Elder ABY

                   llinois Marriage Index
ABY, ELDER                           MURPHY, MARY ANN                     STARK       08/17/1848 001/0029

1850 Census, Stark Co., Illinois, Sept 26, 1850, Image 58, Roll M432_129, Page 223
Elder Aby 21  OH   Farmer   $300
Mary A     21   IL
Charles H 1/12  IL

The 1860 Census shows Elder Abey [sic], wife Mary A., and children Mary, Florence A., James D., and Jacob I. living in 1860 Census, West Jersey Twp., Stark, Co., Illinois, 8 Jun 1860, P 26, Image 26
Elder Abey  32  OH
Mary A.         32  OH
Mary F.           9  IL
Florance A.    7  IL
James O.       5  IL
Jacob I.           1  IL

1870 Census, Milbrook, Peoria, Illinois  page 15  Image 14
Elder Aby  43  Oh
Mary A.      42  Oh
Frances     19  IL
Albert         16  IL
James R.   15  IL
Jacob I.       12  IL
Edward S.    6  IL
Rebecca      4  IL
Eliza E.         1  IL

1880 Census, Humbolt Allen, Kansas, FHL Film 1254372 Page 57D
   Elder ABY         Self   M   Male        W   53   PA     PA   PA   Farmer
   Mary A. ABY   Wife   M   Female   W   54   OH    OH   OH   Housekeeper
   Pluma R. ABY   Dau   S   Female     W   13   IL      PA   OH  At Home
   Wilbur ABY      Son Adopted   S   Male        W   8      IL      IL   IL
   Rachel A. ABY Dau Adopted  S   Female     W   8      IL      IL   ENG

1900 Milbrook Peoria, Illinois  ED 83, page 8B  Image 16
Elder Aby  March 1828    72  Wd  PA  PA  PA
Pluma R.   June 1866   33  D  IL  IL  IL
Thurman, Guy H.   Sep 1888  11  IL  IL  IL

1910 Milbrook, Peoria, Illinois, ED 14  Sheet 9A Image 16  (SECOND MARRIAGE???)
Elder Aby  84  M2  M-4  OH  OH  OH
Laura         79  M    M-4  0-0  OH

