Bureau County IL Archives Biographies.....Colby, F.
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Virginia Perry vperry@midwest.net January 1999

Biography of F COLBY, Bureau County, Illinois

F. Colby,  Indiantown. The genealogy of the Colby family is as follows: 
Its progenitor in America, as far as known, was Isaac Colby, who lived 
in old Amesbury, Mass. He was a farmer by occupation and the father of 
the following children: John, Eliphalet, Isaac, Nehemiah, Richard and 
Elizabeth. Of these, Eliphalet Colby was the great-grandfather of our 
subject. He married Polly Rodgers, who is a direct descendant of Rev. 
John Rodgers, a Protestant minister, who was burned at the stake 
February 14, 1554, at Smithfield, England, at the instigation of Queen 
Mary, the Catholic Regent. Rev. John Rodgers assisted Tyndale in the 
translation of the Bible into the English language. His great-grandson 
came to Massachusetts in 1636. His son, John Rodgers, was President of 
Harvard College from 1682 to 1684. Eliphalet and Polly (Rodgers) Colby 
were the parents of four children, viz: Eliphalet, Nicholas, Levi and 
Polly Colby. Of the above, Nicholas Colby was born in 1755 and died in 
1836. He married Lois Martin, who was the mother of the following 
children, viz: Molly, Nicholas, Ruth, Jerusha, Oliver, Joshua, Levi 
and Joel. Of these Levi Colby was born January 30, 1800, in Henniker, 
N. H. His wife, Lydia B. Colby, was born July 13, 1894, in New Hampshire. 
Her great-grandparents, Joseph Bartlett, was captured by the Indians 
during colonial times and taken to Canada, but afterward rescued. She 
is also a relative of Ashmead Bartlet, who married the Countess Burdett 
Coutts, the wealthy philanthropist. Levi Colby and wife have both passed 
the four-score years, and, although the evening shadows of life are 
gathering about them, are still in the possession of their mental faculties. 
They make their home with their only son, F. Colby. The latter was educated 
in his native town. He followed various occupations, principally farming. 
He is a good mechanic, and has erected all the buildings on his farm, 
among others a fine residence. He came to Bureau County in 1868, and here 
owns 200 acres in Indiantown Township. He was born October 22, 1826, in 
Henniker, N. H. and was married in his native State, September 4, 1848, 
to Julia A. Morgan, born in the above place March 10, 1827. She is of 
English descent, and is the mother of Morris A. and Elmer A. Colby, the 
latter deceased, aged ten years and ten months. Morris A. Colby was born 
February 7, 1850. He is farming with his father, is an I. O. O. F. He is 
married to Sarah Anthony, who was born September 3, 1849, in Morristown, 
N. J. They have three children, viz: Anna F., Mary E. and Norah E. Colby. 
Mr. F. Colby and his whole family are religiously connected with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church.

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