DARR/DERR Family Tree

Other Surnames: Proctor and Miller
Carrollton, Illinois 1818-1968

"This is a "Bio" about my Ancestor George W. Darr
that was published in the local newspaper around early 1900's"
GEORGE DARR was born in York county,  Pennsylvania, June 7, 1817,
his parents being John and Catherine (Wunbach,Wambach) DERR/DARR,  both natives of Pennsylvania.  When George had reached the age of 12 years,
he went to Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where he was reared to manhood. His parents also removed to that county five years later.
George was brought up to farm life and has followed that occupation nearly all his life. He was married in his native state, Sept. 4, 1836, to Rebecca Hoffman,
a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of
Philip and Savina (Benedict) Hoffman. Both her parents were born in Pennsylvania, and there both died. In the fall of 1848
Mr. Darr removed to Illinois and located in Calhoun county, where he rented land for three and a half years. He then came to Greene county, locating in what is now Carrollton township, where he remained six years, and then bought 200 acres on sections 23 and 24, in Bluffdale township,
where he has since resided. He found comparatively no improvements there, at that time, but set right to work with an energy, bound to effect prosperity. Mr. and Mrs. Darr were the parents of 10 children, of whom nine are living -
Elizabeth, wife of William Swan, is now deceased;
Amos, married Henrietta Adams, lives in this township;
Susan, wife of Dennis Flatt, living in Johnson county, Kansas;
Catherine, living at home;
Mary Ann, wife of Reuben Proffitt, living in Rice county, Kansas;
Sarah, wife of Elias Swires, living in Missouri;
Rebecca, married Edward Butte, living in Marion county, Kansas;
George William, married Louisa Snyder, lives on the home place;
Ruth E., wife of William Robinet, living in Missouri,
Adeline, wife of Arthur Bendy, living at the Darr homestead.
Mr. and Mrs. Darr are members of the
Pacific Union Baptist Church, of Bluffdale township.
Coming here over a third of a century ago, with no money
and no capital, save willing hands, Mr. and Mrs. Darr have persevered until they now have a splendidly improved farm, owning 200 acres of land, with fine improvements. George Darr found timber on most of his land when he came here; its place is now occupied by one of the finest farms in the county.


Darr Family History

(* indicates my lineage)

*JOHN DARR/DERR born 1788 in PA
married Catherine Wunbach/Wambach June 13, 1811 in PA
Salem Reformed Church, Harrisburg, Dauphin Co. PA, Rev. Phillip Gloninger Off. Witnessed by: John Orr & John Fisher: At time of marriage: John & Catherine were from Fairview Twsp, York Co. PA, (married under DERR name)


Brother to John Darr: Micheal Darr/Derr b.Jan. 28, 1783 Married Elizabeth Bretz Dec. 24, 1812 at the Salem Reformed Church in Harrisburg, Dauphin Co., PA. Died Oct. 7, 1852 in Lower Allen Twsp. Cumberland Co., PA. Buried Lutherian & Presbyterian Burial Grounds, Allen Twsp. Cumberland Co. PA (married under the DERR name)

John Darr & Catherine's Children:

William Darr b. 1825

Michael Darr b. 1812
married Eliza Sauls b. Virginia
(4 children)
#1. Catherine Darr b. abt 1852 IL deceased
m. Charles C. Rose July 25, 1865 in Calhoun Co. IL
#2. Henry Darr b. abt. 1857 IL d. bef. 1947
m. Mary Ann Mereday July 17, 1874 Calhoun Co. IL
#3. Joseph Darr b. abt. FEb. 1860 IL d. bef. 1950
m. Malinda Bushen Dec. 26, 1872 Calhoun Co. IL
#4. Josephine Darr b. abt Feb. 1850 IL d. bef. 1950
m. Geroge Meister July 4, 1872 Calhoun Co. IL

*GEORGE DARR
b. June 7, 1817 York Co. PA
d. Nov. 19, 1911 Marion Co. KS (Buried at Dunkard Cem.)
married Sept. 4, 1836 to Rebecca Hoffman (b. 1816 PA  d. 1902)
10 Children:

#1. Sarah Ann Darr
b. 1845/46 PA  d. 1919 MaCoupin Co. IL
m. Elias Swires Sept. 23, 1866 Greene Co. IL
  d. 1919 MaCoupin Co. IL

#2. Elizabeth Darr
b. abt 1837 PA
m. Willard Swan March 25, 1858 Greene Co. IL
D. Nov. 11, 1860 Bluffdale Twsp. Greene Co. IL

#3. Amos Darr
b. Nov. 3, 1837 PA
m. Henrietta V. Adams Sept. 4, 1864 Greene Co. IL
D. Oct. 13, 1912 Buried Carter Cem. Carrollton, IL

#4. Mary Ann Darr
b. abt. 1843 PA
m. Rueben B. Proffitt Sept. 26, 1867 Jersey Co. IL

