Simon Whitmore 16 Apr 1839 d. 03 May 1841
John Whitmore 03 Jan 1841 d. 15 May 1841
Thomas Jefferson Whitmore 13 May 1842 d. July 14, 1867
Lovenia Ellen Whitmore 18 Aug 1844 d. 16 Feb 1873
Francis Suella Whitmore 18 Sep 1846 d. Jan 31, 1876
George Washington Whitmore July 29, 1849 d. Aug 31, 1928
Benjamin Francis Whitmore 15 May 1851 d. Aug 1928
Jonathan Edgar Whitmore 20 Jun 1853 d 16 Nov 1935
Ruth Emma Whitmore 15 Apr 1855 d after 1850
Warren Chesterfield Whitmore 27 Sep 1857 d 18 Aug 1932

His 2nd marriage to Charlotte Keener was 18 January 1858. She was born 2 March 1830 - died 25 March 1907. Children with Charlotte Keener were:
Jessie Reno Whitmore 25 Nov 1858 d. 19 Feb 1915
Ella Mary Whitmore 05 Oct 1860 d. 05 Jan 1884
Anzoinetta "Nettie" Whitmore 21 Oct 1866 d. 16 Jan 1925
Ulysses Jacob Whitmore 01 Oct 1868 d. 14 Jun 1944
Ely Essau Whitmore 23 Apr 1870 d. 09 Jan 1877
David Herman Whitmore 22 Mar 1873 d. 31 Aug 1903
Carrie Elnora Whitmore 19 May 1876 d. 06 May 1930

The Whitmore's arrival in Cherry Grove was soon followed by a wedding and a funeral. The Whitmore’s and their near neighbors the Yordy’s rapidly became close friends. Both families were farmers and both came from Pennsylvania. Soon they were related through marriage as well.

The Illinois State Archives lists returning Civil War veteran Christian Yordy Jr.,as married to Francis Whitmore on October 16, 1866. Francis and Christian Yordy had two children by their marriage:

Minnie L.Yordy born 1867
Lola B. Yordy born 1869.

Their wedding was followed closely by the tragic death of Francis older brother Thomas Jefferson Whitmore. Thomas Jefferson, though only 24 years old at the time of his death, had led a life filled with excitement and danger. “TJ” as he was known, had survived the Civil War and over three years of hard fighting. One of the first to answer Lincoln’s call for volunteers; he joined the 83rd PA Infantry in August 1861. As private with the 83rd PA Infantry and later served with the 6th Veterans Reserve Corps marched and fought over most of the eastern theater of war.

Thomas Jefferson’s regiment the 83rd Regiment was one of the most famous regiments in the war. The 83rd’s claim to fame can be stated very simply. In the bloodiest conflict in American history it lost more people killed in action and from disease then any other regiment but one. The 5th New Hampshire lost 295 while the 83rd lost 282 in combat. As a member of the 83rd he saw savage fighting at Malvern Hill and Gains Mill, TJ was badly wounded at the Battle of 2nd Manassas where he received a gun shot wound in the left leg; a wound which appears never to have healed correctly. He later rejoined his old regiment and marched to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania where he participated in the critical defense of Little Round Top. After the Gettysburg battle he was assigned on account of his inability to walk to the 6th VRC.

The VRC (Veterans Reserve Corps) were normally composed of men who could not participate on active service because of wounds but were still capable of doing light duty. In 1864 the sudden attack of Confederate General Jubal Early on Washington, D.C. required the Union government to order the 6th VRC to defend the capital. TJ saw battle as the 6th and other rapidly thrown together groups won the day at Monocracy, Maryland. In all, TJ was in 15 major battles and many skirmishes. By the time of his discharge on September 10, 1864 Thomas Jefferson Whitmore was ill and still recovering from a festering wound. He returned to the family home in PA just in time to join them on their journey to Illinois. Arriving there some time in 1866, he was taken ill and died July 14, 1867. He was buried by his grieving family at Shannon’s Shelley Cemetery.

George and Barbara Whitmore had four living children:

Anna Ruth  Feb 24, 1871 d. Mar 14, 1901
John Franklin Jul 12, 1872 d. Jan 14, 1910
William Wellsworth Mar 8, 1880 d. Jan 15, 1942
Florence May Feb 2, 1885 d. Jun 16, 1956

George Whitmore's family taken in Shannon circa 1890. This picture was taken at the Whitmore family home. George Whitmore worked as a well driller and had a machine shopin Shannon for many years. He was active in local goverment and was delegate to a number of Republican nominating conventions. Toward the back of the photo you can see his shop and some of his wagons. Whitmore family members from left to right are:

John Franklin Whitmore ( 7/12/1872-1/14/1910)
Barbara Ann Yordy Whitmore (5/6/1849-9/24/1894) MOTHER
William Wellsworth Whitmore (3/8/1880-1/15/1942)

William Wellsworth Whitmore about 1890

George William Whitmore ( 7/23/1849-8/30/1929) FATHER
Anna Ruth Whimore 2/24/1871-3/14/1901) and
Florence May Whitmore 2/2/1885 -6/16/1956

