Category Archives: Early residents

Stephen T. Logan (Lincoln law partner)

Posted on August 9, 2017 by editor

Springfield had more than its share of star lawyers – Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas and others – in the 1830s and ‘40s. But everybody agreed the best trial lawyer on the circuit was a short, cranky Kentucky native named … Continue reading →

Posted in Early residents, Historic Sites, Lincoln, Abraham, Politics, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

The Town Branch

Posted on July 1, 2017 by editor

Many of Sangamon County’s first pioneers settled next to the Town Branch, a meandering stream that was early Springfield’s defining topographic feature. Starting in the late 1850s, the creek took on a new role, one it continues to hold today: … Continue reading →

Posted in Early residents, John T. Stuart, Local government, Maps, Public health | 1 Comment

Fisher ‘murder’ hysteria, 1841

Posted on June 23, 2017 by editor

The case of a “murdered” man who later turned up alive is one of 19th-century Springfield’s best-known legal controversies. That’s mainly because Abraham Lincoln wrote about it, but also because of the roles played by circumstantial evidence, a false confession … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Early residents, Law enforcement, Lincoln, Abraham, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

The whipping post, 1828-37

Posted on June 21, 2017 by editor

A whipping post stood permanently on the northeast corner of Springfield’s public square from 1828 to 1837. It apparently was used infrequently, but often enough that whippings stuck in the minds of those who saw them. The post – which … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Early residents, Illinois capital, Law enforcement, Local government, Prominent figures, Sangamon County, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

John S. Condell memoir, 1840s

Posted on June 18, 2017 by editor

John S. Condell Sr. (1818-1907), born in Ireland, arrived in Springfield by way of Philadelphia and Carrollton in 1841. Condell was one of Springfield’s pioneer merchants, operating stores on the downtown square for more than 40 years. One of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Early residents, Historic Sites, Histories, Prominent figures, Social life | 5 Comments

Springfield park names

Posted on June 10, 2017 by editor

Parks in the Springfield Park District have taken their names from U.S. presidents, local pioneers, subdivisions, donors and others. Here is a list of parks and their name derivations as of summer 2017. Bergen. 2900 Clear Lake Ave. The Springfield … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Amusements, Early residents, Parks, Prominent figures, Sports and recreation | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Business, Early residents, Mills | Leave a comment

‘Wigwam tree’ and sulfur spring, Loami

Posted on September 21, 2016 by editor

Note: This entry has been edited to reflect additional information about the first burial at Sulphur Spring Cemetery. The “wigwam tree” was a hollow sycamore near Loami that, according to John Carroll Power in History of the Early Settlers of … Continue reading →

Posted in Communities, Early residents, Native Americans, Prehistory | 7 Comments

Chesapeake Seafood House

Posted on July 19, 2016 by editor

NOTE: This entry has been edited. See below. The home that makes up the core of the Chesapeake Seafood House, 3045 Clear Lake Ave., was built sometime after 1857 by John McGredy, a 19th-century Scottish immigrant turned nurseryman. McGredy apparently … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, Early residents, Prominent figures, Restaurants | Leave a comment