First Soybeans Planted in Illinois, 1851

FIRST SOYBEANS

PLANTED IN ILLINOIS, 1851

BITTEN BY GOLD RUSH FEVER IN 1849, DR. BENJAMIN F. EDWARDS,

BROTHER TO FORMER ILLINOIS GOVERNOR NINIAN EDWARDS AND THE

HONORABLE CYRUS EDWARDS, LEFT ALTON AND TRAVELED TO SAN

FRANCISCO TO TRY TO CAPITALIZE ON THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

DAYS BEFORE HE BEGAN MAKING HIS WAY HOME, 17 SHIPWRECKED

JAPANESE SAILORS FOUND FLOATING ADRIFT FOR 50 DAYS IN THE

PACIFIC ARRIVED HAVING BEEN RESCUED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE

CITY. IN THE FOOD STORES OF THE RESCUED JAPANESE WERE

SOYBEAN SEEDS ("JAPANESE PEAS"). DR. EDWARDS CAME INTO

POSSESSION OF SEVERAL OF THE PEAS AND HE IN TURN GAVE SIX OF

THEM TO HIS FRIEND, JAMES HENRY LEA, A PROMINENT MERCHANT.

UPON RETURNING TO ALTON IN APRIL OF 1851. MR. LEA HAD AN

INTEREST IN AGRICULTURE AND PLANTED THE SEEDS IN HIS GARDEN

ON WHAT IS NOW THE LOCATION OF LORETTO TOWERS, THUS

BECOMING THE FIRST SOYBEANS GROWN IN ILLINOiS, MR. LEA WOULD

GO ON TO SHARE THE RESULTS OF HIS CROP WITH VARIOUS

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES, THUS PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN

SOYBEAN DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.