1875 Moultrie County Plat

The 1875 Moultrie County Plat Book is probably the earliest comprehensive record of Moultrie County land ownership.

 

Unlike the other plats listed here, I have not provided images of the original, since they are already available at Eden Martin's wonderful Moultrie County site.  Instead, the materials here complement these originals with lists of property owners and landmarks.  You can click here to view Eden Martin's images in a separate browser window while you explore the names.

 

The names are available in two alphabetized formats: a consolidated list encompassing over 3000 entries, and separate lists by surname initial.  For those with a fast internet connection, the single list is preferable for searching, particularly if you are searching many names.  The individual lists are definitely faster for those with slower modem connections.

 

To review the consolidated list, click here. 

 

To select a list by surname, click on one of the surname initials below:

 

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q   R  S  T  U  V  W  X   Y  Z

 

Comments on the transcription:

 

• Property locations are given in terms of the Township, Range, and Section.  If you are not already familiar with these terms, please review Measuring Illinois on the main Moultrie County Plat Maps page.

 

• In the original plat, first names were very rarely specified; instead, initials and a last name (or initials only, in the case of small properties) were the rule.  In most cases, the name is here given as originally specified, and – where I have been able to determine it –  the first name(s) are given in parentheses.  There are exceptions, where initials only were listed, but the surname was apparent by virtue of location or by an arrow connecting the property with a larger, fully-identified one.

 

• Where I have added additional name information in parentheses, it may take one of  several forms:

 

• Doe, J. K. (John K.)
• Doe, J. K. (probably John)
• D., J.K. (possibly Doe, John)

 

The first example, where the addition is unqualified, indicates that the name matches the initials, and that there is additional corroborating evidence (e.g. I'm familiar with the family in question, or census data shows not only the name but that the person was a property owner in that township).

 

The second, less definite, example is that of a close, but not exact, match with census information.  Typically, ‘John' was the only Doe with a first name starting with J., and he either owned property, or – if young and unlanded in the 1870 census – was a young farmer who, by 1875, might have been expected to have started his own establishment.

 

The third represents a very tentatively established name;  these is listed only as a possible aid to future researchers.

 

• In the original plat, no cemeteries were listed by name, and only some of those extant at the time were included.  I have added all cemeteries, by name, which are known to have existed in 1875.

 

• Church names have been spelled out in full, where determined.

 

Finally, I plead for corrections and additions: if you find an error or can provide more information about people or landmarks, please email me.

 

Acknowledgements:

 

• First, my profound gratitude goes to Mr. Eden Martin, who first brought this plat to my attention (and who has published so much other wonderful Moultrie information on his site).  He has been very helpful both in building and maintaining his website and in responding to my email queries.

 

• I greatly appreciate the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society's assistance in making an original copy of the plat available for proofreading.  In addition, their list of Moultrie cemeteries has been indispensable in identifying many of the lesser-known graveyards – some of which no longer exist.

 

• I thank Dorothy Hinkey, whose transcription of the 1870 census is available here on the Moultrie GenWeb site.  It has been of great value in identifying the names of many landholders who were identified only by their initials in the original plat.

 

• Finally, I want to recognize Vincent Griffin, who has so thoroughly described the Dora Irish community, and who documented the location of the original Irish cemetery that predated the current St. Isidore churchyard.