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Month: January 2009

Old Clark Stones

Old Clark Stones

This is the stone of Rev. David and Sarah “Sallie” Winans Clark in Mt. Pulaski Cemetery. No, I can’t read it either anymore but back when you could it was read and it says: Sally Wife of Rev. David Clark and Daugh. of Samuel and Hannah Woodruff died Dec 3, 1843 by the 54th year of her ageAlso Rev. David Clark Born Aug 28, 1776 Died Jan 6, 1847 In the 72d year of his age Nice of them to…

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Some Old Clarks

Some Old Clarks

Lida Harding Downing’s mother Mary Ellen was a Clark. Her father was Rev. Richard Clark, son of Rev. David Clark and Sarah Winans. Her mother was Margaret Clark, son of John Winans and Ann “Nancy” Isgrig Clark. John and Rev. David were brothers. Did I mention the mother of Rev. David and John Winans Clark was also a Sarah Winans and their father was also a David Clark? You really need a genealogy program to keep the Clarks [and Winans]…

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Daniel Harding

Daniel Harding

Benjamin Harding was born June 7, 1836, in Belmont County, Ohio. He fought in the Civil War in the 106th Illinois, lived in Logan County, moved to Iowa with all but one of his adult children in 1894. He died there June 29, 1915. He married Mary Ellen Clark on March 30, 1866, in Logan County. She was the daughter of the Rev. Richard Clark and his wife Margaret Ann Clark Clark. There were five children, only two of whom…

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Abe and Me

Abe and Me

Where I come from is closely associated with Abraham Lincoln. “You can tell you are from Logan County because every school trip for 12 years was to Lincoln something.” [There are several counties which could say the same.] In addition, we had one of the two remaining courthouses where he practiced in town. Unfortunately after they moved the actual court a fire destroyed most of the records from that time. As a result I confess I am not terribly interested…

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Where’s Callie?

Where’s Callie?

The Case of the Missing Poet Decatur Daily News, Decatur, Il, Thursday, 30 July 1914 WRITER OF VERSE DIESMiss Callie Harcourt of Chestnut, well known in this locality for her writing of verses, died suddenly Wednesday morning at her home. That’s all the researcher knows. His original question was why couldn’t he find her listed at Laenna Cemetery in Chestnut. Callie’s father Stillwell, who was still alive at the time of Callie’s death, is buried there. He died July 11,…

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An Airplane!

An Airplane!

On September 29, 1910, my grandmother, Ethel Ryan Downing, hitched up the buggy and took her month old son Orville [I never asked why he was named Orville. I don’t think he was named for Orville Wright but the plane was being hyped when he was born.] to town where she picked up her sister Cora Ryan Lipp, seven months pregnant. They stopped by their mother’s house but Lillie Margaret Wood Ryan absolutely refused to accompany them. She thought the…

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A Brief Marriage

A Brief Marriage

Ah the happy couple. Don’t they look blissful? I think they had pickles at the reception. This is William Nelson Downing and his bride Delilah Downing. Downing is her maiden name and no, they were not related. They were neighbors though. Two of her sisters had already married two of his brothers and, on February 27, 1862, they were married. It didn’t last. Five months and one day later he was gone with her brother and other relatives in 106th…

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Warrick Cemetery Issues

Warrick Cemetery Issues

Warrick Cemetery is back in a field in West Lincoln Township less than a mile south of the Lincoln Correctional Center and the Logan Correctional Center, two “adult facilities” — in plain English they are prisons, medium security. Warrick is a small, old family cemetery administered by the Logan County Cemetery District. Bill Stephenson, a Warrick descendant whose Black Hawk War ancestors are among those buried there, complained that the cemetery has been poorly treated. The district is pretty good…

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The post on Lida’s picture has been awarded the Proximidade Award by Tina Sansone of Gtownma’s Genealogy. These blogs invest and believe in PROXIMITY – nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award…

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MARRIAGE RECORDS IN HIDING

MARRIAGE RECORDS IN HIDING

A common question is “why can’t I find my ancestor’s birth/death/marriage certificate?” The answer to no birth or death certificate is generally simple. The State of Illinois did not MANDATE such records prior to 1916. After that it is a bigger issue and the subject of a different post. Marriage records were always required and yet many times they cannot be located. Obviously, they may not have gotten married where you think they got married. For Illinois marriages prior to…

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