July 31, 1838--Receipt from Phineas Stevens to Steven Sherwood--Other DeKalb County History

 Receipt from Phin Stevens (Phineas Stevens) to Stephen Sherwood

Colton Ville July 31st 1838

Received of Stephen Sherwood fifteen Dollars as settlement between him and me in the Partner ship between us in the Black Smith Shop  I also sine over to him my clame In all the accounts made in the shop for this last Seven months

Phin Stevens

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This receipt from Phineas Stevens gives us more clues into the life of Stephen Sherwood.  He worked as a blacksmith at least up until July 1838 (and begin by January 1838) in Coltonville, DeKalb, Illinois.  

During this time the community centered around the blacksmith shop.  A blacksmith made horseshoes, nails, hardware such as latches and hinges, as well as tools, wheels, and rims, kitchen utensils, ice skates, riding spurs, musket balls and many other things.  Perhaps if you had walked by the blacksmith shop, you would have seen Stephen playing checkers (a very popular game at that time) or making a horseshoe ring for a child.  This trade would serve Stephen well throughout his life.

"Stephen Sherwood opened a blacksmith shop here in 1838."  (De Kalb County History, 814-815)

Two other events are recorded for the year 1838.  On March 29, 1838, a third child, George W. Sherwood was born.  The Sherwood now had three children, Maria (4), Henry (2), and George

In October 9, 1838, the first session of the De Kalb County court was held at the house of Rufus Colton (for whom the town was named) in Coltonville.  Rufus Colton was the Clerk of the Court and preparer of writs and process of the court so could set the first session of county court to be held at his home. Stephen Sherwood may have been in Coltonville when Rufus Colton had attempted to make Coltonville the county seat.  He had decided to hold a new election.  He made sure Coltonville would win the election by telling only the population of Coltonville about it.  His political tactics were eventually cancelled by an act of the Illinois General Assembly.  When the county court convened, the sheriff served a court order declaring a courthouse be built in Sycamore.  Eventually Coltonville disappeared from the map settling this issue forever (Wikipedia)

 This first suit on record decided in the home of Rufus Colton was that of Erasmus D. Walrod vs. Stephen Sherwood. (Past and Present of De Kalb County, Pg. 325) This was a case of appeal from a justice's court, the plaintiff having obtained a judgment for the same of $100  The judgment of the lower court was sustained. (DCH, 776).  

Steven Sherwood's partner, Phineas Stevens, erected a distillery with Rufus Colton, but it proved to be a financial failure.  Rufus Colton worked hard to secure for the place the location of the county seat, but without avail. (DCH, 815).  

There was much suffering in DeKalb County in 1839 from sickness.  Ague and billion fever were the prevailing diseases.  They resulted from close proximity to the groves and streams to which the new comers all built their houses; also by the bad surface water from the sloughs which they used in the want of wells of proper depth to supply pure water.  Medical attention was difficult to secure and the physicians who practiced through the county rarely had a sufficient supply of medicine (History of De Kalb County, 380).  

Maria Hubbell Sherwood, the 27 year old wife, of Stephen Sherwood, passed away on January 19, 1839 leaving three children under six.

January 1838--Transfer of land from Erasmus D. Walrod to Stephen Sherwood

Union Grove      January _____1838

For and in Consideration of the Sum of two hundred and Twenty Five dollars to me in hand  paid by ____ and other property to be paid according to a greement I do  here by Quit Claim and transfer over all of my Right title interest property claim and Demand __  __  unto a Certain Piece of Prairie land on the west side of the Sycamore Creek and adjoining the said creek on the East and of said prairie in the Barns Grove in Orring Precinct De Kalb, Co Ill Bounded South by Stephen Sherwood Claim and west or to the prairie and North by David P Halbradths Prairie the line Between these premises and D. P. Halbradth's is to run Due west to certain stakes Street suppose to be 2 miles on to   ___Prairie all of which I Do here by trans fer and assign over unto the Said Stephen Sherwood his heirs and assignees for ever in witness where of I have here unto Set my hand and Seal the day and year First above written in the presence of    Erasmus D. Walrod
_____ Love

More information on this case is available in a previous entry (Receipt from Phineas Stevens to Stephen Sherwood)
Notes:

Possibly this land sale from Erasmus D. Walrod and Stephen Sherwood was involved in the first suit on record in DeKalb County.  It was interesting to tie the note I had together with the following information:  

"The first suit on record (in DeKalb County) was that of Erasmus D. Walrod vs. Stephen Sherwood.  This was a case of appeal from a justice's court the plaintiff having obtained a judgment for the same of $100.  The judgment of the lower court was sustained."
    DeKalb County, "Judicial", Page 776.

Click here for another reference to this case.

