!He was a brother of our Elizabeth Rector. He died in St. Louis in 1825 His heirs were Son -in -Law Patrick O'Lee Sons Henry Rector, William V. Rector. Wharton Rector ( Married Betsy Ann Langham) George Rector, Thomas Rector ( married Constance Lee in 1821 ) Daughters Eliza Rector ( never married ), Amanda ( Never Married) Lydia Rector ( Married Stephen Rector) He had lived at Kaskaskia, Ill He was one of the first settlers there. ----------------------------------------------------------------- William was made Surveyor General for Ill. and Mo. in 1816. In 1820 William Rector ran to be a candidate to the Constitutional Convention and won by a large margin declaring he was in favor of the continuing of importation of slaves. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The first surveys of the State of Arkansas was made by William Rector and 62 deputies, four being his brothers and four being his nephews. ---------------------------------------------------------------- In 1813 William Rector was made Surveyor General of Ill. Mo. and Ark ---------------------------------------------------------------- From FREDERICK RECTOR'S SONS William was in the war of 1812 against the Indians at the head of Peoria Lake. ---------------------------------------------------------------- From FREDERICK RECTOR'S SONS The Barton Rector duel The Duel in which Joshua Barton was killed arose out of criticism made by Joshua in a newspaper of William's conduct as Surveyor-General. When Thomas Rector, William's brother, first challenged Barton, Barton refused to duel unless Rector admitted the truth of the matters alleged in article against his brother. Rector admitted the the truth of the article but demanded satisfaction as the article was offensive. The duel took place opposite the big mound and the Rectors were on top of the mound to witness the affair. and when they found that Barton had been slain raised a victorious cheer. The intensity of the hatred was so great that they had agreed among themselves that if Thomas should fall another member of the family would take his place. They were determined to kill Barton at all hazards. Barton was buried by his friend Edward Bates at St. Charles not far from the old stone tower.
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From a letter by S. Glascock regarding William Rector, surveyor of Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. "last June it is said that he brought 250,000 dollars, a sum sufficient to pay all his contracts and that himself and all his relatives there are rolling in splendor, basking in the sunshine of prosperity and riding in glittering carriages that it takes for the best kind of houses and steeds to draw the General."
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William Rector was one of 10 men elected to meet in St.Louis to meet 12 June 1820 to frame the constitution of the State of Missouri.
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From MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW JULY 1996 -Others such as William Rector ruined themselves through scandalous behavior and associations than through the mismanagement of their business affairs.
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From MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW July 1994 Renting slaves was . As early as 1819 farmers such as William Rector advertised in the local newspaper for the hire of slave labor.. You could make a business of renting a slave and make about 12 to 16 percent on the investment investment., You could rent by the day, week, month, season or year..
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From MISSOURI HISTORICAL REVIEW OCT 1995 " William Rector was one of nine sons and four daughters of Frederick Rector and Elizabeth Conner Rector . He left Virginia in 1806 and moved to Illinois where he became deputy surveyor general of the Kaskaskia district. In 1812 he was appointed brigadier general of the Illinois troops. Rector moved to St.Louis in 1816 after receiving the appointment as surveyor general of the Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas Territories. Several of his brothers and nephews joined him in Missouri. Rector soon became prominent in the economic and political affairs of the Territories. He was elected as a director of the Bank of St Louis in 1817 and served as a delegate to the State's constitutional convention in 1820. Rector employed several of his brothers and nephews as deputy surveyors. Charges of nepotism against Rector by David Barton lead to the death of Joshua Barton in a duel with Thomas Rector. Rector's appointment as surveyor general was revoked in 1824 and he died in Illinois in 1826."
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From A HISTORY OF MISSOURI by Louis Houck - William Rector was born in Fauquier Co. Va. He was the oldest of 9 sons and 4 daughters. The family first settled at Kaskaski in 1806, but from there removed to St Louis. In St Louis , his brother, Col. Elias Rector was appointed postmaster in 1819, holding the office till 1822. In 1812 William Rector participated in the war against the Indians at the head of Peoria Lake, says Gov. Reynolds. In 1817 he was appointed surveyor-general of Illinois and Missouri. In 1818 laid out a town at the mouth of the Osage River. He made a map, no doubt at the insistence of the authorities, of the western part of the United States, showing the course of rivers emptying into the Pacific, relying mostly on information from Rodiboux, and which is filed in Washington. In the duel in which Joshua Barton was killed originated out of a criticizim by him in a newspaper of the conduct of Rector as surveyor-general. When Thomas Rector first challenged Barton refused to accept the challenge, unless Rector admitted the truth of the matter alleged in the article against his brother. Rector did this but said the article was offensive and therefore demanded satisfaction. The duel took place opposite the Big Mound and the Rectors were on the mound to witness the affair, and when they knew that Barton had been slain raised a victorious shout. The intensity of their hatred may be gathered from the fact that they had agreed among themselves, that if Thomas Barton should fall another member would take his place. Barton was buried by his friend Edward Bates at St. George not far from the old stone tower.
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In May 1819 William Rector and associates laid out the town of Osage.Upon the arrival of the first steamship in the Missouri River, there was a great banquet at the Bennett Hotel in St.Louis where William and Elias Rector made speeches., 10 June 1819
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From CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSOURI- William was the oldest son of Frederick Rector
William Rector and associates laid out the town of Osage,Mo.
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From COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Kaskaskia, Co. of Randolph 7 Oct1813, . Wm Rector refused to pay 500 dollars to John Edgar for the use of William Shannon. and was ordered to pay.
From the above court- SHANNON verses WILLIAM RECTOR -Rector would not pay Shannon
$ 620 and $ 50 damage till ordered by the Court