I am glad so many are enjoying the information I am providing. I really have no rhyme or reason for the direction this takes me. I basically just pull on a string and see where it leads me and find interesting stories and I enjoy sharing what I find. This is something that I have done off and on for a few years now. About a year ago I stepped down as Fire Chief for our little community and so that opened up some free time for me to do some digging. It usually gets worked on in the winter months but here recently I have had some time to dedicate. I find this all very interesting and fascinating.
This past week, my wife Jeni has battled covid after attending a funeral last weekend. On Thursday I was feeling a bit off and we tested but I was negative. The last couple days I have been a little congested and so we tested last night and sure enough it was positive and Jeni was negative. All is good though and we will get through it. Going through all this I really did not have a grasp on how many children and people died so young. As you read below, you will see that Grampa James lost his wife and young son in 1849. New York City had a Cholera Outbreak and 5000 people died that year so it is a good guess that is what they died of. So with that, what better thing to do when it is rainy and you are isolated than to research more stories.
Last week I discovered a manuscript called "History - James Coquillette and Calestia Wayne Burnside Coquillette and their ancestors and Descendants" Written in the year 1891. I purchased a copy and waited for its arrival on Friday. The following is a preface of the book. Most of what you read below was transcribed from the book but I did add some details like dates and places to make it easier to follow. In the coming days / Weeks I will continue down the Coquillette path and post more stories from the book. I am glad James had the foresight to have this written down in 1891 just mere months before he passed away.
Enjoy and love to hear your feedback and questions.
J...
PREFACE
In June 1891, my father and mother came to visit me, and father expressed a wish that a family history might be written. As his health was very poor and he took little interest in the things of this world, I determined I would do all I could to gratify his desires. I told him I would do the writing if he would tell me the past history of the family. And so, while he was lying on the bed, too week to set up, much of the time, he with great difficulty, related the history of the past, assisted by mothers’ better memory. It is as nearly right as we could get it and hope it will satisfy all.
And now to my brothers and sisters who so cheerfully responded to my call for their personal history, I extend my heartfelt thanks. And those who thought it too trifling a matter to make an extra effort to attend to, I will say, if they had followed the golden rule a little closer it would have been better for us all. But I have done the best I could for them.
James Coquillette was born on November 7, 1816 in New York City, New York to William and Maria Garrison Coquillette.
When quite young, James moved with his parents to the old home in Rockland County. When 17, he was bound to a silversmith as an apprentice. He served until he was 21 and then returned to New York City, where he worked at his trade.
James was married at the age of 30 to Hannah Jane quick. To them were born two children, Mary and James. Hannah James Coquillette died April 6, 1849 when Little James was two years old. He soon followed his mother, and they were taken back to the old home and buried in the same grave. James was converted and joined the Methodist Church when he was 30 years old.
James Coquillette and Celestia Wayne Burnside were married June 1st, 1852. They went to Chicago and lived there four or five months. James remarked years later that those were the happiest months of his life. They then returned to Franklinville, IL and commenced housekeeping 1 1/4 miles east of the village. Here Nettie was born March 1st, 1853.
Then they moved to a new farm 1/4 mile West and built a new house. Julia was born there April. 28, 1855.
Once more, they moved to a farm of their own 2 miles southeast of Franklinville, IL. They remained in this house for nine years. In this home, Emma was born April 19th, 1857, Lessie, April 8, 1859, and John, January 25th, 1861.
When the war broke out, James and Celestia found it hard to supply the wants of their large family of small children, but by hard work and turning everything to the best advantage, they brought them through the troubled times without suffering.
In 1865, James sold his farm and moved to Iowa. They located 3 miles southwest of Prairieburg. In the new home, Percy was born July 4th, 1866. When they had lived in Iowa about six years, they went back to Illinois on a visit, taking Percy and Emma with them. One by one, the children were married and left the old home until James and Celestia were left alone. Before their family was all gone, they had made many pleasant visits to their friends and children who were away.
After the children were all away, they tried living alone for a while. Then they rented their farm and visited among their children. Then James health became so poor that he could not do anything, and they sold their farm and went to live in Havelock, Iowa with their youngest child, Percy, his wife Carrie and their little son Frankie.
They are there at the present time, September 1891, but their children are scattered. We are planning for a family reunion on Father's 75th birthday, which will be November 7th, 1891.
James passed away one week after his 75th birthday on November 14th 1891 and is buried in the Havelock Cemetery, Pocahontas County, Iowa.
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