Re: Pasley
PASLEY, GRAVES, CARNEY, SCHOONOVER
Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email) In Response To: Pasley (Bud Smith)
Date: 8/14/2011 at 18:07:15
It looks like it is not Decatur county, Iowa but Indiana where Benjamin Franklin Pasley was born.
My research has found that Benjamin Franklin Pasley was born 15 Aug 1845 in Fountain County, Indiana [source: 1850 DeKalb County, Illinois census shows birth in Indiana], grew up in Dekalb County, Illinois and died tragically on 19 August 1896 in Ellsworth Township, Emmet County, Iowa. Records are confusing in that Story County, Iowa records list him as being buried in the Zearing, Story County, Iowa cemetery but his obituary says the West Cemetery near Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa. There is also the possibility that he was removed from one cemetery to the other at a later date. He was the son of James A. Pasley [April 11, 1807 - 1851] and Sarah (Carney) Pasley [January 30, 1808 - 1861]. He served in the Civil War in Company K, 132nd Illinois Infantry, enlisting from DeKalb County, Illinois on May 14, 1864 and discharged on October 17, 1864. Benjamin was assigned to garrison duty at Paducah, Kentucky. He accompanied the expedition to Haddix Ferry, Kentucky. He married Emma Sarah Graves either in Illinois or Iowa on December 25, 1867. They were living in Story County, Iowa in 1868 when their first child was born and died in October, 1868. Emma died in 1879, in Story County. Tombstone records for the Zearing Cemetery record a date of death of 1873 but that cannot be accurate. She had a child in 1878 and Benjamin's obituary says that she had predeceased him by 17 years making it 1879.
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Benjamin F. Pasley was born in Dekalb county, Ill. in 1845, died in Ellsworth township, Emmet county, Aug. 21 aged 51 years. He enlisted. May 1864, in 123rd [probably 132nd] Illinois, Infantry, Company K, and served 150 days. Was married December 25, 1867 to Miss Emma Sarah Graves, of Rochelle county [probably Rochelle, Ogle County?], Ill. They were blessed with six children, five boys and one girl. Four boys only survive to mourn his loss, his wife being dead about seventeen years. He was interred in the West cemetery by the G. A. R. post. Rev. A. A. WILCOX, Chaplain.Semi-weekly Northern Vindicator --Estherville, Iowa
Friday, August 28, 1896, Page 3****************
Before Mr. Pasley died he made a will, granting fifty cents to each of his sons and five dollars to some other relative. The balance of his wealth he willed to the Soldiers Home.Suicide in Ellsworth Township.
On Monday Mr. B. F. Pasley, who lived on section 11, was found dead in his bed by some neighbors that called at the house where he lived. Dr. Myrick, the coroner was summoned and in company with the county attorney C. W. Grim and G. W. Adams, went to the place. The coroner summoned a jury and after a thorough investigation, it was decided that his death was caused by his own act, .... [graphic details]...Domestic trouble and financial embarrassment is assigned as the cause that led up to the awful act. His remains were brought to town and interred in the cemetery west of the river Tuesday.
Estherville Democrat - Estherville, Iowa
Wednesday, August 26, 1896, Page 3************************************
Emmet County Republican: Supervisor Fitzgerald brought the news to town Monday of the death by suicide of B. F. Pasley, on section 11, Ellsworth township. Mr. Pasley lived alone in a small one story house, a mile or more to a neighbor....[Graphic Details].... The deceased came to this county from Story county in 1891 and contracted for 450 acres of land, which he occupied up to the time of his death. He was a widower and leaves a family of four grown sons, three of whom reside in this county, the other in Nevada, Iowa. Mr. Pasley was of a morose, melancholy disposition and had met with many disappointments in the past few years. For a month or more it had been noticed he was fast losing his mind and his tragic death was, therefore, not unexpected.
