Anna Maria Balderston

Anna Maria Balderston is my wife's 2nd Great Grand Aunt.


Anna is the 9th born child to Stephen Balderston and the 4th child of his second wife, Mary Brenn.


Anna was born 14 July 1869 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  The first record found for Anna is the 1870 Federal Census.  She is living with parents, Stephen and Mary, along with one older brother, Joseph.  Stephen's profession is listed as laborer and the value of his assets is $200.


The next record, the 1880 Federal Census, finds the family in Greenbush Township, Warren County, Illinois.  Anna is noted as attending school.  Her father's profession is now a carpenter.


Anna married James Abner Jennings in 1892.  This is taken from the 1900 Federal Census.  This census finds Anna with husband Abner and five children.  It notes that she is the mother of 5 children and all are still living. They are living in Prairie City Township, McDonough County, Illinois.  Abner is a day laborer.  They are renting their home.  Abner's parents are living on the following page of census, they are family number 64, where as Abner's is 54.

The 1910 Federal Census finds the family has moved again.  They are now in Swan Township, Warren County, Illinois.  Abner is now a farmer.  He is still renting his home.  They now have six children living at home.  The photo below is believed to be taken around 1910. The name on the mailbox is A Jennings - so I assume he went by his middle name of Abner, which is confirmed by the census. The oldest daughter would be Blanche Jennings and the youngest being Ruby Jennings. Ruby was born in 1903 so I would guess this photo was taken around 1910 in Illinois. Seeing as the oldest son was born in 1892 I assume he is the one missing since there are only three boys in the photo - as he would be 18 years old. Maybe he was the one taking the photograph? So the eldest boy in the photograph would be Earl Harold Jennings, assuming the missing boy is Walter. It's hard to tell an age difference in the other two boys, them being Elmer and Chester.

The family has moved again by 1920 but by this time they are now homeowners.  They are now living in Macomb City Township, McDonough County, Illinois.  Abner is still farming.

Abner and Anna are finally empty nesters in the 1930 Federal Census.  They are still residing in Macomb City Township, McDonough County, Illinois.  Abner is still farming.  He is renting his home now.

Anna Maria Balderston Jennings passes away on 21 May 1947, she would have been 77 years old.  She is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Headstone picture below.

Anna and Abner had the following children:

1. Walter Jennings - born 11 April 1892 in Warren County, Illinois.  Died 29 April 1971 in San Diego, San Diego County, Illinois.  Married Callie, last name unknown.
2. Earl Harold Jennings - born 28 November 1894 in Avon, Warren County, Illinois.  Died 2 June 1980 in Augusta, Hancock County, Illinois.  Married Lura Edna Waller.
3. Blanche Jennings - born August 1896 in Illinois.  Died 1966 in McDonough County, Illinois.  Married Samuel Hendrickson.
4. Elmer Francis Jennings - born 22 October 1898 in Illinois.  Died July 1980 in Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois.  Marriage unknown.
5. Chester Jennings - born 14 February 1900 in Prairie City Township, McDonough County, Illinois.  Died May 1981 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Married Lucy Bell Strickland.
6. Ruby Elvina Jennings - born 4 July 1902 in Prairie City Township, McDonough County, Illinois.  Died 18 January 2007 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Married George W Killingsworth.

Stephen Balderston

Stephen Balderston is the 3rd Great Grandfather of my wife.

BALDERSTON NAME MEANING

English: habitational name from either of two places in Lancashire called Balderston(e), deriving their names from the genitive case of the Old English personal name Baldhere (composed of the elementsbald ‘bold’, ‘brave’ + here ‘army’) + Old English tun‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’.

Stephen was born in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio on 7 Dec 1818.  He is the son of Jonathan Balderston and Elizabeth Babb.

There is a ton of research already done on the Balderston line.  I have a copy of the Balderston Family History, written by Marion Balderston and Hortense B. C. Gibson.  The copy I have was copyrighted in 1973 and carries the catalog number of 73-91161 in the Library of Congress.  The first Balderston (assumed) to come to America was John Balderston in 1727, he would be the 6th Great Grandfather of my wife.  Here is an account as described by another researcher found here.  John apparently married into the Quaker faith when he married Hannah Cooper.  They settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  John passed away in 1778 and Hannah in 1793.  John and Hannah had eleven children - these children were referenced in the Last Will of a cousin of John's, Bartholomew Balderston, as he left them 50 English dollars (pounds) each.

