Possible brother of Henry Darr
The great problem with John Darr is we don't know enough about his early days. From somewhere I got the information that his son Thomas was born in Columbiana County, Ohio in 1842 (and Thomas always told census takers he was born in Ohio). So. There is a John Darr in Columbiana County in the 1840 census and he has a LOT of young females with him. Fine. But these females do not match up with the children listed with him in the 1850 census - and the 1850 census does not include his son Thomas - or, in fact, any of the children born to him after 1840. AND there are children the same age born (supposedly) in two different states.
Well. The 1850 census is a mess - the census taker had very bad handwriting AND did not bother to write out the names in full. It would not be surprising if he also left out a bunch of children - or got their ages wrong. But while that may be true, it doesn't help a person who has no other documentary resources.
I would guess that all the children on the 1850 census were John's actual children, and that the younger children's ages were incorrect - and that Thomas was simply left out (it does happen). John and Jane are buried in Hearn Cemetery, along with Jane's (assumed) mother and some children we know to be theirs from other sources. Also buried in that cemetery, in close proximity, are two girls - Isabella M and Sarah J Darr - with no dates, who could be two of the girls from the 1840 census. There is also a Christene Ellis, right in between Isabella and Sarah, who might be a third daughter.
John died in 1855. He had been a blacksmith, and one of his much younger possible-nephews later became a blacksmith. For what that's worth.
Much of this research comes from Linda Bohner.
1806, February 15 - born - Pennsylvania
~1828 married Jane McBride (b. 1810, Pa)
?1829 - daughter Christene born Oh?
1829, December 28 - daughter Catherine Elizabeth born Pa
1834 - ?SS born Oh - I think this was Sarah J
1836 - ?SD born Oh - I think this was Isabella M
1840 census
Ohio Columbiana Springfield
Jno Darr - 1m 30-40 John 36
1 female under 5 [SD 4 = Isabella?] - or Mil 5
2 females 5-10 [SS 6, Unknown = Sarah J & Catherine E?] - or Char 8, Lucin 6
1 female 10-15 Christene?
1 female 30-40 Jane 30
1 female 50-60 mother? mother-in-law? Catherine McBride 55?
1840 - daughter Charlotte R born
1842, June 23 - son Thomas H born - Columbiana Co, Oh
1845 - daughter Susannah born
1848 - daughter Melvina born
~1847 - daughter Catherine Elizabeth married James Nathan Borah
1850 census
John
Illinois Wayne Co 638
Dar, Joh 46 M Blacksmith 500 PA
Jane 40 F Pa =Jane McBride
SS 16 F Ohio Sarah J???
SD 14 F Ohio Isabella M??
Char 18 F Ils, Charlotte 10 Thomas 8 not listed
Lucin 16 F Ils Susannah 5
Mil 15 F Ils Melvina 2
Catherine Elizabeth Borah m. James Nathan Borah d. 1917 -
p. 227a 640 Ja M Borah 26 m farmer 300 Ils
CE 20 f Pen
Wm Scott 2m Ils
Christene
p. 226? JCB Ellis 25m farmer Tenn (or Penn)
Christe.. ??f Oh
Louis 2 Ils
EG 8/12 f Ils
1851, September 10 - ?daughter Christene died, buried Hearn Cemetery
Christene, wife of S.C.B. Ellis, died Sep 10, 1851, aged 22y, 6m, 10d
1851 - son Joseph born
1855, July 2 - died - Wayne Co, Illinois
buried Hearn Cemetery
Illinois Patriot Sat Aug 6, 1856 - Administrators Sale June term 1856
estate of John Darr - Jane Darr Admr'x (Il Misc Newspapers)
1856, December 30 - son Joseph W died - buried Hearn Cemetery (with Catherine McBride)
1860 census
Illinois Wayne Fairfield p. 178 - line 32 - NEXT DOOR to Henry Darr
Jane Dorr 50 F farmeress 400 450 PA
Charlotte R 20 school teacher OH - b. 1840
Thos H 18 f laborer Ils - b. 1842
Susanah 15 b. 1845
Melvina 12 b. 1848
1864, November 5 - daughter Susannah M died - buried Hearn Cemetery, Jasper Twp
1870 census
Illinois Wayne 111-118 Fairfield, Jasper Twp 10 July p 191
Darr, Thomas H 28 m w farmhand Oh son of Joh & Jane from 1850
Jane 60 f keeping house PA
McGaffie Emma? 8 f w Ill
Gray Charles B 2 m w Il
1877, October 1 - wife Jane died - Wayne Co, Illinois
buried Hearn Cemetery
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