Here is some food for thought on why our ancestors left the land of milk and honey in Illinois: If one puts the date and time in context with what was going on in history, some of the reasons our ancestors went to Nebraska and Kansas and elsewhere might begin to make sense. Many of these families had come to Illinois and Indiana in the 1820-1840's. That was were the "free" or "cheap" land was being promoted. The US Govt was finally opening up what was the frontier at that time. Thousands came, along with vast immigrations from Europe and Canada, too. It didn't take long for most of the land to be acquired, especially the better lands. An example of promotion was that given to my Swedish ancestors in the 1840's and 1850's. However, they, like many others found that in post Civil War era, that Illinois and Indiana wasn't the "west" nor the "frontier" any more and that there wasn't any "free" or "cheap" land to be had there anymore. The "new west" was being openned up by the Govt. and promoted as "free" and "cheap". Those that didn't have the best pieces of land in Illinois/Indiana, or were farm hands, or just couldn't make it, or had that pioneering spirit, or didn't inherit the homestead, or had a fight with dad, or religious freedom, etc., took off for the new land. Much for the same reasons that father or grandfathers' generations had left KY, VA, Europe, Quebec, etc. Also happening at the same time were strides being taken in medicine. Mortality rates were going down. Families were getting big. 3 brothers who came to McLean Co in the 1830's had some 18 grandsons. Where are they going to farm? You can't keep breaking down the family farm into smaller units. Land companies and towns did promotions. I've seen the fliers for the area around Limon, CO. You'd think Limon was something akin to heaven from the "come on" given in the promotion. Sometimes, large groups (often connected through marriage or just neighbors) would decide to go west together to the same location. YOu know-safety and security in numbers to establish a new community. I have examples of this for a French community in Kansas (north of Salina) that came from IL, as well as for a Swedish community south of Salina, KS, that came from central IL. Both of these moves happen to be organized by the church leadership. Like they say, it's hard to keep'm down on the farm.... Those young men who fought in the Civil War, just weren't content anymore. Many had discovered a whole new world out there. Ellen -- Picard Pines: http://homepage.plix.com/picard/ Morrison-Picard Family: http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/p/i/c/Ellen-J-Picard Picard Surname Homepage: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~picard/Index.html