Kin and Konnections: A Family History Blog

I found a pair of Burwell sisters in the DAR [Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Books] that I believe are my great-great-grandfather John W. Burwell's sisters. From Volume 14, p. 122 (for the year 1896): Miss Nettie B. Burwell ID No. 13326 Born in Illinois Descendant of John Burwell, of New Jersey. Daughter of Moses T. Burwell and Isabella Goodfellow, his wife. Granddaughter of John Burwell and Missouri Thorp, his wife. Gr.-granddaughter of Jonathan Burwell and Mary Comer, his wife. Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of John Burwell and ___ Lyons, his wife. John Burwell turned out in Capt. Stephen Baldwin's company, Col. Sylvanus Seely's regiment of Morris county militia, 1780, at Connecticut Farms, N.J. He died 1825. Mrs. Mary Alice Burwell Burns ID No. 13327 Born in Illinois. Wife of Luther Burns. Descendant of John Burwell. Daughter of Moses T. Burwell and Isabella Goodfellow, his wife. See No 13326. I believe that these women are John W.'s sisters for several reasons:...

Mom was on the familysearch.org site last night and found George Champion's parents: George Champion and Eleanor Ellis. We know it's his parents because it lists the same birthplace [Bristol, England] and birth date [24 February 1840]. No other information was found. Originally published on the MyFamily.com website on 2 July 2000. Edited for clarity. Comments are in brackets.

I spent a few hours this afternoon at the Los Angeles Public Library and found the following book: "The History of McLean County, Illinois," published by William Le Baron, Jr., & Company in Chicago in 1879. It contains a history of Normal Township which I will summarize later. In the business directory under Normal it lists Hiram Baker as a dealer in real estate. George Champion is listed as a dealer in hardware and tinware. On page 831 the biographical sketch of HIRAM BAKER states: "HIRAM BAKER, real estate, Normal; was born near Troy, N. Y., Sept. 27, 1818; son of B. and Lucy (Ives) Baker, who were of English descent. During his early life, he obtained a good business education, laying the foundation for future usefulness. He came to Illinois in 1837, locating in Fulton Co.; then, in 1841, removed to Peoria Co. where he was engaged in real estate some twenty-seven years; in fact, Mr. Baker has been a successful dealer in real estate thus far through life. He has im...