John Shilleto and Margaret Donley

Surnames on this page: Beatty, Boardman, Brownlee, Carlson, Cheney, Clute, Donley, East, Harlow, Johnson, Maxey, Orr, Shilleto, Thompson

Descendants of John Shilleto and Margaret Donley

1. John Shilleto b. 1841 d. 1916 m. Margaret Donley b. 1839 d. 1902

     2. Mary (Molly) Shiletto b. 1864

     2. Francis (Frank) Shilleto b. 1867

     2. Jane (Jennie) Shilleto b. 1868 m. John C West b. 1869

          3. John West Jr m. Iva Harlow

          3. Lila West

          3. Warren West

          3. David Benjamin West

     2. John Shilleto b. 1870

     2. Katherine (Kate) Shilleto b. 1871 d. 1937 m. Ezra Cheney b. 1868 d. 1943

          3. Grace Cheney b. 1893 d. 1992

          3. Frank Cheney b. 1895 d. 1943 m. Irene Brownlee b. 1900 d. 1982

               4.Donna Cheney b. 1923 d. 1970 m. Harold East

               4. Katherine Cheney b. 1925 m. Bryon Maxey b. 1924 d. 2014

               4. Ardys Cheney b. 1927 m. Maurice Orr

               4. Frank Cheney b. 1931

          3. Margaret Belle Cheney b. 1897 d. 1958

          3. Mabel Cheney b. 1899 m. Glen Thompson b. 1892

          3. John E Cheney b. 1901 m. Mildred Ethelyn Johnson b. 1899

          3. Veda Cheney b. 1907 m. Oscar Carlson b. 1907

          3. Harold (Spot) Cheney b. 1910 d. 1967 m. Lenore (Toodie) Boardman b. 1911

          3. Howard E Cheney b. 1912 d. 1970 m. Gertrude H Clute b. 1914 d. 1985

     2. Margaret (Maggie) Shilleto b. 1874

     2. Alex Shilleto b. 1877

     2. David Shilleto b. 1881

     2. Mabel Shilleto b. 1883

Ancestry of John Shilleto

          John Shilleto was born in Paris, Ontario in 1842 and came to Winona county in Minnesota some time in the 1860's.  I haven't yet looked any further back in his ancestry, but am quite sure he was of English descent.  I will report more as I find it.

Ancestry of Margaret Donley

      Margaret Donley was the 3rd child of Francis Donley and Jane Beatty.  They were both born in Ireland in 1804 and 1807 respectively.  They both emigrated to Canada, and were married in 1832 in Wallace, Cumberland, Nova Scotia.  They later moved to Ontario, and then to Winona county, Minnesota in the 1860's.  They both died in Winona county, Jane at the age of 72 in 1879, and Francis at the age of 83 in 1888.  

      Brief information on their other 8 children is listed on my ahnentafel that can be accessed by clicking the link at the top of this page.

Ezra A Cooper and Susan Wolford

Surnames on this page: Arms, Barnard. Bettis, Bursell, Cheney, Clute, Cooper, Donaldson, Headly, Juvrud, Keith, Phillips, Smith, Stokes, Thomas, Williams, Wolford, Woods.

Descendants of Ezra A Cooper and Susan Wolford

1. Ezra A Cooper b. 1863 d. 1959 m. Susan Wolford b. 1865 d. 1927

     2. Ella Blanche Cooper b. 1887 d. 1964 m. Henry C Clute b. 1885 d. 1960
          3. Lorraine Clute b. 1911 d. 1999 m. Rudolph Godfrey Juvrud b. 1904 d. 1992
          3. Gertrude H Clute b. 1914 d. 1985 m. Howard E Cheney b. 1912 d. 1970
          3. Howard B Clute b. 1920 d. 1994
     2. Harold B Cooper b. 1895 d. 1915
     2. Winfield Albert (Winkie) Cooper b. 1896 d. 1928 m. Jessie L Headly b. 1898 d. 1923
          3. Harold W Cooper b. 1919 d. 1919
          3. Leota E Cooper b. 1921 d. 2014 m. Wayne Bettis b. 1926 d. 1988
          4. Maxine F Cooper b. 1923 d. 2013 m. Herbert R Woods b. 1923 d. 2017

Ancestry of Ezra A Cooper 1863-1959

Ezra           Parents                  Grandparents             Great-Grandparents




                                                   Ezra F Cooper
                                                   b. 1805 CT  d. 1888  MN
               

                   Samuel Cooper
                   b. 1832 in NY d. 1915 in MN
                                                                                         Charles Arms
                                                                                         b. 1774 in Mass d. 1820
                                                 Thirza Jane Arms
                                                 b. 1808 d. 1885 in MN
                                                                                          Roxalana Barnard
                                                                                          b. 1782 d. 1835
Ezra A Cooper
b. 1863 in Wisc d. 1959 in MN


