NameWesley Grice
Birth28 Sep 1822, Fayette Co, PA
Census16 Sep 1850, Jackson Twp, Ashland Co, OH
Memoroll#658, pg 84
Census31 Jul 1860, Freeport, Stephenson Co, IL
Memoroll#230, pg 194
Military3 Apr 1865, Galena, Jo Daviess Co, IL
Memo96th Reg & Co E, 21st Reg IL Vol Inf
Census20 Aug 1870, Washington Twp, Butler Co, IA
Census24 Jun 1880, Washington Twp, Butler Co, IA
Memoroll#330, pg 254
Census15 Jun 1900, Spring Creek, Howell Co, MO
Memoroll#860, pg 9
Death14 Mar 1909, Alton, Madison Co, IL
BurialBeeler Cem, Ness Co, KS
OccupationCooper, Farmer
Misc. Notes
From Betty Christensen:
Was a cooper (barrelmaker). Married by T. Beers, minister in Wayne Twp.
Lived in Jackson Twp, Ashland Co, OH in 1850. Census shows him as Wistley Grice, 27 and a farmer with his wife and two sons, Isiah (8, OH), Thomas (1, OH).
The 1860 census lists him as Wesley Grier, a cooper with his wife and 6 children in Freeport IL.
From Ken C. Loughton:
Wesley was living in Galens, IL and 42 years old when he joined the Army on 3 April 1865. He originally joined the 96th Regiment and a month later transferred to the same unit as his son, Thomas in Company E, 21st Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
He suffered chronic diarrhea 1 Jun 1865 near Nashville TN which his pension was later based on. He was discharged from the Army at Springfield, IL on 16 Dec 1865.
He subsequently lived in Washington Twp, Butler Co IA between 1866-1880. In 1880 he is listed with his wife, dau Maggie, son Oliver and grandson Irwin (5, IA) son of dau Sarah.
He lived in Kansas City, MO between 1882-1897, then moved to (Beeler) Kansas.
In 1883 he applied for a military pension which was granted, effective 27 Feb 1907 until his death.
In 1900 he and Elizabeth are listed in Spring Creek, Missouri, living alone, farming and listing only 4 of their 10 children as living.
He lived in Beeler, KS with his son, Thomas until 1908 when he moved to Illinois and lived with his daughter Sarah Johnson.
He died under the care of Dr J. E. Watson at the home of his daughter - 2608 Kirsch St, Alton IL.
[Obituary] Ness County News - Sat, 27 Mar 1909, pgs 4 & 5
Wesley Grice, died at the home of his daughter Mrs. Johnson, in Alton, Illinois, at the age of 86.
His remains were brought to Beeler, Kansas, by his daughter Mrs. Sarah Johnson, and she will stay a short time, in Beeler with her brother, Thomas Grice Sr., before returning home.
Spouses
Birth19 Feb 1820, Pennsylvania
Death2 Mar 1902, Beeler, Ness Co, KS
BurialBeeler Cem, Ness Co, KS
Misc. Notes
1850 census lists her as unable to read or write.
“She lived on a homestead in Ohio and worked so hard chopping wood and everything that goes with a place like that in those days caring for her children at home while her husband and father were tramping the country to the South as volunteers on poor rations such as hard tack and black coffee, sore feet, etc.” from Jennie May Grice, her granddaughter as provided by Ken Loughton.
[Obituary] Ness City News - 8 Mar 1902 at the Ness County Historical Society
Died March 3, 1902, Grandma Grice, aged 82 years and 5 days, the remains were laid to rest in the Beeler Cemetery.
Headstone reads" Elizabeth, Wife of W. Grice”
Marriage9 Jul 1844, Wayne Twp, Wayne Co, OH
Marr Memoby T. Beers, minister
ChildrenIsiah (1842-1861)