Memorials › William B. Wilgus

William B. Wilgus

30 May 1833 – 23 Sep 1913

Birth30 May 1833
Death23 Sep 1913
CemeteryNew Harmony Cemetery
Sue City , Macon County , Missouri , USA
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79714704

Bio

Son of Richard and Electa Nixon Wilgus. Married Jane and/or Lizzie on 04 JUL 1854 in Owens County, Indiana; married Mrs. Susan Wilson Pope 27 NOV 1859 in Macon County, Missouri; married Mrs. Mary "Mollie" Rawlings Byars/Byres/Byers in Macon County, Missouri. (Contributor: Pam Witherow) MO d/c 30303 gives his parents names as William Wilgus and Susan R. Wilson which are he and his wife. (Contributor: Pam Witherow) ~~~~~~~ LA PLATA HOME PRESS, La Plata, Missouri September 25, 1913 WILLIAM WILGUS ---William Wilgus was born in Stukensville, Jefferson County, Ohio, May 30, 1833 and moved to Brown County when a young man. Here he married his first wife, Jane Wilgus. To this union were born three children: one son, George F., still survives. He came from Illinois to Missouri in 1857. His wife passed from this earth soon after locating here. He was married the second time to Miss Susan Pope on October 28, 1859. To this union five children were born, four sons and one daughter. Three sons, William B., Frank D., and Sam R. are still living. His wife died about 1887. He was married to Miss Mary Byres who was called to the great beyond in 1891. ---He professed religion and united with the church prior to 1860 as he was one of the charter members of New Harmony Church. At least fifty-five years of his life was spent in this neighborhood. ---He had been in declining health for a number of years and passed from this life Tuesday, September 23, 1913, at the home of his son, near Hew Harmony Church. ---Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. W. H. Johnson after which the remains were laid to rest in the New Harmony cemetery to await the final resurrection. (Contributed by Farm Girl from Mo.) ~~~~~~~ 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Wm Wilgus Age: 16 Birth Year: abt 1834 Birthplace: Ohio Home in 1850: Knox, Jefferson, Ohio Gender: Male Family Number: 1776 Household Members: Name Age Richard Wilgus 48 Silas Wilgus 22 Jacob Wilgus 20 James Wilgus 18 Wm Wilgus 16 Daniel Wilgus 14 Annie Wilgus 7 Miner Wilgus 60 ~~~~~~~ From Ancestry: E-Mail from Mildred Prather According to unofficial family recollections, Elizabeth Ann Wilgus was known Lizzie Davis. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is what I have on William B. Wilgus: The marriage record of William Wilgus and Jane Wilgus on July 4, 1854 is in the Owen County, Indiana Marriage Book 27, page 393. Jane and William may have been first, second or third cousins. I have been unable to determine who was her father. In the obituary of William Wilgus her name was listed as Jane, and in other records she was called Lizzie. The obit also says that they had three children [I have found only two]. It is believed that William Wilgus and his first wife (Lizzie or Jane) came from Indiana to Brown Co., IL by the end of 1857 when George was born, and then on to Missouri about 1858. The Recorder's Office in Macon, MO shows that he purchased an 80-acre farm in 1858. This farm was seven miles east of LaPlata and ½ mile south of New Harmony Cemetery. New Harmony Cumberland Presbyterian Church was built in 1867 on two acres of the cemetery grounds. His first wife died soon after the family moved to Missouri, and 27 Nov 1859 he married Susan Wilson Pope who had three children from her former marriage: Jim Pope, America Jane (Jennie) Pope Ausmus, and Tilda (Tillie) Pope Edmondson. The marriage of Susan Pope and William Wilyers [sic] on November 27, 1859 is recorded on page 187 of Macon Co., Marriage Book D. On February 24, 1867 William purchased 160 acres in Macon Co., from James W. Pope -- 160 acres of the NE¼ of the NE¼, the NW¼ of the NE¼, the SW¼ quarter of the NE¼, and the NE¼ of the NW¼, all of section 16, township sixty and of Range 13. He paid $245 for the land. James W. Pope was the oldest child of William's wife Susan, and it is believed that this land was inherited from James' father, William Pope. (In the family, I have heard it referred to as "Susan's land".) The death certificate of William's son, Samuel, signed by Paul M. Wilgus, says that Samuel's father was William B. Wilgus but we have not found what name the B. initial represented. It could have been Brown as he named a son William Brown Wilgus. Richard Wilgus and Electa Nixon, the parents of William Wilgus were said to have been born in OH in all but the 1900 census, when his father was said to be from NJ and his mother from NY. The 1900 census, when he was the only person in the household, may be the only one in which he actually answered the questions, so I tend to believe that the 1900 census is reliable, and it agrees with the 1850 census that says Richard Wilgus was born in NJ. 1850 census, OH, Jefferson Co., Knox twp., page 501B: William Wilgus, age 16. born OH, is in the household of Richard Wilgus, age 48, born NJ. Also in 1850 census there is a 16-year-old William Wilgus in the household of Jnd. Markle, age 49, farmer, born PA. [Possibly, these two listings are for the same individual. Young William may have been working for and living with John Markle, and was counted at home as well. I can find no other William Wilgus of that age in later census reports.] 1860 U.S. Census, Missouri, Macon Co., LaPlata Twp., 26 June, page 222, dwelling 448, family 448: William Wilgus, age 27, farmer, $1200 real estate value, $1200 personal property value, born OH; Susan, 35, domestic, b. IN; Elizabeth A., 5, b. IN; George, 3, b. MO; James Pope, 10, b. MO; Americus J. Pope, 9, b. MO; Matilda Pope, 4, b. MO. Sgt. William Wilgus is listed in the Muster-in-Roll of Captain Henry O. Clark, April 27, 1865; he was age 33, 5'10", grey hair, black eyes, farmer. 1870 U.S. Census, Missouri, Macon Co., Twp. 60 Range 12 (LaPlata), 5 Aug 1870, page 123, family 29, dwelling 28: Wm. Wilgus, age 39, farmer, $3,000 real estate, [illegible] pers. property value, birthplace is blank; Susan, age 46, born IN; Elizabeth A., age 15, born IN; Geo., age 13, born IL; John, age 10, born MO; Wm., age 8, born MO; Franklin, age 8, born MO; Samuel, age 3, born MO; Susan, age 3, born MO; Rebecca Osmuth (probably Rebecca Ausmus; Susan's daughter America Jane "Jennie" married John J. Ausmus in 1867), age 67, farmer, born May 1833 in OH, father born NJ, mother born NY. 1880 U.S. Census, Missouri, Macon Co., Johnson twp., 22 June, page 349B, dwelling 235, family 248: [BO:William Willgus:BO], age 46, farmer, born OH, both parents born OH; Susan, 56, born IN, father born IN, mother b. KY; William, 17; Francis, 15; Samuel, 13; Susan, 13; Ray Pope, grandson, age 4; all children born MO. He was married in 5 Jun 1890 to a neighbor widow Mary "Mollie" Rawlings Byars. The obituary of William Wilgus says that her name was Mary Byres and that she died in 1891. There is a Mary A. Byars in the 1880 census in Taylor Twp., Shelby Co. MO. She is age 33, born MO, parents born VA, wife of Joseph Gill Byars, age 39, born TN, parents born NC. Joseph Byars died in 1888. Mollie's death was reported by the Shelby County Herald: "Mrs. Wilgus of LaPlata, sister of Mrs. Dr. J.M. McCully of Shelbina, and daughter of Capt. Rollins [sic] died last week (9 Dec 1891) of typhoid fever and was buried at the Providence church near Cherry Box." New Providence Church [Presbyterian] is in the south-eastern corner of Taylor Township. It was organized November 10, 1859 by Rev. S.C. Davidson with the following as its original members: Nathan Byars, J.P. Killinger, Hugh Kirkwood, .F. Dunn and wife, Jacob Killinger and wife, Glen Killinger, Margaret Kirkwood, Mary Evans and James G. Byars. 1900 U.S. Census, Missouri, Macon Co., Johnston Twp., page 189A, dwelling & family 44: William Wilgus, age 67, farmer, born May 1833 in OH, father born NJ, mother born NY. 1910 U.S. Census, Missouri, Macon Co., Johnston Twp., dwelling & family 3: Wm. Wilgus, age 75 is living with son Samuel and his family. Wm. born OH, both parents born OH. William died 23 Sept 1913. His obituary appeared in the September 25 issue of the LaPlata Home Press. It says that he was a charter member of the New Harmony Church. He had been in declining health for a number of years previously and passed away at the home of his son near the New Harmony Church.

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