George R. RIGHTNOWAR and his wife, Jerusha ROSE, settled in the south end of Long Prairie, between the years of 1826 and 1829, where their sons, Reese, Henry, John and Adam and sons-in-law, Samuel F. BLACK, John VAUGHN, and John HICKS, and their descendants have lived since.

George R. was a native of Pennsylvania and had moved to Illinois and lived in Hardin County for some time.

George R. and Jerusha ROSE had 10 children:

1. Adam, married to Ann Eliza HOWE
2. Reese, married Nancy
3. Henry married Jane HICKS
4. George
5. Nancy Jane married Samuel F. BLACK
6. Jemima married a KING
7. Gooley Jerusha married John HICKS
8. ROSE Mary married John VAUGHN
9. Joe; and
10. John.

Henry, son of George R. and Jerusha ROSE, was born January 15, 1815. in Illinois. Jane HICKS was born January29, 1824, and was married to Henry February 20, 1840. Henry and Jane deeded the acre of ground for the RIGHTNOWAR School site August 23, 1859, to school trustees: Samuel F. BLACK, Adam RIGHTNOWAR, and John HICKS and their successors in office. This deed is recorded in Book 41 Deeds and Records, Jefferson County, Illinois. There have been several school houses built on the site. The last one in 1917. It was abandoned when the schools consolidated.

Henry and Jane were the parents of eight children:

1. Elizabeth, born 1841, married John RUTHERFORD
2. Mary Ann, born 1842. married Samuel Bryce GILBERT
3. Samuel J., born 1844, was married
4. George W., born 1846, was married
5. Elvira Emmaline, born 1847, married Andy Coon FERGUSON
6. Malissa Katherine, born 1849, married to W. C. TROUTT
7. Thomas Jefferson, 1851, married; Lucinda Jane, born 1853
8. Melvina Tobiatha, born 1855, married John BROWN
9. James Stephen DOUGLAS, born 1858, married
10. Matthew GREEN, born 1859; and
11. Amada Lee, born 1864, married Gus HECKMAN.

Henry and Jane RIGHTNOWAR are buried in the Slade Cemetery in Shiloh Township. Mary Ann, daughter of Henry and Jane RIGHTNOWAR, married Samuel Bryce GILBERT, January 4, 1878. He was the son of Eli Jr. and Lucy FAIRCHILD GILBERT.

They lived in Jefferson County and were the parents of 13 children:

1. James Henry
2. Lovina Jane
3. David Platt
4. Mary Ellen
5. Martha Ann
6. Hiram Elza
7. Robert Harris
8. Lucy May
9. Ida Ethel
10. Samuel Bryce
11. William Ira
12. Bertha Elizabeth and
13. Eli Ezra.

Ida Ethel GILBERT married Samuel Wade BLACK on October 2, 1899.

They made their home in McClellan Township.
- Inez Davis

Source: Facts and Folks, Jefferson Co, Il 1978
Submitted by: Misty Flannigan
Dec 27, 1997

Note from Ellen Ferguson:
Elvira married Andrew J. Ferguson. The middle name Coon was actually a nickname. My father-in-law was sure the middle initial was J.