The Farm

Frakers Grove, nestled in Lynn Township in northeastern Knox County, Illinois, carries a deep legacy rooted in early settlement, agricultural life, and peaceful coexistence. Though the area has never had a town, church, or post office within its borders, its history runs deep.

In 1828, Michael Fraker and his family arrived, seeking land he had acquired in Kentucky. Upon reaching Section 23, they discovered a Potawatomi village. The men were away hunting, leaving the women, children, and elders behind. Though the Potawatomi initially disputed his claim—asserting that their right to the land came from the “Indian God” and preceded Fraker’s—he responded not with conflict, but with kindness and diplomacy.

A skilled blacksmith, Fraker offered to repair the tribe’s guns, earning their trust and respect. In return, they helped him build his cabin and left their wigwams and council house for his family’s use. They relocated to Indian Creek, about seven miles east, but remained friendly with the Frakers, returning each spring during the sugar season. For four years, the Fraker family and the Potawatomi women and children were the only people in the area, and their bond became an essential part of the Grove’s legacy.

Michael Fraker was known as a just, kind, and deeply Christian man—an active member of the Methodist Church. He married three times and fathered 24 children. Demonstrating his mechanical skill, he built a hand-operated grist mill using two burr stones, which became a valuable resource for neighbors and his own family.

Fraker passed away in 1848 at approximately 79 years old. His grave is marked with a marble headstone and enclosed by a picket fence in the middle of the road that runs south from his original homestead—about half a mile north of a local historical marker. His inscription honors him as the first white settler in northeastern Knox County.

As the years passed, other settlers joined the area. George Fitch, Fraker’s son-in-law, became the first schoolteacher and local Justice of the Peace. William Hitchcock married Julia Fraker, Michael’s daughter, in what became the first recorded marriage in the community. Families like the Essex, Cress, Gibbs, and Collinsons followed, each contributing to the growth of Frakers Grove.

Life was not easy. The early settlers lacked infrastructure and mills, relying on hand tools and ingenuity to process grain. Trading required long trips to Galva, Altona, Victoria, and LaFayette. Eventually, a sawmill in nearby Centerville brought much-needed relief.

Churches and schools followed, often sharing buildings and built through volunteer labor. Although Lynn Township never had a church within its borders, its people were known for their strong morals and sense of community. Over time, agriculture remained the backbone of the area, with cleared farmland and hard work shaping the landscape.

Today, Frakers Grove stands not only as a working farm, but as a living memory of resilience, collaboration, and peaceful beginnings—where early settlers and native communities briefly shared a unique chapter of American history.