William R. Ussery, 1847-1863

William R. Ussery, my 3rd Great GrandUncle, was born 178 years ago on March 25, 1847.  And he died 162 years ago, about March 10, 1863.  William was the 10th of 11 known children of Sylvester and Mary (Barnett) Ussery.  He was born in rural Johnson County, Illinois.  His parents and older siblings had come to Illinois from Maury County, TN between 1840-1845.  William was the 2nd child in the family to be born in IL.  He grew up just north of Vienna, no doubt running and playing in the forests and fields.  I am sure he also did his share of chores on the farm.  His father, Sylvester, was 54 when William was born… and his mother was 42.  

1860 census, Johnson County IL

When William was 15 years old, he enlisted in the Union Army at Vienna on August 14, 1862.  According to a newspaper article at the time, you had to be at least 18 years old to enlist… and even then, needed permission from your parents.  William must have been convincing, as he would have had to lie about his age at the enlistment table.  He is recorded as being 5’6” tall, light complexion, with dark hair and blue eyes.  I wish we could know what he was thinking about that day, as he became a Private in Company C, 120th Illinois Infantry.

from the Jonesboro Gazette, 1862

After 2 months in training camp at Vienna, William and his comrades boarded a train at Dongola and went north to Camp Butler (near Springfield IL).  Two weeks later they were mustered into service on October 28, 1862, and sent to “Jimtown” (now known as Riverton IL) to guard the railroad bridge (the bridge doesn’t exist anymore).  About ten days later, the Regiment was sent to Alton, IL, where they boarded the steamer Stephen Decatur and went to St. Louis. Five days later they arrived at Memphis.  According to William’s records, he received his last payment from the army on October 31st.

from the Jonesboro Gazette, October 1862

Camp Butler, 1862

Once in Memphis, William and his fellow soldiers were given orders to help guard Fort Pickering (on the south side of the city).  That previous Summer, the Battle of Memphis had left the city to be occupied by the Union.  Their first order of business was to impose martial law.  History says that the Union army “hoped to be able to win over the city’s citizens, but found them to remain hostile and defiant.  The army were forced to adopt a harsher policy, including the seizure and destruction of private property, imprisonment or banishment of those who refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Union, and the forcible emancipation of slaves.” A new fort was built after the June battle, and I assume that is where William was stationed.  It became one of the greatest supply and staging areas in the West.

hand drawn map of Fort Pickering, Memphis TN

Unfortunately, at this same time, William’s regiment dealt with smallpox, measles, pneumonia and other diseases.  At this point, William became sick and remained in Memphis, even when his regiment was sent elsewhere.  On January 1, 1863, he was transferred to Company K.  On February 9, 1863, he was admitted to Jefferson Hospital in Memphis.  A month later, on March 7th, William was officially discharged from the Union Army.  His papers state that he had done “no duty whatever for the past four months”, and was diagnosed with having Stage 2 of “phthisis pulmonalis.”  Google says that’s an old medical term for tuberculosis.  He was sent home to Union County (his parents had moved there after 1860), IL.  

Jefferson Hospital in Memphis TN

William's discharge certificate, 1863

A friend and fellow soldier gave a statement in 1882, for the military pension William’s mother was applying for (William’s father had been disabled for several years and was unable to do any kind of work).  Jacob McCuan said that William had died after being discharged, but before arriving home.  He died somewhere between Memphis, TN and Anna, IL. He was still only 15 years old.  He is buried in the Anna City Cemetery, in the Civil War Veterans section, next to his brother John.

Jacob McCuan statement, 1882

William's grave stone in Anna City Cemetery, IL

John Wabbena, 1872-1938

 Family history post:

My Great GrandUncle, John Wabbena, was born 153 years ago this weekend.  John was the second known child born to Jaus and Amke (Sterrenberg) Wubbena.  The surname spelling goes back and forth a lot, document to document. 

John's parents, Jaus and Amke, were married in July of 1868, then jumped on a ship and came to the United States, arriving on September 7, 1868 (along with Amke’s widowed mother, and four of Amke’s Sterrenberg siblings).  The ship’s manifest states their destination was Illinois (two more of Amke's brothers had been living in Minonk, IL for 2 years and sent for the rest of the family).  We know their first born (my Great Grandmother, Katie) was born in Minonk in 1869.  Their location in the 1870 census is still a mystery, and then John was born in 1872 in Kansas.  His mother Amke, died in Labette KS, the following year.  His father never remarried, as far as I can tell.

