Commons Family of Ireland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, and Illinois
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Commons Family


Alternate Spellings: Commins, Cummins

Links: Beard, Sanders, Eikenbary, Myers, Larrance, Mannon, Sisk, Davis, Boyd, Bond

Contacts: Dotti Ferguson has much information on the Commons families and would be glad to hear from cousins. Rod Commons is also researching the Commons family. He is a descendant of Enos Commons of Mercer County and second wife Margaret Myers Clark.

Robert Commons, son of William and Sarah Scarlet Commons

The progenitor of several Mercer County families was Robert Commons of Ireland, Chester County, Pennsylvania, Surry County, North Carolina, Grayson County, Virginia, and Wayne County, Indiana. He was the son of William and Sarah Scarlett Commons. This is proven in the Will of William Commons (abstract from Chester County Wills):
Residence: New London
Date: 30 Oct 1795
Prove Date: 28 Jan 1796
Commons, William. New London. 10-30-1795. Jan. 28, 1796. Provides for wife Sarah. Plantation, etc. to be sold. To sons Robert, John, William and Elisha �10 each. To son Joseph �30. Remainder of estate to Elisha's children by his first wife, William, Sarah, James, Ann and John, share and share alike at 21. Executors: Isaac Jackson, Jr., Samuel Spencer. Letters to Spencer, Jackson renouncing.

The Wayne County, Indiana, History, 1872 (page 174) tells us: "Robert Commons was born in Ireland in 1748, and removed in infancy with his father's family to Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Ruth Hayes, and removed to Western Virginia in 1792, and thence, in 1812, to this township (Center)...where he resided until his death, December 19, 1837, aged 89 years."

The phrase "removed to Western Virginia" leaves out a good deal of information. Westfield Monthly Meeting (Quaker) in Surry County, North Carolina, records the following: "Commons...1791, 9th mo, 17th day Robert and wife Ruth and children Lydia, Phebe, Isaac, William, John received on certificate from Sadsbury Monthly Meeting dated 12th mo, 22nd dy, 1790 and endorsed by New Garden Monthly Meeting on 7th mo, 30th dy, 1791." Sadsbury Monthly Meeting was located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania but was right on the border of Chester County, Pennsylvania.

The Robert Commons family was Quaker which is nowhere mentioned in the History of Wayne County, Indiana, or in the History of Mercer County, Illinois. To remain in good standing, Quakers traveled from one meeting to another with a "certificate," or evidence of good standing and that they had permission for the move. The Commons family did indeed come from Pennsylvania, which was the location of Sadsbury Monthly Meeting. Their certificate was presented first to Guilford County, North Carolina, where New Garden Monthly meeting endorsed their certificate, and then to Westfield Meeting in Surry County, North Carolina. However, the "Virginia" statement is probably not incorrect as when Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting was set up in 1801 in Grayson County, Virginia, the Commons family were charter members indicating they had probably lived there all along. The Commons family would have attended meetings for worship very near their home. They would only attend a monthly business meeting (under the jurisdiction of North Carolina before 1801) to record births and deaths or to present or request a certificate for a move. In the early days it was not uncommon for the business meetings to be far from where some settlers lived.

On 2nd mo, 29th dy, 1812, Robert and Ruth Commons were granted a certificate to Whitewater Monthly Meeting in (future) Wayne County, Indiana from Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting. This agrees with the Wayne County History. Robert and Ruth apparently never presented their certificate, or the record has been lost. There is no further mention of them at Whitewater Meeting. The Wayne County Indiana History, 1872 tells us that they were among the charter members of West Grove Monthly Meeting when it was set off from Whitewater in 1815. The meeting received its name from Robert Commons, as that was the name of the place where he had resided in Pennsylvania.

Children of Robert and Ruth Hayes Commons

The certificate from Sadsbury Monthly Meeting dated 12th month, 17th day, 1790 includes a list of their children whose birthplace would then have all been Pennsylvania: Lydia, Phebe, Isaac, William, and John. We will not dispute the Chester County birthplace carried by most researchers as Sadsbury meeting was located on the border of Chester County and they may have indeed lived in Chester County.

Children born after 1790 can probably be assigned a Virginia birthplace as it seems they likely moved directly to Virginia, though their certificate was presented in North Carolina. Though we do not have the names of more children from a Quaker certificate, The Wayne County History gives us the names of the additional children: Ezekiel; Hannah; Nathan; and David. We will give what we have found for each child below. Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting in Grayson County, Virginia, records the marriages of some of their children.

