Jefferson’s Clock

•January 8, 2025•

By Janet Roney

In 1808, the last year of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, he authorized Isaac Hill to explore the interior of Illinois along the third principal meridian to survey the land, find natural resources and mill seats, and locate trails. He was also to spy on activities of the British who were still hanging around in frontier Illinois 25 years after our independence.  

Hill left a map and a report about his 1809-1811 expedition into Illinois, but his will written in Warren County, Kentucky in 1846 sheds more light on the story and provides more authenticity to the expedition. His will distributed his land, slaves, and his “Jefferson Clock” to his heirs.

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