The Eatons came to Crawford County to settle at Ft. LaMotte (known as Palestine) along with 26 other families under Captain Pierce Andrews in 1812. Dissention at Ft. LaMotte over affairs at African Ridge (north of the fort) caused the William Eaton family, along with others to leave and establish Fort Foot. It was named Fort Foot because the Eaton's were especially noted for their long and narrow feet. The Eaton Ben, Joseph, John, Stephen, Richard and Daniel."11

'Early in American history, the Eatons erected a fort in the state of Illinois and named it Fort Foot.It was a refuge for all the settlers during Indian uprising.It is generally accepted that the Eatons were the first settlers of Crawford County, Illinois as early as 1808-09. Family characteristics were a large family, with a large physique, who possessed extra large feet, thus 'Fort Foot',They were men of action, a very clannish people who always put God above all. William Eaton, the patriarch, having many children, among them John, Stephen, Benjamin, Joseph and Richard.They were in Palestine, Illinois during our last war with England (1812).274