Pennsylvania Families to Mercer County, Illinois
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Central Pennsylvania Families

We had a contact from Bill Rudy of Northumberland, Pennsylvania. He told us that several of the families found in Mercer County have connections with Montour, Snyder, and Union Counties in Pennsylvania. There was a large western migration from central Pennsylvania to Illinois from about 1846 into the 1860's. He has generously furnished information on the Bogart and Fenstermacher families.

We also had a contact from a fellow researcher of Bill Rudy's, Gil Gaumer. He furnished us with information on the Gaumer/Garmer families of Mercer County and permission to use it. In 8/2005 we heard from Stan Garmer with additional information on Moses and Sarah Garmer.

Bogart/ Fenstermacher
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Jesse BOGART was the son of John and Maria GAUMER Bogart of Montour County, Pennsylvania. Daniel FENSTERMACHER was married to Jesse's sister Mary Ann Bogart but she died before Daniel took his family to Illinois in 1868. Jesse had a brother Henry who also went to Mercer County and is found there in the 1870 census. (for more on Jesse see Bogart page.)

Census Records (from Bill Rudy)
1850, Valley Township, Montour County, Pennsylvania
Daniel Fenstermacher, age 30, farmer
Mary Ann, wife, age 26 (sister of Jesse Bogart)
Mary C., daughter, age 2
Ann E. Bogart, age 13 (also sister of Jesse)

1850 Liberty Township, Montour County, Pa
John Bogart, 53, farmer (parent of Jesse)
Hetty, daughter, age 21
Sarah, daughter, age 17
Aaron, son age 20
John, son age 15
Henry, son, age 10 (came later to Mercer County)

1860 Valley Township, Montour County, PA
Daniel Fenstermacher, 39, master carpenter
Mary, wife, age 34
Nathan, son, age 9
John, son, age 6
Charles, son, age 4
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Mercer County Census Records 1870 Mercer County, Illinois, Preemption Township
Daniel Fenstermacher, 50, farmer, born Virginia
Margaret Fenstermacher, age 32, born Virginia(2nd wife)
Nathan W., 17, born Virginia
John H., 15, born Virginia
Charles R., 13, born Virginia
Moses, age 8, born Virginia
Fianna, age 6, born Virginia
Sarah E., age 4, born Virginia
Hannah J., age 2, born Virginia
(we question whether Virginia is correct for all the birth places!)

Illinois Marriage Records
Henry Bogart married Hannah C. Williams, Mercer Co., 9/21/1898
Jesse Bogart married Mary M. Riggs, Mercer Co, 2/21/1867
Jessee Bogart married Cornelia F. Hawks, 9/29/1888
Will Bogart married Lydia Williams, Mercer Co., 9/20/1899
Daniel Fenstermacher married Eliza Cromley, Mercer County, 9/18/1879
Charles R. Fenstermacher married Ella M. Corns, Mercer Co, 5/25/1880

Cemetery Records in Mercer County, Illinois
(From Mercer County Cemetery records prepared by the DAR in the 1960's)
Bogart - Eliza Creek Cemetery, Eliza Township
Jesse Bogart Dec 4, 1827-1914
Effie Ann Bogart March 10, 1833-February 26, 1866
Mary M. Bogart 12/2/1844 - 3/22/1887
Cornelia F. Bogart Feb 20, 1844-Feb 13, 1913
Augustus Bogart 1882-1950
Daniel E. Bogart July 1, 1878-Jan 15, 1917
Henry E. Bogart Feb 20, 1871-Feb 22, 1938

Bogart - Duncan Cemetery, Millersburg
C. A. Bogart 1903- (nd)
Myrtle, wife of C. A. 1901-1931
Betty Bogart, daughter of C.A. & M (no dates)
Elsie Bogart 1896-1950
Hannah Bogart 1872-1934
Oscar Bogart 1866-1920
Ralph Bogart son of O & H Sept 22, 1898-Nov 20, 1899
Nola Bogart 1898-1957
Orva Bogart 1895-1953
Iris Bogart 1903-1904