This photograph circa 1902 Sarah Elizabeth "Bessie " Whitacre (1/1/1880 -- 8/13/1951) left and Florence May Whitmore (2/2/1885 -- 6/16/1956)) right. The photograph shows the two life long friends attired in the latest fashion Wow what hats! This was taken shortly before Bessie's marriage to Florence May's older brother William Wellsworth Whitmore in 1903. Photos and stories contributed by John Sharp The two images above are the property of Tamara Whitmore and contributed to us by John Sharp. They are of Sarah Elizabeth "Bessie " Whitacre, (1880-1951) at age 17 and, in her nurses uniform age 18. Sarah worked as nurse, at Elgin Illinois, State Hospital prior to her marriage to William W. Whitmore. Sarah was born in Shannon . The photo below is of Sarah's father, and Whitacre family patriarch, Alfred Whitacre, 50 NY Engineers Company F. Civil War. Alfred Whitacre 1840 -1932 lived for many years at the Old Soldiers Home, Quincey Illinois, but often visited Sarah at her Shannon home, for long periods, Alfred regulary took part in the Shannon GAR activities and regularly made the journey to Shannon cemeteries each Memorial Day to lay flowers on the graves accompanied by his daughter and grandchildren. Sarah Elizabeth Whitmore, enjoyed seeing her children in the latest fashion as in these photos. The 1905/1906 portrait is of her first child Claude W. Whitmore (Photo from Lorraine Whitmore Thomas) 9/14/1903 - 6/6/1956 in his “Buster Brown” suit and hairstyle the second image is of her youngest daughter Patricia May Whitmore (Photo from Tamara Whitmore) 3/17/1924 -2000, photo circa 1928 with her new doll. For the most part, Sarah's children dressed in more relaxed manner, as in this 1920/1921 photo, taken of Lucile Marie 6/11/1911- 7/7/2001 and her younger brother, Raymond Alfred, 6/12/1916 -6/10/1999, both barefoot, and at play on the Whitmore lawn. Credit goes to Lorraine Whitmore Thomas for her photo of Claude W. Whitmore and Tamara Whitmore for the other two photos. Photo circa 1927, of George W. Whitmore his wife Ella and family taken in front of their Shannon Twp., Hickory Street home. In the photo, left to right, granddaughter, Lucile Marie Whitmore, George W. Whitmore, his 2nd wife Ella Chitty Whitmore (nee Helder) 1864-1934, and George Whitmore’s daughter by his first marriage Barbara Ann Yordy, Florence May Whitmore. George Whitmore married Ella on 5/28/1896. Their marriage is another example of the close bond between the Yordy and Whitmore families, for Ella Helder was the granddaughter of Susannah Yordy and Adam Brenner hence Barbara Ann Yordy’s cousin once removed. George then became stepfather to Ella’s son, Arthur Chitty, 1887-1947. The two families united in business as well, since GeorgeWhitmore was also the partner of Ella's brother, Calvin Streeter Helder, in their well drilling and windmill firm. Contributed by John Sharp

Sources:

1860 Census for Illinois and Pennsylvania
1870,1880 and 1900 Census for Illinois
1900 Census for Nebraska

Military Service Records from the National Archives and Records Administration: Christian Yordy, 93rd Illinois Infantry Company D John Yordy 26th Illinois Infantry Company B&D and Thomas Jefferson Whitmore 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry Company G and 6th Reserve Corps Company E file under Thomas J. “Whitmer”.

Pension Folders: Christian Yordy VA File # XC 2-655-186 and John Yordy VA Cert # 750141 and Elizabeth Yordy VA Cert # 588983NARA

Yordy and Whitmore Family Bibles in possession of Ms. Gene Sharp

Photographs of Yordy and Whitmore Family: from the collection of Ms. Gene Sharp

NOTES AND SOURCES:
Someone once said that genealogy is a collaborative enterprise; and this is especially so in case of the Whitmore and Yordy families. Both the Whitmore’s and the Yordy’s took the biblical injunction to go forth and multiply seriously indeed, today their extensive progeny lives in nearly every state. In writing this short summary of the family of Christopher R. Whitmore and Yordy family, I owe a great debt of enormous gratitude to the following people for so generously sharing family recollections, information, documents and photos with me.

First our brief Whitmore/Yordy family chronicle is dedicated with love to the memory of Lucile Marie Whitmore (1909 -2000), granddaughter of George W. Whitmore and Barbara Ann Yordy. For many years Lucile carefully preserved the Whitmore and Yordy family bibles and passed on to us three dozen carte de visite’s and three tintypes. Her love of history and her strong desire to preserve the family legacy for future generations was our inspiration.

C. Elizabeth Davidson, San Diego CA for photos and information on Christopher and Charlotte Whitmore and their daughters Anzonetta and Carrie Whitmore.

Nancy Hartman, Bellwood, NE., for her information and photos of Benjamin Yordy & Susan Conrad and their family.

Dr. Trish Herr, Lancaster County PA., for information on coverlet makers in general and details of Christian and Benjamin Yordy's career.

Roy W. Johnston, Central City NE, for his photos and information on the headstones of Christopher R. Whitmore and Charlotte Whitmore at Central City Cemetery, Central City Nebraska.

Kim Kerr for valuable information and advice on the Whitmore and Yordy family.

Diane Long, Santa Barbara CA and Steven Brenner, St Louis MO. for their photos and information regarding Adam Brenner and Susannah Yordy Brenner and their family.

Sharon Olsen, Huffman Tx., for information on the Whitmores and Yordy's in Shannon Illinois and her photos of Thomas Jefferson Whitmore George W. Whitmore and Barbara Ann Yordy grave stones.

Karen Stafford, Grand Island NE., for her information, thoughts and analysis of the lives and travels of the Whitmore and Yordy families and photos of Warren Chesterfield Whitmore.

Joann Teagarden, Anamosa IA., for her photos and information regarding Benjamin Franklin Whitmore and his family