Margaret E. Sammons was born February 3, 1864, in Illinois, perhaps in Hancock County, to John and Catherine Sammons.  Catherine's maiden name is found as McCarty, Carty and, on Henry and Margaret's Board of Health document, Cardie.

Henry and Margaret were married in McDonough County on October 30, 1884, by O. F. Piper, Justice of the Peace.  Marriage Documents  (89k, 85k)

Over the next 16 years they had seven children, one of whom died in infancy.  They were counted in the 1900 Federal Census in Tennessee Township.  Three more children arrived in the early 1900s.

Prior to 1910 the Sammonses relocated to Fountain Green Township in Hancock County.  In 1909 Henry was President of the School Board for Fountain Green Public School District No. 98. Daughter Alvia and son Herman were students at Fountain Green.  Follow this link to view the 1909 school souvenir booklet.

The year 1920 found the family in adjacent Hancock Township, and by 1930 they were in Harmony Township.

Henry died June 16, 1939.  Margaret died March 22, 1947.  They are both buried at Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Colchester, McDonough County.

The James - Sammons children were:

i.	Blanche Mae James, born June 24, 1885, died July 8, 1974.  She is buried at Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough County.
ii.	Edward M. James, born December 17, 1886.
iii.	Lois Ellen James, born January 23, 1889, died July 14 or 15, 1917, at Fountain Green, Hancock County.  July 14 is the date shown on State of Illinois death records online, July 15 is the date reportedly on her tombstone and quoted in the obituary for Lois' sister, Lota Mearl.  They are buried in the same plot at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
iv.	Herman J. James, born October 1, 1891.
v.	Vilas James, died September 19, 1893.
vi.	Alvia E. James, born February 18, 1894.  (Found also as Alva, Alvie, Alvira and Elvia.)  She died November 29, 1985, burial at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.
vii.	Vearl James, born April 20, 1898, died in May of 1973 at Macomb, McDonough County.
viii.	Hubert Henry "Jesse" James, born May 11, 1901.  He died August 15, 1995, at Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa.  Burial at Oakland Cemetery, Fort Madison.
ix.	Lora Pearl James, born July 29, 1904.
x.	Lota Mearl James, born July 29, 1904, died October 1, 1923, in McDonough County.  Burial at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

James, Thomas, 52, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 9000, value of personal estate 200, born OH, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Emily B, 41, female, white, keeps house, born TN
Edmund, 17, male, white, works on farm, born IL, attended school within the year
George W, 13, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Douglas, 12, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Allen, 9, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Henry, 7, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Marion, 5, male, white, born IL
Mary, 3, female, white, born IL
Ida, 6/12, female, white, born IL, born Dec
Wm R, 21, male, white, works on farm, born IL

James, Thomas, white, male, 62, married, farming, could not read or write, born OH, father born PA, mother born OH
Emily, white, female, 50, wife, married, keeping house, born TN, both parents born TN
George, white, male, 24, son, single, farming, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Douglas, white, male, 22, son, single, farming, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Allen, white, male, 20, son, single, farming, attended school within the census year, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Henry, white, male, 15, son, single, farming, attended school within the year, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Marion, white, male, 14, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Emma, white, female, 12, dughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Addie, white, female, 10, dughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN
Mossey, Hanna B, white, female, 20, servant, single, house keeper; Is the person (on the day of the enumerator's visit) sick, or temporarily disabled, so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? If so, what is the sickness or disability? - chills; could read but not write, born IL, father born Ireland, mother born PA

Sammons, John, white, male, 52, married, farmer, born TN, both parents born [no entry]
Rebecca, white, female, 32, wife, married, keeping house, born OH, both parents born OH
Elija, white, male, 21, son, single, farmer, born IL, father born TN, mother born Ireland
Jane, white, female, 20, daughter, single, born IL, father born TN, mother born Ireland
Catharin, white, female, 18, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born IL, father born TN, mother born Ireland
Maggie, white, female, 16, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born IL, father born TN, mother born Ireland
John, white, male, 14, son, single, attended school within the year, born IL, father born TN, mother born Ireland
Frank, white, male, 9, son, single, attended school within the year, born IL, father born TN, mother born OH
Alice, white, female, 6, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born IL, father born TN, mother born OH
Harvey, Alberta, white, female, 16, stepdaughter, single, attended school within the year, born OH, both parents born OH

James, Henry [initial, if present, obscured], head, white, male, Dec 1863, 36, married for 15 years, born IL, father born OH, mother born unknown, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, rented his farm home, farm schedule 16

Margaret E, wife, white, female, Feb 1864, 36, married for 15 years; mother of 7 children, 6 living; born IL, father born TN, mother born Ireland, could read, write and speak English

Blanche M, daughter, white, female, June 1885, 14, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Edward M, son, white, male, Dec 1886, 13, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Lois E, daughter, white, female, Jan 1889, 11, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Herman J, son, white, male, Oct 1891, 8, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Alva E, daughter, white, female, Feb 1894, 6, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Vearl, daughter, white, female, Apr 1898, 2, single, born IL, both parents born IL

James, Henry T, head, male, white, 46, married (1st) for 25 years, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, could read and write, rented his farm home, farm schedule 98

Margaret E, wife, female, white, 46, married (1st) for 25 years; mother of 10 children, 9 living; born IL, father born IL, mother born Ireland Irish, spoke English, could read and write

Edward M, son, male, white, 23, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, shoe cutter, shoe factory, working for wages, could read and write

Lois E, daughter, female, white, 21, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Herman J, son, male, white, 18, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Alvie E, daughter, female, white, 16, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Vearl, daughter, female, white, 12, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Hubert, son, male, white, 8, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Lora P, daughter, female, white, 5, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Lota M, daughter, female, white, 5, single, born IL, both parents born IL

James, Henry T, head renter, male, white, 56, married, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, farm schedule 94

Margaret E, wife, female, white, 56, married, could read and write, born IL, father born TN; mother born Ireland, native tongue English; spoke English

Herman J, son, male, white, 27, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farm hand, home farm, working for wages

Elvia E, daughter, female, white, 25, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, servant, private family, working for wages

Vearl W, daughter, female, white, 22, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Hubert H, son, male, white, 18, single, did not attend school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farm hane, home farm, working for wages

Lota M, daughter, female, white, 15, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Lora P, daughter, female, white, 15, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

James, Henry T, head, whether renter or owner - unknown, home value or monthly rental - [no entry], owned a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 67, married, age at first marriage - 22, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born TN, spoke English, farmer, general farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 76

Margert E, wife, female, white, 65, married, age at first marriage - 20, could read and write, born IL, father born Kentucky, mother born Ireland, spoke English

Herman J, son, male, white, 37, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farm hand, general farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - yes, WW

Alvie E, daughter, female, white, 33, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English