William R. Featherston (confc.)

2.  William R. born 7 December 1798. died 14 September 1878.

3.   Elizabeth Elmore  Featherston,  born  23  April 1801  died 8 August 1882,

married 15 October 1837 to Edward Elmore.

4.   Robert Wright born 30  March 1803 died 24 March 1899 married 1st Margaret

Farra 27  March 1830.   2nd Elizabeth Neet Higbee 18 December 1833.  Elizabeth

F. Sellier was his granddaughter.

5.   Mary (Polly)  James  Featherston born  18  Jan 1805.  died 11  Dec. 1893,

married 20 Nov. 1829 to John Wilkerson.

Mrs.  Selliers  records  indicate  that  Jeremiah  and  Elizabeth  Elmore

Featherston and their 5 children went from Virginia to Kentucky about 1810 and

settled in Fayette county between Tates Creek and Nocholasville  Pike  about 5

miles from Lexington.

A copy of the marriage bonds of William R.  Featherston and Sally Elmore.

daughter of James Elmore.  shows they were married in Jessamine  County. KY on

April 9,  1827.  They were parents of 2 children James born ca. 1831 and Sarah

born ca.  1835.  (This information from an 1850 Owen County. KY census showing

their ages as 19 & 15 respectively.)

From a copy of the will of James Elmore  dated August 28,  1848 and filed

for probate Jan.  17,  1853 the following is noted.  "I have heretofore, given

to  my  daughter  Sally Featherston one negro girl,  valued  at  three hundred

dollars  and she having  since died.  I  now give  and bequeath  unto  her two

children James Featherston and Sarah  Featherston,  One thousand dollars to be

equally  divided between them which sum I have  left  in the hands  of my son

Thomas D. Elmore...."

This would indicate that Sally died before August 28, 1848.

On  January 9,  1838,  William R.  Featherston was married to Martha Dunn

Wilson, daughter of Nathaniel Dunn, in Jessamine County, KY.  This information

from a copy of the marriage bonds.  They were parents of my Great Grandfather,     ,

William Henry born Feb. 16, 1839, and Robert born ca. 1840.

Again I don't know when Martha died but  a copy of her  father. Nathaniel

Dunn's will dated Dec.  15,  1842 and filed for probate July 19, 1847 reads in

part....  "Item:   As I had given to my daughter Martha L.  Featherston in her

life time only one thousand and ten dollars, it is my will and desire that her

three children  viz:   Sophronia  Ann Wilson.  William  Henry  Featherston and

Robert Featherton shall have seven hundred dollars to make them  equal with my

son William's son,  one half  to the said Sophronia Ann Wilson  and  the other

half  to  be  equally  divided  between  the  said  William Henry  and Robert

Featherston..."  This indicates that Martha died before 1842.

On  December  19.  1848  in Franklin  County.  KY, William R. Featherston

married a third time  to  Asenth  Kellar.   All that I have besides a  copy of

their marriage bonds is a copy of the 1850 Owen Co., KY census which shows the

following:

William Featherston   age 52   Occupation:  Cooper    born in VA

Aceneth Featherston   age 35                          born in KY

James Featherston     age 19                          born in KY

Sarah Featherston     age 15                          born in KY

William Featherston   age 13                          born in KY

Robert Featherston    age 12                          born in KY

This information indicates that William R.  Featherston,  his 3rd wife and his

two sets of children were in Owen Co., KY in 1850.                    cont...

William R. Featherston (cont.)

Note:   The ages of the children given on this census are not correct, at

least with the other information available.

Here I lose track of all of the family until  1856  when on Jan. 19, 1856

William R.  Featherston married Ann Morris  in  Marion  County, Indiana.  This

being his 4th marriage.   I have a copy of this marriage license but  it gives

no ages or any other information.

I find  William Henry Featherston in  Sangamon  Co..  IL in 1865 where he

married Sarah Jane McComas, but I have never found William R. or William Henry

in any 1860  census that I have  searched,  which are some KY  census, Indiana

census and Illinois census.

In the Bates County, Mo. census for 1870 I do find the following in Mount

Pleasant Township, town of Butler, MO.  On page 12 family #90:

William Featherston   age 74           farmer           born in VA

Ann Featherston       age 64           keeping house    born in PA

I feel  sure  this is my  William R.  Featherston and his 4th wife  Ann Morris

Featherston and the fact that they were  in Bates  County in 1870  leads me to

believe that  is  the reason  why his son William Henry  Featherston  and his

family were there in 1872  when my grandfather Robert Lee Featherston was born

in Butler,  MO, this information from his birth certificate, and that is where

Sarah Jane McComas Featherston died in March 1872.

William Henry Featherston

William  Henry Featherston was born  Feb.  16,  1839 in Jessamine County,

Kentucky,  to William  R.  Featherston and his second wife Martha  Dunn Wilson

Featherston.   I have not found much information as to the  whereabouts of the

family between 1839 and 1850, but according to a copy of the will of Nathaniel

Dunn  filed July  19,  1847,  he leaves to  his grandchildren,  William H. and    \

Robert Featherston,  children of my daughter Martha,  deceased, and William R.

