This is a letter that a fellow researcher passed on to me......I'd like
to post it in hopes that it may help someone, and maybe help me figure
out the father of Joseph W. Center b. 1795.
Letter written by Joseph's grandson...Joseph Ashley Willard Center.
The name (Center) is Scotch and we have always been told that we were
Scotch, Irish, and Welsh.The family record has been lost and (?) many
times, but there's enough when put together to complete the history in a
story. There is a Scotch man in Marshalltown known as Lan Center who
went back to Scotland and had his friend take Kodak picture of the
Jovenite in the cornerstone and a old fort. The old fort was shot to
piece when many queens of Scot lost her home to England. The Kodak
picture of the old fort shows name of two of the Center family who was
killed there when the fort was shot to pieces and taken by the English.
And one granite marker in a cemtery has the Center name chisled under
the Date of 1640.
Three young men brothers of the Center family came to North Carolina on
to that territory before the revolutionary War. One of them remained
there and his descendants are found in the Southern States that went as
far west as Kentucky. One settled in Vermont and Dr. H.H. Center of
Marshalltown was one of the branch of the family. One of them settled
in Ohio and we are of Ohio branch of the family.Dr. HH Center questioned
my understand of the family records. I put it in writing for him after
this.
Joseph W. Center and Jane Cantrell were married in Clark Co. Ohio in
1818. moved to Ill. in 1823. R.H. Center born in Sangamon C. Illl
in1829. I was named Joseph Ashley Willard as by the name of Grand-dad
and his brothers. Dr. Center sent this outline to N.Y. state to one of
the Vermont state of Centers who had the family near one of the time we
came to Ill. Ane then went back to him and told him I was right with
one exception this was one of grandad Bro. who was the youngest. Joseph
W. Center was born in Ohio 1796. married in 1818 to Jane Cantrall who
was one of the brother and sisters with the except of the youngest son
complete his family. Dr. Center grow it up where I the note same as
they., It was the youngest boy {confusing....isn't it?} Youngest boy
stayed with his parents in Ohio when the older came to Ill. Know
noathing of him.
Grandmothers brs. Levi, Asa, and William of Menard Co., IL came from
Ohio the same as the Center family. When I was in school a Ada, Ohio,
we had men from Clark Co., Ohio and said there Center and Cantrell both
still living in Clark Co. Ohio. This prove that the Vermont record was
(?) when they came to same place. The college boy say there are Center
& Cantrell both there. I was requested to give the bit of history that I
have only related the facts as I know tem at the time not seeking in
anyway or trying to exalt the name. (End of Letter)
I would love to know who Dr. HH Center and Lan Center of Marshalltown
are.....does anyone know? Also does anyone know about 3 brothers who
came to NC before the Revolution?
I would like to thank Lorna Vogt for sharing this letter with me!
Mary Caudle