Phebe Commons Bond

On 9th mo, 13th dy, 1802, daughter Phebe married Jesse Bond, son of Edward and Ann Mills Bond, as recorded at Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting. If you are not familiar with the Quaker method of writing dates there is a link on the Woodward home page to About Dates which explains the way they are written. Phebe and Jesse Bond had children Nathan, Robert, and John, while still in Virginia. On 1st mo, 30th dy, 1808, they received a certificate to West Branch Monthly Meeting in Miami County, Ohio. They were thus among the earliest Quaker families to migrate north to the new Northwest Territory (future states of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.) Their certificate was actually received at Whitewater Monthly Meeting in Indiana. The Wayne County Indiana History, 1872 (p. 202) tells of their children: Nathan, Robert, John, William C., Enos, Isom, Ruth, Hannah, Isaac, Jesse, and Lydia. The family lived on the site where Earlham College in Wayne County now stands. If you have the Wayne County History, be careful, there are many inaccuracies in their story there. We do not find evidence that any of the Bonds moved on to Mercer County and have not traced them further (we do have more posted on marriages of their children on the Bond page on the Woodward Web Site).

Lydia Commons Davis

Lydia was born 1781 in Pennsylvania. On 3rd mo, 1st dy, 1803, Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting in Virginia records the marriage of Lydia Commons, daughter of Robert and Ruth, to Adam Davis, son of Jesse and Elizabeth Davis, of Randolph County, North Carolina. Adam & Lydia Commons Davis did eventually migrate to Mercer County, Illinois, and their history is covered under the Davis Family page on this site. A Davis family bible records Lydia's birthdate as 10/28/1781.

Hannah Commons Cornelius

On 11th mo 30th dy, 1811, Hannah Commons Cornelius, daughter of Robert and Ruth, was dismissed from Mt. Pleasant Monthly Meeting for her marriage out of unity (marriage to a nonQuaker.) The Wayne County, Indiana History, 1872, tells us her husband's name was Greenbury Cornelius, and they had sons George and David. Both Hannah and Greenbury died in Wayne County, Indiana, in 1824. The 1820 census indicates they also had two daughters but names are not given in 1820.

Isaac and Mary Townsend Commons

Son Isaac Commons was born about 1786 in Pennsylvania according to the 1850 census in Wayne Co (the date may be inaccurate or perhaps he was a twin of brother William???). Isaac Commons was received on 6th mo, 17th dy, 1809 at West Branch Monthly Meeting, Miami County, Ohio, on a certificate from Mt. Pleasant dated 1st mo, 30th dy, 1808. He no doubt lived in the Wayne County area of Indiana as he was a charter member of Whitewater Monthly Meeting in (future) Wayne County when it was set up in 1809. He married Mary Townsend, daughter of John and Elvira Townsend, at Whitewater Monthly Meeting on 11th mo, 29th dy, 1809. Isaac & Mary's children are documented in the Wayne County, Indiana, History, 1872 (p. 174): Jonathan, Hannah, John, Lydia, Robert, Elvira, Joseph, and Isaac. We do not believe any of these children came to Mercer County, Illinois. We have included brief information on them here to aid researchers.

Son Jonathan Commons married Mary Ann Moore on 4/26/1832 at Chester Monthly Meeting in Wayne County. Daughter Hannah Commons married Samuel Nicholson, son of John and Esther Nicholson, on 4/28/1831 at Chester Monthly Meeting, Wayne County. Son John Commons married Elizabeth Carlisle on 2/4/1847 in Wayne County. Daughter Lydia Commons married Daniel Kitsleman 11/24/1842 in Wayne County. Son Robert Commons married Elizabeth Cook on 11/20/1845 at Chester MM, Wayne County. Daughter Elvira Commons is shown as a physician in the 1850 census, living at home. She never married. Son Joseph Commons married Anna J. Fisher 10/5/1859 in Wayne County. Son Isaac is not found in the Indiana marriage records but had a wife Desire S. in the 1880 census in Richmond, Indiana. His 1880 census record is interesting as his occupation is given as "manufacturer artifact store" and he has a number of people working for him including machinists and brick masons. We also found an Edwin Commons in the 1880 census who was an art stone maker and of an age to be son of Isaac, Jr. Clearly this was an artistic family.

