Henry Darr was born in 1816 or thereabouts in Pennsylvania. We haven't figured out exactly where in Pennsylvania, or who his parents were. One cousin says his father was John Henry and his father was Melchior. Or else that his father was Philip - and it isn't at all clear who the various "his" refer to. There were Darrs who came over in the 1700s and some of them were named Melchior - and also Gaspar and Baltasar, after the Three Kings of Orient Are - but we haven't managed to make a connection with them.
Sometime in the 1840s, around 1844 or so, Henry moved to Wayne County, Illinois, got some land and became a farmer. He married a woman named Charlotte (last name unknown, possibly McBride?), but whether before or after the move to Wayne County is not known. At about the same time another Darr - this one named John - also moved to Wayne County. He is not old enough to be Henry's father, but could have been his older brother. John Darr, born in Pennsylvania in 1806, spent some time in Ohio before moving to Illinois (some of his children were born there), so it is possible that Henry, if he was his brother, was in Ohio for a while also. Although I have to say that John's documents raise more questions than they help to answer.
Charlotte was born about 1822, but where? Several censuses say she was born in Pennsylvania, one says Tennessee, and her son William's death certificate says she was born in Ohio. We assume that Henry and Charlotte married ~1843, because their first child, George W Darr, was born in January,1844. A daughter, Mary J., was born in 1845, and then our ancestor, Jonathan Darr (or John, as we have always known him), was born December 26, 1849. Henry and Charlotte had two more children (who survived, anyway; many children died young back in those days): Joseph H (December 1856) and William H (1858). Charlotte died in September 1860.
In 1861 or thereabouts, Henry married Sarah Farmer Blackford. She was young enough to be his daughter - she was born in ~1842. Together they had either 8 or 9 children (the 1890 census would have been helpful, but it of course is lost, and family memories are not entirely sure about the number - or the names - of the younger children). Henry and Sarah's children were:
Jacob Franklin - 1862
James Nathan - 6 March 1865 d. 8 Oct 1936
Edward - 12 June 1868 d. 2 May 1899
Emma Jane - 1869 d. 1949
Thomas P - 1873 d. 1934 Posey Co Ind
Elijah - 1 May 1876 d. 25 Dec 1942 Iroquois Co Il Blacksmith
Alvin - 1878
Christian - 1879 (Christina???)
?Charles - 1882
Henry died in 1887. He is buried at Vernon Cemetery in Jasper Township.
1887 - Wayne County Press - 8 Sept - 1887
Henry Darr, of Jasper township, departed this life Saturday, August 26(?)th (I think it is 20th), 1887. His age was 72. He came to this country about 42 years ago, where he has remained up to his death. His funeral will be preached next Sunday at the New Presbyterian church, by Rev. T. P. Green and Rev. Henry Walker
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Timeline/Documentation
~1816 - Born, in Pennsylvania.
~1843 - married Charlotte Unknown (b. 1822, Penn, Tenn, Oh)
1844, January - son George W born in Illinois
~1845 - settled in Wayne County; lived there the rest of his life.
1845 - daughter Mary J born
1849, December 26 - son Jonathan born
1850 census
Illinois Wayne District 11 p. 225b line 14 - 13 Sep
593-613 Henry Dar 24m farmer 120 Penn Henry actually 34
Char (actually unreadable) 27f Tenn
GW Dar 7m Ils
MJ Dar 5f Ils
Joh Dar 2m Ils
1856, December - son Joseph H born
1858 - son William H born
1860, September - wife Charlotte died
1860 census
Illinois Wayne Fairfield p. 178 - line 25
Henry Dorr 43m farmer 800 500 PA
George 17 f labor Ils
Mary J 15 Ils
Johnathan 10 Ils (should be 12)
Joseph 4 Ils
Wm H 2 Ils
Catherine McBride 75 domestic help Pa - she is, we think, the mother-in-law of John Darr, the one who might be Henry's brother. Charlotte may have been another daughter of hers. ??
~1861 - married Sarah Farmer Blackford (b.~1842, Il)
1862 - son Jacob Franklin born
1862 Military Census
Jasper Twp #61 Darr, GW 19, Il farmer - entered service
" #65 Henry 44 Pa farmer - in reserve
" #6 Thomas 20 Oh farmer - entered service - this was John's son
1865, March 6 - son James Nathan born
1868, June 12 - son Edward J born
1869 - daughter Emma Jane born
1870 census
Illinois Wayne 131-140 - (p 193) -
Darr Henry 52 m w farmer 750 675 PA
Sarah 28 f keeping house Ill
Joseph L 15 m farmhand
William 11 m
Franklin 7 m
James 5 m
Edward 8 m all Ill
I don't know where Emma is
1874, December - son Thomas P born
1876, May 1 - son Elijah born
1878 - son Alvin born
1879 - son Christian (or daughter Christina) born
1880 census
Illinois Wayne Jasper p. 144
Henry mw64 farmer Pa Pa Pa
Sarah 39 Il Oh Oh
Joseph 23 work on farm Il Penn Oh
Franklin 18 work on farm also Darr, Frank employee with John Graham?
James N 16 works on farm
Edward 13 works on farm
Eugenia Jane 9 at home Emma Jane?
Thomas G 8
Elijah 5 daughter sic
Alvin 3
Christina 1 daughter
???1883, January - son Charles born
1887, August 20 - died.
buried Vernon Cemetery, Jasper Twp, Wayne Co, Ill
1887 - Wayne County Press - 8 Sept - 1887
Henry Darr, of Jasper township, departed this life Saturday, August 26(?)th, 1887. His age was 72. He came to this country about 42 years ago, where he has remained up to his death. His funeral will be preached next Sunday at the New Presbyterian church, by Rev. T. P. Green and Rev. Henry Walker
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To: Children Henry Darr and Charlotte Unknown
George W | Mary J | Jonathan | Joseph H | William H
To: Children of Henry Darr and Sarah Farmer Blackford
Jacob Franklin | James Nathan | Edward J or M | Emma Jane | Thomas P | Elijah | Alvin | Christina | Charles
Questions, comments, additions, corrections? Contact me at: lee@leesgenes.com
Page last updated 22 August 2005