of
Cantrall, Illinois
Organized May 15 1820
By
Stephen England
Pages 280 - 283
Page 280
Much has been written in the Sangamon County, Illinois histories concerning Anna England’s husband-one of the son-in-laws who came to the county very early with Stephen England. He has been identified as Andrew Cline, when in fact he was Andrew Clarno. Many years have been spent in trying to locate their children, etc., and some new information has been uncovered on this family that needs to be brought to light. Much work still needs to be done on this family, especially Andrew, since he got around to many places.
We know that Andrew’s father was John Clarno, but at this time we believe he was John Hunter Clarno. Andrew had a brother John Hunter Clarno, also, if his father was John Hunter Clarno. Anna and Andrew had 4 known children, but only two of them lived to maturity, to my knowledge. This was Stephen England Clarno and Oliver Perry Clarno. Below follows part of an article in the “History of Green County, Wisconsin 1884”: Pages 146 & 147.
On the 15th day of February, 1827, James Woods, John Woods, William Chilton, Andrew Clarno, Thomas Chilton, Hugh McGeary, and Augustus Chilton, left Springfield, Ill. On foot, with the view of settling or laboring in the “Lead Region” of Wisconsin. They traveled on foot, carrying their supplies on their backs, fording streams, wading through swamps, sleeping on the ground, with a scant covering, and sometimes in the snow or rain, during a journey of twenty days, at the end of which they arrived at Gratiot’s Grove, on the 7th day of March, 1827. From this point most of the party scattered to different points; some returned to Galena and others to their homes in Illinois. Andrew Clarno later settled in Green County. Page 153: O. H. P. Clarno, son of Andrew Clarno, now (1884) owns valuable estates at the old settlement. Page 766: “Town of Clarno” (named for Andrew Clarno). The territory which now comprises the town of Clarno was first explored by whites, with the view of settling, in 1827. During this year, Andrew Clarno came from Illinois, and traveled all over this portion of the State in search of a suitable home for himself and family. P.767: After prospecting for some time he returned to Illinois. In 1832, accompanied by his two sons, O.H.P. and Stephen E., he again came to Wisconsin-this time to stay. Page 771: The first grain in the town was raised by Andrew Clarno in 1833. Andrew Clarno also raised the first corn in the town. In the spring of 1832 there was only one cabin within the present limits of the town of Clarno. This had been erected by- or at least for-Andrew Clarno. Andrew Clarno and his son, O.H.P. (Perry), tho only 14 years of age, were both on duty during the Black Hawk War. Andrew was a Captain and Perry had charge of a gun inside the fort.
From an old newspaper article in the Green County, Wisconsin paper: (Undated) Clarno, Wisconsin: OLD GREEN COUNTY CEMETERY FACES FATE OF MANY OTHERS headlines an article that states Andrew Clarno, the first settler of Clarno and his first two wives are buried in this weed-grown cemetery, as well as his son, Perry, a veteran of the Black Hawk War of 1832 and of the Civil War. His grave has military markers.
Page 281
Andrew Clarno’s other son, Stephen England Clarno, obviously did not stay his entire life in Wisconsin. He returned to Illinois, and lived in Menard , Logan, McLean, and DeWitt Counties, Illinois. From the “History of McLean Co., Illinois 1879”:
- Stephen E. Clarno, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 11; P.O. Weedman; one of the early
settlers of Illinois; born in Clark Co., Ohio, March 8, 1816; his father, Andrew
Clarno, emigrated from Ohio, and located in St. Clair Co., Ill., in the year 1818,
and the year following he removed to Sangamon Co., ten miles north of Springfield.
Mrs. Clarno was the second white woman that crossed the Sangamon River. (This
would be Anna England Clarno). Mrs. Clarno died in Menard Co., Ill., in 1844;
Mr. Clarno died in Galena, Ill., July 15, 1851. The subject of this sketch lived with
a family by the name of Straisbridge from 6 to 15 years of age, when he, with his
father and brother, went afoot to the south part of Wisconsin, where they took an
active part in the Black Hawk War; he remained in Wisconsin until 1839, when he
came to Menard Co., Ill., where he rented land, upon which he farmed three years,
when he entered forty acres and purchased forty more, upon which he lived until
1854; when he sold out and removed to Logan Co., where he purchased 640 acres
of land, upon which he lived until 1875; when he sold out and came to West
Township, where he purchased 680 acres of land, where he now lives; he keeps
some 80 head of cattle of a high grade, 150 hogs, some horses and sheep. His
marriage to Nancy Barnett was celebrated April 16, 1840; she was born in Tenne-
ssee in 1816, and died in Menard Co. in 1850; of their six children, only one
survives, now Mrs. John Ewing, of Logan Co. He was united in marriage to Eliza
Kincaid, October 1851; she died in March, 1853, leaving one child-Mrs. M. Dillard
of West Township. The maiden name of his present wife was Dorothy Wigginton,
to whom he was married Jan. 8, 1854; she was born in Kentucky in 1824; they
have four children now living-Francis Marion, Stephen E., Jr., James T. and
Lucretia.
