"On the first of March, 1830, his father determined to emigrate once more. . . . The emigrant company was made up of Thomas Lincoln's family, and the families of Mrs. Lincoln's two sons-in-law. Their means of progress and conveyance were ox-wagons, one of which Abraham Lincoln drove." [Mrs. Harriet Hanks Chapman said they had three wagons, two drawn by two yoke of oxen each, and one by two teams of horses.]William D. Howells, Life of Abraham Lincoln (Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association, 1938), 23.

Company consists of Thomas Lincoln, his wife Sarah Bush Lincoln and her son, John D. Johnston; Dennis Hanks, his wife Sarah E. Hanks, their daughters Sarah Jane, Nancy M. and Harriet, and son John Talbot; Squire Hall, his wife Matilda and their son John; and Abraham Lincoln, 13 in all. Sarah E. Hanks and Matilda Hall were daughters of Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln.

There is no distinct proof of route followed by Lincoln party on 225-mile journey from Gentryville to Decatur, Illinois, except from Vincennes to Lawrenceville. Indiana Lincoln Memorial Way Commission chose Troy-Vincennes trail, which passed through Polk Patch [now Selvin], Petersburg, and Monroe City. Probably four or five days completed 75-mile journey to Vincennes.LL, No. 161.

Caravan crosses Wabash River, flooded by spring rains. Leaving ferry, they continue west along road, much of which is under water. Ten miles beyond Purgatory Bottom they reach Lawrenceville. Leaving Lawrenceville, they turn northeast toward Palestine. During this day's journey Abraham rescues his dog.LL, No. 480.

The Lincolns probably continue north on old Indian trail to Hutsonville. Route from here to old site of Paradise, three miles southwest of Mattoon, cannot be clearly defined. Possibly they continue north to West Union, then turn northwest, passing through Melrose and Martinsville. They proceed northwest to Paradise, where they stay night of March 11, 1830 with Sawyers and Radleys, relatives of Mrs. Lincoln.ISLA—Bulletin, No. 11.

From Paradise caravan turns north through Nelson, crossing Kaskaskia River at Willow Ford, four miles southeast of present Sullivan. Trail then passes through Chipps and Lovington to Decatur. [On night of March 14, 1830 they camp in village square of Decatur. Decatur, granted post office a week before their arrival, contains less than a dozen log houses set in grove of oaks. ISLA—Bulletin, No. 11.

"Lincoln's family 'located' on some new land, ten miles northwest [southwest] of Decatur, on the north bank of the Sangamon river, at a junction of forest and prairie land. Here the father and son built a log-cabin [also smoke house and barn], and split rails enough to fence in their land." [Lincoln farm was located on S.E. ¼ of the S.W. ¼ of Sec. 28, T. 16 N., R. 1 E. of 3 P.M.]William D. Howells, Life of Abraham Lincoln (Springfield, IL: Abraham Lincoln Association, 1938), 23; Edwin D. Davis, "The Hanks Family in Macon County, Illinois," Illinois State Historical Society, Papers in Illinois History 46 (1939):83.