Almarian and Sal Carey

The name Almarian turns up in our family history files as:

• a possible middle name for George Carey, my g-g-g-grandfather. I've seen George listed in several people's web pages with that middle name. The only evidence I have of it is Maj. Ira Winans' pencilling in of Almarian as George Carey's middle name in the letter which George's great-granddaughter Anna Cora Enyart wrote to him in 1911.
  AND/OR,
• the first name of the husband of Sal Clark, who was one of the "Illinois Clarks", Almarian Carey, according to Robert D. Clark's 1922 letter to Major Ira. To the best of our knowledge, Almarian was not related to our Carey ancestors who migrated from New Jersey to Ohio along with the Clarks.

This man's name was spelled in many different ways and we'll preserve all the variants in this page, just for fun. (We've also seen Almariah in certain family history documents.) I'll go with Almarian, though, at least until we find convincing evidence to the contrary, based on R. D. Clark's insistence on that name. Old R. D. sounded very sure of the name of Sal Clark's husband, perhaps because he knew him well.

From this very minimal beginning, additional bits and pieces of data have been provided by cousins or other researchers which have helped fill in some of the blanks about this mysterious Carey non-relative and his family. I'll list, at the bottom of this page, some of the people who have contributed to our knowlege. What you'll see here represents our best guess as to the chronology of Almarian Carey's life, and the names of some of his descendants.

Birth. Based on (take your pick) the 1850 and 1860 census, Almarian Carey was born in New York, either in 1810 or 1803. We haven't been able to identify him positively in any earlier census. There are no surnames in the 1830 Fulton county, Illinois, census which resemble Carey. When I first looked at census records, I thought his birthplace was NJ, but when I compared the second letter of his birthplace with the J in the June enumeration date, I was convinced that it was actually NY.

War service. Almarian Carey arrived in Illinois in time to enlist in the state militia and serve in the 1831-32 Black Hawk War, according to the state of Illinois' site, which lists Almaran Cary, a private in J. Sain's company, Bogart's brigade, which was organized in Fulton county. After Chief Black Hawk's surrender on 1 August and the signing of a peace treaty on 21 September, Private Carey would have mustered out and returned to Fulton county to embark on the next stage of his life's journey...

Almarian's first marriage. The Illinois Marriage Index reveals that Almeron Carey married Mary Ann Jewell 20 Dec 1832 in Fulton county.¹ Based on the 1850 census records, the couple had the following children:

• Lucretia Carey, born about 1836.
• Louisa Carey, born about 1837.
• Francis Carey, born about 1840.²
• Henry Carey, born about 1840.³

The list of Early Voters of Menard County at the Illinois Trails site includes a "CAREY, A." who registered at Lynchburg 1 Apr 1839. Since Menard was separated from Sangamon county in 1839, there may be records of Almarian and family in both counties.

We found an A. Carry listed in the 1840 U. S. Census in Menard county, Illinois. That census didn't list individuals in a household, nor did it indicate locations within a county. This person's line includes

• 1 male under 5
• 1 male 10-14
• 1 male 30-39
• 1 female under 5
• 1 female 5-9
• 1 female 30-39

If this is indeed Almarian, the census record suggests that he and his first wife were both born in the first decade of the 19th century. The two female children are possibly Lucretia and Louisa. The older of the two male children could be Mary Ann's son Charles Jewell. Could the younger boy be Francis or Henry?

Mary Ann's first marriage. Almaron and Mary Ann are both listed among the many individuals in the Ancestors of Thomas W. Lambert data base at FamilyTreeMaker.com, with the same marriage date and place as in the Illinois Marriage Index. Mr. Lambert gives her maiden name as Mary Anne Smithson, and lists her as being born "about 1801 in England", the daughter of Thomas Smithson and Rebecca Bennington, and as having married John Thomas Jewell (1795-1829) 8 Aug 1819 in Washington county, Ohio.

