ILLINOIS GENEALOGY EXPRESS

A Part of  Genealogy Express
 

Macon County, Illinois
History & Genealogy

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CHAPTER X. -
Biographical Sketches of Early Settlers
who came here prior to 1836, and their families, up to the Present time; Births, Marriages, Deaths, etc.
Pages 246 - 298

AB - CD - EF - GH - IJ - KL - MN - OP - QR - ST - UV - WX - YZ
 

HIRAM WARD was born in Macon county, Illinois, Jan. 28, 1827; was married to Clara E. Odor, Mar. 11, 1858, who was born in Garrard county, Kentucky, Jan. 7, 1843, and came to this county in 1850.  Of their children -      Lavena E. was born June 20, 1860 and died July 24, 1861.  Hattie Bell was born Mar. 10, 1863, and died July 30, 1864.  Laura A. was born Dec. 27, 1864.  EVA May was born May 17, 1867.  Frank Nelson was born Feb. 7, 1869.   Mirtie Luella was born Apr. 6, 1871; died Aug. 30, 1872.  Infant son was born Dec. 29, 1872; died Jan. 16,' 73.  Sarah Elizabeth was born Feb. 8, 1874. Source: Page 291 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

JAMES WARD was born in South Carolina, in 1792, and was married in Logan county, Ky., to Elizabeth Freeman; removed from Illinois to Missouri, and thence to Texas, where both died.  They had six children, none of whom now reside here. Source: Page 289 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

JERRY WARD was born in South Carolina, Jan. 17, 1788.  His wife was Dolly Derrington, whom he married in Logan county, Ky.  He removed from Macon county to Missouri, and thence to Texas in 1832, where he died.      JOHN WARD, Jr., was born in South Carolina, in 1790, and married Jane Madol, in Logan county, Ky.  They had a very large family of children, 17, perhaps, in all.  Mr. W. died in 1831, and is buried at Walnut Grove.  Of such of their children as we can obtain the names of -      MARGARET (see Perdue). MARY died in Fayette county.  JOHN, JR., 2d, died in Fayette county. SARAH married Moses Turner; died in the poor house.  AARON and JOSEPH, twins; AARON died in Fayette county; JOSEPH, dead.  LUCINDA married Isaac Miller, and has children living here.  NANCY married Nat'l. Murphy; now resides in Missouri.  MARTHA died of cholera in 1832. Source: Page 289 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

JOHN WARD, the father of the Wards who were among the early settlers of Macon county, was born in England, in 1769.  He emigrated, when a young man, to South Carolina, where he married Mary Ward, who was born in Ireland in 1768.  They removed thence to Tennessee, near Nashville, and remained a few years, and removed to Logan county, Ky., where Mr. W. died in 1811.  Mrs. W. and the family remained in Logan county, Ky., until 1819, and left in October of that year, and removed to within 11 miles of Vandalia, Fayette county, Illinois, where they arrived November 11.  They remained in the latter county until 1824, and then removed to what is now Macon county, and settled on the south side of the Sangamon river, and constituted what was known in early days as the "Ward settlement."  Of their children - Source: Page 289 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

JOHN WARD, JR., was born in South Carolina, in 1790,m and married Jane Madol in Logan county, Ky.  They had a very large family of children, 17, perhaps, in all.  Mr. W. died in 1831, and is buried at Walnut Grove.  Of such of their children as we can obtain the names of -      Margaret (see Perdue).       Mary died in Fayette county.      John, Jr., 2d, died in the poor house.      Aaron and Joseph, twins;  Aaron died in Fayette county; Joseph, dead.      Lucinda married Isaac Miller, and has children living here.      Nancy married Nat'l. Murphy; now resides in Missouri.      Martha died of cholera in 1832. Source: Page 289 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

