This page, too, will take some time.

Our property was first 'settled' around 1829, roughly the time when New Salem of Abraham Lincoln fame was being settled northwest of Springfield, Illinois (about 40 miles from our farm).  The first owner of record was James P. Hampton, as noted on the property abstract that dates back to 1829!  What a fascinating piece of history.  On our property, there was a church and school (probably using the same building) by the early to mid-1840's.  It was called Bethel Church, and the cemetery was called Hampton (the original owner is buried here) Cemetery, and then Bethel Cemetery.  The church and the cemetery were used until the 1890's, when neighboring towns built up--the old country church and cemetery became abandoned.  The church was torn down sometime after this, though the exact history is unsure to us at present.  We still find some bricks and other man-made artifacts occasionally in part of our garden, and in the nearby creek bed.  Our house is built around 100 yards from the cemetery and the probable location of the old church building.

More to come..........

email:  paul@haydenshome.com  |  our business site:  haydenservices.com 

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