Person:William Peebles (8)

"Wm. Black & His Descendants" 40.WILLIAM B. PEEBLES was born in Clark County, Kentucky. In the year 1839 he was married, had a family, and was living on a farm near Fancy Farm, Franklin County, Illinois. This was a post office and on an old stage route, near the present town of Thompsonville, Illinois. In 1932 A. R. Peebles of Thompsonville was the only family of that name living in Franklin County and probably was a great grandson of William B. Peebles. A. R. Peebles knew that his father was W. P. Peebles and his grandfather was W. W. Peebles but had no record any farther back.

WILLIAM B. PEEBLES had two children. 105a sondied October 1838 106a son born April 1839

Illinois Public Land Purchase Records Record Name: PEEBLES WILLIAM B Section: NWSE Price: 125 Total: 5000 Date: 06 July 1837 Volume: 110 Page: 107 Type: FD Sect: 23 Township: 07S Range: 04E Meridian: 3 Acres: 4000 Corr-Tag: 0 ID: 475647 SocStat: Blank: Reside: 028

?? Or his son, William, also m. to a Margaret?? 1880 United States Federal Census Record Name: William B. Peebles Age: 55 Estimated birth year: <1825> Birthplace: Kentucky Occupation: Retail Druggist Relationship to head-of-household: Self Home in 1880: Chesterfield, Macoupin, Illinois Marital status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Spouse's name: Margaret Peebles Father's birthplace: KY Mother's birthplace: KY

A letter to Alexander Black from his nephew William R. Peebles.

Fracy Farm, Franklin County, Illinois. June 20, 1839

Mutch esteemed and aged uncle.

With a feeling sense of gratitude to God, for his many favours that he has bestowed upon me, that I am yet blest with friends and friendship, I shall endeavor to write you a few lines in answer to your very friendly letter of May. I perform it for this only reminds me of the happy hours that we had when face to face where I enjoyed the society, friendship, hearty council, and confidence of my friends, with whom I would be happy to meet again in this wourld, but if we never see each other in the flesh, I expect by the grace of God to meet you on the happy banks of sweet deliverance where parting will be no more. The joy, the peace, the friendship, and the love that will be there, oh how great! Tounge can not tell neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive the extent of these things, but, enough for us is that God is love and himself will be there. Oh exquisit joy! The following lines I wish to be seen or heard by my young friends and familys. A few of my thoughts which I shall throw in to verse.

Time how short it is To Mortals but a span The appointment here to man is given His three score years and ten But oft we see the flowers Of morn cut short and die By deaths resistless hand they fall With Christ they soar on high Let us improve the time That here on earth is given Our bodys must to dust return That we may meet in heaven.

I should like to see you in this country I think you would like it, we have a healthy country here and the soil is quite good, and many advantages relative to market that the people in the north of this state can not have, we have a railroad surveyed running 21 mi. from me which starts at Shawnee town and runs to Alton. (another the Central Railroad) which is intended to connect the northern and southern trades, starting at the mouth of the Ohio and running north with a range line which will terminate with the canal, which connects the waters of lake Michigan and the Illinois river, That line will pass through this county. This county is improving very fast at this time and there is yet considerable of vacant land here and that quite good, and improvements low. From the best information that I can get here is that the best prospect here for locations for emigrants of any other part of the state. Our crops are not flattering here, in the general old wheat is worth here .75 cts per bushel $1.00 at the river or on the steam mills. Corn is worth .40 cts per bushel, bacon 8 cts per lb. Horses is low, but cattle is high, your Ohio drovers is here every year and drive all they can get. My family with all the friends here is well at present. We have another son born the first day of April last, and lost one in Oct. last. The friends in general was well when I last hears from them. Aunt Margaret McCreary was alive not long since. Cousin George received a letter from Elijah his brother who lives with her she was well except the rheumatism in her shoulders they have moved a few miles from where they did live and the name of the office I have forgotten. They received your letter last summer and if you will direct another to the Old Mines (that is the name of the office) they will get it. The friends here that have heard of your proffered friendship in your letter receive it thankfully and in return offer theirs. My family join me in love to you, Aunt, family, and friends. I must close by subscribing myself your ever true but unworthy friend. Please let me hear from you shortly.

William B. Peebles

1. ↑ Raymond Finley Hughes and Howard Clift Black. William Black and his Descendents A Genealogy of the Descendents of William Black of Augusta County, VA and la. (Unpublished. Copyrighted 1973 by Hughes).