History of Crawford and Clark Counties, Illinois, Vol. II.
William Henry Perrin, ed.
(Chicago: O.L. Basking & Co. Historical Publishers)
1883.
F. E. Buckner-Farmer, P. O. West York, born December 25, 1828, in Crawford County, Ill.
His great-grandfather, Jessie Buckner, was a man of considerable wealth and renown. He was
a minister of the Baptist Church for forty years, having formerly been an officer in the
Revolutionary war. He married Mary Pyle. Their son, Elisha, was born in Chatham County,
N.C., he died there in 1829. He married Sarah Steele, born in North Carolina, she died in
1842, in Clark County, Ill. Her son, John Buckner, was born July 26, 1805, in North
Carolina, he died December 15, 1876, in this county. He came to Crawford County in 1828.
He was married March 3, 1825, in Tennessee, to Margaret Decker, born October 3, 1806, in
Smith County, Tenn. She was a daughter of Frederick and Anna (Earnest) Decker. Mrs. Anna
Deckers father, Andrew Earnest, and his six sons, viz.: Capt. Andrew, John, George,
Peter, Daniel and Christopher were all soldiers in the Revolution. Andrew Earnest,
Sr., was a wealthy shad fisher in Philadelphia; he married Katie Sommers, a sister of Gen.
Sommers, of Revolutionary fame, who raised and commanded a regiment of German troops from
Pennsylvania. Andrew Earnest, Sr., received several land grants from the United States, of
which he made no use whatever, and it, together with property in Philadelphia, belongs,
property to his heirs. Mrs. Margaret Buckner is yet living, at the home of her only son,
Frederick E., who was educated in Smith County, Tenn., to which place he moved back, with
his parents in 1829. He was also married there to Miss Avaline Vantrease, born 1831, in
Tennessee; she died in 1866. She was the mother of two children, viz: Margaret F.,
deceased, former wife of Robert Waire, and the mother of Eva, Lydia, and Freddy. Julia
Ann, wife of C. S. Buckner, and the mother of Emma R. Mr. Buckner was married a second
time to Bethiah Snipes, born 1835, in Tennessee; she died there 1872. She was the mother
of Martha E., born October 19, 1868; and John W., born January 28, 1871; he died December
27, 1879. Our subject was joined in matrimony a third time, November 8, 1877, in this
county, to Miss Rebecca L. Richards, born August 28, 1851, in Ohio; daughter of Thomas and
Mary A. (Brown) Richards. Mr. Buckner obeyed the call of his country by enlisting November
1, 1864, in the Fourth Regiment of Mounted Infantry, Tennessee Volunteers, Col. Blackburn,
serving till close of war. Mr. Buckner came back to this county in 1876. He has 340 acres
of land with good improvements. Mr. and Mrs. Buckner are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and also the G. A. R. In
politics, he is independent.
Submitted by [email protected]