Abraham Varner

Abraham Varner was the son of Adam Varner and Christina R. (last name unknown). (She appears on some IGI records as Christina Rexroad.) Information varies on Abraham's date of birth. We believe he was born 1765 to 1770.

Micki Donnelly records in her book on the Varner family that Abraham brought a suit of debt against James Mullenex in 1788. She does not give the county in Virginia.

Abraham married Elizabeth Peck, daughter of Garrett Peck, about 1794. Based on her date of marriage and her age on the 1830 census we believe Elizabeth was born about 1770-1776.

We found Abraham listed on the tithables list for Pendleton County, Virginia in March 1797, with two tithables.

The book History of St. Clair County, Illinois, published in 1881, says Abraham settled east of Belleville about 1804, where he lived and established a blacksmith business on the main road from Vicennes to Cahokia.

Abraham family appears on the 1820 and 1830 St. Clair County census. We found records of land transactions for Abraham during the 1830's.

Elizabeth died prior to 1842. Abraham signed his will February 5, 1842, in St. Clair County. A wife is not mentioned in the will. The will names his eldest daughter, Susanna Merrills; heirs of his second daughter, Sally Hendrick, dec'd; third daughter, Lucinda Watts; and sons Jacob, Henry, and Abraham. The will was probated in March 1850.

Children of Abraham Varner and Elizabeth Peck

1. Susannah Varner, b. June 9, 1796, VA; m. Sylvester Merrill on Apr 12, 1817, St. Clair Co, IL

2. Jacob Varner, b. abt 1797, VA; m. Rhody Rittentrout on June 8, 1814, St. Clair Co, IL, then Nancy Price Jackson on Mar 22, 1817, St. Clair Co.

3. Sarah Varner, b. June 15, 1804, IL; d. Oct 5, 1837, Belleville, IL; m. William Hendricks

4. Henry Varner, b. abt 1807, St. Clair Co, IL; m. Nancy Whiteside on Nov 10, 1831, St. Clair Co.

5. Lucinda Varner, b. abt 1810, St. Clair Co, IL; m. ____ Watts

6. Abraham Varner, Jr., b. Aug 23, 1811, St. Clair Co, IL; d. Dec 27, 1877, Belleville, IL; m. Edna Emeline Million on Feb 13, 1831, St. Clair Co.