Leona (Childs) Stookey

© Kathy Duncan, 2016

Leona (Childs) Stookey, daughter of John S. and Catherine F. (Brown) Childs, was born in 1856. She married Lewis Stookey on 11 Sept. 1879. She died 7 Feb 1921 and is buried in Harristown Cemetery, in Harrisontown, Macon County, Illinois.

Census records of Lewis and Leona (Childs) Stookey:

12 June 1880, Illini, Macon Co., IL:

116-120

Stookey, Lewis W M 31 Farmer b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Leona W F 24 Wife Keeping house b. IL fb. NJ mb. IL

Gilkeson, Robert W M 23 Laborer Works on farm b. IL fb. Ire mb. VA

8 June 1900, Harristown, Macon Co., IL:

62-65

Stookey, Louis Head W M Oct 1848 51 M-20 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL farmer

----Leona Wife W F Feb 1856 44 M-20 3-2 b. IL fb. NJ mb. IL

----Marshall Son W F Oct 1881 18 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Hellen Dau W F June 1883 17 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Daniel Father W M Mar 1820 80 Wd b. IL fb. OH mb. IL

Musser Rose Servant W F Aug 1875 24 S b. IL fb PA mb. PA

Wilt Elmor Servant W M Aug 1879 20 S b. PA fb. PA mb. PA

2 May 1910, Harristown, Macon Co., IL:

143

Stookey, Lewis Head M W 61 m-1 30 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL farmer

----Leona C. Wife F W 54 M-1 30 3-2 b. IL fb. NJ mb. IL

----Marshall C. Son M W 28 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

19-20 Jan 1920, Harristown, Macon Co., IL:

141-143

Stookey, Lewis head M W 71 M b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Leona C. wife F W 63 M b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

142-144

Stookey, Marshall C head M W 38 M b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Milderd J wife F W 29 M b. KS fb. IL mb. IL

----Mary E dau F W 3 3/12 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

Obituary of Leona (Childs) Stookey:

Mrs. Lewis Stookey died in a hospital in Milwaukee, Wis. Monday afternoon of an illness extending over a period of several months. She went to the Milwaukee hospital for treatment three weeks ago. The body will be brought to Decatur this evening and be taken to the family home in Harristown. Leona Childs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Childs was born near Warrensburg and was educated in the public schools of Decatur, being graduated from Decatur high school in 1876, as valedictorian of her class. Some of the older persons yet remember that particular class because all of the young women were attired in calico dresses. The inherent ability which won her the place of honor in her class as ever active and during all of her life she was a student, fond of literary pursuits and music. She was long president of Summit Culture Club,Harristown and organist in the Harristown Methodist church of which she was a member. In recent years Mrs. Stookey had given much time to Red Cross work and had traveled a great deal.

The surviving members of her family are her husband, Louis Stokey, and two children,Marshal C. Stookey of Harristown and Mrs. Nathan Wilkinson of Milwaukee. Her brothers and sisters are Dr.Charles Childs, LaPlace, John Childs and Misses Edna and Harriet Childs of Los Angeles, Cal.,  and Mrs.Howard Batchelder of Colorado. 
[Source: Decatur Herald; Decatur, IL; 8 Feb 1921]

Obituary of Lewis Stookey:

Lewis Stookey, formerly a resident of Decatur and Harristown died in his home in San Diego,Cal, Wednesday after an illness of about one week.

Born at Millstadt in St.Clair county, Oct.20, 1848, Mr.Stookey moved to Bloomington with his parents when a small child. From there he came to Decatur,moving to Harristown in 1864.

He attended Normal university and Bloomington grade schools. He was a student of Decatur high school and at one time attended school in Alton.

On Sept 11, in 1879 he married Leona Childs who preceded him in death, Feb. 7, 1921. The couple resided on a farm in Illini township until 1893.

Mr. Stookey leaves two children, Marshall C.Stookey of Harristown and Helen Wilkerson of Wisconsin. Another child Annis Stookey preceded him in death. Also two sisters,Mrs.Mary Randle and Mrs.Florence Lutz both of Decatur.

He was the son of Daniel and Carole Stookey who settled in Haristown during the Civil war. Their farm home became his property and is at the present time occupied by his son.

The body will arrive from San Diego Monday and will be taken to the Dawson & Wikoff funeral home to be removed to the family home Tuesday morning.

Funeral services will be conducted in the Harristown Methodist church at 3 pm Tuesday. Burial will be in the Harristown cemetery.
[Source: Decatur Daily Review; Decatur, IL; 28 May 1933] 

Published biography of Lewis Stookey and family:

Lewis Stookey, a representative of the fourth generation of the family in Illinois, is prominently identified with the farming interests of Macon county and is known as one of its most capable and enterprising citizens. He is the owner of one of the most valuable farms of Harristown township, where he carries on general farming and is also greatly interested in the breeding of shorthorn cattle, his pure-bred herd having a reputation of containing some of the finest specimens of the kind in the state. Mr. Stookey is a practical man and his success has been due to the application of sound judgement in all departments of his business.