John and Elizabeth Mote Commons

John Commons was born before 12/1790 in Pennsylvania as he is included on his parents certificate from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. On 10th mo, 13th day, 1816 John Commons married Elizabeth Mote at West Branch Monthly Meeting in Miami County, Ohio, bringing a certificate from Whitewater Monthly Meeting in Wayne County, Indiana, for the marriage. Elizabeth Mote was born in Columbia County, Georgia, and transferred from there to Miami Monthly Meeting in Ohio with parents John and Rachel Mote. Her sister Rachel married John's brother David Commons.

John Commons moved to Mercer County, Illinois, where he is found in the 1840 census in Mercer County in Township 13N, Range4W (future Abington Township): John Commons, 1 male 50-60; 1 15-20; 1 10-15; 1 5-10; 1 under 5; 1 female 40-50; 1 under 5. The Wayne County History tells us they moved on to Drakesville in Wapello County, Iowa. We believe they may be the parents of Phebe Commons who married Granville Mathews on 5/21/1839 in Mercer County. They had another daughter Rachel who remained behind in Indiana and married Job P. Jay on 9/24/1840 at West Branch MM in Wayne County. Job Jay brought a certificate from Mill Creek MM to marry.

John and Elizabeth did indeed move on to Wapello County, Iowa where they are found in District 13 in the 1850 census: #1054 John Commons, farmer, 61, born Va; Elizabeth, 55, Ga; Daniel M., 18, In; Thomas C., 14, In; Mary A., 11, Il. The children fit with the 1840 census in Mercer County leaving 1 male 15-20 and 1 male 10-15 unaccounted for. We have not identified them. We were also unable to locate Granville Mathews in the 1850 census in order to try to verify that Phebe was daughter of John and Elizabeth. It is almost a given as they were the only Commons family in Mercer County in 1840 and we know they were there by 1839 because Mary A. Commons was born 1839 in Mercer County (11 years old, born Il in 1850 census).

David Commons

David Commons was born 7/18/1800 in Virginia. On 2nd month, 26th day, 1824 David Commons married Rachel Mote (sister of Elizabeth) at West Branch Monthly Meeting. A portrait of David is found in the Wayne County Indiana History, 1872 (we have not reproduced it here due to copyright restrictions as the Wayne County History is a reprint). David and Rachel had children John and Philip. Rachel Mote Commons died in 1827 according to the Wayne County history. David Commons then married Bethena Carter on 9/29/1831 in Wayne County and had children: Sarah Ann, William, Isaac L., Robert D., Joseph A., Mary E., and Walter S. We include additional information on the children of David to aid researchers.

Son John M. Commons, born about 1824, married Eliza Jane Boyd 9/17/1846 in Wayne County. He was secretary of Governor Baker at Indianapolis per the Wayne County, History. He is found in the 1880 census in Indianapolis as a bookkeeper. According to the history he had a son and three daughters but they are grown by 1880 and not at home so we do not have their names.

Son Philip Commons was born about 1827 in Indiana. He married Hannah Ann Maxwell, daughter of John Maxwell, on 12/13/1849 at West Grove Monthly Meeting in Wayne County, Indiana. The Wayne County History tells us that they lived in Vermilion Co, Il. We find them in Elwood Township, Vermilion County, Illinois in 1870: #181 Philip Commons, 43, farmer, born In; Hannah, 38, In; Thos, 19, In, farm laborer; John, 17, In, farm lab; William, 14, In, farm lab; Sarah, 14, In; David, 12, Il; Laura, 9, Il; Ed, 5, Il; Belle Woodz, 21, In. Quaker Records: Illinois Monthly Meetings (Elwood, Vermilion Co, Il)Date: 03 Dec 1879 Name: Philip Commons Spouse: Hannah Ann Child: Laura H Commons Child: Gurney Commons Family's Comments: gct Peace MM, Sterling, Rice Co, KS. We do not find them anywhere in 1880 census records. We have heard from Robert Black in Toronto who tells us that Philip is buried in Rice County, Kansas; that he was born 13 Dec 1826 in Centreville, In; died 28 Feb 1893 at Rose Hill, Butler Co, Ks. Philip married again in Kansas, Leanna Lydia Cox Woody Commons, in 1887 at Argonia, Sumner County, Kansas. Robert is a descendant of the second wife.

Daughter of David and Bethena, Sarah Ann Commons married Thomas Johnson 4/25/1855 in Wayne County.

