1. Home
  2. >
  3. Rootie’s Website
  4. >
  5. Genealogy
  6. >
  7. Bollen Family

Bollen Family

Thomas Bollen, Sr. was born in 1776 in Virginia and died in 1826. He married Mary Potts on October 2, 1804 in Jefferson, Ohio. She was his second cousin. Their children:

John A. Bollen, Sr. born July 22, 1805 in Guernsey County, Ohio and died January 2, 1888 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. He married March 3, 1831 in Guernsey, Ohio to Sarah Hooks. Sarah was November 16, 1813 in Ohio and died November 1, 1843 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. Their children:

  • Mary Bollen was born in 1831 in Guernsey County, Ohio and died June 12, 1918 in King, Waupaca, Wisconsin. In 1850 she married James Armstrong (1821-1881) and in 1896 she married John H. Walton (1835-1910).
  • John Bollen, Jr. See more information on John’s family below.
  • William Bollen
  • Fletcher Bollen was born July 21, 1841 in Henry County, Illinois and died February 22, 1908. He married Rebecca Stakes (1837-1885). Their children: Nettie, Walter Wesley, and Clarence Leroy Bollen. See pic below.

L to R: Fletcher, Walter Wesley, and Walter Beno Bollen.

Photo courtesy of Walter “Mike” Bollen.

John Sr. married secondly in 1845 to Parmelia Bowman (1817-1896). Parmelia’s first marriage was to Joel Loomis (1816-1844). Their children:

  • George Bollen
  • Heman Bollen
  • Lucretia Bollen married to David Parker. of Seattle.
  • Thomas Bollen, Sr. (See more on his family below)
John Bollen, Jr. (Thomas, John Sr.)

John was born July 16, 1835 in Ohio and died January 14, 1920 in Henry County, Illinois. He married on July 4, 1859 to Caroline Heller, who was born November 12, 1840 in Loraine township, Henry, Illinois and was the daughter of David and Catherine Heller. She died August 3, 1872 in Henry County, Illinois. Their children:

William Richard Bollen born April 13, 1861, married Miss Minnie Phelps. After her death he married Miss Anne Sieben. Their children:

  • Donald Bollen
  • Ralph Bollen
  • Irene Bollen

Sarah Catherine Bollen, born December 2, 1864, married Adam F. Hines, of Phoenix township. They have three children:

  • Floyd B. Bollen
  • Ethel Gertrude Bollen
  • Lois Irene Bollen

John W. Bollen, III born January 13, 1868, married Miss Alice Rapp and lives in Osco township. Their children:

  • Melba Irene Bollen
  • Christine Dorothy Bollen

On September 10, 1873, John married Miss Manada Adams. She was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, September 2, 1849, and is a daughter of Charles and Sarah (Derling) Adams.

From “History of Henry County Illinois” pages 1024-1025:

