Of Whiteside Co IL
Ira Burch was a native of New York State, and born May 24,1800. He remained on the farm with his father until he was twenty-one years of age, when he commenced sailing on the lakes until 1832, being a captain for several years.
On the 5th of April, 1832, he married Miss Joanna M. Bacon, of Ripley, Chautauqua county, New York. Mrs. Burch was born in Sunderland, Bennington county, Vermont, August 1, 1817.
The children by this marriage have been:
Harrison D., born July 22, 1833;
Thomas J., born November 9, 1835;
Eliza S., born December 14, 1837;
William H., born August 14, 1840;
Merritt, born December 20,1841;
Judson, born February 4,1843;
Ira S., born June 25, 1844.
Of these children, William H. died October 14, 1840;
Merritt died March 1, 1842; and
Judson died August 28, 1843.
Harrison D. married Miss Elizabeth W. Wookey, January 1, 1856, and lives in Union Grove;
Thomas J. married Miss Mary A. Cooley, July 4, 1858, and lives in Garden Plain;
Eliza S. married George Cluff, October 8, 1855, and lives in Garden Plain; and
Ira S. married Miss Margaret A. Thompson, March 12, 1866, and also lives in Garden Plain.
Ira Burch, the subject of this sketch, came to Whiteside county in 1837, and settled on the west side of the cattail, a part of his land being in Union Grove, and part in Garden Plain, his house being in the former township.
He died of lung fever, on the 10th of March, 1846. after an illness of five days.
Bent - Wilson History of Whiteside County 1877
**(Note) - From Reta Kleve: The only daughter of Ira Burch and Johanna M. Bacon was my gg grandmother.
Her name was Eliza Susannah Burch. She was born on the homestead. Her husband's name on the marriage certificate was Cluff.
It is that way in one Whiteside Co census but ever after that he and all his descendants go by Clauff.
Harrison Decatur Burch the oldest son was born at Chautauqua Co NY.
The second son Thomas Jefferson Burch was born on the homestead at Noble Twp. LaPorte Co IN.
The 3rd son Ira Sylvester Burch was born at Whiteside Co IL.
HARRISON D. BURCH
Harrison D. Burch, farmer, section 15, Union Grove Township, was born July 22, 1833 in Chautauqua Co., N.Y. He is the son of Ira and Joanna M. (Bacon) Burch, who were born respectively in New York and Vermont. After their marriage, they located in the State of New York, and a few years later they went to Indiana, whence they removed in 1837 to Illinois. They are mentioned in the records of the county as being one of four families who settled in the township of Garden Plain in that year. The father is deceased. The mother survives and lives in Union Grove Township. They have four children living, - Harrison D., Thomas J., Eliza S. and Ira S.
Mr. Burch was four years of age when his parents came to Whiteside County, and he has practically passed his life thus far within its limits, having spent but 18 months outside of them since he was brought hither by his father and mother. He is a farmer of extensive agricultural relations, owning 335 acres acres of land in Union Grove Township, which is nearly all under tillage.
The marriage of Mr. Burch to Elizabeth W. Wookey took place Jan., 1856, in Kenosha, Wisc. Mrs. Burch was born May 29, 1835, in England. She is the daughter of George and Maria (Bryant) Wookey. The family of her father came to America about 1850 and located in Kenosha, where he died, Aug. 28, 1854. The mother died in Union Grove Township, May 12, 1880. They had ten children, who were named Mary A., John, Sarah, James, George, Thomas, William, Jane, Elizabeth W. and Frank R. Mr. and Mrs. Burch have been the parents of 13 children, four of whom - William, Marion, Franklin and Nellie - are deceased. They were born in the following order: William, Thomas J., Franklin, Lafayette W., Marion, Mary A., Ella M., George, Lizzie J., Nellie, Bertie, Henrietta and Freddie.
In his political views and connections he affiliates with the Republican party, and he has been active in local official positions. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which his wife also belongs.
Portrait and Biographical Whiteside Co IL 1885 Pg 561
THOMAS J. BURCH
Thomas J. Burch, a farmer of Garden Plain Township, was born Nov. 9, 1835, in La Porte Co., Ind. Ira Burch, his father, was born May 24, 1800, in Steuben Co., N.Y. The latter entered the lake service when a young man, and operated as a sailor on the chain of the great lakes until 1832. On the 5th of April in that year he was married to Joanna W. Bacon. She was born Aug. 1, 1817, in Sunderland, Bennington Co., Vt. For a year subsequent to their marriage they lived in Ripley, Chautauqua Co., N.Y., and in 1833 went to La Porte Co., Ind., whither they moved their family and household fixtures by the aid of an ox team. The father secured a claim of 80 acres of land near the present city of La Porte, where they set out to find a home in an untried region, traveling with a pair of horses and a wagon, and were on the road a little more than a wreck. Mr. Burch had made a trip to Whiteside County a little before and made a claim on section 18, in Union Grove Township, as it has since been designated. He also built a house for a shelter for his family. They remained in it but a short time, as Mr. Burch sold his claim and secured another on section 7, in the same township, and built a pioneer cabin. He had also entered a claim on section 12, of township 21, range 3, now Garden Plain. To this the second log house was afterward removed. The father died March 11, 1846. The widow survives, and is a resident of the homestead in Union Grove Township. Of eight children born to them four are deceased. Harrison D. lives in Whiteside County. Thomas J. is the second in order of birth. Eliza is the wife of G.A. Clauff, of Ringgold Co., Iowa. Ira S. is the youngest.
Mrs. Burch was married again to Ezekiel Perry, who died in June, 1860.
Thomas J. was in his second year when his parents settled in Whiteside County. He was educated in the log and stone school-houses of the township of Garden Plain, and was trained in a knowledge of agriculture. In 1858 he went to Missouri, going there through Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. While in Missouri he was married to Mary A. Cooley, in July, 1859. She was born Sept. 13, 1834, in Ohio. In 1860 they returned to Garden Plain Township, and were residents on the homestead two years. In 1862Mr. Burch bought 55 acres of land on section 1, to which he removed. He is at present owner of 160 acres on the same section, having since purchased 105 acres, the remainder of the northeast quarter of section 1. He also owns 33 acres of timber in Union Grove Township.
Four of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Burch are living at this date (1885), Harry D., Henry, Alvin and Elmer. Mr. Burch has been a Prohibitionist in principle several years. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Portrait and Biographical Whiteside Co IL 1885 Pg 790
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