Fenstermacher - Carns Cemetery , Perryton Township
Daniel Fenstermacher died March 11, 1893 age 73y 2m 7d
Margaret, wife of D. Fenstermacher died Aug 2, 1876 38y 5m 4d
Eliza, wife of D. Fenstermacher died Aug 3, 1894 47 yr 11 m 29 dy
Moses K. Fenstermacher died May 26, 1902 39y 7m 7d
Charles Fenstermacher 1857-1943
Frank Fenstermacher 1833-1910

Gaumer/Garmer
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The Gaumer Family started in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania (just west of Bucks County). About 1840 some of this family started moving west. Two brothers, Moses born 10-17-1807 and James born 7-5-1819 are found in Mercer County, Illinois, in 1870. These births are recorded in Church records. On 11-3-1838 James was married to Lydie Breich by the Rev. Charles Gabriel Herman. Moses first married Elizabeth Guth (about 1825), then Sara A. Franklinfield on 6-30-1850 in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, by the Rev. Joseph S. Dubs. Stan Garmer tells us that Sara's maiden name was Laury as proven by the marriage certificate of son Wallace Garmer. He also gave additional information on the cemetery records as given below.

Census Records (from Gil Gaumer) 1850 South Whitehall Twp, Lehigh Co, Pa (30 Aug 1850)
Moses Gaumer, 42, M, Pa, Shoemaker
Sarah Gaumer, 34, F, Pa
Lewis Gaumer, 6, M, Pa
Matilda Frankenfield, 6, F, Pa
Frank J. Frankenfield, 3, M, Pa

1850 Valley Twp., Montour Co, Pa (15 Aug 1850)
James Garmer, 33, M, Pa, Laborer
Lydia Garmer, 33, F, Pa
Cath Garmer, 7, F, Pa
Mary Garmer, 4, F, Pa
John Garmer, 1, M, Pa

1860 Lower Macungie Twp, Lehigh Co, Pa (8 June 1860)
Moses Gaumer, 52, M, Pa, Day Laborer
Sarah Gaumer, 42, F, Pa
Matilda (Frankenfield), 14, F, Pa
Franklin (Frankenfield), 12, M, Pa
Josephine Gaumer, 8, F, Pa
Henry Gaumer, 6, M, Pa
Walace, 4, M, Pa
Rose Ann, 2, F, Pa

1860 Drury Township, Rock Island Co, Il
James Garmar, 42, Pa, Farmer
Lydia Garmar, 42, Pa
Margaret E. I., 12, Pa
Clarrisa, 7, Pa
Benj Franklin, 2, Pa

Mercer County Census Records 1870 Eliza Twp, Mercer County, Illinois (15 June 1870)
M. D. Gaumer, 62, M, Pa, Farmer
Sarah Gaumer, 57, F, Pa
Josephine Gaumer, 18, F, Pa
Henry W. Gaumer, 16, M, Pa
Wiley, 14, M, Pa
Rose Ann, 11, F, Pa

1870 Eliza Twp, Mercer County (16 June 1870)
James Garmer, 53, M, Pa, Farmer
Lydia Garmer, 52, F, Pa
Clara, 17, F, Pa
Franklin, 12, M, Pa

1900 Eliza Twp, Mercer County (#172)
Wallace Garmer, born Sept 1855, Pa, parents born Germany,married 16 years, five children born, four living
Eliza, born October 1862, Il, father born Oh, mother born NY
Lily, born March 1885
Bessie, born November 1888
Fred, born February 1891
Joe, born February 1896
Charlie Montier, servant and farm laborer, born November 1876 born Il, father born Ohio, mother born NY. This is actually Charles Minteer, brother of Eliza

Illinois Marriage Records Wallace Gaumer married Eliza B. Minteer, Mercer Co, 1/5/1882
William H. Gaumer married Sarah Bailey, Mercer Co, 11/19/1885 (Henry W.?)
Catharine Garmer married John Litwiler, Mercer Co, 1/13/1859
Clara C. Garmer married Isaac Middleton, Mercer Co, 9/16/1870
Sarah Garmer married George W. Jackson, Mercer Co, 10/3/1871
Rose A. Garmer married Leroy Lutz, Mercer Co, 6/8/1873

Cemetery Records (Vol 1, Mercer County Cemetery Records)
Garmer - Eliza Creek Cemetery, Eliza Township
Eliza B. Garmer 1862-1939
Wallace Garmer 1855-1925
Moses Garmer Dec 15, 1800-Mar 9, 1871
Susanna, wife of Moses, Oct 24, 1819-Dec 28, 1881

Stan Garmer tells us the tombstones for Moses and Sarah were placed long after their deaths, hence the inaccurate information. Also beside their grave is a tombstone for Sarah's daughter-in-law Mary, wife of Frank Frankenfield who died in 1877. He thinks the markers may have been placed by the Lutz family as the composition is similar to the tombstones of Rose and Leroy Lutz. Also, Rose's obituary refers to Sarah as Susanna, as on the tombstone.

