2/15/99 To De Witt County Residents; In Jan. of this year I began searching De Witt county for anything on my family history. My hope was to eventually go back one more generation and then back to Europe. With help from Earliene Kaelin and alot of looking, I put together most of the story. Earliene asked me to share the story with the web so here goes: In 1800 Andrew W. Ailer ( my ggg grandfather) was born in Virginia (presumably Augustus Co) according to the US Census. His parents were of foreign birth. In the late 1820's he settled in Hocking County & then in Ross County, OH. Here he married Hannah Legg in 1829. In 1830, Augustus Harper Ailer was born ( my gg grandfather). In the late 1840's Augustus moved onto De Witt County and was soon followed by Andrew, Hannah and six other kids (mid 1850's). The family is listed in the 1860 census records. The childrens names were, Augustus, Mary (might have stayed in OH), Eliza, Wilson H., Anderson, Emaline and Riley. There is a tax record on Andrew & Augustus in De Witt in 1861. Andrew's was paid by Wilson. I found on Eli Halsey's web site a list of eligible males that were subject to military duty. On this registration it shows Augustus and Wilson. I found in the Adjutant General's Report that Riley was a private with the 20th Ill Inf., Company E. It shows that he was Discharged Sept. 6 1862. In the De Witt county Genealogy Qtrly, Spring 1985 Vol. XI, NO1 page 29 there is a contribution by C. Dean Whitehead that lists Veterans buried in De Witt Cemetery. On that list is Riley Ailer, D: 1862. I believe he went home to die. On Aug. 10, 1862, Anderson Ailer enlisted in the 107th ILL Inf., Company F. He was with the 107th during it's entire existance. He mustered out when it was disbanded on June 21, 1865. Wilson was "Recruited" Feb 15, 1865 by the 7th Ill Cav. He was mustered out Nov. 4, 1865. I do not show any evidence that Augustus was in the war. I have obtained a record that Emma E. Ailer married George D. Barnes on Jan.10, 1869 by S. A. Chapin, J. P.. The next record of Emma & George are in the 1880 De Witt County Census. On that list it shows George, Emma, two daughters; Zena & Iva and it also shows Eliza Ailer, Sister in Law. It is believed that Hannah died in the mid 1860's and that Andrew died in the mid 1870's. Eliza took care of Andrew until his death. I think that either Eliza moved in with her sister or the family moved into Andrew's home. The next record I found on Emma & George was in the DeWitt County Grave site Register. In it, it shows that George died Oct.4, 1922 and Emma died Sept. 21, 1930. They are buried at Maple Grove Cemetery, Farmer City, Ill., Santa Anna TWP.. I found an Index to the HISTORY OF DE WITT COUNTY ILLINOIS, 1910 , vol 1. In it lists Anderson Aler p.220, Riley, p.159 and Wilson, p.239. The Ailer name goes back and forth from Aler & Ailer. Does any one have a copy of this book and could they get a copy of the pages for me? The next mentioning I have of Augustus is that he got a homestead in South Central Kansas in 1880. He had wagon trained with his family to Kansas where he died in Harper, KS, Dec.13, 1898. Does anyone know if there are any Ailer's or Aler's in the De Witt area? Or does anyone know the where abouts of Zena (B:1870) or Iva (B:1878) or possibly their decendence? Any help on any of what I've written would be greatly appreciated. I am still hoping for a clue on Andrews Parents. I do hope that this story will shed some light on my quest. Craig Ayler [ [email protected] ]