Abraham Sodowski was born March 29, 1793 in Bourbon County Kentucky. He married Jane McDowell in Kentucky and "Americanized" his name to Sandusky after moving to Illinois. He had been a surveyor with Daniel Boone prior to moving to Carroll Township in Vermilion County, Illinois. and had staked out his claim before homesteading there. His land was two and one-half miles from the Village of Indianola. His brother, Jacob and family homesteaded near Westville, Illinois and his brother Isaac near Catlin.
At the time, there was a tribe of friendly Indians living on the north acreage of the land grant. The Indians told Abraham that the creek which ran through part of the farm, later named Sandusky Branch, had never run dry. This has been proven true in the following one hundred fifty and more years, even during several droughts.
Before leaving Kentucky in 1829, Abraham gave papers of manumission (freedom) to all of his slaves. After the Sodowski family was three days out on the trail to Illinois, a young, pregnant, form slave girl named Polly joined the caravan. She had not wanted to stay with her family in Kentucky and chose to come North with her former owners. Polly was the first black person in Vermilion County, and her son, Gabriel, was the first black child born in Vermilion County. She took the name Neal for herself and her child as a Mr. Neal in Bourbon County, Kentucky was Gabriel's father. She and her son lived with the Sandusky family most of their lives.
About forty years after coming to Illinois, Josiah, Abraham's youngest son built a home in Indianola for "Aunt Poll" as she was affectionately called by all who knew her. Aunt Poll lived with her only son, Gabriel, and his wife and their son, Frank. They were the only black family to live in Indianola for many years. Aunt Poll died in Indianola and is buried on a Sandusky lot in Woodlawn Cemetery. Her family moved later into Danville. Her grandson, Frank Neal, was a highly respected person in his community and well known by many in Danville. He died in 1976 and had no children.
Abraham built a two story log house on the homestead and all of their children were reared there. The children married and moved away, except the youngest, Josiah. When Abraham came to Carroll Township he brought many men and their families from Kentucky with him. They each homesteaded their own places, but worked for Abraham until his home and barns were built, land was cleared for farming and pastures fenced for horses and cattle raising.
Abraham and his wife brought the first piano to Vermilion County. It was an oblong grand piano with one octave short. It is still at the Sandusky Homestead. An identical piano is in the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. An early American primitive bed and dresser brought overland is also still at the Homestead. Abraham and Jane died within a year of each other (1865, Jane and 1866, Abraham) and are buried in the Sandusky Cemetery on the Homestead.
Abraham and Jane had eight children, seven born in Kentucky. Their last child, Josiah, was born on the Sandusky Homestead in Illinois.
Written by Susan Sandusky Stine and Jane Sandusky (adapted by Bob Jones)
At the time, there was a tribe of friendly Indians living on the north acreage of the land grant. The Indians told Abraham that the creek which ran through part of the farm, later named Sandusky Branch, had never run dry. This has been proven true in the following one hundred fifty and more years, even during several droughts.
Before leaving Kentucky in 1829, Abraham gave papers of manumission (freedom) to all of his slaves. After the Sodowski family was three days out on the trail to Illinois, a young, pregnant, form slave girl named Polly joined the caravan. She had not wanted to stay with her family in Kentucky and chose to come North with her former owners. Polly was the first black person in Vermilion County, and her son, Gabriel, was the first black child born in Vermilion County. She took the name Neal for herself and her child as a Mr. Neal in Bourbon County, Kentucky was Gabriel's father. She and her son lived with the Sandusky family most of their lives.
About forty years after coming to Illinois, Josiah, Abraham's youngest son built a home in Indianola for "Aunt Poll" as she was affectionately called by all who knew her. Aunt Poll lived with her only son, Gabriel, and his wife and their son, Frank. They were the only black family to live in Indianola for many years. Aunt Poll died in Indianola and is buried on a Sandusky lot in Woodlawn Cemetery. Her family moved later into Danville. Her grandson, Frank Neal, was a highly respected person in his community and well known by many in Danville. He died in 1976 and had no children.
Abraham built a two story log house on the homestead and all of their children were reared there. The children married and moved away, except the youngest, Josiah. When Abraham came to Carroll Township he brought many men and their families from Kentucky with him. They each homesteaded their own places, but worked for Abraham until his home and barns were built, land was cleared for farming and pastures fenced for horses and cattle raising.
Abraham and his wife brought the first piano to Vermilion County. It was an oblong grand piano with one octave short. It is still at the Sandusky Homestead. An identical piano is in the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. An early American primitive bed and dresser brought overland is also still at the Homestead. Abraham and Jane died within a year of each other (1865, Jane and 1866, Abraham) and are buried in the Sandusky Cemetery on the Homestead.
Abraham and Jane had eight children, seven born in Kentucky. Their last child, Josiah, was born on the Sandusky Homestead in Illinois.
