WAITE, Frederick T. and (1) Susan Hazen (1825-1883), (2) Melvina (Howard) Hazen (1835- ) – Frederick was born August 24, 1824 in Hartford, Vermont. He died December 20, 1889 at El Paso. They came from Tarrytown, New York to Panola Twp. in 1855 and settled on the N 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section 27, occupied in 1953 by Leslie Guard. Both husband and wife were singers and musicians. There were the following children: Franklin H., who was only one year old when his parents brought him west, where he taught music until he died of typhoid fever on December 3, 1877; Azro Hazen, father of Lois and Marjorie and long-time El Paso hardware dealer; Frederick T. Jr.; Emma Waite (Bennett); and Lillie Waite (Jessop). All these children except Azro H. finally moved into Arizona and pioneered that country. Frederick Waite was a Whig, later Republican, and a Presbyterian.
WALDEN, Thomas – An Englishman who was in Metamora in 1853 and Panola Twp. in 1857.
WALDRON, Edward – An Englishman who was in Panola Twp. in 1852.
WALTZEN, Ede – Came to Woodford County from Hanover, Germany in 1848, and at some later unknown date settled the SE 1/4 of Section 5 and 100 acres south of it. His home was near old School #6, on the south center line of the section.
WARD, Charles – Came to Woodford County from England in 1853, and to the E 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 10 in Palestine Twp. in 1858. He owned another 80 acres south of this also.
WARD, John and Jane Bryson – John was born in Marshall County, West Virginia, (then Virginia) July 17, 1823. He came by steamer to Peoria in 1857 and located on the W 1/2 of Section 19 in Panola Twp. where he finally owned about 300 acres. Their marriage was on February 17, 1852, and Darwin A. Ward was a son, the latter farmed this land until around 1917.
WARNER, John R. and Sarah Konkler – Settled in Palestine Twp. in 1837. John was the father of John L. Warner. He and Sarah were both active in early Methodist Church of Panola and El Paso. He was a Democrat politically.
WARNER, Rheuben – His name is on Methodist records of above church January 22, 1859. He attended the Methodist conference in Panola on November 7-8, 1857.
WATHEN, James H. – Born in 1816 and died in 1902. He was from Bardstown, Kentucky and was co-founder of El Paso in 1854 with George L. Gibson. He moved into the new town in 1857, from his home in Washington, Illinois. James patented 560 acres of land in El Paso Twp. alone, and more elsewhere. (See Chapter 4 on "Railroads and Founding Fathers.") He built today's Elms Motel for his home in 1858. He was usually called "Major," but he had no war service. He served as Mayor of El Paso in 1879-80.
WATKINS, Amos – Amos was the brother of Warren C. Watkins, who came with him from Kentucky to Sangamon County in 1828 and on to the upper Panther Creek Grove settlement in 1830, just before the "winter of the deep snows." (See Warren C. Watkins.) They were in the Bowling Green neighborhood in 1836.
WATKINS, Warren C. and Nancy Swarens – They were Kentuckians who migrated to Sangamon County, Illinois in 1828, and in 1830 they came on into the upper Panther Creek Grove settlement in Greene Twp., building their cabin just before the "winter of the deep snows." They are known to have lived in Palestine near the Olio line in 1836, although some accounts say it was just over the Olio line. Warren was a brother of Amos Watkins, another 1830 settler there. Warren and Nancy's daughter, Elmira L. Watkins, married Daniel
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