Mary Ann's death is listed in the Lambert files as having occurred "about 1850" in Liverpool, Illinois. Mary Ann and John are said to have had three unnamed daughters and the following named children:

• Rebecca Jewell, born 1821 or 1822. Died 1911. We've heard from Rebecca's descendant Ruby Ruggles, who tells us Rebecca married a Guinn and is buried in Lakeview cemetery in Kenmare, South Dakota. Her tombstone gives Rebecca's dates as "1821-1911", but her daughter Jennie Ogg gave a birth date of 30 Jun 1822 when filling out her death certicate. Jennie, who is buried next to Rebecca, listed Rebecca's parents' names as John Jewell and Mary Ann Smithson.
• Charles Pettie Jewell (1825-1885).

The 1830 census for Fulton county lists a Mary Ann Jewell as head of household, which is consistent with her first husband dying in 1829. Coincidence or not, a Thomas Clark is listed on the next line, and there are several other Clarks listed in other pages who may or may not be a part of Sal's family. The number of people itemized in Mary Ann's entry agrees with the Lambert data:

• 1 male 5-9
• 2 females under 5
• 2 females 5-9
• 1 female 20-29

The Lambert data base lists only two children for Almeron and Mary Ann, which may imply that its compiler didn't have access to the 1840 or 1850 census information:

• Lucretia Cary, born about 1833.
• Francis M. Cary, born about 1835.

Besides being listed by Lambert, there's also a mention of Almeron and Mary Ann in the Smithson Family Exchange Newsletter, which was once available at http://www.cavescove.com/smithson/newsletter/5.html. In the Fall 1991 issue, there is reproduced a complete copy of the will of Mary Ann's father, signed 23 Nov 1845 and probated 5 Feb 1857, as found in Volume I of the Washington county will record. Even though there's a comment in the web page that Mary Ann died in April 1850, her name is not mentioned in the will, which suggests that she had already died by 1845. The will includes the following clause:

Fourth, I give, devise and bequeath to my grandchildren CHARLES P. JEWELL, REBECCA A. JEWELL and LUCRETIA CARY and FRANCIS M. CARY the sum of twenty dollars each.

It looks like the Lambert and Smithson sites got their information from the same source, or from each other, since they list the same children for each of Mary Ann's marriages, both give her an 1850 death date, and both seem to be unaware that Almarian had already remarried in 1846. One mystery about Thomas Smithson's will -- why were Louisa and Henry, who were both alive as late as 1850, not mentioned in it?

Almarian's second marriage. According to the marriage index, Almeron Carey married Sarah Clark 25 Jul 1846 in Mason county, which is at the southeast corner of Fulton county, between Fulton and Menard. Sarah "Sal" Clark was the daughter of Isaac Clark and his first wife, Lydia Zeliph. She was born 21 Jul 1813, probably in Miami county, OH, so she was 33 years old at the time she married Almarian Carey. Women usually married in their late teens or early twenties in those days. Could Sarah also have had a first husband who died? Maybe not. R. D. Clark implies that Almarian was Sal's first, and only, husband -- "If Sarah Clark was ever m[arried] the second time I never heard of it. My parents always called her 'Sal' Carey." Sal and Almarian's first child wasn't born until just before the 1850 census, which reported the baby, Elizabeth, as being 2/12 years of age. Based on this census and on the 1860 census, we'll credit the following children to Almarian and Sarah:

• Mary Elizabeth Carey.
• Martha E. Carey.
• John W. Carey.

Almarian and Sal Carey may have spent most of their married life together in Liverpool township, in Fulton county, along the Illinois River, where they were enumerated together in both the 1850 and 1860 U. S. censuses. For further information on this tiny community, see our Methodist preachers page, and also our page for Sal's nephew, Rev. Jasper Nuton Clark.

Sal and Almarian's 1850 census record isn't very legible, so the copy you see in this family album is only my best guess. There's a Charles Jewell, listed between the children and the hired hands or boarders who may be Mary Ann's son, as well as all four of Almarian's children by his first marriage. The couple's first child together is listed as Elizabeth and is only two months old in 1850. A laborer named Moses Carey, whose relationship is anybody's guess, is also listed.

