Mary Lewis

Mary Lewis was born about 1840 in Illinois. She was the daughter of Levi and Charlotte "Lottie" (Oxford) Lewis.

In the 1850 Census she is 10 years old and living with her family in District 2, Union County, Illinois.

In 1856 she is listed as an heir in her father's Probate Record.

In 1858 she marries Nathan Miles in Union County, Illinois.

In the 1860 Census she lives in Township 12, Union County, Illinois with husband and children.

House number 1033

Miles, Nathan  40, farmer, MO (place of birth)

-----, Mary   19,

-----, Andrew 17

-----, George 15

-----, ????


I believe she died about 1868, probably there in Union County, Illinois.

I find her family in the 1870 Census living in Stokes, Union County, Illinois.

House number 231

Miles, Nathan  51, Farmer

-----, C Adaline  9

-----, John L 7

-----, Ellen E 6

-----, W Horman  2

Bryan, Alice 18





I found the following information here.


Miles, Charlotte                    1862   Nathan Miles              1873 581
                   James T.                    1865                             1875 581
                   Ellen                       1866
                   Willis N.              Mar. 1868
                   William J.             Dec. 1872
              Charlotte Lewis was grandmother of  Charlotte, James, Ellen and Willis.
              Elizabeth Bryant was grandmother of William lived in Pope Co., Ill.
              George T. Miles, brother and guardian 1873
              Archibald Miles, cousin and guardian 1875. He was accused of never
                 using the inheritance of the wards for their schooling or
                 clothing.  The children went barefoot till the last of November.


This information opened up some doors for me regarding this family.

 It shows:

Mary Jane died somewhere between March 1868 ( the birth of her last son) and June 1870 ( the census record that shows her family without her).

It tells the names and birthdates of her children.

It tells that Nathan Miles had a child with Alice Bryant who is living in the household in the 1870 Census. The Illinois Marriage Database confirms that they were married on August 14, 1870 in Union County, Illinois.

George T Miles was a brother to Nathan.

Archibald was a cousin to Nathan. He lived next door to the family in the 1870 Census with his wife and children.

Nathan probably died in 1873.


Found this in the Jonesboro Gazatte Obits here:

Miss Miles was burned to death near Mt. Pleasant Thursday last week (25 Apr 1872)

James Miles died Thursday morning (13 Mar 1873).

Ella Emma (Miles) Manus died 26 Jan 1936, and was buried in Jonesboro Cemetery.  Her funeral was at First Methodist Episcopal Church in Jonesboro, of which she was a member.  She was born in Union County, the daughter of Nathan Miles.  She married Allen Crowell, who died 21 years ago.  They had eight children.  She married on 17 Mar 1926, Tilman Manus, of Jonesboro.  Two children preceded her in death.  She left six children, Mae Brimm, of Cobden, Grace Corbin, of Murphysboro, Jackson County, Mrs. William McCloud, of Anna, Mrs. Fred Tucker, of Wolf Lake, Ed Crowell, of Anna, Helen Smith, of Jonesboro; 26 grandchildren, 12 nephews and nieces; one sister, Mattie Applegett, of St. Louis; and two brothers, Will Miles and Joe Miles, both of Anna.

Questions/ Other Research

1. We know that Nathan was married at least once before Mary Jane. I find two marriages in the Illinois Database to a Nathan Miles. He states that he is 50 in the 1870 census. That makes his birthdate about 1820. Either one of the following could be his marriages:

Mariah Pender  Sept 1, 1839

Delila Tope August 10, 1852
Information on her family: http://frederick.tope-family.org/tope_jacob.html


2. Burial place for Mary Jane Lewis Miles and Nathan Miles.

3. What happened to Mary Jane's children?

4. This might be his family :
http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.illinois.counties.union/74.945/mb.ashx