Families - VanAuken

The Van Auken Family of Oneida and Galva
Aaron Van Auken born Feb 3, 1804 in Albany, NY married Catharine (Ostrander) Van Auken, from New York, she was born Jan 30th, 1808, Aaron died Sept 2, 1890 in Oneida, Illinois, and Catharine died Jan 12, 1892, in Oneida, Illinois, they are both buried in the Oneida cemetery. Aaron & Catharine had six children: Martha Van Auken? Hannah Van Auken born Oct 1, 1827, in N.Y. she married one of Joseph Armstrong's sons, brother to Margaret & Euphanis Armstrong, Hannah died Feb 13, 1891, she is buried beside her parents, Aaron & Catharine in Oneida cemetery, Illinois. Wesley Van Auken born in 1835, in NY. William Harrison Van Auken born 1836 in N.Y. married Sarah Ella (Ray) Kienney, born 1852 in Fraukein Co, Penn, (her second marriage) daughter of Robert Ray and Margaret (Skate) Ray, Harrison Van Auken died in 1909 in Oneida, Illinois and is buried in the cemetery there, Sarah Ella Van Auken died in 1920 in Oneida, Illinois and is buried there beside her husband Harrison. Calvin Van Auken born 1840 in N.Y. married Euphanis Armstrong in March of 1862 in Knoxville, Illinois, Euphanis Armstrong was born 1841 in England, the daughter of Joseph Armstrong, she was also the sister of Margaret Armstrong. Fletcher Van Auken was born 1841, in Albany, NY. married Margaret Ann Armstrong, born in 1845 in England, another daughter of Joseph Armstrong, he was killed by a train Oct 21, 1892 in Galva, Illinois and is buried in Galva, Cemetery. Margaret died May 1930 in Van Nuys, CA, she is buried in Oakwood Park Cemetery in Chatsworth. CA. Fletcher & Margaret Van Auken had six: children: Baby born April,17, 1865, died April 23, 1865, only 6 days old, buried in Galva, Cemetery. Frank Van Auken born 1867, died 1945 in Patton, CA, he is buried in Oakwood Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, CA. Vanessa (Vinna) Van Auken born 1871, she married Ralph Wilson in 1903 in Knox County, Illinois. Emma Van Auken born Sept 9, 1874, died Oct 1882, only 8 years old. Paul Van Auken born and died 1900. Frank Jr Van Auken born and died 1903. Frank Van Auken Sr married Grace Alouth ( Ryan ) born 1872, in Indiana, daughter of John William Ryan & Flora (McCellan) Ryan, Grace died in 1936 in Van Nuys, CA, she is buried in Oakwood Park, in Chatsworth, Ca, beside her husband.
The following is from "Portrait and Biographical Album of Henry County, Illinois," dated, 1885.
Fletcher Van Auken, residing on section 28, Galva Township, was born July 11, 1842, in Monroe Co., N.Y. The ancestors of the Van Auken family, of which the subject of this sketch is a member, came from Holland and settled in Duchess Co., N.Y., about 1836. They were members of a colony that were sent there by the Holland government, and a portion of their posterity still reside there. Their descendants took an active part in the Revolution of the Colonies from the unjust government of the old country. The record shows that the grandfather, Aaron Van Auken, was a Revolutionary soldier, and after the war was, engaged in the occupation of a farmer in New York. He was married in that State, and died near Albany, as likewise did his wife, aged 102 years. They were the parents of three children, of whom Aaron, Jr., was the only son. He was born in 1800, in Albany Co., N.Y., and is yet still living, in Knox County, this State, where he came in 1858. He was for a time Superintendent of a section of the Erie Canal, and held the office of Justice of the Peace, and likewise participated in the War of 1812, being in the engagement at Sackett's Harbor. He married Catherine Ostrander, a native of Lowell, who is still living, at the venerable of 82 years. She bore him six children, - Calvin, Anna, Wesley, Martha, William Harrison and Fletcher. Fletcher, the subject of our notice, was reared in Rochester, N.Y., where he received his early education. At the age of 17 years, he came to Knox County, this State, in 1858, with his parents, and has continually been engaged in the occupation of a farmer ever since that time. He first purchased land in McLean County, which he farmed for two years, then sold it and bought in Woodford County, lived in the latter county four years, sold his land and then came to Galva Township, this county. On arriving here, he purchased 123 acres of the old Bonham homestead, the oldest settler in Galva Township, which is located on section 28, where he is at present residing. Previous to this he had lived from 1866 to 1876, one mile southwest of Galva, on a farm owned by his father. Mr. Van Auken was married in Knox County, Oct. 18, 1863, to Margaret A., daughter of Joseph Armstrong, a native of Durham Co., England. She has borne him three children, viz.: Frank, Unnie and Ermina. The latter died aged years. Mrs. Van Auken is a member of the Christian Church. Politically, Mr. V. is a sympathizer with the principles of the Democratic party, and, socially he is a member of the A. F.&A.M. belonging to Galva Lodge, No. 243.
Findings
I was in the Galesburg/Oneida/Galva, IL area May 23. I saw the following graves:
In the Oneida Cemetery there is a stone that has on it
In the Galva Cemetery there is a stone that has on it
I found that a Vinnie Van Auken married a Ralph L. Wilson in 1903 in Knox County, IL.
Fletcher Van Auken born 1841 in Albany, NY, killed by a train in 1892 in Galva, Illinois, married Margaret Ann Armstrong on Oct 18, 1863 in Knox County, Illinois, she was born 1845 in England, died In Ca,1930.
Children:
Infant baby, b April 17, 1865, died April 23, 1865.
Frank, b 1865, died Jan 1945 in Ca.
