Jersey County, Illinois - Chapter 10: Land Entries and Early Titles, 1919

Chapter 10: Land Entries and Early Titles

The first records we have pertaining to the title to land are transcript entries of land at the land office and the original patents therefor, signed by the President of the United States at the date of entry, which vest the fee simple title in the person in whose name the entry was made. Therefore resort must be made to the transcript of records of land entries at the land office for dates of settlements, where they are not otherwise obtainable. Doubtless for this reason the names of many transient settlers cannot now be obtained. Investigation of all of the earlier maps, atlases and histories has been made, information solicited among the descend¬ ants of the earliest settlers, the data collected by the Old Settlers' So¬ ciety, the Jersey County Historical Society, the county records, the county press, and all other available means, that a fair and just con¬ sideration may be given to all persons and localities in the county. The first entries of land were made in 1820, and were as follows: John Wil¬ kins, 31-7-10, October 13 ; H. & J. Hewitt, 31-9-10, October 23.

Other Early Entries

Patterson. On January 13, 1821, John Brown entered land in the same town; on the 22, Silas Crane entered land; on the 23, Philip Grimes. In Quarry Township, 6-13, John Evans also entered land on February

5, 1821; and George Finney on February 26. In Richwoods Township, 8-13, on January 10, 1821, John Gunterman, John Medford, Samuel Gates entered land ; and on January 18, of that same year, Moses Seeds entered land in that township. In Otter Creek Township, 7-12, on June 29, 1821, William Davidson entered land. There were several fractional tracts entered along the Jersey County shore of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in 1821, but they were mostly of small area. The total of the acreage was greater than in any one year prior to 1830, English Township, 8-12, which was two-thirds timber and one-third prairie, receiving the most of the entries. Jehu Brown took 880 acres.

In 1822, there were but three entries, to wit : April 2, Francis Colean, English Township; June 13, John Wilkins, Piasa Township, 7-10; and December 20; Martin Bowman, Jersey Township, 9-11.

In 1823, the entries, seven in number, were as follows : David Eveland, March 11, Richwoods Township; Mathew Darr, April 15, Richwoods Township; William Bates, October 6, Elsah Township; John D. Gillham, October 7, Mississippi Township ; Thomas J. Lofton, October

In 1824, the entries were as follows: John Vaughn, February 2, Eng¬ lish Township; John Falkner, March 1, Jersey Township; Ormand Beeman, July 26, Mississippi Township; John McDow, August 3, Mississippi Township; Thomas Cummings, August 18, Mississippi Township; John Brown, October 5, English Township.

On April 9, 1830, Dr. Silas Hamilton entered WV2 SE44, 12-7-12. In the fall of 1830, Joseph Russell, of Tennessee, an old acquaintance of Dr. Silas Hamilton, entered a large amount of land in 8<-12, west of the Carrollton and Grafton road, and in later years added thereto by entries in 8-10, and 8-11 and 8-12. Doctor Hamilton entered a large amount of land in this county, in addition to that in Otter Creek colony, and was instrumental in bringing many others to Jersey County.