Lewis B. Mourning came to McDonongh [sic] county with his parents in the spring of 1837, locating on section 8, Tennessee township, although the family spent the first summer north of the town of Colchester.  In 1870 Mr. Mourning came to his present location, on section 16.

Lewis B. Mourning, the subject of this sketch, is the son of William and Elizabeth (Lyon) Mourning, and was born in Adair county, Kentucky, July 17, 1830.  Came to this county with his parents in the spring of 1837, and settled on section 8, in Tennessee township, where he worked on the farm a good deal in the summer, and attended school a little in winter, taking turn chopping wood and making fires in the school room, with rather poor teachers, and poorer accommodations, it is little wonder that the children of the early settlers got but a limited education.

In the fall of 1850, he visited the place of his birth, Adair county, Kentucky; good enough place to be born, but a poor place to make a living in.  Attended a select school the following winter and the next summer taught the first school ever taught under the free school laws of Kentucky, in that district.  Returning to Illinois in the fall of 1851, attended school for two winters, afterwards taught school for two terms.

On the 7th day of June, 1853, he was married to Lucinda Keithly, daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Roberts) Keithly.  They had three children born, two are still living--John L., born May 30, 1854; James A., born February 8, 1856, died at eight months old; Ammi Ellmer, born April 22, 1867.  They also raised a niece, Ida Ellen Mourning (daughter of John M. Mourning), who is now the wife of James M. Waddill.

He now owns a farm of 110 acres, situated on sections 16, 20 and 21, Tennessee township. He was a republican from 1854 until 1872, has since that voted for Peter Cooper in 1876, for James B. Weaver in 1880, and John P. St. John in 1884.  Has never regretted any vote he ever gave for any presidential candidate, and is especially proud of having voted for John C. Freemont and John P. St. John.  He and wife are both members of the M. E. church; has been a member of several secret orders - Sons of Temperance, Good Templars, the Grange, and is now a member of the Masonic fraternity, Tennessee Lodge, No. 496.  He is of Irish decent on the fathers side ; the grandfather, John Mourning, was born on the Green Isle, in 1774, but emigrated with his parents when quite young, to America, settling in Virginia, moving from there to Kentucky, where the father of Lewis B., was born, April 3, 1805, and died April 18, 1870, [in McDonough County, Illinois] on the same quarter of land he settled on in 1837.

Mr. Mourning has passed through many of the hardships and privations of the early settler, but is glad to live to see the grand improvements in our fair country.  The sulky plow has taken the place of the old wooden mold-board, the binder that of the hand sickle, the separator that of the flail, and hopes to yet see universal sobriety and good order take the place of whisky, beer and the saloon.

 
Lewis Ball Mourning, son of William and Elizabeth (Lyon) Mourning, was born in Adair County, Kentucky, July 17th 1830 and died at his home in Blandinsville Ill., Jan 21, 1921.  He came with his parents to Illinois at the age of seven years.  On June 3 1853 he married Lucinda Keithley born in Kentucky Dec 6 1834 who came to Illinois with her parents in 1839.  She bore him three sons and died at the home in Blandinsville on April 4 1895.  On January 26 1896 he married Nancy Sorter who survived him about three years.  She was born in Kentucky June 5 1842 and died at Blandinsville February 8 1924.  All are buried in Glade Cemetery Blandinsville.

It is said that Mary (Ball) Washington of Virginia had a brother Lewis Ball from whom Hannah (Ball) Mourning was descended and for whom Lewis Mourning was named.  He was generally known as "L. B." to distinguish his from his uncle Lewis Mourning.

"L.B." succeeded under considerable difficulty in obtaining a very good education, partly in Illinois and partly in Kentucky, where he returned for a time in 1850.  He then taught the first school under the free school laws of Kentucky in that district.

While he was general engaged in farming, I recall that most of his income was derived from writing fire insurance.  He was of strong personality, but a tall thin man who was never strong physically. Despite the fact that he "doctored" for many years it will be observed that he died at the age of 91 years.  He was an active Mason, a member of the Methodist Church, a Republican and bitterly opposed to the use of liquor in any form.

