James Tanner's post last week, Plumbing the depths of the Library of Congress for Genealogy, provided a link to a treasure chest.
The Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers project
There I found 1851 newspaper articles listing Great Great Grandfather Garrard Morgan property in Indiana's weekly "Sale of Sinking Funds Land." And I found the reason he may have packed up his family and moved west from Decatur, Indiana to Mattoon, Illinois soon afterwards.
The Sale of Sinking Land Funds was listed weekly. Garrard Morgan's land was listed in four issues just as it is seen above.
October 9, 1851
October 16, 1851
October 24, 1851
November 20, 1851
Laws of the State of Indiana 1851, Chapter CLXX – An Act for the relief of
the owners of lands mortgaged to the sinking fund, February 14, 1851, offers an explanation as found in this google book.
Among the three land parcels named in Decatur County land mortgaged to the Sinking Fund is that of James Eward who may be part of the Hamilton family.
Note: The Links to Garrard Morgan and his move to Mattoon, Illinois are from Amy's Garrard Morgan histories at The Ancestor Files blog.
Wow. That's a nice discovery, Bessie!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it was a local situation, or if it was like getting caught in the 2008 mortgage crisis. It looks like something similar was happening at the same time in Kentucky, so could this be a trend involving the great migration from Kentucky to Indiana to Illinois? (This is when I regret never having done much economic history.)
Thanks for your comments Amy. I always appreciate your insights.
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