In our Spring 1996 issue we told the story of one Warren family - the Lawlers - that moved to Illinois in the l850s. Now comes more information about the family from the Richard G. Lawler Family History Collection, maintained by Lee Anne Rogers Lawler of McHenry, Illinois. In particular we have received several family photos and two letters written by family members in Illinois to their relatives who stayed behind in Warren. Benjamin Moore Lawler (named after his maternal grandfather, Benjamin Moore) was one of nine children born to James Lawler and Rachel Moore Lawler. His father, James, was a schoolteacher for 40 years of his life. Benjamin, born March 28, 1815 in Springdale, attended school and at the age of 18 began a four-year apprenticeship as a mason and plasterer. Like his parents, Benjamin was a member of the Springdale Protestant Methodist Episcopal Church; there he met his future wife, Harriet French. Born on November 13, 1821, Harriet was the daughter of David French Jr. and Margaret Noe. They were married January 16, 1841. Their first and only son, David French Lawler, was born November 21, 1841. There were also three daughters, Laura Lovinia, born January 26, 1844, Mary Elizabeth, born July 20, 1846, and Minerva, born January 27, 1852. By the l850s, emigration westward was considerably safer than it had been in earlier years, but still it was common practice to make these journeys traveling by wagons in groups, usually with other family members and neighbors. In l853 Benjamin's sister, Keziah, and her husband, Jonathan Schureman, left New Jersey for the prairies of Illinois. Benjamin received word from his sister of the vast and rich farm land to be had in Illinois. In l855, preparing to head west, Benjamin sold his land in Warren to his brother, Asa Lawler and his wife, Fanny Eliza Mundy. From what can be determined, a group consisting of Benamin and Harriet Lawler, their four young children, his parents, James and Rachel Moore Lawler, his brother, Ira R. Lawler, his wife's sister, Hetty Jane French (who would later marry Ira), his brother, David Lawler and wife, Elizabeth Shreaves, his sister, Mary Lawler and her husband, Israel McCord, his brother, Michael Lawler and wife Phebe A. Birch, his unmarried brother, John M. Lawler, and his sister, Elizabeth Lawler and her husband, Jacob Smalley, made the 700-mile journey to Illinois together. Their destination, Sand Prairie Township in Green Valley, Illinois, was considered one of the best farming areas in the state. At this time Green Valley was called by its inhabitants "Jersey Farms," due to the large number of settlers from our state. The group arrived in Tazewell County on October 4, 1855. Benjamin bought a 300-acre farm in Sand Prairie; his father, James, purchased land in nearby Dillon Township. He resided with his daughter and son-in-law, Jonathan Schureman, until he could build his home in the following spring of l856. On December 3, 1855, when he was 68 years of age, he wrote to his half-sister, Elizabeth Moore Coddington, and her husband, Archibald: Dear Brother and Sister, we are all well at present and hope these lines may find you all enjoying the same blessing; Rachel has got quite healthy and is jumping about at her work like a young girl, and much pleased with the Country, and says that she would not go back on the old place to live again if M'Gane would give it to her. This is a healthy country; I have not had a sick hour since I came here; and have worked harder than I ever have before in the same time and have stood it first rate for an old man; I have plowed and sowed 74 Acres of wheat which you would call a nice little piece in Jersey; it looks well and Promises a good crop the average crop is from 25 to 30 Bushels per acre I was offered in Cash Seven hundred dollars more for my land than i gave for it but would not take it; I would not take less than twenty five hundred dollars for it now, and dont want to sell it at that; it lies on the main road to Pekin and has on it a Beautiful Building spot; the land is level and the soil is as Black as your hat without a stone or a stump on the whole of it, and will raise beets onions cabbage and sweet potatoes on any part of it better than I ever seen grown in Jersey in your best gardens we have no use for manure at all; the soil is from two to three feet deep I am preparing to Build early in the spring, and want to move in it by the middle of April; we are at Johnathan Schuremans yet and expect to stay there til spring I wish you would come out here and see this Beautiful Country I am certain you would not stay long on that old land in Jersey; there is plenty of land can be bought yet, at reasonable prices, and I dont know any body in Jersey better calculated to settle out here than you are for you have got so much good help in doors and out doors My advise to you is to sell and come on, and Bring your Son in law with you; tell Moor not to get married til he comes out here; there is plenty of Rich Sucker Girls here farming is poor Business in Jersey; and there so much competition in Milling that I should think it is but a small business at best; we have had no letters from any of you since we have been here; we heard of the death of John Coulter, which has made a Sad Breach in the family, and I expect that John Moore will give up all hopes of ever coming out here I wish you to send us a letter soon and let us hear how you all are getting along; I want to hear where Phebe Cochefair, is at present; no more at present but wish to be remembered to all enquiring friends On January 22, 1860, James and Rachel Lawler wrote again, this time to John Moore, her brother, and his wife, Nancy (Hand) Moore: Dear Brother and Sister, we are all well, and hope these lines may find you all enjoying the same Blessing, Rachel enjoys her health very well for one of her age, my health is very good but I am troubled some with the Rheumatics of my knees at times, I am not teaching school this winter but if I live I expect to go at it in the spring you wrote in your last letter that Zebulon Cockefair was very sick,, I am very anxious to hear from him how he is at present, and all the rest of them in Bloomfield Times has been very hard here for the two last years, on account of wheat crops failing but times is getting better we have had good crops of wheat this year and corn never was better; we have raised two thousand bushels of shelled corn this year; it is worth 38 cents per bushel in the ear, wheat is one dollar per bushel, oats 40 cents, Buckwheat 50 cents, Potatoes 50 cents, I begin to think that I am getting old for I am great grandfather to Maryette Schuremans; son; Johns wife has got a daughter about 5 months old it is one of the smartest little pets you ever seen and I expect she will be spoiled as bad as some of your grand children is, for old folks acts foolisher with their grand children than they did with their own children; Azariah Mundy made a short stay in this country, I expect he found that he could not shave the people here as well as he expected; there is smart men here from all parts of the world that can look right through a fellow and tell his meaning; he made a sharp deal with a poor fellow for his farm; he is to have five years to pay for it, but is to fence the whole of it with good fence and set out a large orchard this spring, and build a good house; I think when the five years rolles round that Azariah will get the place back with the improvements I understand John Waldron has moved to Tenisee I would like for you to write in your next letter where I may direct a letter to him I have wrote to Benjamin Moore some months ago but have no answer, please inform me where to direct a letter to him I expect that there has been a great many changes in my old neighborhood since we left Jersey; I would like to hear how little Jimmy Moore gets along whether he is likely to get that money that you spoke about; we would like to hear where Phebe Cochefair is staying and how she is getting along; we have had five or six weeks very cold weather and good sleding but it is getting warmer, we have had very little rain for the last six months and very good roads all the time Johnathan Schureman. has raised this year between three and four thousand bushels of wheat, and five thousand bushels of corn and has carted the most of it to market Please to write soon and let us hear how all our friends are getting along; no more at present but wish to be remembered to all enquiring friends [P.S.] Please excuse bad writing, for my hands are so stiff shaving axehandles that I can hardly write at all [Our thanks to Lee Anne Lawler. Those interested in contacting her are welcome to do so at: 3205 Bretons Drive, McHenry, IL 60050] © Warren Township Historical Society |