Monday, August 31, 2009

The Story of Hiram and Elizabeth (SULLIVAN) HORNBACK



HIRAM HORNBACK , born Dec 1830 in Sangamon County, Illinois; died 26 Jul 1902 in Menard County, Illinois; buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois, son of SIMON HORNBACK and MARGARET CONYERS . He married (1) on 24 Apr 1853 in Menard County, Illinois, divorced 20 Jan 1860 ELIZABETH J. SULLIVAN , born Jan 1838 in Indiana; (2) on 19 Jun 1879 in Petersburg, Menard, IL Mary J. Reed .

Hiram HORNBACK was born December 1830 in Sangamon County, Illinois, the son of Simon and Margaret CONYERS HORNBACK. In 1839, Menard County was formed from part of Sangamon County. Hiram grew up working on the family farm in the newly formed Menard County.

On 28 April 1853, Hiram married Elizabeth J. SULLIVAN in Menard County, Illinois. Elizabeth gave birth to two children: Sarah Margaret (1854) and Simon (1855). Hiram and Elizabeth lived together until 20 January 1860 when the couple separated. Hiram accused Elizabeth of having “committed adultery and has had illicit and criminal intercourse with divers and sundry persons at many different times”. The couple was officially divorced in April 1862 with Hiram retaining sole custody of their children, Sarah and Simon.

Following the divorce, Elizabeth eventually re-married to a Civil War Veteran, Henry C. HARDYSTY (also spelled HARDESTY/HARDISTY/HARDSTY). Henry was a Private in the 64th Illinois Infantry, also known as Yates’ Sharpshooters. Their marriage date and place has not been found as of yet. Henry and Elizabeth lived in Logan County during the 1870 & 1880 Federal Census. Around 1890, Henry and Elizabeth moved to Springfield where he worked as a carpet weaver until his death on 28 June 1893 in Springfield, Illinois.

Elizabeth remained in Springfield following her husband’s death. In the 1900 Federal Census, Elizabeth “Jane” lived at 1303 East South Grand Avenue boarding with another widow, Martha PAGE. Elizabeth continued to work as a carpet weaver taking up her husband’s occupation following his death. According to the 1900 Federal Census, Elizabeth was born January 1838 in Indiana. Her father was born in North Carolina and her mother was born in Illinois. She gave birth to 8 children, but only one was still alive in 1900.

In 1902, Elizabeth and her son, Simon Hornback, were corresponding with one another. Simon HORNBACK lived in South Carolina for the past several years before Hiram’s death. When he moved out east, he changed his name to William CLARK taking his cousin’s name trying to hide from the HORNBACK clan back home. Apparently, no one but his mother knew where he had re-located. In South Carolina, William married Frances DAVIS and the couple had several children incuding Leatha, who died in infancy, Ida CLARK BROOKS who married Hall BROOKS, Hiram, Clarence, Pierce, Pocohontos who died in infancy, Powhotan, Heindo, who died in infancy, and James Rufus CLARK.

In July 1902, Elizabeth and her granddaughter, Maggie ROBINSON EVERHART, each wrote letters to Simon. The letters are transcribed as written:

“Springfield, Illinois
July 5, 1902
Dear Son,
I take the pleasure to set myself down to answer your kind and welcome letter I just received and was so glad to hear from you. Bud I have planted my flowers seeds you sented me but some of them come up and some of them but they ain’t blooming yet. Well Bud if you don’t come home soon most of the foalks is dead your uncle Ike (?) is dead the only ones that is living is your Father and _____ _____ John and they are liable to anytime. I want you to git your self home and don’t say your coming and don’t but just git up and start out and come and when you come you can get plenty of work here and when you get back and I get well so I can go to work to get some money I will go home with you. Bud I got your last letter but I was waiting to see if you would answer my letter. I have got a good garden and all kind of vegeable and I made it all my self. Bud have you got any ripe fruit down there of any kind. Bud you go and see what it would cost to send me a box of fruit and then you write and let me no and then I will save money enough to pay the express on it and don’t for get it. well Bud I will send you to paper one demacrat paper and one republican paper. Bud I want you to write every week and don’t delay. Well I guess I will close for this time so good by write soon.