LEWIS B. WARD was born in Logan county, Ky., Jan. 17, 1809, and removed to Illinois in 1819, and to Macon county in 1824.  On the 23d of December, 1830, he married Elizabeth Walker, who was born Sept. 8, 1813, in Rutherford county, Tenn., and became a resident of Macon county in 1829; died Jun. 7, 1852.  Of their children -      ALFRED was born Oct. 16, 1831.  MARY J. was born Nov. 18, 1833; married S. B. N. Vaughn.  ELIZABETH was born Mar. 13, 1836; married Woodson Parker.  ROBERT was born June 13, 1838.  CAROLINE was born Nov. 14, 1840; married J. B. Moore.  HARRIET was born Nov. 26, 1844.  REBECCA was born Nov. 29, 1846.  LEWIS J. was born Feb. 26, 1848.  NANCY A. was born May 15, 1852; died Sept. 28, 1853.      Mr. Ward was married a second time to Matilda Parker, who was born Aug. 14, 1832.  He sold his farm in Macon county in the fall of 1876, and removed to Girard, Kansas, prior to which he was the second settler, in point of arrival, residing in the county.  From him we derived most of our information in reference to the Ward family and Ward settlement.  He fixes the dates of the erection of the first houses in the county in the following order:  1st, William Downing's, south of Sangamon; 2d, Leonard Stevens', on Stevens' creek; 3d, Abraham Sprague's, just south of fair-ground; 4th, Hubble Sprague's, on the inside of the present fair-ground inclosure; 5th, William King's, a short distance south of the fair-grounds.  Mr. Ward says the first mill in Macon county was on Stevens' creek, and was built by William King in 1826, which was afterwards owned by and known as Renshaw's mill; also, that the first house in the limits of the old town of Decatur was just north of Priest's Hotel, and was built by Reuben Miller, who sold out to James Renshaw, in which the first store was kept.  He also states the first school house in the county was on the old Widick place, now owned by P. M. Wickoff, three and a half miles southwest of Decatur, and was erected in 1825, and the first school teacher was "Frozen" Taylor; and that the second school house was on land now owned by W. C. Smith, erected in 1828, in which one Nelson, "a little Yankee," taught.  At this school house Abraham Lincoln went to singings and spellings.  In the spring of 1826 Mr. W. raised 1,800 pounds of cotton in Macon county. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

LUCY WARD was born in South Carolina, and came to Illinois in 1819, and married Hiram Reavis.  They removed to Missouri in 1832, and now reside in Vernon county. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

MARGARET WARD was born in South Carolina, in 1796, and married in Kentucky to Elisha Freeman, who was one of the first county commissioners of this county.  They raised a large family of children.  Mr. F. died in 1858, and Mrs. F. in 1873.  Their children were: Polly, William, James, John, Jerry, Andrew, Thomas, Albert and Henry. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

NANCY WARD was born in 1806, and married Lambert S. Bearden, at Vandalia, Illinois, and moved to Macon county in 1823, and removed to Missouri in 1832, where their children now reside. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

POLLY WARD was born in South Carolina, and came to Illinois in 1819, and married Hiram Reavis.  They removed to Missouri in 1832, and now reside in Vernon county. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

SARAH WARD was born in South Carolina, in 1794.  She married Wm. Gambrel, in Logan county, Ky., removed to Illinois, thence back to Kentucky, thence to Missouri, thence to Texas, where she died. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

THOMAS WARD was born in 1804, and came to Illinois in 1818; married Elizabeth Widick, daughter of Jacob Widick.  They had seven children, most of whom reside in Christian county, where Mr. and Mrs. W. died. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

WILLIAM WARD was born in South Carolina in 1802, and came to Illinois in 1819, and lived here the remainder of his life.  He died, and was the father of Franklin, Hiram and John Ward, who still reside here. Source: Page 290 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

