Great-great grandfather and great grandfather's families arrived from Vermont in 1831. Many of the adults and children died of scarlet fever early on. Many hardships. Great-grandfather fought a prairie fire that set the hay on fire, came down with bronchitis that led to tuberculosis. Tried to get back east for a cure, but died. Left wife and children to manage farm alone.
LAND
Each man had bought and registered 80 acres of land at $1.25 per acre. Certificate came from Springfield Land Office with Andrew Jackson's patent. His grandfather bought out the Herron farm and homesteaded for 160 acres.
TOWNS
Sangamo Town registered in 1820, incorporated in 1824. Had woolen, saw, and grist mills. Only steam driven saw mill in area. In 1850 grandfather took sheep there to wash in the shallow edge of river before shearing. Most of buildings in town gone by then. When the state government was deciding where to put the capital city, they sent surveyors out. Rolland says the backers of Springfield took the surveyors the long way around to see Sangamo and got lost and decided no one could ever find it.
