Elijah Selby Calkins (1793-1883)

Upper Canada (Ontario) → Hampshire, Kane County, Illinois

Father in his 80’s who moved to Illinois to be with his son.

Quick Facts

  • Born: 5 August 1793, Saratoga, New York
  • Died: 23 September 1883, Hampshire, Kane County, Illinois
  • Spouse: Elizabeth Jane (Betsy) Allen
  • Occupation: Farmer
  • Illinois Settlement: Hampshire, Kane County

Connection to Author: 4th great-grandfather (Davis line)

Antique map of Upper Canada showing Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and the surrounding districts

Map of Upper Canada where the Calkins family lived from 1825-1880.

Early Life

Elijah Selby Calkins was born on 5 August 1793 in Saratoga, New York, the oldest of nine children. He married Betsy Allen in 1814 and shortly afterwards moved west to Oswego County, on the shores of Lake Ontario. By 1825, the Calkins moved yet again; this time to Upper Canada (Ontario) where Betsy had grown up. They lived in various locations in Upper Canada until around 1880.

Why He Left

Of Elijah’s 14 children, only one stayed in Ontario. The rest moved: Alberta (1), Idaho (1), Illinois (3), Iowa (2), Manitoba (2), Michigan (1), Nebraska (2), and Saskatchewan (1). Elijah’s oldest son, Luther, left Upper Canada for Hampshire, Kane, Illinois around 1855 where he farmed with his father-in-law, Benjamin Samis. Around 1880, Luther went north to Ontario to see his parents according to a local newspaper. Shortly after that, Elijah and Betsy moved to Hampshire, Kane County, Illinois. They were in their 80’s at the time.

Journey to Illinois

Because railroads were established by the time Elijah and Betsy migrated to Illinois, they most likely took the train the entire way traveling through Detroit and Chicago to get to Hampshire. It’s possible Luther traveled with them.

Building a Life in Illinois

We don’t have confirmed records of where Elijah and Betsy lived, but it’s likely they lived with Luther and his family. They didn’t live there long. Elijah died in 1883 and is buried in North Plato Cemetery.

Migration Timeline

This timeline shows the migration path to Illinois of Elijah Selby Calkins’s ancestors.

Name Date From To
Hugh Calkins 1638 Cheshire, England Plymouth, MA
1640 Plymouth, MA Green Harbor, MA
1641 Green Harbor, MA Gloucester, MA
1651 Gloucester, MA New London, CT
1659 New London, CT Norwich, CT
Samuel Hugh Calkins Abt 1697 Norwich, CT Lebanon, CT
Stephen Calkins Abt 1738 Lebanon, CT Sharon, CT
Elijah Calkins Abt 1780 Sharon, CT Dutchess County, New York
Luther Ebenezer Calkins Before 1800 Sharon, New York Saratoga, New York or Milton, New York
Elijah Selby Calkins Before 1818 Saratoga, New York Mexico, Oswego, New York
About 1825 Mexico, Oswego, New York Ontario, Canada
1880 Ontario, Canada Hampshire, Kane, IL
Luther Calkins* 1855 Ontario, Canada Hampshire, Kane, IL
*Luther arrived in Illinois first, but Elijah Selby was the oldest generation to move to Illinois.

Why This Story Matters

Elijah Calkins’s life reminds us that migration was often a process rather than a single event. His movements carried him through several communities and ultimately across an international border, once from New York to Canada, and then at an advanced age to Illinois. Each move occurred at a different stage of life and for different reasons. His story illustrates how nineteenth-century families repeatedly adjusted where they lived as opportunities and family relationships changed. Elijah’s move shows that one of the reasons for migrating was to live near family.

Source Documents

The research documents for the Calkins 1880 migration story:

Related Reading

My Blog and Newsletter have additional stories and research related to the Calkins family.

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