Western Pennsylvania
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Paul and Ellie DeBald and Shirley Osterwise have sent us some wonderful letters from the Black family in Illinois back to their previous home in Alleghany County, Pennsylvania. There were other Black families in Mercer County but this one is from Pennsylvania and apparently arrived shortly before 1864. They are found in the 1870 census in Mercer Township in Mercer County: #100 Paul Black, 56, farmer, born Pa; Nancy, 56, born Pa; Isabella, 30, born Pa; Nancy E., 25, born Pa; Margaret, 18, born Pa; John P., 16, born Il; Catharine, 14, Il. Two of the letters are from a daughter Maria and she mentions daughters Libbie (Nancy Elizabeth?), Katy (Catharine), and Belle (Isabella). Maria Black married a fellow Pennsylvanian Alexander Brown on 4/19/1866 in Mercer County and they are next door to her parents in 1870: #101 Alexander Brown, farmer, 30, born Pa; Maria, 24, Pa; Clara D.; 2, Il.

Paul and Nancy died in Mercer County and are buried in the Aledo Cemetery: Paul Black 1813-1893 Nancy Black 1815-1901 (one stone).

Letters Home to Pennsylvania
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These letters were most kindly shared with us. They are so personal and present such a wonderful picture of early times in Mercer County.

Letter 1

Home Ill March 29th 1864
Dear Cousin
I received your kind letter of Feb 6th and was glad to hear from you again as I thought you had forgotten me but I have been so busy moving that I have not had time to write there was part of us moved the first day of March but Mother and Libbie and Katy has not come yet and I expect they won�t come for three or four weeks not till the grass grows we have plenty of hay and fodder there to feed the cattle on and they stay and feed them and there is plenty of room in the house for them and the folks that moved in we are all well that is here and like our new home very well Our new house is small but it is very comfortable there is two good sized rooms and father is going to put up a summer kitchen there is a small house out a piece from the other one with a cellar under it which is very handy I don�t know how Mother will like the farm for she has not seen it yet we have had very nice weather this spring but it is raining and snowing today Father went up to Henry __o__ty[County] yesterday and allowed to come back today but it is so wet I don�t think he will come. You wanted to know if we are near your Uncle Louises Father says it is a good bit nearer it is about 14 miles he seen your uncle in town last fall we have not seen or heard from them since we got a letter from aunt Mary Ann with hers and uncle Freds photographs in it I think it is a very good picture of hers but I can�t tell about his for I never saw him Libbies school closed last Friday Belle is going back to teach this summer where she taught last fall, Our school comences next Monday It is just half a mile from here we have not had a great many visitors since we came here Mrs . Frew and William were here last Monday on a visit he used to teach school in the old school house below our store I expect your father remembers him Belle went to school to him there was a great donation party at Mr McCalisters he is our Preacher they said there was 80 took dinner there was a great many things took and about 24 dollars raised father was up at the other place and we did not go but I must draw to a close by embracing you a kiss and one for all of my friends and hope a bushel for yourself Nothing more at present but remains your cousin
Maria Black
Write soon and tell me all the news
My ink is pale
My pen is bad
If you can�t read this
Don�t get mad
Please direct Aledo Mercer County Ill
Write soon
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Mercer Township #073 1870 Census
David Frew, 55, farmer, Pa
Mary Frew, 65, Pa
William Frew, 41, surveyor, Pa
Sarah Frew, 30, Pa
Mary J, 25, Pa
James, 63, Pa
McCalister not found 1860 or 1870 - Rock Island? Henry?