It’s unknown why the family went to Kansas, or for how long… but in looking into the history of Labette County, the railroad had just been completed in 1870 in that area... and there was a serial killer family in the county from 1871-1873.  Yikes!

By 1880, the Wabbena family was back in Illinois, and living in Danforth.  At the time of the census, John’s father was the head of household, but there were others living with them.  John’s uncle (his mother’s brother) and grandmother (his mother’s mother) were living there as well.  In addition, there was one more person living there… an “Alvert G.”... and I can’t make out the last name.  He is listed as a “servant” and worked on the farm. 

1880 Census, Danforth IL

John married Jennie Matilda Johnson in Livingston County, IL, in 1898.  They had five known children, one died in infancy.  In the 1900 census, John is listed as a Saloon Keeper.  In the 1910 and 1920 censuses, he’s listed as the Village Marshal.  His obituary states that he was the Village Marshal (of Danforth) for 20 years.

old postcard from Danforth IL

In the 1930 census, John wasn’t working anymore.  He owned his home, and it’s value was given as $3,000.  The family owned a radio, and lived on Jefferson Street in Danforth.  No house number is given.  Three grown daughters were still living at home, and were all public school teachers.

John passed away on March 22, 1938, at the age of 66.  He is buried beside his wife (who had passed two years earlier) in the Danforth Cemetery.

John Wabbena obituary, 1938

John Wabbena gravestone, Danforth Cemetery

REV JOSEPH B KELLEY, 1875-1970

 Joseph Bunyan Kelley

15th Pastor of Herrin FBC

1909-1910

The building in Herrin that he served in

Born: October 13, 1875, Jackson County IL

Died: February 15, 1970, Johnston City IL

Listed as “Joe” in our church history, he was born near DeSoto in 1875, to Thomas Jefferson and Martha Jane (Hindman) Kelley.  He had 7 known siblings (two died as children).  He married Nora Izella Beasley in 1901 and they had 6 known children.  Nora passed away in 1932, and Joe married Erma Sizemore-Erwin in 1934.  He and Erma had one known child together.  Joe passed away in his home at 714 Broadway in Johnston City.  He is buried (along with a lot of his immediate and extended family) at the DeSoto Cemetery.

Rev Kelley's obituary, 1970

His father Thomas was also a preacher.  While we don’t know what specific churches he was affiliated with, Thomas’ obit states he was a “Baptist minister and was well known to a number of citizens of Carbondale, having at different times preached at all the churches surrounding this city.”

Rev Kelley's father's obituary, 1916

Census info:

1880 - living in DeSoto, IL

1900 - living in DeSoto, IL… Preacher

1910 - living in Herrin, IL… Minister

1920 - living in Helvetia, IL… Preacher

1930 - living in Peoria, IL… Night watchman at a tractor factory

1940 - living in Fondulac, IL… Watchman at a tractor factory

1950 - living in Cobden, IL… Farmer

Tidbits:

• Ordained at the Elk Grove Baptist Church in 1897 (might be Elkville?)

• Charter member of the IBSA in 1907

• Pastor of Central Baptist Church in Cobden in 1918

• Lived on Wright’s Crossing Road in Union Co in 1950, near today’s Blueberry Hill Farm

• Retired from ministry in 1955 at the Beech Grove Baptist Church near Thebes, IL

Info from the WWI Draft Registration Card in 1918:

• Lived in rural Cobden

• Minister at Central Baptist Church in Cobden

• Medium height

• Slender build

• Blue eyes

• Brown hair

Rev Kelley’s grandparents:

His maternal grandmother, Sarah Bandy (born in Tennessee) married Joe’s grandfather, Hosea Hindman (born in South Carolina), at the age of 15, in 1839.  They had two daughters in 1840 and 1841, then Hosea passed away about 1842.  She married Jonathan Reeder in Sept of 1850.  He joined the Union Army and went off to War in 1862. He passed away June 1864, but it’s not clear if he died while in service.  Then Sarah married Richard Epperson in October 1864.  He passed away just a little over a year later, in December 1865.  She had been a widow three times before she turned 41.  She did not marry again, to our knowledge, and it’s also unknown when she died.

