My Genealogy Hound

WILLARD ST. JOHN was born May 7, 1843, in Marshall county, Ind., the son of Edward St. John, who was born in New York State and moved to Marshall county when a small boy. At that time only two other families lived in the county. In 1849 he moved to California, and is still there. Willard moved to Champaign county, Ill., with his mother, and was there until sixteen years of age. His mother is a native of Canada. She was divorced from Mr. St. John in 1848, and married to Noah Knox the same year. She had not heard from Mr. St. John for three years and the same evening she got a letter from him, stating that he had started home and had been robbed of $1,400, and had gone back to California to stay until he made it back. Mrs. Knox came to Jasper county in 1858 and moved to Texas in 1873. At the Battle of Carthage Willard was with the rebels in the morning and the Union army in the afternoon, helping to take care of the sick and wounded. In 1861 moved to Illinois and enlisted in Company I, Tenth Illinois Cavalry, and served three years. Saw some pretty hard times. Was in the battles of Poplar Bluffs, Peach Orchard Gap, and battle of Little Rock, Ark. Was mustered out in 1865, and three years after came to Jasper county. Was married to Rachel Rankin in April, 1877. Their children are Samuel R. and Edward.