IRA WARNICK was born in Tennessee, Aug. 7, 1823; he moved to this county in 1825, and settled at the place afterwards known as the William Warnick place, and has ever since resided in this county; was married to Julietta Priscila Burke, Apr. 17, 1843, who was born in Kentucky, June 30, 1822, and came to this county in 1840.  Of their children all of which are now living -      James W. was born Apr. 11, 1844, and married Ann E. Stevens, Sept. 14, 1869.  Elizabeth E. was born May 10, 1846; and married Edward Hill.  Arthursa D. was born Aug. 6, 1848.  Thomas T. was born Dec. 30, 1851, and was married to Mary E. Lynch, in February, 1874.  NANCY C. was born Feb. 18, 1853, and married S. P. Falconer, Sept. 18, 1873.  Major M. was born Mar. 13, 1855.  Henriette L. was born Dec. 10, 1857.  Julietta A. was born Sept. 27, 1860.  IRA G. was born Mar. 7, 1864. Source: Page 289 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

WM. WARNICK, was born in 1784, in North Carolina, and married ______, who was born the same year.  He removed from North Carolina to Rutherford county, Tennessee, and thence to this county, in 1825.  He was the first sheriff of Macon county after its organization, and held the office from 1829 to 1835, and was also re-elected again for two years, in 1840.  He was in the Black Hawk war, and participated in the famous Stillman's defeat, where he received a slight flesh wound.  He was also captain of the rangers, during the same difficulty.  It was Mr. W. who was sheriff of the county, whipped Redmond and Wyatt, by order of the court, giving them 39 lashes apiece.  This was only punishment of the kind ever inflicted in the county.  Mr. W's father, James Warnick, was from Ireland, landing in New Castle, Aug. 15, 1758.  Their children were -      John, Margaret, Polly (first wife of Joseph Stevens), Jas., Lucinda, Betsy (married John Taylor), Clark, Ira, Robert, Sarah (married Benj. Taylor; now dead.)  Mr. W. died Feb. 12, 1855. Source: Page 296 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

WILLIAM WHEELER, SR., was born in Virginia about 1790, and married Elizabeth Hays, who was born in the same State.  Mrs. W., died about 1836, and Mr. W. in 1866.  Their children were, James, Stacy, Henry, William, Jr., Elizabeth, Raliegh, Burton, Larkin and Nathaniel.  Mr. Wheeler and family removed to Illinois and settled in Macon county, in 1828.      JAMES WHEELER was born in South Carolina in 1799, and died in 1867.  His wife was Margaret Mayberry.      STACY WHEELER was born about 1800, and married William Christopher, and died about 1831.      HENRY WHEELER was born in 1801, in Tennessee, and was married in Tennessee to Mary Y. Braden, who was born Jan. 4, 1800.  Of their five children -      Elizabeth E. was born May 7, 1826; married David Brett; died 1864.  Samuel R. was born Aug. 16, 1827; married Jamima Abrams, who was born in 1828, in Illinois.  William E. was born Oct. 23, 1828 married Ellen Frazee; he died 1875.  Nancy J. was born Jan. 9, 1830; married Samuel Woodward, first husband; Mason Packard, second husband; now resides in California.  Andrew J. was born Jan. 16, 1832; married N. E. Cox, who was born in Scott county, Illinois, 1837.      WILLIAM WHEELER, JR., was born on the 28th of Dec., 1809, in Rutherford county, Tennessee; was married Oct. 27, 1831, to Sarah A. Ward, (daughter of Jerry Ward,) who died in Aug., 1869.  Mr. Wheeler has been prominently connected with the affairs of the county, and has been repeatedly elected sheriff, assessor and collector.  Of their 10 children, but two are living, viz: -      Mary E., who married Thomas Inscho, now resides in San Jose, California; and Lewis Cass.  Andrew M. died in '69; Calvin R. died in '61; Lucinda K. died in '63; William L. died in '66; Henrietta died in '62; James C. died in '61; Thomas B, died in infancy, and Alice died in 1874.      ELIZABETH WHEELER was born in 1811, and married William Ward, the father of Franklin and Hiram Ward, well known in the county.      RALEIGH WHEELER was born in 1813, and died in 1834; his first wife was Rebecca Travis, and second Mary Fields.      BURTON WHEELER was born in 1815, and resides in Moultrie county, Illinois.      LARKIN WHEELER was born in 1817; died in 1838.      NATHANIEL WHEELER was born in 1819; died when young. Source: Page 296 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876 ~ Page 294

