ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, MANUSCRIPT SURVEY NOTEBOOK OF TOWNSHIP 18 NORTH, RANGE 1 EAST, SUBDIVISION BY CHARLES R. BENNETT IN 1834, VARIATION 7° 50' E."
[Rock Island County, Illinois: 1834]. 4" x 6.5", blue paper. 59pp, hand-paginated. Small manuscript journal, self-wrappers [light soiling and staining, edgewear], sewn. Front wrap has manuscript title: "Township 18 N.R. 1 East/ Subdivision by C.R. Bennett in 1834. Variation, 7° 50' E." Some pencil calculations on rear wrap. Light age toning of interior pages, minor chipping and dog-earing of corners. Good+ to Very Good.
These survey notes were prepared by Charles R. Bennett, a United States Deputy Surveyor. The notes are very detailed, referencing the "Indian Line as surveyed by Flack and Bean," the road from Rock Island to Galena, the Mississippi River, the Rock River, creeks, swamps, oak trees and other landmarks. They appear to be of East Moline, Illinois, or a nearby township.
The journal is divided into six parts, five "Tier of Sections" and the "Meanders of the Mississippi." It is probably a record of part of the surveys Bennett was contracted to perform by the federal government in 1832 and 1833. He and others were charged with surveying a large area of Illinois and nearby Missouri. They surveyed about 6300 miles, of which over 4200 miles were in Illinois. Bennett surveyed thirteen townships in the Rock Island area. [AMERICAN STATE PAPERS: DOCUMENTS, LEGISLATIVE... VOLUME 8, 1861, accessed at Googlebooks; Bateman, et al.: 2 HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS, p. 790.]
Charles R. Bennett [1810-1879], born in New Jersey, lived in Illinois for many years. He was appointed County Surveyor of Jo Daviess County in 1835. The 1850 United States Federal Census lists him as a surveyor in Jo Daviess. Item #32623
Price: $350.00