There are discrepancies in people's ages between the two censuses and with information available from later documents. I have a birth date for Sal in my files of 21 Jul 1813, which Lyle or Phillip may have given me. It seems plausible. She certainly couldn't be much older and still have a 3-year-old daughter with her in 1860! Deborah gives a birth year of 1807 for Almarian, and a death date of 15 Mar 1866, and agrees with Sal's 1813 birth year. The 13-year-old Louisa Carey of 1850 may be the same person as is listed in the 1860 census as 22-year-old Louisa Jewell.

Death. We have no information on the date or place of Sarah's death. According to Deborah Rosiere, Almarian died 15 Mar 1866. Since he had just been enumerated in Fulton county, and since his descendants continued to live there for a number of years, it's likely that's where he died. It's also likely that he and Sal are buried in Apple (Mount Pleasant) cemetery in Liverpool township, where a number of Sal's close relatives are buried. Deborah, who lives in Fulton county, has visited that cemetery but drawn a blank, possibly because any grave markers that old have become too weathered to read.

Descendants. Although I don't usually compile extensive information on the descendants of such a distant relative, I'll list here as much as I know about Sal and Almarian Carey's children and their families. Perhaps any descendant who comes across our page will be able to fill in some of the blanks.

• Mary Elizabeth Carey, born 1850, died 2 Apr 1882 in Liverpool, married Lyman Burton 10 Mar 1866. Lyman also died 2 Apr 1882 in Liverpool. Lyman and Mary's census information provides examples of inconsistency from one enumeration to another. Lyman's birthplace was recorded as Maine in 1870, but Ohio in 1880. In the former census, he was listed as 45 years old, and in the latter 50, while Mary only aged from 23 to 30 in ten years. The 1870 census taker seems to have overlooked little Daniel, who was listed as being 11 years old in 1880!

  The following article from the Fulton County Ledger, Thursday, 20 April 1882, describes the tragic circumstances of Mary and Lyman's deaths:

  The residence of Henry Collins, in Liverpool tp., 5½ miles east of Lewistown, was the scene of a remarkable and sad occurrence on Sunday morning, April 2d. Lyman Burton and wife were visiting at Mr. Collins'. Mr. Burton has been a sufferer from divers diseases for many years. He had been unusually ill for several weeks from an abcess in the bowels, but was not known to be seriously sick. At ten o'clock on the morning of the day above mentioned he suddenly expired. The grief of his wife, who at that time was apparently in good health, was uncontrollable. She ran from the house exclaiming, "My God, what shall I do?" Blood began to stream from her lips and nostrils. She was carried by her brother into the house and placed upon a bed where, in less than half an hour from her husband's death, she died, literally of a broken heart.

  Mary and Lyman had the following children:
  • Daniel W. Burton, born 1868 or 1869, died 16 Feb 1920.
  • William Burton, born 3 Nov 1872, died 4 Apr 1951. His obituary, which has 1951 written on it, reads as follows:

    William Burton, 79, Dies In Missouri

    Lewistown, April 4--(Special)-- William Burton, 79, died at Ellington, Mo., Wednesday at 4:30 a. m. according to word received here today. [If he did die Apr 1951, he would have been 78 at time of death. 4/4/52 was a Friday, while 4/4/51 was a Wednesday. Take your pick!]

    He was born Nov. 3, 1872, in Liverpool township, a son of Lyman and Mary (Carey) Burton.

    He had never married.

    Mrs. Sarah A. Burnett of Canton is a sister.

    Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p. m. in the Mt. Pleasant church⁴ with the Rev. Otis Bowman in charge.

  • Almarion Burton, born 19 Oct 1878, died 13 Oct 1944. When Mary and Lyman's family was enumerated in Liverpool in the 1880 census, the third child was listed as a one-year-old girl, Almyra. So much for the accuracy of the U. S. Census! Almarion married Hannah Bowen. They had the following children:
    • Charles Burton.
    • Marie Burton, who married _____ Corvin.
    • Glen Burton.

    Almarion's obituary, from the 18 Oct 1944 issue of the Fulton Democrat, follows:

    DEATH OF AL MARION BURTON

    Al Marion Burton passed away at the Peoria State Hospital on Friday, Oct. 13, at the age of 66 years.

