Pat, My ggrandfather came to Macoupin in the 1860's. He was a millwright. I have wondered if the $1,000,000 courthouse was the attraction, particularly with his skills. I would love to know if that is why he settled there. He came from Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany. He and my ggrandmother met on the ship coming over. We have in our possession a scarf he gave her as his bond of betrothal. She settled in Waterloo and worked for the pastor of the E&R church there until they married in 1870. They lived in Macoupin until the early 1880's when they moved to St. Louis. His name was John A. Mueller...she was Matilda Petersen. Marianne/VA