Letter 2

Dear Cousin
It is with pleasure I now take my pen in hand to tell you now that we are all well at present hoping these few lines may find you all _____ the same blessing. It is a long time since we heard from any of you it has been wet here for two or three days but it is cleared up again crops look well here we have forty acres of corn this year and about seventy of wheat. It is a very pretty country out here the prairies are all covered with wild flowers now I am going to school this summer our school house is about a mile from where we live Libbie is teaching school this summer she likes teaching very well. There is lots of parties and singings here in the winter. We all went to school last winter except Bell Your cousin William Caster and Uncle John Mouck was here in the spring they had not heard that Eliza Mouck was married they came one day and went home the next they said Henry had gone to the war there has a great many went from our neighborhood and the boys are beginning to get scarce around here. There was a great fishing party week before last. All the neighbors were invited none of us went but Lizzie. There is going to be another the twelfth of this month I do not know whether we will go or not. I was at one last year we had lots of fun it is so nice to see them haul the fish out. They have two large sanes (seines) I think there will be about one hundred and fifty go this time. Mrs. McCandless got home the last of January. She was much pleased with her visit. She brought Uncle Hervey�s and Uncle Archie�s daguerreotypes to us. They looked very natural to us. I would like to see you all very well but I would rather live in Illinois then back there. We have preaching every Sabbath and Sabbath school in the schoolhouse at four o�clock in the evening. But I must draw to a close for you will be tired reading this nonsense. Give my love to all the friends but be sure and save an ample portion to thyself now be sure and write to me and tell me all the news now I fear I shall have to bid thee adieu but Believe me your true friend
[to?]Mary I McMurray
Good Bye
Maria Black
Excuse my bad writing
Write soon
Direct to
Orion P.O.
Henry Co
Ill
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Merc Township #124 1870 Sarah McCandliss, 46, born Pa Arnott
McCandliss, 20, farmer Il Isa A. McCandliss, 18, Il Hattie McCandliss,
15, Il Thomas M. McCandliss, 13, printing apprentice William McCandliss, 9, Il

Letter 3

May 1st Kingdom Settlement
Dear Uncle
I take up my pen to let you know that we are all well at present hoping these lines may find you the same we have got moved out on a prairie and is living in a stone house about 10 miles from Rock Island 1 mile off the post office 1 � the Presbyterian church 2 miles from the seceder church 1 � miles from school and 2 from the coal banks The weather has been cold since we came out. We are 5 miles nearer Rock Island than McCandless we went out to Mr Jm McCandlesses on Saturday evening staid till Wednesday morning then father had found this house, we saw Mr. Jm Moor there and he looks hearty and well you will please write soon and we will answer you shortly and direct to
Pennsylvania Post Office
Rock Island Co
Illinois
Nothing more but remains your niece
Isabella Black
[To?](Mr Wm McMurray)

Letter 4

Letters back home such as this one drew new settlers to the west.
Sept the 15th 1852
Dear uncle and aunt
I take my pen to let you know that we are all well and hope that these few lines may find you all well to. for we hame not heard from you since we left pa. And this is the third letter we rote to you and have not received one from you yet. we wunt you to rite soon and let us know how you are getting along. this is a healthy country and we like it very well. We have 28 acres of corn and have two hundred dozens of wheat in stack and the people most all sow spring wheat here and it is very good. the people cut there hay out on the prairies here and it makes very good hay. We cut as mutch as will do us through winter� I think you had better sell out and come here to live. We received a letter from uncleJames Ross and he says that he is a comeing out here in november to see us and buy land if he likes it father has boght 153 1/2 of land. This is the greatest country for sweat potatoes and watter mellons mush mellons and pumpkins there is lots of prairie chickens here and we have a shot gun that James and I shoots them with. Father has got a good rifle whtch he keeps to shoot Deer but has kild and yet. we are one mile and a half from school 5 miles from the river 5 from church and 9 from mill the roads are so level here that one hoarse can draw as mutch two can in pa
pleas direct your letter to pleasant redge po Rock Island co Ill
no more at present
H H Castor
I would like to see James Hervey and John Toss and all the rest but rite soon and let us know how you all are

Transcribed by Shirley Osterwise from a letter Jean McMurray Hutchison is in the possession of.

Pennsylvania Families to Mercer County, Illinois----------------------------------------