WILEY FAMILY RECORD

GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER WILEY

Samuel WILEY was born in Maryland in 1749, and grew to manhood there. In 1776 realizing the need of having an independent government he went forth to battle for the cause (Revolutionary War). Passing through all the hardships connected therewith. After the most severe part was over he returned home and soon married and with his wife immigrated to Pennsylvania. There they had born to them three sons. Mr. and Mrs. WILEY remained in Pennsylvania until 1812. They came to Ohio locating near Cincinnati. In 1813 they settled on Section 25 Spring Creek Township - Miami County.

Note: in 1991, Marlene Jan McDERMENT, great-granddaughter of William Franklin and Dora Jane (WILEY) KEY proved Samuel WILEY's Revolutionary War Service and the family lineage for membership into the NATIONAL SOCIETY DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - National Number 738197. In addition she proved that the Samuel WILEY’s spouse is Margaret HENDERSON, daughter of William HENDERSON. In 2007 she proved Margaret’s father William for NSDAR.  

GREAT-GRANDFATHER WILEY

William WILEY - one of the three sons (no record of the others) was born in Pennsylvania Mar 16 1779. His wife Jennie JOHNSON was born in Ireland Mar 16 1780. They were married Dec 10 1802. Twelve years later they moved to Ohio and located on the same section with his father (in Miami County). They passed through many of the hardships with the early settlers. Their own home was a log cabin with neither door or floor. He fought in the War of 1812.  

William WILEY died Nov 26 1869

Jennie (JOHNSON) WILEY died Jan 15 1869  

They had born to them a family of eight children.

            Samuel J. WILEY                   b. Oct 28 1803

             Mary WILEY                         b. Oct 20 1805

            John WILEY                          b. Dec 7 1807

Robert WILEY                       b. Feb 10 1810

            William Henderson WILEY    b. Dec 22 1816           

Thomas WILEY                      b. Mar  1 1815

            Francis Johnson WILEY          b. Dec 22 1816

            Jennie WILEY                          b. Dec  7 1819

 Besides the tract of land he had acquired just north of Piqua, William bought three quarter sections in Orange Township, Shelby County. These were later occupied by Mary (CROZIER) and Francis Johnson WILEY and Robert's widow (Bridlina Jane (CROZIER) and family.  

Samuel J. WILEY - oldest son of William and Jennie (JOHNSON) WILEY was born in Pennsylvania Oct 28 1803. At the age of nine he came west and assisted his father in making a farm out of the wilderness. In 1828 he married Margaret McKNIGHT who had been born in Ireland in 1795.  

Their children were six in number.

            William J. WILEY                       b. Apr 21 1829

            Sarah J. WILEY                          b. Aug 12 1830

            Samuel McKnight WILEY           b. Apr 22 1834

            Mary WILEY                                no record

            Joseph WILEY                              b. Oct 12 1840

            Robert WILEY                              Died same day as born

 William J. WILEY oldest son of Samuel and Mary (McKNIGHT) WILEY was brought up to agricultural pursuits. He received a fair education. He was always willing to assist in all public interest of welfare in his community. During his life he held the more important offices of his township which were filled with impartial feelings to all with whom he did business. In 1859 he married Elsie BURNS who died in January 1862 leaving one son James Burns WILEY. His second wife was Penelope McKEE - or Aunt Nep. Three children were born to them. Harry S. WILEY married and deceased, Mary Lillian (or Lillie) who lived in Piqua, and Nellie May wife of Dr. ADAMS. They lived on part of father's home.  

Sarah J. WILEY second child of Samuel J. and Margaret (McKNIGHT) WILEY married Joshua BURTON and lived her entire life at a home on the hill overlooking Piqua. They had two children - Arabel BURTON who married Silas SMITH and lives at Delaware. Walter BURTON married Grace HENRY. They lived at Piqua and have five children - Margaret, Elsie, Clarence, Ralph and Robert BURTON.  

Samuel McKnight WILEY third child of Samuel and Margaret (McKNIGHT) WILEY was also raised on a farm and followed it as a vocation during his life. He had the usual elementary training of the district school. Enlisted in the Civil War and was in what was known as the hundred day service. He was married Aug 27 1874 to Susan A. WHITE. One son and three children were born to them - Budd, Glifford, Gertrude, and Blissie. Blissie died in early childhood. Budd is married and lives in east Piqua, Glifford married Wm. McGRAW, and Gertrude is a widow (Gertrude LaFRANCE).  