William Commons married Alice A. Britzell 6/8/1870 in Wayne Co; Isaac L. Commons, married Martha Boyd 11/25/1858 in Wayne Co.

Robert D. Commons married Olive J. Harvey 10/10/1867 in Wayne Co. They had children Harvey and Ada Commons before Robert died prior to 1880.

Joseph A. Commons was born about 1842 and married Amanda Beeson 11/28/1867 in Wayne County. They had a son Lawrence Commons.

Mary E. Commons married Charles G. Stidham 12/24/1879 in Wayne County.

Walter S. Commons was born about 1853 in Indiana. He married Sarah A. Mandlin 12/31/1874 in Wayne County and they had children Ernest and Charles before 1880. They are found in Center Township, Wayne County in 1880 with mother Bethena J. Commons, age 67, born Tn living with them.

A descendant of David & Rachel Commons married Mattie Larrance, sister of Rose Larrance who married U. S. Grant Commons in Kansas many years later so connections continued!

William and Sarah Brady Commons

Son William Commons was born 8/30/1786 in Pennsylvania. William Commons married Sarah Brady in Wayne County on 11/29/1815 in a civil ceremony. William and Sarah both died in Wayne County, William in 1848, and Sarah in 1863. They had twelve children, all documented in the History of Wayne County: Ruth, David B., Rebecca, Reason, Charity (Reason and Charity were twins), Eliza, Ellen, Nathan, Robert, Francena, Washington, and Isaac. At least two of the children of William and Sarah had connections with Mercer County.

Son Reason Commons purchased land in Mercer County on 10/26/1847: SWSE and SESE Sec 32 Township 13N Range 4W (future Abington Township). He probably followed his uncle John Commons to Mercer County and had followed him on to Iowa by 1850 where he is found in Monroe County, next door to Wapello County where his uncle John lived. Reason had married Mary Ann Woods 4/20/1843 in Wayne County, Indiana. Reason died at Louisville, Kentucky in 1865 while returning from Civil War service. His son Henry also died of illness during the Civil War. Reason and Mary had children: Henry, Louisa, Sarah, Francesca, Mary, and Leander. Rod Commons has researched Reason's family.

Daughter Ellender Commons was born 1/4/1826 in Indiana and died in Millersburg, Mercer County, Illinois and is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. She married Joseph P. Boyd, son of James and Hester Ruby Boyd, 1/20/1847 in Wayne County. There is a sketch of Dr. Joseph P. Boyd in the History of Mercer County, 1882 He started teaching school at the age of 16 and then read medicine with Dr. James Ruby of Abington, Indiana. He stayed two years in Randolph County, Indiana. He then came to Millersburg in Mercer County in 1852 where he had a large practice. He died in 1878 leaving his family in easy circumstances. The History also gives a sketch of Ellender's parents, William and Sarah, which is not only quite fanciful but quite wrong. We suspect someone confused the history of the ancestor William and Sarah Scarlett Commons with descendants William and Sarah Brady Commons. The English ancestry may be correct since the Commons family were Quakers and they had fled England because of persecution. Both the History of Wayne County and the History of Mercer County clearly give the name as Joseph P. Boyd. Eulalia Garrett's Mercer County, Il 1860 Census shows him as James Boyd, occupation preacher, while his occupation was actually physician. It is clearly the same family, however. Dr. Boyd's tombstone sheds no light, as it shows the initials "J.P.". It does say he was born in Wayne County 6/30/1826 and died 10/7/1878. Wife Ellen died 2/4/1905, age 79 yrs 1 mo. They had children: William Commons Boyd, Sarah Boyd (m. Ross A. Turner), and Omer Boyd. All three are buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery. There is more about this family on the Boyd Page.

We will give what we have found on the other children to aid researchers. Daughter Ruth Commons, born about 1816 married first to William Culbertson 12/4/1834 in Wayne County. She married second to Lewis Jones 4/9/1843 in Wayne County. She may have divorced Culbertson or he soon died as she married Lewis Jones as Ruth Commons, but she had a daughter Melissa Culbertson born about 1835 in Indiana who lived with Ruth and Lewis. Ruth and Lewis Jones had children: Ellen, abt 1844; Caroline, about 1847; and Sarah A., about 1849. We have not followed them past the 1850 census.

Son David B. Commons went to Kansas and was deceased at the time of the writing of the Wayne County History.

