Thanks for the lookup on HODGE-DOWNEY marriage. If anyone has information on these two, Sarah and Dennis in a Johnson Co IL cemetery, I would appreciate lookup. Also, any DOWNEY who may have been Sarah's parents. Thanks again. Virginia Flesher

HODGE, DENNIS DOWNING, SARAH F 01/27/1870 00B/0281 JOHNSON ----- Original Message ----- From: "Virginia Flesher" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 8:05 AM Subject: [ILJOHNSO] marriage record for Dennis HODGE and Sarah, perhaps DOWNEY, 1860 > I am looking for a marriage record of Dennis HODGE, b IL, age 20 in 1860, > and Sarah, b KY, age 22 then. She may have been a DOWNEY. 8 year old Albert > DOWNEY, b IL was living with them and they had married in Jan of that year. > They are listed in Johnson Co IL census, page 368 twp 11, range 2 East, > Goreville P.O. > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Do not send Virus warnings to this list. > "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" > [email protected] >

I am looking for a marriage record of Dennis HODGE, b IL, age 20 in 1860, and Sarah, b KY, age 22 then. She may have been a DOWNEY. 8 year old Albert DOWNEY, b IL was living with them and they had married in Jan of that year. They are listed in Johnson Co IL census, page 368 twp 11, range 2 East, Goreville P.O.

I am interested in this family, because of the Albert DOWNEY, age 8 in 1870. I have been looking for my great grandfather, whose name was Albert Wm DOWNEY, and he was b about 1862. He m Emmie Armelta CADLE in Dunklin Co MO in 1886. They had three children and he was dead before 1900, as his wife had remarried by then. If anyone can help me by looking through some records at the courthouse, to see if he was a ward of the court of Johnson Co IL, I would appreciate it very much. I am very interested in finding who his parents were. 1870 JOhnson Co IL, twp 11, range 2 east, Goreville PO, page 368 35/35 HODGE, Dennis 20 mw farmer b IL married in Jan of year Sarah 22 fw kkep house b KY DOWNEY, Albert 8 mw b IL (no relation is listed) He is not in 1880 census with them. 1880 census: Danis HODGE Self M Male W 29 IL Farmer AL TN Sarah HODGE Wife M Female W 34 TN Keeping House AL TN Edney HODGE Dau S Female W 6 IL At Home IL TN Ollie HODGE Dau S Female W 4 IL IL TN Jerome HODGE Son S Male W 2 IL IL TN Source Information: Census Place Elvira, Johnson, Illinois Family History Library Film 1254217 NA Film Number T9-0217 Page Number 521D

It is not Joel A. Dubois, This Joel Dubois was born in 1827, died 1877 -----Original Message----- From: Sharon Brown [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 6:42 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ILJOHNSO] Little Egypt Heritage, 13 February 2005, Vol 4 #07 [email protected] wrote: >Sir, My gggrandfather was in the 120th Il. Inf. for a brief time as a First >Lt. "Joel Dubois". I have a book written by W.S.Blackman, Title: "The Boy of >Battle Ford". It covers much on the people of Little Egypt and a real revue >of the 120th by a man who was there. The reading is of country folk and when >you start, you can't put it down. Written 1906. Many names of familes from >Saline and Johnson Counties are mentioned that you may have knodledge of. > >Sincerly, > >Richard Dubois > > > > > Is this Joel Dubois or Joel A. Dubois? Sharon ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== Do not send Virus warnings to this list. "Problems with Johnson Co IL Mail List email Tim Casey" [email protected]

