Settler Colonizer – Page 4 – Finding the Yellow Bricks

Samuel Norton | Death on the Prairie

In 1820, Samuel Norton moved his family from Vermont to Crawford County, Illinois. In 1821, he died, leaving his wife and children behind on the prairie. In 1820, Samuel Norton used credit to purchase the eighty acres of land about 5 miles of Lawrenceville, in the Allison Township. His son, Samuel Harris Norton, was issuedContinue reading “Samuel Norton | Death on the Prairie”

Texas Mounted Volunteer

Andrew Vanslyke (1792-1852) moved his family from southeast Missouri to Texas shortly after Texas was annexed into the US. His son, Andrew H Vanslyke, (1827-1848) fought and died in the Mexican War. Andrew H. Vanslyke (1827-1848) enrolled as Private with Co K of the Texas Mounted Volunteers in July 1847; the war had only sevenContinue reading “Texas Mounted Volunteer”

Devine Anderson | Traveling to Kansas

Devine Anderson (1824-1867) lived in Illinois for most of his life. In 1865, he wrote a letter to a former neighbor about moving to Kansas. The obituary for his daughter, Tabitha Anderson (1861-1935), describes how she and her family moved from Illinois to Kansas in 1866 by covered wagon. The letter is transcribed below, with additional facts interspersed that connect to the letter contents.

Leaving for France

William Earl Relf (1887-1964) served in World War I. He left for France with his company in June 1918 on the HMS Karmala.

Camp Funston

William Earl Relf (1887-1964) served in World War I. He trained at Camp Funston before shipping out to France.

Enlisted in the Army for World War I

William Earl Relf (1887-1964) served in World War I. He was drafted in Sept 1917, trained at Camp Funston in the first half of 1918, and set sail in June 1918. He returned to the US in 1919.

Letter from the Front

William Earl Relf (1887-1964) served in World War I. One of his letters home was published in the local newspaper.

Chloe Abbott | A Widow’s Pension

In 1851, Chloe Lake, age 82 years, swore on oath the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits due the widow of a war veteran. She was denied a pension as she did not provide details of his service. She is the widow of Asa Lake, deceased, who was a private in the armyContinue reading “Chloe Abbott | A Widow’s Pension”

Asa Lake | Kentucky Frontier

Asa Lake (1764-1844) lived in Mason County, Kentucky around 1790 at the same time that Colonel Simon Kenton and Daniel Boone had established the community of Maysville, Kentucky.

George L Crookham | Scioto Salt Licks

George Lennox Crookham was an early salt boiler at the Scioto Salt Licks in Jackson County, Ohio. He came to the area in 1799, having moved from Pennsylvania. Asa Lake, Crookham’s father-in-law, owned one of the salt-furnaces. His salt furnace was located “not far from where the bridge crosses Salt creek on the Chillicothe road”.