Grand Detour

A former employer of John's settled in Grand Detour, when Easterners came west looking for a new start. The man enticed John with stories of the flat plains. What made up John's mind to leave was in November of 1836, when John owed $78.76. He decided to leave his family behind and head for Illinois, then retrieve his family once he had money. He left his family of a pregnant wife and four children. With just $73 he made the several week trip to Grand Detour. Once he arrived, he rented land and built a blacksmith shop.