A New Guide for Emigrants to the West   By: John Mason Peck (1789-1858)

NEW GUIDE FOR EMIGRANTS

TO THE

WEST,

CONTAINING SKETCHES OF

OHIO, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, MICHIGAN, WITH THE TERRITORIES OF WISCONSIN AND ARKANSAS, AND THE ADJACENT PARTS.

BY J. M. PECK, A. M.

OF ROCK SPRING, ILL

BOSTON:

GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN.

FOR SALE BY THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED STATES.

1836.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, By GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

INDEX.

CHAP. I.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

Extent Subdivisions Population Physical Features Animal, Vegetable and Mineral Productions History Prospective Increase of Population, 11

CHAP. II.

GENERAL VIEW, &C., CONTINUED.

Productions, 32

CHAP. III.

CLIMATE.

Comparative View of the Climate with the Atlantic States Diseases Means of Preserving Health, 37

CHAP. IV.

CHARACTER, MANNERS AND PURSUITS OF THE PEOPLE.

Cotton and Sugar Planters Farmers Population of the large Towns and Cities Frontier Class Hunters and Trappers Boatmen, 102

CHAP. V.

PUBLIC LANDS.

System of Surveys Meridian and Base Lines Townships Diagram of a Township surveyed into Sections Land Districts and Offices Pre emption Rights Military and Bounty Lands Taxes Valuable Tracts of Country unsettled, 130

CHAP. VI.

ABORIGINES.

Conjecture respecting their former Numbers and Condition Present Number and State Indian Territory appropriated as their Permanent Residence Plan and Operations of the U. S. Government Missionary Efforts and Stations Monuments and Antiquities, 144

CHAP. VII.

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

Face of the Country Soil, Agriculture and Internal Improvements Chief Towns Pittsburg Coal Sulphur and Hot Springs Wheeling, 163

CHAP. VIII.

MICHIGAN.

Extent Situation Boundaries Face of the Country Rivers Lakes, &c. Soil and Productions Subdivisions Counties Towns Detroit Education Internal Improvements projected Boundary Dispute Outline of the Constitution, 179

CHAP. IX.

OHIO.

Boundaries Divisions Face of the Country Soil and Productions Animals Minerals Financial Statistics Canal Fund Expenditures Land Taxes School Fund Statistics Canal Revenues Population at different Periods Internal Improvements Manufactures Cities and Towns Cincinnati Columbus Education Form of Government History, 193

CHAP. X.

INDIANA.

Boundaries and Extent Counties Population Face of the Country, &c. Sketch of each County Form of Government Finances Internal Improvements Manufactures Education History General Remarks, 222

CHAP. XI.

ILLINOIS.

Boundaries and Extent Face of the Country and Qualities of Soil Inundated Land River Bottoms, or Alluvion Prairies Barrens Forest, or timbered Land Knobs, Bluffs, Ravines and Sink Holes Rivers, &c. Productions Minerals Lead, Coal, Salt, &c. Vegetables Animals Manufactures Civil Divisions Tabular View of the Counties Sketches of each County Towns Alton Projected Improvements Education Government General Remarks, 251

CHAP. XII.

MISSOURI.

Extent and Boundaries Civil Divisions Population Surface, Soil and Productions Towns St. Louis, 315

CHAP. XIII.

ARKANSAS AND TERRITORIAL DISTRICTS.

ARKANSAS. Situation and Extent Civil Divisions Rivers Face of the Country Soil Water Productions Climate Minerals State of Society. WISCONSIN. Boundaries and Extent Rivers Soil Productions Towns, &c., 323