Lewis and Lucinda (Keithley) Mourning had three sons of whom two reached maturity, but also reared my mother, Ida Ellen Mourning, in their Home.

The Mourning children were all born in McDonough County, Illinois, in the area named Tennessee Township in 1857.

i.	John Lawrence Mourning, born May 10 or May 30, 1854, died about 1925.
ii.	James Anderson Mourning, born February 8, 1856.  He died October 6, 1856, burial at Friendship-Mourning Cemetery, McDonough County.
iii.	Ammi Elmer "Dick" Mourning, born April 22, 1867.  He died in June of 1937.

 
Lewis and Nancy were married at Blandinsville by Rev. T. A. Beall, a Methodist Episcopal minister. According to the Board of Health document, Nancy was born in Nelson County, Kentucky, father's name - John Sorter, mother's maiden name - Swazy.  Witnesses were Edith Mourning and Addison B. Roberts.

See also:

Marriage License (Mourning - Keithley) Marriage Documents (Mourning - Sorter) William Mourning and Elizabeth Mourning Ida Ellen Mourning

Household of William Morning
Males 0 thru 4 - 1
Males 5 thru 9 - 2
Males 10 thru 14 - 1
Males 30 thru 39 - 1
Females 0 thru 4 - 2
Females 20 thru 29 - 1
Total - 8
Persons employed in agriculture - 2

Jacob Keethley, 45, male, farmer, value of real estate 400, born KY
Sarah, 45, female, born VA
William, 23, male, farmer, born IN
John, 22, male, farmer, born IN, attended school within the year
George, 19, male, farmer, born IN, attended school within the year
David, 18, male, farmer, born IN, attended school within the year
Lucinda, 16, female, born IN, attended school within the year
Seth, 14, male, born IN, attended school within the year
James, 12, male, born IN, attended school within the year
Francis, 12, male, born IN, attended school within the year
Perry, 9, male, born IL
Joseph, 5, male, born IL

Lewis Mourning, 29, male, farmer, value of real estate 800, value of personal estate, born KY
Lucinda, 25, female, born IN
John, 6, male, born IL

Mourning, Lewis B, 39, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 5000, value of personal estate 1300, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Lucinda, 34, female, white, keeps house, born IN
John L, 16, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Anna, 3, female, white, born IL  [Ammi]
Ida E, 6, female, white, born IL
Mary, 50, female, white, keeps house, born KY

Sorter, John, 56, male, white, gunsmith, born KY, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Margt, 55, female, white, keeping house, born KY
Nancy, 26, female, white, born KY
Sarah, 24, female, white, born KY
Louisa, 19, female, white, born KY

Mourning, Lewis, white, male, 49, married, farming, born KY, both parents born KY
Lucindia, white, female, 45, wife, married, keeping house, born "Inda", father born KY, mother born IN
Ida E, white, female, 16, niece, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL
Amy E, white, male, 13, son, single, farming, attended school within the year, born IL, father born KY, mother born IN
Warner, white, male, 4, grandson, single, at home, born IL, both parents born IL

Sorter, John, white, male, 66, married, gunsmith, born KY, both parents born VA
Margaret, white, female, 65, married, housekeeper, born KY, both parents born KY
Nancy F, white, female, 31, daughter, single, at home, born KY, both parents born KY
Louiza M, white, female, 27, daughter, single, milliner, born IL, both parents born KY

Mourning, Lewis, head, white, male, July 1830, 69, married for 4 years, born KY, both parents born KY, landlord, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, owned his home free of mortgage

Nancy, wife, white, female, June 1842, 57, married for 4 years, mother of 0 children, born KY, both parents born KY, could read, write and speak English

Mourning, Lewis, head, male, white, 79, married (2nd) for 14 years, born KY, both parents born KY, spoke English, own income, could read and write, owned his home free of mortgage

Nancy, wife, female, white, 66, married (1st) for 14 years, born KY, both parents born KY, spoke English, could read and write

Mourning, Lewis, head, owner, free of mortgage, male, white, 89, married, could read and write, born KY, both parents born KY, spoke English

Nancy, wife, female, white, 77, married, could read and write, born KY, both parents born KY, spoke English

John, son, male, white, 65, divorced, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English, carpenter, house, working for wages