Those Places Thursday - Appellate Court House - Abe Lincoln & Clara Barton Stopped Here

My hometown of Mt. Vernon, IL is located in Jefferson County with a population of 15,277 according to Wikipedia.  One of the jewels of this town, is the Appellate Court House, a building which I have seen all my life.  It's one of those things you just take for granted and is located at 14th and Main; a beautiful stone building with twin wrought iron stairways, the 5th District Appellate Courthouse was built around 1857 and is famous for when Abraham Lincoln came to town to try a court case for the Illinois Central Railroad. It took three weeks to bring the iron stairways for the front of the building from St. Louis to Mt. Vernon via ox-cart.

On February 19, 1888 the "Great Cyclone" of  Mt. Vernon struck and destroyed over five hundred buildings, killed thirty citizens and injured several hundred other residents of Mt. Vernon.  An appeal went out for help to relief committees and medical providers.   Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross came to town to help the citizens of Mt. Vernon and an emergency hospital was housed in the Appellate Courthouse under her supervision.  Today the courthouse looks much as it did one-hundred and fifty years ago when it was first constructed.

Wedding Wednesday - Joseph Wade & Charlotta Banks

Joseph W. & Charlotta Banks Wade

My great-grandparents, Joseph Washington Wade and Charlotta Ruth Banks were married on 24 Apr 1912 in Chester, Randolph County, Illinois.  Joseph was thirty-six (36) years of age, Charlotta, known as Lottie was just sixteen (16).  According to the "Application for Marriage License," Lottie's mother, Eva Bruce, gave her permission for her minor daughter to enter into marriage with Joseph.  She stated she was the legal guardian of Lottie who was born on 31 May 1896 in Allendale, Wabash County, IL.

Both Joseph and Lottie lived in Chester, IL at the time of the marriage.  I am writing a bio on Joseph and will talk later about how I believe Joseph and Lottie most likely met. Here is their Marriage License.

According to the Return of  Marriage to a County Clerk, Joseph was a Machinist, born in Carmi, Indiana.  His parents were Joseph Wade and Elizabeth Pelt.  It was his first marriage.  Lottie's father was Sherman Banks, although she was raised by her stepfather Frank Bruce.   The witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Devine, Justice of the Peace and Mary Bruce (most likely related to Frank).

Sunday's Obituary - Sarah Eva Talley Bruce - Mt. Vernon, IL

Sarah Eva Talley Bruce 1914

Sarah Eva Talley Bruce
23 Sep 1870 - 23 Mar 1953

My great-great-grandmother, Sarah Eva Talley Bruce was born 23 Sep 1870 Wabash County, IL to Richard Henderson and Jane Frances (Williams) Talley.  She died 23 Mar 1953 in Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County, IL.


 

Sunday's Obituary - Joseph Washington Wade

Joseph Washington Wade 7 Sep 1875 – 14 Jan 1942

Joseph Washington Wade 12 Apr 1912

My great-grandfather, Joseph Washington Wade, was born 7 Sep 1875 to Joseph R.H. and Elizabeth (Pelt) Wade in Carmi, White County, Illinois.    He was married to Charlotta (Lottie) Ruth Banks on 24 Apr 1912 in Chester, Randolph County, Illinois.  This small obituary was placed in the Mt. Vernon Register News (Mt. Vernon, IL)  on the day of his death.  

According to his death certificate (see below), he died of bronchial pneumonia and undernourishment.  The funeral director was H. A. Myers of Myers Funeral Home and he was eventually buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Mt. Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois.

Those Places Thursday - Mt. Vernon, Illinois Town Square

I bought this old postcard on eBay of my hometown, Mt. Vernon, Illinois postmarked 1915 that shows the North side of the downtown square looking West.   I just love these old postcards because I can imagine my ancestors strolling the streets, or perhaps pulling up to a store in their horse and buggy to go shopping.

Mt. Vernon, IL Postcard Postmarked 1915

Matrilineal Monday - Nancy Scott Martin, DeKalb, TN

I wrote recently about my 3X great-grandmother, Amanda J. Martin Sewell McGuire Clifton.  Amanda has always been one of my favorite ancestors and I wrote how thrilled I was to recently receive pictures of her from a distant relative, Mike Clemmons who writes the Clemmons Family History Blog and who is descended from Amanda through her daughter Nancy Lucinda McGuire who married William K. Clemmons 23 May 1886 in Wilson County, TN.

Mike also sent me pictures of Amanda's parents William Nelson and Nancy (Scott) Martin  and I can't tell you how grateful I was to get them!  I will write about what little I know of William in a later post and show his picture as well.  Today I am posting a picture of my 4X great-grandmother Nancy Scott Martin born ca 1829 and died sometime after 1880 probably Wilson or DeKalb County, TN.  It has always been rumored that my great-grandmother Verna Merritt Smith was related somehow to Nancy Scott and that she and my great-grandfather Robert Calvin Smith were distant cousins through his Scott relatives.  This has never been proved however.  Someday I would like to find this connection if it does indeed exist.