From mother to son
Send your letter to 1303 south East Grand Ave., Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
July 5, 1902
Dear Uncle Bud,
I thouth I would take the pleasure to set myself down to write you a few lines to let you no that I am still living and I want to no what is the reason you don’t answer my letters. I wrote you 2 letter and got no answer. Well uncle if you don’t come home soon you wont get to see none of the foaks. They are all dieing. Well uncle Bud you have got a nother neafue. He is one month and 5 days old. You got to come home and see all of you foaks. Well uncle bud if you dont answer my letter I wont write to you any more for I will think hard of you if you don’t answer my letter. So I will close for this time so good by your neace Maggie

To uncle Bud
Send your letter to 1529 South tenth Street, Springfield, Illinois
Maggie Everheart”

Upon the death of his father, Simon corresponded with his mother describing his physical state and asking her not to tell the “clan Hornback” where he was living. The letters are transcribed as written:

“August the 18 1902

dear mother I will ancere your kind and wilkin letre I got the other day ____ ____ no one node wheare I was don’t tell where I am let them hunt me I don’t think tha can find me un till I want them to find me let them sell the place if tha can I don’t car I will not come home until tha sell all that can bee sold I don’t think tha can but me out of my part I don’t know I want you to right and tell me did father leave a will or not right soon

direct your leters to Bath SC William clark”

“August the 19 1902 Bath SC

dear mother I will right you a leter to let you hear from me I want you to right and let me no if father had made any will if he did right and let me no cant come home now I haven’t got the money o come an I am sick in bed with the feavre I stuck my bed this morning I am trouble to death I cant sit up if I don’t get beter of than I am I don’t think I will nead anything I cant stand the feavre agin I had the feavre last February I liked died I cant stand it gin I want you to right evere week weathere right or not I will go to the hospital if I don’t get betre I haven’t got any body to take care of me when I git sick I cant stay at home with the children I will not live with that woman I haven’t lived with her in 3 years she will not let the children come to see me but I don’t care she tryes to get my leters but I told the post matre not to let any one git my mail I cant sit up long nuf to right I will right mabe when I get betre I want you to right me weak? If I di don’t til nun of the clan hornback family where I am I don’t car if Sarah gits any thing from fathere let me no right soon

from Simon to mother good by
direct your leters to Bath SC William Clark”

“September the 6 1902 Bath SC

dear mother I sat my self down to ancure your kind and wilkin leter I got to day and was glad to hear from you I am not doing so well to day I am little beter but I git out to soon and it set me back I am at Bath now but will not stay hear long I will stay until I git a leter from you I want you to tell Sara h to send me fifty dollars when she gits her money and I will come home and I will pay her back when I git home I want to come but I cant come home until I git able to be out of the house I come to Bath to day now I cant git a way I will haft to stay hear until I can git able to get a way if Sarh will send me 50 dollars I will come home right away if I can _____ long a ____ to git to the ___ if I di on the train I will start I think that some one could send me that much money I hav bin sick a long time it sounds like I has got a food friend in August when I am there tha will take car of me when I am owe there she save my life once be four she is betere than any woman in this world I will brind her with me when I come send me the #50 dollars and I will come home I will pay it back Sarah can git it out of her part if you don’t send it I don’t know when I can git to come home I am in a bad fix to start any wheare I spent all the money I had to git well I don’t owe nothing for my board I got to pay the doctor he was so good to me he sid if I would pay him 15 dollars it would do him his bil is 26 25 centers but sid if I could git to go home he would take 15 dollars he told me if I could go home I would git will I cant git will down hear I cant set up no longer

good by for this – simon

direct your leters to Bath SC William Clark
Bath SC William Clark”

Following their divorce, Hiram raised their two children alone until he re-married on 19 June 1879 to Mary J. REED RANDLE in Menard County, Illinois. Mary gave birth to three children: Louisa Belle (1879), Charles Wesley (1881), and Edward Leroy (1883). Louisa Belle HORNBACK only lived to be six months & 21 days dying of complications from whooping cough in Athens, Menard, Illinois.