Featherston, money and property.

In the 1850 census for Owen County, Kentucky I find the following:

Wm. Featherston     age 52    Occupation; Cooper   born in VA

Asenth Featherston  age 35                         born in KY

James Featherston   age 19                         born in KY

Sarah Featherston   age 15                         born in KY

William Featherston age 13                         born in KY

Robert Featherston  age 12                         born in KY

I also have a copy of  the Marriage Bonds  from Franklin Co.,  KY showing that

Wm.  R. Featherston and Asenth Kellar were married Franklin County on Dec. 19,

1848 by F.W. Hodges of the Baptist Church.

Asenth was William R.  Featherston's third wife, his first wife was Sally

Elmore,  daughter of James  Elmore and according  to the copy of  the marriage

bonds they were married April 9, 1827 in the commonwealth of KY.  Sally is the

mother of James and Sarah,  the two oldest children of  William R. Featherston

and half brother and sister to William Henry and Robert Featherston.

After 1850  I find no information about William Henry until 1865.  I have

a copy of a marriage record showing that Sept.  7,  1865 he married Sarah Jane

McComas,  daughter of Elisha and Sophia  Shelton McComas,  in Sangamon County, IL cont...

William Henry Featherston (cont.)

So far in my search I have been unable to locate them in the 1870 census,

but we know that according to the 1880  census of Sangamon co., IL their first

child, Mary L. was born in 1866 and their second child William Taylor was born

in 1868, both in Illinois.

In 1872  William Henry and  his  family  were  in  Butler.  Bates County,

Missouri,  where their third child,  my grandfather Robert Lee.  was born Jan.

19, 1872.  Sarah Jane died March 6, 1872, this according to a copy of a letter

written by William Henry to her parents in IL.  The same letter also indicates

she is buried in Butler,  MO and although I have searched the cemeteries there

on two different occasions I have never found her grave.  I assume there never

was a marker or over the years it has deteriorated.  The state of MO indicates

they do not  have death records  that go back  that far.   I also searched the

newspaper from Butler for that time in hopes of finding an  obituary but never

did find one or any other notice or item about her death.  I do have a copy of

Robert Lee's birth certificate that I found among my Mother's things after she

died.

Sarah Jane's sister, Mary Ellen McComas Davis and her husband Andrew, who

lived in Wayne County, Iowa, near the little town of Bethlehem, took the baby,

Robert Lee to raise.   Andrew Davis died  in 1874  and Jim,  the eldest son of

Andrew and Mary Ellen helped raise my grandfather Robert Lee Featherston.

I next find William Henry  back in Sangamon  County,  IL where on Jan. 1.

1874,  he married a widow, Mrs. Nancy Vancil who according to the 1880 census,

was ten years older than he was.   This census shows them to be in  Auburn, IL

and  William's two oldest  children  Mary  L.  and Willie  are  listed  in the

household.  I have a copy of the record of marriage for William Henry and Mrs.

Nancy Vancil,  as well as a death certificate for Nancy  Featherston, who died

March 22.  1891 and is buried in Wimmer Cemetery, Auburn township. Auburn, IL.

I also have a copy of the obituary for Nancy,  taken from the Newspaper Auburn

Citizen dated Thursday March 26, 1891, which reads as follows:

NANCY FEATHERSTON

On  Sunday.  March  22nd,  at her home. about three

miles southeast of this(sic) Mrs. Nancy Featherston in

her home.

The subject of  this  obituary was  the daughter of

Penrod  Vancil,  and was born and raised  within a few

yards  of  the spot  of where  her grandfather, Samuel

Vancil.  in 1818  built the first cabin within what is

now Auburn Township.

She was born  Nov.  23.  1826.  and was  married to

Jacob R.  Vancil,  March  4,  1849.  Three children by

this marriage,  died in infancy.  Mr. Vancil died Feb.

16,  1873  and she was united Jan.  1, 1874, to Wm. H.

Featherston,  who  survives  with  two  children  by a

former marriage, viz:  Mary L. and W.T. Featherston.

Mrs.  Featherston  has been  for years  a  true and

consistent  member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  a  good

Christian, a good wife, step-mother and neighbor.

Rev.  A.J.  Donaldson spoke to the people assembled

cont...

William Henry Featherston (cont.)

at  the residence,  Tuesday afternoon,  and the mortal

body  lies  beside  many  ancestors  and  relatives in

Wimmer Cemetery.

The pall-bearers were C.M.  Patton, J.W. Hart, J.T.

Kenney. Wm. P. Taylor, D.H. Felton and Thos. Black.

