You might have viewed this already. However, if not, go to this site and you can look at the actual document. It is signed by the president at the time - Martin Van Buren. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/Detail.asp?Accession=IL2300%5F%5F%2E044&Index=1&QryID=64938.69&DetailTab=1 Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database. Click the name of the purchaser below to view the detailed record of the purchase. Legal Sect- Twn- Ra- Meri- Date Name of Purchaser Description ion ship nge dian Purchased County ---------- Silas Sweet SWSE 34 11N 10W 3 07/18/1837 GREENE Detailed InformationPurchaser: SWEET SILAS Residence of Purchaser: GREENE Social Status: Legal Description: Aliquot Parts or Lot: SWSE Section Number: 34 Township: 11N Range: 10W Meridan: 3 County of Purchase: GREENE Details of Sale: Acres: 40.00 Price per Acre: 1.25 Total Price: 50.00 Type of Sale: FD Date of Purchase: 07/18/1837 Volume: 339 Page: 179 You might want to explore in Greene Co. for his death info. Perhaps Mercy moved to Madison Co. following his death. In the 1840 census he is living in Greene Co. Perhaps an RAOGK volunteer is located in Greene Co. Have you had access to this book? Perhaps it has some detailed information for you. You might contact a researcher from RAOGK to look it up in D.C. and copy it for you. THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, Being a CATALOGUE OF FAMILY HISTORIES.GENEALOGIES. Silas SWEET of New Bedford, Mass., and Bradford, Vt. [1800], and his descendants. By Charles Sweet Johnson, LL. B. Private edition. Washington, D.C.: [press of W. F. Roberts] 1898, 8vo, 21 pages, indexed. Maryjane - Volunteer for Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness www.raogk.org

Thanks Maryjane, Yes, I have a printout of the land document. They're so awesome, with the actual signatures! In the 1845 State Census Silas Sweet is in Madison County and is in the right neighborhood. Of course it doesn't give us much information. Yes, I have a copy of that little book also. Unfortunately when it gets to him, we only get his name and dob. The census figures for Vermont give us some good info, like he probably lived with his parents even after he married. And we have a copy of his father's will & probate and it helped identify him. We have lots of good information, enough to make us sure we're on the right track, but can't find a record of his or Mercy's death anywhere! That seems a little strange in the time period of 1845-1860 when several of their adult children were in the same area. He had sold his Greene County land so that's no help. A cousin checked the Greene County microfilm for a probate file, no luck. Oh woe is me, but thank you. You never know when you're going to be the one to pass on the "key." Karen ----- Original Message ----- From: <merje94@woh.rr.com> To: <ILMADISO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 5:10 PM Subject: Re: [ILMADISO-L] Silas Sweet and Mercy Sweet > > > You might have viewed this already. However, if not, go to this site and > you can look at the actual document. It is signed by the president at the > time - Martin Van Buren. > http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch/Detail.asp?Accession=IL2300%5F%5F%2E044&Index=1&QryID=64938.69&DetailTab=1 > > Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database. > > Click the name of the purchaser below to view the detailed record of the > purchase. > Legal Sect- Twn- Ra- Meri- Date > Name of > Purchaser Description ion ship nge dian Purchased County > > ---------- > Silas > Sweet SWSE 34 11N 10W 3 07/18/1837 GREENE > > Detailed InformationPurchaser: SWEET SILAS > Residence of Purchaser: GREENE > Social Status: > > Legal Description: > Aliquot Parts or Lot: SWSE > Section Number: 34 > Township: 11N > Range: 10W > Meridan: 3 > County of Purchase: GREENE > > Details of Sale: > Acres: 40.00 > Price per Acre: 1.25 > Total Price: 50.00 > Type of Sale: FD > Date of Purchase: 07/18/1837 > Volume: 339 > Page: 179 > > > You might want to explore in Greene Co. for his death info. Perhaps Mercy > moved to Madison Co. following his death. In the 1840 census he is living > in Greene Co. Perhaps an RAOGK volunteer is located in Greene Co. > > Have you had access to this book? Perhaps it has some detailed information > for you. You might contact a researcher from RAOGK to look it up in D.C. > and copy it for you. THE AMERICAN GENEALOGIST, Being a CATALOGUE OF FAMILY > HISTORIES.GENEALOGIES. > Silas SWEET of New Bedford, Mass., and Bradford, Vt. [1800], and his > descendants. By Charles Sweet Johnson, LL. B. Private edition. Washington, > D.C.: [press of W. F. Roberts] 1898, 8vo, 21 pages, indexed. > > Maryjane - Volunteer for Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness www.raogk.org > > > ==== ILMADISO Mailing List ==== > Search Engine for Genealogy Madison County Illinois > http://www.google.com/search?q=Genealogy+Madison+County+Illinois&btnG=Google+Search > >