In 1900, Hiram lived in Athens with his two sons from his 2nd marriage and his granddaughter, Rosetta ROBINSON. When Hiram died intestate on 29 July 1902, Sarah STONHAM and Edward HORNBACK filed a petition for administration of the estate. The estate packet states the ”deceased left surviving him Jane Hornback his widow, with whom deceased has not resided or lived for more than ten years last past” and “Sarah M. Stonham of Springfield, Illinois, Simon HORNBACK who was last heard of was in the State of South Carolina, Charles Hornback who was last heard of was in the State of Indiana, and Edward HORNBACK aged 18 who resides in Springfield Illinois.” Hiram left $90.00 in Lee Kincaid Bank Athens Illinois, 2 horses, 1 cow, 1 wagon, 1 set double harness, some farming implements, 7 hogs as well as about 15 acres of growing corn and about 20 acres of farming land to be divided among his survivors. The estate did pay $17.25 to John STONHAM for work done in October 1901 including taking off & putting on 7.5 squares of shingles at $1.75/square & two days labor at $2 per day.

Simon, or William as he was then known, died on 20 October 1902 while working at Sibley Manufacturing Company in Augusta, Georgia. Simon worked as a slasher tender when the copper drum of the slasher machine exploded. The company notified his wife of Simon’s death and asked for the “privilege of paying all his funeral expenses”. His body was removed to Bath, South Carolina where his wife was living, but his final resting place is not known.

