Potential Father for James

Land Grant issued to James Vail on 1 Dec 1830

Last Sunday I wrote about possible connections between my 4th-great-grandfather James Vail and another James Vail, who I will call James (1792). This James (1792) entered a land grant in nearby Vermilion County, Illinois in 1830, before moving to Indiana sometime before 1834. While looking at other land grants in Vermilion County I found only one other entered around the same time by a man with the last name Vail. This person was Abraham Vail. Like James (1792) and my 4th-great-grandfather, Abraham Vail was from Butler County, Ohio. I strongly suspect Abraham and James (1792) were brothers.

Land Grant issued to Abraham Vail on 16 Mar 1829

Abraham Vail received a land grant on 16 March 1829 in Vermilion County, Illinois. James (1792) acquired his land within the same township and range a little more than one year later. It is possible that my James Vail was a son of Abraham, and moved to Indiana for land following uncle James (1792). I have an AncestryDNA connection who is descended from James (1792).

From other research, I have been able to find that Abraham was born on 2 September 1794, likely in Washington County, Pennsylvania. He moved to Butler County, Ohio, and then to Vermilion County, Illinois. Abraham and James (1792) were living very close to each other in the 1830 US Census.

1830 US Census, Vermilion County, Illinois.

By 1840 Abraham had moved to Fulton County, Illinois. Abraham eventually settled in neighboring McDonough County, where he passed away on 21 August 1874. A difficulty I have is determining whether my James as a son of Abraham. In order to look at this further I need to work backward another generation, to Abraham's parents, Samuel and Keziah (or Deziah) Jennings Vail.