My Genealogy Hound

S. S. Wiley, farmer of Big River Township, Jefferson County, and a native of the same, was born in 1840. He is the eighth of nine sons and four daughters born to Eli and Lucina (Mars) Wiley. The father was born near Raleigh, N. C., in 1799, and at the age of five removed with his father, John Wiley, to Maury County, Tenn., where he lived until 1822. At that date he and a family by the name of Griffith hired a flat-boat, and pulled from the mouth of the Tennessee River to the mouth of Isle Au Bois, in Ste. Genevieve County, Mo. From there he went to Jefferson County, and located on Dry Creek at what is known as the “Stone House Place,” but later removed to a place situated five miles north of this, and here passed the remainder of his days. He died in December, 1878. He was one of the county’s well-to-do farmers and influential citizens, and an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He was for some years justice of the peace, and was also a short time associate judge of the county court. He was married when young, and his wife, who is about eighty-three years of age and who was born in Monroe County, Ill., is now living, and is a member of the Baptist Church. S. S. Wiley was reared at home, and received a common country school education. In 1862 he enlisted in Company I, Fifty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was in the battle of Vicksburg, and after that was on post duty most of the time until 1865, when he was discharged at Montgomery, Ala., after over three years of active service. He then returned home, and in 1867 was united in marriage to Miss Alwilda, daughter of William and Elizabeth Shelton, early settlers of Jefferson County, where Mrs. Wiley was born. To this union two children, Eli and William, were born. Mrs. Wiley departed this life in March, 1872. Mr. Wiley is a successful farmer, is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity.