Forsythe Family Network

"William Clendenon (note spelling) was a brother of my Benjamin Bradford (the note you picked up says Benjamin was the grandson of William and Ester and that is wrong). William C. was born 3 Apr 1837 (not 1836). William C. came back to Illinois at age 50 after he had gone West to lead wagon trains and prospect for gold. Two other brothers also went West. At age 50 he married Dorthula Snedeker 26 Dec 1877 (there is an age discrepencey here) Clark County and they had 3 children: Ora born 26 Oct 1878, Ophia born 12 Jul 1880 and another unknown name."

[Betty Jean Norman: 2/2005]
Note: Betty is the second great granddaughter of Benjamin Bradford ]

http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=damonmaine&id=I2904

ID: I2904
Name: William Clendenon FORSYTHE
Sex: M
Birth: 3 APR 1837 in ,Clarke,IL
Death: 31 JUL 1904 in ,,,IL prob
Note: AFN:
Note:
!email apr 2004 from descendant bernice hufnagle Herndon niceherndon (at)
aol.com ;
Note:
!SOURCES: W.H. FORSYTH 1902-1988 Forsyth Family History 1985
LDS FHC microfilm #1421585 -- item 5
film nos. for related W H FORSYTH publications:
1036058 item 5, 1321163 item 9, 1466000 item 12;
This compilation 1994, by Warren Louis Forsythe, Box 1299,Ellensburg,
WA, 98926 and Edward Forsyth, 54 Beattie Ave, Lockport, NY, 14094
Sect 13-3, page 1;

Father: William B FORSYTHE b: 28 NOV 1800 in ,Butler,KY
Mother: Esther Hetty Ashman ASHMORE b: 19 MAR 1801 in (butler co KY),,TN,East TN

Marriage 1 Darthulia SNEDEKER b: ABT 1837 in ,,,IL maybe
Married: 26 DEC 1857
Children
Ora FORSYTHE b: 26 OCT 1878 in ,,,IL prob
Wade Valentine FORSYTHE b: ABT 1873 in ,,,IL prob
Ophia FORSYTHE b: 12 JUL 1880 in ,,,IL prob

vii. WILLIAM CLENDENON FORSYTHE, b. April 3, 1837, Clark County, Illinois; d. July 31, 1904, Clark County, Illinois.

106. WILLIAM CLENDENON FORSYTHE (1837-1904) (William, Joseph, Robert, James)

William Clendenon (Clem) Forsythe was born 3 April 1837 in Clark County, Illinois the son of William and Esther Hetty (Ashmore) Forsythe.

He led quite an interesting life. Following is a sketch that was written many years ago:

"W.C. Forsythe, farmer (post office McKeen) is the son of William and Esther Forsythe, the father a native of Butler County, Kentucky was born in the year 1800, raised to manhood in his native state and married Miss Esther Ashmore. She is a native of East Tennessee and is still living. The father died in 1867. They came to Clark County from Kentucky about 1823, and first made settlement on Big Creek, but soon after removed to land which they entered in the northeastern part of Douglas Township. Upon the old Forsythe farm it is said that no one has ever died an ordinary death from sickness owing probably to the healthy property of the spring water which abounds.

“The Forsythe family consists of ten children, of whom none died under the age of 45 years and of whom eight are still living. When W.C. Forsythe was fifteen years old, he in company with his brother Samuel H. crossed the plains to California. They walked all the way, driving oxen teams to Salt Lake City where they bought a pack mule and mining outfit and went to California. He remained in California from 1854 to 1865, when he went to Montana and made a residence of eight years. He was then two years in Texas, after which he returned home to remain having been absent from the scenes of his boyhood for twenty one years. He married Darthulia Nichols, widow of James Nichols, and daughter of Peter Snedeker. She was born in Ohio 20January 1854. She had one child as a result of her first marriage, Fairy Nichols, born 25 October 1872.

"Mr. Forsythe is engaged in mixed husbandry, and owned a farm of 160 acres, five miles northeast of Marshall."

A short time before his death in 1904, he wrote a short sketch concerning his trip to California:

"I crossed the plains in 1854 about a half a hundred years ago. .Buffaloes and Indians roamed the plains undisturbed. Many were the dangers and hardships we endured on that California trail. At night we would roll up in our blankets and lie down on the cold ground to sleep and to dream of comfortable homes that we had left, while about us sounded the cries of wild coyotes and wilder men. The first man to die in our company was our brave and noble wagonmaster John Riley. We wrote a letter to his dear young wife and sent it back by the pony dispatch, sending her the news of his death and that he lay buried by the South Platte. For many days and weeks we trailed up the dreaded South and North Platte and then crossed over the lofty Rockies and the snow capped Wasatch. About the first of August our company reached the Mormon settlement on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. After a few days rest we again turned our faces to the westward and wound our weary way across the alkaliplains and sandy deserts. It was the month of October when we reached the land of gold. There my brother Samuel and I met our brother Joseph and there we spent many long weeks seeking to realize the golden dreams of ambition just a half a hundred years ago."

He married Mrs. Darthula Snedeker Nicholas, 26 Dec 1877, in Clark County, Illinois. She was born 24 January 1854.

He passed away 31 July 1904 in Clark County, Illinois and was laid to rest at Forsythe Cemetery. He had the following family:

365. Ora, b. 26 Oct 1878

366. Wade Valentine, b. 14 Feb 1884, d. 22 Aug 1956

367. Ophia, b. 11 July 1880

1880 FEDERAL CENSUS, CLARK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

William C. Forsythe Head W M 42 Farmer IL KY TN

Dartha “ Wife W F 21 OH OH OH

Oro “ Dau W F 1 IL IL OH

Fairy Nichols Sdau W F 7 IL IL OH

Volume 45; ED 43; Sheet 44; Line 12; Wabash Twp; #408/407

1900 FEDERAL CENSUS, CLARK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

William C. Forsythe Head W M Apr 1837 63 Md-22 Farmer IL KY TN

Darthula “ Wife W F Jan 1854 46 Md-22 4-4 OH OH OH

Ophia “ Dau W F Jul 1879 20 S IL IL OH

Wade “ Son W M Feb 1885 15 S IL IL OH

Peter Snedecker FIL W M May 1820 79 Wd Retired Farmer OH VA OH

Perry Leach Boar W M Jun 1844 55 Wd Farm Labor PA VA PA

ED 15; Sheet 2A; Line 9; Wabash Twp; #22/22

April 15, 1896 Newspaper announcement:

At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clem Forsythe in Wabash township at 8 o'clock on Wednesday evening, April 8, occurred the marriage of their daughter, Fairy L. Nickles, to R. A. Gobert, of Oakland, Ill. None but the close relatives were present. The short and beautiful ceremony was performed by Rev. Gibbs of Marshall.

After congratulations an elegent supper was served. The bride is a highly accomplished lady who deserves the best of husbands. The groom is a prosperous young farmer of Coles county. They received many nice and useful presents.

They will soon go to housekeeping where the groom has a lovely home furnished near Oakland. We extend heartiest congratulations.