John Bilyeu
Was born in Maryland circa 1775. He was a descendant of early immigrants to America, Pierre and Francoise (DuBois) Billiou, who were French Hugenots from LaBasse in French Flanders. They were part of the religious sect called Walloons, a segment of the Huguenots.
In the 17th century, LaBasse was part of Belgium territory. Pierre and Francoise came to America in 1661 and settled what is today Staten Island, New York. The later Billiou/Bilyeu families moved to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland then on to East Tennessee to Indiana and Illinois and finally many of the Bilyeu families came to Miller County, where their descendants remain today. Typical of many pioneer families, some of the Bilyeu ancestors continued to move west and settled in Oregon Territory. The Pacific Ocean put a stop to the overland migration!
Married Sarah McGrew in the late 18th century, the place not known.
They became parents of at least 13 children.
John's first wife, Sarah (McGrew), died after giving birth to 13 children. Where she died is not known, but perhaps in East Tennessee. John then married Rachel Carr, a young woman who was 35 years younger than he. They had two sons.
John and Rachel Bilyeu came to Miller County in the 1830's from Illinois where they had lived for a while after leaving East Tennessee. They settled near Iberia, in the Big Tavern Creek area east and north of Iberia, in the area known today as the Brays community.
John Bilyeu made his will on Aug. 18, 1852, which was witnessed by Thomas W. Whitaker and John Rowden. A few months later, in February 1853, he died at the age of about 78 years. His probate and estate records are found in the probate Court of Miller County.
He was one of thousands of pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1840's and 1850's and settled on a new frontier in America's northwest. John Bilyeu is buried somewhere in the Big Richwoods, but no one today knows the location of his gravesite.
Was born in Maryland circa 1775. He was a descendant of early immigrants to America, Pierre and Francoise (DuBois) Billiou, who were French Hugenots from LaBasse in French Flanders. They were part of the religious sect called Walloons, a segment of the Huguenots.
In the 17th century, LaBasse was part of Belgium territory. Pierre and Francoise came to America in 1661 and settled what is today Staten Island, New York. The later Billiou/Bilyeu families moved to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland then on to East Tennessee to Indiana and Illinois and finally many of the Bilyeu families came to Miller County, where their descendants remain today. Typical of many pioneer families, some of the Bilyeu ancestors continued to move west and settled in Oregon Territory. The Pacific Ocean put a stop to the overland migration!
Married Sarah McGrew in the late 18th century, the place not known.
They became parents of at least 13 children.
John's first wife, Sarah (McGrew), died after giving birth to 13 children. Where she died is not known, but perhaps in East Tennessee. John then married Rachel Carr, a young woman who was 35 years younger than he. They had two sons.
John and Rachel Bilyeu came to Miller County in the 1830's from Illinois where they had lived for a while after leaving East Tennessee. They settled near Iberia, in the Big Tavern Creek area east and north of Iberia, in the area known today as the Brays community.
John Bilyeu made his will on Aug. 18, 1852, which was witnessed by Thomas W. Whitaker and John Rowden. A few months later, in February 1853, he died at the age of about 78 years. His probate and estate records are found in the probate Court of Miller County.
He was one of thousands of pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1840's and 1850's and settled on a new frontier in America's northwest. John Bilyeu is buried somewhere in the Big Richwoods, but no one today knows the location of his gravesite.
John Bilyeu
Was born in Maryland circa 1775. He was a descendant of early immigrants to America, Pierre and Francoise (DuBois) Billiou, who were French Hugenots from LaBasse in French Flanders. They were part of the religious sect called Walloons, a segment of the Huguenots.
In the 17th century, LaBasse was part of Belgium territory. Pierre and Francoise came to America in 1661 and settled what is today Staten Island, New York. The later Billiou/Bilyeu families moved to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland then on to East Tennessee to Indiana and Illinois and finally many of the Bilyeu families came to Miller County, where their descendants remain today. Typical of many pioneer families, some of the Bilyeu ancestors continued to move west and settled in Oregon Territory. The Pacific Ocean put a stop to the overland migration!
Married Sarah McGrew in the late 18th century, the place not known.
They became parents of at least 13 children.
John's first wife, Sarah (McGrew), died after giving birth to 13 children. Where she died is not known, but perhaps in East Tennessee. John then married Rachel Carr, a young woman who was 35 years younger than he. They had two sons.
John and Rachel Bilyeu came to Miller County in the 1830's from Illinois where they had lived for a while after leaving East Tennessee. They settled near Iberia, in the Big Tavern Creek area east and north of Iberia, in the area known today as the Brays community.
John Bilyeu made his will on Aug. 18, 1852, which was witnessed by Thomas W. Whitaker and John Rowden. A few months later, in February 1853, he died at the age of about 78 years. His probate and estate records are found in the probate Court of Miller County.
He was one of thousands of pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1840's and 1850's and settled on a new frontier in America's northwest. John Bilyeu is buried somewhere in the Big Richwoods, but no one today knows the location of his gravesite.
Was born in Maryland circa 1775. He was a descendant of early immigrants to America, Pierre and Francoise (DuBois) Billiou, who were French Hugenots from LaBasse in French Flanders. They were part of the religious sect called Walloons, a segment of the Huguenots.
In the 17th century, LaBasse was part of Belgium territory. Pierre and Francoise came to America in 1661 and settled what is today Staten Island, New York. The later Billiou/Bilyeu families moved to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland then on to East Tennessee to Indiana and Illinois and finally many of the Bilyeu families came to Miller County, where their descendants remain today. Typical of many pioneer families, some of the Bilyeu ancestors continued to move west and settled in Oregon Territory. The Pacific Ocean put a stop to the overland migration!
Married Sarah McGrew in the late 18th century, the place not known.
They became parents of at least 13 children.
John's first wife, Sarah (McGrew), died after giving birth to 13 children. Where she died is not known, but perhaps in East Tennessee. John then married Rachel Carr, a young woman who was 35 years younger than he. They had two sons.
John and Rachel Bilyeu came to Miller County in the 1830's from Illinois where they had lived for a while after leaving East Tennessee. They settled near Iberia, in the Big Tavern Creek area east and north of Iberia, in the area known today as the Brays community.
John Bilyeu made his will on Aug. 18, 1852, which was witnessed by Thomas W. Whitaker and John Rowden. A few months later, in February 1853, he died at the age of about 78 years. His probate and estate records are found in the probate Court of Miller County.
He was one of thousands of pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1840's and 1850's and settled on a new frontier in America's northwest. John Bilyeu is buried somewhere in the Big Richwoods, but no one today knows the location of his gravesite.
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