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NEW GUIDE FOR EMIGRANTS

TO THE

WEST,

CONTAINING SKETCHES OF

OHIO, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, MICHIGAN, WITH THE TERRITORIES OF WISCONSIN AND ARKANSAS, AND THE ADJACENT PARTS.

BY J. M. PECK, A. M.

OF ROCK SPRING, ILL

BOSTON:

GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN.

FOR SALE BY THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Extent--Subdivisions--Population--Physical Features--Animal, Vegetable and Mineral Productions--History--Prospective Increase of Population, 11

GENERAL VIEW, &C., CONTINUED.

Productions, 32

CLIMATE.

Comparative View of the Climate with the Atlantic States--Diseases--Means of Preserving Health, 37

CHARACTER, MANNERS AND PURSUITS OF THE PEOPLE.

Cotton and Sugar Planters--Farmers--Population of the large Towns and Cities--Frontier Class--Hunters and Trappers--Boatmen, 102

PUBLIC LANDS.

System of Surveys--Meridian and Base Lines--Townships--Diagram of a Township surveyed into Sections--Land Districts and Offices--Pre-emption Rights--Military and Bounty Lands--Taxes--Valuable Tracts of Country unsettled, 130

ABORIGINES.

Conjecture respecting their former Numbers and Condition-- Present Number and State--Indian Territory appropriated as their Permanent Residence--Plan and Operations of the U. S. Government--Missionary Efforts and Stations--Monuments and Antiquities, 144

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

Face of the Country--Soil, Agriculture and Internal Improvements--Chief Towns--Pittsburg--Coal--Sulphur and Hot Springs--Wheeling, 163

MICHIGAN.

Extent--Situation--Boundaries--Face of the Country--Rivers--Lakes, &c.--Soil and Productions--Subdivisions--Counties--Towns-- Detroit--Education--Internal Improvements projected--Boundary Dispute--Outline of the Constitution, 179

OHIO.

Boundaries--Divisions--Face of the Country--Soil and Productions--Animals--Minerals--Financial Statistics--Canal Fund--Expenditures--Land Taxes--School Fund--Statistics-- Canal Revenues--Population at different Periods--Internal Improvements--Manufactures--Cities and Towns--Cincinnati-- Columbus--Education--Form of Government--History, 193

INDIANA.

Boundaries and Extent--Counties--Population--Face of the Country, &c.--Sketch of each County--Form of Government-- Finances--Internal Improvements--Manufactures--Education-- History--General Remarks, 222

ILLINOIS.

Boundaries and Extent--Face of the Country and Qualities of Soil--Inundated Land--River Bottoms, or Alluvion--Prairies-- Barrens--Forest, or timbered Land--Knobs, Bluffs, Ravines and Sink Holes--Rivers, &c.--Productions--Minerals--Lead, Coal, Salt, &c.--Vegetables--Animals--Manufactures--Civil Divisions--Tabular View of the Counties--Sketches of each County--Towns--Alton--Projected Improvements--Education-- Government--General Remarks, 251

Extent and Boundaries--Civil Divisions--Population--Surface, Soil and Productions--Towns--St. Louis, 315

ARKANSAS AND TERRITORIAL DISTRICTS.

ARKANSAS.--Situation and Extent--Civil Divisions-- Rivers--Face of the Country--Soil--Water--Productions-- Climate--Minerals--State of Society. WISCONSIN. Boundaries and Extent--Rivers--Soil--Productions--Towns, &c., 323

LITERARY AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS FOR THE WEST.

Colleges--Statistical Sketch of each Religious Denomination --Roman Catholics--Field for Effort, and Progress made-- Theological Institutions--Deaf and Dumb Asylums--Medical Institutions--Law Schools--Benevolent and Religious Societies--Periodical Press, 334

SUGGESTIONS TO EMIGRANTS.

Modes of Travel--Canal, Steamboat and Stage Routes--Other Modes of Travel--Expenses--Roads, Distances, &c., 364

INTRODUCTION.

All these States have come into existence as such, with the exception of Ohio, within the last twenty years; and much of the territory, now adorned by the hand of civilization, and spread over with an enterprising, industrious and intelligent people,--the field of public improvements in Canals and Railways,--of Colleges, Churches, and other institutions, was the hunting ground of the aborigines, and the scene of border warfare. These States have been unparalleled in their growth, both in the increase of population and property, and in the advance of intellectual and moral improvement. Such an extent of forest was never before cleared,--such a vast field of prairie was never before subdued and cultivated by the hand of man, in the same short period of time. Cities, and towns, and villages, and counties, and States never before rushed into existence, and made such giant strides, as upon this field.