Mary WILEY fourth child of Samuel and Margaret (McKNIGHT) WILEY was the wife of Joseph WEAD. She only lived a short while. A tragedy at her death caused the family to forget her. It even seemed her records were obliterated. However, the brothers finally relented and removed what was left of her bones when the Orr Felt Blanket Company built their plant on the grounds of a cemetery, one that the WILEY's were all buried on. At this time all the bodies were removed to Forest Lawn Cemetery.  

Joseph S. WILEY fifth child of Samuel and Margaret (McKNIGHT) WILEY devoted his life to farming. He made a good use of what school knowledge as the time afforded, and acquired a very fair education. Oct 10 1871 he married Nancy ROBINSON. Two children were born to them - Howard Gordon when twelve years old fell on the ice at school and died the next day. Margaret - B.E. - known to everyone as Willie was married to Rev. BOYD. She left one son at her death.  

Mary WILEY (Polly) second child of William and Jennie (JOHNSON) WILEY married Joseph McKNIGHT, a brother to Samuel WILEY's wife (Margaret). They occupied for many years one of the three sections of land in Shelby County known to us as the John MALONEY farm and directly east of the one Francis WILEY lived on. To them was born the following children: William, Samuel, Margaret, Louise and Jane. They are all deceased but Samuel. He still lived on a farm on Dixie Highway near Shelby County.

They had lived there for many years. In Aug 1934 while visiting at Piqua, I went to see him. He was eighty-six years old. Still maintaining all of his faculties and very interesting to visit with. About the only thing he told me of the family was that his father had taught the first three years in the Fish School.  

William McKNIGHT son of Mary (WILEY) and Joseph McKNIGHT was married twice. His first wife left three sons at the time of her death - William, Edward, and Thomas. William Jr. married Anna HUTCHINSON and lived in Dayton too. There were several children by the second (wife). One became the wife of a SIMMONS at Pemberton. The others remained around their father during his life. He was somewhere in his nineties.

Margaret McKNIGHT daughter of Mary (WILEY) and Joseph McKNIGHT was the second wife of Joseph WEAD. She was a first cousin to his first wife Mary WILEY. They lived in Shelby Co. there the following children were born to them - Samuel, Mary, Ella, William, Eva, Hattie, Gordon and Glenna.  

Louis McKNIGHT daughter of Mary (WILEY) and Joseph McKNIGHT became the wife of D.K. GILLESPIE, a prominent grain dealer at Kirkwood, Ohio. Anna GILLISPIE, a daughter by his first wife became the wife of William FELLON.  

Samuel and Jane McKNIGHT son and daughter of Mary (WILEY) and Joseph McKNIGHT - neither one ever married, but remained with the parents until their deaths.  

William John WILEY son of Robert and Brillina (CROZIER) WILEY settled for several years at Montezuma, Ohio. Moved to Sheldon, Iowa and homesteaded a prairie farm. During the year 1885 I spent the most of a summer with them. They had a lovely farm all under cultivation. Had a large family - I can't recall their names. At that time prairie chickens were plentiful and they always carried a gun during corn husking. We had plenty of chickens. Two of the boys and I after school would take small steel traps and set them for squirrel. We often brought home enough for a meal. We also went fishing at night. Cousin Will (WILEY), the oldest son, would use a seine and we would sack the fish. These were salted for future use. I only recall his wife as Nan. They were at Sidney when Ben was killed. So far as I know they died in Iowa.

James Johnson WILEY second son of Robert and Brillina (CROZIER) WILEY first left the home and went at Pana, Ill.  He may have moved here. He also homesteaded at Sheldon, Iowa and was very comfortably fixed. Had a nice home and a lovely grove he had planted. There was a big addition to the Iowa farm at that time. He was a real character. His educational advantages had been very limited but he was endowed with a very brilliant mind. Was a great student especially in religions. He changed his belief a number of times. When I first met him he was going to church only when he could have a carriage driver and good clothes. At this time a lovely little girl Mabel died. The Sunday after her funeral he gathered his family - wife Larni - one son Budd and two daughters Gustave and Brilla in a one horse farm wagon and went to church. His mother-in-law had given them a bolt of cloth something in the order of linsey. He and Budd had shirts made of it and she and the girls dresses. He took an active part, even acted as pastor during the sickness of the pastor. Budd was killed during a storm and I believe his wife died here. I recall a few times we heard he was here or there. He finally landed in California where he visited father (George William WILEY) and brother Will (WILEY) and died there in 1932 at one of the girls' home. In many ways he was eccentric. After all he was very brilliant - when he told you of it.  

