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.
... 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.
Worth ~ $500k to $1M today.

Coles's leadership defeated the pro-slavery effort in the 1824 vote.
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikiped...i/Edward_Coles