Darling, Ephraim

Born: 1790-1798 New Hampshire

Flourished: 1823-1840 Springfield, Illinois

Darling lived in Sangamon County, Illinois, as early as 1823, where he practiced medicine and purchased land. In 1838, he was among the prominent Springfield businessmen to sign a note for $16,666.67, to ensure that Springfield would become the new state capital. While living in Sangamon County, Darling retained the firm of Stuart & Lincoln to represent him in a lawsuit. In the 1840s, he migrated to Mount Pleasant, Iowa. In the 1850s, he moved to Fairfield, Iowa. By 1860, he was practicing medicine in Fairfield and owned real estate valued at $4,000 and a personal estate of $6,000.

Newton Bateman and Paul Selby, eds., Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Sangamon County (Chicago: Munsell, 1912), 2:652, 752; Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales, Sangamon County, 68:1, 18, 37, 71, 91, 97; Christian County, 69:82, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; U.S. Census Office, Seventh Census of the United States (1850), Mount Pleasant, Henry County, IA, 176; U.S. Census Office, Eighth Census of the United States (1860), Fairfield, Jefferson County, IA, 202; Darling & Drennan for use of School Commissioner v. Durley, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=138742.