The McDonough County Genealogy Society hosted a special presentation on August 18 at the West Central Illinois Museum, featuring Lori Boyer, who detailed the early history of Blandinsville, Illinois.
Boyer traced the town’s origins back nearly 200 years to William Jobe (1793–1835), a pioneer who settled the area now known as Jobe’s Settlement. Before Blandinsville’s founding, Carter’s Settlement near Industry, Illinois, was the region’s earliest community.
William Jobe, originally from Tennessee, traveled with his wife Zilpha (Norris) Jobe and their four children—Bethaney, Permelia, Irena, and Ephriam. They initially camped in Hancock County for a season before moving to Morgan County near Jacksonville.
Determined to establish a permanent home in West Central Illinois, Jobe returned north in the spring of 1825, leaving his family in Morgan County. Accompanied by his 12-yearold brother Iraby, his brother-inlaw Ephraim Perkins, and William Southward, Jobe explored McDonough County.
They encountered Richard Dunn, who had cultivated land and built a cabin in what is now upper Hire Township. Inspired, Jobe pressed further north across a stream later named Baptist Creek. There, he found fertile, unoccupied land with trees and spring water that suited his needs.
Jobe settled in section 33, near present-day Blandinsville’s A&D location. He soon returned with his wife, children, and a newborn son, John (born February 12, 1826), to establish their home.
By 1830, other families joined the settlement, including Elijah Bristow, Dr. John Hardesty, William Duncan, Enoch Cyrus, Nathanial Heron, John Houston, Robert Seabold, Redmond Grigsby, Russell Duncan, and Jacob Kaufman—many hailing from Kentucky and Tennessee.
Boyer noted that Jobe’s welcoming nature encouraged others to settle nearby, fostering a growing community known as Jobe’s Settlement.
William and Zilpha Jobe eventually had eight children: Bethaney, Permelia, Irena, Ephriam, John, Eda, William, and Sarah. William Jobe died at age 42 on November 5, 1835, and is buried in Liberty Cemetery, about 1.5 miles north of Blandinsville.
Ephraim Jobe, William’s eldest son, married Amanda Mayhew in 1845. Their lineage includes Carol Tilton Jobe, great-grandfather of Frank Jobe, who attended the presentation.
The event offered attendees a vivid glimpse into the pioneering spirit that shaped Blandinsville’s early days.