John Bollen, who to within the last fifteen years was one of the active farmers of Loraine township, and is now living retired in a very pretty home in Geneseo, was born in Ohio July 13, 1835 and is the son of John and Sarah (Hooks) Bollen, both natives of the Buckeye state. The father was born July 22, 1805, and came to Henry county, Illinois, in 1836, securing land in Loraine township. At the time of his advent here wild game of all kinds, but especially deer, abounded, and the Indians were frequent visitors at the white men’s houses. He lived to see these conditions become no more than a memory, for when he died, January 2, 1888, Henry County was well advanced toward the condition it now enjoys. He participated in this progress, for he was a man of public spirit who filled in turn all the offices of his township. When the republican party was organized he joined its ranks and was fired by the discussions that preceded the Civil war. He was twice married. His first wife. Miss Sarah Hooks in her maidenhood was born November 16. 1813. and died November 3, 1843. having borne four children: Mary who married James Armstrong; John, the subject of this sketch; William, who lives in Bayard, Iowa; and Fletcher, who died in February. 1908. Mr. Bolien’s second wife was Mrs. Parmelia Loomis, by whom he also had four children, all living: George, of Orchard. Nebraska ; Heman and Lucretia. twins, the former a resident of Prophetstown, Illinois. and the latter the wife of David Parker of Seattle. Washington; and Thomas, who lives in Nebraska. Mrs. Parmelia Bollen died about ten years ago in Prophetstown, Illinois. John Bollen received his education in the common schools of Henry county He remained with his father on the farm until he was seventeen, when he started in life for himself. For several years he worked at anything that presented itself and then rented land in Loraine township, on which he lived until 1862. when he purchased two hundred and ninety acres in Phenix and Loraine townships. This he still owns, although it presents an appearance much different from the unim­proved tracts he purchased almost fifty years ago. He set to work immediately to make the farm a profitable investment, following a general agriculture and stock raising. In 1894 he decided to abandon the more arduous of his duties and retired to the comfortable house he had purchased. It is situated on North Aldrich street, Geneseo. On the 4th of July, 1859, Mr. Bollen married Miss Caroline Heller, who was born in Loraine township and was a daughter of David and Catherine Heller. She died in August, 1872, survived by three of her four children. William, the eldest, born April 13, 1861, married Miss Minnie Phelps. After her death he married Miss Anne Sieben. He lives in Geneseo and has three children-Donald, Ralph and Irene. Sarah Catherine, born December 2, 1864, became the wife of Adam F. Hines, of Phoenix township. They have three children : Floyd B., Ethel Gertrude and Lois Irene. John W., born January 13, 1868, married Miss Alice Rapp and lives in Osco township. They have two children : Melba Irene and Christine Dorothy. On the loth of September, 1873, Mr. Bollen was united in marriage to Miss Mandana Adams. She was born in Schuyler county, Illinois, September 2, 1849, and is a daughter of Charles and Sarah (Derling) Adams, the former a native of Massachusetts, the latter of Pennsylvania. Mr. Adams came to Illinois in the early ’50s, settling in Henry county, where he lived a few years, until his death, which occurred when Mrs. Bollen was a very young girl, leaving his widow to rear their family of nine children. They were Lucy, the wife of John Logan. both deceased; Emily, deceased, who was the wife of Benson McHenry, and lives in Henry county; Norman, who married Miss Rachel Henniger and lives in Kansas; Stewart, who married Miss Louise Bunn and lives in Leverne, Minnesota; Achsah, the wife of Alvin Lyon, both deceased; Mandana, who is Mrs. Bollen ; Ellen R., deceased, who was the wife of Charles Holmes and lived in Nebraska ; Daniel, who married Miss Fannie Holmes and lives in Belle Plaine, Iowa; and Wilmina, the wife of E. D. Thomas, of Geneseo. Mrs. Adams reared this large family with care and ability and was a devout member of the Methodist church as was her husband. Mr. Bollen is a republican in his political views and has held all the township offices. He belongs to the Methodist church as does his wife, who is a very active woman and has been of great assistance to her husband. Mr. Bollen has managed his own affairs since he was seventeen years of age, and the substantial position he has now attained attests to what excellent principles guided him. He is surrounded by the comforts that contribute to an enjoyable old age and has the respect of his fellow citizens and all who know him.


Sources

Some of the above information was shared by Robin, a John Bollen descendant.

Thomas Bollen, Sr.

Thomas was born in 1776 in Virginia to John Bollen and Parmelia Loomis. He married Mary Potts on October 2, 1804 in Jefferson, Ohio. She was born in February of 1783 in Pennsylvania and died in 1839 in Ohio. She was the daughter of John Potts and Susannah Hibbens. Their children:

John A. Bollen, Sr.

John was born July 22, 1805 in Guernsey County, Ohio and died January 2, 1888 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. He married twice. His first marriage was on March 3, 1831 in Guernsey County, Ohio to Sarah Hooks. Sarah was born November 16, 1813 in Ohio and died November 3, 1843 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. Their children:

  • Mary Bollen was born about 1833 in Ohio. She married twice, first on June 12, 1850 in Henry County, Illinois to James Armstrong (1821-1881). They had at least five children: Richard, Eleanora, Minnie, James Edward and John. She married second to John Walton (1835-1910) on April 15, 1896 in Waupaca, Wisconsin.
  • John Bollen, Jr. was born July 16, 1835 in Ohio and died January 14, 1920 in Henry County, Illinois. He married first to Caroline Heller (1840-1873) and they had three children: William, Sarah Catherine, and John W. Bollen. John married second in September 10, 1873 in Illinois to Mandana Adams (1849-1925).
  • William Bollen
  • Fletcher Bollen was born July 21, 1841 in Henry County, Illinois and died February 22, 1908. He married Rebecca Stakes (1837-1885) and they had three children: Nettie I., Walter Wesley, and Clarence Leroy Bollen. He married second to Hattie Welch Edson and they had one daughter, Blanch Bollen.

