The ABC Family Chronicles

A number of years ago this author was researching information for a local history book. During that time she encountered numerous names that were members of her family heritage. That heritage went back in time in that same local area over a hundred years ago. Four of her family lines which came to Shelby County, Illinois are discussed in this volume. The Stoneburner line begins with the author’s mother and she is in the eighth generation from 1752. The Spracklin line begins with the author’s grandmother (mother’s mother) and she is in the sixth generation from 1823. The Austin line … Read more

J. C. Austin

Cook, 15th Co., Infantry. Son of J. H. and M. M. Austin. Husband of L. A. Austin, of Rowan County. Entered service June 6, 1918, at Concord, N.C. Sent to Camp Jackson, S. C. Transferred to Camp Sevier, S. C. Was mustered out of service at Camp Sevier, S. C., November 30th, 1918.

Some Sandy Basin Characters

Some Sandy Basin Characters

It is the purpose of this volume to capture and preserve some of the more striking activities of a few prominent leaders of Sandy Basin, as learned from available records and the existing recollections of the pioneers, and to show how the men and women of its earlier days lived and exerted themselves to make a living for their own families and to be of service to their less fortunate neighbors.

Lincoln Family of Hingham and Taunton, Massachusetts

Thomas Lincoln

From the pioneer days at the settlement at Hingham and Taunton the Lincoln family has been a continuous one in that region of Massachusetts; one of prominence in the start, it has maintained itself both here and in the country at large and in both has long since become numerous. It has been claimed by the late Hon. Solomon Lincoln that all the Lincolns in Massachusetts are descendants of the Lincolns who settled in Hingham in 1636 and 1638. He says: “We have evidence of authentic records that the early settlers of Hingham of the name of Lincoln were four, bearing the name of Thomas, distinguished from each other by their occupations, as miller, weaver, cooper and husbandman; Stephen (brother of the husbandman); Daniel, and Samuel (brother of the weaver).” He adds “our claim is that the early settlers of Hingham above enumerated were the progenitors of all the Lincolns of the country. From Hingham the Lincolns trace their early home to Norfolk County, England.”

The Mining Fields Of Idaho

The following excellent monograph by W. C. Austin was issued in pamphlet form early in the present year (1899) by authority of C. J. Bassett, state commissioner of immigration, labor and statistics, and as a valuable contribution to the history of the great mining industry of Idaho is held to be worthy of reproduction in this work: There is no other country on God’s green earth that has encompassed within her borders such vast and varied mineral wealth as Idaho. The position that Idaho occupies in the western mineral world is like a wagon wheel, of which Idaho is the … Read more

Abbott Genealogical Register

Abbott Genealogical Register

In 1847, Abiel Abbot and Ephraim Abbot compiled a comprehensive genealogical record titled “Abbott Genealogical Register,” detailing the lineage of several Abbott families originating from early New England settlers. Initially aimed to document the descendants of George Abbot, Sr. of Andover, the scope expanded to include numerous branches such as George Abbot, Jr., Thomas Abbot of Andover, Arthur Abbot of Ipswich, Robert Abbot of Branford, Ct., and George Abbot of Norwalk, Ct., among others. This volume, published by J. Munroe and Company in Boston, Massachusetts, integrates meticulously gathered data, revealing the expansive and intertwined genealogies of the Abbott families. The authors’ painstaking research and dedication to accuracy, despite challenges in data completeness, provide a valuable resource for anyone tracing the Abbott lineage or studying early American familial structures.

Descendants of Philip Taber of New Bedford, MA

The Taber family of Dartmouth and New Bedford is descended from (I) Philip Taber, who, according to Savage, was born in 1605, and died in 1672. He was at Watertown in 1634, and he contributed toward building the galley for the security of the harbor. He was made a freeman at Plymouth in that same year. In 1639-40 he was a deputy from Yarmouth, and was afterward at Martha’s Vineyard, and from 1647 to 1655 was at Edgartown, going from there to New London in 1651, but probably returning soon. He was an inhabitant of Portsmouth in February, 1655, and was a representative in Providence in 1661, the commissioners being Roger Williams, William Field, Thomas Olney, Joseph Torrey, Philip Taber and John Anthony. Later he settled in Tiverton, where his death occurred. He married Lydia Masters, of Watertown, Mass., daughter of John and Jane Masters, and his second wife, Jane, born in 1605, died in 1669.

Slave Narrative of Margrett Nickerson

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Margrett Nickerson Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 89-90 In her own vernacular, Margrett Nickerson was “born to William A. Carr, on his plantation near Jackson, Leon County, many years ago.” When questioned concerning her life on this plantation, she continues: “Now honey, it’s been so long ago, I don’ ‘meber ev’ything, but I will tell you whut I kin as near right as possible; I kin ‘member five uf Marse Carr’s chillun; Florida, Susan, ‘Lijah, Willie and Tom; cose Carr never ‘lowed us to have a piece of paper in our hands.” “Mr. Kilgo was … Read more

Biography of Austin, Stephen F.

