In Memoriam July 23rd

1651  - Robert Peck age 71 wrote his will in Hingham, England.  Born in 1580 in Beccles, England, Robert was the son of Robert & Helen (Babbs) Peck.  He attended Magdalen College, Cambridge between 1599 and 1603 becoming a minister.  He married Anne Lawrence in May 1603.  Robert served as the minister of St. Andrews Church in Hingham, England from 1605 to 1638 when he fled with his family to New England to avoid persecution.  Settling in Hingham, MA he served as minister from 1638 to 1641.  When Cromwell came to power in England Robert and Anne returned to Hingham, England to serve the congregation at Hingham again.  After Anne’s death he married Martha Bacon.  Robert and Anne (Lawrence) Peck had eight children: Robert, Thomas, Joseph, Benjamin, Nathaniel, Samuel, Daniel and Anne.

July the xxiiij th 1651

I Robert Pecke Minister of the word of God at Hingham in the Countye of Norff beinge in bodily health and perfect memory knowinge the uncerartainety of man’s life, doe dispose of that worldly estate God hath given me in manner and form following

Imprimus I give and bequeath unto Thomas my sonne and Samuel sonne and their heirs forever All that my messuage wherein I now dwell situate and lyenge in Hingham aforesaid with all the edifices yards and orchards thereunto belonging.  As alsoe the inclose and barnes adjoining.  As also one inclose now devided called the Lady Cose conteyninge about eight acres be it more or less.  As also one pightell at the end thereof of conteyninge twoe acres and __ upon condicons following, and for the paymant of such legacies as are herein expressed.

First I will and bequeath unto Robert Pecke sonne of my sonne Robert deceased the sume of 20£ at his age of 23 years.

Item I give unto John Pecke sonne of the said Robert deceased 10£ to be paid to him at his age of 22 years.

Item I give unto Benjamin Peck the youngest sonne of the said Robert deceased at his age of 22 years, 20£.

Item I give to the children of Anne Mason my daughter wife of Captain John Mason of Seabrooke on the river Connecticut in New England the sume of Forty pounds to be devided equally unto them and to be sent to my sonne John Mason to dispose of it for their use within 2 years after my death.

I give to my sonne Joseph Dureinge his natural life the sume of 14 £  yearlie to be in the hands of my sonnes Thomas and Samuel as it shall arise out of my houses lands and chattles for his maintenance with necessarie foode and apparell duringe the terme of his naturall life.  And I doe wholie commit my said sonne Joseph to the care of my twoe sonnes Thomas and Samuell to provide for him in such a way as he may not want things necessary for his livelihood.

Item I give to the children of Thomas and Samuel my sonnes which shall be liveinge at my decease the sume of Five pounds apiece at their severall ages of 21 years.

Item I give to my now wife Martha Pecke 40£ to be paid within twoe months after my decease.

I give to the poore of Hinham 5£ to be distributed at the descrecon of my executors Thomas Peck and Samuel Pecke whom I do ordayne and make executors of this my last will and testament confiding that they will faithfully fulfill and performe this my last will according to my trust reposed in them.

All my other goods c[h]attells debts moneys household stuffe or whatsoever ells belongeth unto me I give and bequeath to my said Executors, towards payeinge of my legacies already bequeathed and towards the bringing of my body to burial, which I desire if I depart this life in Hingham may be entered in the church yard near unto Anne my wife deceased.

In witness whereof I have written this my last will and testament with my own hand the day and yeare above written

Robt Peck

This will was admitted to probate in London April 10, 1658.

1728 Elizabeth (Moore) Loomis the daughter of Deacon John Moore in Connecticut, she was 90.  Elizabeth was born in Windsor, CT in 1638 and married Nathaniel Loomis in 1653. They had twelve children:  Elizabeth, Nathaniel, Abigail, Josiah, Jonathan, David, Hezekiah, Moses, Mindwell, Ebenezer, Mary and Rebecca.  Elizabeth married John Case after Nathaneil Loomis’ death in 1688.