He was born in St. Clair county, October 20, 1848, and is a son of Daniel and Caroline (Goodner) Stookey. The father was also born in St. Clair county, the great-grandfather of our subject, Daniel Stookey, locating there in 1802, therefore being one of the very earliest settlers of Illinois. The family came from Virginia, although Daniel Stookey was a native of Maryland, in which state he was born before the Revolutionary war, in March, 1773. His wife, who before her marriage was Barbara Whetstone, was born in Virginia, April 20, 1774. They were married March 16, 1797, and their eldest son, Simon, was born in Virginia, January 6, 1798. This son was the grandfather of our subject and came with the family to St. Clair county. He and his father were pioneer farmers and they took up land from the government in that county, some of which is still in possession of the family. Daniel Stookey, the father, was born March 6, 1820, while his wife was born June 26, 1825, in St. Clair county, and there they were married December 4, 1845. He was a farmer and sawmill owner. In 1855, ten years after his marriage, he sold out and removed to Bloomington, Illinois, becoming interested in the manufacture of Pennock’s wheat drills, but the call of the farm drew him back to the soil and after a few years he came to Harristown township, Macon county, where he had acquired forty acres of land and also owned one hundred and sixty acres in Illini township. Later he became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres where the family homestead is now located. This land at the time of his purchase was wild prairie, with no trees or fences, and upon it there stood a small cabin one and one-half stories high, which was propped up so that it could not be blown down by the wind. The prospect was not very alluring but Daniel Stookey builded wiser perhaps than he knew and became one of the wealthy landowners of the county and one of its most esteemed citizens. To him and his wife there were born seven children: Adaline, who died in childhood; Lewis, our subject; Cornelius, deceased; Daniel W., who married Angie Dunnuck and lives at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he being a manufacturer of drain tile; Mary Caroline, now the wife of Rev. E. B. Randle, of Springfield; W. James, who died at nineteen years; and Florence H., the wife of S.M. Lutz, of Decatur.

In 1872 Daniel Stookey built a good brick house from brick burned under his own supervision, one of the first houses of the kind in this region. The residence was remodeled n 1906 by Lewis Stookey, a hot water plant and acetylene gas apparatus being installed. In 1909 a commodious porch was added, the building now being one of the most pleasing landmarks in the township. Daniel Stookey was a member of the Baptist church of Decatur, and he was an active supporter of that denomination. He was reared in the democratic party but at the time of the war was a patriotic Union man and from that time forward voted the republican ticket. He served in several minor public offices in the township but he was essentially a man of business and not a seeker for political honors. He was a man of wide influence and worthily did he perform his part in assisting toward the growth and prosperity of the county with which he was long closely identified.

Lewis Stookey was fifteen years of age when his parents took up their residence in Harristown township. He received his early education in the country schools and later became a student at Shurtleff College, where he continued for three years. Returning to the farm, he devoted his attention to its interests, locating for a time on the farm in Illini township, of which he later became owner. In 1893 he removed to the old homestead and he is now the owner of four hundred and forty acres, most of it in the home farm. Mr. Stookey has shown good judgment in his farming operations and the results are to be seen in the orderly arrangement of the buildings, the modern farm appliances and the up-to-date condition of everything about the farm. It is hardly necessary to say that he has been greatly blessed in his operations.

On September 11, 1879, Mr. Stookey was married in Illini township to Miss Leona Childs, a native of Sangamon county, born February 26, 1856, and a daughter of John S. and Catherine (Brown) Childs. Her father was a native of New Jersey and grew to manhood there, coming to Illinois and living for a time at Galena and Springfield, where he followed the occupation of carpentering. His wife was born in Sangamon county, where her father was engaged in farming. He came to Macon county and acquired land in Illini township. He was of English Quaker ancestry. The American ancestors of the family have been traced of James Childs, born in 1697. John S. Childs acquired six hundred and forty acres of land in this county. He was called to reward May 10, 19905, and his beloved wife departed this life October 23, 1909. He was identified with the democratic party for many years but in 1896 he changed his allegiance and voted for Mr. McKinley. He was a man greatly esteemed by his neighbors and held at various times all the important township offices, being for a number of years supervisor and displaying a cool judgment in public and private affairs that always reflected upon him and those with whom he was associated the highest credit.

Three children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stookey. Marshall, who was graduated from the school of civil engineering of the University of Illinois in 1907, entered the engineering department of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company at Chicago and later assisted in overseeing construction work on the line. He is now at home assisting his father upon the farm. Helen S. is also a graduate of the University of Illinois, receiving the degree of A.B. in 1904. On June 15, 1907, she was married to Nathan Wilkinson, of Emporia, Kansas, who is an electric engineer and is connected with the Allis-Chalmers Company, now making his headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilkison: Helen Jean, born October 29, 1908; and Nathan III, February 13, 1910. The third child of Mr. and Mrs. Stookey was named Annis and departed this life at the age of two years, August 6, 1885.

Mr. Stookey cast his first presidential ballot in 1872 for U.S. Grant for president of the United States and has ever since continued a stanch republican. He has never aspired to political honors but has served with great acceptance as school trustee. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Harristown, of which Mr. Stookey is steward and has acted as Sunday school superintendent and in other capacities. He has found in his wife one who has been, indeed, to her husband a helpmeet and to the community a blessing, whose influence for good has increased with the passage of years. As a man of mark, Mr. Stookey’s advice is often sought by his friends in business and other affairs and when it is followed the result is almost invariably satisfactory. He has gained recognition as a reliable breeder of live stock and his reputation is not confined to Macon county. He has always had an inclination to agricultural pursuits and to this has been added lifelong habits of application to agricultural pursuits and an integrity which has never been questioned. It is plain that no record of Macon county would be complete without proper mention of the subject of this sketch and his worthy ancestry.

[Source: City of Decatur and Macon County, Illinois: A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, vol. 2 by Hon. William E. Nelson]