Vanessa (Vinnie) b 1871.
Emma J, b Sept 9, 1874, died Oct 21,1882.
Frank Van Auken born 1856, died 1945, married Grace A (Ryan) Van Auken born 1872 in Indiana, died 1936 in Ca.
Children:
Fletcher, b 1892, died 1956.
Flora Margaret, b 1895, died Jan 1986 in Galva, Illinois.
Wilhelmina, b 1898, died 1972 in Boise, Idaho.
Wilhelmina Van Auken b 1898, married Carl Vannard Fahnstrom, b 1895 in Galva, Illinois.
Children:
Carl William Fahnstrom, b Feb 28, 1920 in Kewanee, Illinois.
Sarah VanAuken
Sarah Ella Van Auken was born in 1853, in Franklin County, Penn, Sarah was the daughter of Robert Ray & Margaret (Slate) Ray, she had a sister named Savilla Ray and a brother named James Ray, that we know of, she had at least three other brothers, but we do not know their names. Sarah was married once before she married Harrison Van Auken, her married name was Kienney, there were no children from that marriage. Harrison Van Auken & Sarah Ella Kienney were married April 17th, 1895 in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois, they were older when they married, Harrison was born 1836 in Albany, NY, there were no children from this marriage and Harrison & Sarah lived in Oneida, Illinois, there is a picture is of their house, it is a postcard which was postmarked 1909, the year that Harrison died, it was written by Flora Van Auken, the daughter of Frank Van Auken & Grace (Ryan) Frank was the nephew of Harrison Van Auken, Frank's father Fletcher was Harrison's brother. Flora Ann must have gone to stay with her Great Aunt Sarah, after her Great Uncle Harrison's death, she wrote just a few words and she sent it to her father Frank in Galva or somewhere in that area. Sarah Ella Van Auken died in 1920 in Oneida, Illinois and she is buried in the cemetery there beside her husband Harrison, not to far away are the graves of Aaron Van Auken born 1804, & Catherine (Ostrander) Van Auken, born 1808 in Lowell, Maryland. Van Auken, Harrison's father and mother and there beside them is their daughter Hannah (Van Auken ) Armstrong, born 1827, in Albany, NY, the oldest Van Auken child of Aaron & Catherine Van Auken, Hannah married one of the Armstrong sons, who was the brother of Margaret Ann Armstrong, Margaret married Fletcher Van Auken, brother of Harrison Van Auken and another Armstrong daughter named Euphanis Armstrong married another brother Calvin Van Auken who was another brother of Hannah and Harrison Van Auken, talk about keep it in the two families.
Eunice Avery
Eunice Weeks Avery was born May 5, 1827, in Brandon Vt, she married Charles Orson McClellan, son of Thomas McClellan and Rebecca (Barnes) McClellan, Charles was born Jan 12, 1819 in W Nottingham, NH, he was a farmer and lived in El Paso, Illinois, they had three children: Orris Weeks McClellan born Feb 22,1847 in Antioch, Illinois. Flora Rebecca McClellan born Aug 27, 1859 in Antioch, Illinois. Avery Frank McClellan born Aug 1871 in Galena, Illinois. Flora Rebecca married John William Ryan on Oct 26, 1871, an entry in the Ryan Family Bible states this. John William was of Irish descent and he was a musician, a piano player and a singer. His mother and father came up from Kentucky to live, he had one brother George Ryan who lived in Indiana, their father died and John William Ryan was recruited in the Civil War. John William Ryan was mustered into the Military Service (The Army) in Indianapolis, Ind, on Aug 21, 1862. He was honorably discharged on Dec 10, 1863 at St Louis, Mo, for disability, he was involved in actions at Forty Hills, Raymond, Jackson and Vicksburg, all in Mississippi. He was a drummer boy during the War, John William wouldn't ask for a pension because he said "all I did was play drums" his wife Flora Rebecca said drummer boys still get shot. Flora couldn't understand him, and she said "do you suppose that he was really in the War, (of course he was) but she decided to write to Washington to confirm that he was in the War. He was a "Grandman always put on a good program at Christmas, he would sing and tell funny stories, he later owned a Music Store in Peoria, Illinois, from the store he sent out Piano Tuners to work on customer's pianos.
Joseph Armstrong
Joseph Armstrong was born 1803 in England and his wife was born in 1807 in England, Joseph Armstrong was a native of Durham County, City of Durham is in Northern England near New Castle on Tyne. Joseph Armstrong came to the US by himself and settled in Knoxville, Illinois, he first worked as a blacksmith there, he was very unhappy and would get real downhearted missing his wife and his children, so his employer gave him some advanced money of his wages, so he could send for his wife and children to join him in the US. They all came over by ship in the steerage (the lower part of the ship) the third class section we believe. His wife was pregnant at the that they set sail and she had 4 or 5 other children with her on the voyage over, Margaret Armstrong was one of those children, while they were on the ship coming over, a boy was found in a barrel, he was a stowaway and they tied him to the mast. Margaret Armstrong was somewhere between the age of 3 or 4 years old when she came to the US on the ship with her mother and siblings from England, it must have been around 1849 that she and her mother and siblings sailed, because Margaret Ann Armstrong was born in 1846, she died May 6,1930 in Van Nuys, CA and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Chatsworth, CA, Joseph and his wife had at least 7 children that we have found in records and census papers.

