Category Archives: Early residents

Jabez Capps (1828 pioneers)

Posted on October 31, 2013 by editor

Jabez Capps (1796-1896), one of several energetic siblings who made their marks in both the U.S. and England, was a prominent merchant between 1819, when he arrived in Sangamon County, until 1836, when he moved away and helped found the … Continue reading →

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William and Margaret Carpenter

Posted on October 31, 2013 by editor

This entry has been edited to correct the death date of Margaret Carpenter and to correct the size of Carpenter Park. Carpenter Park and Carpenter Street are among legacies of the family of William (1787-1859) and Margaret Carpenter (1803-83), who … Continue reading →

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Philip Crowder’s Revolutionary War pension application

Posted on October 29, 2013 by editor

Philip Crowder (1759-1844), who is buried in a family plot in on the west side of Old Chatham Road across from Illini Country Club in Leland Grove, was a veteran of the American Revolution. He applied for a military pension … Continue reading →

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Darling’s Mill

Posted on October 29, 2013 by editor

Darling’s Mill was on the North Fork of the Sangamon River in Clear Lake Township, south of the modern Mechanicsburg Road crossing. One of the lesser known mills today, Darling’s Mill is actually well documented in the historical record. The … Continue reading →

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The Deep Snow

Posted on October 29, 2013 by editor

Snow began falling in central Illinois on Christmas Eve 1830 and didn’t let up for nine weeks, according to a later memoir by the Rev. John Bergen. At the same time, the temperature fell to zero and below — as … Continue reading →

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Early Springfield (Barringer map)

Posted on October 28, 2013 by editor

The map at right was created for Dr. Floyd Barringer’s 1971 booklet Tour of Historic Springfield. Fever River Research, in its  Aristocracy Hill  and Enos Park surveys, along with its archaeological survey prior to construction of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Early residents, Fever River, Historic Sites, Histories, Maps, Native Americans, Springfield, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Edwards Trace

Posted on October 28, 2013 by editor

Update (November 2024): The most complete information on the Edwards Trace is available at rabbitsrow.com, a website created by Trace researchers Luke Moore, David Brady and Tracy Garrison. It includes: their paper on the history and route of the Trace; … Continue reading →

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Dr. Garret Elkin (1828 pioneers)

Posted on October 28, 2013 by editor

Dr. Garrett Elkin, who moved to Sangamon County from Kentucky in 1823, “was a man of considerable courage,” serving for six years as county sheriff and in the Black Hawk, Mormon and Mexican wars, according to the History of Medical … Continue reading →

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Andrew Elliott (1828 pioneers)

Posted on October 28, 2013 by editor

Andrew Elliott (1792-1864) kept what John Carroll Power called the first hotel in Springfield. However, his main claim to (probably apocryphal) fame was as the guide who secured the county seat for Springfield. According to Power, Elliott, originally from North … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Early residents, Hotels & taverns, Local government, Prominent figures, Sangamon County, Springfield | 2 Comments

Levi Ellis: First resident of Springfield?

Posted on October 28, 2013 by editor

Several accounts suggest that Levi Ellis (c.1791-1857) may have been the first European to set up residence in what is now the city of Springfield, a designation often attributed to Elisha Kelly and his relatives. Ellis, born in South Carolina, … Continue reading →

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