Edward Coles (December 15, 1786 – July 7, 1868) was the second Governor of Illinois, serving from 1822 to 1826. He was influential in opposing a movement to make Illinois a slave state in its early years.Coles' studies at the College of William & Mary convinced him that slavery was wrong. He sought for many years to find a way to free the slaves he inherited from his father, one of the wealthiest men in what was then the western frontier of Virginia.Worth ~ $500k to $1M today.... Coles freed his ten slaves. None of his slaves left him, and upon arrival in Edwardsville, Illinois, Coles gave each head of family 160 acres of land.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped...i/Edward_ColesColes's leadership defeated the pro-slavery effort in the 1824 vote.
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