Ahnentafel #26 James Gurley

James & Lou (Speer) Gurley Family ca. 1917

James Robert Gurley aka J.R.

Born: January 23, 1866, Wayne Co., IL
Died: July 4, 1941 Wayne City, IL

Buried: July 6, 1941 Thomason Cemetery, Wayne City, IL

Married: Lou Emma Speer, December 28, 1892 at his brother Louis Gurley's home in Glenarm, IL. 

Religious affliation: member of the Wayne City Christian Church

Occupation:  farmer

Migration:
1889 living in Sangamon Co., IL after settlement of father's estate
ca. 1893 living in Macoupin Co., IL 
ca. 1898 moved back to Wayne Co., IL to Arrington Prairie Township north of Wayne City
ca. 1908 moved to farm on the west side of Wayne City, farm is now on the north side of the highway and within the city limits. 

J.R. and grandson Harold Erkman

Census:
1870 Wayne Co., IL - age 4 with his parents

1880- not found in census, the Gurley kids were scattered after their father's death.  They didn't stay with their mother.

1900 Wayne Co., IL - Arrington Prairie head of household age 34

1910 Wayne Co., IL - Orel Twp. just west of Wayne City, age 44 with wife and five children and his nephew James

1920 Wayne Co., IL - Orel Twp. with wife and two youngest children, age 53

1930 Wayne Co., IL - Orel Twp., age 64, grandson Harold Erkman living with J.R. and Lou

1940 Wayne Co., IL - Orel Twp. he and Lou living with their son Lyman and his wife.  They had deeded the homeplace over to Lyman and were in the same home.  He is said to have had an 8th grade education.

Children:
Edith Alice b. 6/2/1894, d. 11/7/1920 age 26 md. Earl Robert Shelton 6/18/1913.  Big Earl was one a member of the bootlegging Shelton gang.  One family story is that Big Earl burned down J.R. Gurley's barn for the insurance money.  Edith and Earl got a divorce and Edith died at home.

Elston Robert b. 8/31/1895, d. 2/21/1969 md. 1) Golda Lathrop 10/31/1915 and 2) Ethel Hunt 5/24/1938

• Rosalie b. 6/23/1916, d. 4/18/2004 md. Charles Arthur Wagner III 6/27/1941
• James Robert

Edna Mae

Ruby Pearl, b. 4/12/1901, d. 3/28/1984, md. 1) John T. Barr 10/9/1921 divorced 1932; md. 2) Bert Musteen 2/9/1933

• John T. Barr b. 2/12/1922, d. 9/4/1939, age 17, accidental drowning at CCC camp in Kettle Falls, WA

Lyman Edward b. 5/23/1907, d. 2/24/1959 md. Cora A. Baldridge 7/22/1928, no children