Following is one of the Biographies and Stories which where gathered by Charles Sumner McKamy in the 1950s for publication in a Crawford County History Book. Unfortunately he passed away before the book was published.
My grandfather, on my mother's side, Bazaleel W. Comly, son of James and Catherine Comly, was born at Burgettstown, Pennsylvania August 28, 1804, and died at Oblong, Crawford County, Illinois October 13, 1855. He was the second one buried in the Country, "Wilkin Cemetery".
He was married to Margaret J. Stuart at New Lexington, Ohio March 8, 1810. She died at Oblong, Illinois September 9, 18_0. To this union 12 children were born -- nine of whom lived to old age.
My mother, Carrie B., being one of the younger children, born May 31, 1846, married Asa N. Snider March 3, 1869 in Crawford County, Illinois. To this union one child was born, Eva B., on July 13, 1873. She has been a teacher and a stenographer. When she retired from a well-established law firm, Callahan, Jones & Lowe, all now deceased, and of Robinson, Illinois. A graduate of the Robinson High School, only one graduated out of the class of 28 entering High School. She now resides at Robinson, Illinois, in her own home, 201 East Poplar St.
The "Comly Family (Tree) Book" dates back to 1682 when the ancestors came to Penn. With William Penn in 1682 -- originally from England -- that all of the now very extended family of "Comlys'" are descendants of Henry and Joan Comly. They came from Bedminster, near Bristol, England, and were members on the "Society of Friends". Henry Comly was a weaver by trade and settled in Warminster, Bucks County, England on a tract of 500 acres. Henry C. died on the 14th day of March 1684. To get married, in those days you had to have 12 witnesses -- one of which had to be a Justice of the Peace.
Jacob Comly, one of the early heirs, in 1770, moved to Philadelphia, and with the consent of such heirs, as could be found, obtained the City Lot granted to Henry Comly by William Penn. He, Jacob, died near Abington on the 9th Month and 21st day, 1825, aged 87 years, leaving no children.
John Comly, a descendant, was a Minister in the "Society of Friends" in 1810; he was also a Surveyor.
I was graduated from the Robinson High School in 1891, taught two terms of spring and summer school in the country before graduating, taught one year at Oblong, Illinois in the grade schools before coming to grade school in Robinson in 1895 and taught until 1900. I took a course of shorthand and in 1902 entered the Law firm of Callahan, Jones & Lowe and remained there until all three of the members of the firm were deceased and five years with Hon. A.H. Jones' grandson, Judge Hanby Jones, retiring in 1946. I was a Secretary for Mr. Jones while he was State Food Commissioner, at his office in Robinson, Illinois under four governors.
A member of the Methodist Church for 50 years, Primary Superintendent for a number of years; County Chairman of the Republican Woman's Organization under County Chairman H.M. Gulett of Palestine, Illinois and County Chairman Roy Dalrymple of Oblong, Illinois; a Secretary in the War Board, War 1, 2 1/2 years; and a President of the Business and Professional Womans' Club 1932 to 1934 and from 1940-1941. I worked as Stenographer for Judge J.C. Eagleton in Circuit Court during World War 1; also a number of years with Judge Wm. McCarty in the County Court.
During the Oil Boom, 1903 to 1910, I did work recording Oil Leases in the circuit Clerk's office; assisted Judge Wm. C. Jones typing for publication his "Birchwood Poems", and Mr. Callahan in his "Autobiographical Sketch of his life"; also his book "The Lawyers of the Bible"; and assisted the Hon. A.H. Jones in his autobiographical sketch of his life.