                                                  Edward Williams
                                                  b. 1804 in Mass d. 1847 in VT


                       Gulia Elma Williams
                       b. 1842 d. 1922 in MN

                                                  Ann R Keith
                                                  b. 1811 in VT d. 1844

Ancestry of Susan Wolford 1865-1927

Susan          Parents                    Grandparents               Great-Grandparents

                                                                                             Moses Wolford

                                                                                             b. 1777 PA d. 1845 OH

                                                     Godfrey Wolford

                                                     b. 1812 OH d. 1880 MN

                                                                                             Nancy Ann Smith

                                                                                             b. 1782 d. 1856 OH

                    Mathias Wolford

                    b. 1842 OH d. 1908 MN

                                                                                             James Thomas

                                                                                             b. 1785 d. 1836

                                                      Susanna Thomas

                                                      b. 1818 PA d. 1898 MN

                                                                                              Lydia Phillips

                                                                                              b. 1784

Susan Wolford

b. 1865 MN d. 1927 MN

                                                                                              James Bursell

                                                                                              b. 1774 Eng. d. 1854 Quebec

                                                     Samuel Bursell

                                                     b. 1807 Eng. d. 1880 MN

                                                                                              Hannah Stokes

                                                                                              b. 1777 d. 1849

                 Hannah Bursell

                 b. 1838 Canada d. 1912 MN

                                                     Janette Donaldson

                                                     b. 1813 Eng d. 1852 Canada

Hannibal Cheney and Susan Leonard

Surnames on this page: Boardman, Brownlee, Carlson, Cheney, Clute, East, Jennings, Johnson, Klinkle, Leonard, Mayne, McDonald, Mitchell, Orr, Perry, Price, Seagar, Shilleto, Thompson.

Descendants of Hannibal Cheney and Susan Leonard

1. Hannibal Cheney b. 1832 d. 1912 m. Susan Leonard b. 1847 d. 1927
     2. Ezra Cheney b. 1868 d. 1943 m. Katherine (Kate) Shilleto b. 1871 d. 1937
          3. Grace Cheney b. 1893 d. 1992
          3. Frank Cheney b. 1895 d. 1943 m. Irene Brownlee b. 1900 d. 1982
               4. Donna Cheney b. 1923 d. 1970 m. Harold East
               4. Ardys Cheney b. 1927 d. abt. 1995 m. Maurice Orr
               4. Frank Cheney b. 1931 d. abt 1980
          3. Margaret Belle (Maggie) Cheney b. 1897 d. 1958
          3. Mabel Cheney b. 1899 m. Glen Thompson b. 1892
          3. John E Cheney b. 1901 m. Mildred Ethelyn Johnson b. 1899
               4. Ethelyn Marie Cheney b. 1923 d. 2001
          3. Veda Cheney b. 1907 m. Oscar Carlson b. 1907
          3. Harold (Spot) Cheney b. 1910 d. 1967 m. Lenore (Toodie) Boardman
          3. Howard E Cheney b. 1912 d. 1970 m. Gertrude H Clute b. 1914 d. 1985
     2. Frank Cheney b. 1869 m. Tillie ? b. 1872
          3. Harold Cheney b. 1917
     2. Ed Cheney b. 1873 m. Mildred ? b. 1878
     2. Abigail Cheney b. 1874 d. 1960 m. Alexander Wallace (Ek) Perry b. 1874 d. 1942
          3. Raymond Cheney Perry b. 1899 d. 1970 m. Helen Marie Mayne b. 1900 d. 1981
               4. William Perry b. 1930 d. 2007 m. Lois Adah ? b. 1923 d. 1955
               4. Helen Ray Perry b. 1928 d. 2012
          3. George Allen Perry b. 1898 d. 1980 m. Sis ?
          3. Wallace Perry b. 1906 m. Ruth ? b. 1913
     2. Susan Cheney b. 1881 d. 1960 m. John Price
          3. Melvin W Price b. 1903
          3. Laura E Price b. 1907
          3. Mabel Price b. 1909
          3. Lillie L Price b. 1913
          3. Elwyn W Price b. 1915
          3. Dorothy S Price
     2. George Cheney b. 1882 m. Ida Mitchell
          3. Iva Cheney b. 1910 m. Ray Klinkle
          3. Gladys Cheney b. 1914 m. Irvin Jennings
          3. Noel Cheney b. 1915
          3. Clayton Cheney b. 1915

Ancestry of Hannibal Cheney 1832-1912

     Hannibal Cheney's parents were: Abiathar Cheney, 1796-1858 and Mercy McDonald, 1795-1850.  In addition to Hannibal, their children were: Arabelle b. 1827; James W, 1829-1909; Joel b. 1835; Dorcas b. 1838; and 2 other daughters born between 1820 and 1825.

