McPherren Genealogy

Beginning with George McPherren

George McPherren (1820-1888)

Earliest Known History:

George McPherren, was born near Banbridge in County Down, Ireland, 1 February 1781. He immigrated at age 18 to New Jersey. He was married to Susannah Welker and had ten children. Mary, James, Susanna, Easter, Daniel, Nancy, Fannie, Sarah, George Jr and Andrew. He enlisted in the war of 1812. He moved to Muskingum county, Ohio about 1814. There he oversaw a farm but didn't plow a furrow himself. His wife was buried in Ohio 8 June 1824 and she is buried at the cemetery at Rich Hill church. He settled in Ohio Grove and is buried in the McClure graveyard. He died 23 June 1848. He was a strong whig, a methodist and a cooper. His son George McPherren was born in Muskingum county, Ohio 22 August 1820. George was married first to Harriet O. Williams on 1 October 1844. She died 11 February 1870 leaving seven children, Oliver, Nancy J, Henry, Sophia, Emma, Hanna and Anna. He remarried 5 April 1871 to Mary J. Williams, a sister of his former wife. She was the first postmistress of Sunbeam. She died 31 March 1882. George 3 was born 19 June 1853. He married Eliza A. Price, daughter of Samuel, born 9 September 1851 on 24 December 1871.

September 21, 1835, there started from Muskingum county, Ohio, George McPherren, who had buried his wife in Ohio. In his family were Mary, James, Susanna, Easter, Daniel, Nancy, Fannie, Sarah, George, Benjamin Decker, the prospective husband of Miss Fannie, John Walker, the husband of Easter McPherren. Some of the family taking sick, a short stay was made at Washington, Illinois. Geroge McPherren Sr. accompanied by George Long and Matthew Finley pushed on to find a satisfactory location. Mr. Long afterward located in Knox county and Finley in Henderson. The family made anothe stay at Little York where just previous Hughy Martin had been killed by the indians. Leaving some of the party at the fort, Mr. McPherren, John Walker, Benjamin Decker and Daniel McPherren came to Mercer county and built a log house on the northeast quarter of section 4, in what is now Ohio Grove township. This "lone mansion" was about 16 x18, one story, one room. Some rough boards were hauled from Ebenezer Criswell's sawmill, on Eliza Creek, at least 15 miles distant. (Much description of house follows.)

"Where are the McPherren's now? The father sleeps beneath the sod where all must lie. Benjamin Decker is dead, but his wife Fannie owns a farm in Ohio Grove. James is near Reynolds, Sarah is in Iowa, Susanna died in Iowa, John Walker is dead and his wife is Mrs. Boyer near Viola. George, son of George owns over 400 acres of land in Ohio Grove."

Then there is a mention of Elizabeth McPherren, born in Muskingum county, Ohio and the daughter of James and Jane (Shaw) McPherren. She married Nicolas Shearer 7 September 1852 in Indiana. Her father and 5 brothers all served in the civil war.

There is also James McPherren, born 7 June 1808 in Pennsylvania, his wife unnamed was born 1 April 1805 in Rockbridge county, Virginia. The family moved to Ohio Grove in 1855 and the wife died 18 August 1858 and is buried in the Candor cemetery. This James served in the 30th Illinois infantry, company A in 1861 and was discharged for diability in 1862. His son James served in the 35th Infantry, company C, George and John S. in the 84th Infantry, company H and Andrew M. 9th Illinois cavalry. Jesse who the story is about served in the 11th Illinois Cav. company C, he had already enlisted at age 15 in the 87th Ohio volunteer infantry, company K where he was captured at the Harper's ferry, Virginia.

In the 1860 census, there is George McPherren in Ohio Grove with Harriet, Hiram plus Nancy , George, Harriet and Emma. Then again up the road is James, age 40 born in Ireland and a farmer, with his wife Sarah, age 43 born in Ohio and James age 16 born in Ireland, Sarah, age 15 born in Ireland, Agnus age 14, born in Ireland, George M. born in Illinois and age 10, John H. age 6 and born in Illinois, Mary E. age 4, born in Illinois and Hanna M. age 2 and born in Illinois. Also in the family are Margaret Fleeharty, age 18 and born in Illinois, Martha A. age 16 and born in Illinois and Andrew M. age 14 and born in Illinois and Esther Walls age 88 and born in Ireland.

The children of George and Susannah

Mary b:1806 PA m:1820 John Hugh Brown
James b:1808 PA m:1831 Jane Shaw, Abigail Eckelson
Susanna b:1810 NY m:1839 John Gillette, William Johnson
Esther b:1811 OH m:1856 John Walker, William Moore, Jeremiah Boyer, ..
Daniel b:1813 OH m:1842 Rachel Mertin, Elizabeth Waters
Nancy b:1815 OH m:1835 William Haney
Fannie b:1817 OH m:1837 Benjamin Decker
Sarah b:1818 OH Henry Fleharty, James McPherren
George b:1820 OH Harriet Williams, Mary Williams, Eleanor Blue
Andrew b:1823 OH d:1826

School Photos in Mercer County 1891  

References:

 History of Mercer and Henderson Counties (Illinois)  1882:

Land Patent Record of George McPherren

McPherren Researchers :

MARY (1806-1886) & John Hugh Brown:

JAMES (1808-1889):    

SUSANNA (1810-1882) and John Gillette:

ESTHER (1811-1899):

DANIEL (1814-1849) & Elizabeth Jane Waters:  

NANCY JANE (1815-bef 1850) & William Haney:

FANNIE (1817-1888) & Benjamin Decker:          

Visit the Shirer Family Genealogy Project for more information on Fannie & Benjamin Decker

SARAH (1818-1888):

GEORGE (1820-1888):

NOTE:  If you would like to be listed as a researcher, or if you do not wish to be listed anymore, please drop me a note. Send to: Roger Cox    - rgcox2  (at) gmail.com  

RESEARCH LINKS

McPherren Resource Page

McPherren GenForum

Ancestry.Com McPherren Surname Message Board

Map of McPherren Cemetery location in Mercer County NEW

Family Tree Maker's WFT on CD:

Good McPherren Ancestry.Com World Trees:

Other McPherren Ancestry.Com World Trees

                            

This page updated on 29 June 2016

Roger Cox

rgcox2  (at)   gmail.com

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