McWard History via Howard

McWard Family History

(starting with Howard, from the perspective of James McWard)

Howard McWard (Great Grandpa)

Born in Venita Oklahoma on 09/23/1904
Died 06/26/1985
Wife is Julia Irene Dunca, wife worked at First National Bank of Taylorville as well as Bookkeeper at Farmers Grain Coop. Farmers Grain Coop was the grain elevator Howard owned and operated.
When he was born father Richard D. McWard was 34 and his mother Rose Agatha Cashen was 22. Married Julia Irene Duncan in 1931.
Buried in Morrisonville cemetery
Appointed assistant direction of the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 1961 by Governor Otto Kerner.

Julia Irene Duncan (Great Grandma)

Richard D McWard (Great Great Grandpa)

Rose Agatha Cashen (Great Great Grandma)

Robert D McWard (Great Great Great Grandpa)

Born 01/01/1937 Ireland
Died 10/29/1908 in Christian County IL, buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery Sangamon IL.
Immigrated over in 1858 @ 21 years old left behind 48 yr old father. Immigrated from Belfast, Antrim county, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Maragaret McIntosh (Great Great Great Grandma)

Richard McWard (Great Great Great Great Grandpa)

Eliza Wilson McWard (Great Great Greatt Great Grandma)

Peter J Cashen (Great Great Grandpa)

Born on 12/28/1845
Hailed from County Cork, Ireland. Settled down in Morrisonville IL.
Died on 05/30/1909 at age of 63.
Married Ellen Kelley on 03/21/1866 in Springfield IL.
Farm laborer.
Buried @ St. Maurice Cemetery in Morrisonville IL.
Immigrated over in 1852.
Fun fact another Peter Cashen was born on 12/30/1869 and lived in Jacksonville, Morgan co IL but buried in Ricks Township Christian County IL.
Both Peter and Ellen were born during the 1840's. Peter and Ellen were married by Rev. Father Hensie. On their wedding day Peter and Ellen were fording the Sangamon River near Springfield, Illinois, where they had just been married. Ellen's mother Mary Kelly, her sister Mary Anne Kelly Burk wife of James Burk and the Burk's small infant were washed out of the wagon and drowned. Peter grabbed his wife, Ellen by the hair, thus saving her from the same fate which befell her mother, sister and infant child. The couple first lived in Sangamon County (South Fork Township) near Pawnee, Illinois. Later they moved six miles north of Morrisonville, Illinois (Christian County - Bear Creek Township)

Ellen Kelly (Great Great Grandma)

Born 08/28/1848 in County Cork Ireland
Died 09/13/1915 in Morrisonville IL.
Some debate on immigration but immigrated over in 1866 or 1877.
Both Peter and Ellen were born during the 1840's. Peter and Ellen were married by Rev. Father Hensie. On their wedding day Peter and Ellen were fording the Sangamon River near Springfield, Illinois, where they had just been married. Ellen's mother Mary Kelly, her sister Mary Anne Kelly Burk wife of James Burk and the Burk's small infant were washed out of the wagon and drowned. Peter grabbed his wife, Ellen by the hair, thus saving her from the same fate which befell her mother, sister and infant child. The couple first lived in Sangamon County (South Fork Township) near Pawnee, Illinois. Later they moved six miles north of Morrisonville, Illinois (Christian County - Bear Creek Township)

John Kelly (Great Great Great Grandpa)

Elisha Kelley (Great Great Great Great Grandma)

Elisha Kelley (1787-1871) was the first of the family to settle in Sangamon County, probably in spring of 1818. His cabin on banks of Spring Creek has been placed near what is now 4th and Miller St in Springfield IL by researcher Dick Hart.
Elishas father, Henry, and brothers William, John, and Elijah arrived a few years later. Sisters Eleanor (Reavis) and Sally (Greenwalt) also came briefly to county but they owned 3 slaves each and couldn’t keep them in IL for more than 30 days so the sisters and their families quickly moved to Missouri.

John Kelly (Great Great Great Great Grandpa)

First settler in Springfield IL. He built his cabin on the northwest corner of Klein and Jefferson Streets in the spring of 1819. Cabin was used as Sangamon County Courthouse. The Springfield Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution erected a marker on the corner in 1921, but it since has been moved a few blocks west to the entrance of the Willard Ice Revenue Building.
John and his wife Mary were buried on their homestead in what became known as the “Kelley Cemetery” one of the first in the area. In 1865 this small cemetery needed to be moved to make room for road expansion. The 12 bodies, including John and his wife Mary were moved to Oak Ridge Cemetery where they share one grave.
Within a short time six other families joined what became known as the “Kelley Settlement” and within a year 9 cabins stood along spring creek.
A roadside sign in Oak Ridge Cemetery’s Block 2 identifies John Kelley’s burial site (the last name is spelled “Kelly”), as does a simple gravestone several yards north of the sign. The sign and stone, however, more accurately indicate the final resting place of a dozen members of the Kelley family. They originally were buried at the family homestead; the bodies were moved to Oak Ridge in 1865.

The McWard Family