     Mercy McDonald died in Vermont in 1850.  It appears that Abiathar and most of his family moved to Wisconsin shortly thereafter.  Wisconsin state census shows them in Bad Ax county, now Vernon county, Wisconsin in 1855.  Shortly after that, land records show them moving to Marquette county, Wisconsin, where many remained for at least several generations.  If you have Cheneys in your ancestry, and they lived in Marquette county, chances are you're a 2nd to 4th cousin of mine.

     For an excellent presentation on Abiathar and his ancestors, check on Diana Gale Matthiesen's website, www.dgmweb.net/FGS/C/CheneyAbiathar-MercyMcDonald.html.  She traces back 6 generations beyond Abiathar to John Cheney, who emigrated to America from England in about 1634.

Ancestry of Susan Leonard 1847-1927

       Susan Leonard's parents were: Ezra Leonard, b. 1813 and Abigail Seager b. 1822.  In addition to Susan, their children were: Julia b. 1840; Thomas b. 1842; Julius b. 1844; Amanda; Edmund I b. 1850; Charles b. 1852; William b. 1855; Laura; Ella and Sherman.  Her grandfather's names were: Jonathan Leonard and Julius Seager.  Jonathan had another son, Edmund P Leonard, born 1829.

       Both the Leonard's and the Seager's came from New England to Wisconsin in the 1840's, and many came to Southern Minnesota in the latter part of the 1800's.

Walter S Clute and Laura Nelson

Surnames on this page:    

Brammer, Cheney, Clute, Cooper, Granning, Haugen, Juvrud, Mavis, Nelson, Newton, Renebo, Runberg, Ryerson, Schmitz

Descendants of Walter S Clute and Laura Nelson

1. Walter S Clute b. 1822 d. 1901 marr Laura Nelson b.1843 d. 1928

     2. Oscar Clute b. 1865 marr Reaca (Fredericka) Granning b. 1862

          3. Ella Clute b. 1883 marr Edward H Brammer b, 1882

          3. Elmer O Clute b. 1893 marr Francis Mavis b.1892

               4. Richard E Clute b. 1915

          3. Florence Clute b. 1901

     2. Nelson J Clute b. 1868 d. 1925 marr Rachel ? 

     2. Fred Clute b. 1870 marr Edith B ? b. 1881

          3. Vernie M Clute b. 1902

     2. Captola (Cappie) Clute b. 1873 marr Carl T Haugen b. 1871

          3. Clarence Albert Haugen b. 1897 d. 1979 

          3. Irving Dale Haugen b. 1902 d. 1990 marr Anna Sophie Renebo b. 1905 d. 1995

          3. Dorothy Haugen b. 1909 d. 2000 marr Malcom Peter Runberg b. 1912 d. 1978

     2. Walter S Clute b. 1876 d. 1908 marr May ? b. 1874

     2. Frank Clute b. 1880

     2.Charles Clute b. 1883

     2. Henry C Clute b. 1885 d. 1960 marr Ella Blanche Cooper b. 1887 d. 1964

          3. Lorraine Clute b. 1911 d. 1999 marr Rudolph Godfrey Juvrud b. 1904 d. 1992

          3. Gertrude H Clute b. 1914 d. 1985 marr Howard E Cheney b. 1912 d. 1970

          3. Howard Boyd Clute b. 1920 d. 1994 

     2. Florence Clute b. 1888 marr Carl D Warring b. 1883

          3. Elsie Mae Warring b. 1906 marr Harry Thatcher Schmitz

1. Walter S Clute 1822-1901 1st marr Mary ? b. 1820

     2. Henry C Clute b. 1843

     2. Susan D Clute b. 1845

     2. Walter S Clute b. 1848

Ancestry of Walter S Clute

     Brick wall.  I have 2 possible candidates for the parents of Walter.  One is from his death certificate in 1901 which indicated that his parents were Henry and Margie Clute, both born in Germany.  While this is fairly strong evidence, I'm also looking at the possibility of Wessel Clute, 1785-1828 and Sarah Swits, 1787-1847 as Walter's parents.  I've seen Walter's middle name as both "Swiss" and "Swits".  I'll be looking at US Dutch family histories and Dutch Reformed Church records for the Wessel Clute connection, and census records and ship passenger lists for the Henry Clute connection.

Ancestry of Laura Nelson

     Bigger brick wall.  Here I have family stories and Illinois state records to go on.