EMANUEL WIDICK was born Feb. 2, 1806 in Tennessee and came to Illinois and settled in Macon county in 1826.  He married Sarah A. Cox, who was born May 23, 1811.  Mr. W. died Mar. 4, 1863, and Mrs. W. died Dec. 10, 1863.  Of their children -      Albert was born Sept. 3, 1835.  William was born Aug. 8, 1837; died Mar. 1, 1845.  Margaret C. was born May 5, 1838; died Nov. 2, 1853.  John was born Feb. 2, 1840.  Andrew was born Mar. 27, 1842.  Ephraim was born ____, 1844.  Mary A. E. was born May 6, 1847.  Eliza J. and Aaron were born Apr. 21, 1850. Source: Page ___ – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

JOHN WIDICK was born in Rockingham county, Virginia and removed to Macon county, in 1826.  He married Cohorine Traughber; but what was the date of the births and deaths of each we cannot ascertain.  Mrs. W.  died perhaps, about Nov. 1, 1832.  Their children were -      William Margaret (See McDaniel), Emanuel (dead), Michael, Elizabeth (married Lemuel Walker), Rial (of Homer, Iowa), Aaron (dead), Eli (Saxton Station, Mo.), Edmund (Moultrie county), Henry and Josiah.      Henry Widick was born Sept. 30, 1828, in Macon county, and was married to Elizabeth Mathews, Oct. 30, 1850, who was born May 2, 1833.  Of their children -      Wm. H. born July 14, 1852.  Sarah E., born June 8, 1854.  Laura E., born Aug. 9, 1856.  Arminda E., born Aug. 4, 1859.  Lavena A., born Oct. 12, 1863.  Ida M., born July 29, 1867.  George C., born Aug. 23, 1872; died Sept. 7, 1874.      Samuel, Jacob, George and Joseph Widick were all brothers of John Widick, above mentioned, and removed to this county in 1825, at least the former and latter did.  Joseph settled at the old Caulk place, recently purchased by P. M. Wykoff, Samuel on the old Wm. Young place and Jacob the place where Robert H. Smith now resides.  Joseph was accidently killed by falling on a pitchfork, and Samuel died at Jefferson Barracks, during the late war. Source: Page ___ – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

LAVINA WILLIAMS, daughter of J. D. Long, was born Dec. 26, 1826.  Of their children -      Lafayette was born Jul. 17, 1852; died 1873.  Jerome was born Aug. 21, 1854; died 1856.  Walter L. was born Feb. 26, 1856.  Laura M. was born Sept. 12, 1857.  Joseph W. was born Nov. 6, 1859.  Mary C. was born May 11, 1861.  Edward was born Aug. 25, 1864.  Jasper was born Jan. 2, 1867.  Effie was born Mar. 12, 1869. Source: Page 296 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

ANDREW WILSON was born Mar. 3, 1785, and was married to Mary Ann Wilson, who was born Jan. 30, 1788.  They removed from East Tennessee to Macon county about 1830.  Mr. W. died Aug. 10, '44. and Mrs. W.  Sept. 17, '72.  Of their children.      Thomas B. was born July 26, 1807; died July '73.  Alexander M. was born May 6, 1809.  Eliza D.  was born Apr. 15, 1811; died Sept. 13, '15.  Katharine was born _____ 21, 1816; died Jan. 7, '55.  John A., was born Jan. 9, 1819; died Dec. 18, 21.  James J. was born Nov. 12, 1822; died Apr. 28, '54. Source: Page 293 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

