He named the community after his friend Ninian Edwards , then territorial governor of Illinois .
The first European - American settler was Thomas Kirkpatrick , who came in 1805 , laid out a community , and served as the Justice of the Peace .
Thomas Kirkpatrick named the community after Thomas Kirkpatrick 's friend Ninian Edwards , then territorial governor of Illinois .
The first European - American settler was Thomas Kirkpatrick , who came in 1805 , laid out a community , and served as the Justice of the Peace .