Sir, My gggrandfather was in the 120th Il. Inf. for a brief time as a First Lt. "Joel Dubois". I have a book written by W.S.Blackman, Title: "The Boy of Battle Ford". It covers much on the people of Little Egypt and a real revue of the 120th by a man who was there. The reading is of country folk and when you start, you can't put it down. Written 1906. Many names of familes from Saline and Johnson Counties are mentioned that you may have knodledge of. Sincerly, Richard Dubois -----Original Message----- From: Bill [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 7:33 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Little Egypt Heritage, 13 February 2005, Vol 4 #07 Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois © Bill Oliver 13 February 2005 Vol 4 Issue: #07 ISBN: pending Osiyo, Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, Reading is one of my greatest pleasures. Though writing is high up on my list, reading as research or relaxation is a tad higher. However, reading about our Civil War about tears me apart. My major reading thrust lately has been on that subject. This as background for writing a Regimental History. For nearly everyone who took part in the War of the Rebellion there is at least one great tragedy. In researching material for a Regimental History of the 120th Illinois Volunteer Infantry I find were at least three events which stand out. The early decease epidemic at Memphis, Tennessee; the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads near Guntown, Mississippi; and interment at Andersonville Prison, Georgia. Some of my southern bro will not like what will be said about their side, while some of my northern bro will think there too much “kindness” toward the southern leadership. I personally cannot think any particularly pleasant thoughts concerning combat. “War is Hell!” quoth a famous commanding officer. Too often reading grabs me and take me into the unfolding words. Many historians, authorities and amateurs alike, have said that no one can feel and experience what our ancestors felt and experienced. It certainly is not something I can vouch for either way. This week while reading of soldiers arriving at the newly constructed prison stockade at Anderson[ville], my imagination played the scene most vividly – the feeling was like being there. Yuk!!! The first prisoners arriving there in February 1864 were told that Andersonville was a large grassy field with shade trees and a brook running through it. They were taunted with “it is much too good for you Yanks!” Those prisoners were glad enough to get out of the railroad cars. They had ridden five days and nights in the filthy, crowded cars. Twenty or more of their numbers were so feeble from sickness that other prisoners had to lift them out and lay them on the ground. Out beyond an opening in the [then] woods they had their first sight of the high stockade fence between two hills that was their new living space. There were no trees, the brook was barely visible, and there was swamp in the middle of the grassless field [err, enclosure]. About five hundred Confederate soldiers were on hand with muskets and fixed bayonets to escort [and prod] them over sand hills to the prison. The Yanks were hustled along, struggling down into ravines filled with loose sand and up small hills covered with tree stumps, until all were breathless. In one recorded case, about 750 tired, hungry, weak, fatigued and mentally depressed soldiers traversed the 1000 or so feet from the railroad to the stockade. After enduring the confinement of five days in the boxcars, stuffed in like sheep, the were cramped and achy. They marched into the enclosure in the dark. The closing of the gates brought the stark reality of being shut out from the world. Even though by July 1864 [only five months from day one] the camp was enlarged, the population had swollen to 33,000 or more men, giving each of them about the space of a grave to live. Overcrowding, lack of sanitation and proper diet, fostered smallpox, dysentery, scurvy, malnutrition, infection turned gangrenous, aided a skyrocketing death rate. At best count, some thirteen thousand men have their bones laid out in the graveyard just outside the stockade. How many died after release from this “Hell Hole” is anyone’s guess. One of the latter was a second great grandfather. Once inside the compound the men were mostly left to their own “devices”. Except for meal rations there wasn’t any organization of the men, nor military discipline. None of the officers did or couldn’t establish order. As the camp grew in population, a type of mob rule developed and increased. Gangs were formed called “Raiders” who robbed, beat, and even murdered fellow inmates. With as many as 30,000 prisoners in approximately 26 acres [16 at first] it was difficult for any individual to avoid problems. Pity the sick and infirm. About July, or a bit less than six months, groups of “Regulators” were formed to oppose the “Raiders”. Those of you who have great curiosity about the “Raiders” and the “Regulators” can read the various accounts of man’s brutality to man, but let it suffice here to say that the prisoners at Andersonville did finally organize to self-police the stockade. The members of the 120th Illinois Volunteer Infantry suffered disaster in the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads, near Guntown, Mississippi. Those captured, wounded or not, also suffered with assignment to Andersonville Prison. The two most disliked people for them was the Commanding General at Guntown and the Andersonville Prison Commandant. Who could blame them? I have intensely researched the steps taken by one of my 2nd Great Grandpa, attempting to establish his presence at Andersonville. If he was there, my cousins and I would like the record to reflect this. We are a step closer to knowing. On the 10th of June 1864, Charles B BENSON, as a result of the Battle of Brice’s Crossroads near Guntown, Mississippi, was wounded and captured by Forrest’s Cavalry. We know that he died on the 5th of January 1865 at Camp Parole, Annapolis, Maryland. Cousin Glenda and I have been searching for the paper trail for the events and dates in between these two dates. This week, the “fine” reading of his service records it was discovered that on the 30th of June [20 days after his capture] he was admitted to Ross Hospital in Mobile, Alabama. If he was at Andersonville he missed the hanging of the “Raiders”. And, probably why he might have survived that prison, with the weakened condition caused by his wounds and amputation. [Note: In preparing the History of the 120th Illinois Regiment, effort is being made to identify all members from formation in 1862 until disbandment in 1865. In researching available material, such as the Illinois Adjutant General’s Reports, to Cemetery Books, I feel that the final resting place of each should be included. If anyone knows such information, it would sure be nice if they would e-mail at [email protected] And, thank you.] e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: = = = = http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== Visit the Official Johnson Co IL ILGenWeb Site! http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljohnso/