John’s second marriage was October 15, 1845 in Whiteside County, Illinois to Parmelia Bowman. Parmelia was born August 4, 1817 in Kingston, Luzerne, Pennsylvania and died April 9, 1896 in Henry County, Illinois. Parmelia’s first marriage was to Joel Loomis in 1837 and they had three sons: Alfred E., John B., and Joseph “Joel” Loomis.

John and Parmelia had three children:

  • George Leland Bollen was born November 24, 1847 in Henderson, Illinois and died April 11, 1921 in Norfolk, Madison, Nebraska. He married Ella Loomis (1851-1935) and they had five children: Clement, Alice Melissa, Florence, Floyd, and Leland Bollen.
  • Heman S. Bollen was born April 20, 1849 in Illinois and died February 24, 1914 in Illinois. He married Minnie H. Winkler (1885-1941) and they had three children: Sadie, Earl C. , and Hazel L. Bollen.
  • Lucretia J. Bollen was born in April 1849 in Illinois and died December 27, 1921 in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California. She married David L. Parker (1843-1923).
  • Thomas Jefferson Bollen was born August 18, 1852 in Henry County, Illinois and died June 2, 1921 in Laurel, Cedar, Nebraska. He married February 7, 1876 in Henry County, Illinois to Rosena Katharine “Katie” Goreth (1857-1888) and had five children: Bertha C., Wilber Roy, Maude B., Lenora, and Eugene R. Bollen.
  • Lewis Bollen died young.
Thomas S. Bollen, Jr.

Thomas Jr. was born December 13, 1813 in Jefferson/Harrison County, Ohio and died November 3, 1896 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. He married first on August 4, 1836 in Muskingum, Ohio to Mary Ann Davis. Mary Ann was born March 17, 1818 in Virginia and died November 25, 1842 in Henry County, Illinois.

Thomas headed West during the gold rush and was said to have been there when they drove the golden spike.

Thomas and Mary Ann had three children:

  • Julia Ann Bollen was born September 7, 1837 and died October 15, 1918 in Walla Walla, Washington. Never married.
  • William Thomas Bollen was born April 2, 1839.
  • Mary Ann Bolen was born October 30, 1842 in Illinois and died March 4, 1867 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. She married October 18, 1857 in Henry County, Illinois to S.H. Cain.

Thomas Jr. married secondly to Lydia Potts on September 16, 1844 in Jefferson, Ohio. Lydia was born September 28, 1807 in Jefferson, Ohio and died June 2, 1892 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois. Lydia married first to John Cain. See more about the Cain/Kane family below. Their children:

Thomas and Lydia’s children:

Washington Rhodes (Rhoads) Bollen

Washington Rhodes Bolen/Bollen was born December 29, 1845 in Henry County, Illinois and died May 17, 1926 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. Washington married April 9, 1872 in Henry County, Illinois to Mary Brittain who was born in 1853 in Illinois and died April 2, 1892 in Nebraska.

Washington and Mary’s children:

