Peter Horr and Elizabeth McKee
in Fulton County, Illinois then Kansas from 1842 to 1894. Welcome Cousins!
Peter Horr of Ohio (see Peter Horr Ancestry) married Elizabeth McKee of Pennsylvania in McLean County, Illinois in 1842. Peter's parents have now been discovered through extensive yDNA and Autosomal DNA analysis (see companion H600-HorrMcKee autosomal study page); culminating on a single final record confirmation to tie it all together as well. Elizabeth's origins, other than her declared Pittsburgh roots, are still a mystery. But we are investigating more thoroughly a "Mickey" family from Westmoreland County, PA that was also later in Illinois — both in the same time frame as Elizabeth's family would likely be. A study page for her as an individual will be started more formally soon.
Peter Horr and Elizabeth McKee and their family
Peter and Elizabeth married in 1842 in McLean County, show in the 1850 census in neighboring Tazewell County, and then in the 1860 and 1870 census in Fulton County. Peter was born in Ohio around 1819 and Elizabeth in Pennsylvania about six years later. They had seven children before Elizabeth passed away in August 1879 in Kansas; where they had relocated with many family members in tow around 1872. A real frontier family (or more literally just behind that status).The 1860 census in Lewistown Township shows Peter and Elizabeth with 6 children. By 1870, the neighboring Cass Township shows them still in the area but now with a seventh child and their second oldest, George, already married and with a child and wife living at home. Note that their son Orville has also been listed as Orwell in these two documents; and in both forms later as well. Similarly, Jasper and Joseph appear to be the same youngest son in the different census years.
All eight surviving children appear born in Fulton County, Illinois over the next 20 years. The children are:
- Lee born about 1843
- Amos C born in Feb 1847,
- George born about 1850,
- Orville C born about 1852, followed by fifth brother
- Owen R born about 1855, then
- Anna M (first daughter) in 1857, with
- Jasper/Joseph in September 1859, followed by
- Clara in 1862.
By 1880, only Owen, Jasper and Peter's new wife Sarah Palmer are at home with Peter. He has moved to Kansas around 1872, based on this census, and has Amos and his family and Anna to start a new family in tow as well. Orville is back in Illinois by 1876 for his second daughters birth; his first daughter being born 1874 in Kansas. No record of Orville in the 1875 Kansas State census yet appears. We lose track of the youngest daughter Clara, who would be 18 by 1880, and George. In fact, the third oldest son, George, and his wife Martha and son William appear in the 1870 census but not in the 1880 census or later (for any state) that we can tell.
A big disruption in tracking the family occurs with the missing 1890 US census records that were destroyed in a fire in Washington, D.C.. But luckily Kansas, Missouri and Iowa were holding a census every 10 years in the middle of each decade. So we are able to track the family members a bit due to their move there. For example, Jasper and his wife Ada appear in these census until the latest released in 1925 where they are 65 and 58 years old respectively. Illinois stopped their mid-decade census in 1865 it seems.
Within a year of Elizabeth's passing, Peter had another wife, Sarah Palmer, who was slightly older than his oldest son Amos and from Ohio originally as well. She appears with the family in the 1880 census in Kansas. But Peter does not appear in the 1885 Kansas census. He was 61 in the 1880 census and Sarah was 36. It is not known whether they had any children. Peter does not appear in any census after 1880 but we now know he died in 1894 while visiting Jasper in Butler, Missouri. Sarah appears as a widow, with her brother, in Portland, Oregon in the 1900 census.
Tracking the kids and their families
So lets focus on each child and the families they developed. While Peter and Elizabeth's kids seem to all be born and grown in the same location, many of their kids and their families seem to be very mobile as witnessed by the census records and indication of birthplace of each child. Given most list themselves as Farmer, we conjecture that they may have been migrant farm laborers who were traveling back and forth between Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and the southern tip of Iowa in some cases. Read on and you will see what we mean.Lee
Roz Edson tracked down Lee in December 2014. He enlists in Aug 1861 at age 18 in the Illinois 37th Infantry. He dies of wounds in battle outside Houston in Aug 1865 and is buried in the National Cemetery in Alexandria, Louisiana (having been moved there from internment in Houston on 10 Nov 1865).Amos C and Sarah E
Both Amos and Sarah were born in 1847 and in Illinois. Amos in February and Sarah in November. They were married in 1869. They are living with Amos' parents in the 1870 census and have a one year old son Owen. By 1880, they have moved to Clay, Missouri and have a son Charles who is 6 (but born in Illinois), a daughter Clara who is 3 (born in Kansas), and a son James who is 1 (and born in Illinois). So it appears the family went to Kansas with the others for a short while, returned to Illinois, and then moved to Missouri shortly before the 1880 census was taken.By 1885, they are in Kansas as shown in their state census there, with and additional son Ed who is 4 and born back in Missouri. They also show a Minnie Stevens who is 10 living with the family that now resides in Emporia, Kansas.
In the 1895 Kansas census, they have added a son Robert who is 9 and born in Missouri (in 1886), a son Orville who is 7 and born in Kansas, and three daughters all born in Kansas: Clemie F (5), Netta and Emma both 1 (likely twins). Owen is 24 and no longer with them. Clara would have been 17 and her status is unknown.
By 1900, fifteen years later, they are living in Butler Missouri in Amos' youngest brother Jasper's home. None of these original kids are still in the house with them, but they have a few more: Orville who is 12, Clema who is 10, Emma who is 6 and likely twin Nettie who is 6. This census also states that they had 13 children of which only 9 are living. We have listed 10 different children so far but it is possible there are more as a result of this. Notice Robert, who would be 14 is not in this census. Also, we lost track of Clara who did not appear with the family in the 1895 census at age of 17. She would likely be married and out of the house by now as she would be 23 as it is.
