The Egyptian Klan

With its large influx of southerners, Little Egypt, Southern Illinois, had a worrisome number of Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War. Active in the region was The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC), a pro-slavery group. It was claimed that in 1862 Williamson Co had 1000 Knights, an incredibly large number considering that in 1860, the county had only 12,205 residents. It has been proposed that the KGC was the forerunner of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Southern Illinois and certainly the viewpoints of the two organizations were similar.

The KKK originated in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, and is said to have reached Southern Illinois by 1867. It had certainly arrived by 1871, when forty men attacked the farm of John Baker on the Williamson-Franklin county line, driving him and his family off. The following year, on 22 Apr 1872, fourteen (some say ten) riders in masks, robes, and pointed caps hung Isaac Vancil, a 73-year-old Williamson Co farmer known for his multitude of illegitimate children and rough, ignorant, and overbearing life style. Though the hanging was carried out in Williamson Co, members of the Franklin Co Klan were present. At least two trial witnesses who testified against the Klan for Vancil's slaying were afterwards murdered.

The seven southern Illinois counties with KKK activity, 1867–1875.

The Klan increased its activity, eventually operating in seven Southern Illinois counties: Franklin, Williamson, Jackson, Saline, Johnson, Union, and Pope. During 1874 and 1875, the "Egyptian Night Riders" claimed to have conducted about one hundred raids in Franklin Co. There was little activity against African Americans, who were nearly nonexistent in most of Southern Illinois. The Klan acted instead as vigilantes, claiming to right wrongs and to punish miscreants living immoral lives. In fact, much of the activity appears to have been to settle personal grudges. One newspaper reporter at the time said the cause was just “inherent ‘cussedness’.”

Were the night riders in Southern Illinois really the Ku Klux Klan? They called themselves Klansmen, their dress and oaths resembled those of the original Klan, and they were considered KKK members by government officials and newspaper reporters. If it walks like a duck…

On the other hand, the Illinois organizations appeared to be relatively nonpolitical. Some members were even said to be Republican, an absolute “no-no” for Klan members in the deep south. And some Illinois Klansmen had fought in the Union Army during the Civil War. But, for convenience, we will continue to refer to the Southern Illinois masked rider groups as the KKK. They certainly believed they were.

St. Louis Republican newspaper, 23 Aug 1875

Dr. Andy Hall, a prominent early 20th century Mt. Vernon, Illinois, physician, who lived in Franklin Co at the time of the KKK, has described their activities. 

The headgear of the Franklin county. clansmen consisted of a tall white cap with peep holes and a long flowing robe that covered the entire body. And as they always completely covered with white blankets, even the heads of the animals except for the peep holes through which to see. This was to prevent the possible identity of the animal, disclosing the name of the rider.

 At one time they were so numerous and active in that community that one could seldom start out on the highway without meeting from ten to thirty clansmen. Their principal activities were directed to supervising all the social, moral and business affairs of the community. Unfortunately they administered punishment to their personal enemies and to those who dared to disobey their orders or warnings. For several months they carried on unmolested, visiting isolated farm houses in the dead hours of the night, called the occupants outside and warning them what they should do or should not do and frequently punishing them in various ways.

But what does all of this have to do with the Summers family? We shall soon see.