This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Bg.2ADI/276.1 Message Board Post: We are not related to this family. We read your post and decided to see if we could help. One of the assets we have available to us is the electronic files of the old Decatur newspapers. Often it is the gossip section of the papers that offer the most clues. We found the following article. Decatur Daily Review, Oct 10, 1924 Struck By Car Oscar Mesnard of Jackson Township, who had been on a visit to his uncle Circuit Clerk Clarence Phillips and family was struck by an auto about 11:30 Thursday Morning and injured. He had started home and at Funkhouser about two miles west of town was standing talking to another man on the pavement. Two cars were coming and passed him and one struck him knocking him to the pavement. He was injured about the head, one shoulder was badly bruised and there were bruises on his neck. He was brought back to town, where he received medical attention. We looked for Clarence Phillips in the 1910 census. Nearby is the family listed below: 1910 Jackson Township, Effingham, IL James Mesnard (indexd as Mesnord), 47, married 18 years, OH, CT, OH Minnie, 40, married 18 years, 8 children, 7 living, IL, England, IL Eugene, 16, IL Nobel, 14, IL Ralph, 11, IL Bertha, 10, IL Harvy, 8, IL Joe, 5, IL Osker, 1, IL The 1920 census adds a daughter Bertha C, 1?, IL, but does not show a Bertha b. abt 1900. It maybe the same child. 1900 Jackson, Effingham, Illinois James S Mesnard, abt 1863, Ohio Minnie J Mesnard, abt 1870, Illinois Eugene L Mesnard, abt 1894, Illinois Noble O Mesnard, abt 1896, Illinois Ralph W Mesnard, abt 1899, Illinois Bertha C Mesnard, abt 1900, Illinois From Illinois marriage records: JAMES S A MESNARD married MINNIE BALLARD on 02/10/1892 in EFFINGHAM Co. CLARENCE M PHILLIPS married ROSA BALLARD on 01/30/1898 in EFFINGHAM Co. 1880 Jackson, Effingham, Illinois Samuel WINTERS, 63, OH, Farmer, PA, PA Mary J. WINTERS, 53, TN, Keeping House, VA, VA William WINTERS, 28, IL, OH, TN Menoro WINTERS, 6, IL, IL, IN Mary CINCH, 17, IN, IRE, IRE John HUNTER, 82, SCO, Cabonet Maker, SCO, SCO James MESNARD, 17, IL, Workhand, OH, OH Solomon MESNARD, 54, CT, Farmer, FRANCE, ENG. Mary J. MESNARD, 23, IL, Keeping House, TN, TN William MESNARD1, 16, OH, CT, OH Anna A. MESNARD, 7, IL, CT, OH Lilla M. MESNARD, 2M, IL, CT, IL William GARDNER, 23, IL, Workhand, VA, VA B. BALLARD, 51, ENG, Farmer, ENG, ENG Martha C. BALLARD, 42, IL, Keeping House, NC, TN James W. BALLARD, 20, IL, ENG, IL Charles M. BALLARD, 17, IL, ENG, IL Emma F. BALLARD, 14, IL, ENG, IL Arminda J. BALLARD, 11, IL, ENG, IL Martha R. BALLARD, 5, IL, ENG, IL Files on Ancestry.com say that Martha R is Martha Rosa and that she did marry Clarence Phillips. Arminda looks like Minnie could be a nickname. 1860 Township 7 N Range 4 E, Effingham, IL Benj Bellard, 29, 1830, England Martha Bellard, 20, 1839, Illinois Eliza C Bellard, 3, 1856, Illinois Township 8 N Range 5 E, Effingham, IL Soloman Mesnard, 33, 1826, New York Mary Mesnard, 30, 1829, Ohio Rebecca E Mesnard, 13, 1846, Illinois Delila J Mesnard, 7, 1852, Illinois John H Mesnard, 5, 1854, Illinois Alva M Mesnard, 2.12,, Illinois 1850 Not Stated, Effingham, IL James Cartright, abt 1803, Virginia Catherine Cartright, abt 1808, Tennessee Martha Cartright, abt 1838, Illinois Adaline Cartright, abt 1839, Illinois Mahala E Cartright, abt 1841, Illinois Nancy A Cartright, abt 1842, Illinois Henry Cartright, abt 1845, Illinois Amanda G Cartright, abt 1847, Illinois Lucinda G Cartright, abt 1847, Illinois Isaac T Cartright, abt 1850, Illinois The Book Title: History of Effingham County, Illinois City of Publication: Chicago Publisher: O.L. Baskin & Co. Date: 1883 Has a bio on Solomon Mesnard. The important parts of the Bio are: He was born in CT, the son of John Mesnard. He moved to Fairfield Co, OH in 1834, and on to Effingham Co, IL in 1842. He married Miss Mary Spliter in Fairfield Co., OH on August 10, 1846. She was the Daughter of Henry Spliter. They moved to Effingham Co., IL. Solomon enlisted in Company G, 115 IL Vol. and served for the duration of the war. Mary Spliter died on Oct 18, 1877. Children by this marriage were? Rebecca Clum, Delila Drum, Allie Parks, John H, James A (on the marriage license James is James S A), William S and Annie A. On April 7, 1878 Solomon married Mary J Reed in Shelby Co. Their children were Lela and Robert A. Solomon’s Father, John, was born in France on March 4, 1789. He came to New York at the age of 17. He was married to Phebe Slocum in CT. He moved back to New York City and remained there until 1832 when he moved to Fairfield Co., OH. He moved to Effingham Co., IL in 1842. He died at the Residence of his son on August 14, 1868. His wife died on May 13, 1860 at the age of 67. Also in the book is a bio Addison Mesnard (son of John and Phebe). He moved to Effingham Co., IL in 1841. The same book has a bio on Benjamin Ballard. The important parts of the Bio are: Ben is the son of William and Eliza Ballard and was born in England in 1830. At the age of 21 he came to New York City on Nov 22nd 1851 (note: it should be 1852). Ben was penny less when he landed in New York after a rough voyage of 42 days. He worked at a wage of $8 per month until he could afford a ticket out of New York. Fortunately he made a mistake and purchased a ticket to Columbus, OH instead of where he wanted to go. When he got to Columbus, he heard about the Illinois Central Railroad and started for Effingham Co., IL. Part by stage coach and part on foot. He worked first with a wheelbarrow and then as a driver on a scraper. In a period of 3 months he earned a total of $400. Ben married Martha Cartwright, dau of James and Catherine Cartwright, in 1855. Benjamin and Martha’s children were Eliza, wife of Carless Wilmeth – born Sept 8, 1857; Charles A, born March 14, 1863; Emily F born October 2, 1865: Arminda J born Nov 15, 1869; Martha R born Dec 20, ! 1874. They also had a son James born Oct 12, 1860 and died June 10, 1882. The 1900 Census says that Benjamin Ballard immigrated in 1852. If so, then this would be his immigration record: Name: Benj Ballard Arrival Date: 17 Nov 1852 Estimated Birth Year: 1831; Age: 21; Gender: Male Port of Departure: London, England; Place of Origin: England Destination: United States of America Ship Name: Prince Albert; Port of arrival: New York This is all we can do.