Tim--I have numerous Miles, one of whom, William H. Miles, married Elizabeth Stokes. William was born in January of 1847, & died October 25, 1877. He was Elizabeth's second husband. I'll be glad to send you whatever you want. If you want all the Miles that I have, it might take me a little time to get them together, but I'll be glad to do it. Larry Selden

Had to chuckle when I read this. The old saying "You know you're from the south if your family tree is a straight line." My paternal & maternal lines converge 3 generations back. 2nd/3rd g-grandpa, Thomas C. CLENDENIN, has daughter, Elizabeth by his first wife. She marr Joseph B. EDMONDSON and becomes my mother's maternal gg-grandma through her son William EDMONDSON, her granddaughter, Alice O EDMONDSON and her g-granddaughter Milly May JOHNS (mom's mother). Gg-grandpa Thomas C., married 2nd and had son, George M. Dallas CLENDENIN who became my mother's grandfather through his son, James M. CLENDENIN (mom's father) Oh. what a tangled web we weave when we try to climb our family tree. Cheers, Carol ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Casey" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 10:12 PM Subject: [ILJOHNSO] Charity Miles m. Andrew P. Bolding > Jesse Miles and Milly Locke have a child Charity Miles who marries 27 Mar 1872 in Union Co IL . Things get interesting when you start putting families together such as here Jesse Miles is my ggg Uncle thru my Miles line and Milly Locke is a half sister to my gg grandfather Wesley Thorn who Milly and Wesley both have the same mother Candis Hunt Locke Thorn. Dont let me stop there gets more interesting after Milly's marriage to Jesse is over due to his death she marries William Toler brother to Kissiah Toler who marries Jesse C. Miles who is Jesse Miles Jr. and Milly Locke's son. Seeing I probably have you all confused if anyone can help me with Charity Miles and Andrew P. Bolding marriage I would be much appreciative. > Tim Casey > > > ==== ILJOHNSO Mailing List ==== > Visit the Official Johnson Co IL ILGenWeb Site! > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljohnso/ > >

Rebecca A. Ballard m. Andrew W. Miles 14 Jan 1883 Union Co IL who is Rebecca's parents did Andrew and Rebecca have any children. Tim Casey

