Belvidere and Braceville

[garethgriffiths]

Hi, In connection with our Tunstall family mentioned elsewhere on this site I am questioning why they settled in Belvidere Co. Boon and Braceville Co. Grundy as well as Chicago Co. Cook.

I understand that there was massive developments in Chicago and certainly after the fire in 1871 but why would the Tunstall's have selected Belvidere and Braceville to settle?  Other than regarding them as pioneer settlers (circa 1860) what was happening in those USA villages/towns at that time?

Can anyone offer any comments please?
Thanks Gareth

[Erato]

Well one possibility is railroad construction; there was massive expansion of the railroads during that period and a lot of lines fed into Chicago.  I had a great aunt whose family relocated to Boone Co. in connection with RR work.  In the case of Braceville, the Grundy Co. Genweb site has a page on the history of Braceville:

www.rootsweb.com/~ilgrundy/history/bracevilletwp.html

It appears that coal mining was the key to the history of Braceville.

[garethgriffiths]

Hi Erato
Thanks for that link could be some useful info from there. 
As yet I havent found any railroad link to my TUNSTALL family however as a blacksmith and carpenter and bricklayer by their professions that doesnt mean to say the three TUNSTALL me werent involved, I suppose they could have built railway premises or have some trade from the railway company.  In my case the US census makes no reference to them being employees of the railroad company.
regards Gareth