  • George Washington Bollen was born March 4, 1874 and died March 24, 1927. He married in 1908 to Gertrude Malinda Walker and they had 5 children.
  • Marion Ernest Bollen, Rev. was born June 5, 1876 in Henry County, Illinois and died in 1947 in Seattle, King, Washington. He married Harriett Suzanne Prest (1875-1976) and had 6 children.
  • Lydia Ethyl Bollen was born February 1, 1879 in Genesee, Whiteside, Illinois and died August 24, 1936 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. She married July 18, 1902 in Jesse F. Bartlett (1876-1944). They had 2 children.
  • Emma Harriet Bollen was born December 8, 1883 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died March 11, 1937 in Port Angeles, Clallam, Washington. She married July 15, 1909 in Waterville, Douglas, Washington to William Harry Johns (1888-1980). They had 5 children.
  • Hilda Imogene Bollen was born in May of 1887 in Nebraska (or Washington?) and died May 31, 1950 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. She married Joseph Levi Smith (1880-1947). They had 3 children.
  • Lillis Iantha Bollen was born Sep 1889 and died November 25, 1954 in Wilbur, Lincoln, Washington. She married on June 25, 1915 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington to Louis Joseph Bowen (1887–1954). They had 5 children.
  • Mary Irene Bollen was born January 25, 1892 and died April 1, 1892 probably in Washington.
  • Wilbur Bollen

Lydia J. Bollen

Lydia was born May 2, 1848 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died December 8, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois. She is buried with Elias with her maiden name on the stone in Kemmis Cemetery in Henry County, Illinois. She married first on January 1, 1866 at Morrison, Whiteside, Illinois to Elias Clifton. Elias was born November 14, 1839 in Montgomery, Indiana and died April 6, 1876 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois.

Their children:

  • Gertrude Clifton born August 10, 1866 Sharon, Henry, Illinois, died August 11, 1866.
  • Clarissa Clifton born March 17, 1867 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died March 17, 1871.
  • Thomas E. Clifton born February 22, 1869 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died June 4, 1896.
  • Pearl Clifton born December 28, 1871 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died August 29, 1872.
  • Myrtle R. Clifton (Myrtle was the only surviving child from this marriage)
Myrtle R. Clifton

Myrtle was born January 26, 1874 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died July 5, 1949 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois. She married October 1, 1889 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois to Frederic Horace Cole (1870-1933. Myrtle married May 22, 1905 in Davenport, Scott, Iowa to Daniel Considine (1867-1932).

Myrtle, Ruth, Rena Clifton

Myrtle and Fred Cole had two daughters:

Ruth Naomi Cole was born October 28 1890 in Prophetstown, Whiteside County, Illinois and died March 17, 1966 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois. She married on January 8, 1912 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois to James Reginald Sullivan (1887-1942). Their children:

  • John Cole Sullivan was born December 12, 1913 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois and died August 10, 1976 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois. He married Ruth Phyllis Morehead (1915-1992). They had two sons.
  • James Edward Sullivan was born August 7, 1916 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois and died January 1985 in Clinton, Clinton, Iowa. He married Shirley Jean Gates (1920-2004) and they had one daughter.
  • Hugh William Sullivan was born July 12, 1918 in Savanna, Carroll, Illinois and died March 28, 1980 in Missoula, Missoula, Montana. He married Patricia Pelikan.
  • Twins Sullivan (died young)

Rena Cole was born October 5, 1892 in Prophetstown, Whiteside County, Illinois died July 13, 1916 in Savanna, Carroll County, Illinois.

After Elias Clifton’s death, Lydia married Fayette Martin on March 18, 1880 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois. They had two daughters. See more about their family>>>

Nancy Rosetta Bolen

Nancy was born August 28, 1850 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois and died in 1904. She married May 5, 1867 at Loraine, Henry County, Illinois to (Phillip) Edward Somers. He was born July 25, 1846 at Portland, Henry, Illinois and died July 13, 1937 in Geneseo Township, Henry, Illinois. Edward was a Civil War Vet having served in Co F, 9th Regiment, Cavalry, Illinois. After Nancy’s death, Edward married Mary A. Green.

The name is spelled Somers and Sommers depending on the record.)

Their children (all born in Loraine, Henry, Illinois):

Cora Janette Sommers born March 1868 and died April 4, 1953 in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois. She doesn’t appear to have married.

