Jennie Louise Smith and Ogden Stanley Willey

OGDEN STANLEY WILLEY, son of GRACE MARIA STANLEY and OGDEN MOSELEY WILLEY, was born November 11, 1832 in Geneseo, Livingston, New York,^{6153, 6169} and died May 23, 1915 in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa.⁶¹⁶⁹

He married JENNIE LOUISE SMITH on May 15, 1876 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^{6153, 6169} She was born April 22, 1851 in Sheboygan, Sheboygan, Wisconsin,⁶¹⁵³ and died January 30, 1937 in St. Petersburg, Pinellas, Florida.⁶¹⁷¹ She is buried in Royal Palm Cemetery, St. Petersburg, Pinellas, Florida.⁴⁵⁶

• Descendant Reports
  • Samuel Stanley Descendant Report (Ancestor of Ogden S. Willey)
  • Joseph Baker Descendant Report (Ancestor of Ogden S. Willey)

Children of JENNIE LOUISE SMITH and OGDEN STANLEY WILLEY:

1. MARY GRACE WILLEY, b. March 9, 1877, Keokuk, Lee, Iowa;⁶¹⁵³ d. August 5, 1973, Pinellas County, Florida.⁹⁹
2. MATILDA GERTRUDE WILLEY, b. June 25, 1878, Keokuk, Lee, Iowa;⁶¹⁵³ d. December, 1968, Pinellas County, Florida.⁹⁹
3. JANE LOUISE WILLEY, b. October 7, 1880, St. Louis, Missouri; m. CHARLES CECIL HELMER on May 15, 1905 in Keokuk, Lee, Iowa³⁴³⁴; d. February 12, 1971, Longview, Cowlitz, Washington.⁶¹⁶⁶

Obituaries

Daily Gate City, May 24, 1915⁶¹⁶⁹

OGDEN S. WILLEY DIED YESTERDAY

Infirmities Incidental to Old Age Causes Death of Engineer in Employ of the Government.

WORKED ON THE CANAL

Was Civil Engineer and Draftsman During the Construction of Des Moines Rapids Canal

Ogden Stanley Willey, 82, chief clerk at the U. S. engineers office here, died at his home, 200 North Sixth street, at 7:40 yesterday morning. His death was due to the infirmities incidental to old age. He played a large part in the construction of the Des Moines rapids canal, and was widely known among engineers for his service in this work.

He was born in Geneseo, New York, November 11, 1832. He first came to this city in 1855, but left after six months for Bloomfield, Iowa. He returned here in 1868 to enter the employment of the government in the construction of the canal, as civil engineer and draftsman.

His work in this capacity was remarkably fine. He had in his possession years later, a number of drawings he had made during the construction of the canal, some of which he showed to Hugh L. Cooper, during the construction of the water power. Mr. Cooper praised the drawings as the finest he had ever seen and requested Mr. Willey to autograph one of the drawings and present it to him. Shortly after this some of the drawings were shown by Mr. Cooper to some German engineers here on a trip of inspection and they were acknowledged by these men to be the best they had ever seen,this despite the fact that German engineers are generally conceeded to be the finest draftsmen in the world.

Mr. Willey was exceedingly modest in anything connected with himself or his work and never could be induced to talk of himself or his early work in the government service.

He was married May 15, 1876, in Philadelphia, to Miss Jennie Louise Smith of that city. He is survived by his wife and three children, Mrs. Charles C. Helmar, of Carroll, Iowa; Miss Mary Willey and Miss Gertrude Willey, and by four grandchildren, Jane, Charles, Orlando and Gertrude Helmar.

St. Petersburg Times, January 31, 1937⁶¹⁷¹

Mrs. Jennie Willey, 86, Succumbs Here

Mrs. Jennie Louise Smith Willey, 86, an ancestor of Sir Francis Drake, the famous English navigator and explorer, died yesterday morning at 8:55 o'clock at her home, 608 Twenty-eighth street north.

Of Revolutionary stock, Mrs. Willey was born in Sheboygan, Wis. Her great great grandfather was Col. Samuel Drake who fought in the Third New York Westchester regiment. Her first ancestor in this country was Lt. Joseph Drake who died in 1731.

Mrs. Willey was the daughter of George H. and Mary Drake Smith. At an early age she was taken east by her parents. She married Ogden Stanley Willey in Philadelphia in 1876 and then went to Keokuk, Ia., to reside.

At the time of her marriage Mrs. Willey was a prominent concert and church soprano soloist in Philadelphia.

She came to this city in 1929 and was a member of St. Peter's Episcopal church and for the past four years resided here permanently.

Survivors include a brother, Frank W. Smith, New York City, and three daughters, the Misses Mary and Gertrude Willey, this city, and Mrs. Charles Helmer, Carroll, Ia.

Funeral arrangements are in charge of Baynard's.

Census Records

Date	Location	Enumerated Names
July 20, 18506141	Geneseo, Livingston, New York	Grace Maria Stanley Abigail Maria Willey Julia E. Willey Ogden Stanley Willey Howard Willey Stanley Willey Jean Willey
July 5, 18701708	Keokuk, Lee, Iowa	Ogden Stanley Willey
June 14, 18803408	Keokuk, Lee, Iowa	Ogden Stanley Willey Jennie Louise Smith Mary Grace Willey Matilda Gertrude Willey