Elizabeth Jane SULLIVAN HORNBACK HARDYSTY died in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois on 12 June 1903. The pallbearers were Jacob HORNBACK, John HORNBACK, S. RICHARDS, W. BINGHAM, M. YOUQUEST and Mr. HOCER. Elizabeth is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois in Block 21, Section 5, Range G, Grave 6 with her great-grandson, John Clifford CAWLEY. Hiram is buried next to Elizabeth and John in Grave 5. None of the graves are marked.
Sources for Hiram Hornback
1840 U.S. census, Sangamon County, Illinois, population schedule, P. 32 (penned), dwelling 268, family 276, Simon Hornback household, NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 120.
1850 U.S. census, Menard County, Illinois, population schedule, P. 285B (stamped), dwelling 268, family 276, Simon Hornback household, NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 120.
Illinois. Menard County Register of Marriages, Illinois Regional Archives Depository System at University of Illinois-Springfield. Hiram Hornback to Elizabeth J. Sullivan, Vol. A, p. 114, License no. 775.
1860 U.S. census, Menard County, Illinois, population schedule, Township 17 Range 6, P. 4-5 (penned), dwelling 29, family 29, Simon Hornback household, NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 205.
Menard County, Illinois, Divorce Record, Hiram Hornback and Elizabeth Sullivan Hornback, Box 65, No. 48; Menard Circuit Clerk, Petersburg.
1870 U.S. census, Menard County, Illinois, population schedule, Township 17 Range 6, P. 35B (stamped), sheet 18 (penned), dwelling 129, family 128, Hiram Hornback household, NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 260.
Illinois. Menard County Register of Marriages, Illinois Regional Archives Depository System at University of Illinois-Springfield. Hiram Hornback to Mary J. Randle, Vol. B, p. 32, License no. 4630.
Menard County, Illinois, Birth Return, Louisa Belle Hornback, Book 1 Page 45; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
1880 U.S. census, Menard County, Illinois, population schedule, Athens Township, P. 231D (stamped), sheet 15-D (penned), dwelling 141, family 143, Hiram Hornback household, NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 236.
Menard County, Illinois, Record of Deaths, Louisa Belle Hornback, 2 July 1880 Certificate 286; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
Menard County, Illinois, Birth Return, Charles Wesley Hornback, Book 1 Page 80; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
Menard County, Illinois, Birth Return, Edward George Hornback, Book 1 Page 106; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
1900 U.S. Census, Menard County, Illinois, population schedule, Athens, p. 160A (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 70, sheet 22-A, dwelling 443, family 458, Hiram Hornback household, NARA microfilm publication T623 roll 329.
Menard County, Illinois, Death Certificate, Hiram Hornback, Box 436; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
Menard County, Illinois, Probate, Hyram Hornback, Estate Box 436; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
Oak Ridge Cemetery Office (Springfield, Illinois) to Carla Leber, letter, providing administrative record for Hiram Hornback, Block 21, Sec 5, Range G, Grave 5.
Sources for Elizabeth J. Sullivan
Illinois. Menard County Register of Marriages, Illinois Regional Archives Depository System at University of Illinois-Springfield. Hiram Hornback to Elizabeth J. Sullivan, Vol. A, p. 114, License no. 775.
1870 U.S. census, Logan County, Illinois, population schedule, Hurlbut Township, P. 44B (stamped), sheet 9 (penned), dwelling 69, family 68, Henry Hardisty household, NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 248.
1880 U.S. census, Logan County, Illinois, population schedule, Corwin Township, P. 111B(stamped), sheet 2-B (penned), dwelling 14, family 14, Henry Hardisty household, NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 227.
1900 U.S. Census, Sangamon County, Illinois, population schedule, Springfield City, p. 265B (stamped), enumeration district (ED) 101, sheet 4-B, dwelling 70, family 74, Martha Page household, NARA microfilm publication T623 roll 343.
Henry Hardesty Obituary, Illinois State Journal, Springfield, Illinois, 29 June 1893, p. 5.
Menard County, Illinois, Probate, Hyram Hornback, Estate Box 436; Menard County Clerk, Petersburg.
Richard L. Johnson, South Carolina (ici1608@icomnet.com) to Carla Leber, email with scanned attachments, 16 June 2004, “RE: Simon Hornback aka William Clark”; privately held by Carla Leber, Tremont, Illinois, 2004.
Oak Ridge Cemetery Office (Springfield, Illinois) to Carla Leber, letter, providing administrative record for Elizabeth Hardysty, Block 21, Sec 5, Range G, Grave 6.
Elizabeth Hardesty Obituary, Illinois State Journal, Springfield, Illinois, 13 June 1903, p. 6.
Elizabeth Hardesty Obituary, Illinois State Journal, Springfield, Illinois, 14 June 1903, p. 6.
Elizabeth Hardesty Obituary, Illinois State Journal, Springfield, Illinois, 15 June 1903, p. 4.
The Children of Hiram and Elizabeth J. (SULLIVAN) HORNBACK
Children of Hiram Hornback and Elizabeth J. Sullivan were as follows:
11 i Sarah Ann Hornback , born 3 Apr 1854 in Illinois; died 18 Feb 1911 in Salisbury, Sangamon County, IL; buried 18 Feb 1911 in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois. She married (1) on 11 Sep 1871 in Petersburg, Menard County, Illinois, divorced bef 23 Mar 1882 William H. Robinson , born abt 1851 in Missouri; (2) on 23 Mar 1882 in Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois John H. Stonham , died bef 1910 in Springfield, Sangamon County, IL, buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Sangamon, Illinois.
ii Simon Hornback , born 28 Dec 1855 in Menard County, Illinois; died 20 Oct 1902 in Augusta, Georgia. He married in Union County, South Carolina Frances Davis .
The Children of Hiram HORNBACK
Children of Hiram Hornback and Mary J. Reed were as follows:
i Louisa Bell Hornback , born 11 Dec 1879 in Athens, Menard, IL; died 2 Jul 1880 in Athens, Menard, IL; buried in Claypool, Athens, Menard, IL.
ii Charles Wesley Hornback , born 14 Nov 1881 in Athens, Menard, IL.
iii Edward Leroy Hornback , born 7 Mar 1883 in Athens, Menard, IL.

1 comment:

  1. This Is Was my Great Great Grandfather Family.Thank you for the info.

    ReplyDelete