Frederick William Sommers born December 9, 1869 in Spring Creek, Henry County, Illinois and died in July 25, 1964 in Ennis, Madison, Montana. He married June 1, 1910 in Twin Bridges, Madison, Montana to Gertrude May Thornton (1879-1919). They had one son, Jack L Sommers (1917-2007). Write up from findagrave.com: Fred came to Twin Bridges in 1890 from Lorraine Township, Illinois. He was hired as a horse trainer at the Armston Ranch (now the Bayer Ranch). His job was caring for the mare that foaled Spokane, the Kentucky Derby Winner in 1889.We then worked as a hoisting engineer at the mines in Rochester. Then he worked on the dredges at Alder Gulch. In 1898, he became a carpenter-contractor and he built numerous buildings in the Twin Bridges area. This is the job he kept for the next 60 years. Fred married Gertrude Willett Thornton June 1, 1910 in Twin Bridges.

Francis (Frank) Roy Sommers born October 1, 1872 and died June 18, 1948. He married May 7, 1894 in Henry County, Illinois to Ethel Kempster (1874-1909). He married on August 30, 1919 to Mrs. Lottie Miller Johnson in Davenport, Scott, Iowa. In 1940 he married Sadie Byrd in Moline, Illinois.

John Anderson Sommers born January 17, 1875 and died October 20, 1968 in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois. He married September 2, 1907 In Clinton, Clinton, Iowa to Ida Luella Cherry (1883-1987). They lived in Moline, Rock Island, Illinois. John was a veteran of Company I, Regiment 70 Illinois. They had one son: Kenneth born 1920.

Emma Lutitia Sommers born about 1875 married November 30, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois to William A. Mazingo (Mozingo).

Bernard Edward Sommers born July 13, 1878 in Loraine, Henry, Illinois and died April 14, 1963. He married November 30, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois to Elsie M. M. Clapper. Elsie died in 1903. They had one child Myrna I. Sommers (1900-1902). After Elsie’s death, he married second to Maud E. Pomeroy on October 24, 1906 in Davenport, Scott, Illinois. She died April 9, 1954. They had one son, Stanley O. Sommers (1918-1979)

Harriet (Hattie) Irene Sommers born August 30, 1883 in Spring Hill, Whiteside, Illinois and died March 28, 1968 probably in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois. She married January 17, 1906 in Henry County to Frank Brokaw (1880-1947). Their children:

  • Charles A. Brokaw (1907-1991)
  • Rosetta Edith Brokaw (1910-2004)
  • Alice Lorane Brokaw (1912-1978)
  • Faye Irene Brokaw Shippee (1919-2002)*

Edith Lydia Sommers born January 7, 1889 in Loraine, Henry, Illinois and died April 13, 1988 in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois. She married in February 3, 1923 in Naperville, Illinois to Fred P. Weber (1888-1975).

Elmer Clifton Sommers born February 4, 1899 in Henry County, Illinois and died October 21, 1986 in Nebraska. He married June 4, 1922 in Henry County, Illinois to Claretta Buella Williamson (1902-1958). They had at least one son, Edward Dean Sommers (1924-1980)

The biographical sketch below shows a different line up of children. (Cora, Frederick, Frank, John, Bernard, Lutitia and Hattie.) I built the family above from several censuses. They must have farmed the children out to other farms here and there as the children do not always show up on the Somer’s household census. Also, the name can be shown as Sommers or Summers.

Francis Summers was born in 1820 in Germany. His wife, Catherine was born in 1836 in Pennsylvania. They had 5 children by the 1860 census: Edward, Sarah E., Peter O., Francis R., and Catherine M.

At the Oakwood Cemetery in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois there is an infant buried with 1916 as the death date.

From “Whiteside County Biographical Sketches”, page 384

Edward Somers, farmer, section 27, Portland Township, cultivating the Youngs farm, which comprises 197 acres, is a son of Frank and Mary (Baker) Somers, and was born July 25, 1846 in Portland Township, this county. His father, a farmer, was a native of Pennsylvania. his parents came to this western country in 1836, and were therefore among the earliest settlers here. His mother died when he was very young, and his father again married, and now resides in Kansas. Of the four children of his mother three are living, namely: Sarah, who is the wife of Edward Ott, a farmer in Kansas; Peter, a farmer.

The subject of this sketch is the oldest of the children, and remained at his parental home until he was 18 years of age, when he was employed by the month, and then took a rented farm, which he cultivated for a time. In 1882 he bought a farm of 120 acres in Portland Township, kept it a year, and then sold and rented his present farm of 197 acres.