Jo Armstrong born 1832 in England.
Joseph Armstrong born 1837 in England.
John Armstrong born 1838 in England.
Euphanis Armstrong b 1841 in England.
Robert Armstrong b 1843 in England.
Margaret Armstrong b 1846 in England.
Isabella Armstrong b 1849 in Illinois (Isabella must have been the child that Mrs. Armstrong was carrying at the time that the family all sailed to the US.)

Joseph Armstrong became a farmer, his oldest son , Jo Armstrong married Elizabeth (?) and they had a son Jo S. Armstrong born in 1856. John Armstrong, Jo's brother was living with them at the time of the 1860 Illinois Census and also a boy Martin Lawson, 11 years old, possibly a farm help. Margaret Armstrong married Fletcher Van Auken Oct 18, 1863, in Knox County, Illinois. Margaret & Fletcher had five children, one baby born April 17, 1865, died April 23, 1865, Frank born 1867, died in 1945 in Patton, Ca, he is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Chatsworth, Ca, beside his mother Margaret and wife Grace Van Auken, Vanessa (Vinnie) born 1871, she married Ralph Wilson in 1903 in Knox County, Illinois and Emma J born Sept 9, 1847, died Oct13, 1882, only 8 years old, she is buried in Galva Cemetery along side of her father Fletcher and the first baby infant. Euphanis Armstrong married Calvin Van Auken, a brother of Fletcher Van Auken on March 5, 1862 in Knoxville, Illinois. Hannah Van Auken a sister of Fletcher and Calvin Van Auken married one of the Armstrong son's, we don't know which one yet.
Helen Fahnstrom
GALVA---- Helen J Fahnstrom, 95, of Marigold Health Care Center, Galesburg and formerly of Galva, died at 6'30 am, Sunday, Oct 8, 2000 at the center. Services will be at 11:00 am, Wednesday, Oct 11, 2000 at Rux Funeral Home in Galva, the Rev Robert Karjala officiating. Visitation is one hour prior to services at the funeral home. Burial will be at Galva Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Assembly of God or to the First Methodist Church, Galesburg. She was born June 23, 1903 in Galva, the daughter of Avrid and Hannah Strand, she married Rev AXEL FAHNSTROM June 23, 1930 in Galva. He preceded her in death, Nov 24, 1978. Surviving are a sister, Evelyn M Hawks of Ewing, NJ; four nieces, Mrs. Everett (Mary Ann) Palmer of Cambridge, Illinois, Mrs. Harry (Holly) Price of Galesburg, Mrs. Bob (Betty Jane) Enroth of the Quads Cities and Jan Werner of Lawrenceville, Ga and several great nieces and great nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, a brother and a sister. She was a homemaker and in her early years she worked in the office of Hayes Pump and planter in Galva. She had also assisted her husband with the Assembly of God church in Galva.

Submitted by Susan Fahnstrom

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