We have evidence of at least two, and probably more men named John RANBARGER, living in Lawrence County Illinois starting about 1831. The RANBARGER family, that I have been tracing, came from Bullitt County Kentucky where at least three sons of Daniel RANBARGER were born. Some of the RANBARGER family stayed in Bullitt County where Daniel's father, Henry, died about 1821 and one son, William, died about 1846. The land records for Lawrence County, Illinois show that one John RANBARGER, believed to be John William (1790-1851), purchased 70.3 acres of land in Lawrence County Illinois on 9 Aug 1831, paying $87.88. Daniel RANBARGER purchased 80 acres, on the same date, for $100. This is the earliest record that we have of the RANBARGER family in Lawrence County Illinois. This same page of the land records, shows land purchases by George and Robert RANBARGER as well as another purchase of 70.9 acres by John on 3 Sept. 1831.
The 80 acres of farm land, that Daniel purchased, was later purchased by John RANBARGER, Sr. We cannot prove, at this time, exactly who this John RANBARGER, Sr. was. I believe that he was Daniel's brother, John William, but I have very little evidence to support this theory at this time. On 23 March 1836, John RANBARGER, Junior and Sally his wife sold some land to John RANBARGER, Senior, for the sum of seventeen dollars and fifty cents, "claiming one sixth part thereof as one of the heirs of Daniel RANBERGER, deceased". At this time, I can't find a way for John RANBARGER, Junior to be an heir of Daniel RANBARGER. However, we know from other research that a man named Junior was not necessarily the son of a man named Senior. The titles were frequently used to simply distinguish an elder from a younger man that were not even necessarily related. We also know that George RANBARGER, son of Daniel, had a grandson who was identified as George RANBARGER, Jr. He was the son of George's adopted son Joel RANBARGER.
I first thought that John RANBARGER, Jr. might be a son of Daniel's son, Nathaniel RANBARGER, and that Nathaniel had predeased Daniel. However, I believe, that would mean that John and his mother would split one fourth and he would therefore have a one eighth part claim. However, I am not too sure of the laws in effect at that time. Of course another possibility is that Daniel had two more children that we don't have record of, and the estate would then be split into six parts. One of these children could be named John and called junior because he had an older uncle named John. We found a Robert RANBARGER who purchased 40 acres of Lawrence County farm land on 27 Feb 1834. It was described as "the NW1/4 of the SE1/4 of section number nineteen, town four north, range ten west". Daniel, John, and George, all owned land in this same section. We don't know, at this time, who this Robert was.
In addition to the land purchases discussed above, John RANBARGER also purchased 40 acres on 27 Feb 1834, and 40 acres on 29 Dec 1834. We don't know that these are all the same man or if they are the same as the John, Sr., or John, Jr. above.
One John RANBARGER married Sally FITE 24 Nov 1833, in Lawrence Co., Illinois. I believe this to be the John RANBARGER, Junior who, with Sally his wife, claimed one sixth part of the estate of Daniel RANBERGER.
Our evidence would lead us to believe that John William, son of Henry RANBARGER and Barbara, was married to Sarah before 1820 and had at least eight children. However, the evidence for this is rather slim. The 40 acres that one John RANBARGER purchased on 29 Dec 1834, was sold (with his wife Sarah) on 16 Mar 1836. One John RANBARGER married Elizabeth JENNY 20 Jun 1850, in Lawrence Co., Illinois.
There is a John RENBARGER listed in the 1840 U.S. Census in Lawrence Co., Illinois, page 180. Unfortunately, the 1840 U.S. Census doesn't give us much information. We assume that the oldest male and female listed are the head of household and his wife. They are both listed as between 50 and 60 years of age. There are six younger individuals listed in the household who are presumed to be their children. The males are listed as one under 5, one between 5 and 10, and two between 10 and 15. The females are one under 5 and one between 20 and 30. The residences on either side of John are the EVANS and MICKEY households. Both of these appear as neighbors in the 1850 U.S. Census as well. The residence listed prior to EVANS is Daniel RICHARDS and prior to him is Henry RENBARGER. Although the age does not agree with the information that we have for Henry, I believe this to be John's nephew, the son of Daniel RANBARGER, who was married the previous year to Margaret TILERY. The husband and wife are each listed as between 20 and 30 and they have a daughter under 5.
In the 1850 U.S. Census in Lawrence Co., Illinois, page 105, we find John RANBARGER listed with his wife and four children in household #762. He is a 60 year old farmer with $1,500 in real estate and was born in Kentucky. His wife, Elizabeth, is 63 and was born in Pennsylvania. I believe this to be Elizabeth JENNY who was previously married to Hugh ORR (7 Sep 1835), and who married John on 20 Jun 1850. The oldest child listed is John (Jr?), 20, born in Kentucky. Next is George W., 18, born in Illinois. This would indicate that the family came to Illinois around 1831. Next in the list is Hannah, 15, followed by Miles, 8, both born in Illinois. In the 1860 U.S. Census in Lawrence Co., Miles is living with the D. C. HAMMOND family. I believe that this is because he is under age (18) and his parents are deceased. The son that was listed as under 5 in the 1840 census is apparently not with the family in the 1850 census. Also missing in the 1850 census are a son listed as 10-15 and a daughter listed as 20-30. However, I think we can account for them by looking further in the 1850 census.