One of the sons of John and Hannah was Mordecai Balderston, the 5th Great Grandfather of my wife.  Mordecai married Deborah Michener 11 Feb 1778.  The same researcher that wrote about John's arrival in America has some additional information found here.  Mordecai was a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War under Captain Paul Kester, along with two of his brothers.  There are a few genealogy books written on the Michener lines that do reference this Balderston line.  In these books Balderston is spelled without the T - at some point some of Mordecai's children dropped the T from their name.  So there are many descendant's today that go by Balderson - even though they come from the same line.

Mordecai and Deborah has a son, Jonathan Balderston, my wife's 4th Great Grandfather, on 28 Mar 1797 in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio.  Mordecai passed away in 1820 in Mount Pleasant, Ohio and Deborah passes away 8 years later in 1828 also in Ohio.  Jonathan marries Elizabeth Babb and they have their eldest son, Stephen Balderston, our subject.

The first record we find for Stephen is in the Ohio Marriages 1800 - 1958.  Stephen marries Jane Squibb on 8 April 1841 in Belmont County, Ohio.

The next record we find for Stephen is the 1850 Federal Census.  He is found in the Colerain Township, Belmont County, Illinois.  His profession is listed as a carpenter.  Along with his wife Jane there are two children living at home.  One is Jacob, age 8, and the other is William O, age 1 month.  It is believed that Stephen and Jane had one other child prior to 1850, John Balderston.  John is believed to have died in 1848, age 5.

I am unable to locate Stephen in the 1860 Federal Census.  Prior to 1860 Stephen and Jane have two additional children, Elizabeth Ella and Mary Anna Balderston.  Jane passes away 14 Feb 1859 in Pennsylvania.  Stephen remarries Mary Brenn 28 Mar 1860 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  The next record found for Stephen is the 1865 Illinois State Census.  They are living in Magnolia.  There are 6 children living at home, 3 boys and 3 girls.  Four of these children are from his first wife Jane.  They are Jacob, William, Ella and Mary.  Two additional children from his second wife Mary are also here, Joseph and Jenia.  These are assumptions as no names, other then head of household, were in the 1865.  There were 4 females and 4 males living at that time.

The family is still living in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois in the next Federal Census of 1870.  The only children left living at home are Joseph, age 9, and Anne, age 2.  Stephen's occupation is listed a laborer.  He does not own his land or no value is placed on it in the census.  His personal belonging's are valued at $100.

Our next record, the 1880 Federal Census, finds the family living in Greenbush Township, Putnam County, Illinois.  Five children are living at home, Anne, from the last census, and new additions, Charles, Frank, Albert and Rose.  Stephen's occupation is again a carpenter.

Although I cannot locate any pictures of Stephen Balderston I did find one of his brother Joseph, shown below.  One would assume he looked similar to his brother.

Stephen Balderston passed away 3 Nov 1885 in Avon Fulton County, Illinois.  Mary passes away in March of 1900.  Both Mary and Stephen are buried in the Avon Cemetery.  Headstone picture below.

Stephen Balderston and Jane Squibb had the following children:

1. Jacob Mitchell Balderston - born 16 Jan 1842 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 24 Feb 1909 in Wichita, Kansas.  Marries Jennie May Boyle.

2. Jonathan Balderston - born 13 Sep 1843 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 30 Aug 1848 in Belmont County, Ohio.

3. William Oliver Balderston - born 6 May 1850 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 29 Dec 1902 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Marries Mary J. Rolley.

4. Elizabeth Ella Balderston - born 22 Oct 1851 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Death and marriage unknown.

5. Mary Anne Balderston - born 17 Jul in Magnolia, Putnam County, Ohio.  Death unknown.  May have a married a Mr. Walker.  (notes from Adah says married Walker - haven't found anything to support or disprove this)

Stephen Balderston and Mary Brenn had the following children:

1. Joseph Newton Balderston - born 14 Jan 1861 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois. Dies 17 Dec 1946 in  Denver, Denver County, Colorado.  Marries Adah Patterson.