Robert WILEY son of Robert and Brillina (CROZIER) WILEY also went to Pana, Ill. He never seemed to mix a lot with the others. His wife was Anna SMITH daughter of Sarah (CROZIER) SMITH. He and his wife were first cousins. They had two children Harry and Robert. I understand he died near Portland, Oregon.  

Francis Johnson WILEY (Grandfather) seventh child of William and Jennie (JOHNSON) WILEY and Mary Jane CROZIER were married in 1842 or near that date. I am figuring these dates from father's age. A pair of twins who died at birth were their first born.

            George William WILEY         b. Aug 24 1845

            Brillina Jane WILEY              b.              1848

            Johnson Crozier WILEY        b.              1849

 Sometime in 1847 and 48 they moved to the farm in Shelby County. At the time they moved there was a log cabin on the farm of two rooms. The two north rooms of the old home. A porch faced the east for at that time some sore of road was just east of the house. When first married they made their home with his father. A hewn log house that stood back in the orchard and where Uncle BURTON lived at Piqua. I have faint recollections of seeing all or part of the old foundation. According to grandma a long porch full length of the house was used to store barrels and such things. Grandma was a very immaculate person and that was her idea of keeping father. His clothes were all made of linen - her father's own manufacturer in Ireland. Great-grandma was sure father (George William WILEY) needed fat meat. He wasn't very robust, so she hid him among the barrels and gave him his meat, disastrous to white linen no doubt, but all through his almost eighty years of life he liked his fat meat.  I had in mind that all three children were born in Miami Co. Will says father was only three when they moved to Shelby Co. Aunt Jennie (B.J.) and Uncle Johnston(J.C.) were born on the farm in Shelby Co. It was a wilderness when they moved - only three acres cleared or perhaps not that much. Grandfather might have cleared that. The first day they were there grandfather (Francis Johnson WILEY) shot a great wild turkey from the porch. Neither seemed to know how to dress it. How they managed that is not certain but she certainly learned. She (Mary Jan CROZIER) was a very efficient woman. They planted three cedar trees in front. These trees grew very tall and stood until felled to build the little house in the yard for grandma years and years later. Grandfather also built the old barn that still stands. It was all complete but the doors. He was digging the well at the barn. While lowering stones for him to use in walling, the rope of the windlass broke and he was hit on the back. An injury to the spine developed into a curvature of the spine. Two vertebra were misplaced. During the three years he sat in a chair with a pair of iron braces something like a crutch top. These fastened to the chair was his support. Just how she managed during this time no one knows but her - I think Aunt Lena's husband and his own sons helped some. At his death she said she was in debt eight hundred dollars. She was offered six hundred for the farm and refused it. How much later it was she married Robert E. SMITH - an Englishman, a widower with four children - Ann, Mary, John and James. Only James came to live with them. The closest school was three miles from them on south Sidney hill. As soon as father could handle the farm Grandfather bought what we knew as the Stevar house. This gave Aunt Jennie and Uncle Johnston the advantage of school. An advantage father never had. Grandmother herself had a finished education and naturally gave father all she could. However father used every advantage of reading and certainly was endowed with a mind that retained all he read. I considered him the best read man I ever knew. As a child I remembered so well he seemed to figure that after a days work it should be his privilege to a great evening to read and any time we children got a little noisy a little crook of his thumb was all that was needed. I recall him telling us of his bachelor days on the farm. He could fry eggs and make tea - grandma took care that he was well supplied with food. While living on the hill, Grandfather (Robert E.) SMITH went to England to settle an estate. He made some sort of deal and took dry goods which he expected to sell to his brother-in-law in New York. He found his brother-in-law overstocked. By the time he disposed of it he had to take a loss. With what was left he went into partnership with Uncle William John Crozier his brother-in-law in a saw mill. This move must have been made around 1869 and 70. This saw mill was located at a small place on the old Miami-Erie Canal called Texas. To reach this place you got off the train at Tontongany and must be rowed on a boat across the Maumee River. As Uncle Johnson (WILEY) made visits to father's he would take me home with him. One trip I recall so vividly. We must have left Sidney on a late train for it was dark when we left it. Aunt Jennie and one of the Crozier boys, I think Ross, met us. Supper was all on the table and I was one happy youngster. All I need do was command. Once before when India was a baby, father, mother, India and I went. Grandfather took me in his arms to see the boats go through the locks. I can still see in my mind how it was done. They lived here until grandma was called to father on a telegram at our mother's death. She remained with us and father took me with him to help grandfather and we thought - Aunt Jennie - to move to the farm. Aunt Jennie (B.L.(WILEY)  had other plans so while we were there she was married to J. W. GEERING. The household goods were put on a wagon bed on sleds. We crossed the Maumee River on the ice. Grandfather and grandmother remained and cared for us until father married again. When mother died she left a five day old baby. Mrs. McCLUSKY, a neighbor, came forward and took the baby and cared for him until he was three months old. Grandma felt she could assume the care and this care lasted until he was little more than two years old when he died Jan. 16, 1878.  

