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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William Thompson

Birth:     1823
               Kentucky or Indiana

Died:      Jan. 27, 1873
              McDonough County, Illinois

William Thompson shares this stone with his wife Lorren and four of their children. Inscriptions documenting their burials can be found on each side of the stone.

William Thompson was a farmer in McDonough County, Illinois.  He married Lorren McClure on March 2, 1848 in McDonough County. Census records in 1860 and 1870 list his place of birth as Kentucky. In 1880 census his children list their father's birthplace as Indiana.

This biographical note for his wife Lorren from the History of McDonough County, Illinois, 1885, Continental Historical Co., Springfield, Illinois states that the Thompson farm in Bethel township, consisted of "160 acres, 40 acres of it timber, the balance under a good state of cultivation, and well improved, on section 10."

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

The Thompsons attended the M. E. church. Most census records found them living in Bethel Township; however, in 1870 the family was living in Ward 4 in the city of Macomb in McDonough County.

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 m census records, vital statistics, and marriage records from Ancestry.com, and the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index.

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Sarah Thompson

Birth:   1861
             Illinois

Died:    November 12, 1878
             McDonough County, Illinois

Her brother John Thomas Thompson's name also appears on this side of the family stone.

Sarah Thompson was a daughter of William and Lorren (McClure) Thompson. She died at 17 years of age . She was a grandaughter of Greenup and Polly (McComsey) McClure, the original owners of the land upon which the cemetery was established.  She shares this tombstone with her parents and several siblings.

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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John "Thomas" Thompson

Birth:    1851
             Illinois

Died:     March 14, 1871
             McDonough County, Illinois

John "Thomas" Thompson was a son of William Thompson and Lorren (McClure) Thompson and a grandson of Greenup and Polly (McComsey) McClure. He appears in the June 1870 census at age 17, living with his parents and some of his siblings in the 4th Ward of Macomb, McDonough County. The census indicates that he had attended school during the previous 12 months.  He shares this stone with his parents and several siblings.

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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Joann Thompson

Birth:    1853
             Illinois

Died:     July 17, 1869
             McDonough County, Illinois

"dau of Wm. & L." "age 16y, 4m, 5d."

She was the daughter of William and Lorren (McClure) Thompson and the grandaughter of Greenup and Polly (McComsey) McClure. The mortality index for the census of 1870 lists her cause of death as "consumption" [tuberculosis.]  She shares a large stone with her parents and several siblings.

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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Charles Thompson

Birth:      January 16, 1859
               McDonough County, Illinois

Died:       February 6, 1859
               McDonough County, Illinois

Inscription:  "Son of Wm. & L. . . . age 21d"

Charles Thompson was the infant son of William and Lorren (McClure) Thompson and the grandaughter of Greenup and Polly (McComsey) McClure. He shares a stone with his parents and several siblings.

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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Mary "Polly" (McComsey) McClure

Birth:   1791
             Kentucky, USA

Died:    1880
             McDonough County, Illinois

Mary "Polly" (McComsey) McClure was born in Kentucky, a daughter of John and Jane Forker [aka Farquehr] McComsey.

In 1810 she married Greenup McClure ("sometimes spelled McLure") in Shelby County, Kentucky. In about 1831, she and her children accompanied her husband, his parents, his brother James, and brother-in-law Samuel Workman in removing to Morgan County, Illinois. In 1835 her husband made the first of two land purchases in McDonough County which gave him a total of 160 acres in section 22, Bethel township, McDonough County, Illinois.

Greenup and "Polly" McClure were the parents of: James Q. (born: 1811); Martin (born: 1814); Sarah Jane [Venard] (born: 1815); Lucy Ann [Brundage] (born: 1819); Margaret [1. Harris 2. Cooper] (born: 1821); Lorrin [Thompson] (born: 1823); Robert Lee (born: 1827); Mary Elizabeth [1. Hoover 2. Hudson] (born: 1832); and Georgetta (born: 1838).  Dan Venard's research suggests that there were possibly at least three other children born to this couple before they left Kentucky who may have died in childhood or infancy.

In the 1870 census, Polly McClure resided with her daughter-in-law Lydia McClure (wife of her late son, James Q.) in the householdof Lydia's son James R. McClure in Bethel Township, McDonough County.

Primary source documenting this burial and biographical details:

•  "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.
• Additional biographical information comes from census records, vital statistics, and marriage records from Ancestry.com, and the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index.
• The stones for her and her spouse have been missing since before 1983. The cemetery is in disrepair with many missing and obliterated stones as of November 2007 and even worse condition in May 2010 with increasing damage.

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Greenup McClure

Born:     May 19, 1790
              Jessamine County, Kentucky

Died:     Feb. 19, 1856
              McDonough County, Illinois

He was a son of John and Lucy McClure originally from Jessamine County, Kentucky. (In early records the surname was sometimes spelled "McLure.")

In 1810 he married Polly (Mary) McComsey in Shelby County, Kentucky. In about 1831, along with his wife, children, parents, brother James, and brother-in-law Samuel Workman he removed to Morgan County, Illinois. In 1835 he made the first of two land purchases in McDonough County which gave him a total of 160 acres in section 22, Bethel township, McDonough County, Illinois. He established the Pioneer Cemetery on his property in 1838.

Greenup and Mary McClure were the parents of: James Q. (1811); Martin (1814); Sarah Jane [Venard] (1815); Lucy Ann [Brundage] (1819); Margaret [1. Harris 2. Cooper] (1821); Lorrin [Thompson] (1823); Robert Lee (1827); Mary Elizabeth [1. Hoover 2. Hudson] (1832); and Georgetta (1838).

Primary 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.
• Additional biographical information comes from census records, vital statistics, and marriage records from Ancestry.com, and the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index.
• Burial is also documented by: Duane Lester's, "Rural Cemeteries of McDonough County, Illinois, Volume II, Bethel-Industry."

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Videos of the Pioneer Cemetery, May 2010

I made these poor quality videos.  What makes the quality worse is that the only way I could put them online was to make videos with my digital camera from the image on my computer screen.  Still, it's all I have to demonstrate the sad state of affairs that existed on May 28, 2010.  Cows have damaged the fence and made themselves at home in the cemetery.  Much damage has occurred to the already fragile stones.  As you can see by looking at the grave photos take in March 2008, most of the stones were already laying flat and brittle with age.  Now the cows have walked across them, smashing some to bits.  Other stones that were in good repair in 2008 have fallen victim to the strength of the cows as they have grazed in the cemetery and bumped the stones.



 























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