He was married in Loraine Township, Henry Co., Ill., May 5, 1867, to Miss Nancy Bollen, daughter of Thomas and Lydia Bollen. She was born in that township in August, 1850. They have seven children: Cora, Frederick, Frank, John, Bernard, Lutitia and Hattie.

Double Cousins

Thomas Bollen, Jr. was the son of Thomas Bollen Sr. and Mary Potts. Mary was the daughter of John Potts. John Potts was the brother of Jonathan Potts who was Lydia’s father. This makes Thomas and Lydia second cousins. See Potts family>>>

Henry County Biographical Sketches-pages 522, 523 for Thomas Bollen, Jr.

Thomas Bolen, a pioneer of the township of Loraine, in which he has been a resident since 1857, without intermission, was born in Jefferson, Co., Ohio, December 13,1813. He is the son of Thomas Bolen. His parents were natives of Virginia and early settlers in the State of Ohio. His mother died when he was but three years old, and he was soon provided with a step-mother by the second marriage of his father. Mr. Bolen remained in the county in which he was born until he was 13, when his father died. He then went to Guernsey County, in that State, and was a member of the family of his uncle two years. He was then 15, and took the control of his own fortunes into his own hands. When he was a year older he apprenticed himself to a gunsmith at Centerville, Carroll Co., Ohio, when he had acquired a complete knowledge of the business he operated as a journeyman, and worked in various cities in the United States, until 1840,when he came to Henry County for the first time. He entered land on section 7, in the township of Loraine, which was then designated by the figures which marked its position on the charts of the Government officials. He cut logs, built a cabin, which he covered with clapboards and obtained lumber from Whiteside County to finish it. After four or five years he built a blacksmith shop, and opened a business in that line for the accommodation of his neighbors, and it proved a benefit to the community as well as a material means of good to himself. In the spring of 1850 he set out at the head of a party who desired to cross the plains to California. They left Henry County on the first of April of the year named, and went to Council Bluffs. They left there May 1st, and arrived at Georgetown August 2d following. Mr. Bolen found no difficulty in obtaining work at his trade, which he followed there two years. He operated as a gunsmith and as a blacksmith. He returned in 1852 to Henry County, coming back by the way of the Isthmus. In 1854 he went back to California, and, remembering the comforts of his route of return to the East, he went there by the same. He opened a shop at Georgetown and transacted a thriving business, furnishing the interior establishments with materials. In 1855 he was made Deputy Sheriff of the place where he resided, and he served in that position nearly three years. He resigned in order to return to Henry County, which he did in the year named, and he has since been a permanent resident of his farm. He has worked at the business of a blacksmith 20 years, and gunsmith 40 years, in all about 60 years, and has hired the work of his farm done by others who made farming their calling. He is the present owner of 120 acres. At one time he was the proprietor of 200 acres, but he sold a portion as he had more than he could manage to good advantage. He is the owner of a tract of land containing 160 acres, in York Co., Neb. He has held the office of Constable several years, and has also officiated as School Director.

Mr. Bolen has been married twice. He was united in matrimony with Mary A. Davis in 1832. She was a native of Virginia, and died after giving birth to three children. Only one survives: Julia A. lives in Nebraska. In 1844, Mr. Bolen was married to Lydia Potts. They have had three children: Lydia is the wife of Fayette Martin, of Whiteside County. Nancy married Edward Somers, and they reside in Whiteside County. Washington R., the oldest lives on the homestead.

Henry County Biographical Sketches for John A. Bollen

John A Bollen was born July 22, 1805 in Ohio, the son of Thomas and Mary (Potts) Bollen, and came to Henry county, Illinois, in 1836, securing land in Loraine township. At the time of his advent here wild game of all kinds, but especially deer, abounded, and the Indians were frequent visitors at the white men’s houses. He lived to see these conditions become no more than a memory, for when he died, January 2, 1888, Henry county was well advanced toward the condition it now enjoys.
He participated in this progress, for he was a man of public spirit who filled in turn all the offices of his township. When the republican party was or­ganized he joined its ranks and was fired by the discussions that preceded the Civil war. He was twice married.

