User Home Pages: The Descendants of Martin and Ann Leidy of Port Byron, IL

After several months of discovering and searching for ancestors I have decided to post my tree to the web. I hesitated for a long time about doing this because I knew my family records had some sketchy information and wrong dates in them. I did not want to post misinformation and lead anyone astray. Over the past several months I have searched and corrected and searched some more for the correct information. I have scoured the websites, census reports, land records and a few cemeteries and have put together what I believe is an accurate account of what I have uncovered so far. I have found a few cousins I never knew about through my research. And I think I might benefit more now if I go ahead and post this to the web. Perhaps some new cousins will find me!!! I would love to hear from anyone who might have or need information about these families. It's all about sharing, And so my story goes....
My GGGgrandfather, Martin Leidy of Hemlock Township, Columbia County, PA married my GGGgrandmother Nancy "Ann" Waters of Shamokin, Northumberland County, PA on March 29, 1838. They headed west and embarked on a new life in Port Byron, IL. Shortly after the birth of their last child, Eliza Jane Leidy,(my GGgrandmother), Martin drowned in the Mississippi River on June 2, 1848. Nancy "Ann" then married Benjamin Sells and unfortunately will be forever known as Ann Lyda because of a mistake in spelling by the county recorder at the time. If it weren't for my grandmother's bible records I would never have been able figure out that. Thank Heaven for Grandmothers!
And so this family tree is about my grandmother, Ruby Epperson, her heritage, her descendants and the memories she left us.
The Descendants of Martin and Ann Leidy of Port Byron, IL
Updated August 5, 2008
Lisa Anne Freeman
38728 Joyce Ave
Beach Park,Illinois 60099
United States
[email protected]

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Related Files

  • Will of William Waters (5 KB)
    This is the will of Nancy Ann Waters Leidy's father. He died 1838. In his will he validates that Nancy is married to Martin Leidy.This line has been isolated within the context of the will for easier locating.
  • Letter from Philo Bartlett to William Stough (1 KB)
    This is a note from Philo when he returned letters from his mother Mary to her children's families. In the letter he talks about a trip he made in the the 1930's with his sister Jane Bartlett Allen and his nephew Frank Zeigler.
  • Our Story (16 KB)
    This story begins in Pennsylvania with the marriage of Martin and Ann Leidy, in March of 1838. It follows them to the town of Port Byron, Illinois, where Martin tragically drowns in the Mississippi River. Ann marries Benjamin Sells and starts a new life only to be widowed again in 1863. From there, she moves to Kansas with her children and her children's families. The story then follows Ann and Martin's daughter Jennie and her husband David and their life in Kansas. From there, the story leads into David and Jennie's daughter Grace's life. Grace married Francis Marion Beard and raised a family of 10 children. It follows their life in Kansas in the 1880's, to Oregon and back and into Missouri during the early part of the century, and ends in Oklahoma where Francis and Grace are buried side by side.
  • The Life of William L. Leidy (3 KB)
    This is a brief description of William Leidy's life. He was the brother to our Eliza Jane "Jennie" Leidy who married David Stough. This article was written for the Cordova History Book a few years ago.
  • Will Of John Stough Sr. (5 KB)
    1773-1835 (father of John "Henry" Stough )
  • Letters from David Stough to his mother Mary (22 KB)
    These letters were written by David Stough to his mother Mary Frick Stough Bartlett in the the late 1800's. Mary's son Philo (David's half brother) returned the letters to David's son William in the 1930's or 40's. They are currently in the posession of Nancy Martin, granddaughter of William Stough, who so graciously shared them with me.
  • Our Ancestors in the Censuses (95 KB)
    This is a transcription of all the census data obtained from the censuses of our ancestors.
  • The Epperson Ancestor Saga (60 KB)
    Finding my Grandfather's family was a long process covering several years. This article covers how I traced his heritage back to an Epperson family of 1850-1870 Dade and Cedar Counties, Missouri.
  • The Life and Times Of Francis Marion Beard (14 KB)
    I have to give much of the credit for the information about Francis Marion Beard andhis family to Len Beard and Leo Beard and his wife Leita. Leo and Len descend throughFrancis’ and Grace’s first son, Leonard Beard Sr.When Leonard Beard Sr. became sick, he went to live with his son Leo. In the few daysbefore his death, he began talking about Francis Marion Beard and his family and LeitaBeard recorded this information and shared it with the rest of the family. I contactedLeo’s brother Len Jr. who is 82 years old and computer savvy, and he shared theinformation with me along with other family history bits. If anyone else has informationto share, PLEASE DO! Francis has proven to be the most elusive ancestor I have andevery clue is valuable.
  • Will of Paul Leidy (4 KB)
    Paul Leidy of Hemlock Township, Cloumbia County, PA is Martin Leidy's father. Martin is an executor of Paul Leidy's estate.
  • Letters by Lewis M. Leidy (17 KB)
    These letters were written in the 1960's as Lewis Leidy was aging and reminiscing about his early life and what history he knew about the Leidys. Lewis is the son of William L. Leidy who was the son of William "Martin" Leidy and Nancy "Ann" Waters. Lewis L. Leidy lived from 1877 to 1967. These letters were shared with me by Katherine Leidy. The letters have been passed down through her husband's line.
 

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