Sally S. Binkley 1818-1906
Mrs. Sallie S. Binkley was born in Davidson County, Tennessee, on November 22, 1818. Her father was Henry T. Lee, who, coming from Virginia when a boy, settled 2.5 miles from Nashville, Tennessee. She grew to womanhood and married in Tennessee. Her husband was Jacob J. Binkley, to whom she was united in April, 1839. The couple reached Marion, Illinois to live in May, 1852.Her husband Jacob J. Binkley died in October 1876 leaving Mrs. Binkley with four children. Only one of the children, Fannie (Binkley) Sherertz survived. The couple had had six children in all and lost five. Mrs. Binkley made her home with the remaining daughter, Fannie, from the time of her husband’s death until her own.
An important and interesting incident of her life, indicative of the industrious character of the generation to which she belonged, now rapidly passing away, gives us a glimpse of the manner of life of our forefathers.
During the darkest days of the Civil War, near its close, she and her daughter, Fannie Sherertz and her companions carded, spun and wove, entirely by hand, woolen clothes from the sheep’s back and cotton from the fields, and cut and made the garments by hand also.
The cotton was cleaned of the seed by the tedious work of their nimble fingers, then carded, spun and woven and made into garments, both for men and women’s wear, without the aid of modern machines from the beginning to the end.
Mrs. Binkley herself made several full suits of men’s wear of blue and grey-mixed jeans, for which she received $2.00 a yard. The late James H. Duncan, then sheriff (1878-1886), bought and wore one of her suits.
Mrs. Binkley was a member of the Christian church, having joined that branch of God’s workers many years ago, and in which she was an active laborer until her declining years prevented her getting out much. “Grandma” Binkley, as she was better known, had not been able to walk for several months on account of injuries she sustained in a fall.
Mrs. Sallie S. Binkley died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Hal Sherertz at 803 South Buchanan Street on January 10, 1906 at 87. She had two grandchildren living; Mrs. James Davis of the east part of Marion, and Edward Kelley, of Kelley & Mosely, the West Main street hardware firm doing business at 303 W. Main Street.
(Data extracted from 1905 Souvenir History and her obituary; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 03/25/2013)