Southern Illinois took place in Williamson County between 1839 and 1876. This was unusual, as crime was almost non-existent in Illinois during its frontier years prior to this period of lawlessness. In 1858, Abraham Lincoln ran for the U.S. Senate against Stephen A. Douglas. A debate was held in seven towns in Illinois, one being near Jonesboro. Many of the people living in Southern Illinois were first- or second-generation Southerners. Cairo, Illinois, at the southern tip where the Ohio River joins the Mississippi, was of strategic importance. On either side of the rivers were states which, despite remaining in the Union, had
Muddy Creek (Lamine River) Muddy Creek (Lamine River) Muddy Creek is a stream in Johnson and Pettis Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is a tributary of Lamine River. The stream headwaters arise in southeastern Johnson County just east of the community of Sutherland and Missouri Route 23 at . The stream flows northeast and enters Pettis County about three miles southeast of Whiteman Air Force Base. The stream continues to the northeast passing under Missouri Route 127 three miles south of LaMonte and under U.S. Route 50 three miles west of Sedalia. It crosses under U.S. Route 65 six miles north