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 20 July 2003 Vol 2 Issue: #27 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, My friend, Gene, asked how I could write about so many different things. "Writing is no trouble; yo just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself — it is the occurring which is difficult." [Stephan Leacock] This week seems no different. However, it does disturb me just a bit to think that this week all has taken place in my life time — it is history of which I have been involved. <G> When I was but nine the telephone began to be called an "ameche". A radio personality, who debuted on-screen in a 1933 "short subject", made a most memorable performance in 1939 as the famed inventor in the movie "The Story of Alexander Graham Bell". Thus, a surname became part of our language. Don Ameche was active, both on network radio as well as on-screen. Don Ameche had a brother named Jim. Jim Ameche was a radio personality also. Jim was the first Jack Armstrong; All American Boy. Jack Armstrong's was a high school student whose adventures were world wide. His friends, Betty and Billy [Fairfield], accompanied him on these safari's, which was most convenient due to the fact that their Uncle Jim furnished the air transportation. Jim Ameche played this role from the first broadcast [31st of July 1933] through 1938. It was a long lasting series, with its final broadcast on the 28th of June 1951, by which time I was still a year and a few days older than the program, but never could match the preposterous situations [errr, adventures] ever portrayed in [children's] radio thriller hours [dinner time in my home]. It is odd what one remembers. For instance, I don't remember any specific adventure, but I do remember the voice of the announcer introducing the show with "Jack ARMSTRONG! -- ALL AMERICAN BOY!" He did commercials with a capella quintet in the background called "The Norsemen". Well, from "wave the flag" for Hudson High School to "Eagle ... you're go for a landing" and "The Eagle has landed!" Thirty years ago, on my birthday, three men were launched into space. On that wild trip the visited a celestial being and accomplished a safe return to terra firma on Mother Earth. So from fictional Jack Armstrong to real life adventurer, Neil Armstrong. Today is the anniversary of the first landing on the moon and with a daughter and three grandchildren, we visited the Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, named for this first man to set his footprints on the surface there. The children were most impressed with the walk way which gave them the illusions of the vastness of outer space. A fantastic job all done with mirrors. We certainly held onto the five year old fearless "All American Girl" for she was climbing over the railing wanting to know how far down it was. We did safely reach the other end without messing up any of the illusion. Neil Armstrong traded his bicycle in for flying lessons at the early age of sixteen. When I saw that plane on display in the museum, I remembered back to those days when my then closest friend, Sonny Davis, was learning to fly. Neil Armstrong being a tad older than myself has probably retired by now, but where his space colleague from Ohio, John Glenn, turned to politics, he turned to industry and became the Chairman of the Board of AIL [electronics] Systems, Inc. After serving as a naval aviator, Neil Armstrong served as an engineer, a test pilot, an astronaut, an administrator with NACA/NASA. His experience with flying over 200 different models of aircraft included the famed X-15. As an astronaut, Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space. As the commander for Apollo 11, he was first to land a craft on the moon and the first to set foot on that surface. For all his achievements, Neil Armstrong has been decorated by seventeen countries. He and John Glenn were at the memorial to honor the Wright Brothers this weekend. e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

Jesse Miles and Milly Locke have a child Charity Miles who marries 27 Mar 1872 in Union Co IL . Things get interesting when you start putting families together such as here Jesse Miles is my ggg Uncle thru my Miles line and Milly Locke is a half sister to my gg grandfather Wesley Thorn who Milly and Wesley both have the same mother Candis Hunt Locke Thorn. Dont let me stop there gets more interesting after Milly's marriage to Jesse is over due to his death she marries William Toler brother to Kissiah Toler who marries Jesse C. Miles who is Jesse Miles Jr. and Milly Locke's son. Seeing I probably have you all confused if anyone can help me with Charity Miles and Andrew P. Bolding marriage I would be much appreciative. Tim Casey

Hi Is Regina out there? I have a new BRIDGES contact and your email I have doesn't work any more. Email me. I am off to Halifax NC to see if I can't find Vincent Carter b. 1803 Halifax NC d. 1873 Johnson Co IL kin in a few days. Mara

Anyone have any Miles family info from Union or Johnson Co IL. I believe I have figured out who is who now or at least have the Rev. Jesse Miles family figured out. I am not sure James Miles is a son or brother to the Rev. Jesse Miles. I do know that when Nathan Miles died his cousin Archibald Miles was named guardian. It states that Archilbald was Nathan's cousin. If I have the correct Nathan Miles this makes James Miles his Uncle and Archibald his 1st cousin. If James is a brother to Nathan it would not have stated in the guardianship Archibald his cousin. I have been working on this from the Toler side and the Pender side now I find the Murphy families involved as the Stokes, Lewis, Bryant. If anyone has any Miles family , marriages etc I would like the info to figure out who they belong to. This would include Hunsacker , Hammond (s) Toler , Murphy, Pender, Brasel, O"Neal, McIntire and many others. Tim Casey

Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 13 July 2003 Vol 2 Issue: #26 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, >From the section on Social, A History of Johnson County, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, January 1925, page 82: "One great social with our people, perhaps not with the very first settlers, but a custom begun early and followed religiously until a few years ago, was the free barbecue. The cattle, sheep and hogs were furnished by the neighbors. These animals were dressed the day before. On the morning of the day of the feast, men versed in the art, began their work long before the dawn of day. The animals were roasted whole or in halves over a hot fire which was built in a vat or hole dug in the ground. The animals were turned and basted with a dressing until by noon they were a delicious viand fit for a king. One very famous barbecue was held at Simpson, 1892. There were said to have been 10,000 people present. Long tables had been spread, under the heavy leafed branches in the grove, with bread, salad, pickles, cakes, pies, coffee and all the necessities for a good dinner, including an abundance of barbecued meat. "The most wonderful part of the story is that, this was all free. After these dinners and sometimes before the crowd was entertained by a good speaker, a minister, a candidate or some friend of the candidate. Everybody visited with everybody else, meeting those who lived at a distance and making new friends. On the whole these were pleasant days." Well, the Largest Picnic in the World was yesterday. It was sponsored by the Toledo [Ohio] MetroParks. Yours truly was there, as a volunteer, dishing out stuff that makes for picnics, greeting visitors, directing traffic, serving some seniors and even holding an impromptu nature lesson about a lunar moth which appeared on the ground. Imagine, if you will, twenty-five hundred [2500] pounds of hamburger and ten thousand [10,000] hot dogs served at one picnic. The picnic was so large that it took place at four [out of nine] different MetroParks in the Toledo, Ohio area. Due to high water in the Maumee River, some parks were closed, and the festivities shifted to other parks in the system. The park officials envisioned, to celebrate the system's 75th Anniversary, the biggest, the largest, picnic ever. The [Toledo] Blade article is on line at: <http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030713/NEWS08/107130109> Two grands are visiting and earlier this week they "allowed" us grandparents to take them to the Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio. We have visited the center often, toured the home each time. The most fascinating thing is that we have learned something new each time we visited. One of the guides, Sandy Wagner, had only "us" for her tour and since we had been "frequent" visitors emphasized more of the personal family interrelationships and activities, rather than the furnishings in the home. The Ayes' were an active family, with the parents working along side their hired help in all the domestic activities involved with running a farm. For "Mother Lucy" this involved helping to prepare the meals, even when there were guests to entertain. She also was a seamstress, in that the President said in his diary/journal that he always wore a "home-made" shirt while President. Other regular activities of the President were to walk six miles a day; answer an average of five letters a day; help with things like trimming the trees and reading, reading, reading. Our guide said that the President boasted of not only maintaining a very large library, but having read every single book in it. My guess is that the President did much of his reading while on his daily six mile walks. So we talked with our guide about our reading habits as well as other activities. We gleaned that she, in addition, to reading as many as seven books a week, beyond her household ‘duties' she was a quilter. So was my grandmother. Grandmother wanted to make and give a quilt to each of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She would always inspect the stitching of any quilt and would comment if it was hand or machine stitched and her value [opinion] of the stitching. Our guide does both; hand and machine stitching. Speaking of quilts; I'm beginning to think that next to genealogy, quilting is the next largest avocation in the nation. There are displays of quilts everywhere one goes these days ... not just county fairs. There have been several large shows in Little Egypt recently, and for six weeks, beginning August 1st, there will be a display at the Hayes Presidential Center; quilts from forty- nine of the USA's "top" quilters depicting themes from patriotic to spiritual. "A quilt lives in the maker", Grandma would say. I suppose that she meant that you could tell a lot about the maker by the design and stitching of a quilt. It is too bad, that often, you cannot identify the maker with a name and maybe a biography. According to Grandma, folks would gather pieces for the top of a quilt and then would invite their neighbors and friends for a "qultin'" or quilting bee. The quilt could be for the person who invited them, or for a community event such as a baptism or a wedding. Of course, the person who did the inviting would be sure to furnish the "dinner", even if there were twenty women there. If it was a community project, then all would share in bringing the food ... like a ‘pot-luck' dinner. Grandma always said that many times they could do a quilt in a day, or even, two a day if they "got out" at breakfast. I would guess that they rather determined for themselves how much they wanted to do at a "sitting" ... after all it was also a social event. Grandma would, as I said, inspect every quilt between her fingers. Even with severe arthritis, she could judge the stitches. I once heard her say something to the effect that the stitches on one quilt were so "long" you'd catch your toes in them. Today, if you need something done, you do it yourself or hire it done. In Grandma's day folks helped each other with things. Quilts were just one of those "neighborly" things folks did with each other. There was canning, or barn raising, or cabin raising, or butchering, or corn husking, or pea "thrashing", or any number of "excuses" to make a social event. Remember in gone-by days, folks lived far apart and human company was rare outside the nuclear family. It probably would be a great idea to be historically accurate and thus dispell the myth portion of the above social and community activities, especially as it applies to quilting. Readers of these articles are familiar with stories, traditions as far back as, say, 150 years ago. This is due to many of us remembering the stories of our grand and great grandparents. Thus, we must remember that our colonial grandmothers spent their days spinning, weaving and sewing to keep their families in clothing. They didn't have the imported fabrics with which to make quilts. It wasn't until the 1840s when textiles became available and affordable to our ancestors. e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html

