The Farthings in Southern IL

My branch is in

The Joshua Farthing line

I started my research on this line, which began as my Lamunion line, in November of 1995. The only information I had when I began was that my grandmother, Edith Mae Lamunion, was the daughter of a man named Jim. Now, at that time I didn't even have a birth date on Grandma Edith. I never knew her. She died long before I was born.

Edith Mae Lamunion

b. 06 OCT 1902 Saline or Pope County, IL
d. 01 JAN 1941 Pope County, IL
Parents: James Lamunion and Mahalda Mitchell
Married abt 1920 William Thomas Fate Turberville

Edith Lamunion was the daughter of James Lamunion and Mahalda Mitchell. She had several siblings, which I will go into later. I would like to continue on back to the other ancestors. James Lamunion is the son of Horace Lamunion and Samantha Farthing. I have a copy of their marriage license which was sent to me by Mary Price of Jonesboro, AR. This license says Samantha's name is Simmeutta R. Farthing, however I did check this with Earl Farthing of Columbus, OH who has researched the Farthings in IL for many years, and he said it was Samantha who married Horace Lamunion. His book lists her as Samantha C. Farthing, while the marriage license clearly says her middle initial was R. Another difference in spelling would be for Horace's last name. It is spelled two different ways on the license: Lamaunian or Lamannian and Lammunion. Upon checking with other researchers in my line, we are certain the actual spelling was Lamunion. My Lamunion line has come to a dead end there. However, the Farthing line continues on back from there, I have stopped this "chart" with Lamuel Farthing being the last ancestor, because by then most researchers know the rest of the lines. If you are a new researcher I will be happy to send the rest of the information.

Beginning with Lamuel Farthing

From Earl Farthing of Columbus, OH:

This is from Earl's Farthing Book, early draft copy not a final copy: Page 24-26 of the draft copy, just certain paragraphs:

Family Group:

Lemuel and Nancy (Reog(d)en) Farthing:

Lemuel Farthing b. Jul 5, 1790 in Pittsylvania Co., VA (Chatham) d. about 1839 in Amanda Twp, Hancock Co, OH Age at death: about 48 Number of children: 8 (with Nancy Riordan/Riorgin) Married March 2, 1810 in Pittsylvania Co., VA Nancy Riordan/Riorgin b. Jun 9, 1792 d. about 1848 in Amanda Twp, Hancock Co, OH Age at death: about 55

Children:

Richard Farthing b. Feb 16, 1811 d. Aug 16, 1863, m. Matilda Marvin

Margaret Farthing b. Aug 27, 1813 d. 1910 m. Frederick Vanlue

Dorothy Farthing b. May 12, 1816 d. 1903 m. John Oshall

Polly Farthing b. Oct 22, 1818

Lemuel Farthing II b. June 11, 1824

Joshua Farthing b. Mar 24, 1827 in Pittsyvania Co, VA d. ? Married on May 28, 1846 in Hardin Co, OH Spouse: Delila Marvin

Samantha's information and notes have been added by Sherry Miller.

Saline County, IL 1880 U. S. Census:

Page 55

Family 68: (my line.. Samantha Farthing and Horace Lamunion, through son James)

Lamunion, H. (Horace) W M 41 M Farmer OH -- --
Sammatha W F 31 Wife M Keep House OH OH OH
David W M 15 Son S Farm Laborer IL OH OH
James W M 13 Son S Farm Laborer IL OH OH
Delilah W F 8 Dau IL OH OH

<begin page 24>

Joshua left the family fold on May 28, 1846, when he took Delila Marvin as his bride. She undoubtably was the sister of Richard's wife Matilda. They were married in Hardin Co., Ohio, by Benjamin Widener J. P., Joshua was 19 years old and his wife was around 24 years of age.

By 1850 they had two children, David born 1847 and Samantha born around 1850. In the meantime, Richard and his wife had added five more children to their families: Delila 1841, Edwin 1843, Jane 1845, Oscar 1847, and John 1849. Joshua had taken up the trade of wheelwright and may have worked in conjunction with his brother Richard's blacksmith shop.

<end page 24>

<begin page 25>

Paragraph 1 says: Nancy Farthing is not listed in the 1850 census as the head of a household. No listing of Joshua or Richard is carried in the Ohio 1850 census.

Paragraph 2 has the following information:

The following occurred by the best evidence available. Lemuel's widow Nancy cared for Nancy Vanlue (dau of Margaret Farthing and Frederick Vanlue) until her own death sometime before 1850. At this time Nancy Vanlue went to live with her natural father and his family. Sister Rebbecca went to live with the William Hoyes family. No record of Polly, although she may have married and been living in another county or state. She would have been 32 years old in 1850. We know now that Richard and Joshua with their families and in-law's, David and Mahitable Marvin, left Ohio in early 1850 and settled in Saline County, Illinois in the area of Stonefort. This county is in southern Illinois approximately 115 miles southeast of St Louis, Missouri. More about this family later. John Corner Farthing was not listed on the 1850 Census, but at age 21 was probably working and living with another family.

There was no other mention of Joshua on this page.

<end page 25>

<begin page 26>

Some of the history of John C. Farthing's brothers Richard and Joshua have been pieced together and contact has been made with descendants still living in Illinois.

After moving to Illinois in 1850, Richard and Joshua persued the trades of blacksmith and wheelwright respectively. Richard had another child named Thomas, who was born in IL.

Note added by Sherry Miller:

I believe that Thomas and this one are the same:

Saline County, IL 1880 U. S. Census:

Page 54

Family 59:

Farthing, Thomas W M 29 Widow Farm Laborer IL VA OH
Matilda W F 63 Mother Widow Keep House OH OH OH
Leona I. W F 5 Dau IL IL GA
Nancy L. W F 2 Dau IL IL VA
Oscar F. W M 33 Brother S Farm Laborer OH VA OH
L. D. W M 23 relationship not listed S Farm Laborer IL VA OH (probably a brother)

Richard's eldest son David is believed to have enlisted in the Union Army and was later killed at the Battle of Atlanta on July 21, 1864.

Joshua's son David W. married a Lucinda and had four children by 1880. They were named Ida V., Charles, Mary and William.

Note per Sam Smith:

Ida V. Farthing m. Louis G. Dunn:

Record 161-1; Lewis G. Dunn to Ida V. Farthing 16 June 1889. He is son of John J. Dunn and Mahala E. Reed and she is daughter of Davis S. Farthing and Lucynda Fitzjerald.

Note added by Sherry Miller:

Saline County, IL 1880 U. S. Census:

Page 51

Family 16:

Farthing, David W M 33 M Farmer MO -- OH
Lucinda W F 30 Wife M Keep House IN IN IN
Ida V. W F 11 Dau IL MO IN
Charles W M 9 Son IL MO IN
Mary I. W F 8 Dau IL MO IN
William F. W M 2 Son IL MO IN

Another son named Elkana, was born on November 10, 1856 to Joshua and Delila. He later married Sarah Elizabeth Griffith on February 11, 1878 and they had the following children: Flora - 1878, Thomas - 1881, Otis - 1886, Lily May - 1889, William L. - 1894. The middle child, Otis, married and had a son Otis R. Farthing Jr. He was born February 14, 1934, is married and has three children. He lives in Carrier Mills, Saline County, Illinois.

Note added by Sherry Miller:

Saline County, IL 1880 U. S. Census:

Page 55

Family 66:

Farthing, Elkna W M 23 M Farm Laborer MO -- --
Elizabeth W F 31 Wife M Keep House IL GA KY
Flora W F 1 Dau IL MO IL

Another member of Lemuel's family left Ohio sometime after 1850 when Dorothy, her husband John Oshall, and children moved to Saline Co, Illinois where her brothers were already living. Their eldest child Minerva married Rev. Robert Lewis who eventually performed most of the Farthing marriages in Saline County, Illinois. Minerva's granddaughter Mrs. Evelyn (Lewis) Todd is still living and resides in Carrier Mills, Illinois. John and Dorothy Oshall (sometimes spelled Oshel) are buried in Tramel Cemetery near Stonefort, Saline County, Illinois.

From the time the Farthing's first left Virginia to find a new life and possible fortunes in the West, there were those apparently satisfied with what they found and who "put down roots" in the new land. Some members, in whom the pioneer spirit was especially strong, continued pushing westward to new frontiers, where life was once again simple and where one could renew the pioneer spirit. The Farthing's were, above all else, pioneers having arrived from Europe when the "new world" was first being settled. Moving with the westward tide aftr the Revolutionary War, they extended into Kentucky and Tennessee, through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. In the case of our immediate ancestor, he must have found Ohio to his liking, for he settled down, established roots and most of his descendants have since emulated him. (note: this is in regard to Earl Farthing's line)

<end of page 26>

View my pictures of my trip to Ohio in July, 1998, when I met Thomas Farthing and Earl Farthing in person!!!

copyright by Sherry's Dreams & Things 1997

email me: Sherry Miller