So based on census records alone, and ages and places of birth the children, this family appears to have been living in different places as detailed together here:
- Illinois up to ~1875
- Kansas around 1876
- Illinois around 1879
- Missouri in 1880 and 1881
- Kansas in 1885
- Missouri in 1886
- Kansas 1888 through 1895 as kids are born in Kansas then (as well as census)
- Missouri in 1990 living with brother Jasper (Jasper is in Kansas for next 20+ years)
George and Martha
George appears in the 1860 and 1870 census; in 1860 with his parents at age 10 and in 1870 living next door but with a young 17 year old wife and 6 month old son. None of them appear in a census again that we can find. But a descendant of theirs leads us to their graves and other information about their family.Orville C and Mahala C Dennis
Orville appears as Orwell as often as Orville. He was born around 1852 and his wife in Fulton County two years later. Mahala comes from a large family in the county and is sometimes listed only by her first and sometimes only her middle name Caroline. They were married in the neighboring McDonough county on 10 Sep 1872. Orville appears with his parents in the 1860 and 1870 census. By 1880, he is still in Fulton County. Specifically, now in the village of Astoria where they have three children: Serilda C who is 6, Cora S who is 4 and Jesse who is 1. But Serilda is shown born in Kansas so it appears they ventured off there for a year or two; likely when his father did.As the 1890 census does not exist, we seem to loose track of the daughters by the 1900 census and beyond as they are likely married and changed name by then. Although there is not a census hit for Jesse yet, we believe Jesse surfaces around 1900 in or near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and soon after marries Sadie Brooks there. See the Jesse Harr Ancestry for why we are making this link.
Orville does appear in a 1900 census but now in Keokuk, Iowa. He is on a farm in Steady Run there with Edwin, his nephew, living with him. Edwin is the oldest of his sister Anna and appears to have died in Santa Monica, CA in 1958. Orville's death date and location is not yet found.
If the link between Jesse Harr and Jesse Horr as correct, then this shows Mahala reappearing in the 1905 Burlington, Iowa census. A Mrs M.C. Hunycut appears there as head of household with Jesse Harr, Sadie Harr, and young son Walter. Sadie is from Pennsylvania and Walter was born there also; based on later census records for this family and knowledge within the family. Burlington and Keokuk are close to each other and both within 50 miles of the birth area of Astoria, Illinios. As Mahala's last name is not clearly written in the census, no record of a second marriage or appearance in an earlier or later census is yet found; nor of her death.
Except for the presumed link for Jesse, we have not been able to follow this family further. We do know that Jesse supposedly had nephews and in-laws that were trapeze artists in Ringling Brothers circus. Orville is listed as a Teamster in the 1880 census which implies someone who drives a team of horses. He was believed to have been a horse trainer and stage coach driver by stories from Jesse to his grandkids.. So maybe one of Orville and Mahala's daughters married into the Millet family? Jesse's grandkids seem to remember the name Ira Millet specifically for either this first cousin or the first cousins son.
Owen R and Cynthia J
Owen appears with his parents in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census and appears to have been born in Lewistown in 1855. He moved with them to Kansas. Cynthia J was born in 1862 in Illinois. They were married in 28 March 1893 when Owen would be about 38. They first appear again in the 1900 census, living in Canton Township, Fulton County, Illinois near the original location of the family. By 1900, their first child Glenn C is 2 years old. In the 1910 and 1920 census, they still appear in the same township as a family. Clarence, the second son, was born in 1901 it appears. In 1920 they are all still there together with Owen now 65 years old, Cynthia 57, Glenn 22 and Clarence 19. Owen dies in 1922 and Cynthia is living with her oldest son Glenn, his wife Daisy, and their two daughters in the 1930 census. One of those daughters is around and has been in touch with us after the grandson reaches out. We hope to gather more information; especially since they still live in the same area.Anna M and Janus Farsse
Janus was in Kansas with his family and appears in the 1875 and 1885 Kansas census. He died in 1886 at the young age of 33. By 1880, he is married to Anna and with two children: Edwin C who is 3 and Nellie B who is 1. Given the Horr family only moved to Kansas in about 1876 and Edwin is three years old in 1880, it appears Anna was married soon after arrival. By the 1885 Kansas census, two more children have arrived: Daisey at 4 years old and Beulah (a female) at 2 years of age. We know Janus dies shortly after. For the next 15 years, we do not know what becomes of Anna and her three daughters. Edwin C, the oldest brother, reappears living with Orville, his Uncle, in Keokuk, Iowa in 1900 and appears to have died in Santa Monica, CA in 1958.Jasper P and Ada Mae
Jasper appears as Joseph occasionally in records. He was born in September 1859 and Ada in December 1866. Ada was born in Illinois although both her parents were born in (English) Canada. They were married in 1883. Jasper appears with his parents in the census until 1880. By 1900, he turns up in Butler, Missouri with Ada and four children. His brother Amos and his family are living with them as well. Jasper and Ada's children are: Wesley who is born about 1887, Elsie M about 1888, William M around 1890, and Thomas B around 1896.By 1910, they are in Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas where they remain until around 1930. In the 1910 census, Wesley is already out of the house while Ida M is now the fifth child with them (born about 1907). In 1920 only Ida is still with them (being only 15). Five years later, in the 1925 Kansas census, it is just Jasper and Ada and by 1930 just Ada.
One of their sons, William M, changed his last name to Harr like his cousin Jesse. He moved his family to the North Eastern Los Angeles, California basin around 1930 where he eventually died 40 years later. His wife Myrtle passed away in Oroville in 1966 just south of Chico as did 4 of her 7 children who thus seemed to settle in that area with her.