I need some help here if possible my Shelly line is William Shelly and Margaret Orr. My ggg grandmother Elizabeth Shelly Harner Sutton m. a Harner before my ggg grandfather Hugh Sutton. The Harner marriage produced a female child Elizabeth Harner. Apparantly Elizabeth's father died. Who he is I am not sure. I am interested in finding who he was also to help a young girl who is interested in her Harner line from Johnson Co IL. Which I am doing to help her get started. I put this bio below on the Harner family which shows Nancy Shelly m. to Preston Harner who would be my ggg Uncle and Aunt thru my grandmother's lines. Tim Casey PRESTON HARNER, who did his duty right nobly as a brave and patriotic soldier when war threatened this country with disunion and destruction, was one of the early settlers of Bloomfield Township, where he owns and occupies a fine farm, which he purchased nearly half a century ago, and has since redeemed from the wilderness. Our subject was born in Knox County, Tenn., December 28, 1817. His father, Philip Harner, was a native of Wythe County, Va., and a son of Christopher Harner, who was born in this country, but was of German antecedents. He removed from Virginia to Knox County, Tenn., and later to Hardin County, where he died. Philip Harner was a young man when he left his early Virginian home to live in Tennessee. He was married there to Miss Katie Copras, who is thought to have been born in Virginia. She died in Knox County in 1819, and the father married a second time. After marriage Mr. Harner continued his residence in Knox County until 1819, when he removed to Roane County, and settled ten miles from Kingston. Six years later he went from there to Hardin County, bought land and improved a farm, and resided there until 1846. In that year he left Tennessee to avail himself of the advantages offered by the cheap land and rich soil of Illinois, and coming to Johnson County, he entered a trac! t of land from the Government in what is now Bloomfield Township. He built upon it, improved the land, and made it his home until death closed his mortal career. The subject of this sketch lost his own mother before his remembrance, and was reared by a stepmother. He remained an inmate of the parental home until he was fourteen years old, and at that age commenced to learn the trade of saddler, at which he worked ten months. Returning home, he remained three months, and after that he worked at the trade of a shoemaker a few months. His next employment was as a farm hand, and he continued working out by the month in Hardin County for some time. He was there married, in his twenty-third year, and from that time farmed on his own account on rented land until 1844. In January of that year he came to Illinois, traveling by the way of the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers on a flatboat, bringing household goods, stock and tools. After his arrival he bought a claim to a tract of Government land in what is now Bloomfield Township, on which a log cabin had been built for a dwelling for his family. The same year he exchanged that claim for the one whe! re he now lives, and later entered it from the Government at $1.25 an acre. This purchase included eighty acres of land, and there was a log house on the place when it came into his possession, He has since bought other land, and now has a fertile and well-cultivated farm of one hundred and sixty-seven acres, which is provided with good buildings and is otherwise finely improved. The work that he has accomplished in reclaiming this choice farm from a state of nature entitles Mr. Harner to an honorable place among the most useful pioneers of the county, to whose development he has thus materially contributed. When he came here this and adjoining counties were but sparsely settled, most of the land was owned by the Government, and there were but few improvements. There were no railways for several years, and deer and other kinds of wild game were plentiful, roaming at will over the prairies and through the forests. Our subject is also worthy of all respect for his conduct during the war, when he threw aside his work to take his place among the defenders of our country's honor. When Ft. Sumter was fired upon, his patriotism was aroused, and believing with all his heart that the Union should be preserved, he offered his services to assist in its salvation, enlisting in Company I, One Hundred and Twentieth Illinois Infantry, and during the three long and trying years that followed he had a full experience of the trials and privations of a soldier's life, and displayed good fighting qualities whenever his regiment met the enemy in battle. He was discharged after being in the army three years and twenty days, on account of the expiration of his term of enlistment. He voted for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and is still a Republican, though he now votes with the People's party. He and his wife are members in high standing of the Baptist Church. Mr. Harner was married in November, 1841, to Nancy, daughter of William and Margaret Shelly, and a native of Trigg County, Ky. To her and our subject have been born three children: Eliza A., wife of Jerome Watkins, and mother of six children; John C. B., who married Sarah J. Parker, and has four children; and Martha A. who married Thomas Darter, and has five living children and one deceased.

