Noelle and Janet Thank you very much for your responses and information on Babcock's Grove. I'll look for DuPage Roots. Where is the DuPage County Historical Museum & Historical Society, if you know off hand? My Irish immigrant, John Hartnett, from Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, came overseas at age 19. His family was later looking for him out east, believing him to be destined for Babcock's Grove in the early 1850s. By the mid 1850s John and Daniel Hartnett (we believe John's father) could be found around Polk and May Streets (now known as Little Italy or west UIC campus) where they farmed. The farm was later subdivided and by the mid-1860s, John was on the Chicago Police force. His sons would later join the force. My research is really hazy before the Chicago Fire of 1871. I'm curious to learn why people traveled to the places that they did, especially, of course, family. How the heck did people out east or overseas hear about Babcock's Grove? Was it merely word-of-mouth or the lure of the railroad and canal projects that brought these families who just trusted they would find places to live once they arrived? These places must have really seemed to offer opportunity to those that came. So someone was either a great orator and salesman or the posting, bulletin, advertisement, or brochure for Babcock's Grove had to be very impressive. I have seen some railroad job advertisement that were circulated in Germany that made the U.S. and railroad work seem like a dream come true! These questions may never be answered but it would be interesting to get into the minds of our ancestors. Again, thank you so much for sharing your information. Next I've got to work on my wife's DuPage County Fleischers of the 1860s - good Republicans, one of the children was named "Abraham Lincoln Fleischer!!" Jerry Hartnett Crystal Lake, Illinois Researching HARTNETTs of Chicago from 1847 to Present, from Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland. Also researching my other Chicago area family names: Austin, Barrett, Cameron, Carey, Daley, Dilworth, Fahey, Fleischer, Gagen, Garvey, Grimes, Hartnett, Kane, Kassel, Kelliher, Kenlay, Koch, McNair, McQuaid, Murphy, O'Brian, O'Connor, O'Dell, Pritchett, Saunders, Sheehy, Spring, Sullivan, Supple, Sweeney, Torpy, Wilson, Wittenborn