    Mr. Burton was born in Liverpool township, October 19, 1878, a son of Lyman and Mary (Carey) Burton. He was united in marriage with Hanna Gowen and three children of this union survive, with the mother. They are: Charles Burton, APO, Seattle, Wash.; Mrs. Marie Corvin and Glen Burton, St. Louis, Mo. There is one grandchild. One brother, William Burton of Lewistown, and one sister, Mrs. Sadie Bernett of Canton also are living.

    Mr. Burton was a member of the Methodist church.

    Funeral services were held on Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Mt. Pleasant church, conducted by the Rev. Otis Bowman, and burial was in the Apple cemetery.

  • Sarah "Sadie" Burton, born 20 Feb 1882, died 28 May 1958. Married Stephen A. Burnett 31 Jan 1904. They had the following child:
    • Burton F. Burnett. According to Social Security Death Index, a Burton Burnett, who was born 23 Mar 1905, died in September 1970, with last residence in Canton, IL.
      • Esther Burnett.

    I have seen several spellings for this family's last name, but will go with the surname as given in Sadie's obituary, from the 29 May 1958 issue of the Canton Daily Ledger:

    Mrs. Sarah Burnett Dies Wednesday

    Mrs. Sarah A. Burnett, 76, of 500 North Seventh avenue, died Wednesday evening in the Graham hospital following an illness of one year.

    Born Feb. 20, 1882, in Liverpool township, a daughter of Lyman and Mary Burton, she was married in Lewistown on Jan. 31, 1904, to Stephen A. Burnett, who survives. In addition to the husband, a son, Burton F. Burnett and a granddaughter, Miss Esther, reside at 138 West Spruce street. Three brothers preceded her in death.

    Funeral rites will be conducted at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon in the Murphy Memorial home by the Rev. Terrell "Jack" Sanders, pastor of the First Church of the Nazarene. Burial will be in Greenwood cemetery.

    Friends may call at the funeral home after 1 p.m. Friday.

• Martha E. Carey, born about 1853 (She said Nov 1854 in the 1900 census), married Mahlon Peters 23 Oct 1869. Mahlon was born 12 Mar 1842 and died in 1914. We can't find any trace of Martha and Mahlon in either the 1870 or 1880 census in Fulton county. They had the following children:
  • George D. Peters, born 22 Jun 1873, died 21 Apr 1950⁵ in Canton, IL. Married Etta Alice Crafton, who was born 22 Jan 1886 in Memphis, MO, and died 25 Jun 1955⁵ in Canton. George and Etta Alice's obituaries follow:

    Services Held Yesterday for George Peters

    The Rev. H. W. Byrne, pastor of the South Park Methodist church, conducted funeral services yesterday afternoon in the Murphy Memorial home for George D. Peters, who died Friday in his home, 460 South Avenue A.

    Mrs. Maurice Brasel and Mrs. Gilbert Downy, soloists, were accompanied by Mrs. Albert Long.

    Pallbearers were Charles Peters, Floyd Yocum, Charles Clark, George Hollandsworth, Howard Griffin and Clarence L. Eskew. Flower bearers were Mrs. Mary Parsons, Mrs. Lula Stanfel, Mrs. Helen Horton, Mrs. Carla Burrows, Mrs. Thelma Kessler and Mrs. Ruth Settlesd.

    Services were largely attended including members of the Townsend club and the South Park Methodist church.

    Burial was in Greenwood cemetery.

    ---

    Services Largely Attended for Mrs. Etta Alice Peters

    Funeral services were conducted Monday afternoon in South Park Methodist church by the Rev. Marshall D. Ulm for Mrs. Etta Alice Peters, who died Saturday morning in her home, 460 South Avenue A. There was a large attendance of relatives and friends.

    Mrs. Maurice Brasel, soloist, was accompanied at the organ by Mrs. Paul Tarr.

    Attending in a group were members of The Women of the Moose, Woman's Relief Corps, Homemaker's Club and the Bunco Club.

    Pallbearers were Seldon Cooley, Clarence Eskew, Donald Forbes, Raymond Hays, Clyde Riley, and Orlie Riley.

