| School Bell – Gilson School |
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The Gilson -Haw Creek Township High School was quite innovative for a small town school district. Gilson School District was the first to use buses for transportation to and from school in Knox County. They also utilized field trips and other forward-thinking ideas to enhance the learning experience for their children.
The consolidation effort of the State of Illinois caught up to many small schools in the late 1940s. Haw Creek Township High School in Gilson was one of those caught in this effort. Gilson – Haw Creek Township High School closed in 1948, keeping only a grade school for kids in K – 6 open. All other kids in grades 7 – 12 attended school as part of the Knoxville School District after the closure. The grade school closed in 1977 with all classes now held in Knoxville.
The original Gilson – Haw Creek Township High School building as visited in November of 2024 is still standing in town. However the building suffered great damage recently due to a fire. It was sad to see this grand old building trying to hang on but I fear it is headed for the wrecking ball. Such a great, historical building who served the town of Gilson for many, many years. A good fan of the area, Denis Shenaut, tells us he and others played basketball in the gym through the early 1980s.
An excellent book which reviews and documents the history of Gilson and several other schools in the Know County area has been published by Marie Olinger of Galesburg. As Marie describes her book and how to order it:
“Rural Schools Out of the Past has over 200 pages of pictures and stories from students or teachers of rural schools. Pictures of 50 schools in Knox County and close by. The cost is $25 plus postage of $4 or make arrangements to pick up. To order the book please write to
Marie Olinger
743 IL RT 41
Galesburg, IL 61401
You may also phone me at 309-462-2293 I will be at Gilson School Ice Cream Social July 16, 2006 from 2p to 5p with my book and visiting with guests.”
Gilson – Haw Creek Township High School Quick Facts
Year graded school began: 1870
Year HS courses began: 1902
Year HS building built: 1903
First graduating class: 1905 (five students)
Gymnasium built: 1928 (2nd floor)
Year closed: 1948
Consolidated to: Knoxville School District
Year grade school closed: 1977
School team nickname: the “Trojans”
School team colors: unavailable
School Fight Song: unavailable
| Rear View of Hawcreek School |
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| Courtesy of Gerry Halpin |
ATHLETICS
We know that Gilson Haw Creek Township High School competed in basketball. They may have also played softball or baseball and track. Unfortunately there is no listing of the accomplishments attained by the athletes of the school on the IHSA website (www.ihsa.org) . If you have this information and would like to share it please follow the directions below.
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BOYS BASKETBALL
The Gilson Haw Creek “Trojans” definitely competed in boys basketball. Scores involving Gilson participating in the IHSA State Tournament were located on a website titled “Illinois High School Postseason Basketball Scores.” These scores are posted below.
1921-22 Galesburg District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Victoria 21-15
2nd Rd Beat Altona 20-17
3rd Rd lost to Wethersfield 29-21
Galesburg beat Williamsfield in title game.
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1930-31 Elmwood District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Williamsfield 23-21
Wyoming beat Brimfield in title game.
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1931-32 District scores not available.
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1932-33 Elmwood District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Maquon 18-16
Peoria Central beat Williamsfield in title game.
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1933-34 Galesburg District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Rio 32-11
2nd Rd lost to Abingdon 35-14
Galesburg beat Knoxville in title game
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1934-35 Galesburg District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Oneida 20-16
Galesburg Beat Knoxville in title game.
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1935-36 Galesburg District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Altona 54-18
Altona beat Avon in title game.
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1936-37 Maquon District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd Beat Rio 47-23
Semi-Final lost to Maquon 37-29
Avon Beat Maquon in title game
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1937-38 District scores needed.
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1938-39 Maquon District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Victoria 34-15
Victoria beat Yates City in title game.
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1939-40 District scores needed.
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1940-41 Oneida District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Oneida 43-32
Maquon beat Oneida in title game.
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1941-42 District scores needed.
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1942-43 Oneida District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Oneida 61-27
Altona beat Oneida in title game.
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1943-44 District scores needed.
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1944-45 District scores needed.
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1945-46 Oneida District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Maquon 39-22
Oneida beat Altona in title game.
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1946-47 Oneida District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Wataga 47-41
Oneida beat Woodhull in title game.
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1947-48 Oneida District Tournament Coach’s name & record needed.
1st Rd lost to Wataga 59-24
**Oneida beat Wataga in title game.
**Final varsity boys basketball game played by Gilson Haw Creek High School. School consolidated with Knowville School District in the summer of 1948.
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SEEKING FURHTER INFORMATION
We are told there may have been some really good teams and athletes at Gilson High School. There were probably several other great accomplishments other than those mentioned. If you have this information please e-mail us at ihsgdwebsite@comcast.net.
THE STORY OF FRANK RANDE AND THE GILSON / ST. ELMO MURDERS OF 1877
A tragic yet fascinating, “old west” type of story developed in Gilson in August of 1877. The story involves a man who idolized western bandits of the era and attempted to carve his name into the history books through crime and murder.
Frank Rande, who also had at least 5 other alias names, was born as Charles Scott in Pennsylvania in 1839. His family moved to Iowa where his father was a blacksmith. By all accounts he had a normal childhood, attending school and working for his father. He married at the age of 23 however within a few months she died (one paper stated “happily for her”), her cause of death not revealed. Rande then went to Minnesota to live off of the land as a kind of mountain man. He returned to Iowa after a few years to begin a life of crime. Iowa and eventually Indiana were the benefactors.
