Doolen Family History

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Doolen

This is the Doolen Family History, hand-written by Edward Jesse Doolen in Marion County, IL before 1915. He wrote this history for his daughter Alice, so she would know about her family history.
Edward also contributed to the Brinkerhoff's History of Marion County, IL - http://www.archive.org/stream/brinkerhoffshist00brin#page/156/mode/2up

Doolen Family History
Chapter 2 - Pages 21-25
"William Columbus [Doolen], the eldest child of Alfred M. Doolen and Mary A. Pruett was born in Marion Co, Ill, Dec 20, 1844. Of his early boyhood brief mention will suffice. He grew up the son of a well-to-do farmer, under entirely different conditions from those which exist today.
"When about 23 years of age he attended one term at the Kinmundy public school after which he taught for a few years. I remember him as a middle-sized man, handsome and intelligent, profane in anger, and easily stirred, but withal pleasant in his family, greatly liked by his neighbors and friends. A man easy of access and one whose word was good.
"Whenever any of us offended, and the knowledge reached him, punishment came swift and sure. But when it was over he was ready to resume friendly relations with the chastened boy, and seldom made the mistake of alluding to the matter in any way. I learned to read his moods, for his face betrayed his emotions. I could tell very well when the time was ripe to ask for favors or when to keep silence. The wants of his family were probably few, but they were well supplied, for among his good qualities was that of industry.
"He married a woman of as good family as himself, but of a different disposition whose prejudices and stubborn perverseness generally were a source of frequent irritation, a state of things that sometimes led to quarrels. The effect of these jars my father dismissed from his mind in a few hours, my mother moped long and sullenly. As time advance these differences became rarer.
"On Sept 19, 1883, a little brother of mine [Howard Leroy, age 3] died, an event that affected my father greatly. My grandfather gave him his choice of any spot on his farm for a place of burial. After a few hours of counsel, the present site was selected, and there all my people who have died since then lie buried.
"Our education was an important matter with both my parents, and it was my father's habit to hear a review of our lessons often. He was a good penman, and a quizzer in arithmetic, and ever pushed us forward in our studies. His criticism were severe, but he never forgot to praise a task well done, a fact that we valued to the utmost.
"To church, to school, to hard farm work, and in our play, he was our guide, holding each of us to our place. A busy life he led and useful, a life that came to an abrupt close after one week's illness, Feb 4, 1884, and so a guardian grave, for the lonely one on the hillside was made."

Doolen Family History
Chapter 3 - Pages 25-30
"On the 9th day of Aug, 1825, in Macracken Co, Ky was born a little blue-eyed fair-haired boy. His parents named him Alfred Murray [Doolen]. This babe was the second son of Jessee (sic) Doolen and Rachel Bone. His father was then in his 29th year, a rough, roystering, half-breed Irishman, fond of his ease and still fonder of whiskey. the mother was a gentle, kind and good woman, who raised her children worthily, and by great patience and firmness brought her husband, whom she loved devotedly, to a sense of the error of his ways and to a most Christian way of living.
"The child flourished in his surroundings, and other little ones came to keep him company. When you are old enough to read this with understanding, Alice, it will seem a long, long time, since this child raised his voice in its first whimper. But is was my destiny, years after, to sit on his knees and pull his beard, for he was my grandfather.
"Think of it, when he was a boy he listened to tales told by Revolutionary soldiers, and he showed me once where he saw troupes pass on their way to the front in Black Hawk's War. He has told me that he remembered his grandfather, Daniel Doolen, the immigrant, and he was a man of family when his grandmother died.
"When less than 7 years old, his parents moved to a point about one mile east of Harrisburg (now called Pinhook) on Hickory Creek in Fayette Co, Ill.
"His marriage with Mary A. Pruett occurred in 1843. Mary Bridges [Doolen, Alfred's grandmother]died about 1851. Buried at Sandy Branch. There were many of his relatives here at that time. In fact, two of his uncles, Murray and Dan, with the widow of his father's eldest brother, William; and her two young sons, Jessee and Dan, came to Ill. at the same time his parents did, and all eventually settled in the northern part of Marion Co. in what is now Foster twp.
"I do not know when he finally settled on the homestead where he died. He bought some of it from his father, how much I do not know, but where his house stood his father’s had been also. Under the old elm tree in the south yard four generations of your people have gathered. What grand times we cousins had around the old place. How delicious the fruit in the orchard; while no treasures could compare with those found in grandmother’s kitchen. West of the house and orchard was a pretty woods pasture, and all the farm bespoke comfort and plenty. The master was a man of ruddy complexion, fair slightly curling hair, and reddish beard; tall, and a little over the average size. He was of a sanguine temperament, genial in a way, but never extravagant of words. At all times he was imposing. A man more respected than loved, a good reader of human nature the soul of honor and integrity.
"On the 3rd of Sept 1888, after a few day’s illness he died, being a little more than 63 years of age. All of his children except one daughter was present. The evening of the next day, followed by a great concourse of friends and acquaintances he was laid to rest.
"I will further add that this man’s virtues far outweighed his faults. He was the son of a Methodist preacher and the brother of another and had a most pious mother. He claimed no alliance with religion yet he attended church service often. I never heard him use a profane word, never knew of him being drunk. He despised lying and deceit. Upheld education and law and although he held the power he oppressed no one.”

Doolen Family History
Chapter 4 - Pages 31-33
"The personage of whom I now write did not live in my day, and for facts concerning him I am indebted to others, both of my family and to outsiders. This man is the jovial tippler of whom we heard in the preceding chapter. He was the third child of Daniel Doolen and Mary Bridges, the daughter of a Revolutionary soldier. Georgia was the state of his nativity, where he was born, Dec 9, 1796. The father acquired property and prospered, being a planter and owning several slaves. The child of Dec. was christened Jessee, and became a strong hardy youth.
"Of course we know that educational advantages were scarce at the time, but great things were happening, and to most, the future promised as great events as had been realized in the past. So he learned history by witnessing it, and by associating with those who had actively participated in affairs of the two momentous decades preceding his birth. The men and women of his community were contemporaries of the great founders of the Republic. Amid such surroundings, it would indeed be a witless and indifferent clod who would not gain much. He learned arithmetic, reading, writing, and history and was possessed of eloquence. At the beginning of the War of 1812 his father and older brother Wm. entered the American Army, remaining in service until the close of hostilities.
"Jessee married in Ky. where his parents had moved some years before. The name of his wife was Rachel Bone, and from what I have learned of her, she was one of the best women who ever bore our name. Before coming to Illinois, Jessee had become settled in his habits, and a worthy citizen.

[Another record adds this - prob from History of Fayette County
"In his early life and during the first years of his marriage, he lived a reckless and unsettled life. However, he saw the folly of his ways, forsook his reckless course and thoroughly reformed.
"In 1844, at the age of 47, he was ordained by the Methodist Church to preach the Gospel, and spent the remainder of his life in labor for the Master." A history of Otego Township, Ill. states that Jesse Doolen preached there. He also preached in Wilberton Township.]

Doolen history, cont., p 33-34
"In 1844 he was licensed to preach. I have seen the document years ago, and hope to possess it soon. The authority came from the Methodist Church, and from that time on until his death he labored for the cause of the Master. I was once told by a man who when a boy attended divine service where my great-grandfather ministered. The preacher was the only one present who had on shoes. They were much worn and greased with butter. He lived in the style of the backwoods man and caring but little for the goods of this world he acquired but a small amount.
"At the residence of his son-in-law, Capt. John Foster, he was stricken with paralysis and died July 28, 1865. He was interred at Sandy Branch. Both his wives and his mother lies near him.”