George Henry READER was born 13 February 1856 in Maidstone District, Kent, England. He married Zara Elizabeth ADKINS 20 March 1877 in Dwight, Livingston County, Illinois, USA. He died 01 May 1880 in Illinois, USA. Zara Elizabeth ADKINS was born 07 February 1859 in Ottawa, LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. She died 10 April 1946 in Fall River, Greenwood County, Kansas, USA.


Children of George Henry READER and Zara Elizabeth ADKINS are:
1. Lucy Mabel READER, b. 07 October 1879 See William Hamilton MEANS & Lucy Mabel READER
2. Charles Adelbert READER, b. 08 January 1878 See Charles Adelbert READER & Nellie Vesta BARTON

Marriage Notes for George Henry READER\Zara Elizabeth ADKINS:

The Marriage License for George and Elizabeth is dated 20 March, 1877, so I presume the marriage took place then or soon after.
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See George and Elizabeth's Marriage Certificate

Other Marriages/Unions for Zara Elizabeth ADKINS:
See George James KNIBBS & Zara Elizabeth ADKINS


Notes for George Henry READER:

Elizabeth's first husband was George H Reader. In the Family Bible of Henry Herbert Knibbs, Elizabeth's birthday is listed alongside those of her two children Charles and Lucy and a Geo H Reader. Her marriage to George was later confirmed in an Obituary.

George was born in England. The detail below relating to his family background is conjectured but based on good, sound information that has been passed down within the Reader part of the family through the generations. I have it from Cindy Bonus, a g.g.grandaughter of his, that George's mother had the surname Clarke, possibly Lucy Clarke, and she and George came from Kent, England.
A check of the marriage records for England shows that during q3/1852, a Charles Reeder married a Lucy Clarke in the Tunbdridge District of Kent, England, so it seems pretty convincing that this would be George's parents.
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We know from the 1880 US census that George's father was named Charles Reader, born abt.1828 in England, and I'm pretty sure it's him we see in 1851. There was just the one Charles Reader living in this part of the country at that time. The Charles we see in the two family groups I've listed below from 1841 and 1851 would be the right age to match up with what we know for sure about his age from the 1880 US census.

In 1851, George's father was living at 20 Camden Street, Maidstone, Kent:
Martha Banyard Head Wid 32 Cow Keeper Kent Loose
John Barnyard Son 9(?) Scholar Kent Maidstone
Naomi Barnyard Daur 11 Scholar Kent Maidstone
Charles Reader Servt UnM 23 Servant Kent East Farleigh

Stepping back to 1841, this same Charles Reader was living at East Farleigh, Kent with his parents and siblings:
Henry Reader 47 Ag Lab
Harriet Reader 40
James Reader 17
William Reader 15
Charles Reader 13
Caroline Reader 10
Henry Reader 8
Edward Reader 6
David Reader 3
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Charles married Lucy Clarke during q3/1852.
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Henry and Harriet Reader can be seen in 1871, living at Loose Valley, Loose, Nr. Maidstone, Kent:
Harry Reader Head Mar 76 Ag Lab Kent Yalding
Harriet Reader Wife Mar 69 Kent Pembury
John Reader Son 28 Ag Lab Farleigh
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George died at the young age of just 24, from consumption.
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Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of George.

Sources for George Henry READER:

  1. Personal Contact with Cindy Robertson Bonus, gave middle name. 
  2. 1880 US Federal Census,
  3. Obituary of Zara Elizabeth Adkins,

Notes for Zara Elizabeth ADKINS:

Also known as: Elizabeth or Lizzie




Zara (or "Lizzie" as I believe she was better known) taken in the late 1890's.
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The Rumney web site has Elizabeth listed as Elizabeth A Reader. It is quite likely that the "A" stands for her maiden name of Adkins which was given to me by Ken Close.
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The 1880 census shows Elizabeth living in the house of her father-in-law Charles Reader at Braceville, Grundy, Illinois. Her first husband, George Reader, had died shortly before the census was taken:
Charles Reader Wid 52 Farmer (born in England to English parents)
John W Reader Son Unm 23 Farmer (born in England to English parents)
Catherine Reader Daur UnM 18 Keeping House (born Illinois to English parents)
Sarah A Reader Dau UnM 17 (born Illinois to English parents)
Henry E Reader Son UnM 15 Farming (born Illinois to English parents)
William Reader Son UnM 14 Farming (born Illinois to English parents)
Frederick Reader Son UnM 12 Farming (born Illinois to English parents)
Elizabeth Reader Daur-in-Law Wid 21 Keeping House (born Illinois)
Charles Reader GSon 2 (born Illinois to English father and US mothe
Lucy Reader GDaur 8 months (born Illinois to English father and US mother)
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Zara is recorded in 1920 as Elizabeth Knibbs, living at Woodson County, Kansas. In 1920, we see her, living at Woodson County, Kansas:
Elizabeth Knibbs Head Wid 60 Illinois
Ethel Dickerson Daughter Div 25 Kansas
Myrtle Knibbs Daughter 24 UnM Kansas
Merle Dickerson Grandson 14 Kansas
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In 1925, we see Zara in the Kansas State Census:
Elizabeth Knibbs Head Wid 65 Illinois
Mrs Ethel Dickerson Daur 40 Kansas
Myrtle Knibbs Daur 29 Kansas
Mearl Dickerson Grandson 19 Barber Kansas
Howard Reader Grandson 21 Mechanic Kansas
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And again in 1930 we see Elizabeth Knibbs and Ethel Mae, hear daughter, living in Washington Street, Toronto, Woodson County, Kansas:
Elizabeth Knibbs Head Wid 71 Illinois
Ethel M Dickerson Daur 45 Div Laundres Private Homes Kansas

In 1940, Elizabeth was living at Toronto, Toronto Township, Woodson County, Kansas with her daughter Anna:
Elizabeth Knibbs Head Wid 81 Illinois
Harry Wright Son-in-Law Mar 59 Kansas
Anna J Wright Daughter Mar 52 Kansas Seamstress
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Obituary - Mrs. Elizabeth Knibbs Dies at Fall River

"Mrs. Elizabeth Knibbs, who was 87 years old last February 10, passed away Tuesday evening, April 10, 1946, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Al Okerberg, in Fall River. She had been in failing health for some time.
Mr. and Mrs. Knibbs came to Kansas from Illinois about 65 years ago and settled on a farm in Greenwood county. They moved to Toronto many years ago to make their home. Following the death of Mr. Knibbs, she has made her home here and in Fall River with her children.
As we go to press, no funeral arrangements had been made."
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Obituary - Mrs. Zara Elizabeth Knibbs Passes

"Mrs. Zara Elizabeth Knibbs passed away last Wednesday afternoon, April 10, 1946, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. E. A. Okerberg in Fall River, at the age of 87 years, 2 months and 3 days. She had been in failing health for the past few years. Mrs. Knibbs was one of the earlier pioneer residents of this community having spent her early married life on a farm near the Ward school house, later moving to Toronto where she resided for many years.
She is survived by six daughters and a son: Mrs. Lucy M. Means of Anacortes, Wash.; Mrs. Ethel Dickerson, Mrs. Anna Wright and Mrs. Gladys Close, all of Toronto; Mrs. Sadie Rigdon of Emporia; and Clyde E. Knibbs of San Jose, Calif. Her husband, George J. Knibbs, passed away January 12, 1912.
Funeral services were held at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon, April 14, in the Toronto Presbyterian church, conducted by the Rev. A. E. Whittington. Interment was in the Toronto cemetery."
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Obituary - Knibbs
"Zara Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Elinor Adkins, was born February 7, 1859, at Ottowa, Illinois, and departed this life after a long illness at Fall River, Kansas, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Myrtle Okerberg, April 10, 1946, at the age of 87 years, 2 months and 13 days. In 1876, she was united in marriage to George Reader. To this union was born two children. After a short illness the young husband was taken from this life. On Sept. 28, 1881, she was united in married to George G. Knibbs. To this union seven children were born. Mr. Knibbs preceded her in death Jan. 17, 1912, also the eldest son, Charles Reader in 1932, and a daughter, Edna Grace Knibbs, dying in infancy in 1897.
Mrs. Knibbs came to Kansas in March, 1883, and settled on a farm in the Ward neighborhood north of Fall River. In 1902 she moved to Toronto, Kansas, where she resided until the last few years. She was raised an orphan and endured the hardships of pioneer life. She united with the Presbyterian Church August 28, 1904.
She leaves to mourn her departure seven children: Lucy Means of Anacortes, Washington; C. E. Knibbs of San Jose, Calif.; Ethel Dickerson and Anna Wright of Toronto, Kansas; Myrtle Okerberg of Fall River, Kansas; Gladys Close of Toronto, Kansas; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-two great grandchildren; and a host of friends.
Funeral services were held in the Presbyterian Church in Toronto at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon, April 14, conducted by Rev. A. E.
Whittington, pastor of the Toronto Pilgrim Holiness Church. Interment was in the Toronto cemetery."
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The following is extracted from a handwritten documet that was dictated from memory by Zara in 1936. I am extremely grateful to her great-grandson, Ken Close, for sharing it with us:

