I am not related to any of these people. On 28-29 Dec. 2009 (middle of the night), I posted a message in reply to a thread about a couple that seemed to be S.S. and Emily Winegar. I checked (29 Dec.) for more information about this couple in The First 200 Years Meredosia Bicentennial Book 1776-1976, published under the auspices of the Meredosia Junior Women's Club. Those interested in the Winegar family might find the following of interest.
The MAGA website (Morgan Area Genealogical Association) listed these folks (surname Winegar) buried in Oakland Cem. in Meredosia. Emily (wife of S.S. Winegar), Hannah (wife of John Sr.), John Sr., S.S., and Wm. H. Although no relationship was given, Wm. H. (born 1816) might have been a son of John Sr. The Illinois Sec. of State Archives death index lists the deaths of both Emily and S.S. as in Pike Co at Chambersburg. There were Winegars living in Pike Co., including John and his wife Freelove. A Pike Co. website included some biographical information on the descendants of John and his wife, plus others including a Samuel. Check the Chambersburg Cem. as well as the Griggsville area. There is a Winegar Spring in the Griggsville area.
Page 120, Mrs. Noma Winegar Yeakel was one of the teachers at the Island School on Meredosia Island. In a reply to my message of 28-29 Dec., the writer talked about Lincoln Co. MO being across the river from Meredosia. You may want to check your maps to see where the Winegars were in relation to Meredosia, which is on the EAST bank of the Illinois River. "Dosh" is quite a ways from the Mississippi River to the west, with Pike, Brown, and Adams Counties inbetween, depending on the route you take. (Chambersburg is the town which is slightly south of Meredosia to the west in Pike Co.) Lincoln Co. is much further south. Back in the 1850s, it would have been much easier to go by water to get to Meredosia from Lincoln Co. MO. I'm not familiar with the old routes and ferries but it would be easy to cross the Mississippi near Winfield into Calhoun Co. Illinois. Cross the tip of Calhoun County to the Illinois River, and then travel upriver to Meredosia. A person could also travel on the west bank of the Illinois River and cross by ferry to the east bank in many places between the tip of Calhoun Co. and Meredosia. In Pike Co., there was a reference to Nimrod Phillips, who owned the ferry between Pike and Scott counties, and a Winegar in connection with Mr. Phillips' estate settlement.
Page 202. "Meredosia was plotted on Dec. 27, 1832." "It received its incorporation Nov. 23, 1850". "The first town board elected in Dec. 1851 was composed of...S.S.Winegar".
Page 239. The post office was established on January 19, 1832. Included in the list of Postmasters was Stephen S. Winegar, appointed April 6, 1847. The next person on the list was appointed Nov. 5, 1849. Harvey M. Studley was appointed July 19, 1852. Perhaps he was the Steidly, H. born NH who was living with Stephen and Emily in the 1850 census.
Page 257. Title was Well Known Personalities. "A name that always seemed peculiar was that of Shephrd Winegar, an early resident of the riverside village." That's the way it was spelled in the book. S.S. Winegar's name seems to be Stephen Shepherd Winegar but he may have used either name. Perhaps it depended on who opened the door when the census taker arrived.
As for the strange spelling of the surname of this couple in the 1850 census... The census taker might not have been from that part of Morgan Co. or at least was not familiar with some of the surnames in the valley. The Baujan family had its name mutilated as well. Since both S.S. and Emily had been born in the East AND since the parents of S.S. had lived in Meredosia, these folks had probably maintained at least some of their New England accents. That plus the difficult to read spelling of the enumerator could have contributed to the surname that seems to end in an "e". (Drop the "r" like some from the East do and see how you might spell Winegar. Folks from Meredosia would probably pronounce it with a GRRR on the end.)
As to why the Winegars were in West Central Illinois, it's hard telling. S.S. and William were born shortly after the War of 1812. Many families came into the Illinois River Valley in anticipation of the opening of the Military Tract, which was between the two rivers. Some folks never moved into the Military Tract but settled in the counties of Calhoun, Pike, Cass, Morgan, and counties to the south of Morgan into Madison Co. I didn't check the Secretary of State website for the land patents, nor did I check for War of 1812 information. If this were my family, I believe the deeds and land records would hold some clues, possibly even migration information such as "late of the Bay State".
I hope that this information will be helpful to someone. By now, the book may be online. If you are ever in Morgan Co. to do research, be sure to go to the Jacksonville Area Genealogical and Historical Society Library, on South Main. Their extensive reference library will be of help in your search. After they close, you can go to the Jacksonville Public Library, located a block away, to continue your search. Kathleen (STANFIELD) COOK at rchrdcck@aol.com