The rapid increase of population will be exhibited in a tabular form in the following pages, and other parts showing that the general improvement of the country, and the development of its physical, intellectual and moral resources have kept pace with the extension of settlements. And such are its admirable facilities for commerce by its numerous navigable rivers, and its lines of canals, some of which are finished, and many others commenced or projected,--such the richness of its soil, and the variety of its productions,--such the genial nature of its climate,--the enterprise of its population,--and the influence it must soon wield in directing the destinies of the whole United States, as to render the GREAT WEST an object of the deepest interest to the American patriot. To the philanthropist and christian, the character and manners,--the institutions, literature and religion of so wide a portion of our country, whose mighty energies are soon to exert a controlling influence over the character of the whole nation, and in some measure, of the world, are not less matters of momentous concern.

Amongst the causes that have awakened the attention of the community in the Atlantic States, to this Great Valley, and excited the desires of multitudes to remove hither, may be reckoned the efforts of the liberal and benevolent to aid the West in the immediate supply of her population with the Bible, with Sunday Schools, with religious tracts, with the gospel ministry, and to lay the foundation for Colleges and other literary institutions. Hundreds of families, who might otherwise have remained in the crowded cities and densely populated neighborhoods of their ancestors, have had their attention directed to these States as a permanent home. And thousands more of virtuous and industrious families would follow, and fix their future residence on our prairies, and in our western forests, cultivate our wild lands,--aid in building up our towns and cities, and diffuse a healthful moral and intellectual influence through the mass of our present population, could they feel assured that they can reach some portion of the Western Valley without great risk and expense,--provide for their families comfortably, and not be swept off by sickness, or overwhelmed by suffering, beyond what is incident to any new country.

The author's first book, "A GUIDE FOR EMIGRANTS," &c. was written in the winter and spring of 1831, to answer the pressing call then made for information of these western states, but more especially that of Illinois;--but many of its particulars, as to the character and usages of the people, manners and customs, modes of erecting buildings, general characteristics and qualities of soil, productions, &c. were applicable to the West generally.

There are three classes of persons in particular who may derive advantage from this Guide.

It has been a primary object of the author throughout this work, to furnish the outline of facts necessary for this class. He is aware also that much in detail will be desired and eagerly sought after, which the portable and limited size of this little work could not contain; but such information may be found in the larger works, by Hall, Flint, Darby, Schoolcraft, Long, and other authors and travellers. Those who desire more specific and detailed descriptions of Illinois, will be satisfied probably with the author's GAZETTEER of that State, published in 1834, and which can be had by application to the author, or to the publishers of this work.

The chief source of information for those states that lie on the Mississippi, has been the personal observation of the author,--having explored most of the settlements in Missouri and Illinois, and a portion of Indiana and Ohio,--having spent more than eighteen years here, and seen the two former states, from an incipient territorial form of government, and a few scattered and detached settlements, arise to their present state of improvement, population, wealth and national importance. His next source of information has been from personal acquaintance and correspondence with many intelligent citizens of the states and territories he describes. Reference has also been had to the works of Hall, Flint, Darby, Breckenridge, Beck, Long, Schoolcraft, Lewis and Clarke, Mitchell's and Tanner's maps, Farmer's map of Michigan, Turnbull's map of Ohio, The Ohio Gazetteer, The Indiana Gazetteer, Dr. Drake's writings, Mr. Coy's Annual Register of Indian affairs, Ellicott's surveys, and several periodicals.

J. M. P.

Its extent,--Subdivisions,--Population,--Physical features,--Animal, Vegetable and Mineral productions,--History,--Prospective increase of Population.

The Valley of the Mississippi, in its proper geographical extent, embraces all that portion of the United States, lying between the Alleghany and Rocky Mountains, the waters of which are discharged into the gulf of Mexico, through the mouths of the Mississippi. I have embraced, however, under that general term, a portion of the country bordering on the northern lakes, including the north part of Ohio, the north-eastern portions of Indiana and Illinois, the whole of Michigan, with a considerable territorial district on the west side of lake Michigan, and around lake Superior.

To suppose the United States and its territory to be divided into three portions, the arrangement would be, the Atlantic slope--the Mississippi basin, or valley--and the Pacific slope.

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