Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 1 April 1840

Judge Higbee

23 Oct. 1795–8 June 1843. Clerk, judge, surveyor. Born at Galloway, Gloucester Co., New Jersey. Son of Isaac Higbee and Sophia Somers. Moved to Clermont Co., Ohio, 1803. Married Sarah Elizabeth Ward, 10 Sept. 1818, in Tate Township, Clermont Co. Lived at ...

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informs me that Mr.  [Sidney] Rigdon

19 Feb. 1793–14 July 1876. Tanner, farmer, minister. Born at St. Clair, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania. Son of William Rigdon and Nancy Gallaher. Joined United Baptists, ca. 1818. Preached at Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, and vicinity, 1819–1821. Married Phebe...

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is probably in New Jersey

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, it would have  afforded me much pleasure, to have seen you all  at my house, and it was my intention, to spend  some time at Washington

Created as district for seat of U.S. federal government by act of Congress, 1790, and named Washington DC, 1791. Named in honor of George Washington. Headquarters of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of U.S. government relocated to Washington ...

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while you were there; but  my health has been so very infirm, that it has  prevented me form [from] executing nearly all the arrange ments, I had proposed for myself, for the last eight  months. Knowing the aditions constantly joining  your society, it has occurred to me, that some of  them may be unprovided with farming lands;  and I mention at this time, that I am interested  in a Tract of about 12000 acres of very choice lands con sisting of timber and prairie, fifteen or twenty miles  from Springfield

Settled by 1819. Incorporated as town, 1832. Became state capital, 1837. Incorporated as city, 1840. Sangamon Co. seat. Population in 1840 about 2,600. Stake of LDS church organized in Springfield, Nov. 1840; discontinued May 1841; branch organized, Jan. ...

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, upon which Mr. Gillet and several  other families are settled, and cultivating most excel lent farms— it is in one of the best neighborhoods in  the State

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

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— I do not know what my copartners in  this tract would say about disposing of what remains  unsold of the tract (say eight to nine thousand acres)  but I should be disposed to sell upon reasonable  terms, provided from twenty to forty families valuable for  their prudence industry, and good habits from your  society, can be found to form a small colony of  practical farmers— I am also interested with the  same gentleman in lands near Rock River, in Henry  and Mercer Counties, and believe this would on many  accounts an other extremely desirable place or location  for a colony of your people— I have said nothing to  those owning with me relative to this Subject, but  suppose they would be governed materially by two  considerations; namely the characters of the purchasers  and the fact of their being actual setlers or not—  If you think two small colonies of the right sort  can be formed from your society, you will oblige [p. 124]