Minerd.com Biography of Linnus Vitorio and Lillian (Davis) Warner of Arcola, IL

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Linnus Vitorio 'Lynn' Warner
(1864-1921)

Lynn and Lillian Warner

Linnus Vitorio "Lynn" Warner was born on Oct. 23, 1864 in Fairfield County, OH, the son of Benjamin and Nancy Jane (Bateson) Warner.

As a young man, he migrated to Illinois with his parents, settling in Arcola, Douglas County.

At the age of 28, on Dec. 22, 1892, he married 18-year-old Lillian Davis (1874-1963). They were wed in the Arcola vicinity, and were a decade apart in age.

The couple lived in Arcola and relocated to Bourbon, Douglas County where they made their home over the years.

They had the following five children: Pansy Own Anderson, Ora Frederick Warner, William Henry Warner, Burton Davis Warner and DeVilla Samuel Warner.

Arcola Township Cemetery

When the federal censuses were enumerated in 1910 and 1920, the Warners made their home on a farm in Bourbon. Their sons assisted in generating income as farming laborers during that time.

Lynn died on April 19, 1921, at the age of 57, in Arcola.

Lillian survived him by more than four decades, and returned to Arcola. The census-taker of 1930 recorded that she lived under the roof of her son and daughter in law Ora and Lyda Warner.

In 1940, she made a home by herself, but close by the residence of her daughter and son in law, Pansy and Grover Anderson.

Lillian passed away on May 23, 1963, at the age of 89. She is buried beside her husband in the Arcola Township Cemetery.

Pansy Anderson

~ Daughter Pansy Own (Warner) Anderson ~

Daughter Pansy Own Warner (1894-1948) was born on Sept. 28, 1894.

When she was 18 years of age, on April 30, 1913, Pansy was united in marriage with 28-year-old Grover Anderson (1885- ? ), a native of Indiana but a resident of Arcola at the time. He was 11 years older than she.

They produced at least three children -- Leonard Anderson, Edward Anderson and Lillian Anderson.

Pansy and her husband Grover

The Andersons made their home in Humboldt, Coles County, IL (on a rented farm in 1920 and 1930) and in Arcola (1940), where Grover worked as a farm manager and laborer.

Pansy passed away at the age of 54 on May 19, 1948.

Grover's fate is not known.

Son Leonard Anderson (1915- ? ) was born in 1915.

Son Edward Anderson (1916- ? ) was born in about 1916.

Daughter Lillian Anderson (1918- ? ) was born in about 1918.

~ Son Ora Frederick Warner ~

Ora F. Warner

Son Ora Frederick Warner (1896-1934) was born on Jan. 30, 1896 in Arcola.

He was short and of medium build, with brown eyes and red hair.

When he was required to register for the military draft during World War I, Ora declared that he was single and a self-employed farmer. He later joined the Army and served as a private during the war.

On April 2, 1919, at the age of 23, Ora married 17-year-old Lyda Elizabeth Shelton (1902-1988) in Tuscola, IL. She was the daughter of Robert and Clara (Eisele) Shelton of Douglas County.

They had three known daughters, Martha Jane Kennedy, Virginia Anne Warner and Nellie Own Baker. While their daughter Martha was born in Illinois in 1921, daughter Nellie was born in Ohio six years later. Whether the Warners were living in Ohio at the time of the birth, or simply visiting, is not known.

Sadly, daughter Virginia died in infancy in 1924. The cause of her untimely death is being researched.

They continued farming for many years.

Arcola High School

Ora passed away at the age of 38 on May 31, 1934, in Bourbon, Douglas County. The cause of his untimely death is not yet known. He received a military funeral service, with a United States flag draping his casket.

Lyda survived him by a remarkable five-plus decades. She relocated to Indiana, making her home in Lake County. She began working for John Frederick Kennedy whose wife Bonnie was terminally ill. After Bonnie's death, Lyda married the widower.

She passed away in 1988, at the age of 86, with burial in Wisconsin, in Wolf River Cemetery in Orihula, Winnebago County.

Daughter Martha Jane Warner (1921-1991) was born on Sept. 29, 1921 in Illinois. She married William Stewart "Red" Kennedy (1919-1987). They had three children -- Barbara Blankenship, Sharon Lou Carver and William Frederick Kennedy. William was a longtime railroad employee in Hammond, Indiana. He died in 1987. Martha passed away on March 16, 1991.

Grand daughter Sharon Lou Kennedy (1944-1992) married (?) Carver and had one or more children. She was stricken with multiple sclerosis and died at the age of 48 on June 9, 1992. She rests beside her parents in Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens in Schererville, Lake County, IN.

