Seely, Dr W J was born in Westchester Co, NY on 17 Dec 1832. He married on Dec 1864 to Elvie Robbins who was born in Washington Co, OH. They family came to Rc in 1866. They had 2 children. (1894)

Schuchert, William was born 28 Sep 1832 in Otterndorf, Hanover, Germany. He came to the US with his father in Jan of 1848, coming to Chester. In 1849 he returned to Germany for his only sibling John. In 1852 William went to CA for the gold rush and spent 6 years. In Apr 1860 he married L F Castllaw in RC. She was born in TN. William's mother died at the age of 14. (1894)

Spencer, Charles was born 18 Apr 1839 in Angelica, Allegany Co, NY. He was a reporter and editor of newspapers. During the CW he was a war correspondent for the Confederate Army. After the war he moved to Chester and took over the Valley Clarion. His father was George who was born in NY and had 6 children. Charles' grandfather came to the US in 1795 to Washington Co, NY. (1875)

Schulze, Henry was born in Germany on 17 Nov 1838. His family came to the US in 1849. His parents were Charles (d 1879) and Dorothes (Welge). In 1861 Henry married Caroline Opperman, she was born in Germany and died in 1871. They had 6 children. Henry's second marriage was to Mary Brammer, who died in 1876 leaving one child, Mary. Henry's third marriage was to Lousia Hornbustle of St Louis, they had one child, William. (1894)

Sprague, Albert N was born 01 Mar 1841 in Brooklyn, NY. In 1834 his parents moved to Perry Co, IL. Albert married Nancy Brown d/o Joseph in 1862. Albert was a lawyer. Albert's father was Averill who was born in ME and died in 1864. His first wife was Mary A Brittain who died in 1852. His second wife was Sarah Thomas who died in Perry Co, IL in 1862. Albert's grandfather was born in ME and his great grandfather, Jethro was born in MA before relocating in ME. This family was among the pilgrams that landed at Plymouth Rock from the Mayflower in 1620. (1875)

Seymour, Edward was born 1801 in Farmington, CT, the 2nd of five children born to Luther Seymour and Rebecca Curtis of that state. He engaged in clock making for the Seth Thomas Clockworks of Plymouth,CT for a time and then engaged in his own clock making business. He married Harriet A. Johnson of Bristol and, after his business in CT burned to the ground, he and his wife moved west to RC to join an older brother, Elisha, who had come to RC about 1822. Elisha Seymour had married Sarah McDonough, d/o Stacey McDonough, an early pioneer of RC. In April, 1849 the two brothers joined others headed to California to mine gold. Edward returned to RC in 1852, but Elisha was drowned, trying to cross the Salmon River. Edward took up farming on his brother's old ranch and had two sons, Geroge D. and Henry E. (1875)

Schoeppel, Andrew was born 1835 in Baireith, Bavaria, the 2nd of five children of John George Schoeppel, a tailor from Germany. The family arrived in Kaskaskia in the Winter of 1839 where the river had frozen over blocking them from proceeding to Jefferson City, MO. They liked Kaskaskia and decided to settle there where the elder Schoeppel engaged in tailoring and farming until he died in 1858. His children were John, Andrew, Martin, Frederick, and Elizabeth. Andrew Schoeppel was married three times, first in 1859 to Wilhelmina Begeman, then after her death to Catherine Kistner in 1862, and finally to Elizabeth Ruppert in 1868. His second wife gave him two boys, Martin Douglas and Henry, and his third wife gave him a daughter, Louise. (1875)

St Vrain, Savinien was born in St Louis on 13 Sep 1806. At the age of 18 he came to Kaskaskia as a clerk for his brother for a short time. Then then lived in MO until 1829. 22 Feb 1830 he married Virginia Minard the d/o Hypolite. She died in 1857. They had 9 children: some of which were Edmond (d 1873), John T, William, and Julia. In 1842 he was County Treasurer and later Sherriff. In 1860 he was elected Circuit Clerk for RC. After his first wife died he married Virginia Guthurie of KY. They had 8 children including: Minnie, Savinien and Estella. Savinien's father was Jacques D (d c 1816), of French nobility. He settled in St Louis and married Felicite Dubreil. They had 6 sons and 2 daughters. Of their sons, Charles Dehault Delasseus Delusiere was the Lt Governor of Upper Louisianna under the French. Another son named Ceran went to New Mexico where he became a Colonel in the military. (1875)

Steele, Anthony was born 20 Sep 1815 in Sec 16 near present day Steeleville. He later owned a farm in T5 R5 and was the constable. He married Catherine McMurdoc the d/o James in 1843. She died in 1845 leavinf one son. Next he married Nancy Thompson the d/o Samuel G. Their children were: Mary A, Emily J, Abner, Carrie, Idella, Martha (d infant) and Elizabeth (d infant). In 1858 he became sheriff. His father was Archibald Steele born in TN near Knoxville, he died in 1859 in RC. He married Elizabeth Flack the d/o John. She died in 1873. When Steeleville was called Georgetown, Archibald helped to build a fort there. His children were: Jefferson (d bef 1875), Antony, Riland, Merritt, Jasper, Lindsey, Lucinda, Minerva, Harriett, 3 who died young, Elizabeth, Mehala and Delila. Anthony's grandfather was Capt John Steele, who was directly under George Washington during the Rev War. After the war John moved to TN before coming to RC in 1798. His sons were: George, Archibald, James, John and Thomas, all were in the War od 1812 and Rangers in IL. This Steele family came from North Ireland having previously came from Scotland. (1875)

Shannon, John R. was born in 1826 near Sparta, RC, the second of nine children born to Robert G. Shannon of Abbeville, SC and Mary Anderson, the d/o Colonel David Anderson of RC. Robert Shannon had come to RC in 1818 and engaged in the merchantile business, primarily in Sparta. Upon Robert's death in 1849, John took over his father's business. That same year he married Lorette M. Hamlin of Salem, IL who died in 1851. In 1852 Mr. Shannon set out for California where he mined for gold and engaged in farming in Butte Co. In 1859 he returned to RC where he served for a time as Assistant U.S. Marshall and later as Deputy Sheriff. In 1862 Mr. Shannon established the Picket Guard, a weekly newspaper. In that same year he married Alice Jones of Wayne Co. IL who bore him three children. (1875)

Simpson, James D. was born in 1821 in Grayson County, KY, the son of James M. Simpson and Monica McAtee, natives of KY and MD respectively. IN 1828 the Simpson family moved to Sanganon County, IL and then later in 1838 to RC. In 1847 James D. Simpson married Eliza Mudd, the d/o James Mudd, an early settler of RC. The Simpsons had nine children. (1875)

Stoehr, John was born in 1825 in Friedenstadt. Wurtemburg, Germany, the third of three children born to John Stoehr, a farmer, and Barbara Langle. In 1833 the family came to America, settling in Dark County, OH. When he was eight years old, John's father died leaving the family with no support. John took employment in a brick yard to help support the family. He learned the trade of carpentry and in 1841 began working in that trade in St. Louis. In 1843 Mr. Stoehr came to Monroe County and began farming. In 1844 he married Magdalen Rahn, also from Germany. They had one child. In subsequent years, Mr. Stoehr continued to engage in farming, but also started a Brewery in Red Bud which he later sold. He also was elected Police Magistrate. (1875)

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