2. Jenia Elen Balderston - born 1863 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Dies Nov 1870 in Putnam County, Illinois.

3. John Balderston - born Mar 1867 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Dies Dec 1870 in Putnam County, Illinois.

4. Anna Balderston - born July 1869 in Illinois.  Dies 19 May 1947 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Marries James Abner Jennings.

5. Charles Albert Balderston - born 24 Aug 1872 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Death unknown.  Marries Alma Loretta Holeman.

6. Frank Balderston - born 23 Sep 1874 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  Dies 20 Aug 1936 in Greenbush, Warren County, Illinois.  

7. Albert Charles Balderston - born 9 Jan 1877 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  

8. Rose Bell Balderston - born 9 Jan 1880 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  Dies 1948 in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska.  Marries William Naughton.

George Archie Parker

George Archie Parker is the brother of my Great Grandfather, James Madison Parker.

George was born 14 January 1879 on McKinney Mountain, Madison County, Alabama.  George was the 5th born child to George Washington Parker and Sarah Elizabeth Cloud.  George is first found in the 1880 Census, Madison County, Alabama, living with his parents and siblings.

George's father passed away in 1895 on January 25th, just 11 days after George turned 16 years old.  George Archie can be found living in Huntsville, Alabama in the 1900 Census where his profession is listed as a spinner at a cotton mill.

The next record for George is a marriage certificate from 1908.  George married Frankie Hill in Lonoke County, Arkansas.  Frankie Hill's parents were John Hill and Alva Jennings.  This information comes from Nancy Beene - a Grand Daughter of George Parker.  Below is a copy of the marriage certificate.

In 1910 we find George in two different census's.  The first finds him in Richwoods, Lonoke County, Arkansas living with his wife Frankie.  His occupation is a farmer.  Also in 1910 we find George A Parker living with his mother and siblings in Blackfoot, Bingham County, Idaho.  Here is occupation is listed as a laborer at a sugar factory.  This holds up to the later obituary for George which stated he worked for Utah-Idaho Sugar Company for 15 years as a bookkeeper.

We find the World War I Draft Registration card for George Archie Parker and it lists his residence in 1918 as Otero, Colorado.  On this he lists relaves, namely his mother, as living in Rockyford, Colorado.  George's obituary says he went to Barber College in Denver, Colorado in 1919.  The draft card is below.

By 1920 George and Frankie have had two children, Leslie Forrest Parker and Cecil Parker.  This family is found in the 1920 Census living in Crooked Creek, Lononke County, Arkansas.  His occupation is a farmer.

We do know that in 1921 George Archie Parker was in Idaho again living with his family as there is a newspaper article where he is arrested with his two younger brothers for making moonshine in Nampa, Idaho.  I will post this newpaper article with his brother's, Preston Garrett Parker, blog.  There is not much information on Preston - so I thought it would fit nicer there.

By 1930 we have George in two census's again.  The first finds him in Fletcher, Lonoke County, Arkansas.  His son Cecil passed away in 1920 and his wife Frankie passed away in 1923.  So Leslie Forrest Parker is the only relative living with him.  George and Leslie are living with a Hill family - presumably a relation from his wife's family.  His occupation is farmer. The second census finds him Garland, Box Elder County, Utah living with his brother's family. Here his occupation is sheep herder.

Below are two pictures of George Archie Parker.  One is from Nancy Beene, the Grand Daughter from Arkansas of George and the other was supplied by Louise Sharp, the Grand Daughter of Thomas Gordon Parker whom George was living with in 1930 - and at the time of his death in 1949.

This is picture from approximately 1928 taken in Utah.

This picture is from 1937 taken in Arkansas.  He is holding the daughter of Leslie Forrest Parker.

George passes away 26 January 1949 in Vernal, Uintah County, Utah.  Below is the obituary and the death certificate.

Some of the pallbearer's at his funeral were Harland Lee Miler, the 2nd husband of George's niece, Nona Jeannette Parker, George Hunting is his brother's (Thomas Gordon Parker) brother-in-law (married to Gordon's wife's sister Ellen Shepherd), John Parker is a cousin (son of James Madison Parker - his uncle).  Not sure who the others are or if they were related.