In October,  1984  we  searched the  Wimmer Cemetery for a  headstone for

Nancy  Featherston but were  unable  to locate one.   We did however  locate a

headstone for William Featherston,  who died Sept.  14.  1878, age 79 years, 9

months and 7  days.   This beyond  a doubt has to  be  William R. Featherston.

father of William Henry Featherston.   The grave is on  a lot owned by  Wm. H.

Featherston,  according to the index for the Sangamon County Cemeteries.  I do

have a picture of this head stone.

In 1894,  according to the newspaper Carlinvilie Democrat  dated Thursday

Feb. 1, 1894 the following appeared:

Wm. H. Featherston of Auburn and Mrs. Amelia Nevins

of Palmyra were married at the residence  of Rev. W.A.

Wright last  Wednesday night about six  o'clock.  They

have  gone  to  live  on  Mr.  Featherston's farm near

Auburn.

This  information is confirmed  by a copy of  a marriage  license for Macoupin

County,  IL between William H.  Featherston age 54,  and Mrs. Amelia J. Nevins

age 34,  and dated Jan.  24,  1894.  The reverse side of this document has the

following information:

ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF HEALTH - RETURN OF MARRIAGE TO COUNTY CLERK

1.  Full name of Groom:  William H. Featherston

2.  Place of Residence:  Auburn, Sangamon Co.

3.  Occupation:  Farmer

4.  Age next birthday:  55 years.  Color:  W Race:

5.  Place of Birth:  Jessamine Co., Kentucky

6.  Father's name:  William Featherston

7.  Mother's Maiden name:  Martha Dunn

8.  Number of Groom's Marriage:  Third

9.  Full name of Bride: Amelia J. Nevins

10. Place of Residence:  Palmyra

11. Age next birthday:  35 years.  Color:  W  Race:

12. Place of birth;  Macoupin Co., IL

13. Father's name:  David Dikes

14. Mother's Maiden name:  Louisa (?)relton

15. Number of Bride's Marriage:  Second

16. Married at:  Palmyra in the county of Macoupin and state of Illinois, the

24th day of January 1894.

17. Witnesses to Marriage:  Nellie Ditson. Mrs. W.A. Wright

This information gave me the first solid clue to Wm.  Henry's parents and

also told me he had been married 3 times when I had always assumed he had been

married only 2 times,  cont...

William Henry Featherston (cont.)

Don't  I wish  all States  required  this  information on  their Marriage

Licenses?  What a big help it would be.

We  searched  the records of  Macoupin County at  Carlinvilie and learned

that Amelia J.  Nevins was the widow of John Nevins whose Estate Probate dated

March 7,  1894  shows they had a child Elmer Nevins and that the estate, a lot

in the town of Modesto.  IL had to be sold to settle debts owed.  It indicates

the  Administrator was Alexander Nevins  and Elmer Nevins.   Since  I  find no

later evidence of Elmer Nevins,  I assume he remained in Macoupin Co.,  IL and

did not live with William Henry and Amelia.

The next trace of Wm.  Henry and Amelia is a deed  dated August  17, 1897

which  conveys to  Charles E.  Davis land  in Wayne County,  Iowa that Elisha

McComas had filed on and left to his children when he died.  This deed was for

the  portion of  this  land  he left to  his now deceased  daughter Sarah Jane

McComas Featherston.   The deed bears the signatures of not only William Henry

and  Amelia,  but also the signatures of Mary  L.  Featherston and her husband

William S.  Harris, William T. Featherston and his wife, Clara, and Robert Lee

Featherston and his wife Belle Webber Featherston.

From the description of the land and from what  my Mother has told  me, I

believe this  to be where Robert  Lee and Mary  Belle Webber  Featherston were

living when my Mother was born Feb. 8, 1897.

I next find William Henry and Amelia in the 1900  census of Harris County

Texas, as follows:

W.H. Featherston      age 61        born KY

A.J. Featherston      age 41        born TN

U.O. Featherston      age  4        born IL

H.C. Featherston      age  3        born IL

These children were a daughter  Eunice Opal born  in 1895  died Feb. 13, 1943.

She was married to Julius Koester and she is buried in Harris Co.,  TX.  Henry

Clay born Oct.  9,  1896.   He died August 24,  1900 and is buried in Magnolia

Cemetery at Katy,  Texas.   I have a picture of his headstone and also visited

the grave site in Nov. of 1983.  Following is the inscription on the stone:

"Henry Clay son of W.H. and A.J. Featherston

born Oct. 9, 1896, died Aug. 24. 1900

Jesus said:  Suffer little children to come unto me

and forbid them not; for such is the kingdom of God."

The 1910 census for Harris Co., TX shows the following:

W.H. Featherston      age 71

A.J. Featherston      age 49

E.O. Featherston      age 14

C.L. Featherston      age  9

R.E. Featherston      age  8     born TX

These last two sons were Carl Stewart born in 1901  who died Sept.  7, 1957 in

Ft.  Bend County,  TX in an accident.   He was electrocuted.  Royce E. born in

1902 and died in Harris Co., TX June 21, 1982. cont...