Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
The following is a Darnell family history written by Marion James in 1921 and past down to me. Benjamin Darnell was my gggg grandfather, Enoch my ggg grandfather, and Samuel Nelson my gg grandfather.
I hope this is of use to the Darnell genealogists out there.
Foreword
There seems not to be in existence anywhere an historical account of our family, although doubtless each branch of the family possess much data in the way of family records, letters, obituary notices, etc. from which an interesting and authentic history could be compiled.
I hope that through these gatherings at our annual picnics, and by an interchange of the records that each may possess, we can accumulate as much authentic data of our family as is extant and in this way be enabled to write a history.
As a mere beginning only, I present to you at this time the following facts which I have been able to get together, and ask that they be received in that spirit. If they shall serve as the groundwork for a more extensive and more carefully composed history, I shall be much gratified.
Marion James
Aurora, Illinois
June 18, 1921
The Darnell Family
The first authentic records found begin the history with one John Darnell who came from Scotland, and who, during the Revolutionary war, joined the Continental Army under Cal. Sumpter, and met his death at the battle of Hanging Rock, S. C. on Aug. 6, 1780. The record also shows that he left three sons, Abner, born May 6, 1780, just three months prior to their father’s death.
Our forebears were descendents of one of these twins, Benjamin Darnell. Benjamin’s wife was Fanny Viers who was born in North Carolina Feb. 29, 1780. This couple lived in Wilkes County, North Carolina for a number of years, their children being born there. They then moved to Ashe County, North Carolina and there Benjamin with his sons carried on the business of trading with the mountaineers for cattle. They would take into the mountains loads of provisions, clothing, tobacco and other commodities and would bring back with them droves of cattle which they had, through barter, obtained for the goods.
In 1829, Benjamin with his family and many relatives and friends removed to Marshall County, Illinois, the trip being made overland in covered wagons. They settled in Evans township and built a log cabin there near Sandy Creek. This was prior to the Black Hawk Indian war. When that war broke out, a stockade was built around the Darnell houses and it became the Fort for the early settlers, and in it for a time all the families for miles around were huddled. Many of us recall stories told to us by our grandparents of those early trying days. To our young ears they were the tales of adventure, no more eloquent ones appearing anywhere in the annals of our Country’s early history, a history rich in records of adventure and achievement.
Shortly after this, in 1835, Benjamin Darnell moved to what is now Fox Township, Kendall County, at the time a part of LaSalle County.
Benjamin and Fanny (Viers) Darnell had ten children, the first child being Elizabeth, born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, Aug. 6, 1803. She married Thomas Judd who was also born in Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1800, and this couple with their then seven children, constituted a part of the pioneers that immigrated to Illinois in 1829. Reaching Illinois they built a cabin home near the Darnell home, and it is recorded that they continued to reside on that homestead until their death. The death of Thomas Judd occurred in 1848. This couple were the parents of ten children, and were the founders of the Judd family in Marshall County.
The second child was John Darnell who was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, on March 8th, 1805. He married Leah Jones who was born at Laurel Springs, North Carolina on Feb. 19, 1805. They were married in North Carolina and were the parents of ten children. Their first two children, Polly and Enoch were born on Aug. 6, 1826 and May 17, 1828 respectively in North Carolina. Sometime prior to 1829 John and Leah Darnell migrated to Indiana and purchased a land claim in Monroe County in that state. The third child, Eli, was born in Monroe County, Indiana, Aug. 8 1830 and was but six weeks old when his parents arrived in Marshall County, Illinois. While residing in Marshall County two more children were born, John on Dec. 18 1831 and Daniel J. on Nov. 7, 1833. In 1835 this couple, following others of the Darnells removed to Kendall County and settled on a farm just east of the present city of Plano; a farm that later became known as the Hathway farm. James, the fifth son, and sixth child, was born here on the 7th day of September, 1835. About one year later the family moved to the farm about one and one-half miles north west of Plano, now commonly know as the John Darnell farm, and here four more children were born, Aaron on Dec. 21, 1838, Alfred on July 10, 1840, Phoebe on Sept. 19, 1842 and Martha on Oct. 1, 1845. The father died here in 1852; the mother continued to reside in the old home with her children until they all, excepting John, were married. John continued to reside with his mother until her death Aug. 4, 1887. It was through this family principally that the Darnell picnic originated. It became the custom in this family to have a home coming at Christmas time. Due to the ever increasing members attending, the home became too small to comfortably house the large gatherings. The severe weather made it difficult and uncomfortable for the various members of the family to make the journey to the old home at that season of the year. The family gatherings were accordingly held in the balmy month of June, and the circle was gradually extended to include all the several branches of the Darnell family and their kin.