On the next page from where we found John, we find Daniel RANBARGER in household #763. He is listed as a 22-year-old farmer, born in Kentucky. Listed with him are his wife, Mary, and daughter, Elvira, who is a 1-year-old, born in Illinois. Also listed with Daniel's family is Allen GORDON, a 15-year-old farmer, born in Illinois. I believe this is Mary's brother. Further, I believe that this Daniel is probably the second son of John who was listed in the 1840 census as between 10 and 15.
We know that Daniel married Mary GORDON on 10 Feb 1848 in Lawrence Co. She is shown in the census as a 22-year-old, born in Illinois. She is probably the daughter of Rebecca GORDON who is shown in household #760 as a 46-year-old, female head-of-household, born in Illinois. With Rebecca is John Andre, a 20-year-old farmer, Robert, an 18-year-old male, and Lucinda, a 16-year-old female, all born in Illinois.
Next to Daniel RANBARGER in household #764 we find Seth EVANS with his wife Rebecca (RANBARGER). We know that Seth EVANS married Rebecca RANBARGER on 28 Jul 1839 in Lawrence Co. He is listed as a 31-year-old farmer, born in Kentucky, with $1,400 in real estate. Rebecca is listed as a 27-year-old, also born in Kentucky. Listed with him and his wife are a 10-year-old son, John, and five daughters, Eliza, who is 8, Ellen, who is 6, Charlotte, who is 4, Lucinda, who is 2, and Louisa, who is 4-months-old. All of the children were born in Illinois.
Next to Seth EVANS in household #765 we find Loyd EVANS with his wife Elizabeth (RANBARGER). We believe this to be Seth's older brother, married to Rebecca's older sister. We know that Loyd EVANS married Elizabeth RANBARGER on 12 Feb 1835 in Lawrence Co. He is listed as a 42-year-old farmer, born in Virginia, with $400 in real estate. Elizabeth is listed as a 33-year-old, born in Kentucky. This would indicate the the EVANS family came from Virginia and arrived in Illinois between 1808 and 1819. Listed with Loyd and his wife are four daughters, Martha, is 14, Dorcas, is 13, Hannah, is 7, Betsy, is 4, and a son, Bazel, who is 1-month-old. All of the children were born in Illinois.
Listed below are the known facts concerning John RANBARGER and some notes that may help determine just what relationship he is to our Daniel RANBARGER.
1850 U.S. Census, Lawrence Co. page 105 . . . 760 GORDON, Rebecca F 46 IL John Andre M 20 Farmer IL Robert M 18 IL Lucinda F 16 IL (married John William, Jr. 13 Feb 1851) 761 Mickey?, Mary? M? 64 400 VA GRAHAM?, Catharin F 63 PA 762 RANBARGER, John M 60 Farmer 1500 KY Elizabeth F 63 PA (married 20 Jun 1850) John M 20 KY George W. M 18 IL Hannah F 15 IL Miles M 8 IL (living with D.C. HAMMOND in 1860) page 106 763 RANBARGER, Daniel M 22 Farmer KY (married 10 Feb 1848) (GORDON) Mary F 22 IL Elvira F 1 IL GORDON, Allen M 15 Farmer IL 764 EVANS, Seth M 31 Farmer 1400 KY (married 28 Jul 1839) (RANBARGER) Rebecca F 27 KY John M 10 IL Eliza F 8 IL Ellen F 6 IL Charlotte F 4 IL Lucinda F 2 IL Louisa F 4/12 IL 765 EVANS, Loyd M 42 Farmer 400 VA (married 12 Feb 1835) (RANBARGER) Elizabeth F 33 KY Martha F 14 IL Dorcas F 13 IL Hannah F 7 IL Betsy F 4 IL Bazel M 1/12 IL . . . John RANBARGER m. Sally FITE 24 Nov 1833 (Jr.) Elizabeth JENNY m. Hugh ORR 7 Sep 1835 John RANBARGER m. Elizabeth JENNY 20 Jun 1850 (Sr.) John William RANBARGER m. Lucinda GORDON 13 Feb 1851 (son of John William RANBARGER) Lucinda RANBARGER m. Hugh MATHEWS 31 Dec 1859 (widow of John William?) Daniel RANBARGER m. Angeline WINKLES 16 Sep 1857 (40 & 32 in 1860) George Washington RANBARGER m. Sarah Ann BISHOP 2 Jan 1853 (Sarah b. 23 Aug 1832, TN) John RANBARGER purchased 70.3 acres 1 Aug 1831 John RANBARGER purchased 70.9 acres 3 Sep 1831 John RANBARGER purchased 40 acres 27 Feb 1834 John RANBARGER purchased 40 acres 29 Dec 1834 sold (w/Sarah) 16 Mar 1836 John RANBARGER, Sr. purchased 1/6 of 80 acres Mar 1836 from John, Jr. & Sally John RANBARGER purchased 40 acres 1 May 1837 John RANBARGER, Sr. purchased 40 acres 7 May 1841 from heirs of Daniel Notes: (1) The John in the 1850 census, above, is probably John William, son of Henry, and brother of Daniel Ranbarger. (2) John, Sr. and Jr. in the 1850 census above were b. ca. 1790 & 1830. ---> Therefore; the John, Jr. who married Sally FITE in 1833 and sold land to John, Sr. in 1836 is a different John, Jr. and may not be the son of the John, Sr. that he sold the land to. (3) There was a Robert RANBARGER who purchased land, in the same area as John, and Daniel on 27 Feb 1834. (4) John, Jr. was listed, in 1836, as a 1/6 part heir of Daniel. ---> Therefore; Daniel could have had two more sons, Robert and John, both born after Daniel was married, 4 Feb 1810.
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