Syers Genealogy Kentucky and Illinois

Jacob or John SYERS born ca 1876, Kentucky

Kentucky SYERS Chart / John SYERS, a shoemaker from Prussia / SYERS Cemetery Information / Syers Census Information / SYERS Kentucky Death Index / SYERS Social Security Index

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My great grandfather - Jacob SYERS

The images (ca 1920) are of my great grandfather and my grandmother (Clarice) Eleanore SYERS Martin Harris Tensing. Another image of grandma with her mother was taken about 1920. There is also a photo of Eleanore's 1/2 sister Bernadine Mace Horrell Gobble with Grace (their mother) taken about 1910.

Jacob or John SYERS

Timeline for Jacob SYERS:
  • Moved to Harrisburg, Saline County between 1910 - 1920
  • 1916 Married my great grandmother Grace Horrell
  • 1918 Wilma SYERS born to Letha Virginia Sullivan SYERS and Jacob SYERS
  • 1918 Eleanore SYERS born to Grace Horrell SYERS and Jacob SYERS
  • 1920 Photos of Jacob, Grace & Eleanore taken in Peoria, ILL
  • 1920 on census records with Letha in Saline County
  • 1920 on census records with Grace in Madison County
  • listed on 1933, 1935, 1936 City directories in Peoria, ILL
  • 1935 Grace obtained divorce
  • 1936 applied for Social Security Card in Peoria, ILL - I have a copy of the application
  • 1940 passed away in Harrisburg, buried with first wife ... Jacob died first

Isn't it interesting how much we can learn about our ancestors?
I am learning more information about
Jacob SYERS. His ancestors came to Pennsylvania in the mid 1800's and moved to the UNION County, KY area in the 1850's.

Photo of Jacob SYERS ca 1920.

Jacob or John?

My Great Grandfather Jacob SYERS is the name listed on my grandmother's birth certificate but John SYERS is the name listed on the divorce papers filed in Madison County, Illinois. According to Grandma's birth certificate, Jacob SYERS and Grace Horrell SYERS residence was Venice, Illinois when their only daughter Elenore SYERS was born March 2, 1918. Additional information states that Jacob SYERS was born in Kentucky and was a Traveling Salesman by occupation. He was listed as 42 years old, making his year of birth about 1876.

Jacob / John SYERS may have had a previous marriage. My grandmother has always held to the fact that she had a half brother named Toby from the Springfield, Illinois area. I have never been able to prove or disprove the mystery half brother.

It is interesting to note that there is a Jacob SYERS in Southern Illinois - Harrisburg, Saline Co, Illinois in 1920. Census records show that he had a son named Talbert, 4 daughters and his wife was Letta Virginia. This same Jacob is on the 1900 Union Co, KY census and 1910 Union Co, KY census. I can only guess that a job change brought him north to Saline Co, between 1910 and 1920. It is in Saline County, Illinois that Jacob, his wife, and children lived and are buried.

While we don't have a copy of my Great Grandparents - Jacob and Grace SYERS - marriage license, we do have a copy of the divorce papers filed in Madison County, Illinois. The papers state the John SYERS is not a resident of the State of Illinois, and his place of residence is unknown.
Grace's residence is listed as 1657 Third St., Madison, Madison County, Illinois. The date of marriage is listed as May 28, 1916 and the divorce filing is March 15, 1935. According to the decree, John left the family in 1926 and never came back. Years ago, my grandmother told me that he went out to get a newspaper and just didn't come back.

Since Venice, Illinois is across the river from St. Louis perhaps Jacob/ John SYERS went there. However, the Kentucky SYERS lived near the border of Illinois and Kentucky in Union County, Kentucky. Some of these mid-1800 settlers migrated north to the area of West Frankfurt, Illinois which is where Grace's parents Charles Horrell and Alta Jane Armes were from.

Husband: JACOB SYERS - My Great Grandfather
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Birth: 1876 Place: KY

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Marriage: 28 May 1916 Place: ?
Divorced: 15 Mar 1935 ®11
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Wife:
Grace Mae HORRELL - My great grandmother
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Father:
CHARLES WILLIAM HORRELL (1860-1915)
Mother:
ALTA JANE ARMES (1866-1950)
Other Spouses
Arch MACE
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Children...

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1. F Child:
(CLARICE) ELEANORE SYERS - My grandma
Birth: 2 Mar 1918 ®5 Place: VENICE, MADISON, ILL
Christen: 17 Apr 1927 ®6 Place: First Presbyterian Church, Madison, Illinois
Occupation: Nurse's Aide

Spouse: WILLIAM SCOTT MARTIN
Marriage: 28 Sep 1936 Place: NAMEOKI GARDENS, MADISON, ILL

Reference Note 5 Certificate of Birth #5392, State of Illinois
Reference Note 6 Certificate of Church Membership
Reference Note 11 Divorce Decree, Madison County, Illinois

I have contacted several SYERS families (who I also found from searching Yahoo People Search on the internet) in Kentucky and have pieced together quite a bit of information on a JOHN SYERS and his desendants ... it would seem at least possible that my great grandfather fits into this family tree. I am offering the information that I "know" and also the information on the SYERS family that originated in the UNION Couty, Kentucky area in the 1850's...

There are many SYERS families across the US and it is quite possible that someone else out there knows the SYERS family history. Because the names isn't as well known as say SMITH or JONES, My mom and decided to contact all the SYERS families that we could find and provide the family information as we know it. By identifing as many lines of the SYERS family as possible - it is entirely possible that we might find this missing ancestor. And if we never find him, we will have at least shared a family history with many folks across the country. It would be very helpful to add your family history to our information and we'd be happy to send information back to you as others provide us with information. Our search started in Kentucky, my grandmother's birth certificate states that was the birthplace of her father and now we are reaching out to other SYERS families across the midwest.

SYERS - who originate in UNION County Kentucky Descendant Report Syers Census Information Cemetery Information

Tell Me More!

Wishlist for SYERS information

  • 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 SYERS Census or Soundex
  • Marriage Location for Great Grandparents - Grace Horrell and Jacob / John SYERS

E-mail: [email protected] / Horrell Family
Armes Family / Martin Family / Start Page