Plunkett, Benjamin & Sarah E.


BENJAMIN & ELIZA PLUNKETT

   

Benjamin Houston Plunkett was born 15 Jun 1825 in Cartwright Twp., Sangamon Co., IL, one of nine children born to John Houston & Elizabeth Purviance Plunkett. He married Sarah Elizabeth "Eliza" Cone on 13 Apr 1850 in Sangamon Co. They spent their married life in Petersburg, Menard Co., IL where 8 children were born. Benjamin died 19 Dec 1869 and is buried in Richland Baptist Cemetery in Sangamon Co., IL. His death is a mystery to me. I have heard 2 different stories and have found no proof of either. Each story says he was killed by someone.

After Ben's death, Eliza married a second time to William Thomas Hobbs on 20 Dec 1870 in Menard Co., IL. They were parents of 2 sons and Eliza again became a widow when he died on 20 May 1875. He was buried in Turner-Wilcox Cemetery in Menard County, Illinois. By the 1880 census of Menard Coounty, Eliza is listed as living with her son Edward Royal "Riley" Plunkett (my great grandfather) and other children. Sometime between 1880 and 1886, Eliza and some of her children left for Holdredge, Nebraska. Riley is married in Holdredge in 1886.

Further research reveals that Sarah Elizabeth "Eliza" Cone Plunkett Hobbs died 11 May 1891 and is buried at Prairie home Cemetery, Holdredge, Phelps Co., Nebraska.

Eliza was the daughter of Ezra T. Cone who was born about 1792 at Westminster, Vermont and died 18 Jul 1842. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Menard Co., IL. Her mother was Hannah Knowles, born 8 Aug 1792 in Portland, Middlesex Co., CT and died 17 Sep 1862. She is also buried in Rose Hill Cemetery. Eliza was one of a family of 10 children born to this couple.


Submitted by Marge Leevey


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