1792 Philip Fox, age 65 wrote his will.  He was born ca. 1727 in Germany.  Philip married Amelia Rosenboom ca. 1749 and the couple immigrated to Philadelphia in 1750 on the HMS Royal Union.  The couple had at least six children: Philip, John, Elizabeth, Mary, Jacob and Susan.  While Philip was “sick and weak in body” when he wrote his will it did not go to probate until 1796 in Rowan County, NC. 

In the name of God Amen, the 23^rd day of July AD 1792, Philip Fox of Rowan County & State of N. Carolina being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind & memory, thanks be to God.   Therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain this my last will and test:  (that is to say primarily) & first of all I give & recommend my soul to God & my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my executors hereafter named.  Nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again through the mighty power of God.  And as touching such worthy state wherewith it had pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, devise & dispose of in the following manner & form

Imprimus it is my will & I do order that in the first place all my just debts & Funeral expenses be paid & satisfied out of my moveable estate.

Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son Jacob Fox the sum of fifty pounds to be paid out of my moveable estate.

Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son Philip Fox the sum of forty pounds to be paid out of my moveable estate.

Item I give & bequeath to my beloved daughter Susannah the wife of John Grove the sum of twenty seven pounds, ten shillings to be paid out of my moveable estate.

Item I give & bequeath to my beloved daughter Mary Koster’s (?) five children, five cows & five calves, to be paid to them out of my moveable estate to each of them a cow & calf when they come of age.

Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth the wife of Wintel Hinckel the sum of twenty seven pounds ten shillings to be paid out of my moveable estate.

Item I give & bequeath to my beloved son John Fox, the whole of my homestead plantation whereon I now dwell, lying in the county aforesaid on the waters of Muddy Creek including six hundred & fourty acres as appears by my two grants from the Secretary office of said State to remain to my said son John Fox and to his heirs & assigns forever.  I also give to my son John Fox the whole of my moveable estate, that I have not yet mentioned; provided that he procures for my well beloved wife Amelia, such a maintenance as she shall be satisfied with, during the time as she remains my widow, and upon his neglecting to provide as aforesaid I order that she shall have the use of my estate during the time she remains my widow.

And lastly, I do constitute & appoint Amelia my well beloved wife & my son John Fox my only & sole executors & I do hereby revoke & _____ all & every other former will by me before this time named, written & bequeathed, ratifying & confirming this & no other to be my last will & test.  In further testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the day & year first herein above written.

Philip Fox (seal)

Signed, sealed in presence of

• Adam  Lepmaman
• Lorenz Unger
• Henry Davis

1888 Lawrence Hendy age 1 ½ the son of Martin & Mary (Colclasure) Hendy.  He is buried in Oak Mound Cemetery in Clay Co., IL.

Will Lathrop

1898 Pasturefield:  Will Lathrop died Saturday and was buried at Amity.  William Edgar, son of George and Roelia Lathrop, died at the home of his uncle, Charles Lathrop.  He was 18 y., 8 m., 16 d.  William is buried in Amity Cemetery.

1914 Wesley Stokes age 21 the son of Asher & Katherine (Erkman) Stokes drowned in the Little Wabash at Crossville, IL.  Born in 1893, Wesley was deaf and dumb.  He was a student in Chicago at the time of his death.

