These are the surnames that migrated from the Shelby Co., IN in the 1870s-'80s to the counties of Shelby, Cumberland, and Effingham, in an around Sigel and Neoga.

Seek info on Wm. and Mahala Short, Milburn and Samantha Higgins, Sarah and George Thomas (or maybe it is "Thorn"), Mrs. Elizabeth Knight Hill Avery, widow of Herman Avery, who died in Neoga, IL, unknown date, and William Willis Baxter married to Lulu Avery of near Effingham

Elizabeth Avery: March 22, 1815-February 12, 1905. Neoga Memorial Cemetery. I hope this is the right Elizabeth. I did not see a Herman Avery in the cemetery book.

Thank you. I had been provided that information by a researcher in the area. Herman died in 1852 in Indiana.

But I do thank you for obtaining the data and responding as well. There are some other family members nearby, including Elizabeth's daughter, Mahala Avery Short and her husband Wm. Short. Two of their sons, Herman and Wm. Short, we have nothing but birth dates on, so I don't know what happened to them. Many from southeastern IN migrated to this area ca. 1860s and later (don't exactly know why). In some cases the husbands just went right into the war effort, so there must have been many war widows in the area.

I am also trying to find Phoebe Pearce Corwin and Samantha Pearce Higgins who were in the area at the same time. Samantha may have died after 1910 in McLean County, IL though; not sure about that.

Floy Short Oct 17, 1887-Jan 12, 1969. Thomas J. Short d:June 3, 1894 @38y 2m 23d. Henry Clifford Short 1885-1961. Faye (Voris) Short 1888-1964. Mahala A. Short 1849-1908. William Short 1847-1909. William L. Short 1888-1968. Lila (Votaw) Short 1887-1949. James A. Short 1917-2000 (son of Wm Leon & Lilah Votaw)(Navy, WWII). William Votaw Short 1914-2000(son of Wm. L. & Lilah Votaw)(Navy, WWII). Harry Short 1885-1961. Jo Ellen Short b:&d: 1958. Thomas Wiley Short 1948-2003(son of James Avery & Frances Jean). Neoga Memorial Cemetery I did not look any further.

Dear wwwcom:

Thank you very much for your effort in searching for this information. It helps me a great deal.

I will find out if Thomas was a brother to William (it seems likely) and that Jo Ellen was a sister to Thomas Wiley. Otherwise it is all clear who these persons are.

My tree is public (last posted at the end of August to Ancestry.com, and is William Willis Pearce + Jacobus, Avery, Vanpelt...(and more)

Some of my ancesters names are Wiley and Higgins, but I dont know if we have a relationship to tie them together. As for the info I have been sending you I am not related to Short, Corwin, Knight, or Pearce. My Pierce is spelled like that. Most Wiley and Higgins are are Coles Co., IL. Pierce are Clay Co., IL. I also noticed you were researching Blair surname, mine are from Clay Co., IL. Good luck in your research. If I can help let me know. :)

Thank you. I will check out some of those counties.

As to "Blair" I am not searching it as a surname. I have a missing half-uncle, Blair Pearce, who shows in the 1930 USFC in Fayette Co., IN, age about 21 and nothing more on him. He might have spelled his name "Pierce," or changed his name because his parents had died when he was an infant and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. But he was so close to being given a social security number. I did find a Blair Pearce line in Arkansas, but could not find that they related to him. My Higgins were from Harrison, Montgomery and Fleming Co., KY through Scott Co., IN (some were in Rush Co., IN too). I know the name Wiley comes up with Pierce families from NC or SC who migrated down from MA or CT; might be related to mine way back. Thank you for the kindness of your lookups.

Sharon