#5. Susannah (Susan) Darr
b. abt. 1840 PA
m. Dennis Flatt Nov. 28, 1861 Greene Co. IL
D. March 3, 1923 Norwich, Kingman Co. Kansas

#6. Catherine Darr
b. abt. 1842 PA
m. Bernard Hildebrand July 25, 1886 Greene Co. IL
D. Kansas? abt. 1908

#7. Rebecca Darr
b. abt. 1848 Bluffdale Twsp. Greene Co. IL
m. Edward Butts June 6, 1876 Greene Co. IL

#8.  Ruth E. Darr
b. 1854 Bluffdale Twsp. Greene Co. IL
m. William C. Robnett Aug 31, 1876 Greene Co. IL

#9.  Sophia Adeline Darr
b. abt. 1855/56 Bluffdale Twsp. Greene Co. IL
m. Arthur Bendy Oct. 19, 1880 Greene Co. IL
D. Jan. 21, 1903 Stowell Kansas

#10.  *GEORGE WILLIAM DARR
b. June 3, 1850 IL
d. Jan. 8, 1918 Greene Co. IL
married Luvisa Snyder Jan, 12. 1871
b. November 23, 1840 IL
d. August 2, 1918 Greene Co. IL
Both buried at Stith Cem. Carrollton, Greene Co. IL
5 Children

#1. Robert Chester Darr (1872-1963)
m. December 12, 1897 Greene Co. IL
Adeline Flatt (1873-1950)
Both buried at Stith Cem. Carrollton, Greene Co. IL

#2. Marion Arthur (Dutch) Darr (1878-1942)
m. August 27, 1898 Greene Co. IL
Ada E. Bass (1879-1927)

#3. Susan Cora Darr (1875-1956)
m. April 5, 1896 Greene Co. IL
Marshall W. Voyles (1868-1909)
Both buried at Stith Cem.

#4. Ida Mabel Darr (1881-1970)
m. November 8, 1897 Greene Co. IL
Robert L. Russell (1871-1955)
Both buried at Stith Cem. Carrollton, IL

#5. *WESLEY CLAUDIOUS (Roger) DARR
b. April 19, 1887  d. 1971
m. Cora Hoff(1890-1972) Oct. 10, 1908 Greene Co. IL
both buried at Carrollton Cem.
2 Children:

#1. Elsie Ada Darr b. Dec. 26, 1910
m. John William Behenen Oct. 10, 1929 Greene Co. IL

#2. *RALPH HERMAN DARR ( my Grandfather)
b. June 18, 1909
d. July 19, 1970
m. June 19, 1928 Greene Co. IL
Dorothy Juanita Shanks
b. May 16, 1910
d. Feb. 23, 1968
Both buried Farrow Cem. Calhoun Co. IL

CENSUS YR:  1850  STATE:  IL  COUNTY:  Greene  DIVISION:  Btwn Macoupin & Apple Crk  REEL NO:  M432-108  PAGE NO:  72B
REFERENCE:  Geo. B. Price, Ass't Marshall  16th day of Nov. 1850

34  975  983 Darr           George         32   M         Farmer                   Pennsylvania
 35  975  983 Darr           Rebecca        34   F                                  Pennsylvania
 36  975  983 Darr           Elizabeth      13   F                                  Pennsylvania
 37  975  983 Darr           Amos           11   M                                  Pennsylvania
 38  975  983 Darr           Susannah       10   F                                  Pennsylvania
 39  975  983 Darr           Catharine      8    F                                  Pennsylvania
 40  975  983 Darr           Mary           7    F                                  Pennsylvania
 41  975  983 Darr           Sarah Ann      5    F                                  Pennsylvania
 42  975  983 Darr           Rebecca        2    F                                  Illinois
1   975  983 Darr           William        1/12 M                                  Illinois


Coronor's Hearings 1884 - 1919 DATE: January 8th, 1918
PAGE: 148
NAME OF DECEASED:
George William Darr
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Male; 5 ft 8 in; fair complexion; dark brown eyes; gray hair
CORONER: Thomas Carmody
INQUEST HELD AT: Resident of the deceased
NAMES OF JURY: C.H. Booth; Jasper Hutchins; Sherman Ray; Wm. P. Johnson; August Bruns; Fred Pranger
WITNESSES: Luvisa Darr, Bluffdale Township, Housewife; Marie Voiles, Bluffdale Township, housekeeper; LeRoy Russell, Bluffdale Township, farmhand
VERDICT: Came to his death on the 8th day of January 1918 by a gun shot would inflicted by his own hands. Suicide intent account of despondency
PERSONAL EFFECTS: none taken
REMARKS: He had been sick for past 2 years and at times became despondent on account he thought he would never recover his health. He arose early in the morning and his wife was talking to him. Later he arose while she was sleeping in the same bed and he shot himself with the shot gun. She awoke and immediately jumped up asking him " what was that?". She found him dead at the foot of the bed.


This is most of the information that I have gathered so far.  I am always searching for more information.   If you have connections with any of these names please feel free to contact me.






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