His first wife. Miss Sarah Hooks in her maidenhood was born November 16, 1813 and died November 3, 1843 having borne four children: Mary, who married James Armstrong; John; William, who lives in Bayard, Iowa; and Fletcher, who died in February. 1908.

Mr. Bollen’s second wife was Mrs. Parmelia Loomis, by whom he also had five children, living: George, of Orchard. Nebraska; Heman and Lucretia, twins, the former a resident of Prophetstown, Illinois, and the latter the wife of David Parker of Seattle, Washington; Thomas, who lives in Nebraska, and Lewis deceased.

Allied Families

See more on Potts family>>>

Clifton

I am in possession of the Clifton family bible and it looks to be dated about 1866. There is a marriage certificate for Lydia Bolen and Elias Clifton as well as four pages of births and deaths. There is a small note from Lydia to her sister, Nancy. It is difficult to read. On the back it records the birth and death of a child, Mary Irene Bollen as well as another Mary Bolen. Since Elias died young and Lydia remarried to Fayette Martin, there is a combination of Bolen, Clifton, and Martin dates recorded.

Clement Clifton was born in 1794 in Delaware and died in 1857 in Illinois. He married Susan Huckleberry in Indiana and they had Elias B. Clifton. Clement married second to Verlinda Allsup.

Elias B. Clifton was born November 14, 1839 in Montgomery, Indiana and died April 6, 1876 in Sharon, Henry, Illinois. He married first on November 3, 1859 in Rock Island, Illinois to Eunice Jane Sturtevant (1844-1860). After her death he married January 1, 1866 in Morrison, Whiteside, Illinois to Lydia J. Bollen. (See above)

Bollen/Clifton Bible
Martin Bible Marriages
Martin Bible Marriages
Martin Bible Births
Martin Bible Births
Martin Bible Deaths
Martin Bible Deaths
Somers/Sommers

“Edward” was born July 25, 1846 at Portland, Henry County, and died July 13, 1937 in Geneseo Township, Henry, Illinois. Edward was a Civil War vet having served in Co F, 9th Regiment, Cavalry, Illinois. After Nancy’s death, it appears that Edward remarried to a woman named Mary A. She may have brought one child to the marriage — Lillian Brown.

The biographical sketch below shows a different line up of children. (Cora, Frederick, Frank, John, Bernard, Lutitia and Hattie.) I built the family above from several censuses. They must have farmed the children out to other farms here and there as the children do not always show up on the Somer’s household census. Also, the name can be shown as Sommers or Summers.

Francis Summers was born in 1820 in Germany. His wife, Catherine was born in 1836 in Pennsylvanie. They had 5 children by the 1860 census: Edward, Sarah E., Peter O., Francis R., and Catherin M.

At the Oakwood Cemetery in Geneseo, Henry, Illinois there is an infant buried with 1916 as the deathdate.


From “Whiteside County Biographical Sketches”, page 384:

Edward Somers, farmer, section 27, Portland Township, cultivating the Youngs farm, which comprises 197 acres, is a son of Frank and Mary (Baker) Somers, and was born July 25, 1846 in Portland Township, this county. His father, a farmer, was a native of Pennsylvania. his parents came to this western country in 1836, and were therefore among the earliest settlers here. His mother died when he was very young, and his father again married, and now resides in Kansas. Of the four children of his mother three are living, namely: Sarah, who is the wife of Edward Ott, a farmer in Kansas; Peter, a farmer.

The subject of this sketch is the oldest of the children, and remained at his parental home until he was 18 years of age, when he was employed by the month, and then took a rented farm, which he cultivated for a time. In 1882 he bought a farm of 120 acres in Portland Township, kept it a year, and then sold and rented his present farm of 197 acres.

He was married in Loraine Township, Henry Co., Ill., May 5, 1867, to Miss Nancy Bollen, daughter of Thomas and Lydia Bollen. She was born in that township in August, 1850. They have seven children: Cora, Frederick, Frank, John, Bernard, Lutitia and Hattie.

