Joseph Christian Birkey b. 3 Sep 1887 Oberlin, Decatur Co., KS d. 25 May 1988 Gibson City, Ford Co., IL: The Schrock-Birkey Connection
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Joseph Christian Birkey[1]

Male 1887 - 1988  (100 years)


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  • Name Joseph Christian Birkey  [2, 3] 
    Birth 3 Sep 1887  Oberlin, Decatur Co., KS Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Berkey Book gives day as 1 Sep.
    Gender Male 
    Occupation Farmer 
    Religion Amish Mennonite 
    USR1 Old Age 
    Death 25 May 1988  Gibson City, Ford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Memorial leaflet in preparer’s possession
    Burial 28 May 1988  Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • East Bend Mennonite Cemetery
    Person ID I221  Schrock-Birkey Connection
    Last Modified 27 May 2018 

    Father Valentine Birkey,   b. 2 Feb 1858, Dillon Creek, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Sep 1928, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 70 years) 
    Mother Phoebe (Bena) Good,   b. 5 Sep 1863, Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Dec 1962, Eureka, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 99 years) 
    Marriage 15 Jan 1882  Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5] 
    Notes 
    • Valentine and Phoebe were married in the Hopedale Mennonite Church by Christian Nafziger. Joseph Good was a witness.
      Valentine was 23, a farmer, and living in Hopedale, IL at the time of marriage. Phoebe was 18.
    Family ID F6  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Ida Barbara Zehr,   b. 17 Oct 1888, Deer Creek, Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 May 1965, Gibson City, Ford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Marriage 21 Dec 1910  [3] 
    Children 
     1. Dorothy Marie Birkey,   b. 19 Sep 1912, Deer Creek, Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Aug 1990, Champaign, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years)
     2. Earl Melvin Birkey,   b. 10 May 1914, Danvers, McLean Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 8 May 1996, Urbana, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years)
     3. Raymond Joseph Birkey,   b. 21 May 1917, Morton, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Dec 1993, Urbana, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     4. Harlan Daniel Birkey,   b. 4 Oct 1918, Deer Creek, Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Oct 1996, Urbana, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
     5. Leslie Valentine Birkey,   b. 30 Sep 1920, Deer Creek, Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Jan 2011, Urbana, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years)
     6. Eleanor Phoebe Birkey,   b. 1 Jul 1923, Deer Creek, Washington Twp., Tazewell Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Nov 2000, Urbana, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years)
     7. Lois Mae Birkey,   b. 30 May 1930, Foosland, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Jan 2010, Metamora, Woodford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years)
    Family ID F105  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2001 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 3 Sep 1887 - Oberlin, Decatur Co., KS Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 25 May 1988 - Gibson City, Ford Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 28 May 1988 - Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Obit:
      Birkey, Joe C., son of Valentine and Phoebe (Good) Birkey, was born at Oberlin, Kans., Sept. 3, 1887; died at Gibson City Hospital, Gibson City, Ill., May 25, 1988; aged 100 y. On Dec. 21, 1910, he was married to Ida Zehr, who died on May 30, 1965. Surviving are 4 sons (Earl, Raymond, Leslie, and Harlan), 3 daughters (Dorothy M. Birkey, Eleanor Birkey, and Lois Bachman), 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and one brother (Joel). He was a member of East Bend Mennonite Church, where funeral services were held on May 28, in charge of Millard Osborne and Ted Wentland; interment in East Bend Memorial Gardens.

      At Joe's funeral, in 1988, Rev. Millard Osborne and Rev. Ted Wentland officiated at East Bend Mennonite Church. Pallbearers were Richard Birkey, Joe Birkey, Duane Birkey, Larry Birkey, Allan Birkey and Steve Bachman.

      ————————
      Joe was honored for his 99th birthday on Sept. 3, with a surprise card shower in his honor at the Senior Citizen's meeting. Many of his family were present during the afternoon. (Fisher Reporter 1986)
      The Pantagraph, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 1987
      Reports 100th birthday celebrations--joint with son Earl and Dorthy's 50th wedding anniversary.
      "I used to herd cattle when I was 7 years old." Joe says. He had a pony in Kansas....He hinted at an episode in which he tied the cows' tails together when they were drinking water, but wouldn't tell the entire story. He remembers frontier Kansas as having many snakes and rabbits and "a lot of Gypsies going through." Homesteaders had to promise to live eight years on the land they bought for $4 an acre, and the longer Joe's parents stayed, the poorer they got. "We ate a lot of mulberries and rhubarb. My mother would take wheat and roast it, and we'd have coffee--colored water is about all it was." Sunday mornings, the pioneer Birkey family, in clean clothes, but barefoot, hitched a team of mules to their box wagon, threw a little hay in the back and drove to church.

  • Sources 
    1. [S20] Birkey Family Tree (Valentine and Phoebe Good Birkey).

    2. [S16] Edna Schertz, Joseph and Catherine Stalter Good.

    3. [S2] Ruth Berkey Reichly, The Berkey Book, (Arlington, VA).

    4. [S215] Marriage Record of Valentine Birkey and Phoebe Good.

    5. [S1058] Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763-1900, Valentine Birkey and Phoebe Good - Marriage Record Vol 1 , page 87.


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