3
The Decatur Herald
(Decatur, Illinois)
18 JAN 1890 * pages 3 & 8
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