In 1837, a young blacksmith in Vermont watched his business collapse. He couldn’…
In 1837, a young blacksmith in Vermont watched his business collapse. He couldn’t pay his creditors. And back then, that meant one terrifying fate: debtor’s prison. Facing the grim threat of jail, he made a bold decision—he packed up his tools and family and headed west to Illinois, seeking opportunity and a fresh start. The […]








