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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



EARNEST, THOMAS, was born June 3, 1792, in South Carolina. His parents moved, when he was a boy, to Simpson county, Ky. In the Autumn of 1819 he came to Sangamon county and joined his brother Jacob, who had previously arrived with his family. Thomas Earnest commenced improvements south of Spring creek, eight miles west of Springfield, and entered land when it came into market. He was married Oct. 15, 1822, to Alletta Lanterman. They had twelve children in Sangamon county, two of whom died young.

SOPHIA J., born Aug. 24, 1823, was married Nov. 12, 1846, to Simon P. Rickard. See his name.

JOHN W., born Sept. 2, 1824, was married April 21, 1853, to Julia J. Woolley, of Green county, Ill. They have three children living, LEORA S., WILLIAM W., and CHARLES S., and reside in Macoupin county, near Greenfield, Green county. Ill.

PETER L., born Nov. 6, 1825, was married in Sangamon county, in 1849, to Elizabeth A. Thompson. They had ten children, five of whom are living, THOMAS H., WILLIAM H., MARY A., FRANK P., and JOSIAH T. P. L. Earnest is operating in the silver mines of San Juan, southwestern Colorado. His son, Thomas H., is now--1875--there attending to business. The family reside at Ottawa, Kansas. Peter L. Earnest is Postmaster in Ottawa.

SOPHRONIA, born Dec. 5, 1826, was married May 20, 1846, to Dr. Benjamin S. Robinson. See his name.

ALLETTA A., born March 5, 1828, married William Y. Kirk. They had one child, and Mr. Kirk died. His widow married Robert Watson of St. Louis. They had one child, and reside near Millville, Ray county, Mo.

WILLIAM, born Nov. 21, 1829, in Sangamon county, enlisted Aug., 1862, for three years in Co. A, 106 Ill. Inf., and died of disease, July 17, 1863, near Vicksburg, Miss.

HENRIETTA M., born Jan. 10, 1831, married Henry W. Rickard. See his name.

JAMES L., born Oct. 18, 1832, in Sangamon county, died, March 5, 1848, away from home, in Calhoun county, Illinois.

ELIZA E. born Feb. 27, 1836, resides at the family homestead with her brother Thomas H.

THOMAS H., born April 24, 1837, was married Nov. 15, 1863, to Hannah H. Lyman. They had two children, CAROLINE B. and WILLIAM J., and Mrs. E. died May 19, 1872. T. H. Earnest resides eight miles west of Springfield, on the farm where his father settled in 1819.

Thomas Earnest died, Nov. 6, 1848, suddenly, while away from home, in Calhoun county. Mrs. Alletta Earnest died July 31, 1871, at the house of her daughter, Mrs. H. W. Rickard, caused by being thrown from a wagon.



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