Zara Elizabeth, daughter of Charles and Mary Elinor Adkins was born in Ottawa, Illinois, February 7, 1859. She was the second and last child born to this union, the first child, a daughter, dying at the age of two years.
He (Charles) was a carpenter, went to war, and is reported to have died with typhoid fever in the war. Her (Mary Elinor's) parents separated. It was rumored he ran off with another woman.

Later she married Benjamin Adkins, a brother of the farmer. To this union were born two children, Matilda Belle the first and the latter Jessie Benjamin. In a few years the father died in the army, and she married Morgan Morris, a farmer. To this union were born two sons, William Henry who was about three years old when the mother died at the birth of the second son who was stillborn.

Elizabeth was nine years old in February when the mother died in May, leaving four children. Her grandmother (her mother's mother), a widow, Elizabeth Harding lived with the family and the stepfather kept the children together for a year, and he found homes for them.

Jane Olarry, sister of Morris, took Jessie B. to raise and they came to Yates Center, Kansas to live. Matilda Belle was taken by a family named Bagley (I think) in Ill. to live. Elizabeth was taken by a family named Laymon near Braceville. They were an elderly couple with a family of ten children, six boys and four girls, all married except for one boy. Here she lived eight years, then married George H. Reader at Dwight, Ill. and lived in Gardner, Ill. To this union were born two children, Charles Adelbert at Gardner and Lucy Mable near Braceville, two months after the father died of quick T.B. and was buried near Braceville.

Sept. 28. 1881 she was united in marriage to George J. Knibbs of Verona, Ill. and came to Kansas in the spring of 1883 when Clyde was a baby and settled on a farm in the Ward neighborhood northwest of Fall River Kansas. To this union were born seven children, namely, Clyde Ellsworth, Ethel May, Anna Jane, Sadie Louise, Myrtle Iona, Edna Grace (dying in infancy), and Hilda Gladys. In 1902 they moved to Toronto Kansas and the husband died Jan. 17, 1912. Charles Adelbert died in 1932.

Matilda Belle married a man in Chicago, named Fay, a widower with two children. One child was born to this union who died, and Belle died later.

Morris the stepfather died while Will was a boy and Will was taken by another family. Will married in Illinois after Elizabeth came to Kansas and he died later."
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Our gratitude goes to the members and volunteers at Find A Grave web site for recording the details, in memory of Zara and George Knibbs.

Sources for Zara Elizabeth ADKINS:

  1. Personal Contact with Ken Close Jr., USA, 111Personal contact with Ken Close Jr., USA gave date & location 
  2. Oneida Community Website,
  3. Obituary of Zara Elizabeth Adkins,
  4. Rumney Web Pages/Theodore Metcalf Book, Rumney Web Pages/Theodore Metcalf Book gave date only 
  5. 1910 US Federal Census,