     From what I remember, my mother, Gertrude Clute, told me that Laura's father died when she was 2 yrs old, and her mother died when she was 4.  Laura was then sent to Chicago to live with her sisters, Inger and Margaret.  Later on, they sold their property to the railroad.  The land is where the Union Depot now stands in Chicago.  They were quite well off after that, living in a fine house in Chicago.

     In the 1850 US Census, Laura Nelson, age 5, is living in Chicago with the Emile and Martha Newton family.  All are listed as born in Norway.  In the 1860 US Census, Laura age 14,  is living in Chicago with the Newton family and the B and Mary Ryerson family.  Laura and all that are under 14 yrs of age are born in Illinois.  All 24 yrs of age and over are born in Norway.

     As Martha Newton and/or Mary Ryerson may be the Nelson? sisters mentioned in my mother's story, I'm searching for more info on those families.  Any information anyone might have on either Walter or Laura would certainly be appreciated, as well as more info on any of the descendants.

     I hope to soon release a post on the lives of the Walter and Laura Clute with more detailed information.  Stay tuned!

Introduction to my Forebearers

     Their family names were Cheney, McDonald, Leonard, Seager, Shilleto, Donley, Beatty, Clute, Nelson, Cooper, Williams, Wolford and Bursell.

     They came to America from England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Germany between 1640 and 1840.  They arrived in Lower Canada, New England, New York and Pennsylvania.  They migrated through Ontario, Ohio, Illinois and Wisconsin to finally arrive in Minnesota between 1850 and 1890.  Some moved on to other new lands, but for myself, my parents and my grandparents, we decided to stay here to find our dreams and pursue our happiness.

     Thus begin my attempts to record the family tree I've been working on sporadically for the last 50 years or so.  I don't know what form it will take, but I plan to start from my 4 sets of great-grandparents and work from there.  Of course it will always be a work in progress.  Shown below are my direct ancestors back 4 generations.

Me             Parents                           Grandparents                      Great-Grandparents

                                                                                                         Hannibal Cheney

                                                                                                         b. 1832 in Vermont

                                                                                                         d. 1912 in Portage WI

                                                            Ezra Cheney

                                                            b. 1868 in Portage WI

                                                            d. 1943 in Truman MN

                                                                                                         Susan Leonard

                                                                                                         b. 1847 in New York

                                                                                                         d. 1927 in Portage WI

                     Howard E Cheney

                     b. 1912 in Watonwan co. MN

                     d. 1970 in St Paul MN

                                                                                                        John Shilleto

                                                                                                        b. 1841 Paris, Ontario

                                                                                                        d. 1916 Edmonton Alberta

                                                             Kate Shilleto

                                                             b. 1871 in Winona co. MN

                                                             d. 1937 in Truman, MN

                                                                                                         Margaret Donley

                                                                                                         b. 1839 in Canada

                                                                                                         d. 1902 Martin co. MN

David Cheney

                                                                                                        Walter S Clute

                                                                                                        b. 1822 Schenectady NY

                                                                                                        d. 1901 in St James, MN

                                                            Henry C Clute

                                                            b. 1885 in Dundee, IL

                                                            d. 1960 in St Paul, MN

                                                                                                        Laura Nelson

                                                                                                        b. 1844 in Chicago, IL

                                                                                                        d. 1928 in Sioux City IA

                      Gertrude H Clute

                      b. 1914 in Dunnel, MN

                      d. 1985 in Stillwater MN

                                                                                                        Ezra A Cooper

                                                                                                        b. 1863 Dodge co. WI

                                                                                                        d. 1959 St Paul MN

                                                             Ella B Cooper

                                                             b. 1887 in Minnesota

                                                             d. 1964 in St Paul MN

                                                                                                        Susan Wolford

                                                                                                        b. 1865 Fillmore co. MN

                                                                                                        d. 1927 Minnesota

     By clicking on "Ahnentafel, my direct ancestors" at the top of this page, you can see a more complete list.

Privacy

     As this is a public website, I will not be entering names of people who are still living.  The only exception is that you will be seeing my name from time to time, and the names of relatives who have given their consent for specific individual information.

Sources

     In this Age of Information, I extensively use many historical and archival resources on the internet.  I have managed to use only FREE sites thus far.  They all deserve our thanks for the efforts so many people have put into them.  Special thanks go to the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints website at www.familysearch.com, and the folks at findagrave.com.  They are often my starting points.

     I also wish to thank my relatives and friends for the information and stories they have shared with me.  As I write these entries, I will try to give proper credit.

     I have a mountain of source information in my personal files, and if you have source questions on a specific entry, I'll be glad to try to help.  By clicking on my profile on the right side of this page, there is a link to send me an e-mail.  Of course any general comments or suggestions are welcome in the "comments" section below.