In response to the recent e-mails regarding the Morse DNA project(s), we want to make an important distinction. Two separate Morse DNA projects are planned by two separate Morse groups. Each involves different geographical regions in the 1700s. The Morse Society will likely begin DNA testing in the Fall. HOWEVER, their testing will focus on the northern New England Morse line. It appears this project will be called "Morse-1". The "Morse-2" DNA project is already underway and can be located at: http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_det.asp?group=Morse-2 This project will focus on early Morses in America other than the northern New England line, namely: Ebenezer Moss / Morse who lived in Prince William County, VA in the mid-1700s, Spartanburg County, SC in the late 1700s, and Caldwell County, KY in the early 1800s; Ebenezer and Obadiah Moss of Prince George Co MD; Mathew and Sylvester Moss of Prince William Co VA ; Samuel Morse of SC; James Morse of Greenville Co SC; Drury and Garrott Morris of Greenville Co SC; Hammond, Travis, and William Morris of Surry Co SC; Mason Morss of Spartanburg Co SC. Our group is looking for DNA sampling from Morse / Morss / Moss / Morris males who are a direct line descendant of these names from the area of MD, VA, NC, SC in the 1700s. Since this is a test of the Y chromosome, only males can participate. If you are interested in obtaining more information about this project, please visit http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_det.asp?group=Morse-2 and/or contact Colleen at [email protected] or Debbie at [email protected] Debbie McArdle

ANYONE OUT THERE HAVE ANY OF THE ****BEAVER***FAMILY FROM JOHNSON/MASSAC COUNTIES??? REGARDS

Tim--I'm not sure if it's the same one that you are looking for, but I have a Cynthia Pender {previous married name?} that married my gt-gt-gt grandfather, John Stokes, Sr., on October 21, 1839, in Union Co., Ill. I am reasonably sure that Pender was the name of a previous husband. She died Sept. 15, 1856, in Union Co. She was John's 3rd wife, & he was 61 years old at the time of their marriage. They had 2 sons--Young Ewing Stokes & William Scott Stokes. As I say, this may not be who you're looking for, but thought I would send it on to you anyhow. Larry Selden

I am looking for any information on the Pender's I know that Cynthia Pender m. a Ragain, I hope someone can help me with the Johnson Co IL as most of the Pender's relate to the Union Co IL lines. Tim Casey Johnson Co IL Mail List Administrator

Oh my gosh! Sorry about that. Hit the wrong reply message and sent personal message to the list. Please forgive. I shall get a second cup of coffee and try to clear the old brain. I am sorry, Cheers, Carol