The third child of Benjamin and Fanny Darnell was Abram, born in Wilkes County, North Carolina Nov. 12, 1806. When Abram was quite young the father moved to Ashe County, North Carolina and here Abram engaged with his father in the business of trading with the mountaineers as mentioned earlier herein. Abram’s wife was Susan Owens. She was also born in Wilkes County, North Carolina Oct. 21 1811 and grew to young womanhood along the Yadkin and French Broad Rivers in that now famous “Land of the Sky”, the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountain Region of North Carolina. Perhaps not a little of her sunny sweet temper was because she had lived “above the clouds”. Abram, like all the rest of the Darnells, becoming restless for new scenes, made preparations to migrate to Illinois, and amongst these preparations expended perhaps as much, if not more, effort and thought in persuading the fair Susan to accompany him, as in all the other preparations put together. He must have succeeded for these young people were married at Kingston, Tenn. Oct. 17 1831 and started for Illinois the following day with all their worldly goods in a covered wagon. That wedding trip was something different from those taken by our younger generations – in Pulman palace cars – with flunkies at every hand to perform each little service. The wedding journey of this young wife did not end at a modern cottage or steam heated flat, but in the woods on the banks of the Big Sandy in Marshall County, Illinois where the young husband with other members of his family, constructed a log cabin. Around the cabin later, was constructed the stockade which made of the home a fort and a city of refuge for the harassed settlers for many miles. Some of us recall hearing our grandmother, this Susan, tell of how she, while washing cloths in the stream at some distance from the cabin, one day heard an alarm of Indians, and taking her little lame brother-in-law Benjamin in her arms, ran all the way to the shelter of the stockade. In this cabin on June 13 1833 this couple’s first child Benjamin A. was born. Shortly after this they moved to what is now Little Rock Township, Kendall County (at that time a part of LaSalle County), and settled on a farm just east of the present city of Plano. About two years later they moved back to Marshall County and late in the fall of 1840 return to Kendall County where they spent the winter with the father of Abram. On March 3, 1841, they moved to the farm once known as the Darnell farm located about three miles west of Plano. Their second child, Elizabeth (James) was born Feb. 4, 1836 while the family were in Kendall County. The next child, Enoch B., was born Dec. 9, 1837 in LaSalle County; the fourth, Thomas, was born Nov. 23 1839 also in LaSalle Co.; the fifth, Fanny (Near) was born April 29, 1842 in Kendall Co. on the home farm, where the rest of the children were born, Reuben, Nov. 25, 1843; James C. July 17, 1846; William, Oct. 7, 1849; Alfred March 16, 1851 and Mary Susan (Lear) March 5, 1853.
This couple continued to live upon the old home farm until their death. The wife died Dec. 28, 1885, and the husband on April 15, 1892.
The forth child of the grandsire, Benjamin and his wife Fanny, was Mary, who was born April 29, 1808. She married a Mr. Adams and resided in Indiana. I have so far found no further history concerning her.
Susan the firth child was born Feb. 25, 1810 and later became Mrs. Hollenback; no further record of her has been found.
James the sixth child, was born Jan. 26, 1812. He for a long time was a merchant, conducting a store near the present Darnell Cemetery on Fox River.
Larkin the next child, born Dec. 13, 1813, died early in life, as did also Lucy who was born Jan. 6, 1816.
Enoch the next child was born Feb. 5 1818 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. 18__ he was united in marriage to Eliza Springer who was the daughter of Davis and Mahla (Whitehead) Springer and was born in Jersey City, N.J. in 1825. The Springers were also pioneers in Kendall County. Soon after his marriage, Enoch Darnell settled on his property in Fox Township, which at that time was wild and uncleared land. Here he developed a fine farm, subsequently adding to its acreage. Some years before his death he removed to Sandwich and there lived retired, dying in 1890. His wife survived him until 1906. They were parents of twelve children namely; Fanny M. (Wilder), Francis M.; Samuel Nelson; Day W.; Julia A. (Greenfield); Frederick F.; Mary E.; Enoch A.; Anna E.; Benjamin G.; and Ida B. and Voila B. twins who died in infancy.
The last child of the Grandsire, Benjamin and his wife, Fanny, was Benjamin Jr. who was born Aug. 5, 1820 in Wilkes County, North Carolina, and was but nine years old when his parents made the overland trip from North Carolina to Marshall County, Illinois. In 1835 he with his parents came to Kendall County and was later married to Sarah Larson(?). In 1850 he started across the plains to California to seek his fortune. After an absence of eighteen months, he returned and in 1854 he moved with his family to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here the only son, Frank, died. In 1864 he returned from Iowa and two years later went into business in Sandwich, in which city he continued to live until his death in 1876. Besides the son, there were two daughters, Mary and Ida.
Fanny (Viers) Darnell died in 18__ and Benjamin (Sr) was married a second time in 18__ to _____________ and had one sone of this union, Joseph, who was born Feb. 13, 1852 and now (?) lives in Tampico, Illinois. He married ______ Rogers, daughter of D. K. Rogers
The Grandsire Benjamin died ______________.
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:No followups yet |
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/darnell/messages/1773.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|