    Burial was in Greenwood cemetery.

    George and Etta Alice had the following children:

    • Nellie Peters, who married _____ Myers.
    • Pansy Peters, who married _____ Douglas.
    • Margaret Emily Peters, whose obituary follows:

      Margaret Emily Peters Dies After Long Illness

      Miss Margaret Emily Peters, 23, of 606 South Second avenue, died last evening at the Graham hospital where she had been a patient since May 26. She had been ill with a complication of diseases for several months.

      Born in Dunfermline [Fulton county], June 24, 1914, she was a daughter of George and Alice (Craston) Peters, both of whom are living. Mrs. Nellie Myers and Mrs. Pansy Douglas, both of Canton, are sisters. She attended school in Canton. She had been employed at the Globe Superior Overall factory for eight years.

      She was a member of the Tri-State lodge.

      Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the South Park Methodist Protestant church by the Rev. J. C. Leonard. Interment will be in Greenwood cemetery.

      Friends may call at the Sedgwick Funeral home until 7 o'clock tonight, then at the residence.

      The newspaper was undated, but contained references to Memorial Day, which was always observed on May 30. A list of burials states specifically that Margaret died 27 May 1937, which was a few days before her 23rd birthday. Dunfermline is in Buckhart township, near St. David, between Canton and Liverpool townships, in Fulton county, IL.
  • Alice Peters, born Apr 1875, died 28 Oct 1935⁵ in Liverpool, IL. Married Frank Cooper. This was Alice's obituary, from a 29 Oct 1935 newspaper:

    Liverpool Woman Dies Early Monday Evening

    Pneumonia caused the death of Mrs. Alice Cooper, Liverpool, at 8 o'clock last evening at her home, after she had been ill two weeks.

    She was born 60 years ago in Liverpool township, a daughter of Mahlon and Martha (Carey) Peters. Her husband, Frank Cooper, survives, and there is one daughter, Mrs. Pauline Stockman, Liverpool.

    George Peters, Canton, is a [brother?], Mrs. Florence Riley and Mrs. Annice Warren, Liverpool, are half-sisters.

    Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the Liverpool church.⁴ Friends may call at the Murphy Memorial home until 1 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

    Alice and Frank had the following child:
    • Pauline Cooper, who married _____ Stockman.

  Martha apparently divorced Mahlon Peters, since she married Simon O. Rakestraw 7 Nov 1880. This date is confirmed by the Illinois marriage index, which lists the bride as "Mrs. Martha Peters" and shows an earlier marriage by Simon to a Mary Speaks in Clay county. Simon's 1880 census record lists him as a 47-year-old widowed fisherman,⁶ living in Liverpool township with two teenage sons, Mahlon and William. Burial records copied by Deborah, and quoted verbatim here, show three possible children for Martha and Simon:

  • "Annis Rakestraw, b. Ill., Nov. 15, 1886 - Oct. 19, 1970 w/o Oscar Warren Fa - Simon Rakestraw Mo - Martha Carey". [Simon and Martha's 1900 census record shows a daughter Annis, born Nov 1886.]
  • "Joseph Rakestraw, d. May 1, 1879 (?) s/o S. O. & M. I. Rakestraw". [If this death date is correct, Joseph must have been a child of Simon's first marriage, with the "M. I." referring to Mary Speaks.]
  • "Mary J. Rakestraw, 30y. (?) d/o Simon Rakestraw"

  In view of the very fragmentary nature of these records, we can't be certain as to who these persons are. Besides Annis, the 1900 census record also includes:

  • Florence A. Rakestraw, born Nov 1881. Genealogy.com's World Family Tree Volume 9, Tree 1669, lists several members of Sal and Almarian's family, giving Simon's middle name as Oliver and listing Florence Almeta Rakestraw as being born 25 Dec 1883, in Liverpool, Fulton county, IL. According to this source, Florence married Lawrence Edward Riley, who was born 17 Mar 1885, in Havana, Mason county, IL. Florence and Lawrence were married 21 Oct 1905, in Havana. This accounts for the other "half-sister" in Alice Cooper's obituary above! Florence and Lawrence had at least one child:
    • Nelly May Riley.
  