Daughter Rebecca married William Beverlin 9/24/1835 in Wayne County. She married Isaac Lewis on 5/11/1846 in Wayne County. She had a daughter Mary Beverlin living with grandmother Sarah Commons in 1850. She had a son Isaac Lewis born about 1847, living with a James Walker family in Wayne County in 1850. No sign of Rebecca and Isaac Lewis in 1850 but the Wayne County History indicated they lived in Parke County Indiana in 1872. We did not find them there in 1880.

Charity Commons (twin of Reason) married John Wolfe 7/6/1840 in Wayne County.

Eliza Commons married Washington Henderson 3/8/1842 in Wayne County.

Nathan Commons according to the Wayne County History went to California, unmarried, and not lately heard of in 1872. We have nothing more on son Robert Commons.

Francena Commons married first Norman Mallory 9/5/1850 in Wayne County and then George Blackleach sometime after. She was still at home in 1850 but we could not read her age for sure in the census record - 20? 26?.

Son Washington Commons died in infancy. Son Isaac Commons born about 1835 married Martha J. Jones on 9/13/1859 in Wayne County.

Ezekiel and Sarah Julian Commons

Son Ezekiel Commons was born in Virginia and died 1831 in Wayne County, Indiana. He married Sarah Julian, daughter of Isaac Julian, Jr., on 4/4/1816 at Whitewater MM in Wayne County, Indiana. She was born about 1794 in North Carolina and died after 1880 in Rush County, Indiana. Ezekiel Commons purchased land in the NE/4 Sec 22 on 8/12/1814 in Cincinnati District, Wayne County. His land was near his brother Nathan (below). Ezekiel was administrator of Nathan's probate 29 July 1823 in Wayne County.

The Wayne County History says that Ezekiel and Sarah had three sons and three daughters. We have identified all but one of the sons. Most of the children lived in Rush County, Indiana, where Sarah Julian Commons, age 86, born NC, retired housekeeper was living with daughter Lydia Hulit in 1880. Son Jesse Commons b. abt 1817 married Ann Hall 11/5/1840 in Henry County, Indiana (adjacent to Rush Co). They are found in Ripley Township, Rush County, in 1850 and were still there in 1880. Daughter Elenor Commons, b. abt 1818, married Joseph Overman 6/10/1839 in Rush County, Indiana and they too are found in Ripley Township in 1880. Daughter Lydia Commons married first Levi Morris on 12/15/1841 in Rush County. She married second Robert A. Wheeler 7/16/1846 in Rush County. She married third Unknown Hulit between 1850 and 1857 in Rush County. Lydia is a widow in 1880 living with daughter Lillie Hulit, age 22, and mother Sarah Commons. Son John Commons married Mary Francis Reid 10/28/1848 in Rush County, Indiana. They are found in Rush County in 1850 with sister Elbina Commons, 34, and mother Sarah Commons, 55, with them. Daughter Elbina Commons was born about 1826 in Indiana and married Allen Hatfield after 1850. We did not find the marriage record but they were living in Hancock County, Indiana in the 1880 census (the Wayne Co History gives Hancock Co as their residence).

Nathan and Martha Beard Commons

Son Nathan Commons married Martha Beard, daughter of Patrick Beard, 10/28/1819 in a civil ceremony in Wayne County. (See the Patrick and Hannah Woodward Beard page for the ancestry of Martha.) Nathan owned land in the NW 1/4 Section 23 in Wayne County which he purchased 12/11/1817. His brother Ezekiel purchased in Section 22 on 8/12/1814.

Nathan & Martha Beard Commons had a son, Enos Commons, born about 1821, and a daughter Hannah Commons, born about 1822. Nathan Commons died before 29 July 1823 in Wayne County. Ezekial Commons and Isaac Hicks were appointed administrators on that date with Patrick Beard as security. Sale of his goods was recorded as $992.52 in the February Court Term of 1824 by Ezekiel Commons.

Son Enos Commons married Delilah (surname unknown but possibly Sanders) in Wayne County, and they had a son, Nathan Commons, born September 5, 1839, in Wayne County. (We did not find their marriage in the Indiana marriage records). Sometime after the 1840 census, Enos and family moved to Mercer County, Illinois, along with Beard descendants. Enos's sister, Hannah evidently accompanied them. Hannah married Mahlon Sanders 8/1/1843 in Mercer County. (There is more information on the Sanders family page.)

