Four months shy of his 100th birthday.

Record of Marriage
groom: Bigger Head
bride: Mary Lucas
date: 28 June 1835
place: Highland County, Ohio
"Ohio, Marriages, 1800-1958"
FamilySearch (Image)

1850/ Ohio/ Highland
Bigger Head, 38y b.OH, occ: Farmer
Mary, 35y b.OH
Harriett E, 15y b.OH
L E (f), 12y b.OH
James L, 11y b.OH
Mary C, 8y b.OH
Maria N, 6y b.OH
R S (m), 4y b.OH
Minerva J, 1y b.OH

1860/ Illinois/ McDonough
Bigger Head, 48y b.OH, occ: Farmer
Mary, 47y b.OH
Mary, 17y b.OH
Maria, 15y b.OH
Richard, 12y b.OH
Minerva, 10y b.OH
Newton, 8y b.OH
Alice, 4y b.IL
Hesse (m), 2y b.IL [s/b Hettie (f)]
plus one other

1870/ ?

1880/ Illinois/ McDonough
h/ Bigger Head, 67y b.OH, occ: Farmer
w/ Mary, 65y b.OH

1890/ Illinois/ McDonough
h/ Bigger Head, 78y b.OH, occ: Farmer
w/ Mary, 74y b.OH, mother of 11/6 living
sister/ Maria Head [?], 73y b.OH, Wd, mother of 6/5 living

1900/ Illinois/ McDonough
h/ Bigger Head, 87y b.Oct 1812 OH, M/65, occupation: Retired Farmer
w/ Mary Head, 84y b.Oct 1815 OH, mother of 4 [?]/4 [?] living
d/ Hattie Sparyer, 33y b.Apr 1867 IL, mother of 4/2 living
sil/ Newton Sparyer, 34y b.Mar 1868 OH, M/22, occupation: Day Laborer
s/b gs/ Bigger Sparyer, 12y b.Apr 1888 IL
s/b gs/ Cary Sparyer, 10y b.Apr 1890 IL
residence: (no house number Main Broadway, Bardolph Village

He appears here with his daughter and son-in-law:
1910/ Illinois/ McDonough
h/ Wilson Winter, 73y b.OH, M1/49, no occ
w/ Maria Winter, 65y b.OH, mother of 7/7 living
fil/ Bigger Head, 97y b.OH
residence: Bardolph Village

Published obituary
Death of a Pioneer of McDonough County, Illinois
Bigger Head, McDonough county's oldest citizen and pioneer resident, died Saturday evening, June 1, 1912, at 9 o'clock, at his home in Bardolph, at the remarkable age of ninety-nine years, seven months and twenty days.

Funeral services were held at the First Methodist church, conducted by Reverend Witter of Farmington, for a number of years pastor of that church in Bardolph, assisted by Reverend Swisher, present pastor of the Methodist church. Interment was made in the Bardolph cemetery.

"Uncle" Bigger Head, as he was commonly known to the citizens of the county, was born in Highland County, Ohio, October 12, 1812, and was the son of William and Mary (McLaughlin) Head, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. His paternal grandfather, John Head, came from Scotland, and his maternal grandfather, Robert McLaughlin, was born in Ireland. He was the fifth child in a family of fourteen.

June 20, 1835, he married the daughter of a pioneer of Highland County, Mary Lucas by name, who was also destined for a long and useful life, and who accompanied his pilgrimage for seventy years, her life coming to a close February 17, 1905, at the age of ninety years lacking six months.

In 1852, Mr Head came to McDonough County, then thinly settled, and purchased three-quarters of a section of land on Sections 23 and 26. Here he lived until 1872, when he bought 170 acres in Mound township and one 80-acre tract in Section 1 in Macomb township, where he lived until 1895. He then bought a residence in Bardolph in which to pass his declining years and where he lived until his death, surrounded by many comforts, the affection and good will of tried friends, and the companionship of pleasant memories. When he first emigrated to Illinois and the wild prairies the nights were made drear by the howling of wolves, and many graceful deer fell before the expert marksmanship of the pioneer settlers. Evidence of Indian occupation existed on every hand.

Mr Head supported the Republican cause during the existence of that party but never invaded the ranks of office seekers. He united with the Methodist church and followed the teachings of that denomination during his entire life.
Published in the Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society
My thanks to Julie Armstrong Narr, contributor 47845261 for this obit.