Marilyn -- I apologize for the delay in replying -- we have been out of pocket much of the last six weeks, and your message got buried in a "pending" folder. The Abraham Colby who died in a house fire in Madison on 23 Dec 1852 was the son of Hubbard Colby (1767-1826). Hubbard was the younger brother of my 4th great grandfather, Col(e)man Colby. This Abraham Colby was a prominent citizen of Eaton and was quite well to do. He served in the War of 1812, and later in the New Hampshire state legislature. He had nine children, two of whom were indeed named George and Charles. This is a collateral line for me, and I have done no independent research on it, so I cannot tell you whether any of Abraham's children went to Chicago or seved in the Civil War from Illinois. My great grandfather, Guy Irving Colby, removed to Chicago from Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1887 or 1888. He subsequently moved to Springfield, Illinois in 1895. However, there were many other Colby families who came to Illinois in the latter half of the 19th century. The 1860 census shows 42 Colby households in the state (15 in Cook County), and the 1870 census shows 93 (25 in Cook County). The Illinois Civil War Project website yields 37 hits on the Colby surname (but none with the names of George or Charles). I have done very little research on Illinois Colbys whose arrival preceded that of my great grandfather. Sorry I cannot be of more help. Guy I. Colby IV Irving, TX -------------- Original message from Marilyn Colby <[email protected]>: -------------- > Guy, > > We have corresponded previously re: Colbys in Chicago.You mentioned that > yours came at the turn of the century. > > It is my understanding that there was a big fire and Abraham (?)was > severely injured and the Colby house in Eaton may have burned down > because it was no longer there in 1860.David Emerson associated with the > Hampton Historical Society emailed me this long ago ( I no longer have > easy access to the record which he went).He said that these Colbys moved > to Chicago and 2 of them served the Union for Illinois in the Civil War > .I believe that one of them was wounded and the two went back East after > the War...George and Charles? > > All the best. > > Marilyn Colby >