Joseph A. Weakley, born in Pennsylvania about 1825, was the son of William L. Weakley and Martha W. Ege.  In 1850 Joseph was counted in his mother's home and, perhaps, also in a home that was located near the Hamilton residence.

A history of the Mathew Dill family (published in 1935, from which some details for this essay have been drawn), reported that Jane and Joseph were married at Centreville, Cumberland County, on March 17, 1851.  Before the decade ended, Joseph and family left Pennsylvania, following the westward path of Joseph's siblings.  In 1860 Joseph, Jane and three children were in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois.  The family included two daughters and a son, also named Joseph A., who was about a year old.

The senior Joseph apparently died not long after.  The obituary of the son Joseph reported that he was raised in the home of his uncle, Peter E. Weakley, of Joetta, Hancock County.

In 1870 Jane, young Joseph and daughter Mary Belle (called Mollie) were counted with Harriet Weakley, Peter's wife.  The older daughter, Harriet (named as Hira D. in 1860) was not present. Mollie married in 1876.  In 1880 Jane and Joseph were still at Joetta.

Jane died on November 24, 1883, and was buried at Majorville Cemetery.  The Dill history claimed she died at Fountain Green; that could refer to either the village of Fountain Green or Fountain Green Township.  But it's more likely, since she predeceased both Peter and Harriet Weakley, that she died at the Weakley home in Hancock Township.  Peter was quite comfortable financially and known to be extraordinarily generous.  It's doubtful that Peter would have turned out his deceased brother's widow, since he had supported her and her children for a number of years.  (The Dill history also stated that Jane was born in 1831; her tombstone says 1830.)

The Weakley children:

Martha Weakley, 50, female, born PA
Joseph Weakley, 25, male, merchant, born PA
Hettie Weakley, 23, female, born PA
William Weakley, 17, male, school student, born PA, attended school within the year
Martha Weakley, 14, female, born PA, attended school within the year

Household of Andrew Miller, continued on page 107B
Joseph Weakley, 24, male, clerk, born PA

William Hamilton, 41, male, inn keeper, born PA
Elizabeth Hamilton, 42, female, born PA
Leah Hamilton, 19, female, born PA
Amanda Hamilton, 17, female, born PA
Harriet Hamilton, 14, female, born PA, attended school within the year
Alfred Hamilton, 12, male, born PA, attended school within the year
John Hamilton, 10, male, born PA, attended school within the year
Lewis Hamilton, 7, male, born PA, attended school within the year
[continued on next page]
Melisa Hamilton, 4, female, born PA
William Hamilton, 1, male, born PA

Joseph A Weakley, 35, male, book keeper, value of real estate 1000, value of personal estate 200, born PA
Lea J, 30, female, born PA
Hira D, 7, female, born PA
Mary B, 5, female, born PA
Joseph A, 1, male, born IL

Weekly, Harriett, 44, female, white, keeping house, value of personal estate 1000, born PA
Jane, 39, female, white, keeping house, born PA
Joseph, 11, male, white, born PA, attended school within the year
Mollie, 15, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
[Peter is not to be found elsewhere in the community.]

Weakley, Peter E, white, male, 56, married, dry goods merchant, born PA, both parents born PA
Hariet, white, female, 55, wife, married, keeping house, born PA, both parents born PA
Jane L, white, female, 49, sister-in-law, widow, keeping house, born PA, both parents
born PA
Joseph A, white, male, 20, nephew, single, drygoods clerk, unemployed for 1 month during the census year, born IL, both parents born PA