My family's connection to Abraham Lincoln

Royal A Clary

My 3rd Great Grandfather

Growing up I had heard stories of my grandmother's family and how they had been good friends of Abraham Lincoln. I believe even at one point going on a train with him helping to campaign. I will admit that I thought it was just family lore, greatly exaggerated stories that had grown bigger as they were passed down generation thru generation. One of those things where they remember him, but he wouldn't know who they were. But that all changed once I started tracing my family's roots.

My paternal grandmother's name was Laura Faye "Sally" Clary and honestly I didn't know much about neither her nor my grandfather's family. I did know that her mother had passed away while she was young and her father not much later and that a sister and her husband helped raised her. I didn't start doing much research on the Clary line until just a few months ago, and much to my surprise my family was indeed a part of a young Abraham Lincoln's life.

On this blog I'm going to write about Royal A Clary (1813-1874) who would be my grandmother's great grandfather, making him my 3rd great grandfather.

Royal was the first born child of John Clary and Rhoda Armstrong who lived in Tennessee. When Royal was 5 yrs old the family, including a younger brother would leave Tennessee and move to Illinois on horseback and foot. On the way they would stop and stay a few weeks with relatives where a 3rd child was born and in the spring of 1819 his father settled near a stream and grove of tree's which would eventually be named Clary's Grove. Royal continued to live there which in 1821 became a part of Sangamon County, and in 1839 a part of newly created Menard County.

In 1831 a young adult Abraham Lincoln moved to New Salem, Illinois which was close to Clary's Grove, and would become acquainted with a gang of boy's whose families all lived there called the "Clary Grove Boy's" Reading thru different stories they seem to be almost bullies to outsiders, but from all accounts a young Abraham did not back down. When Jack Armstrong, one of the strongest of all and a cousin of Royal, challenged him to wrestle they went at it. Lincoln would win which gained the respect of all the boy's there. So much so that in 1832 during the Black Hawk War they elected him captain. Royal would serve under him, but they would never see any combat.

In 1834 Royal would marry Sally Jarvis and together they would have a daughter Susan. In 1839 she would leave Royal for a man by the name of John Jones Jr. and Royal filed for divorce that November. In 1840 when the sheriff went to serve the subpoena she was no longer living in the county and had apparently left the state with Jones. Abraham Lincoln was Royal's lawyer in his divorce and actually wrote his divorce decree. It was granted later on in the year in 1840. Royal served as constable during this year but resigned in Aug of 1840, whether his personal life had to do anything with it is not known.

In 1843 Royal would marry Eva Tibbs from whom I descend from. In the 1850 and 1860 he is shown living in Menard County with his wife and children farming. On June 17, 1862 Royal enlisted with the Union Army and served as a private in Co E 85th Illinois Infantry. He was wounded in Oct of 1863 at the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky. It is said that his nose was shot off, but I have found no concrete evidence of that. He was discharged in 1863 for a physical disability but that is all that is said. Eva passed away some time between 1860-1866 and Royal remarried a third time in 1866.

He would go on the live 11 years after he was discharged from the Civil War and pass away in 1874. He's buried in Concord Cemetery in Menard County Illinois.

I have down that he had 6 children but I will be honest in saying I'm not 100% sure if this is correct:

• Richard James Clary 1842-1900 **my great great grandfather
• Rhoda J Clary 1849
• Mary Etta Clary 1852-1920
• Nancy Ann Clary 1855-1928
• Martha Manerva Clary 1857-1948
• Susan Clary (Daughter from first marriage)

Royal's Divorce Papers

My Connection to Royal Clary

• Royal Clary & Eva Tibbs
• Richard James Miller & Minerva Miller
• David Oly Clary & Phoebe Hobart
• Laura Faye (Sally) Clary & Leo Immekus
• Larry Immekus & Donna Turner
• Me