Letter has no salutation but is accompanied by a yellow envelope addressed to Alexander McDaniel, Wilmette, Illinois]
This is to certify that I moved on a claim in the Spring of 1837 on the lake shore near where Glencoe now is. In the spring of 1838 I moved down on a claim between Gross Point and the Widow Pattersons. That was before the land was surveyed by the government. After it was surveyed my lot was the S.E 1/4 of Sec.21 town 42 N R 13 E. I knew of no man by the name of Wendal Allis [Alles] living in that vicinity at the time I came there first. Of [if] there had of been a man by that name I certainly would of known it as I knew everybody within 2 or 3 miles around. In the latter part of summer or fall of 1838. There was a man by the [p.2] name of Allis [Alles] moved on a claim west of what was then called Hills Ridge. Afterward for some years he hauled out large quantities of timber on the lake shore north of me and rafted it in Chicago
Chicago September 23rd 1881
Simon Doyle