Cain/Kain Family

Jacob Kain was married to Elay Seffrey, probably in Pennsylvania. After his death she married Joseph Henderson and had an additional five children. They had five children:

  • Jacob Kain was born in October 1797 in Pennsylvania.
  • Agnes Kain was born August 13,1799.
  • John Kain was born May 31, 1801 and died before 1844. He married November 25, 1824 in Jefferson, Harrison, Ohio to Lydia Potts. See below.
  • Sarah Kain was born August 4, 1803 in Pennsylvania.
  • Mary Kain was born June 22, 1805 in Pennsylvania.

John Cain (Kain) born 1801 married on November 25, 1824 in Jefferson, Ohio to Lydia Potts. Lydia Potts, the daughter of Jonathan Potts and Elizabeth English was born on September 28, 1807 in Jefferson, Harrison, Ohio and died June 2, 1892 at the home of her daughter, Lydia (Fayette) Martin Spring Hill, Henry, Illinois. Lydia and Children of John and Lydia:

  • Jacob Kain born September 15, 1825 in Ohio.
  • Jonathan Kain born September 21, 1827 in Ohio.
  • William Hunter Kain born November 14, 1829 in Ohio.
  • Elizabeth Kain born September 14, 1831 in Ohio.
  • Samuel Potts Kain born October 10, 1833 in Ohio and died January 22, 1891 in Ohio.
  • Joshua Potts Kain born July 12, 1835 in Ohio.
  • Maryann Kain born August 13, 1837 in Ohio.
  • Henry Lewis Washington Kain born March 8, 1839 in Ohio.
  • James Lucian Beebout Kain born March 29, 1841 in Ohio.
  • Julia Kain (not sure about this one)

After John Cain died and Lydia took her second cousin, Thomas Bollen as her husband. Cousin and multiple marriages were not uncommon in those days. Lydia had a large family of ten children when John Kain died. Lydia was Thomas Bolen’s second wife. Surprisingly, even after having 10 children with Kain, Lydia and Thomas had three children. Thomas had three children from his previous married to Mary Ann Davis. So, between the two of them they had about 16 children!

Cain-Potts Family Bible

This scan is of one page of the four pages in the register of the Bible that Harriet (Prest) Bollen, directed to be left to Mary Laura Bollen (Middleton). Harriet identified the Bible as being “Daddy’s” (Harriet’s husband, Marion Ernest Bollen’s) grandfather who was Thomas Bollen. Taking the four pages of the Family Register of the Bible in context it seems more likely that it was the Bible of Liddia (Lydia and Lidia) Potts or her first husband John Kain. Information is recorded about the Kain-Potts, Bollen-Potts and Bollen-Davis marriages.

The text from the top left hand column down and then from the top right hand column down is:
Ages
John Kain was born May the 31 1801
Liddia Potts was born September the 28 1807
Jocob Kain son of John and Liddia Kain was born September the 15 1825
Jonathen Kain was born September the 21 – 1827
William Hunter Kain was born November the 14, 1829
Ealey Elis Kain was born September the 14 – 1831
Samuel Potts Kain was born October the 10 – 1833

Joshua Potts Kain was born July 12th 1835
Maryann Kain was born August 13th 1837
Henry Lewis Washington Kain was born March 8th, 1839
Kain was Born March 29 1841
James Lucian Beebout Cain born March 29th 1841
The last entry is in a different hand writing and looks like the signature of James because of the decorative accent under the writing. The entry just above it has a space before Kain; It could have been a twin of James or James himself may have erased the name and then changed his last name to Cain on the last entry.

Sources

Illinois Ancestors Bollen Database retrieved from http://www.illinoisancestors.org/henry/bollendatabase.html

Clifton-Bolen Family Bible (in the possession of Ruth Ellis)-see Clifton family tab above.

Kain-Potts-Bollen Family Bible in the possession of Mary Laura Bollen (Middleton).

Personal research done by Cora Pearl Glass Sand, granddaughter of Lydia Bollen Martin.

Bolin/Potts Family Bible in the possession of Charles J. Workman, Jr.

The above information was shared by Robin, a John Bollen descendant.

Last Updated on September 8, 2024 by rootie

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *