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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.




LOCK, JOHN, was born Jan. 10, 1799, in the town of Farrisburg, Addison county, Vermont. Maria Jaquays was born Aug. 31, 1802, in the same county. They were there married Jan. 5, 1820, had three living children in Vermont, and moved to Essex county, N. Y., where two children were born. The family moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving May 2, 1832, at Rochester, where they had six children. Two died young. Of their nine children--

HANNAH, born Jan. 13, 1821, in Vermont, was twice married in Sangamon county, and died there Nov. 27, 1844.

JONATHAN, born Feb. 3, 1823, in Vermont, died in Sangamon county July 8, 1838.

MERCY, born June 4, 1825, died in her eleventh year.

RACHEL S., born May 30, 1829, in New York, married in Sangamon county Aug. 17, 1852. to Isaac May. They have a family, and live near Greenville, Dade county, Missouri.

ADELINE E., born Aug. 3, 1831, in Essex county, N. Y., married in Sangamon county Nov. 19, 1853, to Samuel Grubb. See his name.

SYLVESTER, born June 14, 1834, in Sangamon county, died in his fourteenth year.

WILLIAM H., born Aug. 16, 1840, in Sangamon county, married Nov. 28, 1861, to Amanda M. Delay. They had two children, LOLA and WILLIAM H., Jun., and Mr. Lock died Jan. 25, 1871. His family live in Rochester.

VILROY, born Nov. 21, 1843, died in in his fourth year.

JOHN, Jun., born Feb. 26, 1848, in Rochester, lives with his parents.

John Lock and his wife have been living together nearly fifty-six years, and reside in Rochester. May 3, 1832, the day after his arrival, and before he had unloaded his wagon, he was notified to appear at Springfield on the morning of the 4th, to stand draft to fight the Indian under Black Hawk. He was there in time, but more men had volunteered than had been called for, and his services were not wanted. There was no corn in Sangamon county at the time, and Mr. Lock went thirty miles below St. Louis, paid five dollars for ten bushels, and hauled it home for seed, and bread for his family. He has known corn to sell for four dollars per bushel, and has seen equally as good corn sell at eight cents per bushel, a difference of fifty fold. Mr. Lock donated timber and labor to aid in building the first steam mill in Rochester. After it was built, the proprietors refused to grind for toll, and demanded twenty-five cents per bushel for grinding. Mr. Lock offered two bushels for grinding one, but the miller refused. The price of corn was ten cents. He was forced to the necessity of hunting a purchaser for two and one-half bushels, take the twenty-five cents and pay it for grinding one bushel. The usual toll is one-eighth of the grain.




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