Algona Republican -- Algona, Iowa
Wednesday, September 02, 1896, Page 4*************************
James and Sarah Pasley and children [including Benjamin] are enumerated in 1850 in the DeKalb County census. Much family history can be gleaned from the book, Portrait & Biographical Album DeKalb County, Illinois 1885, page 708, about Benjamin's brother and parents:
"Sylvester Pasley, deceased, formerly a farmer on sections 13 and 14, De Kalb Township, was born in July, 1842 in the township in which he lived until his death. His father, James Pasley, one of the pioneers of this county, was born in Kentucky, April 11, 1807. When seven years of age, his parents moved to Hamilton Co., Ohio, where he lived and grew to manhood. He married Sarah Carney, a native of that State, born Jan. 30, 1808, and about 1834 they moved to Indiana and located on the Wabash River, near the mouth of the Shawnee. He was a carpenter by trade, and was engaged in making flat-boats in the latter State until the spring of 1836. At that time he, with his family, started on an overland trip to Illinois and arrived in that part of Kane County now known as De Kalb. He immediately entered a claim on sections 13 and 14 of what is now De Kalb Township, this county. He at once set about to build him a log house, split shakes to cover the roof, and in lieu of nails used heavy poles to keep the roof in place, and for a floor used puncheons split from basswood logs.. Having faith in the future development of the country, and desiring to establish a home for his family, he entered vigorously upon the laborious task of improving his land, and continued to reside thereon and labor until his death in 1851. Ten years later, in 1861, his wife joined him in the unknown world. They were the parents of six children. Henry died in Indiana, and William Hamilton died in this county; May married Arthur Pasley and died in De Kalb Township. William and Benjamin are the only survivors, and the latter is a resident of Story Co., Iowa. Sylvester Pasley was brought up on the homestead and assisted his father in its development…"
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"William J. Pasley is the owner of a small but well improved and valuable farm of forty acres just outside of the city limits of De Kalb, and upon this place he has resided for almost a half century. He was born in Fountain county, Indiana. August 24. 1833. His father, James Pasley a native of Kentucky, came to Illinois in 1835 [probably 1845] and as one of the pioneer settlers in this part of the state bore a share in the work of development and improvement. He died in the year 1851. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Carney, was born in Ohio in the year 1806, and they were married in Hamilton county, that state. As the years passed six children were added to their household, but William J. Pasley is the only one now living.When less than two years of age William J. Pasley was brought to Illinois by his parents so that for more than the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten, he has witnessed the growth of this part of the state. He was reared amid the usual scenes and environments of pioneer life and shared in the hardships, trials and privations which usually fall to the lot of those who settle on the frontier. His memory goes back to the time when many of the homes were log cabins and when one could ride miles over the prairie without coming to a fence or habitation to impede his progress. Few roads had been laid out; streams were unbridged and the land uncultivated. Most of the farm work was done by hand, the sickle and hand-plow being important features in the work of tilling the fields. The cooking was usually done over fireplaces and candles were used in lighting the house. Many changes have since occurred and Mr. Pasley has watched with interest the transformation that has marked the development and upbuilding of the county. On the 11th of February, 1858, he was married to Miss Phebe Elizabeth Schoonover, who was born in Bradford county, Pennsylvania, June 28, 1838. Her father was born in Tioga county, New York, November 23, 1808, and her mothers birth occurred in Dutchess county, New York, November 4, 1813. Mrs. Schoonover went to Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, when eighteen years of age and was married there. The family continued to reside in that locality until 1855, when they came to De Kalb county, Illinois, where the father died February 16, 1880. His wife survived him for about sixteen years and passed away August 23, 1896. At the time of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Pasley took up their abode on the farm which has since been their home. He has always carried on general agricultural pursuits, but his labors were interrupted by one year's service in the Civil war in defense of the Union cause. He then returned home and resumed the cultivation of his farm, which business has claimed his time and attention to the present. He owns forty acres of land just outside of the city limits of DeKalb, which is worth two hundred dollars per acre.
Unto Mrs. and Mr. Pasley have been born six children: Florence, born October 18, 1858; James, born January 12, 1860; Albert, born January 4. 1862; Perry, born January 11, 1867; Ellie, born August 29, 1871; and John, who was born August 2, 1873, and died in 1880. Mr. Pasley cast his first presidential vote for Stephen A. Douglas and has always supported the democratic party. He and his wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church. Their youngest daughter is a graduate of a school in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and for two years acted as bookkeeper in that city. No history of De Kalb county would be complete without mention of the life of Mr. Pasley, and few indeed are the settlers who have so long resided within the county borders. His mind bears the impress of many early events which are now found on the pages of these annals and he relates.in interesting manner many reminiscences of pioneer times when the work of progress and upbuilding had scarcely been begun in this part of the state. He has always borne his share in the work of general improvement, especially along agricultural lines, and he is justly accounted one of the venerable citizens of this section of Illinois."
Past and present of DeKalb County, Illinois, Volume 1, 1907, By Lewis M. Gross, H. W. Fay, page 555.
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