He leaves his widow of near Paxton, one daughter, Mrs. Mildred Ferdinandsen of Chicago, three sons, Cecil, Kankakee, Ronald, Peoria, amd Curtis, Paxton. A step-son Chester Atchison, Rankin, a brother, Milton, who lives in the neighborhood and one sister, Mrs. Roy Jones, Paxton and eleven grandchildren.
Two sisters, Mrs. William Stephens and Mrs. Emma Carlson, passed away within the past two weeks.
Paxton Record

Father: Milton Strayer b. 15 Jul 1825 in Fountain County, Indiana d. 25 Oct 1897 in Ford County, Illinois
Mother: Sarah J Middlebrook b. about 1834 in Ohio d. after 1 Jan 1930 in Button Township, Ford County, Illinois.

Extract from the 1870 Census:
Name: Arthur E Strayer
Age in 1870: 9
Estimated birth year: 1861
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: son
Parents: Milton and Sarah J Strayer, ages 46 and 36
Home in 1870: Button Township, Ford, Illinois
Post office: Paxton
Father's birthplace: Ireland [sic]
Mother's birthplace: Ireland [sic]
Father's occupation: farmer
Occupation: attending school
Siblings living at home: Mary F (age 15), Adaline (13), Caroline (13), Olive (11), and Milton E (3)
Census place: Button Township, Ford, Illinois; Roll M593_221; Page: 20B; Image: 44; Family History Library Film: 545720
Date: 5 Jul 1870

Extract from the 1880 Census:
Name: Arthur E Strayer
Age: 19
Estimated birth year: 1861
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head-of-household: son
Parents: Milton and Sarah J Strayer, ages 54 and 45
Home in 1880: Button Township, Ford, Illinois
Marital status: single
Father's birthplace: Indiana
Mother's birthplace: Ohio
Father's occupation: farmer
Occupation: attending school
Siblings living at home: Adaline (age 23), Milton (13), Emma M (8), and Maggie (4)
Census place: Button Township, Ford, Illinois; Roll T9_206; Family History Film: 1254206; Page: 290.1000; Enumeration District: 108; Image: 0583
Date: 11 Jun 1880

Marriage 1: 30 Jan 1890 Marietta Higdon
Marriage 2: about 1903 Myrtle C.

Extract from the 1900 Census:
Name: Edwin Strayer
Age at last birthday: 38
Date of birth: Jul 1861
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head-of-house: head
Home in 1900: Button Township, Ford, Illinois
Marital status: widower
Able to read, write and speak English: yes
Father's birthplace: Indiana
Mother's birthplace: Indiana [sic]
Farm or home: farm
Home owned or rented: owned
Mortgage: yes
Occupation: farmer
Months not employed: 0
Census place: Button Township, Ford, Illinois; Roll T623_300; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 61
Date: 13 Jun 1900

Child living with parent in 1900:
Cecil Strayer age 9 b. Sep 1890 in Illinois
Also living in the household in 1900:
Myrtle Atchison age 22 b. Mar 1878 in Illinois; occupation: housekeeper
Charles Atchison age 2 b. Jul 1897 in Illinois [source: 1900 Census].

Note: it is obvious that he married his housekeeper. In the 1930 Census she stated that she was 26 when married, which calculates to a marriage year of 1904.

Extract from the 1910 Census:
Name: Edwin Strayer
Age in 1910: 48
Estimated birth year: 1862
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head of house: head
Home in 1910: Button Township, Ford, Illinois
Marital status: married (second marriage)
Number of years of marriage: 7
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: Indiana
Mother's birthplace: Indiana [sic]
Farm or house: farm
Home owned or rented: owned; has mortgage
Occupation: farmer
Industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: employer
Census place: Button Township, Ford, Illinois; Roll T624_235; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 2; Image: 226
Date: 16 Apr 1910

Children living with parents in 1910:
Cecil R Strayer age 19 b. Illinois; occupation: farm laborer
Chester Strayer age 12 b. Illinois [stepson]
Mildred J Strayer age 5 b. Illinois
Ronald B Strayer age 3 b. Illinois [source: 1910 Census].

Extract from the 1917 Ford County, Illinois business directory:
Ford County Township Treasurers - 1917
Name - post office
Chloe Rady - Gibson City
C E Cameron - Elliott
Philip Larson - Perdueville
W J Lateer - Paxton
EDWIN STRAYER - Clarence
Wm M Cutler - Rankin
C J Heckens - Garber
Geo T Iehl - Melvin
William Kenney - Loda
E D Cameron - Sibley
J A Rupell - Chatsworth
J P Smith - Roberts
F A Luther - Piper City
S D Hevener Piper City
J T Corkill - Kempton
J F Schumaker - Cabery

Extract from the 1920 Census:
Name: Edwin Strayer
Age: 59
Estimated birth year: 1861
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relationship to head of house: head
Home in 1920: Button Township, Ford, Illinois
Address: farm
Marital status: married
Able to speak English: yes
Able to read and write: yes
Father's birthplace: Indiana
Mother's birthplace: Indiana [sic]
Home owned or rented: owned; has mortgage
Occupation: farmer
Industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: employer
Census place: Button Township, Ford, Illinois; Roll T625_368; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 2; Image: 37
Date: 14 Jan 1920

Children living with parents in 1920:
Mildred Strayer age 15 b. Illinois
Ronald Strayer age 13 b. Illinois
Curtis Strayer age 9 b. Illinois [source: 1920 Census].

Extract from the 1930 Census:
Name: Edwin Strayer
Age: 68
Estimated birth year: 1862
Birthplace: Illinois
Race: white
Sex: male
Relation to head-of-house: head
Home in 1930: Button Township, Ford, Illinois
Marital status: married
Age at first marriage: 28
Education: able to speak English
Education: able to read and write
Father's birthplace: Indiana
Mother's birthplace: Indiana [sic]
Rent/home value: owns home; no value listed; lives on farm
Military service: no
Owned a radio: no
Occupation: farmer
Industry: general farm
Salary or wage worker: employer
Census place: Button Township, Ford, Illinois; Roll 515; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 3; Image: 563.0
Date: 15 Apr 1930

Children living with parents in 1930:
Curtis Strayer age 19 b. Illinois; occupation: laborer
Estel Strayer age 19 b. Kentucky [daughter-in-law]
James A Strayer age 2/12 b. Illinois [grandson]
Lois Ferdinandsen age 6 b. Illinois [granddaughter] [source: 1930 Census].

Gravestone inscription:

A. Edwin Strayer
1860-1936