The emigrant ancestor of the family of this name was an Englishman, who
came over early in the eighteenth century and established a home in
Pennsylvania. He left a son, Hardy, who inherited the homestead and lived
and died in his native state. John Bayler, son of the last mentioned, was
born at Pittsburg, February 28, 1800, but in early manhood removed to Lehigh
county, and thence to Columbia county, Pennsylvania. His next step took him
to the West and finding a home at Noblesville, Indiana, he spent two years
at that place, going from there to Clay county, Illinois, in October, 1839.
He settled in the south end of Stanford township and in the course of years
became a large land owner, at one time being possessed of two thousand
acres. He was among the first settlers of the county, and became one of the
wealthiest and most influential of its citizens. His death occurred at Clay
City, October 13, 1880. In early life he married Susan Saugh, a native of
Pennsylvania, who died in 1837, in Hamilton county, Indiana. Of their five
children David was the oldest and is the only one now living. His father
remarried, taking for his second wife, Nancy Ellis, of Guilford county,
North Carolina.
David Bayler was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania,
January 5, 1824. He accompanied his father to Illinois and has lived in Clay
county ever since. When he arrived in 1839, there was little else to sustain
the population in provisions except wild game. The nearest mill was at
Lawrenceville, a distance of forty miles. The county seat was at old
Maysville and Mr. Bayler's father helped to move the old log jail to
Louisville. The only means of public conveyance was by stage. The family has
a record for patriotism, extending back for more than a century. Two of Mr.
Bayler's ancestors, uncles of his father, were killed in the battle of
Bradywine, during the Revolutionary war. Two of his brothers enlisted in
Company A, Ninety-eighth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Jeremiah,
one of these soldiers, was killed at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, by a mule
falling on him, and John, the other one, was discharged for disability. Mr.
Bayler himself tried to enlist, but was refused on account of deafness.
After a strenuous and busy existence, he located at Flora, September 11,
1907, to enjoy a well-deserved retirement during the evening of his life and
occupies a modern dwelling. He still owns the farm which he has had since
coming to the county, and he has always kept it well stocked and in a high
state of improvement. Though always an ardent Republican, he has never
sought office and with the exception of a term or two as School Director,
has held no official positions. He has ever been a liberal giver to churches
and other charitable organizations. At one time he donated ground and
material to build a church on his farm, besides considerable money. He
delights in fine cattle and stock of all kinds and has raised a great deal
of the best during his career as a farmer. He is a man of genial
disposition, an unusually fine conversationalist and fond of meeting his
friends, who are sure of entertainment from the rich recollections stored up
through a long and busy life.
May 6, 1846, Mr. Bayler married Nancy
Long, a native of Delphi, Ohio, who died August 1, 1870, after becoming the
mother of eleven children, of whom the following five are living: W. W., of
Clinton, Kentucky; Hannah Gill, of Clay City township; Rosetta Lindsay, of
Standford township; Margaret Eden, of Kinderhook, Illinois; David D., of
Braman, Oklahoma. February 12, 1871, Mr. Bayler married Susannah Ogg, a
native of Robinson county, Tennessee, by whom he had eight children, all
living but one. They are: Minnie Cokley, of Standford township; Alice
Standford, and Edmund Bayler, also of Standford township; Charles Bayler, of
Fort Collins, Colorado; Andrew J., Clara and Emma, living with their father
in Flora.
Extracted 27 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from 1909 Biographical and Reminiscent History of Richland, Clay & Marion Counties, Illinois, pages 290-291.
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