Written by Susan Sandusky Stine and Jane Sandusky (adapted by Bob Jones)
Abraham Sodowski was born March 29, 1793 in Bourbon County Kentucky. He married Jane McDowell in Kentucky and "Americanized" his name to Sandusky after moving to Illinois. He had been a surveyor with Daniel Boone prior to moving to Carroll Township in Vermilion County, Illinois. and had staked out his claim before homesteading there. His land was two and one-half miles from the Village of Indianola. His brother, Jacob and family homesteaded near Westville, Illinois and his brother Isaac near Catlin.
At the time, there was a tribe of friendly Indians living on the north acreage of the land grant. The Indians told Abraham that the creek which ran through part of the farm, later named Sandusky Branch, had never run dry. This has been proven true in the following one hundred fifty and more years, even during several droughts.
Before leaving Kentucky in 1829, Abraham gave papers of manumission (freedom) to all of his slaves. After the Sodowski family was three days out on the trail to Illinois, a young, pregnant, form slave girl named Polly joined the caravan. She had not wanted to stay with her family in Kentucky and chose to come North with her former owners. Polly was the first black person in Vermilion County, and her son, Gabriel, was the first black child born in Vermilion County. She took the name Neal for herself and her child as a Mr. Neal in Bourbon County, Kentucky was Gabriel's father. She and her son lived with the Sandusky family most of their lives.
About forty years after coming to Illinois, Josiah, Abraham's youngest son built a home in Indianola for "Aunt Poll" as she was affectionately called by all who knew her. Aunt Poll lived with her only son, Gabriel, and his wife and their son, Frank. They were the only black family to live in Indianola for many years. Aunt Poll died in Indianola and is buried on a Sandusky lot in Woodlawn Cemetery. Her family moved later into Danville. Her grandson, Frank Neal, was a highly respected person in his community and well known by many in Danville. He died in 1976 and had no children.
Abraham built a two story log house on the homestead and all of their children were reared there. The children married and moved away, except the youngest, Josiah. When Abraham came to Carroll Township he brought many men and their families from Kentucky with him. They each homesteaded their own places, but worked for Abraham until his home and barns were built, land was cleared for farming and pastures fenced for horses and cattle raising.
Abraham and his wife brought the first piano to Vermilion County. It was an oblong grand piano with one octave short. It is still at the Sandusky Homestead. An identical piano is in the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. An early American primitive bed and dresser brought overland is also still at the Homestead. Abraham and Jane died within a year of each other (1865, Jane and 1866, Abraham) and are buried in the Sandusky Cemetery on the Homestead.
Abraham and Jane had eight children, seven born in Kentucky. Their last child, Josiah, was born on the Sandusky Homestead in Illinois.
Written by Susan Sandusky Stine and Jane Sandusky (adapted by Bob Jones)
At the time, there was a tribe of friendly Indians living on the north acreage of the land grant. The Indians told Abraham that the creek which ran through part of the farm, later named Sandusky Branch, had never run dry. This has been proven true in the following one hundred fifty and more years, even during several droughts.
Before leaving Kentucky in 1829, Abraham gave papers of manumission (freedom) to all of his slaves. After the Sodowski family was three days out on the trail to Illinois, a young, pregnant, form slave girl named Polly joined the caravan. She had not wanted to stay with her family in Kentucky and chose to come North with her former owners. Polly was the first black person in Vermilion County, and her son, Gabriel, was the first black child born in Vermilion County. She took the name Neal for herself and her child as a Mr. Neal in Bourbon County, Kentucky was Gabriel's father. She and her son lived with the Sandusky family most of their lives.
About forty years after coming to Illinois, Josiah, Abraham's youngest son built a home in Indianola for "Aunt Poll" as she was affectionately called by all who knew her. Aunt Poll lived with her only son, Gabriel, and his wife and their son, Frank. They were the only black family to live in Indianola for many years. Aunt Poll died in Indianola and is buried on a Sandusky lot in Woodlawn Cemetery. Her family moved later into Danville. Her grandson, Frank Neal, was a highly respected person in his community and well known by many in Danville. He died in 1976 and had no children.
Abraham built a two story log house on the homestead and all of their children were reared there. The children married and moved away, except the youngest, Josiah. When Abraham came to Carroll Township he brought many men and their families from Kentucky with him. They each homesteaded their own places, but worked for Abraham until his home and barns were built, land was cleared for farming and pastures fenced for horses and cattle raising.
Abraham and his wife brought the first piano to Vermilion County. It was an oblong grand piano with one octave short. It is still at the Sandusky Homestead. An identical piano is in the Smithsonian in Washington, D. C. An early American primitive bed and dresser brought overland is also still at the Homestead. Abraham and Jane died within a year of each other (1865, Jane and 1866, Abraham) and are buried in the Sandusky Cemetery on the Homestead.
Abraham and Jane had eight children, seven born in Kentucky. Their last child, Josiah, was born on the Sandusky Homestead in Illinois.
Written by Susan Sandusky Stine and Jane Sandusky (adapted by Bob Jones)
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