Category Archives: Mills

The Sangamon River

Posted on September 26, 2018 by editor

In 1831, a new Illinois county was formed from parts of Madison and Bond counties. The new county was named for the river that bisected it: the Sangamon. The headwater of the Sangamon River is a small stream emerging from … Continue reading →

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Pensacola

Posted on March 19, 2017 by editor

“Pensacola” was the name given to a tiny, unincorporated community in Cotton Hill Township, southeast of Springfield, in the 1800s. The area is designated for inundation if and when Hunter Lake is ever created as a backup water source for … Continue reading →

Posted in Communities, Early residents, Historic Sites, Hotels & taverns, Mills, Politics, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Wolf Creek Mill

Posted on February 25, 2017 by editor

Wolf Creek Mill, also known as Constant’s Mill, was on Wolf Creek in Williams Township, about three and a half miles southeast of Williamsville. The 1881 History of Sangamon County, Illinois states the mill was built in 1825 by Thomas … Continue reading →

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Loami

Posted on November 22, 2013 by editor

Europeans first moved into what now is Loami Township in 1819, but the village of Loami didn’t get its start until William and Ebenezer Colburn erected a steam saw and grist mill there in 1836. A settlement grew up around the … Continue reading →

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William and Margaret Carpenter

Posted on October 31, 2013 by editor

Carpenter Park and Carpenter Street are among legacies of the family of William (1787-1859) and Margaret Carpenter (1803-33), who moved to Sangamon County from Virginia in 1820. The family first built a cabin north of the Sangamon River and eventually … Continue reading →

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Carpenter’s Mill

Posted on October 30, 2013 by editor

Carpenter’s Mill, a saw and grist mill, was built in 1845 near where modern Business Route 55 crosses the Sangamon River south of Sherman. The rock cut where the old road went through the bluff is still visible. The mill … Continue reading →

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Clark’s Mill

Posted on October 30, 2013 by editor

Clark’s Mill was on the South Fork of the Sangamon River near Rochester. The Clark brothers, Edward and Phillip, came to the United States from England with the express purpose of building a watermill. They arrived in Sangamon County in … 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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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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Fancy Grove

Posted on October 28, 2013 by editor

One of the earliest but least known settlements in Sangamon County was the community of Fancy Grove. Located along the headwaters of Fancy Creek about three miles southwest of Williamsville, Fancy Grove was unique in that most of its residents … Continue reading →

Posted in Communities, Early residents, Mills | 2 Comments