Faded Memories: Examination & Profiles of Hillsdale County's Pioneer Period

Early 19th Century History of Hillsdale County, Michigan... Following the War of 1812, pioneer settlement of the Northwest Territories began. The U.S. government encouraged the westward movement by offering newcomers cheap land at $1.25 per acre. The government purchased vast tracts of unencumbered land through numerous negotiated treaties with several Indian tribes, or it was taken by cheating or force. Tens of thousands of inhabitants from mostly New England states, and Europe, migrated t...