October 8, 1837--Sale from Robert B French to Stephen Sherwood

State of Wisconsin
Kenosha County


Know all men by the present that I Robert B French of the County of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin for and in consideration of One Thousand dollars to me in hand paid of Stephen Sherwood the _ _ ___ Where of I hereby acknowledge _  an assign subscribe ?  ____ and deliver  by their present do hereby assign ___ __subscribe ? and  deliver to Said Stephen Sherwood all my right, title, claim & interest in ___ the partnership, rights, credits, property & demands of the late firm of Smith French __  of the City of Kenosha, State of Wisconsin giving to said Stephen Sherwood the ___interest and rights in said partnership of Smith French__that I am Entitled and ___.

                                                                       R M B French
Kenosha Ws 8 Oct 1837          

Notes;


Possibly Stephen Sherwood used the $1000 he eventually received from the 1836 promissory note (bottom of page)  from George J. Goodhue of LaSalle, Illinois for this purchase in Kenosha, Wisconsin.   Deeds show Stephen Sherwood with land transaction in Lake County, Illinois and Kenosha County Wisconsin after this time.  Some of the people he did business with included Albert P Smith, Morris Lampher, and Hiram Parker.  A further study on his land transactions in Lake and Kenosha Counties would add to Stephen Sherwood's life story.

1835-1836---Land in LaSalle County--Early History

Stephen Sherwood married Maria Hubbell in August 30, 1832.  Maria was born in in Herrick Center near Pleasant Mount in 1811.     On June 19, 1835 Stephen bought 160 acres of land at $1.25 an acre.  When this land was sold to by Stephen to Solomon it was suggested it was actually bought from Joel A. Matteson at the land sale at Chicago.  Joel A. Matteson homesteaded near Seward Township in Au Sable.  It was here that Stephen and Maria's second child, Henry Stephen, was born.  Joel Matteson moved in 1836, about the time Stephen Sherwood did, and became active in politics.  In 1852,
Joel Matteson was elected governor of Illinois.

The Black Hawk War and indians problems discouraged settlement at first, but by 1835 things were changing.  The Sherwood Family had their Indian problems.  Upon one occasion while Stephen was gone to mill at Chicago, a number of Indians came to the the Sherwood home and wanted the last loaf of bread which Mrs. Sherwood had for herself and children.  On being refused they became angry, so she took the little ones up the ladder to the second story of their home and then drew the ladder up after her.  The savages endeavored to get up but as they did so the brave mother would hit their hands with a hatchet and finally they left but took all of the provisions in the house with ten.  The family were three days without food until Stephen returned.

This land was in La Salle County but would later be Kendall County (next to Aux Able)  July 2, 1835, he had sold half of his land to his brother Solomon H Sherwood.  By September 10, 1835, Solomon had sold back the land to Stephen.  Stephen's oldest brother, Solomon H. Sherwood died September 23, 1835.  I don't believe Stephen did much farming.  He sold the land the next Spring to George Goodhue for a promissory note of $1000.  He likely worked his trade was well as farmed during those early years as money was tight.  By 1838 he was in Coltonville, DeKalb, Illinois. working as a blacksmith.

The land Stephen bought was reasonable at $1.25 an acre.  Internal improvements such as inland waterways  help persuade new people to move to Illinois.  Also steam navigation caused many people to come westward.  The number of vessels coming to Chicago harbor increased from four in 1833 to 450 a year in 1836. A depression had hit the country from 1831-1840 and many people had lost everything they owned and had to find a new place to live. Farmers in Kendall county found that the Illinois prairie was so rich they could buy 80 acres of land, fence it in, build a house and other building, and pay off all debts and have several hundred dollars in the bank in only two years.  The frontier was a lonely place at this time, bu land at low prices was an incetive to come West.  Kendall County was one of the richest farmng counties in the state of Illinois. (75)
The first sale of land that would eventually comprise part of Kendall County was on January 1, 1835.  By June 19, 1835, Stephen Sherwood had some of that land.  Stephen probably did some farming and worked as a blacksmith.  He sold part of his land to his brother, Solomon H. Sherwood.

(Information from miscellaneous papers with the Stephen Sherwood Letters #1, #2, #3)
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#1  Summary of Deed
(332)
Land Office at Chicago Illinois
19 June 1835

Received from Stephen Sherwood of La Salle County, Illinois the sum of 200 dollars__ cents being in full  payment for the N E quarter of section  22 at Township  35 North of Range  8 East of the third principle Meridian containing 160 acres and hundredths of an acre at the rate of $1.25 per acre.
E.D. Taylor   Receiver

The foregoing is entered in Index Book page 16

Stephen Sherwood & wife
To         ( Deed)
Solomon H Sherwood
(Summary of the deed)


July 2, 1835
Sherwood and Maria, his wife, of LaSalle County, Illinois (sell to)  Solomon H Sherwood of LaSalle for $400 an equal undivided half of all that certain piece or parcel of land known as described as the
NE quarter of Section 22 in Township 35 North of Range  8 East of the third principal Meridan containing 160 acres.

