Looking for more info on McHenry's family in Jacksonville, IL @ 1820-1880. His daughter Roxana married to Josiah Gorham. Other children - Agnes Elinore, Eliza Jane, Nathaniel Gilman, Charles Henry. Wife - Nancy. Owned Johnson's Addition and Blacksmith shop in Jacksonville.

I’m not related to any member of this family.

1930 is the last available searchable census at this time.

Facts you should know about the early census records -
All census records [1790 – 1840] prior to the 1850 census ONLY listed the head of household; whether male or female.

NO specific age was stated for any family member
NO place of birth was stated – city, state, or country
NO city, town, or village is stated – only the county; however some census takers listed the township
NO street address was stated
NO marital status was stated – single, married, widowed, or divorced
NO family relationship was stated – brother, sister, cousin, son, daughter, wife, inlaw, etc…
NO occupation was stated
NO parental birthplaces are stated
NO race was stated [but assume “white”]

1850, 1860 & 1870 census records do not show family relationships, marital status or parental birthplaces.

Step children are not enumerated as “step” children
Adopted children are not enumerated as “adopted”
Grand children are not enumerated as “grand children”
Orphaned children were not enumerated as "orphan"

1850 is the 1st census that shows all family members

1880 is the 1st census that shows parental birthplaces +++


You wrote - "Looking for more info on McHenry's family in Jacksonville, IL @ 1820-1880."

How much family info do you have and what specific family info are you seeking???

WHO did McHenry Johnson marry???
Need her 1st name + DOB + birthplace.

NEED DOB's + birthplaces for all his children.

Since 1850 is the 1st census that shows all family members, how can you be certain that Roxana is McHenry's dau.??????


McHenry Johnson
Birth 1800
Death 1833 in Morgan Co.,IL

It is not possible to name any child in the early census.
Name: M C Henry Johnson
Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Morgan, Illinois
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3
Total Free White Persons: 8
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 8

I am interested in more info about Roxana's (McHenry Johnson's daughter) 2nd baby born @ 1851 in Jacksonville, IL. I am also interested in McHenry Johnson's wife ... maiden name, etc.

Will of McHenry Johnson showing wife and chldren is available at Circuit Clerk's office in Jacksonville, IL. Also a deed shows land McHenry owned in Jacksonville.

Roxana Johnson married Josiah Gorham & had son named McHenry... check 1850 census

Also personal memoir book talks about "Roxy" Johnson (Mrs Josiah Gorham) in school.

Also marriage record for Roxana

Also Guardianship paper for McHenry Gorham (McHenry Johnson's grandson) 1851

As to the amount and extent of 'info' you seem to be seeking (if the list you've given is what your still seeking to view/obtain knowledge from), unless you happen to find a family connection who has already researched and obtained the information and is willing to share, you likely will have to order the documents yourself. And this statement is not meant to be taken in a snippy sense, but with sincerity having to have ordered many many documents myself over the years...I prefer reading actual documents over taking family submitted information (which may or may not be accurate) to gain first hand acknowledge and/or verify what others have stated. These records are not entirely transcribed online and obtaining records is not 'free', some may be personally viewed, but some not. Wanting a number of various records would be time consuming and perhaps even costly for a volunteer to seek, view and obtain. Use the numbers from the MAGA index transcriptions to avoid courthouse clerk search fees.

The marriage record of McHenry Johnson is not in Morgan County, it's in Bond County. There are two there. One to Margaret Gilmore and then a second to Nancy Rutherford. I'll assume its' the second listing you've of interest. If bride was of age there will be little info on record...applications were not a part of the process at that time frame.

While probate/will can be viewed for 'free' at Morgan County Courthouse, the downstairs office that might hold marriage records for say their children, are not available to walk in view...record must be purchased. it is always a good idea also when trying to obtain something like the will/estate file to inquire about the size pre-ordering via mail as ome of the files can and did become quite large. You could order simply the will without the prolonged entire aftermath.

Nancy left Morgan County and went to Grundy Co IA with her son Charles Henry. She died in Grundy Co Iowa on 4 Dec 1883 at age of 78 per online transcribed death record. There may be information in that state/county which perhaps would interest you that has/has not been transcribed. She last appears on the Grundy Co IA 1880 census with her son and grandson (Clarence Butler the son of Eliza Jane Johnson and William S Butler who were married in Morgan Co IL on 29 Oct 1850). Nancy is living with the Butler family on the 1860 Morgan Co IL census as you will have already come across.

Thank you for info. Do you have birthdates of children of McHenry & Nancy? Did McHenry & Margaret have children?

McHenry Johnson's will, Book A p. 168, File #425 gives wife, Nancy, and children --- Agnes Elinore, Nathaniel Gilman, Roxa Ann, Eliza Jane and Charles Henry. Property was in Jacksonville --- Blacksmith shop in west half of lot #76 and lots 15-20 and fractional lots # 20-28, etc. and in Greenvill[e] Bond County Ills on town square house plus lot. A wealthy man!

Journal Courier, Jacksonville, Ill., Aug. 5, 1979, page 19 --- letter from Julia W. Carter, dated October, 1903 ... Miss Spencer's school ... Shall I name a few whom memory recalls most plainly? - ... Ellen Johnson "grown up" indeed, and afterward was Mrs. Cornelius Goltra; her brother Nat Johnson I detested when a school boy and do not remember as a citizen of Jacksonville later; ... and Roxy Johnson, Mrs. Josiah Goram [Gorham] will finish the list. ...