BENJAMIN WILSON was among the early and prominent citizens of Macon county, and came here in 1827, and was one of the county commissioners who assisted in the county organization.  He held the position for a great many years.  He was born at Guilford Court House, in North Carolina, and removed thence to Tennessee, and afterwards Illinois.  He married Jane Warnick in the state of Tennessee, who was a sister of "Uncle Billy" Warnick, the first sheriff of the county.  Their children were, Polly, (see Sanders,) Rachel, (see Hill,) Peggy Smith, (see John Smith,) Robert, Nancy, Hannah, (see Blankenship,) and -      John Wilson was born in Rutherford county, Tennessee, in 1813, came to Illinois in 1828, and was married to Nancy Wilson, Mar. 1, 1832, who was born July 6, 1813, in Greene county, Tennessee, and became a resident of Macon county about 1830.  Of their Children -      Benjamin T. was born August 19, 1836; died Feb. 5, 1854.  Mary A. was born Oct. 23, 1833, and married Joseph M. Dawson, who was born Apr. 5, 1828.  Of their children -      John A. was born Jan. 19, 1857; died Dec. 29, 1857.  Luella B. was born Aug. 4, 1859.  C. E. was born Jan. 18, 1863.  Edwin P. was born Dec. 17, 1864.  Oscar W. was born Apr. 26, 1867. Source: Page 293 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

D. K. WILSON was born Mar. 27, 1825, in Rutherford county, Tennessee; came to Macon county in 1835, and was married to Mary J. Dickey, Feb. 25, 1845, who was born July 31, 1827, in Florence, Alabama, and came to Macon county in 1829.  Of their children -      Samuel was born Apr. 17, 1846; was married to Eveline Dresback in Sept., 1868, and died Jan., 1877.  Margaret C. was born Dec. 17, 1847; was married in S. B. Betz in March, 1869.  Eliza J. was born Oct. 8, 1849; died Apr. 16, 1866.  Andrew was born Sept. 1, 1851; was married to Ella Bundy, Apr. 13, 1875; who was born Apr. 26, 1859, in Piqua county, Ohio; came to this county in 1875, and died Dec. 15, 1876.  Sarah A. was Oct. 25, 1852; was married to R. J. Ross Dec. 9, 1874. Mary E. was born Jan. 17, 1858; was married to Marian Ranabarger, Feb. 27, 1876.  Zaritha M. was born Dec. 3, 1859.  William A. was born Dec. 8, 1862.  John W.  was born Apr. 27, 1865; died Sept. 17, '67.  George W. was born Jul. 28, 1868. Source: Page 292 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

ROBERT T. WILSON was born Oct. 4, 1779, in Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, and moved to Murray county, Tenn., when about 18 years old.  He moved thence to Wilson county, Tenn., where he married Jane Donald, who died in 1820.  Of their seven children -      Thomas F. was born July 26, 1813; died Aug. 29, ’35.  Mary B. was born June 14, 1815; died Aug. 17, ’39.  Nancy E. was born Sept. 28, 1817; died Apr. 6, ’34.  Sarah G. was born Nov. 1, 1819; died Nov. 1, ’52.  William A. was born Aug. 22, 1822.  Martha J., was born June 10, 1825; died ___, 1850.  Cynthia E. was born July 9, 1828; died ___, 1846.       Mr. Wilson’s second wife was Mrs. Sallie Hodge, widow of Joseph H. Hodge, and whom was born Apr. 26, 1792, in Orange county, North Carolina.  By her first husband the following children were born: -      Henry J. Hodge, born Mar. 11, 1813; died Aug. 30, 1838; married P. Traughber.  Talitha J. Hodge, born Dec. 9, 1814; married N. N. Baker.  Arranna H. born June 25, 1816; married J. M. Baker.  Margaret C., born Feb. 1, 1819; died ___, 1864; married John Hanson.  Joseph J., born Feb. 10, 1822; died Sept. 7, 1872; married M. A. Ferriss.  Eli L., born Oct. 24, 1824; died Mar. 26, 1849.      After the married of Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Hodge, in 1829, they removed to Sangamon county, Illinois, and came to Macon county in 1830, where Mr. W. died, Mar. 4, 1873, and Mrs. W. Jan. 20, 1872.  By the last marriage there were three children -      Robert D. was born Oct. 18, 1830; married Mary Outten.  Sarah A. was born Jan. 5, 1833; married John H. Davidson.  James A. was born in Sept 5, 1835; married Sarah Jones. Source: Page 292 – History of Macon County, Illinois – Publ 1876

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