Whiteside County IL History & Genealogy

RONALD WILSON REAGAN
Born In
Tampico, Whiteside Co IL

John Edward Reagan, the father of Ronald Reagan, was born 13 July 1883 in Fulton, Whiteside County IL. He was married to Nellie Clyde Wilson, the youngest daughter of Thomas Wilson & Nancy Elsey, on the 8th of November 1904 in Fulton, Whiteside County IL. The Reagan family have been residents for many long years of Whiteside County. Ronald Reagans Grandparents and his Great Grandparents are buried here.

John (known as Jack) Reagan, father of Ronald Reagan, rented the upstairs apartment over a store in 1906. The building was built in 1895 by Fred Harvey Seymour and later known as the Graham building. At the time that Jack and Nellie Reagan moved into this apartment there was a bakery/restrauant on the 1st floor. The First National Bank moved into the downstairs in 1919 and Stockholders of the First National Bank purchased the property in 1920.

The Tampico Tornado, on May 5, 1911 reported "Jack Reagan has moved from the flat over the Graham building to the Burden house South of the Depot"..

The family lived in the white frame house from May 3, 1911 to about December 15, 1914. The home is now a private residence but there is a small sign on the fence that states "Boyhood home of Ronald Reagan". There are no tours of this home.

The Reagans lived over the Pitney Store from June 1, 1919 to December 12, 1920. The Tampico Tornado reports on February 20, 1906 - "J. W. Reagan, who clerks for Pitney, spent Sunday in Fulton. Mrs. Reagan returned with him Monday morning and if both like it here, will make this place their home. At present they are boarding at the Pitney Hotel."

On February 10, 1911 the Tampico Tornado reports - "John reagan has been calling thirty-seven inches a yard and giving seventeen ounces for a pound this week at Pitney's store, he has been feeling so jubilant over the arrival of a ten pound boy Monday".

The Tampico Tornado reports on Decmeber 16, 1920.. "Mr. & Mrs. J.T. Reagan packed their household good and moved to Dixon last week where Mr. Reagan will enter the shoe business in a well-located building which is being equipped for that line of goods".

Ronald Reagans first 9 years were spent, growing up in Tampico. It is here, in this quiet little midwestern town, that Ronald Reagan's character was formed. The roots of a very fine man, and a great President, were formed right here on Whiteside County soil.

The Tampico Historical Museum is located right next door to the birthplace of Ronald Reagan. The building was donated to the Society by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Nicely in 1991 and opened to the public on May 10, 1992.

Ronald continued growing up in the neighboring town of Dixon IL, which is located in Lee County. The home the family lived in during those years is open to the public for tours.

Descendants of Michael Reagan
Generation No. 1

Michael Reagan was born 1824 in Ireland, and died 1884 in IL. He married Catherine Mulcahey 31 October 1852 in England. She was born August 1829 in Ireland, and died Abt. 1905 in Fulton, Whiteside IL.

Children of Michael Reagan and Catherine Mulcahey
1. Thomas Reagan, b. Abt. 1853, England; d. 04 July 1889
2. John Michael Reagan, b. 29 May 1854, England; d. 10 March 1889, Fulton, Whiteside IL
3. Margaret Reagan, b. April 1856, England
4. William Reagan, b. 23 December 1858, Fair Haven, Carroll IL; d. 08 October 1883
5. Mary Reagan, b. March 1867, Fair Haven, Carroll IL

Generation No. 2

John Michael Reagan was born 29 May 1854 in England, and died 10 March 1889 in Fulton, Whiteside IL. He married Jeanie Cusick 27 February 1878, daughter of Patrick Cusick and Sarah Higgins. She was born 1855 in Dixon, Lee IL, and died 19 November 1886 in Whiteside IL.

Children of John Reagan and Jeanie Cusick
1. Catherine Reagan, b. July 1879, Fulton, Whiteside IL
2. William Reagan, b. 07 January 1881, Fulton, Whiteside IL; d. 19 September 1925, Fulton, Whiteside IL
3. John Edward Reagan, b. 13 July 1883, Fulton, Whiteside IL; d. 18 May 1941, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles CA
4. Anna Reagan, b. 14 May 1885, Fulton, Whiteside IL
5. Catherine Reagan, b. 24 November 1901

Generation No. 3

John Edward Reagan was born 13 July 1883 in Fulton, Whiteside IL, and died 18 May 1941 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles CA. He married Nellie Clyde Wilson 08 November 1904 in Fulton, Whiteside IL, daughter of Thomas Wilson and Mary Elsey. She was born 24 July 1883 in Clyde Twp, Whiteside IL, and died 25 July 1962 in Santa Monica CA.

Children of John Reagan and Nellie Wilson
1. John Neil Reagan, b. 16 September, 1908, Tampico, Whiteside IL; d. 1997, CA; m. Ruth Elizabeth Hoffman; b. 1908
2. Ronald Wilson Reagan, b. 06 February 1911, Tampico, Whiteside IL.

Generation No. 4

Ronald Wilson Reagan was born 06 February 1911 in Tampico, Whiteside IL. He married (1) Sarah Jane Mayfield (Stagename-Jane Wyman divorced in 1943) 25 January 1940, daughter of Manning Mayfield and Gladys CHristian. She was born 04 January 1914 in St Joseph MO. He married (2) Anne Francis Robbins (Nancy Davis) 04 March 1952 in Los Angeles CA, daughter of Kenneth Robbins and Edith Luckett. She was born 06 July 1923 in NY.

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 1981-1989
Reagan, Ronald Wilson -- also known as Ronald Reagan; "The Gipper"; "The Great Communicator" -- of Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles County, Calif. . Republican. Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; member of California Republican State Central Committee, 1964-66; alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1964; Governor of California, 1967-75; candidate for Republican nomination for President, 1968, 1976; President of the United States, 1981-89. Disciples of Christ. Member, American Legion; Lions; Tau Kappa Epsilon. Actor who appeared in dozens of movies from 1937 to 1952. On March 30, 1981, outside the Washington Hilton hotel, he and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinkley, Jr. Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993. Still living as of 1998.

Nancy was the daughter of an actress and a salesman. Her mother nicknamed her Nancy. Her father left the family shortly after she was born. Her mother remarried a Chicago surgeon named Loyal Davis. Nancy took her step-father's name.

Child of Ronald Reagan and Sarah Mayfield
1. Maureen Elizabeth Reagan, b. 04 January 1941, St Joseph, Buchanan MO; d. 08 August 2001, Sacramento CA; m. REVELL.

Children of Ronald Reagan and Anne Robbins
1. Patricia Ann Reagan, b. 22 October 1952
2. Ronald Prescott Reagan, b. 20 May 1958, Los Angeles CA

Louella Parsons Day 1
Louella Parsons Day 2
September 7, 1941

Ronald Reagan Tribute
February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004

What the 4th of July Means To Me
By Ronald Reagan 1981

Remembering Ronald Reagan

Genealogy Trails
WHITESIDE COUNTY

Feature Story on Ronald Reagan