His paternal grandparents, Joseph Kelley and Malinda Shadowens were originally from Virginia. Grandfather Joseph died young (in his 30’s), and Malinda married David Davidson in 1844.  They had one son together, and by the 1850 census, Malinda is a single mother again. In the 1860 census, she is still single, but listed as a Kelley and not a Davidson.  She lived to be 66 years old.

Rev M.J. McNeill, 1852-1928

Matthew James

“M.J.” McNeill

8th Pastor

at Herrin FBC

1887-1888

Early Family Life:

Rev. McNeill was born in Williamson County, Illinois, in 1852.  He was

one of nine children born to John Alexander and Weltha Jane (Walker)

McNeill. When M.J. was 10 years old, his brother George (then 17 years

old) joined the Union Army and fought in the Civil War.  Later, George

went on to be a co-founder of the town of Carterville.

Married Life:

At age 21, in 1873, M.J. married Susan Pauline Keaster.  They had three

known children (one died in infancy). Susan is listed in the 1880 census

as being “sick with dropsy”.  Dropsy is an old term for fluid retention. 

Sadly, Susan passed away 10 days after the census was taken. Earlier

that year, Susan’s sister Celinda had become a widow.  In December

1880, M.J. and Celinda were married.  They had three known children.

three of the McNeill children

Occupations on the Census:

1870 - Farm Laborer

1880 - Farmer

1900 - Farmer

1910 - Mail Carrier

1920 - Minister

His parents:

Father John Alexander McNeill was born in 1823, North Carolina. 

His parents moved the family to Robertson County, Tennessee in 1838

and spent about one year there.  In 1839 or 1840, they left Tennessee and

arrived in Williamson County, Illinois.  They settled in the Cambria/

Carterville area.  He joined the Hurricane Church in1843 and remained

a member there until his death in 1892. Another former Herrin FBC

pastor (John A. Rodman) wrote his funeral notice and preached at his

funeral, held at the Hurricane Church.  

Mother Weltha (or Wealthy) Walker was born in 1824, Tennessee. 

Her parents moved the family in an ox drawn wagon to Williamson

County, Illinois, in 1834.  They purchased land along Hurricane Creek. 

She married John McNeill in 1844, and remained in Williamson County

until her death in 1905.

His grandparents:

Mathew and Hester (Moore) Walker… They moved from TN

to Williamson Co IL in 1834, and in July 1837, the Hurricane

Church was organized in their home. He was a farmer,

originally from North Carolina. He may have been a Veteran of

the War of 1812… There is one Matthew Walker in a NC

Regiment, but we don’t know if it’s the same person.

Malcolm and Christiana (Northington) McNeill… They moved

from TN to Williamson Co IL in 1839. A family story about

Malcolm, is that he stood about 5’4” and always wore a top

hat.  He had a “fiery disposition”, and would stand out in the

road in front of his home and dare anyone who came down the

road to engage in a fist fight.  Malcolm was a gunsmith, and

originally from North Carolina.

Burial:

Rev. McNeill, his wives, parents, and dozens of relatives are

all buried in the old Hurricane Church Cemetery.

Other churches (that we know of):

1877 – Delivered his first sermon at Pigeon Creek Baptist, Williamson

county IL

1885 – Pastor of Lake Creek Baptist Church, Williamson County IL

1889 – Organized the first Sunday School at Williams Prairie Baptist

Church, Williamson County IL; Organized the Union Baptist Church

(which later became the Johnston City FBC)

1904 – Elected Moderator of the Williamson Baptist Association

1907 – Helped organize the Grand Tower Baptist Church

Fun tidbit:

David Harrison (the first church clerk of what became Herrin FBC) married Julia Walker (a sister of Rev. McNeill’s mother).  David and Julia had a son, George Harrison… George had a daughter, Julia Harrison.  Julia married Carl Bruce…  becoming our very own Julia Harrison Bruce.  This makes Julia and Rev. McNeill… first cousins, once removed! Think about them the next time you go into the Harrison Room!

Harrison Room at Herrin FBC, 2024