1905 William Smith age 82 in Clay Co., IL.  He was born in Frederick Co., VA in 1823 the son of James & Elizabeth (Tewalt) Smith.  William E. Smith, farmer and stockraiser, P.O. Ingraham.  The subject of this sketch - commonly known as Uncle Eddie - is a native of Winchester, Frederick County, Va., and was born March 7, 1823.  His father, James E. Smith, was a native of the same county, and brought his family to Clay County in October 1838, settling in Hoosier Township, where he died on the 5th day of February, 1843.  When the Smith family located here, the wild animals were running at large through the woods and across the prairies of Hoosier Township.  Mr. Smith attended the old-fashioned subscription school, and sat on a slab or split-pole bench.  He has always resided in Hoosier Township, and now resides on the northeast quarter of Section 1.  As a farmer and stock-raiser, he has been very successful, and now owns 320 acres in his own right.  He knows all about pioneer life, and has grated corn many a time for meal to make bread, and gone forty miles to mill.  He has always been an esteemed citizen, and many persons, both old and young, frequently go to himi for counsel and advice.  Uncle Eddie's advice on all moral and financial questions is considered the standard for his neighborhood.  For twelve yeras he was Justice of the Peace, and eight years of this time before the township organization.  Mr. Smith is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He was married March 1, 1846, to Clarinda, daughter of Robert Benefield who settled in Clay County in 1837.  This union has been blessed with nine children, viz.:  George W., John W., James R., David D., Catharine E., Josiah L., Finley H., Amanda E. and Marietta.  [Clay County History]  William is buried in Hoosier Prairie Cemetery in Clay Co., IL.

1974 Lawrence Rainwater in Herrin, IL age 52.  Lawrence was born 1921 in Bluford, IL the son of Matthew & Nellie (Baldridge) Rainwater.  He married Frances Reece in 1945 they had two children: Mary and Larry.  Lawrence is buried in Mt. Vernon Memorial Gardens in Mt. Vernon, IL.

1978  Vern Elmer Shaw, 84, an oldtimer at Wayne City, dies at the Richardson Funeral Home in Wayne City while attending the funeral of an old friend, James Harvey Rainwater.  Born in 1893 in Keenes, IL Vern was the son of William & Laura (Robertson) Shaw.  He married Mary Rainwater in 1914 and they had twelve children: Betty, Opal, Dorothy, Donald, Marvin, Mildred, Marjorie, Arlene, Freda, Edith, Herman and Howard.  Vern is buried in Salem / Mateer Cemetery in Wayne County, IL.

2003 John Arthur Johnson, 95, of Belle Rive died 5:15 a.m. July 23, 2003, at Nature Trail Healthcare Center.

He was a life-long resident of the Opdyke-Belle Rive area and a self-employed farmer.

Mr. Johnson was born Dec. 7, 1907, in Jefferson County to Lee Johnson and Jennie (Robertson) Johnson.  The Rev. Bird Green united Mr. Johnson and Hallie Florence Harper of McLeansboro in marriage at the East Side Baptist Church in Mt. Vernon Jan. 16, 1938; she died Dec. 13, 1998.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Belle Rive Missionary Baptist Church in Belle Rive.  The Revs. Richard McCormick and Normal Howell will officiate.  Burial will follow in Belle Rive-Flint Cemetery.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Hughey Funeral Home and from 10 a.m. until the funeral hour at Belle Rive Missionary Baptist Church in Belle Rive.

Mr. Johnson and his wife were blessed with the birth of two daughters, Darlene Sue Wind and husband of Normal and Dorothy Ann Hamson and husband Dennis of Belle Rive; they survive.  Also surviving are grandchildren Cheryl Wollrab of Bloomington and Carol Deavers and husband Danny of Normal; great-grandchildren Jesse Deavers and Justin Deavers, both of Normal; step-granddaughters Karen Shumakcer of Washington and Kendra Coleman of Bloomington; and step-great-grandchildren Ashley Coleman of Bloomington, Dustin Shumacker  and Vance Shumacker both of Washington.

Mr. Johnson professed his faith in Christ at an early age and was a member of Belle Rive Missionary Baptist Church.  He was also a former member of the Belle Rive Grade School Board and Pendleton Township Board.  He was a devoted husband, father and friend and will be remembered for his strong commitment to God and love for his family.  He will be greatly missed by those who loved him.

His parents, wife and grandson-in-law Brad Wollrab preceded him in death.