(Portions of the article); Stephen E. Clarno. His last days were passed in honorable retirement in DeWitt County, in one of the pleasant, comfortable homes of Farmer City. Mr. Clarno was born in Clarke County, Ohio, March 9, 1816, and was one year old when his parents became early settlers of Menard County, this State. He grew to be a robust and sturdy youth, and at the youthful age of sixteen years volunteered to take part in the Black Hawk War in 1832. He was sent with a regiment to a Wisconsin fort and served there until the Indians were finally removed across the Mississippi River, his term of service lasting some seven years (?). He afterward took up residence near Monroe (Wis) and then returned to Menard Co., Illinois.
Page 282
From “Commemorative Biographical Record of Green County, Wisconsin” P. 852: Portions of article:
- William Clarno, who offered himself a willing sacrifice to his county in her hour
of peril, is now living retired at his comfortable home in Browntown, Green
County. Mr. Clarno was born July 6, 1841, in Clarno Township, Green County
son of Andrew and Mary (St. John) Clarno, and received his education in the
little log school houses of that day. Mr. Clarno comes of one of the early
settled families of Wisconsin. His father, Andrew Clarno, was born in Sangamon
County, Ill., in 1813 (?), of German origin, his father, John Clarno, being one of
the pioneers of Illinois. Andrew Clarno was married in Stephenson County,
Ill., to Mary St. John, and became the father of six children. Andrew Clarno,
the father of William Clarno, was killed by a runaway team, July 10, 1852, in
Clarno, and his wife died June 10, 1897. Anderson St. John was the father of
Mrs. Mary St. John Clarno.
- William H. Clarno, was born in Tazewell County, Ill., April 3, 1835, and is
the son of John H. Clarno, who was born in Virginia in 1790. John H. Clarno’s
wife was Miss Jane Plimel, daughter of Anthony Plimel.
This part written by George’s sister: Portions of letter:
- My father had two brothers named John and Andrew Clarno and one sister.
His brother John went to Minnesota and his brother Andrew went to
Wisconsin. He had two boys by the names of Stephen and Oliver Perry.
- H. Clarno, farmer, Sec. 34; P.O. Orangeville; born in Tazewell Co., Ill.,
April 3, 1835. Grandfather, John H. Clarno, came from France to Virginia,
where John Hunter Clarno, was born, who then moved to Ohio, and married
Miss Jane Plimel, of that State, and in 1832 moved to Illinois, and was elected
Captain in a company during the Black Hawk War; moving to Stephenson
Co., Aug. 16, 1838. William H. Clarno’s father, John Hunter Clarno was born
in Virginia in 1790.
Page 283
Notes from this compiler:
Andrew Clarno settled land in 1830 in Clarno Township, Green County, Wisconsin. He was the father of Oliver H. Perry Clarno and Stephen England Clarno.
John Hunter Clarno settled land in 1838 in Oneco Township at Orangeville in Stephenson County, Illinois.
I firmly believe the above two men were brothers and sons of the original John H. Clarno who came from France and settled in Virginia in 1780.
Clarno, Wisconsin and Orangeville, Illinois are actually only 6 miles apart in a straight line.
Many of the same names appear in both families, even in more recent generations.
Andrew Clarno sold his land to his sons in 1837:From land records in Green County, Wisconsin:
- Volume A Page 49-160 acres to O.H.P. Clarno, July 18, 1837
Volume A Page 50-160 acres to Stephen Clarno, July 18, 1837
Green County 1832 Andrew Clarno left Sangamon county, Illinois about the time Lincoln settled there.
From the old Green County, Wisconsin newspaper, it states that- Andrew Clarno & his first two wives are buried there, as well as his son,
Oliver H. Perry Clarno. I am not convinced that Anna (England) Clarno
is buried there-she was his #1 wife. I think that she could be buried
at Indian Point Cemetery, and that she could have died before Andrew
went to Wisconsin. Their son, Stephen England Clarno has 2 wives
and several children buried there. There is no tombstone at Indian
Point for Anna, if she is buried there.
If there is anyone who can verify the whereabouts of Anna’s burial place, we would appreciate very much knowing the verification.
Andrew Clarno and his #1 wife, Anna (England) Clarno had only two children who lived to mature: Stephen England Clarno and Oliver H. Perry Clarno. Stephen died in DeWitt County, Illinois and Oliver Perry died in Green County, Wisconsin.Sangamon Index
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