Riley Rampley
This picture of Riley Rampley (1835-1893) was likely taken in Hancock County sometime before his death in Walker Township, Hancock, Illinois. His Civil War records indicate his hair was red and he certainly has more hair than I will when I reach the age he likely is in this picture.
Riley is an excellent example of an average person (nothing wrong with that) who left a great deal of records. His military pension file is over 200 pages and there was a court case involving his estate that was started ten years after his death.
To top it off, Riley has three tombstones: a military one, an individual one, and one with his wife Nancy. Fortunately all are in the same cemetery and in the same location. They do not give the same date of birth however.
