Lorren (McClure) Thompson

Birth:    1825
             Shelby County, Kentucky

Died:     March 16, 1893
             McDonough County, Illinois

The wonderful photo of Lorren, circa 1880, was shared by the late Daniel Lloyd Venard.

Inscription:  “Wife of Wm., age 69y"

Daniel Lloyd Venard's research indicates that Lorren (spelling varies) was born in Shelby County, Kentucky. She married William Thompson on March 2, 1848 in McDonough County, Illinois.

William and Lorren Thompson were the parents of 11 children, and (highlighted in green) at least four of them are also buried in this cemetery:  Mary E. [Keersucker] (born 1849); John Thomas (1851-1871); Joann (1853-1869); Charles (born and died 1859); George (1854); Samuel G. (1856); Rozella (1860); Sarah (1861-1878); Franklin L. (1865); Alice (1866)' and William (1871).

Most census records found William and Lorren McClure residing in Bethel Township; however, in 1870 the family was living in the 4th Ward in the city of Macomb, McDonough County.

This biographical note is quoted from, "History of McDonough County, Illinois, 1885," Continental Historical Co., Springfield, Illinois:

"Mrs. Lorrin Thompson was born at Shelbyville, Kentucky, in 1825. Her parents were Greenup and Mary (Macumpsey) McClure, who moved from Kentucky, to this county, and here died. Her husband died in January, 1872. Mrs. Thompson has a farm in Bethel township, consisting of 160 acres, 40 acres of it timber, the balance under a good state of cultivation, and well improved, on section 10. She is the mother of 11 children, four of whom are deceased."

She was a member of the M.E. Church.

The tombstone is shared by Lorren and William Thompson and four of their children.  Inscriptions for the various family member can be found on each of the four sides of the stone.

This burial is documented by: Duane Lester's, Rural Cemeteries of McDonough County, Illinois, Volume II, Bethel-Industry.

Other sources: Venard-Van Antwerp . . . McClure . . . etc. Genealogy, by Daniel Lloyd Venard, 1983, Macomb, Illinois, and Corrections & Additions for Venard-Van Antwerp Genealogy, by Daniel Lloyd Venard, 1988; federal census records, vital statistics, and marriage records from Ancestry.com, and the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index.



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Sarah Jane (McClure) Venard

Birth:    December 10, 1815
             Shelbyville, Kentucky

Died:     March 18, 1883
             McDonough Co., Illinois

She shares this stone with her husband. First as it appeared in 1994, second as it has been since at least March of 2008.

Sarah Jane (McClure) Venard was a daughter of Greenup and Mary (McComsey) McClure.  This cemetery is located on her father's former Illinois homestead.  She moved from Kentucky in her youth with many relatives to Illinois around 1830.

On March 29, 1836 she married William Venard, another native Kentuckian.. Theirs was the first wedding in McDonough County. They were the parents of nine children: Isabel (Wilson), John F., George Greenup, Sarah Jane, James William, Perry Wilson, Robert Y., Thomas Webster, and Josephine (Smith).

Her parents, husband, in-laws, several sisters and several daughters, are also buried in this cemetery.

Her husband's obituary appeared in the Macomb Journal on June 9, 1881: "An early settler of McDonough county, William Venard died at his home in Bethel township on June 5th, 1881. He was born in Harrison county, Kentucky in 1816, came to Morgan county, Illinois in 1821, and then to McDonough county. He was married to Sarah Jane McClure in 1836. He is survived by his wife, 6 sons and 2 daughters. The funeral was Monday, and he was buried in the burial ground near his residence. Attending the funeral of their father and brother-in-law were J.F. Venard and Robert McClure of Carroll county, Missouri and J.W. Venard of Cherokee, Kansas."

Sons of Sarah Jane & William Venard:

Perry Venard (individual portrait)

  Group photo of brothers left to right:  James, Robert, George, Thomas W., and John.

Sources include historical newspapers and county histories and "Venard-Van Antwerp-. . . McClure . . . etc. Genealogy," by Daniel Lloyd Venard, 1983, Macomb, Illinois, and "Corrections & Additions for Venard-Van Antwerp Genealogy" by Daniel Lloyd Venard, 1988.

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