Whitney, Jonas

Flourished: 1837-1842 Springfield, Illinois

In the mid-1830s, Whitney purchased large tracts of public land in areas that would become Logan, Mason, and Menard counties in Illinois. He was among the prominent citizens of Springfield who signed a note for $16,666.67 to pay for the final installment of $50,000 to ensure that the state capital would move to Springfield. Whitney was a member of the Springfield Board of Trustees in 1840.

Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales, Logan County, 69:150, 153; Mason County, 69:150; Menard County, 69:164, Illinois State Archives, Springfield, IL; History of Sangamon County, Illinois (Chicago: Inter-State, 1881), 287, 565.