Rachel Haden Williams was born January 14, 1804, Casey, Kentucky; daughter of James and Mary Updegrove Williams. James was born May 24, 1762 in Virginia to Elias and Agatha Moseley Williams. James married Mary Updegrove on July 29, 1784 in Virginia. Mary Updegrove was born July 29, 1784 in Virginia. James Williams was christened on June 21, 1762, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia. When James was only 17 years old he enlisted in the Revolutionary War in Fluvanna Co., Virginia. From what I can gather from information provided by me from a descendant of Rachel's and the DAR Historian General, James was in the Revolutionary War for five years.

Solomon Peckenpaugh was born about 1796 in Breckinridge, Kentucky, and died November 23, 1853 in Knox, County, Illinois; he is buried in the Rice Blue Cemetery, Rio Twp., Knox Co., Illinois.

Children of Solomon and Rachel Williams Peckenpaugh are:

He married Mary A. Chaney, November 28, 1844 in perhaps Perry County, OH. Vermillion Co., Illinois. Mary was the daughter of Ezekiel Chaney, born about 1827, Perry, Ohio, and died February 1900 in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois. Mary Chaney Peckenpaugh is buried in the Knoxville Cemetery.

Rachel's obituary on the front page of the Galesburg Mail. Was also in several other papers.

Death From Old Age Claims Woman Who Has Witnessed Thrilling Events in History of Years Past Galesburg and Knox county lost by death Monday a.m., their oldest inhabitant, Mrs. Rachel Peckenpaugh, dying at the ripe old age of almost 97 years, at the home of her granddaughter, Mrs. A. J. Canfield, 586 Olive Street.

To no attack of disease can the death blow be laid, for she passed away after an illness of one week's duration. She died apparently from the weight of old age, which has rested quite heavily upon her for several years. Mrs. Peckenpaugh, while retaining nearly all of her faculties, has been very feeble, and passed her later days in the old arm-chair. But about a week ago she began to fail, and grew feebler day by day, until death came at 3 o'clock this morning.

Born in Kentucky The deceased was born in Kentucky January 14, 1804 and had she lived until January 14 of next year would have completed her ninety-seventh year. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Williams. September 7, 1820 she was married to Solomon Peckenpaugh, and to them were born two children, Horton and James Peckenpaugh, both of whom are dead. Her husband died about forty-five years ago. Mrs. Peckenpaugh is the last of her family and there are but few of her grandchildren.

Her early-married life was spent in different parts of Illinois. Then she and her husband lived for eight years in Kansas, and the balance of her life has been passed in Knox, Henry and Mercer counties. For nineteen years she has lived in Galesburg with the wife of her deceased son, Mrs. James Peckenpaugh, and with her granddaughter, the wife of A. J. Canfield.

For seventy years she had been a member of the Methodist church.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock, from the First Methodist church, and Dr. T. W. McVety had charge of the service.

The interment was in the cemetery at Knoxville.

To Mrs. Peckenpaugh belonged the distinction of being the oldest citizen of the city and county, and she came from that good fighting revolutionary stock, and through her veins ran the blue blood of the pioneer Kentuckians. Of these facts Mrs. Peckenpaugh was justly proud, and often took delight in relating tales of the achievements of her ancestors, especially of her father, who fought during the Revolution with General George Washington.

"At the time of the breaking out of the troubles with England he was but a boy, yet with a determination to 2 April 3, 2004 fight for his country's liberty and to punish the disloyal Tories, whose ravages he had noticed. Despite the efforts of his parents to prevent it, he joined the army and served for five years, and was with Washington on his campaigns. Later her father became a Methodist preacher, and performed the duties of the circuit-rider."

 When Mrs. Peckenpaugh related these reminiscences she spoke quickly and accurately, and used the peculiar expressions of the early Kentuckians.