Category Archives: Early residents

‘Jack,’ age 5: First Black resident

Posted on October 22, 2013 by editor

Local researcher Richard Hart discovered evidence in early county records that the Kelly family, generally considered Springfield’s earliest settlers, were accompanied by several African-American slaves. In particular, Hart found, Henry and Mary Kelly, the parents of 1818-19 settlers Elisha and … Continue reading →

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Johnson & Bradford Bookstore

Posted on October 22, 2013 by editor

Johnson & Bradford Bookstore, founded in 1837, was thought to have been the oldest bookstore in Illinois when John Carroll Power produced his 1871 History of Springfield, Illinois, Its Attractions As A Home And Advantages For Business, Manufacturing, Etc. The … Continue reading →

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July 4, 1830s-style

Posted on October 22, 2013 by editor

Sangamon County residents of the 1830s had a special closeness to the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. Only 50 years separated them from those historic events. That is fewer years than now separate us from World War II. … Continue reading →

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Revolutionary War veterans buried in Sangamon County

Posted on October 22, 2013 by editor

This entry has been updated. A marker on the Old Capitol Plaza identifies 27 veterans of the American Revolution who are buried in Sangamon County, but that figure probably identifies only half of the patriots whose final resting places are … Continue reading →

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Springfield Brewery

Posted on October 22, 2013 by editor

The earliest recorded brewery in Springfield was started in 1840 by James Busher. Busher and his brother John emigrated from their native England and settled in Springfield in 1839. The brothers were tanners by trade, or at least worked in … Continue reading →

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The Kelley (Kelly) family

Posted on October 21, 2013 by editor

The Kelleys – Elisha, John, Henry and their relatives – are usually considered the first Europeans to live in the boundaries of what is now Springfield. (An 1817 settler, Levi Ellis, may actually deserve that designation, but the Kelley family’s cabins … Continue reading →

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The Kickapoo

Posted on October 21, 2013 by editor

When Europeans began moving into Central Illinois in the early 1800s, the Kickapoo were the dominant Native American tribe, holding sway from north of present-day Peoria to near St. Louis and east to west across Illinois. “I am a Kickapoo,” … Continue reading →

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Philip Latham (1828 pioneers)

Posted on October 21, 2013 by editor

Philip C. Latham (1804-44) was listed as a clerk in James Henry’s store at First and Jefferson streets in 1828, according to John Todd Stuart’s later remembrances. (The store is No. 13 on the reconstructed map of 1828 Springfield.) However, … Continue reading →

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Lincoln Home neighborhood

Posted on October 16, 2013 by editor

Although the Lincoln family home at Eighth and Jackson streets in Springfield reflected Abraham Lincoln’s status as a prominent attorney and politician, the National Park Service points out that the neighborhood surrounding the home was a diverse one. The following … Continue reading →

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Charles Matheny (1828 pioneers)

Posted on October 16, 2013 by editor

Charles R. Matheny (1786-1839), was a prominent political and religious leader in Sangamon County’s earliest days. Born in Virginia, Matheny was ordained a Methodist minister and studied law in Kentucky. He was elected to the Illinois territorial legislature from St. … Continue reading →

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