St. Joseph and Danville

"Sixth day 25th [Saturday,
October 25, 1867] Rained a little last night, but not enough to lay the dust. Julia [horse] has been lame several days. Got some medicine of Martin Hutson & she seems a little better. Traveled slowly & fed 3 or 4 miles east of St. Joe, a little town on the West of Vermilion that, as some others have done, has sprung up since we passed 12 years ago. Night. Are camped in a beautiful grove 9 miles west of Danville. Felt rather lonesome till after dark. A family of movers drove up to our campfire and are now camping with us. They are Lovialls from Indiana. George used to live about Westfield & was acquainted with Uncle Wheeler & many others that we knew. Looks like rain again tonight."

"Seventh day 26th [Saturday, October 26, 1867] Rained a good deal last night, but our cover kept us dry. Got a late start. Saw beech trees this forenoon, yes & dogwoods. Got to Danville about 1 o'clock. Bought 50 cts worth of bread & 24 lbs of flour. Danville has not improved as much as some other places, tho the cars run there. Crossed the creek east of town and fed. Still cloudy & cool. Came through Dutchtown, then within 4 miles of Covington and camped by the side of a grove. After supper two men
from Kentucky stopped & camped with us. They had a wagon & half a dozen mules which they were taking to Farmington, Ill. to sell."

Continuing on Hwy. 150 from Urbana, we drove through St. Joseph and a few other small towns that were not yet established in 1867 when Ann & Henry passed through. In Danville, we discovered this stately old home. A sign near the house informed us that "a notable overnight stay at the home occurred during Lincoln's 1858 senatorial contest with Stephen Douglas... A large crowd followed him from the depot to the house, calling on him to make a few remarks. He complied by climbing out a bedroom window and making a brief speech in his stocking feet from a balcony on the second floor." I really like being in the 'Land of Lincoln'.