I only know birth dates for two of the children:

Agnes "Ellen" (Johnson/Johnston) Goltra seems to have followed a rather common trait of some females of regressing in age as they grew older. Based on 1850 she is '28' (abt 1822) and is pretty consistant on 1860 with '39' (about 1821), but by 1870 and 1880 has decided she was born about 1825. Her death record and tombstone betray the census dates though. My uncle read the Diamond Grove Cemetery in J'ville and her dates are actually 12 Aug 1820 and passing away 1 Dec 1898.

Yes, I see the different in marriage record of McHenry and Margaret per tombstone date of their assumed daughter...really not all that unheard of as at times in early Morgan couples sometimes had to wait for the district minister to become 'official', and 2) these are transcribed dates performed by volunteers and then typed and typed and retyped sometimes several times...errors happen...rule of thumb, check the actual documents to assure there may not be human error. Agnes's death record on the online transcription states died 2 Dec 1898 at age 79 (she's given in index as Mrs C G Goltra)

So while there seems to be a bit of 'homework' to do on Agnes to clear up rough edges, she is likely the child of McHenry's first wife.

Next area of caution. Find A Grave has a submitted listing for Margaret and gives her death date as '1829'...there is no photo of stone and nothing to indicate how or where this date has been arrived from. Do not consider it an accurrate source of 'proof' unless you actually can document a more reliable primary source or until someone actuals tracks down the stone (if it survives) and performs a factual reading. I suppose there too is also a slim chance of something like a divorce, those not common in that early day. If you suspect something such as that, check courthouse for early civil cases.

And the other child I have a date for is Eliza Jane (Johnson/Johnston) Butler. Her gravestone list her birth as 1829 with her death as 1888. This cemetery work has provided photos of grave. Here is a link to her stone:

http://iowagravestones.org/gs_view.php?id=721902

Last child Charles Henry is a loose figure based only on census records. He repeatedly appears as being born abt 1832. I will assume here it is more likely 1830 to go more in the lines of his father's passing if child is actually listed by name in will. If it states more along the lines the 'unborn child' but then child named in petition to probate will in court , then there is a chance Nancy was with child at time of father's death and child was born shortly after. As to Charles Henry's passing, he got away from me after the 1880 and I did not persue a glance more in depth as to if he made a Iowa State census after the 1880 federal census. So I am not aware of his death date or place.

I have nothing to base a birth date for Nathaniel. Guardianship records may be able to help you on figuring more on Nathaniel. There may also be something in the actual settling of estate of McHenry that perhaps shows who respresented the minor children.

It is exciting to be able to add info. I would still like to find more information on granddaughter of McHenry Johnson, the daughter of Roxana & Josiah Gorham.

Below is info on daughter of McHenry Johnson -

Roxa Ann (Roxana, "Roxy") Johnson born about 1828(1830 and 1850 US Census); married Josiah Gorham 11 May 1848 at Jacksonville, IL (marriage license # 1844 at Morgan County Clerk's Office, also on-line, also 1850 US Census); died 22 Feb 1851 Jacksonville, IL (Abstracted from Guardian's Bonds Book I (21 June 1851 - 14 July 1857), Florence Henderson compiler, Minor Heirs-at-law (Circuit Court Clerk, Morgan County, Illinois, United States:, June, 1978).

McHenry Gorham, son of Roxana & Josiah Gorham, b 10 Dec 1849 at Jacksonville, IL.

? - daughter of Roxana & Josiah Gorham, b @ 1850-51 ... Source: family tradition (I am direct descendent of McHenry Gorham.), obituary - "He had two children, one of whom, Henry Gorham .... his son was appointed conservator"(Old Resident Called - Josiah Gorham of Homer Succumbs - End Hastened by Attack of Paralysis, Champaign Daily News, Champaign, Illinois, 3 February 1908, p. 1. from The Urbana Free Library, Champaign Co Archives., and Biographical Sketch - "The household included two children, who were favored with more than ordinary advantages." ... p. 490(Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Ill.,: Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County (Chicago, Illinois: Chapman Brothers, 1887), pp. 489-490.)


I wonder if Roxana was buried with her family The Johnson's in Diamond Grove Cemetery? I have been to Jacksonville 3 times. Cemetery Office at Diamond Grove was very helpful when I was looking up a different branch of the family.

In 1850 Census McHenry Johnson's widow Nancy lived next to Stephen Gorham.

In 1825 Stephen Gorham lived 1 1/2 miles due west of the Mound. (Source: History of Morgan County, Illinois: Its Past & Present, p. 638.)

In 1848 Nancy's daughter Roxa Anna (Roxana, Roxy) married Stephen's son Josiah. (Source: Josiah Gorham Roxana Johnson, Morgan County, Illinois, United States marriage license, no. 1844 (1848).

Attached is picture of Roxana nee Johnson Gorham

In 1865 Elizabeth Johnson marries Stephen T. Gorham. (Source: History of Morgan County, Illinois: Its Past & Present, p. 662-663.)

Through his son Nathaniel - McHenry Johnson's granddaughter is Elizabeth Johnson.

Through his son John - Stephen Gorham's grandson is Stephen T. Gorham.