  
• John Wesley Carey, born about 1857 according to the 1860 and 1880 censuses, but according to his obituary in the 3 Apr 1914 edition of the Canton Ledger:

  CAREY FUNERAL.

  The funeral of John W. Carey, who died at his home on North Eighth avenue yesterday morning at 10 o'clock, will be held at the Mt. Pleasant church, near Lewistown tomorrow afternoon, commencing at one o'clock. The funeral party will leave Canton for Lewistown on the ten o'clock car. Burial will be in the Mt. Pleasant cemetery.

  Deceased was born in Liverpool township, August 2, 1855, and at the time of his death was 58 years and eight months old. He had resided in Canton for a number of years. He was a son of Almorin Carey.

  John married Angeline A. Wright, 19 Mar 1879, in Fulton county, according to the IL marriage index, which is the only place we've seen a full middle name given for him. Angeline was born about 1862 in IL. The newlyweds were enumerated in Liverpool in the 1880 census. It's interesting to note that neither John nor his sister Mary could tell the census taker where their father was born! John and Angeline were listed between John's uncle, Zebdiah Z. Clark's family, and the family of another uncle, Ezekiel Clark, in the 1880 census. Yet another uncle, William R. Clark, and his family were also nearby. It would seem that a very large percentage of the 1300 inhabitants of Liverpool township in 1880 were a part of the extended "Illinois Clark" family!

  John and Angeline had the following children:

  • Henry A. Carey, born 5 Nov 1885, died 24 Nov 1939. Henry married:
    1. Emma Noe, who was born in Illinois about 1896. She was listed in the 1920 census, living with Henry in a rented house, between two "vacant houses" on South Seventh Avenue in Canton. Henry was a coal miner at the time.
    2. Laura Denny. According to the records of the Murphy-Sedgwick Funeral Home, Laura died 15 Dec 1934 and is buried in Pleasant Hill cemetery. According to her grave marker, she was born in 1875.

    Henry's obituary appeared in the Canton Daily Ledger the day he died:

    Henry A. Carey Is Found Dead

    Henry A. Carey, 54, was found dead in bed about 5:30 o'clock this morning at the Chester Estes tenant home on route 4, Lewistown. His body was discovered by his brother, Marion, when he went to awake him. Death was believed due to heart trouble. Mr. Carey had been ill several months.

    Born near Farmington, Nov. 5, 1885, a son of John W. and Angeline (Wright) Carey, he was first married to Emma Noe. Later he married Laura Denny, who was killed about five years ago when a train struck the automobile in which she was riding at the Lion street crossing.

    Surviving in addition to the brother, Marion, who lived with Mr. Carey, are another brother and sister, Alva Jasper Carey and Mrs. Sarah Morris, both of Rock Island.

    Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at the Murphy Memorial Home. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill cemetery west of Farmington. Friends may call at Murphy's.

    Dr. Mark S. Nelson, coroner, will conduct an inquiry.

  • Alva Jasper Carey. Born 29 Mar 1887, died Oct 1965. (An Alva J. Carey, of unknown age, was listed in the Database of Illinois Death Certificates, 1916-1950, as dying in Rock Island 2 Sep 1944 however.)
  • Al or Marion Carey. Born about 1889. Also worked as a miner. Could his first name actually be Almarian? He is listed as Marion in his brother's obituary, and as Al in his 1920 census entry. Married Flora Belle Hartson, 18 Nov 1916. According to the Murphy-Sedgwick Funeral Home's records, Flora Belle was born 21 Mar 1897 in Bybee Station, Fulton county, IL, and died 18 Jan 1926 in Canton. She was buried in Norris cemetery. I could find no record of Marion's death in Illinois.
  • Sarah Carey. Married Charles Morris.

I'd like to thank the following researchers who have helped make this page possible:

• Lyle Black
• Phillip Deere
• Eric Elliott
• Deborah Rosiere
• Kim Bunner, Information Services Librarian at the Parlin-Ingersoll library in Canton, IL.