In 1877 Rande was 38 years old with a very active criminal record. He spent time in jail in Indiana for robbery before being released in the summer of 1877. Rande made his way across central Illinois, through the Peoria area. On August 3rd of 1877 Rande completed a successful burglary of a gun shop in Elmwood, IL. During the burglary he stole a few guns along with several rounds of ammunition.
Rande soon made his way to the farm of Charles Belden near Gilson on August 5th, 1877. Rande found the house to be empty as the Belden family was attending church in Gilson. Upon their return home the Belden family discovered their home had been entered and items were missing. Mr. Belden observed footprints leading from his home to a nearby cornfield. Mr. Belden followed the footprints and heard rustling in the cornfield. Belden confronted the man, later known to be Frank Rande, and ordered him to stop. Newspaper articles state that Rande calmly turned around, drew two pistols, one in each hand, and shot Belden once in the head and twice in the body. Belden died within minutes.
As townspeople were alerted to the chaotic situation, several townspeople formed a posse and seemed to have Rande in a desperate situation hiding in the cornfield. However, Rande showed no fear and, as one newspaper wrote, had a keen shooting eye. Rande ignored orders to surrender and began shooting at his pursuers. One gentleman was struck in the chest however he survived. Two horses being ridden by members of the posse were shot, one fatally on the scene. One bullet struck a man on a horse who had his ten year old son riding with him. The bullet struck the boy’s foot causing great damage to the point where the boy’s foot had to be amputated. During the frantic scene Rande made an escape to a nearby wooded area. He left a jacket which had a pawn receipt inside listing his name as Frank Rande. Under cover of darkness he fled from Gilson and headed south.
Rande continued his reign of terror on September 11, 1877, coming to the small town of St. Elmo, Il. located about 85 miles east and a little north of St. Louis, Mo. There Rande once again burglarized a home while the occupants were away. Mr. John Scoles and family, upon their return, found their house to have been burglarized and a freshly prepared breakfast on the kitchen table. Mr. Scoles soon heard rustling in the cornfield nearby and attempted to track the source of the noise. Scoles identified Rande and called out to him, Rande turned and fired three shots, one striking Scoles in the head. Scoles died within minutes.
A posse of approximately 100 men was formed. One of the leaders of the posse, Barnes, forged ahead and, upon located Rande, called out to Rande to surrender. From a distance of about 40’ Rande was alleged to have turned around calmly and fired one shot at Barnes, striking him in the head and killing him instantly. Another member of the posse, Frank Wiseman was near Barnes at the time of the shooting. Within seconds Rander fired his pistol at Wiseman, also striking him in the head and killing him instantly. Rande then fired at and killed a horse carrying a rider who was also advancing toward him. Newspaper reports state that Rande then let out a devilish scream and ran toward several members of the posse. Seeing the fate of the others members of the posse fled. Once again, during the chaotic scene unfolding, Rande escaped into a wooded area.
By this time word had spread and people throughout the Midwest were on the lookout for Frank Rande. Due to the pawn receipt found during the Gilson murder, pawn shops in LaFayette, IN. and St. Louis, MO. were notified to be on the lookout for Rande. Law enforcement came up with a plan to trick Rande into coming into a pawn shop in St. Louis, based on a missing item that belonged to Rande.
On November 16, 1877 Rande and an accomplice appeared at the pawn shop in St. Louis. The owner recognized Rande and alerted two police officers who happened to be on foot nearby. The officers approached the pawn shop, approached Rande, and ordered him to surrender. Rande pulled a revolver from behind his back and shot police officer White in the right leg, severing his femoral artery. Rande was also shot several times as a gun fight ensued. Rande became incapacitated and was arrested. Officer White, due to extreme blood loss, died of his injuries three days later.
Rande would somehow survive and would face trial in Knox, County, IL. for the Gilson murder. Rande’s lawyers’ put up an insanity defense attempted to have him released as he faced death by hanging. In February of 1878 Rande was found guilty but due to his mental state was sentenced to life in prison. This caused a great outcry of injustice in the area. Citizens were outraged and only due to the police being able to sneak Rande out of town did he survive a public lynching. One newspaper article refered to the jury as being cowardly in not imposing the death penalty.
The story does not end there however. Rande was to serve his life sentence in the prison in Joliet. His train ride from Knox County to Joliet was filled with onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse of the now famous killer. For the next seven years Rande served time at the Joliet Prison. In February of 1884 Rande was working in an area of the prison as was part of his daily routine. Suddenly, and without warning, Rande assaulted the deputy warden of the prison, Captain John McDonald, striking him in the head with an iron poker, fracturing his skull. A fierce fight ensued between Rande and prison guards. Rande would be shot in the head, however he again miraculously survived and was taken into custody. McDonald would also eventually recover from his fractured skull injury.
The story comes to an ending on March 7, 1884. Rande was being held in solitary confinement at the Joliet prison. He was reported to have been constantly walking the floor of his 12’ X 10’ cell, at times howling and yelling. A guard spoke to him on the night of March 6. On the morning of March 7, 1884 at 7A his cell door was opened to check on him. Rande was discovered hanging by the neck from a noose made from his own clothes. No foul play was suspected.
All totaled, Rande was deemed responsible for at least 5 murders and numerous aggravated assaults during his three month reign of terror between August of 1877 and November of 1877. He also nearly killed a jail guard in February of 1884. Notes found at a desk near where he last worked in the prison suggest there may have been other victims of crimes he committed but was not identified as the villain.
It is always entertaining to start a journey of looking into the history of a community. In this case it was a tragic event for Gilson and St. Elmo.
| Gilson School Building |
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| January, 2006 |
| Gilson School Building |
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| Photo Taken January, 2006 |
| Gilson School Restoration – Rearview |
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