Elmer Gentle

Elmer Gentle, son of Calvin F. Grace (Whitlatch) Gentle was b. 7 Aug 1910 in Jefferson Co., IL, d. 12 Aug. 2001 Mt. Vernon, IL. He married Ruth M. Robertson on 11 Mar. 1933 in Bluford, IL. Ruth was the daughter of John Arthur & Rose E. (Moore) Robertson. We are related to both of them.

Elmer & Ruth had one son, Larry.

The following is an article published about Elmer:

Gentle Recalls Family Values Emphasized During Depression by Kathleen Dero, Mt. Vernon Register-News, Feb. 27, 1993.

According to Elmer C. Gentle, the values needed today to succeed are the same ones he learned growing up in Jefferson County.

“All you have to have is determination. Our new president was making about $45,000 a year as governor of Arkansas. Today, he’s making about $200,000 a year. He dreamed as a year as a youngster and he set goals. You’ve just got to be tenacious – have drive and willpower,” Gentle said.

Gentle, who spent more than 50 years working for state and township public aid programs, was born and raised about three miles east of Bluford in Pendleton Township.

Gentle grew up on a “short” 40 acres across the top of Pendleton Township. After a survey correction, that section of land was found to have only 36 acres.

Generation 10

Generation 10, more fall out while picking up more New England families.  

• Lathrop ancestors #512 - #570
• Dove ancestors #592 - #626
• Butler ancestors #648 - #688
• Robertson ancestors #704 - #748
• Gurley ancestors #848 - #895
• Colclasure ancestors #902 - #955
• Fitzgerald ancestors #960 - #989

We'll be looking at people living in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. 

And immigrants from England, Germany, Holland and Ireland.

This generation spans the years 1622 through 1838.  

• 1620 founding of Plymouth Colony by Pilgrims
• 1624 Virginia created as royal colony
• 1630 Boston, Massachusetts founded by Puritans
• 1633 smallpox ravishes Plymouth Colony

Fun Stuff

Sometimes you just have to laugh . . . 

"James Speer lived on Beavers Dams and had no more brains than were absolutely necessary." Book review of Watauga County, History.

Ahnentafel #503 - Elizabeth Cornwell

Elizabeth Cornwell

Born: ca. 1750 in Virginia
Died: after 1795

Buried: possibly in Orange County, Indiana

Married: John Wolfe ca. 1770, some people cite marriage between Peter Wolf and Anne Cornwell 28 July 1777 in Frederick Co., Virginia

Records:
1783 - Shenandoah Co., VA census - a John Wolfe with 8 whites and 1 black

1784 - Shenandoah Co., VA deed - John & Elisabeth Woolf of Shenandoah sold land to William Henry of Frederick County . . . consideration of Eighty pounds . . . a parcel of land lying on the Flint run it being part of a Tract of Land granted from the Proprietor of the Northern Neck to Phillip Crume & by Phillip Crume & Sarah his wife conveyed to John Patton by Deed of Bargain and sale bearing date 28th May 1778 by John Patton & Mary his wife sold to sd. John Woolf by deed of L[ease] & R[elease] bearing date September 1779, containing one hundred and fifty acres of land.

Dr. John Grove Speer

John Grove Speer autobiographical sketch from Speer Family History. He was the son of John & Mary Barbary (Grove) Speer.

Where shall I begin You will say in childhood days. Very well, then. I shall say that I was born in Morgantown [Morganton], Burke County, North Carolina, on the 12th day of February, A.D. 1809.

Just like all other children I wanted nourishment, which was supplied abundantly by my dear mother. It was while I was thus being cared for that smallpox gave the people a scare, and we were vaccinated, and, as a memorial of the fact, I have carried the mark on my left arm ever since. In the fall of 1811, when I was about two and one-half years old, I was brought to Kentucky. The next thing I remember was going to school when I was a wee boy with all the childish ways common to the very young. I wanted to be free and out at play, and felt I was a prisoner. I learned but little at that school, but when older I learned as fast as the common run, and became more diligent in my studies than most of the scholars, and thus began to take first rank. My father perceiving that I was fond of books and doing fairly well, sent me to live with Uncle Blevins in Middletown, Ky., to go to school to a Mr. Banks, a man good in word and deed. He was a son-in-law of the Rev. Blackburn, a Presbyterian, of Louisville, Ky. I was well pleased to stay with my kind Uncle and Aunt Amelia, who were very good to me.

Ahnentafel #502 - John Wolfe

John C. Wolfe or John Peter Wolfe, Sr.

Born: ca. 1745 Virginia
Died: before 1809, some say 1828

Buried: probably in Stampers Creek Cemetery, Orange Co., Indiana

Married: Elizabeth Cornwell ca. 1770, some people cite marriage between Peter Wolf and Anne Cornwell 28 July 1777 in Frederick Co., VA

Records:

1779 - April 28 - Frederick Co., VA a John Wolfe mentioned in his grandfather's will as grandson, "son of my deceased son John," left land after his aunts die. Our John Wolfe would have been 34 in 1779 which makes this a strange bequest.  It seems more like something that would be done for a minor grandchild.

1779 - Sept. 20 - Shenandoah Co., VA a John Wolf leased 150 acres of land on Flint Run from John Patson / Patton for the rent of one pepper corn on Lady day next [March 25, the Feast of Annunciation]

Lathrop Reunion - 2018

Labor Day Sunday afternoon has been Lathrop Reunion held in Fairfield, Illinois for many, many years.  This year we had a good turn out. 

Generation I. Betty (Lathrop) Porter, Bonnie (Lathrop) Holler, Gene Austin, Howard Lathrop, George Lathrop

Research Log

Yellow Notebook - Robertson/Maulding/Clark Section

Jefferson County Illinois Death Book
Mauldings -
Eliza J. Bk 1, p. 19
Elizabeth O. Bk 1, p. 37
Clarence E. Bk 1, p. 53
James Bk 1, p. 58
Ransom Bk 1, p. 71

Oscar Gentle death - Book 3, p. 161

Laura Lathrop, Book 3, p. 186
b. Indiana 1857, Nov. 11
d. IL 1914, Nov. 5
parents David Lathrop b. NY and Sarah Dodds b. OH

1860 Jefferson County, Illinois, Census, Dodds Twp.
Maulding, Wesley A. 1828
Elizabeth 1832
Lorenzo D. 1854
Martha O. 1856
Eliza A. 1859

Ambrose Maulding buried in 10 Mile Cemetery, Hamilton Co., IL, Lots of space for other graves some small stones nothing legible

Ahnentafel #500 - (--?--) Cornwell

(--?--) Cornwell

Born: ca. 1760
Died: unknown

Buried: unknown

Married: unknown

Records / Possibilities:

1810 Virginia Census - he would have been about 50 years old

Culpeper County
A Payton Cornwell family 
3 m -10
2 m 10-16
1 m 26-45 Payton
2 f -10
1 f 26-45