You are here: Home › About Pingree Grove › History › Daniel Pingree Letter

A letter from Daniel Pingree to Samuel Rowell

In 1840, Daniel Pingree drafted a letter to Samuel Rowell of Kentucky. Amazingly, at that time, 160 acres of farm land cost only $200. That letter contains several great insights into the rich, historical background of our Village. As Daniel Pingree wrote, “I also rejoice to hear that you and your Relatives think of coming to Ills., for in my opinion you could not find a better County in all the world for farming…I will in the first place attempt to describe the Land. There are 3 kinds of Prairie,high rolling, medium, and wet. …The Timbered land is generally Oak-Barrens, called by some Oak Openings. It may be divided into 2 classes; High rolling, and Medium…By taking a farm in the openings a person will generally have timber enough to fence his farm and to build etc., and have enough left for the use of the farm besides…I think that you and your folks would be highly pleased with the Country in all respect.”

The full text of that letter is located at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ilkane/1840PingreeLetter.htm