Marriage 2 Laura STEVENSON b: 19 SEP 1831
Married: 6 JUN 1906 in Illinois

Portrait and Biographical Album of Peoria County, Illinois page 760 and 763

Elder Aby is the proprietor of a farm on section 8, Millbrook township, which when it came into his possession was nothing more than a tract of timber and brush.  He has cleared it, placed it under excellent tillage, and has erected convenient buildings and made of it a valuable piece of property.  By doing this he has also placed himself among the substantial farmers of Peoria County, of which he was a pioneer.
	Mr. Aby is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth taking place in Montgomery County, March 2, 1828.  His parents, Benjamin and Rachel Aby, were also natives of the Keystone State, and his immigrant ancestors are said to have been of German origin.  When he was an infant his father and mother emigrated to Ohio and became pioneers of Richland County, and there he had the misfortune to lose his mother when he was only about two years old.  When he was seven years of age his father removed to Huron County, Ohio, and there remained until early in the 40s, when he again took up his march westward, and crossing the State of Indiana penetrated as far as Stark County in this State, and became a pioneer in what is now known as West Jersey.  Mr. Aby eventually came from there to this county, and spent his remaining days in Millbrook Township, dying here in 1866 at a ripe old age; his name holds a worthy place among those of the study pioneers of Illinois.
	Elder Aby was a stalwart, active youth of about fifteen years when he accompanied his father to this State, of which he has ever since been a resident, and he has had a hand in the pioneer labors of developing the wonderful resources of this part of the Mississippi Valley.  He was the fourth child in his fathers family, and early became self-reliant and helpful, and after coming to Illinois for several years worked as a farm laborer at $8 or $9 a month and his board.  He was prudent and thrifty, and wisely saved his money, and was thus enabled early to marry and establish a home.  In 1865 he located on the southwest quarter of section 9, Millbrook Township, and for several years was busily engaged in farming them.  In 1880 he decided to try life in Kansas, and established himself in Allen County.  He did not like that part of the country as well as Illinois, and returned to the Prairie State well satisfied that he could do better financially here than elsewhere.
	On his return from Kansas Mr. Aby settled on his present farm on section 8, Millbrook Township, and has ever since made his home which is a cozy, comfortable abode, in this pleasant locality.  By dint of downright hard labor, carried on persistently and systematically, he has succeeded in clearing off the brush and timber that was standing on his land when he purchased it, and its eighty acres are now in a fine condition as regards cultivation and improvement and from them he gleans rich harvests.
	In his wife our subject has found a sagacious counselor and an active assistant, who bravely shared his pioneer labors, and the hardships of life in a newly settled country, and is now enjoying with him the fruits of a successful toil.  They joined hands in wedlock August 17, 1848, and to them have come ten children, of whom six survive, namely: Frances, wife of Albert Long, of Knox County; F. Albert, a resident of Allen County, Kansas; James O., living in this county; Jacob I., in Laura; Emma, wife of Richard Bilderbeck (Biederbeck), of Millbrook Township, and Pluma R.
	The maiden name of Mrs. Aby was Mary A. Murphy, and she was born in Ashland County, Ohio, September 11, 1827, to James and Maria (Trickle) Murphy.  Her mother was a native of Maryland.  Her father died before Mrs. Aby was one year old and when she was in her tenth year she came to Illinois with her mother and other members of the family, and her first winter here was spent in Fulton County, near Canton.  The next spring the family went to Stark County, and settled about five miles northeast of Rochester, being among the first settlers of that locality.
	His possessions of those very desirable traits, the economy that spends judiciously and saves wisely, and thrift and native force, have been an important factor in placing our subject on a sound financial basis.  He is a man of strictly moral habits and sound principles, his personal character being such that his fellow citizens regard him with feelings of perfect trust and kindly friendship.  He unites with his neighbors in forwarding all schemes for the improvement of the community socially, religiously and educationally, and has borne an honorable part in carrying on the local government.  For nine years in succession he served creditably as School Director, and for three years was Road Commissioner of Millbrook Township.  His religious views find expression in the faith of the Christian Church, of which he and his wife are active members and cordially unite with their fellow-members in doing the good work for which the society is noted.  Mr. Aby is independent as regards politics, and votes for the man whom he things best fitted for the office without reference to party.


From the Stark County News, Wednesday, 14 December 1910Elder AbyThe funeral services of Elder Aby, a long time resident of Millbrook township, Peoria county, Illinois, were held Friday, the 9th inst. in the Methodist Episcopal church in Elmore. Reverend Fahnestock of West Jersey officiating. His discourse was very impressive. His text being The Master has come. The Elmore choir rendered several selections. The deceased was born in Richland county, Ohio, 2 March 1828 and died at his home in Elmore, 7 December 1910, aged 82 years, 9 months, 5 days. He came to Illinois with his parents when a child, and settled in Stark county, and he has lived here ever since in Stark and Peoria counties, excepting ten months in the state of Kansas.He was united in marriage to Mary Ann Murphy who preceded him to the better land fourteen years ago. To this union were born ten children, four died in infancy and Albert F. the eldest son in 1903. Those surviving their father are: Mary T. Long, Williamsfield, Illinois; James O. Aby, Monica, Illinois; Jacob I. Aby, Laura, Illinois; Emma L Biederbeck, Laura, Illinois; Pluma R. Headley, Toulon, Illinois. One brother is living in Galesburg, Illinois and a half brother in the state of Kansas; two sisters, Prescilla Yelm, Elmore, Illinois and Rebecca Mills, Macomb, Illinois; thirty grandchildren, and thirty-three great grandchildren also survive.Early in life Mr. Aby became a member of the Christian church and remained a true Christian to the end, although being in feeble health from age, he was prevented in late years from participating in the church services as he would have wished.He seemed to be feeling as well as usual and was around to the day of his death, but died without a moments warning.On 6 June 1906, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Lana McCoy, who survives him.

Name of second wife is different could be a misinterpretation of Laura and McCoy could be her married name.

IGI lists Austin A. Aby b. 1871 Millbrook twp., Peoria, Illinoisdied 15 Feb 1872 as a child of Elder Aby and Mary Ann Murphy but I think it is wrong.  All records seem to indicate that they had 10 children.