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Henry and Ann Southward Family
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Alternate Spellings - Southward, Southard Links - New Boston and Eliza in the Civil War, Shields, Drury Contacts - None Yet |
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Henry B. Southward is found in the 1860 census in New Boston: Henry P. Southward, 32, Merchant, born Ohio; Ann E., 26, born Ohio, Mary M., 1, born Illinois. We do not find a marriage record for Henry and Ann in Illinois or Iowa and would suspect they married in Ohio and then came to Mercer County. We know they arrived at least by 1855: Aledo Weekly Record, 11/15/1859, "Jeremiah Cayton & Mary Cayton, wife, of New Boston, 9/21/1858, executed a deed of trust conveying to Henry L. Southard, trustee, 42 ft of NW part of Lot 4 Block 5 in New Boston (see New Boston survey). The trust deed was given to secure payment of $95.60 to be paid to James C. Bell & Charles H. Bell dba Bell and Brother. Deed recorded mortgage book E 25th Sept 1855 p 210, 211, 212. Public sale Saturday 12/3/1859, Henry L. Southard, Trustee." It appears Henry might have had a second business location as on 12/4/1860 he advertised "H. B. Southward of Keithsburg is prepared to insure readers with the Aetna. We urge all our readers who have buildings to insure." On August 23, 1861, a company of volunteers, dubbed "The New Boston Sharpshooters" was organized with Henry Southward as captain. They were given a resounding sendoff by the citizens of New Boston (see Civil War Page), and became Company G of the 27th Illinois Infantry when organized at Camp Butler. The Roster and History of this regiment can be seen at the IllinoisGenWeb site. An additional bit of history about their first baptism by fire can be seen on the page about the Battle of Belmont. Henry Southward served as captain until his mustering out on September 20, 1864. Henry Southward returned home safely and the family is found as the first family in the New Boston 1870 census: Henry B. Southward, 43, Grocer, born Ohio; Ann E., 34, Ohio; Minnie, 11, Dell, 9, Ned, 2, all born Illinois. Albert Noble, 21, is working for him as a store clerk. Dell's full name was Edele in her marriage record 9/16/1884 to John A. Shields (A Shields page will be added). On 3/22/1880 Minnie married Omer H. Drury, son of Courtney Drury. In 1880 they were still in New Boston: #89 Henry Southward, 52, grocer, born Oh, father Mass, mother Virginia; Ann E. 46, Oh, parents born Pa; Dell, 22, clerks in store, Il, Oh, Oh; Harry C., 7, Il, Oh, Oh. In the 1914 Past and Present of Mercer County History Henry D. Southward is listed as receiving a $20 pension in 1884 in New Boston Township. None of the family is found in the 1900 census in Mercer County. Daughter Edele (Dell) Southward married John Allen Shields, son of Richard and Sarah Wilson Shields on 16 September 1884 in Mercer County. A record is found for Henry in the New Boston Cemetery Records (by the DAR) but it is apparently only a Civil War marker: "Capt. Henry B. Southward, Co G 27th Ill Inf." No other Southward entries are found. |
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