George W. WILEY oldest son of Francis Johnson and Mary Jane (CROZIER) WILEY actively followed farming as a vocation practically all his life - always on the same farm. At the age of seventeen he enlisted in the Civil War. Being under age grandmother tried hard to get him out. After enlistment he went to a training camp near Cincinnati. I think she was notified at what time the train would go through Sidney. Arming herself with a habeas corpus she met the train. She got to touch his hand through the car window. Fortunately he did not see very much hard service. Finally found himself in a Nashville, Tenn. hospital with small pox. After a few days he taken to the hospital which the cases were hopeless. He recovered and was discharged Dec. 12, 1867. He and Mary Caroline LANE were married in Sidney by the Rev. R. McCASLIN. They started on the farm. Four children were born to them.

Dora Jane WILEY                 b. Jun  9 1869

            India Pearl WILEY                b. Aug 28 1871

            William Johnston WILEY      b. Mar  2 1873

            Josiah Herbert WILEY           b. Feb   2 1875

 Feb. 8, 1875 our mother (Mary Caroline (LANE) passed away leaving a baby five days old.  

Nov. 23, 1876 father was again married to Lida A. GEER by the Rev. John Colgain. Six children were born to them.

            Francis George WILEY            b. Aug 23 1877

            Benjamin Clyde WILEY           b. May  4 1879

            James Walter WILEY             b. Sep  7 1880

            Bertha May WILEY               b. Oct 20 1884

            Mary Murial WILEY              b. Apr 18 1886

            Harley Melville WILEY           b. Feb 18 1888  

Brillina Jane WILEY daughter of Francis Johnson and Mary Caroline (LANE) WILEY was married to John W. GEERING in Feb. 1875. Uncle John GEERING owned a general store on the bank of the old Ohio Canal not far from Toledo at a place called Texas. Steps led from the store to a platform on the canal bank where the supplies were unloaded from the boats. Uncle Johnson (Johnson Crozier WILEY) who clerked for him used to sit me on a chair where I could watch the unloading. The boats were pulled by mules - one hitched after another. They trailed on what was called the tow path. He also owned a farm near the town. On this was a big brick house. To this place he took Aunt Jennie (Brillina Jane WILEY) as a bride. He had two children by a former marriage, Charlie who drowned in the canal while crossing on the ice from the store to his home, and a girl, Ella. Aunt Jennie's twin babies were dead born. Two years later at the birth of a little daughter she and the baby both passed away. They died in 1877 at Texas, Ohio.   

Johnson Crozier WILEY was married to Anna M. WRIGHT of Northwood, Ohio. She was the daughter of Rev. WRIGHT, a United Presbyterian minister. Her maternal grandfather was also a minister. He was the author of several books. His name was CHRISTY. She herself was a talented musician - taught piano. She had a wonderful expression and her music was a delight to her friends. They were an ideal married couple - a college graduate he did not find a vocation that suited him. So at his marriage he settled on the home farm. Four children were born to them. Two who grew to maturity - Bessie Martha WILEY was born Apr. 22, 1883. Farida Anna WILEY was born May 23, 1887. Farida was named for the wife of a Greek student at Xenia Seminary and Anna for her mother.  

Bessie M. WILEY oldest daughter of Johnson and Anna (WRIGHT) WILEY was married to G. Clyde FISHER on Aug. 29, 1905. Four children were born to them. Clyde Jr. was born dead on May 20, 1914, Ruth Anna was born Apr. 7, 1916. Beth Elinor was born May 1, 1918. Katherine was born May 4, 1920.  

Anna M. (WRIGHT) WILEY died Mar 1898 aged 44  

Johnson C. WILEY died Jan. 1916 aged 65  

Additions by Mary (KEY) FOWLE, daughter of Dora Jane (WILEY) KEY:  

            Ruth Anna FISHER was married Jun 12, 1936 to Geo. E. Van BUREN

            Beth Elinor FISHER was married Sep  7, 1938 to Oliver JOHNSTON

Katherine FISHER was married Apr 1, 1942 to Peter FELLER  

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