One of Sangamon County, Illinois' earliest settlers, Archer Gray Herndon was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, on February 13, 1795. At the age of four his family headed west, settling in Greene County, Kentucky, where Archer Herndon grew to adulthood on the prairie. When the War of 1812 broke out he volunteered for a year in the state militia. In 1820 the family moved once again, this time to Madison County, Illinois. In 1821 Herndon moved once again, to Sangamon County and took up farming. In 1823 he moved into Springfield and open the Indian Queen, Springfield's first tavern-hotel. Herndon also operated a general store in Springfield. He served in the Illinois state senate from 1834 to 1842 and was, with Abraham Lincoln, one of the famous "Long Nine" from Sangamon County who was instrumental in moving the state capitol from Vandalia to Springfield. Archer Herndon was the father of William Henry Herndon, Abraham Lincoln's law partner. Archer Herndon died in Springfield on January 3, 1867.
No comments:
Post a Comment