Granddaughter Barbara Kennedy married Walter Blankenship.

Grandson William Frederick Kennedy wed Patricia (?).

Above: Nellie (Warner) and Joseph Thomas Baker. Below: a catch of fish.
Courtesy Carol Baker-Murray

Daughter Nellie Own Warner (1927-2018) was born on Dec. 28, 1927 in Lakemore, OH. In about 1949, she married World War II veteran Joseph Thomas "Tom" Baker (Oct. 30, 1922-2005), a native of Lowell, Lake County, IN and the son of George Washington and Pearl Mae (Burton) Baker. Their union endured for 55 years. The couple produced four children -- Carol Murray, Daniel Joseph Baker, Michael Baker and Steven Baker. During the war, Thomas had served in the U.S. Army Air Force and spent 18 months as a prisoner of war in Germany. Thomas worked in the first part of his career, for 19 years, for Standard Oil. Later, he was employed for 28 years by LTV Steel. Nellie liked to camp, golf and paint in oils. They were members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Griffith, IN. Sadly, the angel of death carried away Thomas on Jan. 30, 2005 while in Munster, Lake County. Rev. Bill Halsted officiated, preaching the funeral sermon. His obituary was printed in the Times. As a widow, Nellie survived for another baker's dozen years. She passed away at the age of 90 in Lake County, IN on Sept. 21, 2018. Pastor Shawn Cornett presided over the funeral service. Her ashes are at rest in the Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens in Schererville, IN. An obituary said that she was survived by 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, and requested that any memorial donations be made to the Americal Legion or to the Alzheimer's Association.

Granddaughter Carol Baker ( ? -living) was born in (?). She was joined in marriage with Phillip Murray ( ? -living). They have resided in North Judson, IN. Carol graciously has provided important content for this biography.

Grandson Daniel Joseph Baker (1953-2005) was born on Feb. 24, 1953 in Hammond, Lake County, IN. He learned the painting trade and over the years worked on the Coronado Bridge and USS Nimitz in San Diego as well as painting aerospace equipment, battleships and nuclear plants. In his free time, he enjoyed watching automobile racing, fishing, the Sci-Fi Channel and Chicago Bears football games. He died at the age of 52 in Griffith, Lake County on Sept. 16, 2005. His remains were interred in Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens in Schererville, Lake County.

Grandson Michael Baker married Kim.

Grandson Steven Baker

~ Son William Henry Warner ~

Son William Henry Warner (1898-1960) was born on July 9, 1898.

Arcola Township Cemetery

In about 1918, when he was 20 years of age, William married 19-year-old Grace Pearl Black (1899- ? ), the daughter of Sarepta Black of Illinois. They did not reproduce.

William was a longtime barber in Douglas County, IL. Federal census records show that in 1930, the couple lived in the town of Bowdre and in 1935-1940 in Arcola, where he had his own shop. In 1940, Grace's widowed, 85-year-old mother in law resided under their roof.

William died in Illinois on April 19, 1960, at the age of 62. Burial was in Arcola Township Cemetery.

Grace survived him by more than 25 years. She died in 1986.

Burton D. Warner

~ Son Burton Davis Warner ~

Son Burton Davis Warner (1900-1974) was born on Aug. 19, 1900. He grew up on his parents' farm and devoted his life to farm labor.

When he was age 26, in about 1926, Burton married 19-year-old Orba Anna Walters (1907-2003), a native of Illinois and the daughter of Isaac Gibson and Emma E. (Mohler) Walters. They had two known sons -- Lewis Warner and Lloyd Warner.

The Warners were longtime farmers in the Bourbon and Arcola communities of Douglas County, IL, as shown by the federal censuses of 1930 and 1940.

Burton died on Feb. 16, 1974, in Illinois, at the age of 74. He was laid to rest in the Arcola Township Cemetery.

Orba outlived him by almost three decades. She died on Aug. 16, 2003, at the age of 95.

Son Lewis Warner (1931- ? ) was born in about 1931 in Illinois.

Son Lloyd Warner (1937- ? ) was born in about 1937 in Illinois.

DeVilla Warner

~ Son Devilla Samuel Warner ~

Son DeVilla Samuel Warner (1903-1926) was born on Jan. 17, 1903 in Bourbon Township, Douglas County, IL.

He never married and had no children.

DeVilla died in Arcola, Douglas County at the untimely age of 23, on Nov. 20, 1926.

The cause of his death is not yet known.