(continuing to 333)
Stephen Sherwood
Maria Sherwood

in presence of John B Sherwood (younger brother of Stephen Sherwood)

Stephen and Maria Sherwood came before Reuben Fagg, a Justice of the Peace July 25, 1835

The deed was entered in index book page 16


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(J.A. Mateson and wife
     (Deed To)
S & S Sherwood
This indenture made this second day of July
(do not have the next page)
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#2 Summary of Deed
Solomon H Sherwood to Stephen Sherwood
September 10, 1835


Solomon Sherwood of LaSalle County, Illinois sold to Stephen Sherwood for $500 all that equal undivided  half of the North East quarter of Section  22 in Township  35  North of Range  8 East of the third principal Meridan containing   80 acres which is the half of the quarter  the above described property deeded to me by Stephen Sherwood July 2, 1835.   Also are equal undivided half of the North West Eighty of Section 23 in Township 35 North of Range 8 East of the third principal Meridan containing in the whole total 80 acres which was bought at the land sale at Chicago 19 June by Joel A. Matteson and deed to S.H. Sherwood & Stephen Sherwood July 2, 1835.  Deeded from Matteson

Sealed and Delivered in the presence of Solomon H Sherwood

James Walker, a Justice of the Peace knew Solomon H Sherwood and approved this deed September 14, 1835

The foregoing deed  entered in index page 8
Rec 19 February 1836    Recorded 27 February 1836

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#3 Summary of Deed
Goodhue to Sherwood
May 13, 1836

Between  George J. Goodhue  and Stephen Sherwood of LaSalle, Illinois. George Goodhue owes Stephen Sherwood $1000 to be paid by a promissory note with interest; also for further consideration for $100   the North East Quarter of Section 22 in township 35 north of Range East of the third principal Meridan and the west half of the North West quarter of Section 23 in the same Township and Range.

Sealed and Delivered in presence of Geo J Goodhue

May 10, 1835 George J Goodhue  that he entered the written mortgage for the purpose herein

Possibly George Goodhue bought out Stephen when he left the area.

June 19, 1835    Stephen buys 160 acres in Chicago for $200
July 2, 1835      Stephen sells half the land to Solomon for $400
September 10, 1835   Solomon sells his half of the land back to Stephen for $500
September 23, 1835  Death of Solomon Sherwood
May 13, 1836  Goodhue buys the land with a promissory note for $1000

Note:  The $1000 from the sale of this land may have been used to purchase land in Kenosha, Kenosha, Wisconsin the next year.

This  land would probably be in Kendall and/or  Grundell County today as these counties were formed from LaSalle in 1841 (see map in previous post)
Joel Matteson

Stephen Sherwood of Will County, Illinois

Records from the Bureau of Land Management
Stephen Sherwood of Will County, Illinois
Meridian (3rd PM), Township (36-N), Range (9-E), Section (26)

Stephen Sherwood of LaSalle County, Illinois (Tip #2)

Records from the Bureau of Land Management

Stephen Sherwood of LaSalle County, Illinois 

Township (35-N), Range (8-E), Section (22), Meridian (3rd PM)

( I believe this piece of land would be located today in Kendall County and in or on the border of Grudy County).  Kendall County which was formed from LaSalle and Kane County in 1841.  Stephen's wife, Maria died in 1839, and later that same year he married, Sophia Parker in Will County.  They would later moved to Lake County.   Stephen and Maria (his first wife) were in DeKalb County where he was a blacksmith in 1838.  County borders were changing during this time period.   In checking county records, sometimes the records are in a different county that the county where the area might be today.  I must admit, I am still sorting through the 1835-1843 period to determine where Stephen might have lived and where the records might be.  I hope this map helps as it has the six counties listed here.

Northeast Illinois Counties

You may want to go to glorecords.blm.gov to see if your ancestors purchased government land.

(Click icon on side--Tip #2)

Locating Stephen Sherwood on BLM land (Tip #2)

I knew Stephen Sherwood had lived in Northern California from about 1879-1894.  I entered his name of the BLM form (See Tip #2) to see if he had purchased government land at that time.

This entry showed Stephen Sherwood did purchase government land in 1884, and gave the 

location for that land.  I was not able to print out the deed like the previous example, but this at least gave the location of the land he purchased.  Stephen was buried in nearby Trinity California where he died in 1894.  I know this is getting ahead of his story, but I wanted to provide an example of how Tip #2 can help in locating your ancestors.  You can also follow Tip#1 for find Stephen in findagrave.com, and locate the place of his burial.  Now try using both of these tips to locate one of your own ancestors. (Click tip #2 on side to do this).