1925 Biography - Thomas Kerley
Thomas Kerley, the ancestor of the family in this county, was a native of North Carolina and of Irish descent. He came the usual route, living a while in Tennessee and then on to Illinois, in 1840. He settled in Pope County and later came to what is known as "Flatwood" in Simpson Township. He married Miss Meredith in Tennessee, whom the biographer of Dr. T. B. Kerley says, raised a family of fourteen children and at her death had one hundred and thirty-six descendants. James L. Kerley (2) born in Tennessee in 1836 was one of these children. He was a progressive and substantial farmer of his neighborhood and married Mary J. McKee, who had Sarah Catherine (3), Joseph A. (3), Thomas B. (3) Allen (3), Gilbert (3), and Hattie (3) who married a Mr. Ditterline. James L. (2) married Susan McKee, second and they had Hillis (3). Dr. T. B. (3) was raised on a farm and began the study of medicine under Dr. J. H. Simminons, of Simpson. He later graduated from the college of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, 1888, and has practiced in Simpson and vicinity continuously since. He also is interested in farming and was one of the founders of the Simpson bank. He married Mary E. Simmons and the children are Granville L. (3), who is a physician of Denver, Colorado; Lindorf L. (3) was a graduate of the Bloomington Law School of this state, and began practice in Chicago, moving his practice later to Denver, Colorado. He enlisted in the World War, was commissioned Lieutenant, served in France and was killed in a railroad wreck near Orleans, France, December 5, 1918. His remains were brought to the United States in 1921, and interred in the Fraternal Cemetery, Vienna, Ill. Delbert R. (3) is cashier of the First Bank of Simpson. He married Dimple Simpson, and their children are Homor (4), Maurice Lindorf (4) Orlin R. (3) a resident of Simpson, married Mary Cowan and they have Thomas Granville (4).
Extracted 06 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 398-399.
