Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

1
Resolved, That the Governor be requested to inform this House, whether a patent has issued to George E. Walker, for his pre-emption on the canal land, as also the description of the land conveyed by said patent, and whether it be at the termination of the canal route;—and also, whether a patent has issued to James B. Campbell.2

1On December 3, 1834, John T. Stuart introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives. On December 6, Governor Joseph Duncan reported that Campbell and Walker had each selected their lands, paid for them, and received patents for the tracts. The House referred Duncan’s message and documentation to the Committee on the Judiciary, which reported back on January 24, 1835, requesting to be discharged from consideration of the subject, which the House granted. The House then referred the message and documents to a select committee considering a related bill.
Illinois House Journal. 1835. 9th G. A., 1st sess., 37, 70, 370.

2In 1833, the General Assembly passed an act allowing a pre-emption right of 80 acres of canal land each to Campbell and Walker, with the proviso that the land could not be within one mile of the township of Chicago, nor within one mile of the township in La Salle County where the Illinois and Michigan Canal terminated. On July 16, 1834, Walker purchased 80 acres in the area of Utica, Illinois, and on September 10, 1834, Campbell purchased 80 acres in Will County.
“An Act Granting pre-emption rights, and for other purposes,” 2 March 1833, Laws of a Private Nature (1833), 111; Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales, La Salle County, L5A:108, Will County, L5A:126, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL.