52 Ancestors - An Address with a Story

 I have been participating in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks writing challenge.  The prompt for two weeks ago was "An Adress with a Story". My story is more like a county with the story of 4 Virgin brothers.

The 4 Virgin brothers, George, Kinzey, Abraham, Rezin Virgin came to Mason County, Illinois in about 1837. The brothers traveled from Scioto County Ohio most likely via the National Road by wagon train. They will all settle near what would become Salt Creek Township. The Virgin brothers had spent most of their youth in Greenup County Kentucky which borders the Ohio river across from Scioto County Ohio.

county map of Illinois

Mason County highlighted yellow

George Teagarden Virgin was the oldest brother.  George was born in Pennsylvania in 1798.  George married Alcy Sikes in 1820 in Scioto Ohio. They never had any children. George and Alcy moved to Mason County in 1837. Goerge had purchase 80 acres in 1836 according to Illinois land records. In Mason and Menard County History, George is described as more domestic in nature and a corpulent man with Herculean strength.  Alcy his wife is described as the ambition of the pair.  George had a store house on his property and neighbors would often purchase things from the storehouse as the nearest groceries were 20 miles away in Havana. The storehouse had coffee, sugar, and other kitchen necessities.  The storehouse started as a small 8 x 10 building and eventually grew in a proper storehouse in the town of Hiawatha.  Unfortunately, in 1855, George would take vermin poison on accident.  He would mix up rodent poison and camphor on the mantle when he went to take it during the night, I have written about it before - tragedy. Alcy his wife would live until 1873 when she would succumb to cholera.

Big Grove Cemetery

Mason County, Il

Abram (Abraham) Virgin was in 1801 Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He married Elizabeth "Betsey" Enslow in 1822 in Scioto Ohio. When Abraham moved to Mason County between 1837 and 1839. Land records show that he purchased property in 1839.  Abraham built a log hut in an eastern part of the grove. On the land he raised stock and farmed.  Abraham and Betsey had 6 children. According to local Mason County history in 1853 he was afflicted with a mental malady and was confined to the Insane Asylum in Jacksonville, Illinois. 

The Asylum in Jacksonville had only opened in 1851. However, he recovered and went back to his normal life. Abraham died of Cholera in 1873. Abraham's wife, Betsey, also caught cholera in 1873 and was infirmed bedridden. She lived until 1877.

Big Grove Cemetery

Mason County, Il

Rezin Virgin was born in Pennsylvania in 1803, and he spent his growing up years in Kentucky. He married several times. He first wed Eliza Pool Whitcomb in Scioto Ohio in 1827. This marriage did not to last for whatever reason Eliza goes on to marry another.  In 1837 Rezin settles in Mason County Il.  Rezin goes on to purchase a considerable tract of land on the north side of the grove. He marries the widow of Ephraim Brooner, one of the early settlers of Mason City township.  Their house was a log cabin on the south side of a large pond. He improved the land and later life moved his farm about a mile further northeast.  The history of Mason and Menard County notes that Rezin was a man of great energy but physically weak. The History also notes that he is a peculiar and eccentric person known far and near as Uncle Reze. There are no known children. Rezin died at age 68.

Rezin Virgin's Grave

Big Grove Cemetery

Mason County, IL

The youngest Virgin brother was Kinsey Virgin. Kinsey Virgin is my3rd great grandfather and he was born in 1807 in Pennsylvania. Virgin family ends up in Scioto Ohio.  Kinsey marries Eliza Young in 1831.  Land Records indicate that Kinsey purchased land in Mason County in 1839. Kinsey was to build a log hewed house. He raised livestock and he was enterprising.  However out of his 6 children only one lived to adulthood my second great grandmother, Mary Eliza Virgin. For every child he buried he had a funeral preached ty the "little Baptist preacher", John L Turner of Crane Creek. Kinsey was to die in 1852 and Eliza in 1854. Kinzey was only 45

Find a Grave

Swing Grove Cemetery

Mason County IL