Does anyone have access to court records in Gallatin Co. IL that can do a lookup? My ancestor Ludy Haley from Franklin Co. GA spent time in Gallatin Co. IL before the Civil War. There was an incident about a slave of his or his son Meeks. I understand that he was visiting his son Meeks in IL. I am wandering if there are court Records to the incident below? I sure would appreciate anything on this. I am refering to the article below: The following story was given to the author by Mrs. Winnie Parker of Lavonia, Georgia, a descendant of Ludy Haley, June 1, 1924: "How Illinois Received the First Slave from the South" To the Editor of The Atlanta Constitution: "I noticed an article in a recent copy of your paper from an Athens lady telling of the interest a Negro man created in North Georgia a few years ago. I was reminded of an incident that happened to my grandfather in 1848 when he moved to Illinois and carried a servant girl named Sarah. She was the first slave to be carried to that state and quite an excitement prevailed. The Southern family had not thought of this and were wholly unprepared for the reception they met. Many commenced calling after the arrival, bringing children with them, not so much to welcome them (as they learned later), but to see the great curiosity - a Negro slave. They soon began to talk to Sarah (unaware to the family) and to tell her that she was free and to come and live with them and she would be treated exactly as they were. Some even called her 'Miss Sarah'. Of course, all this was very flattering to the Negro girl. But to make a long story short, one morning Sarah was missing - had left the only friends she had ever known and gone with her so-called new friends to try the uncertain future with them. Grandfather (this was Meeks Haley, son of Ludy Haley) was a rather quick-tempered man and didn't mean to have his property taken from him in any such manner. So he engaged a lawyer - so did Sarah's friends - and a day was appointed for the trial. On the day set, quite a crowd had collected at the Courthouse and much excitement prevailed. Sarah's lawyer came riding into town with her behind him on the same horse. After all evidence and the lawyers' speeches, the case was decided in favor of Grandfather, but he was told to get his property out of the state. He paid his lawyer $50.00 and took Sarah on his horse in the same fashion that she rode into town and started for the Mason-Dixon Line. Of course, this was a disappointment to the Negro girl - after having had her hopes raised so high - and she rebelled against it for awhile, but after they crossed the Ohio River she decided she was satisfied, and after coming home to Georgia, seemed thoroughly contented. In her old age she would sometimes tell her 'white folks' - 'I shore was a fool in my young days." David S. Payne, 1614 Chapman Rd., Anderson, SC, 864-225-3253 <otime1@yahoo.com> View my Gedcoms at: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=otime My Wife's line: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=cateel Searching for surnames mostly in Upstate SC/GA: ADDISON, ALLISON, ARENDALE/ARENDELL/ARENDALL, CANADY, CORBIN, COX, CRAIG, DEAN, FOWLER, GILLILAN, HALEY, GORDON, GRAY, HENSON, JAMES, McMILLIAN, McPHERSON, MOODY, NEWTON, PARKER, PASSMORE, PATTERSON, PAYNE, POINDEXTER, REDWINE, REID, ROY, SHIRES, SWANN, WEST, TODD, WHITMIRE, WOODALL --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Movies - coverage of the 74th Academy Awards