John Heath & Hester Wilson Family
This page is devoted to all of the documents and records collected for the John Heath family. John, the son of Samuel Heath and Mary Rawalt, was born in Milo Twp, Yates County, New York in March 1829 and came to Fulton County, Illinois with his parents in 1836. He lived in Fulton County for the next 20 + years during which he learned to farm and got married. He married Hester Wilson, the daughter of Irish immigrant William S. Wilson and Hester Ramsey in 1852 in Fulton County, IL. Shortly after marriage John and Hester (soon to be known simply as Ester) moved to neighboring Marshall County for a few years. After his mother died, those remaining in Fulton moved to McDonough County with John and Ester joining them in the early 1860s. In late 1868, John and Ester took their family to Butler County Kansas where they lived for the rest of their lives.
In Towanda, John homesteaded 160 acres on which he was granted a patent in 1875. His nickname was 'Sandy John' not because of hair color but rather that he discovered a large deposit of fine-grade sand. He began selling it for use as a construction material. He sold half of his acreage but as with many farmers life was difficult. He began to sell off bits of land as he grew older and he also ran a ferry on the Whitewater River. John suffered a serious accident in 1890 which crushed his legs and some ribs. He was never the same and died in 1892. Ester moved in with daughter Maud but died in 1894. The land they homesteaded in 1869 is still beautiful farm land today.
Federal Census Records : 1860 1870 1880
Federal Agricultural Census Records : 1860 1870 1880
Illinois Census Records : 1865
Kansas State Census Records : 1875 1885
Kansas State Agricultural Census Records : 1875 1885
John Heath and Hester Wilson Marriage Certificate
Towanda Plat Map - This shows the land of John Heath. The Whitewater River runs through his property. He originally was granted 160 acres in 1875 but sold 80 acres to DH Cupp.
Original Survey of Butler County - This was done in 1860. The Heath family moved there in 1869.
John Heath Homestead Application
Johnie Heath Grave Marker - He is the son of John and Esther Heath
John Heath Death Notice - This was published in the Towanda Herald 9 September 1892
(H)Ester Wilson Heath Death Notice
Ester Heath Death in County Records
Probate
Newspaper Articles or Book Excerpts Mentioning John or family
John & Ester Heath's Children (Other than Johnnie and Charley who died young) :
Samuel Parley Jefferson Florence Elta (Ella) William Henry George S Frank Bert & Mary Maud
Updated on 04 July 2021
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