Enos Commons purchased land in Mercer County, but it is not recorded as public land. From his land sale to Sarah Eikenbary in 1865, we know the land was in Section 8 T14N R5W and another parcel of timberland in Section 22 T14NR6W. Both parcels were in New Boston Township. He only sold a portion of his land, as he is shown as neighbor to Sarah Eikenbary in the 1870 census (Sarah Eikenbary is direct ancestor of Jill Martin and Nadine Holder who operate this Web Site). However, the land was apparently sold by 1875, as Enos's ownership is not then shown on the New Boston plat map.

Enos & Delilah Commons had additional children in Mercer County: Louisa J. Commons (b. 5/27/1841, d. 8/12/1841, buried Mannon Cemetery); John Commons & Martha Commons (died 10/7/1849, buried Mannon Cemetery); and Jasper Commons, born November 31, 1843. Illness was rampant in Mercer County in the 1840's. A sick list was published in the local newspaper and Enos Commons himself was on the list 3/17/1847. The family is found in New Boston Township in 1850: Enos Commons, farmer, 30, born In; Delila, 30, Va; Nathan, 11, In; Jasper A., 6, Il. Delilah Commons died 6/3/1852 and is buried in the Mannon Cemetery. Enos Commons married second to widow Margaret Myers Clark on 9/28/1852 in Mercer County. They are found in the 1860 census in New Boston Township: Enos, 40, Farmer, born Indiana; Margaret, 36, Oh; Nathan, 20, In; Jasper, 16, Il; Ida C. Clark (Margaret's daughter), 15, Il; Levi M., 7, Il; Andrew M., 4, Il; Orpha, 1, Il. In the 1870 census: Enos Commons, 49, farmer, farm valued $16,000, born In; Margaret, 47, Oh; Levi M., 16, Il; Andrew M., 13, Il; Orpha (male), 11, Il; U. S. Grant, 8, Il; Ruth, 6, Il.

Enos and Delilah's son Nathan Commons married Emma Sisk 9/1/1860 in Mercer County. She was daughter of Alfred and Mary Sisk of North Carolina (we will be putting up a Sisk page). Nathan enlisted in Company G, 124th Infantry on July 29, 1862. Brother Jasper enlisted in the same company on August 8, 1862, and both were mustered in on September 10, 1862. Both men were mustered out on August 15, 1865. According to Cutler's 1883 History of the State of Kansas, Jasper was wounded twice in battles in the Civil War. According to the History Nathan was taken prisoner and paroled.

Enos, Nathan and Jasper Commons went to Harvey County, Kansas, about 1871, along with other Mercer County families (cf. Prouty).

Enos and Delilah's son Jasper married Ella Long in Kansas on October 21, 1875. Ella is given as a native of Illinois but we do not know if she was connected to the Longs of Mercer County. Jasper is found in the 1880 census as family #1 in Macon Township, age 36, farmer, born Illinois. He has wife Ella C., age 24, born Illinois, parents born New Jersey. They have an 8 year old adopted son Halsey A. Nolden (sp?), born Kansas, father born Ohio, and mother born New Jersey. According to the Kansas History, Jasper owned 80 acres near Halstead, all in cultivation. He had a small orchard; a dwelling 12 x 24, barn 18x32. His wheat averaged thirty bushels per acre in 1882. He had six horses, two cows and six hogs.

Enos and family are found in the 1880 census in Emma Township: Enos Commons, age 59, Farmer, Margaret, age 54, Levi M., age 27, U. S. Grant, age 20, Ruth M., age 17. Margaret Myers Clark's father Andrew the Myers, age 84 is living with them. Son Andrew Commons is living next door to them with wife Kate, 21, born Pennsylvania. They have a daughter, Stella, age 3. Son U. S. Grant Commons married Rose Larrance,Larrance in 1882 in Newton, Harvey County, Kansas. According to Carole Vidales, a Larrance researcher, they had children Alice Ruth, Enos Larrance, and Casper Glendore Commons.

We have not yet located Nathan's census record but according to the Kansas History he lived in Garden County, near Newton and rented 160 acres belonging to his brother. He had 110 acres in cultivation, all enclosed with hedge, with dwelling 18x24 and stable. The History gives his wife as Emeline Sisk which is a little misleading as wife Emma had a sister Emeline but the Mercer County records are as Emma Sisk (some possibility of course that Emma was deceased and he had married the sister?). The History lists children Brion, Della, Daisy, Earl E., Robert Ingersoll, and Mabel. Son Earl E. was born October 29, 1871, being the first child born in Emma Township.



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