It seems that on account of the long distance and slow transmission of mails in those days, that Stephen F. Austin, busy at New Orleans doing the work his father had entrusted to him, was not aware of the fatal illness and death of his father until some time after that sad event. Where the father, however, laid down the work the son took it up. The application of Moses Austin was approved by General Arredonda at Monterey on the 17th of January, 1821, a few days after the departure of Austin from San Antonio. This action of the Commanding … Read more

Muster Roll of Captain Benjamin Beals’ Company

Title page to the Aroostook War

Muster Roll of Captain Benjamin Beals’ Company of Infantry in the Detachment of drafted Militia of Maine, called into actual service by the State, for the protection of its Northeastern Frontier, from the twenty-fifth day of February, 1839, the time of its rendezvous at Augusta, Maine, to the seventeenth day of April, 1839, when mustered.

Biographies of the Cherokee Indians

1830 Map of Cherokee Territory in Georgia

Whatever may be their origins in antiquity, the Cherokees are generally thought to be a Southeastern tribe, with roots in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, among other states, though many Cherokees are identified today with Oklahoma, to which they had been forcibly removed by treaty in the 1830s, or with the lands of the Eastern Band of Cherokees in western North Carolina. The largest of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, which also included Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles, the Cherokees were the first tribe to have a written language, and by 1820 they had even adopted a form of government … Read more

1899 Directory for Middleboro and Lakeville Massachusetts

1899 Middleboro and Lakeville Massachusetts Directory Cover

Resident and business directory of Middleboro’ and Lakeville, Massachusetts, for 1899. Containing a complete resident, street and business directory, town officers, schools, societies, churches, post offices, notable events in American history, etc. Compiled and published by A. E. Foss & Co., Needham, Massachusetts. The following is an example of what you will find within the images of the directory: Sheedy John, laborer, bds. J. G. Norris’, 35 West Sheehan John B., grocery and variety store, 38 West, h. do. Sheehan Lizzie O., bds. T. B. Sheehan’s, 16 East Main Sheehan Lucy G. B., bds. T. B. Sheehan’s, 16 East Main … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Austin

John Austin, from Windsor, Vt., located in the western part of the town, in 1810, where he died in 1843, aged seventy years. Enoch, the eldest of his eight children, born in 1804, is still a resident of the town.

Genealogy of John H. Austin

The first born son of Willis and Jane Austin lived for a time in Madison Co., Virginia. He worked as a wheelwright. Around 1854/55 he married Louisa J. Broyles, daughter of Garriott and Eunice Broyles. Later the Austin family moved to Missouri along with the Broyles family to Henry County, Missouri. There in 1857 John H. Austin bought one half acre for $38.00. His cabin was used for a post office until 1860. John H. Austin died 1862/3 but his widow Louisa continued the post office until 1864. After 1883-4 Louisa Austin and some of her children moved to Shelby … Read more

Genealogy of Belfield Kirtley Austin

Belfield Austin, son of John H. Austin and Louisa J. Broyles, continued living in Henry County, Missouri where on 28 October 1883 he married Gertrude Wilma Rhodus. While in Missouri they had five children: two of which died by 1890 of cholera. During the summer of 1898 the family moved to Shelby County, Illinois where Henry, Belfield’s brother, was already living with his wife near Lakewood, Illinois. In November of that same year, Belfield and Gertrude had another son Herbert. Unfortunately on 29 Feb. 1899, “Mrs. Belfield Austin died at her home northeast of town (Lakewood)… and the remains were interred … Read more

Norwich Vermont in the Civil War

During the four years of war for the suppression of the Rebellion, Norwich furnished 178 different men for the armies of the Union. There were seven re-enlistments, making the whole number of soldiers credited to the town 185. By the census of 1860, the number of inhabitants was 1759. It appears, therefore, that the town sent to the seat of war rather more than one in ten of its entire population, during the four years’ continuance of hostilities. About the same proportion holds good for the state at large, Vermont contributing, out of an aggregate population of 315,116, soldiers to … Read more

History of Cayuga County New York

Cover of History of Cayuga County New York

This history of Cayuga County New York published in 1879, provides a look at the first 80 years of existence for this county, with numerous chapters devoted to it’s early history. One value of this manuscript may be found in the etched engravings found throughout of idyllic scenes of Cayuga County including portraits of men, houses, buildings, farms, and scenery. Included are 90 biographies of early settlers, and histories of the individual townships along with lists of men involved in the Union Army during the Civil War on a regiment by regiment basis.

Slave Narrative of Bill Austin

Interviewer: Martin Richardson Person Interviewed: Bill Austin Location: Greenwood, Florida Bill Austin – he says his name is NOT Williams – is an ex-slave who gained his freedom because his mistress found it more advantageous to free him than to watch him. Austin lives near Greenwood, Jackson County, Florida, on a small farm that he and his children operate. He says that he does not know his age, does not remember ever having heard it. But he must be pretty old, he says, “cause I was a right smart size when Mistuh Smith went off to fight.” He thinks he … Read more

Biography of William W. Austin

William W. Austin, a farmer and drover of Webster, N.H., the son of Eldad and Naomi Austin, was born in Webster, then a part of Boscawen, July 1, 1829. His grandfather, Paul Austin, of Georgetown, Mass., was one of the first settlers of the town. Taking up land when the country around it was a wilderness, he cleared and brought under cultivation the large farm where the subject of this sketch now lives. He died in 1852; and his wife, Mehitable Lowell, of Georgetown, died in 1829. They had eight children-John, Sallie, Dorothy, Eldad, Eunice, Mary Ann, William, and Samuel. … Read more