Captain Haws Bicentennial Celebration to commemorate Putnam County’s first settler

The Magnolia Township Preservation Association will celebrate the first settler in Putnam County during the Captain Haws Bicentennial Celebration on Saturday, Aug. 17.

The day’s festivities kick off with a car show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Magnolia Township Preservation Association Museum parking lot. Preservation association members also will sell pork chop sandwiches, drinks and snacks. A slideshow presentation about Capt. William Haws will be on display in the museum meeting room.

In 1824, Haws was passing through the area now known as Magnolia Township on his way to Galena. He liked the region’s countryside and decided to settle in Putnam County. Haws carved his name on a tree before he continued to Galena. In 1826, after finishing his business in Galena, he returned to the Magnolia area and took possession of his claim.

Haws is credited with being the first permanent settler in Putnam County. He built a log cabin on the north side of Little Sandy Creek. Putnam County was organized in 1831 at a meeting in Haws’ cabin.

Haws was the captain of a company of state militia during the Black Hawk War. He led a wagon train to Oregon in 1847, and he excavated lead in Galena, gold in California and silver in Mexico.

The mission of the Magnolia Township Preservation Association is to research, collect, preserve, promote and communicate the history of Magnolia Township to educate future generations.