"Remarkable as it may appear, there is not a State or Territory in our whole nation but has some chord that centers on Sangamon county. Many European countries might be included also. Thus it will be seen that the homogeneous character of our whole people could not be more forcibly illustrated than by this volume."This is the author's bold declaration and a challenge to the skeptical family historian to find ancestors in Sangamon County, Illinois. This text is a biographical review, composed of concise, informative sketches of the individual members of the first families to settle Sangamon and the Springfield vicinity. Each entry generally contains date and place of birth and death, and date of relocation to Sangamon. Wherever possible, more colorful data on the settlers and their descendants is provided. Additionally, many entries note military service, level of education, occupation, medical conditions and religious observance, giving a more complete impression of the pioneering Americans who brought civilization to the wilderness of Illinois and the Midwest. Of special interest are accounts of the passage to Sangamon from the East and a wealth of stories depicting the lives of these early settlers. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order by surname, and within each surname by date of birth.