| WILLIAM JOHN TERRY Son of William Terry and Charlotte Clark |
| William John Terry, son of William and Charlotte (Clark) Terry, was born June 2, 1844 in Kent County, England. His early years are recorded in the story of his parents. The family left Kent, England, sailing on the ship American Eagle, and reached New York in 1849. They lived in Milwaukee, WI, while William was a child and then migrated to Macon County, IL. He was also a naturalized citizen. It is said that he fought for the Union, and there is a listing of Wm. J. Terry from Blue Mound, Macon Co. IL Regt. 10. After 1870 he moved to Kansas and married Sarah Miller on 28 Dec. 1876, Sycamore Twp. Montgomery Co., KS. |
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| Click the flag of the 10th Illinois Regiment to read the Adjutant General's report. |
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| By 1870, we find William Terry living with the Michael Hufftath(sp) , farmer in Macon County, Illinois: Terry, William, age 25, male, white, born England, both parents foreign born, Farm laborer This is recorded at the Town of Pleasant View, Macon County Illinois, Enumerated on 17 June 1870, Post Office : South Macon Series M593 Roll 249 page 606 Another census record which may or may not be our William, jr. is from Indiana around 1871. The date of 1870 is marked through and a 1 is written in, so possibly this census was taken February 8, 1871. Indianapolis Madison County, Indiana. Terry, William 26, male, white, works in spoke factory, b. England both parents foreign born Terry, George 23, male, white, works in spoke factory both parents foreign born (Could this be the infant George Terry who was born aboard the American Eagle in 1848 or 49? Also remember that William's father, William Sr. had a carriage shop, and was listed as a "wheelwright". The younger William and George may be taking up the trade. ) |
| MILLER FAMILY Information on William J. Terry's wife Sarah Miller came from "The Annals of Webster County, West Virginia" History of Miller Family, by : Sampson Newton Miller, 1969 Sarah Miller "Sade" (second dau of John Jackson Miller and Diana Mary Harris) b. July 10, 1857 Braxton Co. VA. After the Civil War, many Union sympathizers were not welcome in their own West Virginia communities. The Miller and Griffin families, among others, mi- grated to Missouri and then to Kansas. This LINK is for the Miller's Civil War Story. Nannie Miller, another daughter of John and Diana, married William Terry's brother Samuel. Eventually, both families moved to Oregon, with John and Diana along with them, as well as . Diana's sister, Sarah Harris. Over a period of 70 plus years, John Miller, whose family had been among the first West VA settlers, left that home following a terrible war. He moved from the mountains to the flat land of Kansas, then to the beautiful Oregon coastal areal. He truly lived the song, "from the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean white with foam." |
William John Terry married Sarah Miller on 28 Dec. 1876, Sycamore Twp. Montgomery Co., KS. The 1880 Census of Montgomery Co. Kansas, Sycamore Township Family History film #1254390, T90390, page # 342D Wm. J. TERRY Self Marr. Male White, age 35 ENG Occ. - Farmer Parents b. ENG Sarah J. TERRY Wife Marr. Female, White, age 22 b. WV, Keeps House, Parents b. WV Lottie TERRY Dau S Female W age 9 (incorrect, she would be about 3) b. KS ENG WV Clark M. TERRY Son S Male W 7 mo. KS ENG WV Next door are John J. Miller and wife Diana, (Sarah's parents), with children John W. age 24, b. WVA, and Bell , age one month, b. KS . John W.'s wife Isabel Lay had died in childbirth. A couple of households away we find Sarah Harris , widow, age 66, Diana's mother, and daughter Sarah J. Harris, 26, Diana's sister. 1900 census for Labette Co., KS. Census taken on 7th June 1900 by A.J. Lavett, Enumeration District #116. TERRY, William: Head, White, Marr., B. Jun 1844, Age 56, Married 23 years. Born in England as were both of his parents. He immigrated to US in 1849, has been in US for 51 years and has not been naturalized. [may not be true.] Occupation: Farmer, Rental of home, Farm #82. TERRY, Sarah, Wife, White, Female, B. July 1857, Age 42, Married 23 years. Mother of 7, children six of whom are living. She was born in West Virginia and both of her parents were born in Virginia. TERRY, Lottie R. Daughter, White, Female, Born Dec 1877, 22 years old, Single, Born in Kansas. Parents b. England,/ West Virginia. TERRY, Clark M: Son, White, Male, born Oct 1879, age 20, Single, born Kansas. Occupation - Farm Laborer. TERRY, Carrie B: Daughter, White, Female, Born Nov 1881, age 18, Single, Born Kansas. Occupation: At School. TERRY, Matthew R: Son, White, Male, born Jan 1884, age 16, Single, Born Kansas. Occupation: At School. TERRY, John W: Son, White, Male, Born Sep 1886, age 13, Single, Born Kansas. Occupation at School. TERRY, Woods S: Son, White, Male, Born Sep 1886 13, Single, Born Kansas, Occupation: At School. TERRY, Glenn C: Son, White Male, Born Jan 1891, Age 9, Single, Born Kansas, Occupation: At school. ALSO LISTED WITH THE FAMILY: MILLER, Dianah M: (Mother) White, Female, Born March 1857, Age 63, Married 47 years. Mother of four children, four of whom are still living. Born in Virginia. Both her parents were born in Virginia. No Occupation. HARRIS, Sarah J: (Mother's Sister) White, Female, Born April 1850, Age 46, Single, Born Virginia. Both Parents were born in Virginia - No Occupation listed. Note: Sarah could not read or write. Source: FHL Microfilm #1240383 - 1900 US Census Kansas: Kiowa, Labette, Lane & Leavenworth counties |
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At the same time that the Terry family moved to Montgomery County, Kansas, the Ingalls Family (no relation to Terrys) began their travel by covered wagon across the Mississippi River south through Iowa and Missouri into Kansas Territory where they settled thirteen miles southwest of Independence. Sycamore, home of Terrys and Griffins, is 7 miles north of Independence. Book by Laura Ingalls Wilder, "Little House on the Prairie" recounts their life in this area. Chances are, these families had some contact or at least similar experiences. The Ingalls family did not realize that they were settling on land belonging to the Osage Indians. In 1870, the United States Congress voted to give the Osage $1.25 an acre for their land in Kansas. The Osage accepted the offer, and Pa, Ma, Laura, Mary and baby Carrie watched the long procession of Osage leaving their home to move to a reservation in Oklahoma. We don't know if the Terrys purchased their land in the same way, but their first homes were probably similar to the drawing of the Little House on the Prairie, above. Click the house for more information about the "Little House" Historic site near Independence, Kansas. |
| LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE |
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| "Suddenly, Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." The well-loved book about Kansas and Oz, by L. Frank Baum was written in 1900, about the time the William Terry family moved to Oregon. Maybe they felt that the beautiful Pacific Northwest was the wonderful land of Oz, compared to the flat, tornado stricken plains of Kansas. One Kansas history book says that a John Miller's home was destroyed by tornado in S.E. Kansas. Sarah Terry's father and brother were both named John Miller. |
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| Before 1910, the family had migrated to Oregon where at least two siblings and their families had relocated from Kansas. William J. and Sarah are found in Multnomah County, City of Portland, where William J., age 66, is a House Carpenter. : 1910 Census OR, Multnomah County, Portland, 7 WD 96 Pct. Portland North Hoyt Street; William J. Terry, 66, m. 33 yr. born Eng. Parents born Eng./ Eng. Occup. - House Carpenter Sarah Terry, age 53, bore 7 children, 6 now living, b. WVA Parents b. WVA/ WVA Glenn Terry, son, age 19, b. KS, par. born Eng./ WVA, Occup. - splicer for Power Co. By 1920, William J. Terry is a Nightwatchman at the Indian Reservation in Klamath County. His son, Clark Terry and family are working on this reservation also. 1920 US Census, Klamath County, Klamath Indian Reservation, Oregon Microfilm roll # 1,821,494 (FHL) Enumeration date: 12 January 1920 Supervisor's district Number 9, Enumerator, Gomer Jones Enumeration district number 101 Street number 7-B, Page 659 Dwelling #12, House #12 Terry, William J. Head of Household, Renting home Male, White, Age 75 yrs, Married Year of immigration to US: Unknown Naturalized or alien: Naturalized Year of Naturalization: 1916 Born: England, Parents born England Speaks English Occupation: Night Watchman Working: Yes Terry, Sarah, Wife Female, White, Age: 63 yrs. Married Born: Virginia, Parents born Virginia Speaks English Occupation: None This is a picture of Will and Sade at their 50th wedding anniversary, which would have been in 1926. Will would be about 81 years of age, and Sade about 69. They were married when she was only 19 and he was 33. Descendants of Will and Sarah have provided us with many more pictures which you will find on this page by clicking PHOTOS. Will Terry died March 1, 1931 in Portland OR, and Sarah Miller Terry died there on March 10, 1934. We will continue to search for death record or obituaries around that time. |
| Photograph of Will and Sarah Terry, taken in Cherryvale, Kansas, about 1895. Children, from left: Woods, Matt, Carrie, Clark, Lottie, Glenn. |
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