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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.




MITCHELL, EDWARD , was born Dec. 13, 1794, in Botetourt county, Virginia, and came west when he was quite young. Early in 1824 he came to Springfield, Illinois, where he was married on the 6th of June, the same year, to Mary Bartlett, a native of Connecticut. They had three children, and Mrs. Mary Mitchell died in Springfield in 1830. Edward Mitchell was married Nov. 10, 1831, in St. Louis, Mo., to Eleanor Essex, a native of England. They had one child. While living in Springfield Mr. Mitchell took part in the Winnebago Indian war of 1827. In 1825 or '6 he was appointed by President John Quincy Adams, Postmaster of Springfield, and was retained in office by President Jackson, although he was outspoken in his opposition to Jackson politically, being a Whig. From April 5, 1827, to August 9, 1835, Mr. Mitchell was Recorder of Sangamon county. He died in Springfield, Sept. 12, 1836. Soon after his death, Mrs. Mitchell, with all his children, moved to St. Louis. Mo. Of his children--

MARY ANN, born April 28, 1825, in St. Clair county, Ill., brought up in Springfield and St. Louis, was married in the latter city, Nov. 28, 1853, to William M. McPherson. They had six children, WILLIAM M., Jun., LAURA, EDWARD, MARY, PAGE and SOPHIA. The two eldest are married. Mr. McPherson was a lawyer and a prominent business man for many years. He died in St. Louis since the close of the rebellion. His widow and children reside in that city.

LAURA R., born July 4, 1828, in Springfield, Ill., was married March 28, 1848, in St. Louis, to J. H. Page Blackwood. They had three children, MARY, SALLIE GLASGOW and LAURA. J. H. P. Blackwood died August 15, 1858, and his widow and children reside at St. Louis, Mo.

EDWARD J., born August 3, 1830, in Springfield, Ill., married March 5, 1856, in St. Louis, 10 Theresa Cromwell. They had one child, MARY, and Edward J. Mitchell, died Jan. 29, 1871. His widow and daughter reside in St. Louis, Mo.

Mrs. Eleanor Mitchell, after the death of her husband in Springfield, lived in St. Louis ten or twelve years, and then moved to Louisiana, Mo., with her daughter--

VIRGINIA, born Oct. 23, 1835, in Springfield, Ill., married Dec. 4, 1851, in Louisana, Mo., to Dr. J. D. Harper, who was born Aug. 7, 1824, in Fayette county, Ohio. He had previously been married at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, to a Miss Saunders, who died in 1850. Soon after their marriage Dr. Harper and wife, with her mother, moved to Springfield. Dr. and Mrs. Harper have three living children, JOHN E., ANNIE E. and HARVEY M., and reside in Springfield.

Mrs. Eleanor Mitchell died July 21, 1861, in Springfield, Illinois.




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