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John Wesley Henry
b.2 Jan 1847 Shawneetown, Gallatin Co., Illinois
d.20 Oct 1936 Dahlgren, Hamilton Co., Illinois
Family tree▼ (edit)
m. 1 Nov 1838
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m. 7 Jan 1868
Facts and Events
1920 Census (probably Hamilton County, IL) Need to Check it. Written by Catherine Dulany Austin in the 1980's. (Ann Hecathorn's mother) The fifth child of Joseph and Elvira Crow Henry was recorded as John W. in the Bible. The W. was, I believe, for Wesley as Elvira had a brother named John Wesley. Wesley has been retained as a given name in the Crow family throught out the years. Elvira's father was named John as was his father. John W. Henry was born 2 January 1847, at Shawneetown, Illinois at the time Joseph and Elvira Crow Henry moved from Hopkins County, Kentucky to Illinois. Great Uncle John told me, during a visit with him in 1928, that the family brought 3 wagons loaded with furniture and provisions when they moved to Illinois from Kentucky. How I wish I could again visit with Great Uncle John! The questions I would ask! I am certain they chose to come during a time the ground was frozen as it would be easier to haul the loaded wagons over frozen ground than when the roads where muddy. Since Great Grandfather was a farmer, the time to move had to be between the time of fall harvest and the time to put out the spring crop the following year. But why did they choose January when it was so near the time for Great Grandmother to deliver her baby! I am amazed to think of Elvira undertaking that rough ride in a wagon! I think how cold it must have been for Great Grandmother and the children. The men driving the teams could get off and walk to stimulate their circulation, but for Elvira accompanied by four children- Nancy age 8; Thomas, age 6; Alzada, age 5; and Martha Amy, age 17 months--the trip must have been wearing! I wonder who drove the teams since none of the children were old enough to take this responsibility, and surely Elvira wasn't expected to take on that extra chore! Did some relative make the trip with them? Fifty years ago I never thought to ask. At that time, someone could have told me! The rough ride and the excitement of crossing the river was just too much! Great Uncle John made his appearance! I am amazed that Great Grandmother Elvira started on the journey! I didn't ask if the family sought help, stayed awhile enroute or any details. I guess I was interested in getting on with the family history. Now I am curious and wish I knew. That would really add interest to the family story! Anyway both Great Uncle John and Great Grandmother survived the ordeal! The Henry family came first to Williamson County, before permanently settling in Webber Township of Jefferson County. John W. Henry married Mary E. Robertson. She was our Great Aunt Moll, whom we all delighted in going to visit. She was always a soft spoken, cheerful lady "born in Culpepper County, Virginia." These words rolled when she said them. I can hear her yet! We usually made the 15 or so mile trip to visit Aunt Moll and Uncle John in the fall, or so it seems to me now. We were always well entertained by their stories of early days and looked forward to a treat of buttermilk to drink-- churned in a stone churn, with a wood dasher; a lump of brown sugar; a big sugar or molasses cookie, or a serving of honey in the comb--always kept in a large long stemmed clear glass covered compote. Years later I was given a compote which resembled the honey dish belonging to Aunt Moll. When I am fortunate enough to be able to buy honey in the comb, I serve it in my glass compote for old times sake! Yams, baked in their skins, were often served at their dinner table. The yams were each wrapped in paper and stored for the winter in a wooden barrel in a warm corner of the room. The barrel was then covered with a clean white sheet and looked much like a draped round table. Nero was their large shepherd, or perhaps collie dog, which had learned to obey Aunt Moll's command to fetch to her. Aunt Moll never raised her voice when speaking to the dog to give his order to bring something to her. When Aunt Moll had dinner guests, she "put her best foot forward" as a Virginia born lady would. My sister, Mary Louise Dulany Garner recalled that on one occasion, Aunt Moll related to us that she observed a guest in her home looking critically at the worn spots in her best white tablecloth as Aunt Moll was spreading it on the table. Aunt Moll told her" Never you mind, there'll be a dish to cover every hole." Aunt Moll related this to us as she was spreading the same cloth on her table when we were her guests. As long as I can remember, Aunt Moll and Uncle John made their home in a weather-boarded log house near Bluford, Illinois. The house, which faced east, had two large rooms across the front, with other rooms to the rear. Back of the kitchen, extending the length of the kitchen was the narrow pantry in which many goodies were kept including the buttermilk in the churn, or the cream in the churn, with a white cloth tied over the top, waiting until it was at the "right stage" to be churned. The north room was the sitting all purpose room with a huge fireplace. The kitchen was the south room with south windows which let in the light, and warmth in the fall. There was a long narrow porch across the full length of the house. I remember Uncle John sitting on this porch in a "split bottom cane chair" enjoying the warmth of the autumn sun. Uncle John preferred to wear hand knitted woolen socks made by Aunt Moll. She used a spinning wheel to spin the thread. This, I believe, was my introduction to a spinning wheel. The process fascinated me. Along the side of the road near their house were hickory trees. It was fun to pick up these scaley bark hickory nuts. Then Uncle John would crack them for me. There were also wild grapes to gather. We were always pleased when it was time for a visit to the home of my father's uncle and aunt. Finally came the time when they could no longer live alone. They went to live in the home of their daughter, Georgia Caldonia Henry Pepple (Mrs. Ulysses Pepple) about 4 miles north and 1/2 mile west of Dahlgren, Illinois. In later years Aunt Moll was confined to a wheel chair, but she never lost her zest for living. Aunt Moll and Uncle John were likely buried at Salem Cemetery south east of Bluford, Illinois. Miscellaneous notes about Great Uncle John W. and Aunt Moll Henry and their family. Aunt Moll said she had long brown curls when she was a child and wore her hair in that fashion until after her first child was born.. She then got "ashamed" of wearing her curls, so pinned her hair up on her head-"like an old lady should". The daughter with whom Uncle John and Aunt Moll lived in later life, told me her parents were married at Alton, Illinois. They were married January 7, 1868. Mary Elizabeth Robertson died 2 February 1937. John W. Henry died 20 Oct. 1936. References
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