"A letter dated 9 Dec 1901 written by Jared Ray Preston (28) at Ontario , Indiana , was received by Mary M. Stewart (470). Jared writes thanking Mary for her letter and says he approves of her plan to rest this winter. He reminicses about Mary's uncle, Ira, who "was hanged by toughs on Sunday morning as he went to get the team to go to Sunday school and mentions that Ira is buried at South Elkhorn. He also writes that Hiram, "older than Isaac", was drowned in Elkhorn Creek while bathing and that he is buried in "the other cemetery south east."

Mary is John W. Stewart’s daughter. From the records we have Ira Jr died sometime between 1853-1859. Since South Elkhorn and Eagle Point border each other, I’m sure the murder would have caused a stir in the communities. I’ve read information that Milledgeville to the west was a rough area during this period and plagued by what the settlers called the Prairie Bandits. My cousin (owner of the letter) contacted the Polo library to see if they might have a newspaper article concerning Ira. The library couldn’t find any information. Would anyone know of any sources, newspapers or books that would have information of what happened to cause my gg uncle to be murdered?

Mrs. Edith M. Reynolds, 77 formerly of Dixon , died at 1:45p.m. Tuesday at Pleasant View Luther Home where she had resided about two years. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at Chapel Hill Chapel, Dixon by the Rev. Joseph McMahon of the First Methodist Church of Dixon. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery . A daughter of Willis T. and Mary Stillwell McNamer, Mrs. Reynolds was born October 27, 1886 at South Elkhorn . She attended South Elkhorn School and was a member of the M.E. South Elkhorn Church . She married July 18, 1904 to John Reynolds, who died in 1958. She was a member of the First Methodist Church of Ottawa, the Mary E Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, the White Shrine at Dixon and the Dixon Rebekah Lodge. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Tecce of Palatine and Mrs. Stanley (Muriel)White of Ottawa; two sons, Eugene of La Mesa, Calif., and Keith of Stamford, Conn.; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She is preceded in death by a son, William, her parents, her grandparents Hiram and Maria Stewart McNamer, four aunts, Martha McNamer Heath, Mary McNamer Johnson, Nellie McNamer O'Kane, Jessie McNamer Sweet, four uncles,Eugene, John, Frank and Harry. (Ottawa Daily Times July 3, 1963)

FRANCES E. HUBBARD, daughter of Nelson B. and Minerva Hubbard, died at the age of eighty-five on June 7, 1931 in the Caroline Mark Home at Mount Carroll , Illinois. Her passing followed a stroke of paralysis two weeks ago. Burial was in South Elkhorn Cemetery next to her mother. Miss Hubbard was born in Jordan Township in Whiteside County and for a number of years taught in the rural schools of South Elkhorn Township . She made her home with a sister, Emma Cantrall, of Milledgeville, until a few years ago when she went to the home at Mount Carroll. (This information from an obituary. Frances birthdate as calculated from her gravestone inscription, is September 14, 1845.)

MARIA McNAMER , was born in Schoharie Co., New York, September 5, 1827, and died February 19, 1899, in the seventy-second year of her age. The deceased came to this county in 1840, and soon after was married to Hiram McNamer, who had settled on a farm at South Elkhorn Grove in 1835. Brother and Sister McNamer have had a large circle of acquaintances in the long years that they have lived at south Elkhorn, Their home has always been the hone of the Methodist preacher and the first sermon ever preached in this county was preached in Brother McNamer's log cabin by old Father McKane. "Given to hospitality" was always the motto of this home and many are the friends who have been welcomed there. The deceased was a good Christian woman, a real Mother in Israel. She was converted at the early age of eighteen, and since that time has been a faithful member of the M. E. church. She was of a cheerful and sunny disposition and always looked on the bright side of things. She was the mother of eight children,, - May, John and Harry having preceded her. There remains to mourn her loss, Eugene and Willis on the old home farm; Mrs. Nellie O'Kane and Mrs. Wm. Sweet, of Milledgeville; and Rev. Frank R., a member of the Rock River Conference, and stationed at Lena. Hiram McNamer had one child by his first wife, Mrs. Marie Heath of Eldora, Iowa. The funeral service was held at the South Elkhorn church,Wednesday at 10:30 a. m., Rev. J. J. Rapp officiating, assisted by Rev. F. L. Baldwin of Oregon, Interment took place in the South Elkhorn cemetery. Contributed by Melva L. Taylor - Undated Scrapbook Clipping

WILLIS T. McNAMER - Polo, IL - July 30 - William T. McNamer, well known Polo resident, died at his home on South Division street this morning after an illness of several months duration, the last few weeks of which he was confined to his bed. Funeral services will be held at the home Thursday after noon at 2 o'clock, Rev. E.Y. Knapp, pasator of the Stockton M.E. church, a former pastor of the deceased, officiating and with burial in the South Elkhorn cemetery. Mr. McNamer was born on a farm eight miles west of Polo Oct. 7, 1855 and was married Dec. 25, 1879 to Miss Mary J. Stilwell at Steward who survives him. One daughter Mrs. Edith Reynolds of Paw Paw; four grandchildren; two brothers, Eugene of Milledgeville and Rev. Frank of Batavia; and two sisters, Mrs. William Sweet of Milledgeville and Mrs. E.E. O'Kane of Polo, also survive and mourn his passing. Contributed by Nanette White

EDITH M. REYNOLDS, 77 formerly of Dixon , died at 1:45p.m. Tuesday at Pleasant View Luther Home where she had resided about two years. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at Chapel Hill Chapel, Dixon by the Rev. Joseph McMahon of the First Methodist Church of Dixon. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Cemetery . A daughter of Willis T. and Mary Stillwell McNamer, Mrs. Reynolds was born October 27, 1886 at South Elkhorn . She attended South Elkhorn School and was a member of the M.E. South Elkhorn Church . She married July 18, 1904 to John Reynolds, who died in 1958. She was a member of the First Methodist Church of Ottawa, the Mary E Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, the White Shrine at Dixon and the Dixon Rebekah Lodge. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Tecce of Palatine and Mrs. Stanley (Muriel)White of Ottawa; two sons, Eugene of La Mesa, Calif., and Keith of Stamford, Conn.; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She is preceded in death by a son, William, her parents, her grandparents Hiram and Maria Stewart McNamer, four aunts, Martha McNamer Heath, Mary McNamer Johnson, Nellie McNamer O'Kane, Jessie McNamer Sweet, four uncles,Eugene, John, Frank and Harry. (Ottawa Daily Times July 3, 1963)

Rev. Frank McNamer Family, his wife Hattie and children Harry, Bruce and Margot // Headstone at South Elkhorn Cemetery
Frank was the son of Hiram McNamer and Maria Elizabeth Stewart McNamer.
His wife Hattie Follet is was daughter of Orville Fisher Follet and Susannah Griffin