Skip to main content

David Needham Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: MS 0032

Scope and Contents

This collection contains legal documents including mortgages and warranty deeds for land in Cass County, Illinois, relating to several generations of the Needham family of Virginia, Illinois. Names included are David Needham, James Needham, Cecilia Needham, George S. Needham, Jannett Needham, and Nancy E. Needham. Others include Robert D. Taylor, William Henry Taylor, David and Ann Wight, and Thomas S. Williamson.

Dates

  • 1874-1944

Creator

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the University of Illinois- Springfield (UIS).

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection are held by UIS.

Biography

Rev. James Needham (1812-1893) born in Oldham, England; he married Martha Ogden while in England. The family moved to the United States in the mid 1800s, where he worked as a farmer. James and Martha had five children: John Needham (c. 1838, born in England), Rebecca Needham Russell (1839-1905, born in England), George Samuel Needham (1846-1931, born in Illinois), James H. Needham (1849- ), Mary Jane Needham Millner (1850-1926).

James Needham married Cecelia (Wilkie) Cooper on August 20, 1852. Previously married, Cecelia already had at least two children, Barbary Cooper (c. 1841- ) and Agnes Cooper (c. 1844- ). James and Cecelia had three children: Elijah Needham (1855- ), Nancy Needham (1857-1916), and Cecelia Needham Miles (1860-1947).

George Samuel Needham (1846-1931) married Janet E. Gillespie (1855-1949) on March 17, 1886. George and Janet had two sons: David A. Needham (1887-1978) and James Harry Needham (1891- ).

Extent

.1 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Provenance

Gifted to the archives by David M. Dodds on November 16, 1978.

Property Rights

UIS owns the property rights to this collection.

Processing Information

This collection was reprocessed in August 2025.

Title
Finding Aid to the David Needham Family Papers
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the UIS Archives/Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Archives/Special Collections LIB 144
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield IL 62703-5407 US
217-206-6520