Tracy Garrison, a surveyor in Springfield, Illinois, has undertaken a very commendable study to try to resolve the apparent problems that have been identified in Abe's Musick Ford survey.  He has solved most of the problems--some were mine, some were Baber's, but it seems that Abe isn't entirely off the hook yet.

The following is an exchange of emails between Tracy, me, and Bob Church, executive director of the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association.  The order of these emails is somewhat disjointed because original messages are tacked on to replies, etc.

A word of explanation regarding Bob Church's missive, imploring me to delete the word "botched" in my original title.  Abe is regarded by Illinois surveyors as their patron saint.  So, when I first titled my article, "Abe's Botched Survey?" it was bound to strike a nerve with Bob.  Now that Abe has seemingly been exonerated for most--but not all--of the problems with the Musick Ford survey, I have graciously removed the word "botched."

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 From: "Tracy Garrison" 
To: <Doug Criner>
Subject: Musick Survey

Doug, I have more information on this.  I have been caught up heavy work load over the last month.  I have obtained copies of the original survey plat.  I have found an additional error in Baber's book not mentioned in your notes.  The error was an additional bearing and distance added by Baber but not on the Lincoln Plat. 

With this additional piece of information I was able to determine that there is indeed an error (I think it is a missing leg of the traverse about a mile in distance).  I know that I am using all of the distances Lincoln used to make his note of the total length of the traverse.  Unlike Baber I am close to Abe's calculation. 

I really had to take the eastern part of the Traverse and break it up into two distinct pieces.  I started on the east bank of the Sangamon river across the river from the mill and ran North & East.  I ran in this direction until I would miss a called out land mark.  I hit the River Timber perfectly!  I digitized all the timber as it was in 1820's into GIS using the original township plats.  I kept going Northeasterly and I missed the called out Sugar Grove! so I stopped and marked this point as a question mark and my last good point was my river timber point. 

I then used the original field government field books and original township plats to piece together what Salt Creek looked like in and around 1834.  I then used the Illinois Public Land Tract database to find out where Musick purchase property in the area.  I ran several test traverses before I found the one that made sense. 

Remember the odd Northwest bearing in one of the Sugar Grove call outs amongst all the Southeasterly bearings?  This was really the only bearing that deviated from the southeasterly calls other than when the traverse got near Petersburg.  There is a portion of Grove creek that runs northwest and matches the bearing perfectly just due west of Sugar Grove cemetery!  I took this portion of the traverse and moved it to this location and the beginning of the traverse (where Musick's ford presumably would be located) fell on Salt Creek just inside a quarter quarter section owned by Samual Musick.  I believe that the very next bearing and distance after the Northwest bearing is ok.  But, I believe that the next true bearing and distance is missing and the next one listed is the one after the missing bearing. 

You would definitely have to see my map to get the entire picture but I think you should be able to follow what I have described above.

Tracy L. Garrison, GIS Manager, PLS

Sangamon County/Information Systems

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From: "Bob Church"
To: <Doug Criner>
Subject: Website Feedback

Doug, I met with Tracy Garrison yesterday. He brought me two story boards showing his research on the Musick Ferry Survey.  I believed he has solved the problem.  He found a 1-mile 

Are you aware that I received permission from Mr. Baber’s daughter to re-published the book A. Lincoln With Compass & Chain and it is available on the IPSA website: www.iplsa.org along with other items. 

The items for sale helped me raise $130,000 to complete the full-size statue of Lincoln at New Salem.  It was unveiled on October 4, 2003. You can see the statue on our web.

Thanks, 

Bob Church

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From: "Tracy Garrison"
To: <Doug Criner>, <Bob Church>
Subject: RE: Website Feedback

Doug, and Bob, there is an error on Abe's plat.  Abe has a missing traverse leg of about a mile in length. 

Baber had the errors mentioned in your notes plus one additional error.  He "Baber" added an extra 50 chain traverse leg that was not on Abe's plat.  In order to solve the mystery I had to run the part of Abe's traverse east of the Sangamon River in two pieces.  This 50 Chain leg was always throwing off my bearings and could not get anything to work out until I got the copies of the survey from the Library of Congress. 

1) I ran from the Sangamon River North and east until I hit the River Timber.  This was the last call I hit running this direction. 

2) I ran from Salt creek South and West until I hit the odd Northwest Bearing paralleled Grove Creek and then the next leg crossed the creek.  Then the next leg is suppose to hit the edge of Sugar Grove but does not and then the next one is suppose to hit River Timber but does not.  So I Isolated the missing leg (the one missing from Abe's Plat) and noted this on my map. 

So there is a blunder of some sort on Abe's part somehow creating his plat from his field notes he left off the "missing leg" from his plat.

Tracy L. Garrison, GIS Manager, PLS

Sangamon County/Information Systems

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>>> Doug Criner  5/19/2004 4:22:25 PM >>> 

Bob, I want to remind you that I used a question mark after the title, "Abe's Botched Survey?" 

But in any case, I will revise my website promptly. What do you think of this title: "Abe Didn't Botch the Survey, After All" 

Actually, the only two people who botched anything are Baber, rest his soul, and me. I discovered Baber's math errors, but failed to notice that he'd left out an entire leg from Abe's plat. 

At 03:59 PM 5/19/2004, you wrote:

Doug, thank you for your reply and I plan on attaching the newly found information in future copies of the book.  I would like to ask you to re-think your use of the word, "Botched" in the title of your informational paper on the Musick Ferry Survey.  

Thanks,

Bob Church

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 From: Doug Criner

Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 12:48 PM

To: Bob Church

Subject: Re: Website Feedback 

Bob: I'm very pleased about Tracy's work. I want him to publish his work somewhere, so that 100 years from now people will be able to find his results. Bob, your steadfast interest in the Lincoln surveys has been very valuable. 

I'm faxing my order form for a copy of the reprinted Baber book.  You and Tracy need to publish an errata sheet for the Musik's survey to be included in future copies that you send out. 

Doug Criner

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 From: "Tracy Garrison"
To: <Doug Criner>
Subject: RE: Website Feedback

No, Baber added the 50 chain leg (I am not sure why).  Abe's missing leg is almost 80 chains.  But, with the other mistakes in Baber's book the total ended up coming close (18 chains long).  I have not a clue about his field notes.  I wish I did.  I don't know what happened In 1837 when Menard and Logan counties were created from Sangamon county.  Did Menard county receive all information held by Sangamon County that was pertinent to its newly formed borders?  I know some people at Menard County and I will make some inquiries.  I would think that if it existed, we would know about it.

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