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Document 4 –

Commissioner Gershom Jayne’s Accounts

April 22, 1830

Document 4 Click for larger images		Transcription
		1829	Springfield April 22. 1830 Board of Canal Commissioners of the "Illinois & Michigan Canal                       To Gershom Jayne, one of the Board Dr
		March	To attending the board, as Commissioner, at Belleville and Kaskaskia 7 days. - Travelling to and from those places 10 days making in all 17 days at $3.00 per diem –   ——————— ——                51.00 Expenses for the above days @ $1.00 per day — – –                     17.00 To attending the board of Commissioners at Springfield repairing from thence to meet the United States engineers at Chicago, exploring the Canal rout, locating line of the same and selecting the alternate. 70 days, @ $3.00 pr day           210.00 Expenses in travelling to Chicago for self and John Harper one of the hands employed– – – – –                                                7.00 Expenses in travelling to Springfield for plats and returning to Canal Route –    –    –    –    –    –    –    –                                   6.50 do in returning from Canal line – – – – – – – 3.50 Cash paid Adams, one of the Teamsters for Expense -  -  -               1.00 Cash paid John Harper one of the hands to bear his expense home-  2.00 do " to Simeon Steel –   –   —   —    —        ———                        2.00 do " " John Lee –    –    –    –               ––––––                                2.00 do " " Harrison McGary –  –  –  –           ––––––                              1.44 do " " Mr Sprigg of St Louis for services    –    –    –    –                  10.00 do paid Lieut. Foster for Whiskey –    –   –    –    –    –                        75 do " J. B. Campbell for Sugar &c  –  –    –    –    –    –                      4.00        Carried over              ––––––––––––––                                $318.19
		Sept. 21st
		1829      Decr. 16	Am’t. Bro’t. Forward –   –   –   –   –   –   –             318.19 Meeting the Board of Commissioners at Kaskaskia and attendence until the 23d 8 days at $3. per diem —  —  —         24.00 Travelling to & returning from Said meeting 10 days    at $3. per day –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –  –         30.00 Expenses for 18 days, at $1.00 per day –  –  –  –  –  –  –                18.00
		1830.Apl.	19. Attending Board at Springfield for Public Sale.          4 days at $3. per day –  –  –  –  –  –  –  – –  –  –  –                12.00                                                                                         Dolls. 402.19

Dr. Gershom Jayne, a Springfield physician, had been born in Orange County, New York in 1791. Having served as a surgeon in the War of 1812, he came out to Illinois in 1819. Jayne, Edmond Roberts, and Charles Dunn in 1829 made up the board of canal commissioners. These commissioners in cooperation with U.S. engineers laid out the line of the canal and selected those lands along that line which the federal government donated to the State of Illinois for canal purposes, all in 1829 (see document 1, document 2, and document 3). Dr. Jayne died in Springfield in 1867.

Early in Illinois history Chicago was not the dominate metropolitan center it is today. Although its geographical location was recognized as having tremendous potential for growth, that reality had not yet been achieved. Southern and central Illinois contained more significant population concentrations in towns such as Kaskaskia, Belleville, and Springfield.

Locate Springfield, Belleville, Kaskaskia, Chicago, and St. Louis on a map.

Did Jayne’s accounts add up correctly?

What mode of transportation would Gershom Jayne have used in 1829 and 1830?

If an acre of canal land sold for $1.25 at this time, did Jayne’s expenses appear reasonable? Why?

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